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Welcome to the world’s
No.1 weekly digital
photography magazine.
If you’re already a
reader, thanks for your continued
support and involvement; if you’re
new to Photography Week, you’ve
come to the right place! In addition
to expert advice, brilliant tips and
step-by-step tutorials, every issue
features interactive galleries of
brilliant photos, how-to videos on
essential shooting and editing
techniques, and in-depth reviews
of the latest camera kit.
But that’s not the whole story.
Photography Week is more than
a magazine – it’s a community
of like-minded people who are
passionate about photography.
‰ŅƤčåƋĜĹƴŅĬƴåÚØģƚŸƋüŅĬĬŅƵ±ĹƼ
of the links below and share your
shots and comments.
Jeff Meyer, Editor

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 CONTENTS
FIND OUT WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NEWS
ZHIYUN UNVEILS NEW
COMPACT LED LIGHTS
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ÚåŸĜčĹåÚüŅųÏŅĹƋåĹƋÏųå±ƋŅųŸ
F E AT U R E
FIND YOUR STYLE
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ŸĘŅŅƋĜĹč±ĹÚåÚĜƋĜĹčƋåÏĘĹĜŧƚåŸ
PHOTOS
GALLERY
F E AT U R E kƚųŞĜÏĩŅüƋĘåÆåŸƋųå±Úåų
ŞĘŅƋŅŸüųŅĵƤ±ųŅƚĹÚƋĘåƵŅųĬÚ

PHOTOS I N S P I R AT I O N I N S P I R AT I O N
VERY ANGRY BIRDS
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ƵĜĹŸűƋƚųåŞĘŅƋŅčų±ŞĘƼÏŅĹƋåŸƋ
CRASH COURSE
FLYING SCHOOL
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±ÏƋĜŅĹ쪱ÏĩåÚŸĘŅƋŸŅüÆĜųÚŸ
PHOTOSHOP
PHOTOSHOP
CUSTOM COMPOSITION
ŽŸåϱĵåų±ƋųĜÏĩŸ±ĹÚåÚĜƋĜĹč
ƋŅƤÏųå±ƋåƋĘåŞåųüåÏƋĬ±ĹڟϱŞå

CRASH COURSE

REVIEW
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NIKKOR Z 400MM 39¢/39p
F/4.5 VR S
It’s not the fastest
PER ISSUE!
WHEN YOU SUBSCR IBE
Z-series optic, but it SEE T HE SUBS C R I P T ION
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 N E W S

W H AT ’ S H O T
THE WEEK’S TOP HEADLINES IN PHOTOGRAPHY

ZHI YUN L AUNCHES T WO NEW

ULTR A-COMPAC T LED L IGHT S
MOLUS G60 and X100 are made for content creators, and there’s a new app too

© Zhiyun

imbal and lighting brand The Zhiyun MOLUS G60 weighs just The MOLUS X100 is a larger and

G Zhiyun has announced two

new ultra-compact LED lights
for content creators, the MOLUS G60
and MOLUS X100. Both lights feature
Zhiyun’s DynaVort cooling system, which
uses a gyroscope-modelled heat sink
and a FOC fan to prevent overheating,
and offer a consistent light source with
no flickering or cool-down periods.
The new lights are launching
alongside a new ZY Vega companion
app, which can wirelessly control
individual lights or groups of lights.
300g and is roughly the size of a Rubik’s
cube. It can be powered using the
included DC adapter, or a USB-C cable
with 100W power delivery.
At full power, the Molus G60 can
produce 60W of power, which is
impressive for such a small device.
It also offers a dynamic colour
temperature range of 2700K-6500K,
which is adjustable via the app or the
brightness control dial on the rear of the
light, plus three preset brightness levels
for quick navigation.
flatter design, although it still manages
to remain highly portable, weighing
ĜĹƤ±ƋƤģƚŸƋƐíĂčţeŸƋĘåűĵåŸƚččåŸƋŸØ
the Molus X100 delivers a massive 100W
of lighting power from its compact form
factor. Like the G60, the X100’s colour
temperature can range between 2700K
and 6500K.
The MOLUS G60 and MOLUS X100
are available now from the Zhiyun store,
priced at £219 / $199 and and £269 /
$249 respectively, or in Combo kits with
additional accessories.
 F E
DARE TO BE DIFFERENT
Professional photography is a
constant balancing act between
individuality, competitiveness and
commercial appeal. Look closely
±ƋƤå±ÏĘåĬåĵåĹƋŅüƼŅƚųĜĵ±čåŸ
ƋŅƤĀĹÚųŅŅĵüŅųåƻŞåųĜĵåĹƋ±ƋĜŅĹ
CREATE YOUR OWN LOOK
Develop a unique photographic style by learning
new shooting and editing techniques
he concept of a particular style
T or ‘look’ in photography is an
opaque one. At galleries and
exhibitions, especially, much can be
made of an artist’s style, but while it may
be interesting, it often says little about
what the creator is actually doing to
produce content worthy of recognition.
Unfortunately, as with many creative
endeavours, when taking photographs,
there’s a risk of becoming preoccupied
with how to craft a signature workflow.
We often start out inspired by a
restricted subset of artists, based on
A T U R
our limited knowledge of the creative
possibilities open to us, and this leads
to us attempting to recreate the visual
language of one or two photographers.
This effect has been greatly amplified
in the social media era, where a handful
of users are favoured and elevated by
algorithms. While this can be a good
starting point for experimenting with
advanced techniques, simply mimicking
others restricts us from doing what feels
natural in our own photo workflow. What
we’re left with is a pressure to produce
similar content, while struggling to
E
image © Boy Anupong/Moment via Getty Images Words by: Peter Fenech
introduce something unique and
creatively fulfilling. So, instead, why not
consider the following three pillars for
style success – commercial popularity;
uniqueness and identity; and your
engagement and enjoyment?
Over the next few pages, we’ll
explore how to create images that are
both contemporary and commercially
relevant, while still exhibiting your own
creative preferences. The process of
finding your style can be a fun journey
that calls on multiple skills and allows
you to use your kit in novel ways.
 F E A T U R E

