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1 for beginners

Great shots with any camera


www.photoforbeginners.com

Find us on and share your shots!

Essential guides for

Practise skills with 15 creative photo guides

AMAZING PROJECTS

A COMPACT CAMERA

Top photo techniques

Tested: CSCs on a budget


Which one is worth upgrading to?

Master Lightroom 5 Editing advice Panning made easy Photo gift ideas

ISSUE 032

Tricks for stunning shots of architecture

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WELCOME Issue 32

Welcome
5
essential skills you will learn in this issue
01 CAPTURE ANY SCENE
Read our 30 tips for portraits, landscapes and more on p18

02 SHOOT ARCHITECTURE
Turn to p28 for handy tricks for great shots now

03 GET CREATIVE
Try our 15 great projects on p36 to get standout shots

04 LEARN TO PAN
P48 teaches you to pan, for dynamic action photos

If youre thinking of upgrading to a better camera, youve chosen a great time, as a huge number have just been announced. This issue we tell you all about ve exciting new cameras on page 14, as well as rating Samsungs Android-powered CSC on page 86 and Sonys QX10 cameraphone lens on page 90. Whatever camera you use, we are here to give you our top 30 photo tips on page 18, to help you take your best ever shots. To help you practise new skills, we also have 15 amazing projects for you to try on page 36, from capturing action to creative portraits. Use our editing guides starting on page 54 to perfect your shots and then send us the results!

Amy Squibb
Editor
Follow us at @PFBMag

05 MASTER LIGHTROOM 5
Get to grips with editing in this new software on p54

For more great photo tips, head to photoforbeginners.com


Get in touch with us Ask questions, leave feedback on the magazine or share your shots via the following social sites

@PFBMag

PFBMag

PFB Magazine

pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

photoforbeginners.com
Photography for Beginners 3

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Contents
ESSENTIALS
06 Your photos
This is your section, for all your great photos. Send us your shots today!

IssueWorldMags.net 32 SAVE
GET MONE Y DXO OPTIC OFF S PRO SOFTWARE

80!

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

18

12 How to share your photos


Ways to send your shots to the PFB team for advice and to share with our readers

14 Need to know
Discover ve exciting new cameras just announced that we cant wait to try out

16 Join the debate


Would you subscribe to editing software or will you be sticking to one-off products?

17 Win a camera!
A fantastic Samsung WB250F compact camera is up for grabs. Enter now to win!

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

76 Ask the team


Your questions answered and problems solved by our panel of photo experts

82 Whats in my kit bag?


Find out what equipment you really need for fantastic macro shots

Tricks for better portraits, landscapes, macro & more

84 Upgrade
Sonys cameraphone lens, Canons EOS 70D and budget CSCs get tested

94 Accessories
Photo gift ideas and a colourful shoulder bag that will help to protect your kit

98 Settings cheat sheet


We bring you a settings guide for portraits to cut out and keep in your kit bag

Budget CSCs get put to the test

92

36 Amazing projects
15 great ideas for creative photos
DSLR: Usually more expensive, but good image quality Compact system camera: Good image quality, lightweight Shutter speed: The time your shutter is open for, in seconds Aperture: The depth of field of an image, as an f-number

WHAT THE ICONS MEAN Your quick-start guide to all the icons youll see in Photography for Beginners
Cameraphone: Smartphones that are always with you Compact: Small, low-cost and easyto-use cameras

4 Photography for Beginners

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50 28

SUBSCRIBE TO...

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SHOOT

CONTENTS Issue 32

Top techniques for architecture


Make your snaps the best they can be Learn the settings and key skills you need now

18 30 tips for great photos


Easy ways to better shots of any subject

28 Beginners Guide to shooting architecture


Master settings, lighting, composition and more for striking shots now

36 Creative projects
15 photo ideas to get you practising with your camera right away

46 Tricks for wildlife photos


How one PFB reader took an amazing image while at the zoo you can too!

48 Panning made easy


Five steps to action shots full of life

52 Tips for capturing awless reections in landscapes


Learn how to recreate this technique

EDIT
54 Master Lightroom 5
Simple guides to the great new features this version has to offer you

48

Panning tricks

Shoot fantastic action shots

84

Canon EOS 70D


Is this the DSLR for you?

58 Sharpen soft shots


Three steps to pin-sharp pics

60 Fake wide aperture blur


Blur backgrounds with editing software

62 Achieve a beautiful solarisation effect


Give your images some glow!

64 Enhance your colours


Easy ways to make your colours pop

66 Clone out unwanted parts of your shot


Remove distracting objects easily using the TouchRetouch Mac app

SHARE
70 Create a multimedia photo album with Shuttery
Create a photo story on your tablet using a simple album app

Show whats happening where you are with Pictastik

For back issues & more go to


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74 Share a whole album of shots


Back up and share with SkyDrive

Sh are ph Or oto yo se fo u arc rb r h f eg sh or in o PF ne t BM rs s ag .co a on m t. .. ...

72 Tag, share and browse photos by location

READERS GALLERY WorldMags.net

Your photos
You could see your photo printed here! Just send in your shots. Heres a selection of our favourites from this month
A Samsun 16GB memoryg c Every issu a rd e, Samsung one winner will
card e of equa www.sam l value Full terms sung.com/uk and cond
itions available online

WIN!

receive a 16GB or a priz SDHC memory

Reader: Mladen Popovic


Howth Lighthouse This was taken at Howth Harbour, Dublin, Ireland on a bleak March evening. The photo features Howth Lighthouse, built in 1817. Shot on: Canon EOS 600D, 10-20mm lens at 10mm, ISO 100, f8, bracketed exposures taken at 1/5sec, 1/20sec and 0.8sec Sent in via: Email

6 Photography for Beginners

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YOUR PHOTOS Readers gallery

Share your shots at: photoforbeginners.com

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Photography for Beginners 7

YOUR PHOTOS Readers gallery

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Reader: Kevin Browne Reader: Emma Lockwood


Busy Bee I took hundreds of photos of the bees collecting pollen from these owers before I took this shot. Shot on: Nikon Coolpix S8200 Sunowers, Stubbington I heard about this eld of sunowers, so I headed out to catch a wide view of it at sunset. Shot on: Canon EOS 1000D, ISO 1600, f7.1, 1/2000sec

Reader: Elaine Legg


Wool Bridge, Dorset "I was at home and glanced out my window to see the sky lit up. I raced to the nearest spot to catch this beautiful sunset just in time." Shot on: Canon EOS 550D, ISO 160, f3.5, 1/32sec

Reader: Kyriacos Maragos


Buttery In Balance This was taken in our local park in Athens. I followed the buttery from ower to ower and took more than 14 shots to get the right millisecond of life'." Shot on: Olympus SP-800UZ, ISO 100, f5.6, 1/640sec

Reader: Jose Mari V. Donaire


Singapore Skyline A long exposure of the Singapore Skyline taken at the Marina Bay area during evening twilight. Shot on: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, ISO 200, f22, 90sec

8 Photography for Beginners

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Win cameraphone kit! WorldMags.net


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

ENTER NOW: Send your shots to pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

Reader: Graham Browne


Berries "I was out picking berries and I thought it would make a nice up close photo.I was surprised how good the camera was on the phone." Shot on: Motorola RAZR i

Reader: Amy Bolvari Title: Avalon Pier

Reader: Chris Adams Title: Broken Tree

Reader: Rachel Hunter Title: Sweet Dreams

Reader: Christina Perez Title: Vertigo

Reader: Alison Smith Title: Lady Bay

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Photography for Beginners 9

READERS CHALLENGE Black & white

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Black & white shots


Our 16-page guide to black and white can be found in PFB Issue 31. Get back issues from

WE CHALLENGED, YOU DELIVERED


Back when photography began, all photographs were black and white, yet even now we still enjoy producing monochrome images. Not only can it help to give your shots a timeless and stylish feel, but it also provides a attering effect for portraits and removes any distracting colours from your scene. Many cameras come with a black and white mode, but it is often best to shoot in colour and then convert your shot later. That way you can have more control over the nal result, adjusting the contrast to create an image with more impact.

In Issue 31, we gave you 16 pages full of advice for producing your very own monochrome masterpieces, and then asked you to send them in for us to have a look at. We were very impressed with your PhotoStory on black and white DVD software skills and have Send us your shots for a chance to win a copy of MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD, courtesy of www. printed some of our magix.com. This software, which allows you to turn your photos into fantastic slideshows, is worth 70/$70. favourites from the bunch here.

WIN!

Reader: Chris Lamb

Notre Dame When walking around the outside of Notre Dame Cathedral, I noticed how the bare trees and clouds gave it an eery, Gothic feel and I took the shot. I then edited it in iPhoto to increase the shadow and get my desired effect. Shot on: Sony A290, 18-55mm lens at 18mm, ISO 100, f10, 1/160sec

Your next photo challenge


Architecture photography
Find out how to take dynamic shots of stunning structures with this issues Beginners Guide, then send us your best architecture photos by 26 November 2013 for a chance to win a MAGIX PhotoStory on DVD 2013 Deluxe.

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

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photoforbeg ots at in or search PF ners.com BMag on

your sh

Reader: Dave Carter Title: Derelict

Reader: Tan Morris Title: Worcester From The Severn

Reader: Kieron Adams Title: Dusty Window Sill

Reader: Shamil Beaton Title: Balance

Reader: James Walsh Title: London Eye

Reader: Tarun Shome Title: Candelabra

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Photography for Beginners 11

SHARE YOUR SHOTS Heres how to show us your stunning snaps


Share on our social sites Join the Facebook, Twitter and Flickr communities
PFBMag
Search for PFBMag and click the tab. On our page, hit Photo/Video, then Upload Photo/ Video. Browse for your image, write a message and click Post for it to appear on our wall!

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

PFB Magazine
Hit Upload to add images. Click on the image you want to share, then click Share>Grab the link. Email it to pfbteam@imagine-publishing. co.uk or post it to us on Facebook or Twitter.

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


Create a gallery
You can showcase your favourite images by creating your own gallery page on our website. Its quick and simple to set up.

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

Become our favourite!


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

ALSO ONLINE The best of the rest on our great website


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

Enter the Face-Off


Your shots are entered into our Face-Off section and pitted against other peoples have fun watching your score rise!

Tips and tutorials


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

News and debate


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

12 Photography for Beginners

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Focal length: 18mm Exposure: F/16, 1/20 sec, ISO 320

ZOOM

15x

Focal length: 270mm Exposure: F/6.3, 1/250 sec, ISO 320

One lens for every moment

18-270mm
F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD
This Tamron Megazoom-Lens is an unbeatable combination of flexibility and performance. Thanks to the 15x zoom the right focal length for every situation is available anytime. The VC image stabilization and fast, almost silent PZD autofocus completes the package. The low weight and compactness of this lens leaves even enough room in your travel bag for souvenirs. Available for your digital APS-C SLR from Canon, Nikon or Sony *.
* The Sony mount does not include the VC image stabilizer.

www.tamron.co.uk Available from all fine camera stores www.facebook.com/TamronUK www.tamron.co.uk WorldMags.net

NEED TO KNOW
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A snapshot of whats exciting us this month

Five cameras battling to be in your kit bag


The latest releases that have piqued our interest

01 Fujifilm XQ1
Price: 350/$500

Stay connected
Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to transfer your shots to your smartphone or tablet using the free Fujilm Camera Application

Shoot in RAW
The RAW development function means that a RAW image can be converted to JPEG without additional computer software

Keep focused
The XQ1 has fast autofocus speeds of 0.06sec for keeping moving subjects sharp and a Focus Peak Highlight function

Creative captures
There are eight creative lters available, plus Multi Exposure and Film Simulation modes to experiment with

THE TOP 3
Reasons why we cant wait to get our hands on this camera

01

The 12MP CMOS sensor is similar to the X20s, but will it produce high-quality shots? An f1.8 lens should be ideal for low light, but how about the ISO performance?

02 03

We will see if the lens control ring makes it easy to change settings in hurry

Camera manufacturers have been very busy producing lots of new models to get us excited lately. As well as unveiling the new X-E2 premium CSC, Fujilm has also stepped up with a new advanced compact. Despite featuring a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor and auto, semi-manual and full manual control, the Fujilm XQ1 is still particularly pocketable. Its sleek and slim body has an f1.8 lens for shooting bright shots in low light and producing beautiful blurred backgrounds. The lens also has a 4x optical zoom that can be digitally extended to a 16x zoom for a versatile focal range of 25-400mm, great for both landscape and wildlife photography.

Around the lens is a control ring for quickly changing your settings, and it can be customised to suit your shooting style. The XQ1 also has a Lens Modulation Optimiser, which ensures that images are sharp from edge-to-edge at narrow apertures, and 3-stop optical image stabilisation to help reduce blur, even in low light. Getting creative with your captures is also made easy. Film Simulation Mode is available when shooting stills and full HD video, allowing you to add an analogue style to your digital creations, plus there are eight creative lters to experiment with. The Fujilm XQ1 is available in black with a textured nish or silver with a smooth nish for an RRP of 350/$500.

14 Photography for Beginners

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Histograms: How to use them
Ever wondered what that little graph on your camera screen is? Our simple guide explains everything you need to know about the histogram and how you can use it to tell if your image is under or overexposed.

NEED TO KNOW News

This month on photoforbeginners.com


Tips for photographing birds
Birds are perhaps the easiest wildlife gardens and local parks are full of them all year round. Follow our easy steps to taking fantastic shots of your feathered friends.

Plus all this

shooting in Autumn exciting competitions

Nikon D5300

03 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10


Price: 999/$1300

with full manual control and 16 scene modes to suit shooters of all

Pentax K-3

05 Panasonic Lumix GM1


Photography for Beginners 15

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NEED TO KNOW Join the debate

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JOIN THE DEBATE
THINGS WE LOVE
#PFBLoves

Would you subscribe to editing software?


Earlier this year, Adobe launched its Creative Cloud a subscription-based service for accessing the companys Creative Suite software, such as Photoshop and InDesign. Recently, it also revealed it would no longer offer the included software for a one-time fee, so users who would like the latest updates have no choice but to sign up for a monthly or annual subscription. Do you think subscription-based software is a good idea, or would you rather pay for innite access?

01

World Of Animals magazine

Web: www.imagineshop.co.uk Price: 3.99 A fantastic new magazine launches 22 November and its packed with wildlife photos and animal info! Issue 1 even has great wildlife photo tips.

02

XSories Weye Feye Wi-Fi device

Web: www.weye-feye.com Price: 199/$250 The Weye Feye lets you control your Canon or Nikon DSLR from a distance using your smartphone. You can use the Weye Feye apps to change a number of settings.

03
OUR DESIGNER ANNABELLE SAYS:
I think Adobe Creative Cloud does have its benets, as in exchange for the monthly fee you automatically have access to any software updates, so you dont have to pay extra each time a new version comes out. It is an expensive subscription though, ranging from approximately 20 to 70 per month depending on the package you choose. Then, if you cancel your subscription, you lose access to the software as opposed to owning it indenitely as you would on the old one-time fee system. Adobe seems to be having a great deal of success with it so far, but I wonder if it will make some of its audience look elsewhere for its photo-editing needs.

