To promote the wider enjoyment of photography
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND INC
April 2023
PRESIDENT
Paul Whitham APSNZ
m: 021 644 418
e: president@photography.org.nz
Chryseis Phillips
m. 021 0277 6639 e. secretary@photography.org.nz
Lee Boddington
m. 021 215 3823
e. leestuartcreations@gmail.com
SUBEDITOR
Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ
t. 06 348 7141 or m. 027 653 0341 e. dilinz@actrix.co.nz
The April 2023 issue of CameraTalk does not have a specific theme but covers a range of topics:
• An update on the PSNZ Council meeting including the introduction of a Code of Conduct.
• It contains two reviews of the WOMAD workshop held in New Plymouth, which was a very different style of workshop.
• We report on the South Island Regional Convention, with several members providing their opinions of the event.
• We profile and celebrate the top images from the South Island Regional Salon, as well as the top ten images in Canon Online Round 1.
• It also contains a number of promotions for upcoming salons run by clubs around the country.
Our next Issue (June 2023): The next issue with review the North Island Convention and Salon, as well as profiling several of the keynote speakers confirmed for the National Convention.
As ever we are happy to hear from all members with ideas and articles.
25 May 2023
Email your contributions to the Subeditor. Editorial should be sent as Word or .txt files. JPEG images generally should be saved at 300 dpi, compressed to high to medium quality. Include return postage if you wish material to be returned.
The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Council of PSNZ.
On the Cover:
Three Amigos by Tracey Perrin
I am writing this at the end of the South Island Regional Convention in Christchurch, in the last month of my second year as President. Time has certainly gone past quickly and, under normal circumstances, I would be looking towards moving into the Immediate Past President position. However that is not the case, and I will be continuing for another year while my successor is brought up to speed.
The constitution is quite clear on who can be nominated for President, and this is the second time that the third year (voted in in 2019) has been needed. A motion is being put forward at the AGM to remove this option, and I suggest that members consider very carefully before they vote on it.
While I agree with part of the sentiments that two years is probably long enough for a person to have the motivation to fulfil the position at maximum capacity, the reality is that finding someone willing to fill the role can be quite difficult. The additional year provides a safety valve so that the Society is not left in a position of having no leadership.
This is not unique to the PSNZ Council and is an issue faced by many organisations around the country.
17 April 2023 marks the 70th birthday of PSNZ’s creation, and we will be looking to celebrate this achievement, both through CameraTalk and the National Convention. Before anyone challenges me on the dates, the first meeting of clubs occurred in 1952 but it was in 1953 that the original constitution of PSNZ was agreed upon and the Society came into being.
The South Island Convention was a great success when measured in every aspect other than financial. The committee put together a compelling programme and all the speakers delivered presentations that were very well received.
The venue was perfect for the size of the event and I have heard nothing but praise for the standard of the catering.
The only negative was that the number of attendees was lower than we would have liked and both the convention and the salon have run at a financial cost to the organisation. After the North Island Convention in May, we will be reviewing both events and are likely to survey not only attendees but also members who did not attend, before we make any decisions about the 2024 events.
Following the convention, the Council met for a two-day face-to-face session and over that time a number of very important decisions were made. They are detailed on page 8.
The AGM marks the end of the Council term and at that time we say farewell to two Council members, both extremely hardworking and valued members. Toya Heatley FPSNZ AFIAP and Karen Moffat-McLeod APSNZ have both stood down for personal reasons. Their contribution to Council has been great and they will be missed. Toya has been a valuable support to me in the role of Vice President, and I will definitely miss the opportunity to bounce ideas off her.
April 22
Entries for Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy close
April 23 Entries for The Whanganui Salon 2023 close
April 25 Canon Online Round 2 closes
April 30
PSNZ AGM
April 30 Entries for Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon open
May 1 Entries for Trenna Packer Salver open
May 1 Entries for Tauranga AV Salon open
May 1 Entries for Māwhera National Salon of Photography open
May 5-7 (Mainly) Mono Landscape, Castle Hill, South Island, with James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP/b
May 6-7 PSNZ North Island Regional Convention, Whangārei
May 19-21 Astro Workshop, Lake Tekapo, with Joseph Pooley
May 25 Entries for Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon close
May 27 How to Shoot a Wedding with Paul Whitham APSNZ
May 31 Entries for Māwhera National Salon of Photography close
June 1 Entries for National Portrait Competition open
June 6 Entries for Tauranga AV Salon close
June 15 Entries for Nelson National Triptych open
June 16 Entries for Trenna Packer Salver close
June 25
June 30
Canon Online Round 3 closes
Entries for National Portrait Competition close
July 15 Entries for Nelson National Triptych open
The next major PSNZ event is the North Island Regional Convention in Whangārei. I hope that many members from the Waikato north take the opportunity to register as this is the first regional convention that has been held in that area for a very long time.
Our workshop programme is also in full swing, offering fantastic training opportunities that are often hundreds of dollars cheaper than equivalent open market events.
We provide the opportunity for members but ultimately conventions and workshops will only continue if members attend them.
Paul Whitham APSNZ
The Whanganui Salon is for photographers who enjoy making meaningful images about our world and our interactions with it for better or worse. A boutique and thematic salon, it has given the Whanganui Salon a unique feel, with visual imagery not typically seen in other national photography competitions. Here are some examples of images that caught the judges’ eyes from the 2021 Salon.
• Aotearoa New Zealand Heritage
• Living in a Changing World
• Humanity and the Natural World
Category winners will receive a matted print of their winning image from Print Art and a Lab Services Gift Voucher from Wellington Photographic Supplies. In addition, the overall Salon winner will receive the prized Whanganui Salon Vonnie Cave Gold Medal as well as a very generous $1000 voucher from our main sponsor, Progear.
