Working Pro 219 by Pt 78 Pty Ltd

Working Pro The

Issue 219 â&#x20AC;˘ March 2014

IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN THIS YEARS EVENT THEME... ‘TURNING THE ORDINARY INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY’

THE EVENT GOLD COAST 2014 NIKON AIPP

ENT COAST

ON SAVE AIPPTHE DATE Sunday 8 – 10 June 2014 Royal Pines Resort Gold Coast Queensland th

STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS

Working Pro The

Cover S i lv e r w i t h D i s t i n c t i o n A wa r d

Peter Rossi G.M.Photog. 2013 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards winner of CREATIVE category

The Working Pro is the official newsletter of The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). Editor Peter Eastway G.M Photog., 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 Working Pro 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 Working Pro 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: enquiries99@aipp.com.au

Co n te n t s #219

M arch

2 0 1 4

President’s Message - The World Photographic Cup

Good Value For $10

More news about Australia’s success at the inaugural World Photographic Cup; and contact with the Greek photographic community. Are people selling your prints without you knowing? Peter Eastway reports on what he hopes is an unusual story.

The $500 Club – Mel Neumann

What Are Your Social Media Objectives - David Watson

Is Lighting Our Best USP? - Ross Eason

Diversification, Not Boredom - Tom Putt

Editor’s Selection - APPA Winners

Award Entries: Rule Of Thirds

Why Do I Enter APPA? – Tony Hewitt

Do I Charge GST On Overseas Jobs?

Does Copyright Stop Me Taking A Photo?

Tamron SP150-600mm

Would you like your portrait clients coming back and spending a minimum of $500 on a regular basis? Mel Neumann explains how. We’re all using social media, but what should we be posting and which platforms are best for us. David Watson suggests the answers.

Why do people hire us as photographers? If it’s because we can do something they cannot, then professional lighting is a great reason. In a changing profession, Tom Putt works in a number of different areas to keep his interest levels high and his income buoyant. A selection of entries that caught the editor’s eye from the 2013 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards. Should you place your subject in the middle or use the rule of thirds? Peter Eastway looks at some basic compositional tools. Read why 2013 Canon AIPP Professional Photographer of the Year Tony Hewitt believes APPA is such an amazing experience. There are lots of rules that cover GST, but in general, you may be able to bypass GST if your photography is heading overseas. Read more. If someone else has taken a similar photo, does this mean you can’t? It depends on how similar the photo is, as explained here. It may not replace the super telephotos with their wide maximum apertures, but this new super zoom is small, light and incredibly affordable.

Australia In The Eyes Of The World

Kylie Lyons M.Photog I. Hon.LM, National President In early January, I attended the presentation of

were pleased to see an Australian attend the

the World Photographic Cup (WPC) in Phoenix,

event, given the distance and short notice. The

Arizona, USA. This presentation was held in con-

presentation and conference coincided with a

junction with Imaging USA, the conference and

family holiday, so I was able to make the detour

trade show of Professional Photographers of

to Phoenix. Most of the other participating na-

America (PPA).

tions in the WPC had a representative at the ceremony.

Similar Issues

PPA is a membership body for photographers in

Second Place

the USA, concentrating on domestic photogra-

Team Australia ended up taking second place in

phers. Without going into fine detail, the gover-

the World Photographic Cup, just one point be-

nance structure of PPA is very similar to AIPP.

hind the USA. Team Portugal came in third. Aus-

PPA is a not for profit organisation that ser-

tralia took home two gold medals for the high-

vices 27,000 members in the USA and Canada.

est scoring print in the category, one for Kelly

There were 150 international delegates at the

Brown in the Portrait Category and the other for

conference from 32 nations. I met a number of

Nick Ghionis in the wedding category.

delegates, including the incoming President of

PPA, Susan Michal and Jillian Chateauneuf, the

within the top 10 of their category: Elizabeth

President of PPoC (Professional Photographers

Bull in the Landscape category and Quinn

of Canada. Jillian and I hit it off immediately. We

Rooney in the Documentary category. A full run

spoke on many occasions. PPoC is smaller than

down including pictures and a video of the cer-

AIPP, but appears to have similar issues to us.

emony and lists of the winning images are pro-

Jillian and I promised to keep in touch and

vided online on the WPC website: www.world-

talk further in the future as we both agreed

photographiccup.org.

there we things each association already does

that would mean the other wouldn’t have to re-

the AIPP a recognition of existence in the pho-

invent the wheel.

tographic world, reinforcing the great achieve-

I was told by PPA and WPC organisers they

ment of our team. Many delegates and judges

We also had two other finalists who came

I believe my presence gave Australia and

Photo by Kelly Brown. Gold Award, Portrait Category, World Photographic Cup.

told me that they were impressed by the quality

add comments or challenge a final score!

of our images entered in the WPC competition.

