Working Pro The
Issue 239 • March 2016
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PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE AIPP
Working Pro The
Co n te n t s #239
Cover
Kelly Tunney APP M.Photog. I 2015 AIPP AUSTRALIAN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
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Ross’s Ramblings
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Don’t Forget Your Membership Dues!
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Become A State Council Member!
Ross Eason M.Photog., Hon.LM, National President
Many members may find their fees are overdue!
Give back to the organisation that gives so much.
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Vittorio Natoli: AIPP Board Member
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Better Results With Better Judges
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Kelly Tunney: Confidence!
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How Does GST Work With Equipment?
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How Can You Compete? Should You?
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Are You Better Than The Average?
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Add-Ons and Margins
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Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1D X Mark II?
The Working Pro is the official newsletter of The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP). Editor Peter Eastway G.M Photog., FNZIPP, Hon. FAIPP, Hon. FNZIPP, FAIPP Disclaimer The information provided in The Working Pro and associated publications is made in good faith, but is general in nature. Neither the editor, the publisher or the AIPP accept responsibility for or will be under any liability for any recommendations, representations or information provided herein. The 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
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Many AIPP members will have seen our newest Board member Vittorio Natoli at our print awards and conventions, but apart from being a passionate photographer, he’s also a very competent businessman.
Who has the skill, the experience or even the right to assess and pass judgement on another photographers’s work? The AIPP’s judge training sessions are designed to produce the best results possible. Here’s how.
What does it take to become Australian’s first female Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year? Canberran photographer Kelly Tunney is surprisingly frank about her journey through the APPA system and the success she has enjoyed.
Can you claim GST when you buy equipment? Even if it is secondhand? And what happens if you sell your equipment to someone who isn’t in business - do you have to charge them GST?
When your clients accept a price from a competitor that is low and unrealistic, what can you do? Photographer Peter McNeill relates a situation that is becoming all too common.
Copyright © 2015
AIPP Membership Contacts Suite G.02, 171 Union Road, Surrey Hills, Victoria 3127 Phone: 03 9888 4111 E-mail: enquiries99@aipp.com.au
The recent benchmarking survey produced by the AIPP is a key for setting your own business goals - and being sure you can do it. How can you make it as a full time portrait photographer these days?
We think of photographs as digital files, but we will never earn a full time living from photography unless we also think about physical products, add-ons and a reasonable margin.
Both Canon and Nikon have introduced flagship professional DSLRs recently, but neither have the highest pixel count. So what is it that professionals want and what are the new features that still make these two of the most versatile workhorses around?
Ross’s Ramblings
Ross Eason M.Photog., Hon.LM, National President Albert Einstein said, “The real value of a
business second and the AIPP somewhere
person should be seen in what they give,
down the line.
not by what they receive or earn”.
For Melissa, her family and business needed
her attention and I’m sure I speak for all We are very fortunate within the AIPP to have
members in wishing her the best and saying
a culture of volunteering. It’s our foundation
thank you for all you have done.
stone that started well over 50 years ago and
continues today.
see an introduction to Vittorio (Vic) Natoli who
It’s also our future.
agreed to join the Board to replace Melissa.
I’ve had the privilege of working with many
friends and members within the AIPP who
Later in this issue of The Working Pro you will
Vic will serve out the remainder of Melissa’s
term which is until June 2017..
provide a huge amount of time and passion in the service of the AIPP.
Is it just me or have we always been in a
constant struggle to work out which is
And I guess, to be frank, sometimes that
time and passion are taken for granted and they
best?
shouldn’t be.
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Last month, Melissa Neumann decided to
I still have a functioning Betamax video recorder
stand down from the Board after five years
and you may know that the debate at the time
of dedicated service. Her “value” to the AIPP,
was VHS or Beta (look it up on Wikipedia if you
in Albert’s terms, is immeasurable and will
were born after I started paying tax).
be sorely missed, but that is not the most
important aspect.
Ford or Holden, Rugby League or Aussie Rules,
Nikon or Canon, film or digital, albums or shoot
Melissa was a team player. She thought
The same debate happens with Apple or PC,
constantly of the greater good and had
& burn.
a determination to drive the AIPP in new
directions.
wanting or owning the best and trying to prove
it that we miss the bigger picture.
She spoke with wisdom and insight and we
Sometimes we get so wrapped up with
will miss her.
have to be objective. At the end of the day, Beta
We have an ethos that family comes first,
We should always be passionate, but we also
The new look for the AIPP
I t ’s H a p p e n i n g . The Working Pro is undergoing some major changes to make it easier and quicker to read and de vour, no matter how you like to get your information. I t won’t be long now!
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and VHS showed a movie, Fords and Holdens
both broke down and the colour of your camera
again, he would be a plumber.
strap does not make you a better photographer.
would be a photographer! If he could discover
The bigger picture for members of the AIPP
Einstein also said if he had his time over My guess is if he had a smart phone, he
is that we are photographers who care about
the space time continuum and then explain it
our industry and we need to work together to
so the average man could also understand it,
support it and support those who support us.
then he can judge a print and explain why it’s a
90.
The toys that we own or the teams we
barrack for personally should not impact our
commitment to the AIPP.
with physics, but as a team they usually reflect
I’m sure most of us have seen the graphic
the truth. Sometimes that truth is at first hard to
opposite or one like it on social media. For me it
accept, but please be objective and considerate.
epitomises much within our culture.
In time, you may also see it from a different
angle.
So much of what we do, say and write within
Our judges may not be in Albert’s league
the AIPP is governed by our perspective:
What is good or bad;
What is right or wrong;
76 or a gold distinction.
ross.eason@aipp.com.au 0412 108 362
Each of us will see it a little differently.
That’s what makes us human and unique, but somewhere in the middle is the truth and quite often it is exactly the same. We just see it from a different angle or perspective. We need to be objective.
As we enter our national awards season,
please maintain that objectivity both with images entered as well as the scores and comments by our dedicated judges.
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Depending on where you stand, your view of something can be quite different to that of other people, but it doesn’t mean that their view is not also correct.
