Portrait and Headshot Photography tips from Rory Lewis

“Described by the British Film Institute as one of the most versatile English actors of his generation, David Morrissey is noted for the meticulous preparation and research he undertakes for his roles – you may have seen him in the hit BBC drama series, Sherwood,” Rory explains.

“I captured David’s portrait for a new project entitled Selah, drawing inspiration from the Old Master painters such as Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian and Ribera. I have attempted to masterfully recreate the light, atmosphere and tones of classical portrait paintings.

“I like to call this position the hero shot; positioning the subject side on, looking across their shoulder. I am positioned slightly lower, thus making David look tall and prominent.”

Studio lighting can seem daunting if you have never tried it before, but as Rory explains, “It’s not nearly as scary as most people think. To my mind, it’s all about keeping things simple. Most of my portrait sittings are like this one, using just one or two lights. Here, I used two Profoto B10 heads, with two Small Octa Softboxes.

“One was behind at 220 degrees right, and the other was in front of David, again to the right at 140 degrees. I also used a Manfrotto 1×1 Skylight Rapid to the left to tone down the shadows.”

David was captured at 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100. “I never deviate from either f/5.6 or 7.1 in my portraits, using the medium format Hasselblad X1D II 50C camera,” adds Rory. “These apertures deliver great depth and detail.”

Rory Lewis’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Find compelling subjects – “You are nothing without a compelling subject. Try creating a theme or project. This could be a member of the family who has a story to tell, or someone in your community.”
2. Be inspired by fine art – “My style is influenced by Renaissance portraiture and ‘chiaroscuro’ – a technique which uses strong tonal contrasts between light and dark to model three-dimensional forms.” See our top fine art portrait photography tips
3. Keep lighting simple – “As mentioned, most of my portrait sittings utilise just one or two lights. Try this simple set-up yourself – position one flash head with a shoot-through umbrella at a 45° angle to the model, at about six feet high. This creates a strong, hard, direct light from the side and above. I guarantee this will create vivid results.”

Rory Lewis won the Portrait of Britain award for four years in a row and is a National Portrait Gallery BAME artist. He also runs courses and mentorship programmes.

See more of Rory’s work on his website and Instagram.

Fashion and Editorial Portrait Photography tips from Gigi Umbrasaite

Luke Clark

“This shot of Luke Clark was taken in Greenwich, London, on a sunny day that had intermittent, crazy downpours. We ended up in a pub for shelter until the showers passed over. While we were sitting and waiting, I noticed the light coming through the window right next to our table and just decided to snap some portraits.

“I was shooting on an 85mm lens, so I needed to be far back from Luke, but just the end of the table was enough distance to frame him for a portrait. With enough light coming in and some shadows from being indoors, I decided to turn this shot black & white to give it a little more of a cinematic feel.

“I made minor adjustments to the exposure in Lightroom followed by minimal skin retouching (dodge and burn) to lighten up shadows under Luke’s eyes, nose and lips in Photoshop.”

Kateryna Zub

“This shot of Kateryna Zub was taken in Hyde Park, London. It was a gloomy day, but in this case, it was working well for us as it added to the mood. As always, I look for interesting backgrounds that will complement my subject. I spotted reed sweet-grass that was already dry and a golden colour that beautifully matched Kateryna’s hair, giving us lovely, earthy tones.

“I framed some of the grass just in front of my lens to add interest and create more depth. This also gave the appearance of a location of fields in the countryside; not the heart of London.

“I used Lightroom to apply a small amount of colour correction and tweaked the shadows and exposure. This was followed by some minor skin retouching in Photoshop. Kateryna’s skin didn’t needed much; minimal dodge and burn was enough to lift the shadows.”

Pelle Frederiksen

“This portrait of Pelle Frederiksen was taken in the Lancaster Gate area of Hyde Park in London. It was a bright, sunny day so the light was harsh which meant we had to find some shade. I spotted a beautiful tree that was covered in white blossom that I thought would be nice to include in the portrait. I wanted to capture some of the light peeking through the tree, so we decided to do a shot lying down on a bed of grass and white blossom that had fallen off the tree.

“I also made use of the shadow from Pelle’s hand that dropped right across his face helping to block the sun and keep his eyes open. This took quite a few attempts but I think we nailed the shot. I made minimal Lightroom exposure and colour correction followed by Photoshop dodge and burn. I like to keep my natural light portraits with as minimal editing as possible, always making sure my shots are 99% spot on when I take them.”

Gigi Umbrasaite’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Cloudy mode: This is my favourite top tip to achieve warmer tones, especially shooting in England with weather being so unpredictable and often grey. By selecting the Cloudy White Balance mode on your camera, you can warm up your images and make your model look livelier and more youthful.
2. Diffuse the light: As I mainly shoot outdoors, I find shooting on sunny days to be a little tricky without getting strong shadows, burnt-out highlights and squinty eyes. Always look for some shade and light bounce. In bright situations I like to look for lighter-coloured backgrounds so images can still look nice and bright but without the harsh light. If you have a spare hand or an assistant, you can always use a portable diffuser/reflector.
3. Be precise and intentional: Treat your natural light portrait session like a film camera, where every shot counts. Take your time to compose your shot and make sure the lighting is just right before pressing the shutter. As soon as you get the shot, move from that pose, location or change the outfit for the next shot. This way you minimise your shutter count and speed up your time on set. Working in this way will also save you time later so you don’t need to go through thousands of images. Quality over quantity.

Gigi is a Lithuanian fashion and portrait photographer based in Brighton. She grew up in a family of photographers and started shooting from an early age. After finishing school in Lithuania, Gigi moved to study in England where her photography career took off. Now Gigi is working with magazines, fashion and commercial brands, and modelling agencies all over the world. She is also a member of the the UK Portraits team, part of Shooters. See www.gg-photo.com or @ggphotographyofficial

Fashion and Beauty Portrait Photography tips from Jade Keshia Gordon

WMNS

“This (below) was taken on a shoot for a fashion campaign for the spring/summer collection of clothes brand WMNS WEAR,’ recalls Jade. The theme of the campaign was ‘Euphoria’.

“The model, Lay, was placed close to a white wall in the studio. The wall was lit by two, colour-adjustable RGB LED panel lights placed at 45 degrees on either side of the model, which were set to bright purple. A white spotlight was then projected onto the model from the front and slightly to the left of the model.

“The effect of this was to create a strong, hard purple shadow in a white circle on the background. Jade took this shot using an EF 8-15mm f/4 L Fisheye on a Canon EOS R5, via the RF adapter, and used an exposure of 1/125sec at f/4 at ISO 320. Because she was shooting so close to the model, this made the placement of the spotlight quite tricky. We needed it to be as close to the front of the model as possible but without getting my shadow in the shot too.”

Jade Keshia Gordon’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Experiment with spotlights – The use of a spotlight has created a visually striking image, enhanced by the use of coloured background lights which created the coloured shadow. “Spotlights like this one are expensive but you can get a similar effect with a digital or slide projector,” Jade advises. “They won’t be as bright but you can shoot at a higher ISO to compensate.”
2. Try using a wide-angle lens – “Some people think you have to shoot portraits with short telephoto lenses but wIde-angles are very common in fashion photography. They’re great for when you want to accentuate the shape and style of a garment. I shot this using the 24-70mm lens too, but it didn’t have the same vibe as with the fisheye.”
3. Use colour creatively – “Colourful backgrounds can really make a portrait ‘pop’ but you need to take care to ensure that they complement the subject’s skin tone and clothing rather than clashing with them. Use coloured walls or dedicated colour backdrops, or colour a white or grey wall using gels over your lights, or RGB LED lights with variable colours.”

Jade Keshia Gordon is a London-based fashion and beauty photographer who has shot for the likes of Nike and Canon. Her work has appeared in magazines including Forbes and Elle.

See more of Jade’s work on her website and Instagram.

Model portrait photography tips from Darren Boyd

Athena

As I composed this portrait of Athena, I aimed to capture her strength and femininity. Using a low angle, I created a sense of height and power while still highlighting her natural beauty. To make Athena stand out even more, I utilised the power of bokeh to separate her from the background and draw the viewer’s attention to her. Using my trusty Nikon Z6 camera and 85mm f/1.2 lens, I captured every detail of Athena’s features, resulting in a stunning image that perfectly showcases her beauty and strength as a model. To enhance the shot, I used a single octagon softbox to create a soft, flattering light highlighting Athena’s left side.

Additionally, I carefully positioned her so that the sun backlit her body, adding depth and dimension to the image. This portrait is a true testament to the power of thoughtful lighting, composition, and creative photography techniques. I am incredibly proud of the result and thrilled to have captured Athena’s full range of beauty and strength in a single shot.

Stephen Manas

“In a London car park, I captured the essence of Stephen Manas, an actor from the Emmy-winning Apple TV series Ted Lasso, through a commissioned headshot that’s breathtaking. Using only natural light, I accentuated the contours of Manas’ face, creating a striking separation from the background with my Nikon 85mm f/1.8 lens and a powerful depth of field. But it was in post-processing with Affinity Photo on my trusty iPad Pro where I worked my magic.

“The eyes are the windows to the soul, and in Manas’ piercing gaze, I found a profoundly intimate and meaningful connection. I captured Manas’ unique essence in a captivating and unforgettable portrait by drawing the viewer in with his engaging stare. The final image is a testament to the power of photography to capture not just the subject’s likeness but also the very essence of their being. It’s a striking and dramatic portrait that leaves a lasting impression on anyone who beholds it.”

Massay

“As I arrived for my planned photoshoot with Courtney Massay, a talented male model, I was excited to capture his unique personality in the urban environment of Liverpool Street, London. As a photographer who loves to push the boundaries and create innovative and creative shots, I was determined to find a way to showcase Massay’s bold and confident vibe.

“We started the shoot with Massay sitting on the steps, and I immediately saw the opportunity to use the metal railings as a framing device. I wanted to create a gritty, urban feel reflecting his edgy and masculine style. As we continued the shoot, I played with different angles and perspectives to find the perfect shot to capture Massay’s unique energy and personality.

“Finally, the moment arrived, and I snapped the shot that would become the centrepiece of the shoot. The framing was perfect, with the metal railings adding an edgy and urban vibe that perfectly complemented Massay’s personality. The image captured his raw vitality and bold confidence, creating a powerful and unforgettable portrait that genuinely reflected his spirit. I was thrilled with the result and proud to have captured the essence of this dynamic and inspiring male model.”

Darren Boyd’s top portrait photography tips

1. It’s in the eyes: Capturing details of the eyes is crucial in portrait photography. Use a wide aperture for a shallow depth of field and ensure the eyes are in sharp focus.
2. Experiment: Don’t be afraid to shoot at different angles. Experimenting with angles can create a unique perspective and add variety to your portraits.
3. Natural framing: Experiment with framing. Use objects in the environment to create a natural frame around your subject. This can add depth and draw attention to the subject. Try different aspect ratios for added visual interest.

Darren is an award-winning photographer based in London and Hampshire, specialising in hyper-realistic portraits that make a connective impact. Darren works with actors and models to create stunning and impactful imagery. To see more of his work, visit www.boydvisuals.com or @boydvisuals

Commercial Portrait Photography tips from Sam Nash

Ballerina

“This shot of dancer Kate Byrne was achieved using the Rotolight AEOS 2 in an indoor abandoned shaft studio which had multiple floors and shooting locations within it. The model was framed neatly within the bricks which I lit up with an orange filter chosen from the 2,500 digital filters that were available.

“At times, the colours chosen are purely aesthetic to match the wardrobe, as well as the ambience of the shoot. I set up another AEOS 2, set to 40% power, inside the new Rotolight P90 parabolic soft dome placed six feet from Kate to give a beautiful key light on her. I used a Sony Alpha 1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.”

Kesha

“Kesha appeared in James Bond’s last outing, No Time to Die. This shot was achieved using just one Rotolight NEO 3. It was shot outdoors in an alley.

“Using continuous LED lighting was essential, as this shot was taken in the evening. A perfectly lit shot controls the shadows in the portrait, making a shot like this more visually interesting and dynamic. The chosen location set the mood and the model’s pose was strategic – it could have been more mundane had the model looked directly into the camera. I used a Sony A1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.”

Black dress

“This shot, of model Katia Valerievna, was achieved using one Rotolight NEO 3, positioned 45 degrees from the model, during London Fashion Week.

“The NEO 3 was set at about 36% output. Time was of the essence, so I had to move quickly between shots as there were many people on location. By placing my model on the steps, it gave a 3D sense of depth to my subject, and it allowed the contrasting colours between the model’s dress and the environment to really pop and achieve a dusky, romantic feel to the image.

I used a Sony Alpha 1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.”

Sam’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Choosing locations – With outdoor shooting the choice of location is vital, but I rarely pre-plan as I find my creativity is heightened by exploring locations during a shoot. But do have a clear concept of the ambiance and general atmosphere that you want.
2. Use LED lighting – The source of light is key in creating a successful portrait image. It sets the tone and mood. For me, continuous LED lights make the most sense with modern cameras. My Rotolight NEO and AEOS lights are powerful and the 16.7 million colours allow me to light my subject in various unique ways.
3. Compose carefully – Perfecting your composition is the single most important skill in capturing the perfect portrait. Learn to master lines, depth, shapes, framing, and point of view; all help relay the message of the photograph. It is also what makes your image pop. Remove as many elements in a scene as you can to avoid clutter in picture. This keeps the shot simple so nothing distracts from your subject.

Sam Nash is a London-based portrait photographer who started out shooting events before progressing to commercial photography – shooting ad campaigns for magazines, retail, and lifestyle shoots. He now focuses solely on portrait and fashion photography as he found his true passion lies there.

See more of Sam’s work on his website and Instagram.

Creative portrait photography guidance from Therese Asplund

Empowered

“I wanted to create an image that portrayed the feeling of confidence and beauty you sometimes feel just by putting on a red lipstick. By using a red backdrop lit with two Elinchrom ONE strobes with red gels attached and no light on the model, I created a wonderful silhouette to play with. The mouth area was lit by an Elinchrom FIVE with an optical snoot.

“To create shape, I used a dress with a lot of volume in the skirt, and paper plates to build the headpiece. Posing the hands and the fingers were very important to create the right character and I tried a lot of variations before I got the result I was after. The image is shot with Nikon Z 9 and a Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. The model is Alice Vestman and I did the styling.”

