Issue 10
February 10th 2010
Helping you take better photos
Travel
Photo Tips
Happy Snapper – Lachy Barclay, 15 Summer Photo Competition Winner Your Images Critiqued
1
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
Ice-cold Cool Stuff
CONTENTS 5
what morocco taught me
17 critique
19 new competitions
summer comp winner
happy snapper, lachey barclay
NZ Photographer
3
21 cool stuff
13
Feb 10
9
Editorial W
e’re back! Refreshed and ready to tackle another year! Summer is a great time for photos, with lots of light around and more great weather than you can shake a stick at. Hopefully you’ll be taking advantage of
this, and filling up your memory cards with images – why don’t you send some in and get us to critique them! Keep your eyes open for the advert for the Photography Institute – if you’re looking for a comprehensive, online course that covers a vast amount of photographic skills over 12 modules, look no further. I’ve not only checked them out thoroughly, I’ve actually agreed to be the tutor of anyone who enrols in their course through NZ as your tutor! (I’ll be nice, I promise!).
We’ve got a great issue to kick off 2010 – Lachy Barclay’s story is inspiring, Sam’s travel article makes some very interesting and amusing points, and look out for the Cool Stuff section, especially the link to the most moving photo essay I’ve seen in a long time. Plus all the other goodness that makes us the number one photographic eMagazine in New Zealand*. *Editor’s opinion.
weather
time for
around and more
than you can
ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free!
a stick at.
ADDRESS WEBSITE
Ollie Dale, ANZIPP
editor@nzphotographer.co.nz GROUP EDITOR Trudi Caffell ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone Richard on 09 523 4112 or email richardl@espiremedia.com
great
NZ Photographer, C/- Espire Media, PO Box 137162, Parnell, Auckland 1151, NZ www.nzphotographer.co.nz
NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication
NZ Photographer
4
photos, with lots of
great light shake is a
Feb 10
Summer
EDITOR
“
“
Photographer. That means not only do you get an amazing course, you also get me
GREAT TIPS Cityscapes
WHAT MOROCCO TAUGHT ME Photo Tips for the Traveller By Sam Woolford
F
or the past two years I have lived and
in Morocco it is believed by many people
worked in a small European country
that to have a photo taken means the
called Luxembourg. This has given me
photographer is taking a piece of their soul.
(almost) sold my blonde wife for 20 camels
an incredible opportunity to travel all over
Therefore, it’s all but guaranteed you will be
and a lamp shop, but I got greedy and held
the world and take a few pictures along the
chased down the street if you get caught
out for 21 camels…
way. Along with a few pictures I have also
taking photos of them without permission.
learned A LOT of valuable lessons that you
Also, don’t forget that with different
might want to be aware of when travelling
countries come different religions. About
in different countries.
90 percent of the population of Morocco
Believe it or not, not everyone in the world
and you have a lot less restrictions. There can be a silver lining though – I
So, just to recap: when travelling in some countries you can’t take photos of women but you can sell your wife! These sound like very daunting issues
is a laid-back Kiwi. Cultures, religions and
clear rules about the relationships between
With all this in mind, and after a couple of
societies can change massively from country
women and men. The key rule to be aware
heated altercations, I decided that I would
to country, and this can have a surprisingly
of (ok, I’m abbreviating here) is that men
concentrate my photography on the lovely
large effect on your photography! For
are not allowed to acknowledge another
scenic images available in Morocco. A
example, last year we spent a few weeks
man’s woman – therefore taking photos is
few days after this, with my confidence
travelling around Morocco.
absolutely unacceptable. From the female
rising and my knowledge of the surrounding
perspective, women are not allowed to look
and the local customs/beliefs improved, I
I had visited, and it was a real eye opener.
a man directly in the eye, nor, interestingly,
went out with a different approach. It was
Their way of life and beliefs are incredibly
handle money. However, if you’re a woman,
then that I discovered a few key things that
different to the kiwi mentality. For example,
you’re already considered a subordinate
greatly helped my travel photography:
Morocco was the first third-world country
NZ Photographer
5
to come up against for a photographer.
