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![Marko Mestrovic,
Coralie
Andrew Cleminson,
Euljiro SK building, Seoul
Adam Scorey – Group Editor/PP Editor: “Marko’s image reminds
me of that Queen cover from yesteryear. I love the starkness and
central positioning of the subject. I’m sure it must have taken a good few
attempts and experiments to get it just perfect.”
Paul Thurlow,
Charlotte
Jeff Meyer – Photography Monthly Editor: “The light and contrast,
as well as the low perspective, all immediately stand out in this
picture. But I really like it for the way its wide angle shows the passers-by
and conveys a sense of interaction and shared community. This was a
difficult shot to make on several levels, and it’s been done extremely well.”
Ana Berger,
Nuvens [clouds]
of Manhattan
Luke Woodford,
Walk on by
Kelly Weech – features assistant, PP: “This image is composed
Robin Sinha, beautifully and offers a mixture of warm and cold tones. I like the
Ballygunge railway contrast of the man sitting still and the motion of the train speeding by.
station, Calcutta, 2011
To me, it suggests a reflection of his everyday life.”
28](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/professionalphotographeruk-2011-10-121104114701-phpapp01/85/Professional-photographer-uk-2011-10-28-320.jpg)
![{ feedback }
Tell us what you think via Twitter @prophotomag or Facebook Pro Photo Mag
or by email feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk
feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk
Dear Professional Photographer, wedding photography was the
Of course Mick Cookson’s piece perfect move, yet spends the rest of
about part-time wedding the article talking with a kind of
photographers [PP, September] is jaded cynicism for punters with not
quite correct, especially in regard to enough money to afford him and for
the need for a code of conduct and other wedding photographers who
decent regs. Problem is that in don’t work in the same way as him.
the UK it just ain’t ever going to All this after a mere three years in
happen. But his back page pic of the the [wedding photography] industry!
Morecambe Midland Hotel has to be His entry into the industry also
a leg-pull surely. Homage to Bill feels quite similar to many of the
Brandt, Mick… Now who’s taking photographers he is taking issue
the ‘p***’? with, the only discernible difference
Chris Smith, by email being that he left his regular decade with the advent of digital; When articles are written about the
employment to do weddings the consensus seems to be to state of the wedding industry, they
Dear Professional Photographer, full-time. But at some point, surely, diversify your income streams and tend to be in language that treats the
Just read, and laughed, at the there was a transitional period where work smart. I’ve got no sympathy buying public as visually illiterate,
Weekend Warrior article. I’ve been he could have been classed as a for anyone complaining about the uneducated and driven by price,
involved in a BIG argument (that’s Weekend Warrior where he charged loss of income from one small area with barely a consideration of what
still ongoing) about this very issue less for his work than he does of photography – the writing has their images will actually look like.
as I am now a seasoned WW, and now while he built his profile? been on the wall for years. Yes, some people are driven by
Mick spouts much of the usual Whatever, it’s wrong to assume that Shackling the wedding price, but so what? In this economy
rubbish aimed at us part-timers. all other non-full-time wedding photography industry with there’s no way I’d judge anyone for
Just off on hols but if you fancy, photographers are simply there ‘regulations’ and a ‘code of conduct’ saving money on anything, because
I’m happy to write an article as for a few quid. Some of these will not help at all. I notice that I do it myself every time I shop.
a rebuttal. photographers are the stars of the Mr Cookson made no offer of what But maybe some decisions are
David Goodier, by email future, just starting out and building these regulations might be; he just made on visual style and the owner
their confidence – we all start made a cynical comment about the of that style is a photographer
Ed: I have asked David to write his somewhere. Many will fall by the vitriol he knew he would stir up! who charges, say, £500 for a day.
rebuttal for the November issue… wayside but that’s the same in every Deep down I think he knows any Maybe, for whatever reasons,
can, worms, all over the show… other profession, bar none. suggestion is largely unworkable: pictures from a wedding simply
Photography is accessible to pretty one man’s trash is another man’s art aren’t that important to some
Dear Professional Photographer, much anyone, so you’re going to get and all that. The last thing we need couples and they’re happy to pay
I have to take issue with Mick a high turnover of people having a as photographers is a body telling us £300. Is that so bad? I wish every
Cookson’s article on the state of go; get over it. what is and isn’t a good wedding couple had £3,000 to spend on their
the wedding industry. The biggest Photography is possibly the most photograph – that’s what it will wedding images and I was picking
problem with this article is the democratic of visual mediums and come down to and any other up 25 weddings a year at that rate,
palpable sense of entitlement of pretty much always has been. To be regulations will just be extra but we have to get real; the industry
Mr Cookson. It seems anyone even lamenting the sheer number of bureaucracy; all it will do is stifle has changed massively. Simply to
considering photographing a photographers out there is a creativity. In the heavily codified blame the Weekend Warriors for
wedding or making the transition redundant argument. Yes, it makes area of wedding photography real undercutting the wedding sector
from a different career is simply extracting an income from the creativity is at a premium and feels like a gross oversimplification.
stealing potential clients from profession harder, that is without should be encouraged and nurtured. I firmly believe the industry will
Mr Cookson; how dare they! question, but the point has been I think it’s also appropriate to find its own level, even with this
He says the move to full-time debated ad infinitum over the past talk here about visual literacy. level of competition, and the
33](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/professionalphotographeruk-2011-10-121104114701-phpapp01/85/Professional-photographer-uk-2011-10-33-320.jpg)
Professional photographer uk 2011-10
- 1. WWW.PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK FOR PROFESSIONALS, BY PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONAL SINCE 1982 OCTOBER 2011 £4.20 PORTFOLIO Love Music Love Food THE BIG INTERVIEW ANDY GOTTS the Face Man ONLINE MARKETING New six-part series PPOTY MIDDLEBROOK AWARDS OUR FAVOURITE what the French do better... UPLOADS SO FAR COMPETITION, GADGETS & HEROES PLUS: BUYING USED, WHAT TO CHARGE & WHAT PROS WANT...
- 3. Well, well, well,I must admit to it being rather an interesting month here in the office. From an email saying I look “bored”, in my Editor’s picture (left: Really?), to recording my first set of podcasts, to putting out all sorts of ‘fires’ in the wake of Mick Cookson’s The Undercutters article in September’s magazine. This is obviously a very important issue for many of you out there – as you will see in the Feedback pages from just some of the emails I had. And it’s a subject I will continue with over the coming months. Highlights in this issue, for me, have to be two features in particular. First, Patrice de Villiers’ amazing set of images for her book in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, Love Music Love Food, and, second, my interview with Dr Andy Gotts. Inspiration a-plenty there. We have had a great response to the PPOTY awards, and you will see some of the team’s early favourites on page 28. Middlebrook has october penned some pure bull, and Chris Frear lets us in on life as a working pro in rural Scotland – he even covers horses’ cocks (literally!). Paul Tansey, MD of a company called Intergage, starts a new, six-part series about online marketing for us, while Selina Maitreya tells us to wake up and smell the coffee! We have an interesting feature on second-hand gear for pros, with a case study from someone who saved quite a few quid taking this route. A competition to win Fluid Mask software and a bunch of neat gadgets are also worth a look. Oh, and I must not forget the cheeky monkey... you will know what I mean if you take a look at page 63. Enjoy the issue. Adam Scorey, Editor feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk FRONT COVER Thanks to Dr Gotts for being alive! I love his sublime images; from the stunning shot of Elle THIS IMAGE AND COVER IMAGE ANDY GOTTS Macpherson on the cover, to Orlando Bloom in his boxers... apparently lots of folk think the actor is a Yank (I even heard he was the brother of Steve Bloom – the wildlife photographer). A lesson in lensmanship for us all. www.andygotts.com NOW YOU CAN BUY SINGLE ISSUES OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER ONLINE – GO TO www.buyamag.co.uk/PP
- 5. NEW PHOTOGRAPHY 8 Portfolio: Love Music Love Food The recipe book for rock stars by rock stars – musicians and their favourite food 31 Editor’s Choice PP Editor Adam Scorey chats about an image that has caught his eye from the online portfolio section NEED TO KNOW 22 Professional Photographer of the Year 2011 We have full details of this year’s PPOTY awards and publish early entries for the competition 39 Middlebrook: A Bit of What You Fancy Martin Middlebrook develops a taste for the French way of life while shooting bullfighting in Provence 44 Insider: The Price is Right? Garry Edwards tackles the vexed question of how much photographers should charge for their work 46 Insider: A Country Practice Chris Frear reveals the ups and downs of being a rural pro photographer out in all weathers 49 Bad Weather – Gear Buyers’ Guide In association with Jessops, the most durable cameras and a few choice accessories 57 The Business: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Marketing guru Selina Maitreya advises pros to forget the competition and think big 60 The Business: Online Marketing Masterclass In the first of a six-part series, agency boss Paul Tansey explains how to promote your business online 62 The Business: Monkey Business Peter Stevenson takes an offbeat look at copyright issues when it’s animals that are taking the pictures INTERVIEWS & CHATS WITH... 66 The Big Interview: Andy Gotts – Face Man Andy Gotts describes his rise from Norfolk lad to Hollywood A-list photographer 106 Heroes Travel photographer Tim Gartside praises Jean-Dominique Dallet and Mike Busselle’s work in Spain NEWS & REVIEWS 17 Click This month’s line-up of the best news, books and exhibitions 77 and 86 What Pros Want... Craig Fleming tests the Lencarta Safari Classic Ringflash and Hama’s digital camera trigger 82 Second-hand Gear Ten top tips for buying used equipment, plus a case study of a pro who saved thousands 91 Gadgets Our pick of this month’s most exciting gizmos and gadgets 92 Competition Your chance to win a copy of the Vertus Fluid Mask 3.2 masking tool, worth £99 103 Stop Press... The latest essential news, gossip and kit from the pro world KEEP IN TOUCH PATRICE DE VILLIERS/LOVE MUSIC LOVE FOOD 33 Feedback Your thoughts, your opinions, your pages 36 Podcast Every issue we record a free podcast discussing a topic from the world of professional photography 76 Subscribe Save 35% with our latest subscription offer and get a 432-page book worth £16.95 for free
- 6. CALUMET Canon DSLRs Nikon DSLRs EOS-5D MkII from £1699.00 D700 from £1829.00 EOS-7D from £1239.95 D300s from £1095.00 EOS-60D from £798.00 D7000 from £805.00 EOS-600D from £595.00 D90 from £509.00 EOS-550D from £525.00 D5100 from £525.00 NEW Sony Alpha A-77 DSLR NEW Lowepro Photo The high-resolution 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor assures detail-packed pictures with excellent contrast and gorgeous colours. Sport 200AW Backpacks Exmor technology cuts noise while signals The dual-compartment design of the new Photo are converted to digital form. The result? Sport Backpacks offer ample space for personal Flawlessly beautiful images. gear and a camera kit. Ultra-lightweight, resilient and high-performance technical fabrics for improved Body only durability and a built-in All Weather AW Cover. 999-782A £1149.00 Available in black or orange. 16-50mm Lens Kit 999-782A £1669.00 £179.00 Bowens Gemini NEW Certon MyRAID 500R/500R Compact and affordable offering the convenience of an external hard drive together with RAID Twin Head Kit level 5 data security at a fantastic price. This great value kit contains MyRAID 2.5TB capacity everything to get started in GREAT 999-782A £719.00 the studio, two 500R head, VALUE MyRAID 3.75TB capacity two stands, softbox, umbrella, reflector and a deluxe kit bag. 999-782B £899.00 MyRAID 5TB capacity BW4805UK £849.00 999-783Y £1045.00 NEW Calumet Speedbox Brilliant Kits Photo Paper Enjoy professional soft-box-quality lighting for portraits Engineered to provide exquisite photo-quality and still life. These portable and efficient soft boxes can be output. High resolution, instant handling and vivid used with most popular speedlights and set up in seconds. colour saturation. These great value kits contains a Speedbox, Adapter and 8’ Light Stand. Choose from Glossy, Lustre and Matte, in sizes from A4 to A2 and 30m roll sizes too. 18” Speedbox Kit RM2902KIT £99.00 24” Speedbox Kit RM2904KIT £109.00 Prices from as little as £5.99 All prices include Vat at 20%. Prices correct at time of going to press. E&OE. Call: 08706 03 03 03 Click: www.calumetphoto.co.uk Visit: stores nationwide
- 7. contributors ADAM SCOREY REBECCA STEAD KELLY WEECH SIMON REYNOLDS The new Group Editor of Archant Art editor Rebecca has five years’ Features assistant Kelly joined Simon was a sub-editor on Imaging has eight years’ experience in magazine design the team in 2009 and continues newspapers for more than 30 experience editing and 10 years’ and has been with the PP team to be passionate about years. His knowledge means as a professional photographer. since September 2010. all aspects of photography. our words are in safe hands. JESSICA LAMB JEFF MEYER PATRICE DE VILLIERS ANDY GOTTS Jessica is the guardian of our Jeff edits Photography Monthly. Patrice is a highly respected food Hollywood A-list portrait website, Facebook and Twitter A journalist for 16 years, he photographer and the subject of photographer Andy is best pages, and keeps the readers remembers using an actual knife our Portfolio, featuring her known for his black-and-white up-to-date online. to cut and paste text! Love Music Love Food cookbook. images of actors and singers. MARTIN MIDDLEBROOK PAUL TANSEY CRAIG FLEMING TIM GARTSIDE Based in the Midlands, Martin is Paul calls himself an “online Specialising in editorial-style Author and stock photographer a commercial photojournalist marketing geek”, and so he portraiture and beauty, Craig has Tim has been writing for and has been a contributor to PP should as he is the MD of web been a professional photographer magazines for years. He pens our for the past two years. marketing agency Intergage. for the past seven years. Heroes column this month. SELINA MAITREYA GARRY EDWARDS PETER STEVENSON BUBBLES American Selina has acted as Pro studio photographer and Peter has worked in insurance Up-and-coming pro photographer a consultant to commercial Lencarta’s technical guru in the for more than 30 years and is now Bubbles is just starting his photographers for 30 years and UK, Garry shares his experience director at InFocus, a specialist in career but has already made an is also a lecturer and author. when it comes to pricing. insuring photographers. impression on the business! Like what you see here? Why not check out our sister title, Photography Monthly? The November issue will feature tips on how to pose family photos in a number of locations, how to shoot autumn mist and tests of the Sony NEX-C3 and Olympus PEN E-PL3. 7
- 8. PORTFOLIO PHOTOGRAPHY & ORIGINALCONCEPT BY PATRICE DE VILLIERS
- 9. Love Music LoveFood - The Rock Star Cookbook started out as a seed SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR: “Mr Fish, of an idea after a chat with a musician. Over the last three years, where we shot Sophie, didn’t want to close while we worked, so the chip shop Patrice de Villiers has combined her passions for music, food and stayed open – I didn’t think it would be photography to create a book designed to help raise money for busy at all. However, at one point Teenage Cancer Trust. Patrice has photographed over 60 bands and around 3.30pm, an elderly chap came in to get his daily order of hake & chips, musicians, each masterpiece inspired by their favourite food... or whatever, and wasn’t going to be put off by a camera crew, so we had to wait. Sophie stood there, all ballgowned up Above: Sophie Ellis-Bextor. “Fish and chips only taste right in England. and gorgeous, and the bloke didn’t bat The rest of the world just can’t get it right.” an eyelid; he got his food and toddled Left: Espresso yourself. Paul Weller with his beloved lattes in Bar Italia, Soho. out as if it were all completely normal.” 9
- 10. Right: Marina andthe Diamonds: “My dad was very traditional and is quite against pop culture – so I’ve always been very drawn towards it.” Below: Trout and harmonica. “I wanted to illustrate Heston’s recipe in the same way that I had approached the award-winning Sunday Times’ series of images.” Bottom: Eliza Doolittle: “I like to cook the beans slowly, then they get super-mushy and sweet, then I overload some standard white toast with butter – you got to get this shit right.” PHOTOGRAPHY & ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY PATRICE DE VILLIERS 10
- 11. PORTFOLIO 11
- 12. Biffy Clyro. Brandon Flowers. Madness. DEDICATION TO TONY WHITE “These black-and-white bromide prints were handcrafted Top: Eggs and drum. “This is one of the PHOTOGRAPHY & ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY PATRICE DE VILLIERS by one of the best black-and-white printers in the MADNESS: Balancing Pies. filler shots I created for the book, inspired by other content.” country, Tony White. He generously donated his time and “The nutty boys are always expertise to create the prints for us in support of Teenage a joy to work with and I knew I Above: Coco Sumner: “The toast has to be Cancer Trust. Tony sadly passed away on 1 August, leaving wanted to get this shot all in mildly burnt. It’s got to have crunch.” a legacy of the most beautiful prints for this project one. We had all the hero pies Right: Noel Gallagher on tea: “It’s got to be and many others. No one can replace his individual lined up and sort of figured out the exact same colour as a Quality Street craftsmanship, so these are truly original prints produced how to balance them between toffee or it’s going down the sink.” by Tony for the good of young people with cancer. the lads’ heads. It ended up a Our sympathies to his family and our thanks to a true bit of a pie graveyard on the artist in his genre who will be greatly missed by all who floor – I had no idea it would be had the pleasure of his craft and his company.” Patrice. so difficult to balance a pie TONY WHITE: 1961-2011 between two fezzes!” 12
- 13.
