AIPP Journal - September 2016

Issue 245

September 2016

2016 AIPP Australian Professional Photography Award Results!

How To Keep Detail In Your Bride’s Dress Foto Merchant For Easy Photographer Websites Studio Lighting Basics

CONTENTS 4

Increasing Awareness

6

Lisa Saad – 2016 Photographer of the Year

At the AIPP Gala Dinner following the 2016 APP Awards and The Nikon Event, AIPP President Vittorio Natoli thanked the organisation that elected him and outlined an exciting future for professional photography.

A very pleased and motivated Lisa Saad APP M.Photog. III earned the highly desirable title of 2016 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year from the largest field of category winners ever.

Cover

L i sa S a a d APP M.Photo g. III 2016 AIPP AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR

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

Editor Peter Eastway APP.L, FNZIPP, Hon. FNZIPP, G.M. Photog., Hon. FAIPP, FAIPP Disclaimer The information provided in the AIPP JOURNAL 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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34

Service Is The New Product!

Business is easy if you’re willing to connect. Mary Trantino says business has never been better for portrait photographers in the know and provides two examples of how we can change the way we connect with our clients to bring more business in the door.

ISSUE 245 / SEPTEMER 2016 38

Because I Compete With Myself At APPA!

44

APPA has just finished for 2016 and now is the time to consider rule changes for the future? Should photographers retouch their own work, or should we credit the retoucher and printer with their work?

Joshua Holko presents his case.

40

The Virtual Reality Wedding?

Mark Ruff paints a futuristic picture which is already a reality today, but how many AIPP members are jumping on the Virtual Reality bandwagon? Is this a part of our business future?

42

Unfair Contract Terms Can The ACCC Help?

Recent changes to the law will introduce protection for small businesses from ‘standard form contracts’.

However, this might not mean as much to photographers as first thought.

How To Keep Detail In A Wedding Dress One of the biggest challenges faced by wedding photographers is keeping detail in all the right places, especially the wedding dress. Here are the essential steps to ensure your clients can see all the fine texture in the most expensive garments of their lives.

48

The Basic Lights When you buy a lighting kit, you are usually presented with two or three light shapers: a dish reflector, an umbrella and maybe a softbox. What do they do and what design features should you look for?

54

Foto Merchant’s Pro Websites The reality for most photographers and video producers is they need an online business brochure, portfolio pages for their imagery, and maybe eCommerce – and this has all been designed and perfected many times before. So why get a custom website built when you could customise a Foto Merchant site yourself?

3

NEWS

Increasing Awareness At the AIPP Gala Dinner following the 2016 APP Awards and The Nikon Event, AIPP President Vittorio Natoli thanked the organisation that elected him and outlined an exciting future for professional photography.

Wow, our biggest and most impressive gala

become more optimistic about our value to

evening ever with a wonderful atmosphere and

society, industry and the arts, our combined

a great sense of family and friendship.

strength will continue to be a shining light for

our growing membership and the photography

The 2016 AIPP Gala dinner was the

final chapter of our new Incite event, the

profession generally.

combination of APPA and The Nikon Event. For

those who were able to attend, it was a very

the benefits for our members through the

rewarding, inspiring, memorable and social

highly successful Accredited Professional

week.

Photographer program, ensuring the logo

is promoted widely to the community so

INCREASING AWARENESS

it becomes the recognised mark of a true

As custodian of our AIPP brand, I am passionate

professional, thus further increasing our

and enthusiastic about supporting the

credibility and value.

The AIPP Board is committed to increasing

membership, helping them deliver quality

TAGS AIPP B o a rd

imaging to the greater public and building the

SPONSORS

awareness of our services.

In terms of delivering member benefits, I would

like to acknowledge the ongoing support of

Simply put, I want to increase the value of

professional photographers and photography,

sponsors and trade affiliates. Their assistance is

but to achieve this, we need to educate

greatly appreciated and, as members, we can

ourselves first and the general public second.

demonstrate this through our ongoing support

That’s what Incite, The Nikon Event and APPA

of their respective businesses.

are all about.

Dredge from Nikon, a long-time and loyal

We can be proud of the work already

achieved by our Institute. As image makers

4

In particular, it is appropriate to thank Kylie

AIPP supporter. The Nikon Event has grown

substantially over the years and we sincerely

with our internal organisational structure,

thank Nikon for its contribution.

it has not happened without challenges to

our culture. Technology changes have been

I’d also like to thank Ryan Williams from Leica

and Shant Kradjian from DigiDirect for their

disruptive, but we have more than survived.

collaborative approach to the sponsorship of

We have established an independent and

APPA this year, and a big thank you to all our

sustainable model which will enable our future

trade partners and sponsors who participated at

growth and success.

Incite and in APPA.

As your representative, I will work with all

our stakeholders to ensure the interests of our

WE HAVE GROWN

profession are maintained and promoted.

Today, the AIPP is 3,231 individual members

with a common interest and purpose:

many issues that are challenging us today, such

professional photography.

as our positioning and differentiation in the

market, the services and products we provide,

We have grown. We have 1832 Accredited

I realise that we must take the lead with

members and we are the industry organisation

and the high level of professionalism required.

that represents the photography profession. We

are portraiture, weddings, commercial, schools

infrastructure, knowledge and skills required to

and video. We have accreditation. We have

move our profession forward.

a national office. We have the AIPP Journal.

We have great state representation through

our Institute and our photography. The

our councils. We have APPA and we have

images we create touch the lives of so many

mentoring.

people and make a positive difference to our

communities.

Dare I say we have the best professional

However, collectively we have all the

I love the passion we have for our profession,

photographers in the world? And the honours

and the history.

freely to be part of this family.

We are the AIPP.

As an organisation, we can be proud of our

We are a special group who have chosen

brand and what we stand for. Our National Office has achieved a great deal over the past

vittorio.natoli@aipp.com.au

few years and while we have progressed greatly

0400 418 888

5

AWARDS

Lisa Saad – 2016 Photographer of the Year A very pleased and motivated Lisa Saad APP M.Photog. III earned the highly desirable title of 2016 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year from the largest field of category winners ever.

At the end of a grand gala dinner in Melbourne’s

include moving pictures in a formal sense.

Pullman Albert Park Hotel, advertising

photographer Lisa Saad was announced as the

professional photography and video production

2016 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer

in Australia,” said the national president of the

of the Year in front of a crowd of 460

AIPP, Vittorio Natoli.

photographers and guests.

Lisa Saad , 2016

video producers must meet the AIPP’s required

AIPP Australian

must first win a category. A panel of experts

standard, which has been further lifted this year,”

Professional

then further anonymously assesses all category

he said.

