Photo Live Issue Two

PHOTO

live PHOTOGRAPHY

[ ISSUE two 2017 ] Cover shot by Lisa-Marie Photography

Contents Photographers Street Photographers Models Podcasts

welcome to PHOTO live ISSUE 2 This issue is packed full of brilliant talent!

We were fortunate to catch up with some amazing artists who specialise in people photography. So this issue is one for those readers who love fashion, models and a touch of glam thanks to our special interview with Haute Shots’ Stacey Frazier.

We also caught up with Marco Larousse, Japanese photographer, Noriyuki and Rita Law from Hong Kong who talk to us about street photography.

Roxanne and Brian from This Week In Photo Glam talk to us about hosting a podcast as well as their photography and modelling, while French model Morgane fills us in on being a model in France.

We want to hear from you... if you’re a photographer or model, head over to our Facebook or Instagram page and drop us a message - tell us if you’re a photographer, model or involved in photography and why we should feature you. We love meeting new people and love sharing their art in our magazine.

Rob Jenkins Editor/Publisher

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LISA-MARIE

Photography

Bio Lisa-Marie is a Scottish-born Freelance Photographer based in Alberta, Canada who specializes in Fashion, beauty and conceptual portraiture.

Lisa-Marie has been published in a variety of magazines that include Papercut Magazine, Ellements Magazine, Hacid Magazine and Dark Beauty Magazine to name a few.

She has also had the cover of several magazine such as Model Life Magazine’s launch issue, children’s magazine Petite Magnifique, The Alchemist Magazine’s Beauty Issue and Lash Inc. She is featured on the Editor’s Choice page of 500px. A few of her images have been shown in New York City.

She recently won Vistek’s “Show Us Your Best Contest” and had a 6 page spread interview for Practical Photography Magazine’s Pro Showcase for the July 2016 issue.

Lisa-Marie is also an Elinchrom and Canon Ambassador.

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Lisa-Marie welcome to Photo Live, who inspired you to make photography your life?

tography - tell us about that part of your life… the study, what was it like studying photography formally?

Thanks so much for having me be a part of Photo Live! Photography was never really on my radar for a career or even a hobby until my grade 10 year of high school. I had to choose an option class for credits to graduate and I was between photography, computers and art.

I was already taking a computers course and didn’t want to have two of the same class. I also can’t draw so it was a simple choice of the photography class. I remember thinking that “Oh this will be so easy!” and boy was I wrong! Very early on I became enamoured with photography and wanted to learn as much as I could. I’ve never looked back.

During high school, I learned the basics but I wanted to learn more. I wanted to broaden my knowledge of the technology of photography. Photography was the minor with a major in design. Although the program was great, it didn’t focus on photography as much as I would have hoped. I found myself putting everything into the photography classes and less into the design. I had three wonderful photography teachers who I learned a lot from. If it wasn’t for one of my professors, I wouldn’t have found fashion photography.

Let’s back up and talk about your first few photo shoots - were they fashion themed?

Not at all! Fashion photography never really came into play for me until my second year of university. During our first few “photoshoots” I had friends from high school help me with portrait work as we were learning side lighting, butterfly lighting and Rembrandt lighting etc.

Even during university I wanted to be a food photographer so I was focusing on still life photography.

What sort of gear did you use?

I’ve always been a Canon girl. Canon was what I learned on and my first professional camera was the Canon 40D. I had a simple 18-55mm lens and then “upgraded” to a 50mm when I started doing fashion work. I used the strobes we had in the studio and I have had Elinchrom lighting for years.

You graduated from Grant MacEwan University studying Design and Pho-

Do you feel that the study helped you with the direction you chose?

The program helped me realize that this WAS my passion and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Finding fashion photography was more of an accident.

We had a class where we were studying portraiture. We had to do the basic lighting that I had done in high school but I wanted to go a little bit further and try some different editing. I remember being so proud of those images. During our critique, my professor looked at my work then looked at me. Without missing a beat he said “People aren’t your thing.”

When he walked away, my heart just dropped. I’m a perfectionist, especially with photography and I was so devastated. I wanted to prove him wrong. I spent all summer doing fashion shoots with my friends around our city, trying different things and coming up with different concepts. At our year end portfolio showing, my entire portfolio was fashion and beauty photography. The professor who had said those words to me the year prior came up to my table.

I said to him, “Remember when you said I couldn’t photograph people?” He just

looked at me and winked. I realized then he had said what he said to me because he knew my personality. He knew I would work hard to prove him wrong. Without him saying those words to me, I wouldn’t have found the love and passion I have for fashion photography.

You graduated, and you seem to have hit the ground running, tell us about the first time you were published in a magazine?

I still remember that feeling. I was on cloud 9. I had done an editorial with a local model at a children’s playground right at sunrise. She brought tons of clothes and accessories. I was incredibly nervous as she is a very popular model in our city and someone once told me, if you get to shoot with her then you have made it here in Edmonton. After I sent her the finished edits, she convinced me to send them to a magazine in British Columbia. The dream was always to get published but I never thought that it would happen so quickly. Getting that accepted email was such an amazing feeling. Even to this day, I still get the feeling of accomplishment and pride of getting published.

And recently you were featured in Practical Photography (one of my favourite titles) what are you doing for them?

I love Practical Photography Magazine!

I was absolutely honoured when they asked to feature me in their Pro Showcase in their July 2016 issue. Not long after that issue hit shelves, they asked me to be their columnist for the November 2016-Novemember 2017 year. I cried when I opened up that email. I have never felt so proud and honoured to be asked to be a part of one of my favourite magazines. It has been an amazing year writing for them!

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One thing people often ask is how does someone become a sponsored photographer? You’re a Canon Ambassador, what does that mean?

I am a Canon and Elinchrom Ambassador. This happened just last year. I had entered a photography contest for one of our local photography stores in town. I never enter contests but this one popped up on social media and I thought why not? I ended up winning that contest and it opened up so many doors for me. I was asked what equipment I used and one of the workers at the Toronto headquarters showed my work to people at Elinchrom first. I was asked to speak at the Toronto ProFusion Photography Tradeshow for Elinchrom and demonstrate how I use their lighting systems to create a ‘Lisa-Marie McGinn’ style of photography. Not long after that, I was asked to host two workshops in Edmonton and Calgary sponsored by Vistek, Canon and Elinchrom. I will never forget that feeling! Having people come and watch me do my thing and create my art meant the world to me! With every image I share on social media now, I tag Elinchrom and Canon. I share my lighting and what camera and lenses I use.

On to your photos, how do you start planning out an idea? Do you collaborate with others?

Yes I love collaborating. Usually my ideas come to me late at night, right before I go to sleep I lay in bed thinking what kind of image I want to create next. I always want to try something different, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

I’m lucky to know a lot of talented individuals in my town who are always open and willing to create my vision.

Book I and Book II are full of amazing photos, did you spend a lot of time editing through your portfolio to choose what images were featured?

Thank you so much! I find myself culling my images more frequently now than when I first started. I always have 1 or 10

2 images from a shoot that are my favourite and I add those to my portfolio.

My portfolio has changed quite a bit over the last 5 years and even now with my style leaning towards beauty photography, I find it changing again. I used to love photographing creative, fairytale style imagery and while I still love capturing those images, beauty work has been my go-to for the last year.

You also do Portrait and Wedding packages, does your fashion photography cross over into families and weddings?

Yes, definitely. In regards to angles and trying to be creative, I find myself trying different things than just the standard portraits and weddings. It works sometimes but I always love to try new things and I’m not afraid too keep trying.

Let’s touch on post processing, do you do your own and how do you approach an image? What I mean is when you’re planning a fashion shoot, do you have an outcome in mind where you know you’ll need to add some post or is it an organic process that evolves as you work?

Yes, I love retouching! Photoshop has always been a passion for me. When I’m photographing an editorial, I typically know how I am going to edit just by the lighting and mood I’m trying to accomplish. Sometimes I go in completely blind and just experiment. I typically do that after editing a portrait session or a wedding. I love grabbing an image that I haven’t touched and just editing until I am happy with the final image.

Can a photographer make a living from fashion alone?

I believe they can, yes. I was laid off from my full time job three years ago. I had no idea what I was going to do next. My boyfriend (now my husband) told me to try photography. What did I have to lose?

The first 4 months were hard. I needed to get my name out there more and get those clients. Three years later, I’m

shooting constantly whether its fashion, beauty, portraits or weddings and get to travel to different cities and provinces demonstrating my style of photography.

Ok some fun questions - where do you see yourself if 5 years?

Professionally? Shooting for Vogue! The ultimate dream for a fashion photographer. I would love to be travelling the world doing workshops and working for clients like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan etc. Personally? I just recently got married and my husband and I would love to have a family. And another dog...or two!

What gear do you lust after if any?

Phase One or Hasselblad! Thats the dream! I used a Hasselblad in University and it was the most amazing experience.

The quality was outstanding. Although I will never part with my Canon cameras (I have a collection now).

You’re going on holiday - what camera would you take for playing the tourist?

Travelling with me is always an adventure. I carry EVERYTHING I have camera wise. I have my Canon 5D Mark III, my Canon 7D (just incase) and all of my lenses. You never know when an amazing photographic opportunity will come up so I always like to be prepared!

Finally where can readers go to see more of your work?

They can go to my website at www.lisamariemcginn.com or my instagram handle is @lisamariephotog. Also, check out my facebook at Lisa-Marie Photography. You can also pick up past copies of Practical Photography Magazine (November 2016-November 2017) and read about how I create my images!

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ONLINE:

www.lisamariemcginn.com www.instagram.com/lisamariephotog www.facebook.com/LMGPhoto 27

marc hayden 28

Hi Marc and welcome to Photo Live, how would you describe yourself as a photographer? What do you specialise in?

look the same haha. Eyes, though….theyare unique, and they say everything. I also want people to appreciate the image, not just the flesh.

Hi! Thanks for having me :) I tend to favour portraiture and fashion for personal work, and there is a strong beauty theme to my image-making. Im doing a lot more lifestyle work these days, and I really enjoy documentary-style work, too.

Talk to us about your editorial work.

Are you doing fashion magazines and, I’ve been told, that that type of shoot can be more for the love and exposure as they pay minimal rates…?

I think every photographer has a story about how they got started, what’s yours?

Well, I actually went to art school and painted at school. I always had a passion for art, but I painted up until university, and thats where I started using Apple Macs. I didn’t touch a camera until many years later, and it was actually the iPhone that got me into photography. Photography was a real luxury hobby and career before digital photography and the internet really took off, but I knew Id always love image-taking….I just knew.

I was working for Apple’s ad agency for a few years and realised I wasn’t being creative, so I decided to change careers!

Looking at your photography, eyes are important to you aren’t they? But when you capture them, they seem to pierce you as the viewer…

Yeah, I can’t get away from eyes. For lifestyle, they aren’t the focus, but for beauty, I love them. I see a lot of stuff on social media, and its just naked girls.