- 14. PORTFOLIO Love Music LoveFood BEHIND THE SCENES WITH PATRICE ON THE SHOOTS THE KOOKS: “Mixing sheep and rock stars in the same shot is nerve-racking... Sheep are Adam Scorey catches up with food photographer Patrice de Villiers, the quite skittish, as I now know, but Hugh and Luke were mastermind of the gorgeous book Love Music Love Food – The Rock Star immensely calm throughout. Cookbook, which has been three years in the planning and shooting But we all had a moment when the sheep started hurtling As soon as we saw these amazingly stylised images, we knew towards a very expensive we had to get them on the pages of PP for you to see. But it TEENAGE CANCER TRUST camera setup – and potentially wasn’t until we delved a little more deeply that we realised the Every day in the UK, six young sheep-extinguishing lighting. full story behind them – we had to support the cause. people aged 13 to 24 are told Fortunately, my fabulous Essentially, Love Music Love Food is a recipe book, but unlike any they have cancer. Usually placed assistants defended the tripod other you will have come across; it’s a celebration of food, music and on a children’s ward or with and power packs, and we all photography – with recipes. The inspiration for the shoots came from elderly patients, young people lived to take the next picture.” the musicians’ favourite foods. Patrice then came up with a concept often feel extremely isolated based on these and Andrew Harrison, a renowned music journalist who while being treated for cancer. HUEY MORGAN: Another helped massively with the project through his contacts, interviewed Teenage Cancer Trust believes animal tale. “I had two setups, each band or star. Sarah Muir, a tour caterer for the likes of Radiohead young people shouldn’t stop basically, as I thought I couldn’t and The Prodigy, used the ingredients to create a recipe. being teenagers just because shoot Huey without doing a The whole project has been created by Patrice to help raise money for they have cancer. So the charity reference to the song Scooby Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT), with all the cash raised, bar the builds units in NHS hospitals Snacks. Apparently, Scooby production costs, going to the charity. “Food and music are my two that offer young people was a Great Dane... so I hired major passions,” she says “and I was looking for a non-commercial, specialist care, bringing them the biggest dog in the universe photographic project that gave something back – I wanted to do together so they can support – his collar was 27in! We had something unique that was also a creative challenge. I was at a Muse each other in an environment the shot where the dog has the gig in Manchester and got chatting with Matt Bellamy from the band suited to their needs. San Pellegrino and Huey has and found out he makes his own pasta. The seed of an idea started to As well as specialist units, the pizza. It was all going well form of musicians and food. But it wasn’t until I met with Heather TCT also funds a number of until Travis, our ‘Scooby’, Burns-Mace, a regional fundraiser for TCT four or five months later services, all with the same goal: snatched the pizza and wolfed that I knew I wanted to combine my passions for food and music with to help young people fight it all down; the pizza was photography. Leaving that meeting I was committed to supporting TCT cancer. These include clinical donated by Marco Pierre and their amazing work.” and research staff, an education White’s Frankie’s kitchen at Three years later, and with a combination of serendipity, the programme for schools, family Selfridges, so Travis is immeasurable help of more than 200 contributors and Patrice’s support networks and an maybe the first dog to eat considerable hard work and talent as a photographer and persuader, annual conference for young Michelin-starred-chef pizza!” Love Music Love Food – The Rock Star Cookbook has hit the shelves – cancer patients. with a foreword by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal. “It’s been a huge BIFFY CLYRO: “I delighted my amount of work,” she says “particularly as the whole concept – inspired www.teenagecancertrust.org three female food-styling by a poster I saw for a Muse album designed by Storm Thorgerson – assistants on this shoot by was organised by myself; from persuading people to lend props and announcing that they would spare studio time, to trying to find a publisher and just getting have to place haggis, neeps everything organised. Some of the people involved took a little time to WHERE CAN and tatties on Biffy’s naked get their heads around the pictorial concept, but with more than 60 I BUY THE torsos. When it came to the bands/musicians involved, it has been a massive success and it’s for BOOK? shoot, I had 10 minutes as BC such an important cause. The video I watched of TCT’s work that It is on general were due at the NME awards inspired me to raise money for the charity, was an incredibly humbling release now; that night to collect the Best and emotive experience, but the support I’ve had from the music you can buy it, Live Band prize. I got the first industry confirms it was the right thing to do. I’d like to say a massive priced at £30, from shot, but tried to fit in the thank you to everyone who has contributed and supported the project; www.teenagecancertrustshop.org band as a human plates shot. I couldn’t have done it without you.” or www.lovemusiclovefood.org, We were all laughing so much The Love Music Love Food book is now on sale from its dedicated and all good bookshops. that we only had time for three website (www.lovemusiclovefood.org), which is definitely worth a visit frames, which didn’t make for the behind-the-scenes stills and movie interviews, news and tweets. Twitter: @LMLF_Tweet the cut, but hey, the girls loved You can also buy limited-edition prints from the book, all of which will Facebook: lovemusiclovefood.org it and the band had a hoot.” help to raise money for TCT. PP 14
- 15. *The Profoto D1Basic and Studio kit offer is valid from 1st September to 31st December 2011. © Charles and Jennifer Maring Charles & Jennifer Maring { SAVE 15% ON PROFOTO D1 KIT* { on Profoto monolights Not only do Charles and Jennifer Maring know great light when they Details at Profoto.com/uk see it. They also know how to create it. Visit Profoto.com/uk/marings and watch the duo explain why the Profoto D1 is their tool of choice. Ready to go pro? The Profoto D1 Studio Air Kit includes 2 D1 monoblocs, 2 D1 stands, 2 small white umbrellas, Air Remote and a case. The D1 Basic Air Kit includes 2 D1 monoblocs, an Air Remote and a case. The D1 monobloc heads are available in 250Ws, 500Ws or 1000Ws. The excellent Profoto Air system delivers full wireless Scan here control of power in 1/10 or 1 stop increments plus individual control updated wto keep of up to six Air intergrated heads. latest in P ith the rofoto See an educational video series that explores five lighting scenarios: Profoto.com/uk/marings For further information go to www.profoto.com Profoto is available from AJ’s (www.aj-s.co.uk), Calumet (www.calumet.co.uk), Pro Centre (www.procentre.co.uk) and Teamwork Digital (www.teamworkphoto.com).
- 16. WHAT ARE YOUSELLING? THE MOMENT THE EVENT THE EXPERIENCE The leading photography hosting solution in the US has arrived in the UK. Stunning Portfolios Custom Designs Unlimited Storage Order Fulfillment Shopping Cart 500+ Products to Sell Get it all for £150 per year. Start your free trial today at www.zenfolio.com. elegant photo hosting
- 17. click LAST On the road with Friedlander CHANCE Two bodies of work by American photographer Lee TO SEE! Friedlander are now on show in London at the Timothy Taylor Gallery. This is the first time these works have been displayed © LEE FRIEDLANDER, COURTESY FRAENKEL GALLERY, SAN FRANCISCO in the UK and also marks Friedlander’s first solo exhibition in the capital since his 1976 show at the Photographers’ Gallery. Lee Friedlander: America by Car charts numerous journeys he has made during the last decade across most of the 50 US states, shooting from the interiors of rental cars, typically from the driver’s seat. Friedlander makes use of side and rear-view mirrors, windscreens, and side windows as framing devices for the 192 images, one of news/books/exhibitions which, Mississippi 2008, is pictured left. As an introduction to the exhibition, the gallery is showing simultaneously The New Cars 1964 portfolio of 33 works, also never seen before in the UK. Lee Friedlander, Timothy Taylor Gallery, 15 Carlos Street, London W1K 2EX, until 1 October. www.timothytaylorgallery.com/exhibitions LAST Corinne Day: The Face CHANCE Fashion and documentary photographer Corinne Day’s provocative images TO SEE! appeared in The Face magazine in the early 1990s and a selection is now on show in London. Some of Day’s earliest work for the magazine is included, providing an opportunity to assess the artistic legacy of the photographer, who died in August last year. Corinne Day: The Face is on at Gimpel Fils gallery, 30 Davies Street, London W1K 4NB, until 1 October, www.gimpelfils.com Bang Bang Club on DVD The DVD release of the film The Bang Bang Club is coming out on 3 October. Based on a true story, it follows four England’s photographers taking Dreaming, iconic and shocking © CORINNE DAY Rosemary pictures in South Africa during the last days of the apartheid Ferguson, for The Face, regime. www.thebangbangclub.com August 1993. 17
- 18. click © LARRY YUST, HTTP://UK.LUMAS.COM Wellington Street, London. news/books/exhibitions Yust takes an American’s-eye view of London life The American Larry Yust is known for his ‘photographic elevations’ of some of the world’s great cities, taking a series of digital images to create one wide panorama. In his latest works he turns his eye to London and the resulting views of traffic arteries and streets, which can now be seen at an exhibition in the capital, show the sensitivity of a film maker and photo artist. Larry Yust – Metropolis, LUMAS London, 50 Conduit Street W1S 2YT, until 18 October. http://uk.lumas.com Pink Lady food photography competition The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2012 competition has started inviting entries from © MAJA SMEND professionals and amateurs alike from around the world. The nine categories Honey-dried Pink Lady. include Food in the Field, Food Portraiture and Food in the Street, with the overall winner getting £5,000. The judges, who come from the cooking and photographic worlds, will announce their verdict next April and the work of the winners and runners-up will go on show at the Mall Galleries, central London. The awards are sponsored by Pink © PAUL VICKERY Lady Apples UK. For more details, go to www.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com Dancing in the streets Photographer Paul Vickery was so intrigued by the notion of Wraps come off circus life teenage identity and its link to youth movements, including Swedish photographer Bertil street dance and free running, that he documented the subject Nilsson has worked for five over 20 months. The results can now be seen at an exhibition years with circus artists in London. Paul says: “As the project evolved I became throughout Europe and North interested in the period of transition between teenage years America to document their and adulthood. Over time it was the more subtle ‘in-between’ world from a new perspective. moments which caught my attention, hence the title Transition. The resulting hardback book, “All the shots are produced using available lighting, in one Undisclosed, explores many frame of film, and then hand-printed. What you see is what acrobatic and aerial disciplines, and you get, right down to the extraordinary effect of time lapses – features 92 black-and-white images of the performers, all evident in some of the images which use the mirror in the naked, working on their skills in training spaces. There is performers’ training studio. There is no digital manipulation.” also an essay by Laura Noble, co-director of Diemar/Noble However, the images are more poetic and dream-like than his Photography gallery in London, and a foreword by circus previous work, a kind of ‘fantasy-reality’. creator Daniele Finzi Pasca. Undisclosed is published Paul Vickery: Transition will be on show at Bayeux, by Canalside Books and is available in a limited first 78 Newman Street, London W1T 3EP, from 7 October to edition of 1,000 copies. For more information or to buy the 4 November, on weekdays from 9am-6pm. book online, priced £35, visit www.undisclosedcircus.com www.paulvickeryphotography.com, www.bayeux.co.uk 18
- 19. OK, it’s justa light. In much the same way a Hasselblad is just a camera.
- 21. click The D-Lite-it news/books/exhibitions © NIKOLAI YUDIN Mosque in European blue. D-Lite-it Kits Istanbul – our new capital of Europe? from £459 inc vat BXRi An exhibition by Russian photographer Nikolai Yudin takes a new look at Istanbul, often described as the gateway from Europe to Asia. Moscow-born Yudin avoids photographing the obvious and captures the culture of the Turkish city by concentrating on everyday people and situations away from the tourist attractions. Istanbul – Our New Capital of Europe? is on at Rhubarb & Custard Art Gallery, 4 High Street, Eton SL3 9EN, until 30 September, and then at other venues in the town during October and November. www.rhubarbandcustard.biz Chasing Shadows: Santu Mofokeng South African photographer Santu Mofokeng captured haunting and thought-provoking images of his country during and after the apartheid era. A new book, Chasing Shadows, covers 30 years of his work and contains 200 photographs, BXRi Kit from 20 of which are in colour. It includes £745 inc vat essays, archival documents and an RANGER RX Q interview with the photographer. Chasing Shadows, edited by Corinne UADRA Diserens, published by Prestel, £40, ISBN: 978-3-7913-4585-7. www.prestel.com Canon Pro Show 2011 Photographers The Canon Pro Solutions Show will be staged at the Business Design Centre, Contract Maker in Islington, north London, in October. This app for iPhones allows Aimed at video, broadcast and still photographers to create, edit imaging professionals, it will feature and store contracts, including seminars and demonstrations, as well model release forms, reducing as a wide range of Canon’s photographic clutter and paper use. products. The show, now in its third The Version 1.9 app allows models to sign year, is being held on 25 and 26 on the touch screen and automatically October. Admission is free if you saves all date and time information. pre-register online, or £8 at the door. Available from iTunes priced at £1.99. For more details and to register go to Alternatively users can test it out by Quadra Kits www.canon.co.uk/prosolutions2011 downloading a PCM LITE version for free. from £1085 inc vat E&OE
- 22. PROFES PHOTOG OF THE YEAR 22 ENTER NOW
- 23. SIONAL RAPHER 2011 To celebrate the talent in the UK’s photographic community, we are officially launching our Professional Photographer of the Year Awards for 2011. The response to last year’s competition was amazing, and we say a huge thank you to the sponsors, judges and readers for their hard work and THROUGH OUR WEBSITE commitment. We’d love to build upon this WWW.PROFESSIONAL success and create a competition in which PHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK the whole industry wants to participate 23
- 24. 2011 OF THE YEAR AWARDS Keeping things simple is often the best way photography magazines, websites and to handle complex scenarios, and this year’s social media outlets. He was a professional competition will be kept as straightforward newspaper and TV photographer for more as possible. It will be hosted on the than 10 years. Professional Photographer (PP) website, and each issue of PP, from next month to ANDY GOTTS has been a photographer to February 2012, will feature some of the Hollywood A-list actors, from Brad Pitt to judges’ favourites that have been uploaded Daniel Radcliffe, for the past so far. In April 2012 we will host an official 21 years, and many have become friends. prize-giving ceremony and party for the He is also president of the British Institute winners, judges and sponsors. More on of Professional Photographers (BIPP). the party in future issues. The May 2012 issue of PP will include TOM CATCHESIDES is one of the UK's a PPOTY special edition showcasing images leading wedding photographers. He is also from the winners and runners-up in the founder of Light Blue Software, which a 24-page section, including interviews, develops award-winning business comments from the judges and images from management software for photographers the winners’ party. and is one of this year's PPOTY sponsors. Opposite page: Winner of the Professional THE COMPETITION Photographer of the Year title and of the Fashion This year we are having 13 categories, award 2010, Arseniy Semyonov. with a winner and a runner-up in each. Right: Winner of the Editorial award 2010, Rebecca Litchfield. Below: Winner of the There will then be a final judging to Advertising award 2010, Tim Wallace. select the Professional Photographer of the Year. To enter just log on to www.professionalphotographer.co.uk and submit your entries in the given categories. You don’t have to enter all of them; you may pick just the ones where you feel strongest. The deadline is Friday, January 27, 2012. THE JUDGES PAUL SANDERS has been the Picture Editor of The Times since 2004. As well as being a keen photographer himself, he is equally obsessive about cycling, and blogs about it at cyclingdisorder.blogspot.com BEN DUFFY is an internationally renowned commercial sports photographer who has shot just about every A-list sports star. His impressive client list includes adidas, Nike, the Premier League and EA Sports. ADAM SCOREY is the Group Editor for Archant Imaging and is responsible for the editorial direction of its portfolio of 24
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- 27. 2011 OF THE YEAR AWARDS THE CATEGORIES We have 13 categories for photographers to enter and the titles are generic to encourage as many as possible to take part. There will be a winner and runner-up in each category, plus Best Portfolio winner and the Professional Photographer of the Year title. You may enter as many categories as you like but are limited to one image in each, with the exception of the Portfolio Award. 1. HIGH FASHION – from a head shot to a full length, we want to see images oozing style 2. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY – raw, candid, colour or mono, a visual comment 3. THE WILD WORLD – show Mother Nature’s true character 4. COMMERCIAL CLIENTS – from abstract architecture to industrial Britain 5. IN THE STUDIO – show us your mastery of light Opposite page: Winner of the Travel award 6. ON LOCATION – from gritty urban scenes 2010, Paul Thurlow. Above: Winner of the to polished city portraits, we want to see Weddings/Social Reportage award 2010, Sacha Miller. Right: Winner of the Contemporary you show skill at using the surroundings Art award 2010, Sergey Lekomtsev. to enhance your image 7. SPORTING ACTION – show us your perfect timing, amazing lens control and how you capture the passion WHAT DO YOU WIN? 8. REPORTAGE WEDDINGS – are you the We would like to think that becoming next Jeff Ascough? Professional Photographer of the Year 2011, 9. STILL LIFE – let the judges see your or a category or Portfolio winner, are strong control of lens choice, depth of field enough reasons for entering. Yes, there will and composition be an exclusive winners’ party with sponsors 10. STUDENT OF THE YEAR – an open and judges, plus magazine staff, but we also THE SPONSORS category for anyone in full-time education feel that you need to get something a bit studying a photographic discipline extra. So, each winner will receive an 11. EDITORIAL/NEWS – from hard to soft, exclusive logo to promote themselves to the show us your skills at interpreting a brief industry and to their clients, which can then and responding to events as they unfold be used to help market themselves through 12. BREAKING THE MOULD – another open websites, stationery and business cards, category for everything weird, wacky and as a mark of distinction and a sign of quality. avant-garde – have some fun! In addition, there will be a section created 13. THE PORTFOLIO AWARD – this goes to on the PP website profiling the PPOTY the photographer with what the judges winners, using this logo as a reference point, consider the strongest overall portfolio so potential clients can visit and discover of three images. The category and their awardwinning photographer. subject matter are open, and we This would be used as a click-through encourage you to submit new images from the winners’ websites back to the from one or more shoots PP website. 27
- 28. Marko Mestrovic, Coralie Andrew Cleminson, Euljiro SK building, Seoul Adam Scorey – Group Editor/PP Editor: “Marko’s image reminds me of that Queen cover from yesteryear. I love the starkness and central positioning of the subject. I’m sure it must have taken a good few attempts and experiments to get it just perfect.” Paul Thurlow, Charlotte Jeff Meyer – Photography Monthly Editor: “The light and contrast, as well as the low perspective, all immediately stand out in this picture. But I really like it for the way its wide angle shows the passers-by and conveys a sense of interaction and shared community. This was a difficult shot to make on several levels, and it’s been done extremely well.” Ana Berger, Nuvens [clouds] of Manhattan Luke Woodford, Walk on by Kelly Weech – features assistant, PP: “This image is composed Robin Sinha, beautifully and offers a mixture of warm and cold tones. I like the Ballygunge railway contrast of the man sitting still and the motion of the train speeding by. station, Calcutta, 2011 To me, it suggests a reflection of his everyday life.” 28
- 29. 2011 OF THE YEAR AWARDS SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE ENTRIES SO FAR... AND WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THE IMAGES Luise Hannah Reichert, Wayne Johns, Julia Projections Rebecca Stead – art editor, PP: “I like the concept behind this image. It makes the picture more than just a fashion shot. The photographer has taken a lot of care to choose the right ‘film’ to complement the model and styling, and ensure her face is not obstructed. Every time I look I see something different.” J Collingridge, Martyn Baker, Empty underground II Waiting bride
- 30. Voted ‘Best Voted ‘Best Expert Photo Monitor’ by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), the SpectraView® Reference 271 is a hardware-calibratable, wide-gamut Expert Photo LCD display featuring a 10-bit P-IPS panel with 97 per cent usable AdobeRGB Monitor’ by TIPA colour space. With 24, 27 and 30” models, NEC SpectraView® is the ‘reference’ for demanding photographic image reproduction and video editing. SPECTRAVIEW® REFERENCE +44 (0) 870 120 1160 www.nec-displays.co.uk Copyright 2011 NEC Display Solution Europe GmbH. All rights are reserved in favour of their respective owners. This document is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind whatsoever, either express or implied.
