NZIPP Pro Report Oct 2013

MEMBER MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2013 / V.39

Danelle Bohane - ANZIPP Wedding Classic Photographer of the Year 2013 Highest Scoring Print - Monochrome 2013

BE INSPIRED, BE SUCCESSFUL, BELONG

Contents

OCTOBER 2013

Executive Updates

Cover Images: © Danelle Bohane - ANZIPP Wedding Classic Photographer of the Year 2013 Highest Scoring Print - Monochrome 2013

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Presidents Report

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Commercial Directors Report

06

Portrait Directors Report

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Wedding Directors Report

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Honours Council Report

NZIPP News 12

Q Dates for 2013

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Welcome to New Members

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New Qualified Members

12

NZIPP on Facebook

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APPA Results

13

Iris Award Books

13

Loss of Rights Control

14

Super Power Babies

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2013 Honorary Fellows

18

Ilford Diary

Regional Updates 19

Auckland/Northland Region

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Waikato/BOP Region

Contact NZ Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP)

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Central Districts Region

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Wellington Region

PO Box 76176 Christchurch 8548 New Zealand

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Otago/Southland Region

W: www.nzipp.org.nz E: info@nzipp.org.nz M: +64 27 522 5570 We welcome your feedback and thoughts. If you have something to say, send it through to: marketing@nzipp.org.nz

PRO REPORT is a publication of the NZIPP © NZIPP 2013. All rights reserved.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Contents

Contents Seminars 26

Rachael Hale McKenna - A French Workshop

27

A Bit More Soul

Photo Competitions 28

Canon EYEcon Awards

Corporate Members 29

Thanks to our Corporate Members

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Executive Updates

Presidents Report

OCTOBER 2013

I have just returned from the Australian APPAS in Melbourne where the Kiwis managed to punch above their weight yet again. Congratulations to Jackie Ranken who is the first New Zealander to be awarded the title of Grand Master in Australia and who was also runner up in the Landscape category.

Congratulations also to Kaye Davis who won the Illustrative category and then there was me, I won the Travel category once again – yeah!

Hopefully Kaye will be able to share some of our other successes at these awards in her column as I know that our students did incredibly well by notching up some golds, as well as Esther Bunning who also got gold, well done to you all.

It is no wonder that there was talk by the Australians this year about not allowing the Kiwis to win anything at their awards. However, the trans Tasman relationship between the NZIPP and the AIPP, is one that is going from strength to strength and we expect to see more involvement with them in the not to distant future as they develop their awards into something that is even bigger and better for us all, so watch this space.

Back here in New Zealand we are coming down off the high that was our ‘Iris’ Awards, ‘Infocus’ Conference and the 75th Jubilee celebrations. While all of these were very successful and stand as a bench mark for the future, we now need to focus back on the basics of our institute and ensure that we continue to create an environment of support for our members and supply them with the tools that will enable them to move into the future with strength. In order to be able to achieve these things we need active involvement by our members at all levels. Without this we cannot function to our full capacity. It’s all really just up to you!

Mike Langford - NZIPP President Hon FNZIPP, GMNZIPP, Hon F AIPP, MAIPP

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Commercial Directors Report

Executive Updates

COLLECTIVE THINKING SUPRISING RESULT I have just completed my third pricing seminar one each in Wellington and Tauranga and one to a group of thirty Massey photography students. By far the most popular topic is pricing and licensing. My aim at these seminars is to work through our very own NZIPP (online) base rate calculator (BRC) using information from the audience based on the groups collective knowledge and complete the spreadsheet during the session, then look at ways that it can be applied.

The results from Wellington and Tauranga were remarkably close. Even the Massey students who did not have the same level of life experiences (by comparison to working photographers) were not to far off a similar result.

The BRC was developed a few years ago by Grieg Robinson and Richard Linton and if you’re honest in filling in the automated spreadsheet the result pulls no punches. It gives you a pretty good idea of what you need to charge out in a year or a month or a day.

Applying the information across your services or product range seems to be an area that people struggle with. For commercial photographers the BRC pretty well spits out a charge rate that can be easily applied. So why are we not all charging realistic prices for what we do? I am sure there numerous reasons not the least being that many have no idea what their base rate is because they have not done the exercise.

If you’ve not worked through the BRC exercise I urge you to get on and do it.

Then have the courage to apply the results!

Click here to download NZIPP base rate calculator.

YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND (commercial) Yep, you should know by now that using licensing and T&C’s to retain copyright in your work is critical. And until our (NZ) archaic copyright law is updated in line with the rest of the developed word we have no option than to “opt” out of it.

There still seems to be a feeling out there that using Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) will turn off clients and loose jobs when competing against other photographers who do not use them. Ask yourself one question “do you think that your clients regard you as a professional?” The answer is “not unless you act like one”. A company representative (marketing manager, designer whoever) expects some sort of terms and conditions along with your estimate of what you will charge, the question is have you taken the time to educate them on the reason why you are using T&C’s. Further have you pointed out to them that on negotiation the license can be filled in to give them usage rights to the images that most suit their need.

