CameraTalk October_November 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

October / November 2021

In This Issue By Mark Chamberlain

PRESIDENT

Welcome to another bumper October 2021 issue of CameraTalk with a special feature on Landscape photography. In addition, we feature our regular bi-monthly articles on Society and club news, salons, members' letters, and an update on the 2022 Rotorua convention.

SECRETARY

We present the third of the three 2021 PSNZ Fellowship award winners showcasing the work of Kirsteen Redshaw FPSNZ. Kirsteen’s portfolio is a photographic shoot in a day, featuring gritty and emotive images with an urban vibe, turning to the dark side.

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

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 December 2021 Email your contributions to the Editor. 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:

Te Paki Dunes -Tom Wilkinson APSNZ

Our regular features include: • President’s article • Canon Online Round 4 wrap-up • Audio-visual (AV) news • Salon promotions • PSNZ business matters, and • Obituaries Former PSNZ President Moira Blincoe LPSNZ commences a new Q&A profile feature of selected PSNZ members. The Landscape photography feature includes contributions from some of PSNZ’s best landscape photographers together with a guest feature from Mike Langford, an NZIPP grandmaster. The articles cover some of the many genres of landscape photography. • A gallery of the 2021 Laurie Thomas Salon winning photographs • Astrophotography • Chocolate box landscape photography • Creative landscape photography • Minimalist landscape photography • Monochrome landscape photography Addendum: In the previous August / September edition of CameraTalk, we featured an article on “Titiri Matangi: A Visitor’s Illustrated Guide” by Martin Sanders LPSNZ. This article was on page 36, in the special feature on Wildlife and Nature. The website link to the online sales of the book project was subsequently changed since the September publication of CameraTalk. If interested in purchasing Martin’s book, the new online sales link is https://www. tiritirimatangi.org.nz/product-category/books/

Content Key Dates for the Diary

Introducing our newest council members

Member Showcase - John Miles LRPS

Landscape photography intro

Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon 2021

Chocolate Box Photographs

Getting Started in Astrophotography

Monochrome Landscapes

Minimalist Landscape Photography

Creative Landscapes

Evaluating Photographs - Book

Audio-Visual News

Off the Beaten Track

Nelson National Triptych Salon 2021

Trenna Packer Salver Nature Salon 2021

My journey to a Fellowship

Remembering: John Von Pein

PSNZ Canon Online – Results

PSNZ Council creates a new portfolio

New PSNZ members

A Note from the President There is a saying that the only thing certain is uncertainty. That has never been truer over the last eighteen months as we have been living with the effects of COVID-19. Its reappearance in late August caused disruptions right around the country, including several PSNZ events. As I write this piece, we should have been gathering in Taupō for the North Island regional convention, which we were forced to cancel. While we made that decision very early, it has proved to be the correct one, given that the venue could not accommodate the number we had registered at level 2. In addition, a significant number of members living in Auckland or further north would not have been able to attend. I understand that a few people decided to still travel to Taupō and I hope they enjoyed their holiday there.

... A Note from the President On behalf of Council I extend our thanks to Rachel Hume LPSNZ and Rosalie Adlam from the Taupō Camera Club for the work that they had put in over three years trying to get this event to happen. To have it cancelled for a second time must have been really hard to take. Our thanks also go to Annette Johnson FPSNZ and the team at Tauranga Photographic Society who continued to run the North Island Regional Salon through the disruption. While it was a pity that we could not see the prints in person at least the salon could operate. The catalogue can be found on the PSNZ website at https://photography.org.nz/northisland-regional-salon/. AVs of the print and digital sections are linked on the last page of the booklet. Sadly the uncertainty of the lockdown forced us to cancel the Landscape workshop with Meghan Maloney at the end of October. The two bird photography workshops held at Cape Kidnappers and Kaikōura respectively were held successfully. As mentioned previously we now have a full Council and you can read all about them on page 7. Zoom training sessions have been held and we're looking forward to a full Council meeting in November. That meeting will focus on the year ahead. There has never been a time when such a large change has occurred at once, and it will take a little time for people to come up to speed in their positions. I see this as a great opportunity as we have the manpower to work on new activities for the organisation as well as continuing with our current ones.

The second President's Zoom session open to all members was held on 24 September. Only a small number of people attended, but despite that, the discussion was very good. I apologise that Zoom glitched right at the start, resulting in several people not getting in. The sessions are intended to give members an opportunity to provide feedback to the council, and are an opportunity to meet each other. More sessions are planned and these will be advertised. Finally, a big thank you to Robyn Carter LPSNZ for taking the lead and running the lockdown challenge on the Facebook group. The challenge ran for the full 30 days that Auckland was in Level 4. It was a great way to connect with members through this time with a lot of fun in the process. It was not a competition but, had it been, then Bob Scott LPSNZ would easily have been the winner. He combined wine into all 30 images submitted, which was no small feat given how diverse the topics were.

Paul Whitham LPSNZ President

Key Dates for the Diary October 8

Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy opens

October 25

Canon Online Competition Round 5 closes

November 5

Jack Sprosen closes

December 1

Entries for National Interclub Competitions open

January 16

Submissions for 2022 PSNZ Honours open

February 6

Registration for national convention open

February 28

Submissions for 2022 PSNZ Honours close

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

LEARN MORE AT SONY.CO.NZ/CAMERAS

Introducing our Newest Council Members Treasurer Maartje Morton Maartje’s combined professional qualifications and teaching experience will allow her to fill the role of Treasurer admirably. She will work closely with the newly appointed Bookkeeper, Carmelita Phillips who looks after the day-to-day processing. Maartje’s teaching career spanned over 30 years, with 16 of those as a Deputy Principal at a local secondary girls’ college. Her main teaching subjects were Accounting, Economics and ESOL. In addition to teaching, Maartje is well versed in people management, administration, and preparation of accounts and financial reports. She has previously served as Treasurer for several other organisations. She lives on a lifestyle block with her daughter, grandson and a large variety of animals. With a large garden to tend as well as indulging in her photography, Maartje says her life “is pretty full.” As an active member of the Whanganui Camera Club, Maartje also serves as the Club Secretary. Her other hobbies include bridge, reading and genealogy, and she now wonders how on earth she managed to fit in a full-time job.

Councillor for Communications Sue Wilkins LPSNZ Sue is a relatively new PSNZ member, having joined in 2019, and she is a member of the Clutha Camera Club. Sue was thrilled to receive her Licentiate at the 2021 CR Kennedy Honours Banquet.

Sue works full time as the Communications Coordinator for the Clutha District Council and as the “sole charge” of the office that translates as “doing everything”, making her the perfect candidate to take on the PSNZ communications role. She has a long history of publishing and communications work in central and local government and NGOs, producing brochures and other marketing material, handling social media and website content. Her photographic interests are broad. For her work requirements, Sue specialises in photographing bridges, diggers, roads, and rubbish bins! In her personal work, she photographs anything that catches her eye and has an ongoing interest in mastering new techniques. She is slowly creating a series of “tortured teddy bear” photographs featuring a child’s toy abandoned, forgotten, dropped etc. Sue completed the Diploma in Digital Photography with the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) in 2018.

Councillor for Partnerships Aston Moss LPSNZ Aston’s professional career in a human resources based in Auckland makes him the perfect Councillor to continue the Society’s excellent relationship with our trade partners. His career has seen him work across many sectors, including retail, hospitality and entertainment. He is currently the General Manager of HR for a medium-sized publicly listed retail company ̶ with no conflict with photographic equipment! He has a strong understanding of governance and is currently on the Auckland Justice of the 7

...Introducing our Newest Council Members Peace Association (AJPA) Council. He also serves as a Ministerial Trainer for the AJPA, partly due to his knowledge of adult education. Initially focussing on capturing images of his children as they grew up, Aston formed a particular appreciation for sports photography and black and white images. Joining the now-defunct Eden Roskill Camera Club was a pivotal point for his photography, acquiring new skills and knowledge from a wide range of talented photographers, along with the bonus of the encouragement and motivation that comes from being part of a camera club. This led Aston to study and gain a Diploma in Digital Photography from SIT and he successfully submitted a portfolio to achieve his Licentiate Honours award in 2020. Aston’s current fascinations are architecture, astrophotography and a developing skillset in landscapes. He juggles many other hats, including full-time work, family, study and other community activities. Aston is looking forward to playing a role on Council and contributing his skills and knowledge to support the Society.

Councillor for Membership Simon Forsyth Simon has been a member of the Society for 15 years or more – he can’t quite remember, but along with his professional photography career, it spans many years. He is a past President and Life Member of the Kapiti Coast Camera Club. He is also a PSNZ accredited judge and a current mentor to a few members. He first became interested in photography around 12 years of age when he joined his school camera club to learn more. He gained his Diploma in 8

Photography in 1988 and operated his professional photography studio for 20 years until 2010. Simon says he has very good technical knowledge of most things photographic and has run various portrait and other workshops through the years. However, he says that even after 50 years in photography, he’s still learning because of the changes in the process but is ‘just as keen as I was way back when.’ Simon’s role as Councillor for Membership will see him working closely with the database coordinators, being the first port of call for all members and looking at ways to develop new online benefits.

Councillor for Publications Richard Laing This portfolio will see Richard taking a strategic overview of our two key publications, NZ CameraTalk and NZ Camera, and working with the off-council teams that produce both. Richard has over 30 years of experience in software engineering, both in technical and management roles. In 2007 Richard joined the Kaiapoi Photographic Club. He is a current committee member, previously being club President and competition secretary (not together). Over the years, Richard has presented various topics at the club, from portrait and lighting to landscapes and Photoshop. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and encouraging others to improve their skills and find their own voice.

A native of Scotland, Richard’s delightful accent will be a voice of distinction on Council and definitely make him be heard!

Councillor for the Workshop Series Karen Moffat-McLeod A resident of Whitianga on the Coromandel coast, Karen has extensive experience in governance through various board positions. She says she has a strong understanding of the “commitment required and the obligations to an organisation’s members and key stakeholders.” As the Councillor for the successful Workshop Series, Karen will work closely with the current committee of Nicole Tai, Jayne Francis and Neville Harlick to develop and implement future workshops. Her background in administration and event organisation will complement this portfolio. Karen’s passion for photography began in her college days when her Art teacher was an avid photographer. She progressed from photography as a hobby to taking it more seriously. In 2017, Karen set up her own company and specialises in creative portraiture but maintains an interest in landscape and nature. As well as photography, Karen has been involved in sports for many years, having been a competitive archer and holding governance roles within the sport. She now contracts to Diving NZ & Artistic Swimming NZ as administrator for both organisations. In her spare time, Karen loves to fish, and we often see her boasting super-sized snapper on her Facebook page ̶ large enough to feed the whole Council!

Councillor for Development Brian Rowe LPSNZ This position is a newly created portfolio on Council, and Brian’s professional experience and extensive background make him the perfect person for it. He will work with the executive officers to develop the strategic plan and a rigorous Health and Safety plan that covers the Society for all its events and activities. Brian’s career of over 30 years has included a combination of project/programme management, delivery and support, along with quality and risk assurance in a broad range of industries. Strategic alignment and planning have been a significant component of his projects as well as governance, customer focus, transformation, and change management. Brian is a member of both Kapiti Camera Club and Kapiti Coast Photographic Society. He achieved his Licentiate Honours award LPSNZ in February 2019. He says he enjoys the technical side of photography, with nature and landscape his most favoured genres. He likes to dabble with large panoramas, astro and macro and admits to ‘struggling a bit’ with creative photography. Being outdoors is a favourite pastime, and he enjoys getting out in the bush or on the beach. Sunrises and sunsets attract him, especially in the Mount Cook area. Brian says he is looking forward to contributing to Council and PSNZ work.

