Creative Light - Issue 8 by Guild of Photographers

WILDLIFE - MARIE WARWICK LANDSCAPES - JOHN MISKELLY SURREAL PORTRAITS - CHRISTOPHER BRADBURY RECIPE FOR BABY PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOSHOP - GLYN DEWIS

Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

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Contents features 12

Marie Warwick Wildlife Photographer

18 20

Hallam Internet Is your Website designed for digital marketing?

Glyn Dewis Photoshop Expert © Julie Oswin

24 28

Ginny Atherton Precept Optimum Performance

42 62

Claire Elliott Receipe for Success Christopher Bradbury Digital Art Photography

Guild Tours - Iceland Lesley Chalmers

John Miskelly Irish Landscape Photographer

Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

The Guild of Photographers W

elcome to the latest edition of ‘Creative Light.’ When we thought about a magazine for photographers, we never could have anticipated the amazing numbers who would read it and more than that, enjoy reading it. It’s just over 12 months old, yet the magazine has reached over 300,000 people. We put this down to the true stories provided by you, as well as the amazing job Julie Oswin does as the Editor (not forgetting our friends in the Trade who support it of course).

steve & lesley thirsk

Lesley Thirsk

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Creative Light is a magazine for photographers by photographers, and it’s all about the people who contribute to it. The Guild is similar, as it’s an association focused on its members, the people behind the lens! It’s around 15-20 years since we initially joined the Guild in the 1990’s because of what was at its core. We were looking for an association that would support us, maybe save us a few £££’s, offer opportunities to learn and help to nurture our growth in a vast marketplace. Equally, if not more important was a sense of community or belonging, for running a photographic business can be quite insular. The Photography World is always evolving, as is the Guild, but it should be of no surprise that its core values are the same now as they were then. Another 200 members have joined us in the past couple of months, all down to members spreading the word. The beauty of this is that ‘like attracts like’ ensuring the Guild community remains the friendly and supportive place it is, so thanks to everyone doing so. The Guild and the fabulous people in it really are our passion, and those that know us, know that when we start talking about the Guild and its amazing members, we literally can’t stop. So, what else has happened since the last issue? The Guild has launched a new Instagram account to promote and link to members’ work, so do find us on there if you have an account. If you don’t have one,

you can access it through a mobile App in which the sign-up is free and simple. We are back on the road with Photovision, most recently at Wigan and Windsor where our talented Panel Members Andrew Appleton, Claire Elliott and Kate Hopewell-Smith offered great value learning opportunities. These inexpensive seminars are proving to be very popular and create a great buzz. The enthusiasm is contagious!

Steve Thirsk The Photovision Events at Bristol and Brands Hatch are pending in the next couple of weeks, and our highly regarded Panel Member Mark Seymour is joining us too, speaking at the latter. Popular speaker and member of the Guild, Kevin Mullins, is also speaking at these events. Nikon and the Guild are also supporting Mark with an amazing five-day documentary street photography workshop on the streets of Kolkata in India, run in association with the Hope Foundation. It’s both an amazing cause and a great opportunity. We hope to give more information about this in the next edition of Creative Light, but you can contact us if you want to know more before then. You can also read more about it on the Events page of the Guild’s website. You will also find some great member led events too, including an over-night ‘Sunset, Stars and Sunrise’ opportunity in the Peak District. A social photo walk at Bempton Cliffs to see 1000’s of incredible birds in their natural environment. Another exciting opportunity is our ‘Northern Lights’ and Iceland trip arranged by Panel Member Lesley Chalmers. Taking place in 2016, this is not just a trip – it’s more of an inspirational and unforgettable ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. You can read about previous visits to Iceland in magazine, page 72. An opportunity to see natural scenery unparalleled around the world, utilising local expertise in areas where there are the very best photographic opportunities, rather than taking the typical tourist routes!

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Want to join The Guild of Photographers? - follow the link and get in touch with us today”. http://www.photoguild.co.uk/member-benefits

Exciting times ahead – Please enjoy the read…. - Steve & Lesley Thirsk Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

Editor

have just returned from a fabulous month travelling South America. This is one of my favourite photographs, taken in one of my favourites places in the world, Machu Picchu, Peru. One tick off my ‘bucket list’ of places to visit and I wasn’t disappointed at all. We were so blessed when we reached the top and stood on the Inca Trail, a shaft of sunlight burst through the clouds and lit the Inca ruins for us. Such an emotional moment. Issue 8 of Creative Light brings to you a new member of The Guild, Irish Landscape Photographer John Miskelly. John talks to Creative Light about his gorgeous landscape photographs. Christopher Bradbury, who talks about his journey with Digital Art and our very own Marie Warwick and her stunning wildlife photography. We have of course Hallam Internet with information on checking that your website is ready for digital marketing and Precept Optimum Performance sharing with you tips on selling techniques. Claire Elliott bringing you her recipe for success with baby photography. We are delighted to welcome our new digital expert, Glyn Dewis, who will be sharing with us Photoshop tips and tutorials.

julie oswin

If you have a story you would like to share with Creative Light then please get in touch with me - julie@photoguild.co.uk

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“

You don’t choose the day you enter the world and you don’t choose the day you leave. It’s what you do in between that makes all the difference.” – Anita Septimus

Front Cover “

This photograph was taken during a commissioned newborn session. My suitcases are very popular and some of my most requested props for my newborn sessions, this session was no exception. Baby Isabella posed beautifully in them, and her parents comments on the finished gallery were “you have created wonderful memories for us and pictures that we will forever treasure.”

donna gray

This image of Isabella was my first Silver Bar since joining The Guild of Photographers. Just when I felt on top of the world with my Silver Bar and to make my month even better, Julie Oswin got in touch to say she would like to feature it on the front cover!”

www.smallprintsphotography.co.uk

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Machu Picchu, Peru © Juile Oswin 2015 Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine : 9

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“ “

While I was in Iceland I had a disaster while shooting near Jökulsárlón. I had been on the beach for about half an hour and the sea was calm when a massive wave came out the blue and flattened me like the icy hand of god. My camera was swept out my hands and my bag was flipped and filled with sea water. All told I lost £7500 worth of gear. Infocus have been fantastic from the start, they have been swift to respond, given me a dedicated handler and settled the claim yesterday. If you are looking to renew your content cover I can whole hearted recommend them. Also Iceland is amazing but be careful with your camera. A local photographer told me that “camera manufactures love Iceland, it is the graveyard of gear.” Adrian Spencer 28.2.2014 Hi Gill - Bernice and Crew Just a line to thank you all for the most professional way you handled my claim. I was delighted with the attitude of yourself and your staff and was grateful for the advice given regarding the procedure and particularly the speed and efficient way you handled the whole thing and kept me informed throughout.”