Fisheye

“I love to create images with a lot of humour and play with words when giving them a title. This is Alice and her pet fish, Mr Raj. The idea for the image came from Alice complaining about how easy it was for her friends, who had cats, dogs, and horses, to get nice images with their pets. I love a challenge and came up with this idea so she could have an unforgettable portrait with her pet.

“The blue colour theme comes from the fish and the styling is inspired by the waves of the ocean and acrobatic swimmers. The lighting is one Elinchrom ELC1000 in a clam light set-up, centred up high, with a white reflective screen under to lift the shadows. The image is shot with a Nikon Z 9 and a Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. The model is Alice Vestman and I did the styling.

Safe from the Waves

“During the Covid lockdown, I set myself a challenge to create the same fine art portraits that I normally shoot in the studio, but under water, using my studio flashes to capture the same painterly light. I struggled a lot with the lighting because as soon as it hit the surface of the water it spread in all directions, which made it hard to avoid too much light on the background.

“This was pretty much the only good image I got from my first session despite shooting for three hours. What finally did the trick was using a backlight as my main light and one gentle fill light to lift the shadows just a little bit. For the main light I used an Elinchrom ELB1200 to get maximum power and to be able to shoot with a small aperture to block out the ambient light. The fill is an Elinchrom ELB500. The story is that no matter how busy, scary, and loud the world is around us, under the surface everything is calm, comforting, and quiet.”

Therese Asplund’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Be prepared: Have a plan set before the model arrives. This will get you off to a great start and saves the model waiting around. Test the light and ensure you have the right settings on your camera. If you can, use yourself or an assistant to stand in and test the lighting. That way you can tweak it without any pressure to ensure the shoot runs smoothly.
2. Focus all your attention on the model: This is especially important when shooting people that are not used to being in front of the camera. It is crucial that you make them feel safe and comfortable and for that they often need your full attention. Give direction, be encouraging and make sure to have a lot of eye contact.
3. Light, light, light!: Photography means painting with light and to get a great portrait you need to understand how different kinds of light affect the character of the face. Whether you shoot with natural or artificial light always choose it with care. Sometimes shifting your position, or the model’s, by just a few inches gives you a whole new light with a completely different feel.

Therese is an award-winning Swedish portrait photographer who loves working with people. Whether she is in the studio shooting portraits, out doing commercial work, or working on one of her own art projects, it is always with the same passion and dedication. She is also an ambassador for Nikon and Elinchrom. To see more of her work, visit www.thereseasplund.com and on Instagram @photographerthereseasplund

Tips for portraits of influential people from Peter Searle

Ncuti Gatwa

This lift at the BFI, London, was the perfect location for this portrait shoot with actor Ncuti Gatwa because the red contrasted nicely with the daylight coming in through a glass entrance lobby which was supplemented by a huge backlit panel of strip lights. Fortuitously the setting is in keeping with his forthcoming role as the new Doctor Who.

I shot Ncuti with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 63mm lens. Settings were 1/100sec at f/2.8, ISO 160.

Runyararo Mapfumo

“Runyararo is the director of the hugely successful Netflix show, Sex Education. For this portrait I placed her in the shade under an overhang of concrete architecture. Soft light bounced off buildings behind my back

I shot Runyaro with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 45mm lens. Settings were 1/500sec at f/8, ISO 160.”

Prya Kansara

“Prya’s TV credits include Bridgerton and Polite Society. I photographed her at BFI, London. With the table at just the right distance from the large windows in the BFI, she is exposed perfectly, but so are the warm illumination of the bar lights.

“I shot Prya with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 45mm lens. The settings were 1/30sec (on a tripod) at f/2.8, ISO 320.”

Peter Searle’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Use indirect light – Look for directional indirect daylight. Avoid direct sunlight. The light should preferably be at your back and hitting the subject approximately horizontally, or at least not a high angle, which creates shadows under the eyes. A good example of this kind of light is sunlight bouncing off a white wall. The wall becomes a giant soft box behind your back.
2. Choose the background – Find a background that has that kind of light falling on it and which most interests you or suits the subject. I personally like geometrical shapes and the texture of concrete but I also look out for warm tungsten-lit backgrounds to contrast with cooler daylight temperatures or vice versa.
3. Balancing exposure – Balance the exposure on the subject and on the background by moving the subject towards the oncoming light or away from it. For example, imagine a subject standing just inside a garage door; the further in you go with your subject, the brighter the back of the garage will be.

Peter Searle makes portraits of some of the most influential people in British society: Prime Ministers, CEOs, opera stars and generals. He is London-based but shoots all over the world, and has work in the permanent collection of The National Portrait Gallery. Although Peter uses flash sometimes, here are his tips for working with available light.

See more of Peter’s work on his website and Instagram.

Street Portrait tips from Robert Huggins

Couple in Hackney

“I asked this couple to move in to the light slightly, and thought this was an ideal background. You can’t move around people too much or they get bored, but I sometimes ask subjects to adjust their hands. I shot this on a Leica SL. There was minimal editing apart from a square crop, which I like for this kind of portrait.”

Couple in cafe

“Most of my photos are of interesting-looking strangers or intriguing situations. The background and setting are crucial, and I work all this out before asking the person for a shot. This couple were embracing in a cafe as I passed, which caught my eye, so I asked them to recreate this for the shot. It turned out the guy had just declared his love for the first time!

“My work is more about informal portraits of people rather than street candids, but I don’t want to have to re-arrange the shot at a later date. I like the spontaneity of the moment. I find people are generous with their time, but only for about three or four shots, and then they lose interest – so I have to work fast. This was shot on my Leica SL2 and a 35mm Summicron lens.”

Hackney market

“I explained to this burka-clad lady that I really liked her eyes. I wanted to make sure that as a Muslim woman, she was okay with being photographed, and she also phoned her husband to check (sometimes very orthodox Muslim people are fine about being photographed, sometimes not).

“Then I asked her to move against this background, as it was a busy market with lots of distractions. There is often humour in my images, and I liked the rug she was holding – an interesting juxtapositon. The light was very bright that day so I had to do more editing than usual. Again, shot on the SL2 with 35mm lens.”

Robert Huggins’ top portrait photography tips:

1. Subject first – Don’t get hung up on equipment or getting a technically perfect shot. My photography is much more about the subject, not the gear, but I like the idea of having a high- precision tool, which is why I use the Leica SL2. The Summicron 35mm lens is perfect for my work.
2. Work fast – I adjust the aperture, but otherwise am happy to shoot in automatic modes. I need to work fast and don’t have time to adjust lots of settings.
3. Editing – I keep editing to the minimum – one of the great things about the SL2 is it seems to make framing easier. As well as cropping, I might also push the colours and highlights and contrast etc in Lightroom.
4. Suck it up – You should get used to rejection if strangers refuse to be shot – don’t take it personally. It’s like asking people out when you are a teenager! I tell people about my Instagram page rather than giving them my card, as they can see what my work’s about.

Robert Huggins is a roving street portrait photographer living in north-east London. He focuses on impromptu street portraits, particularly around the East End. Robert’s images have been published widely and appear in several editions of Portrait of Britain and Portrait of Humanity. See Instagram @rafhuggins

See more of Robert’s work on his Instagram.

Check out our guide to Street Photography.

Child Portraits by Iwona Podlasińska

Adam, 2017

“I asked my son Adam, who was just three then, to look at the cakes through the glass, which he only did for three seconds – enough for me to get the shots.

“The portrait was taken entirely in the natural ambient light of the bakery, with light also coming in from the case. At the time, I was shooting with the Sony A7, using an 85mm f/1.4. Editing involved removing a distracting price tag from the bottom left of the image and then just doing the usual tweaks in Lightroom to boost contrast etc.”

Adam on the bed

“Adam was seven when I took this portrait (below). I was preparing for a photo shoot and wanted to test some new ideas. So I brought an album for him to look at, and a desk lamp. I didn’t give him any instructions other than to lie down (Adam is very relaxed in front of the camera if he is comfortable).

“The lamp was not enough to light up Adam’s face, and the only window in the room was behind him on the right, so I added a small LED video light in front of him. I used a warm setting, around 3000K. The image was shot on a Sony A7 III with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. The Lightroom edits involved some exposure corrections and colour grading to emphasise the lovely colour harmony.”

Jan, Kraków Market

“This shows my older son Jan, who was four then, feeding pigeons on the square. Like most of my images of my kids, the shot wasn’t planned. As Jan fed the pigeons, it started to rain, and it was quite technically challenging because I was shooting with a manual 85mm f/1.4 lens on a Sony A7.

“Everything came through sharp, however. The light was entirely natural and I edited the image in Lightroom and Photoshop – I cropped the original image from the right and added a part of another image on the left to improve the composition (initially, the frame would end right behind the pigeon’s wings on the left). Then I also colour graded the image to get that orange-blue complementary harmony.”

Iwona Podlasińska’s top portrait photography tips:

1. The light comes first – Look for attractive light first, and then think about how to get your subject in that light.
2. Don’t force it with kids – Never force children to pose. Let them play and be themselves – you will get better, more natural-looking poses this way, and the kids won’t hate you and your camera!
3. Don’t rely on editing – Pay attention to the background. Shallow depth of field can help with background distractions but if necessary, look for another location – Photoshop is still not great when it comes to blurring-out backgrounds in a convincing way.

Based in Kielce, Poland, Iwona Podlasińska specialises in child portraits and is an expert in colour grading. She’s in high demand, despite only starting out in 2013, and travels around the world teaching, as well as creating online tutorials. Her latest book, Dreamy Childhood Portraits, was published in 2021.

See more of Iwona’s work on her website and Instagram.

Get started with portrait photography here.

Need more portrait photography advice? Check these out:

• Best cameras for portrait photography
• How to take portraits on a smartphone
• The best lenses for portrait photography
• Better portraits on a budget
• How to Shoot Portrait Photos at Home
• How to take really beautiful fashion portraits

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In the latest book, “Streets of America”, Chris took on the impressive feat of visiting 23 cities in an 80 day coast-to-coast adventure. As such, there’s San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Philadelphia and many more to take in.

With a tenacity that is rare to find for this kind of work, there’s hundreds of images published in the book, and I’m pleased that Chris has shared a selection with us here. 

I also asked him to share some insights into how he works – I’m exhausted just reading about his days pounding the streets in search of the perfect shot, but it does show that perseverance truly pays off.

In this year of the new Trump era beginning, and a very divided nation, there’s potentially never been more attention focused on our friends in the States, but on the whole this is a very positive book. Read on to find out more… 

AP: How did you decide which cities you wanted to include in your tour?

CP: When asked why he stole from banks, the notorious American robber Willie Sutton retorted, ‘because that’s where the money is’! So, like most street photographers I headed for the big cities and I was also influenced by popular culture as seen on TV and Hollywood. Having watched ‘Breaking Bad’ I checked out Albuquerque and Santa Fe on Route 66, but was disappointed as it was a quiet day with few characters about. A local online travel counsellor who knew America well, helped me plan with a very flexible itinerary. She would book some flights and hotels in advance of my next city, so avoiding dodgy areas and saving me from wandering the streets with a heavy rucksack late at night.  

AP: Were there any places you didn’t go to but wished you had?

CP: Inevitably in such a vast country my project was just a snapshot, but with hindsight there definitely was. Places such as El Paso on the Texas and Mexico border to try and reflect that centre of political controversy, for example. I also wanted to capture some of the election campaigning, but on my first visit in the spring of 2023, it was just warming up. However, in April 2024 I did witness pro and anti Trump protesters clashing outside the Supreme Court in Washington. I wish I had gone into the rural heartlands and swing States and also Miami but I ran out of time and money. I needed a year to do the project any sort of justice… perhaps I should have gone to Niagara Falls but reckoned I would just get soaked or, perhaps at Grand Canyon where I might see a few tourists admiring the view.

AP: What were your highlights? Will you be going back to any of them? 

CP: I wanted to see more of the old America, so Fort Worth in Texas was perfect with its cowboys but unfortunately no rodeo. However, an added bonus was capturing a crowd gazing up at a total eclipse of the sun. 

In spring 2023 I went for 50 days including Las Vegas where I just couldn’t get my mojo working in a search for some tacky Parr-esque images. I am glad I returned a year later for an extra 30 days and was rewarded by snapping a very drunk Elvis in a buggy on an escalator.

I loved Nashville – it was packed and buzzing with music filling the streets. But it was sadly marred by another mass shooting close by. Then an amazing coincidence happened while waiting for an Uber outside my hotel. A couple asked where I was from and on replying “Peterborough”, a man in the queue said he was too and that I had taken his picture 40 years ago and again in 2022 for my Reunions 2 book.

It was important that I reflected the national obsession with baseball which was not easy as some stadiums banned ‘professional-looking cameras or longer lenses, although ironically camera phones were not a problem. Fortunately, I managed to capture games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

The poignant Washington Vietnam war memorial where I saw relatives searching amongst the 50,000 names for their loved ones. Nearby, the impressive Martin Luther King sculpture brought to mind ‘I have dream’  and the long struggle for civil rights. My image of two children in Baltimore holding hands sums it up for me. That night I was asleep in my hotel while around the corner six people were injured in a nightclub shooting. 

Walking miles around a baking hot and tourist-packed Washington, I spotted a lone police officer guarding the steps of the Capitol building, cocooned in sheets and scaffolding. As I reflected on the attempted coup of January 6th 2021 a genial man and gun owner informed me the attack was all staged by the FBI and that the Sandy Hook school shootings was the work of paid actors!

Not exactly a highlight but just as memorable was in New York and just before my night flight home, when I ran after a dog wearing a pink tutu and went flying. Cradling my ‘baby’, I landed smack on my jaw in a square of hard mud where a tree had once grown. I was lucky that I managed to avoid using the American health system and the dental damage could wait until my beloved NHS sorted me out. To add insult to injury, I missed the picture too!  

At almost 72 I will probably not return and there’s plenty in dear old Blighty to keep me busy. 

AP: Did you find that the cities had lots in common, or were they all quite different? 

CP: New York ‘the city that never sleeps’ is a street photographer’s paradise where you are spoiled for choice with great characters and backdrops. In other big cities, such as Dallas or Detroit I found the same kind of photography particularly hard as the car is king. The cities are devoted to massive multi-storey and subterranean car parks, valet parking, wide roads and pavements that are devoid of people in some dystopian concrete jungle. Noxious fumes belched from enormous tank like vehicles with their drivers concealed behind darkened glass. Most buildings were also obscured, and it is only on opening a door you realise what’s inside and where all the people were. I walked miles through litter-strewn streets unsuccessfully trying to avoid human excrement; passing by shop security guards armed with guns and tasers.

