The longest shutter speed available on an EOS camera is 30 seconds. But sometimes that’s not enough – there are times when you need a longer shutter speed. That’s where the Bulb setting comes in.

I took the photo above with a shutter speed of 201 seconds. The long exposure has blurred the water until it is smooth, almost textureless.

If you use a shutter speed of 30 seconds, in most cases it isn’t long enough to achieve this effect. Compare the above two photos, both taken at the same location on different days. There is a big difference in the way the sea has been recorded, and it’s all down to the shutter speed used in each.

If you want the silky appearance of the second image, then unless the sea is still you need to use a shutter speed of a minute or longer to obtain this effect.

Bulb

The way to do this is by using the Bulb setting. On some cameras, such as my EOS 5D Mark II, this is represented by a B on the Mode dial. On others, you have to set the camera to Manual mode and set the shutter speed to Bulb (it’s next to the 30 seconds setting).

Bulb lets you keep the camera’s shutter open for as long as you like. The shutter will stay open as long as you hold the shutter button down.

If you hold the shutter button down with your finger you’ll get camera shake. The way to do it is with a cable release or remote release. If you buy a cable release, get one with a lock on it so you don’t have to hold the button down throughout the exposure.

I use a remote release. I press the button down on the remote release and hold it for a couple of seconds. When I release it the camera keeps the shutter open until I press the button again.

The camera keeps count of how many seconds have elapsed. The figure is displayed on either the LCD panel on top of the camera or on the LCD screen on the back, depending on which camera you have.

Tripods

For successful long exposure photography you need a good quality aluminium or carbon fibre tripod and a ball and socket head. I use a Giottos tripod and I’m very happy with it. Manfrotto also make good ones and so do Gitzo if your budget stretches to it. Really Right Stuff makes accessories such as L brackets to help keep your camera steady.

I never extend the centre column when I’m shooting long exposures, as it makes the camera less stable. Still conditions are best so that the wind doesn’t disturb the camera. If there’s a breeze I stand between the wind and the camera to minimise disturbance.

Neutral density filters

The other accessory you need for long exposure photography is a neutral density (ND) filter. Even at ISO 100 and f16 (I tend to avoid f22 because diffraction can make the image softer) the light needs to be very low to obtain shutter speeds of one minute or longer, which restricts you to shooting in the late evening.

I use a 9 stop neutral density filter made by Light Craft Workshop (pictured above). Lee filters make a 10 stop neutral density filter (the Big Stopper) and various manufacturers make 3 and 4 stop ND filters.

With a 9 or 10 stop neutral density filter you can take long exposure photos much earlier during the day. They extend the window of shooting time you have.

Neutral density filters make the viewfinder go darker. To get around this, compose the photo, then attach the neutral density filter afterwards.

An alternative method, if to use Live View (if your camera has it). The Live View feed brightens the image to compensate for the neutral density filter. This works until ambient light levels drop to the point where the camera can no longer adequately brighten the image.

Technique and composition

The best way to shoot long exposures is to use the Raw format. This allows you to expose to the right and obtain maximum detail in both highlights and shadows (I write about the expose to the right technique in my ebook Understanding Exposure).

Another benefit of Raw is that you can adjust the white balance and apply noise reduction in post-processing. You can also create both colour and monochrome versions of the same image if you wish. You’ll get better quality black and white conversions from a 16 bit Raw file than an 8 bit JPEG.

There is a long exposure noise reduction option in your camera’s Custom Functions menu. This is intended for use with JPEG files only.

The disadvantage of this method is that the camera takes two consecutive exposures when you use it. The first is the photo, the second is a ‘dark frame exposure’ – a photo taken with the shutter closed so that the only thing recorded in the frame is fixed pattern noise. The camera then ‘subtracts’ the noise generated in the second image from the first image to reduce noise levels.

The second exposure is the same length as the first, effectively doubling the time required to take a photo. You lose valuable time that would be better spend creating images while the light is beautiful.

If you use low ISO settings (such as 50, 100 or 200) I doubt you will see any noise. I’ve used these ISO settings on my EOS 5D Mark II while using shutter speeds several minutes long and the images are noise free.

Noise only becomes an issue at high ISOs, or if you underexpose the image. Images taken with older EOS cameras are more likely to be noisy than those taken with newer ones.

Long exposure images tend to work best when the composition is simple. Some photographers simplify further by converting the images to black and white and cropping to the square format.

Calculating exposure

In low light, or with a neutral density filter fitted, an easy way to calcuate exposure is to raise the ISO to 3200 or 6400, select aperture priority, set the aperture you want to use (f16 is a good start) and then take a photo. Check the histogram (remember to expose to the right) and adjust settings if required. You can then calculate the exposure required at a low ISO.

For example: If the optimum exposure is obtained with a shutter speed of 2 seconds at f16 and ISO 3200, then reducing the ISO to 100 (a reduction of five stops) means that you’ll need a shutter speed of 64 seconds.

Remember that if you’re shooting in the evening, you need to adjust the exposure as you go along to compensate for the drop in light. I check the histogram after I take each photo and increase the exposure by a half stop or so as required.

An interesting phenomena I’ve encountered here in New Zealand is that it gets dark very quickly in Auckland, compared to northern European countries, as it is closer to the equator. You can actually see it getting darker, as if someone is turning the light down with a dimmer switch.

It means that if I’m shooting long exposures, the ambient light levels can drop far enough during the time the shutter is open to affect the exposure. I have to anticipate this as I’m calculating exposure (not easy).

Seascapes

Seascapes are a common subject for long exposure photography. Long exposures work best when one of the elements in the photo is moving, such as the sea, and contrasted against still elements like rocks, piers and cliffs. Seascapes offer nearly limitless opportunities for interesting long exposure photos.

Another popular subject is architecture – contrasting buildings against clouds moving in the sky.

You can also try painting with light – I wrote a short article about it here.

Read my interviews with Andy Brown and Xavi Fuentes for inspiration.

You can also look at the work of Nathan Wirth, Joel Tjintjelaar and Jeff Gaydash for more ideas (links to Flickr photostreams).

Understanding Exposure

I explore the topic of exposure in more detail in my eBook Understanding Exposure: Perfect Exposure on Your EOS Camera. Click the link for details.

When I interview photographers I hardly ever ask about gear. I’m interested in the images, and the ideas behind them; not the camera used. However, if you own an EOS camera, it’s interesting, sometimes even inspirational, to see what other photographers are doing with Canon cameras. It’s also a chance to revisit some of my favourite interviews, which tend to get lost in the backlist of the blog.

Interviews

All these photographers use Canon EOS cameras:

Miss Aniela Fine art photographer and writer.

Patrick Wack Went to Shanghai with an EOS 10D and became a commercial photographer.

Martin Bailey Another Craft & Vision author. His podcast is well worth checking out.

Red Ognita Beijing based fine art photographer.

Terri Gold Fine art photographer who uses an EOS 5D converted to infra-red.

Nicole S Young Craft & Vision author, wrote an ebook about micro-stock.

Nina Marie Documentary photographer – still a student when I interviewed her.

Olivia Bell Photographer, author and entrepreneur, built an online photography business with her sisters.

Eli Reinholdsten Wrote Chasing Reflections for Craft & Vision.

Andy Brown Fine art photographer, uses the square format a lot.

Ling Li Uses an EOS 5D Mark II as well as various film cameras.

Brigitte Carnochan Fine art photographer. Uses an EOS 5D converted to infrared.

Mitchell Kanashkevich Travel photographer with an amazing portfolio.

David duChemin Author, photographer, Craft & Vision publisher. Canon user when interview published.

Mark Sunderland Landscape and stock photographer.

Carmen Gonzalez Fine art photographer.

Gavin Gough Travel photographer and teacher.

40 photos

There’s some more inspiration at my blog post 40 Beautiful Photos Taken with EOS Cameras. A collection of some of my favourite photos, and photographers, using EOS cameras on Flickr.

EOS magazine

For more inspiration and technique take a look at EOS magazine. The latest April-June 2012 has just been published and as usual it’s full of beautiful photos and brilliant technique articles for EOS camera owners. EOS magazine is a subscription only magazine and you won’t find it in your local magazine or bookstore. There are digital subscription options as well as the print magazine  – click on the above link for details.