All images scoring 80+ were considered finalists and were rejudged against each other (as

Greek Influence

prints made on an Epson printer onsite) to de-

Two weeks after returning home from the USA,

termine first, second and third place.

I travelled to Greece at the invitation of PWS

Entries nearly doubled in 2014 with 48 al-

(Photo Wedding Stories) to attend their fourth

bums and 729 images. Given the apparent ‘state’

annual conference, judge at their annual awards

of the Greek economy, I was surprised with the

and be the guest of honour at the gala dinner

great numbers of entries. Still, with only one day

in Thessaloniki.

to judge, we didn’t finish until 1.30am.

Greek law does not allow for the formation

As President of AIPP, I was made to feel very

of institutions or governing bodies like the AIPP,

welcome as the guest of honour. Delegates

so PWS is a private body owned by three pho-

were impressed that I could be present at the

tographers. PWS is in its fourth year and may

conference. I was invited to make an impromp-

appear a little rough around the edges, but

tu speech at the awards dinner.

given the circumstances in Greece, it is remark-

I believe there is currently strong interest

able and has a very upbeat vibe that focuses on

in the AIPP from around the world and we are

interaction between photographers. The confer-

at the beginning of a huge opportunity to in-

ence program is similar to what we know. There

crease the profile of the AIPP internationally. The

are sessions in English only, Greek only and then

links have been made and the doors overseas

many English programs were repeated with an

are now open. I believe there are positive ben-

interpreter the following day.

efits to afford our AIPP members by engaging

The event attracted many delegates from

with the international community and bringing

outside Greece. I met some great people from

their ideas and inspirations to us here in Austra-

around the world including those from Greece,

lia.

Turkey, Spain, Romania, UK, Italy, Armenia, Cy-

prus and Crete.

The PWS awards are very much based on

the WPPI model. Images were all judged digitally and entries were still being received at 8.30

Kylie Lyons. M.Photog., Hon. LM

p.m. the day before judging! The major differ-

AIPP National President

ence between PWS/WPPI judging and APPA is that the panel chair can vote as a sixth judge,

Photo by Nick Ghionis. Gold Award, Wedding Category, World Photographic Cup.

Good Value For $10

P e t e r E a s t w a y , G M . P h o t o g , H o n . F A I P P, F A I P P

There was a message on my telephone from a

lady. Let’s call her Doris. She said she was inter-

asked? But no, Doris couldn’t remember my

ested in buying one of my prints and could I get

face, but she described my print precisely and

in touch.

said it had my name and title on the bottom

left.

Interesting, I thought, as my website makes

“Do you remember what I looked like”, I

it pretty easy to buy prints, but the age of the

caller indicated that maybe she didn’t have the

on the right. So, was the print a forgery? Was it

internet. I called.

a print someone picked up while I was doing a

“Thank you so much for calling”, she

workshop (a sample file perhaps) which made

said. “I’m interested in buying a copy of your

its way through the network and was sold for,

Grasstrees for a friend. You sold me the copy

gasp, $10.

I have for $10 when you were down giving a

Not Today

seminar in Wollongong. Could I have another

I explained gently to Doris that my print prices

one?”

were a lot more than $10, that I couldn’t even

My interest was piqued.

print and post it to her for that amount, and

“Where was the presentation”, I asked?

that I hoped she enjoyed the print she had.

“At the WEA talk a couple of months ago on

This was unusual: I title on the left, but sign

I’m still not sure if it is Doris’s memory, or if it

a Monday morning.”

was a prank call, but I guess it showed me how

How Much?

easily someone can take our photographs and

This had me flummoxed. I have never given a

print them out. If it was a stolen image, it won’t

talk to WEA, let alone one in Wollongong.

print at high quality, but for $10, how much

quality do you want?

“And you purchased the print for $10”, I

asked, gently.

“Yes, she said.”

prints wasn’t making any money either!

