LEExposure 07 Spreads
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Welcome
When faced with a blank slate – be that a piece of paper or a studio space – it’s the
natural reponse of many of us to panic. How do we go about creating something to fill
that space in a way that’s engaging and will hold the attention of the person looking at
it? UK-based photographer Jake Hicks has no such concerns. In fact, nothing makes
him happier than walking into a pure white studio, knowing he can inject his individual,
slick and vibrant style into it. How does he do this? Simply, by the use of coloured gels
in front of his studio flash units. A plain white backdrop is anathema to him, but give him
a pack of orange, teal or pink gels, and he’s a happy man. Given the extent to which he
has made the technique his own, coupled with his understanding of the psychology of
colour, it’s not surprising to learn that people now flock from all over the world to take
part in his workshops. Find out more about his approach on page 6.
Talking of global audiences, YouTuber Tom Heaton has found exactly that – so much
so, that he now makes his living from the videos and tutorials he uploads weekly to his
channel. The pressure to ‘feed’ the channel is immense, but it’s something he clearly
thrives on. And it would appear that plenty of others enjoy it, too, because he now has
well over 180,000 subscribers, and he even gets recognised in the pub on occasion.
Discover how it all developed on page 62.
Elsewhere in this issue, we bring you the lowdown on the ProGlass IRND range – LEE
Filters’ newest additions to the neutral-density family. Originally developed for the
television and film industries, the filters are now making waves in the photography
world, too. Composition Masterclass is brought to you by self-confessed ‘Marmite’
photographer Doug Chinnery (page 22), while three other image-makers reveal how they
went about capturing the raw essence of a storm (page 44). On page 56, landscape
photographer Colin Prior critiques five images by LEE Filters users, while your best
photographs are showcased in The Gallery (page 27).
Contributors
> Sarah Alsayegh > Colin Prior
> Mark Bauer > Carla Regler
> Pete Bridgwood > Leo Santana
> Alessandro Carpentiero > Mike Sheil
> Doug Chinnery > Lizzie Shepherd
> Tom Heaton > Vadim Sherbakov
> Chris Herring > Stephen Taylor
> Jake Hicks > Mauro Tronto
> Norman McCloskey > Robert Warren
> Justin Minns > Suranga Weeratunga
> Nicholas Parker > Dirk Wiemer
Fuji GFX 50s with Fuji 23mm f/4 lens, 40 seconds at f/16, ISO 100,
0.9 ND Reverse Grad and 1.8 (six stop) ProGlass IRND
Photograph by Mark Bauer
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> >
16-21 >
22-26
TRUE COLOURS ON NEUTRAL TERRITORY COMPOSITION
When faced with a blank white space, It’s the ambition of most photographers MASTERCLASS
nothing makes photographer Jake Hicks to nail the image in-camera and avoid
happier than being able to imbue it with spending hours on postproduction. The When Doug Chinnery started out taking
his slick, stylised and – above all – highly new proglass IRND range is designed to landscape photographs, his work followed all
colourful approach. We find out what it is help achieve exactly that. We explain how the standard conventions. Then, he stumbled
about colour that makes him tick they made the jump from the film and tv across someone’s Flickr stream and his style
industry to stills photography changed forever…
>
27-43 >
44-49
THE GALLERY ANATOMY OF A STORM
Feast your eyes on our showcase of fine Whether they take the form of waves crashing
photography, all shot using Lee Filters on to a beach or a lightning strike hitting
the ground, storms can provide the kind of
drama that few landscape photographers are
strong enough to resist. Here, we show how
to go about capturing their dramatic qualities
>
50-55 56-61
> >
62-73
THE KNOWLEDGE YOURVIEW AS SEEN ON SCREEN
There are numerous ways in which using Each month, on our website, a different His channel has more than 180,000
filters can enhance your photography. Here, professional photographer critiques subscribers, his most popular video
five professionals reveal their secrets to a range of images submitted by LEE Filters’ has been viewed 483,000 times (and
photographic success users. Here, it’s the turn of landscape counting), and he now gets recognised
photographer Colin Prior to take a look at when he’s out for a pint with his dad. We
what you’ve been up to. To see more find out how Tom Heaton is riding the
images from Your View, and to submit your wave of the YouTube revolution
own picture, visit leefilters.com
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True colours
WHEN FACED WITH A BLANK WHITE SPACE, NOTHING MAKES PHOTOGRAPHER
JAKE HICKS HAPPIER THAN BEING ABLE TO IMBUE IT WITH HIS SLICK, STYLISED
AND – ABOVE ALL – HIGHLY COLOURFUL APPROACH. WE FIND OUT WHAT IT IS
ABOUT COLOUR THAT MAKES HIM TICK
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Spectrum of Desire
Photographers, generally speaking, fall into one of two it should be. Self-confessed studio-flash junkie Jake Nikon D600 with 28-105mm
lens at 62mm, 1/160sec
camps. There are those who are happy to work solely Hicks falls firmly into the latter category. Almost from the at f/11, ISO 100. Teal and
with natural light, waiting until it ‘paints’ their subject moment he first picked up a camera, the portrait and Orange filters from the Jake
in exactly the right way, then releasing the shutter at fashion photographer was obsessed with light and its Hicks Definitive Colour Pack
the split second when everything comes together. capabilities within the studio.
