Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf

P R O F E S SI O N A L P H O T O.O N L IN E ISSUE 190 £3.99
THE UK’S ONLY MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR WORKING & ASPIRING PROS
ONLY
£3.99
+EXTRA
CONTENT
VIDEO
LINKS
AI TIMESAVER THE SOFTWARE THAT CAN SAVE HOURS OF EDITING
FUJIFILM
GFX 50S II
MediumFormat
forthepriceof
FullFrame
FULL REVIEW THE EXPERT GUIDE
Theessentialsyou
needforstillsand
videoproductions
TOPFILTERS
FORTHEPRO
Performance
Rankin’s new show celebrates the return of the London Theatre
Putting
Putting
on a
on a
ON TEST
Travelswiththe
ElinchromOne
LIGHT ON
LOCATION

PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE ISSUE 190 PROFESSIONAL PHOTO | 3
EDITOR’S CHOICE | ISSUE 190
Welcome
Welcome
ON THE COVER
50 | PROFESSIONAL PHOTO ISSUE 190 PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE ISSUE 190 PROFESSIONAL PHOTO | 51
ASSIGNMENT SIX:
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
F YOU’RE LUCKY enough to live
in an area where there are dark
skies then you have a fantastic
photo opportunity every time
there’s a clear night. For those of us who
might be townies the opportunities are
less frequent perhaps, but if you happen
to be travelling to somewhere away
from the light pollution that inevitably
exists around our big cities don’t miss the
opportunity to look up and to experience
something of the sheer vastness of the
universe that’s revealed when you find
yourself in a place that’s away from the
incessant glow of street lighting.
You might imagine that you need to be
sourcing the longest telephoto lens you
can find to get into astro photography, but
often it’s the complete opposite. Pictures
of the Northern Lights, for example, are
inevitably shot with ultra-wide lenses to
PRO ACADEMY
Time to
TURN
PRO
I
Our latest assignment
is inviting you to focus
on some of the amazing
subject matter that can
be found in the clear
night sky, and we’re
looking forward to
seeing your best shots!
Look to
the Stars!
SCANTOENTER▸
Scantogodirectlytothe
ProAcademypageonthe
ProfessionalPhotowebsite.
reveal the full scale of the display, while
you can also shoot what are known as
nightscapes, where an iconic building or
landscape is shown at twilight or carefully
painted in by hand-held lighting, while
behind the dramatic full spectacle of the
Milky Way is revealing itself.
If you’ve been following this series
you’ll know the ground rules by now. We’re
running Pro Academy in tandem with the
excellent Nikon School and overall we’ve
set a total of six testing challenges to see
what you can do. You’re cordially invited
to enter just one or to go the whole hog
and to take part in all six.
We’re inviting you to send across your
best single shot from the assignment to
our expert team at Professional Photo
and, if you’ve met the required standard,
we’ll send you back an e-certificate to
prove the fact. Successfully complete
all six assignments and you’ll receive a
further e-certificate to confirm that you
really are an excellent all-round operator!
It’s not a competition, there are no prizes
to be won but you’ll have the ultimate
satisfaction of knowing that your skills
have been recognised and it’s a chance to
dip into some fresh genres.
How to Take Part
You don’t need to be a professional
photographer or a Nikon user to take part
in Pro Academy, and don’t be shy about
sending in your shot even if you feel it’s
perhaps not up to the high standards of
the work from Göran that you can see
throughout this feature. It’s also about
learning and rest assured we will be
making allowances for newbies!
If you want to take part then head
to the Professional Photo website and
upload your shot for Assignment Six –
Astro Photography and make sure you fill
in your email details so we can get back to
you. Our team will assess your shot and, if
you’ve met the required standard, you’ll
receive your e-certificate directly from us.
In Association with
›
Page 54
EDITORIAL
Publisher and Editor: Terry Hope
terry@professionalphoto.online
Contributing Editor: Matty Graham
matty@professionalphoto.online
Contributing Editor: Richard Bradbury
richard@professionalphoto.online
Professional Photo is published 12 times a year by So Smart
Media, West Cottage, Brasted Place, Brasted, Kent TN16
1JE. No part of this magazine can be used without prior
written permission of So Smart Media Ltd. Professional
Photo is a registered trademark of So Smart Media Ltd. The
advertisements published in Professional Photo that have been
written, designed or produced by employees of So Smart Media
Ltd may not be reproduced without the written consent of the
publisher. The content of this publication does not necessarily
reflect the views of the publisher. While So Smart Media makes
every effort to ensure accuracy, it can’t be guaranteed. Street
pricing at the time of writing is quoted for products.
SUBSCRIPTION AND BACK ISSUES
Email: subs@professionalphoto.online
Online: https://professionalphoto.online/
magazine-subscription
NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION
Intermedia Solutions Ltd., Unit 6, The Enterprise
Centre, Kelvin Lane, Manor Royal, Crawley,
West Sussex, RH10 9PE. www.inter-media.co.uk
PRINTED IN THE UK BY LAVENHAM PRESS
www.lavenhampress.com
ADVERTISING
Sales: Helen Coston
sales@professionalphoto.online
DESIGN
Art Editor: Tania Croft
WEBSITE
Webmaster: Dane Pestano
dane@professionalphoto.online
Scanheretoviewafilmmadebybackcountryhiker
andpodcastproducerJamesAppletonthatshowsthe
ZoomF2inactionandthehighqualityitcandeliver.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH | COMPETITION
How to Enter
THE COMPETITION IS OPEN to UK-based
photographers who will need to commit
to making it down to London at an agreed
date in January 2022 to attend the training
session with Rick. We’ll cover reasonable
travelling expenses and you’ll go away
with the Zoom F2-BT Field Recorder as
part of the prize. We’ll also be producing
a video of the session to be hosted on the
Professional Photo YouTube Channel.
Entering couldn’t be easier. Simply head
to the Professional Photo website at
professionalphoto.online/zoomcompetition
and answer this one simple question:
QHow many hours of
recording can you
achieve with the Zoom
F2-BT Field Recorder using
two AAA alkaline batteries?
The competition will be open up until
midnight on Monday December 20 and we’ll
then pick a winner out at random and will be
in contact to agree a date for the training.
WinZoom’sFabulous
F2-BTFieldRecorder
PLUSatrainingsession!
Our exciting competition not only gives you the opportunity to
win the highly desirable Zoom F2-BT Field Recorder but also
join an audio training session with filmmaker Rick Bronks.
ROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHERS
are increasingly looking to move
into filmmaking, a
service so many
clients now demand, and
getting on top of audio is
one of the most significant
challenges. It’s a fresh area
of expertise you’ll need to
conquer and failure to deliver
top-quality results in this
department will massively
weaken your production.
Fortunately, 32-
bit float recording,
and products based
on this technology,
such as Zoom’s F2-BT
Field Recorder, are now
available, which can hugely
simplify the process and give you pro-spec
audio wherever you happen to be working.
The audio is recorded to an internal Micro
SD card and can subsequently be paired
with footage at the editing stage.
Our competition is offering one lucky
Professional Photo reader the opportunity
to not only win this product but to take
part in an audio training session in London
this coming January with
experienced filmmaker Rick
Bronks to find out how to
get the very most out of
the F2-BT. Rick is a regular
user of the product and so
knows its abilities inside
out, and he’ll be able to
walk our winner through
the process to achieve first
rate audio every time.
PRICED AT JUST £180, the ultra-compact Zoom F2-BT
Field Recorder can be tucked away in the pocket of a
gadget bag, ensuring it’s always to hand.
Using the device is simplicity itself. You plug in the
provided Lavaliere microphone and pop the recorder in
a pocket or attach it to your belt, and then hit the record
button and activate the lock to get started. There’s no
need to set the gain or volume of the microphone since it’s
all done automatically. And no matter how loud a person
talks, you’ll never clip or distort your audio while, if they’re
talking softly, you’ll be able to save the day by raising the
volume in post-production without introducing noise.
Having Bluetooth on board ensures that you can
connect wirelessly to your smartphone to not only adjust
the settings but remotely hit the record button. Meanwhile
power is provided by two AAA batteries, which can
provide you with up to 14 hours of recording.
Terms and Conditions: Entries must be received by midnight, December 20, 2021 and
the winner will be notified within seven days. The winner will be chosen at random from
all of the correct entries. The competition is open to UK residents and employees of
So Smart Media and the prize provider and their immediate families and agents may
not enter. The prize must be taken as offered with no alternative. Our winner will need
to commit to travel to London for a day on a date to be agreed to attend the training,
and reasonable travelling expenses will be covered. We’ll also be making a video of the
training, which will be shared on the Professional Photo YouTube Channel. Entries not
in accordance with these rules will be disqualified: by entering the competition you’ll be
deemed to be bound by these rules.
Making Audio
Recording a Cinch!
P
VIDEO Visit zoomcorp.com
to find out more
about the company’s
extensive line-up of
audio products.
SCAN TO ENTER
14 | PROFESSIONAL PHOTO ISSUE 190
London’s theatreland is well and truly back in business and
Rankin’s latest project aims to celebrate both the actors and the
backstage heroes who have helped to ensure its survival.
P R O J E C T
›
Roaring Back
P
AT MITCHELL, THE STAGE DOOR keeper for
The Mousetrap at the St Martin’s theatre
remembers only too well the absolute sense of
disbelief that swept through the West End in
March 2020, as the spectre of Covid was looming large
and the unimaginable sight of London shutting down
was happening right in front of his eyes.
“People in the theatre didn’t think it could happen
but then the word went around that we were closing
down, and I just had to lock up and the place was left
empty,” he recalls. “We were saying to each other that
maybe this would last for a week or so perhaps and
then someone said that the lockdown could actually
go on for months and suddenly we were all left
wondering what would happen to us.”
It was a truly traumatic time, not just for the
high-profile performers but also the army of people
behind-the-scenes, like Pat, who help to keep
London’s theatres running. In those initial pre-
furlough days, when no-one was really sure what was
going on, the situation initially looked apocalyptic,
with realisation sinking in that everyone’s job was on
the line. Even as the pandemic slowly started to ease
theatres were one of the last businesses to come back
to life, and it’s been something of a miracle that most
WORDS TERRY HOPE IMAGES RANKIN
seem to have managed to survive.
By pure coincidence, in the lead up to Christmas
2019, before all of this came to pass, Rankin was
approached by a friend, Hector Proud, with the idea
of potentially putting together a portrait of the West
End. Initially he wasn’t convinced: while the idea
appealed to him his view was that it was just too big a
subject and it would end up being too time consuming.
“There was also the point that the West End was
something I didn’t really know all that well at that
time,” he says. “I also thought that maybe it could
become quite competitive and, having worked with
actors for years and years, that maybe it could be
a little diva and ego-driven. It was such a great
concept but it literally felt like I could be opening a
can of worms, so I said let me think about it over the
Christmas period and perhaps it would be something
we would do down the line, so that we could prepare
and put all the necessary pre-production into it.”
Then events just took over and Rankin, like just
about everyone else, was himself forced to step back
from the regular work as the world closed down and
a dark cloud descended. Three months into lockdown
Hector mentioned that it was looking as though
theatres would be dark for at least a further year
Page 13 Page 14
IT’S SO GOOD to see theatres opening
up again, a positive sign of normality
returning. All of which makes the
latest project from Rankin focusing
on London’s theatreland all the more
pertinent, and we’re featuring a selection
of images plus an exclusive interview in
our extended feature this digital issue.
Elsewhere we’re offering one lucky
reader the opportunity to win the highly
desirable Zoom F2-BT Field Recorder
plus a personal audio workshop with
filmmaker Rick Bronks, while Paul
Wilkinson’s column walks us through a
recent shoot he undertook with deputy
chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam,
which included a break while the subject
took a call with the PM!
You’ll also find a comprehensive guide in
this issue to the filters that professionals
might use in their work, whether that
TERRY HOPE
EDITOR
Jarnéia Richard-Noel as
Catherine of Aragon in Six
at the Vaudeville Theatre,
shot by Rankin and part of
his new show, Performance,
which is on at the Fujifilm
House of Photography until
January 31. Read the full
story, starting on page 14.
be to shoot stills or motion. Our expert
Matty Graham works across both
disciplines, and is sharing the knowledge
he’s gained through personal experience.
We’re also celebrating a cautious
return to business for many event
photographers as the Christmas party
season hots up, while Lisa Devlin is
waxing lyrical about a new AI-driven
editing software package that could
change the landscape of wedding
photography. Our main review is the
keenly priced MF Fujifilm GFX 50S II plus
we’re on a shoot with the very nifty new
Elinchrom One location light.
Enjoy the read and I sincerely wish you
and your loved ones a great festive break!

