AIPP Journal - June 2016

Issue 242

Richard Muldoon Talks About That Facebook Post...

Is The Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 The Perfect Flash?

How To Set Up Metadata In Lightroom David Edmonson Meets Caravaggio

June 2016

CONTENTS 4

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu.

The ever tangential Ross Eason presents his final President’s Message. So what has the AIPP achieved in the past few years? What are it’s greatest challenges for the future? What is Ross’s ‘Catch 22’?

10

David Edmonson Meets Caravaggio

Cover

David Edmonson SPEAKER AT THE 2016 NIKON EVENT

18

When you view the work of David Edmonson, a myriad of thoughts rush through your mind. Is it digital? Is it a composite? How are the expressions achieved? What does the photograph remind me of?

How does he do it? All is revealed at The Nikon AIPP Event.

Networking In The Northern Territory Shane Eecen is leading the AIPP’s newest state council: the Northern Territory. He heads up a committed band of photographers who believe networking is the key to strengthening our profession.

AIPP JOURNAL is the official newsletter of The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP).

Editor Peter Eastway APP.L, G.M. Photog., FNZIPP, Hon. FAIPP, Hon. FNZIPP, FAIPP Disclaimer The information provided in The Working Pro and associated publications is made in good faith, but is general in nature. Neither the editor, the publisher or the AIPP accept responsibility for or will be under any liability for any recommendations, representations or information provided herein. The AIPP JOURNAL presents information, opinions and suggestions for subscribers to evaluate in coming to their own decisions in the light of their own individual circumstances. The information should not be relied upon without readers first obtaining independent advice from their own financial and legal advisers.

Unless otherwise noted, all articles are written by Peter Eastway.

Publication The newsletter is published 10 times a year – monthly with November/ December and January/February being combined.

The AIPP JOURNAL newsletter is published by Pt 78 Pty Ltd, ABN 75 003 152 136, PO Box 351, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097, Australia.

Phone: (02) 9971 6857; Fax (02) 9971 6641.

E-mail eastway@betterphotography.com

AIPP Membership Contacts Suite G.02, 171 Union Road, Surrey Hills, Victoria 3127 Phone: 03 9888 4111 E-mail: admin@aipp.com.au

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20

New Luminous Project Nominations Past AIPP President Ian McKenzie was our inaugural Luminous Award benefactor, who is to be our second?

And do you have a suggestion for the student beneficiary? Here’s how to have your say.

ISSUE 242 / JUNE 2016 22 26

Is Copyright For Our Photos Gone?

#imagescreate

36

38

Where you position your lights is often determined by your subject and how he or she is posed, but should you use ‘broad’ or ‘short’ lighting and what do these terms mean? Our lighting primer continues!

That Facebook Post...

Is Richard Muldoon APP M.Photog II showing his age or have the newer photographers something to learn?

Richard has two stories about pricing for wedding and portrait photography: The good news story is what photographers need to do in business to be successful; the other story is why he feels compelled to tell people the good news story.

Following Chris Shain’s report (previous page), Randal Armstrong from AIPP National Office says NOW is the time for professional photographers to be pro-active about potential copyright changes. Let’s not sit on our hands – rather let’s post with #imagescreate!

28 30

An Australian Government Productivity Commission report shows no understanding of copyright and how it affects professional photographers. Chris Shain says the AIPP needs to keep a close eye on these changes for all photographers.

Broad & Short Lighting

Professional Posing Made Easy!

The difference between a professionally posed portrait and an awkward one is more than just a matter of style, it also represents better sales and better profits too.

Master of Photography Janet Merritt explains all in her seven-episode video series on ‘Channel AIPP’.

How To Set Up Metadata In Lightroom

48

Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 Is it time you distinguished your photography from ‘all the rest’ and started using flash? Whether working in the studio or out on location, an Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 system has a range of lights, shapers and accessories to get the job done quickly and professionally.

Metadata is the information that is attached to your photographs - such as the date, the camera and the copyright owner. Whether you want to protect your photographs or just be able to find them quickly, this five minute setup procedure will have every photo you import into Lightroom correctly tagged with copyright information and keywords.

3

NEWS

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Adieu.

The ever tangential Ross Eason presents his final President’s Message.

So what has the AIPP achieved in the past few years? What are it’s greatest challenges for the future? What is Ross’s ‘Catch 22’?

PHOTO BY ROBYN HILLS

My mother took me to see Sound of Music three

Judy. Many of you know her and she was a key

times when I was a kid. I’ve lost track of how

player in launching The Event. She has made a

many times I’ve seen that movie (I had a thing

point of attending every function and usually at

for Brigitta), but it’s a cute way to say goodbye.

the sacrifice of her own time and career. She has

also paid for every event she has attended as a

If you’re one of the alphabet generations

and haven’t see the movie: https://www.

matter of principle.

youtube.com/watch?v=kxjwb5cXTI0

After seven years on the AIPP Board, I stand

in the AIPP, be it state councils, Awards, the

down on June 30. It is essential that each year,

Board or at functions, we usually do so with

we allow two new members to pick up the

the understanding of our life partners and, in

mantle and re-energise the Board and set new

some cases, our business partners. They are

directions for the Institute.

the people behind us who lend an ear or offer

For all of us who volunteer in any capacity

advice. At times they know when to let us vent

NO POPULARITY VOTE

or simply pull the cork out of a bottle of wine.

Electing those two new board members is

We should never underestimate the hidden

an important decision for all members and

value they bring to the Institute.

one you need to consider carefully. It is not TAGS AIPP B o a rd

4

a popularity vote. It is important that those

CATCH 22

you elect to the Board and state councils have

We live in changing times and we work in an

the skills, vision and objectivity to maintain a

industry impacted by technical change. It’s

balance in the AIPP’s direction. Please take time

easy to blame “the AIPP”, but I can tell you that

to consider whom to vote for.

this Board and the previous Boards I’ve served

There are many people to thank, too many

on have considered the long term initiatives

to list and I’m bound to leave someone out, so

and outcomes to protect our industry. A key

the only person I want to recognise is my wife,

component of that is establishing a recognised

AIPP National President Ross Eason APP.L, M.Photog I Hon. LM. Photograph by Robyn Hills APP.L GM.Photog FAIPP.

5

NEWS

“Profession” run by professionals (our National

• Live stream

Office Staff ) and in the process introducing

• Recorded educational content

considerable change.

• Advocacy to Government and industry.

There is a “Catch 22” (another movie

reference) with change. We all want better

just submitted our defense to protect our IP and

outcomes, but we don’t want to see things

copyright and there are more issues over the

change, maybe because of the unknown. And

horizon. Our need to be proactive with lobbying

I guess as part of any change, it can take time

for our rights will be essential.

for the benefits to be seen. They may not be

apparent at the outset, but if we are honest

of our volunteers and staff. We should all be

with ourselves, we can probably look back

incredibly proud of what we have achieved

with hindsight and agree that what we have

and what the AIPP represents because we have

questioned in the past is now a benefit or better

done this as peers with commitment to our

outcome. Accreditation would be an example

industry.

and I suspect Incite, the combining of APPA and

The Event, will be the same in years to come.

When you join, you become part of a fraternity,

a family. While it can deliver many benefits,

We have achieved a lot over recent years:

And all of this is through the hard work

Membership is not about the tangible.

• The Event - our national conference

and each of us probably looks for or needs

• Standardisation of State and National Awards

something a bit different, what it does give us is

• Custom designed Awards judging system

support and friendships.

• Custom built IT system to drive our web site

and is interlinked with our awards

PHOTO BY ROBYN HILLS

As the peak body for our industry, we have

I’ve been a member for a long time and the

friendships I have forged are the most valuable

• National Judges Training

benefit of membership I’ve achieved. I just hope

• Accreditation

somewhere in the AIPP there is someone else

• Certification by ACCC

who thinks the same of me.

• Luminous Fund

• Student grants and bursaries

vista baby”!

To quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Hasta la

• Reflections - 6000 veterans photographed • Video Producers • ACMP and School Photographers under our banner • Donations to health related charities

6

ross.eason@aipp.com.au 0412 108 362

PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE AIPP

THE EVENT 2016 NIKON AIPP

THE EVENT elbourne 2016 NIKON AIPP

melbourne

27th August-31st August 2016

27

TH

31 AUGUST 2016 ST

PULLMAN MELBOURNE ALBERT PARK

melbourne

melbourne

27th August-31st August 2016

melbourne

27th August-31st August 2016

EARLY BIRD BOOKINGS OPEN

IMAGES LEFT TO RIGHT: DAVID EDMONSON, NICK RAINS, LUKE EDMONSON GRECCO, ROCCO ANCORA, DAVID DECHUMIN, NATALIE HOWE, GLENN GIBSON GEOFF COMFORT, JERRY GHIONIS, MARCUS BELL, ROCHELLE & DEAN MO CAMPBELL, VICTORIA BEREKMERI, SARA DELPOPOLO, RUSSELL BARTON, STEVE

N, ADREW CAMPBELL, KAREN ALSOP, MICHAEL N, TIM BAUER, CASSIE EMMETT, NICK GHIONIS, ORRIS, MARK DUFFUS, ALAN MOYLE, ROBYN SCALONE, KAREN ASLOP AND DAVID DCHUMIN.

SPEAKERS MICHAEL GRECCO COMMERCIAL DAVID & LUKE EDMONSON PORTRAITURE/INSPIRATION TIM BAUER EDITORIAL PORTIATURE DAVID DECHUMIN PHOTOJOURNALISTIC VICTORIA BEREKMERI & CASSIE EMMETT BIRTH GEOFF COMFORT AERIAL JERRY GHIONIS WEDDING NATALIE HOWE NEWBORN MARCUS BELL WEDDING STEVE SCALONE CREATIVE PROCESS NICK GHIONIS LIGHTING ROCCO ANCORA POST PRODUCTION MARK DUFFUS COMMERCIAL/BUSINESS GLENN GIBSON ADVERTISING KAREN ALSOP POST PRODUCTION ALAN MOYLE BUSINESS SARA DELPOPOLO LEGAL/COPYRIGHT ROBYN CAMPBELL BUSINESS ROCHELLE & DEAN MORRIS VIDEO RUSSELL BARTON BUSINESS NICK RAINS TRAVEL/DOCUMENTARY AND MORE...

WWW.AIPPTHEEVENT.AIPP.COM.AU

FEATURES

David Edmonson Meets Caravaggio When you view the work of David Edmonson, a myriad of thoughts rush through your mind. Is it digital? Is it a composite? How are the expressions achieved? What does the photograph remind me of? How does he do it? All is revealed at The Nikon AIPP Event.

At the tender age of 64, David has no intention of

the funds to broaden my knowledge and to

retiring and is still winning major awards, both in

develop tributes to their work.”

the USA and Australia. You may recognise David

as the AIPP’s International Photographer of the

photographs look so familiar: they are homages

Year from 2015, and he is also visiting us later this

to famous painters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer,

year as one of the keynote speakers for our 2016

and Caravaggio.

Nikon AIPP The Event.

between copying and paying tribute. The

“I was told that once you reached 55, no

And suddenly you realise why David’s

David is well aware of the difference

one would hire you as a photographer. Maybe

paintings upon which he bases his studies are

that was right years ago, but everything

so well known, there is no chance of mistaking

has changed. Age might be a problem as a

them and the effort he goes to recreate them

wedding photographer, but I’m still shooting

photographically is a discipline all of its own.

lots of commercial work, everything from

TAGS The Eve n t Po r trai tu re

10

book covers, CD covers, annual reports and

THE LIVES OF THE MASTERS

catalogues. Luke, my son, works with me on the

“Many photographers I know who have grown

commercial accounts and grows the studio’s

as artists have also studied the masters. They

wedding clients.”

would copy the work of the master and, in so

doing, come to understand why each stroke

Four or five years ago, David and Luke

looked at their business and discussed

is in its place. Copying work gives you a much

spending the $20,000 a year typically allocated

greater depth of your understanding and that’s

for wedding magazine advertising differently.

why I started making my personal tributes.

“Luke said why didn’t I take the money and

“Once you’ve achieved the ability to

do what I wanted to do as a gift to me. I had

duplicate something, the next step is to create

never studied the old masters, so I started using

within its style. “

Is the lighting completely believable? Does it need to be? When you’re creating art, photography judges can make odd comments, but in the end, this print scored 97 at the recent WPPI 16x20-inch Print Competition in Las Vegas and was also part of the portfolio of prints that earned David Edmonson the 2015 AIPP International Photographer fo the Year award.

11

FEATURES

However, there is a fine line between

as well as the costumes and furnishings of the

copying the work of someone else and not

period. “I try to honor the spirit of their period,

acknowledging it, and creating something

and it all starts by conceiving it within my head.”

original from an image that is already famous.

Each of David’s photographs has many twists

THE MENTAL SKETCH

that make it distinctly his. It’s a bit like shooting

“Then I go onto eBay and look for authentic

the Sydney Opera House - though done a million

pieces - maybe within 50 years of the period,

times before; the trick is to do it your way.

I’m working. With eBay, I have access to the

resources of the whole world. For instance,

“When I was studying the work of Van Gogh

six years ago, a curator at one of the museums

I once needed a small bath from a Degas

told me about Van Gogh’s 903 letters and how

painting and I found one in Israel! There’s a lot of

recently they have placed them into sequential

planning and searching that goes into creating

order. This framework puts a whole new slant

these images.”

on Van Gogh’s life. For instance, it now appears

he didn’t cut off his ear and he wasn’t into self-

props because it’s important to him to be as

harm either!

historically accurate as possible within the

confines of reasonableness. It adds to the depth of

“As I continued my studies, I discovered that

I’m just as interested in the lives of the masters

authenticity. He’s also particular with his subjects.

as I am in their art. It’s their personal stories that

Very often they are family members, friends, and

fascinate me as much as anything else.”

colleagues and their role in the photograph relates

to how David sees them in real life.

And perhaps this explains why each

of David’s photographs also has a story.

Beyond what the viewer sees as an amazing

because I want everyone to see the love

photograph. is a supporting narrative that is

they share for each other. All my choices of

usually personal to David and his family.

models are intentional, so typically I don’t hire

professional actors.”

“Perhaps it is my age, but there are so

“Sometimes I’ve used family members

many stories I want to tell my children and my

grandchildren. I create these images for them. If

is little retouching involved. His photographs

they do well in competitions, that’s a bonus, but

are not composites, but single captures. David

it is not my motivation.”

explains that by the time his subjects are in

position on the set, he has spent a lot of effort

David’s homage photographs begin with

him studying the master’s lighting techniques

12

David says he spends significantly on his

And yet despite his ‘amateur’ models, there

explaining their roles and getting them to

Photography by David Edmonson who will be speaking at The Nikon Event this year.

13

FEATURES

visualise themselves in the scene. “After this, I

best friend and after he had passed away, they

might take just five or ten exposures, and I’ve

asked me to create a legacy piece. As the new

completed the shot.”

matriarch, it was more important to have her lit in an honouring way.”

LIGHTING THE SCENE

While David pays homage to the light in the

judges must have forgiven him!

And the print did get 97 in the end, so the

masters’ work, he doesn’t always follow it.

14

For instance, in his homage to Caravaggio

HUGE SETS - NOT!

(opening photo to the article), he used four LED

“I have a two car garage and above that is a room

spotlights to mimic sunlight coming through

I’ve turned into my studio. I used to work in a

the high window, but this lighting setup didn’t

large studio, but not anymore. You don’t always

reach the matriarch of the photograph tucked

need a lot of space to produce beautiful light.

away in the corner. Although Caravaggio may

have left her poorly lit, it was essential to David

manager and I learned how to build and

to place her in flattering light.

paint sets, so all the spaces you see in my

photographs have also been constructed and

I found David’s comment incredibly

“Back in high school, I was the stage

interesting because one of the judges at WPPI

decorated by us. Because I enjoy creating in a

when criticising the photograph observed that

single capture, I prepare them as accurately as

there was no way the matriarch, tucked away in

possible.”

the corner, could be so brightly lit in real life. I

found this an odd criticism. To begin with, there

working with, but other artworks and reference

are things called reflectors. Perhaps there was a

sources around the same historical period. This

mirror out of the scene, or a bright candle - or

background gives him a better recognition of

does it matter?

what he’s trying to create.

