Issue No. 2 - October 2012
Canada’s Premier Magazine for Professional Photographers
ARE YOU ACCREDITED? Everything you need to know about becoming an Accredited Professional Photographer ZONE SYSTEM PHOTOGRAPHY YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TOOL
SECRETS TO ON LOCATION SUCCESS © Copyright PPOC
w w w. p p o c . c a
Cover photo by: Steve Voth
GALLERIE - OCTOBER 2012 CONTENTS
Cover photo by: 2012 Award Winner Steve Voth Read more on Pg. 32
12-13
10-11
14-15
Robert Hewitt - Commercial Accreditation
Mercedes Verrier Environmental Portrait Accreditation
Dave Holland Sports Accreditation
18-19
Your Most Important Tool
Members Memorable Moments
22
25
My PPOC
Zone System Photography
26
Secrets to On Location Success
28
32
PPOC Facebook “What Should I Charge?”
In this issue A Message from the PPOC Chair ........................................... 4
Your Most Important Tool ...................................................... 18
PPOC Calendar of Events ...................................................... 6
PPOC Forum .......................................................................... 21
Are You Accredited? ............................................................... 7
Zone System Photography ...................................................... 22
Accreditation Mistakes ........................................................... 8
My PPOC ............................................................................... 25
Accreditation Q&A................................................................. 9
Members Memorable Moments .............................................. 26
Dave Holland - Sports Accreditation ..................................... 10
Secrets to On Location Success............................................... 28
Robert Hewitt - Commercial Accreditation ............................ 12
Concept to Cover (About this issue’s cover photo) ................. 32
Mercedes Verrier - Environmental Portrait Accreditation..... 14
Facebook “What Should I Charge?” ....................................... 32 -3-
Welcome to Gallerie & PPOC From your PPOC Chair Ken Frazer, MPA
The message that I write to you today is very important and significant in the history of PPOC.
D
uring the recent National Convention in Halifax, the Presidents of each of the Regional Affiliates met to discuss mutual challenges that all associations face today and we agreed to meet later in the year to work on a full strategic plan for PPOC. September 17 & 18 at Clear Lake, MB, this group, together with the PPOC Board of Directors, met again and with the expert facilitation of consultant, Ken Alexce, were able to focus our vision on the future and our top ten priorities for making a better PPOC for everyone. There was much intensive discussion and the meeting room walls were covered with flip chart pages of ideas, but in the end, we distilled things down to some immediate core issues. We separated those ideas into values, goals and objectives so it would be possible to move forward. There was a strong consensus that unification and development of best practices in the management of PPOC at all levels would be one of those objectives we would work toward in the upcoming year. With unanimous support we formed the new Unification Committee whose work it will be to develop a detailed plan to present to our members at the AGM of PPOC in April 2013, at the National Convention in Vancouver.
“We have much to do, but this is the most exciting and positive thing that has happened in our association in decades.”
The mandate of the Unification committee is to create a plan for major transition in our association. This plan would have to receive acceptance by all of the Regional Affiliates over the next year, with the goal to have unification become a reality by 2014.
We have much to do, but this is the most exciting and positive thing that has happened in our association in decades. There was much more that came about from our Strategic Planning meeting that I do not have space to write here, but I want to thank all those who attended and are committed to moving PPOC forward in the future.
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PPOC is pleased to announce the return of their magazine Gallerie. With award winning images, feature articles, editorial information, member services, and advertising, once again Gallerie will be the premier magazine for professional photographers across Canada. Editor: Jillian Chateauneuf MPA F/PPOC-BC Office: 604-551-9751 Email: editor@ppoc.ca Gallerie Committee: Stephen Mah Gallerie Committee: Nomayne McIntosh Designer: Nia Swanson Office: 778-888-0576 | www.niadesign.ca Email: niaswanson@gmail.com
Subscription
All PPOC members receive the printed issue directly to their doorstep. On-line issues are available to all photographers. To be added to our email mailing list please contact the PPOC office at exec.director@ppoc.ca indicating your province of residence. Additional printed copies of Galllerie are $6.95, plus postage. Please contact the the PPOC Office.
Advertising
Gallerie is published three times annually; February (on-line issue) June/July (print and on-line) October (on-line issue) One single advertising package will secure your ad space in all three issues. Full Page: $850/year Full Page Inside (front or back) $975/year Full Page Outside Back Cover $1100/year Half Page: $550/year Quarter Page: $350/year PPOC Trade members receive a 20% discount and Canadian Imaging TradeShow Vendors receive a 10% discount . To reserve your ad please contact the editor
Submissions
Articles and member stories are welcome, please submit them to the editor for consideration.