By placing value on usage you open up a range of interesting negotiable opportunities.

More about this next time…..Shoot well and prosper.

Terry Wreford Hann NZIPP Commercial Director

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OCTOBER 2013

Executive Updates

Portrait Directors Report

Having just participated in a panel of “ experience “ regarding the state of the industry, I saw yet again an overall tentativeness in the audience of our fellow photographers. There are issues of doubt in many minds. What to charge and how. Terms of trade and client awareness of our services and expectations .The hairy chestnut of soft versus hard copy and the often heard “ I don’t know if I’m good enough yet to charge what I want to charge “.

I’ll touch first on the last. It is a fair enough thought process at the beginning of our careers to wonder about our worth. But let me tell you “newbies” from an oldie. Don’t waste the years as if in some intangible apprenticeship to be rewarded for your efforts. As experience has shown, the next client doesn’t know what the last paid, most wouldn’t know who you are from a bar of soap, and if they are sitting in front of you, it’s because they are happy to be there. That’s because of a promotion, an offer, word of mouth or analysis of your work. Not because you’re a good kisser or nice to your Grandmother!!

Now that they are there, it’s a time for educating and exciting them about the result. Getting buy in about the fact it’s a team effort (clothing, location and lifestyle cues). Creating a looking forward to the shoot mentality and instilling the objective of HARD copy, beautiful décor on the walls of their homes. This makes the assumption you can capture memories in a qualitative way. You know you can, because if you are reading this you already consider yourself a professional, being a member of this great organisation, and working always to better yourself .

So where is the contract you have signed that says you are obliged to drop your pants and charge next to nothing, and what the hell while you’re at it give them a disc of everything as well!! I don’t know of any photographer who has been recognised in any ones will for their very generous donation to that family’s emotional memories. In fact how many birthdays or funerals for that matter have you attended where the obligatory slide show is of the crappiest stuff our educated eyes can imagine. Think again about the legacy you are the authors of and the value of it.

My take away catch cry from our last convention was, to state again “ it’s not a photograph unless it’s printed “. You have to hang your hat on that statement if you want to effectively leverage your talent and convert that to dollars. At least for the now I believe. I know perhaps when this statement is pulled from the archives in the future it will seem laughable, but there are no micron thin digital screens yet nor holograms. The mystique of the stilled moment combined with emotional content will forever remain very powerful.

So how do we avoid being trapped into this soft file demand. Pretty damn simple actually. You must have a price list of your products and guess what’s not on it. Just because we can provide it doesn’t mean we have to. Your terms of trade is the language of your relationship with your client that is a seed nurtured from the beginning of conversing with them.

No one likes to hear “ No “ so when I am asked for this I don’t say no but lead them to where I want this relationship to go and if it gets there it can even result in a free disc.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Executive Updates

Now I’m a newbie also in this new world evolving so quickly around us. I need to feed the kids etc etc as well. I don’t think I am in any different a situation to you other than for having been around for a while. I’m damned if I’m going to let this new demand reduce the perception and reality of the quality of what my studio provides, the pride I have in it and the visual power it provides when realised as it should be. The only way, if you must give in to this demand (and give away all quality control etc) is to have the gumption to charge at least the value of your average sale .

There is no doubt this new demand is a reality and from the consumers angle a relevant one. But it’s a reality you need to harness as leverage to an outcome. Can we as portrait professionals really believe that shooting and burning is leaving the client the best result? Not on your Nelly. I can still hear the tones of desperation in the voices in the audience the other night about achieving any other result. In the animal world those that show weakness and desperation are hounded and preyed upon. As the D.I.Y. advert on television says “ Don’t be one of those “.

Russell Hamlet NZIPP Portrait Director P.S. I have just had a viewing of a shoot I did with a beautiful, spiritual and thought provoking Maori grandmother. As we both recognised, I opened my soul to her and she to me, and together we made images. I never envisaged a five grand portrait sale, but that’s what it was. I always like a win win . When I offered her a complimentary disc of what she had ordered as a gesture of appreciation, it’s value far exceeded anything I could have charged for it. Use soft copies for what they should be, an addition to your shared goal not a replacement for it

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Executive Updates

Wedding Directors Report

Like it or not, as photographers we must be salespeople. We can all sell the things we believe in. Feel passionate about something, and in turn you’ll project that passion and create desire with your prospects and clients. There is little in business that is more satisfying than creating the things you love and then selling the products you believe in.

I am a massive fan of the wedding album and I believe that every client should walk out of our door with an album (I do wish they all did!!), We sent 117 wedding and portrait albums out of our doors over the last two years, we have a pretty good success rate selling albums for one simple reason. That’s because we believe in them.

It has really surprised me recently to hear how many wedding photographers don’t focus on album sales, sure there is many different business models that can lead to the success of a business, but I am fairly sure with most wedding photography business models the album still should have a pivotal place.

