YOUR SOURCE FOR CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

VOLUME 29, NO.2 / AUTUMN 2020 / $6.98

PORTFOLIO – KATHERINE CALNAN

Light and Shadow VIKTORIA HAACK

The Season of Mist
MATHIEU DUPUIS
Havana the Eternal
KRISTIAN BOGNER
Mastering the Hahnel Captur
Photo by Katherine Calnan

Module Pro
DR. WAYNE LYNCH
The Adams River Salmon Run
MICHELLE VALBERG
Touched by Gorillas
COMPLIMENTARY ISSUE • FREE COPY
 FOCAL POINT
by Norm Rosen, Editor | editor@zakmedia.ca

A Time for Creativity

As the World continues to adapt to importance of the visual element. The photonews.ca where you will find a
the “new normal” of coping with the devices and accessories that enable us wealth of photographic information
first pandemic of our lifetimes, many to remain connected to our business to complement the magazine content,
people are finding new ways to ex- and personal contacts are the keys to as well as a library of archived issues,
press their creativity through imaging. managing the stress and solitude that available in both French and English
Both photography and videography would otherwise have made the past editions. Your access to the digital edi-
have played a very significant role in few months an extremely tense and tions of PHOTONews magazine is FREE,
the lives of millions, as we “go online” lonely time. and we encourage you to share the
to maintain personal contact with In this issue, our creative team ex- passion for photography with friends
friends and family around the corner, plores the equipment and techniques and family. To expand your adventures
and around the globe. that can elevate your imaging adven- in photography, we offer a range of
The various lockdowns and “work at tures to new levels. From field tests of videos on our YouTube channel www.
home” scenarios have inspired photog- new lenses, infra-red shutter triggers, youtube.com/photonewscanadatv
raphers of every skill level to “up their and new darkroom media, to exploring and our readers enjoy an interactive
game” by acquiring and mastering the new destinations and discovering the photo experience through our flickr®
equipment they need to thrive in the visual inspiration to master light from a group at www.flickr.com/groups/
new media of YouTube, Zoom, and new perspective, this issue is filled with photonewsgallery/
other online venues. Whether we use ideas and information that will bring a Enjoy the issue, the archives, and
these skills to conduct business as fresh approach to your imaging. the interactive adventure of photog-
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Contents
 22
PORTFOLIO: A model in 1920 clothing at an historical gas works. The perspective of this image takes you

KATHERINE down the sides into the grime and depth with the machinery, leaving the mind wandering as to
the history of the location. As both sides meet in the middle we are drawn to the model in the

CALNAN
foreground, bringing the senses back to the frozen moment in time. Sony A7Riii, 24-70 lens at
32mm, f/5, 1/200 second, ISO 200. Lighting: Natural light from the large glass windows to model’s
Light and Shadow left, with addition of Broncolor Siros 800L Monolight with a Broncolor Para 133 modifier.

14 18  28
SPECIAL REPORT WAYNE LYNCH - DESTINATIONS LIFESTYLE PHOTOS

Kristian Bogner – Working with Hahnel An Appetite for Fish - The Adams River Viktoria Haack – Fall Photography – the
Captur Module Pro. Salmon Run.. Season of Mist.

CANADIAN ANGLES  32 IN THE DARKROOM  40 BEHIND THE SCENE  46

Michelle Valberg – Gaetan Cormier tests Mathieu Dupuis –
Touched by Gorillas. Ilford MGRC V - A new RC paper. Havana the Eternal.

WILDLIFE TECHNIQUE  36 FIELD TEST  42

Tony Beck – Christian Autotte – Going Light
Backgrounds and Foregrounds. with Tamron 17-28 and 28-200

Contributors
CHRISTIAN AUTOTTE, , our close-up and macro TONY BECK specializes in wildlife and na- VIKTORIA HAACK is heavily influenced by the
expert, has been one of Canada’s most respect- ture subjects. Based in Ottawa, Tony and his beautiful environment that surrounds her. She
ed photographers for more than 40 years, spe- wife Nina Stavlund operate "Always An Ad- brings a unique perspective to her photography.
cializing in nature and scientific photography. A venture".. For more information please visit
contributor to many books and magazines over www.alwaysanadventure.com WAYNE LYNCH has more than 60 books to his
the years, Christian’s photographs have been ex- credit, and tens of thousands of his images
hibited in the National Museum of Nature in Ot- KRISTIAN BOGNER is a commercial photog- have been published worldwide. He has been
tawa, at the Cincinnati Museum of Science and rapher and a Canadian Nikon Ambassador. honoured as a fellow of the Explorers Club
Nature, and at the Insectarium of Montréal. Check out Kristian’s blog at kristianbogner. and the Arctic Institute of North America, and
com and Instagram @kristianbogn-er or sign he is in the Canadian Who’s Who.
KATHERINE CALNAN is an award-winning pub- up for one of his courses. Coupon code for
lished photographer and an Accredited Pro- PHOTONews readers is: pnewsbogner75 MICHELLE VALBERG is an award-winning Can-
fessional Photographer with the Professional adian Nikon Ambassador, Canadian Geographic
Photographers of Canada (PPOC). Specializing GEATAN CORMIER is 100% dedicated to film Photographer-in-Residence, and a member of the
in portrait, fashion, commercial, and corporate photography. You can see his work on his Explorers Club. Visit www.michellevalberg.com
photography, she is based in Calgary, Alberta. website at www.cormier-photography.com

MATHIEU DUPUIS is the author of 10 best-selling

books and collaborator on 20 publications, In 2017,
he became the first Quebecer to sign a photograph-
er and author contract with N
­ ational Geographic.
 FIELD TEST
By Bernard Déry

Think Tank Urban Access 15

Recent years have brought a number of in- The materials, sewing, hardware and straps closed by magnets; the straps have a stow-
novative ideas and new designs for bags are all flawless. The bags are able to carry away design; there are folding pockets for a
catering to the “digital nomad” or the com- a large amount of photo gear but you can more streamlined look; and there are remov-
muting photographer. easily adapt the internal organization when able sternum straps. The tripod attachment
required. The presence of pass-through system is a good, well executed concept.
The Urban Access backpack series from
shelves makes it easy to reach inside from With stylish looks and clever features,
Think Tank is targeted directly at this mar-
either side. the Urban Access 15 clearly targets the
ket segment. Available in two sizes (called
13 and 15, based on the laptop size they Offering both dual-side access and back- market generally interested in everyday
can accommodate); the backpacks have a access makes it a simple task to configure backpacks. The Urban Access includes
distinctive “urban” flair. the internal dividers, and access stored the features that experienced photogra-
equipment on the go. The bags offer fea- phers would expect and bears the Think
As is always the case with Think Tank prod-
tures that make them even more pleasur- Tank signature proudly.
ucts, the quality of fabrication is excellent.
able to use. For example, a front pocket is

Professional Photographer “Hot Ones”

Four Think Tank products selected this year!
Professional Photographer Magazine, from Retrospective Backpacks are built for back-
Atlanta, Georgia, the official magazine of road adventure travel, with classic styled
Professional Photographers of America, has rucksack features that create a bag that is
been delivering education and inspiration rugged yet form-fitting, with canvas treated
for 100 years. Each year, Professional Pho- with DWR to repel the elements.
tographer selects a range of new products Think Tank Urban Access bags are easy to
that are awarded the designation as “Hot pack and easy to access whether you are on
Ones”. In 2020, four Think Tank products the run or in the studio. Sling the backpack
have won this prestigious designation. left or right, and the rear-panel provides
Think Tank Roller series are high-capacity complete access to your gear. The harness
camera bags designed for manoeuvring is padded and shaped for all day comfort.
quickly and easily, wherever your photogra- For more information on these and other
phy takes you. Think Tank products, please visit www.
MindShift Gear is a division of Think Tank, thinktankphoto.ca/
with products designed by a group of com- The complete collection of 2020 Hot Ones
mitted professional photographers who can be viewed at
support conservation and protection of our ppmag.com/gallery/2020-hot-ones.
natural resources and planet. Think Tank Airport Advantage XT roller