Added David, “When you study the work of

David doesn’t just study the painting he is

“I start with the ‘why’? I know a lot of

the masters, there are often lights that come

photographers do things the other way around,

more from heaven and less from reality. There

explaining why they took the photograph

are two schools of thought on whether lighting

afterward, but this can become a justification.

should be entirely explainable or not, but at

When you start with the ‘why’, it changes

some point, you just have to forget what judges

everything about how you go about creating an

might say. Besides, I wasn’t doing it for them; I

image.”

was doing it for her family. Her husband was my

And knowing why he is creating the

Photography by David Edmonson who will be speaking at The Nikon Event this year.

15

FEATURES

photograph also allows him to explain to his

in the front, and I use light to direct where I want

subjects how he wants them to pose and act.

the viewers’ eyes to go.”

“I don’t usually use a stylist or a makeup

David says he spends limited time doing

artist when my subjects are getting dressed

post-production in Photoshop, but points

in their costumes. There wasn’t much in the

out that he has already spent days in pre-

way of makeup back then, and it’s not hard to

production.

assist them with final refinements like a head

covering. Most importantly, I sit down with my

commercial work, but this is a personal

subjects and talk to them about the story I want

assignment. I am enjoying pushing my

to photograph - what each person is doing and

boundaries, art directing a dozen people on set

thinking, and how they feel about each other.

and capturing them in a single exposure. I think

if we’re not careful, the profession could lose

“Then basically I become quieter and allow

“I do more post-production in our

them to get into the mood. A few exposures

this ability.

later and it’s all done.”

photography, it would be to slow down, shoot

David laughs that ten minutes after he

“If I had any advice for newcomers to

photographed his homage to Caravaggio, he

less and shoot more intentionally.

and the family were eating pizza. “All the work is

done well before the shoot.”

of our voices are important. Every family has

“We all have a voice in the world, and all

experienced the loss of a loved one or will,

POST-PRODUCTION

and our family is no different. The loss of one

David shoots with a Nikon D810 and says that

of my daughter’s brought home to me how

he and his family have used Nikon cameras

precious relationships are. I believe our cameras

since the ‘60s. Usually, he is working with wider

are simply our excuse to love others and have

angle lenses that better match the sense of

influence in their lives.

depth and focus in the old masters’ work.

the AIPP’s The Nikon Event. Book now at www.

“The painters didn’t know what depth-of-field

was and so everything in a painting is in focus. To

Don’t miss David and Luke Edmonson at

aipptheevent.aipp.com.au.

get the viewer’s attention and provide the illusion of depth, they would use contrast or the looseness

16

or tightness of their brushwork to control where

the eye went. So, in my photographs, I want the

http://www.edmonsonweddings.com/fellowship/

back wall of the set to be as sharp as the subjects

David-Edmonson

See more of David’s Fine Art Portrait Work:

Photography by David Edmonson who will be speaking at The Nikon Event this year.

17

NEWS

Networking In The Northern Territory Shane Eecen is leading the AIPP’s newest state council: the Northern Territory. He heads up a committed band of photographers who believe networking is the key to strengthening our profession.

TAGS Co u n c i ls NT

18

Darwin is Shane Eecen’s home of choice.

new photographers and new members,

Having spent many years working in Japan,

so the challenge will be to bring all these

the USA and Europe, he’s settled on the warm

photographers together.”

temperatures of the Northern Territory to

establish his business Creative Light Studios.

join the AIPP, Shane was quick to answer. “It’s

“I have a big commercial studio with 300

all about networking. It really is the best thing

square metres of space and a large corner cyc.

for photographers. Video producers are used

I shoot mainly for commercial and corporate

to collaboration, but photography is more of a

clients, such as food, portraits and promotions

solo game, so that’s my aim: to strengthen the

in the studio and corporate jobs on site for

communication within the Northern Territory.”

mining companies.

held in the Northern Territory, but recently it

“I was originally a member of the ACMP and

When asked why photographers should

To date there haven’t been a lot of events

I didn’t quite know how the AIPP worked or

hosted its second AIPP NT Epson Professional

how it fit in. However, a group of photographers

Photography Awards. It was very successful and

up here have become very involved with the

a part of the AIPP NT’s transition.

AIPP over the past couple of years and if some

of my experience can help push it along, then

but I think our first approach will be to organize

that’s a good thing.”

a number of social gatherings where we can

all just say g’day and figure it out from there.

Shane will be taking on the role of state

“It can be expensive to run events up here,

president, so he’ll be doing a lot of pushing

I already talk with a lot of the professionals

along with his council. He also hopes to involve

in town and while we can all be very busy,

photographers who are not yet AIPP members.

we seem to find a way to meet for a coffee.

The AIPP events will just be a more formal

“I’ve been shooting in this area on and off

since 1992, so I know a lot of the photographers

extension of this - it’s what the AIPP is all about:

up here. However, there are also a lot of

networking.

AIPP NT Council 2106-2017. L-R. Shane Eecen, Liam Carrol, Susan Fong, George Fragopoulos, Paul Arnold.

19

NEWS

New Luminous Project Nominations Past AIPP President Ian McKenzie was our inaugural Luminous Award benefactor, who is to be our second? And do you have a suggestion for the student beneficiary? Here’s how to have your say.

Last year the AIPP National Board introduced

award. Nominations for 2016 are open until

the Luminous Project, a way of recognising

June 30.

members who contribute to their communities,

using their professional skills to make a

you think he or she would be a worthy recipient

significant contribution without expectation of

by using this form: https://forms.aipp.com.au/

reward or recognition, and ultimately to give

luminous_nominations/start/.

Please nominate the person and the reason

something back to our profession.

There are four tiers to the Luminous project,

LUMINOUS GRANT

simply explained below to help you understand

This grant will be awarded annually to provide

exactly what, why and how we plan to build

educational support for one student member.

this project.

Importantly, the Luminous Grant for the year will be named after the person who received

TAGS AIPP APPA Lumin o u s Awa rd

20

LUMINOUS AWARD

the Luminous Award, thus tying the two

The Luminous Award recognises members for

together.

their good services, by way of an annual award

given in the name of a member who has given

was Silvia Tomarchio from Victoria.

selflessly to the profession or our Institute.

are now open.

Last year the inaugural Luminous Award was

Last year, the inaugural student recipient Applications for this year’s Luminous Grant

named posthumously for Ian McKenzie, OAM

APP.L M.Photog. Hon. FAIPP FAIPP in recognition

2016 can apply with their institution details, six

of his lifelong service to the AIPP and his own

images, and a 100-word statement. Applications

community.

close July 31, 2016.

For 2016, you have the opportunity to

To be considered, student members for

To apply, use the form on the AIPP website

nominate someone who you believe is worthy

or use this link: https://forms.aipp.com.au/

of being recognised as the namesake of this

student_bursary/start/

LUMINOUS COLLECTION

a corpus so that over time we can finance not

The Luminous Collection is an annual silent

only the annual Luminous Grant to support

auction with the twin objectives of raising

the education of the next generation of

funds for the Luminous Grant for student

photographers, but other altruistic projects as

education and secondly raising funds for the

well.

Luminous Fund as a chance to give back to our

profession.

that is hoped to see the AIPP support its

members and industry into the future.