I didn’t want to overdo images of the dispossessed but I had to reflect what I was seeing in front of me. I was saddened to witness the shocking effects of the opioid crisis on fellow human beings. Like scenes from a zombie movie they staggered around, ranting and raving, lying comatose in doorways and gutters, rags hanging off them, exposing festering sores on oedematous limbs. These scenes were replicated in other cities such as Hollywood with tents on sidewalks alongside the red carpets of Oscar night. In the US, there’s simply no safety net. In Britain, we have problems but fortunately we still have a welfare state and it shows. 

AP: How do you find the streets of the US compare with the streets of the UK and Europe? 

CP: In 2023, I landed in San Francisco to an inauspicious start. On a filthy graffiti-covered airport shuttle train to downtown, a man sat behind me shouting, ‘I want to stab something.’ Then, with a large pair of red scissors, he destroyed his seat. Camera-in-hand I was tempted, but took my cue from sensible locals who had already moved to the next carriage to await the police. Our tube feels safe and pristine by comparison. 

I don’t want to make sweeping generalisations but there are stark contrasts to some of the US cities. In Europe, it’s probably why Venice is one of my favourites – simply because of the refreshing absence of cars.

AP: You say you don’t know necessarily what it is you’re looking for when you go out – but are you going out looking for “moments” or do you just see if you get lucky? 

CP: You do make your own luck and street photography is about walking many miles and letting serendipity play its role. As with my multi coloured punks from the eighties, I still look out for characters who stand out from the madding crowd and humorous juxtapositions and interactions that are often missed. A bit like fishing where I would walk all day without a bite, tired and despondent and about to go home when suddenly, out of the blue, on walks Philly Man who was made for the front cover!

AP: How long do you spend each day (roughly) walking around waiting for something to catch your eye? Do you tend to stay in one place and let action unfold in front of you or do you approach it differently?

CP: “All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.” So I wait and wait, and if no joy I find another stage. How do you capture those iconic places that have been photographed millions of times in a different way? For me, it is about finding the right character to match.

I probably spend a minimum of twelve hours walking up to twenty miles hunting for that decisive and elusive moment. In fact, I walked over seven hundred miles, along with thousands of miles on slow infrequent Amtrak trains, Greyhound coaches and inevitably planes to save time 

AP: Did people mind you photographing? Do you think you have a different viewpoint/vantage point as an outsider, compared to say when you’re photographing in the UK?

CP: I get into lost tourist mode, and not being a street photography purist I do a mixture of candid and engagement. In fact, I often provoke eye contact as it usually produces a stronger picture. Worry about the response from strangers is the main reason given for not pursuing street photography but I have rarely had problems. Most are flattered and I find a smile and an explanation goes a long way.

AP: Can you tell us about the gear that you use? 

CP: In the eighties, I was a bit shyer, so I did some telephoto work but I now realise the social context such as the shops is crucial. I try to adopt the maxim of one of my photojournalist heroes, Robert Capa: “If your photograph is not good enough, then you are not close enough.” Tragically he got too close in Indochina! I use a Canon 5D Mark III and EF 24 – 70 mm f/2.8 L USM lens. I thought getting a compact Fuji X100 would make me a less conspicuous, a better photographer and produce better images. It didn’t!  

I must admit, when I walk around town, I rarely take the heavy gear now except for projects like my American trip. I was a bit sniffy about mobile phones and despite the limitations of no viewfinder and overriding settings, I am beginning to appreciate the advantages. The quality is so good with raw shooting available too and its always with you.  

AP: Do you tend to shoot in one particular mode? 

CP: My former career as a paramedic taught me to be always ready to respond immediately to the unexpected. To seize the moment before it has gone. So it is with street photography and why my best shot ever was in Union Square New York of a leaping collie dog. I actually shot from my chest and would have been gutted had it been blurred or out of focus.

My camera is always set on aperture priority at a fast shutter speed and small aperture. Say a minimum of about  800 -1000 sec at around f8 or more. The lens is usually at the 24 -28 end and I use my feet as a zoom. I move around the subject as great potential pictures are usually ruined by messy backgrounds that ruin your composition with sticking out limbs and polybags. 

I use manual ISO, upping it if needed as it’s better to have a bit of noise than a blurred image. It’s crucial to have a filter on to protect the lens and sometimes a lens hood, although being careful of vignetting when it slips. Always check for raindrops, as I find they will always end up in middle of the face!  Focus points I often set at max for quick grab shots of general crowds and individual points for more precision. 

Additionally, I shoot on rapid burst mode too with raw and jpegs. Shooting sometimes from crazy angles to give impact, I avoid harsh sunlight by walking on the shady side of the street. I’m constantly scanning the horizon and rechecking settings as somehow they move! I always carry spare charged batteries and memory cards, comfy shoes, rucksack with sarnies and water plus protective gear. 

It’s no good being a fair-weather photographer as the best shots are to be had where others fear to tread. Again, my old career comes into play with dangers first and watching your back. Avoiding dodgy ill lit alleys and dead ends. 

AP: Do you do any post-production to the pictures? 

CP: I am a bit of a technophobe (my age) so have to keep it basic. There’s no substitute for getting it right first time in camera, rather than roll it in glitter later. I learned more from the Sunday Times picture editor  Harold Evans seminal work ‘Pictures on a Page’ than any other photo book. Just simple cropping for instance can make such a difference to those grab shots. I see a potential picture and get a few in the can just in case and then wait for things to develop and maybe a better picture will emerge.

AP: Have you gotten any better at editing your own work? 

CP: Fortunately I had a little bit of help from my friends with constructive critique from a great mentor and former photo editor. He would look at my images and say rubbish, boring, so what, leaves me cold, delete, delete, delete! As I could not find a publisher, I was very lucky to find a great graphic designer who makes my photographs sing in the books and also distributes them for me too.

I am slowly learning that less is more and that viewers get bored with too many similar pictures which will dilute your strong ones. Sometimes just one strong picture can tell the story.

Unlike my early books, I have tried to curate more tightly and resisted the temptation to justify and include weaker images. For example, I walked around St Louis for two days without a decent picture so the city does not feature. Likewise, despite all the expense and effort to capture the iconic Golden Gate, I left empty handed. As you do with digital I took thousands of images but deleted the vast majority as they were technically poor or just boring. 

AP: What’s been the reaction to this book? 

CP: Despite the compromises I am pleased with the outcome and the print quality is great. The man featured sitting on the White House Wall holding a placard with ‘Hate will not make America Great’ is a retired Washington professor in his eighties. Frustrated with Trump, he has protested there most days for five years and upset with the result he has now returned to his vigil in winter. I asked him what he thought after receiving my book. He loved it but did not feel it reflected the very divided and angry America that he sees and feels. He has a point, but I replied that I hope it also shows a more positive and happier side of his country and what can be.  

The problem is the book at £15 is cheap enough, but it costs an extra £35 to send it to the States. So apart from to those who are actually in the book, I have sold very few there. Here in the UK, it is still quite niche although very topical. I hope this feature will appeal to AP readers who might then want to see more of my quirky take on America. It’s all for a good cause too, as part of the proceeds goes to Breast Cancer Research in memory of Lesley, the love of my life for fifty years.

AP: You’ve said that this is going to be your last book – why is that? 

CP: Along with just published Barking 2! (inspired by Elliot Erwitt) I have self-published ten books now. I do not have time for another Reunions project as I would be over a century, although cameras can be mounted to Zimmer frames! There is no substitute for the smell and feel of a photography book compared to a screen but they are very expensive to produce and time consuming to make.  

Never say never, but I feel it’s time for a different direction as I have honed my craft on the streets and now find street photography lacks purpose for me. I enjoy social documentary-type work, such as my NHS book homage ‘Just Be Kind’ which covers my forty seven year career. My then and now Reunions exhibition based on my two books proved very popular and was attended by over 11,000 in Peterborough. I have tried to garner London interest, but sadly to no avail. Hopefully one day, but not posthumously as you cannot read the reviews…. 

Commissions and projects perhaps such as the one at London Luton airport displaying my images over the past seven years, which enabled me to buy a decent camera. So any offers of expenses paid trips back to Europe or even America would be welcome while my legs and brain still work! Seize the moment!    

Streets of America is available to buy now. You can buy a copy for just £20 including postage (to the UK) by visiting chrisporsz.com. Barking 2! Is also available, priced at £13 including postage.

Related reading:

• Tips for striking street photography
• Chris Porsz: the inside story of the amazing street photography project ‘Reunions’
• How to set up your camera for street photography

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The post Streets of America – Chris Porsz Interview – You make your own luck appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

This really got me thinking about my own legacy, and our family archive going forward. What do I want my own children to inherit from me? In some ways, now we’re out of the print era, the problem is even more tricky. Will my kids have a mess of digital folders that they can’t navigate, or worse, even have access to as they’re stuck behind folders or biometric locks? It’s one thing to have masses of physical albums to deal with – but at least I have no barriers to simply looking at those precious old photos of my family, the places they went and the things that they saw. Digital files risk simply disappearing from existence if not properly stored and managed. 

A sad story earlier in the year of a widowed man unable to access the only copies of his wedding photos, stored away on his late wife’s iPhone, also makes us think about how we can make sure our smartphone data isn’t lost. Let’s face it, most of our family photography is likely to be taken with these devices, so making sure it is accessible to our nearest and dearest – if we want to be – is more important than ever, too.

So, I’ll be taking a look at how you can digitise your family print archive, how to look after your current digital files, and methods for ensuring that things like smartphone data is easily transferrable after you’ve gone.

It might seem gloomy to think about these things, but our photographic legacy is important – and I think it’s worth protecting. What’s more, there’s lots of fun, nostalgia and happiness to be had from putting it together in the first place – you can start sharing it all straightaway of course. 

This is in no way a comprehensive guide to all the ways it’s possible to create and share an archive, of course. If I’ve missed anything vital, please do feel free to let us know how you manage your archive via the usual methods – we’d love to share your tips. 

Physical Prints and Albums 

If you’re anything like my family, you will have stacks and stacks of physical albums, old prints and related bits of ephemera. 

Don’t get me wrong, they’re all great to have, but they take up a lot of space. I’ve therefore been slowly working my way through it all to convert it to digital. Creating a digital version – of at least some of such an archive – is a great idea for lots of reasons. It means you can share your precious memories and family history with extended family and friends all around the world, but it also means that if sadly, the physical copies need to be disposed of at some point, you’ll still have a record of everything. 

There are plenty of things that I won’t be saving – and I don’t feel guilty about it. Badly composed snaps of a location that I’ve never been to, don’t feature anything of social/historical importance, or have any people in them will likely be recycled – even digitally one should be mindful of keeping absolutely everything!

There are lots of ways you can digitise a physical archive, depending on what kind of media you have. Here are a few options to get you started:

Scanning photos with a flatbed scanner

Pros: 

• Easy to use 
• Reasonably priced
• Tackles lots of different types of media

Cons: 

• Slow if you have lots to scan 
• Super-high quality isn’t always accessible 

This is probably the commonest and easiest way to digitise a physical print, or an album page. Flatbed scanners come in at a variety of price points and qualities. Lots of people have them inbuilt with fairly cheap printers, but I think for an important family archive, it’s worth spending just a little bit more on a standalone unit, if you can. 

I like the Canon LiDE 400 flatbed scanner – it’s around £70 so not outrageously expensive – but does a good job, enabling scans of up to 1200dpi. What I like most about it is the software that comes with it – place several different pictures on the bed and it’ll automatically create different cropped files for each photo – even if you’ve not placed it perfectly straight on the bed. 

Epson FastFoto FF-680W 

Pros: 

• Very fast 

Cons: 

• Expensive
• Can’t handle every type of media

I’ve been lucky enough to try out one of these scanners, which as the name implies, enables super fast scanning of prints. 

This is perfect for anyone who has got a stack of 6×4 or 7×5 prints from old slip-in type albums (my family archive has dozens of such albums). It can scan up to 30 photos in just 30 seconds (it will take longer if you adjust the photo settings), and it will even scan the back of the photo too, if something is written on it for example. 

The huge downside here is the cost. However, it could be a worthy investment for the time it’ll save you – and you could always sell it on after you’ve digitised your archive to recoup some of the cost. 

Digital Camera

Pros: 

• Highest possible quality 
• Full control over every shooting aspect

Cons: 

• Takes up a lot of space
• Can be expensive to set up
• Slow if you have a lot to digitise 

If you want the best possible quality and you already have access to a high-quality, high-resolution mirrorless camera or DSLR, plus ideally a macro lens, then it’s a route to go down.

For good results, you’ll set your digital camera up on either a copy stand or a tripod which enables overhead shooting. For the best results, you’ll also ideally want to use dedicated lighting, while blocking out external light sources. This can make it a cumbersome setup, that you’ll likely need to leave in place for the duration of your archival process – great if you’ve got a spare room available, for example, but not so great if your space is limited.

• How to photograph film using your DSLR or mirrorless camera

Smartphone apps

Pros: 

• Simple to use 
• Easy to share the results

Cons: 

• Quality can be low
• Hard to control lighting 

Simply using your smartphone can be a fairly quick and easy way to create digital copies of your prints and albums. You can of course just use the inbuilt camera as normal, but there are also lots of dedicated apps which aim to make the process more streamlined.

For example, Google PhotoScan is one free app available for both iOS and Android which gives you options such as automatic cropping, perspective correction, glare removal and more. It can be tricky to get the best quality when you’re using a phone, but with some patience and experimentation with different apps available, it’s definitely an option to explore.

Managing Your Digital Archive

With most of us regularly shooting digitally now and storing our pictures on hard drives or via the cloud, it can be very easy for our archive to be lost or unnavigable to those who come after us. And that’s before you add in any digitised version of a physical archive you may have.

But it needn’t be that way. With a bit of careful digital organisation, future generations should be able to enjoy our digital pictures just as much as we now enjoy flipping through physical albums. 

If you’ve got a large collection of digital files, as many of us do, remember this is about your legacy – not creating a backup of every single frame you’ve ever shot. It might be beneficial to keep a distinct and separate “legacy friendly” version of your archive that holds only your best work and things that will be important to your friends and family in the future, and think about your general backing up practice differently.

