NZ Photographer Issue 10

Issue 10

February 10th 2010

Helping you take better photos

Travel

Photo Tips

Happy Snapper – Lachy Barclay, 15 Summer Photo Competition Winner Your Images Critiqued

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Ice-cold Cool Stuff

CONTENTS 5

what morocco taught me

17 critique

19 new competitions

summer comp winner

happy snapper, lachey barclay

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21 cool stuff

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Editorial W

e’re back! Refreshed and ready to tackle another year! Summer is a great time for photos, with lots of light around and more great weather than you can shake a stick at. Hopefully you’ll be taking advantage of

this, and filling up your memory cards with images – why don’t you send some in and get us to critique them!

Keep your eyes open for the advert for the Photography Institute – if you’re looking for a comprehensive, online course that covers a vast amount of photographic skills over 12 modules, look no further. I’ve not only checked them out thoroughly, I’ve actually agreed to be the tutor of anyone who enrols in their course through NZ as your tutor! (I’ll be nice, I promise!).

We’ve got a great issue to kick off 2010 – Lachy Barclay’s story is inspiring, Sam’s travel article makes some very interesting and amusing points, and look out for the Cool Stuff section, especially the link to the most moving photo essay I’ve seen in a long time.

Plus all the other goodness that makes us the number one photographic eMagazine in New Zealand*. *Editor’s opinion.

weather

time for

around and more

than you can

ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free!

a stick at.

ADDRESS

WEBSITE

Ollie Dale, ANZIPP

editor@nzphotographer.co.nz GROUP EDITOR Trudi Caffell ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone Richard on 09 523 4112 or email richardl@espiremedia.com

great

NZ Photographer, C/- Espire Media, PO Box 137162, Parnell, Auckland 1151, NZ www.nzphotographer.co.nz

NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication

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photos, with lots of

great light shake is a

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Summer

EDITOR

“

“

Photographer. That means not only do you get an amazing course, you also get me

GREAT TIPS Cityscapes

WHAT MOROCCO TAUGHT ME Photo Tips for the Traveller

By Sam Woolford

F

or the past two years I have lived and

in Morocco it is believed by many people

worked in a small European country

that to have a photo taken means the

called Luxembourg. This has given me

photographer is taking a piece of their soul.

(almost) sold my blonde wife for 20 camels

an incredible opportunity to travel all over

Therefore, it’s all but guaranteed you will be

and a lamp shop, but I got greedy and held

the world and take a few pictures along the

chased down the street if you get caught

out for 21 camels…

way. Along with a few pictures I have also

taking photos of them without permission.

learned A LOT of valuable lessons that you

Also, don’t forget that with different

might want to be aware of when travelling

countries come different religions. About

in different countries.

90 percent of the population of Morocco

Believe it or not, not everyone in the world

and you have a lot less restrictions.

There can be a silver lining though – I

So, just to recap: when travelling in some countries you can’t take photos of women but you can sell your wife!

These sound like very daunting issues

is a laid-back Kiwi. Cultures, religions and

clear rules about the relationships between

With all this in mind, and after a couple of

societies can change massively from country

women and men. The key rule to be aware

heated altercations, I decided that I would

to country, and this can have a surprisingly

of (ok, I’m abbreviating here) is that men

concentrate my photography on the lovely

large effect on your photography! For

are not allowed to acknowledge another

scenic images available in Morocco. A

example, last year we spent a few weeks

man’s woman – therefore taking photos is

few days after this, with my confidence

travelling around Morocco.

absolutely unacceptable. From the female

rising and my knowledge of the surrounding

perspective, women are not allowed to look

and the local customs/beliefs improved, I

I had visited, and it was a real eye opener.

a man directly in the eye, nor, interestingly,

went out with a different approach. It was

Their way of life and beliefs are incredibly

handle money. However, if you’re a woman,

then that I discovered a few key things that

different to the kiwi mentality. For example,

you’re already considered a subordinate

greatly helped my travel photography:

Morocco was the first third-world country

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to come up against for a photographer.

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is Muslim. In Muslim cultures there are very

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• Be sure to respect the culture My wife would wear a scarf over her head and keep her shoulders covered at all times, (even in 50 degree temperatures). She got more respect than other tourists we encountered who didn’t do this; locals seemed more prepared to help us.