Our silent auction will take place at this

The Luminous Fund is the long term goal

year’s Australian Professional Photography

Awards (APPA) Dinner. For 2016, the prints will

build a reserve and this can become a fighting

be donated by speakers at The Nikon AIPP Event

fund for many purposes, supporting members

and/or AIPP members who have excelled in this

and industry alike.

year’s awards.

landmark copyright case, the AIPP may agree to

Last year was a huge success and the

After five or ten years, we should be able to

For instance, if a member wanted to fight a

AIPP was humbled by the generosity of our

support him or her.

professional photographers to this important

cause. Their stunning images can be viewed

or her equipment in a natural disaster, it may

here: http://www.aipp.com.au/files/

be appropriate for the AIPP to lend a hand if

Members%20Site/Luminous%20Project/

insurance conditions excluded coverage.

Similarly, if a member were to lose all his

Luminous%20auction.pdf Award Nominations Close 30 June 2016.

LUMINOUS FUND

https://forms.aipp.com.au/luminous_nominations/

Extending the concept to larger issues, both

start/

within and outside the profession, is the

Student Applications Close 31 July 2016.

Luminous Fund. The ultimate aim of The

https://forms.aipp.com.au/student_bursary/start/

Luminous Project is the Luminous Fund; to build

21

NEWS

Is Copyright For Our Photos Gone?

An Australian Government Productivity Commission report shows no understanding of copyright and how it affects professional photographers. Chris Shain says the AIPP needs to keep a close eye on these changes for all photographers.

TAGS Busine s s Advo c a c y

22

Should your photographs be available for

Commission’s report. That same report

anyone to use however they like? Most of

also threatens photographers were it to be

us would object to seeing our photographs

implemented. Chris Shain, the AIPP and its

being used to profit another person without

advisers are intent on ensuring it is not!

our permission or any payment to us - and

fortunately, that central premise is not going

department that has been given months to

to change. However, around the edges the

research and make recommendations for IP

Productivity Commissions is recommending

(Intellectual Property) can have such a limited and

changes that benefit consumers and large

flawed understanding of the issues it is dealing

organisations over and above the rights of

with. It’s presentation is worse than a first year law

the content creators - such as professional

student struggling with a tutorial question.

photographers.

that the report was coming for some time.

Legislative proposals that affect professional

Most alarming is that a government

Explained Chris Shain, “We’ve been aware

photographers go unnoticed by the majority

Initial submissions were invited in February

of photographers, but not the AIPP Board

2016, but the AIPP decided to let experts like

and it’s Board Adviser, Chris Shain. Behind

the Australian Copyright Council lobby on all

the scenes, it’s members like Chris who keep

our behalves.

the government honest by spending days if

not weeks liaising on our behalf with lawyers,

released is very scary. Many people think it is so

barristers and organisations like the Australian

outrageous that the politicians will ignore it, but

Copyright Council.

we can’t afford to take that chance.”

There was a huge outcry recently when

“However, the draft report that has just been

So what does the report propose?

the livelihood of book authors was threatened

Copyright to last for 15 to 25 years from date of

by changes proposed by the Productivity

creation, not 70 years after death of creator.

•

J i m m y Te o A P P A A I P P

NEWS

That a broad exception for fair use should

beaten by lots of big organisations wanting

replace the current ‘fair dealings’ exemptions.

to use our content for free. And then the

bureaucrats seem to get confused between

However, more alarming is the tone of

the Commission in relation to copyright and

copyright owners and copyright creators.

the creators. If this report were accepted, it

could fundamentally change the way future

and creators, the bureaucrats seem to look at

governments look at copyright and how

copyright owners as large organisations. All

photographers earn their living.

their reports seem to look at copyright from a

powerful owner’s perspective, someone that

“Cutting back our copyright from 70 years

“Although we are both copyright owners

after death to 15 years after creation is a pretty

the consumer has to be wary of. However,

serious change. No other democracy in the

photographers are also copyright owners but

world would contemplate something like this -

the reports pay very little to us, even though it is

it simply doesn’t make any sense.

the real basis of how we make our living.

“The other worry is the introduction of

“A lot of AIPP members don’t understand

fair use in place of fair dealings. From what I

how fundamental this is to what we do and

understand, it looks like they are getting fair use

take for granted. If we lose our copyright rights,

and fair dealings mixed up. In their fact sheet

we stand to lose everything. The Productivity

they say that fair use in the USA is fabulous, but

Commission doesn’t get it either. There are

talk to any creative person and they will say that

already good exemptions for consumers and

fair use in the USA has been a disaster.

families to override strict copyright laws when

it comes to sharing movies and digital content,

“As it currently stands, ‘fair dealings’ allows

school kids to photocopy a book for a school

but the Productivity Commission’s suggestion

project, while ‘fair use’ is far more open ended

for fair use is open slaver and is not in our

and the argument is it could allow large

interest at all.”

publishers to use photos first and argue later.

No small creator can take on a large publisher in

You can read the Productivity Commission report here:

a legal case, so it is something we need to resist

http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/intellectu-

at all costs.

al-property/draft

24

“The problem for photographers like you

and me who work out of their cars, is that

The AIPP’s response can be found here: http://www.

changes and challenges like this to our way of

pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/intellectual-property/

business are continual. We are getting brow-

submissions#post-draft

•

Henry Coughlin APP AAIPP

25

NEWS

#imagescreate Following Chris Shain’s report (previous page), Randal Armstrong from AIPP National Office says NOW is the time for professional photographers to be pro-active about potential copyright changes.

Let’s not sit on our hands – rather let’s post with #imagescreate!

I don’t know how closely you are following

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

the proposed copyright changes that are

• The ACC is drafting a submission to the

being debated at the moment, but the issue

Productivity Commission hearing to take place

of Fair Use and an upcoming report from the

in June with the AIPP listed as one of the ACC

Productivity Commission has the potential to

affiliates.

change our business and our opportunity to

• Longtime supporter of photographers’

control and profit from our images.

rights, and an AIPP Accredited Professional Photographer, Chris Shain has worked together

THIS IS IMPORTANT!

with our lawyer Ian MacDonald to submit a

What is the issue? The starkest threat for

response to the Productivity Commission’s draft

photographers is the fair use proposal.

report on behalf of the AIPP.

• The Copyright Agency has a simple explanation of the issue of Fair Use and the

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

danger the proposed changes represent to all

DON’T BE SILENT AND JUST LET THE PROPOSED

creative content makers, including you.

CHANGES HAPPEN!

TAGS Busine s s Advo c a c y

26

Please read it at: http://copyright.com.au/

• Raise your voice! We want to dispel the

about-copyright/fair-use/.

idea that we are all just passive consumers of

• The Australian Copyright Council (ACC)

content.

has produced a detailed information sheet

• Australian writers have launched a hashtag

regarding Fair Use and the Productivity

campaign #bookscreate to raise the profile of

Commission’ proposal. Please read it at: http://

the issue and how it will impact on the ability

www.copyright.org.au/ACC_Prod/ACC/

of an Australian writer to make a living as a

Information_Sheets/Fair_Use_and_the_

creative author. Check it out here: http://tgb.io/

Productivity_Commission.aspx

bookscreate/290978

LET’S START A CAMPAIGN!

o Sydney - 21 June 2016

If you are concerned as much as you should

o Canberra -22 June 2016

be, let the world know about it and use the

o Melbourne - 23 and 24 June 2016

hashtag #imagescreate.

o Sydney - 27 June 2016

You’ll find location details here: http://www.

Additional hashtags could include

#copyrightmatters and #aipp.

Get involved and watch it grow here: http://

tgb.io/imagescreate/290979

pc.gov.au/inquiries/current/intellectualproperty/public-hearings • Attend the National Arts Election Debate in Melbourne on 8 June that ArtsPeak is

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

organizing. Details can be found here:

• Attend the Productivity Commission public

https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/

hearings:

BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=197434

o Brisbane - 20 June 2016

But please don’t do nothing!

27

NEWS

Professional Posing Made Easy!

The difference between a professionally posed portrait and an awkward one is more than just a matter of style, it also represents better sales and better profits too. Master of Photography Janet Merritt explains all in her seven-episode video series on ‘Channel AIPP’.

TAGS Po r trai tu re Edu ca ti o n

28

I used to wonder why some portraits looked

do you angle their shoulders, should they sit

so complete, so natural - and so professional.

up straight? And those fingers - let’s make sure

Sitting in the back of the APPA judging room,

they are not clenched and give the game away.