After all, a mess of less-than-perfect, photographic experiments, random uncaptioned landscapes from a walking holiday many years in the past, or other generic snapshots might have been fun for you to create, but it’s likely to be somewhat painstaking for the family to go through when the time comes. Meanwhile, a well-organised and captioned digital archive is likely to only bring joy and happy memories.

Best Practices 

There’s no set right or wrong way to organise your photographic archive, but, think about how someone who isn’t you – and doesn’t have you around – will navigate through it. 

Many favour a chronological approach, and that’s a pretty sensible place to start. You could create folders for every year, divided by month for example. Or divided by events/holidays and so on. 

It’s even better if you can make your archive searchable, by adding tags to your photos – a person’s name for example, or a favoured holiday location, or slightly more generic such as “birthday” or “Christmas” and so on. That way, whoever gets hold of it could simply search for “Christmas” and find all the shots you’ve tagged with that word in one hit, rather than having to wade through different years or months.

You can add tags to photos using Windows or Apple computers pretty simply, plus there are lots of dedicated image tagging software packages available – for example, Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Bridge both have options to do just that.

With physical albums or prints, it’s easy to handwrite in a caption explaining who or what is going on in a photo. You should aim to do the same with your digital files – future generations may simply have no idea what they’re looking at. You can embed captions in an image file’s metadata, again using software such as Adobe Lightroom or Windows File Manager. 

If you’re not sure how to do either of these things, there are lots of online tutorials and YouTube videos which will show you the process – there’s too many different options to list here. 

Remember also to think about how you name your files. Again, there’s no “right” way as such, but you should aim for a consistent approach here. A good option is to name by year, month and day, so that everything is stored neatly in order. You could also add a word or phrase towards the end of the file name to further help categorise it too, for example, “20241225_ChristmasAtHome_0001.jpg”

Storage solutions

For the best peace of mind, it’s a good idea to keep two copies of your archive, ideally in separate locations. I know of lots of people who “swap” a backup with a friend or family member so that the secondary backup shouldn’t be destroyed if something happens to the first one (i.e. fire or flood). Make sure it’s a trusted friend or relative – and in case of a family archive, make sure someone else knows where the backup of the backup is kept should they need to retrieve it. 

It can be hard to keep on top of the latest technology when it comes to data storage, but it’s particularly important to think about the future when storing an archive. It wasn’t too long ago that we were recommending folk keep their photographs on CDs – but these days so many people don’t have CD drives that it could present a challenge to someone trying to access your files. 

Luckily it’s now pretty cost-effective to get hold of external hard drives that are widely compatible with different types of computer. It’s worth setting a regular reminder (say annually, or every couple of years) on your calendar to check that the files are still working fine, and that the storage type you’re using is still current and accessible. 

What about the cloud? 

As well as two physical back-ups, it can be a good idea to think about a cloud version of your family archive too. This is great for sharing your archive in the here and now, as well as hopefully being easily accessible after you’ve gone.

However, it’s important to think about the cost of cloud storage – both in terms of to your bank balance, and to the environment. Most cloud services work on a monthly or annual subscription model, and it can get pretty costly if you need a lot of room. For a family archive, you shouldn’t need to store thousands of huge unedited raw format files. It also uses up a huge amount of energy to store data in the cloud, so we should all be mindful about how much impact we want to have on the world. Think about only storing your best and most important files and you should be able to keep the cost down – you may even be able to get by on a free package. Dropbox and Google both offer a small amount of storage for free, for example. 

If you do use the cloud, and you have a paid subscription – be mindful of what will happen after your death. Many cloud services will stop working, restrict access or even remove files altogether if/when the payments stop coming in. It’s therefore essential that whoever has access knows to download the files as quickly as possible when the time comes if they want to keep anything in it.

Don’t forget about physical versions of your digital files, too. Personally, I like to create a “yearbook” using one of the many printing services available now. A slim volume showing off the highlights of any given year doesn’t take up too much room on my bookshelf and hopefully will want to be kept by family in the future. A paper copy is also certainly not prone to problems with changing technology or file corruption (so long as it’s kept with care, of course). 

What about smartphone data? 

More of our photographs than ever are being taken with our smartphones. But, as our smartphones are also full of sensitive and confidential data, we understandably keep them locked and secure. 

Sadly, that can mean that everything on it can easily become lost or inaccessible once we’ve gone. Even if you’re backing things up using Google Photos or iCloud, if you don’t give someone else access to those things, then it can be next to impossible for them to get hold of your stuff. 

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure that doesn’t happen. You could share your phone password and any relevant login details with someone you trust, such as your partner, child or a close friend. If you don’t want them to have such details that while you’re still around, you could leave instructions to be delivered with your will – but that will require you to make sure that is updated with any changing of passwords. 

Another way is to keep a written record of your passwords in a location that is to be shared in the event of your death. For example, a notebook that is kept somewhere safe and secure in your home – again, make it a regular job to make sure your passwords are all your most recent ones. 

An even better thing you can do is to set up what’s known as a “Legacy Contact” within your phone, if you have an Apple device. This means that a trusted person will be able to access the contents of your device after your death. The Legacy Contact setting will generate a code that can be shared with Apple, along with a copy of your death certificate, in order to release your data. 

This is something which is available on both iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Macs. You can add a Legacy Contact – or more than one if you choose – via the Settings > Apple Account > Sign In & Security > Legacy Contact menu on an iPhone. The contact doesn’t need to have an Apple account or an Apple device themselves.

Although there isn’t anything currently directly comparable built into Android phones at the moment, there is another way to ensure your photos are accessible. You can set up a Legacy Contact using your Google account – so if your photos from your Android phone are being backed up to Google Photos (something we would recommend), a Legacy Contact will be able to download them should your account become inactive after a given time. Set this up via your Google profile. Click “Manage Your Google Account”, followed by Data and Privacy and “Make a plan for your digital legacy” to be walked through the options.

Related reading:

• How to digitise photos and slides
• Beginner’s guide to file and photo management (for new photos)
• How to make sure you never lose your photos again (backup, backup, backup)
• Jon Bentley: Where have all the good film scanners gone?

Follow AP on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post How to build a family archive of your treasured photos and a lasting legacy appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

You can probably already sense that the fisheye lens got me hooked at an early point. The results can be so utterly bizarre. It can be used for everything – landscape, architecture, astro, interiors, advertising and even hilarious portraits if you like humiliating your subject with bulging eyes and aviation noses. Children love fisheye lenses, so let me bring out your inner child by letting go of convention and embracing the abstract. 

David’s Top Tips for Creative Fisheye Shots:

• Be playful: you need to be creative, or you will do the fisheye no justice. Head-height fisheye shots are so boring; you need to bend and distort with the camera to capture interesting angles. 

• Shoot people and pets: make yourself and your family laugh for endless hours with fisheye comedy. Huge noses, swollen eyes and tiny feet are the name of the game!

• Look for symmetry: underground stations, tunnels, walkways and escalators are all wonderful subjects when applying precision camera placement. Look for centre lines and visual clues on the floor to help.

• Look for lines: look for cables on bridges and strong leading lines to pull the viewer into the image with a vortex-like feel. Compose with an interesting centre point. 

• Look for landmarks: the Brooklyn Bridge in the USA was a wonderful example of a structure filled with lines that was greatly enhanced by a fisheye lens. 

• Be different: make your image portfolio memorable by showing an even wider angle of diversity by using a fisheye lens. Say something truly different by enhancing the environment around you.

• Use grid lines: grid lines are the most helpful way of aligning the camera. Ensure you use a 6×4 Grid mode, not a 3×3, as you get a vertical and horizontal centre line. 

• Every day is a fisheye day: make it your everyday lens. Too many photographers simply put it in the cupboard and fall out of love with it, after never fully understanding its strengths. 

• Be experimental: experiment with ludicrous amounts of depth of field. Even f/5.6 will give everything from 50cm to infinity in focus.

• Embrace circular images: if you own a zoom fisheye like an 8-15mm, you will be so surprised by how exciting the lens can be. The images appear like a glass globe.

How fisheye lenses work

A 15mm fisheye lens (15mm being a typical focal length for this type of lens) is specifically designed to capture an ultra-wide field of view, often up to 180°. This is achieved through a unique lens construction that intentionally distorts the image, creating a hemispherical or panoramic effect. The fisheye lens projects a portion of a sphere onto a flat surface (the sensor), which results in the characteristic wide angle and distorted appearance. In contrast, a 16mm lens (let’s imagine the popular 16-35mm focal length), which is typically a rectilinear lens, is designed to do the opposite, minimise distortion and maintain straight lines. This type of lens provides a narrower field of view, around 80°, because it aims to represent the scene more naturally, without the spherical distortion.

Crop circles 

Here’s where things get really wild. I own a 15-year-old Sigma 15mm fisheye lens (available in many formats) and for this article I borrowed a Canon 8-15mm f/4L lens from Canon UK. What on earth do you need a zoom fisheye for? The answer is to do with sensor size. The lens is designed to work with both full-frame and crop-sensor cameras. On full-frame cameras, it is designed to work at the 15mm end. When using a crop-sensor camera, at 8mm the picture looks almost the same as 15mm on a full-frame camera. The bonus here is the full-frame sensor shoots perfectly circular 180º images at 8mm. That’s an enormous amount of unintended fun.

Subject matters

Think of a fisheye like the tilt-shift lens. In the right circumstances, there is no better tool, but they will get less attention than a standard wide-angle lens. I have used a fisheye lens for shooting aurora, astro (it’s not that great) and landscapes (trees) but I find it most useful when I’m shooting architecture. 

A city break like Berlin benefited hugely from my little Sigma 15mm. I used it to photograph mind-bending interiors as well as shooting vertically upwards, to stretch the width of historical subjects like cathedral domes, impossible with any other lens. I shot the symmetrical underground stations and had incredible results at a stadium, where a 16-35mm was second best.

Canon EOS R3 · f/8 · 1/30s · 15mm · ISO1600

I have photographed vistas in Singapore, making the skyline look like a small planet. Recently I visited a modular synthesiser shop in Bristol and photographed racks of cables and buttons – the more frenzy the better as far as I’m concerned.   

I stand uncorrected

When it comes to processing a fisheye image, Lightroom will apply lens correction on import if you’re not paying attention. Switch it off, otherwise ponder what is the point of a fisheye? Arguably, Lightroom can also make rectilinear images from incredibly tight spaces, but I will let you know now that the corners will be truly horrible! Let this spherical world project into your imagination. You will be astounded by the results. 

Alignment and misalignment

The first thing to do is turn on your Grid Mode inside your camera. A neat architectural trick to ensure you use 6×4 mode and forget about 3×3. This will give you four by six divisions, creating a centre line. Choose a symmetrical subject, like a country church to get you going. Looking straight upwards, ensure you have the centre line of the ceiling positioned so that it runs along the grid. Remember, the smallest of movements will cause the edges to misalign, so the fisheye ceiling photographer will spend ten to fifteen seconds aligning every corner with perfection before pressing the shutter and exhaling. The corners will also move a lot more than the centre of the image, so image stabilisation in low light is essential if a tripod is not allowed. 

Trawling for Fisheye

Isn’t all this optical wackiness going to be rather expensive? The answer is yes and no. The older and now retired Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG I own is just £200+ on the second-hand market. It has a weird spray-on and somewhat rubbery coating, but it feels strangely tactile. It has dog-slow focusing motor whines, but I think this should be retrospectively loved. The spanking new Sigma 15mm f/1.4 AF DG DN will cost you £1,859 at the time of writing. With the trusty f/2.8 being comparably sharp, light, small and so affordable, I do wonder what the additional £1,650 is going to give (perhaps get in touch, Sigma). It is available in many different mounts.

For Nikon users, there’s the Nikon AF-S 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED (£1,050). The Olympus offers the 8mm Olympus f/1.8 M.Zuiko Digital ED (£849) and let’s look at Sony A Mount, the Sony 16mm f/2.8 fisheye Lens (£800). Sony users could go with the Metabones route and choose the Canon options as well as the Sigma Canon fit. 

There are also manual focus options available from Samyang as well as from 7Artisans. Samyang/Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS seems to be closer to 14mm on the Canon 8-15mm, but regardless has a great lower price point of a few hundred pounds second-hand.

Check Wex Photo Video, Mifsuds, Camera Centre UK and all the other usual second-hand stores for bargains.

Why it Works

On a trip to Singapore in 2012, I became obsessed with Marina Bay. This beautiful glistening city really came alive at night, so I booked tickets to go to the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. This triple tower block gave me exceptional views across the city. I had to leave my tripod downstairs, but luckily, I had my Gorillapod wedged into the side pocket of my camera bag.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II · f/11 · 1/0s · 15mm · ISO200

Using the Sigma 15mm fisheye, I was able to capture a huge scene with everything from one side of the harbour to the other, vertically downwards as well. As soon as I tipped the camera downwards, the horizon began to converge outwards, as though I was seeing the curvature of the Earth. It felt like a metaphor for a congested planet.

I shot the image at f/11, 15 seconds, but now understanding the lens, I could have shot it at f/5.6 and seen barely any difference. The corners are great throughout (except f/2.8).

Closing thoughts

If you buy a second-hand, lightweight lens like the aged Sigma 15mm, just as an experiment, you could have a lot of fun and keep a lot of notes still in the bank. I will tell you now it will sit in the cupboard, but you will also connect with it, as it can produce results like no other lens. It will add creative colour to your portfolio and if used with precision, its effect can appear almost invisible. Vertical imagery like cathedral ceilings look even more spacious and you can go on a riot of symmetrical fun. 

Use your camera’s grid mode and viewfinder spirit level to make sure you’re aligned as precisely as possible. The true magic will be revealed, similar to when using a tilt-shift lens. Be careful – the smallest movements will hugely affect the corners, and those inaccuracies will be there for all to see. It will not tolerate unthought-out compositions or sloppy attention to detail. The fisheye can make you look rather foolish, so give your images the utmost scrutiny.

David Clapp

David Clapp’s sense of creative direction is like a broken compass. Now in his 50s and unable to make the photographic ship steer in a straight line, he has now realised perhaps it is best to let it steer itself. www.davidclapp.co.uk

Related reading:

• Why you need a wideangle prime lens for landscapes and travel
• Turn ultra-wide angle lenses into shift lenses with the Laowa Magic Shift Converter for Sony
• Get the most from wide-angle lenses
• How to fix wide-angle lens distortions for good

The post A Fisheye lens user’s handbook – The outer limits of sanity appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Last year her interest in floriography took a leap forward when she stumbled across a series of flower portraits by Robert Peek, a conceptual photographer based in the Netherlands. ‘His social media account was full of flowers underwater with white fluid flowing over them in a magical, ethereal way,’ she says. ‘I was unfamiliar with the technique, and I was keen to explore it for myself.’ 