PHOTONEWS –6– AUTUMN 2020

 NEW PRODUCTS

Vanguard VEO 3+ 263CP Wins Good Design Award

The Vanguard VEO 3+ 263 CP tripod has go with non-slip, all-weather grips on 2
been awarded the prestigious Good De- legs, and one leg that converts into a mo-
sign Award. nopod for maximum flexibility. The VEO
3+ comes with spiked feet, tripod bag,
The Good Design Award has been award-
VEO+MA1 adaptor, and hex wrench. Large
ed for "good design" for over 60 years
quick-twist leg locks offer increased sta-
since its establishment in 1957. The "G
bility and smooth extension, and a remov-
Mark" is the contact point between this
able hook can be used to hang weight for
effort and society. The G Mark symbol-
additional stability.
izes that the entries have earned the
Good Design Award. For more information For more information please visit
on the Good Design Award, please visit www.vanguardphoto.ca/
www.g-mark.org/about/
The VEO 3+ with Carbon fibre legs and
pan head shares many features with the
VEO 3+ 263AB, a premium aluminium all-
in-one tripod kit packed with numerous
innovative features and useful configura-
tions. The VEO 3+ 263AB comes with a
strong and sturdy VEO BH-160 ball head.
Key features of the VEO 3+ tripod series
include an innovative Multi-Angle Central
Column (MACC) system that moves from
0- to 180-degree angles in variable verti-
cal and horizontal positions; Quick-release
plates that are Arca-compatible; three ad-
justable leg angles: 23°, 50°, 80°; Grip and

Vanguard VEO Range T45M Wins

Camera Jabber Gold Award
Camera Jabber, one of the top 5 review sites in the UK, has presented
a Gold Award to the Vanguard VEO Range T45M photo backpack.
In the Award citation, Camera Jabber issued the following comments:
“The Vanguard VEO Range T 45M's style is distinctly military with ex-
terior webbing showing that this backpack means business. The bag's
design keeps it reassuringly slim, making our medium-sized sample
ideal for compact systems cameras and DSLRs alike, alongside a few
lenses and accessories of course. The bag looks on the small side of
medium, but that's just a visual illusion as there's plenty of space inside
for your kit. Its material quality is the real winner here; the webbing is
tough, and matched by a quality choice of fabrics and finish. This bag
is a phenomenal all-rounder, ideal for professional and everyday use
and one to be left by the door ready for action.”
For more information on the award, please visit
camerajabber.com/reviews/­vanguard- veo-range-t-45m/

PHOTONEWS –8– AUTUMN 2020

 NEW PRODUCTS

Laowa 14mm f/4 FF RL ZERO-D lens

for full frame mirrorless cameras
Venus Optics, the manufacturer of the
Laowa line of unique camera lenses, has
introduced a super compact ultra-wide
lens for full-frame mirrorless cameras. The
lens delivers extraordinary image sharp-
ness with 114° ultra-wide angle of view.
One of the smallest and lightest 14mm
Zero Distortion ultra-wide angle lenses
on the market, it features 13 elements in
9 groups, including 2 aspherical elements
and 3 extra-low dispersion elements to
suppress the distortion to nearly zero from
corner to corner. This makes the new lens
an excellent choice for architecture pho-
tography as any straight lines will be re-
tained. The lens has a 52mm filter thread,
and there is a specially designed magnetic
filter holder that allows you to use 100mm-
wide filters with no vignetting.
The Laowa 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D weighs down the aperture by 1 stop to create 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D is equipped with
228g and is 58x59mm, making it perfect for beautiful 10-point sunstars. rangefinder coupling to have a more ac-
any adventure. Perfect for travelling. With curate and easy focus.
The Laowa 14mm f/4 FF RL Zero-D is
an aperture of f/4 the lens is ideal for cap-
available in Leica M, Leica L, Canon RF,
turing stunning astrophotography images.
Sony FE and Nikon Z mounts. Two lens For more information please visit the web-
The 5-bladed aperture creates beauti- colours (black and silver) are offered for site at www.photonews.ca/index.php/
ful 10-point sunstar rendering. Just stop Leica M mount. The Leica M mount of the laowa-14mm-ff-rl-zero-d-lens/

Tamron 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (Model A047)

Tamron has created the world’s smallest protection when shooting outdoors and excitement of telephoto shooting easier
and lightest telephoto zoom lens for Sony the lens shares the 67mm filter diameter than ever before across a diverse range
E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras common to all members of Tamron’s lens of shooting styles including landscapes,
series for full-frame mirrorless cameras. sports and other athletic events, wildlife,
Designed to deliver exceptional image
portraits, and more.
quality, the new lens measures just 148mm The lens takes full advantage of in-cam-
(5.8 in) long at minimum focal length and era features, including Sony’s Fast Hybrid For more information please visit
weighs just 545g (19.2 oz), Its Moisture- AF and Eye AF. The 70-300mm F4.5-6.3 www.photonews.ca/index.php/
Resistant Construction provides greater is a highly practical lens that makes the tamron-a047-press/

PHOTONEWS – 9 – AUTUMN 2020

 NEW PRODUCTS

Hahnel Creative Lantern Kit and Light Effects Kit

Creative Lantern Kit
Photographers will love this unique kit with its innovative Lantern
diffuser and colour filters. The Lantern diffuser simply unfolds like
an accordion and pops onto the Module clamp (available separate-
ly). The kit includes six (6) colour filters for colour correction or crea-
tive effects. Everything folds up and stores in its own little wallet!

Light Effects Kit

The Hahnel Light Effects Kit includes everything you need to en-
hance your speedlight effects to improve your photography! The
Light Effects Kit only requires the separate Module clamp to at-
tach to your speedlight. The kit includes a Honeycomb grid, six
(6) colour gel filters and a large white
bounce card. The Light Effects Kit fits
in a small box that easily slips into your
Speedlight modifiers have grown increasingly heavy and often camera bag.
take up too much space in our camera bags. The 360 Module Clamp grabs onto
Hahnel has created two different speedlight kits that let you any flash without adhesives. The mod-
shape light and make the light from your speedlight more attrac- ifiers attach to the Module Clamp via
tive. The Hahnel kits are compact, lightweight, and feature dura- magnets for quick and easy mounting.
ble design to fit any speedlight. For more information please visit
www.hahnel.ca
YOUR SOURCE FOR CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHY
NEW PRODUCTS

Tamron Wins Two Digital Camera Grand Prix 2021 Awards

Tamron A071 28-200mm Tamron A056 70-180mm

The Tamron 28-200mm F/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (Model A071) for Sony a fast f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range, while offering
E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras, model A071, the first “all-in- the world’s lightest and most compact lens in this category. With a
one” zoom lens featuring a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at 28mm, is filter diameter of 67mm, maximum diameter of 81mm, 149mm (5.9
one of two Tamron lenses to win the 2021 Digital Camera Grand in) length (at the 70mm setting) and a weight of 810g (28.6 oz),
Prix. This unique lens unleashes the power of full-frame mirrorless this lens is an ideal choice for the Sony mirrorless system. Thanks
cameras, delivering excellent performance in a compact and light- to the use of special lens elements, the 70-180mm F/2.8 achieves
weight design. excellent image quality, and with the short MOD (Minimum Object
Distance) of 0.85m (33.5 in), it also broadens the possibilities for
The Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD (Model A056) is a large-ap-
photographic expression.
erture telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless
cameras. The lens delivers outstanding performance and features For more information on Tamron lenses please visit www.tamron.ca
 The PHOTONews Spring 2020 Challenge theme was

Challenge
“It’s all in the bokeh".
The assignment was to photograph an image that
achieves maximum impact through the use of a wide
lens aperture to achieve pleasing bokeh (the out-of-
focus effect created by using wide aperture settings).
Here are the winning images, as selected by our
creative team.

Autumn Bokeh
Paula Brown of Ottawa,
Ontario, captured this
image of an autumn
scene with a Canon EOS
6D and a Canon 100mm
macro lens, shooting at
1/400 second and f/5.6,
ISO-400. “I photographed
this image through a
cognac glass of water
to produce the refracted
autumn scene with the
accompanying oak leaf
and the creamy bokeh
of the actual scene
behind. So much fun in
my backyard!”

Out for a Walk

DaMo of Hills, BC, made this image of his
friend at the bottom of a clearing on her farm,
Owlside. Captured with an 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
IS at 64mm mounted to a Canon 50D set
to f/5.6, 1/50 second, ISO 1600. “The mix of
coniferous trees provided a wonderful variation of
shades and shapes for the bokeh. Using the snow
as a reflector to light her face under the hats bill
has become a favorite winter technique.”

PHOTONEWS – 12 – AUTUMN 2020

 Sea Lions
Eduardo Baena of
Surrey, BC, captured
this underwater image
of sea lions while diving
near Vancouver Island,
using a Nikon D90 and a
17 mm fisheye lens in an
Ikelite housing with two
substrobes, shooting
at 1/125 second and
ƒ/8.0, ISO 500. “When
they start coming at you
it can be a little intimidat-
ing, but after a while you
feel like you are playing
with a lot of puppies!”