I could tell which portraits would earn a few

extra marks. While lighting and exposure were

questions I had when viewing Janet Merritt’s

important, it was the posing and gesture that

series of seven informative videos on the AIPP

made the difference.

website. Janet gave a presentation at L&P

Photographics in Sydney and it was recorded

My theory is that posing is something that

I’m no posing expert, but these are the

develops over time and the people I looked for

using Nikon DSLRs. Now it is available to AIPP

guidance are probably the same people who

members to watch for free - so whether you

Janet Merritt looked up to. Our mentors came

live in Sydney and weren’t able to get to Janet’s

out of the studio and, given everything else

presentation, or you live in Perth and it simply

about studio work was so standardised, posing

wasn’t practicable, now you can avail yourself of

was one way to create portraits with a difference.

Janet’s expertise at any time.

Today with so many photographers

To view the AIPP content, visit the AIPP

creating environmental portraits, lighting and

website (www.aipp.com.au) and log in

the background have become the focus, but

with your user name and password. Visit

we should never forget that we are creating

your Member Dashboard and click on the

portraits of people - and that means that posing

Continuing Your Professional Development link,

and gesture are of primary importance.

followed by the AIPP Video Content link. There

you will find hours and hours of educational

When you ask a family to sit together for a

portrait, where do you position mum and dad?

professional photography presentations.

Which kid goes in the front, who goes to the

back? What do they do with their hands, how

service.

But remember, this is an AIPP member-only

29

EDUCATION

How To Set Up Metadata In Lightroom Metadata is the information that is attached to your photographs - such as the date, the camera and the copyright owner. Whether you want to protect your photographs or just be able to find them quickly, this five minute setup procedure will have every photo you import into Lightroom correctly tagged with copyright information and keywords.

If you’re using Lightroom to manage your

all my jobs, whether commercial or personal.

image files, how do you find them in your

This is called my ‘year’ folder. E.g.

catalog? How can you search for specific

JOBS2016

photos? How can you tell other people that you

2. Into this folder, I place each job in its own

own the copyright?

folder and name it with the date and one or

two words which make sense to me. I use a

Lightroom is incredibly powerful as

an organisational tool. You can save your

hyphen between the date and the description,

photographs into catalogs, folders and

and I capitalise the words. These are called my

collections, and you can add keywords and

‘job’ folders.

client information to each file.

image file to be read by various software

JOBS2016 – 160601-SmithFamily – 160610-Middlehurst – 160620-HallPartnership

applications.

3. If the job is a big one, I will create sub-folders

Of course, this information isn’t visible as

part of the photograph - it’s added into the

inside the job folder, using the same format.

TAGS L igh tro o m Tech n i q u e

CREATING A STRUCTURE

process I use is as follows:

JOBS2016 – 160601-SmithFamily – 160610-Middlehurst – 160610-FrontRiver – 160611-HeliShoot – 160612-MountainPass – 160620-HallPartnership

To make the most of this power, you should have a structure first. Lightroom will struggle to find your images if you don’t have a sensible structure in the first place.

30

And there are many ‘sensible’ structures. The 1. I have a folder each year into which I save

As you can see, it’s not rocket science, but

STEP 01

STEP 02

STEP 03

STEP 04

How will you use Lightroom catalogs?

Will you have one catalog per job, one catalog per year, or just one catalog into which all of your images will be imported?

There is no single correct answer, but it is your answer that will determine how you set up some other aspects of Lightroom’s structure. And while Lightroom is great at organisation, it needs your help.

Sometimes you need to combine images from various jobs into a single collection. In addition to Folders, Lightroom has Collections as well. You can manually transfer photos into collections, or ‘smart’ collections can collect images for you (for example, a smart collection that holds all photos with a star rating of 5, or all files that are videos).

Where are you going to physically store your photographs? It seems sensible for professional photographers to have separate folders for each job, possibly with sub-folders for more complicated jobs.

In this way, you are ‘sorting’ your work into a sensible structure. You could name your folders with the date and a simple description: e.g. 160601-SmithFamily.

There are two types of metadata in Lightroom: EXIF (provided by the camera, such as exposure and date) and IPTC (provided by the photographer, such as business details, client name, location and keywords). Lightroom makes it easy to add IPTC data to your files. If you want Lightroom to help you sort and search your photos, you must add good IPTC data first.

31

EDUCATION

it allows me to find my photographs relatively

quickly. It also has enough information to help

business details, address, website and copyright

my assistant if she needs to find them, but it

information. It can also include details of your

might not be specific enough for a large studio

client and, importantly, keywords and even

with lots of different employees, so use this as a

detailed captions.

starting point only.

you may not need the IPTC data to search

So, at this stage, I have a ‘structure’ into

Examples of IPTC data include your own

However, if you have a good structure,

which I import and save all my raw files. When I

for your files. For some wedding and portrait

ingest my photos using Lightroom (or Capture

photographers, adding in the IPTC information

One etc), I use Lightroom to create the folder as

may not be necessary because it will be an easy

well.

enough matter to locate a client’s photos based on the folder structure already in place.

EXIF INFORMATION DONE

All raw files have EXIF information included by

may need to provide detailed captions and

the camera - such as exposure details, the date

keywords to accompany the file for editors and

and so on. Copyright information can also be

designers to access. In this case, being able to

included if you have set up your camera to do

add IPTC metadata is essential.

so.

32

The EXIF information can be used to sort

On the other hand, a travel photographer

And as many photographers do lots of

different types of work, we might as well set

and search your photographs, but it is generally

up a system to add in metadata automatically,

not much use in a studio context. You are more

everytime we ingest photos into Lightroom.

interested in the client’s name or the subject

description, rather than the aperture or the

same for every job and every file. And there is

type of camera. To enable Lightroom to search

some information that will change job by job,

effectively, we need to add in this type of

perhaps shoot by shoot. Lightroom can help

information ourselves.

you with both these chores.

IPTC INFORMATION TO ADD

ADDING YOUR INFORMATION

In addition to EXIF data, you can use Lightroom

In the Lightroom Library module are three tabs

to add in IPTC data. This is information you add

on the right to consider: Keywording, Keyword

about your photographs so you can search later

List, and Metadata. Let’s look at Metadata first.

on.

There is some information that will be the

Depending on the range of metadata you

STEP 05

To add your business information to each file, begin by creating a Metadata Preset.

Go to the Preset dropdown box, choose Edit Presets... and enter the information you require. The minimum information suggested is shown here on the right. Click Done when finished and save the Preset with a name - e.g. Peter1.

STEP 06

Now, before you import your photographs, go to the Apply During Import panel on the right of the Import screen and in the Metadata drop down box, select the Preset you have just created. Now, whenever you export a photograph from Lightroom, it will include this information (although you can also choose to exclude it if you wish to).

33

EDUCATION

have chosen to display (use the drop down box

client name as a keyword if you want to.

on the top line to choose), you can see lots of

information about your photographs, one at a

more likely to use keywords to help them locate

time. You can add to or change many of these

photographs of particular subjects.

fields, one at a time if you wish, but obviously

this will take way too much time, so the trick is

many is up to the photographer and how much

to get Lightroom to add in the information for

time they want to spend developing their

you.

keyword lists.

Commercial and stock photographers are

Exactly what those keywords are and how

I suggest using a metadata preset (as

explained in the Step-by-Step boxes) to add in

ENTERING KEYWORDS

your business and copyright details for all your

There are many different ways to enter

image files at the time they are imported into

keywords in Lightroom and lots of functionality

Lightroom.

to create keywords, synonyms and keyword sets. What follows are my essentials.

34

KEYWORDS

An important part of Lightroom’s archive and

you’ll probably want to enter them in bulk. You

search strategy revolves around keywords.

do this in the Grid view in the Library module.

