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Working ProThe
Issue 214 • August 2013
SAVE THESE DATESOnlinE EnTriES will close 5pm Wednesday 21st August 2013
PHySicAl EnTriES must be received by Friday 30th August 2013
JuDging HElD at Melbourne Exhibition Centre on 13th - 15th September 2013
APPA AWArDS PrESEnTATiOn DinnEr 16th September 2013
For more details visit www.appa.aippblog.com
THE 2013 cAnOn AiPP APPA 13TH — 15TH SEPTEmbEr 2013 mElbOurnE
FOR ENTRIES
CALL
©IMAgE by ADAM PRETTy 2012 AuSTRAlIAn PRoFESSIonAl PhoTogRAPhER oF ThE yEAR
Working ProThe
C o n t e n t s# 2 1 4 - A u g u s t 2 0 1 3
4 President’s Message Kylie Lyons is in ‘full awards mode’, reporting from the NZIPP Iris Awards with some suggestions for entering our own Canon APPAs.
8 74 Was GenerousThe feedback might not have been welcome at the time, but it was a great lesson in photography. What would you have scored this photo?
1 0 APPA: Is It Worth It?A large percentage of AIPP members have entered APPA at some stage. What do they get out of it and why should you enter APPA this year?
1 2 APPA Category DecisionsShould you enter all your prints into the one category, or across several categories? It depends on what you want to achieve.
1 4 APPA: How Important Is Print Quality?In professional photography, technical quality is assumed by our clients - and the APPA judges. Here’s how to achive high print quality for APPA.
1 6 APPA: The Review SystemThere are many safeguards in the APPA judging system and the review system is a great example of giving entrants every chance.
1 8 Photo CritiqueWhy did these photos earn Silver Awards? What else could e done? Read Peter Eastway’s observations and suggestions.
2 0 Editors Selection - APPA WinnersA selection of entries that caught the editor’s eye from the 2012 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards.
2 4 The Top Ten?The AIPP launches a quest for the Top Ten Iconic Photos in Australian his-tory. Do you agree with Alasdair Forster’s initial suggestion?
2 6 Make The Shoot FunSuccessful portrait photographers Brian and Kaylene Chapman explain why a positive experience is so important for our clients.
2 8 AIPP & ACMP Work TogetherThe two organisations join together to help commercial photographers through difficult economic times.
3 0 ISO TC42 Photography StandardRobert Edwards reports from a ‘behind the scenes’ meeting – something many of us just take for granted!
3 4 RØDE i16If you need to capture good quality sound, a good quality microphone is essential, but can you use it with your iPhone?
The Working Pro is the official newsletter of The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP).
Editor Peter Eastway G.M Photog., Hon. FAIPP, Hon. FNZIPP, FAIPP
Disclaimer The information provided in The Working Pro and associat-
ed publications is made in good faith, but is general in nature. Neither
the editor, the publisher or the AIPP accept responsibility for or will be
under any liability for any recommendations, representations or infor-
mation provided herein. The Working Pro presents information, opin-
ions and suggestions for subscribers to evaluate in coming to their
own decisions in the light of their own individual circumstances. The
information should not be relied upon without readers first obtaining
independent advice from their own financial and legal advisers.
Unless otherwise noted, all articles are written by Peter Eastway.
Publication The newsletter is published 10 times a year – monthly
with November/ December and January/February being combined.
The Working Pro newsletter is published by Pt 78 Pty Ltd,
ABN 75 003 152 136, PO Box 351, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097, Australia.
Phone: (02) 9971 6857; Fax (02) 9971 6641.
E-mail [email protected]
AIPP Membership Contacts
Suite 5, 205a Middleborough Road, Box Hill
South, Victoria 3128
Phone: 03 9856 0700; Fax: 03 9899 6577
E-mail: [email protected]
C o v e r : G o l d A wA r d • 90
Jonelle Beveridge M. Photog.2012 CANON AIPP AUSTrALIAN
PrOFESSIONAL PHOTOGrAPHy AWArDS
4
Full Awards ModeK y l i e L y o n s M . P h o t o g I . H o n . L M
I write this month’s President’s report from New
Zealand where I have been invited to judge at
their annual Iris Awards.
Full Awards Mode
This comes off the back of being a part of our six
Epson state awards with Canon APPA just around
the comer. So I am in full awards mode!
Suffice to say, I have been very judgmental as
a judge. I have seen some beautiful photographs
and been able to network with some great pho-
tographers, not only in Australia, but also over The
Ditch.
In all the hours of judging I have witnessed,
there have been some comments that are repeat-
ed over and over again, and many of the negative
comments come back to the print quality and/or
posing.
Skill Required
There are many, many reasons why we still have
print awards. As professional photographers, many
of us still need to make prints for our clients or
supply files that our clients will print from. The skill
required to get what you see on screen onto a
printed page takes a lot of work and can be tricky.
Choosing the right paper stock and finish, get-
ting profiles right and having a print that makes
the judges go “Wow” is no easy task.
Posing of models can also put your image into
an award range, or keep it out. If you’re a regular
entrant to Awards, you’ll know what I’m saying.
Basics First
Judges pick up on the very basic skills of photog-
raphy first, such as hand placement and body po-
sition. They look at the skills of lighting and techni-
cal quality, and then move onto the emotion or
humour in the image.
So, to actually receive an award in my mind
means that you have to have really thought about
all the elements in your image.
Sometimes it takes just a pinch of luck when
one judge sees something in your image that
makes them want to fight for your photo.
Critique Nights
your local state councils have been working hard
to put on many critique nights in recent times to
assist all members in preparing images for awards.
