MIPP June Newsletter

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The Official MIPP Newsletter

June 2014

FOCALPOINT

Issue No. 40

www.mipp-malta.com


EDITORIAL

We

just love it when the newsletter is jam packed with articles and images from members to show off to you! We think this has been a super month as regards MIPP events. We had images from members flooding our email accounts left right and centre and this made us all the more excited about compiling this newsletter for all of you to enjoy!

Assistant Editor Kerstin Arnemann

Find us on:

This month we also included a new section called ‘Out and Around’, where we will be pointing out interesting exhibitions/book launches and anything related to the arts for all of you to check out for inspiration. We strongly suggest to give other artistic mediums a chance when it comes to inspiration, you would be surprised at what other people’s work can inspire you to do! Well will now leave you some time to read and enjoy this upcoming month’s newsletter. Meanwhile we are already gearing up and working hard for the International Photography Convention in November!

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!

Newsletter Team Editor: Therese Debono Assistant Editor: Kerstin Arnemann Design: Therese Debono Articles: Various contributors Editorial Advice: Kevin Casha

Enjoy! Therese & Kerstin!

Contact: newsletter@mippmalta.com


JUNE 2014 pg 2 pg 6 pg 14 pg 16 pg 22 pg 26 pg 30 pg 34 pg 36 pg 38 pg 39 cover artist

President’s viewpoint Mipp featured member Mipp event Mipp photowalk Member’s articles Out and About Popular event review Mipp monthly talk Notice Calendar Members’ gallery

CONTENTS Advances in Technology Oriella Casha MIPP visit the Ellis Archive Bormla Photowalk Top 3 Japan Photographers by Tomoko Goto June Events Mdina Medevial Mobile Matters with Alan Carville SWPP/Societies & WPPI Mark your diaries! Images from International Online Comp

David Sammut “It was my father who introduced me to Architecture. He used to work with the Government Architects in Valletta. During the summer holidays I used to accompany him to work and to keep me occupied he thought me how to draw. A good sketcher himself he only let me use one pencil to create shading, perspective and what we call now graphical design. This must have instilled my interest in Architectural Photography and I am pretty sure that if you ask me to mention

one subject in which I feel comfortably I would choose Architecture. As most or you know I work at the University of Malta and the idea behind this image came after seeing the modern architecture we have on Campus. During my break I always look at this piece of modern architecture. The urge to create something out of this view has been there for a long time. The colours and the way it was built always attracted my attention especiallyin the morning hours when the sun falls at a certain angle and creates shades of gray and straight lines. This image was created in my head before I actually used the camera to capture it. I shot the main image and afterwards I had to manipulate it to create this graphical result. I like this image because it reminds me of my father and the hours passed together drawing graphical lines together. After a long talk with Charles Calleja I decided to refine this image more so that I can use it as part of my portfolio for my qualification in the near future”.

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INFORM…. BUT DAZZLE!

Viewpoint

Dear Members, I regularly receive images from budding photographers who, more often than not, are starting to venture into the fascinating field of photography and are searching for guidance, assessment or critique. I always do my best to make time and give some feedback on images as I believe that constructive criticism is one of the best ways of helping improve one’s photographic work. Although it can also be informative and rewarding showing one’s images to a lay person, (i.e. a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject: in our case someone who is not really into photography), the best way forward is to ask for feedback from photographers who have a track record both through their own personal work and who are also experienced in judging the work of others. When doing this, one also needs to take into account the fact that someone who, for example, has never tackled Macro or Underwater photography cannot really give valid feedback on that type of work. This is an argument which has many a time created heated discussion and debate in photographic circles. Can an artist or a sculptor, for example, be a good judge of photog-

raphy? Can an expert musician distinguish between a great image and a poor image? Can someone who has never done photographic portraiture appreciate the finer points of posing and lighting? Although I have nothing against such persons sitting on judging panels, I definitely feel that non practising photographers should be in the minority on a judging panel - so if there is one non photographer on a panel, I believe that at least there should be three practising photographers. When I say practising photographers, I mean people who are still passionate and currently shooting or exhibiting photography. Yes, an artist can give a different perspective or view to a photographer, and this can be very valid and can enhance a judging panel’s capabilities, but the artist will not know of the technical nuances involved or might not realize the difficulties of capturing a particular image. Thus the lion’s share of the assessment should fall in the hands of knowledgeable photographers. We know that knowledge is power, so a lay person might just not have enough knowledge of the medium to do justice to what is put in front of him/her.