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Don’t Forget Your Membership Dues! Many members may find their fees are overdue! Membership fees are paid on the anniversary
to date, none of these marketing benefits are
of your membership – unless you’re one of
available.
our more established members, in which
case chances are your membership becomes
membership on time and that is to allow the
payable on 1 January each year.
AIPP to cover its expenses and outgoings.
Membership of the AIPP is required
However, there are other reasons to pay your
Paying your subscription is easy. Simply visit
to maintain your professional status as an
the AIPP website and log into My Dashboard.
Accredited Professional Photographer (APP) and
Under Manage My Account you’ll find a tab for
Accredited Professional Photographer Licentiate
My Membership Fees.
(APP.L).
you can also pay annually, quarterly or monthly.
Membership is also required to continue
You can pay by credit card or Paypal, and
using the status of Associate, Master of
Photography and Grand Master of Photography.
membership, or you’re not sure, check it out on
Without your membership being paid and up
My Dashboard at www.aipp.com.au.
So, if you’re not up to date with your
Become A State Council Member!
Give back to the organisation that gives so much.
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When you first join the AIPP, it’s all about
contribute back to the organisation, to keep it
learning and experiencing what the
relevant and up to date.
organisation has for you. However, as you
gain experience, you soon realise that most of
nominating for your state council as a council
learning and experience you receive has come
member.
from other members who are generally freely
giving of both their time and expertise.
Dashboard section of the AIPP website (www.
aipp.com.au), or visit http://www.aipp.com.au/
This is the very nature of a volunteer
If this is you, now is a great time to consider
To find out more, you can visit the My
organisation and many members find that
members/join-your-local-council.
there comes a time when they feel they’d like to
Now is a great time to get started!
How much will you earn in the next 12 months? Use Peter Eastway’s free online Photo Income Estimator to find out. It’s easy to use. Visit www.betterphotography.com Click on the link to the Photo Income Estimator page
Enter your information and see the results immediately.
Don’t spend the next 12 months fluffing around. Have a look and set yourself some goals! www.betterphotography.com 9
A DAY WITH ROSS EASON
COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP TH
26
MAY 2016
A DAY WITH ROSS EASON
Venue: The Metropole Hotel, 81 Palmer St, Townsville | Time: 9am - 5pm
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Venue: The Metropole Hotel, 81 Palmer St, Townsville | Time: 9am-5pm ross eason app.l m.photog i hon. lm
ross eason app.l m.photog i hon. lm
matthew gianoulis
STUDIO FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY 26TH JUNE 2016
WITH MATTHEW GIANOULIS Venue: The Metropole Hotel, 81 Palmer St, Townsville | Time: 9am - 5pm
HIGH END RETOUCHING 10
27TH JUNE 2016
WITH MATTHEW GIANOULIS
Venue: The Metropole Hotel, 81 Palmer St, Townsville | Time: 9am - 5pm
PHOTOGRAPHER PROFILE | TAS DEB SULZBERGER 2015 AIPP Tasmanian Pet/Animal Photographer Of The Year, 2014 Category winner of Rangefinder Magazine “Best Friends” competition and owner of Fur Babies & Friends Photography. Address: 583 Second River Rd, Karoola TAS 7267 Sulzberger has been a photographer now for 5 years after purchasing her first DSLR to take with her on a personal journey to China. As she was also spending some time volunteering with a Giant Panda program she wanted a good camera to capture her adventure and so it began, her love of capturing wildlife and animals. With no formal training she worked hard, asked for advice and scoured every bit of information on photography she could find. Sulzberger practised, practised and practised with one goal in mind; she wanted to be a pet photographer, not just any one but one of the best. “Working with animals is such a rewarding thing. You can literally feel a connection with them during a session. I think to capture them well you have to be an animal person, they sense that and luckily for me I am an animal person”. It is not an easy genre. For various reasons her subjects can be shy, timid and stand offish so gaining their trust first is paramount to capturing natural images. “Playing and positive reinforcement plays a huge part of what I do and a pocket full of treats is always handy”. Sulzberger describes her style as soulful, colourful and storytelling. As she has developed her style, so has the type of images she captures. Animals have very expressive eyes and faces and her aim is to always capture more than just looking into the camera. “I try to capture a feeling. I am always looking for way to capture uniqueness whether that is a different location or just a moment”.
There are many amazing pet photographer here in Australia and worldwide Sulzberger admires and follows on social media, Alex Cearns, Ken Drake and American photographer Kaylee Greer. They all have very different styles but they all have one thing in common. They capture amazing images and feeling and their images tell a story. They inspire her to aim higher. Sulzberger entered her first AIPP state awards in 2015 and was received a Gold and 3 Silver awards. She then went on to take out the Pet/Animal category and was named the 2015 AIPP Tasmanian Pet/Animal Photographer Of The Year. She then entered the 2015 APPA awards and was awarded a Silver and Silver Distinction. 11
Vittorio Natoli: AIPP Board Member Many AIPP members will have seen our newest Board member Vittorio Natoli at our print awards and conventions, but apart from being a passionate p h o t o g r a p h e r , h e ’s a l s o a v e r y c o m p e t e n t b u s i n e s s m a n .
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If you attend APPA each year, chances are
and seem to hope that the business or
you’ve seen Vittorio Natoli walking around the
‘professional’ side will follow automatically.
print exhibitions, judging the awards or out in
However, this is far from automatic.
the evenings, enjoying a glass of wine. He is a
truly passionate photographer and also very
people and being creative. It’s about making
successful, having his Master of Photography
them feel good and understood by giving them
with four gold bars. No doubt he will earn his
something meaningful. Creativity wins awards
AIPP Grand Master of Photography very soon!
which are great to have, but you also have to
Business Skills
get your commercial flow right to make enough
However, there is another side to Vittorio which
money to keep running”.
makes him an ideal AIPP Board Member. His
business experience and acumen are skills that
businesses, so it’s important that our Board
will be really beneficial for the Board and its
members understand the issues and challenges
many deliberations.
they face on a daily basis.
