NZ Photographer Issue 8

Issue 8

December 2nd 2009

Helping you take better photos

Gear Review: GIMP Image Editing Software

Off the Bookshelf:

Press Pass

How To Get Great

TIPS FOR Your Christmas Photos

Summer Holiday Photos

Eating

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Photo Essay Winner

CONTENTS 6.

Off the Bookshelf 10.

HOW TO:

Get Great Summer Holiday Snaps

20.

EVENTS

16.

Eating

ESSAY WINNER

15.

YOUR WORK

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Critiqued

Editorial O

ne of our key reasons for working so hard on NZ Photographer is to create a community in New Zealand to promote photography and increase the profile of the photographic industry. Basically by inspiring

you lot to take better pictures and network with other amateur and enthusiastic photographers we help the industry as a whole to grow.

That said, we’re pleased to announce a partnership with a brand new forum for photographers – Phototalk (www.phototalk.net.nz).

When I say brand new, I mean you are some of the first people to hear about it! Phototalk will provide us all with a forum for photographers to talk about photography – without the distractions of your 368 friends’ updates on Facebook.

We are working hard with Phototalk to create an online presence, and we’re even going to have the ability to upload photos to enter our

competitions via their website.

That will all come in the new year – in the meantime, check out and sign up to the forums at www.phototalk.net.nz – and don’t forget to join the NZ Photographer Fans group!

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

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

NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication

go extreme. there’s no turning back.

You go to extremes to get just the right shot, and with the SanDisk Extreme ® line of CompactFlash ® cards, you’ll get that shot, every time. Engineered to be lightning fast with blistering read/write speeds of up to 90MB/sec, these cards are also rigorously stress-tested for extreme shock, vibration, temperature and humidity so you can take it to the extreme—no matter what.

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EDITOR

ADDRESS

WEBSITE

Dec 2

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!

For more info contact info@lacklands.co.nz

Off the Bookshelf

Press Pass: A How-To of Photojournalism Author: Geoff Dale Publisher: Harper Collins

RRP $49.95 Where To Buy This Book

© NZ Herald – Rainbow Warrior Bombing, 1985

G

eoff Dale’s professional life has been spent capturing

Ali... These amazing photographs transport you to those

the moments that have defined our current events. His

decisive moments, providing an absorbing insight into what it

retrospective of news and sports in New Zealand over

has been like to be a Kiwi.

the past forty years provides a thoughtful, provocative and insightful collection of iconic images and memories. If you lived through these

From Jim Tully’s foreward:

events, fascinating background information will add a new dimension, From the now-infamous Fish and Chip Brigade plotting their

“Journalists produce what former Washington Post publisher Philip Graham called the ‘first rough draft of history’. In print media,

rise to power, to the shot of the sunken Rainbow Warrior the

reporters write the words and photographers take the pictures.

morning after the fatal bombing in Auckland harbour, these

Photographers are usually closest to the action, and often it is the

are poignant and important moments in our history. Contrast

image that lingers longest in the mind of readers...

All Black captains Buck Shelford and Richie Macaw – one

“The age of computers and satellites has transformed and enhanced the practice of photojournalism at a time when most

other being sprayed by a make-up artist; witness the grief of the

newspapers are online and there is an even greater premium

family of an innocent victim of a motorway shooting; wince at

on immediacy. Sadly, however, newspaper photographers have

a jockey’s bone-crushing fall; or shadow-box with Mohammed

also seen their specialist role eroded as reporters routinely take

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covered with mud, blood and the sweat of on-field battle, the

6

as well as professional techniques from a highly skilled practitioner.

a ‘point and shoot’ digital camera on assignment. Then there is the increasing use of photographs and video supplied by socalled ‘citizen journalists’.

“As we witness enormous change in the practice of journalism, Geoff Dale’s anthology of his work spanning a long and distinguished career is a timely reminder that we need welltrained, highly competent photojournalists who have a passion for their profession and for recording that first rough draft of history.”

About the Author: Geoff Dale is a highly respected awardwinning press photographer who began working with The New Zealand Herald in 1970, and has covered major current events ever since, winning five Qantas press awards and three best Photo of the Year awards, amongst others. He lives in Orakei, in Auckland.

