Page 11 - Amateur Photographer - August 5, 2017

Inbox Good things come D E A

to those who wait
I was interested to read your
feature on editing out distractions
(AP, 22 July). The main technique
I have employed is patience. C
Email amateurphotographer@timeinc.com and include your full postal address. Instead of spending 15 minutes
Write to Inbox, Amateur Photographer, Time Inc. (UK), Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, cloning out objects from an image, B
Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants GU14 7BF you could spend the same amount
of time (or less) when making the
LETTER OF THE WEEK exposure in the fi rst place. For
example, I take quite a lot of city In AP 22 July
shots, and tourists are a constant we asked…
Don’t be distraction to an otherwise How often do you remove
uncluttered composition. I have
scuppered by been delighted with the results of objects from photos?
long exposures (30secs to
bad weather 10mins) in being able to remove You answered…
people from a busy environment.
The only special equipment A Never – I’d rather delete the shot 20%
A couple of years ago, I set needed was a tripod and ND fi lter. B Occasionally, when I really
myself the challenge to go out The other side to patience is couldn’t reframe the shot 46%
and shoot on a dull, drizzly simply waiting for a moment when C Regularly – a bit of ‘gardening’
day and it changed the way people are not in the frame. is fi ne 25%
I view what some might term James, via email
‘bad weather’. I no longer D All the time, as I like digital
view these conditions as A point well made, James, but manipulation 4%
‘bad weather’, just different it’s still good to know this E I wouldn’t know how to remove
weather with different essential editing skill – Geoff objects even if I wanted to 5%
opportunities. For landscape Harris, deputy editor
photography, Neutral Density What you said
(ND) and ND graduated fi lters Smoke on the water ‘I sometimes remove stuff from
can be used to create long I read Rick McArthur’s excellent commercial location shots – wires that
exposures and bring out detail feature in AP’s Technique section: I can’t otherwise hide and the like, or
in the sky. Long exposures are A guide to removing unwanted something that grabs attention in the
also easier to achieve during objects (AP, 22 July). It’s great how background that just couldn’t be
the daytime on overcast days he removed the cruise ships from moved. The odd blemish from skin in
and so you can capture the fjord in the main picture. portraits – my aim is to make people
motion blurred clouds and silky Above: Tim’s successful results Unfortunately he left the smoke look their best, but normal.’
water more easily. from the ships’ funnels in the shot!
I frequently hear photographers saying that they shoot black Bert Powell, via email ‘I once took a really good photo of a
and white in overcast conditions, but sometimes you can capture walkway over a ford. I spent ages
the mood of the scene better in colour. The colours will not be as Well spotted, Bert! Rick spoke removing a red lorry that was right
punchy or saturated as a sunny day, but that’s what creates the to me about the smoke and we next to it. When I showed my wife
mood. Something else to bear in mind is that clouds in the sky agreed it might pass as mist, what a fantastic job I had done, she
mean water vapour in the air. Some of the most colourful but nothing gets past our kindly pointed out I had left the
sunrises and sunsets are when there are clouds and therefore readers! – Tracy Calder, refl ection in the water... back to the
water vapour in the air that catch the sun’s rays. Clouds on the technique editor drawing board.’
horizon are more likely to scupper sunrise and sunset ‘I’m more than happy to clone out
photography than any overhead clouds. litter, stray birds in the sky that look
LETTER OF THE WEEK WINS A SAMSUNG EVO PLUS MICROSD CARD. NOTE: PRIZE APPLIES TO UK AND EU RESIDENTS ONLY
Cloudy skies also mean a greater chance of rain and stormy more like dust bunnies than birds,
conditions. Perhaps a rain shower in the distance, a rainbow, small highlights and non-descript
waves crashing against cliffs or a thunderstorm. Whilst black blobs. When it comes to larger
challenging conditions to work in, and certainly requiring more objects then I’m less inclined to do so.’
self motivation to get out there, the results can be very rewarding.
Tim Jackson, Southampton ‘I took a few pictures by a pond in low,
warm sunlight. Afterwards I cloned out
A great reminder to get out even if it’s raining – a familiar around three-and-half million midges.’
scenario here in the UK – Geoff Harris, deputy editor
Join the debate on the AP forum
This week we ask…
Do you go out of your
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photos and video recording. www.samsung.com An image detail from our 22 July issue
– before the ships were removed amateurphotographer.co.uk
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 5 August 2017 11