Working Pro 223

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Working ProThe

Issue 223 • July 2014

WEDDINGPHOTOGRAPHY

THE AIPP IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATION THAT EXISTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS MEMBERS

If you have a “Special Interest” or a keen area you want to see more and better AIPP involvement, the SIG’s are your opportunity to get involved and help us make this happen.

Simply contact us on [email protected] to suggest a new SIG or get involved in one of our existing SIG's

SIGSPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

AIPP MENTORING

A C C R E D I T A T I O N

FOR VIDEO P R O D U C E R S

MOTHER & BABY PHOTOGRAPHY

AIPP USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

BIRTHPHOTOGRAPHY

PORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHY

AIPP WORKSHOP P R E S E N T E R S & SPEAKERS

AIPP MEMBERSHIP

BENEFITSWORKING WITH

the ATO (AUSTRALIAN TAX OFFICE)

Working ProThe

C o n t e n t s# 2 2 3 - J u l y 2 0 1 4

4 President’s Message Kylie Lyons keeps the membership up to date with news and information about the Institute.

6 Social Pages - The Nikon AIPP EventA pictorial report on the goings on up on the Gold Coast at the recent Nikon AIPP Event.

1 6 Member Profile: Scott LeggoCan you combine a love of landscapes and planes in the profession of photography. Let’s ask Scott!

3 2 How Will The Online Awards System Run?The AIPP’s easy access competition and critique system will go online to make it more affordable too.

3 4 What Is An APPA Seed?There are three ways you can enter the APP awards which ensures every-one gets a fair go.

3 6 AIPP State Council MembersWhose in charge of your patch? Check out all the new AIPP State Council Members here.

3 8 Simplifying The Price List - Anna BlackmanDon’t scare your clients with numbers says Anna Blackman. Keep your price list simple.

4 0 Is Good Photography Enough? - Chris ShainIt’s a question we don’t really want to ask, but do clients hire us for our great photography, or is there something else?

4 2 Editor’s Selection - APPA WinnersA selection of entries that caught the editor’s eye from the 2013 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards.

5 0 Your Awards Entry: SharpeningThe one thing judges hate is an over-sharpened image, but do you need to sharpen it at all?

5 2 Will I Make Money @ $200 A Sitting?The challenge for portrait photographers is giving their customers what they want at a price that keeps them in business.

5 4 The AIPP BlogA recap of some of the important stories posted on the AIPP’s blog, just in case you missed them!

5 6 Our Co-Opted Board Member: Jade WisleyA short bio to introduce our latest hard working Board member. Jade’s role is to improve our communications.

5 8 Røde smartLav+If you have an iPhone or Android equivalent, this little lapel microphone might be just the trick!

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 G.02, 171 Union Road,

Surrey Hills, Victoria 3127

Phone: 03 9888 4111

E-mail: [email protected]

Cover

Mandarine Montgomery2014 THE NIKON AIPP EVENT

PHOTOGRAPH OF DAN O’DAY

CREATED FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY AUCTION

TURN TO THE BACK COVER TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE OF DAN

O’DAY’S DUAL PERSONALITY!

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Doesn’t Time Fly!K y l i e L y o n s M . P h o t o g . , H o n . L M , N a t i o n a l P r e s i d e n t

My, doesn’t time fly! I can’t believe it’s been two

years since I was elected as National President

and now my tenure has come to an end!

At our board election on 8 July 2014, Ross

Eason was elected as the 24th National Presi-

dent. I hope you will join with me in congratu-

lating Ross and wishing him the best for the

next 12 months.

I now take on the role of Chairperson and

look forward to the next set of challenges that

lie before me.

When I became President, I set out to

achieve a number of things:

• to give the AIPP a face;

• to be a President who engaged personally

with members and worked closely with the

Executive Officer;

• make it easier for members to get involved;

• make the Board more visible and accountable;

• embrace electronic communication;

• develop an integrated awards system.

I am very proud that the Board has achieved

these goals and that we have left the AIPP in a

better place and well positioned for the future.

I am extremely pleased to have met so

many AIPP members in person over the past

two years and I have appreciated your views,

support and friendship. As I’m still on the Board,

I hope that this contact can continue. You may

recall the new email address that enables you to

give feedback directly to the Board:

[email protected].

Please continue to use this to send your

thoughts and ideas.

I have learnt so much over the past two

years and would like to thank all the sponsors

and trade partners, the state council members,

subcommittee members, Board members and

all the National Office staff who have assisted

me in my role. As a group of people working to-

gether for the betterment of the photographic

industry, we are a pretty formidable force and

this was demonstrated best at the recent Nikon

Event on the Gold Coast.

So, now it’s time for me to say goodbye to

this monthly report. Thanks again for reading

each time.

I look forward to the next chapter and your

continued support for your AIPP.

[email protected]

0411 552 488

mailto:kylie.lyons%40aipp.com.au?subject=Member%20email%20to%20Kylie%20about%20the%20AIPP

5

Thinking of entering APPA this year? Everything you need to know can be

found at:

www.appa.aippblog.com

Learn more about APPA by viewing Tony Hewitt’s Keep Looking For Your Style,

a feature on the current Canon AIPP Professional Photographer of the Year

http://vimeo.com/98711578

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Is $16,000 For Dan O’Day Enough?C h a r i t y A u c t i o n A t T h e N i k o n C o c k t a i l P a r t y

It all started in 2012 with an impromptu print

auction of a photo featuring Tony Hewitt, na-

ked, taken by David Oliver during one of The

Nikon AIPP Event workshops. The print was auc-

tioned at the Nikon Cocktail Party, and then the

auction was expanded to the gala dinner two

nights later when all the speakers were invited

to donate a print.

We managed to raise over $28,000 which

was donated to Breast Cancer research.

After such a successful year, we decided to

do it again in 2013 and raised over $35,000 for

Mens’ Prostate Cancer.

And in 2014, the charity being supported

was Make A Wish.