Then there are – for want of a better term – the control
freaks. These are the photographers whose aim is “I was fortunate with my tutors,” he recalls, speaking
to take charge of every element in the frame, almost of the art foundation course he did in his hometown
in the same way a film director would. For them, the of Reading, where he is still based now. “They were
subject, the props, the background and – most crucially incredibly creative and always trying to do things a bit
– the lighting are all elements that can be controlled, differently. I was very lucky that that was the education
manipulated and tweaked until everything is exactly as and training I had.” After this, he went on to study >>
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“This was an editorial shoot, and took place in a 1970s “This was one of my early opportunities to use my colourful
mansion that was once owned by Led Zeppelin. The shoot’s style in a commercial setting. The shoot was for the British
ethos was to introduce the vivid colours of our modern neon Hairdressing Awards, and it was fantastic to finally see my
world and overlay that on to the backdrop of a weathered coloured lighting being used in an industry that is notoriously
and worn interior of times past” reserved and passionate about black and white hair shots”
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Emily Anderson model shoot
“This was a tricky shot to achieve, but the effort was Following graduation, he found himself a job in the
worth it for the result. This image was taken at about industry, and everything went swimmingly – at first. “It “It’s always tricky to shine vibrant colours on to skin, but
3pm on top of a high-rise building in London. The was around 2003 and, at the time, it was great and the with a little balancing and practice you can make it work”
resulting image looks as if it was taken at a very money was coming in,” Jake says. “But then digital
different time, though. I heavily underexposed the came along, and we found we simply couldn’t continue
daylight behind the model, then shone a Colour charging what we were. We’d go to a client meeting,
Temperature Orange (CTO) gel on to her, shifting the and they’d love our portfolio. Then, we’d get onto the
white balance in camera to compensate for the colour” subject of budget… One time, someone laughed in our
face, saying, ‘We don’t pay.’”
in an outdoor store, went climbing and mountaineering, “This shot was used in an advertisement for Bowens
and used a camera only as a means to take snapshots flash. Again, it was a fantastic opportunity to use
of his experiences. But the call of photography was too my style for a brand that would normally choose
strong for him to stay away permanently. “Plus,” he says, more conservative imagery”
laughing, “I knew deep down it was the only thing I was
good at. I had nothing else to fall back on!”
His next step was to join a studio where he found Nikon D600 with 28-105mm lens at 52mm, 1/125sec at f/5, ISO 50.
himself doing around 300 shoots a year – and Teal and Orange filters from the Jakes Hicks Definitive Colour Pack
sometimes 16 at a weekend. While it was something
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orange gel in front of a flash set to full ISO 50. Powder Blue, Peach and Dusty Pink filters from the RGG EDU video tutorial
output, and the result will be a very Jake Hicks Pastels Colour Pack
bright, yellowy-orange. Dial the flash “This image was taken as a part of a tutorial video I shot – everything. It’s a great example of how coloured gels
power down, however, and you’ll get on using coloured gels in photography. This room was can literally transform a plain room into a completely
something closer to ochre. “There’s almost entirely white: white floor, white walls, white ceiling different environment through coloured lighting alone”
no correct exposure for a gel,” Jake >>
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separate each coloured element within the set-up. room. You have to work very closely with the pose to this knowledge to their own situation.” Old English Neon
“You have to break it down into sections,” Jake make sure the lighting remains separate, but at the same
explains, “and you can’t have different-coloured gels time you’re looking for a synergy between the pose and It all feels a very long way from the days when using “Once again, I am playing with the juxtaposition of colour
overlapping, otherwise they start bleeding together the lighting. There’s a lot to think about.” coloured gel was sneered at for being naff, and Jake and adding neon colours to a very traditional-looking
and you lose all the saturation. So you might have one is a fine example of why it pays to follow your own path setting. There is certainly no way this room would be lit
colour on the back wall of a room, another on the side, As mentioned earlier, aside from commissioned and passion, as the result will nearly always be a style like this normally, but it’s about creating engaging visuals
and another on the model.” work, Jake increasingly finds himself running training that’s recognisably yours. “I get asked all the time how rather than simply lighting a scene”
workshops on lighting techniques. So, what can people to go about developing a style, and it’s a sensible
In his mind’s eye, he breaks down the scene into planes expect from one of his sessions? “People should come question,” he concludes. “But there’s only one answer
of light, and, he says, these planes aren’t only formed with a fairly good understanding of off-camera flash,” he – and that’s time. There’s no shortcut, because it takes
by the inanimate objects in the frame, such as walls says. “We’ll spend an hour or so on colour theory, then time for your voice to come through, whatever area of
and tables, but they are also created by the models we’ll go over some of the ideas we’ll be working with art you’re working in.” ■
themselves. Hence, the left side of a model’s body might throughout the day, with me explaining how they take
count as one plane of light, and the right side as another. shape and why I do them.”
