Photography

In what is now a much more timely article than when he spoke to us several weeks ago, award-winning press photographer Cathal McNaughton draws on his experience photographing the annual Orange Parades in Belfast and explains how he stays safe while getting the pictures he needs.

PM: How long have you been photographing the Orange parades?

I’ve been shooting the Orange parades for 16 years, give or take the odd year when I’ve had another assignment. The problem is there is always the potential for trouble.

At the start of the day you never know what time you will finish or if the job will run on for a few days. In the past two or three years the trouble has really escalated.

PM: How do you plan where to be along the route?

There is a formula to these events that you eventually figure out. In the last two or three years there has been one contentious parade that goes through Ardoyne, which is a largely Catholic, nationalist district in north Belfast.

Because of this, it is often the starting point for any trouble, because the residents aren’t happy about the Protestant Orangemen marching so close to their homes. I aim to get to Ardoyne for 7.30am and park my car in a safe area before the roads are blocked off by police.

At this point I prepare myself for any trouble, but often this procession passes off fairly quietly. Despite the obvious potential for conflict, people are more relaxed in the morning. They may be in bed or having their breakfast at 8am – it’s easier to ignore [the parade].

If nothing happens, I’ll then go elsewhere in Belfast and photograph the parade as normal, almost like a news feature. I look for pictures of people enjoying themselves. But all the while I’m careful to stay in the central Belfast area in case something kicks off at a parade elsewhere in Northern Ireland and I need to leave quickly.

Then in the early evening I go back to Ardoyne to wait for the return leg of the parade. This is when most trouble tends to happen. By the evening, people have had all day to ‘celebrate’, so there is more potential for trouble. And this has been the case for the past three years.

Last year on 12 July, when these pictures were taken, residents began blocking the road and trouble ensued. Riot police got involved to try to keep the two sides separate. People began throwing stones, and very quickly it escalated into cars being hijacked and set on fire, petrol bombs and more.

PM: What goes through your mind when it kicks off?

It’s important to try to stay calm, because you get caught up in the moment. Your instinct when adrenalin kicks in is to rush around and shoot lots of pictures. But then you’ll look at the back of your camera and realise you don’t have anything good.

So I make myself slow down and remember to pick my shots. I have to be quite clinical. It’s hard, though, to avoid getting overly excited when people start throwing petrol bombs, and bricks and bottles crash beside you.

The hardest part is being aware of your surroundings at all times, yet disciplined enough to choose your pictures carefully.

PM: Where is it best to be when violence breaks out?

These running riots can be very fluid, moving from street to street very quickly. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll be caught suddenly in no-man’s-land. Avoid at all costs getting caught between the rioters and the police, as you’ll risk being injured from both sides.

Strangely, it is best to be among the rioters or slightly off to their side. Unless police start firing baton rounds, they’re not going to be throwing any missiles. So if you are standing close to the people who are hurling missiles, you won’t be hit by them.

You have to be aware, though, that in these tense situations people can change their moods very quickly. Amid the trouble, there are moments of great humour and excitement among the rioters, but this can turn to anger in an instant. If they suddenly don’t want you there, you have to run. So I try to read their body language as the situation unfolds.

To see the full article and more of Cathal's images from the Orange , pick up the September 2011 issue of Photography Monthly

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Low light photography

How many times have we heard the old adage that ‘photography is all about light’? Thousands, but it’s true – light makes all photographs. When there’s an abundance of good quality light, there’s no denying that it becomes easier to take a good picture. That doesn’t mean you have to stop shooting when the light starts to disappear or avoid low-light photography altogether, though; things just get a bit trickier and you have to know how to set your camera up to make the most of the failing light.

Armed with the right techniques and advice you can explore the possibilities opened up by low-light conditions and get some enviable shots that wouldn’t be achievable in conventionally perfect lighting conditions.

Below we meet four professional photographers who actively seek out low light in their daily work and are keen to share their photography tips for making strong images when the light is weak.

Danny Payne, music photographer

Image © Danny Payne

Low light Photography Tip 1: Shoot manual

Assisted exposure programs can be useful, especially if you've only got a three-song limit and don't have the time to get your settings right. But the results can often be sketchy, so you shouldn’t rely on them.

If you shoot manual and monitor your exposure in the viewfinder, you can tweak your settings on the fly and you're safe in the knowledge that some random strobe isn't going to drop your exposure into darkness.

Low light Photography Tip 2: Single point AF

When shooting with a fast lens in dark conditions, getting sharp shots can prove tricky. Shooting at f/2.8 gives you an increased depth of field, so you need more control over what you're focusing on.

Using single-point AF allows you to focus on a specific point, so you can get a clean shot of an artist’s face rather than the guitar headstock.

Low light Photography Tip 3: Get a grip

Instead of holding your lens with your thumb and forefinger, hold bigger/heavier lenses like a bowl of soup – cradle in your hands, so that the lens is held by all of your fingertips, over a large area of the lens, to distribute the weight.

You should notice a real difference to the clarity of your shots when you start using this technique. Remember to also keep your elbows in to reduce lens shake.

Low light Photography Tip 4: Keep an eye out

Shoot with both eyes open. It’s a tricky skill to master, but watching the action on stage with both eyes allows you to use your left eye to monitor what's going on that your lens can't see.

Low light Photography Tip 5: Geek up on YouTube

If the band you’re shooting is in the middle of a tour, why not see what footage is kicking around on the internet? Knowing what to expect helps you to prepare - where people will be stood, what the lighting will be like in each song and so on. The more prepared you are, the better.

Low light Photography Tip 6: Listen

Pay attention to the music while you’re shooting. When the music builds to a key point in the song, you can normally expect someone in the band to react with a jump or some form of energetic expression.

Generally, lighting tends to follow the same pattern as the song, so when you hear a massive chorus of a band’s anthem, expect the lights to be at their best too.

Low light Photography Tip 7: Find the lights

Understanding your environment is key to great music shots. Before a show, find out where the main lights are so you can position yourself accordingly and make the most of their effects.

Low light Photography Tip 8: Know your enemy

Microphones are evil. Sometimes it's better to shoot key figures away from the microphone for a few reasons. Firstly, more often than not microphones act as a magnet for auto-focus. Secondly, you can often get some more unique and natural shots of people when they're not singing.

Bear in mind everyone else shooting the same gig as you will have a picture of the singer singing, but what they might not have is the cheeky grin he throws at the guitarist when he notices he's messed up his solo…

Low light Photography Tip 9: Get familiar

You need to know your camera inside-out to be able to make changes to your camera quickly - you don't want to miss a great shot because it’s taken you too long to change settings.

If possible, take two cameras into the pit, so you have a backup should something go wrong.

Low light Photography Tip 10: Be artistic

Sometimes tough light forces you to push the envelope slightly and can result in more creative and expressive shots. Strobe lighting, silhouettes and lens flare are just a few things that regularly occur at gigs, so it's worth using these instead of waiting for a burst of white light on the vocalist that may never appear. You need to make the most of the situation you are in, and utilise all possible light to get something special.

Photo

Danny Payne is a freelance music photographer based in West Yorkshire. See more of his work and find out about future exhibitions at www.dannypaynephotography.com

Kristopher Grunert, architectural photographer

Image © Kristopher Grunert

Low light Photography Tip 1: Bring a friend

Before heading out, make a conscious decision as to whether or not you should invite anyone else along. A solo mission can be rewarding, but collaboration is also invigorating.

Safety should always be deciding factor, so if you choose to go out alone, be sure to always tell someone your destination and when you plan to return.

Low light Photography Tip 2: Pack well

Besides the necessary camera equipment and accessories, be sure to bring water, appropriate clothing, and perhaps a snack. You should feel comfortable, so that you are able to focus solely on the image-making process. If you are hot or cold, hungry or thirsty you may not find inspiration in your subject, even if it’s there.

Low light Photography Tip 3: Find the light path

When you arrive at the location for your shoot get familiar with the proper orientation of the site in relationship to the path of the sun and/or moon. You don’t necessarily have to have a compass, but it does help.

