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PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS MAGAZINE | ISSUE 102

Photography MASTERCLASS BUYERS GUIDE GRAVGRIP REVIEW PALM-SIZE BATTERY FREE CAMERA STABILIZATION

featured

Marius Kastečkas

EXPERT GUIDE WHAT IS ISO INVARIANCE & WHEN SHOULD YOU USE IT?

INSPIRATION WHY WE SHOOT PHOTOGRAPHERS SHARING THE PASSIONS THAT DRIVE THEM

Interview OUT OF THIS WORLD LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

MASTERCLASS

GET CREATIVE WITH

PHOTOSHOP OPACITY VS FILL

Lensball Photography

Photography MASTERCLASS MAGAZINE EDITOR: Gill Roberts

CONTRIBUTORS: Jo Plumridge Krystal Kenney Ryan Sitzman Alyn Wallace The School of Photography Cooperative Of Photography (COOPH) Marius Kastečkas Joerg Daiber

Contact Details: Email: mail@photographymc.com Web: Photographymc.com Facebook Page: Facebook.com/PhotographyMasterclassMagazine Facebook Group: Facebook.com/groups/PhotographyMasterclassMagazine Twitter: Twitter.com/MagazinePM Instagram: @photographymasterclassmagazine © Photography Masterclass Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Joe Ring Claudia Raben Todd Feeney Constantine Matsos Svenne Juul Devon Janse van Rensburg Simon Lohmann Amin RK Nojan Namdar Sasha Yudaev Oleksandr Dorokhov Rex Way Petri Heiskanen Ray Hennessy Ryoji Iwata Wolfgang Hasselmann Matthew Mallia Shivam Mistry Waldemar Błażej Nowak Eric Godfirnon Azazello Photo Studio Kathy Harms Ethan Bensdorf accidentalchemy Igor Rafaelevich Tomasz Olszewski Carina König Carley Rudd Alux Concepts Charlie Bramlett Mulyadi Photography Jan Vasek ShareGrid COVER PHOTO BY: Matthew Mallia

05 Editors Choice A Hand-Picked Selection Of Our Favorite Photos

23 Expert guide What Is ISO Invariance & When Should You Use It?

36 Masterclass Get Creative With Lensball Photography

51

Featured Photographer

We speak to photographer, Marius Kastečkas, creator of landscape photography that is out of this world!

15 Inspiration

33 Editing

Why We Shoot: Opacity Vs Fill Photographers In Photoshop sharing the passions that drive them

68 Timelapse Amazing Azerbaijan

72 Readers Gallery Your Best Shots Showcased

81 BUYERS GUIDE Lowdown On The GravGrip

EDITOR’S

NOTE

W

elcome to this edition of Photography Masterclass Magazine

If you've never used a lensball before, then these little glass balls are a great and inexpensive way to get creative with your photography! For around $25 you can add one to your camera bag. If photography is becoming a little dull for you, then pick one up and try one of the creative ideas we cover in this issue, to get your inspiration flowing once more!

Also in this issue - in our inspiration article, we look at why we shoot, with photographers sharing the passions that drive them! And we

discuss what ISO invariance is and when you should use it. We also bring you an in-depth interview with photographer, Marius Kastečkas, creator of landscape photography that is out of this world!

And don't miss the lowdown on the GravGrip - the palm sized, pocket f r i e n d ly & b a t te r y f re e c a m e r a stabilization device!

We hope you enjoy this issue. If you try out any of the techniques mentioned, we’d love you to see your results, so please do share them with us in readers' Facebook Group.

Happy Shooting!

Gill

MESSAGE FROM GILL ROBERTS

THE EDITOR Photography Masterclass Magazine | 4

EDITOR’S

CHOICE A Hand-Picked Selection of our Favorite Photos

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 5

By: Devon Simon Lohmann Shot Details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, at 300mm, ƒ/5.6, 1/400s, ISO 800 Website

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 6

By: Amin RK Shot Details: Nikon D750, at 85mm, ƒ/3.2, 1/200s, ISO 50 Instagram

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 7

By: Nojan Namdar Shot Details: Canon EOS 6D Mark II, at 50mm, ƒ/10, 1/160s, ISO 100 Instagram

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 8

By: Sasha Yudaev Shot Details: Canon EOS 200D, at 18mm, ƒ/4, 1/30s, ISO 100 Instagram

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 9

By: Oleksandr Dorokhov Shot Details: Nikon D500, at 50mm, ƒ/3.2, 1/200s, ISO 100 Instagram

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 10

By: REX WAY Shot Details: Sony aIII, at 85mm, ƒ/2, 1/250s, ISO 50 Website

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 11

By: Petri Heiskanen Shot Details: Sony a7 II, at 35mm, ƒ/1.4, 1/60s, ISO 160 Website

EDITORS CHOICE

Photography Masterclass Magazine | 12

By: Ray Hennessy Shot Details: Nikon D4S, at 500mm, ƒ/4, 1/500s, ISO 450 Website

EDITORS CHOICE

By: Ryoji Iwata Shot Details: Nikon D600, at 50mm, ƒ/2.8, 1/160s, ISO 250 Website

EDITORS CHOICE

By: Wolfgang Hasselmann Shot Details: Sony a7 II, at 28mm, ƒ/5.6, 1/320s, ISO 100

INSPIRATION

WHY WE SHOOT: PHOTOGRAPHERS SHARING THE PASSIONS THAT DRIVE THEM

Photo by: Carina König

By Krystal Kenney hotography was first discovered by French-born Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. In 1826 he took the very first photograph outside his window in Burgundy.

