Review Digital Camera World 12-05-2013

Digital Camera World

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See pictures like a professional: what to look for and how to really work a scene Dec 5th 2013, 00:01, by jmeyer To see pictures like a professional photographer you need to know what elements to look for. Discover how to work a scene from top to bottom to make sure you’ve explored every creative angle. Words and images by Mark Hamblin There's a whole lot more to taking a picture than pointing the camera and pressing the shutter. This captures a photograph, but it won't necessarily create a picture – and there is a big difference between the two. For a picture to engage the viewer, the photographer has to combine creativity and technical excellence to capture the perfect moment. But most importantly, you have to learn to 'see' like a photographer – to recognise what will make a great picture and, equally, what won't. Don't convince yourself that a great subject will automatically make a great picture. There are plenty of awful pictures of fantastic subjects; conversely, some of the most amazing images are of ordinary subjects. Above all, effective images need a harmonious combination of lighting, composition and perspective. SEE MORE: The 10 Rules of Photo Composition (and why they work) Practice makes perfect So how do you learn to recognise how the interplay of these vital ingredients combine to make a great picture? This is partly though experience of knowing what has worked before – but first of all, you need to gain this experience, and there is no better way than to just get out there with your camera and practise. We are all naturally drawn towards certain subjects, so you need to give some thought to what type of thing you are most keen to photograph. Then imagine the images that you would like to capture. Inspiration for this may come from looking at other's photographers' work in magazines or on websites. Having a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve is far more likely to reap rewarding shots than by simply wandering around hoping to find something that catches your eye – although that can also work sometimes! Once you've hit upon a subject that inspires you, make the most of it by fully working the situation to maximise your range of images. Often a scene may have an obvious viewpoint, but there are usually a number of different choices available. Have a good walk around with your camera and line up other potential shooting angles. By moving around a location and looking for interesting shooting positions, you are far more likely to capture something that's unusual or eye-catching. SEE MORE: 73 photo locations to shoot before you die If you look at the variety of images taken at any well-known location, you'll notice that it's not just the shooting position or lighting conditions that changes in these pictures – it's also the perspective. This is determined by how close you are to the subject, but also by the focal length of the lens. By simply changing lenses or zooming, it's possible to take a number of completely different shots from exactly the same spot. Try shooting using everything from extreme wide-angle up to telephoto lenses, and see what you can create. Challenge yourself Composition will always make or break an image, so don't just fire away in the hope of getting a good shot. Although there are occasions when you will need to react quickly, it usually pays to take your time, use a tripod and perfect the composition. Small adjustments in the position of the camera can make a big difference to the perspective, especially with a wide-angle lens: just a few centimetres one way or the other can radically alter the shot's composition. Once you've taken the shot, it's important that you critically evaluate it on your camera's LCD monitor and ask yourself: "Can I improve on it?" By constantly challenging yourself in this way, you'll learn to see what makes a great picture, and this will quickly show up in your images. PAGE 1: How to see pictures like a professional PAGE 2: Three tricks for taking a stand-out image PAGE  3: How to compose for consistently great pictures PAGE  4: Tips for spotting better image opportunities READ MORE Golden Hour photography: tips for making magical landscapes at dawn Rule of Thirds: use it and break it with confidence Camera Angles: 5 ways to add impact with unusual perspectives 10 common landscape photography mistakes every photographer makes Sony a3000 review Dec 4th 2013, 10:00, by jmeyer Sony a3000 Review: the Sony Alpha a3000 combines the Alpha and NEX systems in a new entry-level camera But is it any good? Find out in our Sony a3000 review video. The new, entry-level Sony a3000 is yet another step in new ground being blazed by Sony along with its much-heralded Sony A7 and Sony A7R launches earlier this year. SEE MORE: Sony A7R vs Nikon D800: which full-frame camera should you buy? The Sony a3000 has the styling and size of an Alpha DSLT, but uses the E-mount and mirror less design of the NEX range. Here, Amy Davies of our testing team takes a look at what this camera has to offer in her Sony a3000 review video. SEE MORE: Sony A7 / A7R review Sony a3000 Review Video Transcript I’m here to take a look at the Sony a3000. The a3000 marks a bit of a departure from Sony’s traditional E-mount NEX cameras, dropping the NEX name and featuring a chunky, DSLR style design, although it feels a bit like a bridge camera. This grip here makes it easy to use the camera, even though it is supplied with an 18-55mm lens, which is significantly larger than the 16-50mm kit lens found on cameras such as the NEX-3N. On the top of the camera is an elevated mode dial for accessing different exposure modes, including fully automatic, scene modes, fully manual and semi-automatic modes. There’s also a panoramic mode accessed from here. There are relatively few buttons on the camera, an indicator of the beginner market that this camera is aimed at. On top of the camera, you’ll only find the shutter release, EVF/LCD button and the playback button. On the back of the camera, as is common with Sony cameras, a lot of these buttons are are customizable, depending on which settings you want to use most often. By default, one of the buttons accesses the main menu, which is the standard NEX menu system, which we’ve found can be a little frustrating to use at times. Another default option is for the right directional key to access ISO, but you can change this to access a kind of quick menu, which also includes sensitivity. It’s a useful menu which can customised to include the settings you find yourself changing most often. This scrolling dial here is used for navigating through settings while in the menu, or altering aperture or shutter speed when in standard shooting mode. Unlike most A-mount cameras, there is no dial on the grip for changing these settings. Changing the AF point requires some effort as there’s no touchscreen. First of all, you’ll need to set the autofocus area to flexible spot in the main menu. This will make this soft key the access button for changing the focus point. Press this and then scroll around the frame using either the dial or the directional keys. It’s not the quickest, so you may find setting the AF point to the centre and focusing and recomposing less frustrating when capturing quick moving action. The screen has a pretty low resolution by modern standards, at just 2222 dots. It displays a fair amount of noise, especially when shooting in lower light conditions, which can be a little distracting. This screen is joined by an electronic viewfinder. It’s a nice addition for an E-mount camera. Unfortunately though, there’s no sensor on the eye-piece for detecting when the camera is lifted to the eye, meaning you’ll need to press this button here to switch between the two, which is a little disjointed. The button’s position is also a little awkward to reach. In terms of build quality, the a3000 is a fairly cheap and cheerful camera, which is reflected by its current retail price. Image quality however is very impressive, as we’ve come to expect from Sony sensors, so you get good value for money. READ MORE 32 things photographers say… and what they actually mean Banish bad pictures: 9 quick fixes for common camera complaints 44 essential digital camera tips and tricks 10 ways to drive a photography snob mad 10 common exposure problems every photographer faces (and how to overcome them)

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