Don’t get me wrong, the female body is wonderful, but bum shots are kinda…. boring. Everyone has a butt. And many

I test a lot, because I enjoy it, and working with stylists is great. But Im not submitting anymore. If a quality fashion mag commissions me, 100% I’m there, because Im an artist, and I love to create. If you’re doing Wonderland, Love, or Vogue….those kind of mags, then the exposure is good. Its definitely a labour of love.

You also do Commissions, can you tell us about that?

Sure! I do a fair amount of corporate work, and fashion commissions are great. Being a full time freelancer really is full time. Im terrible at stopping, but I have a family, so I want to make time for them. My social life is pretty much non-existent, but its the path I chose. I want to create, and I want to support my family….commissions help me do that. I have done cool lookbooks for a variety of brands, and Im always looking to do more.

You’re recent personal work is powerful, what’s inspired that look?

Just me. And that is really important. I remember starting out and panicking about having a style. Id look a other artists and worry. But the moment I stopped

worrying, and just did what came naturally, thats when my work came into its own. Obviously I take in outside influence all the time, but the way I frame, the poses, etc….thats just what I like.

Who inspires you?

I like fine art. I know more about fine art than I do photography, so Id say Cubism, Pop Art, music, graphic art. Basquiat, Picasso, Haring, Mondrian - these guys were visionaries.

What do you see for photography in the next 5 years, as in the tech and perhaps the way we appreciate the art?

Great question, and I do wonder how the availability of kit will affect the quality of the work, in both positive and negative ways. But, at the end of the day, you can’t buy artistic talent, so Im not phased by that. Its like when music production was suddenly available to every bedroom producer….there is just more noise. The quality always shines through.

Marc - thanks for being in Photo Live Issue 2, where can readers go to find out more about you?

Thanks for having me! My instagram @_marchayden and my website marchayden.co.uk are great places to keep up with my work. Im also on twitter @_marchayden, and on Facebook (marchaydenphoto). If your readers have any questions they can also drop me an email at marc@marchayden.co.uk.

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ONLINE:

marchayden.co.uk instagram.com/_marchayden facebook.com/marchaydenphoto facebook.com/_marchayden

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ALEX SANCHEZ Welcome to Live Alex, where are you living and how did you get started as a photographer?

Regarding nudes photography, I try to show only the indispensable, so as to bring to mind sensuality.

I live in Lyon, I´ve always love photography but I did not have a professional camera. So 2 years ago I decided to start and began to collaborate with different models.

Tell us about life for a photographer in France… do you do this as a full time job?

You have some amazing maternity photography, what inspired you to photograph women in this style?

Even though it is not my favorite photography style, it´s something I love to do as it remains in my ground, witch is the studio photography.

What mainly inspires me is to immortalize this precious moment which is the pregnancy. In this period of a woman life you can see how radiant they are, totally glowing. I try to enhance this moment throught the studio lights control.

What photography do you love most?

I love doing portraits and nudes. I´m always searching for deep expressions and intense looks.

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For the moment I am not doing this full time but I am working for it :). It will be great to work from my passion. In Lyon there is a lot of photographers but I cannot complain as I have got enough photography work.

Do you travel much with your photography? Where have you been?

I love to travel but as I work a lot, sometimes it is hard to plan. I have been to Morocco, England, South of France, Spain is my motherland. And I am going to Thailand in November. Can´t wait!

What’s been the most challenging photo shoot you’ve done?

For me, each picture is a challenge, there is always things that happen during the shooting that you did not have predicted, but if I have to choose one, I will

definitly say the social pictures, I mean wedding pictures, event pictures, as you cannot control the models and the light as in a studio.

Who inspires you as a photographer?

Peter Coulson, I really love how he masterizes the black and white pictures. I also like very much Michael Woloszynowicz.

What do you have planned for next year?

My goal is to manage to open my own studio so as to developp my art to the next level.

Where can our readers go to see more of your work? facebook.com/AlexSanchezPhotography & instagram.com/alex.sanchez.photo.

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ONLINE:

www.instagram.com/alex.sanchez.photo www. facebook.com/AlexSanchezPhotography 45

Chris, welcome to Photo Live, why are your photos so damn good? Ok that’s probably too confronting as an opening, let’s start with, when did you know you’d found your “look” or style?

Haha thanks for having me! I’d say finding a “look” took me about 6 or 7 years.

I spent a long time treading water, not really doing one thing in particular. It wasn’t until I did a lot of soul searching to really decide what I wanted to focus on that it started coming together.

Let’s back up a bit more, how did you get started as a photographer?

I picked it up as a hobby after graduating college. I had always messed around with it before then, but once I really dug in, I was hooked. I’d shoot whatever I could locally and after some time, decided to give it a real go.

When I look at your art, I keep thinking of the words - Drama, Passion, Power… am I on track?

I like those words - I also like to throw in “Theatrical.” I love the idea of visual theater and all the ingredients of melodrama that go with it.

The photo, Cela New York, tell us about that photo...

This was shot for a handbag desire, Cela New York, and we were very much inspired by a Helmut Newton shot for this image in particular. It was shot in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

You’ve photographed some amazing people, who’d been a lot of fun to shoot?

I’ve been very fortunate to shoot a wide variety of people will all different kinds of personalities. That dance between theirs and mine is one of my favorite parts about portraiture. One of my favorite subjects has been my lady, the very talented Lindsay Adler.

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Chris KNIGHT I love the tones and feel of your Personal Work, talk us through the redheaded woman sitting on the desk with the two men… it’s got a detective feel from the movies.

That image was definitely inspired by old film noir movies - one of my favorite genres of film. It was actually shot in Beijing, China as part of an event for Profoto China. Lindsay Adler and I were there to present and shoot and this was a concept we created for them - and two entirely different versions of it. My version was the set-based, cinematic version. I designed the set at home and they built it. We sourced a few local models and shot that image with over almost 200 people standing my shoulder. It was lots of fun and a great challenge.

And the images featuring people with arrows, can you share what you’re communicating and why…?

These were for a project called “St. Sebastian.” I love the story, the visuals and the narrative that comes with it. This was shot here in New York. I wanted to create a classic version and modern version side-by-side to see how the viewer responds uniquely to each. It’s one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done.

You use light dramatically, is that something that evolved over time?

It definitely has. I spent years shooting swimwear and lifestyle in Miami with clean, bright, colorful images. Dramatic lighting was a journey, but I’m happier over here.

Who inspired you as a growing artist and has that changed as you’ve grown as a photographer?

I’m definitely heavily inspired by classical painting. I love Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Vermeer - the Baroque painters really do it for me. Photographically I love Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Eugenio Recuenco, Erwin Olaf, Gregory Crewdson, Annie Leibovitz. Tastes definitely change and evolve. I didn’t get into painting until much later, but I think one of the best things visual artists can do is study mediums that are not your own.

We’d like to send readers to see more of your photography - where can they go? chrisknightphoto.com instagram.com/chrisknightphoto facebook.com/chrisknightphoto

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ONLINE:

chrisknightphoto.com instagram.com/chrisknightphoto facebook.com/chrisknightphoto

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Andrea Joki

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Andrea Joki tells us about her photographic journey...

BACKGROUND My father was a hobbyist photographer – mostly taking pictures of trains and his children (the two of us). I inherited his camera equipment but didn’t do much with it until the birth of EBAY in the 1990s. I was buying and selling antique apparel (1860s-1920s) and needed photographs to match the provenance I had researched for each item. So I put aside my father’s Minolta and bought a Canon Rebel with digital features (this was pre-digital sensor but the selling point of the Rebel was that it had digital exposure readings – no exposure meter needed!). I still have that camera – nicknamed “Fred” - and he saw a lot of use up until around 2005 – and the rise of the digital sensor.

I was curious about digital sensor cameras but feared the loss of quality in dynamic range and clarity. I researched how CCD and CMOS sensors worked and eventually settled on the Nikon D50. The color was beautiful even if the CMOS rendered skin tones so much nicer (and less orangey).

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DEVELOPING MY STYLE In early 2000, I think many people got into family portraiture for their children and the love of kids. So they were ace at getting great expressions and moments from their subjects but often had terrible comps and color. For me, I loved the design challenge – the story of an image and how all the pieces come together to tell us about the subject. Unfortunately, I had the opposite issue of my nascent photographer colleagues: while I would have an image with a beautiful juxtaposition of wild countryside and perfectly positioned person, I wouldn’t notice that they were dead in the eyes and lifeless.

I was too busy putting together the big picture rather than seeing the small details of connection and emotion.

At that point, I was very ambivalent – I enjoyed images of people NOT looking at the camera and instead interacting with the environment but I needed to be able to take and sell ‘smiling faces’ as well if I wanted a business. It’s something I worked on for several years; learning to get that comfortable rapport with any subject of any age. That skill didn’t come over night and I really had to upgrade my interpersonal skills to do so. E.g., what works on a small kid can be very irritating to a teen.

At the same time, taking image after image helped me to develop my personal vision – my style. It’s something that I’ve come to realize has to grow organically from taking a lot of pictures. It can’t be forced and it is something that evolves over time; you find that you naturally begin to gravitate toward photographing and processing images in a certain way that YOU find pleasing. The best example I can give of this is that in 2006 I was good friends with some amazing pho-

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tographers. Our way of photographing was very similar; in fact, we all shot with deep rich color / very good clarity and our images were fairly similar. But within four years, we had branched out and come into our own as photographers in very different ways. Our current work looks so dissimilar as to be striking that we were ever photographing similarly.

My style soon translated into surreality – I wanted a bit of magical realism in my images and to create something we could not ordinarily see beyond life’s distractions. To complement that, I always want every image to tell a story about the person in it. For that reason, I never photograph in public parks – they all look the same whether you are in Melbourne or Prague, Denver or Chicago. The same manicured lawns and the same hardy trees. Instead, I try to find places that are representative of the person and that time in their life- nature preserves or places with the native architecture or flora. That way, when the person grows up or moves, they will have everything in the image to remind them of that time and place. A park or random location just can’t do that.

The other foundation of my style that I am very proud of is color harmony. It’s about creating moods or ensuring that the subject harmonizes with or stands out from the environment. E.g., if photographing in a forest I will dress subjects in jewel tones, often in contrasting colors that help them pop from the busy background so they don’t get lost. At beaches or fields, I will dress subjects in bleached and softer colors that work with the environment so the harmonize with it instead of standing out like a sore thumb. That’s one of the reasons

you won’t find subjects in black or dark clothes on a beaches if I can help it – I work with my clients in advance with suggestions on what to wear based on the chosen location.

