Photographers Showcase
2010
photography
Photographers Showcase
2010
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photography
The
new
wave Index IDC........................................................................................................................................... 17 International Rescue......................................................................................................... 19 Lightworkx............................................................................................................................ 21 Flash Studios........................................................................................................................ 22 Reload..................................................................................................................................... 23 Spid Advertising Photographer............................................................................. 23, 27 Minnie Street Studios....................................................................................................... 24 Photo Warehouse............................................................................................................... 24 Studio Lumiere.................................................................................................................... 24 Stephen Langdon............................................................................................................... 25 Leon Rose.............................................................................................................................. 27
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photography
There’s a big demand for their best work, but NZ’s professional photographers also face shrinking budgets, competition from stock libraries, tighter deadlines and an invasion of amateurs. There’s also a trend from aesthetics to story capture. Patricia Moore reports.
T
he advertising industry turned to photography when it discovered the power of a photograph to convey the joys and benefits of consumerism, says art historian Patricia Johnston.“Advertising agencies, clients, and magazine editors eagerly sought work by Steichen, Penn, Avedon and others because they recognised their modernism and distinctive personal visions as effective selling tools. Those were the days! Commercial photographers today face challenges that have some questioning the viability of the business. The NZ Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP), which represents over 400 photographers, says the median income for a fulltime, self-employed commercial photographer in NZ is around $27,000. The average cost of running the business – before they pay themselves – is $80,000 a year. “It’s not a glamour industry with huge sums of money to be made,” says president Craig Robertson of Rotorua-based Fullframe Photography. Competition is big; advertising budgets are not. Stock libraries offer images in the millions, sometimes for under a dollar and often within hours. Magazines have shrunk, and so have page numbers – a report from the US Publishers Information Bureau last year indicated a 41% decline in ad pages since 2000. “NZ is a fantastic place to live but as a photographer it’s a hard place to realise
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big dreams and ambitions,” says Chris Sisarich.“Budgets are small, the time frames are short. Unless you move to New York or London it can be quite a struggle,” Despite those shrinking budgets, clients still expect the same high standard, says Flash Studio’s Melanie Jenkins. “I’m also finding that where once we’d do a quote and the job would be confirmed, clients are now holding off for months, putting shoots off as long as they can.” Commercial photographers are working harder for less, she says. Diminishing budgets were discussed at the recent Advertising & Illustrative Photographers Association (AIPA) Image Nation conference. “It’s a huge problem,” says executive director Aaron K. And there are many in the industry who don’t see things returning to normal anytime soon. A combination of wannabe photographers trying to break into the market, and clients in saving mode who are prepared to settle for less in the way of quality and creativity, is having an impact. Addressing Image Nation attendees, Droga5 Creative Partner Mike O’Sullivan suggested smart clients will soon see the effect this has on their brands and return to using experienced professionals. “It’s a bit like desktop publishing when it first arrived and there was some shocking design around,” says Aaron K. O’Sullivan talks about old versus new photography.“Huge amounts of time would be spent on the aesthetic. I would argue
LEON ROSE.
that’s becoming less important,” he says. “It’s about the look and feel of the story that’s happening in the photograph.” The way people are viewing images means technique is becoming less relevant, he says. “They’re not looking at big beautiful A2 things; images today are on all sorts of devices. What’s important is they capture the right story.” Those new devices have seen an increased demand for images and it’s predicted that in a few short years online content will be almost totally video. Is this an opportunity for photographers wanting to upskill and expand the services they offer? “Having a good eye and knowing how to compose translates well into that area, and there are a number of top photographers already working in the field,” says Aaron K. On the downside, the investment required is a hefty one, and just as today’s technology allows anyone to become a photographer, anyone can become a videographer.
photography
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photography
top model in focus
CHRIS PARKER.
CRAIG ROBERTSON.