Contents

News All the latest news from the world of EOS photography, including a short article by Carl Pendle about a recent photography trip to Italy.

New product All the latest product releases from Canon, including the EOD 5D Mark III, EOS 60Da, Speedlite 600EX-RT and new lenses and accessories.

Break the rules Be controversial and shoot better pictures.

Menu choices Find your way around the EOS menu system.

Wildlife masterclass Peter Cairns reveals the photo potential of British wildlife.

Custom colour When and how to use custom white balance

Fast glass Exploring the EF 85mm f1.2L USM lens

Flash lock Helping your camera calculate perfect flash exposure

Eye-Fi cards Inexpensive and easy wireless file transfer

EOS excellence Winning images from our fantastic photo competition

Forum A review of EOS magazine forum activity

How do you share your photos? When I started in photography there weren’t many options – I created slide shows for my family and put prints in photo albums (a couple went up on the wall as well); a limited following by any standard. Fast-forward to 2012 and there is an unprecedentedly vast audience, most of it online, hungry to consume new imagery. That opens fantastic opportunities for sharing your work.

Shoot & Share

With so many sharing options where do you start? That’s the question addressed by Stuart Sipahigil in Shoot & Share – the latest Craft & Vision eBook. Stuart takes a common-place topic and explores it in depth. Shoot & Share is not just about Flickr and Facebook (although they’re part of the equation). Stuart takes a fresh look at the fundamental reasons you want to share your photos and urges you to think about your audience and to put together a ‘sharing plan’.

Shoot & Share mentions the photo sharing sites most of us are familiar with (and a few you probably aren’t) and other choices including services like PhotoShelter and SmugMug – and even building your own website. Then there’s advice on editing and other forms of sharing you might not have thought about, such as teaching. There’s something here for photographers of all levels, from enthusiasts to professionals in this thought-provoking eBook. Stuart’s photos are pretty good too.

If you want to learn more about Stuart I interviewed him a while ago. You can read the interview here, and learn about his first eBook, Close to Home, here.

Special offer on PDFs

Use the promotional code SHARE4 when you checkout to get the PDF version of Shoot & Share for only $4 OR use the code SHARE20 to get 20% off when you buy five or more PDF eBooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm (PST) April 28, 2012.

Photowhoa

Here’s one for those of you new to Craft & Vision. Buy all 40 Craft & Vision eBooks for only $89 from Photowhoa. By my reckoning that’s 40 for the price of 18. Not a bad deal – and it only lasts until the end of April.

If you sign up to the Photowhoa newsletter they’ll send you an email you every time there’s a new offer. It’s a great way to get eBooks and other photography products at a heavily discounted price. Full details at the above link.

Shoot & Share gallery

Here are some spreads from the eBook:

Canon has just released a new update to Digital Photo Professional to go with the launch of the EOS 5D Mark III. The main reason for the update is that DPP now recognises files from the 5D Mark III. But Canon has also added three new features – a Digital Lens Optimiser, Compositing tool and HDR tool. Today I’m going to take a look at the first of these, the Digital Lens Optimiser, and compare its performance to a similar function in Lightroom.

If you haven’t updated your copy of DPP you can do so here. Tick the software option and the webpage will display latest updaters for both Windows and Mac OS X (version 3.11.26 for both). This version was only released on Wednesday, so most of you won’t have it. If you’ve purchased a new EOS 5D Mark III and installed DPP from the CD that comes with the camera, you still need to update it as the new version contains some fixes for errors in the original software. The update is free, and you need to have a previous version of DPP installed on your computer for it to work (you can get that from the CD that came with your EOS camera).

Digital Lens Optimiser

What does the Digital Lens Optimiser actually do? Well, according to Canon, it fixes any loss in image quality caused by diffraction or lens aberrations, and sharpens the image to compensate for any loss of resolving power. All lenses suffer from diffraction and lens aberrations to some extent, even the best quality ones, so this is a potentially useful feature. A disadvantage of inexpensive lenses, especially zooms with a wide focal range, is that they suffer from more aberrations than prime lenses and high quality zooms. The Digital Lens Optimiser can help you compensate for that, as long as you use the Raw format (it doesn’t work with JPEG or m-Raw or s-Raw files).

The Digital Lens Optimiser works with most EOS cameras. Exceptions are the EOS D30, D60, 300D, 350D, 10D and 20D/20Da.

The Digital Lens Optimiser replaces the Chromatic aberration correction function (also available in previous versions of DPP). If you use the Digital Lens Optimiser, the Chromatic aberration correction function is unavailable. You can use one or the other, but not both.

I tested the performance of the Digital Lens Optimiser with a photo that I took on an EOS 60D using an EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens at a focal length of 18mm. One of the characteristics of a zoom lens with a wide focal length range like this is that it’s not possible for the lens designer to maximise optical performance all the way along the focal length range. Compromises have to be made somewhere. This lens suffers from barrel distortion and chromatic aberration at the 18mm focal length, as you can see in the image above. The lines should be straight, and well, let’s say you can see why I don’t buy lenses like this (this one was borrowed).

Canon have split the NR/Lens/ALO tab in DPP – there is now a separate Lens tab. None of the lens data is included with DPP, you have to click the Update button and a list of compatible lenses appears.

You select the lens (or lenses) you require data for and DPP downloads them (you need to be connected to the internet). The program downloads a lot of data so I guess the reason it works this way is to save on hard drive space. It also gives Canon an easy way to add more lenses. Not every Canon lens is supported – I’ve listed compatible lenses at the bottom of the article.

With the lens data uploaded click the Tune button. The Digital Lens Optimiser window opens. As you can see, in the above enlargement of the very bottom left-hand corner of the image, there is signficant purple fringing.

Ticking the Setting box eliminates the effects of any lens aberrations or diffraction right away. The default setting is 50, and you can decrease or increase the amount of correction as required. It works very well, as you can see. Canon recommends that sharpening is set to zero under the Raw tab otherwise the image may be oversharpened.

The Digital Lens Optimiser doesn’t correct barrel distortion or lens vignetting. To do so, you need to return to the Lens tab and click the Tune button. Tick Distortion to correct barrel distortion and Peripheral Illumination to correct lens vignetting (this may already be ticked if Peripheral Illumination Correction was enabled on the camera when you took the photo).

DPP vs. Lightroom

Does the Digital Lighting Optimiser give DPP an advantage over Lightroom, Adobe’s popular Raw conversion program? No it doesn’t, because Lightroom can also correct barrel distortion and lens aberrations.

I processed the same image with Lightroom to see how the two programs compared. The process is quicker in Lightroom as all you have to do is tick the Enable Profile Corrections box in the Lens Corrections pane. Lightroom also contains information for a wider range of lenses, including independent marques.

Here is a comparison between the two images, one processed in DPP and the other in Lightroom. Both have done an excellent job. The image from DPP is slightly lighter at the edges, presumably it has applied a little more correction to compensate for lens vignetting. It’s difficult to tell the difference at 100% magnification and I doubt anyone would see the difference in a print.

Conclusion

The Digital Lighting Optimiser in the latest version of DPP is a really useful feature. As long as your lens is included in the program’s data (see below) it helps you get the best quality image possible from it. It also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to continually improving the software.

If you’re new to DPP, or want to learn how to use it to get professional results out of your Raw files, then you may be interested in my eBook Understanding DPP. Click the link for more details.

Compatible lenses

The following Canon lenses are compatible with the Digital Lighting Optimser in DPP:

Wide-angle lenses

EF 14mm f2.8L IIUSM

EF 24mm f1.4L II USM

EF 35mm f1.4L USM

Standard & medium telephoto lenses

EF 50mm f1.4 USM

EF 50mm f1.2L USM

EF 85mm f1.2 II USM

Telephoto lenses

EF 300mm f2.8 II IS USM

EF 400mm f2.8 II IS USM

EF 500mm f4 II IS USM

EF 600mm f4 II IS USM

Zoom lenses

EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM

EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM

EF 17-40mm f4L USM

EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM

EF 24-70mm f2.8L II USM

EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM

EF 28-300mm f3.5-5.6L IS USM

EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM

EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM

EF 70-200mm f4 L USM

EF 70-200mm f4 L IS USM

EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM

EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM

EF-S lenses

EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM

EF-S 15-85mm f3.5-5.6 IS

EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM

EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM

EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS

EF-S 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS

If you’ve never used Manual mode on your camera before you may wonder why anybody would use it instead of one of the automatic exposure modes. Most of the time I only use one of three exposure modes on my camera – Aperture Priority (Av), Shutter Priority (Tv) or Manual (M). In this article I’m going to explore why and explain in which situations I would use each one.