Critiques are great to get opinions from others
which may help in finessing an image for judging.
At the end of the day though, there is a pan-
el of five specially chosen master judges whose
scores are averaged to come up with your final
score. No single judge can manipulate the scoring.
You will gain exceptional knowledge in Photoshop and Lightroom, colour management, fine art printing, and be inspired to create masterpieces for yourself and your clients. The workshop comprises lectures, demonstrations and presentations each morning, backed up with hands-on work after lunch and in the evening. Some people also choose to capture the first or last light of each day, while others edit and print late into the night, or continue their dinner time conversations down at the beach. This year Les and Tony are supported by four experienced tutors to ensure that the knowledge and skills are immediately translated into real-world practice. Specialist topics, as requested, are covered in additional seminars and tutorials.
© P. Sargaison
Orpheus Island Photography Workshop 20137th to 13th October
Presented by Les Walkling & Tony Hewitt
This is the ninth year Les has presented this workshop and he rates it as his best.
This is a full six day all-inclusive unique experience designed for photographers of all levels. The venue is the James Cook University Orpheus Island Research Station, a world class teaching facility, and the tropical islands provide for amazing photographic opportunities.
Tony is a ‘Grand Master of Photography’ of the prestigious Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). He is an Honorary Fellow of the AIPP and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography. Tony’s career highlights feature over 100 state, national and international photography awards. He was Western Australian Professional Photographer of the Year 2004 and also in 1994. He has judged at various state, national and international awards for the last 15 years, and is invited on a regular basis to speak both in Australia and overseas on subjects as diverse as creative photography and connecting with people. Tony is also a Master Practitioner of NLP.
Dr Les Walkling is one of the greatest educators the professional photographic industry has known. Les has a vast background in professional and university education and fine art photography with his work featured in major public galleries such as the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. Les is the former Director of Media Arts in the School of Art at RMIT University. He is also a Fellow of the AIPP, and his clients include most of our National and State galleries, museums and libraries.
www.leswalkling.com
www.tonyhewitt.com
Register for this workshop now at: https://www.online247.com.au/orpheus/
© L. Hewitt
© D
. Spo
war
t
© D
. Spo
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tt
6
Similarly, the judges are encouraged to work as a
team in the best interests of the print before them.
Panel Cohesion
As an example here in NZ, I initially scored a print
at 68 (which is classed as professional practice in
the New Zealand system), but after the challenge
and listening to the debate, I raised my score 20
points into the Silver with Distinction range be-
cause that’s what the panel was working towards.
Later when looking at the award winning im-
ages on the walls outside, I could see what makes
a truly amazing Gold award: it’s when everything
works together and the image just ‘sings’ under
the APPA lights!
APPA In Melbourne
If you have never watched an award judging
process before, can I recommend you get along
to the Melbourne exhibition centre come 13-15
September and be part of one of our Institutes‘
best membership benefits? Not only do you
learn and grow as a photographer by entering,
but you leam so much more by being around
other photographers and seeing such great im-
agery on the walls.
It’s always great to push yourself and put
your work out there for your peers to review.
Take the plunge, be daring and who knows,
you might be able to pick up some accolades!
Best of luck to all APPA entrants. I look for-
ward to seeing you in Melbourne soon.
0411 552 488
The13 Essential Elements of a Successful APPA Competition Entry
Read More AIPP Member Only ContentTo read AIPP member and specific business related advice, visit the AIPP
website and sign in. Once you’re signed in, follow the menu Member Services, My Publications, The Working Pro - Extended Material.
THE BUSINESS OFP H O T O G R A P H Y
with
With more than 15 years experience, they have built two very unique studios – Family Image Photography and Boudoir Image in Sydney’s Northwest.
This dynamic duo has a different approach to business which sees them achieving great sales averages, repeat customers and a very healthy turnover which continuesto grow even in a down economy. Even more surprising, they don’t sell digital files, they don’t run competitions to get new clients, and they don’t have any minimum orders, yet their sales averages are heading towards $3000 for a 90-minute shoot!
Come and learn from successful studio owners Brian and Kaylene Chapman.
If you find yourself putting in lots of hours but not getting the kind of financial reward you were hoping for from your photography, or are just feeling overwhelmed with trying to run your studio, you will love the fresh approach they take to life and business. Their workshops attract professional photographers of all different levels, from those in the first few years of business, to veterans who have been at it for more than 20 years but want to renew their business to be more profitable.
“Brian is different...He shows you why, He shows you how and he proves it with real numbers...”
“To find a Studio that is willing to share their experiences and teach us from their years of experience is rare.”
“My average sale has more than doubled since attending their workshops”
“I would recommend Brian & Kaylene's workshop to photographers at any stage of their business, it will be a game changer!”
Brian has a great passion for marketing - delivered with sincerity, honesty, openness and a genuine desire for each and every one of us to succeed.
“”
Karen Visser - Evocartiv
You will learn how to:
Bring in the Dollars - How to sell your work and be nice at the same time.
Get your life back - Systemising your business so that it is organised and produces a consistent quality product without the endless hours. Shooting to Sell - Knowing exactly what you are going to shoot at each session/wedding to maximise your sales and client satisfaction. Old School Customer Service - Treating your clients to a wonderful experience and solving any problems that may arise without fuss.
I need bookings - The different types of marketing and who they will attract. Your Website is your shopfront - The 5 must haves for your website. Staying married - Working happily as a husband and wife team and enjoying the journey together. Plus plenty of time for you to ask your own questions in a small group setting.
Make 2014 your best year yet, by learning how to make your business soar. Check out the workshop schedule atwww.thebusinessofphotography.com.au
Accredited with the AIPP CPD program.
