The Canon Camera Book Volume 1 - 2014 UK

Get started Master the mode dial Essential Canon kit
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The ultimate guide to getting the most from your Canon
Volume 1 Canon
The
Camera

Welcome to
Photography is one of the most popular hobbies in the world, and one of the
leading manufacturers in that eld is Canon. With its wide selection of cameras
ranging from point-and-shoot entry-level IXUS compacts to 12,000 EOS
DSLRs all boasting exceptional build quality and features, its easy to see why
Canon is the brand of choice for many amateur and professional photographers.
The Canon Camera Book is the ultimate guide to getting the most from your
camera. We cover everything from basic photography skills and what your
Canons mode dial can offer to advanced techniques and how to edit your
images to perfection after your shoot. Each in-depth feature is packed full of
expert tips, tricks and advice to help you achieve the incredible images that your
Canon camera is capable of.
Canon
The
Camera

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The Canon Camera Book 2013 Imagine Publishing Ltd
ISBN 978-1909758230
bookazine series
Part of the
Canon
The
Camera

Contents
Guide to Canon
08 Your Canon camera
We get to grips with the brands top-selling models
18 Guide to Canon lenses
Whatever the scene, let us help you capture the
full picture
26 Essential kit for Canon
Gear and gadgets to help you take better images
34 Guide to Canon modes
Discover how your Canons mode dial can help you to
develop your skills
A guide to your Canon camera
Learn more about your camera with our handy guide
Whatever the
scene, let us help
you capture it
Using your Canon
46 Use your Canon to compose
Composition rules and how to apply them
52 Work with lighting
Take advantage of different types of light
60 Metering with Canon
Open the door to accurate images
66 Canon exposure exposed
Control the exchange of light between your subject
and your sensor
74 Shutter speeds
Create special effects and more
78 Master HDR on your Canon
Set up and shoot perfect HDR images
86Portraits
26Essential kit
6 THE CANON CAMERA BOOK

Advanced
techniques
86 Shoot better portraits
with Canon
Use your Canon to improve your portraits
98 Creative landscapes
with Canon
The mindset, potential and elation
110 Working with Wildlife
Advice on how to capture wildlife
120 Shoot for sport on Canon
Improve your action-packed portfolio
130 Urban landscapes
From skyscrapers to street life
140 Use Canon to shoot in
black & white
Create contrast and elegance
148 Travel the world with
your Canon
Capture shots of people and places
156 Capture architecture
Explore your options for shooting buildings
Editing your
Canon images
166 The essential guide to editing
Transform images from average to awesome
174 Fix your photos
Vital edits and how to achieve them
180 Smooth skin
How to get perfect skin in your snaps
182 Master RAW conversion
Get the most out of your file processing

184 Fix photos in Camera Raw
Transform your photos instantly
187 Create an action
Reduce your editing time
188 Restore your old photos
Bring fading photos back to life with these
Photoshop techniques
Canon has long been a brand
that photographers from all
over the world could trust
140
Shoot for monochrome
148Master travel photography
156
Shoot
architecture
THE CANON CAMERA BOOK 7
Edit your
images 166

Your Canon camera
We get to grips with the big brands top-selling models to
help you learn more about your camera
A guide to your
Canon camera

Your Canon camera
C
anon has long been a brand that photographers
from all walks of life, from all over the world,
could trust. Regardless of brand persuasion
most photographers will acknowledge that Canon has
a reputation for crafting cameras that present cutting-
edge technology in durable bodies, capable of capturing
industry-leading image quality.
The brand divides its product line into two main
portfolios: compacts and CSC/DSLRs. Its compact
collection consists of two styles of camera: PowerShot
and IXUS, and these fall into six different genres to target
various demographics: expert, bridge, superzoom, Wi-Fi,
point-and shoot, and rugged. The compact range is also
sectioned into series for a more dened approach for
penetrating each market sector. So the PowerShot G and
S series offer high-end features with full manual control,
whereas the main boast of the PowerShot SX-series
is powerful optical zooms. The PowerShot N-series
presents creative shooting in an Any Way Up camera
design, while the PowerShot A-series gets back to basics
for beginners, and the waterproof PowerShot D-Series is
tough enough to appease the most demanding outdoor
enthusiast. Completing Canons compact line-up is the
fashion-savvy IXUS range; presenting style in conjunction
with substance.
The EOS product catalogue of CSCs and DSLRs
is separated into three sections: beginner, enthusiast
and professional. The cameras residing in the beginner
arena are intended to support novice shooters as they
make the step up from compacts to cameras that use
interchangeable lenses. Here we nd Canons rst and
only CSC the EOS M plus DSLRs: EOS 1000D, 100D,
600D and 700D, all of which combine helpful automatic
features with creative tools and manual modes for when
the shooter is ready for more control. The enthusiast
branch includes the EOS 60D, 70D, 7D and 6D. The remit
of the professional range is to provide an exceptional
standard of image quality for the most demanding users
and stocks the EOS 5D Mark III, EOS-1D X and EOS-1D C.
Over the next ten pages well explain what some of
the brands models have to offer, helping you to nd the
perfect shooting partner for your photography.
Canon has a reputation for crafting
cameras that present cutting-edge
technology in durable bodies

F
or many, the EOS 5D Mark III represents an ideal
compromise between high-resolution digital
capture and ease of workow. The magnesium
alloy body of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III feels solid and
substantial, though its weight is by no means excessive,
while the ergonomics are good overall and the cameras
grip is very comfortable and pleasant to use.
As you would expect from a camera at this price point,
all the controls have a reliable and solid feel to them.
The Quick Control dial, which allows instant access to
Exposure Compensation in Aperture and Shutter Priority
modes, can be locked to prevent unwanted adjustments.
The 100 per cent viewnder is big and bright, which
is one of the key advantages of full-frame shooting
and one of the rst things that you will notice if you are
used to using a crop-sensor camera. The cameras
autofocus system is top notch, and represents a massive
improvement on the nine focus points available in the
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, with 61 autofocus points 41 of
which are cross-type. These gures do vary slightly with
some lenses but with the EF 24-70mm L II USM lens that
we were using for our test, we had full access to the entire
AF range and simply couldnt fault the speed, accuracy
and overall reliability of the autofocus, with even the outer
AF points performing highly responsively.
Canon EOS 5D
Mark III
One of Canons most popular models
is a great choice for pros
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Price 3,000/$3,500 (body)
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 22.3MP
Max resolution (pixels) 5,760 x 3,840
Sensor information 36 x 24mm CMOS
Shutter speed 1/8000sec
ISO sensitivity Auto, 100-25600 in 1/3
stops, can be extended to
50-102400
Lens data/Zoom By lens
Exposure modes Auto+, Program, Shutter
priority, Aperture priority,
Manual, Bulb
Metering options CW, S, M
Flash modes No built-in flash
Connectivity USB 2.0, HDMI
Weight 950g
Dimensions 152 x 116 x 76mm
Batteries Rechargeable Li-ion
Storage Compact Flash and SD
LCD 3.2 inches
Viewnder Optical pentaprism,
100% coverage and 0.71x
magnification
The latest in a line of popular cameras, its a
great upgrade on the Mark II for the AF
performance alone. The image quality is
excellent; its easy to use, and its built with
professional protographers in mind
The image quality is absolutely superb and we were
suitably impressed by the detail and colour in all our test
images. Canon has included the new DIGIC 5+ processor
in the 5D Mark III and the cameras general performance
is fantastic. Even difcult scenes are rendered successfully,
and for the most awkward subjects with extreme contrast,
the built-in HDR feature is extremely useful.
Canons recommended retail price has the EOS 5D
Mark III at 3,000. This is where it starts to look rather
expensive next to rival models, which offer signicantly
higher resolution with a slightly lighter price tag.
However, it really isnt easy to fault the EOS 5D Mark
III, and Canon has clearly listened to photographers and
focused its attention quite specically on improving areas
of concern with the Mark II. The only thing that really
seems to be missing from the camera is a built-in ash
but this camera, otherwise, is a awless beauty.
The 100 per cent viewfinder
is big and bright and the
cameras autofocus system
is among the best in its class
SRP: 3,000/$3,500
Your Canon camera: Professional
Summary

Your Canon camera: Professional
S
trictly targeting professional photographers,
the new 1 series camera combines speed with
image quality, delivering a stronger shooting
performance than ever witnessed before. The Canon
EOS-1D X teams a full frame 18.1 MP sensor with the
Dual DIGIC 5+ processor that hands the users greater
exibility over depth of eld and produces pictures that
exhibit rich, crisp details even when printed as large as A2.
Sports, action and wildlife pros will rejoice at its shooting
speed of 12fps, or 14fps in High Speed mode with mirror
lock up, which can run to a maximum of 180 large JPEGs
or 38 RAW les, and at ISO 32000 low-light enthusiasts
can power out a phenomenal 10fps. Add to that a native
gamut of ISO 100-51200 that can then be extended to a
colossal ISO 204800, and the 1D X looks set to succeed in
a very competitive market place.
Amassing a muscle-straining bulk of 1340g, the 1D X is
not for the faint hearted. Combine this with its large price
tag and the camera falls perfectly in line with its target
demographic. Theres no question that it is a heavy (and
expensive) piece of kit, but it absolutely feels as well-made
as it looks with vertical and horizontal grip on offer for
easier handling. On the rear sits a larger than average
3.2LCD outputting a relatively high resolution of 1,040k
dots. A self cleaning sensor unit resides inside the camera,
ridding the full-frame sensor of dirt and build up.
P
recision-engineered for professional
lmographers, the Canon EOS-1D C shares
many of the specications enjoyed by the
Canon EOS-1D X such as the 18.1-megapixel full-frame
CMOS sensor but adds video recording at a cinematic
4k (4096 x 2160 pixels) as well as Full HD resolution
Canon EOS-1D X
The rst of the next generation of elite shooters
Technical data
Model Canon EOS-1D X
Price 5,299/$6,799
Web www.canon.co.uk
Max resolution (pixels) 5184 x 3456
Sensor information 36 x 24mm full-frame
18.1MP CMOS sensor
Lens data/Zoom/Focus Lens dependent
Shutter speed 30-1/8000sec
ISO sensitivity 100-51200, expanded to
204800
Exposure modes P, S, A, M, Auto
Metering options CW, E, P, S
Flash modes E-TTL II Auto Flash,
Metered Manual
Weight 1340g
Dimensions 158 x 163.6 x 82.7mm
Technical data
Model Canon EOS-1D C
Price 12,000/$15,000
Web www.canon.co.uk
Sensor information 36 x 24mm full-frame
18.1MP CMOS sensor
Shutter speed 30-1/8000 sec
204800
Metering options CW, E, P, S
Flash modes E-TTL II Auto Flash,
Metered Manual
Weight 1355g
Dimensions 158 x 163.6 x 82.7mm
An equally viable option for semi-professionals
moving up the DSLR ladder or for those
upgrading from older shooters in the
professional range, such as the brands stalwart
camera the 5D
The 1D Cs versatility means that its both a
portable camera for high-quality movie-capture
for film pros, as well as providing professional
photographers with the means to sample high-
end film production
(1920 x 1080 pixels) making the DSLR an ideal choice
for those working in motion picture and television
production. Whats more users can vary the capture rate
from 24p to 60p for fast-moving or slow motion scenes
and can enjoy complete control over exposure, audio
capture and compression.
The enviable native sensitivity extends from ISO 100 to
25600 for movies and ISO 51200 for stills, expanding to
ISO 204800 making high-quality handheld night shooting
a realistic possibility. Most impressive here perhaps, is the
built-in Canon Log Gamma that captures footage with rich
graduation expression that is synonymous with industry-
standard cinematography, maximising both highlight and
shadow detail retention.
As the professionally-tailored 1D C matches the majority
of the 1D Xs high-end feature arsenal, it isnt surprising
that the two cameras weight is nearly identical with the
former weighing in at 1355g.
Theres no question that its a solid piece of kit, but it feels
as well-made as it looks with vertical and horizontal grip on
offer for easier handling
Users can vary the capture rate from 24p to 60p for
fast-moving or slow motion scenes
Canon EOS-1D C
Fitting high-end recording technology into the form of a DSLR
SRP: 12,000/$15,000
SRP: 5,299/$6,799
Summary
Summary

T
he EOS 6D is currently Canons smallest and
lightest full-frame DSLR, which makes it the
perfect companion on longer shoots and
excursions. The controls are easy to navigate so you can
change your exposure settings effortlessly during a shoot,
and theres even a handy locking button around the mode
dial thatll ensure that the mode youre working in doesnt
change. The camera is pretty quick to focus and it offers
an 11-point AF array; this is noticeably a lot less than the
DX-format EOS 7D. However, youve got to expect some
compromise for an affordable full-frame model.
The EOS 6D does a great job at accurately metering
the light for the best exposure results, even when
faced with challenging light conditions. Theres also a
multiple exposure mode so you can make the most
of the shadows, midtones and highlights in the scene.
Landscape shooters will also appreciate the in-built Live
View mode and single-axis electronic level, which helps
to ensure all of your horizons appear perfectly straight in-
camera. Wildlife photographers will also value the added
silent-shutter mode, which enables you to shoot discreetly.
Studio shooters, on the other hand, may nd that the
EOS 6D isnt as well prepared for ash photography. If you
dont have a wireless studio setup, youll be let down by
Canon EOS 6D
Canons affordable full-frame ticks all the boxes on paper
but how does it fare in the ever-expanding market?
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 6D
Price 1,799/$2,099 (body only)
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 20.2 MP
Sensor information 36 x 24mm CMOS
Lens data By lens
Zoom By lens
Focus/macro By lens
ISO sensitivity A, 100-25600 (expandable
50-102,400)
Exposure modes P, A, S, M, Scene
Metering options CW, S, Evaluative, Partial
Flash modes N/A
Connectivity HDMI mini, USB
Weight 755g (including battery)
Dimensions 144.5 x 110.5 x 71.2mm
Batteries Li-ion
Storage SD / SDHC / SDXC
LCD 3
Viewnder: Optical pentaprism
The EOS 6D is an impressive mid-range full-
frame DSLR thats suitable for a wide range of
photographers. Its aimed at the price-conscious
consumer who wants pro-level kit and high
image quality without it costing them the earth
the absent ash sync port on the cameras body, which is
present in all of Canons other full-frame models. You can
still buy an adapter for the hotshoe of course.
The cameras lower-than-expected megapixel amount
has no bearing on the 6Ds image quality. We noted
fantastic detail and warm, rich colour reproduction both
reputable Canon traits. Shots also appeared perfectly
sharp and well balanced in terms of exposure. Overall, the
EOS 6D offers fantastic image quality and then some. In
addition to great stills, the camera also records high-
quality video footage.
Keen videographers can switch seamlessly between
stills and video via the dedicated dial on the back of the
camera body. In this mode users can set their desired
recording quality and frame rate, which includes full
1080p HD at 25 and 30fps, and 720p HD at 50 and 60fps.
Summary
The EOS 6D does a great job at
accurately metering the light
for the best exposure results
SRP: 1,799/$2,099
Your Canon camera: Semi-pro

Your Canon camera: Semi-pro
L
aunched in 2010, the Canon EOS 60D is getting
on a bit, and as such isnt able to bring to the
table the same high-calibre specications as
more recent models. That said, it brings more than
enough for the avid photographer, including: 18MP
APS-C CMOS sensor, 3vari-angle LCD, a wide sensitivity
range that is able to extend to ISO 12800 and a 63-zone
metering system. Although the cameras somewhat
dated body lacks the moisture and dust protection of
its peers and feels immediately more plastic, it doesnt
feel cheap. The slightly lowered and curved accent of the
shutter button makes for more comfortable shooting and
its enjoyable audible release evokes a nostalgic sense of
purpose. Surprisingly, the 60D only offers a 9-point cross
type AF system, but in true David and Goliath style it is
able to meet and in some cases exceed the reliability and
pace of its peers. Its vari-angle LCD is a boon for shooting
overhead or down low, and goes a long way in allowing
photographers to more accurately perfect compositions.
Image quality in most areas of critique is resoundingly
impressive. Colour interpretation is accurate, with bright,
rich and honest hues provided throughout the cameras
settings. The only area of weakness here, which is a
tell-tale sign of the cameras age, is its noise performance,
with evidence creeping in as low as ISO 800 and by ISO
6400 results are fairly distorted.
T
ake a look at the Canon 7Ds spec sheet and
youd be forgiven for thinking it was a recent
launch. In fact the prosumer shooter was
introduced way back in 2009 and yet because its
high-end feature set was so cutting edge it effortlessly
outshines cameras half its age.
Topping the bill is an 18MP cropped CMOS sensor
that provides photographers with plenty of scope for
Canon EOS 60D
Despite being upstaged by newer models, the 60D is still an affordable and safe bet
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 60D
Price 890/$899
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 18MP
Max resolution (pixels) 5,184 3,456
Sensor information 22.3mm x 14.9mm CMOS
Lens data EF/EF-S
Zoom Lens dependent
Focus/macro Lens dependent
ISO sensitivity A, 100, 200, 400, 800,
1600, 3200, 6400
Exposure modes Auto P, A, S, M
Flash modes A, M, RE
Weight 775g
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 7D
Price 1,700/$2,600
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 18.MP
Sensor information 22.3 x 14.9mm APS-C
18MP CMOS sensor
12800
Metering options Evaluative, Partial, Spot,
Centre weighted
Flash modes A, M, MF, IST
Weight 820g
It may be showing its age, especially with newer
models releasing every year, but the EOS 60D is
still a more than capable DSLR with great image
and build quality. Another great thing about this
camera is its affordable price point
blowing up high resolution pictures into large, wall-
adorning prints. Next up is an ISO range that travels from
ISO 100 to 6400, and yet can be extended to 12,800
which is more than adequate for the needs of most
photographers, even those with a penchant for nocturnal
shooting. The 7D also provides an 8fps burst mode, Full
HD movie-capturing, a 19-point AF system, 63-zone
metering, an electronic level for straighter compositions
and an integrated Speedlite transmitter for controlling
the camera remotely.
Build quality, as with many Canon products, is superb.
Its appearance and form follow the brands tradition of
logically positioning controls at streamlined and intuitive
places for easy access while shooting. Its magnesium
alloy construction feels well-made and tough. However
its battery and memory card doors are fashioned from
plastic, yet like the rest of the device these areas easily
convey a sense of durability.
Its vari-angle LCD is a boon for shooting overheard or down
low, and goes a long way in allowing photographers to more
accurately perfect compositions
Because its high-end feature set was so cutting edge, the
Canon 7D effortlessly outshines cameras half its age
Canon EOS 7D
Launched nearly half a decade ago, the 7D is still favoured by semi-professionals
SRP: 1,700/$2,600
SRP: 890/$899
Summary
Summary
The Canon EOS 7D boasts a super build quality.
Its appearance and form factor follow the
brands tradition of logically positioning controls
at streamlined and intuitive places for easy
access while shooting

T
he EOS 700D is a well-designed camera with
a very logical control layout. There are plenty of
external controls, which make accessing the main
features simple and efcient. The menu system is also
clear and logical, though once youve set the camera up
to your way of shooting, you wont need to access it very
often, thanks to the plethora of dials and buttons.
However, the EOS 700Ds standout feature has to be
the 3articulated touchscreen, which makes the camera
a real joy to use. Its use will be familiar to anyone who has
used a smartphone. In Live View mode, you can move the
focusing point around the screen, then use gestures to
zoom in to either focus manually or via the highly
accurate AF. In review mode, you can use gestures to
zoom in, and then scroll around the picture to check
sharpness and detail.
In short, the performance of the 700D is excellent.
The 18MP sensor captures images that have excellent
detail and very pleasing colour. RAW les were just a little
softer and had a touch more noise than expected, but
responded very well to post-processing. One slight area
of concern with image quality is with long exposures,
where exposures of longer than a minute or two showed
an unacceptable level of noise. This is easily remedied,
however, by setting the in-camera long exposure noise
Canon EOS
700D
The EOS 700D crams a lot of
features into a compact body
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 700D/
Canon Rebel T5i
Price 620/$649
Web www.canon.co.uk
Sensor information 22.3 x 14.9mm CMOS
Lens data 18-55mm f3.5-5
Focus/macro 0.25m - infini
Metering options Evaluative, centre-
weighted, partial, spot
Shutter speed 30-1/4000sec + Bulb
ISO sensitivity 100-12800, plus expansion
to 25600
Exposure modes P, A, S, M, Special Scene
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
Connectivity USB, HDMI mini, Eye-Fi
Weight 580g
Batteries Li-ion
Storage SD/SDHC/SDXC
LCD 3, 1,040,000 dots
Viewnder Optical 100% coverage and
0.71x magnification
There are a surprising number of features, like
the zoom in and scroll option, which broadens
the appeal of EOS 700D. Its a great option for
beginners who are interested in learning the
craft and for professionals seeking quality
reduction. It doesnt have as many focusing points as
some of the competition only nine but they are all
cross-type, making the autofocus quick and accurate. The
responsive autofocus and a frame rate of 5fps could give it
some appeal to action shooters.
The 700D is a feature-packed camera, but it certainly
doesnt forget its target market. It offers a number of
scene modes, such as Landscape, Sports and Close-up,
together with handy on-screen guidance to the different
settings. There are also several creative lters that can
be applied when shooting) or post-capture, and include
Grainy Black and White, Toy Camera, and Miniature.
Priced at around 850 (including the 18-55mm kit
lens) the Canon EOS 700D offers very good value for
money. Although its branded as an entry-level DSLR, it
has more than enough features to keep more advanced
users happy.
With its touch-screen
interface, it offers at least
one very useful feature not
found on higher-end models
SRP: 620/$649
Your Canon camera: Enthusiast
Summary

Your Canon camera: Enthusiast
F
our years after the rst CSC hit the market,
Canon nally offered up a contender in 2012 in
the shape of the EOS M. As expected from
Canon, the EOS M is packed full of consumer-friendly
features, including an impressive 18-megapixel APS-C
CMOS sensor, full-HD video, an extensive ISO sensitivity
range for both stills and video capture as well as an
intuitive touch screen.
On test we found the EOS M was a lot like using a
compact camera. Once accustomed to the touch-screen
technology, it was easy to adjust exposure settings and
switch between the available auto and manual shooting
modes, as well as video. The camera, in general, proved
a great option for everyday shooting scenarios and video
opportunities. However, we found the Hybrid CMOS AF
system to be a little slow, particularly when photographing
fast-moving subjects. On the plus side, however, image
quality is superb.
True to Canons great reputation, all test shots appear
detailed, sharp and full of rich and vibrant colour tones.
We were also impressed by the EOS Ms ability to shoot in
low light, as images appeared of a good quality with low
noise levels even at high ISO settings above ISO 1600. The
camera also sports a hotshoe at the top of the body. This
is a great option for those who want to experiment with
external ash and accessories.
T
he PowerShot G series has a long tradition
of superb image quality in a small package,
catering to a market that may primarily shoot
with a DSLR but doesnt always want to carry one.
This is a heavyweight camera, both literally and guratively,
with a rock-solid body made from both metal and strong
plastic. Reassuringly tough, it should be able to brush off
the odd knock and scrape. Everything here points to a
well-built piece of kit, as is to be expected from Canon.
Canon EOS M
A great camera for everyday use, the EOS M is an all-round masterpiece
Technical data
Model Canon EOS M
Price 449/$599
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 18MP
Lens data Lens dependent
Zoom Lens dependent
Focus/macro Lens dependent
ISO sensitivity Auto, 100-12800 (up to ISO
25600)
Exposure modes Auto, P, A, S, M, Scene
Flash modes N/A
Weight 298g (including battery)
Technical data
Model Canon PowerShot G1 X
Price 700/$800
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 14.3 MP
Sensor information 1.5in CMOS
Lens data f2.8-5.8; 28-112mm
(equivalent)
Zoom 4x optical
Focus/macro 20cm (macro), 35cm
(standard)
Shutter speed 60-1/4000 sec
ISO sensitivity A, 100, 200, 400, 800,
1600, 3200, 6400, 12800
Exposure modes Auto, P, AP, SP, M
Metering options CW, S, MS, Flash
Flash modes A, M, Fon, Foff
Weight 534g (without battery)
A great compact system camera thats perfect
as either a back-up to your DSLR or for street
photography. Its few minor drawbacks are far
outweighed by its impressive results, such as
the ability to produce great images in low light
Not classed as a system camera and not really a
compact, that high ISO performance puts the
G1 X at the top of its own field. Given its great
overall performance and stunning low-light
performance, its price is justifiable
Image quality is great although there was a slight
tendency to overexpose which can be easily rectied. The
lens is really excellent as is the built-in image stabilisation,
which allows for a good four stops of steady shooting. The
biggest revelation, though, is the high ISO performance.
This is where that large sensor really shines with utterly
superb, noise-free performance right up to around ISO
3200. Even at such a high setting there was still plenty of
shadow detail and even ISOs 6400 and 12800 produced
perfectly acceptable shots that could be happily printed at
smaller sizes. Its one of the few compacts where you may
never need to employ the built-in pop-up ash.
Canon has stuck to the basics here great build and
picture quality, top-end glass, a killer sensor and ISO
performance to die for in such a small package. It may not
be for everyone, but those who do fall for its charms will
no doubt be absolutely smitten.
The EOS Ms ability to shoot in low light is great with low
noise levels even at a high ISO setting of 1600
Canon has stuck to the basics here great build and picture
quality, top-end glass, a killer sensor and ISO performance
to die for in such a small package
Canon PowerShot G1 X
One of Canons best high-end compacts where you may not require the pop-up ash
SRP: 700/$800
SRP: 449/$599
Summary
Summary
There are currently two dedicated lenses available
for the EOS M. However, its possible to shoot with all of
Canons existing EF and EF-S SLR lenses too.

K
nown as the EOS Rebel SL1 in the USA, the
100D shares many features with the 700D,
including the 18MP sensor, a nine-point AF
system and DIGIC 5 processor, but in a much smaller
package. The body also contains the same hybrid
AF system (combining phase-detection and contrast-
detection systems), which improves the accuracy and
speed of autofocus in Video and Live View modes.
Apart from the size, the main difference between the
100D and 700D is the screen. The xed 3-inch Clearview
(1,040K dot) screen is large enough, bright and has
decent clarity for critical work in most lighting conditions.
Overall, the 100D handles well. The form factor and
minimal weight will appeal to those moving up from
compacts, who are put off by the thought of lugging
around a bulky DSLR. A small camera body is pointless
unless you have small lenses to put on it and with some
of Canons better lenses, the camera doesnt balance
that well. That said, the target market for the camera is
obviously rst-time SLR users, who are more likely to use
it with one of the lighter lenses.
The 100D is aimed at the less experienced user, so as
well as the usual PSAM modes, there are scene modes
such as Landscape and Sports, as well as special scene
Canon EOS 100D
Its the worlds smallest and lightest DSLR, but is this at the
expense of handling and features?
Technical data
Model Canon EOS 100D/
Rebel SL1
Price 570/$649
Web www.canon.co.uk
Megapixels (effective) 18.2
Zoom By lens
Focus/macro By lens
Shutter speed 30-1/4,000 sec
ISO sensitivity 100-12800
Exposure modes P, A, S, M, Scene, Special
Metering options Evaluative, centre-
weighted, partial, spot
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye
Connectivity USB, HDMI mini, Eye-Fi,
remote (RC-6)
Weight 407g
Batteries Li-ion
Storage SD / SDHC / SDXC
LCD 3
Viewnder: Optical viewfinder,
95 percent coverage
For a beginners camera, the 100D boasts an
incredible number of features, all contained in
an extremely compact and light body. Its a great
step up for those graduating to DSLR from
compacts as it allows room for experimentation
modes including Kids, Night Portrait and Food. There are
also creative lters available as one of the many custom
functions. These include grainy black and white, soft focus,
toy camera and sheye effects. New shooters will enjoy
playing with these, but experienced users may prefer the
greater control they get using Photoshop.
The 100D records full HD video at 25fps with other
quality options available. It works well with the new STM
lenses, which are designed for quiet focusing when
shooting in Movie mode. It wouldnt be your rst choice as
a video camera, but the Movie function is a good addition.
The Canon EOS 100D packs an awful lot of features into
a very small body and at 570 it provides excellent value
for money. Its clearly a beginners camera, but one that
those new to SLR photography will take quite a while to
grow out of.
Summary
Aimed at the less experienced,
the 100D has the usual PSAM
modes, with scene modes like
Landscape and Sports
SRP: 570/$649 (body only)
Your Canon camera: Amateur

Your Canon camera: Amateur
T
he G15 has plenty of positives on offer. The most
instantly appealing feature is the new f1.8-2.8 lens,
which improves quite signicantly on the f2.8-f4.5
lens that was found on the G12. The 5x optical zoom
capability offers a focal length range equivalent to 28-
140mm. The cameras dials and buttons are all right on
the money for a camera at this price point, with nothing
that feels loose or overtly cheap.
A comprehensive mode dial, traditional exposure
compensation dial and well laid-out buttons are the
order of the day, resulting in an uncluttered camera thats
beautifully simple and pleasurable to use. The cameras
menu system is equally to the point, and you can
essentially just pick the G15 up and start shooting without
any problem which is precisely as it should be with a
camera at this level.
The 12.1MP 1/1.7Canon CMOS sensor produces
excellent results, admirably supported by the much-
improved lens that Canon has included. Colours are
reproduced very well and the high ISO noise reduction
(which cant be switched off, only adjusted) in the G15
is capable of controlling both colour and luminance
noise most impressively. The close focusing is also a real
plus point, allowing you to focus as close as 1cm to your
subject. Focusing, incidentally, is fast and reliable, quick to
nd focus with hunting rarely an issue.
E
nthusiastic photographers seeking a cost-
effective alternative to a traditional DSLR should
take a look at the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS,
with 50x wide-angle zoom and an equivalent focal
length of 24-1,200mm. Theres also an onboard 12.1MP
HS system with powerful DIGIC 5 image sensor.
As with most PowerShots, the Canon shooter sports
a hardy grip, ash hotshoe, electronic viewnder, pull-
out and ip-over vari-angle 2.8LCD, one-touch movie
Canon PowerShot G15
The successor of the G12 improves on its every spec to be a great point-and-shoot
Technical data
Model Canon PowerShot G15
Price 550/$500
Web www.canon.co.uk
Sensor information 1/1.7-inch CMOS, 7.44 x
5.58mm
Lens data EF/EF-S
Zoom 5x optical zoom
Focus/macro 1cm
ISO sensitivity Auto, 80 - 12800
Exposure modes Auto, P, A, S, M, Scene
Selection, Movie, Sweep
Panorama
Metering options M, CW
Flash modes A, Fon, Foff, RE, SS, Second
Curtain
Weight 352g (with battery)
(4.21 x 2.99 x 1.57)
Technical data
Model CanonPowerShot SX50 HS
Price 450/$480
Web www.canon.co.uk
Sensor information 1/2.3 type back-illuminated
CMOS
Zoom 50x optical zoom, 4x digital
Focus/macro 0 cm
ISO sensitivity Auto, 80 - 6400
Exposure modes Prog AE, SP AE, AP AE, M
Metering options CW, S, E
Flash modes A, Fon, Foff, SS
Weight 595g with battery
Its hard to fault the PowerShot G15 it feels like
its truly built to go the distance, with no loose
dials or dodgy buttons in sight. Its a camera that
you can start shooting with pretty much straight
out of the box and be pleased with its results
Image quality isnt quite as on-point as other
PowerShots, but this Canon superzoom is still
an excellent investment, especially if youre
looking for a camera that can satisfy your
wildlife and sports photography needs
record button and rotating selection wheel around
the D-pad. As well as an Auto mode, 58 scene modes
complete the shooting setup. For the skilled user theres
the full range of manual and semi-manual modes, as well
as the ability to shoot in RAW.
Handling is a mixed affair; while shooting well-lit
stationary subjects was easy, composing and shooting
more-challenging subjects in less favourable conditions
was a struggle for the SX50 HS. Despite offering
shooters Intelligent IS to counteract shake and Zoom
Framing Assist to help keep subjects in-frame, the
camera used for this review did not reect these features
in a favourable light. The AF struggled to lock focus a lot
of the time and it was incredibly hard to keep the subject
within the frame over long distances.
On the whole the camera metered well, but there is
an argument to say that the camera does lean slightly
towards overexposing, in order to retain shadow details.
A comprehensive mode dial, traditional exposure
compensation dial and well laid-out buttons are the order
of the day, resulting in an uncluttered and simple camera
On the whole the camera meters well, but it does lean
slightly towards overexposing
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
A camera with a stunning 50x ultra wide-angle zoom lens
SRP: 450/$400
SRP: 550/$500
Summary
Summary

Whatever the scene, let us help
you capture the full picture with
our guide to lenses
S
electing the right lens for the correct subject matter is crucial. Your
lens is the eye of your camera and records or captures what it sees. In
terms of cost and performance, it usually comes down to the more
you spend, the better your results; however, if youre just starting
out there is no point in splashing out on lots of expensive equipment
straight away as you rst need to learn the basics of photography. A good lens is
pricey; theres no getting around that fact. The cheaper kit lenses will produce good
enough results for beginners, but when you need to take your photography to the
next step you will have to invest in a couple of decent lenses.
A lenss angle of view is measured in millimetres. An ultra-wide-angle lens will
have a measurement that is less than 24mm, a wide-angle lens ranges from 25-
35mm, and a normal or standard lens is 36mm-60mm. Past this number the lens
becomes a long focus lens or telephoto. Another thing to consider when looking for
the right lens is the construction. There are prime lenses, which have xed focal
lengths (ie the lens does not zoom in or out), and there are zoom lenses, where the
focal point can be adjusted.
The type of camera you have will also affect what lens you should shoot with. If
you have a full-frame sensor then the angle of view is the equivalent to how it reads
on the lens (a 35mm will be 35mm, for example). However, if you have a camera with
a crop factor then the focal length will be different. If the camera has a crop factor of
1.6x then a 35mm will be equivalent to a 56mm angle.
Canon
Ultimate guide to...
lenses
Guide to Canon lenses


Some lenses are
so wide that they
take on a fisheye
effect and the image
becomes distorted
M
ost photographers will opt for a
wide-angle lens when capturing
a landscape image, as they will
want to include as much of the
vista as possible.
For most, a wide-angle lens is anything that
is lower than 35mm. But remember that if your
camera has a crop factor of 1.6x then you need a
lens measuring 22mm to have a 35mm equivalent.
When shooting a landscape scene there are some
technical aspects to be aware of. If you want ne
detail from the front to the back of the image then
you will need to set a narrow aperture, ie anything
higher than f16. This is when the lens is letting in
the least amount of light, so to balance the exposure
with the shutter speed you will most likely need
to support the camera on a tripod. You should also
compose your shot in thirds and look for leading
lines in the landscape to pull the viewers eye
through the image.
On a landscape shoot it is best practice to use
the focus on manual mode, as your eyesight is far
more accurate than the camera lens and you should
be aware of where you want the focal point. With
landscape photography you have time to consider
and control all these aspects, so you should use the
camera and lens manually.
Some lenses are so wide that they take on a
sheye effect and the image becomes distorted in a
spherical manner. For the 35mm format, a typical
focal length of a sheye lens is between 8-10mm
for cameras with a crop factor, and 15-16mm for
a full-frame sensor. Whether or not you should
use a sheye lens in your landscapes is down to
individual taste some embrace this effect whereas
others arent too keen on it.
Take a look
They may not be the cheapest ones available to buy, but these are the
best Canon lenses for landscape photography
Canon EF 14mm
f2.8L II USM
This lens goes
beyond human
perspective,
offering a
massive
114-degrees
eld of view. Its
ultra-wide nature not only
packs plenty into the frame,
but also gives a strong
separation between
foreground and background
elements. A maximum
aperture of f2.8 enables
sharp handheld shots.
Price: 2,809/$2,359
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Web: www.canon.co.uk
Canon EF-S
18-55mm f3.5-
5.6 IS II
This 18-55mm
ultra-wide-
angle zoom
lens from
Canon has a
decent focal
range and works superbly
well at its widest setting of
18mm. It comes with
Intelligent four-stop Image
Stabilisation, which
automatically detects panning
in order to deliver the best
results possible.
Price: 199/$249
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF 16-
35mm f2.8L II
USM
The retail price of
this lens is pretty
expensive, but
Canon users will
not be
disappointed with
the results of its 16-35mm.
The zoom range is highly
adaptable to any
landscape scene, and the
fact that its teamed
with a wide f2.8 aperture
makes this lens perfect in
low light.
Price: 761.99/$999.95
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon lenses for landscapes
FOCAL POINT
A manual focus is always best
when it comes to landscape
photography as your eye is more
reliable and there are many
elements in a composition to
consider as the main focal point
LEAD-IN LINES
Look for lead-in lines
in the composition to
produce superior results.
Make sure you have a
point of interest
WIDE ANGLE
The wide angle helps
accentuate the sweeping view
of the landscape image
RULE OF THIRDS
In landscape photography
the rule of thirds is
generally a good one to
follow as the image rests
easier on the eye

Zoom lenses arent as fast as primes, so
you may need to up the ISO
Canon lenses for outdoor portraits
CHARACTER
Try to photograph people
with lots of character. Old
people and babies work
particularly well for this type
of photography
DEPTH OF FIELD
If youre using a shallow depth
of field, make sure you keep
focus on one part of the image.
In portraiture photography the
eyes are a key part
POSITION
Come in close to your subject and stand
slightly above to produce more flattering
results. If you position yourself underneath
the subject the chin will look bigger
MONOCHROME
Black and white is much more
flattering and portraits generally
look superior in this medium
Take a look
These lenses will
deliver great
outdoor portraits
every time

Canon EF 40mm
f2.8 STM
The ultra-
wide f2.8
aperture
means this
lens from
Canon will cope well in low
light and with street
photography. The ultra-slim
design helps the
photographer from scaring
their subjects with a large
lens, putting models at ease
while also producing
stunning results. The newly
developed stopping motor is
smooth and quiet, too.
Price: 229.99/$199
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF 35mm
f2 IS USM
For those
wanting a
wider angle,
this 35mm
prime lens
from Canon
is popular with street and
portrait photographers. Like
the EF 40mm lens, the
35mm option has a wide
aperture, but this one goes
as shallow as f2. Make sure
you keep the eyes in focus to
get the best results.
Price: 799/$649.99
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF 24-
70mm f2.8L II
USM
This standard
zoom lens is a
multi-purpose
option that
delivers top
image quality from the wide-
angle 24mm to the telephoto
70mm. A nine-bladed
circular aperture produces
beautiful bokeh, creating
the coveted blurred
background in portraiture.
Its also well-suited to low
light conditions with its fast
f2.8 maximum aperture.
Price: 1,499.99/$1,499.99
Contact: 0870 514 3723
F
or portrait photography you want to shoot
the head and the shoulders. Prime lenses will
produce perfect results and Canon has plenty of
options. However, some nd these hard to use as
theyre xed in their focal range, which means
any zooming you do will have to be with your feet. Despite
this, the unique style that this type of lens produces is highly
popular with industry professionals.
Many prime lenses are able to open to a wide aperture and
this can create a dreamy effect where the subject is sharp
and the background is blurred, which puts the focus on
your subject. On some lenses the aperture will go as wide as
f1.4, meaning its effective to use in low light and for street/
documentary photography. Prime lenses are also generally a
lot lighter than zoom lenses, so if youre out and about they
can make a considerable difference to your comfort.
Again, your cameras sensor will make a difference to
which lens you should go for, and some people may prefer
shooting portraits with a zoom lens. Something like a 15-
85mm can be most useful, as the versatile focal range is perfect
for close-up portraits or if you want to get a wider angle. But
remember that zoom lenses are not as fast as prime lenses, so
you may need to up the ISO to compensate for the lack of light.
Its best to set your camera to anything above 1/125sec if you
want crisp results.
Zoom lenses will also struggle to create the unique effects
that prime lenses are capable of; however, they make up for
any shortcomings with their versatile focal lengths.

The biggest thing to consider is the weight
of your photographic equipment
Canon lenses for travel
VERSATILITY
A versatile focal range is
important for travel, as
youll want to shoot a
variety of subjects
INSURANCE
Make sure you protect
your equipment by
taking out a separate
insurance policy on it
GET CLOSE
Intimate portraits make for
excellent images when travelling.
Having a zoom lens allows you to
get in close
BACK UP
Back up your images whenever
possible. There are many storage
devices designed specially for
photographers on the go
Take a look
Travel light with these
three lenses
Canon EF 18-
135mm f3.5-5.6
IS STM
Dynamic
Image
Stabiliser
technology
smooths out
vibrations
and camera
movements
so that whether youre
shooting hand-held or
recording a video, the results
are sharper and better
quality. High speed auto
focus locks onto subjects
quickly and accurately.
Price: 239.99/$249.99
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF 70-200
f2.8L IS II USM
This compact
lens is ideal
shooting
sports, wildlife
and portraits,
making it
perfect for the
wide variety of
subjects that a
travel
photographer faces. It
boasts rugged durability and
a four-stop Image Stabiliser.
Price: 2,799.99/$2,499
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF-S
55-250mm
f4-5.6 IS II
Light,
compact and
great for
those
on the go,
this55-
250mm lens
from Canon
weighs just
308g. It has
been
designed to be an affordable,
versatile lens for general-
purpose photography and it
is a must-have item for any
Canon users kit bag.
Price: 329.99/$299
Contact: 0870 514 3723
I
f youre the adventurous type, then you may nd
yourself on many big trips to some remote places. If
youre a travelling photographer then the biggest
thing to consider in your kit bag is the weight of your
photographic equipment. You may have to compromise
on image quality due to practical reasons, as if youre
travelling alone you will soon get annoyed with lugging
around two or three heavy lenses. This weight issue will most
likely affect photographers with heavy professional DSLR
camera bodies.
For travellers, having the lightest but most versatile lens
possible is important, so a large focal range is essential. The
best option to consider to take on a trip is just one zoom lens
with a focal range from around 18-200mm in 35mm terms
this will equal 27-300mm. This means you have everything
covered from landscapes to portraits.
At the full zoom of a zoom lens you will need to consider
technical issues such as lens shake, so always check to see
whether the lens comes with Intelligent Image Stabilisation to
help combat blurry pictures. Also, if you have a good camera
model you can always up the ISO and shoot in RAW to try to
correct as much as possible in the post-production process.
This also means that you need to take plenty of memory cards
and a portable external hard drive to back up your images
whenever possible.
When youre travelling as a photographer you may nd
your expensive equipment could make you a key target for
pickpockets, but dont let this put you off. Take out a fully
comprehensive insurance policy and try not to show you have
lots of ashy equipment. Some photographers deliberately
make their gear look worn out by putting tape or plasters on
their camera body and lenses.