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Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

Wildlife Photography “

When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being, I see a friend. I feel a soul.” - A D Williams

Often found crawling out of bed on a Sunday morning at 3:30 am, wildlife photographer Marie Warwick is a committed and dedicated photographer who is passionate about her subjects and wildlife. Add a dash of craziness to the mix and you have the photographer personified and member of The Guild, Marie Warwick.

“M marie warwick

y journey probably started as a child because my passion for animals and wildlife started way back then and years later that passion led me to photography. Animals are part of my genetic make-up; they run deep in my soul; they are what make me tick; understand animals and you will understand me. I am originally from Essex but for the last 11 years I have lived in a small rural village right on the east coast of Yorkshire with my partner Brian, a few cats and our dog Diesel. I have two grown up children and four grandchildren. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 22 years and apart from my passion for wildlife and photography, I do love my cars! I picked up my first SLR in the late 80’s and took up a home photography course. I lived in a rural area, on call-out duty for our local wildlife rescue centre. One of my jobs was to collect any wildlife people had reported in the area that needed medical attention, were sick or injured. I would go and assess the animal and if possible take them back to the centre. One day I had a call to go to a small fox cub. Unfortunately, it didn’t make it. To this day, I remember crying

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on the phone to my mum and she telling me that “you did your best, you can’t save them all my darling” my reply was “why”. I have got better over the years but it still hurts to see wildlife suffer at the hands of humankind. It wasn’t until years later in 2011 that I bought my partner Brian a DSLR. It wasn’t too long before I ended up using it more than he did. Soon I was to realise how much I had missed my photography. Shortly after I went and bought my own. But having been away from a camera for so long and everything had changed to digita, I was learning photography all again. So that I could improve my photography I looked at different photographic societies to join, the Guild of Photographers being one of them. It took me a year to pluck up the courage to join. Not having done anything like this before it took me out of my comfort zone and to say my confidence was low is an understatement. Why did I want to put myself through this? To be told (I thought) that I was rubbish, that I’d never achieve anything, all which I’d been told so many times before. What surprised me the most

ÂŠ Marie Warwick

Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

was not only did I join but I entered three images into ‘Image of the Month’ the very same month. When my results came the following month I just cried. I achieved two bronzes and a silver bar, plus overall Image of the month. That result gave me the courage to continue and carry on pursuing my dreams of being a wildlife photographer. I entered ‘Image of the Month’ every month. Some months I won some months I lost but I embraced the challenge. It was a roller-coaster ride of emotions that I’ve never experienced before, pushing me pushing me to be better. I felt my confidence growing but like all photographers I still lacked that self-confidence and belief in myself. Everything got turned upside down when I received an email from the head office to say I was possibly in the running for being in the top ten for Photographer of the Year. At first I just couldn’t take it all in, me? That’s just not possible; this doesn’t happen to someone like me; I’m not talented; nowhere near in the same league as all the other Guild members, there must be some mistake. I went along to and what I have come to know as one of the best evenings of my life, the Guild’s Photographer of the Year Awards. The year was

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2013 and I had bought myself my first ever evening gown. I arrived at Crewe Hall and walked into a crowded room of unknown faces. I drank a glass of bucks fizz without it touching the sides and sat down at the dinner table. The atmosphere was amazing, everyone I spoke to was so nice and friendly and the everyone made me feel very welcome. Then it happened, my name was called out. Forcing myself to get up, I was in total shock, walking forward to collect my award. I had achieved the Photographers Bar and had come fourth in the Open Category. Never in a million years did I think I would get that far when I joined the Guild. How was I ever going to top this? March 2014, The Photography Show was on at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, so I thought I’d pop along and visit the Guild of Photographers stand to show my support. One thing I got to love over the year is the feeling that you belong to a family when you are a member of the Guild and not just another’cliquey’ photography society. At the show, Steve and Lesley introduced me to the amazingly talented Julie Oswin whom I ended up talking to for over an hour. Speaking to Julie it became abundantly clear to me, that I still, even after all that had happened and what I have achieved, I still didn’t totally believe in myself. But,

here was this lovely lady looking at my images for the first time and telling me how great my work was and talking about me entering for my Craftsman/ Master craftsman qualifications. I mean whoa, I’d only just managed to gain my Qualified status the month previous. Needless to say, Julie took me under her wing, as she does to so many people; she has this amazing ability to help you see your work in a different way. She makes you believe in yourself. I walked away from the Photography Show with a different outlook. I had an air of confidence again. I had found my Mentor! After quite a successful year, 2014 turned into an even better year as far as Wildlife photography is concerned. I continued to enter ‘Image of the Month’ and I received my first ever Gold. It was the highest scoring Gold the Guild had ever awarded. With 84 points, one point from Platinum. I immediately got a message from Julie “Now do you believe in yourself?” With my gained confidence, I entered two major wildlife competitions, the BWPA (British Wildlife Photography Awards) and ZSL Photography Prize (Zoological Society of London). These sort of competitions are closer to my heart to be honest as it’s what I call natural wildlife photography. There are no changes allowed in Photoshop, apart from the basics. A month later I was informed that one image with the ZSL and two with the BWPA had been short-listed. I completed the necessary forms and sent in the original files, and then wait for four months! Unfortunately, I didn’t make the final in the BWPA but I did however with the ZSL

Awards. I was delighted that my image received the award ‘Highly Commended’ and the image was exhibited at London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo for the whole year. At the awards evening in London, I met my idol Bill Oddie. Image of the Month for 2014 had been difficult and challenging one for me and I looked forward to another Guilds Awards Evening at Crewe Hall. I was delighted to be awarded the Photographers Bar and be in the top ten for the second year running. I was also runner-up in the Bird Category and a finalist in four categories. I was a happy girl indeed. I wasn’t going to enter IOM this year as I wanted to concentrate on mentoring with Julie and going forward to hopefully gaining my Craftsman, a challenge enough in itself. I didn’t enter the first month, but a few people talked me into it and then the bug finally caught up with me and I finally admitted defeat. IOM does not only help to drive you; it gives you the push you sometimes need to go forward and better yourself and your photography. Yes, it’s the biggest roller-coaster ride, full of ups and downs emotionally, it’s frustrating at times, but if you plodded merrily along you wouldn’t be gaining anything or improving.. But to enter IOM you have to have those images in the first place and that means for me I have to choose a subject, have some compositions in mind, plan, find your subject and if that means sitting in a middle of a field for hours, days on end, sometimes up to your armpits in mud, then so be it, who said wildlife photography was glamorous? When it comes to Wildlife as long as I’m with them, I’m ‘happy as a pig in muck’ as they say. Not only are they my life, they bring me so much peace to my life; they are good for my soul. The majority of the wildlife I photograph are wild, albeit mostly in the United Kingdom In this country we have some amazing wildlife. I will also visit wildlife parks, but I choose these carefully and look into the welfare of the animals first before visiting. I don’t use flash at all, I know how I feel after a flash has gone off in my eyes so I certainly wouldn’t set a flash off to any animal or bird. Most of my photography takes place either early morning or later on in the afternoon/ evening. My favourite place in the UK is Bempton Cliffs. It’s certainly one of my favourite places in the world and has the most amazing evening light. I have spent the last two years studying the colony of Gannets that breed there. I do this for many reasons, one because I enjoy it, but mainly because if you know and learn their behaviour and understand your subject you will know the best ways to photograph them.