Photographer of the

winners’ work to determine the overall winner.

Year

Innovation, content, creativity, technical

HOW DID LISA WIN?

excellence and impact are the key criteria.

Entrants and observers are always impressed

with the winning images, but how exactly does

To be eligible for the title, photographers

Lisa wins $20,000 in cash and prizes, and

“The Awards represent the best of the best of

“To be able to enter, photographers and

each of the 16 category winners also takes

one set of prints stand out above the others.

home $1000 in cash. Along with other prizes, the

How did Lisa’s marvellous images stand above

Awards has a total prize pool of around $40,000.

the other 15 category winners?

MORE THAN PRINTS TAGS APPA Awa rd s

6

In addition to the print prizes, there are also

2016 APPA AWARD STATISTICS

awards for albums and books, but winners are

Award Type # %

not eligible for the overall title.

Silver 809 36.9 %

Silver Distinction

And for the first time, the Awards included

252

11.5 %

three categories for video producers -

Gold 83 3.8 %

documentary, corporate and wedding. Given

Gold Distinction 20 0.9 %

APPA was celebrating 40 years, it seemed time to

Not awarded 1030 46.9 %

AWARDS

The judging of the 2016 AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year. From left to right, Rocco Ancora (APPA Chair), Mark Zed (Chairman of Jurors), Ryan Schembri, Ollie Dale, Anni Payne, Jackie Ranken, Alan Moyle, Hilary Hann, Kaye Davis (NZ), Luke Edmonson (USA), Mike Langford (NZ), Greg Hocking, David Paterson (Category Manager). Empty chair is Peter Eastway. Out of picture Tony Hewitt as Panel Chairman.

Lisa would be the first to admit that any of the

are not compared one against the other - and in

category winners would be worthy winners and

fact, judges are admonished if they do compare

so the overall winner comes down to a matter of

one entry against another. In theory, every entry

opinion. Based on the judging criteria, the panel

into APPA could be given a Gold Award if the

chose Lisa as best representing professional

overall standard were high enough.

photography in Australia.

scores by different panels of judges. Some panels

The process to determine the winner has

been developed over several decades. In earlier

might be harsher than others with their scores,

competitions, it was discovered that the set of

often by just a point or two, but sometimes by

four prints with the highest aggregate score was

as much as five or ten points. This becomes a big

not always the set of four prints the judges would

issue when determining who the overall winner

have selected, had they been given a second

is because suddenly you are comparing one

chance to assess the entries.

score against another and even one point can

make a difference.

During the judging process, entries are

assessed against an independent standard. They

8

During the judging process, prints are given

The judging process was not designed to

AWARDS

determine whether one print or one entrant

So, we have our category winners: who

is better than another, so we take a number of

should judge? We aim for diversity, from AIPP

steps to ensure a fair outcome.

Grand Masters of Photography and previous Photographers of the Year, to category winners

CATEGORY WINNERS

and Masters of Photography. We aim to have a

To be a category winner requires you to have

cross-section of men and women, of different

a high score for all four entries. There are many

disciplines, from different states and different

amazing prints in all the categories, but unless

countries.

the photographer backs them up with three

more amazing prints, they will struggle to win the category.

The top three scoring sets of prints are re-

However, not every judge is available –

2016 APPA ENTRANTS BY CATEGORY

assessed for each category. Usually, if you get

Category

one or two Gold awards, you have a very good

Advertising 17

chance of being in the top three entrants, but in

Alternative Process

some of the categories this year, you needed at

Birth 44

least three Golds to have a chance!

Commercial 84

Documentary 82

By assessing the top three print sets a second

No. Entered # 22

time, the judges can for the first time compare

Family 125

one entrant against another.

Fashion 21 Illustrative 279

PPY WINNER

Landscape 340

The same philosophy follows through for the

Newborn 89

Australian Professional Photographer of the

Pet/Animal 116

Year Award, except we are now comparing one

Portrait 342

category winner against another.

Science, Wildlife and Wild Places 96

Sport 70

In some ways, it is ridiculous to compare

advertising against birth, weddings against sport,

Travel 197

but that’s the game we are all playing. And over

Wedding

the years, most categories seem to get a turn

Album 5

at winning, although historically the wedding

Book

category has struggled a little.

Total 2194

246 26

9

AWARDS

sometimes they may know one of the category

leaving at most 11 categories on the walls, but

winners and feel uncomfortable in the judging

more usually five to seven. Each judge is asked if

role, or indeed be a category winner themselves.

they wish to comment, explaining the pros and

We leave the final selection to the Chairmen of

cons for each set from their perspective. At the

Jurors and the APPA Awards Committee.

end, all the judges are asked if there is anything further they need to add, so by this stage, all the

THE JUDGING PROCESS

judges have been presented with everyone’s

All the category print sets are hung on a wall and

point of view.

the judges are invited to gather in the judging

room. Before viewing the portfolios in detail, the

decision with seven votes, we have a winner. This

judges are asked if there are any conflicts and if

has happened a number of times, but if not, the

there are, a replacement judge is co-opted.

judging process moves to the final stage.

The judging process is chaired by one of the

Normally there are a number of portfolios

APPA committee and each judge is invited to

that didn’t receive a second vote and these are

explain to the panel what he or she is looking

removed, leaving two, three or four portfolios

for in a winning portfolio. What should the

on the wall. Again, the judges are asked to speak

Australian Professional Photographer of the Year

and explain their points of view and, when the

represent? What should the winning set of prints

conversation is finished, the judges submit their

demonstrate? And, given we are a professional

final assessement. However, this time they are

awards, how will the public interact with the

asked to nominate first, second and third and

images?

from this, the overall winner is determined.

This part of the process is always valuable and

Judging like this is consensus and, eventually,

it’s interesting to note that, from year to year, the

a majority decision. It is very rare to have all the

panel is very similar in its direction.

judges in agreement, but given the process and

the calibre of judges involved, I feel we have a

From here, the judges are asked to view the

portfolios in silence and then nominate one

very equitable system.

catagory as the winner. The scores are taken and

if seven or more judges are in agreement, the

completed, you can be sure the winner is a

judging process would finish. I can’t remember

strong, striking and powerful body of work, one

this ever happening!

that is worthy of the title “Australian Professional

Photographer of the Year”.

For the next stage, the category sets that

received no votes are removed from the walls,

10

A second vote is taken and if there is a clear

Suffice to say, by the time the judging is

- Peter Eastway

AWARDS

L isa S aad APP M. Ph oto g. III 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Leica and DigiDirect

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L A D V E R T I S I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By AMI Australian Marketing Institute Finalist - K aren A lsop

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AWARDS

J oh n An se ll APP. L M. Ph oto g.