Contents
Contents
4 | PROFESSIONAL PHOTO ISSUE 190 PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE
Issue 190
Issue 190
6 TheSaturdayMan
Our new series focuses on Peter
Robinson’s enigmatic football images.
8 Profile:PeterRobinson
We take a look at the fascinating career
of the man behind the pictures.
10 ProNews
A major new launch from Nikon, plus the
Taylor-Wessing winning portrait set.
13 Zoom
Competition
Your chance to win the
F2-BT Field Recorder
and personal tuition
from Rick Bronks!
14 Project
We catch up with Rankin to find out
more about his new Performance project
and the revival of London’s West End.
PRO TALK
20 TheWorldAccordingtoDench
Our man on the front line tells us more
about the jobs that could have killed him.
TECHNIQUE
22 AnatomyofaShoot
More tales from behind-the-scenes
from Paul Wilkinson as he tells us about a
shoot with Jonathan Van-Tam.
26 AffinityWorkshop
The eyes are a crucial element in any
portrait and Matty tells us about how to
make them sparkle in five minutes flat.
30 TheMoveTowardsMotion
–TheCaseforCinema
While hybrid and mirrorless cameras
might seem the best choice, Cinema
cameras offer a string of advantages.
34 SupersmartRevoRing
This nifty accessory from H&Y lets you
use filters across all your lenses!
35 ProGuidetoFilterFacts
They might be one of the oldest photo
accessories around, but filters still have a
crucial role to play in the modern world.
42 FiltersforthePro
Filter specialist NiSi talks about the
products it offers that have been
designed for fellow pros by professionals.
BUSINESS
45 BacktoEvents
After the toughest 18 months in living
memory, event photographers are
getting back to work for Christmas.
48 PresentationPays!
We’re taking a look at three brilliant
presentation products that were
highlighted at the recent Photo Show.
52 MakingFriendswithAI
Lisa Devlin shares news of a game
changing new editing software.
54 ProAcademy–Astro
The latest challenge in our Nikon School
sponsored series is asking readers to turn
their hand to astro photography.
59 TimetoTurnPro
If you can find a niche that fits like a
glove it could put you in high demand.
14
14
54
54
59
59
30
30
22
22

HERE WEREN’T TOO many
people who were sorry to
see the back of the year 2020
but, one year on, what are your
thoughts about the sequel, namely
2021? How was it for you and,
looking back, will you remember
it a little more kindly then the
preceding 12 months?
From a personal point of view it’s
been a mixed bag, but with the
latter end of the year very much
moving in the right direction. The
trauma of 2020 when we were
all plunged headlong into the
unknown has, thankfully, been
largely absent and, having started
out in lockdown, there has been a
very welcome sense of normality
returning to life recently.
I particularly enjoyed
attending The Photo Show in
September (have I mentioned
this previously?), given that it
represented the first chance in
ages to mix with friends and
contacts on a face-to-face basis.
And I’ll never take the simple
pleasure of heading out to the pub
or sitting down in a restaurant
Here’stoahappyand
healthyNewYear!
LOOKING AHEAD | TALKING HEAD
T
The trauma of
last year has been
absent and there has
been a very welcome
sense of normality
returning recently. ”
lightly ever again. When they say
you don’t know what you have
until it’s gone, they were right!
I sincerely hope that, whatever
part of the business you might be
in, that life is similarly looking up
for you too. It’s not been a classic
year for most - that would have
been expecting too much perhaps
- but hopefully it’s going in the
right direction and I’m looking at
2022 with a far greater degree of
optimism than I was 2021.
So here’s to the next twelve
months and I hope they’re kind
to you and that you get the
opportunity this season, unlike
last, to spend time with family and
friends. See you in January!
TerryHope–Editor
❚ Rankin’s opening at the Fujifilm HOP as life starts to return to normal: Page 14
GEAR
62 TradingUp:PrimeLenses
Very much back in vogue right now,
prime lenses are lightweight, fast and
will hold their value, so time to trade up!
64 Tested:FujifilmGFX50SII
Fujifilm is offering a medium format
outfit for less than £4000, and we’re
seeing what you get for the money.
71 Tested:ElinchromOne
We’re taking the dynamic new location
light from Elinchrom out on a shoot to
show what it’s truly capable of.
64
64
62
62
“
75 ChristmasGiftList
Here’s a line-up of clever ideas that
could solve the issue of what to buy the
photographer in your life this Christmas.
PRO TALK
78 ThingsIWishI’dKnown
Landscape specialist Ed Collacott tells
about his passion for the great outdoors.
71
71

ANY FOOTBALLGROUNDS, including
Manchester City’s Maine Road home,
were located in suburban areas, and
there were streets of terraced houses
within a short walk. The custom at many of
them was for gangs of children to congregate as
supporters started to arrive for a game, and they
would approach those parking up with an offer
to ‘look after the car’ for a tip, which would then
usually be spent in the local sweet shop.
“I took this in 1968 and Manchester City had
recently won the league title,” Peter recalls.
“Someone had graffitied the word ‘City’ on to
a wall, and it became a great backdrop for the
picture. I asked the kids if they would stand in front
of it for a quick picture and they were happy to
oblige.” The image was subsequently used on the
cover of The Football League Review magazine.
“It wasn’t a sporting picture as such at all,” says
Peter, “but it was typical of the kind of thing that
I was looking for all the time. I was much more
interested in the stories around the game that
showed some of the characters.”
One interesting side note is that Peter recently
met up again with one of the children in the
picture, now all grown up and a regular Manchester
City season ticket holder, although the games
these days are played down the road in the rather
more salubrious surroundings of the City of
Manchester Stadium.
❚ thesaturdayman.com
Peter Robinson encountered
this group of children outside
Manchester City’s Maine Road
ground in 1968, who were
offering to ‘Mind Yer Car’ for
the price of a bag of sweets.
M
THE RAWCLIFFE
STREET GANG
THE SATURDAY MAN
ImagesonTheSaturdayManwebsite
arescansfromoriginalprints,all
preparedandfinishedusingAffinity
Photo.It’s Peter’schoiceofimagingsoftware,selecteddue
toitsintuitivenature,comprehensivetoolset,competitive
pricingandthefactthatitdoesn’trequireamonthlyfee.
Availablefromaffinity.serif.com/en-gb/photo/price£47.99.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFFINITY PHOTO

TheOtherSide
of
Football
Having fallen into football photography almost
by accident back in the 1960s, Peter Robinson’s photojournalist
approach created a highly personal record of the beautiful game.
AKE AVISIT TO PETER
Robinson’s highly evocative
website, ‘The Saturday
Man,’ and you’ll encounter
close on to sixty years of footballing
history, revealing, over 300 images
or so, just how much the game and
its environment has changed beyond
recognition throughout that time.
Where the top clubs now charge a
fortune for tickets and merchandise,
players are changing clubs for the
equivalent of the GDP of a small
country and the prawn sandwich
has become the symbol of the all-
pervading corporate culture, once
upon a time it was all way simpler, with
a much closer association existing
between fans and their teams.
Most of those who were
photographing football back around
the time the World Cup was hosted –
and won – by England back in 1966
were there to grab the key moments of
a game, the ball hitting the back of the
net, the goal celebrations, the posed
shot set up for the following day’s
paper. Peter was, of course, required to
get the necessary ‘money shot’ for his
employer, but his approach was quite
different, in that he was casting his
eye further, looking for pictures around
the edges of the game that interested him
more. The result is a wealth of material
that beautifully captures a lost and more
innocent age, and a new audience is
discovering this treasure trove of material
and is loving the memories.
“I was never actually into football at
all,” says Peter. “I didn’t follow any team
and wasn’t really looking to be a sports
photographer. It just came about because
I was looking for a job after studying
photography at Leicester College of Art
and needed to make some money to
support my family. I started out delivering
copies of a football magazine, The
Football League Review, and eventually
got the chance to take pictures for them.”
An almost accidental entry
into the genre it might have
been, but Peter subsequently
made a hugely successful career
out of photographing the
beautiful game. From 1970 to
1994 he was the photographer
for FIFA, and he’s covered no
less than 13 World Cup Finals
and 12 Olympic Games, shot
pictures in 115 countries and
had his work featured in more
than 450 books, and was even
for ten years a Professor at the
University of Lincoln in the
Faculty of Media.
In short it’s been a glorious
career, but it’s still the more
observational pictures that
he’s proudest of, and these are
the ones that inevitably get
pride of place on his website,
which was set up with the aim
of showcasing images with the
wider community that would
otherwise never be widely
seen. As a photographer who
always prided himself on his
photojournalistic instincts
these are shots that go beyond
the traditional sports arena and
they’ve become social documents.
Peter works exclusively with Affinity
Photo software to finish his files so it’s
appropriate that they’re our partner
for the six-month series that will be
highlighting shots from Peter’s archive
and telling the story of how each came
about. Stay tuned for a feast of great
photography and some special
memories from football’s past.
❚ thesaturdayman.com
T
PROFILE | PETER ROBINSON
ABOVE:GeorgeBestinhispompatOldTraffordin
September1964,ashotthatPetertookafterhitchhiking
uptoManchesterwhilestillastudent.Itbecamethe
firstfootballingpictureheeverhadpublished. His
camerainhisearlyyearswasaPentaxSpotmaticand,
later,aNikonFpairedwithaNovoflex280mm.