Once again, it was the photograph being

auctioned at the Nikon Cocktail Party that had

everyone enthralled. Mandy Montgomery had

photographed Dan O’Day secretly during the

convention and, after some very late nights, had

produced an amazing print, proudly printed by

Epson.

The auction beat all records with the top

bid at $8000, where it stalled, until Mandy sug-

gested she would make two available at $8000

if both the top bidders agreed.

So, thanks to Shant Kradijan from DigiDirect

and Nick Segger from Nikon, the auction raised

$16,000 and it was a very good start for the fun-

draising efforts. But more was to come!

Mandarine Montgomery can’t believe the prices being paid for her work of art - a new record is be-ing set, but it’s about to be doubled!

Dan juggles for a higher price while Tony Hewitt keeps the buyers engaged.

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(Left to Right) Dan O’Day, Mandarine Montgomery, DigiDirect’s Shant Kradjian and Nikon’s Nick Seg-ger, congratulating each other after a successful double bid.

Mandarine relieved, Dan completely pumped!

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$59,000 For Make A WishT h e N i k o n E v e n t G a l a D i n n e r M a k e s A D i f f e r e n c e

Photographers and trade at the 2014 AIPP

Nikon Event, held at the RACV Royal Pines Re-

sort in the Gold Coast from the 8th – 10th June,

raised almost $60,000 for the Make A Wish

Foundation through its annual charity print auc-

tions, taking the total raised in the last three

years to over $125,000.

Held to mark the end of the three day na-

tional conference, the auction is the brainwave

of a number of AIPP members who decided

they could combine their image making talents

with their generosity of spirit to raise money for

worthy charities.

There are two auctions during the conven-

tion, beginning with a single print auction at

the Nikon cocktail party, and then followed by

the larger auction of a series of prints kindly do-

nated by the speakers at the closing gala dinner.

The Make A Wish Foundation, which grants

the wishes of children with life threatening

medical conditions, was chosen as this year’s

charity, with previous years seeing donations

to breast cancer research and prostate cancer

foundations.

Peter Myers, the AIPP Executive Officer said

“This year, the theme of our conference was

‘Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary’,

something that professional photographers

do every working day.

“Professional photographers love their work

and they enjoy seeing the pleasure their work

brings to their clients.”

The prints on auction were provided by (left

to right, top to bottom on opposite page):

Julia Kuzmenko, Peter Rossi, Peter Coulson, Kelly

Tunney, Heather Swan, William Long, Esther Bun-

ning, Kelly Brown, Serena Hodson, Jerry Ghionis,

Tony Hewitt, Alexia Sinclair, Charmaine Heyer and

Yervant Zanazanian.

Auctioneer Tony

Hewitt at work for

the Make A Wish

Foundation.

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THE 2014 AIPP NIKON EVENT RAISES $60,000 FOR MAKE A WISH FOUNDATIONTurning Ordinary Into The Extraordinary

On Tuesday 10th June, the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) through its annual charity print auction raised almost $60,000 for the “Make A Wish Foundation” taking the total raised in the last three years to over $125,000, benefiting breast cancer research and the prostrate cancer foundation as previous charity recipients.

This annual auction takes place at end of the AIPP national conference, The Nikon AIPP Event, and was the brainwave of a number of members who 3 years ago simply decided they could combine their image making talent with their generosity of spirit to raise money for worthy charities... This year, the 2014 AIPP Nikon Event was held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort in the Gold Coast. This 3-day professional photography conference from the 8th – 10th June included amongst its delegates, AIPP members, photography students, and members of the public interested in improving their photography knowledge.

Peter Myers, the AIPP Executive Officer said “This year, the theme of our conference was “Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary”, something that professional photographers do every working day. Professional photographers love their work and they enjoy seeing the pleasure their work brings to their clients. But equally, they also

understand, even in difficult financial times, the need to give back and support the community at large. Each year we choose a charity to be the beneficiary of this fund raising effort, and each year we try to raise even more money”. The prints for the auction were donated by the speakers and presenters at the event, including this year, Jerry and Melissa Ghionis, Heather Swan, Julia Kuzmenko, Alexia Sinclair, William Long, and the current Australian Professional Photographer of the Year, Tony Hewitt to name just a few.

The AIPP together with its major partner Nikon, are already planning and looking forward to The Nikon AIPP Event 2015, and raising even more money. The 2015 event will be in Perth from 29th June – 1st July.

FOR MORE INFO GO TO www.aipp.com.au and http://www.aipptheevent.com.au Address: G.03 171 Union Road, Surrey Hills, Melbourne, VIC 3127Contact person: Kim HardingPhone: (03) 9888 4111Email: [email protected]

THEEVENT

2014 NIKON AIPP

GOLD COAST

© Images from top left: Julia Kuzmenko, Peter Rossi, Peter Coulson, Kelly Tunney,

Heather Swan, William Long, Esther Bunning, Kelly Brown, Jerry Ghionis, Alexia Sinclair, Charmaine Heyer, Serena Hodson,

Tony Hewitt and Yervant Zanazanian

THE 2014 AIPP NIKON EVENT RAISES $60,000 FOR MAKE A WISH FOUNDATIONTurning Ordinary Into The Extraordinary

On Tuesday 10th June, the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) through its annual charity print auction raised almost $60,000 for the “Make A Wish Foundation” taking the total raised in the last three years to over $125,000, benefiting breast cancer research and the prostrate cancer foundation as previous charity recipients.

This annual auction takes place at end of the AIPP national conference, The Nikon AIPP Event, and was the brainwave of a number of members who 3 years ago simply decided they could combine their image making talent with their generosity of spirit to raise money for worthy charities... This year, the 2014 AIPP Nikon Event was held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort in the Gold Coast. This 3-day professional photography conference from the 8th – 10th June included amongst its delegates, AIPP members, photography students, and members of the public interested in improving their photography knowledge.

