Creative Light - Issue 37 by Guild of Photographers

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY - Ian Knaggs GUILD SPOTLIGHT - Dan Rushton FROM THE SEA - Stephen Yates GOLD AWARDS - March + April 2020 WILDLIFE IN MY GARDEN - Mark Lynham

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Contents 16

Stories behind the Camera Stephen Radley

Ian Knaggs. Commercial Photography

28 39

Dan Rushton Wildlife Photography

40 49

©Cameron Scott

Stories behind the Camera Stuart Bebb Stephen Yates From the Sea Stories behind the Camera Stephanie Chapman, Imelda Bell Gold Awards March and April 2020

52 60

Mark Lynham Wildlife in my Garden

Stories behind the Camera Rob Dalton

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Steve & Lesley Thirsk The Guild of Photographers

It is with deep sadness that we had to announce the deaths of two incredible Guild Members and personal friends last week - Andrew Appleton and Alastair McDavid. Andrew was one of the Guild’s first Guild Panel Members, a hugely talented photographer and truly gifted trainer, as well as a personal friend. His ‘pay it forward’ approach was acknowledged by the Guild with a rare Special Contribution Award in 2015 (for everything he had given to members and the industry in general). Many of the Guild’s long-standing members had the privilege of knowing him, and those that did, were blessed to know the most kind-hearted and humorous person. He truly was a friend to everyone! Alastair was sadly a victim of Covid-19. He was one of the first professional photographers in the UK to use a digital camera, and during the 1990’s was considered a digital pioneer. Over time he became a specialist in managing digital media. He was a ‘giver’ and was highly respected and loved. He was known to many Guild members indirectly, as Alastair ran the IOM competition website. He was a privilege to know, and always had a smile on his face - you could literally sense his smile in his words, even at the end of the phone! Both are already hugely missed! On a more positive note the Guild is delighted to welcome three new Judges on to it’s Panel – Charlotte Bellamy, Heather Burns and Mark Lynham! Charlotte, who is based in the Netherlands, where she runs workshops and photo tours. She is perhaps best known for her use of ICM (In Camera Movement) and her creative landscape photography. She was awarded her Master Craftsman qualification in 2018, and was the Guild’s ‘All Round’ Photographer of the Year twice. Heather is a hobbyist photographer has achieved no less than two Master Craftsman awards with the Guild and is best known for her Gothic style images, created using composites and textures. She has won many Awards with the Guild including 74 Golds and Silvers in the Image of the Month competition. Mark is a hobbyist photographer too. His main photography passions are military aviation and wildlife. He is a Master Craftsman and only started his photographic journey eight years ago. In that short period, he became the overall ‘Photographer of the Year’ three times and ‘All-Round Photographer of the Year’ twice, as well as the ‘Open Category’ Competition Winner four times. The Guild’s Webinar programme, which was launched in response to the ‘lockdown’ situation is going from strength to strength. In the last month alone, we hosted over 40 new ones (typically two a day). They have covered a huge variety of genres (documentary, drones, newborns, landscapes, portraits, pets and weddings to name but a few), and an equally varied cross-section of photography based skill-sets. There are even 121 chats and exhibition hours with photographers (last weeks involved documentary legend Martin Parr and European Master Photographer Vincent O’Byrne). We know that many of us will be emerging from lockdown in the coming weeks, and those in business will re-open and want to kick start theirs. With that in mind we have launched a 10 part ‘Bounce Back’ Business course, which is being run by ‘Profits First’ expert Ronan Ryle from 3XM. This programme is designed to help businesses literally ‘bounce back’ and ensure people can run successful businesses selling their art! All these webinars, including the business course, are available to members ‘on demand’ from our ever-growing library. Finally, on the 1st June we launched our “Portraits of Togetherness” campaign. This has been member-driven from the outset, and involves generous members spread across the UK, giving some free shoots to NHS staff and key workers. Whilst under the Guild’s umbrella, all the amazing offers are different and it’s all locally run, to ensure that it’s Local Heroes that benefit! We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Creative Light, and above all we hope you stay safe! Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Editor

Julie Oswin

For my Editors Choice for this edition of Creative Light, I have chosen the striking image captured by Guild Member Lee Hatherall. The diagonals of colour and composition works. The photograph was awarded Silver in March’s Image of the Month competition. I had to feature such a great shot. I have featured a few short stories members have sent to me and would like to add a few more! Please send me your short stories of no more than 150 words plus one photograph. If you know or love a photographer’s work and you would like to see an article featured, please get in touch. Email me julie@photoguild.co.uk and in the subject write Re: Creative Light Magazine 2020. The end of lockdown, hopefully, will only be weeks away, and I, for one, like you, can’t wait to meet family and friend. My grandson, who was born at the beginning of the pandemic will be first on the list. - Julie Oswin

The Maori word ‘Aotearoa’ translates to “ land of the long white cloud”. Referring to the cloud formations which helped early Polynesian navigators find the country. Aotearoa is the Maori given name for New Zealand.

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Editors Choice Lee Hatherall Awarded Silver - March 2020

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This flamingo, resting with its eyes open, captured my attention during a family trip to Malaga, Spain. It seems that birds can sleep with eyes open and brain half-awake as it keeps them mindful of predators. After all, all living beings are keenly aware of the need to protect themselves. We are not that different, after all. The photo edit of the black ground is to cancel out the noise and move focus on the expressive eyes.â&#x20AC;?

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Cameron Scott

Qualified Guild Photographer April 2020

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Stories behind the Camera!

“ From the violence of Afghanistan to the beauty of contemplative photography, I’ve found healing through this artform. As an eight-year-old I started learning about photography with film and discovering the magic of the darkroom. Photography has always been in my blood.

My military deployments left me suffering from anxiety for which I had treatment. Post-traumatic growth allowed me to see the beauty in new ways, and the digital camera became my aid to live in the present. Photography has become my long term therapy. Today I share my learning with others through my business, Soulful Seeing, promoting spiritual and mental resilience. “ - Steve Radley

www.facebook.com/soulfulvision.uk

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Photo: Kin So

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Peter Li is an award-winning photographer based in London. His architectural artwork received 1st place in the Architecture Category at the Epson International Pano Awards 2018 and was Commended at the Sony World Photography Awards 2018. His work has been featured in The Times, Time Out London and in various photography and art publications.

How did you get your start in photography? I started shooting with a DSLR camera back in 2013 when my first child was born. Like many dads out there, I wanted to document my growing family. Having a wife who studied art, she has a very artistic eye and I am very lucky to have someone who would give me an honest critique. In the early days, I was independently studying/self-teaching photography every day and practising on a daily basis.

What type of photography are you shooting and what motivated you to focus on that genre? In 2015, I met two aspiring photographers who shared their passion for architecture photography with me. Through their inspiration, I have learnt to be attentive in achieving symmetry and am mindful in my composition and line work. Living in London, we have all sorts of architecture; we often find a classic gem nestled amongst modern skyscrapers. I owe London for fuelling my passion for this genre.