Time to experiment

Having searched online, Angi could find little by way of instruction. ‘I spent weeks trying to find out how to do it and I couldn’t find anything, so I just played around and tried to make it happen,’ she reveals. Her first attempts were hit and miss, with plenty of wasted time and resources, but she continued to experiment. ‘As soon as I tried the technique, I knew I had to do something with it,’ she explains, ‘but I had to do something different and put my own stamp on it.’ Unlike Peek, Angi decided to use her love of floriography to create fascinating backstories to her flower portraits.

Her submerged snowdrops, for example, were shot with a green background to indicate new life, then white liquid (milk) was introduced to suggest hope, purity and innocence. Finally, red and white threads were tied to the stems to link the arrangement to an aspect of Romanian folklore. ‘When I started creating underwater flower images it was all about puzzling out the process, but now I choose flowers due to their links to folklore, spirituality and paganism,’ says Angi.

Gather your tools

Creating a submerged flower picture requires a fair amount of planning, and a few unusual tools. First you need a glass container: Angi uses a small, but reasonably tall, fish or insect tank, but admits that the black strips down the sides are not ideal. ‘You could use a tall vase, but any curves or distortions can cause unwanted reflections,’ she explains. ‘Plus, you need to be aware of unwanted colour casts.’

Next, you need something to anchor your flowers to the bottom of the tank (unless you’re a fan of the free-floating look). This is where DIY skills come in handy. While Angi has experimented with various objects, one of her favourite ways to anchor flowers is to tie slate coasters together and glue floristry wire to them to help position her blooms. ‘They don’t take up much room in the tank and they are so heavy they will weigh down just about any flower,’ she assures.

Become a scientist

Next, you need tools to help you apply liquid to the flowers in the tank. ‘I buy pipettes in packs of 10 or 20 so I can keep colours separate and avoid contamination,’ says Angi. She also uses syringes with fine needles – insulin syringes are best as they allow her to drop tiny amounts of liquid onto the petals. It has taken a lot of trial and error to find liquids that suit Angi’s taste, but at present she is using cow’s milk, acrylic inks, food colouring and juices (beetroot is a favourite).

‘Some mediums are heavier than others and will sink faster so it’s a good idea to test them in a glass or a vase of water before using them in a big tank,’ she says. Skimmed milk, for example, dissolves faster than full fat, which is why Angi prefers the latter. As an environmentally conscious photographer, she tries to use liquids that can be disposed of safely and is keen to find eco-friendly alternatives to paint. 

Prepare to shoot

If you’re not a clean freak, shooting submerged flowers might turn you into one. ‘You have to clean everything thoroughly before you start,’ says Angi. ‘I even wash my arms to prevent fluff from my clothes getting into the water!’ With arms washed and the tank positioned on a towel, Angi fills the pipettes and syringes and lays them in a plastic tray. ‘You’re going to be adding ink with one hand and triggering your camera’s remote release with the other, so you need to keep your tray nearby,’ she says.

Next, Angi positions a backdrop against the back of the tank (ensuring the glass is dry and free of condensation). Black card is good for starters, but Angi also uses coloured card and sometimes even prints of her own as backdrops. ‘The background colour will only show for a short while because you build up your own colours in the tank as you add the liquids,’ she explains. Having cleaned and positioned her flowers, Angi waits for everything to settle, then uses a knife or pipette to remove unwanted air bubbles.

Set to work

While the flowers are carefully arranged (and pushed against the side of the container), the end result can still be unpredictable. ‘It’s very freeing,’ says Angi. ‘A lot of my photography requires careful planning, and the order of things is quite rigid, but here I can play around – I add a bit of this and a bit of that and the magic happens!’ But magic isn’t the same thing as luck.

Angi has spent hours experimenting with liquids, colours, flowers and tools. ‘It’s all good fun,’ she smiles. ‘You never get the same result twice.’ Some flowers change shape in the water, for example, while others, if left for a few hours, slowly become transparent. ‘You need to be ready to change your plans,’ urges Angi. When it comes to adding liquid, she lowers the pipette to her chosen spot, applies pressure and then removes it slowly. ‘Some liquids settle at the bottom and then start climbing up the sides,’ she reveals. ‘You have to be patient and wait to see what happens.’ 

Get it right

Looking at the vibrancy and detail of Angi’s work, it’s hard to believe that some pictures are straight out of camera. ‘It’s not easy, there’s often plant debris in the water, but where possible I like to remove dirt and debris with a pipette,’ she explains. The secret lies in cleaning your equipment and taking the time to set everything up properly.

To reduce unwanted reflections, for example, Angi hangs black material behind her camera (she uses an Olympus OM-1 and a Sony A7 III, her lens of choice is a 90mm / 180mm macro) and tapes over reflective parts of her tripod. ‘I also try to stand to one side of the tank so that my reflection doesn’t appear, and I wear black clothes,’ she adds.

With the focal plane parallel to the tank, and the camera set to manual focus to avoid lens hunting, Angi experiments with apertures until she gets the effect she desires. ‘I shoot wide open for a mysterious look or close the aperture down to get more in focus,’ she says. ‘I’m not afraid to play with contrast, white balance or saturation in-camera.’ 

Getting the light right

While shooting in ambient light is an option, it’s not something Angi recommends. ‘I saw a video of someone attempting this technique in their backyard once and they were really struggling with reflections,’ she recalls. ‘It’s not surprising because the light is coming from every direction!’

Once again, she advises playing around with light sources and positions. ‘It can be tricky to get the light right and to avoid plants creating shadows,’ she admits. ‘You have to experiment.’ For ultimate control, Angi uses artificial sources. ‘If I’m using continuous light, I might add a modifier such as a snoot to train it on a small section of the tank,’ she explains.

Gridded flash, however, is her first choice. ‘I position it from the side and slightly in front. It helps to create shadows where I need them and gives shape to the flowers.’ Of course, as the water starts to get murky due to the coloured liquid, less light reaches the flowers, which is when Angi positions the light at 45°. As with everything here, flexibility is key.

The submerged flower series is one of many projects Angi is working on at the moment. A true polymath, she also paints, makes jewellery and creates digital textures. ‘This is just the start,’ she laughs. ‘I’ve got so many ideas. I’m going to cover all of the elements: water, air, earth and fire. It’s actually a massive project.’ 

As we say goodbye, I can’t help marvelling at her enthusiasm and her ability to generate new work. How does she do it? ‘Creativity is my middle name,’ she laughs. Somehow, I believe her.

Angi’s kit list for submerged flower photography

Liquids: Angi has tried everything from cow’s milk to acrylic paint, beetroot juice and food colouring in her submerged flowers series. Different liquids have different properties: some sink faster than others, for example. The temperature of the water also dictates how quickly or slowly a liquid will move. Generally speaking, the colder the water the slower the movement.

Flower frogs: While Angi likes to anchor flowers to the bottom of the tank using slate coasters, she also uses flower frogs and vases. ‘If you want to create still-life arrangements you can put Blu Tack in a vase and secure flowers inside it before placing it in the tank,’ she advises. ‘But creating a still life in water is tricky because everything wants to float!’

Pipettes and syringes: While you can add liquid to the water with a small jug or a bottle with a thin neck, it’s best to use pipettes or syringes with fine needles. Angi likes long pipettes because you can use them without having to reach too far into the tank, which can disturb the water. Give them a tap to remove any air bubbles before using them. 

Camping shower: Repeatedly emptying a tank of water can be labour-intensive and time-consuming, but Angi has found a brilliant hack. ‘I use a battery-operated camping shower to empty the tank,’ she laughs. ‘You stick one end of the tube in the tank and the other end in a bucket, and off you go!’ It’s a good idea to put a few towels down first. 

Angi’s top tips for submerged flower photography

Try natural juices

OM-1 · f/18 · 1/125s · 90mm · ISO200

Angi has been trying to find eco-friendly alternatives to acrylic paint, which has led her to experiment with vegetable juices. So far, beetroot is a firm favourite. ‘Nature is my religion, so I try to use food colouring or natural products where possible,’ she explains.   

Let things dry

ILCE-7M3 · f/16 · 1/200s · 180mm · ISO125

When there’s not much growing in the garden, Angi turns her attention to photographing submerged dried flowers. ‘Before you put them in the water you need to remove dust or particles that have built up,’ she warns. ‘Be prepared to let parts just float off!’   

Head to the back 

OM-1 · f/16 · 1/160s · 90mm · ISO100

To begin with, black backgrounds are best as they help the colours to stand out. Once you get used to how the liquids move it’s worth experimenting with coloured backdrops. Angi enjoys using her knowledge of colour theory when pairing background and subjects.   

Float away

ILCE-7M3 · f/16 · 1/200s · 180mm · ISO80

As a fan of still life, Angi likes to use vases and other props in her work, but she admits it’s tricky underwater! ‘Only half of my attempts have been successful,’ she laughs. ‘Everything wants to float, so you need to glue things together.’

Hold your position   

ILCE-7M3 · f/16 · 1/200s · 180mm · ISO80

Flower frogs, floristry wire and slate are all good for securing flowers. Angi occasionally pushes the wire inside stems to hold them in position. When she has finished, she might photograph the flowers floating. ‘Why waste all that coloured liquid,’ she smiles.

Related reading:

• The Best Macro Photography Tips and Techniques
• Complete guide to Macro Photography – create great macro photos
• Focus stacking: achieve pin sharp macro shots of delicate subjects

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The post Out of this World Flower Photography by Angi Wallace appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

What are Cyanotypes?

The cyanotype process is an alternative, camera-less technique that involves laying negatives and/or objects such as leaves, flowers, materials on photosensitive paper and exposing in the sun or under UV light. Traditionally used for reproducing technical drawings e.g. in architecture and engineering, the reaction between UV light and the iron-based solution produces a Prussian Blue pigment (hence the term ‘blue print’). Paper can be bought pre-coated, or you can use cyanotype chemicals to coat your own. Finished prints are developed by washing with cold running water.

Cyanotype inspiration

While many photographers make decisions about which lens, aperture or shutter speed is required to capture a moment of creativity, my photographic images are made without using a camera, and use the traditional cyanotype formula that was invented in 1842 (by Sir John Herschel). British botanist Anna Atkins, who has been described as the first woman to produce a photographic book, used the process to illustrate specimens of algae in Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions in 1843, while famous artists such as Man Ray and László Moholy-Nagy rediscovered photograms during the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century.

A technique with no boundaries

The biggest joy of working with an alternative process is the impressive results you can achieve when you experiment and break rules. There are no boundaries with making photograms. In fact it is such a liberating way to make images that even if your first attempts are not masterpieces the creative experience of producing a simple photographic image without a camera is something that I feel all photographers should try at least once in their life. I would compare the sacred act of making black & white prints in the darkroom to making cyanotype prints – a simple yet satisfying photographic process with unlimited possibilities. Indeed William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the pioneers of photography in the 1830s, continued to experiment with camera-less images for many years after he discovered how to produce photographic negatives.

The aesthetics of a photogram are somewhat mysterious, which is what grabbed my attention when I first saw the works of surrealist artist Man Ray. Almost any object that blocks the light can be used to cast shadows on a support. I have worked with feathers and birdcages, wedding dresses and veils, and even people. There are infinite options to make unique photographic prints. Whatever the subject matter, they are quite intriguing and in some way ethereal.

What objects work best for cyanotypes?

I always tell participants of my workshops that semi-transparent objects create the best effects. A solid object will block the light leaving a white silhouette, and translucent items allow the light to pass through and around. This can be interesting and creates fluctuating tones of blue. When working with nature, I prefer to choose flowers that are delicate, such as poppies, sweet pea and dandelion seed heads. The soft translucency of their petals and form create beautiful tones. Obviously, digital negatives or traditional large-format film negatives can be used to produce cyanotype prints. I am currently working with both digital negatives and 3D objects together on a series called ‘The Flower Collector’.

How to create successful cyanotype images

Observe nature

I love to walk into the landscape and work directly with nature using sunshine as my light source. Direct sunshine will yield harder shadows, and diffused sunlight creates softer edges. Regarding the best time to expose outside in the UK, the sun gives more consistent results from March to September when the sun is higher in the sky; a couple of hours each side of noon usually work the best.

When travelling, I often carry a basic kit to process my prints outdoors. These prints are mostly on smaller sheets of paper, which are easier to carry around. The experience of working on location becomes one of a physical engagement with my environment. You could call it multisensory. It is wandering, seeing, smelling, feeling, gathering and printing.

It is important to look closely at plants in their natural environment; this will be a useful practice to enhance your compositions back in the darkroom. While gathering foliage I make a mental note about the way certain flowers and grasses sit harmoniously side by side. A field and hedgerow full of bracken and hogweed is chaotic and wild; an elegantly designed parkland is much more orderly. When I am back in the studio with a collection of plant life, I create my own landscapes through considered composition. I might remove flower heads from their stalks to allow them to be placed flat on the paper.

Controlled UV

It is best to print in bright sunshine. The summer months are best for shorter exposures and stronger blues. However, working outside under the rays of the sun leaves very little time to fiddle or move anything. If you do, your image may end up blurred. You don’t have time to be indecisive when your paper is fast exposing. If a precise composition is more essential to your final print this needs to be done under a controlled light source. UV lamps are essential for all-year-round printing. Exposure units and even facial tanning lamps can be used.

My set-up is basic. I have a simple yet straightforward UV lighting system on an adjustable stand that can be moved up and down to accommodate a range of paper sizes. This gives me plenty of time to organise my composition under safe light. The downside is that exposure times are longer; large papers require 2-3 hours under my system. I use a 300W Osram lamp, which is designed to be a UV light source for amphibian cages. I made a basic lamp housing that I just plug into a 13 Amp socket. Get a qualified electrician to make this for you.

Be experimental

My favourite read is Shadow Catchers: Camera-less Photography by Martin Barnes. It’s full of experimental techniques by contemporary artists who extend the creative possibilities of making a photograph image without the use of a camera. Cyanotypes sound terribly toxic, but are quite safe if used with care. They can be printed on paper, textiles, wood, ceramics and even glass.