JOBY UltraFit Hand Strap

Web: www.joby.com Price: 41/$50 This camera strap from JOBY comes with an UltraPlate, so you can attach your camera to a tripod while still keeping it secured to your wrist.

What Photography For Beginners readers have to say


Tony Woodward
As photography is a hobby, I would never commit to or pay the Adobe CC prices. I bought Photoshop Elements 9 for 20 when Elements 10 was released, and it offers me everything I need and more.

04

Nikon 1 AW1 camera

Carl Surry
Surely no one in their right mind would rent software? After a year or two you would have paid for it two times over. Only ultra-rich and talented professionals will be able to make use of the more advanced features.

Mark Bradshaw
You buy some editing program and two years down the line its old, dated, lacks features and isnt compatible with new cameras. With Creative Cloud, you always have the latest version as it always updates.

Dennis Woodmass
If the editing software I am currently using converted to a pay monthly subscription on future releases, I wouldnt hesitate to look for alternative packages, even if the other software wasnt as good.

Sent in Via website

Sent in Via Facebook

Sent in via Facebook

Sent in via Facebook

Web: www.nikon.com Price: 750/$800 Nikon has launched the rst ever tough CSC. Its waterproof to a depth of 15m, shockproof from a height of 2m and freezeproof up to -10C.

The poll results say 57% would pay, 43% wouldnt. Cast your vote today!
16 Photography for Beginners

Search for #PFBLoves on Twitter to see what we love

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! IN WA Samsung WB250F

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B Samsun g memory card

PLUS! An 8G

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

Samsungs new SMART Camera WB250F puts great photo power at your ngertips. You can shoot fantastic images for larger prints with its 14MP sensor, plus instantly share them with the built-in Wi-Fi options. Send shots when youre out and about or back up images to your phone with MobileLink. You can even control the camera from your smartphone, which is great for avoiding camera shake. The WB250F boasts a slim and sleek body, which houses a great

touch screen interface, full auto or manual controls and full HD video. The 18x optical zoom will allow you to get in close, while its 24mm lens is great for framing wide vistas. Plus theres Low Light Shot mode, which selects the best settings and merges three shots for great performance in dim conditions. To nd out more about this new SMART camera, simply visit www. samsung.com/uk. For a chance to get your hands on this fantastic camera, enter our competition now!

HOW TO ENTER:

Send your name, contact details and your best shot to us by 17 October 2013. Email: pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk Website: www.photoforbeginners.com

Terms and conditions


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

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Photography for Beginners 17

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18 Photography for Beginners

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Easy steps to better images


Photography is a fantastically versatile hobby, as you really can take photos of anything. From landscapes and portraits, to action and macro, you can practise your skills at any time of the day or year and never run out of things to capture. You might discover you have a favourite genre and start planning your own shoots, or decide that you love it all and simply shoot when inspiration strikes. You never know when a great photo opportunity will present itself, so its a good idea to carry a camera around with you at all times, even if it is just your cameraphone. Plus, the best thing about digital photography is that there is nothing stopping you from shooting all day long. Dont be afraid to ll up your memory card and drain your battery, to get as much practice as possible. When you do decide to shoot, its good to have some handy tricks up your sleeve to help you take great photos, no matter what the subject. Whether its a stunning vista or a striking action shot, we have broken down the secrets for creating awless captures into simple, bite-sized chunks. Youll have better photos in no time.

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Photography for Beginners 19

SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

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IMPROVE YOUR LANDSCAPES

01

Choose your settings


05Shoot early

To keep the entire landscape in focus, from foreground to background, use a narrow aperture (large f-number). Anything above f11 is good. Keep your ISO value low to avoid grainy images, and slow down your shutter speed to let in enough light.

02Fit it all in

A lens with a short focal length is ideal for landscapes. Use a wide-angle lens or zoom right out with your zoom lens to capture as much of the scene as possible. You could also use Panorama mode, or create your own panoramas by stitching multiple shot together.

The best time of day to shoot a landscape photo is just after sunrise or just before sunset, known among photographers as the Golden Hours. As the sun is low in the sky, it will create dramatic shadows for more contrast and project a lovely golden light across the scene.

03 Filter the light

Using a neutral density lter will allow you to use really slow shutter speeds in bright daylight, so that you can blur the movement of any clouds or water in your scene. Just make sure you use a tripod to avoid camera shake.

When composing your landscape photo, consider the rule of thirds. Imagine a nine-section grid over your frame and position the horizon along one of the horizontal lines, and your main focal point on one of the other vertical lines.

04 Compose well

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SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

Use a wide-angle lens or zoom right out to capture as much of the scene as possible

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Photography for Beginners 21

SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

WorldMags.net

TAKE A PERFECT PORTRAIT


06Avoid harsh shadows 07 Blur the background 08Focus on the eyes
To combat shadows falling across your subjects face, use a reector to bounce light back into the shadows or re your ash to ll them in. Hold a piece of white paper under a xed ash to bounce it off the ceiling for a more attering effect. A wide aperture (small f-number) will create a shallow depth of eld and blur the background behind your subject to remove any distractions. Use a fast shutter speed to keep the shot sharp and raise your ISO if you need more light.

When focusing your shot, use manual focus or selective AF and focus on your subjects eyes. These are the most important part of the photo, so make sure they are sharp. Use a higher f number if any part of your subject appears blurry.

09 Capture true emotion

Interact with your subject by asking questions and make them laugh to evoke natural emotions instead of false smiles. You could also try snapping a candid portrait when theyre not looking to show their true personality.

10

Get close to your subject

Shooting so your subject lls the frame will create a more intimate image. Using a short focal length will exaggerate your subjects features, so take a step back and zoom in a little to keep everything in proportion.

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SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

Fill the frame for an engaging composition

SHOOT AMAZING MACRO


11 Use close-up photo kit
If you have an interchangeable lens camera and youre serious about macro, invest in a macro lens. However, if you just want to have a go, look into extension tubes or close-up lters to reduce your lenss minimum focusing distance.

12 Keep subjects in focus 13 Choose natural light

Keeping subjects sharp when shooting up close can be tricky, so use manual focus and zoom in on your cameras LCD screen to check everything is sharp. Alternatively, use selective autofocus to keep the most important part of your shot in focus.

Firing your ash will create harsh light when youre shooting close to your subject. Use natural light if you can, but if its very bright, create some shade over your subject with your body or some paper to avoid shadows.

14 Position your subject

15

Control options

Fill the frame with your subject or position them off-centre in your photo for an engaging composition. Experiment with shooting from different angles, but make sure the backdrop does not distract attention away from what youre shooting.

If your camera has a Macro mode, use that for the optimum settings. Also use a narrow aperture to keep details sharp and a low ISO to avoid noise. You may need a tripod as youll need to compensate with a slow shutter speed to let in enough light.

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Photography for Beginners 23

SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

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CAPTURE THE ACTION


16 Freeze movement 17Zoom in closer 18 Pan along
A fast shutter speed of 1/100sec or quicker will freeze your subject for blur-free shots. If your images are too dark, use a wider aperture (smaller f-number), raise your ISO or re your ash. To keep a safe distance from the action, use a lens with a large focal range and zoom in on your subject. A monopod will also allow you to keep your shot steady on the go and shoot over crowds.

Show the speed and direction of your subject by setting a slow shutter speed of around 1/50sec and moving the camera along with them. Read our full guide to panning on p48.

19

Master action composition

When composing a shot of a moving subject, try to leave some active space in front of them in the frame. This will help to show their direction of travel and give your photo context.

Continuous AF will track your subject as they move and keep them sharp. Alternatively, if you can predict their movements, use manual focus and pre-focus on an area that they will move into.

20 Stay sharp

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SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

MASTER LOW-LIGHT PHOTO TECHNIQUES

21

Capture enough light

If you want to use fast shutter speeds in low light, raise your ISO to make your sensor more sensitive. However, this can create digital noise in your photos, so dont raise it too high.

25 Increase the sensitivity

When theres not much light available, use a slow shutter speed to let as much of it reach your sensor as possible. Using a wide aperture (small f-number) will also help but this does mean that your background will blur.

22 Steady your camera 23 Fire your ash 24 Get creative

When using slow shutter speeds, you will need to keep your camera very steady to avoid camera shake. Secure it onto a tripod or rest it on a sturdy surface to prevent blurry shots, and use a remote trigger for even better results.

When shooting portraits or still life in low light, use your ash to keep them bright. Try bouncing your ash off of a piece of white paper to soften the light for a more attering effect, and to avoid causing red-eye.

Shooting in low light gives you plenty of opportunity to get creative. Use a slow shutter speed to capture light trails from moving trafc or paint in some light using a torch. City buildings also look fantastic when they are lit up at night.

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Photography for Beginners 25

SHOOTING 30 tips for great photos

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GET GREAT WILDLIFE PICS


26 Shoot a burst of images 27 Do your research 28 Do not disturb 29 Keep it simple
When shooting wildlife, its often impossible to control your subjects movements and pose. Increase your chances of getting a great shot by using Continuous Shooting or Burst mode. This will take a series of photos when you press the shutter so that you can pick the best from the bunch. If you are hoping to photograph a particular species of animal, research their typical habits and behaviour. Find out the times when they are most active and the locations you are likely to nd them. If you are shooting at the zoo, nd out the animals feeding times so that they wont be hidden away.

Turn off your camera sounds and ash to avoid startling the animals and scaring them off. Move slowly and keep your distance, and avoid wearing bright clothing that will make you stand out from your surroundings. It could also help to bring a waterproof mat with you so you can lie in wait in comfort.

Try to photograph your subject against a plain and simple backdrop, or you could use a wide aperture (small f-number) to blur any distractions. This will also help to blur out any fences in the foreground of your zoo photos. Look for branches and other natural frames for a great composition.

30

Avoid blur

To keep moving animals sharp, use a fast shutter speed to freeze their movement in the frame. Continuous autofocus will also help you to prevent blurry photos when your subject moves quickly and unpredictably.

26 Photography for Beginners

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Not just for dummies


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TM

A clear, comprehensive series for people who want to start learning about iPhone, iPad, Mac, Photoshop, photography and more
Print edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com
Available on the following platforms

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SHOOTING Beginners guide

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BEGINNERS GUIDE TO

Shooting

Architecture
Discover how to make structures look as good in your shots as they do in real life with our tips
Man-made structures are often works of art in themselves, so naturally they also look great in your photos. Of course, it helps if you know the best way to shoot them. Using the right settings and shooting from the right angle will help you to produce dynamic and engaging photos of buildings, bridges, landmarks and statues, so follow our handy hints for taking amazing architecture photos. You dont need to travel far to find fantastic subjects to shoot, as anything from city skyscrapers to countryside churches, or even your own house will do. You dont need any specialist or expensive equipment to be able to get stunning results either. A trusty compact camera or even your cameraphone is capable of taking brilliant photos, as the secret to architecture photography is often getting the composition and lighting just right. In this feature, we tell you all the best settings to use to create perfect captures, along with framing ideas and the best times to shoot. You can then learn how to tweak your photos to correct common problems and apply creative effects. Lets get started.

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SHOOTING Beginners guide

Try leaning on a wall for extra support when out and about. This means if you are using a slower shutter speed youll reduce the amount of camera shake

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Settings
Pick the perfect settings for shooting architecture
Whether you have a cameraphone, compact, CSC or DSLR, its easy to take great photos of buildings. In most situations even using Auto mode will suffice, leaving you with plenty of time to focus on framing your shot for a perfect composition. However, if your camera does have manual modes, then this is a great opportunity to practise using them. As your subject isnt going anywhere, you can experiment with different settings until you get the shot just right. Heres a guide of the best settings to use for spectacular photos.

Narrow your aperture


Using a narrow aperture (high f-number) will allow you to keep the entire building in focus. Start at f8 and work your way up until you are happy

bracketing take three to sh exposures ots at different and then m er them in ed iting softw ge are, for a high-c ontrast image

Create a H photograpDR h Use exposu re

Keep the ISO low


Set a low ISO to avoid noise and slow your shutter speed or widen your aperture to let in more light

Correct the white balance


Pick the white balance for the kind of lighting youre in. Often incandescent is used for interiors

Shoot at night
At night you can capture some great shots of city lights. You will need to set a slow shutter speed and use a tripod to keep the image sharp and bright

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Zoom in closer
To avoid lens distortion, take your photo from further back and zoom in. This should still allow you to t everything in, but will also keep your lines straight

SHOOTING Beginners xxxxxxxxxxx guide

Choose the right focal length


How to avoid distortion

cameras ha ve a panorama m doesnt, ta ode, but if yours ke several photos that you ca n stitc in editing so h together ftware later on

Take a stun ning panoram a shot Some

Pick a focal length


To pick a focal length on your camera, either twist the lens barrel or zoom in and out with the zoom lever. Choose the focal length you use carefully when shooting architecture, as a focal length less than 35mm could cause distortion.

Wide-angle distortion
Shooting at a wide angle (zoomed out) is great for letting you t everything in the frame, but it can cause lens distortion. This is when the straight lines of your building slope inwards or outwards instead of staying parallel.

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isn As your subject camera up your anywhere, set is allows you to on a tripod. Th ming more consider the fra you be slowly and lets more accurate

d to Use a tripoa me fr u yo help t going

Frame your photo for impact


Composition is perhaps the most important thing to get right when shooting architecture. As this is such a popular genre of photography, it is likely that the building you are shooting will have been photographed lots of times before, particularly if it is a famous landmark. Therefore, to make your shot stand out from the crowd, it is a good idea to find a new and unusual way to capture it. This could simply involve changing your angle, or perhaps you could try including something else in the frame. If the huge choice of different structures available to shoot is a little overwhelming, then you could also use our top compositional tips as inspiration for particular subjects to look for.

Composition

Composition top tips

Get down low

Add some context

Find a vantage point

01

One way to produce a dramatic photo of a building is to shoot it from a low angle. Get close and then point your camera upwards, or tilt the LCD screen if you can.

02

Including some foreground interest in your shot will give it some context and provide a sense of scale. Try capturing people, trees or a water feature in front of the building.

03

Do a bit of research beforehand so that you can nd a great vantage point to shoot your structure from. You could go to the top of a nearby hill or another tall building.

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SHOOTING Beginners xxxxxxxxxxx guide

Tips for lighting architecture

Capture more contrast

01

Shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon to capture more shadows and contrast in your images.

Create a silhouette

02
Capture symmetry
Keep your eyes peeled for symmetrical buildings and shoot them head on, for a striking, mirror-image look

Use spot metering, point the camera at the sky and half-press the shutter before taking your nal shot.

Shoot at night

03

For sparkling captures, use a slow shutter speed to let in enough light and a tripod to prevent blurring.

Zoom in on detail

Look for reections

04

Architecture photos dont have to be of an entire building. If you spot some detail, shoot it up close or use the zoom and a long focal length if shooting from a distance.

05

Including reections in windows can help you capture even more of the scene around you. Buildings reected in lakes and ponds double the impact of your scene.

Go out in any weather

04

A few clouds will add interest to the background, while stormy skies can make your shot really dramatic.

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Editing
Improve structure snaps in easy steps
Editing software lets you enhance or completely transform your architecture photos. If the weather wasnt on your side, or you just didnt have the time to get it right in-camera, then it is easy to rescue a problem shot. Common problems such as camera distortion, flat-looking images or distracting elements in the scene can all be fixed. You can even add creative effects; convert your photo to black and white for a timeless feel, add some grain to create a gritty urban image or fake the tilt-shift effect.