What has been your biggest achievement or obstacle along the way? One of the biggest challenges is to photograph a space completely empty, and often it’s the hardest thing to do, so to prep for the best conditions I try to plan my visits on the days that are least busy, and getting up early to be the first person there. In London, interiors can be tricky because often they would not allow the use of tripods. But on the positive side, photographing around London I had trained myself to have a steady hand for a slow shutter exposure. 18

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‘Megamind’ Royal Albert Hall, London. The auditorium of London’s Royal Albert Hall during lighting preparation for an upcoming show. It is fascinating to see the hall from floor to ceiling in such flying colours. The stage spotlight cast such dramatic shadows across the seating area and transforms the space into something quite otherworldly. It is a difficult scene to photograph, but challenging conditions often make great photos.

Who and/or what inspires you most? I often look for inspiration from paintings, movies and games. I started gaming from a very young age, and I think it has impacted my photography more so than any other art form.

What is your approach? Is there anything in particular you try to achieve during a shoot (for example triggering certain feelings, etc.) or are there any specific techniques you use? My work sits between realism and fantasy. Historical buildings such as Cathedrals or music theatres are often reminiscent of our history - they are intrinsically timeless and, in many ways, otherworldly.

‘Chessboard’ St Paul’s Cathedral, London. St Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s finest Classic architecture gem, a masterpiece from Christopher Wren’s creations. My St Paul’s series has 3 parts, each section of the Cathedral has its very own style but marries seamlessly together. The chandeliers brighten the space evenly across the Nave, while the lack of deep shadows creates a minimalistic elegant scene.

With vertical panoramic photography (Vertorama), we are able to observe a three-dimensional space in its entirety, giving us a view/perspective beyond what the eye can see. It breaks us from reality, plays with our perception of shape and form and creates a sense of another world. Through my photography, I hope to impart fragments of fantasy to the viewer and encourage them to take a momentary step out of their reality

Why is accurate color important within your workflow? I print my work regularly, colour accuracy is very important, having a screen that could accurately render the colours will make the process much easier to manage. The subtle tonal difference of an image can convey a very different mood and message. https://amzn.to/2wDin8e Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

GUILD SPOTLIGHT Ian Knaggs

Commercial Photographer The ‘Guild Spotlight’ interview focusses on Commerical Photographer and Guild member Ian Knaggs who is based in the county of Leicestershire.

Q: What motivates you to get up in the morning to create your beautiful commercial photography?

A genuine love for simply creating photographs that I like. It’s great to get paid for doing something you enjoy doing, and I think if I were ever in a position where I was not creating for clients, I would still create images just because I enjoy it. I like to add a little humour and twist into my images, and small hidden meanings always make me smile - I hope that viewers appreciate these small aspects too.

How do you approach and design an image?

I always start with a thought. An idea. A concept. These are often born from an observation of something I see during everyday life around me. I’ve changed how I see the everyday objects around me, and I now see them as creative opportunities. Just going through the shelves during a trip to the supermarket can spawn a huge number of ideas and image opportunities if you’re looking at them as this rather than just boxes on a shelf.

What advice can you share with members of The Guild of Photographers interested in commercial photography? The first thing would be to learn and get comfortable using multiple flashes. Studio photography is all about controlling light, and the basic technical knowledge to control multiple lights is so important. However, this doesn’t mean that you need lots of expensive equipment. There is a lot of relative cheap lights and modifiers available these days, which makes it very accessible. I started off using cheap £30 flashguns, eBay triggers and gels made from Quality Street wrappers - a little bit of lateral thinking can make a big difference. It’s not the equipment that you have, but it’s the way that you use it that is important. The other advice I would give is to have a plan before ever getting anywhere near the camera. Have a concept, composition and a shot list in mind before starting to shoot. There’s nothing wrong with adopting this if you come across problems. Still, when shooting individual elements that are to be composited together, then a plan will always make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

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Q: Your favourite lens for your photography?

I own a bag full of wide-aperture prime lenses but use only two lenses for my product and commercial work; a Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 IF-ED DX and a Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 IF-ED Micro lens. However, I use the 105mm macro for the vast majority of creative images. This lens, particularly on the cropped sensor Nikon D7000 bodies that I shoot with allows for a comfortable working distance combined with macro magnification if required. In some cases, it does suffer a little from chromatic aberration, but this can be controlled effectively in RAW processing. Other than that it is a super sharp lens, especially between f/8 & f/14 where I usually shoot. For subjects that require a large depth of field, I still use these apertures and focus stack to gain additional depth of field.

why?

Your favourite colour palette to work with and

I don’t have a specific favourite palette. However, I do seem to be drawn towards red on many occasions. I always like to use simple colour palettes that generally feature backgrounds that match the subject. My style of an image relies upon simple and bold colour selections featuring gradients and spotlight effects to give depth to the picture. colour selections featuring gradients and spotlight effects to give depth to the image

Q: Preferred materials to work with and why?

I love the challenge that curved and highly reflective objects present, but I prefer material with definite texture to shoot. Textured materials can be made to pop when lit correctly, and this can be used to significant effect to showcase details in a product.

Q: What have you found most challenging in your area of photography?

From a technical perspective, curved and reflective objects are the biggest challenge. In particular, spherical objects as they reflect absolutely everything in their surroundings. This means that there are very large areas surrounding the product that needs to be covered. From a business perspective, marketing has always been difficult. As a shy and retiring creative type, I’m not particularly comfortable with shouting from the rooftops “I’m awesome, hire me”! However, this has become a little easier as time has gone on, and my selfconfidence has grown. Running a successful photography business is so much more than just creating images, and it’s important to remember this and allocate time accordingly.

Do you use a tripod? If so, how important is it to your commercial work? Always, without exception! My workflow is very much based upon refining light positions and angles many times over and by very small amounts. I also shoot multiple elements for compositing that all require to have been in the same position relative to the camera. To do this effectively, both the camera and the subject must not move at all. 22

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I use a Manfrotto 190 XProB tripod which is very stable, especially with a 5kg sandbag hung from the centre hook. A Manfrotto 410 geared head sits between the tripod and camera and is great for fine control and stability. It’s a massive improvement over the ball head that I used to use. This setup gives me a stable base to work from as well as being flexible enough to allow relatively quick changes of camera position and angle

user?

Post-processing are you a Lightroom or Photoshop

I always shoot tethered so that images can be viewed in detail on a large monitor. The tiny camera screen is just not good enough for this. Therefore, I use Capture One rather than Lightroom because it is so much more flexible and has many more features when shooting tethered.

How important is post-processing and Photoshop to your workflow? Photoshop is also an integral, second-stage of postprocessing that I use for cleaning, compositing and adding backgrounds and shadows. My workflow generally involves using the Pen Tool or another section method to cut out each element from the background and then compositing them all together in a new file. Cleaning dust and tiny surface imperfections using the Healing Brush and Clone Stamp tools is also a big part of my post-processing. Digital backgrounds are then created and added along with shadows and gradients to produce the final image. As well as Photoshop, I also use Helicon Focus for focusstacking multiple exposures to increase the depth of field and Blender for creating CGI elements and backgrounds.