When necessary, I use the SunSeeker app on my iPhone, which accurately illustrates the path of the Sun and Moon at any one place on a given day. The light should lead you and your curiosity should propel you. Observe it, learn and remember. Trust your intuition as it guides you around or through the structure.

Low light Photography Tip 4: Compress

You will be using longer exposures because of the lack of light, so be aware that you are essentially compressing time onto a single frame. Think of how you can use this technique to make a more exciting photograph.

It is important to eliminate any camera movement, so use a sturdy tripod and a shutter release to reduce camera shake. I use a remote release and set the delay timer appropriately to make sure my images are sharp.

If your exposure is between 1/60sec and 5 seconds you may also want to use mirror lock-up to avoid any internal camera vibration.

Low light Photography Tip 5: Use your car

Try capturing the movement of light. Vehicle headlights can even make a cookie cutter warehouse look interesting. If there are no vehicles, have a friend drive through your scene a few times.

Low light Photography Tip 6: Multiple exposures

Take multiple exposures without moving your tripod. Personally, I don't use dedicated HDR software but from time to time I will layer two exposures together and use a layer mask to paint in areas of the image that exceed the latitude of a single exposure.

Low light Photography Tip 7: Shoot in all weather

Don't be afraid to shoot in the rain. If it's not pouring there will be minimal softening of image, and surface reflection will add drama to your shots. Protect your camera but don't hesitate to take an exposure or two if a few drops land on your lens, it can also add interest.

Low light Photography Tip 8: Shoot raw

We say it a lot, but people often forget. Always shoot raw so that you can adjust white balance later, if needed. This maximizes your chances of getting more ‘keeper’ shots.

Low light Photography Tip 9: Move fast

If shooting at dusk the light will remain longer in the West. Work around the building shooting from East to West.

If you’re shooting pre-dawn, then West to East. Remember the light changes very quickly during these times so be prepared to move fast.

Low light Photography Tip 10: Unwanted water

Beware of lawn sprinklers! They are often scheduled to turn on after dark and can give you quite a shock!

Photo

Canadian photographer Kristopher Grunert uses line, atmosphere, movement and light to create his stunning architectural images. See more of both his commercial and personal work at www.grunertimaging.com, signup to his mailing list at www.grunertimaging.com/mailinglist, or buy yourself a limited edition print at www.editions.grunertimaging.com

Miss Aniela, portrait photographer

Image © Miss Aniela

Low light Photography Tip 1: Keep it steady

Because one of most important considerations in low-light photography is the shutter speed, it is important that the camera is as steady as possible to avoid camera shake. As a general rule, for sharp images you should use a tripod when the shutter speed is greater than the inverse of the lens focal length (for example, if you are using a 50mm lens and the shutter speed is 1/50 or longer). A tripod is also important when shooting multiple images of the frame when you might want to give yourself the option to incorporate several exposures.

Low light Photography Tip 2: Go slower

In my work I don’t always want to obtain ‘correct’ focus/sharpness, and I often purposefully shoot at a slower shutter speed than the norm for the context to obtain a painterly effect of movement within the camera. You can see this effect in my image ‘An impromptu performance’, which I shot on f/2.8, focal length 14mm with a shutter speed of 1/15 sec.

The dress’s brushstroke-like effect on this self-portrait was achieved in-camera, by jumping into the air as the shutter released on a timer. It also gave a soft look to the edges of the figures, which is common in any kind of relatively long exposure, and can instantly create a timeless look.

Low light Photography Tip 3: Improvise with light

If you are using only ambient light it can be fun to explore the different ‘improvised’ lighting sources that can be incorporated into an image - candles, lamps, and torches for example.

‘An impromptu performance’ was shot only with the light from the overhead ceiling fitting in a dark corridor at home. The final composite was created by bringing together three figures all shot in the same spot, and processing the whole image to make the whole surroundings appear darker, giving a final result a similar look to the figures in a Degas painting.

Low light Photography Tip 4: Dress light

When you are shooting with any kind of low lighting, especially if you are making use of ambient light or ‘improvised’ light sources, it is appropriate to shoot with outfits that are pale or white, and that will effectively reflect that ambient light available.

The same principle can apply to pale/white flesh, which is why it is interesting to experiment with nudes in low light. In my picture ‘Something moved her’, the model was wearing a white flowing dress which suited the low light and the sense of movement in the image which would not have been so dramatic with a darker outfit, and resulted in an ethereal, angelic appearance.

Low light Photography Tip 5: Use a reflector

A source of light in a low-key situation could be a waning sunset, or a beam of light from a skylight, which can be transformed with the strategic use of a reflector. A reflector can take that small amount of diffused light entering the scene and point it back at the subject, even and diffused, making the subject stand out against a dark background even more, exaggerating the light falloff.

One situation that I found effective was when I was shooting a nude in a sheltered piece of woodland that had light entering thinly from the treetops straight up ahead. Bouncing the light back at the body had a dramatic effect on the tone of the flesh and really emboldened the whole image.

Low light Photography Tip 6: Use motion

Slow shutter speeds combined with motion, either subtly or more dramatically to really distort and fragment a person, is a vastly intriguing terrain to explore in all kinds of lighting. In low lighting, though, there is the added artistic dimension of capturing motion blur in your images which can be used to creative effect, even as one composited part of an image, and not always the entire frame.

In ‘Something moved her’, I had the model move her dress on both sides and then I shot her standing still so I could bring together the static body and moving skirts into one frame, as layers in Photoshop.

Low light Photography Tip 7: Shoot HDR
What if you want to shoot a static sharp portrait, but not with a dark background? Why not shoot more than one exposure to bring together into the same image? This is the notion of HDR images, where shorter and longer exposures are combined to make an even distribution across shadows and highlights in a frame.

This is particularly appropriate when shooting high-contrast situations with dark areas in the frame, rather than a completely dark scene overall. Set your camera to auto-bracketing mode and use a tripod. The exposures can be merged in Photomatix or in Photoshop’s ‘Merge to HDR’ function (for more on how to make subtle HDR images, see page 36 of this issue).

Low light Photography Tip 8: Composite different pieces

My shot ‘Suspended’ uses the principle of HDR to tackle a difficult lighting situation. I was shooting a trick image of a girl hanging, under a spotlight on a theatre stage, which was very bright in comparison to the dark auditorium around.

However, shooting three exposures resulted in too much ghosting around the hanging girl. Instead, I simply shot the model in one shot exposed for the spotlight, and shot one longer exposure for the background, with my camera mounted on my tripod between the shots. I merged the background into the final image as a layer mask in Photoshop.

Low light Photography Tip 9: Split-light with flash

One of the ways I use flash lighting in a low-key image is to position the flash to one side of the subject, in a split-lighting technique, which has the advantage of heightening their stature and giving a cinematic atmosphere, but with relative subtlety.

I shot ‘In the laboratory’ in this manner, positioning a TritonFlash light inside a room to the right in this abandoned building, so that it entered the dark corridor in the same manner of the dim natural light that was coming in from that doorway. It is a way of injecting enough illumination into the scene to give the subject’s eyes catchlights without appearing too dramatic.

Low light Photography Tip 10: Constant lighting

I consider constant lighting to be an exciting continuation of all those improvised tungsten sources I’ve liked to use in the past, but a more controlled way of illuminating a scene by eye.

I shot ‘Hook’ with a constant light positioned to one side, which dramatically lit the model in a high-contrast fall-off from one side of her to the other. One side of her remained almost in shadow, with a distinctive gleaming blue eye, which complimented this eerie fashion portrait well. I make sure for fashion portraits like this that I change my white balance to ‘tungsten’ when shooting with constant light.

Photo

Internationally exhibited photographer and published author, Miss Aniela, runs workshops teaching the construction of a trick-levitation image, from shoot to edit. Miss Aniela also runs ‘Shoot Experiences’ inviting photographers of all levels to shoot a range of fully styled models in large locations. Shoot your own fashion portraits with a range of lighting techniques, guidance on hand. Everything from props to lighting equipment and lunch is supplied, and most importantly, full rights release to your images. The next Shoot Experience is taking place on 22nd October in London. For prices and booking on Miss Aniela’s event please email contact@missaniela.com or see www.missanielablog.com/events

Jason Swain, landscape photographer

Image © Jason Swain

Low light Photography Tip 1: Invest in equipment

If one of the more expensive prime lenses is beyond your budget, consider the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 - it's a versatile lens and still the first one in my bag.