A macro lens could
measure any focal
length, but a 30-
60mm range is
typically used for
product photography
and small objects
I
n close-up photography, a macro lens
produces consistently great results. There is of
course a variety of matter that can be shot in
macro form, but macro lenses are most often
used for product photography, while bright
colours, owers and insects generally make excellent
subjects too.
A macro lens could measure any focal length, but
a 30-60mm range is typically used for product
photography and small objects. A 90-105mm range
is the standard focal range used for owers and
small objects, and a 150-200mm range gives more
working distance and is typically used for shooting
insects and other small animals.
There are a few zoom lenses out there that provide a
macro option, but they generally do not allow a one-to-
one magnication.
In macro photography, if you want detailed results
then its best to use a narrow aperture, ie anything
above f16. This ensures that the whole image remains
sharp and in focus. But if you want to blur the
background and have just one focal point in the image,
then youll need to use a shallow depth of eld. Most
macro lenses arent as fast as primes, and usually only
open as wide as f2.8, but this should be enough. If you
want to use macro lenses with a shallow depth of eld,
its unlikely youll need anything much wider than f2.8.
But those who dont want to take the plunge on
a macro lens need not fear, as extension tubes are
available as an alternative. Extension tubes are a fair
bit cheaper than a macro lens and can be attached in
between the camera and standard lens. Tubes vary in
length and can be stacked, decreasing lens-to-subject
distance and increasing magnication. Less light will
reach the sensor with an extension tube, so a longer
exposure time will be needed to compensate and a
tripod will have to be used.
Take a look
Get up close and personal to your subject with some of our favourite
moderately priced macro lenses from Canon
Canon EF
100mm f2.8
Macro IS USM
This lenss
100mm focal
length
enables a
comfortable
distance
between
photographer
and subject,
meaning that theres less
chance of scaring insects
and small creatures away.
There is also less chance of
casting a shadow and
spoiling your image.
Price: 749/$1,049
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF
50mm f2.5
Compact Macro
Light and
compact,
this
general-
purpose
macro lens
can also
function as
a exible standard lens. The
large f2.5 aperture enables
fast, ash-free shooting in
low light settings, and
creates gorgeous blurred
backgrounds for portraits as
well as close-up captures.
Price: 247.74/$269
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF-S
60mm f2.8
Macro USM
The EF-S
60mm f2.8
Macro
USM is the
rst true
Macro lens
in the EF-S
series from
Canon.
With its ability to focus crisp
and sharp life-size images
onto the sensor, the EF-S
60mm f2.8 Macro USM
offers true macro
photography performance.
Price: 539.99/$469.99
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon lenses
for macro
1:1 RATIO
A macro lens is
anything that produces
an image at a ratio of 1:1
or larger
COLOURS
Bright colours are good
for macro photography
and subject matter
becomes more
abstract the closer
you get
SUBJECTS
Flowers and insects make excellent
subject matter. Set your camera up
next to a pollinating flower to let the
insects come to you
MANUAL
A manual focus is always more
reliable, and in macro photography
you have time to control this

Be aware that the more you zoom in, the
more you will have to compensate with
the shutter speed
ACTION
Dont miss any
moment and get into
the heart of the action
with a zoom lens
COMPENSATE
Make sure your shutter speed
is set to compensate for the
length of the lens. You may
need to up the ISO to make up
for this
EXPERIMENT
Creative angles can work
well with sports and action
photography, so try to
experiment
STABILITY
Many lenses have the option to
turn on the image stabilisation
setting. This is recommended for
action photography
Take a look
Get in close to the
action with a long
zoom lens
Canon EF 70-
300mm f4-5.6L
IS USM
This telephoto
zoom lens
from Canon
has a decent
focal range
and supports
an eight-blade
circular
aperture,
which creates
a beautiful background blur
and makes your subject
stand out. Its an ideal lens
for zooming in close to
whatever action youre trying
to capture.
Price: 1,600/$ 1,599
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF
200mm f2L
IS USM
Fixed focal
length lenses
such as this
one generally
offer a wider
maximum
aperture.
Canon offer
a xed lens
for every
shooting scenario, and this
one is geared towards the
wildlife, sports and news
photographers that crave a
telephoto lens to bring them
close r to the action. The lens
also comes with a dedicated,
detachable hood.
Price: 959.99/$819
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF
135mm f2L USM
Canons
L-series of
lenses
promise to
combines
superior
performance
with
superlative
handling, and
they are resistant to dust and
moisture to boot. This the
ideal optic for indoor sports.
Price: 1,359.99/$1,089.99
Contact: 0870 514 3723
F
or action and wildlife photography it is essential
to be at the heart of the action. But this is not
always physically possible, so a zoom or telephoto
lens is the next best thing. Most photographers
wanting to get up close will use a camera with a
crop factor as it makes a difference to the length of the lens; for
example, a 200mm lens on a 1.6x crop becomes 320mm.
There are other aspects to be aware of with a longer lens, as
the more you zoom in the more you will have to compensate
with the shutter speed. A monopod can be a good accessory to
have to hand as it provides the user with exibility, yet it still
adds that extra bit of support. Most zoom lenses also come
with some type of image stabilisation feature. We recommend
you keep it on, but it could affect the continuous burst mode,
so check to see how your camera model handles this. You
may also nd that this feature uses up the battery life on your
camera faster than normal.
There are many lenses on the market to choose from and
with long lenses they do become pricier the longer they get.
This is because they are complex in their design as there are
many elements that make up the construction. You want to be
careful not to bash the lens when out on location if one of the
elements gets knocked out of place, it can be expensive to
x. You may not notice that its broken until you get back
to upload your images onto your computer and realise that
theyre all out of focus.
Canon lenses for action and wildlife

Professionals are using creative lenses for
their advertising and editorial work
C
reative photography has become increasingly
popular as the digital medium has developed.
Effects such as sheye and lenses like tilt-and-
shifts are at the forefront of this advancement.
Its not only the high-street consumer that has
become fascinated by the alternative effects, as industry
professionals are using them for their advertising and editorial
work to try to produce something unique for their clients.
Tilt-and-shift lenses work by adjusting the lenss optical axis
and controlling the depth of eld. They can be tricky to use,
and even professionals have admitted they can have problems
with them. Architecture and ne art photographers are the
most likely to use this type of lens as it can help correct barrel
distortion, which is a common problem with architectural
images shot from the ground. It can also be useful in the
Canon lenses for creativity
WIDE ANGLES
As the angle of the lens becomes
wider, the image begins to look more
distorted and curves the edges of the
image around
POPULARITY
Industry professionals
are using these creative
lenses as they try to
produce unique styles
FISHEYE
The fisheye effect can work well
with landscape, sport/action or
even people photography
TILT-AND-SHIFT
Another creative effect,
the tilt-and-shift lens has
become highly popular
in recent times
Take a look
If you want to
produce creative
images then check
out these lenses
Canon TS-E
90mm f2.8
This is a short
telephoto lens
that comes
with
perspective
and depth-of-
eld control,
which enables you to
produce images not possible
with normal lenses. It is
perfect for architecture,
portraits and product
photography. You can also
focus down to 0.5cm,
boosting its versatility.
Price: 1,669.99/$1,399
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon EF 8-
15mm f4L
Fisheye USM
This robust
Canon
8-15mm
lens has
been
specially
made for
rough weather conditions,
while the all-important front
glass has been treated with a
distinct uorine coating that
makes it much easier to
keep clean. For users with a
crop factor this lens will equal
12-24mm.
Price: 1500/$1499
Contact: 0870 514 3723
Canon TS-E
17mm f4L
The tilt-
and-shift
lens effect
has proved
to be very
popular in
recent
times;
however, special tilt-shift
lenses can be notoriously
tricky to use. Optically, this
Canon lens is one of the best
on the market and is used by
many architectural
photographers, but, like
most pro-grade lenses, the
price is steep.
Price: 2919.99/$2499
Contact: 0870 514 3723
city where the distance between the photographer and
building can be restricted and a wide enough angle cannot be
composed. The tilt-and-shift lens can also make subject matter
appear as if its miniature by blurring the top and bottom of the
image. This type of effect is appearing in most cameras as a
creative lter, so anyone thinking of investing in one of these
expensive specialist lenses should rst consider how much use
they will get out of it.
Fisheye lenses are not as tricky to operate as the tilt-and-
shifts and can simply be used like a normal lens. Fisheye
lenses can be good for interior photography or where the
photographer needs to get an extreme wide-angle view. There
are some sheye lenses that are subtler and some that are
more extreme; the one you should buy depends on the kind of
impact that youre after.

Gear and gadgets to help you take better images
Buying a Canon camera is an investment
whether its a small compact camera for snapping
holidays and events, or a bigger DSLR model
for professional purposes or for pleasure. When
it comes to adding accessories, the choices are so
vast and stretch from gizmos and gadgets that are
fun play with, to more serious pieces of kit such
as tripods and cleaning equipment. Chances are
that, if youre passionate about photography, your
kit wish will never end as you aim to build as many
options as possible to help you shoot better images
using different techniques. Weve compiled a list of
essential accessories that perfectly complement your
Canon camera and explain briey about how theyll
help you. We start by looking at tripods, often the
most bulky piece of equipment after your camera
itself. We then move on to bags and cases to keep
your camera safe, as well as ones that are easy to
carry from one adventure to the next. Next, we delve
into Flashes and Speedlights and explain what the
two terms mean and which model will offer you best
results for your camera and level of skill. Finally, we
look at remotes, SD Cards and the cleaning products
you need to keep your gear in top condition.
Essential kit
for your Canon
Essential kit

One of the biggest enemies of good photography is the
inevitable camera shake that comes along with capturing
everything by hand. Mounting your camera to a tripod
means that you can be sure the unit remains absolutely
still as you snap a shot. This allows you to start being a
bit more creative with shutter speeds and manual settings.
Many of Canons compact range come with a built-in anti-
shake function but this can only get you so far if youre
hoping to push your artistic boundaries. There are many
options, such as the Gorilla Pod, that are small enough
to complement your compact gear but still allow you to
nd interesting angles to shoot from and, above all, keep
it steady as you go. We look through some top options on
the market thatll be a perfect match with your Canon.
Tripods
MANFROTTO 055 CARBON FIBRE 3-SECTION
TRIPOD 339.95/$549.90
Made with the professional photographer in mind, Manfrotto offers up a
lightweight yet durable tripod which forms part of its 055 series. The body is made
from 100% carbon bre and the centre column is constructed from aluminium.
Though it is on the expensive side, it is a worthy investment for any serious
photographer and will become an indispensable item in your photography kit. The
tripod includes a low-angle adapter which can be used as a short column. It can
safely take up to 8kg making it ideal for DSLRs. At its maximum height, it reaches
177cm, which is good enough for great landscapes and portraits.
Flexible angles
Angle the legs of the
tripod at varying
degrees between 23
and 89 to fit your
terrain and required
camera positioning
Mounting your
camera to a
tripod provides
stability when
capturing
an image
Chic in black
The tripod comes in
a smart black finish
and has a closed
length of 61.5cm
Lightweight and durable
The carbon fibre build can take up to 8kg of
camera weight while weighing only 1.78kg itself
BENRO TRAVEL FLAT A0180T
TRIPOD 109.99/$177.92
If you travel
often for
shoots, youll
need a tripod
thats easy
to carry and
the Benro is
made with
this in mind.
Save yourself
the hassle
of lugging
around a full
size tripod
by investing
in this model
that folds
up neatly for
easy storage.
This Benro model goes from 17.3 inches when
folded to between 49.6 61.4 inches when you
need to use it. The model also offers stainless
steel spike or rubber feet and a removable two-
section centre column.
GIOTTOS SILK ROAD
YTL9253 VERTICAL COLUMN -
ALUMINIUM
100/$161.76
The Y-tube
centre
column of
Giottos Silk
Road series
makes
the unit
30% more
compact
when folded
compared to
a similar size
tripods. It
also features
useful
additions
such as quick
easy lever
leg locking
systems and graduated leg markings. The
YTL9253 kicks off the series at an affordable
price tag while still offering a weight capacity
of 5kg and a max height with a centre column
of 166cm.
GORILLAPOD ORIGINAL
19.99/32.33
Mount your
Canon point
and shoot on
this bendy
legged
mini-tripod
that can be
used on any
surface or
wrapped
around
railings or
trees for
very creative
photographs.
The custom
stainless
steel screw
ts right
into the bottom of your camera while the
rubberised ring and foot grips provide stability
on smooth or rough terrain. If youre a compact
camera user, then check out the GorillaPod
Hybrid model.
Keep it stable
Top picks in tripods and collars
Essential kit

Change the angle
Tripod heads to reposition shots
VELBON PH-157Q 3-WAY PAN/
TILT HEAD 39.77/$63.92
This 3-way head gives you independent and
smooth movement with its long panhandles.
The panhandle is useful as it also locks the
heads pan and tilt movement. The Velbon is
constructed from die-cast aluminium which
makes it strong and robust without adding an
excessive amount of weight to the top of your
tripod. It comes in at an affordable price and
makes a good option for photographers who
are just getting started with kit essentials.
GITZO SERIES 1 MAG
CENTRE BALL HEAD GH1780
184.95/$298.98
At a basic level the design of ball heads are
based on a large ball that sits inside a socket
which is locked by a clamping screw. This
model by Gitzo features the same basic design
but with an added emphasis on balance
and smoothness for the photographer. The
head features all the standard measures and
features you need to get your compositions
perfectly straight and includes a 360 degree
panoramic rotation.
MANFROTTO 055
MAGNESIUM BALL HEAD
169.95/$274.73
Built to work best with the 055 Tripod series,
this head is extremely precise and offers
extra smooth movements, which is especially
important if you use your Canon for the dual
purpose of lming and photography. Its most
useful features include the 90-100 degree
portrait angle selector and an independent
pan lock. Its constructed from light-weight
magnesium and it comes with a traditional
disk attachment.
When shooting with a tripod the legs do the bulk of
the heavy lifting but its the tripod head that provides
the functionality. Entry-level tripods often come as a
kit with both the legs and the head included but as
you move up, these two ranges of gear are often sold
separately. Some manufacturers, such as Manfrotto,
offer kits that include both components but its not
uncommon for photographers to mix and match
according to their immediate shooting needs. As with
all camera equipment, the price of tripod heads range
dramatically from the very highly priced top range
to offerings aimed at amateur photographers. The
most important aspect to keep in mind is how much
exibility you will need while youre shooting. High-
end models aim to give photographers a seamless
experience when moving their cameras from one angle
to another and try to reach as many angles as possible
with minimum effort. Look for a head that is sturdy,
compatible with your camera and that lets you move
around as much as you need to for your level.
Tripod heads
GIOTTOS MH5001 3-WAY HEAD
53/$85.67
This reasonably priced three-way model from Giottos offers
something to suit every photographer with precision angles
and usability at the core of its design. Each axis of movement
on the unit is controlled independently so you can adjust one
angle without disturbing the other two. This means that you can
achieve the perfect shot even without aligning all your axes. The
two bubble levels ensure that your camera is sitting perfectly
straight, which helps level out the camera and the X axis; and
nally the large locking handles help you position it properly
for that perfect shot.
Quick release
If you work with multiple camera setups,youll
need a tripod head that enables you to quickly
interchange between setups without wasting time.
Two safety catches allow you to quickly attach and
remove your camera as you change shots,which
makes for effortless interchanging
Look for a head that is
compatible with your
camera and that lets
you move around as
much as you need
Independent movement
The three-way system has
the added advantage of
setting up angles
independently using the
locking handles
Aluminum build
The unit is constructed
from die cast aluminum
and has a durable and
attractive enameled finish
Monopods have some signi cant
advantages over tripods because theyre
lightweight and less hassle to set up than
tripods. If youre using one, then a head
to match will give you greater exibility.
Manfrottos 234CR tilt head with quick
releases gives you the option to turn
your camera to 90 degrees and shoot in both landscape and
portrait mode.
Monopod
head attachments
Essential kit

A good sturdy camera bag serves the dual function of
making your gear easy to transport and protecting it
wherever you go. When you choose a camera bag take
into account the type of camera you have as well as the
amount of gear and accessories you have to go along with
it. There are plenty of options on the market and Canon
produces its own range of bags too. Whether youre a
compact camera lover or you shoot with a DSLR, theres
a bag made for your model and some options to make
sure your bag ts your shooting style too. Be sure any
backpack you try out has sufcient padding to keep you
comfortable too. Shoulder bags are good options for a
DSLR body with one or two lenses and
small accessories.
Canon bags
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Easy organisation
Fit your equipment
snuggly into the
main compartment
by adjusting the
internal padding
Protect your kit
Robust but stylish Canon bags
CANON SOFT CASE
FOR POWERSHOT G15
59.95/$96.88
Protect your PowerShot camera with a
case designed and made by Canon to t the
unique body shape of the unit. The custom
case features a smart textured material in
chic black which keeps the whole thing small
enough to slip into a handbag or travel bag.
The case also comes in a leather version to
give your camera some extra protection in the
event that you need it.
CANON DCC-1200 SOFT CASE
34/$54.88
If you own a compact Canon camera, then
your main aim should be a case that keeps it
secure and one that will allow you to access
your camera quickly. Keep your compact
safe with this neat soft pouch thats designed
to t snugly across a range of Canons IXUS
models. The inner lining protects your unit
from scratches and the magnetic clasp makes
it functional and easy to grab quickly. Keep
your camera just a quick reach away by looping
it onto your belt with the built-in belt loop.
CANON 100EG PADDED
CAMERA AND GADGET BAG
34.95/$56.41
Protect your gear from bumps as well as
moisture and dust with an attractive shoulder
bag thats built to t either one or two DSLR
bodies and up to four lenses (depending on
their size). The internal padding serves a dual
purpose of offering protection and making it
comfortable to carry around. The Velcro inside
the bag is adjustable to t your particular gear.
Theres also enough space for memory cards,
batteries and other peripheral accessories.
Shoulder fit
Sling the bag
over your
shoulder for
easy
transport
Extra space
Fit your smaller
accessories,such as
memory cards and
cleaning cloths,in the
detachable outside
pouch for easy access
CANON 300G
CUSTOM GADGET
BAG 49.95/$80.62
Save some space for extra goodies
and gadgets you might need with
this over the shoulder bag designed
to t a digital SLR body, two or
three lenses, as well as smaller
accessories such as memory
cards and batteries. The
bag is made from water-
repellent nylon giving you
extra protection if you
shoot outside a lot and
encounter the odd shower
or two.
Packing a bag correctly is just as
important as buying the correct bag for
your gear. You think that a host of zips look
impressive, but when it comes to getting
your gear out when you need it, it all boils
down to ease of access. When you pack,
make sure that you can get to memory
cards and batteries quickly as these two are the most likely pieces of kit youll need
in a hurry.
Pack
mindfully
Essential kit

Learning to use a ash properly is a big step in any
photographers career and one that will take your images
to a whole new, well-lit, level. Many Canon DSLR models
come with a built-in ash, but as these are attached to
the camera they offer little exibility for how theyre
angled and the intensity of ash they transmit. Investing
in a ash means opening yourself up to new creative
possibilities as you learn how light works and how to
manipulate it to achieve evenly-lit and radiant results.
Canon offers a range of speedlights from small and basic
options to those that include ash to work alongside
constant LED light, for video work. If you buy ash units
not manufactured by Canon be sure to check that the
one you buy will t with your camera. Most units come
with ttings for specic brands such as Canon. Be sure to
check you have the right one or ask before you buy.
Canon
speedlights
CANON SPEEDLIGHT 320EX
FLASHGUN 187.88/$303.24
An ideal lighting solution for both photographers
looking for ash and videographers that need a
constant light source, the 320EX has a feature
line up worth taking note of. The system is light-
weight and portable but has enough power to
light up a fair-sized area and distant subjects. For
videographers the built in LED light means enough
illumination to evenly light a scene.
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Flexible lighting
Illuminate your images
CANON MACRO RING LITE
MR-14EX 459/$740.70
If youre a macro photography enthusiast
then a ash to t your forte is a great way
to enhance your images and open up new
creative opportunities. The Canon Macro Ring
Lite MR-14EX mounts to the front of macro
lenses and provide ash and exposure as you
shoot. The two ash tubes on the front of your
camera can be red as one or independently
from each other, and you can also use the unit
as a wireless master ash.
CANON SPEEDLIGHT 270EX II
136.99/$221.07
For use with EOS models this ashgun has
a lightweight and compact design while still
offering a range of functions. One of its useful
attributes is the ability to use the speedlight
both on and off the hotshoe of your camera.
The bounce ash head allows for variable
angles of cover and, like other similar models,
you can expect quick recycling times between
ashes and accurate exposure even when
youre bouncing light off objects to get the
correct exposure for your shot.
CANON SPEEDLIGHT 90EX
143.99/$232.36
Simplicity is the main quality of the Canon
90EX. This no-nonsense unit is perfect for
regular, everyday shots and is an ideal t for
an amateurs kit. It is an apt speedlight for
portraits and does wonders to evenly light
up indoor scenes. Its slim design means it
can slip into any size camera bag and its
quick, discreet and fully automated, ready to
be pulled out a moments notice. The unit is
powered by AAA batteries so be sure to carry
some spares with you.
Aimed at professional photographers,
Canons choice of Speedlight Transmitters
such as the ST-E3-RT are designed to re
compatible ashguns over distances of
up to 30m. The radio frequency means
you can trigger a ash without having to
be in sight of it and a monster model
such as this one can control up
to 15 ashguns. Units are
sealed against dust and
moisture.
Control
remotely
Learning to
use a flash
properly is a
big step in any
photographers
career
Off camera
Use the wireless
slave for TTLflash
when you want to
change things
around and liven
things up
Quick and quiet
The speedlight offers
fast and silent
recycling so you dont
have to wait and
waste time before
taking your next shot
Bounce the light
Use the bounce-and-swivel flash head
to direct and diffuse light as you shoot
Essential kit

Fit your camera with a nifty strap to keep it safe from
falling while you shoot and make it easy to carry as you
scout new angles to shoot from. Hand straps are a good
option for smaller cameras as they can be easily wrapped
around the wrist as you point and shoot. For bigger DSLR
models, and even for PowerShot cameras, a neck strap
gives you the freedom to go hands free when you need
to. Thicker or padded straps are preferable if youre out
on a long days shoot or taking your camera along as
you explore a new location. The wideness of the strap
material will help distribute the weight while the padding
will offer you some additional comfort. Straps are largely
interchangeable between camera makes and models and
most are threaded through a small opening on either side
of the body of the camera. Care for your strap by keeping
it away from harsh chemicals and strong sunlight. The
most common damage to straps is fraying and weakening
of the fabric due to excessive use and sweat.
Canon straps
CANON WIDE MODEL STRAPS
23.99/$38.61
Canons wide straps are designed to spread the
weight of your camera as you rest it around your
neck. The durable fabric is embroidered with the
Canon name as well as the name and make of your
model. Look out when purchasing which model
name you buy. If you dont fancy shouting about
the make you have, keep an eye out for the plain
Canon camera straps that will complement your
shooting setup.
Secure it
Keep you camera by your side
JJC QUICK RELEASE NECK
STRAP 11/$17.68
The JJC Quick Release is padded and offers
added functionality by including a zipped
pouch to hold SD cards or spare batteries.
A tripod socket connects your camera to the
tripod without removing the plate meaning
quick transition time between shooting xed
and handheld. The strap is built to be worn
diagonally across your body and the extra
padding comes in handy if youre carrying a
weighty unit.
OP/TECH CAM STRAP QD
12/$19.29
Get more grip with this neoprene wrist strap
thats ideal to keep smaller cameras securely
around your wrist while being able to detach
them if needed. The strap can take up to 1.13kg,
while the thick and wide strip of material
makes sure its a comfortable t. Attach
and detach your camera to the strap with a
plastic clip that loops through the body of
your camera. Wrist straps are ideal to secure
smaller cameras, ensuring you dont let go
while taking that adventurous shot.
CANON LEATHER
NECKSTRAP FOR
POWERSHOT CAMERAS
12.49/$20.09
Keep your PowerShot camera safely around
your neck with this smart and stylish leather
strap. The nylon ends feed easily into the
eyelets on the body of your camera and you
can use the clips on the side to adjust the
strap to suit you. The style of the strap ts
perfectly with both Canons soft and leather
case for PowerShot cameras, which makes this
a nice all-rounder.
If youre living large and working with
telephoto lenses, youll know by their
sheer size that they could do with some
extra support when carrying them around.
Invest in a lens strap such as the Canon
Lens Wide Strap, which comes in plain
black and, which is compatible with lenses such as the EF
300 mm f/2.8L IS
II USM.
Straps
for your
lenses
Get your model
Choose the strap that goes
with the model of your
camera or pick a plain one,
to be on the safe side
Wide fit
The wide strap fabric offers
comfort as you hold your
camera around your neck
or over your shoulder
Brand Canon
Wear the Canon name
proudly with the logo
stitched into the fabric of
the strap
Essential kit

Its all about numbers when it comes to selecting a
memory card. Theres the size, the speed and, of course,
the price. There are so many memory cards in the
market it can be tricky to know where to start and what
to invest in especially as large cards can set you back
a fair amount. Compatibility is the rst thing to check
while selecting a card. Point and shoot models such as
Canons IXUS cameras will only take micro cards, while
some PowerShot and most DSLR models take full-sized
cards. There are also many manufacturers offering
similar products, but, as your images are so precious its
worth going with a reputable name recommended for
use with Canon gear. The size and speed of the card you
buy depend largely on the type and level of photography
you do. Professionals, of course, need larger cards but if
youre a casual shooter an 8GB card will serve you well.
Memory cards
SANDISK 8GB EXTREME
SDHC CARD 16/$25.70
For everyday shooting the Extreme range
by SanDisk is a good choice. Available
from 4GB upwards the card offers plenty
of storage with the 8GB card also allowing
for HD video recording. The Extreme
is quicker than the entry-level cards on
offer and if you felt the specs are higher
than you need, then there are other
SanDisk ranges to consider, but for a
marginally higher price its worth the extra
investment. This card is perfect for both
amateurs and semi-pro photographers.
Canon approved
SanDisk memory cards are
compatible to be used with
Canon products that require
SD sized cards
Memory cards are small and fragile but
costly pieces of equipment. A card case is
a good way to keep them safe, especially if
you use a lot of cards and switch between
them. If youre out on a shoot and lling up cards quickly, a good tip is to mark used cards with a small piece of tape to avoid shooting over them,
especially if youre unable
to back them up
immediately.
Keep it safe
The card you need depends
on the level of photography
that you do
Quick downloads
Backup your
images and video
faster with write
speeds of up to
20MB/sec
Mix and match
Keep the same card in as you
switch between shooting HD
video and images
Store the memory
The bank vault of your camera
SANDISK EXTREME PRO
64GB 93.99/$151.06
For professional photographers the SanDisk
Pro SD card is a rugged choice which will do
all the hard processing and transferring work
for you. The card offers a 90MB/s write and
95MB/s read rate and its available from 8GB
all the way up to 64GB. Each card has built in
protection which offers some peace of mind if
you drop your card or accidentally get it wet.
These cards are ideal for images of high
resolution and also for HD video footage.
SANDISK EXTREME
PRO COMPACT FLASH
120.99/$194.59
The main difference between CF and SD cards
is the speed and the size. CF cards are much
quicker but dont t into all cameras, and
theyre costlier. This high speed SanDisk card
is available from 16GB to 128GB and offers
write speeds up to 90MB for the smaller cards
and up to 100MB for the 128GB card. The
price of these make them an investment in
themselves but one thats well worth it if speed
matters to your photography.
TOSHIBA EXCERIA 32GB
MICROSD 169.95/$274.73
This high capacity and high performance
microSD is perfect for any Canon camera that
requires the smaller sized SD card. The card
offers quick transfer to your computer and
is built to absorb shock so that minor bumps
dont compromise your images. While some
computers have slots to read an SD card, you
may have to invest in a card reader to take
images. If you have more than one SD card
(phone and camera, for example), you can get
a card reader that reads multiple cards.
Essential kit

In the last few pages, weve featured the peripherals
that will increase the functionality of your camera,
but keeping the main body clean and dust-free is just
as important. Your camera represents a signicant
investment and keeping it clean and in working order is
important not only to make it last longer but also to get
the best everyday results from it. Dust is the common
enemy of every camera - from the smallest point and
shoot to the biggest, professional model DSLRs. Dust
and grit around the moving parts of the camera is just as
harmful as dust around the lens and delicate sensor and
lenses. A good basis for a cleaning kit is a blower and a
soft cloth. Getting into the habit of giving your camera
body and lenses a quick once over after use will go a long
way and its always preferable to keep gear clean as you
go than let dirt build up and then attempt to remove it all
in one go. Always be very gentle when cleaning and avoid
touching the sensor of your camera. Dont use harsh
chemicals when wiping the body either; a soft anti-static
cloth is all thats needed.
Cleaning
products
Getting into the habit of giving your
camera and lenses a quick once over
after use will go a long way
LENSPEN ORIGINAL 11.99/$19.26
Dust off weary lenses with the Original LensPen that
merges a retractable soft tip pin with a non-liquid
cleaning element designed to never dry out. The pen
can be used on all lenses including binoculars and eye
pieces which makes it perfect for all types of Canon
lenses too. The LensPen comes in different varieties
but the original model is a good place to start.
CANON OPTICAL CLEANING KIT
5.25/$7.80
A good alternative to buying every component
of your cleaning kit individually (which you
can do) is to purchase an all-in-one kit like this
Canon Optical Cleaning Kit. It comes with a soft
retractable brush, lens cleaning uid, microber
cloth and lens tissues.
Retractable
Retract the pen tip
when youre done.
Remember to clean the
pen tip to keep it dust
free until next time.This
is also good practice
Keep it soft
The advantage of the soft pen
tip is that it cleans the lens but it
is also gentle enough so as not
to damage the camera lens
Clip it on
The pen design means you can
clip the unit onto your camera
bag and never be afraid of losing
it or being caught without it
Keep it clean
Keep your camera dust-free
KENRO HURRICANE BLOWER
6.99/$11.23
Whoosh away dust with this powerful blower
that has a double valve system able to produce
a powerful jet of air. Blowers are especially
advantageous as you have no contact with
the camera unit and so avoid risking adding
smudges as you clean. Try it out between the
creases of your bag after a day shooting on
the beach - it works wonders on any remaining
sand and specs of dust that may have found its
way on to your lens.
CANON LENS CLOTH
4.96/$7.99
Keep your EF lenses sparkling with this neat
Canon Lens cloth made from fabric soft
enough to wipe away dirt and dust but not
scratch or damage the lens. Always make
sure to store the cloth away and keep it clean
so you dont introduce additional dust as you
clean. Dont wash the cloth with your clothes
and keep it free from dust or dirt. Never use a
regular cloth for cleaning your lens as its the
most sensitive part of your camera and needs
to be treated with special care.
KINETRONICS
SPECKGRABBER
3/$4.82
Use the SpeckGrabber pen to get rid of pesky
bits of dust or debris on your camera. The unit
has an adhesive surface to simply pick up the
dirt and remove it. The pen works best with
spots, hairs or dust youve identied as being a
problem. Its especially handy to tackle debris
on the sensor where you might not want to
take the risk wiping over the entire surface.
This is a handy way to clean your lens without
risking it being accidentally damaged. Always
be careful when handling the lens.
If you dont own a cleaning kit yet, but are thinking of purchasing your rst
one, then pick up a cleaning kit that has
everything that you need included. In most
kits youll nd a lens cleaner with a cloth as
well as a brush and lens tissues that can be
used once and then thrown away. Canon does their own kit thats useful to get new camera owners off to a good start. You get all-in-one cleaning kits that are cheaper than
individual parts.
All in one
Lens cleaning fluid
The Canon lens cleaning fluid
can be used on all types of
camera and surface lenses.
Dont use too much of it
Essential kit

Guide to Canon modes
Y
our Canons mode dial has something for every
photographer whether youre an expert or just starting
out. Theres a variety of modes available, which range
from basic auto to full-blown manual control over exposure
settings. Whether youre working with a high-end Canon
compact, CSC or DSLR, most mode dials feature the same
essential selection of options, which means you can follow along
with us as we explore whats really on offer here.
Most mode dials are positioned on top of the camera,
although some may be found within the cameras menu
interface. Your mode dial has an important role to play in the
photo-taking process, and can essentially determine how well
your shot turns out.
To use your mode dial, simply rotate it around to a mode that
youre comfortable shooting in. If you are just starting out, you
should select auto, while step-up shooters should move into a
scene mode by selecting an icon that reects the subject theyre
shooting. More experienced photographers, on the other hand,
are likely to explore the more advanced P, Av, Tv, M modes,
which offer you more control over your exposure settings and
ultimately, the creative outcome of your captures.
Youll nd there is a fantastic selection of modes to choose
from, but understanding what each one does is essential to
ensuring you get the results youre after in camera. To help
you get to grips with your mode dial and discover the secrets
behind each setting, join us over the following pages. Well start
by taking you through the advantages of Auto before exploring
some of the most popular scene modes that are available. Youll
not only learn what each one does but well also share some
practical advice and tips on how best to use them.
Enthusiast-level photographers will also learn more about the
semi-manual and manual modes that are available to them, as
we cover how to control exposure using P, Av, Tv or M. Join us
as we work through the useful Programmed Auto setting rst,
before exploring creative effects you can achieve in Aperture
Priority and Shutter Priority (also known as Time Value). Once
youre more condent with adjusting exposure settings, you can
join us in Manual and discover how to use your shutter speed
and aperture settings to get a well-balanced exposure every time
you shoot. So grab your camera and follow along as we give you
the knowledge to help take you from a beginner-level shooter to
condent photographer.
Get to
know
Canon
modes
Explore your Canon cameras mode dial
with us and discover how it can help you to
develop your skills


T
he Auto mode is the most noticeable icon on the
mode dial and its also the most basic option.
Regardless of whether youre shooting with a
high-end compact camera, CSC or DSLR, the Auto mode
is really no more advanced than the one you would
nd in a basic compact camera. Designed for complete
beginners, the Auto mode doesnt require any input
from the photographer when it comes to selecting your
exposure settings, meaning your only role in the process
of producing a picture is to point your Canon at the scene
and press the shutter.
Many mistake the Auto mode for being the best option
when it comes to taking a quick capture. Although its
probably the most familiar, there are much better modes
to select, including specic scene mode options that
will change your cameras settings to suit the specic
scene youre shooting, whether its Fireworks or Pets,
for example. Another great option to explore is the
Programmed Auto mode that enables you to make little
tweaks, but well cover this a little later on.
Using Auto mode, however, means you dont have
to worry about understanding exposure. The Auto
mode works by evaluating the lighting in a scene and
Auto mode
Discover the benets of shooting in Auto mode and get inspired to step
up to your Canons scene modes or manual settings
determining what shutter speed, aperture setting and ISO
you will need to shoot at. The camera will even consider
the automatic use of ash. Auto cannot recognise what
subject you are shooting, however, so although youll
often get a good, even exposure, the settings may not
offer the most professional results possible. Portraits for
example are unlikely to include a artistic shallow depth of
eld effect (blurred background), as the camera will have
used larger f-numbers for the best even exposure.
As youre without control over the exposure, use
your Auto mode in other ways. Use it to concentrate on
developing your eye for composition, as you dont have
to worry about settings. Focus on framing well-balanced
landscape scenes and positioning models effectively in
portraits. Advancing your skills in this area as a beginner
will come in useful when you begin to explore more
advanced modes. Knowing what makes a good image is
essential; the right exposure settings can come next.
Alongside the Auto mode, your mode dial may feature
a Flash off mode. This is essentially the same as the
full Auto mode but it instead prevents the camera from
selecting the ash automatically during an exposure
when you may not want it. Use this mode when you want
automatic results but want to avoid ash illumination on
your subjects.
Although its the least creative mode on your camera,
youll nd the Auto mode useful for improving your
framing skills. Once youre ready to move out of the Auto
mode, explore the fantastic array of scene modes that are
on offer before advancing to the step-up Programmed
Auto mode and then further to Aperture Priority, Shutter
Priority (Time Value) and full Manual control.
Using Auto mode, you dont have to worry about
understanding exposure. Use it to concentrate
on developing your eye for angles and framing
The Auto mode usually does a pretty
good job at getting the right settings
for you, especially on scenes with
simple lighting
Using Auto mode, you dont have to
worry about understanding exposure

S
cene modes are a lot more advanced than your
standard Auto mode setting. They are programmed
to automatically capture your chosen subject using
the best possible settings for the scene. The selected
exposure settings are based on those that are traditionally
used by photographers, in order to get creative results
when shooting the likes of portraits, landscapes, sports
and still life.
The Landscape scene mode, for example, ensures
more of the picture appears in focus by selecting smaller
aperture settings to increase depth of eld. Other scene
modes make similar adjustments to optimise images,
including blurring the background in portraits.
To select a scene mode, simply rotate the mode dial to
one of the icons, depending on what youre planning to
shoot. In some Canon cameras, you may need to select the
scene symbol and then choose a specic mode from the
menu options on the LCD screen.
Scene modes are a great starting point for those who
want to step out of Auto mode and begin getting creative
results. Using scene modes, youll be able take more
control over the outcome of your images, which should in
time build your condence towards exploring the more
advanced modes available to you.
Scene modes
Portrait mode
Night mode
Discover the potential in your scene mode settings to take a little bit
more control and start getting great shots from your Canon
Q Select the Portrait scene mode to
shoot attering photos of your family
members and friends. You can use this
mode to frame one or more people in
the photograph too, provided they are
stationary youll need to switch to
the Sport or Child scene mode if youre
photographing fast-moving people,
however, to avoid blurred results.
Using the Portrait scene mode, your
camera will automatically determine the
correct exposure settings for the shot. The
Portrait scene mode is designed to softly
blur out the background of your image
by using wider aperture settings, which
creates an artistic shallow depth of eld
effect. This is a great way to isolate the
person within the photograph, making
them the main focus in the frame. The
Portrait scene mode also takes care of
skin tones, as the camera automatically
adjusts how certain colours are recorded,
resulting in a much smoother and more
natural nish.
Although the Portrait scene mode
takes control over your exposure, you
can still adjust your in-built ash settings.
Opt to turn the ash on, off or select a
red-eye reduction mode, depending on
the conditions that youre working under.
Your camera will then take the ash into
account with the exposure before you take
the shot.
You can use the Portrait scene mode to
photograph people on location or inside.
If it is possible, select the face-detection
focusing mode to ensure sharp and
professional shots.
Q You dont have to put your camera
away after the sun has gone down; using
your Night scene mode, its still possible
to capture some great low-light images.
Some Canon camera models will feature
a standard Night scene mode on the dial;
however, others can offer much more
specic night modes, including Night
Portrait and Night Landscape.
You can use the Night Portrait mode to
photograph your subject in low light using
the cameras built-in ash. To ensure that
you get professional and attering results,
the Night Portrait mode will slow down
your shutter speed so that once the ash
has illuminated the models face, the
camera can still record ambient light in
the background. Youll need to make sure
your model is stationary throughout the
duration of the exposure though, in order
to get blur-free shots.
The Night Landscape mode, on
the other hand, is ideal for capturing
nighttime city scenes. It works by making
the camera let in more light, which
involves using slower shutter speeds. For
the best results, set your camera up on a
tripod to avoid capturing any unwanted
camera shake which could ruin the
end result.
A general Night scene mode works in
a similar way to the more specic Night
Landscape mode in that it makes the most
of limited light by using the best possible
settings. You can use it not only when
youre shooting in a low-light location, but
also when youre shooting indoors under
dimly lit conditions.
Capture professional-
looking portraits without
having to adjust your
exposure settings
using the Portrait
scene mode
Use your Night scene mode to
capture impressive low-light
shots using wider apertures and
your on-camera ash

Close-up mode
Landscape mode
Q Use the Close-up scene mode to
capture abstract and detailed still life
shots. Its an ideal mode for
photographing owers, food, jewellery
and many other interesting items. It works
by selecting a wide aperture, which in
turn creates a shallow depth of eld effect
thats perfect for isolating a subject from a
busy background.
For the best results in camera, work
in well-lit areas on location or by soft
window light indoors. You can opt to use
ash in this setting too, which is useful
if you want to illuminate subjects that
are backlit. Remember when shooting
up close, youll want to capture as much
detail as you can, so pay attention to how
the light falls onto your subject. There
should be enough contrast in the scene to
add a sense of depth to the nal photo.
Its important that you use the correct
focusing mode too. Close-up captures that
are out of focus are noticeable. Use your
autofocus mode and select a specic area
on your subject for the camera to focus
on. Alternatively, use your manual focus
setting, which offers more control over
where in the frame the shot will appear in
focus. You may nd that some standard
kit lenses are limited when it comes to
focusing, as all optics have a minimum
focusing distance. Specialist macro
lenses, however, are designed to focus
incredibly close to subjects, which is ideal
if you want to capture true macro shots or
abstract images. Dont forget to use your
tripod when photographing close-ups
too to stabilise your camera, ensuring
clear and crisp results that are free from
devastating camera shake.
Q Capture vibrant vistas using the Landscape scene
mode. Ideal for those who love to explore the outdoors,
this setting will make the most of the scene by increasing
overall image contrast and colour saturation. Youll notice
in particular that blue and green hues really stand out
when shooting in this mode, which helps to create a bold,
picture-perfect shot.
To ensure you get the best possible exposure in camera,
the Landscape scene mode will also select a much smaller
aperture setting to shoot with, which increases depth of
eld. This will result in the landscape appearing much
sharper in the foreground, remaining sharp right through
to the background.
Provided youre shooting in bright conditions, youll
be able photograph with the camera handheld. Low-
light landscape scenes that are taken during the golden
hours (sunrise and sunset) may require a tripod support,
however. Supporting your camera avoids capturing
camera shake, which is a result of the camera selecting
slower shutter speeds for an even exposure.
In Landscape scene mode you wont have to worry
about getting a good exposure, which means you can
focus more on framing. Follow traditional photographic
rules such as positioning the horizon a third of the
way up to get balanced compositions. Dont forget to
experiment with perspective either; changing your
vantage point can often completely transform a scene.
Close-up mode is ideal for
photographing owers, food, jewellery
and many other interesting items
Shoot with your Landscape
scene mode selected and you
can capture vibrant vistas that
are full of colour and light
Get some great close
up shots of your subject
using the specialist
Close-up mode and a
macro lens

Kids mode
Sports mode
Q It can be difcult to get sharp and
focused shots of children while theyre
playing, but by using the specialist Kids
scene mode, its not impossible. Unlike
the commonly used Portrait mode, the
Kids scene mode is designed to freeze
action but still promises to deliver
attering portrait results at the same time.
Using this mode, your Canon will
automatically select faster shutter speeds,
which are ideal for capturing energetic
children and even adults. Switch over to
the Kids scene mode icon to photograph
childrens parties or play dates at the park.
Activities that involve a lot of movement,
however, such as cycling, roller-skating
and sports will require the use of the
Sports scene mode, as its capable of
setting much higher shutter speeds, which
are necessary for particularly fast-paced
action shots.
As the Kids scene mode is an extension
of the Portrait mode, youll nd it also has
a attering effect on your young models
face. Youll notice that skin appears softer
in pictures with clearer colour tones too
just as it does in Portrait mode.
Although the Kids scene mode can
produce great results in a lot of situations,
you dont always have to use it when
photographing your offspring. Provided
they are sat relatively still, you can shoot
some great close-ups with the standard
Portrait scene mode, which will creates
an artistically blurred background effect
too a result of the camera selecting wide
aperture settings. As a rule, you should
only need to use the Kids scene mode
when theres unfolding action and youre
afraid to miss a priceless moment and
great shot. In those situations it is a very
useful mode indeed.
Q Avoid capturing blurry action shots
by freezing it as it unfolds using the
dedicated Sports scene mode on your
mode dial. You dont have to shoot just
sport with it either; in fact, its useful
for other action-packed activities too,
and can even come in handy if youre
photographing wildlife or energetic pets.
Switch over to the Sports mode if youre
shooting your local football team, surfers
on the beach or kids riding their bikes,
and youre in a better position to be able to
capture all the action as it happens.
In fact, the Sports scene mode works in
a similar way to the Kids scene mode, but
uses much faster shutter speed settings
and disables the use of ash. With faster
shutter speeds assured in this mode, youll
be able to shoot handheld and get up
close to the action for more dynamic shots,
which are able to be taken from a more
unique perspective.
To ensure your subject appears sharp
and in focus within the nal photo,
always check that youre using the correct
autofocus setting too. Continuous AF or
Tracking AF are ideal for use with your
Sports scene mode setting, as they will
keep your subject in focus as they move.
Action-lovers can use Sports scene
modes while they are learning, but
stepping up to Shutter Priority (Tv) will
let you take even more control over your
action captures. Until then, Sports scene
mode can help you get some stunningly
sharp photos of movement, though.
This scene mode has
a attering effect on
skin tones so youll
get fantastic action-
packed portraits
Your Canon will automatically select
faster shutter speeds, which are ideal
for capturing energetic children
Work in the Sports mode to
freeze any action on the pitch.
Using faster shutter speeds,
youll get clear crisp results
With faster shutter speeds assured
in Sports scene mode, youll be able to
shoot handheld and get up close to the
action for more dynamic shots
Use the Kids scene
mode to photograph
your kids at play. With
fast shutter speeds
you wont miss a
minute of the action
The Sports mode is ideal
for wildlife and pet photography
too as youll be able to freeze
unpredictable movement

Av mode
Discover some of the fantastic creative effects you can achieve using your
Canons Aperture Priority mode, which lets you control the depth of eld
A
perture Priority mode is marked simply as Av
on your Canons mode dial and is known as a
manual-enabled mode. Using this setting, youll
be able to select a suitable aperture for the shot youre
taking, while the camera is responsible for determining
the ideal shutter speed for the best possible exposure of
your shot. Aperture Priority is particularly useful for step-
up users who are keen to explore the creative possibilities
manual control has to offer, without having to grasp the
balancing act of exposure just yet which is something
you need a good understanding of if youre working in
full Manual mode.
Most photographers use Aperture Priority to
control depth of eld in their photos. Depth of eld
determines how much of your frame is in focus. A shallow
depth of eld creates an artistically blurred background,
which is popular in professional portrait photography
and still life. The effect is created using a wide aperture
setting, or whats known as a small f-number (between
f1.4-f5.6). The wider the aperture the more light is let
through the lens, which is why faster shutter speeds are
generally set with them so as to avoid overexposing the
image something thats difcult to rescue in the post-
production stages. Although wide apertures provide
more creative results, you need to be wary of extreme
settings. By using small f-numbers, such as f1.4, you
will be limiting your focus range considerably, which
may result in only parts of a models face appearing in
focus when shooting portraiture, for instance, which is
obviously not desirable.
When youre exploring the Aperture Priority mode,
its important to remember how f-numbers relate to
settings. The smaller the f-number, the wider the aperture
and so the shallower the depth of eld. The larger the
f-number (f8-f22) however, the smaller the aperture is,
which results in more depth of eld the image appears
in focus from front to back. Large f-numbers are popular
with landscape photographers as they can ensure the
scene appears sharp in the foreground, right through
to the background. For clear landscapes shots, start
in f-numbers around f11; the camera may opt to select
slower shutter speeds as a result so dont forget to have
your tripod at hand to stop camera shake being an issue.
The lens youre shooting with essentially determines
the aperture settings that are available to you. Check the
top of your lens to nd out what aperture range it offers.
Top-quality lenses generally offer much wider aperture
settings but are also more expensive than standard
optics. Experiment with your Aperture Priority mode,
to determine how essential wide apertures are to you
shooting and whether its worth investing in a new lens.
There are so many creative uses aperture has to offer,
which is why it is one of the most popular modes to
explore when you are rst starting to experiment out of
the comfort of auto. Using the sweet spot, or focused area,
which is created by wide apertures youll be able to take
great artistic images. Another advantage is that by using
a wide aperture, you can let in a lot more light, which
is great for shooting in low-light conditions such as at
indoor parties or for night portraits. Start exploring your
aperture range and discover how it can really affect the
outcome of your images.
There are so many creative uses aperture has to
offer, allowing you to take some artistic images
Setting a wide aperture in
your Aperture Priority mode
will result in an artistic
shallow depth of eld effect
Using a narrow
aperture will cause
the image to be sharp
from front to back
Use a wide aperture when
shooting portraits to softly
blur out the background and
add focus to the model

