QCCP May Newsletter

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QCCP May 2011

Newsletter

In this newsletter.

• Workshop reports • Competitions • Printing award prints • Tips for photography in Winter • Upcoming workshops

Fiji March 2011 What’s different about Fiji is the pace of life, there is time to think, time to enjoy the warm weather and time to enjoy new friends . Fiji this year was not only a great escape it was a rewarding teaching and photographic experience. Based in Nadi, which is located on the western side of the main Island of Viti Levu. With trips to Sigatoka market, Pottery Village and fort. We will be running a similar workshop next year in July.

See the book from the workshop here

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April 2011 Autumn Colours I&II Queenstown Centre for Creative Photography What a magical autumn. We have been able to revisit our favourite places throughout Autumn and witness it’s slow progress, with the landscape changing from green to gold . Our Workshops were full, way ahead of time, (I guess because eight is the limit) and from the feedback we get it’s also because people like what we do.

Mike and myself want to keep making the Photography Workshop experience better, not only for you but for us, so if you have any suggestions on how to make your experience better please send me an e-mail.

This year we have extended our Queenstown based workshops into Monday allowing more time to put the final edits together for the Photo books and also to print an ‘art print’ on our Canon Pro9500 printer. I always enjoy sharing the thrill of making prints. Something enduring to hold in your hand and enjoy. This extra time has proved to be very beneficial and it still allows people to catch flights home in the afternoon.

To see the images from Autumn 2011 on our image web site click here To see the book Autumn I: 15- 18 April HERE To see the book Autumn Colours II: 18-25 April HERE

The dates for next Years Autumn Colours Workshops are 6-9 April and 13-16 April 2012 Let me know if you are interested and I will pencil you in. and ask for deposits in 2012.

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Grab a workshop date that suits your group!

April photography workshops included a great bunch of friends who wanted a workshop date to suit their schedules. This may suit you group, just let me know and I will discuss costs and possible destinations. info@qccp.co.nz With a minimum of four students we can teach your group whatever you would like to learn. From portraiture, travel, sports, photojournalism and landscape Photography. We have Canon EOS 7D, EOS 60D cameras for students to trail and Canon EOD500D kits to borrow over these workshops. It’s great way to find out what kind of Camera you aspire to buy. Personally Mike and myself use Canon EOS 5D MKII’s. Once you learn how to navigate and use a Canon EOS bodies you can pretty much find you way around any DSLR Camera, any brand.

What is most important in regard to making great photographs is having great ideas and an understanding what camera skills you need to be able to communicate those ideas.

You can have the best oven in the world but this doesn't make you are the best chef. It take practice and you need feedback to keep you on track and keep you inspired.

Competitions BE AWARE: Read the fine print of any competition you enter and make sure you retain copyright of your images. Some companies create a competition simply as a way to gather images together that there can then use ‘free of charge’. A prize may go to the winner, it’s always nice to win, but, the real winner of these competitions is the organizer. Just by entering you maybe signing away your ownership of that image.

Mike and myself are in the process of looking at our images over the past twelve months and deciding on four images that we feel represent who we are as ‘Creative Photographers’ and images that we feel a panel of five judges will also like.

We enjoy the process of entering our work into the Australian Professional Photography Awards called the ‘APPA’s and the New Zealand Professional Photography Awards called the ‘Iris Awards’ because it encourages us to look back at the year and make prints of our favourite shots.

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These two competitions judge the print, so the judges are not only evaluating the emotional impact, the composition, the uniqueness of the image they are also looking at print quality, the suitability of the printed image to the surface it is printed on, how big it is printed and how these prints are then displayed or matted.

Images that receive a score of above 80 receive a silver award and above 90 receives a gold award. Winning awards gives us credibility, we like you to know that we are currant and proactive in our personal image making process. Good teachers, not only teach well, they ‘DO’.

Both Mike and myself have won many, many silver and some gold awards over the years. That is how we have the titles of ‘Master’ Photographers in Australia and ‘Fellow’ Photographers in New Zealand. Our ongoing desire is to earn the status of ‘Grand Masters’ in both forums.

Here are some of our favourite Gold images in recent years.

We are both EOS Masters because we believe in the Canon product and Canon believes in us. Life is about building relationships at this is one we value. By purchasing your camera gear from a Camera store you are building up a relationship that has value. They represent you are will look after you if gear is faulty and they have knowledge that is valuable.