SHOOTING TECHNIQUES
Like cooking a dish based on a recipe, making a few small tweaks to your
style of photography can make all the difference to the final result

© Anna Jelec
1 OVERCOMPENSATE EXPOSURE
A simple bias of the histogram can catch the viewer’s eye

One of the worst things you can do
is to try and push one extreme of
exposure or mood towards the other.
One example might be attempting
to turn a dark, moody night scene
or rainy evening landscape into a
bright, airy shot. Conversely, trying to
create a low-key, minimalist shot on a
Caribbean beach at midday will have
mixed success, unless you crop in
tightly for a detail shot.
Although you can compensate for
ambient conditions, it’s often better
to exaggerate those that already exist
– a great source of style inspiration.
Identify the strongest features of
the scene, and underexpose or
overexpose to make them even more
visible. Make a moody scene darker
and low-contrast, or a misty scene
brighter for low and high-key looks.
Turn on clipping alerts so you can
visualise lost detail on your LCD – this
will tell you if clipping is limited to
expected areas, or if the subject is
becoming obscured or overpowered.

hen cooking something new,
W even when following a recipe,
there is still some scope for
experimentation. Two chefs using the
same ingredients and equipment can
produce dishes that are completely
different from one another in texture
and subtleties of flavour. The same can
be true of photography – there are only
so many ways to shoot a subject, and a
limited number of gear combinations to
use, so how does a photographer develop
a distinct way of making images?
The truth is that we don’t; not entirely
anyway. Instead, we make precise
adjustments to the recipe so that each
component – light, detail and colour –
varies in its dominance. Much like adding
an extra pinch of salt or choosing a
different herb, targeting the balance of
exposure, subject texture and colour will
subtly adjust the tone of an image. Here,
we’ll look at what you can do behind the
camera to quickly and easily introduce
novelty to your work.
The advantage of these techniques
is that they can be tailored to any
current social media trends or preferred
commercial styles, allowing you to make
adjustments with minimal stress.
 F E A T U R E

SHOOTING TECHNIQUES CONTINUED

2 CHANGE LIGHTING DIRECTION

Switch up the shadows to vary global contrast

© Dana Neibert/The Image Banks via Getty Images

We may follow the same recipe for
every shot without realising it, and
one aspect could be the position of
the main light source, whether flash
or the sun. Try turning the camera,
and illuminating the subject with
inverse lighting, to reveal overlooked
composition variations.
Backlighting creates a wash of
colour, producing a modern lifestyle
look that’s popular in commercial and
reportage photography. Try moving
the light source – placing it directly
in frame will generate a different
effect than if it’s out of shot. Similarly,
changing the position of the camera
relative to the light can hide or reveal
textures in the subject, and may have
an impact on how you edit images.
If you find yourself shooting out of
shadow into the light, try standing in
the light and observe how you can use
shadows to divide up your composition,
or vice-versa.