Vision To be Canada’s leader in developing and maintaining the highest level of photographic excellence.
Mission To qualify and support photographers to become industry leaders and to inform the public of the value in hiring an accredited professional photographer.
PPOC Directors and Affiliate Presidents L to R: Remi Laprise (QC), Mimi Boulé (MB), Brad Allen (AB), Alison Berk (SK), Cam Colclough (AB), Louise Vessey (PEI), Jillian Chateauneuf (BC), Tina Weltz (ON), Wayne Inverarity (SK), Ken Alecxe, Melissa Welsh (BC), Dan Morency (ON), Rachelle Richard-Leger (NB), Eric Loewen (MB), Ken Frazer (MB).
PPOC Regional Affiliates
British Columbia Director Jillian Chateauneuf, MPA, F/PPOC-BC BCdirector@ppoc.ca
PPOC Office / Bureau du PPOC 209 Light Street Woodstock ON Canada N4S 6H6
Alberta Director Cameron Colclough, MPA, SPA F/SPPA ABdirector@ppoc.ca
Bus: (519) 537-2555
Saskatchewan President, Wayne Inverarity 306-775-7509 | inverarity@siast.sk.ca
PPOC Board of Directors
Saskatchewan Director / Vice Chair Alison Berk, MPA, SPA SKdirector@ppoc.ca
Toll Free: (888) 643-7762 (PPOC)
Manitoba Director/ PPOC Chair Ken Frazer, MPA, F.Ph. chair@ppoc.ca
Email: exec.director@ppoc.ca
Ontario Director Tina Weltz, MPA, LPPO ONdirector@ppoc.ca Atlantic Director Rachelle Richard-Leger, MPA ATdirector@ppoc.ca
Fax: (888) 831-4036 Email: bureauduppoc@ppoc.ca
British Columbia President, Melissa Welsh 250-352-5664 | info@melissawelsh.com Alberta President, Brad Allen 403.803.0436 | brad@allenfoto.com
Manitoba President, Mimi Boulé 204-291-3784 mimi.memoriesbymimi@gmail.com Ontario President, Dan Morency LPPO 613-932-5761 | dan@roystudio.ca Quebec Rémi Laprise 819-561-8639 | remi@remilaprise.com
www.ppoc.ca
Atlantic President, Louise Vessey, MPA 902-894-7141 | Toll Free 866-894-7141
© All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form, without permission of the editor, is strictly prohibited. Views expressed by contributors may not be the representative views of PPOC and the publisher.
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2012
2013
PPOC Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
OCT
27th .....................PPOC-BC Accreditation Judging & Speaker, Langara College, Vancouver, BC
NOV
07th .................................. PPOC-BC Northern Branch, Coffee Shop Series, Prince George, BC 9th & 101h ................................................PPOC-BC North Branch, NAIT Seminar, Edmonton, AB 12th ................... PPOC-BC Island Branch presents Anna Beaudry on Architecture, Victoria, BC
DEC
1st ........................................PPOC-BC Northern Branch, Christmas Social, Prince George, BC 2nd ....................................................... PPOC-MB President’s Wine & Cheese, Winnipeg, MB 5th .................................... PPOC-BC Northern Branch Coffee Shop Series, Prince George, BC 11th ...................................................PPOC-AB, Central Branch Christmas Dinner, Calgary, AB
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
JAN
09th ................................... PPOC-BC Northern Branch Coffee Shop Series, Prince George, BC 14th ............................. PPOC-MB, Business Matters, Rita Tully, The Lab Works, Winnipeg MB 15th ................................................................................... PPOC Member Merit Form Deadline 25th to 28th ................................. PPOC-AB, Alberta Symposium 2013 and AGM, Edmonton, AB
FEB
2nd to 4th ........................ PPOC-BC Winter Workshop, Salon & AGM, Sun Peaks, Kamloops, BC 04th ...................................................................................... Accreditation Submission Deadline 9th & 10th ........................................... PPOC-MB Open House, Full Day Seminar, Winnipeg, MB 24th ...... PPOC-AT Image Salon Judging and Louise Vessey seminar, location to be announced
MAR
2nd & 3rd ........................................................................ PPOC-SK Spring Seminar, Humboldt, SK 13th .............................................................................................PPOC Salon Earlybird Deadline 27th .......................................................................................................... PPOC Salon Deadline
APR
8th ........................................................................................ Accreditation Submission Deadline 13th to 17th ................................................. PPOC Canadian Imaging Conference, Vancouver, BC
MAY
3rd to 5th ............................................ PPOC-AT Convention & Awards Banquet, Stanhope, PEI 26th & 27th ................................................ PPOC-SK New Member Workshop, Lloydminster, SK
JUL
15th ...................................................................................... Accreditation Submission Deadline
OCT
14th ...................................................................................... Accreditation Submission Deadline
For additional events added throughout the year please visit the PPOC website at www.ppoc.ca
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Are You An Accredited Professional Photographer?