Peter Myers, the AIPP Executive Officer said “This year, the theme of our conference was “Turning the ordinary into the extraordinary”, something that professional photographers do every working day. Professional photographers love their work and they enjoy seeing the pleasure their work brings to their clients. But equally, they also

understand, even in difficult financial times, the need to give back and support the community at large. Each year we choose a charity to be the beneficiary of this fund raising effort, and each year we try to raise even more money”. The prints for the auction were donated by the speakers and presenters at the event, including this year, Jerry and Melissa Ghionis, Heather Swan, Julia Kuzmenko, Alexia Sinclair, William Long, and the current Australian Professional Photographer of the Year, Tony Hewitt to name just a few.

The AIPP together with its major partner Nikon, are already planning and looking forward to The Nikon AIPP Event 2015, and raising even more money. The 2015 event will be in Perth from 29th June – 1st July.

FOR MORE INFO GO TO www.aipp.com.au and http://www.aipptheevent.com.au Address: G.03 171 Union Road, Surrey Hills, Melbourne, VIC 3127Contact person: Kim HardingPhone: (03) 9888 4111Email: [email protected]

THEEVENT

2014 NIKON AIPP

GOLD COAST

© Images from top left: Julia Kuzmenko, Peter Rossi, Peter Coulson, Kelly Tunney,

Heather Swan, William Long, Esther Bunning, Kelly Brown, Jerry Ghionis, Alexia Sinclair, Charmaine Heyer, Serena Hodson,

Tony Hewitt and Yervant Zanazanian

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The Nikon AIPP Event A Blast!P h o t o D i a r y F r o m T h e G o l d C o a s t

There were a lot of people at the Night On Nikon cocktail party, and a lot of sore heads the following

morning. Photos thanks to Bambi Gosbell and Karl Welsch.

Derek Clapham, Kelly Vanyai, Steve Saporito, Rebecca Drake and Ken Drake.

Nadine Saacks, Bruce Pottinger, Bambi Gosbell and Epson’s Romano Bacci.

Cherie Abdy and Rachael Bentick

Nikon’s Kylie Dredge with Steve Saporito. Thanks Kylie, a great Event!

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Natalie Bailey, Natalie Howe, Paula Brennan, Kaz Tuckwell and Lisa Hoffler

AIPP Board Members Ross Eason, Jade Wisely, Felicity Bacci and Nikon Event organiser and AIPP staffer, Kim Harding.

Speakers Glenn Singleman and Heather Swan.

There was no shortage of food!What’s in Anni Payne’s brightly coloured bag?Todd Hunter McGaw and James Simmons. Don’t ask.

Nikon’s effervescent Jeremy Brown

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The Nikon AIPP Event A Blast!P h o t o D i a r y F r o m T h e G o l d C o a s t

After the very successful charity auction, the delegates let their hair down on the dance floor and

partied late into the night. Is this the real reason photographers come to The Nikon AIPP Event?

Photos thanks to Bambi Gosbell and Karl Welsch.

Tania Niwa, Bambi Gosbell, Kylie Lyons and Esther Bunning. Nikon’s Kylie Dredge - Kylie loves public speaking!

Tracy Lee enjoying the dance floor.Andrew Harrison makes a bid.Tony and Lynette Hewitt

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Leoluca Prestia, Jodie Shanks, Selena Rollason and Julie Foon - Julie, where’s Trevor?

Towards the end of the night at The Nikon AIPP Event gala dinner.

Katie Kolenberg and Jeremy Byrnes

Trevor Foon was found near by, but not with Ju-lie. His dance partner is Hayley Genele.

Too much fun on the dance floor!

Mel Coco Pitt and Julian Walker

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The Nikon AIPP Event SpeakersP h o t o D i a r y F r o m T h e G o l d C o a s t

There were so many great presentations, it wasn’t possible to see them all. However, many of the pre-

sentations will be available for viewing on the AIPP website. Check it out - www.aipp.com.au.

Photos thanks to Bambi Gosbell and Karl Welsch.

Heather Swan at her keynote address on Fearless Photography. And wow, was she fearless! Stephen Dupont discusses his passion for artist books.

... and Melissa Ghionis did her best to keep him under control. They gave separate presentations.

Jerry Ghionis was on fire...Esther Bunning enthralled her audience with her creativity.

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Peter Coulson, Aaron Tait, Mark Duffus and William Long on a commercial panel.

All the audiences were well behaved!

Peter Coulson explains his top light technique.

Ross Eason squeezed himself into his interior lighting demonstration.

Glenn Singleman - is there a doctor in the house. When you see what he does, you will know why.

William Long making a point.

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S c o t tLEGGOMaster of Photography

Kosciuszko Dawn

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Scott Leggo is a wilderness, landscape and aviation

photographer and a passionate outdoorsman. He says

he is driven by a love of travel and the adventure of

exploring great locations to photograph. His work is

sold to individuals, businesses and collectors in Austra-

lia and overseas, and his images have been published

widely in leading magazines, newspapers, calendars

and books.

A former Air Force Officer and Australian diplo-

mat, with service overseas, Scott is also a respected

management consultant with one of the world’s lead-

ing global management consulting firms. He brings

an unparalleled depth of business understanding to

his work. As a result of his travels and life experiences,

Scott is a strong promoter of more sustainable living

and believes in the contribution individuals and busi-

nesses can all make towards a better world. Where

possible, he uses his business to bring attention to is-

sues he cares about and to help education and con-

servation efforts.

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“My work is a mix between the ‘retail’ side of the

business where I sell prints and calendars etc.,

and then assignments for commercial clients.

“The commercial side is the largest aspect of

the business. For me, it’s necessary to have both

aspects of the business as they are mutually

beneficial.

“I win commercial assignments and corpo-

rate clients because they have seen my calendar

or my prints. That gives them confidence to en-

gage me as they already understand the style of

my work and how this could support their pro-

motion, advertising or marketing efforts.

Symbiotic

“This commercial work in turn provides oppor-

tunities to capture images for my print collec-

tion.

“Thus from a business perspective, it’s a sym-


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biotic relationship as one supports the other

and so on.”

