Practical Photography January Issue

Practical Photography Press Release

The single most important way to improve your photography is...?

“Photography is the greatest passion of all and we all strive to take pictures that we can be proud of. As the New Year starts, it is the perfect time to take stock and assess your approach to photography.”
Andrew James, Editor, Practical Photography magazine

The Practical Photography editorial team have combined both their knowledge and experience and then added to it the skills of professional photographers, contributors to the magazine and the magazine reader’s up and down the country. This has helped forge the ulitmate guide to improving your photos - 101 steps to really improving your photography.

There are over 30 pages of advice, inspiration and techniques ranging from the obvious to the obscure, including:

- Take control of your camera – Don’t let your camera make the decisions for you
- Add atmosphere and drama – use natures elements to inject life and impact
- Master the art of composition – understand the elements of a great photo
- Critique your photography – honesty is the best policy!
- Enter competitions and win – introduce a new edge to your photography
- Tell a story in pictures – they say a picture paints a thousands words…
- Explore your subject fully – open your eyes and discover!
- Take advice from the professionals – our pro’s expell their wisdom

But do you think you know what the single most important thing you can do to ensure better photographs? Even after you have mastered compisition and gained the photographers “eye” what tip sits at No1? Well buy the latest issue of Practical Photography, read & absorb all 31 pages of sound advice, expert tuition & 100 tips and then turn the page to find out! 

The January issue of Practical Photography is on sale from the 2nd January and is available at all good newsagents.

Published: Tuesday, January 06, 2004

Reader Comments

1. You could also mention the website at [url=http://www.ephotozine.com/pp]http://www.ephotozine.com/pp[/url]
   
   

   Collin French at 12:12pm on Tuesday, January 06, 2004

2. Must also say good luck to Andrew James, the new editor. He has a hard act to follow

   Collin French at 12:13pm on Tuesday, January 06, 2004

3. I have to check if I can get this mag in the states. Many of the upscale bookstores in New York City, sell UK photography mags. Maybe they will have a copy?
   
   Bill

   Bill at 02:31pm on Tuesday, January 06, 2004

4. There should a (glowing) review of the new Tamron AF 17-35/2.8-4.0 DI LD IF SP. I ordered this lens at http://www.ac-foto.com/ (German firm) about a month ago, 494 euros. UPS will be delivering it today. Can't wait to get my hands on a real wide angle; I have been shooting with Canon 10D since end of March.
   
   I have been very satisfied with my Tamron AF 28-75/2.8 XR DI LD (considering the price).

   Matti Harju at 03:17am on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

5. Practical Photography is one of the best photo magazines on the market, if not the best. I've been a subscriber for the last couple of years and the magazine has gone from strength to strength. As Collin has pointed out, the editor William Cheung has just left, so it will be interesting to see if Andrew James can continue the good work. I hope he does!
   
   It is available internationally, so you should be able to find a copy in New York, Bill.

   Mark Goldstein at 11:16am on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

6. Matti, I think the review of that lens was in the December issue, scoring something like 89%. 17mm will be equivalent to 28mm on the 10D.
   
   I'm torn between the Tamron 28-75mm lens and the Canon 28-135mm lens. Do you have any samples online that I could take a look at?

   Mark Goldstein at 11:18am on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

7. Mark, just get a fisheye
   
   28-135IS is loved by some, hated by others
   it's not one of the sharpest consumer lenses however I must agree it's one of the most useful for one lens setup (traveling etc)
   
   IF!!! I had the money, i'd get a successor to 1D, a 500L, 100-400L and a fisheye
   plus 28-135IS for backpacking and several 550EX

   Mad@TT at 12:44pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

8. That's what's tempting me - having the 28-135mm as an all-purpose lens for travelling. On the other hand, could I force myself to just take one lens and leave all the others at home? Probably not!