“And my talk, what was it about?”

“Oh, you weren’t actually talking, you were

be in circulation, I’d love to know. And if you are

And at $10, the person who was selling the So, if anyone knows how the print came to

just there with the gentleman giving the

‘the someone’ doing it regularly, then do me a

speech.”

favour and please put up your price!

Grass Trees, Bridgetown, Western Australia. Photo by Peter Eastway.

The $500 Club

M e l N e u m a n n’s A p p r o a c h To R e p e a t Po r t ra i t u r e S a l e s How do you keep portrait clients coming back,

to keep my existing clients coming back and to

year after year? How do you counteract the rep-

help my cash flow.

utation that portrait photographers are there to

rip you off? How do you provide a discount ser-

ing mini shoots have the same problem. They

vice without affecting your key work?

may just as well call their mini shoots full ‘photo

shoots’ if that’s how they’re earning most of

There is a right way and a wrong way, ex-

plained Mel Neumann.

their money. There’s nothing wrong with charg-

ing only $500 for a family portrait session, es-

“A lot of portrait photographers offer mini-

sessions when their cash flow is quiet, just to

pecially if you can do them all in a short period

keep the work coming in. They do quick por-

of time, but it means you’ll have to do 8 to 12

traits at a discount rate, but the problem is that

shoots a week, instead of 2 to 3 shoots a week

many photographers do these so regularly that

at an average of $2000.”

their clients simply wait for the next special of-

fer.” They don’t hire the photographer at his or

three shoots a week than lots of cheaper jobs,

her regular rates.

so her ‘mini shoot’ program works a little differ-

ently, but the outcome is that it builds loyalty

“Some new photographers don’t yet un-

Melissa is more interested in doing two or

derstand the importance of branding and pric-

and more clients.

ing. When I started, I also did a few shoots at

discounted prices. It got me some clients, but

Club portraiture session, Mel will do a mini

when I thought about it, I realised that all these

shoot for the family which lasts 30 minutes and

new clients were seeing my advertising at

costs a flat $500.

the discounted price.” This was the value they

thought Melissa’s photography was worth.

the Memberss section of the AIPP website.

She calls it the 500 Club. If you book a 500

To read how Mel set up her 500 Club, log into

“I wanted to price my work a lot higher, but

clients would simply wait around until I offered

Mel Neumann AAIPP advertises herself as a domes-

my discount special and book me then.

tic photographer, but she also shoots commercially.

She is an AIPP National Vice President with over 20

“I had to work out how to take the discount

away from my work, but still offer something

“I think photographers who are only do-

years’ experience. www.melneumann.com

Silver Award, 2013 Canon APPA. Photograph by Mel Neumann.

Mel Neumannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $500 Club and How To Set It Up! Read More AIPP Member Only Content To read AIPP member and specific business related advice, visit the AIPP website and sign in. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re signed in, follow the menu Member Services, My Publications, The Working Pro - Extended Material.

What Are Your Social Media Objectives? David Watson Suggest We Need Clear Ideas Everyone knows you have to be involved with

and then run through YouTube, Pinterest, Insta-

social media, but exactly how and what should

gram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.

you expect from this involvement?

pick and choose the other platforms that inter-

David Watson says it’s important for photog-

“Put Facebook at the top of the list and then

raphers and video producers to settle on an ob-

est you”, David added.

jective and from there it becomes much easier

to develop a social media strategy and measure

wanting to deal with other businesses (B2B or

its success.

Business To Business) should begin with Linke-

dIn, and then choose from YouTube, Google+,

In Australia, there are around 12 million peo-

Commercial and corporate photographers

ple on Facebook, 3 million on LinkedIn and 2

Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

million on Twitter. Many readers are on all three.

probably the most powerful way for us to com-

So when you set up an account on social

“Images are king”, David explained, “and are

media, what do you want to achieve? David

municate. However, videos are also fantastic,

suggests there are five areas to consider:

so if you’re not yet doing anything with video,

• Likes

• Engagement • Sales

• Education • Entertainment

Explained David, when a consumer turns on

think about this space in the future.”

So, if you embrace social media, can photog-

raphers and video producers survive without

the computer or smartphone, they are primar-

a blog? “Of course you can survive, but it’s not

ily looking for entertainment. For them, social

recommended. On Facebook, your posts are

media is a social place, so we need to interact

gone within a few hours, whereas a blog has

with them. “Understanding that our prospective

much more longevity.””

clients are there to be entertained will help us

craft what we do.””