And, if there’s a fill light, that counts as a third. “This is
how you can get away with using multiple colours, as What Jake remains acutely aware of during his To see more of Jake’s work and find out about his
long as you keep them all separate,” he reveals. “But the workshops, however, is not just the ‘how’ but the LEE Filters gel packs, visit jakehicksphotography.com
more you do it, the more intuitive it becomes.” ‘why’. “It’s very easy to show someone how to do
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On neutral
territory
IT’S THE AMBITION OF MOST PHOTOGRAPHERS TO NAIL THE IMAGE IN-CAMERA AND AVOID
SPENDING HOURS ON POSTPRODUCTION. THE NEW PROGLASS IRND RANGE IS DESIGNED
TO HELP ACHIEVE EXACTLY THAT. WE EXPLAIN HOW THEY MADE THE JUMP FROM THE FILM
AND TV INDUSTRY TO STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY
Putting the ‘neutral’ into a neutral-density filter is of photography (DOP), whose job it is to ensure representation and light control is all down to the DOP, appearance of the likes of Victoria, Snatch and new Jed
notoriously tricky. The stronger the light-blocking effect, everything is consistent in terms of lighting style. Andy and ND filters allow us to work with the lens stop we Mercurio project The Bodyguard, explains further. “You
the more dye is required, and therefore the greater the McDonnell, who has worked on such high-profile TV need for a particular scene.” might be shooting a wide shot and want a large depth
chances are of colour casts being introduced. It was with dramas as Humans, Happy Valley and Last Tango in of field. A close-up from the same scene would require
this in mind that the technicians at LEE Filters began Halifax, describes his role as director of photography Where the problems can arise is when the DOP has to a shallower depth of field, so you need a stronger ND
work on a new range of neutral-density filters. More as, “Anything to do with visuals, apart from design. My switch from, say, a 0.6 ND filter to a 1.2, because the filter in order to achieve it – but what you don’t want is
than two years of research and development later, the responsibilities are to organise the camera department potential for a shift in colour can mean additional fiddly, a huge colour shift between the two shots. And grading
ProGlass IRND family of filters was introduced. and the lighting department, and to make sure we have time-consuming and expensive work in the ‘grade’ (this is always a compromise, because you have to take the
the right equipment to produce what the director and is the film and TV industry equivalent of Photoshop, in worst colour shift and make everything match that – it’s
Initially, the range was developed for the TV and movie producer would like.” which colours are tweaked and re-set to make them like working backwards.”
industries. Neutral-density filters are a crucial part of appear the desired way).
the production process, but the shift in casts between He continues, “Neutral-density filters are important to However, the introduction of the ProGlass IRND range
strengths of filter can be a real headache for directors what we we do, because everything to do with colour Fellow DOP John Lee, who has been responsible for the of filters has dramatically reduced the need for >>
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0.6 ND medium grad and 4.5 (15 stop) ND ProGlass IRND, with
no postproduction work carried out. Photograph by Mark Bauer
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0.6 ND hard grad and 3.0 (10 stop) ND ProGlass IRND, with no
postproduction work carried out. Photograph by Mark Bauer
deliver really punchy colour – something which is very way in which they are coated. And their neutrality is available alongside the ProGlass IRND range, because any way. (The vignetting occurs on wideangle lenses,
important to me.” He continues, “This might all sound complemented by the ability to block both ultraviolet their qualities are quite different. For a start, Stoppers because the angle at which light hits the filter means
a bit ‘salesy’ – but it’s my honest opinion!” and infrared pollution, which is what keeps the colours have always been known as long-exposure filters, it has to pass through more of the dye than it does in
so clean and punchy. because they aren’t neutral. Where ProGlass IRND the centre of the filter.)
Not surprisingly, LEE Filters is loath to reveal too filters are coated, with Stoppers, the dye is added
many manufacturing secrets, but the reason for such Some of you are probably wondering where all this when the glass is still molten. Their blue tone and However, for those who want a pure, clean image that
precision is not only down to the optically flat glass leaves the hugely popular Big, Little and Super Stopper natural vignette give a classic Stopper look that many requires virtually no additional work in postproduction,
that’s used to create each ProGlass filter, but also the filters. These will continue to be manufactured and made photographers still love and don’t want to change in the ProGlass IRND range is the one for you. ■
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Composition
masterclass
with Doug Chinnery
WHEN DOUG CHINNERY STARTED OUT TAKING LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHS,
HIS WORK FOLLOWED ALL THE STANDARD CONVENTIONS. THEN, HE STUMBLED
ACROSS SOMEONE’S FLICKR STREAM AND HIS STYLE CHANGED FOREVER…
“With this style of photography, you have to get over None of this means he takes a shoot-and-hope
the fact that 85% of people aren’t going to like what approach, however. When photographing a landscape
you produce.” So says Doug Chinnery of his distinctive, using intentional camera movement (ICM), it’s not a
intriguingly abstract style. “It’s like Marmite – you will case of simply waving the camera around during an
polarise opinion, but the people who really do like your exposure of a couple of seconds. “As you see something
work will absolutely adore your work.” beginning to work, you can begin to take control,” he
reveals. “It might be that everything is in the right place,
When he first started shooting landscapes, Doug’s but there’s not enough detail – or even too much detail. It
concerns were precise focus and foreground-to- can be about the amount of movement and the direction
background sharpness – the same as most other of that movement. Or it might be a case of tweaking the
photographers who are inspired to work in this filtration or aperture. It’s a refining process. Often, I’ll
discipline. But one day, he had what he describes as stand in one place for 20-30 minutes until the balance is
an epiphany. Sitting at his computer, looking at Flickr exactly right.”