To listen to a book review of Press Pass, click here To listen to an interview with the author, click here

© NZ Herald – Sky Tower complete, 1997

© NZ Herald – Steeple chase, 2003

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© NZ Herald – Muldoon loses, 1984

© NZ Herald - The “Fish and Chip Brigade”, 1980

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© NZ Herald – steer on the loose, 1996

© NZ Herald – Kaiaua double murderer 1992

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© NZ Herald – Morrie Davies, Air NZ - Erebus Crash, 1979

How To:

Get Great Summer Holiday Snaps

© Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Ltd.

T

he days are getting longer, holiday plans are being discussed,

around your holiday, but sometimes you need something else to hold

and we’re all fooling ourselves into thinking that the next four

your camera for a bit – ask for a Gorillapod for Christmas, and kiss the

months of our lives will be spent in cloudless, sunny bliss... It

person who gets it for you.

must be summer! Time to whip out those jandals, pack the suncream, and run back inside while the car’s still running to get the hat you left

Waterproof Camera – My favourite summer camera is my pocket-sized,

on the counter...

waterproof camera. Strap it on tight and take it swimming with your mates – it’ll give you some great water images without the stress of

And if you take lots of photos you’ll remember these holidays for the

having to keep it dry.

rest of your life!

So, how do you plan to record history this summer? Here are some tips and tricks to help: GEAR Don’t forget your camera, of course, but that’s not all you’ll need.

Batteries and Memory Cards – Take more than you think you’ll use, because local shops have a habit of hiking the prices on these photographic essentials. Keep memory cards safe, cool and dry, and use rechargeable batteries or dispose of used batteries properly.

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Gorillapod/Mini Tripod – You don’t want to be lugging a heavy tripod

Keep your equipment cool – Whatever camera you take, keep it

at our family, everywhere we go we stand in a pack and stare in

cool! Don’t just chuck it on the sand and take off, because if the

the same direction...” – spice your facebook page up with shots

beach goblins (you know, the ones who steal your best pair of

of people doing the things you do on holiday. Believe me, by day

sunglasses and one of your shoes) don’t pinch it, the sun will cook

three everyone will be so used to you that they’ll relax and you’ll

it beyond repair. Also remember how hot your car can get, even

capture some great moments.

when you’re driving. You could stop short of having a dedicated chilly bin for your camera equipment – or perhaps not...

Early mornings/late nights – Have you heard the term ‘golden hours’?

Those are the hours just after sunrise and just before sunset – the

TECHNIQUES

sun is low in the sky, the light is warmer (golden?), and the cooler

For after the tent has been put up...

temperatures mean you’ll be able to concentrate on shutter speeds without expiring. Summer’s golden hours are much longer than

Take more candid shots – So many summer holiday shots are groups

winter’s, so make the most of the fact that the whole campground is

of people looking at the camera. The only story that tells is “look

awake by 7am, and take the kids for a photo expedition.

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© Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Ltd.

De-clutter images – for at least half of your images make a

HINTS

conscious effort to de-clutter – keep your images simple and

For impressing the rellies at the next family dinner...

illustrative, and avoid too many elements in the photo; use your zoom or change your angle to keep your photos interesting without

Look at postcards – If you travel away from home, pop into the local dairy

being messy.

and look at the postcards they invariably have at holiday destinations – if you can recognise some of the local landmarks, buy the cards and use

Don’t be shy, get amongst it! – There may be a local festival,

them as reference and inspiration for shooting your own postcard shots.

a town fair, or even just a game of beach volleyball that’s interrupting your sudoku – what better opportunity to get up close

Record first impressions – Quite often the exhilaration of first impressions

and personal than amongst a whole bunch of strangers that you’ll

is inspiration enough for astounding photos – just remember your family

most likely never see again!

is waiting in the car.

Flash Control – Just for a change, and because you’re feeling brave,

Photograph ordinary people – Locals doing what they do can tell lots of

turn the flash on during the day and off at night – you’ll be amazed at

stories about your holiday, so look for opportunities to sneak a few shots

the results!

from a distance.

Experiment yourself silly – Digital photography’s free, right? (Ha!) Well,

Finally... print all nine Issues of NZ Photographer to study the How-To

a lot less expensive than film was – so read all the tips and tricks we’ve

articles, and then send your best four-six images in by 1 February 2010

brought you this year, and experiment till your batteries run out.

to enter our Summer Holiday Essay competition!

Images © Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Ltd.

This article was contributed by Ollie Dale, a professional photographer based in Parnell, Auckland, and a qualified

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member of the NZIPP (Commercial). More details can be found on his website, www.photonz.com

Illustrating ILLUSTRATING

Christmas

Christmas Next issue’s competition (single image) is Christmas – so we thought we’d give you some inspiration to help you win the prized spot of being our first Christmas cover... Aren’t we lovely!?

