Digital Photo - May 2016 PDF

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FEATURES /// APRIL/MAY 2016 ///
/// HOW-TO ///
28
Ten Lessons For Your Best

28 Landscape Photographs
Tips and techniques for more creative
compositions of the natural world
Text & Photography By Rick Sammon
42 Light Fantastic
Capturing the magic of nighttime
photography
Text & Photography By Meredith Winn
42
48 In My Own Backyard
Become a better landscape photographer
by practicing these techniques without
traveling far afield
Text & Photography By Tracey Clark
52 Athletes And Their Environment

Using the great outdoors and the natural
world to humanize athlete portraits
Text & Photography By DL Byron
48
2
Digital Photo | dpmag.com
52
VOL. 20 NO. 3
/// HOW-TO ///
56
A P R I L / M AY 2 0 1 6
VOL. 20 NO. 3
Soft Focus And

The Global Village
Add style and dimension to your

travel images with this versatile,
often-misunderstood technique
Text & Photography By
Jim Cornfield
10
Susan Fitzgerald
Publisher
Wes Pitts
Editorial Director
How to create stunning time-lapse

video with a process that has
become easier than ever
Text & Photography By Tom Bol
David Schloss
Editor
Maggie Devcich
Managing Editor
/// EQUIPMENT ///
Gearing Up For The

Great Outdoors
Be prepared for any shot, and

whatever Mother Nature throws at
you, with the right gear
By David Schloss
Kristan Ashworth
Associate Editor
20
24
Michael OLeary
Art Director
Nate Silva
Graphic Designer
Jaron Cote
Production Design Associate
This budget-based extreme

telephoto lens from Nikon is
one of the best bargains
in photography
By David Schloss
High-end optical quality in a

compact package
By David Schloss
DPMAG.COM
Heidi Strong
VP, Digital Strategy
Michael Ma
Technical Product Manager
56
62
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Digital Photo (ISSN: 1948-5557)Vol. 20 No. 3is published bimonthly (except
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Point Of Focus:
20 Weather Permitting
Use both expected and unexpected

changes in the weather to create
striking, more intimate images of
your subjects
By Tracey Clark Of Shutter Sisters
68
72
Simple steps to help you focus

and refine your landscapes
Text & Photography By
Alessandra Cave
/// DEPARTMENTS ///
8 Editors Note
10 View
14 Next
72 Exit
Mike Decker
Senior Digital Designer
Lisette Rose
Digital Media Production Associate
/// COLUMNS ///
Shooting With Soul:

Landscapes And The
24 Soulful Photographer
Bruce Dale, Michael Guncheon, Mark Edward Harris,

Jeffrey Nielsen, Rick Sammon, William Sawalich,
John Shaw, Shutter Sisters, Jon Sienkiewicz
Contributing Editors
ART
Review: Nikon AF-S

Nikkor 200-500mm
68 F5.6E ED VR
70 Review: Fujifilm X70
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COVER PHOTO BY CHRIS BURKARD/MASSIF

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The days are short in Iceland in the winter, but the sunsets are
long. And, for me, thats a pretty good trade-off. This photo was
taken on one of Icelands many ice-littered beaches. Ive always
loved how these chunks of ice pick up light. I think I owe a thank
you to the random person who gave this shot a little scale!
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EDITORS
NOTE
nyone who likes working in a

cubicle, raise your hand. Ill wait.
I didnt think so. Humans
arent designed to live and work surrounded by flickering fluorescent lights
and walls covered in fabric, pushing TPS
reports around a melamine desk. Homo
sapiens evolved with nature, outside, surrounded by the elements.
Ive always felt happiest when Im
outside, camera in hand, exploring the
natural world. Hiking, bike riding, kayaking, even playing Frisbeethese are
all relaxing because of the fresh air on
my face and the sun on my skin.
Even when I arrive in a new city on
business, I feel compelled to turn my
trip into a hike, exploring neighborhoods, parks and gardens as if I were
wandering through a nature preserve.
Countless studies show that being outside eases depression, leads to
weight loss, strengthens immunity to
a variety of diseases, raises your levels
of vitamin D, improves sleep, helps
improve concentration and focus, and
much more.
Perhaps thats why landscape and
nature photography is so compelling to
look at; it gives us a little glimpse of our
true selves and gives the brain a little
nudge to think its outside. But whats
even better than looking at outdoor photography is being outdoors.
This issue is dedicated to the great
outdoors, and I hope it will motivate
you to put down the remote and pick
up a walking stick, to get outside and
connect with nature, and to bring your
camera along with you.
Of course, we dont all have the time
to set out on a hike on the Appalachian
Trail or the skills to free-climb the Dawn
Wall of El Capitan. Fortunately, you
dont need to go on an epic expedition in order to capture great images.
You can bask in the glow of nature in
a local park, on a trail and even in your
own backyard.
This issue is packed with how-to
guides to photographing nature, be it
an African veldt or the patch of grass
outside your back door. Well show you
PHOTO BY DAVID SCHLOSS
how to frame your landscapes, how to

use lighting and focus to frame and
shape your subjects and your images,
and how to capture beautiful time-lapse
videos with your camera.
For those looking to trek farther
afield, we also have a guide to choosing the right gear to make your expedition a success. From tents to tripods,
well show you how to pick out the gear
youll need to get the best images, and
to keep from getting soaking wet or
freezing cold while youre getting them.
Of course, its possible to be a photographer and never venture outside to

take a photo. You could spend your career inside a studio and always have the
security of knowing that the rain will
never ruin a lens and that youll never
get snow down your back. But, I think,
for most people, the occasional surprise
from Mother Nature is well worth the
exposure to the beauty of the outdoors.
See you on the trail.
David Schloss, Editor
@davidjschloss, editors@dpmag.com
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VIEW
CHRIS BURKARD/MASSIF
PHOTOS BY
At 29, photographer CHRIS BURKARD has
seen more of the world than most of us
could possibly hope to see in several
lifetimes: from Iceland, Norway and the
Russian Far East to India, the Pacific
Islands and South America. Chris is often
referred to as a surf photographer, and
for good reason. He began contributing
to Surfer, where hes now staff
photographer, in his early 20s. But that
description may leave too much out.
Ultimately, hes a landscape photographer
with a peculiar relationship to the
seaunless, of course, hes shooting
portraiture or travel or street photography
or photo reportage. And then theres his
social-media reach, with over 1 million
followers on Instagram alone.
Chris has published or contributed to
several book projects: The California Surf
Project (2006); Plight of the Torpedo
People (2012); Russia: The Outpost Vol. 1
(2013); Distant Shores (2013); and, most
recently, High Tide: A Surf Odyssey
(2015). His commercial clients include
Apple, J.Crew, Land Rover, The North
Face, Belstaff, Patagonia and Toyota. And
his work has been published in National
Geographic, The New Yorker, GQ, Mens
Journal, Vogue, Cond Nast Traveler and
Surfer Magazine.
You can see more of Chris Burkards
photography at chrisburkard.com.
TOP: We had hiked to the Odle Geisler
Massif only to find it covered in three feet
of snow. The trek was arduous, colda bit
disappointing to not see it in all its
autumn glory. But you cant help but leave
smiling when you have it all to yourself.
LEFT: Alpine lake reections in the Swiss
Alps, Switzerland, 2015. You cant really
ask for more, as far as star shows go.
dpmag.com | April/May 2016
11
FAR LEFT: A peaceful

morning in Denali National
Park, Alaska, paddling the
Cook River Inlet, 2015.
LEFT: Paragliders ride
thermals above the town
of Zermatt, with the
Matterhorn peeking out in
the distance.
BELOW, LEFT: The Ruth
Glacier, Denali National
Park. It may sound crazy, but
theres something compelling
about hiking across vast
glacial fields littered with
deep crevasses.
BELOW, CENTER:
St. Johann Church in the
Italian Dolomites has to be
one of the most picturesque
buildings in the world.
BELOW: Iceland has been a
place Ive been shooting for
years. With a little change
of perspective, everything in
this country is photogenic.
Its amazing what a couple
hundred feet will do to
Icelandic rivers and black
sand beaches.
ALL PHOTOS:
NEXT
PENTAX K-1 FULL-FRAME DSLR
SONY a6300
The new Sony a6300, the successor to the wildly
popular a6000, is a real speed demon and features
a number of updates that certainly will entice a wide
range of photographers, including a6000 owners.
In addition to an innovative new 24-megapixel
APS-C sensor, the a6300 offers a record-breaking
425 phase-detection AF points across the frame.
Add 4D focus, shooting speeds of up to 11 fps with
continuous AF and exposure tracking, and 4K video,
and you have one helluva camera. List Price: $1,000
(body only). Contact: Sony, store.sony.com.
The K-1 is Pentaxs first full-frame

DSLR and offers benefits that
extend far beyond its AA-filterless
36.4-megapixel sensor. This
weatherproof cameras more
interesting features revolve around
the sensor, with an ISO range
up to 204,800, and an updated
5-axis shake-reduction mechanism
that offers up to 5 steps of image
stabilization. And, because the
image sensor can be tilted in all
directions, image composition
can be fine-tuned in-camera.
Also of note is its Astro Tracer
tracking function for
astrophotography.
Lens compatibility
has always been
one of Pentaxs
strong points,
and the K-1s
multiple image
area modes will
accommodate
full-frame and APS-C lenses. Pentax

also has introduced two new
lensesthe HD Pentax-D FA
15-30mm F2.8ED SDM WR and
the HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mm
F3.5-5.6ED DC WRbringing
the number of lens choices to an
even dozen. A new battery grip
was introduced, as well. List Price:
$1,800 (K-1, body only); $1,500
(15-30mm); $500 (28-105mm);
$200 (battery grip). Contact:
Ricoh, us.ricoh-imaging.com.
CANON EOS 80D

The update to Canons popular EOS
70D APS-C DSLR, the new EOS 80Ds
improvements are impressive and
will make even current 70D users
seriously consider upgrading.
The camera is built around
a new 24-megapixel Dual
Pixel CMOS sensor. With
45 AF points (versus the
70Ds 19 AF points) and /8
compatibility at 27 different
AF pointseven for long
lenses with tele-extenders
the 80D provides broader
coverage. Youll also find
large zone AF adjustment,
AF point auto switching and a
large improvement in metering
capabilities. Trickle-down features
14
from higher-end EOS bodies include

anti-flicker and a mirror vibration
control system la the EOS 5DS/R to
help prevent vibration when the mirror
flips up. On the video front, the 80D
is now equipped with a headphone
jack for monitoring sound, and Canon
promises more accurate AF in movie
mode, as well. Pair the new Canon
EF-S 18-135mm /3.5-5.6 IS USM
kit lens with the companion Power
Zoom Adapter PZ-E1 for super-smooth
zooming and adjustable zoom speed.
Add the first Canon-branded DM-E1
external microphone, and youre
on your way to some awesome
filmmaking. List Price: $1,199 (body
only); $1,799 (with 18-135mm kit
lens). Contact: Canon, usa.canon.com.
CANON POWERSHOT G7X MARK II
FUJIFILM X-PRO2
Compact, yet sophisticated, the 20-megapixel Canon

PowerShot G7X Mark II retains much of what we liked
about the G7X, but takes its performance and features
up a notch. The first PowerShot to utilize Canons DIGIC
VII processor, the G7X Mark II shines, with better tracking,
improved AF detection and a one-stop improvement in noise
levels. Capable of capturing up to 8 fps in RAW, the
G7X Mark II is speedy, as well. EOS DSLR features like the
ability to set a picture style has trickled down to this compact
camera. Youll also find in-camera RAW conversion, a
time-lapse movie feature, WiFi/NFC and adjustable auto
light optimization. The G7X Mark II is equipped with a fast
(/1.8-2.8) 24-100mm image-stabilized lens and a
touch-screen LCD, and is slated to ship in May. List Price:
$700. Contact: Canon, usa.canon.com.
The long-awaited successor to the original X-Pro

mirrorless camera has finally arrived. The dust- and
splashproof Fujifilm X-Pro2 has been updated with a
new 24.3-megapixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor and a new
processor for exceptional performance, generating fast
start-up speed and quick AF. Its equipped with an innovative
Advanced Hybrid Multi Viewfinder so you can quickly switch
between optical and electronic viewing. Dual SD/SDHC/
SDXC memory card slots, a 3-inch LCD, full HD video, and
new monochrome and grain effects are only a few of the
features that make this camera worth checking out. List
Price: $1,700. Contact: Fujifilm, fujifilmusa.com.
OLYMPUS PEN-F
COMPACT SYSTEM CAMERA
FUJIFILM X70 COMPACT CAMERA
If you like the retro look, the 16-megapixel Fujifilm X70
offers the rangefinder style that street photographers love.
Its equipped with a fast /2.8, 18.5mm fixed lens that
delivers a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 28mm. The first
X-Series camera to feature a touch screen, this one rotates
180 for easy off-angle shooting. A new AF system offers
new options, and its electronic shutter delivers speeds of
up to 1/32,000 sec. Check out our Hands-On Review in this
issue. List Price: $700. Contact: Fujifilm, fujifilmusa.com.
The 20-megapixel PEN-F from Olympus is retro in

style only. The new compact system camera offers plenty
of options, ranging from manual controls to special
monochrome modes and Olympus Art Filters, as well as a
long list of advanced and easy-to-use features. A highresolution OLED electronic viewfinder complements its
articulated LCD, and the PEN-Fs 5-axis image stabilization
almost guarantees sharp images, even at slower shutter
speeds. With multiple customizable dials and buttons and a
take-anywhere size (4.9x2.8x1.5 inches), the PEN-F is certain
to find its way into the hands of photography enthusiasts,
especially those who love street photography. List Price:
$1,200. Contact: Olympus, getolympus.com.
For in-depth coverage of the latest product news and announcements, visit dpmag.com/news
15
NEXT
OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO
DIGITAL ED 300MM F4.0 IS PRO
This prime lens is the latest addition to the Olympus PRO line.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 IS PRO is surprisingly
lightweight at 2.8 pounds, given that it delivers an effective
600mm focal range. Equally as impressive is the six steps of image
stabilization youll get when the lens is paired with one of the
Olympus 5-axis IS cameras (up to 4 steps with other camera bodies
using the in-lens stabilization mechanism). Like the OM-D E-M1
and E-M5 II, the lens is sealed against the elements, too, making it
the perfect combination for a total weatherproof system. List Price:
$2,500. Contact: Olympus, getolympus.com.
PANASONIC LUMIX G 100-400MM