for inspiration, he stumbled across the work of Chris
Friel. “I had never seen anything like it,” Doug recalls. In terms of composition, Doug explains he still makes
“Up until that moment, everything I’d been fed from the same decisions as any classical landscape
other photographers was all about sharpness. But here photographer. He chooses where to point the camera Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, four seconds at
was this image looking back at me from the screen and what to include in or exclude from the frame. And, f/11, ISO 200, two 0.9 ND filters, 0.6 ND soft grad, polariser
where almost nothing was sharp. I went back to his very often, he prefers a tree, hill or cottage, say, to
photostream constantly over the next two or three days, remain identifiable, so they can’t be placed randomly
and I realised there was another way of expressing within the image. Storm surge
myself with photography.”
When it comes to processing, the creativity continues. “The beauty of working with abstract forms is that you is longer than I would usually shoot. I achieved this by
It’s the serendipity and sheer lack of control that appeals “When I processed my classic landscapes, my intention are disguising and altering reality, and as a result you using two 0.9 ND filters and a polariser, as well as a
so much to Doug. As he puts it, “Nobody can duplicate was to preserve the integrity of the landscape. When can be much more creative with your locations. At first, 0.6 ND soft grad to make the sky darker. I then created
one of your images, but even I can’t duplicate an image I process these images, however, I don’t want to be it’s easy to obsess about technique, but you have to get a composite image using a second ICM image – as
I’ve just taken. You can get something similar, but it won’t constrained at all. As far as I’m concerned, anything past that as quickly as you can. It’s about the image, a result, the fine texture you can see over the top is
be identical.” goes. I’ll flip an image, turn it upside down, alter the not the technique – it’s much more important to get marram grass from some sand dunes, which I blended
colours – basically, whatever it takes to make an image to a location and think about the place, how you feel in very gently to give texture in areas where I felt there
The lack of control means he shoots a lot. And we that conveys something I want to express.” about it and how to interpret it. This image was taken wasn’t enough in the water alone.
mean a lot. A typical session in the field might result in Northumberland on a trip that was characterised by
in him coming home with between 500 and 1,000 stormy and turbulent conditions, and I wanted to create Although I abhor the rule of thirds, I’ve used it in this
images. Of these, he will keep no more than a couple Visit dougchinnery.com a feeling of being out in the water, like a sailor in a boat. picture, plus there are compositional devices such
out of every 100. I love the paintings of JMW Turner, with their heavy skies as diagonal lines and triangles, and the bright patch
and swirling water, and emulating that effect is difficult. at the bottom balances with the top. With ICM and
multiple exposures, your images still have to work
The processing in this image was more complex than compositionally. They can’t be random – they have
the others. My base exposure was four seconds, which to connect with the audience and draw them in.” >>
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the
Gallery
FEAST YOUR EYES ON OUR SHOWCASE OF FINE
PHOTOGRAPHY, ALL SHOT USING LEE FILTERS
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8, one second
at f/22, ISO 100, 0.9 ND soft grad, 0.9 ND filter
High tide
“Taken in 2011, this was a very early ICM image that letting go and experimenting. For instance, I over-grad
I took as I was trying to learn the art of the abstract some of my images in order to artificially make the
– with its blocks of colour, it’s about as simple as the sky look stormy or dark, and that’s what I did with this
technique gets. I panned from left to right, and used a bit image. It’s the sort of thing that would be anathema to
of ‘wobble’ to get the curve. Basically, I kicked my hand classic landscape photographers, but it can create very
up to mimic the wave action and create the swirling feel. pleasing effects in the right image.