Explain a little about how you photograph watches with precise lighting and to give the right look for the brand? Watches are complicated subjects to shoot as they have combinations of curved reflective surfaces along with matt or textured elements. Due to their curved nature, I usually shoot these in a ‘shooting cone’. This is a conical shaped device that is made from diffusion material. Using this is it possible to ensure that all of the curved, shiny & reflective surfaces are not reflecting the surrounding studio and all reflections can be easily controlled.

Please take a look at Ian’s practical demonstration in the following video:-

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Lighting equipment, what is your preferred choice for your images? I use a maximum of 3 Godox QT600 v1 studio strobes for all my work. These are fitted with either 7” reflectors and 10o, 20o, 30o or 40o grids or 20cm x 90cm strip boxes. I rarely light subjects directly with any modifier and nearly always have these lights behind diffuser panels to create gradients on the subject and soften the light.

Where do you find your inspiration from?

I used to struggle for ideas for new images. Having changed how I look at the things that we see in everyday life, I find that inspiration is a lot easier to come by. Where possible, I like to add a little humour into my images or a play on words. As well as making me smile, I think that it helps keep the viewer engaged for longer as they look for the hidden aspect or a twist in the image.

Q: If you were to be on a desert island and only able to take one item, what would it be?

The practical side of me says that the answer should be a satellite phone so that I could call for help. The dreamy side of me says that a bottle of suncream would be sufficient as I’m fair-skinned and burn easily. Either way, I’d try and make the best of whatever I had with me and whatever I could find or make!

Can you recommend any photography books?

Light, Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting by Fil Hunter, Steven River & Paul Fuqua. This is the bible for studio product photographers. It’s not the most riveting read by any means. It is jam-packed with information on both the theory and practical application of lighting that can be applied to many different surface shapes and materials—a musthave for anyone wanting to learn how to light products in the studio.

Q: The best piece of equipment you have that cost less than £50?

Apologies, I use so much cheap equipment I can’t just list one. So here are some of the most important ones that I use all of the time: Collapsible diffusers - £8 from Amazon; Manfrotto Super clamps - £20; Plastic clamps x 8 (large & small) - £5; Wimberly Plamp v2 - £40; A0 foam core board £2 each; White Sintra board and black foam-core; Blu-Tac - £3;

Interesting facts about you?

A photographer or an artist, who’s work inspires

I’m not that sure that there is anything I can say here! I’m just me, plodding on through life and enjoying the journey. I’m a bit boring really! However, for a little insight into me: I love chocolate. I helped deliver our youngest daughter on the hall floor, and I love being outdoors irrespective of the weather. I like to laugh: at me, the world and life.

you?

This is a toughie to narrow down to a single person. So, in no particular order: Peter Shaffrick (https://www.schafrick.com), Phil Sills (https://www.philsills.co.uk), Warren Riley (https://www. warrenryley.co.uk), Alex Koloskov (https://www.koloskov.com). If you don’t already know their work, then check out their online portfolios.

Q: Favourite place in the world, and why?

Again, it’s hard to tie this down to a single answer. My wife & I spent ten months on a round-the-world trip about 15 years ago. From this trip, my favourite places were (in no particular order): Nepal, New Zealand, Vancouver Island, Navini Island (Fiji). These are based on a combination of being outrageously beautiful areas coupled with friendly and happy people, and they all have a very special place in my heart.

Three words that describe you?

I found this impossible to answer myself, so I asked my daughters, and they came up with: • Hard-working • Resilient • Perfectionist I think that I can agree with these!

Where next?

Onwards and upwards! As the majority of our work is currently packshots for e-commerce clients, I’d like to work on getting more creative advertising assignments. I’d like to expand the number of large companies that we work with and produce more high- end print and billboard images. Ultimately, I always work towards making images that people will find engaging, thought-provoking and sometimes amusing. Whoever I’m working with, I would like to think that this will always remain the same. - Julie Oswin, Editor of Creative Light Magazine

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Guild Spotlight Dan Rushton Wildlife Photographer

“ I grew up and lived on the south coast of Dorset and was lucky enough to be brought up around the countryside and wildlife. From as early as I can remember, nature was a constant presence in my life, and no matter where I went, I would always have my binoculars and bird book with me. My upbringing was a rather unconventional one compared to my school friends, as I would always choose to be roaming the woods and fields looking for anything that I could creep up on and learn about. My Dad would always show my younger brothers and me how to track animals. He would tell us which footprints were made by which animals and how to call foxes by hand. We were a somewhat a wild bunch! My mum would always take us out for walks in the woods and our school holidays were spent on our grandparent’s small farm in West Wales where we had free rein to explore and get into mischief. Having worked voluntarily with the RSPB and Dorset Wildlife Trust, my first real job out of college was as a gamekeeper on a 6000-acre estate in North Dorset. However, the ethics and controversy surrounding such a job made me realise it wasn’t where I wanted to be. It was whilst on a holiday to South Africa that a spark to the tinder for my photography journey started and it has become an obsession from that moment. I have been selling my work at various game fairs, and country shows for the last four years and have quickly become known as the ‘fox man’. People often look out for my logo which has been designed based on a photograph I took early into my venture of wildlife photography.”

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Creative Light Magazine shares with you an insight into Dan’s love of wildlife photography, the equipment he uses and the images he captures.

Q: Can you write an introduction into the family of foxes and explain how you started capturing their lives in the graveyard?

I started working with these foxes after having a lousy summer the previous year trying to follow rural foxes. After seeing some fantastic results of other photographers working in graveyards, I thought it would be worth a shot, only expecting one or two shots of the usual mangy looking urban specimens. How wrong I was! I got given a tip-off from a friend who would regularly walk through the graveyard of an evening in the summer, so I visited, and within the first hour, I had met the vixen that would soon consume my life. The family group that I have worked with over the past three years consist of six individuals. The main vixen and the first fox which I met is one I named Anne, and she is the Mother to the rest of the group. Next is an adult vixen named Rose, who is a daughter of Anne, and in the absence of any dog partner, has helped Anne raise both litters of cubs, I have watched her rear. In 2018 Anne had a litter of three cubs, two vixens and one dog. The first cub I met and the smallest of the litter is called Bonnie. She looks very much like Rose in that she is a very dark coat, almost black on her chest and belly in the winter. Bonnie spends all year in the graveyard. Next, is her sister named Mischief, named for her habit of creeping up behind me as I was photographing her brother and sister when they were young and pulling on my shoelaces and trouser leg! She is almost identical to her mother Anne and only a few scars and signs of age physically separate them. Finally, there is the only boy regularly on the scene. He was named the Boy Handsome. For weeks I thought there were only two cubs in the 2018 litter, but now and then I would get a glimpse of a third. He was incredibly wary, and it took a very long time and a lot of patience for him to come around to me slowly. The highlight of this particular summer was when he went out and played in front of me, just as fox cubs do until he wore himself out and fell asleep in front of me in the open. He is still very wary and not as forthcoming as the others, but he always makes his way over to me in his own time. I take pride in not using any food throughout the process of getting them to accept me. I wanted a relationship built on trust, not just someone who brings food. As soon as the food is introduced to get the photos, it becomes instantly apparent in the foxes body language and posture in the images.