Since then photography has changed and grown and with the introduction of smartphones, everyone is carrying around thousands of images in their pocket daily.

P

Photography has faced backlash over the year from manipulation of photos to media influences. But what does photography mean to us today? Why do we care and why is it important in our lives? I asked these very questions to photographers around the world and here’s what they had to say.

INSPIRATION

Photo by: Charlie Bramlett

AMANDA VANOSDOL, PARIS, FRANCE,

MICHELLE ARDIEL, VICTORIA, CANADA,

www.instagram.com/presqueperfection

www.michelleardiel.com

For me, photography is about capturing a moment in time. I love looking at photos and being transported back to the time or emotion of the moment.

Through photography, we are able to document a little bit of humanity in a world that is changing so quickly.

Photographers reveal the beauty and joy inside the world, the pieces that are often overlooked or taken for granted.

I wake up excited to shoot my clients because I know that the experience of the shoot will be fun — there will be laughs on both sides of the camera and that's not something to take lightly.

Being able to keep a small smile or a sidelong glance that only happened for just one single second alive forever in a photograph feels a bit like magic.

I am entranced when I look at old photographs, I lose myself in imagining what it must have been like to be there in the photograph and I hope that my photography will be able to show future generations what it’s like in our world at the present moment.

Laughter is the fuel that supercharges our lives. The joy they will receive from being in front of the camera and feeling beautiful will be matched only when they see the finished photo — when they see the beauty that I see when I click the shutter — and then proudly display it on their social media or website.

That connection to the image, that emotional quality of the experience, makes the hard work of a photographer a gift and what keeps me excited to create, shoot after shoot.

INSPIRATION

ERIN LODI, SEATTLE, USA, www.erinlodiphotography.com

I love that I’m able to help people tell their stories through photography. In the same week that might mean helping an entrepreneur launch her idea to the global marketplace through branding images, and then also capturing family photos to help new parents introduce their baby boy to friends and family near and far. I never take for granted what a privilege it is to be invited into peoples’ lives and to share them with the world.

CHEN SANDS, ENGLAND, www.chensands.com

Photography fulfills a need to create a chance for reflection. The endeavor to capture the spirit of someone or something that can be held in your hand and looked at and re-lived. And to me, it’s more than purely documentary.

The pursuit to create a photo that reveals a new dimension to the subject or evoke a feeling to the viewer is what is so alluring.

What physical tools and techniques?

What subjects matter? What emotions or state of mind shall I bring to it?

Photography is an exciting, challenging, and wonderful never-ending journey.

TAYA IV, RUSSIA, www.500px.com/p/tayaiv

Photography helps me tells stories, understand myself better, and connect with other people more authentically.

No matter where I am in life, I have a reason to create because of my passion for photography. I wake up wanting to shoot because I know there are endless possibilities when it comes to my work, and that encourages me to constantly experiment with new things.

There's always an opportunity to grow, to learn more about myself, and to develop my style. On top of that, being a photographer allows me to meet all kinds of interesting people who enrich my life and share their wisdom with me. In essence, it's an endless cycle of knowledge and inspiration. There are no words I can use to adequately explain just how precious that is to me and to so many others.

Photo by: Carley Rudd

INSPIRATION

KIMON KAKETSIS, SANTORINI, GREECE, www.kimonkaketsis.ca

Photography is important to me because it literally saves my life. It’s like the food I eat, the water I drink, and the air I breathe. I need to consume photography to survive. It gives me what I need. Creating is my therapy and photography is my way of life. It’s how I identify myself. Without it, I cease to exist.

needs to devote a lot of time and effort to their work. Simultaneously facing unpredictable, challenging, and exhausting circumstances.

At times, even during the most impossible hours of the day.

Nevertheless, photography is one of the most fulfilling fields I have ever worked in, constantly pushing me to think as creatively as possible.

I wake up wanting to shoot because I’m addicted to it, in the location I am based in, I’m almost promised perfect mornings every day and I’m motivated to see and capture the sunrise.

The best part is I get to meet a new client with each new shoot.

It’s exhilarating to meet someone new from different parts of the world nearly every day. And that’s what I love the most.

Photography is democratic.

It is the ultimate passport.

Photography is important to the world because everyone has a right to have their story captured and everyone has the right to see it.

MANKICA KRANJEC, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA,

Photo by: accidentalchemy

It is one of those jobs where exciting people can cross your path when least expected, as you often find yourself in the most surprising circumstances.

Subsequently, you get to visit some of the world's most beautiful places and experience the most exciting things.

www.mankica.com

When I started to work as a photographer, the idea of capturing a specific moment in time, transient in nature, completely overwhelmed me with joy. It has been the same ever since my photographic journey began. A photographer often

However, the most extraordinary appeal of photography remains that every shot contains the story of a particular moment frozen in time. The photographer's image will keep the memory of it alive for an eternity, and that's what inspires me.

INSPIRATION

BRITTANY O'DELL, NYC, www.brittanyodell.com

Photography is important to me because it builds our understanding of ourselves, we can see ourselves and each other more clearly through a frozen moment.

In real-time our anxieties and schedules and distractions all get in our head and cloud the moment we are living in on a constant basis but photography

Photo by: Tomasz Olszewski

literally takes that moment out of time and holds it forever so you can absorb it in your own time with consideration.