David Watson is a 20+ year sales and marketing

veteran who has worked across different industries

So, which platforms are the best? David says

this depends on who your clients are. Photog-

with a range of businesses. Prior to launching his

raphers and video producers wishing to shoot

consultancy business Strategy Point in 2012, David

weddings and family portraiture (B2C or Busi-

worked with Momento and was a member of the

ness To Consumer) should start with Facebook,

AIPP National Board. www.strategypoint.com.au

SIG SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

THE AIPP IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANISATION THAT EXISTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS MEMBERS

If you have a “Special Interest” or a keen area you want to see more and better AIPP involvement, the SIG’s are your opportunity to get involved and help us make this happen. Simply contact us on admin@aipp.com.au to suggest a new SIG or get involved in one of our existing SIG's

MOTHER & BABY

PHOTOGRAPHY

A C C R E D I TAT I O N

FOR VIDEO

WEDDING

PRODUCERS

PHOTOGRAPHY

PORTRAIT

AIPP MENTORING

PHOTOGRAPHY

AIPP WORKSHOP

PRESENTERS

& SPEAKERS

WORKING WITH

the ATO

(AUSTRALIAN TAX OFFICE)

BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY

AIPP MEMBERSHIP

BENEFITS

AIPP USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

& COMMUNICATIONS

Above: What Ross produces for his clients. Below: What many photographers consider good enough. But is it good enough to get another job?

Is Lighting Our Best USP?

Ross Eason Reveals His Secret Weapon With so many people able to operate a cam-

(as much as they want that), but by suggesting

era, the mystery that photography once held is

ways to do it better, faster or more creatively.

gone.

Value should not be confused with discounting.

It can come from input, professional conduct

In fact, many of the jobs we used to do, our

clients are now happily doing themselves! The

and good advice.”

challenge is to point out the difference: why do

Ross emphasises that lots of photographers

our photos look better than theirs, and how can

can ‘save you money’, so you need something

we show our clients this?

else.

“When I receive an inquiry by email or tele-

“I know a lot of clients take their own photos

phone, I try to get myself in front of someone as

and employ people who are keen on photogra-

quickly as possible. Not only is it harder for them

phy. Most art directors are pretty good photog-

to say no when they meet you face to face, it

raphers and Nikon and Canon have automated

also lets me show them examples of my work

their end. So has Adobe for the editing, so I

and explain my USP.

have to ensure that I offer something they can’t

do.

“I take an interest in their product, rather

than just turning up and giving them a price.

And if I know who they are trying to reach with

is lighting”, explained Ross.

the photography, I can also present them with

a PDF document of sample photos relevant to

it creates a big difference between what I’m of-

their project. It’s also important to know who

fering and what my clients can produce on their

the final decision maker is and, if it’s not the per-

own. Even when a job doesn’t require lighting,

son I’m dealing with, I’ll see if I can include them

I will turn up with it just in case, reinforcing the

in the process.

difference a professional can make.”

PHOTO BY BAMBI WIXON

“My USP which I take to just about every job “The majority of my work uses lighting and

“Today you have to bring value to the prop-

osition, such as finding a way to save them

Ross Eason M.Photog., HLM is a commercial pho-

money. The reason I still have my biggest client

tographer in South East Queensland. He is an AIPP

after 15 years is that I continue to bring value

National Vice President and has been in business for

to the relationship, not by saving them money

over 30 years. www.easoncreative.com.au

Examples of Tom Puttâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape photography, a far cry from the dog portraits shot in his studio.

Diversification, Not Boredom!

To m Pu t t t a l k s a b o u t ke e p i n g h i s wo r k i n t e re s t i n g ! “Our greatest competition is the iPhone”, said

photography business is based on the concept

Tom Putt who runs Ella+Friends Photography, a

of producing a book with his clients’ images,

dog portrait studio in Melbourne. “People come

and he has also published a number of books of

to see us and say they already have thousands

his landscape work.

of great pictures of their dogs, so we have to

compete against them by offering something

the books came about almost by accident. Af-

they can’t produce with their iPhone.”

ter visiting locations several times, like Cradle

Mountain in Tasmania where I do workshops, I

Although 90 percent of Tom’s business is

“I’ve been shooting landscapes for years, but

through the dog portrait studio, he keeps life

realised I had enough images to form a body of

interesting with other interests. “I get bored very

work.