I don’t tend to make many images like this any more, but There’s no such thing as the photography police.
that being said, I like the simplicity of it. It’s a graphic Nobody should tell us how our images should look, so
image and the colour combinations work well, with the I always tell people to experiment and give something
contrast between warm and cool, and the textures in the new a go – you have nothing to lose. You can be sure
foamy water in the middle. that the artists who make an impact on the world are
those who do things differently. And if we want to make
Nowadays, I tend to move the camera more, and in an impact, we have to think differently and sometimes be
different directions within the same image. It’s all about prepared to fail.” ■
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Vadim Sherbakov
Moscow, Russia
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Stephen Taylor
Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute
Visit sftphotography.co.uk
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Suranga Weeratunga
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Glacier rivers,
Iceland
No, this image isn’t a painting or a drawing – it’s from My pilot explained that the colours are due to the way
a series I took of this mind-blowing view of glacier rivers in which the sunlight hits the sediment from the glaciers,
in Iceland. Taken from a height of more than 1,000ft, it’s which are at varying depths in the river. They are mostly
hard to believe the colours and patterns are real, but mineral deposits created from larger sections of the
they are. In order to capture this image, and the others glacier upriver. Slowly and surely, the river grinds them
in the series, I flew for more than three hours in an down, carrying them bit by bit to the sea. >>
Nikon D810, with 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at 14mm, ten seconds
open-windowed Cessna aircraft. Not surprisingly, it was
at f/6.3, ISO 400, Little Stopper, tripod a challenge to shoot in the strong winds, and at Visit surangaw.com
temperatures of minus 10-15°C.
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Alessandro Carpentiero
Milan, Italy Olympus OM-D E-M1 with Olympus 7-14mm at 9mm,
eight seconds at f/7.1, ISO 200, Little Stopper
Blue Mosque,
Istanbul
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Ever since I first learned about Dubai I knew I had to I set my tripod as high as it would extend (a clamp
photograph it. I’d had this picture in my mind for a few would have been a better solution, in retrospect), and
years, and I still can perfectly remember the excitement set an exposure long enough to capture a full light trail.
I felt while standing on the 42nd-floor terrace, ready Fortunately, cars move pretty fast on Sheikh Zayed Road.
to make my dream a reality. My idea was to capture The strong artificial light made it tricky to get a balanced
Dubai as the city of the future, portraying the tallest exposure, so I made sure I captured a few darker
building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, standing tall exposures for the highlights, too, which I then manually
above the city during the blue hour. blended in postproduction. Olympus OM-D E-M1 with Olympus 7-14mm at 14mm,
0.6sec at f/11, ISO 200, Little Stopper, polariser
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Mike Sheil
Oxford, UK
Brooding soldier,
near Ypres
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Nikon D700 with 17-35mm f/2.8 lens at 17mm, 0.8sec at f/13, Nikon D700 with 17-35mm f/2.8 lens at 17mm, 1/125sec at f/9,
ISO 200, 0.6 ND soft grad ISO 200, 0.9 ND soft grad
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Anatomy of then you count yourself lucky,” Sarah explains. “The lone waited for the lightning to strike. Much to the surprise
tree in this shot is all we had – so we shot it.” of the others on the workshop, she also fitted a 0.6 ND
hard grad. “People think it’s strange that I use filters,
Using a MIOPS trigger that she bought as soon as she as they often shoot and run, but without it, the clouds
a storm image
touched down in the States, she set up her camera and would have lost their drama.”
Kuwait-based Sarah Alsayegh first fell in love with own camera after ‘borrowing’ her father’s, Kuwait
photography in 2005, shortly after graduating was engulfed by a huge dust storm – a phenomenon
from college. She was instinctively drawn towards known as a ‘haboob’, which can be several
landscape photography, but ‘classic’ landscapes kilometres high and can travel up to 60mph. Sarah
are thin on the ground in this Middle Eastern state. did her best to photograph it, under very tricky
Instead, as Sarah puts it, “I had to look for a different conditions, and it was from this that a passion for
kind of beauty in Kuwait.” shooting storms developed. As a result, in 2016,
she travelled to the USA to take part in a storm-
“The cloud formations you get in a storm in the US know you’ve crossed state lines because of the change As a result, she cut her teeth on the futuristic chasing photography workshop with photographer
are simply amazing,” says Sarah Alsayegh of her in the speed limits”. As such, all she recalls about this cityscapes of her home city, finding inspiration in and filmmaker Mike Olbinski, then followed up
experiences of these extraordinary phenomena. image is that it was shot “somewhere near the Texas- the all-too-brief ‘blue hour’ at the end of the day, with a second in 2017, when she shot the image
“Although there are sandstorms in Kuwait, where I’m Oklahoma border.” when daylight and the artificial lights of streets, shown on these pages.
from, they don’t have the same texture as the storm homes and office buildings balance so beautifully.
structures you see in the US.” When it comes to capturing the quality and drama
of a storm, it’s very often simply a case of stopping Some five or six years after she started taking Visit salsayegh.com
Chasing storms is a far from relaxing affair. It’s easy and setting up wherever the clouds start to form. This photography seriously, having graduated to her
to cover more than 5,000 miles in the course of just was the case with the image shown here. “If you have
one workshop, and often, as Sarah explains, “You only foreground interest – such as a tree or similar subject –
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direction. “The end of the pier worked well for providing behind them,” Carla explains. “You can depict the drama
The end of Ophelia, Porthleven, Cornwall interest and structure as the waves rolled in,” she says. just as well – and often even better – if you have layers
of waves throughout the frame.”