An Accredited member of PPOC is a specialist in his or her chosen field of photography. Accreditation demonstrates that the photographer is capable of delivering image excellence in a chosen field and sets them apart as being industry leaders. Photographers who have earned accreditations have successfully completed the highest requirements from a panel of qualified judges across Canada. Earning an accreditation is one of the requirements for eligibility for a Craftsman of Photographic Arts or Masters of Photographic Arts designation.
Cool Facts about Accreditation
ACCREDITATION LEADERS
As long as you are a member of PPOC your accreditations NEVER expire and there is no limit to the number you can achieve! Qualified national judges with MPA or CPA designations, that have successfully taken the judging clinic, judge the accreditations. You receive 30 merits towards your photographic designations and once you have your first accreditation under your belt you can become a full PPOC member entitled to all the PPOC benefits! You just need to be a PPOC member to submit an accreditation, there is no requirement for formalized training or education, however the judges are expecting excellence in the photography, so keep that in mind. There is no secret sauce or formula that the judges are looking for, just make sure you follow all the requirements of the category. The most common mistake is not reading the rules, see Tracey Harper’s article on submission mistakes on page 8.
“I have always thought that the accreditation process has been the best form of education available to our members. Like anything else we become better when we practice and listen to critique”
Photo By: Liz Curran
“If you are submitting for the first time, be bold, be comfortable with the idea it might not be accepted. Get someone to guide you, brag that you are submitting, and use it as a growing tool”
How?
There is a HUGE list of accreditation categories on the PPOC website (under the members section), as well as details on the process and cost involved. Categories do change from time to time so, don’t wait too long to submit a category.
Then What?
Photo By: Shelley Vandervelde
Often promotion of your accreditation will lead to new business, as your accreditation sets you apart from other photographers. You may call yourself an Accredited Professional Photographer, and can promote that you are a Member of PPOC using the logo in all advertising. Get the word out in any way you can. Use Accredited Professional Photographer in your signature line. See Doxa’s story in My PPOC on page 25 for other ideas. -7-
Walt Malone MPA, SPA, F/MPPA, F/SWPP PPOC Member since 1996 30 Accreditations
Mark Laurie F/PPOC, MPA, SPA, F/SWPP PPOC Member since 1994 28 Accreditations
ACCREDITATION MISTAKES By Tracey Harper MPA F/PPOC-BC
I had the privilege of being one of the judges for a National Accreditation and thought I would comment on a few common mistakes that can cause an accreditation to be unaccepted.
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here are many reasons listed in the General Submissions PDF document, which can be found on the PPOC website in the members section, under accreditations. The document addresses several common factors such as images that are too light, not sharp, posed with one flash on camera, or the photo is not retouched or is unfinished. There are more but please read the document for further insight at your leisure. Here are some other common factors that may result in an unaccepted submission.
#1
READ THE CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS Let’s take Category 27 Family Portraits as an example. It states: “Ten images of ten different families showing ten different poses from ten different sessions in ten different locations. Must have variety in the submission to show the photographer’s creative and technical ability. Head and shoulders, 3/4 and full length poses must be shown. Family group must consist of three individuals or more. Must include three images with a group of six individuals or larger. Four images must be environmental portraits, and four images must be indoor portraits. The remaining two can be either environmental or indoor. No wedding/engagement portraits are accepted in this category.” WOW that one is a mouthful if you
Tracey Harper
try and read it out loud several times, but that is what you need to do. Read it to make sure the requirements are covered. That sounds simple, but is so overlooked. MAKE SURE THE CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS ARE COVERED. It is in capitals because it needs to be yelled! Back to the category…If you miss out on even one of the requirements your submission will be rejected.
#2 IMAGES FOR ACCREDITATION CAN ONLY BE USED ONCE If you have used it in a previous accreditation submission it can no longer be used. An image submitted as a salon image for Provincials or Nationals can be used once in an accreditation submission.