P mode
Give yourself a better understanding of exposure by experimenting with
your Programmed Auto mode, a much more exible setting than Auto
T
he Programmed Auto mode is marked as P on
your mode dial. Its all too often overlooked as
being a straightforward auto setting but, in fact, it
offers a lot more exibility than you might at rst think,
which makes it one of the best modes to explore after you
get out of shooting in Auto and the available scene modes.
Using Programmed Auto, the camera will determine
the best combination of aperture and shutter speed for
an exposure. Theres still room to be creative though, as
you can take some control over the nal image results by
adjusting settings as you shoot, which makes it a more
exible exposure mode. By changing one of the settings
during a shoot, the camera will take care of the other,
ensuring you still get an even exposure every time. Its a
lot more advanced than your standard Auto mode too, as
Programmed Auto is capable of roughly determining what
it is youre photographing so that you get the best settings
for the shot, this makes it a great mode to explore if youre
ready to take the next step with your photography.
Unlike the standard Auto mode youll also be able
to adjust other camera settings, including ash and
ISO among others. You can set your ash to illuminate
low-light scenes or ll-in shadow areas on a backlit
shot, but if you want to work without ash, experiment
with adjusting your ISO. ISO is an important part of the
exposure puzzle, as it essentially increases the cameras
sensitivity to light. This means that if your ideal shutter
speed and aperture wont expose the image well enough,
you can up your ISO to help lighten it up. Be wary of high
ISOs settings, however, as they can produce noise within
the image. If youre unsure, always revert back to auto ISO
and let the camera take care of it.
Once youve selected the Programmed Auto mode
on your mode dial, the camera will meter the light
through the lens; it will then determine exactly what
settings youll need to shoot. From this, you can make
further adjustments depending on what it is you want to
incorporate into the scene. You may notice, for example,
that the aperture setting is narrower than you would
like. To adjust it and get a shallower depth of eld effect,
simply rotate the command dial to set a smaller f-number.
The same can be done to adjust shutter speeds too if you
want to freeze action or add some motion blur.
As Programmed Auto can produce endless exposure
combinations, you can use it to shoot absolutely anything
that you could want to. However, if its really creative
effects youre after, you will have to progress to your
full Manual mode or the Aperture and Shutter Priority
settings. In the meantime, however, use Programmed
Auto to help improve your understanding of exposure.
Spend time experimenting with different aperture
and shutter speed combinations, which you can then
compare to see what really works for you. When youre
ready to work in Manual mode, take the same settings
from Programmed Auto and see rst-hand how slight
alterations can affect the outcome of your shots. This
really is a great mode for beginners looking to progress
their skills.
Spend time experimenting with different aperture
and shutter speed combinations, which you can then
compare to see what really works for you
In Programmed Auto you
can experiment with setting
combinations without having
to fully understand exposure
Programmed Auto is a
more exible shooting
mode for beginners

Tv mode
Learn how to freeze action and incorporate motion blur in your shots
using your Canons Shutter Priority mode, a great setting for action shots
N
ow its time to rotate the mode dial around to Tv
(Time value) to select the Shutter Priority mode.
It works in the exact opposite way to the Aperture
Priority mode, in that while you select your ideal shutter
speed, the camera takes care of the aperture to ensure
a balanced exposure of your image. Using the Shutter
Priority mode, youll be able to experiment with much
shorter or longer exposure times, depending on what
youre shooting and the effects you want to capture
on camera.
Using this mode on your Canon camera, youll
essentially be able to determine how much light reaches
the sensor from the lens. Faster shutter speeds, that are
only a fraction of a second, will let in the least amount of
light, so to avoid underexposing your image, the camera
will compensate by using wider aperture settings, to
let in a larger volume of light. Fast shutter speeds are
ideal if youre shooting action-packed images, as theyre
quick enough to freeze movement, preventing blurry
shots. Always work with faster shutter speeds if youre
photographing children, wildlife, sports or pets.
Slow shutter speeds on the other hand, can range
between 1/60sec to a full 30 seconds. An increase in
exposure time means youll need to use a tripod to ensure
you get a steady shot. As a general rule, its still possible
to shoot handheld with the camera, provided youre
working with shutter speed settings that are no slower
than 1/60sec, depending how stable your handling of
the camera is. To avoid overexposing an image that has
a longer exposure time, the camera will set a smaller
aperture, which will reduce the amount of light thats
let in through the lens to the sensor. If youre working
with extreme long exposures, however, youll need to
use an ND lter to further reduce the amount of light
that passes through the lens. ND lters are commonly
used by landscape photographers who want to capture
cloud movement or misty water effects in their scenes, by
extending shutter speeds and using smaller apertures for
increased depth of eld. Generally, long exposures are
ideal if youre shooting stationary subjects under low-light
conditions or at night. Some cameras even offer whats
known as a Bulb mode, which means you can open the
shutter for as long as you like, until you opt to press the
shutter release button again to close it. This is great for
creative effects and is often used to capture scenes such
as star trails across the night sky.
There are plenty of other creative shooting techniques
you can explore in your Shutter Priority mode. Panning,
for example, is a fantastic way to illustrate speed in a
sport or energetic subject. Simply set a slow shutter speed
of around 1/50sec and focus on your subject. Once you
open the shutter, youll need to pan with them until it
closes ensuring that you minimise shake as much as
possible. The results should allow your subject appear
nice and sharp while the background is softly blurred.
You can also create a zoom burst by zooming out quickly
while the shutter is open for a creative, directional blur.
Youll nd some fantastic shooting techniques are
possible in Shutter Priority mode, which makes it worth
experimenting with a bit before youre ready to step up to
full Manual mode.
Using Shutter Priority, youll be able to experiment
with much shorter or longer exposure times
Use your Shutter Priority
mode to incorporate a sense of
speed in your shots. The camera will
determine the aperture for an even exposure
A fast shutter speed
has been used here
to freeze movement
and capture every
drop of water
Use a slow shutter speed
to blur moving water,
creating an artistic effect
that really stands out

THE NIKON CAMERA BOOK 43
M mode
Its nally time to take complete control over your Canon in Manual
mode and discover all of the creative possibilities available
T
he Manual mode is the most advanced option on
the mode dial, as it can offer complete control of
your exposure settings. Rotate the dial round to
M to select the manual mode on your Canon camera and
then program in your ideal shutter speed and aperture
setting for the shot. Using the Manual mode, its possible
to experiment with different photographic effects and
techniques, offering you complete creative control over
the outcome of your images, although this will take a bit
of trial and error until you are fully comfortable using it.
Before you get ahead of yourself in this mode, however,
its a good idea to get a basic understanding of what
makes a balanced exposure. You can nd this out
exploring the Programmed Auto, Aperture and Shutter
Priority modes rst. Using these modes youll be able to
select either your shutter speed or aperture setting while
the camera takes care of the rest, to ensure you get a
well-exposed image as a result. When youre working in
these modes, you should pay attention to how the camera
compensates for the setting you select as this will help
you when you move to manual. If youre working with
a wide aperture for example, notice the shutter speed
setting that the camera opts for. You can then dial in the
same settings as a starting point using the Manual mode,
A wide aperture will cause the areas
surrounding your focus point to blur out
and begin exploring different combinations of shutter
speeds and apertures.
When youre working in Manual mode, select a shutter
speed, remembering that faster speeds freeze movement,
while slower ones capture motion. You can then select
your aperture, remembering that the smaller the f-number
the wider the aperture. Dont forget that wider apertures
create a shallower depth of eld, which is fantastic for
close-ups and portrait captures, while a narrow aperture
(high f-number) keeps the focus sharp from front to back.
As youre setting your exposure, always preview the
light meter, which is visible inside the viewnder. This
will give you a clear indication as to whether your settings
will under-, over- or correctly expose the scene. Based
on this, you can adjust your exposure settings until
youre ready to shoot. Ideally, the marker should appear
below O. If its too far to the right, your shot will appear
underexposed; if the marker is too far to the left it will
be overexposed.
After youve taken your shot, preview it on the back
LCD screen. Check the histogram, which will let you
know how much detail youve managed to capture in
the shadow and highlight areas. A histogram of a well-
exposed photo should show a mountainous range in the
middle; it shouldnt spike up at either end as this means
you may need to re-adjust your settings.
Once youve got a good grasp on how to achieve a
balanced exposure, you can begin exploring all of the
other creative photographic possibilities. Using a tripod,
for example, you can extend the shutter speed when
photographing a seascape and water will appear as mist.
You can also discover the potential in wide apertures
by embracing the shallow depth of eld effect when
photographing portraits. Dont be afraid to experiment.
Using the Manual mode, its possible to experiment
with different photographic effects and techniques,
offering you complete creative control over images
Use a narrow aperture to keep
it sharp from front to back

Compose with your Canon
Master metering with your Canon
Using your Canon
Essential techniques for taking great photos with a Canon camera
46 Use your Canon to
compose
Composition rules and how to apply them
52 Work with lighting
Take advantage of different types of light
60 Metering with Canon
Open the door to accurate images
66 Canon exposure exposed
Control the exchange of light between
your subject and your sensor
74 Shutter speeds
Create special effects and more
78 Master HDR on your
Canon
Set up and shoot perfect HDR images
Using your Canon

Control your shutter speed
Master exposure on your Canon
Using your Canon
66

Compose
Understanding the principles of composition can help
to complement your natural eye for an image. Here is
a guide to the rules and how theyre best applied
Using your Canon
Use your Canon to

SPACE
Dennis Reddicks image of Selsey
Lifeboat Station shows that empty space
can be a strong compositional element in
itself. Note how the converging diagonal
lines of the jetty lead your eye into the
smooth, still expanse of the sea
DennisReddick
Using your Canon
Canon EOS
5D Mark
III
Works best with

C
omposition is the way you
organise the different elements
on the scene in front of the
camera. Its tempting to imagine that the
world is just the way it is, and all you can
do is just turn up, point the camera and
take the picture, but theres a lot more to it
than that.
In the real world its usually not possible
to move objects around to t your ideas
but you generally dont need to. Just
by changing your own viewpoint, and
sometimes the focal length of the lens
youre using, you can completely change
the appearance of the photo and the
objects within it.
Composition in photography is like
the rules of grammar in writing. If you
dont put what you think in the right
order, using the right words, with the right
punctuation, no ones going to understand
what youre trying to say. Its the same in
photography. If you just shoot at random,
your pictures are going to look visually
incoherent with no clear point of focus or
meaning. But with a little compositional
awareness, its possible to draw the viewers
attention to your subject, create interesting
juxtapositions between objects and get
them to see and feel exactly what it is that
you want them to.
Composition isnt just about making
the meaning of your pictures clearer,
though. Photographs can also be satisfying,
challenging or intriguing on a purely
graphic level, and this is down to the
arrangement of the shapes, tones and lines
in the picture.
The best-known rule for creating
graphically pleasing pictures is the rule
of thirds. This says that you should never
put your subject in the centre of the frame,
but a third of the way from the top or the
bottom, or from the sides. In fact, many
Just by changing your own viewpoint, you can
completely change the appearance of the photo
Canon cameras can display grid overlays
on the LCD or in the viewnder, which
show you exactly where these thirds
are. If you were shooting a landscape,
for example, you might position the
horizon on the lower horizontal third
and a solitary tree on the left or right
vertical third. This is a pretty weak kind
of rule, though. Its a good fallback if you
cant think of a more interesting way of
composing the picture, but thats about all.
If you see an arrangement which you think
looks better, you should use it.
There are other rules to follow. For
example, you must make sure that your
subject is looking into the frame rather
than out of it, and you should avoid any
composition that leads your viewers eye
out of the frame. But maybe you want
to emphasise the symmetry between
the landscape and the sky, or the central,
isolated position of a lone tree? Maybe you
RodLawton
ANGLES
The jagged, angular feel of
this picture was deliberate and
has been emphasised by the
zig-zag arrangement of lines
SHAPES
Shapes are one of the simplest
compositional elements
and work especially well as
silhouettes. Here, a long focal
length has isolated this boy
sitting on a rock against the
glow of a setting sun
Using your Canon


R
o
d

L
a
w
t
o
n
RodLawton
CANON EOS 5D MARK III
With a 100% viewfinder and excellent 3.2-
inch LCD, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III is a
great camera to compose images with
MOVEMENT
This is the classic example of the perspective
and movement of lines converging in the
distance. These lines can go both ways, though!
Because the train is pointing forwards, the
movement is from top left to bottom right
Using your Canon

like having your portrait subject looking
out of the edge of the picture, because it
hints at some unseen event and introduces
a note of tension or unease? Rules are
there to be broken, especially rules of
composition, but this only works if you
know what they are in the rst place, and
you break them clearly and deliberately
and for a reason.
The arrangement of objects and shapes
affects the meaning and mood of the
picture, and they also affect the sense of
movement in the image. The eye doesnt
absorb the whole photograph in a single
instant as a static image. Your eye moves
from one object to another, sometimes
in curves, sometimes in zigzags. This
movement is a key part of the photographs
appeal, or at least the extent to which it
holds your attention. Its perhaps why you
can quickly get bored with a photo that
initially looks great, but become more and
more fascinated by one which doesnt have
a big initial impact but does have a lot of
compositional complexity.
The most obvious way to create this
movement is with lines. These can be very
literal, such as railway lines converging
in the distance, or implied, such as the
direction of the subjects gaze in a portrait.
Pictures can have a single, dominant line
or they can have a number of lines which
direct your gaze in a certain direction,
following a certain route around the
picture, or form a more complicated
interlocking structure.
Shapes are very important in
photography, too. They might be easily-
recognised shapes such as human gures
or silhouetted trees, for example, which
gain extra power when they stand out
starkly against a contrasting background,
or they could just be areas of tone rather
than specic objects. These are just
as important in terms of composition,
however, because they contribute towards
any pictures feeling of balance.
Shapes can be used as natural frames
to draw attention to your subject and to
prevent the viewers gaze from wandering
out of the picture. Look out for archways,
overhanging branches, gates, hedges... you
can nd natural frames almost anywhere.
Composition is part-science, part-
instinct. The science is the way elements
of the picture work together and affect the
way you see it. The instinct is the way you
as a photographer combine those elements
in your own unique way.
Dennis Reddick
Web: www.dennisreddickphotography.com
Dennis Reddick is a professional photographer who spends his time shooting stunning landscape
shots of Britains South Coast using a selection of lenses and polarising and graduated filters.Here he
talks to us about his views on composition.
Composition clearly plays a big part in your photography. Do you believe in rules
of composition?
Rulesare simply guidelines to help individuals think about composition.They are not cast in concrete or anything like that.If you did
manage to make up a viewfinder with the lines embedded in the viewing screen and followed that consistently,you would more than
likely ultimately wind up with some unexciting images.You can think about the rule of thirdswhen preparing to make an image and
see if it works for the given situation,but dont let it get your imagination stuck in the mud.
Do you plan the composition of a shot as you take it, or trust experience and instinct?
Experience and instinct,mostly,which can only be enhanced by going out with your camera on a regular basis.There are occasions
when Ive seen an image by a fellow photographer and Ive added a slightly different angle which,to my mind,may add a bit more
character to the whole scene.
How long do you spend composing photographs, and do you aim for one single right one or take a variety?
Believe it or not,with about 90 per cent of the photographs from my website I have intentionally gone for that one rightshot.I tend to
stay with the camera fixed in one position for composition and shoot various exposures,especially at sunrise and sunset.
What do you think is the single most important thing to get right when you frame a shot?
Making sure there is no unwanted object or empty space which distracts you from the main subject.If I shoot an individual object I
tend to compose it so that approximately two thirds of the area is filled.I have taken images with space as the main concept,but you
have to be careful that it doesnt detract from the whole image.
Do you have a favourite editing technique for enhancing your shots later, such as burning in, for example, and why?
If I want to add a bit more depth or clarity,I tend to duplicate the image and add a slightly darker exposure and erase the unwanted
bright areas.I then add a duplicated brightexposure to the unwanted dark areas.I find on some images this gives me more punch
throughout the photograph than when using the levels or curves.
EXPERT ADVICE
RodLawton
CHANGES
There are many different ways you can shoot
the same subject. The spiders web in the
shot on the far left has been used as a framing
device to focus attention on the spider itself.
With a very small change in viewpoint, the
shot on the left shows that you can produce a
totally different result. Here the spiders been
silhouetted against the early morning sky to
emphasise its shape
You can find natural frames all around you
here the archway to a churchyard has
been used to frame the church itself
RodLawton
Using your Canon

Focal length and perspective
We normally think of zoom lenses simply as a tool to get more inor bring
distant objects closer,but in terms of composition theres a lot more to it than
that.Instead of using the zoom to change the size of the subject,try moving
closer or further away and then adjust the zoom to keep the subject the same
size.What you discover then is that the focal length you use has a big impact on
the relationship between your subject and its background.Ashort focal length
makes you get closer to the subject and makes the background look smaller
and further away.Alonger focal length means you move further away,and this
makes the background look larger (its simple geometry really,but the effects
become obvious when you try them out).Telephoto lenses effectively enlarge
the background,making it easier to find neutral areas to act as a backdrop for
your subject,or to emphasise the scale of a landscape.Its often said that
wide-angle lenses exaggerate perspective and that telephotos flatten it,which
is another way of saying the same thing.Stop thinking of your zoom lens as a
substitute for walking,and start using it as an aid to composition!
PERFECT
POSITIONING
Denniss eye for strong
composition is obvious here.
The horizon has been placed
on the top section, and the
strong lines of the partially
submerged tree trunk in the
foreground lead your eye
straight to the distant tree
on the horizon
DennisReddick
Using your Canon

P
hotography is all about light; the word
itself means drawing with light. The
type of lighting that photographers
look for, or try to create, is often the
cornerstone of the images that they
produce. This is because it directly informs the
other chief fundamental of photography, exposure.
Lighting even inuences the choice of lens, ltration
and composition that photographers select.
Its worth remembering that good lighting wont
automatically result in a successful image. You dont
always need dramatic, striking light to take a great
photo either not every image is entirely dependent
on the lighting involved in order to work.
But its vital to understand the key ingredients of
lighting and the way it affects the mood and feel of
your images or else you are leaving a lot to chance
in your imagery.
There are three types of lighting to make the most
of in your photography: natural lighting, lighting that
you create yourself and lighting that combines both
natural and articial light. Over the next few pages,
well cover all three scenarios.
The lighting that you use will depend largely
on the type of scene or subject that you are
photographing. Landscape photographers work
almost exclusively with entirely natural light rarely
if ever modifying the lighting, other than by using
lters to control the way the light enters the lens.
Portrait photographers, on the other hand, frequently
work without any recourse to natural lighting but
create the light that they use from scratch using
studio ash heads and modiers like softboxes.
In this masterclass well cover both approaches
and give you plenty of practical tips and advice to
help you improve your understanding of lighting.
Take advantage of different types of lighting to
produce your best-ever images on your Canon
Work with
lighting
Using your Canon

LIGHT THE WAY
Learning to manipulate the light
is a key skill to master and will
greatly improve your images
Using your Canon
Canon EOS
60D
Works best with

High-key
lighting
Create bright and airy shots for

fresh portraits with Canon
Top 3 studio lighting products
Lastolite 1.8m x 2.15m
Collapsible Background
Price: 220/$400
Web: www.lastolite.com
This reversible white/black background is
ideal for high-key work in the studio. Its also
washable, which is rather handy as white
backdrops are prone to getting scuffed and
dirty, resulting in a lot of retouching work.
Interfit RSBR1014
100 x 140cm Softbox
Price: 159/$258
Web: www.intertphotographic.com
A softbox is one of the cornerstones of any
studio lighting kit. It allows you to produce a
diffuse and attering light. They come in
various sizes and shapes, so think about
what you need before purchasing.
Bowens Streamlite
330 Kit
Price: 527/$693
Web: www.bowensdirect.com
Two Streamlite 330 lights, two three-
section stands and two lights with daylight-
balanced uorescent bulbs, plus Cocoon
70 light tent and stand makes this kit from
Bowens ideal for studio product shooting.
A favourite type of lighting among many studio
photographers is high-key. As with many terms in
photography, there are different ways to interpret this
style. For some people, high-key lighting means very
bright images with limited shadows, while for others
it simply means very bright images with overexposed
highlights. White backgrounds are a key component
and punchy, saturated colours are often incorporated
in order to add to their impact. High-key lighting
sometimes knowingly obscures some details through
sheer brightness and deliberate overexposure, which
often results in a slight softening effect.
In order to achieve the effect in a studio, at least
three lights are generally used and reasonably
powerful ash heads are required. The effect is often
associated most closely with modern portraits and
product photography.
High-key lighting lends itself well to portraits in
which the aim is to create an impression of fun and
SOFTBOX
LIGHT
SUBJECT
LIGHT WITH
RED GEL
CAMERA
WHITE BACKGROUND
EXPERIMENT WITH GELS
Using gels is an accessible way of producing different
looks in the studio and adding something extra to portrait
SCRUMPTIOUS SHOTS
High-key lighting is ideal for producing both
modern portraits and product shots. Images
of food often work particularly well when
captured using a high-key lighting setup
vitality. Studio portrait photographers who like to
capture a sense of movement and spontaneity in
their work tend to favour this type of lighting as it
complements this aim perfectly. High-key lighting
also works well for portraits of young children for the
same reason.
Product photography also makes use of high-key
lighting, as the overall brightness and bold colour
palette creates a sense of vibrancy and sparkle. This
makes high-key lighting a popular choice for food
photography, as the brightness helps to convey
freshness where the colours of the food can come to
the fore to imply a full avour. This style allows the
product to be put on full display, with nothing hidden
or obscured.
Always be careful when shooting high-key images
that you dont lose important details in your subject
due to overexposure. If you nd yourself in any doubt,
its best to err on the side of caution. You can always
brighten the results up slightly in post-production
later on, whereas retrieving lost detail from a shot is a
much harder task.
SOFTBOX
LIGHT
SUBJECT
LIGHT
CAMERA
WHITE BACKGROUND
Using your Canon

BRIGHTEN IT UP
High-key imagery is easy to create in
a studio environment with just a few
bits of equipment
Using your Canon

Low-key lighting
4 portrait lighting setups
Discover how to capture atmospheric, brooding images with

just one light in the studio in this guide to low-key lighting
A quick-reference guide to the key setups to try for sultry images
Low-key lighting is, as you might well guess, the
opposite of high-key lighting, and has long been a
popular choice for studio portraits. Unlike high-key
images, there are plenty of shadows present in the
shot and black or very-dark backgrounds are used.
The key element of low-key lighting is a tight
control of the spread of the light. In order to achieve
this, its very common for just a key light to be used.
If a second light is to be incorporated as a ll light,
this will be dialled right down and used extremely
sparingly, so as not to eliminate shadows created by
the key light.
In low-key portraits, a hair light might be used, but
a snoot or honeycomb grid will be used to ensure that
this light source doesnt spill beyond a very specic,
limited area on the subject.
Low-key lighting endows a subject with a sense
of intrigue and mystique, and is the premise of
the classic Hollywood style of portraits. Low-key
portraiture is usually combined with moody
posing and expression in order to create a sense
of seriousness and a degree of formality, with dark
clothing usually used as well.
The most important thing to remember with
low-key portraits is that its the shadows that really
make the images; in other words, low-key lighting
is often more about what you cant see than what
you can. Showing your subject seemingly emerging
from the shadows makes him, her or it look
elusive, enigmatic and important. Although we often
associate low-key lighting with portraits, it works
really well for still-life studies too.
One of the best things about low-key lighting is
that, as a general rule of thumb, it doesnt require
a large number of lights or particularly powerful
lights to achieve. In fact, one hotshoe ash unit
placed off-camera and triggered wirelessly is
absolutely all you need in order to achieve the kind
of lighting required; your main challenge will be
in limiting the spread of the light and preventing it
from bouncing back off ceilings or walls which are
generally white, reective surfaces. One quick x for
this problem is to strategically position pieces of black
card to absorb stray lighting. Black card will also work
perfectly well as a background.
Beautiful low-key portraits can also be captured
using only window light. Brighter sunlight will
produce a higher-contrast effect, but a diffuser
panel can be used to reduce the intensity of the
light. Alternatively you can simply move your
subject slightly further away from the window and
experiment with different levels of light.
Low-key lighting lends itself very well to black
and white, and if you search online for images with
low-key lighting youll be presented with far more
monochrome images than colour ones. However,
theres no rule that says you cant shoot low-key
images in full colour, so experiment with different
settings in your editing software and see what you
can come up with.
DARK AND MOODY
For low-key portraits, often only one main light source a
key light is required. How you position and pose your
subject in relation to the light will affect where the light falls
and the shadows are produced
SOFTBOX
LIGHT
SUBJECT
CAMERA
BLACK BACKGROUND
01
Narrow lighting
In narrow lighting conditions the
subjects head is turned slightly towards
the shoulder nearest the key light,
increasing the amount of shadow visible
from the cameras perspective. This will
generally slim the subjects face.
02
Split lighting
In many portrait lighting setups,
the key light is positioned at about 45 to
the subject. To create split lighting, the
key light is moved to a 90 angle relative
to the subject, with no ll light, so that
only half of the subject is illuminated.
03
Mid-key lighting
Mid-key sits halfway between
low-key and high-key lighting. One light
is required to produce the effect and the
key element is that the overall tonality of
the image equates to a midtone. However
a grey background isnt essential.
04
Broad lighting
Broad lighting means that the
subjects head is turned away from the
shoulder nearest the key light, reducing
visibility of the shadow side of the face.
This can make the subjects face look
broader, so it wont suit everyone.
Using your Canon

VERSATILE LIGHT
Low-key portraits look elegant,
timeless and sophisticated.
They suit subjects of all ages
but are particularly fitting when
you want to create a sense of
authority or mystery
Using your Canon

There are times when you have to work with natural
light on a shoot. However, often the light does not
quite deliver what you what you need and you have
to nd a way to control, modify or add something to
it, one way or another. Often, youll want to retain the
integrity of the natural light rather than overpowering
it, and fortunately there are some handy bits of kit
that make it relatively easy to do just that.
Two of the most popular and useful ways of
controlling natural light on a shoot are to employ ll-
in ash or a reector. The great thing about both of
these techniques is that they can be used incredibly
subtly, to the extent that many viewers of your image
would not realise that anything other than natural
light was present.
When the optimum subtlety is required, a reector
will work wonders, but you may not be able to ll
in darker shadows with this approach. Fill-in ash
is so-called because its purpose is to simply ll-in
underexposed areas.
In theory, modern DSLRs that feature complex
TTL (through the lens) metering systems make
ll-ash simple for photographers. The camera will
tell the ash unit how much power to output in
order to produce an exposure in which the ash is
suitably balanced against the natural light. However,
there may be times when you will need to use your
Controlling natural light
10 tips for
working with
natural light
01
SEEK THE SHADE
Look for a shaded areas outdoors for
the advantage of softer, more even light, and a
reduced dynamic range to work with.
02
USE A REFLECTOR
A reector is incredibly useful for
throwing a touch of light back into a scene and
brightening up shadow areas.
03
FILL-FLASH
What a reector cant handle, ll-
ash will. TTLmetering will tell your ash how
much power to output, and use exposure
compensation to dial the ash down a touch.
04
USE THE
GOLDEN HOURS
This doesnt just apply to landscape shoots.
Make use of natural light at the beginning and
end of the day, when the sun is low in the sky
and a beautifully soft, warm and golden light
often lls the air.
05
USE A DIFFUSER
A diffuser can serve as a softbox and
allow you to create a softer type of lighting.
06
PREVENT SQUINTING
Photographers often avoid shooting
into the sun. But if you need to, its much better
to deal with the issues than to have subjects
squinting and looking uncomfortable .
07
FLARE
Many photographers actually seek to
make a virtue of lens are caused by shooting
into the sun. It wont suit every type of subject
and you have to make sure it isnt ruining the
image but lens are can often make an
image look modern and engaging.
08
USE PATTERNS
Look out for the way the light is
falling though leaves, branches or window
blinds indoors as this can result in the
formation of interesting patterns.
09
DISTANCE MATTERS
If youre working with window light,
you can reduce the contrast by simply moving
your subject further away from the window.
Your subject will be less bright and the shadows
wont be as deep.
10
OVERCAST WEATHER
WILL WORK
Dont be afraid of overcast conditions. The
clouds will act as a giant softbox, ensuring that
the light is even and easy to work with. You
could consider using a gold reector to throw
warmer light back onto the subject.
Quick gear guide The kit you need to succeed
Canon Speedlite
600EX-RT
Price: 470/$550
This professional Canon
speedlite can be used on
and off the camera. It offers
plenty of power for fill-in
flash techniques with natural
light and can be controlled
remotely using a built-in radio
trigger from up to 30 metres.
cameras exposure compensation and/or ash
exposure compensation to create the desired effect.
You can also take advantage of the myriad of
wireless ash options that are now available, giving
you the freedom to position the ash off-camera
while still utilising the benets offered by TTL
metering. The only potential disadvantage of using
ll-in ash is that, by its very nature, its often fairly
obvious when ash is present in an image, which is
where reectors come in.
Reectors are a vital piece of kit when you want
to work with natural light. They are available in
various congurations, with white, silver and gold
all commonly used for adding around one extra EV
stops worth of light into the scene. White reectors
provide the most natural and subtle results, while
silver reectors will produce a slightly harsher (but
not necessarily less attractive) feel to an image. A gold
reector is more dramatic, as it inherently throws a
distinctly warm glow back onto the subject. Because
of this, the presence of a gold reector is much more
likely to show in the nal photo.
One more thing to remember is that you can use
anything you want as a reector it doesnt have to
be a purpose-made product. A piece of white card or
a white shirt stretched taut will both do the job well
enough to control the natural light.
How to get the best out of the light you already have
When optimum subtlety is required,
a reflector will work wonders
Mixed lighting outdoors

can throw your cameras
exposure metering and
white balance off course so
having one of these compact,
collapsible cards with you is
the ideal solution for getting
your settings right quickly.
Lastolite
EzyBalance Card
Price: from20/$40
Ideal for those situations
where the light is just too
harsh and decent shade
cant be found. Reach for this
diffuser from Lastolite and
you can quickly and easily
calm the intensity of the light
down by a full 2 stops.
Lastolite
Diffuser
Price: 90/$112
Using your Canon

KEEP IT NATURAL
Using a spot of fill-flash is an ideal
solution when you want to throw
some light into shadow areas while
working predominantly with natural
light, as its just enough to lift the
image without taking over
USE FLASH
Off-camera flash
triggered using a
modern wireless
system allows you to
lift awkward shadows
when working with
natural light
Using your Canon

CENTRE-WEIGHTED AVERAGE METERING
All of the action is in the centre of the image, so with the camera
set to centre- weighted metering, the edges of the frame play no
part in the calculation
David Clapp
Using your Canon
Canon EOS
6D
Works best with

Metering
with Canon
Mastering metering can open the door to
accurate images and creative control of your
Canon. This section uncovers the principle,
technology and application of metering
Using your Canon

W
ith Canon camera technology
breaking boundaries
as the digital revolution
advances, photography is looking like
a complicated ship to steer. Camera
controls are becoming so sophisticated
that as the manuals get thicker, the
technological soup seems harder
and harder to wade through. Camera
metering, its modes, functions and
subjectivity can be just as confusing, so
just how do you learn to read the light?
Everything we see contains varying
levels of light intensity. From bright light
streaming through a window to the dark
shadow tones in a room corner, a good
photograph renders the scene balanced,
as it appears to the eye. All modern
cameras, from an everyday mobile phone
to a professional Canon DSLR, have
metering capabilities to assess these
levels of light correctly for the ideal shot.
Everything we see contains varying levels of
light intensity... A good photograph renders the
scene balanced, as it appears to the eye
Prior to digital technology, the only way
to measure light was by using a separate
handheld light meter. Before camera
technology advanced and in-camera
metering became more commercially
viable in the Sixties, there was simply no
other option. Imagine it no histograms,
not even a viewnder needle to assist;
just a handheld meter and some good
understanding. Despite feeling somewhat
underpowered, many photographers
still use handheld meters as a preference.
Portrait photographers cant work without
them and these feelings are still alive in
the word of landscape photography, too.
Remember, also, that lm is far
from dead. As large-format landscape
photography is making a popular
resurgence, many photographers are
enjoying the slower pace and discovering
the accuracy of handheld metering. Its
the only form of measurement available
to them, as the camera is electronic-free.
The rst concept to fully understand is
the two distinctly different ways that light
can be measured using handheld meters
and cameras alike. Reected metering is
where, like all through the lens
in-camera metering systems, the camera
takes measurements based upon the
light reected from the subject surface
towards the camera. The second method,
incidental metering, is the measurement
of light falling onto the subject from a
light source, using a handheld light meter.
Reected light from the subjects surface
is not measured in the reading.
Unfortunately, reected light can cause
problems. Different surfaces and textures
reect light in different intensities,
varying greatly from subject to subject.
In-camera metering tries to combat this
problem by basing its calculations on
light reected from a tone in the middle
EXPOSURE
COMPENSATION
Spot metering this eider
ducks plumage and exposure
compensating by overexposing by
+1.5 stop keeps those whites bright

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David Clapp
USING SPOT
METERING
Spot metering from the grey
lamppost stopped the camera
from metering the confusing
background incorrectly

Using your Canon

DIFFERENT METERING MODES: Most cameras are
equipped with a number of different in-camera metering
modes,but understanding how they work and when to
use them will only add greater creativity to your
photographic approach.Lets examine the five main styles
of metering systems:
CENTRE-WEIGHTED AVERAGE METERING: When
pointed at a scene,the camera biases the light reading
towards a central zone and pays less attention to light
values at the extreme outer edges.
PARTIAL METERING: Similar to centre-weighted
metering,but the light-gathering area is rapidly reduced to
a smaller zone (10-15%) in the centre of the frame.
SPOT METERING/MULTI SPOT METERING: The
metering area is concentrated in a small spot (3%),
ignoring all light levels outside this greatly reduced zone.
Cameras that have multi-spot metering let the
photographer use this small zone to take spot readings
from key points around the composition.The camera then
averages these readings.
AVERAGE METERING: The camera does not add any
specific weight to any zone when measuring the light
across the frame.Instead,it averages the light reading from
edge to edge without bias to any particular tonal area.
MATRIX/EVALUATIVE METERING: By far the most
technical metering system and one that photographers
love.The screen is divided into small segments and
individual readings are taken.The camera then
evaluates the light in each segment and evaluates the
correct exposure.
AF POINTS: It is also important to remember that as you
change the AFpoint,so the camera can bias the exposure.
This is particularly useful when autofocus is tracking an
object,or when a static subject is not positioned in the
middle of the frame.Some cameras also give the option to
link or unlink this facility.
Expert advice
Learn how to choose the correct Metering mode for the scene and set the appropriate focus points on your Canon
Spot metering (A), centre-weighted average metering (B) and matrix/evaluative metering (C) as they appear in the
viewfinder. The difference between these three popular metering modes is based on biasing the results. Although
centre-weighted average and spot metering are essentially reacting in the same way, the spot metering zone is much
smaller. Evaluative approaches metering in an entirely different way, taking readings from each of the segments
This scene is ideal for evaluative metering. It contains
a wide range of tonal values from dark to light. These
zones are not uniform across the frame, so the camera
segments the readings to achieve an accurate exposure
A B C
David Clapp

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Using your Canon

Your Canon camera can offer you a choice of four metering modes.
Each one is useful for certain kinds of shot under certain kinds of
lighting conditions.The metering sensor inside your Canon camera
measures and responds to light to help you balance your exposures
and compose creatively.Set your metering options to one of the
following depending on the kind of shot youre taking.
Evaluative metering is used to get an all-round even exposure.It
meters the light within the entire scene and balances the highlights
and shadows for clear unbiased results.This is perfect for well-lit
scenarios such as daytime landscapes,but less suitable if youre
working with directional light such as a sunbeam or spotlight,or if
youre trying to capture dramatic contrast.
Centre-weighted average metering is designed to meter the
majority of light in the centre of your photograph.It will still take the
surrounding edges into account but to a lesser degree.Centre-
weighted average metering is great for face-on portraits as you can
balance the lighting on the subjects face,making it into a focal point.
Partial metering and Spot metering are similiar to Centre-
weighted average metering,however,the central focus area that the
camera meters the light from will be much smaller.Partial metering is
also more precise,and wont take the surrounding light into account,
just the central region.Spot metering focuses on an even smaller
central area and like Partial,it will not take into account the edges
around this region.Although limited,these options are great for
shooting more dramatic and creative captures such as low-key
studio lighting effects and heavily contrasted scenes.
Canon metering options
How your Canon camera controls metering
COLOUR CONUNDRUM
A problem some photographers can face when
metering a scene is colour. Most cameras
metering systems, unlike our eyes, dont see
the world in colour; they measure light in
luminance. Colours that appear extremely
vivid to the human eye, are interpreted simply
as tonal shades by the camera, without the
intensity we attribute. It can therefore be
difficult to predict exactly how metering will
be affected, which can cause problems with
setting the correct exposure settings. In recent
years however, Canon has resolved this issue
and all of its current DSLRs now feature an iFCL
(intelligent Focus Colour Luminance) metering
system. This smart technology takes into
account both colour and brightness information
when metering, as well as the focus setting
thats selected, so youre sure to get accurate
exposure results.
EVALUATIVE METERING
With an even spread of blacks and whites, the
camera makes easy work of this situation using
evaluative metering
David Clapp
David Clapp

Using your Canon

Metering systems are very sophisticated,
but still get confused with tricky conditions
of the luminance range, a midtone or
middle grey.
Incidental metering doesnt suffer
from this miscalculation, as it is based
on a measurement of light falling onto
the subject. The subject can be any tone,
reective or not, and the light reading
will remain consistent. Portrait or product
photographers, in particular, base their
metering calculations on handheld
incident metering, rather than reected
in-camera metering to get a more realistic
reading. Despite this however, if the
image has a wide range of reected
light and tones, in-camera metering still
works well. Metering systems are very
sophisticated, but still get confused with
tricky conditions.
The biggest issues occur when a
single luminescence lls the scene, like
a blanket of snow. As the camera tries
to evenly measure, it is bombarded
with reected light. It tries to position
the white in the middle of the tonal
range, as it is convinced this is where
the correct exposure should be. This
results in a shot that is signicantly
underexposed. The same thing occurs
when shooting excessively dark subjects;
the camera will lift the blacks towards the
midtone leaving you with a shot that is
overexposed. With modes like aperture
priority (Av) and shutter priority (Tv),
in-camera metering can be difcult to
get right. As the camera bases the shutter
speed or the aperture on the in-camera
meter reading, the image can be prone
to over- or underexposure. This is where
the Exposure Compensation mode comes
into its own.
Lets consider the snow scene once
again. With so much reected light, the
camera will consistently underexpose
unless the camera is set to compensate.
By setting the camera to overexpose by
around one and a half stops, the whites
will remain bright and clean. The same
approach in the opposite direction works
with darker subjects, too.
For lm photographers, both amateur
and professional, understanding metering
and gauging correct exposure is vital.
Getting to understand photography in
this intimate way is a true art form.
Digital photographers must also pay
heed to these rules, but there is a huge
safety net to fall back on the histogram.
With instant exposure feedback at the
ngertips, a quick test shot can sort
out any problems and let the
photographer make any necessary
adjustments accordingly. Get it right
in-camera to avoid time editing.
KEEP THE WHITES BRIGHT
The histogram bunches to the right as it
recognises the amount of light tones in shot
UNDEREXPOSURE ISSUES
In-camera metering will try to push reflected
whites of this cotton grass towards middle grey,
underexposing the shot and making it murky
David Clapp David Clapp
David Clapp

Using your Canon

Using your Canon
exposed
Canon exposure

Using your Canon
Controlling the
exchange of light
between your
subject and your
sensor is ultimately
what photography
is all about
T
heres nothing more fundamental to
taking a photo than exposure. In fact,
by taking a photo all you are actually
doing is exposing the light-sensitive
sensor in your camera to light.
The two big factors involved are how much light
is falling on your subject and how much of this
light is recorded by the sensor the latter being a
direct response to the former. In some situations
its possible to modify the exposure by reducing
or increasing the amount of light on your subject,
whereas in landscape photography, for instance,
its necessary to adjust the exposure purely by
changing various factors on the camera itself.
Perhaps the most important thing to keep in
mind with exposure is that its actually entirely
subjective. As with how a Shakespeare play or a
Mozart symphony is interpreted, there are often
many different valid options as to how a scene
should be exposed.
Though there is such a thing as a badly exposed
image, absolutely correct exposure is difcult to
dene and is very often a matter of opinion. It also
frequently depends on the effect you are trying
to achieve. This is particularly true in the digital
world, as photographers now often shoot images
with imperfect or unbalanced exposure properties
with specic purposes in mind for the subsequent
image-editing process.
Exposure is the principle that underpins
photography as a science, but its also one of the
main things that makes it a creative artform.