LEICA DG VARIO-ELMAR
With a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 200-800mm, the Panasonic
LUMIX G 100-400mm Leica DG Vario-Elmar is currently the
longest focal length for Micro Four Thirds cameras. Its Power OIS
(optical image stabilization) system helps keep images free from
camera-shake blur, a common problem with telephotos. The lens is
dual-image-stabilization-compatible, is weather sealed against the
elements, features a 240 fps AF motor for fast autofocus and offers
silent zooming for video. An adjustable lens tripod mount makes it
easy to switch between landscape and portrait, as well. No worries
about losing the lens hood thanks to its integrated, hideaway hood.
FUJINON XF100-400MM
F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Sealed against the elements, the Fujinon XF100-400mm
F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR is the perfect match with the
X-Pro2. Fujifilm promises up to five stops of image
stabilization for handheld shooting. Also notable are twin
linear motors that enable fast autofocus. Adding to the
appeal of the XF100-400mm, a fluorine coating helps
keep the front lens element free from water and dirt. The
lens is compatible with the XF1.4X TC WR teleconverter
to extend the focal range to 140-560mm. List Price:
$1,900. Contact: Fujifilm, fujifilmusa.com.
16
LENSBABY EDGE 50 OPTIC
MetalPrints
Sal Cincotta
Previously available in combination with the

Composer Pro II lens body, the Lensbaby
Edge 50 Optic now can be purchased
separately. Compatible with Optic Swap
System-compatible lenses in Lensbabys
Composer and Muse series, the Edge 50
is a 50mm /3.2 optic thatlike all of
Lensbabys productslets you create
selective-focus images, with a beautiful
bokeh, thanks, in part, to its 9-bladed
aperture. Focusing distance ranges
from 8 inches to infinity. List Price: $225.
Contact: Lensbaby, lensbaby.com.
FLASHPOINT
STREAKLIGHT TTL
The 360-ws bare-bulb Flashpoint
StreakLight TTL strobe works just as well
off-camera as it does when mounted on
a Nikon or Canon camera. Its versatility
extends to the ability to use it as a Master
or Slave, in addition to shooting high-speed
sync, utilizing remote manual control
and exposure bracketing, as well as remote
manual control, and more. Better yet,
the StreakLight TTL comes with an internal
R2 transmitter that enables additional
features such as group and ratio controls.
With a reach of 300-plus feet, you wont
have any problems triggering lights in a
large space. List Price: $490. Contact:
Adorama, adorama.com.
PHOTTIX ODIN II
Phottix Odin II, the updated flash trigger
originally announced in September 2014,
is finally shipping with a number of major
improvements. Now with five groups and
32 channels versus the original models
three groups/four channels, the Odin II has
seriously extended its usability. Operation is
more convenient thanks to updates like a new
quick-access button and an AF assist lamp
on the transmitter. Other features include TTL
power control from +/- 3 EV, manual power
control from 1/1 to 1/128 power, flash zoom
control and a 332-foot range. List Price: $160.
Contact: Phottix, phottixus.com.
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NEXT
ZEISS LENSES FOR MOBILE PHONES

Zeiss, in collaboration with ExoLens, has launched a trio of
accessory lenses for mobile phones. Billed as ExoLens with
optics by Zeiss, the current options (scheduled to be released
in the second quarter of 2016) include wide-angle, telephoto
and macro models. Interestingly, the macro lens offers a
zooming function, which should make it easier to compose
close-up shots. Price: TBD. Contact: ExoLens, exolens.com.
SIHL MASTERCLASS INKJET PAPERS

Sihl, a company with a long history of papermaking and coating,
has launched its Masterclass photo and fine-art inkjet papers
in North America. The eight-product line includes a variety of
surfaces, ranging from Metallic Pearl High Gloss and High
Gloss Photo to Lustre (also available in double-sided paper),
Satin Baryta and several matte options. Papers are available in
25-sheet boxes sized 8x11 and 13x19 inches and in 24- and
44-inch-wide rolls. List Price: $13 (sample pack); individual paper
types start at $20. Contact: Sihl, sihlmasterclass.com.
LEXAR PORTABLE SSD

The tiny Portable SSD drive from Lexar promises transfer
speeds of up to 450 MB/s and write speeds as fast as 245
MB/s. A half-dozen LEDs on the face of the drive track capacity
levels so you know when youre running low on space. The
drive comes with a USB 3.0 cable, but also works perfectly with
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18
POINT OF
FOCUS
Weather Permitting
USE BOTH EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED CHANGES IN THE WEATHER
TO CREATE STRIKING, MORE INTIMATE IMAGES OF YOUR SUBJECTS
BY TRACEY CLARK OF SHUTTER SISTERS
KIM HALL
hooting in the great outdoors can

be a challenging, yet rewarding creative endeavor. No matter the genre
of photographyportraits, lifestyle, landscapes, etc.working amidst the elements
can be as labor-intensive as setting up an
entire studio shoot, but in a totally different way. Photographers working outdoors
are up against a great many things that
have the potential to make or break their
final images, yet none of those things can
be controlled.
I recall days when I had scheduled
beach portraits for the Golden Hour and
all day I was fixated on the weather. Rarely would I have to reschedule, being in
Southern California, but there were times
when an unexpected thick blanket of fog
would roll in 15 minutes before my clients arrived. We call that June Gloom, and
on occasion, that gloom wouldnt just
soften the light, it would totally swallow
20
up the sun, leaving me no recourse but

to reschedule.
Still, theres a beauty and mystery in
the uniqueness of everyday weather. Even
in a location that boasts temperate weather year-round, no two days ever look exactly the same. I often wonder if my love
affair with the sky, which Ill admit borders on obsession, is a by-product of me
living and shooting in a place that doesnt
see much by way of extreme swings in
weather. When we do get billowy clouds,
big rain puddles or picturesque pink sunrises, Im the first one to notice.
Its even more challenging for photographers in less temperate climates, where
weather has much more of an impact on
their photographic work. There are many
places that battle freezing temperatures,
gray, wet conditions, relentless heat or
even sunlight that only lasts for a fraction
of what one may consider a normal
day. Over the years, Ive had the opportunity to see through those photographers
lenses, thanks to photo-sharing sites and
apps like Flickr and Instagram. Watching
the wonderful world of weather, without
actually being in it myself, has been a curious and fascinating study. It amazes me
how some photographers seem to have
the power not only to manage extreme
conditions, but to seemingly harness the
weather to enhance their work
Snow. One such photographer is Tara
Romasanta (tararomasanta.com). A mere
two years into living in Alaska and she
shoots with a mastery that makes it appear she has been there her whole life.
Tara shares, Shooting in snow is nothing
short of magical. Without a doubt, snow
makes everything prettier. Brown winters
and bare trees arent my favorite. Snow
is like the frosting on a cake. Her white,
wintery shots give you the feeling that
TARA ROMASANTAS
SNOW TIP:
When temperatures
are really cold and I
have to shoot outside, I
occasionally have to ask
clients to hold their breath.
Sometimes seeing my
subjects breath can add
beautiful atmosphere to an
image, while other times it
just gets in the way.
TARA ROMASANTA
POLLY ALDERTONS
WIND TIP:
When working with children,
I need to work with the
directions of the wind, and
their play within it, rather
than try to constrain it
within a set composition.
POLLY ALDERTON
21
TYTIA HABINGS RAIN TIP:

Notice the details. Look for
reections, how the water moves,
how the sky changes, droplets of
water, etc. And, remember, you
dont necessarily have to get out
into the rain with your expensive
gear to capture rain and all the
beauty it brings. Find a sheltered
area to shoot froma porch, a
window, inside your car, wherever.
TYTIA HABING
youre witnessing something very magical. As for the challenges that reflective
white snow can cause, Tara says, Very occasionally, Ill use exposure compensation
to add a little extra light if Im shooting
somewhere especially overcast or shaded
so the scene doesnt read overly gray. On
the other light extreme, Ive found myself
more able to shoot in direct light when
theres snow on the ground, because a
blanket of snow acts as a fill card. Even
beyond the light, the temperature brings
its own issues. But its obvious Tara
doesnt really mind being cold to get a
great shot if her clients dont.
Wind. Although perhaps not as harsh,
wind can be much more unpredictable
and harder to tame. Ive found wind to be
the most challenging of elements because
of its wild nature. Dealing with shifting
gusts while youre shooting can make for a
very chaotic experience for photographer
and subject alike. Yet, when I look at images captured by Polly Alderton (dollyand
fife.com), Im not only intrigued by the
wind, Im drawn to it. I dont know how
she does it, but Pollys images make it
seem like she has the power of the wind
at her command. To that, the UK-based
photographer responds, For me, those
22
heavy blowy days are the most wonderful

to be in. I enjoy so much that such physical and visceral experiences can feel transcendent when presented as a still image.
In all of my images, its important to me
that I feel. Although the main subjects of
her portraits are usually children, somehow it feels that the wind itself holds
equal importance in the frame. Its how
Polly coaxes out a relationship between
the two thats so compelling.
Rain. The idea of capturing a curious rapport between the subject and the
weather isnt foreign to Tytia Habing
(tytiahabing.com), either. Using the entire climate spectrum of her hometown
in Illinois to her advantage, looking at
her work, youre convinced that she not
only works with the seasons, she celebrates them. Tytia muses, Rain presents
a unique opportunity to capture everyday
surroundings a little differently. There
will be moody skies, glistening foliage,
streaming water and reflections galore. I
love to take advantage of this. Because
its natural to want to avoid water when
working with expensive equipment, it
seems that much more contrary to go
out and chase it, but Tytia has a whole
storm ritual. Before the rain hits, Ill
race outside to photograph the coming storm. The play of light and shadow
among the clouds is amazing before, during and after storms. If possible, Ill talk
someone into going out into the rain to
get a few shots. If not that, playing in the
water after a storm is just as good. Waterglistening skin is a dream to shoot, and
combining that with amazing light, well,
its a dream. Im convinced its that kind
of enthusiasm that helps make her work
shine, in spite of gray, wet weather.
Sun. Not everyone would consider the
sun a photographic obstacle, but it certainly can be. Although photography is all
about the light, theres such a thing as too
much of it. Maybe its the mere location
of the sun at the time of the shoot thats
the problem, the shadow it casts or even
the temperature that just makes shooting
in the sun a challenge. Whatever the case,
there are some photographers who artfully incorporate the sun in a way thats
not only deliberate, but also unique. Kim
Hall (instagram.com/runnerkimhall), a
master at light-filled creative imagery, is
one of them. Of her illuminating work,
she says, I find myself drawn to the fading light of the day, that luminous time
so aptly called Golden Hour. I especially
love days where the skies are decorated

with clouds, loving them for the painterly
effect they have on the sky, like an artist
has taken a big brush and softened all the
hard edges and left everything feeling so
delicate and gentle. As a photographer,
its not unusual to be drawn to the Golden
Hour, but Kim, based in California, uses
the low proximity of the sun to her greatest advantage, showcasing it as more than
a source of light, but as an integral, almost tangible part of the image.
Whatever the conditions you find
yourself working in, its clear your photography not only can survive, but thrive,
by using Mother Natures wonders of
weather to their greatest advantage. DP
KIM HALL
Having the camera

positioned lower than
the subject in my
framecreating a
perspective of looking
uphelps to capture
the light in magical
ways and allows the
suns rays to truly
shine through.
B+W
EXPOSURE
TRACEY CLARK is the

founder of Shutter Sisters,
a collaborative photo blog
and thriving community of
female photo enthusiasts,
shuttersisters.com. Learn more
about Tracey and her work at
traceyclark.com.
KIM HALLS
SUN TIP:
www.schneideroptics.com
SEMAAN: WAIMOKI FALLS THROUGH AN HTC
Laguna Beach, CA
Photographer,
Michael Semaan.
www.michaelsemaan.com
The hike through Mauis Pipiwai Trail was long. Inside the bamboo forest, tall stalks obscu
the sun so I was concerned it might be too dark to really capture Mauis signature light.
But emerging from the forest I faced a lush rock-carved pool and gazed throughthe mist
at the majestic 200 Waimoki Falls ahead. I grabbed my Sony A7R2 with a 25mm lens.
On front were B+W filters, the 6-stop ND and the new, faster Ksemann HTC Polarizer.
I shot in tightcapturing the intensity of the blue and green spectacle.
23
SHOOTING
WITH SOUL
Landscapes And The

