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COVER IMAGES: MICHEL HERSEN, DAVID VENNINGS AND TOM MACKIE Contents Amateur Photographer For everyone who loves photography MOULDING the imperfect photographic process to force it to produce an accurate representation of what we think our eyes can see is never a straightforward matter. The fi rst trick, I always think, is in identifying the difference between what our eyes see and what our brain makes of those pictures. Our eyes see in movie mode, and our brains take multiple stills from that movie to create something that is a cross between a montage and a Hockney joiner. Using short-term memory, we blend images of different exposures and various focus points to create a complete view of the scene in front of us. We can look into the shade and combine what we see there with what we see in NEWS, VIEWS & REVIEWS 5 NEWS Boots customers face quiz over ‘professional’ pics; Weston print set to fetch £ 1 ∕2m; Photographer told to delete child photos; Film cameras ‘still relevant’, says Leica 10 ANDY ROUSE @ AP In Andy Rouse’s world of wildlife photography, he explains that bigger isn’t necessarily better when it comes to lenses. It all depends on the look you are going for 12 REVIEW The latest books, exhibitions and websites 90 THE FINAL FRAME Ogden Chesnutt goes on a date, but his camera ends up being the third wheel as he tries to capture the moment TECHNIQUE 16 PHOTO INSIGHT Tom Mackie explains how, when he photographed the St Louis Arch in Missouri, USA, he was determined to fi nd a viewpoint with a difference P16 Tom Mackie finds an alternative view of the St Louis Arch in Missouri © TOM MACKIE the full sun, and looking close and into the distance we generate a picture with infi nite depth of fi eld. A camera can’t do this on its own, t ubu but h e tri tawi with wt t fho so software ftware and the right raw materials anything, g hin n g, it seems, is possible. If photography phy is about recording what we see, the camera is a poor tool, but software e r are can step in to compensate for its shortcomings. In this sense, HDR and focus stacking can make up for what a camera lacks, and assist in telling the truth. Software cannot lie, but perhaps photographers can. P30 Damien Demolder Editor Jason Theaker uses texture and lines to his advantage in his forest photographs 20 LAST RESORT Chris Gatcum looks at how to alter the contrast in an image using Curves adjustment layers and the associated masks 30 AP’S EXPERT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHING … FORESTS Jason Theaker explains how to use competing lines and textures to your advantage to capture the perfect forest scene TESTS AND TECHNICAL 43 TESTBENCH The Black Rapid RS-5 camera strap and the Color Right Pro white balancing tool 45 PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8 In part fi ve of our guide, we delve even further beneath the surface of the Full Edit mode and explain how to use selections to enhance specifi c parts of an image 54 ASK AP Our experts answer your questions THE AP READERS’ POLL IN AP 3 APRIL WE ASKED… Resolution apart, do the benefi ts of EVF systems outweigh the drawbacks? A B YOU ANSWERED… A Yes 29% B No 40% C I don’t know 31% THIS WEEK WE ASK… Is focus stacking truthful photography? VOTE ONLINE www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 57 EFRAME ONLINE FRAMING SERVICE In the past, getting your images framed and mounted could be costly and frustrating, but now a number of companies provide such a service. Richard Sibley tries that of eFrame 59 ICONS OF PHOTOGRAPHY Ivor Matanle on the history of the best camera that Altrincham could sell, the Thornton Pickard Royal Ruby YOUR WORDS & PICTURES 14 LETTERS AP readers speak out on the week’s issues 15 BACKCHAT AP reader Elaine Bowman has no patience for those who say that mono is king 36 READER SPOTLIGHT Another selection of superb reader images 52 APPRAISAL Damien Demolder examines your images, offering words of wisdom and constructive advice FEATURES 22 MACRO MASTERPIECES David Vennings tells Bob Aylott how focus stacking will transform your insect close-ups into amazing works of art HOW TO HAVE YOUR PICTURES PUBLISHED IN READER SPOTLIGHT Send in a selection of up to ten images. They can be either a selection of different images or all have the same theme. Digital fi les sent on CD should be saved in a Photoshop-compatible format, such as JPEG or TIFF, with a contact sheet and submission form. Visit www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/readerspotlight for details. We cannot publish images without the necessary technical details. Each RGB image should be a minimum of 2480 pixels along its longest length. Transparencies and prints are also accepted. We recommend that transparencies are sent without glass mounts and posted via Special Delivery. For transparencies, prints or discs to be returned you must include an SAE with suffi cient postage. HOW TO CONTACT US Amateur Photographer, IPC Media, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU AP Editorial Telephone: 0203 148 4138 Fax 0203 148 8130 Email amateurphotographer@ipcmedia.com AP Advertising Telephone: 0203 148 2517 Email lee_morris@ipcmedia.com AP Subscriptions Telephone: 0845 676 7778 Email ipcsubs@qss-uk.com AP test reports Telephone: 01707 273 773 www.testreports.co.uk/photography/ap subscribe 0845 676 7778 17 April 2010 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk 3 www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com © JASON THEAKER C