Malta Institute of Professional Photography (MIPP) newsletter: March-April 2017

ISSUE

70

The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography Keith Ellul

www.mipp-malta.com

2017

March | april

Photography Kevin Casha

Editorial

President’s Viewpoint Dear Members, We are already busily into 2017 and hopefully augur that it is to be a good year for all of you. During the past year, the Executive Committee’s main targets were to strengthen and streamline the MIPP infrastructure and organization as well as make our 20th anniversary year a memorable one.

It was also the first year we were working with a five person committee and I believe we managed to achieve our aims. Likewise for this year we have set other targets and challenges which should be beneficial to MIPP members. No organization can keep flourishing without change and experimentation and we are no exception.

One of the principal changes of this year will be that the November convention will not be held but a series of one-day seminars will take its place. We are attempting this change after listening to member feedback as well as from our experience during past seminars. We felt it is time for a fresh look and we hope that these one-day seminars will enable a more numerous attendance in contrast to a two or three day event. We aim to stage these events at different venues, so that we do not fall into a routine. Various themes and subjects will be tackled with the emphasis on hands-on and practical workshops. There are various other important developments in hand that we should soon have the pleasure to announce.

I also hope that we see a good number of members at our forthcoming Annual General Meeting. Besides administration, the meeting will give the chance for all members to voice opinions, ideas and suggestions.

Kevin Casha President.

Editor: Kevin Casha

Design: Articles: Sita Azzopardi & Malcolm Sammut Various contributors

Proof Reading: Louisa Tonna

Members Profiles: Daniel Vassallo

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

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Contents Delegation from China Photographers Association hosted in Malta by MIPP

pg 04

Is Society being conditioned by images & their manipulation? by Kevin Casha

pg 06

Malcolm Sammut by Daniel Vassallo

pg 14

Obituary: Lino Arrigo Azzopardi

pg 19

Annual General Meeting | Agenda for the AGM

pg 25

Important Notice

pg 25

MIPP Calendar | Jot down dates

pg 26

Light Hearted Moments by Mario Casha

pg 27

The Collector by Kevin Casha

pg 28

Membership Renewal and newcomers

pg 29

MIPP Benefits of Being a Member

pg 30

14

4

28

19 22

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20

Delegation from China Photographers Association hosted in Malta

by MIPP

by Kevin Casha

more than 20,000 individual members. It is the most influential and authoritative photographic organization in China.

The CPA delegation had a working conference hosted

Recently, a delegation from the China Photographers

by the China Culture Centre (CCC) in Valletta. Ways

Association (CPA) was hosted by the Malta Institute

of enlarging and increasing cooperation through joint

of Professional Photographers (MIPP) in Malta. The

projects and exchanges were discussed. Mr Wang

delegation’s main aim was to further familiarize itself

Yanjun, CCC director attended and contributed to the

with the island, view several possible exhibition

meeting together with Ms Chen Jing, director of the

venues as well as discuss several ways to further

CPA International department and MIPP President

cooperation between the MIPP and the CPA.

Kevin Casha.

The China Photographers Association, established

Afterwards, the delegation toured several local

in December 1956, is the first national photographic

exhibition venues and places of interest such as the

organization in the history of the People’s Republic of

newly launched Malta Postal Museum. The group

China. It is a highly professional association composed

also visited Swieqi Local Council in order to assess the

of photographers of various ethnic groups nationwide,

gallery space available at the venue.

a group member of

the

China

Federation

of

Literary and Art Circles

(CFLAC),

and a major force of promoting Chinese photography.

At present, CPA has 50 group members (photographers associations) based in different provinces, and

cities

autonomous

regions,

and

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cameras could be heard clicking away whilst recording details and views of Valletta, Mdina and Dingli. Kevin Casha, MIPP President, who has been cooperating with the CPA for over five years, stated that:

During available time, the delegation visited several touristic places of interest together with MIPP members and officials. Although the weather was not so favourable, the wind and wet conditions did not dampen the spirit of the Chinese delegation and “The size and infrastructure of the CPA and the MIPP organizations are hugely different but the aims are the same – to further the cultural development of society through photography.”

The CPA delegation arrived in Malta after inaugurating a Chinese photographic exhibition in Austria.

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Academic Essay

Images are used for a multitude of reasons. They are employed and utilized to pass a message, to record, to retain a memory, to entertain, to provoke, to stimulate,

by Kevin Casha

IS SOCIETY BEING CONDITIONED BY IMAGES & THEIR MANIPULATION? Is “What we see what we get?”