When we photograph, we photograph for interest – we want people to really explore the image. It’s a tough task: how to make the image speak and to ensure everything in the four corners is precisely placed to create accord or surprising chaos. Suggestions such as rule of third, golden mean, and juxtaposition make sense when you see the big picture and how everything works together to put a focus on or describe the subject. E.g., if you take a photograph on a lawn with random cars in the background and a tree growing out of the subject’s head, it doesn’t enhance the subject or tell his/her story. But if you place them in the bottom right corner of the image with their house beautifully framed in the background in the left top corner, then you’ve told a story. Similarly, if I am photographing in Finland, I’ll include blueberry bushes and aspens framing the subject. If I am in Oregon, I will get windswept driftwood on meandering beaches or old growth moss covering aspen forests, in Prague I want to photograph the Old Town or an abandoned soviet military base, and in Gold Coast of Australia, I want to photograph the spits that jut out with high rises in the background. It’s all about contrasting the timelessness of a location with the very dated (never to be that way again) person in the image.

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THOUGHTS FOR FELLOW PHOTOGRAPHERS I’m asked often about what advice to give photographers and the most important thing for me is to encourage people to a) analyze everything you do and b) get (honest!) feedback as often as you can. Also, experiment without the worry about failing. Even now, with so many years behind me, I try new things and different angles/orientations every session, knowing most won’t work. A great shoot for me is not all decent images – it’s about looking through the raws and being on a rollercoaster ride of good… good…terrible…great…great..bad…good.. good….bad….. In failing is when I learned to really grow as a photographer.

phers is often the best thing you can do for yourself and your business – regular get togethers create the most amazing images and opportunities for growth.

I think that’s why I began teaching in 2008. I have made amazing friendships around the world and have photography to thank for bringing the world to me here In this little country of Finland. Although I don’t do workshops any more due to the heavy travel, I am forever grateful for the memories I’ve made and the truly inspirational people I’ve met as a result. We have some of the most creative and giving people in the industry and too often don’t even know it.

My other recommendation is to learn to see beyond what the camera can take.

You are not bound but the limited dynamic range and ‘mechanical’ boringness of what the machine captures. A photograph is art when it translates a scene or moment into something very unique and distinct. Always stretch your imagination to go beyond what your raw is showing you – there is a fascinating world out there that you, with your unique history and world view, can translate into something truly inspirational and wholly distinct.

Of course, pictures speak louder than words. Here are images with context/ info, which I always find helpful. In several, I gave behind the scenes or raws to give an idea of the starting point to give an idea of how not to be bound by the raw.

Finally – photographers make up the best community of people! After several years in the business, I looked back and recognized that my best images were often taken with other photographers – working with colleagues at all levels is amazing and they push you to new directions you might not have otherwise taken. Teaming up with local photogra-

Behind the scenes Facebook page – where you can see pullbacks/behind the scenes images: www.facebook.com/JokiPhoto

My website: www.jokiphotography.com Facebook and Flickr that have my most recent work: www.facebook.com/JokiPhotography/ www.flickr.com/photos/maiasuvi/

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ONLINE:

www.jokiphotography.com www.facebook.com/JokiPhotography www.flickr.com/photos/maiasuvi www.facebook.com/JokiPhoto 65

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Interview with photographer Stacie Frazier..

Welcome Stacie! You’ve done so much for women, what I mean is that you’ve taken your art and helped people see real beauty, how did it all start?

I really feel like my entire life eventually led me to boudoir photography. But, it specifically began after I had been laid off from my job as a graphic designer.

Part of my job responsibilities as a designer had been light photography details. I had begun shooting friends as a hobby during lunch breaks on the roof of the Venetian hotel-casino. That led to them asking if I could do sexier shoots for them on the side. Well, I had blogged much of these experiences, and unbeknownst to me at the time, was developing a following. So, by the time I had lost my job I had perfect strangers asking for boudoir shoots. It turned into an automatic business for me. So grateful. But, mostly thankful that it ended up being a business that actually empowered the women I worked with, and not just me.

Do your clients start by saying they don’t feel “glamorous” or beautiful?

How do you overcome that? Is it s body image problem? Nerves? Both?

Every woman comes into their session with nerves. Many of them have been married for 20 years or so and “unseen” - whether it be just by their husbands being the only one to have seen them intimately or sadly, being taken for granted at that stage in their marriage.

Their bodies have changed from age, childbirth and whatnot. But they still want to be sexy, feel desired and viewed with kind, loving eyes as a woman of

true beauty and worth. And I honestly believe each woman I photograph is just that...worthy and beautiful. So, during a session they are being viewed by my team and I, perfect strangers to them, of course they will be nervous. One thing I hear time and time again though is how appreciative they are that we were so nonjudgemental. That is one of the most important traits for a boudoir photographer, in my opinion. It builds trust. But, it has to be genuine, obviously.

Do the women do it for themselves, for their partner … both?

It started with most of them saying they were doing it for their partner. But, I could see they were really doing it for themselves too. Now, I get a mixture of women who say they are doing it for themselves, their partners or both.

Tell us about the process… Someone has rang you and wants to book what happens next?

We figure out what their needs are and I help them decide which session they should go with, location they should shoot at, etc. They book their shoot and fill out a questionnaire that helps me get to know them better so that I can formulate ideas for their shoot to tailor it more to their personality through poses and wardrobe advice. And then it’s showtime!

Talk to us about the challenging shoots. What’s a difficulty you sometimes face?

On a very rare occasion, we might encounter a client who is either especially uncomfortable in her own skin which makes her more stiff and more difficult to pose or who has her heart set on facial expressions that don’t translate on camera as beautifully as she might think they will. It can prove difficult to break the habits of “duck lips” or “deer in the headlights” eyes, for instance.

I’m not sure how to phrase this, so I’ll do my best, your photos are exactly what I’d want to see of my lovely wife, what I mean is they are feminine but really sexy as well. I hope that makes sense?

I think something that I have always aimed for was to create photos that appealed to both women and men alike.

Usually the photos are being gifted to a man so I needed to represent his desires as well as the clients. For that reason, I never really shoot overly frilly or girly scenes. I prefer a more masculine backdrop actually, so that the clients femininity pops more. But, I also lean towards a woman looking more confident and powerful, which can be characterized as masculine traits in our society. Against a more neutral backdrop, this is accomplished much easier than something overly feminine.

Tell us about your reality show.

Well, we almost had a reality show. Came really close, but it ultimately didn’t end up happening. We had been approached by many producers trying to entice us into trying to get out own show. I

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I have always said that a boudoir photography shoot is most definitely a life changing experience for women. I’ve seen the transformation with my own eyes from the very beginning. They leave their session standing taller, and that feeling stays with them for months afterwards, and they are reminded of it every time they look at their photos. I think this is why I see so many clients returning for more sessions throughout the years. It’s an addictive feeling for them!

Ok, what’s next for you - any plans for the next 12 months you can share?

It’s a slight departure from my regular work but I am continuing on with my current fine art photo project. It’s called Bag Ladies, which is a look at the objectification of women, particularly where dating and our social conditioning are concerned. I’m concerned with where we are heading with all of that. You can find this photography project right here: Interview: youtu.be/iK3iyyw3mkE Announcement post: hauteshots.com/personal-photography-project/

Full series posts: hauteshots.com/category/bag-ladies/ Can you share 5 tips for people having a boudoir shoot?

skipped most of the requests but trusted two of them to portray us accurately and respectfully so we actually had two different opportunities where the networks were presented with the idea but ultimately passed.

Sizzle Reel: https://youtu.be/k2OqqGHqjcs Props and accessories - how do you decide who suits what?

The answers on the pre-session questionnaire that I send to them helps me figure out if there is anything I might be

able to bring to make their shoot more special. But, we do all of our shoots on location so I keep that to a minimum. I can, however, give them advice on what types of outfits to bring based on what I have learned about them. I do like when clients bring meaningful props to sessions, like a special piece of jewelry or perhaps a framed wedding photo to place bedside on the nightstand.

There’s lot’s of tears when people see how amazing they look, do you feel the experience changes people and that the changes last?

Relax.

Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.

Trust your photographer.

Enjoy the process.

Be extra kind to yourself.

Finally where can readers find out more about Haute Shots and Stacie Frazier?

Website: hauteshots.com Blog: hauteshots.com/our-blog Instagram: instagram.com/hauteshots Facebook: facebook.com/HauteShots Marketing Video: youtu.be/m-sLDYWQ8d0

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hauteshots.com hauteshots.com/our-blog instagram.com/hauteshots facebook.com/HauteShots youtu.be/m-sLDYWQ8d0

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MARCO

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Larousse

Welcome to Photo Live Marco, ok, straight into it - how hard is it being a street photographer? What I mean is do you find it challenging to take photos of strangers as part of your photography?

It used to be hard for me in the beginning when I started to point my camera at people in foreign countries. I was very curious about their unposed daily life routines and did not want to capture staged and posed smiling photos.

At that time, I started doing this in the beginning of the 90’s, I was not aware that there was a historic genre of photography called street photography.

Once I discovered that this was a classic art form and understood the importance of documenting contemporary daily life that may become relevant for future generations, I started to feel very confident about what I do. I even feel that street photography is extremely important to society if the intentions are right and the subjects are treated with a lot of respect.

Tell us about the beautiful black and white. You seem to do a lot of B and W … are you shooting jpg files and using one of the Fuji film modes?

I shoot 95% of my images in B&W. I like to tell the story without the distraction of color. I only switch to color if I think that the color adds important information to the story. I set my camera to shoot jpg & RAW and set the camera to B&W +Red Filter mode with some custom tweaking of highlight and shadow intensity. Fuji and Olympus both have very nice B&W jpg modes straight out of the camera that are often already publishable. For my large fine art prints, however, I go to the RAW files and tweak them to look good on paper.

Back to the beginning - when did you pick up a camera and decide this was what you loved?

I got my first own camera when I was about 6 years old. It was a plastic camera that I found in a grab bag for 50

cents. My mom bought me a cheap roll of B&W film and I was hooked. This may also have been where my brain was wired into thinking that the final result of the photographic process was a B&W print. And I still shoot B&W and print my work on paper to this day.

Why Fuji?

When Fuji introduced the first X100 at Photokina 2010, I was very excited about the concept of a camera that brought back the features of my old analog rangefinders into the digital world. The camera was small, quiet, had a great IQ and had the aperture, shutter speed and exposure compensation as external dials on the camera. Now that even the ISO dial has been added to my most recent Fuji camera, I am very happy with this set up for now.

Why analog?

I just shoot differently when I shoot analog. The whole process is a lot slower and I’m even more selective on the shots that I take. I also have a higher keeper rate by shooting less. Analog also helps me to slow down and enjoy the waiting time before the image reward compared to the instant gratification of digital photography.

You’re also a successful podcaster with Scott Bourne, how did that come about?

I had appeared on a few photography podcasts when Scott contacted me about 4 years ago and asked me if I wanted to start a podcast on Fuji cameras with him. I was still an ambassador for Fuji at that time (official X-Photographer) and after we worked out our strategy we started the show. Both of us were surprised how quickly this show became popular, but we were hitting different limitations on a show that was only talking about one brand. We then closed the Fuji show and opened the show to all mirrorless brands. I was producing these shows for Photofocus at that time. And at the beginning of this year, Scott and 79

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I founded PPN - Photo Podcast Network as a hub for photography and creativity related podcasts. We currently have 4 shows per month and have been really pleased with the great feedback from our wonderful audience.