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L A LT E R N AT I V E P R O C E S S P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By DNP Fi nali sts - Tre vor Foon and J an R am say

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AWARDS

Jacqui Dean APP. L G . M. Ph oto g. FN Z IPP Hon . FA I P P FA I P P 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L CO M M E R C I A L P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By PPIB Fi nali sts - A ndre w R ank i n and S i m on Casson

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AWARDS

Charmain e Heye r APP. L G . M. Ph oto g. I P.B. 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L C R E AT I V E P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Profoto Fi nali sts - M elani e S inclair and Ky m G r iffi ths

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AWARDS

Pe te r Blake man APP AAIPP 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L D O C U M E N TA R Y P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Nikon Fi nali sts - K elly Cham pion and A hm ad S abr a

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AWARDS

Sh ire e n H ammon d APP. L M. Ph oto g. ‑ I I 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L FA M I LY P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By L&P Digital Photographic Finalists - R ai nee L antr y and K atie K olenberg

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AWARDS

J e rr y G h ion is APP. L M. Ph oto g. IV 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L FA S H I O N P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By NULAB Finalist - R ober t Coppa

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AWARDS

G e e G re e n slade APP M. Ph oto g.

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L I L LU S T R AT I V E P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By EIZO Fi nali sts - R ebecca Crof t and Char les Foulsham

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AWARDS

Jan n ic k Clau se n APP M. Ph oto g.

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L L A N D S C A P E P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored B y Fujifilm Fi nali sts - Ignaci o Palacios and A aron D ow ling

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AWARDS

Ke n D rake APP M. Ph oto g.

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L P E T / A N I M A L P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By AIPP Finalists: M ar k Tr um ble and K er r y M ar ti n

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AWARDS

Pe te r R ossi APP. L G . M. Ph oto g. II P. B. 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L P O R T R A I T P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N G R A N D M A S T E R O F P H OTO G R A P H Y O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Kayell Fi nali sts - Vick y Papas and D oug Hall

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AWARDS

D e lly Carr APP 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S P O R T P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Nikon Fi nali sts - M anuel G or ia and D ani el White

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AWARDS

An drew Campb e ll APP. L G . M. Ph oto g.

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L S C I E N C E W I L D L I F E A N D W I L D P L A C E S P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By DES Finalists - S cott Por telli and J oshua Holk o

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AWARDS

Steve S c alon e APP AAIPP 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L T R AV E L P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Camera Electronic Finalists - K uo -wei A lex Huang and D on Chu

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AWARDS

D an O ’ D ay APP M. Ph oto g. I 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L W E D D I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By GraphiStudio Finalists - Nathan M adigan and K elly Tunne y

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AWARDS

N at alie Howe APP M. Ph oto g. I 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L N E W B O R N P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By The Baby Summit Fi nali sts - K elly Brow n and Fiona M cguire

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AWARDS

S e le n a R ollason APP AAIPP 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L B I R T H P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Giclee Media Australia Finalist - Vic tor ia B erek m er i

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AWARDS

D av id Edmon son , U SA 2016 A I P P O V E R S E A S P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R

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AWARDS

An g ie Con n e ll 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N E M E R G I N G P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Independent Photo Supplies IPS Fi nali sts - Chr i s S aunder s and M ur r ay R edpath

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AWARDS

Tayla N u ss- S o e h ar to 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N S T U D E N T P H OTO G R A P H E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Kodak Alaris Fi nali sts - D eanne Holm er and Pam M or r i s

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AWARDS

Pe ter R ossi APP.L G.M. Ph oto g. II P. B

Ph oto g ra p hy St u d i es Co l l ege

2 0 16 H I G H E S T S CO R I N G P R I N T

2016 A I P P T E R T I A R Y I N S T I T U T I O N O F T H E Y E A R

Sponsored By Ilford

Sponsored By Kodak Alaris

S am Harris

J e rr y G h io n i s A P P.L M .P h o to g. I V

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P H OTO G R A P H Y B O O K O F T H E Y E A R

201 6 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Sponsored By MomentoPro

Sponsored By My Insurance Broker

Fi nal i s t : Peter Li k

Finalists: Sh aron H ug h es, J er r y Gh ion is

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AWARDS

2016 AIPP Australian Professional Video Producer Awards Introducing the inaugural 2016 AIPP Australian Professional

Video Producer Awards. With the AIPP’s intent to raise the

prior to the final day of judging. On the final day of judging, a

profile of Accredited Professional Video Producers (APVP) and

two minute edit of each video was presented to the panel of

build the community and our commitment to the profession

three judges and the live audience.

of video producers, we see this as an important step forward.

average is the final score. A panel chair will administer the

And just as with APPA, the Australian Professional

Each video was assessed in full by a panel of three judges

Each judge scored the video out of 100 and the panel’s

Photography Awards, these video awards at their core will be

activities of the panel, allowing for scores to be contested,

a peer review. As we push ourselves to improve and excel in

discussed and reviewed. Gold and Silver Awards will be

our professional and personal development, this arena will

presented, as well as the three category winners announced

allow us to work together to raise the bar and the perception

on these pages.

of what makes a professional video producer.

Abrah am J offe

2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L D O C U M E N TA R Y V I D E O P R O D U C E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Zeiss

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AWARDS

Su santo Widj aj a 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L CO R P O R AT E V I D E O P R O D U C E R O F T H E Y E A R Sponsored By Lacie

Abrah am J offe 2016 A I P P AU S T R A L I A N P R O F E S S I O N A L WEDDING VIDEO PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Sponsored By AIPP

35

EDUCATION

Service Is The New Product!

Business is easy if you’re willing to connect. Mary Trantino says business has never been better for portrait photographers in the know and provides two examples of how we can change the way we connect with our clients to bring more business in the door.

Let’s start by saying that customer service in this

photographer and your client is the quality of

country is appalling.

the service and experience you provide.

Small businesses are closing their doors left,

right and center. Pop-up stores were invented

Internet age and now the Social age.

because so many small businesses cannot

afford the risk of a 3-year lease. Rent is super

the cheapest photographer, they are looking for

scary for most start ups and hiring help is a

someone to connect with.

nightmare!

everywhere we look and live our lifes. LinkedIn

But the truth is that it’s not because

Connection is being pushed on us

is for businesses to connect, Facebook is for

“I had to lower my prices so much that I can’t

friends and family to connect, Instagram is for

make money”.

photos to connect with, Periscope connects

us to the entire world in real time, as does

It’s because we are looking at it the wrong

Facebook Live.

Po r trai tu re Busine s s M a r k eti n g

High end clients are no longer looking for

“business is bad” or “everyone’s feeling it” or

way.