Rebrand, Refresh, Re-energise: Hawke’s Bay Photographic Society (HBPS)

The challenge for any not-for-profit organisation is to provide its members a useful platform to communicate what it does to the wider community and how it benefits its members. As a photographic society, we rely on our members to provide specific expertise and goodwill; we have limited funds to work with to drive initiatives to fruition. Just over a year ago, HBPS embarked on one such initiative: to update and modernise our website drastically; to be visually appealing and to recognise and showcase the stunning work our members produce, as well as providing much-needed information and resources that members and non-members can access easily to help with their photographic interests. We believe we have achieved this and noticed increased web traffic and converting visitors to become members.

We recently launched our new logo and produced branded t-shirts, caps, and a teardrop sign to create additional brand awareness. We are also in the process of rebranding all our internal material, such as members’ and visitors’ name badges, achievement awards certificates and more. Most importantly, we have buy-in from our members who are not only supportive of the newfound initiative and also re-energised by the direction the society is heading and a sense of belonging and being valued. If you are visiting Hawke’s Bay and your trip coincides with one of our meeting dates, please come and say hello. Book online: https://hbps.co.nz/

Capture The magic Introducing the SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports, a powerful ultra-telephoto zoom and the first ever Sports line lens for mirrorless systems. This portable and practical optic revolutionizes the way mirrorless users capture wildlife, motorsport and other fast-action subjects. The 150–600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports is SIGMA Sports line’s first ultra-telephoto zoom lens, designed from the ground up specifically for full-frame mirrorless cameras. It offers outstanding levels of performance, functionality, and build quality required for ultra-telephoto shooting in the most demanding situations.

150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS

Available in Black. Case and hood included.

CRK LTD 3 Hotunui Drive, Mt Wellington, Auckland

09 276 3271 sales@crknz.co.nz www.crknz.co.nz

Member Showcase

In this issue, Immediate Past President Moira Blincoe LPSNZ launches the first of a regular series of member profiles. In doing so, it is Moira's intention to put the spotlight on our members by sharing their photographic journey through a Q & A format. The questions may change; they may be constant; it will depend on the background and interests of the member.

JOHN MILES LRPS The first member presented is John Miles LRPS, a resident of Rotorua, a member of the Rotorua Camera Club and a recent new PSNZ member. Born in the United Kingdom, John began shooting film and developing in his boarding school darkrooms ̶ black and white and Cibachrome. He soon set up a darkroom at his home and then joined the Film Society, shooting black and white shorts on a Bolex 16mm silent camera. Sound was added in post-production. He is a member of the Royal Photographic Society and holds his Licentiate RPS (LRPS). In 2003 John left his career in IT and started ‘John Miles Photography’ working in commercial, travel and weddings, turning it into a thriving business. In 2010 he discovered New Zealand and says, “It is a gift to a photographer.” John’s professional career as a photographer has spanned more than 15 years. He regularly attends training courses and workshops in New Zealand (the USA and UK pre-COVID!) and enjoys challenging himself to continually grow and improve in his profession. Like all professionals, he believes he has a responsibility to his clients to keep his skills, knowledge and creativity up to date.

In 2012 John and his partner emigrated to New Zealand and in 2013 he relaunched his photography business in Hawke’s Bay, initially as a wedding photographer but quickly moving into commercial photography. Today John is a member of the Rotorua Camera Club (having relocated to the thermal city in 2017). He also owns Portico Picture Framers and Photography, the best framing gallery in Rotorua.

John Miles LRPS CT: When did photography start to play a role in your life?

CT: How do you connect with the people you want to photograph (if applicable)?

JM: My dad passed on his Box Brownie to me when I was around 10, after he upgraded to a half-frame Olympus in the ‘60s. However, I soon started purloining the super high-tech (built-in light meter!) Olympus with its massive seventy-two exposures per roll rather than a frugal eight. For several years I was the family photographer for summer holidays, Christmas, and birthdays.

CT: Describe your first steps into photography. JM: My photography really took off when I joined the Photography Club at boarding school in the UK. The magic of the darkroom was enthralling. I acquired my first SLR, the classic Canon AE-1. I spent many hours wandering around the school grounds and locality, capturing what I thought of as moody, grainy, arty images, followed by hours hidden away in the school’s darkrooms to bring my art to life with magical chemicals and processes.

CT: What is your preferred genre(s)?

Art Deco Dancing - Community Life JM: I spent six years as a full-time wedding photographer, and I found my way to connect is to gain trust, to fit in and to relate. It’s not about me, the photographer; it’s about you, my subject. Wedding photography rapidly developed my people skills. To create evocative images, I needed to connect with people of all ages, personalities, moods, and dispositions. Only when I connect can I create images that are not just about what people LOOK like, but who they ARE.

JM: I enjoy many genres and I now think of myself as a ‘Photographer of LIFE’: Natural Life, Business Life, Community Life, Family Life, Street Life, Human Life, Travel Life. In no particular order.

CT: What situations inspire your photography? JM: When I see beauty or sense a story, I’m inspired to photograph and share it; evoking emotions, memories, and imaginations. Congratulations - Family Life

Member Showcase Guardian Angel - Street Life

CT: Do you think your photographic eye has changed over the years? JM: Before turning my hobby into my profession, I went out looking for photographs. After using a camera almost every day, I sort of feel that I now have a set of filters in front of my eyes that cut out all the noise and let in good compositions, beautiful colours, patterns, and textures, as well as untold stories. My looking eyes have become photographic eyes.

CT: What is the most important thing photography has taught you? JM: The world is good, people are good, life is good.

CT: What are your preferred postprocessing tools? JM: I never became much of a Photoshop guru but mainlined on Lightroom from its beginning in 2007. It has increased my processing productivity dramatically and 95% of my processing is now done within Lightroom.

CT: What’s in your kit?

Hokey Pokey - Commercial Life

JM: Until three years ago, I had bags full of Canon gear, built around 5D bodies and the wonderful 70-200 tele-zoom and the16-35 wide-angle, along with everchanging primes, off-camera flashes etc. I also lugged around portable studio lighting, backdrops, reflectors, sound recording kit, an iPad, MacBook and more. Then in 2017, after a mountain biking shoulder injury, I downsized in weight, size and cost to Fuji X-series mirrorless. No regrets. I also play around with a DJI drone and an Osmo iPhone gimbal.

14 Lake of Wandering Spirits - Natural Life

John Miles LRPS CT: Which other photographers have inspired your photography, and why? JM: Ansel Adams for beauty, composition, and craft. Bill Brandt for lighting, textures, and all-round genre excellence. Huy Nguyen of Fearless Photographers for fearlessness.

CT: Do you use any specialist photography equipment such as large format cameras, special lenses or filters, drones etc.? Or any specialist techniques? JM: As camera ‘auto’ technology and sensor dynamic range has developed, I’ve replaced specialist hardware with processing software. In several of my genres, I can now just reach into my pocket for my iPhone if my pro kit is not with me.

Morning Sweeping - Travel Life

CT: If relevant - do you have a special style or look to your photographs, distinguishing your work in the same genre, e.g. dark, gothic style (some wedding photographers); creative in-camera techniques for some landscape photographers - ICM, multiple exposure images, astro/night photography? JM: I’d define my style as vibrant and dynamic. Pretty much across all my genres.

CT: Any other information about yourself you would like to share? Please do so. JM: Picasso once said, “The purpose of Art is to wash the dust of daily life off our souls.” Happy to agree with him on the purpose of my Art, my Photography. Sadhu - Human Life

Special Feature: Landscape Photography By Mark Chamberlain LPSNZ

In this issue of CameraTalk, we present a thematic set of articles by a range of talented landscape photographers in PSNZ and NZIPP. The contributions are not representative of all landscape photography genres. We attempt to illustrate a broad range of styles and techniques.

What is Landscape Photography?

Landscape Photographers Landscape paintings long pre-date the advent of the camera – think of famous landscape painters such as Constable, Van Ruisdael and Turner. There is much to learn from landscape painters on how we interpret our landscape photographs, particularly in terms of framing, composition and darkening or brightening parts of the scene in post-processing.

In general, the natural scenery is the subject of a landscape photograph. Usually, people or animals are absent in a landscape photo. If people are included, they are not the main subject, merely enhancing the scale of natural features and forms. To a purist, city skylines are also not included; these are cityscapes. A landscape is what it is, a landscape. However, this is a very rigid definition, perhaps too strict for most photographers. As with most forms of art, the definition of a landscape photograph is broad and is open to individual interpretation and freedom, thus making it appealing to many people.

Ansel Adams stands out as a Goliath of Landscape Photography, and he is most well-known for monochrome prints of the American West and US National Parks. His influence was far-reaching, pioneering many camera techniques in the field and print processing in the darkroom. Ansel was also one of the original “influencers”, long before social media – his conservation causes with the Sierra Club are well known. He gained the ear of several American presidents and was eventually awarded the Presidential Freedom medal in 1980.

Stricter definitions may apply in landscape photography competitions; therefore, refer to the rules and guidelines for different organisations.

Other famous landscape photographers who come to my mind include Joe Cornish and Charlie Waites from the UK. PSNZ members will no doubt have their favourite New Zealand photographers for inspiration.

Hooker Lake, Dawn Kirk LPSNZ AFIAP

Sea and Sand Dunes, John Hunt

Landscape Photography Genres

• Natural landscape photography - Mountains, seascapes, forests / trees, volcanoes, etc.

With the advent of digital photography in the last twenty years, new creative avenues have opened in landscape photography. The broadest types of landscape photography are:

• Astrophotography - Particularly when combining with natural landforms in the foreground. This specialised type of photography has become accessible and enhanced with the latest digital cameras, particularly mirrorless cameras.

Representational: The most natural and realistic of all the styles of landscape photography —no artificial components within the photograph. Special attention is on the framing, natural lighting, and composition of the image.

• Aerial landscape photography - Previously only for affluent photographers with access to aeroplanes, helicopters, and hot air balloons. Today, drones are affordable and have added a new dimension to landscape photography.

Impressionistic: An impressionistic landscape carries with it a vague or elusive sense of reality. These photographs will make the landscape seem more unreal. The viewer is giving the impression of a landscape rather than the accurate representation of one.

• Creative Landscape photography - Using camera techniques such as multiple exposure, intentional camera shake (ICS) and blur – photographs often fall within the impressionistic or abstract categories of landscape photography.

Abstract: Abstract landscape photographs use parts of the scenery as graphic components. With abstract landscape, photography design is more important than a realistic representation of the overall scene.

• Minimalist Landscape Photography - Emphasis on photographing only a selected part of the scene in front of the photographer. A landscape within a landscape or microlandscape. Sometimes, this style may fall within the larger abstract grouping.

The photographer may emphasise something that seems counterintuitive, such as silhouettes and highlighting shapes through natural light.

In this landscape photography feature of CameraTalk, there are six articles by talented landscape photographers.

We can then divide landscape photography into many subgenres or areas of specialisation.