Full details can be found here: https://www.whanganuicameraclub.org.nz/whanganui-salon-2023.html
The Salon is open for entries until 23 April and can be entered here:
https://www.whanganuicameraclub.org.nz/2023-whanganui-salon-entry-form.html
The PSNZ Council used the South Island regional convention as an opportunity to come together for a two day face-to-face meeting with all bar two councillors attending. While the Council meets monthly via zoom, the meeting provided an opportunity to delve into issues at a much deeper level. Listed below are the major decisions that came out of that meeting.
While we have had individual ethic statements in the like of nature photography, there has not been an overall code that we expect members to adhere to. This is printed on page 12 of this issue.
PSNZ also adopted a Health & Safety Framework that will be able to be used in all events.
While the organisation is still essentially a volunteer organisation, we recognised that we were relying too much on good faith and that we needed to start to recognise the contributions of individuals in a tangible way.
However, over the last ten years there has developed a hodgepodge of different levels, with no real consistency.
The Council developed a framework where the various positions were defined based on the amount of effort involved and then a consistent set of recognitions was applied. Where an inconsistency was found that level was “ring-fenced” for the current individual and will be amended once there is a change in the position.
Moving the National Convention resulted in a need to look at the rounds in the Canon Online Competition, so that there was not a large gap between the end of the final round and the presentation of the overall trophy.
Based of the results of feedback received from members, the current Canon Online Competition will be decided after round 4 in August and the new round will commence in October. This will allow the presentation of the trophy to be timed with the National Convention.
A number of bylaws were updated after a review of them carried out by President Paul Whitham APSNZ and VP Toya Heatley FPSNZ AFIAP.
The updated bylaws will be loaded to the website shortly but overall the changes were as follows:
1. Replacing the term “projected” with “digital” which more accurately reflects the nature of the images now. The word projected came from a time when the image had a physical form (slide) that needed to be projected to be seen effectively. Now we view images mainly on large displays.
2. Bringing the bylaws relating to salons and conventions up to date in terms of how the organisation is now done from a central source with the assistance of paid host clubs rather than in the past where the events were largely separate.
3. Amending the image sizes for digital images to the 4K standard (3840 x 2160px).
4. Banning the submission of images created using AI text generators, regardless of whether it is the whole or part of the image.
5. Making it clear that all post processing must be done by the photographer and cannot be contracted out.
6. Providing the Council with the ability to properly challenge a bylaw change made by the Executive.
Amy-Rose Pearson
Andrew Hobbs
Anita Vermeer
Annette Agar
Bree Wogan
Carolina Cabrera
Chrissy Lawrence
Claire Blankenbyl
David Bayley
David Matthew
David Morgan
Debra Nicol
Eric Morgan
Feng Hu
Gemma Thomas
Heather Fronek
Helen Rietveld
Ian Purden
Jan Boag
Jan Stowell
Jeff Wastney
Jenny Humphries
John Hunt
Julia Seagar
Karl Tretheway
Keely Muir
Lochy Shand
Lu Melchiors
Margaret Vickers
Mike Smith
Murray Borland
Neil Watene
Nicole Peterson
Niraj Singh
Paul Allen
Rachael Smith
Robin Whitaker
Sally Paterson
Samhita Chandrahas
Sara Varenne
Sharon Love
Sharon Souproanuck
Shirley Kerr
Steve Ford
Sue Townson
Susan Lockie
Tom Setkowski
Umesh Naik
PSNZ is the national body for its members and affiliated camera clubs throughout New Zealand. Founded in Queenstown in 1953, PSNZ now has over 1,200 individual members with a further 2,500 (approximately) belonging to more than 60 affiliated camera clubs.
PSNZ’s aims are focused on the advancement of photography as a craft and art form, while promoting friendship, cooperation, and the exchange of ideas amongst members. These aims are encapsulated in PSNZ’s vision statement “Helping Photographers Grow”.
PSNZ hosts events and activities throughout the year, supported by partnerships with organisations within the photographic industry. This aligns with PSNZ’s policy of promoting and supporting local industry and official distribution channels for camera equipment and accessories. A Code of Conduct is appropriate and should be based on a shared commitment to ethical practice and common values. Such a Code sets out our commitment to preserve and enhance the reputation of the Society, and identifies what we collectively embrace as acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in pursuing our photographic endeavours.
Members have obligations, individually and collectively, to act in accordance with this Code in all situations, from interactions with each other in the society, with others both inside and outside of our photographic community, in educational events and competitions, and in pursuing our wider photographic endeavours.
As a membership based organisation, we provide a coordinating and promotional body which enables professional and mutually beneficial relationships between PSNZ and others. In this spirit we must avoid activities or actions which could harm the reputation of our organisation, our members and our partners.
Our Code of Conduct does not cover or replace standards or reasonable expectations which people should follow, whether they are considered social norms or conventions or are obligations derived from regulation including statute.
Members are expected to behave in ways which demonstrate respect for others, their capabilities and contributions, including non-members and the general public. We expect all members to act with integrity in their dealings. We operate in a spirit of collegiality and collaboration in helping photographers grow. As an organisation we recognise our achievements rely upon the efforts and contributions of volunteers in a culture of service and support.
We appreciate we must act inclusively so that we foster a rich and diverse community of people working to advance the art, craft and enjoyment of photography.
We must have due regard and respect for the safety, wellbeing and protection of subjects, irrespective of them being biological or inanimate. This principle is above the value or enjoyment of a photograph or image.
Our Ethics, Constitution and Bylaws must be followed at all times.
• When operating in the environment, local and national conservation requirements, customary practices and customs must be followed. Permission should be sought from landholders before venturing on to their land or property. Regulatory requirements including needs for permits, the use or non-use of particular equipment in certain locations or situations must always be met.