Birth of the Project The creation of images has been with us since time immemorial. The recent discovery of six paintings found in the Nerja caves, in Spain, is reputed by scientists to be the world’s oldest works of art. These are believed to have been created by Neanderthal man at least 42,000 years ago.

to shock, to influence, to prove. Images are employed in science, in research, in security, in advertising, in politics, in art, in pornography, in medicine, in propaganda, in forensics, in photojournalism, in internet social media. Their functionality and application is seemingly unlimited – this is ever more pertinent with the recent fast evolvement and proliferation of media technology.

Historical Context When I first started considering this subject, it was essential to ponder on some historical milestones. I firmly believe that the invention of photography in the early 1800’s, followed by the appearance of film (in 1888 by George Eastman and Kodak), right through to today’s fast progression of digital photographic technology, has not only radically revolutionized our life but has also raised various controversial issues and provocations on how contemporary imagery and processes are possibly effecting and conditioning us.

I was very intrigued and interested about this issue, not only because it is directly related to my work in photography, but because most of my previous commercial work has incorporated image manipulation, both in the form of conventional mechanical editing as well as of the current digital kind.

My main idea was to initially conduct research on the early history of image manipulation and analyze how various examples impacted society. I had already encountered several famous, (or infamous), instances where the manipulation of an image has totally changed its meaning and, perhaps, given a fraudulent and distorted message instead of the one which had been originally intended. I wanted to also explore the evolution of image manipulation and move on to reflect on the effects it has on today’s modern

The Nerja Cave Paintings

civilization - particularly with the advent of modern technology.

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Another aspect was that I wanted to assess the way

achieved by expert retouching of both negative

I had worked before and also reflect on what the

and/or print with paint or inks. Collage and double-

effects of manipulating my images has had. The

exposure was also employed for this same end, and

project’s final aim was of not only researching and

darkroom techniques were also possible as a means

exploring how images are perhaps changing our

of manipulation. Most of these techniques were

lifestyle, but also of raising awareness in my viewers

initially aimed at, and associated with, enhancing and

to look deeper into images and not take them lightly

improving the aesthetic content of the photograph.

or at face value.

In fact, most manipulation and retouching skills were considered as an art form in themselves and a

Finally, to further convince viewers, I wanted

retouching artist was essential in early photography

to produce images which, because of the use of

studios. These painstaking skills where not easily

manipulation techniques, would demonstrate that

mastered and were mostly the prerogative of

the message or story could change dramatically.

highly skilled artists and technically orientated

Particularly from my research, I wanted to get a

photographers. Manipulation was usually restricted

deeper insight on the power of images and how it

to the specialists.

could help to give further context to my future work.

If photographs do condition society, I wanted to know

Whilst researching on early manipulated imagery, I

how, why and to what extent. This knowledge could

came across a stunning photograph by early Swedish

make me understand better my own work and its

Photographer Oscar Gustave Rejlander, (1813 –

relevance.

1875) and I could not help to marvel and admire the

Early Image Manipulation At the outset, the photographic process was hailed as an invention which could finally, and with little effort, provide realism. In fact, its early influence on art created the need for traditional painters and artists to move away from realism and explore other alternative art techniques and movements. With photography, the world seemingly had gained a tool which could depict the truth! Alas, I think this eventually turned out to be quite a mistaken illusion as the “truth” of an image remains elusive to this day.

expertise and skill that this Master of photographic manipulation possessed. The photograph in question, which was produced way back in 1857, is a masterly allegorical photomontage entitled “The Two Ways of Life” and was constructed out of no less than thirty two different negatives!

The history of photographic and image manipulation has been tackled by various theorists. In Chapter Nine of William J. Mitchell’s The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era”, Mitchell goes into critically analyzing the issue.

“The photographic falsifier holds up not a mirror to the

The manipulation of photographic images is as old as

world but a looking glass through which the observing

the invention itself . This sort of “forgery or falseness”

subject is slyly invited to step, like Alice, into a place where

has been regularly used to improve the story-telling

things are different--where facts seem indistinguishable

or pictorial capabilities of a picture or to fraudulently

from falsehoods and fictions and where immanent

deceive or condition viewers. In actual fact, the first

paradox continually threatens to undermine established

cases of image manipulation surfaced long before the

certainties.”

appearance of digital media, which is considered by many to be the utmost culprit of image manipulation.

From an early stage, the borderline between truth and fiction was quite unclear with a lot of grey areas.

In early days, photographic manipulation was

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Early Photographic history became quickly littered with many cases of hoaxes and dubious manipulations concerning images. Some famous (or infamous) examples of well known photographic manipulations

are American President Abraham Lincoln’s portrait

photographic exhibition on Lenin.

