OCTOBER CONVENTION 2012
CONVENTION PROGRAMME
INTRO
PROGRAMME
Welcome to the 2012 MIPP International Convention. As with previous years, this year’s convention is being brought to you in collaboration with The Societies, who once again have brought us some very interesting names. This is the 4th successive year during which I am directing the convention, and as always we have tried to improve and introduce some changes. We have prepared a full programme packed with excellent personalities that will certainly hold your interest throughout these three days. One important change which was introduced this year regards the workshops on Saturday. While in previous editions workshops were run by a team, this year only the respective lecturers will be directing them. This is being done to better streamline the workshops. Sunday evening as usual sees us concluding the convention with the awards dinner, during which, amongst others, we will be presenting certificates to our newly qualified members, and announcing the Photographer of the Year. The dinner is far from all-formal though, and it is the ideal time for our members to socialise and meet our lecturers. I look forward to seeing you all for this weekend of excellence and photographic fun.
Day1: Friday 19 October 0800 Registration 0900 Introductions - MIPP President and SWPP CEO 0930 Christina Lee Lauder “LET’S ADD SOME TEXTURE” A practical insight into creating and using your own textures
1030 Dennis Orchard “HOW COULD THEY GIVE MY PRINT THAT SCORE?!” An experienced insight into what makes an image competitive
1130 Coffee Break 1200 Phil Jones “THE FUNNY SIDE OF PHOTOGRAPHY” Exploring the ups and downs of photography caught on camera
1300 Buffet Lunch at Hotel 1415 Charles Mifsud “A VISION OF OUR WORLD” Capturing the essence of different cultures and stories through photojournalism
1515 Qualifications – Judging of Panels Charles Calleja
Secretary General obo MIPP
FREE PARKING AT CORINTHIA THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CONVENTION
Day2: sATURDAY 20 OCTOBER
Day3: SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER
0900 Joe Zammit Lucia “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY” - WHAT IS IT? HOW DO WE GET GOOD AT IT?
0830 Podge Kelly “CREATING STUNNING IMAGES”
A deep insight into understanding the different perspectives of “Street Photography”
Using Nik software to obtain stunning, high quality, monochrome images
1000 Alan Carville “SIX HEADSHOTS IN 60 MINUTES” - Workshop
0930 Hilary Spiteri “ART & PHOTOGRAPHY”
A practical, hands on look at creating professional headshots in a quick & efficient manner. (Lights kindly sponsored by Bowens and ILab.)
1115 Photocall (Group photo of all present) 1030 Break (free time)
The impact of photography & its correlation with artistic advancements
1045 Break (free time) 1100 Dennis Orchard “ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITURE – Workshop”
1145Christina Lee Lauder “LIGHTROOM WORKSHOP”
Handling people in ambiental and natural situations
Getting to grips with Adobe Lightroom .
1300 Comfort Break
1245 Sergio Muscat “A PASSION FOR LIGHT”
1430 SWPP Image Competition - Judging and critique
Creating Stunning Art in Black and White
1630 End
1345 Buffet Lunch at Hotel
Awards Dinner & Presentations: (Dress code:Smart) (ticket needs to be booked separately)
1500 Dennis Orchard “OBSERVING THE WEDDING” Obtaining the right approach and emotions in Wedding Photography
1600 FORUM: Nurturing Great Photographers:
Training and Qualifications for Personal Growth Panel: Joe Zammit Lucia, Vince Briffa, Kevin Casha, Sergio Muscat, Angela Cassar
1800 end
Please note that programme is subject to change without notice
1930 Meet for Pre-dinner drinks 2000 All Seated for Awards Night PRICES members non members dinner only youths (13-17) (sat & sun) senior citizens (61 & over) per day
138euros (including dinner) 125euros (dinner not included) 38euros 50euros 70euros 50euros
KEVIN CASHA MIPP President
It has been a really busy year and as is the norm, we are again approaching the end of our photographic year with a resounding bang – the much awaited October international photography convention. As usual, we stage this event with the invaluable help and sponsorship of The Societies of Great Britain. Our mutual cooperation with The Societies now goes back a long way and it is with their help that such a convention can be organized every year. Networking with The Societies enables us to each year bring over international photographers of a high calibre. The insularity of our tiny island needs regular injections from other photographers working away from our shores. This challenges us to keep on our toes and to regularly gauge changing trends on the international circuit. It will be our pleasure to again host Phil and Juliet Jones from the Societies as well as all the convention speakers, both international and local, together with all other guests and participants. Here again we have endeavoured to prepare a programme which is topical, interesting, stimulating and of course, informative. As usual, the event will culminate at our Awards Dinner and the judging of the MIPP Qualifications. This will again be held in the comfortable and ideal surroundings of the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel. I am sure you will find this convention to be another milestone in your enjoyment of photography.