Soulful Photographer
SIMPLE STEPS TO HELP YOU
FOCUS AND REFINE YOUR LANDSCAPES
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALESSANDRA CAVE
ABOVE: Captured with my iPhone 6s after a day of DSLR shooting, here, I was drawn to how the light in the sky was emphasizing the outline of the
mountains. The contrast created a dramatic effect and helped convey the vastness of the land.
When Im ready to
make a photograph, I
think I quite obviously
see in my minds eye
something that is not
literally there in the true
meaning of the word. Im
interested in something
which is built up from
within, rather than just
extracted from without.
Ansel Adams
24
pending time in nature is the perfect setup for quiet observation

and introspection. For that reason, landscape photography is a great
opportunity for us photographers to
immerse ourselves in a particular environment, connect with the ideas and
feelings we may want to express, and
infuse our images with Soul.
Without any distractions, were able
to more clearly see, feel, think and
plan for our shots. All of these steps
are essential when making meaningful photographs. Going off the beaten
track also gives us the chance to explore
areas and angles never shot before
and to create images that are exciting
and original.
For this exercise, I invite you to plan
a hike or walk in nature. You dont need
to go into wilderness areas to photograph your impressions of a landscape.
However, walking will give you access
to more interesting sites than those accessed by cars. Distance from human
noise and activity is highly recommended. Landscape images are best

shot in silence and solitude, so they can
be imprinted with feeling and mood.
Just make sure youre prepared with the
right gear to keep you and your equipment safe given the chosen area, season
and weather conditions.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Go off the beaten path and explore
wilderness (or at least nature) in
quiet solitude.
2. Prepare for your adventure with the
right gear for the particular type of
walk, season and weather.
3. Consider the weight of your camera,
lens and accessories, and whether you
want to carry a bag, backpack, etc.
4. Obtain backcountry permits in
advance, as needed, and trail system
maps, when those are available.
5. Give yourself enough time so you dont

have to rush. Youll need to allow
yourself enough time to walk to your
destination, find the object of your
interest and perhaps wait for the right
moment to shoot.
TECHNIQUES
Visualize. Notice what moves you
when you look at a particular scene or
landscape. The setting can be aesthetically pleasing or it can trigger certain
emotions. Next, think about what
framing, composition and exposure
will best convey your impressions and
feelings. You may want to wait for the
sun to lower a bit or for a cloud to
blow out of frame to achieve the perfect shot. At the same time, youll want
to be quite astute not to miss the quality of light and tone you experienced in
the original moment.
Study The Light. Light will change
the landscape dramatically. You can
time your visit so your shot is taken at
optimal lighting conditions. Although
many landscape photographers prefer
the golden hour to shoot, you can
find ideal lighting to convey a particular mood at any time of day. Photos
of rock formations, valleys, various
textured terrains and cliffs can benefit
from the contrast and hard shadows
present in midday sun.
Consider Scale. Decide whether
you want to express the grandeur of
the landscape from afar or the feeling of being immersed in it. A small
aperture (/8 or larger -number) will
keep more of the frame in focus, which
is normally what youll want when
shooting a wide view. However, you
may need to shoot with a larger aperture (/4 or smaller -number) if you
have a foreground element you want to
focus on or if youre trying to achieve
certain effects such as blurring water,
LEFT: At the end of a day taking pictures in

nature with my DSLR, I came across this
scene and immediately felt moved to photograph it. I reached for my iPhone 6s, composed
and took the shot. It happened to be my favorite image of the whole day, because it captured
not only the landscape, but also my exact feelings in that moment.
which is one of the landscape photographers favorite techniques.

Horizon Line. Pay special attention to the horizon line when shooting landscapes. Youll want to have a
straight horizon line, and your choice
of placing the horizon line lower or
higher in the frame also will help guide
the viewers eye and inform scale.
Look Up. Notice the sky and clouds.
If there are interesting cloud formations or if the sky color is striking, you
may want to make those elements the
focus of your shot versus the land.
Experiment With Filters. You may
want to experiment with filters to reduce reflections and glare or to increase
color and contrast.
16-300mm
Di II VC PZD MACRO
[Model B016]
16mm
ADDITIONAL TOOLS
Depending on your camera, its
wise to bring a tripod for stability and
for working with longer exposures. Use
a remote for additional stability. Sometimes the triggering of the shutter can
cause motion blur.
If a level isnt built into your tripod,
you may want to purchase one that can
be hooked to your cameras hot-shoe.
Levels are especially helpful when
shooting panoramas to ensure the consistency of the horizon line throughout
your shots.
300mm
SHOT IDEAS
Photograph the view from the top of
a mountain range or the splendor of a
mountain from below.
Capture the vastness of a meadow or
how it changes throughout the seasons.
Use a creek, path or road to lead the
viewers eye toward the horizon.
ALESSANDRA CAVE is
a commercial and editorial
photographer living in San
Francisco. Shes also a writer,
a teacher and the author of
Shooting with Soul (Quarry
Books, 2013, quarrybooks.
com), an inspiration and
technique book with 44 photography exercises
exploring life, beauty and self-expression,
and upon which this column is inspired. Learn
more about Alessandra and follow her work at
alessandracave.com.
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10 LESSONS
FOR YOUR
BEST
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHS
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR MORE

CREATIVE COMPOSITIONS OF THE NATURAL WORLD
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK SAMMON
Landscape photography is
the supreme test of the photographer
and often the supreme disappointment.
ANSEL ADAMS
I open this article with this quote from

Ansel Adams, perhaps the most famous
landscape photographer of all time, for a
good reason: Its so true. Yes, in the field,
landscape photography can be great fun,
but when we get back home and look
at our images on our computer monitors, we sometimes ask ourselves, What
was I thinking? or How did I make
that mistake?
Ill share with you here my 10 lessons
for landscape photography lovers, in the
hope that you dont ask yourself those
questions, and that you make landscape
photographs rather than just take landscape pictures.
1. S-CURVES ARE COOL

The opening image, taken in Telluride,
Colorado, illustrates whats called in composition an S-curve, created by the yellow line of trees that snakes through the
photograph. S-curves lead the viewers
eye around the photograph, which adds
interest to the image. Another example
of the S-curve can be found in Ansel
Adams famous photograph, Tetons and
Snake River.
You need to look for S-curves in nature.
28
Once you find one, move to the left or

right or closer to or farther from the subject to accentuate the curve. Sometimes,
moving just a few feet can make a difference in seeing, or not seeing, an S-curve.
You also can accentuate an S-curve by
careful dodging or burning the curve section of your photograph in Photoshop or
Lightroom. Increasing the saturation and/
or contrast of the S-curve can make it look
more prominent in a photograph.
2. REFLECTIONS ROCK
A basic rule of composition is not
to place the horizon line or tree line in
the center of the frame. When it comes
to photographing reflections, however,
that compositional technique can work
perfectly, as illustrated by this Telluride,
Colorado photograph.
Youll need a windless or near-windless
day to get a good reflection. A polarizing filter, which can darken a blue sky or
whiten clouds and reduce reflections on
water also will help you get a cool reflection shot.
When using a polarizing filter, its
tempting to dial in the full polarizing effect. On a very sunny day, and if the sun
is at a strong angle, dialing in the full
effect can result in over-polarizing the
scene, which can create a dark area or dark
band in your photograph. That dark area
is impossible to remove in Photoshop
1
and Lightroom, because it goes very, very
gradually from dark to light. Therefore, be
very careful when using a polarizing filter.
Check the results on your cameras LCD
monitor by zooming in on your photo.
Also try the Dehaze filter in Photoshop
and Lightroom. It can make the sky and
water appear clearer.
3. TAKE ALONG A TELEPHOTO

Most landscape photographs are taken with wide-angle lenses or wide-angle
zoom lenses set at the wider zoom settings. The idea with these lenses is to capture sweeping landscapes.
Telephoto lenses are also good for
landscape photography for an important reason: They help you cut the clutter in busy settings, as illustrated by
this Telluride, Colorado photograph.
In other words, telephoto lenses let you
carefully compose a photograph with
interesting elements, as opposed to a
Simply put, if you want to be a good

landscape photographer, you need to
get up early and stay out late to chase
and to catch the best light of the day...
jammed-packed photograph, with no main subject, thats a
compositional mess.
4. FIND YOUR FOCUS

Notice how all the elements in this photograph, and all the
photographs in this article, are in focus. Thats because I used a
time-proven, maximum depth-of-field technique: Use a wideangle lens, shoot at a small aperture, and focus one-third into
the scene. The concept: Just because you have an autofocus camera doesnt mean the camera knows where to focus.
This technique works well if the foreground element isnt too
close to the lens. If you cant get everything in focus, try focus
stacking. Available in Photoshop, this feature lets you stitch a series of photographs at different focus settings into one image in
which everything in the scene is in focus. I took this photograph
in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, with my Canon 11-22mm
lens set at 15mm. The aperture was /6.3.
5. MAKE A PERFECT PANORAMA
3
30
Making panoramas has never been easier, thanks to the

Photo Merge/Panorama feature in Photoshop and Lightroom.
The key is to start with a set of images that can be seamlessly
5
stitched into a beautiful panorama. Heres
the technique.
Set your exposure to manual, meter the
brightest part of the scene, and set your exposure to that shutter speed/aperture combination. You need to meter the brightest
part of the scene so its not overexposed
in your pano, and you need to shoot
on manual to get a consistent exposure
throughout your exposure sequence.
Next, set your white balance to the existing lighting conditionssunny, cloudy,
etc. If you dont, you may get a color shift
in your images.
Hold your camera vertically and take a
series of pictures from left to right, or vice
versa, overlapping your frame by about
one-third. You need to shoot vertically because some of the top and bottom of your
images will be cut off in the panoramamaking process. Knowing youll lose image area in each frame, shoot extra-wide
to ensure that important foreground elements and clouds arent cropped out
when your images are stitched together by
Photoshop or Lightroom. I carefully followed this technique for my panorama of
Bryce Canyon, Utah.
6
images in Photoshop and Lightroom, as
well as with plug-ins like Nik Silver Efex
Pro, the plug-in I used to make this nighttime image of the New Croton Dam in
Croton-on-Hudson, New York. When
working in black-and-white, contrast becomes very important. I suggest to my
workshop students: Boost the contrast
a little, and youll like your picture a little more.
6. MAKE MONOCHROMATIC
IMAGES
7. GO WITH THE FLOW
When we remove some of the color

from a scene, we remove some of the reality, and when we remove some of the reality, an image can, but not always, look
more creative and artistic.
We can make beautiful black-and-white
In this photograph, which I took in

Iceland, and in the preceding photograph,
the water is beautifully blurred. That silky
water effect is achieved by shooting at
a slow shutter speed when a camera is
mounted securely on a steady tripod.
Purchase the best tripod you can afford. Too many people come on my workshops with flimsy tripods, only to order
a better tripod as soon as they get home.
The best shutter speed depends on how
fast the water is moving and your desired
effect. Here, I used a shutter speed of 1/5
of a second. For my New Croton Dam
photograph, I used a shutter speed of
30 seconds.
Getting long exposures in low light is
easy. In bright light, youll need a neutraldensity filter or a variable neutral-density
filter. ND filters reduce the amount of light
entering the lens, allowing you to shoot
at long shutter speeds. When shooting
at long shutter speeds, use a self-timer, a
cable release or an app to trip the shutter
31
9
and to avoid camera shake, which could
result in a blurry shot.
8. DONT OVERLOOK
THE VERTICAL VIEW
Horizontal images, also known as
landscape-format images, are the norm for
most landscape photographers. In some
cases, however, a vertical image can have

more impactor tell a better story of a
subject than a horizontal image.
I chose the vertical format, also known
as the portrait format, for this photograph of some of the Dancing Aspens in
Telluride, Colorado, because I wanted a
top-to-bottom view of the beautiful trees.
9. USE YOUR CAMERA

LIKE A DRONE
Most novice photographers start out
by taking all their landscape photographs
with their camera at eye-level. That technique can get boring, fast. You may be
surprised at how moving your camera
up or down can make a big difference in
10
32
7
8
the look and composition of your photograph. The lower you place the camera to
the ground, the greater the sense of being there youll create for the viewer. If
you get down too low, however, the foreground may become the main subject in
your photograph.
I took this photograph in the Palouse,
a wonderful area for photography in
Washington State. Placing the main subject
off-center, by the way, is a compositional
technique that adds interest to a photograph because your eye roams around the
frame looking for other elements, as opposed to your eye getting stuck on a deadcenter subject.
10. YOU SNOOZE, YOU LOSE

Simply put, if you want to be a good
landscape photographer, you need to get
up early and stay out late to chase and to
catch the best light of the dayor, as I say
in my photo workshops, You can sleep
when youre dead.
I took this photograph during one
of my Mount Rainier photo workshops
about one hour after sunset. The image
is the result of always looking for a photograph, as well as following another
important photography tip: Always have a
camera and tripod with you.
DP
RICK SAMMON is a longtime friend of this
magazine. You can see more of Ricks work
at ricksammon.com.
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Without going into this topic too
common address in layers
SmartWool Womens
Midweight Pattern
Zip-T UPF 50+
Merrell All Out