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Would a photographic judge be able to judge a dog show??? Not really, not without the help and input of persons who really know dogs inside out. Going back to the many images I am asked to assess or analyse, one thing which is ever present is that most producers of images feel that if a picture is technically perfect and well exposed, composed etc.; it is a great picture. Wrong! Yes, all those things should be evident in all your images, yet a picture cannot grip the imagination, the attention or the engagement of the viewer if it does not ‘dazzle.’ It can dazzle through choice of subject, to creative or original treatment, to a different viewpoint, through an idea or a clever concept. With the advent of ever more sophisticated equipment and post processing software, the level of top photography is being constantly raised and it becomes increasingly difficult to impress with one’s images. I usually like to ask a simple question to most of my students and that is ‘Why do you really take pictures?’ Naturally, the answers come thick and fast – to keep memories, to record, for pleasure, for a client and so on. But very few come up with the answer which I consider very important: Most of us mainly take photographs in order to impress those who are around us. We take pictures because we would like viewers to like them, (really like them, not Facebook likes by your relatives!), to be intrigued by them, to understand the message one has put into an image, to ask us questions about them, to generally become engaged with what we have shot. Keeping all this in mind, and also the fact about the huge barrage of images we see each and every single minute in today’s society, it has thus really become difficult for our images to stand out. That does not mean it is impossible, it only means that we have to work much harder at it – and are we really working harder or depending more and more on copying what others have done and resting on our post

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processing skills and gimmicks? When one is submitting a picture in a competition or in an exhibition, one should ask whether the image is just a document, a photographic narrative or perhaps only a ‘pretty picture’. When images are of this type, they will rarely impress viewers let alone judges! Today’s successful image needs to really shine and ‘Dazzle’ so it stands out like a beacon amongst the huge amount of mundane images being put up for our consumption each and every minute of the day. Take some time to reflect on this before shooting your next photographs. PS: If you are interested in feedback on your images do join either the MIPP Wall or my own Fast Track Foto Forum on Facebook. Kevin Casha President Images in this article courtesy of Kevin Casha

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ORIELLA’S WONDERFUL WORLD “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharal Nehru Oriella Casha

Too often we get caught up in this

busy life of ours and fail to keep an open eye to the beautiful details within our immediate surroundings. It is due to a sense of admiration and love of nature, as well as a sense of longing for learning and discovering more about the beauty of our natural surroundings that led me to read for a degree in geography at university. A substantial part of our coursework involved geographical fieldwork investigations within the diverse environments around the Maltese Islands. These fieldwork trips made it possible for me to discover unfamiliar terrain and explore locations beyond the beaten paths, whilst improving my ability to understand better the geographical processes that formed our landscapes. It was at this stage that I bought my first digital camera, whereby I used photography as a means of document-

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ing our geographical investigations. I developed a passion for the natural world and through my photos I wanted to capture the beauty of the sites I discovered, thus encouraging my interest in photography. At the time I used to play the violin with a band, which required a serious level of commitment and dedication, leaving very little free time to devote to this growing interest. After ten years of commitment with the band, I decided that it was time for me to put music temporarily aside and take up a new venture. Ever since I was a little girl I was always drawn to the arts, probably because artistic genes run in my family. I was highly influenced and intrigued by the photos and exhibitions of my uncle Kevin Casha and greatly encouraged by my father who is also an artist and a photographer. Consequently I enrolled


