CameraTalk December 2021 by Photographic Society of New Zealand

NZ CameraTalk To p r o m o t e t h e w i d e r e n j o y m e n t o f p h o t o g r a p h y

T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E P H OT O G R A P H I C S O C I E T Y O F N E W Z E A L A N D I N C

December 2021 / January 2022

In this issue Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

PRESIDENT

Paul Whitham LPSNZ t. 021 644 418 e: president@photography.org.nz

SECRETARY

Chryseis Phillips m. 021 0277 6639 e. secretary@photography.org.nz

EDITOR & ADVERTISING Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ m. 021 502 354

e. michamberlain@icloud.com

SUBEDITOR

Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ

t. 06 348 7141 or m. 027 653 0341 e. dilinz@actrix.co.nz

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Ana Stevens APSNZ m. 022 193 1973 e. anci.stevens@gmal.com

NEXT CAMERATALK DEADLINE 25 January 2022 Email your contributions to the Subditor. 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: Strangler Fig Tree at Ta Promh - Mark Chamberlain

As I write this editorial, I am travelling on the Wellington to Picton ferry, about to embark on a final photographic tour of South Island before heading home to Western Australia in December. I am looking forward to photographing the pristine landscapes of Fiordland, the Catlins and Stewart Island. However, my path home to Australia is uncertain. The journey to Australia is fraught with COVID related bureaucracy. A fourteen-day quarantine period awaits me in Western Australia (assuming they let me in—I am still being refused a G2G entry pass). I am optimistic that 2022 will bring better things as New Zealand heads to the magical double vaccination target rate of 90%. Auckland is still in lockdown, with a government promise of probationary release on 15 December. The end appears near, and we can all start dreaming of travelling again. I hope I am not tempting fate. On this note, the December 2021 issue of CameraTalk presents a special feature — Travel Photography. It contains three articles on diverse aspects of travel photography and a PSNZ member’s gallery of favourite travel photographs. In addition to travel photography articles, we include our usual PSNZ and club contributions. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

President’s Corner Council Report Rotorua Convention 2022 – Updates. PSNZ Workshops – Two bird photography workshops led by Craig McKenzie at Cape Kidnappers and Kaikoura. Member Profiles – Moira Blincoe LPSNZ continues her PSNZ member Q&A profiles. Canon Online Round 5 winners and summary Whanganui Salon 2021 – Humanity and Earth Southland Photographic Society (SPS) 80th Anniversary Audio-visual New judge accreditations Club Liaison

A voluntary team puts together CameraTalk. Lindsay Stockbridge and Ana Stevens are holding the magazine together, especially during my current temporary distractions. My thanks to Lindsay and Ana. I also wish to acknowledge the support of Moira Blincoe and Richard Laing.

Content Key dates for the diary

PSNZ Council meeting update

80 Years: Southland Photographic Society

Member showcase — Sheryl Williams APSNZ

Special feature:Travel photography Intro

An eye for the “Decisive moment”

Showing the bigger picture

Approaches to travel photography: Angkor

Gallery - Get inspired

PSNZ Natioanl convention update

Speaker profile – Peter Rees

Audio-visual news

Club liaison news

New PSNZ members

Workshop series 2022 update

Kaikoura workshop 2021 — Review

Cape Kidnappers workshop 2021 — Review

Whanganui Salon 2021 — Results PSNZ

Canon Online — Results

A Note from the President I am not sure if it is a function of being older but the years seem to be flying by, although I suspect those members living in Auckland think the days are going more slowly. We are now in the final countdown to Christmas, but this year it has been more than shops that put their trees up early. In many ways, 2021 has been a game of two halves. Before August, apart from those in areas previously overrun with overseas tourists, we were all basking in a relatively normal life. Then Delta escaped in August and life changed again. We are now about to embark on the new traffic light system which I am sure that we will adapt to. It was great to be able to have most of the PSNZ Council round the table on the first weekend in November. Unfortunately, our two Auckland members couldn’t travel and spent the weekend on Zoom. I commend them for hanging in there for the two days.

... A Note from the President In addition to dealing with several matters, the meeting had two main purposes. Firstly, it was an opportunity for the new Councillors to meet and to bond as a team. While Zoom is good, there is nothing like having people all together in the same room. I am pleased that we seem to be off to a great start in that respect. The Council has a wide range of skills and experiences that I am sure will be invaluable to the Society.

On a sadder note, in the last month we have been advised that Wellsford and Karori Camera Clubs have gone into recess, and my club (Hutt Camera Club) voted to wind up at the end of the year. It is sad to see clubs go and unfortunately there is very little that PSNZ can do to help them. This year I have been running Zoom sessions with club presidents as a way to share ideas, and we are looking to create some resources.

The second focus of the meeting was to develop a new strategic plan for the Society. The previous one ran through to 2020, and work on its replacement was put on hold while we dealt with the more immediate issue of how to secure a working Council. Now that has been achieved we can turn our attention back to the future direction. This work is being headed by Brian Rowe LPSNZ and will continue into the new year.

Ultimately the decision made by the Hutt club was not because of membership or finance issues. It came down to the fact that we could not find members willing to take up leadership positions. Those who had done committee work before were burned out, and those who had not did not want to step up. This is no doubt an issue faced by many similar organisations. While people want to take part in events they do not necessarily want to help to organise them.

A full report of the main points coming out of the meeting is found on page 7. Planning for the National Convention is continuing, and you will find more information in this publication. With COVID uncertainty we decided to make the event a totally Kiwi affair. That does not diminish its appeal as we have world-class photographers in this country. We are not opening registrations until the start of February, so people don’t have to panic, thinking that we will be opening it up in the middle of the holiday session.

Finally, on a happier note, Christmas will soon be upon us. This is a great time to connect with loved ones, see other parts of the country (COVID willing) and to take photos. Don’t worry that they have to be award-winning images, just capture those precious moments. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I look forward to what 2022 will bring. Paul Whitham LPSNZ, President

Club News 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 or Ana Stevens APSNZ at anci.stevens@gmail.com

Key Dates for the Diary December 1

Entries for National Interclub Competitions open

December 25

Canon Online Round 6 closes

January 16

Submissions for 2022 PSNZ Honours open

February 6

Registration for national convention opens

February 28

Submissions for 2022 PSNZ Honours close

Himeji Castle, Japan. Also known as White Egret Castle. By Bas Cuthbert LPSNZ

"I HAVE A PRINT ON THE WALL AND IT ALWAYS MAKES ME SMILE."

"This is the travel photo I am most happy with. The shot was captured under torrential rain in Havana, with my camera in a plastic bag with a hole for the lens to pop through. Framing and focus were a considerable challenge. I saw these two well-dressed women coming towards me. They seemed to enjoy the rain and each other’s company. I think they are mother and daughter. The colour in their dresses and umbrella stood out. From a travel photography learning perspective it reinforced the value of getting out there in conditions where most sensible folk are cocooned in their hotel. Also, observing and anticipating to capture moments of composition, juxtaposition and contrast. And knowing your camera and being prepared to use it as a working tool." Paul Williyams APSNZ AFIAP MNZIPP

PSNZ Council Meeting Update Paul Whitham LPSNZ, PSNZ President The “new” PSNZ Council met in Wellington for the first time over the weekend of 6 to 7 November, with the two Auckland members joining via Zoom. It was a great opportunity for the new councillors to come together and bond as a team. I am looking forward to the contributions that they will make to our organisation. Here is a full report on the meeting, including material already circulated to members in a bulk email.

enables members to make their own decisions relating to vaccination, to become fully vaccinated if they wish to participate in future PSNZ events, or to consider their future membership should they decide not to become fully vaccinated and are concerned about their ability to access PSNZ events.

COVID vaccine mandate

In making this decision, we considered our membership demographic and acknowledged Ministry of Health guidance that older persons are more at risk of the impacts of COVID-19.

Council has considered a range of concerns related to COVID-19. We recognise that our events bring together groups of varying sizes, especially the National Convention but also a variety of workshops.

Our considerations are also intended to reduce the likelihood of events needing to be cancelled or postponed and the subsequent impacts, including financial, on both PSNZ and our members.

Under the most recent advice available there will be ongoing proof of vaccination requirements at venues that we use. This may extend to requirements of associated services such as transport providers. Council has considered how to best support the wellbeing of our members, and the various service providers and trade partners with whom we work. As a result, we have determined that all PSNZ arranged events will require participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Should parties associated with our events require proof of vaccination, members will need to comply with their requirements and supply proof to those parties.

COVID guidance for clubs Council has been approached by two clubs, seeking advice on how to deal with COVID issues relating to their operation. In 2020 PSNZ did issue some guidance about suggested operations under level 2. It was decided that, as Council members were not experts in this area, the best advice was for clubs to look at material provided by the Ministry of Health, and the new traffic light framework. Then they would decide what was the most appropriate action for their members.

Ours is a relatively small incorporated Society and we wish to ensure that member resources are used wisely. We do not see the spending of members’ funds to check the vaccination status of participants at PSNZ events as a sensible expense to incur. As a membership-based organisation, we believe we can work on a trust model. This will enable us to avoid collecting private medical information from our members. This requirement will be effective from 1 February 2022. The choice of a date this far in advance

Swimmers at the Pont du Gard France by Bob Scott LPSNZ

... PSNZ Council Meeting Update 2022 print competitions Members will appreciate that trying to organise events under COVID creates a great deal of uncertainty. The PSNZ Sony National Exhibition and Interclub competitions could be seriously affected at various stages, particularly regarding prints. We have therefore decided that PSNZ will not host the print section of the Sony National Exhibition or the Bledisloe and Chance interclub competitions. This decision was not taken lightly. The digital sections are of course not affected by COVID levels. However, the print salons are affected in several ways: the ability of members in lockdown to have their work printed, the ability of the selection panel to convene in person to judge print images, possible issues with couriers, and the hanging of the exhibitions. Also, we do not want members to incur expense in creating works only to find that the print salons are cancelled at a late date. Also, we did not want members to incur expense in creating works for these salons which would be neither selected nor shown. We trust that members will understand this decision, and we look forward to the return of the print section in the 2023 Sony National Exhibition. There has been some discussion online about the fact that we have made this decision very early. In making these comments members are simply relating it to when the exhibition is shown in April. In fact, clubs had already started their selection processes, and entries for the exhibition open in January.

2022 print honours sets Please note that the decision to not have prints in the PSNZ Sony National Exhibition does not affect print honours submissions. These will still be received as normal, however, with COVID disruptions likely to continue into early 2022, we would strongly recommend that anyone contemplating a print submission not leave it to the last minute. The delivery of New Zealand Camera has taught us that courier deliveries are taking much longer than in the past.