- 31. editor’s choice Scorey’s favourite from this month’s Portfolio uploads JEFF NG I think everyone looking at this image, jump out of the page. over the various textures and image will spot immediately To my eyes it almost takes on surfaces. Depth of field is why it has been chosen. the bearing of a giant concrete spot-on and Jeff’s choice to go The graphic shapes, the crocodile or dinosaur – but mono removes the temptation contrast range of deep blacks perhaps I’ve just had too to look at the detail first; instead and bright whites, and the much coffee... your eye is drawn to the graphic Want your image featured interesting compositional I also like the ‘mathematical’ elements of his picture. PP here? Upload your shots to tension that photographer Jeff element of the shapes created www.professionalphotographer.co.uk Ng has used to create the and the way the light changes www.j5nowthen.com/hp 31
- 32. WITH THE ROYALPHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ACHIEVE the LRPS, ARPS or the coveted FRPS (LRPS/ARPS available by exemption to those holding the relevant qualifications including LBIPP/ABIPP members) PROMOTE yourself and your business on The RPS Website Premium Photobooks NETWORK via the members forum, facebook and specialist/ Not premium prices regional groups PROGRESS by uploading your images for exclusive expert advice* BELONG to a Special Interest Group free in your first year of Membership www.photoproductions.com ENJOY The Society’s acclaimed journal (10 issues per year) packed with news, reviews, in-depth articles and inspirational photography AFFILIATE with The Society through exclusive use of our crest on your website** Professional Photobook design and printing SAVE exclusive member discounts on selected photographic workshops, entry to Society competitions and associated offers The highest quality at unbeatable prices With Membership at just £8.50 per month*** Easy online ordering and online proofing invest in yourself and join a growing community of professional photographers ** Special Offer For Pro Photographer Readers ** GO TO WWW.RPS.ORG OR CALL 01225 325 733 Free Pocket Book with your first order, * Only applies to members working towards a Society Distinction just email us quoting promo code PP8 ** The Society crest must be used as a hyperlink to www.rps.org *** By direct debit only, monthly payments will be less for student, disabled, over 65 and overseas subscriptions IMAGE: KEVIN WILSON FRPS award winning Wedding Photographer
- 33. { feedback } Tellus what you think via Twitter @prophotomag or Facebook Pro Photo Mag or by email feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk Dear Professional Photographer, wedding photography was the Of course Mick Cookson’s piece perfect move, yet spends the rest of about part-time wedding the article talking with a kind of photographers [PP, September] is jaded cynicism for punters with not quite correct, especially in regard to enough money to afford him and for the need for a code of conduct and other wedding photographers who decent regs. Problem is that in don’t work in the same way as him. the UK it just ain’t ever going to All this after a mere three years in happen. But his back page pic of the the [wedding photography] industry! Morecambe Midland Hotel has to be His entry into the industry also a leg-pull surely. Homage to Bill feels quite similar to many of the Brandt, Mick… Now who’s taking photographers he is taking issue the ‘p***’? with, the only discernible difference Chris Smith, by email being that he left his regular decade with the advent of digital; When articles are written about the employment to do weddings the consensus seems to be to state of the wedding industry, they Dear Professional Photographer, full-time. But at some point, surely, diversify your income streams and tend to be in language that treats the Just read, and laughed, at the there was a transitional period where work smart. I’ve got no sympathy buying public as visually illiterate, Weekend Warrior article. I’ve been he could have been classed as a for anyone complaining about the uneducated and driven by price, involved in a BIG argument (that’s Weekend Warrior where he charged loss of income from one small area with barely a consideration of what still ongoing) about this very issue less for his work than he does of photography – the writing has their images will actually look like. as I am now a seasoned WW, and now while he built his profile? been on the wall for years. Yes, some people are driven by Mick spouts much of the usual Whatever, it’s wrong to assume that Shackling the wedding price, but so what? In this economy rubbish aimed at us part-timers. all other non-full-time wedding photography industry with there’s no way I’d judge anyone for Just off on hols but if you fancy, photographers are simply there ‘regulations’ and a ‘code of conduct’ saving money on anything, because I’m happy to write an article as for a few quid. Some of these will not help at all. I notice that I do it myself every time I shop. a rebuttal. photographers are the stars of the Mr Cookson made no offer of what But maybe some decisions are David Goodier, by email future, just starting out and building these regulations might be; he just made on visual style and the owner their confidence – we all start made a cynical comment about the of that style is a photographer Ed: I have asked David to write his somewhere. Many will fall by the vitriol he knew he would stir up! who charges, say, £500 for a day. rebuttal for the November issue… wayside but that’s the same in every Deep down I think he knows any Maybe, for whatever reasons, can, worms, all over the show… other profession, bar none. suggestion is largely unworkable: pictures from a wedding simply Photography is accessible to pretty one man’s trash is another man’s art aren’t that important to some Dear Professional Photographer, much anyone, so you’re going to get and all that. The last thing we need couples and they’re happy to pay I have to take issue with Mick a high turnover of people having a as photographers is a body telling us £300. Is that so bad? I wish every Cookson’s article on the state of go; get over it. what is and isn’t a good wedding couple had £3,000 to spend on their the wedding industry. The biggest Photography is possibly the most photograph – that’s what it will wedding images and I was picking problem with this article is the democratic of visual mediums and come down to and any other up 25 weddings a year at that rate, palpable sense of entitlement of pretty much always has been. To be regulations will just be extra but we have to get real; the industry Mr Cookson. It seems anyone even lamenting the sheer number of bureaucracy; all it will do is stifle has changed massively. Simply to considering photographing a photographers out there is a creativity. In the heavily codified blame the Weekend Warriors for wedding or making the transition redundant argument. Yes, it makes area of wedding photography real undercutting the wedding sector from a different career is simply extracting an income from the creativity is at a premium and feels like a gross oversimplification. stealing potential clients from profession harder, that is without should be encouraged and nurtured. I firmly believe the industry will Mr Cookson; how dare they! question, but the point has been I think it’s also appropriate to find its own level, even with this He says the move to full-time debated ad infinitum over the past talk here about visual literacy. level of competition, and the 33
- 34. { feedback } savvybusinesspeople who are also insurance side of the photography makes one or two stop and think, poor-quality work. However, I think great photographers (in that order) fence the need to make sure your then it’s got to be worth saying. the problem lies with people’s will survive. It’s not even about photographer of choice is insured is On the flip side, we do also say to inability to distinguish good being ‘better’ than the others (for me paramount; my thoughts are purely a photographer only to disclose that photography from bad, which applies another totally redundant argument based on that side of the fence. they have professional indemnity to some WWs too. They probably where photography is concerned). In the past I have advised pros insurance if they are asked. have an over-inflated view of their Sure, you can offer more fancy when talking to a potential client to The reason is that there a number own ability and believe that they are add-ons, but really it’s about being mention that they are fully insured of people who will try to stiff the just as good as the professionals. the best photographer YOU can as this may prompt the client to ask photographer after the event by Amateurs are taking over in other be and giving that to the client. the next photographer they talk to if saying the work is poor and try to skilled areas. I recently had a quote Rick Hanley, Bracknell, by email they are. If they say they aren’t, that get their money back, along with to tile my bathroom from someone may be the decision-making point. a set of photos free of charge. who knew less about the job than Dear Professional Photographer, Do you want to run the risk of Disclose public liability, as that is I do! We hear all the time about I had to laugh at Mick Cookson’s a guest getting injured at your the cover that protects the couple shoddy workmanship from builders. article, especially when I looked at wedding and not be able to claim and their guests; only disclose How do you tell good from bad? the accompanying photographs. from the bloke you hired to take the professional indemnity if they ask It’s easy if they leave you with a I suppose that, according to the shots? I have advised a number of – otherwise you could be advertising leaking roof, but the quality of a set world of MC, I could be perceived mates/girlfriend’s mates always to to someone – whom you have only of photographs is very subjective. as being a WW. However, there are make sure the one they choose is just met and you may not know their Wedding photographers are no cheap, all-round zoom kits in my insured. Even in today’s market, true colours – that if they don’t like supplying a service like any other gear and my photography is a great WWs can get an amateurs policy your work you have an insurance and it comes down to the consumer. deal better than the ones on show. that gives public liability cover – cover on which they can claim Perhaps we need a ‘Jamie Oliver’ He seems to be a kit collector. I pay which should be the minimum cover against you. It’s your name that’s of the photographic world to full whack for my lenses and do not anyone takes out. going to get dragged through the educate people to have more claim back the VAT because it is not I agree that there is a market for mud – you must protect it. discerning tastes. a perk of the WW. There are many WWs, but it shouldn’t impinge I hope what I’ve said is of There’s no easy answer to the professionals who are substandard on the professional one. I have been interest and does back up your problem. It will be interesting to see and a few amateurs who know what approached by WWs in the past for article and quantify your sentiments. what your respondents would like to f/1.4 is and when to use it. If he is as insurance, only for them to say, Having banged this drum for a few see happen. I suspect the debate will good as he seems to think, he should “Do I need public liability/ years, it’s good to see someone run and run... have no problem with the WWs. professional indemnity as I don’t do raising its profile. It is something Sandie, by email Peter Rogers (amateur as much work as a professional?” that can affect the whole industry. photographer by choice), by email I’ve always said that if you’re going to From an insurance angle, there are a Dear Professional Photographer, advertise yourself as able to do the few companies out there offering I’ve been looking forward to Dear Professional Photographer, same job as a professional, regardless insurance to amateurs, the breeding receiving the September issue of I’ve just read Mick’s article and of costs, then you are undertaking the ground of the WWs. As with young Professional Photographer, knowing thought I’d drop you a line. same risks as a professional and so drivers, they tend to have more a new team is in place. Although Brilliant piece! I have worked in should be insured appropriately. If claims (dropped cameras, kit stolen I’m not a pro photographer, I find the industry for a number of years you cause an accident and wind up in because they’re not as careful, PL that ‘pro’ mags deal far more now – not as a photographer – and court being sued (as you didn’t have claims when they’ve tried to pull off with my main interest, people have on numerous occasions raised PL), the judge isn’t going to be a shoot and injured someone or photography, whereas mags for the or discussed the matter of the lenient on you because, “You don’t do damaged property) and that in turn ‘amateur’ market are geared far too Weekend Warriors and it’s great to as much work as a pro”; chances are means insurance companies will much to wildlife/natural history and see someone putting out an article he’d make an example of you and fine push prices up to recover losses. landscapes. Unfortunately, though, like this. you more. And so the pros could see prices rise I found that PP was getting tedious. Having worked with professionals This alone should make everyone due to the amateurs’ failings. Although I know it is difficult as an for a number of years, I have always (WWs and pros) stop and think. Steve Beveridge, CLiiK account editor to maintain freshness, it is advocated to anyone looking for Do they want to pay for insurance, manager, by email. hard to wade through a magazine a photographer to seek out a circa £400 per year, and put their that’s rather heavy on words and professional. But how do the public prices up to cover that? Or do they Dear Professional Photographer, light on other things. see the difference other than the decide the risk now highlighted There must be many excellent Anyway, my initial reaction to the higher prices and more options in isn’t worth £350 once a month and photographers who can’t afford to ‘new’ mag is positive, as I see that the style of album/portrait etc? so ‘retire’ from the arena and give up their day job to turn pro Adam Scorey is now in the hot seat. It’s a question I feel I can’t answer, concentrate on shooting for fun? and are incensed at being lumped I say this because I met Adam at I can only input my thoughts, and as Many will still continue, but together with the seemingly an event at Canon’s UK HQ in someone who works on the by highlighting these points, if it growing band of WWs producing December 2009 and was pleased to 34
- 35. { feedback } PRO PHOTO MAG Strange article bashing Weekend I’m with Gavin on the student Warriors in this month’s mag. work thing. It’s very important to It strikes me that most people remember that ‘emerging new were WWs at one time or another. talent’ isn’t always the product of Good competition and an open universities and colleges. In fact, market only serve to raise the bar having viewed a good many and ensure people keep striving student exhibitions, I’d have to say for excellence rather than I’ve seen very little talent indeed. stagnating. If you’re better, show It’s also very important to you’re better, don’t bash the guy remember that the words coming up for wanting a shot. ‘emerging’ and ‘new’ are NOT Finn D synonymous with ‘young’. There’s some fantastic ‘emerging Enjoyed this month’s issue, new’ talent out there coming from hear his views on how he would like particular wish is unlikely. love the article on The people who have made career to see photography move forward Therefore, by whatever means Undercutters (oh how very true). changes or discovered a were similar to my own. For me, necessary, I will settle just for I notice that Grant Scott is no wonderful creative talent they’d Adam’s most memorable point at the activity of photography longer the Editor. I would like never previously had a chance to that time was one he also alludes to returning to the limelight in the to wish him well on whatever explore, or discovered that in the September issue. This was to way it was in the 1960s. From his project he has moved to. photography allows them to truly ask why cooking, and the arrogant, comments in Feedback in the Looking forward to seeing Adam express themselves for the first egotistical group known as celebrity September issue, I suspect that Scorey’s future editions. time. The deepest emotions tend ‘chefs’ receive the attention they do, Adam still feels the same as he did Tommy Cochrane not to come from those with the while photography is ignored by in December 2009, and in that least experience of life! the mainstream media. Probably respect, I wish him total success. Got my subscription already, very Avril Jones because there are arrogant, Finally, articles on such things as good edition. I like the Middlebrook egotistical people doing that job, blogging and social media would be article and The Undercutters – bit Hi Avril. Yes you are right, not all I suspect, which is where I would appreciated; although I’m only an disappointed to see the regular emerging new talent is from like to see the difference between amateur, I would still like one of my portfolio replaced with the work education, nor is it always young, cooking and photography. pics to bring me my (non-arrogant) of students but assume this is but on this occasion we decided to Based on what I know of certain 15 minutes of fame one day! a one-off. Gavin Hardy support The Photographers' pro togs already though, that Rob Boler, by email Gallery Fresh Faced & Wild Eyed Yes, this was to support the new competition to show the wide talent emerging. Glad you enjoyed range of work (from old & young), the two features mentioned; from the universities in 2011. @prophotomag Middlebrook will be a regular Thank you for your thoughts. columnist. Pro Photo Mag Pro Photo Mag @atmoorehead @prophotomag @muluphotography Good article Love the cover image, off to buy by @mickcookson on weekend Got to say it – your magazine used I’ve just read Craig Fleming’s the magazine later! wedding togs in @prophotomag to be amazingly relevant to me article and he is right about and also very aspirational. standing your ground. I still can’t @prophotomag @atmoorehead @flemingcraig Lovely to see one Witty too with Peter Dench’s great believe a client asked him for the Ben Duffy is a god, and a very of my all time favourites making diary. Now with the latest issue images so they could sell them! nice chap too. full page in @prophotomag Shot it’s just like loads of the other Unbelievable! Can he recommend using windowlight and pure luck ones that hold no interest how we photographers in the @jamiewillmott Loving the photo yfrog.com/kjzvgxqj whatsoever. I’m sure you’ve done fashion world can get paid? The of Rory McIlroy on the cover of your market research and exploitation of photographers who the new issue of @prophotomag @francisambler Just read an maybe this is the way you need to need photos to show their work is article in @prophotomag take it to grow your readership, scandalous. Natalie Lawrence @aperturetweet New issue of that reflected the reality of but I hope you might bring @prophotomag waiting on the being a photographer, a bit back some of the magic of the Hi, good new start, like mat when I got home today daunting but I wouldn't have it old magazine! Middlebrook’s honesty, it’s much #somethingtosmileabout any other way. Kerry Harrison needed. James Kriszyk PP 35
- 36. podcast ON YOUR WAVELENGTH Every monthwe record a free-to-download podcast in which we discuss, debate and talk around a subject featured in the magazine. We post them on our website and you can subscribe for free and download them via iTunes. So if you haven’t listened in yet it’s time to join us online THIS MONTH’S PODCAST the renaissance of street photography with great names of British photography through the October 2011 Issue photojournalist Peter Dench. He explains his decades, stand up for their own personal SPECIAL GUEST MICK COOKSON passion for this type of work and talks about favourites and ask why some periods have seen Adam and Jeff are joined by Mike Witts, the photographers who have influenced and a proliferation of great British photographers. team’s new intern, to chat about the latest inspired him. They are joined by editorial If you feel a photographer who deserved to be issue. There is also a special guest this month: photographer and PP podcast fan Chris Floyd, included has been left out drop us an email at Mick Cookson, author of The Undercutters who shares his thoughts on the subject. feedback@ professionalphotographer.co.uk feature in the September issue, joins the team to answer for himself... July 2011 Issue May 2011 Issue HOW MUCH IS YOUR BOOKSHELF WORTH? CONVERGENCE AND THE FUTURE AND THOSE YOU MAY HAVE MISSED… The podcast contributors talk about collecting OF PHOTOGRAPHY September 2011 Issue photography books. They examine why some The impact of HD DSLR film making on the NEW PPOTY AWARDS LAUNCHED books have not only held their price but world of professional photography is the podcast New PP Editor and Imaging Group Editor dramatically increased in value while others have topic this month. With many stills photographers Adam Scorey is joined by Jeff Meyer, who has been relegated to the dusty shelf of obscurity. now being asked to shoot video, the debate just taken over at our sister title, Photography Long-time photo book collector Grant Scott focuses on problem areas such as narrative, Monthly, to discuss the Professional explains his passion and the discussion turns to sound and editing, and how stills photographers Photographer of the Year 2011 Awards and the ways of spotting a good investment. are reacting to this new world. the latest developments in photography. June 2011 Issue August 2011 Issue THE BEST OF BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHY You can subscribe for free and download the HIT THE STREETS The podcast discussion this month revolves podcasts from iTunes by typing professional The previous PP Editor, Grant Scott, and his around the Best of British list published in the photographer into the search tab or listen via deputy editor, Eleanor O’Kane, discuss PP June issue. The team look at some of the www.professionalphotographer.co.uk. PP 36
- 37. Astrophysicists know thespeed of light is constant. Photographers know the quality of it isn’t.
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- 39. MIDDLEBROOK The reason for it all, getting the shot and adding to my project. A BIT OF WHAT YOU FANCY After a week in Provence shooting bullfighting, risking his life Hemingway-style for a personal project, MARTIN MIDDLEBROOK discovers the French do some things better than us Brits: living and loving photography... I have always had ongoing to 2010, which seemed ripe with potential. In a indulge my dirty little habit for just one week. personal projects, which year of swings and roundabouts, I have been As fixes go, I would be full to the brim by the have become a source of losing on both. So a week in Provence was a time I dumped my Peugeot 207 back at hope and pleasure in equal heaven-sent intersection in the péage of my year. Montpellier Méditerranée Airport a week later. measure. When you are I have, this year, for the first time, lost a little Like all pros, I have spent many an idle hour photographing paint drying of my thirst for this thing we call a career, but imagining a Hemingway-like existence of travel, in February, the thought of which is often, at best, a hobby and vocation. photography and writing, sun-dappled evenings continuing a long-cherished project on A hobby and vocation with expenses and and cicada-filled nights. But when you have bullfighting in Provence in July provides a responsibilities, mind, but a dirty little indulgence kids and a big mortgage and an ex-wife (not her little spring and appetite that are often hard all the same. So I cannot express adequately fault, I would point out for purposes of balance), to find. I can say without fear of contradiction enough in bons mots, how excited I was to pack first you photograph paint drying and only that 2011 has been the most turgid year ever in my bag and head to Birmingham Airport in then do you immerse yourself in the luxuriant terms of quality of commissions, in stark contrast July, in the certain knowledge that I was going to dreams of another era. I wonder if those idyllic 39
- 40. CAROLINE TAYLOR “This yearI was falling over bodies to get to the best spot... You are no longer a photographer, you are just another person with a camera.” Martin Middlebrook days are now simply that; days of yore never Nevertheless, this is not a desultory philippic Above: Nearly a statistic: a raseteur jumps over me, to be repeated. I can’t imagine a battalion of on the changing reality of it all. It does make you the bull follows, I leg it! Opposite page: Would you do this for €20? Me neither! photographers making a grand living in question the value of your images in a wider such a manner anymore, but I can definitely sense, though. I mean, if I were a picture editor, event as hard as I could. Except I was never imagine trying. would I go to my website and buy images for without a beer in my hand, I had family around There was a battalion of photographers, of an article, or would I go to Flickr and get similar me and didn’t beat myself up if I missed a sitter; course, cataloguing and documenting and images for peanuts? As an exercise in stoic I shot what I wanted and what inspired me, archiving every part of life in Provence in July boredom I have visited Flickr and arrived at my simply ignoring those things that didn’t. “Now if 2011. They are tourists, but each has a quality own pronouncement on that thorny tableau. I could just make a living doing this,” I thought. SLR and a barrage of lenses these days. Monkeys, but peanuts all the same. I had more fun and gained more satisfaction When I first began photographing the course So I know that my images are for me, and than I have in six months and this is why I have camarguaise style of bullfighting in Provence maybe that’s how it should be. This dirty little always had my personal projects. I wrote in 2003 it was a given that at any event I habit is an indulgence after all. It started, like it last month that when I’m working in a provincial would be the only person with a camera and does for everyone, as a hobby, and the blessing market, commissions are often only as tasty as would have free access to any part of the is that it still retains some of that idealised bones: it’s steak haché rather than filet de boeuf! arena. This year I was falling over bodies to innocence. My week in Provence was a cocktail I swear blind that if I didn’t do this for me I get to the best spot. It’s the antithesis of of professionalism and amateurism. I was fixated wouldn’t do it at all. The beauty is that personal women and children first’ as the ferry sinks. on covering as many events as I could, shot projects never finish, you keep changing the You are no longer a photographer, you are everything in RAW, technically treated the whole scope and the narrative, and it will excuse me just another person with a camera. thing as a commercial shoot and worked each for life. I will die on the horns of a bull, happy! 40
- 41. MIDDLEBROOK “This is aplace where, if you are stupid or drunk enough, you can get in with the bulls if you wish. I have done it several times... it is scary, though crazily fun all the same.” Martin Middlebrook If I can view it all this way, I pondered, statistic myself. The French have a beautifully and will be forever. Saint-Rémy de Provence is I can keep despondency at bay. I would check my laconic way of dealing with it all. When the poor tiny and yet during my stay it was staging emails on the iPhone every day, awaiting the young man was carted off with injuries that will a retrospective of the work of English celebrity biblical flood of enquiries that would doubtless see him eating through a straw for life and the photographer Terry O’Neill. I tripped down to come my way in my absence. I wouldn’t quite call bullfight was cancelled, the crowd booed. Arles for a day and visited the Ecole Nationale it a flood, though; I wouldn’t even call it a trickle. Not a slightly agitated boo, but an emphatic Supérieure de la Photographie and its famous The eurozone was in meltdown, bank stocks tyre-burning ‘let’s barricade Calais’ kind of a boo. summer exhibition. The bookshops were filled were on the slide again, Norway was in mourning This is a place where, if you are stupid or drunk with obscure but beautiful photography books and so were fans of Amy Winehouse. Still, on the enough, you can get in with the bulls if you wish. and when questioned, if you reply that you are plus side, if I took up every cosmetic offer that I have done it several times and I admit it is scary, a photographer you are afforded the utmost was emailed to me, porn star Ron Jeremy could though crazily fun all the same. respect. If you say this in the UK, people presume step aside and no woman in the world would ever The French have not lost this lust for life, as you do weddings. leave my boudoir dissatisfied! Every cloud! they have not lost their passion for photography ‘Halcyon days’ is a strange term, insofar as it Ernest Hemingway said: “There are only three either. If you are a photographer in France evokes displeasure with the present as much as it sports: bullfighting, motor racing and you are an artisan with significant rights and does viewing the past through spectacles of mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.” benefits. I have been visiting the town of the rose-tinted variety. God, I do sometimes wish Well, it’s hard not to agree with that. I took in five Saint-Rémy de Provence for many years and on for the halcyon days though and I can’t help bullfights in my week away, saw a lot of damage the main street there is a photographic gallery feeling people have a firmer grip on all that is to property, watched a dreadfully injured man get owned and run by a local photographer. It is good about the past in France than we do here. stretchered away and just missed becoming a full of beautiful imagery, has been for years There is no health and safety, and parking is free; 41
- 42. MIDDLEBROOK One ofthe highs of being a professional photographer: Martin’s image of a market trader in Mumbai; collected as part of a planned humanitarian project. Above: Half-time in Arles. Everyone a photographer; the crowds review their images, ready for the “When questioned, if you reply that you are a photographer you second half to begin and the Flickr upload to finish. Right: Here’s 800lb of meat running at 40mph with these as weapons. Hard to bitch too much about the are afforded the utmost respect. If you say this in the UK, frailties of our profession when people die for €20. people presume you do weddings...” Martin Middlebrook if you want to kill yourself at a public event you are free to do so and if you wish to be a photographer you will be greatly supported by a nation that still buys photography and hangs it on its walls. That’s something to shout about, I think, and why my bullfighting project will probably never finish. So while a plummeting reality dawned as we touched down at a gloomy Birmingham Airport, I made the same promise to myself as I always do after these trips: “This is still the best job in the world, just so long as you can pepper the anodyne with the sublime every so often.” PP www.martinmiddlebrook.com NEXT MONTH - IT’S CURTAINS FOR MARTIN AS HE IS INTERVIEWED FOR FRENCH TV ABOUT AFGHANISTAN... 42
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- 44. of, say, yourown wedding by employing someone who wasn’t THE any good? If you charge too little, most of those booking you will be people whose weddings will do little or nothing to enhance either your portfolio or your reputation. You need to make a profit – if you charge too little, you will end up working all the hours there are and earning nothing. Your own prices can be higher than average if, for example, you are an outstanding photographer and you have people queuing to book you. PRICE IS Or they can be lower if you are just starting out, don’t have a client base and cannot match the quality or service of other photographers – but your rate for any job should be within about 25 per cent of the median price charged by most competent photographers in your area. Look in business listings and go online to find out what your competitors are charging. Ignore people who charge ridiculously high or ridiculously low amounts and base your own fees on those whose prices are in the middle of the range. RIGHT? PROFIT The other, very important point about your charges is that they should be enough to give you a healthy profit without any additional sales. Using a wedding as an example again, suppose that you need to charge £1,000 to make a decent profit – don’t assume that if you charge only £500 and rely on sales of extra prints to friends and relatives that these will happen. What if: Garry Edwards is an advertising and 1 ‘Uncle Bob’ follows you around with his camera and gives prints away to all and sundry? commercial pro, and technical adviser 2 Someone scans your photos or proofs into their computer and produces cut-price prints? to Lencarta. He shares his thoughts 3 It is a small wedding and there are few potential customers for prints? 4 The marriage is over before the album is ready? about the complicated issue of pricing DODGY DEALINGS and what you as pros should charge There are plenty of people who think it is perfectly okay to scan or re-photograph prints to avoid paying for future copies. A lot of people will prospective clients for your services. try to avoid paying for any prints at all by printing out proofs – even if Well, his theory is simple... every proof is overlaid with a large copyright mark, including your name, address and telephone number. Even tiny, low-res screen grabs are at risk – I once had a wedding client who complained that his proofs were ‘fuzzy’ If you read the average guide to running a photographic business, you when he got a camera store to print them and could see nothing wrong in will be told to do your sums: work out how much you need to earn trying to steal my work – the camera store actually doing it is another story! per hour, then build in an allowance for the cost of your equipment, This is why I say you must earn enough from your charges to give you a running your car, your business rates, telephone bills and everything healthy profit without any additional sales. else you need to spend in order to run your business. THEORY And that’s just fine... in theory. But I think it doesn’t work. The true answer Garry Edwards is an advertising and commercial is that you should charge the going rate. If, for example, you want to photographer, operating from his own large studio photograph weddings and the average photographer in your area charges in Bradford. He has also worked in just about every £1,000 for full coverage, then you are not likely to get £2,000 for the other branch of professional photography, with the same work. exceptions of news and sport. His speciality is Of course, you could charge just £250; you may want to charge low studio photography and he is technical adviser both prices at first just to get some more experience and build your portfolio, but to lighting manufacturer Lencarta (www.lencarta.com) and to its as a long-term strategy it simply won’t work, for these reasons: customers. He also teaches lighting techniques to both amateur Most people will think you are too cheap so you can’t be any good, and pro photographers. www.photolearn.co.uk right? Would you risk something as important as the photography 44
- 45. {INSIDER } CHANGE… PORTRAITS Let me explain how I used to charge, years ago, and why I changed. Let’s take another example: a family portrait. Some photographers charge I thought it would be a good idea to photograph weddings; after all, I have very low sitting fees (or none at all) in the hope that clients will love their an assistant who likes wedding photography and is very good at it. So I work and order lots of prints. This business model can only succeed if the began by offering a range of packages, starting at £550 and including 30 8in prints are very highly priced to make up for the people who don’t buy any x 6in prints in a middle-range, conventional album (they were popular then). prints at all. If the print prices are too high many of the clients won’t buy The next package up was £650, then £750, £950 and £1,150. Nobody ever them, which means the profit has to come from fewer people, which means booked the top package and the few people who did book, generally went in turn that the prices need to be even higher, so everyone will think you are for the cheapest. It wasn’t worth doing for £550, so I put up all the prices by robbing them. £100. People generally still went for the cheapest package, but the number Now, my own approach is to charge what I feel to be a minimum realistic of bookings went up. I then dropped the cheapest package and the number sitting fee: £99. This is just enough to make it worthwhile, and includes of bookings rose again. My next move was to drop all of the packages and a full set of email proofs. Even if they never order any enlargements, my introduce a new service: £750 for attendance and proofs on CD only. costs are covered and I have made a small profit. But because the proofs are My bookings more than doubled, and so did the profit from each job. watermarked they are almost bound to order enlargements, and here’s why: The client has paid the £99 sitting fee at the time of booking. VALUE That money is now gone and forgotten, so when they order prints The point is that wedding photography is a professional service and its they will think only about what they are spending at this point. value is whatever the photographer and the client believe it to be. Because I have already been paid for my ‘time’, my prices for Although there are always some people who are looking for the cheapest enlargements are very reasonable, compared with those of people who option, the potential clients who are most worth having are more likely to charge nothing or too little for the sitting – so the clients are likely to make their buying decisions based on quality and perceived value than on order more prints than they originally had in mind. price. They pay a non-refundable retainer at the time of booking and the Because my enlargement prices are reasonable I am one of the good balance has to be paid 28 days before the wedding. They get the proofs guys and they will recommend me to their friends. when they return from honeymoon and then make their decisions about This all works fine for me, admittedly, but it is based on years of prints, albums, CDs etc. experience and a simple, logical approach that doesn’t shy away from that Some people do not want an album at all, and that is fine too. Or they seemingly abhorrent word: profit. PP may want their photos on DVD – the price of which is the same as the profit I would have made if they had spent the average amount on prints. The great benefit of this pricing strategy is that: The clients have a complete choice of album, number and size of prints. They pay for the photography at least a month before their wedding and they pay for the album/prints at least a month after their wedding – by which time they have benefited from at least two more pay days. iSTOCK / ANCROFT DOES THIS RESONATE WITH YOU? SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AT FEEDBACK@PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK 45
- 46. {INSIDER} A COUNTRY PRACTICE Outin all weathers and with only basic equipment – working in the countryside is about as far removed as you can get from a centrally-heated studio, models and make-up artists, or so pro CHRIS FREAR says... Photography is not just about the latest celebrity, exotic location or ‘beautiful’ supermodel, at least not for me. I work without an assistant, far from any coffee bars, sometimes in the foulest weather with people who are far more interested in where their next meal is coming from than being the next Elle Macpherson. What am I? I am a rural photographer. We often hear that our children are so divorced from reality that they think milk comes from the supermarket and not a cow. The countryside is not a theme park, it is a living landscape; it is the environment where my camera and I work. My remit covers photographing everything from landscapes to portraiture and animals. When I say animal, I don’t necessarily mean someone’s pet cat or dog (although this does happen). I’ve worked with everything from lizards to Clydesdale Heavy Horses. I might be taking someone’s portrait in the morning and photographing a prize bull in the afternoon. No two days are the same. SYMPATHETIC EYE When I was asked to write this piece, PP Editor Adam Scorey described my work as being the photographic equivalent of James Herriot’s vet books! Although honoured to be compared to such a well-respected writer, I can see I do have a similar sympathetic eye towards my subjects. I consider myself just a working photographer. To get the type of image that I am told is my recognisable ‘style’, I have to be willing to pitch in, often helping the subject with what they are doing, but at the same time trying not to become part of the photograph. This is where having been raised in the country really helps. Sometimes you have to be able to ‘read’ people – or even animals. CUTE LAMBS By being accepted by the subject, I get a more relaxed, natural image. I am no longer a stranger/ Charolais bull. “Part of my job entails being willing to get myself and the camera mucky. Sitting in rivers as dogs and horses splash past can be the rule rather than the exception. As long as the front of the lens is clean and the camera dry, I’m in business...” Chris Frear 46
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- 48. {INSIDER} outsider/threat who arrivesout of the blue and wants them to pose or act in a predetermined manner, contrary to their natural tendency. If a person (or animal) is relaxed with you, they begin to trust you. That brings a responsibility to show them in the best possible light, not as some cliché. Here is an example. Each year magazines and newspapers herald the arrival of Spring with a picture of a ‘cute’ child holding a newborn lamb. The problem is that the lamb is usually three to seven days old; it has been bathed and pampered, and the photos are taken in a warm barn. This isn’t reality but pure Disney; the reality is that most lambs are born in the open and in bad weather; it’s a messy affair, but it’s real! To photograph proper newborn lambs I had to wait three years, by which time the shepherds knew and trusted me. When the time came, I happened to be at the right field at the right time. Even so, I had to commando-crawl through 30 yards of sheep dung to get in position. Had I not, the ewe would have become aware of me, adding to her distress and making the shepherd’s job more difficult. Part of my job entails being willing to get myself and the camera mucky. Sitting in rivers as dogs and horses splash past can be the rule rather than the exception. As long as the front of the lens is clean and the camera dry, I’m in business – thank God for gaffer tape and binliners. HORSES’ DOOBRIES You might think there is little need for Photoshop and image retouching in my work, but you would be wrong. I am a convert, but in moderation. You cannot photograph an excited stallion for its owner and leave its ‘fifth leg’ showing – it has to be delicately retouched. One owner, after reviewing my images of her showjumping, asked me to retouch the frame where she and her horse three years ago. Yep, got it, sale achieved. I am Clockwise, from top: Sea eagle; Two bored rams under were perfectly composed over the fence, as, in her the only photographer who takes passport photos a tree; Horses and riders splashing through the surf on Ayr beach; Dog with a toy, watching other dogs at an words “the horse breathed out and looks fat”! locally. It’s not ‘art’, but it saves people time and agility day. It didn’t, but the customer is paying the bills. money on taking a trip into town. They remember Moderation also applies to portraits. As I said this and come back for other work. at the beginning, many of the people I photograph At the other end of the spectrum, magazines and rural communities this Christmas. So 2012 would not normally be considered models, so I commission me to shoot images to accompany could well be an interesting year. won’t make them look unnatural by removing specific articles. I also license images. Take an Rural photography is never going to be every wrinkle and blemish, and smoothing out email I received from a rural charity asking to glamorous. But, for me, it has never been about their skin. It wouldn’t be honest to them or me. license a particular image for its 2011 Christmas glamour or status, but about the finished image. card. When I asked why it had chosen that image, A good image will sell. Once a customer likes CUSTOMERS the answer was: “I have spent so long looking for your work, and you are reliable, more work Where do my customers come from? Due to the suitable images of cattle on snow, which were not follows. If it’s fun along the way, all the better. diversity of my subject matter, you won’t be Highland cattle, that when I saw this one I simply I wouldn’t trade it for a fully equipped studio. PP surprised to learn that the same diversity applies bookmarked it.” That one image is going to put to my clients. For example, a villager asked last my work and a link to my website in front of week if I still had an image of their relative from 3,000 potential new customers in relevant farming http://chrisfrear.photium.com 48
- 49. BUYERS’ GUIDE PREPARING FORBAD WEATHER IN ASSOCIATION WITH The summer weather is now behind us, so in association with Jessops we have put together an essential guide to protecting yourself and your kit from whatever the elements can throw at us, from bags to accessories and even a new DSLR This summer was just about the shortest we have experienced for a while, and there is little chance of an Indian summer. Billy Connolly once said: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just poorly dressed people.” Never a truer word has been said. So it is with a collective sigh that we all have to start planning how we protect our gear while out shooting that portrait session, landscape, wedding or sports action. You could just chuck a plastic bag over your 10 grand-plus worth of gear, but is this really the best option? Of course not. To help you out a little, with the expertise of our friends at Jessops, we have put together a little buyers’ guide to remind you of what gadgets, gizmos and accessories are on offer to keep your precious tools safe and dry. We have even included cameras and lenses that are particularly suited to the harsh environment that can be working outside in the UK. We hope you will find it of some use. 49