(1860’s) and the dubious removal of Leon Trotsky

These are just a few of the many instances when

from Soviet propaganda images (1967). I felt it was

photographs were altered in order to change the

helpful for my project to at least choose a couple of

message and meaning for some particular reason

these instances in order to gauge resultant effects.

or other. Yet, in the early days of photography, the

In the Lincoln manipulation by Thomas Hicks, a figure

technology for manipulating images was not so

study of politician John C. Calhoun was used as

advanced and not so easily accessible and mechanical

Lincoln’s body with the latter’s head, (taken from an

photographic manipulation was not only harder to

earlier Matthew Brady portrait), being quite skillfully

create but also much more liable to be noticed. I can

superimposed. This had been necessary due to the

remember myself struggling in the dim red darkroom

President’s tragic assassination and due to the fact

light to correct or manipulate my images. Most early

that previous images of Lincoln in a suitably heroic

montage and retouching techniques needed great

looking stance where not available. Thus, to satisfy

skill and substantial amounts of time to accomplish

public demand for the President’s memento, the

but all this changed dramatically with the introduction

montage was created. Hicks made only one little

of digital processes.

mistake which caught him out and this was that when he superimposed Lincoln’s head on to Calhoun’s body

Digital technology started appearing in the early

- he reversed it – thus depicting Lincoln’s famous

1950’s and in 1981 Sony produced the first consumer camera that did not require film. It was a major breakthrough. With the advent of digital manipulation and editing software, with early programmes such as Paintbox and later the wide proliferation and advanced technology of Photoshop, the realism of the photograph began to slowly turn into somewhat of a myth. Today, the previous skills necessary to edit and change the whole message and meaning of a photograph are available to all and sundry. There is now no limit to what one can do with images through available and readily accessible post processing

mole on the wrong side of the face!

software.

In another more sinister example, a picture of Soviet leaders celebrating the October revolution

I

anniversary, in 1919, was altered by the photo

powerful with the limit being only my level of

mechanical removal of Trotsky (the bespectacled

knowledge and skill. This makes me reflect on the

figure saluting to the left of Lenin - left photo). Two

many times I have had to digitally substitute people’s

other eventual opponents of Stalin, Kamenev, and

heads, particularly in group photographs, because

Khalatov met the same fate when they were also

their eyes closed during the taking of the picture.

removed from the same photograph in 1967. That

Although I sometimes used to do this same thing in

way the manipulated image could be utilized in a

the darkroom, using painstaking mechanical means,

find

post-processing

programmes

incredibly

today I can do the same thing in a better manner within a fraction of the time. For me, this is a real advantage over the days of darkroom manipulation.

Many of the young photographers I meet

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today talk about the darkroom in a nostalgic and

clients have noticed and were not particularly pleased

wishful manner. This is because they did not spend

with the results. Although people want to be made

days on end printing, washing and drying commercial

to look better, they do not want it to be obvious to

images in claustrophobic conditions. Furthermore,

themselves or others. I suspect that in that way, they

with digital manipulation, if you make a mistake, you

can feel less guilty of narcissism.

just start again incurring no expense whatsoever. In the darkroom, a slight mistake would cost money in

Is there any harm in this most common desire to appear

expensive photographic paper and chemicals.

better in imagery? In most cases, I think not, but if taken too seriously and to extremes, it can at times be

Image Conditioning

detrimental. Although beauty exists, in reality it is not so common and attainable. Today, it is commonplace

Although I do not always agree with her views, I am still an avid reader of writer Susan Sontag. I did purposely trace back some of her observations which had struck me. For example, in her essay “On Photography,” in 1973, Sontag already comments on the effect that modern photography has on our education. Here she claims that photographs “now provide most of the knowledge people have about the look of the past

to meet instances of youngsters trying to imitate and emulate the somewhat “fictitious perfection” of their idols with consequences such as bulimia and depression rearing up their ugly heads. Is it the result of altered imagery which is perhaps making them believe that they need to attain aesthetical perfection to succeed in life?

and the reach of the present”

Media Conditioning

Sontag also claimed that at times “images are indeed

Ever increasingly, modern Society is seemingly

able to usurp reality because first of all a photograph is

becoming the product of media conditioning. When

not only an image, an interpretation of the real; it is also

one takes into account the amount of conditioning

a trace, something directly stenciled off the real”

and influence that, for example, advertising imagery is subjecting us to, it is quite obvious that this can

I tend to subscribe to her line of thinking. Particularly

be affecting our daily life. In many instances today,

in the glitzy world of glamour photography, this genre

the majority of people are being cleverly coaxed

has been “guilty” of heavy use of photo manipulation.

into buying this or that product in order to “better

The constant drive to show celebrities and models

their lifestyle” but, more probably, to enhance the

as perfect beings has naturally influenced society.

financial profits of the company which is producing

Everyone is now aware that virtually anything can

the product!

be done through post processing. Thus, society is progressively becoming much more concerned with

Referring on the power of imagery, Andy Warhol

trying to emulate their “heroes.”