I don’t think the fully automatic exposure modes found on non-professional EOS cameras (landscape, portrait and so on) are very helpful. They clutter up the Mode dial and create confusion. They are also very restricted. You have no control over the aperture, shutter speed or ISO, and you can’t use exposure compensation to make the image lighter or darker if the exposure is incorrect.

That’s why I recommend that photographers stick to four Creative Zone modes – Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual or Program. I personally don’t use Program much but it is very useful in some circumstances.

Why I use Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority

If I’m hand-holding the camera I’ll usually select Shutter priority and set whatever shutter speed is required to prevent camera shake. I control the aperture indirectly by raising the ISO. Sometimes I need to decide which is more important – keeping the ISO low and having a wider aperture than I would ideally like, or selecting a smaller aperture and having an ISO which is higher than ideal. I use an EOS 5D Mark II most of the time, which has good high ISO performance so that gives me a lot of leeway.

An exception is portrait work. Here I often use Aperture priority because I like working at wide apertures. If I need a faster shutter speed to prevent camera shake I just raise the ISO. I used an EF 50mm f1.8 lens on a 40D (it’s an ideal portrait lens on an APS-C camera) at set the aperture to f1.8 to take this portrait. I focused on my model’s eyes and let the rest of the scene drop out of focus.

I like to use Aperture priority when I have the camera mounted on a tripod. That’s mainly for landscape work, or close-up/macro photography. Using a tripod means that I have the luxury of setting whatever aperture I want, and a low ISO, and let the shutter speed take care of itself. I can control the shutter speed indirectly by raising or lowering the ISO. My priority here is controlling depth-of-field.

One case where I might take a landscape photo in Shutter priority mode is if I’m photographing moving water. A waterfall is a good example – I can try a series of shutter speeds and playback the photos on the camera’s LCD screen to see which shutter speed is most effective. Here I used Shutter Priority, utilising the same principle. I set the shutter speed to 1/2 second and asked my model to stay still throughout the exposure so that she was sharp.

I like to use an automatic exposure mode when I’m walking around taking photos, or if the light is changing unpredictably (perhaps the sun is going in and out behind clouds). If I need to adjust exposure I do so by using exposure compensation – the Quick control dial on my camera lets me change it with the camera held to my eye. It’s very quick, and if the subject lacks contrast, or has lots of light tones, I can increase the exposure to give me a good Raw file. I’m so used to working this way that I can do it without thinking – it’s become more or less automatic.

I took the photo above in Shutter priority. I set a shutter speed of 1/180 second so that I could take images without camera shake, and then adjusted the ISO to control the aperture.

Why I use Manual mode

The advantage of Manual mode is that once I’ve worked out the optimum exposure, I can just lock in the ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings, forget about them and concentrate on taking photos. This works if the light levels aren’t changing, or is just changing a little. I glance at the histogram every now and then and adjust if necessary.

In an automatic exposure mode, the camera’s exposure settings are influenced by the way that you frame the scene. As you try out different compositions, the camera’s recommended exposure settings may change, even if the ambient light levels stay the same, depending on the balance of light and dark tones within the frame. This is a nuisance, and using Manual mode avoids dealing with that.

I like to use Manual mode when I’m taking landscape photos. I tend to take landscapes at the end of the day, and I often take a series of images as the sun goes down so I can select the best afterwards. I keep an eye on the histogram – it creeps to the left as the light fades and I normally increase the shutter speed to compensate (or sometimes I open the aperture or raise the ISO, depending on the situation). That’s the approach I used for this photo of Rangitoto Island. The pink cloud was lit by the light of the sun setting in the other side of the sky.

I also like to use Manual mode when I’m shooting portraits with portable flash. I start by working out the exposure for the ambient light. Often, I underexpose the background for dramatic effect. Once I’ve decided on these settings I then introduce the Speedlite and adjust the power manually. It normally takes me two or three test shots to get the exposure right. And once I’ve worked it out, as long as the distance between the flash unit and my subject doesn’t change, I don’t need to change the settings.

There are two advantages to working this way. The first is that, with the Speedlite in manual, the brightness of the flash is the same each time. It doesn’t vary. If I were using automatic exposure, it may vary according to the way that I’m framing the shot.

The other is that I can fire the Speedlite with a Hahnel Combi TF radio flash trigger. The Hahnel unit is less expensive than buying an ST-E2/ST-E3 transmitter or a RadioPopper/PocketWizard trigger. And it works fine for me, so I don’t see any point in doing things any differently.

I don’t like it when photographers say things like ‘you should always use Manual mode’. That’s dogmatic – everybody likes to work their own way and it’s up to you to experiment and find the way that suits you best. For me it’s all about using the metering mode that produces the best results for the situation you’re in.

Understanding Exposure

I explore the topic of exposure in more detail in my eBook Understanding Exposure: Perfect Exposure on Your EOS Camera. Click the link for details.

Exposure is fundamental to the process of creating a good quality image. The reason for this is quite simple, as I’m sure many digital SLR camera users are aware. If you underexpose the image you lose shadow detail and raise noise levels, and on the other hand, if you overexpose the image you burn out the highlights. This makes exposure a delicate balancing act. The reward, if you can master exposure, is that you’ve mastered one of the building blocks of photographic technique and one of the keys to creating images of high quality.

One of the things that separates professional photographers from hobbyists is that exposure holds no fear for the pros. They’re aware of the limitations of their equipment, how to work within those limitations and how to cope with whatever lighting situations they are faced with. And, to be honest, there’s no reason why you can’t too. It’s not that difficult, once you understand the basic principles of exposure and how the CMOS sensor in your EOS digital SLR reacts to light.

That’s where Understanding Exposure, my latest eBook comes in. I’ve written this one specifically for Canon EOS digital SLR users, and that has let me go deep and explain in detail how the exposure related tools on EOS cameras work.

Understanding Exposure goes back to basics and explains the principles behind good exposure plus some advanced techniques that will help you calculate the optimum exposure for just about any scene. If you’ve ever wondered exactly what your camera’s histogram is telling you, or what exposing to the right is, or what the relationship between exposure and noise are, the answers are here. By the time you’ve finished reading this eBook you’ll understand how your camera’s exposure sensor works, why you often need to override your camera’s suggested exposure settings and how to do it.

Note: Understanding Exposure is written specifically for the owners of Canon EOS digital SLRS.

Special April offer

Use the code exposure2 when you checkout to get a £2 discount on Understanding Exposure. This code also works with Understanding DPP and Square, plus my eBook bundles (click here and scroll down to see the bundles). The code expires at midnight, April 30 2012, GMT.

Photo gallery

Here are some more spreads from Understanding Exposure:

There’s no doubt that the professional photography world has changed a lot over the last ten years or so. ‘Old’ business models, such as stock photography, have changed dramatically and rates for editorial photographers seem to have increased little, if at all, over the last two decades. But some photographers are flourishing. Natalie Dybisz, aka Miss Aniela, is one of them, and has made a name for herself as a fine-art photographer and author.

This makes me wonder if Natalie’s success is a new paradigm for making a living as a photographer in the 21st century. I asked her to share her thoughts on this topic – her detailed and cerebral responses are below. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her photos too.

Interview

What, for you, are the main differences between being a fine art photographer and being a commercial photographer?

I describe myself as both – as a safety net – because I feel it necessary to ‘sell’ myself as a photographer who can do work for others (hence to invite people’s enquiries). But, at the core, I am more a fine-art photographer because I spend most of my time producing work out of motivation for my own concepts and not commissioned, outright, by someone else.