- 50. MID-RANGE DSLRS The DSLRswe have selected here are those which have been given dust and moisture resistance by their manufacturers, so have some protection against the elements. No DSLR should be considered waterproof because it is only as good as the connection between camera and lens PENTAX K-5 PRICE: £780 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM The underdog in many ways, Pentax, which has just been bought by Ricoh from Hoya, gives the stainless steel and magnesium alloy K-5 77 independent seals that make the body highly weatherproof. In fact, the camera has been tested down to -10ºC, so it too can cope with harsh, dusty, cold conditions and still perform as it should. CANON EOS 60D PRICE: £800 (body only) NIKON D300S BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM PRICE: £1,140 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM With its flip-out 3in LCD screen, 18-megapixel APS-C sensor and 5.3fps shooting, the 60D is Though some may say it’s a bit long in the tooth a solid all-round performer as a camera, plus it now, the D300s is still a hell of a performer, has the Canon name behind it, so you know you with a 51-point AF system, 7fps shooting and will get superb image quality. But the body does a 12-megapixel APS-C sensor. But it too also have dust and water resistance built is designed to take professional use, which in around the main buttons, screen and battery. includes dust and moisture seals all over The body, though not metal, has been the magnesium alloy body at the most designed with this sort of protection, and vulnerable locations. outdoor use, in mind. OLYMPUS E-5 PRICE: £1,530 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM On its website, Olympus has described its range-topping 12.3-megapixel Four Thirds DSLR as ‘splashproof’. However, in researching this article we went on to YouTube and found that people had tested their E-5s by leaving them out in the pouring rain! One chap (Mark Humpage) even tested the camera by leaving it outside overnight in conditions as low as -10ºC and it still worked fine. Incredible! NIKON D7000 PRICE: £830 (body only) CANON EOS 7D BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM PRICE: £1,200 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM This is the first APS-C camera that Nikon produced with a sensor of more than With its 18-megapixels, 8fps and eight-stop ISO 12 megapixels. It has also been one of its most range, the 7D is quite a performer. But it is also popular cameras for 2011, and with good designed with the outdoor photographer in mind. reason. The spec is superb for the price, but we Not only is its chassis made of magnesium alloy, are interested in the camera’s enhanced dust meaning it is lightweight, it also has a decent level and moisture features. Though not quite as of weather resistance in the form of seals around extensive as the D300s and higher-end models, key buttons and switches. In researching this the 16.2-megapixel mid-range DSLR has feature we found people had used the 7D in the protection in all the right places. Antarctic and it had performed excellently. 50
- 51. BUYERS’ GUIDE PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRO-SPEC DSLRS These cameras have been built to withstand the rigours that a professional would demand from them – from the deserts of CANON EOS 5D MARK II Afghanistan to the frozen wastes PRICE: £1,600 (body only) of the Antarctic BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM With a high-performing 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, a magnesium alloy NIKON D3X body and multiple dust and moisture seals PRICE: £5,080 (body only) throughout, the EOS 5D Mark II has become one BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM of the all-time greats of the DSLR world. Its light yet rugged design means that it can Whether in the studio or on location, the cope with tough weather and rough usage, 24.5-megapixel D3X performs at the highest making it ideal for the travel, landscape and level, producing remarkable levels of detail editorial photographers who demand a camera and tonal gradation through an ISO range of that works in all sorts of conditions. 50 to 6400. If you are serious about your wildlife, nature and fashion photography, few other cameras this side of medium format can match the D3X for sheer image quality. Rugged construction, with a magnesium alloy body and full environmental sealing, ensures that weather won’t spoil your photo shoots. NIKON D700 PRICE: £1,850 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM The 12.1-megapixel, full-frame Nikon D700 is ideal for the professional or serious amateur photographer seeking high-end functionality, build and image quality, yet at a more pocket-friendly price. The self-cleaning sensor minimises dust to prevent annoying specks appearing in pictures, while the rugged moisture and dust-resistant body makes the Nikon D700 suitable to use in a range of weathers and environments. NIKON D3S CANON EOS-1D MARK IV PRICE: £3,590 (body only) PRICE: £3,730 (body only) BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM The full-frame D3S re-wrote the rule book This 16.1-megapixel, APS-H sensored camera when it came to ISO. With an amazing 10-stop is built for speed and action, with a maximum range, the ability to shoot usable images at ISO 10fps performance. But it is also built like the 102,400 means the 12.1-megapixel full-frame proverbial outhouse with its weather-sealed (FX) D3S can work in light where other DSLRs magnesium alloy body. This means that you can would have to pack their bags and go home for keep shooting in the most challenging of a cocoa. It is also built for speed and longevity, conditions with the peace of mind that your with 9fps in FX (full frame) and 11 in DX crop camera will be safe from the elements. mode; the shutter is built out of Kevlar and carbon fibre; and the body is able to tough it out in the gnarliest of environments. 51
- 52. BUYERS’ GUIDE NIKON AF-S 24-70MM F/2.8G PRICE: £1,240 PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM IN ASSOCIATION WITH This slim, lightweight professional lens has become the ‘kit lens’ of choice for many pros. It offers the all-weather photographer two advantages. First is its solid construction, which is designed to protect the lens from moisture, dust and extreme cold. However, its constant aperture of f/2.8 is tailor-made for the bad-weather photographer who LENSES needs excellent sharpness and colour reproduction in low-light conditions. Weatherproof lenses are an important part of NIKON AF-S 16-35MM F/4G ED VR CANON EF 28-300MM the outdoor photographer’s kit bag. Many PRICE: £855 F/3.5-5.6 L IS USM manufacturers have a range of weather-sealed BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM PRICE: £2,195 BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM optics, and here are a few examples The AF-S Nikkor Suitable for Canon 16-35mm f/4G SLRs and ED VR is sealed DSLRs with to protect it EF lens from moisture and dust, making this mounts, the wide-angle zoom a reliable partner to 28-300mm CANON EF 70-200MM F/2.8 L IS II USM a weather-sealed body such as the Nikon f/3.5-5.6 L features a PRICE: £1,900 D300S. Other key features of the 16-35mm dustproof, drip-proof construction to allow BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM include Vibration Reduction and a fast you to work in a range of harsh weather autofocus with full-time manual focus conditions. While heavy at 1.7kg, Canon’s The mount, focus mode switch and focusing ring all override. And while the optic’s constant optic is solidly built, and its two stabiliser feature a dust and drip-proof structure that prevents aperture of f/4 isn’t as fast as the modes compensate for approximately three dust or water from getting inside the lens and camera Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 above, it’s a very stops, giving you more opportunities to shoot when used with accompanying weatherproof EOS fine lens with great reviews and costs handheld and avoid having to carry a tripod. bodies. This makes it a highly durable, reliable lens about three-quarters of the price of the It’s not cheap, by any means, but its durability for daily use by professional photographers. 24-70mm f/2.8. and incredible focal range are hard to beat. BAGS BILLINGHAM SAFARI CANVAS S445 PRICE: £300 Few more important accessories exist to protect your BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM gear than a camera bag or rucksack. Not only do bags prevent knocks, they keep your gear organised Synonymous with press shooters, the Billingham name and allow access when the weather turns bad has become a byword for quality and durability. With its large capacity, plentiful padding, a large, quick-release rain flap and Stormblock canvas build, this bag is built to LOWEPRO LENS TREKKER 600 AW withstand anything thrown at it. But it is practical too, with full-depth pockets, II BACKPACK PRICE: £150 double-grab handles and a TukTop flap for easy access. You can add extra BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM accessories via the anchor points. You’ll pass this down in your will… This tough lens backpack is MANFROTTO LINO PRO VII ROLLER PELICAN 1510 CARRY ON designed for constant, everyday PRICE: £500 WATERTIGHT CASE use. It can accommodate BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM PRICE: £280 a pro-sized digital SLR with BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM telephoto lens, such as This stylish bag is one for all a 600mm, or an 800mm seasons. Using the multi-purpose This watertight, crushproof and without the body attached. frontal opening, you can store one or dustproof case will keep your The removable harness is two camera bodies with a battery equipment safe all year round. particularly comfortable due grip, up to eight lenses, a flash The retractable extension to the padded back with lumbar and accessories, plus a 17in handle, strong lightweight support. There is a memory card holder inside laptop, which has its own sleeve. design and hardwearing the lid, plus a built-in, all-weather cover to keep The Pro VII Roller keeps all your polyurethane wheels, with your camera and accessories clean and dry. camera gear neatly organised stainless steel bearings, ensure This is a great choice for winter photo shoots and protected, while fitting into you can move your kit with ease, or as a storage solution for sports and nature a cabin luggage-sized package while the O-ring seal keeps photographers to protect their equipment. for air travel. contents dry in poor conditions. 52
- 53. PERFECT COMPANIONS... jessops.com 15X TAMRON ZOOM 18-270MM F3.5-6.3 VC PZD LENS £499.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices MANFROTTO FROM £11.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices LOWEPRO TAMRON HALF PRICE SP 70-300MM F4-5.6 £49.95 £349.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices Visit jessops.com for latest prices ORDER PHOTO PRINTS ONLINE AND COLLECT IN-STORE 200 Stores jessops.com 0845 458 7000 jessops.com
- 54. BUYERS’ GUIDE WOMEN’S VELEZ ADVENTURE LIGHT SMOCK PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER PRICE: £200 BUY IT: WWW.THEMOUNTAINFACTOR.COM IN ASSOCIATION WITH With five colours to choose from, this funky yet practical light smock uses sophisticated fabrics to give all-round protection from the rain. There are twin zips at the front for ventilation, a large chest pocket, a drop tail for rain protection, thicker fabric on the shoulders and back for using a rucksack, an adjustable hood and Velcro sleeves. It is also very light and CLOTHING quiet, making it ideal for stalking or observing wildlife. As important as keeping your precious cameras and lenses dry WOMEN’S VELEZ ADVENTURE and free from dust and grime is TROUSERS ensuring that you are protected PRICE: £130 too, from the tip of your toes to the BUY IT: WWW.WHALLEYOUTDOOR.CO.UK end of your fingers The new Velez trousers are designed for a host of outdoor activities, from MEN’S HALCON JACKET cycling to walking, due to their shape PRICE: £310 and large zipped vents running along BUY IT: WWW.PARAMO.CO.UK each thigh. They are extremely comfortable thanks to their light If you have been on one of landscape weight, mixture of breathable fabrics photographer Joe Cornish’s workshops, you and elasticated waist. There are two may well have seen this jacket. It’s ideal for the handwarming pockets and the photographer because it is as practical as it is trousers are fully weather protected. ‘ comfortable, warm and dry. Neat features include a fleece-lined collar, articulated shoulders for movement, two fleece-lined MEN’S CASCADA TROUSERS handwarming pockets, two ‘dry’ breast PRICE: £120 pockets, two large bellows pockets and an BUY IT: WWW.PARAMO.CO.UK internal mesh breast pocket large enough even for LEE filters. There is a reason these are one of Páramo’s bestsellers: they are designed for UNISEX TORRES JACKET walking in all weathers, so PRICE: £126 have shaped knees, an BUY IT: WWW.THEMOUNTAINFACTOR.COM elasticated waist, two handwarming pockets and If you are going to be staying out in poor conditions for any temperature adjustment via length of time, then the new Torres jacket is the ideal gear side zips. They even have for the job. It’s highly water-repellent for long periods and a double seat layer to make is extremely warm, with a moisture-resistant 133g them last longer. There are synthetic fill, giving it a down-like feel and quality. a wide range of sizes and two This jacket is ideal for photographers because it colours – navy and dark grey is designed to give freedom of movement, and – to choose from. the proportions are generous too. MEN’S MOUNTAIN VENT PULL-ON PRICE: £67 BUY IT: WWW.WILDTRAK.COM Layers are an important part of controlling your temperature, and the Páramo system is designed so you can adjust them quickly. The Mountain Vent is worn next to the skin and, used in conjunction with one of Páramo’s jackets, will help you to keep warm or cool down as necessary. The pull-on comes in black, cobalt or olive. 54
- 55. OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS... jessops.com MANFROTTO PRO WIND JACKET MANFROTTO PRO FIELD JACKET £179.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices £449.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices MANFROTTO PRO SOFT SHELL MANFROTTO PRO PHOTO VEST £199.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices £299.95 Visit jessops.com for latest prices ORDER PHOTO PRINTS ONLINE AND COLLECT IN-STORE 200 Stores jessops.com 0845 458 7000 jessops.com
- 56. BUYERS’ GUIDE EWA MARINE U-BXP SLR UNDERWATER HOUSING PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER PRICE: £300 BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM IN ASSOCIATION WITH This housing is big enough to take a camera up to the Canon EOS-1 and Nikon D3 series, or the likes of a Nikon D200 and Canon EOS 5D with a vertical grip attached, plus a lens up to 72mm in diameter. It is a true underwater option, but can also be used for those rain-soaked assignments and water sports. It will safely take your camera to depths of 50m – ideal for trying your hand at a little ACCESSORIES underwater nature photography. From individual camera protection to the latest all-weather compact, we have a few toys and gadgets that may come in PANASONIC HX-WA10 FULL HD handy in extreme conditions or if you are WATERPROOF CAMCORDER PRICE: £240 trying something new BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM As well as being waterproof to 3m (for up to 60 minutes), the HX-WA10 records in 1,920 x 1,080 Full HD and can take high-quality,16-megapixel stills. Its upright, trigger-style shape allows for a more comfortable, natural position when recording stills and video. It has a 12x zoom, electronic image stabilisation and can shoot in 1080/60i or 30p modes. There are three colours to chose from too. NIKON COOLPIX AW100 PRICE: £330 BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM Nikon debuts its first-ever rugged camera, OLYMPUS TOUGH TG-810 the Coolpix AW100. The blurb says it’s an PRICE: £230 outdoor camera for active lifestyles, as it BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM works underwater down to 10m, in temperatures as low as -10°C and is shockproof up to heights of 1.5m. Features include a 16.1-megapixel sensor, the equivalent of Waterproof to 10m, the TG-810 has a 5x zoom lens fully a 28mm lens (with 5x zoom), a Global Positioning System (GPS), an electronic compass enclosed within its body. It features a 14-megapixel and a built-in world map for geo-tagging your images to find that location or feature sensor and is also shockproof to 2m, crushproof to again. It comes in a range of colours, including camouflage. 100kg (Olympus testing) and freezeproof to -10°C. This compact is seriously tough and offers you You may think you have dried your camera a reliable alternative when conditions are simply too SILICA GEL properly before dropping it back in your bag PRICE: £4 (PACK extreme for your DSLR. or rucksack and forgetting about it. OF TWO) BUY IT: However, leaving a few silicon gel sachets or NIKON WG-AS1 AND WG-AS2 WWW.JESSOPS.COM Moisture Munchers – another popular brand WATER GUARDS – in your kit bag can help absorb damp and PRICE: £19 prevent damage or corrosion. BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM This little rubber attachment slips KATA E-705 ELEMENTS COVER between your SB-900 Speedlight and your PRICE: £70 camera, clipping on to the hotshoe, to BUY IT: WWW.JESSOPS.COM provide protection from rain, dust and moisture. The Elements Cover is designed for a digital SLR with a zoom lens AS1 Compatibility: up to 200mm with a flashgun attached, or with longer lenses Nikon D3 without a flash. It can quickly slip over your camera, while the side Nikon D3s sleeves, which have pull-up drawstring fasteners, allow full access Nikon D3X to controls. The back of the camera is still clearly visible through the AS2 Compatibility: transparent ‘window’ of the rain cover. A full-length double zip provides Nikon D300 sealed closure when your camera is handheld or mounted on a tripod. Nikon D300S The cover is great for general use, weddings and press snappers. 56
- 57. THEBUSINESS PART TWO WAKE UP Why are people lining up to get their tall, skinny, decaf, dry cappuccino with two sweet ’n’ lows at Starbucks? Why are some photographers highly successful, even in tough times? It’s simple. AND SMELL Winning businesses have a plan. Not only do they have a well-tuned product, but also a sophisticated, well-thought-out sales and marketing process which they follow religiously. During the slow times their marketing doesn’t stop, it is adjusted. And during boom times their THE COFFEE… surplus funds are divided between reinvesting in their business (for example, juicier advertising campaigns and acquiring items that they need) and savings and investments. In order to sell your photography services you need to think like a corporate giant. You will need to compete visually and must develop In the second of a new series, SELINA a sales and marketing process to follow that will bring results. MAITREYA shares her insights from three Most of your competitors will still be making decisions willy-nilly (“I bought space on a portal, what shots should I include?”), but you will decades of advising commercial be different. You will look to the market that you seek to serve for clues on iSTOCK / ANDREW JOHNSON photographers in the US on how to market how to sell successfully. After all, your audience (advertising agencies, themselves. Her advice this month is to big business, editorial publications and graphic design firms) are the leading national experts in selling and advertising. Why not take their think like a corporate giant, take risks and process (you know, the one they use to sell to us the consumers) and forget about the competition... turn it back on them? 57
- 58. THEBUSINESS Review your budget “Our business is only competitive when one Decide which combination of advertising tools will deliver your looks at the number of photographers message effectively Create a campaign using four to six different sales channels (both available for the number of assignments *outreach and **portfolio based) that you will follow for 12 months *Outreach tools may include: monthly email or direct mail, given out. However, when you look at the a website with two to three portal listings, online social networking and blog updates. number of photographers selling images ** Portfolio based: get your print book to key contacts - yes today who actually have a competitive successful people still sell Facilitate and review your campaign as it progresses. product (my opinion), you easily reduce the Give this programme (changed during the year as necessary) three years to work effectively. number of your rivals by 50 per cent.” Selina Maitreya Obviously, this is a lot of work. It’s not as simple as writing a cheque to a portal site, or having a template website built. It requires you to be willing to show up and make decisions about your business. It asks you to take How do you begin? First, let’s look at the back-end process that is used your business seriously and it requires you to take risks. It demands by major businesses, advertising agencies and publications before we ever constant attention and, most importantly, it asks you not to give up. hear about their product. Review, make changes, but don’t give up! In today’s market, a company will spend thousands on branding itself. Most photographers are not willing to make this effort. Many talented It determines its value to customers and then uses that information to creatives are never successful because they choose not to accept the ‘brand its company’. The agency will then spend oodles of its client’s money responsibility of truly selling and marketing their business. Or they have researching the audience for this new ‘brand’ and determine which unreal expectations and simply stop during the process. publications they read, which TV shows they watch and which websites they People talk constantly about how competitive our business is. peruse. Then, and only then, a new campaign is created that conveys My take? Our business is only competitive when one looks at the number the company’s message and the product’s value in a language that of photographers available for the number of assignments given out. resonates with the target market. It is then played out countless times in However, when you look at the number of photographers selling images four to five different mediums. How many times have you heard, “Just do today who actually have a competitive product (my opinion), you easily it!”? Nike’s slogan of a few years back resonates even today. reduce the number of your rivals by 50 per cent. Maybe half of those In short, before selling a new product, companies and agencies define have an effective sales and marketing strategy. A fraction of them will its value, determine the target audience and decide how to reach them continue selling consistently beyond the second year. When you consider most effectively within the client’s budget. these factors, the number of competitors you actually have (over time) The magazine industry is equally savvy. Each publication now has a is quite small. specific focus, a target audience and a message. All articles and the visuals With this information in mind, go ahead, have that cup of coffee and created to illustrate them are designed to put forth the publication’s take a deep breath. Forget about the competition and begin to focus on message. Go to your newsagent or supermarket and hit the magazine your product, your message and your journey ahead. PP racks. Begin to identify what part of our population each publication is going after. What’s their core message and how do their visuals differ? Selina is also the creator and host of Clarion Call, the first Are you catching the theme yet? free worldwide telesummit for professional photographers. Companies, ad agencies and editorial publications all use a very specific Visit www.selinamaitreya.com process to sell products to consumers. It’s one you can use for your sales and marketing efforts, and it looks like this: Create a product, then determine and articulate its value to buyers Selina Maitreya has written a book called How to Target and research the market and contacts Succeed in Commercial Photography: Insights Develop a budget and choose four to five sales channels, (TV, from a Leading Consultant, which is described as internet, website, print, billboards) based on the target audience taking a holistic look at how to have a life in Create a sales message photography. Selina is joined by photographers, Develop a complete campaign using different sales channels and clients and other consultants in sharing variations of the same message for complete and effective coverage information and inspiration. The book is published by Allworth Press, priced at £18.99, ISBN: 978-1581154917. You can take similar steps. You can be your own corporate giant. Your job, should you accept it, is to: Determine your visual message and list the value your work NEXT MONTH: THE MIX has for your clients Edit all images shown with your value message in mind AN ARTICLE THAT LAYS OUT ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE MIX: Target your audience and choose contacts that have the potential THAT’S THE THINKING AND TOOLS PHOTOGRAPHERS MUST INCLUDE IN to use your value-added services. Make sure to choose three to THEIR SALES AND MARKETING PROGRAMME IN ORDER TO BUILD four different markets for your contact list A BUSINESS THAT WILL THRIVE 58
- 60. THEBUSINESSNEWSERIES Online Marketing Masterclass PAUL TANSEYis the MD of Intergage, an online marketing agency specialising in helping smaller businesses. A self-confessed marketing nerd, Paul starts his six-part series with some basic pointers, and has even set homework! PROLOGUE 3 They can share easily any great stuff that they find there with Web marketing used to be simple. You built a website, you optimised it their friends for Google and you learned to advertise online – usually with Google’s 4 You take them down a simple, clear path to a conclusion – usually AdWords system. an enquiry or a sale Today, would-be online marketers are faced with a bewildering array of tools to use, skills to learn and often conflicting advice from so-called I often get asked, “What do you think of this website?” My stock answer experts. What exactly do you do with the limited time you have available is always, “What was it designed to do?” If, for example, the answer is, to market your business? How do you separate the hype from the reality “The website was designed to get found by people looking on search and invest your time where it counts? engines for a commercial photographer in Cambridge and to solicit Paul Tansey of Intergage is a recognised speaker and expert in his enquiries from these new visitors,” I can evaluate the website against field and writes for us to provide advice to photographers about those criteria, no problem. marketing their business online. More often I get a vague answer like, “I was told I needed a website, so I built this because every business needs a website, don’t they?” GETTING STARTED Let me begin by saying that if you are a self-employed photographer or small business owner and you are wondering what to do to promote your business online, you are not alone. We are all learning constantly about online marketing. In the history of business, no one discipline has evolved as quickly as marketing has in the last decade. That makes it both a challenging and fascinating place to be. So what should you do about marketing your business online? I believe that we can take a logical approach to online marketing, break down the various disciplines into separate chapters and address them together over the following months. Today we will look at the basics – starting with your website and the job it has to do. We’ll go on to look at: Designing your website for your visitors Search engines and optimisation Facebook and LinkedIn Online advertising Blogs and microblogs Picture, video and other social media sites Measuring your online success YOUR WEBSITE Sooner or later your customers and potential customers are going to end up at your iSTOCK / JPA1999 website. What matters is that: 1 They can find it 2 They can use it easily – without stopping to think 60
- 61. It is truethat your credibility as a business will be called into PROPERTY PURPOSE question if you don’t have a website. Don’t just rush into building a website, however. Think how you will measure its success in Google Places page To enable my business to get found in Google pounds sterling and work backwards from there. ‘local’ searches, to provide a place where I can What job does it need to do? To start with, chances are it won’t be post promotions and where happy customers your only internet ‘property’. Your online presence will consist of can post reviews in order to promote clicks a number of linked and mutually promoting internet ‘properties’: through to my website Your website Your Google Places page Facebook page To enable me to stay in touch with customers, Your Facebook profile or page(s) have conversations with them and their friends, Your LinkedIn profile and/or company profile get my happy customers to ‘like my page’ Your Twitter page and recommend me to their friends. Your blog To advertise to the friends of my happy Your profiles in other social networks such as Flickr, Picasa, customers, to showcase work, to build YouTube and Vimeo long-lasting relationships and to drive sales enquiries through to my website At a headline level, what function does each of these tools have? Take a moment to consider first why you might use each one, LinkedIn profile(s) To enable me to stay in touch with business with the last line being your website. Your answers might look customers, have conversations with them and something like the table, right. their associates, get my happy customers to Chances are, when it boils down to it, you are going to create recommend me, to advertise to marketing a machine that turns visitors into enquiries. So the visitors will be managers locally, to showcase my work, to the most important thing you have to consider. build long-lasting relationships and to drive In preparation for next month’s column I am going to set you sales enquiries through to my website some homework. Build a picture of your visitor: Who are they? (Age, profession, interests, passions, concerns) Twitter I will use Twitter on my mobile phone to Why are they here? share amusing thoughts and snippets that How did they get here? I come across as a local photographer. What questions will they have about my service? To communicate frequently and informally How can I persuade them to choose me? from my PC and from my mobile phone while I’m out and about. To share the odd great Now be really clear about your business. Ask yourself: picture I take and post links to my other What do I do best? (You cannot be the best there is at ‘properties’. Ultimately communicating with everything) existing friends and customers with the aim of What would be the most profitable business I can generate being discovered by new ones as well from my website? What makes me or my business special or different? Blog To build a place where I share detailed How can I illustrate what difference my specialisms or thoughts, stories, experiences and ideas. strengths really make to my customers? PP To talk about my passions and my life. This will be a place where I can start conversations, comment on developments I observe and send IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON WHICH people to my website to make sales enquiries ONLINE MARKETING TACTICS REALLY WORK PLEASE EMAIL Other internet Describe as appropriate (we’ll cover these in ME AT PAUL@INTERGAGE.CO.UK AND WE’LL SHARE YOUR properties later articles) REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES IN FUTURE ARTICLES Website To be my sales machine. To be a place where BIOGRAPHY WWW. people can go if they are interested in doing Paul Tansey is managing director of South business with me to discover what I can do for Coast digital agency Intergage and has spent them; to persuade them I will do a great job for more than a decade in digital marketing, in them and to set their expectations realistically consulting, sales and management positions. about availability and price so any enquiry that He has worked with clients as big as comes through will be well-qualified. It will Microsoft, Motorola and Toshiba but prefers the also signpost my other ‘properties’ so people challenges of working with SMEs (small and medium can get to know me better in order to enterprises) and charities. He describes himself as a help them like me and trust me enough to marketing nerd – marketing first, technology second. do business with me 61
- 62. THEBUSINESS MONKEY BUSINESS News that photographic images shot from the a whole? It’s tricky – but then copyright issues perspective of a cat have gone on exhibition PETER STEVENSON, from have always been troublesome. in Seattle, in the United States, has raised the temperature of copyright lawyers on both photographer insurance Imagine the legal ramifications if the iconic Tennis Girl photo had turned out to have been sides of the Atlantic and as far afield as the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. specialist InFocus taken by a passing shortsighted toad leaping on to an abandoned camera in the mistaken belief that Insurance, discusses the shutter button was a small slug. They would THE QUESTION still be slugging out the royalty issues in court, The tabby in question, Cooper, made headlines intellectual property right or on court, or somewhere. with his shots of leafy hiding places, garden birds and passing traffic. I use the word ‘his’ with care issues that arise when our THE ANSWERS because the automatic miniature camera which his owners strung from his collar was actually furry friends take over the Cooper’s owners also own the copyright to the cat’s work, on the grounds that he is not a operated by a microchip programmed to open the photography scene... ‘natural person’ in the eyes of the law. Put another shutter every two minutes. way, he is not a human being with the intellect So, who owns the copyright? The cat for lining the macaque to twiddle with the shutter? to intentionally take the pictures and claim up the camera positions? The microchip for The monkey? A sentient ape-like mammal, intellectual property rights. He is not a mobile operating the shutter? The cat’s owners who used like us. The publication into whose hands the tripod either – but I’ll leave that argument to Cooper as a mobile dolly/tripod and creatively set images fell? the RSPCA. up the shooting opportunity? The newspaper that Allow me to digress. My first observation is Photographer David J Slater, who creatively published the story? that some of the photographs being discussed left his camera in the Indonesian rainforest, Good question. I’ll get around to answering it were surprisingly good, raising yet another claims the copyright to the monkey’s self-portraits in a moment after I have had my saucer of milk. question... do cats and monkeys possess the because he engineered the situation, even though And if that isn’t enough to tax the best intellectual intellect to be enrolled into photographic colleges he did not take the picture. property minds among you all, here is another and courses, and allowed to gain qualifications My point is to make sure your insurance policy question to ponder. and take up the profession? covers the legal cost of defending and pursuing A wild macaque monkey in the Indonesian The philosophical question about a million copyright disputes. Nowadays, YouTube, digital jungle happened upon a camera left in situ by monkeys, at a million keyboards, eventually imagery, iPod cameras, and the social and viral award-winning photographer David J Slater and typing the complete works of Shakespeare has media can see an image reproduced millions of did what monkeys do: he fiddled with it. In the been addressed by mathematicians and times around the world within a few hours. process, the monkey accidentally took a grinning statisticians for generations – but has anybody Getting your hands on copyright income due DAVID J SLATER / CATERS NEWS AGENCY mugshot of himself which, again, featured online asked whether a million monkeys with a million from the ownership of visual material which you and in print publications around the world. digital cameras would eventually shoot the work have created has never been more complex. My question is again about the ownership of of Henri Cartier-Bresson? More importantly, if Be prepared for a fight. copyright. Who would you say owned the images? they did, who would own the copyright? You wouldn’t want some agent or publisher The Indonesian Government, which owned the Do the shots of the universe, taken from the making a monkey out of you, would you? PP island and thus the monkey and thus his work? Moon from mobile radio-controlled platforms, The photographer on whose camera the pictures belong to NASA, the spaceman operating the were filmed – who allegedly ‘expected’ platforms, the American taxpayer or humanity as www.infocusinsurance.co.uk 62
- 63. SELF-PORTRAIT David J Slater’spicture, which the monkey ‘took’, and which caused such a furore over the ownership of intellectual copyright. 63
- 64. > READY FORA FIGHT? To hear some photographers talking about the pros and cons of compact systems versus SLRs, you’d think there was a war on. Compact system fans have told us size and weight are worth fighting for, but have been clamouring for Micro Four Thirds prime lenses with a fast aperture to get great portraits. DSLR devotees insist that there’s no middle ground if you’re after a shallow depth of field and flattering perspective. We think they’re missing a trick. Let’s face it, most of us would rather not lug three kilos of body and glass around to get a great portrait on the move. So we’ve achieved what everyone said was impossible. Allow us to introduce the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm F1.8 lens. It’s equivalent to a classic 90mm portrait lens in 35mm terms. Thanks to our legendary optical skills you can get delicious background fuzziness and ultra-sharp foreground detail at maximum aperture. And since the focusing speeds of the latest PEN range now match or exceed those of far larger and pricier SLRs, there’s now a rather convincing argument for switching sides. But since pictures speak louder than words, taker a look at the evidence. Philip Volkers used a PEN and the 45mm F1.8 to take this beautiful shot of Alex Weaver during a high profile fashion shoot for Amelia Powers handbags. Alex has just finished filming action movie ‘Forced to Fight’ and is now off to NYC to for her next film ‘Seven Songs for Amy’ with Sean Maguire ...we caught her just in time. This lens is available at less than £270 and will fit any Micro Four Thirds body, including the new PENs. In short, there’s now a powerful, affordable, pocket- sized portrait tool. We reckon we’ve won this battle. But trust us, we still haven’t finished fighting. www.olympus.co.uk/pen NEW Photographer: Philip Volkers. Subject: Actress Alex Weaver, Camera: PEN E-PL2 and 45mm F1.8 lens. Venue: London PEN mini PEN Lite PEN
- 66. Clockwise, from topleft: Stars from the big screen – Al Pacino; Robert De Niro; Daniel Radcliffe; George Clooney; Heath Ledger; Clint Eastwood and Samuel L Jackson. 66
- 67. { THE BIGINTERVIEW: ANDY GOTTS} FACE MAN In a dark and dingy pub on the outskirts of Norwich, Editor Scorey meets one of the UK’s most prominent photographers, a man who counts Jeff Bridges and George Clooney as pals and who has just been given an honorary doctorate for services to photography. ANDY GOTTS But, as he says himself, he’s just a movie fan... 67
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- 69. { THE BIGINTERVIEW } I wouldn’t say it was a spit-and-sawdust pub, but you wouldn’t take your kids there for a Sunday carvery... well, I wouldn’t. So it was an interesting insight into the chap I was meeting, as it was his choice. Pro ’togs come in all shapes and sizes, colours and from many backgrounds, but I must admit to expecting either a bit of a roughneck, or a denim-clad, long-haired hippy-type who prefers anonymity. I mean, this guy has photographed some proper celebs: Pitt, Clooney, Bacall, Bridges, Pacino, Eastwood, Winslet, Hopkins, Douglas... I could go on. What’s more, he found out that I lived in Norfolk and emailed to say “Hi!” I was struggling to get a read on him. In fact, Andy Gotts was neither. He turned up in a suit, carrying his portfolio, and, if I didn’t know better, seemed ever-so-slightly nervous. He was quiet, respectful and, well, normal – and he was on his own, no entourage, something I later found is a speciality of his. Twenty-one years after Andy first started taking pictures he has made quite an impression, not just on the photo industry but on the people he photographs – he is still in contact with the vast majority of people he has ever shot. His first book, Degrees, published six years ago, has done hugely well. The profits went to a diabetic research charity as, and I quote, “I was having too much fun shooting it to make money from it.” He recently spoke to Stephen Fry, the chap who is, by Andy’s own admission, largely responsible for kick-starting his career through a five-minute shoot he managed to blag with the actor/writer while studying a BTEC at Norfolk College of Arts and Technology in King’s Lynn. “I had a call from a lady with a daughter who, she explained, had problems with depression and diabetes, and Dita Von Teese. had been teased mercilessly by other kids because she was ‘different’. In the end her daughter had attempted to take her own life,” he was telling “You come out of university or college after years of being Stephen. “However, while in hospital recovering, the girl had been watching an interview I’d done told how to be a professional photographer... You leave with on morning TV about my book, Degrees. On the show I was explaining that the people involved, your qualification and think you are ready to hit the road from Brad Pitt, who was the first person I’d shot, running, but the reality is that there is a huge chasm to Kevin Bacon, whom the book revolved around, had taken part for nothing.” The girl felt as if they between the theory and the practice...” Andy Gotts had done it for her; not her friends who were ‘normal’. “The interview and book’s purpose for all of this, admittedly by a 21-year degree of British Institute of Professional Photography really resonated with this girl, the mum explained, separation, I explained to Stephen, was from five (BIPP), Andy was reluctant at first because “it’s and the very next day when the mum visited her, minutes of kindness by him 21 years ago. As you just a bit of an old boys’ network”. He changed the girl was a changed person. In fact the mum can imagine, he was emotionally touched.” his mind when he realised it was an opportunity said she had her daughter back. This girl then Andy is rather a passionate chap too: to make a difference. “You come out of university went on to study psychology and, via a telephone passionate about helping aspiring professional or college after years of being told how to be helpline, helped people who suffered as she had photographers, based on his own experiences. a professional photographer – in a sense done, ending up saving lives herself. The catalyst When he was asked to become president of the you become institutionalised by your lecturers 69
- 70. { THE BIGINTERVIEW } Kate Winslet.
- 71. “One of thesecrets to my success, I believe, is the way I work, which is always on my own; I never use assistants. My reason is that I am uncomfortable being watched...” Andy Gotts and peers. You leave with your qualification and think you are ready to hit the road running, but the reality is that there is a huge chasm between the theory and the practice, very often with the practical, day-to day-elements. A lot of people need a form of mentoring system. This is where I would like to help, with professionals imparting their experience on anything from gear to portfolios etc. For whatever reason, photography Tony Curtis. has lost its ‘cool’ badge, seemingly handing that over to chefs... Few in the arts world are waving the flag for photography as a serious profession, outside the arty stuff anyway – there still seems to be a sort of institutionalised snobbery, with celebrity photographers being at the bottom of the deck! Going to college was a big step for this north Norfolk lad, but receiving my awards (including the Fox Talbot award) and honorary doctorate from De Montfort University, in Leicester, is a massive deal to me. I feel that through this recognition I have been empowered and am keen to give something back to the profession I adore.” All of this passion and desire to invest in others, I will admit, came as a refreshing surprise to me. But the more I got to now Andy the more I could see what a great chap he was. The cliché, usually reserved for Essex girls, of “You can take the boy out of Norfolk but...” is true in his case. I know that Norfolkians are the butt of many a joke about turkey farming, interbreeding and being slightly dimwitted. But what you don’t often hear about are their traditional values and how hugely friendly they really are, and I think Andy has these qualities in abundance. As I realise this, it starts to give me an insight into just why the megastars he shoots warm to him so easily – his genuineness and, forgive the pun, down-to-earth nature. Andy says: “Well, one of the secrets to my success, I believe, is the way I work, which is always on my own; I never use assistants. My reason is that I am uncomfortable being watched and believe, with the type of personal work I do, that having an entourage of my own Jeff Bridges.
- 72. Stunning Albums &Photobooks, hand built in house. Prices and solutions to suit every pocket! CHOOSE FROM 7 STYLES, COUNTLESS SIZES, ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES! Visit our website and download our Albums & Photobooks Service Guide & Price List NOW! Tel: 0845 862 0217 Web: www.onevisionimaging.com Email: info@onevisionimaging.com LONDON The Photographic Royal Horticultural Halls 15th November 2011 Trade Show EDINBURGH Royal Highland Centre 27th March 2012 For All Professionals HERTFORDSHIRE Sopwell House 24th April 2012 Register now for your free tickets - www.forwardevents.co.uk MANCHESTER Trade show 11am-6pm Camera Clinic Man Utd Football Stadium FREE Entry Product Demonstrations 15th May 2012 FREE Seminars Digital Advice COVENTRY NEXT EVENT Ricoh Arena 29th May 2012 Kent WINDSOR Brands Hatch Circuit Royal Windsor Racecourse 18th October 2011 27th June 2012 BRISTOL Ashton Gate Stadium For more info about your local show and to register for your free 17th July 2012 tickets go to www.forwardevents.co.uk or call 01634 296 001 DUBLIN Croke Park Stadium SPONSORED BY: 4th September 2012 Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/photovisionnews
- 73. { THE BIGINTERVIEW } Morgan Freeman. 73
- 74. Lauren Bacall. Sting. “I am lucky that in my career, I have been able to shoot and be touched by some of them. It's a privilege as a photographer and a fan.” Andy Gotts plus that of the person I’m capturing, means that The secret to his success? All of the above. stars now in the Pitts, Clooneys, De Niros and there could be 20 people in the room, some One thing I was surprised to learn was that Depps, but that amazing golden era is consigned with an agenda/job, others just clingers-on. I try his initial approach to a good few of the people to DVD and slowly decaying emulsions in to get everyone out so I can get the real person. he shoots, apart from having friends like Brad Pitt Hollywood production companies’ basements. In addition, I never use a studio, instead opting call his mates (in that case George Clooney), That is sad. I am lucky that in my career I have to hire hotel rooms. One, they tend to be far is simply to write a letter. But even simpler is the been able to shoot and be touched by some of cheaper, as whenever I have told the hotel’s fact that above everything else, Andy is a huge them. It’s a privilege as a photographer and a fan.” marketing team that I’m just doing a shoot film fan, almost to the point of being a geek. Andy is easy to underestimate when taken I have got a far better rate. And two, they have This is the secret to his longevity; his success is at face value and perhaps he uses this to great a more personal feel to them over the ‘harsh’ down to the obvious talent behind a camera. advantage in his career; but you warm to him for surroundings of a studio setting. If I’ve done But the fact he has an almost encyclopaedic his child-like enthusiasm for the film world, the my research properly, I can often find a hotel knowledge of films, from the golden oldies to stars he shoots and his passion for photography. that has a connection with the person I’m last week’s new releases, means he talks to the Sitting with him is like being with your best shooting, which may help to start a conversation people he shoots at their level and about them. mate as a kid, sitting in the tree house or den or offer a picture opportunity.” This completely genuine interest has created comparing winning conkers or fishing stories, Sitting in the leather chesterfield in the pub, a mine of information that Andy can dip in and Star Wars scenes and actresses you would like to I found my image of Andy was changing. He was out of to start building his relationship with the snog – of course, I do all of these reasonably a bit of a puzzle. Local Norfolk lad, studied hard, sitter. There is always a question he can ask, and frequently anyway! But then you realise his had a bit of luck, has obviously got a whole which actor would get fed up with intelligent iPhone contact list must read like a Hollywood bag of talent and yet his whole MO is so simple, questions about themselves and their work? agent’s Rolodex, and that at any minute Jack is honest and straightforward. When we first “The saddest thing,” Andy laments, “is that the going to call... I wonder if he would have let me sat down and before I had asked the first question era of the true Hollywood icon: the Douglases, say “Hi”? Silly, I know. Andy said he might need to take a call from Jack Bacalls, Curtises, Poitiers, Newmans and Rod Oh, and Andy had a Guinness, just in case mid-interview. “Jack?” I asked. Nicholson, Steigers of this world, are nearly all gone, in my you’re interested. PP came the reply. At first I thought he was winding opinion. I’m talking about the true greats who me up, but he was completely deadpan. have lasted generations. Yes, we have brilliant www.andygotts.com FOR MORE GREAT INTERVIEWS WITH PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS VISIT WWW.PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK 74
- 75. { THE BIGINTERVIEW } Julia Roberts. 75
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- 77. WHAT PROS WANT... LENCARTA SAFARI RINGFLASH LORD OF THE RING (LIGHT)? With the ‘beans’ being very tightly managed, pro editorial portrait photographer CRAIG FLEMING sticks up his hand to have a closer look at the Lencarta Safari Classic Ringflash as an alternative to more expensive options 77