Q: When did you become interested in photography?

I had never even considered picking up a camera until booking a trip to South Africa in 2012. I knew I should take something more than a point and shoot camera, so I treated myself to a little bridge camera. After using it, I quickly realised I was going to end up getting hooked. Thankfully my best friend had finished a degree in wildlife photography at Blackpool University and knew of some second-hand equipment I could afford, and after a few pointers on which end to look through I was away and never looked back!

Q: How important is the understanding of animals habitat and behaviour?

Having an intimate knowledge of your subject is by far an essential aspect of wildlife photography in my humble opinion, it is by far more critical than the equipment you have. My first camera and lens combo were pretty shocking, but what I lacked in quality equipment I made up for in knowledge of wildlife. I was lucky enough to be brought up immersed in every aspect of the countryside. Think of ‘Danny Champion of the world’ meets ‘Stig of the Dump’, and that was pretty much me from my earliest memory. I was taught how to call foxes by hand as a child by my Dad. I learnt that blowing on a blade of grass between your thumbs imitates the sound of a Roe deer during the breeding season and will help get the attention of any bucks that are nearby. Bucks love having a sleep in crop fields during the rut. Using this technique and knowledge, I took a photo of a Roebuck with my terrible equipment. I was thrilled when photograph was shortlisted for the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards. When trying to photograph wildlife, you need to be able to be one step ahead of your subject. It isn’t easy to achieve by winging it. These animals exist by being able to move around and disappear without being seen. Learn to read the clues nature leaves behind, identify footprints, hair caught on wire fences; distress calls birds make when a fox is around; the different calls birds make when a sparrow hawk is around. It won’t be long until you soon realise that learning to read the clues nature gives you is as much fun as taking the photos.

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Q: What have you found most challenging to photograph the foxes?

The main challenge is always the public, being in an open public space. You would be surprised how many people treat a cemetery as somewhere to let their dogs run free, or even one time a family using the area as somewhere to play, using headstones and tombs as climbing frames! Unlike photographing rural foxes which I have done since I picked up a camera, getting near the graveyard foxes has been the easiest part! The challenges have come in the form of trying to take new shots. They are so used to me that they have no issue to me coming within arm’s length of me. Perfect for lovely tight portraits (which I am a sucker for) but it can make it tricky to get a variety of shots, especially as I don’t have an array of lenses at my disposal. Also, the fact that the graveyard is almost at capacity does make it difficult in most areas to achieve a nice clean shot. On the flip side is that it lends its self to be able to capture some beautiful ‘environment’ type shots. It’s the challenges though that keep it interesting!

Q: Your favourite go-to lens for your wildlife photography?

I only have two lenses. Currently, I am shooting with a Nikon 200-400 f4 VR which is a fantastic piece of kit. The other lens is a Sigma 120-300 f2.8 sports, which unfortunately is out of action after a slight bump a week before a trip to the Cairngorms last years. Hence the 200-400. However, I would pick the Sigma over the longer Nikon every time. I’ve found it to be slightly sharper and the constant f2.8 aperture is a great option to have. Only being a 300mm though highlights the need to have a good understanding of your subject and a grid level of fieldcraft.

Q: What motivates you to get up in the morning?

Mostly the taxman! But also the drive to achieve a better shot than the last best one I took.

Q: Best bit of equipment you have bought for under £50?

My neoprene lens cover! They help with grip and help take some power out of the inventible knocks and bumps.

Q: One piece of camera equipment that you couldn’t do without? A spare battery! (fully charged is preferable!)

Q: What advice would you give to members wanting to photograph wildlife?

Take the time to learn about what it is you wish to photograph. I can never stress enough the importance of this to anyone. It is the foundations of all excellent wildlife photography. Don’t worry too much about having the best equipment either. Everyone would love a 600mm prime lens and the newest camera body, but it’s not the be-all and end-all! Also, I would defiantly recommend and the latest camera body, but it’s not the be-all and end-all! Also, I would recommend getting used to knowing where certain buttons and controls are on your camera body without having to look for them. Things can happen in the blink of an eye sometimes when working with wildlife!

Q: What do you look for in the elements of the location to capture the foxes?

Because the light at this location is either bright and harsh which is less than ideal, or just nonexistent, I have found myself (especially this summer) looking for areas in which the late evening light is masked partially by vegetation such as leaves. When the foxes aren’t around, I’ll find myself looking towards the light through any trees and bushes I can find and taking test shots on my camera just to see if its an area I could lead the foxes too. Some of the backgrounds I have to manage to find recently have only been incredible with lots of lovely bokeh. One particular spot is on the top of a hill where last years cubs were raised, which allows you to get a background of the fresh new oak leaves at the top of the tree because of how high the hill is. It is backlit too, which works well. Other than that I tend to get the foxes to find me in the older areas of the graveyard, as the weathered older style headstones tend to give a bit more of an atmosphere than the more recent ones.

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Q: How did you become involved with the Margaret Green Animal Rescue. My main job is carpentry! I currently work for a firm that carries out all aspects of construction work, from void renovations, insurance works to new build properties. My last job was as a senior member of an estates team for an animal rescue charity which was a lot of fun building new animal houses for goats and sheep, enrichment activities and even a sensory garden for rescue dogs at another site. I initially trained in countryside management straight from school as a result of my upbringing in the countryside. I spent most of my free time as a teenager working as a voluntary warden for both the RSPB and Dorset Wildlife Trust. I partially enjoyed giving guided nature walks around the reserves.

Q: If you were to be on a desert island and only able to take one item, what would it be? It would have to be my trusty old Leatherman multi-tool. It goes everywhere with me.

Q: Favourite place in the world, and why?

I may be very biased, but I have to say that its right here in Dorset. We have a little bit of everything down here, beautiful stretches of coastline, beaches, vast expanses of heathland and ancient woodlands. Other than South Africa and a couple of weekend trips to Northern Europe, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve hardly left the UK. The Cairngorms is a very close second!

Q: Three words that describe you? Stubborn, persistent, aggy!

Q: Favourite food?

Bacon and egg sarnie!

Q: Where next?

At some point, I would like to tip the balance from my actual career more towards photography as my primary source of income. I have been selling my photographs at country and game fairs for many years now. I am always being asked about workshops, and several companies have approached me to lead some workshops for them. At the moment, I would like to start setting up and building hides for people to use that way, I can use my skills as a photographer and my career in carpentry.