Feb 10
is Muslim. In Muslim cultures there are very
66
Dec 2 Feb 10
NZ Photographer
• Be sure to respect the culture My wife would wear a scarf over her head and keep her shoulders covered at all times, (even in 50 degree temperatures). She got more respect than other tourists we encountered who didn’t do this; locals seemed more prepared to help us. • Learn the rules Take some time to do a little research, learn some of the beliefs and social ideas. Don’t hit the ground flat footed or you’ll risk insulting some of the locals – and that doesn’t tend to work in your favor; after all there are more of them than you! • Talk to the people One of my favorite photos is of a blacksmith working on the street. To start with he was unhappy that I was even around him with the camera. I started to talk with him and showed him a few of my previous pictures. He laughed and we joked (not so much a joke, he just laughed at my French accent), and after a few minutes I asked him if I could take his picture. He was very happy to do this and afterwards we even shared a mint tea. I didn’t take a lot of photos of the people in Morocco, but the ones I got where that much more special because it was an entire experience compared to just taking a photo. It was difficult to get the images but the stories and what I know of the individuals behind them makes the few I have even more incredible. • Be aware that not everyone in the world speaks English If you don’t speak the language just speak slowly and use hand gestures. For example, when I was in a very poor part of Spain (I don’t speak a word of Spanish, and they don’t speak English) I would show people the previous images I had taken, and I would tell them about where they were taken. Often people where more relaxed after that. NOTE: Don’t forget to show them the photo you took of them – often it’s the first time they have seen themselves in a photo or on camera. It can be a real buzz for them. • Pay for a picture I don’t agree with this for every situation, but street vendors (like snake charmers for example) will allow you to take photos if you pay for the opportunity. They also ask not to give children money for photos because it just encourages them; they will often drop out of school if they think they can earn a little money. • Finally, expect people to say NO Not everyone in the world has a secret ambition to be a supermodel – this is no surprise. Be prepared for a little rejection and don’t take it personally. Therefore, I guess the conclusion has to be ‘expect the worst’ and be grateful for anything else. For example, travelling up the coast of Portugal (in the middle of nowhere) we ran into a group of children playing football one evening. Every one of them thought they were Renaldo and loved the idea of having their picture taken. They would run in front around yelling at me in
7
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
Portuguese to take their photo.
8
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
Sam Woolford is a freelance photographer specialising in marketing and advertising photography. Originally from West Auckland, he has spent the last few years living in Luxembourg, Europe. You can find a wide range of photos and contact details on www.outwidephotography.com
COMPETITION WINNER
Looks like everyone has been having a super summer so far! Thank you for all your entries – my favourite, and the winner of our prized cover is: CLIVE COPEMAN
PIC OF THE BUNCH
9
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
Summer Photo Essay Competition
10
Feb 10
NZ Photographer
BEST OF THE REST
Julie Hawton
Adeline Kho
NZ Photographer
11
Shaun Holmes
Feb 10
Lindy Dutoit
NZ Photographer
12
Linda Keegan
Jacqui Brand-Holt
Feb 10
Roger Griffiths
FEATURE
HAPPY SNAPPER Meet Lachy Barclay, Photographer
By Ollie Dale at his interest level, the subject matter
a lot of practise to get right. The jury’s
and the amount of time he spent on it...
still out as to whether people are born with
having to call him in for dinner with an
an eye for photography, or whether it’s a
appetite like his is an indication!”
skill that can be learned by anyone – I think
His occasional behavioural outbursts
it’s possibly both. One person who perhaps
mean having his interests extended is of
exemplifies the former is Lachy Barclay.
great importance. “Lachy has always had
Lachy is 15 years old, and lives in
a huge interest in books and, although still
Hamilton. He has, in his mother’s words,
unable to read or write, he can identify
“a rare chromosomal abnormality that has
key words and diagrams, and has learnt
resulted in global developmental delay”.
to capture the essence of the text by the
He spent his first six years in and out of
photographs and pictures. Through this
hospital and specialist care and has had
he has developed a special interest in
severe speech difficulties, which have vastly
newspapers and topical magazines,
improved over the past two to three years.
especially the National Geographic, of
He is also on the autistic spectrum.
which he has a vast collection.
Lachy had his first play with a camera
“Lachy has a keen interest in all around
in January of 2008. Sally, his mother,
him; nature and the environment, people,
remembers: “Lachy had wanted to use my
animals, technology and politics/
current affairs. With Lachy’s inability to communicate articulately he seems to have an amazing visual awareness and when he discovered photography he had a new way to explore and to show his creativity.” Lachy’s story really intrigued me; I asked him and Sally to visit when they came to Auckland, and to bring some pictures. What is evident to me is that Lachy’s photographic ability is advanced, even if his speech isn’t. For someone who’s faced the challenges that he’s had in life, it’s amazing that he’s been able to pick up a camera and immediately take some very interesting images. He listened to what I had to say about his photos with
NZ Photographer
13
camera for some time. I was amazed
for expression, but one that can take
Feb 10
P
hotography is an amazing medium
14
Feb 10
NZ Photographer
a keen ear, and he understood what I was
and “well loved”, and it doesn’t have the
association with PhotoNZ Ltd, is helping to
talking about when I described the various
capabilities he needs to fully express himself
put on an exhibition of Lachy’s work. Limited
techniques he was using well.