My ongoing project is the Barn Owl, there is nothing more special and magical then seeing/ watching Barn Owls in the wild, words just can’t Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

© Marie Warwick describe the feeling. I have been monitoring my local owls this year so we shall see what that brings in the future. Another favourite spot of mine is a place called Cabarceno, in Northern Spain. It has the largest Wildlife park in Europe; the animals roam in semi-freedom. The enclosures are the largest I’ve ever seen anywhere, living in natural surroundings with the stunning backdrop of mountains. It is the only place I know that once you are in the park you can stay till dark, thus making use of the wonderful evening light. The majority of the images with black backgrounds I have taken were photographed there. As with all my wildlife shots, they are composed and taken in camera. A good job really because my post processing skills are most definitely not up to scratch for that sort of thing. For me, ALL wildlife comes first, the image second and I’ll never do anything to jeopardise an animal’s safety. I follow a strict code of ethics, I believe that is part of the privilege of photographing wildlife, and setting a good example for others. Wildlife is not just out there so we can take pictures of them for competitions. Wildlife also has their place in this world equal to us; they bring a natural balance to the world, which I’m afraid us humans, for the most part, have destroyed. Our wildlife is precious, and it is rapidly being taken away from us, I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to see all wildlife and

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enjoy them like we all do. I wish people could see wildlife as I do. To me, they are perfect, beautiful living creatures that deserve an equal chance to live on this planet alongside us. Not something to shot at for fun chased across the countryside and mauled to death in the name of ‘sport’. I think this is why I brought photography into the equation. To share my love of wildlife with people, help them to see them as I do, with love and respect. At the end of the day, that’s the least they deserve.” - Marie Warwick www.marieliannewildlifephotography.co.uk

Is your website

designed for digital marketing? Whether you are launching a brand new website or giving your existing site a facelift, there are always important decisions to make. Not only does your website need to look good and work correctly, but it also needs to be easy for prospective visitors to find you on search engines. Furthermore, you should be ready from the start to satisfy all of your customers’ requirements. Also, you also need to be able to understand how your website is working for your business, and where the opportunities for improvement exist.

Hallam Internet | Digital Marketing Agency

sean burton

RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN

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In today’s multi-device/multi-screen world, having a website designed with mobile and tablet devices in mind is vital. During 2014, mobile usage is predicted to overtake desktop usage, so make sure that visitors can use your site on their smart-phones and tablets. When choosing a web developer, make sure they are up to speed with the latest developments in responsive design, and that they can complete a project to meet the needs of mobile-based visitors. FUNCTIONAL ON SITE ELEMENTS Before launching a new website, check that it’s possible to edit the key elements of your web pages independently of one another. I’ve worked on many websites that are limited in terms of this functionality, and it invariably leads to problems with onpage optimisation. For optimum on-page performance, you should be able to edit the

URL structure, page headings, page titles, meta descriptions, image alt tags and navigation item titles – all independently of one another. FLEXIBLE NAVIGATION Even if you are pleased with your brand new website, it should always be considered a work in progress. As your business grows, you may wish to additional pages for a new service you provide. Additionally, you may choose to add additional static content as a result of your ongoing detailed keyword research. Your website should be built to accommodate the introduction of additional content, and the option for your visitors to navigate to this content should be simple and easy to implement. GOAL AND CONVERSION TRACKING To measure how well your website is meeting your business goals, it’s essential that you have access to some form of analytics data. What’s even more important is to ensure that you have accurate goal and conversion tracking installed onto your website, which enables you to measure and track your KPIs. Make sure that your website is built with goal and conversion tracking in mind, and check that all contact forms work correctly and operate in a manner that allows you to track goals and conversions accurately. One popular way of achieving this is to ensure that your forms when completed, direct your visitors to a “thank you” or confirmation page. These pages can be tracked as goal URLs within analytics and can contain tracking codes for paid marketing campaigns. CUSTOM 404 PAGES 404 error pages, if correctly configured, are returned when a page or piece of content on your site no longer exists. These pages not only notify the search engines that your page is no longer a part of your website, but also inform your visitors that the content is no longer available. Designing a custom 404 pages that a friendly message to notify your visitors, and providing useful links to redirect them into helpful areas of the site, can improve the user experience.

301 REDIRECTS If you decide to redesign your website, work with your web developers and SEOs. Ensuring that any pages that have changed in terms of URL structure are redirected to the new or most relevant version of that page. By improving the user experience, it helps to retain traffic and also pass on valuable link metrics to your new pages. SEARCH ENGINE READABLE IMAGE TEXT When designing your website, ensure that the search engine can read any text contained within images such as banners and calls to action. These elements often contain valuable keywords relating to your business and services. SEARCH ENGINE READABLE BUSINESS DETAILS AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS As with image text, it’s vitally important to ensure that your business address and telephone number are on your website in text format. If you are a local business, This is particularly important. Search engines use key details such as your business name, address and telephone number to establish the locality of your business. FAVICONS A favicon (short for favourite icon) is a small image file is associated with a particular website or web page. Your web designer will be able to implement this file onto your website in a manner that web browsers can make use of by displaying the icon in a user’s bookmarks bar. Although the lack of a favicon won’t be detrimental to your search visibility, it can help to reinforce your brand and improve the user experience of visitors who often return to your site via bookmarks. - Sean Burton www.hallaminternet.com

BROKEN URL’s Before launching your business online, you should check that all of the links on your website actually work. The last thing you want is to put your website live, only to discover several weeks or months down the line that you are losing traffic due to broken page and CTA links. There are several free popular tools out there which will crawl your website and check for broken links, such as Xenu’s Link Sleuth and Screaming Frog SEO Spider. Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

Photographer,

Retoucher, Trainer

Glyn Dewis is a professional photographer, retoucher, and trainer based in England. Glyn’s photography and retouching sees him working for national and international clients ranging from the BBC, SKY and Air New Zealand to athletes, musicians, and other industry professionals. A Photoshop World Dream Team Instructor, KelbyOne Instructor and Best Selling Author of “The Photoshop Workbook”, Glyn has featured in the New York Times for his Photography technique, teaches his own series of courses, provides one-on-one coaching and presents at events around the World covering all aspects of Adobe Photoshop from basic to advanced techniques. See his work at www.glyndewis.com and find his wildly popular videos on his YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/GlynDewis

glyn dewis

eeing as this is my first article to appear in this magazine, I thought I’d kick off with a look at one of my favourite, and without doubt the simplest lighting effects you can add in during Post Production and is actually an extract from my new book The Photoshop Workbook: Professional Retouching and Compositing Tips, Tricks and Technique. The technique I’d like to show is what I like to call ‘The World’s Simplest Lighting Effect’ and is used to mimic what we see when the outer areas of a light source are visible in a picture as opposed to seeing the bright central point. You can see the effect and how it has been added in the featuring image of this tutorial. The light is coming from the top, suggesting that a light source is above the two people in the boxing ring.