Based in Perth, Western Australia, Vittorio
Explained Vittorio, “This business is about
Most AIPP members are single-operator
However, when it comes to providing
heads up Viva! Photography, one of the
advice and guidance, being able to transform
country’s most successful wedding and portrait
a single-operator business into a national
photography franchises.
franchise operation moves Vittorio’s experience
into another league - and yet when you talk to
Vittorio began as a single studio
photographer over 25 years ago, so the fact
Vittorio, you’d never know just how successful
he is still in business is a testament to his drive,
he has been. He comes across as a humble,
tenacity and success.
affable photographer who is just as interested
in the latest cameras as you, and just as
When we talk about professional
photography, many photographers forget
passionate about good photography.
about the first word. They love photography
Welcome to the AIPP Board, Vittorio.
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Better Results With Better Judges Who has the skill, the experience or even the right to assess and pass judgement on another p h o t o g ra p h e r s ’s w o r k ? T h e A I P P ’s j u d g e t ra i n i n g sessions are designed to produce the best results p o s s i b l e . H e r e ’s h o w.
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No system is perfect and when it comes to
subjective outcomes, there will always be a
all of the judges have the experience necessary,
difference of opinion.
but as you become more experienced as an
entrant, you can find yourself disagreeing
Every year at APPA and the Epson State
For entrants beginning their APPA journey,
Print Awards, prints are assessed and the
with the judging panel and this in itself is an
entrants are either happy - or not so happy!
important part of the process.
Even after entering APPA for over 30 years, I am
‘disappointed’ when the judges don’t elevate
awards, you should be a good professional
my print into at least the Silver category.
photographer, or have extensive experience in
using professional photography (such as an art
So why do we do it? Why do we enter
To be a good judge of professional
awards? In a profession like photography, the
director, a curator or a photo editor).
best way we can assess our direction is by peer
review – by having other professionals who are
importantly, you need to have wide knowledge
treading a similar path – tell us what they think
of photography in general, both within and
of our work.
outside your areas of expertise, and to be a
Judging Quality
good communicator.
For a peer review system to work, the ‘peers’
Judge Training
must be qualified. In general, they must be
All AIPP award judges are required to undertake
more experienced and more capable than
judge training. For many experienced judges,
the people they review – or in the case of
it is simply a refresher course. For people who
entrants who are Masters and Grand Masters
have yet to judge, it is fundamental to their role
of Photography, of equivalent experience and
as a judge.
capability.
However, this isn’t all you need. More
Last year, Martin Grahame-Dunn
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travelled around Australia delivering a judge
up goals like Associateship and Master of
training program. He also trained a group of
Photography, and having category prizes are, in
experienced local judges who have now taken
many ways, incidental.
on the task of training for the future.
aesthetics of art and photography, and third,
It is now a requirement for all judges of all
Second, the judges’ training covers the
experiences to undertake judge training and
how to talk about these issues by providing
refresher courses every two years.
judges with a background upon which they can
What Are The Programs All About?
assess the entries.
There are three main areas in the judge training
Visual Literacy
sessions.
Bill Bachman, who assisted Rocco in delivering
the Victorian program, commented:
First, there is an understanding of why we
are judging. Many people think the focus of our
awards is on producing a photographer of the
inexperienced judges is to address the issue of
year or category winners, but these are really
visual literacy.
just sideline entertainment, no matter how
important.
evaluate a picture and then to articulate my
views – which is exactly what we ask a judge to
Laughed Rocco Ancora, our AIPP Awards
“One of the best things we can do for
“For me, this consists of being able to quickly
Chairman, “A number of the attendees at the
do. Some judges are better than others, but that
Melbourne training session initially thought
comes with experience. I listened to the live
the awards were just to win prizes – or to post
streaming of the recent Epson Victorian awards
something cool on Facebook. However, it is
and I thought everyone was doing a very good
much more fundamental than this.”
job, being particularly articulate and putting
their thoughts into a context that the general
At the heart of the judging process is the
objective of raising the standard of professional
public could understand.”
photography. If photographers enter the
awards, it is only natural that they will strive
is not going to make someone an expert on
to do better every year, and as their skills
art history and visual literacy. This is a lifelong
improve, this filters down into their everyday
project.
photography and so the overall standard of
Being Polite
professional photography in Australia rises.
Perhaps the most important part of the judge
This is the core of our awards system.
training is not so much the message that is
Providing silver and gold awards, setting
delivered, but how it is delivered.
However, one or two judge training sessions
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Judges are encouraged to enter the awards
frivolous at the expense of the entrants.
because only by having their own work
Judges’ Response
assessed by others can they fully understand
Most of the judges have responded very
what it is like. This in turn will help them
positively to the training. While a few of
be more tactful when they have to deliver
the grumpy, balding, grey-haired members
feedback and advice that is sometimes
who have been judging for 20 years at first
unfavourable. It is very easy to say how great a
wondered what all the fuss was about, they are
gold award is, but it’s much more challenging
also mature enough to understand that they
to score a print in the 60s and explain to the
need to be a part of the process, as much to
entrant what was wrong.
pass on their knowledge as anything else.
Raising The Standard
David Simmonds
Judge training emphasises that entrants have
Responded David Simmonds (who I am not
put their hearts and souls into their prints and
suggesting for a moment is a grumpy, silver-
so while the result might not meet professional
bearded member like me, although he has been
or award standard, it’s the judge’s role (when
judging for around 20 years):
time allows) to provide useful feedback. In other
words, peer review.
was to be bold and not to hedge my bets
by sitting on the edge of a category with my
This comes back to the basic premise of the
“The most important message I took away
awards: to raise the standard of professional
score (e.g. 79, not 80). However, I need to be
photography. And when you’re providing
fair and prepared to articulate and defend my
feedback, the best way to achieve this is to be
point of view, while being constructive with my
polite and respectful.
criticism.
In general, all our judges are very articulate
“One thing that was obvious to me was that
and very respectful. However, it’s also true
judge training needs to be an ongoing process,
that from time to time they get it wrong –
because even ‘trained’ and experienced judges
an inopportune comment or a chuckle at a
from my observations, often got locked on
sensitive time.
picky details, missing the whole picture.
It can be a difficult balance between
“The result was their score fell into a safe
providing entertainment and education for the
zone. Some judges also struggled to appreciate
audience and not offending the entrant. We
what was unfamiliar or uncomfortable to them.
don’t want the awards to be dull and boring,
but nor do we want them to be light and
workshops spent looking at images, from
“Bill Bachman suggested that full day
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outside the smallish AIPP pool, would be of
just yet. However, for the area that I specialise in
great benefit.
