N-Photo: the Nikon magazine May 2022

Kieran Brimson PAGE 6 Our apprentice learns to shoot stunning interiors under the tutelage of property photographer Kieran. Nigel Forster PAGE 26 Landscape and architectural photographer Nigel shows you how to shoot amazing creative images of the great outdoors. Tianna J-Williams PAGE 60 Midwife turned maternity photographer and Nikon Z Creator Tianna tells us about her dazzling career. Tracey Welch PAGE 68 Music shooter Tracey reveals her project and exhibition shooting working musicians with stroboscopic lighting. Tom Mason PAGE 86 Find out the latest critter Tom has been waiting to photograph this month while laying in a stagnant ditch for days on end… Angela Nicholson PAGE 98 Pick a card, any card… Angela puts five of the latest ultra-fast, ultra-secure CFexpress cards through our tough tests.…

We all love getting out and about with our cameras, and this issue pro landscape and architectural photographer Nigel Forster has come up with no less than 25 must-read tips and tricks for shooting natural and urban environments, guaranteed to have you thinking creatively, rather than merely snapping the scene. Our apprentice, meanwhile, stays inside the house, learning to shoot stylish interiors of properties that say ‘home sweet home’ in a characterful holiday cottage in Cornwall. In our interview, we speak with Tianna J-Williams, whose maternity photography has graced many a mantelpiece of mums-to-be, while music photog Tracey Welch shares the story behind her strobe project. Plus have our usual mix of shooting and editing projects, including removing crowds from scenes, shooting the blue hour, using reverse ND grads and literally blowing up…

Golden light poured through the front windows of The Count House as Kieran and Nathan exchanged pleasantries before stepping inside the character-rich Victorian property. It was barely 8am, but the photographers were keen to capitalize on the soft morning light. “I don’t tend to use photo lighting,” said Kieran. “Nothing’s moving and I always use a tripod so the exposure is as long as it needs to be. Let’s start by doing a quick recce.” The pair moved from room to room observing the natural light and quickly concluded the living room was the place to start. “As the sun moves, other rooms will come into play. For now, we want to capture this room before we lose the light.” Nathan asked Kieran what lens he should use, but because he didn’t…

CAMERA SETTINGS Kieran says… Interior photography is mostly about composition and observation – the camera settings are relatively simple. I use Manual mode and apertures that are generally f/10 or f/11. ISO100 is fine when you’re shooting on a tripod as the exposure can be as long as you need it to be. LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Kieran says… I use the Virtual Horizon as a guideline, but predominantly rely upon my own judgement. This is because interior elements aren’t always perfectly level, particularly if they’re in a period property. If the floor and ceiling don’t match up, use your eye to frame what looks best. REVIEW IN-CAMERA Kieran says… Review compositions in Live View and Playback, and zoom in for a closer look. This is how you’ll spot things like patches of empty space or…

Kieran says… Rooms can look a little sterile if they’re empty. The viewer should aspire to visit the property and this can be encouraged by strategically placing a few appropriate items around the space and even omitting a few. I’ll set dining room tables, add throws to beds and books to bedside tables to help convey comfort and sell the idea of living in the space. But I’ll also avoid framing things like fire extinguishers and remove washing up products because nobody wants to be reminded of safety concerns and chores when they’re on holiday!…

STRAIGHTEN VERTICALS Kieran says… No matter how hard you try to capture straight verticals in-camera, they sometimes require a helping hand in post. Camera Raw’s Geometry tab features a useful Vertical slider so you can easily straighten edges. It even provides a faint grid overlay so you can line everything up. LIGHT A VIRTUAL FIRE Kieran says… Fires are cosy and welcoming so I often add them in post. I simply use Photoshop’s Pen tool to cut out and remove the firebox and then import an image of a flame on a black background. This is resized and position using Free Transform and then set to the layer below the base image. CLONE UNTIDY OBJECTS Kieran says… You can get carried away with removing unwanted objects if you’re not careful. But if something is particularly…