Why this image works

There are many ways of creating depth with a camera, using various apertures and focal length. Photographers can also see what their final image will look like. Using the photogram technique offers an element of surprise, and the final outcome often reveals an unusual visual element.

Why does this hogweed image work? When working with nature, it is difficult to predict how the final picture will emerge. I often let the creative process go, and allow chance to play a part in my image-making process. In this case I was pleased with the way the overlapping forms created a sense of depth in the composition. I had no preconceived plan of what to expect with this print apart from my decision to document a wild verge on the North Yorkshire moors.

The exposure time was 10 minutes on a bright sunny day. After arranging a few items of plant life on the unexposed paper, I allowed for space to make additions nearer the end of the session and added new elements throughout the exposure. This affected the density of the Prussian blue. It also helped yield delicate graduations of tone that I feel give this photogram its magic and strength.

Create a cyanotype in 10 simple steps

Step-by-step guide for creating successful cyanotypes

1. My chosen cyanotype formula is: solution A – 25gm dissolved in 100ml water, solution B – 10gm and 100ml water. The two solutions are then blended together in equal parts to produce solution C.
2. Remember to use safety equipment, especially when mixing chemicals. Gloves should be worn during coating and washing. Don’t forget to consider your clothes.
3. Coat your paper in low-level tungsten light using a sponge or brush. My favourite tools are Japanese Hake brushes. They soak up the fluid and coat beautifully.
4. Allow the papers to dry in a dark place, such as a cupboard or drawer. Keep in mind that cyanotypes are only affected by UV light.
5. Place objects on the paper and if necessary hold them in place using glass. Remember that the parts that cover the surface are not exposed to light and will remain white.
6. Achieving good results depends a great deal on how you compose and arrange objects. However, despite this importance I often embrace playfulness and randomness to allow for an element of chance.
7. You can make a simple test strip for exposure times. A properly exposed print will turn a dark blue/green, while the shadows look slightly solarised.
8. Once the print has been exposed, process your print by rinsing it in cold water for at least five minutes and until the water runs clear. This thorough washing process will remove any unexposed chemical.
9. The final print can now be hung to dry. Once dry they may be prone to wrinkling due to a large amount of washing. I use heavy boards and weights to flatten the prints.
10. You don’t need a hot sunny day to make cyanotypes. Even on a cloudy day there will be enough UV for an exposure. Alternatively you can use a UV lamp.

Top tips and techniques for cyanotype photography

Change the background

I often move objects during a long exposure. I arrange my composition knowing I will remove a flower head or perhaps add another leaf. This helps to add a sense of depth and create various tones to the final print. This can be done at any time during exposure.

Experiment

To create extra tones and textures I spray the dried unexposed paper with water before I arrange the plants. The cyanotype solution becomes diluted and dries quickly in the sun leaving interesting marks. Also try coating your paper for a second time and double expose.

Be creative

The way you coat the paper is subjective. Painterly brush strokes are very much a big part of my work. I occasionally coat the entire sheet of paper leaving no border, or use sheets of card to create a mask. This works well if you prefer clean straight edges.

Create more depth

It’s not always necessary to flatten plants under glass. Delicate flowers, such as dandelion clocks, work best when they simply sit on the paper. This technique allows for light to pass through and around the 3D object creating soft blurry edges, and encourages shadows to form.

Enhance the blues

Prints will not reach their full density until they are dry (usually overnight), because it takes time for the sensitiser to oxidise in the air. To achieve an immediate oxidation, rinse the print for 1 minute in dilute hydrogen peroxide. While not necessary, it provides ‘instant gratification’.

Tea toning

It’s possible to change the colour of cyanotypes by toning. The cyanotype must be left to oxidise first. A short immersion in tannic acid (a strong inexpensive tea), will transform the Prussian blue colour to a navy blue. The tannic acid does not affect the archival qualities.

Kit list

• Safety equipment Cyanotype chemicals must be handled with care. The most hazardous practice is mixing raw chemicals to make stock solution. For basic protection you need protective glasses, mask and gloves.
• Chemicals The cyanotype solution is made from two chemicals: Ferric ammonium citrate (green) and Potassium ferricyanide. These solutions are generally labelled A and B. Mix equal measures of A + B to make the working solution.
• Coating Handcrafted coating allows you to be free and give painterly edges, while a sponge gives a harder edge to the emulsion. Do not use a brush with a metal ferrule, as this may react with the cyanotype chemistry and corrode.
• Exposure Working outdoors you will need a board, glass and clips. I use plywood or stiff cardboard to clip the glass in position while making exposures. This is particularly useful in windy conditions as it holds everything in place.
• UV light source The summer sun works beautifully. A good south-facing window ledge can work surprisingly well. For total control an ultraviolet (UV) lamp can be used effectively. I use an Osram Ultra-vitalux 300W bulb plugged into a 13 Amp plug socket.

Angela Chalmers is a photographer and painter with a first-class honours degree in Fine Art. Her working methods range from expressive watercolours to painterly camera-less cyanotypes. Angela has exhibited internationally and her work is held in many private collections. See www.angelachalmers.com.

Further reading:

Alex Timmermans on the wet-plate process

The chilling story behind Sally Mann’s award-winning tintypes

How to make a pinhole camera

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The post How to make cyanotypes: top tips for this ancient image making technique appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Callum’s Top Travel Photography Tips

• Get up early: Pack a camera and a lens and get yourself up early, or even late-night. Head to those landmarks before the crowds turn up. 
• Be different: Find unique spots or vantage points that are less busy, giving you a different perspective. Take time to move around, explore backstreets, or climb up to higher viewpoints to discover hidden angles. 
• Tell a story: Capture not just the highlights but also the small, meaningful moments that convey the essence of your trip.
• Experiment liberally: If you have packed well, your kit should allow you to shoot wide shots, close-ups, and in a variety of conditions. Try different angles and apertures to give your travel shots a feeling of variety. 
• Edit on the go: Using your camera’s built-in WiFi or a card reader, you can edit surprisingly well in apps such as Snapseed, Adobe Lightroom Mobile or PicsArt, while on the go.

What to pack for travel photography and when

Selecting the right camera and accessories is key to successful travel photography. Here are the four main kit types, their advantages, and drawbacks. When it comes to smartphones, most of them boast seriously good cameras, especially if you have a flagship model or even recent mid-range smartphone. Clearly, they are not as good as a dedicated camera, especially in low light, but the convenience is unrivalled. Expensive cameras can make you a target for theft too. In these situations, a smartphone is often a better option, though do take precautions and be vigilant wherever you are.

Compact and bridge cameras are popular among many travellers, especially if you don’t have a fancy smartphone. Cameras like the Panasonic TZ series and Sony RX10 series offer a larger sensor and an extensive optical zoom range. For zoom-hungry travellers, who crave capturing subjects like wildlife or distant subjects, these cameras are hard to beat. Another advantage is that they are much more feature-rich than a smartphone. However, I find they are too middle ground for my taste, and I usually sway towards a mirrorless or smartphone.

My preference is a small mirrorless system, as it blends image quality, low-light capabilities, functionality, and portability. Using the Fujifilm X-series, especially the Fujifilm X-T1, and the Olympus OM-D series, particularly the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, has allowed me to pack light and capture great memories. The Micro Four Thirds format is the most compact, allowing me to pack lenses like the Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 PRO. That gives me a 35mm equivalent of 80-300mm in a small enough package to comfortably carry anywhere.

Then of course there are full-frame cameras, which provide superior image quality, making them the ideal choice for trips where capturing amazing photos is the priority. If I really want to spend time capturing photos, the trade-off between carrying heavy gear and spending time dialling in the settings is a worthwhile one. On trips to Iceland, I took my Canon EOS 5D Mark III, and while camping in the French Alps, I took the Sony Alpha 1 and packed a few versatile lenses. Full-frame cameras like these excel in low-light situations, offer extensive control, and allow you to capture shots that the above options might struggle with.

Gear For Travelling Light

• Mid-Range Zoom Lens: A lens with the 35mm equivalent of 24-70mm is easily the most useful travel companion – especially if you can get an f/2.8 variant. You can shoot everything from street scenes to landscapes and food.
• Wideangle Zoom Lens: A 35mm equivalent 24mm lens is often not wide enough, especially in tight city environments where you want to capture landmarks. Consider a wideangle zoom that fits your camera system. 
• Wildcard Lens: I usually limit myself to three lenses and the third is often something specialist and niche depending on the location. A telephoto zoom lens if I’m using OM-system, a fast prime for portraits or maybe even a macro lens. 
• Padded Camera Bag: Your camera gear can easily get damaged. Pick something that will protect your gear, be easy to carry around and is not immediately obvious it’s full of expensive camera kit. 
• 16GB SD Cards: You shoot a whole trip on a 128GB card, it corrupts on the last day, and you haven’t backed anything up – a photographer’s version of a Stephen King book. Grab some 16GB cards and swap them out regularly to minimise the risk.
• Dual Charger: Having spare batteries and a dual charger is a must. Every major camera brand seems to have an inexpensive dual battery charger that runs via USB. Charging two batteries while you sleep is the way to go. 
• Dust Blower: Cleaning cloths and dust blowers will ensure that your images are not blighted by dirt.
• Travel Tripod: I rarely take a tripod but, in some situations, it’s essential. I like shooting multiple exposures of landmarks and I remove people in post-production.

Read our guide to the best travel cameras and best zoom lenses and best travel tripods for specific recommendations.

What you can do to scale down

It’s important to question the gear you bring. Ask yourself: Will this kit help me take better photos, or get in the way? When I travel, I almost exclusively use a small 30cm bag, the ThinkTank Urban Approach 10. The physicist Richard P Feynman said, ‘The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.’ A hard constraint is a surefire way to avoid kidding yourself that you need a big tripod, drone, 10-stop filter, or gimbal. A camera, batteries, lenses, a charger, memory cards, lens cloth, and a dust blower – these are my only essentials. By questioning your kit, you can ensure you bring only what will truly benefit your photography.

Documenting as you go with a smartphone is liberating. Snap away and edit later. Capture those moments, the food, and the emotions.

Safety and security when travelling

It’s essential to consider the risk of theft, especially in certain countries. Carrying visible, expensive equipment can make you a target. In the Dominican Republic, I kept my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II under my shirt to avoid drawing attention. In Rome, I knew I could get away with shooting most things using just my smartphone, which was far less conspicuous. Adding Apple AirTags to your camera bag can help you to track it if it gets misplaced. It’s also a good idea to add something distinctive to your bag so you can easily identify it; and consider carrying a bag that doesn’t look like a typical camera bag, to avoid drawing attention. Blending in is key and it has the bonus of getting you far more natural people shots too. Win, win! 

Conclusion

Successful travel photography is about striking a balance between the gear you need and simplicity. Too much equipment can become a barrier to creativity, making you less inclined to take photos.

Whether you use a smartphone, compact camera, mirrorless system, or full-frame camera depends on your priorities. If portability is key, a smartphone or compact camera is ideal. For those who want creative control but still value portability, a mirrorless system is a great choice. If images and image quality are the goal, then full-frame cameras are the best choice.

What’s the best camera for travel photography? The one that helps you capture the experiences you care about, without getting in the way. I hope these insights guide your travels and inspire you to take memorable photos – tag me on social media @Cmrileyphoto.

Related reading:

• Enter your travel photos to win in our competition!
• I’m worried travel photography is about to get a LOT tougher
• I may have found the perfect camera for travel & street photography

Follow AP on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Pack light and capture more – What to pack for travel photography? appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

I am regularly told by other photographers that shooting this or that is against the law and that they avoid street photography because they don’t want to get arrested. Sometimes it takes quite a lot of effort for me to convince them that their fears are unfounded. It always makes me wonder where these ill-formed ideas on laws against street photography come from and who spreads them.

Terror threats in the wake of 9/11 and attacks in the UK did make life difficult for photographers. Suddenly, taking pictures in public places was seen as a security risk by some police officers and lots of photographers were wrongfully stopped. Fortunately, that time has passed. It seems, though, the hang-over from those days of suspicion still has an influence on some photographers – though not, it seems, on the public.

Street shooting can capture a time and a place through fashions and behaviour. Shot on a Ricoh GR lll. © Damien Demolder

New vague rules on ‘data protection’ also complicated the picture as well as poorly thought-out moves by X have brought up questions about the rights and expectations of privacy of the public. In truth, despite all the noise, nothing has changed.

We can still photograph almost anything we want to, and we still need to be careful about the context in which those images are used. This article intends to examine the state of street photography today and to reassure you that almost everything you’d like to do you can do.

What is street photography?

The term ‘street photography’ covers a pretty wide range of activities from photographing graffiti on walls to in-your-face pictures of people going about their business. Along the way, it takes in semi-architectural work, portraiture, social documentary, performance and a bit of fine art – depending on what you fancy.

Pictures don’t have to be taken actually in the street as this type of photography can include indoor public places, cafes, beaches, shops, parks, churches and anywhere there is life or human activity.

Protestors often value you shooting them as it helps get the message out. © Damien Demolder

For me, street photography generally includes people. That isn’t an absolute rule, of course, because there are always exceptions. Though I would expect about 99% of my pictures to include, if not an actual person, their shadow or some mark that a person is, or has been, in the scene.

Street photography is an important genre because it provides social commentary for us to see humanity as it is now and how it has been. As much as street pictures can be amusing, visually stimulating and enjoyable to take, they also provide a historic record for now and for later. And of course, great art has its own intrinsic value.

Ethics

I have sometimes encountered other photographers who question the ethics of pointing a camera at people going about their business, and who suggest that it is in itself wrong. When they are reminded that Cartier-Bresson was a street photographer, they say ‘Oh yes, of course’. It is easier to see the value in today’s old pictures than it is to see the worth of new pictures that will one day be old. Where would we be today without the likes of Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, Saul Leiter and Dorothea Lange to look back on?

There is no law that prevents us from photographing anyone in a public place, whatever you read online. © Damien Demolder

The fear of every street photographer

When I visit camera clubs for a street photography talk, one of the first things I ask is, ‘Who here shoots street pictures?’ Depending on the club, the number of hands that get raised varies from none to a very low number. This puzzled me for a while, as I’d been booked to talk about street photography to clubs in which very few photographers were practising it.

After a while, I tried following that question with ‘Who doesn’t shoot street but would like to?’ – and then the majority of hands would go up. With street photography, fear of offending people and uncertainty about how they stand with the law and ethics prevents photographers who would like to go out to shoot from actually doing so.