• Photographic endeavours should result in minimal disturbance to the surroundings - leave only footprints, take only photos. We must conduct our activities in ways which maintain or enhance the wellbeing of subjects and the environments in which we operate.
• We ask that where children or other vulnerable members of society appear in an image, that the approval of a parent or guardian is obtained, prior to submission. Where children or other vulnerable members of society are or are among the intended subjects, we ask that consent is sought in advance of their inclusion.
• Safety is paramount for anyone involved or potentially impacted by the activity of the photographer or others involved in the endeavour
• Integrity should be a cornerstone in taking, making and creating images
• The reputation of the Society is an important asset and activities of members should be reputation enhancing.
• We engage with members and other participants in the wider photographic community, including trade partners and professional photographers, in ways which grow the capabilities and enjoyment of photography.
Where evidence of a serious and/or deliberate violation of this code by a PSNZ member is drawn to the attention of a PSNZ Affiliated Club or PSNZ member, it or they will refer the matter to the PSNZ Council for consideration.
A basic set of principles includes the following:
PSNZ expects its members and those eligible for entering PSNZ exhibitions, competitions or salons to work ethically at all times and comply with the rules relating to the exhibitions, competitions and salons.
• Photographs or images submitted for exhibitions, competitions or salons organised by or associated with PSNZ must be taken or made by the entrant. For composites, this includes all elements making up the final work.
• Where such photographs or images are selected for exhibitions, competitions or salons, they shall not be re-entered in the same or different format in any section of that exhibition in any subsequent year, either under the same title or using a different title.
• A reproduction of a photograph or image selected in one year, that is so similar as to be confused with the original work, is likewise not to be entered in the same PSNZ exhibition, competition or salon in subsequent years.
• Photographs or images submitted for potential publication in New Zealand Camera, CameraTalk or on the PSNZ website must be taken by the photographer. They must hold copyright for the photographs or images along with any written material or have the rights to display the image from the copyright owner.
The values we aspire to cannot be described by written rules alone, but depend on the understanding and judgment of individuals and the collective.
Members are expected to act in ways which do not:
• Engage in or support plagiarism of the work of others
• Act or behave in rude, disrespectful or unsafe behaviour or acts which could bring members or the Society into disrepute
• Lay false claim to the product or efforts of others
• Claim ownership or originality where it is not the case. This particular aspect may be harder to determine especially when engaged in a workshop or other learning event and a subject matter expert has helped to optimise conditions.
There may be shades of grey between acceptable and unacceptable practice. The Society asks members to reflect on, and represent, the values of the Society when making any such decisions. Remember the old adage: integrity is doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching or will know.
Where it is judged that this Code of Conduct has been breached, the Council or a subcommittee may, on taking account of representations from parties and having regard to the best interests of the Society, take appropriate action, including but not restricted to:
• Providing a formal censure;
• Requesting an image be withdrawn from a competition or publication
• Refusing to accept an image for inclusion in a PSNZ competition, exhibition, or publication
• Withdrawing an image from a competition or publication or nullify a competition result
• In matters of significant concern, it may be appropriate for the Council to consider suspending or cancelling membership or to take other disciplinary action as it deems appropriate.
Acting with integrity at all times will protect the good standing of the Society and enhance the overall enjoyment of photography and membership of the Society.
The Trenna Packer Salver Competition is the annual New Zealand nature inter-club competition, run by the Nature Photography Society of New Zealand. This competition is for sets of six nature projected images and is open to all clubs in New Zealand. The objective of the Trenna Packer Salver Competition is to illustrate the diversity of the natural world in New Zealand and its offshore islands.
We hope that by running an annual New Zealand nature inter-club competition we can promote an increasing interest in photographing the natural world as well as encouraging best practice in photographing nature subjects.
Coordinators of sets should note that the competition is for sets and the image showing the format should be presented in a single row of six. The emphasis is on the set, rather than on the individual images, so it may be better to leave out an excellent image if it does not fit well with other images in the set. The completed set must provide a pleasing demonstration of both technical skill and artistry. The sets will be judged for flow and cohesion, from image one to two, two to three, three to four etc. As this is a nature competition, titling is important.
Clubs are invited to make it even harder for our judge this year by using diversity, flow, cohesion and correct titling.
This year the judge is Trish McAuslan FPSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS. Since joining the Tauranga Photographic Society in 1999 Trish has successfully entered images in national and international salons. She is a PSNZ-accredited judge in both still images and audio-visuals. She has a wide range of photographic interests including nature, travel, landscapes, monochrome, infra-red photography and audio-visuals.
Last year the competition was won by the Pukekohe-Franklin Camera Club. Judge, Roger Thwaites APSNZ, had this to say about the set.
“A strong set with a well-planned layout, which flows well throughout the set. The Green Bottle Fly is the weaker image in the set, with the beautiful Tui scoring a possible 10 points to take a meritorious Honours Award. All the other images scored 9.5 points each. A delightful nature set, with excellent diversity of subject matter and good compatibility of the images within the set. Well done to the club which produced this.”
Entries close on 16 June 2023. See details at https://naturephotography.nz/trenna-packer-salver/
• Expert advice to help improve your photography.
• The opportunity to achieve a higher Society distinction (LPSNZ, APSNZ, FPSNZ).
• A complimentary copy of New Zealand Camera, and the ability to submit your images for selection in this annual publication.
• Access to member only resources, including a member only PSNZ Facebook page for social chat and updates with other members.
• The opportunity to enter the Canon Online Competition, with trophies for each round and for the overall winner each year.
• Discounts for Society activities, such as the annual PSNZ National Convention, special workshops, international competitions and much more.
• The opportunity to participate in regional meetings and events, including the PSNZ Workshop Series.
• A copy of our bimonthly magazine – CameraTalk, with news, reviews, events and some of the best photography around.