Canon EOS
7D
Works best with

Using your Canon
There are three main variables that can be
modied by photographers to control exposure
in-camera. The rst of these is the aperture, which
controls how much light can get through the lens
and reach the sensor. A wide aperture, indicated by
a lower f-number, will result in a brighter exposure
than a narrow aperture, which is indicated by a
higher f-number.
The second is the cameras shutter speed, which
determines the length of time that the cameras
sensor is exposed to the light for. Slower, longer
shutter speeds enable more light to reach the sensor
and create a more brightly exposed image.
Third, you can adjust the cameras ISO setting. This
alters the light sensitivity of the sensor, so by raising
the ISO value away from its base setting, which is
Hello to
histograms
What they do and why theyre
so essential to editing
One of the best things about digital photography is
that you now have the ability to see at the time of
capture how your images have turned out, by
pressing a review button on the back of your camera.
Before digital, photographers had to wait until the
film was developed to discover if their images were
over- or underexposed. By that time, it was too late to
change anything and also difficult to know just what it
was that you did wrong which made it harder for
beginners to learn from their mistakes.
However, rather than just looking at the image
itself on the cameras LCD, its important to pay
attention to the histogram, as this tells you precisely
how the scene has been recorded. The centre of the
histogram represents the mid-point, sometimes
described as 18% grey, between pure black at the
far-left and pure white at the far-right. How high the
peaks in your histogram ascend to indicates how
many pixels of that tone there are.
If everything in your photo is bunched up to the
right, particularly if the peaks are reaching up to
the top of the histogram display area, then you
probably have an overexposed image. Equally, if
everything is grouped at the left of the histogram,
with peaks reaching up to the top, your image is
likely to be underexposed.
most commonly ISO 100, you can make the exposure
brighter without the need to open up the aperture or
lengthen the shutter speed.
As with everything in photography, theres a ne
balancing act at play, as each and every one of these
adjustments affects your images in a different way
and there is always a trade-off of some kind. For
example, if you open up the aperture from f5.6 to
f2.8, youve gained two extra stops worth of light,
but youll lose depth of eld in the process. This
means that important areas of your image are not in
sufciently sharp focus.
Similarly, extending your shutter speed will grant
you a brighter exposure in low light, but go beyond a
certain point (depending on the focal length you are
shooting with and how steady your hands are) and
youll introduce the risk of camera shake, making a
tripod necessary.
Thankfully, the high ISO capability of modern
digital sensors means that raising it to the dizzy
heights of 1,600, 3,200 and even 6,400 is not the
automatic image-quality disaster that it once was.
Nonetheless, you are still trading quality for the
convenience of working in low light and/or avoiding
a tripod.
Of course, you can retain the same exposure value
(EV) between images, even if you choose to adjust
one of these variables. Opening up the aperture from
f11 to f8 increases the light thats able to reach the
sensor and so will create an image thats one f-stop
brighter, but if you also switch to a faster shutter
speed 1/125sec to 1/250sec you have effectively
counterbalanced the change in aperture and the
exposure value (EV) will stay the same.
BACKLIT EXPOSURE
In this image, the subject is backlit, with
more light coming from behind them
than falling onto their front. Exposing
with the subject in mind is obviously
required, but the best option is to make
the lighting slightly more balanced
As with everything
in photography,
theres a fine
balancing act at
play, as each and
every one of these
adjustments affects
your images in a
different way

Using your Canon
DEFINITION
Simply going to a
lighter and brighter
exposure for the subject
will also overexpose
the light behind the
subject, which leads
to a softening effect
around the image. Using
a reflector instead solves
this problem
EYE LIGHTING
The subjects eyes
looked rather flat and
dull, as simply going
for a brighter exposure
doesnt compensate
for an absence of light.
Using a reflector gives a
much better result
SKIN TONES
The correct skin tones
will be achieved if the
exposure is correctly
balanced. Again, a silver
reflector produces much
better results on the
models skin
BALANCE
By introducing a silver
reflector, we can throw
some light back onto
subject and make the
overall exposure more
balanced and even

Using your Canon
One of the things that thrilled our ancestors about
photography when it was rst invented was the ability
to freeze a moment in time and preserve it forever.
Back then, actually freezing a moment in time was
difcult, as the plates used lacked the light sensitivity
required to avoid long exposures of up to several
seconds or even minutes for an ordinary photo.
Fast-forward to the photography of today and many
cameras feature fast shutter speeds of 1/4,000sec
or even 1/8,000sec. So its ironic that one of the
most popular techniques in modern photography is
to purposefully shoot with very long exposures to
capture movement and a sense of the passage of time.
Whether the goal is to create beautifully smooth water,
or to convey the journey of clouds across the sky or
even to capture human activity long exposures are a
powerful creative tool. For the earliest photographers,
whose goal was to be able to capture images without
the need for long exposure times, this would probably
seem bafing.
There are still times when long exposure
times are forced upon photographers. Landscape
photographers, for example, often cant avoid long
exposures, unless they are willing to sacrice a degree
of image quality by using a higher ISO setting. As
most photographers want the best quality, offered by
the sensors base ISO (usually 100), shooting in low
light at the beginning and end of the day will demand
an exposure of several seconds.
However, there are times when photographers
want to capture movement in their images when
the light levels arent low. Simply setting the camera
to Manual mode and dialling in an exposure of 20
seconds isnt an option, as even at a narrow aperture
and a low ISO, overexposure will inevitably result.
In recent years, the use of Neutral Density (ND)
lters has caught on, as these effectively solve the
problem with overexposure when shooting long
exposures. In a way, ND lters take us back to the
Ghostly portraits
Long-exposure shots dont
have to be conned to
landscape photography
During a long exposure, if a person is only in a
particular position for a limited amount of time, theres a
fair chance that, depending on the amount of time
relative to the length of the exposure, they wont appear
in the nal image at all.
This is useful if you want to take a photo of a popular
tourist spot, but dont want to capture all the tourists
milling around! Use a tripod and a Neutral Density lter
and, provided no one stands still for too long, theres a
good chance that youll be able to make the scene appear
as if no one was there at all.
You can experiment with this approach when taking
portraits, then if you keep the light low you may not need
to use any lters.
early days of photography, but instead of making the
sensor less light-sensitive they limit the amount of
light thats able to reach the sensor in the rst place
via the lens.
There are various densities are available, with
ten-stop ND lters with a density of 3.0 such as the
Lee Big Stopper or Hitech 4x4 ProStop IRND Glass
Filter 3.0 at the most extreme end of the spectrum.
Ten-stop ND lters are ideal for situations where the
light levels are quite high, but theyre less useful in
low light. This is because the shutter speed required
to achieve the correct exposure can go up to a minute
or more, presenting a case of diminishing returns. In
almost all situations, a 30sec exposure is plenty long
enough and waiting around for a 60sec or 120sec
exposure simply means that youll be able to take
fewer images and have greater problems with long-
exposure noise.
Whether the goal is
to create beautifully
smooth water, or to
convey the journey
of clouds across the
sky, long exposures
are a powerful
creative tool
LONG EXPOSURE
By simply using a tripod and a Neutral
Density (ND) filter, youll be able to
capture long exposures of several
seconds or more

Using your Canon
MOVING CLOUDS
Using a long exposure
enables you to capture
the movement of the
clouds across the sky,
which adds atmosphere
to your shots
SMOOTH WATERS
Though there are
times when its best to
capture the turbulence
of crashing waves, long
exposures can be used
to capture smooth and
tranquil water, creating a
very restful effect
LONELY
LOCATIONS
You wont always be on
your own when taking
landscape images,
but a long exposure
will ensure that any
members of the public
strolling along a beach
or hilltop wont spoil
your shot

Using your Canon
EXPOSE HIGHLIGHTS
An exposure of 1/4sec at f16 and ISO
100 ensured that the brightest parts of
the image the highlights were not
dramatically overexposed. However, as
you can see in this frame, the shaded
areas are far too underexposed
EXPOSE MIDTONES
This exposure at 1/2sec, f16 and
ISO 100 is the best compromise, but
neither the shadows nor the highlights
are correctly exposed in this image.
However, this exposure is still useful for
the blending process
MIDTONE DETAIL
Elements of the
midtone exposure have
been used for some
of the surfaces on the
foreground rocks, which
were too dark in the
highlights exposure and
slightly too bright in the
shadows exposure
HIGHLIGHT DETAIL
Plenty of detail has been
retained in the sky by
virtue of the shortest
exposure of 1/4sec at
f16. The only other option
would be to use a two-
stop ND filter positioned
over the sky

Using your Canon
Compromises very often have to be made
with photography and you may have no choice
other than to decide which area of the scene
is most important. You can then base your
exposure on the need to make that part of the
image look good.
However, in extreme situations where the
difference between the darkest and brightest
areas of a scene is particularly signicant, its
simply not possible to get good results, no
matter what you do.
The problem this presents is that the
highlight areas of your image will be
overexposed, or the shadow areas will be
underexposed. In a landscape scene, neither of
these scenarios is acceptable, although there
are occasions when a photographer might
choose to accept a degree of underexposure of
shadow detail for example when shooting a
silhouetted subject.
With sunrise and sunset being such popular
times for shooting landscape scenes, dealing
with very bright skies frequently with a setting
Sun and signicantly darker foregrounds is an
almost constant challenge.
Over the years photographers have
attempted to combat this problem by using
graduated ND lters. These are typically
positioned so that a longer exposure can
be used, enabling foreground shadow to be
correctly exposed, without overexposing the
much brighter sky.
Digital photography has made it far easier
to use these lters, whereas in the days of lm
it was relatively easy to misjudge the position
of the lter and end up with the darker ND
half-cutting into the lighter foreground. Digital
capture enables you to see precisely what sort
of results youve achieved with lters like these,
affording you the opportunity to correct any
mistakes immediately.
However, digital imaging goes a step further,
negating the need for photographers to carry
and use ND lters if they prefer not to. The
downside is that this comes at the expense of
more time on the computer. However, this time
spent in your imaging software can result in
powerful and precise exposure blends, which
would be impossible to produce with lters.
EV
Easily nd the perfect balance
between shutter speed and
aperture value
Exposure value or EV simply refers to the
effective combination of any shutter speed, any
aperture and how different combinations relate to
one another.
Theres a rather confusing equation that can be
used to calculate the EV based on any given
shutter speed and aperture combination, but
fortunately there are plenty of tables online and
of course apps that negate the need to be an
advanced mathematician.
Assuming that ISO 100 is being used, a
landscape scene at sunset will often have an EV of
around 8 or 9. In other words, theres a good
chance that youll be shooting at something like
1sec at f16, or 2sec at f22.
This EV table is the origin of the sunny 16 rule. As
a sunny day generally equates to EV 15, assuming
ISO 100, you can shoot at around 1/125sec and
f16 knowing that your exposure will probably be
close to correct. 1/250sec and f8 also equates to
EV 15, so will also be applicable for a sunny day.
EXPOSE SHADOWS
This exposure, at 1sec, f16 and ISO 100,
is the brightest of the three exposures
two stops brighter than the exposure
for the highlights. This ensures that the
shadows are correctly exposed
CANON EOS 7D
An fantastic exposure system including
63-zone Evaluative, Center-weighted
Average, Partial, and Spot options
means the EOS 7D is a great Canon
camera to master exposure with
Its vital to keep the
aperture constant
so as not to affect
the depth of field
SHADOW DETAIL
Thanks to the brightest
exposure, the final blend
shows good detail in the
foreground rocks and
across the backlit fields
on the horizon
Instead of using lters, the only thing that needs
to be done in the eld is to shoot two or three images
with different exposure values, covering the different
areas of the scene. In a situation like this, its vital
to keep the aperture constant so as not to affect the
depth of eld. You might shoot an image to correctly
expose the highlights at 1/4sec and f16, as well as
one to expose the shadows correctly at 1sec and f16.
You could also shoot an image that averages the two,
thereby covering the midtones at 1/2sec and f16. The
difference between your longest, brightest exposure
and the shortest, darkest exposure is two EV stops, so
to achieve a similar result with a graduated ND lter
youd shoot at 1/15sec and f16 with a two-stop ND
grad lter positioned over the sky.

Using your Canon
Shutter speeds
Control your Canons shutter speed to create special effects
S
hutter speed one simple phrase that every
photographer knows and one that describes
something utilised by your camera every
time a photo is taken to help get a correct
exposure. So, why take control of shutter speeds?
Whether you want to photograph stunning star
trails at night-time using very long exposures, or
freeze the eeting motion of a bird in ight to reveal
the detail of its beating wings, learning how to
control your shutter speeds is key.
There are other aspects of shutter speed control
you can take advantage of, such as the relationship
between focal length and shutter speed, which can
help to reduce camera shake. Plus, there are ways of
using shutter speeds for specic effects using rules
that apply across every type of photographic style.
NIGHT-TIME AND LONGER
EXPOSURES
This shot of Tower Bridge was taken using a very long
exposure of around 25 seconds. A low sensitivity (to
keep noise to a minimum) and use of a tripod and
remote camera release helps prevent camera shake.
If your camera has it, use its mirror lock-up function
to stop that from vibrating as well
DougHarman
Canon EOS-
1D X
Works best with

Using your Canon
On a basic level, the most important element of
shutter speed control is simply to help ensure an
image is correctly exposed. If the shutter speed is too
fast, you risk underexposing the picture and vice
versa. Also, if you have a more creative bent,
controlling shutter speeds will help you freeze that
fast-moving action to crisply render every detail or,
conversely, you might want to allow the very same
motion to be revealed within a shot to deliberately
add blur. The slow shutter speed conveys the feeling
of the true speed and power of a subject or event.
Most high-end Canon digital cameras, and
certainly their DSLRs, will provide control over the
shutter speeds at their disposal. The exact range of
control on offer will vary from camera type and
model, but expect to nd a range of shutter speeds
starting at around 30 seconds to 1/4,000sec.
Some cameras may have a Bulb mode where the
shutter can be set to remain open for as long as the
shutter button is pressed; some may not and others
will offer even faster shutter speeds too. But of those
that offer shutter speed control, all will provide a
good level of control.
If you have a Canon that provides full shutter
control, be it via the shutter priority setting (where
you control the shutter speeds and the camera
automatically picks an aperture to get a properly
exposed shot) or through full manual control (where
you can change both the apertures and shutter
speeds as needed), then you have total power over
how motion or the lack of it in your composition is
recorded within your images.
In essence, the faster the shutter speed you use, the
less motion will be evident in any shot; the more the
image will appear to be frozen and, bear in mind, the
faster the action being snapped, the faster the shutter
speed youll need to use in order to freeze it. This
usually involves a lot of trial and error.
However, as shutter speeds get faster, less light is
allowed to reach the cameras sensor, so larger
apertures will need to be employed or increasing
the cameras sensitivity (the ISO setting) will become
necessary in order to ensure enough light is
captured for a properly exposed shot.
The intuitive response to using very slow shutter
speeds in bright daylight is that the shots will
overexpose. If you have control over apertures on
your Canon, then you can close the aperture down to,
say, f22, reducing the amount of light entering the
camera and ensuring the shot is not overexposed.
This technique lets you include motion blur for
creative effects, such as capturing passers-by as
ghostly blurs, making waves on the seashore become
smooth velvet blankets or rendering creatively
blurred waterfalls.
However, if employing this technique, watch out
for brighter backgrounds, which can lose detail by
becoming too bright. To help prevent this leaching
of detail, use an accessory lter called a neutral
DELIBERATE BLUR
Freezing action can be great where detail is paramount
and you want everything to be sharply rendered in a shot.
However, by using a slower shutter speed, you can help
emphasise the power and grace of fast-moving subjects
As shutter speeds get faster, less light
is allowed to reach the sensor, so
larger apertures will be needed in
order for enough light to be captured
DougHarman
Cameras have within them a device called a shutter that

allows a timed and finely controlled amount of light to
enter the camera.It can take the form of a focal plane
shutter,such as that found in DSLRs,or a more simple
leaf shutter,as found in most compact digital cameras.
The shutter is usually positioned in the camera body
behind the lens and in front of the sensor as with DSLRs,
where it can be clearly seen when you swap a lens.This is
a focal plane shutter.Or it can be inside the lens (the leaf
shutter type) as with compact digital cameras.Whatever
the case,as the shutter travels it reveals an open slit to
the outside world that allows focused light to enter and
hit the sensor.The velocity this swath of light crosses the
sensor is the shutter speed.
Shutters and
shutter speeds
Including a puff of flash at any shutter speed your
camera is capable of using (the flash synchronisation
speed) can add greatly to an images impact.Using a
burst of flash by forcing it to fire even if it is not needed
in daylight can lift shadows,help add sparkle to a shot
or freeze an action due to the fleeting duration of the
burst of flashlight.It can also make your subject stand out
against the background to add emphasis.
When combined with slower shutter speeds,flash can
help you create impressive blurring effects combined
with sharply defined action,such as when you combine a
slow shutter speed (and,so,very shaky) with a low
ambient light exposure,but include flash to help produce
a motion-freezing burst of flash.By doing this,youll get a
funky,fill-in flash effect,where the main subject of the
photograph is frozen and is sharply rendered by the
brevity of the flash,but seemingly pinned against a
blurred and fuzzy background of ambient lighting.
Flash and
shutter speeds
There is a direct relationship between the shutter speed
and focal length you use when taking pictures and,once
you get a grasp of it,it means you can reduce the risk of
camera shake.Simply put,always use a shutter speed
that is the reciprocal of the focal length in use.If you shoot
using a zoom lens set at 100mm,then also ensure you
use a shutter speed of 1/100sec.If you use a lens focal
length of 200mm,then a shutter speed of 1/200sec is
required,and so on.This will help you get sharp shots
even if the camera is not supported on a tripod,though,
of course,a tripod is preferred in order to help with
camera stabilisation.
Shutter speeds
and focal length

Using your Canon
density lter; it will help even out the range of
brighter and darker areas without affecting the colour
temperature or white balance of the shot.
Another tip is to use lower sensitivities, say ISO 50
or ISO 64, in order to reduce the light processed by
the camera and get even slower shutter speeds on tap.
On the upside, youll be able to retain slightly more
control over the apertures used depending on the
sophistication of your camera and the exibility of its
ISO settings; youll also get less image noise too. On
the downside, youll probably have to support the
camera on a tripod to stop unwanted blur from
camera shake.
A camera with aperture priority control only
(typically most mid- to high-end compact digital
cameras), where you control the aperture values and
the camera automatically chooses the correct shutter
speed for a properly exposed picture, is going to be
much less exible than being able to employ direct
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DELIBERATE BLUR
Slow shutter speeds can offer up
some very neat creative effects such
as this zoom burst technique. This
was shot with a slow shutter speed of
1/3sec, but combined with zooming
the lens during the exposure to create
this dramatic effect
shutter speed control. However, you can deliberately
use a specic aperture in order to get a slower or
faster shutter speed.
For instance, use a small aperture to force the
camera to pick a slower shutter speed, and vice versa.
It is worth bearing in mind, however, that this
technique has an impact on the depth of eld; the
smaller the aperture the greater the depth of eld will
become. Moreover, using slower shutter speeds on
any camera may mean you need to support the
camera using a tripod or monopod to help minimise
the risk of camera shake.
So, what happens if you have a camera that lacks
shutter speed control? The more basic digital
cameras, like point and shoot compacts such as the
lower end of the IXUS range, provide little or no
control over their shutter speeds; often, point-and-
shoot models will have an all-auto program setting
where the camera does everything for you.

Using your Canon
SLOW SHUTTER
FOR CREATIVE EFFECTS
This shot uses a burst of flash, long-ish focal length and a
slow shutter speed. Flash has kept the happy couple sharply
defined while the slow shutter speed used helps convey the
emotion and atmosphere of the happy moment
These cameras usually have a set of subject (or

scene) modes and while these predene the way the
camera behaves for specic subjects, such as
portraits, night scenes or sports subjects, you can
take advantage of them too, as there will be an
element of automatic shutter speed control you can
turn to your advantage. For example, in bright
daylight, where you want to use slower shutter
speeds, use the cameras night scene mode (crucially,
without ash) to force the camera to use a slower-
than-normal shutter speed. This could be ideal when
snapping fast action, particularly if you want to
include some creative motion blur.
Obviously, this mode is usually used in low light or
at night with or without ash, and used in its proper
fashion, it enables you to shoot an ambient light
exposure using a slow shutter speed and the burst of
ash will help illuminate any foreground subject
giving you the desired effect.
Used during daylight, the night scene mode with a
burst of ash or the cameras ll-in ash mode if it
has that setting can help create a ll-in effect,
lightening the shadow areas. The short duration of a
burst of ash can also help freeze motion, so it can be
worth turning your ash on wherever you want an
extra crisp result.
Alternatively, use the cameras landscape mode to
force the camera to bring into play a smaller aperture
(smaller apertures ensure greater depth of eld, ideal
for landscape photography) and this will then drive
the camera to use a slower shutter speed. Conversely,
try using the cameras sports mode here the
aperture used will be much bigger to get at those
faster shutter speeds and use the sensitivity (ISO)
to your advantage by increasing the ISO to help freeze
the action.
In essence, however, because theres no direct
control over the shutter speed and youre subverting
the cameras mechanisms to help get an effect, trial
and error is the key.
Try practising using the wrong setting for special
effects and see what happens. But watch out for
unwanted or odd effects, such as the wrong white
balance setting being used, which could skew
colours in a shot. Its best to experiment with your
settings to see what gets the best result. Once youve
an idea of how the camera behaves (or misbehaves),
youll be able to predict what mode to use.
Shutter speed tips
Use a fast shutter speed to freeze a fast-moving subject.
The faster the action,the faster the shutter speed
needed to freeze it.
Use slow shutter speeds to creatively blur your subject,
be it a waterfall or waves on a beach,to convey the
feeling of motion in a subject.
Using flash can help freeze motion as well as a fast
shutter speed.
Use a neutral density filter if you have problems with
detail bleaching out when using longer exposures
in daylight.
Always use a shutter speed the reciprocal of the focal
length in use to help reduce problems from things like
camera shake.
Bump up the cameras ISO sensitivity to help get faster
shutter speeds at your disposal.
If using slow shutter speeds,always support the
camera with a tripod or monopod.
Try using the night scene mode to
force the camera to use a slower-than-
normal shutter speed
DougHarman
FASTER SHUTTER
SPEEDS TO FREEZE ACTION
This shot was taken using a relatively fast
1/420sec shutter speed to help freeze the
motion of the backlit fountains water droplets
to help create this quite dramatic effect

Using your Canon
Master HDR
on your Canon

Using your Canon
H
ave you ever looked through your viewnder
to see a stunning scene and been excited
about the prospect of capturing an award-
winning image, only to depress the shutter
and be dismayed by the image on your LCD?
Even the most expensive medium-format cameras have a
relatively low dynamic range compared to the human eye, so
the amount of data the camera can collect is limited. Many
high-end cameras will allow you to purposefully underexpose
a shot and pull a large amount of detail from shadows in post-
production, but this will often result in noisy images with a lack
of accurate colour representation.
This is where HDR comes into its own. High Dynamic Range
imaging is the process of combining several exposures into
a composite image to capture a wider dynamic range of light
than is possible from a single photograph. It is a technique
that has been used for many years and is regularly the subject
of controversial debate over its validity as a photographic
technique. However, when used sensitively HDR can produce
stunning images that accurately represent the original scene.
Over the next few pages you will learn how to set up and
correctly capture the shots you need and then take those shots
into HDR software to create a stunning image. We will also
look at the best kit for the job and compare HDR imaging to
hyperreal photography.
Gear guide
Nodal Ninja 4 with RD16 Rotator
Web: www.nodalninja.com Price: 402/$440
Take your HDR photography a step further and
shoot HDR panoramas. Simply bracket each part
of the panoramic image using the pano head to
prevent parallax error, and then combine the
panoramas together in HDR software for
stunning results.
HDR Efex Pro 2
Web: www.niksoftware.com Price: 62/$100
Nik Software has been developing this program
for a number of years and it really shows in this
latest release of HDR Efex Pro 2. Upgraded
algorithms and improved control give the user a
powerful tool for creating stunning HDR images.
Pixel TC-252 remote timer
Web: www.pixelhk.com Price: 40/$50
A good remote release will allow you to minimise
vibration when shooting multiple photographs on
a tripod. The Pixel TC-252 timer is a wired shutter
release (a wireless version is available) and can be
set to automatically take multiple exposures.
Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod
Web: www.manfrotto.com Price: 170/$223
To take multiple exposures with a range of shutter
speeds for HDR, you need a good sturdy tripod.
The Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod has an incredible
range of adjustment combined with good stability
to ensure that your camera will remain steady in
any position.
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Follow our detailed guide on setting up and
shooting perfect HDR images, the right gear to
buy and the best way to process your shots
Canon EOS
5D Mark
III
Works best with

Using your Canon
Taking the shots for an HDR scene is just the starting
point, as you wont see the nal result until youre
back at your computer. Its good to make a
few notes or a mental picture of the scene while you
are shooting. Does it have warm light, cool light,
how much detail can you see in the shadows, how
vibrant is the colour? This is important if you want
the nal shot to be an accurate representation of the
original scene.
You will need a sturdy tripod and a remote
release to ensure that the shots properly align and
to eliminate the possibility of camera shake on
longer exposures. The basic camera settings are the
same for any landscape or cityscape shot you might
capture. You will need the ISO set at the cameras
native lowest setting (around ISO 100-200) and to use
a narrow aperture to ensure front-to-back sharpness
(between f11 and f16). Shoot in RAW to collect the
best possible data for the software to work from.
Before you put the camera on the tripod, use
aperture priority mode (Av on the mode dial) and
spot metering to aim the camera at the darkest part
of the scene and make a note of the shutter speed,
then do the same for the brightest part of the scene
(making sure you dont aim directly at the sun). Make
a note of the shutter speed once again.
Then place your camera on the tripod and switch
to manual mode, set your aperture to the same as
you had it previously and adjust your shutter speed
How to set up & shoot an HDR image
to expose for the shadows rst. If the difference
between your shadow shutter speed and highlight
shutter speed is 10 stops, then start taking shots
at 2 stops apart, increasing your shutter speed
incrementally until you have reached your highlights
shutter speed (six shots). If you are short on time,
meter once for an average well-exposed shot and set
your camera to bracket two stops either side of this
and re off three or ve bracketed shots.
There is no hard-and-fast rule as to the number
of shots you should take for a good HDR image as
it depends on the scene; just try to keep it between
three and nine. At the lower end of the scale you are
limiting your amount of dynamic range available to
work from and at the higher end you will increase the
chance of images not aligning or ghosting becoming
an issue.
However you take your shots, make sure you
keep your camera steady throughout and allow
a second or two between shots to let any camera
vibration subside. Finally check the shadow and
highlight exposures to ensure the histograms are
reading correctly. (See the box on the right about
understanding your cameras histograms).
You can now transfer the images to your computer
and into your favoured HDR editing program. You
should aim to create your HDR image as soon as
possible after taking it, while the memory of the real-
life scene is still fresh in your mind.
There is no rule as to the number of shots you should
take for a good HDR image, it depends on the scene
Using the histogram
The histogram displays a visual representation of how
the luminance and colour data is spread across the
range of the image.The left-hand side of the chart
represents the shadows and the right-hand side the
highlights.The graph shows peaks where most of the
data sits.Aclassic smooth curve up to the midtones and
back down to the highlights is generally what you will
achieve for an HDR shot.But this isnt always the case.A
bright-white room for
instance should be
exposed so that the
histogram is showing
most of the data
bunched up toward
the right-hand side of
the chart.
For HDR shots,
use your histogram
to check that the
shadow exposure is
nudging the left-
hand edge of the
chart and highlights
exposure is at the
right-hand edge,but
with no clipping (this
means data falling off
the chart).
This is the
histogram from a
bright-white room
with a dark floor;
notice how the data
is distributed
SHOOTING HDR
Standing on a cold bridge in Edinburgh,
tripod firmly wedged against the barrier
and using the LCD display to check the
histogram for each set of shots

Using your Canon
Expose for highlights
This shot has been underexposed at -2EV to retain detail in the sky.
Notice how the main bump to the right-hand side of the histogram
(the sky) is wholly within the chart and shows no clipping. This will
later allow us to extract some nice detail and colours from the sky.
Expose for midtones
This shot has been exposed correctly at 0EV. The aim of this shot is
to retain details in the midtones. We are less concerned with the sky,
which is now pushing off the right-hand edge of the histogram and
showing some clipping. The shadows are still deep and lacking detail.
Expose for shadows
This shot has been exposed at +2EV to bring out shadow detail. The
sky bump of the histogram has fallen off the right-hand side, so this
area is now clipped and contains no data. The shadow bump has
moved to the right and now occupies more of the midtone area.
UNDEREXPOSED
CORRECTLY EXPOSED
OVEREXPOSED

Using your Canon
1
Load source images The first step is to load your source
images onto your computer and into the software.
Depending on the program you may be able to load RAW
files. With HDR Efex Pro you need to covert to TIFF first. Do
so in 16-bit format to retain as much detail as possible.
2
Ghost reduction In the Merge Image dialog box we
have the option to set ghost reduction, to eliminate
artefacts when combining images with moving objects.
Here we select the overexposed image as it contains
movement of the big wheel which we want to retain.
3
Chromatic aberration You may have chosen to
reduce or eliminate chromatic aberration in your RAW
conversion software, but it can also be done here by using
the close-up loupe. Use this to see areas of the image that
may be affected and adjust the sliders accordingly.
HDR software works by extracting data from the
highlights, midtones and shadow areas of each photo
There is a range of software available to edit your photographs and combine
them into a single HDR image. Some of the more commonly used programs are
Photomatix, Photoshop and HDR Efex. They all have similar functions but process
the shots with different algorithms, meaning the end results will vary. Each piece of
HDR software works by extracting the best data from the highlights, midtones and
shadow areas of each photo and combining them in different ways to produce the
desired effect. Here we take a closer look at Nik Softwares HDR Efex Pro 2.
How to create your HDR image
Other uses
of HDR imaging
HDR imaging can be used in any situation
where a wide dynamic range is needed to create
impact. Certain genres such as portraiture dont
work well with HDR unless deliberately trying
to create a surreal effect. HDR will often be
seen in advertising situations where combining
exposures and different parts of images is
commonplace to sell products. Forms of
HDR will also be seen on interior
architecture shots, but
this will be in a very
subtle way.

Using your Canon
10
Control points Control points are particularly useful
as they allow us to adjust specific parts of the image
without affecting others. Nearly all of the same options
as the global adjustments are available. This allows us to
locally adjust the temperature and detail of the foreground.
11
Fine control With a control point selected you can
increase and decrease the size of the area affected
and the control point will try to find areas of tone and colour
of a similar nature within the defined circle. Selections can
be shown and hidden to fine tune.
6
Tone compression The tone compression setting is
the one which will have the most impact on how natural
or surreal your HDR image ends up looking. Start with the
default or one of the Realistic presets and slide the tone
compression slider up to around 20%.
4
Presets HDR Efex will take a short time to process the
images and apply all of the settings that youve made
so far. You will then see this interface, which has presets
along the left-hand side to choose from. These are a good
starting point to work from.
12
Finishing touches The last section of options covers
grad filters and curves to add those finishing touches.
Generally speaking though, final adjustment will still be
needed in Photoshop to make a crop, clone out dust spots,
adjust final levels and sharpen.
9
Colour adjustment The next section allows global
adjustment of colour temperature and tint to the image.
We have a problem with this image however, as warming up
the foreground also warms up the sky which we dont want
to do. This is where we introduce control points.
7
Tonal adjustment Under the Tonality section you can
adjust the images general exposure, boost shadows,
increase or decrease the amount of highlights and add
contrast. Generally you should be fairly familiar with all of
the settings from normal photo editing.
5
Dont overcook it Some of the presets in the Artistic
or Surreal section will produce some striking but
unrealistic images like this one. Generally you will want to
use one of the presets from the Realistic section as a base
for your edits.
THE FINISHED PHOTOGRAPH
With our finished HDR image we have retained a natural
look with a good tonal range throughout the image to aid
depth perception. Details have also been subtly boosted
along with the colour range
8
Add structure The Structure slider adds micro contrast
to your image. Again this is a slider that is best used
sparingly if you are going for a natural look. Use the zoom
feature to close in on a section of the image and see the
detail as you adjust it.

Take great portrait shots
Shoot speed and sport
Working with wildlife
Advanced
techniques
We help you to take your
photography further
Advanced techniques
86 Shoot better portraits
with Canon
Use your Canon to improve your portraits
98 Creative landscapes
with Canon
The mindset, potential and elation
110 Working with Wildlife
Advice on how to capture wildlife
120 Shoot for sport on Canon
Improve your action-packed portfolio
130 Urban landscapes
From skyscrapers to street life
140 Use Canon to shoot
in black & white
Create contrast and elegance
148 Travel the world with
your Canon
Capture shots of people and places
156 Capture architecture
Explore options for shooting buildings

Expressing urban scenes
Master monochrome
Creative landscapes
98
Advanced techniques

Advanced techniques
PORTRAIT POWER
Portraits can be incredibly
engaging to look at and are
great fun to create. There are so
many different ways of shooting
a portrait, and no two faces are
the same
Canon EOS
6D
Works best with

Advanced techniques
W
e humans have created images
of each other in some way
or another throughout our
entire history and fully edged,
detailed portraits of human
faces have been produced for thousands of years.
Unsurprisingly then, it didnt take long for
photographers in the 1800s to exploit the new
medium available to them for capturing portraits.
Back then, the combination of long exposure times,
lack of familiarity and the general belief that a portrait
was a formal document meant that most images
taken during that time featured what, to our modern
eyes, look like rather dour subjects.
Perhaps because we are now so used to portraits
adorned with natural, relaxed poses and big smiles,
moody portraits with serious-looking subjects are
now often considered the most fashionable. The edgy
portraits of today often have plenty in common with
the work of 19th Century photography pioneer Julia
Margaret Cameron.
In fact, in the 21st Century, anything goes in the
world of portraits, with arguably fewer hard-and-fast
rules than in other elds of photography which
perhaps goes some way towards explaining the
magnetic appeal of portraiture. But it is perhaps
our very condition as human beings, as social and
inquisitive creatures, which draws photographers to
portraits so prolically. Over the next few pages, well
take a look at the many different styles of portraits
that photographers take today and reveal the thought
processes and techniques behind them. Youll
discover how to pose your model, work with props
and shoot great street portraiture.
Portraiture has long been popular with
photographers, but theres a lot more to it than
meets the eye. Find out how you can use your
Canon camera to improve your portraits
Shoot better
portraits
with Canon
Selecting models
Creative captures
Using your props
Street portraits
TOP PHOTO
TIPS & ADVICE

Advanced techniques
Very often, we tend to associate portrait photography
with women, and young women particularly
probably because these are the images that were
bombarded with the most frequently by the media.
Were subliminally told that to be worth looking at, to
be beautiful, is to be young and female. As a result,
budding photographers often put their energies into
building a portfolio based around young, attractive
women, ignoring the potential of other subjects.
In fact, for those who are looking to get truly
creative, capturing older, male subjects can work
very well indeed. This is an idea that evidently wasnt
lost on Julia Margaret Cameron, if her well-known
portrait of Sir John Herschel is anything to go by.
In the 1860s, Cameron had no choice other
than to shoot in black and white but a touch of
monochrome magic still works wonders with older
subjects especially older men. Black and white is
simply great at drawing out textures and patterns
in weathered skin and it seems to allow the stories
that older faces have to tell to come to the fore and
hit home with the viewer. If you dont want to go for
Choose a concept
the full monochrome look, you
can experiment with a judicially
desaturated effect, which can
also work really well with less
conventional models.
At the other end of the age
spectrum, children make great
subjects for portraits full of character
and life, but they can be challenging
models. Keeping children happy and engaged during
a portrait session isnt always straightforward, and
you may even need to design the lighting itself
differently to accommodate the very young, as pro
photographer Adrian Dewey explains. Babies tend
to pretty much stay where they are put, but toddlers
and smaller children will run around a lot more so
the lighting has to be less fancy and more about
ooding the total area.
A great portrait image doesnt necessarily need to
feature just one person, either. Getting a group of
friends or a family together for a photo shoot has the
huge advantage of making people look relaxed and
COLOUR
CONTROL
Black and white is a popular
style for many portraits,
but colour can be used very
effectively too, particularly
with well-judged post-
capture work in Photoshop
happy, as no one
individual feels
like the spotlight is
on them. You can,
of course, move
on to taking some
individual shots later,
after the group image
has been completed.
For pro portrait and wedding photographers,
group shots are a central component of what they
do and vital to their success in terms of sales.
Though many people will be inspired to book a
photographer because of the creative prowess that
their portfolio demonstrates, when it comes to group
shots, people will often err towards the conventional
and favour images where everyone looks happy
and everyone is looking at the camera. One of the
biggest challenges in shooting groups and families
is the fact that with a number of people there is
always someone not looking, or laughing or blocking
the light of someone else, thus creating unwanted
shadows and dark areas, explains Adrian Dewey.
The trick is to make sure everyone is lit evenly and to
get everyone to look at the camera at the same time
not always an easy task!
Professional portrait photographer Katrina
Christ knows more than a thing or two about
capturing groups successfully and has built her
reputation on photographing people of all ages. A
group portrait is a whole lot more fun if everyone
is into it, she says. Its also important to have
everyone looking into the camera and smiling if
you cant get that then you may end up with an
unhappy customer.
Katrinas biggest tip for capturing great
group shots is to be well prepared and shoot
fast. You need to be organised and know
everyones name. Make it quick as soon
as you know youve got it, move on to the
next composition or the next group. Lastly,
be fun and be positive.
Working
with children
Photographing children is one of the key
challenges that portrait photographers face
on a regular basis. You cant always predict
how they will be on the day, but making the
shoot fun and building a rapport with them
is vital. Katrina Christ offers this advice. I
always try to ensure that we work around
the youngest childs best time, and makes
sure the shoot is never going to interfere
with anyones sleep times.
Katrina Christ
katrinachrist.com.au
Katrina Christ is a pro photographer
and her speciality is monochrome
images of children and families. In
2011 she was made a Master of
Photography by the Australian
Institute of Professional
Photography (AIPP).
CAPTURING BIG GROUPS
Especially when there are lots of young children involved,
large groups can be one of the biggest challenges for portrait
photographers, but have great sales potential when done well
AdrianDewey
KatrinaChrist
Pick your model and the type of portrait you want

Advanced techniques
Create lots of banter to help
capture great expressions as
well as real character
richardmayeld.co.uk
Richard Mayeld is a
professional portrait,
fashion and beauty
photographer, as well as
being the creative director
of Venture Photography. In
2012, he was named
Photographer of the Year
by the British Institute of
Professional Photography.
What differences do you
notice when photographing older subjects?
Photographing somebody with more life experience
than me is always fascinating. They have more stories to
tell and strong opinions on what they believe in. This
always makes it easier to build rapport quickly and
create lots of banter to help capture great expressions as
well as real character.
Do you have any particular techniques or
approaches that you normally use for older models?
We all have different levels of condence, different
anxieties and different experiences. I am always genuine
with my sitters but I also have to be very adaptable. As
a professional photographer, I have to be acutely aware
of how models are feeling. With older subjects, I always
try to nd something that they are passionate about,
because as they talk about themselves and their
passions, they relax and thats when we can capture the
best shots.
What lighting techniques do you use when working
with older models?
I consider my lighting techniques very carefully when
shooting older models. When shooting females, I use
lighting that will atter the subject. When shooting men, I
often take the opposite approach and choose a harder
light source to exaggerate marks and blemishes, and to
bring out the character in their features.
What tips do you have for working with reluctant or
camera-shy subjects?
As professionals, we need to be technical and lighting
masters but we also need to have the interpersonal skills
to direct sitters and generate the right level of energy in
the shots. I see it as my responsibility to help my subjects
relax, reduce their inhibitions and enable them to build
condence in me.
What would your top three pieces of advice be for
portrait photography?
Firstly, be yourself. Secondly, be genuinely interested in
the sitter. Listen to them and get to know them. Thirdly,
practise, practise and practise!
Is there anything that aspiring portrait
photographers need to avoid?
Dont think that the session is about you, your lighting or
the technical side of what we do. Also, portrait
photographers should avoid chimping looking at the
TEXTURE TIME
Black-and-white images with plenty of
texture are ideal for older male subjects,
bringing a grit and edge to the portrait that
creates a fitting sense of gravitas
DONT RELY ON RULES
The subject is laughing with her eyes closed,
her mouth open and her head back. Some
would claim that this breaks the rules, but a
sense of character counts for much more
Working with older subjects
Pro photographer Richard Mayeld spoke to us
about working successfully with models of all ages
back of the camera when they could be connecting
with the sitter. Lastly, never blame the client if
something goes wrong. Whether its a tired child, a
hormonal teenager or a grumpy dad, it is our job to get
the best possible portrait of them.
TONING UP
Great portraits can be made even more impressive with
expert toning and selective saturation adjustments.
Many pro portrait photographers are very skilled at this
RichardMayfield
RichardMayfield

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Manage
your pose
THE RIGHT LIGHT
Getting the light set up the
way you want it to look is the
first the objective when taking
portraits, and you can then
worry about the models poses
and clothing as you work
LOOK FOR THE EYES
Direct eye contact with the
camera draws the viewer
into the scene. Your subject
doesnt need to be looking
into the lens but the models
eye-line always needs be
considered as it has a big
impact on the photos
PLACE THE HANDS
The shape created by the
placement of the models arms
and hands adds interesting curves
that mirror the curves of her hair
and the shape of her face. Subjects
usually need to be given something
specific to do with their hands as
this affects their entire posture
CHOOSE YOUR BACKGROUND
The warmth of the subjects skin and
hair colour provides a visually pleasant
counterpoint to the blue-grey shade
of the background. As in all colour
photography, portrait shooters need
to consider the use of complementary
colour tones within the image
A QUESTION OF
COMPOSITION
How much of the
model is included
within the frame
is entirely a matter
of choice for every
single photographer,
however this is
often at least partly
dictated by the pose.
Here, it makes sense
to focus on the head
and shoulders only
Create an engaging
composition with
pose, lighting and
background

Advanced techniques
No form of photography is easy but, rather like
teachers, portrait photographers often face challenges
that would make many people shudder. Put simply,
portrait photographers often nd themselves
attempting to capture a subject that doesnt want to
be photographed.
Children and babies are the most immediately
obvious culprits, but its not only the very young
who can create problems for portrait photographers.
When photographing family groups, many dads
are prone towards showing at least a little bit of
reluctance towards the idea of having their photo
taken, and many people are simply anxious about
how they will look on camera.
Different photographers have numerous tried-and-
tested techniques that they use to break the ice and
help subjects to relax during the shoot.
One approach taken by many portrait
photographers and studios is to
make use of props. While props
are also used in order to add
interest to the nished
image, their ability to help
subjects to relax and feel
at ease is also a major
benet to the shoot.
A camera-shy child
can suddenly become an
enthusiastic subject when
given the opportunity
to have photos with a
favourite toy and, on shoots
with a whole family, making
just one person laugh and smile can have a similar
effect on everyone else.
Some portrait studios will have a stock of their
own props that they can reuse as and when required.
Work with props
PROP SHOTS
Including props within your portraits can bring several
benefits, including helping your subjects feel comfortable
and providing a means of incorporating babies and young
children more successfully

Professional photographer Adrian Dewey reveals
his top tips for using props in your portraits
How to use props effectively
adriandewey.com
Adrian is a highly
accomplished and
diverse freelance
photographer, illustrator
and designer. His work
has been published in
numerous publications
including Vogue Italia,
ZOO magazine and
Totally Modied.
What are the advantages of using props for
portrait shoots?
Using props in group portraits and family portraits can
often help to balance the image, creating interesting or
uniform shapes. With a group of people, usually
everyone is a different shape or size and using props
and furniture can help tie all this together. I often nd
that the use of props can help to keep children
entertained, as they get bored very easily. Not only will
things like large building blocks or coloured balls keep
children interested but they can also add something
extra, more colour and shape to the nal image.
What do photographers need to consider before
including props in their images?
Props need to be used intelligently. If you ood an
image with props you can lose the subject and take
away from what you are trying to achieve. Also, the
props need to be consistent with the image. It is no
good adding props for the sake of it. Consider if they
will really work, if the colours match and t the overall
shape you are trying to achieve with the image. You
also need to make sure that props are sized correctly,
although sometimes it can be fun to play with scale.
Try a
triector
A triector is a fairly simple piece of
equipment that allows pro-style portraits
to be captured with relatively minimal
equipment. As their name suggests, they
consist of three reective panels that are
arranged slightly beneath and either side of
the model. With a ash positioned above and
slightly in front of the model, an appealing
type of lighting thats often referred to as
buttery lighting can be created.
There is absolutely no limit to the kind
of props that you can use during a shoot
The advantage of this is that the photographer gets
to know what sort of shots work with each particular
prop, which increases the chances of getting a good
result with relatively minimal effort or consideration
which can be a big advantage if a portrait session isnt
going entirely as planned.
However, this can equally be a disadvantage, as
the use of the same few props repeatedly can stie
creativity and make the portraits you produce too
uniform, as Richard Mayeld notes. I have seen the
same props brought out of the props cupboard in lots
of peoples work and for me that takes away all of the
personalisation of portraits and creates a cookie-
cutter approach to photography.
Instead, Richard recommends the use of
personalised objects. Personal items that are
brought to the session by the sitters themselves can
be fantastic, and we use these to great effect in the
studio at Venture. They are a great way to start a
conversation owing about their passions, and I nd
that having some of their own things around them
helps people relax. Most importantly, it ensures that
the shots that are produced are personal to them.
Technically, there is absolutely no limit on the
kind of props that you can use to your best advantage
during a portrait shoot. The more unusual the props,
the more creative potential there is for interesting and
compelling portraits to be taken. The only possible
drawback that you might need to consider when
using props is that young children may be reluctant
to discontinue using a prop if it is something that
they really love, so it might be necessary to structure
the session around this, allowing for the potential for
this issue to arise.
AdrianDewey
Bring out your subjects character
and interests using props

Advanced techniques
cropping a candid photo can destroy the original
integrity of the image.
Many people avoid taking candid portraits and
street photography in general as they are concerned
that an unpleasant situation could arise, but David
Gibson believes that there is no real need for this.
In 25 years, I have had just two or three negative
encounters. I do not go looking for uncomfortable
encounters and I honestly believe that, when I am in
the right frame of mind, I am half-invisible.
Not all portrait shoots need to involve studios and
prearranged models. A bold breed of photographer
favours taking to the streets and capturing their
subjects unawares. Provided you use a bit of
common sense and know where to draw the line,
there is nothing illegal about photographing people
while out and about, as we cannot expect privacy
when we are in an obviously public place.
You will run in to trouble, however, if you choose
to follow someone around in pursuit of a photo or
invade someones personal space in a way that they
could interpret as threatening. If you do, they will
then have every right to state that you are harassing
them and any nearby police ofcers may take the
view that you are causing a public nuisance, at which
point you will have stumbled into less legal territory.
Its also a very bad idea to photograph
children or law-enforcement ofcers,
both for obvious reasons.
Remember, of course, that
how you use the photos once
you have taken them also
matters. Essentially, you
can only use the images
for non-commercial use
so if you are intending
to make money from
the images in some form
or another then you
cannot do so without a
signed model release form
from your subject. Youll
also create potential difculty for
yourself if you upload obviously
unattering pictures of someone to a
public website.
However, having taken all of these
considerations into account, street photography and
candid portraits can still be incredibly compelling
forms of photography, simply because the range
of subjects is endless; there is always something or
someone new or different to capture.
There is also the undeniable buzz of trying to
capture the people around you without them taking
any notice of you. My whole ethos is not to be seen,
explains street-photography expert David Gibson. I
really dont want any kind of interaction with the
people in my photographs. Thats the whole point of
street photography that its real.
Street photographers adopt many
different techniques when
capturing candid portraits,
with some swearing by
shooting from the hip and
others preferring to take
their photos with the
camera up to their eye
to compose and shoot.
Photographers also tend
to disagree over whether
candid portraits and
street photography images
should ever be cropped, as
some image-makers feel that
Capture candid shots
Prime time
Prime lenses offer a few select
advantages over zoom lenses, and
many photographers swear by them.
First of all, their physical design lets more
light reach the sensor than a zoom lens
at the same settings. A number of prime
lenses, such as the classic 50mm f1.8,
are small and light, yet still deliver great
optical quality. Lastly, prime lenses offer
ultra-wide apertures for creating images
with incredibly shallow depth of eld.
MAY THE FORCE
BE WITH YOU
You need to be bold, brave
and a little lucky to capture
great candid portraits, and
ready to pounce on an
opportunity quickly before
the moment is lost
David Gibson
gibsonstreet.com
Based in east London, David Gibson
has been taking street photographs
for over 20 years and leads workshops
in London.Throughout 2012, he has
also led three-day workshops
in Athens,Amsterdam,
Warsaw, Singapore and
Stockholm.
WALK
THIS WAY
Although images like
this may look like pure
serendipity, street
photographers often
look out for interesting
instances of synchronicity

D
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DavidGibson
Snap spontaneous moments and expressions

Advanced techniques
CANON
EOS 6D
With the right lens, the EOS
6D is the perfect partner for
any enthusiast who wishes
to shoot portraits
MANY PATHS
Street photographers
adopt a number of
different approaches, and
its ultimately all about
what each individual
photographer feels works
best for them