We use www.photo.co.nz (Christchurch) and www.apix.co.nz (Auckland)

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Pros and cons of printing glossy or matt prints for competitions Colour prints tend look more vibrant when they are printed on a glossy surface, the colours will glow and express themselves fully.

But the surface is shinny, this shininess can sometimes get in the way of connecting with the subject matter. Glossy prints will show finger prints and the paper weight is thin and can easily bend. All paper can be scratched and that is one of the reasons why the professional competition require that you mount your image under a matt. We usually use the a matt colour that is the same tone as the paper, either white or a slight cream colour (off white). We have never used black, as black matt boards can look quite grey under the bright judging lights. Black only looks black when it’s a glossy surface.

The blacks in monochrome prints are also not as ‘black’ as glossy prints. To get a darker ‘black’ (D-MAX) spray or paint your print with a liquid laminate. I use a product called ‘giclee shield II’ . I brush it on with a soft brush, ( it has a satin finish) a couple of coats will also give protection from scratches. Be sure to wait for the ink to dry before you apply it. I submit all my monochrome images for judging this way.

I print all our ‘limited edition’ prints, both colour and monochrome, on a matt surface. The paper we choose is a thick (300gms) paper which feels good and it feels valuable. The ink’s are archival and will last for over 100 years. (Be aware not all printers have archival inks).

2012 Photography Workshops with Mike and Jackie We are planning next years workshops and have most dates in place. Many of our workshops are limited to just eight students to two tutors (Mike and myself). This way you know you will receive all the one to one time you need to solve any of your photography issues. We also encourage the group to share with one another; this makes the experience very rewarding and enjoyable. Beginners as well as the more experienced photographers always go home having learnt something valuable. The critique sessions are so productive. Immediate feedback that is encouraging and guiding.

If you are feeling like your in a bit of a slump, come and join a workshop group and get excited again. Life's too short not to take the opportunities when you can.

We use house as a base for the Autumn Colours workshops, the Portrait workshop and as a starting and finishing spot for the Kinloch, Winter, West Coast and Fiordland Photography Workshops.

workshops STORE Photo Safari Facebook youtub

QCCP Workshops for 2011 June 17-20 Volcanic Workshop - Rotarua $1450- We have 3 places available for this workshop, you will need to organize your own accommodation as the rooms in the house are now full.

July 29-August 1 Winter Landscape - Aoraki Mount Cook $1130- Three places left.

September 23-27 West Coast - Hasst to Franz Josef $1160 October 13-18 Fiordland - Doubtful Sound $3100- Three places left October 28-31 Portraiture - Queenstown $980 FULL

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QCCP Workshops for 2012 March 13-15 Portraiture / Travel Queenstown April 15-18 Autumn Colours - Queenstown April 22-25 Autumn Colours - Queenstown May 4-7 Moeraki Bolders-East Coast May 20-23 Kinloch-at the head of Lake Wakatipu July 27-30 Fiji- Travel / portraiture

See images from all our photographers on our workshops HERE

Testimonial WOW!!!

It’s been just 4 weeks since attending your fantastic Autumn in Queenstown workshop. I wanted to drop you line to offer a HUGE thank you to both you and Mike. Your workshop has given me so much more confidence with my photography taking on a whole new lease of life!!

It was the most inspiring and informative workshop I have ever been on. Your book is my “bible” - permanently in my camera bag and goes out on all my photo shoots. It is so easy to understand – I Love it!!

I learnt so much about my Canon 7D and how to get the best out of my camera and lenses, especially using the “manual” setting, not to mention the tips on “how to take better photos”. The 4WD excursions to Skippers Canyon and Macetown were outstanding. Limiting the group to 8 students allowed us to gain so much more as you gave us such personal attention.

It was a privilege to learn from two of the best EOS masters, thank you. The icing on the cake is the amazing compilation of our photos in a lovely book that you and Mike designed. Memories of a fabulous weekend, new friends and wonderful experiences that will be shared with many, not to mention proudly displayed on my coffee table.

I look forward to my next exciting workshop with you and Mike.

Ro

That’s it for now. More frequent and shorter newsletters to come for the rest of the year.