TAGS

We have been though the Industrial age, the

Even the games you play online are

THE KEY DIFFERENCE

connected with someone else in cyber space.

So what is the answer?

time. In fact, you are doing this everyday just by

How can professional photographers keep

their doors open in a digital age when everyone

The answer has been around you all this

using the many apps on your smart phone.

is seemingly a photographer?

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SERVICE.

CONNECTING

Connect with your clients in a way that they feel

In fact, there has never been a better time

to be in business as a photographer. The

like you get them.

key difference now between a professional

Use words on your Facebook sneak pics to

•

Dean Mansbridge APP M. Photog.

really connect with a potential client viewing

them. Tell your audience why someone came to

to know all about your clients and capture their

you, what was their problem that you solved.

unique relationship.

For example, if you are a pet photographer

You are also showing that you care, you get

More importantly, when you have a booking,

you might write something like this on your

the level of service you provide needs to be

next facebook post:

exceptional right from the start.

“Today we are honouring Jethro the Border

Collie. Jethro has been loved and adored by his

EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

owner for 11 years. Together they love to spend

For example:

time at the beach, they snuggle on the couch at

• the way you connect personally on the

the end of a long day and they even barrack for the same footy team!”

Next to this comment will be three photos

that show off each of these connections.

So, what you are really doing is showing

your audience that every day people come to you and have professional photography.

booking call; • the environment you choose to meet them in before their shoot; • the attention to detail that you show on their shoot day; • the programs you use during the cinematic viewing of their photos to make their

37

EDUCATION

Click here to listen to Mary’s FREE podcast relating to this topic “What are people really buying”. http://love-it-swipe-it-wrap-it.myshopify. com/collections/podcasts

purchasing decisions emotional;

thing is over-kill.

• the quality of the production of their artwork;

• and the way they collect their finished

the photographers who are valued, rewarded

product.

• Do you make personal ‘excitement’ calls to remind them of their appointments?

• What refreshments are you offering when they

However, the million dollar photographers,

and love what they do everyday with every client, are providing this level of service, and are in turn rewarded with free marketing in the form of referrals.

meet with you?

• Do you have quality chocolates in the cinema room?

• Is the room the perfect temperature so they feel comfortable?

VALUED & REWARDED What 1% changes are you doing in your business to give your clients a red carpet, gold class, personalised and memorable experience?

• Are your premises immaculately clean at all times?

• Do you make personal phone calls to touch base as to where the production is at?

• Is your brand in your packaging for their products on collection?

• Are you calling your client a few days later

38

Mary Trantino is the founder of the Photography Business Academy. The Academy specialises in implementing marketing, sales and customer service systems designed to help portrait photographers gain qualified leads, high-paying clients and repeat customers. For free one-on-one consultation call

to see where they decided to display their

Mary NOW. Contact Mary on (03) 9448 2303 or via

artwork?

Facebook www.facebook.com/photographybusi-

Some photographers think this connection

nessacademy

•

Pe te r R o s s i A PP.L GM.Photo g II P. B

39

AWARDS

Because I Compete With Myself At APPA! APPA has just finished for 2016 and now is the time to consider rule changes for the future? Should photographers retouch their own work, or should we credit the retoucher and printer with their work? Joshua Holko presents his case.

I read with interest the latest opinion pieces

entries and that we are rewarding the real talent

“Challenge, But Please Don’t Denigrate!” and “Low

behind an entry – and it’s on this issue which I

Scores = Inexperienced Judges?” by good friend

wish to press.

Peter Eastway in the previous AIPP Journal.

Peter and I do not always see eye-to-eye on

ETHICAL ENTRANTS

how much post production is acceptable in a

In some ways it disappoints me that I need to

photograph, but we have the greatest respect

raise the issue of ethics and honesty in relation

for each other and our photography. We have

to the APPA awards. In many ways, the question

discussed the issues of APPA at length and with

of ethics brings us back to why it is we enter

APPA just past, I feel it’s time to share some of

APPA as professional photographers and what it

my thoughts with a broader audience.

is we hope to achieve with our entries.

TAGS APPA Awa rd s Co mpeti ti o n Ca tegor i e s

RETOUCH & PRINT YOUR OWN?

recognised and rewarded by our professional

The issue of whether photographers should

peers, then it is paramount that the entrant’s

retouch and/or print their own work is a prickly

work be entirely his or her own creation (or at

one, but my preference is that it should be

the very least that any outsourced elements

mandatory that all entrants retouch and print

are fully disclosed so that our peers can

their own images.

acknowledge these contributions).

However, the reality is that it just isn’t

practical to enforce a rule that entrants must

compete solely with ourselves (the best reason

print their own work, for all the reasons Peter

in my opinion), then it is equally important that

outlined in his prior pieces.

we are honest with ourselves.

There is frankly little kudos in receiving a

However, we can ensure photographers

are behaving honestly and ethically with their

40

If we are entering because we want to be

Or, If we are entering because we want to

gold award for an image if you have outsourced

the retouching and printing and provided little-

in front of us as judges, then surely we have to

to-no direction to the craftsmen who carried

acknowledge that the retouching is a major

out these tasks.

component of the final print score?

There is even less kudos if you fail to

There are countless examples I could cite

acknowledge the skills and contribution of the

where it was external third party retouching

retoucher.

that elevated a capture to an award standard.

Yet it was the photographer who was awarded,

The entrant might receive a pat on the back

from friends and congratulations from their

with little or no mention of the often very

peers, but deep down, when the shine wears

significant contribution of the retoucher.

off, they will know it was not entirely their own

work. And how much kudos is there in that?

vague and open to abuse. Asking a retoucher

to retouch a capture with a vignette and colour

I can tell you from personal experience,

Frankly, the current rules are just far to

there is absolutely nothing sweeter than

adjustments, drop in a new sky etc. can just as

receiving gold and silver awards when you shot,

easily be followed up with, ‘And make it a gold

retouched and printed the work yourself.

award please’.

RETOUCHING IF NOT PRINTING

TWO PROPOSALS

If we accept that it is not practical to enforce a

I propose that we consider an amendment to

rule whereby photographers must print their

the APPA rules that requires all photographers

own work, then we are left with the significant

to complete their own retouching and sign off

issue of retouching.

on it as their own work.

I am of the belief that all entrants should

Practically, a short term solution might be

retouch their own work and sign off on their

to award half points to entries with third party

entries as such.

retouching, thereby acknowledging the entry

was not entirely the work of the photographer.