Terra Trail
and wear clothing that doesnt lose its

insulation when wet. Its always better
to have too many layers and be able to
remove them than to have too few layers
and suffer hypothermia.
Cotton sucks heat from the skin
when wet, so despite its comfort, its
better to choose wicking fabric like wool
or synthetic fabrics. A number of companies make clothing with built-in sunscreen protection. Look for clothes with
a UPF rating (which is the same as SPF)
at an outdoor store.
A well-designed outer shell made
with GORE-TEX is a must, and will
nicely complement any other lower layers for a waterproof, windproof cover.
Get a shell with internal zippers for
layers and you can go from blustery to
nds.
ng out for an exre you cant get to
e sure to bring exks and hats. When
get wet, life gets
ble. For those in a
e Lyme disease or
orne disease is an
University of Rhode
ck Encounter Renter is a great place
ut about tick-proof
and sprays (tick
ter.org/research/
_clothing).
king of hats, theres
n why photograike Ansel Adams)
ly seen without a
eyre crucial when
in the outdoors.
ep you warmer, of
ut they also shield
and neck from the
sun, and keep the ra

Also, they look coo
A big problem
gloves and taking
hard to reach th
companies mak
fingertip portio
get your finger
out accidenta
The AquaTec
vorite of min
glove liner u
fingers are e
What to
bate with
the right solu
youre doing and where yo
While old-school photogra
for stiff hiking boots, the ad
running shoes has made
shoe popular with hikers
tographers. Obviously, the
a great choice if its goin
raining heavily or sno
or if youre in an area o
world with rattlesnakes
the comfort of a good
of trail running shoes
a day with a heavy lo
lot more comfortable.
Photographer has a g
on outdoor footwear
can find at outdoorp
com/gear/more-ge
hiking-footwear.htm
Hydration is
many people vent
too little water. T
problem, buy
bladder from C
similar compan
your camera
have a slot to ro t
you usually can poke it out a
AquaTech Sensory
Gloves
CamelBak Mil Spec

Antidote Reservoir
opted
Garmin Rino 655t
SPOT Gen3
Lowepro Pro Trekker

650 AW
zipper hole or just unzip your pack to get

a drink. The insulating hose covers and a
bite-valve with a lock are nice upgrades.
To carry all of this gear, a good outdoor camera backpack is a must. Shoulder sling bags throw off your balance
and weigh too heavily on one side of
the body for extended use. Theres no
one perfect bag (trust me, I have a closet
of camera bags), but many companies
specialize in gear for extended outdoor
use. Tamrac, for example, has a line of
Anvil expedition bags that come in a variety of sizes. Ive used a number of bags
from MindShift Gear recently, including
the roation180, which puts the camera
gear in a small rotating pouch for quick
access while the bag is connected. The
Lowepro Pro Trekker series of bags is
also popular with outdoor enthusiasts.
Some photographers like to use a
monopod as a walking stick, and thats
an okay idea, but it doesnt give the stability of a tripod (more on that below)
and usually isnt comfortable when
walking. For my money, nothing beats a
collapsible hiking stick and a tripod, too.
If youre camping during your
shoot, its often better to purchase a
dedicated hiking bag with an internal
or external frame and to use storage
pouches for camera gear. I sometimes
hike with a frame bag, even if Im not
camping out, just due to the comfort. I
connect my camera to one of my backpack straps with a B-Grip UNO or a

CapturePRO quick-release camera clip
from Peak Design.
Entire magazines have been filled
with suggestions for tents, backpacks,
sleeping pads, etc. The perfect camping
gear depends on where youre going,
what the weather is going to be like,
how many people youre traveling with
and how long youre going to be there.
Always check out a tent before you buy
itease of setup and breakdown being
key. Beware of tents that feel like theyre
a bargain, as they often skimp on features. Theres no substitute for a long
conversation with an expert at a camping store when outfitting your fabricbased lodging.
For winter hikes, a good pair of snowshoes has a great return on investment.
Its possible to get out in the powder in
snowshoes to capture pristine and glistening landscapes.
Any trip outdoors isnt complete
without a knife and
t of tools. Swiss
Army knives are p
one lives
at the bottom
ing packs an
and the Le
are popu
MindShift Gear rotation180

Professional 38L
Gerber Dime Multi-Tool
38
Gerber Suspension multi-tool is well

reviewed and was featured in Outdoor Photographer.
Eureka! Apex 2
SURVIVAL
Many of the items that are in this survival category are just basic supplements
to any outdoor trip, but some are particularly useful for extended stays out of
doors. Most of them are recommended to
live in your car, too. I keep a small zipped
bag with essentials in my car, and when
I hit the trail, they go with me into
the woods.
A small first-aid kit is pretty key,
and very inexpensive. Since they tend to
be lightweight, I opt for the largest one I
feel like carrying, especially because I often hike with my son and with friends. Id
rather have too much gauze than too little.
Other important items are a lightweight Mylar blanket, matches, a lighter
(so much easier than matches, but less dependable), a snakebite kit (if that applies
to your region), water-purifying tablets,
a compass and some sort of stable food.
Next to my Swiss Army knife in my pack
youll find a few energy bars and a bag of
nuts. Both will last for a long time and
provide long-lasting energy.
While every phone has a GPS, if youre
venturing off the beaten path, a handheld
GPS is a great investment. Aside from
their greater accuracy, by using one, you
wont run down your phones battery. My
favorite is the Garmin Rino series, which
includes a two-way radio. The Rino 655t
Think Tank Photo

Hydrophobia 70-200
has a glove-friendly touch-screen,

barometric altimeter, electronic compass, built-in maps, NOAA weather radio and unit-to-unit texting, and multiple
units can be tracked using Garmins software on a laptop.
For serious trekking, though, the SPOT
satellite devices are quite literally lifesavers. The portable devices can send a call
for help at the push of a button, transmitting your location via satellite and calling
for help or sending messages about your
status to friends and family.
If your camping may take you from
potable water for a long time, and you
dont like the taste of purifying tablets,
CamelBak makes a water bottle with a UV
light in the lid. Fill it up, push the button,
wait 60 seconds, and drink.
Its also important to keep things dry
and to dry out wet things. I like to carry
silica gel (those small packets that say do
not eat found in some packages) to dry
out items. A friend of mine (a contributor to this magazine and Digital Photo Pro)
created a product called Clip-n-Seal, which
was designed originally to seal potato
chip bags, but makes a waterproof seal
when placed across a bag. I carry around
a 3mil plastic bag large enough for my
camera and lens, and it can stand up to
the strongest downpour. Need to dry
something out? Just throw in
those silica packets.
CAMERA GEAR
Every good outdoor photographer needs a good tripod.
You dont need to carry it on
every trip, but you need to own one, or

two, or three. There are lightweight tripods, super-sturdy tripods, special-purpose tripodscollect them all! Some of
our favorites come from Benbo, Benro,
Cullmann, Davis & Sanford, Giottos,
Gitzo, Induro, Manfrotto, Novoflex,
Really
Right
Stuff,
Sirui,
Slik,
Smith-Victor and Vanguard. For a good
look at various styles and purchasing
suggestions, go to outdoorphotographer.
com/gear/more-gear/gadget-bag/gadgetbag-landscape-tripods.html.
To keep your camera gear as dry as
your feet and torso, rain covers are key,
and were partial to the Pro Light E-702
PL cover from Manfrotto and the Think
Tank Photo Hydrophobia series, with
models to cover lenses ranging from
70-200mm to 300-600mm. Those who
remember loading film in dark bags
will feel right at home reaching into a
rain cover.
Some photographers also like the
idea of wrapping their lenses and tripods
so cold weather doesnt make them uncomfortable to hold. The wraps from
LensCoat and AquaTech are popular.
Delkin also makes a Snug-It camera skin
for several camera models that wraps
around the body and gives some added
splash and scratch protection.
Since its nearly impossible to get to
a service center, carrying basic cleaning
gear is a good idea. I dont travel without
a Giottos Rocket Blaster, great for cleaning sensors and blowing sand out of
39
crevices. (Beware, though: Ive had mine

confiscated by TSA.) Bring a cleaning
cloth for eyeglasses (not your T-shirt) to
wipe down your lens optics when dirty.
For longer trips, its important to take
enough electricity to keep going. Always
pack multiple batteries for your camera, especially if youre shooting in the
cold, where batteries charge down faster.
There are a number of external battery
packs that will help keep your iPhone
charged, and even will charge cameras
that take power over USB. Makes, models and pricing are always changing, but
a quick search for external USB charger will reveal plenty of choices. Ive
also used portable power solutions from
Goal Zero. They make everything from
a portable USB charger thats waterproof
to solar-powered portable power stations. Their solar-powered kits include
evices that can charge a p ne all the
Goal Zero Yeti 150
Peak Design
CapturePRO Camera Clip
way to units that can power laptops and

charge DSLR batteries.
Finally, its a good idea to bring lots
of extra memory cards for
erahaving your only card fa
a perfect way to ruin a trip.
Of course, theres no end
ful, practical and just whim
thats available to the outdoo
rapher. Take a walk through a
or any other outdoor shop, an
probably rationalize the purc
erything from camping stove
mocks, but this guide is a go
place for the intrepid photogr
Really Right Stuff

TVC-34 Versa
You can follow DAVID SCHLOSS

and Instagram @davidjschloss.
Manfrotto Pro Light

E-702 PL
LensCoat RainCoat RS
Giottos
Rocket Blaster
Adorama 3POD
40
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light
CAPTURING THE MAGIC OF
NIGHTTIME PHOTOGRAPHY
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEREDITH WINN
Exploring the world at night with your camera opens up many fun opportunities
to play with exposure. Chasinglight outside is an excellent way to learn more
about your camera settings while creating artistic images. Long exposures, bokeh
effects and painting withlightare just a few ways to get creative, learn some new
techniques and reinvent how you see your nighttime world.
42
If I let the world guide me, I find it leads

my eyes to different photographic styles
and new-to-me techniques, often inspired
by season. Im intrigued with nighttime
photography during the season change
that brings short days and long nights.
Working within the boundaries provided,
the lack of light encourages me to play
with whatever light I find. Theres a taste
of exhilaration that comes from being out
in the world while most people are asleep.
Through the process of trying something new every week or weekend, I learn
more about photography in bits and
pieces that are easy for me to digest and
process. I dont have the desire to compete
with those more technically savvy than
me. I let curiosity be my guide.Ive given
myself the permission not to know everything, and not to have the superhuman
ability to learn it all at once, either. With
that permission slip in hand, Ive given
myself the freedom to open up to new experiences and explore art through trial and
error. Learning just for the sake of learning. Creating just for the sake of creating.
When you stretch your art, you stretch
your mind.
This nighttime curiosity first led me
to explore painting with light, because I
could practice in the backyard while my
son was asleep inside. This certainly isnt
the first time painting with light has ever
44
been done, but thats not what mattered

to me. A 30-second exposure, low ISO and
fun with invisible penmanship performed
with a flashlight were the things that interested me. Theres a sense of freedom that
comes after dark. My interest in nighttime
photography grew from this love of nighttime play.
So, pay attention to your curiosities.
For me, its catching the energy of the
night. Counting breaths, counting seconds, counting minutes. Its through this
new curiosity that I learned the Zen of exposure at night. Its cold, but not too cold,
so I take my time and think about the
view from the top of the trail, count cars
across the bridge, listen to the sounds of
the city or experiment with light painting.
The shutter releases and I feel giddy, like a
kid again. Two hours of walking around
the city at night makes me feel strangely
alive. Slinging my camera and my tripod,
I set out with no destination in mind. I
keep walking, knowing at some point
Ill find exactly what I had come looking
for: Light.
LIGHT TRAILS
Light trails from busy car headlights
create an eye-catching result. Shooting
light trails is a great way to experiment
with different camera settings, and youll
end up learning a lot more about your
camera through the process. Shooting in

full manual mode or shutter priority is
mandatory; a digital camera will allow
you to see instant results and provide
feedback for composition. A tripod is
also mandatory, as you want your camera to be as still as possible. Using a cable release or wireless remote will aid in
this stillness, as well, so the camera isnt
touched at the time the shutter opens or
closes. Any slight wobble will affect the
final image.
Find a spot to set up where youll see
busy cars.
2. Curves in the road are especially nice
for creative composition.
3. Aperture and shutter speed differ
4.
5.
6.
1.
7.
for every location, depending on

the amount of cars/light coming
into the shot. Allow yourself time
to experiment!
Start with a mid-range aperture of
/8, and shooting at a shutter speed
of about 10 to 20 seconds allows cars
to move through your frame.
View your image and make adjustments as necessary, based on whether
your shots are under- or overexposed.
If your shots are overexposed, stop
down your aperture (increase the
-stop number; if your shot is underexposed, open up your aperture (decrease the -stop number).
Try a different perspective. For a different take, get down low or shoot
from above; this change in perspective adds to the creativity of

your shot.
8. Rather than setting up a stationary camera on a tripod, create light
trails from moving your camera.
This seems to break all the rules! I
used the sunroof of a car to steady
my camera, which caught light trails
from the road while a friend was
driving. This method creates a dizzying (sometimes electric) feeling of
movement through the night.
TIPS
Remember that your aperture affects
depth of field, too.
45
I typically shoot with manual focus; especially at night, Ive found that autofocus
hunts for correct focus. Once you find
your sweet spot, leave it and leave the
camera undisturbed.
Many cameras have a Bulb mode that
allows you to leave the shutter open as long
as you want. Using this setting gives you
more control over well-placed headlights
or taillights.
If you use the Bulb setting, you must use
a remote to stop all camera movement while
the shutter is open.
In my night shots of the city, streetlights
appear like stars, which is an effect I
rather like.
Stopping down the aperture (/22) creates
starbursts, if you prefer this look, as well.
PAINTING WITH LIGHT