Image © Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Ltd.

•

You have until December 14th to get your images in to us, so

light, long exposure shots. Why not try a 2-minute exposure

there should be plenty of decorated houses around to photograph

(if your camera has a bulb setting) at f/22 and see what

in time for our deadline – if you’re in Auckland, why not head

happens... It’s also an opportunity to think about unusual angles

into Ponsonby’s Franklin Road for a smorgasbord of twilight

and perhaps an unexpected macro shot among all the people

opportunities. In fact we know that most towns and cities in

and their celebratory extras.

New Zealand have some of those people who think that it isn’t Christmas if they don’t cover their house in fairy lights – maybe

•

Decorations are decorative. Practise your macro skills on some

you’re even one of them!? Consider using long bulb exposure

glittery figurines or oodles of tinsel. Again think of unusual

settings to capture the lights at night, or perhaps even trying to get

angles, and pushing boundaries until the decorations become

some faces in the reflected glow of the christmas lights.

art. Perhaps think about using the reflective surface of those shiny round ones, or create a scene with the family putting them on the

•

Christmas to you may not be Santa – perhaps it’s church,

tree. Think natural rather than posed for best results.

nativity scenes and children dressed up as shepherds and angels? Whatever it means to you, we’re eager to see your

•

Keep it simple – Christmas can have a lot going on – try

photos and be a part of your experience. Remember, it’s

to keep a single focal point in your image and not get too

emotions that make the photos, so make sure you capture the

distracted by everything else going on around you.

spirit of the time of year.

Carols by Candlelight – another opportunity to get some low

makes great photos.

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•

Have fun – if you’re not having fun you’re not doing it right. Fun

Dec 2

•

PIC OF THE

Bunch Christmas Single-image Reminder

S

eeing as our final issue for 2009 goes out on

Wednesday 23rd December, what better subject to

illustrate than Christmas!? We’ll give you some tips in

the next issue about how you can create stunning Christmas imagery, but get your thinking caps on, and start planning some ideas.

Submit your best image to competitions@nzphotographer.co.nz.

Entry Deadline: 5pm, 14th December 2009 Winner Published: •

Issue 9 (Christmas)

Get your image published, and be the cover of our next

Competition Rules: You should enter only one image, and only if you are a subscriber to NZ Photographer.

•

100dpi, 20cm wide.

•

NZ Photographer a non-exclusive license to use the

Have your winning image printed on canvas, thanks to Plus, with summer just around the corner, get your greasy hands on this wicked BBQ set, care of our friends at Brand Storming Promotions.

Brand Storming Promotions provides unique and pretty cool

You as the photographer will retain all copyrights to the image. By entering your image you grant image in the magazine and on the website www.

PhotoNZ.com •

The image you enter must have been taken on or after November 11th 2009.

•

issue.

•

The image should be emailed at a minimum of

nzphotographer.co.nz.

•

NZ Photographer will not sell or make available the image to any third party for any reason.

•

The judge’s decision is final, and is not open for debate.

apparel and promotional merchandise for any corporate event or marketing strategy. To promote your business or to get something branded with your logo, check out their website at www.bsp.co.nz.

PhotoNZ.com can get your favourite images printed on highquality canvas at almost any size. Hang your photography around your home or office, or make highly personalised gifts for friends, relatives and those people who seem to have everything. Order

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your canvas online at www.photonz.com.

Sized Up

Your Work Critiqued

Judge: Ollie Dale

been a professional photographer for 6 years, and has had

critiqued! In this section you get to have your work critiqued

clients such as the NZ Herald, Visa, Microsoft, Westpac,

by a professional photographer, Ollie Dale. Ollie has

Unitec and BMW. He is also a qualified commercial member and Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (ANZIPP).

Camera: Olympus E510 Shutter Speed: 1/640th sec Aperture: f5.6 Lens: AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm

OLLIE’s Comments: Cool shot! I can’t claim to be a nature or landscape photographer, so I can only go on photography basics when it comes to comments on this shot, but you’ve OP1

done well. Technically, the composition is good, your short depth of field is great, and you’ve exposed it nicely. Apart from using a reflector to bounce some light back on to the main flower, you’ve done a good job onsite, and everything else is back on the computer.