• Learn the rules Take some time to do a little research, learn some of the beliefs and social ideas. Don’t hit the ground flat footed or you’ll risk insulting some of the locals – and that doesn’t tend to work in your favor; after all there are more of them than you!

• Talk to the people One of my favorite photos is of a blacksmith working on the street. To start with he was unhappy that I was even around him with the camera. I started to talk with him and showed him a few of my previous pictures. He laughed and we joked (not so much a joke, he just laughed at my French accent), and after a few minutes I asked him if I could take his picture. He was very happy to do this and afterwards we even shared a mint tea. I didn’t take a lot of photos of the people in Morocco, but the ones I got where that much more special because it was an entire experience compared to just taking a photo. It was difficult to get the images but the stories and what I know of the individuals behind them makes the few I have even more incredible.

• Be aware that not everyone in the world speaks English If you don’t speak the language just speak slowly and use hand gestures. For example, when I was in a very poor part of Spain (I don’t speak a word of Spanish, and they don’t speak English) I would show people the previous images I had taken, and I would tell them about where they were taken.

Often people where more relaxed after that. NOTE: Don’t forget to show them the photo you took of them – often it’s the first time they have seen themselves in a photo or on camera. It can be a real buzz for them.

• Pay for a picture I don’t agree with this for every situation, but street vendors (like snake charmers for example) will allow you to take photos if you pay for the opportunity. They also ask not to give children money for photos because it just encourages them; they will often drop out of school if they think they can earn a little money.

• Finally, expect people to say NO Not everyone in the world has a secret ambition to be a supermodel – this is no surprise. Be prepared for a little rejection and don’t take it personally. Therefore, I guess the conclusion has to be ‘expect the worst’ and be grateful for anything else. For example, travelling up the coast of Portugal (in the middle of nowhere) we ran into a group of children playing football one evening. Every one of them thought they were Renaldo and loved the idea of having their picture taken. They would run in front around yelling at me in

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Portuguese to take their photo.

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Sam Woolford is a freelance photographer specialising in marketing and advertising photography. Originally from West Auckland, he has spent the last few years living in Luxembourg, Europe. You can find a wide range of photos and contact details on www.outwidephotography.com

COMPETITION WINNER

Looks like everyone has been having a super summer so far! Thank you for all your entries – my favourite, and the winner of our prized cover is: CLIVE COPEMAN

PIC OF THE BUNCH

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Summer Photo Essay Competition

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BEST OF THE REST

Julie Hawton

Adeline Kho

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Shaun Holmes

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Lindy Dutoit

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Linda Keegan

Jacqui Brand-Holt

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Roger Griffiths

FEATURE

HAPPY SNAPPER Meet Lachy Barclay, Photographer

By Ollie Dale at his interest level, the subject matter

a lot of practise to get right. The jury’s

and the amount of time he spent on it...

still out as to whether people are born with

having to call him in for dinner with an

an eye for photography, or whether it’s a

appetite like his is an indication!”

skill that can be learned by anyone – I think

His occasional behavioural outbursts

it’s possibly both. One person who perhaps

mean having his interests extended is of

exemplifies the former is Lachy Barclay.

great importance. “Lachy has always had

Lachy is 15 years old, and lives in

a huge interest in books and, although still

Hamilton. He has, in his mother’s words,

unable to read or write, he can identify

“a rare chromosomal abnormality that has

key words and diagrams, and has learnt

resulted in global developmental delay”.

to capture the essence of the text by the

He spent his first six years in and out of

photographs and pictures. Through this

hospital and specialist care and has had

he has developed a special interest in

severe speech difficulties, which have vastly

newspapers and topical magazines,

improved over the past two to three years.

especially the National Geographic, of

He is also on the autistic spectrum.

which he has a vast collection.

Lachy had his first play with a camera

“Lachy has a keen interest in all around

in January of 2008. Sally, his mother,

him; nature and the environment, people,

remembers: “Lachy had wanted to use my

animals, technology and politics/

current affairs. With Lachy’s inability to communicate articulately he seems to have an amazing visual awareness and when he discovered photography he had a new way to explore and to show his creativity.”

Lachy’s story really intrigued me; I asked him and Sally to visit when they came to Auckland, and to bring some pictures. What is evident to me is that Lachy’s photographic ability is advanced, even if his speech isn’t.