featured member in Kevin’s courses and started gaining a better understanding of the technical aspect of photography and of how to gain better control over my photos. I got to know about MIPP and I have now been a member for the past year and a half. I make it a point to regularly attend the MIPP lectures, workshops and judging sessions. These have greatly enabled me to keep myself updated, whilst also getting to know others who share the same hobby and benefit from the expertise of professional members. I am currently still in the process of discovering which genre of photography suits me best and of developing my own personal style of photography. I have attempted to shoot various subjects, especially when it comes to portraiture, landscapes and street photography. I am aware that this hobby is an on-going learning process and, as with a musical instrument it also requires hours of training and practice but with the advantage that I feel free to create my art at my own pace.

Thailand is home to ethnic hill tribes which have traditionally been primarily subsistence farmes but are not recognized as Thai citizens due to lack of documentation. Without citizenship, they cannot technically own land or vote and are often excluded from state-funded health care

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Above: The abundance of natural materials such as wicker make it possible for Thai locals to create beautiful handicrafts. Left: Rusman the friendly giraffe at Parco Valcorba.

My inspiration comes from observing everyday life, the healing calmness of nature, listening to music and my sense of adventure. Photography has become my passion especially since it parallels perfectly with my love for the outdoors. There is no better feeling than the inner peace experienced when exploring places far away from the tourists and crowds whilst capturing their beauty through the lens. I discovered that photography complements well my other passion of travelling and adventure. Travelling gives you a new perspective of the world and helps you discover new people, cultures, food and traditions. It leads you to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the world we live in and through photography I seek to capture the culture of the people I meet and the wonderful places of the world. The most fulfilling experience is the sense of awe and discovery that comes from discovering new lands and the excitement of taking on a new adventure.

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One of my best travelling experiences so far was when I spent a month travelling in the majestic and geographically diverse paradise of Thailand. I was impressed by the extremely polite, helpful and cheerful locals, by the flavour of their food, the pristine islands and beaches and lush rain forests. The most remarkable experience was our visit to Khao Sok National Park which is one of the most beautiful wildlife reserves in Thailand, believed to be one of the oldest rainforests on the globe. Here we took a boat ride along Cheow Larn Lake with its majestic limestone mountains rising above the turquoise waters, spent a day trekking in the jungle through stunning stalactite caves full of bats, and slept in a hut in the middle of the jungle. It was an amazing experience to wake up in the morning to the sounds of the rainforest and calls of endangered Lar Gibbons. I was particularly absorbed in photographing the Thai temples, which apart from being of great spiritual and social importance, are ornately decorated with Buddha statues and magnificent mural paintings showing tales about the previous lives of the Buddha. We were also lucky enough to be in Chiang Mai during the Loy Krathong Lantern Festival, which is celebrated every year and takes place on the full moon in November. Images I captured during this festival, bring back memories of the feeling of freedom, shared with the thousands of people gathered to release large hot-air lanterns into the night sky or floating candles in the sea. This tradition is symbolic of letting go of all one’s grudges and anger, so that one can start life afresh.

Street Photography at Prato della Valle in Padova.

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Thailand is home to various monkey species, which are very clever and often steal food and belongings.

Another memorable adventure was when I had the opportunity to participate in a two week project organised by the Italian organisation Muoversi.eu, in collaboration with Nature Trust Malta and the Malta Vocational Centre under the auspices of the EUPA Leonardo da Vinci Programme. The project enabled me to involve myself in the field of environmental protection and conservation of wildlife, through my work placement at the Fauna Parco Faunistico Valcorba – a wildlife park located within the Veneto region. This park mainly harbours rescued animals ranging from lions, tigers, leopards, giraffes, camels, hyenas to various bird species and several other animals. The animals are kept in large enclosures, in a suitable natural environment with an amazing location, surrounded by beautiful scenery without the artificial confinement experienced at a regular zoo. This project gave me the opportunity to have direct contact with zebras, giraffes, monkeys, parrots, camels, llamas, lemurs and meerkats. It was a challenging attempt at a genre of photography which requires patience and focus, as well as different technical skills to those I was accustomed to. I developed a general understanding of the animals’