Red Admiral Grackle On Cattail

Gilbert Rolland of Val-d’Or, Quebec, captured this image of a Red Admiral on Debbie Oppermann of Guelph, Ontario, captured this Grackle On Cattail
a Pearly Everlasting flower with a Nikon D500 and a Nikkor 500 mm f/5.6 image with a Canon 60D and a 150 - 500mm lens, shooting at 1/640 second,
PF, shooting at 1/640 second, f/8, ISO 360 on a bright day at lens minimum f/10, ISO 400. “The Grackles are really beautiful even though they are a nuisance.
focus distance (3 m). This one had the insects in it’s beak ready to feed the babies that were hiding in
the tall grasses and reeds at the edge of a roadside pond.”

Wild Flower Bokeh

Shirley Davis of Calgary, Alberta, captured these bubbles with her Canon EOS
6D and her 100-400mm lens at 300mm, shooting at 1/200 second, f/5.6,
ISO 400. “I was with friends photographing all sorts of things when one friend
began blowing soapy bubbles. The bubbles drifted leisurely, showing a rainbow of
colours as they caught the sunlight. The bubbles were so prominent against the
background I didn’t have any trouble focusing on them even at a distance.”

PHOTONEWS – 13 – AUTUMN 2020

 PERSPECTIVES
Kristian Bogner

Light Bulb
For this image I used the sound sensor to fire
the camera when my air pistol went off. I used a
plastic water bottle for target practice to initially
figure out how long a delay I needed. I attached
the pistol to a tripod and mounted a small laser
on it to help with alignment to the light bulb.
Make sure to always wear eye protection in
case the glass or pellet goes out of control !
Nikon Z 7 with Nikkor Z 70-200mm S lens, f/13 at
1/125 second, ISO 400.

PHOTONEWS – 14 – AUTUMN 2020

 Trigger
Happy !
AN ADVENTURE WITH THE
HAHNEL CAPTUR MODULE PRO

I always love the challenge of learning to use

a new piece of gear ! I recently had the opportunity
to put the Hahnel Captur Module Pro and Receiver
unit to the test. I had a lot of fun creating with this
equipment and found it to be the “Swiss-Army-Knife”
of camera/flash triggers.

The Hahnel Captur Module Pro system settings which I found extremely use-
is quite remarkable – it can use sound, ful to fine-tune the device to a specific
infra-red, light or laser input to trigger action, without being affected by other
your camera or flash, as well as incor- elements in the environment.
porating many other useful feature As with any precision tool, it will
modes like time-lapse, long exposure take some time to practice and learn
and high-speed photography. all the features. This is especially im-
Having a trigger with so many portant when you are experimenting
sensors built-in opens up a lot of creative with different subjects to find out
possibilities. The sensors can be custom- what delays work best to achieve the
ized to trigger with precise delays so perfect timing, and what sensor to use
that you can capture movement at any for the right application. The results
speed. You can also program how long are definitely worth the effort, and you
your camera fires for multiple shots in will learn new techniques to expand
a sequence. Each sensor has sensitivity your photo horizons.
 PERSPECTIVES
Kristian Bogner

After creating several new images

with the Hahnel trigger, including the
photos in this article, I have a few tips
to share and help get you started, with
more insights in the captions.
• The sound sensor doesn’t react as quick-
ly as the laser or IR sensor, so keep that in
mind when setting your delay.
• I found the Infra-Red sensor to be good
for general or larger movement applica-
tions.
• The laser was very precise for smaller/
more precise applications like macro
photography. Initially, I used a very
powerful green laser and found it didn’t
work as well at close distances as a less
expensive red pen laser. The laser doesn’t
come with the kit, but you can use any
laser or pen laser.
• You will need some kind of a clamp to
position the laser. I mounted it on a tripod
with a ball head for easy alignment to the
sensor on the Captur Module Pro.
• I found that I had my best results if I did a
test before the actual shot, just to make
sure the camera was “awake” and func-
Water Drop
tioning and the receiver was triggering The laser sensor was great for this image and allowed me to achieve very precise timing. I used a light
the flash or camera. stand with a boom arm and clamp to create a consistent slot to place an eyedropper to produce the
• You can choose to trigger your camera, water drops. I used some food colouring and a bit of grenadine to thicken the fluid and to produce the
or you can work in a dark room and trig- red colour. With macro images the delay will require some experimentation depending on where you
ger your flash and set your camera to place your laser and how high you have your dropper. Nikon Z 7 with FTZ adapter and 105mm macro
a long exposure time. I preferred to just lens, f/25 at 1/160 second, ISO250.
trigger my camera using the Captur
Module Pro and Receiver and then have
my camera trigger any external flash-
es using the hotshoe and my dedicated
flash trigger.

Remember to visualize your shot

before you set up and have fun experi-
menting while learning the capabilities
of any new gear !

For more information on the Hahnel Captur Pro system please visit www.hahnel.ca

PHOTONEWS – 16 – AUTUMN 2020

 Glass Splash
I used the Nikon D6 and set the laser to trigger
the camera to shoot multiple images and high
frames per second once I dropped the ice past
the laser beam. I adjusted the delay to get the
splash that I desired, and I was able to use the
speed of the camera to produce a few good
images of each sequence. Nikon D6 with Nikkor
70-200mm FL lens, f/11 at 1/160 second, ISO125.
 PHOTO DESTINATION
By Wayne Lynch

AN APPETI TE FOR FI S H

The Adams River

Salmon Run
Fish are subjects that many outdoor photographers probably never consider,
but I’m here to convince you to give them a second look.

Most people think that underwater Newfoundland in June, there are spawn- it is this most recent experience that I
photography is a very specialized field ing capelin to photograph; in Manitoba want to share with readers to hopefully
requiring scuba diving skill and sophis- and Saskatchewan in April and May, convince you to plan for your own fishy
ticated, expensive equipment. there are white suckers; in Alberta in late photo safari during the next salmon peak,
Although it certainly can be a sub- July and August, there are bull trout; and expected in 2022.
stantial investment (just the plexiglass in British Columbia in September and Like every successful photo outing I
housing I sometimes use to protect my October, there are several different spe- make, my trip always begins with care-
digital SLR camera costs over $3,000) cies of Pacific salmon thrashing about ful advance planning, deciding what
it is also possible to enjoy this field of in the shallows. For me, spawning sock- exactly are the goals I want to achieve,
photography with relatively inexpen- eye salmon are the most photogenic of and what kind of images I think I will
sive gear and have lots of fun doing them all, and an ideal beginning for any need to tell a compelling story. After re-
it. In the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t photographers wanting to try their hand viewing half a dozen books on salmon
consider myself especially proficient at at something new. that I found in the public library, and
underwater photography, but if you are Typically, sockeye salmon follow a surfing the internet, I decided I would
looking for a challenge and like to tip- four-year cycle with some years having try to capture four different elements
toe through the shallows, like I do, then many fewer salmon than others. The of the salmon story: (1) landscape
consider adding some fish to your fu- Adams River in southern British Columbia photographs of a typical spawning
ture photo outings. is arguably one of the most famous sal- stream, and if possible, including au-
Here in Canada, many different spe- mon spawning rivers in the country, and tumn colour in the scene to identify the
cies of fish group together during their every four years when salmon numbers season; (2) above-water images of rival
annual spawning season, and this can peak, the local salmon society www. male salmon fighting, perhaps showing
be an opportune time to photograph salmonsociety.com holds a three week their toothy weaponry; (3) underwater
them when no special diving skills are festival, Salute to the Sockeye, to celebrate shots of males courting females; and (4)
required, and when a photographer with this natural phenomenon. I have travelled eggs and/or tiny fingerlings. It was an
a limited budget can still produce excit- to the Adams River during four different ambitious list, but I was optimistically
ing, story-telling images. For example, in peak runs, most recently in 2018, and hopeful and here’s how I did it.