easily. Once I can do something, I’m over it. My

challenge over the past 10 years running this

am doing. Today, I am pretty much shooting all

studio has been to keep my role fresh so I don’t

my landscapes with the goal of a book in mind.”

get bored.” And certainly changing from a gen-

eral family portrait studio to a dog portrait stu-

2005 when he noticed a proliferation of courses

dio would have helped keep life interesting!

in the American photography magazines. “How-

ever, there was hardly anyone doing workshops

“I don’t take photographs in the studio

“I love having a purpose, no matter what I

The workshops that Tom runs came about in

anymore, whereas in the past, I really loved it

in Australia. I enjoy teaching people and im-

because I was learning how to photograph

parting my knowledge, and I also enjoy visiting

people, then dogs. It was different to the sport

places, so I decided to see if anyone would be

photography I used to do.

interested in paying to come along to one of

my workshops.” And it has grown from there.

“I’ve also been really interested in publishing.

As a kid, I would sit up in bed an hour before lights out, with a pile of books and pore over

Tom Putt M. Photog. is a portrait and landscape

them. I especially liked the books about land-

photographer in Melbourne. He also has interests

scapes and national parks.

in landscape photography, publishing and leading

photography workshops. www.ellaandfriends.com.

“I loved the idea of a printed image and

that’s why I publish books.” Part of Tom’s dog

au; www.inspiredlandscapes.com.

E D I T O R ’ S

S E L E C T I O N

There are so many great images at Canon APPA and the Epson State Awards that not every Award gets the attention it deserves. To redress this in a very small way, the editor will present a small selection each issue for your enjoyment.

•

E D I T O R ’ S

•

S E L E C T I O N

•

E D I T O R ’ S

•

S E L E C T I O N

E D I T O R ’ S

•

S E L E C T I O N

•

Your APPA Entry: Rule of Thirds? Is it better than bang in the middle? The question is whether the central position in

but you may find the majority of people prefer

the frame is the best position for your subject.

one composition over another. Hopefully the

Nothing Wrong With The Middle

judging panel agrees with your choice.

There is a lot of talk about the Rule of Thirds, the

Golden Ratio and other devices we can use to

that placing the subject in the centre of the

help compose our photographs. None of them

photograph is static. As photographers, we’re

work all the time, but all of them are useful in

really just recording what we have seen.

our deliberations.

been moved to one of the four intersecting

The most simple tool, the Rule of Thirds, sim-

In the photos opposite, most of us can agree

In the four examples below, the subject has

ply divides the photograph into nine equal sec-

lines.

tions with four lines. Where the four lines inter-

sect are considered powerful positions within

cause the subject is high in the frame; the bot-

the frame, and many photographers and judges

tom two emphasise the background because

will suggest that the subject is placed on one of

the subject is lower in the frame. You may de-

these points to make a stronger composition.

cide that the background is more interesting

than the foreground, so then it is a matter of

Sometimes they are right, but not always.

The top two emphasise the foreground be-

There is nothing wrong with positioning your

choosing which of the bottom positions is best.

subject centrally, but if it looks like it is in the

middle simply because you weren’t thinking,

many people would prefer the subject on the

points will be deducted.

left, especially since it is ‘facing’ right.

Which Corner

So, if you are moving your subject to one of the

the left of the subject seems wasted. Also, the

four intersections, which one? This will depend

background on the left isn’t as interesting as the

on many issues, such as the subject, the sub-

background on the right.

ject’s movement, the subject’s direction, other

leading lines in the composition, tonal balance

Generally one decision will just look better bal-

and so on.

anced than another. Trust your judgment.

In our society, we read from left to right, so

If you position it on the right, the space on

So, for a host of reasons, a decision is made.

Please note, there is no right or wrong here,

•

Why Do I Enter APPA?

S o m e t h o u g h t s f ro m P PY W i n n e r, To n y H e w i t t When I first entered APPA and the WA state

really wonderful.

awards, it was mainly so I could call myself an

award winning photographer. This was really

many category winners and so winning the

useful as a new professional wedding photog-

Landscape category was very important. And

rapher because winning awards increased my

then the Professional Photographer of the Year

credibility.

was the icing on the cake.