Loc Brohard shares some advice on
how to capture great candid portraits
Public
portraits
brohardphotography.blogspot.com
A prolic Flickr contributor and
enthusiastic blogger, Loc knows a
thing or two about capturing great
candid portraits in public places. He is
the administrator for the Flickr group
Street Photography & Candid Street
Portrait (The Very Best).
Where do you prefer to shoot your
candid portraits?
I tend to go to public events and
famous tourist locations, as they are both places where everyone
has a camera! I nd them to ideal environments to take pictures of
street scenes or candid portraits, because no one really cares or
takes any notice of exactly what or who you are taking photos of.
What techniques do you use?
I never shoot from the hip or by holding the camera up and above, as
I dont much like these techniques. Usually, I quickly point, compose,
focus and shoot. You may miss some opportunities, but this gives
the best chance to get a good outcome. If the background is an
important element of the composition, I set up the camera with the
focus in the right place and wait for somebody to walk into the frame.
Are there any problems that you encounter?
Counter-terrorism measures have sometimes been a burden for
photographers, although its not at all illegal to photograph in a
public place. The weather is an important constraint, as you can
only really work outside using natural light. Its crucial to nd the
right places to avoid bad conditions like harsh sunlight.
What kind of faces do you look for in a candid portrait?
All street photographers try to concentrate on a single human
moment the decisive moment. I try to create a beautiful strong
image that the subject would be proud of if they were to see it. It can
be anything at all. A strong face, a smile, a nice or interesting
expression; an old man or woman, a strong character and so on.
What do you say if anyone asks you what you are doing?
Ive never experienced negative or violent reactions. Generally, it
doesnt even matter too much if some [people] notice you, as most
will instantly think they have ruined your photo and may even
apologise. For the ones of them who do realise, usually they wont
mind, you can even get some interesting reactions when they do.
Well-composed
and exposed candid
portraits have a
natural charm about
them that is hard to
recreate in a posed,
studio portrait
LocBrohard

Advanced techniques
BENEATH
THE SURFACE
There is no real limit to how and
where a portrait can be created.
Napie Moksin liked a challenge, so
opted to pursue underwater portraits,
which require both careful planning
and specialist equipment
NapieMoksin

Advanced techniques
Portrait photographer Napie Moksin shares his underwater portrait secrets
Creative ways to work with portraiture
blog.napiemoksin.com
Napie rst contemplated the
idea of photographing
underwater portraits ve years
ago. After some scuba diving
training he began
experimenting with shooting
underwater images in 2009.
He attributes his decision to
pursue this genre of
photography to his love of a challenge.
How do you go about creating your amazing
underwater portraits?
It starts with the planning of the desired concept and
the selection of a suitable date and time for the shoot.
The swimming pool must be booked in advance so that
no other parties can use it at the same time. Model
selection will be made and there will be training on at
least two occasions, usually a week or two before the
shoot. Normally, this training is only required if the photo
shoot involves a depth of more than two metres. The
makeup used should be able to survive at least for a
period of 40 minutes and I use bright colours for my
underwater work. The clothing should have a space that
is capable of letting air out. Then of course there is the
technical side in terms of the backdrop and lighting that
should be there.
What sort of lighting equipment and setup do you
use for this type of shoot?
I use outdoor swimming pools and shoot with two
different types of light. Theres natural light from the sun,
and I also use three Lowel DP 1000-watt video lights just
outside the water. In the water itself, I use an Inon Z-240
strobe (a dedicated underwater unit) underwater to ll
in any shadows.
What do you enjoy about setting up and
photographing underwater portraits?
Underwater photography is very challenging and
more fun than photography on land! Every time [I shoot]
theres something new to learn.
How long does it take to produce a portrait?
It chiey depends on the models ability and experience.
If they have experience [underwater] it will take around
one to two hours.
What instructions do you give to your models?
Before the photo shoot starts, I show them pictures of
underwater photography as a reference so that they
know what I am hoping to achieve. I also give them a
brieng and teach them how to pose in the water and
how to take care of facial expression. I often tell them
that when they are in the water they need to be able to
handle many tasks at once and in a short time.
What are the main challenges and problems
presented by underwater photography?
Underwater equipment is very expensive and its
sometimes difcult to get a swimming pool. You can
count with your ngers how many photographers
have done underwater portrait photography like this
and I believe that I am among the earliest
photographers to do so.
BUBBLING UNDER
Underwater portraits push a
photographers skills to the limit,
but a successful shot has an
intrigue and wonder about it that
makes for truly compelling viewing
NapieMoksin

Advanced techniques
15 foolproof portrait tips
Weve selected our favourite portrait photography
tips and tricks to help you make the most of a shoot
01 Pick
up a prop
If you are working with an
uncomfortable or reticent subject,
try incorporating a prop into the
shoot. Most people will feel much
more relaxed and a lot less awkward
when they have something specic
to do such as holding an object
of some kind, particularly if it
is something personal
to them.
05 Negative
space works
Negative space in a portrait can
look incredibly effective. The only
point to remember is that your
subject must not be looking away
from the negative space, and
negative space usually works better
towards the left of the frame, with
the subject on the right,
rather than the other
way around.
Keep the
energy up
Portrait photographers
need to be enthusiastic
and inspire the same
sort of enthusiasm in
their subjects. If your
subjects feel inspired
by you and your
energy levels then
they will try harder
themselves, which in
turn will help you to
keep coming up with
different ideas.
02
03
Safety in numbers
Where possible, start portrait
sessions with a group shot especially
with uneasy models. Camera-shy people
will feel far less threatened and nervous
when they are not the only one being
photographed, and they will probably be
quite happy to pose after a warm-up.
Aperture
matters
A wide
aperture,
like f2 or f1.4, will produce
extremely shallow depth
of eld that can look very
attractive in portraits. But
be extra careful with your
focusing to ensure that the
eyes are sharp. The eye thats
nearest to the lens should be
the main focal point when
youre using shallow depth
of eld.
04

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M
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Dont assume
that you need
lots of different
lights to create
a pro-looking
portrait

Advanced techniques
07
Simple light
Dont assume that you need lots
of different lights to create a pro-looking
portrait. Many of the best portraits are
taken using just one carefully positioned
light. Using several lights often only serves
to make everything more complex and
doesnt necessarily improve the shots.
09
Consider the crop
Creative or unusual crops can
make a massive difference to a portrait.
Dont be afraid to crop in really tight
on your subjects face, perhaps even
cropping out some of your subjects face.
Try breaking the conventional portraiture
rules for dynamic images.
08
Get gritty
Whereas some subjects suit
soft, attering light that suppresses
imperfections and blemishes, other
subjects including older men often
work well with processing that really
highlights every nuance and detail of their
face and skin.
10
Go beyond
portrait lenses
You often hear photographers describing
an 85mm lens as a great portrait lens.
However, that doesnt mean that you
cant shoot great portraits with a wide-
angle lens. Never be afraid to experiment
and go for creative compositions.
Work quickly
Keeping things moving during
the shoot will prevent your
subject from getting restless
and it also helps them to have more condence
in your abilities. Spending too long on something
makes you look less purposeful and will make
the client think that things arent working.
06
11
The eyes have it
Pay close attention to your
subjects eyes. What expression do
they have? Where are they looking?
How sharp are they? Ask yourself these
questions when you are posing your
models and composing your portraits,
and youll see the difference in your shots.
12
Edit your shots
The work you do in Lightroom
and Photoshop can make a difference to
the quality of your portraits. Experiment
with different crops and different contrast
levels. If you shoot RAW, you can also
tweak the white balance.
Black and white
Some portraits simply
work better in black and
white. Shadowy low-
key images are a classic example, but
dont overlook the potential of high-key
conversions. Always try out an image in
mono before committing to colour.
13
Avoid direct on-camera ash
Using just an on-camera ash as your main light source
will rarely result in top-quality portrait images, so avoid
using it. Without bouncing your ash or modifying it with
a small softbox, the light produced by the on-camera ash is very likely
to be harsh and unattering.
15
14 Have a
plan ready
Its very important to have a plan
for your shoot so that you have
something to go on once the
subject is there and the session
has begun. When you dont have
to think of ideas during the shoot,
because youve already planned
them, youll nd that plenty of
ideas will come to you
as you work.
DavidGibson
KatrinaChrist

QUIRAING, ISLE OF SKYE
Moments where light bursts through the
clouds can illuminate the landscape in ways
that are unimaginable. This side-lit scene from
the Quiraing, Isle of Skye, is testament to this
W
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Advanced techniques
Canon EF
24-70mm
f/2.8 II
USM
Works best with

T
here are, of course, many different genres
of photography. However, landscape
photography is without a doubt one of the
most rewarding forms of the medium. Its fair to
say that there is nothing simpler, or more exciting
than capturing the great outdoors. Forget nicky
studio lighting, props and equipment complexities;
lets embrace the beauty of the natural world and
experience a whole new creative understanding.
Landscape shooting is popular because of its
synergy of high-spirited adventure, technical
mastery and creative expression. What is
remarkable is the broad overlap within its core. Are
you a technical person that nds art unfathomable?
Then theres room for you within this medium. Are
you artistic but far from a painter? There are so
many creative doorways opening, you dont have to
be either. As technology simplies a once-bafing
art form, there has never been a better time to start
exploring the genre of creative landscapes.
So all this sounds exciting and rather
straightforward visit a beauty spot, stay until
sunset and snap? The scatter-gun approach will
satisfy photographers who are just starting out
at rst, but dont expect the buzz to last too
long. Intrigue will ultimately lead to confusion,
then perhaps to what we can term the runners
wall. Many view this as a spiritual journey and
enlightenment is not easy to nd. It takes myriad
elements to capture that beautiful crescendo. So if
youre condent that you want a piece of the glory,
get tuned in and be willing to do everything in your
power to make it happen.
We explore the mindset, potential and elation
behind looking for the perfect creative landscape
and photographing it with your Canon
Creative
landscapes
with Canon
Advanced techniques

Although location-based vistas make up a large
percentage of landscape photography, there are
many ways of interpreting the natural world around
you. Landscapes dont have to be shot from the top
of a treacherous mountain or while risking it all at
a stormy coast. They can be minimalist, intimate,
simplied, abstract, diffused or even patterned.
Shooting a landscape image is fun and exciting. Just
a little research, some minimal camera gear and a
spring in your step can lead to some exciting times.
Once your kit bag is packed, remember that
capturing a gorgeous vista doesnt have to be
complicated. By sticking to a number of important
principles it can be very simple. Firstly choose
a clich, an over-photographed icon and do this
without concern.
Photographing a clich removes the need to assess
composition, which can often be unfathomable at
the start. Lets take a classic Scottish castle scene. Its
very shape and context makes it a joy to behold. The
photographic experience is about waiting for great or
unusual light, while the technical experience is about
camera technique and timing. The composition and
framing of the picture are gifts handed down from
photographer to photographer, and there is nothing
wrong with that. Dont worry about standing in the
same place where an admired photograph was once
taken. Its a bit like learning to play a cover song on
a new guitar. Its too early to scrutinise integrity, its
all about getting a feel for the rhythm. The lessons
learned from capturing a successful photograph can
be carried forwards to new locations, clich or not.
Full of newfound condence, consider repeating
the same idea in different locations. This creates the
one thing all artists desire style. Then take a leap
of faith into new and uncharted locations. Use your
skills to interpret the landscape and match technique
with new creative understanding at the coast, in
woodlands, national parks and beyond. Build a
portfolio of classics and be proud of them.
Its fair to say that many landscapes often contain
lots of complication and clutter. But when youre
shooting, remember that they dont always have to
be lled with texture, density and dimension. The
mind enjoys a simplied view, with space to breathe.
Where do we nd such subjects? This depends on
how far you wish to go with a ne-art approach.
Start with natural subjects like single trees. A few
clouds and a single tree atop a hill can be all that is
needed to create a great landscape. It could be from a
distance, photographed with a telephoto lens. It could
be entirely isolated, but dont stop there. As winter
rolls in and covers the landscape in a blanket of
snow, nature simplies our vision even further. Soft,
sculpted shapes from windblown snow can make
remarkable photographs. Even simple man-made
structures like fencing or telegraph poles can create
really interesting compositions.
Other simple scenes can be found at the coast.
Divide the frame with differing percentiles of sand,
sea and sky. Why not try some camera movement?
Use a long exposure and move the camera smoothly.
Experiment to discover if this style suits your style.
BLEA TARN, LAKE DISTRICT
Still and tranquil lakes are hard to find, but although this
view has been photographed many times, the conditions
make this worthy of repeating
Advanced techniques

Creative use of
polarising lters
If youre starting out in landscape photography,
the use of creative filters can be rather confusing.
The polarising filter in itself is probably one of the
most powerful creative tools that you can use, as
it has such a drastic effect on the landscape and
sky in particular.
Photographers often misconstrue that the
polariser is actually increasing saturation, when
in fact it is cutting reflection and allowing the true
colour of the subjects to come through. Imagine
waxy leaves on a tree; they are reflecting so
much daytime light that the green becomes very
washed out. The polariser cuts this reflection and
the true colour of the leaves is visible.
This effect becomes very prominent in the sky.
By reducing the reflective light emanating from
particles of moisture in the atmosphere, the sky
reduces in luminosity, which makes the clouds
stand out far more significantly. Its effectively
doing exactly the same job as on the tree, which
is often a little difficult to understand at first.
Creative use of polarisers is tricky, especially
when working with wide-angle lenses. However,
with a little practice, working with these little
bits of kit will become second nature and youll
discover a wonderful world of colour that goes
unseen. Polarisers can even work remarkably
well when shooting after sunset, in black-and-
white and also in infrared.
Taken using a polarising filter, reflections
are significantly reduced which reveals the
vibrant, true colours of the scene
An image taken without the use of a
polarising filter will appear more washed out,
as the daylight is reflected by the subjects
VITTANGI FROST,
SWEDEN
A simple roadside shot like this needs no
focal point, just a balance of lines and tones
that give it a sense of compositional rhythm
and a stately elegance
Elements of
a great shot
Q The image comprises a simple set
of colours whites, soft greys and
a very slight blue tint. They are all
complementary and balanced.
Q The tones in the image are simple;
pale gradients of snow and sky against
the slight texture of the hoar frost and
snow beneath.
Q The tree trunksallow visual
exploration of the image without being
attention grabbing. There are ve
bolder tree trunks that balance the
compositional rhythm.
Q Slight darkening to the upper and
lower parts of the image create a
ceiling and base that generates interest
at the centre of the frame, helping to
balance the overall image.
Advanced techniques

Advanced techniques

The use of simple colours in your landscape
images can also be a powerful tool. Perhaps the rst
thing that springs to mind when shooting images
with simple palettes is macro and ower photography,
but you can shoot beautiful landscapes in simplied
tones. Remember the importance of harmonious
balance in an image, with compositional elements
and also the placement of colours themselves.
Take a cold winter scene. The colours are
somewhat monochrome, with whites and greys
offsetting each other. Yet sunsets and sunrises can
also contain a simple balance of colour. Ochre, reds
and yellow sand can have a wonderful warm feel,
without the need for complicated composition.
Now think about a cloudless dusk sky, with simple
bands of blue, orange and magenta. The balance of
complementary colour can make all the difference to
the way a landscape feels.
Spring landscapes in particular are a variety of
primary colours. A bluebell woodland or a eld full
of rapeseed or poppies all contain simple washes of
soft colour, usually against distant green elds and
favourably blue skies. The eye loves to see simplied
colours working together in harmony, as they often
create a painterly feel in a photograph.
Another atmospheric and natural subject that can
add an extra element to your landscape portfolio is
mist and fog. These meteorological wonders create
fantastic possibilities for creative photography.
There is nothing more magical and ethereal than
a dawn shoot overlooking mist and fog in the valley
Landscapes through
a long lens
You might think that a DSLR is a requirement
when it comes to serious landscape photography,
but thanks to Canon you can save yourself
some cash and get lightweight performance
with an incredible zoom. The Canon PowerShot
SX50 HS is a bridge compact with superzoom
capabilities. This 12.1 megapixel shooter offers a
50x ultra wide-angle zoom great for capturing
distant horizons at a good price: it costs just
449/$480. As a compact its also lighter in
weight than even a DX-format DSLR which means
that its great for extended treks in search of
perfect scenes to shoot it weighs just 595g.
You dont need a DSLR to deal with

the long distances involved in
landscape photography
HAYTOR VALE, DARTMOOR
Get out early, as mist rarely lasts long. As the
sun rises, the air currents warm and condense
the mist even further. This was taken seconds
before being completely engulfed
Advanced techniques

below. And the possibilities dont end there. It doesnt
have to be all about high-level vistas; fog and mist can
be some of the most useful conditions for shooting
inside forests as well. Its the diffusion that provides
the magic, softly losing detail with distance.
Mist is created by cold air condensing with warmer
air above. Pockets of cold air sit in valleys, especially
during the spring and autumn months when night-
time temperatures drop signicantly lower than
daytime. You can get a good indicator of when mist
and fog will occur by looking at the dew point, or
humidity. Websites like the Met Ofce or your local
weather service provide good information on this.
One of the most exciting places to shoot mist and
fog is to nd an east-facing viewpoint that overlooks
elds and hillsides. Using a telephoto lens rather than
a wide angle allows you to pick out more intimate
compositions within the landscape. Mist and fog
usually occur under clear skies, so the rising sun can
create some wonderful golden light.
Sometimes when mist and fog is too thick, the vista
can be lost. With the landscape engulfed, its better to
get away from the views and get into the forests and
woodlands. This is often where the tree magic can
happen, especially if the mist is so thick that there is
no light penetrating through. Find a woodland that
feels particularly creepy and let your imagination run
riot. Shoot delicate details of trees trunks fading into
the white, or perhaps pick out a forest glade.
Remember, there are no shadows when shooting
in fog, just midtones and highlights. Push your
exposures to the right of the histogram to capture the
right tones correctly and make sure you get up early
enough, as a lot of the magic happens before dawn!
The more often you head out to shoot in these
adverse weather conditions, youll notice that good
landscape photography is not only about the magic
of light but it can also be about the lack of it. Certain
photographs will work well with certain conditions,
so dont always assume the photography is about
capturing the spectacular. Magnicent lighting
doesnt have to be colourful; it can be based around
contrast, something entirely different. Imagine a
scenario where a torch is lit through a crack in the
door. This is almost the same as heavy grey clouds,
with the sun ltering through a crack on the horizon.
Although it may be intense to look at, the side lighting
can turn the world into a very surreal place.
This sort of light occurs in places with
unpredictable weather patterns, like mountains or
moorland scenes. Some of the best conditions for
landscape photography can be when the weather is
at its absolute worst. Strange things happen in the
mountains in particular, and just when you think you
have light all sussed out, it will unfold and redene
your understanding.
Another thing that the light is very good at creating
is patterns, but you dont have to stop there. We
have all seen patterns and shapes in sand at the coast,
and there is great potential to nd patterns within
the landscape as well. Some of the most wonderful
patterns occur from mans interaction with the land,
for example ploughed elds or stripes in mown grass.
Alternatively, explore some of the places where
nature creates the most unusual and intricate
of designs, such as the coast at low tide. The
receding tide can often leave some very fascinating
impressions as currents form and shapes lie within
the sand. Often, as water runs underneath the sand,
it can collapse to leave some extremely interesting
branches almost like the branches of a tree. These
are denitely worth seeking out.
Advanced techniques

Thinking in
black and white
Moonlight photography, astrophotography,
infrared and black-and-white are all
interpretive mediums where the camera
reveals a world that is otherwise unseen.
Black-and-white doesnt require any expensive
equipment and is a great rst step toward
understanding how to interpret photography
in a different way.
Look for interesting textures and ll your
coastal foregrounds with rock patterns
alongside a lack of colour. Washed-out
sunsets can often make compelling
monochrome images.
Try setting your cameras picture style to
black-and-white and experiment with shooting
mono imagery, attempting to translate the
colour tones you see around you before you
press the shutter.
In colour, this image of Westcombe in
Devon looks a little flat. The colours are
muted and do no justice to the scene
In monochrome, the beautiful textures
in the sand are highlighted, as is the
moody atmospheric sky
PORTHCURNO, CORNWALL
Finding images with just two or three colours
makes a harmony and simplicity that does
not involve composition. Colours with similar
hues, like the green sea and blue sky, can
complement beautifully
Advanced techniques

images, portraying the world as the eye sees it. The
longer-range zoom is ideal for exploring intimate
details in the landscape. Ensure your framing is
accurate, tidy and well-policed before you hit the
shutter. Let your eye ow over the scene for images
with a natural harmony, using light, tonality and
obvious compositional elements.
While you are composing your scene, allow
colour to play its part. There are three main types of
palette or colour harmony that you can use. The
most obvious to use is a natural colour harmony,
which is based on the colour combinations that we
see in nature lots of different hues and shades of
green, gradients of blue and pops of brighter colours.
This makes the natural scheme perfect for strictly
representational landscape images, when youre
photographing an iconic place that you want the
viewer to recognise.
Another colour harmony that most photographers
will have heard of is complementary colour, where
Canon gear guide
Canon EOS 6D
Price: 2,519.99/$2,899.00
This fantastic full-frame DSLR is lighter
than other models, making it the ideal
companion for a landscape photographer. It
comes with a 24-105mm kit lens for the
prices above.
Canon EOS 700D
Price: 759.99/ $899.99
The affordable DX-format Canon EOS 700D
is a great camera for landscape enthusiasts.
Offering 18-megapixels and an extensive
ISO range, you can capture high-quality
images in low-light with little noise.
Canon EF 16-35mm
f/2.8L II USM
Price: 1319.99/$1699.00
This professional ultra wide-angle lens
offers a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture,
which is great for low-light landscapes.
Canon PowerShot SX510 HS
Price: 289.99/ $249.99
The new Canon PowerShot SX510 HS is a
great second shooter as its lightweight,
compact and has a powerful 30x optical
zoom lens attached. It also comes equipped
with Wi-Fi so you can share shots instantly.
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L
IS USM Extender 1.4x
Price: 11,999.99 / $11,800
This high-end telephoto lens offers an
extensive focal range, which is great for
getting in closer to your landscape scenes or
photographing wildlife from a safe distance.
On a much smaller scale, change your lens to a
macro. Youll soon nd that this will open up huge
potential for patterns that can be found within nature.
Frost, snow and ice can create some of the most
remarkable forms, especially when photographed
close-up. Rocks themselves make some of the most
fascinating macro possibilities. Is this truly landscape
photography? Perhaps not, but it is part of the
landscape portfolio.
Before you head out in search of photographic
perfection, consider what you need for the job. There
are three distinctive areas that must be conquered to
compose a great landscape image. There is the wide-
angle with a focal length of 17-30mm, the mid-range
focal length of 30-70mm and nally the longer-range
zoom, between 70-300mm. Each has a different
discipline that will excel in different scenarios.
Wide-angle lenses are excellent for creating a sense
of dimension and density to your landscapes. The
mid-range zoom provides a sense of reality in your
lters or post-production are used to create a visual
juxtaposition between colours that are opposite each
other on a colour wheel. The opposing colours make
each other pop. The most common complementary
colour combination is a primary with a secondary
colour. However, tertiary colours such as blue-
green and red-orange can often create a richer
complementary colour harmony.
This brings us on to analogous colours those that
sit next to each other on the colour wheel. A coloured
lter or a monochrome post-production treatment
can help you to achieve this effect. You can create it
with three shades of the same colour, like purple-red,
true red and orange-red, or combine a primary and
secondary like true red, orange-red and true orange.
Whatever your level of photography, there
is always room to expand and explore. Creative
landscape shooting is about developing an eye
alongside an understanding of the landscape and
weather. Above all, get your camera and get out there.
LANDMANNALUAGAR, ICELAND
A volcanic landscape in the south of Iceland, rich in
colour and texture

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COYOTE BUTTES, UTAH
The wave formations of the orange-toned desert
rocks against a bright-blue sky provide a great
example of complementary colours in landscapes
Corbis
Advanced techniques

Top 10 creative
landscape tips
02
QUIRKY ANGLES
Dont be afraid to shoot at strange angles. If you
are shooting close-up with no horizon, a quirky angle can
create an unusual take on a common subject. Look for
natural lines and try to make them run diagonally.
03
COMPRESS PERSPECTIVES
By using longer focal lengths on a telephoto
lens, you can crop in on landscape details and section off
interesting patterns within the landscape.
04
USING REFLECTORS
Getting enough light can be tricky when
shooting macro studies. Use a hand-held reector to
bounce light back into the shaded side of the subject.
05
THREE LEGGED FRIENDS
Theres no denying that tripods are useful for
keeping the camera steady and freeing up your hands.
Once you have framed the shot, lock the tripod up to
concentrate on the lighting, composition and timing.
06
SWITCH TO MANUAL MODE
Focusing manually will ensure the camera
focuses where you want it to, and by setting exposure
manually you can be more creative. Use the spot-
metering mode to measure the light for the best results.
07
CLAMPS AND PODS
Gorillapods, miniature tripods and clamps are
all handy gadgets. If you nd a great landscape-within-
a-landscape, get in close to shoot. Small clamps can be
used to hold back vegetation or even to clasp a reector.
08
WIDER APERTURES
Shoot within the ranges of f2.8-5.6 to throw
distracting backgrounds out of focus and direct the
eye to your subject. Wider apertures give faster shutter
speeds, so you can shoot without worrying about shake.
09
USING LIVE VIEW
Live View is a handy function to aid
composition. Some cameras even offer live histograms.
10
ZOOM-BURSTING
With the camera on a tripod, zoom in on your
subject. Use a shutter speed of 1/8-1/30sec and just as
you trip the shutter, twist the zoom lens back out. This
produces a zoomed effect, which is very eye-catching.
Try the technique with any static subject.
Midday shadows
Shooting at midday is frowned
upon by many, but overhead
light can create dramatic
shadows, especially in the
landscape. Look out for
unusual shapes and patterns
thrown by buildings etc
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Working with
W
e share our planet with Mother Natures
most fascinating subjects. Wildlife
has the ability to captivate all of us, and
so it seems only natural that we would want to
capture our experiences with it on camera to share
with the rest of the world. In this feature, well be
exploring the photographic genre in detail and
unearthing the practicalities of working in the wild
with unpredictable, and often elusive animals. Youll
discover what it means to be a wildlife photographer,
and learn how to use your skills to document
the natural world and help raise awareness of
conservation efforts. Youll also learn that wildlife
photography is not all about safaris and the exotic
species that roam the savannah; its also on your
doorstep and can be just as enthralling to photograph.
Well cover expert shooting techniques, ideal
camera settings and all the equipment youll need to
get the shots. The professionals will also be talking
with us, keen to share their experiences and advice
on working in the wild.
Uncover practical advice and pro insight on how to
capture natures intriguing creatures with your Canon
Wildlife
Advanced techniques

Shah Rogers
Photography
shahrogersphotography.com
Photographers Anup Shah and
Fiona Rogers specialise in
close-up wildlife photography.
They frequently shoot fantastic
close-ups of African wildlife in
Tanzania. Here, they share their
advice for those whod like to follow
in their footsteps.
There is no date at which
we became full-time wildlife
photographers. It was a gradual
transition, an evolution. The
approach we take is to spend a lot
of time with our animal subjects,
get to know them, and photograph
them on their terms.
A location we return to time
and time again is the Gombe
National Park in Tanzania. When
you photograph animals on their
terms, you get good close-ups
when they come to you, driven
by curiosity. On their terms youll
[capture] relaxed animals that
behave naturally
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
Never put yourself at risk when working
with wild animals. Take appropriate
precautions and use your zoom lens
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Canon EF
70-200mm
f/2.8L IS II
USM
Works best with

Advanced techniqu
Having a passion for wildlife is integral to this
area of photography, as is patience and persistence.
Its a demanding genre and working outdoors
against the elements can quickly take its toll on
you and your kit. However, investing in the right
equipment will help to maximise your time out on
a shoot. Youll need to be willing to part with a fair
few pennies, as what is considered essential doesnt
always come cheap. A standard kit lens might be
great for the back-garden variety of wildlife but
if youre intending to venture into the wilderness,
youre going to need some specialist optics that
can keep up. A good-quality telephoto lens such as
Canons own 70-200mm is indispensable, as it will
offer far-reaching focal lengths thatll enable you
to crop-in closer. In some situations, these lenses
will also ensure your safety, as its possible to work
from a distance. Although youre guaranteed better
quality optics with prime telephoto lenses, you will
be restricted in focal range. A telephoto zoom lens
is a much more versatile option and you have the
exibility to frame both wide and tight.
In addition to selecting your ideal optics, youll
also need to invest in some serious accessories
that are able to withstand the sort of terrain and
elements youll be working in. A good-quality
tripod will offer support and can save your shots
from camera shake, particularly when working
with long telephoto lenses. A durable camera bag
is also essential as well to keep your kit safe and
dry when its not in use. Spending more money up
front for better-quality kit will save you in the long
run, as you wont have to pay out for pricey repairs
or replacements as quickly. But dont rush into
purchasing every gadget that promises improved
photos, work with the essentials rst and build up
your kit bag as your shooting skills develop.
Preparation is fundamental to any shoot but
for wildlife photographers, research is imperative.
Particularly if youre working with rare or
endangered species. As a wildlife photographer its
your responsibility to have a good understanding
and appreciation for the animals youre working
with. The right knowledge will also help you to
make informed decisions that can ensure both your
safety and that of the animals. Use research as a
tool to help you take better photos by uncovering
interesting facts that detail a particular
EYE CONTACT
Direct eye contact is essential
for animal portraits. Be sure to
keep the focus sharp too
Gear guide
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L
IS II USM
Web: www.canon.com Price: 1,1722/$1,449
Its not the farthest-reaching telephoto out there
but the Canon 70-200mm offers fantastic-quality
optics that are ideal for wildlife photography. This
professional lens includes a fantastic f2.8 wide
aperture setting, which is constant through the
entire zoom range, and it can also focus almost
silently at a minimum distance of 1.5 metres.
Canon 18x50 IS All Weather
Web: www.canon.com Price: 1,089/$1,449
The Canon 18x50 IS All Weather binoculars are
fantastic for wildlife photographers and
enthusiasts. Offering a clear 18x magnication
view with image stabilization built in, they are great
for surveying a scene before you shoot, which is
perfect if youre photographing the more
aggressive kinds of wildlife such as big cats. You
also have a wide eld-of-view of 67 degrees.
Gitzo Mountaineer 6X tripod
Web: www.gitzo.co.uk Price: 610/$500
If youre working with large
lenses you need serious
support. A tripod like the
Gitzo Mountaineer will save
your wrists and shots from
camera shake. Made from
crossed layers of carbon
bre, this Gitzo tripod is
lightweight and absorbs
vibration. It also comes with
a simple leg-locking system.
Lowepro Flipside 500 AW
Web: www.lowepro.com
Price: 150/$250
Its important to ensure
your kit is safe on a wildlife
shoot. A hard-wearing bag
like the Lowepro Flipside
500 AW is ideal and can
hold pro-sized camera gear
including a 500mm lens.
Theres even a tripod
mount, all-weather cover
and storage space for
personal items.

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER 113
Working with wildlife
ANIMAL ACTION
Watch out for speedy subjects and animal
action. Capture motion using faster shutter
speeds and selecting your cameras tracking
autofocus function to keep subjects sharp
ESSENTIAL OPTICS
Wildlife photography requires the use of far-
reaching focal lengths. You can zoom in to your
animal subjects from a distance, which is great
for both your safety and shooting close crops
Name: Victoria Hillman
Bio: After studying a degree
in zoology with marine
zoology, Victoria undertook a
masters degree in wildlife
biology and conservation.
She says, My focus is not
just to photograph wildlife but
to use my knowledge to
acquire a deeper understanding of interactions and
behaviours. She was recently appointed research
director of the Transylvanian Wildlife Project and her
work has received a number of awards.
www.vikspics.com
Is research important in wildlife photography?
Researching your subject is vital, not only for capturing
Wild insights
Professional wildlife photographer Victoria Hillman shares her advice
and top tips for capturing successful wildlife shots at home and away
images but also for the welfare of both your subject and
yourself. My rst port of call is researching my target
species, its behaviour and any patterns it may follow, and
also its habitat. The welfare of that species comes rst
even if it means missing the shot.
Whats your most memorable animal encounter?
It has to be seeing a greater bamboo lemur in the wild in
Madagascar. I had spent some time with one individual
watching him sleep, just as I left he woke up and started to
eat. At that moment he looked straight into my eyes and
feeling his stare brought tears to my eyes.
In your opinion what makes a great image?
A good wildlife image for me has to show an emotional
connection with the subject. There has to be something
striking about an image that is both thought-provoking
and tells a story.
What are your top tips for wildlife photography?
Research your subject and its habitat, and concentrate
on just one species or habitat at a time. Always put the
welfare of your subject rst and remember that
patience really does pay off! Know your equipment
inside and out I cant emphasise this enough, the
better you know your equipment, the better the results.
Victorias images are available for use in publications
and to buy as ne-art prints from her website vikspics.
com. Canvases are also available on request. Contact
Victoria for details on tailor-made talks and
photographic tuition too. She is also a UK local hero of
the Manfrotto School of Xcellence and runs webinars
through their website throughout the year; Victorias
previous webinars are available through the webinar
archive section at manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com.
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creatures habitat, life span and behavioural
traits. With this information youll know more
about where to nd the animal, the best time of day
or year to photograph them and what characteristics
are distinctive to the species. Knowing more about
the animal will not only ensure that your work
stands out, but also help towards building our
understanding of the natural world, which in turn
can help aid conservation efforts.
Of course no two animals are the same, so dont
expect the research youve unearthed on one
subject to apply as easily to another. Photographing
wildlife in the Sahara for example, is entirely
different to photographing those that are native to
the British Isles. Its important to bear in mind that
an animals habitat can also have a considerable
effect on the outcome of your shoot. It goes without
saying that you should always look into the weather
conditions leading up to your shoot and prior to
setting off so that youre adequately prepared. In
addition, dont forget to research how the season
generally affects the wildlife in the area youre
working in. This is an easy way to establish what
other species may be around.
Fortunately, wildlife photography really is a
year-round genre and youre certain to discover
plenty of intriguing critters throughout the seasons.
Photographing during the spring and summer
months will guarantee you a lot more natural light
and improved weather conditions; early morning
starts and later evenings will enable you to t in
much more shooting time. The warmer weather
will also bring out hibernating species that have
been tucked away over the cooler autumn and
winter months. Animals in general are a lot more
active this time of year and youll nd greater
opportunities to capture their new offspring on
camera too. Always do research into this area rst
though and be wary of nervous mothers, you dont
want to be responsible for scaring off a mother who
in turn abandons her young or attacks you. Keep a
safe distance at all times and remember to remain
respectful when working in their environment.
Springtime will welcome back migrating
birds. Venture out to local wetland areas for
better sightings of much rarer species. Capturing
these eeting subjects on camera though can
be challenging so youll need to stay alert. A fast
shutter speed is essential and will enable you
to freeze motion and ensure your shots appear
sharp. When working with a telephoto lens, in any
situation, always remember to ensure your shutter
speed is set higher than the focal length youre
working at.
For example, shooting at 300mm means your
shutter speed should be set to at least 1/350sec or
above. This will help to eliminate the possibility
of camera shake. When working with speedy or
skittish subjects such as birds or elusive mammals,
make your subject the priority. Focus on freezing
the action rst and exposing the image second. In
some scenarios, its unlikely that youll nd time
to manually adjust all of your exposure settings,
in these situations, switch over to using shutter
priority (Tv mode). This lets you decide the shutter
speed setting, while the camera determines the best
aperture for a balanced exposure. Dont worry if
your camera underexposes the image as a result by
a stop or two. Its easier to work up a slightly darker
image than it is to rescue blown-out highlights.
If the animal youre photographing is known
for speed, dont be afraid to incorporate this
characteristic into the frame too. Use your cameras
continuous autofocus setting (AL Servo AF) and set
a slightly slower shutter speed of around 1/80sec.
Start by focusing the camera on the animal and
then pan with them as they move, while you
release the shutter. For seamless results, tuck in
your elbows and move your whole body at the hips.
The subject appear sharp while the background is
blurred, representative of movement.
During the autumn and winter months, the
landscape will transform. Take advantage of the
natural warm colour tones during autumn, which
can make for incredible backdrops in your wildlife
captures. Early risers should set off at sunrise to
really make the most of the light quality and colour
tones. At this time of the day, a lot of animals
remain relatively relaxed and are often focused on
nding food. But dont be fooled into thinking this
distraction means you wont be seen. All species are
built for survival and as a result have extraordinary
instincts. Consequently, bounding across the
PERSISTENCE PAYS
Remember the three Ps: practice, patience
and persistence. And it also comes down to
being in the right place at the right time
BE DISCREET
Avoid detection by shooting discreetly. This
is the best way to capture natural animal
behaviour in your photographs
GET KIT SAVVY
You wont have control over the light so use
a lens hood to help prevent glare and keep
you from worrying about the sun
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Top tips
for looking
after kit
01
GET INSURED
Always take out appropriate
insurance that covers you and your kit. This
way youll have peace of mind no matter
what happens on when youre on an
unpredictable wildlife shoot.
02
KEEP IT DRY
Invest in waterproof covers that will
protect the camera and lens from extreme
weather conditions. Dont forget to use your
lens hood too, itll help shield the glass from
ugly water spots.
03
BANISH MOISTURE
If youre working in wet, damp or
humid conditions, place loose rice grains
inside your camera bag to help absorb
moisture that can have an adverse affect on
your equipment over time.
04
DUST DOWN
Use a blower brush to remove
loose particles from your camera after an
outdoor shoot. If you changed lenses, you
may also want to clean the sensor to keep
things in top condition.
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116 DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Where in
the world?
A global roundup of the
planets most amazing
creatures and the pro
imaging courses to help
you photograph them
UK
Contact:
Andy Rouse
Web: bit.ly/143Bl11
This workshop offers a
truly unique one-to-one
imaging experience for
taking stunning shots of
hares, owls and otters.
Gambia
Contact:
Going Digital
Web: bit.ly/Z9v9Ng
Explore Gambia and
gain expert advice on
framing hyenas, hippos
and crocodiles, to
name but a few.
Amazon
Contact: Norfolk
Wildlife Photography
Web: bit.ly/W5eU3w
Take on the rainforest to
frame some capuchin
monkeys, parrots, sloths
and exotic frogs.
Alaska, USA
Contact: Wild Life
Photo Tours
Web: bit.ly/15i9NBg
Book onto one of these
great courses to capture
shots of whales, bears,
salmon and eagles.
USA
Contact:
Aperture Academy
Web: bit.ly/15W8ZEp
This tour guides you
through the Yellowstone
National Park for images
of wolves, elk, bison
and moose.
Galpagos
& Ecuador
Contact: Tatra Photography
Web: bit.ly/147kCdJ
Book a place and drink in the
beautiful wildlife with giant
tortoise, sea turtles, sea lions
and albatross are all
at home here.
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Finland
Contact: Wild Arena
Web: bit.ly/ZVgmYJ
Grasp the opportunity of a
lifetime to observe and
photograph Finlands
enigmatic population
of brown bears.
France
Contact: Create Away
Web: bit.ly/SGvvJx
Wild white horses are
beautiful subjects, so
book a place and head to
Camargue for inspiring
equine imagery.
India
Contact: Steppes Discovery
Web: bit.ly/ZnwenN
Spend an exciting seven
days in Indias premier tiger
reserve and photograph
these wonderful cats
with expert tips.
Kenya
Contact: Capture Safaris
Web: bit.ly/XV0kCA
Take a true walk on the
wild side and let the pros
help you photograph
lions, cheetahs, rhinos
and elephants.
South Africa
Contact: Natures Images
Web: bit.ly/15W9Rsw
Not many people come
face to face with the
terrifying majesty of great
white sharks, but you can
grab a close-up here.
Australia
Contact: Trekabout
Photography Workshops
Web: bit.ly/15Wa8vP
Venture down under to
capture the animals of Oz,
such as bandicoots,
pythons and geckos.
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savannah or a meadow with your camera in
hand wont get you the shots youre after; youll
need to take a much more considered approach.
If you can, try to position yourself downwind
of the animal and move slowly. Natural-coloured
clothing that blends in with the surroundings will
help you to remain undetected. You can take it a
step further if necessary by waiting it out in a hide.
Once youve set up your kit, its really all about
patience, but provided youve done your research,
you should be able to locate a good spot. To avoid
blowing your cover at the last minute, remember
to set your camera to its silent mode settings. More
advanced Canon lenses offer an in-built ultrasonic
motor (USM) that makes autofocus adjustments
undetectable. High-end camera models will
PACK IN MOTION
Dont be afraid to experiment with camera settings to get
more artistic images. Slow down your shutter to illustrate
motion in fast-moving subjects and add emphasis the
action taking place in the scene
SUBJECT FOCUS
Use wide apertures to embrace a shallow depth of field
effect. The artistic blurred background will also draw
the attention to your subject, which is great for majestic
creatures such as big cats
Advanced techniques

Name: Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE
Bio: UK born and bred, Paul has spent the last 20 years
as a professional photographer in East and Central
Africa. He has published many photography books, is
an Associate member of the Royal Photographic
Society and is uent in Swahili. In addition to his
photography, Paul has also set up a number of very
successful charitable organisations. In Uganda, Paul
worked with street children and set up the Tigers
Football Club (retrak.org). In Tanzania he created the
Goat Races (goatraces.com), and in 2004 he
established Wonder Workshop (wonderwelders.org),
which enables handicapped men and women to
produce highly commercial creative metal artwork,
wooden toys, recycled paper products, and handmade
soap, which are now taking commissions from around
the world.
pauljoynson-hicks.com
How did you rst get into wildlife photography?
Being a photographer and living in London, I came to
Uganda 20 years ago to spend six months producing a
photographic book on the country. I loved it and stayed.
Since then I have spent much of my time shooting
wildlife its the perfect place to be!
Whats the best time of year to photograph
African wildlife?
All year round! In the rainy season you can get some
great shots of beautiful green grass and happy animals,
dramatic skies and so on. In the dry season animals
congregate around water so its a bit easier. Shooting at
either time is equally enjoyable.
How important is it to research the animals that
you intend to photograph?
This is crucial; the more you know about an animal, the
more you will be able to interpret their behavior or
predict whats going to happen next, where they might
be or when they are calving, for example. Also, if its
10am, and very hot, and you see some lions lying in the
shade panting you know not to bother (well, usually!)
hanging around waiting for any action. There wont be
any. You can come back later that day and still nd
them there!
Is there a preferred time of day to photograph
African wildlife?
Early morning and late evening with the sun low to the
horizon the quality of light is so beautiful, ooding the
land and the wildlife with a stunning golden light. Also,
perhaps more crucially with wildlife, the low light brings
catchlights into the eyes and lls the face with light. At
midday the eyes would be in shadow.
African adventures
Photographer and African-wildlife expert Paul
Joynson-Hicks shares some pro shooting advice
also offer a silent shutter mode thats great for
minimising noise.
Once winter takes hold youll notice a change in
the weather, scenery and active wildlife. This can
apply to photographing wildlife at home and on
safari. If youre shooting in cooler climates, dont
be put off by adverse weather conditions. Frost and
snow wont stop the animals from foraging for food
so theres still plenty to see and shoot. With less
foliage around though it can be more of a challenge
to remain unseen and fewer daylight hours will
also be restrictive so youll need to work around the
hours of the day that the animals are most active.
Although some landscapes look a lot bleaker
during the winter, its still worth framing wide to
add context to wildlife captures. Use the rule of
thirds or negative space to keep the composition
engaging and work with wider aperture settings
in order to draw focus to your subject. Always
remember to ensure that the animals eyes appear
sharp too, as this is where the viewer will be drawn
to rst within the frame.
Wildlife photography on the whole requires a lot
of patience, practice and persistence. If you can stay
undetected, youre guaranteed some great shots.
Never forget that youre working in an animals
habitat and always be mindful of what impact it
could have on the wildlife of the local area.
What is your most memorable animal encounter
to date?
Holy mackerel there have been many. I was charged
by a humongous silverback gorilla in Uganda in 1993, it
was a mock charge (probably) but still hugely alarming.
Thankfully he was also dragging a tree and couldnt
decide whether to drop the tree or try hitting us with it.
In the end he thought better of both...
Ultimately though, my most extraordinary wildlife
experience was spending two days in the Serengeti
ecosystem, in a place called Piyaya watching one pack
of wild dogs hunting. It was mind blowing to the
extreme. They are the most beautiful and amazing
creatures on this planet. Lions pale into insignicance
next to their brilliance if there was a Top Trumps for
African predators, wild dogs (alternatively known as
hunting dogs, Lycaon pictus) would win. They are
approximately 80 per cent successful in their hunts.
They are highly sociable, they look after other females
puppies, they can run faster and further then any other
predator (except the cheetah on a sprint) and tragically
they are extremely vulnerable to human predation.
Have you ever been in any particularly dangerous
situations when out photographing?
The gorilla charge was pretty hairy! That aside, we were
once in a vehicle and charged by a stroppy and very sick
elephant. Thankfully the reverse gear of our old Pajero
was just faster than his charge. Another time I was
about to jump into a hollow baobab tree to shoot some
bats when we thought we had better check rst. I found
a large black-necked spitting cobra curled up right
where my feet would have landed close shave that
one! Ive been lucky, but also, as long as you follow a few
simple rules to the bush you can avoid getting injured.
Just be sensible and you can still get incredible photos.
Whats your most important piece of kit when
working out in the eld?
Apart from the cameras and lenses, of course, you
arent going to get far without a good vehicle and I am
very lucky to have an old land cruiser which takes me
up mountains, through gullies, across rivers and only
rarely gets stuck. So, that and my big tripod!
Do you have any top tips for photographing
animals in the wild?
Take the time to get to know the animal and the area
youre capturing and understand about light early AM
and PM. Always look to the animals eyes rst. Be bold
and brave when youre photographing dont always
follow the rules use light and composition to change
the way you think about your images. Always enjoy
where you are, have fun, respect nature and the wild
and you will come away with a richly fullling experience.
PaulJoynson-Hicks
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Advanced techniques
I was charged
by a humongous
silverback gorilla
in Uganda