You can let a photograph wash over you for seconds or hours or days and it transforms life into what it really is which is this mystifying beautiful force of love. Photography knocks me out of my reptile anxiety brain and hits me right in the gut so I know how powerful it is without effort. It is just pure magic and we take it for granted but it is magic!

INSPIRATION

JULIA WILLARD, PARIS, FRANCE, www.juliawillard.com

Photography is important to me first and foremost because I love to document things. I don’t know why but I’ve always enjoyed keeping a record of events and places, and especially anything that marks a moment in time.

I am captivated by how both cities and nature evolve and change over time, and I think there’s something both fascinating and important about being able to see the changes side by side.

The record of things is important and therefore photography is key for archival purposes, but I also love that it is so accessible, and therefore more people can contribute to the full picture. In a world where news and even images are being altered in

Photo by: Igor Rafaelevich

the sharing of information, I think more documentation of a time or of an event is critical in order to piece together the whole picture.

KEVIN LJ, NEW ZEALAND, www.kevinlj.com

Photography is important to me because it’s the form of creative expression that I enjoy the most. I love that I can capture moments of time in single photographs. I love waking up with fresh ideas for photos or ideas that are the continuation of a project I am working on. I am driven by both my urge to make art and to pay my bills. There are so many reasons to take photos. I think it’s important for people to take photos to help preserve memories, create wonderful art, tell stories, and, at times, help promote change when it’s needed.

INSPIRATION

Photo by: Alux Concepts

CONCLUSION In conclusion, I have been a photographer for over 15 years now, photography means remembrance for myself.

I use images as a way to bring up old emotions, to share my feelings, and to relive the things I love.

Even before the introduction of smartphones, I always took my point

and shoot little pink Kodak digital camera everywhere.

Documenting outings with friends and family events. These photos mean the world to me because it takes me back to that very moment in time and helps me remember it all. All photographers share a common love for this medium but in different ways. I hope you found some inspiration in their words today.

About the Author: Krystal Kenney is an American photographer residing in Paris, France. She also runs a popular podcast about artists with French connections called "La Vie Creative" available anywhere podcasts can be found. You can see some her work on her website or Instagram.

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EXPERT GUIDE

WHAT IS ISO INVARIANCE & WHEN SHOULD YOU USE IT?

by Jo Plumridge & Alyn Wallace ISO Invariance is an important topic to know about, yet very people have even heard of it!

There are a lot of misguiding generalizations out there and the way that your digital camera performs at different ISO settings has implications to consider when taking images in low light scenes.

When photographing in low light (astrophotography for example) it is a delicate balancing act of several different factors to be able to achieve a high-quality image. It is important to know that you are making trade-offs, likely without realizing it, when selecting specific settings and affecting the final image.

Photo by: Mulyadi Photography

EXPERT GUIDE

Photo by: Jan Vasek

Knowing about ISO invariance and variance, and how your own model of camera performs, will allow you to understand how to get the best image quality and manage digital noise in low light conditions.

Spoiler alert – surprisingly, on a lot of ISO variant cameras the digital noise actually reduces when increasing ISO in low light situations! Be sure to check out the video following this article to see the difference for yourself.

So let’s look at the topic and try to simplify things into understandable language.

Let’s get started…

THE SOURCES OF NOISE IN A PHOTO To more fully understand ISO invariance, we need to understand a little more about

why noise occurs in a photo and the types of noise you might see in your image. Noise occurs both due to the scene in front of your camera and because of problems in your camera’s ability to read said scene.

Let’s look at the types of noise in a little more detail:

1.

PHOTON NOISE – Photons are

the basic unit of all light and the scene in front of your camera will produce noise purely because the photons from your subject don’t all arrive equally. This type of noise is present in the atmosphere so will always be present in your images.

2.

FRONT-END READ NOISE –

Front-end read noise (also known as upstream read noise) originates in your camera. There are lots of reasons for front-end noise, including imperfections in resetting your camera’s pixels after a photo.

EXPERT GUIDE

3.

BACK-END

READ

NOISE –

Back-end read noise (also known as downstream read noise) also comes from your camera and is often caused by factors such as the physical electronic components in your camera.

WHAT IS ISO INVARIANCE AND VARIANCE? ISO is part of the Exposure Triangle and describes the sensitivity of your camera is to light. The higher the ISO number, the more sensitive the sensor of your digital camera is to light.

It is well known that different ISO settings can potentially affect the amount of digital noise in an image but the key thing

Photo by: ShareGrid

to remember is that the as you increase ISO you decrease dynamic range, which is the difference between the darkest and lightest areas of the scene.

Also, as you increase the ISO, you risk blowing out the highlights and will lose detail and color in those areas of the image.

It is for this reason that ISO invariant cameras have become a hot topic of discussion within the astrophotography community.

So, what is ISO invariance? In very simple terms it is the fact that the electric signals coming from a camera’s sensor are more or less the same no matter what ISO you’re using.

EXPERT GUIDE

ISO INVARIANT CAMERAS What actually makes a camera ISO invariant? Well, certain cameras have very low levels of back-end read noise and this makes them perform consistently with low levels of digital noise no matter the ISO setting. Typically, most cameras that have Sony sensors are ISO invariant.

ISO invariant cameras can have images taken at any ISO value and there is no real effect on the digital noise within the

images. For example, let’s imagine with an ISO invariant camera, you took two images in low light conditions with the same focal length and aperture setting, but one at ISO 100 and the other at ISO 3200. If you then boosted the exposure of the ISO 100 image by five stops in postproduction so as to match ISO 3200, it would result in images that are essentially the same in terms of quality (i.e. have the same amount of noise). The amount of noise is invariant of the ISO setting that you use.