Thank you Dan for this insight into your world of wildlife photography and all the very best for the future setting up a business building hides. - Julie Oswin, Editor

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Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

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Stories behind the Camera!

Like a few other Guild members, I love old film cameras! On the face of it, there is nothing unusual about this Canon Canonet from the early 1960s. I discovered it two years ago in an Oxford Charity Shop for £10. However, it wasn’t until I got home did I find inside the camera case the name of its original owner, Hans Motz. Motz was famous for his pioneering work on Free Electron Lasers at both Stanford and Oxford Universities. When at Oxford he was made Professor of Engineering and used Oxford’s Ferranti Computer in the early 1960s to decipher Nuclear classified secrets, so Nuclear Physics could be taught at Oxford University. Motz is a forgotten giant who did much work developing technologies that we take for granted today. His camera is well looked is after and has a good home! - Stuart Bebb Photographer www.oxfordcamera.com

* [In 1951 Ferranti began selling the first commercially available computers, the Ferranti Mark 1. Interested in the story of Ferranti UK and for more information visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferranti Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Stephen Yates THE BOAT Bethfran is a 40+ year old Bradwell 18. She is 18ft long and 6ft wide and draws 1.5m with her lifting keel down, and 40cm with it up. She is scabby with paint peeling off, has knackered old sails, but, she turned out to be a tough wee sea boat.

THE TRIP Bethfran left Maryport in May 2016, I sailed her, between jobs, over to Isle of Man, then Ireland and on up the West coast of Scotland to Kinlochbervie and back via Stornoway. She was damaged by waves in November off Galloway, and spent the winter left in Stranraer. I completed her trip in March 2017 round Galloway and back up The Solway to her home port Maryport. This was my learning to sail cruise. This was my learning to sail cruise!

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“ I bought a 50-year-old small boat, on impulse, 18ft long, in August 2015, sight unseen for £600. Spending another £600 for the outboard engine. She was down in Essex, and I was in The Lakes. I drove down, paid the other half of the money and trailed her back up to Cumbria. My first sailing trip was for an hour out of Maryport harbour and again to make sure I could steer it and get the sails up. I had thoughts about learning my day skipper but decided not to bother and just go for a big cruise and learn along the way. As someone said to me once, sailings easy, remember three things. Keep the water out of the boat. Keep the boat off of the land. Keep yourself inside the boat. Everything else, j just detail! I liked that approach; after all, it was exactly how I had learned to climb, ski and paddle white water. In the spring of 2016, I set off. My aim to see how far north I could get by summers end then trailer her home. I planned to sail in hops of a week or two at a time. Mooring her in whatever harbour I ended up. Head home to shoot and process my weddings for a week or three. Rinse and repeat. From Maryport, I left at 1 am for my first ever night sail and crossed to the Isle of Man. I explored that then wandered over to Ireland. I was sailing up the Irish coast and around Fairhead to Rathlin Island. Then I sailed over the sea to Islay and journeyed up the Inner Hebrides.

FROM THE SEA:

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PHOTOGRAPHIC FINE ART LANDSCAPE & SEASCAPE IMAGES

Round Ardnamurchan (on the second attempt). The first attempt I got a right kicking, the sea was a bit rough. I was sailing up to Kinlochbervie via beautiful ports and stunning anchorage. Mid-September I was heading around Cape Wrath en route to the Orkneys but the wind decided otherwise, so I crossed to Stornoway in the Outer Isles instead. After that, I headed back across the Minch and worked back down the West Coast, reaching Stranraer by November. Getting cocky, despite knowing we were now into winter, I chased a gale out of Loch Ryan but got stuffed rounding The Rhinns of Galloway in big confused seas. The waves were so big they completely bent the boats rudder, which left me a bit stuck. I was eventually towed back into port by the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat. The local blacksmith repaired Bethfran. Being a little bit more cautious it took me till March 2017 before I found a weather window that I was confident in being able to sail around the Mull of Galloway via Port Patrick and Port William and back up the Solway Firth to Maryport. A 1200-mile learning curve of a trip with 1000 miles of it I skippered singlehandedly. I liked the idea of shooting landscapes from the deck, for a completely different viewpoint to normal. I took a tripod but never touched it. Ideas for shooting more conventional landscapes from the shore after anchoring went overboard in favour of going to the pub! I did often use an ND grad filter though, I was usually shooting at 1000th of a sec, 500th if could get away with it, but the deck was generally bouncing around. Very little was shot in wild weather as I needed both of my hands for the boat. I used one of my Fuji XT1’s which permanently had an XF 18-135 3/5/5.6 zoom on it and weatherproofed. I needed the zoom lens to be able to reach the landscape and avoid rocks close inshore. The images were shot as jpg and processed in Photoshop using Nik Silver FX and Viveza. My way of processing was mainly the same as I had done when working in a darkroom, dodging and burning with applied contrast control. I was usually at high ISO’s to get the shutter speeds required, but I have never minded torturing digital files. “ - Stephen Yates, Photographer Derwent Photography, Cumbria

Steve’s book From the Sea can be purchased on Amazon for £3.99 or it is free on Kindle Unlimited. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0872DWZNS

Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Exclusive offer for Guild Members 20% off any CEWE PHOTOBOOK and any CEWE WALL ART* Offer available on any size or format using the CEWE Creator Software. For information on how to redeem this offer, log in to The Guild website photoguild.co.uk and view the Partners and Discount section.

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Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Julia Healey Qualified Guild Professional

February 2020

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Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

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Stories behind the Camera! Hazards of lifestyle shoots! “ It was a beautiful day in early Summer, the sun was shining and the birds singing. The field of long grass was perfect for some lifestyle children’s photos. We had such fun playing and capturing images of the day. Concentrating on the kids and taking pictures, I was poised with the camera to my eye when a stench suddenly hit my nostrils. As my brain started to register, I suddenly felt a cold sensation on my ankle, trickling down to my foot.... so engrossed in what I was doing I hadn’t realised I was standing in a cow pat! I was up to my ankle with the oozing, stinky muck over my shoes and seeping into my sock! It suddenly became a crap day. “ Stephanie Chapman Photographer

Never work with children and animals! Being a photographer has its challenges, especially when photographing one’s own family. I carefully planned a photo shoot of my family in the studio. Nothing went to plan. The girls argued from the moment I put them together. My husband shouted at them, and, both girls stormed off. The only shot I got for my efforts as I was setting up my lighting was a test shot of my reluctant daughter! It’s a keeper to bring out on her 21st birthday!! Imelda Bell, Photographer

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MARCH & APRIL 2020

Helen Trust

Nick Brown

Lynda Haney

Sharon Wallis

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Laurie Campbell

Nick Brown

Nikki Goodeve

Sharon Wallis

Nikki Goodeve

Nikki Goodeve Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Debbie Longmore