Sure, you’re a busy business owner, maybe you haven’t focused on albums because you think you’re too busy. But lets face it, if you are so busy shooting and processing that you don’t have time for albums, there are many album companies more than happy to look after the design and final stages of your colour correction and art work. So you get to keep your time and have a more profitable business. Win, win.

When a potential client gets in touch with you they may think they don’t want an album. The picture they have in their minds eye may well be a tissue interleaved, gold foil matts with a cheesy Edwardian Script “Our Wedding” scrawled on the cover. Let them walk out of your door with opened eyes, change their perception with gorgeous sample albums and they will want one too. Create your sample albums carefully, select a favourite wedding for each one of your samples, and you’ll have more excitement in your voice as you show your prospective clients.

6 reasons why albums should be part of your business…..

1. An album works on one of the best forms of business promotion – word of mouth. Presented as you intended it, the album you’ve created with your branding on it will be presented with pride to every friend and family member of your client. They will look at it cover to cover.

2. An album continues to take pride of place in a home. This will continue to work for your business for many more years than a disc of digital files ever could. Although I tend to think that not offering digital files for a wedding in today’s market is like business suicide. But, as an upsell in addition to printed products, not instead of.

3. You’re in control. Designed as you intended to show off the best of the best from the day, printed to keep in line with your quality control. No one can go and make changes afterwards, or {gulp} have their local 1 hour lab stuff it up with poor print quality. It’s YOUR product 100% all of the way.

4. Albums are profitable. Need I say more.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

Executive Updates

SEPTEMBER 2013

5. A wedding album sets us apart. Of course our skills set us apart too – but what we need to do as professional photographers in today’s marketplace is create the biggest gap possible between what a consumer can create and what we can offer to our clients. The client cannot create a quality album, the album you create is the gap that puts your skills another tier up from the crowd.

6. You’ll make your client happier than you can imagine. Money spent is money forgotten about. They may have to spend more, but they will only remember the amazing album you created for them.

We capture those special moments in time so they could remember it tomorrow, so they could remember it in 10 years time, and so they could sit with their grandchildren in 50 years time and tell the story of their wedding day. An album IS the ultimate storytelling of their wedding day.

Believe it and you’ll sell it.

Katherine Williams NZIPP Wedding Director

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Executive Updates

Honours Council Report

OCTOBER 2013

CHANGE “Change is inevitable, progress is optional.” (Tony Robbins) Following our recent Iris Awards (though it seems like and eon ago), and the more recent Australian Institute of Professional Photography Awards, it is fair to acknowledge that change is in the air. What that change will be is yet to be determined. As Francois de la Rochefoucauld once said, “the only thing constant in life is change”.

Each year following the awards Honours assesses such things as the performance of categories, judges, panel chairs, the system, processes and ourselves, and this year we learnt a lot. As a team our aim to provide a system that is transparent and fair, and we recognise that our awards system still has a way to go to achieve this.

While at the Australian Professional Photography Award’s, we took the opportunity to have a discussion with those running the AIPP and the Australian Awards. It was valuable to hear that the current challenges faced by the Australian organisation are the same as those faced by the NZIPP. This includes, the increasing number of newer photographers entering the industry, and maintaining standards both within the profession and the awards.

This year at the APPA’s, 38% of entries were from first time entrants. WOW, how fantastic! There is however a small down side to this, because their total entries were basically the same as the previous year. What this means, was a paralleled 38% fall (or there about) in the number of entries from the more established and well-known photographers. While not quite the same, a similar scenario was seen in our own awards statistics.

You might think this is all very positive, that the health of the industry is great moving forward, well not entirely. While it is important to embrace this changing face of the industry, many can also see that the depth of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of photography as a profession and visual medium seems to be diminishing; evident through a broadening gap in the quality of work at the top, middle and lower end of entries.

Everyone seems to be able to pick up a camera, take a photo and think they are a photographer - not everyone is able to distinguish between whether a photograph is good or bad (or why).

So where is this all heading? What we brought away from the APPA’s were a number of things we would like to implement at our own awards next year, both in processes behind the scenes and in the awards system itself.

This includes a minimum points level to be eligible to become a category finalist ensuring standards are met offering greater value to the profession of photography. In addition to this, a more streamlined process behind the scenes that will potentially minimise print handling errors and improve workflow.

What we also see as imperative is a move on having an improved and more functional IT system. Yes, this has been talked about for a number of years now, however during this years awards it became very apparent that significant input is needed in this area, both in terms of financial investment and expertise. The funds raised through this year’s Print Auction will contribute to this.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Executive Updates

As through all this, we also acknowledge the need to reach out, consult and learn from those with greater knowledge and experience than us, both within our own organisation as well as continuing talks with the AIPP. We need to do this in order to learn from each other and bring about the best awards systems possible.

So, for those with the experience, insight and history behind them, don’t be afraid to speak up, we value your wisdom. For all the newer people, don’t be too proud to listen and learn. Together we can pave the way to ensure the true profession of photography remains strong.