Even the most

quoted: ‘‘it’s the movies that have really been running

beautiful model has her or his phobias. If there is a

things in America ever since they were invented. They

little bend on the nose, why not arrange it? Today, I

show you what to do, how to do it, when to do it, how to

feel that digital manipulation can be loosely compared

feel about it, and how to look and how you feel about it.’’

to easy and painless plastic surgery.

For instance, if one just thinks about the subtle way Taking this into account, I have still always maintained

we are influenced by food photography on restaurant

that manipulation on photographs for aesthetic

menus, the issue starts to become more evident. How

purposes should always be kept to a minimum. From

many times have we been impressed by a well lit and

over thirty years of contact with my clients, the few

composed menu picture into ordering that particular

times I have gone a bit over the top with editing,

choice of food? Then, when the actual plate arrives, it

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does not look anywhere near as inviting as the menu

abate. In their statement of principle, the influential

image had hinted at. Still, one needs to also take into

National Press Photographers Association (NPPA of

account that, at times, menu images are used for the

America) https://www.nppa.org/code_of_ethics states:

direct benefit of the customer. How would we be able to order food from a menu which is in a language that

“As journalists, we believe the guiding principle of our

we cannot decipher? At least, here the image can

profession is accuracy; therefore, we believe it is wrong

guide us.

to alter the content of a photograph in any way that deceives the public. As photojournalists, we have the

Another very obvious, yet somewhat dangerous

responsibility to document society and to preserve

example of the conditioning that we are subjected to

its images as a matter of historical record. It is clear

is tobacco advertising. In the past, many adolescents

that the emerging electronic technologies provide new

have been influenced in taking up smoking by the

challenges to the integrity of photographic images ...

glamorous portrayal of this acknowledged health

in light of this, we the National Press Photographers

hazard. If one looks at the portrayal of film stars in

Association, reaffirm the basis of our ethics: Accurate

Hollywood movies, this becomes evident.

During

representation is the benchmark of our profession. We

recent years, most governments have been trying

believe photojournalistic guidelines for fair and accurate

to redress this problem by issuing health warnings,

reporting should be the criteria for judging what may be

running anti-smoking campaigns, banning advertising

done electronically to a photograph. Altering the editorial

on cigarette packets and in many other lucrative

content ... is a breach of the ethical standards recognized

areas of tobacco advertising. It is a belated but very

by the NPPA”

welcome move against the powerful commercial lobby of the tobacco manufacturers.

Contrary to

In fact, in 2011, the much respected AP (Associated http://www.ap.org/)

removed

a

freelance

previous years, the power of imagery is being now

Press

more directed towards influencing people to quit

photographer from its books because he cloned

smoking. So here, the effects of image conditioning

out his shadow in one of his pictures . AP Director

are again being used for a worthy cause.

of Photography, Santiago Lyon, called it “deliberate and misleading photo manipulation. Only minor adjustments in Photoshop are acceptable.”

Still, I believe that the main problem does not lie with the internationally recognized Press and Media, who are normally very vigilant on this matter, but with some freelance photographers who for personal gain bend and manipulate images and change reality.

The general public is many times not aware of this, and when the truth perhaps eventually filters out,

Anti Smoking image campaigns

(usually after long winded law suits and raging

But to my mind, one of

debates), the damage would have been done. The

the most dangerous forms

dreaded Paparazzi are a major exponent of this

of

image

dubious breed of Photojournalist. (Paparazzi

is

associated

manipulation

are

a

freelance photographers who specialize in following

wrong kind of altered

and photographing celebrities particularly to obtain

Photojournalism.

candid photographs in private situations).

The debate on ethics in

At other times, the stakes can be much higher and

this sphere will never

more dangerous. For example, in 2008, a photograph

with

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of an Iranian Missile launch, (syndicated by France

implicated in the hoax, said the pictures put soldiers’

Press), was widely published on the front covers of

lives in danger and acted as a powerful “recruiting

the international press before it was discovered that

poster” for al-Qaeda.

it had been doctored. A fourth missile had been added on top of what was apparently a failed missile.

This added to the argument that undemocratic countries like Iran regularly use post processing digital manipulating techniques to alter propaganda images for obvious political gain.

The Daily Mirror hoax images

Original Iranian Missile image

This was the newspaper’s public apology: “The Daily Mirror... apologizes unreservedly for publishing the pictures and deeply regrets the reputational damage done to the QLR and the Army in Iraq.”

