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Welcome
Welcome to the second issue of Xposure, the online magazine from LEE Filters. Our first
issue proved enormously popular, and we are pleased to bring you even more inspiration
and advice with this edition.

With each edition of Xposure, we aim to demonstrate the huge scope for creativity that
exists in modern photography, and who better to help us do so than a photographer
whose name will already be familiar to many. David Noton has been taking pictures
professionally for some 30 years, and for much of that time his core income was derived
from stock photography. Read how the drastic changes in that industry forced Noton to
rethink his own approach on page six.

If our inbox is anything to go by, the trend for long-exposure photography shows no
sign of abating. With its Big and Little Stoppers, LEE Filters is at the forefront of making
this style of photography accessible to all. You can learn how to get the best out of your
long-exposure images in our workshop with Steve Gosling on page 16.

Another photographer who has embraced the technique is Kuwait-based Sarah

Alsayegh. A self-confessed ‘rooftopper’, she takes many of her images from the top
of the skyscrapers that form such a distinctive part of her home city. Find out more on
page 52. At the opposite end of the scale is landscape photographer David Ward, who
is renowned for his detailed close-up images – he sees what most of us would overlook.
He explains his approach in Composition Masterclass on page 22.

We hope you enjoy the magazine, and if there are any subjects you would like us to
cover in future editions, please let us know via the email address on page 62.

Contributors
> David Noton > Pete Bridgwood > Ross Hoddinott

> Steve Gosling > Lizzie Shepherd > Mark Sisson

> David Ward > Mark Daly > Mark Smith

> Norman McCloskey > Patrick Pedersen > Sarah Alsayegh

Fuji X-Pro1 with 14mm lens, ISO 200, 42 seconds at f/11

Seven5 0.3 ND hard grad, polariser and Big Stopper
Photograph by Graham Merritt
4 xposure

features 5

06 16-21 22-26
> > >

-15 TAKE THE LONG VIEW COMPOSITION

Long-exposure photography can MASTERCLASS
SIGN OF THE TIMES introduce a whole new creative element A landscape photograph doesn’t always
to your photography. Steve Gosling have to be about the grand view. Smaller,
When photographer David Noton explains how, when and – most
realised that the market which had more intimate details can reveal just as
importantly – why he uses the technique much about the world around us and the
served him so well throughout his
career was transforming, he decided way we see, as David Ward reveals
to make some dramatic changes

27 44-45 46-49
> > >

-43 TROUBLESHOOTING ANATOMY OF A

Stumped by your filters? We can help WILDLIFE PICTURE
GALLERY Visualising an image is one thing –
making it a reality is quite another. Three
Immerse yourself in a showcase of photographers explain how they reached
some of the finest photographs shot their photographic goals
using LEE Filters

50
>

-59
VERTIGO-INDUCING
SCENES
Kuwait-based photographer Sarah
Alsayegh has found her niche as
a ‘rooftopper’, photographing from
the top of skyscrapers. Here, she
reveals how she goes about it
6 xposure

Sign
of
the Dawn on the Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech
Republic. Canon EOS 5D Mark III with EF24-
70mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 59mm, ISO 100,
five seconds at f/11, 0.6 ND soft grad

times

>
WHEN PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID NOTON and lucrative stock photography market, changes in
the industry have led him to explore a whole new area
REALISED THAT THE MARKET WHICH HAD
in order to continue making a living from the subject
SERVED HIM SO WELL THROUGHOUT he is so passionate about.
HIS CAREER WAS TRANSFORMING, HE
Noton has been a photographer for almost three
DECIDED TO MAKE SOME DRAMATIC decades. He started in 1985 with nothing more than a
CHANGES TO THE WAY HE EARNED HIS camera, three lenses, a bicycle, and a table that served
as an office space in the bedroom of the shared house
LIVING – WITH IMPRESSIVE RESULTS
he lived in with his wife, Wendy. He also had bags of
youthful vigour and – as he admits himself – naivete.
In January of this year, travel and landscape photographer “There’s a lot to be said for jumping in at the deep end,”
David Noton found himself standing on the edge of the he says with a smile.
dramatic Iguazu Falls, on the border of Argentina and
Brazil. It was the middle of the night, and the stars of It’s a maxim that has served him well throughout his
the Milky Way were glinting above him. As he carefully career. Many readers will already know him from the
composed his shot, and opened the shutter on his columns he has written for photography magazines, his
camera to take the long exposure that would capture books, his instructional DVDs and his roadshow – the last
both the flow of the water and the drama of the sky, of these being much more than your average slideshow.
Noton began to consider how both his photographs and During this time, however, it was the stock photography
the audience for them have evolved in recent years. market that served Noton well, and which he served
well in return. At one time, he had some 12,000 images
As a photographer who, like many of his peers, used to placed with various libraries across the world. But it is a
derive the majority of his income from the once-vibrant market that has undergone dramatic changes over the >>

The Milky Way over Iguazu Falls at night, Argentina.

Canon EOS-1D X with EF14mm f/2.8L II USM lens,
ISO 12,800, 120 seconds at f/5.6
8 xposure

past ten years or so. Whereas the imaginative and astute

stock photographer could have hoped to make a more
than reasonable living from it in the 1990s, in recent
years, the fees commanded by such imagery have
plummeted. “It’s now at the point where people pretty
much expect images to be available for free,” Noton sighs.

He knew it was time to seek out new audiences for his

work, so he began to explore an idea that had been
bubbling under for some time. “I had to reinvent the
wheel,” he says. “Everything I’ve done in recent years
has been to broaden my horizons and make sure I have
my fingers in lots of pies, because that’s the way it has
to be these days.” And this is how he found himself
producing Chasing The Light, a monthly online magazine,
complete with video as well as written content, for an
ever-increasing number of inspiration-thirsty members
who, crucially, are willing to pay for the product.

“Over the years, we’d attracted quite a following with

our activities,” Noton explains. “We’d made numerous
films and were producing all this content, and we
realised that maybe the best way to deliver it to an
audience was to make the most of the website and
its download capabilities.”

There were to be no half measures with the launch of

Chasing The Light – Noton and his team knew they
couldn’t start small and build on it. Having said that,
however, the magazine and website now features around
double the amount of content than it did when it was first
launched. So how did he attract subscribers?

“Essentially, over the years, we’ve attracted quite a

following with our activities,” he explains. “We publish
a monthly newsletter, which goes out to 10,000 people.
Then there’s social media, and I do road shows where
I make sure that everybody knows about the magazine.
Word of mouth is always the best way.”

Its success is made all the more impressive when you

take into consideration that, as Noton puts it, “there is
a huge resistance to paying for anything on the internet”.

The most surprising part of the magazine’s success, for

Noton, has been the creative shot in the arm it has given
his own work. “I’m now taking trips all over the world
with the prime objective of producing material for the
magazine,” he reveals.