• Laurie Thomas Landscape gallery 2021 – an introduction to the broad talents of New Zealand camera club members, compiled by Kathrin Affeld and Ana Stevens APSNZ. • Chocolate Box landscape photography by Mike Langford GM. HF. LM NZIPP, GM.F AIPP. Mike illustrates some digital camera techniques to create classic landscape photographs. • Astrophotography by Mike White APSNZ. Mike explains and illustrates the basic techniques and showcases some of his beautiful images from this specialised and increasingly popular genre of photography. • Monochrome landscape by James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP. • Minimalist landscapes by Daniel Wong APSNZ EFIAP • Creative landscapes by Judy Stokes APSNZ

Dawn Colour, Tasman Lake - Mike White APSNZ

Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon 2021 By Kathrin Affeld and Ana Stevens APSNZ

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." (M.Proust)

The Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon is one of New Zealand’s most popular inter-club competitions and this year marks a significant milestone. For 25 years running, photographers all over the country have shared their images of iconic and less known locations around New Zealand. They have awed and challenged judges with their interpretation of a scene and introduced creative approaches to help convey that magic moment of being connected with and feeling part of the landscape. The salon is hosted annually by the Christchurch Photographic Society. It is named in honour of its former member Laurie Thomas, a passionate landscape photographer who would not have imagined that his name would become synonymous with one of the most anticipated events on the country’s photographic calendar. His passion for travelling and capturing the beauty of New Zealand is now his legacy and our inspiration.

Since its humble beginnings, the Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon has completely transformed from slides to digital images and now attracts up to 700 entries from amateur and professional photographers alike. With no prescriptive definition of a “landscape”, entrants are encouraged to be creative and champion the scene that made them stop, think and feel. A unique feature of the Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon is the trophy known as “Wind & Water” that the winner can keep. The trophy was designed by Lesley Sales FPSNZ, symbolising the essence of the New Zealand landscape: water, wind, trees and light. Laurie Thomas 2021 competition judges were: Jackie Ranken AIPP & NZIPP Grand Master, Canon Master, Mike Langford AIPP & NZIPP Grand Master, Canon Master and Tony Bridges FPSNZ, ACPP (Dist)).

From the judges: “The experience of selection for us was much like the process of being in the landscape. Looking for an alignment of shapes, lines, textures, colours, hues, and patterns, and above all, watching for the right light and waiting for that special nuance or connection with the landscape to emerge. The framing and organising of this information within the picture space with the most appropriate camera and editing techniques are fundamentally what we as viewers respond to.”

More info: lauriethomassalon.com

GOLD MEDAL: Langs Beach Bush - Sue Smith

From the judges: ““This years’ winner stirred the panels' emotions by its subtle use of colour and extraordinary display of visual depth. The image had a Henri Rousseau painting-like quality to it. The retina being excited by the subtle contrast of colours from pinks through to the array of forest greens.”

...Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon 2021

Silver medal: Over the Western Flank of Aoraki, Bob Scott LPSNZ

Silver medal: Castlepoint Promontory, John Smart APSNZ

Silver medal: Low Tide, Peter Curtis LPSNZ

Silver medal: Lake Matheson, Shelly Linehan LPSNZ

... Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon 2021

Bronze medal: Waipu Caves, James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP

Bronze medal: Morning Appreciation-Awhitu, Isaac Khasawneh

Bronze medal: Scale and Drama. Milford Sound, Maxine Cooper

Bronze medal: Hidden Waterfall, Remco Vis

... Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon 2021

Bronze medal: Sunrise, Lake Rotorua - Rob Weir LPSNZ

Bronze medal: Midwinter in St Bathans, Leanne Silver

Bronze medal: The Colour of Cold, Bevan Tulett FPSNZ

Bronze medal: Te Paki Dunes, Tom Wilkinson APSNZ

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.

Chocolate Box Photographs By Mike Langford GM. HF. LM NZIPP, GM.F AIPP Back in the late 19th century, chocolate box art originally referred literally to decorations on chocolate boxes. The term was first introduced by Richard Cadbury, son of the founder of Cadbury confectionery when using his paintings of children, flowers and holiday scenes on chocolate boxes. They were used to evoke a sense of pleasure, positivity, harmony and security in a caring, loving family-type environment. Their design was used to make people want to buy the products as gifts for special occasions like anniversaries, weddings and birthdays. The use of photographs soon replaced paintings as the preferred medium, offering pastoral scenes, sunsets, and travel destinations in vogue at the time. They were also extended to include postcards, calendars and cheap wall art.

Today, the use and understanding of the term “chocolate box” has been turned on its head. Now it is used to describe a work of art as clichéd, hackneyed, over-sweetened or saccharin, oversentimental, picturesque or obvious. It is now used very much as a derogatory “art” term. I grew up in a period when the term still had a positive and enticing meaning, a time when eating chocolates was the best thing ever. The art of chocolate box decoration in a photographic sense meant it displayed examples of visual positivity, a sense of beauty and visual perfection. With this understanding still in my mind, I started to explore some of my images that just might be coined as being “chocolate boxes” in the hope of gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of what they really meant to me. For me, creating a “chocolate box” look, is not as easy a task to achieve as it first appears. It requires a greater understanding and appreciation of what is in front of me, as well as a sense of what I'm trying to communicate through photographing it. In a way, I think that what I'm trying to achieve through exploring this photographic style is an image as perfect as possible. Something uplifting and positive. An image that sings of happiness and suggests a sense of pride in the result. The methods I'm using here are just a few examples of how things can be done. There are many others that quite possibly would achieve an even better result, but they would require many more words and a greater understanding of post-production.

Chocolate Box Photographs By Mike Langford GM. HF. LM NZIPP, GM.F AIPP

Mt Cook Buttercup While running a recent photography workshop up at Mt Cook with my wife, Jackie Ranken, I came across what I thought would be a good example of what a “chocolate box” image should look like. The scene was in the upper Hooker Valley, in Mt Cook National Park, and had a foreground of the pristine Mt Cook Buttercup (Ranunculus Lyallii) and a background of the iconic Mt Cook under a sky-blue day. The idea was to position myself with the flowers in the foreground and to have Mount Cook in the background. Unfortunately, the flowers were all bent away from me, towards the sun and the mountains. As it was in a national park, I couldn’t move them into a better position by picking them. Instead, I leant my camera bag up against them from behind, forcing them all to bend towards me. (Once I removed the bag, they all returned to the original position, facing away). The “chocolate box” look required both the foreground and the background to be in focus. As I wanted the lilies to be a strong large foreground at 35mm, the use of an aperture of f/22 (the smallest aperture on my 24-105mm lens), focusing a third of a way into the depth of the focus range just wasn't going to produce enough depth of focus to achieve this. So, I decided to try to do a basic focus stack of the scene, using just two different frames focused at different points within the visual depth of the image, bringing them together in post-production using Photoshop. The first exposure, Buttercup A, was focused on the back edge of the middle flower in the foreground, as this was approximately a third of the way into the visual depth of the flowers. Using live view, combined with the focus zoom button and the depth of field preview button, I could accurately navigate around the image, ensuring that all the flowers were sharp. The second exposure, Buttercup B, was focused on the back edge of the matagouri bush, as this was a third of the way into the area from just behind the flowers and all the way back to Mt Cook. I checked that this was correct, again by using live view, the focus zoom button and the depth of field preview button. If needed, I could have adjusted this focus point by adjusting the focusing point to where all the elements in the flowers would come into focus. Once back home in front of my EIZO screen, I loaded both frames into Photoshop using layers, and carefully rubbed out the out of focus background in the first image, revealing a sharp background in the second. The result is what I refer to as a “chocolate box” image that is beautiful and visually tasty. (Note: this could have been done much more accurately using a full-on focus stacking method and a dedicated processing program.)

Buttercup A Focused on butter–cups f/22, 160 sec, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM @ 35mm

Buttercup B Focused on background f/22, 160 sec, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM @ 35mm

...Chocolate Box Photographs By Mike Langford GM. HF. LM NZIPP, GM.F AIPP

Lupins I hoped to make the flowers look soft and romantic (befitting any tasty “chocolate box” cover). To do this, I chose to use the multiple exposure mode on average in my Canon 5D Mark IV. Both images were underexposed by one stop of light so that when they came together, the exposure was correct for the subject. Both shots were taken at 64mm on my Canon 24-105mm lens at f/4. I chose f/4 so that only one flower would be in focus. The first frame, Lupin A, was manually focused on the front plane of the front lupin, creating a very narrow depth of focus. The second frame, Lupin B, was taken with everything totally out of focus. When the two images were blended in the camera, the exposure became correct and the front flower glowed against the out of focus underlay.

Lupin A Focused on foreground lupin f/4, 800 sec, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM @ 64mm

Lupin B Totally out of focus f/4, 800 sec, ISO 100 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM @ 64mm

IMAGE DETAILS MCLEAN FALLS: McLean Falls 1 Focused on top leaves f/11, 1/6 sec, ISO 200 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 124mm McLean Falls 2 Focused on bottom rocks f/11, 1/6 sec, ISO 200 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 124mm McLean Falls 3 Focused on waterfall f/11, 1/6 sec, ISO 200 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 124mm McLean Falls - final Flattened image f/11, 1/6 sec, ISO 200 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 124mm

McLean Falls While running another of our photographic workshops, I made this image of the McLean Falls in the Catlins, New Zealand. It was a real sitter for a chocolate box, due to its cascading forms amidst a pure native bush setting. The image needed to have a feeling of softness, creating a romantic and impressionistic feel, but it also required detail in all the layers so they wouldn't distract from the overall impression. To achieve this, I decided to use my Canon EF 100-400mm lens at 124mm, as this would visually compress all the elements of foreground leaves, rocks and plants at the bottom, and the waterfall in the background. As all three elements were on entirely different focal planes from each other, an aperture of f/22 or even greater wasn't going to give

me a sharp image of all three elements in one frame. So, I chose to use an aperture of f/11 on each of the three frames, as this aperture is the sharpest part of that lens. By manually focusing on just one different focal plane in each image, I could then use layers in post-production to stack the three images together, making all three elements sharp. Image 1 focuses just on the leaves at the top, Image 2, the foreground rocks at the bottom, and Image 3, the waterfall rocks and foliage in the background. Once again, I just rubbed out the out of focus elements in each frame and then flattened them to create the final image. The combination of f/11, which gave me the sharpest image, 1/6 second, a slow enough shutter speed for the water without losing structure, and ISO 200, gave me a correct exposure.

When working in a landscape, I always use a kind of meditation. I start by just sitting, looking and thinking. Hopefully, after a time, I will also start feeling a response to the landscape. It's only then that I will put up my tripod and start to compose the image. If you put up the tripod when you first arrive at a site, then you will have already defined your viewpoint and locked out some of the responsive thought process. Take the opportunity to fully understand the why, what and where of your creation before even picking up your camera. Slow down, and enjoy just “being” for a moment first. 31

R-SERIES

FULL FRAME MIRRORLESS

EOS R5

45 MEGAPIXEL FULL-FRAME SENSOR UP TO 20FPS ELECTRONIC / 12FPS MECHANICAL IN-BODY IMAGE STABILIZATION UP TO 8-STOPS 8K 30P NO CROP MOVIE RECORDING ADVANCED FACE AND EYE TRACKING DUAL PIXEL CMOS AF II DUAL CARD SLOTS

EOS R6

20.1 MEGAPIXEL FULL-FRAME SENSOR UP TO 20FPS ELECTRONIC / 12FPS MECHANICAL IN-BODY IMAGE STABILIZATION UP TO 8-STOPS DUAL PIXEL CMOS AF II 4K MOVIE 60 FPS 10-BIT DUAL CARD SLOTS

YEARS AS NEW ZEALAND’S

MOST TRUSTED DIGITAL CAMERA BRAND 32

1 Reader’s Digest NZ Most Trusted Brand Surveys 2017-2021. 2 Applies to Canon Mirrorless, DSLR, Digital Video Camera & Lens purchases from Authorised Canon New Zealand Dealers from 25th November 2019.