Their workshops are in an intimate group setting, held at their Sydney studio rather than online to the masses. This means they can be truly focussed on helping YOUR business at a personal level. Nothing is off limits as they share with you their story, the good and the bad to bring them to the success they have today. They aren’t afraid to openly discuss their figures so you can see what really works in today’s market. “Those who can do: do and those who can’t: teach” does not apply here. At the same time as teaching these workshops they continue to run two busy studios and are very much hands on, so the information is up to date and relevant in today’s market.
Comments from past participants give just a hint of insight into how this couple does things differently...
Small Group Workshops
8
74 Was GenerousP e t e r E a s t w a y , G M . P h o t o g , H o n . F A I P P, F A I P P
The photo opposite was taken on Easter Island
many years ago and, at the time, was one of my
favourites. (The original is not nearly so contras-
ty as this rendition.)
I entered it into the AIPP National Print
Awards, the forerunner of the current Can-
on AIPP Australian Professional Photography
Awards, and I clearly remember the score.
Standing at the back of a darkened judging
room, with five esteemed judges and a panel
chairman sitting around an evenly illuminated
print stand, I held my breath as one by one they
stood up to inspect my print. It seemed to take
an age before they would carefully enter their
scores, but I fully expected a Silver Award.
Well, no.
The panel chairman read out the score: 74.
He then asked if a judge would like to make a
comment, to which Ian McKenzie (a past AIPP
President and still an active member today) said,
“Well, it’s just another travel snap”.
A travel snap! Couldn’t the judges see the
print quality, the fact it was shot on a large for-
mat 4x5” camera, the luminous nature of the
light and the exotic location? Well, no.
Flash forward five years or so and I am
cleaning out my studio. I find a bunch of old
prints and, being in a bit of a hurry, quickly flip
through them, throwing them onto the rubbish
heap. yuck. Horrible. What was I thinking... Many
of my old prints simply weren’t that good.
And then I picked up my Easter Island tree.
This print, unlike the others, stopped me in my
tracks, but not because I still liked it. Gone was
the emotional baggage associated with the
wonderful trip and the effort required to shoot
it. In front of me was a plain, rather boring print
and all I could remember were Ian’s words: It’s
just another travel snap.
He was right.
So, why am I mentioning this? Well, entries
are open for the 2013 Canon AIPP Australian
Professional Photography Awards. I have no
doubt that some entrants will have a similar ex-
perience to mine later this year. (I might even
have it again!) And I hope that, in the fullness of
time, it benefits them like it did me.
Are the judges always right? I have some
prints that bombed in competitions that I still
like. Competitions are great because they put
your work into context within the world, but it
doesn’t have to be the only context.
I think the judges were generous giving my
Easter Island tree a 74. The print is crap, but I still
have great memories of being at that location
all those years ago.
9
Tree, Easter Island. Poor quality scan of 4x5” Kodak Ektachrome. Photo by Peter Eastway.
11
APPA: Is It Worth It?W h a t D o I G e t F r o m E n t e r i n g T h e A w a r d s ?
Some photographers love competitions, oth-
ers don’t enjoy them or see the point. Some are
concerned that if they enter and don’t do well,
it may be a reflection on their skill as a photog-
rapher, so why expose themselves?
Incognito
Judging at the Awards is anonymous, so most
people won’t know whose work is being as-
sessed. The exception is if your photograph has
had national exposure already, but if that’s the
case, chances are you’re pretty pleased with the
image and a score at APPA is neither here nor
there.
Improvement
There really is no downside to entering APPA,
short of the cost of the entry fee and the prints.
On the other hand, the benefits are huge.
Many of Australia’s best photographers have
used Canon APPA and the Epson state awards
to improve and promote their careers.
yes, if you win awards it gives you some-
thing to tell your market. It gives you credibility.
It gives you confidence in the work you are pro-
ducing.
More importantly, entering APPA every year
pushes you. The competition challenges you
to produce increasingly stronger work. Most of
the Masters and Grand Masters of Photography
have the APPAs in their mind throughout the
year, thinking about what they will enter and
how they can make a better photograph.
And this is the key. This is what makes APPA
so worthwhile, the process of constantly im-
proving what you do. It’s no happy chance that
someone wins a category or the PPy, they have
worked for it.
Aim Points
Many people enter with the aim of achieving
a Silver Award (80%), and some aim to achieve
three or four Silvers.
However, while an admirable strategy, the
objective should be to earn four Golds with Dis-
tinction. Aim high. Push yourself.
Feedback
So what happens if you don’t achieve your
goals? Well, it’s character building. There’s no
getting around the fact that not impressing the
judges sucks. Winning is much better, but after
the Awards, both wins and losses lose their in-
tensity and you find yourself working towards
the next Awards. And maybe your Associate-
ship, Master or Grand Master of Photography.
13
APPA Category DecisionsS h o u l d I e n t e r a l l m y p r i n t s i n t h e o n e c a t e g o r y ?
Can you put your prints in the wrong category?
you sure can?
And should you enter all your prints in just
one category, or several? This depends on what
you want to achieve.
Which Category?
Sometimes it’s obvious which category your
print should be entered into: a classic landscape
photograph should go into the landscape cat-
egory.
However, a detail of an urban landscape, like
a shopping trolley in the corner of a stark car-
park, could fit into landscape, illustrative or even
documentary, depending on the context.
Before you make a decision, read the special
category conditions on the entry form.
For instance, entries into the wedding cat-
egory must have been photographed at a real
wedding.