In the past, the constraints of the stock photography

business imposed limitations on his photographic >>
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie at dusk, Alpes-de-
Haute-Provence, France. Canon EOS 5D
Mark III with EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
lens at 88mm, ISO 100, 30 seconds at f/8
Tombstone Pass and the upper valley of the
North Klondike River, Tombstone Territorial
Park, Yukon Territories, Canada. Canon EOS-
1D X with EF200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens,
ISO 800, 1/500sec at f/9, polariser
12
Wendy on the coast at Budir with the mountains of Holsfjall
and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, western Iceland. Canon EOS
5D Mark III with EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens at 53mm,
ISO 100, 30 seconds at f/10, 0.6 ND soft grad, Big Stopper

shoots, meaning he would have to approach the taking consuming,” he admits, “but it’s a great way of telling the
of most of his pictures with a potential client or sale in story of how a shoot comes together.”
mind. In its most basic form, that might mean leaving
enough blue sky or azure sea in the frame to allow In many ways, what Noton and his team – which includes
space for a headline or advertising copy. When he is editor Freya Dangerfield – are doing is coming up with an
producing pictures for use in the magazine, however, he idea, then producing the images to illustrate that idea. It’s
is at liberty to shoot as freely as he desires – something the reverse of the stock photography approach, which
he couldn’t have imagined years ago. is about second-guessing potential clients by producing
images to match an idea that might not even exist yet.
“I’ve gone from creating images for one type of client to Nowadays, Noton’s client is his reader, rather than an
creating images for another type of client,” he explains. advertising executive or art director.
“Selling reproduction rights is a market that is pretty
much done. Now what we’re doing is selling the story There’s just one thing, though. Doesn’t this approach
behind the pictures. We’re accessing a different client expose Noton as a photographer? Is he afraid of
– a photo enthusiast who might be professional, a revealing the many frustrations, mistakes and failures
complete beginner, or something in between. It’s a huge that are such a big part of his chosen profession? After
stimulus for my own photography, and it’s pushing it all, there’s something almost untouchable about a
forward in a very positive and enjoyable way.” photographer who makes his living by travelling the
world and making the kind of breathtaking images
Producing the content for the magazine is something the rest of us can only dream about. He laughs. “I’ve
that he constantly has in mind. For example, he might always done that [been honest],” he says. “I’ve always
lead a workshop in Iceland, and spend the days before felt very strongly that it’s all relevant. A lot of people
and after it producing images and videos for the website. will look at a set of images and see only epic scenes
Wendy accompanies him on many of his trips, and is in wonderful light, but such pictures come about only
often the person behind the video camera. “It’s time- after days and weeks of hanging around. Mistakes >>

A nun at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon,

Myanmar. Canon EOS 5D Mark III with
TS-E17mm f/4L lens, ISO 200, 1/100sec
at f/8, 0.9 ND soft grad
14

in Canada, I decided that I’d like to dabble in wildlife

photography, which I managed.”

There is a pressure for the photographer who creates

his or her own briefs, however. “Once I have a specific
idea or location in mind, I feel a huge weight come off
my shoulders,” he admits, “because that aspect of it
is the hardest part.”

While trips to New Zealand, Iceland, Bolivia and the like

are what he is known for, Noton also tries his best to
work locally as often as possible, too – although that’s
sometimes easier said than done. “There are so many
potential distractions at home,” he explains. “When we’re
on a trip, there’s only one objective, the photography –
The Milky Way and night sky over Kathleen and everything else revolves around that. It’s simple, and
Lake and the St Elias Mountains, Kluane
National Park, Yukon Territories, Canada.
I love it. Back at base, however, there is the tyranny of
Canon EOS-1D X with EF14mm f/2.8L II USM the computer and modern communications. So, in order
lens, ISO 12,800, 301 seconds at f/5.6 to shoot closer to home, I have to block off several days
in my diary, in the same way as I would if I were on
the other side of the world. I really do enjoy producing
are all part of it.” And then there’s the writing. “I enjoy pictures of the area I live in – Dorset is very beautiful and
that part of it very much, too,” he says. “The actual I have a very strong bond with it – but familiarity can
business of writing about what I do is very satisfying. breed contempt. You can start missing things, so I work
The whole thing is a rewarding and creative process. But hard to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
at the end of the day, it has to be all about the pictures.
He’s also grateful for the improvements in modern
It’s as simple as that. And this game of photography
camera technology – improvements that have opened
stimulates we photographers to go out and experience
his eyes to the potential for yet more creative images.
environments that we would never see without
“I’ve always thought it’s important as a photographer
photography to drive us.”
to challenge yourself. It would have been very easy,
Is he able to appreciate these experiences at the time, ten years ago, for me to say that panoramic landscape
though? “I am,” he states, emphatically. “You need to was my ‘big thing’ and always would be. It’s still a very
stand back from the tripod and consider what you’re important part of my work, but now, technological
looking at. Sometimes afterwards I will give myself a improvements in modern cameras have meant that it’s
quiet hour or two to come down from the experience.” possible to shoot using incredibly high ISO settings in low
light. As a result, over the past 18 months, I’ve started to
Once he started to travel extensively, Noton soon realised experiment with the kind of nocturnal photography that
that he would have to become very self-disciplined with wasn’t an option five or so years ago.”
his picture-taking when out in the field. His skills are
wide-ranging, from travel portraits, to candid imagery, It’s thanks to this technology that Noton can find himself
to landscapes. As such, he takes care to avoid the at the edge of a waterfall in Argentina at night, gazing at
scattergun approach. the stars above him – and thanks to Noton’s boundless
enthusiasm for photography that the rest of us can share
“Every time I go out the front door, I have an objective his vision. Not a bad exchange, in anyone’s mind. n
or an idea,” he explains. “Just hoping to stumble across
opportunities very rarely works. The better the plan, the
better the pictures. So when I went to Prague recently, Visit: davidnoton.com/chasing-the-light.asp
it was with cityscapes in mind, but on a trip to Yukon

Mupe Bay, Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III with TS-E24mm
f/3.5L II lens, ISO 200, 240 seconds at f/8,
Big Stopper, polariser
16 xposure

17

Take the long > Trollkonufingur, Faroe Islands.

Olympus E-M1 with 12-40mm
f/2.8 lens at 40mm, ISO 200,

VIEW
63 seconds at f/22, 0.9 ND soft
grad, Big Stopper

The Tree, Brimham Rocks, North

Yorkshire. Olympus E-M1 with
12mm f/2 lens, ISO 200, eight
seconds at f/22, 0.9 ND soft
grad, Little Stopper