Once you’ve won a few awards, the game

Over the years, I have admired the work of

Most of us would love to win PPY, but we

changes. First, it’s all about consistency and the

don’t really think we can because it’s such an

desire to maintain a high level of quality, every

elusive goal. I also know through my involve-

year. So I’d always aim for four Silver Awards.

ment with various awards around the world

Then it becomes a matter of testing yourself in

that there are many fantastic photographers out

other areas. I didn’t want to be known only as a

there who have never won the title for many

wedding photographer, so I began to enter Il-

different reasons: they may not have entered,

lustrative, Landscape and Portrait categories as

they might not have had the right shots for the

well.

judging panel, or there may have been another

brilliant portfolio that year.

However, what is now obvious is the biggest

benefit of all: entering APPA and the Epson state

awards each year forces me to re-assess my

folios that are capable of winning the PPY. I have

work critically. Many of the major improvements

come very close myself on several occasions,

I’ve made as a photographer have come from

so when I won it last year, I kept the win in per-

pushing myself to make a better print, a print

spective. Don’t get me wrong, this is a personal

that will impress the judges.

milestone and one that I am very proud of. It is a

wonderful recognition and one that I am hum-

Winning a Gold Award means you have

achieved a pretty high level of excellence and

Each year, there are probably 10 or 20 port-

bled to receive.

the fact that you have been judged by your peers is also a nice feeling. However, in terms of

Tony Hewitt is a Grand Master of Photography,

your market place, winning awards every year is

an Honorary Fellow and a Fellow of the NZIPP. He

almost expected. That’s when a Category win is

works from Perth, W.A. www.tonyhewitt.com.

Do I Charge GST On Overseas Jobs? Generally speaking, exported sales are ex-GST A lot of photographers find themselves working

GST (subject to time restrictions - see below).

overseas or sending products overseas and so

the question about GST arises: do you need to

ing a building in Sydney for a client in Dubai

charge your client GST?

would not need to charge the client GST be-

cause the images are exported.

Generally the answer is no, but it depends

Similarly, a commercial photographer shoot-

on a number of issues and we’ll touch on the

most obvious ones here.

photographs here in Australia, then GST would

Are You Registered?

be payable - the goods (photos) are not export-

If your annual sales (turnover) as a photogra-

ed. The fact that the client is overseas isn’t the

pher is over $75,000, then you must be regis-

issue, it’s whether the goods or services are ex-

tered for GST. If your turnover is less than this,

ported.

then you may choose not to be registered, and

Time Limit

so this issue won’t affect you. You’re not charg-

The ATO requires the photographs or services to

ing GST anyway.

be exported within 60 days of you issuing an in-

Is The Work Exported?

voice, or within 60 days of the final payment for

If you’re shooting the job overseas for a client

your invoice, whichever is the earliest.

who lives overseas, and the work stays overseas,

then no GST is payable, in Australia at least. You

cial or portraiture job, but it could cause some

may, of course, be subject to the foreign coun-

issues for wedding photographers because of

try’s own tax laws.

the length of time over which the wedding is

booked, shot and an album or DVD produced.

If you shoot the job in Australia, but the pho-

However, if the client in Dubai used the

This normally isn’t a problem for a commer-

tographs are taken out of the country by your

clients, or you send them out of the country

out from the provision of the wedding album,

to your clients, then chances are the job is not

then you may be subject to GST.

subject to GST.

tween the shoot and the album production, or

So, a wedding photographer who shoots a

If you issue an invoice more than 60 days

It may be possible to split the invoices be-

couple in Melbourne and sends the final album

you can also contact the ATO and ask for it to

to Hong Kong will find the work is exempt from

extend the 60-day period.

This is general information only. We do not know your specific financial or legal situation and we are not providing you with advice. As such, this article should not be relied upon as legal, financial or accounting advice. Please use this article as a conversation starter with your own adviser.

Issue 75... Lens Selection - Which Ones? Stitching Panoramas Mastering Luminance Multiple Exposures In Camera And lots more...

Where are my free copies of Better Photography Magazine? They are here... w w w.aipp.com.au S i g n i n t o t h e m e m b e r â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s s e c t i o n . . . Go to member services... Go to my publications... Go to Better Photography...

Download and enjoy!