If you hired models and dressed them up as
a bride and groom, the photograph could not
be entered into weddings and you would have
to choose another category, such as portrait, il-
lustrative or maybe advertising (but check the
special rules for the advertising category too).
Portraiture is another tough decision: do you
enter a photograph of a family into the family or
portraiture category, or if it’s a different portrait,
do you enter it into illustrative? Can you get a
higher score in one category than another?
It’s true that some categories seem to give
higher scores than others, but this isn’t consis-
tent from year to year.
Generally speaking, the judging is even
across categories. yes, there are aberrations
from time to time, but don’t count on them!
The short answer is, choose the category
into which you believe the photograph fits best,
as long as it complies with the rules.
Just One Category?
So, should you enter all of your prints into a sin-
gle category?
This is a sensible tactic for more experienced
entrants who are looking to win a category –
unless you enter all four prints into a single cat-
egory, you cannot win it.
On the other hand, for members wishing to
earn their Associateship or Master of Photogra-
phy, what you really want to achive are four Sil-
ver (or higher) awards, so choose the strongest
four photographs you’ve taken in the last two
years and enter them.
If they all happen to be in the same catego-
ry, then that’s a bonus.
15
APPA: How Important Is Print Quality?A n d i m a g e q u a l i t y i n g e n e r a l f o r d i g i t a l e n t r i e s ?
At both Canon APPA and the Epson state print
awards, prints are assessed by experienced pan-
els of judges. The senior judges have assessed
literally thousands of prints during their lifetime
and they have expectations as to what makes a
good print.
Many entries miss out simply because they
didn’t exhibit sufficient professionalism. We are
professional photographers and we are expect-
ed to produce a professioanal product.
Essential Steps For Perfect Print Quality
1. A good print requires a good capture, so the
camera file needs to be correctly focused and
exposed, with excellent lighting, composition
and framing. Obviously the file should also offer
sufficient pixels to create a good quality print.
2. After editing, sit back and review the file. Be-
gin by enlarging it to 100% on screen and me-
thodically check it for dust and sensor spots. If
there are any, remove them carefully.
3. return the image to 100% and assess the im-
age for colour balance. Is the colour balance
natural or appropriate to the subject? Are there
clean whites and blacks? Are skin tones natural
or believable?
4. review the image for highlights and shad-
ows. Areas of detailless white will generally be
marked down, while too much sold black can
be seen as a lack of technique as well. Introduce
some tone to these areas if necessary.
5. review the image for small distractions, such
as unwanted hairs, pimples, errant branches
and intrusive rubbish. Should these be re-
touched out?
6. Size the image for printing. Make a copy
of your working file and flatten the copy. If in
doubt, for inkjet printing size to 360 dpi at the
selected dimension. remember that the print
must be at least 26 cm on the longest side.
7. Sharpen the print. Don’t over sharpen it. If in
doubt, you are better off undersharpening rath-
er than oversharpening.
8. Make a print. If you’re serious, you will have a
few days to pin it on a wall and review it. Write
notes on the margin about what needs to be
done. Live with the print. Be critical.
9. return to the working file, make the adjust-
ments required, then make another copy file for
printing and sharpen.
10. Print your masterpiece and have it mounted
professionally. Just as important as the print is
its presentation.
These steps apply to digital entries as well,
although the printing side is obviously not nec-
essary.
16
• •
The13 Essential Elements of a Successful APPA Competition Entry
Read More AIPP Member Only ContentTo read AIPP member and specific business related advice, visit the AIPP
website and sign in. Once you’re signed in, follow the menu Member Services, My Publications, The Working Pro - Extended Material.
17
APPA: The review SystemH o w d o e s t h e A P P A r e v i e w s y s t e m w o r k a n d w h y ?
Assuming there are two or more judging rooms,
the idea behind the review system is to give
every entry every opportunity to reach a Sil-
ver Award - or the next highest scoring bracket
(Silver with Distinction, Gold, Gold with Distinc-
tion).
While APPA is a robust and refined system,
judging prints is not always an exact science
and, when prints are on the border between
one bracket and the next, the system should
give the entrant the benefit of the doubt.
For this reason, APPA has the majority rule,
which means that if the majority of judges
think a print is a Silver (or not a Silver), despite
the overall score being different, a Silver will be
awarded.
Just Short
Of course, sometimes the majority of judges
feel the print is below Award standard and so
an entry might score 79, yet one or two of the
judges thought the print was good enough for
Silver.
In addition, when a print is scored, the judg-
es may not have an opportunity to challenge
the score, and sometimes this seems unfair giv-
en the print score was so close. Perhaps some
discussion or another look might get the extra
point required. So, what would happen if a sec-
ond panel assessed the print?
Review System
This is where the review system comes into
play.
Under the review system, entries with scores
of 79 could go up to 80 and receive a Silver
Award; scores of 84 could go up to a Silver
with Distinction, 89 to Gold and 94 to Gold with
Distinction.
The review system also uses a second panel
of judges, so by the end of the process, the print
has been assessed by at least 10 judges in total.
The review system is short and sweet. The
judges are told what the print scored and asked,
should the print go up to the next score range,
or stay the same. No discussion is entered into.
The judges assess the print. Let’s say the
print has scored 79 – they are being asked
whether it is good enough to earn 80. If three
or more judges think it should go up to 80, the
print is elevated to a Silver Award. If three or
more believe it should stay at 79, that’s what
happens. A simple majority vote.
The review system works well for both the
judges and the entrants, ensuring each entry is
given every opportunity to be judged fairly.
18
Starburst has impact, but
it was a risk! Some judged
might find it a bit cliche.
