The Official MIPP Newsletter
February 2016
FOCALPOINT
Issue No. 62
www.mipp-malta.com
EDITORIAL I don’t think that I have ever been happier than this year that January is over. Finally February is with us, so let’s leap into it with vigour! Most of you will have a lot more opportunities for shooting!
If you want your photos featured on the newsletter’s front page just send the images to newsletter@mippmalta.com. Your contributions are always welcome!
Carnival is round the corner and if you are fans of Holy Week then the opportunities are endless around our island. I am sure some of you will indulge in the local sweet, the prinjolata during carnival, however I will surely reserve some space for Figolli, which are my favourite! Look out for the Still Image course deadline which is 31st March too, we had such a high demand for this course that we had to organise a second one this year! Thanks Kevin for your dedication and hard work! I would also like to thank Kerstin Arnemann for her help during these two years with the newsletter. She has been great and very cooperative! Meanwhile, may you have a great carnival! Find us on:
Therese
Newsletter Team Editor: Therese Debono Design: Therese Debono Article Vetting: Vince DeBono Articles: Various contributors Editorial Advice: Kevin Casha Contact: newsletter@mippmalta.com
CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2016 pg 2 pg 4 pg 8 pg 18 pg 20 pg 22 pg 24 pg 26 pg 27
President’s Viewpoint Featured MIPP members Member Article Out & About MIPP Notice MIPP Courses Member’s Exhibition MIPP Calendar MIPP Notice
What will the New Year bring? Just for Fun by Tom Lee Still Image Course February Events Annual General Meeting Call for Application Tomoko Goto & Kerstin Arnemann Mark your diaries! Membership Renewal
Therese Debono
cover artist Therese says:
“I was strolling around Valletta last weekend, when I came across these dedicated men dismantling the feast decorations of St Paul’s. It was worth documenting this!”
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The Perils of Internet... Dear Members, It was great seeing you all at the recent launch of this year’s MIPP 20th anniversary programme. So nice to see both familiar friends as well as new faces. The lifeblood of any group is its new members and this time we commenced with a very encouraging and enthusiastic turn out. The Committee hopes that we can stimulate you all to keep up and also increase this momentum. Nothing encourages us more than seeing a good participation at our events and meetings! Coming to today’s viewpoint, the recent bad experience of one of my students made me reflect on problems when buying from the internet. Naturally, there are bargains to be had and many reputable buyers and, furthermore, at times we are forced to buy from internet as some products are not readily available from local distributors. Yet, I think we need to be aware of a few pointers which I would like to mention here when making online purchases: • You are not seeing the product you are buying at point of purchase. This introduces the risk of being sold a damaged, shop-soiled or even counterfeit item, and the risk of damage during transit due to insufficient packing, rough handling or similar. Beware of deals that seem too good to be true - sometimes that cheap battery, lens or camera case will prove very expensive in the end. • Products sold on EU websites are not necessarily tax-paid in the EU. This exposes you to the risk of having to pay an extra 5.1% duty and 18% VAT on the item you purchase upon clearance through Malta customs. • Most manufacturers have different warranty schemes for world regions. A product marketed by a manufacturer for sale in the Far East or US is not normally covered by their EU-wide warranty. Internet sites are not obliged to specify where they buy their products from and don’t often specify whether the product they are selling is covered by the manufacturer’s EU warrenty scheme or not. • Furthermore, claiming a repair or replacement under warranty requires a document, showing signature and stamp of the seller together with the serial number of the equipment being claimed and the date of sale. You don’t normally
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viewpoint
get this document when purchasing camera equipment on the internet unless you specifically ask for it. Local distributors in Malta will require this document to get reimbursed by the manufacturer for any warranty claim they honour, so it is understandable for them to insist on an original, signed document of sale as part of your warranty claim. • Counterfeit goods. This is a growing problem globally. The selling of high cost counterfeit goods on the internet can be a costly exercise. Never buy cut price big name brands unless you are confident of the outlets authenticity. Rogue websites. As well as counterfeit goods there are criminal gangs out there who produce web sites which look like reputable retailers which are in fact designed to steal your payment details and or identity. They look just like the real thing and are often sites you have used before. Always make sure you type in the address yourself and never follow links from emails or even other web sites. Naturally, I have researched the above information and I hope that this will enable you to better evaluate circumstances when you contemplate your next purchase. Good luck! Kevin Casha President
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Tom Lee Just for Fun! Have you ever wanted to shoot that image often seen in fine art prints of
vegetables or other objects splashing into water? I did, but somehow thought it was a bit cheezy or not technically challenging enough for me – until I tried to do it!