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1: With the image file open add a new blank layer to the top of the layer stack, and name it light (Figure 3.1). 2: With your foreground colour set to white, choose a soft-edged brush and size it to about 250px. (Make sure there are no settings or effects applied to the brush.) 3: With the light layer active, click once in the center of the image. Zoom out and then choose Edit > Free Transform. Hold down the Option/Alt and Shift keys and then click and drag any of the corner transform handles, and resize the white soft-edged circle much, much larger so that it goes beyond the bounds of the image borders. (Note: Holding down both the Option / Alt and Shift keys when resizing the light does so in the same proportions) Then press Return/Enter (Figure 3.2).

F 3.1

F 3.2

F 3.3

F 3.4

F 3.5

F 3.6

Before

After

4: Zoom in, and select the Move tool. Drag the light to the top of the picture so that only the bottom feathered edge remains in view. There you have it—instant light source (Figure 3.3). 5: Of course you can always do something extra to take the effect to another level, and that’s what we’re going to do here by adding in dust specks, just like you get around a light source. To do this I’m going to make use of something I call “thingys.” To create a file like this (Figure 3.4), point your camera to the sky at night and take a photograph of rain, using on-camera flash. 6: .Place your ‘thingys’ layer into the open image by choosing File > Place Embedded (File > Place in earlier versions of Photoshop), and make sure it is positioned at the top of the layer stack. Resize it to fill the layer by using Edit > Free Transform. NOTE The Place command opens the file directly into the image you’re working on and adds it to the layer stack. The Open command simply opens the image. 7: Change the blend mode of the ‘thingys’ layer from Normal to Screen, which will make only the lighter parts of the layer visible. 8: .Add a white layer mask to the ‘thingys’ layer, and with the foreground colour set to black, choose the Gradient tool from the toolbar. 9: Click directly on the gradient in the top left of the screen and choose the Foreground To Transparent Gradient from the Gradient Picker. 10: Click OK, and drag multiple gradients over the image to remove the ‘thingys’ from the lower area of the picture (Figures 3.5 and 3.6). Here we can see the before / after of the World’s Simplest Lighting Effect also with the final colouring effect applied. - Glyn Dewis

Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

A Day At The

IMAGE FACTORY A look behind the scenes at the largest wedding post-production service provider Hezikiah de Souza is the managing director of ProImageEditors (www. proimageeditors.eu). The production facility, which is located in Mumabi, India, houses over 220 image editing professionals who process images from all over the world. ProImageEditors (PIE) was founded 12 years ago by three Indians living in the United States who were quick to recognize the need for image post-production in the stock photo industry. The company started out with services like scanning, dust spotting and retouching for stock but now also caters to verticals like real estate, product, fashion and portraits (school, kindergarten, seniors and babies). With the addition of weddings as a vertical, PIE is now able to generate more business with wedding images than any other type of vertical. Nowadays, subcontracting of image editing is an integral part of the wedding photography workflow. The basic idea

here is to help photographers save TIME, save MONEY, and focus on what photographers do best – “Shoot Great Pictures”. During the season the PIE workforce processes around 1.6 million images per month. De Souza tells us that typical wedding photographers shoot about 6-8 jobs per month during the peak season and usually do not have enough time to process and deliver these jobs in the same month. Photographers who do their own post-production sometimes end up delivering finished photos months after the wedding has taken place and often consider changing jobs as a result of all the stress! De Souza says, “We do more than just process images. With the additional time gained by subcontracting their work to PIE, we give photographers the time they need to focus on existing customer relations, win new clients, plan their shoots better, or just spend more time with family.”

95% of the workflow is the same across all photographers. It is only the last 5% that makes each photographer unique. 22 : Creative Light Magazine - Issue 8

Hezikiah De Souza: “We do more than just process images.“

Since production turnarounds are just a few days, couples receive their images faster and in turn the photographers get paid faster, too. Wedding photographers are often chosen by couples for their shooting styles, which gives certain photographers a real commercial advantage. Mr. de Souza doesn’t want to change this and tells us that 95 % of the workflow (selection, color correction, cropping, straightening and more) is the same across all photographers. It is only the last 5% that makes each photographer unique. So the idea here is to help the photographer with that 95% and give back images to which the photographer can then add any final touches. Since most of the edits are done in Lightroom, the photographer can add or subtract changes as per his liking which means that they still have full control over all the images that are being edited. Subcontracting image editing also means saving money. To color correct without selection, the price per image is about 14 euro cents (about 0.10 GBP). To color correct and select the best images for customers the price per image is about 11 euro cents (about 0.08 GBP). In the selection process customers get to choose the percentage

Over 220 Image editing professionals are working in an environment of high security protocols to prevent customer data from going astray. The company’s electronic access systems are comparable to those used in high-security medical laboratories.

of the image that they would like to keep. A typical wedding of 800 images without culling would typically cost around 112 euros (about 80 GBP). For most Europeans, prices like these immediately conjure images of collapsing textile factories and undernourished children, but such clichés don’t apply at PIE. The company’s imaging experts earn a salary equivalent to that of a professor in most schools, and normally have a degree in arts with additional Photoshop certification. During the peak season, the staff can earn up to three times their salaries in incentives for efficiency and extra working hours. The great working conditions mean the company has a constant stream of applicants for work, but not everyone has what it takes to process images professionally. Every candidate goes through a color blindness test even before they get selected for a 3-month training program to get them to the international standards that are expected from PIE and its customers. Mumbai is an ideal location for business and offers great network infrastructure without the power cuts that plague other Indian cities. Fiber-optic cables connect the company’s offices and it currently has a 300 Mbit Internet pipe.

De Souza says, “If I need to double my network capacity, I can have the required infrastructure up and running within three days. A quick look into one of the other offices reveals the video editing work that is destined to become a big part of the company’s future. Increasingly, wedding photographers shoot video footage of the events they cover, and anyone who has ever edited his or her own videos knows how much effort this involves. Mr. de Souza continues to develop the company to match the services offered by its photographers and videographers with services like video editing and photo book design.

500 If you’d like to try subcontracting your image post processing then PIE gives you a 500 image test for free.

At the end of our tour, de Souza assures us that European photographers are quickly shedding their doubts about subcontracting and that Europe is PIE’s fastest growing market, even if the volume of business the ‘old world’ generates isn’t as large as that of the United States. Editor’s note: As demand in Europe grows, PIE continues to seek partnerships with institutions catering to professional photographers. The Guild of Photographers has partnered with PIE and we are happy to announce a 10% discount for members.