You dont need much to experiment
with this type of photography. A creative mind and a simple flashlight will
suffice (and good penmanship certainly helps if youre writing love notes).
Youll need a camera capable of doing
long exposures (I use the Bulb setting
on a digital camera, which allows me
ample time to paint) and a tripod to
keep your camera still. With a flashlight
in hand and a dark environment, youre
on your way.
1. Decide what type of image youd
like to create. Painting light onto
a subject will make it pop in the
dark (illuminating a parked car on
a dark street), or using your flashlight to graffiti the night (scribbles
on a fence, swirls and decorations to
a willing and standing-still subject)
will result in some fun shots.
2. Begin by taking a shot to make sure
the composition is how you like it.
To send my love note, I stood facing
the camera so my light was shining
toward the camera lens and then
practiced writing backward (or forward and do a simple flip of the image in postprocessing).
3. If youre painting onto an object in
your scene, use the flashlight or multiple lights to scribble light on objects such as houses, cars or people.
4. Be sure to click the flashlight off at
46
the end of the word (or painted

object); this allows the light to stay
where you intended it.
5. View the image and make any necessary adjustments, and try again.
6. Take more than one image!
TIPS
The strength of your ashlight affects the
final photograph. Can it be dimmed? Does
the ashlight have a hot spot?
Keep in mind that long exposures create
noise in your image; adjust your settings accordingly.
Remember, its okay to walk into your
scene; your camera will only record light,
so if you wear dark clothing and stay out
of direct light, youll remain invisible.
All typical night photography techniques
apply: mirror lock-up, long-exposure noise
reduction and a cable release or wireless remote.
BOKEH EFFECTS
In photography, bokeh means blur
or haze (pronounced boh-kay, from
the Japanese boke or boke-aji). Bokeh has

been defined as the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. Its a
beautiful way to create a sense of magic
in your images. This intentional blur of
light can be especially mesmerizing at
night. Differences in lens and aperture
shape cause some lens designs to blur
the image in very different and pleasing ways. Use the dark of night to your
advantage, and make your bokeh really
pop by seeking out strong contrasts.
1. Composition is key when creating
nighttime bokeh images.
2. A tripod and cable release or wireless
remote help minimize shake.
3. Use your imagination to place light
around your subject in a way that
complements your composition.
4. Try filling your entire frame with
light to create abstract images.
5. Shooting with a fast lens is best for
creating beautiful bokeh.
6. A prime lens such as a 50mm /1.4
or /1.8 or /2.8 is preferred.
7. If you only have your kit lens (1855mm), go ahead and zoom your
lens all the way and shoot at /5.6.

Putting distance between your subject and the background helps create
bokeh with a kit lens. Adding bokeh
to the background of your subject
gives an artistic effect to any portrait.
TIPS
Streets are the best locations to catch
bokeh, because theres a variety of light
and color of light found in headlights,
stoplights and store signs. For this reason,
colored Christmas lights are fun!
Remember that the larger the -number,
the larger the aperture, the larger the
bokeh. This is why fast lenses are a bit
more fun.
Shooting bokeh alone in the frame can create intrigue and magic without a subject
in the frame at all, resulting in wonderfully
abstract images.
MEREDITH WINN is a writer, photographer
and Associate Editor of Taproot Magazine.
Shes a contributor to Shutter Sisters, featured
in our Point of Focus column. You can see more
of her photography at meredithwinn.com.
47
I live in Suburbia, plain and simple. The streets in my Southern California town have
been plotted out in a grid formation, with strip malls on most corners and tract homes
that resemble one another. Besides the beach being only a few miles away (my favorite
part of living here), many of the natural elements around me have been placed there
by human hands, rather than from Mother Nature herself. Even still, I dont feel deprived of the beauty and wonder of nature. In fact, its likely because of where I live
that I appreciate every wild thing that grows here, no matter how it came to be.
One may not consider wandering

the perimeter of my house or walking the dogs around my neighborhood exactly a nature walk, but I beg
to differ. Ive always subscribed to the
idea that inspiration can be found in
the most unlikely and even mundane
placesfor goodness sakes, Ive written books about itand seeking out
photo-worthy elements of the great
outdoors in my own backyard (and
beyond) is at the top of my creative
to-do list.
It probably helps that we dont aspire to a well-manicured or perfectly
coiffed landscape style. On the contrary, we let our yard grow a little
more wild and free than some. Reflecting on it, I recognize that its no
accident that we let things go, or perhaps better said, grow. With a deep
love and appreciation for the beauty
and wonder of nature, we choose to
surround ourselves with sprawling
vines, overgrown trees and overgrown
groundcover. This is something that,
I must admit, helps in my quest not
only to cultivate more nature in my
everyday life, but also capture it in my
photographic work.
Over the years, Ive become totally

tuned in with my surroundings here,
and I realize there are some specific
ways Ive honed my nature explorer
skills. Theyre the kinds of things that
have enabled me to better focus on
the constant evolution of my immediate surroundings in a way that not
only enhances my life, but enables me
to capture the beauty of the natural
world without even having to leave
my neighborhood. Ive identified a
few of the key points that can enable
you to elevate your own backyard images from blah to beautiful.
49
KEEN OBSERVATION
In any photography genre, Ive always
believed that observation comes long
before a great picture is taken. I have a
window box in my kitchen that allows
me to look upon our backyard every
time Im at the sink. Its gotten me into
a habit of observing a unique world that
transpires back there. Watching, waiting,
wondering and watching some more
help me to better understand, and even
predict, what might be coming next.
Patience and practice arent just virtues
in expressive portraiture. Theyre equally invaluable, if not more so, when it
comes to shooting nature photography.
The great outdoors is an ever-changing,
living, breathing subject that demands
our close attention. Constantly being in
observation mode helps me to anticipate when a perfect shot may present itself. Pay close attention to what goes on
around you (even when youre not a participant), and youll discover all kinds of
fresh photo opportunities you may have
missed before. The more you observe,
the more aware you become.
LISTENING SKILLS
I first realized how important audio
cues benefited my backyard photography when I discovered the first hummingbird nest in our magnolia tree. I
knew that if I wanted to shoot the progression of the baby birds, I had to know
when the mother bird was on her way
back to the nest after her frequent food
forages. I not only learned her rhythm
(as far as timing), but I could hear her
coming. The activity of the local birds
has become something Ive been more
and more in tune with since then. Its
as though all of my senses have had to
become more heightened. Lucky, for me,
there have been a number of birds that
have chosen to nest in our yard. Even
beyond the photographic, bird watching has been and likely always will be
a highlight for me. Challenge yourself
to use senses beyond just your sight.
Its amazing what you can discover just
by listening.
SEASONAL SENSITIVITY
In Southern California, we dont
get severe seasonal shifts, but there are
50
still changes in the landscape, the light

and the sky. Even the slightest shifts in
weather can totally transform a photographic opportunity. The same old
tree in your backyard, for instance, can
look different in the winter than it does
in the summer and can offer a fresh new
perspective (and photograph) with each
picture you take. And, as Ive paid closer
attention to how images even can subtly
differ from season to season, Ive taken
note that theres no more breathtaking
coastal sunset than those that come with
our mild, but beautiful SoCal winters.
Ill dare to peg spring as the most active

of seasons, boasting rapid growth that
seemingly comes from nowhere, with
blossoms, blooms and an explosion of
color. The entire progression from first
determined sprout to proud flower to final wiltevery day can bring something
new and inspiring to shoot, and that
goes for every month of the year.
TIME OF DAY
Theres not a photographer I know
who isnt aware of the importance light
plays in photography. Because its a
subject thats always on my mind, Im often surprised by how many people dont
really take note of the evolution of light
in their immediate surroundings. When
seeking out prime nature shots, its key
to notice how the movement of the sun
(or lack thereof) changes the surrounding landscape, depending on the given
hour. For example, when I walk my dogs
in the morning, the neighborhood looks
totally different than when I walk them
at night. Everything about the light affects our subjectsits intensity, its direction, its position in the sky, etc. Whats
nice about shooting close to home is
that you have the luxury of testing and
trying different approaches of shooting
at different times of the day. Once you
know the kind of effect youre after, you
can wait until the light is exactly how
you want it before you shoot.
CREATIVE CROPPING
Although Ive found photo-worthy elements close to home, thats not to say
there arent plenty of things (key word
there is things) that I dont want to
include in my photographic frame. We
had a lot of play equipment in our yard
when my kids were young, as a perfect
example. We have patio furniture, power
lines, soccer balls, a garden hose and even
dogs that I often have to shoot around.
And thats not even the half of it. Ive
learned how to conveniently and creatively work around the more unsavory
parts of the yard by implementing strategic cropping techniques. Interestingly
enough, Ive often stumbled onto some
highly effective cropping options that I
may not have dared to try if I had another
option. Never underestimate the artistic
power of a unique and compelling crop.
And, if cropping cant help (those power
lines arent going anywhere), you can just
move to another spot. Shooting clouds or
sunsets from the front yard (or from the
neighbors front yard sometimes) makes
for much more sweeping skyscapes than
shooting from my backyard.
SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD

Beyond merely getting creative with
your cropping, there are other types of
photographic manipulation you can
use to remove (or at least minimize)
otherwise unavoidable background distractions. Not only can it keep the focus
on the part of the image that matters the
most, it blurs out parts that dont matter
at all. Keep in mind the best part, however: When using a shallow depth of field to
calm visual disturbances, you may yield
a number of other desirable outcomes
in regard to shooting nature photography. The best-case scenario is when the
shallow depth of field doesnt just hide
something you dont really want in your
frame, it actually improves your overall
image because it makes the parts that are
out of focus a more interesting, integral

part of the image as a whole. Shooting
outside, in nature, with a shallow depth
of field can be creatively inspiring and rewarding, especially when you learn how
to harness the power of light and learn
to use beautiful bokeh to enhance your
wonderfully wild images.
DP
TRACEY CLARK is the founder of Shutter
Sisters, a collaborative photo blog and thriving
community of female photo enthusiasts,
shuttersisters.com. Learn more about Tracey and
her work at traceyclark.com.
51
athletes
S A sprinter is an opportunist,
a thief and a magician. He has to
exploit the situation as it happens,
find a hole in the pack and play
the one trick he has at the right
moment: a quick burst of speed.
Mark is one of the fastest cyclists I
know, a trickster, too. This moment
with him happened as quickly as
he rides. He arrived unannounced
at my house to show me his new
bike; I had just received the camera
and lens for the cycling team shoot
and thought, Well, lets see what
this lens can do, and ran down
the stairs. The result captures him
wellit was an impromptu moment
and taken as fast as he moves. The
joke he cracked while lifting the
bike was, Look how symmetrical I
am, same height as the bike! While
agreeing and laughing with him, I
noticed the sun burning through
Seattles inversion layerthe
one that captures clouds and the
pollution that lingers in themand
particulates reflected light in a
kaleidoscope of colors. Stop, I
said, interrupting another one of
his jokes. Stand here, between me
and the good light, hold, and smile.
Mark was still laughing when I
pressed the shutter release.
52
environment
USING THE GREAT OUTDOORS
AND THE NATURAL WORLD TO
HUMANIZE ATHLETE PORTRAITS
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY DL BYRON
It was like glitter had been thrown on the

climbshiny, bright bikes and multicolored
jerseys sparkling between mileposts on Las Flores
Canyon Road outside Malibu, California, while
the Rally Cycling professional Continental cycling
team warmed up at spring training camp. On
assignment to document the start of the teams
season, I spent some time with them on the wellworn roads of Southern California, in their natural
environment, where they feel most at home.
Their season starts here, in a team

camp. They build a base, getting strong
for the races later in the year, and for
new members, they get to know each
other. After the first long ride together,
the team split up into two rental houses
near Channel Islands Beach to eat and
recover. When the director of the team
retreated to his Buick LeSabre wagon,
I jumped in the back, hoping to hear a
good story or two.
Team photo opportunities are typically the same: a posed group shot under
terrible hotel conference room lighting
(or on the lawn outside the hotel) and
some shots along the road from the team
car. That means that most photographers
miss the opportunity to capture the athletes in their relaxed state or in ways that
differ from traditional team photos. This
happens not only in cycling, but in baseball and football and any other sport
where athletes are often presented to the
media. The official shots often dont
encompass the outdoor environments
in which the people compete.
The secret to good environmental
portrait work of athletes (or anyone else
who enjoys being outside) is to connect
to them, become familiar with them,
and let them know through words and
actions that youre there to make them
look good.
T Rally Cycling Team rolling along the coast.
S Eric Wohlberg at Channel Islands Beach with his Buick and bike after a long training ride.
For a cycling team, the team manager is the access pointhes the staff
sergeant of the team. Old pro bike racers often switch to running a team when
they retire from racing, and are like
punk band members who stayed out
on tour after the crowds faded. What I
learned from Rally Cyclings manager
Eric Wohlberg is how to relax when surrounded by chaos. Even a training ride
is hectic, much less a race. Restoring
his old Buick is how he keeps calm despite all the chaos, and his soundtrack
is The Blazing Elwoods. Knowing how
important the vintage car is to him, my
portrait of him took shape with that

framed as the backdrop.
For the shoot of Wohlberg, I waited
for the golden hour, and with natural, low light, used a Sony a7S II with a
Rokinon 35mm T1.5 Cine. A cine lens is
designed for video work, and I brought
it because of the video footage Id grab
during the shoot.
The Rokinons focus and aperture
control rings are geared and smooth
for pulling focus on film, but worked
well for an intimate still, as we drove
to the beach and back. I noticed setting sunlight filtering through the tinted
windshield and his profile as he fiddled

with the dashboard Jesus and a CD. The
car, and what was in it, was clearly important to him, and I wanted a portrait
of it, too, because he spends so much
time off the bike here.
Finding significant pieces of peoples
lives is important for an environmental portrait. For the assignment, I had a
shot list and riffed in between these bullet points:
Guy with a looming mountain