“Eventually I plan on getting to the point

where ‘retail’ sales are more than sufficient to

entirely fund the travel I want to do, but the

commercial assignments are enjoyable and I get

to work on some great jobs and with some ter-

rific clients.

“However, I’m selective about my commer-

cial or assignment work. I sometimes get ap-

proached for more general commercial photog-

raphy needs, but I certainly don’t do headshots.

I stick to what I’m good at and what I like (in

terms of why I got into photography in the first

place).

“For me it is important that people under-

stand I don’t try to be all things to everyone.”

Rhino pair

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Tasmanian Escape

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In terms of the breakdown between landscape

and aviation, Scott says it’s weighted towards

landscape. However often he finds himself

shooting both.

Perfect Job

“For instance, I’ve done commercial assign-

ments for air charter operations where they’ll

use an aircraft to fly hotel guests and tourists

into remote wilderness areas. I’ll spend a week

or two capturing their aircraft flying around

these locations, as well as some of the truly pic-

turesque and scenic wilderness areas that they

take people to.

“It’s a real coming together of the two types

of photography. The operators need someone

with a strong aviation focus for the air-to-air and

ground-to-air shooting, but also the ability to

capture the wilderness locations they’ll be oper-

ating in.

“Work like this really is the perfect job for me,

combining my interest in aviation and passion

for the environment.

Diverse Clients

“On the commercial side of the business, my

clients are predominantly bigger businesses or

government departments who have larger bud-

gets and know exactly what they are seeking in

terms of imagery for their marketing, advertis-


23

ing or promotional needs.

“That said, I’m often impressed by some

smaller scale businesses and the clarity with

which they come to me with one ‘wow’ photo-

graph they want me to capture.

“It’s great working with these businesses be-

cause they understand that it might take a few

sunrises or sunsets to get the right light and

they’re willing to accept this.

“Often some of the work with smaller busi-

nesses leads to work with respective tourism

sectors and industries and this is how much of

my earlier commercial work evolved and con-

tinues to do so.”

Mountain bomb burst

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In terms of equipment, Scott says that much of

it is survival and safety gear.

“Given the weather conditions I often find

myself in, personal equipment and clothing is

the priority. There’s not much point having great

camera equipment if you freeze to death.

“On the clothing front I love everything from

Icebreaker and spend far too much money at all

the top outdoor/adventure stores on clothing

and other outdoor adventure essentials.

“Having been in the military, I appreciate

how important decent footwear is. My Raichle

mountaineering boots, which I’ve had for a

while now, are without doubt the best boots

I’ve ever owned. They’ve taken me through all

sorts of extremes globally and are still together

and waterproof.

Cameras & Lenses

“On the camera front, I currently shoot with

Canon’s EOS 5D MKII, with a good range of L se-

ries lenses, as well as Nikon’s D800E fitted with

Carl Zeiss lenses.

“I predominantly use the wider angle lenses

for my landscape work, while the longer focal

lengths are great for much of my aviation work.

“Medium format is possibly next for me, giv-

en what I want to be able to offer my clients go-

ing forward, but I think there’s some big chang-

es coming from the likes of Canon and Nikon

competing with the Phase One and Hasselblads

of the world, so we’ll see how this plays out.

“I use a Gitzo GT2542L tripod and Gitzo

GH2780QR ball head, which is great for my back

given the light weight and I love the flexibility

that the extra length from the tripod gives me

with no real compromise on rigidity.

Getting Around

“To carry my gear, I use Lowepro backpacks or

Macpac backpacks for the longer overnight

camping trips.

“I’ve used Sandisk Extreme Cards since I

started and these cards have never failed, even

when shooting in temperatures as low as minus

40 degrees Celsius.

“And last, but of course not least, I use Apple

products for all my computing needs. On the

processing front, I use Phase One’s Capture One

for my raw processing and then Adobe Photo-

shop as required.”


25

Red row of treesOrange rows of trees

Alpine sunrise

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“Like most photographers, many of my images

are the result of much planning and prepara-

tion, and often involve braving the elements

too.

“Shooting my winter images is a good ex-

ample. I researched many of these shots well

beforehand. In the alpine regions, I visit the area

in summer when there is no snow around. I look

for scenes and subjects that I know will look

great in winter. It’s much easier to hike around

and find subjects to shoot when there’s not two

metres of snow around!

“Then, come winter I know where I want to

go and how to get there. In those back country

areas during winter when you’re away from any

tracks and facilities, and the inclement weather

comes in, you really need to know your stuff

and have good local knowledge of the area.

“In this sense, there’s a lot of pre-visulisation

and prior planning, but equally some shots are

the result of me being in a location and the

weather conditions and light being just right.

“Either way, you have to be prepared and

out there when it happens.”

Sustainability

“As a landscape photographer, I capture both

mother nature as well as man’s built environ-

ment. I’m always in awe of both, in terms of


27

what exists naturally and what mankind has

achieved. I respect both.

“It is, however, my hope that my wilderness

landscape images convey in part what I feel

very strongly about: that we need to preserve

the few wild, untouched places remaining in

the world and protect our precious wildlife and

natural resources.

“Sustainability and protecting what we have

left are ever growing challenges in an increas-

ingly industrialised and urbanised world.

“I hope my images can help people recog-

nise what we still have left and that it is worth

protecting and preserving. This aspect of my

photography is certainly something I want to

develop further in the coming years.

Snow solitude

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29

The Wall

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When asked if he had any advice for other pho-

tographers, Scott was pensive.

“This is a tough question as I think there are

so many critical elements.

Commitment

“I think one key piece of advice is to be commit-

ted. I don’t think you can achieve the success

many landscape photographers desire without

a high degree of commitment. This covers many

aspects, but ultimately comes down to personal

drive and motivation.

“Just like many businesses, it’s a constant

learning process, so don’t give up. I’ve had lots

of things not work and learnt some very hard

lessons along the way, especially with some

marketing efforts that were financial disasters.

“I could have easily given in a few times, so

I’d say to others, stick with it when things don’t

go right. Sit back, assess, de-brief, ask

advice, learn from others and then re attack.