The key things to remember is ‘preparation’ and ‘control’. After a bit of research and some experimentation, I got a list of things needed to make it happen. Some of the items I already had and others I needed to buy, but these weren’t too expensive and when my great friend Podge Kelly came to visit, I had a willing assistant to help me out with the shot. You can do this on your own but it’s just a little more awkward. Equipment: • 40 litre seamless glass fish tank – this was my main purchase and cost be about £35 off the internet. The tank needs to be glass to avoid getting scratches or water deposits sticking to the front which will need to be edited out on the final print. • 2 off camera speedlights with remote triggering. I already had these items and were triggered with my pocket wizard system. • Two clear freezer bags to protect the flash units from splashes. • Squeegee to clean the glass after each shot. • A couple of brightly coloured peppers. These items were bought but could be recycled for Sunday lunch! • A towel to mop up any excess water from the set area. • A small table to raise up the tank to a comfortable shooting height. • Various camera and lighting stands. • Dark (preferably black) card to use as a background. You can use white but will need to light this separately to keep it ‘clean’. The main tank setup can be seen in Photo 1. The tank was raised up on a small coffee table and seated onto a dark sheet or towel to keep any stray reflections away. This was then filled with water to just over halfway (approx. 25 litres). If you use a smaller tank then you may struggle to keep the edges out of the shot. The dark grey background was stood up against the back of a chair for support. The grey background will come out black in the final shot when everything is set up properly. This is why it’s easier to shoot with a dark rather than white background.
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Photo 1
Photo 2
The speedlights were set up on tripods either side of the tank (one above and to the right and one to the left at the waterline). The lights were set for manual exposure on remote triggers, and the heads were covered with the clear freezer bags for protection. (Photos 2 &3). You may need to adjust the power settings on the flash units depending on the amount of ambient light in your studio space but start with both units at F8 and 1/125s. A lot will depend on how dark your studio is and the power of your flash units). The corresponding settings obviously need to be set on the camera also.
Photo 3 Photo 4
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The camera was fitted to a low tripod with a remote release and 70-200mm zoom lens. This lens was set at around 110mm to give as much room around the shooting area without including the edges of the tank (Photo 4). Focussing this close with a zoom becomes quite critical even at f8 or f16, so we used our finger in the tank to set the ‘range’ to aid focussing. Don’t forget we will be shooting at relatively high speed in manual mode. The next bit involved a lot of trial and error…..dropping the peppers into our focussing area above the waterline and timing the camera release to catch the best possible splash effect. This is why its best if there are two of you, one to drop the peppers and one to time the camera release. After each shot we wiped the front glass of the tank with the squeegee to remove water droplets. We also found that if you drop the peppers stalks down, then we got better splashes and it slowed them from dropping too far into the tank. You can use anything from fruit, fist, cans, in fact anything that will make a splash. Our final result can be seen in photo 6. Remember – have fun.
Photo 5
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Photo 6
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Still Image Course
A course for any person who loves photography by Oriella Formosa Carabez & Sergio Morana
Why Still Image?