Keywords are essentially descriptors for some

aspects of your photograph.

keywords to and then enter them into the

keyword dialog box. Instructions are on the

For instance, a photograph of a sunset over

You can enter keywords photo by photo, but

Select the photos you want to add the

an icy sea in Antarctica could have the following

opposite page.

keywords: sunset, sun, ice, iceberg, icefloe,

orange, seascape, Antarctica.

the photos in a shoot - such as the name of the

client. Keywords that are to be applied to all the

Since a picture tells a thousand words,

However, some keywords will apply to all

it’s not unreasonable to have a number of

images can be added at the time you import

keywords for each photograph, and many

the photographs into Lightroom.

photographs will share exactly the same

keywords.

the metadata and the keywords as you import

the files.

Keywords are possibly not as useful for

It’s a good habit to get into - adding in both

wedding and portrait photographers because

Some photographers also rename the

most of the searching can be done by folders,

files as they import them so they are easier to

but there’s nothing to stop you including the

distinguish from the camera-created file names.

STEP 07

STEP 08

STEP 09

STEP 10

Entering keywords is as easy as typing them into the Keywording dialog. You’ll find this in the Library module on the right side. From the Grid view, select the photo and then you can add as many keywords as you like, separating each with a comma.

Select multiple photos and you can add the keywords to all of the selected photos at once.

While Lightroom’s Keyword Suggestions are helpful, Lightroom doesn’t always know what you’re working on, so you can also create your own custom lists or ‘sets’ of keywords. A keyword set can contain up to nine keywords. Select the keyword set and it will display its nine keywords, allowing you to click on them to add them quickly to your selected photo(s).

As you enter more keywords, Lightroom will keep track of them and present suggestions to you. (It will create a list of all of them!) To save you typing each time, try clicking on the suggestions below the keyword box to add them to your selected photo(s). There are a number of other shortcuts available for adding and editing keywords in Lightroom.

Some keywords will be added to all of the photos from a shoot, so why not add them at the same time you import them? In the Import screen on the right, underneath the Metadata drop down menu, you can add any keywords you wish. You may add some general keywords to all the images when you import them, then add some further keywords selectively after import.

35

EDUCATION

Broad & Short Lighting Where you position your lights is often determined by your subject and how he or she is posed, but should you use ‘broad’ or ‘short’ lighting and what do these terms mean? Our lighting primer continues!

These days, there are no hard and fast rules

the opposite side is the short side.

about lighting, as long as the result works. And

the way you determine this is to practise and

straight and their ears normally positioned, you

experiment.

can visually measure the distance between the

nose and the ears to determine which is which.

Traditionally, portrait photographers would

Assuming your subject’s nose is relatively

be trained to use a variation of short lighting for

The side with the longer distance between

most of their subjects, at least in the beginning.

nose and ear is the broad side, the side with the

The opposite of short (or narrow) lighting

shorter distance is the short side.

is broad lighting. Here’s how you tell the difference.

BROAD OR SHORT When your key (also called main) light is

TAGS Tech n i q u e L igh ting

NOSE TO EAR

positioned over the broad side of the face, this

If your subject is facing the camera front on,

is broad lighting. If the key light is on the other

then neither side of the face is dominant. They

side, illuminating the short side of the face, this

are equal.

is short lighting.

In this situation, you have neither short nor

broad lighting because these descriptions rely

can change from broad to short simply by

on the face being angled one way or the other

having your subject turn his or her head to the

towards the camera.

other side.

However, generally we have our subject at

The terms broad and short are simply

a slight angle to the camera, simply because

instructive – but they can be useful to

the front on pose (in our culture at least) is

understand, especially if you read more in-

considered stilted or less interesting.

depth texts on portrait lighting.

When the face is angled, the side of the face

pointing towards the camera is the broad side,

36

If you think about it, your lighting pattern

In the next issue, we’ll look at what different

lighting angles do to our subject.

d a o r b e h e t h s t i s ce Thi a f e o h t t r f a o side ce from e n o n r a e t t s a e di r g is e s . o e n d i s this

This is the shor t side face o and b f the ecau the l se ight the s is on hort side, is cal it led s light hort ing.

BACKGROUND Background Light – Reflector Dish

Subject Key Light - Beauty Dish

Fill Light - Softbox This is considered short lighting because the key light is on the short side of the face. If you look at the distance between the ears and the nose (even though the ears are hidden, we can guess where they are), you can see that the broad side of the model's face is on the left of the photo, the short side on the right of the photo. And as the key light is striking the model on the right of the photo, we now know this is short lighting. In portraiture, short lighting is a good starting point for determing your lighting pattern.

37

FEATURES

That Facebook Post...

Is Richard Muldoon APP M.Photog II showing his age or have the newer photographers something to learn? Richard has two stories about pricing for wedding and portrait photography: The good news story is what photographers need to do in business to be successful; the other story is why he feels compelled to tell people the good news story.

A photographer posted comments on Facebook

to running a photography business, it’s no

recently criticising the apparent deceptive

different. However, there are some fundamental

practices of some professional photographers

aspects to business that won’t change, just

and questioning how much other professional

because you have a different opinion.”

photographers charge for wedding and portrait photography, declaring that a small fee is all

THE FACEBOOK POST

that should be paid. The photographer also

Continued Richard, “Some newer photographers

claimed that we should not charge for products,

are suggesting their business model - of

and that being affordable was the best course

charging very little for their work - is the

for a business.

way of the future, but at the same time, they are denigrating the way more established

Opposite Page: Richard Muldoon

TAGS Busine s s Pr icing

38

DISCREDITED BEGINNINGS

photographers sell their work to earn a fair

It appears this photographer is beginning

income. If a photographer wants to charge

their career by discrediting the work of other

a low fee, work twice as hard, and not earn

photographers, little knowing that their own

enough to live on, that’s their decision, but it’s

approach has little chance of financial. They may

not right to suggest that other photographers

turn out to be a great photographer, but unless

who are charging higher fees must be ripping

they understand the real value of their work,

off their clients. This is simply not correct.

they will never be a successful professional

photographer long term.

post denigrating the way more expensive

photographers operate. That post managed

Explained Richard Muldoon, a past

“I read one photographer’s Facebook

Queensland AIPP state president, “Everyone is

to get a huge response from their friends and

entitled to their opinion and when it comes

clients, but there was no one telling the other

39

•

Richard Muldoon APP M.Photog II

40

FEATURES

side of the story. I felt they were feeding a level

books a wedding or a portrait shoot, why is it

of hysteria with all the respondents posting

appropriate to complain afterwards? If a car

comments that basically deriding their own

is too expensive for us, we don’t sign a lease

photographers for the way they operated, but

agreement and then complain on social media

none of the photographers were given the

that we were ripped off. So why does it seem

opportunity to tell the other side.

okay to enter into a financial arrangement for

professional photography and not ask the price?

“So I responded to about 25 people who had

complained about their photographers, asking if they had seen a price list before they booked,

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE?

were they forced to buy extra album pages and

“I don’t feel that the new breed of young

was the photographer deceitful in any way?

photographers who basically see themselves as

It turned out most really had not asked for or

charities and want to ‘shoot-and-burn’ for $500,

looked at the price list prior to booking.

are really offering a professional level of service

for their clients.

“I wanted to explain that the way we

run our business - as one of the established

photographers accused of ripping off their

and the disc, however what their clients do not

clients - is open, honest and very clear, so our

get the chance to purchase and enjoy are a

clients don’t have any surprises.

myriad of beautiful products like the ones we

offer, such as fine art prints and books. These are

Hopefully, if my message can filter through,

“Their clients may be happy with the images

more expensive photographers will be seen

the items we know, from 20 years’ experience,

as offering superior products and services, not

that keep our clients coming back.

just charging more for the same product. I want

photographers starting out in the industry, as

products and sell extra album pages as though

well as the general public, to understand that

there is something wrong with this sound

we charge on the same principles as any other

business practice - selling to the client what

small business, and that is to ensure we are paid

they desire.

fairly for our professional work.”