If one was to describe themselves singularly as a ‘commercial’ photographer, I take that to be someone whose chief occupation with the process of creating images is to make money, and therefore to satisfy the needs of the commissioning client. That usually entails a dilution of concept, message – and even (sometimes) passion – in order to satisfy the business-led motives of the final usage of the images.

Unfortunately that will often involve stereotypes, clichés, replication of trends, and even promotion of commodities negative to real human health and spirituality. The latter is ultimately what keeps me more passionate about fine art – because it allows the creation of unfettered and liberating messages that are often not the kind of sentiments that necessarily make money.

To me, being a true ‘fine-art photographer’ is about finding passion in sharing messages, whilst a commercial photographer finds passion in following money. But that is just one ‘take’ on it. In the real world, all one needs to be deemed as a ‘fine art photographer’ is to make work that is primarily for exhibition, print sale, books or otherwise – and there are also accepted norms that buffer one’s reputation in that field: arts education, residencies, competition wins, associations with other accepted fine-art photographers, a popular work style, and so on.

And, along the way of being a commercial photographer, one might indeed find ways to challenge people and make them think, in more ways than some fine-art photographers feel inclined to do. It all depends on the individual artist’s drive and motivations within themselves.

What are ‘truth’ and ‘originality’ in photography and how can photographers stay true to their own selves as they create new work?

I think I can identify two levels of truth and originality.

The first level is being true to yourself. It is interesting that you have paired together ‘truth’ and ‘originality’ here in this question because it is by being true to oneself that originality – or, more accurately, authenticity – is achieved.

I read a book called Art & Fear which is very good at describing the things artists feel and how to overcome common anxieties about originality. But in order to be true to yourself, you first need to learn what ‘yourself’ actually is, and to do that takes time and shedding of accumulated distractions.

I see a lot of emerging artists emulate one other photographer and end up creating works that are exclusively similar to that one idol. I believe in reaching out to more than one inspiration, outside of photography also, so that there are plenty of sources from which to take influence and to remix them, pluristically, into your art. I believe that is very important to being able to make your own ‘style’ in the way people speak of.

The second level of truth and originality is where an artist chooses to reject trends, norms, clichés and the general zone of comfort of what is accepted as beautiful by other people, and also, by themselves. This is by no means something I have mastered myself. In fact, I think it will be an inherent conflict forever. For example, when I shoot a beautiful image – be it a fashion image, or nude – there is a tendency to settle on a beautiful and easy to comprehend image.

But there will always be a question mark that asks whether the image is ‘complete’, conceptually. Sometimes this involves introducing a level of discomfort into the image that taps into a message I want to convey with the image. Maybe it involves disrupting a nude or fashion image with an unexpected or even ugly element. So, on this level, truth and originality seep though to challenge even the artist themselves. The artist is placed onto a path of discovery.

Truth and originality are generally very debated terms in art. We cannot ever create something purely true or original. What we can do, however, is constantly question everything we do create, question everything around us from which we are taking inspiration, and enjoy being the perfection of being imperfect. This is also why it’s important to take several inspirations and ‘remix’ them: because then it’s easy to be honest and say “I was inspired by x, x and x”, with the viewer able to see how those inspirations were woven into something new: not just copied over from one source. That is what art is.

It seems to me you’ve discovered ‘new’ ways to make a living as a fine art photographer (besides selling prints), such as leading workshops and writing books. In a world where many photographers are struggling to earn a living in more ‘traditional’ areas such as stock and editorial photography, does your approach represent a new paradigm for earning a living as a photographer?

I believe that yes it can, although it would be a strange and impossible world for every photographer to be ‘teaching’ something.

At first I felt frustrated that most of my living as a photographer was being made from unconventional things – but now I am extremely positive about it, and very grateful to be making any living from self-employment in a creative arena. This has especially come from putting the times into perspective, and realising how hard it is to make any living at the moment, let alone a creatively fulfilling one.

The main ‘alternate’ thing I have enjoyed is writing books. In a sense, this is not making money as a ‘photographer’ – because you are writing a book, not taking pictures – however, I realise that this outlet is one I enjoy and value so much, that it is indeed becoming its own reason to create.

A book is a precious and treasurable item and I feel my books have blurred the line between art and instruction, and I am most passionate about the things I believe to be challenging the norm. This is also because I am allowed freedom and autonomy in the books I write – I am not asked to write x number of words on steps in Photoshop for example – so I am able to fashion my own messages and sentiments in the books which I find fulfilling.

Workshops are a very interesting area because we are amidst an explosion of workshops by photographers like myself, who are self-taught, or have engineered their own success/style in some way and are presenting their homemade success skills to others. I have really enjoyed teaching my own workshops, but have naturally moved onto a slightly different type of event that does not involve teaching, but hosting a grand opportunity to facilitate others’ creativity.

It is yet to say how the workshop market will explode – it is already becoming very saturated but this may be a good thing at first, as word of mouth from one workshop to the next spreads. However, it does make me wonder what will come of all the people who attend the workshops and use similar techniques, creating a wave of similar types of imagery.

One problem I see with workshops is the tendency for some attendees to think they can literally ‘shop’ for techniques as if they were going to cooking classes. There are many aspiring photographers who don’t want to think for themselves, but want to buy in the resources they need to quick success – as in many other fields, too.

This and a number of other factors has drawn me away from workshops for the time being, instead to an event which encourages autonomy and free-thinking: the ‘shoot experience’. My partner and I run these events in London and NYC and it is the absolute dream job: to organise a shoot primarily for others, where we can also shoot for ourselves too. That lends itself better to the idea of a breeding ground for photographic talent – because one has to think for themselves.

You’ve written a book and have another one due to be published soon. How much work does it take to write a photography book and what advice would you give anyone who would like to do the same?

It does take a lot of work over time, but the work is broken down into chunks – chapters and spreads – which makes the whole prospect very ‘doable’. No one wants to read long confabulated material anyway, so concise writing across varied shoots and topics makes for enjoyable reading!

I find that the most work lies in structuring a book: the theme and angle to the whole book, and the choice of topics or themes in each chapter and spread. And then, sourcing all the pictures and preparing those files for sending across to the design team. Writing the text is the smaller job!

Links

You can see more of Natalie’s work at her website, Flickr and her Facebook page.

Learn more about her Fashion Shoot Experience on the dedicated website.

Natalie’s newest book Creative Portrait Photography is out soon. Details for UK readers here, and US readers here.

Photo gallery

The release of the EOS 5D Mark III has caused a great deal of excitement amongst photographers and photography bloggers alike. As more comments start appearing online from photographers proclaiming that their new 5D Mark III has arrived I thought it worthwhile to take a level-headed look at Canon’s current digital SLR line-up and explore some of the things you should consider if you’re thinking about buying a new camera.

Why do people buy new cameras?

Why do people buy new cameras in the first place? Here are some reasons that I can think of – you may come up with more:

• You have an older model and would like to upgrade to a newer one.
• You have a compact camera or mirrorless camera and would like to upgrade to a digital SLR.
• You need a second camera to act as a back-up to your main one.
• You’ve outgrown your current camera and would like a more advanced one.
• You feel that the new features on the latest model will help you take better photos.
• Your camera was lost/stolen/broken and you’re looking for a replacement.
• You’ve decided that you’d like to try out photography as a hobby and need a good camera.
• A gift for a family member or friend.

The Canon EOS line-up

First, let’s take a look at the current EOS line-up. These are the cameras that you can buy new from the stores. Unless you want to buy a second-hand camera, these are your options (the second part of the article gives some advice on choosing your next EOS camera – just scroll down to read it).

Note: Some cameras have different names in the UK and North America. I’ve mentioned both. I’ve quoted body only (unless otherwise stated) retail prices from Warehouse Express in the UK and BH Photo Video in the US. This is the ‘street price’ – sometimes considerably less than Canon’s recommended retail price.

For the benefit of readers from the UK wondering about the price difference between the UK and US, part of the answer is that UK prices include 20% VAT while US prices don’t include sales tax. Sales tax is added at the till in the US and varies from state to state.