   Mark Goldstein at 12:56pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

9. "scoring something like 89%"
   
   Based on PP's dynamic range in scoring, that makes it little better than a Coke bottle. PP is a nice magazine but for heaven's sake don't take ANY notice of their reviews. They even gave the Contax N1 Digital something like 90%....

   David Mantripp at 01:41pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

10. True - most products do seem to get 89 / 90/ 91%, unless the reviewer really dislikes them.

    Mark Goldstein at 02:12pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

11. Just got home from work and the Tamron 17-35mm was waiting... PP January 2004 was also waiting and there was this review of the lens. The score system in this magazine is a mystery to me; they could bash something and give good points or they could praise something and give only mediocre points. The review of Tamron 17-35mm end "...Overall this is an impressive optic for both digital and conventional SLR users alike, and with a list price of 400 pounds it's superb value for the features on offer."
    
    On the downside You have to remember, that Canon does not calibrate this lens with Canon digital SLR.
    
    This evening I am going to take photos of our bookshelf. It's dark outside, when I go to work and it's dark, when I get off work.

    Matti Harju at 03:09pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

12. Sounds like England - dark at 8am, dark at 4pm :-(
    
    I must have missed the review in the January issue. Let us know how you get on with the lens...
    
    

    Mark Goldstein at 03:48pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

13. I think PP is too dependent on advertising for their reviews to be taken seriously. They have never, as far as I can recall, seriously criticized anything from anything like a major manufacturer. Of course this could also be because these days there isn't much really bad stuff around, but even so. If you look at Chasseur d'Images instead (ok, you have to know French...) you'll see a real "don't give a damn" attitude to reviewing. If they don't like something, they say so - be it Nikon, Canon or anything. And they've built up sufficient influence through telling it like it is that manufacturers have to grit their teeth and put up with it. Boycotting C d'I would be even worse PR for them than a bad review. On the other hand, the technique side of PP is much better than C d'I. Same can be said for Reponses Photo, PP's French EMAP stablemate. However, Reponses Photo, even if no C d'I, still has considerably more bite and substance to its reviews than PP.

    David Mantripp at 05:50pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

14. This is the absolutely first photo, that I took with the new Tamron 17-35mm, my tripod wasn't straight, but who cares...
    
    17mm, F2.8, 1.7 MB, http://www.digicamera.net/dnews04/tamron_1735_2_8.htm
    
    17mm, F5.6, 2 MB, http://www.digicamera.net/dnews04/tamron_1735_5_6.htm
    
    The sizes are 3072 x 2048 pixels. F2.8 is undestandably soft, F5.6 is not. The barrel distortion is there, but nothing to write home about...

    Matti Harju at 08:14pm on Wednesday, January 07, 2004

15. They look pretty good to me Matti. As you pointed out, the f/2.8 shot is pretty soft, but the f/5.6 shot looks great.

    Mark Goldstein at 10:31am on Thursday, January 08, 2004

16. You're probably right about Practical Photography and their "approach" to reviews, David, but it's still a great magazine

    Mark Goldstein at 10:32am on Thursday, January 08, 2004

17. Ha. That proves they must be paying you

    David Mantripp at 12:29pm on Thursday, January 08, 2004

18. i and my friends enjoy your crossword but could you please print the clues in larger writing (big letters) i am a regular reader every month dispite not finishing your crossword all the time maybe its the small writing

    pat mccabe at 11:37pm on Sunday, May 09, 2004

19. Hi Pat - PhotographyBLOG isn't actually associated with Practical Photography magazine. I just post their press releases! I suggest you visit their website at [url=http://www.ephotozine.com/pp]http://www.ephotozine.com/pp[/url] and email your comments to them.

    Mark Goldstein at 09:15am on Monday, May 10, 2004

20. Can anyone tell me of a photographic paper they'd recommend to replace the really great Jessop's photo glossy 260gsm- previously Practical Photography's Best buy. Its been replaced by ('improved!) thinner, greyish-tinged paper. I'm trying to find min 260gsm, bright white again.

    Helen Fox at 02:03pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2008