Because imagery is so subjective, the post-production techniques you use are as well, but there are a couple of basics to do first. I think the lower 25 percent of the image doesn’t really add anything, and the bottom right corner is a little messy with the contrast jumps and harsh lines. I’d crop the bottom off the image, and then I’d increase the contrast and exposure a little – the image is a little

OP2

muddy straight from the camera, so put a little bit of life back in. OP1 shows the difference that +0.50 exposure, +20 contrast and +25 Vibrance gives.

That’s the easy bit – from there you can go any way you like...

What about using the colour sliders to drop off the other colours in the image and leave the lovely pinks and reds? (OP2) Add some under-exposure to the rest of the image to make the main flower pop out? (OP3) Or even run the image through an art filter to add another look to it. (OP4)

OP3

The possibilities are as endless as your imagination, and you’ve given yourself the best opportunities by creating a great image in your camera that really only needs a few touches to make it look its best.

Call for entries: Get your images critiqued by a professional photographer – 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. You’ll win yourself a great pair of NZ Photographer Binoculars, care of our friends at Brand Storming Promotions.

NZ Photographer

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OP4

Dec 2

T

here’s no better way to learn than by having your work

Winner

Our Eating Essay

Taking a bite out of life

(and so many others, Rick). What I liked was his attention to lighting

were varied and certainly up to the task. Lots of you

his subject, and the different angles he used. I was also really drawn

looked at one specific part of eating, and that is true

to the image we used on the cover – very well done, Rick.

Rick McQuinlan Rick’s focus was on coffee, which he claims is an addiction of his

As well as the notoriety and fame that will no doubt come his way for nabbing the cover image for this issue, Rick will receive the great NZ Photographer BBQ set from Brand Storming Promotions, and a canvas print of his cover image, care of PhotoNZ.

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of our winner:

Dec 2

W

ith such a broad subject to illustrate, the entries

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NZ Photographer

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Dec 2

NZ Photographer

Win with

NZ PHOTOGRAPHER Summer Photo Essay Competition

Image © Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Ltd.

Y

ay for holidays! Whether you’re away with your mates,

packing the kids up or off to forget about kids altogether,

Essay Rules:

take your camera (and a printout of this issue) with you and

1. You should enter four to six images per essay, and only

tell us a story about your whole trip, part of your trip, or what you got up to during the summer.

Because we’re also going away (camping, I hope) you’ve got an extended deadline for this one – in fact, you’ve got almost two months! Get your best four to six (ok, we’ll take eight this time, but only the once) images into us by 5pm on Monday 1 February 2010.

Remember, plan your shots and send your best four to eight images to essays@nzphotographer.co.nz If you didn’t read the article on how to shoot photo essays in the first issue you can download it here.

Get your image in to win: •

Be the cover of Issue 10, the first of 2010.

•

Have your best image printed on Canvas, thanks to PhotoNZ.com

•

Plus, with summer threatening to actually arrive, get your greasy hands on a wicked BBQ set, care of our friends at

if you are a subscriber to NZ Photographer.

2. Images should be sent through at a minimum of 100dpi, 20cm wide, and can be on separate emails.

3. The images you enter must have been taken on or after October 21st 2009.

4. You as the photographer will retain all copyrights to the images. By entering your images you grant NZ Photographer a non-exclusive license to use the images in the magazine and on the website www.nzphotographer.co.nz.

5. NZ Photographer will not sell or make available the images to any third party for any reason.

6. The judge’s decision is final, and is not open for debate.

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Brand Storming Promotions.

Get Inspired Image © Tony Kwak

PHOTOGRAPHY EVENTS AROUND NEW ZEALAND

An Eye on the Universe Astronomical photos Whangarei Museum 23 November 2009 to 31 January 2010

Image © Mrs Ray Turley

Image © Cate Marshall

Simply Grey Greyhound photography Community Arts Centre Palmerston North 12 December 2009 to 12 January 2010

Mrs Ray Turley Pixel Painting Monmo Gallery, Orewa, Auckland 12 November 2009 to 20 December 2009

Workshop Series

Bringing the knowledge to you.

NZ Photographer is pleased to announce the dates of our next Workshop Series... If you like NZ Photographer, you’ll love these workshops!

Comments from the Basic Workshops: Loved the course... looking forward to the Photoshop one.

Inspired to get snapping in the various competitions! Thanks.