PHOTONEWS – 18 – AUTUMN 2020

Male Salmon Courting a Female
 PHOTO DESTINATION
By Wayne Lynch

Fighting Male Salmon

Spawning Streams me to quickly change the framing as can apply for from the salmon society
Many small creeks and streams the action progressed. These images mentioned above.
feed into the Adams River drainage and turned out to be some of my favourite
are used by the salmon for spawning. I shots of the whole trip. Eggs and Fingerlings
wanted to capture the fast-flowing cur- I knew if I wanted really nice photos
rents of these small waterways which Underwater Courtship of eggs or fingerlings, I would not be
charge the water with life-giving oxy- In 2018, I decided to photograph the sal- able to do that in the field. Instead, I
gen–a necessary requirement for suc- mon with the most basic underwater relied on an aquarium set up. Dozens
cessful egg development. To achieve gear I own–a compact Canon G12 point- of government fish hatcheries raise
this effect, I used long shutter speeds and-shoot camera protected inside a salmon fingerlings which they release
(3 to 5 seconds) with the camera set on $300 plexiglass housing. I left my wet later to maintain the health of the lo-
a sturdy tripod. I added a 2 to 8 stop suit, snorkel and mask at home and just cal salmon populations. I contacted a
neutral density filter to block the light brought along a pair of chest waders. hatchery and struck a deal with them.
reaching the sensor, which in turn al- From previous experience, I knew that If they would let me photograph some
lowed me to select long shutter speeds in many cases the salmon spawn in of their baby fish in an aquarium, I
and produce the soft “angel hair” effect very shallow water, and I reasoned would give them some of my photo-
that I like so much for flowing water. that I could simply wade out, dunk the graphs to use in their department
camera underwater, point and shoot. publications. They happily agreed to do
Above-Water Battles I knew it would sometimes be hit and this and supervised me so that I didn’t
Male salmon develop enlarged hooked miss, but if I moved very slowly so that unduly stress the fish. In the end, I
jaws studded with sharp teeth which I didn’t startle the fish I could take mul- successfully photographed the baby
they use to fight rivals. From previ- tiple shots and some of them would salmon in a small aquarium, using a
ous experience, I knew such battles likely be acceptably framed. Surprising- Nikon 105mm macro lens, an off-cam-
were sometimes visible in very shal- ly, it worked like a charm. There is just era electronic flash, and a plain piece
low water, but the fish are especial- one small hurdle to clear if you want to of tan cardboard to provide a clean,
ly skittish so I would only be able to try this yourself on the Adams River in pleasing background.
photograph the combatants from a 2022. It is normally against regulations My whole salmon adventure turned
distance. To do this, I used the Tam- for visitors to wade into the river, so you out to be more fun than I expected, and I
ron 150-600mm zoom which allowed need a special photo permit which you hope to add more fish to my photo future.

PHOTONEWS – 20 – AUTUMN 2020

Fingerling Sockeye Salmon Salmon Spawning Stream

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 PORTFLIO

KATH ERI N E CA LN A N

Light and shadow

“Working with light and shadow is a major part of my craft and love for photography,
along with incorporating elements of movement, elegance and feeling to the imagery.
My goal with each photoshoot is to help my subject realize their beauty and inner
worth and leave them knowing that this quality was always there”.

Katherine Calnan is a professional pho- As I was growing up, I always admired Preparation
tographer, traditionally schooled at photography and the artists for whom When creating my imagery, whether
the University of Calgary with a double the camera was the means to express the end result will be a portrait, fashion,
degree in Business in Finance and Eco- their creativity. When I went to Uni- editorial or commercial shoot, prepara-
nomics. After many years in the oil and versity, I took the so-called safe path, tion is key. Doing your research about
gas Industry, she found herself drawn earned my degrees and secured my the location, and person you are photo-
towards the creative world and transi- downtown job. graphing is essential to a successful re-
tioned into the world of photography. A few years after graduation, I felt sult. Creating mood boards will help you
Katherine spent a large part of her the need to express my creative side. I set up the photoshoot and free up your
life as a competitive figure skater. She is was looking for a challenge, and with a mental space for creative flexibility.
a black belt in Shotokan Karate, and is steady job I felt that I could afford my
currently studying Jiu Jitsu. first DSLR and a couple of prime lens- Energy of the Environment
Katherine’s athleticism and conscious- es. Within a month of buying my cam- Feel the energy of the room and take
ness of body movement can be seen as era, I had my first photographs pub- in the visual character of your sur-
an influence in the posing of her portrait lished in Snowboard Magazine–and I roundings. This is especially important
subjects. began looking for my next challenge. if you are doing an environmental por-
PHOTONews asked Katherine to share The inspiration came almost immedi- trait–not only are you capturing your
some of her favourite images, and the keys ately – I decided to create a portrait subject, but the vibe of the person’s
to her distinctive photographic style. where the subject actually liked how environment becomes a strong ele-
they looked. This has been my style ment in the story. How can you best
ever since then, to show people their showcase the feeling of the room?
beauty and help them to express it Will the entire room be in crisp focus
through their portraits. or should you use a creative approach
Today, after six years as a full-time to render the setting in a dreamy and
professional photographer, I have cre- blurred away fashion? Will you allow
ated a portfolio that conveys this cre- the ambient light to flood the scene,
ative goal. Here are some areas of focus or darken it so you can add your own
that I use to guide my photoshoots. lighting effects to enhance the emo-
tional impact of the setting?

PHOTONEWS
PHOTONEWS – 22
– 22– – AUTUMN
AUTUMN2020
2020
 Model in colourful foliage fabric dress,
with bare bulb lighting and shadow
This image encompasses strong colours
with bright light and also dark shadow
and silhouette. The shadow on the face is
repeated on the background like pieces
of a puzzle fitting together. The lean of
the neck, head and eye almost match
the slant of the shadow. With the light on
the face drawing the eye to the features
on the model's face. Canon EOSR, 85mm
lens at f/10, 1/200 second, ISO 100. Lighting:
Broncolor 800s with a bare bulb and flags
positioned to create shadow.
 PORTFOLIO
Katherine Calnan

Connection
From my perspective, creating an im-
age of a subject always conveys a per-
sonal reaction to their character. I have
found that a strong connection is made
when you take the time to get to know
your subject personally and visually.
Nothing substitutes for a genuine in-
terest in another person, and you can
begin with a friendly conversation to
discover their interests.
Create a space where your subject
can be themselves and relax. You want
to see the weight of photo anxiety lifted
off their shoulders. Often, this tension
can be seen in the face, shoulders or
hands. If I see this, I usually ask them
Ballerina - black and white
to shake out their hands, drop their image posed in midair
shoulders, and take a few deep, relaxing The motion and beauty of
breaths. Once the connection is made dynamic dance captured in
and your subject becomes comfortable mid-flight. The fabric of the dress
mimics the folds of flowers in nature
with the camera, go with the flow. or the waves of the ocean. Most of the
light is concentrated towards the Ballerina’s
face and chest with the fabric of the dress
Shantal reclining with luxury bag also catching and reflecting light back to the
This image was commissioned by a commercial viewer’s eye, highlighting two very different
luxury retailer. A bare bulb was used to create areas of interest. As the gaze drifts to the
crisper shadows on the floor and add punch to periphery of the model we witness the form
the image and colours while still allowing the rich- of the human body. Sony A7Riii, 85mm lens at
ness and softness of the fabrics and materials to f/8, 1/200 second, ISO 200. Main light: Broncolor
show through. The lighter brown background was 800s with a Broncolor Para 133 modifier.
picked to compliment the brown of the leather Background light: Broncolor 800L monolight with
bag. Canon EOS R with 24-70 lens at 70mm, f/13, Broncolor 60x60 soft box
1/200 second, ISO100. Main light: Broncolor Siros
800s using bare bulb.
 Catrina in chair in body suit
This black and white image shows
the punch of contrast between the
pure white of the background and
small areas of full black, creating
triangles, spaces and lines, with
the single main light creating
gradation of shadow on the form
of the m­ odel's face and body. Sony
A7Riii, 24-70 lens at 30mm, f/10, 1/200
second, ISO 100. Lighting: Main light;
Broncolor Para 133 Modifier with
Boncolor Siros 800s Monolight. Back-
ground: Translucent film lit from be-
hind using a Broncolor 800s Monolight
and an Octabox 150 soft box.

PHOTONEWS – 25 – AUTUMN 2020

 PORTFOLIO
Katherine Calnan

Let the Image Tell the Story

Bringing all the elements of the scene,
the setting, and the subject together
to tell the story will add interest and
emotion to your image. While working
with your subject, you can guide them
to feel the story behind the photograph
and encourage them to remain “in
character”. Placing them in a “role” can
help them to envision movement and
expressions they would not have other-
wise tried.

Creative Flexibility
Once you know you have captured the
images that you had planned, take a
few additional minutes to experiment
and try something new. There might be
an angle you don’t usually think of, or
an extra element that could enhance
the image. For example, you might put
a facetted piece of glass in front of your
lens, or change the lighting, perhaps
add a gel to the light source, the inspira-
tion can be almost anything, and the re-
sults are often spectacular! Experiment
with a few new poses, or a different per-
spective–just do it with no attachment
to the results. This extra 10 minutes at
the end of every photo shoot can go a
long way to expanding your repertoire
of creative approaches to assignments.