LONG-EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY CAN INTRODUCE A WHOLE NEW CREATIVE ELEMENT

TO YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY. STEVE GOSLING EXPLAINS HOW, WHEN AND – MOST Nobody can have failed to notice the surge in popularity more about an emotional reaction and long exposures
of long-exposure photography in recent years. help me to communicate that message. Sometimes
IMPORTANTLY – WHY HE USES THE TECHNIQUE Photographers such as Michael Kenna and Rolfe Horn it’s about energy and movement, sometimes it’s about
Funningur Church, Faroe Islands.
are at the forefront of the movement, with their ethereal differentiating between textures – and sometimes it’s
Olympus E-M1 with 12-40mm f/2.8
lens at 12mm, ISO 200, 90 seconds images that are the result of exposures lasting several as much about subtlety as it is about drama.”
at f/16, 0.6 ND soft grad, Big Stopper hours. In order to produce similar effects, photographers
began to use ND standard filters, often stacking them Gosling’s equipment of choice is either an Alpa TC with
one on top of another. It was the introduction of the Big a Phase One back, or the Olympus OMD system. It’s with
Stopper – and, subsequently, the Little Stopper – that this latter kit that he uses LEE Seven5 filters. “Despite
saw the technique really take hold. With exposures being its small sensor, I can make 30x20in prints with images
extended by ten and six stops respectively, a world of taken on the OMD system,” he explains. “And when I
creative image-making opened up to the photographer. travel, I can get my hand luggage under 8kg, so I can
carry it on budget airlines.”
Yorkshire-based photographer Steve Gosling came to
the technique from a slightly different direction. It was Gosling appreciates the challenge that exists in returning
when he purchased a Zero Image pinhole camera, with to the same subject many times, and always does his
the aim of making landscape photographs, that he first best not to have any predetermined notions about how
fell in love with long exposures and the effect they had he will photograph a scene, even when it’s a landscape
on an image. “For the next few years, it was all I did,” he knows well. For instance, he might decide on one
he recalls. “I had two Zero Image bodies – one loaded occasion that the main subject should be very dominant
with ISO 100 film, and the other with ISO 400 film. The in the frame, and, on another, that it plays only a small
latitude of black-and-white film suited the imprecision part. Often, he will find a dramatic sky first, then look for
of the process, and I became fascinated with wideangle a landscape subject to go with it. But always, his choice
photography at long exposures. of lens, framing and filters will be influenced by how he
feels. “I try not to pre-judge the landscape,” he says,
“I never see the landscape as a static subject,” he “but I appreciate that any photograph I take is a dialogue
continues. “It’s a dynamic thing, so long exposures suit between me and the subject. Whether it ends up being
the way I see. In many ways, a long exposure is several a long-exposure image is an aesthetic choice, but also
decisive moments, as opposed to just one.” an emotional response. If I don’t feel peaceful, then I’ll
choose an exposure that gives lots of movement, or vice
Once Gosling moved across to digital photography, versa. But there’s a choice, too. Because a long exposure
he began to seek out ways of recreating the same can actually create a very calm-looking image from a
atmosphere that he had made his signature look – which turbulent landscape.”
is when he began to use neutral-density standard filters,
eventually turning to the Big and Little Stopper filters. In this feature, Gosling takes us through the process
However, he likes to be judicious in their use. “I don’t do of creating a long-exposure image. >>
long exposures exclusively,” he explains. “The technique
is a tool and needs to be used appropriately. I think it’s
more important to ask myself what it is I want to say Visit: stevegoslingphotography.co.uk
and what I feel about the landscape in front of me. It’s
18 xposure

19

Fountains Abbey The Wrestlers

Before Before
Fountains Abbey, in Ripon, Yorkshire, is a Cistercian As a straight shot, the sky is rather uninspiring, the
abbey now under the ownership of the National Trust. reflections in the water are contrasty and the visitors
On a busy summer day, there were plenty of visitors, in the distance are distracting.
and the grass was being mown.

After
After
There was enough breeze that even an exposure of less
A two-stop soft grad brings more detail and texture
than a minute produced this far more dramatic result,
into the sky, while a Big Stopper extends the exposure
with the clouds appearing to explode out of the statue.
to nearly one-and-a-half minutes. The long exposure
The water has flattened to a soft sheen, and any people
means that the man on the lawnmower and any
in shot have not been recorded. >>
tourists have completely disappeared.

Olympus E-M1 with 12mm f/2 lens, ISO 200, Olympus E-M1 with 12mm f/2 lens, ISO 200,
87 seconds at f/22, 0.6 ND soft grad and Big 56 seconds at f/22, 0.6 ND soft grad, Big
Stopper, processed in Photoshop and Silver Stopper, processed in Photoshop and Silver
Efex Pro Efex Pro
20 xposure

21

How Hill Final image

The final image has been cropped either
side, to lead the viewer’s eye straight to
No filters the distant tree. It has been processed
to give an airy, quite high-key result.
Without any filters, the Interestingly, this is the image that was
scene is rather static and shot with nothing other than a 0.6 ND
bland. Although the scene soft grad, with a 1/10sec shutter speed to
was shot at 1/15sec, the blur the foreground grasses just slightly,
breeze wasn’t blowing proving that long exposures don’t always
sufficiently to introduce have to be the result of extra filtration.
any movement. Of course, you may prefer one of the
other images, because photography is
nothing if not subjective! n

0.6 ND soft grad

Long Exposure Tips
The use of a 0.6 ND soft
1. Not all subjects or situations respond
grad introduces detail into
well to or require long exposures. Ask
the sky. Shot at 1/10sec,
yourself what message and mood you
the difference between this
want to convey, and whether a long
and the unfiltered image is
exposure will help strengthen that
obvious – thanks to waiting Olympus E-M5 with 17mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 200,
communication.
for a breeze to blow. 1/10sec at f/20, 0.6 ND soft grad
2. Sometimes a less obvious effect is
more successful. I use my two, three
and six-stop (Little Stopper) ND filters
as often as I use the Big Stopper.
0.6 ND soft grad Consider using them not only for
plus six-stop ND effect, but also to remove passing
The Little Stopper, which people from a scene.
extends exposures by six 3. Look for contrasts between the static
stops, creates a misty, (rocks, buildings, trees etc) and the
almost watery appearance moving (water, clouds and foliage).
to the image. Long exposures can accentuate
texture: rough stone against blurred
water, for example.

4. Unless you’re deliberately aiming

0.6 ND soft grad for an impressionistic look (a valid
plus ten-stop ND reason to use ND filters, of course)
then long exposures require the
The Big Stopper extends camera to be mounted on a solid
the exposure to just over tripod. It is a worthwhile investment
two minutes. Nearly all and essential for high-quality images.
texture in the grasses are Olympus E-M5 with 17mm f/1.8 lens,
lost, and there isn’t enough 5. Long-exposure photography is
Olympus E-M5 with 17mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 200, Olympus E-M5 with 17mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 200, unpredictable, which is one of its ISO 200, 1/10sec at f/20, 0.6 ND
interest in the sky to inject soft grad, processed in Photoshop
five seconds at f/20, 0.6 ND soft grad, Little
any drama into the scene.
122 seconds at f/20, 0.6 ND soft grad, Big attractions. Embrace the uncertainty,
Stopper Stopper enjoy the randomness of the results, and Silver Efex Pro
experiment and have fun!
22 xposure

23
>

Composition
Masterclass
A LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPH DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ABOUT
THE GRAND VIEW. SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE DETAILS CAN REVEAL
JUST AS MUCH ABOUT NOT ONLY THE WORLD AROUND US, BUT
ALSO THE WAY WE SEE, AS DAVID WARD REVEALS

Around 20 years ago, landscape photographer most insightful things I’ve ever read”. He said,
David Ward decided to start looking at the world “To quote out of context is the essence of the
around him a little more closely – literally. Up until photographer’s craft.” As Ward goes on to explain,
that point, like so many other photographers, he “If you put the widest possible lens on your
had been attracted by the wider landscape, or camera, the picture you take is still a quote out of
what he calls “the vista”. So what brought about context. If someone takes a 360-degree picture,
the change in approach? “I realised there was it’s still a quote out of context. Photographs are
no point in me trying to be another Joe Cornish!” not a representation of what we see.”
he says, laughing as he talks of his great friend
and fellow landscape photographer. Ward still predominantly shoots on 5x4in film, Linhof Technikardan with
preferring the control over plane and perspective 210mm Schneider Apo-
But the decision to concentrate more intently on it gives him compared with shooting digitally, Symmar f/5.6 lens, Fuji
the details of what surrounds us wasn’t taken only and suggesting that using a digital back such Velvia 50, 1/8sec at f/22
because of the competition in Ward’s chosen field. as a Phase One would give him a “reduced
He realised that doing so would mean his pictures experience”. On placing the darkcloth over his
would express more about him and the way he head, all distractions are eliminated, allowing