“Doctored” Iranian Missile image

Alas,

such

now

occurring

instances with

are

alarming

A more recent shocking hoax which brings home the

frequency and perhaps leading

detrimental effects of “doctored” images were the

to a collective disbelief in society

photographs purportedly showing Iraqi prisoners

of the veracity of the truth of the

being tortured by British soldiers in 2004. The

image. It is now also becoming

photographs emblazoned all over the front and inside

curious to note that people are

pages of the Daily Mirror, were eventually proven to

much less shocked and credulous of the horrifying

be fakes.

imagery coming from all corners of the globe. Is this because there is just too much of it that it has managed

The images had far reaching consequences. Not

to render society oblivious to it? Is this relatively new

only did the newspaper publicly apologize as well as

‘literature’ of images dangerously making us immune

sack the editor, (Piers Morgan), but the issue further

to violence and suffering? Do we perhaps think of the

fueled fundamentalist hatred against foreign soldiers

World War Two Nazi holocaust imagery as more real

in Iraq. Colonel Black, a former regiment commander

and as more authentic because it has been produced

of the Queens’ Lancashire Regiment, (QLR), who was

before the digital age, thus difficult to falsify?

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Images and Social Media

immediately to mind because an altered image,

This set me thinking on perhaps a lighter, but not less

fool not only under age children, but even adults.

relevant train of thought. One cannot ignore the phenomenal use of images on Social Media. Facebook,

together with convincing chat manners, can easily

Trying it out

Linked In, Pinterest, Tumblr and other such sites have impacted everyday life to such an extent that most

Today, due to the fast lifestyle and the race against

of us cannot imagine life without them. Just as an

time that most societies in developed countries

example, today 350 million new images are posted

follow, people are much less likely to analyze the

each day on Facebook only! On any given day, teens

photographs they are viewing and most of the time

in the United States spend about nine hours using

they are only seeing images fleetingly. The mind can

media for their enjoyment, according to the report by

hardly grasp the amount of conditioning that this

Common Sense Media, an NGO focused on helping

imagery can be having on society – but governments,

children, parents and educators navigate the world of

commercial

media and technology. And some 13-year-olds check

consultants, publishers and others have long known

social media 100 times a day!

the power and benefits, (particularly to themselves),

companies,

politicians,

marketing

that images can achieve.

At this stage I was feeling that my thinking process on this project was widening. I found myself

People like Stalin, Mao Tse Tung and Hitler, to just

exploring areas of images and their effects which I

name a notorious few, recognized the strength

hardly thought existed. I do not know how reliable

that the image had, not only for indoctrinating the

and truthful they are, but I even found opinionists

unsuspecting masses, but also in veiling ideologies

arguing that Disney Cartoon characters and movies

which would have otherwise not been so readily

carry subliminal sexual messages! In fact, I felt my

accepted. Add to this the frequent use of subliminal

concerns gradually increasing about the huge amount

messages

in

imagery,

(considered

of factual twisting that can be conducted through image manipulation.

As part of further research, I actually visited a number of my friends’ profile pages and wondered how many of them had altered their profile picture. In fact, I could hardly recognize some of them! Nevertheless, I admit that I did edit my own profile picture in order to reduce some ageing facial lines and grey hair!

Many friends I spoke to further declared that, for example, they do not trust a Facebook profile which does not carry a portrait of the person. That is understandable because one starts getting second thoughts about networking with a person who has no profile image - it does seem fishy. But now I became more aware that by putting up a profile picture which has been manipulated for more dubious ends than aesthetics, a miscreant can easily fool others.

The danger of child abuse on the internet comes

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Subliminal Advertising

somewhat

deceptive), and the “picture” becomes broader and more inclined towards conditioning of a seemingly unsuspecting Society.

Conclusion: The more one thinks about the immense power of the image in our everyday lifestyle and the way it can be easily altered and manipulated, the more one starts to realize the perils it can bring about as well as the benefits it can wield. Like a lot of other things in life, an Image can be a knife that cuts both ways. Images can stimulate people to end wars but they can blind others to start a war.

In his book, “How to do things with pictures ” William J. Mitchell states that: “The growing circulation of the new graphic currency that digital imaging technology mints is relentlessly

article-2097869/The-oldest-work-art-42-000-year-oldpaintings-seals-Spanish-cave.html#ixzz2DrveRU2C last accessed on 15 Dec; 2016 FOUR AND SIX – Photo Tampering Through History, http://www.fourandsix.com/photo-tampering-history/ last accessed on 15 Dec; 2016 WILLIAM J. MITCHELL -The Reconfigured Eye: Visual Truth in the Post-Photographic Era (Cambridge: MIT Press, 1994): 190-223. How to Do Things with Pictures.