For someone who’s faced the challenges that he’s had in life, it’s amazing that he’s been able to pick up a camera and immediately take some very interesting images. He listened to what I had to say about his photos with

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camera for some time. I was amazed

for expression, but one that can take

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P

hotography is an amazing medium

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a keen ear, and he understood what I was

and “well loved”, and it doesn’t have the

association with PhotoNZ Ltd, is helping to

talking about when I described the various

capabilities he needs to fully express himself

put on an exhibition of Lachy’s work. Limited

techniques he was using well.

– several images were well crafted but were

edition canvas prints will be available for

What’s also exciting is that Sally is looking at

out of focus, a symptom of some slow-focusing viewing and purchase in the rooms of the

how she can help Lachy develop a profile, build compact cameras. It’s time for an upgrade.

Dental Hygiene Clinic, 120 Remuera Rd,

a website, and look to sell his images online,

Auckland, from 5pm to 8pm on Friday the

So we’ve decided to raise some money

helping to provide some security for his future.

for Lachy to buy a new camera, namely

I can see, though, that he is limited by

the new Canon G11, which I think is the

his tools – his Powershot A75 is a little tired

perfect camera for him. NZ Photographer, in

26th of March.

Come along, meet Lachy, and support the future of this very talented young man.

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For your invite please email editor@nzphotographer.co.nz.

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CRITIQUE

BOXER 1

Sized Up

BOXER 2

YOUR WORK CRITIQUED

By Ollie Dale

There’s no better way to learn than by having your work critiqued! In this section you get to have your work critiqued by a professional photographer, and our illustrious editor, Ollie Dale. Ollie has been a professional photographer for seven years, and has had clients such as the NZ Herald, Visa, Microsoft, Westpac, Unitec and BMW. He is also a qualified commercial member and Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (ANZIPP).

Ollie’s Comments: Great shot. It’s obviously

digital Back

in July 2008. This image was for the brief

a set-up portrait, but you’ve layered your

Shutter: 1/125 sec

‘Environmental Portrait’ - I chose to do it on

subjects nicely. The eye goes straight to the

Aperture: f/8

a boxer. This is my first attempt at Medium

emotion of the victorious boxer, and then

ISO: 50

Format. I wanted to make it look old. The

passes through the other characters to end

From the author: I’m a photography

bright (colour) image is the original the other

up at the boxer on the floor. I personally

student. I picked up a DSLR for the first

is my final image that I submitted for the brief.

also like the awkward photographer –

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time when I started studying photography

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Camera: Hasselblad H1 with Leaf Aptus 22

having shot boxing before I empathise with

on his chest – you’ve obviously thought a lot

characters, and the others should be treated

them; the action usually always falls away

about your lighting, and I can see at least

as background. (OP2)

from you and at the wrong angle.

three lights lighting the scene. However,

If all I had been given was the final image,

I don’t particularly like the dark lines

while you’ve layered your subjects nicely, you

growing out of the victor’s head, but overall

without any of the explanation, I would have

haven’t layered your light. All the subjects

while looking a little contrived it’s still an

commented on your use of lighting – check

seem to be evenly lit, and I think that it leads

interesting portrait.

out the highlighted rim light on the boxer’s

to a flattening of your layers. The ‘hottest’

shoulder combined with the reflected light

part of your image should be the main

The extra information, that you wanted to make it look old, requires further attention.

Perhaps there’s a certain ‘old’ that you’re

OP 2

thinking of, but to me it doesn’t quite make it To me, thinking of old images conjures up black and white or monochrome prints, with haziness or scratches or vignetting or grain or all of the above, plus more.

Even if we were thinking of an old colour print, the first thing that springs to my mind is that the colour red fades the most from prints. In your image the red, consistent from the downed boxer, the victor’s gloves, and the lovely maiden in the background, is obviously important, but is inconsistent with the feeling of an old, faded, colour print.

The other option (OP3) is my personal take on an old print of your image – perhaps I’ve taken it too literally, but it’s a

OP 3

little more like an image I might find on the walls of an old pub somewhere.

In summary, your image is technically advanced from what most people who read this magazine are used to, and hopefully it will inspire them to consider portraits as more than just snapshots. Your post production is good, and definitely improves the image, but perhaps falls short of where you wanted to get to in replicating an old print.

Get your images critiqued by a professional – send an image to critique@nzphotographer. co.nz with a brief description of how and why you took the shot, and we’ll tell you what we think and if it could be improved!

go extreme. there’s no turning back.