Will PPN be growing in the future - you already have some excellent show’s, what’s next?

We are still a young network and are growing our audience every week. There are a lot of opportunities out there and we’ll make the next move when the time is right :) Are you teaching or doing workshops?

Can you tell us what you teach in them?

Yes, I am teaching workshops that generally cover street or documentary photography. And printing often plays an important role, too. I see my workshops rather as retreats. I don’t want to lecture theory the whole time. I find it equal-

ly important to talk about motivation, goals, and mind-set. My goal is that the participants have a good time and feel that they are spending a few days with friends. They should see and learn new things and leave the workshop/retreat motivated.

Where can our readers go to see more of your photography?

They can go to MarcoLarousse.com to see my work and read my blog or tune in at PPN - Photo Podcast Networkphotopodcasts.com/podcasts to listen to our photography podcast episodes on inspiration, mirrorless, Q&A, or gear. And they can always get in touch with me on Twitter twitter.com/hamburgcam.

Thanks Marco!

Thank you so much for featuring my work.

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RITA LAW

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Hi Rita, thanks for talking to us at Photo Live, where are you based?

I am based in Hong Kong - a dense urban jungle, chaotic yet blissfully exciting.

You take a lot of amazing city photos, capturing the businesses... or should I say, chaos of Hong Kong, how did you get into photography?

I was given a Practica LTL3 from my dad when I was 13 and it becomes my first camera (I still use it sometimes when I travel!).

The one thing that really brought me into photography was the film photography course I attended in university. I used to worry too much if I would waste a film every time I shoot. One of the “Sunny 16” excises was to shoot a series of street photos using a fully manual SLR and no light metering was allowed, the end result images weren’t that great at all but it made me realised trial-and-error is the best way to learn from my own mistakes.

Hong Kong looks a mix of old and new - what’s it like to walk around the city and shoot?

Hong Kong itself is like a concrete jungle. The urban design back in late 19th is pretty compelling I have to say. You can easily find all sort of neon signage hanging right above a busy street in Kowloon and some parts of Hong Kong Island. The street scene in Hong Kong always looks dense and full of energy. It is very easy to spot interesting happenings on street.

In short, it is a paradise for street photography lovers.

Tell us how you go out and shoot?

What’s your process? Do you plan or is it impulsive?

I found observing people and all the random happenings on street particularly fascinating. I shoot when I spot an in-

teresting scene, moment or people. This must have something to do with my previous job as a location scout.

What are you using for your photography? (Gear) At work, I use Nikon D5 and the 24-70mm f/2.8 E ED VR for general event coverage and sometimes carry with me the 80400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR if it is a sporting event. I have a Panasonic GF7 with its kit lens for streets and of course a smartphone, recently upgraded to iPhone8, to snap at any moment.

Talking of gear, you worked for Digital Rev for a while, what was that like?

It was fun and absolutely rewarding. The DRTV production team was a relatively small one, 4 in total, but definitely the best team I have ever worked with, plus It is always a pleasure to be given the latest cameras and gears to try on!

And now you work for yourself?

No, I work for an agency as a content producer right now, my work is more into content marketing than purely production, which is a definitely challenging but interesting to me, since I came from a Graphic Design background.

Have you done much traveling and where have you gone?

Yes! I consider myself as a travelholic. I travelled 4-5 times each year. I made trips to Cuba, Canada, UK, Georgia and Russia so far in 2017 and will be visiting Lebanon next month!

What’s been a favourite place to visit?

Oh… This is hard to choose from! If I really have to pick a favourite place, then it would have to be Moscow. It is the destination of my very first solo trip when I was 19. I fell in love with this city at first sight. I visited Moscow 6 times already never get bored with it!

Back to your photos, do you process images before sharing?

For the images on my Instagram, I mainly use the built-in filters from app and sometimes Photoshop CC if I have access to computer and got plenty of spare time.

Tell us 3 things about Rita Law we don’t know (maybe a favourite book, movie, food, what you love about HK or hate) I love neon signages.

I love sans-serif.

I hate foods with orange pigment like pumpkin and carrot.

Can you give us a 5 tips on shooting photos in the city? * Choose the camera you are most comfortable to carry around, take it with you everyday * Use aperture-priority mode or even full auto mode for run-and-gun type of urban photography and street snap * Look for the geometry, leading lines or pattern in the scene * Get lost in the city and don’t be afraid to explore * (Not really a tip though…) Shooting with a DSLR with huge tele zoom lens in city may make you look like a creep or paparazzi, get ready for weird look in public!

Finally where can our readers go to see more of your photos?

I am pretty active on Instagram (@RitaTheTravelholic) but can also be found on Twitter (@ritalaw), Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/ritathetravelholic and Facebook: www.facebook.com/ritathetravelholic

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www.instagram.com/RitaTheTravelholic www. facebook.com/ritathetravelholic www.youtube.com/c/ritathetravelholic www.twitter.com/ritalaw

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NORIYUKI

Tomita Welcome to Live Nori, tell us about yourself and where you live, how you got into photography….

I’m a middle-aged Japanese journalist live in Tokyo. My speciality is art, cultu re, and so on. I’ve just quit my newspaper company this spring and now I’m a free and traveling alone.

My first step job in photography was for work in my twenties. At first, I used a film camera and did the development myself. Soon I got into and enjoyed taking many photos as a hobby. In the beginning I liked art and wanted to be an artist in my youth, so that taking photos tickled my artist’s mind. In addition, my photos were sometimes used with my articles in the newspaper.

What sort of photography do you do?

Is it street or a mix of different styles?

Many are street photos. I’m free to go to favorite places and take landscapes, flowers, photos of old temples, and cats.

If possible, I would like to take portraits more.

What is life like in Japan for you? Do you work full time or is photography your full time job?

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I no longer work full time and now I‘m putting my dreams into practice enjoying my free time. Travelling with a camera is one of those dreams. I want to continue this life like a cloud as long as time and money permits.

How often are you out shooting?

Basically I always take my camera everyday and use it whenever I find an interesting scene.

Why did you choose to use Fuji?

I’ve used several makers for many years.

Nikon or Canon for films, Ricoh or Sony for digitals. For journalism, it was necessary to capture exactlly and closely.

But I came to prefer the more warm and soft photos. Fuji suits my demands.

Occasionary I knew that old lenses can be used with mirrorless and last year I bought Helios. It was very exciting to use it by manual mode and then I began to buy many vintage lenses. I discovered the summilux 50mm or 35mm of Leitz that was produced about 50 or 60 years before.They are wonderful because of the beautiful and soft bokeh. Now I use a Leica M8 too.

Are you involved in any clubs or photo groups?

No. I prefer being alone. Fortunately many followers see my photos in Instagram. That’s enough.

We love how you photograph the culture of your country, what do you think about when you’re out doing your photography? Are you just walking and finding things or do you have a plan and look for certain subjects?

I love this country and culture, but for me, taking photo is more private, indiviual, thing. I see old temples and flowers, equally in my mind. Delight of creation is important.

What would you tell a new photographer who is starting out, how would you advise them to do some street shooting?

Don’t use zoomlens with auto focus. Only when you stop this, your world of photography will be wide open.

Finally where can our readers go to see your photos?

Someday I want to publish a photo essay or books with my photos in near future.

For now you can find me on instagram under @noripppyo.

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ONLINE:

www.instagram.com/ noripppyo.

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Morgane

MODEL

Were’ guessing being a model in France is competitive, after all Paris, Milan and New York are seen as the fashion capitals of the world. We asked French model Morgane, how she got started as a model and just how difficult it is there…

Morgane, welcome to Photo Live, tell us about yourself.

Usually the photographer contacts me via a social network. We discuss the project and try to make it happen if we think we can work together.

Tell us about your first modelling shoot, were you nervous?

Well I am Morgane, I am French and I live in Lyon. I got into modelling a year ago, when one of my friend asked me if i wanted to try to do a photoshoot. First I wasn’t sure I could do it but after thinking more about it I felt like why not, I like his work, I know him, let’s give it a try. I always dreamed of doing a photoshoot so I tried it out.

I was pretty nervous, I had never done that before, I was scared to look stupid or to make bad pictures. But I trust my friend and he made me feel confident.

You can see my first photoshoot on instagram and my progress with my friend with who I’ve done many other awesome projects.

Is modelling for full time?

How do you prepare for a photo shoot?

Its not a full time job for me, I would love it to be. It’s a passion that I have to create some projects with photographers.

Well I talk a lot about the direction we want to take with the photographer.

We talk about the look, the makeup, the place where we are going to shoot the photos. I find some inspirational images online for the photoshoot.

Are you registered with an agency and what does an agency do for you (a question for the many models that contact me about starting out).

I dont have any agency beaucause I dont have an agency profile because of my small size.

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Still you’ve done so many amazing photo shoots, how does that process work? Does the photographer contact you or is it booked through an agency?

(Editor: According to The Balance, a female model in Paris needs to be five feet nine inches to six feet tall, and figure measurements are 34-23-33)

Are you doing catwalk too … what is the main type of modelling you do?

I only do photoshoots for now, however I’ve been asked me to appear in a music video!

What’s the modelling scene like in France? Is it difficult to get noticed?

Well there is a lot of girls that dream to become a model so it’s not an easy thing to do.

You’ve build a great Instagram following - can you share some tips for our readers who may be just starting out as models?

It’s important to practice. Don’t say yes to just anything. Trust yourself and do what you love.

What’s been your favourite shoot?

My favorite shoot is one of my last shoot. It’s not on Instagram yet but it will pretty soon. It was in a studio with two photographers that are friends of mine. We played with glitter and it was so much fun, a bit sexy, colourful and a lot of work.

Ok a fun question - what would you take with you on a desert island?

Tough question, i need so many things lol. I guess my phone, i am nothing without my phone, if it works of course or chocolate, chocolate is life.

Morgane thanks for letting us talk to you, where can our readers go to see more of your amazing work?

All my work is on instagram so I can share my work and communicate with everyone, you can see it at: instagram.com/like.a.magic.unicorn all photographs supplied by Morgane

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www.instagram.com/like.a.magic.unicorn www. facebook.com/morganephotoslyon 111

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PODCAST

TWIP GLAM Last issue we touched on some podcasts we enjoy, and another brilliant show is TWIP Glam hosted by Brian Fischer and Roxanne Cali - welcome to Photo Live!

Brian: Thanks for having us!

So to get started how did you both come to know each other?

Brian: Like most models and photographers, we met at a photo shoot. At this point I had been on the hunt for a podcast partner for over a year. As we shot together I was immediately taken with Roxanne’s quick banter and the acoustics of her voice. I asked her on the spot if she would be interested in hosting a podcast and we have been on this journey together ever cents.

Roxanne: Brian first reached out to me on Model Mayhem, I was new to the industry and his photos were amazing! I was quite nervous the first time we shot, thankfully he made it so easy for me and we hit it off right away!

You’ve shot together a few times how often and what’s been a favourite shoot?