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

INVARIANT CAMERA COMPARISON - NO EXPOSURE CORRECTION

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

INVARIANT CAMERA COMPARISON - WITH EXPOSURE CORRECTION IN LIGHTROOM

EXPERT GUIDE

So, dropping or boosting the exposure in post-production has the same effect as changing ISO settings in-camera on an ISO invariant camera.

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

SONY aRIII - ISO 200

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

SONY aRIII - ISO 3200

What most people don’t realise that you can take a really underexposed image in low light conditions, shot at a very low ISO, & correct the exposure in post-production to produce a clean image that looks like an image that was shot at the correct exposure.

This is a viable method of shooting low light scenes.

So, the idea is that if your camera is perfectly ISO invariant there would be no noise (digital grain) penalty for brightening a photo in post-production instead of increasing your ISO in-camera.

EXPERT GUIDE

ISO VARIANT CAMERAS ISO variant cameras, however, have varying levels of back-end noise dependent on the ISO value selected. For example, again, imagine you took images in low light conditions with the same focal length and aperture setting but at ISO 100 and at ISO 3200. If you then boosted

the exposure of the ISO 100 image by five stops in post-production to match ISO 3200, when comparing the two images, surprisingly, the ISO 100 image would have more digital noise.

And the higher you increase the value the less digital noise is introduced.

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

VARIANT CAMERA COMPARISON - NO EXPOSURE CORRECTION

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

VARIANT CAMERA COMPARISON - WITH EXPOSURE CORRECTION IN LIGHTROOM

EXPERT GUIDE

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

CANON 6D - ISO 200

Photo by: Alyn Wallace

CANON 6D - ISO 3200

In short, for ISO variant cameras, the amount of noise in the image depends on the ISO setting you use and generally image quality improves with a higher ISO which is against some of the misguiding generalizations out there!

With ISO variant cameras you have to be careful what ISO setting you use in the field because you don’t have the freedom

to boost or drop the exposure in postproduction. Most Canon cameras are ISO variant and have to use the right ISO in camera.

It is also possible to get ISO variant cameras where at some point the camera begins to show some form of invariant behavior from a specific high ISO value upwards.

EXPERT GUIDE

As I’m sure you’ll agree, with all this disparity it’s a good idea to understand exactly how your camera performs.

TESTING YOUR CAMERA FOR INVARIANCE AND VARIANCE The good news is that it is pretty easy to test your camera to determine if it is ISO invariant or variant and understand the best ISO setting to use for optimal image quality.

Here’s howyou can testyourcamera forthis: • Go into a low light scene where there is little light pollution. You could do this in a dimly lit room in your house or out in the field at night.

• Set the camera to be in manual mode with long exposure noise reduction and high exposure noise reduction turned off • Set a constant shutter speed (e.g. 15 seconds) and aperture (f/2.8) • Then take exposures with different ISO settings – 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 etc. Just use full stops of light for the increments.

• Then import the images into your photo editing software and match the total exposure values of the images so that you can check the different levels of noise for each image versus the others. You can do this manually on each image or have the program automatically match the exposure. o o

ISO 100 = +5EV ISO 200 = +4EV

o o o o o o o

ISO 400 = +3EV ISO 800 = +2EV ISO 1600 = +1EV ISO 3200 = no change – leave at 0 ISO 6400 = -1EV ISO 12,800 = -2EV Etc.

You can then confidently identify the lowest ISO value that produces the least amount of digital noise.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION So, to capture the best quality low light image, it would be best to shoot a potentially underexposed image at the lowest ISO that you’ve tested and determined to be the happy medium between noise and dynamic range and correct the exposure in post-production.

For an ISO invariant camera, this ISO value will be low thereby allowing you to preserve dynamic range and avoid blowing out highlights better than a variant camera, hence invariant cameras being desirable for low light photography. You also have flexibility in your ISO selection being able to use ranges that will still be lower than a variant camera’s with little impact to image quality.

For ISO variant cameras you however have to be aware of what your lowest ISO value is (out of relatively high values) that produces the least amount of digital noise, loss of dynamic range and blown out highlights. All is not lost with variant cameras though as, by testing, you can find the sweet spot which will produce very acceptable results.

EXPERT GUIDE

As you increase ISO, you decrease dynamic range

As you increase ISO, you risk blowing out the highlights and will lose detail and color in those areas of the image

ISO Invariant cameras allow you to shoot at a very low ISO, & correct the exposure in post-production to produce a relatively noiseless image without loss of dynamic range or blown out highlights

ISO Variant cameras generally have less noise at higher ISO's so you have to determine the happy medium between noise and dynamic range

I hope this article manages to provide a simple explanation of ISO invariance although it should be remembered that this is a hugely technical topic. If you’re so minded you can explore it further but the tips above should allow you to start trying it out on a suitable camera.

About the Author: Jo Plumridge is a UK based photographer, writer and lecturer. She specializes in portrait, corporate and travel photography, and writes photography, travel and comedy pieces for magazines, websites and books. You can see some of her work at her website or follow her on Twitter.

EXPERT GUIDE

VIDEO TUTORIAL:

WHAT'S THE BEST ISO FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY -

ISO INVARIANCE

by ALYN WALLACE

In this video, Alyn explains ISO invariance and how it works.