Getting Started in Astrophotography By Mike White APSNZ

My photographic journey I’ve had an interest in photography for a long time, but it’s only in recent years that I’ve had the time to take it more seriously and start to explore its many aspects in depth. A chance meeting with the President of Christchurch Photographic Society saw me attend my first meeting three years ago, and I’ve enjoyed the exponential growth in my progress as a photographer since. Photography has been a lifesaver these past few years as I’ve faced the harsh reality of losing a career I’d worked a lifetime to build. The silver lining is that I’ve discovered a new passion in photography and have now decided to pursue that passion fully and see where it leads. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by anything to do with space. I can’t help but look up in awe at the stars when out under a clear night sky. Astrophotography is the perfect blend of my love for photography and all things ‘space’. When I discovered the stunning images from local astrophotographers Paul Wilson (@paul_wilson_ images) and Mark Gee (@theartofnight), I was inspired to start exploring the night sky with my camera. At that stage, limited time and basic knowledge of operating my DSLR (yay for green box mode!) meant I didn’t get too far at first. I persevered though, and in recent years I’ve enjoyed the progress made and have many ideas for future projects.

What is astrophotography? Astrophotography is a broad category covering many subjects (nightscapes, deep sky, planetary, lunar, solar), each needing specific equipment, image capture and post-processing techniques. This article focuses on nightscape photography for 34

beginners, i.e. wide-angle shots of the Milky Way above the landscape. As your skills develop, you can include techniques such as panoramic stitching, focus-stacking, stacking for noise reduction and tracking (using a specialised mount to rotate the camera to maintain pinpoint stars during minuteslong exposures).

Planning Astrophotography might seem daunting at first, so just take it in stages. Head out and practise often ̶ even if it’s in your backyard. You need to become comfortable operating your camera in dark conditions. Make sure you’re able to get clear, wellexposed images of the sky before adding terrestrial elements to create more interesting compositions. New Zealand’s long winter nights are ideal for astrophotography. February to June is best to capture the rising Milky Way core along the eastern horizon. June to October will deliver grand panoramic images of the Milky Way arching across the sky. Knowing when and where the Milky Way, constellations, the planets and the Moon will appear in your scene can be achieved by using apps like Planit! Pro or Photopills. Available as paid apps on iOS or Android, these are both comprehensive and well worth the admission price. For PC users, I highly recommend the excellent (and free) planetarium software Stellarium (stellarium.org/). While it doesn’t show location-specific foreground details, it does give you an excellent view of the night sky for any time at any location. Check weather warnings and cloud forecasts on metservice.com, windy.com and yr.no. Use lightpollutionmap.info to find dark sky areas. New Zealand is lucky to have several internationally recognised Dark Sky zones to visit, with more in the planning.

Milky Way, Lake Heron Single frame. EOS R6, 24mm, f/2, 13s, ISO 6400

...Getting Started in Astrophotography By Mike White APSNZ

Equipment Modern cameras are relatively affordable and capable of taking some beautiful images of the heavens. Astrophotography is a specialised subject and will push your gear to its limits ̶ particularly entry-level equipment. However, basic gear will get you started while deciding if astrophotography is something you really want to explore. Here’s a suggested gear-list for making nightscape images:

• DSLR / MILC or any camera with manual exposure controls • Wide-angle lens (14mm-24mm full-frame equivalent). Lenses with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or faster are ideal for light-gathering capability. If you only have slower lenses, these will be OK to get you started. Samyang makes a great 14mm f/2.8 manual-focus lens for many mounts, and it’s an ideal entry point to astrophotography. • Sturdy tripod • Remote shutter release (or built-in time delay) • Spare batteries (Batteries don’t like the cold!) Don’t forget the other essentials for photographing at night: • Warm clothes (layers work best; even summer evenings can be cool.) • Headlamp, with red light to preserve night vision. Take care with lighting when you’re near other people! • Snacks and a thermos with your favourite hot beverage.

Milky Way & the Church II Single frame. EOS 6D, 24mm, f/2.8, 20s, ISO 3200

On location Safety first! Let someone know where you’re going if heading out alone. A PLB provides good insurance in remote areas. Scope out your composition during daylight to identify distractions and hazards. Be sure to check that your tripod is stable and limit exposure to the wind as much as possible to avoid camera shake. If humid conditions are forecast (e.g. fog/mist), a pocket handwarmer (The Warehouse or other outdoors suppliers) secured around your lens barrel may help to prevent condensation from forming on the front element. For a more reliable solution, electrically-powered dew heater strips are available online.

Aurora Australis, Lake Ellesmere Single frame. EOS 6D, 24mm, f/2, 8s, ISO 3200

Getting round stars Typically, you’re looking for pinpoint, round stars in your photo. To achieve this, your shutter speed needs to be fast enough to avoid star-trails caused by the apparent motion of the stars across the sky. Start with the “400 rule” (35mm/full-frame) or “250 rule” (APS-C/crop sensor) to approximate the exposure time needed to maximise light capture and minimise star trailing. To apply the rule, divide 400 (or 250) by your lens’ focal length. For example, a 14mm lens mounted on a full-frame camera suggests a 25s to 30s exposure time or 15s to 20s when used with an APS-C sensor.

Lake Matheson Single frame. EOS R6, 16mm, f/4, 30s, ISO 10000

Guide to camera settings These settings are a starting point for nightscape images. Experiment with your own gear to obtain the best results. Settings will vary for moonlit skies or other ambient lighting conditions. Tip: moonlight during the crescent phases can be useful for providing foreground lighting without washing out the stars. The goal is to capture as much light as possible, in as short a time as possible, with as little noise as possible. Twilight Aurora, Lake Ellesmere Single frame. EOS 6D, 24mm, f/2.8, 20s, ISO 3200

...Getting Started in Astrophotography By Mike White APSNZ

Milky Way Rising, Banks Peninsula Single frame. EOS 6D, 24mm, f/2.8, 30s, ISO 10000

Moonlit Icebergs Single frame. EOS 6D, 16mm, f/4, 10s, ISO 6400

Focal length

Lens focus

Camera mode

F-Stop / Aperture

Shutter Speed

ISO

White balance (resulting tone)

Wide Angle 10mm-24mm

Manual

f/1.4 - f/2.8

30 sec

3200

Daylight (warm) Tungsten (cool blue)

Miscellaneous settings:

Live View Focus Technique

• Image quality: RAW (full size)

1. Select a bright star and centre it, using the viewfinder.

• Long exposure noise reduction: OFF

2. Switch to LIVE VIEW. Temporarily increase exposure settings if the target appears too dim. Increase screen magnification to MAXIMUM.

• Image stabilisation / vibration reduction settings: OFF • Screen brightness: MINIMUM • Time delay: 2 – 5 sec (or intervalometer / remote trigger)

Focus Focussing on stars can take some time and patience to get right. The Live View Focus Technique is the one I recommend, as you can use it throughout the night if needed. The aim is to achieve focus on the stars (infinity). Note that the infinity stop on your lens will often not give you the sharpest stars. 38

3. Ensure the lens is set to MANUAL focus and manually adjust the focus ring until the star is a bright, small, sharp point on the screen. (Other nearby stars often become visible too.) 4. If focus is way off at first, the star might be so dim (out of focus) as to appear invisible – focus coarsely towards infinity, then fine-tune focus as above. 5. Do not adjust either the focus or zoom ring on the lens once the focus is set.

Milky Way & the Church I Single frame. EOS 6D, 24mm, f/2.8, 20s, ISO 3200

Time to start shooting! 1. Check all camera settings and focus are correctly set, including any exposure values changed during focussing. 2. Frame your composition. You can try this using live view, looking through the viewfinder, or lightpainting the scene with a torch ̶ check with other photographers first! Check that your horizon is level. 3. Using the time delay function or a remote release, make a test exposure. Evaluate your exposure (100% magnification on-screen) for: • Focus. Stars should be sharp pinpoints in your frame. • Stars should be round. If they appear as trails, reduce your shutter speed. • Histogram. An ideal, typical exposure will preserve detail in the shadows with the bulk of the data towards the left third of the graph. The brightest stars may be a little over-exposed, clipping at the right side of the graph. • Check for distractions and a level horizon.

4. Make any necessary changes to your composition or settings, and then continue shooting. 5. Check that you have all your gear before leaving your location.

Next steps When it comes to astrophotography, capturing an image is only half the story. Post-processing will play a key role in bringing your images to life. For a good place to start, try Mark Gee’s Lightroom-based tutorial here: https://youtu.be/BZD8KxkITw0?t=508 If you want to pursue astrophotography further, get together with others in your local club or look up local workshops (including those offered in the PSNZ Workshop Series). Often landscape workshops have sessions on astrophotography included. There is a wealth of information available on sites like lonelyspeck.com and, of course, YouTube. You can also contact me directly by email at mike@mikewhite. co.nz or via my website at mikewhite.co.nz. Clear skies! Facebook: facebook.com/mikewhitephotos Instagram: Instagram.com/mikewhitephotos

Monochrome Landscapes By James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP This article intends to be a relatively general discussion of my approach to making landscape images in monochrome. One only has to look at the beautiful works by Stuart Clook, in cyanotype or use of gold leaf, to see how monochrome can create highly emotive images. Monochrome helps us as photographers to focus the viewer’s attention where we want. A single tone can also create a diverse range of moods. Once we start down this rabbit hole, there is a rich history of photographic works to study. From the contemporary works of artists like Cole Thompson and Steve Gosling (who we were so lucky to have present to PSNZ at the Dunedin convention), Scott Baldock and Peter Hill, and of course, the great masters ̶ Ansel Adams and the f/64 group, Minor White and many more. Every time we open an internet browser, log in to Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media source these days, we are bombarded by dramatic landscape scenes from around the world. Very few of these are in black and white – more often, they use vibrant bright colours that demand our attention. But when we move away from that instant attention-grabbing category and into images that we want to spend time with, I find they tend to have a more conservative colour palette. Have a browse through the ILOPTY 2020 book (here) , and you may be surprised that a significant number of the published images are either monochromatic or have a minimal range of colours. I wrote an article for CameraTalk in 2018 on general landscape photography. I thought I should start by re-reading it to avoid doubling up (or, worse-still, contradicting myself!). I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of what I wrote in 2018 still applies to my current approach to making images.

• Giving myself plenty of time to be immersed in an environment • I am looking for opportunities to simplify the scene (and trying to work out what has grabbed my attention and then make an image of just that). • Thinking about how I might envisage the final work, the approach to post-processing that would suit the feel I’m trying to create, the type of paper it might look best on, and so forth. There are some great tips from Richard Laing and Bob Scott LPSNZ in CameraTalk, and I’d highly recommend a quick recap if you have a few minutes. So, when might a landscape work best in monochrome? Sometimes a key element of an image is the colour palette – soft pastels or vibrant sunrises and sunsets clearly aren’t going to have the same impact in black

and white. Thinking of the last spectacular sunset we had here in Canterbury, the sky lit up in an amazing array of pinks and oranges against an almost cyan sky, and it was these colours that stole the show. In monochrome, all that would be lost, leaving just the contrast between clouds and sky. This helps us start to identify scenes that might lend themselves to black and white: • Where the colour palette is not the centre of attention (and of course, conversely where the colours might actively draw attention away from the hero of the image) • Strong contrast (extreme ends of the histogram), either very high- or low-key • Scenes with a broad tonal range where removing the colour can help focus attention on more subtle details such as shape and texture. Let’s delve into these points in a little more detail.