Retouching is simply a core skill in digital

photography nowadays and a great many other

photographers agree on this point.

a 92 Gold Award with disclosed third party

retouching, the entrant receives 1 point instead

However, if we were to continue allowing

By way of example, if the image scores

external retouching, then shouldn’t we be

of 2.

awarding (or at least acknowledging) the skill of

the retoucher as much as the photographer?

many entrants would suddenly start retouching

their own work?

If we can agree we are awarding the print

And if we took this approach, I wonder how

41

NEWS

The Virtual Reality Wedding?

Mark Ruff paints a futuristic picture which is already a reality today, but how many AIPP members are jumping on the Virtual Reality bandwagon? Is this a part of our business future?

Imagine this …

space to see any part of the scene at any time.

A wedding is announced.

People are invited.

• You can see the toast.

Sadly, not everyone can make it.

• You can see reactions to the toasts.

These potential guests may be interstate or

• The wedding bouquet is thrown - you can see

even overseas and;

TAGS Busine s s Video VR

42

At the ceremony:

where it goes and who catches it.

• are too sick to travel,

• Watch people dance.

• cannot afford to travel,

• are too busy to travel.

uses YouTube as the content delivery network

so anyone, anywhere in the world can watch it.

Imagine if you could give them the ‘best seat

An immersive video is streamed ‘live’ and

in the house’ and it is ‘live’.

Well, almost live as there is around a 10-15

second delay.

Imagine a small camera set up at the end

of the aisle. You can see the couple walk down

It is even recorded so you can see it later.

the aisle. You can see the reaction of the parents

Did you miss something or were you looking

faces. You can be there when they kiss for the

in the wrong direction? Well, now you can

first time.

replay it and view it from any direction (again

and again).

Virtual Reality allows you to see all this. It

does not mean wearing a headset, although,

you can if you have one.

be set up pretty much anywhere. I mean, I can

set this up in a travelling car!

The scene is there, you decide where you

The system is completely portable and can

want to look.

never likely to be, but it is cool.

More importantly, it creates a rectilinear

The quality of VR is never great and it is

image (a window) through which a scene can

I threw this site together very quickly:

be navigated by either tapping and dragging

http://vrlive.net.au/

on a mobile device, or by moving the phone in

Check it out!

How To Master Photoshop Layers “The secret to photographic technique is layers, and that’s whether you use Photoshop or Lightroom.”

How To Master Layers is a series of video/article presentations by Peter Eastway.

To purchase and view on your computer, visit: www.betterphotography.com $6.49 each or $19.95 for all four titles

If you download the files from the website, they will not play properly on the iPad.

43

NEWS

Unfair Contract Terms - Can ACCC Help?

Recent changes to the law will introduce protection for small businesses from ‘standard form contracts’. However, this might not mean as much to photographers as first thought.

New laws could strike down unfair ‘standard form

the parties about the transaction;

contracts’, giving relief to many small businesses

• whether the other party was, in effect,

similar to the protections already enjoyed by

required to either accept or reject the terms

consumers.

of the contract in the form in which it was

presented;

Magazine photographers have often felt

bullied by large publishers when presented with

• whether the other party was given an

a ‘take it or leave it’ contract, often imposing

effective opportunity to negotiate the terms of

onerous conditions that hand all the rights in

the contract;

their photography to the publisher.

• whether the terms of the contract take into account the specific characteristics of the other

TAGS Co n trac ts ACCC

44

WHAT IS A STANDARD FORM CONTRACT, AND WHAT TYPES OF TERMS MIGHT BE “UNFAIR”?

party or the particular transaction.

According to the ACCC, standard form

being able to download software or buy an

contracts are contracts which provide little or

airline ticket online.

no opportunity for the responding party to

negotiate the terms – they are offered on a ‘take

terms that may be unfair including:

it or leave it’ basis.

• terms that enable one party (but not another) to

avoid or limit their obligations under the contract;

Under the legislation, factors that have to be

Clear examples would no doubt include the

types of contracts you need to agree to before

The ACCC then gives examples of contract

taken into account in working out whether or

• terms that enable one party (but not another)

not a contract is a “standard form contract” are:

to terminate the contract;

• whether one of the parties has all or most of

• terms that penalise one party (but not

the bargaining power in the transaction;

another) for breaching or terminating the

• whether the contract was prepared by one

contract; and

party before any discussion occurred between

• terms that enable one party (but not another)

to vary the terms of the contract.

the images you’re commissioned to take.

Returning to a contract between a publisher

In this context, also note that it is not, of itself,

and a photographer, will these be ‘standard form’

illegal to include provisions in contracts that are

in the relevant sense, and will a term giving

felt by one or other party to be unfair – and you

copyright to the publisher be classified as unfair?

don’t want to get into a bad contract and then try

to pedal backwards relying on the new provisions.

According to lawyer Ian McDonald, special

counsel at Simpsons Solicitors, such a contract

may not necessarily be a ‘standard form’ contract

term in a contract, but there is now a risk that a

as understood under the new law – it will all

provision might be found to be unfair if it is in a

depend on the circumstances of each case.

standard form contract. But if you have the ability

or the opportunity to negotiate a contract, then

Also, a term giving the publisher ownership of

As Ian stated: “It is not illegal to have an unfair

copyright may not necessarily be ‘unfair’. Again, it

the chances are it is not a standard form contract.”

will depend on all the circumstances.

contract that you think is unfair after the new

As Ian notes: “It’s important to be clear about

That said, if you do find yourself with a

what these changes mean for small business.

provisions come into effect on 12 November

Just because you think a contract is unfair doesn’t

2016, get professional advice.

mean it will be covered by this new law. The contract has to meet the tests outlined.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO US?

In many ways, it appears this change to the

Unless or until there is a court case, we will

not know for sure whether or not the sorts of

legislation may have little effect on the majority

agreements offered by large publishers are

of contracts photographers enter into with

vulnerable to attack under the new laws – and

their clients. However, it is useful to know that

no doubt at least the larger publishers will be

these provisions are there when we are entering

reviewing their contracting practices to lessen

into rental contracts or purchasing software,

the risk that their commissioning agreements are

particularly over the internet.

caught by the new provisions.

This means that the best approach is still to

Ian McDonald is one of Australia’s leading copyright

negotiate and put your case with the publisher

lawyers and is recommended in the leading interna-

as to why you (rather than the publisher) should

tional legal review guide Legal 500. He is a well-known

retain copyright. As a fall-back, see if you can

and popular speaker and writer on copyright, moral

negotiate for either a higher rate up-front or a

rights and performers’ rights. He can be contacted at

share of income down the track from licensing of

Simpsons at imcdonald@simpsons.com.au

45

EDUCATION

How To Keep Detail In A Wedding Dress One of the biggest challenges faced by wedding photographers is keeping detail in all the right places, especially the wedding dress. Here are the essential steps to ensure your clients can see all the fine texture in the most expensive garments of their lives.