About the Author: Alyn Wallace is an award winning landscape astrophotographer based near the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales. His work has been featured by the likes of National Geographic, NASA and BBC Earth and he was recently announced as the winner of the 'Landscapes at Night' category in Landscape Photographer of the Year 2020. Now a full-time professional, Wallace travels the world on his quest to capture the darkest skies and most otherworldly landscapes to share with his online following. Follow his work on his website, Facebook, YouTube , Instagram or Twitter.

EDITING

PHOTOSHOP: Opacity vs Fill

EDITING

VIDEO TUTORIAL:

OPACITY VS FILL IN PHOTOSHOP

by THE SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY

When using layers, a common question is, what is the difference between opacity and fill in Photoshop. So, in this tutorial, we’ll compare using opacity vs fill in text layers and in photography. Using opacity and fill in Photoshop will dramatically improve your photography and here we’ll show you how.

About the Author: The School of Photography deliver high-quality photography courses online, in person and in books, and are a leading provider of photography education to schools and colleges in the UK. You can follow more from The School of Photography on their website, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

PHOTOGRAPHYMC.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHY

MASTERCLASS? If you are a photographer with tips to share and are interested in helping others improve their photography, then we’d love to feature your content in the Photography Masterclass Magazine.

Your submission can be based on any topic relating to digital photography, including post production. We also accept reviews of cameras, lenses and equipment.

Submit your articles or videos at Photographymc.com and your content could appear in an upcoming issue!

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MASTERCLASS

MASTERCLASS GET CREATIVE WITH LENSBALL PHOTOGRAPHY

By: Matthew Mallia Instagram

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By: Shivam Mistry Shot Details: Canon PowerShot A2200 at 5mm, ƒ/2.8, 1s, ISO 80 Instagram

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By: Waldemar Błażej Nowak Shot Details: Apple iPhone 7 Plus at 4mm, ƒ/1.8, 1/1259s, ISO 20 Instagram

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By: Eric Godfirnon Instagram

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By: Azazello Photo Studio Portfolio

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By: Eric Godfirnon Shot Details: Sony Alpha 7 III at 28mm, ƒ/2.8, 1/15s, ISO 200 Instagram

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By: Waldemar Błażej Nowak Shot Details: Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max at 4mm, ƒ/1.8, 1/100s, ISO 125 Instagram

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By: Kathy Harms Shot Details: Fujifilm X-T2 at 35mm, ƒ/2, 1/60s, ISO 1600 Website

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By: Matthew Mallia Instagram

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By: Ethan Bensdorf Instagram

MASTERCLASS

HOW TO GET CREATIVE WITH LENSBALL PHOTOGRAPHY

by Krystal Kenney

Photo by: Waldemar Błażej Nowak

ave you ever used a lensball or crystal ball? These little glass balls are an inexpensive way to get creative with your photography. For around $25 you can add one to your camera bag. If photography is becoming a little dull for you, then pick one up and try one of these creative ideas to get your inspiration flowing once more!

H

MASTERCLASS

Let’s start off with the basics of how to shoot with a lensball. There are very important tips you should keep in mind.

Make sure you focus on the ball. I also recommend using manual focus or a macro lens because your camera may have a hard time focusing on the ball when you are up so close.

Next, make sure to have someone help you by holding the ball or finding a stable position to mount the ball. They are made of glass, therefore they are easily breakable. When you are done using the ball, make sure to put it in its protective bag or an old sock. This will keep the ball from getting scratched or broken while transporting it.

Now let’s jump into the creative part!

QUOTES If you have a favorite book or quote, simply place your lensball on top of the words that you want to pop the most. The ball acts as a magnifying glass to make the words pop right out of the page and create some pretty fun images to print and sell even!

YIN/YANG When you are out and about shooting, look for contrasting settings to place your lensball halfway between. This can be anything from a bright wall against a restaurant. Or some flowers against a building. Look for two things that don’t look like they belong together and add the lensball to split the two and make them stand out even better.

PEOPLE Take portraits with a lensball is a great idea.

You can have your model hold the ball up so they are inside it for a fun effect. You can even try creating a witchy or fairy-like scene by having your model hold the ball with some lighting underneath the ball or wrapped around them. The sky is the limit when shooting people with a lensball, try different angles and many different ways of holding it for the best effects.

REFLECTIONS Water and reflections are always fun tools to use when shooting. But adding a lensball into a puddle or a body of water makes for beautiful effects. You can even have an assistant hold the lensball up for you if you are trying to fit a beach scene or lake inside the ball. Once again play with different angles up high or even placing the ball in the water before snapping your final shot.

HANDS Once again it’s best to have an assistant hold the ball for these photos. Make sure they are not blocking the background or front of the ball as they hold it from the top. Try to focus on the inside center of the lensball and the scene inside it, while using a wide aperture for gorgeous bokeh surrounding the outside of the scene.

FAIRY LIGHTS Tiny little battery-powered lights are relatively cheap to find online. Simply place them behind your lensball and shoot in the dark or at sunset. You can play with outdoor street lights as well or even

MASTERCLASS

holiday lights such as Christmas. Placing the lights behind the ball illuminates the scene and keeps your viewer looking for more.

PROPS Get creative with the props you use to secure your lensball. You can play with ice cream cones and other food products such as fresh produce to play with the idea of using a crystal ball over food. We recommend keeping a little ice cream in the bottom of the cone and placing the ball on top so you create a dripping effect, that makes your viewers second guess what they are looking at.

PATTERNS Look for crazy patterns in cities or in nature. If you can place your lensball over one of these wild designs they pop even better through the magnification of the ball.