>
perceives the world. “I came to realise that when
I make a close-up image, it’s easier to make it
him to study the ground-glass screen and lose
himself in the composition in front of him. Hov
personal. With a vista it’s much harder to do that.” Lofoten Islands, Norway
But it’s the inverted image on that ground-glass
He continues, “My photography has become a screen that is the most important part of the
way of me exploring the visual realm. I’m not so process. “It’s a perception thing,” he says. “You “I’d been to this beach on the Lofoten Islands With this image, one of the things I was inspired
concerned about what I photograph – it’s more have to really look. When the image is upside once before, but I struggled to resolve the by was Andrew Nadolski’s series The End of the
about how I understand how the world looks.” down, your brain is forced to think about colour compositional problems with it. I love the way Land. In some of his images, the subject is the
and line, and how one tone relates to another. in which the rock is sculpted but I couldn’t figure negative space between the rocks rather than
This exploration has led him to become fascinated It slows you down. For the kind of work I do, out how to make an image of it. the rocks themselves. Photographers can be too
by the notion that photographs are not a true slowing down is quite a good thing.” concerned with the ‘star’ subject, such as a tree
representation of what we see when we take I treat photographic composition as a problem- or a boulder. So I was keen to explore other ways
them. “For instance, every individual sees colour In conclusion, Ward says, “One of the biggest solving exercise – it’s a multi-dimensional puzzle of solving that problem of composition.
in a different way,” he says. “And the lens we gifts that photography has given me is the ability where I try to find a solution that fits inside a
choose makes a difference to how we perceive to see things. We’re only in this world once, and rectangular frame. Compositionally, detail images I loved the curve of the rocks and the shape of
a scene. Photographs are written by the light most people walk through life with their eyes are harder puzzles to solve. Quite often, I try the sand in between them. In terms of making it
coming off the object, but what we see is a puzzle closed. Any visual art is a gift.” to push myself technically in terms of what’s work, I really did need the movements of the view
or intrigue that we wouldn’t otherwise see.” possible with focus and lighting, perhaps making camera to achieve focus – it took me 30 or 40
an image that has a very high contrast range or minutes to get it right. With some pictures, it can
There’s a quote by the late curator and critic Visit: into-the-light.com is taken in very low lighting levels. sometimes take even longer than that.” >>
John Szarkowski that Ward calls “one of the
 xposure

25
>
Ice cave
Iceland

“I’ve been going to these ice caves for the wall at the mouth of the cave for about
about four years and they are completely 25 minutes. I noticed strange shapes
different each time, because the previous where the cave reflected not only the
year’s melting ice forms the shapes. You sky but also the ice around the mouth of
never know what you’re going to find cave. I decided to go for broke in terms
there. We were blessed on this occasion of ‘quoting out of context’ and used a
with the largest cave I’ve ever come 400mm lens to focus on a section of the
across – it was about 200m long and wall. It’s actually about 3-4m high, but by
some 15-20m wide. Four or five shafts removing all traces of anything that shows
admitted light into the cave, so there the scale, you become lost in it being
were pools of light all the way through. series of shapes and colours.

It’s an incredibly difficult location to The image is actually presented upside

photograph. We aren’t accustomed to down – so it’s as you would see it on the
being in environments where everything ground glass. The composition is more
is lit by coloured light, so this skews our balanced this way. I used a one-stop grad
perception of that colour. And composition across the lighter portion of the frame on
is as much about colour as it is about form. the bottom right. This allowed me to get
more light into the dark shapes in the top
I spent five or six hours in the cave and left. No highlights were going to blow – I
only made two images prior to this one. It just wanted to get more light into the dark
was getting towards the end of our time areas. There’s a tension and uneasiness to
in the location, and I had been looking at this image which is entirely deliberate.” >>

Linhof Technikardan with 270mm Nikon T*ED f/6.3 lens,

Fuji Velvia 50, 1/2sec at f/22²/3
26 xposure

27
>

Old red sandstone

>
Achnahaird, Scotland the

Gallery
“This is a real objet trouvé. I was in Achnahaird, in and the bluish background stone. It’s a photograph that
Scotland, and was casting around for something to embodies what I try to do when I take a close-up – the
photograph. There was full sunlight and blue sky, and longer you look, the more you find in it. Working out the
I was trying to work out what to do in such hard light, composition takes quite a while, because there needs to
when I noticed this arrangement of grass on sandstone be a balance of simplicity of form alongside a complexity
and lichen. I loved the coherence that arose out of chaos of texture. That’s what takes the time.
– the grasses had just ended up in that configuration.
The balance between the lines and colours of the grasses At some point, when I’ve stared at it long enough, a scene
against the background was wonderful. reveals to me how it wants to be photographed. There are
probably hundreds of compositions you could make with IMMERSE YOURSELF IN A SHOWCASE OF SOME OF
I propped my camera bag on one side in order to create different lenses and media. All would be valid solutions,
some shade, and from then on it was very simple in terms but you have to pick one that you feel most corresponds THE FINEST PHOTOGRAPHS SHOT USING LEE FILTERS
of focus and composition. Having said that, though, the with what you want to say in a photograph. By looking
image works on quite a complicated level, because it’s at things, studying them, and making images again and
about line, tonality and colour. The grasses provide subtle again, you train yourself – and that effectively becomes
lines, and there is a colour contrast between their warmth your style as a photographer.” n

Linhof Technikardan with

210mm Schneider Apo-
Symmar f/5.6 lens, Fuji
Velvia 50, 1/8sec at f/22
28 xposure

29

> Norman McCloskey

Kenmare, Ireland

>
>

Tree Devil’s Island

Newfoundland Bay, Upper Lake Muckross Lake
Killarney National Park, Ireland Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 16-35mm
Killarney National Park, Ireland
lens, ISO 50, 1½sec at f/13, 0.9 ND soft grad

I wanted to capture the Lakes of Killarney from the water make a photograph. I scrambled to take just two frames,
before dawn, so I hired a boatman to help me. We set manually focusing my 24mm lens and shooting at 0.3sec,
off in total darkness under a blanket of fog, much to his handheld – all in a boat!
bemusement. Once the light began to break, we were
able to make out the shore a little; the islands appeared Amazingly, the image is sharp and I managed to get it
out of the fog and disappeared again just as quickly. just in time. Only 30 seconds later, the little island was
shrouded in the dense fog again and had disappeared –
This small island surprised me and although we killed but I had an image I had been visualising for more than
the boat’s engine straight away, I wasn’t quite ready to two years in the bag. >>

Canon EOS 5D Mark III with TS-E24mm lens,

ISO 100, 0.3sec at f/6.7, 0.6 ND soft grad

I spent three years photographing the iconic Killarney make a more interesting composition. The rain came in
National Park, and the project has culminated in a book. abundance, but waiting for it to stop was the tricky part!
When you intend to say something new about a subject,
you really have to work hard and take advantage of Finally, a window presented itself and I drove to the park
anything that might present a scene in a different light. through flooded roads, which were all good signs for
what I wanted. Wading out the short distance from the
After so long working on the project, I had become road in the flood was a little tricky, but it was the only
aware of the dramatic rise and fall of the water levels in way to achieve the composition. The brooding skies and
the lakes and how quickly this occurs after heavy rain. last bit of light beyond provided just the atmospheric
This tree stood on a grassy plain beside the lake and I composition I wanted and it remains one of my favourite
hoped it would flood enough someday to isolate it and images from the project.
30 xposure

31

Canon EOS 5D Mark II with EF 16-35mm

lens, ISO 50, 57 seconds at f/16, ProGlass
0.9 ND standard and 0.3 ND soft grad

> Lough Leane

Killarney National Park, Ireland

After a period of storms and heavy rains, a still morning

came as a welcome relief, and a gift of driftwood and
high water presented itself to me as I walked around
the shore of Lough Leane.