It offers great value for money, even after all these years. Shooting at such a wide angle (10mm) really grabs a lot of sky, making the most of any available light out there as well as giving you that ultra-wide look.

Low light Photography Tip 2: Dramatic mono

When the colour is draining from the sky, abandon colour shots and go for dramatic black & whites instead. If you’re having trouble visualising what your landscape will look like in mono, set the picture style to monochrome in Live View mode and preview how it will look.

Low light Photography Tip 3: Filter it

ND filters are useful for retaining details in the foreground when shooting into a relatively bright sky, so always carry a set with you. Don’t be afraid not to use them however. Shooting without them will help to silhouette foreground features for dramatic effects in low light shooting.

Low light Photography Tip 4: Increase your speed

When using a shallow depth of field to focus on foreground items and create bokeh, increase the shutter speed to let in less light and retain the low-light look and feel of your scene.

Low light Photography Tip 5: Ditch the tripod

Most people will tell you that to take great landscape shots you need to use a tripod and that for successful low light shots they are imperative. Well, I very rarely use one, except for long exposures, favouring instead the freedom that handholding gives me.

Low light Photography Tip 6: Handhold properly

Faster and brighter lenses and higher shutter speeds really help when you are capturing low-light landscapes. Don’t forget to try the different IS (OS) modes on your lenses too.

If you haven’t got a lens with that option, you can always use the ground or wall as a makeshift tripod, with the added bonus of also getting a unique point of view for the shot.

Low light Photography Tip 7: Create composites

Sometimes I like to create composite landscapes in low light. Experimenting is key to success here. If you want focus to remain consistent, then shoot at a lower shutter speed for the darker areas, but you can also try the same shutter speeds with different aperture settings to manufacture a depth of field that might normally be beyond your lens’ capability.

Low light Photography Tip 8: Accept some underexposure

Remember with low light landscapes the whole point is to embrace the gathering darkness and celebrate the last rays of light and the reflections on the waters surface.

Don’t use fill-flash, just accept that some areas will stay underexposed. You’re interested in the highlights and having them remain natural and for the whole scene to feel natural, moving away from the computer generated feel of HDR imagery.

Low light Photography Tip 9: Don’t rush

Don’t rush into your shot, I often like to sit and enjoy the sunset before getting the camera out, only taking pictures once the sun has gone below the horizon. This also helps me notice the little details that I want to later include in my composition.

Low light Photography Tip 10: Use reflections

I’m not necessarily looking for perfect symmetry when I include reflections, but I do often use the reflections to help create leading lines and draw the eye to where I want the focus of the shot to be.

Photo

Based on the Isle of Wight, Jason Swain specializes in fine art landscapes and action/lifestyle photography with the common theme of the islands beautiful coastline. See more of Jason’s portfolio at www.jasonswain.co.uk.

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Vivian Maier

In October 2009, John Maloof, a 28-year-old estate agent living in Chicago, posted an enquiry on the ‘Hardcore Street Photography’ Flickr page. “I purchased a giant lot of negatives from a small auction house here in Chicago,” he wrote. “It is the work of Vivian Maier, a French-born photographer who recently passed away in April of 2009.

“I have a ton of her work (about 30-40,000 negatives) which ranges in dates from the 1950’s-1970’s. I guess my question is, what do I do with this stuff? Is this type of work worthy of exhibitions, a book? Or do bodies of work like this come up often? Any direction would be great.”

Maloof’s tentative request for information and opinions, with a link to his Vivian Maier website, led to the first significant interest in Vivian Maier’s extraordinary body of work. Within hours, he had hundreds of replies, including offers of book deals, exhibitions and even documentary films. It was the beginning of one of the most intriguing photography stories to emerge in recent years.

Soon the explosion of web interest led to TV and newspaper coverage, then the first exhibitions of Maier’s photographs. Now Vivian Maier’s work has come to the UK and a selection of her vast archive was recently on show at the Photofusion gallery in Brixton, south London.

© Vivian Maier / Maloof Collection

Why is the photographic community so excited about Maier’s work? Brett Jefferson Stott, Director of the London Street Photography Festival and responsible for bringing Vivian Maier’s exhibition to the UK, says the enthusiasm shown for her work is due to its irresistible mixture of the quality of her images and the mystery which surrounds her life.

First, there’s the content of her images. “She possessed a wonderful photographer’s eye and didn't discriminate,” he says. “She focuses on the poor and wealthy in equal measure. She made photos of mink-coated women and the cracked heels of a destitute pensioner - her photographs depict an honest America, warts and all.”

Vivian Maier’s work isn’t just interesting in terms of subject-matter; she was also highly skilled in her use of the camera (most often a Rolleiflex) and her images are technically accomplished. “Maier possessed a deep understanding of composition and lighting,” Stott continues. “I am told her strike rate was quite high. I have the impression that she did not posses the best of people skills yet she commanded an orchestra of intense complexity from behind her camera.

“She interacted with her subjects and this is a defining factor for me in her resulting images. Perhaps because she was a woman and because she took pictures from the waist, she was unthreatening and opened up possibilities beyond her male counterparts.”

Running alongside the appreciation of her work is the puzzling enigma of Vivian Maier herself: a solitary woman who worked as a nanny, who appeared to have no friends and who photographed obsessively but never showed it to anyone; someone who died alone, with little money and her artistic talents completely unrecognised.

“She literally lived her life through her photographs,” says Stott. “You can imagine her thoughts and aspirations through her subjects - the poor people in her pictures reflecting her own background and the rich her employers. Vivian Maier’s work epitomises the essence of Street Photography, in that it celebrates the ordinary as extraordinary and champions the beauty in the everyday.”

Nick Turpin, founder of the In-Public group of Street Photographers, agrees. “The first time I saw the work of Vivian Maier I immediately recognised the work of a fellow Street Photographer,” he says. “She was a quiet ghost wafting along the sidewalk unhurried, unnoticed and unremarkable, pausing just long enough to record a moment of the mundane street and in her own way elevate it into something special and beautiful.

“The work is quiet, composed, simple, beautifully consistent and made with such apparent ease. She undoubtedly had a remarkable talent that is rare to find, which was coupled with a clear, almost compulsive, passion for the medium. Like a typical Street Photographer, Maier didn’t conceptually burden herself; she simply used and celebrated whatever she found.”

How does Vivian Maier compare to the major photographers of her generation who photographed on America’s streets – Robert Frank, Lisette Model, Diane Arbus or Harry Callahan? “I see Vivian as a one-off,” Turpin says. “It’s very difficult to compare her to others of her generation and yet retrospectively she is as significant and as important as the very best of them.”

With the excitement generated amongst fellow photographers, a book being written and a documentary film in production, plus the fact that countless more unseen Vivian Maier images are yet to be revealed, it seems likely that her posthumous fame is only likely to increase.

© Vivian Maier / Maloof Collection

Discovering Vivian Maier: how it all started

In 2005, John Maloof, president of the historical society in northwest Chicago, was working on a book about his local neighbourhood. He needed local pictures to illustrate it and one day in 2006 attended a furniture and antique auction which included items from a storage locker that had been repossessed for non-payment of bills. The elderly female owner, he was told, was ill and living in a nursing home.

One of the items was a box which contained negatives and Maloof recognised some local landmarks in the pictures. Thinking that the box may contain useful architectural images, he took a chance and bought it for $400. Other boxes from the same storage locker were sold to different buyers.

When Maloof began examining the negatives in detail, he found there were disappointingly few images that would be of use in his book and put the box aside. Yet something drew him back to the negatives and he eventually began to scan them.

Although no photography expert, he could see that these images of everyday street scenes and informal portraits, many of them humorous or poignant, were not just any amateur photographer’s work.