4 APPLY CROSS-SUBJECT STYLING

Use your ‘recipe’ on a different subject

While ‘breaking the rules’ is

often discussed in this context,
it’s better to consider adjusting
convention as a way of doing
something that few others
are in order to get noticed.
We associate certain colour
balances, lighting styles and
ĬåĹŸÏĘŅĜÏåŸƵĜƋĘŸŞåÏĜĀÏ
subjects. We shoot portraits
with a wide-aperture medium
telephoto, use side-lighting to
highlight facial features, and

3 RETHINK LENS USAGE warm up light with CTO gels

to match skin tones. However,
Mix up your choice of optics for unexpected results why not use a wide lens to
© Tara Moore/Stone via Getty Images

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muscle memory, reversing this instinct can break the formula. ĬĜčĘƋŸÆƚƋĹŅĀĬĬƋŅŸĘŅƵŅĹĬƼ
‰ųƼƤŅÆŸåųƴĜĹčƋĘååýåÏƋŅüŸƋŅŞŞĜĹčÚŅƵĹƋĘå±ŞåųƋƚųåŅĹ form, or add cooler tones for
portraits instead of using it wide open, ensuring the background cinematic impact? Inverting
is clear to control potential distractions. Similarly, if you have your choices can subvert
a shift lens, use it for travel or product photography, or use a expectations, and generate
ĀŸĘåƼåĬåĹŸüŅųåƴåĹƋŸţœĜƋĘϱųåØŸƚÏĘ±ŞŞųŅ±ÏĘåŸϱĹųåüųåŸĘ new ideas while making the
your ‘look’, as few others will be doing something similar. most of your skill set.
 F E A T U R E

SHOOTING TECHNIQUES CONTINUED

5 AIM FLAT
Create a flat file to maximise later editing options

BEFORE

© Ales Krivec
AFTER

Video shooters will be familiar with
the concept of a flat profile. Often
referred to as a Log profile, videos
created in these modes offer a
greater dynamic range for later
colour grading. While we can simply
shoot raw files in stills photography,
aiming to capture images with a
broader range of tones can help
when looking to devise a novel style.
Shooting in overcast conditions,
or looking for compositions that
minimise micro-contrast in key areas
of the frame will extend the editing
options you might want to apply
later, for custom looks. Try turning on
Dynamic Range Optimization (DRO),
even when shooting raw files – while
no in-camera processing will occur,
ĜĹƤƋĘåŸåĵŅÚåŸØƋĘåϱĵåų±ƵĜĬĬ
often automatically bias exposure
üŅųƤĵ±ƻĜĵƚĵÚƼűĵĜÏų±Ĺčå
capture in all but full Manual mode.
The resulting image will have the
maximum potential for tone recovery
and colour grading. Think of it as
assisted exposure to the right (ETTR).

6 ADJUST LIGHT PRESENCE

Balance your natural and
artificial light sources

Another ‘hidden’ element of a photographer’s

signature style is the relative contribution
of natural and artificial light in their work.
When done correctly, flash can be scarcely
distinguishable from ambient lighting, for
example, but it still introduces shadows and
exaggerates detail.
If you rarely use flash, try adding this off-
camera to see what it does to your images;
this can even be applied to landscapes.
Set your exposure as you like it, and then
© Marco Bottigelli/Moment via Getty Images

start with your flash at the lowest output,

gradually increasing this until you’re happy
with the light structure. Regardless of the
subject type, vary the distance of the flash
and the direction to adjust the local contrast.
Control flash visibility further by brightening
or darkening the ambient exposure, using
shutter speed, f/stop or ISO.
 F E A T
SHOOTING TECHNIQUES
7 SHOOT THROUGH OBJECTS
Use creative framing methods to give your shots recognisable depth
A popular look today is shallow depth-of-field in less
conventional genres. Narrow focus in landscape shots is
a noticeable trend on social media channels, especially
Instagram, so we can use this as a framework for our own
style. Exaggerate the depth of field in the foreground,
1 SET MAXIMUM APERTURE
The aim is to reduce the visibility of foreground detail, so make sure
you set the widest aperture available on your chosen lens. This is what
2 CHOOSE CAMERA ELEVATION
makes the 50mm f/1.8 or 85mm f/1.4 lens so popular amongst social
media users.
3 ZOOM IN
š±ųƼƋĘåüŅϱĬĬåĹčƋĘŅųÚĜŸƋ±ĹÏåƋŅƋĘåüŅųåčųŅƚĹÚåĬåĵåĹƋŸƋŅĀĬĬ
the frame, while controlling the strength of the presence in-shot. The
4 CHECK SHARPNESS
closer to the lens these elements are, the more they will bleed across
the shot, altering the appearance.
U R E
CONTINUED
rather than behind the subject, to create a feeling of
secretly observing a hidden detail. This can make even
mundane scenes more intriguing, so it’s a great way of
finding eye-catching shots closer to home, including in
your own garden.
We need to make out-of-focus foreground elements prominent,
ŸŅƤĬŅƵåųŅųų±ĜŸåƋĘåϱĵåų±ƚĹƋĜĬƼŅƚűųåŸĘŅŅƋĜĹčŞåųŞåĹÚĜÏƚĬ±ųƋŅƋĘåĵţ
„ĘŅŅƋʱĹÚĘåĬÚĀųŸƋØŸŅƋʱƋƼŅƚϱĹĀĹÚƋĘåŅŞƋĜĵƚĵ%k8ØÆåüŅųå
setting up on a tripod.
When shooting through something at close range, it can be hard to
see where areas are partially obscured. Out-of-focus vegetation may
seem almost transparent, but zoom in to check blurred elements aren’t
reducing critical detail.
 F E A T U R E