Keith Markillie

Chris Chambers

David Kennedy

Dawn Cotterell

Neal Martinez

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Lynda Haney

Neil Pitchford

Claire Norman

Jason Allison

Nick Brown

Erin Wilmshurst-Smith Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

Claire Norman

Sharon Bolt

Lynne Harper

Mark Harris

Steve Collins

Lynda Haney

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Sharon Wallis

David Conway

Emma Campbell

Philip Yale

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Guild Spotlight Wildlife in my Garden Mark Lynham

My wife and I are both asthmatics, so we decided to self isolate in the middle of March 2020. Typically at this time of year we would be travelling around and visiting as many nature reserves as we can but with that not being an option for us. We, therefore, have spent the time making more use of the back garden than we usually would. After a week or so of taking shots that I would typically get in the garden, I decided to get a bit more creative and made a few sets to encourage birds onto what I would class as ‘pretty posing sticks’. I had to make the most of what I had laying around, under normal circumstances I would have gone to a local wood and got some nice mossy logs and branches but I had to make do. Here are a few tips and tricks for you to create your own ‘set’ in your garden! 60

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LIGHTING AND BACKGROUNDS A key element, apart from getting a bird to come onto the stick, is the lighting and the background. The key is to keep looking for the light direction and the background. Decide what you want. Do you want a bright background or a dark one? Do you want bokeh patterns? You will find by focussing on your branch and then physically moving around you will see how much the background actually changes. Imagine a bird was on the branch and how it would look. The background is key, which is why, with all commercial hides, this is done for you. Also, change your spot occasionally to create different images.

BASIC PRETTY STICK SHOT Once you have found your pretty stick, and mine have all come off trees in my garden as I haven’t been able to get to our local woods so they’re not as ‘pretty’ as I’d like them to be, you need to place it somewhere, and best near a feeder that you already have up where birds are visiting. You can use quite a few methods for placing it, I have one in a plant pot, I’ve stuck one directly into the grass, and another is clamped to an old tree stump that I have. Whichever you do you then need to place a small amount of food under it. The bird will come to the stick and then drop down to the food. I’m putting a small plant pot saucer with a few mini mealworms in food under one, reflection pool for another and then a small log for another, again just putting a few mealworms on those logs.

REFLECTION POOL I wanted to create and capture some reflection shots. Using a lid from a storage unit, I placed it on a sun lounger near where the feeders were. and went about building ‘the set’.. the first one I built I put a couple of branches, bits of logs, some gravel and then some moss that I scraped off some bricks around the garden … I got some beautiful shots, including one where two Robins came down together, a first for me! I couldn’t get a full reflection as the length of the lid was too short, so I then used a plant try tray that was much longer (1 metre), this time I kept the set up simple, just one thickish branch against the back of the tray, a small amount of shingle and it wasn’t long before I got the shot I was after. With the pool again I am using a ‘posing stick’ just over it so that the bird can go to that before it comes down, the good thing is that you’re getting two different shots for one visit.

SHOOTING You can choose how you want to shoot, I personally use a throw over hide which covers me and my camera, and I can be standing, or I can have a seat, but this way gives me the flexibility to move around if I want to. You could also use a small pop up hide or even shoot remotely setting your camera up where you want and then using your computer to fire the camera. I tend to be about 20ft away from where the bird will be. - Mark Lynham 62

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Prints as good as it looks The Epson SureColor SC-P700 and SC-P900 photo printers are as pleasing to the eye as the prints they produce. These professional-level, compact A3+ and A2+ printers produce sharper detail and smoother gradations using the deepest blacks and superb blue tones. For more information on how Epson has redefined the design and output of professional photo printers, visit www.epson.co.uk/professional-photography

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Stories behind the Camera! My Photoshop skills are limited but in these times of concern and anxiety my life of a photographer has motivated me to helping others who are self isolating and as a result I have started a Spot the Difference group for all ages using my photographs, including a little boy I know who has Cerebal Palsey. He loves getting his daily picture to study and I received an audio message from him saying thank you for letting him play and that I should â&#x20AC;&#x153;stay safeâ&#x20AC;?. Sometimes words do mean more than pictures! - Rob Dolton

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Stephanie McGahan Qualified Guild Professional April 2020

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David Wagstaff-Myers Qualified Guild Professional April 2020

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Timothy Teesdale

Qualified Guild Wedding Photographer

April 2020

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Venu Bharadwaj

Qualified Guild Professional

April 2020

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John Foxlow

Qualified Guild Professional

April 2020

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Use Social Media to work to your advantage! Social media empowers customers. It provides all of us a public medium through which to share our praise or, as is becoming more common, to voice our grievances. As business owners, we should embrace this! Enhanced communication is a fantastic thing, and when our customers feel so connected to our brand that they engage with us on social media, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing a good job. Or are we? When it comes to customer service, there are dangers we need to avoid. As our social media customer service improves, there are companies for whom more traditional customer service is suffering.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT FAILS I speak from experience here when I suggest that there are companies out there who have let their traditional forms of customer service suffer in favour of managing their social media. It was a couple of years ago now, so I’ve no doubt they’ve improved by this point, but I had an issue with my mobile provider O2, and I called them to discuss. When this didn’t solve my problem, I emailed. When this didn’t help, I took to Twitter to voice my query publicly, within minutes, I received my response. While it’s great that the company responded so quickly on social media (and you may have noticed yourself that Facebook is now labelling those companies who respond quickly to requests on their page as ‘quick responders’, it’s a real shame that their other channels didn’t work so efficiently. This isn’t the only case like this. There have been plenty of occasions where companies have failed their customer via their more traditional customer service channels, and the customer had only received a response/their desired response when they took their query to social media. It’s a trend that teaches our audience that the best way to get our attention is in a public forum when, especially when it comes to complaints, it’s much better for us to keep those queries out of the public eye.

BEST PRACTICE Of course, while we mustn’t neglect other channels in favour of social media, it’s still important to have a clear strategy in place to help you manage your social channels effectively. Make the most of social media as a channel for your customer service. There are some excellent practice rules you should be trying to take on board: To make the most of social media as a channel for customer service, there are many good practice rules you should be trying to decide on board:

1. Respond to all questions/ comments within 4 hours if possible 2. Provide an alternative method of communication if the issue needs to be taken off social media - for example, give people an email address or phone number to call. 3. Remember your responses on social media are public, so be professional. 4. Include in your bio any days/ times you’re not available, e.g. This account is operated MondayFriday.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND BEYOND While ensuring social media channels are fully managed in a way that enables them to perform customer service well, it is essential that they are not the only medium for excellent customer service. People often take to social media to air their complaints because they know it’s a public forum and they expect they will get a faster response, and solution, here because you don’t want them talking about negative things in the open. But the reality shouldn’t be this way. By providing alternative contact methods and being approachable across all of them, you can encourage your audience to interact with you and come to you for their questions and issues across all channels. When we condition our audience to believe that they’ll only get excellent service by airing their grievances publicly, they’re just going to air them publicly in the future. It’s a key lesson in digital marketing. Yes, we must optimise our social media channels, but it is only through maintaining every single customer touch point that we can provide the customer experience the today’s audiences expect. - Laura Hampton Digital Marketing Manager

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Clare Walpole

Qualified Guild Professional April 2020

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Renata Clarke

Qualified Guild Professional April 2020

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Nigel Proctor Qualified Guild Photographer April 2020

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WALL DISPLAY

IT’S WHAT WE DO

ll Art a W s ’ tiful n Today u o b ties are ins to i n u t r o opp t marg n e l l e c x with e e. be mad g offe n i g a ion Im verse an s i V e On ost di m e h t rodu f p t r A one o l l nal Wa ndustry o i t p e c i ex in the s e g n ra

Image credits: Jordan Banks

Image credits: Grahame Smith

Image credits: Jocelyn Conway

(AND IT SHOULD BE WHAT YOU DO TOO

ISN’T IT TIME YOU TOOK A FRESH LOOK AT WHAT YOU’RE OFFERING? 84

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Image credits: Nazmul Islam

O!)