Also, keep in mind that everything in your lensball will be upside down. You can also play with this effect when placing it over fun patterns. Repetition in the pattern is best for these types of compositions

USE PHOTOSHOP By creating any of the images listed above and then importing the photo into Photoshop, you can get even more creative by adding details floating away out of the frame. Even more, you can flip the image inside the ball right side up so that it is no longer upside down if you like.

Using online tools, you can create even wilder designs.

SUNSETS Capturing the magic of a sunset or a sunrise inside your crystal ball makes for gorgeous shots. It’s worth getting up early to place those pink and yellow hues inside the framing of a lensball. As mentioned above, think about placing your ball in the sand or water with the sunset behind for even more beautiful effects.

CONCLUSION I hope you enjoyed this creative list of ideas for lensball photography. Maybe you have some of your own? Pop a photo on our Facebook Group so we can see what you are working on and grow together as a photography community. We love hearing from our readers!

About the Author: Krystal Kenney is an American photographer residing in Paris, France. She also runs a popular podcast about artists with French connections called "La Vie Creative" available anywhere podcasts can be found. You can see some her work on her website or Instagram.

MASTERCLASS

VIDEO TUTORIAL: 7 IDEAS FOR

CREATIVE LENSBALL

PHOTOGRAPHY

by Cooperative Of Photography (COOHP)

We are always up for trying out new and interesting styles of photography. Recently we picked up a lens ball, an awesome crystal sphere that allows you to take refraction photos that reveal the background in the ball. As well as having fun, we wanted to bring you some cool tips on what you can shoot with your lens ball. So, watch all 7 tips, enjoy the video and make sure to try it out for yourself.

About the Author: COOPH is a photography apparel and accessories creator, as well as a community-focused Youtube channel that recognizes and supports people passionate about photography. It is the very first brand to produce stylish and functional clothing specifically designed with photographers in mind. Visit their store and or follow on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter,

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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER:

MARIUS KASTEČKAS

Creator of Landscape Photography That Is Out Of This World!

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

THE CLIFFS OF MOHER COUNTY CLARE IRELAND

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

LOFOTEN NORWAY

Photographic Speciality/Style: Photography has brought me close to nature. Even the smallest things in nature are so beautiful and unique. Landscapes, fine art photography are what I most like and specialize in.

Short Bio: I was born in 1980 in Lithuania, near a small town called Anykščiai. After finishing my studies at an art school, I moved to Ireland at the age of 22. Currently, I live in a small town called Cootehill, County Cavan in Ireland.

How did your love of photography start?

I have been interested in visual arts since I was a very young child. My surroundings, especially nature, stimulated my creative side. I expressed this through drawing and painting. I first picked up a camera when I was around 16 or 17. It was a simple film camera, which belonged to my sister, but it was enough to spark my interest in photography. I started using the camera to take pictures of flowers, trees, and everything that caught my eye. At that time, I was not looking at photography seriously; thus, the quality and composition were not of the highest level.

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REYNISFJARA BEACH ICELAND

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After my studies, I decided to move to Ireland. For two years, I stayed in Kells, where I had to put my artistic visions aside and focus on making a living. As a man unable to speak a word of English, I started washing dishes at a hotel and doing everything else that I was asked to do. As time passed, I met many kindhearted people who helped me and showed me a way around.

Ready for a change, I moved to Cootehill where I bought my first digital mirror camera – a Canon EOS 350D. That is how it all started. My interest in photography grew, and I started learning more about myself. The camera proved to be a better way to translate what I saw and felt like a paintbrush or a pencil. It was such an exciting revelation that I started spending nearly all of my free time photographing.

As I took pictures of people in streets and other animate and inanimate objects, I learned to control the camera and trained my skills. When I had more time, I tried to escape the city and travel around Ireland.

The Irish scenery, lakes, hills and the

Atlantic ocean drew me to develop a strong connection to landscape photography. All of my hard-earned money went to upgrading the camera lenses just to capture what I saw in the greatest detail!

Together with new revelations, new opportunities for growth occurred. At the hotel where I was working, the head-chef asked me to become a chef’s helper. Since then, I've become a chef. This job allows me to maintain my expensive hobby.

Thanks to my head chef, Des Nugent, for that!

It has been a long way in my journey as a photographer. I never studied photography in college and was never trained professionally by anyone. All that you can see now is the result of determination, self-exploration, and meticulous studying of the work of photographers I admire the most. I want to remain true to myself and, as a result, I never copy anyone and aim to maintain a unique style.

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VESTRAHORN ICELAND FINE ART

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BALBRIGGAN LIGHTHOUSE DUBLIN IRELAND

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What’s your long-term photographic ambition?

I want to travel more to take more pictures of our extraordinary planet.

While I am grateful for my job as a chef, it is not my real passion. My passion lies in photography, and I would love to one day dedicate myself only to that. Traveling the world and at the same time training and guiding inexperienced photographers sounds ideal. I hope one day this dream will come true.

Where

does

your

photographic

inspiration come from?

My photographic inspiration comes from reading and watching other photographers’ blogs and/ or websites for photographers. I also never miss a chance to explore the works of my favorite

photographers, such as Daniel Kordan, Michael Shainblum, Daniel Rericha, Lauri Lohi, and many more! A different source of inspiration for me is music.

What would you consider to be your greatest achievement (or achievements) in your photography to date?