EDITING TECHNIQUES
Set your creativity free in post-processing

he photography revolution on social

T media could not have happened
without the creative freedom of
editing software. Even basic photo-editing

© Gary Yeowell/Stone via Getty Images

tools allow us to customise the colour
balance, adjust the tonal bias and selectively
hide and reveal detail, and these are all key to
developing an individual, signature style.
The key to successful shooting and editing
is to ensure that what you do on one side of
the camera doesn’t work against what you
try on the other. The exposure you choose
should not be undone at the computer without
reason, as this will often result in lost detail or
high noise levels. Equally, if you intend your
1 SHOOT SPARE DETAILS
Mix up your choice of optics for unexpected results

shots to have low global contrast, processing
otherwise can yield unpredictable results.
Let’s take a look at how to integrate
the shooting and editing stages of your
photography workflow, for greater continuity.
While the concept of adding objects to an image that weren’t there at the time of
shooting used to be frowned upon, it’s far more acceptable today. If creating an
artful composition is your goal, shoot extra scene elements when out and about
which you can later use to add detail to your shots. Vegetation, falling blossoms,
birds, and buildings can all be useful elements to add to a database.

2 LEARN EXTRACTION PROCESSES

Learn to separate, swap and locally edit each part of your shot in Photoshop

1 CREATE CONTRAST
If there’s good contrast between the object
and its surroundings, it’s often easier to make
ŸåĬåÏƋĜŅĹŸĜĹŸŅüƋƵ±ųåţkŞåĹƼŅƚųų±ƵĀĬ屟±
Smart Object, as this will enable you to apply
extreme contrast to make a selection, then
tone it down later.
2 QUICK SELECTIONS
Start by making a rough selection of your
object using a brush-based tool like the
Quick Selection Tool. Brush over your subject,
erasing any large selection errors. If the
background is uniform, consider selecting it
instead to speed up the process.
3 REFINE EDGE
If you’re using Photoshop open the
åĀĹå)ÚčåÚĜ±ĬŅčرĹÚŸåƋƋĘååĀĹåų±ÚĜƚŸ
according to the detail around the edge of
your subject. For hair or vegetation use a
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ƋŅüƚųƋĘåųÚåĀĹåƋĘååÚčåŸţ

4 DECONTAMINATE
If your editor has a Decontaminate Colours
option, check the box to remove colour spill
from the background. This is useful when
5 SEPARATE BY COLOUR
‰ŅųåĀĹååƻƋų±ÏƋåÚŅÆģåÏƋŸŅųŸåĬåÏƋ
ޱųƋĜ±ĬĬƼƋų±ĹŸŞ±ųåĹƋŅÆģåÏƋŸŸƚÏʱŸƋų±þÏ
trails, use the Color Range option. Go to Select
6 PREVIEW EXTRACTION
With any selected object on its own layer,
you can preview the quality of the extraction
by adding a solid colour layer beneath it.
© Peter Fenech

you’re shooting in an environment with > Color Range and choose a target tone, Choose a midtone colour, observe the edges
ųåāåÏƋåÚĬĜčĘƋţFĹ{ĘŅƋŅŸĘŅŞØÏĘŅŅŸåƋĘåcåƵ such as Highlights. Use Fuzziness to control of your selection, and check for missing areas
Layer with Mask output option. selection precision. within the object.
 F E A T U R E

EDITING TECHNIQUES CONTINUED

3 THEME
CONTINUITY

SUPER-REALISM
Subtly enhance
elements that already
exist to make software
adjustments feel natural
yet impactful

DEPTH
Experiment with
layering detail to push a
three-dimensional feel
ĜĹűƋƚų±Ĭā±ƋƋåųŸÏåĹåŸ
TIME OF DAY
Edit colours based on
your preferred shooting
time, so that shooting
and editing styles match

© Peter Fenech
 F E A T U R E

EDITING TECHNIQUES CONTINUED

© Peter Fenech

4 ADD LIGHTING EFFECTS

Create atmospheric lighting regardless of time or weather conditions

ne advantage of shooting
O a flat image is the freedom
to add custom lighting and
colour, regardless of the time of
day. An example is the film industry,
where night-time lighting is faked
through underexposure and cool
white balancing. In software, add light
leak effects to subtly enhance the
atmosphere. This can be done using a
flare filter, applied on a black Fill Layer.
Set the blending mode to Screen and
the black will disappear, and the flare
can be placed to taste. Alternatively, use
a Radial Gradient to increase Exposure
and apply negative Dehaze. You can
optionally place the light source out of
frame, so that it’s merely suggested.
 F E A T U R E