IMAGES FOR FREE For details please go to: www.proimageeditors.eu/guild Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

How to close more Business precept optimum performance

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ttracting enquiries from interested customers is hard enough. But how many of those interested customers then decide to buy from a competitor, or not at all? All our marketing effort and sales time is lost, and often for reasons that we just don’t understand. Effective selling is about so much more than the simple benefits and pricing that you can offer. The decision to buy from one person or another is based on extremely subtle, often subconscious decisions. The good news is that there is something that you can do about it. By understanding the unconscious drivers of our behaviour, you can adapt your sales technique to increase the chances that people will choose you. None of the ideas we propose are foolproof. However, they have been scientifically tested, and are proven to work in the majority of cases. Here is the next of our “Jedi mind tricks”

Cognitive Dissonance Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable feeling we get when we act in a way that is not in tune with our beliefs or previous actions. We can use this to ensure that our customers act in a consistent and predictable way when we are not in a position to influence them directly. David Greenwald, with a number of colleagues, set out to measure the power of this principle in 1984. Ronald Reagan was competing with Walter Mondale in the hope of winning his second term in office. Greenwald arranged for a number of his students to be called by telephone the night before the election. The researchers explained they were conducting a poll and asked the students only one question; “Will you be voting tomorrow?” Now, this was 1984, and these were mature students, and so they all said they would do the responsible thing – turn out and vote. Greenwald was then able to measure the turnout of these students and an equivalent group who hadn’t been asked that same question.

Amazingly, the turn-out rate from those who had committed verbally to vote was almost 50% higher than that of the group who had not. Even though the voters had made only a verbal commitment, to a complete stranger, who they knew they would never see again, they felt obliged to act in the way they had said they would. Gordon Sinclair, the owner of a Chicago restaurant used this principle to reduce by two thirds the number of people who booked a table and then didn’t show, without calling to cancel. Not only that, but he did it by changing only two words in the script that his receptionist used to confirm telephone bookings. Gordon was experiencing 30% no-show rates when his receptionist confirmed the booking with these words – “If for any reason you have to cancel please let us know.” The dramatic two word change that reduced Gordon’s no-shows to only 10% was “will you”, as in “If for any reason you have to cancel will you please let us know?” Now, that requires an answer’ to which the diners (obviously) always answered “yes”. The simple fact of making that commitment had the impact of reducing by two thirds the level of no-shows. Now, that is when people make a verbal commitment. What do you think will happen if we get them to make a written commitment? The effect of Cognitive Dissonance has been shown to even more powerful when you get someone to make an active, rather than a passive commitment. So, now you know why the bank make you fill out your loan application yourself, rather than just sign one that they have prepared for you. They want you to be truly committed to paying them back. We can use this principle too. Have you ever had to deal with the hidden decision maker? You know how it goes, you have made a really good sales presentation, you have identified all the customer’s needs and concerns and provided a solution to every single one, and then they tell you they will have to consult the boss/husband/ wife. All of a sudden you have another customer to convince but you have no way of talking to them directly. By applying a little Cognitive Dissonance you can significantly improve your chances of getting the business. If you ask your customer “when you talk to your boss/husband/ wife will you be recommending this purchase?” They are going to say yes – because you have done such a good job of selling to them. Now, when they speak to their boss/husband/ wife they are going to feel obliged to act in accordance with what they said they would do. In fact, the pressure will be all the greater as they know they are going to have to come back and tell you they were unsuccessful. The chances are that they will argue your case even

more strongly than you would have had you been there. Like Gordon Sinclair, you can use this principle to reduce the number of no shows at your meetings or events, simply by asking the people to confirm to you in person that they will be there. If you can make the act of confirming involve more effort, such as filling in a form, writing an e-mail, or even suggesting topics they would like to discuss at the event or meeting you will enhance the sense of commitment that they will feel. By the way, this principle doesn’t just work when you are trying to close a sale. There are many ways in which you can use Cognitive Dissonance to make your sales process go more smoothly.

For example: Do you ever have sales meetings that end with – “Let me think about it”? What if you agreed with the customer at the outset that you would discuss their needs, recommend solutions if you felt they were appropriate and that the customer would tell you at the end either yes or no? Do you think that would reduce the number of “think about it” responses you would get? Especially if you reminded them of that commitment towards the end of the meeting. Some sales processes require the customer to test the product in between meetings. Ensuring the customer agrees to a specific time that they will do the test (and agreeing to call to discuss the results) will make a big difference to their actual doing the tests.

- Ginny Atherton Precept Optimum Perforance http://www.precept.uk.com/

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Amazing light, atmosphere and landscape Guild member, John Miskelly, is one of the leading landscape and travel photographers in the UK and Ireland today. A multi award-winning fine art photographer, he specialises in stunning landscape and seascape photography, from Ireland, Scotland and around the world. His style, which is instantly recognisable through the visual drama and artistry of his photographs, is born of a keen eye for the many moods of the natural landscape and a life-long passion for the wilderness He has a rare talent for capturing images of amazing light and atmosphere, which give John’s images a sense of the majesty of the natural world in which we live. He will think nothing of spending many days braving the elements (and often getting very wet!) just to get the right combination of light and ‘feel’ that creates the magical landscape photography images.

Q: What have you found most challenging about your work?

john miskelly

The most challenging aspect is marketing and being able to keep generating new business. While it’s challenging, I still enjoy this aspect as it’s the lifeblood of my business. In fact, I spend less time taking photographs than people would believe.

What advice would you give to members of the Guild looking to sell and make a living from Landscape/Architectural or Commercial Photography? I always say it’s important to follow your dreams. However, moving from taking landscape images, possibly as a hobby, to trying to make a living is a big challenge. If you’re content to have the pressure of delivering to often challenging client briefs, of marketing yourself as a fine art photographer then go for it. Also, offer something that others aren’t providing, although this can be difficult to find. There are relatively few professional landscape photographers out there making a living at

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this for a reason, and I certainly don’t know any wealthy ones!

Q: What camera equipment do you use for your Landscape and Architectural images?

I currently use the Nikon D810 along with two tilt shift lenses, the PC-E 24mm f3.5 D and the PC-E 45mm f2.8 ED. I also have recently purchased the Zeiss Distagon T* 21mm f2.8 ZF.2 lens. In addition, if I’m travelling by air or climbing mountains, I will be more likely to carry my Fuji XT-1 along with the excellent Fujinon XF 14mm f2.8 R lens. My LEE filters are also essential for all of my work in landscape. Over the years, I’ve used different camera systems, depending on what was best to complete the job in hand.

Q: What advice would you give to

photographers about landscape photography? Get your technique nailed, in particular how to use your camera with it’s ‘manual’ settings including manual focus. After this, find what inspires you and what you emotions want to

express with your images. Then just go out and take photographs, being critical of what does and doesn’t work. There’s nothing like practice to get better at whatever you choose to do!