Line of mist is strong and emo-tive - works very well.
The image is an excellent back-
ground - if there were some-
thing in the foreground, it may
have scored even higher.
P H O T O C r I T I Q U E
81SCORE
Why don’t some prints make it to Silver or Gold? While you can never predict the judges’ reaction with certainty, sometimes there are aspects or features in a photograph that let it down. Past APPA Chairman and Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastway has, with the photographer’s permission, reproduced this image because it didn’t receive a Silver or Gold Award. His observations are designed to help others assess images from a judging perspective, with the view to improving not only their Award entries, but their professional photography in general.
This print polarised the judges at a recent state event. The original scores ranged from the low 70s to 85, but it eventually
scored 81 after one of the judges challenged! Why was there such a difference in the scores? Starbursts, like sunsets, can
be marked down as being cliché. However, as starbursts go, this is a great example, but what else is there? Is there more to
the story? For instance, had the photographer inserted something more interesting in the foreground, the image may have
scored much higher - a horse, a tree, the silhouette of a farmer etc.
19
It is only when you look closely at the
print that the tiny Maccas sign is re-
vealed and suddenly the print is tell-
ing a different story.
A challenging colour balance,
but when you see the Maccas
sign, it is accepted. Great sky, trick-
ing the viewer into
thinking this is just
a landscape.
Photographing something with a difference can produce high scores. What at first glance seems like a rural landscape sud-
denly takes on a different meaning with the McDonalds sign in the corner. The ‘story’ now works and so other aspects, such
as the unusual colour balance, are accepted. Now that it is no longer a normal rural scene now, a ‘normal’ colour balance is
not required either. This was a brave entry and the gamble paid off, but another panel may have scored differently.
Would You Like Your Photo Critiqued? Are you brave enough to have your award entry critiqued in front of the world? I’m looking for volunteeers! In return for having your entry (state or national) critiqued here (there is no money involved), I wish to be given your permission to use the photo and the critique on my web-sites, on Flickr, YouTube and Facebook etc), and possibly in ebooks on photo competitions. You will remain the copyright owner, but you give me permission to use your image, anonymously, and hopefully you’ll receive some useful advice in return. If you’re willing to partici-pate, here’s what I’d like you to do.1. Create a JPEG of the award entry you would like critiqued, sized to 2000 pixels on the longest edge, setting 8 compression. 1a. Optionally, create a second JPEG of the entry before you have done any editing. Don’t send me the raw file, but a JPEG that hasn’t had much processing.2. Put ‘TWP PHOTO CRITIQUE’ in the header of the email, and attach the JPEG(s).
3. Write this in the email (cut and paste or type the equivalent):“Hi Peter. Enclosed please find my photo (along with an unedited version) for your critiquing and feedback. It scored ?? (enter score). I understand that my photo may not be selected for use. However, if it is selected for use, I agree that in return for you providing the critique and feedback on my photo, I give you permission to use the photo, anonymously, on your website and associated websites such as Flickr, Youtube and Facebook, and in future ebooks. My intention is that this licence will last indefinitely, but I retain the right to ask you to remove the photograph in special circumstances in the future, within a reasonable time (say one month). This just covers me for un-forseen situations.”4. Add your name to the bottom of the email and send it to me at - [email protected].
Please, just one image at a time and there’s no rush to do this straight away - I only need a few photos to begin with, so I will repeat this offer in the future! And don’t send me your best images because they will probably be too good to critique!
85SCORE
20
There are so many great images at Canon APPA and the Epson State Awards that not every Award gets the attention it deserves. To redress this in a very small way, the editor will present a small selection each issue for your enjoyment.
E D I T O r ’ S S E L E C T I O N
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E D I T O r ’ S S E L E C T I O N
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22
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E D I T O r ’ S S E L E C T I O N
24
Alasdair Forster’s choice of Australia’s Top Ten Iconic Photos. Is he right?
Max Dupain Sunbaker (1937) Carol Jerrems Vale Street (1975) David Moore Migrants arriving in Sydney (1966))
Anne Zahalka The Bathers (1989) Michael Riley Untitled [feather from the se-ries ‘Cloud’] (2000)
Glenn Sloggett Cheaper and Deeper (1996))
Merv Bishop Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours soil into the hands of traditional land owner Vincent Lingiari, Northern Territory (1975)
Tracey Moffatt Something More [central panel] (1989)
Peter Dombrovskis Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend (1979)
Trent Parke Self Portrait: Menindee, outback NSW [from ‘Minutes to Midnight’] (2003)
25
The Top Ten?A I P P L a u n c h e s Q u e s t f o r T o p T e n I c o n i c P h o t o s
The AIPP has launched a quest to list Australia’s
top ten iconic photos taken in the last 100 years.
Said AIPP President, Kylie Lyons, ‘We are can-
vassing our members and the wider community
to see which Australian photos gather the most
support.
‘The basis of the quest is that the photos
themselves are iconic, rather than the scenes or
landscapes and they must be taken by a pho-
tographer associated with Australia. We believe
photographers who came to make Australia their
home should be included, whether or not the
photographs under consideration were made at
the time of their being Australian residents.’
If this view is popularly accepted, this would
allow the inclusion of such photographers as
Sam Haskins and Lewis Morley.
Everyone is welcome to nominate their fa-
vourite photographs and it is planned to in-
clude the ten most nominated photographs in
the book One Hundred Years of Professional Pho-
tography in Australia.
The book contains the history of the AIPP
and is being released in September to com-
memorate the Institute’s 50 years as a national
body and the 100 years since the founders took
the first steps to national affiliation.