Jameica in a white dress

Confidence and relaxation within the model’s pose combine with
power and determination in the facial expression. I used the direction
of the pose to create curves with the length of the model’s physique. A
fan created some dynamic movement to the hair, juxtaposed against
what was essentially a still shot. Subtraction of light on the outer rims
of the model was used to create more depth. Canon EOS R, 85mm lens
at f/6.3, 1/200 second, ISO 100. Main light: Broncolor 800s with Broncolor
Octabox 75 soft box.

Bio
Katherine Calnan is an award-winning published photographer and an Accredit-
ed Professional Photographer with the Professional Photographers of Canada
(PPOC). Specializing in portrait, fashion, commercial, and corporate photog-
raphy, she is based in Calgary, Alberta. Katherine works with brands, multi-
national companies, families, individual professionals, actors/actresses as well
as modelling agencies across Canada.
Katherine has been recognized as a posing coach for new models, helping
them to develop their skill sets in front of the camera. She also shares sought
after knowledge with those who wish to learn about photography, lighting,
interaction with clients and wellness within the photography industry. For more
photos please visit www.katherinecalnan.com or check out the instagram @
katheriencalnanphtography

PHOTONEWS – 26 – AUTUMN 2020

Ultraviolet light and makeup with model Mylynn
Ultraviolet lighting in studio combined with a small amount of fill to be able to see the natural colour of the skin and hair. The bright blues and pinks turned areas
of the model into a painted canvas with the areas around the head and face sprayed to remind the observer of a galaxy of coloured stars. Canon EOS R, 24-70
lens at 60mm, f/5.6, 1/200 second, ISO 400. Main light: Broncolor Siros 800s with UV Adaptor. Fill Light: Broncolor Siros 800s with Broncolor Octabox 75 soft box. Rim
light: Broncolor 800L with Broncolor 30x180 strip box.

PHOTONEWS – 27 – AUTUMN 2020

 LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
By Viktoria Haack

TH E SEAS ON OF M I STS

Fall Photography
I am always excited by the changing seasons and look forward to the potential for the
different types of photography that each season brings. The Fall is a wonderful time of
the year, and the poet John Keats summed it up so well for me with the introduction
of his poem ‘To Autumn’
“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun…”

Autumn marks the start of shorter day- colours as the leaves change and there This is a great season for lifestyle
light hours. A later sunrise and earlier is often more humidity in the air which photos with more possibility of shooting
sunset make it far easier to get out of creates the possibility of fog or mist ris- throughout the day, without the harsh-
bed and shoot during these times of ing from lakes, rivers and fields in the ness of the summer sun. The soft bokeh
day. The hours of daylight are less harsh early mornings. of Autumn foliage is beautiful and there
and hot than in the Summer months, As someone who dislikes the full is less unsightly perspiration on the
and as a consequence, the light is usual- heat of Summer, I look forward to work- brows of your subjects!
ly softer. This is a season of mellowing: ing in this combination of cooler tem- One of my favourite images that I
not only softer light, but softer, warmer peratures and softer light. shot last Autumn was of my friend Erin
in some Autumn leaves. For this shoot, I
was looking for a location where I could
get above her and shoot down with
the Autumn leaves surrounding her.
To make this possible, I collected some
bags of leaves from my neighbour's
front lawn and took them to another
friend's property, where I was able to
shoot from up on a deck. We spread
the leaves on a tarp and positioned
them around Erin. When I edited the
shot afterwards in Adobe Lightroom
and Photoshop, I darkened down the
tones to make it a little moodier. I also
used those same leaves to create some
macro shots.

Nikon Z 7, 85mm 1.8 S lens, ISO 320, 85mm f/2,

1/400 second.

PHOTONEWS – 28 – AUTUMN 2020

Nikon Z 7, 24-70 f/4 S lens, IS0 200, 70mm, f/4, 1/200 second
 LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
By Viktoria Haack

Nikon D800, 17-35 2.8, ISO 64, 17mm, f/22, 1/30 second.

I sprayed them with some water, set pine foliage. Couple this with the added
the camera on a tripod and did a focus possibility of mist or early season snow
stack of 40 shots using the Nikon Z 7’s and it’s a wonderful combination.
built-in focus stacking setting. This al- For me, Autumn is about embracing
lowed the details to be in sharp focus the potential for ‘bad’ weather! I am
from front to back of the areas of the even excited for rain after the long, hot,
leaves I wanted to draw attention to. blue skies of a Shuswap summer. Last
I spend many Autumn mornings Fall I borrowed my friend Erin again and
getting up early and searching for mist used a single flash about 6 feet behind
and fog. I often check weather apps the her to capture an image of her and my
night before for high levels of humid- dog Jack in the rain. It was a really sim-
ity and set my alarm if conditions are ple shot and I enjoyed backlighting the
looking good. Fall sunrises and sunsets raindrops and creating a silhouetted
usually seem to be a little more vibrant. image of them both.
I’m not sure if this is to do with the add- I hope some of my love for Fall will
ed moisture in the atmosphere or just inspire you to embrace the shorter Nikon Z 7, 105mm
more cloud cover than you have during days and cooler temperatures, to head 2.8 macro, ISO 100,
the Summer months. Fog and mist are out and make some Autumn images! 105mm, f/16,
1/6 second.
elements that can add a real sense of
mystery to your shots. Not revealing
everything in an image is a great way
to heighten and enhance mood. Longer
focal length lenses allow you to isolate
parts of the scene and when using
wider lenses I tend to search out inter-
esting foreground elements to draw
the viewer in: this could be fallen leaves,
an interesting rock texture etc.
In the Canadian Rockies, Fall is often
associated with golden larch trees and
it’s a great time to head out into the
landscape and capture a very different
look to the Summer with its dark green

PHOTONEWS – 30 – AUTUMN 2020

Nikon D4, 24 – 70mm 2.8, ISO 2000,
70mm, f/2.8, 1/12 second.
 CANADIAN ANGLES
by Michelle Valberg

Touched
by Gorillas
Deep in Uganda’s ruggedly lush Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a silverback
gorilla absentmindedly scratches himself, unaware and uncaring that the wider
world around him is being ravaged by a pandemic.

For months, as international headlines Uganda, empowering the population, the Kyambura Game Lodge–my head
have recorded humanity’s agonizing contributing back to the Batwa people felt like it was going to explode, nausea
battle with COVID-19, life in the jungle and creating intensive conservation wracked my body and I was hit with a
volcanos has carried on. Baby gorillas projects. deep malaise. Fortunately, we had a few
were born. Senior gorillas died. Families No barrier or physical border days to get accustomed to the altitude
foraged for food. As a photographer exists between the world of the before we trekked with the gorillas.
and chronicler of animal lives, the nor- mountain gorillas and that of the Adrenalin kicked in and played a big
malcy of that is a gratifying thought. local villagers trying to make a liv- part in the success of this expedition.
Back in early 2020, before the pan- ing from the lush land. Meeting the Another key element was hiring por-
demic and facemasks became the needs of both gorillas and villagers ters, one for each of the members of the
symbols of global upheaval, the only is a delicate balancing act. In her group. I hired a diligent and skilled porter
thing on my mind was living out a life- work with chimpanzees and other named Winston who strapped my cam-
long dream of trekking to Uganda with primates, Dr. Jane Goodall said that era equipment, water supplies and extra
Volcanoes Safaris. But it wasn’t just “when we put local communities at clothing to his back as we embarked on
about seeing gorillas in the wild – I had the heart of conservation, we im- the first stage of our journey to see the
been to Africa before and had reveled prove the lives of people, animals, Oruzogo Gorilla Group.
in capturing its legendary fauna. and the environment.” With its strict It was a slow and methodical climb.
Established in 2009, the Volcanoes rules for travellers who partake in We trudged through fields and passed
Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) is a mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda, villages on our way to the forest.
non-profit organization that connects that is what the Bwindi Impenetrable Winston watched every move I made,
Volcanoes’ Rwanda and Uganda’s luxury National Park aims to do. frequently taking my hand and antici-
lodges to the neighbouring commun- But my dream of seeing these noble pating when I might need some extra
ities and conservation activities. creatures also came with a dose of help. Overseeing us all were armed
I was excited to trek with Volcanoes harsh reality. guards, on alert for wild elephants or
Safaris under the guidance of Praveen Fueled by anticipation and excite- hostile, unhabituated gorillas. Ahead of
Moman because of their leadership in ment, I forgot to take altitude sickness the guards, our trackers scanned the
reviving gorilla and chimpanzee tour- pills, even though altitude sickness has trail for the Oruzogo gorilla family, who
ism since 1997. Praveen’s philosophy fo- been a lifelong issue for me, but I cer- seemed to keep moving just ahead of
cuses on developing local solutions for tainly remembered while enroute to us every time we drew closer.

