The Ultimate Guide to Photography

164 Pages·2016·32.897 MB·English

by  Daniel Lezano

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TheUltimateGuide
toPhotography(Firstedition)
ProducedbyDigitalSLRPhotography
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Editorial
editorDanielLezano
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Welcome...
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CONTENTS
TheulTimaTeGuideTophoToGraphy
6 26 40
55 70 84
6Wildlife 70Macro
116
Ensureyou’reuptospeedwiththeessential Learnhowtoseetheworldinfascinating
techniqueandkitadviceyouneedtohelpyou miniature.Catchthemacrobug!
takeonwildlife–oneofphotography’smost 72EXPERTADVICE:GETTINGSTARTED
challenginganddiversesubjects 74EXPERTADVICE:INSECTS
8EXPERTADVICE:BASICTECHNIQUES 76EXPERTADVICE:FLOWERS
10EXPERTADVICE:ANIMALSINACTION 78EXPERTADVICE:CREATIVECLOSE-UPIDEAS
12EXPERTADVICE:ANIMALPORTRAITS 80MASTEROFMACRO:ROSSHODDINOTT
14EXPERTADVICE:CREATIVEWILDLIFEIDEAS 82ULTIMATEKIT:MACRO
16MASTEROFWILDLIFE:BENHALL
84Raw
18ULTIMATEKIT:WILDLIFE
20PHOTOSKILLS:ADAYATTHEZOO Harnessyourcamera’sfullpotentialbyshooting
inRaw.It’seasierthanyouthinktomaster…
26Coastallandscapes
86EXPERTADVICE:UNDERSTANDINGRAW
LeadingUKlandscapeprofessionalsprovide 88EXPERTADVICE:EXPOSURE
expertadviceonshootingcoastallandscapes 90EXPERTADVICE:EXPOSETOTHELEFT
28EXPERTADVICE:KNOWTHEESSENTIALS 91EXPERTADVICE:EXPOSETOTHERIGHT
30EXPERTADVICE:EXPOSURECONSIDERATIONS 92EXPERTADVICE:CONTROLCOLOURWITHEASE 124
32EXPERTADVICE:COASTALCOMPOSITION 94MASTEROFRAW:LEEFROST
34EXPERTADVICE:TIMEOFDAY 96EXPERTADVICE:RAWDETAIL
36MASTEROFCOASTLINES:LEEFROST 99RAWTALENT:CREATIVERAWTECHNIQUES
38ULTIMATEKIT:COASTLINES
115Ultimatekit
40Filtersforlandscapes
Fromourextensivenumberoftestsandreviews,
DoyouknowyourNDsfromyourpolarisers? webringyouourpickoftheultimatephotokit
Here’swhyyoushouldbeusingfilters… 116PROFIELDTEST:CANONEOS5DSR
120
42EXPERTADVICE:THEESSENTIALFILTERS 120GROUPTEST:POLARISINGFILTERS
128
44EXPERTADVICE:USINGAPOLARISER 124GROUPTEST:NDGRADUATEFILTERSYSTEMS
46EXPERTADVICE:NEUTRALDENSITYFILTERS 128HEADTOHEAD:PREMIUMTRIPODS
48EXPERTADVICE:NDGRADUATEDFILTERS 131PCTEST:CHILLBLASTFUSIONPHOTOOCLITE
50EXPERTADVICE:EXTREMENDS 132WHICHLENS?:HOWWETEST
52MASTEROFFILTERS:ADAMBURTON 134LENSTESTS:ULTRAWIDE-ANGLEZOOMS
138PROFIELDTEST:CANONEF11-24MMF/4LUSM
55Travel
142LENSTESTS:PREMIUMSTANDARDZOOMS
Travelbroadensthemind–andallowsyouto 146LENSTESTS:PREMIUMTELEZOOMS
takeincredibleimages.Topguidancewithin… 150LENSTESTS:POPULARTELEZOOMS
56EXPERTADVICE:GETPREPAREDTOTRAVEL 152LENSTEST:SIGMA150-600MMF/5-6.3OSHSM
58EXPERTADVICE:BESMARTWITHKITCHOICE 154PROFIELDTEST:NIKONAF-S300MMF/4EPFED 154
138
60MASTEROFTRAVEL:JONHICKS 156LENSTESTS:50MMPRIMELENSES
62EXPERTADVICE:PORTRAITS 158LENSTESTS:MACROLENSES
64EXPERTADVICE:LANDSCAPES TURNTOPAGE112TOFINDOUTABOUT
162Perfectexposures
66EXPERTADVICE:CULTURE OURFANTASTICSUBSCRIPTIONOFFERS
68ULTIMATEKIT:TRAVEL Cutoutanduseourfreegreycard!
55
6 Wildlife TheulTimaTeGuideTophoToGraphy
Go WILD!