Would you like to receive a paper version of Better Photography m a g a z i n e , fo u r t i m e s a y e a r ? Yo u c a n s t i l l s u b s c r i b e a n d r e c e i v e a 20% discount. For details, email k i m @ b e t te r p h o to g ra p hy. co m 27

28 You can copyright a photograph, but not an idea. Do the idea differently and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re okay. Photo by Peter Eastway.

ing our photograph.

ple from using your photograph without your

permission. One of the ways it does this is to

graphs of the Opera House or families running

prevent them copying your photograph.

on beaches. However, when we take our idea

You can copy a photograph by using a scan-

and photograph it exactly like someone else’s,

ner, or even a camera and taking a picture of it.

then we may indeed be breaching copyright.

Or you can copy a photograph by setting up

A Direct Copy

the same scene, background, lighting and sub-

Let’s return to the photograph of a bride in front

ject matter. This isn’t an identical copy, but it’s

of a church. Let’s say the photograph is very

close enough for copyright law.

specific with a particular hair colour, make up,

veil, dress, shape of church, type of lighting... If

Similarly, we can continue to take our photo-

photographs, but what happens if we are tak-

everything is copied, right down to the pose

ing a photograph that someone else has photo-

and the expression of the bride, then your copy

graphed before? Are we breaching copyright?

could be breaching the other photographer’s

You Can’t Copyright An Idea

If the law worked this way, then wedding pho-

their photograph and made your own. This is il-

tographers would be in deep trouble because

legal.

they all photograph brides in front of churches!

tographers, but commercial and advertising

However, a bride in front of a church is an

It is also unlikely to happen to wedding pho-

idea or a concept. What sort of church? What

photographers are often shown the work of an-

type of bride? What type of lighting, weather,

other photographer and asked to copy it. This is

clothing, surroundings etc, etc. There are many

also illegal.

things in addition to the bride and the church

which make these photos different.

should walk away from the job. Fortunately,

you can usually explain the situation to the cli-

So, every photograph of a bride in front of a

If the client insists on a direct copy, you

church is, generally speaking, unique and some-

ent and then work on a different image that

body else’s photograph of a similar (but differ-

achieves a similar outcome. An idea can’t be

ent) bride and church will not stop us from tak-

subject to copyright, only the execution.

Tamron SP150-600mm

I t ’s n o t a b i g a p e r t u r e , b u t i t i s a l o n g l e n s ! This has to be a winner. Tamron’s SP 150-600mm

with the wider aperture lenses.

F/5-6.3 VC USD zoom is everything a wildlife

and sport photographer dreams about. Let’s

for Canon mounts first, with Nikon and Sony

face it, whether you’re following a football play-

mounts to follow.

er around the paddock, or chasing a lion on the

African savannah, you never know exactly how

APS-C size sensors, but of course, the equivalent

close you’re going to be when the action hap-

focal length for the latter is 233-930mm! Now

pens.

that is a super telephoto!

Traditionally, photographers would take a

The Tamron 150-600mm has been released

It will work happily on both full frame and

The Canon and Nikon models include Tam-

300mm and a 600mm, and maybe a 1.4X or

ron’s VC (Vibration Compensation) technology,

2.0X teleconvertor, but this required changing

but this is not required for Sony cameras which

lenses or camera bodies. With Tamron’s 150-

have equivalent technology built into the cam-

600mm super zoom, you are ready for anything.

era body.

When designing supertelephotos, there is

The lens uses 20 elements in 13 groups,

always a compromise between weight and fea-

including three LD (Low Dispersion) glass el-

tures. If you want the f2.8 or f4 maximum aper-

ements for improved image quality. The ele-

ture (which in turn allows faster shutter speeds

ments also use a new eBAND coating technol-

to freeze the action), you pay for it with a large,

ogy, designed to suppress ghosting and image

heavy lens.

flare.

Tamron’s solution is a relatively lightweight

The lens features a USD (Ultrasonic Silent

lens and so it’s maximum aperture is f5.6-6.3.

Drive) motor which is claimed to be very quick

However, its weight is under two kilograms,

and quiet, and the nine blade circular dia-

whereas the supertelephotos can easily weigh

phragm produces a beautiful out-of-focus effect

twice this. And the solution for faster shutter

(bokeh). Add in a tripod mount collar and the

speeds these days with DSLRs is to dial your ISO

new Tamron supertelephoto zoom seems to be

setting up, so instead of shooting at ISO 200,

lacking ... absolutely nothing!

shoot at ISO 560 and you are effectively match-

For more information about the 150-600mm

ing the shutter speeds you would otherwise get

lens, visit www.tamron.com.au.