PHOTONEWS – 32 – AUTUMN 2020

Looking into the eyes of a mountain gorilla
was an experience I will never forget and will
forever be thankful for. It was a dream come
true. Nikon Z 6 with 70-200mm.
 CANADIAN ANGLES
by Michelle Valberg

Uganda Landscape
Our journey to trek with the gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park revealed sceneries of lush homesteads, tea plantations and farms of the beautiful
rural countryside of Uganda

Finding the gorillas was made even

more challenging by the rainforest. As
we moved ever deeper into its interior,
the light diminished, and thunderclouds
blotted out the sun. For three hours, we
moved carefully through the environ-
ment until we finally found them. By
then, we had climbed approximately
2,800 metres (9,100 ft).
Our lead guide turned to our group.
“We are here, you have one hour.”
In that very second, the heavens
opened up and we were pummeled by
a torrential thunderstorm that pene-
trated the dense canopy overhead.
My camera was in the bag on
Winston’s back. I had taken off my
Think Tank lens cover earlier since it
wasn’t raining. Now, I had to figure
out how to get my camera out of the
pack and put the lens cover back on
without drenching all of my equipment.
Working against the clock and my deep
discomfort with wild storms, I swal-
lowed my panic and moved quickly,
helped by my friend Kriss, who held a
rain cover over me while I threw on my
coat and rummaged for my gear.

With a window of only a few seconds, I was able to

capture a baby in the arms of her mother.
During our stay at the Kyambura Gorge Lodge, we visited a small home of the Batwa people. They are pygmies referred to as the forest keepers, due to the hundreds of
years they lived in the forest with animals. The Batwa people are the original inhabitants of the Bwindi forest.

The low light was a photographer’s The night before, I dreamed that a
nightmare, made worse by the drench- silverback came over and sat next to
ing downpour. The gorilla family was me, and put his arm around me. I was
spread out. I spotted the silverback sit- so happy, but in my dream I couldn’t
ting grumpily in the rain. Nearby, a black- take a photo for the full hour.
back made up his bed, pausing every In reality, after I photographed the
few seconds to flatulate and pick his blackback, I put my camera down to be
nose, while the momma gorillas tended “in the moment”. The gorilla stood up
to their little ones further into the forest. and walked directly towards me. We
I had chosen my Nikon Z 6 mir- made eye contact–they are our ances-
rorless camera for this excursion be- tors with eyes of truth. My immediate
cause I knew we would have low light. thought was that Gorillas are 98.67%
I thought the 70-200mm was the best human, we are them. I was overcome
lens choice, and that proved to be true. with emotion.
The rainforest view on our walk to the gorillas, just
I pushed my ISO to 4000 and knew This was it, I thought – he is going to before the skies opened up.
my aperture had to be wide open at sit next to me. Instead, he moved past
f/2.8 or f/4, which allowed me a shut- me and a few others, stopped beside
ter speed of 1/125 second. The 5-stop my friend Kriss, and whacked her on
in-camera stabilization helped with the the back.
lower shutter speed. It wasn’t the gentle caress I had
With crazy low light and high stakes, dreamed – he knocked her over and
adrenalin-filled situations, we must al- frightened her, but moments later,
ways be vigilant of our camera settings, she regained her composure and with
and confident of our camera’s capabil- it, her face revealed amazement and
ity. So, too, we must be physically aware wonder.
of the environment and emotionally pre- We stood watching her reaction.
pared for any eventuality. As a wildlife She turned to us and with barely a
photographer, I have encountered many whisper that carried with it the marvel
different species and not necessarily we all felt, said, “I was just touched by Of course, I had to be photographed with our
in the most comfortable situations. I a gorilla.” armed guard - so thankful for their protection
thought I had seen it all. I was wrong. and guidance.

PHOTONEWS – 35 – AUTUMN 2020

 WILDLIFE TECHNIQUE
By Tony Beck

Simple Backgrounds
and Foregrounds
IN WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
It is extremely exciting when you can get close enough to shy or seldom-seen animals
to capture that once-in-a-lifetime shot, but these thrilling encounters can overwhelm
the senses, causing us to ignore imperfections in composition.

When your heart races, it is easy to miss There’s a popular maxim “the eyes especially if they are right in front of
distracting hot spots and unsightly are the windows of the soul”. This is your main subject, even if they are
clutter in the frame. Don’t let your en- especially true for an effective wild- out-of-focus.
thusiasm prevent you from capturing life image. Focus on the eyes and let
the perfect photo. Pause for an instant, everything else fall into place. However, Depth of Field
control your passion, and pay attention while ensuring your focus properly Large aperture openings provide a shal-
to the entire scene in your viewfinder. captures the facial region of your sub- low depth of field. Use this to your ad-
Besides capturing the right expos- ject, you should also be aware of the vantage. Keep the depth shallow. This
ure, good field technique includes com- background. Is it clean, or are there helps make the background blurry. Al-
posing an attractive photo. Engaging contrasting objects that could interfere though it’s nice to have the entire animal
wildlife images frequently have the with the purity of the composition? If it sharp with a good depth of field, small
animal filling much of the frame. This looks cluttered or busy, try moving your apertures tend to enhance definition
is most effective when you adopt the position until both your background potentially creating unsightly distrac-
K.I.S. “Keep It Simple” principle. If you and foreground are clear, or wait for tions. It’s better to open your aperture
are into Zen philosophy, you can think the animal to move into a cleaner, and speed up the shutter while focusing
of the concept as “less is more”. less cluttered position. Alternately, on the eyes. This helps freeze the action
Simplicity in wildlife photography al- fix your position at a spot that’s clear while enhancing a blurry background.
lows the viewing audience to focus on and wait for the creature to enter the The longer the focal length, the
the animal’s beauty and character. frame. Even if the scene is ideal, maxi- shallower the depth of field. It’s easier
mize your chances of capturing the to create blurry backgrounds with tele-
Composition Considerations perfect pose by using burst mode as photo lenses. Long lenses, like 400 or
The photographer’s first step is to avoid your subject moves through the frame. 500mm, have difficulty with depth of
having unnecessary distractions in the Uncluttered backdrops are import- field, even stopped down to tiny aper-
image. Watch out for harsh shadows, ant. But pay attention to your fore- tures. Alternately, wide angle lenses
extremely dark spots, shiny objects, ground as well. Unwelcome objects tend to have great depth of field reveal-
bright hot spots or anything that dis- like branches or reeds will interfere ing much detail throughout the scene,
plays a high contrast. Try to avoid them. with the aesthetic of your composition, even with large aperture openings.

PHOTONEWS – 36 – AUTUMN 2020

Keel-billed Toucan – Costa Rica
The farther away your subject is from the background, the easier it is to achieve blur as a backdrop. This
Keel-billed Toucan was photographed on a perch in an open garden next to a distant rainforest. With
a 500mm lens, it was easy to blur the lush green rainforest, mainly because of its distance from the
toucan. Nikon D850 with AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR, 1/800 second, f/7.1, ISO 640.
 WILDLIFE TECHNIQUE
By Tony Beck

Depth of field becomes proportion- level. This usually creates the impres-
ately shallower the closer you get to sion of more distance between the sub-
your subject. Getting close has many ject and background.
advantages. You can fill more of the Strive for uniform, monotone back-
frame with your wildlife subject and ground colours like blue sky, blurry
this will increase image quality if you green vegetation, soft fall foliage or a
have to crop the frame. Also, the clos- crimson sunset. Any single colour or
er you get, the more your background tone is more interesting than extreme
becomes blurred. This is why depth-of- dark or bright white, but, even these
field is extremely shallow when photo- extreme ends of the colour spectrum
graphing Macro subjects. are better than an environment full of
It’s easier to achieve a clean back- distracting detail.
ground when there is a lot of distance A creative exception to monotone
between the background and your colours in the background is to have a
main subject. The farther away the repeating pattern. It is difficult to find
background, the more out-of-focus it these in nature, but they do exist. If you
becomes, especially when using tele- are lucky enough to find a pattern, use
photo lenses. it to your advantage. This can dramatic-
For smaller animals on the ground, ally transform your composition.
get your angle of view down to their

Male Spruce Grouse – Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

Animals like this Spruce Grouse often forage on the ground. For maximum impact, put your camera an-
gle down at their level. Not only does it make the image look more natural, but it simplifies the image by
putting the background further from the main subject. This helps to reduce definition in the background
detail. Nikon D850 with AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR, 1/250 second, f/6.3, ISO 1600.