Advanced techniques
Improve your
action-packed
portfolio by
keeping pace
with all the
latest Canon
techniques
and speedy-
shooting tricks
S
port is often considered
one of the most
difcult and expensive
photographic genres to
get into. Many
photographers shy away from it,
thanks to the misconception
that in order to photograph
sports well, you need pro-access,
an extremely long lens and a
bumper kit bag full of expensive
accessories. What really matters,
however, is your skill level as a
photographer its not what kit
you have that counts; its what
you can do with it.
In the action-packed world of
photographing sports, theres no
instant replay. If you miss a shot,
the moments gone, so the
pressure is really on to get it
right rst time. Join us as we
reveal some of the pro shooting
tips, tricks and techniques to
ensure you never miss a
moment of the action. To help
you master all of the key
shooting methods, we speak to
some of the industrys top
sporting photographers to
uncover their secrets behind
shooting the game
Shoot
sport
for
on Canon
Canon EF
70-200mm
f/2.8L IS II
USM
Works best with

Advanced techniques
HYDRATE
Just like the athletes youre
capturing, prepare and stay
focused. Plan out what you
want to shoot first, so you can
keep your eyes on the action
JohnHicks

Advanced techniques
Jordan Weeks says it
all began for him with
surfing and a storm
Web: www.jordanweeks.co.uk
I have been photographing sports ever
since I picked up my rst SLR at age 18
and I found myself at my local beach, a
few days after a storm the surf was
perfect. I grabbed my camera, and
started to take pictures. I sent these off to
a local surf magazine and, to my surprise,
they were published on the magazines
introduction page. I was so proud, and I
havent looked back since. Over the years,
my passion for sports photography has
grown to include various other sports,
including surng, cycling, running, and
triathlon. Essentially, any sport or
adventure lifestyle that involves being
outdoors and exploring the world.
1
Be prepared to stand around for hours,
waiting to capture that killer shot Itll
be worth it!
2
Understand the sports that you
photograph in order to predict when
and where the action will take place.
3
Dont get caught up thinking that you
need better camera equipment. You
can get great results with a basic DSLR.
4
Make sure you understand your
camera in-depth. Youll need to be
familiar with every single one of the
settings, so that you can quickly adapt to
the changing situations.
5
Plan your photo shoots. Go out with a
good idea of what you want to achieve,
and concentrate on capturing that
particular photo or series of photos during
the session.
You can keep up-to-date with Jordans
latest sports photography by subscribing
to his blog at www.jordanweeks.com.
You can also follow Jordans latest
endeavours on Twitter and Facebook with
details available via his website.
Top tip
Visit your local athletics
or sports club and nd out
what activities they offer. Ask if
its okay for you to come down
and shoot this is a great way
to get in some practice before
you head off to shoot any big
sporting events.
RUNNER
Working with the athlete and explaining
the type of image that I wanted to
capture enabled me to get this cool,
low-angle view
Panning techniques

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S
ports that involve a level of speed are some of
the hardest to shoot. As the photographer, its
up to you to determine the best way to capture
the action, whether its to emphasise motion
with a panning technique or simply freeze it as
it unfolds. Professional sports photographer Jordan
Weeks (www.jordanweeks.com) says, Sometimes its
great to freeze motion when youre capturing sports.
With a surf photo, for example, if you were to capture
the action at just the right moment using a fast shutter
speed, you can freeze all of the water as it sprays from
the bottom of the surf board. The surfer is pin sharp,
and the results can be really impressive. However, there
are times when capturing movement can really change
the mood of your photo. Take the same scene as
described, but now shoot it with a slower shutter speed.
This time youll create an image that is smooth and
calming, the spray becomes an elegant fan of water, and
the motion of the surfer is blurred and ghostly.
A panning technique is often popular when
shooting sports that require speed to win, such as
cycling, motor racing and even running. Its an ideal way
to illustrate motion, as although your moving subject
remains sharp, the background will become artistically
blurred. As a technique, panning takes patience and
plenty of practice so its unlikely that youll get right rst
time around.
Typically, a successful panning shot requires a shutter
speed that is slower than 1/60sec. Switching your
camera settings over to shutter priority mode is
preferable, as this way you can select a suitable shutter
speed, while the camera determines the best aperture
setting for a balanced exposure. Working in burst mode
will also open up a lot more shot opportunities should
you miss on your rst attempt. To ensure your subject is
sharp, youll also need to work in Al Servo AF mode, this
will enable you to concentrate on your shooting
technique while the camera takes care of focus.
To pan effectively, you need to get physically involved
with the action, moving your body in-line with your
subject while you release the shutter. Jordan says, Itll
usually take a few shots until you get the effect that you
want. Its really important that you maintain a smooth
panning action, moving your camera with the subject,
to make sure that it remains sharp, while blurring the
background only. I typically rotate my whole body from
the hips when panning. I nd that this helps to achieve a
smooth panning effect.
Its important to be aware, however, that panning
wont always be possible, particularly if your subjects
are well-lit indoors or out, as longer shutter speeds in
bright conditions will result in overexposed images.
Situations such as these lend themselves well to faster
shutter speeds that can freeze the motion as a result.
EXPERT ADVICE

Advanced techniques
Put panning into practice Use this technique to incorporate speed into your shots
1
Camera setup Select shutter priority (Tv) and set your
shutter speed to 1/60sec. Keep your ISO low and opt to
shoot in burst mode. You will also need to switch your AF
settings over to Al Servo for sharp shots.
2
Get ready Focus on your subject as they come into
position. When youre ready, hold down the shutter
release and pan. Remember to rotate your whole body and
hips to keep the action smooth for the best results.
3
The result There are different degrees of panning to
experiment with. Capturing extreme motion is possible
with slower shutter speeds but slightly faster settings can
still provide great action-infused results.
Where to
apply panning
Panning is fantastic for shooting
subjects at speed. Try it out on
activities such as, cycling, motor
racing, horse racing, running
ice-skating and football
There are times
when capturing
movement can
change the mood
of your photo
SILHOUETTE
SURFER
This photo was taken
from the cliffs, looking
directly into the sunlight. I
remember struggling to get
the exposure correct, as
the glare from the sea was
so strong. However, after a
few attempts, I managed to
capture a true gem
SPEEDING
CYCLIST
I wanted to capture a simple,
minimalist photo of a cyclist,
which captured the movement
from a unique angle. For this
shot, I climbed onto the roof
of my car, and photographed
the cyclist as they passed
underneath me. A slow shutter
speed allowed me to capture
the motion

Advanced techniques
F
reezing motion is fantastic for action-packed
sports. This technique is ideal if you want to
capture facial expressions or poignant moments
that can determine the winners of a sport.
In the same way that shutter priority mode is
great for panning, its also works for freezing motion as it
enables you to set much faster shutter speeds without
compromising the exposure. This is very important if
youre shooting sports handheld, as your shutter speed
setting will be directly affected by the focal length of your
lens. If, for example, you are photographing your subject
with your lens at 300mm, your shutter speed will need to
be 1/300sec or higher to counteract shake and prevent
motion blur. Investing in a monopod can help. These are
great for adding in slight motion blur with slower shutter
speeds and without having to pan.
When working with fast shutter speeds in shutter
priority mode, your camera will automatically select a
wide aperture setting to ensure enough light is let through
the lens. This is great for creating a shallow depth-of-eld
effect, which will help to isolate your subject from any
surroundings, just ensure your subject is sharp by working
in Al Servo AF mode too. When selecting a lens for sports
photography, always look out for a wide aperture setting,
ideally around f2.8, as this will mean its quick enough to
keep up.
Unlike with panning techniques where you can
illustrate motion and speed, freezing action shots rely
heavily on whats going on in the frame. This not only
involves capturing the right moment but can also affect the
composition. In order to keep your images original, shoot
from unique perspectives or get creative with angles. Youll
nd that some sporting subjects really benet from being
photographed at slight angles as it can help to infuse
energy into the frame.
Visualising what you want to get from a shoot before
setting off is a great way to prepare. Adam Pretty (www.
adampretty.com) is an award-winning sports
photographer who shoots for Getty Images. He says, I
almost always have a plan; however due to the
unpredictable nature of sports and photography, usually
the plan falls apart and you need to adapt, which can be
great because you often get something surprising.
When setting up to shoot, get yourself in the best
position around the track or eld, ensuring its somewhere
you know a lot of the action might take place. Adam says,
I try to be prepared as much as possible and position
myself in the place where I think I might be able to get the
best-possible picture. I also try and avoid following the
crowd, as if you are stationed next to a bunch of other
photographers your chances of getting something different
decrease. He adds, The athlete is not the only one
competing the photographers are also trying to get the
best image from the same situation, most of the time with
the same equipment.
Sports is all about timing and being in the right place at
the right time. Doing your research prior to the event is
important this way you will get to know the sport and be
able to predict possible events before they unfold. Jordan
Weeks says, If youre familiar with the subject that youre
photographing, then you are better able to predict when
and where the action will take place. This in turn will
enable you to press the shutter button at the precise
moment, which captures the action in all its glory.
Its all about timing and being in
the right place at the right time.
Doing your research is important
DIVING DAY TWO: FOURTEENTH
FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Vadim Kaptur and Timofei Hordeichik of Belarus
compete in the mens synchronised 10m platform
preliminary round on 17 July 2011 in Shanghai, China
AdamPretty/GettyImages
KITE SURFER POV
This shot shows the importance of POV. I wanted to
create the feeling just before the kite surfer steps onto
the board, so I placed the camera over his shoulders
Where to
apply freezing
Sports such as boxing,
swimming, gymnastics,
athletics, tennis and
all kinds of team sports
JohnHicks
Freezing motion

Advanced techniques
Adam Pretty discusses
travelling the world to
bring the action home
Web: www.adampretty.com
Adam joined Getty Images in 1998 after
working as a news photographer at the
Sydney Morning Herald, with the desire to
work as a sports photographer. Since
joining the Getty Images team, Adam has
been based in many locations, including
Los Angeles, Sydney, Beijing and Tokyo,
where he continues to work today.
Having photographed ve Olympic
Games, he has covered assignments
around the globe for high-prole
magazines including Sports Illustrated,
Life Magazine, Time Magazine, Harpers
Bazaar and Marie Claire.
Alongside his award-winning sports
photography, Adam also shoots
advertising for big clients including Adidas,
Nike, Acer, LOreal, BMW and Coca Cola.
What advice would you give to
someone who is looking to get into
sports photography?
Keep taking pictures, making mistakes,
and showing your work to other
photographers, editors and friends. Look
at books, exhibitions and just really have a
passion for your work. If you view
photography as just a job I dont think you
will achieve too much. It is a passion and,
in my opinion, to be successful you need to
view it this way. It is a competitive industry
and you have to want it really badly. Dont
stop doing what you love as eventually you
will break through, and editors and
agencies really respect photographers
who never give up. If someone tells you no,
ask why? Make sure you learn from
mistakes and then go back and try again
be persistent, and keep experimenting.
1
Look for a clean background. Always
keep an eye out for where to shoot.
2
Dont recycle old ideas look for new,
surprising images.
3
Arrive early and leave last for the best
shots you need to be dedicated.
4
Shoot sports and then shoot more
sports you need loads of practice.
5
Dont get hung up on big events, you
can take great pictures anywhere.
2
Get ready If youre shooting from a distance, extend the
focal length of your lens to get in close. Set your camera to
burst mode and follow your subject through the viewfinder while
keeping your other eye open to see whats coming up ahead.
1
Camera setup Adjust your settings so your camera is ready
to freeze the action by selecting shutter priority mode (Tv).
Set your shutter speed upwards of 1/200sec and ensure your AF
mode is on Al Servo to keep your subjects sharp and in focus.
Top Tip
Sports photography doesnt
have to just be about capturing
the athletes. Turn your camera
to the faces in the crowd, or
even on the coach, to capture
the emotions and passion of
everyone involved.
3
The results Provided youre working with the right shutter
speed for the sport, you should be able to capture all of
the action effortlessly. Dont be afraid to crop in during post-
production if you have a high-resolution camera, it shouldnt
affect the quality or outcome of your images.
Put freezing the motion into action
Capture some intricate details to make your shots really stand out
EXPERT ADVICE

Advanced techniques
SURREAL GOLFER
I used a wide-angle lens set at 22mm. I was very close
to the subject and he fired the balls over my head. All of
the flying dust was caught in camera
Flash can create a three-dimensional
feel by adding layers of lighting in the
front, side and back of the image
JohnHicks
U
sing ash is a great way to freeze motion
and light your subjects for a more
commercial and stylised shot. John Hicks
(www.johnhicks.co.uk) is an award-
winning advertising sports photographer
who embraces the use of ash in his work. He says,
Flash is great for freezing movement and can also be
used to add a creative edge to your shots too. Personally, I
like to shoot sport portraits at twilight, wide open
[aperture] and on slow shutter speeds to create blur
around the edges, I then use a very small amount of ash
to ll in and freeze the motion.
Understanding how light works and what it can do for
your images is important, as John points out, You need
to develop a real knowledge of light and learn how to use
both natural and articial light together to enhance your
shots. It takes time and practice, but light like the
camera is a tool that you have to get skilled at using.
Knowing what works best for the sport and the
environment youre working in is also important. John
suggests, Learn how to master shooting sports at fast
and slow sync speeds depending on the conditions. In
high ambient-light levels youll need a lot of ash in order
to overpower the ambient light. You also need high-
speed ash syncs to successfully freeze action.
However, a little ash combined with slow sync speeds at
twilight can create very effective ash-and-blur sports
portraits too.
Of course, ash isnt suited to all sports and there are
some situations where it can be more of a hindrance than
a help. John says, Although I have photographed horse
riders with ash, it can be tricky if the animals react
badly to the ashlights popping off in their faces.
Flash may not always be able to keep up with the pace
of the sport either, as John points out, You need to know
how long it takes your ashgun to recycle, particularly if
youre shooting fast-paced action. This is the case when
photographing water sports without a battery pack for
example, in situations like this its always best to work
with the elements rather than against them. Flash will
also be restricted by distance so some sports may limit
you to work only with the available ambient light.
However, shooting sport for stock or advertising
means you can embrace more complicated lighting
setups. John explains, Flash can create a three-
dimensional feel by adding layers of lighting in the front,
side and/or back of the image that will help separate your
subject from the background and give your shot a high
gloss, highly stylised advertising look. He continues,
On commercial jobs, you have to produce on the day no
matter what the weather throws at you. Without good
natural light, your pictures may look at and
uninteresting so a basic three-light ash setup, can
produce an amazing light that will recreate sunlight and
keep your clients happy.
Most importantly, keep your shots uniform in their
lighting style. As John says, If you build a signature
style within your photography, stay true to it. Ideally you
want to get to the point where people can see your shots
and recognise that you took them.
Lighting techniques
Seasoned sports pro with
15 years in the biz, John
Hicks offer his advice
Web: www.johnhicks.co.uk
How long have you been shooting
sports photography?
Ive always liked style and moving images
and have a natural instinct for the decisive
moment, so shooting sports photography
was a natural progression for me in my
commercial career. I started in
photojournalism, moved into fashion and
got paid to shoot sports advertising so Ive
been doing it for over 15 years now.
What equipment would you
recommend to someone who is looking
to get into shooting sport?
A good-quality DSLR and the best fast
lenses you can afford. In my camera bag I
have a Canon EF 16-35mm, 24-70mm and
70-200mm all zoom lenses and all at f2.8.
Zooms are ideal because theres no
ddling about changing primes when
youre tight on time and the action is
passing fast in front of you. I like fast lenses
because I can shoot wide open at f2.8
without having to bump up my ISO beyond
100 which is great for quality. If youre
shooting watersports youll also need a
waterproof housing such as Liquid Eye or
Ewa Marine.
What type of lighting equipment would
you recommend for an aspiring sports
photographer and why?
It really depends on the type of sports
photography youre looking to shoot and
the conditions you have to shoot in. I work
mostly on location and have a full kit of
Profoto battery-operated ash lights and
lighting accessories. This setup is
designed as a portable lighting studio. For
high-end portraits and celebrity sports
images it instantly adds that glossy edge to
your work.
For a more lightweight option that ts in a
rucksack and allows for more
spontaneous photography, I also use ash
systems like the Canon Speedlite 580EX II
and Qash, both of which are powered by
portable Quantum Turbo batteries.
John runs regular photographic workshops
and courses throughout the year. For more
in-depth expert advice, check out
www.avisuali.co.uk.
EXPERT ADVICE

Advanced techniques
Web: www.istockphoto.com / www.michaelsvoboda.com
Blog: www.lightpimp.com
How long have you been shooting sports photography?
I have been shooting sports photography for over ten years.
The rst couple of years were just for fun, getting shots of
friends rock climbing in Yosemite National Park, but I soon
started submitting images to climbing publications and
catalogues and realised that my hobby could make me money.
What encouraged you to join iStockphoto?
I was encouraged by a friend who had already signed up and
was starting to sell images. I was always interested in stock
photography but it seemed impossible to get involved with
stock photo sites, until my friend told me that it was actually a
relatively simple process. It seemed like a great opportunity to
expand my career and my portfolio.
What are the benets of joining stock sites?
There is a tremendous benet in joining stock sites. Firstly, your
images are inspected closely, which is a great way to learn
quickly how to meet industry standards. Through submitting
(and getting rejected!) you start improving your photography
and learn what it is that the industry wants to see. I have
watched my acceptance percentage increase throughout my
years of being an iStockphoto photographer. The submersion
into the world of good photographers really started the creative
snowball for me. I spent time studying what other
photographers were doing and, most importantly, not doing!
Do you create sports-related imagery specically for
stock purpose?
I do create imagery specically for stock now, but this wasnt
my original intention when I got involved in photography. I have
always had an interest in sports, from playing college basketball
myself to rock climbing, mountain biking and surng. I found
that photographing what I enjoyed was a natural extension of
my sporting hobbies. I am an advocate of shooting what you are
interested in. The photos I capture are part of what I do in my
spare time and I feel it gives me an understanding of
photographing it and most importantly knowing the best
people and locations to capture.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to
get into stock photography?
I would advise budding stock photographers to be open to
improving and be patient. It takes years to grow it, improve it
and understand it. Sales can be slow at rst when you have a
very small portfolio.
Shooting sport for stock
We speak to Michael Svoboda, an established sports and iStockphoto
photographer, to nd out the benets of working for both sport and stock
Michaels
top tips
Find a good athletic model
Find an enthusiastic assistant
Devise a comprehensive shot list
Research your ideas in detail
Aim to create a simple and
clean composition
Shot for stock, I wanted to show the extreme
flexibility and mechanical form of a golf swing
VOLLEYBALL
I wanted to capture this athlete with
a prosthetic leg at a peak moment
showing that his disability does not
hinder his performance
Michael Svoboda
Michael Svoboda
Michael Svoboda

Advanced techniques
20 tips for action shots
01 High ISO
When shooting sports, the
lighting can very often be out of
your control. Up your cameras
ISO settings to ensure that you
capture enough light while using
fast shutter speeds
03 WIDE-ANGLES
A telephoto lens is great for getting you
in close, but dont be put off using wide
angles as well they can also capture
great results, particularly in sports
where theres a lot going on.
04 NO ON-CAMERA FLASH
Your cameras built-in ash is not
powerful enough to illuminate your
subject at a distance. Ensure its turned
off to avoid bad exposures.
02 Increase your
frame rates
Stay on top of the action by switching
your camera over to burst mode. Set
up to shoot in the highest-possible
frame rate without reducing image
quality or size
JordanWeeks

Advanced techniques
12 CAPTURE DECISIVE
MOMENTS
Research and get to know the sport youre
shooting, this way you can predict moments
that are well worth capturing.
13 FOCUS FAST
It goes without saying that your sport shots
need to be sharp. Switch your autofocus
setting over to Al Servo to keep up with your
subject in among the action.
14 CAPTURE ENERGY
WITH ANGLES
When freezing action, avoid static shot
results by shooting at an angle. This will help
to add energy into the frame.
15 FIND FACES
Strong sport photography shots feature
sharp faces. Remember if you want to sell
your images on as stock, your subjects need
to be clear.
16 SHOOT THE ENTIRE SCENE
Its easy to get caught up in just the sport,
but try to be aware of what else is going on
around you. Shots of the crowd or coaches
help add a narrative to the event.
17 KEEP IT RAW
Always shoot in RAW for the best results. Itll
give you more exibility when it comes to
editing. You can also correct white balance
later if youve been shooting indoors under
bad lighting.
18 KEEP SHOOTING
Dont get distracted by your back LCD screen,
nows not the time to review what youve
already taken, keep shooting until the actions
over otherwise you might miss a great shot.
19 FREEZING THE ACTION
To get crystal-clear sport shots, youll need to
hike up your shutter speed settings. Switch
over to shutter priority mode (Tv on the mode
dial) and work in settings above 1/200sec.
05 Pan for speed
Theres so much energy in sport it would be a shame
to miss it! Set your shutter speed to around 1/60sec
or lower, focus on your subject and then release the
shutter while you pan for great motion shots
20 Zoom in
For any sports
photographer, a long
telephoto lens is
essential as you never
know where youll be
positioned to watch
the games unfold. For
exibility, use a zoom
that offers around 300-
400mm in focal range
08 GET IN POSITION
Seek out the best location that gets you
close to your subject. This way youre
guaranteed to never miss a moment of
the excitement.
09 IF YOU MISS IT, FAKE IT
After your sports shoot, dont be afraid
to sharpen up your shots in Photoshop
or even add a little motion blur in post-
production that will help to enhance the
look of speed.
06 DEPTH OF FIELD
For dramatic results, use a shallow
depth of eld to isolate your subject
and remove distracting elements from
the background.
07 CROP IN
If youre shooting high-res RAW images
with a good-quality camera and your
lens just cant seem to reach, you can
crop into your image later on. This wont
affect your image quality too much.
10 STICK TO THE RULES
The rule of thirds isnt just great for
landscapes, use it when photographing
sports too, it can really help to
strengthen your composition.
11 THE RIGHT SPORT
There are so many types of sport
out there, dont limit yourself to
shooting the popular ones. Consider
photographing something a little
different for more original results.

Advanced techniques
PERSPECTIVES
Shoot from fresh angles
to capture powerful urban
landscape images like this one
What you will need Essential kit for city shooting
Canon EF-S
10-22mm
f3.5-4.5 USM
Price: 990/$860
Tel: 0844 369 0100
This fantastic wide-angle
zoom lens will help to ensure
you can t everything in the
frame. Whether you want to
create a panorama or shoot
structures from the ground
or at a height, theres enough
room to get it all in.
Canon EF 35mm
f/2 IS USM fixed
lens
Price: 799.99/$849.99
Tel: 0844 369 0100
Web:www.canon.co.uk
Canons fantastic 35mm
prime lens will ensure you
capture superb quality
images on the go. Offering a
wide f2 aperture, its ideal for
shooting the urban
environment in low-light
conditions.
Canon TS-E 17mm
f/4L tilt-and-shift
lens
Price: 1,959/$2,499
Tel: 0844 369 0100
This 17mm wide-angle tilt-
and-shift lens ensures your
shots are all correctly in
perspective. Adjust the lens
angle to remove distortions
such as converging verticals
or use it to create a miniature
effect on the city.
Manfrotto
055XPROB
Tripod
Price: 170/$223
Tel: 0129 358 3330
Web: www.manfrotto.co.uk
This durable and relatively
lightweight aluminium tripod
is fantastic for shooting on
location. Great for shooting
interiors or low light, you can
even attach a pano head for
seamless panoramas of the
urban landscape.
Canon
EOS M
Works best with

Advanced techniques
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T
he urban landscape is a mineeld of fantastic
photo opportunities. Once youre caught up in the
buzz of these dynamic environments, you rarely get
a moment to really take in whats going on around
you. As a photographer, its your job to slow down
and compose captures that reect not only the environment
in which youre shooting but also your own artistic style.
Sharing your perspective on the world with the viewer is what
photography is all about, but being original in spaces that have
been photographed multiple times can be challenging.
Join us over the following ten pages as we take you through
the reality of shooting the urban environment. Along the
way, weve included plenty of practical projects and lots of
professional advice from photographers who specialise in this
style of photography. This type of shooting comes under so
many different genres; its really up to you as the photographer
how you perceive the metropolitan landscape theme.
Many professionals approach it in a documentary style,
while others angle their images more towards architecture.
Professional urban landscape photographer Billy Bye (www.
billybye.com) says, To me, an urban landscape is anywhere
man has inuenced the landscape beyond the natural
environment the culmination of this is manifested in the
city, I nd suburbs fascinating, the places we simply ignore
photographically or dismiss through familiarity are often the
most interesting.

Advanced techniques
Shooting an urban environment from a fresh
perspective is key to capturing original shots,
particularly if youre photographing a well-known
location or landmark. Simply changing your viewpoint
can completely alter the outcome of your images. Pro
urban landscape photographer Nick Delaney (www.
nickdelaney.com) says, Perspective is everything. The
difference between an image that works and a run-of-
the-mill image is all in the perspective from which it is
taken. If a shot isnt working, try changing the position
youre shooting from. This works particularly well
with the likes of skyscrapers or high-rise buildings. The
familiar sight of these dominating structures means it
can be quite a challenge to get unique, standout shots.
If youre looking to highlight their powerful presence
within the environment, shoot from ground level,
looking up. You wont get architecturally accurate results
due to the keystoning effect from converging verticals,
but this is a great perspective if you want to emphasise
the buildings weight and dominance within the frame.
To really embrace this effect, get in closer to your subject
using a wide-angle lens. Pro Billy Bye says, A fast
standard zoom lens is usually adequate but a wide-angle
zoom around 10-20mm especially, is great for looking up
at tower blocks, I love converging verticals! You can also
try kneeling down from a distance to introduce more
foreground detail into the shot, this not only builds upon
the effect but can also help to lead the eye into the image.
Powerful perspectives
Introduce more foreground detail into
the shot, this builds upon the effect and
helps to lead the eye into the image
Explore the city and experiment by shooting
from new angles and perspectives. Look for
shape and structure and then get down low
to compose. This angle will help emphasise
the dominance of the structure within the
frame. Make sure you switch your camera
over to aperture priority mode, and set a
small f-number so that the entire frame is
in focus. Ensure the camera is working in
shutter speeds faster than 1/60sec to avoid
camera shake. Before you begin shooting,
adjust other important camera settings. Youll
need to keep ISO low if youre shooting in the
day and ensure your white balance setting
complements the light youre working under.
Shoot in the city

Advanced techniques
THE CANON CAMERA BOOK 43 THE CANON CAMERA BOOK 133
DISTANCE AND
DISTORTION
Shoot from a distance, the
converging verticals will look a
lot more dramatic
www.formidablephotography.com
Whats your denition of an urban landscape?
My denition of an urban landscape is one that focuses
on the city or town that people live in, showing the
structures and details that surround them including
buildings, bridges, subways etc.
What aspects do you look out for when shooting
an urban environment?
I particularly like to include reections, textures and
leading lines, all of which I feel can add to a shot. I think in
every location its important to try and nd a shot or
angle or detail that Ive not seen before.
Do you use compositional rules when framing your
cityscape photographs?
I try not to stick to the compositional rules and prefer to
look at each shot on an individual basis to ensure that
the uniqueness of the location is captured.
What are your top equipment recommendations
for this type of photography?
I think a wide lens is essential I mostly use a Sigma
10-20mm when shooting urban landscapes as it gives
such a unique perspective. I also use a vintage 24mm
lens that requires manual focusing and metering but its
still very sharp. I will also use Cokin gradual density lters
to match or darken the skies.
How important is post-production?
Processing is massively important to the way I approach
my photography I use HDR for a lot of shots as I feel it
adds a dimension of realism when used in the right way
and it can emphasise details that make a shot stand out
such as texture and shadow. When I nd a scene that I
feel would make a good image, I often consider what
processing I want to do in order to maximize its impact. I
use a combination of Aperture, Photoshop, Photomatix
Pro and the Efex suite of programs to process my shots.
We speak with pro Mark McGowan for the
inside scoop on capturing a sprawling city
Life in the big smoke
If, of course, converging verticals dont work for you,
they can be easily corrected in Photoshop. Alternatively,
prevent them entirely in-camera using a tilt-and-shift
lens which can counteract the effect.
For awless shots of cityscape structures, youll need
to shoot from a height. This will not only ensure your
photographs are free from obstructions but also give
you the opportunity to encompass more of the urban
environment within the frame. Planning these details
of your shoot before you leave is therefore essential in
order to locate high-rise public buildings that will permit
you to photograph from their roof terraces or restaurants.
This way, youll be able to shoot the skyline from set
positions around the town or city at specic times of
day or night. Be warned though, some buildings and
landmarks have strict security rules that prevent you
from photographing their exteriors or interiors without
permission. Its worthwhile spending some time doing
your research on a few specic areas or structures before
you set off. This way, youll be able to avoid any problems
you might have with your portfolio when it comes to
commercial image usage.
FIND DETAILS
Dont forget to look down as
well as up when exploring the
urban environment
MarkMcGowan
PLAY WITH
PERSPECTIVE
Changing the angles you
shoot from will result in more
abstract and engaging images

42 THE CANON CAMERA BOOK 134 THE CANON CAMERA BOOK
Advanced techniques
In order to get the best out of any urban landscape
location, youll need to consider all of the possible angles,
light options, structures and shapes. Pro Mark McGowan
(www.formidablephotography.co.uk) says, If you nd
a location that is interesting, try and think of a way to get
a series of images out of it, not just one maximise the
return of images from your time in each location.
Exploring man-made metropolises will not only test
your camera skills but also your eye for framing a great
photo. Looking beyond the facade of the skyscrapers
is key to discovering other fantastic photographic
opportunities. Billy Bye says, Try to look beyond the
obvious, the backs of buildings, the dark alleys and
the remnants of society; I look for textures, contrasts,
silhouettes. I love reections and the play of soft light on
harsh unforgiving surfaces and always, great skies. I love
the contrast of the natural sky against the harsh qualities
of the man-made concrete, bricks, glass and steel.
Embracing an abstract approach to framing can result
in more artistic and original images. By paying closer
attention to whats around you, youll be able to nd and
frame unique shapes and structures that will result in
stronger compositions.
Unlike a standard landscape shoot, which is balanced
by a foreground, focal point and sky, an urban landscape
can be composed more creatively. Disregarding the
compositional rules in photography is a great way to
free up the frame and strengthen your own eye for
composing. Billy says, I think the rule of thirds is
imprinted into my mind for ever as is the need to nd a
strong focal point, but rules are there to be ignored. For
me, lead-in and lead-out lines are the most important
elements within the frame. The balance of the image is
also very important, as is the relationship between colour,
shape, tonal qualities and form, all of which can affect
the overall unity of the image. As a rule, you should
shoot for impact to make a clear statement. I always
look for elements that will create the wow factor in my
photos. Pro Mark McGowan says, I prefer to keep my
compositions simple and not too distracting. Shooting
at sunrise or sunset is ideal as the city is quieter and the
small number of people that are around can be used to
add scale and contrast to a shot.
Working with the available light is important,
particularly when youre composing abstract-style
images of structures or shapes. Learning how to handle
changing weather conditions in the city can be tricky,
but dont let it put you off. Billy says, You cant beat
the warmth and directional qualities of evening light
that make an urban landscape come alive. Bad weather,
especially rain storms, can be great to shoot in and when
they break, will bring out superb light.
Landmarks
and the law
In some cities,there are landmarks and
buildings that are illegal to photograph and
sell commercially without prior permission.
Always do your research to ensure you dont
need a building-release form to photograph
the interior or exterior of some structures.
All of the following landmarks do not permit
isolated shots for commercial use but will be
considered as part of a cityscape provided
they are not the main subject in the frame
and youve obtained written permission.
The London Eye, London, UK
The Gherkin, London, UK
Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China
Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Chrysler Building, New York City, USA
Empire State Building, New York City, USA
Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
Some landmarks have specialist restrictions.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris,France,for example,
has copyright restrictions at night.The
lighting display is owned by a private
company,so you need permission before
you can use your shots commercially.
Visit the shutter buzz website at shutr.bz/
veefyQ for lots more on image restrictions.
Commanding composition
LEAD IN WITH LINES

Consider the compositional rules
when framing. Lead-in lines work
really well and help draw the viewers
eye into the photograph
Convert to
monochrome
Convert your urban landscape
captures to black and white if
there are conicting colours in
the frame. This will help to ensure
focus is back on the light, subject,
shape and form. To enhance
this, adjust the tonal range and
contrast in Photoshop when
converting the shot.
Before you shoot, walk around
your subject to see how the light
and perspective changes

Advanced techniques
KEEP IT SIMPLE
You can get people-free urban
landscape shots like this
by using a filter and slower
shutter speed settings
Remove people from the
frame with lters
During the day if you want to remove or
blur people out of an image youll need
to use a filter with slower shutter speeds
in order to avoid overexposing your shot.
A Lee Big Stopper or strong ND (neutral
density) filter is essential.
To avoid capturing camera shake in
your shots when youre using slower
shutters, set your camera up on a steady
tripod. If your camera has one, make
sure to check the spirit level to ensure
its straight before you shoot. Use a
small aperture and set a shutter speed of
around 1sec; you can slow it down further
or increase the time if you need to. Keep
your ISO low, focus manually and use a
remote shutter release.

Advanced techniques
An urban landscape can change dramatically
throughout the course a day. The shots youll get early in
the morning in comparison to those taken at midday or
late afternoon will be dramatically different, so getting to
know where the sun rises, sets and falls in the landscape
is important to the success of your shoot.
A great way to illustrate the natural progression of light
from day to night is to capture it in a series of panoramas.
This is not only a great practical shooting project but its
also a fantastic way to offset the beauty of the natural
world against an urban environment. With careful
blending using all of the nal shots, youll be able to
create a seamless and striking day-to-night panorama
AM: Before shooting you need to think about your
orientation, and most importantly where the sun path
will be throughout the day. If you want to include the sun,
decide if it will feature in the image once, many times or
not at all. The easiest orientation is due north as this will
give a fairly even light distribution across the scene.
Early morning shots will result in long, deep shadows
and high contrast among buildings. Fix your ISO and
aperture and use the shutter speed as the variable to
control exposure. Its best to avoid using polarising lters
for this type of shot, as these will often result in blending
difculties across the panorama.
Try to also pick a day that is forecast to have fairly
consistent weather, otherwise youll nd great difculty
in blending the nal panorama. Colour temperature will
vary throughout the day from cooler in the morning to
warmer in the late afternoon to cool again at night. Shoot
in RAW to allow white balance adjustment in post-
processing should you need to adjust or correct this.
MIDDAY: The middle portion of the day (and
the panorama) presents its own challenges.
With the sun at its highest, the light will be
fairly at but with bright spots off reective surfaces.
Exposure control is critical here, so check the histogram
to ensure an even exposure that will be consistent with
the other panoramas, which form the nal image.
If there are moving subjects in the scene such as trafc,
consider using a three or six-stop ND lter to create some
movement. This will give a more seamless transition into
the dusk shot which will require longer shutter speeds.
When you plan your day-to-night panorama, think
about the time of year and the different times of day you
want to blend across the scene. Shooting in winter has
the advantage of shorter days, but this is countered by
lower sun angles which produce high-contrast shots.
PM: Late afternoon and dusk shots are probably the
most difcult to blend into a day-to-night panorama, as
the light is so different. Its best to shoot the last night
shot when there is still a little light left in the sky, as the
transition will appear more seamless.
Pay close attention to colour temperature as the cooler
afternoon sun transitions into late evening warm sun
and nally cooler dusk colours. There is no easy way to
deal with this and every image will be different, so try
experimenting with different blending points to see what
works best for you.
Another point to think about is how to blend in any
light trails and movement in the evening scene into your
daytime shots. Shoot the nal shot for your panorama
when there is still a little light on the foreground
buildings, as it is good to be able to see some detail.
Leading with light
Stitch it all
together
Once youve taken all of your
day-to-night panoramas, youll
need to stitch them together in
Photoshop. Use the Photomerge
tool to do this for each one. You
can then use layers and the
Eraser brush to blend them all
together seamlessly.
MORNING
Think very carefully about
the first shot of the day, youll
be setting up your tripod for
an entire day so make sure
you think about sun path and
orientation. The sky will be
deeper blue and the shadows
longer, creating more contrast
MIDDAY
When the sun is at its highest,
the light will be fairly flat and the
sky lighter, make sure you dont
blow highlights off reflective
surfaces. Use the histogram to
ensure a consistent exposure
with the morning shot

Advanced techniques
1
General setup In the
summer months you may
need to leave your camera
and tripod in one place for up
to 15 hours, so think about a
sensible place to shoot. This
shot was set up from an office
window. Mark the tripod
position so if you need to
move it you can put it back in
the same place.
2
Pano head A good
panoramic tripod head is
important to prevent parallax
error and give a consistent
overlap between shots. This
shot was created from five full
panoramas blended together.
This gives the best control over
where the blend occurs.
3
Levelling tripod To
simplify the creation of the
individual panoramas and give
the best chance of matching
them up in Photoshop, try to
level the tripod head so that it
rotates at the same angle. You
can use a levelling tripod such
as this or a levelling base.
4
Settings Use a low ISO
and fix the aperture
somewhere around f11-14
to give optimum depth of
field. Vary shutter speed
throughout the day and keep
an eye on the histogram for
a consistent exposure. Think
about where in the final pano
the particular shot will feature
and expose well for that area.
Set up your panorama
EVENING
The late evening and dusk shots
are the most difficult to blend
successfully into the pano,
shoot when there is still some
light in the sky and you can see
the detail on buildings
ChrisHumphreys
You can use
a levelling
tripod such
as this or a
levelling base

Advanced techniques
An urban landscape doesnt have to be your typical
wide-angle shot of a skyscraper or skyline. Pro Mike
Seaborne says, For me, urban landscape photography
is all about documenting the ongoing process of change
within the urban environment. Its a kind of archaeology,
revealing the layers of time and the relationships
between past and present. Finding details that are
unique to your surroundings is not only a great way
in which to illustrate the history of a location but will
also give your urban landscape images some context.
Mike adds, I tend to look for details that make a visual
connection with a particular time or place. In my
Facades series, for example, I sought out shop fronts
with signs whose style and/or content made a link with
a particular time in the past (eg Victorian or 1960s).
Im personally not really interested in photographing
something derelict just for its own sake.
Photographing subjects that generally interest you
is a great way to engage with the urban landscape and
explore it in more detail. Pro Nick Delaney says, I tend
to shoot exclusively in colour so I look for colourful
environments, grafti is quite a prominent part of my
urban landscapes, but I dont really seek it out, its more
the colours that I look for. I also hunt down symmetry
and lines to give a powerful aspect to the image.
Urban landscapes dont just have to be taken
outside either; you can incorporate interiors into
your project too. Of course, shooting indoors means
youll need to consider your exposure settings more
carefully. Remember to keep your ISO up high if light
is limited and use wide aperture settings, particularly
if youre shooting details up close as you can throw
Discovering details
BANKSY IN BRISTOL
Youll find lots of graffiti in urban environments.
Do a bit of research to locate the best spots
DERELICT LOCATIONS
Run-down buildings make great subjects on an
urban landscape shoot. Look out for locations
that are off the beaten track, but dont illegally
trespass on private land
the background out of focus for an artistic shallow-

depth-of-eld effect. If youre shooting inside cathedrals,
churches or museums, look up detailed ceilings make
great subjects. Generally, these man-made structures
offer plenty of shape, detail, texture and form. Having
a sheye lens can come in handy here, as the distortion
created by the lens will enable you to t more in the
frame. The results are also a lot more engaging and
artistically abstract.
Shooting urban cityscapes and details on location
doesnt always require a kitbag full of equipment. The
great thing about this type of photography is its exibility.
A lot of fantastic urban landscapes have been captured
on compacts and even camera phones. Its how you
compose your captures that really matters. Seasoned pro
Billy Bye points out, I will often shoot urban landscapes
using a micro-four-thirds camera. These smaller camera
formats are great; as you dont stick out like a sore thumb,
which can be important, if like me, you want to blend
into the environment youre shooting. Plus, they can
pack a punch photographically.
Things to
look out for
When youre exploring, youll nd
countless interesting subjects to
shoot. Heres a few things to look
out for Grafti, signage, derelict
buildings, broken windows,
lamp posts, post boxes, locks,
brickwork, facades, gates,
bikes, statues, bridges,
reections, subways
NickDelaney

www.mikeseaborne.com
www.urbanlandscape.org.uk
Bio: Mike trained as a historian
and curator. He has spent most of
his working life with the Museum of
London, undertaking urban
landscape projects such as
Docklands, housing estates,
shopping centres and suburban
high streets. Now working
freelance, Mike has recently completed a project on the
Thames Estuary.
What do you look out for when photographing
urban landscapes?
I generally work on specic projects dened by location
and/or subject matter and adopt a consistent approach
across all the shots. I might be looking for examples of a
particular subject (eg empty shop fronts) or for visual
relationships between entirely different things (eg an old
road sign and a modern supermarket). My approach is
documentary and I generally avoid the purely abstract.
How do you ensure consistency in your Facades
project shots?
I take a standard approach when it comes to positioning
the subject, framing the shot and to the lighting so that it
gives a consistent look to the Facades series. I took all
the photographs with the same xed-lens camera and
shot in diffused light or when the shop front was in
shadow. I wanted to avoid harsh contrast and overly
saturated colours to maximise subject detail and to give
a feeling of the shop fronts fading into the past.
What are your top equipment recommendations
for urban landscape photography?
I think you can use any camera or lens provided you use
it intelligently and know its capabilities and limitations.
My advice is to keep it simple and really get to know your
equipment. I dont have a best camera or lens as each
piece of equipment I use has its own particular strengths
and weaknesses. I do like sharp, detailed pictures,
though, so I do pay particular attention to lens quality
and my most important accessory is a good tripod, for
the same reason. This was an absolutely essential piece
of equipment in the days when I shot 5 x 4 lm and I
continue to use one with my DSLR, partly because it
makes the picture-taking process more deliberate and
prevents me from becoming too snap-happy, which is all
too easy with digital.
Whats your advice for aspiring urban landscape
photographers?
Look at the work of established urban landscape
photographers and other image-makers both for
inspiration and technical guidance but seek your own
path rather than simply copying. With millions of digital
cameras being sold each year, all capable of taking
technically perfect photographs without much input
from the photographer, you need to develop a personal
style to stand out from the crowd.
An exhibition of Mikes recent work will be at the Foto8
gallery in London between the 15-27 October 2012.
London: A Landscape in Transition charts the evolving
urban landscape of London and the Thames Estuary.
For more information on the exhibition location and
opening times, visit www.foto8.com.
We speak to Mike Seaborne about his urban
landscapes, projects and upcoming exhibition
Project metropolis
WORK WITH THE LIGHT
When youre working on location, the
light is changeable so always be prepared
to adjust your exposure settings
MikeSeaborne
Advanced techniques

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RAW ELEMENTS
Black and white is a wonderful
medium for capturing rugged
landscapes, like this classic
scene of the Old Man of Storr
Advanced techniques
Canon EOS
100D
Works best with

Create contrast and elegance with your Canon
S
ome things in life seem to have a resilience that
dees expectation. Just as vinyl records have
survived the arrival of both the CD and digital
downloads among music fans, black-and-white
photography has never gone away.
In the early days of photography, black and white was the
simpler option, with reliable, faithful and durable colour
photography proving a signicant challenge to achieve.
Naturally, while monochrome was the only option, the desire
to produce practical colour lm was inextinguishable. By the
end of the Thirties, colour was no longer merely a dream for
general photography.
However, if anyone expected colour to subjugate black-and-
white photography or render it moribund, they were wrong.
Despite the availability of colour, black and white remained
at least as widely used and, even in the digital age, its still
popular among novice and pro photographers alike.
Over the next few pages, youll discover how to make the
most of black and white with your Canon camera and how to
take your best monochrome images yet.
Advanced techniques
Use Canon
to shoot in
Black
& white

Black and white simplifies and redacts a
scene down to its core elements of shape,
texture, pattern and contrast
A great many of the very best monochrome
images are the direct result of a photographer very
consciously and deliberately setting out to produce a
quality black-and-white result. While luck may factor
in some cases, rigorous planning is often essential.
Its not unusual to hear photographers referring
to black and white as a go-to means of recovering
an image thats been deemed to have gone wrong
in colour. Though its true to say that the format
can, at times, have a healing inuence on errant
colour photos, brilliant monochrome images are only
sometimes stumbled upon by accident during the
post-production and photo-salvaging process.
If you really want to master monochrome, and
are seeking to build a portfolio of bold and beautiful
black-and-white images, attempting to see in black
and white is the best starting point. Instead of
heading out with your camera capturing several
hundred frames and then peering through them in
Lightroom wondering if any, perhaps, will look better
in black and white try going out with the conscious,
deliberate intention of shooting in monochrome.
This simple switch alone will make a surprising
and pleasingly quick difference to the way you shoot
and you could be startled by the extent to which your
eye will shift towards seeking out potential black-and-
white images.
But what does all this mean exactly? As black and
white simplies and redacts a scene down to its core
elements of shape, texture, pattern and contrast, its
often the case that many of the best black-and-white
images depict scenes in which these facets are
inherently vital. Its also important to remember that,
although monochrome has a purifying inuence, its
often best to look for scenes that are naturally fairly
clutter-free, so that the viewers eye can focus in on
the shape, texture, pattern or contrast that you want
them to appreciate.
SEPIA TONING
A popular way of
presenting black-and-white
images is to add a subtle
tone to them, often sepia
One way of controlling the appearance of
black-and-white images that photographers
could use in the eld was coloured lters
over the lens. This is often replicated in digital
cameras, with these lter options built into the
Monochrome shooting mode. A yellow lter
slightly lightens tones such as reds, oranges
Create and enhance contrast with lters
How you can
use colour to
control black
and white
Blue Green
Red Yellow
Black and white is also brilliant for capturing
moments in time; reportage-style freeze-frames. Once
again, this is due to the way that the format simplies
an image and enables its core elements to come
closer to the surface.
The use of monochrome also endows the subject
with a sense of reverence, which again makes it
ideal for documenting serious subject matter and
for producing portraits in which creating a sense of
character or intensity is important. One of the great
things about black and white is that you dont need
to be shooting under any specic set of conditions
in order to achieve great results, because its an
incredibly exible format.
However, its vital to be aware of how things will
actually appear in black and white, so that you can
make decisions with this in mind. For example, black
and whites simplifying impact, discussed previously,
can work against you at times. If an area of a scene is
fairly blank and uneventful, with relatively little going
on, stripping it of colour can potentially make it rather
dull and uninteresting, for instance.
and yellows while a red lter produces
dramatic results, greatly brightening red tones
and sending blue skies nearly black. A green
lter is used for making foliage stand out in
monochrome images and a blue lter can be
used for creating interesting portraits, as they
darken down skin tones signicantly.
Advanced techniques