– newborns – I know all the little bits and pieces
that are very important to this genre, yet I don’t
“We would analayse and practice
commenting on the images, developing our
think all the other judges always do.
ability to see and then articulate clearly and
passionately what we felt.”
setting a level playing field for all entrants in all
Jacinta Dal Ben
categories.”
Jacinta Dal Ben is at the beginning of her
David Glazebrook
judging career and appears to have greatly
A Master of Photography, David represents the
enjoyed her recent judge training session.
new generation of judges. He says he attended
“I found the training fantastic, learning about
the judges’ training with an open mind, hoping
the technical points to look for in an image, but
to improve his observation and communication
also looking for that element that takes an entry
techniques.
to the next level of award standard.
entries that are very similar to previous entries
“The important message I took away was to
“This level of broad knowledge is crucial for
When asked how judges should deal with
always stand up for an image that you believe
or the work of other photographers, David
in and to be ready with all your points to put
answered:
forward in debate. We need to appreciate
that a member in the audience could be the
the style of,” an “homage,” or “plagiarism”? For
photographer who took the image and that
the first two possibilities, a measured positive
they’re relying on us to put up a fight as to why
commentary would follow. In the case of
their image is of award standard.”
plagiarism, this would need to be brought to
Broad Knowledge
the attention of the competition authorities for
“I think it is also extremely important to have
the appropriate action. This is where broader
a broad knowledge of photography in all its
photographic knowledge will assist in these
forms. If a judge is asked to judge a particular
assessments. The responsibility is upon us to
category, they need to understand what sets
communicate in a considered, respectful and
one image apart from the rest.
educational manner.”
“For example, I’m not familiar with
“As a judge I need to ask myself, is it “in
AIPP judge training is an ongoing process
commercial photography, so while I could
and following the judges’ training this year in
judge the technical side of an entry, I’m not sure
all states, a more comprehensive program is
I’m the best judge to look at the other aspects
planned for next year.
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Kelly Tunney: Confidence!
W h a t d o e s i t t a k e t o b e c o m e A u s t ra l i a n’s f i r s t f e m a l e A u s t ra l i a n We d d i n g P h o t o g ra p h e r o f t h e Ye a r ? C a n b e r ra n p h o t o g ra p h e r K e l l y Tu n n e y i s s u r p r i s i n g l y f r a n k a b o u t h e r j o u r n e y t h r o u g h t h e A P PA s y s t e m and the success she has enjoyed.
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Kelly Tunney’s heartfelt note from her website
thinking, so much of this business is about
(opposite) surely explains one of the many different
confidence. And whether you make it or not
reasons photographers enter APPA - the AIPP’s
isn’t just about confidence in your own abilities,
Australian Professional Photography Awards. The
ohhhhhhhh nooooooo, it’s so much more than
winner of the wedding category in 2015, Kelly has
that.
been gradually building her success with a series of
Confidence
wins in her local ACT state since 2012, but even she
It’s all about the confidence you have in
couldn’t have been happier with her success last
the people around you, your team, your
year.
inspirations, and for me, it’s also all about the
confidence that you share with your clients.
The Working Pro asked Kelly why she enters
APPA and what she gets from it.
from, runs directly from my experience with
Why enter APPA, you ask? To my way of
The story of mine, and where it has grown
Three weeks and three days ago, I had the most incredible night of my photographic career to date. I won a fancy title – AIPP Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year. The first female to ever win the title in the 40+ year history of the Awards. It’s still surreal and I occasionally pinch my arm on a daily basis. But this crazy dream is real and something I am so very proud to have on my wall (or up against a wall in my studio because I have no idea where it should go). the AIPP and entering the APPAs. There’s
their photos on a Saturday afternoon because
a relationship between my success at the
nobody was setting themselves free from
professional level and my participation in the
‘safe’. Clients were still paying the same money
competition process that is undeniable; without
and were happy with the same look, so there
one, there just wouldn’t be the other.
was no incentive to do anything different. The
weddings were the same too, traditions were
When I first entered in 2008, wedding
photography was incredibly predictable. There
being adhered to and expectations of family
were the same poses and the same shot list was
and society were what drove the industry.
being used by just about everybody. You would
Social Media
see six couples queued up at ‘the spot’ for
At about this time, though, you started seeing
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K elly Tunne y
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K elly Tunne y
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weddings being blogged, social media started
not doing things right overall.
giving brides and grooms an alternative, and
it was coincidentally that year when I had my
still doing things right, if I’m on top of my game,
first bride say to me that she wanted something
if I’m giving my best. When it’s award season,
completely unique. Suddenly this entirely blank
I’m pushed creatively in new ways. It invigorates
page was offered to me, to fill in however I
and stirs something up inside of me, but it also
wanted, and I just ran with it.
gets my clients excited and gets them involved.
Mutual Understanding
My first entry into APPA earned me a score
It’s a test that I can apply to see whether I’m
of 88, so suddenly a photo that was completely
As I’ve participated in the Awards every year
unlike anything else I had ever attempted was
since (2008), the creativity in my work has
being rewarded. Suddenly I had permission
stayed fresh and different. That’s what my
from my peers to leave all of that convention
clients have come to love and why they book
behind and my clients were giving me the
me. We now have this mutual understanding
same encouragement to come up with
that this is what we’re going to go for, which
something that was just for them, which was
means that now I’m photographing the people
suddenly how they wanted their wedding day
who I connect with - and they connect with
to be.
me. Our personalities and styles match. As an
artist, to have that kind of relationship, well,
So, I had the confidence from the APPA
process to believe in what I was doing, but
your work can only get better!
from that spun off the other confidences that
I needed to truly make a success of my style of
being a part of it, being a judge, mentoring
wedding photography.
people and helping them along on their
journey. I have only become better through
What’s most important, always, is the whole
The other thing I love about APPA is just
client confidence thing. They have to have
direct involvement. First I was print handling,
trust in you. My approach to business is that
then I was judging. As my participation grew, so
it’s very much a people business. It’s emotive
did my achievements and there’s no hiding the
and creative, so my approach to business is
direct link between the two.
that everything is centred around the client,
developing the trust in them and for them to
unexpectedly, this all culminated in what
then have the trust in you. It’s like a circle. If I
happened last year, winning the 2015 AIPP
don’t have the trust of my clients to do what it
Australian Wedding Photographer of the year -
is that I have in mind for the APPAs, then I’m just
OH MY GOODNESS!!