Images taken at workshops Council discussed how to deal with images taken at workshops, following comments that members had seen identical images entered by different photographers into different events. At the heart of the concern was that we should be recognising the photographer’s work alone without the influence of other people. Many other photographic and art organisations have a blanket ban on images taken at workshops (with the exception of those taken by the workshop leaders). Given that not all workshops operate in the same way, Council felt that this was a step too far. However, the PSNZ ethics statement will be strengthened. We expect photographers only to submit work as the principal contributor to its creation.

AGM After receiving minimal feedback in response to our proposal to hold the 2022 AGM online, Council has decided to implement this action. The AGM will be held on Saturday, 2 April 2022 via Zoom. This opens the opportunity for more members to attend, rather than limiting it to those who attend the National Convention. We acknowledge the historical tradition of the AGM being held at the convention; however, it has been clear from numbers that the majority of convention attendees did not attend.

We will provide members with more details in early 2022. For those not familiar with Zoom, we will also host a trial session the week prior so that members are comfortable with the software.

Series, with the first one scheduled for February. We hope to expand the number of workshops offered in 2022. More details will be provided early in the new year.

Judge training

As an organisation involved in the creation of works for which copyright exists, Council has concerns with the use of some materials in AVs. Most notable is the use of music tracks. To ensure that we do not run into issues with copyright infringements, Council has agreed that music associated with an AV must either

Last, but not least in this update, Council met with Caroline Ludford LPSNZ LRPS, chair of the Judge Accreditation Panel. Council is fully supportive of the judge training programme and we hope to deliver four workshops in 2022.

a) Carry a Creative Commons Licence b) Be the works of the AV creator, or c) The AV creator has permission from the copyright owner to use the material and can provide evidence of this is on request. This requirement will apply to all 2022 entries in the Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy, as well as any AVs prepared in connection with PSNZ salons.

Planning for the future The main activity of the weekend was to commence the development of a new strategic plan for the Society. The previous one ran through to 2020 but was not extended due to issues we were facing with regard to Council membership.

Milano by Anita Ruggle

Now that the issues have been resolved, Councillor Brian Rowe is leading the development of the new plan. More information on this will come out as we progress.

2022 workshop series With the exception of the Coromandel Landscape workshop, we were able to deliver most of the 2021 series without COVID interfering too much. Planning is now underway for the 2022 Workshop

Kuala Lumpur twin towers by Nicole Tai

Developing Great Photographers! Dawn Patterson

It was on 15 August 1940 that SPS was born. Charles E Barwell APSNZ (Charlie) was instrumental in persuading 21 other photography enthusiasts to establish the Southland Photographic Society. Club membership decreased during World War 2, but it progressed slowly but surely after that. Subs were set at $1.50 for men, 75c for ladies, 50c for under 18s, and 25c for primary school pupils. Charles won many PSNZ and international awards, competing against the world’s best photographers. His crowning glory was in the 1970 Pentax World Photo Competition in Japan when he won the top pictorial award against 213,000 entries In 1985 he was honoured with the PSNZ Distinguished Service Medal. Charlie was a popular man due to his kind nature, sense of humour, and willingness to share advice. His comments and demonstrations assisted many future successful photographers. He taught tinting and colouring prints before colour film existed. In 1945-46, with membership at 50, SPS exchanged portfolios with the Dunedin Photographic Society. In 1946 George Chance FPSNZ of Dunedin presented a trophy for competition between the two societies, initially hosted by and won by Southland. This cup is still competed for today but is open to all New Zealand clubs. To celebrate the club’s 21st anniversary, the first colour slide exhibition was presented to 1000 members of the public in the Scottish Hall, with a full house both nights, not due to the Scotch whisky expected but the quality of the slides. Interest in slides soared.

81 years later — 19 August 2021 Just as World War 2 interfered with the beginnings of SPS in 1940, COVID 19 reared its ugly head and the club’s 80th celebrations were suspended until 2021. Then the Delta variant, not to be outdone, took over and meetings were banned. Fortunately (if that word is appropriate) we had the modern “new Zoom age”. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it worked well for SPS because, even though we had to forgo the tea and tiny cakes, we were treated to a Nostalgia Zoom meeting which highlighted (from available photos) the growth and success of the club. It proved to be a hit and was very well received. Much of the early and more recent history was narrated by three senior members of the club before audio-visuals of happenings and antics were shown, accompanied by images of club fundraisers such as garage sales. When membership took a serious dive in the 1990s, down to 26 with a committee of 13, a promotions committee was formed to raise awareness of the club, setting up displays of club work in the aisles of a local department store. We also held open nights at the start of each year and invited local media. The club held print competitions for the general public, with the winners receiving a year’s free membership as part of their prize. The club undertook a print exchange with Japanese sister city, Kumagaya, with their prints displayed in Invercargill and ours in Kumagaya. The club organised the 100% Pure Slide Competition which came into being when digital first raised its head and people were concerned about slides having to compete against digital images. This filled a gap of three years until most photographers turned to digital.

SOUTHLAND PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY REACHES 80 YEARS OF AGE

The club came up with workshops, spontaneous Sunday outings and other activities. There were trips to Dunedin, Nugget Point, Lake Monowai, the Wairaurāhiri overnight jetboat trip, winter weekends and workshops in many locations with a variety of tutors. Club members had many trips to Gunn’s Camp over the years but, sadly, that is no longer possible. Fun, friendship, mishaps, laughter, photography and tuition were always guaranteed on these trips. Images and audio-visuals were shown on our Nostalgia Nights and were appreciated by club members new and old. Lots of memories were stirred as we saw pictures of people no longer with us. Revisiting all the fun of the SWEDES Challenge, initially an exercise in most genres that took participants around parts of Southland, becoming an “around the city” rally when petrol prices went up. Hilarious images showed what members got up to for the sake of the club. SWEDES? S=Simple, W=Wacky, E=Exposure, D=Depth of Field, E=Emotion and S=Shutter Speed! The acting ability of a few more daring members was shown when hilarious images from the promotional AV made for the Alexandra Southern Regional were screened. Oh, it was a cold day, believe me! Then came appearances at various regional conventions where a theme was on the programme. SPS never had a problem putting together a team entry to join in the fun. The favourite was the B&W theme in Nelson where they appeared as prisoners accompanied by a very stern “copper”, complete with baton. Championship Dinners also had themes; we had some very creative club members, believe me! They have been years of lasting friendships, fun, laughter and learning. SPS has hosted numerous PSNZ national and regional conventions. We were possibly the first to host both the convention and the exhibition; we did this in 2012. The club continues to thrive with tuition available, a programme and competitions to suit all tastes and abilities. If you don’t want to enter competitions you are always welcome to sit back and learn. Pre-COVID membership was 71.

Member Showcase Immediate Past President Moira Blincoe LPSNZ presents our second member profile.

Sheryl Williams APSNZ While Sheryl Williams APSNZ is a born and bred Aucklander, she has travelled extensively throughout the world…until COVID-19 closed our border. Although she has a large and happy blended family of five, none of them live in Auckland. Some are scattered throughout the country; the others are in Vietnam, Melbourne, and Copenhagen. The upside of this for Sheryl and her husband was combining the family visits to explore and photograph the world, as well as indulge in their leisure activities of skiing, hiking, and cycling. Sheryl has been an active member of the Howick Photographic Society (HPS) since 2011 and last month became an accredited PSNZ judge in the Open category. She completed her training in two years under the mentorship of fellow member Bob McCree FPSNZ. She joined PSNZ in 2012.

In her earlier working life, Sheryl had varied jobs, initially working as a laboratory technician, then for New Zealand Post before settling in the banking industry. Having returned to study horticulture when her children were at school, she quickly found horticulture more stimulating than banking and switched careers. Before retiring in 2012, she was putting her knowledge and skills to good use, working on a 30-acre plant production nursery in Ardmore. Sheryl also volunteers at the Totara Hospice retail shop in Pakuranga. Tending to their large garden keeps her fit and healthy and provides good fodder for her macro and nature photography.

Describe your first steps into photography. My first camera was a Kodak Instamatic with the little square flashcube on the top; Mum gave it to me when I passed School Certificate at age 16. At first, I went a little crazy, photographing everybody and everything. As I was using film, it became quite expensive. I later upgraded to a Hanimex 35mm camera, followed by my first film SLR, a Pentax K2 which I bought in 1977, and still have today. I became the “go-to” person for event photos in our circle of family and friends. I did some wedding photography for them over the years, but it wasn’t my thing.

When did photography start to play a role in your life?

What is your preferred genre(s)?

When I was about 10 years old I was allowed to play with my grandfather’s Box Brownie camera. I became fascinated with the way the light could change the whole look of otherwise ordinary scenes. I saw the world in a whole different way and wanted to capture everything. I became hooked!

My preferred genres are landscape, natural history/ natural world and macro/close-up, but I embrace and enjoy pretty much all genres of photography. In the past three years, I have been trying creative work and impressionism. I particularly like the annual Creative Focus competition, seeing what people come up with.

Sheryl Williams APSNZ I also enjoy creating audio-visuals and was very pleased to gain a bronze medal in the 2019 Jack Sprosen Memorial AV competition.

What situations inspire your photography? I love the outdoors: skiing, hiking, cycling and gardening. That is usually when I look around and “see” things, especially light play. I love how the light changes your perception of people, objects and scenes. I just want to capture and share that feeling. It’s something that is still with me: that 10-year-old with the Box Brownie! Another inspiration is watching people doing everyday things, without realising they are being observed.

Mahuia Falls

How do you connect with the people you want to photograph (if applicable)? I’m not that fond of studio and posed portraiture work. I do enjoy street and photojournalism, but am rather reserved about approaching people. I find I lose that natural appeal that first drew me.

Do you think your photographic eye has changed over the years?

The Snow Wolf

Oh yes, definitely. Before I joined HPS I was aware of a few things that constituted good image-making, like DOF, composition, exposure and the best time of day to take photos. I was more oriented to getting a nice clean, socalled “calendar shot” or “straight image”. When I joined the Society, I learned from some very inspiring people how to explore and try different genres, different perspectives and creative techniques. Now, when I am out and about, I find I have my photo eyeballs on. I am always “seeing”.

Coprinellus spp

Member Showcase What is the most important thing photography has taught you? Patience and acceptance. Patience, because when I first embraced photography seriously I tended to rush, trying to capture all the lovely stuff I saw, only to get back to my computer and find I really needed to slow down! I like to believe I now plan better and think carefully about where I am going, what I am likely to see, and which part of my kit is going to work best for what I want to do. This then brings me to acceptance; sometimes the best-laid plans just don’t come off, no matter what. The weather or lighting, for instance, doesn’t play ball, and you may not get the shots you were hoping for.

What are your preferred post-processing tools? I do most of my editing in Adobe Camera Raw because no data is lost. If I need to do any other tweaks I use Photoshop. I try to get as much correct in-camera as possible. I prefer to be behind my camera rather than sitting in front of a computer, trying to fix something. I am a great believer in really thinking about what you are shooting while out in the field, and not relying on your editing program to fix it. Been there, done that; however, I have found some impulse shots have worked well for me too!