By Carla Regler It can be easy to get carried away when photographing
storms, and assume that the biggest waves will produce Shooting handheld, Carla tends to work at shutter
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II
USM at 255mm, 1/500sec at f/8, ISO 400, polariser the most photogenic results. However, this is rarely the speeds of around 1/500sec, with an aperture of f/8 or
case. “The trouble with big waves is they fill the frame thereabouts. She then lets the ISO rating fall where it
when you’re shooting with a long lens, so you lose any may – but as storms can often be surprisingly bright,
sense of depth because you can’t see what’s going on the ISO may not be as high as you might first think.
When Carla Regler moved to Cornwall in 2010, it and subsequently she was asked to join Charlie
wasn’t to become a photographer – it was to open Waite’s photo holiday company, Light and Land, as
a restaurant with her partner, Chris. But the daily a tour leader. Since then, not only has she led
walks along the cliffs with her dogs, watching the tours to destinations such as Iceland, Norway and
changing light, inspired her to pick up a camera Provence, but she has also opened a gallery in
and attempt to capture the conditions. Photography Porthleven, just a couple of doors down from the
became a release from the hard work in the restaurant. Now a full-time photographer, she divides
restaurant, and she went on a number of workshops her time between producing work for the gallery and
to learn as quickly as she could. leading workshops. “I love helping people progress
with their photography, because I was in the same
In 2014, south-west England was hit by very severe position only a few years ago,” she says.
This image was shot in October 2017, when Storm and you can end up going back and forth without finding storms, and Carla’s shot of Porthleven being
Brian made its way across parts of the UK. Needless what it is you want and settling on it.” pounded by the waves went on to win the weather
to say, Carla headed out with her camera to capture category in the British Life Photography Awards. The Visit carlaregler.com
the essence of the storm. “I’m always like a child in In the past, she has almost always ended up shooting ensuing publicity gave her the leg up she needed,
a sweetshop in these sorts of conditions,” she laughs. towards Porthleven’s famous clock tower, but on this
“It’s difficult to know which way to point your camera, occasion she decided to point her lens in the opposite
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Danger Beach, Derrynane The stormy skies were the focal point,
By Norman McCloskey but the light was changing from second
to second. A 0.6 ND soft grad retains
The breaking light over the horizon is a their foreboding blue tone and keeps
small but significant detail, which tells control of the exposure.
the story of an approaching rainstorm.
51
The knowledge
THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS IN WHICH USING FILTERS CAN ENHANCE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY.
HERE, FIVE PROFESSIONALS REVEAL THEIR SECRETS TO PHOTOGRAPHIC SUCCESS Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF17-40mm f/4L USM at 33mm, 1/6sec
at f/13, ISO 200
Misting filters
In certain conditions, no matter what you
do, lenses and filters always manage to
steam up at the worst possible times,
usually when the light is at its best.
Chris Herring
Visit theuklandscape.com
52 LEExposure
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57
YourView
EACH MONTH, ON OUR WEBSITE, A DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER CRITIQUES
A RANGE OF IMAGES SUBMITTED BY LEE FILTERS’ USERS. HERE, IT’S THE TURN OF LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHER COLIN PRIOR TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO. TO SEE MORE
IMAGES FROM YOUR VIEW, AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN PICTURE, VISIT LEEFILTERS.COM
Visit traunfoto.com
Colin Prior “This haunting image looks to have come quality of the image. Had I been there, I wouldn’t have
straight from one of the fantasy landscapes in The changed much. Perhaps I might have shot a little tighter
Chronicles of Narnia. We have two colour opposites to give more emphasis to the backlit icicles, and I’d
at work here – blue and yellow – which have fused probably have let the sun drop below the island (which
harmoniously, creating a feeling of peace and tranquillity. I’m sure you’ve done). I feel there’s competition between
The warm backlighting picks up the icicles below the the hotspots and, as we know from experience, in
island beautifully, helping to create the ephemeral photography, less is more. A lovely image.”
Oahu, Hawaii
by Robert Warren
Colin Prior “The strength of this image is in its simplicity of saturation applied, either globally or in specific
and the fact that it juxtaposes the two colour opposites: channels, to ensure that the scene we are experiencing
magenta and green. Personally, I would have considered remains believable to the viewer. The use of the Big
cropping this to 3:4, as I find the 2:3 format on the Stopper has helped create a dynamic between the
upright orientation too long and thin. While the colours glass-like nature of the sea and the motion blur in the
Canon EOS 5D Mark III with Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 lens,
109 seconds at f/18, ISO 100, Big Stopper are very appealing, we need to be judicial in the amount clouds, which are complementary.” >>
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Visit dirkwiemer.de
Colin Prior “This is a strong composition, with the me) natural, and I would also have used the radial filter
mountain peaks framed by the two rocky islands in the in Lightroom over the cloud on the mountain and in its
lake. It’s a lovely airy and high-key picture with a feeling reflection in the lake, by removing some of the highlight
of a pristine environment. values. This would have helped the viewer to navigate
the image in the way intended and would help dissuade
There are one or two things I might have done differently our eyes from moving instinctively to the centre of the
here. I feel the saturation in the yellow/green channels image, where the brightest portion of the image lies.
has been increased beyond a point at which it looks (to Notwithstanding this, it’s still a great image.”