• The opportunity to exhibit your work in exhibitions such as the PSNZ Sony National Exhibition, Regional Salons and other member only online competitions.
• Access to judge training workshops at a reduced rate for PSNZ members.
• Ability to promote your website on our website.
• Receive regular blog posts to stay informed of the latest news on events, activities and special offers.
• Product discounts and savings when offered by our corporate partners and associated companies.
• Discounts for major NZIPP events as a PSNZ member.
You would have to have been living in a cave to not be aware of all of the media attention about the new generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that appear to be getting better every day. The ability to type in a string of text and for the computer to then generate an image is nothing short of amazing. Anyone who has spent time in his tools will know that it is a great way to kill several hours and it can be more addictive than even Facebook.
While doom merchants prophesy that this will be the end of creatives and photographers, the reality is likely to be very different. However, that is not to say that it will impact on what we do and particularly on what we accept into our salons and competitions. There has already been an instance where an AI-generated image won a competition in the USA.
Some may say that we could have it simply by saying that members cannot use AI tools in the creation of images; that is not practical. AI has become something of a marketing buzz term. Tools like Topaz AI and subject masking in Adobe programs use AI. In these cases what it does is make processes much simpler for the end user, and is the latest in a string of improvements that have come with each new version of the software. It is possible to do without using the tools; it is just that it will take you much longer.
Also, you can’t simply say that images 100% created by computer are not allowed, because by definition all composites are 100% computer generated.
Rather, we are taking a pragmatic approach in the revision of all the bylaws relating to images, and coming to the essence of what we are trying to achieve. Put simply, all of the work presented must have been created 100% by the photographer. They can use tools that manipulate the pixels in the original photographic images, but they can create them from a vast library of other images.
Most of the rules already exclude factuals which were totally 100% computer generated images. We will be expanding this to say that any images, either created in whole, or part, using a text-to-image generator are not allowed.
It is probably not the most perfect solution, but at least it is workable. No doubt, in six months' time we will be able to take a photo of a rough sketch and the program will generate from that, so we will need to make more amendments.
In the meantime, have fun using the tools, and even use them to create inspiration. Just don't enter the final images from them.
Building on the success of last year’s salon, we now have three categories for Salon 2023.
Portrait
love animals, we have introduced a sec include at least one person and one animal. Please refer to the full details.
The Salon will open for entries
Entries will close
Awards:
Supreme Champion Portrait Image:
Gold Award: Open Portrait
Gold Award: Persons Best Friend Image
Gold Award: Environmental Portrait
*Please note: No image will be awarded more than once.
The following cer
As photographers we are quite often asked to record important events with our family and friends. That can include the request to photograph a wedding, which for many people really scares them. It does not have to though, and weddings can be some of the most enjoyable events to cover.
This workshop is intended to prepare members who may be interested in seeing what is needed to cover such an important event. It will go through all of the preparation needed and then participants will have the opportunity to photograph a real bride and groom in an actual church.
It was the desire to improve his photography to cover a wedding that initially brought the tutor, Paul Whitham APSNZ, into a Camera Club and since then he has photographed over a dozen weddings. He is a not a professional wedding shooter so he brings the same perspective to the session as do the participants
The workshop will commence on Saturday, 27 May at 9.30am at St Hilda’s Church, 39 Cruikshank Road, Upper Hutt.
The programme will include:
• The theory behind shooting weddings
• Shooting prep
• 12:00 – 1:00pm Lunch provided
• Shooting the ceremony
• Shooting groups
• Shooting formals
• Culling & delivery
Please note the earlier-than-usual dates for entries: they open on 15 June and close on 15 July.
If you need a challenge with a difference, try the Nelson National Triptych Salon. This is a great salon for trying your hand at “multiple image” entries. That is, fitting three images together to tell a story or show an eye-catching design good practice if you are thinking of applying for your PSNZ letters or putting together interclub sets. This salon is for digitally projected images only. Entries must consist of three images on a common background.
There is only one category: Open. However, the selectors will choose winning entries for the following Special Awards:
Best The Meeting - The act of coming together not just of people but of creatures, plants, roads, lines, minds ...
Best Work - The physical or mental effort directed towards doing or making something. Be it a blacksmith at his forge or a bird building her nest; love it or loathe it, most living things undertake work at some time or another.
Best Monochrome - Entries must be black and white or one colour.
The rules are simple.
• An entry must consist of three images on one background.
• There must be a clear separation between each image.
• There must not be a fourth image on the background.
• There must not be any text on the background, but text within any of the three images is allowed.
The Presentation Evening will be at the Seddon Shield Photographic Convention hosted by the Marlborough Camera Club on 1 September 2023. Attendance at the Presentation is free. For those wishing to attend the full convention, which runs from 1 to 3 September, the normal convention attendance fee will apply.
Please visit www.nelsoncameraclub.co.nz/salon-information.html for the full set of rules and more information about this salon.
This PSNZ competition is now open for your entries which will close at midnight on Saturday 22 April. The rules and entry form are on the PSNZ website https://photography.org.nz under Salons and Galleries. If you have a question or would like some help, please email Trish at mcauslanav@gmail.com.
Opening date Monday 1 May 2023
Closing date Tuesday 6 June 2023
Judging Friday 16 to Sunday 18 June 2023
The categories are
1 Theme (up to 5 minutes)
2 Documentary (up to 7 minutes)
3 Music, Poetry and Song (up to 5 minutes)
4 The World of Nature (up to 5 minutes)
Information for the 2023 Salon is on the Tauranga Photographic Society website: www.taurangaphoto. nz. Check under “Audio Visual” on the menu bar. If you have any questions, please email us at taurangaAVsalon@gmail.com. Why not give it a go?