NIKON UNVEILS ITS PRO
MIRRORLESS FLAGSHIP
HAILED AS ITS NEW pro mirrorless flagship,
Nikon has revealed the Z 9, a camera that
comes packed with an array of high-end
features and a wealth of expectation. It’s a
model that the company is confident will
be a game-changer, certainly for those
working in the targeted fields of wildlife,
sports and photojournalism.
At the camera’s heart is a new, stacked
45.7MP full-frame CMOS sensor,
supported by an ultra-fast EXPEED 7
processor. The on-board 493-point AF
system includes 405 auto-area AF points
– five times more than the Z 7 II – while
10 AF-area modes let users optimise their
AF setup for any job. Deep-learning AI,
meanwhile, powers the most advanced,
simultaneous detection of up to nine
different subject types.
On the video front meanwhile the Z 9
can record full-frame 8K 24p to 60p and
4K 24p to 120p video, plus time-lapse
movies in-camera. It’s possible to record
8K video footage at 30p for approximately
125 minutes at a time, the longest duration
amongst mirrorless cameras. Furthermore,
there’s also compatibility with the ProRes
422 HQ recording format, while an
upcoming firmware update will enable the
recording of RAW 8K video in ultra-smooth
60piii. Full AF/AE and Eye-Detection
AF supports filming, while Nikon’s new
N-RAW format is on board to help keep file
sizes at a manageable level.
Speed-wise the Z 9 can capture
more than 1,000 frames
in full-resolution RAW
at 20fps in one burst.
It’s also possible to
shoot up to 120fps
at approximately 11
MP in JPEG normal
image quality, with
full AF/AE capability in
the new C+ mode. The
world’s fastest scan rate virtually
does away with rolling-shutter
distortion, to such an extent that
the mechanical shutter has been
removed. Meanwhile shutter
speeds of 1/32000sec combine with
the camera’s ability to shoot at ISO 64 to
deliver incredible depth of field, even in
PRONEWS
NEWS | VIEWS | EVENTS | EXHIBITIONS | NEW GEAR | COMPETITIONS
LAUNCH
extreme bright-light conditions.
In another first for Nikon, the
Z 9 is equipped with a 4-axis
vertical and horizontal
tilting monitor. Every inch
the professional’s tool,
the camera’s ergonomics,
such as the button
layout, have been refined
and improved based on
input gained by talking to
professional photographers.
Its robustness, meanwhile, goes
beyond the D6, ensuring users can carry on
working in even the harshest of conditions.
Alongside the Z 9, Nikon has announced
the NIKKOR Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
VR S – the first Z series super-telephoto
zoom lens – and the Mount Adapter FTZ II,
which further improves the usability of the
existing Mount Adapter FTZ.
The new lens can focus quickly and
quietly to track fast-moving subjects with
absolute precision, even if they’re moving
erratically. Added to this, there’s powerful
VR performance, equivalent to 5.5 stops,
while minimum focus distance is 0.75 m
at the wide-angle end of the zoom
range and 0.98 m at full extension.
Cost of the new Nikon Z 9 is set
at £5299 body only, while the 100-
400mm is priced at £2699, and the
Mount Adaptor FTZ II at £249.
❚ nikon.co.uk
NIKKOR Z 100-400MM F/4.5-5.6 VR S
NIKON IS ALSO DEVELOPING A NEW
400MM F/2.8 FOR THE Z RANGE

‘BACK TO BASICS’ FOR NEW SONY
THE MARK IV MODEL in Sony’s formidable
Alpha 7 range has, according to the
manufacturer, gone ‘back to basics’
with a 33MP full-frame image sensor
and the latest BIONZ XR processing
engine and advanced AF capabilities,
based on the flagship Alpha 1 model.
The Alpha 7 IV is said to be the
ultimate hybrid camera, packed
with outstanding still image quality
and evolved video technology with
advanced autofocus, enhanced
operability and workflow capability.
The model was also developed with the
environment in mind, by using Sony’s
original recycled plastic SORPLAS for the
LAUNCH
Tapheretowatchafilminterviewwith
winningphotographerDavidPrichard.
Additionally, Real-time Eye AF can now
track birds and animals’ eyes for both still
images and movies, in addition to humans.
On the video front the Alpha 7 IV
inherits cutting-edge technology that’s
taken from real-world movie production,
including S-Cinetone, which is adopted
from Sony’s highly regarded Cinema Line
cameras to deliver a rich, cinematic look.
There’s also 4K 60p recording available
in Super 35mm mode and up to 4K 30p
recording with 7K oversampling when
in full-frame mode. The new camera
also features 10-bit depth 4:2:2 colour
sampling to enable natural gradation.
The Alpha 7 IV features 5-axis optical
in-body image stabilisation for a 5.5-step
shutter speed advantage, as well as an
improved grip for greater comfort and
a CFexpress Type A compatible media
slot. Additionally, the 3.68 million-dot
(approx.) OLED Quad-VGA viewfinder is
1.6 times the resolution of the Alpha 7 III
viewfinder, allowing users to benefit from
upgraded live-view image quality.
The camera will be available later this
month priced at £2400, body only.
❚ sony.co.uk
DAVID PRICHARD HAS WON the £15,000
first prize in the prestigious Taylor Wessing
Photographic Portrait Prize 2021 for Tribute
to Indigenous Stock Women, his series of
portraits of First Nations women who spent
most of their working lives on cattle stations
in Far North Queensland. Second prize went
to Pierre-Elie de Pibrac for Hakanai Sonzai, a
series of portraits taken in Japan focused on
people who exhibited fortitude in the face of
adversity. Katya Ilina was awarded third prize
for David, taken from a series of portraits
that celebrate positive body image.
The winning portraits are now on
display in the Taylor Wessing Photographic
Portrait Prize 2021 exhibition at Cromwell
Place, in South Kensington, London until 2
January 2022, while the Gallery’s building
in St Martin’s Place is closed for major
redevelopment works.
COMPETITION
TAYLOR WESSING WINNER
❚ npg.org.uk/whatson/twppp2021/exhibition
camera body, while the packaging features
recyclable materials and less plastic.
ISO sensitivity ranging from ISO
50-204,800 is achieved along with a
15-stop dynamic range and the Alpha 7 IV
can track subjects with tenacious Real-
Time Tracking and 759 phase-detection
AF points in a high-density focal plane
phase-detection AF system that covers
approximately 94% of the image area.
THIS MONTH | PRO NEWS

PRO NEWS | THIS MONTH
NEWRANGEOFPROFILTERS
FILTER UPGRADE
LEE ELEMENTS IS AN all-new range of
high-performance and quick-to-deploy
circular filters for photographers and
videographers, freshly launched by Lee
Filters. Available in four standard sizes of
67mm, 72mm, 77mm and 82mm, Lee
Elements comprises five filter types:
Little Stopper (offering 6 stops of
light reduction), Big Stopper
(10 stops of light reduction),
CPL (circular polariser)
and two densities of VND
(variable ND, providing
2-5 or 6-9 stops of light
reduction).
Each Lee Elements filter
incorporates the highest
quality multilayer coated optics,
making them ideal complements to the
latest lenses and camera sensors. The
filters feature a rugged and robust black
anodised aluminium frame, and their
innovative design enables quick and easy
attachment and operation without the
need for a filter holder, in any environment
and even when wearing gloves.
For the first time, Lee’s renowned
Stopper filters for long-exposure
photography are available in a circular
format, ideal for grab-and-go
shooting. The Lee Elements
Little Stopper and Big
Stopper also feature
stackable housings,
allowing them to be
combined to meet users’
creative needs across a
variety of shooting conditions.
For further flexibility, the
rotating CPL and VND filters—which
feature increased front rings to ensure
optimal edge-crop performance—can be
stacked in front of a Stopper.
Lee Elements is available globally
through Lee Filters’ dealer network and in
the UK through Lee Filters dealers and the
Lee Direct online shop.
❚ leefiltersdirect.com
NEW LOOK FOR PUNKS
REVAMP
3 LEGGED THING has given its Punks
range of twist-lock tripods a refresh,
with improved engineering, increased
stability, and a fierce new look. The original
Corey, Travis, Billy and Brian are now
available in Mark 2.0 versions, all boasting
three detachable legs, enabling conversion
to monopods or booms and, with the
addition of optional Vanz tripod feet, can
also be made into tabletop tripods.
Part of the refreshed new look includes
chunkier leg locks that lower the centre
of gravity, resulting in greater stability.
These come with a new external design
that combines rubber pads and knurling,
offering users improved grip and leverage,
even when working in wet conditions.
Internally, Punks 2.0 tripods now have
the same anti-rotation Chicken Lips
(shims) found in 3LT’s Pro Range 2.0 and
Legends tripods. These also give the legs
greater rigidity when extended. Meanwhile
the patented Tri-mount plate located on
top of the centre column has been refined
with a new design, which is said to be ideal
for attaching accessories.
Additionally, the tripod canopies all now
include an integrated 1⁄4”-20 thread, ideal
for attaching an accessory arm in order
to mount a light or monitor to the tripod.
There’s also a screw-in D-Ring in the base
of the centre column, and this can be used
to hang a weight or bag to give users a level
of extra stability if required.
Punks 2.0 are available for pre-order
immediately from selected retailers, with
the Corey and Travis priced at £199.99, the
Billy at £289.99 and the Brian at £299.99.
❚ 3leggedthing.com
RONSMITH
THE MUCH-REVERED photography
teacher Ron Smith passed away
in September at the age of 101. He
taught at the new Holland Park School
in Kensington, London between
1958 and 1983 with an enthusiastic
and engaging style. It was the first
purpose-built comprehensive school
in the country to have dedicated
photographic departments with its
own studios and darkrooms and,
amusingly, it later became known as
the socialist Eton.
As one of his pupils in the 1960s,
he was an inspiration with his support
and mentoring. His total service
to education must have been well
over 70 years. In 1976, he won the
RPS Hood Medal for his services
to photographic education. In
following years it was won by Jacques
Cousteau, Lord Snowden and Sir David
Attenborough, and Ron was awarded
it again thirty years later in 2006.
He was also a long-term
stalwart life member of the Crewe
Photographic Society, giving
many fascinating and informative
talks. During his career, he was
such a wonderful role model for
photographers everywhere with his
enthusiasm for photography and for
giving something back.
Peter Dazeley BEM, FRPS
OBITUARY