In April 2009, after finding the name ‘Vivian Maier’ on a photo-lab envelope in one of the boxes, he typed the name into Google. It came up with one entry, an obituary in the Chicago Tribune for Maier, who had died three days earlier, aged 83. The obituary painted a picture of an interesting, active and fondly-remembered woman. It said:
“Vivian Maier, proud native of France and Chicago resident for the last 50 years died peacefully on Monday. Second mother to John, Lane and Matthew. A free and kindred spirit who magically touched the lives of all who knew her. Always ready to give her advice, opinion or a helping hand. Movie critic and photographer extraordinaire. A truly special person who will be sorely missed but whose long and wonderful life we all celebrate and will always remember.”

The few clues which this and other obituaries contained later enabled Maloof to gradually piece together at least some of Maier’s life story. At the same time it was enormously disappointing for him not to have met the woman whose work fascinated him.

He gradually bought up other material which had been sold at the original auction. Eventually he became the owner of a large proportion of the Maier archive, comprising between 100,000-150,000 negatives, over 3,000 prints, some home movies and audio tapes, plus personal items including clothing and her collection of photography books.

Up to a third of the negatives he bought were still on the rolls which came out of the camera. Even Maier hadn’t seen them; it seemed that the act of taking the photographs itself was enough for her. The remainder of Maier’s work was bought by collector Jeffrey Goldstein, who owns approximately 15,000 negatives, 1,000 prints and 30 home-made movies.

The sheer size of Maloof’s collection means that at the current rate at which he and his colleagues are scanning negatives, it’s likely to take several years before all Maier’s work is seen.

“There’s so much work I’m doing that sometimes it’s overwhelming to the point that I have anxiety about how much there is to do, and how little I’ve done with all the work I’ve put in,” Maloof said in an interview for US TV show ‘Chicago Tonight’. “Sometimes I have moments when I think, it’s amazing that I’m doing this, that someone like me is doing this.”

© Vivian Maier / Maloof Collection

Vivian Maier: a brief biography

Vivian Maier was born on 1 February, 1926. She was born in New York City, but grew up in France. She began taking photographs with a Box Brownie in 1949. In 1951, aged 25, she returned to America and began working as a nanny in New York. She continued photographing in her spare time and bought a Rolleiflex camera the following year.

In 1956 she moved to Chicago for to work as a nanny to the Gensburg family. Here she made her own darkroom but when she moved on to work for other families, the undeveloped rolls accumulated. Her later work, which continued until the mid-1990s, was mainly shot in 35mm on a Leica IIIc and usually in colour.

She was generally described as an outspoken woman with strong liberal views who liked to keep herself private. As she got older she hoarded large numbers of items including newspaper cuttings and random objects she found in the street. In later years she had a period of homelessness and her health declined significantly after she fell on some ice in 2008.

She died in a Chicago nursing home on 21 April 2009.

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Speed

It’s an integral part of exposure, but shutter speed can also be harnessed for its creative opportunities, allowing you to turn run-of-the-mill subjects into exceptional, artistic images.

Your shutter speed equips you with the ability to freeze time – whether that is a long shutter speed to make the most of a waterfall or employing a blazingly fast speed to catch the detail in the wings of a bee in mid-flight. However, in this feature we go beyond these basic principles and explore the creation of mood and feeling through a range of pro techniques.

Below, five professional photographers across a range of genres offer their best tips for creative shutter speed in portraiture, sport, landscapes, motoring and painting with light. Discover exactly how they use shutter speed to show subjects at their best, create ambience and ensure their images stand out from the competition. Prepare to be inspired.

Creative shutter speed in portraiture

Lara Jade 

Image © Lara Jade

Shutter Speed Tip 1: Enhance mood
To make a creative conceptual piece use a slow shutter speed; try around 1/2sec, 1/4sec or 1/8sec to create a blur on or around your subject. You will see this enhances the mood and also lets in more light, giving a ghost-like appearance. This technique works best on fine-art pieces or photographs replicating an antique look. Remember to use a tripod if you have trouble holding your camera still.

Shutter Speed Tip 2: Ghostly effects
To create a full ghost-like effect keep your camera on a tripod, shoot in low light and try various shutter speeds. Use the Bulb setting on your camera, with a low aperture and a high ISO; the grainier the better. The key to this tip is experimentation; you will need to test different situations to find the right picture. Once you have found a good combination, photograph your subject in a number of different poses.

Shutter Speed Tip 3: Make the most of movement
Freeze-frame your subject in motion by using a fast shutter speed. Try capturing a dancer during a fast move, or taking a portrait where your subject moves their hair from side to side and you catch the movement in the flow. Capturing movement in this way is far removed from what the naked eye can see, so it creates a visually stunning piece.

Shutter Speed Tip 4: Master rear curtain sync
A more advanced technique is either using a flashgun or studio flash head that supports rear curtain sync (meaning that the flashgun fires slightly before the shutter closes rather than when it opens).
Using rear curtain sync allows you to make a creative blur trail of light, but your flash (from the gun or light) is capturing your subject in focus as well. You will need to use either a flashgun or studio flash head that supports rear curtain sync. Experiment to get the right ambience of light between the subject and the light trails. Results can be amazing when you master this technique – keep going with it.

Shutter Speed Tip 5: Use your zoom
Zoom blur, created by focusing on your subject and then zooming in and out very quickly can be a good technique for portraits. You need to employ a slow shutter speed to capture the zoom movement; focus on your subject first and then zoom in and out on your lens. Also try combining this effect with your subject moving back and forth, for some more interesting effects.

Shutter Speed Tip 6: Speed composites
Combine various shutter seed techniques by compositing images in Photoshop. Try combining your ‘fast’ mid-motion shots with your blur shots to create an artistic piece. Another idea is cloning your subject so you have more than one of them in the same image.

Lara's Kit
Lara shoots with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 85mm f/1.2, 50mm f/1.4 and 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses. When working in the studio Lara uses either Broncolor or Bowens lights, mixing ambient or flash light. On location she uses purely natural light or Sunbounce reflectors. 

Photo

Lara Jade is an English fashion, portrait and commercial photographer who now lives in New York City. Her clients include ELLE, 125 and Material Girl magazines, Sony Music, Schwarzkopf hair care and the BBC. Lara teaches at workshops around the world and her sponsors include Canon, Broncolor, Bowens and Datacolor. To see more of Lara's work, visit www.larajade.com
Creative shutter speed in car photography

Matt Howell

Image © Matt Howell

Shutter Speed Tip 1: Turn it up
When shooting action with cars you spend much of the time trying to create the sensation of speed using a slow shutter speed, but there are occasions when nothing less than 1/1,000sec will do. If something genuinely dramatic is happening in front of your lens you will want to nail it pin-sharp and frozen. A car drifting, jumping or hitting a puddle are perfect moments to turn up the shutter speed.

Use as long a lens as you have (200mm is a minimum for this sort of work) and practise your focusing technique – it’s no good freezing the water droplets sprayed up from a puddle if the car is not perfectly sharp. Head-on tends to look best, but is the most difficult for your auto-focusing system to handle. If it is a struggle, you could always try manually pre-focusing.

Shutter Speed Tip 2: Turn it down
Turning down the shutter speed is a technique I use when I need to make a car look like it is doing something more exciting than it actually is or the vehicle just isn’t moving that fast, say under 30mph. Normally, when shooting a panning shot – where I’m standing approximately 15-25 metres from the side of the road with a 70-200mm lens and the vehicle is driving by – I usually set a shutter speed of 1/60sec to get a decent hit rate of sharp images.

However, next time you are out, why not try turning down the shutter speed? Then down a bit further and see what happens... Make sure you are standing with your legs well apart for a solid stance and your hips are parallel to the road. Start following the vehicle early and when it gets close enough, squeeze the trigger softly, then continue to pan until you cannot twist your body any further. At 1/15sec most of the car will be blurred but if you get it right, a headlight or the driver will be pin-sharp and the effect can look stunning.