Racer in the middle of a road
Mechanic working late
Winding coastal road
Espresso, farmhouse breakfast
Bikes lined up
Peloton strung out
Lonely climb
Downtime
Gear
Sunset/sunrise, up early, riding late
The central coast of California, with

its flat valleys, sunny beaches and soaring climbs, is a perfect location to use
the large scale of nature to tell a photojournalistic story. A typical cycling
magazine portrait of a team would have
a shot from the car with a rolling peloton, speeding along Highway 1 to and
from Malibu. To capture this, you need
a trusty driver, a strong camera strap
around your neck and parkour skills to
hang out the side of the car sideways,
looking backward, while the driver
holds onto your belt. While composing,
its important to listen for Traffic! or
Dog! Besides the acrobatic flexibility
and dexterity skills, I relied on Continuous Eye AF and Focus Peaking to let me
know when Id focused my shot. Unfortunately, required photos for a bicycle
outlet dont capture the individualism
of the athletes, which is the most important thing about them. They have
punched out of the day jobs we have,
dedicating themselves to a sport and
giving us something to daydream about.
Earlier in the day, I met the rest of
the team as they assembled to get kitted
up and pick out their bikes. And then I
met the mechanics, who keep it all running smoothly. These guys are like line
cooks and chefs, behind the scenes of a
54
S Rick Barrow relaxes with a walk on the beach, taking a break from wrenching bikes.
Michelin star restaurant. You dont need

to know how hard they work, just that
it all comes together in front of you. Its
not their job to speak to the media, and
in this instance, a compact camera with
a short lens worked nicely, because the
large telephotos that racers are used to
seeing intimidate those not used to being on camera.
If you ever get time to shoot behindthe-scenes staffers, like the mechanics,
they appreciate the attention, and often
deliver a more candid view of a sport
saturated with shooters at the podium
or on the field, and they can be your
best access point to the athletes. If the
team chef or mechanic likes you, that
goes a long way.
Remember that athletes are used to

posing because theyre really marketing
representatives for their sponsors and
teamsliterally, walking billboards. So,
if you get a chance to photograph an athlete, be kind and ask them to do what you
want, and dont be afraid to ask, unless
theyre competing.
Understanding that athletes are like
actors helps me take their photos, because I understand the characterizations
of the characters they play and the stage
theyre on. In their environment, doing what theyre really good at is when
the most candid and comfortable photos happen.
If you encourage them to share a story
and not just pose for a picture, perhaps
W A rouleurs optimism never

dims, even when that brilliant
tempo set on a climb actually was
a tailwind. They live in the now
for the road ahead and following
the white line to another end.
Youll find them in the moment
and present, and at times, off
the beaten path, too, like this
route through a culvert that led
to an undiscovered country.
To get there, we started with a
map, and then found our way
by instinct, tracking what was
probably an old mining road. To
get this shot, I packed a camera
in a small bag attached to a bike,
and quickly pulled it out once the
scene unfolded. This ride wasnt
intended to be part of a shot list
for the bike team assignment. Its
really just a cyclist riding through
a culvert. It was one take, literally
point and shoot. I discarded the
color to get the black-and-white
drama, and retouched debris on
the ground. A 35mm lens is the
closest to the focal composition
of the human eye, and this is
exactly what I saw standing in
the middle of the culvert, as
Pam rode past and away from
me. Emerging from a tunnel or
shade into light is an idiom for
what happened in this moment
and what motivates this type of
cyclist. Notice her pose, up on
the pedals and at the ready for
whatever was in front of her.
while sitting in the back of an old Buick

or standing with their prized possession,
youll likely get a much more interesting
shot of that real person behind the athletes mask. Finally, as it was explained
to me by a photographer who started
developing film in their basement compared to my digital-only experience, the
camera is a magical light-capturing box.
What changes my mind about locations
and scenes is the natural light, especially, with cameras released in the past two
years that practically see in the dark.
Yes, I got the required shots and got
the job done, but like a playlist, I know
I can shuffle them up, depending on
what Mother Nature decides to share
with me.
DP
DL BYRON is the publisher of Bike Hugger,
BikeHugger.com. You can find him on Twitter
and Instagram @bikehugger.
S Erik Maresjo trues a wheel in the team trailer.

55
Soft Focus
AND THE GLOBAL VILLAGE
ADD STYLE AND DIMENSION TO YOUR TRAVEL IMAGES WITH

THIS VERSATILE, OFTEN-MISUNDERSTOOD TECHNIQUE
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM CORNFIELD
Travel seems to be a compulsion with serious photographers.
Were a horde of camera-toting gypsies, wandering our shrinking, relentlessly more familiar planet, the so-called global
village, searching for some fabulous piece of geography that
hasnt already been photographed to death.
There are, of course, scores of useful approaches to making
any travel destinationfamiliar or nota source of fresh, original imagery. Some of the more predictable tactics: creative lens
selection, waiting for dramatic light effects, interacting with the
locals, trying inventive camera angles. My personal travel strategy often includes one of my perennially favorite ploys: telling a
story with the help of soft-focus effects.
For the record, owing to the rigors of travel, I reserve any
focus manipulations for after capture, despite many available incamera approaches to this technique. I dont like to complicate
my life by swapping filters while Im shooting on the go, and
thats my advice to anyone: Save it for the digital darkroom.
ITS MORE THAN EYE CANDY

Soft focus is a misunderstood subset of our craft that too often gets pigeonholed as a sappy photographic parlor trick, good
for bridal portraits and little else. It can be that, no argument, but
theres a cerebral side to this versatile technique. Its more than
just sentimental eye candy. Carefully stage-managed zones of
soft focus in a picture function very much like deep shadows or
intentionally blown-out highlights. They subliminally redirect a
viewers attention to important details elsewhere in the frame.
Used creatively, they can add great impact to a photograph.
Over the course of years doing travel assignments, from the
Negev Desert to the Rocky Mountains, Ive often pulled out the
soft-focus cardwhen its appropriatewith the idea of revealing a deeper, intangible trait that doesnt actually appear in my
frame, something that lends editorial meaning to a particular
subject. On the following pages, youll see a few of these travel
shooting scenarios. In each of those selections, Ive used a sort
of subtractive soft-focus technique to manipulate sharpness.
Its one of several methods I describe in my new book
The Soft Touch (Amherst Media, 2015) for giving an image
its voice. This first sequence is a bit of a tutorial, detailing,
56
step-by-step, how I applied subtractive soft focus to one specific

travel imaging scenario.
A MADE-UP MURDER SCENE

L.A. is the company town for the movie business, so the
hilly countryside beyond the city limits regularly appears
in films and television shows. Tourists flock to Southern
California year-round, hoping to glimpse filmmaking in action.
They rarely get closer to the real thing than the canned entertainments of Universal Studios tours. The spot chosen for this
image is the real thingthe only locale mentioned by name in
the 1946 film noir classic The Postman Always Rings Twice. Its
one of many iconic filming locations around the city.
In the script, the pastoral tableau you see here becomes the
scene of a brutal murder. A road receding in the distance like
this often evokes a hopeful messagethe promise of things to
come. But, in this location, the future takes a much darker turn.
I wanted that to be my visual narrative in this photograph. The
road and the rail fence curving out of frame were the core ingredients of that message, so my approach was to isolate those
graphic shapes from background distractions. Carefully placed
soft accents would play a role in accomplishing that. In addition, smeared shadows and pillowy highlights would introduce
the illusion of a ghostly aura, a cinematic effect that supports
the somber theme lurking in this peaceful little tableau.
The basic idea with subtractive soft focus is to first detune
overall sharpness for the abstract, emotional effect were after,
then to subtly restore selected details back to sharp focus using
a simple layer mask.
As youll see, there
are other enhancements involved, as
well. Heres the main
sequence of events.
X We import the
JPEG file of a medium-resolution capture into Photoshop,
and with our Layer > Duplicate Layer pulldown menu, create a safe copy to give us
freedom for experimenting without damaging our original.
AFTER BLUR
AND LAYER MASK
S Using the pull-down menu command,

Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, we open this
dialog box and set our blur intensity. The
windows will show the effect of this adjustment in real time. A rule of thumb here
is to gradually apply the blur effect to the
point where you can just make out basic
shapes, but no textural detail. In this case,
thats a setting of around 26 pixels.
T Weve now draped our entire image in
global blur, so, at this point, its basically
a flawed, out-of-focus picture. But thats
not where well leave it. We now want to
retrieve a bit of our subjects details by
The Santa Monica Mountains, north

of Los Angeles, on a stretch of road
beside tiny Malibou Lake.
4a
2
ORIGINAL
3
5
4
1
57
painting out some, but not all, of the blur, thus, subtractive
soft focus.
First, we create a layer mask using that tiny icon (1). Well
specify the mask color as white, by adjusting the slider (2). On
the left-hand side of our Photoshop window, we select the Paint
Brush tool (3) and choose black as our brush color (4). In the
Opacity window at top, well now thin out the brushs paint
by changing the slider to 30% (4a). This gives us better control
when we go to our next step, which is to gently re-sharpen some
details by brushing over this maskagain, subtracting softness
in the area (5) where I show the cross-hatching.
Key features of this scene now have some definition, but the
overall image retains the emotional dimension weve added
with our Gaussian Blur. Gaussian is one of many filters in Photoshops extensive blur gallery. They all invite experimentation.
We now move forward to isolating our important editorial
elementsthe fence and the roadfrom their distracting background. Blue sky and puffy white clouds are cheerful pictorial
devices in another context, but they undermine the message
were after with this image. Our opening gambit is to increase
contrast a bit, with Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.
Its also important here that our blacks fill in a bit more.
Image > Adjustments > Selective Color will get us to this function. We select Blacks from the menu, as shown, and push the
58
density slider up just enough to block up the pictures darkest

values. A +7 increase is all thats required.
S Well now take our little saga home, once again with the help
of Photoshops handy Brush tool. We select it as before (6) and
spec the brush color as black (7). There are now two effects to
renderfirst is to reduce the brightness level beside the fence,
a noticeable distraction from the strong graphic statement of
white posts and rails. Our Opacity slider (8) is now adjusted to
20% and, at that setting, we can brush a hint of black over the
ground highlights to bring down their brightness where I have
the cross-hatching, which roughly indicates where we want to
apply brushstrokes. (Note: Two important adjustments in the
Brush tool are brush size and hardness; neither is shown here,
but theyre easy to find when the Brush icon appears in the
upper-left corner of the Photoshop window (9). Hardness for a
light application like this should always be kept low, with brush
size on the larger side.)
A second Brush tool application on this generation of our
image is required to cover the sky and background flora. With
our black level increased to 100% opacity and a large brush size,
we can obliterate any detail in the background of this frame
(where Ive indicated with cross-hatching). Take care in situations like this to reduce the brush diameter and hardness before
FINAL
you apply brushwork around small details like the top edges of these rails and
the fence posts. This last step now isolates and emphasizes the fence line and
roadgoing right to the crux of our story.
S With all our various parts in proper
relation to one anotherfence and
road, the downward curve into distant
blackness, highlights radiating an ominous glowwe have one last action to
perform. The mood of this whole process has been informed throughout by
a brooding cinematic tale. Like most
films of its genre, The Postman Always
Rings Twice was shot in black-and-white.
A fitting (some might argue necessary)
variation of this photograph would be a
monochrome conversion, with perhaps a
subtle contrast increase to mirror the films
stark atmosphere.
XThere are several third-party software
tools for performing color-to-monochrome
conversions after capture. Photoshop offers
a good option in its Image > Adjustments
> Black and White pull-down menu. This
will open the dialog box shown here. It
allows you to optimize your final Black and
White values based on the color levels of
the original.
Heres our finished product, shown

above. You can almost picture the scene
to come:
EXT. LAKESIDE NIGHT
CORA: Ive always wanted to see Malibou
Lake, Frank.
FRANK: There it is, Cora
They shove her husband Nick, already
drunk and semiconscious, into the
backseat of the ill-fated sedan.
The car speeds away.
FADE TO BLACK
59
Shown here, as promised,

are a few cameos of
other situations where
the subtractive softfocus technique added
sparkle and dimension
to my travel imagery. As
mentioned earlier, these
examples are discussed in
detail in The Soft Touch.
ORIGINAL
S Isola San Giulio, Lake Orta, northern Italy. According to

legend, St. Julius of Novaro, a 5th century cleric for whom
this little island is named, banished the poisonous snakes
from its shores and built the prominent basilica, this lakes
iconic landmark. A popular myth has it that Julius crossed
the water by gliding above its surface, safe from the snakes
that were slithering beneath him.
X To suggest the mystique of this fascinating bit of
folklore, I used the subtractive soft-focus technique
in Photoshop CS6, first cloaking the whole image in
Gaussian blur, then, with a layer mask and the Paintbrush
tool, retrieving sharpness only around the great church
that also bears the name of this mystical saint.
ORIGINAL
60
FINAL
Oaxaca, Mexico. An outdoor portrait

of this woman was made on-the-fly
between locations, with little thought to
the background, other than to use shallow depth of field to drop these acacia
blossoms slightly out of focus. On later
inspection, the flowers were clearly too
prominent in the frame. I looked closer
at the image, and found a much more
interesting portrait in a closer crop
that suggested this subject was looking
wistfully at something or someone out
of frame.
The tighter crop was executed,
and global blur added, this time in
Photoshop CC 2014. This version of
Photoshop features an expanded blur
gallery that includes an Iris Blur filter.
FINAL
ORIGINAL
FINAL
S The Alps of Trentino-Alto