Although it was quite an obvious composition, it didn’t

quite work from my viewpoint on the shore, so I had to
wade out a little to find a balance that worked for me.

I found that limiting myself to only two or three lenses

for the entire book project resulted in a compositional
style emerging, albeit a relatively simplistic one. The final
exposure was almost a minute long, not for obvious
effect, but to ensure the smooth appearance of the
water, which was catching the odd light breeze. >>

Parklight: Images from Killarney National Park

by Norman McCloskey, can be purchased at
www.normanmccloskey.com/parklight, price €29.99
32 xposure

33

> Pete Bridgwood

Nottingham, England

> Another Place

Crosby, England

Compact system cameras are reshaping the world

of landscape photography; their small size and light
weight facilitates a more reactive shooting style,
enabling us to respond very quickly when photogenic
scenes present themselves. Creating photographs
with outstanding image quality even when shooting
hand-held has never been more accessible.
Consequently, it can be therapeutic to occasionally
slow down and enjoy a more mindful experience,
imbibing the ‘moment’, rather than the ‘instant’.

This image was made on the beach at Crosby, the

home of Antony Gormley’s creation, Another Place.
One hundred cast-iron life-size sculptured figures,
all modelled on Gormley himself, are permanently
installed on a wide and relatively flat expanse of beach.
The statues all look out to sea and are submerged by
incoming tides, creating a minimalist photographer’s
dream location, no matter what the weather conditions.

As the tide swirled around the statue, I selected a raised

viewpoint and attached the Seven5 Big Stopper to ensure
the sea was rendered as an ethereal blur of negative
space, removing texture, removing detail, enhancing
the presence of the figure and hopefully creating a
compelling connection with the viewer. >>

Visit: petebridgwood.com

Fujifilm X-Pro1 with XF55-200mm lens

at 200mm, ISO 200, 30 seconds at f/10,
Big Stopper
34 xposure

35

> Lizzie Shepherd

North Yorkshire, England
>

Callanish Stone Circle Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III with Canon TS-E
17mm lens, ISO 200, 155 seconds at f/11, Big
Isle of Lewis, Scotland Stopper. Converted to black and white with
Silver Efex Pro on a new layer in Photoshop

Nikon D800E with 18-35mm

f/3.5-4.5 G AF-S ED lens at
18mm, ISO 100, 30 seconds
at f/9, Little Stopper and
polarising filter. Converted to
black and white with Silver
Efex Pro on a new layer in
Photoshop. The opacity of the
new layer was around 95% to
allow a hint of colour toning to
come through.

Callanish needs little introduction – it is a magical location which I carefully aligned through the viewfinder and kept

>
on the west of the Isle of Lewis, and is made even more vertical by shifting the lens upwards. Waterfall
special by the fact that you are allowed to wander freely Upper Wharfedale
among these magnificent Lewisian Gneiss stones. The wind was not strong on this occasion, so I needed a
very long exposure in order to blur the clouds sufficiently. Yorkshire Dales
This image was taken a little after sunrise in early autumn. I like the idea of the movement of clouds over time, set
The light was gorgeous and the clouds very pretty, but against prehistoric stones that have stood on this island
There are a number of rather elegant waterfalls above towards me from above made it a perfect candidate for a
I felt the latter were fighting for attention with the stones, for so many thousands of years.
the tiny and picturesque village of Cray in Yorkshire. This long exposure. The light was fading, so the Little Stopper
one is almost hidden within the undulating landscape, was the perfect choice of filter to create the kind of cloud
but I was struck by the lone ash tree guarding the top of patterns I was hoping for, balanced nicely by the soft flow
the falls, and the fast-moving clouds that were coming of water in the stream. >>
36 xposure

37

Nikon D800W with Zeiss 35mm f/2 lens,

ISO 100, 42 seconds at f/11, Big Stopper
>

Showery Copse
Near Boroughbridge
North Yorkshire

This little copse, set in a farmer’s field, is one of my and allowed the winter trees and the plough lines of the
favourite local spots. The mixture of sun and showers field to stand out better against that moody sky. >>
on this afternoon provided wonderful light and definition
to the scene. However, although the clouds from the
unfiltered exposure looked very striking and dramatic, Visit: lizzieshepherd.com
the use of the Big Stopper has simplified the scene,
38 xposure

39

> Mark Daly

Vancouver, Canada

>
Farm Building
The Palouse
Washington State, USA

The Palouse is a large region of farmland in Idaho and

Eastern Washington State, and produces primarily wheat
and legumes. Each spring, the gently rolling hills turn
various shades of green, brown and yellow, creating
a beautiful patchwork of colour. For this particular shot,
I drove halfway up Steptoe Butte, the highest point
around. I wanted to get a fairly high vantage point, so
I could capture the rolling hills at the proper angle.

I took this photograph in the evening when the low light

created nice, long shadows, providing depth to the
image. From my vantage point, I could see for miles.
I settled on this farm building as my subject, as the
evening light was hitting it perfectly. I wanted a very
warm image, so I used a LEE Coral filter to accentuate
the warmth and brown tones.

As far as composition goes, I used the rule of thirds for

the building. I like the minimalism of this image – a lone
building adrift in endless acres of rolling hills. I was
blessed with great light, as well, and the shadows really
helped to provide definition to the hills, and depth to
the overall image.

I prefer to use minimal post-processing and this image was

no exception. All I did here was a bit of sharpening. >>

Visit: natureasart.photoshelter.com

Canon EOS 7D with 100-400mm lens at

350mm, ISO 100, 1/6sec at f/16, Coral filter
40 xposure

41

> Patrick Pedersen

Fredrikstad, Norway

> Fredrikstad Bridge

Norway

This is my hometown’s biggest bridge and has been

photographed extensively over the years – both by me
and many other photographers. I had never seen any
really decent shots of the bridge taken using a long
exposure, and although I had tried it myself several
times, I had never really nailed it. The temperature
was minus 18 degrees and I waited for about an hour
before the clouds and movement of the skies was
exactly how I wanted it. It was well worth it, though,
and the picture went on to receive more than 2,500
‘likes’ on my local newspaper’s Facebook page. >>

Nikon D800E with Nikon 17-35mm lens

at 17mm, ISO 50, 247 seconds at f/20,
0.3 ND hard grad, Big Stopper
 xposure

Nikon D800E with 17-35mm lens at 17mm,

43
ISO 50, 125 seconds at f/20, 0.6 ND hard
grad, Big Stopper

>
Storesand Homlungen

>
Hvaler, Norway Lighthouse
Hvaler, Norway
Storesand, on a little island in a tiny
commune named Hvaler, is one of my
I always do my best to get all my images
favourite places in Norway to shoot long
right in camera. That was definitely the case
exposures. When taking this picture, as
with this image of Homlungen Lighthouse,
with most of my images, I used hyperfocal
which lies just a few hundred metres from
distance focusing, to ensure everything was
the island of Kirkøy – where another of the
in pin-sharp focus from front to back. Usually,
pictures in this set was taken.
I work between f/8 and f/22 – though f/16 is
my favourite aperture to use with my 17- After composing the shot, I always make
35mm lens. After focusing, I choose which sure I lock the tripod handles as tight as I
(if any) neutral-density grad to use, and possibly can, so that the camera stands as
carefully slide it into the second filter slot securely as possible on the well-locked ball
(never the first – that’s for the Little or Big head. A good tripod is more than essential
Stopper). Once it is in place, I take my light – it is a must-have piece of equipment for
reading, choose which ‘Stopper’ filter to use, a long-exposure photographer. n
calculate my exposure, then fit the filter into
the slot nearest the lens.
Visit: 500px.com/xtrick

Nikon D800E with 17-35mm lens at 17mm,

ISO 100, 270 seconds at f/16, 0.6 ND hard
grad, Big Stopper
44 xposure

45

Trouble-
>

Shooting
SHOULD I TURN ON LONG EXPOSURE
NOISE REDUCTION (LENR) WHEN
SHOOTING WITH THE BIG STOPPER?
Yes and no.