Alasdair Forster, of Cultural Development
Consulting and former executive director of
the Australian Centre for Photography, was
asked for some thought starters for a top ten. In
chronological order, not ranking, he was think-
ing of:
•Max Dupain Sunbaker (1937)
•David Moore Migrants arriving in Sydney
(1966)
•Carol Jerrems Vale Street (1975)
•Merv Bishop Prime Minister Gough Whit-
lam pours soil into the hands of tradition-
al land owner Vincent Lingiari, Northern
Territory (1975)
•Peter Dombrovskis Morning Mist, Rock
Island Bend (1979)
•Tracey Moffatt Something More (1989)
•Anne Zahalka The Bathers (1989)
•Glenn Sloggett Cheaper and Deeper (1996)
•Michael Riley Untitled [feather from the
series ‘Cloud’] (2000)
•Trent Parke Self Portrait: Menindee, out-
back NSW [‘Minutes to Midnight’] (2003)
The AIPP is seeking other suggestions for
inclusion in the final list. Kylie Lyons has re-
quested all comments should be emailed for
collation by 10 August to the book’s author, Paul
Curtis.
Paul’s email is [email protected].
26
Make The Shoot Fun!B r i a n a n d K a y l e n e C h a p m a n
According to Brian Chapman, perhaps the single
most important thing a portrait or wedding pho-
tographer can do is make the experience their
clients have memorable for all the right reasons!
“Make it fun! We make sure that on the day,
we joke around and enjoy ourselves. We do
whatever is needed to take great shots, from
wiping snotty noses to making fools of our-
selves.
“When people look at these photographs,
it’s important they feel good about the experi-
ence they had making them. If they had a good
time, it’s a lot easier to sell the photography.
“Clients have told me about their wedding
photographs being hidden in a cupboard be-
cause every time they look at them, they are re-
minded of the annoying photographer!
“Even if the photography is just average, if
the experience was wonderful, you will prob-
ably still make a sale because the photos make
your clients feel good.
“We have to keep reminding ourselves to
make it fun, particularly if the subjects are less
than exciting! For instance, if a family is over-
weight or aesthetically challenged, don’t worry
about this being your best work ever. rather,
the shoot should be about producing the best
photos the client has ever had.
“Beautiful people are used to seeing them-
selves looking beautiful – and they can end up
being very picky too! In comparison, someone
who has never had a decent photograph of
themselves is often the most appreciative.”
Brian advocates a systemised approach to
selling (which he teaches in his workshops), but
one that is based on showing clients your fa-
vourites and putting forward good ideas, rather
than pushing them to buy.
“Placing photographs in a pre-designed lay-
out allows us to present our work in a creative
and engaging way. It can be overwhelming
to show clients too many options, so part of a
good sale is to show them your favourites with
just a few options they may prefer. We shouldn’t
be afraid to say we’re passionate about our work
and why we think it would look great on a wall.
We’re the experts and our opinion helps them
make a decision.”
Brian and Kaylene Chapman have run several pho-
tography businesses successfully for over a decade
and have a passion for teaching. They hold business
intensive workshops that are targeted at studio
owners, turning over between 30K-250K and need
help taking it to the next level. See www.thebusi-
nessofphotography.com.au for more details.
27
This is Brian’s Number 1 best selling family portrait grouping. Notice how the colour tones are tied to-
gether to make this arrangement work.
28
• •
29
AIPP and ACMP Work TogetherF a c i n g C h a l l e n g i n g T i m e s b y P e t e r M y e r s
The board of directors of both the AIPP and
ACMP strongly believe that by working to-
gether, using our combined energy, skill and
resources, we can better help professional pho-
tographers who work in the business-to-busi-
ness and commercial sectors in Australia.
There is no doubt that the market for, and
the deliverables provided by, commercial pho-
tographers have changed significantly in the
last few years.
In recognition of these changes, the AIPP
and ACMP understand that the old divisions
which existed between these two organisations,
if continued, will not serve the needs of the
commercial photography community well.
Therefore, the two organisations have
agreed to work together in the following ways:
Workshops
A number of workshops, seminars and functions
for the commercial photography community
will be jointly planned, co-ordinated and man-
aged by a team from the ACMP and AIPP.
These targeted workshops, seminars and
functions will be co-branded with AIPP and
ACMP logos to visibly recognise the joint com-
mitment to making these events a success.
Marketing
The AIPP and ACMP agree to use their respec-
tive databases and marketing channels to
promote and market these events and to do
everything in their joint power to encourage at-
tendance at these events.
Budget
Each “joint event” will have an event budget
prepared in advance, and the “surplus”, if there is
one, will be split equally between the AIPP and
ACMP.
Communication
Both the AIPP and ACMP will communicate
to their respective memberships the benefits
of this alliance and make every effort to instill
within those members mutual respect and trust.
The ACMP President, currently Lisa Saad, and
the AIPP Executive Officer, currently Peter Myers,
will be the main points of contact to ensure this
memorandum of understanding is implement-
ed in the spirit intended.
30
Photography Members of the Australian ISO TC42 Photography Standard Kick-off Forum, 27 March 2013:
(Left to right)
Jennifer Harwood (Standards Australia)
Penelope Beveridge (ACMP)
Robert Edwards (AIPP)
Geoff Woolfe (Canon Information Systems Research Australia)
Dr. Scott Foshee (Adobe, TC 42 Chairman)
Peter Wyatt (Canon Information Systems Research Australia)
Dr. David Taubman (University of New South Wales)
Christopher Ruggles (Choice)
Wendy Davis (CIE Australia)
Prof. Anthony Maeder (University of Western Sydney)
Dr. Antonio Robles-Kelly (National ICT Australia)
Nicolas Bonnier (Canon Information Systems Research Australia, TC42 WG18 Chairman)
31
ISO TC42 Photography Standardb y R o b e r t E d w a r d s
In March, the AIPP asked me to attend an ISO
meeting on photographic standards.