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behaviour and habitat making me aware of how extremely rewarding, relaxing and satisfying it is to work with animals. I was also lucky enough to witness the birth of a camel, which was simply an overwhelming experience. During this project, I also had the possibility to visit the nearby picturesque cities of Venice, Verona, Ferrara and Padova, whilst also attempting snowboarding at the mountains of Ala Avio in the nearby Trentino Alto Adige region. The next on my list of places to visit is Morocco, hopefully by the end of this year. I am eager to take snap portraits of traditional Berber families and to ride into the Sahara on a camel to capture the sun setting on the dunes. In the mean time I will continue with my photographic journey, which is a learning curve with its challenges and restrictions. My aim is to push myself harder, stop being a harsh critic to myself and submit my photos for competitions and critique sessions. I also want to develop my own distinctive style through my passion for the natural world and my next ambition is that someday I manage to obtain the Licentiateship qualified membership. My hope is that my images continue to be created from the heart, will transmit my feelings to the viewer and will touch and inspire others to appreciate, and care for, the world around them. All images and article courtesy of Oriella Casha

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the EOS 5D Mark lll joins the rental family! ... now available for rent.

for full details and conditions visit www.avantech.com.mt or call on 2148 88 00 Avantech Building St Julian’s Road San Gwann SGN 2805


MIPP VISIT THE ELLIS ARCHIVE by Kevin Casha

As soon as the notice was sent to

members notifying them that I had arranged for us to visit the archive of the Ellis photographers, and that we had to limit members due to space restrictions, the event was fully booked in just two days! This shows that, at least, photographers do appreciate our rich photographic heritage – alas unlike our politicians – who are only concerned with issues that gain them short term votes! The Ellis archive is an incredibly rich, unique and important heritage not only for photographers but also for the Maltese Islands. It is a great shame that the authorities have never really tried to help in polishing this collection and making it an important gem for tourists and locals to visit. The amount of material contained in the Archive is mind boggling – negatives hinge around 35,000 in number! If an interactive and well thought out museum would be organized, it would definitely be an attraction for tourists and researchers coming out of the top income bracket. People who could be attracted to the island and who are interested in something more than sea, sun and Cisk! Needless to say, the cascading value to the Tourist industry as well as the promotion of Malta would be more than substantial.

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Coming back to our visit, we were kindly hosted by Ian Ellis, who is the man responsible for fighting against all odds in order to nurture this collection for posterity. It was great to witness his enthusiasm and knowledge to impart the Ellis story to us – regaling us with unknown details and anecdotes which made us gain a deeper understanding of this third generation family of photographers. The way the Ellis photographers worked is such a far cry from the way photographers do their business today and yet, these ingenious pioneers managed to do miracles with the limited technology available and the lack of learning opportunities. It was a joy to see how our forefathers, mostly through sheer hard work, managed to make a living from such a then fledgling medium and the amazing imagery they have left us. Without such photographs, we would really know much less about life in those times, particularly on our island. Through such images, a viewer can travel in time and obtain a valid insight into how society went through their everyday life and business. One can also learn so many things from the treasure of details that vintage photographs contain – customs, dress, styles, architecture, transport – the list is endless. Talking about myself,


member’s article vintage photographs have always exerted a powerful attraction and I am a modest collector of images. For me, their main fascination is that by looking in depth and in detail at pictures, particularly ones which have very little documentation, I try to piece by piece, like a jigsaw puzzle, to interpret them. I explore the subjects, why and when the particular photograph was taken or who any persons depicted where. One thing I wish previous photographers would have done was to catalogue and put in more information about their pictures. A picture with information is so much more rewarding. In fact, if we had had more photographers as methodical as the Ellis family, pictures would have been so much more valuable. But then they did not have Lightroom or Bridge!! Finally, I would like to end with a great thanks to Ian Ellis for his patience at answering all our questions and wish that his dream, and that of many others, of someday seeing a national photographic archive and museum, would, through some miracle, happen on this island. Above Image: The fascination of vintage photographs - A german couple c. 1915 - an image courtesy of Kevin Casha

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MIPP MAY PHOTOWALK Eight happy members turned up for the MIPP Bormla photo walk lead by Mike

Sapiecha on a cloudy overcast and rain threatened Sunday. The meeting point was at the BenBow food kiosk, which was shut so one could not even get a coffee! However this did not dampen anyone’s morale! The group had an open brief to take 7 pictures within a theme, which could be specific architecture, e.g. Arches, steps, doorways, colours. It was up to the individual to interpret as freely or as tightly as they decided. After this first task, the group then headed off to the Sunday car boot sale, held every Sunday morning in Bormla, where members worked independently. Meeting back at the Benbow kiosk, still shut, for a foray exploring the narrow confines and streets of this part of the old capital city. The members fared well with their tasks within the framework of their own individual vision and ideas, and seemed to relish their own differences on what was a difficult, weather-wise day. Mike is looking forward to lead another excursion in the future to further explore the potential of this ancient city.

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Left: Members at photowalk. Photo courtesy of Mike Sapiecha


Vincent Debono

Thanks to Mike Sapiecha, a resident of Bormla, we had a relaxed morning pho-

towalk, which was promptly hijacked by initially a request to visit the market / car boot sale and later a request to stop for a drink ... The weather was overcast - a perfect giant softbox. The brief was to take seven pictures on one theme, but I also imposed upon myself the choice of only one lens - a telezoom.

I am always fascinated by the sheer variety and incongruity of some of the items on display on the stalls. I kept the colour and focus on the coloured item in the tray and ensured the background was very out of focus. In post, I de-saturated in order to enhance the feeling of detachment of the picture.

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Nobody held my hand, otherwise I felt like the little boy... looking longingly on toys. I also would love to buy up most of the items on display as they remind me of when that stuff was new when I was that boy’s age... OMG - what have I just admitted?

Everybody yearns for a Red Ferrari. Actually, the theme I chose was ‘RED’ and this was one of the pictures on the mini-panel I put up on the MIPP Facebook Wall. I am actually a brass freak, but that would not look as appealing. It was overcast AND spitting - hence the dirty rain spots.


Suzanne Muscat

During the Bormla Photowalk on 19th May 2014, organised by MIPP and Mike

Sapiecha, we were given a brief to shoot seven photographs with an open theme. I decided to choose Characters at the Market Place. During the shoot I embarked on a journey of discovery, realising that everyone has their own story to tell. This was reflected not only through their words to me, sometimes interested, sometimes amused and sometimes annoyed at being captured through my lens, but also through their own individual, idiosyncratic facial expressions as I photographed them.

Early morning smile...

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Shall I buy it or not?

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Engaged in conversation and persuasive discussion

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My Top 3 Contemporary

Photographers from

JAPAN

by Tomoko Goto www.tomokogoto.com

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t’s always rewarding to get inspiration from the work of other photographers. These days I’m learning about contemporary Japanese photographers. I feel I can relate to the Japanese-ness in their works, and I find their photographic styles to be appealing. You’re probably very familiar with European and North American photographers, but knowledge of Japanese photography doesn’t seem as common here in Malta. In this article, I’d like to introduce you to my favourite photographers from my home country. I hope it’ll spark your interest in learning about other creative artists from Japan.

1. Nobuyoshi Araki Nobuyoshi Araki is a well known in Japan for his distinctive appearance and his obsessive works of nude photography. Araki’s nude photography is very erotic, but also extremely dark and full of sadness. Araki’s images arguably border on the pornographic, with raw representations of women and sexuality, life and death. He’s brutally honest about his passion towards beauty, but at the same time he forces us to acknowledge that life is the other side of death’s dark coin. Araki has produced over 400 books of photography in his 50 year career. One of my favourite works is about his cat Chiro (Itoshi no Chiro). The book follows Chiro’s daily life through a series of photos, right up until she finally gets sick and dies.

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member’s article

In the last section of the book, which follows the death of his beloved pet, Araki shows us images of a sunset: 10 or more images taken facing the same direction from his balcony, over and over. Turning those pages and seeing those almost identical images but with different dates, I felt like I was there with him watching the sunset. Physical time is progressing, but Araki finds himself unable to move on. This book goes beyond the story of a cat. It transmits his raw experience of love, death and grieving. I cried the first time I read it in a bookstore.

Portrait of Araki, from Nobuyoshi Araki official website, www.arakinobuyoshi.com)

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2. Rinko Kawauchi Rinko Kawauchi is a past winner of the Kimura Ihei Award—one of the most prestigious photographic awards in Japan—and she’s also well known abroad. Her works are regularly published domestically and internationally in such publications as Aperture. Kawauchi’s favourite subjects are found within ordinary scenes: the hair of her nephew highlighted against the sun; schoolgirls running up a set of stairs; a spoonful of tapioca pearls. Her subjects are captured so intimately you can almost reach in to touch them. And her use of light is also very unique and distinctive. Even though most of her subjects are ordinary, Kawauchi’s photos contain the essence of life. These symbolic images are a lot like visual haiku which enfold multiple layers of meaning, telling us a different story each time we open her books. I love playing with my imagination as I leaf through her photographs. She makes me sit back to appreciate how much we’re surrounded by beautiful things. And she always provides me with a new way of seeing the world.

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“Illuminance” 2011 by Aperture, http://www.aperture.org/blog/reprint-illuminance-rinko-kawauchi/


3. Kayo Ume Kayo Ume helped to create a photography boom among Japanese women in the last 10 years. She’s also one of the few female Japanese photographers who is succeeding commercially, and is another recipient of the Kimura Ihei Award. Ume’s specialty is street photography, and her images capture obscure and funny moments in everyday scenes. She’s particularly well known for her works on Japanese schoolboys (Danshi) and on her family members (Jiichan Sama): school kids striking poses and making funny faces, a grandfather playing with his grandchild, and a group of old people struggling to use a coin locker. When I look at Ume’s works, I can tell she’s a very good communicator, able to win her subject’s trust so they enjoy interacting with her. Ume herself says she simply enjoys taking pictures and making people laugh. Her photography is not technically sophisticated, but rather snapshots taken in P Mode—and she’s proud of that. Her focus is not on creating a work of art to put on a wall, but on capturing unique fragments of images that can be interpreted in many different ways. A Kayo Ume exhibit is always full of surprises. The exhibit I attended in Tokyo last June was such a cheerful place. People were laughing out loud, smiling, and commenting on the 550+ photos that covered one of the exhibition centre walls. Check out her books to explore typical scenes from Japanese neighbourhoods. I bet you won’t stop chuckling at her images, just like I do.

Danshi 2000-2002 © KAYO UME, http://www.operacity.jp/ ag/exh151/e/exhibition.html

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OUT AND ABOUT

June events

Since art is not only about photography, Kerstin came up with the brilliant idea of selecting a few monthly events and pointing them out to our members so that you visit these interesting exhibitions/installations/book launches and be inspired! Enjoy! Propolis: Artwork as Social Interstice 6th June to 4th July Saint James Cavalier, Valletta Masters in Fine Arts in Digital Arts 2013/14 Degree Exhibition The collective exhibition “Propolis: Artwork as Social Interstice� will run throughout the month of June 2014 in the upper and lower galleries at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity. The exhibits are intended to infiltrate into society, provoking the need for values, on many levels. The aim of the MFA artist is to develop an art practice and a creative production that builds towards change, cultural diversity and identity, to be reflected in society, education, and popular culture. List of participant artists: Pamela Baldacchino Kevin Casha Chris Castillo Anthony Catania Anna Grima Lucienne Lughermo Pawlu Mizzi Sergio Muscat Maria Pantelidou Jo Tabone https://www.facebook.com/events/631142073622164/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_ filter=upcoming