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Brian: We try to shoot together three or four times a year, but our busy schedules make that sporadic. Because I find the process of working with Roxanne so enjoyable, it’s hard to pick, one of my favorites would have to be an experimental body paint shoot we did gluing thousands of pink aquarium rocks to Roxanne. The shoot went off without a hitch but we had a ton of confused spectators and and amazing mess to clean up afterwards.

Roxanne: We have shot together countless times, between Brian’s portfolio jams and our individual and group shoots, we have a lot of photos. I also fondly remember the pink aquarium rock shoot, it’s up there for sure, but the LED bikini was such a fun project, that might be my favorite. Brian made the suits and I tucked the battery pack right between my cheeks. Good thing he wasn’t taking photos from the back!

You’ve only recently become part of TWIP - how did that happen?

Brian: Our road to podcasting has had some interesting twists and turns. The first iteration of our show,”Model Photography Showcase”, was a similar for-

rely on a bit of crowd sourcing, when invite people to send in suggestions with every episode.

Roxanne: Brian is the master of finding talent. He can typically tell from just one image if they should be on the show, I greatly admire his knack for that.

Who comes up with the questions, what’s the process to making the interview interesting?

mat but primarily audio with an attached slideshow. That show was designed to be a 26 episode run over the space of one year. At the end of the series Frederick Van Johnson announced the TWiP network. After a bit of soul-searching we had a meeting with Frederick and decided to launch a modernized iteration of the show on his network.

What’s happening with the TWIP network - we haven’t seen the original show for a while…?

Brian: This Week in Photo (TWiP) went on hiatus earlier this year to allow for some much-needed renovation. During the hiatus the entire infrastructure that drives the network has been reengineered and updated. The good news is that the main show we’ll be returning to the airwaves this November.

Back to your show - how do you find so many talented people to talk to?

Brian: We spend a surprising amount of time surfing through social media looking for profiles. We don’t just look for the biggest names we can get on board. We try to look for the spark of creativity regardless of level of experience. We also

Brian: Our show is surprisingly organic.

We script the first 15 seconds and the last 20 seconds of the show and have a rough format, but everything else is made up on the spot. To Roxanne’s credit, I regularly do not share the images I have picked in advance. Her reactions are 100% genuine and on the spot!

Roxanne: What makes the interview interesting is the stories behind the concepts, the bloopers, and the stylistic elements. It’s all there, we just put it together! I enjoy the free-flowing ideas rather than a strict script.

You both have a fun banter, there’s no awkward pauses, what’s the secret?

Brian: Editing! Lots and lots of editing!, but that’s only a partial truth. Roxanne was the 35th person I considered to podcast with. She is amazingly quickwitted and agile. Over the years I have thrown out some of the most off-the-wall comments and jokes, and she is right on top of it. I think some of this comes from having worked and traveled together for years but most of it is just good chemistry.

Outside of the podcast, are you both doing teaching… particularly together?

Brian: In the past I have done a fair amount of workshop hosting and taught workflow to professional photographers.

Unfortunately, the podcast has eaten into my teaching. Each episode takes a tremendous amount of time to produce.

Roxanne: I don’t consider myself a teacher per say, but I’ve been involved in many photo workshops and training seminars as the model. I would love to help Brian in the future as we incorporate some teaching into our podcast.

What’s next for the show…?

Brian: That’s a great question, we are just about to complete season one. Season two will begin just after New Year’s.

In addition to our staple of interviewing photographers, we would like to add episodes involving more models, make up artists, Fashion designers and so on. I would also like to do more destination shows. We may also co-host some workshops in the coming year.

Roxanne: We are very excited to incorporate more variety into the show, this has been a labor of love and we want to keep things interesting, so trying some new things will be a fun adventure for us. I thoroughly enjoyed our recent episode where we shot at the castle in Northern California and set-up a small demo of how it all works. Hopefully those types of shows will be more prevalent in the coming season.

How do you deal with the nudity restrictions on iTunes and YouTube?

Brian: Regretfully, the iTunes and primary YouTube feeds have modesty boxes over nudity. The good news is that we publish an on edited version to the blog posts at ThisWeekinPhoto.com And finally how can readers subscribe and listen? What can we do to spread the word about TWIP Glam?

Brian: The easiest way to subscribe is through iTunes, Not an iTunes user, ThisWeekinPhoto.com has links to the RSS feed that will let you subscribe with any podcast application.

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BRIAN Fischer

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Brian welcome to Photo Live. You’re a busy man, running a photo podcast, blog and a photographer… what else do you do?

Although I started out as a full-time professional photographer, I quickly realized that I needed stability and benefits. In my 20’s I went back to school and now work in the medical field. In my personal life I restore old trucks(Very slowly). At the moment I am working on hey 1969 International Harvester cab-over semi.

I also dabble in drones, 3-D printing, antique photography, and the list goes on.

Tell us about your photography, how did you get into taking photos of amazing people?

I like to say that I didn’t get into photography, photography got into me. I have my older brother to blame, one day I walked into the bathroom to find him conducting mad science! There was chemicals in trays, Machines shooting lights on magical paper and this amazing red light. I was hooked!

Through high school and college photography, my work with human subjects was limited to portraits. As I grew little older, had more resources and had students interested in the subject, I drifted into shooting glamour. I had a powerful experience handing over the results of one of my early glamour shoots to it’s subject. The model was amateur with relatively low self-esteem. Upon seeing her images, she burst into tears of happiness. There was no turning back, the majority of my work has been glamour from that point on.

One thing I’ve picked up watching TWIP Glam is you really pay attention to the details, is that something you’re a natural at or something you’ve learned over time?

Without doubt it’s a combination. I am by nature detail oriented. I come from a long line of engineers and schoolteachers, and it shows. This may also be a product of spending years in front of a lightbox examining my own work. Digital photography is great for instant feedback, but nothing will slow you down and make you pay attention like shooting with the film. This is why I regularly shoot with film to this day.

What’s been a favourite shoot you’ve done?

This is a hard one to answer, every shoot is different and so many stand out and not just because they produced the best images. Sometimes it’s just making an amazing connection with your model.

My podcast partner Roxanne is a perfect example. It started with a great photo shoot and has turned into and amazing friendship.

If I had to pick a tremendously fun photo shoot I would have to go back to 2008 when I shot the Canadian model Ella Modella. I was doing a series of “Prosthetic swimwear” shoots and Ella came to California to be involved. We had amazing chemistry from the outset, the weather was perfect and we had tremendous fun. More than following directions Ella has a wonderful sense of her surroundings. We were coming to the end of the shoot and Ella spotted a spectacular sunset happening behind

me. We immediately ran past each other in a sprint to capture the last moments of light, turning into one of my favorite silhouettes ever.

Other side- what’s been not so much fun?

I have a few to choose from. Being a beach photographer I have drowned a number of cameras and had a few scary instances. In 2011 I was shooting a model on top of a huge flat rock at Panther Beach California. A huge rogue wave came up one side of the rocks and down my side. I was drug about 20 feet towards a significant drop into the ocean fortunately I came to a stop before going into the drink. bloodied and camera destroyed, the shoot was over.

How often are you doing collaborations and who’s involved?

Over the last 10 years I have worked to boil my photo shoots down to the minimum. Ideally I shoot with myself, the model, occasional assistance and one lens. I like the restriction of working with and around the environment. I think it forces you to be more creative.

Who comes up with the ideas - is it a team thing or does it fall to you?

It’s just me! (...and an Internet of friends).

I take time every day to look at great photography. Whether that is model mayhem, 500px or National Geographic.

I think that everybody has great inspirations as we look at the world around us. The trick is to grab that idea before it fades and write it down.

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How do you choose the model for the shoot?

more than happy to work with new photographers.

Apart from Roxanne (hehe) who else has been a favourite to shoot?

In the case of a shoot for a client I take great care in determining their personal preferences. Even if I feel a model is not quite ideal for a shoot, it’s important to lean in the direction of the customers preferences. For my personal work, I always start with faces. If a model’s face speaks the message I’m trying to put forth, everything else will take care of itself.

3. Starts simple - keep your first photo shoot sample. Natural light with a single reflector and one assistant.

I’ve had so many positive experiences over the years it’s hard to choose. One of my many favorites is model Gracie Kay. (http://www.modelmayhem.com/kfly) With a wonderful combination of Beauty, Personality, Intelligence and Professionalism, she is more than a great model, she is one of my favorite people.

Can you share 5 quick tips for people wanting to shoot models?

1. Workshops - Group shoots and workshops are fantastic way to introduce your self to shooting models.

2. Start with a professional - Hire a local, experienced model for your first two or three photo shoots. Most models are

4. Communicate - make sure to communicate your vision to your model and invite her to set the boundaries of the photo shoot.

5. Community - after starting your portfolio, join the online community of photographers and models. Websites like ‘Model Mayhem” and ‘One Model Place’ can be tremendous resources.

Bonus: 6. Model release - have your model sign a simple release explaining the boundaries of the photo shoot and what the images will be used for. This is an essential step for setting a models expectations for a shoot.

Finally where can we go to see more of your photography??

With my personal website in dire need of an update I suggest people check out my profile on Model Mayhem. www.modelmayhem.com/BrianFischer

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Ava

MODEL & PODCAST HOST

CALI

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Hi Roxanne (Ava Cali), why do you model? I know it’s straight to the point but hey let’s dig a bit deeper…

Modeling allows me to create art with my body as well as motivation to stay healthy and fit. At any moment I could get a great gig that needs me ready next week...so it’s a great motivator! I guess if I’m completely honest, modeling gives me confidence in my everyday life that allows me to succeed in many other avenues.

How did you start modelling and tell us a bit about your first shoots, were they awkward, fun, difficult?

I was working in the office of a venue that randomly hosted a photography workshop for beginners one day. I met the model and we started talking about her nude portfolio and she asked if I would want to shoot with her right then. I was feeling spontaneous...so we headed to a good backdrop and off came our clothes! That first photo with her is still in my portfolio on Model Mayhem. It was definitely awkward and very fun. I couldn’t believe what I had done after it was over, but I didn’t regret it either! She got me in contact with the photography school and I did my fist studio shoot about a week later. That photographer was very patient with me as I was quite nervous, we did silhouettes and got some very neat shots! I remember dancing around the backdrop and him just going with it rather than instructing me into forced poses. It was a great learning experience. That started my portfolio on Model Mayhem and the rest is history.

I often get asked about modelling and one thing the girls who I photograph talk to me about is that they are “not the right look”… they are either not tall enough or not skinny enough, can you talk to us about modelling where you are, what sort of of modelling can someone do if they are not tall enough or thin enough or…

Every shoot requires different body types. I don’t like to think about it in terms of not being skinny or tall enough, it’s more about the style of photos your body best lends itself to. If you are healthy and happy, that is what matters. It’s about taking what you have, making it the best it can be, then finding photographers who appreciate your look. Modeling is empowering, it’s a tool and an art form.