Convened by Standards Australia who is this
country’s representative for ISO, attendees in-
cluded key stakeholders from the photographic
industry: manufacturers, distributors, govern-
ment, consumers, technicians, scientists and the
end users – we photographers.
The outcome is that Australia now has a Mir-
ror Committee for ISO TC42.
Who Is ISO
TC42 is the ISO Technical Committee for still
imaging for the International Organization for
Standardization.
(The astute reader will see that ISO is not
an acronym for the organisation, it’s in fact the
Greek word for ‘equal’ and pronounced “eye-
sew”.)
There are more than 2,000 technical com-
mittees within ISO, with TC42 being one of the
first formed along with the ISO itself in 1947.
There are dozens of areas covered by TC42
Mirror Committee relevant to professional pho-
tographers.
An obvious one is the ISO speed on our
cameras. Manufacturers agree on a set of inter-
national standards for imaging sensitivity with
film, sensors and meters.
Within TC42 there are several Working
Groups focusing on specialist areas, such as
WG18 who is responsible for electronic still pic-
ture imaging.
Raw Format Standard
The project I want to report on here is about
halfway through the ISO standard development
process, that is, an international standard cam-
era raw format.
TC42/WG18 has a raw file structure docu-
mented using TIFF/EP, which your camera man-
ufacturer already uses to create their proprietary
raw file formats.
As you may guess TIFF/EP is based on TIFF, a
file format owned by Adobe who permit ISO to
use it.
Adobe recently offered ISO their DNG speci-
fication, parts of which may be used in the new
ISO raw standard.
Special Interests
The ISO was established to reduce trade barri-
ers through recognised international standards.
Like any organisation, including the AIPP, the
ISO is comprised of many stakeholders, each
with its own interest group.
32
Camera manufacturers have solid business
reasons to create undocumented, proprietary
raw formats along with their own raw file pro-
cessor.
Watching Competitors
They don’t want competitors to access confi-
dential and highly valuable information on how
their sensors work or their image-rendering
pipeline. Some cite image quality as a reason to
have proprietary raw file formats.
Not everyone will see eye-to-eye on a pro-
posed raw image standard.
ISO/TC42 is made up of several members
from the photographic industry. This includes
camera and accessory manufacturers, and soft-
ware companies, spread across several coun-
tries.
Making A Difference
To pass an ISO standard requires a majority vote
from member countries. That is where countries
like Australia can assist as our vote will make a
difference.
The Standards Australia National Mirror
Committee will primarily
focus on issues relating to
our country’s needs. How-
ever, the final outcome if
we vote on an ISO stan-
dard will have internation-
al ramifications.
What’s the likelihood of there being an ISO
raw File Format?
That’s pretty much a given and the stan-
dard development process required by ISO is
on schedule for the next meeting. If accepted,
it will be at least another two years before ISO
members vote on a raw camera format stan-
dard.
One Certainty
But there will be an ISO Standard for Camera
raw files, of that I’m certain.
The more pertinent question is whether
camera manufacturers adopt the ISO standard
and we, the end users, will have to drive that.
Disclosure: While I am the AIPP representative
on the ISO TC42 Australian Mirror Committee, the
views expressed here are my own and not that of
Standards Australia or ISO.
Robert Edwards is a past AIPP National President
and is very active in the areas of digital asset man-
agement, along with running his own photography
business, . www.photographer.com.au
The13 Essential Elements of a Successful APPA Competition Entry
Read More AIPP Member Only ContentTo read AIPP member and specific business related advice, visit the AIPP
website and sign in. Once you’re signed in, follow the menu Member Services, My Publications, The Working Pro - Extended Material.
33
W h e r e a r e m y f r e e c o p i e s o f
B e t t e r P h o t o g r a p h y M a g a z i n e ?
T h e y a r e h e r e . . .
w w w . a i p p . c o m . a u
S i g n i n t o t h e m e m b e r ’ s s e c t i o n . . .
G o t o m e m b e r s e r v i c e s . . .
G o t o m y p u b l i c a t i o n s . . .
G o t o B e t t e r P h o t o g r a p h y . . .
D o w n l o a d a n d e n j o y !
M i c h a e l K e n n a • J o h s e l N a m k u n g • S t e p h e n D u p o n t
• S t a g e Y o u r O w n E x h i b i t i o n • C o m p o s i t i o n E s s e n t i a l s
• M a k i n g A m a z i n g P h o t o b o o k s
34
rØDE i16C a p t u r i n g g r e a t s o u n d f o r v i d e o
Whether capturing
sound clips for an
audio visual or back-
ground recordings for
a video, the new røde
i16 will capture re-
markably high-quality
sound with a small but
elaborate recording
system.
Designed for the iPhone, iPad and iPod
touch, the i16 combines sixteen separate micro-
phone capsules to capture the user’s surround-
ing audio environment in broadcast quality.
A similar product, the røde iXy stereo micro-
phone for iOS devices has already gained praise
from both musical and mainstream media, in-
cluding a recent red Dot product award. The
i16 takes the iXy several steps further.
røde’s founder and president, Peter Freed-
man, explains: “When developing the iXy we
were focused on providing the ultimate in ste-
reo audio capture for iOS devices. But during
the project it became evident that there was a
large proportion of the market who wanted to
record in complete surround. We’ve taken that
seriously and produced the i16.”