The first three models are described as ‘entry-level’ or enthusiast models. They are the three lightest, smallest and least expensive EOS cameras:

EOS 1100D/EOS Rebel T3 (£305 body only/$549 with 18-55mm IS II kit lens)

Canon’s entry level digital SLR. Comes with a 12.3 megapixel sensor. The least expensive in the range, it’s aimed photographers on a low budget. Possible first digital SLR for someone new to photography or upgrading from a compact camera, or for a son/daughter/nephew/niece/friend that has expressed an interest in photography. It may be at the ‘bottom’ of Canon’s range but it’s still a very capable camera for someone to learn with. Anyone buying this camera is likely to outgrow it fairly soon and want a more advanced model.

EOS 550D/EOS Rebel T2i (£464/$549)

A step up from the 1100D, the 550D is the second newest camera in Canon’s xxxD range. It’s still available even though the EOS 600D has been released  and will presumably be phased out at some point (perhaps when the EOS 650D is released).

The key differences between the EOS 550D and the 1100D are that the 550D has a 18 megapixel sensor and a larger, higher resolution LCD screen for Live View and playing back images.

EOS 600D/EOS Rebel T3i (£534/$624.95)

The newest and most advanced entry-level camera. The main improvements over the EOS 550D are a vari-angle LCD screen, and built-in wireless flash control (over compatible Canon Speedlite flash units). The sensor is the same size at 18 megapixels.

The next five models are Canon’s ‘semi-professional’ camera bodies. Semi-professional is bit of a vague term – you don’t need professional aspirations to own one of these cameras, and there are professional photographers that quite happily use one or more of these models.

There’s a big difference between these cameras and the entry-level models in terms of handling and feel. The bodies are larger and heavier. Three have magnesium alloy bodies and are built to withstand a lot of wear and tear. The Quick Control dial on the back makes dialling in exposure compensation a lot easier.

EOS 60D (£778/$999)

The EOS 60D sits part-way between the EOS 600D and EOS 7D in terms of size, design and features. It has an 18 megapixel sensor and the spec is similar to the EOS 600D (it is mostly small things that separate the 60D from the 600D) but the design and build quality makes the 60D a superior model.

EOS 60Da (£1174/$1499)

A modified version of the EOS 60D designed for astrophotography. Available to order from selected retailers only, this camera is a 60D with a more powerful infra-red filter that increases hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity by 300%. Note that this camera is for astrophotography only, it’s not designed for regular use.

EOS 7D (£1098/$1699)

Just as the EOS 60D is a big step up from the 600D, the EOS 7D is another big step. It’s larger and heavier and feels a lot more professional than the 60D. The EOS 7D has an 18 megapixel sensor, 19 autofocus points, and a continuous shooting speed of eight frames per second. This camera has the most advanced autofocus system of all the models mentioned so far. It will appeal to anyone with a serious interest in sports or wildlife photography, where autofocus performance is key to obtaining sharp images. If you’re seriously interested in either of these disciplines, and you don’t want to step up to a One series camera, then this is the model for you.

EOS 5D Mark II (£1659/$2199)

The 21.1 megapixel EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s least expensive full-frame camera (all the others listed so far have APS-C size sensors). Full-frame sensors provide images with more dynamic range and less noise at high ISOs. The 5D Mark II is used by many professional photographers thanks to its high image quality (it is also much cheaper than a One series camera). The EOS 5D Mark III has just been released, and the 5D Mark II will stay on sale for the time being alongside the new model at a lower price point.

The 5D Mark II lacks the more advanced autofocus of the EOS 7D, 5D Mark III, 1D Mark IV or 1Dx, therefore if high autofocus performance is important to you you should look at one of these other models. The 5D Mark II is ideal for landscape, portrait or studio photography.

EOS 5D Mark III (£2999/$3499)

Launched at the beginning of March, the 22.3 megapixel EOS 5D Mark III has several improvements over it’s predecessor, including a new 61 point autofocus system (the most advanced in the Canon line-up barring the EOS 1Dx), improved high ISO performance, a maximum ISO of 102,400 and dual card slots. It’s also much more expensive – although the price should come down over the next few months. If you really want this camera, but don’t need it right away, you should save money if you wait.

Read my detailed review of the EOS 5D Mark III.

There’s been some complaint that the EOS 5D Mark III is more expensive than the 5D Mark II was upon release, although that is partly down to the shift in exchange rates since then – sterling is worth much less now than it was against the Japanese yen.

The next two models are Canon’s One series cameras. These are aimed at professional photographers and have price tags to match. One series camera bodies are completely different from the other models in the EOS range. They are much bigger and heavier and come with a built-in portrait grip. The weather sealing is much better and the batteries are bigger and more powerful. These cameras are designed to withstand anything that a working pro will throw at them.

EOS 1D Mark IV (£3492/$4999)

The 16.1 megapixel EOS 1D Mark IV is aimed at sports and wildlife photographers. It’s the only camera in Canon’s current range with an APS-H sized sensor (bigger than an APS-C sensor, but not as big as full frame, with a crop factor of 1.3). The APS-H size sensor means that telephoto lenses have a little more ‘reach’ than on a full-frame camera. This is a very impressive camera, and up until the release of the EOS 1Dx and 5D Mark III was the most advanced in the EOS range. This camera will continue to sell alongside the EOS 1Dx.

EOS 1Dx (£5299/$6799)

Canon took the unusual step of announcing the 18 megapixel EOS 1Dx several months before it was available in the shops. Shipping is expected to start around the end of April, so expect to start reading reviews of this camera from photographers that have ordered one soon. If you simply want the best camera in the EOS range, this is it. It has the most advanced autofocus (61 AF points), 12 frames per second continous shooting speed, two DIGIC 5+ processors, a maximum ISO of 204,800 and a full-frame sensor.

How to choose a new EOS camera

Here are some of the factors to consider when buying a new EOS camera:

Budget

Budget is an important consideration, but let’s say that you could afford any camera in the range. Does that mean you should buy it? No, it doesn’t – the EOS 1Dx  (the most expensive EOS ) is too big and heavy for many people and you don’t need all the features that it has to take good photos. The same goes for the EOS 1D Mark IV and EOS 5D Mark III – if you intend to mainly take landscape photos at low ISO settings, then the two main selling points of the EOS 5D Mark III (fast autofocus and good high ISO performance) are redundant and you may be paying extra for features you won’t use. Features, and the way that you intend to use the camera, are just as important as price.

Do you really need to upgrade?

It’s easy to believe that you need to upgrade your camera when you really don’t. For example, I own an EOS 5D Mark II and it’s tempting to buy a 5D Mark III, but the reality is I don’t need one. It won’t earn me any more money, and I don’t require the more advanced autofocus or better high ISO performance (they may be useful, but I don’t need them).

I’m a freelance writer, and I look at it from a business point of view. Someone told me once that he never buys a piece of equipment for his business unless he knows that it will pay for itself within a year. It was a different type of business (a photography shop/printing service) but I think it’s excellent advice. If you’re buying something for a business the relevant questions are do you really need it (will it make your job easier or mean that you are less likely to miss a crucial shot) and how quickly will it pay for itself?

Also bear in mind that if photography is a business, even a part-time one, a new camera is a business expense and it will save you some money on your tax bill. That happened when I bought my EOS 5D Mark II – the money I saved on income tax was like getting an extra discount on the camera. When a photographer you follow online raves about the latest camera they bought, remember that:

a. They get a tax break when they buy it which is like buying it at a discount

b. That the camera is a tool that helps them make a living, so they need a good quality camera body, and that they probably expect it to pay for itself reasonably quickly.

c. Some photographers get pre-production models from Canon to use in return for writing about them on their websites.

Which new features do you need?

So, what are good reasons to upgrade? If you own an older EOS camera, such as a 300D or 10D, then you can probably think of plenty. Newer models have better sensors with more megapixels, better image quality, less noise (especially at high ISOs), a greater ISO range, better autofocus, bigger and better LCD screens, Live View, better menu layouts plus a host of smaller features that you don’t appreciate until you get to use them. If you own any EOS camera that predates the models in the list above you may want to upgrade to take advantage of the newest features.

But what if you don’t feel you need any of the features that a newer camera has, but you really want to do something that improves your photography? Or you may have a relatively new camera, such as the EOS 450D or 500D, and be wondering if upgrading will help you take better photos. The key is to understand that a newer camera doesn’t necessarily make you a better photographer – it’s a tool to help. Maybe the newer cameras have some tools that will help you, and maybe they don’t. It depends on what type of photos you take.