phil jones SWPP CEO
Born into photography, Phil’s father ran a successful GP studio in North Wales for over 40 years. Phil studied photography on the Wirral and after working for a while in the photographic retail sector, joined in the family business in 1984. Upon his father’s retirement Phil ran his own studio specializing in social photography for 12 years. During the 1990’s Phil was a Regional Chairman of the Master Photographers Association and served on numerous committee’s. In August 1999 Phil took over the running of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers upon the retirement of Derek Avery FSWPP, and in January 2000 Phil took over the running of the British Professional Photographers Assoc. The SWPP has grown to be the largest independent organisation for professional and aspiring photographers worldwide with in excess of 7000 members and now included specific groups for photographers that cover all photographic interests
The Funny Side of Photography Friday 19th; 11:30am Sometimes it is by chance. Sometimes it is what is planned. Sometimes it is open to the viewers’ interpretation. However the camera can capture some funny moments in life. We will also take a look at how photography has been used in marketing to get the message across.
DENNIS ORCHARD Dennıs consıders that he has been a photographer sınce he was 5 years old. He started hıs career ın 1977 as a landscape photographer and took up weddıng photography ın 1996. Sınce then he has achıeved UK Weddıng Photographer of the Year twıce. He has aslo won numerous natıonal and ınternatıonal awards for hıs unıque style. In 2000 he attended WPPI Las Vegas for the fırst tıme and sınce then he has regulary held a Master Class at the conventıon. In 2003 he was asked to judge at WPPI and has been ınvıted back to judge every year sınce then. In 2006 WPPI awarded hım ıts hıghest accolade The Lıfetıme Achıevement Award. Last year Dennıs became the fırst UK photographer to be chosen as Chaırman of the Portrature Judgıng at WPPI Dennıs ıs also a Chaıman of Judgıng at SWPP Conventıon ın the UK and Dırector of Judgıng for Nıkon Baltıc. He ıs regularly ınvıted to judge at natıonal and ınternatıonal conventıons and has judged ın Northern Ireland, Eıre. Estonıa, Greece, Malaysıa, Australıa, USA and thıs year, Malta! None of thıs makes hım a bad person. He stıll consıders weddıng photography to be hıs fırst love. Hıs style ıs to use natural posıng, wıth mınımal use of effects, fılters or PS actıons. Hıs ımages capture real emotıon and specıal moments for hıs clıents. Dennıs also brıngs a large amount of humour ınto hıs work and hıs lectures and hopes that delegates wıll laugh wıth hım and even sometımes laugh at hım! How Could They Possibly Give That Print That Score??!! - Friday 19th; 12:30 If you have ever wondered how judges score a print in competition or have ever entered or thought about entering print competitions this talk will be invaluable. Dennis has sat on international print panels for the last 9 years and during that time has earned a reputation for supporting new, innovative, image styles. In this talk he will explain the systems for judging and, most importantly, what judges deduct marks for in competition. There will be a chance for the audience to judge images from SWPP competition and compare their scores with the final judges’ score. Delegates are encouraged to bring in their own prints for critique (if they are brave enough!) Snapping Away like ‘Uncle Bill? - Saturday 20th; 14:30 Clients increasingly want a more informal approach to their wedding photography but how do you cope with this request whilst maintaining professional photographic standards without resorting to snapping away like ‘Uncle Bill’?
christina Lee Lauder Christina has been a portrait photographer for the past 7 years, based out of her home in
Leicestershire. Her business involves both high end portraits and schools portraits, using her studio equipment in her home for the former and taking her equipment on the road for the latter. She has recently completed the building of a studio in the back garden of her home, creating a unique and intimate environment for discerning clients. She has been a speaker for the SWPP for the past 3 years which has led to running small training courses from her studio.
Lets Add Some Texture! Friday 19th; 9:00
Textures seem to be the fashion at the moment. I see them everywhere and must admit I’m rather partial to them. In this talk we will not only cover the use of proprietary textures from the likes of Kutoba Actions and the Florabella Collection but we will also take a look at creating and using your own textures. Textures are a great way to add some depth and creativity to everyday imagery, often turning an average photograph into something completely unique and artistic.