American Marten – Algonquin Provincial Park,

Ontario
When dealing with unpredictable wildlife, you
must adapt to their environment. In winter,
much of Canada is covered in snow. Although
it’s nice to have colourful surroundings, it’s more
important that your image looks natural and un-
cluttered. Wait for your animal, like this American
Marten, to move into a clean, open area. Then
take a series of shots using burst mode. If neces-
sary, tiny imperfections or blemishes in the snow
can easily be removed during post processing.
Nikon Z 7 with AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR,
1/1250 second, f/8, ISO 400.

Post-Processing
The photo editing process allows you
to remove most hot-spots and distrac-
tions, but care is needed to prevent
the edited image from looking sloppy
or artificial. Fine detail around feather
edges or animal hair can be extreme-
ly tricky to work with. Although photo
editing programs have improved dra-
matically, fixing image backgrounds
and making them look natural requires
some skill and practice. It is always best
to keep your editing to a minimum.  
Set your bar high. The most effect-
ive wildlife photographers control their
excitement, pay attention to every-
thing in the viewfinder and try to keep
it simple.

PHOTONEWS – 38 – AUTUMN 2020

Adult breeding Common Loon – Ontario
Monotone colours like blue skies make ideal
backgrounds for wildlife. In this photo of a Com-
mon Loon in flight, there was nothing distracting
in the sky. Just a simple, natural colour. Nikon
D850 with AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 VR zoom,
1/1250 second, f/8, ISO 250.

Adult Savannah Sparrow – Ottawa

I was so excited to get close to this Savannah
Sparrow in perfect light with a clean back-
ground that I completely missed the out-of-
focus leaves in front of the fence post. Although
Red-eyed Tree Frog – Costa Rica the image is still reasonably effective, it could
The closer your focus point, the shallower your depth-of-field, even with small apertures like f/14. Since have been improved slightly by avoiding the
you have to get close to fill the frame with a small animal like this tropical Red-eyed Tree Frog, it’s easy foreground. All I had to do was take one step to
to achieve a blurry background. Just make sure the eyes are in focus. Nikon D5 with AF-S Micro Nikkor my left. Nikon D500 with AF-S Nikkor 200-500mm
105mm f/2.8 and TC14E Teleconverter, 1/500 second, f/14, ISO 1600. f/5.6 VR zoom, 1/1250 second, f/7.1, ISO 250.

PHOTONEWS – 39 – AUTUMN 2020

 PRINTING 101 • IN THE DARKROOM
By Gaetan Cormier

Ilford MGRC Deluxe

A new RC paper with performance
approaching that of a fibre paper
The last time Ilford released a new version of silver gelatine print paper was in 1994,
with the MGRC IV (Multi-Grade Resin Coated) series.

In October 2019, Ilford announced the ar-

rival of a new product for darkroom print-
ing, the MGRC Deluxe paper. I must admit
that it took me by surprise, because the
majority of companies who produce sil-
ver gelatine papers are running smoothly
on their existing products, which are very
popular with many amateurs. Was a new
paper really necessary?
RC (Resin Coated) type papers are
usually intended for amateurs wishing to
produce darkroom prints at low cost. It
is very rare that these types of paper
are used for exhibition prints, as most
photographers greatly prefer prints on
fibre paper (baryta) because these are
better suited to selenium and / or sepia
toning and offer a high quality image with
unparalleled archival longevity.
Amplis Foto, the Canadian dis-
tributor for Ilford products, sent me
a sample packet of this new paper in
order to do some tests for this special
report. While the paper can be used
with various developers on the market,
I concentrated on the recommended
chemistry, which is Ilford Multi-Grade
developer, and I used Ilford Multi-Grade
filters varying between 2 and 3.5.
MGRC Deluxe paper is available in
three finishes: pearl, satin and glossy. For
this evaluation, I tested the glossy version.

PHOTONEWS – 40 – AUTUMN 2020

 paper, and therefore permits shorter exposure time under
the enlarger. I noticed that the new RC paper is just as sensi-
tive. It only took a few test prints to show that the Ilford MGRC
Deluxe paper needs exactly the same exposure time under
the enlarger as the fibre paper, this is very impressive!
Basically, the new Ilford paper (MGRC Deluxe paper) is like
an RC version of the current fibre paper (MGFB IV). This is great
because it can allow you to produce an exhibition print at a
lower cost–let me explain… when we want to make an art /
exhibition print, we use fibre paper. We have to do a lot of ex-
posure tests in order to manage the light, the contrast, etc. In
short, before arriving at a final print, you will have made a ser-
ies of test prints–using on average between 5 and 8 sheets of
fibre paper. At over $1.50 a sheet (8x10 format), that’s money
spent. Since Ilford’s new RC paper costs a little less (around $1 a
sheet) and acts the same as fibre paper, you can do all your test
strips, and all your test prints on the RC paper, and then make
your final print on fibre paper. In the end, it will cost you less.
Besides the very interesting performance of the new Ilford
MGRC Deluxe paper, this new product reacts well to sepia
and selenium toning. I tested this by creating a print with sep-
ia toning. I used the Berg odourless sepia toning chemistry
that I already had on hand. The toning was indeed done very
easily, the paper reacted very well, and the effect is striking!
In conclusion, the Ilford MGRC Deluxe paper was a really
nice surprise for darkroom enthusiasts and it is an excellent
addition to your array of darkroom media.

With this new paper, Ilford promises deeper blacks and bet-
ter Dmax. In other words, Ilford has created an RC paper with
performance approaching that of a fibre paper. My first test
was to “see” if the paper could actually deliver this depth of
black. I exposed a strip of the previous version of Ilford paper
(MGRC IV) and a strip of the new paper. I used a test strip made
under the enlarger (without a negative). Both bands were de-
veloped with Multi-Grade developer. As a result, although it is
difficult to observe, Ilford’s new paper does indeed have deeper
blacks. Photographer Lina Bessonova also performed this test,
and she has the luxury of having a densitometer. The reflective
densitometry measurement she obtained for the previous ver-
sion of the paper is 1.96 while the new paper has a densitometric
index of 2.09.
The contrast support of the old paper was quite limited,
which is one of the reasons why darkroom aficionados rarely
use RC paper to make gallery prints–the fibre base paper han-
dles much better for that purpose. This changes with the new
paper! In fact, this new paper acts identically (or nearly so) to
Ilford fibre paper (MGFB IV). For my darkroom tests, I selected
a photo that I took at Canyon Sainte-Anne. The scene has a
great dynamic range going from a hyper sunny portion to a
very dark cliff side. The photo is not superb in itself, it is far
from being one of my best photos, but it is an excellent sam-
ple image for a test of this type because of its dynamic range.
One of the characteristics of Ilford’s fibre paper comes
from an emulsion which is more sensitive to light than RC

PHOTONEWS – 41 – AUTUMN 2020

 SPECIAL REPORT
By Christian Autotte

From Macro
to Landscape
Going Light with Tamron 17-28 and 28-200
I recently enjoyed two weekends camping and hiking with a pair of Tamron lenses: the
17-28 f/2.8 and the 28-200 f/2.8-5.6. Both are full frame lenses for Sony E-Mount. They’re
small, light, and weather sealed, and they covered a surprising range of situations.

The first lens I worked with was the 28-

200. Its aperture of f/2.8 to 5.6 is a first
in the industry for a lens with that range.
Granted, f/2.8 is only at the widest focal
length; it becomes f/3.5 around 50mm
but you need to reach close to 200mm
before it drops to f/5.6. All of that makes
this lens extremely versatile for anyone
going on a nature hike, a trip abroad, or a
photo excursion downtown.
Zooms with a wide range of focal
length often have some compromises.
Many allow some distortions at both
ends of their focal length; others cut
corners in the control of chromatic
aberrations. Tamron also made some
compromises with their 28-200, but
not at the expense of image quality.
As this lens is designed for the Sony
E-mount cameras, the in-body image
stabilization feature in the camera elim-
inates the need for image stabilization
in the lens itself. The lens barrel is made
of polycarbonate composite - rigid, light
and weather sealed; and a metal lens
mount was chosen for strength and The new Tamron 28-200mm zoom for Sony E-mount is an excellent lens for all-round use.