Image credits: Damian McGillicuddy

Image credits: Gary Walsh

fer nd duct y.

02476 440 404 WWW.ONEVISIONIMAGING.COM HERALD WAY, COVENTRY, CV3 2NY Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine : 85

Abraham Overoode

Qualified Guild Wedding Photographer

April 2020

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Scott Williams

Qualified Guild Photographer April 2020

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Jade Anstiss

Qualified Guild Professional

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Hayley Harraden

Qualified Guild Newborn & Baby Photographer April 2020

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Andy Cooper

Qualified Guild Photographer April 2020

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Paul Bell

Qualified Guild Wedding Photographer March 2020

Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

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Stuart Hanman

Qualified Guild Photographer April 2020

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Colin Crowdey

Qualified Guild Professional April 2020

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Tackling The Problem Of Image Theft In The Digital Age Professional photographer Paul Reiffer discusses the problem of image theft and offers his solutions.

Leading image protection service Pixsy talked to Paul about the problem of Image theft.

How much of an impact has image theft had on your professional career?

What challenges do you face as a photographer in the digital age?

“

Having an end product which is of a digital nature, can make it scary when you see your image “in the wild”.

Introducing Paul Reiffer Paul Reiffer is a multi-award winning professional photographer. He has traveled to over 60 countries capturing people, landscapes and commercial images. His work has featured in exhibitions all over the world, from Times Square in New York to the Royal Albert Hall and Houses of Parliament in London, with gallery installations in Europe and Asia. Much of Paul’s photography has been commissioned and used by some of the finest brand names and companies worldwide. He is sponsored by and works with, some of the top equipment providers in the industry. 108

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I noticed a few publications had used my images without permission. I started “dipping in” every now and then, using products such as TinEye to reverse search for where my images had popped up across the internet. The problem with that is I have thousands of images, some licensed, some not, and keeping a track of all of those became a task that would have taken a week out of every month to monitor. Beyond that, even though we could inform the image user or send a takedown notice, we were still missing the licensing revenue that should have initially come from its use – and I didn’t have time to work with different legal teams in different countries on hundreds of cases at any one time.

The relative ignorance that still remains out there when it comes to image theft and copyright infringement is quite scary.

Even my own friends would often say to me “but it’s OK if I found it on Google, right?” or “Yeah, but I’m only a little business, they won’t mind, it’s good for them to get their image out there”. We now actually teach people, as part of our workshops, not only about trademark and copyright infringement but also about how to protect their work.

How did you find out about Pixsy? Initially, a friend pointed Pixsy out on social media, and I was initially unconvinced. I mean, here’s a company who will take a big chunk of any “recovery” money that they receive on your behalf when they didn’t even take the image, right? But then, as an experiment, I loaded a small sample of my work into their tool and the results were shocking. We had hundreds of cases, from the very outset, including some very

large companies and brands who had been using my work for years without any permission, license or payment. On the one hand, I thought “I could get my own team to chase this and cut out the middle-man”, but on the other, the task of chasing, negotiating, and if necessary taking the infringer to court just seemed too daunting when I was looking at the volume of cases and countries they spanned across on just that small sample. So, I gave them a try.

anecdotal successes when I check back with them. Indeed, some previous infringers have also now come to me for advice on the correct approach to licensing images in the future, so it’s not a one-way street.

Which forms of active protection would you encourage photographers to take in the fight against image theft?

What result has using Pixsy had on your problem with image theft?

To be honest, in the age we live in there is very little that can actually be done to prevent your image being stolen.

We’ve had three big results.

Watermarks can be removed easily (indeed, Adobe actually make this easier with every release of content-aware fill!)

1. We’re now being recompensed for unauthorised use of our images. We don’t apply any outrageous “damages” claims, just our standard corporate licensing rates to ensure the user pays the same as others would have done for the same usage. 2. We’ve had images removed from sites all across the world with the automated tools and chasing that Pixsy does on our behalf – ensuring our brand is maintained. 3. It’s helped to educate other photographers and image users that I speak with – I’ve recommended Pixsy to many others, who’ve had

Digital watermarks, while better, can still be obliterated (I’ve seen it done). Copyright Metadata can be easily removed by freely available programs. Social media (and screen resolutions) are demanding higher and higher resolution photos – and so are customers – so the old trick of “low res for web” really no longer applies.

Instead, I’d recommend to everyone that they register their work with the US Copyright Office. Even though I’m very much against that way of working (as a British photographer, I shouldn’t need to do that, as we’re lucky that copyright is granted automatically in the UK), for any US infringement it makes life so much easier should it need to go through any legal process.

“

Definitely invest in some form of “Reverse Image Search” technology. There are many out there – some free, some paid.

There are services other than Pixsy that offer similar solutions too, but having tried their major competitor with appalling results, I wouldn’t personally switch to anyone else. Save your files with copyright metadata, and a filename that includes not only keywords but the copyright owner. As above, it won’t stop a thief intent on stealing your work, but it can help a legitimate customer find you from your image. And while I don’t like watermarks on images, sometimes a visual clue as to who to contact should someone want to purchase the photograph can often help!

More about Pixsy Pixsy is one of the leading legal-tech services for online image protection. Founded in 2014 by Daniel Foster, Pixsy is an award-winning startup with over 25,000 visual artists in its community. Pixsy has processed over 40,000 copyright infringement cases and works with over 26 law firms across the globe. www.pixsy.com

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Barrie Spence Qualified Guild Professional March 2020

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... AND TIME “Shuttertax have a very straight forward and eﬃcient way of working which requires very little eﬀort from me.” We wanted to tell you what a fantastic online accounting service we provide for photographers but we decided to let Guild members tell you for themselves.

“The process of switching was painless and it has made me more productive, saves time and costs far less.”

INVALUABLE “I’ve found Paul's knowledge of tax issues invaluable, and he responds quickly to any questions I've asked. I've absolutely no regrets signing up with Shuttertax.”