14 Lake of Wandering Spirits - Natural Life

You recently became an accredited PSNZ judge. What motivated you to become a judge? When I joined HPS in 2011, I started entering competitions with my precious images. That was really stepping outside my comfort zone! I found most of the judges gave great feedback. It was a huge learning curve for me, finding out from these people how I could improve my work, my perception, challenge my thinking, and try to create my own style. I want people to love photography as much as I do. For me, it is a way of helping photographers to grow. I have learnt from meeting others that it is a real passion we share: a desire to share our unique view of the world.

Which other photographers have inspired your photography, and why? When I was much younger, someone gave me Ansel Adams’ book, The Negative. I loved this book and read it over and over, and was very inspired by his beautiful black and white images. I admit to being a little bamboozled by his talk of ‘the zone system’, but after a while, I could sort of see where he was going with it. I can’t say I fully understand it today, but it obviously worked for him. I admire photographers who have found their own style, particularly those who embrace and are proficient in pretty much all photographic genres. To me, a truly talented photographer can see an image in almost any situation. In HPS, I am still inspired today by a couple of people in our club who I consider wonderful all-rounders and great mentors.

High Key Primula

Sheryl Williams APSNZ What’s in your kit? I am a Canon girl through and through, so it’s a Canon 5D MKIV body. Canon lenses: 24-70mm f2.8, 1635mm f2.8, 100mm f2.8 macro. My latest acquisition is a beautiful Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 ̶ a beast of a zoom! A sturdy Manfrotto tripod, a remote shutter release, a little raincoat for my camera and lens (invaluable), a plastic sheet for kneeling on, a portable A4 size folding reflector, a bicycle headlamp and a supply of soft lens cloths. Oh yes, lots of SD cards and a couple of spare batteries!

Do you use any specialist photography equipment such as large format cameras, special lenses or filters, drones etc.? Or any specialist techniques? I have and use regularly a set of magnetic Benro filters; it includes a polariser, three graduated ND filters and three ND filters. I like long exposures and ICM techniques for impressionism and have just started trying out multiple exposures in-camera. This is a work in progress, with lots of fun stretching the grey matter! I also love macro work and sometimes, if I need to, I will focus stack to get sharpness where I want it. Often I will use my cell phone to take some snaps to see how they look before setting up.

Amelia

Has the lockdown hampered your photography at all, or perhaps allowed you to expand in other areas? I am fortunate that I have half an acre of native garden which keeps me quite busy. At this time of year most plants are flowering, attracting a lot of birds, especially wood pigeons and tūī. I have been trying bird photography for a while now, so my lockdown time has been a good opportunity to hone some skills, especially when feel I can sit around for a while, waiting. The 100-400mm beast is getting a good workout.

Any other information about yourself you would like to share? Please do so. I am an outdoors person. I love to walk, hike, cycle and garden. My husband and I also attend an outdoor “Boot Camp” three times a week, 6 am at Eastern Beach. There is something magical about exercising outdoors with very few people around, watching the sun come up. It’s a good chance too to check out any likely locations of interest for photos during this time of lovely lighting. My husband is not a photographer at all, not even remotely interested, but he is very supportive and patient. I find this quite an appealing trait in a life partner. We have five adult children and six beautiful, healthy grandchildren; three girls and three boys who all from birth thought their grandmother had a camera for a face! Nevis Valley Sunrise

Special Feature: Travel Photography Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

Travel photography is probably the most diverse of all photographic genres. It is also one of the most popular forms of photography because we all love to travel and photograph the places we visit.

Travel photographers for inspiration

In Wikipedia definition, travel photography is a broad genre that may involve the documentation of an area's landscape, people, cultures, customs, and history. Many people associate travel photography with exotic overseas destinations, but this is often not the case. Travel may be within one's own country, and the best photographic images are often from domestic travel in areas we already know well.

There are a plethora of inspiring photographers whose work falls under the broad umbrella of travel photography. For me, some of the best National Geographic magazine freelance photographers come to mind — Steve McCurry, Michael Yamashita, and Jim Richardson. These photographers are photojournalists by training, having started their careers with newspapers or magazines. Steve McCurry made his name as a hard-bitten photojournalist during the 1990s Afghanistan wars before capturing the beauty of South Asia for National Geographic.

The travel photographer is a "Jack of all trades" and requires basic skill sets from other mainstream photography genres. Notably, the travel photographer is trying to capture "a sense of place" and tell a story. Standalone images or a combination of images and writing may represent our journey or a place. So, let's dig a little deeper.

Other travel photographers include Australians Richard L'Anson from Lonely Planet and Nick Rains. Finally, here in New Zealand, we have Mike Langford and his wife Jackie Rankin, both NZIPP Grand Masters and prominent travel and landscape photographers. Mike has kindly contributed two articles for this issue of CameraTalk.

Genres within travel photography Travel photography includes: • Photo documentary / reportage • Street photography • People and portraiture photography • Landscape photography • Culture and religion • Lifestyle – resorts, restaurants, outdoor activities • Food photography 16

Photo by Pixabay

CameraTalk travel photography feature In his first article, Mike Langford discusses how travel photography has much in common with street photography. Both forms are looking to encompass Henri Cartier-Bresson's concept of "the decisive moment". Mike illustrates the commonality of the genres with travel photographs from Tibet. Mike's second article is about photographing a bigger story and thinking about new ways of seeing a place. We have all seen close-up photographs of snow monkeys from Japan, but few of us have seen images of the surrounding area and town. Mike addresses this issue by showing the bigger picture. In our third article, your Editor, Mark Chamberlain, discusses his approaches to travel photography in Angkor, Cambodia. The lessons from his experiences form a long-term and ongoing project showing how they may apply to other popular travel locations.

Rickshaw on a busy Tokyo street by Janice Chen LPSNZ

Travel Photography — An eye for the “Decisive moment” Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

Is travel photography just a form of street photography, or is it actually much more than this? Wikipedia describes it thus: ‘Street photography is conducted for art or enquiry that features unmediated chance encounters and random incidents within public places.’ In many ways travel photography has a lot in common with street photography, in that they are both looking for that “decisive moment (as coined by Cartier-Bresson back in the 1930s) when form, content, vision and composition are merged into a transcendent whole." What travel photography adds to street photography is a sense of place or culture. A point when there is a decisive moment but you also have an understanding of where you are in terms of landscape or culture, something street photography isn’t all that concerned with.

Barkhor Square 1 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM Focal length 60 mm, f/8, 1/ 800 ISO 100 This slightly compressed viewpoint of 60 mm allows me to put the person in the context of the space in which she is in. By selecting an aperture of f/8, I make her the sharpest object in the frame but still allow enough detail in the background to allow visual context. By crouching down quite low, I have also made her look more dominant. The separation of the prayer wheel against the light juniper smoke in the background is the cultural key to the image.

Maybe in travel photography, it’s just that everything is turned around the other way ̶ where the purpose of the image is to communicate the where, what and who of a moment, that can then have added to it a “decisive moment” when everything is merged into a transcendent whole. To illustrate these thoughts, I will talk about a series of shots I took a couple of years ago while in Tibet, mostly in Lhasa.

By understanding what you want to say in an image, you can make all the necessary decisions at the time of shooting. Once you have identified the subject, you can then choose the appropriate lens, aperture, shutter speed and exposure. All of these things can change when you change your subject, as can be seen by comparing Barkhor street one and two.

Barkhor Square 2 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM Focal length 70 mm f/8, 1/800 ISO 100 By physically moving in closer, zooming in with my lens to 70 mm and standing up straight, I have changed the whole dynamic of the image. Now she is no longer as dominant and more involved in the scene. The background now appears closer to her and is even more out of focus.

In Barkhor Street 1, we have a real sense of place, with the focus and exposure being on the buildings and the street as opposed to the pilgrims, who we can’t engage with as they have their backs to us and who are out of focus and slightly underexposed. The result is, we are forced to look at the street and the architecture with the snow-covered mountains looming high in the background. In this shot, there is no decisive moment, but none the less it does communicate a sense of place and culture. In the second frame, Barkhor Steet 2, the focus is specifically on the three pilgrims. They are the largest part of the frame, the sharpest part of the frame and the correctly exposed part of the frame, which is focused and exposed specifically on the pilgrims. What makes this image special is the “decisive moment”, which has captured the look of compassion from the lady on our left for the old man, who looks as if he is experiencing something very spiritual at that moment. Put simply, frame one is about the “where”, “what’’, and “who” in the image, and in that order. The second frame is all about the “who”, “what” and “where” in the image, and in that order. Barkhor Square 1 & 2 are both “who”, “what”, “‘where” images that tell us that she is a pilgrim, the “who”, and that she is holding a prayer wheel, the “what”, and that she is in a square with juniper smoke in the background, the “where”. The wider shot of the two tells us more specifically where we are, as it lets us see the temple in the background as well. By changing the focal length of the lens as well as the angle of view, by looking from a higher viewpoint, we also change the way we see the combination of all these elements.

Barkhor Street 1 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM Focal length 135 mm f/2.8, 1/250 ISO 200 This medium telephoto shot of pilgrims walking away with their backs to me show the soft bouncing light source that is illuminating the faces in the second shot looking the opposite way.

Barkhor Street 2 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM Focal length 200 mm f/2.8, 1/250 ISO 200 By turning around, looking the opposite way and zooming in with my lens, I now get to focus on the softly lit faces of the pilgrims themselves. By selecting an aperture of f/2.8, I have isolated this group from everything and everyone else in the image, making them more dominant in the frame. Shooting in a vertical mode also makes them more prevalent in the overall scene.

...Travel Photography — The “Decisive moment” Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

The truer tradition of street photography is to shoot more from the hip and to be somewhat unnoticed by the subject. This was the method I used when photographing Drepung Monastery 1 & 2. The objective here was to photograph a moment in time that best represented the “who”, “what” and “where” of the situation. The only real difference between the two images is the bending forward of the pilgrim and the pouring of the liquid butter into the candle. It is those two actions that create a “decisive moment” that makes the image work. As is the case in these two photographs, it’s important to understand that wide-angle lenses tell us about where we are. Here, even though in general terms, wide-angle lenses give you a greater depth of focus, at f/4 the focus is quite specifically on the pilgrim and his flask, making him very clearly the subject of the image.

Drepung Monastery 1 & 2 Focal length 45 mm, 1/15 sec, f/4, ISO 800 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM In the true tradition of street photography, I managed to secure myself a position that was not obvious to the pilgrims in the shot, who were then able to continue to do their devotions without being distracted by a foreigner pointing a camera in their face. The natural light from the candles created a beautiful glow on the face of the pilgrims. It was a matter of just watching and waiting for a ‘decisive moment’, when the head was lowered just a little and the liquid butter began pouring into the candle. I stayed in this position for five to ten minutes before getting the shot I was looking for.