I find that living on the Central Coast, I mostly get jobs with swimwear at the beach, or boudoir shoots in hotel rooms to help boost a photographers portfolio to get more paid clients. The weather here is so mild that I also often do nudes in nature- that’s one of my favorites as it’s a new challenge each time! For curvier girls, pinup is a great look, but lifestyle and swim can also be great options. Just getting out there and experimenting with what you like and what fits your style best is important. You don’t know if you will love it until you try. I will say though that if you are basing your income on modeling, being tall and skinny will likely get you the most jobs. It’s just the industry. Look outside the box though and put yourself out there.

Are magazines that feature the typical thin, tall model changing do you think?

I see often on TV ads that more regular shaped people are being featured and we applaud that, but is it something you feel is going to stay with us…?

I do think there are more average everyday bodies being featured in ads. They are beautiful and I hope it does stick! I think it’s great for girls going through puberty especially to see body-type variety in ads. It’s tough at that age.

Have you had any experiences with being discounted because of your physical look? Too tall, too short to anything?

I have been fortunate enough to work with very kind and professional photographers. I have never had a photographer discount any of my attributes.

I think if this had happened early on it would’ve have pursued modeling, so I’m very thankful that it hasn’t. Sometimes I’ve looked at my images and realized that there were things I wanted to work on physically, but photographers hire me based on my portfolio so they know what I look like before I show up. If they were looking for a different height or shape, they wouldn’t have reached out to me.

Ok, on to some fun, what is your favourite modelling genre for you?

I think I mentioned this earlier too...

Nudes in nature, specifically implied nudes in nature are my favorite. They challenge me because they are always new situations to integrate myself into.

It’s avoiding sharp objects and trying to look natural while in very uncomfortable poses. I just like the challenge and the end result!

Can you tell us of any fun situations that you’ve had, any “oops” moments?

Brian will tell you about one he caught on camera, I was with 2 other models on the beach facing away from the waves when a freakishly large wave came out of nowhere and soaked all 3 of us! It was quite funny and very cold.

Talk to us about props, clothing etc, do you buy them or does the photographer or a stylist provide them for a shoot?

I bring lots of Goodwill items to themed shoots, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. For group shoots I always bring my own wardrobe. I’ve been on shoots where a stylist has pre-selected everything I am wearing and it’s great! It’s important to have up to date measurements on your port for that reason. I’m constantly picking up fun items 125

to bring to shoots. I have boxes of props and funny outfits. It makes dressing up for Halloween extra fun too!

You’re also a podcast host, can you tell us how that got started and how it’s going?

Brian and I met when he contacted me to shoot years ago, we became quick friends. He’s had this podcast dream for quite some time and asked me to be his cohost. When I agreed I had no idea where it was going. Our first podcast was audio only (with photos from the photographers we were interviewing) and it morphed into a full-blown production!

They other day I was talking at a school about photography and one thing we discussed was the changes … it seems that very few people are “just photographers” these days. Often they are content creators with stories, video and much more across a bunch of social media, do you think that’s happening with modeling?

Modeling is a relatively short-term gig for most of us. Beauty fades. There’s not as much time for models to decide that they want to broaden their interests in modeling outside of trying different genres. Photographers typically have a lifelong passion lending itself to broadening horizons when they hit a certain point in their advancement. Models hit that time and are usually at the end of their careers. They could pick up a camera or get into other aspects, but broadly speaking there isn’t a lot of time for them to be more than “just models”.

Ok a fun question - what would you take on a desert island: - Book - DVD … movie or TV show (yes you have electricity and a player) - favourite clothing - favourite food - anything else?

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I would definitely bring a survival book, I love to read, but can’t imagine reading one book over and over. If I’ve read a book once, that’s usually enough. Just like movies, if I know what’s going to happen it’s just not as fun anymore. I read and watch movies mostly for entertainment value though. A survival book would help enrich the rest of my life, so I think I’d go practical. lol I’d bring Princess Bride as my movie, it’s one movie I can’t get enough of! It’s so quotable and I love all of the characters!

Even though I know this is theoretical and I wouldn’t need to worry about climate and shade, all of those things come to mind. I honestly prefer to be naked, so if that was an option and the weather was just right I’d choose that for sure.

My favorite clothes are sundresses, they make me feel pretty and carefree...and I love summer!

Favorite food has to be a tie...alfredo pesto pasta with chicken or very spicy Thai red curry. I couldn’t live without both!

Other: I am an absolute wine lover to the core. It wouldn’t be home without plenty of good wine! Mostly red, but white has its’ place as well.

My portfolio is on model mayhem at www.modelmayhem.com/avacali and hear our podcast at: thisweekinphoto.com/category/twip-glam/

Finally Roxanne, where can our readers go to see more of your amazing modelling and hear your on the podcast?

ONLINE:

www.modelmayhem.com/avacali thisweekinphoto.com/category/twip-glam 127

FILM

film classic

CAMERAS This issue we again visited Tom at Camera House in Adelaide on Grenfell Street and talked classic cameras. Tom had some beauties to share...

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The Nikon F2 Photomic Manufactured in Japan from 1971 to 1980 this camera used a horizontal-travel focal plane shutter and titanium shutter curtains. It’s a 35mm camera and uses the Nikon F-mount for lenses. The interesting thing about this camera, Tom pointed out, is the F2 had an interchangeable viewfinder (heads) that had pro’s enthusiastic about using it. It was the D800 of its time. It’s a solid camera, and came in all black or black and silver top version. The film locking mechanism is brilliant as the rotating latch prevents the film cassette dropping out of the bottom until you open it completely.

It also featured 1/2000 shutter top speed Higher flash sync of 1/80 Slow shutter speeds from 2 - 10 seconds with integrated self-timer.

If you want one you need to look out for fatigue cracks on the titanium foil and the only way to replace that is buying a second body for parts without cracks. Also check for high levels of wear or corrosion on the film guides and the pressure plate.

Ensure the shutter works on all speeds. Slower speeds can be inaccurate so check them. However these issues can be looked at by a technician who can do a clean and lubricate and adjust.

If you’re keen on film this is a good camera to grab. It’s solid, reliable and brilliant to use.

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Leica M4-P It’s beautiful. The stunning rangefinder built from 1981 to 1986 and made

by Leitz Canada. It was finished in black chrome and some hard to get silver-chrome units can be found, maybe. The M4-P featured 28mm and 75mm framelines so it could be used with the newer lenses of the time the M lenses. It was a 35mm featuring manual focus, manual exposure and weighed 545g. Holding it in your hand makes you want to load up some film and hit the streets.

Image from Wikipedia.

Zeiss Ikon Contina Also a 35mm camera, this one made

by Zeiss Ikon and first introduced in the mid 1950s. Zeiss Ikon is a company formed in the mid 1920s in Germany, it came in a viewfinder and a rangefinder. It featured a 1 second to 1/250 or 1/300 with the X and M Sync and Self Timer. Excellent lenses and solid build, it’s a smaller camera in the hand then the Nikon but still heavy compared to some of today’s mirrorless units. It’s sturdy and feels good in your hands…

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"PBX has become my most valuable resource.

When I'm in a rut and just can't think of what's next for improving my business, I can scroll through the ever growing library of interviews and just pick one. Sure enough there's something in that random interview that I hadn't thought about or even knew was something I could do.

Plus there's an amazing community of photographers in the Facebook group that are so giving with their knowledge. I only wish I had found this sooner. -Justin Berrington

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BLACKFOREST Interview with BlackForest Bags founder - Rashi

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There’s one item photographers love almost as much as their cameras.

It’s something we faun over, desire to have the next best thing, touch lovingly and probably, if you’re like me, have way too many. I’m talking about camera bags. It seems I can’t ever find just the right one. I’ve come to the conclusion you can’t have just one. So here’s my set up.

A backpack for overseas travel, it olds two mirrorless bodies, a few lenses and personal items. I take this on the plane so I know my gear is safe. I also have a messenger bag that’s light but sturdy that I use for walking around streets and shooting touristy stuff.

But still I struggle, the back pack isn’t right for weddings or street cause I’m having to take it off to get a lens out - smart that the zip is against my back so I can’t be robbed though. The messenger bag is good but sometimes I’d like something a bit .. more stylish.

Something that my wife isn’t going to roll her eyes and … my hope is she likes it so much she is also happy to put it on her shoulder. Especially when she’s doing all the shopping and I”m carrying everything she buys, plus my gear.

So I went searching on the web, and I came across a bag I’d never seen before. Checking their website I discovered they actually are great looking bags, roomy and the company seems to really be into photography.

I reached out to Blackforest bags and the founder herself came back to me and we had a talk about bags… welcome to Photo Live RashI!

Thank you very much for the opportunity.

You’re based in India, where abouts?

We are based in Surat, Gujarat.

Now there’s a lot of photographers here probably looking to start their own business - not in bag production but in other areas, how did you go about starting your business?

I am actually a dentist by profession. I am also a triathlete and a mother.

I had stopped working during my pregnancy and had to take a long maternity leave which gave me a lot of time to start working on my own passion which has now become a full time job.

I have always been fascinated with photography and my husband is a photography enthusiast. He makes some really amazing pictures. We always carry our SLR camera everywhere we travel, be it family holidays or our solo trips. We have tried a lot of bags existing in the market to give us the right feel while on the move. With time like everyone else we have gathered a collection of cameras and lenses, lights, a tripod and couple of other essentials.

Whatever bag we tried over time, backpacks and messengers had either a very typical camera bag look or if they looked slightly better, they couldn’t perform well. We often used to discuss what an ideal bag should be like and my sole search for one made me create one.

The thing that got me interested apart from the look of the bags is that you

state one of the problems is that it’s been a problem carrying not only our camera but all the other things at the same time. Tell us how you tackled that problem?

Its really important to have a well organised camera bag which can keep the camera body and lenses separated with padded dividers, offer all round protection and also provide additional pockets for travel documents and personal items. Creating just enough space for all these gives freedom to any user to use the pockets or slots as they would prefer. It also makes it easy for one to access anything they need instantly because you know where you have placed them.

To ensure long term use and comfort, we have chosen the best, most natural materials, designed well and ensured that the artisans who handcraft our bags follow the stitching instructions well to avoid any tears and the bags must stay intact.

The bags shouldn’t weigh down the user so they have to be made light without compromising on the quality of leather , cotton canvas, the foam padding, and hardware.

I remember another bag manufacturer doing a video on making their bags and I confess I’m geeky enough to have watched and enjoyed it, how did you test your prototype bags to make sure they were going to be right for your market?

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We have been working on this project for almost an year before we launched in August 2016. There were a 3 prototypes and some initial samples made and studied by a few photographers and friends before we finalised the design of our first series RIMO I. Field tests were done by loading the bags with various sets of equipment and lugged around.

In fact we travelled a lot with our own samples and prototypes. They were sent out to wedding photographers, fashion photographers and also to various reviewers like Steve Huff, Dave Cryer, Chris Gampat, Brittany Smith. Over time we have improved anything we thought needed betterment and kept on moving in that direction.