...Monochrome Landscapes By James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP

Where the colour doesn’t matter On many photographic trips, I’ve found a location and I’m crossing my fingers will light up at sunset – perhaps a rocky coastline or mountain scene – only to find that the weather hasn’t read the script. For example, the light fades gradually without a hint of colour; these times can be fantastic for a shift of intent and moving focus to more intimate scenes; looking for creating textural contrasts between rocks and trees against clouds or water, for example. Mountain scenes, rocky shorelines and misty tree-clad hillsides on cloudy days often have a “drab” colour palette, but properly exposed can create beautiful texture detail.

Searching for contrast When considering bold contrasty high and low-key images, I immediately think of Hollywood portraiture – that classical glamour look from the 1940s ̶ and you can’t go past Yousuf Karsh or Irving Penn in this genre. Clearly, there’s not the same degree of control over lighting in the landscape as one would have in a studio sitting. Still, spectacular moments of high contrast can occur fleetingly and at unexpected times – a sudden break in a cloudy day can create an extreme dynamic range of bright highlights and deep shadows. These moments can require a quick decision, as storms pass quickly. Moonlight also offers superb opportunities for dramatic, contrasty images, and with much lower light, the raw image will likely be near monochrome anyway! A brief side-note at this point. I find that blown highlights become even more important in monochromatic images. We’ve heard so many times that our eyes are drawn to the brightest parts of an image, and when the colour has been removed from an image, those flat areas can become huge distractions. I’ll try to minimise blocked blacks too, but I find that this has less impact than over-exposed highlights. As long as the image works as a whole, I will tolerate some very dark areas, especially if that fits the overall mood I want to create. In simple terms, expose for the highlights (under-expose); this 42

can have the added benefit of allowing a slightly faster shutter speed for those brief moments of drama in a passing storm.

Highlighting texture and form Gentle transitions of shadow across a curved surface, fine textural detail in stone and sand, tree bark, pebbles, mosses, or dramatic clouds can all be an integral part of a black and white image. The removal of colour invites the viewer to look at this detail closely, enjoying areas of an image that might otherwise be competing for attention. The image could be entirely about this texture, or, as I find in many of my images, it can complement the main subject, hopefully rewarding the viewer for spending longer exploring the image.

Often a scene will present itself as a great candidate for a black and white image, and it’s worth trying to think of this whilst in the field. Where are the highlights? Are they contributing to the flow of the image, or will they work against the main feature? Remember that there are only tonal changes (contrast) and depth of field to separate out the layers within an image; different colours of similar brightness may blend into one another and make it harder to create the impression of depth. Whatever image style we want to create, the more we look for and recognise features that work together, the stronger and more cohesive our images become, whether they are black and white or full technicolour!

To see more of my work go to www.jamesgibsonphotography.com 43

Minimalist Landscape Photography By Daniel Wong APSNZ EFIAP

Lift

I’m a landscape photographer based in Christchurch and have been shooting landscape images since about 2012. By day I'm a doctor at the local hospital, but I also enjoy getting out and about in the South Island taking photographs. I feel very fortunate to be able to do so. In recent years my photography has tended to follow a more minimalist style. My intuition is that this is some sort of subconscious response to a desire for more peace, clarity and simplicity in what is otherwise a pretty hectic life. The act of crafting this type of image probably provides a little escape and goes some way to satisfy an underlying desire for “less”. On an aesthetic level, I also find these images have a stronger voice. Key choices at various stages of creating an image help to make a strong minimalist image. For starters, I use neutral density filters extensively, and most of my photographs are long exposures. I find this effective for removing some of the “busyness” in a scene. Long exposure photography has the added benefits of enforcing a slower pace to your

photography and being more deliberate in your craft; often there may be a window of opportunity that allows for only one or two attempts at capturing the desired photograph. It also provides a delightful sense of anticipation as you’re not entirely sure what you’ll get until the image is fully exposed. I occasionally use intentional camera movement in a similar vein but find it much more challenging to achieve an area of sharpness in the image amongst the blur (to retain some textural contrast). Another primary approach is careful subject selection and attention to conditions. I particularly like shooting in poor weather, overcast, fog and snow, as these environmental factors assist with the minimalist aesthetic, and I proactively seek out these conditions. Some landscapes are naturally less “noisy”, and careful decisions around viewpoints and cropping also assist. Finally, the other key strategy is in post-processing, where I particularly enjoy high contrast, low or high key interpretations of scenes and monochrome processing, to get closer to the heart of an image.

Reverberations

My preference for essentialism in photography is to the extent where I consider monochrome as the default for all images. If colour is to be included (and this also goes for every other element in the photograph), I feel it must serve some clear purpose in the image in question to be justified. As such, I almost find the greatest joy in my monochrome photographs as they are inherently “simpler”. This move towards a more minimalist style has been accompanied by a slight departure from realism. I have no qualms about my images not representing reality so long as I’m not misleading viewers by suggesting that they do. My goal nowadays is to create images that really speak to me. I’ve noticed that successful images tend to tell a story more about what a place or scene feels like and less about how it looks. I’m finding that at this stage in my photography, I’m more successful when I shoot less and instead think more.

Sail

...Minimalist Landscape Photography By Daniel Wong APSNZ EFIAP

Gossamer

It is not too much of a stretch to say that my best images are created not with a camera in hand, but with a pen and notebook. My images, however, do range right across a spectrum: one end consists of elaborate ideas planned months in advance, while the other results in spontaneous images that take advantage of the moment. Nevertheless, even in the latter case, when faced with unexpected photographic opportunities, I have found that serious depth in thought before my finger goes anywhere near the shutter button has been the key to a strong image. If you would like to see more of my images, they are on my website at www.danielwongphotography.com Exodus

MOVING IMAGES FORWARD Panasonic’s latest hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera, Lumix S5 delivers excellent performance in shooting photos and videos.

• 24.2MP Full-Frame Dual Native IS0 Sensor • UHD 4K60 Video, 10-Bit Internal Recording • 6.5 Stop Dual Image Stabilisation • 96 MP High Resolution Mode

Photo Credit: highrestours

visit www.panasonic.co.nz 47

Creative Landscapes By Judy Stokes APSNZ

Celebration of diversity - from the series Our Land

At the moment, I feel that I am living right in the middle of a creative, ever-changing landscape. Tired of the “big smoke” and busy city life, we sold our property and gallery at Muriwai and bought our dream, wild, clifftop coastal property north of Auckland on Ripiro beach.

CameraTalk on how to do this technique, I will highlight relevant points to creative landscapes and add some new ones.

Here we are, in the process of building our home and a studio and pods to continue holding the workshops and photographic retreats I so love. While this happens, we are camping on the land in our Unimog camper, and we feel every change of weather intensely. I am enjoying the experience tremendously and, as tip number one for creating interesting landscapes, I can recommend living and breathing the scenes you want to photograph!

I find spending time, living or staying in places helps you get to know and feel the essence of the landscape before you try and capture it. It allows you to find the features you love and when and how the light catches those features.

As many of you know, I often use ICM (intentional camera movement) for my creative photography, including landscapes. To not repeat the details I gave in my article in the December 2020

Spend time within the landscape you want to photograph

Let nature plan your decisive moment Wait until something in the landscape demands your attention; be it a shaft of light, an unusual cloud or just the right balance of tide and wind, creating the best waves. Let something shout at you to pick up the camera and capture that moment.

Have your camera always at the ready

Find what works for you

Once at the point of being excited ̶ you often need to move quickly before the moment passes or the sliver of light moves or changes ̶ you need to get the shot. I like my camera to always be at hand, fully charged – empty memory cards and a clean lens.

I am a very impatient, fast-moving person, so I have found that worrying about tripods and gear, filters etc doesn’t work for me – I get frustrated, and my creativity disappears in a flash. I don’t have an enjoyable photographic experience and hence don’t usually get happy results. I know other photographers who find that concentrating on their gear and using tripods, filters etc, works for them – they find the process of setting everything up helps them get into the zone. We are all unique individuals – get to know yourself and how you work, and run with it.

Play with the scene There isn’t just one way to photograph a scene and this is when ICM really makes taking creative landscapes fun. Move your camera as you take the images in different ways at different shutter speeds. You start to get a feel for which camera movement works with what’s in front of you. Still, it’s also fun to try new ways of “shake rattling and rolling” images... and of course, there is always the option to hold the camera still and take the moment simply in the way nature arranged it!

Try new techniques In the very first lockdown we had, I enjoyed getting my head around in-camera multiple exposures. I now love having the technique as a tool if I need to express myself through that process.

Within the folds - from the series Our Land

Turn off the real world I like to be by myself, block out the outside world and zone into being just me, my camera and the scene before me. I notice when I am really “in the zone” that my sense of hearing comes into play and is heightened – I can hear every bird call and the rustle of wind, and this intensifies and makes me enjoy the experience even more. When I am in this heightened sensitivity to my surroundings, I also find that my concentration and creativity collide, often producing enjoyable results!

Standing Tall - from the series Our Land

...Creative Landscapes By Judy Stokes APSNZ

Gear For me, the gear you have in your hand is the only gear you need. The gear you know very well and can use without thinking is even better!! I love my DSLR, as it helps me disappear behind it. For ICM landscapes, zoom lenses enhance the experience, so I don’t have any prime lenses. I like to have a variety of wide-angle zoom, midrange zoom and big zoom in my barrage of gear. I have both Canon and Nikon bodies – just to fry my brain when switching between them! I also have a Huawei phone that I enjoy playing with, but it hasn’t overtaken the place my camera holds in my heart!

The next step – post-processing images I love to post-process my images in Photoshop. Some images will have very little done to them, as I am happy with the way they came out of the camera. Others will need minor tweaks and alterations. Sometimes I push further and combine images to create a finished work. It is when I am processing my images that I usually work through thought processes in my head. I like to work with a series of images. Working like this pushes my thought processes deeper, helps me deal with issues I am thinking about and often gets me to refine the processes I use within my images – both in the taking and in the processing stage.

The other series I am working on presently is “New Beginnings”. These images are all taken where we are now putting down roots. As the series progresses, I will work through my thoughts about what it takes to make ”New Beginnings”. Many of my images are seascapes – for me, the sea is all about connections. It connects far-flung lands together – it connects to the earth and the sky. It is the one constant I have had as I have changed lands and places. I have spent many hours in and next to the sea, and I feel a close kinship to it. Perhaps for me, that is the key to photography – find something you love, find something you feel with every bone of your being and then show the world what it looks like to you. If you would like to contact me about any part of this article, feel free to. My website is https://www. judystokesphotography.com/. I now also give online workshops, and from 2022 I will have my flexible, two-day photography retreat workshops up and running again in the new venue of Ripiro Beach.