“A strong commitment to what you want to

achieve in the long run will help in this regard.

“And finally, most landscape photographers

I know, similar to me, are into landscape pho-

tography because of their love of travel and the

outdoors first, and with photography second. I

think sometimes it can be easy to let the pho-

tography and business aspects take over and

fail to enjoy the outdoor experience.

“When I catch that happening with me, I try

to pause and just take in the scenery wherever I

am and enjoy the moment.

To see more of Scott’s work visit his website at:

www.scottleggo.com


31

Like a Bird

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How Will The Online Awards System Run?T h e A I P P ’s e a s y a c c e s s c o m p e t i t i o n a n d c r i t i q u e s y s t e m .

We’re not into the new awards system yet, but

when it is fully operational (probably in 2016),

how will it work?

After APPA each year, the categories for the

following year will be agreed upon through

the category advocates, effectively allowing

all members to have a say and ensuring the

awards system meets the needs of the mem-

bership generally.

The categories will be published in Novem-

ber or December, in time for the online photog-

raphy competition which will be held in Febru-

ary. The online competition is open to everyone

– members, non-members, professionals and

enthusiasts. Explained Peter Myers, “The key

value proposition is that every image entered to

the online competition will receive criticism and

feedback from the judges.”

For most new entrants, the feedback will be

the starting point for their journey through the

APPA system. If their images were below stand-

ard, the feedback will give them direction and

advice so that, hopefully, the following year

their images will reach the required standard to

allow them to enter the state awards.

“The rules and parameters will be exactly the

same as they are for APPA, but it will be cheap

and easy to enter.”

Peter believes that more experienced mem-

bers will enter to win prizes or use the system as

a tool for gauging their more experimental imag-

es, especially if the cost is reasonable. And while

the details have yet to be ironed out, Peter also

sees the online entry system allowing feedback

to be tailored differently for members and non-

members, professionals and non-professionals.

“So while this is an online competition, its

real purpose is to be a critique session. Judges

will know whether the entrant is a professional

or an enthusiast, a Master of Photography or a

newbie, and they will be asked to tailor their ad-

vice appropriately.”

At the end of the online judging process,

the results will be tallied and a qualifying level

set, a bit like the university entry system. Pho-

tographers whose entries scored above the line

will be eligible to enter their state print awards;

those who are below the line will now have

time to work on their entries for the following

year’s online competition.”

At the state level, there won’t be the same

opportunity for feedback, but entrants will need

to score above the line in order to enter APPA,

unless they qualify in some other way (such as

the seeding process or the grandfather clause

for members who already have qualifications).

Peter Eastway

interviews

Peter Myers

34

What Is An APPA Seed?T h e r e a r e t h r e e w a y s y o u c a n e n t e r t h e A P P A a w a r d s .

In the new look AIPP awards system, most pho-

tographers will have to earn the right to enter

APPA, the national awards competition.

To do so, entrants will first need to partici-

pate in an online competition before being al-

lowed to enter the state awards, and then they

will need to succeed at their state level before

being entitled to enter APPA.

Already In The System

But will photographers who have been entering

APPA for 10 years really want to enter both an

online and a state awards system, just so they

can have four prints judged at APPA? Surely

they have established their credentials already?

The answer is that these photographers will

continue to receive automatic entry into APPA.

The details of what will be required have yet to

be finalised, but I imagine automatic entry will

be available initially for all Associates and high-

er, as well as photographers who are part way

towards achieving their next level.

So, for instance, if you have three Award

points and you’re hoping to earn another two

for your Associateship, entry to APPA would be

automatic.

So, what happens to new members who are

already very experienced photographers? Or ex-

perienced and established non-members who

want to enter for the first time? If the AIPP is to

encourage photographers at all levels to join

up, we don’t want to discourage them by mak-

ing it difficult to enter APPA.

This is where the seeding process comes

into play.

Seeding

William Long is the AIPP’s seeding manager and

he will oversee the process, but it can start at

a local level. State councils will be encouraged

to invite experienced new members and non-

members alike to enter either their state awards

or APPA, without needing to enter the online

competition.

In many cases, it will be enough for the local

council to make the recommendation, but as

with all systems, there will be a maximum num-

ber of seeded photographers invited to enter

and so William’s job will be to ensure the results

are equitable around the country.

As the APPA competition grows each year,

there is a limit to the number of entries that

can be assessed within a three day event while

maintaining a high level of judging expertise.

The three tier approach to the awards system

allows the AIPP to manage the numbers, while

the seeding process gives it the flexibility re-

quired to ensure a fair outcome for everyone.

36

These are your current state council members and they are keen to help you and listen to your suggestions.

To get in touch with them, use the Find A Photographer service on the AIPP website - www.aipp.com.au.

38

Simplifying The Price ListD o n ’ t s c a r e y o u r c l i e n t s w i t h n u m b e r s s a y s A n n a B l a c k m a n .

When people contact Anna Blackman about

shooting a wedding, she replies with an email

and a simplified, one page PDF price list which

sets out her various price points.

“It basically says if you spend $3000, you get

this, if you spend $4000, you get this, and if you

spend $5000 you can expect this. It is designed

to give them a rough idea of what they may

spend, but I also have a full price list with differ-

ent albums and other options.

“My price list is a two-step process. People

want a basic idea of what it is going to cost

them. They don’t want to waste their time or be

embarrassed if what I am offering is out of their

price range.”

However, while Anna has a two-step price

list, it’s what she does in between the two lists

that makes all the difference. She is very pre-

pared to spend time with prospective clients,

talking them through the options, explaining

the processes and her various packages.

“And these days you have to be prepared to

talk to people who don’t want to spend more

than $2000. Rather than saying I can’t do it, I ask

if they could get married on a Thursday, for in-

stance. I can do Thursdays for $2000, no trouble.

“Not everyone puts the same value on pho-

tography or has the same needs. A couple in

their 50s getting married for the second time

doesn’t have the same needs as a younger cou-

ple getting married the first time.”