Shutter Speed Tip 3: Night owl
I love night shoots, but a lot of car photographers get freaked out at the thought. The truth is you need little more than a tripod, a long exposure and a bit of imagination to make incredibly dramatic images. This shot of the Land Rover was taken in a cave, where it was pitch-black. The only lighting was from the Land Rover’s sidelights and those of a second 4x4 just out of shot to the left, plus one of those silly 15-million candle-power torches I had bought in a service station on the way to the shoot. The camera was set up on a tripod with a 30sec shutter speed; then I painted in the cave walls with the torch, being careful never to point it towards the camera, so avoiding lens flare.

Shutter Speed Tip 4: Tracking
This is the staple diet of car magazines the world over. A moving vehicle is shot from another vehicle travelling alongside. The secrets to success are a smooth, clear road or track where the vehicles can hold about 30mph, plus a steady hand and a shutter speed of about 1/30sec. If you struggle, use an image stabiliser lens, or turn the speed up a little to a 1/60sec. Just remember, in car photography it has to be pin-sharp – magazine art editors always look closely at the headlights or see if they can read the postcode on the bottom of the number plate. If the answer’s ‘yes’, you’ve bagged a good one.

Shutter Speed Tip 5: A little bit of flash
Static car shoots don’t have to be 100 per cent static; a little bit of movement is never a bad thing and a bit of fill-in flash can really help add excitement, too. A client sent me to McLaren to shoot a feature and we came across this £2 million Formula 1 road car having its engine removed.

I wanted to show the engine moving as it came out, so I set the camera on a tripod with a shutter speed of 0.8sec to correctly expose for the white room while giving some blur to the engineers and engine. A burst of flash was directed at the car (from behind and to the side with two Bowens 1,000W Monoblocks) to give some punch to the colour of the car, while semi-freezing the engine as it was slid out backwards.

This technique can be a bit hit and miss, so experiment with your exposure times and strength of fill-in flash until obtaining an effect you are happy with.

Shutter Speed Step 6: The Rig Shot
More than any other shot, I get asked how this effect is created. While the theory is simple it does require some unusual kit and a lot of thought. Basically, the idea is to suspend a camera away from a car using either a tripod or specially constructed boom. These are often attached to the bonnet or roof with sucker clamps (Manfrotto does a good selection), then when the car moves, the camera will travel along with it, giving a perfectly sharp vehicle but blurred background.

A shutter speed of between two and 30 seconds is often used, while the car is pushed slowly by an assistant who is hiding around the back of the vehicle (running the engine creates too much vibration and will cause your camera to shake). The longer the exposure, the faster the car will look like it is travelling, even though in reality it’s only moving at walking pace. The tripod or boom is then retouched out in Photoshop. For the best effect try this sort of shot at night or in low light – say under the cover of overhanging trees that will give a great sensation of speed when they are blurred.

Matt's Kit
Matt uses two Canon EOS-1DS Mark IIIs with a selection of lenses ranging from a 14mm fisheye to a 400mm f/2.8 IS. His kit comprises 10 Bowens Gemini heads and four battery packs, three Speedlites, two Turbo batteries and one 15-million candle-power torch. He also employs two specially-constructed boom rigs.

Photo

Award-winning photographer Matt Howell spent more than a decade editing consumer magazines before launching his photography business eight years ago. He now splits his time between editorial, corporate and advertising shoots for some of the biggest names in the media. Matt’s clients include McLaren, VW and Citroen, as well as magazines all over the world, from the UK to Australia. To see more of Matt's work, visit www.matthowell.co.uk
Creative shutter speed in landscape photography

Mark Gray

Image © Mark Gray

Shutter Speed Tip 1: Waterfalls
The best way to capture waterfalls is with a slow shutter speed. Using a shutter speed of at least one second will create a magical silky-water effect on waterfalls or any white water in streams and rivers. Using longer shutter speeds will generally result in a similar effect, but may result in unwanted blurred trees and plants if there is any wind.

Shutter Speed Tip 2: Traffic Trails
Creating traffic trails is a great technique to use when shooting night or twilight scenes. By using a long shutter speed of at least 10 seconds when shooting moving cars, or boats, you will create lines of light in your photograph. Headlights will create white lines and taillights will create red lines. Generally speaking, the longer the shutter speed, the better the result will be with traffic trails.

Shutter Speed Tip 3: Misty Water
When shooting seascapes with crashing waves, using a long shutter speed of around five seconds or more will create a misty effect on the water in your scene. This works best when you incorporate rocks or other structures over which waves are breaking, as those will, of course, remain still. A beautiful sunrise or sunset will add to the overall result.

Shutter Speed Tip 4: Frozen Water
Shooting seascapes with a fast shutter speed of around 1/125sec, or quicker, will result in the motion of any waves or water being frozen. This will produce a very different effect to the ‘misty water’ effect mentioned above but can also work well creatively. Keep in mind that you will need plenty of light to freeze the motion of water, so it is best to shoot during the middle of the day and avoid periods of low light, such as sunrise and sunset.

Shutter Speed Tip 5: Star Trails
Pointing your camera at a clear night sky while leaving your shutter open for hours, rather than seconds, will result in a nice effect called ‘star trails’. While the Earth rotates, the stars appear to move, which results in streaks of light through the sky. It is best to try star trails in a remote area free from light pollution. Film cameras are much better than digital ones when shooting star trails as they are not dependent on battery power and you will avoid long exposure noise creeping in.

Shutter Speed Tip 6: Pan and zoom
When using long shutter speeds with landscapes, you can create unusual but highly creative effects by panning your camera or zooming your lens all the way in or out. Play around with shutter speeds longer than two seconds for the best results.

Mark's Kit
Mark has a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Linhof Technorama 617s III Panoramic film camera. He uses a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 and Schneider 72mm f/5.6 and 90mm f/5.6 lenses. A good tripod is vital for Mark’s landscape work: he uses a Manfrotto Pro 055BX with a cable release. Also in his F-Stop Satori Expedition backpack is a B+W Circular Polariser, Cokin X-PRO Series 2-Stop and 3-Stop ND soft grad filters.

Photo

Mark Gray is an award-winning photographer who specialises in stunning, panoramic fine-art landscapes. He sells his work internationally in the form of limited-edition prints and a range of other products through his online gallery and retail gallery in Australia. Mark runs workshops across Australia which attract photographers from all over the world. To see more of Mark's work, visitwww.markgrayphotography.com
Creative shutter speed for light art

Michael Bosanko

Image © Michael Bosanko

Shutter Speed Tip 1: Brilliant Bulb
When creating light art there is one common setting your camera will use: Bulb mode. If you shoot mainly in the day, it’s likely that you have never turned the camera dial to the letter ‘B’. However, it is at night when Bulb mode truly comes alive, allowing you the chance to push the shutter boundaries to the extreme. We are not talking seconds here, but way beyond, and with a battery grip, you could be out all night.

Shutter Speed Tip 2: Avoid light pollution

Areas with little light pollution provide the best backdrops for creating light effects. The longer you can keep the shutter open, the more flexible and creative you can be. If the area is almost pitch-black, then take an extra-powerful torch to illuminate larger areas of interest by standing behind the camera and moving the torchlight over areas in gentle but steady sweeps.

Shutter Speed Tip 3: Clean and fluid
Think of your camera’s sensor as a piece of wood, and your torch as a piece of metal that is red hot at the end and you are about to scorch a design on the wood. The more fluid your movements, the cleaner the light trails. If you keep the torchlight facing the lens for too long, like the red hot metal you will ‘burn out’ the image, leaving behind intense light flares you do not want. If you need to stop, then turn off the torch. When you are ready to add a new element to the image, turn the torch back on and immediately start moving again. As you are shooting in Bulb mode, this can all be done within a single shot.

Shutter Speed Tip 5: Go steady
By selecting Bulb mode, it’s likely you will keep the shutter open for longer than 30 seconds, so your camera needs to be as steady as a rock. For this, you will require a sturdy tripod with independently adjustable legs to help navigate some of the obstacles you face in the great outdoors. If you set up on soft ground such as sand or mud, spread the weight of the tripod by placing coasters underneath the tripod feet.

A cable release is essential, allowing you to open the shutter, and lock it open, freeing your hands to get on with the business of light art. If you have a friend with you, they can operate the cable release. Alternatively, use it in conjunction with the camera’s timer, preferably set to 10 seconds. This should give you ample time to step into frame and take a deep breath before beginning your creation.