A quote to close, in the name of progress: “Don’t be afraid of change. You might lose something good, but you’ll gain something better.” Unknown Kind Regards

Kaye Davis - GMNZIPP, AAIPP, MCGD Chair of the NZIPP Honours Council On behalf of the NZIPP Honours Council Team including: Ollie Dale, Blair Quax and Tony Stewart.

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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NZIPP News

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News Q Submission Dates 2013

New Members mbers.....

For those who aren’t qualified yet it’s time to get your last Q submissions in for 2013. Once successful your member profile will appear in the Find a Photographer function on the NZIPP website, and you’ll be able to work towards NZIPP Accreditation.

me Welcome to our new nd al – Canterbury/Westla Ryan Judd - Provision land ional – Otago/South Rachael Kelly – Provis land visional – Otago/South Tina McGregor – Pro rthland visional – Auckland/No Jennifer Marriot – Pro

Mark the last Q submission date for 2013 in your diaries & start planning now!

November 5th, 2013 For more info see the Q Programme under Quick Links on the NZIPP website.

APPA 2013 Results Congratulation to all NZIPP members who have been successful at the APPAs 2013......

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Kaye Davis - Australian Illustrative Photographer of the Year

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Mike Langford - Australian Travel Photographer of the Year and Highest Scoring Print in Travel Category

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Jackie Ranken - received her Grand Master of AIPP and finalist in Landscape Category

NZIPP Member Results Martin Betley Smith - 1 X Silver Esther Bunning - 1X Gold, 1 X Silver Distinction, 2 X Silver Tony Carter - 4 X Silver Find NZIPP on Facebook - check out the links below....

NZIPP - National • NZIPP - Auckland/Northland Region • NZIPP - Waikato/BOP Region • NZIPP - Central Districts

Kaye Davis - 1 X Gold, 2 X Silver Distinction, 1 X Silver Kelvin Gilbert - 3 X Gold Anna Glasgow - 1 X Gold, 1 X Silver Distinction, 2 X Silver Terry Hann - 1 X Silver Distinction, 2 X Silver Aliah Jan - 1 X Silver

• NZIPP - Wellington Region

Mike Langford - 1 X Gold, 1 X Silver Distinction, 1 X Silver

• NZIPP - Canterbury/Westland Region

Jackie Ranken - 2 X Gold, 2 X Silver Distinction

• NZIPP - Otago/Southland Region

Jennifer Smith - 2 X Silver Richard Wood - 2 X Silver Distinction, 2 Silver Ilan Wittenberg - 1 X Silver Distinction, 2 X Silver

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News

Epson/NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards 2012

Jackie Ranken - NZ Photographer of the Year 2012

IRIS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2009 - 2012 BOOKS

Principal Sponsor

Epson/NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards 2009

Iris Award books are produced annually by the NZIPP from the award winning entries submitted every year. The books showcase all the major award winners, as well as all the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winning images from each year. The books have been published in conjunction with BLURB and ISSUU and are available in three different formats: •

hardcopy/print - available via Blurb’s print on demand service. The book is a 20 X 25cm landscape format, with a hardcover & dust jacket, printed on Premium Lustre finish paper. Each book can be purchased via Blurb’s print on demand service. Prices vary depending on the book size.

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eBook on iPad - available via Blurb’s ebook service for downloading to an iPad. eBook’s can be purchased for $24.99 USD via Blurb’s eBook download service.

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online book/magazine - a low resolution version is available to view online for free via Issuu’s digital publishing platform .

Paul Gummer - NZ Photographer of the Year 2009

Principal Sponsor

Epson/NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards 2010

Tony Carter - NZ Photographer of the Year 2010

Principal Sponsor

Go to the NZIPP website (www.nzipp.org.nz, and click on the Iris Awards tab followed by Iris Awards Books) for more information and download links for each of the three options.

Epson/NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards 2011

Richard Wood - NZ Photographer of the Year 2011

Principal Sponsor

Loss of Rights Control to Facebook & Instagram Interesting article by the AIPP for professional photographer with Facebook and Instagram accounts, click here to read the full article.

Further to the AIPP article our very own Richard Wood & Mike Langford were interviewed for a piece on Radio NZ.

Photographer Quits Instagram after Change to Terms The award-winning Hawke’s Bay photographer, Richard Wood, says he is closing down his Instagram account after a change to the terms of service which lets the social media service, owned by Facebook, to use his images any way it likes.

Click here to listen to the full interview.

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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NZIPP News

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News Super Power Baby Project Is about creating a new language to describe disability. A language that celebrates awesomeness and teaches the world to see the beauty in these amazing Super Power children.

To do this we are making a photographic art book of children from all over New Zealand with a range of chromosomal and genetic conditions - aka “super powers”.

It has stunning photographs and tells the amazing stories of each child and identifies their super powers. These are the unique things they can do because of their syndrome.