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Kiss the Sky 5th June Pjazza Teatru Irjal, Valletta Site-Specific Sculpture by Vince Briffa Kiss the Sky is a site-specific neon sculpture that is inspired by the ongoing debate about Pjazza Teatru Rjal concerning the relevance and suitability of a roofless performance space in the heart of the capital city, Valletta. It also makes reference to and appropriates the legendary Jimi Hendricks’ famous quote from Purple Haze “Excuse me while I kiss the sky”. Kiss the Sky presents a positive message of forging ahead and letting nothing stop you, embodying the challenge that this outdoor venue presents to the artist.

PechaKucha Night at Palazzo Falson 20th June Palazzo Falson, Mdina A special summer edition of PechaKucha Night, occupying the beautiful courtyard and rooftop of Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum. http://www.pechakucha.org/cities/valletta What is PechaKucha? http://www.pechakucha.org/faq

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Day and night Exhibition & Book Launch 29th May SoGalerie, B’Kara Paceville 2013-2014 After eighteen months of photography in Paceville the NIGHT&DAY project reaches its culmination with a book launch and exhibition on Thursday 29th May at SO Galerie in Iklin (www.sogalerie.com). This is David Pisani and Elise Billiard's unique perspective on what is possibly Malta's most notorious and hotly debated urban space. The project also includes two music tracks (Day and Night) mixed by French DJ Antoine Coignard aka DJ Coinx who mixed street urban sounds in Paceville to create moody urban soundscapes of Paceville. DJ Coinx will be coming to malta for the launch. Night & Day was part financed by the Malta Arts Fund and is co-sponsored by SO Galerie and Computime Ltd. http://edebooks.eu/night-and-day/

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Art Discussion Group Collective Art Exhibition 3rd May to the 25th June 2014 Cavalieri Hotel, St Julians The Art Discussion Group has organized a Collective Art Exhibition, on a national level, an event that commemorates and celebrates the Group’s 27 years (1987-2014) active service in the sphere of art and its 120th ‘Meeting Artist’ in April this year. The exhibition was inaugurated by Paul Asciak its founder and honorary president for life at Cavalieri Art Hotel on Thursday 2nd May 2014 while E. V. Borg, actual chairman of ADG introduced the event. In all 70 artists are participating in four sections: painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography (the exhibition includes the work of 10 photographers. ) http://www.di-ve.com/lifestyle/art-discussion-group-collective-art-exhibitionmay%E2%80%93-june-2014

Photographic Exhibition “Portrait” by Graziella Vigo 5th June to the 26th June 2014 Hall of the Italian Cultural Institute Graziella Vigo, born in Milan, studied in Geneva, a professional journalist, fashion editor for Rizzoli for ten years and from then on an independent photographer. Moving to New York, she specialised in fashion photography at the International Center of Photography and then in black and white portraiture with Robert Mapplethorpe. Her rich file of portraits gave birth to her first book “Portrait” and important exhibition at the Museo della Permanente – the Milanese Gallery of Modern Art. Her fortuitous meeting with the conductor Riccardo Muti at La Scala opened up a new period dedicated to the theatre and the opera with the magical music of Verdi. Thousands of photographs of productions from Milan to Tokyo were ready for a new book “Verdi on Stage” ......Read more here: http://www.iicvalletta.esteri.it/IIC_LaValletta/webform/SchedaEvento. aspx?id=621&citta=LaValletta

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MEDIEVAL MDINA The Medieval Mdina event has become a popular event in the Maltese calendar.

This year it was held on the 3rd and 4th May in the streets of Mdina. During this two day event there were re-enactments by both foreign and local groups, Medieval music, Illusionist, Falconry and various other performances.

From the MIPP Facebook wall I could see that quite a number of our members attended this event and the photography results are amazing! Here am sharing with you the works of MIPP members Manuel Azzopardi, Jason Muscat and George Abdilla. Enjoy and give this event a shot or two next year!