However, there is a limit. Couples who want

to spend $500 won’t be able to hire Anna, al-

though they will still receive her sterling cus-

tomer service. “I’ll explain that a lot of the peo-

ple charging $500 are shooting weddings as a

second job, or they don’t have a lot of experi-

ence and just like taking a few snaps. The prob-

lem with people lacking in experience is that

often they have no back-up camera, no extra

memory cards, and don’t even use a camera

with two memory card slots.

“I try not to be mean about it because some

people starting off can be really good and cli-

ents could be lucky. But it’s a risk and do they

really want to take it?”

What Anna is doing, of course, is giving

these clients reasons to spend more than $500.

“A lot of people ring with a $1500 budget,

but after spending half an hour with them, they

are comfortable spending $4000.”

The bride realizes that if she hires a shoot

and burn photographer, she’ll just end up with

her photos on a DVD in a box, whereas with

Anna she’ll have an amazing album that her

children and grand-children can see.

39

So, what does Anna’s price list look like?

“The first page includes some introductory

information about why it’s so important to use

a professional. It’s said nicely and in a fun way,

explaining what happens when Uncle Bob gets

drunk and drops his camera… I like writing and

making people smile!

“Then I have a series of four packages. As

everyone knows, most people will pick the sec-

ond or the third one on the list, not the first or

the last. The first package is the basic package,

while the last one is the Rolls Royce with every-

thing included, but it’s the middle two that are

structured to be the most attractive.”

After the packages, Anna has an a la carte

section with different prices for different prod-

ucts and services, from just the basic coverage

to amazing albums. “However, I explain that

when you add up the various components, they

will probably find one of the packages suits

them better.”

Anna Blackman is an AIPP Master of Photography

who runs a successful boutique wedding studio

near Wollongong, NSW. annablackman.com.au

An example of Anna Blackman’s day to day photography.

40

Silver Award, Commercial Category, 2013 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards. Photograph by Chris Shain.

41

Is Good Photography Enough?C h r i s S h a i n a s k s w h y c l i e n t s h i r e u s ?

Clients expect a professional standard of pho-

tography and whether you’re a little better than

another photographer often isn’t an issue. The

trick to winning and keeping clients is providing

a full service solution and being reliable, every

time.

Chris Shain noted that in the past, photogra-

phers would base their business on their name

and their portfolio. Today he finds using a busi-

ness name separate from his own is better. Chris

uses the name Images For Business. The name is

short, simple and describes exactly the service

Chris provides. It also frees him from having to

take the photographs himself, allowing him to

send an associate or even another photogra-

pher if he finds himself very busy.

Chris also follows a no-nonsense approach

to his business, providing quotes and estimates,

and reading through terms and conditions thor-

oughly. And he’s not afraid to negotiate with his

clients.

“I think clients respect you for it. You’re being busi-

nesslike and so they can see you are serious about

your work. You’re not just an arty photographer who

doesn’t care about related issues or someone who

will need lots of hands-on managing.

“Clients want photographers who are orga-

nized and who can be sent out to do a job with-

out them having to worry about things, espe-

cially in the industrial area.”

“It’s true that you need good pictures to

show potential clients that you are capable and

passionate about what you do, but more im-

portantly for commercial and industrial clients

is understanding their business and what’s im-

portant to them. Often good photography is as-

sumed and it’s all the other structural aspects of

how you do the shoot and how quickly you de-

liver the job that are more important.”

“We don’t get all the work we tender for and

I know a lot of other photographers are charg-

ing half or even a third our fees. However, a lot

of clients eventually end up with us because

the other photographers don’t provide a good

standard of work, don’t provide good service or

provide files without any post-production, leav-

ing the client with extra expense.

“Write a business plan and set yourself a bot-

tom line. If you stick to it and do everything cor-

rectly, it will work.”

Chris Shain is a commercial photographer working

in Sydney. He is very active in business and legal is-

sues for photographers and holds a board position

with the Australian Copyright Council.

www.imagesforbusiness.com.au

42

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

S i l v e r A w a r d • I l l u s t r a t i v e C a t e g o r y

Adam Brownew w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / A d a m L e v i B r o w n e P h o t o g r a p h y2013 CANON AIPP AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

44




45

S i l v e r A w a r d • I l l u s t r a t i v e C a t e g o r y

Greg Stoodleyh t t p : / / w w w . g s t o o d . c o m /2013 CANON AIPP AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

46

S i l v e r A w a r d • F a m i l y C a t e g o r y

Connie Lawsonw w w . c o n n i e s m a g i c m o m e n t s . c o m2013 CANON AIPP AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

48




S i l v e r A w a r d • W e d d i n g C a t e g o r y

Adam Hourigan AAIPPw w w . a j h . n e t . a u2013 CANON AIPP AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

50

The image above has a moderate amount of sharpening and is probably considered about right. The image below has too much sharpening - it looks obviously overdone in the grass and shed. The results will also differ depending on how large you are viewing this page.

The image above has had no output sharpening added. It’s probably quite acceptable as it is. Sharpening isn’t essential for every image, but how much sharpening is as much about taste as it is about being technically correct.

51

Your Awards Entry: SharpeningT o o m u c h u n s h a r p m a s k i n g w i l l k i l l y o u r p r i n t .

We’re all taught that sharpening our files is stan-

dard practice, but is it?

Should You Sharpen At All?

Personally, I rarely sharpen my files. it’s not that

I don’t sharpen them ever, rather I am selective

about which files to sharpen.

Of course, I am using medium format a lot

of the time and often the files are already quite

sharp enough, but even AIPP Grand Master

of Photography David Oliver who shoots with

Nikon DSLRs doesn’t sharpen his files all the

time. In fact, he is often heard lamenting the

fact that a print or a file looks too sharp.

Sharpness might be important for an ar-

chitectural or industrial image, but too much

sharpness in a portrait or a wedding may sim-

ply kill the emotion and the mood. It looks

mechanical or metallic, unlike a human. The

amount of sharpening applied should be ap-

propriate to the subject and the emotion or

mood you want to convey.