“Yet we get knocked because we offer these

“From my side, if I spend a couple of hours

with a bride, showing her what is possible and

BEING UP FRONT

she then walks away with 30 extra pages in her

No one goes to a shop without understanding

album and completely happy with the result,

what things cost, so if a photographer is up

that is a good thing. When she came to see me,

front about his or her prices before a client

she didn’t know what she wanted, so I showed

41

FEATURES

her some options and now she is ecstatic with

an amazing album. Not just as business owners,

to educate not only our clients, but the general

but also as creatives, this is exactly what we

public and other professional photographers

should be doing.

as well. Then, hopefully, we can fix the

problems that are appearing with the newer

“Even if the client spends thousands of

Today, Richard is discovering that we have

dollars more than they planned, they in return

photographers entering the profession.

receive our high quality imagery to enjoy daily

throughout their home and their lives. ”

newer photographers entering the industry and

then leaving just as quickly, simply because they

How can a bride really plan what she wants

“The main problem is seeing so many of the

in terms of photography if her photographer

did not implement a sound business plan and

doesn’t offer anything other than the photo files

sustainable pricing.”

on a USB stick? In fact, many photographers would consider it unprofessional not to offer

SO SELFISH

clients a range of products and services for what

“Of course, with some people you’re banging

is the most important day in their clients’ lives.

your head against a wall. In a conversation

“After years of running Vivid Photography

I had with one new photographer, she told

in Brisbane, I know that if I don’t educate my

me she didn’t need to charge much for her

customers up front, we have problems later

photography because her husband earned

on. People who get unwanted surprises can

$250,000 a year. I don’t think we will get

be disgruntled - that’s only to be expected. We

anywhere with attitudes like that!”

soon learned that we had to educate our clients

But it is so selfish.

and be transparent with what we’re offering,

“Of course people can do whatever they

so when they go into the viewing session, they

want, but my wife doesn’t earn $250,000 a

know they are going to be presented with

year. We earn a teacher’s wage and don’t need

some hard choices about what to buy. “

it undermined by someone who is acting as a charity - certainly not someone who is

42

FULLY INFORMED

purporting to be a professional.

“However, if they value what we do and the

work we have created for them, with all the

our business model. I was speaking to a video

pricing information at their disposal, they are

producer who has been in the industry for 7

able to make informed and sound financial

years. According to him, he is earning good

decisions about products.”

money, yet he felt our sales process was

“It’s interesting how some people view

•

Richard Muldoon APP M.Photog II

43

FEATURES

reprehensible! He said presenting extra pages

that $200 for a portrait session and the digital

in an album and asking our clients to pare

files is good value, but their clients never

them back if they didn’t want to spend the

discover what they are NOT being offered by

extra money wasn’t a good business model for

their photographer.

people who couldn’t afford it. However, who are

we to second guess what people can afford?

frames, prints and photo books for their coffee

table, but most of these new photographers are

“Out of interest, I looked at his business

“Our clients walk out of our studio with

model. He said he didn’t include pricing on his

offering nothing like this. They are simply not

website because he knew he couldn’t book a

doing their job professionally and are failing to

job without talking to his clients up front. Is this

create anywhere near the income required to

not deceptive practice? Also, he offers add on

remain in business.”

products to his wedding videos, just as we offer extra leaves in an album, and yet explained that

SOCIAL EVENTS

it was different because he did not force people

“I remember when I first joined the AIPP,

to purchase them. Well, we don’t force people

I attending social events to which new

to buy either! We present the best possible

photographers were specially invited. They

product we can produce, and then assist the

weren’t private parties, but open to everyone

client in adjusting it to suit their taste and

and it gave the established photographers the

budget.”

opportunity to explain to the newcomers the

possibilities. Most newbies could begin to value

“However, my point is to outline some the

issues that our profession is dealing with. If we

their work and double their earnings just by

can’t get through to someone who is in the

talking to a more experienced AIPP member.

same industry, where is our profession to go?”

“The newcomers need to understand that

it is great to master your camera, but that

44

GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS

doesn’t mean you are also running a good

Richard expressed a feeling of helplessness

business. However, most of us started out this

when trying to reach out to people with

way, shooting cheap jobs because we weren’t

different views, because very few of them

yet confident in our work. There is a transition

respond. He shared AIPP articles on how to

process to go through. However, the most

calculate prices, but doubted they were read or

important aspect of this process is to, as soon as

understood.

possible, follow a sustainable business model.

If you don’t have a good income model, you

“A lot of these photographers really believe

won’t last long in business.

people can afford more, it’s just that these new

photographers don’t give their customers that

“The photographer we mentioned at the

beginning of this story basically said that

option.

photographers charging more than $500 are

driving Audis and drinking Chardonnay.”

and I understand that photography from a

“Some of our customers only spend $500

studio like ours can be a luxury item. However,

SACRIFICING LIFESTYLE

I also want people to be able to spend $5000 if

“Apparently we’re cashed up because we are

they want to. I want my clients to value what I

deceptive and evil! They would rather charge

create for them and I guarantee you that they

less for great photographs and sacrifice their

value the products they purchase as well. If you

own lifestyle and ability to buy a house.

do it too cheaply, people won’t value it.

“Yet this photographer has two young

children! How much time is their photography

EXPECTING TO BE SOLD

taking from their family, weeknights and

“I was visiting an established photography

weekends for so little in return? I don’t think it is

studio recently and overheard the conclusion

too much to ask for a professional photographer

of a selling session. The photographer handed

to work a 38 hour week and at least earn the

over what the client was expecting without

equivalent to a teacher’s wage. Yes, we would

really offering anything more. And I could tell

all love to earn twice that, but it is a very small

that the client was surprised that they weren’t

percentage of the industry that earns more than

offered anything extra - because they were

$80k or $90k.

expecting to be sold to.

“Let me state quite clearly that there is

“Even established professional

nothing wrong, deceptive or evil about earning

photographers sometimes let their customers

a living.

down by not offering great products for the

home.

“All you have to do is the numbers and if

they don’t stack up, something has to change.

Either you charge more or you are out of

learn.

business.

not to be sold to, but we are a retail business!

“What I can’t understand is sacrificing

“This is what new photographers need to “At present, they are training our customers

your own lifestyle and family for someone

Surely people who come to our studio know

who you think can’t afford to pay you more

we are there to sell? Selling is not a dirty word.

for your photography. I can guarantee many

When we book our clients in to view the images

45

FEATURES

we call it a viewing and ordering session, and

professionals do.

explain the process involves decisions regarding

purchases. There is no doubt the studio and the

photographer for a family portrait, you should

client are in a business relationship.

be employing someone who can describe their

“If you are paying a professional

importance, both in terms of the craft and the

THE IMAGE OR THE PAPER?

value.

One of the most challenging things to explain

to clients (and many new photographers) is that

appropriate lighting and advise on wardrobe

the value of the photography is in the image,

and styling. During the shoot, they will handle

not the medium it is presented in.

the kids playing up or the dad being too busy,

because they know how important the portrait

“We need to educate people - both clients

“A good professional will understand the

and other professionals - that a professionally

is.

photographed print in a matt isn’t equal to

the cost of the paper and the matt alone. It

on how to best present the photographs in the

is the sum of the experience, the equipment,

home. All this experience sits within the price of

the studio, the employees and the actual

that 5x7 inch framed print.

“And then at the viewing, they can advise

production of the photograph itself.”

Richard talked about people objecting to

STAY IN BUSINESS

pay $210 for a 5x7 inch print on fine art paper,

“And a good professional photographer will

beautifully retouched, and then framed. “It is

be in business long term so they can shoot

great value for a small piece of art, but some

the family at a later stage in life, or to replace

people just see a 40 cent piece of paper. Our

images that have been lost or perhaps

clients need to understand the value of the

damaged because at first the family didn’t value

product they are buying and it is up to us to

the portraits enough. That’s what a professional

educate them.

photographer offers. It’s not someone who does cheap shoots and is out of business in a couple

46

NOT SNAPSHOTS

of years.

“My background is fine art and my thesis was

about the snapshot and its value. Snapshots

at a cost because a portrait isn’t just an 5x7 inch

have great value because they can capture

print. It’s not a $210 piece of paper either, it’s a

a moment that maybe a professional

$210 experience and outcome.”

would struggle to take. But that’s not what

“But all that experience and service comes

It all comes back to one word: education.