Enhance your shot

Use Photoshop Elements 11 to x a problem photo

Correct camera distortion

Increase the contrast

Remove distractions

01

Go to Enhance>Correct Camera Distortion and then adjust the Vertical or Horizontal Perspective Control slider. Use the gridlines to check your building is straight.

02

Go to Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Color Curves. Increase the Midtone Contrast and reduce the Adjust Shadows slider, then boost Highlights and Brightness.

03

Remove unwanted elements with the Clone Stamp. Hold Opt/Alt and click on an area you want to replace the distraction with, then brush the area you want to remove.

Fake the tilt-shift effect

Make buildings look miniature in Elements 11

Create blur

Move your layers

Add a layer mask

01

This works best with shots taken from a high angle. Go to Layer>Duplicate Layer and name it Blur, then go to Filter>Blur> Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius slider to 28px.
34 Photography for Beginners

02

In the Layers panel, double-click on your Background layer and move it to the top of the panel, above the Blur layer. Now make sure you have the top layer selected.

03

Select the Rectangular Marquee tool and adjust the Feather slider to 100px, then draw a rectangle over the centre of your shot. Next, click the Add Layer Mask button.

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Fundamentals WorldMags.net of Photography


Taught by Joel Sartore, Professional Photographer

LIM

IM ED T E OF IT

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off

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Making Great Pictures Camera EquipmentWhat You Need Lenses and Focal Length Shutter Speeds Aperture and Depth of Field Light IFound or Ambient Light Light IIColour and Intensity Light IIIIntroduced Light Composition ISeeing Well Composition IIBackground and Perspective Composition IIIFraming and Layering Lets Go to WorkLandscapes Lets Go to WorkWildlife Lets Go to WorkPeople and Relationships Lets Go to WorkFrom Mundane to Extraordinary Lets Go to WorkSpecial Occasions Lets Go to WorkFamily Vacations Advanced TopicsResearch and Preparation Advanced TopicsMacro Photography Advanced TopicsLow Light Advanced TopicsProblem Solving After the SnapWorkow and Organisation EditingChoosing the Right Image Telling a Story with PicturesThe Photo Essay

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Learn the Inside Secrets of Professional Photographers


Photographs can preserve cherished memories, reveal the beauty of life, and even change the world. Yet most of us point and shoot without really being e aware of what were seeing or how we could take our photo from good to great. Just imagine the images you could create if you trained yourself to see as the professionals do. With Fundamentals of Photography, youll learn everything you need to know about the art of taking unforgettable pictures straight from National Geographic contributing photographer Joel Sartorea professional with over 30 years of experience. Whatever your skill level, these 24 engaging lectures allow you to hone your photographers eye, take full advantage of your cameras features, and capture magical moments in any situation or setting imaginable.
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SHOOTING Creative projects

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CREATIVE PROJECTS
Practise your skills using these ideas for amazing photos

TO TRY TODAY
incense and some really interesting macro shots. If youd rather get outside with your camera, weve got plenty to suit you too, from creating a HDR landscape to playing with shadows.

hen youre starting out in photography, the most important thing you can do is practise. It may seem really obvious, but getting out with your camera and experimenting is the quickest way to learn techniques and master your new kit. Rather than let yourself get bored shooting the same old things day after day, though, we have some great ideas here to inspire you. Weve got plenty of fun projects that you can do in your home on a rainy day, such as creating art out of

Weve got plenty of fun projects that you can do on a rainy day
With these simple projects, you will learn just what your camera is capable of while practising essential skills you can apply to other genres. And whats more, youll get some

truly standout images along the way to show off to friends and family. Why not display your endeavours from these projects in your very own calendar we even show you how to craft your own from scratch for a truly personal way to share your snaps. Have fun with these great, creative projects and dont forget to post your results up on www. photoforbeginners.com or share them on our Facebook page (search for PFBMag). Try out your own creative ideas too, and let your imagination run wild. We cant wait to see what you come up with!

TOP TIPS FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY


Consider framing
Try various angles and reposition the subject to get the strongest shot. Also consider whether it looks best in portrait or landscape orientation.

Think about colour

Using a vibrant subject can help to add impact to your shot, but try not to overuse colour stick to three colour tones for the best impact.

Add creative lters

Most cameras now come with lters such as sh-eye, miniature, sepia or cross-process. Try using these arty effects to make your shot stand out.

Light the shot

Lighting is fundamental for any photo. Try positioning subjects near natural window light, or use your ash or a reector to ll in any harsh shadows.

Select a backdrop

Make sure the background isnt distracting. You want the attention to be on your subject, so use coloured card or even a bed sheet hung up.

Tweak your shots

Most shots need editing, but you can also apply creative effects too. Get some great ideas from tutorials on www.photoforbeginners.com.

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SHOOTING Creative xxxxxxxxxxx projects

01
Freeze it
Use a fast shutter speed (over 1/200sec) to freeze the action. Slow it down if you want to show some movement blur

Freeze motion by using a fast shutter speed

Action images

Perfect exposure

You may have to set a lower f-number when using a fast shutter speed to let in enough light

Use ash

Firing your ash can help to freeze movement in shots like this. Try putting a piece of tracing paper in front of it if its too harsh

Shoot quickly

Burst mode lets you take a series of images quickly, improving your odds of getting the dice at the height you want them

Keep on trying!

Keep it sharp
Using Continuous AF mode will help to keep the moving subject as sharp as possible

High-speed shots are often trial and error, so keep experimenting until you get the right positioning

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03Fun shadows
Capture shadow shots on sunny days
Bright, sunny skies offer plenty of great photo opportunities. Get creative with the sunlight by shooting the shadows it casts. You can create unique shadow shots like this using a brightly coloured prop such as an umbrella. Youll need to position your model to face the direction of the sun and then shade them using the umbrella. Ask your model to pose so that the shadow has a clearer denition. To ensure you can t the scene within the frame, shoot in landscape orientation. Youll need to focus on the umbrella and set a narrow aperture (around f11) and fast shutter speed (over 1/125sec) to prevent the image from overexposing.

04 Great macro
Take a rare look at macro subjects
Set your camera on a tripod and place a glass vase on a piece of white paper. Set up a background with coloured card or even a colourful scarf. Fill the vase with tonic water (for bubbles) and place in a cherry. Use a desk lamp from a safe distance or an external ashgun, slightly raised (try placing it on a stack of books) but lighting the cherry. Make sure your focus is on the cherry rather than the glass and use a wide aperture (low f-number) to throw the background out of focus. Macro mode or a macro lens will help you to get in even closer to your subject.

02

Use props to take unique people pics

Creative portraits

To capture this creative portrait, set your camera on a tripod at eye-level with your model. Using string or colourful ribbon, attach an empty frame to a nearby branch and lower it down so that you can see through it to your subject. Be sure that there is enough light so you can shoot without ash, as ash will blow the detail of the frame. Set your camera to Aperture Priority and f8, zoom in so that the frame lls the edge of your view, then set your focus on the model and not the background or frame.

The increasing number of waterproof cameras and cases available has opened up a host of new opportunities, allowing you to take photos from a new perspective underwater. Capture your family as they splash around the pool on holiday or try photographing an

object submerged in a bath for a unique still life shot. You could try taking a photo of an object at water level, capturing it half-submerged so you can see the distortion from the water. Hold it in the liquid, so that water line is halfway up the lens and take a shot.

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05Light painting
To paint with light, you either need to shoot outside at night or in a dark room. Set your tripod up and attach your camera. Make sure its secure and set it to Timer mode, so you can be in the right place at the right time. Now set your camera to Shutter Priority and lower the shutter speed to at least 10sec

Paint pictures in low light using a torch, tripod and your camera
and make sure your ISO is low to avoid noise appearing. Now press the shutter to start the timer, jump into place and start drawing your picture with the torch, being sure to keep moving so you dont appear in the frame. It is often easier to draw around people or objects as a guide, like we have here.

06Perspectives 07Motion blur


Get fun images by changing perspective
It can be lots of fun to play with perspective. For effective results, youll need to work in a wide, open space. If youre placing a model in the frame, get them to stand as far back as possible to give the illusion that theyre a smaller size. You can then introduce objects or hands around the side of the image at a closer proximity to the lens, so that they will appear larger when compared to the model. Give your model clear instructions to pose so that it appears as though they are interacting with the object or hands. The easiest way to convey movement is to use a long exposure. This means using a long shutter speed to blur the subject, but keeping everything else in focus by using a tripod. By keeping the camera steady, you can ensure that stationary elements are sharp.

Use shutter speed for special effects


Switch to Shutter Priority on the mode dial and set it to around 5sec, steadily increasing the time until youre happy with the results. You may need to use an ND lter to reduce the amount of light coming into the lens and help avoid overexposure.

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08

How to make your subject stand out from the scene

Selective colouring

The selective colour technique is a clever way of drawing the eye to a particular part of a picture. It works by converting the image to black and white, and then restoring colour to the subject so that it leaps off the frame. Some cameras offer this as a creative lter, and although this is the easiest way of achieving the effect, the results can be much more accurate when you do it yourself. For the best results, choose a photograph with a colourful focal point, such as a bunch of owers. Weve used some fruit and free editing software GIMP to create the effect.

Using layer masks A guide to selectively colouring shots in GIMP

Drain the colour

Open your image then save it under another name. Go to Layers>Duplicate Layer, then select Desaturate from the Colors menu.

Add a layer mask

Go to Layer>Mask>Add Layer Mask and opt for White (full opacity). Select the mask thumbnail and paint with a black brush to reveal colour.

Flatten the image

Finally, select Image>Flatten Image to merge all the layers into one. Then save the image (File>Save) and export it with File>Export.

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09 Retro shots
Create an old-fashioned photo
Vintage is currently on trend, and not just in regards to clothing; its made a comeback in photography too, with vintage-inspired camera designs and lter effects that will transform your shots into old-fashioned works of art. To create your own vintage image, check your cameras shooting modes. Some may offer a sepia or specialist lter effect that you can apply instantly. Alternatively, use tools in Photoshop such as Hue/ Saturation and the Add Noise lter for effective results. Reduce saturation rst and then increase the yellow hue for a sepia effect.

10Bokeh
Blur light for fun images
Place your cup on a small table, about two metres from the wall behind it. Light it with a desk lamp or external ash gun positioned about a metre to the left of the camera and above it. Hang black cloth on the wall and suspend fairy lights from the top. Put your camera on a tripod and manually focus on the cup. Using a wide aperture (low f-number), the background lights should be blown out of focus to create this lovely effect. Then position the cup so it looks like the lights are steam coming from it!

11
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Take a creative approach to portraiture


start. Youll need to get hands-on with posing your model using props for this, and consider the location of the shoot carefully as it will be dependant on the character youre photographing. You can also ask your subject to change their expressions to convey different emotions.

Themed portraits

There are plenty of great ways to get creative with portraits. Using a theme will not only give you a brief to work towards, but it will also enable you to include more elements within the frame in the way of props and styling. Selecting a character from a book or a favourite lm is a great way to

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Learn to get perfect results in tricky lighting


If you look at a sunrise or sunset scene, youll see a full range of tones, including detail in the darkest parts of the land and the brightest parts of the sky. However, camera sensors are unable to record the same range of tones, so will under or overexpose certain areas. The solution is to take three (or more) identically-framed pictures at different exposures: at, under and below the cameras metered exposure. This is known as bracketing. To make it easy, many cameras have an auto-bracketing facility. You then use software like Photoshop Elements or Photomatix to merge the pictures into one image that contains the full range of tones.

HDR vistas

Without using HDR, detail is lost in the shadow areas. If we were to expose for the shadows instead, the sky would be blown out

HDR from start to nish How to set up, shoot and edit HDR

Choose your settings

Set Aperture Priority and pick a high f-number. Set Exposure Bracketing in the menu and move the dial until the lines are under the 1.

Use a tripod

Keep the camera steady, as change between shots causes ghosting. Take three shots (the camera will take three different exposures).

Merge the shots

Open the shots in your software and nd the Merge to HDR option, which combines them. Use sliders to adjust contrast and highlights.

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SHOOTING Creative xxxxxxxxxxx projects

13 Zoom burst
A zoom burst adds focus to a central point, blurring the outside in a creative way. Select a brightly coloured subject that is stationary. Switch your camera to Shutter Priority mode and set a shutter speed of around 1sec. This

Experiment with your zoom for vibrant still-life shots


should give you just enough time to zoom out while the shutter is open to capture the effect. Frame the subject by zooming in so that it lls the image. Now focus the camera on the centre. Position your hand on the lens around the zoom ring and once youre ready, release the shutter. As soon as the shutter opens, rotate the zoom ring anti-clockwise to zoom out and capture an effective zoom burst result.

A simple setup in your home can produce some striking images that look great as a canvas

14

Capture striking abstract images


A great project to try at home is shooting smoke trails. Its easy to do, and all you really need is some incense sticks and some black card. It can take a bit of trial and error, but youll have a lot of fun experimenting. Heres how its done

Smoke art

Set up the project

Place an incense stick on a table in front of a piece of black card so that any smoke will be easily visible (with a bit of distance in between). Set up in front of a bright window so the light hits the smoke from behind.

Choose your settings

The ideal settings are a low ISO, a fast shutter speed such as 1/250sec, and a high f-number, but you may have to experiment. Turn off your ash and use Burst mode for the best chance of a great shot.

Get started

It is important to keep your camera steady on a tripod or hard surface such as another table. Manually focus on the end of the incense, light it, turn off the lights and start shooting! Use your hands to fan the smoke.

Edit the shots

Open your best shot in editing software and crop out the incense stick or clone it out. Open the Levels tool and move the sliders in towards the edge of the graph. Play around with the Hue slider to change the colour.

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15

Custom calendar

Make unique gifts for your friends and family to enjoy

Photo presents are a great way of sharing your favourite moments with people you know and love. Whats more, since its a calendar were making, your homemade gift is both useful and beautiful. Bonus! Before we begin, youll need a selection of photographs to work with. Print them out using your home printer, or order a batch from a professional printing service. The size of the photos will ultimately depend on how big youd like the nished piece to be. We wanted an A5 calendar, so we opted for mini prints to ensure we had a nice selection of shots on offer.

Craft your calendar Simple steps to a unique photo gift

Decide on a layout

Gather your photos and craft supplies. We chose a thicker backing card then applied decorative, patterned paper on top.

Add embellishments

Now its time to decorate! Personalise your calendar with borders, buttons and picture corners, then add in the months and days.

Stitchin time

Sew the date pages to the card and then pierce holes in the calendar pages and thread yarn or twine through to tie them together.

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WorldMags.net Unique Christmas gifts for lovers of British landscapes


Capture your favourite view with a personalised map. Simply choose an area, add your own cover photo and choose a title. For more information on how to buy your Custom Made map, visit: www.oscustommade.co.uk
Peak District Paul Shaw

www.oscustommade.co.uk

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SHOOTING Story behind the shot

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behind

Story
Where and why did you take this lovely photograph?
This was taken at my local zoo in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I was taking part in an event for photographers of all levels and so I got access to the zoo two hours prior to the paying public. The red pandas are one of my favourite animals to shoot at the zoo. They are usually quite an active bunch and love to climb the trees around them, making for some very natural looking photographs.
46 Photography for Beginners

the Photography For Beginners reader

shot
What settings did you use and how did you frame the panda?
I was using my Canon EOS Rebel T3i (600D) and 70-300mm lens at full zoom. I shot in Manual with an aperture of f5.6 and a shutter speed of 1/80sec. I always try to find natural frames like trees and branches, and the red panda enclosure has plenty of natural framing material at just the right height. A lot of the time, it is down to luck, as not all shots turn out how Id planned them.

Simone Torkington tells us how she took this fantastic wildlife shot

What preparations did you make to capture this shot?


On this occasion I did not have my tripod with me, so I positioned myself along one of the side walls, which is just the right height to steady the camera on and get good shots of the pandas treehouse. The other thing I always try to do, although more difficult, is to wait for the majority of people to move on, so I can move around a little without having to try and shoot past people.

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SHOOTING Story behind the shot

1/80sec

f5.6

Did you face any problems when capturing this shot?


As with all wildlife photography, animals dont usually stand still to pose for the camera, so trying to capture that perfect picture is always a challenge. In this instance, the panda kept his head quite low for most of the time I was waiting. I had almost given up on this shot until he finally moved his head ever so slightly above the branch, creating a perfect composition.

What do you like most about this wildlife photograph?


I love the rich green and brown colours of the enclosure, both in the foreground and the background of this image. They serve as a really great contrast to the intense colours of the red panda and set off the photograph really well. I also like the way that the panda looks as if he is just about to move off over the branch, which in actual fact, he did end up doing.

Do you have any tips to help others get a photo like this?
Patience, patience and more patience, plus knowledge of the animals habits all help in getting great wildlife shots. If you have been to your local zoo before and know the layout, try and plan your shot ahead of time. Think about where the light is coming from and what would be the best time of day to take the shot. Remember that most animals are active early in the morning or later in the day.

Share your shots at: photoforbeginners.com

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Photography for Beginners 47

SHOOTING Panning

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five minute project

Master panning for creative action shots


WHAT YOULL NEED
Camera Monopod

Swivel your camera for dynamic motion blur

WE USED
Nikon D3200

YOU COULD USE


Any camera Tripod

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to track your subject to create motion blur

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Panning is one of those photography techniques that looks complicated, but is in fact very quick and easy to achieve. It is a great way of showing a sense of the speed and direction of travel of your subject, rather than creating a static shot that freezes everything in the frame. Of course, action shots taken with a fast shutter speed do look impressive too, but panning can sometimes help you to convey movement in your still images a little better. The trick with panning is to create directional blur in the background, while at the same time keeping your main subject sharp. Otherwise, you are just left with a completely blurry and unusable photo. Getting this right is all down to how you focus your shot. Once you have perfected this technique, then all you really need to do is swivel your camera. Its as easy as that. You dont even need an advanced camera to try out this technique, either, as you can use more basic controls to get the look you want. If youre using a compact without manual controls, try switching to a low light or reworks scene mode, as this will set a slow shutter speed for you. Once you have mastered your panning skills, start thinking about the composition of your shots. Experiment with panning from different angles and leave some active space in front of your subject to show the direction in which they are travelling. To get you on your way to producing fantastic panning shots, this tutorial explains the ve basic steps you need to know. Plus, weve also suggested some fantastic panning photo subjects to inspire you to go out and practise your technique.

SHOOTING Panning

3 OF THE BEST

Panning photo subjects

Vehicles
Motorised vehicles such as cars and motorbikes have a uid and steady motion, which makes tracking them with your camera easy. Just make sure you maintain a safe distance.

Perfect panning

Create directional background blur

Cyclists
Whether on the road or at the park, cyclists travel at varying speeds, so you can achieve different panning effects. Try focusing on the cyclists face in order to capture their emotions.

Set your speed

Select Continuous shooting

01

Switch your camera to Shutter Priority mode and choose your shutter speed. It will need to be fast enough to freeze your subject in the frame, but not so fast that you wont have time to pan. 1/60sec works well.

02

Use a Continuous shooting mode to take a series of snaps while you hold down the shutter. Even if you press the shutter early, your camera will keep shooting as you pan so you wont miss the shot.

Runners
The relatively slow pace of joggers makes it a little easier to pan with them, so they are great subjects for practising your technique on. Think about the backdrop and perspective of your shot.

Steady your camera

Pre-focus

Start panning

03

Swivelling your camera in a steady, uid motion can be tricky if shooting handheld. Using a monopod or tripod will help you to get a smooth shot as you track your subject, and will also prevent camera shake.

04

If you know the direction your subject is travelling in, you can pre-focus on a spot they will move into. Use manual focus or half-press the shutter to lock the autofocus point, then fully press it when they are in view.

05

When your subject is in position, re the shutter and swivel your camera along with them. It will take some time to get your shutter speed and panning technique perfect, so just keep practising.

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SHOOTING Reections

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Reflections in landscapes
Double the impact of a scene
WHAT YOULL NEED
Still body of water Camera (preferably with manual controls) Tripod

01 Find the right location


Any body of water can work well, including lakes or large ponds. Look for bold shapes on the shoreline that will make interesting reflections, like trees or buildings. It helps if its sheltered from the wind.

WE USED
Canon EOS 5D Mark III Neutral density lter

YOU COULD USE


Any DSLR, CSC or compact camera with manual settings Any smooth reective surface Polarising lter

02 Choose good conditions


For good reections, the water needs to be very still, so plan your shoot for a calm day. Dawn is often the stillest time of day, and the low sun means that there will be less glare and stronger reections.

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to make the most of reections in the landscape

Long shutter speeds will smooth the water, but use a neutral density lter to manage the light levels

OUR SETTINGS: APERTURE: F16 ISO: 100 SHUTTER SPEED: 1SEC


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SHOOTING Reections

03 Compose your shot


Shooting reflections is one time when you can ignore the rule of thirds, as symmetry often looks best. Dont be afraid to put your horizon in the middle of the frame and leave an even amount of space around your subject.

04 Use a tripod
If youre shooting at dawn, light levels will be low and exposure times long, so put your camera on a tripod. This will also slow you down, so you can check the details in the frame and make changes to the composition.

05 Use a polariser
Polarising filters are normally used to boost colour saturation in photos, but they also help to remove glare from surfaces, therefore enhancing reflections. Rotate the filter until you see the effect you like best.

06 Watch your exposure


Bright reflections and glare can fool your cameras meter into underexposure. Check the shot and histogram on the review screen, and if its too dark, add between +1 and +2 stops of exposure compensation and re-shoot.

Experiment with different camera heights often a lower viewpoint will make the most of the reection

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Photography for Beginners 53

EDITING

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Master Lightroom 5 with our easy steps


We take you through the key additions and improvements in the latest version of Adobes Photoshop Lightroom
WHAT YOULL NEED
Photoshop Lightroom 5

Advanced Healing Smart Preview


This tool lets you paint over a blemish or unwanted object in an image and accurately heal or clone it out Work on images even when youre away from your main computer and have no access to the original le

Share options
Create fun video slideshows and customise photobooks easily through this range of modules

Radial Filter
The Radial Filter tool enables you to add focus and impact to your images with customisable vignettes

Lens Correction
This new Lens Correction tool helps you to make wonky images straight with just a single click

WHAT YOULL LEARN


Advanced Healing tips How to add a radial gradient Perspective correction The advantage of Smart Previews Hidden productivity features

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EDITING Lightroom 5

Advanced Healing Brush Remove blemishes or entire objects with ease

Locate the tool

Heal blemishes

Apply auto healing

01

Open your image in Lightroom and go to the Develop module, then pick Spot Removal. This is not a new tool in itself, but it has been made a lot more powerful, and it now offers a paint selection option rather than a xed circle selection.

02

The Heal option is good for small blemishes, as it helps to maintain the original texture, which is essential for working on skin. Zoom in and adjust the brush size so that it ts over the blemish perfectly. Click to let Lightroom do its magic.

03

Lightroom will automatically choose an area to sample from that it thinks matches the one you are trying to heal. Usually the results are pretty good, but you can choose the source area manually if you are not happy with the auto correction.

Clone out objects

Adjust the sample area

Switch between modes

04

If you want to completely remove objects from an image, then you may need to use the Clone option instead. Paint over a small part of the area you want to be cloned out, then let go of the mouse. Lightroom will look for an area to clone from.

05

Again, you can drag the clone area to somewhere better if you like, until the result is how you want it. You will need to do larger areas in lots of small sections to get a realistic result, as there may be no one big area to clone from that will cover it.

06

You can change between Clone and Heal modes by Ctrl/right-clicking in the centre of the selection area. You can then see which mode will give you the best results. Go over your whole image, removing blemishes, and hit Done when youre nished.

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EDITING Lightroom 5

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Lens Correction Straighten wonky images quickly

Smart Previews explained

Select on import

01

Smart Previews are small versions of your original image. You can use these when accessing your Catalog away from your main machine. Tick the Build Smart Preview box to make one on import.

Add after import

Select Lens Correction

Make a simple correction

02

If you already have images in your Lightroom Library, you can add a Smart Preview to them too. In the Develop module, you will see the option Original Photo. Click this to add a Smart Preview.

01

If you have a wonky image that youd like to straighten, open it in the Develop module. On the right-hand side, open the Lens Correction menu and youll see that Upright is under the Basic tab.

02

The simplest way to apply the correction is to hit the Auto button, which will analyse your image, straighten and crop it. This will often be all that you need to do, but sometimes other options work best.

Using the preview

Choose the right option

Other options

03

Now, if you are on your laptop, for example, and you dont have the original photo, you can edit it and the edits will be applied to the original next time you are back on your main computer.

03

The Level option deals with tilted horizons, Vertical is for slanted vertical objects (such as buildings), and Full corrects three-dimensional geometric distortion. Pick the right one for the best results.

04

You can choose to Enable Prole Corrections, Remove Chromatic Aberration and Constrain Crop by ticking the relevant boxes. Use Reanalyze to see what effect your changes have on your image.

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Radial Filter Add impact with a dramatic vignette

EDITING Lightroom 5

Helpful hidden features

Quick Full Screen

01

There is now a new shortcut for viewing images in full screen, which is simply F. Hit the F key once to enter Full Screen mode to help you make precise edits, and hit it again to go back.

Find the tool

Add the radius

01

You can add a radial gradient to your images using the Radial Filter tool on the right-hand side of the Develop module. Clicking the icon brings up a long list of adjustment options that you can apply.

02

Grids and Guides

To start off, draw a circle where you want the radial gradient to appear. You can adjust the size of this when its drawn. You can also alter its angle and centre point, as well as inverse the mask for creative effect.

02

Go to View>Loupe Overlay to add grids and guides over your image. This comes in useful for cropping and perspective correction. Hold Cmd/Ctrl to alter their placement, size and opacity.

Change the exposure

Other adjustments

Smart Collections

03

By dragging the Exposure control to the left, you can darken the edges of your image to give a vignette effect. You dont want to go too extreme or the image will lose realism and artefacts will start to creep in.

04

You may see that some purple fringing has appeared. You can get rid of this by using the Tint slider, pulling it towards the green, and also by altering the Defringe slider. Experimenting is key.

03

Use Smart Collections to sort your photos based on a set of criteria. These include size, colour prole, if they have a Smart Preview and PNG images (which are now supported in Lightroom).

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Photography for Beginners 57

EDITING Sharpen

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Sharpen soft images


Fix blurry pictures to get them looking crisp and detailed
WHAT YOULL NEED
Editing software

WE USED
Photoshop Elements 11

YOU COULD USE


Photoshop CS GIMP

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to sharpen your blurry shots

Even if youve got your focusing technique spot on, your images can quite often look a little soft straight out of the camera. Its good practice to sharpen them up in editing software before you print or share them online, so that you can really bring out the detail. However, its important to remember that sharpening will not

allow you to rescue an out-of-focus shot. It may sometimes seem that editing programs can work miracles, but unfortunately there is no way to bring something back into focus. Follow our simple tutorial below to learn how to sharpen up images in Photoshop Elements 11, for pin-sharp shots every time.

Sharpen up Correct problem shots in Photoshop Elements

Use the Unsharp Mask

Adjust the sliders

Use the Sharpen tool

01

To sharpen up your entire shot, go to Enhance>Unsharp Mask. Tick the Preview box and nd an area of your shot with a bit of detail, then increase the Amount slider until you are happy with the level of sharpness.

02

Adjusting the Radius slider determines the size of the area that is sharpened, and the Threshold slider adjusts how much sharpness is applied to high-contrast areas. Experiment until you are satised.

03

If you want to sharpen a specic area of your shot, select the Sharpen tool and adjust the Strength and Size sliders as you see t. Now brush over the area you want to sharpen and watch as the details appear.

58 Photography for Beginners

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EDITING Fake a wide aperture

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Photoshop Elements 12
Available on: Mac/PC Price: From 63/$80

Fake a wide aperture

Use a variety of photo-editing software to control focus in portraits

Here were going to make use of Elements Guided interface. Open the start image in the software and then click the Guided tab at the top. Click on the down arrow next to Photo Effects in the right-hand panel and then click Depth of Field.

01

GIMP
Available on: Mac/PC Price: Free

Soft backdrops
Use a wide aperture effect to make professionallooking portraits

Open your image up in GIMP and go to Layer>Duplicate Layer to protect the original. The plan is to select the main subject and then blur all around her. The weapon of choice is going to be the Free Select tool.

01

Wide aperture photography is a beautiful technique, typied by soft backgrounds and areas of WE USED focus on the main subject. It can Photoshop Elements 12 GIMP be used for all genres of Unfocused Free app photography, but is perhaps most YOU COULD USE successful on portraits. Other photo-editing Although most photographers software and blur-effect apps give blur the cold shoulder, when used well it can be a powerful WHAT YOULL LEARN friend. The eye will skim over How to select objects and blur backgrounds blurred areas and hone straight in on anything sharp and in focus. By controlling what areas of your image are blurred, you can affect where your viewer will look rst. In portraits, the face and eyes are always a good bet, but you can use the technique in landscapes to make some areas jump out from the rest. If you miss the chance to use a wide aperture when taking the shot, it is blessedly simple to emulate in photo-editing software. Follow our steps to nd out how.
WHAT YOULL NEED
Editing software

3 OF THE BEST

Unfocused Free
Available on: iOS Price: Free

Apps for blurring your backgrounds


Blur Shine Free (iOS)
An easy-to-use app that enables you to mask out areas of your shot that you want to keep in focus and apply a blurred bokeh-style effect to the rest.

Amazing Blur Effect HD 0.69/$0.99 (iOS)


This app works on existing images or in-camera shots, and is a simple case of using your nger to wipe over the screen and control what areas are blurred.

Art Blur Effect HD 1.99/$2.99 (iOS)


Simply pick an area of your photo to stay focused and watch as the rest of it dissolves to blur. Can be used in-camera or on an existing image.

Download the Unfocused app from the App Store and open it up. You can use the app as you take the shot, or as in our case, on an existing photo. Simply tap to select that option and navigate to where your image is.