Photographed by NZIPP’s own Award Winning photographer and Mum to one of these precious children, Rachel Callander has experience, expertise and passion for telling the stories of New Zealand’s Super Power Babies.

This book will be a beautiful, inspiring and uplifting resource and source of hope for families of Super Power children.

We can’t wait to meet the 60 families who are ready and willing to be part of this amazing book.

We have launched our project on NZ crowd funding site pledgeme.co.nz as we need to raise the funds to do this successfully.

If you believe in this project and want to be part of something truly special, jump on over to pledgeme.co.nz/1392 by 10 October and pledge your support and help MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Images © Rachel Callander Super Power Babies

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News

2013 Honorary Fellows At this year’s Gala Dinner Awards the NZIPP recognised two photographers with the title of Honorary Fellow. This is the Institute’s highest honour, an award presented to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the image of professional photography within the community.

The first of these recipients was Ans Westra, who is an icon figure in the NZ documentary photography scene. Her work, spanning many decades, has created a rich, and incredibly important visual history of New Zealand life. In particular, her work documenting the lives and culture of Maori’s during the 1960’s and 70’s, a journey she is now retracing to see how things have changed. Westra’s work we should be forever grateful for.

The second recipient, perhaps lesser known, was Melbourne based New Zealand photographer Anthony McKee. Receiving this award for his ongoing efforts in campaigning Government bodies to recognise the need to employ professional photographers when documenting important events in our history. This came about following the disaster caused by the Canterbury earthquakes when an amateur photographer was given the valuable task of documenting the tragedy, with many visual opportunities now lost because of this.

Thank You Dear NZIPP Thank you for making me an Honorary Fellow; it is a big honor that I do appreciate. What is sad though, is that the award came about through a culmination of tragedies.

The biggest of those tragedies, the Canterbury earthquake, will probably rate as New Zealand’s most significant natural disaster for decades to come.

The National Library’s decision to send an amateur to document the disaster will also rate as a tragedy in its own right.

For me though, the big tragedy has been New Zealand’s overall indifference to the visual documentation of the disaster. It’s one thing for the National Library to send an amateur photographer to Christchurch to make photos, but at what point should someone in the Library, or CERA, the media or even the public realise that this photographer was totally out of their depth?

While it might be easy to blame these organisations and the public for not being as visually literate as ourselves, I think a big part of the problem does lie within us as photographers.

Anyone looking through the winning work from this year’s New Zealand (or Australian) professional photography awards will have no-doubt noticed the large proportion of images that were contrived for the camera, or constructed in the computer. These images are often the result of hours or even days of work, both in the set-up and in post-production. Looking at these images, the general public probably believes that most professional photographers can’t produce a straight photograph any more… and to some extent they might be right!

Want proof of this? Take a look at the one category in the Iris Awards where photographers are required to enter a straight shot… the photojournalism category. This year the judges decided not choose a category winner, simply because the overall standard of work was not strong enough.

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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NZIPP News

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News Thank You Continued....

Is it any wonder then, that after the Dominion Post published their story on the National Library debacle, most people wrote in support of the Library photographer, suggesting an amateur was probably better for documenting the disaster than a professional, because New Zealanders wanted a simple visual record, not fancy photos at some exorbitant cost.

I don’t buy that argument, but I do believe that for now, too much emphasis is being put on constructing rather than on “seeing” images.

The one genre of photography that relies almost exclusively on “seeing” photos is documentary photography, which I think should be more important to the Iris Awards than photojournalism. One is about recording news; the other is about recognising and celebrating everyday life, but the sad fact is documentary photography has been on the decline in New Zealand for decades.

We have produced some great documentary talent, yet Kiwi’s fail to appreciate or embrace the genre. Any New Zealand documentary photographer with talent, going back as far as George Silk and Brian Brake, usually get their big break overseas, and those who go don’t often come back.

Those documentary photographers who do stay in New Zealand usually struggle to survive. This year’s other NZIPP Honorary Fellowship recipient, Ans Westra, is now 77-years young; her photographs of Maori from the 1960’s and 70’s are iconic and yet it’s only in the past decade that New Zealand has begun to recognise the contribution she has made to our visual history.

It is a sad fact that if you want to survive as a photographer in New Zealand, you are better off becoming a wedding and portrait photographer, or a corporate or advertising photographer. The money is in making people, places and products look glitzy and glamorous... not telling a story like it really is.

This is probably why the awards are no longer about creating “real” photographs, and more about creating alternate realities. We are moving out of the realms of traditional photography and into alternate medias, including illustration, fine art and videography. It’s all very exciting to us, but the problem is we are following; we are not leading. We are shifting into territory that other people have been working in for decades, and along the way we are loosing the skill-sets that make photography unique.

I have long believed in the old adage, that “fact is stranger than fiction”, and as such I believe that if a photographer looks hard enough, or applies enough patience to a situation they will often find photographs with more power and integrity than any photo that can be contrived for the camera.

It’s an approach fundamental to documentary photography, but I think it’s a skill set that all professional photographers really need to start embracing and celebrating again.