How essential is a tripod for your photography? I use a tripod for all my landscape work. As I work slowly and methodically, using totally manual settings on my camera, a tripod isn’t a hindrance. I also do a lot of long exposure work. Not using a tripod isn’t an option. On the other hand, if I’m shooting travel or environmental portraits, then I only ever shoot hand-held.

Q: How important is post processing in your finished images?

It is critical to my style of landscape photography. However, it is important to remember that any post processing must be sympathetic to the image and carried out with a clear vision of what you want the final image to look like. I so often see images that have been poorly processed or have had techniques applied that don’t make the image any better. I see so much on social media that is of a poor quality, yet many people leave positive comments without knowing what makes a great image. This Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

doesn’t help photographers learn, to improve and how to produce better images.

How did you begin to develop your brand?

I suppose this just happened and developed naturally over time. I am known for producing strong and often moody images, which I believe suits much of our landscape around the British Isles. I have also specialised in panoramic images, and I want to capture the mood and emotion of the places I visit and clients now come to me for this type of imagery. I also believe that as a photographer, our style never stops evolving. I expect my photographic style will be different in a couple of years from now.

Q: Have you received any formal training from colleges or universities during your career?

I completed a City & Guilds Course in photography in the late 90’s. The Tutor on this course was inspirational, and the course helped me to start thinking differently about my photography and how to take it to a new level. I also believe in gaining qualifications from bodies such as the Royal Photographic Society or the Guild of Photographers. I am currently working on my Fellowship submission for the Royal Photographic Society.

Who inspires you?

I’m inspired by not just other photographers, but by music, books and other forms of art. I think it’s really important to be open to the wider creative world. In terms of photographers, I love the work of Michael Kenna, a true master of composition. I was originally inspired to try landscape photography many years ago, after hearing Joe Cornish talking about his images.

Apart from sheer hard work, what would you say is the main ingredient to your successful imagery? It’s probably having a clear vision of what I’m trying to achieve. I am very patient waiting for the right light. I visit a location many times if necessary to get the image that I have in my mind when I started off with the original idea. I then see this through to the final print, which is incredibly important, using Canson Infinity papers to get great images for my fine art clients.

How would you describe your style and approach to landscape photography? I start off by carefully planning the images I’m trying to capture. For example, one of my clients

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recently commissioned me to produce a range of images from the Game of Thrones locations. I worked out the best time to photograph each location, based on the light, weather and tides for the seascapes. It was then a case of waiting for the right time and being ready when all the elements came together.

Q: Any books that you would recommend to Creative Light Magazine readers?

I have already mentioned Joe Cornish and I would suggest that his book, First Light, is a true classic. Also, Mountain Light by Galen Rowell, the mountaineer and photographer who was killed in an air crash in 2002. I have also recently purchased Zebrato by Michael Levin.

Q: Interesting facts about you? I’m a workaholic and very driven, as my wife and family can well attest! As well as photography, my other great passion is alpine skiing. Career wise, after spending many years working for the BBC, I trained as a Chartered Accountant before eventually returning to photography, but that’s another story!

Favourite place in Ireland and why?

I really love the County Antrim and Donegal coasts, but if I had to be more specific, I would pick Boyeeghter Bay, an isolated beach that isn’t easy to find and one that’s a favourite with my workshop participants.

Where next?

A very good question! I’ve recently started working on a new project, which I’ve titled, Elemental. Using simpler compositions of the different elements found within nature. Stone, wood, water, sand, etc. It is still in the very early stages, but we’ll see where it goes over the coming months. I also want to offer more workshops in future, as I enjoy passing on my knowledge to those wanting to take their landscape photography to the next level.

Q: Three words that describe you? Passionate; Loyal; Animal lover; (I know that’s strictly speak 4 words, but I’ll pretend I can’t count!)

Favourite food?

Italian. Then of course, after an early morning dawn shoot, a bacon buttie and mug of tea is absolutely wonderful! - Julie Oswin

Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye

Callanish Standing Stones, Isle of Harris

Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland

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ÂŠ John Miskelly

To find out more about Guild member John Miskelly gorgeous landscape photography, please visit his website: www.johnmiskelly.co.uk

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gold award Congratulations Clive Hall March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Ann Stebbing March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Marie Warwick March 2015

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Road Shows 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

With every area covered for the photographer, our vision for 2015 is clear. We are on the Road, bringing our shows to a city near youâ&#x20AC;?.

e are pleased to be working with The Guild of Photographers at all of our shows this year. The Guild of Photographers will be holding their own workshops covering different subjects to our own, meaning that The Photovision Road Shows will be the most informative and lively shows around,

photovision trade shows

As we have been providing Photographers with our brilliant one day trade shows over the past 11 years, we have decided to spice things up a little. Our next event will be held at Brands Hatch Circuit, Kent on Tuesday 14th July 2015 with FREE trade show entry to see your trusted trade suppliers. Have you got your hottest ticket in town?, if not simply register at : www.forwardevents.co.uk

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SPEAKERS FOR THE GUILD OF PHOTOGRAPHERS Mark Seymour and Andrew Appleton will be at the Brands Hatch Circuit, Fawkham, Kent, DA3 8NG

TUESDAY 14TH JULY 2015 BRANDS HATCH CIRCUIT

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Claire’s Recipe for Success Snuggles with Bear

Ingredients: • • • • • • •

3 Blanket Textures One cuddly toy and matching hat Soft lighting source - feathered soft box or filtered daylight White balance card Flash/light meter Small silver reflector 1 newborn baby

Instructions: • •

• •

claire elliott

•

Position your textured blankets/ fluffs in a symmetrical manner. Light the shot from top right corner with a 45 degree angle, have a small reflector at hand. Make sure the baby is fast asleep to keep the blankets in the shot tidy. Make a very slight well to put the baby into to keep him content and snug as a bug. Fit the baby’s hat and slide in the teddy bear. Straighten the top cover for a tidy finish. Shoot the shot from directly above the baby but use camera strap or hand strap for safety, being careful not to shoot up the babies nose. Refine hands for a relaxed feel to the shot.

Top tip: Reposition the bear and play with the ties on the hat to suit your own style and keep extra hats and bears close to change up the shot in a few seconds.

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Fun with a Toy

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

1 coloured backdrop 1 unusual chair Wooden toy to suit your subject Clothing to fit the scene Soft lighting source - feathered soft box or filtered daylight Large silver reflector White balance card Flash/light meter

Instructions: • • • • • • • •

Roll out your chosen colour background with enough space for chair. Light from the left side where the chair is facing, with light feathered away slightly. Position reflector to soften the harsh shadows on the right hand side. Place child on the chair but still keeping parent close by for safety. Keep the child on the chair by engaging with a themed toy. Sit down on a small chair and take the shots at the child’s eye level for best results. Offer different toys and add hats etc. for different shots in just a few seconds. Only a simple edit is needed for these shots, they speak for themselves.