#3 VARIETY You must have variety in your submission. Prove to the judges you have above average skills by showing good variety. Your submission should have various lighting conditions and a good cross section of the subject matter in the chosen category. And see rule # 1- make sure all the submission requirements are taken care of.
#4 DODGE & BURN Judges often see the overuse, or poor use of, the dodge and burn tool, or -8-
various software, actions etc to achieve that look. A helpful hint is to paste your image on to a white background mat and look at all the areas in your photo and see if your technique is uniform or overdone. You can also do this process on a black background mat to see if any areas need attention.
#5 OVER RETOUCHING Be careful with retouching faces. Some submissions appeared to have overused software to retouch the faces and they had a “plastic” skin appearance. Especially on the men that technique and others can be overused and heavy on the application. Also the removal of the dark semicircle under the eyes, there is a natural slight darkness under the eye; total removal of this looks unnatural.
#6 KEEP IT SIMPLE Just because you can doesn’t always mean you have to! Beware of texture overlays and fancy borders. They can help or hurt an image and at times they distract from the image that is to be judged. Sometimes the KISS principle is best.
#7 Go for it and have FUN My challenge to you is to pick a category and GO FOR IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS THAT HAVE POPPED UP No. Images need to show YOUR ability as a photographer, you have to be comfortable with all aspects of the photographic processes used. If you did not have control of the image lighting, posing, location, etc. then it does not reflect YOUR ability and may not be used.
Can images taken under the direction of an instructor be used in an accreditation?? Is there anyone I can contact that can “preview” my work before submission so that I can get their opinion of what I can do to make the images look better?
Most PPOC members will be willing to help you out – just ask. If your province offers a free accreditation review take advantage of it (if it doesn’t, send an email to your provincial president and ask them to set it up). You can always call your provincial president or director and ask for a mentor.
I am very scared of putting my work for judging because I may not compare to all the others out there.
Accreditation is not a competition. Only the 10 images in that category are judged, they are not compared to other images like in salon competition. The only way to learn and improve is to get feedback, ask other members for ideas first. You don’t learn by sitting on the sidelines, so send in that submission.
I submitted my work to get accredited, but was unsuccessful, does this mean I have to start all over again with a fresh set of images?
You will receive information on which images were accepted and which ones were not. You have to resubmit with new images replacing the rejected ones. Of course you may also decide to start over again if you wish. You have two years to resubmit.
I recently submitted my best work for accreditation and it was not accepted and now I’m feeling kind of powerless and unworthy as a photographer. I feel like quitting. How do I deal with these feelings?
Make sure you talk to someone. PPOC members love to help out and support other photographers. Reach out and make some connections, then you can ask for assistance with your submission and resubmit it. You are still a photographer, perhaps just learning in that area of specialty.
If images are rejected by a judge saying the images where shot same day, same location but different angle. Is there any recourse for the photographer to prove that they are different?
Please contact the Accreditation Chair, Brian Lee, (contact information is available on the website) and let him know your concerns. PPOC is here to help and resolve issues.
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Dave Holland Sports Accreditation All photos by: Dave Holland
Dave Holland has been doing sports photography for five years. As an avid hockey player himself, it only made sense when he got a camera that he start off shooting something he loved. The photos turned out well, and he loved catching the action of the games. He quickly expanded into other sports, and every time “there was some cool event in town” he would go and photograph it. Living in Calgary, where they host a mini Olympics every year, meant he could build his portfolio quickly. The decision to become accredited was made for the benefit of being a fully active member of the Professional Photographers of Canada. In his own words, he “did it to get into the club”. As far as future accreditations go, he could see himself getting one or two more, but is happy to stick with athletes. Sports photography and athlete portraiture are what he would like to focus on.
When asked about his favourite sport to photograph, Dave claims no preference. What he loves so much about sports photography is the amount of variety, Dave Holland meaning he never finds himself in a rut. Of all his subjects though, his favourite is elite level athletes. He admires that they work what is basically a full-time job, without the pay. “They work like professionals, but live in an amateur world. They work so hard and sacrifice so much”.
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Robert Hewitt Commercial Accreditation MPA, F/SPPA
All photos by: Robert Hewitt
“Even though the commercial world is more technically demanding, it’s still the business of dealing with people that I find enjoyable”. Bob Hewitt, who received his first accreditation in portraiture, has been a photographer for over 30 years and a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada since 1976. He made the change from social portraiture to commercial photography in 1994, when he moved to Calgary. The shift came naturally to him, as both styles of photography allow him to indulge his joy of photographing people. The decision to get his second accreditation came from a discussion with a friend who was pursuing their master’s degree in a field in which they already specialized. The friend explained to Bob that having the master’s degree would validate all of the work that he was doing for his clients, and differentiate him from the competition.
