the Photographer - Issue Two 2016

the PHOTOGRAPHER

The Magazine of the BIPP / 2016 / Issue Two

2016 / Issue Two

Living landscape Filip Kulisev’s Amazing Planet: going above, beyond, beneath

Samantha Horn

Laura Noble

Set for success?

The responsibility of portraiture

Fix Photo and the art market

The ins and outs of business plans

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Issue Two, 2016

Image © Samantha Horn

Image © JFilip Kulisev

fixture in the art calendar, Fix Photo, and offers a perspective on how the sector operates Portraiture / Samantha Horn 26 Crossing the film v digital divide, Samantha contemplates what each discipline brings to the content of a picture and how it affects photographer, viewer and sitter alike

Filip Kulisev 4 His Amazing Planet project has brought Filip plaudits and collectors from all four corners of the globe.

We try to catch breath with the adventurer photographer Fix Photo / Laura Noble 16 The market for photographic art is complex and often elitest. Gallerist Laura noble has come up with a new the Photographer is published four times a year by the British Institute of Professional Photography, The Coach House, The Firs, High Street, Whitchurch, Aylesbury HP22 4SJ. T: 01296 642020 E: info@bipp.com W: www.bipp.com President: Eric Jenkins Hon FBIPP Chief Executive: Chris Harper FBIPP Directors: Suzi Allen LBIPP, Russell Baston HonFBIPP, Bryn Griffiths FBIPP, Scott Johnson FBIPP, Bella West FBIPP

BIPP Pages 36 Company partners, news, Copyright Highway Code, South East Regional Awards, BenSoc, Disclosure and Barring Service Business planning 44 The more thought and careful decision making that goes into a business plan, the more confidence you’ll have that you’re doing the right thing. Here’s how to go beyond hope, and find realistic expectation Membership Services Advisory Board Suzi Allen LBIPP (National) Russell Baston HonFBIPP (National) Saraya Cortaville FBIPP (National) Tony Freeman HonFBIPP (National) Bryn Griffiths FBIPP (Midlands) Scott Johnson FBIPP (South East) Fyzal Kirk ABIPP (North East) Richard Mayfield FBIPP (Yorkshire) Alan McEwan FBIPP (National) John Miskelly FBIPP (Northern Ireland)

Honorary Fellowships 52 Three Honorary Fellowships were recently awarded to Stanley Matchett, Graham Rutherford and Gerry Coe. We take a look at their life and work in three quite different ways James Russell LBIPP (North West) Bella West FBIPP (National) Stuart Wood FBIPP (National) Editor: Jonathan Briggs, editor@bipp.com Advertising: Tel 01296 642020 Email: jack@bipp.com UK Subscribers £20, EU £40, Rest of the World £50 ISSN: 0031-8698 Printed and bound by Magazine Printing Company, Enfield

Neither the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) nor any of its employees, members, contractors or agents accepts any responsibility whatsoever for loss of or damage to photographs, illustrations or manuscripts or any other material submitted, howsoever caused. The views expressed in this magazine are the views of individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the BIPP. All advertisements are accepted and all editorial matter published in good faith. The Publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, that any particular product or service is available at the time of publication or at any given price. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, or stored in a retrieval system, or broadcast, published or exhibited without the prior permission of the publisher. This magazine is the copyright of the BIPP without prejudice to the right of contributors and photographers as defined in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. Registered at Stationers’ Hall, Ref B6546, No. 24577. © BIPP 2016

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Wonderlands Adventurer-photographer Filip Kulisev has made a big name for himself thanks to his magical images from all corners of the globe. Here, we explore his world

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Baobab Alley, Madagascar © Amazing Planet / Filip Kulisev

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hat photographs should have the capacity to trigger feelings of wonder and awe is one of the key roles of the genre. It would be fair to say that this was something far easier to achieve back in the days of the first pioneers of photography, and then in the times of image capture being a new and crucial part of exploration and

adventure. Now, of course, collectively ‘we’ have seen everything before, even if travel has played no part in our lives. Such is the challenge that’s laid out before any adventurer photographer: how do you get a reaction worthy of the effort and vision that has ultimately gone into the creation of the picture?

Landscape photography, then, has to find special and subtle ways of provoking a sense of ‘wonderland’. It’s a challenge that Filip Kulisev embraced from the start.

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He’s been at this game for 15 years now, having founded his company ‘Amazing Planet’ in 2001. The name, naturally enough, is a good indicator that Filip wasn’t just about being an adventurer-photographer but sought to nurture a brand that specialised in the creation of exclusive prints, calendars and books that communicated his perhaps unique take on the world

around him. There’s certainly nothing wrong about setting out with a firm intention. Amazing Planet’s mission was and remains to find and photograph the most wonderful and unique sites on the planet for the benefit of all nature lovers around the world. Nor is this any throw-away concept either. The emphasis is on ‘find’.

So Filip’s pictures will take you to places in the world you’ll probably never be lucky enough to visit and find a moment in time when that location reveals its magic. The work consistently goes a step beyond

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Iguazu, Brasil © Amazing Planet / Filip Kulisev

in that it is notable for seemingly always finding the lesser-trodden path – an angle that embeds the viewer in the place itself. This is not so much photography of a place, more photography in a place. And that, itself, goes a long way to creating stand-out images and also creating the Amazing Planet hallmark style – a crisp yet gentle rendering of the scene where detail near and far is everything, truly the art of discovery brought to life in photographic form – there’s every indication of skilled camera craft and technical guile.

Filip’s capture device of choice is generally the Canon 5D family across its latest incarnations, but he’s also quite willing to head up in a helicopter nursing a Hasselblad HD Series should the intended frame demand it. Making that kind of decision can only be with the benefit of experience, and for ≠the end game of exhibiting the work on a large scale all around the world.

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Breidamerjokull, Iceland © Amazing Planet / Filip Kulisev 6 the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2016 / Issue Two

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There’s no doubting that Filip’s work contains a very commercial edge – rather like the culmination of advertising, landscape and travel work – slick, precise, sky-high production values and no sense of messing around. You get a feel from the work that Filip’s a man on a mission; no ground is given; no one’s going to stand in his way. This stuff is difficult to do, yes?

The truth is that many of his locations do take a real bit of getting to – even once, never mind on the countless occasions demanded to finish up with pictures such as these and the logistics of access, helicopters and all, is daunting. All of which draws us to the conclusion that Filip possesses a single-minded businesslike approach and that has brought some serious success. Whilst he’s named across countless international awards, perhaps more telling is the list of names in possession of his work: Pope Francis, Prince Charles, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Slovak President Andrej Kiska, former Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič, and former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

In addition there’s the composer Hans Zimmer, director Luc Jacquet, and actor Will Smith.

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To-Sua trench, Samoa © Amazing Planet / Filip Kulisev

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Filip Kulisev’s international recognition is certainly down to his ability to capture spectacular landscapes on all continents in a technically impeccable form, composed with a delicate sense of balance and a fine awareness of compositional rules. In November 2010, Filip was awarded the Master QEP title for his nature photography work – an honour gained by only two

photo­graphers in the world. According to the international QEP jury, Filip reached an ‘exceptionally high standard, demonstrating exceptional technical and artistic excellence within the image making profession’. Here in the UK, Filip became the first photographer from central and eastern Europe to be awarded a Fellowship from the BIPP – Filip is the youngest Fellow and only the third landscape photographer to be so honoured.

Let’s talk about Prince Charles: Slovak President Andrej Kiska, who was received by the Prince of Wales

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at Windsor Castle last Summer, presented Prince Charles with Filip’s image of Spiš Castle set in the winter time. The castle, a UNESCO world heritage site, is one of the largest in Europe and the print – one of Kulisev’s most famous works – had a scale to match, at 135x75cm. Filip comments: ‘I was very pleased to be asked by the President to prepare this official gift for such a world-renowned personality. President Kiska chose this particular photograph because Spiš Castle is close to his boyhood home.’

Filip has published eight books since his first appeared in 2006. At the end of 2010, his third book, Amazing Planet, was released in no less than 15 different languages. It’s testament to Filip’s continuing ambition for the Amazing Planet project, and many could do well to take a leaf out of his book so to speak. If you’re going to do something, you might as well go big… so many

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landscape photographers fail to see themselves on a global basis – Filip does not make that mistake…

As if all of that wasn’t enough, there aren’t many photo­graphers who can tell you that they have two permanent exhibitions – open air at Salt Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands; and gallery based at Sarasota, Florida. It will come as no real surprise, then, that Filip Kulisev is by definition a hard man to tie down. At the time of writing we’re desperate to get this piece over to him before yet another six-week-long trip begins.

The next big thing for Filip? This Autumn will see Filip publish his next book, Element, that promises unique and never-before-seen photographs, with a foreword and dedication from Slovak President Andrej Kiska. But before then, July sees the opening of the Amazing Planet exhibition at UN Headquarters in New York. The exhibition marks the start of Slovakia’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. In this piece, we’ve wanted to let his work stand alone – keeping clear of personal experiences and travelling tales. For all that backstage context pick up his books Zoom and Zoom 2. For now, focus on his primary objective: to spur awareness of biodiversity and the natural world. Job done. tP

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www.facebook.com/amazing.planet. filip.kulisev

Grotfjord, Norway © Amazing Planet / Filip Kulisev

For more inspiration, see www.amazing-planet.com

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Fujifilm / Crystal Archive Paper

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A trio of true talent and prints to last a hundred years

Woodshedding it in the Fenlands – Alastair Bartlett

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t was while touring as a drummer in a band that Alastair Bartlett first realised he had a genuine passion for photography. ‘Eventually it overtook my obsession with music,’ he says, ‘and I decided to head to university to study it full time.’ While there Alastair won the mentorship prize offered by Metro Imaging with ‘Here We Are’ – a series of images captured around the Cambridgeshire Fenlands (above). The award provided a huge boost to his career and not only validated the work he was producing but also enabled him to benefit from a wide selection of expert feedback and tangible material support.

‘Winning the Metro Mentorship Prize was an incredible feeling,’ he says.

‘Photography can be a lonely place and self-doubt can easily creep in: awards and prizes are a great way to let you know what you’re doing is both relevant and appreciated.’

One of the big benefits of the mentorship for Alastair was the fact that it introduced him to pro lab standards and quality, and in particular it opened his eyes to Fujifilm Fujifilm Crystal Archive Paper, which perfectly complemented his imagery.

‘The quality of Fujifilm Crystal Archive is second to none,’ asserts Alastair. ‘My work can be very subtle and the vivid colours

Fujifilm Crystal Archive Type II freshly processed

of this paper really help to bring out the different tones and hues.

I’m still blown away every time my work is output on this paper.

There’s just no way to describe that exhilarating feeling when you see a print for the first time. The fact that the paper is so archivally stable is another big plus point for me. People really do look out for that reassurance, and silver halide technology is one way of guaranteeing this incredibly important factor.’ www.alastairbartlett.com

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Fujifilm Crystal Archive and its 100-year legacy

Fujifilm / Crystal Archive Paper from the Meteorite Hunter series by Alexandra Lethbridge

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he’s just 27 and a year on from graduating from her MA in Photography at the University of Brighton, but Southamptonbased Alexandra Lethbridge has already achieved a great deal in her nascent career. She was recognised last year as ‘a rising star of British photography’ by The Guardian newspaper and has been featured in several high profile magazines and online publications.

She’s also picked up numerous awards to date, including being shortlisted in 2014 for the Paris Photo Aperture Foundation First Photo Book Award for her first publication, The Meteorite Hunter, a fictional archive based on meteorites. The project also won her the Danny Wilson Memorial Professional Choice Award at the Brighton Photo Fringe in 2014, and with it the opportunity of a year’s mentorship from Metro Imaging.

‘The mentorship with Metro was amazing and really benefited my photography,’ says Alexandra. ‘My two mentors guided me during a turning point of leaving education and trying to figure out how to maintain my practice.’ For any fine art photographer, quality and consistency of output is key to the whole process, and working so closely with the London lab has helped Alexandra to carefully hone the look of the pictures she’s outputting. ‘My work – particularly my last series – is bright and colourful,’ she says. ‘The vibrancy of the images is designed to allude to this kind of fantastical place that is space. Fujifilm Crystal Archive media is particularly good at vivid colour reproduction and so showcases this brilliantly. ‘It’s also a massive benefit to me that Fujifilm Crystal Archive utilises silver halide technology and is so archivally stable. To know that you can sell prints with the peace of mind that they will maintain all the qualities that they had when they were first produced is priceless. The fact that Fujifilm Crystal Archive remains stable for well over a hundred years is incredible. This is the stuff of legacy.’ www.alexandralethbridge.com

Putting something back – Metro Mentorship The Metro Image Mentorship programme launched in 2005. The lab set the platform up because it felt the bridge between graduates completing their education and the industry had broken down. ‘There was no clear communication between industry and that of emerging photographers,’ says Professor Steve Macleod, above, Metro’s creative director. ‘We introduced a scheme that supported graduates as they made the transition from education to industry. We enlisted many industry leaders to advise and support the progress of each mentee. The platform is fully funded and resourced by Metro Imaging and is now established in both academic and non-academic routes into the industry.’ www.metro.co.uk

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Fujifilm / Crystal Archive Paper

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Why printing on ‘true’ photographic paper is particularly special for Carl

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hotography ‘runs big’ in Londonbased Carl Bigmore’s family. He can recall his grandfather permanently ‘wearing’ a camera around his neck.

‘He shot on transparency film,’ he recalls, ‘so there were always these little pictures lying Carl Bigmore – exploring the Pacific Northwest with around that you could a vintage Rolleiflex hold up to the light.

And when you studied them you gained entry into what seemed like another world. That was when I first became interested in photography.’

Tradition means a lot to Carl, which is why he works with silver halide film and shoots with an antique 1958 Rolleiflex that he was given around ten years ago. ‘There’s a quality to the images it produces,’ he says. ‘It feels almost painterly, slightly otherworldly in my mind.’

During his Masters at the London College of Communication Carl used the Rolleiflex to create the images for his Between Two Mysteries portfolio – an exploration of the Pacific Northwest of America through the prism of popular culture (images, right).

The series was so successful it went on to win Carl the Metro Mentorship Prize, and it cemented a highly successful relationship between the photographer and the lab.

Working with traditional silver film, Carl appreciates the synergy between this product and a genuine silver halide paper such as Fujifilm’s Fujifilm Crystal Archive, but he’s also keen to tap into all says. ‘In some ways it feels like setting your image in stone. And in a digital age the advantages that modern digital technology can where fewer and fewer images are physically printed out it’s good to be able to provide. He scans his negatives and then carries out work with a paper that’s so reliable.’ www.carlbigmore.co.uk colour correction and sets tonal balance in Photoshop before sending the files off for printing.

For more information on Fujifilm Crystal Archive papers or to ‘While I do enjoy the diversity of papers you get request a sample print please call Peter Wigington on 01234 572138, email photoimaging@fuji.co.uk or visit www.fujifilm.eu/uk/ with giclée printing there’s something very special products/photofinishing/photographic-paper/ about printing on a true photographic paper,’ he 14 the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2016 / Issue Two

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10/06/2016 17:04

Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

A new fixture for London’s south bank The fine art photography market continues to flourish and finds form at all price levels – from just a few hundred pounds to POA. Laura Noble represents work from an established group of photographers and launched FIX PHOTO this year, coinciding with Photo London. She provides her unique perspective on the workings of the market We spoke to Laura about FIX, life as a gallerist and her views on the photography art market. First we wanted to know how FIX had come into being and she told us that the idea for the event had come from the venue itself. Laura had been invited to an art fair called Sluice, held at Bargehouse since 2011 to coincide with the huge Frieze Art Fair in Regent’s Park. Laura fell in love with the raw, unrefurbished building in the Oxo Tower complex, and started to think about doing something exciting there with her photographers. Looking across the river and seeing Somerset House, she realised that the location was perfect for a show that could run at the same time as Photo London.

Image © Robert Hackman

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ver the past 20 years or so, the major auction houses have seen photogra­ phy firmly establish itself as a lucrative part of the art market. These days, anyone buying a Jeff Wall, an Andreas Gursky or a Cindy Sherman may have a Panamanian accountant, and Bill Brandts and William Egglestons change hands for tens of thou­ sands of pounds.

In May 2016, the second annual Photo London art fair took place at Somerset House. For £28, a day ticket allowed you to marvel at the range of the works for sale: from an 1852 William Henry Fox Talbot print (facsimile – original available to view on request – POA) to the most bleeding edge contemporary photography from 85 galleries, from Antwerp to Zurich, Buenos Aires to Berlin, Dubai to New Delhi. Art photography is now mainstream and global.

For those of us not able to afford a second mortgage in order to put a Weston on the wall, there were alternatives. We wan­ dered across Waterloo bridge to the South Bank and the Bargehouse Gallery behind the Oxo Tower, where gallerist Laura Noble had put on FIX PHOTO, which will be an an­ nual event coinciding with Photo London.

Entry to FIX was free, and with 23 photo­ graphers showing over 200 works across four floors, a coffee shop, bookshop and fantastic bar, it offered an attractive alternative to the main event just across the river.

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

Love Stories Waterloo Station (Anthony and Joy 1975) (from the series ‘Love Stories’) © Lottie Davies

At Bargehouse, Laura would be able to show as many of her artists as wanted to be involved. Taking a stand at Photo London would have meant choosing work from only two or three photographers, whilst Bargehouse offered a wider range of possibilities. ‘The curatorial challenge of filling such a huge building with an exhibition that could flow and work as a whole was something that I relished,’ Laura told us.

And the show was quite something. On the ground floor a three metre wide Perspex-mounted work, titled Floriculture 2 from Lisa Creagh’s series The Instant Garden dominated the coffee/bookshop space where Dutch publisher Schilt were

offering signings from their photographers over the course of the show. The photog­ raphy in a cavernous network of rooms flowed wonderfully as you climbed up to the Wildcard Brewery bar on the top floor.

The work was incredibly diverse and yet the show worked as whole. Prices ranged from £350 to £30,000. In the light of this diver­ sity, we thought it might be interesting to ask Laura Noble how prices are arrived at, how she chooses the photographers that she

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Body Parts no 1 © Einar Sira

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represents, and how healthy she believes the art photography market is today.

The first thing we asked was whether she thinks there is any distinction between an ‘artist’ and a ‘photogra­ pher’. One of Laura’s photographers, Magnum veteran Chris Steele-Perkins butted in, laughing: ‘It’s a question of how many noughts you want after your price’. Laura was a little more serious,

and although she regards all of her photo­graphers as artists as well, she thinks it is up to each individual how they wish to define themselves. Steele-Perkins’ comment did prompt a further question about pricing – just who is it that decides that a particular print is worth a hundred pounds or a hundred thousand pounds?

‘It is not one person who will decide,’ Noble told us ‘and ultimately it comes down to the market, but there are a num­ ber of factors which have influence. Is the artist well known on the art scene already? Have they had shows with a commercial

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (after Piranesi) © Emily Allchurch

gallery? Museum shows can affect prices in that if a photogra­ pher has a show at a major museum then their prices are likely to rise. Does the photographer have work in important collections here and abroad, like the Tate or MoMA for ex­ ample?’ Ultimately the best barometer of prices for a photog­ rapher are the prices that their work fetches on the secondary market. If a photographer’s work is appearing in major auction sales, for example, that alone is an indication of their success.

With success comes demand and their prices will start to rise.

Laura gives the example of Emily Allchurch.

Emily is an established artist who produces astonishingly intricate photo collages, which reinvent well-known artworks from the past, using hundreds of images that she has taken (above). It is hard to pigeonhole Emily, but her multi-layered works are definitely art. She has had shows not just in the UK but also in the USA, Canada, Italy, and Japan. The Minneapolis

Art Museum bought an entire set of her series ‘Tokyo Story’ which was her hom­ age to the great Japanese woodcut artist Hiroshige. Allchurch has also fulfilled commissions internationally, her work has sold at Christie’s and many of her editions are sold out. Her latest creation Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (after Piranesi) is a reimagining of an 18th century etching where the rubble of ancient Rome is interspersed with London’s past, present and future. It was shown for the first time at FIX. An LED lightbox measuring 125x175cm, the work has a price tag around the £10,000 mark, in an edition of 15.

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

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Steele-Perkins has shown with Laura Noble for several years. His vintage prints are not editioned but are necessarily limited by how many he made at the time. Again, prices are determined by the market, and will depend on how many prints there are and their popularity. As a prolific and long-standing Magnum photographer, his modern prints, less sought after by collectors, sell for around £1,000, with his vintage prints fetching £5,000 or more.

The most expensive work available at FIX was an artist’s proof by Lottie Davies, the last available example of Viola as Twins, and its price was marked

as ‘by negotiation’. Lottie Davies won the Taylor Wessing Prize at the NPG in 2008, after which her prices rose.

Noble says that the market for photography in the UK is still good: ‘The 2008 recession had an effect and perhaps people are buying more carefully than they did in the 90s, but they are still buying.’ She tells us that people buying photog­ raphy are a varied bunch. It can be someone who is passionate about a particular subject, or a particular photographer, or a work might complement a collection. Some buyers might have investment in mind, and be guided by prices in the second­ ary market. Large corporations employ art consultants to buy work for their collections, while individuals sometimes just fall in love with a piece and want to have it on their wall. Collec­ tors can evolve from small beginnings. A photography book can lead to a growing collection of books (something some of our readers may be familiar with). This can lead to buying a print, perhaps paying for it in instalments. If the bug bites,

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the Tory party conference in Blackpool, 1985 © Chris Steele-Perkins

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

Crusader Close © Rob Clayton

collecting can be a rewarding pastime, with incredible bargains to be found in small auctions, if you know what you are looking for. ‘If you do buy a print,’ Laura tells us, ‘my word of advice would be to get it framed straightaway. If you don’t you can end up with a lot of work not on the wall, and it keeps them safe from damage.’ Laura’s own extensive collection contains many images that portray flight – including images of birds, aeroplanes, anything that flies. Indeed one of her favour­ ites was bought from eBay for just £10, and is a 5x7 print of the Red Arrows, signed by each pilot: ‘I just loved it,’ she tells us. This is in fact her baseline advice for anyone contemplating buying photography – only buy it if you love it.

Spotting talent, and then working with a photographer and helping to develop their career is a key part of being a

gallerist for Laura. Robert Clayton has work from his series ‘Estate’ in the show and Laura came across this work when he attended a portfolio review with her a few years ago. After a successful career as a commercial photographer, Clayton has now published a book of this fantastic documentary work from the Lion Farm Estate in the 90s. He has exhibited it with solo shows at Birming­ ham Library and Four Corners Gallery in London, produced a short film about it starring Jonathan Meades, and has now been commissioned to return to

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

Laura’s Bird © Hendrik Faure

g what remains of the estate by Multistory in West Bromwich.

Also discovered at a portfolio review were Hendrik Faure’s copperplate photogravures. Laura was at the Ren­ contres d’Arles festival in France, when Hendrik sat down at her table: ‘I used to do etching and I fell in love with the work instantly. The detail and depth of the photogravures combined with the cruel and beautiful treatment of life and

death in such a direct way, they seemed like etchings from an old master, without the distraction of colour, just the beauty of the print. To feel all of this whilst having the artist sitting right there in front of me was very exciting.’

We also asked Laura about editioning. Faure’s gravures are self-limiting: after 12 or so impressions, the plate wears out and the edition can go no further. But for a digital print, aren’t limited editions just false scarcity? Noble points out that it is often the same with screen prints, where it is common for an artist to make limited runs, but that no one ever raises a simi­ lar objection: ‘Because photos are everywhere, for many people

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Fine art / LA Noble Gallery

‘Ultimately the best barometer of prices for a photographer are the prices that their work fetches on the secondary market. If a photographer’s work is appearing in major auction sales, for example, that alone is an indication of their success.’ the value is maybe diminished. It is hard to make a sculpture, but anyone with an iPhone considers themselves to be a pho­ tographer. The reality with editions is that it is about quality and the limitation of availability.’ We are back to the market, and, of course, if no-one buys, then it doesn’t matter how few versions there are. Furthermore, the reality in the art world is that with an open edition, the price will always remain low.

Laura keeps coming back to the joy that she gets from working alongside this creative talent: ‘As you come to know an artist you get the inside eye on how each photographer or artist works and communicates with their art, how they physi­ cally make their prints. It is endlessly interesting and I regard it as a great privilege to be in such a position. To find these artists and then help them to choose work that they maybe had never considered even printing before – when this then goes on to be a successful print, seeing it large on the wall is extremely rewarding.’

When asked what the best way is for a photographer to approach her about their work, her response is fast: ‘Book a portfolio review.’ Gallerists are constantly deluged with inquir­ ies, and many things can put them off. Arrogance, negativity about others, being approached when busy working at a fair or an opening – all of these are off-putting, as is being impolite to interns and assistants, and sending generic emails. It seems fairly straightforward, but as Laura says: ‘Remember that it is a very small world, so you have to be careful what you say to people as word can travel fast.’

Laura is excited about making FIX PHOTO an annual event: ‘To have seen the reactions of everyone who came to see it has been amazing and made it all worthwhile,’ she told us. ‘FIX is my flag in the sand, it is showing so many of the things that photography can be. I feel it is like singing to an audience through my artists and showing what I love. It shows who I am as a gallerist. It is a very personal thing, not just a cold machine for making money.’

Not having a permanent gallery space allows LA Noble Gallery great flexibility. She relishes the challenge of finding new locations that can fit with a particular body of work.

It also allows her the freedom to put on shows in museums, and in the past year, three of her female photographers have exhibited in public museums. Laura is very proud that 14 of the 23 photogra­ phers shown at FIX were women. ‘85% of people studying photography today are female. This explains why so much work I am seeing is from women and why I end up showing so much female work. The gender balance of the work is changing – there is a lot of debate and discussion at the moment about the imbalance in the industry of what is shown, championed, published. There is something that seems to be in the air and I think we are seeing the beginnings of a shift, or at least I hope we are.’ tP MORE INFORMATION www.lauraannnoble.com hello@lauraannnoble.com @LANobleGallery www.lauraannnoble.blogspot.com Issue Two / 2016 / the PHOTOGRAPHER 23

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Product / Elinchrom EL-Skyport

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Now Sony joins Skyport party Creative control should mean the ability to do more with advanced equipment and Elinchrom’s EL-Skyport does just that – and it’s no longer only in the domain of Canon and Nikon users

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ince the launch of the Skyport Plus HS for Canon and Nikon, Sony users have been patiently awaiting their dedicated Transmitter.

As promised, the most advanced Skyport ever is now available to Sony* users.

This will give them the ability to control and visualise power settings for all their compatible Elinchrom lights and the capability to shoot at speeds up to 1/8000s in Hi-Sync mode.

The Large LCD display of the Skyport HS features two-way control via a visual feedback interface that lets you see the exact power of up to 10 compatible Elinchrom lights in your setup, right on the transmitter. Users

NEED TO KNOW • Large LCD with unique, real-time display of remote flash power settings • Easy access buttons and rotation ring for fast setup and control • 20 Channels*, 4 Groups for Normal and Speed Sync Modes • Hi-Sync, up to 1/8000sec with Sony, Canon and Nikon cameras • Extended working range up to 656ft (200m) • AF Illuminator and sure-lock mounting foot • USB port for future-proof upgrades

can control the modelling lamp and power of each flash unit directly from the Skyport transmitter, which instantly shows the updated settings. This provides unsurpassed levels of ‘twoway communication and control’ for every light in your setup, right from your camera.

Hi-Sync opens up the world of flash photography to explore even further – Elinchrom Hi-Sync technology lets you go beyond the X-Sync of your camera. Photographers can simply switch to Hi-Sync mode and access sync speeds up to 1/8000s to freeze motion, overpower the sun, darken backgrounds or use a wider aperture. The ODS (Over Drive Sync) enables users to fine tune the Skyport Plus HS transmitter’s trigger signal to optimise exposure at high shutter speeds whilst gaining up to two more f-stops of light.

Even more The Skyport HS has 20 frequency channels that can be used for either Normal or Speed mode. The transmitter attaches easily and securely to the hotshoe with its one-touch quicklock mechanism, and is powered by 2x AA batteries. Users can also enjoy a range of up to 656ft (200m) outdoors, and up to 196ft (60m) indoors.

The Skyport HS continues the Elinchrom commitment to quality providing photographers with tools to enhance their shooting experience whilst also showing how Elinchrom is looking firmly ahead to the future. The Skyport HS represents a seamless extension of the EL-Skyport family since it is also compatible with the three previous generations of Elinchrom flash units (those using the EL-Skyport Transceiver RX module for Style RX, Digital RX, and Ranger RX systems, and those with integrated EL-Skyport modules for the BRX, DLite RX, ELC Pro HD, and ELB series.) Other camera systems are currently being evaluated for future release.

Image © Saraya Cortaville * See the list of compatible flash units and cameras at www.elinchrom.com

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10/06/2016 17:04

Samantha Horn / Portraiture

A voice with space and time Portraiture can be as much about what isn’t in the frame as what is present – for Samantha Horn, the role of space both physically in the picture and between photographer and sitter is a critical factor

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amantha Horn is a mature student with a former career in costume design in film and television – yielding a continuing interest in period costume and a tendency to consider visuals with a cinematic edge. There’s a great deal of thought and contemplation behind each image – the big questions: ‘why is it there and why should it be there’… most of the great photographic artists have constructed their works in a similar way.

With the coming of family life, Samantha lost her love of being away on location, but the ties to film and photography persevered. She went back into education and is finishing her photography degree with Bournemouth University at Wiltshire College Salisbury. She explains: ‘I began working with black and white film and colour slides and then made the journey to studio-based digital capture – I feel it’s very “surface oriented” and can take any weight of surface application. That was interesting to me and so I went back to film again to work with the two mediums side by side.’

The many facets of capture and how they affect the portraiture process is at the core of Samantha’s creative process: ‘The working of a perfect 10x8 portrait in itself creates a specific relationship with what you are doing – the slow pace; building and building up to that one shot – it’s the culmination of a chain of processes and decisions. Critically, it forms a responsibility on the part of sitters – they feel it; they have it in their hands. Back at the end of my first year I knew that I wanted to photograph people and I have been largely able to prescribe my direction, feeding off of big studio facilities available to me. g

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Image © Samantha Horn

Samantha Horn / Portraiture

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Working with a long lens in portraiture means the sitter does not feel your presence, so creating vulnerability.’ In contemporary terms, German photographer Thomas Ruff’s reductive approach is influential: ‘It’s to do with the presence or not of the photographer. I like to use soft defuse light and reflectors, blanketing light around the subject, “soothing” the image. In doing that I can remove the presence of the photographer in the frame and so create a more direct connection between the sitter and the viewer. It’s a slightly less “comfortable” dialogue, even possessing a touch of anxiety if you like.’ Samantha puts greater emphasis on this element of style than strict composi-

tion: ‘I think in terms of framing it can be quite casual – if you leave the perfection out of the composition and let it take a place in the narrative – as if the person just turned up and walked into the frame. It’s very hard to achieve and is certainly much more difficult than very conscious photography.’

Samantha’s photographic language itself communicates where she’s headed post-degree and/or post-grad. But, of

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course no-one just walks straight into that blurred world of commercially valuable art. ‘The only approach is to do what it is you do in a very committed way,’ she says. ‘That creates its own currency. By the end of a degree you should have found your voice as a photographer and I think that has happened.

Having more resources for longer would be the role of an MA. ‘What you say yes to is as important as what you say no to.

It narrows your aperture, that commitment. There’s no room for post-production in my work – I do appreciate the technical skill and application but I don’t feel very comfortable with its use. However, I think the darkroom is different – digital and

film perform a different kind of magic and how you use them depends upon the outcome you want. If you want to make a surrealist image then you’ll need to set about that in a certain way. But in a portrait (for me) there’s not a lot of room for adjustment.’

Samantha also references 19th century French photographer Nadar. Born Gaspard-Felix Tournachon, he was no one-trick pony – known as a pioneer of

Image © Samantha Horn

Samantha Horn / Portraiture

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Samantha Horn / Portraiture

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photography, he further ventured into caricatures, journalism, fiction and hot air balloons. His subjects were politicians of the time, actors, writers, painters and musicians and he set himself as a bit of a revolutionary, refusing the sumptuous decor and miscellaneous props that populated contemporary work. In other words, Nadar built on a casual feeling taking place on a relatively empty canvas. Samantha expands on her concept of portraiture in the light of this: ‘You have to think about it outside of the occasion. It’s not about the space between you and the person, or about something going on that can have a label. Certainly, Nadar was reacting against

the idea of a portrait creating a scene.

He just let it be, within the context of the time. The portrait has to find some psychological intercourse – this is the fascinating and difficult part. It’s hard to reach – and digital capture makes everything harder still. I would describe it as though you’re endlessly throwing money at a problem until it goes away, that ability to try and try and try again until by chance something happens.

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Samantha Horn / Portraiture

g Maybe that is digital capture at its worst, though

for some it’s a strength. OK, you can practice and discard and find out what you like and don’t like – yes, that’s valuable – you wouldn’t have been able to do that with film. But for me it’s using the medium against photographic principles. It weakens the situation. The sitter feels that you can keep going and going so it loses the point – the point of portraiture is to find something underneath the surface. And then when you go back to film the complete opposite occurs. This is not just a personal preference, but a very different result.’

Where does this perspective fit in a commercial sphere? Can you really say that post-production can have no place in modern photography? It’s a tough proposition, no doubt about it. How does a photographer work into a client relationship the idea that scans have to be done and there will be ‘some’ time delay – that is assuming you’re not a Simon Norfolk or other. Samantha gently resists the attack: ‘I’m interested in creating something bespoke, handmade. I want to be a photographer across all platforms and my work included here crosses the “gap” between the “worlds”. I see everything as commercial – my next step will be an MA in commercial photography, so don’t mistake me for someone who is inhabiting a world that’s long passed by. As a part of that I would hope to create a number of daguerreotypes, each by definition a unique image.’ The first daguerreotypes endured exposure times of up to 30 minutes, so poses were often held by means of adjustable head rests, clamps and posing stands. Perhaps a similar approach could yield interesting results today?

Samantha isn’t side-tracked: ‘Right now it’s hard to specify where the market for my work might be, but I believe the voice within my photography is crucial and that’s something I have found and that has found me. In this way, and with a philosophy behind the pictures I seek to make, there’s a hope that they find a value and a demand. For me, photography is not simply the repetition of a learned technique and process. tP 34 the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2016 / Issue Two

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Broncolor Founded in 1958, with its product brands, broncolor and kobold, broncolor has developed over the past half-century into a ‘global player’ in the international market for professional lighting systems. The challenge of consistently meeting your needs and repeatedly surprising you with innovations is our motivation – and light our passion. Our goal is to produce State of the Art products, housing in a corporate and modern design including broncolor’s technological innovations and guaranteeing an unbeatable quality standard. This is also what you expect from us in your daily work in the studio or on location. www.bron.ch

Loxley Colour Trust the UK’s leading, multi award-winning professional print lab to print your images.

Loxley Colour has a long history in the photography industry, which has given us invaluable insight into what makes the perfect printed product. Choose from a wide range of handmade products direct to you or your customer from our 72,000sq ft facilities located in the UK. Whether it’s photographic and Giclée prints, the iconic Bellissimo albums range, wall products that wow or a complete mounting and framing service that offers photographers limitless options, Loxley Colour is the lab of choice for professional photographers who care about quality.

Enjoy Complimentary Colour Correction, a free test prints service and excusive discounts for BIPP members’ qualifications prints. Quick, convenient online ordering and an award winning customer service team make partnering with Loxley easy. For more information visit www.loxleycolour.com or contact us on 0845 519 5000 or email cs@loxleycolour.com.

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BIPP / News

New Additions to the BIPP team WELCOME TO Bryn Griffiths FBIPP, who has joined BIPP’s team as our Business Development Manager and to Harriet Olliffe who has recently started working as our Project & Events Administrator.

Bryn will be working with Chris on dedicated projects as BIPP’s Business Development Manager. His new email is bryn@bipp.com. He will continue to mentor candidates for qualifications in his spare time!

As well as working on our events and projects programme, Harriet will be coordinating the Profe ssional Photography Awards, Member Benefits and liaising with the regional committees. Her email is harriet@bipp.com

PHOTOGRAPHY! The work of the BIPP AT THE END OF LAST YEAR we asked you to put your images forward for consideration for a new exhibition and we were able to produce PHOTOGRAPHY! – a diverse collection of everything that’s great about BIPP. The exhibition illustrates the huge wealth of expertise and creativity within BIPP and we’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been involved. The show has been incredibly well received in both galleries. We now have the work back at the office, to check everything and to re-pack. In September a large part of it will be heading to Dean Clough in Yorkshire. A fantastic space which will be shared with Yorkshire’s regional members and the final year show of student’s at BIPP Approved Kirklees College. If you know of any galleries which may be interested in a stunning photographic exhibition, please let hilary@bipp.com know!

New regional chair WELCOME TO Ioan Said, who has taken over from James Russell in the North West.

Ioan has lots of ideas for the regional programme and details of events in the North West can be found on Twitter or Facebook or at www. bippnw.co.uk. Ioan can be found on twitter @Ioan_Said

Do you take card payments?

IF SO you need to be PCI DSS Compliant. If you aren’t, you face heavy fines and the threat of your card provider withdrawing their services.

Many of you will have been in contact with your bank about the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). It’s the worldwide standard that was introduced to help process card payments safely and reduce fraud. By tightly controlling the storage, transmission and processing of cardholder data, PCI DSS protects the cardholder, enables the business owner to implement recognised safety procedures and reduces fraud.

If you take card payments you have to be compliant. To find out more, your bank or card service provider is the best place to start.

They should be able to provide you with advice and guidance on ways to become compliant.

You may want to visit www.pcisecuritystandards.org or there’s a lot of useful information on www.theukcardassociation.org.uk/security.

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BIPP / Copyright

A simple and easy to understand guide to UK copyright – the ‘highway code’ The British Copyright Council (BCC) has launched a single-page basic guide to copyright in the UK, known as the Copyright ‘Highway’ Code (CHC).

The purpose of this guide is to give anyone producing or using a creative work, such as a photograph, a brief guide to the copyright ‘rules of the road’.

The code takes the form of a single side of A5, which can be downloaded from the BCC’s website www.britishcopyright.org The CHC project has been developed by the Copyright Education and Awareness Working Group within the BCC, chaired by BCC Board member, Nicola Solomon who is the CEO of the Society of Authors and a Deputy District Judge. A first draft was written by Andy Finney from The RPS (who acted as editor) and Denise Swanson of the BIPP. The code has been devised so that it is simple and easy to understand, which in itself required thorough discussions and legal input during the drafting process in order to ensure both accuracy and accessibility. Every individual word was discussed to ensure that the result was legally accurate but still easy to understand. The first edition has been agreed by the lawyers and the BCC Board, representing all parts of the creative industries.

Andy Finney said: ‘A better understanding of copyright is a key part of encouraging better observance of it.

The basics are not difficult to understand and they apply to all of us – whether we take photographs

or whether we make use of other people’s images.’

Nicola Solomon continued: ‘We are delighted to be able to offer this guide to all users of copyright from schools and businesses to creators. There is a clear need for a simple guide to combat myths, to ensure that people know the value of their creations and to encourage simple and hassle-free copyright observance.’ In future the Group intends to produce further basic guides covering such topics as moral rights and performers’ rights.

The British Copyright Council represents those who create, hold interests or manage rights in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, performances, films, sound recordings, broadcasts and other material in which there are rights of copyright and related rights. Members include professional associations, industry bodies and trade unions which together represent hundreds of thousands of authors, creators, performers, publishers and producers.

These right holders include many individual free­ lancers, sole traders and SMEs as well as larger corporations within the creative and cultural industries.

While many of these create works and performances professionally and make decisions relating to both commercial and non-commercial use of those works and performances, they also use and access works in an individual private capacity. Some member organisations also represent amateur creators and performers and members also include collective rights management organisations which represent right holders and which enable access to works of creativity.

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BIPP / Awards

South East Regional Awards – now open THE SOUTH EAST AWARDS 2016 are now open for entries. They are open to all current BIPP members in the South East Region and it’s important for you, and the region as a whole, to showcase the quality of work being produced by today’s professional photographers. Make the most of this opportunity and the very positive publicity your achievements can produce.

HOW TO ENTER: • Submit 10x8 Prints + digital files on a CD (or Dropbox to harriet@bipp.com) • Provisional, Student Members & Friends can only submit in their one relevant category.

• The file name for each image should be the image title plus your membership number (eg, Sunrise over Desert/5004).

• An Entry Form is needed for each image (although payment details only need to go on one form).

All forms must include the title of the image, the category and your name.

• Payment for all entries must be included – £5 per image plus VAT (£6). Cheques to BIPP. • Send your entries to ‘BIPP SOUTH EAST AWARDS’ at BIPP, The Coach House, The Firs, High Street, Whitchurch, Bucks, HP22 4SJ to arrive no later than 5pm Friday 29 July 2016.

Kevin Wilson Hon FBIPP - MERIT - A Quiet Moment

CATEGORIES • Abstract/Illustrative • Advertising (including product & commercial) • Architecture • Fashion, Hair & Beauty • Fine Art • Forensic • Friends • Industrial • Landscape • Non-commissioned • Open (non-BIPP Members only) • People & Portraiture (including pets, babies, children, relevant events (eg corporate hospitality, balls etc) • Photojournalism (including press & pr, editorial, sport, all other relevant events, HM Forces) • Provisional • Science & Nature (including wildlife, macro, medical, scientific) • Student • Wedding Visit www.bipp.com/awards for full details.

Virginia Grey ABIPP - MERIT- Under My Wing, Egyptian Goose & Gosling

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BenSoc: the Benevolent Society of the BIPP The Benevolent Society of the BIPP (or BenSoc to give its familiar name) is run by a dedicated team of volunteers and assists people in need due to illness by means of single grants or loans in case of emergency or long-term hardship. BenSoc also provides help, gives encouragement and friendship.

The 200 Club BenSoc runs the 200 Club where, for an annual £20 donation, Members can win cash prizes.

All BIPP Members are automatically considered to receive it benefits. However BenSoc heavily relies on financial support from Members, and continuing generosity is needed to support an ever growing need.

Money is raised by annual donations, fundraising at regional events, and through bankers’ orders and legacies.

Every month there is a cash prize of £50, plus an annual prize in December of £250 for the lucky winner.

Please ‘like’ the BenSoc Facebook Page at www. facebook.com/BenSocTheBenevolentSocietyOfTheBipp to keep up to date with activities.

To join you can do so by cheque, or preferably by standing order (£20) using the below form.

For more information please contact Richard Cross at richardwendycross@hotmail.com.

Disclosure and barring service IF YOU’RE A SELF-EMPLOYED photographer and are asked if you have a CRB/Disclosure by a potential client, you could point them towards the government website – www.gov.uk.

It has full information on the Disclosure & Barring Service, who can apply and who can’t. The Service clearly states that ‘Individuals and the self-employed cannot apply for a check directly to the DBS’.

If your client insists on a Disclosure, they could investigate applying for one, on your behalf. However, they have a legal obligation to check if your role

within their organisation is suitable (ie a ‘regulated activity’).

If this isn’t an option, but the client still persists, you could pursue a Disclosure Scotland basic check.

Some clients would accept this, but some won’t. For more information on the restrictions and guidelines for obtaining a Disclosure, please visit www.gov.uk/ government/organisations/disclosure-and-barringservice. If working as a photographer within a school environment it is usually assumed that you will be supervised and the work won’t fall into the ‘frequent’ or ’intensive’ definitions within their policy.

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BIPP / Regions & Events

Midland Paul Witney ABIPP linkingrings@hotmail.com

North East Kevin Weatherly LBIPP kevinweatherly@mac.com

North West Ioan Said LBIPP ioan@celynnen photography.co.uk

EVENTS & DATES COMING UP

POSING & COMPOSITION IN WEDDINGS AND PORTRAITURE Kevin Wilson Hon FBIPP Wednesday 6 July 2016 When you invest in training, it’s vital that you choose the best way of maximising your potential – and here it is. A fast-paced day of knowledge, honesty and, of course, photography! Kevin is known worldwide for his passion, knowledge and his love of ‘paying it forward’.

He will illustrate how small things can make a massive difference when shooting weddings. A minor change to a bride’s pose, moving the couple a few inches to the left, to make use of the natural light – you’ll come away brimming with ideas, creativity and the knowledge that you can develop your work and become a better photographer.

SOUTH EAST REGION HEADSHOTS, PORTRAITS AND BEYOND Michael Wharley ABIPP Monday 12 September 2016 Join us at Michael’s busy studio in the heart of London. Learn how an array of studio and natural lighting approaches can create subtly nuanced portraits of the human face - techniques that can be applied in social, wedding, beauty & fashion photography, as well as creating a varied headshots portfolio.

The day will begin with a look at Michael’s studio, the facilities and equipment leading into a discussion of his work. After lunch, the knowledge you have gained will be put into practice with a portrait shoot, where you will experiment with lighting, enabling you to achieve radically different portraits in a short 42 the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2016 / Issue Two

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space of time. You will work to explore a variety of lighting techniques, including strobe, continuous and natural light - or even a mixture! Paying close attention to skin tone, eye & hair colour and facial structure, and using a range of different lighting shapers and styles, you will explore subtlety and drama, using techniques that are applicable across a wide range of portraiture.

NORFOLK THE ART OF WEDDINGS & PORTRAITURE Chris Harper FBIPP and David Wheeler FBIPP Wednesday 14 September 2016 Join two of the best social photographers around, Chris and David as they take you through tips and advice on creating wedding and portrait shots that are different from the norm. Come away from the routine way of shooting, learn from their modern styles, and combine and create shots of your own that are unique and inspiring. Why not allow yourself some time to stop and think? Rekindle your love of wedding portraiture and come away feeling inspired to give the new skills a try in your day to day working life.

CONTEMPORARY WEDDINGS Simon John FBIPP Tuesday 27 September 2016 Don’t miss the opportunity to join the BIPP Photographer of the Year 2015, Simon John, for this unique one day intensive training course - working alongside him, following his lead and learning from his expertise. The day will be based around practical work, although there will be opportunities to sit down with Simon as he takes you through various different

For further information and details on booking visit www.bipp.com/events 10/06/2016 17:06

Northern Ireland John Miskelly LBIPP john@johnmiskelly photography.co.uk

Scotland Mike Brookes-Roper FBIPP mike@brookes-roper.co.uk

South West Suzi Allen LBIPP info@suziallen.com

South East Chris Harper FBIPP chris@bipp.com

Yorkshire Stuart Clark Hon FBIPP stuartclarkphotos@ talktalk.net

EVENTS & DATES COMING UP

tutorials. You can then take this new found knowledge with you when you get round to the practical session, putting what you have learnt into practise and also getting the chance to work with Simon on a shoot.

PORTFOLIO REVIEWS Tuesday 5 July 2016 – London Wednesday 10 August 2016 – Birmingham Wednesday 17 August 2016 – York

NORTH EAST VISIT 29-30 June 2016 Towards the end of June we’ll be heading up to the North East of England for a number of different events held across a two-day period. There will be a mix of a talk and practical on June 29th, followed by Portfolio Reviews and Qualification Assessments on June 30th.

We look forward to seeing some of you there!

COMMERCIAL v PORTRAITURE A Day with Bryn Griffiths FBIPP & Chris Harper FBIPP Wednesday 29 June 2016 An Advertising & Commercial photographer for more than 30 years, Bryn has photographed everything from fast cars to diamond rings. Commissioned by major brands and global corporations, Bryn’s work can be seen in magazines, brochures, and on billboards across the world. He will also talk about his journey to Chernobyl, which was undertaken as part of his Hasselblad Masters project.

In the afternoon Chris will take over with a practical demonstration of his fitness photography. Chris will demonstrate how to strip everything back to create some of the best portraiture in the UK. Using natural light in a unique way, he’ll illustrate how to get the best results out of your model and why composition and posing are just as important as light.

Tuesday 23 August 2016 – Brighton Wednesday 7 September 2016 – Cheltenham Tuesday 13 Sept 2016 Portfolio Reviews (pm only) – Norfolk Tuesday 20 September 2016 – London Monday 17 October 2016 – Chelmsford, Essex Tuesday 22 November 2016 – London • All Portfolio Review sessions run for 45-50 minutes.

• Please bring approximately 40 low res images (no more than 5MB per image) on a laptop or tablet.

• If you are a non-member interested in applying for Provisional membership please bring copies of your insurance.

• Please note portfolio reviews are non-refundable and non-transferable.

QUALIFICATION ASSESSMENTS Thursday 30 June 2016 (Submission Deadline - 16 June 2016) Wednesday 21 September 2016 (Submission Deadline - 24 August 2016) Wednesday 23 November 2016 (Submission Deadline - 26 October 2016)

Thursday 30 June 2016 Portfolio Reviews (morning) & Qualification Assessments (afternoon) For further information and details on booking visit www.bipp.com/events TP-2016-2 BIPP 42-43.indd 43

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Photography / Strategy

In the planning stages...

When it comes to creating a sound business plan, the devil is in the detail. Here is that detail. Time to listen up, no matter how far down the path you already are

G

oing into business is not for the faint of heart. While it can be incredibly rewarding, it requires plenty of forethought and planning, both in terms of where you are heading and how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to price your service. But where to start?

Adam Bernstein takes a look.

Planning ahead Whether you are looking to go freelance for the first time or are seeking funds to buy a studio, a well-drafted business plan will be both a valuable business tool and your best friend. Further it will be an essential tool for the successful management of your business.

Business plans, no matter to what business sector they relate to, should aim to give more than a snapshot of the future. Because circumstances, people and opportunities change, a good business plan should try to portray the moving picture and the ever-

evolving situation. Your business plan needs to be regularly reviewed and updated.

One of the main benefits of the effort and time spent pulling your thoughts together into a single document is that it will help you step back from day to day work and consider the overall direction of your business. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to make

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better-informed judgements having previously considered the impact of an action on profitability, rather than part way through a project. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also ensure that your business decisions drive the business in the right direction while confirming that you have adequate resources and cash to achieve your goals.

At the same time, a properly documented business plan will help you inspire confidence and belief in the businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential, offer a document recognised by lenders that they can use as a basis for lending decisions, and enable your staff (if you have them) to

g

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Photography / Strategy

g

see your objectives, and by extension, how their career will shape up.

There is no definitive guide as to the precise form and content of a successful business plan as its structure is largely determined by its particular purpose. In other words, a plan for a photographer will be quite distinct from that for a garage. But a plan for one photographer will not work for another. However, there are five ‘golden rules’ that need to be followed no matter what when constructing a business plan: 1) Simple - for your reader to under2) 3) 4) 5)

stand Focused – on your needs Relevant – to the reader’s interests Accurate – be prepared to justify Realistic – information must be credible

With the ‘golden rules’ in mind, there are, of course, a number of elements to detail.

The general idea Explain the importance of the services you will be providing and any add-on products you will offer and their market potential, avoiding technical language and detailed specifications. Bear in mind that the reader may not have specialist knowledge of photography and that your proposal may be one of many that they have to read. So, focus on the real issues, giving projections for sales, costs and cash flow, for example, but reserve financial detail for the appendix.

Remember to explain assumptions.

If you’re aiming to raise finance, state clearly the level of funding needed and why it is required.

Executive summary This overview should encapsulate the whole business plan and ideally fit on one page. It is normally written after the main sections are finished and focus the reader’s attention to the important elements of the business plan.

The business and key people Describe the legal status (company, sole trader or partnership) of the business, its history, facilities and organisational structure, whilst also stating its strategy, vision and mission statement. It is particularly important to outline the skills of key individuals, if appropriate, since the reputation and experience of those involved may heavily influence the success of the business. It’s here that the reader will understand that you are more than a photographer – that you are also competent in business.

Getting the fear Now’s the time for the scary stuff: if you don’t experience a bit of fear through the following headings then it’s fairly safe to assume you’re not being properly realistic. If that’s the case, try

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Photography / Strategy

again. Start off by clarifying the range of what is to be offered and state what is special about this and anything else that you may offer in the future. Note, your positioning - are you a wedding photographer or do you target corporates with product photography? It’s similarly important to note any niche markets. Note any achievements and competitions won as they will further enhance your standing.

dependency on a category of customers and highlight the risks. For example, consider if you serve a number of schools that are closely tied, how would you fare if one introduces a rival photographer who then is propagated to the others?

Business market Analyse turnover, projected if necessary, the service (and addon products such as framing or binders etc.), indicating the profitability of each area. Note whether each is declining/static/growing and why, besides giving the business’s current and projected market share. An overview of economic conditions or legislation relevant to the business is also useful. This, for example, could note the impact of the move from film to digital, changes to copyright and data protection, and the impact of rising business rates on the profitability of running a studio.

But don’t forget other market changes – for example, how is photography changing within the world of estate agency?

Marketing and advertising Outline your marketing activities to demonstrate how you identify and develop new business. Will you go down the social media route (see The Photographer, 2016 Issue One)? Or will you rely on local adverts and footfall of those passing your studio?

Clients Briefly describe the clients sought, and analyse turnover by what your clients spend. This section will highlight any

Competitors Note major competitors, their strengths, weaknesses and market share. Consider how vulnerable you may be to any particular competitor. For example, what would happen if Venture opened a new franchise near you? g

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Photography / Strategy

g SWOT analysis

The business’s major strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats should be analysed. Don’t avoid weaknesses and threats as these can be only be dealt with once identified. This could encompass road traffic plans, competitors, changing population and the economy as well as changing technologies (look how Kodak have had to radically change their business model with the advent of digital photography).

Premises and facilities Report whether the premises and equipment are owned or leased, whether they fulfil existing and future needs, and summarise any major financial commitments. Outline future capital expenditure and indicate the current state of facilities, including obsolescence and the impact of anything external such as changes to the local environment that may help or hinder customers.

Personnel requirements Include the number of employees, anticipated employment needs and note the skills that are generally available.

If you need assistants, where will they come from? Will you source via the marketplace or will you target collect college leavers that you will train up?

How will you ensure that staff, once trained, don’t then just go elsewhere for more money?

What if, not whatever…

This is normally provided as an appendix and may include some summary narrative, together with a clear indication of funding requirements. Here you will need to cover a summary of the

(proposed) profit and loss account; key ratios to demonstrate your strength including (likely) gross profit, return on capital employed and costs; profit and loss projections; cash flow projections; a forecast of your balance sheet; detailed explanation of any assumptions you’ve made; and a series of ‘What if ’ scenarios including, say, the impact of changes in interest rates, rising business rates, changes in employment taxation, and impact of staffing issues (including your own illness).

Writing a business plan shouldn’t faze you. Your accountant should be able to help with writing a business plan, but if you need further information, look on the government’s own website (https://www.gov.uk/write-business-plan). Nor should it be a series of isolated statements. Seriously consider running the core ideas and concepts behind your plan by trusted friends who may have a view on how much risk is actually in the business. Looking at business elements cold can be very enlightening indeed – even if it indicates your name or colour branding could be misplaced.

Pricing for profit So with the business plan written, the next task to consider is how will you price your services? While you clearly don’t want to shoot and lose money, you equally need to be in line with the market because, if nothing else, the web will make finding an alternative supplier easy.

Frustratingly, there is no right and wrong answer to pricing. You can charge whatever you like and whatever your customers will pay. But ultimately they will make a judgment based on value and proposition.

In simple terms, many businesses work out a cost figure for each line and add a modest mark-up – known as cost-plus pricing. While this method is common, it is not the only way to arrive at a price.

It’s important to note that pricing is based on three critical elements. What you are worth to your customers; what it costs you to provide your service; and the price your competitors are charging.

Cost and price versus value Successful photographers maximise their profits by matching their pricing with the value customers put on their products or services. It’s the reason why Photo-Me Booths cost infinitesimally less than a photographer.

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Photography / Strategy

‘Because circumstances, people and opportunities change, a good business plan should try to portray the moving picture and the ever-evolving situation.’

The cost to you is the total outlay required to shoot whatever the job is. However, the value is what the customer thinks the product or service is worth. For example, for a plumber to fix a burst pipe, it may cost £5 for travel, £3 for materials and £10 for one hour’s labour. But the value to the customer is far greater than the £18, so a plumber may charge up to £50.

Alternatively, computer printer ink cartridges can cost less than £1 to manufacture. However, to the user who can’t print without them, their value is much higher and so is the price.

Product pricing is often built on a ‘cost-plus’ basis, while service pricing is generally created on perceived value. However, both methods require a complete understanding of costs and the competition.

Building a cost structure Your cost structure provides a basis for what you need to charge. But it will not necessarily show you what you need to charge.

To find this out place your costs under two headings: variable (which increase when your sales increase - travel and materials) and fixed (largely constant, regardless of what you

do – studio rent, salaries, and business rates). As long as the price you sell at is higher than the variable cost, each sale will make a contribution towards covering fixed costs.

For example, a photographer has variable costs of £500 per shoot and total fixed costs of £20,000 a year. The contribution required depends upon the volume of sales. If the photographer has 80 shoots each year, they need a contribution of at least £250 per shoot (ie £20,000 divided by 80) to avoid making a loss. Based on this cost structure, the photographer can assess the consequences of different price levels.

Checking the competition It is certain that you will face competition in some form which means you need to benchmark your potential pricing. Call your rivals – anonymously – and ask for a price quote. It is probably unwise to set your prices too much lower or higher than your rivals without good reason such as you offering them something not available elsewhere or short notice availability.

Marking up Cost-plus pricing is a traditional method, usually based on two elements – the mark-up you must add to the cost to make the desired profit, and the markup used by competitors. The mark-up is usually expressed as a percentage of the cost.

Ensure all your costs have been factored in before applying the markup. If the final price looks uncompetitive to your eye, review the size of the mark-up. Never obliterate the mark-up to make the price competitive. Try to

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g change the cost base rather than give up potential profit.

Margins Margins indicate the percentage profit a business makes after applying a markup. For example, if a business buys a product for £10 and marks it up by 50 per cent, thus selling it for £15, the margin is 33 per cent (the value of the mark-up, divided by the selling price x 100).

Margins are good barometers of how important particular products or services are to the profitability of your business. The higher the margin, the more lucrative it could be. Low-margin, low-volume work should not occupy large chunks of your time at the expense of higher-margin work.

Value-based pricing The alternatives to cost-plus pricing focus on what customers are willing to pay. This perceived-value pricing takes a number of forms: Convenience — a late-night shoot can cost much more than a day-time shoot.

Brand — branded and unbranded products maybe technically the same, but big spenders will go straight for the expensive product if the brand is well marketed. It’s one of the reasons why franchises (such as Venture) exist.

Fashion — some people will pay a premium for hot items (the latest trainers or iPhone). If you’ve created a name as the photographer to have you can charge more.

Monopolies and cartels — if one company exclusively supplies a product or service, it can set its own prices. This

is not likely in photography unless you secure the exclusive rights to shoot at (say) an event.

Pure perceived value — fine art is a good example. A print of Sharbut Gula, the Afghanistan girl immortalised by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry costs $5,000 plus. The cost of its creation was markedly less.

Supply and demand — tickets for top-level sports events can be highly priced as there will be more committed potential customers than available seats. Translate this into your world, if you are needed at short notice, and there are no other suppliers, you may be able to charge more.

Remember, however, that you may well be able to charge top dollar once, but you risk alienating customers and will lose future goodwill and word will travel.

Flexible pricing So should you use different margins for different items, just as department stores do? The answer is yes.

You may find that some customers will pay a premium if they are to receive a premium service. This strategy can be extremely profitable. Think of the plumber who offers low daytime prices (to ensure a full workload) but who charges heavily for emergency call-outs (when customers will pay much more). You could offer event planning consultations and post shoot reviews in a customer’s home, offer a fast turnaround, and controversially, offer copyright on all the images once payment has been received.

Vanishing opportunities – some goods and services are valuable today and worthless tomorrow and photography is no exception. You have time slots when you can work, once the slot is passed it’s gone for good. Your pricing should reflect the situation and so your prices might well drop the closer you get to a slot being lost and unfilled.

Aim high It is easier to reduce prices than raise them. If you are in any doubt, try higher prices first. Be prepared to lower prices if the required sales volume is not achieved and your cash flow is under pressure.

Low prices often go hand-in-hand with poor quality and service so ask if being the cheapest photographer in town is the image you want to portray? Some businesses can win more customers (as well as boosting their margins) by putting their

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‘If you were told that a bit of training and development could yield a 15% profits increase, you’d probably say it was important.’

prices up – the premium motor and watch brands prove this well. Remember that low pricing is more often a strategy of the larger firm that cannot compete on service. As an independent photographer you can offer a string of benefits such as convenience, speed, quality and specialist skills. While some underprice in order to ‘build up sales’ you should aim to build up profits instead — the buying decision is rarely made purely on price.

Special tactics There may be times when the right price is dictated by factors other than cost or perceived value. Here tactical pricing can be used to achieve many different objectives.

Odd value — retailers have a habit of selling products for £9.99 instead of £10. This signals price awareness and is useful in creating a favourable impression to cost-conscious customers. If that’s the market you’re aiming at – and the schools sector is a case in point – then consider this as your pricing model.

Loss leaders — selling some products cheaply to win new customers. You may decide to advertise a free sitting with a 6x4 image as an enticement for customers to come for a shoot in order to then hopefully order a range of images for themselves and family.

Price war — deliberately undercutting rivals to win market share from them. While this is a great tactic for some retailers, it rarely ends up well for the majority, and for the bespoke service sector – photography – is unlikely to help.

Setting prices is an art that needs to carefully practiced. There’s precious little point in working hard to create and run a business if profits cannot be made and sustained.

Different approaches – business coaching, life coaching Whilst the craft and creative skills you have to provide your product might be a given, don’t always assume that you’re the best you could be at business. The money side as some might call it can often be the downfall of a new venture no matter how brilliant the photographer.

Business coaches or even life coaches can help fill such a gap – whether that’s helping to develop key business skills or the ability to see that you shouldn’t be the one sweeping the floor when there are pictures to be edited and retouched.

The majority of us tend not to see the full picture of opportunities for a business and a business or life coach can be very effective in widening horizons and really seeing what could be possible. The flip side might be increased administrative or training weight in the short term but the results could be a significant uplift in margin. An example would be if cold calling plays any part in your business – most of us are absolutely terrible at it. If you were told that a bit of training and development could yield a 15% profits increase, you’d probably say it was important. tP Issue Two / 2016 / the PHOTOGRAPHER 51

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Image © Stanley Matchett

Stanley Matchett Honorary Fellowship The iconic image taken on ‘Bloody Sunday’, 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. Father Edward Daly waves his blood-stained handkerchief, when 13 people were shot dead during a protest march against internment.

F

or over 40 years, Stanley Matchett has been at the pinnacle of the photographic profession in Northern Ireland. During an outstanding career he has photographed presidents and prime ministers, politicians and personalities, prominent in many walks of life.

He has also distinguished himself as a news photographer. His image (right) has been repeatedly published nationally and internationally. Full size copies of the pictures are also displayed in the Irish History section of several prestigious museums, making it by far, the most widely published picture of his career.