Here are some examples of how relatively new features can help you take better photos:

Live View

I use Live View for accurate focusing with macro and close-up photography, and for long exposure photography as it gives me a clear view of the scene even with a neutral density filter on the lens. If you have a camera that predates Live View, then upgrading to one that has it may help you take better photos in similar circumstances.

Autofocus

If you have a camera with nine-point autofocus, and you like to take action, sports or wildlife photos and your camera’s autofocus is letting you down, then upgrading to a camera with a better autofocus system will help you take better photos.

There’s a lot of talk on the internet about switching to Nikon for better autofocus performance. But from all accounts (I’m not a sports or wildlife photographer so I’m not an expert on high performance autofocus) the autofocus systems on the EOS 7D and 1D Mark IV work really well, and the new autofocus system on the EOS 5D Mark III and 1Dx looks like it will perform even better. I don’t see any reason to switch brands with these cameras available, especially if you are heavily invested in lenses and other accessories.

Do you really need autofocus? It may seem like a silly question but if you take a lot of landscape photos then you may not even use autofocus much. It’s much easier to focus manually, especially if you are focusing on the hyperfocal distance.

Exposure compensation

Newer EOS cameras have a 10 stop exposure compensation range (+/- 5 stops). If you’re into HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, this can help you take photos with a wide exposure range.

Aspect ratios

If you like to experiment with different aspect ratios (ie 4:3, square or panoramic formats) some of the newer models can display a cropped image feed in Live View so that you don’t have to guess with the framing.

Does size matter?

I’m talking camera body size (and weight) here – the lighter bodies of the 1100D, 550D and 600D are great if you want to travel as lightly as possible. Some people may find these bodies a bit too small to handle comfortably and that a larger body may suits them better. If you’re going to do a lot of outdoor photography, you may also need the extra weatherproofing and more solid construction of the heavier camera bodies.

Full-frame or APS-C?

How important is image quality to you? Full frame sensors give better image quality, but they are more expensive – a full-frame sensor costs more to manufacture than a smaller one. I also like full frame because it means that wide-angle lenses retain their ‘true’ focal length.

However, some people will appreciate the crop factor of APS-C cameras as it gives their telephoto lenses extra ‘reach’. Budget also plays a part here – the EOS 5D Mark II is the least expensive full-frame camera in the range at the moment.

If you are thinking of upgrading to a full-frame camera, do you own any EF-S lenses? These are designed for APS-C cameras and don’t work with full-frame cameras.

Do you want to make large prints?

If you want to make large prints (or take photos with a view to selling them on stock photography websites like Alamy) then you need a camera with more megapixels. This is less of a consideration than it was in the past as most of the current range have an 18 megapixel or greater sensor – but it may be a consideration if you have an older body with a 12 megapixel or smaller sensor.

Do you need movie mode?

If movie mode is important to you then you examine the options on each camera carefully as each is different. Movie mode is evolving with each new camera and the EOS 5D Mark III has the most advanced version. Expect to see further improvements on future models.

What are your future plans?

It may be tempting to buy a cheaper digital SLR model now, only to regret it in a couple of years time and want to buy a more advanced model. But also you need to think about accessories and lenses you may need to buy. You’ll probably do your photography more good by buying a cheaper body for the moment and buying some decent lenses for it over the next few years, rather than spending so much on the body you have no cash left over for new lenses. Some of these questions are difficult to answer now, especially if you’re starting out, but you should at least consider them.

Alternatives to buying a new camera

If the question is how can I improve my photography, then what can you spend money on that will help you do that other than a new camera body?

One answer is a good lens or two. The question of what lens to buy is worthy of a separate article, and one that I’ll address soon.

Another is to go on a workshop with a photographer that you admire. Many photographers run workshops.

For example, take a look at the Bruce Percy’s workshops. I don’t know him, I just admire his photos – but I’m sure that I’d learn a lot more from going on one his workshops than I would from buying a new camera body.

Cheaper than workshops, and probably the best bang for your buck when it comes to education, are books, eBooks and magazines. You’ll really learn a lot from allocating a few hundred pounds (or dollars) to spend on written material dealing with the areas of photography that you’re interested.

If you’re interested in eBooks, then take a look at my photography eBooks. I sell several on this website (and I have three more EOS specific eBooks planned this year) and I’ve written six for Craft & Vision.

Then there’s EOS magazine, the most in-depth publication for EOS users around. It’s dedicated to helping you get the most out of your EOS camera and I think it’s brilliant – but then I’m biased as I’m the Technical Editor. Take a look, there are both print and digital subscriptions options.

Another option is to go away somewhere and dedicate the trip completely to photography. A week away doesn’t have to be incredibly expensive, and for the price of an EOS 5D Mark III body you can do some serious travelling, especially if you go somewhere relatively inexpensive (like South America or south-east Asia).

More information

You may well need more information than I can include in this article to make your decision. There isn’t enough space here to go into all the differences between models – I can only touch on a few that I think matter to most people. So where can you find out more?

DPReview has the most in-depth reviews that I’ve seen. Each review lists the spec of the camera, making it easy to compare models. You will learn a lot about any potential purchase by reading about it on DPReview first.

You can also search online for reviews written by photographers who have bought the cameras. My article about the EOS 5D Mark III lists the best reviews that I’ve found at the bottom.

Oh, and did I mention EOS magazine? We write about each new camera as it comes out.

Do you have a friend who owns one a camera that you’re considering? Ask them what they think. Another good option is to join the EOS magazine forum and ask the opinion of other EOS owners. With over 5,000 members there is bound to be someone who can help.

Go to your local camera shop and try out the models. The difference between the EOS 600D and 60D, for example, is hard to pin down from the specs if you’re not familiar with either one – but is immediately obvious when you try them out.

Hire a camera for a few days before committing to a purchase. If this facility is available in your area, it’s a great way to test a camera before buying it.

Conclusion

Whichever model you decide to buy, or whether you stay with the camera you already own, it’s good to remember that photography is a wonderful and enjoyable hobby, no matter which camera you own. The most important thing is to have fun and make some beautiful images.

Canon announced the new EOS 5D Mark III at the beginning of March. There’s been a lot of interest about this camera as speculation has built regarding the replacement to the EOS 5D Mark II (released in September 2008). Three and a half years is a long time in terms of digital camera development, and as I own a 5D Mark II, I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the features of the 5D Mark III to see where the improvements are that would encourage me (or other photographers) to upgrade to the new model.

One of the interesting things about digital cameras is the rapid rate at which the technology has matured. Anyone who has used one of the older digital Canons, such as an EOS 300D or 10D, will appreciate how much better newer models are. The autofocus is faster and more accurate, the LCD screens on the back of the camera are much bigger, and – most importantly of all – image quality has greatly improved. If you own any of the lastest EOS cameras it’s difficult to see how the image quality can be bettered. And even if it can, does the the increase in image quality matter? At what point is the quality good enough for most people? And once that point is reached, what does Canon (and the other camera manufacturers) do to entice consumers and professionals alike to buy their latest models?

As I see it digital camera development is at the point where if you bought any EOS camera released in the last two or three years the image quality of your camera is all you need for most purposes. The extra quality gained by upgrading to the very latest models isn’t going to make you a better photographer – and most photographers I’m sure are aware of that. Which leaves Canon with a problem – how can they encourage photographers to buy their latest cameras when the cameras most of them already own are good enough? The EOS 5D Mark III has some of the answers.

Similarities with the EOS 5D Mark II

First, let’s look at the areas where the 5D Mark III is similar to the 5D Mark II:

Megapixels – the 5D Mark III has a 22.3 megapixel full frame sensor compared with the 21.1 full frame sensor of the 5D Mark II. There’s a bit of extra resolution, but not much. If you want to make extra large prints then you may want more megapixels, but I’m sure most people will be happy with 21 or 22.

Image quality at low ISOs – I’ve read nothing to suggest that the image quality from the EOS 5D Mark III is better at low ISOs. That will become clearer as more people test the camera and give their verdict.