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humidity so you can take it to the extreme—no matter what.

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60MB/second

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COMPETITIONS

Your Favourite Photo Open Single Image Competition teach you about photography and

H

competition. The rules are slightly different –

all your old files and show everyone your

then challenge you to take what

The image can be of anything, in any style

favourite photo. We expect a number of

you have learned and apply it to the making

or technique, and there are no rules about

super images, so even if you don’t win

of a great image. We were thinking though,

how recently it needs to have been taken.

you may still get published on our Best of

over the holidays, that everyone must have

Remember though, the winner will be going

the Rest page. Images must be 100dpi,

loads of photos safely stored away in folders

on the cover. You will also not be able to

20cm wide, and sent to competitions@

on their computer, and everyone must have

enter the same image in any further Open

nzphotographer.co.nz by 5pm on Monday

their favourite image…

category competitions we hold.

the 22nd of February

Having said all that, get to it – go through

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So here it is – our first ever Open

Feb 10

ere at NZ Photographer we love to

Recording your Travel AdventureSs be taken as a single image, but together they

bit, so we’re also announcing our

convey an overall story of the subject.

next Essay competition as well…

Open Travel Photo Essay – similar to the Open

While you’re trawling through your single images for our other competition, keep your

single image competition above, in that it can

eyes open for a series of 4-6 images from a trip

be historical or recent photos, but different in that

around NZ or overseas. We’ll give you a bit

it must have a travel (overseas preferred, around

longer to get these together – please have them

NZ is ok) or exotic theme. Remember too, essays

to us by 5pm on Monday the 15th of March.

Next Essay Competition Travel (Open)

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must tell a story in the images, where each can

need to catch up with ourselves a

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ecause we had a few weeks off we

GADGETS

COOL STUFF Days with My Father

Speedy Flash Card

Slow-Mo Video

H

of what a photo essay is. Phillip Toledano,

W

Power is touting the world’s first 128GB

W

a respected and talented photographer

400x Compact Flash card with write speeds

series of high speed cameras is the Exilim

in his commercial life (his work has

of 90MBps and support for PIO Mode-6

EX-FH100 point and shoot. It does 10

appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York

(as defined by CompactFlash spec 2.0)

megapixel stills, high speed burst capture

Times magazine, The New Yorker, Esquire,

and Multi-Word DMA 4 (as defined by

and up to 1,000 FPS video. Like with other

GQ, Wallpaper, The London Times, The

CompactFlash spec 2.1) transfer mode in

Casio models, the higher the frame rate,

Independent Magazine, Le Monde, and

quad-channel configurations. In other words,

the lower the resolution, but you can get

Interview magazine, amongst others), has

it’ll play nice with new HD video capable

a full VGA image at 120 FPS. At $349

opened up his personal life for the whole

DSLR shooters. Unfortunately, the card is only

it’s practically a bargain if you absolutely

world in a series of images about the last

being announced today -- no price or ship

need to do slow motion, and while it’s a

few years of living with his father. www.

date in the press release. Sigh.

bit chubby and heavy in comparison to

dayswithmyfather.com is a site you should

Source: Engadget

“fashionable” point and shoots, it’s plenty

ere is possibly the most moving set of images I’ve seen in a long time, and also a supreme example

hoa, we just hit yet another major performance milestone in removable storage. Silicon

e’re suckers for slow motion video, and Casio’s clearly tapped into a vast supply of

FPS to feed our cravings. The latest in its

read with interest and perhaps a packet

capable as a stills camera to keep this from

of tissues. Then you should send it on to

being a one trick pony. Check out the slow-

everyone you know, because we think

motion capabilities after the break.

it’s amazing. Then, of course, you could

Source: Engadget

pre-order the book (to be published in April 2010 by NZ’s very own Geoff Blackwell, of the M.I.L.K. books, and who we interviewed in Issue 1).

(Note: www.dayswithmyfather.com requires the Adobe Flash Player).

Cool Stuff comes to you with help from the knowledgeable people at www.engadget.com. Each issue Ollie, our illustrious

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editor, trawls through the amazing photographic gadgets and gizmo’s to bring you the best of the best. Enjoy!

NEXT ISSUE

In the next issue of NZ Photographer…

How To – Smoke-Art Images from Oil Rigs Open Image Competition Winner Plus much more...

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