SHOOTING TECHNIQUES CONTINUED

5 CREATE CUSTOM

© Peter Fenech
TEXTURE FILES
Use the objects around you to build
±ƤƋåƻƋƚųåÏŅĬĬåÏƋĜŅĹ

Textures can be considered the photo

editor’s secret weapon. They enable you
to make subtle additions to the thematic
continuity of a shot, and introduce
effects that might be a challenge to
apply practically. While texture files can
be downloaded from online sources, it’s
a good idea – and cheaper – to build
your own library of textures for use
on demand. When on shoots, capture
cracked pavements, gritty old walls,
fractured glass and raindrops on a car
windscreen, for example. These can be
added as overlays by dragging them onto
an image as a new layer and changing
the blending mode. Alternatively, make
a selection of an interesting detail and in USE LUTS
Colour Look Up Tables
Photoshop or similar go to Edit > Define Ņýåų±ŧƚĜÏĩÏŅĬŅƚųčų±ÚĜĹč
Pattern. Give the pattern a name, and option, providing a range of
you’ll be able to apply it as a brush in preset toning combinations.
future. Cracks can double as lightning, or These can be applied as Layers in
vegetation can be used to brush in falling software like Photoshop (Layer
> New Adjustment Layer >
leaves or foreground detail. Color Lookup) Expand your
creative options with
blending modes.

6 MASTER COLOUR GRADING

Create instantly recognisable bespoke colour themes for your images
Colour grading is a term that has spilled over into stills photography
from video, with these two media becoming increasingly integrated
under the banner of ‘content creation’.
œĘĜĬåÏŅĬŅƚųåÚĜƋĜĹčʱŸƋ±ĩåĹŞĬ±ÏåŸĜĹÏåĀĬĵÚ±ƼŸØƋĘå
ÚĜýåųåĹƋĜ±Ĭ±ŞŞĬĜϱƋĜŅĹŅüÏŅĬŅƚųŸƋŅå±ÏĘƋŅűĬų±ĹčåĜŸ±ŞŅŞƚĬ±ų
modern trend, which can be the foundation of your own look.
eƤčŅŅÚŸƋ±ųƋĜĹčŞŅĜĹƋĜŸƋŅÚåÏĜÚåĜüƼŅƚŞųåüåųĜĵ±čåŸƋʱƋ±ųå
predominantly warm, with more low Kelvin colours, or cool, with
mostly high kelvin values. Below are three essential methods for
±ĹƤ屟ƼÏŅĬŅƚųčų±Úåţ

GRADING DIALOGUE RGB CURVES GRADIENT MAPS

In many raw photo editors, these tools consist
of three colour wheels, one each for shadows,
midtones and highlights. Start by applying a
colour to the shadows, and then an opposite
hue to the highlights, with an analogous
choice for midtones.
Curves are a powerful staple of most photo
applications. By altering the curve of each
colour channel, it’s possible to apply precise
adjustments to each tonal range. It’s also
possible to adjust exposure from within the
same panel.
FüƼŅƚÚŅĹűƋƚŸåų±ƵĀĬåŸØŅųŞųåüåųƋĘåāåƻĜÆĜĬĜƋƼ
of layers, most high-end software enables
the application of gradient maps. Select the
foreground and background colours, add a
Gradient Map layer, and change the blending
ĵŅÚåƋŅĀĹåěƋƚĹåƋĘååýåÏƋţ

Pros: Ease of use, speed Pros: Stepless tonal range, interactive Pros: Easy masking, multiple styles via
Cons: Less precise interface blending mwodes
Cons: Complex functionality Cons: %åŸƋųƚÏƋĜƴååÚĜƋĜĹčØĬŅĹčåųƵŅųĩāŅƵ
 S U B S C R I B E

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 G A L L E R Y

XPOSURE
THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS

LUCCA COMICS
SALVATORE VITALE
“I shot this portrait at Lucca Comics & Games, an annual comic book, animation
and gaming convention held in the city of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy.”
https://bit.ly/3zmSje4
 G A L L E R Y
THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS

PEDN VOUNDER BEACH

COOCHIE MURRATT
“This is just one of the beautiful beaches that can be found on the coast
either side of Porthcurno, in Cornwall in the south-west of England.”
http://bit.ly/3rrYdp7
 G A L L E R Y
THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS

DARK-EYED JUNCO
DEAN SEWELL
“This dark-eyed junco doing his best to block the chilly wind. I took
the shot from inside my house, and while it’s not the typical lens for
bird photography, I was able to capture this image using my
24-104mm lens due to the close proximity of the subject.”
http://bit.ly/3Y7aleL
 G A L L E R Y
THE WEEK’S MOST INSPIRING READER PHOTOS

MAJORQUE
OZKAN KARAKOC
“The weather on the Spanish island of Mallorca in October was amazing, and the
flowers were still in bloom in this alley, which looks like it’s from another era.”
http://bit.ly/3kxBwl6

PHOTOGRAPHY WEEK WANTS YOUR PHOTOS!