Shutter Speed Tip 6: Plan ahead
Once you have managed to get your head around the basics of light art, it’s very easy to get carried away for the rest of the night. So, if you are planning a night out in the wilds or on the city streets, be sure to charge up absolutely every battery you plan to use, and prepare your gear before you set out, as the comfort of your own home is better than fumbling around in the dark.

Michael's Kit
Michael mainly shoots with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens and uses Manfrotto tripods (055CXPRO4 or 190CL) with 804RC2 heads. As you might expect, Michael uses literally hundreds of lights in his work: some bought, some homemade and all different types and styles. If you are just starting out, he advises buying a couple of small, inexpensive LED or bulb torches. As cheap torches are less powerful, you can work more slowly, and not rush over details. As you progress, try and use the torches in combinations by binding them with tape, or keep a lookout for more obscure light sources.

One handy torch you should buy is one that attaches to your head. This will free up your hands so you can cope better in the dark with the fiddly things, such as changing filters, camera settings, or making a brew. Experiment with colour too - use coloured sweet wrappers, or buy a few sheets of coloured acetate or gel, cut to the size of the torch head and fix down over the torch glass with clear tape.

Photo

Photographer Michael Bosanko has been creating light art since, working with clients all over the world to provide stills and animated creations for magazines, books, ad campaigns and TV commercials. He provides real light effects that interact perfectly with the environment and are almost impossible to create with computer-aided effects. To see more of Michael's work or buy prints of his images, visit, www.michaelbosanko.com
Creative shutter speed in sports photography 

Mark Pain

Image © Mark Pain

Shutter Speed Tip 1: Not too fast
Shooting sport and capturing great action are not always about choosing the highest possible shutter speed available to you. Many people make that mistake and end up with static-looking images. However, one of the true exceptions is when you are shooting diving or trying to freeze the movement of water. For most sports a shutter speed of 1/750sec to 1/800sec would be quick enough to freeze the action, but not with diving where you really have to shoot at 1/2,000sec or more to guarantee no movement at all.

Shutter Speed Tip 2: Speed and panning
Fast-moving action doesn’t always require a super-fast shutter speed to get a great picture. You can create a real feeling of speed and movement by slowing your shutter speeds right down. Panning a car in Formula 1 and other motorsports will create a nice sense of speed from about 1/125sec and below. But the real feeling of movement and drama is created by getting down to some really slow panning at shutter speeds such as 1/15sec or below. It is an extremely difficult technique to master quickly but serious amounts of time practising can produce a remarkable improvement in your hit rate. Don’t forget that some of the worst and messiest backgrounds can make for some of the best pan shots. Having more colour and mess to blur can lead to great effects.

Shutter Speed Tip 3: Be prepared
Be prepared for that amazing picture by keeping your shutter speed set as high as possible when moving from one position to another during an event. Just because you are moving to your next vantage point to get a different angle does not mean that the action will stop as well. You never know what is going to happen so always have your camera at a setting ready to freeze the action if you have to pick up your camera suddenly with little time to change settings.

Shutter Speed Tip 4: Experiment
Try to be more creative and experiment with even slower shutter speeds at sports events, such as this fencing picture taken at the Beijing Olympics at 1/4sec. The effects achieved can vary hugely with different sports under varied lighting, but the beauty of digital cameras is that you have an instant idea of the effect you are creating.
Try finding something solid to lean your camera on when shooting shutter speeds of 1/4sec or slower.


Shutter Speed Tip 5: Flash
When experimenting with your shutter speeds try firing a little bit of flash into the image (if allowed). A flashgun's duration can be as low as 1/30,000sec at 1/64 power and around 1/2,000sec at half power. A little ‘ping’ of flash during a longer exposure can help to give your image some necessary definition rather than just a continuous blur.

Shutter Speed Tip 6: Just a hint

Just a hint of movement is sometimes all you need. Here the speed of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren is exaggerated by the lack of movement or interest in him shown by the sun-worshippers of Monaco. On this occasion 1/160sec was fine to convey the feel of the picture I wanted. Too much of a blur and the car would be unrecognizable; too little and the car would be too static.

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Info media photography : Lensbaby is teasing its Facebook fans with the promise that it will announce a brand new product on Valentine’s day. Claiming that their new optic[?] “will make you fall in love with photography all over again,” the company is encouraging photographers to submit their ideas on what they think Lensbaby should develop next. And if you care to share their announcement post on 14th February, you may even win a copy of their brand new product - whatever it may be.

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Canon PowerShot SX40

Info media photography : The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is a brand new super-zoom camera sporting a 35x zoom lens which is equivalent to a focal length of 24-840mm. Replacing the previous SX30IS model, the SX40 HS features a 12 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, 4.5-stop optical Image Stabilizer with new Intelligent IS technology, full manual controls, full 1080p HD movie recording, 2.4fps burst shooting, stereo sound and a HDMI port, a 2.7 inch vari-angle LCD screen, a range of Creative Filters and an electronic viewfinder. The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS is available in black priced at £459 / €529 / $429.99.

Ease of Use

Like most big zoom bridge cameras, Canon's PowerShot SX40 HS is a chunky beast not a great deal smaller than the entry level digital SLR it takes its styling cue from. However it is, after all, the whopper of a 35x optical lens that is the main selling point, boasting a comprehensively and creatively broad focal range stretching from 24mm to 840mm that would be otherwise hideously unaffordable or impractical for the average DSLR user. What is lost in quality compared with a DSLR is made up for in terms of versatility - with the photographer being able to rapidly switch from wide angle framing to candid close ups from afar - and, all things considered, fair value, though the SX40 HS is not an inexpensive purchase.

Indeed, with a £459 suggested UK price tag, there's the obvious 'ouch' factor to get over when considering this Canon. Considering, that is, the fact that for a similar outlay you could purchase an entry level digital SLR, albeit one admittedly with standard 18-55mm lens (3x zoom), rather than 35x. Still, if compared with Panasonic's 24x zoom Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 at a suggested £469.99, which in fairness adds the hotshoe this PowerShot misses, the Canon seems comparably reasonable on paper at least.

Logically and stylistically the SX40 HS follows on from the SX30 IS model, which also offered a 35x reach, whilst its closest competition comes from Nikon's 36x Coolpix P500, which like this model also features an angle adjustable LCD screen at its rear, but a focal range that while starting wider at a 22.5mm equivalent doesn't quite match the Canon's telephoto setting at 810mm. Perhaps the SX40 HS should have tried to match its model number with a camcorder-like 40x reach.

Rear

Front 

Of course, considering the zoom range on offer here a bulky body and hopefully some added weight courtesy of chunky 380-shot rechargeable lithium ion battery in the handgrip (600g when camera is 'loaded') makes perfect sense if we're going to be able to achieve anything approaching critical sharpness when shooting handheld towards the maximum telephoto setting. Image stabilization is of the lens shift type. Like its predecessor the SX40 HS again offers an Ultrasonic Motor along with here a Voice Coil Motor to deliver not only relatively swift but also smooth and silent zooming - crucial when capturing video in particular, for which a dedicated thumb-operated record button is provided. Maximum aperture is f/2.7.

From the front, apart from the change of model number the SX40 HS (for 'High Speed') looks identical to the SX30 IS, with large AF illuminator/self timer porthole to the right of the gargantuan lens, pop up flash hiding just above, and hard plastic grip to the left. Offering a slightly roughened surface that is practical in preventing slippage but not all that comfortable, we managed to squeeze three fingers around said grip without scraping any knuckles on the adjacent barrel.

The model suffix here has in part changed from 'IS' to 'HS' due to this PowerShot being one of the first Canon's to feature the company's new high speed Digic 5 image processor. This offers a host of quick fire continuous capture of up to 10.3 frames per second for up to eight shots and 120fps or 240fps slow motion video replay options at 640x480 or 320x240 pixels respectively, along with the now expected regular Full HD 1920x1080 pixels video recording capability at 24 fps. If you want 30fps this means a resolution drop to 1280x720 pixels.