Adige, Italy. This action-stopping
capture of a serious road cyclist
on a training ride near the Sarca River fails to convey his speed and
power. Rather than experiment on location with shutter speed changes to achieve the kinetic look of blurred action, I waited until I was
able to take the image into Photoshop CS6.
The Filter > Blur > Motion Blur command gets us to this dialog
box. The process is the same as working with Gaussian Blur: Select a
soft-focus effect, in this case, the Motion Blur command, then, with a
layer mask and the Brush tool, subtract enough of that global blur to
add the convincing illusion of speed, without obscuring the rider, by
far, a more accurate impression of this athletes effort.
This tool can be adjusted to create, among other effects, a creamy, convincing bokeh. Well use bokeh first to completely obscure the subject.
Background bokeh is, of course, desirable for exterior portraiture.
Selecting a bokeh-friendly portrait lens for the original image would
have been ideal, but, in travel situations, a lens change isnt always a
convenient option. Photoshops Iris Blur filter provides our best alternative. By subtracting our global bokeh effect from this subjects face
and neck as before with a layer mask and the Brush tool, we separate her
from any background distractions and let the soft pastels and shapes of
the bokeh concentrate attention on her beguiling off-camera glance. DP
JIM CORNFIELD is a veteran commercial photographer and a respected

author, journalist and travel writer. This article features excerpts from his book,
The Soft Touch: A Photographers Guide to Manipulating Focus (Amherst Media,
2015). Visit his website at jimcornfield.net.
61
acceleratetime
HOW TO CREATE STUNNING TIME-LAPSE VIDEO
WITH A PROCESS THAT HAS BECOME EASIER THAN EVER
TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BOL
NEVER SAY NEVER.
I absolutely love still photography. In fact, my
family probably would tell you Im obsessed with
taking photographs. Theres something almost indescribable about the magic, power and expression
a still photograph can convey. Every day I grab my
camera and seek out an image that moves me and,
hopefully, others. A few years ago, a colleague asked
me if I was going to start shooting video. My initial
response was, No, Im just not interested in video.
But one thing Ive learned through the years as a selfemployed photographer is Never say never. Times
change, technology advances, and its important to
evolve with the times to stay currentwhich is the
reason why I fell in love with shooting time-lapse.
I think of time-lapse as the best of both worlds
still and video. You shoot a series of still images,
which individually can be used for a powerful
62
photograph. But you also can seam together the

same sequence of still images into a powerful video,
recording dramatic changes in the scene over time.
I can already hear the die-hard still shooters (like
me) saying why would I ever shoot a time-lapse?
What am I going to do with it? Almost every photographer likes to share slideshows of their work
with friends or maybe the local photo club. Imagine
starting off your Italy presentation with a dramatic
sunrise over the Duomo in Florence set to a classic Italian violin score. I guarantee the audience will
be engaged and anxiously waiting to see the rest of
your slides from the trip.
But arent time-lapse movies difficult to create?
And dont you need special equipment? Time-lapse
is easier than ever to create, and for many photographer, all you need is a camera and a tripod to start
shooting and creating sequences.
63
WHAT IS TIME-LAPSE?
Time-lapse is recording frames at a
very slow rate and playing back the same
frames at a much faster rate. In other
words, long stretches of time are played
back in mere seconds. Imagine shooting
photos of clouds passing overhead every
10 seconds. If you shoot 300 images, it
will take you 50 minutes to capture all
the stills. If you play back at a standard
video frame rate of 30 frames per second
(fps), those 50 minutes of stills will be
shown in a 10-second video clip. The
cloud movement will be vastly accelerated in the final video.
WHAT GEAR DO I NEED?

Time-lapse photography requires a
camera, a solid tripod and an intervalometer. An intervalometer is a device
that programs the camera to take images
at certain intervals over a set amount
of time. Heres the good news for photographers today. More and more cameras are coming out with intervalometers
built into the camera. Cameras from a
tiny GoPro (use sequence shooting) to a
full-frame Nikon have an intervalometer
setting option in the menu. If you dont
have an intervalometer, then you need to
buy one. Many cable releases have this
function, including ones from Canon,
Nikon and Vello. Once you have an intervalometer, youre ready to calculate
your time-lapse exposure.
HOW DO I CALCULATE
INTERVAL TIMES?
To create compelling time-lapse movies, first you need to consider the interval time between images. Fast-moving
subjects might have an interval of 1 to
2 seconds, while slow-moving subjects
may require one frame every 10 minutes. Here are sample intervals to get
you started.
1-3 SECONDS: fast-moving traffic, driving
shots, crowds, busy city scenes
5 SECONDS: sunrise, sunset, clouds,
slow-moving herds of animals
10 SECONDS: behind the scenes of a
photo shoot
30 SECONDS: stars, shadows
5-10 MINUTES AND LONGER:
flowers blooming
64
Remember, these are just guidelines,

and intervals should be based on how
fast the subjects are moving in a scene.
If you have too long an interval for fastmoving subjects, they will look jerky and
erratic in the final time-lapse.
Once youve figured out your interval, you need to calculate the length of
your time-lapse. Since I normally create
time-lapse videos at 30 fps, I need 300
frames to create a 10-second clip. If my
interval is every five seconds, my final
exposure time would be 300 frames x 5
(interval), or 1500 seconds. Divided by
60 (seconds in one minute), this equals
25 minutes to capture this shot. For this
time-lapse, I would set my intervalometer to 300 frames at 5-second intervals
to create a 10-second clip played back at
30 fps.
WHAT CAMERA MODE DO I USE?

With your intervalometer set, the
next step is to set your camera to take
the correct exposure. For the best results, use manual mode. A common
problem shooting time-lapse is flicker.
Cameras often have a very minimal variance when they close down to an aperture setting, which results in a slight
blinking or flickering in a time-lapse
video. Eliminating flicker at the camera
is much easier than trying to eliminate
flicker later in postproduction. I normally choose the widest aperture I have,
such as /2.8. Shooting wide open eliminates the aperture having to close down
for each image and prevents flicker. Try
to use a shutter speed of 1/60 or slower. Slower shutter speeds also eliminate
flicker and produce a smoother video
than using fast shutter speeds. I often use
Singh-Ray ND filters to slow down my
shutter when Im shooting in bright conditions. Ill use a 2-stop and even a 10stop filter if its bright outside. One very
important point to remember is that
your interval must be longer than your
exposure time. If you have a 5-second
interval, but youre shooting 8-second
exposures, youll clip frames out of the
time-lapse sequence.
Heres how I set up my camera for
a shot.
1. I program my intervalometer (in the
camera or using a cable release).
ABOVE: The Dynamic Perception Stage Zero

rail system set to do a time-lapse sequence of
petroglyphs on a boulder near Moab, Utah.
2. Setting my camera to manual mode,

I choose the widest aperture I have,
generally, /2.8. I turn off auto settings (white balance, vignette control,
etc.) and any other settings that would
cause frames to differ from one another. I also turn off long-exposure noise
reduction to prevent clipping images
while the camera performs the noise
reduction. Its important to keep all
your sequence shots consistent.
3. I focus on the subject using autofocus and then turn it off. You dont
want your camera trying to focus

every frame; you might miss a few
shots while the camera is trying
to autofocus.
4. Using my built-in camera meter, I
choose the right shutter speed and
take a sample shot to check exposure.
When I have the right exposure, Im
ready to start the time-lapse sequence.
Once youve shot a few easy daylight
scenes like clouds passing overhead, the
natural progression is to create a timelapse sequence of a sunset. Or, for those
who are really ambitious, try capturing
a Holy Grail sequence, starting during
the day and shooting until the stars are
spinning above your head at night. But
how do you compensate for the 15 stops

or more of light change during these
long sequences?
For slight changes in exposure such as
during a sunset, try using auto ISO. This
keeps your shutter speed and aperture
consistent in manual mode, but allows
the camera to change exposure using
ISO. For extreme-exposure time-lapse
sequences, try using a bulb ramping device such as Promote Control (promotecontrol.com). A bulb ramp device can
be programmed to change shutter speed
over time to compensate for changing
light, such as going from day to night.
Whats important is that the device
changes exposure consistently over time,
different than setting your camera to

aperture mode and letting the camera
choose the shutter speed (which may
vary slightly with each shot depending
on conditions). Creating a time-lapse sequence of day to night will require more
advanced postproduction techniques.
But creating a time-lapse from a normal
daylight scene is simple!
HOW DO I CREATE
A TIME-LAPSE VIDEO?
Creating time-lapse sequences is easy,
and you may not even need a computer
to do it. Im a Nikon shooter, and many
Nikon bodies have a Time-Lapse Movie
mode in the shooting menu. Similar to
65
the intervalometer setting, this mode

goes one step further and actually creates the time-lapse movie in your camera. You can watch your finished movie
on your LCD as soon as youre done
shooting it. Very cool! This is the easiest
way to produce a time-lapse movie. The
only downside is that the file produced
is a movie file, so you wont have access
to your still images if you wanted a still
from the sequence.
Another option for simple time-lapse
movie creation is QuickTime Pro. This
program only costs $30, and works with
both Mac and Windows. You dont have
to be a computer whiz to create a timelapse using this program. Heres how:
1. Put all of your images in their original
sequence in a folder on your desktop.
If you rename your images, make sure
to keep them in the original sequence.
Also, if you shot in RAW, youll need to
convert your images to JPEG or TIFF.
2. Open QuickTime Pro, and choose File
> Open Image Sequence.
3. Navigate to the folder of time-lapse
images on your desktop, and choose
the first shot in the sequence. A popup window will ask you what frame
rate you want to use in creating your
video. I normally use 30 fps for my
videos. Once you choose the frame
rate, your video will be created. Dont
worry if the playback is a little jerky
when its rendered.
4. Choose File > Export, and hit the Save
button. The default is for your video
to be saved in QuickTime Movie format, and it should look smooth once
its saved to your desktop.
My favorite way of creating timelapse videos is using LRTimelapse, powerful software that works in conjunction
with Lightroom and offers many advantages. LRTimelapse allows you to shoot
in RAW (a big plus) and do edits on the
images, like increasing saturation and vibrance. Then the software applies those
edits and evens out transitions, creating
stunning videos. LRTimelapse also has
some powerful video filters, including
a blur filter to smooth out jerky timelapse sequences. And, if you have flicker,
no problemLRTimelapse has a deflicker sequence to eliminate this nasty
66
Neutral-density filters allow you to slow down shutter speeds when shooting in bright conditions.
problem. For those photographers who

want to create a Holy Grail sequence,
LRTimelapse offers a workflow to create
smooth day-to-night time-lapse videos.
Check out their software and tutorials at
lrtimelapse.com, or watch my time-lapse
training video at kelbyone.com.
CAN I ADD MOVEMENT

TO THE VIDEO?
Once youve mastered creating timelapse videos, you may want to add a little more spice to your final video. How
about adding a moving shot to your
time-lapse sequence? Here are two of my
favorite ways.
Radian. This device is a small circular disk that attaches between your
camera and tripod. Radian is connected to your camera via a dedicated
cable, and its programmed to slowly
rotate while your camera is shooting
images for your time-lapse sequence.
The end result is a rotating time-lapse
sequence revealing a huge panorama
to your audience. Using an accessory
bracket, you also can do vertical timelapse sequences. Radian is very compact,
weighs less than a pound and costs $280
(alpinelaboratories.com).
Dynamic Perception Stage Zero
System. Have you ever watched a timelapse where trees and rocks slowly drift
across the screen while clouds race
overhead? These time-lapses are created

using a rail system where the camera
physically moves during the time-lapse
sequence. I use the Dynamic Perception
Stage Zero rail system to create these
shots. This system works by mounting a
camera on a six-foot rail and programming the controller (the latest version
uses an app on your phone) to slowly
move the camera while the sequence is
being shot. You can set the rail horizontally or with a tilted angle for more creative effects. I like to use my 14-24mm
wide-angle lens and set up the rail with
some rocks really close to the front
of my lens. Close foreground objects
move past quickly while distant subjects
like clouds move at a different speed.
The Stage Zero system sells for $695
(dynamicperception.com).
REMEMBER,
NEVER SAY NEVER
You may not think time-lapse is for
you, but once you see how amazing it
looks, you just may get hooked. Timelapse sequences are easier than ever to
create, and they make a great addition to
a photographers slideshow and socialmedia posts.
DP
To see more of TOM BOLs photography and
learn about his workshop opportunities, visit his
website at tombolphoto.com.
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NIKON
AF-S Nikkor
200-500mm F5.6E ED VR
THIS BUDGET-BASED EXTREME TELEPHOTO LENS FROM NIKON