As I am pretty self-critical, I do not have many achievements in the photography world. I do not think my work deserves to be exhibited or praised. As a result, I do not participate in exhibitions. There have been several times when my work was published in magazines, and now it is going to be featured in Photography Masterclass Magazine, which I can freely say can be considered an important achievement for me.

ROSSBEIGH STRAND CO KERRY IRELAND DAY TIME

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

DIAMOND BEACH ICELAND

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FANAD LIGHTHOUSE CO DONEGAL IRELAND

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What’s your favorite photo you've ever taken & why?

The most memorable and favorite shots of mine are those that are the most challenging. I have had a fair share of those. I once left home at 3 A.M. to drive 150km in dense fog to the Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland. The drive was rather dangerous, but the fog created perfect conditions for the shot that I had in mind.

Also, arriving there early ensured that there were no tourists.

As I wanted to be part of the shot, I left my camera on a tripod in the middle of the road, around 50 m away from me.

This meant I had to listen very carefully for any approaching cars and execute everything quickly. A few runs to protect the camera from being hit, and I had that much-desired picture in my hands.

Another memorable moment was at the Rossbeigh Strand beach in Count Kerry, where I went to capture a shipwreck. I waited for two days for the perfect weather conditions. A few months later, I heard the shipwreck was washed away by a storm, so I was just in time to use one of the last chances to take my dream photo.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

ROCKS IN ATLANTIC OCEAN CO DONEGAL IRELAND

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

What's inside your kit bag?

For a long time, I used Canon 5D Mark II, Mark III and Mark IV Currently, I am testing my new Canon EOS R5 with Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8 III, Canon RF 24-105 f4, Canon RF 70-200 f2.8 and for

night photography Sigma 14mm f1.8 art.

Benro, Haida filters.

What's inside your dream kit bag?

Over time, I wish to get a drone and change my Canon EF 16-35 lens to RF 1435 F4 when it is finally available. :)

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

CO DONEGAL IRELAND FINE ART

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

Which

piece

of

kit

couldn't

you

do without?

I love my Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8 III and camera of course. And maybe a couple of ND filters.

What words of advice would you give to

easily turn into an obsession that costs a lot of money and time. In all seriousness, I would suggest getting up early in the morning, trying to stay up all night, looking for good lighting, and generally not being afraid to experiment. Most importantly, I recommend setting yourself clear and realistic goals.

beginners?

I would advise beginners not to put too much pressure on themselves. This can

CO CORK IRELAND

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

CRAB ROSSBEIGH STRAND CO KERRY IRELAND

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Find out more about Marius Kastečkas’ work on 500px, Instagram or Facebook

TIMELASPE

AMAZING AZERBAIJAN

TIMELAPSE

by JOERG DAIBER

A stunning timelapse capturing some of the wonder of Azerbaijan at its best!

TIMELAPSE

BEHIND THE SCENES:

JOERG DAIBER’S “AMAZING AZERBAIJAN

TIMELAPSE” Joerg gives us a behind the scenes look on how he put it all together

A

zerbaijan is a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

It is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south.

TIMELAPSE

Azerbaijan has been my favorite country on my Caucasus trip a while back. The people have been incredibly welcoming.

The mountain landscapes are just breathtaking and some sites like the mud volcanoes literally look like out of this world. The contrast from mountain villages that feel like time traveling to a fancy bling bling city like Baku could not be any bigger.

However, see for yourself and enjoy this ride through this amazing country in only 3 minute.

SHOOTING LOCATIONS Baku, Mud Volcanoes in Qobustan, Khinalig (Xınalıq) and Sheki.

EQUIPMENT Shot with Lumix GH4 and GH5, 14-140mm and 7-14mm Lenses.

Post production with DaVini Resolve.

MUSIC Serenade for Strings by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Follow more from Joerg Daiber on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, his website and project website.

LOVE READING PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS? If you enjoy reading Photography Masterclass Magazine, then please consider leaving a review.

Your reviews help us to grow the magazine and create more great content, so are very much appreciated.

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READERS GALLERY

READERS

GALLERY Your Very Best Shots Showcased

By: Constantine Matsos Shot Details: Panasonic DMC-ZS1, at 32mm, ƒ/4.5, 1/80s, ISO 200 Instagram

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By: Joe Ring Website | Instagram

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By: Joe Ring Shot Details: Sony a7 III, at 327mm, ƒ/5.6, 1/400s, ISO 1000 Website | Instagram

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By: Joe Ring Shot Details: Sony a7 III, at 535mm, ƒ/8, 1/1250s, ISO 320 Website | Instagram

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By: Claudia Raben Shot Details: Canon EOS 1D X Mark III, at 85mm, ƒ/1.2, 1/1600s, ISO 100 Instagram

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By: Todd Feeney Shot Details: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, at 65mm, ƒ/5.6, 1/500s, ISO 200 Website | Instagram

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By: Joe Ring Shot Details: Nikon D7100,W at 280mm, ƒ/8, 1/640s, ISO 360 Website | Instagram

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By: Svenne Juul Website | Instagram

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BUYERS GUIDE

THE LOWDOWN ON

THE GRAVGRIP

By Ryan Sitzman

The Palm Sized, Pocket Friendly & Battery Free Camera Stabilization Device hen you hear the word “hydraulics,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me, the first thing that pops into my head is visions

W

of the lowrider cars in rap music videos from the 90's. But that also probably has a lot to do with the fact that I don’t understand anything about hydraulics.