Then quite suddenly and in many ways
27
K elly Tunne y
I also won the 2015 Epson AIPP ACT
key people.
Wedding Photographer of the Year here locally
(and can I just say that that in itself was such
I had to get the clients on board. I had a wacky
a huge thrill, given the level of quality that we
idea, but I had to sell it to them. It took me
have in our little Territory). I had an easy option
four hours to draft two paragraphs (I was so
to continue with those prints, but I didn’t think
nervous), but my bride wrote back in five
they were good enough.
minutes, “You’re crazy, that’s why we picked you,
At the start of the year I said to myself,
tell us what you need”. They had confidence
I’m really sick of feeling that I have to create
in the concept and also in me. They had seen
something innovative and quirky. I’m going
where I had come from and where I wanted to
to go back to the basics and the core of what
go. They were completely on board.
wedding photography is about. I’m not going to
Two of my four winning images came from
use trickery, but get back to the fundamentals.
that wedding, which was just before the prints
At the Epson State Awards, I won with these
were due, but I knew that they would work
images, but I was genuinely surprised that they
because I could trust my clients, they could trust
got through, because considering my formula
me, I could trust my team and I had confidence
in the past, they were safe and much more
in the whole process.
traditional.
me. They have helped me to create a circle
I was still proud of them, I still loved them,
The hardest part came back to confidence.
So, that is what the APPAs have done for
but when it came to APPA, it was a last minute
of confidence in the whole process, in the
decision to enter what I did. I had two weeks
techniques, in the technologies, but more so,
and I decided I would start from scratch,
in the relationships and the collaborations that
because I knew that those safe ones probably
have culminated in me creating images that I
weren’t good enough to win.
know are the best that they can be.
This does sound a bit contradictory. Perhaps
I should have given them a go, had faith in
I wouldn’t want to give my clients anything
less than that.
those fundamentals, but I didn’t, thankfully!
So, if ever I’m going to try something, I’m
going to try hard! I read every art book I had,
about her mentoring services at www.kellytunney.
viewed creative websites, looked for inspiration
com.au.
everywhere, until I started conceptualising a few ideas and asked for the assistance of a few
28
You can see more of Kelly’s images and information
29
How Does GST Work With Equipment? Can you claim GST when you buy equipment? Even if it is secondhand? And what happens if you sell your e q u i p m e n t t o s o m e o n e w h o i s n’t i n b u s i n e s s - d o y o u have to charge them GST? You can claim GST when you buy equipment if
shop, there’s no doubt they will give you a
you are registered for GST.
Tax Invoice. The fact that the invoice says ‘Tax
Are You Registered?
Invoice’ on it indicates that the price includes
This is the first question you have to ask. Many
GST, but chances are the GST will be separately
photographers with smaller businesses may not
listed on the document as well.
be registered for GST, so when they purchase a
What About Secondhand?
piece of equipment for, say, $1000 + $100 GST
The same rule applies when you buy
= $1100, there is no GST claim. However, they
secondhand. If you get a Tax Invoice, GST is
will be able to claim or depreciate the full $1100
included.
price (with the GST included) on their tax return.
privately, the seller may not be registered for
If you’re not registered for GST, you simply
However, if you’re buying equipment
ignore GST.
GST - in which case they won’t be giving you a
If You Are Registered...
Tax Invoice and you can’t claim GST!
On the other hand, if you are registered for GST
I’m Selling My Gear...
and there is GST included in the purchase price,
If you’re registered and you sell your equipment
you can claim the GST.
to someone else, you must include GST.
How do you know if there is GST in
Of course, in the real world, the price of your
the purchase price? The answer is pretty
equipment might initially ignore GST, but you
straightforward: the GST will be noted
are unlikely to be able to add 10% GST after the
somewhere on the ‘Tax Invoice’ you receive
deal is sealed. And if you’re selling your gear to
when you buy the equipment.
a private person who can’t claim GST, they will
definitely not be interested in slinging you an
In order to claim GST, you must have in
your possession a valid ‘Tax Invoice’ (with the
extra 10% GST. So, when selling your gear, keep
exception of expenses under $75). When you
this in mind: you will lose 1/11 of the sale price
purchase a new piece of equipment from a
as GST.
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.
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AWA R D S
How Can You Compete? Should You? When your clients accept a price from a competitor that is low and unrealistic, what can you do? Photographer Peter McNeill relates a situation that is becoming all too common.
Photo of Peter McNeill by Rob Heyman
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Fishing is a great pastime. You get to sit and
construction industry and it is doing a feature
think, waste a few prawns and the best part is,
on a major project in the Hunter Valley.
no computers!
the, “Welcome to the team” ending on the
You see, I can remember a time when
After perusing the six pages of paper and
photography services were valued and you
email, I realised I was required to ring the six
could make a living. A recent job request made
customers to figure out what they wanted in
me glad I can remember those times.
their photos and, preferably, get it from them in
$75 Per Client
writing. Okay, another half a day for free.
The phone actually rang (a rare thing these
days) and a young lady on the other end
the six jobs, ensure the contractors actually had
enquired if I do commercial photography.
all the things available that they wanted in their
photos (yes – it really said that in the brief ),
She then proceeded to ask a series of
Then I needed to co-ordinate when to shoot
questions that indicated she had no idea what
and then travel to and from the site which is 40
she was talking about.
minutes away. Plus time for induction on site...
Mission Impossible
Then she came to the rate: “We pay $75 per
client and there are six of them”.
A total of eight to ten shots (read set-ups) were
required per customer, of which three to four
With a bit of quick maths, I worked out that
if I could knock the job over in a day, I was still
were to be chosen for the magazine.
way short of my minimum day rate, but hey,
there wasn’t a lot on and fishing doesn’t pay the
single day, I calculated it would give me about
bank.
two minutes per setup! Maybe fishing was a
better option?