Scanheretoviewafilmmadebybackcountryhiker
andpodcastproducerJamesAppletonthatshowsthe
ZoomF2inactionandthehighqualityitcandeliver.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH | COMPETITION
How to Enter
THE COMPETITION IS OPEN to UK-based
photographers who will need to commit
to making it down to London at an agreed
date in January 2022 to attend the training
session with Rick. We’ll cover reasonable
travelling expenses and you’ll go away
with the Zoom F2-BT Field Recorder as
part of the prize. We’ll also be producing
a video of the session to be hosted on the
Professional Photo YouTube Channel.
Entering couldn’t be easier. Simply head
to the Professional Photo website at
professionalphoto.online/zoomcompetition
and answer this one simple question:
QHow many hours of
recording can you
achieve with the Zoom
F2-BT Field Recorder using
two AAA alkaline batteries?
The competition will be open up until
midnight on Monday December 20 and we’ll
then pick a winner out at random and will be
in contact to agree a date for the training.
WinZoom’sFabulous
F2-BTFieldRecorder
PLUSatrainingsession!
Our exciting competition not only gives you the opportunity to
win the highly desirable Zoom F2-BT Field Recorder but also
join an audio training session with filmmaker Rick Bronks.
ROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHERS
are increasingly looking to move
into filmmaking, a
service so many
clients now demand, and
getting on top of audio is
one of the most significant
challenges. It’s a fresh area
of expertise you’ll need to
conquer and failure to deliver
top-quality results in this
department will massively
weaken your production.
Fortunately, 32-
bit float recording,
and products based
on this technology,
such as Zoom’s F2-BT
Field Recorder, are now
available, which can hugely
simplify the process and give you pro-spec
audio wherever you happen to be working.
The audio is recorded to an internal Micro
SD card and can subsequently be paired
with footage at the editing stage.
Our competition is offering one lucky
Professional Photo reader the opportunity
to not only win this product but to take
part in an audio training session in London
this coming January with
experienced filmmaker Rick
Bronks to find out how to
get the very most out of
the F2-BT. Rick is a regular
user of the product and so
knows its abilities inside
out, and he’ll be able to
walk our winner through
the process to achieve first
rate audio every time.
PRICED AT JUST £180, the ultra-compact Zoom F2-BT
Field Recorder can be tucked away in the pocket of a
gadget bag, ensuring it’s always to hand.
Using the device is simplicity itself. You plug in the
provided Lavaliere microphone and pop the recorder in
a pocket or attach it to your belt, and then hit the record
button and activate the lock to get started. There’s no
need to set the gain or volume of the microphone since it’s
all done automatically. And no matter how loud a person
talks, you’ll never clip or distort your audio while, if they’re
talking softly, you’ll be able to save the day by raising the
volume in post-production without introducing noise.
Having Bluetooth on board ensures that you can
connect wirelessly to your smartphone to not only adjust
the settings but remotely hit the record button. Meanwhile
power is provided by two AAA batteries, which can
provide you with up to 14 hours of recording.
Terms and Conditions: Entries must be received by midnight, December 20, 2021 and
the winner will be notified within seven days. The winner will be chosen at random from
all of the correct entries. The competition is open to UK residents and employees of
So Smart Media and the prize provider and their immediate families and agents may
not enter. The prize must be taken as offered with no alternative. Our winner will need
to commit to travel to London for a day on a date to be agreed to attend the training,
and reasonable travelling expenses will be covered. We’ll also be making a video of the
training, which will be shared on the Professional Photo YouTube Channel. Entries not
in accordance with these rules will be disqualified: by entering the competition you’ll be
deemed to be bound by these rules.
Making Audio
Recording a Cinch!
P
VIDEO Visit zoomcorp.com
to find out more
about the company’s
extensive line-up of
audio products.
T
A
P TO ENT
E
R

London’s theatreland is well and truly back in business and
Rankin’s latest project aims to celebrate both the actors and the
backstage heroes who have helped to ensure its survival.
P R O J E C T
›
Roaring Back
P
AT MITCHELL, THE STAGE DOOR keeper for
The Mousetrap at the St Martin’s theatre
remembers only too well the absolute sense of
disbelief that swept through the West End in
March 2020, as the spectre of Covid was looming large
and the unimaginable sight of London shutting down
was happening right in front of his eyes.
“People in the theatre didn’t think it could happen
but then the word went around that we were closing
down, and I just had to lock up and the place was left
empty,” he recalls. “We were saying to each other that
maybe this would last for a week or so perhaps and
then someone said that the lockdown could actually
go on for months and suddenly we were all left
wondering what would happen to us.”
It was a truly traumatic time, not just for the
high-profile performers but also the army of people
behind-the-scenes, like Pat, who help to keep
London’s theatres running. In those initial pre-
furlough days, when no-one was really sure what was
going on, the situation initially looked apocalyptic,
with realisation sinking in that everyone’s job was on
the line. Even as the pandemic slowly started to ease
theatres were one of the last businesses to come back
to life, and it’s been something of a miracle that most
WORDS TERRY HOPE IMAGES RANKIN
seem to have managed to survive.
By pure coincidence, in the lead up to Christmas
2019, before all of this came to pass, Rankin was
approached by a friend, Hector Proud, with the idea
of potentially putting together a portrait of the West
End. Initially he wasn’t convinced: while the idea
appealed to him his view was that it was just too big a
subject and it would end up being too time consuming.
“There was also the point that the West End was
something I didn’t really know all that well at that
time,” he says. “I also thought that maybe it could
become quite competitive and, having worked with
actors for years and years, that maybe it could be
a little diva and ego-driven. It was such a great
concept but it literally felt like I could be opening a
can of worms, so I said let me think about it over the
Christmas period and perhaps it would be something
we would do down the line, so that we could prepare
and put all the necessary pre-production into it.”
Then events just took over and Rankin, like just
about everyone else, was himself forced to step back
from the regular work as the world closed down and
a dark cloud descended. Three months into lockdown
Hector mentioned that it was looking as though
theatres would be dark for at least a further year

PROJECT | LONDON’S THEATRE
“With pretty much everything I do I try
to create a new aesthetic and style, so
once I tried out the GFX 100 and 30mm
lens combination, I was thinking this
is a great lens, this is what I’m going to
use. It’s wide enough to feel intimate
but not so wide that it’s going to end up
being distorting for the subjects.
„
ABOVELEFT:Alexia
McIntoshasAnnaof
ClevesinSixatthe
VaudevilleTheatre.
ABOVE:ShaDessi
asEponineinLes
Miserablesatthe
SondheimTheatre.
LEFT:EmmieRay
andCarlMan,
EnsembleMembers
inWickedatthe
ApolloVictoria
Theatre.
OPPOSITEPAGE:
KillianDonnellyas
thePhantom,in
ThePhantomof
theOperaatHer
Majesty’sTheatre.

LONDON’S THEATRE | PROJECT

PROJECT | LONDON’S THEATRE
and Rankin could hardly believe what he was hearing.
“I just couldn’t imagine how they could possibly
survive,” he says. “At that time all live performance
was just so excruciatingly difficult and that was
the point where I thought that, if we were to get the
opportunity, we should definitely consider doing the
West End project. And Hector really drove the idea of it
and kept bringing it back to me, and he contacted The
Society of London Theatre and lot of different theatre
productions and it all started to move forward.
“I also began to talk to people about it and the
positive response we received was overwhelming and
we thought to ourselves, well this is a good idea and
we should definitely take this forward.”
Pulling it All Together
While there was a lot of positive talk the logistics
of making it all happen while theatreland was still
in such a deep slumber were impossible, but as the
pandemic began to ease over last summer the doors
started to open again and one by one the productions
made their longed-for return. The feeling of relief
was immense and it was the perfect time to spread
the word about the project and to start the detailed
planning regarding how it was all going to work.
At this point the Fujifilm House of Photography,
the outstanding and cavernous space that sits on the
edge of Covent Garden just a short stroll from the
very heart of the West End, started to figure in the
planning. It had everything that was needed in one
place: a fully equipped and state-of-the-art studio
space, a selection of pro-spec GFX medium format
cameras and lenses on site and even the facility to
output exhibition-quality prints on the spot, using
Fujifilm’s much-loved Crystal Archive paper.
Once the ball was rolling it all came together
remarkably quickly, just six weeks from start to
finish, with a number of shoot days arranged and
sessions set up with care to avoid performance times
so that the everyone could either jump in a cab or even
just take a short stroll over to take part.
From the outset the idea was to focus on the
theatrical family as a whole, so alongside the
performers there were stage managers, musicians and
conductors, understudies, artistic directors, front of
house staff, voice coaches, sound engineers and even
theatre owners, such as Andrew Lloyd Webber, who
joyfully posed with Killian Donnelly, The Phantom
from The Phantom of the Opera. The performers from
The Lion King showed up in a cab, complete with their
larger-than-life stage costumes. It was a remarkable
operation, some of it involving Rankin working while
lucky visitors to the House of Photography were given
a golden opportunity to see a live shoot in progress.
Appropriately enough it was almost like a little bit
of theatre in itself, and what underscored everything
throughout was the sheer pleasure of everyone
participating, just for the fact that they were working
again and this was a defiant return statement. ‘What
was really striking was how positive and humble
ABOVE:Charlie
StempasBertand
ZiziStrallenasMary
PoppinsinMary
PoppinsatthePrince
EdwardTheatre.
RIGHT:PatMitchell,
StageDoorKeeperfor
TheMousetrapatSt
Martin’sTheatre.
FIRSTSPREAD:
JarnéiaRichard-Noel
(Aragon),Alexia
McIntosh(Cleves)
andNatalieParis
(Seymour)
fromSixatthe
VaudevilleTheatre.
ShaunEscofferyas
MufasainDisney’s
TheLionKingatthe
LyceumTheatre.
every single person that I met, bar none, was about
it,” Rankin explains. “It was just overwhelming.”
Spreading the word and organising who would
come along to the photo sessions and when, came
down to Emma de Souza at the Society of London
Theatre, who became the focal point of contact for the
whole project. “I didn’t want to be the person with the
responsibility of choosing people,” says Rankin. “And
it wasn’t necessarily about specific people in any case,
but about it being everyone, and our remit was to say
let’s get as many different types of character involved
in this as we can. I wanted it to be representative of all
the people who make theatre.”
Working in a Team
Rankin himself could empathise with his subjects,
having spent four months during the first lockdown
not being able to work with his team. While he found
it quite refreshing in some ways to work on his own
for a period he soon found himself missing the
performative nature of being around others and he’d
relished the thought of getting back to work again
once restrictions started to lift in the summer of 2020.
One of the big plus points of being based at the