Taken a portrait you’re particularly proud of? Shot a sensational sunset you’d like to
show off? Then join the Photography Week Facebook community and share your best
FACEBOOK FLICKR photos today! You’ll get feedback from fellow readers and the Photography Week
http://bit.ly/39py9lg http://bit.ly/2VIgsJO team, plus the chance to appear in Xposure, or even on our cover!
 I N S P I R A T I k N

F ‰ ű „   k k X Ø  ‰ B e‰
THE BEST THING WE’ VE SEEN THIS WEEK

AMAZING SHOT OF ANGRY BIRDS
WINS TOP NATURE PHOTO PRIZE
SINWP announces the results of its Nature in Action competition
remarkable image of two birds
A fighting in mid-air has won the
Nature in Action photo contest
organised by the Society of International
Nature and Wildlife Photographers.
The image, entitled Kick the Can, was
taken by Norwegian photographer Cecilie
Stuedal in Telemark in Norway, and shows
±Ƥ)ƚų±ŸĜ±ĹŸŞ±ųųŅƵʱƵĩ±ĹÚ±)ƚų±ŸĜ±Ĺģ±Ƽ
battling over a dead tree stump.
)ĹƋų±ĹƋŸƵåųåĜĹƴĜƋåÚƋŅŸƚÆĵĜƋ±ÏƋĜŅĹ
Images © Cecilie Stuedal and courtesy The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers
shots of the natural world, from flora and
fauna to landscapes, including images
depicting interesting animal behaviour,
±ĹÚƤƋĘåģƚÚčåŸüåĬƋƋʱƋ„ƋƚåÚ±ĬűŸĜĵ±čå
perfectly captured that theme.
Click the link to see more images from
the Nature in Action competition at the SEE MOR E IM AGE S
„Fcœ{ƵåÆŸĜƋåØƵĘåųåƼŅƚűĬĬ±ĬŸŅüĜĹÚ h t t p: // bi t . ly/ 3L M Zow a
ÚåƋ±ĜĬŸƤŅüĘŅƵƋŅåĹƋåųƋĘåŸŅÏĜåƋƼűŸŅƋĘåų
competitions, including Bird Photographer
ŅüƤƋĘå¥å±ųرĹÚĘŅƵƋŅÆåÏŅĵå±ĵåĵÆåųţ
 S K I L L S

CRASH COURSE
ESSENTIAL PHOTO SKILLS MADE EASY

FL IGHT SCHOOL
„ƋŅŞƵĜĹčĜĹčĜƋúXå±ųĹƤĘŅƵƋŅŞĘŅƋŅčų±ŞĘÆĜųÚŸĜĹƋĘå
±ĜųƵĜƋĘƋŅŞƋĜŞŸüųŅĵƵĜĬÚĬĜüåŞųŅeĹÚųåƵa±ŸŅĹ

hotographing birds in flight is mirrorless cameras have certainly made and takes a lot of practice to perfect.

P one of the most challenging

and demanding areas of
wildlife photography, and
perhaps even photography in general.
The advanced AF systems and fast
burst speeds of the latest DSLRs and
life easier, and I’ll be the first to admit that
I wouldn’t be without my Nikon Z 9 and
super-telephoto primes. However, even
the best camera equipment that money
can buy will only get you so far. Capturing
birds in flight requires a high level of skill,
By following these tips, you can fast-
track your birds-in-flight photography so
that you’re out of the starting blocks like
a peregrine falcon. If you’re willing to put
the work in, the results will be spectacular
and rewarding.
 S K I L L S
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH BIRDS IN FLIGHT

1
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Learn as much as you can about your subject’s
behaviour before heading out into the field. Find
out when and where it’s active, how fast it flies,
and how it behaves on the wing. All species are
different, and learning their behaviour is key to
anticipating their next move and successfully
photographing them.

2
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Get to know the location in which you plan
to shoot. Research where the sun will rise
and set, and at what times. Pinpoint where
the best viewpoints are too, so that you can
make the best use of the light – backlit birds
in flight make for spectacular images, for
example, but the sun must be positioned
behind them, which requires planning.

3
SHUTTER SPEED
Use a fast shutter speed to freeze birds in flight
(see main image). The speed will depend on
how fast the bird is flying relative to the shooting
position; 1/2000 sec is a good starting point,
but you can also experiment with slower shutter
speeds if you want to introduce motion into your
images for a more abstract result.

EXPERT TIP
There really is no substitute for getting out there and location that only you know about, and which isn’t too far
Şų±ÏƋĜŸĜĹčƼŅƚųÏų±üƋŅűųåčƚĬ±ųƱŸĜŸţFƋűŸƋĘåųåüŅųå±ƤčŅŅÚ from your home. That way, you can maximise your time spent
idea to identify a wetland, nature reserve, or even a special learning this challenging technique.
 S K I L L S
HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH BIRDS IN FLIGHT

4
FOCUS SETTINGS
I always use continuous autofocus with back-button focusing, and I then
select the AF-Area mode that works best with the subject and the conditions.
The Z 9’s animal AF subject detection works incredibly well with certain birds,
ĬĜĩåŸĘŅųƋěå±ųåÚŅƵĬŸØÆƚƋĜƋĜŸĹűƋ±ŸåüüåÏƋĜƴåƵĜƋĘŅƋĘåųŸŞåÏĜåŸţƤ

5
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If you’re having trouble locking onto your subject, try pre-focusing on a point
in the bird’s flight path, to help the AF locate and lock onto the bird. This is
particularly useful when you’re shooting in difficult conditions, like snowfall,
ƵĘĜÏĘƤϱĹƋ±ŸĩåƴåĹƋĘåĵŅŸƋƤ±Úƴ±ĹÏåÚe8ŸƼŸƋåĵŸţ
 E D I T I N G

PH OTOS H O P
LEARN ESSENTIAL EDITING SKILLS FAST!

D O W NL O A D T HE
P R O J EC T F I L E S
h t t p s : // b i t . l y/ 3p L I y Q f
ON A PC OR MAC

HOW TO...

CHEAT AT COMPOSITION W AT CH T HE V IDEO

h t t p : // b i t . l y/ 2H N c M h 8
Can’t get that perfect shot? James Paterson shows you how to use
Photoshop magic and in-camera trickery to enhance compositions
omposition and framing are be on your side, so you might be faced adhere to particular compositional
C essential skills, especially for
landscape photography. But
with a dull sky, and on other occasions
a scene could just use an extra
ųƚĬåŸ×ƤÏųå±ƋĜĹč±üų±ĵåƵĜƋĘĜűüų±ĵåØ
engineering a point of interest, finding
this isn’t going to be just another guide element to make it more interesting. ±ƤĬå±ÚĜĹčĬĜĹåرĹÚÏŅĵŞŅŸĜĹčüŅųƤ±Ĺ
to the rules of composition; instead, „ŅĜĹƋĘĜŸƴĜÚåŅƋƚƋŅųĜ±ĬƵåűųåčŅĜĹč interesting foreground.
ƵåűųåčŅĜĹčƋŅÏĘå±ƋØģƚŸƋƤ±ĬĜƋƋĬåÆĜƋñ ƋŅĬŅŅĩ±Ƌ±ƤüåƵƵ±ƼŸĜĹƵĘĜÏĘƵå Of course, a more natural approach
In essence, a strong composition is ϱĹƤÚŅŸŅĵåÏųå±ƋĜƴåĬ±ĹڟϱŞĜĹčƋŅ to landscape photography is always
about arranging the elements in front ĘåĬŞƵĜƋĘƤŅƚųüų±ĵĜĹčØÆŅƋĘÆƼƚŸĜĹč best, but there might come a time when
ŅüƤƼŅƚĜĹƋŅ±ĹåüüåÏƋĜƴåüų±ĵåţcŅųĵ±ĬĬƼ Photoshop to composite elements ±ĬĜƋƋĬå±ųƋĜüĜÏåƵĜĬĬŸåųƴåƼŅƚƵåĬĬô±ĹÚ
this is done with a careful choice of from one image into another, but also åƴåĹĜüü±ĩĜĹčĜŸĹűƋƼŅƚųƋĘĜĹčØĜƋƤĘåĬŞŸ
ϱĵåų±±ĹčĬåØĬåĹŸØ±ĹÚŞåųŸŞåÏƋĜƴåţ by using props and in-camera trickery enormously to get to know the key
BŅƵåƴåųØŸŅĵåƋĜĵåŸƋĘåƵå±ƋĘåųƵŅĹűƋ on location, to produce images that compositional rules we’ll explore.

WANT MORE PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS? CHECK OUT PRACTICAL PHOTOSHOP

For more Photoshop tutorials, tips and advice subscribe to Practical Photoshop, the world’s premier
Photoshop magazine. Each month you’ll find an array of inspirational tutorials and accompanying video
lessons that will help you master Adobe’s industry-leading photo-editing software, plus amazing images
from the world’s best Photoshop creatives, free downloadable content, and a beginner’s guide to the basics.
iOS: https://apple.co/2GcA3Jc Android: http://bit.ly/2NJASNx Zinio: http://bit.ly/37ke9Qf
 LENS TEST
EXPERT OPINION ON THE L ATEST KIT
SHARPNESS

LENS MOUNT: NIKON Z

NIKKOR Z 400MM Sharpness is excellent right out to the edges of the

frame, which is an important consideration when

F/4.5 VR S
you need fast shutter speeds for freezing motion.