Don’t shoot JPEGs! While experienced

by using the histogram on your camera. Take

photographers can nail the exposure for a

a test shot before each location and check

white dress in a JPEG, a raw file will give you

that the histogram is not ‘clipping’ to the right

better detail in both the dress and the black suit

(touching the right hand side of the graph). If it

at the same time. And if your photo is a little

is, reduce the exposure so it is not.

overexposed, then a raw file is more likely to let

you recover highlight detail than a JPEG file.

camera is created from a tiny JPEG. It is showing

The histogram you are seeing on your

the information in the JPEG (which is dumbed

CAPTURE FIRST

down), not the information in the raw file, so if

There are two tricks behind detail in both the

your histogram is just touching (clipping) the

white dress and the dark suit. The first is to

right side, chances are your raw file will have

shoot in raw and process the file later on.

detail in the whites. However, to be sure, don’t

let the histogram clip in the first place.

If you shoot in JPEG mode, the camera

essentially makes a file with less tonal range

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

46

and fewer colours than the raw capture. It’s a

POST-PRODUCTION SECOND

dumbed down photo file and, unless you have

There are a number of different ways you can

a specific reason to shoot JPEGs, should be

process your raw file to get the most out of it.

avoided.

with the dress and adjust the suit (start with

The second trick is to ensure the exposure

Essentially, you decide whether to start

is correct. If you overexpose the detail in a

the highlights and bring the shadows up), or

wedding dress, you cannot bring it back.

start with the suit and take the dress down

Don’t worry so much about the black suit –

(start with the shadows and darken down the

concentrate first on the white dress.

highlights). It sounds more complicated than it

is.

You ensure your photos are not overexposed

STEP 01

Your original exposure is the key to a good result. Don’t just use the histogram in Lightroom or Photoshop, use the histogram on the back of your camera.

Take a quick test shot and ensure that the highlights are not touching the right side of the graph (circle). If they are, adjust your exposure down so they are not. Now you know you have detail in the whites.

STEP 03

One option is to use the Shadows and Blacks sliders in the Basic panel in Lightroom. The same approach can be taken in Adobe Camera Raw through Bridge or Photoshop. And Capture One allows you to adjust the shadows. By using these controls,we can lighten the groom’s suit without affecting the detail in the bride’s dress too much.

STEP 02

This photo is a typical scenario (although agreed the soft lighting makes it easier than direct sunshine): The histogram is good (not clipping the highlights on the right) and there is plenty of detail in the bride’s dress. However, the groom’s suit is very dark and detailless. The challenge is to lighten the suit without lightening the dress (and losing all that wonderful detail).

BEFORE AFTER

47

EDUCATION

For example, set the exposure so the overall

image looks correct, including detail in the

find the same applies to the white and highlight sliders.

dress. Next, use the shadow and black sliders to lighten up the suit.

SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENTS

In terms of production, you want to develop

Optionally, you could lighten up the whole

image so the suit looks correct, and then use

your technique so you can do your adjustments

the highlight and white sliders to darken down

globally, because this is quicker and more

the dress (and bring the detail back). This will

profitable. However, there may be times when

create a different result, as the overall image

you need to make ‘selective’ adjustments to get

will remain lighter, but that’s not necessarily a

the best result.

problem, rather a different interpretation of the

scene.

can give it more presence (local contrast) and

enhance the detail, but you probably don’t

These are what are known as global

For instance, adding clarity to the dress

adjustments because when you use them, you

want clarity on the bride’s face or she could

are affecting the whole image. All highlights

end up looking like her grandmother (with the

or all shadows are being adjusted, no matter

greatest respect to her heritage).

where they are in the image.

In these situations, you can use an

adjustment brush or a layer to adjust the

BLACKS OR SHADOWS?

dress ‘selectively’, without affecting the rest of

When using the sliders, it can be tempting to

the image. Try the clarity slider and even the

give them both a good nudge, and sometimes

dehaze slider. Different materials and lighting

you have to.

conditions will respond differently, so there’s not

a single solution.

However, generally you’ll find that a

small adjustment to the black and a stronger

adjustment to the shadows gives a better result.

like this, a relatively large brush with a soft

This is because if you push the black too much,

edge (large feather value, like 100%) is all that’s

you are affecting the ‘black point’ or the darkest

needed. Although the effect may overlap into

value in the scene. While you want to see detail

surrounding areas, usually you can control it

in the suit, for example, you don’t want to lose

so the overlap isn’t visible in the final edit. It

the blacks completely.

saves a lot of time compared to making a very

precise mask, which is certainly challenging in

The takeaway is that each of these sliders is

different, so experiment carefully. You will also

48

When you use the brush for an adjustment

Lightroom or Capture One.

STEP 04

BEFORE AFTER

STEP 05

BEFORE AFTER

Another option is to increase the exposure overall,which lightens the suit.

However, this also lightens the dress, the background and everything else. Use the Highlight and Whites sliders to recover detail in the dress, but note that you now have quite a different looking result. This is not necessarily better or worse, rather a different interpretation. Which do you like?

While it will slow down your production, selective editing of your image with an adjustment brush allows you to change one area without changing another.

For instance, to add lots of detail to the bride’s dress, you might use an adjustment brush in Lightroom and push the Clarity or even the Dehaze sliders up. You don’t need to be too precise with your brushwork.

49

EDUCATION

The Basic Lights When you buy a lighting kit, you are usually presented with two or three light shapers: a dish reflector, an umbrella and maybe a softbox.

What do they do and what design features should you look for?

When SLR cameras were first manufactured,

directed towards the subject.

they always came with a standard 50mm lens

which was difficult to master.

reflector is usually silver and highly reflective,

the quality of the light remains harsh and

It seems the same applies to lighting kits,

However, because the inside of the dish

with most offering a standard dish reflector as

strong.

the most basic light.

There are many different types of dish

reflector design which alter the shape of the pool of light and the quality of the light.

A deeper, narrower dish reflector throws a

smaller pool of light with more directional light.

A larger, shallower dish throws a wider pool of

DISH REFLECTOR TAGS Tech n i q u e L igh ting

light, but remains very directional.

It’s probably the cheapest light shaper as well, but that would be unfair criticism because the dish reflector is an important light to have, especially in a multiple lighting situation where the dish reflector’s harsher light can be supplemented by a softer fill light.

With most flash heads, the flash tube

is exposed and emits a harsh light in a hemispherical pattern.

The dish reflector controls the spill of the

light, directing it in a single direction, so instead of light bouncing all around the studio, it is

50

UMBRELLA The next cheapest light is an umbrella, although some lighting manufacturers have taken the art of umbrella design to new heights.