Here the lens shift image stabilization, again also a feature of the SX30 IS forebear, is offering the equivalent of 4.5 stops. Canon claims it's been enhanced further on this model, with the camera now detecting and choosing the 'correct' type of stabilization depending on the shooting conditions and the subject. The SX40 HS has purportedly seven options to select from: Normal IS, Dynamic IS, Powered IS (utilising camcorder technology to ensure the ability to record footage at a long zoom range), Panning IS (deployed in one direction and useful for recording racetrack action), Macro IS, Tripod Mode (image stabilizer automatically deactivated) or Dynamic macro IS.

LCD Screen

Top Tilting 

What has been pared back between this model and its forebear however is the resolution, which drops from 14.1 effective megapixels on the SX30 IS to a more modest 12.1 effective megapixels courtesy of 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor that is back illuminated to enhance its light gathering properties; enhanced as wires don't get in the way of the sensor and so the light's path. While it's tempting to think this pixel drop has been undertaken to improve performance at higher ISOs, it seems Canon also had that aim in mind with the installation of the Digic 5 processor, with noise reduction performance claimed to be a whopping 75% better than the old Digic 4. Less noise also gives the opportunity to avoid using the flash at various focal lengths - which incidentally has to be manually raised rather than automatically popping up - and bump up the ISO instead whilst shooting handheld. Here ISO runs from ISO100 to a relatively modest sounding ISO3200.

Another tweak is in relation to what the SX40 HS' maker is calling 'multi area white balance'. In practical terms this is supposed to maintain a natural colour balance for faces and backgrounds at the same time when say flash is used under tungsten lighting. The camera detects that there are two different light sources and so takes area specific readings. However though there is face detection and AF tracking on board, the number of AF points is notably less than on even an entry level DSLR: we get just one-point AF.

This is a camera that is far easier to pick up and start shooting with than most DSLRs however. Buttons and controls are well placed (and spaced) on the SX40 HS, with a shooting mode dial the size of a ten pen piece and a dime-sized shutter release button encircled by a lever for operating the zoom located at the top of the handgrip where it automatically falls under the forefinger of the right hand. This is a power zoom for those with larger hands who normally bemoan the small, precise buttons on most digicams, with the only the scroll wheel surrounding the control pad at the back being occasionally fiddly to operate with the thumb. Like most of its ilk, we found it easy to slip back and forth between settings when using it. Though most super zooms offer the chance to merely toggle back and forth through the focal range using a lever, we missed being able to manually twist the lens barrel to quickly get the framing we want, as on Fuji's rival FinePix HS20 model, which incidentally offers a more robust build but 'only' a 30x zoom, and, arguably, an excess of pixels at 16 million.

The Canon PowerShot SX40 HS' shooting mode dial offers up 11 settings, ranging from scene and subject recognising smart auto mode through the usual program, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual settings through to sports mode, scene mode, more unusually a digital effects mode where the likes of miniature mode are discovered, plus there's a dedicated video setting from where the aforementioned slow motion movie capture options can be implemented; useful if you're shooting sports.

The above combination does allow you to just point and shoot, but if you want to get more creative the options are there. Stills capture is JPEG-only though, there's no Raw option which may be a deal breaker for some, though there are two further customizable settings on the shooting mode dial for those who do like getting more hands on. And despite there being a dedicated video control on the shooting dial, you don't actually have to set it at this position to begin recording (it's a means instead of adjusting the aforementioned video settings from regular speed to slow mo via a press of the 'function set' button). Simply hit the dedicated record button no matter which alternative stills mode you're in and the a second or so later the screen display will narrow from the regular 4:3 to 16:9 to ape how the video will look when replayed on your flat panel TV. There is, as we'd expect, a mini HDMI connection provided under a rubber flap at the side for this purpose, though unsurprisingly no lead comes bundled with the camera. Disappointing though that the 2.7-inch screen, whilst being adequately sized, offers a modest resolution that at 230k pixels wouldn't look out of place on a pocket snapshot. We've come to expect more from a camera in this price bracket.

Flash Top

Pop-up

Press the obvious on/off switch next to the shooting mode dial and the camera powers up in just under two seconds, which is respectably swift. The lens barrel visibly extends to max wide-angle 24mm setting as the rear LCD bursts into life. We know the setting as, as on the Fuji HS20, it's marked atop the lens barrel, as usefully are the incremental settings all the way up to 840mm, which gradually reveal themselves as the lens extends outwards from the body.

Since this is a bridge camera as well as a power zoom, at the back we have both vari angle LCD monitor and fixed electronic viewfinder just above. This automatically comes into play if you've twisted the LCD screen to face inwards to the camera body. There's no eye sensor beneath or above, nor is there a dedicated button for swapping between larger screen and smaller EVF, so it would be very easy for most users to regularly bypass this facility completely. As it is, EVF resolution is a so-so 202k dots, and being able to twist and rotate the rear screen means that even if light reflections do render visibility momentarily tricky, a quick tilt and it's rectified. This, when combined with the broad focal range, certainly makes getting the shot you want a whole lot easier - and faster - on the SX40 HS. Whether you'll always be happy with the quality of the end image is an issue we'll address in due course.

Give the zoom lever a toggle with the forefinger and the camera slides from maximum wideangle to extreme telephoto in all of three seconds, the minimum and maximum (infinity) focus ranges provided via small text top of screen and rapidly changing as the lens moves forward or back. There is a noticeable mechanical buzz as the lens makes its adjustments, but it's not distracting. Switch to recording video however and the zoom action slows so that the transitions are even smoother, with the lens taking 8 or 9 seconds to move through its focal range. In this setting the mechanics of the lens are less noticeable, which is exactly as we'd want.

At the back of the camera the LCD screen dominates, sitting squarely central below the EVF, which feature a rubber surround to the eyepiece and dioptre wheel for adjustment of visibility alongside. Above left and right of the EVF are a direct-print button, this being a Canon model, plus video record button. The rest of the controls are ranged to the right of the back screen, the uppermost allowing users to jump through groupings of frames at a time when reviewing images. The next one down forms a dedicated playback button, and the third and bottom in the row allows the single AF point to be expanded/contracted or moved with the aid of the multi directional control pad alongside - as long as you're in one of the creative shooting modes that is. Otherwise in smart auto mode, subsequent presses will turn face detection on or off, while in playback mode this multi-use control usefully doubles up as a delete button. It requires a degree of playing around to discover this as unhelpfully once again the full manual is provided on CD only, with only a cursory quick start booklet in the box which doesn't cover any more than the already self explanatory basics.

Battery Compartment

Memory Card Slot 

The four way control pad at points north, east, south and west variously offers a means of adjusting exposure compensation (+/- 2EV), selecting from the ISO options (ISO100-3200), self timer (off, two seconds, ten seconds or a 10 second option that fires three consecutive shots) and finally adjusting focus, with switchable settings between normal, macro and manual options offered if required. The latter allows use of the scroll wheel to dial in distance settings from 0cm to infinity, with an enlarged central square on screen giving a rough idea of whether the picture is properly sharp enough.

A press of the function set button in the midst of the scroll wheel/control pad brings up the regular L-shaped menu that will be immediately familiar to any Canon compact camera user and presents essential functions at a glance. In program mode for example, from the top of this toolbar we get the ability to adjust white balance, select from the various 'My Color' options which include our favourite vivid saturation boosting option alongside the ability to specify darker or lighter skin tones or shoot in sepia or black and white in camera. Next down the list is a bracketing option, with either three shots automatically taken at three different exposures or three different focal distances, plus the option to switch from single to continuous capture, again adjust exposure compensation to +/- 2 EV, or swap metering between evaluative, centre weighted and spot. Image aspect ratio can be swapped from the factory default of 4:3 to 16:9, 3:2 or more unusually even 1:1. It's via this L-shaped toolbar that PowerShot users can also specify large, medium or small files and even adjust video resolution on the fly, from 1920x1080 through 1280x720 and down to 640x480 pixels. Alternatively if the camera has been set to its smart auto mode then only image aspect ratio, file size and video resolution can be adjusted. The other options do not appear at all.