Those who have been reading this magazine for some time may remember a period in which photographers of all kinds were being stopped by the police when out taking pictures in public. During that time, this magazine, and especially our News Editor Chris Cheesman, worked very hard with the Home Office and police constables to establish exactly what the law was on taking pictures in public places and ensuring that the message got out to the bobbies on the beat.

Street photography doesn’t need to be any more than human life as it happens. © Damien Demolder

The fact was that despite there being a heightened terror alert and a general frenzy of suspicion, there were no laws that meant it was illegal for anyone to take pictures of pretty much anything they wanted to. And when the message finally got out that there were no laws against street photography, street photographers were left alone, and largely remain left alone today. And if it is the fear of what the people you are photographing will feel about it, be reassured that, if you use common sense, they won’t even notice you are there.

Ethics of street photography

As Nick Dunmur of the AOP says, whatever the rules and the law states we can and can’t do, it is more important to make sure we ourselves are happy with our own behaviour when engaging in street photography. We need to self-regulate to ensure that we don’t shoot things, situations and people that leave us feeling uncomfortable or regretful afterwards.

Drunk students enacting Hogarth pictures in Bath – again, capture life as it unfolds. © Damien Demolder

The boundaries for this will be different for everyone because we all have different sensitivities. However, the basic premise is that we really want to avoid feeling ashamed of ourselves.

For me, this means I try not to exploit, make fun of or humiliate anyone. That doesn’t mean I can’t notice and photograph funny behaviour, funny dress sense or funny expressions. But it should all be done to show the human condition and our diversity – and in good humour.

Not exploiting people for me means, for example, that I don’t shoot homeless people – unless in doing so I can help them. If I’m taking a picture of a disadvantaged person just to get the admiration of my viewers, then I’m surely heading down the wrong path.

The trick here is to actually think about what you are doing and not be driven just to think that because you’ve seen pictures of homeless people taken by other photographers that they are fair game. You need to take the situation and your intentions into account. I question myself, and ask, what is motivating me to take this picture? If the answer is anything but pleasant, positive or loving, I don’t press the shutter.

It is not illegal to photograph children – and funny faces can be highly rewarding. © Damien Demolder

The X ban

X’s change in policy that came into play in November 2021 regarding pictures of people whose permission has not expressly been sought is at first quite concerning. As is often the case when businesses are trying to protect themselves, they do so with a sledgehammer when a nutcracker was all that was needed.

As a publisher, X is officially responsible for everything that is posted to the platform, and it doesn’t want to have to deal with claims by people who appear in pictures on the site who don’t want to be there. The easiest method of avoiding such situations is to say that if anyone complains about their appearance in a picture then it will be removed from the site.

This is a pretty poor approach for more than one reason. Firstly, it denies photographers their rights to publish work created in situations that were well within the law, but secondly, it allows people caught in the act of doing something wrong to prevent the evidence from being shared and seen.

Some buildings can be protected by copyright laws but that doesn’t mean we can’t photograph them. © Damien Demolder

In fact, I haven’t heard of any cases where a picture has been taken down because a regular person feels their privacy is being infringed, but I have heard of a lot of cases where complaints are used to hide crimes, corruption and to restrict the freedom of speech of journalists the complainants don’t want to be heard.

Statements from X

I sympathise with X’s sentiments – ‘There are growing concerns about the misuse of media and information that is not available elsewhere online as a tool to harass, intimidate, and reveal the identities of individuals. ‘Sharing personal media, such as images or videos, can potentially violate a person’s privacy, and may lead to emotional or physical harm. The misuse of private media can affect everyone but can have a disproportionate effect on women, activists, dissidents, and members of minority communities. When we receive a report that a post contains unauthorized private media, we will now take action in line with our range of enforcement options.’ – but disagree with the course of action.

In the end, the only way your X account will be suspended is if someone in your pictures complains to X. The chances of a regular person seeing themselves on your account are pretty slim, and the chance is even slimmer of them actually complaining about it. Most of the issues with this policy seem to be in the USA at the moment and affect those covering extremist political activity. It is worth remembering that X is not the only social media platform on which photographers can post their images.

Shot in a covered shopping arcade, this is clearly on private property – but no one was bothered that I was there. © Damien Demolder

Excerpt from March 2024 X update:

You may not threaten to expose, incentivize others to expose, or publish or post other people’s private information without their express authorization and permission, or share private media of individuals without their consent.

Sharing someone’s private information online without their permission, sometimes called “doxxing,” is a breach of their privacy and can pose serious safety and security risks for those affected.

Additionally, posting images is an important part of our users’ experience on X. However, where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in an individual piece of media, we believe they should be able to determine whether or not it is shared. When we are notified by individuals depicted, or their authorized representative, that they did not consent to having media shared, we will remove the media. This policy is not applicable to public figures.

Breastfeeding mothers

It isn’t law yet, but it looks as though photographing breastfeeding mothers without their consent will become illegal in the UK soon. A section of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that’s passing between the Houses aims to add an amendment to the Sexual Offences Act of 2003 to include photographing a breastfeeding mother under the Voyeurism section.

If the bill passes with this section intact, it will be an offence to photograph a mother breastfeeding a child or arranging her clothes to do so, in a public or a private place, if you don’t have her permission. As the amendment will fall under the Voyeurism section of the Sexual Offences Act a degree of sexual gratification must be behind the act of taking the picture. So, if you shoot a scene and accidentally include a breastfeeding mother in the crowd behind your subject, I doubt you will get into trouble. Though, in theory, you may have to prove that you didn’t do it on purpose.

While I’m not a big fan of anything that restricts what we can and can’t photograph, I’m also an advocate of not upsetting, exploiting or making people feel uncomfortable. So, putting photographing unexpecting breastfeeding mothers into the same category as taking pictures up skirts and under toilet cubicles is a good move as far as I’m concerned, and this law will not have any impact on genuine street photography.

Some people are happier shooting pictures where the subject can’t be identified. © Damien Demolder

Private or public property

Street photography on private property is not against the law but can potentially carry its own prohibitions from the owner. Although we can pass from public to private property and back again without really noticing when out in the street, we need to be at least conscious of the difference and what areas are likely to be private. I suppose most of us don’t think too much about whether a shopping arcade in town is private or public property because, for most people, it really doesn’t matter. But, in an arcade, street photographers can be asked to stop taking pictures.

There might be signs up too that explain that photography is prohibited. There may not actually be a sensible reason for the ban on photography, and if you ask you might be told ‘data protection’ or ‘privacy’, but no one will be able to explain it any better than that. However, the reason isn’t as important as the fact that when on private property, the owners can make up the rules. We need to obey them and accept the consequences when we don’t.

Usually, the worst that will happen is that a person in a high-vis jacket will ask you to stop taking pictures, so many feel running that risk makes shooting in these places worthwhile. If you are asked to stop you should, or go and see the manager to see if you can get permission to carry on.

This is a private space that feels as though it is public, so photographers could be caught out. © Damien Demolder

It might be surprising to learn that many buildings are private property not only inside but also within a sometimes large margin outside, too. In the city, the border might be marked by a change of paving or metal studs in a line on the ground. Other areas that appear to be public might also be private, especially in heavily built-up areas.

The Bishopsgate area behind Liverpool Street station in London, for example, is private property, even though it appears to be public. A significant stretch of the Southbank along the Thames is also private. This doesn’t mean that we can’t take pictures in these places, but it does mean if we are asked to stop by the owner or a representative of the owner, then we should do so.

Commercial shoots in these areas will need express permission and usually a fee is payable, but that isn’t required for amateur/tourist photography.

For more tips on how to stay street-smart, click here.

If you’re looking for a great lens for street photography, have a look at the best lenses for street photography, or have a look at the best cameras for street photography. 

Why not try using smartphones for street photography?

Check out some of our top street photography technique guidance:

10 commandments of street photography

Black and white street photography guide

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The post The law around street photography 2024 appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

London-based photographer and visual artist LA Creativity broadened her repertoire into boudoir photography, being already established in shooting portraits and weddings. As the owner of a Canon EOS 5D Mark III she has also been looking at switching to a smaller, lighter mirrorless kit and has been eyeing up the Fujifilm X camera and lens range.

We thought it would be a good idea to introduce LA Creativity to Damien Lovegrove: one of the UK’s most respected boudoir photography practitioners and teachers, he made the transition from Canon DSLRs to Fujifilm some years ago and is something of an X-system expert. We set up a photo shoot in London for Damien and LA with a selection of models and lovely prime lenses.

“I’ve used the full-frame Canon EOS R6 mirrorless camera to shoot weddings, and it’s a great camera,” explains LA. “It’s really fast, and the image quality is great, but I’m drawn to the look, feel and size of the Fujifilm system. The fact that it’s APS-C is not an issue for me – for seven out of the ten years that I’ve been a photographer I’ve used a cropped-sensor Canon DSLR. For me it’s not so much about the sensor, it’s about the glass. If you’ve got good glass on the front then even on a cropped sensor you’re going to get quality images. You may not be able to enlarge them quite so big, but I’m not making billboards.”

The Fujifilm kit they used 

We brought two very different cameras to the shoot for LA to try: a Fujifilm X-T4 and a Fujifilm X-S10. At 465g the X-S10 is considerably smaller and lighter than the 607g X-T4 and leaves a much smaller hole in the wallet. But both cameras feature the same 26MP APS-C sized BSI-CMOS sensor with image stabilisation, and both come with a three-inch articulated screen; though the X-T4 boasts additional features such as a higher-resolution EVF and weather-proofing to justify its higher price.

More importantly, both cameras offer a very different user experience. Whereas the X-T4 follows Fujifilm’s traditional user interface, with 35mm SLR style shutter speed dials and aperture rings, the X-S10 uses the PASM interface more familiar to DSLR users – making it, in theory, an easier camera for users like LA to transition to.

“The X-S10 is just like an X-T4 on the inside, just shrunk,” explains Damien. “It’s a marvel. Okay, you miss out on a few things such as fast burst rate shooting, and you haven’t got two SD card slots – a few small compromises. But if you put the images from both cameras side by side they would be identical.”

Get started with boudoir: How to set up your camera

Our first step, while our models were getting ready, was for Damien to go through how he sets up his cameras for shooting. “The first thing I do is take everything off auto,” he explains. “With DSLRs, there’s this feedback process where you take a picture, look at it, adjust the exposure compensation and repeat. With mirrorless, it shows you the picture before you press the button, and you can see what’s happening in real-time as you adjust the settings, so auto and exposure compensation are completely unnecessary.

“When  shooting on manual you have to decide which, out of the three exposure factors, you’re going to use to adjust the brightness of your image. Let’s assume you want shallow depth of field, so the aperture is wide open. You’re shooting handheld so the minimum shutter speed you’ll want to be working on is 1/125sec, maybe even 1/250sec, to avoid any subject movement.

“So that leaves you with the ISO to adjust the exposure. I’m happy to use any ISO setting up to 6400, or even 12,800. That little bit of texture in the images is great. It isn’t the same as the digital noise you get when you underexpose the picture and then lift the shadows in post-production – that looks horrible. If you get the exposure right you won’t have a problem shooting at high ISOs.”

Damien does not use histograms to judge exposure. “For a lot of what we’ll shoot, the histogram will be misleading,” he says. “With a nice rim-lit silhouette, for example, the levels will all be bunched over in the black and you’ll be thinking it’s way underexposed, but it will actually be perfect; and when we do a high-key shot with the white sheets and the sunlight streaming in we’ll have a really bright, zingy picture but the histogram will be screaming at you. Just use your eyes – if the picture looks gorgeous, it is gorgeous.”

In order to make this process easier, Damien reduces the screen contrast using the Shadow and Highlight levels. ‘This is so that every bit of shadow and highlight detail in the file is there on the screen to see. It makes the picture look a bit flat but it helps you to set the most accurate exposure at the time of taking the picture.’

Get started with boudoir: Black & White tips

Even though we’ll mostly be shooting in black & white, Damien insists on setting the white balance, and chooses 5500K to match the daylight and the settings on the Lupo LED light panel that he has brought with him. “Don’t assume that because you’re shooting b&w it doesn’t matter what the white balance is set to,” he warns.

“It makes a difference to how the tones reproduce in black & white. Also, in the b&w modes, there are optional yellow, red and green filters, which alter how the tones in the scene are reproduced in b&w. The green filter is good for portraits: lips will be darker and more defined, and the skin will look healthier. It does mean pimples and blemishes will be more defined too, but they would be retouched in post anyway. A red filter has the opposite effect. It makes blemishes disappear but the skin can look a bit plasticky. Red lips disappear too but you can fix that by your subject wearing a lipstick with more blue, like plum or purple.”

For the colour shots, Fujifilm offers a wide selection of profiles among its much-lauded film simulation modes, but Damien recommends the Pro Negative Std setting. “It gives the most calm, natural, beautiful skin rendition,” he says. When it comes to focusing he advocates using Single point AF and positioning the AF point manually using the joystick.

Get started with boudoir: Focusing and composition

“With boudoir, we’re often using shallow depth of field- so you have to be really careful with focusing. Take care to align your subject so you’ve got both eyes in focus, or at least a dominant eye. Or sometimes with boudoir, I’ll ask the subject to give me a look that isn’t to camera and then I’ll focus on the mouth. The mouth is where we naturally look when we’re talking to someone, because we’re all lip-reading subconsciously.”

One recommendation that will surprise many is to compose using the vari-angle LCD screen rather than the EVF. “A lot of people think you need to look through the hole because that’s what professionals do. But actually, when photographing people it’s better to use the LCD because you haven’t got something in front of your face.

“It means that when you’re communicating with your subject there’s a much better connection than when you have to keep peeking over the top of the camera. You can be so much more fluid with the movement and position of the camera, which is such a joy. You can vary your shooting angle without having to crawl around on the floor, or stand up on a chair.”

With the cameras set up, Damien hands them to LA and the shoot begins, starting with model Kate Ri. LA has a trio of Fuji prime lenses: the 23mm f/1.4, 33mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.2 – equivalent to 35mm, 50mm and 85mm on full frame. Damien takes charge of positioning the Lupo light – which is set to 4800K to simulate the warmth of evening light with the camera set to 5300K. Kate is a professional model and has worked with Damien before on his workshops; but real-world shoots with paying clients who – like our other model, Naiomi – have less experience in front of the camera, will naturally be more challenging. However, Damien offers a steady stream of tips, gained from his years of experience.