Why? Because given enough time, anyone can construct a good photograph … and nowadays that “anyone” are the amateur photographers who are buying the pro-level DSLR cameras, and learning photography from the internet, and paying big money to attend the “show and tell” workshops by the same professional photographers who are winning the awards.

No matter how much money amateurs throw at photography and education though, there is no buying the raw ability to see good photos, and to anticipate the critical moments that make those photographs powerful.

That ability to see a photograph in the moment, and not in the hour or the day or the week is what should make professional photographers stand out from everyone else.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

NZIPP News

For well over a century, photography’s ability to capture magic moments in time has separated it from all the other arts. If professional photographers can continue to make sense of complex visual environments and learn to foresee the telling moments in time, we will continue to stay ahead in this increasingly challenging profession. If we simply rely on making images look good in the computer then sooner or later the only thing separating the professional photographer’s from everybody else will be fashion, a few new apps and a few more workshops.

We need to learn to seize the moment again… and see the meaningful photos about us. But in fairness, we also need a reason for making these kinds of photos, and I am trying to work on this.

Following the North and South and TV3 stories in February, I contacted the National Library to discuss how we can improve documentary photography in New Zealand. As a result of some discussions I sent to the library a submission entitled Preserving New Zealand’s Visual History.

In the submission I proposed that every year the National Library should award three grants of $10,000 each to three New Zealand photographers for the purpose of documenting the country’s people, places and culture. Each photographer would have ten months to photograph their chosen project at which time the National Library would choose from a set of images for the National Archives. All images would remain the copyright of the photographer but the National Library would have the right to exhibit the selected images online and in exhibitions at public libraries, museums and art galleries about New Zealand and possibly overseas.

There are several reasons why the National Library should establish this grants program, the first of which is simply to ensure we continue to capture New Zealand’s visual history through the processes of documentary, architectural and urban landscape photography, and that this imagery is made available for future generations.

The second reason is to give National Library staff an opportunity to engage with New Zealand photographers; if the Library ever needed to document another significant event in our history, at least they would have a better idea of whom they could to turn to.

Perhaps the most important reason though, is simply to encourage New Zealand photographers to continue working in documentary photography, and to help the public realise the importance of this work.

The National Library will be getting back to me in the next few weeks with a response to this proposal. We will keep you posted.

Anthony McKee Hon FNZIPP

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Ilford Diary

OCTOBER 2013

Ilford Diary October 2013

Kindly sponsored by

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Otago/Southland Region - Apix Demo

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Otago/Southland Regional Meeting with Terry Wreford Hann & Esther Bunning

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Waikato/BOP Regional Meeting with Harry Janssen

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Auckland/Northland Regional Meeting

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Canterbury/Westland Regional Seminar - Sales Masterclass with Russell Hamlet

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Canterbury/Westland Social Meeting - Meet the NZIPP Board

14-16 Otago/Southland Regional Excursion - Dingleburn Station, Otago 21

Canterbury/Westland Regional Meeting

TBC Wellington Regional Meeting

November 2013

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Q Submission - Closing Date

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Waikato/BOP Regional Meeting

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Auckland/Northland Regional Seminar - TONIC 2013

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Canterbury/Westland Regional Meeting

TBC Wellington Regional Meeting TBC Otago/Southland Regional Meeting

December 2013

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Canterbury/Westland Regional Christmas Party

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Waikato/BOP Regional Meeting

TBC Wellington Regional Christmas Party

Don’t forget, if you are travelling around New Zealand, as an NZIPP member you can go to any NZIPP Regional Meeting. If you are in the area, take the opportunity to participate in a regional meeting outside your own region.

CLICK ON A DIARY ENTRY FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

Regional Updates

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates Upcoming Meeting…

Auckland/Northland Reg. Meeting Venue: Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Date: October 9th, 2013 Time: TBC

TONIC 2013 Venue: TBC, Auckland Date: November 13th, 2013 Time: TBC

Auckland/Northland Region September has been a month of intense discussion and debate, primarily triggered online and at our September meeting which has been one of our biggest so far with over 50 in attendance. The theme of the meeting was all about the business of photography, and even though we weren’t able to cover as much as we had hoped our panel made up of Russell Hamlet, Nicola Inglis, Lester De Vere and Aaron K had plenty to say. After all was said and done, and I know many have heard it time and time again but it is so important. Photography is a business and needs to be treated as such.

To lighten the mood a little we’ve organised something a little more practical for our October meeting, Harry Janssen and Michel Perrin will host a photo walk around the Wynyard Quarter, it’s a practical night taking us from capture through to post production. Both Harry and Michel have plenty of awards between them. And it will be a rare insight into how these guys approach and think about capturing that perfect shot.

And finally just another reminder for Tonic this 13th November. Our workshops have been locked in and tickets will go on sale over the next couple of weeks.

