Review Digital Camera World 09-16-2013

Digital Camera World

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Beach photography: how to add creative effects in-camera and on the computer Sep 15th 2013, 23:01, by jmeyer In the final instalment of our Shoot Like A Pro series on improving your beach photography we suggest some quick and easy creative effects you can achieve both in-camera and on the computer to enhance your coastal portfolio. Image by Chris Rutter If the range of subjects at the beach isn't enough to get your creativity flowing there are plenty of special effects you can use to get interesting and arresting coastal shots. Some, such as using long shutter speeds, are impossible to recreate after you've shot them, but even with the ones that rely on software manipulation it pays to think about the effect you want before you fire the shutter. While you can apply some effects to photos that you've already taken, it's often an integral part of the whole creative process rather than a quick fix for poor images, so take a look at these techniques, think about which will suit the type of images that you're going to shoot, and give them a try. Tips for adding creative effects to your beach photography Slow shutter speeds From huge waves crashing on rocky shores to the gentle swell lapping onto a sandy beach, the action of the sea is perfect for experimenting with shutter speeds for visual effect. One of the classic effects is to use a slow shutter speed to record the moving water as a dreamy blur, such as in our featured photo at the top of this page. The shutter speed required for a 'milky water' effect will depend on the amount of movement of the water, but as a general rule you'll be looking at an exposure of at least a second. For the really ethereal look where the water is reduced to a silky smooth texture you'll need a shutter speed of 15 seconds or more. This is easy if you shoot after the sun has set or before dawn, but you can also use a strong neutral density filter such as the Lee BIG Stopper or Hoya NDx400 to allow you to get these shutter speeds in brighter conditions. Mastering HDR It can be tricky to capture the huge range of brightness from the sky, sand and water of a typical beach scene. But there's a technique known as high dynamic range photography that enables you to get detail in the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows in a single image. To use this technique you need to shoot at least three images with different exposure settings, so you need to have the camera on a steady tripod to ensure that the images are perfectly aligned. These images are then combined using the 'Merge to HDR' function in Photoshop or by using specialist HDR software such as Photomatix from HDRsoft. It's easy to overdo the effect, though, so take your time using the settings in the software to avoid an over-processed look in your final image. This is easily identified by strong haloes around the details in the image, especially where there's a large change from highlights to shadows.   Image by Chris Rutter Black and white The graphic nature of many coastal landscapes is ideal for black-and-white images. When shooting, look for strong composition elements such as rocky headlands or lead-in lines and interesting textures in the sand, sea and rocks. Abstract concepts The textures and shapes you can find in the sand, rocks and shells on almost any shore make perfect subjects for abstract images. Another option is to shoot just the sea or sky, omitting any other detail or subject to create an image that relies simply on colour for its impact.   Image by Antonio Arcos / Getty Silhouettes and contre-jour The clear, open skies of the coastal landscape are ideal for silhouettes and contre-jour shooting. It's pretty easy to achieve silhouettes – all you need to do is position the subject between you and the light, then expose for the background. Modern multi-segment metering systems will often try to compensate for this, so set centre-weighted metering on your DSLR and use a stop or two of negative exposure compensation to make sure the subject stays completely dark. Graduated neutral density filters Unless you're a Photoshop wizard, graduated neutral density filters, or ND grad filters, are essential for ensuring balanced exposures when the sky is much brighter than the landscape (which is inevitable when shooting sunrises or sunsets). Graduated neutral density filters basically comprise a sheet of glass or resin that's clear at the bottom and shaded at the top – this enables you to expose for the foreground as normal through the clear part of the filter and position the shaded top half so that it sits just above the horizon. The shaded part will darken the bright sky by a set number of stops to give you a more balanced exposure. PAGE 1: How to add creative effects to your beach photography PAGE 2: How to use a tripod at the beach READ MORE Digital camera effects from A-Z 10 reasons your pictures aren’t sharp (and how to fix them) Master your camera’s autofocus: which AF points to use and when to use them Famous Photographers: 225 tips to inspire you Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x review: 12 grand, but worth every penny? Sep 15th 2013, 13:00, by jmeyer The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x costs a small fortune, but look at all you get for 12 grand. Find out how we rate it in our Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS review. What can you expect from a lens that costs about the same as a brand-new small family car? This new Canon goes large in every way, from size and weight to advanced features, clever tricks and professional build quality. The lens is aimed at top-flight wildlife and sports photographers who can't afford to miss vital shots because of inclement weather, so the lens is fully sealed against the elements. It's tough too, with a magnesium alloy construction. One problem faced by both wildlife and sports photographers is that even with a super-telephoto 200-400mm zoom range, sometimes you still can't get close enough to the action – and you can bet that while you're busy fitting an extender, you'll miss the decisive moment. This lens solves the problem with a built-in 1.4x extender, which you engage by flipping a lever at the rear of the barrel. Autofocus itself is a ring-type ultrasonic system. It's whisper-quiet and amazingly fast, even with the extender engaged. A triple-mode image stabiliser delivers a four-stop benefit, with separate modes for normal shooting and panning. Image quality is so good that it's like using a bunch of telephoto and super-telephoto prime lenses, but with all the versatility and convenience of a single zoom lens. Sharpness and contrast are massively impressive, right into the corners of the frame, even when using the lens at its widest available aperture. With its spectacular image quality, big zoom range, and immense telephoto reach, the Canon 200-400mm is the Holy Grail of wildlife and sports lenses. Autofocus is super-fast, the image stabiliser works wonderfully, and build quality is all you could hope for. Sadly, the purchase price is far beyond the reach of most of us, but it'll be a highly attractive option as a lens to hire for special occasions. Price: £12,000 Score: 5/5 READ MORE 49 seriously good Canon DSLR tips, tricks, shortcuts and time savers Canon EOS 100D / Rebel SL1 review Canon EOS 700D / Rebel T5i review Canon EOS 100D vs 1100D: 15 key differences you need to know 10 common exposure problems every photographer faces (and how to fix them)

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