The study of materials and hardware never stops even now because we are yet expanding our product line due to be launched in near future.

We welcome any feedback most happily and work on those points yet adhering to our design philosophy and ideas.

As someone who’s photographed a bunch of weddings over the years, one thing that can be tricky is - getting to your lens to swap quickly and quietly - velcro is my enemy… was that something you had to think about?

Yes velcro is a necessary evil. You just can’t do without it at least as of now there hasn’t been any breakthrough.

However there is one major change we have established in our products which you will notice when you receive our bag. We have totally avoided using the brushed nylon lining used by 90 percent companies out there. This brushed nylon lining seen in almost every camera bag out there sticks to the velcro dividers once they are inserted in the bag. We have to struggle a little bit to place them in the right position as best suited for our gear. After discussing this with a lot

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of photographers, we understood that with many years of use, this brushed nylon lining starts wearing off until a time that velcro no longer sticks to it rendering the bag useless. Everyone tries to continue using the bag by changing the position of the divider a bit but life of the bag shortens as this lining wears out.

Also it is very noisy to pull off a velcro divider.

This may not be a concern for many of us who do photography just as a hobby and don’t end up using the bags everyday. The lesser the bag is used, the lesser the dividers are pulled out and placed back, the more the life of the bag.

In our bags however the lining has been changed to premium cotton twill which looks classy. Offers smaller area for velcro attachment and stays intact for years to come. It is barely any noise to be pulled out comparatively.

How many people work at Blackforest?

We are a team of six people within the company.

Rashi Chaudhary, Founder. I design the bags, source materials from various vendors, write content for our website. I am also head marketing and customer care.

This is because we need to stay involved at all these fronts to ensure we connect well with our customers and create more than just a camera bags company.

Paresh Chaudhary, Co Founder ,my husband is the Director at his own textile firm, Nobletex industries. I work from home mostly because we have a 3 year old baby girl to look after. Therefore all inventory maintenance, shipping from the warehouse and all legal formalities, documents and accounts is under his wing. Website developer and technical Incharge: This person helps us time to time to instate any changes at our web-

site. He has been with us from our website designing phase much before we launched.

We have one accountant and one Warehouse Helper who maintains the inventory, packs all to be shipped bags and dispatches them. He also maintains the raw materials procured at the warehouse. And one Assistant who can carry on with some work I delegate time to time.

We outsource manufacturing of bags at a state of the art unit in India which does work for a lot of top brands worldwide.

One thing we photographers sometimes struggle with is getting our name out there - seems everyone is a photographer today. How did you get your name out there in a pretty competitive market with some quality bag makers already established?

We believe people will notice us for our designs, quality and durability. Once you receive our bag, you will be able to see how well they have been made and I am very hopeful you will love to carry it out.

They look so great. The designs are not made just for men. Women would love to have one of their own.

Over this past year, we have been very responsive to our customers for all their requests and that makes a lot of difference. You need to be there for them. A lot of website visitors are recommended by our customers. So the word of mouth works.

We have gained only genuine reviews in our journey and will always stay true to that.

Our price point is a very great factor.

Once you receive our bag, you will definitely agree our bags are value for money.

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One thing I love about your website and blog is you actually have lot’s of great content about photography, Travel, fashion and lot’s of photo articles - how did you decided to take that path?

We are photography enthusiasts and love travelling the world. We love making new friends and our BLOG is very reflective of our personal journey. We love to share great content from all over the world and I feel it is a very relevant platform. Through our website, we intend to do a lot more than just business. As a photographer yourself, you would understand how we artists are, there is an urge to explore and bring beauty forward to the world.

Now to be upfront you’re not paying anything for us to talk to you but we are going to get a bag and put it to the test… what I’m planning is having 3 different photographers use the bag over a weekend and give us feedback.

Before I do that are the bags for DSLR cameras or better for mirrorless ?

The bag which you are receiving, the VINSON can carry: 1. SLR camera body or 2 mirrorless cameras 2. 2-3 lenses 3. Laptop – 13’3 in 4. Accessories You can chose your own kit depending on your use.

We’re looking forward to testing the bag out - where can our readers go to see your bags and your great content about photography?

They can be referred to this page. It all begins here and then the website will direct you to the associated pages. https://www.blackforestbags.com Thanks Rashi Its been a pleasure.

Review When the Vinson (Sand Tan) bag arrived from Black Forest the plan was to put it to a series of user tests. I was... going to share it with a few of the photographers in our group, but then I started using it and well, that’s not going to happen. This bag is beautiful and practical. I decided to take it on a shoot in the city when I met up with local model Amy Caldwell (you’ll see her with the bag in my pictures). Planning my day, I decided on taking my Fuji XT20, 3 lenses, a small container holding SD cards, spare batteries, my wallet, keys, cleaning cloth and a few other bits and pieces. I put my iPhone 6s Plus in the spot where you’d normally place an iPad and off I went.

Things I loved were the shoulder strap has a swivel so it’s never tangled or wrong way round ( a pet peeve ).Also it stays on the shoulder when walking around but if you’re moving quickly put it diagonally across your chest and it sits comfortably.

The bag has a handle on top so you can pick it up by the handle... you’d be suprised how handy this is. The pockets are strong and snug, so to where the iPad sits.

It’s a combination of waxed cotton and full grain leather and looks high quality. It feels nice to the touch and if you’re using one body and a lens or a mirrorless and a couple of lenses it’s perfect. And the price is very good too for a high quality bag. The bag flap closes with brass catches so at weddings there’s no velcro tear noise.

On the streeet the bag is a joy to use, it’s easy to access, looks quality and holds enough gear and personal items for a days shooting.

Highly Recommended!

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THE $1 BILLION

Instagram GOLD MINE!

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INSTAGRAM FOR THE FAMOUS AND NOT-SO-FAMOUS...

I was browsing Harper’s Bazaar online the other day (hey I do model photography!) and came across a very interesting statistic... apparently industry experts, in around 2015, estimated that brands spend more then $1 billion per year on sponsored Instagram posts. That’s a lot of money that use to be spent on traditional media! Social media sponsorship is a whole new world of marketing and it’s opened the doors to just about anyone who’s willing to put in the hard work, has talent and drive to make either a part time or full time income from their passion. But first a short history lesson on advertising...

If you were to jump back into some sort of time machine, and set the date for around 1970 through to the 80s or 90s, there wasn’t too many ways to get known locally, let alone be world famous. You had to be a star ( or rising star ) of stage, screen, music, art ... maybe politics, medicine, science, humanities... On the darker side of life, some have committed crimes for fame: John Hinckley Jr - He attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan so that he could use the ‘fame’ to get the attention of ac-

tress Jodie Foster who he was in love with.

Tonya Harding - The figure skater so badly wanted to be the most famous that she conspired to have her competitor, Nancy Kerrigan, attacked. The result was Kerrigan recovered and placed higher then Harding, who sunk to the lows of the celebrity world doing a sex tape and celebrity boxing.

In contrast we have millions of talented people who made art, music films and other forms of entertainment or knowledge that gained fame as a by product of their endeavours. Albert Einstein for example is a Nobel laureate in physics, Nelson Mandela, Nobel laureate for peace suffered years of imprisonment for his beliefs. Musicians, artists, creators, scientists, doctors and leaders of nations have become famous as a result of their hard work and dedication.

In video games we have people like Hideo Kojima who developed Metal Gear Solid, Sid Meier of Civilisation fame and Carol Shaw who is noted as the first woman game designer who, whilst working for Atari worked on 3-D Tic Tac Toe and world on Super Breakout.

These people became famous, not because they sought fame but because of their talent. Today that line has blurred. Some people are famous for simply, being famous.

Today, the whole game changed dramatically.

has

Traditional media doesn’t have the same power it once had. Magazines and newspapers have been closing in the hundreds each year.

The internet and particularly social media has fragmented how we consume entertainment. No longer do we sit down on Sunday night at 8.30 for the “Sunday Night Movie” we have Netflix, Stan, HBO, iTunes,YouTube and Amazon among others to watch what we want when we want. Social media sites like Instagram allow anyone with a talent to gather faithful followers and engage with them by sharing content. Then, if you’re good at creating interesting content and good at gaining followers, suddenly you’re the “media” ... you have the numbers to be a valuable commodity for advertisers to sponsor.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at one option for gaining followers and maybe becoming ... famous.

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Instagram: becoming an “influencer” Instagram is one of the key online and social media choices for gaining popularity. Instagram’s research shows that it has 2.8x higher then average ad recall then other social media networks. It also found that consumers are a whopping 58x more likely to engage with branded content on Instagram then Facebook, and 120x more likely compared to Twitter.

Instagram visitors stay on site for an average of 192 seconds longer then any other social media channel.

So Instagram offers those who build an audience popularity, but it’s not just popularity that is the motivation. Income, career and an adventurous life itself can be the rewards when you work the system. You see advertisers pay for eyeballs - the eyes of people who are potential customers for their products. If you’re a photographer using say ... Nikon equipment and you have 30,000 followers that are actively engaged with you on Instagram, then you might be an attractive proposition for a brand like Nikon to work with you - I’m using Nikon as a hypothetical, but you get the point. That is ...

1. You need a large following 2. Your following needs to be engaged with your content

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Why engaged? Because anyone can go and buy followers, and while there’s nothing wrong with promoting and advertising your media (your page/site) ... that’s how marketing works, ideally you need followers to be involved with you, to want to see your posts. In the 80s if you were selling a product you made an ad and ran it on TV or radio or in print.

Today you are the product - people are “buying” you so to speak. If you have created something of value, for example good photo content and story’s, then chances are you can build an audience. Back in the 90s and prior, you first needed a product or service, then you needed to spend money with the media to promote or sell that product. Today you can bypass that expense, no longer do you need to book a TV campaign or an ad in a magazine to get people’s attention. Social media sites like Instagram gives everyone the same opportunity.

The key factor though is you need your audience to be engaged, that is connected to your content, enjoying, likening and commenting on your content.

It’s no good having 100,000 followers and getting 10 likes on a post.

Advertisers want people to see and engage with their brand.

If followers (fans) are the starting point for sponsorship, it’s the en-

gaged fans that are the true currency in this new world of media.

We did some quick calculations on some of the biggest Instagram accounts from celebrities and found engagement rates varied. Some were around 1% while others were 2.5% and more. However when you have 100 million followers and 1% of your followers are engaged that’s still a massive number! One percent of 100 million works out to 1 million fans engaged and if you’re a brand that is 1 million potential customers seeing someone like Kim Kardashian use a product.

So a brand not only gets engaged fans seeing their product but the endorsement of a celebrity is the cream on the marketing cake.

Engagement rates, getting paid and becoming an Instagram Influencer.

The Huff Post reports that some brands pay between $5 and $10 per thousand followers. Some pay more for bigger names, up to $100 per thousand followers. When you’re getting started and you’ve got a reasonable following that’s growing, you may start out by getting free product. As we said though, it’s not just about the numbers, you need to build engagement... getting your followers engaged (enjoying, commenting and liking) your content. So how do you work out what your engagement rate is? Let’s take a look:

“1 million potential customers seeing someone like Kim Kardashian use a product.”