The new microphone uses røde’s own field
recording app, røde
rec, to record the six-
teen tracks simultane-
ously at quality up to
24-bit/96kHz. At the
heart of the i16 are six-
teen individual gold-
sputtered cardioid con-
denser capsules, which
allow the user a high
amount of freedom to record in either surround,
stereo, mono, or anywhere in between.
“Once the user records the surrounding en-
vironment, software processing inside røde
rec will allow them to cancel background noise
through phase manipulation of the other chan-
nels, working much the same way as noise can-
celling headphones.” explained Peter Freedman.
“In this way the i16 is even more effective at re-
cording dialogue than a traditional shotgun mi-
crophone.”
The i16 is available with both Apple Light-
ning (iPhone 5, iPad mini) and 30-pin connec-
tions. Approximate price is $399.
For more information, visit www.rodemic.
com. The rØDE rec App is available for pur-
chase from the App Store.
35
Internationally awarded travel photographers Ignacio Palacios and Pep Roig are leading an amazing photographic journey to Patagonia in South America
next year and AIPP Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastway will join the tour as a guest presenter and instructor.
Patagonia Itinerary
Santiago de Chile, Pta. Arenas, Torres del Paine National Park (Pehoe Lake, Nordenskjöld lake, Salto Grande waterfall, Laguna Larga, Grey lake and Grey
Glacier), Pto. Natales, El Calafate (Perito Moreno Glacier), Viedma Lake, El Chaltén (Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, Maestri camp, Poincenot camp), El Calafate.
The trip includes accommodation, all meals, English and Spanish speaking guides, local travel (minibus), transfers and visas. On the Patagonia tour, Peter,
Ignacio and Pep will provide instruction and assistance with your photography as required. There are only 15 seats available on the tour.
Price: AU$7995*(*) Twin share price. The tour price does not include flights.Note: Some level of fitness is required to reach some campsites in Torres del Paine and Cerro Torre. Porters will be available at an additional fee. The tour finishes in El Calafate (Argentina) from where there are flights to Buenos Aires connecting back to Santiago de Chile or directly to Australia. Dates and itinerary are subject to change.
For further information, contact Ignacio by email: [email protected] or visit www.iptravelphotography.com.au.
PATAGONIA 2014WITH IGNACIO PALACIOS, PEP ROIG & PETER EASTWAY
Torres del Paine, Perito Moreno Glacier, Cerro Torre & Fitz Roy 8 – 21 March 2014 / 14 days
An eBook by Peter Eastway
G.M. Photog., Hon. FAIPP, Hon FNZIPP, FAIPP
For more information and a read of the free sample, please visit:
www.betterphotography.com
I have judged
many photography
competitions and
there are lots of little
things that entrants
forget to do. If only I could let them
know before entering the competi-
tion, they would do so much better!
Well, as a judge I’m not allowed
to ring up and help entrants, but I can
write a book that distills what I have
learnt over the last twenty years that
will give you a great head start.
Of course, no one can give you an
iron-clad guarantee that you will read
my book and then win the next photo
competition you enter – and I explain
why in the book. However, what I can
guarantee you is that if you read my
book, you will improve the quality of
your photography.
You see, whether you’re aiming to
win a photography competition or just
take a better photograph, the advice is
very similar. And I know that the tech-
niques and approaches I’ve developed
over the years will help you capture
and produce better photographs.
My book is called How To Win Photo Competitions.
It begins with a little about me.
After all, it’s easy enough to write a
book about winning photography
competitions, but it’s better if you have
a little bit of experience. Fortunately
for me, I’ve been lucky enough to win
quite a few competitions, plus I have
a lot of experience as a judge. I can
talk to you about both sides of the
competition.
Add in the fact I’ve been a maga-
zine editor for 30 years and I hope I’m
able to communicate my message
pretty well. So, in just a couple of
pages (I don’t want to bore you), I
explain why I know what I’m talking
about (even though my Dad told me
not to boast).
We then look at competitions
and how they work, how you should
approach them, and how to use the
results to assess your own photog-
raphy. It’s important to set the scene
before we get into creating photos
that win competitions.
The next two sections are the
nitty gritty. We begin by talking about
taking a great photograph in the fi rst
place. Competition winners begin
with the camera and so we talk about
camera technique, colour, composi-
tion, framing and so on - little tricks
and hints that will make a world of
diff erence to your photographs.
From here we step into post-
production – using the computer
to improve the images our camera
has captured. Most readers will have
dabbled with Photoshop, Elements
or Lightroom and this is all you need
to enhance your images so they are
in the running for a competition win.
These days, no matter how good your
camera is, you simply must do a little
post-production to fi nesse your entry.
I fi nish the book with some use-
ful background information about
how competitions work (generally
speaking), and then I analyse some of
the images that have won awards for
me, pointing out the aspects that the
judges responded to in a positive way.
The book has lots of photographs
and illustrations to explain exactly
what I’m talking about.
And it is an eBook. It is easy to
read on a computer, laptop or iPad,
and you need Adobe Reader (Acrobat)
to view the book. There is no paper
version of this book, although you can
print out the Acrobat Reader fi le if you
wish.
I have created a sample eBook for
you to look at on the Better Photogra-
phy website, so please visit and have
a read. If you like what you see, I hope
you’ll purchase a copy.
And for your next photo competi-
tion - good luck!
– Peter Eastway
How To Win Photo Competitions
How To Win
NEW PRICE FOR 2013only $29.95www.betterphotography.com
WinPhotoCompAdvert-2013.indd 1 21/01/2013 9:24:27 PM