ThenaTuralworldhaslongfascinaTedphoTographers,buTiT’snoTaneasy
disciplineTomasTer.wildlifephoTographyTakespaTience,skillandadashofluck
Wearefascinatedbynature.Weenjoy catsintheMaasaiMaraorsmallbirdsinyourownback
watchingthetVdocumentaries,we garden,thequestforthe‘perfect’imageisnever-
loveseeingwildlifewithourowneyes, ending.Patienceisthenameofthegame.Youcan’t
andasphotographersmostofusenjoy poseanimalsorpolitelyrequesttheyperformforyour
capturingnaturethroughthelens.thereisprobably camera,soyouneedtoputyourselfintherightplace
nosubjectmorechallengingordiversethanwildlife, attherighttimeandthenwaitforthebestopportunity.
butthatcertainlyhasn’tafecteditspopularity.the However,therightkit,goodtechniqueandield
factthatwildlifeisrarelyobligingjustaddstothe craftarealsoessential.Ourguidewillhelpyoumaster
senseofachievementwhenyoucaptureagreat theartofphotographingwildlifeandinspireand
shot.Birdsandmammalscanbeerratic,elusiveand encourageyoutocapturebetterwildlifeshotsthan
unpredictable,sowhetheryouarephotographingbig you’veevertakenbefore…
iMage:rOssHOddinOtt

8 Wildlife TheulTimaTeGuideTophoToGraphy
Basicwildlifetechniques bEn
h
All
BEForEyoUSTArTSHooTiNg,WiSEUpoNTHETECHNiqUESTHATWillHElp
yoUBAgSoMEgrEATSHoTS.HErEArEAHANdFUloFSTArTiNgpoiNTS…
rO
SS
h
O
D
D
In
O
TT
2Researchyoursubject
Failtoprepare;preparetofail.
Ifyouwanttocapturestunning
wildlifeimages,youirstneedto
knowyoursubject.Withoutan
understandingandpassionforyour
subject,youwillnevertrulycapture
itscharacterorbeabletoanticipate
keybehaviour.Simplyventuring
outwithyourcamerainhand,just
ontheof-chancethatyoumight
1BaitingyoursubjectOneofthe relationtoyourfeedingstation–inwhich indandphotographsomething,
mostreliablewaystoenticewildlife directionwillthelightbeatthetimethat willproduceverylimitedsuccess.
closetoyourlensisthrough‘baiting’– youwillbetakingphotos?Doyouwant Instead,researchpotentialsubjects
usingfoodorwatertoattractbirdsor yoursubjecttobefront-lit(idealduringthe thoroughlyonlineirst.Discover
mammalstoapredeinedplace.Setting goldenhours),backlitorlitfromoneside? whattypesofhabitatstheyprefer,
upa‘feedingstation’willgiveyoufarmore Placeyourset-upaccordingly.Ensurethere theirdiet,andanykeybehaviour–
controloverlightingandthelookofthe isadistanceofatleastsixmetresbetween likecourtshipdisplaysormigration.
subject’sbackground.Itisimportantto yoursubjectanditsbackgroundtoensure Also,indoutiftheircoator
usesuitablefood–forexample,carrion yourbackdropiscleananddifused. plumagevariesdependingonthe
forfoxesorbuzzards;ornutsandseedsto Position‘props’closetoyourfeeding season,andwhendotheybreed
enticesmallgardenbirds.Waterisanother stationtomakeimagesappearmorenatural andhaveyoung?Theanswersto
goodwaytoattractwildlife.Subjectswill andinteresting.Forexample,whenshooting thesetypesofquestionswillgreatly
useittoeitherdrinkorbathe–andyoucan gardenbirds,placelichen-cladbranches helpyourpursuitofthe‘perfect’
capturestrikingimagesofsubjectsalong orsprigsofblossomclosetothefeeders. pictureandpreventyoufrom
withmirror-likerelections. Pre-focusyourlensontheperchsoyouare wastingtimeandefort.Onceyou
Feedingstationscanbeverysimpleto primedandreadytotakephotoswhenbirds arearmedwiththerightknowledge,
setup.Ifyoualreadyhangoutnutfeeders momentarilyrestonyour‘prop’between researchsuitablehabitatsand
forthebirdsinyourgarden,youarealready feeding.Toconcealyourwhereabouts,use reserves.IntheUK,www.rspb.org.
halfwaythere.Acoupleofnutorseed adedicatedhideor–iftakingphotosinyour ukandwww.wildlifetrusts.orgare
feedersonpolesinyourgardenareallyou garden–shootfromthegardenshedor goodplacestobegin.
need.Thinkaboutthesun’spositionin evenfromahousewindow.