LONDON’S THEATRE | PROJECT
conveniently located and best equipped facilities in
the capital. Rankin is hoping word doesn’t spread too
far since he’s planning to work here again.
Of the five shoot days four took place at the HOP
with the remaining one at Rankin’s studio and, as
the images began to came together, prints started to
be output and a plan was drawn up regarding how it
would all ultimately piece together.
On the opening night Rankin was in attendance,
as was Pat Mitchell and several other of those whose
pictures were on the walls. There were no frames, no
mounts, nothing between the viewer and the prints
and holding everything in place were regular drawing
pins, and yet it all worked perfectly. Everyone was
just thankful for the chance to be there, at a real event
with real people, and to be celebrating another
small step on the road back to normality.
Fujifilm House of Photography was the chance to work
with the mighty GFX 100, the medium format monster
with a stunning 100MP sensor at its heart, which
Rankin paired most of the time with a 30mm f/3.5
(equivalent to a 24mm prime), though a 63mm f/2.8
(50mm equivalent) was also used on occasion.
“I was quite taken by the idea of shooting the
project near Covent Garden,” says Rankin, “so the
House of Photography made a lot of sense and people
could get here easily. When they said yes to us working
there I took a look at the camera and I thought this is a
fairly exceptional piece of kit.
“With pretty much everything I do I try to create
a new aesthetic and style, so once I tried out the GFX
100 and 30mm lens combination, I was thinking this
is a great lens, this is what I’m going to use. It’s wide
enough to feel intimate but not so wide that it’s going
to end up being distorting for the subjects.”
Lighting too remained consistent throughout,
Rankin building a mini set in the House of
Photography’s on-site studio and working with
Elinchrom lighting to create the feel he was after.
One of the capital’s best-kept secrets, this space
is available for hire and it must be one of the most
Performanceruns
attheFujifilmHouse
ofPhotographyin
London’sCovent
GardenuntilJanuary
31,2022and
admissionisfree.All
proceedsfromthe
showwilljointlygo
totheTheatreArtists
FundandLondon
YouthHomelessness
Charities.
ABOVE:Kieran
Lai,Ensemble,and
Miriam-TeakLeeas
JulietinJulietatthe
ShaftesburyTheatre.
TheprojectisacollaborationbetweenRankin,OfficialLondonTheatre
andFujifilm,withfundingsupportfromtheMayorofLondonaspartof
the#LetsDoLondoncampaign.Visitorstothefreeexhibitionwillhavethe
optiontodonatetotheTheatreArtistsFund,whichprovidesemergency
aidtostrugglingtheatrefreelancers,aswellasfourLondonyouth
homelessnesscharitiesselectedbytheMayorofLondon– Depaul,akt,
CentrepointandNewHorizonsYouthCentre.

TheWorld
Accordingto
Dench
H
AVE YOU EVER turned down an assignment?
Was it because the pay was too low or you
thought the client immoral? I refused to work
for the British tabloids during my early career
but then I also refused to use a zoom lens thinking it
was cheating. Perhaps I was a fool!
Maybe someone might even have turned down
a job for you? My first assignment for The Sunday
Times Magazine was in 1998 and I’ve managed to
continue working through multiple changes of picture
editors. During the mid-noughties there was a blip,
an unwanted sabbatical. I’d not heard from them for
a while and asked why when I bumped into the-then
pic-ed at an exhibition opening. They said they’d
heard I didn’t want to work for them anymore!
Who wouldn’t want to work for the STM? I said they
should have checked directly with me and indeed I
very much still wanted to work for them and I asked
where they’d heard that I didn’t. They wouldn’t tell
me but I have my suspicions: a competitor perhaps
or an interim art-director who preferred working
with alternative photographers? Fortunately, I was
reinstated in their pages shortly after.
Maybe the reason you turned down an assignment
was because you were concerned for your personal
Life as a globetrotting photojournalist can be dangerous at times,
and Dench recalls some of his scariest scrapes and the farewell letter
to his three-year-old daughter, that was written just in case…
safety? I’ve always tried to say yes to everything,
assess the risk and then make a choice. There are
a few places I wouldn’t rush back to. Arriving in
Haiti in 2007 I was warmly greeted by my fixer who
was wearing a smart shiny grey suit and mirrored
sunglasses. “How is the Queen and Elton John?” was
his opening question. I reassured him they were fine.
Haiti is a country with a history of tumult that
has left a mark; revolution, earthquakes, hurricanes,
cholera epidemic, flooding, trade embargoes and
political chaos. I was in the country to report on their
promising under-17s football team who were playing
the much older Cleveland Cavaliers from the USA.
Mr Fixit drove me to the match and I made my way
around the Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince,
snapping away amongst the taciturn crowd to a
soundtrack of hisses and Haitian curses. After the
game, despite a victory for the under 17s, the crowd
began to turn ugly and I decided I needed to get out
quick. I found Mr Fixit urinating on the get-away
vehicle. He seemed to have spent the whole match on
the lash. He was bundled into the back before we made
a tyre-screeching escape from the ground.
In Kirkuk, northern Iraq, I was reporting on mine
clearance with Spirit of Soccer, a charity that uses
the world’s most popular sport to educate, equip and
employ vulnerable people in conflict and post-conflict
zones around the world. We were accompanied by a
truck full of bodyguards and a female driver.
On one particularly long drive I needed to pee. Our
driver advised me to relieve myself next to the vehicle
but, being a bit prudish, I dashed into the adjacent
field and immediately tore my trousers open groin-
high on barbed wire. When I returned to the vehicle,
I was firmly advised not to run into a field that hasn’t
yet been checked for, and cleared of, mines.
Many of the football pitches in Kirkuk were
surrounded by high fences and covered with net to
prevent the ball from escaping. No one wanted to
retrieve the ball from the surrounding areas, just in
case - BOOM! It was a necessary picture to get - the
green pitch caught in the vast landscape. Our guide
assured me they knew a safe route up onto a ridge

PETER DENCH | PRO TALK
where I could capture the scene and, fortunately,
on this occasion, they were correct. I’m not into
unnecessary thrills like riding a roller-coaster or sky-
diving but I would probably walk through a minefield
if it guaranteed a cover for TIME magazine.
Photographing in Liberia, a nation that had been
wrecked by a decade of genocidal civil war, turned
out to be another memorable experience, and not
just because the plane burst a tyre on landing. I
was made very welcome by Dennis Parker when I
visited him at home with his family in the capital,
Monrovia. Aged 16, Parker had been forced to take up
arms for the National Patriotic Front on behalf of the
then president Charles Taylor. After several years of
fighting his right leg was shattered in a gun battle and
eventually it was amputated below the knee.
After the war, amputees were stigmatised, rejected
by society for their part in the killings. He rebuilt
his life becoming a star goal scorer for the Liberia
Amputee Sports Association (LASA) football team -
the goalkeeper has both legs but only one arm while
the outfield players have both arms but only one leg.
Photographing LASA play, the skill and commitment
of the team was awesome and truly humbling.
Before the trip to Liberia in 2007, which also
included assignments in Senegal and South Africa, I
was nervous enough to write my then three-year-old
daughter a note explaining why I felt it was right to
go, just in case - BOOM! I recently shredded the letter
in my memento-box. For some reason I wrote it all in
capital letters which I’ll spare you here:
“To my darling Grace. When you were born, I would
have happily spent forever at home by your side, watching
you grow up but I was never very good at staying still and
wanted to make you proud, as proud as I am of you.
"I had seen a bit of the world before you were born
but wanted to see more with you in my heart, as having
you in my life made everything seem more alive, more
powerful. I wanted to tell you stories about places I had
seen, to share with you what an exhilarating place the
world can be. My only regret is that I will not see the
beautiful person I know you will grow up to become. Be
excited by life, love your mum and make the most of every
opportunity. I love you. Dad”
Blah blah blah, thank Christ she never got to read
that over-dramatic sentimental mush. Imagine
if I’d hadn’t said yes to all those incredible
assignments - that’s the scariest thought of all.
PETERDENCH
AnOlympus
Visionary,Peteris
ahighlyregarded
documentary
photographer,
writerand
commentator,
withawrysense
ofhumourrunning
throughhiswork.
peterdench.com
”
“Many of the football
pitches in Kirkuk were
surrounded by high
fences and covered
with net to prevent the
ball from escaping.
No one wanted to
retrieve the ball from
the surrounding areas,
just in case.

LOVE DOING WHAT I do - every
shoot, every client, every brief is
special to me. But there are still
some jobs that transcend all others,
and working with the Royal Institution of
Great Britain is something that is genuinely
beyond almost anything else I do.
You may recall that I’ve previously
written about the RIGB in a previous
feature in this series. If so, then you’ll know
that the opportunity to work on their
Christmas Lectures is a particularly relished
seasonal treat, having sat and watched
them as a child with my dad. So now I get
to create the imagery for them, and I can’t
stop smiling as I’m typing this.
This year, these iconic lectures are to
feature Jonathan Van-Tam, along with
If you’re photographing someone high profile
you’ll always face constraints, and Paul recounts
the challenges he faced when his subject was
none other than Jonathan Van-Tam.
WORDS & IMAGES PAUL WILKINSON
THE ANATOMY OF A SHOOT
guest speakers. The topic? Well, as you
might expect, it’s going to be looking at
how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted
on science and changed it forever.
In the words of the Royal Institution
themselves: ‘In three lectures,
epidemiologist Jonathan Van-Tam will take
a deep dive into viruses and reveal why
discoveries and advances made during the
ongoing pandemic mean biological science
will never be the same.’
I have photographed the lectures
themselves for the past decade, along with
the PR images for press releases, TV titles
and idents and pictures destined for the
RIGB website. It’s my favourite gig of the
year and I know that this upcoming one is
going to be something extra special.
Portraits
Under
Pressure
THE PLANNING
ALTHOUGH THIS IS A regular job for
us the brief is always different, with
various constraints inevitably thrown
in. The plan is always to create a wide
variety of imagery in various formats.
At this stage, we won’t know what we
need to do to capture the attention of
the press and what the branding of the
show will ultimately be.
The pre-planned ideas and,
subsequently, the images, have to
be cleared by the Royal Institution,
the presenter’s team, the production
company and the BBC. And this
year was further complicated given
I

›
Jonathan’s current high-profile role
working as deputy chief medical officer
to the government!
Timings for the shoot will always be
constrained. Getting it shoe-horned
into the respective diaries of the
presenter, the Institution and ourselves
is hard enough. And, given the very
public pressures that Jonathan is under,
we knew time on the day would be
limited as well. Little did we realise he
would also have to take a break at one
stage to call the Prime Minister about
imminent policy changes the following
day. So, like I said, tricky timings!
THE SHOT
ALTHOUGH WE SHOT a wide range of
images, my favourite is one I grabbed
as we passed a clear-glass lift shaft that
threw natural light into the corridor.
Sometimes simple is best! However, I
have chosen one of the composite shots
for this feature as it neatly illustrates
so many of the challenges you can find
yourself facing in this kind of shoot.
The idea of the shot is a simple one:
we wanted to project images of various
themes onto a wall and have JVT in front,
lit by a combination of the projection
and a strobe. In theory, this should have
been straightforward. However…
The lighting from the strobe
overpowers that from the projector, thus
picking out the subject. So, in short, we
were using light to pick out Jonathan’s
beaming face through whatever it
happened to be that we were blowing
up onto the wall. This kind of image is
relatively easy to construct in the studio,
with plenty of space and a tool kit of
lights at your disposal. Additionally,
everything is manoeuvrable, delivering
the ability to fine-tune the angles,
locations and brightness of the light and
projection to get the desired effect.
However, on location, although we