Recently I have been working on two series. The first, “Our Land”, started while travelling around New Zealand looking for the next place to put roots. The images were all taken from the window of the Unimog as we were travelling. The title to the series, ”Our Land”, not only relates to our personal quest but was also a look at New Zealand and the fabulous variety of landscapes it has to offer, as well as a personal desire that the people contained together within “Our Land” could feel like one people rather than a scattered and separated nation. Nestled between Sea and Sky - From the series New Beginnings

Mahuta i - From the series New Beginnings

Mahuta ii - From the series New Beginnings

Gail Stent FPSNZ and I also work together to give WildChild Creative Weekend workshops throughout New Zealand. These provide a fun way to get those creative juices flowing or to push your boundaries of photography in a group of 12 to 20 people. I hope the tips and images I have shared with you will inspire you to get out with your camera. Have a go, have some fun and most of all, connect with the wonderful nature that surrounds us.

Evaluating Photographs - A Guide for Image Assessment A new book, published this month, examines the processes involved behind the scenes of the photographic evaluation system. The book’s author is Paul Byrne FPSNZ ARPS AFIAP. Paul is a member of the PSNZ Honours Board and the PSNZ Judge Accreditation Panel. He has been involved with the assessment of images in New Zealand since 2012. I asked Paul what prompted him to write this book? A. I guess I have seen both sides of the story. I can understand both the photographer’s point of view and the task set to assessors in evaluating club images. Often there is a void between their respective perceptions of the work under review. I hope my book will help to bridge that gap and generate a better outcome for both parties.

Q. So briefly, what is this book about? A. Primarily, this book is focused on would-be amateur photographic judges and assessors who regularly critique the work of club photographers. But it will also appeal to photographers who intend to submit images into club competitions as a means of progressing their knowledge of the techniques, skill and craft of photography.

Q. But isn’t that the role of the PSNZ Judge Accreditation Training Programme? A. To a degree, yes, it is. And that programme can only be described as a very successful PSNZ venture. The difficulty is that only a limited number of training courses are available, and these have been further reduced due to the COVID restrictions. There is also something of a shortage of volunteer mentors to oversee judges in training. So, if anything, this book is available to support the formal training processes.

Q. How does this book address those issues? A. I discuss ways for judges and assessors to evaluate images. I explain how to “read” an image, stressing

the importance of understanding images from the photographer’s perspective. When you truly read images, translating your findings into meaningful feedback becomes an easier process. The book contains genuine examples of poor quality feedback provided to photographers. They have then been converted to more acceptable forms of feedback without changing the opinion of the original assessor.

Q. What do you mean by “reading” an image? A. “Reading” an image is more than just looking at the artwork. It’s about coming to terms with the photographer’s intentions and understanding the decisions they took when making the image. It’s about the ability of the photographer to demonstrate the best use of technical and craft skills linked with artistry to make a compelling image. It’s about how and what an image communicates to its audience and how effectively that has been achieved.

Q. What information is there for the photographers amongst us who are trying to improve our photographic abilities? A. In addition to providing you with information about what assessors are looking for and how they approach their responsibilities, I discuss the finer points of photographic genres and detail the elements which should or should not be present to satisfy the criteria of specific topics. I also point out many common faults routinely spotted by assessors, so I think this information will prove valuable to club photographers.

The book is available at $25 per copy (including packaging and postage) from Friday 1 October 2021. The book can be obtained directly from the author: Paul Byrne • E-mail: info@paulbyrne.photos Cell: 021 105 9132

EVALUATING PHOTOGRAPHS A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR IMAGE ASSESSMENT by Paul Byrne FPSNZ ARPS AFIAP An insightful explanation of how to interpret visual photographic art into meaningful appraisals which are relevant and instructive

READ AN IMAGE EXPRESS AN OPINION ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK DETAIL IMPROVEMENTS MOTIVATE EDUCATE

$25 (Packaging and posting included)

Purchase direct from the Author. Order at: www.paulbyrne.photos

A GREAT CHRISTMAS "Upon reading your feedback I had a smile on my face! I felt that you had appreciated the image (connected with it), noted the good/strong points and just as importantly gave me constructive feedback, in an encouraging manner. So thank you!" - Kirsty French, Photographer

STOCKING FILLER FOR ALL: NOVICE PHOTOGRAHERS TO ACCREDITED JUDGES 53

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

Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy Competition We are hopeful that everyone interested in audiovisuals will have one to enter into this year’s JSMT competition. You still have about a month to complete your AV. Entries opened on 8 October and close a month later ̶ on 5 November. This year’s competition is organised by Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP and the Hibiscus Coast Camera Club. The judges are Bob McCree FPSNZ, Sheryl Williams APSNZ and Alistair McAuslan APSNZ AV-AAPS. I hope you have all been following the series about creating a voiceover or narration for your AV. If you have missed any, go to the PSNZ website, where you can find links to the earlier issues of CameraTalk at https://photography.org.nz/ events-and-publications/cameratalk/ In this issue of CameraTalk the series continues, helping you to edit your narration using Audacity.

that AV workers who are working on Mac and have access to Garageband, may decide to use that application. Garageband will do most of the things that Audacity does, except noise reduction. It has a major advantage in that you can load a copy of your AV; this is super helpful when timing your commentary. I will include information about Garageband in the next issue of CameraTalk. Before downloading any application, please do your own checks. Here are some hints from the Audacity team for safety when downloading applications. 1. Is your computer operating system up to date? 2. Is your anti-virus program up to date and enabled? 3. Are you downloading from the software’s official website? 4. Did you follow the download and installation instructions?

Editing your Narration You may be asking the question, "why do I need to use an application like Audacity when I already have an AV creation programme?". The answer depends on which AV creation programme you have. If you have PTE AV Studio 10 or Fotomagico and are using Garageband, or your commentary is very simple, you may only need to use the noise reduction feature in Audacity. However, if the audio editing capability of your AV software programme is basic, then Audacity has a lot of features that can improve the quality of your audio track. As you become more skilled, you may want to add several layers to the audio, and this is when a programme like Audacity becomes very useful, maybe even essential. I’d like to note at this point

5. Have you scanned the downloaded file for viruses? Audacity is a free download ̶ go to https://www.audacityteam.org/ It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Although the programme is free, there is so much you can do with it that it is impossible to cover even the basics in an article like this. At the end of the article, I will list some useful websites. I also have notes, An Introduction to Audacity, which I am happy to send you. In this article I will give you some ideas about how you, as an AV worker, or maybe as a judge providing feedback to a club, may use this application.

Setting Up (to practise techniques) 1. Open Audacity 2. Click the red record button to begin recording 3. Leave the first 2-3 seconds to record just background noise and then start recording a short of commentary. 4. To stop recording, click the button with the black square. Your programme should now look like this.

Reducing Background Noise (useful for everyone) Noise on an audio recording is rather like digital noise in a photo. There are several causes, such as environmental noise from your computer or a fridge, or maybe wind when you were recording. The best way to deal with it is to eliminate the source, but sometimes that is not possible. We can use a feature in Audacity to eliminate or reduce background noise such as an annoying low hum through the recording. 1. If necessary, return the playhead to the beginning by clicking on the button with a vertical line and arrowhead pointing to the beginning. N.B. Depending on the size of your screen, the top toolbar may be set out differently from these examples. 2. Make the selection tool active (It is like a capital L and is selected in the screengrab above) 3. Put the selection tool on the waveform where there is only the background noise and drag it a short distance to the right to select a piece of track with only the background noise. 4. Go to the Effects Menu and choose Noise Reduction. 5. Choose Get Noise Profile. Wait for a short time while the programme creates the profile. It doesn’t show you when it is finished, but it doesn’t take long. 6. Select all of your soundtrack (Select->All). 7. Go back to Effects->Noise Reduction. Use the lowest settings that work. (Here is a starting point, but you do need to experiment. Noise Reduction = 6, Sensitivity = 6, Frequency smoothing = 6.) 8. Click OK. 9. Play your track to see how it sounds (Play button is the green arrowhead.) 55

...Audio-Visual News By Trish McAuslan APSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS AV Co-ordinator for PSNZ

Removing Unwanted Sounds—like a cough (useful for AV workers and evaluators) When you are doing a commentary, it often works best to do the whole commentary in one go, including unwanted noises like a cough or a door slam. If you make a mistake, just go back to the start of that section and do it again. At the end, you can edit out the unwanted pieces of the soundtrack. 1. In the track I used, the sound started with a cough. You can see it in the waveform. 2. Use the selection tool and select the part of the track with the cough. 3. Delete. 4. The two bits of the track immediately jump together. If you want to lengthen the track and leave space between the two clips, you can 5. Use the selection tool to mark the point where the split will occur. 6. Choose Edit->Clip Boundaries (the marker turns to a bold black line). 7. Select the Time Shift Tool (an arrow pointing in both directions i.e. <->) and shift the second clip to a new position.

Where to, next? There is a lot of information on the internet. Choose one or two options and spend time learning. Once you have some of the basic terms, you can search for a particular technique that you need to know. “Introduction to Audacity.” Contact me for this; it is useful for AV workers. https://manual.audacityteam.org/ https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_your_first_recording.html There are several Youtube options.

NEW GFX 50sII BODY & GF35-70mm KIT ON SALE NOW - BUY IN STORE OR ONLINE • • • • • • • • •

Compact and portable Large Format digital camera body weighing only 900g 51.4MP Large Format CMOS sensor 1.7x the size of Full Frame X Processor 4 offering new functionality over previous GFX50S model Five-axis IBIS/OIS synchronised stabilisation up to 6.5-stops for sharp and clear images Improved autofocus for better performance Dust and Weather Resistant structure, able to operate as low as -10 degrees Celsius 19 Film Simulations for colour to suit any occasion New customisable colour functions for stunning images straight out of the camera Up to 200MP True Colour image reproduction using pixel shift for high resolution

AVAILABLE AT YOUR PREFERRED AUTHORISED GFX RETAILER NOW For more information visit - https://fujifilm-x.com/global/products/cameras/gfx50s-ii/

Info Board 2022 Interclub Competitions The Photographic Society of New Zealand runs four Interclub competitions in conjunction with the Sony National Convention. While this still seems some time off, this is an early reminder to start thinking about getting your club entries together. With clubs mostly closing over the summer, we realise the timing of these competitions is not ideal. The competitions will close in mid-February 2022, but for those who want their entry completed before the summer break, competitions will open from early December. A tip - If you would like to increase your chance of a placing, enter the print sections. The placed print entries will be on display for the duration of the convention. More information can be found on the PSNZ website and in the Bylaws, or ask Craig McKenzie at craig.mckenzie@xtra.co.nz

Remarkable Form, Exceptional Function. Meet the new standard in small format printing. With expanded gamut, dedicated photo & matte black lines and a new 10-colour UltraChrome ink set, the Epson SureColor P706 and P906 redeﬁne A3/A2 image quality in a compact, stylish form factor 30% smaller than the previous generation. Experience exceptional. Experience Epson.

www.epson.co.nz/prographics

Letter to the Editor Sir,

Response

This letter is in reply to Council’s proposal to hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) online, as suggested in the August/ September issue of CameraTalk.

Thank you, Eunice, for voicing your opinion about the proposal to separate the AGM from the National Convention. Yours is one of only two comments received back against the proposal. The vast majority of opinions expressed to other Council members and me have been in favour of the proposal.