Gino Demeer Auckland/Northland - Regional Chairperson

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Regional Updates

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates Waikato/BOP Region

8 OCTOBER NZIPP MEETING Guest speaker Harry Janssen Harry Janssen, Þnalist for NZIPP Photographer of the Year 2013, was born in Horst and spent his Þrst 26 years in the Netherlands. He began his career there, shooting studio and location work, developing and printing in the darkroom, selling equipment and teaching workshops. In 1982 he emigrated to New Zealand and continued in the photographic industry working for various labs and studios.

Dreams, thoughts, ideas and feelings. Harry Þnally has the tools he needs 8 OCTOBER NZIPP MEETING to create the images to match his feelings. ÒI need to work with an image. speaker Janssen I canÕt shoot a ÞnishedGuest work in camera,Harry but I can often see the Þnished work as I shoot it. In post production I enhance and strengthen the look Harry Janssen, Þnalist for NZIPP Photographer of the Year 2013, was born and feel of an image toin Horst match myhisemotions.

I can change thehiscolour, tone and spent Þrst 26 years in the Netherlands.

He began careerIthere, studio and location work, developing and printing in or textures for emphasis. canshooting create drama.

I can make my viewers the darkroom, selling equipment and teaching workshops. In 1982 he question what they areemigrated seeing and encourage to thinkindustry about this for a whileÓ. to New Zealand and continuedthem in the photographic for various labs andemotions, studios.

To create this balanceworking between reality, and creative vision is truly art.

Dreams, thoughts, ideas and feelings. Harry Þnally has the tools he needs Today Harry Þnds inspiration thetotiny himwith inaneveryday life. ÒInspiration is to be had anywhere as to create thein images matchdetails his feelings.around ÒI need to work image.

I canÕt shoot a Þnished long as you are open to seeing itÓ work in camera, but I can often see the Þnished work as I shoot it. In post production I enhance and strengthen the look Harry is a Fellow with and NZIPP, gained numerous awards, feel of anhaving image to match my emotions.

I can change the colour,and tone has been a Judge at the prestigious NZIPP Iris or textures for emphasis. I can create drama. I can make my viewers Awards for the last two years. question what they are seeing and encourage them to think about this for a whileÓ.

For the last 10 years he has this run his between own Redzebra Pukekohe.

His continual drive to bridge the gap To create balance reality, emotions,Studio and creativeinvision is truly art.

Today Harry Þndscommercial inspiration in the tinywork details around him what in everyday life. ÒInspiration is toability be had anywhere as a creative component to between the perception of what is and it can be, his to add long as you are open to seeing itÓ traditional commercialHarry photography, hishaving graphic designawards, skills, hisa Judge loveat of photography, is a Fellow with NZIPP, gained numerous andand has been the prestigious NZIPP Iris ensures his continued for the last two years. growth as an artist. ToAwards view Mr JanssenÕs award winning images go to www.redzebrastudio.co.nz For the last 10 years he has run his own Redzebra Studio in Pukekohe. His continual drive to bridge the gap between the perception of what commercial work is and what it can be, his ability to add a creative component to traditional commercial photography, his graphic design skills, and his love of photography, ensures his continued Tuesday 8 October Meeting is at Wairakei Lodge, 10 Maire Street, Wairakei Village, Taupo growth as an artist. To view Mr JanssenÕs award winning images go to www.redzebrastudio.co.nz 5.00pm - Meet for BBQ Dinner & Drinks (own cost) Tuesday 8 October Meeting is at Wairakei Lodge, 10 Maire Street, Wairakei Village, Taupo 7.00pm - Meeting starts 5.00pm - Meet for BBQ Dinner & Drinks (own cost) 7.00pm - Meeting starts

Images supplied by Harry Janssen

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates

Central Districts Region On 4th September, for the Palmerston North meeting, we hosted Mandi Lynn where she spoke to us about “Opening your creative floodgates” and “How to beautifully and emphatically photograph women who don’t like their bodies”. We had a super turn out with more than 20 attending. It was a truly inspiring talk which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you so much to Mandi for coming to visit us and share your wisdom.

Keep an eye out for more exciting upcoming speakers!

Laura Ridley Central Districts - Regional Chairperson

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Regional Updates

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates Upcoming Meeting…

Wellington Regional Meeting Venue: TBC, Wellington Date/Time: TBC, 2013

Wellington Region Avalon Studios - launched in 1975 for TVNZ - is a comprehensive facility, with a wide range of studios, equipment & post-production suites available on demand. They offered us the opportunity to use their space for our monthly meeting, and we happily obliged!

One of the brightest and most creative local members, Mandi Lynn, Master of the NZIPP, spoke to an enthralled audience on a couple of her favourite topics: •

Photographing women who hate being photographed - 10 Rules of photographing women who don’t like having their picture taken, including being authentic, being reassuring, and having a genuine passion and letting that show.

•

Getting out of the way of the Muse - firing the bitch, and learning to translate the difference between the voices of resistance and fear.