PHOTONEWS – 42 – AUTUMN 2020

Red Squirrel: 1/320 f/5.6, ISO 800, Tamron 28-200 f/2.8-5.6 set at 200mm.

durability. Finally, even the choice of always possible in such situations.

focal length can be viewed as a com- That’s when a zoom lens with such a
promise: going wider or longer would wide focal range becomes invaluable.
have meant more distortions or aberra- On a few occasions, I wished that
tions to control. While some tests have the lens had been a bit longer. Most
shown that there is some pincushion of the time, the 28-200mm had more
distortion in the median focal lengths, than enough reach to isolate an ele-
these are easily corrected in post-pro- ment of the landscape or to compose
duction and are virtually impossible to tight close-ups of mushrooms and fall-
notice in nature photographs. en leaves. A longer focal length would
I have always liked working with have been useful when I encountered
zooms for their ability to tweak a com- some wildlife, especially birds that al-
position, something I used a lot in my ways seem to be too small and too far
latest outing. During my hike I con- away. With modern cameras, there is
stantly moved from broad landscape to always a simple solution: it is possible
detailed close-ups with ease. The first to crop half the image and still have
weekend was cloudy and moody, but enough resolution for a fair size en-
the even light produced images that largement - that’s what I did with a few
held detail throughout the highlight to pictures of birds and squirrels.
shadow range. To create great images
in the low light environment I used a
compact carbon fibre tripod to facili-
tate the use of slow shutter speeds.
On my hike, I walked along the
shoreline of several brooks; trying to Voile de la Mariée Waterfall
move closer for a better angle is not 8 seconds f/16, ISO 200, at 41mm.

PHOTONEWS – 43 – AUTUMN 2020

 SPECIAL REPORT
By Christian Autotte

Tamron 17-28mm, set at 17mm, 10 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 3200.

The following weekend was dedicat-

ed to testing the second lens in our duo:
the 17-28 f/2.8. For most people, the
first reaction will be that the lens has a
very limited focal range, but this zoom
was not meant to be an all-around
lens. It’s a wide to super-wide angle,
designed to cover a broad field of view.
Its short zoom range can be useful to
tweak the composition. It is meant to
work in conjunction with other lenses,
such as the 28-200mm or the 28-75 for
those who wish to have a great f/2.8
combo. While some wide-angle zooms

Tamron 17-28mm, set at 28mm, 1/320 second,

f/16, ISO 100.

PHOTONEWS – 44 – AUTUMN 2020

 Tamron 17-28mm, set at 28 and 17mm, 1/160 second, f/13, ISO 200.

may start with an even shorter focal

length, none of the f/2.8 options are as
small or light as this one.
On a bright and clear night, I had Tamron 17-28mm, set at 17mm and 28mm, 1/160 second, f/13, ISO 200.
the opportunity to use the 17-28 f/2.8
to photograph some starry land- the sunrise, and the 17-28 f/2.8 was an
scapes. Working at f/2.8 allowed fair- ideal teammate for the 28-200, which
ly short shutter speed and lower ISO; I used for a few closer shots.
the result was a bright image with All in all, the trip proved to be
pin-point stars - some great pictures very productive, with a few hundred
despite light pollution from a big city images, many of them outstanding.
to the south and the moon setting be- Photographers will find the Tamron
hind the mountains. I found the cor- lenses to be an excellent alternative
ner distortions to be well controlled, to the OEM models, especially when
with very little chromatic aberrations. you want to “travel light” yet fully pre-
The following morning was foggy, but pared for any photo opportunity that
the lens performed just as well during may arise.

PHOTONEWS – 45 – AUTUMN 2020

 BEHIND THE SCENE
By Mathieu Dupuis

Havana is a tropical paradise of colour, light,

period architecture and antique cars.
Canon EOS M5, 17 mm, f/5, 1/400 second, ISO 160

PHOTONEWS – 46 – AUTUMN 2020

 STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IN
Havana,
the eternal...

Cuba is known for its all-inclusive sun

destinations. For me, Cuba has always
been a dream... Not for its beaches, but for
its colourful capital. A city of more than two
million inhabitants,
“La Habana” seems to be frozen in time.
Certainly, the omnipresence of multicolored
“Classic cars” accounts for a lot of this visual
impact. This impression emerges from the
general atmosphere that prevails in this
urban city, with its unique character.
 BEHIND THE SCENE
By Mathieu Dupuis

From my first steps in La Habana improvised kitchen on the street. On

Vieja (Old Havana), my eyes were filled the other side of the street, the children
with this explosion of colours, these played squash, taking over the narrow
converging lines. A phrase comes to avenue. I had to wait until the end of a
mind to describe what I see, organ- round in order to continue my route -
ized chaos. The buildings lack love and their game was so intense.
maintenance, the streets are of ques- The sun and its golden rays pierced
tionable cleanliness. Nevertheless, the the clouds and illuminated the streets
atmosphere is simply pleasant. My lug- of Old Havana. I let myself be carried
gage deposited in my “Casa Particular” away by my creativity and concentrat-
I went on my adventure, camera slung ed on these unique subjects. Cars that
over my shoulder. It was my own way seemed straight out of an automobile
to adapt to the pace of life in Havana. museum completed my compositions
After a few hundred meters walking as they passed. Neighbourhood life was
along Compostella Street, strolling in taking its course and a new dynamic
time with the Cuban music emanating was gradually taking hold. The one at the
from a succession of bars, I felt a strong end of the day. There are always these
desire to explore less busy streets. natural gathering points where people
The light began to diminish, the congregate to watch the sky catch fire
shadows lengthened, and I was filled until the very last ray of the setting Sun.
with an incomparable photographic fe- In Havana, the sunset over the Malecon
ver. After a moment of wandering the is a visual treasure. This sea walk reveals
streets, totally obsessed with the beauty a rich history throughout its eight kilo-
of this place, I realized that I had lost metres. Although the ambiance has lost
my way. I lost the thread of the streets some of its cachet with the high volume
on my paper map... This was a positive of traffic and the modern hotels erected
event, because in Cuba, the best way here and there, the place is still attract-
to connect with the spirit of the place ive. With beautiful light surrounding the
is to go back to the roots by leaving the colourful environment, the atmosphere
smartphone behind. I may have strayed, of Havana the Eternal is incredible.
Cars that seemed straight out of an automobile
but I felt that the place was out of the Landscapes become irresistible. Living museum completed my compositions
ordinary. Looking to one side, a chicken the magic of this mythical waterfront is as they passed.
was being "feathered" for supper in an always rewarding! Canon EOS M5, 18mm, f/8, 1/250 second, ISO 320.

Preparing for dinner at an improvised kitchen on

Sunset over the Malecon is a visual treasure. This sea walk reveals a rich history throughout its eight the street.
kilometres. Canon EOS M5, 79mm, f/8, 1/160 second, ISO 160. Canon EOS M5, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/25 second, ISO 160.

PHOTONEWS – 48 – AUTUMN 2020

The organized chaos of lines, colours, and light make a stroll
on the streets of Havana an adventure in visual creativity.
Canon EOS M5, 16mm, f/8, 1/60 second, ISO 160.
 FINAL FRAME

It’s all about the light…

Morning Row.
Alastair Moran, of Toronto, Ontario, captured this image of a solitary rower cutting the surface of Lake Ontario, just inside the
Sunnyside Beach breakwater, with a Nikon D7000 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens at 200mm, f/2.8, 1/250 second, ISO 200. “The key
to capturing the quiet serenity of this moment was to keep the image itself simple by reducing it, essentially, to areas of light, and of the
absence of light. I took this shot just as the sculler ended his stroke, when he would be most at rest.”

The PHOTONews Autumn 2020 Chal- to upload and post your pictures–www. You may post up to 5 images per
lenge theme is “It’s all about the light”. flickr.com/groups/photonews ­gallery/ week in the “It’s all about the light”
Your assignment: to photograph an discuss/ 72157664701976982/ Challenge thread at the flickr® group.
image that achieves maximum impact The challenge is open to all The PHOTONews Challenge is spon-
through the use of interesting lighting Canadian photographers. Please en- sored by Vanguard Canada, who will
and perspective. This could be an ex- ter by joining this flickr® group ( www. present a special prize for the most
ploration of the techniques of back- flickr.com/groups/photonewsgal- interesting image selected for publi-
light, classical studio lighting, or any lery/) and post your entries in the cation in the next issue.
situation where lighting plays a crucial PHOTONews Autumn 2020 “It’s all
part in the success of the image. about the light” Challenge discussion See your pictures in print!
You may find that shooting in thread, where you will find addition- It is always a thrill to see your pictures
black & white, or transforming your al details, samples, suggestions, and in a national magazine – for every issue,
colour image to monochrome, adds to technique tips. It’s fun, it’s free, and ­PHOTONews selects reader’s images
the impact. it’s a friendly environment for photog- from the photos posted in our PHOTO­
You may submit images photo- raphers of all ages and skill levels. News Canada Reader's Gallery flickr®
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If you need help in posting your en- the PHOTONews “It’s all about the light” a few of your favourite photos, and enjoy
tries, please refer to this thread–How Challenge is January 15, 2021. our interactive photographic adventures!

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PHOTONEWS – 50 – AUTUMN 2020