Top tip: Blowing raspberries for the toddler is very amusing for them and will keep them entertained for 2 minutes. Change the chair quickly to keep the flow of the session.

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Head on Hands Ingredients: • • • • • • • •

Posing beanbag 1 soft backdrop blanket Contrasting wrap to keep baby snuggled Soft lighting source - feathered soft box or filtered daylight Large silver reflector White noise White balance card Flash/light meter

Instructions: •

•

• •

•

• • •

Set up blanket backdrop, lighting and reflector, take meter reading and set white balance. Take a blank shot of your blanket set up, for editing the blanket back in later on. Settle baby into a deep sleep - use white noise if needed. Place the baby on his tummy making sure his legs are comfortable, place small wrap over body. Check lighting pattern. Support the weight of the head and GENTLY bring the arms and hands round under the chin. Ask parent to take the weight of the babies head on one side to stop it falling. Take a few shots from babies eye height. Refine fingers to make sure they are flat and re-shoot. Edit out the parents finger using parts of the babies hair and the blank shot of the backdrop.

Top tip: watch for circulation changing in babies hands, and if they wont open their fist, rub the top of the hand.

- Claire Elliott www.fmphoto.co.uk

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gold award Congratulations Jenny Hibbert March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Laurence Sweeney March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Howard Ashton March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Shaheen Ali March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Chris Chambers March 2015

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gold award Congratulations Alistair Jones April 2015

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gold award Congratulations Gillian Lloyd April 2015

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gold award Congratulations Gillian Lloyd April 2015

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gold award Congratulations Gavin Prest April 2015

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Surrealist Portrait Photographer

christopher bradbury

In the last ten years, Chris has won some of the top awards in the photographic industry at both the “British Professional Photography Awards” and at the “Master Photographer of the Year Awards”. Chris has been the “UK Digital Photographer of the Year” six times and UK Portrait Photographer of the Year twice. He had the highest scoring image in the world at the national awards and in 2013 he was made a moderator for Cambridge University. Chris and his wife live in the village of Bidford, Coventry where he built his studio and offers portraiture and digital editing services. Chris runs his ‘Arty Farty’ Lecture tour teaching evening and full day workshops on composite imaging and In-depth RAW image processing to photographic societies and professional photographers. Creative Light caught up with Chris, who kindly agreed to an interview for the members.

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Q: How did you begin to build your brand? I opened my first studio in 1984 and undercut the all of the competitors in the area by offering Wedding and Portrait services cheaper than the rest. Giving me a foothold in the market and eventually, a name for quality. Within a couple of years, we raised the prices and still held on to our market share. One of the problems with being “cheap” is that you do lots of work, you are forever working, the clients want the earth and expect you to do it for free. When you charge a higher fee, you make the same revenue from less work, the clients treat you as a professional, and you have more time to concentrate on improving your images and your business.

Q: What importance to you place on Social Media for your business?

The world is more connected than it has ever been, and you have to get your business to as many prospective clients as possible. When I first built my photographic studio, the only way clients could see my work was to look into

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ÂŠ Christopher Bradbury

my ‘shop window’ or book an appointment. Today the internet is your ‘shop window’ and by using social media, you have access to a much younger clientele. Today when a client arranges to visit your studio, you know that they are serious about your work.

Q: How do you start to create you master pieces?

The most difficult part of creating a multilayered image is getting the original idea. Sometimes the client will come up with something but most of the time it’s my choice. The next step is to storyboard the image and work out how to shoot all of the components using the same quality of light and a consistent lighting direction. I try to shoot all of the components on the same day. If there is a mixture of location and studio shooting, I add a little flash to the external shots. Therefore, when the images are being put together on the computer, there is a consistent colour temperature.

Q: How important is Photoshop in your final, finished image?

I hear a lot of people say that I am the Photoshop guy. I am principally a photographer who shoots complex images. I just happen to use Photoshop as part of the process.

What advice would you give any photographer wanting to turn professional? Work with a professional photographer as an assistant even if it doesn’t pay and learn the craft. Pay for expert tuition, as they say, knowledge is power. When I first started the studio, I made two big mistakes. 1: I started as a Limited Company 2: I registered for VAT As a result, the only people that made any money out of the business for the first few years were the Accountants and the Government.

Q: What lighting equipment do you use in

If I were starting again, I would be a sole trader and only register for VAT when I reached the threshold.

Over the years, my studio has collected both Bowens and Elinchrom lighting. All triggered by Pocket Wizard as they have a good range and are always reliable. I use a lot of soft boxes ranging from 60cm to two meters to give shape to the subject.

the studio and on location?

I always ensure that the subject is no further that two and a half times the distance from the soft-box than the size of the soft box if you want to give shape and not just illumination.

What is your pet hate regarding photographers of today? Lack of training. So many photographers think that pointing the camera at the subject, pressing the button, relying on the gear to do it all for you, makes you a professional photographer. I’m afraid that has never been true. The standard of wedding photography in the UK is falling like a stone with static posing or “Uncle Fred” snapshots and poorly composed images.

What is your favourite editing software?

Photoshop is by far the most comprehensive software on the market for editing images and we run many courses at the studio teaching beginners to advanced practitioners how to get the best out of their images. The On-One software range offers some of the easiest software to edit your images and the Perfect Mask module is superb for isolating subjects from backgrounds.

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What is your thought process behind your digital masterpieces and how do you build the image? Some of my images can take up to a hundred hours to design, shoot and manipulate. They have multiple meanings and often, details in the background are as important as the subject. My old boss said “ Get the background right, the foreground will look after itself.” If the Image is a location shoot, I treat it as either a commercial interior or a landscape image. Many of the backgrounds in my compositions are made up of multiple images in their own right. To guide the viewer to look where I want them to start in the image. I place the brightest, darkest, sharpest or focal point of the image on a ‘hot spot’ within the composition (rule of thirds). All components have the same lighting, from the same direction and the same colour balance to give the image a consistent look. I see a lot of composite images in competitions that have multiple light sources. The authors obviously spend a lot of time in Photoshop and with the post processing. In some cases the photographs are quite stunning but without proper planning and a single light source over all of the components, you are left with a lack of believability and a ruined image. My advice to all those budding composite photographers, plan and storyboard your

project. Shoot with a single light source from a set lighting direction. So, when you compile the image in Photoshop it will look believable, and the viewer will only have one question. “How did you do that?”

Q: Tripod, how important is it to your photography and digital art?

A tripod makes you slow down and concentrate on the image. In the old days of shooting 5x4 transparency, we would make sure that we had a final image before pressing the shutter. When you hand-hold the camera, you take far too many images. Resulting in you spending ages in front of the computer and giving the client far too much choice. By default, you will end up with quantity rather than quality. When shooting a complex image with multiple layers on the same background, I mount the camera on the tripod, and then control it from either a remote trigger, a tablet/phone or shoot tethered from a computer. This registers the background image correctly for each layer.