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reasons to
shoot black
& white
A black-and-white image has a timeless look
to it thats hard to conjure in colour.
Black and white is ideal when shooting a
series of images, as issues of distractingly
inconsistent colour are negated.
By removing colour from the equation, black
and white simplies a scene, de-cluttering it
almost instantly.
Black and white enables you to emphasise
shape, form and texture.
The format means you can deal with tricky
mixed lighting conditions, such as inside a
church during a wedding ceremony, with
relative ease.
5
Advanced techniques

Black-and-white portraits can be captured
brilliantly with either high- or low-key lighting.
Black and white is all about simplicity, so
restricting the tonality of a shot is a logical move.
High keys use of high levels of bright, white tones,
and low keys use of high levels of dark, black
tones can provide something of a head-start
when it comes to creating black-and-white studio
portraits with impact.
Mono studio
High- and low-key lighting and
exposure styles can all work well
in black and white
Perhaps the best example of this is a blue,
cloudless sky. This may or may not work in colour
images, depending on factors such as the time of
day and the colour temperature of the light. When
working in black and white, however, there is a
good chance that this area of sky will look deeply
uninteresting and lifeless, as its colour is arguably the
chief redeeming feature. For this reason, landscape
photographers often seek out stormy and dramatic
skies for black-and-white photos, as the contrasting
shades, and apparent textures created by the clouds,
work fantastically well in monochrome.
Scenes that contain a truly comprehensive
spectrum of tones, ranging from deep, dark blacks to
pure, bright whites, are ideally suited to monochrome,
although lower-contrast scenes can sometimes work
well too. Remember to also keep a close eye out for
interesting or striking patterns, textures and shapes.
Although ensuring that elements work well
together and complement each other successfully
is important in all photography, in black and white
this is particularly vital. When you cant enchant
the viewers eye with rich colour and the warm
glow of early morning or late afternoon light, its
doubly necessary to create images in which issues of
framing, composition and exposure are well judged.
Far from providing an extra layer of protection, as is
often believed, monochrome can actually lay your
photography even more bare. A misjudged black-
and-white image can end up having less impact than
a colour photo and its on these occasions that it can
appear to the viewer as if black and white has merely
been used to paper over the cracks of a generally
weak image.
Accordingly, if youre serious about black and
white, its best to try to purposefully shoot in the
format from the off. To help with this, set your
Canons picture style setting to Monochrome and
capture RAW les. This quickly and easily takes a
lot of the guesswork out of seeing in black and white,
as your camera will preview the images you shoot
in black and white while preserving the full colour
information, enabling you to convert to black and
white with more precise care and attention later on,
using your image-editing software of choice.
One of the things that makes the RAW le format
so useful is the fact that it doesnt matter what picture
settings you were using when you captured the
image all the original data is still there, enabling you
to process the le from scratch. Additionally, when
you shoot using your cameras Monochrome mode,
the previews you see on the back of the camera are
merely that previews.
Perhaps one of the best things about the digital
era is the fact that, where once upon a time it was
only a minority who could experiment with their
own image-processing and printing, as a traditional
darkroom was an expensive and space-hungry
endeavour, its now possible for pretty much all
photographers to work on a negative and turn it into
a print that represents their vision.
Indeed, this is probably the best way to think
of Photoshop: as a signicantly less inconvenient
darkroom. The biggest bonus is the fact that
everything is reversible and can be perfected in a very
nuanced fashion.
From a sheer quality perspective, working on a
RAW le in RAW conversion software such as Adobe
Camera Raw or Lightroom is perhaps ideal, as its
at this point that you have the maximum degree of
control over the widest amount of image parameters.
The ability to make quite dramatic adjustments
to exposure, both globally and locally, as well as
ne-tuning the nuances of both the highlights and
shadows, rescuing detail as required or desired is
a massive bonus offered by RAW. If you want to
produce great black-and-white images, in which
precise tonality is key, your RAW converter is
powerful enough to get you there.
This is now particularly true as converters such
as Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom contain
adjustment gradients and brushes that enable very
precise localised adjustments. You can now dodge,
burn and contrast-grade in extreme detail without the
need to go to the main Photoshop interface at all.
That said, there are plenty of great black-and-white
conversion options within Photoshop itself. Although
converting to black and white can just be a matter
of dragging the Saturation slider in Hue/Saturation
all the way to -100, this isnt the best way of doing
things. Simplistic conversions like this dont offer
much more than your cameras in-built Monochrome
conversion mode, so negate the point of leaving
your black-and-white conversion until you get to the
computer. In this regard a simplistic conversion is
little better than a crude Grayscale conversion, which
should be avoided at all costs.
Fortunately, Photoshop offers more nessed ways
of taking a colour image and converting it to black
and white and which one you choose often comes
down to a matter of personal preference.
If you are really a fan of the Hue/Saturation dialog,
theres a way of using this adjustment that offers
a little bit more control. Make a Hue/Saturation
adjustment layer and then drag the Saturation slider
all the way to -100. Then, click back on your main
image layer in the Layers palette and create a second
Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to sit in the middle
of the stack. Change the blend mode of this layer to
Color and double-click on the layers icon to recall the
dialogue box. Here youll now be able to use the three
sliders to ne-tune the look of your black-and-white
image until nished.
Recent versions of Photoshop have included a
dedicated Black & White adjustment option, which
offers six colour sliders for you to experiment with,
as well as a good range of presets. However, many
photographers are in the habit of using the Channel
Mixer in Photoshop to convert to mono and this does
still offer precise control.
More advice on using the Channel Mixer to
produce brilliant monochrome conversions can be
found on the following pages.
Far from providing an extra layer of
protection monochrome can actually lay
your shots even more bare
Advanced techniques

Advanced techniques

TECHNIQUES
IN-CAMERA MONO
By setting the camera to Monochrome mode and shooting
both RAW and JPEG simultaneously, its possible to compare
the cameras own black-and-white processing with whats
possible in Photoshop. The in-camera version is rather flat
compared to the version as processed from a RAW file
PHOTOSHOP
PROCESSED
Processed from RAW, the image
has greater contrast and is more
tonally interesting
5 tips for
shooting
black
& white
Tap into texture
Always keep an eye out for
interesting surface textures when
youre shooting black-and-white
images. Weathered wood is a good
example, but youll nd an endless
supply if you explore the world of
mono in macro.
Hiding in the shadows
Black-and-white shots are
often at their best when theyre as
much about what you cant see as
what you can. Including plenty of
shadows can create a tting mood
and atmosphere.
Contrast control
Success when handling
monochrome often owes much to
your ability to judge and control
contrast. Black and white can
work well with stark, hard or soft
contrast, but in every case it needs
to suit the subject and the scene.
See in shapes
Pay close attention to the
shape and forms present in your
monochrome images. With colour
taken away from the equation,
these things will become much
more noticeable and help to make
or break your photos.
Play with patterns
Like texture and shape, patterns
often become noticeable when you
are shooting in black and white.
Advanced techniques

There are many different ways to
convert your photos into black and
white, from using your RAW
converter through to dedicated
plug-ins. One of Photoshops most
popular options is the Channel Mixer,
which functions as both a
straightforward adjustment option
(go to Image>Adjustments>Channel
Mixer) or as an adjustment layer.
The format has long been popular
with photographers, as its very easy
to use. Simply check the
Monochrome box and then slide the
Red, Green and Blue sliders until you
are happy with how the image looks in
black and white. The basic rule of
thumb is that the percentages of the
three sliders should add up to 100%.
To get you started with the
Channel Mixer, here are some recipes
for re-creating a few of the most
appealing traditional black-and-white
lms. Keep in mind, of course, that
the unique appearance of grain was
also a key component in the look of
these lms, as was the amount of
contrast they tended to produce.
Mimicking
monochrome
Approximate the look
of classic black-and-
white lm stock with
these handy Channel
Mixer settings
Black and
white can work
well with stark,
hard or soft
contrast, but
in every case
it needs to suit
the subject
Advanced techniques

Travel
the world with
your Canon
Advanced techniques
Discover the inside secrets of travel photography
and learn how to capture memorable shots of
people, places and cultures around the world
Canon EOS
1100D
Works best with

M
ost people return from holiday
with a memory card full of
images, but what elevates them
beyond straightforward snaps is
the approach. Of the professional
travel photographers featured here, every single one
emphasised the importance of research.
These can be the most expensive photographs
youve ever taken, so you need to plan your time
carefully and bring the necessary equipment. It
can be tempting to cram in as much kit as you can,
especially since travel opens up a vast scope of genres.
Take a look at our gear guide to get some ideas of
what to bring, but try to stick to the essentials, and
your back will thank you later.
Youre unlikely to grow bored when youre
composing vistas one moment and food the next.
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These images should conjure up sights, sounds
and smells, and every place is unique. Set out to
capture what it was that made you want to visit and
write down thoughts and feelings to help you add
descriptions to your photos later.
Gaining inspiration is easy, as the local tourist
information centre will point you in the direction of
popular photo hotspots. Even browsing postcards will
reveal the must-see areas. If the primary purpose of
your visit is a holiday, however, be content to take it
easy in a caf or lounging on a beach. Youll soak up
the atmosphere this way and familiarise yourself with
the surroundings. Alternatively, if you want to take
travel photography further, there are dedicated tours
available, such as FR Vision (www.frvision.net). Get
a taster in this article, and stow away insider tips for
your next journey.
EXOTIC CAPTURES
Ostriches silhouetted by the setting sun, near
Jacks Camp, Makgadikgadi Pan, Botswana.
Look out for shots you cant get at home
Advanced techniques

Gear guide
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8l II USM
Web: www.canon.co.uk Price: 1,320/$1,700
Wide-angle lenses such as this one enables
you to pack a lot more into the frame. Theyre
perfect for landscapes and portraits, which are
two of the biggest genres within travel
photography.
Canon EF 70-200mm
f/2.8 IS USM
Web: www.canon.co.uk Price: 1,250/$1,700
A telephoto lens is incredibly versatile, reaching
subjects such as wildlife and landmarks from a
distance. The wider the focal range, the heavier the
lens will tend to be, so a lighter second lens is useful.
Joby Gorillapod Flexible Tripod
Web: www.joby.com Price: 20/$20
Tripods can be
cumbersome when
youre trekking all day, so
invest in a portable
lightweight option such
as this. Its exible legs can
be wrapped around
railings and branches for
steady shots.
Lowepro Photo Traveler 150
Web: www.lowepro.com
Price: 42/$55
Its important to choose a
purpose-built kit bag in
order to get the protection
you need. Customisable
padding compartments are
a bonus, and comfortable
straps will ease the strain of
heavy kit.
Silicon Power Armor A70
Web: www.silicon-power.com Price: 130/$109
Avoid losing photos by
backing them up to a
portable hard drive
regularly. There are
cheaper options, but this
one is ideal for travelling,
as its waterproof
and shockproof.
Advanced techniques

It is human nature to be nosey about other
peoples lives, and portraits convey bags of
information. We want to know what daily life is
like, what the dress code is and what people eat,
and a good portrait will tell us something about
these things. However, unlike monuments and
landscapes, people have feelings, and its only
natural to want to avoid potential conict. Taking
time to swot up on the traditions and customs of a
place will help you to avoid offending anyone.
Travel photographer Kimberley Coole emphasises
the need to never take a photo, but to ask permission
rst instead. On more than one occasion I have
walked into a village to nd other tourists and
photographers standing over the people, not talking
or interacting, not getting to know about their lives
and customs, but simply turning the people into
objects and getting as many photos as possible, she
says. Interaction is the key, and I often nd that after
spending time with people, either chatting, using
hand signs or having a cup of tea, they are much
happier to be photographed. After getting to know
the person a little more they relax, smile and laugh
making a much better photograph.
In some tourist destinations, people ask for
money in exchange for a photo, and its completely
up to you whether you wish to delve into your
pockets. Its worth remembering, though, that
some of these places are very poor, and what seems
like a little to us could bring a big smile to their
face in the photograph. Asking permission is not
always possible if youre shooting a street scene, for
example, but be sensitive and move on if someone
looks uncomfortable. One way of appearing less
intimidating is to ditch bulky equipment in favour
of a lighter load and Kimberley only packs a Canon
EOS 5D Mark II, a 24-105mm lens, a 16-35mm lens
and a HOYA Pro1 Digital Filter for protection.
So rather than rely on long lenses to pick
people off like a sniper, build up the condence to
approach people instead. This is often the hardest
part, whether you speak the same language or not,
agrees Kimberley. By simply having the courage to
go over and say hello, people will generally attempt
to interact with you. The best way of becoming
friends is to try and make people laugh, which can
be done easily if you dont speak the same language,
as they will nd whatever you say amusing!
LOCAL CULTURE
A young girl carrying sticks on her
head along the banks of the Yamuna
River, located next to the Mehtab
Bagh, which is also known as the
Moonlight Garden, India
Unforgettable
experiences
Four of the best cultural events
caught on camera
RIO DE JANEIRO CARNIVAL
Brazil
This loud and vibrant parade is
held in February every year, and
is famous worldwide. Street
parties and band processions
in downtown (Centro) and
South Rio (the Zona Sul)
provide ample opportunities
to get candid portrait shots
that are full of character. Try
using a long exposure to capture the energy and
movement of the samba dancers. If you want to
get close to the action you will need tickets. For
more info, visit www.rio-carnival.net.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
China
Chinese New Year is the most
signicant day on the Chinese
calendar. It runs from the rst
day of the lunar month until
the 15th, and is celebrated with
reworks, temple visits and
street festivals. The re is meant
to drive away evil spirits, and
people dress from head to toe
in red for the same reason. These vibrant colours
make for dynamic photos, and make sure you
master the panning technique in preparation for
the dragon dance.
NEW YEARS EVE
Sydney Harbour
The rework display over the
iconic landmark is second to
none, so practice shooting in
low light in advance. Secure
your camera to something,
whether its a nearby wall or a
monopod (as it will be busy)
and ensure your horizon is
straight. Shoot in bulb mode
and keep your nger on the shutter button for as
long as it takes for the rework to explode.
RUNNING OF THE BULLS
Pamplona, Spain
The Pamplona Bull Run is one
of the most tense and exciting
traditions around. At 8am
every morning from 7-15 July, a
rocket is red to signal to the
runners to pray, followed by a
second one to announce that
the bulls have been released.
Switch on the continuous
burst mode to capture the action, and book
accommodation months in advance so you dont
miss it.
Immerse yourself
in the culture
simply by sitting
and watching or
joining in with
a local
tradition
or activity
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www.coolephotography.co.uk
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Name: Steve Davey
Bio: Steve leads his own range
of travel photography tours to
some of the most exotic and
photogenic parts of the world,
where land arrangements are
provided by some of the
biggest names in the
adventure travel industry.
www.stevedavey.com
Can you describe a typical day?
It depends; sometimes the days are taken up with
self-promotion and marketing, and at other times there
is a lot of post-processing and captioning. I also run my
own photography tours, so there is a lot of work getting
those together and dealing with people. The best days,
Is it really a dream job?
Photographer and workshop leader Steve Davey explains exactly what being a
professional travel photographer is really like
though, are the ones when you are actually out taking
pictures, although there are far more of the other days
than most people imagine.
How do you manage to stand out in such a
competitive industry?
It is damn hard, but you need good quality work and
good ideas. For editorial photographers the ideas are
more important than the images in many ways, as they
are what get people interested in you in the rst place. I
also write pretty well, which makes me stand out, as I
can research, write and shoot a story. Then, you just
have to be good at business. Contact a lot of different
outlets from magazines to agencies, and sell them on
using you.
What are your top tips for capturing landscapes?
Light and locations are the key factors to bear in mind. It
doesnt have to be perfect sunlight, but it denitely
needs to be atmospheric and dramatic. Rain and storm
clouds can be perfect for some subjects as long as it
isnt bland and dull.
You wrote the book Unforgettable Places To See
Before You Die, but which one location would you
tell people to visit and why?
India is a great location for photography, and if you
are into festivals then there are too many to
mention and all exist on a grand scale. Even a
relatively small festival might have 100,000 people
turning up. I have travelled a bit recently in the
mountain area of Ladakh. Here, the culture and
religion are Tibetan Buddhism, and in many ways
the culture is more untouched than Tibet, as it
doesnt have the Chinese inuence.
SteveDavey
ICONIC LANDSCAPES
Ruined kasbah of Ait Benhaddou at sunset,
with snow-capped mountains behind, Morocco.
A familiar scene from photos and movies
Advanced techniques

You can also use shots of people to show a
sense of scale and context in wide-angle outdoor
images. Tourist spots, however, can sometimes be
so busy that the composition becomes cluttered, so
its best to use the early bird approach and arrive
before sunrise.
This is when youll nd photographer Steve
Davey setting up for a landscape shoot, but he
always stays long past the golden hour. There are
never the budgets to only shoot in the rst or last
few hours of light: you have to make the most of
the light throughout the whole day, he reveals.
What you have to do is temper your expectations,
style and subject matter to the light conditions.
Indoor markets, interiors and portraits out of direct
sunlight can be shot throughout the day, as can
food shots and just about anything not in direct
sunlight. Obviously, for the great landscapes and
cityscapes you need the best light, but you can
and probably should shoot all through the day.
Landscapes can vary from mountains to deserts,
and forests to lakes, so youll have to adapt your
approach. Aim to capture the essence of a place by
focusing on what makes it unique. Prior research
helps, as Google Maps will enable you to visualise
being there, while browsing galleries such as Flickr
will give you an idea of the vistas a location has to
offer. Look for lead-in lines to guide the viewers
eyes through the image, positioning them either at
the corner or the centre of the frame, and use the
rule of thirds to aid composition.
During your research, you will be likely to
come across the must-see monuments, which
make for popular photographic subjects that are
difcult to create unique images around. So once
youve taken the obligatory wide-angle shot, get
creative by shooting straight into the sun to create
a silhouette. If its a statue, for example, use an ND
lter and a long exposure to blur the movement
of the people to give context and narrative to your
picture. Think about what the landmark represents
and convey information about it. A commemorated
war hero will look far more dramatic at sunrise or
with stormy clouds looming, for instance. Most
importantly it comes down to lighting, as Steve
adds, The main challenge is getting in the right
place for good or atmospheric light, so be prepared
to revisit. Persistence pays off.
Wonders of the world
The globally famous landmarks that look even better through
a viewnder
MACHU PICCHU
Peru
This 15th Century
Inca site is absolutely
loaded with history,
and has the capacity
to instil any image
with a sense of wonder.
Use the golden hours
(dawn and dusk), where
the light will be at its
best, and dont be
deterred if it starts
raining, as bad weather
will mean that the odds of tourists creeping
into your shots is greatly reduced, and stormy
clouds are notably renowned for stirring drama in
landscape images.
THE PYRAMIDS
Egypt
The Great Pyramid of
Giza is the only one of
the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World
still standing today. By
capturing this symbol
of dynastic Egypt on
camera, you are in the
process preserving a
piece of history that
still incites mystery and
wonder today, despite
having been built circa 2560 BC. In order to
reduce the glare of the sun, attach a polarised lter
to your lens. This will also protect it from sand
and dust.
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
New York City, USA
Weve seen King Kong
climb it and Godzilla
demolish it, and though
its breathtaking height
has long been surpassed
by other structures,
it remains the most
popular viewpoint in New
York. You can capture
some stunning Art Deco
architecture shots, and a
ride to the top reveals an
amazing cityscape. Buy a ticket before sunset and
bump your ISO for a sky awash with colour and a
city illuminated by a million bulbs.
COLOSSEUM
Rome, Italy
Rome is brimming
with classic
structures, but the
former Amphitheatre
epitomises Italian
architecture. Expect
to queue for a ticket
unless you purchase
one beforehand. If you
visit in summer, bring
bottled water and
sunscreen with you, as
there is no protection from the burning sun. It can
create some beautiful silhouette pictures, though,
so try shooting with the sun behind the structure.
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LOCAL CULTURE
Cham dancer performing the Black Hat Dance
(shana) with a drum in the courtyard of Korzok
Gompa at the Korzok Gustor, Lake Tsomoriri,
(Ladakh) Jammu & Kashmir, India
Advanced techniques

Patience is especially rewarded when it comes
to wildlife photography. You can boost your chances
of capturing exotic beasts on camera by visiting a
sanctuary or heading on safari, but you cant make
them perform on demand. On the positive side, the
time spent peering through the viewnder is far
from wasted, as youll become familiar with an
animals habits and possibly be able to predict their
behaviour. In any case, you need to keep a safe
distance and avoid making any sudden movements.
Photographer Dan Hartwright found out the hard
way. Probably my most memorable shot was when
an elephant attacked us in Kafue National Park in
Zambia, he recalls. The guy driving was seriously
panicked, so I talked him through reversing away
from the onrushing angry bull elephant. What
made it worse for him was when I took the wheel
and insisted on driving back up to the beast to take
photos of it charging at us several times!
Preparation counts for a lot in this challenging genre,
as Dan points out. Dont turn up in the rainy season
with a 15mm lens and look for leopards! Plan ahead
for migrations, seasons, locations, types of wildlife in
the region, access times, transport, etc. Unless you are
Wild locations
The best places to hunt with your camera
KENYA
East Africa
Kenya is a popular
destination for capturing
the big ve on camera:
lions, elephants, buffalo,
rhinos and leopards.
Its also pretty easy
to get to, with plenty
of major airlines ying
there, and there are a
number of photographer-
friendly safari trips
that you can go on.
This way, you know that the driver will take his
foot off the gas long enough for you to take
your photos. A telephoto lens of 300mm or more
is essential.
ANDAMAN SEA ISLANDS
South-east Asia
If you prefer marine life
photographed from an
idyllic-looking island,
then book a ight to the
Andaman Sea islands
immediately. To the
south lies the Mu Koh
Lanta National Marine
Park, with rainforests,
mangroves and coral
reefs. Over 500 species
of sh can be found
here, as well as endangered sea turtles. Invest
in underwater housing for your camera in order
to make the most of the numerous shooting
opportunities that are available.
MADAGASCAR
Indian Ocean
This isolated island is
full of variety, with over
200,000 known species
and about 150,000 that
can be found nowhere
else. You will nd plenty
of lemurs, frogs, birds
and chameleons (if you
can spot them). There
are organised tours
around the mountainous
parks, or alternatively
you can hire a vehicle. When framing your shot, go
wide and capture the beautiful setting as well as
the animals on offer.
GALPAGOS ISLANDS
West of Ecuador
It was on these
islands where animals
thrived without fear of
predators that Charles
Darwin came up with
the theory of evolution.
There are huge tortoises,
blue-footed boobys
and large land iguanas
among the weird and
wonderful wildlife, and
you can get away with
using a smaller lens since you can get really close.
Book early, as peak season (between June and
September) lls up fast.
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LOCAL LIFE
Look out for shots that give
you a flavour of everyday life
Advanced techniques

lucky enough to live close to game reserves, you will
have to make an expensive trip with limited time. He
recommends recruiting a local photographer to be
your guide, as they will know the best locations and
what creatures youre likely to meet.
A fast zoom lens is a must-have for wildlife shoots,
and pack plenty of memory cards and spare charged
batteries, since youll probably be far from an
electricity port. If you can afford it, multiple bodies
with different lengths, adds Dan. Consider using a
cropped sensor body for the focal length multiplier,
and invest in a bean bag to rest the camera on from
the side of a vehicle for steady shooting in lower light.
As for settings, your cameras burst mode can
be really useful for rattling off multiple shots per
second. Dan keeps his camera in program mode on
a suitable ISO for both the lighting levels and high-
speed shooting, and uses servo auto-focus to track
a subject. But always be ready for the unexpected;
like zebras running across the road behind you with
a storm rolling in, he says. By being spontaneous
and willing to experiment with every sub-genre
of travel photography, youll return home with a
slideshow that no one will groan at.
Name: Dan Hartwright
Bio: With experience of
wildlife photography in
over 40 countries, Dan has
worked with a large
cross-section of
photographers and clients
across Africa, Asia and Europe.
www.hartwright.me
What is the secret of a powerful wildlife image?
Luck plays a large part, as Ive been out all day and seen
very little to shoot, and other times its been amazing.
When making a composition, think about the
background. Too often I see what would be amazing
photos of game if only the person had zoomed out or
changed their elevation or depth of eld.
Secrets of success
Dan Hartwright explains what photographers
should expect in the wild
How does the wildlife genre compare to other
aspects of travel photography?
Its frustrating, expensive and time consuming,
but very rewarding when you successfully get
that shot. The biggest pro is that you are also out
seeing game in amazing places, but dont expect
to compete with the National Geographic guys
and their $100,000 worth of kit and support
vehicles on day one!
What advice would you give to a budding
travel photographer?
Go and try it out for a few weeks. Hire a locally based
photographer to plan your trip and take you around to
get the best value. If you want to go full time then nd a
way to relocate close to the wildlife. It takes time on the
ground to capture good images and patience.
DanHartwright
ON THE ROAD
Zebras crossing the road in Lake
Nakuru National Park in Kenya
Advanced techniques

Advanced techniques

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Capture
architecture
We guide you through the kit, techniques and tips youll
need to photograph stunning architectural images
Canon TS-E
24mm
f/3.5L II
Works best with

Advanced techniques
P
hotographing architectural forms
successfully can be challenging. It can
often be a frustrating process, involving
changing light conditions, messy spaces,
street clutter, stray signage, unpredictable
people and all manner of factors that are outside of
our control. But when it all comes together there is
nothing more satisfying than knowing youre about
to capture a beautifully designed piece of architecture
in the best way possible.
Photography can bring a building or space to life
and show the true design intent behind a space in a
way that no other media can. It can capture light and
motion, accentuate materials, enhance reections,
and make a space feel bigger and brighter. But with
geometry, proportion and perspective being critical
to successful architectural photographs, you need
more than just a basic grasp of composition to be
successful. You also need to understand how to make
the most of your kit and have one eye on how you
want the nal image to turn out.
Having an awareness of architectural styles will
also stand you in good stead. A boxy Bauhaus
towerblock will require a completely different
compositional treatment to a soaring Gothic
cathedral spire, for example. Books and city guides
can help you develop an understanding of key
architectural styles or vernaculars so you can plan
your approach.
Over the next few pages we guide you through the
way the professionals go about shooting architecture.
Youll learn about composition, good-practice
techniques and how to set up your kit to optimise
your captures. We will touch on the lenses that
work well in different scenarios and how to deal
with difcult lighting situations. We also talk to
two working professionals about two very different
aspects of architectural photography and how they go
about producing striking images.
EMBRACE THE SPACE
Incorporate the surrounding space into
the image to help lead the eye up into the
structure youre shooting

Advanced techniques
BRING IT TOGETHER
Including the outside scenery within the frame
is a great way to add in more visual impact
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elements of
a great shot
4
The window to the right, structure
to the left and textured decking lead
the eye into the shot and beyond.
The framed view is placed in the
top third of the frame for a pleasing
composition. This is also reinforced
by the reflection in the window.
The white swing chair has been
included in the corner of the
frame to anchor this side of the
photograph. Its tone contrasts
nicely with the decking.
The tonality of this image works as
it is largely dark, but balanced out
by the focal point (the view) and
the anchor (the chair).
01
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Advanced techniques
We speak with Andrew Lee about photographing
stunning images as the light begins to fade
Captures at dusk
Name: Andrew Lee
Bio: Andrew has worked almost
exclusively as an architectural
photographer since 1996 after
studying Fine Art Photography,
following several years of being a
keen amateur. He uses Phase
One medium-format digital
backs (IQ160) with a Linhof 679CS monorail and
Rodenstock lenses.
www.andrewleephotographer.com
Your dusk shots have a wonderful sense of drama,
what makes a good dusk shot for you?
It may sound obvious, but for a shot to work, there
usually needs to be a high proportion of the building that
is either window or that is lit by its own external lights.
Often the justication for a dusk shot is to allow the
viewer to see into the building from the outside.
Therefore, the appearance of the interior is as important
as the exterior. It is also important that a dusk shot
doesnt turn into a night shot with no detail in unlit areas.
How do you go about achieving the perfect balance
of interior articial light and external ambient light?
Dusk is a very brief moment. It can sometimes only last
for ten minutes. However, except in very rare cases, the
camera cannot capture the human eyes perception of
dusk in a single exposure. I set up my camera well before
sunset and continue taking exposures until it is dark. The
rst exposures are for foreground or background areas.
Next, I record the building exterior followed by the interior.
Finally, I expose for the sky once the sun has fully set and
combine the shots manually in Photoshop.
Tell us some key tips for dusk captures?
In modern public buildings, many lights are controlled by
light sensors, movement sensors and timers. You might
need an assistant inside the building to reactivate lights
that turn off automatically. It is also important to
anticipate how street lighting might impact the shot: will
some exposures need to be made before it comes on?
What has your most challenging shoot been to date?
A shot of the ats in Golspie St, Glasgow. I had to knock
on about 40 doors to get lights on and curtains open.
Essential kit for
architectural shoots
CANON EOS 5D
MARK III CAMERA
BODY
Website: www.canon.com
Price: 2,999/$3,499.95
Canons incredibly popular
full-frame DSLR, the 5D Mark
III features a 22.3-megapixel
full-frame image sensor,
61-point AF and an extensive ISO range, which is ideal for
shooting high-quality low-light interiors.
The best tools of the trade for
shooting structures inside and out
CANON 16-35MM
F/2.8 II USM LENS
Price: 1,319.99/$16,99.00
When you are backed into
a corner trying to make the
smallest of interior spaces
feel bigger, only a wide-angle
lens will do. This lens produces
superbly sharp images right to
the edges of the frame and at
its widest setting.
MANFROTTO 405 GEARED HEAD
Website: www.manfrotto.co.uk
Price: 410/$556
A geared head is a must
for any architectural
photographer, cameras will
often need to be levelled
particularly when used
with a tilt-and-shift lens.
The precision controls on
the Manfrotto 405 head
combined with its quick-
release feature make it ideal
for quick set-up times.
MANFROTTO
055XPROB TRIPOD
Website: www.manfrotto.co.uk
Price: 170/$223
Stability is critical for long
exposures and the aluminium
055XPROB tripod is a good
compromise between stability
and lightweight. It also has a
removable main stem which
can be rotated to a horizontal
position, very useful for shooting
over balustrades.
CANON TS-E 24MM
F3.5L II TILT AND
SHIFT LENS
Price: 2,399.99/$2,199.00
Canons specialist tilt and shift
lens is the favoured lens of many
architectural photographers.
The shift mechanism enables
vertical lines to be corrected
without post-processing and
the rotating bezel also enables
awlessly stitched panoramas to
be taken easily.
There are many factors that go into making a pleasing
architectural photograph, and one of the most
signicant is composition. Building structures by
their very nature are geometric forms, so using this
geometry to give the photograph a good sense of
balance and proportion will help to create a pleasing
image. Conversely, a poorly balanced shot with odd
proportions will result in a very weak photo, no
matter how interesting the subject and lighting.
There are many methods of creating pleasing
compositions which can be used individually and
in combination. Making the conscious decision to
think about these as you are framing a shot will seem
laborious at rst, but will soon become second nature
as you learn to recognise certain elements in a scene.
When shooting a large building and trying to give
it some context, look for lead-in lines within the
landscape that will draw the viewers eye into the
shot. These might be trees, hedges, footpaths, railings
and so on. You might also nd lead-in lines in a large
internal space; look around for aspects such as stairs
leading up to a focal point, strong patterns in the
ooring material or pick up on strong geometry in
exposed structural elements.
However, the use of lead-in lines is not always
completely necessary. If the focal point itself is strong
enough, the viewers eye will be drawn there anyway.
Something as simple as a brightly coloured piece
of furniture or a well-lit entrance can be appealing.
Think about where in the shot to place the focal point
to make the composition work. Dead centre might be
a bold statement and works well with symmetrical
shots, but it is often better to place it off-centre using
the rule of thirds as a guide.
With symmetrical shots it is a case of all or nothing,
if you are going to do it then make sure every element
of the shot is perfectly balanced. The camera needs
to be levelled and parallel to the target so the shot
reads well in both the vertical and horizontal planes.
Usually the shot would be based around a strong
feature that would work well being centred.
COMPOSITION
Seek out simple ways to ensure
a structure stands out, such as
turning on the inside lights

Advanced techniques
Level the camera The most important step is to
level the camera to give true verticals. It helps if
you have spirit levels on the tripod head and fine
adjustment makes things easier and quicker.
Making the shift Shift the lens up or down
depending on where you need the frame
moved to in the image circle. To do this
unscrew the locking nut on the side and wind
the shift screw.
Manual focus and exposure Manually focus the
lens, use Live View and zoom in to the area you
want to focus on. Set exposure before shifting and
use the live histogram if you have this available.
Rotate and stitch If you need to create a wider
shot but with some vertical shift, you can do this
by shifting more than you need. Rotate the lens
bezel left and right and then stitch the two images
together in post-production.
Learn to shift
You can eliminate converging verticals on any lens by levelling the camera,
however in most cases this means missing off the top of a building. Most
architectural photographers only use the shift mechanism which allows
the image frame to be moved vertically or laterally to capture a different
part of the image circle. Tilt-and-shift lenses also feature a rotating bezel
which allows two different frames from the same image circle to be
captured and stitched to create a panorama.
Familiarise yourself with the architectural
shooters key imaging tool: a tilt-shift lens

Advanced techniques
PERSPECTIVES
Consider the perspective
that you shoot bold
structures from to show
them in the best light
Big spaces can be quite daunting to shoot as there
is often too much visual information to capture. In
these cases try breaking down the shot into smaller
elements which work as their own mini compositions.
The same applies for larger compositions, just think
on a smaller scale. For instance; patterns in a oor,
xed furniture or rooms with a view where the view
through the window is the main element.
Big external scenes also need to be well balanced.
A large building set in a wide space can look isolated
without something to anchor it. In these cases, look
for strong elements to include at the edges of the
frame to balance the composition. You might include
some foliage in one corner of the shot to balance a
building which is off to the side for example.
Light and shade also has a big impact on the
composition of a shot, this can be as basic as how
much or little sky to include, or detailed as whether
to boost the shadows in one portion of a room with
a little ll ash. The key is to recognise how deep
shade or strong light can help to balance a shot to
draw the eye to a certain portion of the scene.
As well as good composition, you do of course
need to employ good technique to ensure you
capture the best-possible data for post-processing. If
you consider the many different types of shot you
might come across on a shoot; external, internal,
dusk, detail, wide, panorama to name a few, they all
require a slightly different approach, but some simple
base settings will give you a sound starting point.
Assuming you have the minimum kit necessary to
get started (tripod, camera and wide lens), start by
levelling your camera (particularly if using a tilt-and-
shift lens). A tripod head with a spirit level that has
plenty of ne adjustment is useful. Failing this you
can buy a hotshoe-mounted level for around 10 that
does the job nicely. With your camera levelled you
know that any shot you take will have true verticals.
For tripod work with wide lenses, set your camera
to its lowest native ISO setting. Do some research
on your lenses and nd out at what aperture the
high-res sweet spot is, it is likely to be around f11 to
f16 after which diffraction starts to come into play. Set
your aperture accordingly for maximum front-to-
back sharpness, it is a good idea to use a hyperfocal
distance calculator and memorise the focus distance
for you widest lens setting. On a 14mm lens at f14 for
instance the hyperfocal distance is 0.75m.
Set up your shot using the ground rules for good
composition and take a look at it through Live View.
This is a particularly useful tool and from here you
are better equipped to make your nal tweaks. Dont
forget to check if your camera is level again.
If your camera has Live View with a histogram,
use it to adjust shutter speed accordingly. If not, you
may need to make a test shot rst to ensure correct
exposure. Using Live View, set your focus to an object
in the foreground, preferably at or just beyond the
hyperfocal point. Take a test shot and check the
sharpness. For shutter speeds over 1/60sec it is good
practice to use mirror lockup and a remote release.
For longer-focal-length shots and hand shooting on
the y the camera setup is slightly different. These
types of shot are good for shallow-depth-of-eld
images for focusing on a detailed part of the scene. If
you are shooting indoors you may need a higher ISO,
so to make things easy on yourself set your camera
to auto ISO mode and set the maximum to around
ISO 3200. Use aperture priority mode and set your
aperture to something around f2.8. You can then
concentrate your attention on selecting the right part
of the scene to focus on.
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Advanced techniques
Shooting exteriors in good light is really all about
waiting for the sun to move around to the right
position and employing good composition and
shooting techniques to capture the shot. Interior
shots however require a little more consideration
and can present more challenges. This is largely due
to high-contrast lighting between the inside space
and outside views through windows and the added
complication of articial lighting. You will also face
challenges from small spaces, reective surfaces,
furniture and clutter.
Your instinct may be to reach for your widest lens
to capture as much of the scene as possible, but you
should consider how this will make furniture and
objects in the foreground appear. Wide-angle lenses
can distort objects in the foreground and detract from
the nal image. It is sometimes better to shoot with
a slightly longer lens, around 24mm, to give a more
natural look to the shot.
If you are taking a general wide shot of an interior,
set up your shot and take a look at the Live View
screen to adjust for composition. At this point
you may want to move furniture slightly, remove
unwanted objects from the scene and turn on or
switch off lights. Dont be afraid to make the shot
work for you rather than accepting what is in front
of you. Consider using people in the shot to create
movement and interest it may take more than one
attempt to get the placement right.
For very large interiors, consider shooting with two
different focal lengths for alternate nal images. The
human eye has an equivalent focal length of roughly
45mm so a good 50mm lens is useful here.
You will most likely need to deal with extreme
dynamic range at some stage, shooting from a dark
inside space to a very bright exterior through a view
can be problematic. HDR is the obvious solution
but it rarely works well for clean architectural shots.
The best option is to expose one shot for the interior

Advanced techniques

We speak with David Thrower
of Redshift Photography about
capturing striking interiors
Pro
interior
shoots
Name: David Thrower
Bio: David started Redshift
Photography ten years ago
with a view to providing
high-quality interior and
architectural photography
aimed specically at
lighting manufacturers
who produce ttings for
ofces and shops. He now
produces work for a large client base and also has a
small product and portrait studio.
www.redshift-photography.co.uk
When shooting interiors do you use any additional
lighting or just whats available?
If Im shooting small hotel rooms I will take along some
ash to provide some ll if needed, but for the vast
majority I use available light. I try to keep post-
production to a minimum for the sake of my assistant
Toni. I use an expo disc and a colour temperature meter
to ensure the white balance is correct (especially
important in mixed lighting conditions), and also use a
light meter to check the exposure is right too.
How do you deal with extreme contrast shots?
If the room is small then ll ash is great (especially for
rooms with dark nishes and large windows) but for
larger interiors HDR is the answer. Straight out of the
software (Photomatix) HDR images look unnatural so
we do extra work to make them look more realistic.
What are your thoughts on using super-wide-
angle lenses for interiors given the distortion,
and do you have a favoured lens for interiors?
I love my Canon 24mm tilt-and-shift lens and my
17-40mm lens for interiors. I always work with a tripod
and use a bubble level to make sure the camera is
totally level to avoid any difcult distortion. Lightroom
and DXO both offer very good autocorrection for the
17-40mm lens which is a great help. If I need a wider
view than the 17mm will allow. I like to take a series of
shots with my tilt-shift lens and stitch them together to
create a large super-wide pano with minimal distortion.
What essential piece of kit would you recommend?
Sorry to be boring with this one but a sturdy tripod is
very important. If you can afford a tilt-shift lens when
starting out I would strongly recommend one.
How do you go about pinning down a brief with a
client that doesnt know exactly what they want?
We have brief form on our website that our clients can
download and we do encourage them to ll this in. Just
make sure you talk the project through fully to get a feel
for the type of pictures they like.
What interior space do you nd challenging to
shoot and how do you approach this?
Dark moody restaurant interiors. I do rely on HDR
techniques quite a lot. Take a good series of exposures
and aim to get an accurate colour-temperature reading
too. Interior designers dont like to see their hard work
look a funny colour when they get the shots back.
INTERIOR INSPIRATION
Think carefully about how the light, camera angles and
settings will affect the way the space is recorded in-camera
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scene and one for the exterior view through the
window (though expose this slightly over-metered to
give a more natural appearance), then blend these
shots manually in post-production. It isnt an easy
technique to master but is worth the effort as it gives
you ultimate control over the balance of exposures.
When shooting from an articially lit internal
space to and external view you will also need to
deal with the differing colour temperatures. If you
set your white balance for the interior space it will
make the light coming through the window and the
view outside look very cold. You can deal with this
in one of two ways. Assuming that you have RAW
les, you can either create two exported shots, one
with an interior white balance and one exterior and
then blend manually. Or you can use a selective
adjustment tool in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw
and take out the colour shift in the RAW le.
As for external shots, look out for nice internal
details to shoot. These work well with shallow depths
of eld to place emphasis on the part of the image in
sharp focus.