Mandi shared her golden nuggets learned over the past 4 years as she transitioned from a wannabe artist to having a streamside cottage studio with a 2 month waiting list and all of the toys she needs to create her art.

Jason Naylor Wellington - Regional Chair

Images by Nick Servian

Images © Mandi Lynn

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates

Q&A with one of our more established Wellington members, life-member Nick Servian: What is your website: nickservian.com List some of your favourite camera gear, and at least one surprise item in your camera bag: Canons (1Ds and 5D,) millions of lenses, a Canon G1X, and, surprise surprise, a Seitz Roundshot 360º camera (takes film - remember film?)

What is your formal/informal photography education: Formal: Polytechnic of Central London, now called Westminster University (sounds much posher) / Informal: by doing it.

What type of photos do you specialise in: Advertising, Aerial, Art, Architecture, BOFOs (= Executive Portraits), Corporate, Fashion, Landscape, Planes & ships, Travel, (anything but weddings.)

What do you love about the Professional photo industry: People like you asking silly questions. No, seriously, doing stuff I love doing and having people appreciate it.

Name some photographers who inspire you: Martin Parr, Greg Heisler, Jay Maisel, Duane Michals, Helmut Newton….

What is something that makes you grumpy: NZIPP Iris Awards judges’ adulation of ultra-Photoshopped images. I love them, but they’ve got bugger all to do with photography.

Is there a website or blog that you enjoy: Not telling you! Oh, that sort! f11 Magazine is good.

Are you an avid collector of anything: Books, international traditional playing cards. Photographically: mannequins, solar eclipses, street scenes, bizarre signs, humour.

Name the last book / magazine you read: “A Short History of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson / GUP magazine (Guide to Unique Photography) Name one thing that not many people know about you: I have shot four weddings and a funeral: Colleen Tunicliff, Charlotte Bon, Hilary Timmins, and Princess Anne. The funeral was Winston Churchill’s. Also I photographed Yuri Gagarin, the first man in history to leave the Earth, (though he was back on Earth at the time - in a capitalist Rolls Royce surrounded by huge crowd.)

Name one thing that you miss about being a kid: Being indestructible.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go first and why: France… again. Love it. Can’t get enough of it. Been going there since 1963.

List 5 things you would take if deserted on an island: (In no particular order:) Food, drink, clothes, hat, shade cloth, books, iPod, means of charging an iPod, 56” flat-screen TV, TV aerial, coffee machine, my wife, books, camera, laptop…. (sorry, is that more than 5?)

Images © Nick Servian

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Regional Updates

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates Upcoming Meetings…

Otago/Southland Region - Apix Demo Apix Photographics demo (mini workshop) of their new portable lighting system We’ll be photographing each other so dress pretty and/or bring props. Also bring images on USB for critique if you would like image critique.

Venue: 7B Manchester Rd, Queenstown Date/Time: 7 October, 2013 - 6:00 9:00pm

Otago/Southland Region This month we held our meeting at Kelk Photography in Dunedin, which is a beautiful studio where Nicola Wilhelmsen treated us to home baked cup cakes and a great get together. Our guest speaker was local Fine Art Photographer Murray Eskdale from Mint Gallery. Images care of Dan Childs, one inspired by Murray’s work. :) Big congratulations to Mike Langford for winning this years AIPP Travel Photographer of the year and to Jackie for being a finalist in AIPP Landscape photographer of the year.

Emily Adamson Otago/Southland - Regional Co Chair

Otago/Southland Region Away Excursion - Overnight Photo Trip Venue: Dingleburn Station, Otago This is going to be a super fun 2 night trip into a private sheep station and we invite and encourage members from around NZ to come and join us.

For further details or to RSVP to any of these events please email: photography@emilyadamson.com Date/Time: 14 - 16 October, 2013

Fortnightly cafe meetings continue in Dunedin. For details email alan@ dovephotography.co.nz.

Fortnightly cafe meetings in Queenstown, have also began. For details email matthew.hawke@gmail. com.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Regional Updates

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Seminars

OCTOBER 2013

Seminars

A FRENCH WORKSHOP with Internationally Acclaimed Animal Photographer Rachael Hale Mckenna.

Causses et Veyran, South of France - 17th - 20th October 2013 OR 24th - 27th October 2013 Click here for more information or email andrew@rachaelmckenna.com.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Seminars

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Photo Competitions

OCTOBER 2013

Photo Competitions

EYEcon Photographic Competition Register Interest by: 1st October 2013

Final Submission Deadline: 4th November 2013

Registrations for the 2013 Canon EYECON competition are now open, starting the search to find New Zealand’s top creative talent throughout the country. Following the success of the last four years, the renowned competition is expanding further for 2013; and for the first time ever will be calling for both film and photography entries, as well as opening up photography submissions to high school students in years 12 & 13 throughout New Zealand.

Click here for more information.

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

OCTOBER 2013

Corporate Members

Corporate Members A special thank you to our Corporate Members for their continuing support:

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NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

www.nzipp.org.nz