“Okay”, I answered, “send me through the
If I was going to make this all happen in a
brief and I’ll have a look”.
Welcome To The Team
negotiation, so I sent the magazine an email,
It turns out the customer is a magazine for the
suggesting an alternative fee which was still
Professional photography is all about
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33
AWA R D S
34
So what is the solution in a situation like this?
grossly under the time I expected to spend on
the job. Two days later I received a reply saying
Was $300 a fair price? Is it legal to be offered
thanks for my time and please disregard all
such a low price? We all work in a capitalist
previous emails and correspondence.
society and if the money isn’t good enough, we
don’t have to shoot the job.
Well, that negotiation went well!
Sweetening The Deal
So, I had a little think while cleaning the fishing
may have been a photography student, or just
gear and it all made sense. The magazine was
starting out and looking for a break, but do they
doing a feature on the main contractor and the
have a long term future working at rates like this?
six clients were subbies. To pay for the main
article, each subbie took out a ¼ page advert (or
(which sounds unlikely), that’s $150 a day.
thereabouts) and this paid for the main article at
no expense to the primary contractor.
likely to work more than three days a week. So,
$150 per day x 3 days x 48 weeks = $22,500 per
To sweeten the deal, each subbie got three
The photographer who ended up with the job
Do the maths. If Peter did the job in two days In commercial photography, you’re not
to four photos, all custom shot, that they could
annum.
use anywhere they wanted, free of charge (the
It Doesn’t Add Up
free re-use clause was included in the brief!).
Even if you worked every day, that would still
only gross you $37,500 a year, out of which you
The only person to lose out on the deal was
the photographer. Surprise, surprise!
have to pay for your equipment, your office, your
More Prawns
car and any other expenses.
Well, I hear you say, just ditch this client and go
onto the next one. Slight technical problem
he was quite right to decline the job.
– this was the only commercial enquiry I had
all year, despite days in front of the computer
going to be in business for very long. Or possibly,
chasing leads and ringing people. Obviously the
he or she has another source of income, which
magazine found someone to do the job and it
is increasingly a ‘standard’ in professional
seems they didn’t argue about the price. It says
photography today.
a lot about where photography is going.
What Is The Solution?
accepting these rates is never going to work.
Me? Well, I am on the way to waste a few more
prawns. You see, I can go broke fishing just as
to a job, ask yourself if you worked at this rate all
easily as working for commercial clients.
the time, could you survive financially?
Peter is correct. The maths doesn’t work and The photographer who did the job is not
If you want to be a fulltime professional, But it’s an easy calculation. Before saying yes
•
35
Are You Better Than The Average? The recent benchmarking survey produced by the AIPP is a key for setting your own business goals and being sure you can do it. How can you make it as a full time portrait photographer these days? How much money can you earn as a full time
your equipment, your car, your office, your
portrait photographer? If the average worker
advertising and so on.
(employee) in Australia earns $78,000, what
do you need to do in order to earn the same
pay yourself $78,000 a year as a portrait
working as a portrait photographer?
photographer, you need to earn $200,000 a
year.
It’s all a matter of simple mathematics. Let’s
Let’s make an assumption that to
run through the process.
Step 1: A Salary of $78,000 Per Annum?
a frightening number, but if anything, most
Is a salary of $78,000 reasonable? Everyone has
photographers paying themselves $78,000
different requirements in life, but the figure of
a year have businesses that earn more than
$78,000 is what the ‘average’ full time worker in
$200,000 a year. However, in planning, we have
Australia is earning in 2016.
to start somewhere.
If you are going to go into business, work
For some readers this might sound like
The point to realise is that to pay yourself
hard and take on the financial risks, I think it
$78,000, you have to earn a lot more than this in
only reasonable you earn at least the ‘average’.
the first place.
Step 3: How Many Portraits Per Year?
However, this is just my perspective and
you don’t have to agree with it. All you need
An annual turnover of $200,000 is roughly
to decide is how much you want to earn - and
equivalent to $4,000 per week (let’s assume you
then follow this process to its conclusion.
have two weeks holiday).
Step 2: What’s Your Total Income?
To pay yourself a salary of $78,000 per annum
do to earn $4,000 a week?
as a photographer means you need to earn a
lot more than this. From your total sales figure,
Australian photographers are shooting from five
you have to deduct the cost of your sales,
to well over 120 portrait sittings a year.
How many portrait shoots do you need to Looking at the AIPP Benchmarking Survey,
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.
36
37
38
In one way, the survey isn’t particularly
if you only shoot five portraits a year!
helpful because the range is very evenly
distributed, but on the other hand, it does show
because they also shoot 50 weddings and 50
that depending on how you run your business,
commercial shoots as well? Or maybe they have
it is possible to shoot 120+ portraits a year, or
a second job as an accountant?
a little over 2 portraits a week. Around 10% of
respondents are already doing it, why not you?
portrait shoot - think about the problem
laterally.
If you are going to earn $4000 a week, and
Maybe they only shoot 50 portraits a year
So, don’t be daunted by the $2000 per
you’re only shooting two portraits a week, then
you need to be charging $2000 on averge, per
wedding and one commercial job, a total of four
shoot!
jobs each week, then the average for each job
Step 3a: This Has To Be Easier?
now only needs to be $1000 in order to reach
At the risk of being blunt, the numbers don’t
your sales target of $200,000.
lie. If you want to shoot 100 portraits a year and
Step 3b: Do I Have Time?
turn over $200,000, you need to be averaging
The AIPP Benchmarking survey shows the time
$2,000 per order. Many of Australia’s leading
photographers spend on a portrait shoot and
portrait photographers average from $1500 to
later in production. It ranges from under an
$2000 per portrait order, so the first thing the
hour to eight hours in total. Again, the range is
AIPP Benchmarking survey indicates is that only
not particularly helpful because it is so broad,
10-15% of photographers shooting portraiture
but suffice to say, it should be possible to do a
are commanding these prices.
portrait shoot and post-production in a single
day.