1. You can record directly into Garageband using the computer mic, but the sound is not very clear or strong.
2. A better option is to attach a mic to the computer. Check that the volume (green line) is coming up to the circle but not going beyond it into the yellow.
To begin recording, press the round red button at the top of the screen. To stop, press the square button which appears beside it.
3. A third option is to use a specialist recording device and record the voice-over, save it as an mp3 file into the main folder for that AV and import it into Garage band by dragging and dropping.
For more information on preparing and recording a narration, check CameraTalk for June and August 2021. They are available on the PSNZ website.
Put the playhead back to the beginning. The playhead is the shield shape just below 10, with a line going down all the tracks.
You can do that by clicking the backward arrowhead with a bar. It is in the same block of controls as the record and stop buttons. Alternatively, you can grab the playhead with the cursor and drag it back to the beginning.
Press the arrowhead to start the track playing and the square button to stop it (in the same block of controls as the record and stop buttons). Use the cursor to drag the playhead to a new position.
Tip: Using the space bar on your keyboard to start and stop the playhead is much quicker.
This spike in the soundwave is a cough which I want to remove
Put the playhead just before the cough.
Go to Edit-> Split Region at Playhead.
Shift the playhead to just after the cough or piece you want to remove.
Go to Edit-> Split Region at Playhead (Cmd+T).
Make sure the piece you want to remove is active, with the bar at the top highlighted).
Click Delete.
This will leave a gap in the narration. You can grab the next part of the narration with your cursor and shift it to join up with the previous narration.
You can also use this method to split the narration and shift part of it further along the track. Go right through your narration and remove any annoying sounds like a door shutting or a cat calling. At the same time, remove all the sections of the narration where you had made a mistake and you had repeated that section. Just be careful not to cut the end off the last word by cutting it too closely.
When you have finished, play the whole tape, checking that you have removed everything you no longer require. Once your narration is complete you may want to include a music background across the whole AV. The problem to avoid here is to have the music so loud that it drowns out the narration. Lowering the volume of the background sound is called ducking.
Add a new track: Track->New Track.
It is a good idea to rename this track to easily identify what is on it. Make sure the new track is selected and go to Track->Rename.
Load your background music onto this track.
The easy way to lower the volume of the whole track is to use the volume control. Make sure that Volume is selected and then shift the button in the slider.
To have more control over the volume of the background track you need to find the volume level which is shown by a yellow line on the track. In Garageband this is called automation and by default, it is turned off. To turn it on you can use the shortcut A or go to Mix->Automation.
When it is On the symbol for automation turns blue.
By default, the volume is set at 0.0dB which is usually great for your narration track but too high for the background track. To lower the volume, use the point of your cursor to put a marker (small dot) on the volume line where you want the volume to change. If you want the music to fade out, put another marker further along the volume line and drag it down.
If you want to turn off the narration and listen to the music track, mute the narration track by clicking
on Speaker with a line through it. It is Off when it is blue. Play that section, with the narration and background music both playing, to see if the amount you have lowered the music by is enough. If you want to lower it further, drag the line further down.
You can use other tracks to load in sound effects or perhaps a new piece of music. Try joining in a second piece of music by fading the first piece out as the second piece fades in. There is a lot more you can do but this covers the basics of simple editing and simple volume control.
Don’t forget to save your work regularly.
Being able to load a copy of your video track into Garageband is the big difference between Garageband and Audacity. You can still make a video copy of your image track and drag and drop it into the movie track in Garageband. By default, the video track of your AV is shown at a high resolution but Garageband has difficulty loading these images.
By using the movie track as a guide you can shift the relevant parts of the narration to lie directly below the appropriate image.
You can also make sure your background music finishes when the images finish. If at all possible make sure the end comes at the natural ending of the music. You may have to take a bit out of the middle or beginning of the music. Sometimes it is possible to hide the join under the narration.
When you load the soundtrack into your AV app you can then fine-tune the way the soundtrack and images sync by altering the length of the images. You may have to go back to Garageband to make further alterations sometimes several times.
When you save your soundtrack, the current version will be saved inside Garageband. You should always save your work regularly and keep the most recent copy; you can return to it and make further changes later. However, in this form, your soundtrack cannot be loaded into another programme
To add your soundtrack to another application, all the tracks you have created have to be mixed into a single track which contains the narration, background music and any sound effects you have used.
To do this you need to share the track. I usually Share -> Song to Music. In the Music App, the soundtrack will be saved inside the Garageband Folder. I add a version number to the title because often you will move backwards and forwards between the AV app and Garageband several times as you fine-tune your soundtrack. You can delete all the older versions later.
This has been a rather brief introduction to using Garageband. I may have moved too quickly over some aspect or assumed it would be clear when the explanation was incomplete. Feel free to contact Trish if you need help. Alternatively, try Google as there is a lot of help available, particularly if you can use some of the technical terms.
If your club has information or events that you would like to share, email the details to Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ at dilinz@actrix.co.nz
In 2003 PSNZ published a book to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Society. To celebrate reaching another 20 years we would like to gather information from the period 2003 till 2023.
If anyone has recollections of what happened in those years, preferably with images to share we would welcome your contribution.
They can be emailed direct to President@photography.org.nz.
By Chryseis Vivienne Phillips
The World of Music, Arts, and Dance, also known as WOMAD, is a three-day festival held yearly in the coastal city of New Plymouth. WOMAD attracts people from all over the country and overseas, and this year’s event was even more special because, not only has WOMAD returned after a two-year hiatus due to Covid, it is also WOMAD’s 20th anniversary.
I was quite excited when PSNZ announced the WOMAD Workshop late last year. I knew it would be popular, so I wasn’t surprised when I was told that it was already booked out. I felt bad about missing out but, since I was supposed to attend a payroll masterclass in Wellington that weekend, I looked forward to that instead. However, when someone withdrew from the workshop AND my masterclass was cancelled (I was the only attendee), I thought, ‘I’m meant to be in the workshop’.
Soon, I found myself huddled inside a makeshift media room at the TSB Stadium with 17 other PSNZ members all listening to our speaker, Leanne Silver LPSNZ, as she imparted invaluable event photography tips and we prepared to capture images of this remarkable weekend.
This workshop was unlike any other as we didn’t have the luxury of time. Right from the start, we all had to hit the ground running. TAFT, the organisers of WOMAD, gave us a shoot list and we had to send 10 to 40 of our best images by a specific time the following day. We also had a schedule to follow. So, apart from the photography tips Leanne gave us during our morning briefings, everything was pretty much “learn as you go”.
On our first day, after the initial introductions by PSNZ Workshop Representative Jayne Parker, Leanne proceeded to talk about the ideal camera settings we would most likely use, as most images would be taken in low light. She reminded us that we were only allowed to capture images of the artists during the first three songs – so we had to use all our senses when taking photos. She suggested that we:
• listen to the beat of the music
• feel the rhythm
• enjoy the vibe, and
• not focus too much on the lead performer.
Once we understood these points, we’d be able to anticipate when it was time to take that picture. She reminded us of our shoot list, and we all went on our way.
WOMAD had eight stages set up across the sprawling grounds of the Bowl of Brooklands and Brooklands Park. To cover this massive area, we were grouped into pairs. We had different rosters and had to cover different events at different times.
So, armed with our handy shoot list, we went about photographing festival attendees, adults and children in costume, the WOMAD sign, WOMAD flags, and people dancing, eating, laughing, and singing. We photographed food stalls and vendors, cooking demonstrations and poetry reading sessions. We looked for sponsor logos and people using WOMAD merchandise. Leanne and Jayne, however, made sure that we were all rostered to photograph a performing artist – at least once.
We did this for three days. We’d photograph what was on our list, then rush to a stage, then after three songs we’d head off to where we were assigned next. We’d start shooting in the late morning and close each day shooting late at night. On Sunday evening, we were shattered.
However, I’m sure I can speak for everyone and say we all learned a lot, and we all had fun.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we didn’t have the chance to look at and evaluate all our images as a group. Some have shared their favourite images on a private Facebook page but I’m hoping that, one day soon, we can all meet via Zoom and perhaps Leanne can give us constructive comments about our work.
So, what have I taken away from this workshop? LOTS, but the most important ones include
• getting it right in-camera the first time, which comes in handy when you have deadlines and not much time to edit
• culling my images and picking only the best ones, and
• adjusting camera settings on the fly and working with what I’ve got.
A big thank you to Jayne, for being a mother hen to us all, and a huge thank you to Leanne, for sharing your time and your expertise. Thanks also to PSNZ for organising this amazing workshop.
WOMAD wow, what a well-oiled machine. I heard somewhere that they have 600 volunteers helping to run the festival. It was a privilege to be amongst these volunteers, endeavouring to capture the true spirit of the festival.
What is WOMAD? It is the World of Music, Arts and Dance. First organised in 1982, it has been held in 26 countries and offers all age groups an insight into many diverse cultures of the world, through the enjoyment of music.
As photographers, our instructions were to capture the hallmark of WOMAD lots of colour, warm sunny tones and plenty of happy smiling people. Because of the fantastic, fun-filled vibe of the festival, this was not hard at all to achieve.
Leanne Silver LPSNZ and Jayne Parker kept us informed, via emails in the lead-up to the festival, of all the terms and conditions and expectations that were involved in working at WOMAD. I am reasonably new to PSNZ, only joining in July last year, so I signed up for the workshop not knowing anyone, but thinking it would be a fantastic experience and a good chance to meet like-minded people who loved taking photos.
For me, it all began with a drive from the Wairarapa to New Plymouth. I had to arrive in New Pl.ymouth for a health and safety briefing early on Friday afternoon. It was there that I was handed my entry wristband and media pass. I also received a volunteer T-shirt which turned out to be my uniform for the next three days. While at the hotel, I managed to meet two of our team’s photographers. Next on the agenda was our PSNZ team briefing at the TSB Stadium, where we were based for the rest of the festival.
At the TSB stadium, we found our allocated meeting/ editing area and met the 16 volunteer photographers and our team leaders, Leanne and Jayne. We had come from all around New Zealand, with a few Taranaki locals filling in the gaps. The only time we were all together was at our daily briefings. For the rest of the time we would see each other occasionally, out amongst the festival crowds. We were teamed up in pairs and were given a schedule of performances we were to photograph, and time slots for photographing the festival as a whole. We had a list of subjects and activities that WOMAD wanted images of, for social media and future marketing. We had time deadlines each day for uploading images for social media use.
At the briefing, Leanne gave us some tips for settings to use for photographing acts at night: use spot metering, ISO of at least 1600 and f stop wide open 2.8 if you had it. Don’t be afraid to use a higher ISO; noise can be dealt with, but unfocussed images can’t be. This proved to be valuable advice for me, as I used ISO 3200 for one of my acts which had dark stage lighting. We were encouraged to show our passes to get us to suitable spots, especially stage-side. For our scheduled performances we were allowed front-of-stage, in an area reserved for photographers, for the first three songs. We then had to leave the area straight after.
After a briefing, we were off out into the masses to start stalking people. Lots of fun! My buddy photographer, Chryseis and I, were scheduled for the opening ceremony and that meant stage-side access to the TSB Bowl stage the large one by the duck pond. Yikes! Being new to this sort of access, I didn’t want to do anything wrong, knock anything over, or fall into the duck pond. I was directed by security to the stage manager, and then to my allowed spot at the front on the side of the stage. I was first there and they realised they didn’t have a spot set up for photographers, so they had to clear some equipment to give us some space.
While I waited for the ceremony to start, two blokes with cameras turned up. As I didn’t recognise them from our group, I realised they were “journos” covering the event for their own sources. We had been given instructions, in our briefing, not to get in their way and to respect their line of shooting. This went both ways, as after running into them again at another performance, they also respected my spot and didn’t get in my way. We discussed the privilege of shooting stage-side. They told me of a previous occasion when a young photographer got a bit carried away and overstepped the mark. He managed to upset the stage manager, and everyone lost access to that particular stage.
Our next scheduled act was a group called Cimafunk, at 7.00 pm at the Taste of the World stage. On the way there I lost my buddy, found myself at the wrong stage and had to do my own thing for 45 minutes. With ten minutes of the act to spare, I realised that what I thought was a food marquee was actually where I was meant to be. A group were cooking a favourite cultural food while singing to their audience.
I had another group at that same stage on Sunday afternoon and that time I managed to get it right, from the start of their performance. My job was to photograph the food preparation, artist engagement with the audience, and their reaction.
I got back to the stadium on Friday around nine. Others from our group were already there, editing images. I worked until eleven when our team leaders sent us home. While we were editing, we were able to share a little knowledge and experience, but we couldn’t chat, as we were endeavouring to meet a photo drop deadline.
I certainly appreciated the advice: not being afraid to crop in tight on people in the crowd, and to remove distractions and empty space. I also used the warmth and vibrance sliders to brighten the colours, as WOMAD wanted. We had been encouraged to try and get it right in-camera, as we wouldn’t have much time for extensive editing.
I managed a quick look over shoulders at some of my fellow workshop buddies’ photos. They all looked amazing, and I was left feeling mine were a little pedestrian. But that would just have been the old imposter syndrome having a play, as we all managed to achieve some pretty cool photos.
Saturday started with another briefing at 11.00 am. After doing some editing for a couple of hours, I headed back to the festival to take some people shots. We had been asked to show how very family-friendly WOMAD is, so I headed to the kid zone area to get some family shots and record all the activities set up for the children. We had been given strict instructions on photographing children. We had to obtain permission from the parents, and it was preferable to have them in the picture with their children. I found the volunteer T-shirt and photographer pass very helpful for this purpose. I was able to tell people I was working for WOMAD and ask if they were happy for their image to be on the WOMAD website. Nearly everyone was happy to help me create the images I needed. Telling people I had a list of things I had to photograph was a great icebreaker. I had fun asking people to pretend to read signs, let me photograph their yummylooking food, and to pose, hamming it up and smiling for WOMAD. Everyone was happy and having a great time. I didn’t see one crying child.
I had another stage-side session at the TSB Bowl stage for Saturday night’s ten o’clock act. I was lucky to be on for Youssou N’Dour, a grammy award-winning artist from Africa. I had visions of myself falling into the duck pond in front of thousands of people, all armed with camera phones not to mention our PSNZ team leaders armed with their zoom lenses. But I was determined to get some good photos and, for a time, I was crouched under the video man’s platform, once shooting between his legs to get the shot I wanted. I was using my favourite 105 mm f2.8 lens. After the first three songs, I headed back to the stadium for another editing session and another late night.
Sunday was a mop-up day, beginning with an editing session. Then I went back to the festival to spend the afternoon trying to achieve images that I had missed from my list, including people shopping, reading signs, photographing volunteers and WOMAD merchandise.
I certainly had fun. It was great having a purpose and a concise list to follow. The crowds were very welcoming and a pleasure to work with. I was left feeling stoked to find that WOMAD used a couple of my images on their Facebook feed. Would I do it again? Yep, definitely!
After more than a three-year break it was great to be able to hold a regional convention again in the South Island. It was also the first that was organised by the central committee with the assistance of a host club, rather than being run by the club itself. The team of Toya Heatley FPSNZ AFIAP, Richard Passey and Karen Camp LPSNZ did an excellent job of putting together a programme full of interesting speakers and great fieldtrips.
The venue proved to be an excellent choice, even though the first challenge everybody faced was how to find the building. Lincoln University is in the middle of a post-earthquake development and resembles somewhat of a rabbit warren. Often conventions are measured more about the food then the content and in this regard it passed with flying colours.
While the number of attendees was below what we would have liked, those that made the effort were well rewarded. Even though this was a South Island convention, nearly a third of the delegates came from the North Island.
The speaker programme covered a wide range of genres.
• Opening speakers Tony Carter and Katherine Williams talked about their approach to documentary photography.
• Twizel photographer Shelley Harvey BPSA delivered sessions on creative and fine art nude portraiture.
• Honours Board member Helen McLeod FPSNZ GPSA ARPS delivered a Saturday session on creative imagery and a Sunday session entitled “Down the rabbit hole of post processing” which was very appropriately timed for Easter Sunday.
• Last but not least nature photographer Steve Attwood delivered a practical guide to bird photography.
The fieldtrips also contained a variety of opportunities including nature at Lake Ellesmere, architecture and models around the campus and even the opportunity to photograph an international cricket game between Australia A and New Zealand A.
Capping the whole event off was a showing of the South Island Salon and presentationg of the awards on Saturday night. During the evening we were entertained by two local students from Ellesmere College. Christopher and Angelica demonstrated talent way beyond their years.
The recently concluded regional convention was a wonderful place to learn more about photography. You gain knowledge not just from the amazing convention speakers but from fellow photography enthusiasts as well.
The entire weekend was truly inspiring and, if anyone asks if it's worth going to, I would most definitely say yes. The level of confidence and inspiration I've gained over just 1 1/2 days is much higher than a year of navigating through my photographic journey by myself.
This was the first Convention for me and I was really wowed. The speakers were top notch, the food was superb, and the company was excellent.