At the same time, Mirror Group Newspapers opened a pioneering new state-of-the art printing plant in Belfast, which, for the first time enabled a daily newspaper to run colour news photographs on its pages. Stanley Matchett was then head-hunted by the newspaper group to lead colour news photography across the frontiers. He was deployed to London to play a part in the extensive coverage of the Royal Weddings of Prince Charles and Diana, then Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. On other occasions he photographed royalty – every British and Irish Prime Minister, Northern

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Children of the troubles, Hooker Street, Crumlin Road, Belfast – following a bomb explosion. 1969 © Stanley Matchett

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Stanley Matchett / Honorary Fellowship

Ireland Government Ministers, as well as five American Presidents.

Events were also covered in Paris and he attended the World Cup football finals in Madrid. In 1990 he decided to become a freelance photographer and since then his expertise has been in continual demand by a variety of public and private sector clients.

An MBE was awarded in the 2003 New Years Honours list, for services to Photo Journalism. He was the first Irish press photographer to achieve this commendation. He has also mastered skills required in the digital age as the traditional film and chemical processing of images has become obsolete. Over the years, Stanley Matchett has won many awards and distinctions.

Stanley was the Northern Ireland Sports Photographer of the Year three times and Northern Bank Press Photographer of the Year in the Rothmans Press Awards

for Northern Ireland. The extensive portfolio Stanley Matchett has accumulated over 40 years, reflecting four decades of major social, economic and political change, illustrates the narratives of those times containing, as it does, enduring portraits as varied as the major showbands, which dominated Irish entertainment in the 1960s. His work has shown us the personalities and horrors of ‘the troubles’ and the wonderful personalities, landscapes and traditions of Irish life.

More recently Stanley has hosted residential photography courses in County Donegal.

Chris Ryder, Sunday Times

Margaret Thatcher and Dr Garret Fitzgerald sign the Anglo-Irish agreement, 15 November 1985 © Stanley Matchett

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Graham Rutherford Honorary Fellowship

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Graham Rutherford receiving his Hon FBIPP from Chris Harper FBIPP. Image © Scott Johnson FBIPP

urn the clock back to 1964 and Graham Rutherford leaves Liverpool University and is interviewed by an impressive director at Kodak. Joining Kodak in those days meant a graduate training course for two years – all about controlled lighting and the darkroom and dishes and how you told customers to work.

This was a time when a portrait was pretty much the same thing in every single household.

Kodak had a virtual monopoly in professional photography – despite Agfa and Ilford, Kodak had the lion’s share of the market.

Graham describes the industry of the late 1960s: ‘It was mainly men in white or brown coats with stains on them who periodically came out to take pictures and then disappeared again. There was little variation in the type of pictures being taken. Commercial photography was mainly in the hands of companies – other

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Graham Rutherford / Honorary Fellowship

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g than very elite photographers. Half of

business as a young rep was dealing with the likes of Leyland Motors’ neverending publicity prints on black and white paper.’

The world started to turn into colour in the early 1970s and Graham worked with fledgling colour labs – something he enjoyed as a technically minded person. As that phase of photography matured through the mid1970s marketing and promotional activity took the lead at Kodak which certainly contributed to the development of more creative techniques in photography as clients were actively encouraged to do something different.

The BIPP sat as a centre of excellence in social photography, indeed the commercial photographers of the time wanted less fuss and bother around them. People like a young Kevin Wilson threw away strictly controlled attitudes to portraiture. Times they were a changing.

Change was in the air, too, for Graham: ‘I moved to Fuji in 1983 – a fledgling company in the UK – and literally worked on my own. But the Fuji product quickly found traction in the UK and took off faster than we could cope with it. I think it was because Fuji listened – they didn’t presume what was needed in terms of types of product, such as the highly successful Velvia brand. The big problem we faced though was getting printers to accept it – they were strongly aligned to Kodak Ektachrome and a lot of work was required to break down the barriers. Labs tended to bias towards the warm side as a rule and so Fuji Velvia would look too warm. My

technical background helped there. I made lots of visits to Japan for product development work on projects such as Fuji’s neutral duplicating film. It was all very interesting to me. Fuji represented product development by means of consultation and understanding.’

The first time Graham headed for Japan he was treated to a meal by a senior director. ‘He said I had a reputation for drinking,’ explains Graham, ‘and that I had to choose the wine. I saw all these zeros in Yen and became a bit blinded.

I saw a Shiraz and plumped for that as a hopefully a safe options. Only afterwards I found out that I’d picked a £500 bottle of wine…’

As Fuji took over their UK distributor Graham went to work in London – a slightly different environment, but still very consultative: ‘There was no domineering approach – just a great interest in getting things right. It could be frustrating in terms of the time spans and relative slowness of product development.’ Graham became a director in the mid-1990s, but the approach remained the same. ‘It was very laid back in its approach to getting things done. Meetings were rare.’ In the early years of the new millennium spend moved very rapidly to digital: ‘The press, in particular, showed the writing on the wall. If you think of the difference in product through-put around major sporting events for example. Probably 90% of product spend disappeared there and then.’

Fuji did develop digital cameras of course and emerged as a strong digital player – talk of digital developments were spinning around Fuji from the early 1990s, though inevitably it was a long road. Graham’s view of photography from inside one of the world’s biggest photographic companies is perhaps unique: ‘Most inspiring I think was to see women coming into wedding and portrait industry – offering a closer, more natural understanding of their clients. But in many ways it’s hard to ignore the sense that photography has “gone” with digital. You don’t now need to be a good photographer to be a successful photographer. It’s in some ways crushed the creative individualism again. There was a whole craft around problem solving and the working up of a scene that will never return.

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Graham Rutherford / Honorary Fellowship

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Gerry Coe Honorary Fellowship

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Jalon Storm © Gerry Coe

Gerry describes his varied career: ‘I have been a professional photographer for 50 years, so I have seen a lot of changes in the profession and how it has moved through different phases of photography. I left school and started working for a photographer in Belfast – Lionel Salem at Jaymar Studios – doing B&W wedding and portrait work. I then moved to Robert Anderson Photography on the Ravenhill Road doing commercial and industrial photography, and then moved to work along with

Leslie Stuart who was the premier portrait photographer of his day and along with the artist and cartoonist Rowel Friers we ran a commercial studio for a number of years. Eventually in my early 20s I went freelance, eventually running my own business doing press, PR, aerial, fashion, weddings, portraits, architecture and any other job that was thrown at me. I also started a small business making copper etchings which eventually led to me opening up a picture framing business, The Frame and Picture Centre. This business is still going strong and is now run by my good friend Charlie Kennedy. I was still doing photography and as it started to build up I and my original partner, Charlie’s father Victor decided to split the two businesses and I went back full time to being a photographer and Charlie took over the Framing side.

I quickly settled on doing just black and white portraits and at the time I was the only photographer in Ireland who specialised in black and white. I became known for a

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Curves © Gerry Coe

Gerry Coe / Honorary Fellowship

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g particular style of photography which I

accepted over the years. My last accepted photograph sold out the edition of ten at the RUA exhibition.

As work moved away from the traditional darkroom printing and into the digital era I found myself exploring more with Photoshop and working with images to create new styles of work that people could hang in their homes, and although I produced some very nice pictures I was really still looking for something else. I had just changed my phone to an iPhone, but like most people at that time I knew that you could not get great pictures out of a camera in a phone, at least not like you were getting from your Nikon or Canon.

But a good friend of mine in the States, Dan Burkholder, who I had invited over about ten years ago for a platinum printing workshop was an early adopter of iPhone photography and after seeing some of his images on Facebook I emailed him and asked what he was doing with all these pictures. His reply was ‘Selling them Gerry!’ That set off the light bulb in my head and I thought there is something in this. So I then started

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Tuscan Farm © Gerry Coe

called ‘Pencil Portraits’ – these were very delicate high key images and were just perfect for children. I was also one of the first photographers to adopt white backgrounds and get rid of all the old traditional clutter. I have always been keen to do my own personal work, and have been a keen supporter of the amateur camera clubs. All through my career I have been very active in the art side of photography and have put on exhibitions of my work – I was also the first photographer to get accepted into the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts (an annual exhibition for artists of all disciplines of the arts) and I have had more than ten photographic artworks

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Dark Hedges © Gerry Coe

Gerry Coe / Honorary Fellowship

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Tom Carr © Gerry Coe

g to read and see what was available on

phone photography on the internet.

And I discovered a whole new world, and then I started to experiment. I now see myself a committed iPhone photographer: that most recent image in the RUA exhibition ‘Lone Tree’ started life as a black and white image and it came about when one of my more sceptical friends said “surely you can’t get anything good of that wee camera phone, what can you do with it?” So I

opened that tree image and proceeded to show the different things that could be done. When I had finished I looked at the image and thought “that looks quite good. I’ll keep that one”.

In the RUA exhibition it sold out its edition. Then it also won the BIPP Fine Art competition.

My exhibition of over 40 mobile photography images have been taken and processed using some of the many apps available on either my iPhone or my iPad. Each image is assessed and then using various apps different effects are achieved by combining and blending until a new image emerges. I am the first person worldwide to have achieved a Fellowship for a Panel of iPhone images from the BIPP.’

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