Sometimes with travel photography, it is more just the object in the landscape that is the subject of the image. On occasions such as in the Drepung Monastery 3 & 4, the overall image is given a greater context and meaning when there is something additional to the subject, as in this case, a monk randomly walking through the scene, that suggests that the image is taken in a monastery. It’s always worth waiting around just that little bit longer to see what else happens, something that could just make the image a stronger piece of visual communication.

Drepung Monastery 3 & 4 Focal length 40 mm, 1/200 sec, f/11, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM Photographing the unusual is always a challenge for travel photographers, so seeing these two solar teapot heaters was a real find. What made the image work though was the arrival of monks which added the context of it being in a monastery.

In Sera Monastery 1, the eye wanders around the whole environment, finding all sorts of actions to focus on, but nothing specific. This is something that tends to happen when shooting with a mid-range lens and no strong foreground. This point of view doesn’t give you much of an environment, nor does it tell you anything specific. It sits you in a “no man’s land”, with no real statement either way. This is one reason why I like to shoot either wide or long, as both of these points of view are statements in themselves. In Sera Monastery 2, by changing my viewpoint to that of a long telephoto lens, I’m able to eliminate all the visual distractions and cut to the subject of the photograph, which is the debate between the two monks.

Sera Monastery 1 Focal length 70 mm, 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM Photographing monks debating was always a challenge, as even though there weren’t ropes around the debating area, you nonetheless knew that it was a no go area. Including the debating area at least gave reference to where they were (which is what wider-angle lenses do very well). This image was more a matter of timing – when everyone in the shot was active and engaged in one way or another.

Sera Monastery 2 Focal length 255 mm, 1/320 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM + 1.4xIII This second shot of the debating is much more specific, and even though I didn’t have a lens longer than 200 mm, I had a 1.4 tele converter with me, which managed to do the trick of getting me in close and to focus on the debating action. f/6.3 was just deep enough to keep both the hand and the other monks face sharp.

...Travel Photography — The “Decisive moment” Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

Gyantse Tea House 1 & 2. I always try to include our guides in some of my travel shots, as they are a very real part of the experience. It’s the same for me when I’m travelling with anyone. I always photograph them as a part of my story, as the reality is that I’m not alone in the wilderness, so why pretend? For me, they are a part of the story and need to be included for it to reflect what it was really like. The first shot is just an obvious portrait that lacks character and doesn’t indicate where we are. By staying with the shot a little longer, I have managed to introduce some action that adds to the overall character of this Tea House. In the first shot, the background is a little distracting, whereas in the second the background supports the environment and the action creates a decisive moment.

Gyantse Tea House 1 & 2 Focal length 24 mm, 1/50 sec, f/4, ISO 800 Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/4 IS USM I always make a point of photographing our guides whenever we hire one. The first shot is an obvious portrait that lacks character nor indicates where we are. By staying with the shot a little longer, I have managed to introduce some action that adds to the overall character of this Tea House. In the first shot, the background is a little distracting, whereas, in the second, the background supports the environment, and the action creates a decisive moment.

The photograph of the Forbidden City Guards shows a totally different technique that still has the mind’s eye of the street photographer looking for a decisive moment, but also incorporates a technique that is more often applied to landscapes in which things that move blur and those that don’t move remain sharp. This took several attempts to get right as there were so many variables involved. Even though I remained unnoticed by the main subjects (I thought), I was far enough away not to be obvious to most of the people in the frame and so was ignored. In summary, travel photography, in my mind, is a combination of many photographic styles, and often includes “street photography”.

Forbidden City Guards Focal length 200 mm, 1/6 sec, f/32, ISO 100, Circular polarizer, Tripod. Canon EOS 5D Mark III, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM What, street photography on a tripod! To get this shot looking the way it is, it was necessary to create a long exposure so that everyone moving blurred and those that didn’t remain sharp. By choosing the smallest aperture of f/32 and using a circular polarizer, I managed to get a shutter speed of 1/6 sec, which was slow enough to create some blur. It took several shots before I got one that worked. The critical factor in this was using a tripod to stop camera shake.

Showing the Bigger Picture Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

Before lockdown, two years ago, while in Japan photographing the snow monkeys with our Japan Autumn Workshop Tour, I realised that I had never seen a published photograph that showed what the place really looked like ̶ what it looked like when the monkeys weren't there, what it looked like when it wasn't cold enough for there to be steam. Neither had I ever seen a shot published that showed all the tourists there, photographing the monkeys. Even more than that; I had never seen a photograph of the local spa town, where it's best to stay when you go to photograph the snow monkeys. This article is about photographing a bigger story and asking you to think about what that can give you that you haven't achieved before. I call this The Bigger Picture.

The Japanese Snow Monkey Express Somehow, everyone just gets totally focused on the monkeys sitting in the steaming water of the mineral springs. They forget that all around, there are dozens, sometimes hundreds of other people, all photographing the same thing. All totally forgetting to show the bigger picture of the event. For most people the Snow Monkey experience starts in Tokyo, early in the morning, with a ninetyminute “shinkensen” trip to Nagano in the Japanese

Outside the Snow Monkey Park 1/320 sec, f4, ISO 320 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS II USM lens This is my establishing shot at the entrance to the Snow Monkey Park.

Alps. This is followed by a forty-minute train ride on the Snow Monkey Express to the alpine spa town of Yudanaka. (This train is a true classic, straight from the history of Japanese rail travel. It has something of an art deco look about it, with its sleek, streamlined front and popped-up top where the driver sits. It's worth getting on early; you can sit up front in the bubble and watch the driver climb up to his little cabin by way of a pull-down ladder.)

Empty Snow Monkey Park Pool 1/40 sec, f8, ISO 200 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 24-70mm f4L IS II USM lens This is what the Snow Monkey thermal pool can look like when the park first opens in the morning, with no steam, monkeys or tourists. This is also an establishing shot, as it shows the same environment without all the clutter and activity of both the monkeys and tourists.

From Yudanaka it's then a ten-minute bus ride, followed by a twenty-minute walk through a beautiful, dark green forest to the snow monkey park itself. Most tourists do this trip in the morning, photograph the monkeys around mid-day and then do the return trip to Tokyo in the afternoon. But, wait! There is a better way of doing it!

The First Arrival 1/320 sec, f3.2, ISO 100, Canon 5Ds body, Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II USM lens When you spend time in the one place you get to just wait and watch. Occasionally you find something quite special, like this little monkey in the pool, all by himself. I used a shallow depth of focus so that just the front of the pool where he positioned himself was in focus, and everything else was soft. This made him stand out from the background more distinctly. The medium telephoto lens allowed me to include the whole pool and gave a greater context.

Portrait 1 - 1/250 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens This shot was taken at the 360mm end of the lens and allowed me to focus on his face. The snow was just starting to settle on his fur and made for quite an interesting shot.

Portrait 2 - 1/160 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400 mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens A slightly wider shot, showing a little more of his environment. Also showed just how much snow was now falling. It was also getting darker, which meant having to slow my shutter speed down. With this increase of snow and darkness, the light also became bluer, and also made it look colder. If I had kept my white balance on AWB, all the shots would have looked the same and I wouldn't have been able to interpret the visual changes and how they felt as much.

Snow Catching 1/200 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens As the snow started to fall, the monkeys occasionally looked up at it in interest, as this was the first snow of the season. The 400mm lens helped me get in close. Fortunately, there wasn't too much snow falling between the lens and the monkey. As the snow became heavier it also started to get darker, which is why I took my ISO up to 1000. Unfortunately, my depth of focus wasn't deep enough to keep both the monkey's hand and his face in sharp focus. We can all make mistakes!

Alpha Male 1/200 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens Shot at 200mm, this allowed me to show that when he was in the pool, all the other monkeys left (otherwise he would chase them away). Again, the narrow depth of focus separated him from both the background as well as the snow falling in the foreground. As it was starting to get even darker, I had to take my shutter speed down even lower.

Family 1/500 sec, f6.3, ISO 800 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens As the snow lessened, it started to get brighter, but also colder. All the monkeys ended up sitting in the pool in family groups, which made for quite a different set of images.

Showing the Bigger Picture Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

Yudanaka The nearby town of Yudanaka is also a great place to experience and photograph. It has a history of over six hundred years as a spa town and is well worth spending a couple of nights’ lodging in traditional ryokans and soaking in the many hot spas. The evening sounds are dominated by the clatter of traditional wooden shoes on cobblestones and the sights are of Japanese tourists promenading in their traditional bathrobes, known as yukatas, down the old, narrow streets as they flit from spa house to spa house. Getting to the monkey park early is essential for good photography, which is also why it's a good idea to stay in Yudanaka the night before, and why we do it as part of our workshop.

Showing the Bigger Picture Mike Langford GM HF LMNZIPP GM FAIPP

Snow Monkey Park The park opens at 9.00 am in winter. It's good to be there when it first opens, as by 10.30 am the tour groups from Nagano and Tokyo start arriving. As does the sun ̶ both of which make photography just that much more difficult. It's also worth knowing that the monkeys aren't always at the park and, most of all, aren't always in the hot pools. The last time we visited, there were no monkeys in the pool when we first arrived, as the air temperature was quite warm. As soon as the temperature dropped, the pool was instantly full. About an hour later, when it started to snow, the place became a frenzy of tourists and photographers, all focused on the same thing ̶ the monkeys in the hot pool, with snow falling on them.

Like anything you photograph, it's always good to give yourself time. Time to just watch and wait. Time to learn that photography isn't just seeing something but more learning when is good and what is better. Only time can offer you this. You need time to ask yourself if the event is just about the snow monkeys in the pool or is it also about the people photographing the monkeys in the pool. Each has its own story and both are equally valid. Strangely, we so often find ourselves photographing just the icons ̶ and forgetting the bigger picture of what it was really like to be there. The first time I showed someone the wider shot that included all the tourists around the outside, they were disappointed that it was really like that, as they had in their mind this feeling of utopia, of almost

Monkey Park Tourists 1/30 sec, f8, ISO 100, Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 24-105mm f4 L IS II USM lens Due to a rapid drop in air temperature, steam started to slowly rise from the pool, and then snow started to fall. This caused the monkeys to jump into the pool to keep warm. As the action in the pool started to increase, more and more tourists began both to arrive and stay. It became just as busy outside the pool as it was inside. This image is a larger and different picture, one you seldom see, because it can change the ethos of all the other images you have just made. It shows that you are not there all alone, in harmony with the monkeys, at one and meditating with nature with your camera, as previously suggested.

Monkey Park Tourists 2 1/200 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000, Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens A closer look at the tourists who are also there when the conditions are great!

being alone in this space with the monkeys, as that is what the iconic photograph looks like. The bigger picture can often tell quite a different story to the one that you may have had formulated in your mind before you get there. Surprise yourself and try it sometime! Think outside the square and look at the bigger picture.

the monkey park, looks like from the outside. Follow this with a shot of just the thermal pool which, if you are early enough, is more than likely devoid of monkeys as well as steam. As things change, also change how you shoot, so that your story keeps developing visually. Shoot some action, make a monkey portrait, make a monkey family portrait. Show some character. Shoot some cutaway details.

What you have available to you, in every photographic experience, is more a series of photographs (a photo essay), more than just a single iconic hero picture.

Then mix them all together and tell a story about the place, not being afraid to show the reality of it, including all the tourists who were on the same tour as yourself.

This essay can start with how you got there, where you stayed, followed by what you did, ate and drank. (Then again, maybe some things should stay untold, and definitely not photographed!)

If you think of your travel photography in this way, when you return home and share all your images, you can tell an actual story and show a bigger picture ̶ instead of dozens of similar images because you can't decide which one is best.

If you wish to be more specific with your idea, perhaps just start with what the place, in this case

Long lenses 1 1/200 sec, f5.6, ISO 1000 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens The long lens group

Long Lens 2 1/250 sec, f6.3, ISO 1000 Canon 5D Mark IV body, Canon EF 100-400mm f5.6 L IS II USM lens The long lens group

All you need is some luck, the right weather and time to sit and wait for the right moment. That's what we do on our photography tours — join us some time! 29

Mike Langford is a New Zealand born landscape and travel photographer. He has been a professional photographer for over 38 years and an International Awards judge and lecturer for 28 years. Mike’s passion is travel and landscape photography, along with publishing with over 28 photography books to his name. He is a Grand Master and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and a Grand Master and Honorary Fellow of he New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP). He is also a Canon Master and EIZO Ambassador. He and his wife Jackie Ranken, also a photographic artist, live in a small alpine town in the middle of the South Island of New Zealand named Twizel, from where they run their Creative Photography workshops.

Barkhor Street 2

Approaches to Travel Photography: Examples from Angkor, Cambodia Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

Objectives This article provides tips on approaching travel photography in a "must-see" or "bucket list" location like Angkor in Cambodia. Although all global travel photographic locations are unique, the approaches outlined here apply to many popular destinations. Photographing Angkor is an ongoing project, from which I am still learning as I seek to improve my images and define a photographic style. The accompanying photographs are part of a monochrome travel photography collection. Photoshop post-processing is an essential component in my image workflow, using digital dodging and burning techniques and luminosity masks. Angkor can be a challenging place to photograph, especially for first-time visitors. The main reason is that the area overwhelms; it is a visual overload of the senses. Angkor also covers a very large area. It is all too easy to snap away, collecting thousands of random photographs – I know because this is what I initially did. The result is frustration and disappointment. Attempting to simplify and minimise travel photography is a challenge. Combined with the physical challenges of tropical heat, energysapping humidity and tourist crowds, it's a recipe for potential failure. The key to ultimate success in travel photography is always to slow down, relax, absorb the place, and enjoy yourself. Planning and organisation are also essential. Easier said than done, perhaps.

What is Angkor? Angkor is more than Angkor Wat temple. In the Khmer language, Angkor means "city". It is a complex of hundreds of temples built over many centuries. In addition to the temple ruins, there are vast waterways, reservoirs, and irrigation systems. National Geographic once described Angkor as a hydraulic city. Angkor, in turn, is part of a much broader ancient Khmer civilisation and empire which extended across present-day northern Cambodia, overlapping into Thailand and Laos. Today, ruined temples still form a focal point of Khmer culture, usually away from the main tourist drags. Prasat Preah Vihear Far from the maddening crowds, this impressive temple is located on the Cambodia-Thailand border and takes some effort and planning to reach. The storm clouds above the temple add to the feel and mood of the scene. After taking this photograph (using a tripod), I was drenched by monsoon rain. Adverse weather can be your friend in travel photography, even if it means a soaking. Although Prasat Preah Vihear is officially within Cambodia, there is still an ongoing ownership dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. The international boundary cuts across the temple's front steps, and Thai and Cambodian soldiers occasionally exchange fire. It is a safe place to visit (most of the time), a UNESCO world heritage site worth extra time and effort.

Prasat Bayon Prasat Bayon is the second most popular location in Angkor (after Angkor Wat temple) and features enigmatic smiling Buddha faces carved into the tower walls. This photograph was taken in the evening, just before temple closing time. A monsoon rainstorm helped clear away the crowds. For fifteen minutes, I had the temple virtually to myself and enjoyed the luxury of using a tripod to make this careful composition.

... Examples from Angkor, Cambodia Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

Angkor photography inspirations Before setting off on any travel photography trip, it is worth seeking inspiration from other photographers' work. In the case of Angkor, two photographers inspire and influence me. Firstly, Steve McCurry's Angkor photographs, compelling images from the early 1990s, seen at www.stevemccurry.com McCurry's style is artistic photojournalism featuring glimpses of Khmer life. There is always a human-interest element in his photographs, captured in vibrant Kodachrome colours. Another photographer who captures the essence of Angkor is fine-art photographer John McDermott. John takes photographs on medium and large format infrared and black and white analogue film. His iconic, handcrafted prints sell globally for a premium – deservedly so, as they are masterworks of art. I highly recommend a visit to John McDermott's gallery when in Siem Reap. McDermott's work is online at https://asiaphotos.net In addition, there is his tome of a book available from online retailers, Elegy: Reflections on Angkor. Two entirely different photographers with contrasting styles, but they both have something in common. McCurry and McDermott captured their images over a considerable time before budget air travel and mass group tourism descended on Angkor. Before smartphones and selfies. When Cambodia emerged from a brutal civil war – formally ending in 1979 with the Vietnamese overthrow of the Khmer Rouge but continuing as deadly skirmishes until 1997.

Strangler Fig Tree at Ta Promh Ta Promh is famous for the jungle overgrowth of the towers and ramparts, contributing to the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider feel of the place. The strangler fig trees will eventually take over the temples (if left alone), and the massive roots will ultimately cause the buildings to collapse. The trees provide sanctuary to ecosystems of birds and bats whilst adding romance to the place. For this image, I used a tripod to compose and had to wait a considerable time before tourists cleared out of view. Patience is a virtue in travel photography.

Compared to today, Angkor was quieter and more rustic in the 1990s. Regardless, the images of McCurry and McDermott still inspire.

Mother and Daughter In this photograph, the mother and daughter are at ease while sitting at the entrance of their wooden house. I spent some time with the family, sharing food and chatting before taking my camera out of the bag. By this time, the subjects were used to me. There is a warmth to the scene as the mother holds her girl while gazing contentedly into the distance. The girl is looking straight at me with her beautiful smile. Such a scene would be impossible if I had walked up to them cold and pointed a lens into their faces – especially as a foreigner.

Khmer Spirit My feeling from this Khmer lady is that her spirit has been around for a long time, perhaps for as long as the temples of Angkor. Poetic licence, maybe, but there is another worldliness to her. At the time, I was sitting close-up (in her home). She was talking to me nonstop about her village. She didn’t seem to care about me taking photographs; she was too busy telling me her tales and was deep in her memories. Although we are in a relatively dark wooden house, there is enough sidelight on her face coming from the open entrance to make the scene happen.

... Examples from Angkor, Cambodia Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

Placing boundaries on your photography On a first visit, you naturally want to visit all the main sites. Try putting boundaries on your photography – shoot a particular type of photography. As discussed, John Mc Dermott shoots mainly infrared and black and white film – this may not be appropriate all the time. Steve McCurry makes use of soft light, colour and human elements in his photography. Use a technique or style which suits the subject matter and place. In this way, you may end up with photographs different to those of the Instagram crowd.

Concentrate on stories or collections (not the single epic photograph) Of course, you want to capture that epic photo of a sunset or sunrise over Angkor Wat. However, building a collection of carefully curated travel photographs to make a book or portfolio can be more rewarding. Planning a story with a small group of relevant images may be the way to go. For me, maintaining a sense of place is essential. Possible suggestions include: • Constructing a collection of images in monochrome or another creative style. • A photo story about village life. • Buddhist life and culture. • For the documentary type travel photographer: there are still many relics of the Khmer Rouge civil war and some ageing survivors (both victims and former antagonists) with stories to tell. Overdone perhaps, but always fascinating. • Or, simply, it could just be the story of your family enjoying and experiencing a new travel destination.

Getting to know a place • Even if only on a three-day visit, make a note of favourite locations and try to return. • Khmer people are very active around dawn but tend to hide away, taking long siestas during the heat of the day. • Research the destination and try to focus on fewer locations to obtain higher quality images. • Alternatively, plan to stay longer and get to know the place and people.

Time of Day Try to avoid peak crowds; it leads to frustration. Some of the accompanying photographs and captions explain how I found quiet times at popular locations. • Notably, near eating times, tourist crowds are eager to return to hotels and restaurants. • Especially near temple closing times around 6 pm, most people have departed. • Bad weather is the travel photographer's friend. A late afternoon monsoon rainstorm can quickly clear crowds. Angkor temples are resplendent after rain, with vibrant foliage, lichens and moss lining the temple walls.

Kbal Spean An example of a detail shot from Angkor. Accessing this location involves a one hour, hot and sweaty trek up a forested hill, before reaching the clear flowing waters of Kbal Spean. A Hindu holy place: there are ancient, intricate deity carvings in the sandstone riverbed and waterfalls. In Angkor times, the site was used for bathing solely by women.

Hidden Sanctuary A remote Angkor temple, like Ta Promh, without the crowds. Strangler fig roots have overtaken the tower, and the entrance framed by the roots is the composition. I feel the entry needs a figure or human-interest element to complete it. In the absence of a rent-a-monk to place in the doorway, I used my wife. She doesn’t look out of place, being Asian, and her legs appear to intertwine with the tree roots.

... Examples from Angkor, Cambodia Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

Shoot detail when in crowds Angkor contains many overlooked details – beautiful and intricate Apsara (Khmer female dancers), carvings on walls and detail in water reflections. Small telephoto lenses are excellent for isolating detail above the crowds, such as the Buddha faces in the Bayon temple. Detail shots help build a story of the place and your journey.

Go off the beaten track • The prominent three temples (Angkor Wat, The Bayon and Ta Promh) are now a temple "Disneyland" for tourists. Don't expect your only company to be charming monks and lotus flower pickers, as in Steve McCurry's romantic images from the 1990s. • Much of the joy of travel photography is about meeting and interacting with local people, absorbing the culture, eating different cuisine, and learning about the country or place. Cambodia is no different. • In parts of Cambodia, there are opportunities to stay in village homes. Staying with the locals is a great way to do travel photography and interact with people.

People: let your subjects relax • Khmer people are warm, friendly, and welcoming. Don't be surprised by invitation to enter their homes or an offer of food or snacks. Never refuse these offers, always eat something. It is part of Khmer Buddhist culture. • The accompanying photographs – “Khmer Spirit" and "Mother and Daughter" ̶ are from a village in the Phnom Kulen hills. The family is relaxed because we spent an hour with them, sharing food, chatting, and joking around with the kids. After a while, they became used to me and taking a few close-up photographs was not an issue.

Further opportunities Across Cambodia, there are many new sites worth visiting, once inaccessible due to the proliferation of landmines. The areas are now declared safe, and some are UNESCO world heritage sites.

Sambor Prei Kuk A remote Angkor location set in beautiful forests and relatively unknown by foreign visitors, at least for now. There are dozens of small overgrown temple ruins constructed from red laterite bricks. The temples pre-date Angkor Wat by several centuries and are the oldest of the Angkor temples. I like the simplicity of this travel landscape image — the arching tree and roots plus some echoing of cloud patterns in the sky. Sambor Prei Kuk has recently been declared a new UNESCO world heritage site.

Gallery - Get Inspired! Observing the work of recognized artists or your favorite photographers, helps you visualize where you are and where you want ot be. What is it about these images that makes you stop and admire the art of photography? How can you study and practice what they do to improve your photography and find your own expression?

Namibia. Deadvlei by Richard Bernabe

China. Dunhuang by Brendan van Son

Richard Bernabe is an Internationally renowned landscape, wildlife, and travel photographer and author. Contributing Editor, Popular Photography Magazine

Brendan is a travel photographer from Alberta, Canada. Brendan is always aiming to create a nice variety to his images of nature, cities, and people which best describes the destination of the day.

www.RichardBernabe.com

www.BrendansAdventures.com

Vietnam. Nha Trang by Nicole S. Young

Myanmar. Bagan by Colby Brown

Nicole is a food, landscape, and travel photographer living in Portland, Oregon. Nicole writes books and creates educational content for her website, contributes articles about photography and post-processing to Photofocus.com.

Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Denver, CO. He specializes in landscape, travel and humanitarian photography, as his portfolio spans the four corners of the globe.

www.Nicolesy.com

www.ColbyBrownPhotography.com

INSPIRATIONAL TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS Images and content: Source

Morocco, Fes, Chouara Tanneries by Ugo Cei

Japan. Tokyo. Nakameguro by Mark Esguerra

Ugo Cei is a fine-art travel and landscape photographer from Italy. He is also passionate about sharing his knowledge, so you can find him contributing articles and tutorials on several websites, starting with his own blog.

Mark Esguerra is a travel photographer and blogger. www.instagram.com/themarke/?hl=en

www.ucphoto.me

www.themarkeworld.com

New Zealand. Milford Sound by Karen Hutton

USA. Chicago by Manuel Becker

"Photography is why I breathe, baby. That’s lifelong, undying love and passion. It’s all about: Connection. Inspiration. Story. Humor. And Beauty...I love photographers because they wear their heart on their sleeve and it lives in their work."

Manuel Becker is a professional city- and landscape photographer and the founder of Locationscout, a platform for discovering and sharing amazing places for photographers. He is living in Germany near Cologne in the beautiful Rhineland.

www.KarenHutton.com

www.locationscout.net

Gallery - Get Inspired!

Photographer: Stefano Pensotti, Images and content : Source "Captured across three continents, professional Italian photographer Stefano Pensotti took home the TPOTY 2018 top prize with a selection of eight photographs that showcased the lives of ordinary people and their immediate surroundings. Demonstrating an impressive and mature scope, Pensotti’s photographs feature the dreadlocked and vibrantly adorned Senegalese Muslim sect known as Baye Fall; farmers from the lush meadows of the Ushguli, a picturesque hillside community in Georgia; the sun-drenched people of Timbuktu overlooking the ports of Kabara; and the frequent visitors to Budapest’s iconic Széchenyi Baths. Insightful and engaging, the TPOTY’s judging panel considered Pensotti’s work to provide a keenly genuine observational look into the many divergent communities around the world, while also reflecting the potential of contemporary travel photography." www.stefanopensotti.com

INSPIRATIONAL TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS.

Kibish, Ethiopia. By Danny Yen Sin Wong ”A boy stands among the copper bracelets worn by the Suri women.” (Photo: Source, Content: Source)

We want you to join us... Off the Beaten Track Moira Blincoe LPSNZ

PSNZ National Convention Update Here’s a brief update on progress for the 69th PSNZ National Convention scheduled for Rotorua, April 7 – 10, 2022. As members can imagine planning any event in this current, precarious climate is fraught with angst and a little frustration just for good measure. However, rest assured the organising committee is doing their utmost to complete the final programme details so the website can be launched later this month. Registrations will open in early February 2022 with the following registration fee structure available:

PSNZ members – full registration including CR Kennedy Honours Banquet PSNZ members – full registration without CR Kennedy Honours Banquet Affiliated Club members and NZIPP members – full registration incl. banquet Affiliated Club members and NZIPP members without banquet Non-member, full registration incl. CR Kennedy Honours Banquet Non-member, full registration without CR Kennedy banquet CR Kennedy Honours Banquet only

$ 420.00 $ 350.00 $ 470.00 $ 400.00 $ 520.00 $ 450.00 $ 105.00

As highlighted in the October issue of CameraTalk, the keynote speakers include award winning photographers specialising in a range of genres including: Graeme Murray — adventure sports; Simon Runting — nature and birds; Birgit Krippner — documentary and low light, Pete Rees — landscape photography, and travel photographer Tracey Scott FPSNZ NZIPP Master Dist.4 AFIAP The traditional "workshop" experiences as we have known them at previous national conventions will be replaced by more of a seminar style presentation which won’t include "hands-on" photography for delegates. These will be pure learning where you will increase your knowledge and understanding of the genre or topic, or it will be a pre-requisite for a field trip.

Mil Bay Reef Heron

Six seminars take place on Friday morning, April 8th, and include glamour portraiture with Michelle Cutelli; conceptual portrait photography (part I) with Tracey Scott; nature and bird photography with Simon Runting; focus stacking for floral art with Annette Johnstone; Photoshop layers, masks and blends with Charlotte Johnson and Licentiate Honour walk with Bruce Girdwood FPSNZ. A further six seminars will be presented on the Friday afternoon and will cover: fine art printing with Brett Fordyce; IT solutions and protecting your photography with Mark Smith; conceptual portrait photography (part II) with Tracey Scott and advanced Photoshop to achieve the "painterly" look with Charlotte Johnson; preparing yourself for bugs and fungi with Bryce McQuillan – this is a prerequisite for the bug walk; and lastly the Association and Fellowship Honours walk with Bruce Girdwood.

A highlight of any convention is the CR Kennedy Honours Banquet which will be held on Saturday, April 10th, in the ballroom at the Novotel Hotel. The organising committee values the assistance given by members of the Rotorua Camera Club and without volunteers stepping forward to assist during the four-day event, we couldn’t offer as much as what will be available. If you are wanting to take advantage of the many activities available in the region and plan to arrive early, or stay later after the convention, we have included links and information on the website. Rotorua offers an abundance of leisure activities including hiking, mountain biking, golf, white water rafting and much more. All you must do is book and explore!

Naturally there are field trips planned for the Saturday afternoon, off-site in and around Rotorua, and we will bring you more information on these very soon. Full descriptions will be available on the website which will be live by the end of December.

Photo by Pixabay

Photo by Pixabay 45

Convention Speaker Profile – Peter Rees Moira Blincoe LPSNZ

Peter (Pete) is a professional fine art and commercial painter and photographer, based on the beautiful Waiheke Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. We’re delighted that Pete accepted our invitation to join the line-up of talented photographers presenting at Off the Beaten Track in Rotorua next year. Many members will have already crossed paths with Pete as he has hosted numerous workshops on Waiheke, as well as down south. He has also hosted a few international workshops, most recently in Japan (before COVID)! In his keynote address at the national convention, Pete will talk about The Language of Picture Making. “The selection procedure that informs and enables photography underpins every aspect of my interest in the visual language of picture-making. The influence and understanding of this language is more relevant now than at any point in history” said Peter. He will also host one of the field trips, focusing on water in the landscape. After many years of running his gallery and teaching fine art painting and photography, Pete now concentrates on producing and exhibiting his own work. From 1987 to 2007 he worked as a professional artist and photographer, based in the United Kingdom. In 2007 he moved to New Zealand with his wife, Elaine, and for three years lived aboard their sailboat, Albacore. Finally, they moved to Waiheke Island in 2010 where they now live with their young daughter Eva. Throughout his career, Pete has been actively involved in art and photography, from leading departments within the educational environment to running international photography courses and supplying artwork to prestigious galleries. This has included drawing, printmaking, painting and, of course, photography.

Outrigger canoes by Kate Beauchamp

Lounging in the Desert by Marie Bilodeau

Pottery Vendor in Essaouira Morocco by Liz Hardley FPSNZ EFIAP/b PPSA LRPS

China Roy Cernohorsky

Audio-Visual News Trish McAuslan APSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS AV Co-ordinator for PSNZ mcauslansav@gmail.com

Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy Competition A big thank you to everyone involved in this competition. Because of COVID restrictions, we had to organise remote judging. This was the first time for us in New Zealand, although several overseas competitions have been organised this way over the last two years. A special thanks to Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP and her team from Hibiscus Coast Camera Club for organising a Zoom meeting as part of the judging process. If anyone is thinking about sharing AVs at a Zoom meeting, please check it out first. You will need someone like Kyle Donegan who has the technical know-how! Without it, the music drops out and the playback is rough as the images try to keep up. Thank you very much Kyle for your efforts. Thanks also to Paul Conroy, the Hibiscus Coast President, who set up a breakout room for the judges to use. This allowed everyone, including the judges, to meet together to watch the AVs. The judges then went to a private area where they could discuss the AVs and decide on the results. This year the judges were Alistair McAuslan AVAAPS APSNZ, Bob McCree FPSNZ and Sheryl Williams APSNZ. For the first round of the judging process, each judge received copies of the AVs to watch and judge on their own computers. Because there weren’t the time constraints that occur in a judges meeting, they were able to play each AV as many times as they wanted to. I know that some of the AVs were played at least five times as the judges checked on some aspects of the programmes. A big thank you to the judges who worked hard to be fair to all the entrants and their AVs. For Round 2 judging, the judges came together at a Zoom meeting and were able to see the AVs again before making final decisions after considerable discussion. Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to those who were successful.

The winner of the Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy and the gold medal was Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP with her programme, I am the Power of the Sea. This AV also won the Music, Poetry and Song category.

Liz Hardley FPSNZ EFIAP/b PPSA LRPS receives a silver medal as winner of the Documentary category with Unfinished Business. Gail Stent FPSNZ receives a silver medal as winner of the Theme category with Library Point ̶ Past and Present.

Bronze Medals were awarded to Jocelyn Barrett PSNZ SM for The Stripper Lynette Vallely APSNZ for Emperor Gum Moth

"I am the power of the sea"

an Audio Visual by Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP 48

Merit Certificates were awarded to Kevin Chong for The Life of a Peony Flower John Hodgson EFIAP/b AV-AFIAP FAPS AV-FAPS ESFIAP Hon.FAPS for In the Wild Karen Lawton for Sojourn

Commended Certificates were awarded to Jocelyn Barrett PSNZ SM for AlleyCat Bruce Burgess FPSNZ for Regata Storica di Venezia Bruce Burgess FPSNZ for Madurodam, Netherland’s Smallest City Paul Glenton LPSNZ for Grit and Determination John Hodgson EFIAP/b AV-AFIAP FAPS AV-FAPS ESFIAP Hon.FAPS for Necropolis Leo Kwon for Lines of Upper Harbour Bridge

Gujarati village women (Varanasi,the city of ghats by the holy Ganges) by Lia Priemus

Heather O’Brien LPSNZ for Gannets Of Muriwai Gail Stent FPSNZ for Parts Make a Whole Lesley Trendall for Sussusvlei Lynette Vallely APSNZ for Waverley Beach Ilan Wittenberg FPSNZ FNZIPP for Lest We Forget I had promised to write about using Garageband but I will do that next year. Please contact me at mcauslanav@gmail.com if you would like information sooner. The PSNZ Council has passed a Bylaw relating to the use of music in AVs ̶ an important topic of which everyone should be aware.

49 Kratovo-North Macedonia, The town of stone bridges and towers by Chedomir Anastasovski

... Audio-Visual News A Question of Copyright In recent years I have tried to share some of the successful audio-visuals with members of the PSNZ Audio-Visual Facebook group. Some of the AVs have been successfully shared, but we have been prevented from seeing others due to copyright issues. These issues usually apply to the music, but they could also apply to sounds or third-party images. Just because you rephotographed an image, that does not make it your work, or copyright free. If you thought that you could download and use a music track in your AV because you had bought the CD it was copied from, you have it wrong. Perhaps thinking of it this way will help. If you have taken a photo that was included in New Zealand Camera, you have every right to be proud of your work. However, if someone, who bought New Zealand Camera, liked your photo so much that they copied it and used it in their own work, how might you feel about that? Some of you, I guess, may just feel flattered and move on. However, others may feel that they took the photo and it belonged to them so the person who copied it had no right to do that without obtaining permission. If you make a living from selling photos you are likely to feel even more strongly about someone copying your work and using it without paying anything. In the early years of audio-visuals, there was very limited availability of copyright-free or royalty-free music and what was available was often unsuitable. However, that has changed and there is an increasing number of sites that offer royalty-free music. With royalty-free music, you actually buy a licence to use that piece of music. Some of this music is reasonably priced but you will have to search it out. The company you purchase from will pay the owner of the copyright. It is not as straightforward as it looks, and it is important that you read the small print. In some cases owning the licence allows you to use the piece of music once, while in others you may use the music as frequently as you like and for as long as you like. You may find that the licence allows you to only use the piece of music in its entirety without making any changes, while other licences allow you to make as many changes as you like. The licence may require you 50

to add attribution (acknowledgement of the owner of the copyright) in a particular way. It is important you do this. I suggest you keep a record of the music you purchase a licence for and the details of what the licence allows you to do. It can be a hassle to find this information at a later date. There are also a few sites that offer “free music”, just asking you to attribute the music in some way. If you find a piece of music you really like, you may be able to contact the copyright holder and ask for permission to use that piece of music. If possible, do this in writing so you can provide the proof if required. Here are some of the sites that I have used: • incompetech.com - Both royalty-free music and creative commons music • www.pond5.com - Royalty-free music • www.purple-planet.com - Royalty-free music Another aspect of copyright relates to the copyright of your AV. Because our Jack Sprosen rules state that there must not be any information about who the author is on the AV, you cannot add copyright to your competition AV. However, I suggest that, if you are asked for permission to put your AV on a website, you add a page at the end which includes your copyright information. This should include the copyright symbol or the word copyright, your name, the first year the AV was shown and preferably a website or contact email address. Most international AV competitions, including the Tauranga AV Salon, allow you to include your name at the end of the programme and this should include the copyright information. After the last Tauranga AV Salon, I contacted 24 people who had received awards or merit certificates in this year’s salon. Twenty-three people gave permission for us to create a YouTube Channel to showcase their AVs. Visitors were specifically asked not to download any of the AVs; we created a Playlist of the AVs and they were available online for a month. This was done in an attempt to provide some protection for the AVs that were showcased. I hope to be able to do something similar with the successful JSMT AVs after they have been shown at the next PSNZ National Convention.

Club Liaison Jane Muller, PSNZ Councillor In the spirit of travel, and with us all embracing New Zealand travel enthusiastically, PSNZ is working on a new service to members. It’s called Good Photo Spots or GPS. It’s been in the pipeline for a while, but we’re starting it in earnest now. We’re aiming to provide a place, probably the Members Only page on the PSNZ website, where members hunt out ideas for good photo spots when they’re away from home, along with some useful photographic information about those spots. So, when you’ve suddenly got a half-day to yourself while you’re at a conference, or while you’re on holiday with your family and can sneak away for some photography time, or you’re just lucky enough to be able to plan a photography holiday ̶ you’ll be able to consult the website for some ideas. Soon we’ll be asking folk to tell us about the good photo spots in their own town, city or region, to help

us develop the resource. Over time we hope it will become increasingly useful as more information is added. The plan is not intended to cover those secret and special spots; they need to remain secret and special. We don’t want to run the risk of damaging them with too many visitors. It’s just for those spots that are well known to locals, but not necessarily well known to “out of towners”. For example: Te Mata Peak at sunrise in Hawkes Bay, Wingspan in Rotorua, or the Classic Car Museum in Nelson. I’ll send an email to all members soon and start gathering information. Thanks, and happy shooting. You can contact me at jem.psnz.org.nz or 021 0278 9286.

The Drum man by Dorothy Walker

Info Board Recently Approved PSNZ Judges News from Caroline Ludford LPSNZ, Chairperson, PSNZ Judge Accreditation Panel With great pleasure we announce that Troy Baker, Sheryl Williams APSNZ, Judy Alley LPSNZ, and Tony Gorham LPSNZ BPSA have been approved as PSNZ Judges in the “open” category. Troy can be contacted at troybakerphotos@outlook.com, Sheryl at sherylwilliams@xtra.co.nz , Judy at jkalley52@gmail.com and Tony at tony@polychromenz.com. Congratulations to all four.

Welcome to Our New PSNZ Members! Annie Jong Park Dale Clarke Dianne Rice Flo Blyde Helen Smith Kirsty Wilson

Komal Tilyard Paul Francis Peter Croft Perry Hoffman Robyn Sutherland Sean King

Oodnadatta track. Cycle touring Australian outback 2021. Scott Fowler FPSNZ GPSA EPSA EFIAP

PSNZ Workshop Series 2022 Workshop 1 – Forest Bird Photography at Bushy Park Tarapuruhi with Toya Heatley APSNZ AFIAP Bushy Park Tarapuruhi is situated just 20 minutes from Whanganui and is a predator-fenced forest sanctuary. In the sanctuary, you will find an abundance of birds, including hihi, tieke, toutouwai, kererū and tūī, to name a few. The forest is full of bird song, and it is easy to find and photograph the birds. There is also a small wetland area with a boardwalk where pūkeko and kingfishers (kōtare) are plentiful. The workshop will start on Friday evening at the Whanganui Camera Club rooms, with a presentation on photographing birds in low light situations without using flash. Toya will share tips and tricks that she has learned over many years of bird photography. She will go over camera settings and techniques, including shutter speeds, aperture, focus modes and much more. On Saturday, we will head out to Bushy Park Tarapurhi and spend the day putting what you have learned into practice. There are toilets at the park entrance, and most tracks are easy walking. There are a few steps on some of the tracks and some steep areas. While a long lens is useful for bird photography, this venue allows us to get closer to the birds. If your biggest lens is a 70-300mm zoom, you will still be able to capture the birds in this forest setting. Toya will be on hand to assist you throughout the shoot.

Kaikōura Workshop — A successful encounter Workshop leader Craig McKenzie wrote that the location for the second and final workshop was Kaikōura, where we could get out to sea with Albatross Encounter. Sadly, our numbers were slightly down because some from Auckland were unable to join us. However, this gave us all a little more room to move about on the “dolphin” boat which was slightly larger than the usual “albatross” boat. Perhaps that’s why the dolphins showed up on the way home. I enjoyed watching our members getting together and having fun, even though they might not have met each other before. Everyone was very considerate on the boat. At the final meal I started to wonder just how late the night was going to be, with everyone continuing to chat. At our previous workshops we have had a councillor as host as well as the presenter. This time I fulfilled both roles. One of the tasks of the host is to write this report. It feels strange for me to do it so I'll leave it to a few others who were there. Roger Wandless FPSNZ GM.NZIPP: The workshop began with a comprehensive, informative yet informal presentation from Craig. The following day we had a wonderful boat trip which was successful because it solely catered to photographers and had the added benefit of a visit from maybe twenty dolphins! Post-processing followed, along with lunch and an optional afternoon session. We met for a wrap up and a stunning meal. A good workshop provides a package, getting away from the routine, dedicated photography time, forging new relationships, learning a few new things and coming away with some pleasing images. I now want to spend more money on suitable lenses! Linley Earnshaw: The weather gods were kind to us for our recent PSNZ field trip to Kaikōura. After motoring for about ten minutes from the harbour we found ourselves in a different world, one that belongs to the pelagic birds who came, posed, flew and fought around the boat.

Dusky Dolphin, Christine Jacobson

We scurried around, clinging when the boat went side on to the swell. After capturing so many images, it has taken days to sort them all. To see these birds in their element is a truly exceptional and highly recommended experience. Christine Jacobson LPSNZ: Our workshop started with a fascinating illustrated talk by Craig, in which he explained his approach to wildlife photography. Particularly memorable were his descriptions of sliding himself, his tripod and camera across mudflats to get close to his subjects! Suitably inspired, we embarked upon our albatross encounter on Saturday morning. The weather was good, but the swell made for slightly uncomfortable wallowing while we endeavoured to capture all the birds attracted by the berley that had been dropped over the back of the boat. We had a wonderful bonus when dusky dolphins frolicked and treated us to acrobatic displays. Thanks to PSNZ and Craig for organising the workshop.

The stern, Craig McKenzie

Giant petrels, Linley Earnshaw

Salvin's albatross, Margaret Harris

Cape petrel, Christine Jacobson

Go the Gannets! Jane Muller Twenty-two of us gathered for an interesting talk from workshop organiser Craig McKenzie on Friday night, and again on Saturday morning for more specific information about Cape Kidnappers and the gannets. In the afternoon we headed overland in buses, bound for the gannet sanctuary. It was a gorgeous Hawke’s Bay day: lovely to be in but not so lovely for taking photos. The tour leaders gave us useful information on the way and stopped for us to take photos of the cliffs at a lookout overlooking the sea. Having arrived at the colony it’s only a three-metre, yes, three-metre, walk from the bus to the birds. With several good vantage spots, there was plenty of room for us all to stand or sit exactly where we wanted to, for as long as we wanted to. We had hoped to stay for the nice light at the end of the day but a combination of the bus drivers wanting to get home for their dinner, and our dinner waiting for us at the tapas bar, meant that we had to leave before the golden hour. Still, some amazing shots appeared on Facebook in the days after the workshop. As well as a great couple of days of photography it was such a pleasure to get to know some more PSNZ members, and we had a lot of fun together. Dinner at the tapas bar after the shoot was a happy, relaxed occasion and a great way to end the workshop. Thanks so much to Craig for his wealth of experience and his warm, relaxed teaching style.

Australasian Gannet - Craig McKenzie

Cape Kidnappers - Jane Muller

Whanganui Salon 2021 - Humanity and Earth John Smart APSNZ It was a great pleasure to present the results of the 2021 Salon at a recent Whanganui Camera Club meeting on 27 October. It was particularly poignant to announce the winner of the inaugural Vonnie Cave Medal ̶ to Alan Martin for his image, Escape over the Wire. Vonnie was an inspiration to the photography community in Whanganui and across New Zealand. Her passing earlier this year made the awarding of the first medal in her name even more special. This year the Salon continued to seek images that explore the relationship between Humanity and Earth through three categories: Humanity and the Natural World, The Works of Humankind, Living in a Changing World. We hope this gives the Whanganui Salon a point of distinction from other national salons. We saw steady growth over the 2019 Salon, finding a unique place in the New Zealand photography calendar. We would like to thank our judges Simon Woolf FPSNZ M.Photog., Tony Hewitt FAIPP G.M.Photog II Hon FAIPP FNZIPP and Judy Stokes APSNZ for their work in selecting a diverse set of images for awards. We have been generously supported by our sponsors, and we thank Progear Photographic, Wellington Photographic Supplies and Print Art. Most of all, thank you to the entrants and congratulations to the awardees for sharing your images and your interpretations of the many nuances in the relationship between humanity and the planet we live on.

OVERALL SALON AND VONNIE CAVE GOLD MEDAL WINNER (AND WINNER OF THE HUMANITY AND THE NATURAL WORLD CATEGORY) Humanity and the Natural World Category Runners Up

Alan Martin for Escape over the Wire

Janine Money for Clean Green NZ - the Reality Roger Smith for Urban Fox in the Centre of London Don Hadden FPSNZ for Wedge-tailed Eagle Road Kill

THE WORKS OF HUMANKIND CATEGORY WINNER

Eunice Belk LPSNZ for Toxic Salt Mountain in Germany

The Works of Humankind Category Runners Up

Rosemary Simpson LPSNZ for Bridging the Terrain Helen McLeod FPSNZ GPSA ARPS for Our Ocean's Foreign Bodies Margaret Irving APSNZ for Sugar Cane Pollution

LIVING IN A CHANGING WORLD CATEGORY WINNER

Jo Curtis APSNZ for Connecting

Living in a Changing World Category Runners Up

Lynette Vallely APSNZ for Have Satellite TV Noline Skeet for Left High and Dry John Boyd Hon FPSNZ Hon PSNZ APSNZ for Rubbish Roundup 57

... Whanganui Salon 2021 - Humanity and Earth

Escape over the Wire by Alan Martin

Clean Green NZ - The Reality by Janine Money

Wedge-tailed Eagle RoadKill by Don Hadden FPSNZ

Urban Fox in the Centre of London by Roger Smith

... Whanganui Salon 2021 - Humanity and Earth

Toxic Salt Mountain in Germany by Eunice Belk LPSNZ

Results

Bridging the Terrain by Rosemary Simpson LPSNZ

Our Ocean's Foreign Bodies by Helen McLeod FPSNZ GPSA ARPS

Sugar Cane Pollution by Margaret Irving APSNZ

... Whanganui Salon 2021 - Humanity and Earth

Connected by Jo Curtis APSNZ

Results

Have Satellite TV by Lynette Vallely APSNZ

Rubbish Roundup by John Boyd Hon FPSNZ Hon PSNZ APSNZ

Left High and Dry by Noline Skeet

PSNZ Canon Online - Results Round 5, 2021 Paul Willyams APSNZ AFIAP MNZIPP, Canon PSNZ Online Coordinator

The winner of this round of Canon Online is Allysa Carberry LPSNZ from Auckland with an intense, courageous and moving self-portrait. Comments from the judge The judge for this round was David Smith FPSNZ, who says, “It wasn’t until I received the 134 images submitted for this round of Canon Online that I realised this meant excluding 124 of them. I recalled Aliah Jan’s comment from the last round, that nailing it down to 10 is excruciatingly painful because there are often too many images deserving a spot right up there. How true.” I ask myself two main questions when assessing an image; how much impact has the story/concept for me, and does the execution augment or diminish the story? Inevitably, much of the process is subjective and I often find myself lingering over images as I "see" more in them. I have tried to balance the coverage to include "selected" (e.g. street), "arranged" (e.g. studio) and "imagined" (e.g. composited) images. I hope you enjoy my choices and commentaries. Like many people, I have taken snapshots throughout my life, but it was only in 2013 that I decided to take photography more seriously. Since then I have made a whole new group of helpful and supportive friends, gained FPSNZ honours, become a PSNZ accredited judge, assessed images for

many clubs, served on selection panels, put together several themed books of my photographs, held or participated in three exhibitions and been awarded trophies at national level. I sometimes wonder how it all happened… Comments from the winner “This image was my way of being in control of something at a time when I had no control over what was happening to me and my body. It was a way of saying goodbye to what was to happen and I also wanted something that could show the devastation to one’s body through breast cancer. It is a record for others to see. This is not me; I don’t recognise myself in this image, although… it is me!!! “I set up my camera on a tripod and used a trigger. A strobe on a low setting was high up and to the right of me, and I had black "poly" boards set up. As I wasn’t taking photos at the time, I was able to leave my set-up "as is" for the duration of my double mastectomy, so the images were all taken with exactly the same set-up. “This is not a glamour image. I am not a model. In fact, I look absolutely awful in these images, but this is real. Cancer is real.” You will find larger versions of the images on this link: photography.org.nz/canon-online-current-results

Awarded Photos

1st - Self Portraits During a Breast Cancer Journey Allysa Carberry LPSNZ Here a woman confronts the reality of a health crisis. I imagine her thinking about the practicalities of capturing the individual portraits while taking them but wonder what she thinks when away from these moments of distraction. How is she coming to terms with her own mortality; how has this affected her concept of self and her expectations of the life now more tenuously stretching before her. A confronting image for some but, for me, it embraces beautiful moments of enormous courage.

... PSNZ Canon Online. Awarded Photos.

2nd - Time After Time by Lia Priemus For me, this image is a poignant metaphor. The background implies dark memories, with the rose on the left hinting at past love. The woman's right-directed pose and the clock suggest that she is conscious of the passage of time and perhaps contemplating the future. She carries the consequences of the past on her back but they are not visible on her face.

3rd - Quietly Waiting for a Pulse by Paul Byrne FPSNZ ARPS The most thought-provoking and enjoyable street photography is about more than simple slice-of-life moments. In this image, the photographer evokes humour through the juxtaposition of the sign and the elderly couple. But, is the viewer being invited to laugh at the couple, or conspiring with the couple to tell a joke? 66

4th Unity Through the Eye of the Needle Olivia Matthews I see this as a particularly New Zealand metaphor that speaks to the issues of racial, inter-generational and socio-economic equity that simultaneously unite and divide the nation. The impact of the concept is greatly amplified by the simplicity of its presentation.

5th - Intelligent Sheep Graeme Skinner LPSNZ A clever and rather whimsical story that tickles my brain and reminds me of the Far Side cartoons that I enjoyed so much in earlier times.

...PSNZ Canon Online. Awarded Photos. 6th - Love is in the Air Marie Bilodeau LPSNZ I keep coming back to the seemingly preposterous attitude of the bird on the left as it appears to be chasing the bird on the right. The action sets this nature image apart from perhaps more polished but static behavioural studies.

7th - Wipeout Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP A spectacular sporting moment captured with split-second timing. In addition to the "wow" moment, this image speaks to me of the photographer’s situational awareness and great camera skills. The monochrome treatment strips away distractions from the powerful story.

8th - Light Reading Peter Boot LPSNZ For me, this is a new take on an oft-repeated still-life subject. What lifts this image above the ordinary is the subtle repetition with variation in the arrangement of pages and the pleasing complementary colours and tonal gradations.

9th - Ninja Fashionista Bryan Lay Yee I see an environmental portrait in which the photographer has captured much about who the subject is as a person. The monochrome treatment shifts the story from being about the man’s clothes to being about the strength of his character. It is this shift in emphasis that makes this image stand out for me.

10th - After the Quake Sue Henley I see, in this image, a restful early morning or late afternoon coastal scene with interesting rocky shapes, leading lines and pleasing tonal textures. The milkiness that is often a feature of slow shutter speed coastal photography is evident on the right but is not intrusive.

Enter online in the PSNZ members area! https://photography.org.nz/canon-online-submission/

GO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK... GROW AS A PHOTOGRAPHER

Learn by listening to Inspirational Speakers and talented photographers Learn from the Masters out in the field Conﬁrmed Keynote Speakers: Simon Runting Birgit Krippner Graeme Murray Tracey Scott Peter Rees

Conﬁrmed Workshops (to name a few): Sports Photography / Graeme Murray Nature and Bird Photography / Simon Runting Macro Photography and Bug Walk / Bryce McQuilan Fashion Photography / Michelle Cutelli Creative Portraiture / Tracey Scott Fungi Walk / Lee Ormsby and Shirley Kerr Astro Photography / Adrian Hodge and Mark Smith

Full details to be revealed on the convention website soon.

NOVOTEL ROTORUA LAKESIDE 07th - 10th April , 2022

PSNZ Membership Benefits • 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 club 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 our regular blog posts to stay up to date with the latest news on events, activities and special offers. • Product discounts and savings when they are offered from our corporate partners and associated companies. • Discounts for major NZIPP events as a PSNZ member.

HELPING PHOTOGRAPHERS GROW

CameraTalk December 2021

Articles inside

Kaikoura workshop 2021 — Review

Cape Kidnappers workshop 2021 — Review

Canon Online — Results

Speaker profile – Peter Rees

Workshop series 2022 update

Club liaison news

Gallery - Get inspired

Showing the bigger picture

An eye for the “Decisive moment”

Approaches to travel photography: Angkor

PSNZ Council meeting update

Key dates for the diary

Member showcase — Sheryl Williams APSNZ

80 Years: Southland Photographic Society

Special feature:Travel photography Intro