However, the principle is the same: instead

of the flash light being directed straight onto the subject, it is bounced into an umbrella so that the light that reaches the subject is much

LIGHTING SAMPLE

Dish Reflector HARD LIGHT FOR CREATING DRAMA, MORE CHALLENGING TO CONTROL

n w o r h t s Shadow r o t c e fl e r sh i d e h t y b d n a t p u r ab e r o m e r a od o G . e l b a notice tic a m a r d , for strong s d e e n e r ca , e r u t i a r t por g n i c a l p n ni e k a t e b to . t h g i l e h t

The c o

by th e

ntras

dish

can m

t crea

reflec

ted

tor

ean v ery brigh t, ove rexpo high sed lights , espe cially notic eable in the shee n on a sub ject's face!

BACKGROUND Background Light

Subject

Dish Reflector

A dish reflector is harder to use than a softbox or umbrella because the angles of light and shadow are very strong and they need to be positioned carefully in relation to the subject's pose. So while not a popular light with beginners, expert lighting technicians can create powerful portraits filled with drama, but these same technicians would opt for a softer light for most family portraiture.

51

EDUCATION LIGHTING SAMPLE

Umbrella SOFT FLATTERING LIGHT, SPILLS OVER BACKGROUND

e h t , s t h g i Like all l ss e n t f o s g resultin s e n i l w o ad h s e h t f o ow h n o s d depen the o t s i t h ig l e h t e s o cl e h t r e s o l c e h T . t c e j sub he t r e t f o s light, the r. a e p p a s shadow

The umb rella thro ws a much so fter light , but a silver in terior ca n still produce a specul arity as show n on the forehead .

BACKGROUND Background Light

Subject

Umbrella

An umbrella produces a much more satisfactory light for family portraiture than a dish reflector because the shadows aren’t as harsh. You can control the quality of the light by choosing different types of umbrellas (whether silver, gold or white on the inside), different sizes and different shapes.

The main problem is that you can’t always control where the light spills over onto the background.

52

LIGHTING SAMPLE

Softbox

SOFT FLATTERING LIGHT, CONTROL OVER BACKGROUND

Perhaps t h

e most

telling ch a of the sof beautiful

racteristic

tbox is th

e

gradation s

from high

shadow – shadows,

light to

soft edge

s a e r a w o d a h s While s u o i r va e h t , rk a d e r a t h g i l e th f o s e angl n e p o x o b t f o s e h t re from a y e h t o s , p u them of s e s s e c e r p e e d t o n black.

d

per fect fo

portraitur e..

r

BACKGROUND Background Light

Subject

Softbox

As with all light sources, the final quality of the light is determined by how close the light is placed to the subject, and the relative size of the light to the subject. To get a very soft quality of light, move the softbox in as close to the subject as you can, without the softbox appearing in the photograph.

However, this may be too soft, in which case, move the light away until the effect is as you want it.

53

EDUCATION

softer and less directional.

out all over your set. The light from the flash

goes straight through the white fabric cover

The size of an umbrella (and they come in

different sizes) is much larger than a standard

which softens the light.

dish reflector, and as we have learnt, the size of

the light relative to the subject, the softer the

still continue past your subject and possibly

light.

reach the background, but the area over

which the softbox illuminates the set is more

An umbrella is the quickest and easiest way

Of course, light from your softbox will

to produce soft flattering light, but it does have

controllable.

a downside.

The light from the umbrella produces a

shapes. While a square shape is standard,

wide pool of light and so in addition to lighting

rectangular softboxes are useful because

your subject, it also lights the background and

they can more easily control the spill of light

surroundings. Spill light from an umbrella isn’t

elsewhere on the set.

easy to control.

to remember that the lights you use will

There are many umbrella variations. The

Softboxes come in different sizes and

When shooting portraiture, you need

inside of the brolly can be white, silver, gold or a

be reflected in your subject’s eyes, creating

combination for different qualities of light.

catchlights.

A deep or conically shaped umbrella focuses

The shape of these catchlights will be square

the light better, or you can use a translucent

or rectangular if that’s the shape of your softbox,

umbrella and push the light through the fabric

so some photographers prefer to use octagonal

towards the subject. However, in the latter case,

shaped softboxes, or they add a black fabric

you might as well use a softbox.

mask with a circle cutout onto the front of the softbox, so the catchlight is circular.

Softboxes can use extra internal pieces of

fabric to further soften the light; they can also use grids on the front to make the light more directional, and the older your softbox, the more likely the light will take on a yellow colour

SOFTBOX

54

because the fabric begins to colour.

Some photographers love this as it gives

A softbox is better than an umbrella because

their portraits ‘better’ colour, but it’s nothing

it contains the light, preventing it from spilling

that can’t be tweaked in post-production.

SPECIA

L FOR B

P READ

Save 20

Use Co u

pon Co

Offer E

xpires

%

ERS

de: BPM AG 31/12/ 2016

Peter Eastway’s

Online Landscape Photography MasterClass Learn the art, craft and business of landscape photography with a member-only subscription to Peter Eastway’s Landscape Photography Masterclass. The online delivery includes 18 classes (each comprising 3 movies and 3 articles), featuring equipment, techniques, inspiration and Photoshop post-production. Start at any time. Learn at your own pace. There are no exams! Replay and re-read as often as you like. And share your comments and ideas with other MasterClass members. To view, read and experience a free sample Landscape Photography MasterClass, please visit our website and follow the links ...

www.betterphotography.com Landscape Photography MasterClass - Contents FINE ART MOVIES

KNOWLEDGE

JOURNEY

ACUMEN

POST-PRODUCTION

1. Monte Fitz Roy, Patagonia 2. Mount Nemrut, Central Turkey 3. Cape Palliser, New Zealand 4. Cappella di Vitaleta, Tuscany, Italy 5. Elephant Island (Iceberg At Sea) 6. Pilbara Storm, Western Australia 7. Steeple Jason, Falkland Islands 8. Nevis Tree, South Island, New Zealand 9. Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, USA 10. Oxer Lookout, Karijini, Western Australia 11. Segovia Castle, Central Spain 12. Great Barrier Reef, Australia 13. Western Macdonnells, Central Australia 14. St Gregory’s, Ani, Eastern Turkey 15. Weano Gorge, Karijini National Park 16. Clinging Tree, Dales Gorge, Karijini 17. Ishak Pasha – The Mosque Behind 18. Stirling Ranges, South Western Australia

1. Which Cameras Are Best for Landscapes?

2. The Best Lenses For Landscapes 3. What Is The Best Aperture To Use? 4. Camera Support For Maximum Clarity 5. Camera Bags - Sensible Approaches 6. Landscape Photography Accessories 7. Colour Temperature & How It Works 8. Correct Exposure And The Histogram 9. Using The Light For Landscapes 10. How To Stitch Panoramas 11. Archival Landscape Prints 12. How To Shoot Aerial Landscapes 13. Composition Part 1: Subject Matter 14. Composition Part 2: Framing & Cropping 15. Composition Park 3: Viewpoint 16. Composition Part 4: Placing The Horizon 17. Composition Part 5: Centre of Interest 18. Composition Part 6: Rule of Thirds

1. Patagonia, South America 2. Favourite Places In Turkey 3. Favourite Places in South West USA 4. Favourite Places In Italy 5. Central Spain for Castles 6. The Pilbara, Western Australia 7. Easter Island, Pacific Ocean 8. Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan 9. Shooting The Pyramids, Egypt 10. Hamilton Island, Australia.