What Is Over-Sharpening?

It is rare for a judge to say a print was scored

poorly because it didn’t have sufficient un-

sharp masking applied. It is quite common, on

the other hand, for a print to bomb because it

wasn’t focused properly in the first place. Sharp-

ening techniques rarely fix this satisfactorily.

And it’s equally common for a print to bomb

because it has been over-sharpened.

Over-sharpened images display lots of fine

white lines or haloes around the edges of the

subjects in the image. Sometimes the haloes

are thick and obvious; on other occasions fine

haloes don’t work because they are applied to

areas of very fine detail.

The amount of sharpening you apply is de-

termined by the subject you are sharpening. It

is common to apply different amounts of sharp-

ening to different areas in a photograph.

Lightroom Sharpening

Do you use Lightroom? Lightroom has some

very sophisticated sharpening algorithms built

into it. Whether you’re printing from Lightroom

or exporting a file from Lightroom, you can take

advantage of these algorithms by simply ticking

the sharpening check boxes, choosing the ou-

put (e.g. screen, gloss paper, matte paper) and

how much sharpening (strength) you want (just

a bit, normal, lots).

The trick is to output or print the file with all

three strength settings and then compare the

results. I know this doesn’t sound very scientific,

but at the end of the day, there is no better way

to determine how much sharpening is enough

- and how much is too much!

52

Will I Make Money @ $200 A Sitting?T h e c h a l l e n g e f o r f a m i l y p o r t r a i t p h o t o g r a p h e r s

There are portrait photographers offering a CD/

DVD/USB of 100 or 200 photographs for $200 or

less. Can you make a living at this rate?

Part Timers

If you have a full time job, then shooting a cou-

ple of portraits on a Saturday morning for $200

is a great way to supplement your income.

50 weeks x $400 = $20,000

It’s not bad as a second income, but this rep-

resents 100 portrait sittings a year. Most pho-

tographers would need to spend quite a bit of

energy finding those 100 clients, especially after

they have photographed all their friends.

And most part-timers probably photograph

10 to 30 portrait sittings a year and so their in-

come is more likely to be around $5000 a year.

Yet if they offered their clients more than

just the digital files, there could be much high-

er sales with not too much extra work. For in-

stance, instead of handing over the digital files,

why not offer them framed prints, canvasses,

acrylic blocks, desk prints, albums or an audio

visual?

And if Part Timers knew they could earn

$500 or $2000 more by offering a range of ser-

vices, I guess most would be happy to do so!

Given it’s tough to get 100 clients each year,

the problem with charging $200 per client

means you will never be able to go full time just

shooting portraits.

Full Timers

So, then we come to photographers who want

to be full timers, yet they also charge $200 a sit-

ting. Let’s assume you are successful and you

can generate 400 sittings a year - 8 sittings a

week.

50 weeks x $1600 = $80,000

Congratulations, you’re now earning roughly

the median salary.

Where are those 400 people going to come

from? If you can work this out using social me-

dia and it costs you nothing, you have the be-

ginnings of a sound business.

The reality is more than 90% of photogra-

phers don’t achieve this. They struggle to get

100 portraits a year, so unless they offer more

than digital files for $200, they won’t be full time

for much longer! What’s the solution?

Offer a greater variety of products to all

your clients. Have a minimum fee of $200 by all

means, but if you take good photos and your

clients love them, give your clients the oppor-

tunity to purchase more products and place a

higher value on the photos you do sell.

When working out your prices, look at the

long term picture and ask, will it work?

This is general information only. We do not know your specific financial or legal situation and we are not providing you with advice. As such, this article should not be relied upon as legal, financial or accounting advice. Please use this article as a conversation starter with your own adviser.

53

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 !

W o u l d y o u l i k e t o r e c e i v e a p a p e r v e r s i o n 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 , f o u r t i m e s a y e a r ? Y o u c a n s t i l l s u b s c r i b e a n d r e c e i v e

a 2 0 % d i s c o u n t . F o r d e t a i l s , e m a i l

k i m @ b e t t e r p h o t o g r a p h y . c o m

I s s u e 7 6 . . .C a p t u r e A m a z i n g B & W I n - C a m e r a

• C r e a t e B e a u t i f u l V i g n e t t e s • T h e B e s t S h a r p e n i n g Te c h n i q u e• S t u d i o L i g h t i n g F o r P o r t r a i t s

A n d l o t s m o r e . . .

55

Can Non-AIPP Members Enter the Awards?J a c q u i D e a n h e a d s u p t h e n e w D i r e c t I n v i t a t i o n R o l e

From 2015, with the advent of the new awards

system, the only routes for AIPP members to en-

ter the Canon AIPP APPA is as a seed, as a mem-

ber who ‘qualifies’ via the state awards system, or

as a member who is already in the APPA system.

As we have mentioned in previous articles,

the purpose of these changes is to establish a

pathway for new members and new entrants

into the awards system.

The Canon AIPP APPA is the pinnacle for any-

one entering our awards systems, with our state

awards, and in time, our new online competi-

tion being used as the precursor to entry into

APPA.

Timetable

For 2014, nothing will change.

For 2015, if you are an existing AIPP mem-

ber and you regularly enter APPA, you should

be largely unaffected by these changes. You will

be eligible to enter APPA in 2015 as one of our

Seeds or you will be asked to qualify to enter

APPA by entering your local state awards and

achieving a qualifying score.

We will also have to put in place a similar

process for non-AIPP members who are practis-

ing professional photographers and want to en-

ter our awards system.

The AIPP has always welcomed non-mem-

bers into our awards, albeit their entry fee struc-

ture is different.

From 2015, non-members, just like AIPP

members entering our awards for the first time,

will have to earn their place as an APPA entrant

by first entering the state awards of the state

in which they live, and qualifying in exactly the

same manner as AIPP members.

In essence, non-members will be treated ex-

actly like AIPP members, but with a substantially

higher entry fee.