01

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EDITING Fake a wide aperture

02

You now have two methods to choose from to blur your background: Simple and Custom. The Simple option actually gives better results, so click on it to select it. Then click on the Add Blur button for a default blur to be added over the entire image.

03

The next task is to eliminate the blur over the important areas in this case the subjects face. Click the Add Focus Area button, click on the face and then drag out to set the focused area. If it goes wrong, press Cmd/Ctrl+Z to undo your actions.

04

You can increase the amount of surrounding blur using the Blur slider. Simply click and drag to the right to bump up the effect. We increased it slightly in our example and then hit the Done button to nish things up.

02

Once selected, a palette will appear with a set of options for using the Free Select tool. The most important step is to set a nice big Feather for a smooth transition between blur and focus. Click and draw around the subject.

03

Once the selection is complete, go to Select>Invert. Everything bar the subject is now selected. Next stop is Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. This will blur the background. Dont go too mad here; a setting of around 25% will sufce.

04

Click OK to apply the blur and then go to Select>None to deselect. If GIMP is your main editing software, save the image as normal. However, if you want to use a different program, go to File>Export, click the arrow to see all le types and pick the one you want.

02

After some navigation instructions, the image will open up in the interface. Click the side arrow at the bottom to set feather and brush size. A medium brush and a big feather works well for a portrait like this. Click the arrow again to hide the options.

03

Using your nger, wiggle over the background area to make it blurred. Even though you are using your nger, you get good control and the blur updates instantly, so you can see exactly how the effect will look when it is nished.

04

To ensure you have picked up everything, tap the cross and magnifying glass icons to make them yellow. Pinch out to zoom into the image and then use your nger to drag around and check all is good. When happy, tap the tick icon and save.

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Photography for Beginners 61

EDITING Solarisation

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Achieve a beautiful solarisation effect


WHAT YOULL NEED
Photo-editing software Suitable images

five minute project

Emulate the glowing drama of a solarised shot

WE USED

Photoshop CS5
Earlier and later versions of CS Corel PaintShop Pro

YOU COULD USE

WHAT YOULL LEARN


Use the Curves command Create a manual curve

62 Photography for Beginners

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The solarisation technique has been used by photographers for years. It refers to an image that has had its tonal values reversed, so light is dark and dark is light, with the light areas having an almost ethereal glow. Despite being the product of accidental exposure to light, solarisation has become an artistic technique that photographers actively seek out, the most famous example being Man Ray. As with many other traditional photographic effects, the style can be emulated using photo-editing software such as Photoshop, which we use here. It calls upon the Curves command found in most editing software to pinpoint and invert the highlights and shadows. The effect is typically used on black and white images, but can also be very effective when applied to colour shots. We cover both methods in this tutorial. Before you begin making an edit on your images, spend a few moments looking at examples of solarisation. This will give you an idea of the subjects and scenes that benet from the treatment, as well as which ones to avoid. As a general rule, plump for an image with dened detail. If you use something that is very busy, the objects might end up being unrecognisable. Another reason for doing a bit of research is to get a feel for how intense the effect should be. Push it too far and you risk what should be a beautiful silver glow looking like the aftermath of a nuclear explosion! With the research out of the way, applying the actual effect to an image is incredibly quick and easy. Just follow along with our simple tutorials to learn how to add it to your own shots. Before long, you will have created images that Man Ray would be proud of!

EDITING Solarisation

Transform your colour photographs

Layer shimmy
The start point for this effect is the nal result of the main solarisation tutorial. Open up the layered le, click on the duplicated photo layer and then drag it to the top of the layer stack.

Solarise shots Get dramatic monochromes fast


Color blending
The aim is to use blending modes to merge the coloured photo with the existing solarisation effect. Click the blend mode menu in the Layers panel and select Color.

Remove the colour

Apply a Curves adjustment

01

Open your image and make a duplicate to work on. Now relieve it of its colour using the Black & White adjustment set to Default. Your image may look at, but the real magic takes place with the Curves command.

02

The Curves command lets you edit an images tone. Click New Adjustment Layer in the Layers panel and then pick Curves. If you havent got a Curves adjustment layer, just select the Curves command.

One more curve


Chances are the effect wont work straight away, so add another Curves adjustment layer to control the tone, or use the Opacity slider in the Layers panel to subdue the result.

Draw your own curve

More Curves

Enhance the glow

03

For this effect, click the Pencil icon. This lets you draw your own curve. Click in the lower-left corner, hold Shift, click in the top-middle, and still holding Shift, click in the lower-right. You want an inverted V shape.

04

If you would like to emphasise areas, create another Curves adjustment layer. This time you need the usual curve function (it looks like a line graph), so if it isnt selected, do so. Then drag the curve to tweak.

05

Finally, duplicate the original image and drag it to the top of the Layers panel. Convert it to black and white and go to Filter> Stylize>Glowing Edges. Adjust the settings to get a glow around the edges and click OK.

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Photography for Beginners 63

EDITING Boost saturation

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Boost the colour saturation quickly


WHAT YOULL NEED
Colourful start image DxO Optics Pro software Computer

WITH OFFE RC PHOTOGRA ODE PHY FB2013

SAVE 80!

WE USED
DxO Optics Pro 8 Mac computer

Bring out bold hues and protect the details with DxO Optics Pro software

YOU COULD USE


PC

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to increase colour vibrancy and protect details in your images

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Vibrant subjects are bold and eye-catching in any image, but its not uncommon to nd that the colour saturation needs a bit of a boost when youre editing your shots. Some textured and colourful subjects, however, struggle to retain details in the midtone and shadow areas when saturation has been increased. This can make your images appear at and at worse, posterised. To overcome this, you can use specialist colour tools that are available in DxO Optics Pro software, which were offering to all our readers this month with up to 80 off! Join us in this easy-to-follow tutorial as we introduce you to the software and take you step-by-step through the colour enhancement techniques and tools within the program. Youll not only learn how to enhance colour vibrancy and saturation, but youll also get to grips with the Protect Saturated Colors tool that ensures you retain all of the details. In no time at all, youll discover just how easy it is to enhance the hues in your shots, even when working in the Advanced User interface like we are. Well also take you through the beginner levels and show you how to remove unwanted colour casts and correct white balance in your captures with a quick three-step mini tutorial. We used DxO Optics Pro 8 for this tutorial, but you can download a copy of the latest DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite software with new and improved features at a discounted price. Just enter the offer code PHOTOGRAPHY FB2013 when you visit www.dxo.com. This special offer is available to all our readers until 31 January 2014 and you can get 40 off DxO Optics Pro 9 Standard Edition, making it 79 instead of 119, or 80 off DxO Optics Pro 9 Elite Edition, making it just 159 instead of 239.

EDITING Boost saturation

Learn how to correct the white balance

Select your shot


Open your image in the software and select the DxO First Steps Workspace. Now select the Dual Image tab along the top of the screen to preview the adjustments.

Enhance the hues Get bright shots in Optics Pro


White balance
Select the White Balance tool from the Light and Color panel and click on the Pick Color tab. Keep the Radius slider low (around 5px) and select a grey or white area in the left image.

Select your start image

Select Advanced User

01

Install DxO Optics Pro, open it and select the image you want to improve via the Folders panel on the left. The image should now load within the software. To begin editing, select the Customize tab.

02

To take more control, work within the DxO Advanced User workspace, which can be selected via the Workspace tab. The Protect Saturated Colors process is applied automatically, but you can tweak the result.

Tweak results
The white balance should now automatically remove casts. However, you can tweak results by selecting + and adjusting the temperature between cooler and warmer.

Increase saturation

Protect the details

Enhance the tones

03

Now select the Color Accentuation tab and begin enhancing the colour Vibrancy and Saturation sliders. You can preview the results as you make changes by selecting the Dual Image tab.

04

To ensure that details are still present in highly saturated areas, select the Color Rendering option from the Light and Color Advanced panel. Scroll down to Protect Saturated Colors and increase the Intensity.

05

Before you save your shot, you can make nal tweaks to the highlights, midtones, shadows and black areas. Choose the Selective Tone option from the Light and Color Advanced panel and adjust the sliders.

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Photography for Beginners 65

EDITING App of the month

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APP OF THE MONTH

Clone out unwanted areas of your shot


Remove troublesome parts of your image using the easy but powerful Mac app TouchRetouch Available on: Mac Price: 6.99/$9.99
WHAT YOULL NEED
A Mac running OS X 10.7 or later TouchRetouch app

WE USED

TouchRetouch for Mac


Adobe Photoshop Apple Aperture TouchRetouch on iOS or Android

YOU COULD USE

Whether youve been setting up your perfect shot for a good few minutes or youve captured something in the moment, theres always a chance that your camera will have picked up something or someone that could ruin that amazing image. A stray shadow in a perfectly lit landscape,

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to remove pesky artefacts from photos

wandering tourists outside a famous landmark or even just a lens-infringing ngertip in that spontaneous self-portrait can all mar an otherwise perfect shot. Whats more, on your cameras small display, you might not notice any of these issues until you load your photos onto your computer. If youre not feeling condent enough to use some of the more advanced applications such as Adobe

Photoshop or Apples Aperture to x your photos, theres TouchRetouch. This inexpensive Mac app has all the tools you need and an interface thats as easy to use as iPhoto. The app itself focuses on a couple of key tools the Retouch brush and the Clone stamp. Between these two, you should nd yourself with everything you need to erase parts of a photograph that are unnecessary or unexpected. Beyond that theres basic image levels adjustment tools, a cropping feature if you feel the need to reframe your shot and even a horizon straightening option for those times when you didnt quite set up that tripod right. Using all of these tools in combination will ensure that photos you might have otherwise written off can now take pride of place in your next album or collection.

Fix image imperfections Remove artefacts in minutes

Zoom and retouch

Paint it red

01

Open up the image you want to x and zoom in on the problem area to see it in detail using the slider at the bottom. In our shot, we want to clone out the people in the scene to make for a stronger landscape shot. Once youre there, hit the Retouch button at the top to bring up the tools.

02

Use the slider on the right-hand side to set a brush size thats smaller than the size of the area to be removed, then carefully paint over it by clicking and dragging with your mouse or trackpad. Try to stay accurate with this as the software will do a better job if just the area to clone out is selected.

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Vital statistics
Towards the bottom-left of the app, important details about your images size and dimensions are shown for your reference

EDITING App of the month


APPS FOR MOBILE
TouchRetouch for iOS and Android
0.69/$0.99 (iOS) 0.62/$0.99 (Android)

Creative cropping
Whether you want to reframe your image or crop out a rather large problem area, this tool has you covered

Check progress
Clicking and holding the Original button will show you your photo prior to any edits, to check that you are happy with them

Levels adjustment
Once youve xed your photo, you can use the histogram and levels controls to make some nal tweaks to it

As well as being available for Mac, TouchRetouch is also available for the iPhone and Android smartphones, meaning you can quickly x a photo without having to transfer it to a computer. Its a little ddlier to operate, but the process is the same and just as effective. Plus, its an incredibly cheap addition to your mobile photography toolkit.

Simple sliders
For a more straightforward approach to editing, TouchRetouch offers some basic sliders to adjust your image with ease

Slide to zoom
Be sure to make use of the zoom slider as you go about editing your image, especially when removing areas, for better accuracy

Let it go

See the context

03

Once youre happy with the area youve painted over to be removed, simply let go of your mouse or trackpad and TouchRetouch will get to work removing it. Its an automatic process, so the software does the hard work for you. This could take a minute or two to work though, so be patient!

04

Once TouchRetouch has nished working on your image, zoom out using the slider at the bottom again to see the result in the context of the rest of the image. If anything looks odd, try going over it once more, or click Undo at the top to start again. You can also use the Lasso to capture larger areas quickly.

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SHARING WorldMags.net

Create and share a multimedia album


Use the Shuttery Photo Story app to create fantastic digital photobooks on your tablet Available on: iOS (iPad only) Price: Free
WHAT YOULL NEED
iPad An App Store account

WE USED
Shuttery Photo Story

YOU COULD USE


iPhoto Photo Album Photoful

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to create and share a photobook

Photo albums are a great way to reminisce about times gone by, and putting them together is also part of the process. Apps like Shuttery Photo Story give you the power to do this on your iPad, and as well as keeping it digital, you can also order a physical version of the nished product from within the app. Shuttery gives you complete control, from choosing the design and style of your book to the arrangement of any photos and text you would like to include. You can also add audio notes to pages, giving little extra details to each of your photos to help tell their story. Before purchasing a physical copy, there are options to share your book with

friends and loved ones be it via email or to a wider audience by posting it to your Facebook account. As a creation process, things are pretty straightforward. Shuttery is impressively attentive, agging up any images it thinks might be too low a resolution to look good in your photobook, as well as piecing together the pages and layout for you. Of course, you can change this as you wish, but if youre looking for a quick x its an ideal function to have to hand. This tutorial will explain how to choose, create and share your photobook and the memories they contain, as well as show you how to buy a physical version for your collection.

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SHARING Shuttery Photo Story

Create the photobook Make, share and order from your iPad

Pick a style and size

Choose your photos

Auto arrange

01

First, you need to settle on a style. Shuttery has a range of designs, and you can even preview different pages of each design, as well as choose a nal size for the physical version if you want to purchase one.

02

The next step is to choose where you would like to source your images from, such as your photo library or Facebook. Once youve chosen and selected your images, tap the Done button to see your lled album.

03

Shuttery will lay out your photos for you. You can swipe through the pages and amend the position of images by tapping and dragging them. You can also add more photos or pages at any time with the Plus icon.

7 OF THE BEST

Apps to prep your shots


Instagram Free (Android/iOS)
The perfect on-the-y editing application, Instagram is ideal for capturing those spontaneous moments and then making them sparkle with lter effects.

Snapseed Free (Android/iOS)

Add text and audio

Apply effects

04

In your album there will be a range of text boxes. Tap one and you can insert text to complement your images. You can also record and drop in audio for others to listen to by tapping the Microphone icon.

05

Photo editing has become a big part of photography, and Shuttery embraces this idea, providing a selection of lters that you can apply to any image. Simply tap one and a new window will appear.

A much more grown-up photo editing suite that also offers users some clever effects, including tilt-shift focus and vintage. The Snapseed app is driven by a cool gesture-based interface.

Pixlr Express Free (Android/iOS)


A great app to work with, Pixlr has a sense of fun running through it yet has all the tools a serious image editor could ask for, with overlays as well as sharpening tools.

GroupShot 0.69/$0.99 (iOS)


Everyone has those group photos where one or two faces are holding it back, but GroupShot changes that, allowing users to fuse together the best images of the same subjects.

Mextures 1.49/$1.99 (iOS)


Giving you control over gradients and light, the Mextures application gives users scroll bars to ne-tune images as they wish, with some stunning results in the right hands.

Analog Camera 1.49/$1.99 (iOS)

Share with friends

Order a copy

06

Once you are happy with your book, you can share it with others. Tap the List icon at the top and then select the Share Book option. You can then send your book out via email or post it to your Facebook wall.

07

A wonderfully simple editing tool, Analog Camera places all the edits you can make on a single screen, making it effortless to enhance and share your photos with friends or the world.

If you want a physical copy of your book, tap the Order button and enter your details. Theres also a Quantity option where you can up the number you would like to order should you want to send some as presents.