“One thing I would like to press,” says Bob, “is that accreditation is the best way to present yourself as having a recognized level of service that is above the average.” The photography market is diluted with advanced amateurs and entry-level professionals, with no way for Robert Hewitt the consumers to differentiate. “In order to be proactive, find your area of expertise and become accredited in it so that by doing so you can give some level of guidance to the buying public.”
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Mercedes Verrier Environmental Portrait Accreditation All photos by: Mercedes Verrier
Mercedes Verrier, a former nature photographer, began her career in portraiture in 2005, when she realized, “Why wouldn’t I have people in my shots?” After all, humans are a part of nature too. At first, she worried that having people in the frame might “spoil a nice, clean nature shot”. Now, she says, when people stop while passing by her as she takes a photo, she encourages them to step into the shot and finds a way to work them in. She loves the challenge of combining natural and outdoor elements with people. It was her desire for a challenge that led Mercedes to pursue her accreditation in environmental portraiture. She wanted to find out what was considered to be a professional portrait, and what made one portrait better than another. The images that Mercedes submitted were all very special to her, but those closest to her heart were the ones of her family. She used her sister, and both daughters as subjects. Her daughter, photographed
in an orange shirt, also enjoys photography and has an eye for lighting. Her other daughter, photographed with her horse, “loves taking pictures, but only with her horse or her cat!” Mercedes says that the accreditation image she is most proud of is of the girl by the ocean, standing on a rock while a boy takes her picture. “I really love it because it’s just a timeless, natural picture.”
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Mercedes Verrier
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It’s what makes these tools come to life that is the most important tool, your heart! ~ Moose Peterson
The Most Important Tool By Moose Peterson
There is no finer moment, no finer smell than when you un-box that new lens or body! Yet the time leading up to that moment can be some of the most trying, soul searching, web reading intense time, since your last purchase.
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Depth of field and lens angle of view are keys to this process. If only the road to visual success stopped here, but it doesn’t. Because this is when we have to incorporate the one universal element in all great photography, light! Light to a photograph is like that great crescendo in a piece of music, the dynamic brush stroke in a painting or punch line in a joke. We must embrace light and exposure and I encourage you not to do so with a histogram, but with your heart! When it comes to seeing light, recording light and grabbing heart stings with light, you’ve got to feel it. You must feel it when you see it, expose for it and then present it to others. And this is what makes photography so great because we all see and feel differently. It’s why we can all share the passion of photography and each be so unique! And that brings us back to where we started with that new lens or body. It’s up to us, the visual communicators to turn these heartless machines into the preservers of memories and the voice of storytelling.
he camera body is so critical, as it stops that moment in time we feel is important because of memories or stories we want to tell. The lens brings into focus the slices of time we need to share with others in this marvelous visual telling adventure we call photography. And while these tools are so very important because without them, there is no photograph, they are still only tools. It’s what makes these tools come to life that is the most important tool, your heart! What the world needs is not another technically perfect photograph. What the world needs is more photographs with passion! While this is so true, we need the technical for the heart to speak and that’s where photography gets a little messy. What’s the best f/stop to communicate the passion in a photograph? Well, there is no one f/stop or shutter speed you can dial in for consistent perfection. This is where we complicate the process by asking ourselves, “What’s the subject?” When we have that clear objective in our mind and heart (and that’s often difficult to start with) then we can eliminate elements that pull our eye from the subject while including those that take our eye right to the subject. Moose Peterson
Is there a best camera, lens, f/stop or shutter speed, I mean, really the best? I was very fortunate in high school to have a marvelous photo teacher who had a brand new Nikon F2 w/55micro (yeah, I’m that old). He gave that to the students to shoot with while he used an old Kodak Brownie when we went out shooting. Us kids thought that was the latest and greatest, we’d smoke our teacher’s images. You guessed it; nothing could be further from the truth. It summed up the lesson simply. “It’s the person behind the camera that counts, but never count out the camera!”