SUSAN SONTAG – ON PHOTOGRAPHY Picador; 1st edition (August 25, 2001) BRAINY QUOTE - Andy Warhol. http://www. brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/andywarhol109668. html - last accessed on 10 June, 2016 NPPA WEBSITE – Statement of principle https://www. nppa.org/node/5167 - last accessed on 2 Feb; 2016 AP DROPS FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER - http:// www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/138728/apdrops-freelance-photographer-who-photoshopped-hisshadow-out-of-image/ - last accessed on 5 Jan; 2016 THE NEW YORK TIMES - http://thelede.blogs.nytimes. com/2008/07/10/in-an-iranian-image-a-missile-toomany/ - last accessed on 12 Dec; 2015

destabilizing the old photographic orthodoxy, denaturing

Further Reading:

the established rules of graphic communication, and

http://www.zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/ last accessed on 5 Jan; 2016

disrupting the familiar practices of image production and exchange. This condition demands, with increasing urgency, a fundamental critical reappraisal of the uses to which we put graphic artifacts, the values we therefore assign to them, and the ethical principles that guide our transactions with them.”

I think Society should do well to heed his advice © Kevin Casha

MAIL ONLINE - Nerja paintings:– Tom Warden, 7 Feb 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/

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http://www.thejc.com/news/israel-news/32726/ reuters-crop-photos-bloodied-israeli-soldiers accessed on 7 Jan; 2016

-

last

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~hick0088/classes/csci_2101/ false.html - last accessed on 18 Nov; 2016 http://www.cleancutmedia.com/advertising/famousmanipulated-photos-pre-photoshop- last accessed on 15 Dec; 2015 http://ethicsinediting.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/ photo-manipulation-through-history-a-timeline/ - last accessed on 10 May; 2015

Photography by malcolm sammut

Malcolm Sammut Malcolm Sammut was born and raised in Mosta and

courses in Malta and there he found the MIPP which

currently lives in Buġibba with his wife and son. For

he joined immediately and he took the Fast Track to

the past 15 years he has been working with Jesmond

Photography course run by Kevin Casha.

Mizzi Financial Advisor as an accountant and for the last 5 years he started working as a project manager.

During this course, Malcolm learnt to criticise his

Malcolm’s passion for photography began when

work and as he became aware of certain mistakes,

he was in secondary school and there was the

he started learning from them. For the assignment of

opportunity to take a course in photography as an

this course, he had bought the 50mm f/1.8 which he

extra curricular subject. At the time, Malcolm used

is very fond of because it’s very light, small and has

his father’s Minolta compact film camera to tackle

fantastic quality. He now advises newbies to learn the

the project and he used to enjoy experimenting with

technique before investing in expensive equipment

it and remembers how sometimes he would develop

and he is currently considering undertaking the MIPP

the negatives to find out that most of his shots

Award in Still Photography to further his knowledge.

were completely white or black. This was part of his learning process.

In 2008 he was in the UK for a holiday and there he saw the newly released full frame D700 and decided

Following that extracurricular course at school,

to upgrade. Since then he has been using it for all his

Malcolm abandoned photography and only 10 years

work although he kept the D40x as a back up body.

ago, in 2006 he decided to give it another try. He

He lauds the incredible low light capabilities of the

purchased a Nikon D40x, an entry level DSLR that

D700 compared to the first DSLR.

came with a kit lens, the 18-55mm and soon after he also purchased the 55-200mm to cover a wider

Initially, Malcolm used to treat his DSLR with extreme

range. This time he decided to take photography

caution and care until one day he went shooting a

more seriously and seeked to actively further his

women’s football match and when it started drizzling,

knowledge, therefore he looked for photography

he noticed how other photographers didn’t seem

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to care about the bad weather conditions and kept using their cameras without covering them and that’s where one of the seasoned photographers explained that you pay for gear which is ‘rain proof’ to use it and urged him to keep on shooting, confident that the camera won’t stop working.

Soon after, he purchased the 24-70mm f/2.8, the 80200mm f/2.8 and ultimately the 14-24mm f/2.8. Very recently he placed an order for the newer and much improved D810 which has not yet been delivered to him.

Malcolm loves to travel and on average he does it 3 times a year. Among other countries, he visited

Photography by malcolm sammut

Cuba, Myanmar, Costa Rica, Mexico, Malaysia, New York and since he became a father he started travelling to nearer destinations in Europe and he tries to travel on dates when specific events occur in the particular town or region that he visits. He mentioned his experience at the Palio di Siena when 4 horses fell during the race and he managed to capture the moment, it was dusk and he had to raise the ISO levels to freeze the action.

Malcolm is very outgoing and he loves meeting new people who he calls “living monuments of a country”, therefore he enjoys street photography.

He loves to shoot people in their every day life. He often approaches them to have a chat and show them the pictures in which they appear and many end up asking him to send them the photograph.