Above: Man preparing a hack saw Right: Slave after a fight Both images by Manuel Azzopardi

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Above: Vigilant Left: Empowered Both images by Jason Muscat

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Above: A scene from Medieval Mdina by George Abdilla

Above: Fighting Scene by George Abdilla

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MOBILE MATTERS

with Alan Carville

F

rom photojournalism to personal projects, from Blogs to works of Art -the iPhone is now an integrated part of day to day photography. The implications, apart from posting an image on Facebook, are far greater. Some of the worlds breaking news were recorded on an iPhone. Whether you’re into photojournalism, portraiture or street photography, we will discuss the various apps available and options for using your images. Put back the passion into your photography, forget about the controls and start training your eyes to see again. Having a camera phone around wherever you go offers amazing opportunities to capture moments that might otherwise be missed. Learn to control your skill, reflexes and power of observation. Having an usable camera at all times allows you to practice seeing and shooting deliberately. Whether it is checking lighting directions, drawing lighting diagrams or simply having total remote control of your camera, learn to use your smart phone not as a camera but as a legitimate photographic tool. Learn how to integrate camera phone concepts into your day-to-day business, before the 250million images posted on social media each day chips away at your job prospects.

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monthly talk

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SWPP/The Societies and WPPI We have recently announced a fantastic new benefit of membership. SWPP/Societies members can now have free membership of WPPI during their membership period. If you missed the press release the details were: Two International Photographic Organisations Join Forces to Offer More Benefits to Photographers A partnership was announced on Tuesday 13 May 2014 between the SWPP and WPPI to offer members joint membership of both photographic organisations. The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) are delighted to announce that USA based Wedding and Portrait Photographers International organisation (WPPI) will be working closely with the SWPP to bring a broader range of benefits to members. SWPP members are now able to access previously exclusive WPPI competitions, be enrolled as a WPPI member and gain discounted rates to WPPI’s annual Las Vegas Convention. Benefits for

SWPP members: - Subscriptions to PDN and Rangefinder magazines in online and digital editions formats (printed version available at nominal fee) - Discounts and early registration for WPPI and PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo shows - Free listing on PhotoServe.com portfolio display site with hot links, 10 searchable specialties - Discounts of 30% on contest entry fees for all WPPI, Rangefinder and PDN contests

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notice

Benefits for WPPI members: - Participation in SWPP’s annual Convention and Trade Show - Discounted entry fees to SWPP’s annual 20x16” Print Competition - Entry into monthly and weekly photographic competitions - Web site listings and exposure to European and international creative audiences . The Professional Imagemaker magazine, digital edition free; printed version available for a nominal fee . Virtual networking opportunities for photographers . Optional weekly e-newsletters filled with news on trends, technology and more Phil Jones, CEO of The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers said, “This is a terrific opportunity for our members to share in the benefits of another world leading organisation and have the opportunity to attend a Las Vegas Convention’. He goes on to say ‘The opportunity to enter additional international photographic imaging competitions is also a major benefit and gives the opportunity for SWPP members to gain international recognition for their work”. We hope that this will add to your SWPP/Societies membership. Kind regards Phil Jones CEO

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CALENDAR 2nd June Mobile Matters - Alan Carville 19:30hrs, Le Meridien

10th June PTYA Judging - Fashion 19:30hrs, Le Meridien

14th June Fuji Event Le Meridien

15th July International Online Competition Judging

19:30hrs, Le Meridien

12th August PTYA Judging - The Colour Blue 19:30hrs, Le Meridien

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International Online Competition Submissions

MEMBERS’ GALLERY

Above: M Ab My W World ld bby D Duncan Cauchi C hi (G (Gold ld Award) A d)

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Above: Misty Morning by Joseph Lungaro (Gold Award)

Above: SSchool Ab h l Gi Girls l by b Simon Si Attard Att d (Gold (G ld Award) A d)

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Above: Distress by Tom Lee (Gold Award)

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