Moose Peterson will be speaking at Canadian Imaging Conference Vancouver BC, April 2013 | www.vancouver2013.com
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Reddish Egret
Northern Hawk Owl Grizzly Bear Fishing
Alaskan Moose
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Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art. ~ Ansel Adams
Zone System Photography Making use of the Zone System in your Digital Capture By: Ian Grant, MPA, SPA
A
s a Commercial Photographer there are many times that the metering for the shot is not as straightforward as just taking an incident meter reading. This is especially true when it comes to the Architectural work that I do. I am often asked how I determine the “proper” exposure for such shots. I like to use a multi-meter that has both incident and spot meter capabilities. The spot meter component allows me to use the zone system for setting my exposures. Now you may ask how is it that a system developed by the famed Ansel Adams for film days and then reinforced by Dean Collins when he introduced his “Chromazones” system in the 80’s applies in today’s world of digital technology. Actually it is very simple. As we all know digital photography is like the days of transparencies – expose for the highlights. In my world the prepress people like files that have highlights that are not pushed right up to 255 because of clipping. Instead they like Photo By:
files that have highlights that fall into the 245 – 248 range so that there is pixel information in the file for their ink to attach to. Metering using the zone system with a spot meter enables me to do meet this spec. If we take a quick review of the zone system we are reminded that: Zone V Is the basis of how our meters are calibrated (18% grey). Zone VI Caucasian skin, concrete sidewalks. Zone VII White with detail (snow on a sunny day, bright white cumulus clouds). Zone VIII White with no detail (high key white background) .
Ian Grant Photography
Figure 1: Zone System Scale
S
o you may ask how do I apply this Zone System (Figure 1) thing in my daily shooting workflow. As we all know our camera settings are scene dependent. I often will start by measuring the brightest spot in the scene (expose for the highlights) and then open that spot meter reading up by 2 – 3 stops depending if I want to place it in Zone VII or Zone VIII. If I want to retain detail in the measured area then I go to Zone VII. I will then compare other areas of the scene and see where they fall relative to my highlights reading. Finally, I will check my shadows and again compare their
value to the highlights. If they are lower than desired I know that I have to supplement the scene with light to fill the shadows. Similarly in a middle toned scene that does not have a lot of highlights I visually evaluate the scene and look for areas that have the same tone as (Zone V) and measure them with a spot meter to establish my base exposure. I can then check other areas throughout the scene to see where they fall relative to my base exposure. I have some samples that makes use of this Zone System approach. (see photos on next page)
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Image 1: Palm Springs Animal Shelter
Image 2: Music Room
The only real highlight in this scene that I wanted to retain detail in was the spot light on the underside of the roof overhang. Metering this and placing it into a Zone VII (open up 2 stops - white with detail) ensured that I retained the texture of the stucco thus setting my base exposure. The lights over the doorways measured one stop brighter putting them into a Zone VIII value. As the light fell I metered the other areas of the scene to make sure that I had detail in the shadows and clicked the shutter when the sky measured a stop less than my base exposure giving me the vibrant deep blue (Tungsten White Balance) that I had learned from Dean Collins Chromazone theory.
This dusk shot of the music room was created solely using Zone System theory. I always try and establish my base exposure by measuring the highlights and then open up the measured reading to place them into either a Zone VII or VIII value. In this instance my brightest spots in the scene was the centre of the area rug and the ceiling above the oor lamp. I placed them into Zone VII and then measured the rest of the scene relative to this base exposure. Adding a main light camera left created shape and form and a little bit of fill boosted the shadows.
Side Note: I knew that the landscape spotlights were going to overexpose at this base exposure so I metered them for a Zone VII value and took a separate capture of them. This separate capture was then used as a layer in post to paint the landscape spotlights in.
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nikon.ca
FULL ON FULL FRAME FULL OUT INTRODUCING THE NEW NIKON D800. VIDEO. STILLS. FULL ON. When Nikon decides to bring it on, all other bets are off. And we’ve pulled out all the stops with the new Nikon D800. Designed to meet the demands of the multimedia professional, the new 36.3 mp D800 lets you capture remarkable still images in all conditions and shoot broadcast-quality HD video at full 1080p, with an in-camera sound suite. Once again, Nikon sets the standard that all others will strive to meet.
My PPOC
PPOC members share their stories.
Article written by: Doxa Coates
One PPOC member made my day by sending an email saying how she loved my work because it was so refreshing and artistic.
Thanks PPOC, “The response to my first accreditation has been amazing... from past clients to new ones. Recently a client came back, not only because she loves my style but since I earned my accreditation I must be even better now! Those are her words not mine :) ” I’d like to encourage members to get involved. When I first joined PPOC in 2007 I didn’t know what to do with my new membership. I had a hard time making connections, couldn’t attend many meetings, and eventually didn’t renew. Then in 2011, I received a warm, inviting email from a Niagara Branch member and decided to give it another try. This time around, I met old friends and made new ones. I really wanted to set myself apart from the amateurs so when I heard about accreditation I was ready to jump in with both feet! It took me weeks to narrow down my Child and Infant Portrait images in time for the April 2012 deadline. I didn’t realize how emotionally attached I was to my images. It was very difficult to look at them objectively but I knew I had to in order to succeed. Finally, I uploaded my selected images, said a little prayer and clicked the submit button.