TECHNIQUE | ANATOMY OF A SHOOT
had plenty of space, beyond that things
were a little trickier. Firstly, the projector
was bolted to a high ceiling, meaning we
needed Jonathan close to the wall for the
steep angle of projection to include him.
If he were to step further away from the
wall the projector’s beam would pass
above his head! I’m making this sound
like we pre-calculated all of the angles
but, of course, we were only discovering
the limitations as we set everything up.
OK, so Jonathan had to be closer to
the wall than I would have liked, but
surely we could move the strobe to
illuminate him? Well, true, but to light
him correctly the angles now meant that
I was also brightening the wall, bleaching
out the projected image. And there was
no obvious way around it - even by using
a focusing lens on the strobe.
Although this was only one image in
my list, we were aiming to project a range
of different subjects on the wall for this
section of the shoot. This meant that if
we failed in this one then we failed at all
of them, and that was not an option!
So, we needed to decide what to do.
In a situation like this, it’s usually best to
think backwards from the desired result.
I needed Jonathan in front of a projected
possible in-camera and then use post-
production to optimise - rather than
build from scratch - the finished images.
I figured that this would give us the
most realistic outcome, with the image
looking like Jonathan was standing
in front of - and inside - a projection
because, well, he actually was standing
there, even though I was envisaging later
in the day using post-production trickery
to clean things up a little.
So I set things up to make the best of
it, with the brightest projection we could
achieve on Jonathan and the wall and
the best strobe lighting I could manage
without obliterating too much of the
backdrop. I ignored the intrusion of the
strobe, its stand and the illumination
circle into the photograph. As long as
Jonathan looked good and at least some
of the projection was showing through
on him, I knew I would have enough to
finish the image in Photoshop.
Not ideal, perhaps, but I’m
commissioned for the finished image,
not how I get there. It also meant I could
concentrate on chatting with Jonathan
and making sure he looked relaxed in
every image: his expression and body
language would make or break any shot.
Paulcouldn’tadjustthepositionoftheprojector,sohehad
toworkwithhisstrobepositionedclosetoJonathanVan-
Tamandthenbecarefulnottooverpowerthebackdrop.
image backdrop, and his face needed to
be well lit. The projection also needed to
envelop JVT to some degree to add a little
realism to the overall image
If you think about the image you’re
envisaging like this then there are
numerous ways it can be achieved: possibly
using chroma key or shooting on black
and doing everything in post. However,
we were tight on time and had already set
everything up, so I opted to do as much as

ANATOMY OF A SHOOT | TECHNIQUE
I TOOK THE captured image into the
Photoshop stage and then finished it
in a series of distinct steps.
1. The first step was to import the
in-camera image and the original
projected image file as two layers.
2. With some tweaking using the
transform tool, it was easy to align
the projection file exactly over the
in-camera photograph.
3. I then created an outline mask of
Jonathan using a combination of Select
> Subject and the pen tool. I then saved
this outline so that I could use it in a
couple of places during the edit.
4. Using the mask I cut a hole in the
projection layer, revealing Jonathan
from the in-camera image. This
removed the strobe, the stand and the
pool of light that I didn’t want.
5. I copied this layer and inverted the mask
- once more obliterating Jonathan.
6. I distorted this layer (but not the mask)
with the warp tool, as if it were projected
onto a 3D figure. I didn’t need to be too
accurate for this, I just needed to do
enough to make it believable.
7. I then blurred this layer as if it were
slightly out of focus as, of course, it
would have been if it were to be hitting
an object in front of the wall.
8. The layer mode was set to ‘screen’ to
look like it was projected onto Jonathan.
9. Then all that was needed was a slight
vignette and some final colouring using
DXO’s Nik Color Effex Pro.

Simple right? Well, OK, it sounds more
complex than it was in practice. All
I’m actually doing is cleaning up the
background and making it look like
the image was also projected onto
Jonathan. See the diagram to get a better
understanding of what was going on.
POST-PRODUCTION
Paul Wilkinson FMPA FBIPP FSWPP is a multi-award-
winning international photographer, with a boutique
studio midway between Oxford and London. He is
co-author of the best-selling book Mastering Portrait
Photography and shares his skills and experience with
other photographers through the free companion site
masteringportraitphotography.com
Build your business and transform your photography
with hundreds of lighting diagrams, articles, videos,
podcasts and more, plus get answers to your questions
and feedback on your images through the friendly
forums and constructive critiques.
❚ Mastering Portrait Photography by
Paul Wilkinson and Sarah Plater is
published by Ammonite Press, priced
£19.99. Available from thegmcgroup.
com and all good bookshops.
MEET THE PRO
THE CHRISTMAS LECTURES have been
inspiring children and adults alike
since 1825. Michael Faraday initiated
the Lectures at a time when organised
education for young people was
scarce. He presented 19 series himself,
establishing an exciting new way of
presenting science to young people.
These events have continued
annually since the 1825 series,
stopping only for four years during
World War II. Many world-famous
scientists have given the Lectures
over the years, including Nobel Prize
winners William and Lawrence Bragg,
Sir David Attenborough, Carl Sagan
and Dame Nancy Rothwell.
They are broadcast on BBC Four
between Christmas and New Year and
can also be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.
CONCLUSION
IN THE END, we created what I had hoped
for, and a lot more besides! Working with
the team at the Royal Institution is a great
experience for me: always imaginative and
always smart. In short, I love it!
Of course, it’s never ideal having to rely
on Photoshop for this kind of work but, in
the end, we had to make decisions as best
as we could on the day given the space
and time constraints we were up against.
And, as we all know, space and time are
related. A little science joke (OK, a dad joke)
somehow seemed appropriate in this case!
And if you’re wondering, we also created
a whole series of images on black (and
on white) as clean portraits. These were
always in the creative brief in their own
right, but we could have created this entire
image from scratch in Photoshop had we
needed to. So, call me risk-averse if you
want to, but we were well covered!
RIGB CHRISTMAS
LECTURES
IT WOULD BE BEST if you never had
to rely on Photoshop. That is until
you have to rely on Photoshop! The
trick is knowing when you’re in that
position and then moving quickly to
make sure you have everything you
need to create the final image.
PRO TIP
SOOC

THE
AFFINITY
PHOTO
TUTORIAL
After
OWEVER MUCH TIME and effort
you exert creating intricate
lighting set-ups, there will always
be occasions when the eyes of your
subject could do with a little extra lift. There
could be an element of shadow that needs
lifting or perhaps they just appear a little
tired and in need of a spot of rejuvenation,
and if you’re not on top of this crucial detail
it can leave the portrait looking rather flat.
It’s such an important element of the
overall mix and it’s very simple to add some
essential sparkle so that eyes don’t become
muddy and lost. The features within
Affinity Photo that you’ll need to work with
are the easy-to-use Selection tools, which
allow you to localise your adjustments for
the greatest effect, and the whole process
takes just a few minutes to complete.
This technique is best suited to higher
WORDS AND ADJUSTED IMAGES MATTY GRAHAM
H
ORI
GIN
AL
IMA
GE
BY
@P
OUR
IYA
KAF
AEI
end portraiture work, the kind of jobs where
you could be booking a studio and hiring in
a model and make-up artist. When you’re
producing tight headshots every element
of the subject has to be spot on, so it’s
worth spending this small amount of extra
time to make the eyes pop. It could be the
difference between a saleable image and
one that doesn’t stand out from the crowd,
so what are you waiting for?
Add Some
Sparkle!
Bright and lively eyes
are the key to strong
portraits and if you need
to accentuate this feature
there’s a simple and
effective five-minute
Affinity Photo fix that will
make them stand out.
Before

IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFFINITY PHOTO | TECHNIQUE
COPY AND PASTE
We want to keep our adjustments localised so that they
don’t affect the rest of the frame. With the marching
ants confirming your selection, hit Command and
C to copy the pixels to the Clipboard. Once this is
done you need to use Command andVto paste them
back onto the frame. Anew Layer will be created and
automatically selected, ready for you to work on. You
can now hit Control and D to deselect the pixels.
STEPTWO
ADD A CURVES
ADJUSTMENT
Head back to the Layers panel
and click on the Adjustments
icon, which is identified by the
half-white, half-black icon.
When the pop-up menu appears,
select Curves and a dialogue box
will appear. Inside the grid table,
click on the line near the top and
move it towards the upper left
to increase the brightness. Don’t
worry if the skin on the face over
exposes: at this stage just make
sure that you’re happy with the
brightness of the eyes.
STEPTHREE
›
With your image open in
Affinity Photo’s Photo
Persona, hit Command and
+ to zoom in on the eyes area
so you can get a better view
of your subject. Next, click
the Selection Brush Tool
(keyboard shortcut W) and
brush over the area of the eyes
to select them. Don’t worry if
the Selection Brush picks up
extra detail, such as an eyelid,
as we will refine this further
along in the technique.
STEPONE
MAKE A SELECTION
Selection
Brush
Tool (B)
Photo
Persona