Q: What new gadget or piece of camera

equipment will be your next purchase and why? I have just converted a compact camera to shoot Infrared. It’s amazing seeing the world in a wavelength that the eyes can’t see and with some manipulation in Photoshop the images are simply stunning. My next purchase will probably be to have one of our SLR cameras converted for IR so that I can shoot with a bigger sensor and less noise. The advantage of having a camera converted is that you can shoot at higher shutter speeds and not have to rely on long exposures to capture the IR images.

Q: Who inspires you? I have always been a sucker for the surrealists and the work of photographers like Vincent O’Byrne. I have always been fascinated by people that can look at the world and see something new and wonderful.

What do you feel has helped you to succeed where others have failed? Never spend more than you earn and make sure that any advertising pays for itself.

Q: How would you describe your approach to photography and digital art?

I know its an overused phrase, but photography is a passion. I always have a camera with me, and I still set myself projects. Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

If I get an idea, it can stop me sleeping until I have worked out how to shoot it and what to do with the post-processing.

If you get paid for it, it’s a bonus.

Where next?

Over the last couple of years, I have been writing easy to understand guides on Photography and Photoshop. Based on the principle of “Fewer words more information.” Many books on Photoshop and Photography have so much text and waffle that the reader gives up before they have learned anything. I have tried to condense the information to the bare essentials, written in an easy to assimilate form.

Your favourite UK destination and why?

Each year my wife Katharine and I escape for a weekend to North Devon. We stay at one of our favourite hotels and walk along the rugged coast. It is one of the UK’s areas of geological lunacy and the stormier the weather, the better!

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Three words that describe you?

Passionate; Imaginative; Innovative

Your favourite food?

Sunday Lunch! Thank you Christopher for talking to Creative Light and sharing your work. www.cbphoto.co.uk

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ÂŠ Christopher Bradbury

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gold award Congratulations Dade Freeman March 2015

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Want to join us? P

rofessional, enthusiast or both - if you are a photographer the Guild can help you to get the most from your camera in a friendly and supportive way!

Our membership includes full and part-time professional photographers committed to delivering the highest standards to their customers, distinguished social photographers of many years standing, plus enthusiasts who are involved with photography simply because they ‘love it’, as well as aspiring photographers who can benefit from the experience of our established members. We offer a training and mentoring from internationally respected tutors, have industry relevant assessment processes and differing membership levels, and can save you £££’s through the largest discount scheme in the Country! We also offer incredible legal protection and support for those in business as well as much more! Perhaps this is why the Guild is growing so quickly! There are two main types of Membership Regular Membership .. which is suitable for all (especially enthusiasts or those based abroad) - just £90 per year ‘Pro’ Membership .. which comes with a large amount of additional services ideally suited to the professional photographer based within the UK - just £120 per year

‘Pro’ Membership includes .. Loss of earnings protection, a 24/7 Legal Advice helpline, 24/7 access to a team of PR experts, a Tax Advice helpline, a mediation service, and an on-line Business Legal Services facility where you can personalise and download around 100 legal documents. Also included is Business Legal Cover which responds to a generous range of legal disputes that can arise from day-today business activities including Tax Investigation Protection which covers a formal aspect or full enquiry into your business tax affairs by HM Revenue and Customs, Contract Dispute and a Debt Recovery service which protects you if a customer or supplier doesn’t fulfil a contractual agreement, Compliance and Regulation cover which defends you from business-related prosecution or civil action brought under the Data Protection Act and provides cover to appeal as well as Employment Protection and Compensation Awards which provides protection from disputes with past, present or prospective employees. Plus more .. and all the benefits of Regular Membership of course

Regular Membership includes .. FREE Cloud based ‘back-up’ (which otherwise costs £120), access to the highly recognisable Guild logos and the highly regarded Guild assessment programme, access to critiques and mentoring plus 121 or group training opportunities and social events. There are also monthly photography competitions with the opportunity of feedback to help personal development and a FREE bi-monthly magazine. Members also get a FREE listing on the Guild’s contemporary and powerful search engine, FREE Downloads, private FB group areas ideal for networking, advice and support, a Priority Data Recovery service and an expert post-production service. There is also access to over 22,000 discounts including discounted and comprehensive insurance, up to 12% off at the Apple Store and 7% off at many High Street retailers (including Argos, Currys and PC World! Typical savings can be over £1000 per year. Remember - qualifications from other respectable organisations are transferable from ‘Licentiate’ (an ‘L’ as they are commonly known) to our ‘Qualified Status’. They may also be at higher levels. ALL THIS IS AVAILABLE FROM JUST £90 A YEAR(LESS THAN 25 PENCE A DAY) IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE OR WHAT THE GUILD CAN DO FOR YOU PLEASE GET IN TOUCH.

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Creative Light Readers Special Offer - Save up to £21! “there’s never been a better time to join the Guild”

Join the Guild now and get your first years Pro membership for just £99 (saving £21), simply by joining on-line, selecting the £120 annual membership option and inserting the code ‘SAVE15’ OR get your first years Regular membership for just £75 (saving £15), simply by joining on-line, selecting the £90 annual membership option and inserting the code ‘SAVE15’ You will also get up to £150 worth of FREE Training Downloads (of your choice) from Lovegrove Consulting and Engage Live as a thank-you for joining us!

This is a time-limited offer and may be ended at any time. More details are on the Guild’s website.

The Guild of Photographers Website www.photoguild.co.uk

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One of the finest professional photographic laboratories to be found in the UK

PHOTO PRINTS & FRAMING

ALBUMS & PHOTOBOOKS

WALL DISPLAY PRODUCTS

Delivering the highest quality prints and one of most comprehensive framing services on the market.

We combine the very best materials with hand crafted skills to produce a range of high quality, cost effective albums and photobooks.

Using the finest materials crafted into works of visual art, each and every product in our range is finished to perfection.

For well over 40 years, One Vision Imaging have been servicing the pro photographer with the very highest standards of processing and finishing.

n Comprehensive Range of Wall Display Products n Handmade Albums & Photobooks n Award Winning Framing Service n Schools & Nursery Printing Services n White Label Website Personalisation

From prints to superb wall display products, pay a visit our website to see for yourself, the complete range of products and services we offer.

Winners of Best Pro Lab and Framing Service by industry professionals at the SWPP Trade Awards.

Herald Way l Binley Industrial Estate l Coventry l CV3 2NY l Tel: 0845 862 0217

www.onevisionimaging.com

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gold award Congratulations Imelda Bell April 2015

Issue 8 - Creative Light Magazine :

the boys ÂŠ 2015 Mark Lynham http://www.marklynham.com

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