- 78. WHAT PROS WANT... Weall have a wish list, I’m sure, and I’m no exception. So, when system on three relatively intensive shoots with no sign of the battery Adam Scorey called and asked if there was anything on my ‘to buy’ pack dying on me. list, my answer was immediate. However, Adam’s influence as I am one of those photographers who tends to move around a lot Editor of Professional Photographer didn’t stretch as far as Keira when shooting, rarely using a tripod except at the lowest of light Knightley... it didn’t even stretch to weekly or monthly, so I came levels. So, as a ‘mobile’ shooter I was keen to see if using the up with another idea – the Lencarta Safari Classic Ringflash kit. Lencarta would slow down my workflow. It didn’t. In fact it actually I have used many types of lighting during my career, from huge sped things up as I no longer had to worry about the angles of parabolic reflectors to simple honeycomb grids, and one thing I love shadows on the background or on the face of the model. The battery about my work is experimenting with the myriad effects they all give. pack comes with a shoulder strap, so even when shooting Ringflash was the one thing that had eluded me, partly due to the with a sync lead you are not technically tethered to anything. cost and also because the options were limited – unless I had a power As I have mentioned before, I am not a fan of instructions; I like pack system. For the uninitiated, ringflash is like no other flash things to be simple – which this is. The flash is operated from system: effectively it is a ‘Polo’ of light where you shoot through the controls on the battery pack, where you can set the flash power hole. I know that many photographers do not like the effect it steplessly from 1/8th to full power. There is also a test button to fire produces – bright, vibrant colours and a halo of shadow being its the flash and a charge indicator, as well as a ‘ready’ light. most noticeable features – but I am keen to give it a go and, in the You have two charging options: either via the battery pack or process, brighten up my work, which is often described as dark. directly into the NiMH battery itself, meaning that if you have two batteries you can charge one while still using the battery pack. IN THE BOX There are two flashhead sockets where you connect the flash to the On the morning of my planned shoot, a huge box arrived at my door. battery, with a good, solid plug system that then locks down via It was mainly packaging and padding inside, plus a further two boxes, a plastic locking nut – again a nice touch; so far I am finding it hard to one of which was home to the ringflash unit, while the other yielded find fault with the Safari Classic kit. a protective hard case containing the battery and cables. There was Attaching the flashhead to the camera comes courtesy of even a sync lead supplied, which is a nice touch as I hate being unable a bracket coupled to the camera’s tripod bush. This bracket allows to use a piece of kit because some stupid extra has not been included. you to set (a) the distance of the flash unit from your camera and I tend to use mains-powered Elinchrom monoblocs for my (b) the height of the flash, meaning you can use the ringflash with or day-to-day work as I do not have a huge budget for gear, which is without your camera’s power grip attached. For the test I used precisely what attracted me to the Lencarta system in the first my Canon EOS 5D Mark II with the 24-105mm f/4L series lens place. Like other portable systems, it runs off a relatively small attached. It can be a physically long lens for a standard zoom, mains-chargeable, portable battery pack. so I removed the lens hood and the Safari Classic then fit perfectly. Lencarta’s website claims 1,150 flashes per charge, which did raise Initially, everything did feel cumbersome, despite the my eyebrows, but any worries proved unfounded; I have used the flashhead’s low weight, but I soon got a feeling for it – even with my discombobulated, sausage-like fingers. IN THE STUDIO So far, so good, but it is about time I actually put the Lencarta to the use for which it is intended. I have borrowed my good friend and model, Leanne, for the day. I get her into make-up and explain to the make-up artist just how unforgiving ringflash can be on the skin and tell her not to be afraid to use colour and a good foundation. I am also utilising an orange background, which I procured for a good price due to its… orange nature. My gut feeling is that we need bold, strong colours for the shoot and I’m not wrong as I reel off the first set of images. Leanne comments on how bright the output is, mentioning that she can now only see purple rings. She does talk a lot, though, and I carry on! One issue that quickly becomes apparent is the red-eye, caused, I suspect, by the lack of a modelling light. There are ways around this; mine is to set up a monobloc behind me with just the modelling 78
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- 80. Keep your equipmentin the picture! Aaduki Multimedia is one of the leading insurance providers for photographers, video makers and journalists in the U.K. 01837 658880 | www.aaduki.com | info@aaduki.com Got a comment on this ad? Then please email us on advertising@aaduki.com Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority
- 81. WHAT PROS WANT... LENCARTA SAFARI RINGFLASH light on. It alleviates the effect but adds messy catchlights in the eyes, though these can quickly be removed in Photoshop. It is only when I get the images up on the screen that I realise how unforgiving ringflash is – nothing falls into shadow. Fillings in teeth are illuminated and every stroke of the make-up artist’s brush can clearly be seen. The halo of shadow behind the model is at its most pleasing when you get your subject really close to the backdrop; too far in front and it becomes a murky outline. I have also used this flash system outdoors where the background is of little consequence. This, for me, is where the Lencarta system really comes into its own, giving images a real vintage flash effect. Also, its 600 watts of power is enough to overpower what little sun we have. ANOTHER OPTION In the past, when I have wanted to emulate the light of ringflash, I have used a neat technique with a softbox. Basically you need to take off the front and any internal diffusing screens, and point the light directly at your subject. Position your lens under the softbox and squeeze yourself up so you’re virtually shooting from inside the softbox without blocking too much of the light. I now realise that although this creates a high-contrast effect, it doesn’t really give the same beautiful coverage as a ringflash. The picture, below right, shows this technique, with the finished result, right. IN CONCLUSION I don’t want this to sound too one-sided but, having used the Safari Classic kit on three separate shoots, I’m struggling to find something negative to say about it. At just under £700 it is still going to make a significant dent in anyone’s finances, but that is very little for what you get and the options it opens up. Most ringflash systems cost well into the thousands, although Bowens do make an innovative ‘reflector’ that connects directly to a monobloc head; it does give a similar effect, although I don’t imagine it is anywhere near as portable – or usable – as the Safari kit. However, at half the price of the Safari Classic it may be worth looking at if you already own a Bowens system. If I had one improvement to suggest it would probably be a strip of LEDs around the head to provide a little bit of modelling light to alleviate the red-eye issue. Overall, though, it is an excellent piece of equipment and although the test was comparatively short, the kit performed exceptionally well throughout. I know Lencarta is expecting the Safari Classic back but, unfortunately, err, the dog ate it – sorry! I can send you the dog if you like… PP www.craig-fleming.com SPEC Lencarta Safari Classic Ringflash kit £699, www.lencarta.com Max output: 600W/s Flashes/charge: Up to 1,150 Recycle speed: 2-3.5 seconds Trigger: Radio and sync Output consistency: +/- 0.1 EV Colour temp varience: Up to 114K Sync voltage: >5 volts THANKS TO: Model: Leanne – www.facemodelmanagement.com Weight: 4.7kg Make-up artist: Fiona Simons – fi_23@hotmail.co.uk 81
- 82. GEAR 1 2 ASK WHAT IS INCLUDED Before buying a pre-owned camera, FIND A REPUTABLE SELLER ask about the software and Word of mouth is the best way to find a reputable seller, so ask family accessories included in the package. and friends for their personal recommendations. Visit internet forums A missing manual is fine – you can such as ePHOTOzine (www.ephotozine.com/forums) and ask members purchase guides for most models from for their experiences. If you decide to buy through an online auction OTC (www.oldtimercameras.com). site such as eBay (www.ebay.co.uk) check the level of positive feedback Be wary of missing batteries, chargers, AV leads or received by the seller. Few members keep a 100 per cent hit rate for power cables – many items are specific to the maker long, so read any negative reviews and make sure they are justified and can be hard to replace. If you plan to sell the before deciding whether to bid. Once you have refined your search, camera later, check that the original packaging is ask the buyer why they are selling the item, and what policies are in included and in good order. place for returns and refunds. EXAMINE THE INTERIOR 3 INSPECT THE EXTERIOR If you are buying a digital camera, scrutinise the sensor for oil, scratches If possible, visit the buyer in person or dirt. With an SLR, check the shutter curtains for grease, stickiness and to examine the kit. Listen for any excessive wear. When buying a lens, assess the condition of the aperture rattling noises as you handle the blades. To do this, select a small f/stop and press the depth-of-field gear, and look for obvious dents and preview button on your camera. If the viewfinder darkens immediately, scratches. If you are buying a lens, the blades are usually performing well. Once you are satisfied with the inspect both the front and rear core mechanics, check the lens for dust and scratches by removing it elements carefully – marks on the front are generally from the camera and shining a torch through the barrel – be careful not to less of a problem than those on the back. Before damage your eyes by directing the light towards you through the glass. rejecting a ‘scratched’ piece of kit, try cleaning it – the Finally, check the electronics: take a light meter reading and compare the marks might actually be hairs from a blower brush or results to a handheld device; make sure the autofocus is fast and lines of stubborn dirt. Having looked at the responsive; fire the inbuilt flash; look for ‘stuck’ pixels on elements, inspect the mount for wear and the LCD screen etc. tear. Attach the lens to a camera and READ THE RETURNS 7 check the connection is smooth and light tight. Now examine the filter thread: AND REFUNDS POLICY the grooves should be free of When a retailer offers a guarantee, it obstructions. Where relevant, check takes much of the risk out of buying ROTATE THE RINGS the battery compartment for second-hand equipment. Some dealers The zoom ring on a lens can lose its corrosion and the memory card slot offer three months’ protection against grip over time, causing the weight for missing or bent pins. defects, while others provide up of the front element to pull the to nine months’ cover. Make barrel out of position. This annoying sure you are familiar with the habit can be corrected using a Lens returns and refunds policy of Band (www.lensband.com), but it is BE AWARE OF FUNGUS your chosen seller. still best to prevent it in the first place. A lens that has been stored in a bright environment with To check a lens for ‘zoom creep’, attach high humidity is particularly susceptible to fungus. it to a camera and point it towards the This organism is highly destructive and appears as blobs or web-like ground – if the ring rotates unassisted, then patterns etched into the glass. Once an area has been infected, the think twice about parting with your cash. If you are fungus spreads and, depending on the type, may create a thick layer on satisfied with the results, check that the lens travels the lens element – ultimately destroying it. Fungal outbreaks can be through the full focal range without sticking. Next, inspect treated, but the cure usually involves dismantling the lens – something the focusing ring. Switch the lens to AF and focus on that is best left to the professionals. To check for fungus, remove both a nearby object. Listen for any unusual noises as the lens caps, shine a torch through the barrel (see tip 4) and look for motor kicks in. Repeat the exercise with a distant object. frost-like patterns carved into the glass. If you suspect that a lens has Switch the lens to MF and rotate the focusing ring, fungus, don’t attach it to your camera. checking for any grittiness. WHERE TO BUY SECOND-HAND KIT I Grays of Westminster, 40 Churton Street, Pimlico, London I Cameraworld (London branch), 14 Wells Street, Marylebone, SW1V 2LP, tel: 020 7828 4925; www.graysofwestminster.co.uk London W1T 3PB; www.cameraworld.co.uk I Jacobs (branches across the UK), tel: 0845 600 6055; I Photographica camera fairs; www.nanites.co.uk www.jacobsdigital.co.uk 82
- 83. 10TIPS FORBUYING SECOND-HAND KIT The market for second-hand camera equipment is booming; many professional photographers are selling pro-spec models through shops, fairs and auctions in order to fund their next upgrade, while students are discovering the joys of shooting and processing black-and-white film. Naturally, digital equipment suffers the most from depreciation, but lenses tend to hold their value well, with Leica and Canon among the top brands. Buying pre-owned equipment sometimes carries an element of risk, says pro TRACY HALLETT, but there are ways to get a bargain 8 TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE Auction items are often ‘sold as seen’ so it is important to take your camera/film/memory cards along with you on the viewing day. Alternatively, when buying in-store take a few test shots and ask the retailer if you can view the results on a computer. If you are buying a film camera, shoot a roll and ask if it can be processed in-store. Look for retailers offering ‘touch and try’ displays, such as Park Cameras (www.parkcameras.com), or mail order companies providing seven-day approval schemes, such as The Vintage & Classic Camera Company (www.vintageclassiccamera.com) ALLOW FOR DELIVERY/IMPORT COSTS PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD If your item costs more than £100, pay for it with a credit card. That way, 9 if it doesn’t arrive, or fails to meet the Buying goods from outside of the EU offers great seller’s description, you are covered by savings, but costs soon mount up when you factor in section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 customs duty and import tax. If you plan to bring – provided you can prove breach of contract items into the UK, you will need to pay customs duty or misrepresentation. Alternatively, online on anything over £135, plus import VAT on anything auction sites recommend using PayPal. over £18 (this will decrease to £15 from 1 November If a dispute is filed within 45 days of the 2011). Buying goods from within the EU isn’t as original transaction – and the company complex, but it is still important to include the cost of post and finds in your favour – they will refund packaging in your calculations. Failure to meet the requirements of all of your money, plus any HMRC (see www.hmrc.gov.uk) can lead to your goods being seized, iSTOCK / BY_NICHOLAS postage and packaging without a refund. costs. BOUGHT USED GEAR? TELL US YOUR STORY AT FEEDBACK@PROFESSIONALPHOTOGRAPHER.CO.UK 83
- 84. TREAT SOMEONE SPECIALTHIS CHRISTMAS SAVE Gift Subscriptions an EXTR A 10% from just £9.99 on two or mo re subscriptions % % % % % % 58 52 61 58 61 60 VE VE VE VE VE VE SA SA SA SA SA SA % % % % % % 55 60 58 52 57 57 VE VE VE VE VE VE SA SA SA SA SA SA Christmas sorted with a gift subscription: Just £9.99 every 6 months by Direct Debit – that’s £19.98 a % % % % 61 60 49 59 year, SAVING up to 61% VE VE VE VE Or £24.99 by credit/debit card SA SA SA SA FREE UK delivery Choose from 24 regional magazines – call or go online for details (plus £10 P&P to Europe or £12 P&P to RoW) © FIBOBJECTS – DREAMSTIME.COM FREE gift card Our Christmas gift to you – SAVE an EXTRA 10% on % % % % 54 54 47 54 two or more VE VE VE VE subscriptions! SA SA SA SA Your hunt for the perfect present has just been solved! EASY WAYS TO ORDER www.subscriptionsave.co.uk/XPG1 01858 438840 Please quote code XPG1 Savings are based on the cover price and a subscription by Direct Debit. All subscriptions are 12 issues apart from Photography Monthly, Living France and Country Smallholding which are 13 issues. Discover Britain and Wiltshire are 6 issues a year, offers are based on a 2 year subscription. Direct Debit rates for Discover Britain and Wiltshire are £4.99 every 6 months. Savings are for the Direct Debit offer based on the full annual retail price. Direct Debit is UK only – the first payment will be taken in December and then every six months. You will receive an acknowledgement letter before payment is taken. Gift subscriptions start with the first issue published in 2012. Your gift card will be sent to you once the order has been processed for you to give on Christmas day. We must receive your order by 4 December to guarantee you will recieve your gift card before Christmas. Personal orders will start with the next available issue if ordered by phone. These offers are for UK delivery – add £10 P&P to Europe and £12 P&P to RoW. Offer ends 31/12/11.
- 85. GEAR Buying second-hand photographicequipment It is important when starting out to plan your purchases. Take my D3; CASE STUDY: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER ALISON BAILEY originally it cost about £3,000 and I bought it for £1,700. The bulk of its life lies ahead and I can make the most of it while the studio gets off the ground. What are your thoughts on buying second-hand gear? Only when the studio is making the kind of profits to replace the D3 will The high price of new photographic equipment, especially at the ‘pro spec’ I consider spending that money. end, means it makes sense to buy good-quality, second-hand equipment. The life of a camera body is generally less than that of a lens. I expect my You get so much more ‘bang for your buck’ than buying new and settling lenses to last six years and if I get more, it is a bonus. The bodies are written for less performance. It is a bit like buying a new car – you lose about off in my business plan over three years, so if I can spend £1,700 rather than 20 per cent of the value the minute you take it out of the showroom. £3,000, then £566 comes off my annual accounts rather than £1,000. That extra £434 pays for some good-quality training which in turn helps Where do you buy your equipment? my business. I bought most of it from the US. Even after doing the legal stuff with customs it still worked out cheaper. It was a fairly major investment with two What do you look out for when buying? D700s and 24-70, 70-200, 50 and 105mm lenses and two SB-900 flashes. Reputation. Is the seller a dealer? What is the returns policy? I have bought I had bought from the supplier before when I was using Canon equipment from a dealer before and MPB Photographic was super. so I knew I could trust them. The warranties on the lenses are international Do you know the seller from a photography forum? If so, what have they and I was not overly concerned about the D700s. I took a slight risk on sold before? You can often tell what sort of character they are by how other those developing a fault, but reckoned any repair would still be less than the people respond to them, so read what has been written about them and get savings I had made. It worked in my favour, because the bodies would now a feel for the person behind the avatar. be out of warranty anyway and they have been faultless. Are you buying from a friend? Sometimes this can be the best buy, but I bought a 14-24mm wide-angle from someone I knew via a photography be careful, if it is all okay you have a good deal, but if something goes forum and made a tidy saving. It adds something other photographers don’t wrong you could jeopardise your friendship. Are you prepared to do that have in their wedding-day arsenal. Next on my list was the 85mm f/1.4: for a camera? a superb optic. With a studio being built I am saving that one for when Make sure the gear is not stolen. Where is it advertised and are there I have the chance to explore it fully. It was a second-hand purchase from contact details? Is there a box and charger, or a receipt? Not many thieves a photography forum and about 60 per cent of the new value. will have all of those and you have a fighting chance of keeping your new With the studio looming and my bank account emptying what else could purchase by noting as much as you can about the background. On eBay there I possibly want? Well I bought a D3. I do not like the grip on the D700s and is a questions function, so use it. By asking questions you are demonstrating with these doing the bulk of the wedding work I wanted a body that would that you trying to ensure you are above board. If the seller is not keen on give me enough quality in the studio but with ergonomics and the capacity to answering questions like “where did you buy it?” walk away. A bargain is be routinely hammered. Step forward a D3 with a shutter count of less than anything but if the police seize it. 30,000; rated to an MTBF of 150,000 actuations it should give me plenty of Don’t be afraid to buy second-hand but do check your purchase when you work before needing to be replaced. receive it and communicate immediately if there are any problems. Bear in mind you cannot expect the same as if you were buying new. So long as any RRP PAID approx defects are disclosed and do not affect performance you can get some great THE buys. By keeping your eyes open and researching the going rate for your COST Nikon D700 £2,248 £1,600 intended purchase you can get some high-end equipment that has been little OF Nikon D3 £3,400 £1,700 used and will give years of service. BUYING Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 £1,566 £1,100 THE Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 £2,086 £1,600 Which equipment holds its value? BASIC Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AF-D £292 £200 The Nikon D700/D3 variants and the Canon EOS-1 and 5 series still do. KIT Nikon 105mm f/2.8 £782 £600 So long as you watch out for the shutter count and try to avoid anything that SB-900 Speedlight £418 £300 could be a tad ‘warm’ these can be a sensible investment. PP TOTAL £10,792 £7,100 www.alisonbaileyphotography.co.uk I London Camera Exchange (branches across the UK), tel: 020 7490 8444; www.reddotcameras.co.uk tel: 01962 622040; www.lcegroup.co.uk I R.G. Lewis, 29 Southampton Row, London WC1B 5HL, I MrCad, 68 Windmill Road, Croydon, Surrey CR0 2XP, tel: 020 7242 2916; www.rglewis.co.uk tel: 020 8684 8282; www.mrcad.co.uk I Richard Caplan, 25 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AL, I Park Cameras, York Road, Victoria Business Park, Burgess Hill, tel: 020 7807 9990; www.richardcaplan.co.uk West Sussex RH15 9TT, tel: 01444 237070; www.parkcameras.com I The Vintage & Classic Camera Company (mail order internet store), I Red Dot Cameras, 68 Old Street, London EC1V 9AN, tel: 02392 571886; http://vintageclassiccamera.com 85
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- 87. HAMA DCCS KIT FASTAS These days the market is seemingly awash with gadgets that 10 years ago LIGHT would have required an electronics degree to build and cost more than your camera. We asked CRAIG FLEMING to test Hama’s DCCS (digital camera connecting system) and see if it could offer working pros another string to their photographic bow IN THE BOX There are three parts to this kit and once I get them out of the blister packs my first impressions are favourable. Build quality is something I have a thing about; ask any pro who uses their kit day in, day out and they will probably agree. If something looks and feels like it fell out of a cracker, then I will steer well clear, regardless of the name on the box. The switches have good solid clunks as you move them into each position. The tripod bushes that allow you to mount the sensor units are steel, not plastic, and the jack plugs that connect the sensor unit to the camera are backed up by a threaded collar. If you mount the main sensor on your hot shoe, there is a locking nut to tighten it down – little things, I know, but they do instil confidence in my gear. Luckily for me, and anyone buying this kit, all the components have a good feel to them. First hurdle cleared. So what do you get in the kit? Firstly, there is the remote release control unit, the shutter button if you like. From here you can select any of the three channels on which to operate the system. Make sure you choose the same channel on the receiving unit, or you could end up looking like a daft kid staring down the end of a hosepipe, just as I did. You can also 87