How can Council presume to think that, because the AGM was conducted successfully in 2020, due to COVID-19, it can be automatically acceptable to repeat the process in 2021, (fortunately this didn’t happen) and following on to presume that the AGM could run via Zoom into the future? What is more, they suggest that the AGM could be run at a time apart from the convention. Frankly, I’m shocked. The proposal reduces the AGM to a formality, a box-ticking exercise, just something to be gone through, or to quote, a “changing of the roles”, a “changeover event”. How misguided. The AGM is a cornerstone of our Society. As well as a “changeover of roles”, it is an opportunity for members to exchange ideas, make proposals to Council, a think tank. All of which is the usual practice in a healthy and democratic society. Many of us will have sat through numerous Zoom committee meetings, which are satisfactory up to a point. The larger the number participating, the less opportunity to express an opinion and have a meaningful discussion. It’s inconceivable that the 100 or so members who attend the AGM at the national convention could “attend” a Zoom meeting and participate in a meaningful way. To suggest that a Zoom meeting could increase participation is fatuous. Zoom is not a forum for sharing ideas and raising issues. There is no substitute for face-to-face meetings. To suggest that the AGM be held at a time other than at the convention is another impediment to discussion and exchange of ideas. Sincerely, Eunice Mowles FPSNZ

Reading the history of PSNZ, I can see that right up to the 1980s, the AGMs were very lively affairs, but that was at a time when the organisation was developing and is no longer the case now. It would be fair to say that they were an integral part of the organisation at that time. But that time has passed. While I recognise that the AGM is an important part of the convention for some members, the numbers indicate that they are in the minority of the delegates. The highest percentage of delegates attending the AGM in the last four years was 40% in 2019 when the revised constitution was being put through. In Christchurch 2021, only 34.9% of delegates attended the AGM, and there was no discussion from the floor other than several members proposing votes of thanks. The number attending in Christchurch was only seven members more that participated in the Zoom session in 2020. The reality is that the AGM is largely a formality now. Under the constitution, voting for Council positions and any major remits is carried out before the AGM and the results are announced at the AGM. While discussion can come from the floor, anything voted on in such a way only takes the form of a recommendation to Council. If it involves a significant change, it would need to come back to the following AGM for approval. The right to raise a matter at the AGM is no different to the rights that all members have to write to Council at any time on any issues they feel need addressing. In terms of running a large Zoom session, yes, they could be unruly if everyone tried to speak at once. The same can happen at a physical meeting. However, you can run them with the same ground rules as we do at the physical meeting, where we don’t allow everyone to speak at once. Finally, your comment about democracy. Personally, I believe that democracy is served by removing as many impediments to involvement as possible. Having the AGM at the convention means that only those who attend (or live in the local area) can participate. Moving it to Zoom allows the whole country to join in. Paul Whitham LPSNZ President PSNZ

Off the Beaten Track – PSNZ National Convention 2022 Plans are well underway for the 2022 PSNZ National Convention “Off the Beaten Track” scheduled for 7–10 April 2022 in Rotorua. As Council has previously promoted, this convention is the first to be organised and hosted under the new format with a PSNZ events committee, assisted by the Rotorua Camera Club. While the original programme had included speakers from Australia, the committee has now locked in a line-up of talented New Zealand photographers due to the current impact of COVID and the unknown stability of our trans-Tasman borders. The uncertainty and stress created by COVID was impacting heavily on progressing the organisation of the programme. Keynote presenters include adventure sports photographer and Rotorua resident Graeme Murray, outdoor and wilderness photographer Rachel Gillespie, nature and bird photographer Simon Runting, sports photographer John Cowpland and low light documentary photographer Birgit Krippner of Wellington. Plenary presentations will be complemented by seminars and field trips covering a broad spectrum of genres, offering something for everyone. In this issue, we turn the spotlight on two keynote speakers, Graeme Murray and Simon Runting.

Keep an eye out for further promotions through our bulk emails, social media posts and the December CameraTalk. For now, the key action for you is to book your accommodation in Rotorua, either at the Novotel Hotel or elsewhere of your choice. To book accommodation at the Novotel, follow these instructions: Head to Novotel Rotorua website https://www. accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1874-novotel-rotorualakeside/index.shtml • Enter your dates of stay and click on the “special rates” drop-down arrow • Enter preferential code – micenz • Click on “search” • Discounted rates will then show. They will be indicated by a small gift box icon.

Off the Beaten Track – Speaker profiles champs in New Zealand. The beauty and excitement of this world keeps Graeme travelling and discovering new places as much as possible ̶ until COVID-19 closed our borders! Much of his work has been published in international magazines, and he’s proud to have worked for the All Blacks, Warriors, US Golf teams, Destination Rotorua, Bendon New Zealand, Adidas New Zealand and many more. As a keynote speaker, Graeme will not only share his visual achievements and career highlights, but he’ll give you an insight into the perils of adventure photography. On the field trip, Graeme will guide you through action MBT photography on tracks near the Redwoods.

Graeme Murray

Graeme’s passion for photography and the desire to have his own business has allowed him to run a successful operation for almost a decade. Through his work, he has seen amazing areas of the country and met and worked with incredibly talented people. He says he has been lucky enough to be part of and shoot world record wingsuit attempts, walked across the deserts of Australia and has met some of the world’s most incredible athletes.

Rotorua adventure photographer Graeme Murray is as well known around New Zealand as he is in Rotorua. Some would call him a true sports junkie, but it is his passion for the outdoors and photography that has seen him land some exciting and high profile campaigns.

He takes pleasure in the days when the outdoors can be his office, although he is equally at home in a studio environment. In what spare time Graeme has, you can find him riding his MTB, surfing, kite surfing, snowboarding, and even maintaining MTB tracks.

He shoots a diverse range of subjects, including portraiture, action sports, still life, landscape and conceptual. Video production also plays a part in what he creates, and he has shot commercials, documentaries, travel and sports shows, and even pieces for the evening news. Graeme says he really enjoys coming up with new angles for images and he’s always trying to make new mounts to place cameras in unique places.

He first picked up a camera at the age of 14 and spent time shooting rolls of film and developing images in the darkroom. As soon as he qualified as a professional photographer, he was offered an opportunity to work with one of New Zealand’s top audio-visual production companies. There, he spent seven years creating, developing and producing product launches for New Zealand’s largest corporations, using various types of multi-media from theatre lighting to video/slide projection

He is the contracted photographer for the CRANKWORX mountain biking (MTB) competition held in Rotorua, which sees his images published worldwide. In fact, in 2006, he organised the world’s first mountain bike photo exhibition with images shot by the world’s best MTB photographers and was held during the World MTB

and interactive graphics, to set design and, the most fun, pyrotechnics. You can find more of Graeme’s photography here: https://www.instagram.com/graememurraynz/

...Off the Beaten Track – Speaker profiles Simon Runting Whether he’s suspended 55m underground or dangling from a crane shooting complex and busy constructions sites, or lying on the ground photographing wildlife, renowned nature photographer Simon Runting is at ease in all environments. Equally, he is as comfortable on the red carpet as he is in his camouflage gear. Simon’s photographic career started as a news photographer on Fleet Street some 40 years ago. Chasing royalty, famous musicians, politicians and other artists are second nature to him. Having immigrated to New Zealand from the UK, Simon quickly fell in love with New Zealand’s wildlife. What’s followed has been an abundance of heart-stopping images of our birds and nature. His unique style has become identifiable among bird photographers. He is a sought-after speaker at photography conventions and photography clubs, and he regularly hosts small workshops. As a keynote presenter, Simon will share his knowledge of what it takes to be a good nature photographer. On the field trip, he will be ensuring that everyone understands the “basics and fundamentals” of camera settings for bird photography before they even start to shoot. “So many people keen to shoot birds go out but don’t have a real understanding of the basics before they start,” he says. “Part of the success of bird photography is understanding bird behaviour and thus knowing how to preempt them so you can capture their patterns or movements. It’s also crucial for the photographer to go out with an idea of what they want to achieve on their shoot,” says Simon, “rather than just randomly walking about.” Simon is always looking for new and different images, working with the great light here in New Zealand. His award-winning images have seen him as a finalist in many international competitions, and in 2020 Simon was the winner of the nature section of the Sony 2020 Alpha Awards. You can find more of Simon’s bird photography here: https://www.instagram.com/simonbirdphotography/

Nelson National Triptych Salon 2021 Nelson Camera Club The Nelson Camera Club is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Nelson National Triptych Salon. This year we had more entries than in any previous triptych salon, with 527 triptychs from 122 entrants. As in past years, the variety of subject matter was impressive, with lots of excellent entries. Clearly, many entrants had put an incredible amount of thought and effort into their presentations. We would like to thank all those who participated in the salon, and we hope that you had some fun! Now it’s time to plan for next year's salon. The three selectors for this year were: Graham Dainty FPSNZ, Sue Riach APSNZ ARPS AFIAP and Australian based John Hodgson EFIAP/b, AV-EFIAP, FAPS, AV-FAPS, ESFIAP, Hon. FAPS. For more information on this event, please visit https://www.nelsoncameraclub.co.nz/2021-results.html .

CHAMPION Is this the future? - Gail Stent FPSNZ BEST LOVE IS… Love is a Covert Covid Rendezvous Markham Mail APSNZ

HONOURS Ever Decreasing Circles - Noelle Bennett APSNZ Battle of the Orange - Belinda Gummer On Court - Dianne Kelsey LPSNZ Cambridge Autumn - Robin Short APSNZ Climbing the Walls - Graeme Skinner LPSNZ

BEST POWER HTTP403 Error 403 - Tulipa Briggs BEST MONOCHROME Like Cats and Dogs Michael Parker

HIGHLY COMMENDED Pears - Lorraine Gibb LPSNZ Industrial Orange - Dianna Hambleton APSNZ Life Force - Gill Hodgson APSNZ Superpowers - Carolyn Hope FPSNZ ANPSNZ Three Duplicitous Sisters - Tania Paton Elements Earth, Water and Air - Gail Stent FPSNZ ent FPSNZ

Is this the future? - Gail Stent

Like Cats and Dogs - Michael Parker

...Nelson National Triptych Salon 2021 Nelson Camera Club

Love is a Covert Covid Rendezvous - Markham Mail APSNZ

IHTTP403 Error 403 - Tulipa Briggs

Battle of the Orange - Belinda Gummer

Cambridge Autumn - Robin Short APSNZ

Ever Decreasing Circles - Noelle Bennett APSNZ

On Court - Dianne Kelsey LPSNZ

...Nelson National Triptych Salon 2021 Nelson Camera Club

Climbing the Walls - Graeme Skinner LPSNZ

Industrial Orange - Dianna Hambleton APSNZ

Pears - Lorraine Gibb LPSNZ

Elements Earth, Water and Air - Gail Stent FPSNZ Life Force - Gill Hodgson APSNZ

Superpowers - Carolyn Hope FPSNZ ANPSNZ Three Duplicitous Sisters - Tania Paton

Whanganui Camera Club Showcase The club’s annual exhibition will be held from 23 to 30 October at the Community Arts Centre, 19 Taupō Quay. The exhibition will showcase members’ images across two galleries. The Classic Front Gallery will display members’ work in several genres. The second gallery will house eight individual members’ collections, each having a 1.5m space. The second gallery will also have a mosaic wall devoted to images of toys, whatever toys the imagination of members want them to be, so expect to see some innovative interpretations! Paul Whitham, PSNZ President, will open the exhibition at 6.00 pm on 22 October, with time for members and guests to view the display.

Trenna Packer Salver Nature Salon 2021 By James Thompson Trenna Packer Salon Co-ordinator The Trenna Packer Salver nature photography competition has been running since 1972, with the Nature Photography Society of New Zealand has hosting it since 2007. The competition is judged by a single judge, with the judge alternating between the North Island and South Island each year. This year twenty two clubs from around the country entered the competition, fourteen from the North Island and eight from the South. The competition was judged by Bob McCree FPSNZ, who came down from Auckland and announced the winners at the NPSNZ monthly meeting on 14 August. Also present were some of Trenna’s relatives, Norma Robson and David and Val Packer.