The final two buttons on the camera back are for the self-explanatory display and menu. Subsequent presses of display will call up a nine zone compositional grid, or turn off the LCD entirely at which point the EVF above automatically illuminates and comes into play. A press of 'menu' meanwhile brings up three easy to follow folders on screen; a capture folder, set up folder and my menu folder for quicker access to your more frequently used settings, should you choose to pre-set them. Interestingly among the usual suspects in the capture folder the microphone level can be adjusted, as can a wind filter be turned on or off. These menu options can be tabbed with via a thumb press of the four-way control pad or of course scrolled through faster using the surrounding wheel.

If still viewing the camera from the back, further points of interest on the SX40 HS include the covered HDMI and AV ports on the right flank, and a single speaker located on the left, which also features the hinge about which the variable angle LCD screen pivots. The bottom of the camera features an off-centre screw thread for a tripod next to which is a sliding plastic door that protects the battery compartment and adjacent slot for SD card. So, incidentally, if you place this PowerShot on a tripod you'll have to unscrew it first to remove the memory card.

At the end of the day the Canon PowerShot SX40 HS offers a relatively easy to use tool for anyone looking to get closer to their subject from afar on those occasions when simply shuffling forward or back with your own two feet is not an option. But what of the image quality delivered? Is it acceptable given the large lens and relatively small sensor or have two many compromises been made? Read on to find out.

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Olympus SH-25MR

Info media photography : The Olympus SH-25MR is a 16-megapixel touchscreen camera with a 24-300mm equivalent lens, integrated GPS module and compass, and Multi-Recording technology on board. The 3-inch rear screen boasts a resolution of 460,000 dots, and offers a range of touch-based functions like Touch AF and Touch Shutter. Other standout features include HDR Backlight Adjustment, 3D Photo Shooting, Smart Panorama, Advanced Shadow Adjustment Technology and a Handheld Starlight Mode. In addition to capturing 16-megapixel photos at up to 10 frames per second (or 3-megapixel stills at up to 60fps), the Olympus SH-25MR is also capable of recording Full HD videos with Multi-Motion Movie IS. Available in gold, black, red and white, the SH-25MR hits the shops in April, priced at €269.00/£229.99.

Olympus Press Release

Sleek SH-25MR shines with DSLR processor & GPS Touch LCD and zoom make multi-format movies easy

Olympus’ stylish new Traveller compact delivers class-best* movies at an extremely competitive price

Hamburg, 8 February 2012 – The new Olympus SH-25MR Traveller-class camera packs some big surprises into its ultra-slim casing. Like Multi Recording, that gives you the option to record a 1080 Full HD movie in the background while you concentrate on taking still photos. Or Multi Framing, that captures close-ups and wide shots of the same scene all at once. But perhaps the biggest surprise is the fast response and sheer quality of the images it takes. Even the most demanding of travellers will be impressed by this compact’s lack of blur and low-light performance. That’s down to Multi-motion Movie IS and iHS (Intelligence, High Sensitivity and High Speed) technologies that significantly boost image quality in the most challenging conditions. A number of other features make the slender SH-25MR an outstanding travel companion, including its versatile 12.5x wide zoom lens (24-300mm**) and the especially quick GPS & Electronic Compass that downloads location data in under 10 seconds. The SH-25MR is available from April 2012 for just €269.

The multi-tasking movie maker
Like most of Olympus’ next-generation Traveller compacts, the SH-25MR can justifiably claim to record the best moving images available in a pocket-sized camera today*. New iHS technologies and Multi-motion Movie IS have a vital role to play here. At the heart of iHS is a highly sensitive backlit CMOS sensor (that effectively counteracts noise) and the dynamic TruePic V processor that provides the power for Multi-motion Movie IS to eliminate blur even when you’re walking as you record your video. Rival manufacturers often advertise very high frame rates for movie recording but fail to mention that resolution deteriorates significantly above 60fps. Thanks to iHS, advanced image stabilisation and sophisticated i-Auto automatic modes, the SH-25MR delivers beautifully sharp Full HD movies and 16-Megapixel stills every time – even in poor light, with fast-moving subjects and at high zoom ratios. Even when you use Super-resolution Zoom to digitally double the range of its lens to 25x, there’s still virtually no loss of this excellent resolution.

The touch-sensitive trip tracker
The SH-25MR does away with time-wasting buttons and gives you fast, direct access to key features via a touch-sensitive LCD – and Olympus’ clever Live Guide interface. Live Guide makes it easy to adjust crucial parameters like depth of field or brightness simply by sliding a bar up and down with your finger, then shows you what effect your changes will have in real time on the LCD. You can also use the touch panel to check GPS & Electric Compass for map and landmark information, or to run a Multi-Effect Slideshow that displays images from one trip with background music and transition effects.

For anyone who likes to travel light but still insists on great quality, this super-slender compact will be hard to resist. Available in gold, black, red and white, the SH-25MR hits the shops in April, priced €269.

Outstanding features:

Image Quality:

1. 12.5x super wide optical zoom (24-300mm**) for exceptional close-ups
2. iHS technologies for capturing exactly the shots you want irrespective of shooting conditions
3. 6-Megapixel backlit CMOS sensor for high-resolution, superb-quality full-size movies, stills and prints, even in low light
4. Multi-motion Movie IS for recording 1080p Full HD Movie with sound and reduced blur while walking, in the best image quality currently available in compact cameras*
5. Dual Image Stabilisation for reducing blur with fast-moving shots
6. Super-resolution Zoom for digitally extending the range of the optical zoom with virtually no loss of image quality

Design:

• Ultra-slim, full-metal body for an exquisite and robust design

Usability:

1. 3” touch-sensitive colour LCD (460,000 dots) for easily framing, reviewing and sharing shots, or operating key features like MR
2. Touch Shutter for focussing on the subject you touch on the LCD and taking the picture automatically
3. Touch AF for focussing automatically on the subject you touch, even if it moves
4. GPS & Electronic Compass with unique three-sensor technology for orientation and key information at a glance
5. Smart Panorama for capturing sweeping stills just by panning the camera
6. HDR Backlight Adjustment for perfectly exposed pictures of inanimate objects even when shooting against the light
7. Handheld Starlight Mode for shooting blur-free at night without a tripod
8. Face Detection and Advanced Shadow Adjustment Technology for capturing people’s faces just as you want them
9. Advanced Intelligent Auto Mode (i-Auto) and AF Tracking for easy setting and focussing
10. Live Guide for easy slide-bar adjustment of key settings in real time, including background blur, colour intensity, colour temperature and brightness
11. Pet Detection Mode for automatically capturing dog’s or cat’s faces when they look at the camera
12. Scene Mode for automatic settings that suit specific conditions (e.g., Landscape, Night)

Creativity & Flexibility:

1. Multi Recording with Dual Engine TruePic V image processor for recording movies and photos simultaneously, or two movies in different modes or from different angles
2. High-speed sequential shooting (10fps/10 images at 16MP or 15/60fps/110 images at 3MP)
3. Multi-Effect Slideshow for hands-free browsing of shots from one event with background music and transition effects
4. Beauty Make-up Mode for adding fun make-up effects to three people and hiding blemishes before you shoot
5. Eye-Fi Card compatibility for automatic wireless uploading of images to a website or PC
6. 3D photo shooting mode for striking stills
7. Magic Filters for adding creative effects to Full HD movies and/or stills: Punk, Pop Art, Pin Hole, Drawing, Fish Eye, Soft Focus, Sparkle (photos only), Watercolour, Reflection, Miniature, Fragmented (photos only), Dramatic (photos only)
8. Photo with Movie Clip for shooting movies while taking still shots

Other key features:

1. Photo surfing and [ib] software for browsing, organising and viewing images by person, place, location or event
2. HDMI technology for controlling your camera from one remote when it’s connected to HD equipment
3. ISO 80 to 6400
4. SDHC and SDXC memory card compatible***, including UHS-I support
5. Built-in flash
6. In-camera help guide
7. USB charging

* As of December 2011.
** 35mm camera equivalent.
*** SD is a trademark of SD Card Association.

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