Allison Mackenzie

My first workshop, really enjoyed it. Was great to meet other like-minded people. Learned heaps, thanks for answering all my questions Liz Robertson

! l a i t n e s s E s g n i Pre-book

Post Production Skills 1

Basic Photoshop Other Software Options Workflow Tips

+ the Latest Magazine Reviewed

90 min / $40 Sat 12th Dec 10 - 11:30am

Post Production Skills 2 Advanced Photoshop Techniques

+ the Latest Magazine Reviewed

90 min/ $40 Sat 12th Dec 12 - 1:30pm

Workshops held at Studio 3D, 93 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland, in association with PhotoNZ Ltd. Come and meet other subscribers, ask questions and get tricks & tips to improve your images!

Limited seats for each workshop, so book now! Email editor@nzphotographer.co.nz

GEAR REVIEW Bring out the Gimp!

GIMP Image Editing Software

I

f you haven’t heard of GIMP, then you’re in good company – until

“Select shapes using intelligent edge fitting”, and the Foreground

a well-educated reader of NZ Photographer pointed it out to me,

Select tool – but these are really just repackaged versions of

neither had I. I thought it was time to introduce everyone to GIMP,

Photoshop’s Quick Mask, Magnetic and Polygonal select tools.

or more specifically GIMP 2.6.6 on Windows.

But the nitty-gritty of Photoshop isn’t its selection tools – it’s options

In one sentence, GIMP is a free imaging editing program that has

like layers, adjustment layers and filters.

many of the features that Photoshop has, and if you’re struggling

GIMP has layers, and layer masks, but no adjustment layers.

to find a way to pay the price of Photoshop, this may be a viable

So much of my personal post production includes the glory of

alternative for you. If that statement is enough to convince you that

non-destructive adjustment layers that I don’t think I could live

your future creativity lies with GIMP, then click here to start the

without them – I’ve heard it said that next to the invention of the

download process. For more details, read on...

layer itself, Adjustment Layers arguably represent Photoshop’s best

For starters let me make one thing clear – Adobe is the king of image

feature for retouching.

editing software, with its flagship, Photoshop, combined with Bridge

There are some other drawbacks – like only being able to work in

and Camera Raw being my choice for post production heaven.

8-bit RGB colour (not 16- or 32-bit, and not CMYK, although there

Having said that, GIMP was a pleasant surprise.

are some plug-ins that claim to help) but if you don’t know why

For anyone familiar with Photoshop, the layout is different enough

that’s a limitation then it probably doesn’t matter to you. There are

to be distracting. GIMP’s default still has the tools palette to the left

MANY other great features that GIMP does have – filters, blending

of the screen, and the brushes and layers to the right. Different to

modes – that are very useful tools for working on your images… and

Photoshop, though, is that the windows all appear to be different

remember to try out the perspective clone tool. Nice!

windows floating above each other – like having different programs

I wouldn’t give up Photoshop for GIMP, but if I was just starting out

open – and the default colours are beige, as opposed to the neutral

then GIMP would be a fabulous beginning. When you consider that

grey of Photoshop.

this program is developed by volunteers, and when you do some

A lot of the same tools are available too – Rectangle, Ellipse and

research and see the plans they have for GIMP’s future releases, it’s

Free selections similar to the Marquee and Lasso tools of Photoshop

obvious that it’s an amazing program for free, and I have no doubt

– but there are new tools like the scissors tool, which claims to

that Adobe will be keeping a firm watch on GIMP’s progress.

COol stuff The Big Shot digital camera kit

P

ardon us while we freely admit that we have literally no idea

prototype testing phase, we really hope this gadget (and more like it)

what’s going on inside a camera -- whether it’s digital or those

makes it to the market sometime soon.

quaint film-based ones you hear about from your grandma.

Editor’s note: It’s uncanny how this resembles many of the

Luckily, our own kids might not have to suffer as we have: a group at

electronics I owned as a child – only this one’s supposed to come

the Computer Vision Laboratory at Columbia University have designed

apart! Must get one for my son, who appears to be following in my

and built a prototype digital camera that should demystify the devices.

footsteps – at least when it comes to pulling anything mechanical/

The Big Shot digital camera kit, if and when it hits the market, will be

electronic to pieces...

a box of all the necessary parts for kids to be able to build their own

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Source: Engadget Dec 2

simple, candy-coloured digital camera. While the Big Shot is still in

In the next issue of NZ PhotographerWinner of the ‘Christmas’ Single Image Competition

Christmas Give-aways from NZ Photographer

Gear Review

Focus on Memory Cards

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How to recover lost or deleted photos