TECHNIQUE | IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFFINITY PHOTO
ADJUST THE OPACITY
Click Command and - to Zoom out and see the whole
portrait. If you feel the effect is too strong, you can lower
the Opacity of the top Layer. Next, save your image by
STEPSIX
It’s time to refine the eye area, so if you need to
focus in on the detail zoom in even closer using
Command and +. Next, head to the Tool bar and
select the Paint Brush tool (keyboard shortcut
B) and make sure it’s set to Black, with a
Hardness of 0%. You can change the size of the
Brush using the Square bracket keys, and once
you’re happy, paint around the white of the eye
to remove any run off, such as stray eyelashes
or an eyelid, from the selection.
PAINT OUT PIXELS
STEPFIVE
RELOCATE YOUR LAYERS
Our next job is to move the Curves Adjustment Layer,
which can be found at the top of the stack, and merge it
with the Layer consisting of just the eyes that you copied
and pasted earlier. If you hover the Layer just to the right
STEPFOUR
Paint
Brush
Tool (B)
heading to the top of the interface and selecting the File
menu before scrolling down and selecting Export and then
saving the file in your chosen format.
of the thumbnail, it will join as a sub-layer. You’ll know
when this is successful as the thumbnail of the Curves
adjustment will sit slightly to the right and the exposure
level of the rest of the frame will return to normal.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFFINITY PHOTO | TECHNIQUE
Clickheretowatchanexclusivevideowhere
Mattytalksthroughthisandotheruseful Affinity
Photopost-productiontechniquesinrealtime.
Moreinformation:
❚affinity.serif.com
VIDEO
DON’TFORGETTO
CLEANTHETEETH
AnAlternative
WorkflowChoice
ORIGINAL IMAGE: @OLEGIXANOVPHT
THIS TECHNIQUE CAN
also be used to polish
another area that’s
often neglected when
retouching portraits, and
that’s your subject’s teeth.
You may not feel it’s totally
necessary for more casual
lifestyle images, but for
high-end model shots it can
really pay to whiten up any
teeth that might need a lift. The process is the same, so just
select the teeth, add a Curves adjustment and then use the
Paint Brush tool to refine the effect and keep it localised.
ANOTHER WAY TO achieve the same end result
that by-passes the need to create redundant
copies of your image/pixel data is the following:
1. Selection Brush, enable Soft Edges on the
context toolbar (this will anti-alias edge
detail), paint into the eyes to make a selection.
2. Then it’s time to add the Curves adjustment.
This will automatically mask to the active
selection of the eyes.
3. Manipulate Curves adjustment as usual.
4. If you need to adjust the mask, use the Paint
Brush Tool with 0% hardness and black/white
colour. This is done directly on the Curves
adjustment layer—there’s no need to be
adding a separate mask layer.
5. Change the Opacity of the Curves adjustment
if you want to alter the strength.
ABOVEANDRIGHT:It’samazing
justhowmuchourattentionis
drawntotheeyesofasubject
andsoit’sreallyimportant
thesearefulloflife. Asimple
five-minutetechniquecanmake
ahugedifference.
ORIGINAL
IMAGE:
@ASTROVOL
Before
After
Before
After

F YOU’RE RUNNING a hybrid
business then it would appear to
be something of a no brainer that
you need to be considering kit that
can straddle both your stills and motion
requirements. A closer look at some of the
options launched from the likes of Canon,
Panasonic, Nikon and Sony over the past
year or so would appear to confirm that
there is plenty of choice at the moment in
this department, so is there any point in
looking further when you’re considering
what kit you should be investing in?
Depending on how seriously you’re going
to venture down the filmmaking path there
is, in fact, a very strong argument for at
least considering what cinema cameras
might be able to offer you by way of an
alternative. Because they’re not designed
to do anything other than shoot video there
are no compromises and you’ll find you have
I
If you’re a hybrid
professional shooting
both stills and motion
then the idea of a
camera that can
similarly do both things
is tempting, but could
a dedicated Cinema
model do a better job?
THE MOVE TOWARDS MOTION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
The Case
for Cinema
a lengthy line-up of options and features at
your fingertips that the hybrids will struggle
to match. There are many other advantages
as well, and CVP’s Technical Marketing
Manager Jake Ratcliffe has been taking a
closer look to compare camera types and to
offer some thoughts regarding the job that
each of them has been set up to do.
“The first thing to remember is that
DSLRs and mirrorless cameras were never
designed primarily to shoot video,” says
Jake, “and this becomes obvious when you
first pick one up. Their lightweight nature,
which can be seen as a pro or a con, means
that footage will have much more shake to
it than a heavier camera package. Built-in
image stabilisation, which is less commonly
found on cinema cameras, can help with
this, but it’s still a fact that mirrorless
models can be a bit of a pain to get working
nicely on the shoulder, whereas most
cinema cameras will behave well in this
configuration with a couple of accessories.
“Most mirrorless cameras will also
come with a lack of buttons, which makes
changing settings on the fly while shooting
much slower and more cumbersome. If
you compare the Canon EOS R series to the
C70 and the C 300 Mark III, you can quickly
see that there are a lack of easy-to-access
controls for key settings that you may need
to reach quickly while shooting, and this is
quite common. Video cameras also feature
at least one dedicated record button, which
means you’ll be able to roll easily no matter
how you’re operating the camera.”
Most stills cameras will also have
reduced levels of inputs and outputs when
compared to a video model, such things as
video outputs, like HDMI, or SDI, timecode
or BNC ports, as well as power outputs and
other connectivity options. This is

cinema cameras is also much better than
those found in stills cameras, so the quality
of your audio will be far better.”
Cinema cameras also carry a
considerable advantage is in terms of
battery life. Once again it’s the smaller form
factor of mirrorless cameras that makes
the big difference in this department,
since batteries for these cameras will
naturally also be much smaller, which
obviously is going to impact on the length
of video run times. You’re also likely to be
limited regarding what accessories, such
as a monitor or wireless video system,
you can power from these models. Also
consider such things as recording limits:
for mirrorless models these are often set at
30 minutes, potentially a serious problem
if you’re filming a live event or a long
interview, but professional video cameras
don’t come with this restriction. ›
because they aren’t designed to
be part of a professional video
workflow, where you may need
more options at your fingertips.
“Audio is another area that’s
handled much better with
dedicated cinema cameras,"
says Jake, "as audio is often an
afterthought when it comes to
still models. First off, you will normally
have better audio inputs, such as the
mini XLRs on the EOS C70 and full size XLRs
on the EOS C300 Mark III. This in turn allows
you to use more professional audio sources
as well as multiple different sources,
which will be great for a huge range of
productions.
“These will be
accompanied by physical
audio controls on the body, which are
much faster and easier to get access to
rather than having to go through the menu
system. The quality of the preamps inside
Evena brillianthybrid
camerasuchastheEOSR5
can'tmatcheverythinga
cinemamodelcando.

TECHNIQUE | THE MOVE TOWARDS MOTION
MIRRORLESS ADVANTAGES
Of course, it’s not all one-way traffic when
you start to compare camera types. Hybrid
mirrorless and DSLR cameras do offer a
string of advantages over cinema models
as well, which is something that Jake
acknowledges and is quick to point out.
“One of the huge plus points, of course,
is that they can take really high-quality
stills,” he says, “which makes them highly
versatile. And, as mentioned, they are really
compact compared to a cinema camera,
which makes them easy to carry and more
inconspicuous than larger systems.
“This also means you can get them onto
smaller gimbals as well, and I know plenty
of owner/operators who are working in
this way. A lot of mirrorless cameras will
also feature better weather sealing than
cinema models, though you can get
around this by working with a rain
cover. Mirrorless cameras will also
feature an EVF which, for some,
will be their preferred way of
shooting. If you’re working with a
more video-centric camera that
doesn’t have this facility then it
will cost a decent chunk to buy one
as an accessory: a good EVF, such
as the Zacuto Gratical Eye (CVP price
£1373.68) doesn’t come cheap.
“Then you need to consider autofocus,
and here the systems inside mirrorless
cameras still definitely have the edge.
The EOS R3 and R5 feature some of the
best autofocus in any camera, but Canon’s
cinema cameras are lagging behind
slightly. I’m really hoping they can include
this new system in the next generation of
Cinema EOS Cameras coming along.”
Comparing the two systems there are
also considerations that don’t relate to the
performance or ergonomics of particular
cameras. Client perception when you walk
on to a job, for example, is also crucial,
and there’s no doubt that a larger cinema
camera will ultimately give the impression
that it’s a more professional model, even
though no-one would seriously question
the capability of mirrorless cameras to
work to the highest of standards.
When it comes to rigging your camera,
this is an area where cinema models most
definitely have the edge. “These cameras
are just much nicer to rig than stills
cameras,” comments Jake. “They require
fewer parts and accessories to
get to the same point,
and this means a
cinema model will
third party accessories.
This allows you to
support devices
such as an
external monitor
or recorder,
something
that’s more
difficult with a
mirrorless camera
since they are so compact it
tends to limit the positions where
you can actually mount things.”
HOTTING UP
There have been some high-profile cases
recently of mirrorless cameras becoming
too hot during a long session of filming
and, although the issue is not widespread,
cinema cameras definitely do have
advantages in this department.
“Cooling the internals of a camera is
really important,” says Jake, “and some of
the most popular cinema cameras on the
market use massive heat sinks to make sure
everything internally is cooled adequately,
usually by some form of active fan cooling,
for optimum performance. Stills cameras,
meanwhile, will mainly be passively cooled
using just a heat sink and the body, so
overall cinema cameras will perform much
better on longer recording sessions.”
Digging deeper, a lot of cinema
cameras will feature an internal
ND system, which can be
incredibly handy to have. It’s
always possible, of course, to use
an adapter with an ND built in or
to use a separate ND filter, but it’s
all using up time and the built-in versions
are very quick and easy to use. Similarly,
an anti-aliasing filter, designed to prevent
IMAGE
@contentthatmatters
be more reliable when you pull it out of a
bag on the job since there will be less add-
ons bolted on that could go wrong.
“With the improved ergonomics that
comes from being designed solely for
video acquisition there’s also commonly
an improvement in mounting points for
Modernmirrorlesscamerassuchas
theNikonZ7IIandSonyAlpha7SIII,offer
greatAFandcanbeusedonsmallgimbals.

THE MOVE TOWARDS MOTION | TECHNIQUE
moiré, is common on a cinema camera but
less so on a mirrorless model.
“More often than not stills cameras will
have a limited view of formats and codecs
versus dedicated video cameras,” Jake
points out. “This can be a mix of the actual
compression method, container data rates
as well as bit depth and colour subsampling.
DCI formats are also normally reserved for
cameras made specifically for video too,
though that’s no longer always the case."
So, there are lots of pros and a few
cons if you’re thinking of moving over to
a cinema model, but if you were to take
things further what models might you
consider? One of the best entry points
would be the Canon EOS C70 (CVP price
£4798), which features a form factor not
dissimilar to a DSLR or mirrorless model, so
its size and weight won’t come as a shock
to a photographer. It also means you can
lenses, as well as a range of adapters for
a massive range of existing EF lenses.
This includes Canon’s own Focal Reducer,
which allows you to achieve full frame filter
views.
“Beyond there you could look at the
Canon EOS C300 Mark III (CVP price
£10,434), which is the C70’s slightly more
professional and better built older brother.
There are a few key improvements such
as body design, which is so much larger
and features a more familiar cinema EOS
series style form factor. This means it’s
fantastic to use across a range of different
configurations, whether on the shoulder,
hand held or on sticks. It also features a
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
❚ cvp.com
JAKE RATCLIFFE
ONEOFCVP’sresidentteamof
technicalexperts,andaself-
confessedcameranerdwho
getswaytooexcitedoverkit,
Jake’sbackgroundmirrorsthat
ofsomanycreativesthesedays.
Aftergraduatingwithadegreeinphotography,he
tookupafreelancecareerandfoundthatmany
ofhisclientswereaskingforvideoservicesso,
ratherthanturntheworkaway,hestartedtoteach
himselfthefilmmakingbasics.Havingbeenbased
atCVPforfouryearsnow,Jakeepitomisesthe
‘equipmentagnostic’approachofthecompany
anddevoteshistimetoadvisingcustomerswho
mightbelookingforimpartialfeedbackonwhich
productstoinvestinastheylooktomakethe
samejourneyintomotion.
VIDEO▸
“
Canon'sCinemaEOSC70
featuresanR-Mounttoenable
accesstoadeveloping range
oflenses,whiletheC300Mark
III comeswithacomprehensive
rangeofinputsandoutputs.
more comprehensive set of inputs and
outputs than the C70, such as SDI and full
size XLR inputs, and it has a modular design
for different production needs.”
As always there’s an open invitation
from CVP to make an appointment to
pop into the company’s Newman House
showroom in the heart of London’s Fitzrovia
to check out products, have a play and to
receive some no-commitment equipment-
agnostic advice. It’s a chance to talk to the
experts and, who knows, perhaps you’ll
find yourself falling in love with the
cinema way of doing things!
put the C70 onto lighter weight support
systems, like smaller gimbals and tripods
as well as shoot handheld with a much
more compact set up. It features the same
4K Super 35mm DGO sensor as the C300
Mark III, which means that image quality is
superb, although its internal video formats
aren’t quite up to the same level.
“The C70 was the first Canon Cinema
EOS camera to feature an RF mount,”
says Jake, “which means you’ll be able to
use any of the fantastic Canon RF mount
Audioisanotherareahandledmuchbetterwithdedicatedcinemacameras,
asaudioisoftenanafterthoughtwhenitcomestostillsmodels.ThereareMini
XLRsontheEOSC70andfullsizeversionsontheC300MarkIII. ”
InthisCVPfilm,Jakelooksatwhyyoushouldconsider
upgradingfromamirrorlesstoacinema-stylecamera.