Oriella Formosa Carabez
Nowadays training to become a photographer might look fairly easy. Step 1: Buy a DSLR, Step 2: Watch YouTube tutorials, Step 3: Open a Facebook page and ask a couple of friends to comment that you are the best photographer in town, Step 4: Start your own business and start calling yourself a professional photographer‌ Well, our recommendation is Step 5‌ signing up for the Still Image Course! This course is not just any other course being offered by your village photographer. This course is organised by the Malta Institute of Professional Photography and it is an accredited Level 3 course, recognised by the Malta Qualification Council, so you will obtain another important certificate to show in your CV.
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At times, photographers tend to think that becoming professional is something which you can achieve overnight. As photographers we all feel the urge to learn more and we all crave to create better photos. However, few realise that this means hard work, commitment and effort. Taking up the Still Image Course means embarking on a journey which will lead you to improve your photographic skills and to delve deeper into this fascinating art form.
David Balzan
The Still Image Course challenges the photographer in you When we started the course we both felt that we were kind of stuck in photography and hungry and eager to learn more. The main lecturer taking care of this course is the President of the MIPP, Mr. Kevin Casha. We knew that being tutored by Kevin we would gain the following: i) useful information ii) constructive criticism on our photos, and iii) empowerment to continue our journey in photography.
The Still Image Course as a personal Journey in Photography As a student in the art of photography you will immediately realise that to become a good photographer you have to go through a learning progression. This does not mean learning only techniques, but also through practice, research, and personal development.
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Doreen Zerafa
In fact, part of the course assessment was based on the reflective journal which we were told to compile throughout the duration of the course. The very act of keeping a journal helped us to brainstorm and be more creative, whilst serving as a means of keeping track record of our progress, mistakes and successes. By listing down our achievements, we boosted our self-esteem in photography. The journal also served as a point of reference during moments of lack of motivation.
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Erich Vassallo
It might seem hard to believe that during the weeks we followed this course, not only did we enhance our knowledge in photography, but it was also an opportunity to develop as individuals. This was achieved mainly through: a) Self-discipline: by meeting stipulated submission deadlines, b) Will Power: confronting ourselves and not giving up on our goals, c) Embracing new challenges: feeling empowered to take photos of subjects/ objects out of our comfort zone, d) Enhancing our creativity: coming up with innovative ideas and by being guided to use the creative side of our brains. e) Being humble: recognising that to improve our photography we have to listen and accept the feedback and criticism given to us on our photos.
Tonio Polidano
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Lectures and Workshops One must point out that although the course is not extremely difficult, you will not earn your mark easily. You need to show commitment and self-determination. This will eventually lead you to see noticeable improvement in your work. The course is based on both lectures and hands-on workshops. The workshops and tasks set out during the course motivated us to work harder and become better observers. We learnt new techniques, developed better understanding of what makes a good photo and we also became more meticulous when editing. Along the way, Kevin always provided us with mentoring and constructive feedback on the photos we produced during the workshops. The feedback that we gained during this course was also an opportunity for us to learn and obtain the wide range of skills needed in today’s competitive world.
Networking
Etienne Cassar
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Martin Agius
The course also provided us with a platform to network with fellow photographers. This was a perfect setting to meet others and learn from each other. We also could seek the advice of others and get valuable feedback. By sharing our photos we learnt from each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This made us appreciate the benefit of building relationships, since a good photographer is one who is always in contact with others and does not remain enclosed in his own world. This was particularly evident during one particular workshop, where we worked together to plan a photo shoot. The synergy of ideas provided us with some great results.
The assessment The course assessment was based on tasks set out for us during hands-on workshops in various locations, our reflective journal and a final panel of 20 images on a theme of our choice. Although these tasks seemed rather daunting, however we soon discovered that they served as a valuable teaching process. The workshops helped us boost our creativity and challenged us to undertake tasks often outside our comfort zone. On the other hand, the preparation of the final panel helped us
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Suzanna Diacono
to narrow down our focus and to discover our photographic niche. By working intensely on the chosen genre, we easily became engrossed with it and this also helped us to understand our weaknesses and strengths in the chosen field. The intention of preparing a panel of 20 images was that of giving us a taste of what is required when sitting for the MIPP Qualifications. We are now aware of the work needed, what level is expected and what the judges are looking for. We can therefore say that the Still Image Course has paved our way and has also served as a starting point for an MIPP Qualification.
Concluding Taking this course was thus a wise decision since it gave us the courage to take the next step from being just hobbyists to becoming photographers with a truly professional outlook. This course has led us to confront and challenge ourselves and to always aim to improve our abilities. As journalist Joshua J. Marine says, “Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful�.
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Rhona Friggieri
M.Casha
Sergio Morana
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Matthew Borg
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Ray Muscat
CANON LENS RENTAL SERVICE
Lenses and camera bodies available for hire • • • • • • •
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For full details and conditions visit www.avantech.com.mt or call on 2148 8800
Ask about our ‘Try before you buy’ scheme!
OUT AND ABOUT
February Events
THE INTERNATIONAL ART COLLECTIVE III It’s official, the International Art Collective III is confirmed to open Friday 26 February 2016 at Le Meridien St.Julians, Hotel & Spa, Balluta Bay, Malta “With such an eclectic mix of works, this International Art Collective III is sure to attract the attention of art enthusiasts and art collectors alike, this date should definitely be kept free ” Claude Camilleri, curator
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2 ARTISTS AND A FEW FRAMES Date: 11th February Art Exhibition - 2 Artists and few frames at The National Library in Valletta. Speakers inlcude Nicolas De Piro, Artists Debbie Caurana Dingli and Luciano Micallef. Also on view portraits from private collections in Malta. Seats are limited, for further information and to book please contact Nicky Stilon on snstilon@ hotmail.com
IMprint: Talk by Jesmond Vassallo 10th February Spazju Kreattive, St James Cavalier, Valletta
In addition to the works on display at the iMprint collective exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv, one of the partcipating printmakers, Jesmond Vassallo will be taking a closer look at the various techniques employed by the artists in this exhibition These techniques to be discussed include: Silkscreen, Dry Point, Aquatint, Aquaforte, Cera Molle, Lithography
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Dear Members, As usual, we will be having the MIPP’s Annual General Meeting on Tuesday February 23rd at Le Meridien Hotel at 7.30pm. We would like to remind all fully paid up members that nominations to the MIPP Executive committee, as per statute regulations, are now open: (nominations must be made on the official AGM Nomination Form, which one can ask for from president@mipp-malta.com). The following excerpts from out current Statute pertain to Nominations and Amendments: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: Clause 2 (a) The Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Clause 2 (b) A member standing for election to the Executive Committee must be proposed and seconded by any two fully paid members. Nomination forms, signed by all three, shall be submitted by no later than two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting. MIPP official sponsors and/or their official representatives cannot apply to stand for election to the Executive Committee, but may be opted in as Consultants to the Committee by a majority vote from the Executive Committee. Consultants will not have voting powers in the Committee. All applicants must have been fully paid up members of the MIPP for at least one year prior to that particular AGM before they can apply for committee. Clause 2(c) Members may also opt to contest one particular post in the Committee. In this case, the applicant must have been a fully paid up member of the MIPP for the last two years prior to that particular AGM. This option must be declared when submitting the nomination form.
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mipp notices
We would also like to remind you that amendments to the statute can also be presented. See the below clause: ALTERATIONS AND/OR AMENDMENTS TO STATUTE: Clause 6 Alterations to this statue shall be subject to a two-thirds majority of the Eligible members present at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. Only fully paid members may submit Statute amendments to the Executive Committee at least four weeks prior to such meetings. Such amendments must be submitted in writing. Members shall be sent copies of an AGM or EGM agenda at least two weeks before the date of such meetings.
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
mipp courses
MIPP AWARD IN STILL PHOTOGRAPHY
T
he Malta Institute of Professional Photography, MIPP has been officially licensed, by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education (NCFHE), as a Further Education Institution. The NCFHE has also approved and accredited an MIPP course in Photography, which will be held for the second time next year, in 2016. The course, which is titled the ‘MIPP Award in Still Photography’, will consist of four learning Modules with a total of 100 hours of tuition. This award, which conforms to all the stringent conditions mapped out by the NCFHE, leads the successful participant to a Level 3 certificate in Photography. This accredited course conforms to the Malta Qualifications Framework and the European Qualifications Framework. For the purpose of professionally conducting this course, the MIPP has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Le Meridien Hotel, in St Julian’s, and lectures and workshops will be hosted at this high end venue. The course is open to all persons over sixteen years of age at the date of commencement of the course. The course is aimed at all those who are interested in improving and boosting their knowledge and competencies in photography in order to gain a recognized, valid vocational qualification. Persons who wish to apply need only provide their secondary school leaving certificates and a digital portfolio of their work in order for the MIPP to gauge their suitability for the course. The course is geared towards teaching Learners, in a complete and comprehensive manner, through the right balance of technical lectures, hands on workshops, real life scenarios, inspiration, the wide range of skills needed in today’s competitive world. At the end of this course, the successful learner would be equipped to confidently tackle most of the photographic genres necessary to conduct photography to a high professional standard. This Award in Still Photography is made up of 56 tutor contact hours, 4 assessment hours and 40 self study hours. The course, which will be conducted in English, is on a part time basis and held mainly during evenings. The course will be run between the months of February and July of each year. In order that the learners have the best possible tuition and facilities, the course will only take on a limited number of participants so that more personalized attention
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can be given. The course also makes use of the already established and respected MIPP Qualifications, and at the conclusion, Learners will need to submit a final photographic project. Naturally, Learners will be mentored towards achieving this level during the same course. Applications, which need to be done on the official form, are to arrive at the MIPP by not later than 30th January 2016. All electronic correspondence is to be addressed to courses@mipp-malta.com. Kevin Casha MIPP President and Course Director
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MEMBERS’ EXHIBITIONS Tomoko Goto Tomoko Goto’s exhibition last month was called “...streets et cetera...”. It ran from 15th to 29th January at Architecture Project in Sapper’s Street, Valletta.
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Kerstin Arnemann Kerstin Arnemann’s exhbition, titled “Visual Impressions”, held at Sistina, The Strand, Gzira was also another great success.
Above: Kerstin during her artist’s talk. Photo courtesy to Rik Van Colen
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CALENDAR 2nd February 2016
MIPP STILL IMAGE COURSE PARTICIPANTS Interviews and Hand ins of Still Image Course Portfolio Le Meridien 18:30 - 19:30hrs
2nd February 2016
KERSTIN ARNEMANN - MY WORK AND PROCESS 19:30 Le Meridien
Tuesday 1st March
PROMOTING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY ON SOCIAL MEDIA by Dott. Fabio Giangolini (Strategic Communications Ltd) 19:30 Le Meridien
Tuesday 15th March
NARRATION THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY by Therese Debono 19:30 Le Meridien
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mipp notices
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
We would like to remind you that we are now accepting payments for 2016 membership renewals.
By renewing the €40 fee (from 2016 it is €40 even for those that have been members for 5 or more years), you will have a chance to: · Get reduced rates to our courses and workshops · Become a qualified photographer with our three levels of qualification: Licentiate, Associate and Fellowship · Reciprocal photographic qualification with the best UK Institution · Informative monthly lectures and newsletters · Exclusive photographic competitions ONLY for MIPP members. .....and much more One may pay by either sending in a cheque to: “27, Moonlight, Giovanni Papaffy Street, Ta’ Paris, Birkirkara, BKR 4021, Malta”, together with the relative membership fee. (Cheques are to be made payable to “The Treasurer, MIPP” OR Pay directly from the BOV website: www.bov.com and log in to BOV internet banking with your Securekey. OR When attending an MIPP Event.
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