For long exposures of more than 30 seconds or so, you

can get increased noise from the sensor, which is caused
YOUR FILTER QUERIES ANSWERED by heat generated from the sensor over-working. This
often shows as individual ‘hot pixels’ in the image. Some
cameras suffer from this effect more than others, and the
longer the exposure, the worse the effect.

By using LENR, your camera will take a second ‘blank’

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN image of the same duration straight after your actual
RESIN AND GLASS FILTERS? exposure. This allows the results to be compared inside
the camera and a noise-free image to be produced. The
LEE resin filters are individually handmade. The 2mm
downside of this is that all long exposures take twice as
optical resin is cast in our factory, hand-dyed and cut
long and photographers can find the wait exasperating,
to give a very high-quality product, in terms of both
preferring to remove any noise in postproduction.
colour accuracy and optical quality. They are hard-
wearing and ideal for use on location. However, many photographers see it as part of the fun
of long-exposure photography and are happy to use it.
The glass filters that LEE offers tend to be specialist
filters that are not available in other materials, such
as the ProGlass series, Big and Little Stoppers or
polarisers. They are hard-wearing and scratch-resistant,
but tend to be expensive. Do not drop!

IF I HAD TO BUY JUST

ONE FILTER, WHICH WOULD
YOU RECOMMEND?
The 0.6 ND hard grad is probably the
most useful single filter. You can use it
with almost any landscape shot, and
although it’s not perfect for everything,
CAN I USE MY EXISTING SCREW- it will markedly improve almost every
FIT POLARISER WITH THE LEE shot you take with it. n
SYSTEM?
Yes, you can, so long as your polariser has a repeat WHY IS 82MM THE LARGEST
thread at the front edge to take another screw-in WIDEANGLE ADAPTOR RING
accessory (some slimline polarisers do not). You can AVAILABLE?
attach the polariser to the lens and then screw the
adaptor ring into the polariser. Wideangle adaptor rings have a countersunk thread
to allow the filter to be positioned as close to the lens
Bear in mind that this will increase the possibility of as possible, thus maximising the angle of view. The
vignetting and does make the polariser tricky to access. 82mm ring is the widest we can manufacture that still
allows this countersink – anything larger would have
to effectively sit in front of, rather than over, the lens.
46 xposure

47

>ANATOMY OF A WILDLIFE PICTURE

VISUALISING AN IMAGE IS ONE THING – MAKING IT A REALITY IS QUITE ANOTHER. the insect for sufficient depth of field – which is crucial Although it was unlikely that the demoiselle would be
with macro photography.” disturbed, the speed with which the sun rises presented
THREE PHOTOGRAPHERS EXPLAIN HOW THEY REACHED THEIR PHOTOGRAPHIC GOAL its own problems.
As he was shooting directly into the sun, the meter
suggested an extremely fast shutter speed. However, it “It moves surprisingly quickly,” Hoddinott explains, “so
was essential for him to use the widest possible aperture, it’s tricky to control the composition. I had to make lots
otherwise the sun wouldn’t record as a perfect circle. of very fine adjustments to the tripod head and legs, and
“The only option was to use an ND standard filter, to bring even then I only had three or four minutes before the sun
the shutter speed within the camera’s range,” he explains. had risen too high in the sky.”

The translucence of the

insect’s wing makes it the
A wide aperture ensured perfect subject for a silhouette.
the sun would record as a
perfect orb.

By leaving room to the

right of the frame, the
viewer is able to imagine
the insect taking off into
the space.

Focusing is critical with such

a tiny subject. Hoddinott
used the live view facility on
The curve of the reed is
his camera to zoom in and
important to the composition,
ensure the banded demoiselle
giving a flow to the image
Nikon D800 with Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 lens, was pin sharp.
ISO 50, 1/8000sec at f/4.2, 0.9 ProGlass ND
and allowing the eye to sweep
across the frame.
BANDED DEMOISELLE filter, tripod
Lower Tamar Lakes, Cornwall, England
>

BY ROSS HODDINOTT ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER The Landscape Photography Workshop, and he has
been on the judging panel of the prestigious Wildlife
If there’s one thing that’s crucial to a successful insects roost among the reeds, so they tend to be still Ross Hoddinott has been passionate about wildlife Photographer of the Year awards.
wildlife photograph, it’s planning. And Cornwall-based enough to photograph.” photography since the age of ten, when his parents
photographer Ross Hoddinott had had this particular gave him his first camera. Only a year later, he won the He is particularly inspired by the subjects around his
image of a banded demoiselle at sunrise in mind long A 4.30am start gave Hoddinott the best chance of
junior flora and fauna category in BBC Countryfile’s home in Cornwall, in the southwest of England, where
before he actually got the opportunity to take it. capturing the image in the way he hoped, but even
annual photography competition. he lives with his wife and three daughters. >>
then, he knew his time would be limited. “I found this
“At certain times of year, you target certain species,” he demoiselle in just the right position,” he explains, “and Nowadays, Ross is as much at home in the landscape
explains. “And early in the morning during summer, the I was able to set up my camera so it was parallel with as he is with a macro lens, stalking the tiniest of Visit: rosshoddinott.co.uk
insect subjects. He is author of a number of books,
including Digital Macro & Close-up Photography and
48 xposure

49

WHOOPER SWANS
Lake Kussharo, Japan
>

BY MARK SISSON
For wildlife photographer Mark Sisson, the grace and kilometre Lake Kussharo – the largest lake in Japan to
elegance of swans makes them one of his favourite freeze over in winter. ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Secret Lives of Puffins and Bird Photography:
families of birds. “They symbolise many of the endearing Art and Techniques. He jointly owns and runs the
qualities of the natural world,” he says. “The lake’s geothermal springs mean that patches of the Mark Sisson is an award-winning UK-based leading wildlife photography holidays and workshops
lake remain unfrozen,” Sisson explains, “and it’s in these professional nature photographer. His work is widely business Nature’s Images, which offers both local and
Sisson has photographed whooper swans on several that the birds gather. The local people revere the swans, published across magazines such as BBC Wildlife international photo opportunities and coaching.
occasions, not only in the UK – where they visit in and feed them while they are there. As a result, the birds’ and the RSPB’s Nature’s Home, and is represented
large and noisy groups during winter – but also at their instinctive shyness is removed.” in leading image libraries including RSPB Images
breeding grounds in Iceland. “They are challenging to and FLPA. Visit: marksissonphoto.co.uk
photograph in both locations,” he reveals. “Both in terms He spent several days absorbed in the swans’ behaviour,
or natures-images.co.uk
of the setting of the images and in their approachability.” and during that time he experienced vastly differing He has had four books published, including The
weather conditions, including high winds and heavy
It was on a trip to Japan earlier in 2014 that Sisson snowstorms. “Then, one afternoon, the sky was clear,” he
travelled to the northern island of Hokkaido and found says. “I simply had to take this low-level wideangle image
himself in the ‘truly stunning’ setting of the 80-square- to place the beautiful birds within their stunning setting.”

The preening bird complements

the swimming one, and helps
give a sense that this is just
part of a bigger scene where
The use of the polariser has all aspects of whooper life are
helped to eliminate any carrying on.
surface glare on the water. It
has also intensified the blue
colours and emphasises their
contrast with the swans’
white plumage.

The two birds on the right

both cut the line of the
horizon, but a higher
viewpoint to avoid this
would have lost the impact
Sisson lay on the shore with This reflection is critical to
of the low point of view. >>
his camera hand-held just bringing life to the image,
above the water, placing the as well as the dynamics of
viewer at swan height, which the reflections. The fact that
increases the intimacy of the swan is looking out of the
the image. frame, while its body faces in,
creates additional tension.

Canon EOS-1DX with 24-70mm lens at 63mm,

ISO 400, 1/400sec at f/13, polariser filter
50 xposure

51

fill light with the ambient light. “Without them, the pictures shot, a male from a neighbouring street was behind me
look too set up,” he says. and the two ultimately came to blows.”

Becoming more familiar with the behaviour of the foxes As Smith plans to move out of London soon, he is making
was as important as any photographic technique. the most of this project while he can. “Most people have
“Generally, the older the fox, the more they’ve learned no real idea that at least one fox visits their streets every
that people aren’t that scary,” Smith says. “The fox in night, and quite possibly their gardens, too. Several of the
this picture was from a very active family whose cubs dens I’ve encountered are in gardens where the owner
were old enough to roam the streets. When I took this has no idea about it.”

I waited until the fox’s ears were

pricked before taking the shot. It
had spotted a potential rival in the
street – such encounters usually
end either in confrontation or a
Subtle touches, such as hasty retreat.
including the window light By placing Colour
in the frame, offer a reminder Temperature Orange
that this is a residential area, (CTO) gels over the two
where foxes and humans live flashguns, the flashlit
their lives in parallel. foreground is balanced
with the ambient light.

Leaving space at the left-

hand area of the frame
Canon EOS-1DX with Canon 16-35mm lens creates a more balanced
at 27mm, ISO 3,200, 1/50sec at f/2.8, 0.9 composition, appearing to
ND soft grad (upside down), two flashguns leave the fox an area to move
URBAN FOX
on wireless remote with LEE Filters 1/2 Colour into.
North London
Temperature Orange gels
>

BY MARK SMITH
Having travelled to Africa, Asia and even the Arctic to But also, I didn’t really understand fox behaviour at that
The 0.9 ND soft grad covers the
pursue his passion for wildlife photography, in 2013, point and I was too impatient.”
lower two-fifths of the frame.
Mark Smith decided it was time to look for subjects
closer to his north London home. The urban fox seemed Once Smith invested in a more sophisticated camera,
the obvious choice. “Little did I know it would become refined his technique and became more patient, he
an obsession,” he says. began to get the results he had envisaged from the
outset. In particular, he started to use off-camera
He set about the project by waiting on a street corner flashguns and would fit neutral-density graduated filters ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Outdoor Photography, and in European publications
where he’d seen a number of foxes over the previous few upside down in the filter holder, in order to prevent the such as GEO France, Le Figaro and Terra Mater.
years. As a fox passed him, he tried to follow it and learn foreground road or pavement from bleaching out. Mark Smith is a freelance wildlife photographer
its route. Within a few weeks of starting, he had located a who has travelled widely for his work, and who For the past 18 months, he has been working on
number of dens and learned the routes of several foxes. “Grads are very important when working this close to has won a number of awards, including several his urban foxes project, and the behaviour he has
But his first images didn’t quite turn out as planned. the ground,” Smith explains. “When you use a flash only highly commended images in the British Wildlife encountered has even caught the attention of the
30cm or so above the ground, and a wideangle lens at the Photography Awards, as well as category wins in BBC Natural History Unit. n
“They were terrible!” Smith exclaims. “My camera wasn’t same height, the foreground can be very overexposed. both the portrait and behaviour categories.
good enough to focus in the dark, and it didn’t have a The grad helps to balance out the exposure.” In addition,
high enough ISO to expose the background sufficiently. he uses LEE Filters colour-correction gels to balance the His pictures have been published in national papers Visit: marksmithphotography.net
such as The Times, Daily Mail, The Telegraph and
52 xposure

53

VERTIGO

Dusk over Kuwait

>
LEE Filters
inducing
Having checked the weather,
I knew that the sunset would be
When did you first start photographing cityscapes?
full of vivid colours and perfect
for a skyline view of Kuwait.

scenes
Sarah Alsayegh I took three pictures and merged
I fell in love with photography in 2005, when I started taking pictures them into a panoramic.
as a hobby. I found that there was something captivating about
Canon EOS 5D Mark III with
capturing the beauty of what I saw in front of me. Perhaps it fits with
Canon TS-E 24mm Mark II lens,
KUWAIT-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER SARAH ALSAYEGH my personality type, as I love the quietness and stillness of waiting for ISO 100, 10 se-cond at f/14,
HAS FOUND HER NICHE AS A ‘ROOFTOPPER’, the perfect moment, as well as the challenge of scoping out an area tripod, 0.6 ND soft grad
for the best point of view and observing how the light changes.
PHOTOGRAPHING FROM THE TOP OF SKYSCRAPERS.
As someone who was born and raised in the Middle East, I had to look
HERE, SHE REVEALS HOW SHE GOES ABOUT IT for a different kind of beauty in my country, the State of Kuwait. The >>
54 xposure

55

LF conditions and, if I am lucky, I might get a good sunset.

With some buildings, the process of obtaining permission
What do you try to say about the scene in front of you?
is straightforward and I know of a few where, if the sunset
SA looks promising, I can just call to say I’m coming.
It’s very simple. My main aim is always to show the world LF
how beautiful my country is. It’s never easy to capture a
Does it take a lot of recce work to know which views work
perfect composition with the perfect light – it’s all about
best in certain conditions?
an exploration, both for me and for the person looking at
the picture. It’s true that one view can speak a thousand SA
words – whether that view is a landscape or a cityscape.
Sometimes, when scouting for a tall building with a view,
For me, capturing the true beauty of natural light against
it can be hard to know what the city looks like from the
city lights, and working to compose an image that people
rooftop. Not only this, but sometimes the wall around the
want to look at, is the main aim.
rooftop is too high to see over, or there isn’t a secure wall
LF to stand behind. Where recces have paid off, however, is
with photographing the legendary sandstorm known as
Many of your cityscapes are shot from tall buildings
the haboob. The haboob is a feature of the weather in this
– have you encountered any issues with access?
part of the world and I first photographed it in 2011. >>
SA
I am definitely a ‘rooftopper’! I love to see the city from
the highest point as it helps me to capture what I see
as the beauty of modern life, and to show just how high
Marina Crescent, Salmiya, Kuwait

>
the skyscrapers are. However, there are always a lot of
The weather conditions were not promising, but
issues around access. Some skyscrapers require an there was a sudden change, which brought in
official letter from a sponsor – as I’m freelance, I write these clouds and the haze on the horizon.
a letter to request access and wait to see whether I
get the approval of the security department. Once the Canon EOS 5D Mark III with Canon 70-200mm
lens, ISO 200, 20 seconds at f/18, tripod, 0.3
permission is in place, I keep an eye on the weather ND soft grad
lack of ‘traditional’ landscapes there inspired me to seek Skyline and sandstorm Fatima Al Zahra mosque
>

>

out places that people rarely see, to show the world I received information that at sunset
a dust storm was approaching, Using my TS-E shift lens, I took
how a country in the Third World is evolving, with its new four pictures and blended them
so I made my way to the
architecture and skyscrapers. Countries such as Dubai building and waited an hour together to make a vertical view
and Saudi Arabia are similarly inspiring. for the storm to approach of the Fatima Al Zahra mosque.
from the north. Fortunately for me, it had rained
LF heavily the day before, giving
Canon EOS 5D Mark III me a perfect reflection in the
What is it about the city that inspires you? with Canon 16-35mm lens, foreground puddle.
ISO 125, 1/40sec at f/14,
SA tripod, 0.9 ND soft grad Canon EOS 5D Mark III with
I guess what inspires me most is how the natural light Canon TS-E 24mm Mark II lens,
between ‘blue hour’ and sunset reflects through the ISO 50, six seconds at f/16,
tripod, 0.9 ND soft grad
windows of tall buildings and blends with the city lights.

The blend of artificial and natural light works beautifully

against man-made buildings and I love the way, for
example, a long exposure shows not only the movement
of sunlit clouds but also the lights of a busy highway.
The combination creates an image of a bustling city
that’s full of life.
Al Tijaria Tower
This tower is also known as
the snake building, because
of its twisted shape. I decided to
make a long-exposure abstract
of it, taking in the moon and
clouds behind.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III with

16-35mm lens, ISO 160,
30 seconds at f/14, tripod
The Kuwait Tower Since then, I have spent many hours SA LF Dark clouds over Kuwait
>

>
a new perspective is always there.
These three slender towers studying it and working out the best This sunset started off quite
are an important symbol of The Middle East is extremely dry, of How many images can you hope to So, during holidays and weekends, promising, but turned out not
places to photograph it, where I can I go on the hunt for new rooftops,
Kuwait. I took this picture course. There are rarely any clouds and capture in one session? to be as colourful as I’d hoped.
on the same day as the dust show its size against the skyscrapers. introducing myself to the security staff However, when the city lights
our summers are very dusty, so conditions
storm, but some hours before Whenever I hear news of the sandstorm
are poor for most kinds of photography. SA and asking their permission to check out began to be switched on, the
it hit. It’s unusual to take approaching Kuwait, I try to be in place scene came to life.
However, on the rare occasions when It depends on the conditions. Sometimes, the view from the top of the building.
pictures around midday, but and ready to capture it.
the conditions were just right the skies are clear, there can be amazing there might be a sudden change in the Canon EOS 5D Mark III
for making an abstract. ‘blue hour’ light. This is the last hour weather, which requires me to make a LF with 16-35mm lens, ISO
LF 100, 20 seconds at f/14,
before sunset, and is the best time for quick change in my position or exposure. What issues do you have to consider?
Canon EOS 5D Mark III with What, for you, makes an effective tripod, 0.3 ND soft grad
me to photograph. In low light, I am happy if I capture three
16-35mm lens, ISO 50, composition?
perfectly exposed pictures in differing SA
30 seconds at f/13, tripod,
Time isn’t the only factor in deciding light conditions. I always have to consider time and
Big Stopper and polariser SA which rooftop to head for – direction weather conditions when shooting
I always look for a ‘complete’ picture. and the sunset also play their parts. LF in low light. If the sky is clear, then
As a country that is still evolving, Kuwait Autumn and winter tend to provide the I will aim for an image that combines
If you see certain weather conditions
has not only modern architecture, but best conditions and cloud formations, the city lights with car headlights.
developing, do you have locations you
also many empty spaces and old which are especially important when you And if the weather is cloudy, I might
always head for?
buildings in between the skyscrapers. want to make long exposures. Usually, choose to make a more abstract, long-
Thus, I tend to look for a composition when I’m granted access to a rooftop, SA exposure image, perhaps after the sun
that merges both modern and old. I wait in my spot for around an hour, The rooftops where I can get access has dropped below the horizon. This
with my camera ready and set up on on the same day are always the first captures the balance between natural
LF
the tripod. That means I’m relaxed and locations to come to mind – particularly colour and city light. In cases such
What is it about the light at the end of the ready to capture the perfect balance as these, I tend to use filters to help
when it is the season for the haboob.
day that works so well for you? of natural and artificial light. emphasise the drama of the skies. >>
But the urge to look for a new location and
60 xposure

61

LF
What equipment do you use?

SA
My main body is a Canon EOS 5D Mark
III. I have four Canon lenses and try to
vary them to get a different perspective
each time. Needless to say, I do have
a favourite – the 16-35mm zoom. If I’m
shooting a panorama, I use the 24mm
tilt-shift lens, as this avoids distortion.

I carry a Benro Aluminium tripod

(A1182TB0) with a ball head, and I use
LEE Filters neutral-density grads – both
hard and soft – as well as the Big and
Little Stoppers and a circular polariser.

LF
Which filters are most useful for your
cityscapes?

SA
For cityscapes I always tend to use
the LEE Filters soft set, which is ideal
for me. The 0.9 ND soft grad works well
for cityscapes and I often combine it
with a 0.6 ND hard grad. For long
exposures and city abstracts, I use
the Big Stopper to capture the motion
of clouds against the buildings.

LF
Do you do anything in postproduction
with your images?

SA
“Straight out of the camera” is my motto!
I shoot in raw and process my images
with Lightroom to correct any distortions
and remove dust. If I need to enhance the
contrast, I go with Nik Software (Color
Effex pro 4) and if converting to black and
white I use Silver Efex Pro 2. For me, it’s
all about enhancing the natural, simple
beauty of what was already there, and
what I saw as I captured the picture. n

Visit: salsayegh.com

The One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai

>
Before taking a trip to Dubai, I spotted this great point of view, with the railway bridge
above, on a website. It was quite a tricky picture to take, because the security guards
spotted that I, and two other local photographers, were taking pictures.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III with 16-35mm lens, ISO 50, 20 seconds at f/16, tripod,
0.3 ND hard grad
Inspiring
Professionals
Who better to learn from than the professional
photographers who use LEE Filters products every day?
Learn from the professionals
With contributions from Joe Cornish,
Charlie Waite, David Ward, Mark Denton,
John Gravett, David Noton, Jeremy
Walker, Paul Gallagher and Tom Mackie,
Inspiring Professionals 1 ebook
Inspiring Professionals and Inspiring
Professionals 2 are packed full of
world-class photography and invaluable
advice on how to get the best out of
your LEE Filters products.

Inspiring Professionals 2 ebook

Both books are also available as ebooks

from the iBooks Store (suitable for Mac
and iPad). These multi-touch versions
have been specifically designed for the
best possible experience on screen. The
high-quality images can be viewed full
screen or alongside the commentary
and diagrams that explain which filters
were used for each shot.

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OF XPOSURE IN 2015
Editor: Ailsa McWhinnie
LEE Filters: Graham Merritt and Peter Sturt
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