S A PROFESSIONAL photographer
and videographer, I’m rarely
standing still. On video shoots
especially, I work to tight time
frames and this means capturing a lot of
content as rapidly as possible. In real terms
I’m changing lenses a lot and the attendant
filter switches can eat up valuable time.
One solution could be the RevoRing
system from H&Y, which genuinely delivers
something new to the world of filters. At
the heart of the system is an innovative
self-retracting mechanism that fits a wide
range of filter threads and this then allows
you to quickly swap the RevoRing from one
lens to another, even if it happens to come
with a different size filter thread.
Of course, there is a limit to this clever
approach, so the RevoRing is available
in different options to cover off a whole
selection of filter thread sizes. Starting at
37mm-49mm, virtually all my lenses sit
within the 67-82mm option, meaning I
can take a few shots with my 70-200mm
telezoom (67mm filter thread size) and
then remove and refit the RevoRing to my
wide angle 17-40mm optic (which features
a 77mm filter thread size).
When I say quickly, it literally takes
less than ten seconds - all you do is hold
and rotate the RevoRing and the thread
mechanism reacts in much the same way as
a lens aperture. The Variable Step Adapter
covers off five size options, filter threads
from 37mm all the way up to 95mm. So,
if I’m using an 82mm UV filter to protect
my front element, then by pairing it with
the Adapter I can use it on any lens with a
filter thread between 67-82mm. With the
retractable mechanism I can switch it to
different optics in seconds.
As its name suggests, the RevoRing VND/
CPL also features both a circular polariser
and a variable ND file that can be adjusted
from ND3 to ND1000 - or 1.5 to -10EV stops
of light control if you prefer.
This system appeals to me because
it’s useful for a variety of work. Let’s start
with the stills aspect: when I’m out and
about shooting landscapes, the circular
polariser does the job of taking that sheen
off the water’s surface, while the variable
ND reduces light passing through the lens,
enabling me to capture long exposures of a
scene without the risk of overexposure.
However, if I’m filming, the same set-
up brings different benefits. A lot of my
A
video work is automotive based and the
circular polariser takes the sheen off the
windscreen, allowing the presenter inside
the car to be clearly seen.
Because my shutter speed is set to
1/100sec when filming, it can be easy to
overexpose a scene when using a wide
aperture. In this case the variable ND helps
balance the exposure levels in the scene and
you won’t get the sudden light changes that
will occur if you’re working with a cinema
camera that features built-in ND filters.
Meanwhile, image quality is impressive.
The glass benefits from nine layers of anti-
fingerprint and waterproof Nano-Coating
and flare is effectively kept at bay. There
are also additional accessories available for
the system, including a Magnetic Cap (front
and back) and a Magnetic Lens Hood.
This is a system with an emphasis on
speed and ease-of-use, backed up by a
robust build quality. The RevoRing system
really could be the key to unlocking a
faster workflow for the professional.
ADVERTORIAL | IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Supersmart
RevoRing!
Matty Graham explains
why this innovative filter
solution from H&Y could
be the perfect accessory
for stills and video pros
needing to make their
workflow more efficient.
TheRevoRingisa
simple,wellmade
andwellthought
throughaccessorythat
couldsavethestills
photographerand
videographervaluable
timeinthefield.
More information:
❚ HandyFilters.com
STOCKISTS: UK – CVP, Wex, Park Cameras,
Camera Centre UK, Harrison Cameras,
Bass and Bligh. IRELAND – Barkers
Photographic, Bermingham Cameras.
PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE

ISSUE 190 PROFESSIONAL PHOTO | 35
ILTERS HAVE ONE crucial job to
perform, one that hasn’t changed
in a very long time. We’re talking
here about the control of light,
of course, and if you can master this
particular art then you can shape, harness
and use it to not only correctly expose a
frame, but to inject atmosphere and mood
into a picture.
However, as any pro shooter who has
some cash burning a hole in their pocket
will tell you, there’s a huge selection of
filter products out there to choose from.
From screw-ins to square filters, from
NDs to variable NDs, from glass to protect
your lenses to really special filters to
enhance starbursts or mist, it can be just
a tad bewildering at times working out
your next move. Fear not, since the aim
of this feature is to walk you through the
full range, and we’ll even suggest some
of the best buys on the market. Pardon
the pun, but we’ll also filter out some of
the ones to avoid and help you to make
the best buying decision. Your journey to
controlling light begins here…
They’re one of the oldest photo accessories around yet, even
in this modern digital age, filters still play a key role. Matty
Graham takes a closer look at what they have to offer the pro.
WORDS AND IMAGES: MATTY GRAHAM
The Pro Guide to
Filter Facts
F
›
PROFESSIONALPHOTO.ONLINE

TECHNIQUE | FILTER OVERVIEW
WARRANTY
As with any item of photographic kit,
brands that offer equipment with
impressive build quality back this up
by offering a warranty. This affords
photographers a safety net in case
anything goes wrong and, with this in
place, it all adds credibility to the brand.
It stands to reason that if you compare
two similarly-priced filters - one coming
with a warranty, one without – you
should protect your investment by going
with the one that comes with additional
peace of mind.
COLOUR CASTS
A sign of an inferior filter is that it will add
unnatural colour casts to your frames.
This can be both incredibly frustrating,
because it will not only affect the quality
of your imagery but will also cost you
extra time in post, as you struggle to
subdue its effect. Higher quality filters,
however, will offer negligible or zero
changes to your colour.
FILTER
CHECKLIST
PRICE
As with anything in life, you get what
you pay for. Decent filters are pieces of
premium optical glass, so aren’t cheap.
However, it can be a false economy for
a professional photographer to ‘cheap
out’ and buy a budget brand. This is
because an inferior filter can not only
mess with your colour but it can also
compromise image quality. Let’s face
facts; there’s no point placing a £10
filter in front of a lens that cost you
two grand, is there?
OPTICAL GLASS
Put simply, professional
photographers should be buying
filters with high-grade optical glass,
because it will deliver the best possible
image quality. Opt for lower grade
glass and you’re compromising on
quality from the off. Read the details
and specifications of the filter you’re
looking to buy to find out what glass is
being used.
SYSTEM SET-UPS
Rather than focus on just one filter,
take a step back and ask yourself if
you’re going to need more in the future.
If so, then your buying decision should
steer towards a system, such as a
holder, where you can switch different
filters in and out. Alternatively, check
out a clever accessory, such as H&Y’s
RevoRing (see opposite), which has
the ability to be quickly and seamlessly
attached to lenses with different
filter threads.
COATING AND
PROTECTION
Higher grade filters feature coatings,
just the same as you’d find on the front
of your lenses, and these offer a number
of benefits. Along with suppressing flare
and ghosting, they enable any water
droplets to bead and run-off, and they’ll
also protect your glass from oily finger-
marks. A good level of coating offers an
extra level of protection to your filter.
LET’S START BY reviewing what
you should keep in mind when
scanning the different options
available to professional
photographers. By knowing
what to look out for, you’re less
likely to make a mistake and
spend hard-earned money on
a filter that won’t provide you
with what you need.
Rather than focus on just one
filter, take a step back and ask
yourself if you’re going to need
more in the future. If so, then
your buying decision should
steer towards a system, such as
a holder, where you can switch
different filters in and out.
“
”

FILTER OVERVIEW | TECHNIQUE
›
FILTERSFORPHOTOGRAPHERS
ANDVIDEOGRAPHERS
ND FILTERS
The job of an ND filter is to reduce
the amount of light that’s able to
pass through to the camera sensor
(or film if you’re shooting analogue).
Photographers may need to do this for
one of two reasons: the first is to balance
an exposure and to stop a frame from
over exposing. This scenario can be
exacerbated when photographers are
using apertures such as f/1.2 that let a
huge amount of light into the lens, and by
videographers who are restricted to using
set shutter speeds, such as 1/100sec in
bright conditions.
Move up the food chain to a cinema
camera and you might find that you
have ND filters built in, but there will still
be a limit to their capability. Adding an
ND filter, which is a tinted piece of glass
that allows you to suppress light without
creating any colour casts, brings the
camera’s ability to balance the exposure
back into usable thresholds.
The second function of an ND filter is
to enable the photographer to artificially
extend the shutter speed of an exposure
to enable an effect, such as introducing
movement into the frame so that clouds
will start to soften, fast flowing water will
turn into a misty, milky blur and, of
course, astro photographers will be able
to work on bracketed star trail imagery.
ND filters come in different strengths,
but one of the most popular at the
moment is the 10-stop filter - perhaps
because of the popularity of filters from
NiSi and Lee Filters. ND filters can be
square and used with a filter holder, or
they can be circular versions that screw
into the filter thread of your lens.
ND GRAD FILTERS
Like regular ND filters, Grads are tinted
pieces of glass (or resin at the more
budget end of the spectrum). Where
they differ is that the tint graduates
and reduces towards one end of the
glass, and this enables photographers to
balance the exposure levels in different
areas of the frame. For example, if you’re
shooting a landscape at sunset, the top
of the frame will be very bright, whereas
the foreground will be darker. The
photographer will line up the tinted area
NiSiGNDFilter100x150mm
GraduatedNDReverseGND8

Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf

Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf

Similar to Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Professional Photo – Issue 190 – December 2021.pdf