Differences from the EOS 5D Mark II

These aren’t all the differences, this is just an overview. These are the things that I wish my EOS 5D Mark II had – plus a few that may interest others but aren’t important to me.

61 point autofocus

This is the major difference between the two cameras. Until the 5D Mark III the best autofocus systems were found on the EOS 7D and the 1D series cameras. Realistically, One series cameras are beyond the budget of most enthusiasts, so that leaves the EOS 7D as the natural camera of choice for anyone who shoots a lot of wildlife or sport.

I shoot primarily static subjects, yet there are still times when I shoot something that moves and would appreciate a better autofocus system than the one on my EOS 5D Mark II. And I’m sure there are plenty of photographers that feel the same way. They don’t need the latest and best autofocus system all the time, but it would be nice to have it to hand when they did.

Owners of the EOS 5D Mark III get a new 61 point autofocus system that is shared with the EOS 1Dx. It’s better than the EOS 7D or even the 1D Mark IV. The only downside is that the AF controls are more complicated and it will take a while to learn how to get the best out of the camera if this level of AF sophistication is new to you – there’s more information on the Canon USA site here, here, here, here and here.

Two stop noise reduction

The new Digic 5+ processor in the 5D Mark II (17 times faster than the 5D Mark II’s Digic 4 processor) enables a couple of significant improvements in image quality. One of them is a two stop performance in noise reduction compared to the 5D Mark II. This means that a photo taken at ISO 6400 on the 5D Mark III should have the same amount of noise as a photo taken at ISO 1600 on a 5D Mark II. Impressive – and useful for anyone who uses the high ISO settings on their camera. It should be noted though that the two stop improvement only applies to JPEG files and not Raw. This is understandable – noise levels in Raw files are much harder to quantify because you can reduce noise by ‘exposing to the right’ and also the noise reduction in the latest versions of Raw processors like DPP and Lightroom produce excellent results. But Raw users should still see a visible improvement.

The top standard ISO speed on the 5D Mark III is 25600, which means this camera can virtually see in the dark. I’ve shot in dark conditions with my 5D Mark II and it picks up more than my eye can see.

Chromatic aberration correction

Chromatic aberration correction is another useful feature. When this function is enabled the camera will automatically correct chromatic aberrations caused by the lens. This works for Canon lenses only (not third-party lenses). The camera has information stored for about 25 lenses and you can add more using the EOS utility software that comes with the camera, choosing from 80+ Canon lenses. Before this feature the easiest way to correct chromatic aberrations was to shoot in Raw and use DPP (or another Raw processor – Lightroom also contains correction data for many Canon lenses).The 1Dx also has chromatic aberration correction but isn’t available in the stores yet.

Now this is of limited interest to me because I shoot Raw –  but if I had a 5D Mark III it may tempt me into using JPEG more because it takes away one of the advantages of Raw. An interesting thought. I know that many wedding photographers use JPEG (to save processing time) and I’m sure that they would welcome the chromatic aberration correction feature.

In-camera HDR

Another feature apparently enabled by the Digic 5+ processor. It’s not one that interests me – I think HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography is a gimmick used by photographers to compensate for lack of creative vision. But if you want it, the 5D Mark III has it.

Multiple exposures

This is a potentially useful feature. I’ve seen people use multiple exposure on other cameras to reduce noise. Taking several images and merging them together reduces noise which occurs at random points within the frame. As long as the camera is on a tripod and the frames align precisely it seems like a good way of reducing random noise produced by high ISOs (not long exposure noise, which occurs in a fixed pattern). Interesting? We’ll see what people do with it – it really does seem to have a lot of creative potential (more on that here).

Viewfinder

The 5D Mark III has a new viewfinder with 100% coverage and the translucent liquid crystal display the EOS 7D uses to display all those lovely AF points in various configurations. I’m drooling just thinking about it.

Mode dial lock

Useful (although you can have it fitted retrospectively to the 5D Mark II), I’m always knocking the mode dial. I like that the On switch has been separated from the Quick control dial lock as well.

Bigger LCD screen

The LCD screen on the back of the 5D Mark III is bigger. It has the same 3:2 aspect ratio as the camera’s sensor, which means it plays back images without cropping them, so they are displayed at a larger size than on the 5D Mark II’s screen.

This is great for Live View, especially if you use it for fine focusing with close-up, macro or landscape work. It’s also useful for exploring other aspect ratios. If you want to explore the square, panoramic or 4:3 formats just activate Live View, set the required aspect ratio, and it will be displayed on the LCD screen with the unused parts of the frame blacked out, perfect for framing.

If you use the JPEG format the JPEG file will be cropped to the selected aspect ratio, if you use Raw the file contains the entire frame as recorded by the sensor, but with the aspect ratio information appended. If you open it in DPP it will recognise the aspect ratio and crop accordingly – if you open it in another program you’ll have to crop it yourself.

Dual card slots

Very, very useful, and about time. I like to go away on trips without taking a computer with me. I have a portable hard drive with memory card slots I can back my memory cards up to but I’d prefer dual card slots. It’s much easier and means that there’s one less device to carry.

Having said that, at the risk of tempting fate, I’ve never had a problem with a memory card. In fact, at EOS magazine I tried to destroy an old memory card once and couldn’t. I ran it through the washing machine, froze it in ice, threw it against the wall, stamped on it as hard as I could and ran it over with a car – it still worked and all the images were intact. So it’s pretty hard to damage them, although memory card corruption is always a potential problem. But nevertheless, dual memory card slots are great for peace of mind, especially on important shoots.

iFCL Evaluative metering

Canon’s intelligent, focus, colour and luminance evaluative metering system has appeared on every new camera (except the 1D Mark IV and 1Dx) since the EOS 7D. The previous exposure sensor, which was only sensitive to brightness, not colour, has been replaced by a new two layer colour sensitive exposure sensor (pictured above) that is supposed to give more accurate results.

The main benefit of the new system is that it has 63 zones (compared to the 35 zones of the 5D Mark II) which should help the camera make more accurate exposure calculations. In my experience the new sensor is no more accurate than the previous one. The fundamentals of exposure haven’t changed. If you take a photo of a light subject (such as a white flower) the camera will underexpose, and if you take a photo of a dark subject it will overexpose. It doesn’t matter which exposure sensor your camera has or what exposure mode you use – it requires intervention from the photographer to get the right exposure.

Movie mode

Yawn…that’s my usual response to talk about movie mode. It’s interesting, and the movies made with these cameras are amazing, but I’m a photographer, not a videographer, and the steep learning curve involved with learning to use digital SLRs to make movies doesn’t interest me. I’d rather spend the time learning more about photography. However, if you’re into making movies you’re probably very excited by the 5D Mark III. There’s a run-down of the new movie mode features here.

Conclusion

It’s clear that Canon have put a lot of though into the EOS 5D Mark III and they’ve come up with a camera that’s a significant improvement from the 5D Mark II. Image quality alone isn’t a good enough reason to upgrade, and the 5D Mark III has plenty of other features, not least the 61 point AF system and 100% viewfinder, which will encourage photographers to buy the camera.

Who will buy this camera? I’m sure that many professionals are excited by it, but what about enthusiasts? For all the benefits, I’m not going to upgrade from the 5D Mark II. I’m quite happy with the image quality I get from it and the 5D Mark III, let’s face it, isn’t cheap.

I suspect that the 5D Mark III will appeal to enthusiasts who have outgrown their crop-sensor cameras or want to replace an older model and would like to move up to a full-frame camera. At the moment, they have the choice between the 5D Mark III, and the 5D Mark II which will remain on the market at a lower price point, as well as the top-of-the-range EOS 1Dx.

I’ve written this article without the benefit of using an EOS 5D Mark III, so here are some reviews from photographers who have used the new camera:

Jeff Ascough

Niel van Niekerk

Ryan Brenizer

Martin Bailey

Martin’s review is the most detailed, and there’s a podcast to go with it. The download and subscription details are at the bottom of his post.

Inside EOS

This is the first in a new series of articles written for Canon EOS users. They’ll be filed under the Inside EOS category. My next article will be a guide to upgrading your camera (update: you can read it here). It will follow on from some of the ideas discussed here – when do you know if it’s time to upgrade your EOS camera and which model should you choose?