BUYERS GUIDE

I had always assumed that because it included the “hydro” root, hydraulics must involve water or liquids (“hydration,” “hydrophobia,” etc.), so I was initially confused when I read about the GravGrip, a new hydraulic stabilization gadget for videographers. Even after researching the GravGrip, I still don’t know where (or if) liquids are involved, so let’s stipulate from the start that for the purposes of this article, the word “hydraulics” can be substituted with “magic” or “wizardry.”

Once you get past the hydraulic sorcery, the GravGrip is a small, simple device that you can use to improve the videos that you shoot with your cell phone or action cam. It’s compact enough to fit in your hand or pocket, it doesn’t use batteries, and it’s made up of fewer than a dozen parts in total. Let’s have a closer look at the GravGrip and see how it works, and then consider whether it might be a good fit for your needs.

If you buy a GravGrip, the basic package costs $49.99. That includes the GravGrip itself, as well as two mounts/adapters.

One of the adapters is expandable and can be used to grip most kinds of cell phones (even larger ones), and the other mount can hold an action camera such as a GoPro. Because of the grip’s relatively small size, you’re basically limited to those two options; even a small point-and-shoot camera would probably be too heavy, and anything larger simply wouldn’t fit in the system.

BUYERS GUIDE

BUYERS GUIDE

The GravGrip itself is basically an L-Shaped plate that connects to the base plate via a hydraulic swivel. The mounts attach to the L-plate, and the base plate attaches to a handheld monopod, a tripod, or a pole. GravGrip sells two options for holding the grip if you don’t already have a pole or a monopod. Their hand grip is $9.99, and their adjustable extension pole is $39.99.

Once you have the basic configuration ready, you’ll need to balance the

camera so that it will stay in the position that you want it to stay in. You do that with two (or more) weights that screw onto the bottom of the assembly. The weights counter the weight of the camera, and the hydraulic swivel uses physics (and magical trickery) to swing the camera back into the desired position. The consensus among users is that this balancing can be finicky at first and takes some experimentation, but you should be able to get things set up through a bit of trial and error.

BUYERS GUIDE

All of this, of course, is much easier to understand if you simply see a picture or a video of the assembly, but suffice to say that it’s a fairly uncomplicated gadget, and it’s available at a price that’s surprisingly reasonable.

Once you have the system set up, it’s go time. The GravGrip is best suited for shooting video wherein you’re moving smoothly and consistently, such as when you’re on something with wheels.

It’s great if you’re using it from a moving vehicle, a bike, or a skateboard, but I would imagine that it would also work well on “floating” things such as boats, surfboards, and even ziplines.

BUYERS BUYERS GUIDE GUIDE

BUYERS GUIDE

Just keep in mind that the GravGrip isn’t designed to be mounted directly to your body, whether on your helmet or your chest, and you would still need to hold the pole or hand grip while doing any of these activities. That could limit your movement and/or performance, and it could also become a safety concern - you don’t want your amazing video to culminate with you crashing into a tree or rollerblading off a cliff. So pay attention to what you’re doing and be safe out there.

Another scenario where I could envision the GravGrip being useful is if you’re doing handheld shots where you don’t walk or move much from your position,

but you do need to move the camera itself back and forth. In those cases, you could pan from side to side or even shoot a dynamic selfie video, but have the benefit of smoother, steadier video because the camera would be kept in more stable position.

BUYERS GUIDE

When you consider what the GravGrip is and what it does, it’s arguably just as important to keep in mind what it isn’t, and what it doesn’t do. Mainly, it’s not a gimbal. The GravGrip is designed to help you stabilize your shots and keep your camera or phone balanced at the angle that you want, but it’s still just

meant to be a supplementary assistant to the image stabilization software already present in your phone or action camera. If you try using it while jogging down a mountain trail, for example, you’ll likely be disappointed because you’ll probably end up with very bouncy footage.

BUYERS GUIDE

Additionally, the GravGrip is also squarely aimed at improving your videos, but it won’t really do anything to help your still photos. I suppose you could hold the mounts or use them to attach your phone to a tripod, but if that’s what you’re after, you should just buy a cell phone grip with a tripod mount for less than $10.

BUYERS GUIDE

Finally, it’s worth emphasizing again that the GravGrip mainly relies on your camera’s own image stabilization technology to give you smooth videos, and GravGrip says that on their website.

Nevertheless, a fair number of people have left negative comments on GravGrip’s social media pages, as well as on their earlier Kickstarter page, although many of them may have had unrealistic expectations about the device. Those negative commenters are also somewhat countered by other users who have noted that it simply took them some adjusting to get everything to work with their particular phone or camera, and that the GravGrip isn’t meant to be a miracle that will give you perfect video under any and all conditions.

a GravGrip. Personally, I think it looks pretty cool, and I even considered some situations in which it might come in handy for me. And you might feel the same way, in which case the GravGrip might be the perfect tool to help make your videos just that much better. And to you, I’d say get a grip - a GravGrip.

I say all that not as an attempt to persuade or dissuade you, since I don’t have any skin in this game. I simply want to present a balanced idea of what you can reasonably expect if you buy

About the Author: Ryan Sitzman splits his time between the coffee fields of Costa Rica and the mountains of Colorado. You can find him on one of his several websites.

BUYERS GUIDE

VIDEO:

GRAVGRIP - BATTERY FREE

CAMERA STABILIZATION

by GRAVGRIP

Pocket sized, Battery Free, and Waterproof! GravGrip™ is a hydraulic camera stabilizer for your Cell Phone and Action Camera.

About the Author: Find out more about GravGrip here

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