He is very particular and selective in the way he shoots, he tries to capture Photography by malcolm sammut

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unique shots and subjects and this

is the main reason why travel agencies around the

a journalist, he grabbed Malcolm’s camera from his

world have bought his photos to promote particular

hands and then he realised that Malcolm was shooting

destinations to their clients, because instead of

something else.

shooting landmarks, Malcolm captures life happening in those areas and this gives a different perspective.

On another occasion, Malcolm was in New York shooting long exposures in the underground metro

He mentioned his trip to Milan when one day he

station when a homeless person heard him clicking.

noticed how the majority of the people were walking

He started shouting at Malcolm to delete the pictures

whilst texting on their phone and he decided to sit

and even though the person was in the picture, he

down and shoot passers-by in the streets of Milan on

was out of focus and not recognisable as the subject

that particular topic.

was another wealthy lady wearing pink.

Malcolm likes to take pictures with a particular

Malcolm showed him the picture in question and the

message behind them, his pictures often lead the

homeless person calmed down and apologised. In

viewer to reflect about social issues. He shoots in

Myanmar, Pakokku, Malcolm was on a factory tour to

RAW and he tries to limit the post processing work

see how flip flops are made. After a while, he left the

to leave the photograph as close to reality as possible.

main production area and went inside a room where

Incidents with people in street photography can be a

he shockingly found children making the flip flops.

common annoyance and Malcom has had a few whilst doing street photography; in Valletta, at the street

He found himself in an ethical dilemma on whether he

market, he got attacked by one of the vendors (selling

should take pictures of the children or not. Ultimately

pirated CD’s and DVD’s) who mistook Malcolm for

he decided to take them and to send the pictures to

Photography by malcolm sammut

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Photography by malcolm sammut

cost him 800 Sterling. Since that incident he started asking to be paid except for personal projects like village feasts and other stuff which he loves to cover and for charity events.

One of his first paid jobs was at a FIBA Europe basketball tournament in Malta. He covered the games for one week and got the opportunity to work and be part of a team of professional people which was a great experience. He also does a couple of weddings a year, always sticking to his philosophy and style of photography where he likes to blend in the background and capture people whilst they act naturally.

Malcolm lauds the immense support he gets from his wife Lowella. She runs a hair salon which is sometimes transformed into a studio to shoot the attractive hairstyles that his wife creates and as their cooperation grows stronger, Malcolm is starting to develop some ideas about interesting projects for the future. Until then we will have to wait and see!

Photography bymalcolm sammut

Interview by Daniel Vassallo.

BBC but unfortunately they were not featured anywhere since they had run a similar feature about the country (Myanmar) a while before.

Malcolm believes that photographers should be paid for their jobs and does not think that compensation through exposure is good enough for a photographer – Facebook likes don’t pay bills. He realised how expensive photography is when he had to send his gear to be repaired and cleaned after suffering a broken barrel ring and fungus inside the lenses which

Photography by malcolm sammut

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2016

Continental Cars Ltd.

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Obituary:

photographer under presidents Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Guido de Marco and Eddie Fenech Adami. Lino was

Lino Arrigo Azzopardi

seriously injured in 2001 when a truck crashed into

The end of 2016 brought its sad news as well.

then president was on a state visit to Sofia. He later

Unfortunately, well-known press photographer Lino

served as the Malta-based stringer for the Associated

Arrigo Azzopardi passed away at the age of seventy

Press and the European Pressphoto Agency, and he

seven.

was active with his most recent assignment at the

Guido de Marco’s official car at high speed while the

CHOGM summit that took place in Malta last year.

Lino had a long and successful career with the Department of Information between 1958 and 1983.

The Institute of Maltese Journalists described him

During a lifetime career, he had covered Malta’s

as an example of professionalism and as a man who

Independence celebrations back in 1964 as well

was and will remain an inspiration to all journalists.

as the island’s accession to the European Union in

Many of his colleagues remember him as a jovial but

2004. His camera captured and recorded Malta’s

dedicated and professional photographer. May he

most historic moments. He also served as the official

rest in peace.

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Photography by PODGE KELLY

Photography by JOHAN SIGGESSON

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Photography by john denton

Photography by JOHAN SIGGESSON

Photography by PODGE KELLY

Photography by tom lee

Photography by JOHN DENTON

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Photography by kevin casha

Photography by tom lee

Photography by veronica busuttil

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Annual General Meeting As you have already been informed, the MIPP’s Annual General Meeting will be held on TUESDAY 7th MARCH at Le Meridien Hotel in St Julians at 7.30 pm. Only fully paid up members will be eligible to vote.

Agenda for the AGM 1

Approval of minutes of AGM 2016

2

Hon. Secretary General’s Annual Report – Sergio Morana

3

Hon. Treasurer’s Statement of Accounts – Martin Agius

4

MIPP’s Vision for 2017 by MIPP’s Hon. President – Kevin Casha

5

Amendments to the statute

6

Nomination of two tellers

7

Presentation of members standing for election

8

Election of the new committee

9

Other Matters

Notice: MEMBERS’ EMAIL UPDATES: Should you not be receiving regular email updates and communications from the MIPP, kindly check and inform us asap if you have changed your email.