VSCO Cam Free (iOS)


VSCO Cam offers users tools like Temperature, Contrast and Vignette to subtly tweak the look and feel of your photos from within its simple-to-use interface.

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Photography for Beginners 71

SHARING Pictastik

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Tag, share & browse photos by location


WHAT YOULL NEED
Pictastik app iPhone running iOS 5.0 or later

WE USED
iPhone 5S

Show the world whats happening where you are with the Pictastik app Available on: iOS Price: Free

YOU COULD USE


Previous iPhones iPad

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to share photos with anyone

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Share with Pictastik Edit and tag your photos

SHARING Pictastik

3 OF THE BEST

Location sharing apps


iExplorer Free (iOS)
iExplorer lets you share photos with full location information intact. They can be shown to other users on an interactive map.

Mapic share where Free (iOS)


Share any photo instantly on Twitter and Facebook and include a location map link a very quick way to share photo locations.

Camera MX Free (Android/iOS)


You can share your photos and display them on a map using GPS data with Camera MX. Its sociable and location-aware.

Capture the scene Add personality

Apply an effect

01

This app lets you search for photos by location, letting you discover all the things you can do and see in that place. It only lets you post photos youve taken from the app to keep it in real-time; just tap the red capture button.

02

You can make changes to shots using the strip of icons at the bottom of the screen. Simply tap each one to see which options are available to you. Click on Enhance to make one-click changes that can improve the shot.

03

As well as making enhancements using these thumbnails, the Effects option lets you add a variety of lters to your shots. Slide your nger across the thumbnails to view more, then simply select one and tap Apply.

Share shots by location on Android

Download the app


Pictastik is iOS-only, but there are similar apps on Android. For instance, download EyeEm for free and sign up to be able to share shots by location and browse pics by people in your area.

Upload a shot
Add your own shots by pressing the camera icon at the bottom. You can upload from your gallery or take a fresh shot. There are some great lters you can add, and you can also crop and add frames.

Choose a location

Add a description

Build a presence

04

The app knows where you are, but it will still give you a list of locations to choose from after you nish editing a photo. This means that you can be exact in your current location and also add weight to your description.

05

Take some time to add a description to each photo so that your followers know where it was taken and why it is a place worth visiting. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but at times they will still need describing.

06

As you share more shots, people will start to follow you, and each city you have posted photos from will be listed on your prole page. You will be able to follow others and see their images to learn about other locations.

Tag the location


The app automatically nds your location, but you can search for specic places or choose from nearby spots it has listed. Other people can then view your images and know where you took them.

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Photography for Beginners 73

SHARING SkyDrive

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Back up and share a whole photo album


Upload multiple shots to online storage service SkyDrive and share them with friends Available on: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS Price: Free
WHAT YOULL NEED
A computer or iOS/ Android device

WE USED
Microsoft SkyDrive

YOU COULD USE


Dropbox Google Drive

WHAT YOULL LEARN


How to store and retrieve les online

When youre rst starting out in photography, you will no doubt be taking lots of photos. Many of us store these on our computers, but what if your computer was stolen or if its hard drive developed a fault? Theres a chance that you could lose them all. Backing up to an external hard drive or emailing photos to yourself are two possible solutions, but a better one is to use a cloud storage service. Cloud storage effectively means saving your photos and other les to storage that is held somewhere else and is accessed via the internet. By keeping copies of your images on a remote hard drive, you

can not only safeguard your photographs but also access them on many different devices. That is because cloud storage services can be used wherever there is internet. With Microsoft SkyDrive, you can grab an app for Windows, Apple and Android phones and tablets while also accessing it via any browser at skydrive.live.com. By doing this, you can back up and ensure you have access to your les wherever in the world you may be. Cloud storage like SkyDrive also allows you to share multiple shots with other people quickly, so no more emailing one photo at a time! Read on to nd out how.

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SHARING SkyDrive

Using Microsoft SkyDrive Download and use Microsofts cloud service

Download SkyDrive

Choose folder location

Select syncing options

01

Go to windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/ skydrive/download and download the SkyDrive app for your PC or Mac. Open it and an icon will appear in your toolbar. Click it to begin setup and then click Get Started.

02

Input your Hotmail or Outlook name and password (or set up an account), then choose where you want your SkyDrive folder to be located on your computer, to sync any les that you upload with your PC or Mac.

03

Decide if you want every le stored in SkyDrive to be synced with your computer or just certain les. If you choose all of them, then copies will be made in the location you chose in the previous step.

7 OF THE BEST

Photography sharing apps


Dropbox Free (Android & iOS)
Dropbox has just 2GB of free storage, but you can increase your limit by completing set tasks, including introducing friends. It is a robust service and one of the most well-known.

Google Drive Free (Android & iOS)

Create a new folder

Copy les across

04

Ctrl/right-click on the SkyDrive icon in the toolbar of your PC or Mac. Open your SkyDrive folder and Ctrl/right-click to create a New Folder. Double-click it and the window will work like any other.

05

With the window open, nd the images that you wish to upload to SkyDrive and copy them across. By looking at the SkyDrive icon, you will be able to see the copying process in progress.

Anyone with a Google account already has this storage service available to them. Go to https://drive.google.com, then upload and access even the largest of photo les with ease.

SugarSync Free (Android & iOS)


As with other apps here, photos can be shared with others either publicly or privately, and you can control the number of users. You can save photos from other apps to SugarSync too.

Microsoft SkyDrive
Free (Android & iOS) Take lots of photos on your phone or tablet? Quickly choose to upload them to SkyDrive as well as move, delete or rename les.

Box Free (Android & iOS)


With a whopping 10GB of free storage, you will have plenty of space to play with. Content can be le-encrypted for privacy or shared easily by emailing a link in just a few clicks.

MEGA Free (Android)

Share your photos

Preferences and options

06

Go to skydrive.live.com and all of the photos you have uploaded will appear. By Ctrl/right-clicking on the folder, you can select Sharing. The folder or individual photos can be shared via email or social networks.

07

Back up your photos and other les to MEGA, which comes with 50GB of storage for free. You can share your folders with contacts and see their updates too in real time.

You can retrieve photos by Ctrl/ right-clicking the icon and selecting to open the folder, then copy images out of the folder or open them. Selecting Preferences will allow you to hide the Dock icon if you wish.

Copy Free (Android & iOS)


This cloud service is the new kid on the block, and gives users 15GB of free storage. It is stable and easy to use, but you may prefer to try more established services until it has proven itself.

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Photography for Beginners 75

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Ask the team questions at
Post questions to the PFBMag group at www.facebook.com Tweet any quick questions or tips you may have to @PFBMag Upload your problem pics to our Flickr pool at www.ickr.com/pfbmag

Amy Squibb
PFBs editor Amy is here to help out with our readers shooting concerns

James Sheppard
Photographer and Photoshop whizz James is on hand to solve any editing issues

Jo Stass
PFBs staff writer Jo is at the ready to answer your camera tech questions

Questions & answers, tips & photo-xes

How can I fix my flower photo?


I have been spending lots of time in my garden taking photos of the owers. I like this shot but the ower looks a lot duller than it did in real life. Id also like to get rid of its ugly imperfections. Can you show me how?
Angela Chalk, via Facebook Flowers are one of the most popular photography subjects, and its easy to see why. They are naturally beautiful and colourful and have lots of interesting detail, but this shot is a little underexposed and the colours could do with a boost. The imperfections on the ower spoil an otherwise lovely photo. Its very quick and easy to remove them with the help of editing software, though.

A B C

Photo needs rescuing?


Email it to our experts pfbteam@imagine-publishing.co.uk

Underexposed whole shot is quite dark, A The which is a common problem


when photographing subjects in the shade

Faded colour pink of the ower could B The do with having more punch, to
make this photo really grab your attention

Imperfections marks on the owers C The petals are a little distracting


and spoil the natural beauty of the plant

Create awless shots Remove imperfections in Elements 11

01 Brighten it up

Start off by correcting the exposure. The quickest way to do this is to go to Enhance>Adjust Lighting>Brightness/Contrast and give the Brightness slider a boost.

02 Rescue colours

If the colours look washed out, give them more impact by going to Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Hue/Saturation. Boost the Saturation slider to enrich the colours.

03 Use the Clone tool

Select the Clone Stamp tool. Set the Opacity slider to 100% and then choose a small brush size so that you can clone out any ddly imperfections effectively.

04 Remove imperfections

Hold the Opt/Alt key and click on an area next to the imperfection. Now click on the imperfection to paste your original selection over it. Repeat until it is completely gone.

76 Photography for Beginners

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4 F HE B S

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Ask the team questions at photoforbeginners.com


Different coloured lters are used for different purposes and can really help to improve your photos

Tips for taking perfect ower photos

Go macro
Flowers are great subjects for macro photography, as they often have lots of intricate details. Switch your camera to Macro mode or attach a macro lens to be able to focus up close.

Will a red lter improve sunset shots?


Use Aperture Priority
Macro mode will usually set a wide aperture for you, but when using a macro lens you will need to switch to Aperture Priority mode and select a small f-number to blur the background.

I recently bought myself a red coloured lter for my DSLR camera as I thought that it would enhance the colour of the sky in my sunset shots. However, I have just read online that red lters are actually for black and white photography. Can you please advise me as to whether a red lter will do anything to enhance a sunset sky or if theyre best just left to producing monochrome captures?
Andy Dodds, via Email

There are so many different types of lens lters available on the market, so we know how confusing it can be to choose the right one for the job. A solid red coloured lter is indeed used for black and white photography, as it increases the contrast in the scene. If you use it for photographing sunsets then it will turn the entire scene red, which is not the desired effect. For sunset shots, you really want to use a dedicated sunset or warming lter that typically has an orange tint to it.

Use natural light


Firing your ash will create harsh light that can blow out the detail of your ower. Try turning it off and use natural light, but shoot in the shade if bright light is causing harsh shadows.

Creative lters When and why you need to use these special lters

Warming lters Add water droplets


A great way to add another texture and interesting element to your ower shots is to add your own water droplets. Spray the ower with water, or add glycerin to the water for more pronounced droplets.

Colour lters
Filters that are a solid block of strong colour are usually used for black and white photography. They increase contrast between colour tones to improve the conversion.

Infrared lters
These lters block out all visible light to only record invisible infrared light and completely change the colours in your shots, for striking and creative photographic results.

Warming lters have an orange tint that will warm up your photos. They are useful for shooting sunsets, and you can even get graduated versions to just warm the sky.

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Photography for Beginners 77

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This month we

Like
Post your photo to our Facebook page and well share it with the world

Search for PFBMag

Shazz Hooper
This lighthouse is a great night-time subject that really stands out against the dark sky.

Recapture the old days of lm by applying a vintage look to your digital photos

How can I make my photo look aged?


Chris Vencenti.
Chriss shutter speed was the right speed to freeze the plane but also blur the propellers.

Ive been looking through some of my grandparents old photographs and I really love their old-fashioned, faded look. Is there any way I can recreate this style with my digital images? I have a few shots that I think will look great with this effect.
Melissa George, via Facebook Photography has come a long way since the days of lm, but there is still something quite comforting

about the look of an old print. The vintage look has become very appealing in recent years and applying it to your photographs can help add character to a timeless scene. Many digital cameras now come with retro or sepia creative lters that you can apply to your images, and of course there are hundreds of editing apps that come with this option too. Making your digital snaps look like old-fashioned prints is easy, so let us show you how.

Age your shots


Angie MacLeod
Getting your wildlife photography subjects to smile isnt easy, but Angie has succeeded.

Make digital images look like vintage prints in Photoshop Elements

01 Remove the colour


Stuart Brotherton
Recreate this striking water shot with a clear tank of water and your camera on a tripod.

Start off by converting your photo to black and white. To do this, go to Enhance>Convert to Black and White and adjust the sliders until you are happy.

02 Convert to sepia

Go to Filter>Adjustments> Photo Filter and select Sepia from the drop-down menu. Then you can adjust the density of the effect and click OK when it looks right.

03Add a vignette

Add a Gradient adjustment layer, set the Style to Radial and tick the Reverse box. Then double-click the Gradient box to adjust the colour and opacity.

78 Photography for Beginners

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The best photos tweeted to us @pfbmag
The lamps beautifully illuminate this low-light street scene @laura081 5
se to po e ppy s ha emattpy a w er th ught hoto @ p s da Matt is lovely h for t

The clo u stunnin dy sky adds d ra g suns et @sim ma to this onpm19 72

Capturing birds in prole helps show their interesting beaks @CaroleHa rry

LET US RECOMMEND
Back up your photos with these compact storage devices
I currently keep all my photos on my computer, but Im worried about losing them if something goes wrong, particularly all the photos I have of my children growing up. I think its time to invest in some sort of back-up device, but Id like one that I can carry around with me as I travel quite a lot and would like access to my shots wherever I go. Can you suggest some compact and reliable storage devices?
Darren James, via Email Keeping all of your precious photos in one place is never a good idea. If you have all your photos on your computers hard drive and it breaks or is stolen, then you could lose them forever, and those once-in-a-lifetime moments cant be recreated. External hard drives are great for backing up your photos, as you can be safe in the knowledge that you have an extra copy if the worst happens. These days you can get very compact ones that are both rugged and easy to carry around. Here are a few that we recommend

Portable hard drives

WD My Passport Ultra
From 70/$80 This ultra-compact external hard drive from Western Digital is available in 500GB, 1TB and 2TB versions, plus a choice of four colours including black, silver, blue and red, so you can mix and match as you please!

Toshiba STOR.E SLIM


50/approx $81 The super-slim hard drive from Toshiba is speedy and the pre-loaded back-up software provides for le, folder and full-system backup and recovery. Its also the smallest hard drive on test here.

LaCie Rugged Mini


From 75/$90 This rugged hard drive from LaCie comes with a rubber sleeve for added protection against knocks and bumps, so you can carry 500GB or 1TB of les with you wherever you go without fear of it getting damaged.

Whats good about it


It has automatic back-up software that lets you schedule backups and save to Dropbox WD Security allows you to set password protection and hardware encryption

Whats good about it


This is the smallest and thinnest of the three hard drives, so is a great portable option It comes with pre-loaded back-up software and password encryption for keeping your les safe

Whats good about it


It is shock, rain and pressure resistant. It will even still work if you run over it with your car It has auto back-up software and password protection, plus 10GB of free cloud storage

What could be better

What could be better

What could be better

Although its still incredibly compact, it is a little bigger than Toshibas hard drive Even though it is built with durability and reliability in mind, it doesnt feel very rugged

There is only a 500GB version, so you will need to look elsewhere if you want more space Its available in stylish black or silver, but there are no more colour options available

This is the largest of the three hard drives, but it will still t in your bag or back pocket It doesnt quite stretch to the 2TB capacity of the WD, but a 1TB version is available

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Photography for Beginners 79

QUICK START GUIDE Get to know your camera

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Get to know your camera in 5 minutes


Your quick start guide to help you master your kit now
Shutter release
This button is used to take the picture. On most cameras, pressing it halfway in Auto will focus the image

Mode dial
Change the settings on the camera using the mode dial

Hotshoe
The hotshoe allows you to attach external accessories such as a more powerful ash to the camera

CAMERA ICONS EXPLAINED


Choose the correct setting with this guide
If youre using a compact camera, then most of your controls will be on the back. A DSLR or Compact System Camera will usually have a mode dial on top. Either way, the icons for setting the camera to shoot in different conditions and for basic operation such as deleting images are usually universal.