If you’re shooting fewer than 100 portraits a
For instance, if you did two portraits, one
year, it will be very hard to pay yourself $78,000
a year. It’s not impossible, but for someone
three days for other photography, marketing
building their business and not yet able to
and bookwork.
command a high fee for their work, it’s not
immediately possible.
experienced, you could probably cut this down
to one day for two portrait shoots (in total - the
The Benchmark result also indicates that a
So, two portrait shoots in two days leaves
And as you improve and become more
lot of photographers shoot many things other
work might be spread over a few days).
than portraiture, or they have other sources of
income. I say this because it’s not possible to
photographers process for each of their clients
earn a full time living as a portrait photographer
varies from under 5 to over 100, so if you were
The number of photographs that portrait
•
39
finding yourself spending too much time in
than $1500, so when we go back to our main
post-production, one solution would be to
objective, we come to the realisation courtesy
offer your clients fewer images. The benchmark
of the AIPP Benchmarking survey, that two
shows this is certainly possible.
portrait sittings per week is challenging.
Step 4: How Does A Client Spend $2000?
The next step is neither difficult nor
respondents are already getting more than
straightforward. However, at some stage you are
$1500 per portrait shoot, so we know it is
going to need a price list and that price list will
possible to reach our objective.
determine how much your clients spend with
Step 5: Putting It All Together
you.
There is no single answer to setting up a
successful portrait business, but based on what
And you want them to spend, on average,
$2000 per portrait (or perhaps $1000 per
I know and using the recent AIPP Benchmarking
portrait if you are doing other things as well -
information, here’s what I would suggest.
this is just a process we are working through).
the minimum a photographer aims for. (This is
The Benchmarking Survey is particularly
The $78,000 is not negotiable. This should be
helpful here because it shows the average
my opinion, not that of the AIPP.)
prices for a portraiture package.
The package may include just one 8x10”
in photography tells me I need total sales of
print, or it may include 10 prints, a desk portrait
$200,000 per annum to support it. It might
and a wall print. In many ways, it doesn’t
be less, it is often more, but let’s use this as a
matter - what matters is that you offer your
starting point for our business plan.
clients a package they want to buy (and price it
appropriately).
and getting $2000 per portrait is tough, so
aiming for two portraits per week isn’t enough.
Remember, out of $200,000, we have
If we agree on $78,000, my experience
That $200,000 translates to $4000 a week
$78,000 for our salary, leaving $122,000 to
pay for the prints, the frames, our studio and
photographers in the survey are earning an
overheads. While these costs are incredibly
average of $1000 or more per portrait shoot, so
important, at the initial planning stage, let’s just
if I do four portrait sittings a week, I should be
focus on what we need to sell in order to reach
able to make the $200,000 and the figures start
our $200,000 objective.
to fall into place.
Over 50% of portrait photographers charge
from $400 to $1500. Only 14% charge more
40
However, it also shows that 14% of
On the other hand, it appears over 30% of
This, in a nutshell, becomes the basis of my
business plan.
•
41
Add-Ons and Margins We think of photographs as digital files, but we will never earn a full time living from photography unless we also think about physical products, addons and a reasonable margin.
42
Speaking the other day to Rocco Ancora (the
arranging models, location fees, there’s travel
AIPP’s Award Chairman), he said the average
involved, probably lots of meeting and after the
photographer will never make money by selling
shoot, there is post-production.
‘sticks’.
do you charge for add-ons as well?
Rocco was referring to how many
Do you just charge for the photography, or
professional photographers put their files
on a USB drive or upload them to DropBox,
(which you can find on the AIPP website
as though that was all we could do as
in the Members Only section under Stay
professionals.
Informed), some of the extras that commercial
photographers are already charging for include:
AIPP National President Ross Eason also
In the recent AIPP Benchmarking Survey
commented that early in his career, he was
• post-production
taught to charge enough for his add-ons,
• USB or CD/DVD
so that if things went really wrong, he could
• FTP uploading
provide them a second time and not lose
• travel time
money. This was especially relevant when you
• travel costs (use of car etc)
were charging extra for things like model fees,
• studio hire
travel, prints and so on. If for some reason you
• assistants
had to shoot or print the job again, there should
An Extra $1500 Income A Year
be enough markup on the price you charged so
The cost of a USB or a CD/DVD might not seem
your costs were covered a second time.
enough to worry about, but think about this
Commercial Add-Ons
more carefully. How many clients would object
For commercial photographers, what the client
to paying $15 for a USB?
usually wants is just a file, but are you charging
for extras? After all, you’re not just taking the
so you can make a margin of $10 on each USB.
photographs, you’re organising the shoot,
If you do three jobs a week, that’s roughly 150
You can buy USBs in bulk for $5 each or less,
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44
jobs a year and potentially $1500 extra profit.
to mark up your prints sufficiently to cover
And all you have to do is add a line to your
unexpected results.
invoice each time you do a job.
However, is $15 enough? Looking at the
the post or by the courier, you should be able
Benchmarking results, over half the respondents
to replace them without spending your own
are already charging extra and most of them
money.
quoted in the $1 - $50 range. I’m guessing many
of them are charging at least $20 or $25 for a
should be charging at least $200, just in case
USB or DVD, so the extra profit per year could
you had to print them again.
be much more than $1500.
often there’s a clogged head, the paper gets
If you’re not already charging separately for
For instance, if the prints get damaged in
So, if the prints were costing you $100, you
If you print your own, you know how
the USB/DVD, this little tip alone will save you
a roller mark or the print head needs repair.
the cost of your AIPP membership for many
You should charge your prints out as though
years to come.
you had purchased them from a lab so the
Not Just The USB
extra margin covers your cost of owning and
So what happens if your clients want you to
running a printer.
upload the file? Well, there should be an FTP
upload fee of course!
be appropriate for some commercial
photographers (many have a margin of 300%
While not many photographers are currently
While doubling the cost might
charging an upload fee, around half of those who
and 400% on smaller items), it’s not how
do are charging $50 or more and if you’re doing
domestic photographers generally work.