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CALENDAR March

April March /2017

MIPP Members’ meeting Rabat Heritage Walk with

March /2017

MIPP Members’ meeting Annual General Meeting

RENE ATTARD

(including a visit to the vintage pharmacy at the National Archives)

By BOOKING on courses@mipp-malta.com.

Join us for a cultural morning around Rabat and at the same time sharpen your skills at Street Photography. 9am Meeting near Casino Notabile, Saqqajja Hill. All members are invited. (A fee of €3 is to be paid which will go to National Archives).

Sunday 12th March | 9.00AM

Tuesday 7th March | 19:30

Casino Notabile

Le Meridien

March /2017

MIPP Members’ meeting ONDRE CAMILLERI GAGLIONE

LAND OF SNOWS

Tuesday 14h March | 19:30 Le Meridien

March /2017

RON KERR

PHONOGRAPHY WORKSHOP Meeting place: in front of Parliament Valletta for all MIPP members Sunday 26th March | 9.00AM Le Meridien

April /2017

IN GUARDIA RE-ENACTMENT

MIPP Members’ meeting

Fort St. Elmo, Valletta (courtesy of MTA)

MARTIN AGIUS

Meeting outside Fort St. Elmo Entrance

WORKING AS A FULL-TIME PHOTOJOURNALIST

Sunday 19th March | 10.30am

Tuesday 4th April | 19:30

by BOOKING on courses@mipp-malta.com – first 20

Le Meridien

March /2017

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LIGHT HEARTED MOMENTS

SMILE PLEASE by Mario Casha

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The Collector

by Kevin Casha What a fantastic surprise I had recently. I finally met Paul Vella the camera collector based in Zejtun.

Referring to Paul just as the camera collector is an understatement as cameras are his lifelong passion - just as mine is photography. Paul has patiently

and ingenious person has veritably saved a treasure

collected and ‘nursed’ over 1500 cameras back into

trove for posterity and our island a treasure and the

full health and got them all to work! His collection is

authorities should really try and nurture and help to

fantastic and ranges from old plate cameras, film and

better house this collection.

digital plus lots of accessories thrown in! This affable Due to the limited space in which the collection is housed, those interested to see it can contact Paul https://www.facebook.com/paul.vella.102

directly

and arrange a visit. Again I would like to thank Paul for what he has managed to achieve and for hosting me at his ‘aladdin’s cave!’

PS: watch out for a full feature and interview on this personality in the MIPP newsletter.

Kevin Casha

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Membership Renewal = =

We would like to remind you that we are now accepting payments for 2017 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

Become a qualified photographer with our three levels of qualification: Licentiate, Associate and Fellowship

Reciprocal photographic qualification with the best UK Institution

Get reduced rates to our courses and workshops

Informative monthly lectures and newsletters

Exclusive photographic competitions ONLY for MIPP members and much more

OR

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”)

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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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CANON RENTAL SERVICE Photography equipment available for hire • • • • • • • •

EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM EF 70-200mm 1:2,8 L IS II USM EF 24-105mm 1:4,0 L IS USM EF 24-70mm 1:2.8L USM EF 8-15mm f/4 L USM fisheye EOS 5D III body EOS 6D body Speedlite 600 EX RT

For full details and conditions visit www.avantech.com.mt or call on 2148 8800 Ask about our ‘Try before you buy’ scheme!

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THE MIPP SPONSORS Non-Profit organizations like the Malta Institute of Professional Photography are constantly in need of funds in order to be able to function in a modern and professional environment. That is why it was important to have various sponsors interested in networking with the MIPP and at the same time involving them in important issues concerning the photographic trade.

The MIPP feels it is vital to stimulate joint events and initiatives together with our sponsors. This policy helps our members to be constantly aware of products and services that our sponsors market thus not only encouraging an increase in business but also benefitting our members through special occasional offers and deals.

This co-operation and belief by our sponsors, most of who have been with us since the MIPP’s inception, has helped in no small way in making the Institute what it is today. It is one of the MIPP’s main objectives to help keep this co-operation improving. We urge our members to truly support our sponsors by making use of their services and products whenever possible.

Our sponsors show faith in the MIPP so it is only fair that our members should reciprocate. Give your custom to those companies and entities that help us.

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contacts

Web: www.mipp-malta.com Email: president@mipp-malta.com Address: 27, Moonlight, Giovanni Papaffy Street, Ta’ Paris, Birkirkara, BKR 4021, Malta Tel No: 21486097

2017 MAR / APR