•

Richard Muldoon APP M.Photog II

“I can’t overstate how important the social

learnt through our own journeys.

aspect of the AIPP is. If the newbies hate us

because they think we run our businesses

the Queensland division some years back, we

like loan sharks, we will never have any

got the sponsors on board for a series of night

communication with them. And if there are no

time events on the back of Hair Of The Dog or

events, either business or social, and they don’t

QPPA, just to have a drink and network. We’d

enter the print awards, then we have lost them

get 120 to 140 people turning up to a pub and

forever.

through that community, we educated and

mentored many award winning photographers

“I realise there’s not much point having

“When Michelle Kenna and I were running

a whinge if you don’t have a solution, but I

still in business today.

think the answer is in making contact with all

photographers, whether AIPP members or not,

events like this once a quarter because there

and attempting to help them understand the

is no other way to reach out and be inclusive.

realities we established photographers have

Only then can we educate.”

“I think we should be aiming for social

47

NEWS

Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 Is it time you distinguished your photography from ‘all the rest’ and started using flash? Whether working in the studio or out on location, an Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 system has a range of lights, shapers and accessories to get the job done quickly and professionally.

TAGS Equ ip m e n t Flash L igh ting

48

Why would we want to use flash when available

look or a harder, more dramatic aesthetic.

light is so much easier and there’s Photoshop to

fix up any problems with the lighting anyway?

you can essentially buy a flash unit and start

shooting straight away. Sure, there will be a

There are AIPP Grand Masters of

Flash technology today is so accessible that

Photography who swear by available light, yet

learning curve and it’s probably worthwhile

other Grand Masters who use artificial light in

doing a few seminars or courses as well.

ways that seem to defy our imagination.

From my perspective, available light is

cameras that show us instantly what we’ve

excellent unless you can do it better with

captured, there’s really nothing stopping us

introduced lighting - such as studio flash.

from taking on studio flash.

TAKING CONTROL

SMALL & COMPACT

One of the reasons we should master flash

Elinchrom’’s Quadra ELB 400 system is based on

photography is that it opens up so many more

a small flash pack with attached lithium battery,

shooting opportunities. Or if you’re shooting in

and connection for up to two flash head.

marginal lighting because you don’t have flash

equipment, think how more professional your

that it is relatively small and portable, can be

images could be.

used indoors and outside on location, and has

all the features you need for professional work.

The art of the professional photographer is

However, given we’re shooting with digital

What makes this such an attractive unit is

to paint our subjects with light and by using

One feature you look for in a flash unit is

studio flash, you take control. You’re no longer

repeatability. It’s important for your exposures

at the mercy of sunlight or fluorescet lights.

that the output of the flash unit for a particular

And you can also control the quality of the light

power setting is the same every time.

reaching your subject, choosing a soft, flattering

The Quadra ELB 400 uses ‘Full Flash Curve’

49

Top: The boom arm is a useful accessory for such a lightweight flash lamp.

Bottom: There are a number of different Skyport radio remote control options available.

50

NEWS

technology for both accurate exposure and

And Strobo Mode enables you to take a

colour consistency,

picture with stroboscopic effects within a single frame.

FASTER RECYCLING The ELB 400 can recycle from full power

BATTERY CAPACITY

(424w/s) in just 1.6 seconds - for wherever

The ELB 400 has an impressive battery capacity

speed is key to your shoot. When fast recycling

of 350 full power flashes. The Li-Ion Battery will

isn’t necessary, the ELB 400 has an ‘eco’

charge from flat to full in only 90 mins, and

Recycling mode to conserve your battery. At

with the option of simultaneous charging and

3.5 seconds from full power, the Eco recycling

shooting, you’ll never need to run out of power

mode is fast enough for many situations.

on location.

On the flash unit itself, an OLED display

provides quick and easy access to all the flash

BUILT-IN RADIO SYSTEM

unit’s functions. As well as Elinchrom’s stop

Studio flash is used off camera, so you need a

based power scale, you can see the power

way to trigger the flash. You can use cables, but

in Joules and many other settings. The OLED

that is so old school and these days it’s all about

display also enables intuitive setup of the three

radio control.

special shooting modes.

The built-in Skyport system provides

seamless synchronisation and control between

THREE SHOOTING MODES!

your camera and the ELB 400. You just need

In addition to normal operation, the Elinchrom

to attach a remote transmitter (a Skyport

Quadra ELB 400 has three special shooting

Transmitter Plus is included with the system)

modes.

to your camera. Furthermore, intelligent slave

cell technology ensures that any existing

The Sequence Mode allows you to

sequentially trigger up to 20 compatible units

Speedlights you’re using can easily be

(ELB 400 or ELC Pro HD Heads), in bursts or as a

incorporated into chosen lighting configuration.

continuous cycle, to utilise the high frame rate

of your camera.

photography at fast shutter speeds (to freeze

the action)? With the Quadra Pro Head and

In Delayed Mode, you have the option of

And do you need Hypersync for flash

first or second curtain sync and everything in-

Quadra HS (Hi-Sync) Head, it is possible

between, plus predictive syncronisation within

for Canon, Nikon and Sony DSLRs to shoot

a short sequence.

at all shutter speeds with the addition of

FUR THER DE TAILS http://w w w.n i kon . com .au /en _AU/abou t/ produ c t_n ews/n i kon - d5

51

NEWS

the Elinchrom Skyport Plus HS Transmitter

Head provides the best flash duration (up

(sold separately). For best results, Elinchrom

to 1/5700 second) for freezing motion. The

recommends using the optimised Quadra HS

Quadra HS Head is a specialist head for Hi-Sync

Head.

photography (at flash sync speeds up to 1/8000 second). And the Quadra Pro Head is a great all

ENHANCED RUGGED DESIGN

rounder, HS compatible with the highest guide

The design for the ELB 400 flash pack is both

number and a flash duration between the other

practical and rugged. Rubber flip-up socket

two heads (up to 1/3000 second).

covers increase the speed of setup and pack

away of your kit.

lightweight unit, while the larger Quadra

Ringflash Pro allows freezing movement with a

The ELB 400 pack weighs in at 1.27 kg, and

only 2 kg including a Li-Ion Battery. The heads

The Quadra Eco Ringflash is a portable

flash duration of up to 1/4500 second.

weigh 365 g (including the small dish reflector

52

and diffuser cap), with the 2.5 m head cables

MODELLING LAMP

adding only 350 g. All in all, Elinchrom claims

The Quadra Action and Quadra Pro Heads

this makes the ELB 400 the lightest location

include a powerful (50 W), daylight balanced

lighting system on the market in its class.

(5500 K) modelling lamp and a continuous

mode allows you to use the modelling lamp for

Importantly, the ELB 400 can be customised

with a variety of flash head options. The

video if required.

ultra compact head comes supplied with a

removable 13.5 cm 80 degree reflector.

Quadra products, including existing lead gel

and Li-Ion Batteries, existing Quadra RX and

However, once detached, this allows use of

The ELB 400 is compatible with all previous

a bespoke range of compact accessories while

Quadra Hybrid heads, and first generation non

the Elinchrom Mount Adapter Mk II enables

RX Quadra Heads.

the use of every Elinchrom accessory option,

including a variety of reflectors, beauty dishes,

single head for $2895, but there are various kit

umbrellas and softboxes - right up to the largest

designs which include two flash heads and a

Lightbank sizes.

bunch of accessories at prices up to $3995.

WHICH FLASH HEAD?

Elinchrom flash lighting equipment is available

The ELB 400 is available with a choice of three

through Kayell Australia.

heads and two ringflashes. The Quadra Action

www.kayellaustralia.com.au

You can purchase a Quadra ELB 400 with a

Top: Elinchrom Mount Adapter Mk II enables every Elinchrom accessory to be attached.

Bottom Left: Quadra Eco Ringflash Bottom Right: Quadra Ringflash Pro

53

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