By the end of my six month stay in Shanghai I couldn’t think of any reason to stay longer. Yet some foreigners do. Some for the money – my local Costa was right next to Tesco head office and it was interesting to eavesdrop on conversations between English Tesco executives, who seemed to like coming into the cafe for a latte and conversations about budgets and shelving space allocation.

There are also creatives working in Shanghai, including a few photographers. Patrick Wack is one of them, and the subject of my latest interview. The interesting thing about his story is that he went to Shanghai to look for work with very little experience. And here he is, making a living and producing some quite brilliant work, in a foreign city and dealing with a new culture. That’s impressive. I’m sure you’ll like his photos too.

China portrait project

How did the “Kingdoms” China portrait project start? What’s the concept behind it and how did you choose the people to photograph?

The project is originally a commission that came directly from the CEO of Adidas China. He approached me through my gallery in Shanghai (Art Plus Shanghai gallery) after seeing some of my portrait work about the Workers of the 2010 World Expo (you can see these photos on Patrick’s website). He was at the time looking to revamp the company’s internal image database about China. He therefore commissioned me to go many places in China to shoot a wide variety of portraits of its inhabitants. A dream gig basically.

The purpose was to shoot – within a limited time frame and budget – a representative sample of old and young, urban and rural, male and female, poor and rich, Han (the dominant ethnic group in China) and ethnic minority portraits of people in their living and working environments.

The brief was originally to deliver single posed images but, as always, the brief kept evolving even after the first round of shoots. The client wanted the photos to tell more of a story than one single image could. That is why I came up with the idea of montages which allowed me to be more cinematic and create some kind of narration in moving from wide to close in the photos.

That was an interesting challenge to shoot these little stories in the five or ten minutes that the people would generally give us and I have to admit I would have preferred to allocate this time to create only one stunning image.

When choosing the people to photograph, I try and be as receptive as possible to a variety of elements that can make for a good picture. When you’re driving a car in the middle of Yunnan or walking around in downtown Shanghai, you can’t be looking for the same things. These can be a great face, an elegant silhouette, a beautiful ray of light, an inspiring background to shoot against or an intriguing dirt road in the middle of sugar cane fields on a misty morning. I just need one thing that gets my curiosity going and I start from there.

One common ground that drove all the portraits from this project – and I think my portraiture work in general – is the desire to make positive images. I photograph people because I am attracted to them. Even if I photograph a worn-out peasant, I’ll try and make him into a glorious figure of some kind. That is probably my respect for the working classes breathing through and why my images have been compared to Chinese propaganda posters.

Which Chinese towns and cities did you visit for the project?

Even though the scale of the final project outgrew by far the original commission, we still planned it from the start to fulfill the client’s requirements. These being to portray as representatively as possible today’s Chinese people.

In order to fit the project into the limited time frame that we had, I decided to split it into four distinct locations: Shanghai and Beijing – the modern and wealthy urban centres of the new China in the east; Chongqing – a major city in the belly of China trying to catch up with the leading coastal areas; and Yunnan, which I picked for the rural part of the project.

Yunnan is the Chinese province that offers the most diversity in terms of landscapes – from the tropical plains of Xishuangbana in the south to the arid plateaus of its Northern Tibetan areas and faces – Yunnan is the Chinese province with the most minorities. We basically took a two-week south to north road trip from the Laos border all the way to the border with Tibet.

What was the most interesting place you went to during the shoot?

I was totally fascinated by Chongqing. Walking around this city felt like entering another dimension. Albeit a fast growing Chinese metropolis, it gave me a permanent feeling of near apocalypse.

It pretty much matched in my imagination what a post-nuclear war Chinese metropolis would look like after one century of unbridled urban development, with its impenetrable smog and this humongous dark river flowing within. And in the middle of this dirty concrete jungle, people happily fishing, swimming and walking around as if they lived in any normal city.

What’s your favourite image from the project?

Difficult question to answer as I made so many images for this project. But one image that I like a lot – and is quite a change in my way of photographing – is the far-away portrait of the lonely Beijing girl. I very seldom make images like this one, this hasn’t been my kind of distance until now as I tend to get as close as I can from the people I photograph. But I think this image works really well and, in terms of proportions, is a good symbol of the type of feeling and relationship that exists between humans and the city in modern China.

Working in China

How long have you been working in China? Why did you decide to live and work in China?

I first set foot in Shanghai in April 2006. I had graduated two years before that from business school and had been working in marketing for a couple of years in Berlin. That just wasn’t going to do it for me. The office life, the work, being part of a structure etc. All of this just depressed me and I was looking for a way out.

I was a hobby photographer at the time, had never used a digital SLR or any retouching software but there was this friend of mine – Eric Leleu, another French Shanghai-based photographer – who had settled in Shanghai the year before and was trying to make it as a freelance photographer.

That’s all I needed, that one guy shows me the light, and in the span of three months I quit my job, bought a crappy second-hand Canon EOS 10D with one lens and set sail towards fame and glory. Fame and glory haven’t quite happened yet but I’m pretty happy I made the move!

I did give it quite a thought at the time and I concluded that if I was to try and make it as a photographer, there would be no better time and place than right now in Shanghai. The demand for editorial and corporate images from China was exploding, clients were happy to find a western photographer already on site so that would be a great asset in starting to build a network, plus that would offset the fact that at the time I knew nothing about pro photography or no one in the business.

What is the photography scene like in the two cities that you work in – Beijing and Shanghai?

First, I have to say that my knowledge of Beijing is much more superficial than that of Shanghai. I have never spent any long periods of time in Beijing and I believe this is the only way to get the real feel.

That said, I think the photography scenes in those two cities are derived from the two very different characters and energies that move these cities and draw people to them.

Shanghai is a fast-moving business-oriented city and that is what most – I say most, not all – photographers based here are. They do mostly commercial and corporate work and act as much as entrepreneurs as photographers.

Beijing is the political and artistic centre of China. That is where the creative energies gather and also where most of the people who are truly interested in China are based. Fashion, art and reportage photographers are mostly based there.

What challenges do you face working as a freelance photographer in China?

I think that the biggest challenges that you face being a freelance photographer in China are pretty much the same that any type of entrepreneur trying to settle in this market has to face, i.e. all the day to day linguistic, administrative and cultural difficulties.

When I first had the project of coming here, my biggest worry was whether or not I had what it takes to be a decent photographer, but I totally underestimated the effects of the culture shock. I had lived abroad in different countries for quite a while already at the time and thought China wouldn’t be that different. That was a mistake. China is a very confusing place at first when you have no language and cultural background.

Regarding the photography and business part of working in China, that wasn’t too complicated. I think that any decent photographer who has an understanding of how to make himself visible on the internet and build a network can make it here. There’s a lot of work.

I think one major difference of the business in the West and China is that in countries like France and the United States, you need to make yourself known for one particular field. You need an edge, a style that differentiates you in a market that is very competitive. That is still not the case in China – but it is changing fast – where I do everything from editorial/corporate portraits and reportage, advertising and fashion shoots, events and fine art projects.

About you

How would you describe your photographic vision? What kind of look do you try and create in your photos?

I will let you know when I find a clear answer to that question. After five years of being a photographer, I am still very much in the process of defining what is my style and what I should focus on. China is a great playground for that.

What I can say is that I don’t consider myself as an artist or a creative photographer. My photography is very much anchored in reality and I use this reality as a material to try and develop my own aesthetics. That’s how far as it goes for now.

Name three photographers you like and why.

Trent Parke has been my photo god for the past months. Unbelievable framings, intuition, use of light and a photographic vision full of poetry. I cannot stop looking at the images from his The 7th Wave book and would sell my soul to find a copy of it.

Philip Lorca diCorcia for the look of the images, again the use of light, the cinematic aspect of his work and for walking that very thin line between reality and his own universe, art and commercial photography.

Klaus Thymann for his unbelievable commercial images, the use of backlights, the crepuscular look of his images and his use of colours.

Links

You can see Patrick’s work at his website  www.patrick-wack.com and contact him by email at patwackphotos [at] gmail.com

Photo gallery

Here are some photos from Patrick’s China Portraits project: