Digital SLR Photography

OUREXPERT:LeeFrostLeeisoneoftheUK’sbest-knownlandscapeandtravelphotographers.Duringacareerspanningthreedecadeshehaswrittenalmost20books,hundredsofmagazinearticlesandledmorethan150photoworkshopsandtoursaroundtheworld.www.leefrost.co.ukLee’skit:CanonEOS5DS,EF16-35mmf/4LISUSM,EF24-70mmf/2.8LISUSM,EF70-300mmf/4-5.6LISUSM,LeeFilterssystem,105mmpolariser,Manfrotto190 tripodwithReallyRightStuffballhead,TamracAdventure9backpack.OURREADER:DavidBarkerHavingretired recently, Davidnowwondershowhehadtimeforwork!Withinterestsrangingfrom walkingandhiking,travel,scubadiving(withahousedNikonD200),skiingandsailingaswellasphotography, thereneverseemstobeenoughtimeforthepost-processing!David’sKit:NikonD810&D750;AF-S16-35mmf/4;AF-S24-120mmf/4;70-200mmf/4; 200mmf/4Micro;Sigma150-600mmf/5.6Sport;LeeFil ters;GitzoGT3542Ltripod;MarkinsQ10i-QBallhead;Mindshiftbackpack.## BLACK# &WHITEALTHOUGHTHEVASTMAJORITYOFPHOTOGRAPHSTAKENTODAYARECOLOUR,BLACK&WHITEREMAINSPOPULARAMONGCREATIVEANDFINEARTPHOTOGRAPHERS.FORTHISMONTH’SPHOTO WORKSHOP,TOPPROLEEFROSTANDREADERDAVIDBARKERHEADEDTOTHEKENTCOASTWITHASIMPLEGOAL–TO CREATETHREEMONOCHROMEMASTERPIECESTh e PhotoWorkshop## WHEN DID YOU LASTcreate ablack&white image? Last week? Last month?Ever? The truth is thatinthis pixel-packed technicolour digital agewelivein, manyphotographerssee black &white asold-fashioned.What’s the point intakinga colourphotograph,only toremovethatcolourlater?Onthe face of it, it doesseemratherdaft. Butthen,doesit? The problem withcolourphotographsis thattheyrepresent reality, sothere’s only somuch you can dotoanimagebeforeit begins tolookcontrivedand unnatural.Black &white is completely diff erent. Onceyouremovethe colourfromanimageyou’renolongerdealing withreality, and thatopens up somanydoors thatallowyou toexplore yourown creativevision, and produce images thatexpressthat.Black &white alsostripsa subjectorscene downtoits barebones. The actual subjectmatter almostbecomes unimportant –it’s all about light and``````shade,texture and tone, modelling and mood.Inthe goodold daysoffi lm, black &whitephotographywastime-consumingand expensivebecauseyou needed specialist materials andequipment. Fortunately, today you can usethesamegeartotake, processand print black &whiteimages thatyou usefor colourphotography,which makes it accessibletoeveryone.Is it easier now?Not necessarily. You still needknowledgeand skill, aswell asa creativeeye,enthusiasmand alittlecourage. The problemisthatfar too manyphotographersthink it’s easy,and this leads themintoa false senseofsecurity.All you dois download the images toa computerand desaturatethem, right? If only!Tofi nd out just what it takes toproducestunning black &white photographs, readerDavid Barkerand pro Lee Frost headeddowntoDungenessinKent; a mysteriousplacebut alsoabrilliantlocationfor black &white photography.