Skinny thumbs-up Newly opened Studio Lumière will feature in the next season of America’s Next Top Model, filmed in Auckland late last year. Owner Vanita Andrews says the photography studio was chosen in part for its modern furnishing and facilities, which fit with the style of the glossy, international show. “When we were decorating, our number one priority was making it a beautiful space that was also really functional,” Andrews says. “So we’ve got gorgeous furniture and wallpaper, but then we’ve also got one of the few true infinity coves in the country, and a roof that opens and closes, so you can use natural light if you like.” Andrews says the studio’s privacy was also a drawcard for the show’s producers. “It’s really light and airy, while still being completely closed off. When you’ve got celebrities and a show to protect, that’s got to be a priority for you. As for what went on in the studio, Andrews says: “It was all very top secret. I basically showed them the espresso machine and left them to it.” Studio Lumière is available for full or half days, with options for props and equipment hire, catering and talent transport. Call Andrews (09 550 7383) for an inspection.
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MICHELE RICHARDS.
Talent, resources and business sense will be needed to excel in a market that will soon be as fiercely competitive as photography. Video capture is changing the state of photography immensely, says Robert Trathen. “HD video is now a standard feature in all top-of-the-range camera bodies, and with broadband getting faster, watching quality videos will be expected on almost every website.” Newspapers will lead, he says, using video still capture in hard copy and video online. “My advice is to start shooting video and learn how to edit because this will add value to the range of work you can land and could lead to directing TVCs.” Moving into video is just one option. Photography is an industry that offers a great many opportunities to diversify, says NZIPP’s Robertson. Leon Rose says his recent exhibition in Auckland was one way to promote his skills and make a sale or two along the way.
photography
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photography
getting an edge
ROB TRATHEN.
MELANIE JENKINS.
MIKE O’SULLIVAN.
Agents provacateur Having an agent will definitely give a top-class photographer an edge, be it locally or internationally, says Michele Richards at IDC Photographers. “That edge flows across estimating, negotiating, licensing, production and promotion.” An agent is a lot more than someone clipping the ticket, says Carla Rotondo at International Rescue. “An agent nurtures, helps and enables their artists to succeed.” And, she says, they’re insurance for the client. “We’re responsible and accountable for the work produced by our photographers.” Agents share photographers’ concerns about local budgets. “How hard is it for agents with no budgets and big expectations? It’s bloody tough but it makes us want to crack it even more,” says Rotondo. “We all know the old adage ‘you need to spend some to make some’. It’s the absolute truth. A good image needs crafting and crafting takes time. And time is money.” “Hopefully moving forward and coming out of the recession agency suits and art buyers will see the long-term value in pushing a little harder for quality, versus a rushed cheap image,” says IDC’s Richards. But regardless of the budget, it’s essential a photographer provides a professional service, says Vicki Leopold at Reload. For more junior photographers that may mean widening their skills, she says. But deciding to be represented by an agent is a decision many photographers are reluctant to make. The fit has to be right, says Richards. “If you’re not both on the same page, or if one isn’t as driven or as focused as the other, it will almost always end in tears.” Leopold reports the recession hasn’t driven an increase in approaches from Kiwi photographers, “However the number of Australian photographers wanting representation has definitely increased.”
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photography
Lightworkx Photography
Servicing New Zealand and Australia’s leading advertising agencies, design studios, and electronic specialists for over 15 years.
New Zealand Diederik van Heyningen +64 29 377 50 80
We are award winning commercial advertising photographers and retoucher team, with full in house production, studio rental and gear hire facilities.
www.lightworkx.co.nz
Being 100% self sufficient means we are not only in a unique position to deliver sensational results, but able to deliver true value for money no matter what or where you shoot.
Represented in Australia by Rachel Shea, Blueprint Production & Management www.bprint.com.au +61 2 9518 4211
www.dvh.co.nz
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Phone +64 9 377-7733 路 PO Box 90605, Auckland Mail Centre 8-14 Madden Street, Western Viaduct, Auckland, New Zealand
www.reloadagency.com PHOTOGRAPHERS | HAIR & MAKE UP | STYLISTS | PRODUCTION | AUCKLAND 64 9 445 4664 | SYDNEY 61 2 8323 7788
photography
MINNIE STREET STUDIO TOP PHOTOGRAPHIC HIRE FAC ILIT Y, C ENTRAL AUC KLAND FIND US ON FACEBOOK C A L L : 0 9 3 0 2 3 0 4 3 , 0 21 9 5 6 2 31 T O V I E W studio@minniestreet.co.nz www.minnie street.c o.nz
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photography
CHRIS MCLENNAN.