Club Results 4th - Hibiscus Coast Photographic Club 3rd - Whanganui Camera Club 2nd - North Shore Photographic Society 1st - Kapiti Coast Photographic Society.

Individual Honours awards Michael Boyd-Clark APSNZ North Shore Photographic Society Dennis Tohovaka Manukau Photographic Society Rhonda Billington Kapiti Coast Photographic Society Gavin Klee Kapiti Coast Photographic Society Mandy Hague APSNZ Whakatane Camera Club Lynette Vallely APSNZ Whanganui Camera Club

Congratulations to all the winning entries and Honours recipients. The results can be viewed on the NPSNZ website and an AV presentation of the results on YouTube here. Thank you to all clubs that entered and to Bob for judging the competition. The competition will open next year on the 1 May so start getting ready. I would be keen to hear from any South Island nature judges interested in judging next year’s competition.

Carol Molineux - 07 Image Set

My Journey...to a Fellowship! By Kirsteen Redshaw FPSNZ

My Fellowship origins began as a collaborative project with nine other photographers. We were designated one particular day to find and photograph our individual projects. We each needed 22 images to create a book to be combined into one printed volume of ten projects. I had an overall theme of “grunge” and a plan of images and locations I wanted to capture. Fortunately, my daughter was able to be my muse and timekeeper. I began with an early start to the day as I did not want any distractions at the locations. The day was relentless and intriguing, with random coincidences and opportunities. A turning point was being introduced to George, a jeweller. I was immediately fascinated by the rings on his fingers, his safe and the rifle on display. Meeting with George changed my initial thoughts, and my day took a very different direction to the darker side. Once my images were laid out, I could see a story coming to life and by giving each image a title, my book became a story, with only seven images chosen from my precise plan. After the completion of the project, I felt it had merit as a Fellowship portfolio. The original set of images had to be reduced to 18, and a lot of thought went into which images to keep and which to reject, to retain the narrative I wanted. For several years I have envisaged how I would like to achieve my Fellowship. Like many of life’s challenges, a situation will present itself that provides the momentum not otherwise there. Being part of the collaborative project provided that momentum. It took my photographic thoughts on a journey that provided a fresh outlook and to a totally different genre of photography. The story became a personal one, but I also saw how it could relate to others, depending on the context in which they were viewing it. Individual viewers did not need my direction or too much explanation for their interpretation, and that is why I did not title my Fellowship entry. I hope you have enjoyed my journey through your own eyes and within your own mind. My fellowship set was simply presented, self bordered, 23cm x 31cm, on Ilford Smooth Pearl paper. My portfolio set was printed and mounted on foam board by Chris Helliwell at Edges Art + Framing

An Artist’s Statement

My portfolio is inspired by Harvey Benge and by a challenge to shoot a book in a day. The allocated date for the project set the tone. The hypothesis was that my senses and creativity would be heightened, and my photography mastery revealed by the resultant time-bound images. It required being accurately aware of my surroundings and the unfettered use of my natural instincts. Time was of the essence – thus a requirement for decisiveness in shot selection, camera settings and lens selection. Showcasing my artistry, the images are gritty and emotive with an urban vibe. With subtle placement, the presentation is chosen to facilitate viewing the set as a whole and taking the viewer on a journey to explore and interpret a story I have curated by turning to the dark side.

Obituary: John Von Pein By Tracey McMillan

Sadly, we were informed of the passing of one of the Gisborne Camera Club’s great life members last week. John Von Pein joined the club in 1984 and for many years shared his talent, skill (photographic and organisational), generosity and passion with all those lucky enough to know him. John served many years ̶ as a committee member, Vice President in 1991, and President from 1992 to 1996. He was an integral part of the club and host of the PSNZ National Convention in 1992 (as President of the convention organising committee), again in 2000, and the Central Regional Convention in 2007. John received many awards and prizes for his photography in national competitions and salons, including the Ellerslie Flower Show and Agfa-Listener Time Frame Competitions. He received a gold medal for his abstract print in the North Shore Salon and many others, including his images in club sets that did well in national competitions. When John moved from his farm in Tahunga, he found a job in Rural Real Estate that combined his passions of rural life, East Coast history, helping people and photographing landscapes. John was always happy to share his knowledge at workshops or by sharing tips on field trips. John and his wife Jo, formerly a high achieving club member, donated a trophy to be known as the Von Pein trophy. Their intention for the award was to encourage members to enter a portfolio of digitally projected images in a range of subjects ̶ landscape/seascape, still life, flower, creative, and one other Image of the photographer’s choice. It has become a popular challenge for members. John and Jo’s contribution to the club was huge. Although his health in the last few years meant he could not join us frequently, he would occasionally appear at club meetings. When he shifted and had to clear out his large hobby shed, the club was the beneficiary of some great equipment: mat boards, patterned glass sheets, still life props and black drops, tripods and photo frames.

Thank you for your time and wisdom, John. Our deepest condolences to Jo, the family and friends.

PSNZ Canon Online - Results Round 4 , 2021 By Paul Willyams APSNZ AFIAP MNZIPP, Canon PSNZ Online Coordinator Comments from the judge

James Gibson from Christchurch was the winner of Round 4 with a fantastic image, “The Breach”. With four out of the six rounds completed, the leaders are starting to emerge. John Organ tops the table at 22, with Glenda Rees and Jeanette Nee on 19 points. There are five photographers with 13 or 14 points. But there are still opportunities to take out the annual trophy; if you have entered all this year’s rounds, you will have four points already. The judge for this round was Aliah Jan FPSNZ AFIAP MNZIPP, a PSNZ accredited judge. Comments from the winner ‘I feel very honoured that my image created the same sense of drama for the judge as I felt whilst making it. I was waiting for my partner at Lake Aviemore dam, on a section of the alps-to-ocean cycle trail, in a blistering nor ’wester. Waves were hitting the dam so hard that big jets of spray crashed through the sluiceways, far enough to be caught by the morning sunlight whilst the dam wall was still in the shade. ‘Because of the angle of the wind, each wave only hit one or two of the gates. With my camera on a tripod, I made several images of different waves and then created a composite for each “splash”, then dodged and burned to make the most of the dramatic lighting. The colour version of this image is virtually monochromatic anyway; it seemed a natural choice to fully desaturate it. I do feel pity for the poor bedraggled and windswept cyclists who were pushing their bikes across the top of the dam, getting soaked in spray. Still, I’m very happy to have been there to experience the drama and to have the kettle on when my other half arrived, completely drenched!’

Thank you for the pleasure of judging this round of Canon Online. This is never an easy competition to judge because of the huge range of genres entered by our amazing photographers. Nailing it down to 10 is excruciatingly painful because there are often too many images deserving a spot right up there. My selection has always been around the stories the images tell. For me, it does not matter which genre the image is from; most important are the stories told when the photographers captured that very moment they press the shutter button. I do hope you will all enjoy my top 10 selection for this round. Photography has been one of my hobbies for many years. I came to New Zealand in 2002. I joined PSNZ and local camera clubs and that took my photography to a new level. I have grown and learnt from many photographers who were happy to teach me over the years. I enjoy attending workshops and conferences to meet other photographers. PSNZ has many good people who are always willing to share their knowledge. Over the years, through PSNZ, I have made many friendships from around the country. With the COVID-19 lockdown and environment that we have been in since last year, I would like to encourage everyone to keep shooting and entering the competitions. You will find larger versions of the images on this link: photography.org.nz/canon-online-current-results

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

1st - The Breach James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP I love the dynamics of this image. I can see and hear the water just by looking at the image. The photographer has chosen to present this in B&W and it is brilliantly processed.

2nd - Catch-up Time Jeanette Elaine Nee APSNZ What a story here, caught in a microsecond by the photographer. The little duckling at the rear looks like the tiniest of them all, but it’s not giving up. I love the smile on mom’s face. 93

...PSNZ Canon Online

3rd - Underwater Eye John Organ LPSNZ FAPS Quirky and very well handled. Not an image one would commonly see.

4th - Walk in the Woods Cornelia Schulz LPSNZ Certainly very inviting wherever this is. Everything about this image makes me want to go there. 94

5th - Shhhh Rebecca MacDonald APSNZ Creative, and a clever set-up with the absolute correct expression from the dog. It can only make you chuckle and smile looking at this image.

6th - Tea for Two? Nicola Jackson LSPNZ The composition of this image is brilliant. It is sharp and shows a lovely sharing of food between these two wax eyes.

...PSNZ Canon Online

7th - Birthday Bubble Wendy Pemberton A brilliant image representing stillness and calmness. The bubble looks fragile but beautiful.

8th - Stitches Out Gaynor Hurst As photographers, we rely so much on our eyes. When I saw this image, I cringed but thought, this is a brilliant photojournalism image. A good reminder to care for our eyes.

9th - Spanish Brides for Christ James Embury I looked at the title of the image and kept looking at the faces of these three young ladies. The sombre faces helped me imagine the ceremony going on. The shallow DoF used works very well.

10th - Rainbow on the Storm Ali Little Such moments can only be photographed very quickly and enjoyed forever after that. This image reminds me to stop and appreciate our environment. I can almost see a face in the rainbow.

Entries for Round 5 close on October 25.

PSNZ Council Creates a New Portfolio to Benefit Clubs With a full complement of Councillors on Council, we have shuffled some of the responsibilities and created a new portfolio specifically to look after our affiliated clubs. Jane Muller, managing the Communications portfolio for the past twelve months, will become Councillor for Club Liaison. New Councillor, Sue Wilkins LPSNZ, based in Clutha, will take over the Communications portfolio. In her new role, Jane will be working specifically on facilitating interaction between clubs and the Council to enhance their participation in PSNZ activities and encouraging clubs to share ideas on activities and events with each other through the PSNZ network channels. Many PSNZ members and affiliated club members are unaware of the myriad opportunities and activities available to them within the Society. Jane says, “since being on Council, I’ve learned so much about what’s available to members. Previously, I often hit the delete button on the PSNZ bulk emails because I either didn’t think they applied to me, or I didn’t understand how easy they are to engage in. How wrong I was!”

Initially, Jane would like to encourage clubs to appoint or offer an individual member to become that club’s ‘PSNZ Liaison’ contact. Jane will be the direct point of contact to the PSNZ Council for that club. That way, collectively, they will ensure that each club and its members are up to date with current activities. The club liaison contact should also encourage their own club members to participate in the PSNZ activities. Jane also says, “appointing one club member to take on the liaison role will not entail a huge amount of work. An hour or so each month could make all the difference to clubs and their members becoming aware of new avenues and opportunities to explore. I would really encourage clubs to nominate a person to take on this role.” If your club would like to nominate a member, or if you would like to contribute ideas to include in the PSNZ role, please contact Jane directly at jem.psnz@gmail.com As the PSNZ portfolio description is still developing, this is the ideal time to send your suggestions in so that Council can consider them.

Welcome to Our New PSNZ Members! Angela Harris Bevan Walker Dianne Ratcliffe Janine Money Jessica Pressnell Karl Ravena Kaye Hartnell Maggie Asplet Margaret Low

Mark Frickleton Murray McCaw Robert Brown Rosealie Robinson Stephen Patten Sue Henley Tania Bennett Tina Pottinger

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

100