NO ‘ACCOUNTANT JARGON’ “Any questions I had were answered fully without the use of 'accountant jargon'.” “He goes out of his way to explain things to me in a way that I will understand and answers my questions quickly.”

UNDERSTAND MY BUSINESS “They both completely understand my business, having "been there, done that!" themselves.” “Paul and his wife know the business too which he tends to keep quiet! They were excellent togs so know what hurdles we all face with running our business.”

PASSIONATE TO HELP “Paul is a brilliant guy, extremely helpful, understanding, and within minutes you will realise that you've found someone who's passionate to help other photographers.”

SAVED ME MONEY “Shuttertax has definitely saved me money in my first year and with Paul's help, I am sure my business will grow and grow.” “Paul took most of the tedium of accounting off my hands, and in completing two tax assessments for me so far, has certainly saved me more money than I've paid Shuttertax.” 112

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NO QUESTION IS TOO STUPID “No question is too stupid, communication is excellent and my tax returns have been painless now for two years.” “Paul patiently and expertly answered every single 'daft question' I threw at him and due to his expertise and patience my self assessment return has now been ﬁled in record time and with the minimum of stress on my part.”

TOP NOTCH SERVICE “Their customer service and professionalism is top notch too, after only a couple of months of working with Shuttertax I can see it has been a great decision and I can highly recommend them.” “Their professionalism and customer service speaks volumes about how they view you as a client.”

FRIENDLY “It felt like talking to a knowledgeable friend who's keen to help, rather than an accountancy ﬁrm who only see me as a commercial opportunity.”

UP TO DATE INFORMATION “Paul assured me that I would have up to date account information at my ﬁngertips but without all the hard work getting there.”

ACCOUNTANT WAS CHARGING ME A FORTUNE “I recently switched from a High Street accountant who was charging me a fortune and had me typing up spreadsheets and labelling invoices every month - time consuming and tedious!”

EXTREMELY REASONABLE FEES “They have simpliﬁed how information is recorded through the use of QuickBooks Online, providing access to information and reports I didn't previously have.”

“As if their friendly, professional service wasn't enough, I think their fees are extremely reasonable with no hidden costs which have resulted in reducing my accountancy fees by more than two thirds.”

TRANSFERRING IS SEAMLESS “The process of transferring my accounts to Shuttertax has been seamless. I cannot thank him enough and hope he won't regret all the extra transactions I get in as I have more time to focus on the business!”

WOW! “Wow, I wish I’d found Shuttertax years ago!” “I am deﬁnitely a customer for life!!”

https://shuttertax.co.uk

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Neil Pitchford

Qualified Guild Photographer March 2020

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The Guild’s Partners & Membership Benefits ALAMY

The leading online photographic library for stock images. Guild members arn the first £500 commission free. www.alamy.com

APPLESTORE

Save up to 10% in store or online, as well as on refurbs and offers. www.apple.com/uk

CEWE

The largest European producer of photobooks is now available int he UK pro market. Guild members get an exclusive 20% off any CEWE photobook and wall art. www.cewe-photoworld.com

COLOURWORLD IMAGING

A full product range and sample deals available, plus a special schools photography service. www.colourworldimaging.co.uk

DATACOLOR SPYDER

Computer display colour callibration solutions. Guild members receive 20% saving. Log into members page. www.spyder.datacolor.com

DIGITALAB

Digitalab deliver high quality printing, frames and presentation products. They offer Guild members 50% OFF any sample products. www.digitalab.co.uk

EPSON One of the largest manufacturers of printers, projectors and much more. www.epson.co.uk HAHNEMUHLE FINE ART One of the oldest paper companies in Europe that lives and breathes paper. 10% discount for Guild members. www.hahnemuehle.com

nPHOTO

Special deal exclusively for Guild members of up to 60% discount. www.nphoto.co.uk

ONE VISION IMAGING

30% OFF your first order. Special offers for Guild members. www.onevisionimaging.com

PIXSY - ACT AGAINST COPYRIGHT

Special Guild member offer worth £350 per year. www.pixsy.com

PHANTOM FLIGHT DRONE SCHOOL

Brilliant Guild discounts of up to 20% OFF Drone courses, lessons and holidays. www.phantomflightdroneschool.co.uk

PHOTO-SENSORY

Pre-School Education Service which offers five different class types. Guild members can be official photographers to Photo-Sensory. Contact Guild HQ

PROFOTO LIGHTING

10% Guild discount for members from Wilkinson Cameras. www.profoto.com

PLUTUS HEALTH

Healthcare Insurance from only £5.36 per month. Contact Guild HQ

SIM IMAGING

Guild members only discount 10% www.simimaging.co.uk

SHUTTERTAX

The online accounting option for photographers with 20% discount for The Guild. www.shuttertax.co.uk

HANDEPAY Guaranteed savings for Guild members on card processing fees. Discounted quotes for Guild members. www.handepay.co.uk INFOCUS PHOTOGRAPHY INSURANCE

SYTNER AFFINITY (Auto Dealers)

LSP ACTIONS

WILKINSON CAMERAS

LOXLEY COLOUR

3XM

LOUPEDECK

ZENFOLIO

Unique savings for Guild members with this highly respected insurance company. www.infocusinsurance.co.uk

Photoshop/Lightroom Suite with 35% discount for members of The Guild, including sale items. www.lsp-actions.com Scottish professional imaging lab with worldwide reputation. www.loxleycolour.com 10% discount on The Photo & Video Editing Console for photographers and videographers, for faster and more creative editing. www.loupedeck.com 116

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Guild members get 10% discount on service/parts/ accessories + new/used vehicle offers. www.sytner.co.uk

VISION MEDIA DESIGN UK

Websites that Work for You. Guild Members discount - SAVE £95 on websites www.visionmediadesign.co.uk Large range of photographic equipment and Guild members exclusive retail offers. www.wilkinson.co.uk Guild Members receive double points on every product order. www.3XMsolutions.com Guild members receive 30% discount and a further 10% for referrals. www.zenfolio.com/uk

THE GUILD OF PHOTOGRAPHERS “No other photographic body offers what the Guild does... get an incredible package of business support, training and mentoring by some of the most respected names in the industry, insurance, legal protection and the rights to use our respected membership logos”

Professional Membership costs £129 and Regular Membership costs £99

Let the Guild help you with your photographic journey like it has done for many others! The Guild is suitable for those in business, contemplating a career in photography, undertaking photography related courses, or even those who simply love using their camera. EMAIL info@photoguild.co.uk CALL 01782 970323 / 07982 613985 Issue 37 - Creative Light Magazine :

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FREE FOR ALL MEMBERS WHILST IN LOCKDOWN WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC GET ONLINE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY

The Guild of Photographers - VIRTUAL EVENTS SUPPORTING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHIC LEARNING, INTERVIEWS AND EXHIBITIONS FIND OUT MORE HERE: [click here]

©Mark Lynham “ When we come out of this lockdown and I ask you where you want to go to eat, I don’t want to hear I don’t know! You’ve had weeks to decide”

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