Editing your
Canon images
Making your photos the best they can be
Editing your Canon images
166 The essential guide to editing
Transform images from average to awesome
174 Fix your photos
Vital edits and how to achieve them
180 Smooth skin
How to get perfect skin in your snaps
182 Master RAW conversion
Get the most out of your file processing
184 Fix photos in Camera Raw
Transform your photos instantly
187 Create an action
Reduce your editing time
188 Restore your old photos
Bring fading photos back to life
184
Fix photos in Raw
Master RAW conversion

The essential
guide to
Photoshop
Fix your
photos
Dodge and burn

Use Photoshop to edit and transform
your images from average to
awesome in the post-production
phase of your project
Editing
O
ver the years, Photoshop
has become a hugely
important part of the
photographic process. More and
more photographers now rely on
this software instead of using the
traditional on-camera settings,
even though Canon offers its
users all the control they could
want. This is because in the post-
production phase you can push
your images to the next level and
achieve fantastic creative results
that just couldnt be captured on
your camera alone.
Many factors can let down a
photo-shoot, be it the weather,
poor equipment or a shaky
hand, but all of these aws can
be edited out and corrected.
When using Photoshop you
only need to master a few
key techniques to ensure
that every editing project
looks professional and your
images perfect. Once you
have these skills mastered,
you can really start to
develop and learn to hone
your creative skills.
Over the next few pages
well run through all of the
key Photoshop tools and
features that youll soon
nd yourself unable to
live without. Follow along to
learn how to achieve the best photographic-style effects
such as retro and cross processing, high-key summer
lighting, textured overlays and even how to create
polished high-end advertising pieces.
Well also cover all of the key features and tools
youll need to get started. Read on, whet your appetite
and get inspired to delve further into the creative
possibilities that Photoshop can offer.
CREATIVE EDITING
Well show you everything you need to get
creative in Photoshop for expert results
The essential guide to

IN-DEPTH
EDITING GUIDE
You will
learn how to...
Q Develop your style
Q Enhance portraits
Q Create composites
Q Cross process
Before
This image looks
dull and flat, and
in need of some
editing attention
After
This shot is now
hugely improved,
after just a few
easy tweaks

Getting your photography work recognised is
vitally important as a photographer. Your images
need to stand out from the overwhelming amount
of photographers who are now displaying their
work on the web and on social networking sites.
Developing a unique and easily recognisable style
will ensure that you get the coverage you truly
deserve, and mastering Photoshop will ensure that
this is the case.
On this page well be covering a selection
of current styles that are hugely popular both
creatively and commercially. Building on your
Photoshop skills and then transferring what youve
learnt into your work will allow you to develop a
style that you can easily apply across your entire
portfolio. The style you choose to work with will
need to suit the theme of your images, so dont be
afraid to experiment with some different effects but
also keep in mind what message youre trying to get
across to the viewer.
The effects applied to your photos can be as
wacky as you choose, but your images dont need
to look overly Photoshopped to get great end results.
Even small subtle tweaks like the high-key lighting
effect can really make your portfolio stand out
against the competition.
The key to nding a style is experimentation.
Dont be too constrained, have fun and really
explore what Photoshop has to offer. Combining
Adjustment Layers and Layer Blend modes can
produce stunning end results without hours spent
staring at your computer screen. Get to grips with
the few essential Photoshop functions explored
here and you will realise how many amazing effects
can be created quickly and easily regardless of
your image-editing skill level.
Finding a style
Cross processing is a simple technique to master,
involving increasing the image contrast and
dramatically altering the colour balance.
To do this we will use a Curves Adjustment
Layer (Window>Adjustment>Curves). Click onto
the RGB drop-down menu and choose Red. Click
onto the line adding two anchor points.
Now move these to create an S shape. Repeat
this for the Green channel then swap to the
Blue channel. Dont add any anchor points; just
move the top-end downwards. The bottom left
anchor must point up to enhance the blues in the
shadows. Play around with these settings. Once
happy, set this layers blend mode to Color.
Creative cross-processing
CURVES ADJUSTMENT
A simple curves adjustment for the red,
green and blue channels work excellently
to achieve the cross-processing effect
RED, GREEN AND BLUE
For the red and green colour channels,
move the curve into an S shape. For the
blue channel, move the top end of the line
downwards, as shown here
BICYCLE BEFORE
One photo, four distinctly different styles.
Experiment with them all and see what
suits your style of working best. Who knows,
you may discover a Photoshop trick that
transforms your entire portfolio!
1
PLAY WITH HIGHLIGHTS
Creating high-key lighting
effects is all about increasing
the highlights in your photos
and enhancing the foreground.
Duplicate the Background layer,
then hide the top layer. Click back
onto the original background
layer and add a subtle Gaussian
Blur effect. Make both layers
visible once more. Now add a
Mask to the top layer. With a low-opacity, soft-edged brush,
paint away the area around the foreground object showing the
blurred underneath layer, adding a sense of depth. Now add a
Curves Adjustment Layer (set to Lighter) in the top drop-down
menu. If you want to strengthen the effect, continue to push
the line upwards.
Boost highlights and add
blur for a high-key effect
Curves

2
MIX UP YOUR TEXTURES Creating striking images with
depth is very simple. To begin, duplicate your Background
Layer and go to the Layer Blend modes at the top of the
Layers palette. Experiment with the options Multiply and
Vivid Light produce exceptional results, but for this image we
have chosen to use Color Burn. Double-click
on the top layer once the Blend Mode has
been applied and check
the Texture option from
the Layer Styles dialog
box. We used a Stucco
texture. Then on top of
the Layers we added a
Curves Adjustment Layer,
bringing back some
highlights and enriching
the texture effect.
3
CUT AND
POLISH
For this effect,
first isolate the
object and then
place it onto a
white backdrop
with a natural
shadow. Sharpen
and then brighten
with a Curves Adjustment Layer.
If you have a simple object to cut out, try the Quick
Selection and Refine Edge tools. If, however, your object
is more complex, then use the Pen tool.
Trace your object and save the Path. Make it an active
selection and lift it from the Background layer. Make the
Path an active selection once more, add a transparent
layer underneath and fill the selection with black. Flip
and position the layer and blur it. Finally use the
Gradient tool on a Mask to soften.
Add texture and Layer
blends for more depth
Create clean and sleek
advertising effects
Pen tool
Blend modes
Web: www.bigbouquet.co.uk
Bio: Emma Davenport works
alongside her husband Ian,
shooting weddings and portrait
shoots on location. They use pro
camera bodies and a wealth of
prime lenses. Big Bouquet is now
in its fth year of business.
How important is Photoshop to you in your
professional career and how much do you use it?
Because of the volume of shots I have to process on a weekly
basis, and the quick turnaround time I need for my clients,
I now do a lot of my basic image tweaking in Lightroom.
However, when I turn on Lightroom for work, Photoshop is
always powered up too. Its become second nature! For
those feature shots, or images that need a little bit more
editing work, Photoshop gives me a far more polished nish.
What tools and techniques do you rely upon the most?
Im a big fan of Actions - both those Ive created myself and
have bought off the shelf. Ive got my own subtle S Curve
treatments saved, which I use to give my images a boost.
How did you develop your recognisable style,
or was it a natural progression?
The way I process my shots has changed a lot over the past
few years and I owe this to some of the great, commercial
Actions available. I see no shame in using these to help
shortcut to a certain look. The Photoshop Actions I regularly
use come from Totally Rad (gettotallyrad.com), Kubota
Image Tools (kubotaimagetools.com) but my absolute
favourite are the limited-edition Vintage Film sets from Red
Leaf Boutique (redleafboutique.ca). I always use most of
these Actions as primers though. The beauty of most of
them is that theyre layered so you can manually tweak them.
Its really important to remember that you cant get good
results unless your straight-out-of-camera image is
interesting and technically competent in the rst place.
Did any other artists or Photographers inspire you
to stylise your work?
Theres such a friendly network of photographers out
there for those looking to perfect their image editing. For
example, Totally Rad has its own Recipe site where other
photographers share their own work and give guidance on
how they achieved their look (gettotallyrad.com/recipes/).
Standout
style
PRO-LEVEL EDITS
Emma at Big Bouquet relies on Lightroom and Photoshop to
achieve these stunning results. Capturing the perfect shot is
the hard part but then adding on a effect that complements
the style perfectly finishes it all off to a high standard
BigBouquet

The success of every enhanced image lies in its
attention to detail. In photography, retouching
portraits has become a crucial step in the process,
with the ability to completely transform a shot.
However its all too easy to over-do it. The best
attitude to have when retouching an image is that
less is more lots of small adjustments add up to
make a big difference!
Professional image retouchers use a careful
combination of Masking, Transforming and
Blending modes in Photoshop to achieve awless-
yet-authentic results. When you begin to tackle this
kind of task, youll soon nd yourself becoming
very familiar with the Selection, Warp and Layer
Mask tools.
The rst things to focus on are the skin and hair
regions once youve perfected these key areas,
youll have the ultimate foundation to work from.
The skin is especially important, but synthetic
effects can strangle all realism in your image, and
so excessive skin smoothing isnt encouraged.
Instead, using Channels and a little patience, you
can easily work out those blemishes manually. The
hair region can cause similar headaches, but once
youve mastered the techniques, its easy to smooth
out the strays.
If your shot is still in need of a lift, you can
then start to manually apply some cosmetic
enhancements. Using existing make-up as a marker,
the grafting of eyelashes, face-shape changes and
eye-colour alterations are just a few clicks away.
The real key to making realistic enhancements
in your image is to be honest about what you have
to work with. Here, well take you through the best
ways to piece your portrait together and help you
to ne-tune your application routine, for expertly
retouched portraits in minutes.
Enhancements
Amateur retouching is littered with clumsy, synthetic-looking
portraits with over-smoothed skin. The real trick isnt to try and
cover up blemishes, but take them out completely, which takes
just a little bit more time and attention.
One way of achieving this is to use the Channels palette. Open
up the palette and pick the channel that shows the greatest
contrast in light value which is Blue, in this example. Duplicate
your Channel then apply levels to increase the contrast and
enhance skin texture. Now copy and paste this duplicate channel
into your layers palette; then activate your model layer and use
the new Channel layer as a visual guide for editing blemishes.
Using the Clone stamp zoomed in at 200% works well. Switch
the visibility of your Channel on and off to preview the results.
Skin cleaning with Channels
To get rid of stray hairs, make a selection around
the edge of the model using the Pen tool. Choose
Select>Modify>Feather>5px, then hit Cmd/Ctrl+J to
duplicate your selection into a new layer. Now make a
new selection that extends beyond the fringes of the
models loose hairs, then activate your original model
layer and press Shift+F5, applying
Content-Aware Fill. This method
is not always foolproof, so use the
clone tool to clean up any strays.
You can further improve the
look of hair with hair grafting.
Using the Lasso tool, select an
area of hair then click Copy, Paste
and place over the blemish. Hit
Transform>Warp to reshape the
new hair, and then integrate the
edges with a Layer Mask to keep
it looking natural.
Hair xing with
Content-Aware
If your portrait needs a little more impact, you even create
your own subtle make-up using Photoshop brushes.
To enhance modest eye and facial make-up, create a
new layer and set it to Darken Blend mode. Select a colour
by sampling the existing make-up on your model, then
activate the Brush tool. In the menu, apply a 10% Opacity
with Multiply Blend mode; then begin painting on top to
gently enrich the tones. You can also use this technique to
enhance the lips.
Finally, add in a healthier complexion by applying a
Selective Color Adjustment Layer. Tweak Magenta and
Yellow sliders in the Reds preset for a natural glow.
Apply cosmetic
enhancements
Before
See how to clean
up and modify
images with
Photoshop

The key to making
realistic enhancements is
to be honest about what
you have to work with
Adjusting the colour and sharpness of the
eyes is important for creating a unified image.
This can easily be achieved using the Elliptical
Marquee tool. Make a selection and then tweak
the Hue/Saturation sliders. Now use Sharpen>
Smart Sharpen to enhance the eyes.
Cleaning and shaping the eye region is also
just as important. The eyelashes and eyebrows
are essential areas in a head shot, so filling
these will make for an immaculate final image.
Simply copy and paste eyelashes, reposition
and apply a Darken Blend mode. You can then
edit any noticeable edges using a Layer Mask.
Enhancing the eyes
To remedy any stray hairs lurking
in your image, carefully apply the
Clone Stamp tool, with the Blend
mode set to Darken Blend. Zoom
in to 200% and sample from even
areas to even out the strands.
However, this is a time-consuming
process. Always remember that
you can only do so much.
Fixing
hair strands
Making subtle changes to the contour of a
models face is relatively simple and can make
a big difference to a portrait. Start by making
selections of the face edges; then modify
using either the Warp option, or Filter>Liquify>
Forward Warp tool. Its best to stick to small
adjustments here, otherwise you might end up
with some blurring.
The new Photoshop CS6 Liquify tool brush
sizes are much larger and can manipulate more
pixels, for sharper warping. You can also try
straightening the jaw by copying and pasting a
selection of this into a new layer, then modifying
with the Warp option. Finish up by carefully
integrating all edges with an applied Layer Mask.
Modify face shape

Before
This image is pleasant, but lacks
creativity and punch. However, by
combining it with elements from
other shots, we can transform the
bland into the beautiful
The key to seamless photo
blending is to match up the
noise, sharpness levels, the
colour and the lighting tones
using as many Adjustment
Layers as necessary

1
OPEN YOUR IMAGES With your main image selected,
source all other elements. In this example we want to add in
a new sky. Open all of the images into Photoshop and select the
Rectangular Marquee tool, draw over the area of sky you want
to place into your main shot.
2
CUT OUT AND POSITION Drag and drop the selection
into your main image. Resize and then hide this layer for
now. Use the Pen tool to trace along the horizon line and land
area. Save the Path and then make it an active selection. Now
lift the selection onto its own layer.
3
MATCH SETTINGS Make all layers visible and place a
Levels Adjustment Layer on each one. Clip it so it only
affects the layer below. Tweak the settings to match the two
layers colours and brightness. Finally match noise settings and
add a Curves Adjustment to the top.
Swap in a sky with these simple steps
When youre out on a photoshoot, its all too
easy to make a mistake. Horizons may be wonky,
lighting not set up efciently, or the rule of thirds
may be forgotten resulting in a distinctly average
photo. But, all of this can be corrected afterwards
in Photoshop. You can even merge and composite
several photos together to get the ultimate seamless
image for your portfolio.
In the mini step-by-step below, we will show you
how you can take the best parts of several photos
and comp them together to achieve a brilliant,
polished nal image. No more dull skies, blurred
foregrounds or poor conditions. Well show you
how to take specic sections within your photos
and replace them with new and improved areas
from another photo. Once the composition has been
nalised, and the best parts of several photos pieced
together, well show you how to blend the different
layers, match up colour and lighting effects before
attening and saving the nal image.
The key to seamless photo blending is to match
up the noise and sharpness levels and the colour
and lighting tones using as many Adjustment
Layers as necessary. The procedure sounds
complex but once you have mastered it, you will be
producing fantastically creative compositions in
no time. For the best results, start building up your
image stock library. You never know when a sunny
holiday sky or model shot can be used to x or
create a completely new scene.
Composites
After
When combining images, ensure that the sharpness
and noise levels match up. If they dont, try adding
an overall effect on top of all the layers to match them
up a bit more and make the blend less noticeable
You may not want to replace the
entire sky, just add in a bit more
interest. To do this, simply drag
the new areas onto the canvas,
position and alter the layers blend
modes to suit and then mask away
the layers edges to blend
the images together.
Add in
some interest

L
earning how to edit your photos in
post-production is a vital skill that
all photographers should master,
regardless of skill level.
Very few shots require zero editing,
there is always something that can be done to
improve the overall quality of the image and we are
here to show you just a taster of what is possible, and
how to do it in Photoshop.
Photoshop has some very powerful editing
features that once explored you will not be able
to live without. Above, we will show you how the
professionals retouch their images, concentrating on
portraits, the toughest type of image to edit perfectly
and seamlessly. We will then move on to correcting
some of the most common photographic aws,
poor exposure, colour casts and sharpening blurred
images. We will show you all of the options available
to you in Photoshop for correcting these areas so
that you can work to your skill level condently. To
nish off we will take you through how to prepare
your images for sharing, both in print and on the
web, including correct resizing processes that many
people get wrong.
So sit back and delve into our fantastic editing
guide, and be prepared to expertly transform your
images in every project you take on.
As a photographer, Photoshop is vital we show you why you need
to learn these editing skills and how to use them
Before
Learn the essential
Photoshop skills
to make your
captures shine
Pixel-perfect portraits with a helping hand
CONTENT AWARE FILL
A quick way to fill an area or cover
up a flaw is to first select the area,
press Shift+F5 for the Fill options,
and select Content-Aware. The
selection is filled seamlessly with
pixels from the surrounding area.
ADJUSTMENT LAYERS
Discover how Adjustment Layers
allow you precise control when editing
your shots. Dramatically improve
your images with improvements to
colour, contrast, light or add in Filter
effects in this palette.
DODGE AND BURN
Use these tools to brighten
and darken areas in need.
Great on landscape images
but very useful on portraits. Use the Dodge tool
to add in a little sparkle to teeth and eyes.
EDITING TOOLS
When retouching you can use
a soft-edged Brush set at a low
opacity, or try experimenting
with the Clone Stamp and
Healing Brush tools, both are
excellent at removing flaws.
LIQUIFY FILTER
Use this Photoshop feature
to slim down areas within
a photo. Use the Forward
Warp tool to thin out
noses or try adding more
definition into the cheeks.
Fix your photos

A
chieving perfect exposure within your photos is vitally
important if you want an image to be proud of. Incorrect
exposure is often beyond our control when out on a shoot
and will leave your image either too dark and bland or far
too bleached-out with a distinct lack of denition.
If any of your photos are suffering from over or underexposure then
do not fear, as Photoshop has all of the necessary tools you will need to
correct any aws. Youll be left with stunning end results. In the steps
below we will run through several Photoshop features that can help to
rescue any images in need.
1
Get ready to edit Our start photo as
shown here is slightly underexposed in
some areas, however the light is just right in
others. To fix up our photo, firstly bring up
the Adjustment Layers palette, Window>
Adjustments and click onto Curves. A dialog
box containing an angled line will appear.
3
Try out other features Instead of the
Curves tool, try a Levels Adjustment
Layer, where you can alter the strength
of the shadows, midtones and highlights
in one go, or by individual colour channels
(also in Curves). Or try the easiest option by
adding an Exposure Adjustment Layer.
2
Tweak tones Click onto the middle
of the line placing an Anchor point,
now to suit your exposure settings move
the line upwards to lighten your image,
or downwards to darken. Add two more
Anchor points and move these to boost or
reduce light in the highlights and shadows.
4
Mask away areas If you just want the
Adjustment Layer to affect certain
areas, use the Mask tool on the Adjustment
layer. Click on the Layer Mask, select the
Brush tool, soft-edged, 80% Opacity,
foreground/background colours set black/
white then paint to mask away areas.
Before
This image is slightly
underexposed in some
areas, but fine in others
After
After just a few tweaks,
this shot now boasts a
balanced exposure
Four steps to ensure better exposures
Use the Dodge or Burn tool set
at a low exposure and paired with
a soft-edged brush to lift or darken
specific areas within your photos.
Its the perfect tool to use when
your image doesnt need an,
all-over exposure fix.
Dodge
and Burn tool

C
olour and tone are key to making a great
photo. Too much colour and your photo will
have an all-over colour cast, but conversely,
too little colour and youre left with an
image lacking denition and contrast.
Within Photoshop sits a palette lled with wonderful
Adjustment Layers that allow you to edit your photos in a
nondestructive way. Adjustment Layers are added
as a Layer in the Layers palette so you can easily go
back and re-edit the settings at a later date. If you
have changed your mind and want to tweak any
settings, simply double-click onto the layer. Read on
to discover all of the professionals key colour-editing
secrets and start applying them to your shots.
1
Select your Adjustment Layer Our
example image is a little tricky and will
require us to work in two halves. We need to
remove the blue from the sand, however we
also want to retain the colour in the sky. To
begin with select a Levels Adjustment Layer
from the Adjustment palette.
3
Reveal with a Mask Click the Magenta
Channel and reduce the levels for
more neutral tones. Click the Levels Layer
Mask thumbnail, select the Brush tool
at soft edge, 70% Opacity, foreground/
background set black/white. Paint over the
sea and sky area to reveal cyan shades.
2
Tweak individual channels To view
the images individual channels, click
the CMYK drop-down menu in the Layers
palette, select Cyan. To reduce the levels of
cyan, move the middle midtone slider and
right white slider left. Switch to the Yellow
Channel and move the middle slider right.
4
Reveal and tweak If you want to Mask
an area again, press X on the keyboard
to switch the foreground/background
colours, painting in white reveals and black
masks. Click onto the main Levels Layer, go
back to the Levels palette and tweak the
channel layers until satisfied.
Correct colour balance
Before
This image was suffering
from a blue colour cast
and looked drab and dull
After
The photo now has the
rich, warm tones of a
beautiful seascape
ADJUSTMENT LAYER PALETTE
These are nondestructive Photoshop
tools that allow you to edit your images
professionally. As long as you save as a PSD
file (layered) you can go back and re-edit
the Adjustments made at a later time.
COLOUR CORRECT BY CHANNEL
Use a Curves or Levels Adjustment Layer to
get rid of a colour cast. With either of these
two features you can tweak colour levels by
individual colour channels, allowing you to
edit precisely.
MASKS
If you want to edit a specific part
within a photo, use the Mask
feature that appears on every
Adjustment layer. Apply the all-
over effect, and then simply paint
away the unwanted areas.
LAYERS PALETTE
You can add as many Adjustment
layers as you want, great if you have a
troublesome image that needs different
effects applied to several areas.
Experiment with the Layer Blends too,
some great effects can be achieved!

4
Experimentation Experiment with all
of the sliders, seeing how the effects
can alter dramatically with just a small
movement of the sliders. If you feel certain
areas need more affect applied than others
then simply duplicate the layer, add the
effect then Mask away any unwanted areas.
2
Understand the sliders Amount is the
overall strength of the effect, if its too
high, your photo will become grainy. Radius,
is the size of the area of pixels you wish to
enhance and halos will appear is this is set
too high. Threshold affects the brightness
levels, and is useful to help avoid noise.
3
Begin to sharpen Zoom in close to
your image then set the Amount slider
to 100%. Now increase the Radius, for
portraits with fine detail keep the value
small to avoid sharpening skin pores and
flaws. Now increase the Threshold slider,
this will soften the overall effect.
1
Locate the tools Click onto the Filter
menu in the top tool bar, select Sharpen.
You will see several different options here,
some that apply simple automatic fixes,
others where more controls can be found.
Choose Unsharp Mask and its editing panel
will appear with three key sliders.
T
he are two key points to remember when
sharpening an image: you cant add in
details that dont already exist, and less is
always more. You can keep building up the
effect but adding too much can leave your
photos looking pixelated and worse than when you started.
If its done correctly though, you can enhance an image.
Remember that before adding any effect to your
starting shot that is not an Adjustment Layer, you must
rst duplicate the layer in question to make a copy of the
original image. Applying a Sharpening Filter onto a layer is a
destructive edit and once youve applied it, the only way to
erase the effect is to click back through your history palette
and start again.
Sharpen your photos the right way
Before
A little soft around the
edges, this portrait could
use a gentle lift
After
A few quick tweaks
leave this photograph
perfectly sharp
If your image is noisy or you
have over sharpened then to fix
it, add a Surface Blur. Sounds
weird we know, but go through
the Channels Palette, select the
Channel thats showing the most
noise, now add a small Surface
Blur to this Channel layer,
smoothing out your image.
Surface blur

Y
ou may wonder why you would need
to re-size your photos if they have been
shot at high resolution. If you wish to
print your images, chances are you will
need to enlarge them. On the other hand,
if you want to share your photos on the web for all to
see, then you will need to downsize them.
Learning how to correctly resize images in
Photoshop is tricky as there are many different
methods for both print and web. Read our two mini
tutorials to see how to treat your images correctly and
get the most from them however you wish to display
them. Remember if youre unsure about resizing, then
always make a duplicate rst!
Preparing your photos correctly for print or web
1
Edit then bring up Image Size Once you have edited
your images to perfection, including removing any
traces of noise as mentioned in the previous step-by-step,
then convert to RGB, if it isnt in this mode already. Go to the
top tool bar and select Image> Image Size.
2
Set up your image The place where you intend to
display your shots on the web will determine the exact
image size. Check all three boxes at the base of the palette,
then add your Width, set to Pixels, the height value will
update. Choose a resolution of 72-150 pixels/inch.
3
Save settings Select Bicubic Sharper from the drop-
down menu. Go to File> Save for Web & Devices, select
JPEG, set quality to High, check the Optimized and Embed
Color Profile boxes. In the bottom-left corner the file size
and download time is shown, if too large, reduce the file.
3
Save settings From the drop-down menu at the base
of the palette, select Bicubic, which is best to ensure
smooth gradients when enlarging an image. To Save, go to
File> Save and choose PSD as your file option. This leaves
you with a large layered file suitable for print.
2
Set up your Image Check that all three boxes at the
base of the Image Size palette are checked. Make sure
your Resolution is at least 300 pixels/inch, then add in
your desired Width, the Height will update accordingly if
Constrain Proportions is checked.
1
Edit then bring up Image Size Increasing an image to
a large format for print will show up any tiny blemishes
already present in your photo, so its important to eradicate
as much Noise as possible (Filter> Noise> Reduce Noise, or
by individual Colour Channel as described previously), and
to Sharpen your image, then make all other edits required.
If you are resizing and
exporting multiple files then
save valuable time by creating
a swift and effective Photoshop
Action. Record what tweaks you
make to one image and then
drop and run your other photos
through the Action for instant
resized results
Actions
W
E
B
P
R
IN
T

1
Prepare the layersOnce youve converted your image
to black and white, duplicate the background layer via,
Layer> Duplicate Layer. Now select the Burn tool from the
Tools palette and adjust the Brush size at the top of the
screen to a small/medium diameter with a soft round edge.
2
Darken with Burn Select Midtones from the range
drop-down menu. Build on the effect gradually by
keeping your exposure below 15% and brush over areas you
want to darken. You can change the range as you work to
affect highlights and shadows too.
3
Highlight with Dodge To bring out the newly shaded
areas in your shot, enhance the highlights. Select the
Dodge tool from the Tools palette and select your brush size.
Stick to working in the Highlights and Midtones range with
the exposure no more than 10% and lighten up select areas.
P
hotoshops Dodge and Burn tools are
the digital equivalent to the darkroom
techniques that share the same name.
These tools are much easier to master
and dont involve the same level of skill
that was required in the days of the darkroom. For
those who are unfamiliar with these tools, Dodge is
used to lighten select areas of your image while Burn
is for darkening areas.
Dodge and burn techniques are commonly
used when developing or converting images to
monochrome. Use them to successfully increase
contrast in select areas, which will help to enhance
the appearance of depth.
To help you get started weve put together a simple
three-step tutorial. Join in using your own start image
or work with the same one that we are, which can be
downloaded from http://bit.ly/18BxUR7.
Dodging and burning
Use Photoshops Dodge and Burn tools to
add controlled contrast to your
monochrome captures
Discover how to get
punchier black-and-
white shots using the
Dodge and Burn tools
in Photoshop
After
Before
Once youve dodged
and burned your
image,you can go
back to correct
mistakes or remove
parts of the effect
from areas using a
layer mask.Add a
layer mask to your
dodge-and-burn layer
via the Add Layer Mask tab at the bottom of the Layers
palette.Click on the white box to activate it and select the
Brush tool.Set a brush size and high Opacity with the
foreground colour set to black.You can now paint over
areas of the image you want to remove the effect from.
Layer mask control

Y
oull nd a huge selection of skin-
smoothing techniques online, but many
of these will leave you with an undesirable
nal outcome. If you want a professional
nal look for your images, then theres no cutting
corners youll have to roll up your sleeves and clear away
unwanted artefacts before you start smoothing.
The best way to tackle this type of retouching is to start
by simply agging the artefacts that you want amended.
This is as simple as creating a new layer and adding
1
Add annotationsStart by creating a new layer and select
the Pencil tool from the Tool Bar. Use this to mark out
any discreet as well as noticable blemishes that you need
to address. This is an important step as it will serve as a
reminder of what needs fixing.
3
Channel map Activate the Rectangle Marquee tool and
select the duplicate Blue channel. Now copy and paste
(Cmd/Ctrl+C; Cmd/Ctrl+V) into your Layer stack, placing
this beneath the anno layer. You can use this along with your
annotations to pinpoint blemishes for editing.
5
What to target Activate the model layer, using the
Channel map layer as a guide. Make sure to match
application with the direction of the blemishes to match the
skin. This can take a while, so turn the Channel map layer on
and off to check that youre making good progress.
9
Paint out contour Activate the Curves Layer Mask
and press Shift+F5. Fill it with black then select a soft,
30% Opacity white brush. Apply this to the mask to show
through effects and soften contours. This smoothes the
skin and creates a natural look that still shows pores.
Smooth skin
We show you how to perfect skin in your snaps, by combining three
easy techniques using some of Photoshops standard tool sets
annotations, much like you might do when sketching
using a pen and paper. In this tutorial youll learn how to
double-conrm areas using your Photoshop Channels as
blemish maps.
Only once this is complete can you begin to apply your
healing tools. The skin-smoothing is still a long way off, but
you just cant just hide blemishes and this is what leads to
overly fake looks. Instead, use the prompts rst to target
and lift all of the imperfections. Discover how to do this
using the Spot Healing Brush and Patch tools. Youll notice
2
Channels panel Hide the anno layer. Activate the
Channels panel and duplicate the Blue Channel
(Ctrl+click). Press Cmd/Ctrl+L to activate the Levels dialog
box. Pull the Shadow and Highlight sliders closer to the
midtone (middle) slider to create an increase in exposure.
6
Noticeable directions Duplicate the model layer and get
rid of eye bags and any glaring texture mismatches with
the Patch tool. Now decrease the Opacity of the duplicate
model layer to show through a little eye-bag detail. This
creates a realistic, believable look.
that theres not a Clone Stamp tool in sight, as our nal
aim is to make singular and not frequent re-samples of
skin areas.
Once the healing is complete, we can then start
softening the skin. This is a case of removing contour
and contour is an effect of hard lighting. So here youll
nish with editing lighting effects that will effectively
even and smoothen the skin. Small measures have a
big impact on believable looks, which is what youre
aiming for in this tutorial.
4
Spot Healing Brush Now its time for the close-up
work, so zoom in at 200%. Select the Spot Healing
Brush and activate the Brush picker menu from the options
overhead. Set brush Hardness to 50%. Now you can start
to amend the blemishes.
7
Add Curves The annotations are there as a final
reference, serving as a reminder for you to fix all the
key areas. Make a selection like in our example, using the
Rectangle Marquee tool. After you have done this, apply a
Curves adjustment layer.
8
Blend If option Your selection acts as a visual guide.
Raise your Curve to blow out highlights, then activate
Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Hold Alt and split the
Blend If>This Layer highlights slider, dragging it into the
middle of the slide bar.

After
The skin has been cleaned
and image lighting has been
edited to create smooth,
clear and perfect skin
Before

W
hen it comes to the post-production
phase after a successful shoot, many
photographers share the same
objective. And that is to optimise a photo
for editing in Photoshop using Adobe Camera Raw
software. To maximise your RAW images potential,
Photoshop offers up many robust image-manipulation
options. You may not want to perform too many edits
using Camera Raw and use the versatile plug-in to
simply prime your shot for the Photoshop treatment.
However, if you are most comfortable using Camera Raw
exclusively, then thats ne with us. The techniques we
share here can easily be modied for either workow, so
the choice is yours.
In this tutorial well run through a roster of essential
tools that will modify your exposure, light colour, texture
detail and sharpness. These are applied to beautify your
digital photographs, but the reason for application isnt
merely aesthetic. The techniques that well cover here will
also ensure that your photos are as suitable as possible
for display on screen and in print. Essentially these steps
will bring your images up to a picture-perfect standard
from a production point of view.
But before we get hands-on in the tutorial steps, its
also really helpful to learn about the Workow options,
which give you a head start in your editing projects.
Activate this by clicking the text at the foot of your
interface. Set Space to Adobe RGB (1998) as its the
default gamut space used by all professionals in digital
and print. A 16 Bit Depth is always a better choice if your
computer can handle large les. Use this setting and
youll appreciate more uid edits in return. Refrain from
activating Open in Photoshop as Smart Object though
you will nd out why later.
Youll explore a few more hidden gems and useful
nuggets of editing know-how like this throughout our
steps. Now its time to grab your photographs, open up
Adobe Camera Raw and get stuck in.
2
Bring back texture Adjusting the Exposure slider can
eradicate texture detail in your photo. Remedy this by
simply applying the Fill Light tool. Be warned, though this
may cause haloing to appear. Luckily this is an easy fix by
selecting Lens Correction>Remove Chromatic Aberration.
3
Set light temperature Specify colour temperature
with one-click functionality. Simply select the White
Balance tool and click the midtones in an image. ACR will
give you what it believes to be the right settings, but these
can easily fine-tuned using the Temperature and Tint sliders.
Master RAW
conversion
Get the most out of your le processing and
create stunning looks for print and screen
Camera Raw 8
Adobe Camera RAW version 8 is compatible only with
Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC. For those of you
who own this, there are a few cool new functions for
you to add to your editing arsenal. The relevance of day-
to-day use of these is subjective, which means they are
easily avoided if instances for use fail to arise. However,
there are those that you will have to adapt to if you want
to process your imagery successfully.
The new features in Camera Raw 8 include an
interactive histogram, workow presets and
renements to the Spot Healing Tool and Local
Adjustment Brush. It also supports 19 new cameras
and 21 new lenses. Explore the new editing options in
the software and start transforming your shots.
Discover whats different
in the latest version of ACR
1
Use the Histogram For a balanced exposure, activate
both Clipping Warning icons in the Histogram. Slide to
negative and positive values to show blue (underexposed
shadow) and red (overexposed highlight) previews. Set your
exposure bar to minimise both selections.

4
Advanced sharpening Photoshop has powerful
sharpening tools, so boosting micro-contrast with the
Clarity slider will be enough in ACR. The Detail>Sharpening
tools are very intuitive. Hit Shift+Opt/Alt and pull your
sliders to target affected surfaces and edges.
5
Tackle noise Once youve started sharpening, noise
can become an unwanted knock-on effect. Its best to
fix it now using Detail> Noise Reduction. Set lower values
in the Luminance sliders for smoother effects, but dont
overdo it as this can create unwanted synthetic effects.
6
Open as an Object All settings give you the best-
possible base image to work with in Photoshop. Hold
Shift and press Open Object. Your RAW file is opened in the
Photoshop layers panel as a Smart Object. Double click this
any time to reactivate the ACR interface and adjust settings.
After
Work with RAW for higher
image quality and master light,
colour and detail to create your
own stunning visions
Before

C
amera Raw allows you to access and edit your photos in an easy-to-
use interface without ever using the Photoshop tools. Camera Raw
has all of the main photo editing tools that you would need to x
common image problems, ranging from lens imperfections to correcting
colours, removing noise and sharpening. We will show you how to open
up a RAW image and then correct it to Photoshop standard to give it a more
professional nish.
RAW is a generic term used to describe a type of le digital cameras can
take which is completely unedited by the camera and holds all original image
data within it. If your camera comes with a RAW option, its recommended to
use it whenever possible.
Each camera brand has its own le extension, so dont get confused if your
camera les end differently to ours on the disc all of them can be opened and
xed in the same way.
Canons RAW le extension is CR2 or CRW and most Canon camera models,
which offer RAW shooting, are supported by Photoshops Camera Raw plug-in.
If youre upgrading your camera, however, be sure to update your software
so that newer les are recognised and can be opened to edit. A full list of
compatible Canon cameras can be found at helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/
kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html.
Camera Raw comes with Adobe Photoshop, and is constantly being updated
to feature all of the newest camera models on the market. If the one you own
isnt shown as a saved preset, you can add and save your make and model.
We are using the Photoshop CS5 creative suite in this example, with Camera
Raw 6.2. Newer and older versions of Photoshop and Camera Raw work in the
same way, but some le types may not be compatible. To combat this issue,
additional free plug-ins are available from the Adobe website though so you
can still convert your les.
Fix photos in
Camera Raw
Transform your photos
instantly with Camera Raw
After
Before

Fix and tweak photos Camera Raw
1
OPEN THOSE RAW FILES Double-clicking the
RAW files wont open them up youll need to
drag and drop them onto the Photoshop icon. Theyll
automatically open up into the Camera Raw interface,
which is clean and easy to navigate.
2
LAYOUT If youve opened up
multiple images, they will be
displayed on the left-hand side. Some
Photoshop-inspired tools sit at the
top of this window, but the bulk of the
editing tools sit on the right-hand side.
Click an icon and a panel of sliders will
appear for each.
7
MORE SLIDER TWEAKS This Fill light slider
increases the lights in the shadowed area, leaving
highlights alone. Exact amounts will vary with image and
personal taste. Move the Black slider a small amount to
increase the darks in the image, improving contrast and
lifting your image.
8
BRIGHTNESS AND
CONTRAST
These sliders will do
exactly what they say,
boosting the images
midtones and
pixel contrast. Zoom in
when youre working and
start with the Contrast
slider, moving it right
to boost the image. If
you need to, move the
Brightness slider right by a
very small amount.
5
EXPOSURE
Switch on the
Highlight clipping
warning, which is the
small triangle found
in the top-right of
the interface box,
which will warn when
image detail is being
lost. Some damage
will occur (turn red),
but we will repair in
the next step. Move
the Exposure slider
right slightly in
order to brighten
your image.
6
REPAIR ANY DAMAGE The red area in the shot is the loss-of-detail
warning, caused when using the Exposure slider. To repair this, move
the Recovery slider right and the red will vanish. Were now going to lift
the shadows with the Fill Light slider.
4
TWEAK THE
WHITE BALANCE
Clicking onto an area
which should be white
will lighten your image
slightly for more
improvement, go to the
right-hand palette. Move
the Temperature slider
away from the cool
blue end and the Tint
towards the pink end a
little if your image is still
too blue.
3
WHITE BALANCE Start work on the Basic panel
of tools on the right-hand side, the first tab available.
Select the White Balance tool from the top bar (I) and
click on an area which should be a white or light grey, but
isnt currently.
9
COLOUR
BOOST The
next three sliders
will improve the
colour quality in
your image. Move
the Clarity slider
to the far right
this will improve
the colours in all
images, making for
a stronger image.
If the red warning
marks appear
again, move the
Recovery slider
until they vanish.
10
VIBRANCE AND SATURATION The Vibrance slider only
really improves already brighter colours you may see no
difference in this example image. Moving the Saturation slider right
will make a difference, especially in the sea, but dont overdo it or the
greens will be too much.
12
REDUCE
NOISE
Zoom in and move
the Luminance
slider to around
25% the pixels will
blur/smooth out.
Also available is the
Luminance Detail
slider, which allows
you to preserve the
images detail when
smoothing out not
too high, or more
flaws could then
be revealed.
11
WORK BACK THROUGH Our image looks a little
yellow. To fix this, weve moved the Temperature
slider back towards the centre. Click onto the Detail
tab. Within this tab we can Sharpen, but remember to
reduce the noise in the image first.
13
MAKE IT STRAIGHT The horizon in this image is a bit wonky, but this can be fixed really
easily. Select the Straighten tool in the top bar and draw a line along the wonky horizon.
You will get a crop box appear around the image, set to the correct angle. Hit Enter and your
image will straighten out.
Adjustment brush
This is the paintbrush tool at the
top of the screen, and works like the
Photoshop Brush tool. Choosing
this will make new sliders appear on
the right-hand side of the interface.
With this tool you use the sliders
on the right to adjust settings, then
paint over precise areas within your
image. To show where you have
painted, check the Show Mask
box under the sliders. Once you
have painted an area you can keep
altering the levels by pressing the
+ and - tools, at either end of the
sliders. To return to the other tools,
press the hand icon in the top bar.

1
Record an Action Open an image you want to edit in
Photoshop. Now expand the Actions tab on the right-
hand side of the screen and click create a new action along
the bottom of the palette. Name your action and click OK to
start recording the editing process.
2
Create a style Select various adjustment tools from the
create a fill or adjustment layer menu at the bottom of
the layers palette. Avoid making adjustments that are too
specific to the image youre editing so that the action can be
applied successfully to other images later on.
3
Apply the action Try to focus on creating an action that
alters an images colour palette and lighting. Press Stop
when youve finished to halt recording. To apply the action
to another shot, simply open the image, select the action
and press play to apply the effect.
T
here are endless possibilities to explore in
Photoshop. An image can be transformed
in a multitude of ways using some of the
softwares fantastic editing tools and lter effects.
Experimenting in Photoshop can be a lot of fun,
but its frustrating if you cant replicate a successful
result again.
Learning how to record an action however,
will take all the worry away from this, as it enables
you to track and save all of the editing steps you
make in order to re-create the same effect on
other images.
Join us in this quick, three-step tutorial as we
show you how to create your own actions and
ultimately, cement your signature photographic
style. In just few easy steps, youll be able to record
and save your editing process and start creating a
more coherent portfolio. Follow along and discover
how creating and applying actions can cut your
image-editing times in half.
Create an action
Discover how to create your own actions in
Photoshop and reduce your editing time
Learn how to create and
save a style action that
can be applied again to
other images
After
Before
Creating an action is a
great way to ensure all
of your images share a
similar style. Once
youve started to
record your action, you
can select adjustment
tools from the menu at
the bottom of the
Layers palette. Get
creative and experiment here; you can use layer masks,
the Opacity slider and various different blending modes
to control the adjustment effect. As a rule, try to avoid
attening the editing layers while youre recording. This
will enable you to make renements to the layers once
youve applied the action to a different shot.
Signature styles

Restore your old photos
Dont let treasured images from the past fade away
apply some Photoshop medicine and bring them back to life
Using a variety of Photoshops tools, you can patch
up and repair even the most badly affected image

Basic image improvements
Restore damaged areas and correct tones
T
his tutorial will help you get to grips with
using Photoshop to restore, repair and
recover old photos that have seen better
days. The image that we are using here is almost
a hopeless case, but it demonstrates that, using
a wide variety of Photoshops tools and lters,
you can patch up and repair even the most badly
affected image.
At the end of the process images can even be
better than the source photo, but it is important
to realise that in many cases the original image
may not have a lot of detail, and there are limits
to what you can bring back without turning the
photo into a painting. All the standard colour,
contrast and brightness tools can be used, such as
Levels and Curves, but well also be using some
helpful features such as the Spot Healing Brush,
Clone Stamp tool, Hue/Saturation and even a little
painting to try to restore the damaged areas.
The starting point with all prints, though, is
the scanner to get them into digital format. The
original print of this image was very small only
around 3 inches by 2 inches. Its also over 40 years
old, so combine the two and youve got quite a
restoration challenge. When scanning you should
always set it at a larger size than the original for
two reasons. One is that you can then make a larger
print when nished, and the other is that it gives
you a bit more room when doing close-up editing.
So, the scanning resolution was set to 1200ppi,
which gave an image size of 3391 x 2306. Thats
large enough for an 11 by 8-inch print.
Key tools for common defects
Close-up detail on specific problem areas
Writing on a photo
If theres writing on a photo it can be
fiddly to get off. However, the Spot
Healing Brush is designed to remove
different shades of tone from a
singular or patterned background.
If the writing covers two different
backgrounds then it needs to be
done in two stages. For the first,
use the tool to mark the text on the
patterned background.
Water damage
If you get water damage on an
area, it can be fixed with the Patch
tool, provided theres a similar
area nearby that isnt affected.
The Patch tool is designed for that,
patching large areas in one go. Mark
the part affected then grab and
move the preview box to an area to
patch from. Check the effect to see
whether it matches and release.
Missing areas
When there are missing areas of
emulsion, but still some patches of
detail near to it, the Clone Stamp
tool is invaluable for restoring detail.
Simply set the mode to Darken and
sample from a source that has the
same tone and pattern as where the
detail is required. Set the Opacity
to 100% so the new detail is sharp,
then clone it in.
If you have lots of old film photos, you can learn to repair them
using our simple step-by-step guides
4
REMOVE WRITING You can remove any writing with
the Clone tool, but the Spot Healing Brush will also do
a good job. Select the Working layer and the Spot Healing
Brush tool. A Size of 100px and Hardness of 100% is fine.
Now mark all the text where it rests.
1
CHECK THE DAMAGE Duplicate the Background and
rename it Working layer. All restoration can take place
here. Now add a Solid Color Fill adjustment layer, selecting
pure red and changing the layer blend mode to Color Burn.
This shows where theres no emulsion at all.
2
COLOUR ISSUES A black-and-white image can display
colour defects. To remove these, create a Black and
White adjustment layer. Enter the values of Reds 40 and
Yellows 60, leaving the rest at 0. If the original photo was
sepia, tick the Tint box and add a similar colour.
3
TRIM AND CROP If the photo isnt square, you need to
trim the edge. You could use the Transform tools, but
you want to avoid any further loss of quality. Using the Crop
tool means a little of the damaged area on the far right of
our image can be removed completely.

Patch up
Man the Healing Brush and Clone Stamp tools
Final
Curves
Faces
Color Fill
Black and white
Working layer
Background
Layer structure
Curves
Use curves to add more contrast
Lack of contrast
Old photos tend to lack contrast, and the ageing
process only makes it worse, as the longer a photo
is exposed to light the more it fades. Fortunately, a
quick application of a Curves adjustment layer can add
contrast. Create an S-shaped curve in the Curves box
and you can tweak it towards the end of the restoration.
9
CLONE OUT REMNANTS Any marks that havent
been successfully removed with the Spot Healing
Brush tool can be tackled with the Clone brush. Select it
and change the blend mode to Lighten. Now sample from
areas close by and paint over spots.
10
RESTORE EMULSION Set the Clone brush to
Darken to tackle missing emulsion. Toggle the
Color Fill layer on and reduce Opacity to 26%. Select the
Working layer and clone in areas of clothing and walls
into the parts that are lacking detail.
7
RUB OUT THE CREASES The next crack or crease,
in this case in our image is between the little girl and
the boy with glassess legs. Use the same Clone brush
as you did in step 6 to clone in over the bricks, on the
trousers and the foot of the girl.
8
REMOVE DIRT There are dirt spots on our image. To
get rid of them, select the Spot Healing Brush and
reduce the Size to 23%. Go over each gure, dabbing
on any spots. If the tool leaves a pattern or a hard edge,
press Cmd/Ctrl+Z to undo it.
5
PATCH THE REST The letter K is straddling two
areas in our image. Select the Patch tool with Source
ticked, draw a square around the letter and release.
Now grab the marquee and move it down. This creates
a preview of the patch based on where you move the
sample box to.
6
TACKLE THE CRACKS There are lots of cracks in
our image, so lets start with the one on the tall girls
head. Select the Clone Stamp tool and zoom in to 200%.
Change the brush blend mode to Darken and set the
Opacity to 100%. Sample from the sides of the crack and
paint over.

Back up
As with any photo
collection, make sure you
back up in more than one
place, eg on a CD or hard
drive, as well as on your
computers memory.
Tips for looking
after old photos
Even out complexions
Use the Brush and Blur tools
Keep them safe
Printed photos can fade in the sunlight, so keep them
out of direct light. Keep them in photo albums to keep
them as flat and safe as possible. This will stop too
many sticky fingerprints ruining the surface as well as
preventing some scratches and tears that can occur.
Digitise your collection
If youve got a lot of photos in your film collection, make
some time to scan them and save them on to your
computer. You then know, no matter what, that youll
always have a digital version as well as the original, and
you can edit it at a later time and in small batches.
15
FINAL STEPS Add a Curves adjustment layer
and lower the black tones to make them darker
and lighten the highlights slightly. It isnt really worth
sharpening the image because the detail just isnt there.
Delete the Color Fill layer and atten to nish.
13
PROBLEM AREAS The boy in the middle of our
image is missing the lower part of his glasses.
Were selecting the Brush with a sampled dark colour
and around 26% Opacity. Draw any missing parts in,
then use a large brush at 5% Opacity to darken around
the frames.
14
MISSING SHOULDER The biggest area missing
is the shoulder of the girl on the right. Were using
the Clone Stamp in Darken mode to extend the arm
upwards, tapering it off. Were cloning more white over it
to make it look faded as it gets towards the brighter part
of the picture.
11
FIX THE HAIR Although it seems like these children
are going bald, its just the emulsion fading and
thinning, not their hair. Use the Clone Stamp tool with
the Darken blend mode to put hair back into the smaller
gaps. Clone in at 50% Opacity to ll out the large areas
missing detail.
12
FACE SMOOTHING Duplicate the Working layer
and call the new one Faces. On any faces where
there is detail missing, use the Brush tool at 10-20%
Opacity. Hold down the Eyedropper to select a shade on
the face and paint it into the mottled areas of the cheeks
and faces.
After
Our image has
been repaired and
restored after our
Photoshop edits
3 of the best
Clone in
areas of
clothing and
walls into
parts that
are lacking
detail

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From the makers of
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The ultimate guide to your
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Canon
The
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VOLUME 1

The Canon Camera Book Volume 1 - 2014 UK

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