– several images were well crafted but were
edition canvas prints will be available for
What’s also exciting is that Sally is looking at
out of focus, a symptom of some slow-focusing viewing and purchase in the rooms of the
how she can help Lachy develop a profile, build compact cameras. It’s time for an upgrade.
Dental Hygiene Clinic, 120 Remuera Rd,
a website, and look to sell his images online,
Auckland, from 5pm to 8pm on Friday the
So we’ve decided to raise some money
helping to provide some security for his future.
for Lachy to buy a new camera, namely
I can see, though, that he is limited by
the new Canon G11, which I think is the
his tools – his Powershot A75 is a little tired
perfect camera for him. NZ Photographer, in
26th of March. Come along, meet Lachy, and support the future of this very talented young man.
15
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
For your invite please email editor@nzphotographer.co.nz.
16
Feb 10
NZ Photographer
CRITIQUE
BOXER 1
Sized Up
BOXER 2
YOUR WORK CRITIQUED By Ollie Dale
There’s no better way to learn than by having your work critiqued! In this section you get to have your work critiqued by a professional photographer, and our illustrious editor, Ollie Dale. Ollie has been a professional photographer for seven years, and has had clients such as the NZ Herald, Visa, Microsoft, Westpac, Unitec and BMW. He is also a qualified commercial member and Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (ANZIPP).
Ollie’s Comments: Great shot. It’s obviously
digital Back
in July 2008. This image was for the brief
a set-up portrait, but you’ve layered your
Shutter: 1/125 sec
‘Environmental Portrait’ - I chose to do it on
subjects nicely. The eye goes straight to the
Aperture: f/8
a boxer. This is my first attempt at Medium
emotion of the victorious boxer, and then
ISO: 50
Format. I wanted to make it look old. The
passes through the other characters to end
From the author: I’m a photography
bright (colour) image is the original the other
up at the boxer on the floor. I personally
student. I picked up a DSLR for the first
is my final image that I submitted for the brief.
also like the awkward photographer –
NZ Photographer
17
time when I started studying photography
Feb 10
Camera: Hasselblad H1 with Leaf Aptus 22
having shot boxing before I empathise with
on his chest – you’ve obviously thought a lot
characters, and the others should be treated
them; the action usually always falls away
about your lighting, and I can see at least
as background. (OP2)
from you and at the wrong angle.
three lights lighting the scene. However,
If all I had been given was the final image,
I don’t particularly like the dark lines
while you’ve layered your subjects nicely, you
growing out of the victor’s head, but overall
without any of the explanation, I would have
haven’t layered your light. All the subjects
while looking a little contrived it’s still an
commented on your use of lighting – check
seem to be evenly lit, and I think that it leads
interesting portrait.
out the highlighted rim light on the boxer’s
to a flattening of your layers. The ‘hottest’
shoulder combined with the reflected light
part of your image should be the main
The extra information, that you wanted to make it look old, requires further attention. Perhaps there’s a certain ‘old’ that you’re
OP 2
thinking of, but to me it doesn’t quite make it To me, thinking of old images conjures up black and white or monochrome prints, with haziness or scratches or vignetting or grain or all of the above, plus more. Even if we were thinking of an old colour print, the first thing that springs to my mind is that the colour red fades the most from prints. In your image the red, consistent from the downed boxer, the victor’s gloves, and the lovely maiden in the background, is obviously important, but is inconsistent with the feeling of an old, faded, colour print. The other option (OP3) is my personal take on an old print of your image – perhaps I’ve taken it too literally, but it’s a
OP 3
little more like an image I might find on the walls of an old pub somewhere. In summary, your image is technically advanced from what most people who read this magazine are used to, and hopefully it will inspire them to consider portraits as more than just snapshots. Your post production is good, and definitely improves the image, but perhaps falls short of where you wanted to get to in replicating an old print.
Get your images critiqued by a professional – send an image to critique@nzphotographer. co.nz with a brief description of how and why you took the shot, and we’ll tell you what we think and if it could be improved!
go extreme. there’s no turning back. You go to extremes to get just the right shot, and with the SanDisk Extreme ® line of CompactFlash ® cards, you’ll get that shot, every time. Engineered to be lightning fast with blistering read/write speeds of up to 90MB/sec, these cards are also rigorously stress-tested for extreme shock, vibration, temperature and
18
NZ Photographer
Dec 23
humidity so you can take it to the extreme—no matter what.