Nikon D800 with 14mm lens, 1.6 seconds at f/8, ISO 1600,
Big Stopper
Zumaia
by Leo Santana
Visit leohsantana.com
Colin Prior “Despite the Big Stopper being used in this convergence on another. Above, in the sky, and in
this image, it has created a feeling of movement rather yet another plane, the moving clouds also contribute
than tranquillity. When I look at this image, I experience to this sense of movement, which I don’t think would
a feeling of perpetual motion. We are drawn into the have been quite so pronounced had the filter not been
composition by the two parallel water flows, which exist used. The low camera angle helps to create a powerful
in one plane, and are juxtaposed with the sea meeting dynamic. All good.” >>
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 14-24/2.8 at 16mm, 62 seconds at
f/11, ISO 64, 0.9 ND soft grad
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Seven seconds
away
by Mauro Tronto
Visit maurotronto.com
63
As seen on screen
HIS CHANNEL HAS MORE THAN 180,000 SUBSCRIBERS, HIS MOST POPULAR VIDEO
HAS BEEN VIEWED 483,000 TIMES (AND COUNTING), AND HE NOW GETS RECOGNISED
WHEN HE’S OUT FOR A PINT WITH HIS DAD. WE FIND OUT HOW TOM HEATON IS RIDING THE
WAVE OF THE YOUTUBE REVOLUTION
“It was important to me that I retained the vibrant blues in the water
while capturing the glow of the early-morning sunrise, so I used
a polariser to remove glare from the surface of the water and a 0.9
ND medium grad to hold back the sky”
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Bláhnjúkur, Iceland
“This is a panoramic of approximately nine images. It is so watch it. I think it got about 500 views in the first week, always amusing, especially when I’m having a beer with my work. I also like to do my bit and share the work of
important to ensure you have a level tripod when shooting a which was amazing at the time. More people watched my dad and somebody comes over. I have a lot more others – for example, at the end of my videos I always
panoramic, so this is where most of my time was spent. The scene this video than had ever looked at my entire portfolio photography-related opportunities now, such as being recommend another video for people to watch.
was beautifully balanced, so there was no need for any filters” on Flickr. I soon realised that people enjoyed the story able to meet and work with some amazing peers, and
of how an image came to be. From there, I simply shoot some of the best locations on the planet. What LF
continued to document my excursions, and more and has changed the most for me is having the ability to When did you make the choice to go full-time with the
more people began to watch. share my work. Before YouTube, I would be frustrated YouTube videos and landscape photography?
when I captured a beautiful image and it wasn’t seen by
Things have changed a lot in the few years since that anybody. I think this is one of the hardest things about TH
first video. I am able to travel more, see more and do photography in this day and age, but I am fortunate I am a calculated risk-taker. When I quit my job in 2010,
more. I get recognised on a regular basis, which is enough to have an audience with whom I can share I saved a bit of money and altered my lifestyle to >>
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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with EF70-200mm f/4L USM at
184mm, 0.8sec at f/11, ISO 100, polariser
>
Mountain light
“This image is a great example of patience and perseverance. This scene was completely shrouded in
fog when I woke before sunrise. I decided to venture out regardless and was rewarded with five minutes
of beautiful light as the fog lifted. Soon after, it returned and the scene was gone”
>
Autumn reflections
“There’s more to landscapes than just the grand vistas. I found this image by simply observing the
surface of the water in an old quarry. The contrast between the orange leaves and black slate caught
my attention. To increase the contrast, I used my polariser to reduce glare from the sky above, which
resulted in an image with deeper blacks and more vibrant oranges”
the bare minimum. My outgoings were down to £500 It was still a risk to jump ship. The best things in life are
per month, so I knew I would have the best chance of always risky, but always come with the greatest reward.
success. It was the same with landscape photography.
I calculated what I would need to earn per month in LF
order for it to be viable and waited until my passive How much of your time now is spent ‘feeding’ the
income was near that mark consistently. Anything extra YouTube channel, and how much time is spent actually
would be a bonus and reinvested into my photography. taking photographs?