- 88. select single frame,multi-frame/bulb or self- SPEC timer shooting. There is also the main shutter Hama DCCS – £80 release, but the most important button is the www.hama.co.uk smaller one that activates the motion sensor This is a photo-electric transmitter and receiver release. The receiving unit can either be unit which, when attached to your camera with the hot-shoe mounted or, as I did, mounted on a appropriate connection lead, can be used to lighting stand. If you are planning on placing it remotely fire the shutter (up to 5m away) as the away from the camera, a five-metre extension subject breaks through the detector. It is ideal for cable is available as an optional extra. You will wildlife, sporting and general action subjects. The also need to buy the correct connection cable transmitter and receiver come supplied in the box, for your camera and the two units run on AAA but the 5m extension lead (£15) and the specific batteries, which are not supplied. camera connectors are optional extras. ON THE TRACK The next and biggest test, and the one I am most eager to see, is how the Hama DCCS the five-metre extension cable; the two he lifts his right foot first, activating the units remote release system actually works in sensors are about four or five metres apart, and firing the shutter as his head goes over practice. There are many gadgets available to which is at the limit of its range. I have the hurdle. Perfect timing, I must admit. photographers and often the only good thing also purposely made sure the bright sun is There does seem to be a very minor lag but about them is their marketing blurb, so I am directly opposite the far sensor, so if it passes this is something you would need to think looking forward to using this one in the field. this test I will be impressed. Initially, the unit about when positioning your sensors; the Assisting me today is fitness model Jerone, seems to have a giddy few seconds, firing the faster your subject, the farther away from the and the location is Don Valley athletics shutter intermittently; I put this down to focal point your sensors need to be, but it’s not stadium, in Sheffield. While Jerone limbers up nerves and the units calm down, allowing us much. Trial and error will get the results I arrange one of the hurdles on the track to start the test. and you would not set it up without testing it and position the two sensors either side of it, Pre-focusing on the top of the hurdle, I set on your chosen subject anyway. hoping to catch my model mid-leap. the lens to manual focus, so as to avoid We repeat this about 20 times and there are The receiving unit is attached to my hunting, and recompose, tightening down the a couple of misfires, but all in all we get tripod-mounted Canon EOS 5D Mark II, using tripod. Cue Jerone. Approaching the gate a good selection of shots and I have to admit 88
- 89. WHAT PROS WANT... HAMA DCCS KIT PROS AND CONS It is a big ask for me to give a definitive list of the pros and cons of any item of equipment, having used it only once or twice. However, I would give this piece of kit a serious thumbs-up, for a few reasons. Firstly, the pricing seems to be right and you would be hard-pressed to get similar items from any of the leading marques at anywhere near the price of the Hama DCCS. Secondly, it works – and better than I had initially envisaged, which is always a nice surprise. There are few cons to buying the Hama release system, although if I were going to be picky, it could at times be a little ‘twitchy’, firing when it shouldn’t have, and on the very odd occasion not firing when it should have. This wouldn’t normally be an issue, but I often shoot outside with monoblocs linked up to battery packs, so power conservation could be an issue if I were on a commercial shoot and my pack’s power became depleted because of misfires. However, it may be due to me using the sensor virtually facing the sun, so it’s a very minor niggle. I am pleasantly surprised by what is appearing on the back of the camera. I had purposely ignored the kit instructions just to see how easy it was to set up; again, another hurdle cleared as everything just works instinctively. In fact, it is harder to get wrong than right. WOULD I BUY IT? To be totally honest, I would. Let’s not forget this is not just a motion sensor release, but also a wireless release which does open a lot of avenues to any creative professional. In my day-to-day life as an editorial portrait “I arrange one of the hurdles on the track and position the and beauty photographer, I don’t have much call for a system such as this but, like many two sensors either side of it, hoping to catch my model working pros, in these tough economic times I have to be able to turn my hand to other mid-leap... I have also purposely made sure the bright sun areas of photography, so you never know. I can see it being put to good use for event is directly opposite the far sensor.” Craig Fleming photographers covering subjects such as showjumping or BMX racing. In these circumstances, linked to a spare body and Will it make me money? Nothing is guaranteed THANKS TO: Model: Jerone - lens, it would almost certainly pay for itself in in our industry, but I would be tempted to think www.facemodelmanagement.com the first few shots. it could. PP Sarah Webb at Don Valley athletics stadium And that is how working professional for the loan of the track. photographers need to think these days. www.craig-fleming.com 89
- 91. GADGETS GADGET IZON REMOTE ROOM MONITOR If you want to record a photography shoot in action or simply keep tabs on your studio when you are not around, check out the iZON Remote Room Monitor. This app-controlled video camera enables live streaming of audio and video to an Apple iOS device, such as an MONTHLY iPod touch, iPhone and iPad, anywhere in the world. The iZON can watch and listen for you, alert you about any motion or noise and record automatically to a free, private YouTube account, so you can record promotional YouTube videos. The iZON is available from www.steminnovation.com, priced at $130 (about £80). If you’re like us, there are more gadgets involved in your photography NEW BLACKBERRY CURVE RANGE than just your camera. While they Keeping up with emails, making phone calls and social networking are all essential aspects of a freelance may not take or edit your picture, photographer’s work and the new-generation BlackBerry we’ve looked for some of the more Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones should prove popular. Using the BlackBerry 7 operating system they unusual items on the market feature a classic QWERTY keyboard for fast, accurate typing that might enhance this process and an optical trackpad for simple, one-handed navigation. They are just 11mm thick and include GPS and Wi-Fi support, as well as a 5MP camera with flash and video recording so you can instantly share on social networks. The BlackBerry Curve 9350, 9360 and 9370 smartphones will be available this month at a price to be confirmed. www.uk.blackberry.com NEWERTECH iFOLIO iPAD CASE If you are looking to add a touch of style when carrying your iPad, the NewerTech iFolio leather carrying case is a great alternative to your rucksack. It not only looks stylish but protects your iPad from scratches and accidental damage. As well as padded protection there are two slots for storing documents and ID. The iFolio is available in 11 colours and has an optional shoulder strap. Prices start at $88 (about £54) from www.macsales.com V-MODA CROSSFADE M-80 HEADPHONES PK120 PICO POCKET PROJECTOR SONY UNVEILS NEX-VG20E V-MODA worked with musicians, This month PP highlights the Sony has introduced the NEX-VG20E video producers and DJs while PK120, the latest Pico Pocket camera with E-mount interchangeable lens developing the new Crossfade Projector from Optoma which system, 16.1 megapixels, including M-80 on-ear noise-isolating projects wide-screen images of up DSLR-quality stills with RAW support and headphones. The M-80 is less to 70in. Weighing just 145g, the AVCHD 50p/25p. It bridges the gap between than half the size of its sibling, pocket-sized PK120 is capable of video and stills, and features improved the Crossfade LP, but has the storing major file formats, while audio with the Quad Capsule Spatial Array same toughness and the micro-SD slot provides microphone and stereo/5.1 sound durability. To re-create additional multimedia content and recording, manual controls, new hand grip a pure, balanced is compatible with cards of up to and Xtra Fine LCD touch screen with sound the M-80 uses no 32GB. The maker says it makes TruBlack technology. This successor to the batteries or artificial sound projecting photos, films or NEX-VG10E, which was the first consumer processing and relies instead on PowerPoint presentations HD camcorder in the world with acoustic techniques. The headphones straightforward and hassle-free. interchangeable come with two Kevlar-reinforced The Optoma Pico PK120 Pocket lenses, will be microphone cables and a carrying case. Projector is available from available from The Crossfade M-80 is available selected UK retailers, priced at November. from www.v-moda.com, priced at $230 £180, which includes a carrying The price has yet (about £140). case and power adapter. to be confirmed. www.sony.co.uk www.optomapico.co.uk 91
- 92. COMPETITION Win Fluid Mask 3.2 Answer a simple question for your chance to win one of five boxed copies of the Vertus Fluid Mask 3.2 Photoshop plug-in, worth £99 Ideal for photographers, Fluid Mask 3.2 is FEATURES: a masking tool that works as a stand-alone • Visual Image Segmentation HOW YOU CAN WIN application and a plug-in to Adobe’s • Intelligent Edge Blending Go to our magazine’s website at Photoshop and Elements. The Visual Image • Onscreen Help and Guidance www.professionalphotographer.co.uk Segmentation lets you see exactly how your • Colour Based Selections and answer the following question: image is made up of segments of similar • Stored Workplace Settings • Name one of the three advantages properties, enabling you to create super-fine • Localised Edge Detection of buying from downloadbuyer.com mask selections with ease. The Localised • Masks hair beautifully (Visit www.downloadbuyer.com/ Edge Detection and Blending allows you to • Quick to pick up and use company/about to get a clue) isolate difficult areas and apply alternative It couldn’t be simpler! selections, while the Intelligent Edge Blending gets the closest to extracting the true character of the image. The Onscreen Help and Guidance makes WHERE TO SEE MORE the software quick and easy to use. The The Vertus Fluid Mask 3.2 software is available to Stored Workspace Setting allows you to download from downloadbuyer.com and in boxed tailor the default settings to your needs and formats from Amazon.co.uk, priced at around £99. process complete studio runs effortlessly. A SELECTION OF THE FEATURES ON THE FLUID MASK 3.2 SOFTWARE 92
- 94. 1971 - 2011 www.ParkCameras.com/pp Tel: 01444 23 70 68 Free Delivery to UK Mainland on Cameras/ Printers/ Scanners! £819.99 £1,049.98 SEE WEB FOR OUR LATEST OUR LATEST PRICE LOW PRICE Canon EOS 600D Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS 1D Mk IV 12.1.2009 Our Price £359.99 Our Price £569.00 Our Price £1,188.00 Our Price £3,721.00 £399.99* + 18-55mm IS £629.99 + 18-135mm IS £1,437.99 + LP-E4 Batt £3,821.00 £794.99 £979.99 I AM £1,119.99 FREE £1,729.98 Olympus E-P3 Fujifilm X10 Pentax K-5 LOW PRICE! NOW IN STOCK! New & coming soon! Our Price £778.00 K-5 + 18-55 WR £819.99 See web latest low price See web for full details K-5 + 18-135 WR £1,179.99 Samsung NX200 Pentax 645D Panasonic GF3 Hurry! 10% off Due in stock October! 645D Body £8,999.00 Our Price £379.00 645D + 55mm £9,999.00 GF3 + 14-42mm £429.00 See web for full details See web for details GF3 + 14mm £499.00 All prices include VAT @ 20% Opening times Mon-Sat 8:45-5:45pm; Thursday 8:45-7.30pm; Sunday 10:15-4.30pm. Sunday trading is for in-store only We accept Visa, Mastercard, Switch/Maestro. Address: York Road, Victoria Business Park, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9TT All products are UK stock. E&OE. Please mention “Professional Photographer” when ordering Prices correct at time of going to press; check website for latest prices.
- 96. The Professional Choice Camerabags & accessories designed by photographers for photographers Q Q The Sling-O-Matic™Series The Sling-O-Matic™ series - quickly change the strap position to carry over either shoulder, so you always access you camera gear from the top of the bag. The Digital Holster™v2.0 Series Orbis™Ring Flash Q Q & Orbis™Arm Q Digital Holster™ v2.0 family has evolved with exciting new features... REVOLUTIONARY lighting accessories. Q frio™ The frio™ coldshoe – the world’s first and only universal hotshoe to tripod adapter with Dual Lock security, holding your flash secure in any position. for more information: 020 7193 6769
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- 103. stop press... We’re alwayskeeping our eyes open and our ears to the ground to make sure we bring you the latest news, industry rumours and kit from around the world... HASSELBLAD FIRMWARE UPDATE COREL VIDEOSTUDIO Hasselblad H4D-40 and H4D-50 users can PRO X4 ULTIMATE now benefit from the same free firmware Corel has updated update as the H4D-60. The update includes VideoStudio Pro X4 a one-click focus check that zooms in on with the Ultimate your images to 100 per cent, a bi-directional edition which contains spirit level and quick access to a new screen an expanded set of tools on the back to show top panel information on and plug-ins, making it the rear display. You also get live video view ideal for action sports mode via Phocus, as well as Schneider or videographers and HD DSLR shooters. Rollei electronic shutters being supported The new content includes the extreme by the H4D-40, H4D-50 and H4D-60 for video stabilisation and advanced image accurate work on technical cameras. correction of proDAD Mercalli SE as The firmware updates will be available from well as the broadcast-quality titling 1 December. Photographers can get more tools of Boris Graffiti 5.3, which information about the update and include type-on-text, text on a path, a sneak preview of the additional features jitter and randomisation. The Ultimate at www.hasselblad.com/upgrade edition of VideoStudio Pro X4 is priced at £80 and is available from www.corel.com ALL-NEW PIXMA SAMSUNG NX200 REVEALED PRINTERS ANNOUNCED Samsung has Canon has unveiled two PIXMA printers, unveiled its new SONY NEX-7 DEBUTS the MG6250 and MG8250, which are compact system WITH 24 MEGAPIXELS sleekly designed and have increased interchangeable Sony’s new NEX-7 camera features a connectivity. Users get internet access direct lens camera – the 24.3-megapixel Exmor APS-HD CMOS from the printers and can print photos from NX200. Features include a 20.3-megapixel sensor teamed with the latest revision their online albums. Both feature Canon’s APS-C CMOS sensor, high-speed capture, of the manufacturer’s BIONZ image FINE print head with minimum 1pl droplet wide ISO range (100-12,800), 1,920 x 1,080/30p processing engine, quick and and up to 9,600dpi print resolution. HD movie recording and Samsung’s i-Function responsive autofocus, full HD Movie A six-ink system contains a pigment black lens built into a metallic body. To allow for with 50p/25p, manual focus, full and individual dye black, magenta, cyan, high-speed capture, the NX200 achieves P/A/S/M exposure control and yellow and grey ink tanks, which produce 100ms advanced AF speed and seven frames improved audio and 10fps continuous grain-free, smooth colour photos and per second continuous shooting. I-Function 2.0 shooting. The camera comes in superior monochrome prints. The MG8250 lenses allow the user to control a range of a tough magnesium alloy body and includes a 35mm film scanner to produce parameters from the lens and means the weighs a travel-friendly 291g (camera prints straight from 35mm negatives and NX200 is fully compatible with the range of body only). The NEX-7 ultra-compact mounted slides, up to 4,800 x nine i-Function lenses. New lenses for the interchangeable lens camera will 9,600dpi. The PIXMA this system include 18-200mm, 16mm, be available from November. MG6250 is on sale 60mm and 85mm focal lengths. The price has yet to be confirmed. now, priced at www.samsung.com www.sony.co.uk £179, while the PIXMA MG8250 (pictured) will be NEVER MISS AN ISSUE You can buy a current issue of Professional Photographer available from October, and pre-order future editions from www.buyamag.co.uk/PP. priced at £299. www.canon.co.uk Postage in the UK is free and if you pre-order a future issue you will get your copy before it goes on sale in the shops. 103
- 104. FOR SALE Agreat opportunity to diversify into a new and interesting area of work. Elevated Mast Ground Based Aerial Photography System - Vehicle Mounted Ideal for surveys, progress work, PR, CGI advertising etc. clients come a range from construction, local authorities, housing associations archeology, estate agents etc. S AGAIN! CANSON WIN 96% RATING 11 Photo plus March Group Test Photo system - Canon Pro Shot, pan & tilt head, cables, laptop software etc. Mast - Clarke 26m mast, compressor etc. Vehicle - ‘05 Land Rover 110 Defender Van TD5 £12,500 01227 785486 julian.glover@6x6creative.co.uk Winner of SWPP/The Societies Trade Awards BEST PROFESSIONAL LAB OF THE YEAR ENDING 2011 Using state-of-the-art equipment and Fuji DP2 archival quality silver halide paper, our experienced staff can produce beautiful colour-managed prints from your digital images for a fraction of the price charged by many of our competitors. In today’s economic climate many companies are looking for ways to reduce costs and maximise profits. If you use high quality photographic prints in your business, perhaps it might be a good time for you to consider giving us a try. ProAm Imaging Ltd. 17, Northgate, Bradford. BD1 3JR. (T) 01274 723622 (F) 01274 735389 (E) sales@proamimaging.com Please visit our website for full details of how to prepare your files for printing www.proamimaging.com Simply visit ‘New Client’ area to register an account
- 105. next month on sale 26 October The Big Interview Matthew Seed on fashion, advertising and horses PORTFOLIO The best of your images The Stock Market Surviving the downturn MIDDLEBROOK Squaring the circle MATTHEW SEED PHOTOGRAPHY PLUS: WHAT PROS WANT, HEROES, GADGETS AND LOADS MORE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jessica Lamb GROUP COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SUBSCRIPTIONS MARKETING jessica.lamb@archant.co.uk Lucy Warren-Meeks, 01242 264783 EXECUTIVE REPROGRAPHICS MANAGER lucy.warren-meeks@archant.co.uk Lisa Flint-Elkins, 01242 264751, Neil Puttnam PUBLISHING PRODUCTION MANAGER lisa.flint-elkins@archant.co.uk Professional Photographer is published With special thanks to Mandy Pellatt Kevin Shelcott, 01603 772165 MD SPECIALIST MAGAZINES Miller Hogg monthly by Archant Specialist. PRODUCTION TEAM LEADER Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, GROUP SALES MANAGER Mikey Godden, 01603 772876 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL Gloucestershire GL50 1BB Nick Sumner, 01242 216085 DISTRIBUTION If you have difficulty nick.sumner@archant.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS/BACK ISSUES obtaining Professional Photographer, contact GROUP EDITOR Adam Scorey SALES EXECUTIVE Amy Pope CUSTOMER CARE 01858 438832 Seymour, 86 Newman Street, London W1T 3EX adam.scorey@archant.co.uk 01242 216054, amy.pope@archant.co.uk ORDER HOTLINE 01858 438840 TELEPHONE 020 7396 8000 ART EDITOR Rebecca Stead CLASSIFIED SALES EXECUTIVE VISIT www.subscriptionsave.co.uk rebecca.stead@archant.co.uk Bianca Dufty, 01242 211099 EMAIL professionalphotographer@ NOW YOU CAN BUY SINGLE ISSUES OF SUB-EDITOR Simon Reynolds bianca.dufty@archant.co.uk subscription.co.uk PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER ONLINE simon.reynolds@archant.co.uk GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR HEAD OF DIRECT CUSTOMER GO TO www.buyamag.co.uk/PP FEATURES ASSISTANT Kelly Weech Chris Marston, 01242 264760 MARKETING kelly.weech@archant.co.uk chris.marston@archant.co.uk Fiona Penton-Voak, 01242 265894 www.professionalphotographer.co.uk feedback@professionalphotographer.co.uk 01242 264767 @prophotomag PRO PHOTO MAG © Archant Specialist. Archant Specialist is part of Archant Ltd. I While reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in Professional Photographer, that information is obtained from a variety of sources and neither the publisher, the printers nor any distributor is responsible for errors or omissions. All prices and data are accepted by us in good faith as being correct at the time of going to press. Pound conversion rates correct at the time of going to press. Advertisements are accepted for publication in Professional Photographer only upon Archant Specialist’s standard Terms of Acceptance of Advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising department. All advertisements of which the content is in whole or in part the work of Archant Specialist remain the copyright of Archant Specialist. Reproduction in whole or in part of any matter appearing in Professional Photographer is forbidden except by express permission of the publisher. Competition terms and conditions: I The closing date for competitions/giveaways is displayed alongside the competition/giveaway online. I Employees of Archant Specialist, and those professionally connected with the competition/ giveaway, ABC certified circulation for example, employees of the sponsor company, are not eligible to enter. I Unless otherwise stated, competitions/giveaways are only open to UK residents. I Prizes are as described and no alternatives can be offered. I The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. I Archant Specialist may wish to contact you in the future, or pass your details to selected third parties, to introduce new products and services to you. If you are sending your (Jan-Dec 2010): 9,386. entry by text and do not wish to be contacted, please add the word ‘NO’ to the end of your text message. If you are sending your entry by post, please tick the appropriate boxes on the entry form. 105
- 106. READERS’ HEROES: BUSSELLE & DALLET The hilltop village of Casares in southern Spain. Travel stock photographer and author TIM GARTSIDE talks about the people who inspired him in his formative years as a budding photographer and how their work and experiences have continued to shape his work and style W hen I was studying graphic design and photography at His eye for composition, light and colour were almost how I think Bill Maidstone College of Art I have to admit I was a bit of a B&W Brandt might have shot in colour: moody and full of graphic impact – often elitist snob. I sneered at colour as totally uncool and not distilling the world to a few beautiful shapes and colours. By analysing his very fine-arty. My only foray into colour was Scotch 1000 film images, I learnt it was best to shoot at dawn and dusk, but also how to shoot – anyone remember that beauty? at midday. A professional travel photographer needs to cope with light all My heroes back then were the wonderful Bill Brandt, Edward Weston, day long; you just need to think of what subjects work best at midday. It was Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz and all the other great B&W just up my street and his influence can still be found in each of my images. photographers of the first half of the 20th century. It was only when I joined my first stock library, Age Fotostock, because of my other hero – I left college that I realised the modern commercial world was mostly Dallet. He was already a member and told me how you could sell images via colour, so I started using it for that reason. stock libraries. Wow, I could sell all my landscape shots and make money I was made redundant from a reprographics company in 1990 during the from them (past tense, of course!). He taught me about a wide range of last recession and went to live in Spain for a while. It was here that I really commercial jobs while I assisted him in southern Spain. Just watching a pro started to develop my passion for landscape and travel photography, turning work is worth so much more than words or college lectures: how to shoot it into a proper business for selling to stock libraries. I gained much food and people using a reflector or flash for fill-in, or getting in close with inspiration from three photographers: the brilliant Jean-Dominique Dallet – a 21mm wide angle so you could see the food and atmospheric background. whom I assisted in Spain; Charlie Waite with his book Andalusia; and in He took me on travel trips to different parts of Spain – I remember seeing particular Mike Busselle in his two books Landscape in Spain and Castles the mosque at Cordoba for the first time and being introduced to churros – in Spain. Sadly, he died several years ago, so I never got a chance to say Spanish doughnuts. He gave me the confidence to branch out on my own. thanks, but his travel books, particularly on Spain, gave me plenty of ideas A great guy – check out his work at www.jddallet.com/dalletjob.html PP and creative ways of shooting the landscape. www.timgartsidephotography.com GOT JUST SUCH A STORY TO TELL AND AN IMAGE TO GO WITH IT? IF SO, EMAIL ADAM.SCOREY@ARCHANT.CO.UK 106