11. Queenstown, New Zealand 12. Ancient Ani, Eastern Turkey 13. Amazing Papua New Guinea 14. Karijini National Park, Western Australia 15. Cruising For Landscape Photographs 16. Reaching Your Destination 17. Scotland & The Isle Of Skye 18. Antarctica & The Southern Islands

1. Potential Markets for Landscape Photos 2. How To Price Your Landscape Prints 3. Creating Landscape Prints For Sale 4. Publishing A Book of Landscapes 5. Publishing A Book How Finances Work 6. Presentation: Why It’s So Important 7. Setting Up Your Own Website 8. Setting Up An Exhibition 9. Shooting For Books & Magazines 10. Limited Edition Print Sales 11. Computer Power - Do You Need More?

12. Landscape Print Sales Paperwork 13. Print Sizes And Paper Surfaces 14. Shooting Landscapes That Sell 15. Getting Photos Published With Words 16. Do You Need A Business Plan?

17. Which Photo Editing Software?

18. Where To Now That You’ve Finished?

1. RAW Conversion Technique 2. Darkening & Lightening With Soft Light 3. Multiple RAW Conversion Technique 4. Luminosity Masking Technique 5. Colour Balance – Getting It Right 6. Local Contrast – Two options in Photoshop 7. Vignetting – How It Can Improve Images 8. Lab Color - Full Control in Photoshop 9. Nik Software - Using Viveza Plug-in 10. Photomerge For Stitching 11. Channels for Hue/Saturation Adjustments 12. Making Selections In Photoshop 13. Sharpening In Photoshop 14. Black & White Conversions 15. Focus Stacking (Helicon Focus) 16. Lightroom Catalogs for Landscapes 17. Big Black & White Punchy Landscapes 18. High Pass Filter For Landscapes With Pop!

55

EDUCATION

Foto Merchant’s Pro Websites The reality for most photographers and video producers is they need an online business brochure, portfolio pages for their imagery, and maybe eCommerce – and this has all been designed and perfected many times before. So why get a custom website built when you could customise a Foto Merchant site yourself?

In some ways, using Foto Merchant to create

few hours your website is completed (although

your website is a bit like using a preset in

Foto Merchant also has custom website services

Lightroom or an action in Photoshop. All the

as well).

important techniques are used and applied,

but the process is much simpler and quicker for

company and you can have your own website

you, the end user!

for as little as $7 a month. However, for more

features you can pay $14, $28 or $80 a month,

Having a custom built website might allow

Foto Merchant is an Australian based

you to refine your design and operability like

plus if you sell through the website, there is a

no other website on earth, and if you have the

commission payable on each sale. However, for

budget, go right ahead!

what the service offers, it’s a great fit for many

professional photographers. Let’s run through

Interestingly, a photographer at the recent

Incite Nikon Event revealed he had spent over

some of Foto Merchant’s key features.

$7000 with a website developer and still didn’t

TAGS Web site s

56

have quite the site he wanted. Compare this

CUSTOMISABLE DESIGN

with the $200 - $400 a year you could spend

Years ago, a custom website cost thousands

with suppliers like Foto Merchant and one

of dollars. Clients loved them. Then it cost

would ask if the customisation was worth it.

the photographer more to upgrade as web

Aesthetically and passionately, perhaps, but as a

technology changed. Clients still loved them,

business expense, would our clients really care?

but gradually it dawned on photographers

that what their clients really loved were their

Many photographers choose suppliers like

Foto Merchant because they take the hassle

photographs. As long as the design was clean,

out of producing a website. All you have to do

they’d love lots of different websites!

is follow simple menu instructions and within a

Foto Merchant has a range of clean, stylish

EDUCATION

57

EDUCATION

58

EDUCATION

designs and a new drag and drop web page

you against a screen grab (but that’s where the

builder means it is super easy and quick to build

watermark will help).

your content.

your photos as prints, or as digital files complete

Foto Merchant also offers a range of photo

With eCommerce activiated, you can sell

gallery layouts which are suitable for both

with licence, download, size and time limits that

mobile and desktop experiences (the layout

you determine.

resizes based on the platform).

And if you want to sell your photos online,

BLOGGING

there is a complete order system with a fully

Foto Merchant suggests there is no need for

integrated e-commerce shopping cart. You can

a Wordpress website as it provides built in

accept secured credit card payments online

blogging and social sharing tools.

with Stripe or PayPal.

A blog is probably one of the most

important things we can do to market ourselves

SEO OPTIMISATION TOOLS

online and even if we post our blogs on social

In a competitive world, you want potential

media and other websites, links should work to

clients to find you and with so many

drive our readers back to our website.

photographers jockeying for position, this can

be a challenge. However, if you can isolate your

sales and if you want to simplify your workload,

differences and unique selling proposition, Foto

you can sign up with a Foto Merchant partner

Merchant’s SEO optimisation tools will help

lab that will take care of the printing and

you to rank as high as possible on all the major

shipping for you, with rapid delivery to your

search engines.

customers.

With your photos visible to the world, you

In this way, hopefully we’ll generate some

Other features include using your own

can protect them with watermarking and

domain name for your Foto Merchant website,

Foto Merchant allows you to upload your own

lock down galleries with passwords, and

logo and dynamically brand all of your images

exporting galleries directly from Lightroom.

w w w.fotom erch ant.com

without affecting your originals.

Foto Merchant also helps prevent theft so

FUR THER DE TAILS

Foto Merchant has discounts of 15 to 25% for AIPP

people copying your images will only save

members and you will find further detail on the

an invisible pixel called “kittens.gif”. Right click

sponsors pages on the AIPP website:

protection covers all images, thumbnails and

http://www.aipp.com.au/sponsors/Fotomerchant-

slider animations, but of course will not protect

and-The-AIPP

59

PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE AIPP