Camerasettings
AFmode:PredictiveFocus Exposuremode: Meteringmode:
Whenphotographingmoving Shutter-prioritymode Multi-segmentmetering
subjects,switchtopredictiveAF, Awildlifephotographer’spriorityis Multi-zonemetering(Canon’s
whichmakesiteasiertocapture achievingasuicientlyfastshutter EvaluativeorNikon'sMatrix)is
goodshots.Bykeepingyouringer speed.Usingshutter-priority(S sogoodthatyouwillrarelywant
half-pressedontheAForshutter orTv)givescontrolovershutter touseanythingelse.However,
button,thelenswilltrackthesubject,adjustingfocus speed,whilethecamerawillselectthecorresponding spotmeteringisusefulinsituationswhereyouwishto
continuallytokeepthesubjectsharpintheframe. aperture.Manyalsofavourusingaperture-priority. meterforasmall,speciicarea–likeplumage.
Wildlife 9
4Stalkingandieldcraft
Oneofthemostimportantskills
wildlifephotographersmustlearn
isieldcraft–theartofavoiding
detection.Ifyoursubjecthears,sees
orsmellsyoubeforeyouarewithin
picture-takingrange,itwilldisappear
longbeforeyou’vetakenanyphotos.
Ahideisthebestdisguise,though
stalkingisoftentheonlywayto
getclosetosubjects.Wearmuted
colours,avoidnoisyfabricsand
don'tcleanyour‘stalking’outit–
thedirtieritis,themoreitwilldisguise
yourscent!Deer,foxesandhares
haveaparticularlyacutesenseof
smell–soapproachdownwind.
Moveslowlyandwatchyoursubject
closely–ifitshowssignsofunease,
orlooksdirectlyatyou,stopand
remainmotionlessuntilitlooksaway
again.Partoftheskillisbeingable
toidentifyandusenaturalcover–
lookforareasofdensevegetation,
OTT bracken,treesandhedgerowsto
N concealyourwhereabouts.
DI
OD Whenstalking,amonopodor
H
OSS beanbagisfareasiertousethan
r
atripod.Travellight–justtakea
3Back-buttonfocusing switchtoback-buttonfocusing.Doingso camera,telephotolensandkeep
Goodfocusingtechniqueisessentialfor takesfocusingawayfromtheshutterbutton accessoriesinyourpockets.
wildlife.Opportunitieswillbeleetingwhen –insteadabuttononthebackofthe Dawnistypicallythebesttime
photographinganimals–sothespeedand cameraisassignedtothejob.Typicallythis tostalkwildlife,whenanimalsare
accuracyofyourfocusingcanbethe buttoniseithertheAF-ONorAE-Lbutton preoccupiedwithfeeding.Thelight
diferencebetweensuccessandfailure. –butconsultyourcamera’smanual.Whileit isalsobetteratthistime,too.
Yourcamera’scentrefocusingpointis mighttakeyouashortwhiletoget
typicallythemostaccurateandsharpestof accustomedtotheswitch,youwillind
alltheavailablefocusingpoints– separatingfocusingandreleasingthe
regardlessofcameramakeor shutterafarbettertechnique.
model.Therefore,thisisthepoint PointthecentralAFpointat
youpredominatelywanttouse. yoursubject,pressthe
However,rarelywillyouachieve rearfocusbuttonusing
thebestcompositionwiththe yourthumb,andthen
subjectpositionedcentrallyin recomposeyourshotwith
theframe.Tophotograph yoursubjectplacedwherever
subjectsof-centreusingAFyou youwantinframe.Now,when
couldfocusmanually,orshootin youdepresstheshutterbutton,the
singleshot/AF-Smodeandkeepthe camerawon’ttrytorefocusonthe
shutterreleasebuttonsemi-depressed,or backgroundoranyotherelements.
usetheAF-lockbutton.However,when Back-buttonfocusingalsomeansyou
shootingwildlife,noneoftheaboveare don’thavetoiddlearoundwithanydials
particularlywellsuited.Also,youideally shouldyouwishtoswitchtomanualfocus.
wanttohaveyourcamerasettoAF Efectively,allyouneedtodoisnotpress ISTO
c
continuousshootingmode.Afarbetter theback-buttonAFbutton–justadjustthe kPH
optionforwildlifephotographersisto focusingringandtakeyourphoto. OTO
WhiteBalance:Auto Releasemode:Continuous ISORATINGS:ISO400-6400
AutoWBproducesverygood, Manycamerasarecapableof Typically,wildlifephotographers
accurateresultsinmost shootingupwardsof5fps(frames- requireafastshutterspeeddueto
situations.Ifyouareshooting per-second)–someareasfastas subjectmotionortoeliminatetheir
Raw–whichwewouldalways 12fps.Byholdingyouringerdown ownmovementwhenshooting
recommendtoensureyou ontheshutterreleasebutton,you handheld.Althoughyoushould
capturethemostdetailinyourimages–youcanine cancapturelargecontinuousburstsofimages.Thisis alwaysusethelowestpracticalISO,fasterISOsallowyou
tunecolourtemperatureduringpost-processing. idealwhenshootingmovementoraction. tocapturefastmovementandworkinlowlight.