150 jobs a year, that’s an extra $7500 profit.
small ‘sitting fee’, hoping the client will like the
It’s important to note these costs to your
A portrait photographer often charges a
client when you send them your quote or
photos enough to order some prints. The price
proposal (so before the job, not afterwards), but
of a print for this type of business needs to be
because it’s such a small figure in the scheme
5, 10 or maybe 50 times the price of the print
of things, and because it is seen as merely
because the client isn’t buying a piece of paper,
recovering your costs, it is rarely objected to.
rather the image printed upon it.
Give it a try on your next job.
In summary, look at how you can add value
How Much Margin?
to your photography by providing add-ons, and
Whether you’re producing prints for a
make sure your markup is sufficient to cover
commercial or a domestic client, it’s important
their real cost and your profit too.
•
45
Nikon D5 or Canon EOS-1D X Mark II? Both Canon and Nikon have introduced flagship professional DSLRs recently, but neither have the highest pixel count. So what is it that professionals want and what are the new features that still make these two of the most versatile workhorses around?
46
With the Olympics happening later this year,
and web reproduction. In years gone past, a
we shouldn’t be surprised that both Canon and
professional camera would demand the highest
Nikon have released new professional DSLRs
in reproduction values available, but today,
that are squarely aimed at sport photographers.
20-megapixels is already as good as 4x5” sheet
film was in the days of film, especially when
However, surely this isn’t their only market
and if so, why are they only offering 20-21
you’re using top quality lenses.
megapixel sensors? Is it true that professionals
Versatile Operation
don’t need more than this?
So, rather than more pixels, Canon and NIkon
Is 20-Megapixels Enough?
have opted for more features and both these
To put this question in perspective, a
cameras excel in operation.
20-megapixel sensor in the early days of digital
photography was considered quality nirvana.
which are cross-type sensors; the Canon has
WIth a 20-megapixel sensor, you could do
a 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type AF
anything - so the fact that we can purchase
points.
36, 50 and 100-megapixel sensors may put an
unnecessary spin on our views. I would estimate
as yet, but in comparison to the one or three
that more than 95% of professional images
points we started with years ago, these are both
could be appropriately shot on a 20-megapixel
incredibly fast and accurate autofocus systems.
camera.
-3 EV, meaning AF will work better in low
These new pro cameras seem to be
The Nikon boasts 153 focus points, 99 of
Whether more is better I haven’t tested
Importantly, both cameras now work at
predominantly aimed at sport and news
light and you can also use supertelephoto
photographers. For this reason, their sensors
lenses with teleconverters and retain full AF
are only 20-21 megapixels in size because
operation. And if you don’t mind using just the
this is all the market requires for magazine
central AF points (like you do with the previous
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48
models), the Nikon provides AF service at -4 EV.
simply because there are many other camera
Incredible.
systems out there that do almost as much with
far less weight and bulk. And if you fly, that’s
In terms of shooting speeds, the Nikon can
fire at 13 frames per second with full autofocus
doubly attractive due to limitations for carry-on
on every frame, the Canon streaks along at 14
luggage.
frames per second! No chance of missing a shot
So Who Is The Market?
now - although doesn’t the Panasonic Lumix
Don’t get me wrong. These cameras appear to
offer 4K capture and effectively 24 frames per
be awesome devices for both still and video
second?
capture (both offer 4K movies at 30 fps on
Why Not Mirrorless?
the Nikon and 60 fps on the Canon), but who
And I guess this is why a number of industry
will buy them? At around $8000 each (final
observers are wondering if these pro DSLRs
prices are yet to be determined), they are not
might be the last of a breed. When you look
inexpensive and five to 10 times the price of
at technology today, why do we need a
consumer DSLRs. You can buy a lot of lenses
reflex mirror and an optical viewfinder when
with the savings on a cheaper DSLR. And there
electronic viewfinders are so good and you
are fewer professional photographers earning
don’t need to worry about so many moving
sufficient profits today to afford these cameras,
parts?
so part of the market has to be the enthusiast.
As Paul Burrows from ProPhoto magazine
So, how long will the DSLR design last? Are
asked both Canon and Nikon at the respective
the big companies so entrenched with the
camera launches, if you really wanted to impress
DSLR market that the beancounters are holding
us, the new cameras would be mirrorless and a
back the R&D departments on purpose? Or do
lot smaller and lighter.
these companies disagree with the industry
pundits and think mirrorless cameras are just a
And here’s the rub. Professional cameras
have been larger and heavier than consumer
passing fad?
models because they need to be tougher and
weather resistant as well.
led the market. They still do in terms of features,
but as a beacon for the future, one wonders if
However, carrying two of these cameras
In years gone past, the professional cameras
around all day at a wedding would not be fun
this is a sunset design.
and I’m sure the sport photographers wouldn’t
be too upset if a few kilograms were shaved
amazing cameras.
off their camera bags as well. Weight is an issue
Congratulations to both Canon and Nikon View more at their respective websites.
49
The Daintree Photography Workshop 2016 11th to 17th May
Presented by Les Walkling with Peter Eastway This contemporary photography workshop is for anyone who has ever wondered ‘what lies beyond’ the mastery of software and hardware, and what lies beyond the production skills, workflows, clients, competitions, and associations. In other words, this workshop is for anyone who has ever wondered ‘how do I get to the next level’ and beyond? This is so much more than perfecting your workflow or making lasting impressions with your pictures, it is also about your confidence and sophistication as an artist.
www.leswalkling.com
www.petereastway.com
Register for this workshop now at: http://www.leswalkling.com/bookings/ My co-presenter is the remarkable Peter Eastway (APP.L, GM. Photog., FNZIPP, Hon. FAIPP, Hon. FNZIPP, FAIPP). Peter is an incredibly gifted educator, mentor and communicator, and one of my closest friends. We encourage, inspire and support one another, and aim to do even more for you. The venue is the James Cook University Daintree Rainforest Observatory education and research centre in far North Queensland. It is one of the few areas in the world where the ‘reef meets the rainforest’ and the only place where two World Heritage Areas, the Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef, sit side by side providing an unforgettable experience in a unique and inspirational learning environment. With our chefs and support staff taking care of everything else, you will be free to explore, refine, and extend your photography, and thereby change not only your relationship with your ‘hardware and software’, but most importantly take your pictures and yourself to the ‘next level and beyond’.
Enquiries Ph: 07 4725 4860
50
E: events@leswalkling.com