90MB/second
60MB/second
For more info contact info@lacklands.co.nz
COMPETITIONS
Your Favourite Photo Open Single Image Competition teach you about photography and
H
competition. The rules are slightly different –
all your old files and show everyone your
then challenge you to take what
The image can be of anything, in any style
favourite photo. We expect a number of
you have learned and apply it to the making
or technique, and there are no rules about
super images, so even if you don’t win
of a great image. We were thinking though,
how recently it needs to have been taken.
you may still get published on our Best of
over the holidays, that everyone must have
Remember though, the winner will be going
the Rest page. Images must be 100dpi,
loads of photos safely stored away in folders
on the cover. You will also not be able to
20cm wide, and sent to competitions@
on their computer, and everyone must have
enter the same image in any further Open
nzphotographer.co.nz by 5pm on Monday
their favourite image…
category competitions we hold.
the 22nd of February
Having said all that, get to it – go through
NZ Photographer
19
So here it is – our first ever Open
Feb 10
ere at NZ Photographer we love to
Recording your Travel AdventureSs be taken as a single image, but together they
bit, so we’re also announcing our
convey an overall story of the subject.
next Essay competition as well… Open Travel Photo Essay – similar to the Open
While you’re trawling through your single images for our other competition, keep your
single image competition above, in that it can
eyes open for a series of 4-6 images from a trip
be historical or recent photos, but different in that
around NZ or overseas. We’ll give you a bit
it must have a travel (overseas preferred, around
longer to get these together – please have them
NZ is ok) or exotic theme. Remember too, essays
to us by 5pm on Monday the 15th of March.
Next Essay Competition Travel (Open)
NZ Photographer
20
must tell a story in the images, where each can
need to catch up with ourselves a
Feb 10
B
ecause we had a few weeks off we
GADGETS
COOL STUFF Days with My Father
Speedy Flash Card
Slow-Mo Video
H
of what a photo essay is. Phillip Toledano,
W
Power is touting the world’s first 128GB
W
a respected and talented photographer
400x Compact Flash card with write speeds
series of high speed cameras is the Exilim
in his commercial life (his work has
of 90MBps and support for PIO Mode-6
EX-FH100 point and shoot. It does 10
appeared in Vanity Fair, The New York
(as defined by CompactFlash spec 2.0)
megapixel stills, high speed burst capture
Times magazine, The New Yorker, Esquire,
and Multi-Word DMA 4 (as defined by
and up to 1,000 FPS video. Like with other
GQ, Wallpaper, The London Times, The
CompactFlash spec 2.1) transfer mode in
Casio models, the higher the frame rate,
Independent Magazine, Le Monde, and
quad-channel configurations. In other words,
the lower the resolution, but you can get
Interview magazine, amongst others), has
it’ll play nice with new HD video capable
a full VGA image at 120 FPS. At $349
opened up his personal life for the whole
DSLR shooters. Unfortunately, the card is only
it’s practically a bargain if you absolutely
world in a series of images about the last
being announced today -- no price or ship
need to do slow motion, and while it’s a
few years of living with his father. www.
date in the press release. Sigh.
bit chubby and heavy in comparison to
dayswithmyfather.com is a site you should
Source: Engadget
“fashionable” point and shoots, it’s plenty
ere is possibly the most moving set of images I’ve seen in a long time, and also a supreme example
hoa, we just hit yet another major performance milestone in removable storage. Silicon
e’re suckers for slow motion video, and Casio’s clearly tapped into a vast supply of
FPS to feed our cravings. The latest in its
read with interest and perhaps a packet
capable as a stills camera to keep this from
of tissues. Then you should send it on to
being a one trick pony. Check out the slow-
everyone you know, because we think
motion capabilities after the break.
it’s amazing. Then, of course, you could
Source: Engadget
pre-order the book (to be published in April 2010 by NZ’s very own Geoff Blackwell, of the M.I.L.K. books, and who we interviewed in Issue 1). (Note: www.dayswithmyfather.com requires the Adobe Flash Player).
Cool Stuff comes to you with help from the knowledgeable people at www.engadget.com. Each issue Ollie, our illustrious
21
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
editor, trawls through the amazing photographic gadgets and gizmo’s to bring you the best of the best. Enjoy!
NEXT ISSUE
In the next issue of NZ Photographer…
How To – Smoke-Art Images from Oil Rigs Open Image Competition Winner Plus much more...
Have you subscribed to NZ Photographer? It’s free!
22
NZ Photographer
Feb 10
Simply visit www.nzphotographer.co.nz to get a copy of NZ Photographer delivered straight to your inbox every third Wednesday!