FRINGING 1.18
Yet another great generation Z Nikkor
There’s more colour fringing across the whole frame
with real super-telephoto clout than from the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, but it’s
still very low and will generally go unnoticed.

www.nikon.co.uk £3,190/$3,247
ure, it doesn’t have a super-fast
S aperture rating, but the Nikon Z
400mm f/4.5 VR S ticks every
other box on a photographer’s wish list
for a super-tele prime. While many of
us switching from DSLRs to mirrorless
cameras were dreaming of downsized
kit, that hasn’t been the case with many
mirrorless lenses. By contrast, this lens
is refreshingly compact and lightweight
for a super-tele prime; indeed, the
easily manageable size and weight are
the first thing that hits you when you
pick it up. It’s actually the smallest and
lightest 400mm lens in Nikon’s long
and illustrious history.
There are 19 optical elements
shoehorned into this relatively
diminutive lens, including one ED
(Extra-low Dispersion), two Super
ED and an SR (Short-wavelength
Refractive) element. The aim is to
enhance clarity and colour rendition,
while minimising chromatic aberrations.
Nano Crystal Coat is featured to fend
off ghosting and flare, and a keep-
clean fluorine coating is applied to the
front element.
Autofocus is based on a virtually
silent linear stepping motor system,
which is fast for stills while enabling
smooth focus transitions when
shooting video. Vibration Reduction
comes courtesy of highly effective
voice coil motors, and gives a 5.5-stop
advantage, rising to a 6-stop benefit
in Synchro VR mode, which also
utilises the sensor-shift stabilisation
ŅüƤÏŅĵޱƋĜÆĬåϱĵåų±Ÿţ
Performance
Living up to its billing, autofocus is
super-fast and accurate, while optical
image stabilisation is highly effective.
It’s a powerful combination that
delivers an excellent hit rate, even for
tricky subjects in difficult shooting
conditions. The high-performance
AF and VR systems are backed up by
superb handling and fabulous image
quality in all respects.
Matthew Richards
DISTORTION 0.71
There’s a slight touch of pincushion distortion, but,
as with colour fringing, it’s easily corrected either
automatically in-camera or when editing images.
VERDIC T
This lens isn’t as sharp as the Nikon
Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S, but it still
has sharpness in abundance; and
more importantly, it’s less than half
the weight and a quarter of the
price. While it lacks the bigger lens’s
built-in teleconverter, it’s compatible
with Nikon’s Z 1.4x and 2.0x
teleconverters if you need extra
reach. Build quality, handling and
performance are epic, so if you’re in
the market for a super-tele prime,
the smart money’s on this lens.
 CORRECTING THE PHOTOGRAPHY &
VIDEOGRAPHY PICTURE FOR WOMEN,
TRANS & NON-BINARY PEOPLE IN THE UK

Today, while women comprise 70%
The 70:15:40 of photography graduates, only 15%
Project UK is of professional photographers are
women - who often earn an average
W‫ٺ‬MZQVO[]XXWZ\ of 40% less than men.
\W_WUMV\ZIV[ This year, the 70:15:40 Project UK
VWVJQVIZaXMWXTM will support four women, trans and
non-binary people in visual
QVXPW\WOZIXPa storytelling in the UK.
^QLMWQV\PM=3
BROUGHT TO
YOU BY:
If chosen, you’ll get to create a photo
[MZQM[WZ[PWZ\ÅTUM`PQJQ\aW]Z_WZS
in London and receive £40,000 worth
of access to camera equipment, studio
space, training and funds.
Scan to apply
now or visit:
UXJKWU701540
 A P P S
MORE GREAT MAGA ZINES FROM
THE MAKERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY WEEK

N-PHOTO PHOTOPLUS
N-Photo is a monthly magazine for PhotoPlus is a monthly magazine
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Nikon photographers, and is packed for Canon photographers that
with technique and Photoshop video features expert advice, tips and video
lessons every month. tutorials on all things Canon.
https://apple.co/2TNE26T https://apple.co/2vaIdzw

DIGITAL CAMERA WORLD DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER

A monthly magazine that aims The monthly kitbag essential for
http://bit.ly/2RER7g6 https://bit.ly/3lH4ucX
to improve your photography with enthusiast and pro photographers,
an inspirational mix of amazing packed with tutorials, exclusive
images and how-to articles. interviews and the latest reviews.
https://apple.co/2RBrZqG https://apple.co/2SJf6ff
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