IS ONE OF THE BEST BARGAINS IN PHOTOGRAPHY | BY DAVID SCHLOSS
Judging by the name and specifications
alone, the new AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm
/5.6E ED VR from Nikon doesnt seem
like its going to be an exceptional
lenswith a minimum aperture of /5.6
and a street price of under $1,400, even
Nikons own press release doesnt talk up
the power of this new super-tele zoom.
While the company often praises the internal optics of their lenses and the various
optical tricks used to improve resolving
power with great flourish, the press materials for this lens refer only to the adoption
of ED glass elements [that] achieves superior optical performance with which chromatic aberration is suppressed. In fact,
Nikons big talking point for the lens is the
Vibration Reduction technology, which is
quite impressive, but not the whole story.
The Nikon 200-500mm /5.6E ED VR
is so impressive because it combines excellent image quality and incredible image stability in a price thats surprisingly
affordable for such a versatile lens. While
the company is obviously positioning it as
a long lens for sports photography (which
its decidedly not too adroit at capturing,
more on that below), its actually a nearly perfect portrait lens with the ability to
capture wildlife and outdoor images while
eliminating the need, in many situations,
to use a tripod.
The 4.5 stops provided by the VR stabilization enable shooting the lenseven
when the barrel is fully extendedcomfortably and with surprisingly good results. That the closest similar lens in the
68
Nikon lineup, the FX-format AF-S Nikkor

80-400mm G ED VR, is $1,000 more expensive than the 200-500mm makes it
even more attractive.
In our tests, the images captured by the
200-500mm are surprisingly free of imaging artifacts, as is the case with many lowprice zoom lenses ($1,400 may not seem
like a low price, but in the super-tele range,
its a bargain). Normally, zoom lenses that
dont boast a design based around a highend optical path tend to have vignetting
and a distinct lack of edge sharpness.
Thats not the case with this lens, which
yields a clean, crisp image edge-to-edge.
I tested the lens in a variety of conditions and with a variety of subjects, and
found excellent image quality, which is the
secret sauce of the 200-500mm. The lack
of vignetting and the good optical sharpness make it a perfect lens for portraiture,
as well as macro work. Portrait photographers often use telephoto lenses for the
look they provide and to isolate the subject. The wider the angle of the lens you
shoot with, the more it will distort the
roundness of a face. Many people shoot
portraits with lenses in the 85mm-105mm
range because it reduces the optical distortion inherent in wider lenses, and the
200-500mm does the same.
Many of the go-to portrait lenses
have a wider aperture than the Nikon
200-500mm VR, which gives the more
pleasing background blur, but the long
reach of the lens makes it ideal for environmental portraiture, where its possible
to control the distance between the subject

and the background.
In the photograph of the skateboarder,
we see the limitations of the /5.6 minimum aperture, with the cars and the
building behind the skateboarder still
full of (distracting) elements. The cars in
the background are around 100 feet from
the subject and the buildings in the background are about a quarter of a mile away.
In the quick portrait of my wife, the
background is clearly isolated, even though
its not that much farther away than the
building was from the skateboarder, but
the subject, in this case, is much closer. My
wife was standing at the minimum focusing distance for this focal length to work,
whereas the skateboarder was dozens of
feet away from me across the skatepark. Its
an example of how successfully this lens
can blur background with good thought
to positioning.
The image of the bird on the ground is
a great example, though, of the lens actual
depth of field, and its ability to foreshorten an image is apparent. The foreground
and background here are clearly thrown to
soft focus.
There are a few drawbacks to this lens,
as youd expect with this low of a price tag,
of course. The first issue with the lens is focus speed. This is not the fastest-focusing
lens in Nikons arsenal; in fact, its not
even in the top tier of performing lenses.
While tele lenses always focus a bit slower
than their shorter counterparts, this lens
feels more like the speed of a kit lens.
The Vibration Reduction works well,

but Nikon has included a Sport setting for the image stabilization, which I
think is incorrectly named, as it implies
that this lens is good for sports, which it
definitely is not. It would be a great lens
to shoot a faraway group of players on the
gridiron, but not for an end zone shot
where the objective would be to capture a
player making a beeline for a touchdown.
While the VR may keep up with the erratic
action, the focusing would not.
Another issue with the lens is size
and weight. At the smallest zoom setting, not including the hood, the lens
extends around 10 inches from the
body, but at the longest setting, it
comes out to be around a foot and
a half. Add the hood, and theres
another five inches of lens. With a
weight of just over five pounds, this
lens is pretty forward-heavy. The VR certainly compensates for the weight, but its
a factor to be aware of.
The last issue is one of saturation and
exposure. While the images are bright and
clean, the lens seems to have relatively flat
color rendition, at least compared to other Nikon lenses. I shot the 200-500mm
side-by-side with the new 24-70mm
/2.8E ED VR and the same scene was noticeably more vibrant in the 24-70mms
eye. The 200-500mm seems to underexpose a bit, as well, so I ended up getting
in the habit of cranking up the exposure
compensation when shooting with it and
tweaking the vibrancy in post. This, again,
is especially apparent when compared to
shooting with the 24-70mm.
Any drawbacks aside, the AF-S Nikkor
200-500mm /5.6E ED VR looks to be
one of the sleeper hits of the Nikon lineup.
Photographers who add it to their arsenal
will have both a great wildlife lens and a
great portrait lens that happens to be long
enough to capture some sports. Its a great
tool to have for the telephoto look perfect for so many subjects, without having
to drop a fortune. If youre willing to do a
bit of postproduction tweaking, this lens
produces exceptional images at a bargainbasement (for its size) price at $1,399.95.
Contact: Nikon, nikonusa.com.
DP
-On
s
d
n
Ha VIEW
PHOTOS BY DAVID SCHLOSS
RE
You can follow DAVID SCHLOSS on Twitter and

Instagram @davidjschloss.
69
Fujilm X70
HIGH-END OPTICAL QUALITY
IN A COMPACT PACKAGE
BY DAVID SCHLOSS
70
Modulation Optimizer technology to

correct imaging artifacts for edge-to-edge
sharpness and a realistic three-dimensional effect. Im not sure about that last part,
as the photos from the X70 dont seem any
more 3D than from any other camera, but
the image quality is definitely apparent.
The company claims a 0.5-second startup time, and thats mostly accurate. Ive
found that if the camera has been off for
a long time, it sometimes will take more
than a second to start up. Activate the camera after its just been shut off, though, and
it boots up as fast as any camera in its class.
AF speed is listed as being 0.1 seconds
to focus, with a 0.01-second shutter lag
and the ability to capture images every
half-second, but I found the X70 not as accurate as expected. More on the autofocus
in a moment.
The sensor is a 16-megapixel APS-C
CMOS II sensor with the companys EXR
Processor II, making it the same resolution as the X100T. All good there, as the
X100T sensor is big enough even for commercial jobs.
But, in many ways, the X70 is an improvement on the X100 series, albeit with
some compromises. The focus on the X70
is significantly better than the X100T, and
as the focus speed on the X100T (and
predecessors) is the most common complaint about those cameras, its nice to see
the X70 so peppy. The X70 features both
face detection and eye detection, while the
X100T doesnt have eye detection. The ability of the camera to detect a face is much
more reliable and much faster on the X70,
as well, though it wasnt as accurate as on
competing brands.
Image quality is generally excellent,
and theres good detail and low noise (for
an APS-C sensor), at least to ISO 3200,
and even a bit higher. I was able to take
PHOTOS BY DAVID SCHLOSS
The diminutive X70 is a camera that

Fujifilm is very proud of, and rightly so.
When I sat down to talk to the company
about the new members of the X-Series
cameras, which include this new shooter
and the X-Pro2, the PR team was especially
excited about the X70 because it brings so
much of the higher-end Fujifilm cameras
into a truly portable body with a price tag
under $700.
The X70 is designed to be a go-anywhere camera thats as powerful as the
bigger X100T, whose naming it shares.
The X70 features the best of the companys
current lineup, along with some new featuressuch as a touch-screen LCD that
flips 180 for selfiesto make it a powerful alternative to dragging a larger camera,
even if that larger camera is as small as the
X100T or the X-Pro2.
The X70 has a new Fujinon 18.5mm
/2.8 lens, which is equivalent to 28mm
on a full-frame camera, though I cant
help but wish for an /1.8 or /1.4 lens
here. Since size is the driving factor of the
X70, an /2.8 lens makes sense, as a wideraperture lens would be bigger.
Theres a wide-angle converter available for the X70, and the camera features
a Digital Tele-converter that crops to
35mm and 50mm field of view in-camera.
Since this is a sensor crop, not an actual
change in field of view, I cant foresee a
situation in which I would do the crop
in-cameracropping in postproduction
provides unlimited choices in framing and
accomplishes the same thing with possibly
better results.
Fujifilms optical prowess has always
been the strong suit of the brand, as the
companys Fujinon lenses are known
for high quality. The X70 uses Lens
The 180 rotating LCD screen makes composing ridiculous selfies like this easy.
On
s
nd
Ha VIEW
RE
The vertical convergence in this lens is to be expected when shooting landscapes with a wide-angle lens, and is easily corrected
in software.
pictures in the low-light environment of

several museums, and most of the photographs were particularly vibrant and
well saturated. Still, in others, the images
were overly grainymuch of this seems
to have been due to the camera metering
for the background lighting and not the
selected subjects, underexposing subjects
and leaving them grainer than they could
have been.
Daytime, image quality really shines.
Fujifilm has always been great at capturing
blue and green hues, and the X70 is no exception. In late afternoon at the Baltimore
harbor, the X70 nicely reproduced the
sky and the water of the harbor. If youre
looking for a compact camera to do landscapes, it would be hard to beat the X70.
The relatively wide lens has a lot of vertical convergence at the edges (as would be
expected), which is easily corrected for in
Lightroom or Photoshop.
Fujifilm also included an on-lens dial
just forward of the Aperture control dial,
which can be used for a variety of camera
adjustments, saving trips to the menus.
Thats good, partially because Fujifilm has
often been knocked for their menu system.
There have been essentially no changes to
the look or functionality of the X-Series
camera menus since I bought the original
X100, and the system looks dated. The onlens selector is a great idea, and one Id like
to see on other compact systems.
As a compact camera, though, there are
a number of compromises, and the X70
has its share of gotcha design elements,

as well.
Theres no viewfinder on the X70, only
the touch-based LCD screen. Theres an
accessory viewfinder that fits into the
hot-shoe, but thats a rangefinder-style optical piece with nothing more than etched
crop lines to help frame a scene, and no
feedback about focus or camera settings.
Its a very cute combination, one that
pulls its design sense right from the early
days of film. The viewfinder was easily
washed out when I was testing the camera
in the afternoon sun after a snowfall in
Washington, D.C. I essentially had to
guess at the framing.
The X70 also suffers from the same
bumped dial problem that plagues most
cameras these days. Take the X70 out of
your pocket or bag, and more often than
not, the exposure compensation dial will
have changed position because of friction
against the dials. This design issue also affects the focus mode dial, so that occasionally Id take the camera out and it would
be set to a few stops underexposed and set
to manual focus.
The base ISO for the X70 is ISO 200,
which is higher than many base ISOs, and
the result is that a lot of images would really benefit from a neutral-density filter.
Back to the shots of Washington, D.C., in
the snow, and it would have been nearly
impossible to capture an image at a slow
shutter speed.
The autofocus on the X70 is also not
nearly as accurate as some competitors in

this price range. The Sony a6000, priced
at about $500, focuses vastly faster and
more accurately than the Fujifilm X70,
as does the new Sony a6300 for around
$300 more.
While its fast, its not as adroit at
picking out the right subject, even with
face detection on. Inside the dimly lit
National Museum of American History,
the X70 failed in a series of six shots to
lock onto the faces of my wife and son,
and instead grabbed the vertical line of a
train behind them, leaving me with no infocus images despite face and eye detection active. I watched as the camera tried
to rack the focus, but with the viewfinder
alone, I wasnt aware the photos were out
of focus until reviewing them later on
a computer.
All those caveats aside, the X70 is a very
capable, compact APS-C camera. With a
price tag just a hair under $700, its designed to provide the image quality of the
more robust X100T with a smaller and
updated form factor. The X70 has a much
larger sensor than the majority of compact cameras on the market, which means
much better image quality. As long as users understand there are compromises in
compact cameras, the X70 would be an excellent addition to a photographers arsenal. Contact: Fujifilm, fujifilmusa.com. DP
You can follow DAVID SCHLOSS on Twitter and
Instagram @davidjschloss.
71
EXIT
MARTIN CASTEIN
Ollie
My portraits are mostly inspired by painting, so I try to light and edit my pictures in a similar style. I had Ollie turn
away from the light to add some shape to the image. I then asked him to look to the side, as this looks more thoughtful,
which can be charming in a child. This portrait was lit with a Canon Speedlite 580EX II in a Bowens 3x2 softbox. The
light is positioned camera-right, at about 45 degrees to the subject.
Canon EOS 6D, 85mm /1.8 lens, /2.8, 1/125 sec., ISO 100
See more of Martin Casteins work at martincastein.com, and follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/martincastein,
and on Instagram and Twitter @martincastein.
72
Wil Mijer | Focal length: 90mm Exposure: F/4 1/125sec
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EOS 7D Mark II Camera & EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens
Charles Glatzer knows t

Everything from the wildlife
an happen in an instant.
II and patience, hes ready
to discover and capture the majestic moments of nature that most people will never witness.
Stay focused. Be creative. Canon is with you every step of the way.
usa.canon.com/GlatzerEOS7DMarkII
2016 Canon U.S.A., Inc. All rights reserved. Canon and EOS are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in the United States and may also be registered trademarks or trademarks in other countries.

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