It’s important to keep abreast with everything that going on and have as many skills as possible, says Melanie Jenkins. “When digital came around a lot of photographers didn’t understand computers. They didn’t know what to do. Even if they’re not going to use skills like retouching they need to know how to do it.” What they must avoid, is becoming a jack of all trades, says Chris McLennan. “Stay true to your area of professional excellence and only take on board new ideas that enhance your current speciality area.” By doing this you may even be able to charge more for a very specialised service, he says.
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photography
CARLA ROTONDO.
tough but good
Experienced professionals see the greatest need for upskilling in the area of business practice. Craig Robertson: “Incomes are low because photographers will generally put their art before their business. That means there are many less experienced photographers out there seriously undercutting because they have little or no understanding of what it costs to be in business. That’s having a serious effect on the industry as a whole.”
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Prices have dropped to absurd levels, says Chris Parker.“If people want a simple product shot they’ll pay the lowest price they can and be happy with the result because it meets their need. What really needs to happen is correct and sustainable business practice. Some people have no clues at all and charge an hourly rate slightly higher than most wage earners and think they’re doing well.” (It’s perhaps significant that the line-up of speakers at this year’s NZIPP Infocus conference in September includes an accountant and business adviser who has a number of photographer clients.) After 16 years in the industry, Leon Rose says he finds himself “doing stuff he wouldn’t have dreamed of doing a few years ago”. It’s tough out there, he says, with competition coming not just from those prepared to slash prices to get the job, but also from advertisers themselves. “I’ve submitted quotes then been called back and told that the client’s decided to do the job himself. He’s got a pretty good camera and probably some knowledge of Lightroom or Photoshop but the quality isn’t there.” Rose says there’s an increased reliance on retouching. “Rather than paying a
Shooting stars NZ photographers regularly produce world-class images. Chris Sisarich’s exhibition Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere, developed during a trip to Egypt shooting a global Tourism Egypt campaign, was featured in the June issue of Curator and will be part of a summer exhibition at Milk Studios in New York. And Colin Monteath of Hedgehog House NZ, has had seven images achieve final and semi-final status in the prestigious Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards in the UK. NZ is one of the toughest places in the world to do well in a professional photography competition because the standard is so high, says Peter Eastway, a judge at last year’s Epson/NZIPP Iris Awards.
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photographer to get things right on camera, now they go, ‘oh, we’ll fix it in post’. That’s also affecting budgets with more money going into retouching than into the shoot.” Businesses across the board have been have been focused on saving where they can and photographers are no exception; for many, owning a studio doesn’t make good financial sense. When Jocelyn Carlin established Minnie Street Hire Studio around 15 years ago, she was something of a pioneer in what is now an accepted mode of operation. “People were going through a similar retrenchment and opting out of owning studies and exploring the concept of hiring them.” As photographers are forced to work with smaller budgets, there are a number of advantages, she says.“People require different things of a studio at different times and, unless a photographer specialises in a particular area and needs the same facility most of the time, hiring can be a much better and more cost-effective option.” As well as studio and equipment hire, Carlin, an experienced professional photographer, is always prepared to share that knowledge and experience. For Becky Nunes, the 2009 Epson/NZIPP Commercial Photographer of the Year, shooting has taken a back seat to her role as lecturer in photography at Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design. “Photographers have always felt they are the only ones who truly care about the image and its reproduction. That has never been more true, I fear. “As photographers, we have to really understand our medium and fight for it. We are the guardians of its value.” But today’s commercial realities are very different to the ’80s, when she began her career. “I think it’s fairly clear those heady days of vast advertising budgets and small numbers of really good photographers are well and truly over.”
photography
www.leonrose.co.nz 0064-21-502-021
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