Lightroom for Beginners to Intermediate Saturday 20th; 11:00am
We will take a look at the many ways we can sort and manipulate photos at various stages within a typical workflow. We will discuss presets which can be applied on import to affect an entire group of images or applied individually after import. We will also take a look at the adjustment brush which will affect such things as exposure, sharpening, saturation, and more to just parts of an image. We will see how to darken down a blue sky, add a vignette, straighten the vertical lines of a building, reduce noise and so much more. There are many fantastic tools within the Lightroom application and we will address as many as time allows.
Joe Zammit-Lucia is an artist working in a photographic medium. His interest has been in exploring different aspects of portraiture. He is one of the world’s best known animal portrait artists using an approach that appropriates the style of human portraiture to examine the inner being of the animal. He has also explored human portraiture with a one year project that constructed a portrait of the city of New Orleans through a series of portraits and interviews of people who live there. He is currently exploring portraiture through street photography for two ongoing projects. Joe’s work has been exhibited in solo exhibitions at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, at the UN Palais de Nations in Geneva and in art galleries both in Europe and in the US. His current exhibition entitled “Expression, Personality, Emotion” is touring round museums in Europe. He has won numerous international awards and his work has been featured in fine art and photography magazines worldwide.
Street Photography Saturday 20th; 8:30am Street photography is an opportunity to explore life and people. This talk will explore what street photography has to offer the interested photographer, how to learn from what has gone before while developing a personal style that allows the photographer to see the world in new perspectives.
FORUM: Nurturing Great Photographers Saturday 20th; 15:30 This discussion forum will provide different perspectives on how one might think about offering an environment and a set of tools to help photographers get better at what they do. It provides an opportunity for conference participants to join the discussion of how MIPP and others already provide valuable learning tools and the opportunities that exist for these to be improved.
JOE ZAMMIT LUCIA
SERGIO MUSCAT Sergio Muscat is an artist working in the photographic medium. His work
is instinctive, sensitive and contemplative, focusing on a reality that is continuously changing through the evolution of nature and the intervention of mankind. His work in Architecture Photography has been received with critical acclaim, and has earned him a Fellowship of the MIPP and SWPP. He has always stated that his “natural habitat” is on the street, observing the environment, society and the eternal battle between mankind and nature. Sergio’s work has garnered various awards, including the “Press and PR photographer of the year award” from the SWPP in 2008 and multiple nominations in the International Masters Cup and the Black & White Spider Awards in 2009, 2010 and 2011. His work has been exhibited locally and overseas, and is found in private collections across Europe and the US.
A Passion for Light: Creating Art in Black and White Saturday 20th; 12:00
The digital age has opened up possibilities in photography like never before. Photographers now have access to a myriad of tools for post processing, however the result is that we sometimes tend to overlook the basics and get lost in technology. Sergio has been creating Fine Art Black and White photography for over four years. His work has been acclaimed for being bold but simple, without being overworked or artificial. One would be surprised how much work goes into creating a natural look which is easy to read and pleasing to look at. Throughout this masterclass, Sergio will be taking a practical approach, demonstrating simple techniques which he uses to create his Black and White work. A practical understanding of Photoshop, particularly layers, masks, curves and selections is essential to get the most out of this masterclass.
CHARLES MIFSUD Through his photography and literature, globetrotter Charles Mifsud captures a myriad of colourful cultures as he delves into the essence of humanity that makes our world so unique. His work creates a synergy of understanding among the different cultures. In 2008 he organized a photographic and literary cultural evening in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre celebrating the unique experience of his visit to the matriarchal society of LakeLugu in South West of China. A year later Charles was instrumental in organising a visit to Malta of National Geographic photographers for a promotional campaign. Mifsud has over the years interviewed a number of international personalities from the world of performing arts including scientist and journalist Piero Angela. During the past months Mifsud has been working to create a cultural dialogue with the Sila region in Calabria. Last February he was invited to attend a Sledge Dog race held in the mountains of Pollino and Silaalong with other Italian journalists.
A Vision to our World Friday 19th; 14:30 Between Photojournalism and poetic vision Globetrotter Charles Mifsud explains how through his photography he manages to capture the essence of so many diverse Cultures. Charles’s evocative work portrays the essence of our humanity across the globe. During this session, Charles will explain how a photo has to capture the viewer as a standalone as well as create synergy when placed in a written journalistic piece. Charles shares the views of other world famous photographers he has met as to what makes cultural and travel photography so unique.
ALAN CARVILLE Alan Carville is an award winning, internationally published, and exhibited photographer located on the islands of Malta. Although, known locally
for architectural photography, he shoots editorial portraiture for the majority of magazine publications on the island. He has a strong list of blue chip corporate clients and there is not a day that will pass whereby you will see his work on billboards throughout the island. He uses a strange marketing strategy whereby he refuses to post up any portrait images on his website or join Facebook and other social media networks. As part of his staple income he has developed an ability to generate quick editorial portraits with the minimum amount of fuss but with results that have gained him near-celebrity status.