Landscape

Boosts the saturation in blues and greens for really vivid outdoor photographs

Easily customise your most used settings in Program mode

Program

Select the aperture while the camera picks the shutter speed for you

Aperture priority

Lens
The light enters the camera here. Lenses can be changed on some camera models

Flash
If your camera has an on-board ash, press this button to use it

Lens release
Press this button to remove the lens from your camera

Auto
If all else fails,
let your camera do the hard work for you by using automatic mode

JARGON BUSTER
Aperture
Affects the amount of your image that is in focus the depth of eld

Focal lengths
Wide-angle a wider angle of view than normal, eg 28mm Telephoto a magnied view of distant subjects, eg 200mm

Megapixels
Number of pixels on the sensor, in millions

CSC
Compact system camera

Noise
Refers to the visible digital grain in a photo

Sports

Uses a fast shutter speed to capture movement without blur

For super-attering shots of your friends and family with blurry backgrounds

Portrait

Take control in this mode and pick your own shutter speed and aperture

DSLR
Digital single lens reex camera

Focus
Autofocus means your camera focuses for you; Manual puts you in control

Shutter speed
Fast speeds freeze action while longer ones blur any motion

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

ISO
Refers to how sensitive the sensor is to light and affects the visible grain or noise in a photo

Delete found on all cameras Playback use to review photos Flash choose to switch on/off Flash off the ash wont re

Drive modes including Burst Metering modes

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

LCD
The display screen on the rear of the camera used to compose images

Optical shows you the view through the camera lens and is good for accurate framing Electronic shows the view on an LCD in the viewnder

Viewnder

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

Exposure
A balanced exposure has detail in light and shadow areas alike

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

W T
+

Zooms lens out for wide angles Zooms lens in for close-ups Exposure compensation Video mode on stills cameras

button Fn Function for shortcuts

Exposure compensation
Adjusts the tonal range of your photo, lighter or darker

Zoom
Optical the magnication provided by the camera lens Digital a camera crop factor

Zoom in on your photos Zoom out of your photos

Metering
Refers to the way the camera reads the light in the scene

80 Photography for Beginners

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S
Select the shutter speed and the camera will change the aperture

AUTO

A
Shutter priority Manual
Self-timer for self-portraits etc Image stabilisation Diameter of lens found on barrel Macro or closeup modes Night-time/ low-light scenes

WorldMags.net Learn to inspire


www.dphotographer.com

Available from all good newsagents and supermarkets

ON SALE NOW > Master long exposure > Shoot outdoors > Creative portraiture
LANDSCAPE TIPS SHOOTING ADVICE WILDLIFE PHOTOS PORTRAIT GUIDES CAMERA REVIEWS

Print edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com


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KIT BAG Macro gear

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WHATS IN MY KIT BAG?

Gear for close-ups


The best kit options for awless macro photographs

01Extension tube

A cheaper alternative to macro lenses are extension tubes. Fit one between your cameras body and lens to focus closer.

02

Tripod

When focusing up close, even the smallest of movements will cause unwanted blur, so use a tripod to reduce camera shake.

03

Ring ash

Normal ash is too harsh for macro and can scare off living subjects, but a ring ash lets you create softer, more even light.

04

Macro lens

A true macro lens will have a reproduction ratio of 1:1, so look for this in the product details when you are buying your lens.

02

03

Compact camera options


If you dont have a camera with an interchangeable lens, select Macro mode to help you get in closer to your subject

01

04

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Canon EOS 70D


1090/$1200 body only | Dual Pixel AF | 20.2MP sensor | Vari-angle touch screen

Is this just another DSLR, or is it a must-have purchase?


BUY THIS IF

Youre looking for a long-term, high-quality investment

IS IT GOOD FOR VIDEO?


Videographers are well catered for with the 70D. The Dual Pixel AF speeds up focusing in Video mode and you can record 1080p full HD movies at 30fps. You have full manual control while recording and videos are saved as MOV les. Theres a built-in mic and a 3.5mm mic socket if you want to get really serious. Theres basic in-camera movie editing too, so you dont have to buy separate software if you dont want to.

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Above Exposures were accurate and colours bright. Using the viewnder really helps on sunny days when it can be hard to see the LCD screen

UPGRADE Canon EOS 70D

The build quality is sturdy and the deep grip at the front allows a good purchase. Its also weathersealed for protection from the elements

TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 20.2MP
A large value that lets you crop in without too much loss to quality

Zoom By lens
A wide selection of lenses is available from Canons heritage

Shutter speed 30-1/8000sec


Great for both long exposures and very fast captures

ISO sensitivity 100-12800


The high value makes it very capable in low-light conditions

Exp. modes 7 scenes, plus Scene


Intelligent Auto, Creative Auto, Program, AP, SP, Manual A great selection, and Creative Auto gives control over depth of eld

Aperture By lens Flash modes Auto, Manual Flash,


Integrated Speedlite Transmitter

The Canon EOS 70D is not a beginner camera for those wanting to point and shoot; its an investment for those wanting to take their photography to another level with a tool that will help them get there. Thats not to say that beginners will struggle to use it, though, as its menu system is logical and the quick menu allows you to access all of the most-often used settings clearly and quickly. It comes with a bright and clear three-inch vari-angle touch screen, too, making setting your focus point, accessing menus and more a breeze. The intelligent optical viewnder is a joy to use, as you can overlay gridlines, see the focus area illuminated and use an electronic level to keep shots straight. Theres also a button at the front that lets you toggle through the focus settings and see them change in the viewnder, so you wont have to take your eye away. This cameras biggest plus point, however, has to be its focusing system. Its 19-point cross-type AF system is the same as its bigger brother the Canon EOS 7D, and its quick to focus in varying light conditions. It also switches to a brand-new Dual Pixel AF system that speeds up focusing in live view and movie modes. It

comes with auto modes for those still learning, as well as your usual set of manual controls, plus creative modes such as multiple exposures and lters, but these cant be applied to RAW les. The 7fps shooting at full resolution allows you to shoot 16 RAW les or 64 JPEG les in a burst, which is great for action shots, and it comes with Wi-Fi for image sharing and remote shooting. The Wi-Fi was a bit long-winded to set up, but is a useful addition. Packing a 20.2MP APS-C sensor, the image quality was very high, with saturated colours and crisp detail. The ISO of 100-12800 made low-light shooting a breeze and it handled noise very well until ISO 1600. Even at 3200 photos were perfectly usable. Its not a cheap camera for those just starting out, but if youre serious about improving your skills, this is an exceptional camera that will last you through your journey.

Weight 755g body only with battery Dimensions 139.0 x 104.3 x 78.5mm Batteries Lithium-ion Screen 3 inches

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR Landscapes


Detail is crisp and HDR mode is useful for ensuring perfect exposures

Portraits
Soft, creamy backgrounds are achieved and colours are accurately portrayed

Sports
7fps shooting is fast and focus is accurate for great action shots

Low light


Images are practically noise-free until ISO 1600, and still usable at 3200

Macro
Youll need to buy a macro lens, but results are rich and detailed

THE PROS & CONS


Images are high-quality, sharp and detailed, with accurate colours Focusing is quick and the camera is fast, capturing a split-second of action Wi-Fi could be quicker and less complicated to set up Theres only one SD card slot and you cant use creative modes with RAW

This is a dependable, feature-packed camera that could open up beginners to a whole new level of control, with high image quality and fast responses.

VERDICT
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Photography for Beginners 85

UPGRADE Samsung Galaxy NX

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Samsung Galaxy NX
BUY IF THIS ant to be
you w it and able to ed otos share ph ly instant

We test the worlds rst Android-powered CSC to nd out if image quality matches connectivity

1300/$1700 (with 18-55mm lens) | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS | Voice control | 4.8-inch Super Clear touch screen

WHAT DOES AN ANDROID OPERATING SYSTEM DO?


The featured Android 4.2 operating system enables you to download apps onto the camera. This means you can edit your images on screen using the likes of Photoshop Express or Instagram, and then share them via social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter or Flickr without having to use your computer.

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Below The 20.3MP APS-C sized sensor produces great quality captures that are vibrant in colour and suitably detailed, with little noise until well over ISO 1600

UPGRADE Samsung Galaxy NX

The Galaxy NX is well built but is large and heavy. The 4.8-inch touch screen also dominates the back, leaving little space for your hand

TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 20.3MP
Plenty of megapixels means you can print out high-quality shots for frames

Zoom By lens
Check out the extensive range of Samsung NX lenses that are available

Shutter speed 30-1/6000sec


More creative exibility to shoot with fast or slow shutter speeds

ISO sensitivity 100-25600


Get better image results in low-light conditions and shoot handheld

Exp. modes Auto, Program, AP, SP,


Manual, 30 smart modes Advanced users can explore manual modes, but there are plenty of great features for beginners too

The new Samsung Galaxy NX is the rst compact system camera of its kind. It offers all the conventional shooting features youd expect to see in a CSC, but also connectivity options, including an Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system, built-in 3G/4G LTE and Wi-Fi. This means you can now shoot, edit and share high-quality images on the go in the same way you would using your smartphone. It also means its possible to download apps to use alongside the cameras standard shooting features. With all of this smart technology built in, you might expect a compromise on image quality. However, reviewing our test shots we found that all images were of a high standard, with vibrant colour hues and plenty of detail thanks to the featured 20.3MP sensor. Some shots did require a little sharpening out of camera, however, but not all were overly soft. When tested in low-light conditions, the Galaxy NX also did well to manage noise, with destructive noise only becoming apparent in ISO settings well above ISO 1600. Being one of the largest and heaviest CSCs on the market, the Galaxy NX has a reliable build, although its design is a little lacking. The large 4.8-inch Super Clear

touch screen dominates the back of the camera, which has left little space for any on-the-body buttons. This wont disappoint all users, but is not ideal if you need to make quick adjustments. Due to the screens size, its also easy to accidentally switch the shooting mode with the side of your hand, which means composing with the camera can take some getting used to. Youll nd touch screen focusing, however, incredibly easy. The Galaxy NX also comes with voice control, enabling you to take a shot and zoom in or out without having to touch the camera. On test, we also found the Auto and 30 Smart Scene modes very reliable, and the camera also offers full HD video. Overall, the Galaxy NX is a great point-and-shoot option with fantastic connectivity features, although its large size and heavy price point may not appeal to the mass market.

Aperture Lens dependent Flash modes A, RE, Fon, Foff, SS Weight 410g without battery Dimensions 136.5 x 101.5 x 25.7mm Batteries Lithium-ion Storage 16GB int, micro SD Screen 4.8 inches

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR Landscapes


A Landscape mode and in-app editing let you create stunning scenic shots

Portraits
The Portrait mode will help you to capture a clear, even exposure

Sports
Fast shutter speeds and an Action mode let you freeze fast subjects

Low light


The ISO range will ensure you shoot detailed exposures in difcult light

Macro
Focusing using the touch screen LCD helps you get in-focus macro shots

THE PROS & CONS


The connectivity options are fantastic for sharing snaps on the go The large touch screen is great for focusing, composing & editing images With less on-the-body buttons, it can be tricky to change settings quickly The camera houses a lot of great features, but this does mean its bulky

Packed full of fantastic features, the Galaxy NX is designed for a gadget enthusiast who wants to edit and share their photos straight from the camera.

VERDICT
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UPGRADE Olympus PEN E-P5

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Olympus PEN E-P5


A CSC that combines new technology with a retro design
1000/$1350 (with 14-42mm lens) | 9fps shooting | Wi-Fi functionality | Shutter speed of up to 1/8000sec

youre king a fanatic see an CSC that c keep up

BUY IFn THIS an actio

HOW CAN THE BUILT-IN WI-FI HELP ME OUT?


While most Wi-Fi enabled cameras allow users to directly share images via social network sites, this camera goes one step further as it actually connects to your smartphone. This lets you transfer photos quickly, see the cameras LiveView from a distance, use it as a remote shutter release or to assign GPS data.

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Below Colours pack a punch, while detailing is relatively strong. Noise is controlled until ISO 3200, which is comparatively impressive for this breed of shooter

UPGRADE Olympus PEN E-P5

The camera can connect with smartphones for faster image transfer, and the phone can also act as a second screen and remote shutter release

TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 16.1MP
A megapixel count meaning large prints at high resolution are achievable

Zoom Lens dependent


Olympus has a wide range of lenses

Shutter speed 60sec1/8000


A fantastically wide speed range beneting action and low-light shots

ISO sensitivity 200 -25600


A helpfully broad sensitivity range intended to boast stability in low light

Exp. modes 25 scenes, plus Auto,


Program, AP, SP, Manual Plenty of support here for beginners, plus options for advanced users

Aperture Lens dependent Flash modes A, M, RE, SS with RE,


SS, SS 2nd curtain, Fon, Foff

Scooping this years EISA award for best advanced CSC, the Olympus PEN E-P5 has caused quite a stir, with its increased Wi-Fi functionality and array of ultra high-end technology packed into a stylish retro design. Action enthusiasts benet from an impressively fast shutter speed of 1/8000sec and high-speed release time lag mode, while low-light fanatics can enjoy an ISO range that extends to 25600 and a ve-axis image stabilisation with IS Auto to reduce image blur. Other features of note include a wide assortment of ash options, interval shooting with time lapse, a built-in level gauge and three-inch tilting display. The E-P5 is available in a choice of black, white or silver, and although it is undoubtedly a little on the big and bulky side, it ts comfortably in the hand. Sadly it isnt as protected against the elements as many of its rivals. However, the E-P5 provides a sensible as well as stylish layout, creating an enjoyable, consistent and intuitive handling experience. Buttons are logically placed, menus are straightforward and the two control dials make programming exposure manually incredibly simple. The ultra-fast and accurate AF makes handling a doddle, especially thanks to the Super Spot AF which

is controlled using your ngertip. The Live Bulb with added histogram is also a great touch for those shooting at night. Noise rst becomes noticeable at ISO 1600, but is well maintained and has little effect on colour, tone and detailing until ISO 3200, where evidence of a rather zealous use of noise-reduction software disturbs the integrity of frames. JPEGs leave the camera a little soft, but users do have the option to alter in-camera sharpening levels in Picture modes. We found that using the Natural picture mode provided realistically rich colours, backed by an on-point white balance meter. Overall, the image quality achieved by the E-P5 is marginally stronger than the average advanced CSC. The premium shooter does come with a higher price tag than most, but its fashion-focused design and plethora of high-end features readily justify its cost.

Weight 420g with battery Dimensions 122.3 x 68.9 x 37.2mm Batteries Lithium-ion Storage SD, SDHC, SDXC, UHS-I Screen 3 inches

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR Landscapes


Capture shake-free long exposures by using your phone as a shutter release

Portraits
The intuitive manual and semi-manual controls allow for great people shots

Sports
With a shutter speed of 1/8000sec, sports fans wont miss a single shot

Low light


Long shutter speeds and high sensitivity make this camera great for night shots

Macro
The touch screen technology helps to keep your macro subjects in focus

THE PROS & CONS


Fantastic Wi-Fi capabilities providing a number of useful functions & services Capable of very strong image quality, including images taken in low light It is undeniably stylish, but slightly larger and heavier than most CSCs Lacks the weather-proofed seals on many CSCs and entry-level DSLRs

An ultra-attractive camera with tons of top-class features and improved user functionality, designed to ease the transition to manual shooting.