I loved meeting new people and learning new things as well as learning about my photography journey
The weather was not the greatest but this did not deter anyone from enjoying the workshops.
I chose the Architecture workshop and happily wandered around Lincoln University, taking in all the wonderful buildings and the odd and quirky opportunities there. The Steampunk couple were great, very willing and amenable.
If our aim as a society is to help photographers grow, then the Southern Regional Convention did a terrific job in contributing to that. The calibre of the speakers was excellent and surely provided content that would appeal to almost all members. Lessons and learnings from one genre could often be transferred to others. Growing our network, either through catching up with people we already knew or meeting and making new friends, there was ample opportunity at breaks and the dinner to achieve this. The diversity and quality of images submitted for the Salon in either printed or digital form provided plenty of examples from which to learn and to admire. Well done and thank you to the organisers and our guest speakers who so generously gave up their time and expertise. Your work in bringing such a quality event together is greatly appreciated.
Aston Moss LPSNZ
We had a rocky start to opening the salon with entrants struggling to have their images uploaded to the website. This led to entrants trying multiple times and not checking their entries before hitting "Submit". Common errors in submissions were filenames not renamed to match image titles, titles too long, wrong category selected; typos in titles, email addresses, phone numbers and some data missing from entry form. If you are entering a salon be sure to follow the rules of that salon or you may be disqualified.
Thanks to our judges Caroline Ludford LPSNZ LRPS, Toya Heatley FPSNZ AFIAP and James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP/b. The standard was very high and the judges spent some time debating the merits of the top images before settling on the Best in Show and Honours. Volunteers assisting on judging day enjoyed viewing the images and watching the behind the scenes judging process.
Big thanks to all those who helped with the salon; Jan Boag, Alan Moore, Barry Dench, John Hawkins, Dawn Kirk LPSNZ EFIAP, Denise Fuller, Irene Ferguson, Nicola Jackson LPSNZ, Jane Barnes LPSNZ and Ian Walls FPSNZ.
Burning Off - a Farming Necessity Nel Davison LPSNZ
winner of the Canon Online round 1 for 2023. There were 128 entries in this round.
I’m feeling honoured and thrilled. Thank you so much!
My photographic journey started in 2016 with a crop sensor Nikon D7100. The natural world is my inspiration, especially the stories told by New Zealand native birds. I aim to advocate for our native birds through my work changing hearts and minds, one human at a time, so that my photographs don’t become just a record of a growing list of extinct endemic bird species. I enjoy a range of photographic genres but seem to be most at home with a big zoom lens.
Tara iti (fairy tern) is a composite image, using two different camera techniques. Did you know, tara iti is the most endangered indigenous New Zealand breeding bird? There are only about nine breeding pairs left in NZ (and the world) and they need all the help they can get from us humans. The tara iti in the photo was the male of the only breeding pair at Pakiri Beach in 2021. This had me reflecting that if something happened to its partner, the loss would be significant. The background for the image was also taken at Pakiri, using ICM (intentional camera movement) at sunset. I felt honoured and grateful to be in the presence of such beautiful rare birds and hope this image captures a sense of that wonder as well as their vulnerability.
APSNZ
An introduction to Chris: I’m a tutor for Te Pukenga, Southern Institute of Technology, teaching photography at both 500 and 600 levels. I teach pottery for Hutt Art, so it was great to see a close-up of someone on the wheel. (Sadly, it didn’t make the top 10 this time.)
I’m also a newly elected councillor for Hutt City, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, where I live. All of which leaves me less time than I might like to get out there with the camera, but I still manage to squeeze in some event photography and the occasional landscape.
Kia ora koutou. It’s a pleasure to judge the Canon Online and always a challenge given the high standard of entries.
While looking back through my records, I was surprised to see it’s been almost five years since I’ve had the pleasure of judging Canon Online. This time I had 128 images (up from 79 in December 2018) to whittle down to the top ten, and the variety and skill level were great to see. It wasn’t an easy job, and picking the order of the top images was even more of a challenge. I hope you enjoy the images as much as I have, and congratulations to the top 10!
A great combination of an impressionistic panning shot with the addition of Tara Iti, the New Zealand fairy tern. The photographer has produced a strong story that works well with the subtle colour tones of all the composite parts of the image.
A punchy monochrome treatment of a well-known part of the New Zealand landscape. The textures that the photographer has captured are wonderfully layered with the wave ripple formations in the sand, the texture from the outgoing tide and the remaining pool of water, all contributing to the composition and guiding your eye around the image.
A classic high-key treatment of a portrait that works well, with an engaging pose and smile. I particularly like the story that is created by the white skates: subtle but effective.
An engaging image that is reminiscent of fish motifs found on porcelain pottery. I particularly like the subtle use of colour and the effective use of light.
The use of the parent's face and body to frame the chick in this image is engaging, and it’s assisted by the subtle vignette and effective eye contact between the two birds.
I love the quirky juxtaposition between the harsh cactus, the pink buildings and the soft texture of the cloud. The placement of the cactus breaks the normal rule of thirds but the overall balance of the image works, with the subtle tones within the pink building adding multiple points of interest in an effective abstract manner.
A lovely portrait of Nestor meridionalis or the kaka. Great use of lighting and a subtle background, with the red and orange of the feathers adding to the image.
Great lighting and subsequent details on the horse’s hair. The echo of the shape of the horse's head with the maunga in the background is a nice touch.
Great storytelling, especially when the image is combined with the title. The use of the classic double exposure effect is well executed and the use of the birds to break the expected outline of the head is very effective.
Not the most comfortable image to look at, but powerful all the same. The base portrait is reminiscent of those found in classic cigarette adverts, with well-controlled lighting and a seductive pose. The juxtaposition of both the textural effect and the hair rollers against the classical portrait creates an interesting tension in the viewer’s mind.