Six headshots in sixty minutes Saturday 20th; 9:30am (Workshop)
Regardless of the style of photography you choose, performing headshots can become the bread and butter of your general photography business.Your ability to perform a headshot with professional results and in the minimum amount of time can be extremely useful for fashion, corporate, and magazine editorial images. Alan will take you through six different lighting setups in sixty minutes, from simple to complex, which can be used on location or in the studio. He will be using three models, covering a variety of styles to help give you the confidence of adapting to the given situation.
PODGE KELLY Podge who was born, reared and lives in Dublin, Ireland, has been taking photographs for the past twenty nine years and is an active member of Tallaght Photographic Society since 1983. He is a Past President of the Society and is also a Past President of the Irish Photographic Federation, the umbrella body for all photographic clubs, societies in Ireland. He retired after ten years service from the Committee of “Peoples Photography” of which he was a founder member. This is a unique annual outdoor Photographic Exhibition held on St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin. He judges and lectures in the Clubs around Ireland and has also judged for the Irish Professional Photographers’ Association and lectured and judged in Northern Ireland. Podge also lectures and teaches on behalf of Fuji Film (Ireland) and has lectured in England at the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers convention. Podge has received many awards in Irish exhibitions and his work has been accepted in numerous International Salons e.g. Argentina, Austria, China, Estonia, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy and Scotland, both as an individual and as part of the work representing Ireland in the Federation Internationale de L’Art Photographique biennials. To date over 70 pieces of his work have been accepted in salons. He holds four distinctions. One is the Fellowship of the Irish Photographic Federation (F.I.P.F.). The second is Excellence of the Federation Internationale de L’Art Photographique (E.F.I.A.P.) the third is Licentiate of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (L.S.W.P.P.) and the fourth is Licentiate of the Irish Professional Photographers’ Association (L.I.P.P.A.) Podge Is a member of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the Irish Professional Photographers’ Association He knows the importance of being a member of organisations that keep you well informed about all the changes that are going on in the industry. The SWPP run lectures by some of the worlds top photographers and Podge attends these as much as he can and has attended two residential courses run by Bambi Cantrell and Monte Zucker - two masters in the trade “Education is very important and I’m always learning”
HILARY SPITERI Born in 1982, Hilary Spiteri, nurtured his love for Art from an early age. In fact, in 1990, aged eight, he won first prize in the Malta National Annual Art Competition. From 1993 to 1998 he attended the Mikiel Anton Vassalli Lyceum in Tal- andaq. After attending the Junior College of the University of Malta, Spiteri obtained his A-levels in Art and Religion in 2000. During this period he evolved his artistic expression based on form and colour. In 2000 he enrolled for a Bachelor of Arts degree course in Art at the University of Malta, graduating in 2003. At the same time, he followed courses focusing on nude drawing, fresco techniques and printing techniques at the University of Malta. In 2008, Mr Spiteri obtained a Master’s degree in Art specialising in Artistic Pedagogy, the Neoclassical movement and 19th century art academies in Europe. Throughout his Master’s course Spiteri conducted research abroad, especially in Rome. His works of art are found in private collections in Malta and abroad and he has produced illustrations for literary works and educational publications. In 2011 Mr Spiteri published a book entitled ‘Academic Artistic Training in Early British Malta’. The publication aims to broaden and adjust our perspective of the artistic scenario of early British Malta which generated a respectable art academythus markinga new beginning and a benchmark development in Maltese Art History. Mr Spiteri is currently head of the Art Department at De La Salle College Sixth Form, Malta.
The impact of photography and its correlation with artistic advancements (1838-1970) Sunday 21st; 9:30am In the second half of the 19th century, artists were introduced to a new medium which many believed was to become their main competitor. Photography affected in a adverse manner artists who at the time were earning a living out of producing pictorial portraits and fine art scenery. Contrarily, avant-garde 19th century artists (Manet, Eakins and Monet) and successively major exponents of Modern Art (Picasso, Duchamp, Warhol) considered photography as a new medium of expression which helped them to create and enhance their artistic spirit in an innovative way. Was photography in competition with the artistic sector or else it was moving in a parallel direction? In what ways did artistsutilise such medium and to what extent it helped them discover new artistic ways of expression?
www.mipp-malta.com
Front cover image by Duncan Cauchi Booklet Design by Therese Debono