I immediately added the accreditation title to my email signature and the PPOC logo on my website. Soon, I was receiving Photograph By: Doxa Coates new business because of the elevated status of my professional career. I am so happy with the number of sessions I have booked because of the accreditation, some with new clients, and some with returning ones. One past client told me that my email couldn’t have come at a better time. She was thinking of having portraits done again. Apparently there are three new photographers on her street who have “really nice cameras”, but she decided to hire me instead because she knew my work and since I am now accredited, I must be really good! Last week, I ran into an acquaintance who saw my recent post and wanted to book a session as soon as possible! She also convinced her friend that she should book me too!
The morning after the accreditation judging, I received the email I was waiting for! After reading only the first sentence, I jumped up and down, squealing in joy. My husband wanted to know what was going on but I forgot my English and reverted to Spanish! I couldn’t even read the email; he ended up reading it to me! I wanted to tell the whole world the great news so I sent a mass email, posted in Facebook and tweeted. It was so much fun reading the replies, especially the ones from my family telling me how proud they were.
Rejoining the PPOC has been so good for me and my business. I love introducing myself as Doxa Coates, owner of “A Picture In Time” and an ACCREDITED MEMBER of the Professional Photographers of Canada. If anyone is considering getting accredited with the PPOC, I would say “Just do it!”. It is a great confidence booster but it is even better for your business!
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r e b Memorable Memments Mo Louise Vessey, MPA, PPOC-AT Earns Prestigious Title of Holland College Distinguished Alumni PPOC Atlantic President Louise Vessey has a long list of accomplishments, including having many of her images chosen for the National Loan Collection, having her work published in newspapers and magazines nationally and receiving numerous awards of Merit and Excellence for her submissions to the PPOC and PPOC Atlantic’s annual image competitions. Now, she can add one more to her list. On May 31st, Louise was one of three alumni honoured at Holland College’s fourth annual Distinguished Alumni Awards. She was chosen for reaching local, national, and international acclaim while demonstrating great professional and personal excellence. Louise graduated from the Holland College Photography program in 1992 and was the first student to receive the Stephen Duncan Award of Merit in both her first and second years. Currently, Louise is a member of the Tiny Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides professional photography for children and families that have been faced with a life altering diagnoses. On March 12, 2012 her residential business, Light and Vision Photography, celebrated its twentieth anniversary. Louise is located in Charlottetown, PEI with her supportive husband Blair and teenagers Jillian and Giles. Photo by: Holland College Alumni Relations
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Alison Berk MPA, PPOC-SK, got married in Hawaii on February 7th... and is having a baby any day now!
July 10th, - Mimi Boulé, PPOC-MB, became Mimi Boily, marrying her partner Bernie after 14 years together. They tied the knot, literally, with a handfasting ceremony in Pitlochry, Scotland at the Atholl Palace. This portrait, taken by Fred Elcheshen of Winnipeg who made the trip with his wife Leone, also stars Mimi and Bernie’s 11 year old son, Anthony.
Photo by: Fred Elcheshen
Oct 10, 2012 Kent Wong MPA SPA, PPOC-BC, Receives a Diamond Jubilee Medal
In a ceremony held in Kamloops, BC, Kent received this special award, which commemorates the extraordinary service of Her Majesty the Queen, and acts as a fitting tribute to those who have made outstanding contributions to their communities and country by helping others, giving back and going beyond the call of duty.
Photo by: Arlene Omatsu
Newly engaged as of Sept 30, 2012 - Cristal Brooks, PPOC-MB, to Devon Morgan
Warren Gordon MPA, PPOC-AT, Celebrates 40 Years as a Professional Photographer Warren was recently featured in the Cape Breton Post Newspaper for celebrating his 40th anniversary of being a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada. Warren enjoys having “the photographer’s career that people think of - doing everything under the sun and having tremendous experiences.” Renowned for his bestselling Cape Breton scenic books and calendars, Warren’s career in photography began in his junior college days, taking pictures for the yearbook and school newspaper. Among Warren’s accomplishments is his 2012 PPOC Salon award for Top Pictorial Image, and his recent induction into the Cape Breton
Business Hall of Fame. These days, Warren can be found at his downtown studio or Sydney River studio and outdoor photo park with fellow award-winning photographer and wife, Katheryn Gordon. Another milestone is fast approaching, as Warren will soon be celebrating forty years as a photography business owner as well.