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM at
38mm, 1/8sec at f/11, ISO 100, polariser
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xposure
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Háifoss, Iceland
“This was captured in some very adverse weather conditions, and the scene is so big
it required a 24mm panoramic. This was challenging as I had to fight ferocious wind
speeds and spray from the waterfall. It was a case of get the image and get out”
>> taking the image. If I go to all this trouble and the feel they have the time. However, if the content is good
photograph is terrible, it’s a complete waste of time, enough, most people will stick with a longer video.
so when I shoot, I make sure to look and really think
before taking out my camera. LF
Is it difficult to strike a balance between shooting what
Everything takes longer, but with experience I have now you like and what you know your audience will like – or
become quite efficient. The trick is to have very little are they both the same thing?
disused footage. The main improvements to my videos
over the years have not necessarily been kit related, TH
although the drone helps a little – it’s about knowing This is an important question; I only ever shoot for
what to film in order to tell the story and make the viewer me. I will never shoot what I think is on trend. This is a
feel as if they are there with you. downward spiral that leads to bad places. If I were to
shoot what I thought would do well, I would then be
In terms of video length, between nine and 11 minutes ‘working’ and it would all become a job. The joy would be
seems to be the magic number. People don’t tend to sapped out of me and it would become very contrived. I
like shorter videos, as they can’t fully get into it and am very selfish and, in the nicest possible way, couldn’t
sometimes, if the videos are too long, people don’t care less what other people want to >> see. I shoot what
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with EF70-200mm
f/4L USM at 94mm, 1/50sec at f/11, ISO 100
>
“This is an image of a fleeting moment in time. The window of opportunity was no more that five minutes as the sunlight
swept over the scene, melting the frost on contact. If I had shot this image any earlier, the tree would not have the beautiful
side light on it; any later and the frost would have melted and the background would be shrouded in harsh sunlight”
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>
Great Gable, Cumbria
“This abstract photograph was inspired by the constant ebb and flow of the clouds as they shrouded
Great Gable. I wanted to capture the mountain as she revealed herself for just a few seconds. A
four-stop ND filter slowed down my shutter speed enough to capture the motion in the clouds”
Dunstanburgh Castle
“This image required the use of a technique called focus stacking. This involves taking the same image three times, with
each exposure focused at a different point in the image. I used a polariser to remove the glare from the wet surface”
makes me happy. A single leaf on a tree will always win My audience is worldwide, with the two largest
over an over-edited, over-saturated epic mountain scene percentages being the US and the UK. I think I jumped
in the wilds of Patagonia. Don’t get me wrong, I love on the YouTube train at the right time, just as it was
shooting in the mountains, but I never worry about my seeing huge spikes in growth. When I started, there was
images grabbing enough attention. very little competition. I was featured in a few big online
blogs and forums, which certainly helped with growth,
LF but I believe it is down to searching and word of mouth.
Why have you managed to capture the audience, where YouTube is the second biggest search engine after
others have perhaps failed? Google, so keywords play an important role.
TH LF
If I knew this, I would be a millionaire, but the truth Why do you think some videos get a higher number of
is, I am just myself. I can’t stand false positivity and views than others?
over-polished videos. I simply take the viewer with me.
If I’m cold and miserable, trust me, my audience will TH
know, and if I am happy and excited they will also know. I can’t put my finger on this. It actually seems that most
I think it’s about being honest and real. People are more people like videos of drama and/or misery. Of course,
intuitive than you might think and can see through videos I don’t seek that sort of thing out, but should anything
if they are feigned. happen that is dramatic or depressing, people will
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LF
Are you still able to take pictures just for fun?
TH
I do take photographs only for myself, but it’s quite rare
– mainly because I actually love making the videos. I am
always sad when I shoot an amazing image and I’m not
able to share my experience with viewers. That being
said, it is nice to wander for hours without the added
weight of all my video-recording kit.
LF
When did you start running workshops?
TH
Workshops are a recent venture, but when making
the decision to run them, it had to be something
that I personally would want to do. So they are quite
adventurous: trekking through the Swiss Alps, camping
in the Icelandic Highlands… Those are the only two trips
I have done so far, but both were quite full-on.
LF
You also sell prints and calendars – is it important to
produce something ‘physical’, as well as the videos?
TH
For the viewer to have something tangible in their
hands is very important – the calendars especially,
as this is a body of my work that can be recognised
from my videos. It’s also a great way for people to
support my channel, which means I am able to create
more content without the need for branded content,
which people really don’t like.
LF
You’re still young and already you’ve achieved a great
deal. Where do you hope to go from here?
TH
I have no idea where everything might go from here.
If I have a plan at all, it’s that I will simply continue to
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM at 65mm,
do what I do and take every opportunity that comes
212 seconds at f/11, ISO 100, 3.0ND IRND ProGlass my way. I certainly don’t have much of a business
strategy. The only strategy I have is to have fun and make
sure I am happy in what I am doing. ■
>
Ever wanted feedback on your images from the top photographers in the business?
Well, now’s your chance. YourView showcases the best of our users’ pictures, whether
they’ve been shot using a polariser, an ND grad or a Stopper filter.
Critiques so far have come from names that will be familiar to readers of Xposure,
including Colin Prior, Jeremy Walker, Mark Bauer and Antony Spencer.
To be in with a chance of having your image featured in YourView, simply visit the
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