10 Wildlife
Protip
Animalsinaction
Don’tbetemptedtolookat
theLCDscreentoreviewyour
sequenceofshotsuntilyou
AddextrAimpACttoyourwildlifeimAgesAndreCordnAturAl
aresureallactivityhaspassed.
behAviourbyCApturingAnimAlsinACtion.hereArethebAsiCs… Takeyoureyesawayfromthe
actiontoosoonandyourisk
Fornaturephotographers, bestoptionforactionshots.Camerabrands missingthebestshot.
thereisnothingmoresatisfyingthan givediferentnamestotheiraFmodes,
capturingagreatactionshot!there suchasaF-CorC-aF,whilethenumberof
isnoshortageofopportunities–birdsin focusingpointsandsophisticationofthe
light,courting,singingorarguing;aswell aFsystemvariesdependingonthecamera
asanimalsrunning,jumping,swimmingor makeandmodel.Consultthemanualto
ighting.animalactionisoftenbrief,though, seewhichoneonyourcameraisbestfor
soyounotonlyneedtodemonstrategood trackingmovement.becomefamiliarwith
technique,butbeabletoanticipateandreact yourcamera’svariousaFoptions–practise
toyoursubject’sbehaviourtoo. andexperimentbyphotographingadog
Imagesofbehaviourlookfarmore runningaboutorvisitawildlifepark.
interestingthanstandardportraits.through Youdon'thavetocapturemovement
theuseofafastshutterspeedyoucan sharply.slowshutterspeedsimplymotion
suspendmotion–highlightingevery andcanconveymoreaboutthesubject’s
muscle,sinewanddetail.tofreezefast behaviourandenergy.blurringmovement
motion,ashutterexceeding1/1000secis isapopulartechnique–andinovercast
normallyrequired,butrememberspeedis lightmaybetheonlyoption.adegreeof
relative–youneedtomatchtheshutter trialanderrorisneededtogettheright
speedtoyoursubject.togeneratefast efecthowever.theoptimumshutterspeed
times,selectawideapertureandhigher dependsonthespeedofthemovement,
Iso.howhighwillgreatlydependonthe butstartwith1/60sec–thisshouldbeslow
availablelight–ingoodlight,Iso400or enoughtoblurthetipsofbeatingwingsor
800shouldsuice,butindarkorovercast thelegsofarunningmammal.
conditionsyoumightneedtooptfor You'llindthatyouexperimentalot,
asensitivityofIso3200orhigher. though,andwillenduptakingalarge
shootlargeburstsusingcontinuous numberofwastedandpoorimages,butit's
shootingmode.themoreframes-per- worthittogettheresultswithjusttheright
second(fps)youcancapture,thebetter combinationofsharpdetailandblurred
yourchancesareofgetting‘theshot’. movementthatlooksstrikingandboasts
abatterygripcanbeagoodinvestmentif energyandmotion.Capturingperfectly-
youintendtodoalotofactionphotography timedactionimagesisn’tjusttheresultof
–theseallowyoutoshootmoreframesand goodtechniqueandafastcamera–your
sometimesboostyourcamera’sfpslimit. abilitytoanticipateananimal'sbehaviour
Keepyouringeronthetriggerandtakea isalsokey,soknowyoursubject.agood
largenumberofframes.Doingsoincreases understandingofyoursubject'sbehaviour
theoddsofyoucapturingyoursubjectin willenableyoutobereadyandwaitingto
focusandintherightposition.Filesizesare captureamazingshots. Proview
largetoday,sousememorycardswithafast
writespeed–forexample,600x90mb/s. g1)eCttohnattinpueorfuesctshshooottyinogum'reoadfetegr.iv2e)sAysolouwmeorsrehuotftaercshpaenecdectoan steve
predictiveautofocusisdesignedto beusedartisticallytoconveyrealfeelingsofmovementthata blo
o
maintainfocusonthesubject,soitisthe staticdoesn't.3)Afastshutterspeedfreezesamomentindetail. m
2
SteveBloom
“iloveslowshutterspeedswhere
everythingisabitblurred;it’s
verydiiculttogetright.theeye
isthemostimportantelement–itrackthe
eye,keepingitinthesameplaceintheframe
throughoutsoitstaysstillwhilethelegsand
bodyblurwithmotion.ialwaysuseautofocus
andhavemyCanoneos-1dsmkiiisettoone
shotandashutterspeedofabout1/4sec,butit
dependsonhowfasttheanimalismoving;ifit’s
ben arunningcheetahyou’llgetblurat1/100sec.”
h
all