Secrets to On Location Success By: Craig Minielly, MPA SPA
Shooting on location can be intimidating, challenging, demanding, but also a whole lotta fun. After all, if it were always easy, then there wouldn’t be much chance for inspiration or creativity to take place.
I
t could also be said that there is something exciting to having a plan in your mind ahead of time, only to have it all blown to hell when you get on location! It just lends an extra sense of adventure to the workday…! Now, I’m not advocating to fly by the seat of your pants and just do everything at random as it comes to you… that’s fine for your own personal opportunities, but a recipe that will bite you in the ass sooner or later when clients get involved. You have a business to run, which ultimately is built on your reputation for being successful to your clients’ interests. Virtually all of the elements of working on location can be considered ahead of time, and you can then decide on how to address them to maximize your creative opportunity vs. the balance of responsible planning and preparation. With experience, the elements that can be intimidating at first can become second nature, which then allows for more involved operations, which in turn encourages more creative & free flowing spontaneity within a session. Striking the right balance is as much a formula of your own skills and inspirations as it is the desires of your client combined with the environmental considerations and limitations. What may be considered complex for one subject can often be considered simple for another. As an easy example, you probably wouldn’t plan a complex 4 light setup for a pair of 6 year twins, but the same set would be perfect for a time limited executive on a cover shoot.
Pre-planning will involve asking yourself some questions, which will generally follow the question session involving your subject or client. What type of images are desired, what locations are being considered, are there time of day elements or access issues, and are you striving for single image or a multiple options…? Children need room to move and be spontaneous, whereas adults may have comfort levels on getting dirty or dealing with stairs and long walks. Other questions might include – what is the ambient light like when the subject prefers to shoot, what equipment is practical for the setting, what time is available and what style are you striving for.... generally, you should be thinking of a good / better / best approach to every session, where “Good” is what your client is asking for, and “Best” is where you get to say you nailed it and brought home a real winner. Overcomplicating the session by aiming for “Best” and ignoring “Good” can lead to frustration and disappointment. Planning only for Good might seem safe at first, but likely unfulfilling in the long run, and not likely to build your reputation as being better than your competition. Once you have the foundations of the plan in place, then you can go into your session fully comfortable in the knowledge that you have structured it for Client Success, but also with built-in opportunities for your creative expression and artistic freedom. Working through those decisions and then keeping to them, will always provide just the right balance for any session, and with time – allow you to grow and enhance your skills, develop your style and build your reputation as a trusted professional who excels at exceeding your clients expectations! (Continued on pg. 30)
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Craig Minielly Photographer / Industry Consultant
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So how should you approach planning your session to be a success? Step 1 Decide on style of location – Does it need to be easy to access from the car, strategic for posing setups, easy to provide a variety of different shot possibilities and angles, private for distractions and subject to changing light conditions during the day?
Step 2 What flexibility do you have with your client as far as comfort for styling and mobility, ideal / practical fashion options for clothing, and of course – what time (to shoot) is available for your subject and what amount of time for your personal budget (monetarily and professionally)?
Step 3 Plan your equipment to best address the answers and considerations derived from Steps one and two. Then back up your gear appropriately and professionally.
Step 4 Structure the session so there is a natural progression from simple to involved or perhaps the other way around, as sometimes having your complex lighting setup good to go for your clients’ arrival is the best approach. This will ensure that time elements are respected and local considerations for changing light conditions and overall variety are best made use of.
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Concept to Cover The creative story behind the cover photo. By Steve Voth, MPA
This photograph is a case of being in the right place at the right time. I had arrived hoping to find perfect blue sky and sunshine reflecting into the glass and metal.
“What should I charge?”
Determined not to leave empty handed I walked around the building to find the best angle of the building as well as the car and get rid of some unwanted things in the background. Shot with a Nikon D700 18mm lens ISO 400 1/320s f-13. I got as close to the car as I could to place the car in the bottom left 3rd and keep all of the building in the shot. In post production in the RAW plug-in, I adjusted the colour temperature to 5000. Added some contrast, clarity, vibrance and saturation. I also added some fill light to get a little more detail in the shadows. Some lens correction to straighten the building. In Photoshop I retouched out the unwanted buildings in the background and burnt down the sky and foreground by almost 2 stops.
Photo By: Steve Voth, MPA
Raw photo before retouching
After retouching
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