VERDICT
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Photography for Beginners 89

UPGRADE Sony DSC-QX10

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Sony DSC-QX10
179/$250 | 18.2MP | 10x optical zoom | Wi-Fi & NFC

Will this lens revolutionise cameraphone photography?


BUY THIS ItF o take

you want uality higher q ne smartpho snaps

DO I HAVE TO USE IT WITH A SONY SMARTPHONE?


As the connection is wireless, the lens can be used independently from your smart device, and so it will work with any make or model. A smartphone attachment is also supplied in the box if you wish to x it to your phone, and will work with any device with a maximum width of 54-75mm and thickness of 13mm.

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Below Images are better quality and higher resolution than most smartphone snaps, but low-light shots still tend to be quite grainy

UPGRADE Sony DSC-QX10

The lens features a shutter button, zoom lever and tiny screen for checking the battery life. The rest is controlled via an app on your smartphone

TECHNICAL INFO
Megapixels 18.2MP
A high megapixel count when compared to many smartphones

Zoom 10x optical


A focal range of 25-250mm is versatile for shooting in various situations

Shutter speed 4-1/1600


Great for sports but could be better for capturing long exposures

ISO sensitivity 100-12800


A good range, but you cannot control the ISO manually

Exp. modes Auto, Superior Auto,


Program A very limited number of modes for beginners looking to advance their photography skills

Aperture f3.3-5.9 Flash modes N/A Weight 90g without battery Dimensions 62.4 x 61.8 x 33.3mm Batteries Lithium-ion Storage micro SD, micro SDHC, micro

This little lens from Sony may look like it belongs in our Accessories section, but the QX10 is more like a camera than you might think. It contains an 18.2MP CMOS sensor and battery, as well as a 10x optical zoom to trump your standard xed smartphone lens. In fact, the only thing missing is an LCD screen, but that is where your smartphone comes in. When you switch the QX10 on, you can then connect it to your phone via Wi-Fi or Near Field Communication if your device is compatible. Once you have downloaded the free Sony PlayMemories Mobile app, your smartphone becomes the viewnder, allowing you to frame your photos as well as change shooting modes and settings. Firing the shutter and zooming can be done via either the app or controls on the lens. Being able to use the QX10 independently from your phone is very useful for self-portraits or shooting over crowds, and the at bottom and tripod mount mean that you can leave the lens while you shoot from a distance. You can also physically connect it to your phone with the supplied smartphone attachment if you wish. Connecting it via Wi-Fi takes several seconds and there is a bit of a lag when framing shots, so you might

end up missing an unexpected photo opportunity. You can leave them constantly connected, but this will quickly drain the battery of both devices. The compatible Sony PlayMemories Mobile app allows you to choose from Auto and Program modes, but the only manual control you have is being able to change the white balance. It performs well in Auto, though, and certainly produces higher resolution photos than your smartphone would be able to. The low-light performance is still a little disappointing however, with lots of noise visible. The QX10 is a handy smartphone accessory and will easily t into any large pocket or bag, but really it just does the same job as a camera that can transfer images to your phone. Therefore, those looking for more manual control might prefer to invest in a Wi-Fi enabled compact instead.

SDXC, Memory Stick Micro

HOW GOOD IS IT FOR


Landscapes
The wide-angle 25mm minimum focal length ts a lot into the frame

Portraits
Snap great portraits of yourself or your friends to share instantly

Sports
Focusing is fast but the slight time lag could cause you to miss a shot

Low light


Higher ISO is prioritised over slowing the shutter speed, so night shots are noisy

Macro
Simply tap your smartphone screen to keep close-up subjects sharp

THE PROS & CONS


Using it independently from your phone opens up shooting opportunities Its easy to use and takes better quality photos than your smartphone The time lag when framing photos might cause you to miss a shot There is a lack of manual modes and the low-light performance is poor

This accessory will improve your phone snaps, but the time lag and lack of manual controls may make a Wi-Fi compact a better investment.

VERDICT
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UPGRADE Budget CSCs

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Budget CSCs
For advanced features that wont break the bank
1 Sony NEX-3N Price 349/$450
Sonys 16.1MP CSC is small and lightweight yet also feels well built and durable. It comes packed with not one, but two auto modes as well as full manual controls. As there is no mode dial, settings must be changed via the few buttons on the back of the camera. However, navigating your way around is easy, and there is even a handy Help mode that explains camera techniques. You can also get creative with your captures with several fun picture effects. The NEX-3N is the only camera on test here to have a tilting LCD screen, which can be ipped up 180 degrees for self-portraits. Image quality is also superb, with vibrant images and noise only creeping in at ISO 3200. For more information, visit www.sony.co.uk.

2 Pentax Q10 Price 380/$500


The Pentax Q10 is one of the smallest CSCs on the market. Its mostly plastic body makes it incredibly lightweight and easy to carry in a large pocket. However, if you decide to add on large lenses and additional accessories via the hotshoe, the camera starts to feel a little unstable, with increased camera shake. The Q10 is the only one of the four to have a mode dial on top for quick operation, but the rest of the buttons are very small and ddly to control. Despite its small 12.4MP sensor, image quality is surprisingly good, with noise only appearing at ISO 1600 and vivid and vibrant colours. There are also lots of scene modes and creative lters to help you produce striking captures. Head to www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk for more details.

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3 Nikon 1 S1 Price 430/$350
If you want a sleek and stylish CSC, then the 10.1MP Nikon 1 S1 certainly delivers, with its shiny nish making this an attractive option. The S1 is a speedy camera too, and can shoot 15fps with super-fast autofocus. It will even start shooting before you fully press the shutter, and Best Moment Capture will help you pick the best from the bunch, while Smart Photo Selector will do it for you. Operating the camera is slow, however, as you need to manually extend the lens before you can start shooting, and most of the modes and settings are quite well hidden in the cameras menus. There are also limited scene modes and creative effects, although image quality is superb, with noise kept at bay until ISO 3200. Read more at nikon.com.

UPGRADE Budget CSCs

4 Canon EOS M Price 349/$649


The Canon EOS M has a simple yet sturdy design, even if it is a little on the heavy side. It has an intuitive touch screen for quick and easy control, and the Info button on the back lets you check and change the most useful settings. The cameras initial slow autofocus issues that plagued it at its launch have now been xed, enabling it to keep up with fast-moving subjects. Creative Auto mode makes it easy to blur backgrounds, and plenty of edits and lters can be added in-camera. But what the EOS M really excels in is image quality. Its 18MP DSLR-sized sensor handles noise very well until ISO 3200. The only thing missing is a built-in ash, although an external ashgun is supplied. Visit www.canon. co.uk to nd out more.

The NEX-3N comes packed with not one, but two auto modes as well as full manual controls

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Photography for Beginners 93

ACCESSORIES Nest Explorer 100L Shoulder Bag

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uve got lots of kit you want to carry round safely

BUY THIS IF Yo

Nest Explorer 100L Shoulder Bag


This bag grabs attention, but is it for the right reasons?
Keeping your camera safe and secure while you are on the move is important, so a good camera bag is a worthwhile investment. The Nest Explorer 100L Shoulder Bag is compact and streamlined, yet will hold an entry-level DSLR or CSC with a lens attached, plus theres room for 2-3 extras lenses and other accessories. The padded velvet interior has adjustable dividers for customising the space to protect your gear, or you can remove them entirely to use it as a simple messenger bag. The exterior waterproof Rip-stop nylon material will keep the rain out, and an extra protective cover is supplied for use in heavy downpours that could seep into the internal compartment. The bag is sealed with Velcro, giving you quick access to your camera should an unexpected photo opportunity arise. It also has an extra Velcro buckle to keep your kit even more secure. There are plenty of additional pockets, including three zipped compartments for storing spare memory cards and other equipment, and you can even store a ten-inch tablet as well. Three carrying options are available, as you could use the handle on the top, one of the grip points on either side or the supplied adjustable shoulder strap with padding for added comfort. If you want a more conventional and discreet camera bag, then the Explorer 100L also comes in black or blue, but those who want their bag to stand out and be easy to spot can opt for the bright orange or green versions. The bag has a very high-quality and durable feel, and has plenty of room for all the kit you will likely need for a typical shoot.

THE INFO
Price 70

Internal dimensions
270 x 135 x 200mm

External dimensions
330 x 170 x 240mm

Weight 580g Capacity 100L Colours Black, Blue, Green, Orange

THE PROS & CONS


You can store and protect everything you need in a compact bag It enables easy access to your camera & accessories for fast shooting The Velcro fastening could be more secure and may weaken over time The price is a little high but you get a quality product for your money

A fun choice of colours, plenty of room to store your gear and excellent protection from the elements. This is a great all-rounder.

VERDICT

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Available from all good newsagents and supermarkets


Vikings

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YOUR HISTORY

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Print edition available at www.imagineshop.co.uk Digital edition available at www.greatdigitalmags.com


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ACCESSORIES Photo gifts

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Photo gifts
Impress your loved ones by giving them one of these personalised presents made with your favourite shots
1 Photobox mug Price From 8/approx $13
A personalised photo mug will be a great addition to any kitchen, and Photobox has plenty of varieties available, from the Simple Photo Mug that you can customise with one photo, to the fun Personalised Photo Mug that you can add photos, text and themes to. You may also like the Magic Mug that reveals your photo as you pour in a hot drink, or the Love Mug that has a heart shaped handle. All mugs are dishwasher and microwave safe and feel high quality, with the photo blending seamlessly onto the ceramic mug. More info can be found at photobox.co.uk.

03

2 Albelli pocket photobook Price From 7/approx $11


Your friend and family members will be able to keep your photos on them wherever they go with a pocket-sized photobook. This one from Albelli is 8 x 10.5cm and can hold up to 22 photos. The prints fold out in a single strip and you can even tear out individual photos if you want to display them in another way. The book has an attractive silver linen cover but the photos are printed on glossy paper that feels quite thin. To make your book you have to use the Albelli software that is only compatible with Windows. Take a look at www.albelli.co.uk to learn more.

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3 Bob Books calendar Price From 8/approx $13
Giving a loved one a photo calendar means that they can have a different one of your photos on their wall each month. Creating a calendar with Bob Books is very easy, and can be done using their free software or online. Pick a shape and size for your calendar and then choose from an extensive range of templates, layouts and colour schemes, or take complete control over your design by downloading the Bob Designer software. You can even select the month you want your calendar to start at. It is printed on high-quality, glossy paper and comes with a very affordable price tag. You can also get a discount if you order several copies for each of your friends. Head to www.bobbooks.co.uk for more details.
Imagine Publishing Ltd Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EZ +44 (0)1202 586200 Web: www.photoforbeginners.com www.greatdigitalmags.com

Magazine team
Editor Amy Squibb
amy.squibb@imagine-publishing.co.uk 01202 586210

Senior Designer Annabelle Sing Staff Writer Joanna Stass Sub Editor Alicea Francis Editor in Chief Dan Hutchinson Photographer James Sheppard Senior Art Editor Duncan Crook Head of Publishing Aaron Asadi Head of Design Ross Andrews
Contributors
Mark Bauer, Julie Bassett, Jo Cole, David Crookes, Natalie Denton, Sarah Gane, Mark Gregory, Freddie Harrison, Martyn Landi, Shaun McGill, Hayley Paterek, Jodie Tyley

4 CEWE photobook Price From 6/$10


A photobook is a great way to display a collection of your photos in one lovely keepsake. CEWE allows you to create photobooks in a range of shapes and sizes, plus you can choose between a soft cover, hard cover or linen-covered book. Simply download the free software or smartphone app and start creating your book using preset layouts and styles. You can even get the CEWE Photobook Assistant to create your book for you. CEWE also gives you the option to add videos to your photobook so that you can really bring your memories to life. It works by printing a QR code in the book that you can scan with your phone and play the clip. You can nd out more about CEWE gifts at www.cewe-photobook.co.uk.

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

Advertising
Digital or printed media packs are available on request. Advertising Director Matthew Balch 01202 586437 Head of Sales Hang Deretz 01202 586442 Advertising Manager Jennifer Farrell 01202 586430 jennifer.farrell@imagine-publishing.co.uk

International
Photography for Beginners is available for licensing. Contact the International department to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman +44 (0)1202 586401 licensing@imagine-publishing.co.uk

Subscriptions

04

Head of Subscriptions Gill Lambert subscriptions@imagine-publishing.co.uk For all subscription enquiries Email: p4bsubs@servicehelpline.co.uk (UK) 0844 245 6957 (Overseas) +44 (0)1795 592 815 13-issue subscription (UK) 52 13-issue subscription (Europe) 70 13-issue subscription (ROW) 80

Circulation
Head of Circulation Darren Pearce 01202 586200

Production
Production Director Jane Hawkins 01202 586200

Founders
Group Managing Director Damian Butt Group Finance & Commercial Director Steven Boyd Group Creative Director Mark Kendrick

Printing & Distribution


Printed by Wyndeham Heron, The Bentall Complex, Colchester Road, Heybridge, Maldon, Essex CM9 4NW Distributed in the UK & Eire by Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT 0207 429 4000 Distributed in Australia by Gordon & Gotch Corporate Centre, 26 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 + 61 2 9972 8800 Distributed in the Rest of the World by Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU 0203 148 8105

Disclaimer
The publisher cannot accept responsibility for any unsolicited material lost or damaged in the post. All text and layout is the copyright of Imagine Publishing Ltd. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher. All copyrights are recognised and used specifically for the purpose of criticism and review. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure all information is correct at time of print, prices and availability may change. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to Imagine Publishing via post, email, social network or any other means, you automatically grant Imagine Publishing an irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free license to use the images across its entire portfolio, in print, online and digital, and to deliver the images to existing and future clients, including but not limited to international licensees for reproduction in international, licensed editions of Imagine products. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Imagine Publishing nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for the loss or damage. Imagine Publishing Ltd 2013 ISSN 2046-9845z

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CHEAT SHEET Portraits

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PHOTO CHEAT SHEET

Portraits
Your cut-out-and-keep guide to great shots
Getting perfect portraits is easy when you know how. Most importantly, make sure your model is at ease by complimenting them and keep popping your head out from behind the camera to engage with them. Think about their pose and whether you want your subject to fill the frame or include some of the background if you do this, you really need to consider the location and how it adds to the shot without drawing attention away from the model. Once youve got the location and composition right, use our cut-out guide below to find the perfect settings and kit you need to get great shots every time.

Eye contact Get your model to look right into the lens to allow the audience to connect to them more. Try to catch some light in their eyes to make them sparkle!

ESSENTIAL PORTRAIT KNOW-HOW


Aperture Shutter speed ISO Focus mode Drive mode Lens Helpful kit

f2.8-5.6 1/60sec or faster 100 Single AF, with the focus point on their eyes Single 80-100mm Flash with tilting head, reector

To light the shot Make use of natural light


and ll in harsh shadows with a reector, or re your ash if your subject is backlit

Top Tip Shoot from a slightly raised angle for a


attering effect and make sure the background isnt distracting, keeping all the attention on the model

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