Direct Invitation

With this restructure, it was always our inten-

tion to enrich the AIPP awards by encouraging

appropriate non-AIPP members, ranging from

photography students through to photography

specialists, to enter our awards system.

The new role of Direct Invitation Manager

has been created to facilitate exactly this.

We are very pleased that Jacqui Dean has ac-

cepted the challenge of this role.

Jacqui, with her wealth of experience, will

look to extend invitations to appropriate organ-

isations and photography genre specialists and

provide an additional pathway for non-mem-

bers to enter the Canon AIPP APP Awards.

BLOGFROM THE AIPP

56

2013 APPA Book Is Now AvailableD o n ’ t l e t y o u r l i b r a r y m i s s t h e n e x t g r e a t v o l u m e !

The 2013 APPA book is now available to order

direct from Album Works at $191 including

postage to anywhere in Australia.

Once again, the book has been printed on

the Canon DreamLabo system, but this year,

thanks to new gluing and binding techniques,

the book is back to a single volume, weighing in

at 2.7kgs and containing 365 pages.

Thanks to AlbumWorks for their continuing

support of the AIPP.

To order, visit this landing page:

http://aipporder.photo-products.com.au/

(Both William Long and Peter Eastway are

now proud owners!)

BLOGFROM THE AIPP

57

What Are The Canon AIPP APPAs?S i x G r e a t M o v i e s T o E x p l a i n A l l !

If you’re new to the APPAs - the Canon AIPP

Australian Professional Photography Awards –

then this series of videos is for you. D. J. Paine

has intereviewed AIPP luminaries Mandarine

Montgomery, Kylie Lyons and Paul Atkins about

everything to do with APPA.

How do you create great award prints? How

does the awards system work? What are all the

honours and how do you earn them? And what

about making that print for judging?

There are lots of tips and you can find the

movies on the AIPP Blog or at this link: http://

www.aippblog.com/index.php/what-are-the-

canon-aipp-appas/

BLOGFROM THE AIPP

59

Co-Opted Board Member: Jade WiselyT h e A I P P N a t i o n a l B o a r d 2 0 1 4 / 1 5

AIPP board members are photographers first

and, while they run successful businesses, they

understand that leading a membership organ-

isation requires additional skills.

Communications Experience

To bring in specific skills, the Board can ask a

specialist to join them as a co-opted director.

And this is how Jade Wisely was appointed to

the AIPP Board.

Jade is a communications expert. She has a

Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and a Mas-

ters in Virtual Communications.

She also has twenty years’ experience lead-

ing corporate communications for organisa-

tions including National Australia Bank, City of

Melbourne, ANZ and America Online.

Jade has served on industry boards in Aus-

tralia and the United Kingdom. And she has

won numerous awards and accolades. So, she

is certainly qualified to be advising the AIPP re-

garding communications. But there’s something

else you need to know.

Photography Student Too!

Jade is also a second year student at Photogra-

phy Studies College in Melbourne, which she

says she is loving! She quit her day job last year

and she’s beginning work as a professional pho-

tographer.

“I am thrilled about this opportunity to as-

sist the AIPP and its leaders to engage more ef-

fectively with members and stakeholders. Given

the volume of change that the industry and the

AIPP have experienced in recent years, it is more

important than ever for members to be con-

nected, informed and responsive.

“The Board is committed to the ongoing

improvement of communications to support

members.

“I am particularly interested in the unique

culture within the AIPP and the role communi-

cations can play in enhancing and evolving this.

“The Board recognises that different mem-

bers prefer to receive AIPP information in differ-

ent ways, so we aim to tailor the delivery of im-

portant messages accordingly.

Here To Help

“The AIPP has added new channels of com-

munication, such as Facebook and blogs, and

the Board wants someone to critically review

what is being done to make sure it is best

practice.”

That’s on Jade’s to do list.

So, if you get a call or an email from Jade,

please help her out. If you see her at an event,

do say hello. Or drop her a line anytime via jade.

[email protected]

61

Røde smartLav+E a s y s o l u t i o n f o r h i g h q u a l i t y r e c o r d i n g

When photographers gather around to talk

about film and video production, attention

tends to concentrate on the latest camera, the

latest lens or perhaps the most recent editing

application.

However, when we look at videos and films,

the first thing that makes a production look

amateurish is the sound. Or should I say, the first

thing that makes the production ‘sound’ ama-

teurish is the sound. Good quality audio is a

challenge, but it’s an essential part of the video

producer’s craft.

Now, not every production we create is top

shelf and a lot of social media presentations are

made with very low-tech equipment, so the

new Røde smartLav+ microphone which plugs

into your iPhone and Android devices is of great

interest.

Attach To Your Phone

The first smartLav was announced in early 2013

and quickly became one of Røde’s most popular

products, combining great value with the con-

venience of being able to connect to any avail-

able mobile device, including phones and tab-

lets based on iOS or Android.

The omnidirectional capsule made it easy to

place, without the need for expensive and com-

plicated wireless systems.

Given the success of the microphone, Røde

has increasee the audio quality even further

with the new smartLav+, achieved by updating

the microphone capsule to improve sensitivity

and lower self-noise (27dBA).

The smartLav+ also adds a Kevlar® reinforced

cable to ensure that the user cannot stretch or

snap the microphone under normal usage con-

ditions.

A foam windshield and clip with integrated

cable management is also supplied, along with

a storage pouch that is small enough to slide

into any camera bag or audio kit.

For iOS platforms Røde offers the Røde Rec

field recording app, which allows the user to

perform a complete range of professional re-

cording functions, including one-touch export

to Dropbox and SoundCloud.

A free version of the app, Røde Rec LE, is also

available for download.

Finally, Røde’s recently released SC3 adap-

tor allows the TRRS jack of the smartLav+ to

be adapted to suit standard TRS devices, such

as a DSLR camera or personal recorder like the

Zoom H1.

The smartlav+ is around $89 (US $79).

Working Pro 223

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Transcript of Working Pro 223