Here’s how you work out engagement rates for your page: Engagement Rate on Instagram: (Number of likes & comments) / (Number of followers).

Let’s say an account has 50,000 followers and on average gets 1500 comments/likes - that gives them an engagement rate of 3%.

Is that any good? Well let’s do a quick comparison. But first ... a trip back in time. In the old days of 60s, 70s and 80s advertisers would measure the success by the number of sales an ad generated. Some smart marketers like Readers Digest would run coupon campaigns, constantly testing and refining the message to improve the response of the message. Today people don’t run coupon campaigns so much, at least not like they use to. But comparing Instagram to email marketing gives us a clearer picture.

On average (according to Smart Insights) the open rate on an email in the area of Entertainment is 21%, but the click through rate the number of people who opened your email then clicked to see the content was around 2.3% ... so not too much different to Instagram.

But there are key differences. With email you have a bit more time and space to tell your story (sell product) but on Instagram you have

the benefit of endorsement. That means if you are a travel blogger and use Instagram and have a strong following - people are likely to trust you and that trust is gold in the bank. That is because your followers believe you, they trust you and if you say visiting a resort was great, then they believe you and might also put that resort on their list of places to visit.

So Instagram gives a sponsor/advertiser both reach and credibility through endorsment.

Engagement Rates We looked at the average engagement rates on social media and found Instagram to be top of the pile: Instagram 2.26% Pinterest 0.042% Facebook 0.216% Twitter 0.027% We’ll take a look at Facebook and Youtube in another issue, but for now let’s dig a bit deeper into Instagram.

We’ve asked a few of our friends who’ve built solid followings for some Instagram tips.

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“Instagram’s research shows that it has 2.8x higher then average ad recall then other social media networks. It also found that consumers are a whopping 58x more likely to engage with branded content on Instagram then Facebook, and 120x more likely compared to Twitter.�

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The World Loves Melbourne theworldlovesmelbourne.com

instagram.com/theworldlovesmelbourne

Dave Hagger who started the blog has a great Instagram following of almost 38,000. His blog is for foodies who want the best Melbourne has to offer and also has a sister site, The World Loves Sydney.

Dave is a Food blogger and I can vouch he knows the best places for a meal! Here’s Dave’s take on using Instagram Facebook is tough but if you pay to play Facebook can be great. Instagram is also moving towards more pay to play!

5 tips for Instagram would be: 1. Make it visually excellent! Use a decent SLR camera and a decent smartphone - as well as apps like Snapseed (my favourite) to enhance your already great photos.

Play around with effects and filters so that the photo sings!

2. Make it bright and vibrant! The trend is away from dark to vibrant pics. Some filters help brighten, even use a whiteness feel for effect.

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3. Post regularly. Build a following by posting every day if possible.

However avoid posting too many times a day because that diminishes your value!

4. Effective use of hashtags. Use local as well as broadly appealing hashtags. Try to mix them up.

Avoid being shadow banned for using spammy hashtags.

5. Style and curate your images!

Creative use of backgrounds. Use props like Italian tiles, diff textures like wooden boards, vintage props, linen etc. Flatlays are still king - fill the frame with interest. Short video clips have good engagement and are the way of the future!

Tiffany Dean Cosplay instagram.com/tiffanydeancosplay

Tiff is onoe of our cosplay editors and has worked hard building a following across multiple social media sites. Her Facebook sits at around 10,000 and has been her main social media platform for some time, but with changes to the algorithm she’s now begun building her Instagram following with 2,500 so far.

1. I place my IG in the same place as my FB re marketing. They’re unfortunately all I have and as IG is now owned by FB, neither are great for marketing. IG can be easier to gain a following, however followers are removed faster than you get them. I’m aiming to become active on YouTube and have IG as a secondary thing. IG however is a great booster during things like Conventions (for cosplayers) as people are generally looking for people they may have taken a photo of.

2. The most effective ways to grow IG are to try and keep posts relevant to what your main focus is. For example, as a cosplayer I gain more followers if I post a cosplay of something that is current as it’s what is ‘trending.’ Hashtags are imperative to grow your IG as they are what people search for it’s how people can find you. Also networking with others is helpful.

Some Instagram pages focus on sharing others work - if you can be shared on a page with a good following it’s a great way for your follower number to increase.

3. The first 500 I actually found easier than the rest, namely as at that time, Instagram didn’t go and boot followers. The first 500 tend to include a lot of friends and family too which helps you reach that number faster.

4. Re hashtags I just realized that the best way to go is to make them relevant. For example if I post a photo of me in cosplay, I’m not going to go and hashtag something like gourmet meal (unless it’s relevant lol). I also try and do a few hashtags but not have 30 of them.

It’s a fine line between too little and too many. It’s also random and IG works much like FB now in that you could hashtag the same things for different photos and get 300 likes on one photo and 30 on another.

It’s important to just see hashtags as a way to tag relevant search words so people can find your photo.

5. I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve not had too many negatives on my own page. I’ve been called fat and all sorts of things on pages with so called ‘fans’ of certain things.

In those cases I tend to ignore it, but in this case I kindly made them aware that people may have gone through a difficult time and that the focus should be on the costume, not a persons weight. I also thought it important to speak up for the sake of young people who might develop eating disorders if slim people are being called fat.

In most cases I either ignore or just delete. I only respond if I can correct someone respectfully and kindly. If it all goes to pot I just delete or block lol.

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Sara Moni Cosplay instagram.com/saramonicosplay

We’ve been big fans of Sara’s over the years and she’s built huge following online.

Facebook - 60,700 Instagram - 29,800 plus followers We asked Sara for a few quick tips on how she got going on Instagram: It wasn’t really difficult to build my Instagram. It’s difficult to maintain and keep content flowing more than anything!

1. Don’t be concerned with numbers, be concerned with engagement, the type of audience that you attract and if it’s the attention you really want.

2. Don’t be afraid of taking weeks in planning and researching costume, never rush 3. Never compare yourself to someone else in an unhealthy way.

Fun competition can be motivating, but never get down on yourself

Instagram marketing company, Dash Hudson, CEO Thomas Rankin suggests you need at least 5,000 followers although 10,000 is the number that will more likely get the attention of brands... but they need to be real and engaged. Harper’s Bazaar magazine reported that fashion blogger, Daniella Bernstein of @weworewhat charges between $5000 and $15,000 for a single branded Instagram post. (http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a10949/how-bloggers-make-money-on-instagram/) 146

Charlotte Nicholson instagram.com/charliegirlnic

Charlotte is an Adelaide based photographer.

1. Know your demographic! Knowing your audience is vital to Instagram. Understanding your audience helps with how you post, when you post and what you post.

2. Interact with other Instagram accounts that also post to a similar audience demographic. Getting your posts into their feeds can be a case of interacting with their posts. This can be done by liking posts, following, commenting or direct messaging them. Interact with your followers. Take the time to thank followers for comments. Interaction means that your content has a better chance of reaching their Instagram feed. Pay attention to accounts that regularly like your posts, they are still seeing your posts and it’s because the algorithm has noted they like your content.

can throw your content into the feed of new followers who may be interested in your content based on what they are interested in, who they follow, and what hashtags they have used recently.

4. Use the stories feed to bring your content directly to the attention of your followers. When any of us open up Instagram the stories feed is the first content we see.

This is an opportunity to direct your followers to your content.

5. Post consistently. Post quality content at regular times over the week. Don’t be that person that posts 10 posts in one evening and then doesn’t post again for a few days. Insights information will help you determine what time of day and what content works for your account.

3. #... Learn how to hashtag. Research hashtags that are popular in your genre of content. For example: brands, location, style and content relevant.

Instagram allows up to 30 #’s per post that need to be in your original post to count. Hashtags are a way to get your content to new accounts. Using the right hashtag 147

THE INSTAGRAM AUDIENCE EXPERIMENT OR HOW WE SCREWED UP OUR EDITOR’S FEED...

We decided as part of this story to experiment on Instagram using sites that promise large “real” followers for payment. We didn’t want to damage the Gametraders account so we volunteered our editors photography account. After much persuasion (promise of a 6 pack of Red Bull) we got started on our experiment.

“...feeding him a few Red Bulls and a donut calmed him down a bit.”

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To begin he (foolishly) closed his old account and created a new one - you can see it here: https://www.instagram.com/rjp_ adelaide/ Next he started posting some photos as he is a photographer that does a lot of portrait and model photography sprinkled with occasional cosplay.

Over a few weeks of terrible hash tagging skills he’d managed only 130 followers. We reminded him how useless he was and that he wasn’t allowed to do anymore hash tagging. He didn’t take the criticism to well but feeding him a few Red Bulls and a donut calmed him down a bit.

Now it was now time for the experiment. First up we researched a bunch of sites that offer to sell or gain you followers for around $20 - $30 U.S. We bought 1000 followers that flooded in pretty quickly.

The engagement, however stayed the same, in fact it went down! At this point the Editor started to really freak out, worrying about getting banned or something.

Next we tried another seller and got another 1500 but engagement remained poor. As an example see the Wonder Woman photo of cosplayer Tiffany Dean, sure the hashtags could have been better and we decided to work on that as we experimented.

Next we got in contact with one of the mega follower sites with names like Portrait of the Day or similar - I won’t share which one, but this generated thousands of likes of the supplied photo (cost $20 US) but not many followers.

We experimented by letting them choose the photos to share - we got two shares and we had thousands of likes and lot’s of positive

comments on the photo. So that worked in that we got awareness but not a lot of rub off with regards to followers. However, the followers it did generate were genuine fans of the photography style on his page plus we notice that even though followers were not growing and likes were still small comparatively, we noticed that some of the “likes” were coming from followers with large followings themselves.

Doing some quick calculations, our editors’ page engagement rate is slowly creeping up to 1% (again) after being punished, now we use the word punished here loosely but maybe not. You see after we began the experiment and saw how bad the engagement level was we did some digging and and came across the term - Shadowban... there’s a very comprehensive article here on Shadowban -

name and press Get Tested... shadowban.azurewebsites.net When we tested, we were “safe” so that means either our content is not good, our hashtags are terrible (yeah we know) and not working or, and this is probably it, a combination of bought users that are not engaged plus poor hash tagging.

So in conclusion to our experiment our editor now has thousands of followers, a low engagement rate but he’s seeing different types of “likes” and he hopes to build on that. He did threaten to delete this account too and start again, but after another bunch of Red Bulls, a few donuts and some advice from friends, he’s decided to keep it and work on getting the engagement rate up.

thepreviewapp.com/avoid-instagram-shadowban/

It points out that there are 4 things you can do to avoid this Shadowban situation including avoiding using buying apps/sites like we used. Plus they mention banned hashtags! With regard to Shadowban we did some more digging and found the respected website - Petapixel has an article on Shadowbans and even has a link to this site that claims to test if you are “banned” You can see the site here and you simply paste in your Instagram

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