Welcome to issue 58

Ask most pros – or most pros who have to turn their hand to a bit of everything in their day-to-to-day work – and they’ll tell you that the one thing that took their photography to a whole new level is flash; not camera features, not this lens or that lens, but flash.

Some photographers, of course, will avoid flash like the plague, partly because done badly it can ruin a photo, and partly because it’s just one more thing to think about. Done well though, it can provide everything from a subtle, barely noticeable pop of fill-flash, to a dramatic burst of light that can completely transform a photo. And as with most things in photography it really isn’t as daunting as it seems. In fact, as James Paterson’s superb feature on flash explains, using it couldn’t be easier, if you know where to start – namely, page 16 of this issue.

If flash really isn’t your thing though, don’t despair: we’ve also got a brilliant Big Project on capturing extreme closeups of flowers (p46); a step-by-step guide to using ND grads for beautifully balanced landscapes (p34); and an in-depth round-up of the best filter systems on the market (p110). All that, plus the inspirational story behind the photo that was 4,000 hours in the making (p102), and the fantastic – and fantastical – work of fine-art portrait photographer Kirsty Mitchell (p94), which has to be seen to be believed. Enjoy!

Paul Grogan, Editor

paul.grogan@futurenet.com