“Always look at the person you’re photographing and work out what their best features are,” he advises. Which is their best side? Don’t be afraid to ask them. Or look at their Instagram. If I see that all the photos of them are from their left side then I know I need to light them from the other side and shoot from that side.

“Some people will focus on what they don’t want to show: ‘I don’t like my legs’ or ‘I don’t want to show my tattoos’– so then you need to think about how to hide body parts by scrunching up the duvet, or playing with a pillow, or using lighting to throw areas into shadow.”

Get started with boudoir: Lighting Tips

One of the biggest revelations for LA was seeing how Damien used lighting. “Previously I’d mainly shoot with natural light,” she admits. “I would go into a room and find the light. But Damien showed how you can introduce lighting to change the mood of the picture, which was really interesting.

“He also made me pay attention to the small things I may not have noticed. For example, turning on the bedside lights to add a bit of atmosphere. I wouldn’t have thought to do that. It was interesting to see how boudoir can very easily lean into ‘glamour’ if you shoot it in a particular way. In order to maintain the style of boudoir, you have to keep the mood sensual rather than sexual, by careful use of lighting, pose and expression.”

Using the LCD screen to shoot was also a new experience. “It was a bit tricky to start with,” she admits, ‘but I got used to it. The vari-angle screen is a game-changer for me. I tend to shoot from a lot of different angles, and you can’t always get your eye down to where you want the camera to be. This would be a must-have feature for me on my next camera.”

Fujifilm X system for boudoir

“What I liked most about this whole kit is that I was able to fit four lenses and two bodies in my bag, and still had space,” she says. “And my bag wasn’t heavy with all the kit in it. That’s definitely a bonus. My Canon is heavy, so you really know it’s there, but on the other hand, it does make you feel more like a pro, whereas using the Fujifilm system does take that feeling away slightly. But it works just as well as the Canon and the pictures are just as good.”

“I liked the size and weight of the X-S10, and the functionality is similar to my Canon, but overall I preferred the X-T4 to use. I felt like I had more control, even though the results of the images looked the same. The X-T4 is more like my Canon in that there’s a dial for everything, so I don’t have to think too much. With the X-S10 you have to press a button and then do something else.

“Also, I found myself accidentally changing settings when I inadvertently brushed the dials. Sometimes I would look and wonder how I’d ended up on this shutter speed – which didn’t happen with the X-T4. And unlike the X-T4 the X-S10 isn’t weatherproof, and I like to shoot outside.

“The only thing I don’t like about the X-T4 is the grip – it’s too small. I need to feel like I’m holding something, and the X-T4 doesn’t really feel safe in my hand – it feels like it could slip.” We should point out that the handgrip issue can easily be solved by adding one of the many third-party grips from companies such as SmallRig that come in a range of styles at a decent price online, and there is also Fujifilm’s own battery grip.

One aspect of the system that LA was especially taken with were the lenses. “Fujifilm has a lot more lenses for its X system than Canon has at present in the R system, and they’re so nice to use. I just loved the 56mm f/1.2,” she enthuses. “That is a beautiful lens. The quality of the images is stunning, especially wide open. It’s essentially the same as my 85mm f/1.4 Canon lens, just smaller. Obviously, you can also use Canon’s EF lenses with the adapter but that just makes it bigger and heavier still.”

Overall the shoot proved beyond doubt that mirrorless is the way forward for LA. “Seeing the exposure and lighting in real-time lets you work quicker and work smarter. You worry less. It takes away the guesswork – what you see on the screen is exactly what you’re going to get.”

Catching up a few days later, having had time to go through the images and think about the experience, LA has decided to make the switch to Fujifilm. “I love the simplicity of it, and the portability, but that you can still get great quality,” she comments. Her biggest problem now is deciding which camera body and lenses to go for – a decision made even trickier by the recent introduction of the X-H2S. Perhaps we need to do another shoot to find out.

Further reading:

• Essential Guide to Lighting and Studio Setup for Boudoir Photography
• Fine-art portrait photography guide
• Best Fujifilm cameras to buy
• Best Fujifilm lenses to buy

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The post Get started with boudoir photography: using Fujifilm kit appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Geraint Radford explains Focus Stacking

Geraint is an Olympus ambassador with a love for macro photography. He hopes that his images may inspire others to care for insects. He regularly posts videos and tips on Instagram. Find him at @geraintradfordmacro

Macro photography lets us explore the magical world of tiny beasts, flora and fauna. I love to photograph live wild insects, yet discourage the use of any practices that could harm these tiny important beings.

When working close to our subjects, the depth of field reduces considerably. The smaller apertures needed to achieve extra depth of field can impact picture quality through diffraction and reduce the faster shutter speeds we need to maintain image sharpness.

What is focus stacking?

Focus stacking is a great solution to this problem. The technique entails shooting a sequence of images at different focusing distances, and using software to blend the sharp areas together into a single file with greater depth of field and better image quality.

By focus stacking, we can use wider apertures with lower ISO numbers to maintain a decent shutter speed. Sounds ideal, but there are a few caveats. For a successful stack, exposure must be consistent and neither we nor the subject can move. Photographing living beings means we won’t have the opportunity to shoot hundreds of frames. The keep rate can be low, but thankfully there are some things we can do to increase our chances of success.

Dawn and dusk are ideal shooting times as the cooler temperatures make creatures easier to approach and less likely to move. Stability is key to successful stacking. My camera has seven stops of in-camera stability, enabling me to shoot handheld. A ground-level tripod may be useful, while a centre column that tilts horizontally will stop the tripod legs from getting in your way.

Diffused flash will give us complete control of our lighting and help reduce camera shake, especially when shooting handheld. My flash and 30cm diffuser is mounted directly above my lens pointing downwards to achieve soft lighting and nice shadows. This also avoids the light shining directly into the eyes of my subjects.

Geraint’s focus stacking kit list

Macro lens

Macro lenses are my favourite invention! Being designed especially for close-up work, they will achieve 1:1 magnification. The longer the focal length, the further from our subject we can be and still achieve maximum magnification. I would recommend at least 90mm for insect photography.

Extension tubes

These work by increasing the distance between the lens and the camera sensor, so we can focus much closer. The downside is that working distance is reduced, and this in turn reduces the depth of field. Ambient light is also lessened, so a combination of artificial light and focus stacking will give great results.

Flash and diffuser

When shooting macro images handheld, a great flashgun with a speedy recycling time will be your best friend. Good diffusion will help with controlling the highlights created by the shiny exoskeletons of our bug buddies.

How to use focus stacking

The depth of field is very shallow in this image and we need more to show this beautiful creature in all its glory. With two sets of extension tubes attached to my 60mm (120mm equivalent) macro lens, an aperture of f/5.6 is the limit before diffraction sets in.

Focusing is achieved manually by composing the shot and then moving the camera towards the subject. Make small adjustments to ensure each image overlaps properly. Using the rule of thirds grid in our viewfinder helps visual alignment. Use them as crosshairs to make sure the focal point remains the same in each picture.

Essential software

There is a good choice of dedicated focus-stacking software available, but Zerene Stacker and Helicon Focus are very popular. Adobe Photoshop does a good job for small image stacks and it’s a great starting point. For the image above, I blended eight images in Photoshop. The fine details and raindrops, which were obscured by the shallow of depth of field, are now magically revealed. On a side note, I was absolutely drenched getting this shot.

Barry Webb on using Focus stacking in slime mould macro photography

Barry Webb specialises in macro photography and is a regular contributor to Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross Camera Club. He gives presentations and leads practical workshops. Visit www.barrywebbimages.co.uk, @barrywebbimages.

Macro photography and, particularly, focus stacking enable you to see intricate details of tiny subjects. I have been taking macro images of insects, plants and fungi for many years, using a full-frame camera with a 90mm macro lens. I started focus stacking five years ago, using a manual-focus rail to allow fine incremental adjustments between shots.

Practically, the addition of a focus rail made my equipment heavier and more cumbersome. Focusing with a focus rail was time-consuming and made it difficult to manoeuvre into restricted positions.

After much deliberation, I decided to try using a Micro Four Thirds system with a 60mm macro lens. I was amazed at the difference it made. The compact and lightweight setup was a pleasure to use. Additionally, the increased magnification of the Micro Four Thirds sensor and fast, accurate, in-camera focus bracketing meant that I no longer needed to use a focus rail.

I now use this system exclusively for focus stacking. I also often use between one and three extension tubes and, on occasions, a Raynox close-up lens. This has allowed me to explore, and become fascinated by, the tiny, beautiful and most unlikely of subjects – slime moulds.

Barry’s focus stacking kit

Lens and extension tubes

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens is very small and light yet extremely sharp. It has a useful focus selector that enables you to select true 1:1 with the flick of a switch. I also use the Kenko Auto Extension Tube Set DG for Micro Four Thirds lenses (10mm and 16mm). These tubes maintain TTL exposure with the 60mm Macro lens and they allow the lens to focus closer and provide more magnification.

Tripod

Focus-stacked images require a stable and manoeuvrable tripod that can get right down to ground level. I use the Gitzo Explorer GT 2531. The separate leg locking levers mean that each leg can be positioned independently, at any angle.

LED Hand lens

I use a Triplet Loupe Hand Lens 10x21mm that has built-in LEDs in a ring around the lens. It allows you to observe fine details in low-light conditions: vital for good composition.

Barry’s top tips for capturing slime moulds 

Composition

Once I have found my subject, I use a 10x loupe to help me work out the best composition. The camera is manually focused and the lens is set to 1:1 as a starting point. The tripod legs are adjusted to the optimum position and the tripod then physically moved until the point of nearest focus is located.

The number of shots and the size of the differential between shots will vary according to the depth of the subject and the number of extension tubes being used. Generally, for slime moulds, I take between 30 and 150 shots. An ISO of 100 or 200 is ideal, as is a relatively wide aperture, at the macro lens’s sweet spot.

Light

I prefer to work in natural light whenever possible. Soft light, cloudy conditions or hazy sunlight all give good results, while changing light causes problems during a focus bracket. In bright sunlight, it is usually necessary to shade the subject as direct sunlight causes specular highlights, particularly on wet or reflective surfaces. A small LED light with a diffuser can be useful as fill lighting when shooting subjects on the underside of logs or in areas of deep shade.

Movement

A reliable tripod and a shutter release are both essential for shooting multi-bracketed shots. The slightest movement at high magnification will ruin a stack. Wind is a real problem. Even someone walking nearby can cause ground movement. Small creatures such as springtails can pass through your frame unnoticed, which can complicate post processing.

Processing

I download the bracketed series to Lightroom, select them all and make basic adjustments to the exposure and white balance. The images are then exported to Zerene Stacker for stacking and retouching. The saved output image is then synchronised back into Lightroom, where I make any final adjustments. Occasionally, I import the image into Photoshop to repair any areas that could not be retouched successfully in Zerene Stacker.

Matt Doogue on close-up insect photography

Award-winning photographer Matt Doogue is a passionate conservationist, tour leader, public speaker, outreach teacher and mental health ambassador. Matt’s work has been published in most of the UK’s leading photographic titles, and has appeared on TV shows such as BBC’s Springwatch alongside Chris Packham. In his spare time, he regularly visits schools to educate children on the importance of our natural world. Visit www.mattsmacro.co.uk

Macro photography is a popular genre among photographers, and is one of the most rewarding. Subjects can be found anywhere from inside our own homes, gardens and of course, the great outdoors. Using a macro lens allows you access to a hidden world the human eye never sees, a world full of detail, colour and design. I have been a macro photographer for several years now and I’m still learning.

When photographing at high magnification with a macro lens, depth of field becomes very narrow, leaving much of the subject out of focus. We can increase our depth of field but this limits our light, so naturally we increase ISO but that just adds unnecessary noise. At high magnification, the increase of these two factors can actually leave your image looking less sharp due to the softening effects of diffraction. However, focus stacking resolves this. While it’s one of the more challenging techniques of macro photography to master, it can yield great results if done correctly.

Matt’s focus stacking kit list

Lens choice

My go-to lens is the Canon MPE 65mm, this allows me to achieve up to 5x magnification. I also use the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro or the Sigma 180mm f/2.8 Macro. I use these when shooting larger subjects such as butterflies, dragonflies or even reptiles.

Flash system

I use the Canon MT24 EX dual flash coupled with the MPE 65mm. When shooting at high magnification, the flash really helps. It’s the perfect combination of kit for this type of shooting.

Matt’s top tips for handheld focus stacking

1. Focus stacking is simply the process of moving the point of focus over your subject in very small increments and taking a photo at each of those points. I set the desired magnification on my lens and turn off autofocus.
2. It’s essential you don’t change this while attempting a ‘stack’ and make sure you have consistent exposure settings that are correct for the scene. I shoot with everything in manual: aperture, shutter speed, ISO and flash power.
3. The sharpest point of most lenses, known as the sweet spot, is around f/8 to f/9, however when it comes to focus stacking, we can drop that to anywhere between f/2.8-f/5.6. This will give us a sharper final stacked image.
4. Setting a wider aperture will also allow more light into the lens, which enables us to lower the flash power for faster flash recycle times. This is crucial in order to maintain a quick firing rate.
5. The flash also increases valuable light levels within the scene and can help freeze any subject movement in the frame. You can stick to natural light, of course, but at high magnifications you will end up pushing the ISO so much that it adds unnecessary noise to your image.
6. Start at the front of your subject and work towards the back. Move forward very slightly to adjust the depth of field and as you watch the point of focus move over your subject, take a shot at each stage. The tiniest of movements is sufficient for this.
7. I shoot the majority of my ‘stacks’ handheld. The key is to stay as still as possible, which is easier said than done! If the subject moves or you move from side to side, stop and start a new stack.
8. While getting to grips with this technique, stick to small stacks. Start off with 2-5 images. Then, once you have mastered this you can go for bigger stacks.
9. Don’t be tempted to fire off a burst of shots. While you may get one or two more stacks, you will most likely end up taking shots at the same point of focus and this will leave your image diffracted once you stack those multiple frames together in software.
10. I prefer to use Photoshop, but you can use dedicated software such as Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker. Loading your files into the selected software of choice will now create a stacked composite of your images. There are plenty of YouTube tutorials to guide you through this process.

Related reading:

• Top Macro Photography Tips
• Best photo editing software
• Top tips for insect photography
• More techniques for pin-sharp close-up / macro photographs

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