Orpheus Island Photography Workshop 2014 11th to 17th August

Presented by Les Walkling & Tony Hewitt

NEW P

RICE FO

only $2

www.b

etterph

R 2013

9.95

otogra

phy.co

How To Win Photo Competitions

This is a full seven day all-inclusive unique experience designed for professional photographers and enthusiast/non-professional photographers. The James Cook University Orpheus Island Research Station is a world class research and teaching facility, and the tropical islands provide for amazing photographic opportunities. This is the tenth year Les has presented this workshop and he rates it as his best. This year his co-presenter is Tony Hewitt, 2013 Canon AIPP Professional Photographer of the year.

“Orpheus will giveby you the time An eBook Peter Eastway support to FAIPP G.M. Photog.,and Hon. FAIPP, Hon FNZIPP, complete your masterpieces.” niques and approaches I’ve developed approach them, and how to use the Tony Hewitt over the years will help you capture results to assess your own photog-

I have judged I finish the book with some usemany photography ful background information about competitions and andTony produceHewitt better photographs. raphy. It’s important to set the scene how competitions work (generally © there are lots of little My book is called How To Win before we get into creating photos speaking), and then I analyse some of www.leswalkling.com www.tonyhewitt.com things that entrants Photo Competitions. that win competitions. the images that have won awards for forget to do. If only I could let them It begins with a little about me. The next two sections are the me, pointing out the aspects that the know before entering the competiAfter all, it’s easy enough to write a nitty gritty. We begin by talking about judges responded to in a positive way. tion, they would do so much better! book about winning photography taking a great photograph in the first The book has lots of photographs Well, as a judge I’m not allowed competitions, but it’s better if you have place. Competition winners begin and illustrations to explain exactly to ring up and help entrants, but I can little bit of experience. Fortunately the camera and so we talk about what I’m talking about. The workshop comprisesa lectures and presentationswitheach morning, backed up with hands-on work after write a book that distills what I have for me, I’ve been lucky enough to win camera technique, colour, composiAnd it is an eBook. It is easy to lunch and into the evening with state-of-the-art printing and colour managed workflows. learnt over the last twenty years that quite a few competitions, plus I have tion, framing and so on - little tricks read on a computer, laptop or iPad, will give you a great head start. a lot of experience as a judge. I can and hints that will make a world of and you need Adobe Reader (Acrobat) Fine art printing, print critiques, advanced image editing, camera craft, RAW processing, pictorial design, Of course, no one can give you an talk to you about both sides of the difference to your photographs. to view the book. There is no paper colour management, marketing/business planning, small group tutorials andversion one-on-one consultations iron-clad guarantee that you will read competition. From here we step into postof this book, although you can the workshop. myare bookhighlights and then win theof next photo Add in the fact I’ve been a magaproduction – using the computer print out the Acrobat Reader file if you competition you enter – and I explain zine editor for 30 years and I hope I’m to improve the images our camera wish. This year Les and Tony able areto communicate supported by severalhasexperienced tutors to ensure that the knowledge why in the book. However, what I can my message captured. Most readers will have I have created a sample eBook for you are is immediately imaging skills and new seeing. guarantee you is acquiring that if you read my pretty well. So, in translated just a couple of into real-world dabbled with Photoshop, Elements you to look at onways the Betterof Photograbook, you will improve the quality of pages (I don’t want to bore you), I or Lightroom and this is all you need phy website, so please visit and have Our renowned chefs, Natalie and Melissa will create marvellous banquets fora read. us Ifand each evening we your photography. explain why I know what I’m talking to enhance your images so they are you like what you see, I hope dine under by the beach celebrating the days achievements. You see, whetherthe you’restars aiming to about (even though my Dad told me in the running for a competition win. you’ll purchase a copy. win a photography competition or just not to boast). These days, no matter how good your And for your next photo competiOur sponsors also attend the workshop and supplycamera ‘state-of-the-art’ cameras, printers, knowledge and take a better photograph, the advice is We then look at competitions is, you simply must do a little tion - good luck! materials for all creative photographic very similar. And I know that our the techand how they work, how youneeds. should post-production to finesse your entry. – Peter Eastway

Enquiriesand Ph: 07of4725 4860 E: events@leswalkling.com For more information a read the free sample, please visit: