Master Photography - January February 2015

Master Photography JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • £7.95

PHOTOGRAPH PHOTOG RAPH BY RICHARD CRAIG

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MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Master Photography Vol 11 No 5 • January/February 2015 4

Awards

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News

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Presidential Profile Faye Yerbury and the Yerbury story.

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Creating a Purposeful Business with Catherine Connor of Aspire Training.

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The Medium and the Message Clare Louise talks to You and Your Wedding editor Maxine Briggs about photographers and the opportunities offered by the magazine world.

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Strips in the Studio Steve Howdle looks at the use of long narrow softboxes to add dimensional quality to portraiture.

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Richard Bradbur Bradbury’s y’s Reciprocity: Lying Eyes Starting a new series, Richard Bradbury examines how Photoshop changed our way of seeing, and shows examples of retouching to achieve planned results.

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Licentiateship: Richard Craig Ambitions in the world of fashion for a young photographer with a love of light.

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Master Photographer of the Year: Jason Banbury The full story of Jason’s success from an unlikely base west of Carmarthen.

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Digital Delivery: selling images on USB and DVD With information on the latest on-line sales regulations and a review of new USB/DVD packages from top labs. David Kilpatrick rounds it all up.

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Thinking Bigger: Brendan Hall and the Pentax 645Z Award-winning associate Brendan, and his latest calendar project for the Matt Hampson sports charity.

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Cherubs Update Dates for your diary and more from Ray Lowe and the Cherubs team.

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Test Report Report:: Nikon D750 Richard Kilpatrick tries the new 24 megapixel all-rounder.

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MPA Client Contract update

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Regional News

Cover: by Richard Craig, who achieved his Licentiateship in 2014. See story and pictures from his submission, page 28.

BROUGHT TO YOU WITH THE SUPPORT OF MPA TRADE PARTNERS, SPONSORS & ADVERTISERS

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MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 •

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Master Photography Awards day a winner CEO Clare Louise FMPA Tel: 01325 356555 e-mail: [email protected] President Faye Yerbury FMPA Tel: 01501 744909 e-mail: [email protected] Management Team Paul Wilkinson FMPA (MPA Chairman) Tel: 01844 290054 e-mail: [email protected] Steve Ramsden LMPA Tel: 01904 479063 e-mail: [email protected] Ray Lowe Hon.FMPA Tel: 01992 636152 e-mail: [email protected] Directors Deborah Selwood AMPA Tel: 0115 944 7727 e-mail: [email protected] John Parris FMPA Tel: 01450 370523

e-mail: [email protected]

Paul Cooper FMPA (Qualifications) Tel: 01904 416 684 e-mail: [email protected] Dave Thexton LMPA Tel: 01229 835035 e-mail: [email protected] Collin Davies LMPA Tel: 01792 883274 e-mail: [email protected] Phil Flowers LMPA Tel: 01458 273144 e-mail: [email protected] Paul Inskip LMPA Tel: 01243 861634 e-mail: [email protected] Head Office Contacts

MPA, Jubilee House, 1 Chancery Lane, Darlington DL1 5QP Tel: 01325 356555 Fax: 01325 357813 Website: ww w.thempa.com Membership Amanda Buckle – [email protected] Cherubs Noel Davies – [email protected] Cherubs Direct line 01325 952529

MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JAN/FEB 2015 ISSN 2042-0234 Vol 11 #5 published for the membership of The Master Photographers Association six times each year Icon Publications Limited Maxwell Place, Maxwell Lane, Kelso, Scottish Borders TD5 7BB www.iconpublications.com Publisher/Editor in Chief: David Kilpatrick Hon. FMPA Tel: 01573 226032 Mobile: 07971 250786 email: [email protected] Midlands Office: Richard Kilpatrick RTK Media, The Grange, North Kilworth, Leicestershire LE17 6NE Tel: 01858 882105 Mobile: 07979 691965 email: [email protected] Icon Publications Ltd can accept no responsibility for loss of or damage to photographs and manuscripts submitted, however caused. Responsibility for insurance and return carriage of equipment submitted for review or test rests with the owner. Views expressed in this magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of The Master Photographers Association, Icon Publications Ltd or its advertisers. All technical data and pricing information contained in news and feature articles is printed in good faith. While all advertising copy is accepted in good faith, neither Icon Publications Ltd or the Master Photographers Association can accept any legal responsibility for unjustified claims or the quality of goods or services arising from advertising in this publication. All contents including advertising artwork created by Icon Publications Ltd are copyright and cannot be reproduced by any means without prior permission. ©2014 Icon Publications Ltd. E&OE.

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THE MASTER Photography Awards 2014/15, held on October 19th at the Hinckley Island Hotel, proved a great success. Paul Cooper FMPA (right) was surprised and delighted to be presented with an Honorary Fellowship by Clare Louise. The Print Foundry expertly created a three-storey image display (below) and the Cherubs workshop (bottom) was packed to sanding room only. To see the winners, visit www.mpaawards.co.uk

J

ohn Parris, Paul Cooper, Paul Inskip, and Paul Wilkinson have joined the Board of Directors. Bringing with them a combined wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise that will greatly benefit and enrich the Association. Paul Inskip, his regional committee and membership have revived South East Region acitivty. Paul has been working with us to help create our beautiful new Cherubs branding, the Cherubs website and our new awards website. We wish him every success with the region. A very positive change to the board is the introduction of a Director of Qualifications– with Paul Cooper as our first. As a qualification and mentoring body it is vital that the head of qualifications is involved at board level. Paul has been working extremely hard with us to reevaluate and redesign the entire qualification, mentoring and judging system. “Qualifications are the bedrock on which the MPA stands”, he writes. “If we are to differentiate MPA members from other photographers we must use something that is quantifiable. It is no good telling the public that MPA members are the best photographers unless we can back up that claim with facts. So, in a meeting between Clare Louise, Er ic Jenkins and myself at the beginning of 2014, a plan was formulated. “A structure was developed that clearly defines the qualifications system, is measurable, and provides feedback to the candidates (and judges) that is genuinely usef ul. The core of this new system has now been converted to an on-line browser based 'judging app' so that, with the correct training, the system can be used worldwide with very consistent results. “With a position on the NEC now specifically responsible for qualifications, the MPA board has confirmed commitment to and support for the new system. My immediate vision is to expand the resources available to candidates with plans to launch on-line critiques and educational material; to set up a structured mentoring system; and to train more judges so that we have a larger pool of resources to draw upon. The board has agreed the formation of a qualifications committee to enable this vision to become reality and I will be putting together the first meeting and action plan in the coming weeks.” So as you can see, we are taking big steps forward in our journey to build a stronger association to nurture your growth as professionals and raise public awareness of the value of pro MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 •

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NEWS

send your news items to [email protected]

Sony A7 Mark II introduces 5 axis sensor stabilisation to FF

EVENTS DIARY January 14th-18th 2015 The Societies’ Convention Trade Show 16th-18th Hilton London Metropole Hotel www.swpp.co.uk January 30th-Feb 6th 2015 Photo Training Overseas Hotel Playa Arenal, Tenerife www.pto-uk.com Feb 26th-March 5th 2015 WPPI Convention MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada www.wppionline.com/ wppi-show.shtml March 8th 2015 The London Photograph Fair Bloomsbury Holiday Inn, Coram Street, London WC1N 1HT 11am-4pm, admission: £5 www.photofair.co.uk March 21st-24th 2015 The Photography Show NEC Birmingham www.photographyshow.com April 21st 2015 Photovision Roadshow Royal Highland Showground Edinburgh, Scotland www.forwardevents.co.uk May 12th 2015 Photovision Roadshow Wigan, DW Stadium www.forwardevents.co.uk May 14th-16th 2015 London Photo Festival www.londonphotofestival.org June 10th 2015 Photovision Roadshow Royal Windsor Racecourse www.forwardevents.co.uk July 4th-Sept 20th 2015 Les Rencontres d’Arles Arles, France www.rencontres-arles.com August 29th-Sept 13th 2015 Visa pour l’Image Perpignan www.visapourlimage.com October 18th 2015 Hinckley Island Hotel, Leicestershire The annual Master Photography Awards exhibition, trade show, seminars and dinner www.mpaawards.co.uk

SHOWN here with an LA-EA4 E-mount to full frame A-mount lens adaptor, and a nonstabilised Carl Zeiss 135mm ƒ1.8 lens, the new Sony A7 MkII squeezes a five-axis in camera sensor based stabilisation into a body slightly thicker and heavier than the original A7 or its A7S and A7r stablemates. The SSS is designed to work with OS in-lens stabilised lenses as well, especially for video, where both systems combine. The left-right, up-down, pitch, yaw and roll correcting mechanism has the same functions as Olympus 5-axis IS but is not identical

(even if Sony’s stake in rescuing Olympus helped them develop it, as many think). The MkII also has faster start-up, faster AF, better tracking at 5fps, and some improvements to the 24 megapixel sensor which may justify the £1,700-ish price

as stocks hit the stores. The handgrip has been redesigned with the shutter button and control wheels repositioned, and the new model is not compatible with older battery grips, camera base L-plates and so on. Sony has also announced a large roadmap of lenses, impressive but split over four different format/mount product ranges. www.sony.co.uk

A new Phase for ALPA’s craftsmanship PHASE ONE is now shipping the first A-series medium format camera systems, blending the best of Phase One and ALPA technology with highly-integrated precision components. The three Phase One A-series models are the A250, A260 and A280. They are based on the ALPA 12TC mirrorless camera body, plus a Phase One medium format IQ2 A-series digital back – the 50 megapixel CMOSbased IQ250; the long-exposurecapable 60 megapixel, full frame IQ260; or the highest-resolution 80 megapixel full frame IQ280. Each model comes with the wide angle 35mm Rodenstock Alpar lens. There are two optional lenses available, the ultra-wide 23mm, and the long standard 70mm ALPA HR Alpagon, both offering perfect edge-to-edge sharpness and the ability to resolve full frame medium format sensors. Exclusive to the Phase

6 • MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

One A-series are the models’ factory configured in-camera lens calibrations, making the need to create and apply color cast correction profiles (LCCs) optional. You can simply attach an A-series lens and start shooting. The three A-series Rodenstock Alpagon/Alpar lens profiles are factory calibrated. Using the new firmware, photographers select the lens used and corrections are then automatically processed in camera and when importing to Capture One Pro 8.1 . A new version of Capture

Pilot permits checking images wirelessly on an iOS device to validate focus, exposure and composition. The A250 can stream Live View wirelessly too. Each model is serviced as a complete system, with a 5-year warranty. For camera specifications and more details, please see: www.phaseone.com The Phase One A250 is priced at 36.000 EUR / 47,000 USD. The A260 is 38.000 EUR / 48,000 USD, and the A280 is 43.000 EUR / 55,000 USD.

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NEWS

send your news items to [email protected]

ADOBE BUYS ON- WEX VOTED LINE PICTURE WHICH? BEST LIBRARY FOTOLIA ONLINE RETAILER ON DECEMBER 12th, Adobe announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Fotolia, a leading marketplace for royalty-free photos, images, graphics and HD video, for approximately $800 million in cash. Fotolia will be integrated into Adobe Creative Cloud, providing Creative Cloud members with the ability to access and purchase over 34 million images and videos, simplifying and accelerating the design process. Adobe also plans to continue to operate Fotolia as a standalone stock service, accessible to anyone. “The acquisition of Fotolia will reinforce Creative Cloud’s role as the preeminent destination for creatives,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Digital Media, Adobe. “Creative Cloud is becoming the go-to marketplace for the creative community to access images, videos, fonts and creative talent, through critical creative services like Fotolia and our new Creative Talent Search capabilities.” With over 3.4 million members, Adobe Creative Cloud features the world’s leading desktop tools, an array of complementary mobile apps, training content, creative assets and services and ready access to a dynamic community. Creative Cloud is transforming how creatives find inspiration and deliver their best work – and the value of Creative Cloud is increasing all the time through product updates and new capabilities like Creative Talent Search. Following the completion of the acquisition, Adobe expects to integrate the delivery and purchase of stock assets into Creative Cloud. Founded in 2004, with offices in New York, Paris and Berlin, privately-held Fotolia is owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., TA Associates and management. Fotolia currently operates in 23 countries and has websites in 14 languages. Until the transaction closes, each company will continue to operate independently. Upon close Fotolia CEO, Oleg Tscheltzoff, will continue to lead the Fotolia team as part of Adobe’s Digital Media business.

TETENAL EURO B&W AWARD

WHICH? magazine’s latest survey – based on feedback from 10,000 of its readers – has placed Wex Photographic ahead of John Lewis and Amazon when it comes to its customers’ online shopping experience. The only matter on which the retailer won less than the very highest marks was for pricing – but, even so, it still gained four stars for that. Wex’s website came in for particular praise from the Which? readership– “the website is easy to use with good detailed information and competitive prices,” and that Wex is seen to be “helpful and efficient.” Chief Customer Officer of Wex Photographic, Louis Wahl, comments: “Making the extra effort… is what makes Wex stand out amongst other camera retailers.” Wex currently has a blog and YouTube channel in addition to its website, which offers over 16,000 photography related items. www.wexphotographic.com

AADUKI FIRST TO INSURE DRONES AADUKI MULTIMEDIA has con firmed that it now offers cover for photographers or video makers who are using unmanned aerial systems to work. Nik Stewert, Director of Marketing & Business Development at Aaduki Multimedia said,“as far as I am aware, Aaduki is the only specialist UK photography and video insurance provider able to offer cover for the use of drones.” Vince Brown the Operations Manager said, “Our policies cover the use of unmanned aerial vehicles all risk, in flight or in transit plus we can extend the cover to include Public Liability, Employers Liability and any cameras you choose to hang off them! We can also extend cover to outside of the UK if required. All our policies comply with CAA regulation as well as EC 785 - 2004 the EU regulation governing the use of these drones. We are also the recognised


insurance provider for SUAS the Society for Unmanned Aerial Systems." “However, our existing customers should not assume that they have this cover as we now have a dedicated policy that will be different from many that are already in place so if a customer has a policy with Aaduki I would advise them to give us a quick call to check”. Aaduki Multimedia has taken the lead with Insurers to arrange these policies to ensure that those photographers and video makers that use these machines are covered properly. Nik Stewert said, “Our customers should still carefully check the regulations governing the use of these vehicles before purchasing them and should speak to their Insurers – do not automatically assume these would be covered by a standard policy.”

European Black & White Classics Award

www.since1847.tetenal.com

TETENAL is launching a Europewide black and white analogue photographic competition. “Analogue photography is still very much alive and kicking and finding a new audience with the likes of Lomography and film projects by Ferrania and Impossible,” says Tetenal’s Marketing Manager Craig Bird. His company is seeking the European B&W Analogue Photographer of the Year. Entries must be submitted as an analogue B&W print in portrait, reportage/lifestyle, architecture, landscape and wildlife categories. Prizes include a trip for two to Hamburg (location of Tetenal’s European HQ), hand made silver halide photo books and vouchers for Tetenal Darkroom products. Few photographic competitions seemed to celebrate the traditional photography of the darkroom and Tetenal aims to fill that gap. www.since1847.tetenal.com

Tethering and Tubes FUJI have announced a USB tethering solution for professional studio work with the X-T1. Currently available only for Windows, HS-V5 V1.0 will be available from January 2015. Fuji have also added two fully electronic extension tubes for the X system. At £69 each, the MCEX11 and MCEX-16 offer AF and aperture control with XF lenses and are precision engineered with metal mounts. www.fujifilm.co.uk

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PRESIDENTIAL PROFILE Faye Yerbury is the MPA’s new president for 2015

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014 went in a flash for world-leading West Lothian-based portrait photographers Trevor and Faye Yerbury. In what has been a remarkable twelve months the husband and wife photo-team have been celebrating the 150 year anniversary of the eponymous Yerbury Studio business – alongside a number of very recent groundbreaking photographic achievements. The Yerburys, renowned as art nude and international high society wedding/portrait photographers – and pretty much a household name in Scotland – have now successfully raised their profile on the world stage with three more prestigious accolades. With their mantelpieces already at breaking point with the weight of scores of key photo-awards gained over the past two decades, including coveted Kodak European Gold Awards and exclusive Portrait Photographer of the Year honours, the couple must now find room for more. At the 2014 Societies Convention Annual Awards they gained a Lifetime Achievement Award from the photoindustry. In July they were awarded direct Fellowships from the Royal Photographic Society for ‘outstanding contributions’ to photography. RPS President Derek Birch said: “This very special direct Fellowship honour is only ever given to individuals who have a national or international reputation.” Then, in October, Faye was elected as only the second female National President of the MPA. Faye said: “I am absolutely thrilled with my appointment as National MPA President – it’s a very great honour – and I guess that infamous ‘glass ceiling’ for women has been breached yet again.”

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Faye’s ‘new image for 2015’ official portrait… taken by husband Trevor E. R. Yerbury using the system they have been working with recently after years with large format, medium format, and DSLRs – the Fuji X-T1, with its 56mm ƒ1.2 portrait lens. Lighting with Bowens flash. Below: one of Faye’s classical portraits of a favourite model, Fredau.


Faye, who picked up a hattrick of national wins at a key photographic convention in London in 2009, was named the SWPP Bridal Portrait Photographer of the Year with a highly unusual shot of the back of a bride. In 2007 as part of a photographic commission for the Townhouse Group, the award-winning duo sourced over 250 iconic wall-art images from their own archives for each bedroom and suite in the Glasshouse boutique hotel in Edinburgh. These awards and landmark events all happened in 2014 – almost as if to mark a century and a half of Scottish professional photography by one family. The Royal Photographic Society Fellowships were by election not submission, to recognise their position in the photographic world.

Studio history Edward R Yerbury, who travelled from London after graduating from the London School of Photography, first established the firm of E R Yerbury & Son in Edinburgh in 1864. The studio was located on the corner of Hanover Street and Princes Street – opposite the National Galleries of Scotland (relocated to Churchill in 1912). His son, also Edward R Yerbury, joined the family photographic business in 1903 until his retirement in 1949. He specialised in portrait and art nude photography, which was exhibited worldwide in International Photographic Salons. He exhibited at the Royal Academy of the Professional Photographer in London in 1930. His entry – depicting the master, treasurer and assistants of the Company of Merchants – was reported as “generally acclaimed as being the Picture of the Year” [Daily Record] . Shortly after the war Edward Reuben Yerbury was invited by the French Government to Paris in 1945 to undertake a specially commissioned portrait of President de Gaulle. This was the first official portrait of General de Gaulle to be taken after the war. This was in appreciation of the portrait studies of de Gaulle taken in Edinburgh by Yerbury in 1942. The original image, signed by both De Gaulle and Edward Yerbury remains in the Yerbury archives. Edward Reuben Yerbury had a long association with the Edinburgh Photographic Society. Replying to a toast at the 1930 EPS Annual Dinner, he recalled that he had been associated with the society as far back as 1895 when as a schoolboy he first exhibited snapshots at the society’s exhibition. He returned to Edinburgh Photographic Society, in January 1940. His subject, probably delivered by showing his colour cine film, was: A Tour Round Africa. This

Trevor and Faye Yerbury today, top. Left, the Princes Street/Hanover Street studio, operated from 1864. Above, Morningside Road, the firm’s base from 1901 to 1974 Left, the distinctivesymbol also used as a watermark for today’s work. For more information visit www.yerburyportraits.com

film was made during a trip to Capetown, Basutoland, The Victoria Falls, Bulawayo, Rhodesia, the East Coast of Africa, Zanzibar, Aden, Cairo and the Mediterranean in 1839. [The Evening Dispatch, January 27th 1940] In 1937 Edward Roper Yerbury, Edward Yerbury’s eldest son, emigrated to Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, where he became manager of the photographic department of Messrs Lennon Ltd. He was an enthusiastic Rover scout, and he represented Matabeleland as a longjumper at the Empire Games athletic trials in Salisbury in 1937. He was Secretary of the Rhodesia Photographic Society when it staged its exhibition in Bulawayo in July 1939 On 9 September 1939, Edward Roper Yerbury married Miss Patricia Taylor, niece of Sir Percy Fynn, Acting Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia. Edward Roper Yerbury

was visited by his father and mother, Edward Reuben Yerbury and Grace Philp Yerbury, in 1939 on their Tour Round Africa. He was expected to return to Edinburgh to run the Yerbury photographic business but died following a tragic motorcycle accident in Bulawayo in June 1940. Instead David Stenhouse Yerbury, younger brother of Edward Roper, who had married Blanche Elizabeth Margaret Daniels in 1950, took over the family photographic business on the death of his father in 1952. David Stenhouse Yerbury had two photographs accepted in the 1954 exhibition of Professional Photography in London, a portrait and an architectural study. At the time he had recently been awarded Associateship of the Institute of Portraiture and was Vice President of the Scottish Centre of the Institute. He

later became President of the Scottish Centre of the Institute of British Photographers, and was appointed Official Photographer for Scottish Rugby Union and the palace of Holyrood House. Trevor E R Yerbury, son of David and Blanche, came into the business straight from boarding school in England in 1969, and in 1974 after seventy-three years working from Morningside Road in the south of Edinburgh the company moved back to a more central base in Howe Street in 1976, but remained there for less than ten years. Soon after his father’s death, the Yerbury studio was closed and Trevor began to work from home. Yerbury Studios opened again in the 1990s. The company expanded rapidly, specialising in wedding and portrait photography as Yerbury of Edinburgh, from their fourstory studio at East Claremont Street in Edinburgh’s New Town employing over 20 full time staff. However, in 2003 Trevor and Faye Yerbury closed this studio and moved to West Lothian in order to spend more time on their creative photography. Trevor and Faye continue to offer fine art portraiture to their clients and they also travel widely throughout the UK and Europe giving workshops and seminars. They have held several exhibitions of their Fine Art Nude images and you can see more of their work by visiting www.yerburygallery.com The Yerbury archive consists of mainly original unique platinum/palladium images. Several of the images, including Andrew Carnegie, J M Barrie and King George IV have been made from large format glass plate negatives, some 25 x 20”. This year Yerbury celebrates 150 years in business making it the oldest portrait photography business in the UK, and perhaps further afield, still being run by a direct descendant of the founder. Á

MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 11

CREATING A PURPOSEFUL BUSINESS W

hat did 2014 teach you? A question to ponder is – if the business could speak, how would it describe your year? The start of any year can be very daunting, as witnessing a year to conquer is not for the faint hearted, it’s for the passionately driven entrepreneurs. You might not see yourself as an entrepreneur; you may be more comfortable seeing yourself simply as a photographer. Yet if you’re in business you’re both; as a creative your photography will be essential to you, yet the aspect of earning a decent living, will naturally always draw your attention to being purposeful within the business. I will not be the first to say that you need to be passionate about your business, nor will I be the last either, as it’s true. Develop a burning passion for all you do, review each thread of your photography menu through the eyes of your consumer. With their eyes, see your business as they see it. Today’s style of marketing is all about engagement, creating engagement and being engaged. Become alert

to the ‘learns’ of the previous year, reflect on your business, how you serve and what you serve. Your ultimate goal is to be as effective as possible; call it ‘purposeful’. Building a purposeful business, driven by your passion, will be the prefect blend of ingredients steering your towards success. Whether this is your first year, or you have conquered many years in business; evaluate, evaluate and if in doubt evaluate some more, as you want to be as effective as possible. Study the product – your ‘heroes’ that made you a mighty fine income, could those products achieve more? If not why not? Then study the products and services that are not performing enough. Study what needs to be changed and improved. Don't be tempted to do the same old, same old, as you will be in danger of achieving the same old, same old. Your goal is to work less and achieve more. Being purposeful is about being effective. You want to ensure this before you take too many bookings for the business. How does it operate? What

does it achieve? And most importantly how does it affect you? Give yourself permission to make changes, whether that's how you shoot, what you shoot, through to what and how you retail. Retail is vital to the development of the business; it’s where your profit might be hiding. Your role is to get the best out of the business, to find the potential wherever that may be. Evaluate each thread with a mission to ensure the business is as purposeful as it can be. It's one of the most important tasks to achieve at the start of the year, before you stride too far into a new year. Á For more information see www – aspirephotographytraining.co.uk

Catherine Connor, Managing Director of Aspire Photography Training, has created a training company with an international reputation for excellence. Over 3,000 photographers including some of the best in the business have travelled through the programmes designed by Aspire.

Join Catherine Connor and Aspire Training for a complimentary webinar 23rd Jan 6.00pm till 7.00pm. Dedicated to Creating Your Best Year Yet 6.00pm till 7.00pm with Aspire Photography Training. To register email [email protected] or call 01524 782200.

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THE MEDIUM AND THE MESSAGE Maxine Briggs, editor of You & Your Wedding magazine, talks to Clare Louise about publishing potential for photographers

Y

ou & Your Wedding is the UKs number one bridal brand, with a bi-monthly print magazine and the industry-leading website youandyourwedding.co.uk together reaching 1.3 million brides and grooms each month. The magazine has been the go-to guide for brides for 30 years and is published by Immediate Media in London. You & Your Wedding is a sponsor of the Master Photography Awards and a valuable partner for the MPA, as well as a medium that MPA members can use to reach a premium wedding market, both through advertising and by submitting the right content for editorial features. MPA CEO Clare Louise spoke to editor Maxine Briggs (right) about what brides are looking for from their wedding photography and how members can raise their profiles in the specialist wedding press.

Clare Louise: What are the benefits, for a photographer, of being featured in a magazine?

Maxine: The exposure offered by a magazine feature is obviously very beneficial, as you’re getting your work in front of the very people who are looking to book amazing wed ding photography. When a stunning feature catches a bride’s eye, she is going to look that photographer up. There’s also an élite cachet to having a print feature. We only publish a limited number of weddings per year, and it’s tangible – something you can hold on to forever.

flowers to the cake and stationery. Group photos, while very important to the family and for the album, aren’t something we tend to feature, and we don’t usually run party and dancing pictures. What is a magazine editor looking for from real life weddings in terms of photography?

There’s no set formula, but we are very interested in the details. Fantastic photography is obviously a must, so we are looking for a great use of light; couple shots where the bride and groom look confident, relaxed and romantic; and clear, beautiful photographs of the details. But we receive so many lovely wedding submissions and have to say no to so many – even when the photography is good – that it often comes down to what colour schemes, theme ideas and different details each particular wedding contains.

Maxine Briggs – “You’re getting your work in front of the very people who are looking to book amazing wedding photography” PASSION FOR FASHION Taking inspiration from style icon Carrie Bradshaw and their love of New York, Louisa and Ben threw a fun, fashionable and fabulous city wedding Photography | Cat Hepple

GRAPHIC DETAIL Thestationerywas designed byLouisaandoneof her bridesmaids.Thevibrant designincludedhanddrawnNYClandmarksand colloquialvocabulary.

What shots appeal to your readership – today’s bride – and why?

Our readers are most interested in ideas and details, so we focus on running photographs that offer lots of inspiration, whether it’s a beautiful and unique veil or hairstyle a real bride has chosen or all of the amazing reception touches, from the

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R E K C I W R A W N A H B O I S : S D R O W

Above: a typical spread featuring pictures taken by Cat Hepple at a colourful wedding with a New York and Louisiana styled theme. Note how the colour scheme has created a ‘look’ for the spread. MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 15

How can you get the attention of a magazine editor if you have never approached one before – and how can you build a relationship with a magazine editor? The best way to approach a magazine editor is to send a quick email introducing yourself and a link to a really standout wedding that you would like to submit – one that showcases your talents as a photographer but also that’s just a really amazing, creative, stunn ing wedding with lots of details and ideas readers will want to steal. It’s best not to send in links to a million weddings at once as that can be overwhelming; really edit yourself down to that best one or two. And don’t take it personally if it’s not accepted; the decision often comes down to how many weddings of a certain theme or colour scheme are already in the pipeline. If your submission is accepted, keep in mind that magazines are working very far ahead and only publish a limited number of times per year, so there will often be a wait for your feature to be published. Please be patient with us!

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What personally appeals to you and makes you take that second glance? Well, anyone who follows me on Twitter will know I’m obsessed with dogs, so wed-dogs and great pictures of other cute animals at weddings always catch my eye! In all seriousness, I personally love loads of beautiful flowers and gorgeous natural light.

photovalue.com 16 •


●

In your opinion, what is it the bride is looking for from both her photographer and their photography? Brides are looking for someone they feel comfortable with – they’re inviting this person into the inner circle on the most personal and intimate of days – and someone who is going to make them look and feel beautiful. They’re also looking for someone they can trust to capture every detail they have lovingly picked or made. With today's technology moving as fast as it is and photography in general becoming more and more easily accessible, how important is it to invest in a professional qualified photographer? Smartphone photos are great and it’s fantastic to be able to capture and share so many moments from the big day in an informal and instant way, but it’s more important than ever to invest in a professional photographer. Those are the pictures that end up framed in your home and in your keepsake wedding album. Also, couples are putting more of themselves and their personalities into their weddings, with so much time and effort going into personalised and perfect details. The professional photos are the one way you can keep that magic alive forever. Á Twitter: @maxinebriggs Facebook: youandyou rwedding www.youandyourwedding.couk

LO CALL 0800 0845 750 [email protected]

STRIPS IN THE STUDIO In his continuing series on studio lighting, light shaping and essential techniques Steve Howdle looks at long narrow softboxes – strip lighting

I

am often asked about which modifiers I prefer to use for photographing people and the short answer is I really don’t have a preference because each subject suits a different kind of light. However, when asked which modifier I prefer to light a specific area of an image, such as hair or as a separation light, then that becomes a little more simple to answer. One type of modifier which is useful for many varied applications is the strip light and the images reproduced here were created using the Elinchrom Rotalux strips which come in three sizes – 90 x 35cm, 130 x 50cm, and 175 x 33cm. The latter is an indirect light source so the head sits within the unit. This first image (right) probably demonstrates the most obvious use of a strip lighting technique. Two 175 x 33cm indirect strip lights were placed on either side of the subject around 2m apart and facing each other. The very narrow profile of these modifiers and the even distribution of light on the front diffuser makes them ideal for full length body shots. The characteristics of these lights create great modelling and relief emphasising the sculptural qualities of the subject, in this case a fitness model. Positioning of the subject is crucial as the slightest movement of the subject can produce very different results. For example, in this case, if

E L D W O H E V E T S

Steve”s camera position for this shot was in front of and below the beauty dish shown in the arrangement, top.

© S H P A R G O T O H P


the subject moved around 15cm to 20cm further from the camera position then the light would spread across the front of the subject removing some of the directional, shadow creating light, producing a much flatter result. The optimum position to show muscle tone may not however produce the best light on the subjects face with a deep almost black shadow down the centre. In this example the shadow was relieved a little by the addition of the 70cm Maxilight (beauty d ish) around three stops lower output than the strip lights. Just enough to lift but not remove the depth of the shadow. If you are looking for a light source to create full length images with the maximum a mount of modelling then these lights with the very narrow profile are essential. The smaller 130 x 50cm striplights are often chosen to light a figure but if you require a full length shot you will find that you need to move the strips further from your subject and in doing so the light fall off is not as rapid and has a wider spread. You could move the subject to the edge of the light source but then you have to control the unused light to prevent it from spilling into areas that you would prefer to be darker. A better solution if you are using these smaller strips is to use the optional Lighttools Grid and Frame which replaces the front diffuser with an ‘Egg Crate’ and has the options of 50°, 40° and 30° spread which adds much more separation, depth and control.

A softer look For the next two images I used the 175 x 33cm strip as key light positioned 90° to the right of the camera and a second strip, the smaller 130 x 50cm, positioned to the back of my subject at around 45° to the camera. I wanted to take advantage of the rapid fall off that the large strip light creates but to also use 18 •

The background effect is added using an optical mini spot attachment and gobo pattern.

its softer quality. The model was directed to turn her head towards the light source ensuring I lit the right hand cheek but keeping her body straight to camera for a rapid light fall off across her body. To avoid her right side blending with the background the second strip was directed to rim light her frame to create separation without compromising the shadow area too much. For the image above, a tighter crop was used and the model lit in exactly the same way but with the addition of a third ELC 1000 ProHD light fitted with a Mini Spot Light and Gobo to add interest to the wall. 85mm lens, ƒ11. As photographers we are always on the lookout for new ways to light our subjects and strip lights offer many possibilities for all t ypes of social and commercial photography and in my next example I am revisiting an old technique,


E L D W O H E V E T S © S H P A R G O T O H P

Clamshell lighting.

With this form of lighting one light is place directly above the other with the lower angled up and the higher angled down toward the subject. I have read a few discussions on how this is achieved with some suggesting that a modifier placed above the subject pointing down and a reflector placed beneath for fill-in is clamshell lighting. In my opinion that is butterfly lighting with reflector for fill-in. A clamshell is made up of two almost identical parts and in this case I am using strip lights, two 90 x 35cm Rotalux strips. Two ELC 1000 ProHDs were used with the strip boxes positioned horizontally angled towards each other and about 1m from the subject. I opted to shoot with a 135mm lens and I wanted a shallow depth of field so each head was set to the same low output to achieve ƒ5.6 at ISO 100. Both soft boxes had the inner and outer diffusers fitted and a quick measurement showed that these boxes at this distance showed only 2/10ths of a stop difference from centre to longest edge. They achieved a very clean look with the familiar horizontal catchlight present. A change of background from a white paper roll to a black background, which is in fact one of my poly board flags, demonstrates how easy it is produce quite a different feel to the overall image by choice of background colour.

Clamshell catchlights STUDY the

images and you’ll see the hallmark top and bottom long catchlights from this skin-flattering lighting method. We have reproduced one shot in the original colour as well as the glowing, brighter high contrast toned monochrome so you can see the quality of this light when a natural result is required. Credits – Model: Keira Lavelle Makeup Artist: Sarah Taylor MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 19

20 •


Single source For my final image I chose to use the 90 x 35cm strip box for its soft but directional quality. I wanted to light a specific area and shape without contaminating the rest of the environment. The light source was placed directly above my model using a boom arm for ease of positioning. This enabled me to light just the model and the sofa but the light fall off created by this strip added some nice mood creating shadows reminiscent of the ’50s Hollywood style era using an 85mm lens at ƒ3.5. If you have been on the lookout for another modifier to add to your arsenal and wondering which one would give you a different enough look then maybe you should consider the strip box. For me, in the Elinchrom range, a good starting point is the 130 x 50cm. It’s a great compromise of size versus cost

There’s a wide range of strip soft boxes now available and prices can start low. The Lastolite Hotrod 30 x 120cm above is sold by The Flash Centre at only £120. It’s ideal for lightweight location use and has a direct fitting for Ranger Quadra heads. The Rotalux 50 x 130cm, left, offers superior light quality for hardworking studios, at £204. The 33 x 175cm with indirect lighting (head inside the box, very deep) will set you back £679 but delivers the most even light of all.

and will be great for product and people. It is also worth remembering that Eli nchrom heads have the very handy accessory tube located next to the flash tube so the addition of a deflector can change the output and the tonal qualities of the light. In summary strip lights are great modifiers for people photography. Their ease of control makes them ideal choices for all types of lighting situations whether they are used for separation, highlighting, rimlighting and keylighting which only scratches the surface. With careful consideration to the correct strip light for the job in hand you can make your life very easy, make setting up very quick, and produce great creative lighting with ease.

Ì

See – www.stevehowdle.com www.theflashcentre.co.uk


O

ne Saturday evening my wife and I had some friends over for dinner. Being nonphotographers it was only a matter of time before one of them posed the question the most commonly asked of every photographer. “So, do you airbrush all your photographs then?” I couldn’t help noticing a certain level of distain in his voice. The resulting discussion began with me explaining that the term “airbrushing” was actually incorrect as no airbrushes were used these days but yes I do ‘retouch’ every image and frankly so does virtually every other photographer in the world working today. The real issue is: Do we think it is acceptable and, if we do, then why do members of the public have such an issue with retouching? It’s all to do with the morality of changing reality. But isn’t that what cameras and lighting have always done? Isn’t that the very skill that they pay us for? The term ‘airbrushing’ originally referred to the process of retouching images with an airbrush directly on to the plate, negative or print with the intention of improving the image (usually a portrait) or indeed adding colour to a black and white original. Until the 1860s Daguerreotypes were hand bru shed to achieve the desired effect. The painstaking process often left visible brush marks on the image so the availability of airbrushes, developed especially to do fine flawless paintwork, was a revelation to the industry. The demand for images with no scars, blemishes, or dodgy skin went through the roof and this led, in the late 1800s, to airbrush factories being built to deal with the voracious appetites of the ‘beautiful people’. Suddenly the girl next door could look like Cinderella and so could her ugly sister! With the invention of celluloid the appeal and use of photography expanded hugely and airbrushing got cleverer and ever more realistic. Greta Garbo graced

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RECIPROCITY

THE RISE OF LYINGEYES In a new regular column award-winning photographer Richard Bradbury FMPA seeks to answer a big question – when and how did it become acceptable for the digital retoucher, if not the camera, to lie? the screens and the film noir influence spawned a thousand polished black and white faces. But the snap shot was coming to the common man. Eastman Kodak’s Box Brownie originally launched in 1900 enjoyed enormous success for over half a century in various different guises and it was placed firmly in the hands of the ‘amateur photographer’. He couldn’t do any of that airbrushing stuff as he’d bought a camera You just can’t hide those lying eyes – Photoshop from 1.0 to 7.0 featured an eye logo. From CS onwards, it’s been feathers, leaves, and butterflies…


originally specifically because he couldn’t paint! So we had the first examples of un-retouched images being the norm. From the mid 20s onwards the infamous premiership of the Joseph Stalin introduced the world to the power of airbrushing used to specifically to alter reality. Thousands of photographs were doctored to remove anyone who had fallen from Soviet grace and they were literally airbrushed out of

history. This is when it all gets complicated because the market for photography starts to subdivide itself with both amateurs and professionals. The kit became ever more advanced and super specialized with large, small and even medium formats available. News reporters were, and still are, addicted to the power of the true untouched image whilst fashion, portrait and product photographers do everything they can to bend the photographic art to their creative vision. The social history of respectable retouching began to take a bashing as a better informed public grew increasingly aware of being sold images of beauty that were not always what they seemed. It was a company called ‘Hipgnosis’, started in the 1970s by the enigmatically named Storm Thorgerson that first captured my imagination whilst training as a graphic designer. Their extraordinary, surrealist work on album covers for bands like Pink Floyd and 10CC inspired me to enter the world of professional photography. These guys were the masters of creative photographic post production and interestingly usually shot with black and white film and added colour by hand for greater control over the finished image. So ‘airbrushing’ or ‘retouching’ had finally come of age and was accepted as a true creative skill. But there was another great revolution in photography just around the corner. The introduction of ‘digital’ brought with it many disagreements about the true quality of the photographic image and the value of the photographer’s unique skill set but with computer software the possibilities were endless. In the late 1990s a white box with Adobe Photoshop emblazoned upon it landed on the desk of my Soho studio. I quickly fired up my Macintosh computer rippling with the power of a 500MB hard drive and 16MB (count them, 16 megabytes…) of RAM. My

life as an advertising photographer had changed forever. I had previously spent hour after hour, often late into the night, sitting next to a spotty, B.O. smelling digital artist down at Tapestry. He was tapping away at a half million pound PaintBox machine to interpret my every creative desire. It was painstaking and frustrating work. Now I could do it all from my own desk top only requiring my local lab to scan the chosen transparencies for me and supply a neat hi-res digital file. This era sadly spawned millions of would be digital artists who, lacking hard earned photographic skills, would fumble their way through clients briefs like backseat teenagers on a first date. This made it harder for all of us to establish the fact that the best place for a retouch was with the original photographer. I retouched my way through dozens of 48 sheet poster and national press campaigns with that copy of Photoshop 1.0 and will never forget spending days painting detailed masks then applying a filter to process overnight with the raw power of 16MB of RAM whirring away. Terms like ‘cloning’ and ‘D.P.I.’ became part of the daily vernacular in my studio and soon we were spending as much time on post production as we were on actually shooting the original image. It was still a luxury though with large fees being charged for the final effects and still the independent retouchers were regarded as the place to go for top end results. Agency discussions about the relevance and requirement for retouching on a given job were commonplace with the emphasis being on getting the work done ‘in camera’. In the mid-90s the market changed when everybody got a Mac. Magazines were using retouching on every image and the skin perfect Supermodel was born. Other software brands like Imaginator and Live Pict ure came knocking on the photographer’s door but the dominance of

Y R U B D A R B D R A H C I R © S H P A R G O T O H P

Skin and hair retouching is notoriously difficult but this composite did start with the image on the left, below. Learn the skills, nothing’s impossible!

Adobe’s mighty Photoshop was truly established in 1994 when Photoshop 3.0 introduced Layers, but they don’t have it all their own way. Programmes such as Portrait Professional now offer great solutions unique to portrait photographers who don’t need the whistles and bells approach offered by Adobe. Everything is flexible and corrections can be edited at will by just about everyone. So going back to my dinner party, over a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape, the skin specialist doctor informed me that there are more than 3,000 skin diseases and over half of them can effect the face. The model explained that every image in her book has been retouched, and the nutritionist assured us that a bit of retouching works a lot better than even the most perfect diet. The online book retailer was in favour of anything that makes his covers more saleable and the advertising planner just wanted her ads to look the very best they can. Yes… I do have great dinner parties!

When it comes down to it retouching is basically just another tool to help the photographer create a better image in the most effective way possible. In this respect it is no different to the choice of composition, lighting, styling or dodging and burning in a darkroom. Whether it’s plate, film or digital the same rules apply. We know that the camera does lie but the essence of photography, its USP is that it is the most believable art form in the world so your retouching has to be flawless. Post production is not a license to fix your ill-shotten images. Good retouching has to be relevant, effective but most of all invisible. Ironically, the better the work is the more

the public have a problem with it. In my opinion retouching only becomes a problem if it seeks to mislead the viewer for clandestine purposes and this can be in the hands of an actor’s agent or a political dictator. You can’t ban cars because they sometimes run people over. Skin softened, tummies flattened and legs lengthened. All in the name of art and commerce. So we are left with a sceptical public who often complain about retouching because they think it is not a true representation of the scene. That’s until its their own portrait we are talking about… then, of course, a little bit of Photoshopping is always welcome. If people didn’t want to look their best in photographs then there wouldn’t be any professional photographers. Be careful what you wish for! – Richard Bradbury FMPA Á If you would like to comment on this issue please email Richard at [email protected] or visit the new website below

RECIPROCITY with Richard Bradbury FMPA An advertising and editorial photographer best known for his Guinness World of Records set-pieces, Richard is now offering a helping hand from concept to finishing

www.reciprocity.photo MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 •

23

Olly Hicks – Ocean Rower Step by step by Richard Bradbury

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The client brief was to produce a dynamic image of ocean rower Olly Hicks at sea capturing the excitement of a raging ocean. The only problem was that the boat was not seaworthy at the time so we shot it on the beach in Cornwall, with a little help from Elinchrom Rangers, two assistants armed with water buckets and a little bit of Photoshopping which you can see in stages from top left to bottom right.

Y R U B D A R B D R A H C I R © S H P A R G O T O H P


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LICENTIATESHIP

RICHARD

CRAIG R

ichard Craig is a young and ambitious Glasgowbased photographer who has progressed from part-time to full time status, and in 2014 achieved Licentiateship of the MPA. Ten years after his first college qualification success, it’s been a long haul with reliance for many years on jobs in delivery and supermarkets. Like many photographers, Richard was of little value to the academic targets of schools and didn’t get serious attention to dyslexia until his late teens. By that time he’d already decided he would be a photographer, and also that he would take his own path creatively. He’s very much into natural light, rarely using flash, and also into unprocessed colour and look. “I’m currently doing about twenty weddings a year”, he told us, “and nineteen out of twenty bridges prefer bright, natural images to the contrasty dark gothic look which is popular in Scotland.” This is also reflected in his portfoliowork with fashion models from Milk Management, London, and Model Team Scotland. This has followed his early test shoots with volunteer models at college and through Model Mayhem, the online exchange linking photographers and aspiring models. One of his models here (Craig, top right of this page) is familiar from a Haig Club whisky advertisement featuring David Beckham and the Scottish landscape. Another picture which has been wellregarded is the ‘blue’ shot on our cover, taken for the mod-

28 •

el’s portfolio. “I scouted the location, and photographed Laura MacFarlane on the last day of decent light before winter set in – though it was very cold. It’s at the Transport Museum in Glasgow.” He’s also done swimwear in Portugal with Laura, and recently a venture into the deserts of Doha (the orange


The black and white work here is all for magazine editorials. Richard says he found the Licentiate process and the critique of his work valuable – even down to noting the judges’ reservations about that foot posed against the lamp-post. MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 29

dress, facing page, for Obscure Couture, in No 1 magazine). Outdoors and in ‘found’ interiors he hunts down Richard uses Nikon D3/D3S by existing light. In the studio he uses Bowens kit bought “by doing three years of ASDA night shift”. For the Victoria Middleton “guns to head” pose he just used a Nikon SB800 flash, but for pictures on this page, it’s all the soft beauty-friendly ambient light he likes most. Richard is a great fan of Loxley albums – “real materials, real leather… we have such a good relationship.” He also uses OneVision and has started using 3XM’s deal of 10 mounted prints with their USB stick. “OnLine Picture Proofing is used for most of my selling and distribution”, he says. “It’s fantastic for weddings”. When we asked to see more of his work, he created an OnLine PP lightbox and a password same day. For his fashion work, he uses SquareSpace – “a clean simple website, easy to use”. As for ambition, he’s heading for the fashion hubs of Paris, London and New York. So – watch this space… – DK

Á www.richardcraigphoto.co.uk 30 •


All photographs © Richard Craig MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 31

32 •



Images courtesy of the Master Photographers Association.

The Photography Show is the premier platform for professional and aspiring photographers. Join us in March and discover the latest kit and accessories from world-class brands, explore our interactive live stages and gain access to a wealth of information and networking opportunities to enhance your photography business.

Register today for free (saving £18)* at:

photographyshow.com 34 •


* Pre-registration closes on 16/03/2015, visitors buying on the door will need to pay the standard adult ticket rate.

JASON BANBURY International and UK Master Photographer of the Year 2015, Fashion and Beauty Photographer of the Year, and Best Licentiateship of 2014, Jason went west to establish his studio in Carmarthenshire. He offers exceptional creativity and technical quality which families, students, and a younger generation of clients can afford.

J

ason Banbury had no idea, attending the 2014 Master Photography Awards, that he was going to walk off the stage with the highest accolade of all – International Master Photographer of the Year, encompassing the UK title and beating off formidable competition from the MPA’s prolific and brilliant Far Eastern stars. He was there to receive a Licentiateship of the MPA, which he had earned earlier in 2014 with a set of varied images representing his fantasy portraits, model and theatrical set-pieces, baby and child photography. In the event, he won the Best Licentiateship Panel of the Year and Best Licentiate Photographer of the Year and that alone would have sent him back to Wales with a huge smile. Then he learned he had won the UK Fashion and Beauty title, and that of course left him almost exhausted by the excitement of the evening. This was followed by the UK title. Getting up to make that long walk to the podium for the big ultimate presentation, made by animal master Tim F lach and Grace Turner from major sponsors The Photography Show, Jason had the whole room cheering and clapping. In the morning, he looked just as happy and posed for us with the framed wall print of his top winni ng image – the cover shot from our Masters of Photography 2015 annual – made by exhibition sponsors The Print Foundry, whose huge vertical banners had dressed the Hinckley Island Hotel atrium for the reception the night before. Jay – as he’s known – has

Grace Turner of The Photography Show and famous animal photographer Tim Flach present Jason, centre, with his award and certificate.

Jason stands proudly with the huge – and per fectly detail ed – framed print made from his fashion and beauty winning image by awards day sponsors The Print Foundry (www.theprintfoundry.co.uk).

caught a wave, as anyone studying on-line photo blogs and Facebook will know, some of the most popular photographs are created and most certainly made, not ‘taken’. The co-operation of models, often working with the photographers rather than for them, along with make-up artists and costume or prop designers is a vital part of editorial and advertising work but now extends into the private commission world as well. Jason’s photographs are not records of ideas or looks created by others. Along with partner Lorna and artist Lorraine Taylor, Jason and his team design the elaborate props, costume and makeup and creates the settings and background s before undertaking his own Photoshop retouching. The finished result is very much a collaboration and not just a record photograph of others’ art. Writing this month on his updated website, he describes his business to potential customers as “a creative, family run studio with a unique and distinctive photographic style, specialising in Fairytale Artistry: beautiful fairies, mystical wizards and mighty warriors.” This puts the styling into context. “No stone is left unturned in the creation of our themed portraiture work”, he says. “We invest in and design detailed costumes, amazing sets and stunning photographic effects, to create bespoke, and imaginative galleries which families will enjoy for years to come”. Most of this is, of course, for children from toddlers to young teenagers and the expensive props are not


exclusive to one customer. But they are also not like the mass-portraiture seasonal themed outfits and props sold by US companies. They may not be unique to the customer, but they are at least unique to the photographer. There isn’t someone else taking inferior pictures with the same props and sets down at the shopping mall. Jason and Lorna are regularly found at antique shops and markets seeking out inspiration and props for their latest concept. They also regu larly commission local craftspeople to produce key pieces for their sets; from joiners to blacksmiths, seamstresses to artists. “If you are looking for run of the mill style photography then we are not the team for you”, Jason says of his work with partner Lorna. “If you are looking to create fabulous memories then you have come to the right place and we look forward to hearing from you!”. Jason has been a professional photographer for seven years. Prior to this his background was as an IT security specialist, working with major blue chip companies both in the UK and overseas. “Being at the forefront of technology allowed me to develop skills that I was later able to translate into my photographic work”, says Jason. A move to Wales in 200 0 also saw the start of his interest in photography. Like so many photographers before him, what started as a hobby soon emerged into something far stronger and, in 2007, Jason took the li fe changing decision to bid farewell to the field of IT and set forth on a new career behind the lens. Initially his journey encompassed the fields of motorsport and architectural photography, then in 2010 Jason’s photographic c areer turned its focus to portraiture when partner Lorna, herself an award win ning designer, joined forces with him, bringing her creativity and business background to the mix. The couple live in the 36 •

rural farming community of St Clears, near Carmar then, working from their studio in the village high street, conveniently just a short drive from their home – a stark contrast to Jason’s roots in the city of Manchester. “Living and Working in such a beautiful part of the country is an amazing position to be in”, he says. “I gain inspiration not just from the landscape and scenery surrounding us, but also from the people… West Wales is simply a fantastic place to live and we are always delighted at by the support shown to us by the local communities – even if the arrival of ‘The Fairy Photographers’ was initially a shock to some!”

The Banbury team

Adult make-up and costume portraiture


Jason ta lks w ith enthusiasm about ‘the team at Banbury Photography’ and it’s plain to see the strong bond that this creative group of individuals have. Partner Lorna runs much of the day to day admin of the business and is the first port of call for new clients – at ease with little ones, she brings a female touch to the shoots and is usually found with a Ted in one hand and a bottle of soapy bubbles in the other. “It’s important to us that our clients enjoy their time with us”, Lorna says, “and also that they have one point of contact from booking through to their final gallery viewing, which I undertake personally for all private portrait sittings”. Supporting Lorna in the day to day admin of the business is her younger sister Heather who joined the team in 2012, at the same time as artist and stylist Lorraine Taylor came on board to realise and develop the Fantasy Art aspect of the business. “Lorraine is quite simply an amazing talent”, says Jason. “She is able to take ideas and make them a reality, and the time we spend discussing our next creation and shoot is one of the favourite aspects of my work”.


A perfectionist by nature, Jason often spend months planning and detailing their signature fantasy art shoots with his team. “We make most of our accessories and props in-house and this can take both time and patience”, he says. “I also believe firmly that ‘the devil is in the detail’ and regularly drive everyone mad with tweaks and alterations”. It’s this eye for detail that has led him to execute consistently creative top quality images to a winning formula. Anyone who has seen the very large prints at the annual awards will realise that this is not just a creative win, it’s also a technical win. The lighting, focus, overall pixel peeping quality of Jay’s work makes images which work at wall size as well as on the mantelpiece.

Children’s themed portraiture

Warriors and wizards It’s a great theme to appeal to young boys – and a few girls who fancy being warrior princesses or witches! Smoke machine, dry ice, special lighting effect and very reallooking props make the experience unforgettable for the young clients who become actors on their own stage for the shoot. 38 •


Jason and Lorna have created a unique experience for their young clientèle – from Pirates to Coal Miners, Fairies to Wizards. Each theme involves the creation of an actual set for children to sit in – “we feel it’s important, not just for our images but also for our visitors, that they feel part of the setting and theme” explained Jason. “For us, green screen is simply not an option”. Creating a relaxed and fun environment for younger clients is equally important and each shoot is tailored to the individuals – “our studio is always filled with the sound of laughter”, he says, “and of course the occasional ‘battle cry’ during Warrior Days… I’m never quite sure what our neighbours must think, especially when the fog machines are on at full pelt!”. The drama of their sittings often includes theatrical props such as dry ice and glowing balls, creating scenes that visitors delight in. “Watching a little Fairy’s face light up when they perform a little ‘magic’ with their wand is one of the highlights of our

The large studio facilities and space for lighting from all angles give Banbury Photography the ability to handle commissions like this drum school promotion, part of Jason’s licentiate portfolio. Jason works with a range of studio lighting types, and shoots on Nikon full frame camera models, usually with 24-70mm ƒ2.8 G lens. Below: newborn photography in a whimsical style has been popular ever since Ann Geddes publicised it. These props are in a different class, and there’s no Photoshop or green screen used. All the pictures on this spread are from Jason’s Best Licentiateship of 2014 panel.


Becoming a real fairy in a real studio set – a theatrical experience for the young sitters. As with many of the studio’s images, the strong colour theme is what makes this picture work so well, contrasting with the little girl’s beautiful hair and skin tones.

shoots”, smiles Jason, “and Lorna is such a natural with children that even the most shy of clients is soon hanging on her every word”. Affordability and visible pricing are also important to the couple – “we always set out to ensure that our themed work was accessible”, Jason explains. “By listening to our clients we have developed a range of collections that we believe represent great value, for what we believe is original and unique portraiture”.

Adults too Jason’s unique themed portraiture also extends to adults and this includes clients as well as models.. Fantasy makeover sessions are a popular choice for teens, mums and even the odd grandmother – “we work with our clients prior to their sitting”, says Jason. “This includes a complimentary consultation with the team and use of our costumes and accessories. We often create a 40 •

unique piece of jewellery or headpiece for a client’s sitting – it’s all part of the service”. Adult fantasy portrait sittings can last from t wo hours to a whole day – “it’s a great slice of ‘me time’, that’s for sure!” smiles Jason, “and we always ensure that our clients have a fantastic time with us – as well as a few great images of course”. It’s these images which powered Jason’s International Master Photographer of the Year win. Their core Fantasy art is usually undertaken with professional models and involves weeks, sometimes months of planning, drawing inspiration from many sources. “It’s important that we match our models to our concept”, explains Jason. “I love working with models who have great personality – it’s very much a collaboration during our theme sittings and I find that if a model is able to embrace our ideas and concept, the images undoubtedly shine more as a result”.


Dance One of Jason’s earliest portraiture genres was the field of dance and he has a special empathy with ballet, working with local dance schools as well as professional dancers. “There is something so elegant yet powerful about this particular form of dance and I enjoy creating lifestyle images that celebrate this union”. As well as ballet, Jason reg ularly works with gymnasts and f reestyle dancers – “ah, the powder shoots”, he laughs. “A lot of fun and great images, but you should see the studio afterwards…”

Awards and the future 2014 has been quite a year for Jason and his team, scooping up awards regionally as well as at National Level . “It’s been a fantastic first year as a member of the MPA”, says Jason. “Lorna and I have been warmly welcomed to the Welsh Region by the committee and

members, and, the support and enthusiasm shown towards our work by the association in general has left me feeling both humble and proud – and very inspired for the year ahead”. –MP Á Jason’s cur rent titles: International Master Photographer of the Year 2014/15 UK Master Photographer of the Year 2014/15 UK Fashion & Beauty Photographer of the Year 2014/15 Welsh Commercial Photographer of the Year 2014/15 Welsh Under 5s Photographer of the Year 2014/15 Welsh Pet & Animal Photographer of the Year 2014/15 Photographs © Jason Banbury To see more and follow Jason’s progress, visit: www.jasonbanbury.com

supporting creative excellence

Photograph © John Baikie

“Colour, sharpness and saturation is all spot on, and results are incredibly consistent. That’s exactly what I need and, in my opinion, silver halide is still by far the best print technology around.” – John Baikie

ABIPP ASWPP LMPA printed

on Fujicolor Crystal Archive by One Vision Imaging

Fujicolor Crystal Archive Digital Pearl is a paper with ne visual acutance and full saturation, praised by photographers for whiter than white highlights, vibrant colour and superb shadow detail. Developed for use with all mini labs and medium to large-scale printer systems, Crystal Archive Digital Pearl is a silver halide paper containing pearl mica pigments and metal oxides which combine to give purer whites and sharper, better-dened highlights. Optimised for digital systems, the paper has a thicker base and higher stiffness for a high-quality look and feel. With superb archival permanence, images printed on Crystal Archive Digital Pearl will look as fresh in the future as the day they were taken. Portrait and wedding photographers will nd the paper ideally suited for albums and display prints and will marvel at the high level of detail and colour achieved. This is a paper which dees the ageing process. Your clients will love you for it.

Other papers in the Fujilm Professional Paper Range • • • • • • • •

Fujilm Crystal Archive Type II Fujilm Crystal Archive SUPREME Fujilm Crystal Archive DPII Fujilm Crystal Archive DP TRANS Fujilm Crystal Archive FUJITRANS Fujilm Crystal Archive FUJIFLEX Fujilm Crystal Archive ALBUM PAPER Fujilm Crystal Archive WRITEABLE

For more information on the full range or to request a sample print please call Peter Wigington on 01234 572138, or email: [email protected] or visit www.fujilm.eu/uk/products/photonishing/photographic-paper/ MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 41

Fit for the future Y

ou don’t get to be voted ‘Best Professional Photographic Laboratory’ by members of the SWPP unless you’re going the extra mile to provide great quality products backed up by excellent service. And that’s exactly what One Vision has been doing for the past 35 years (in its own right since 2007 and prior to that under the Colab umbrella). Based in Coventry, One Vision services a diverse range of clients and prides itself on the fact that all of them receive the kind of tailored personal attention that only a professional lab is capable of providing. The expectation of high quality printing is a given, and it’s Fujifilm’s silver halide media that are still the premium products on which the reputation of the lab is carried.

“Our customers are a mix of professional photographers and commercial clients,” says One Vision’s MD Derek Poulston (above), “and naturally they expect the highest standards from us on all fronts. The extra level of service we provide and the guaranteed quality and consistency of our print output is why they use us, and this is what differentiates a professional lab from one operating in the consumer sector. We all use the same machinery, we pretty much all use the same paper, so it comes down to the professionalism and skill of our staff and their ability to achieve supreme quality standards to justify the difference that exists in pricing structure.” Why Fujifilm silver halide papers reign supreme: • There is a sound business rationale underpinning the fact that Fujifilm’s silver halide papers, in the form of DPII and Crystal Archive, are the bedrock of the One Vision enterprise. • While inkjet technology has a role to play, and Derek acknowledges that it does have its place in the market, it’s still silver halide that’s the flagship product in terms of quality and value, and it explains why the vast majority of One Vision’s output is still based around traditional paper. “Inkjet processes can deliver fantastic results,” acknowledges Derek, “but silver halide still has the edge in terms of quality – offering better colour saturation and sharpness, and price points that are compelling too. It’s basically a superior product. It’s still cheaper to work with at the moment – and long may that continue to be the case. We rely on silver halide papers and it’s very much in everyone’s interests that we continue to work with this technology: the quality hasn’t been surpassed yet, and it’s still the media that professionals want us to output their prints on.” 42 •

One Vision has a reputation for being one of the most forward- thinking professional labs in the country and there are plenty of reasons why silver halide prints are still vital to its agenda ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

e i k i a B n h o J © y h p a r g o t o h p t i a r t r o p d n a g n i d d e W

The optimum product Scottish Highlands-based social photographer John Baikie echoes that sentiment. He’s been so impressed with the quality of One Vision’s service that he’s been a customer of the lab for the past fifteen years. “One Vision has been a great lab to work with,” he enthuses. “Staff are really helpful, the


service is second to none and, most importantly, the quality of the prints they produce for me is first class. Colour, sharpness and saturation is all spot on, and results are incredibly consistent. That’s exactly what I need and, in my opinion, silver halide is still by far the best print technology around.” One of One Vision’s major partners is Zenfolio, who specialise in producing websites for professional photographers where work can be

For more information on the Fujifilm professional paper range or to request a sample print call Peter Wigington on 01234 572138, or email: [email protected]

“In my opinion, silver halide is still by far the best print technology around” – Leading social photographer John Baikie ABIPP ASWPP LMPA

showcased and then ordered directly by clients online. After a two-year search Zenfolio settled on One Vision as its UK fulfilment lab and, for John, that’s made his whole print ordering process so much easier. “Because I know that I can trust the lab implicitly I’m happy for them to send prints directly out to my clients once they’ve been ordered from my Zenfolio site,” he says. “This speeds everything up massively: if everything had to come up to me in the Highlands

first for approval that would be another layer and it would add at least another couple of days to the process. Instead One Vision sends prints direct to my clients and that allows turnaround times to be really fast. It’s a really good system for me, and it’s never let me down.” One Vision tailors its service to fit whichever client it is working with, and the lab goes to remarkable lengths to guarantee its trademark values of consistency and quality right across the board. A key component of this is the fact that virtually all the orders that come in are colour graded using the lab’s bespoke software before they’re sent across to be output on the lab’s Fujifilm Frontier printers. It’s an extra stage that’s designed to ensure optimum results. “While we might expect our customers to handle such things as sharpening and cropping, we’ll look after the colour, density and contrast of every file that comes into the building,” says Derek. “When we went through that transition from film to digital lots of photographers were delighted, because they felt that now they would have full control over their colour. In reality we probably saw more colour issues in the field than ever before, because now photographers were trying to become printers and, to be brutally honest, the vast majority of them failed miserably.” “Now probably around 99% of the photographers who come to One Vision just give us the files and say ‘you do it’. They rely on us to look after everything. It’s just what we do and it’s why they pay a little extra to use us. There wouldn’t be such a thing as a pro lab if we couldn’t offer that level of service.” Along with the many photographers One Vision works with, including those working in the highly seasonal schools market, there are also

commercial clients that need a combination of high volume and fast turnaround, and once again it’s silver halide that’s the preferred media. During the time of the London 2012 Olympic Games the lab was working flat out to turn around prints of medal-winning Team GB athletes overnight for sale in a selection of outlets the following day – while more everyday requirements might be for background images designed to enhance a piece of sporting memorabilia, perhaps a framed signed shirt or maybe even a football boot in a bespoke case, or framed 360-degree shots of famous European football stadia or top sporting events, such as the Champions League or UEFA Cup Finals. Even pictures for items like illustrated key rings or fridge magnets are output on silver halide: the sharpness and quality of the smallest print still shines through on this media. So, given the considerable advantages of Fujifilm’s silver halide option, is it more difficult to handle than digital media? That may have been true in the past but these days modern methods have rendered the entire process extremely straightforward. “The chemistry is just so stable,” says Derek, “and the consistency of the paper is remarkable: it just never changes from batch to batch. It’s also very easy to store, and with the experience we have of handling the paper there’s never an issue with density, colour and contrast either.” When there is just no room for compromise Fujifilm silver halide prints, with their consistent supreme quality and their outstanding archival attributes, continue to hold sway – even in the modern digital age. More information: www.onevisionimaging.com


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DIGITALDELIVERY HOW TO PRESENT WORK ON USB AND DVD

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fter the market release of Superspeed USB 3.0 flash memory by Toshiba last year, in capacities up to 256GB and with prices typically as low as £20 per 64GB, the original USB 2.0 flash memory pen drives have fallen so much in price that most of the cost is now admin and postage. This is turn has made the product packaging and presentation even more important. While you can find any number of services offering to put your studio logo and details on to a custom USB stick, even the most attractive key-fob, retracting or folding memory sticks don’t look like the £1,000-plus value you will deliver to a shoot-and-burn wedding client. To counteract this you can buy jewelled, precious metal or real wood cased devices but even these need the same sales presentation as actual jewellery – a beautiful keepsake box, or a dedicated album back cover with a recess. Some of the latest USB devices are so small you could build them into a ring or a pendant. Makers like SanDisk maintain a fu nctional design, but add value with features like SanDisk SecureAccess software letting you create a partially or ful ly passwordprotected device, and Rescue Pro Deluxe file recovery. While you may be able to use these utilities on other brands, you may also not be able to, which makes SanDisk (already the most popular choice for camera memory cards) a good choice. Password-protected USB memory can be used so many ways to benefit your clients and your business. However, when delivering a USB driver to clients you may prefer patience to sheer speed. A set of fi les occupying 3GB can take anything up to

USB pen drives for your own use come in all shapes and sizes as well as speeds up to 260MB/s read and write – SanDisk’s tiny Ultra Fit, and much ‘cooler’ Extreme Pro.

Why deliver images on a ‘business’ USB? Styled products add value!

SecureAccess is provided with many SanDisk devices to encrypt files. Clients can be provided with a password.

10 minutes to copy to basic USB 2 sticks and you may be tempted to go for the latest very fast USB 3 backwardscompatible devices to allow copying in a minute or so. But for this, you’ll pay several times the price. There is also an overheating issue with some of the latest very miniaturised designs if the client decides to run a continuous slideshow. Because the memory itself is within the blade of the USB device, it has no heatsink and might damage the USB sockets of TVs or digital frames, and be a potential fire risk. The larger traditional USB devices which are not so easy to leave inserted into the USB port are safer. They are unlikely to burn the fingers of someone who removes one

after an hour’s playback! Suppliers are playing safe on this, and so should you. There’s no need to use cutting-edge Superspeed USB 3.0 at all, just enjoy the fact that its introduction has pushed the price of very fast, reliable standard USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 memory right down. Beware very cheap offers of small USB sticks under 2GB, in bulk or from screen printers who make them for product info packs and so on. These may even be USB 1.1, many are unreliable and can only be written to by specific (normally Windows) operating systems. Cheap memory is notorious for failing after a few uses, not the lifetime of playback expected from your images. Makes like Integral, King-

ston, Lexar and SanDisk are recommended. For serious photographic use – your own use, not client delivery – it’s tempting to get something like the near-invisible SanDisk Ultra Fit 64GB with 130MB/s read speed and around 40MB/s write, as it’s a pocket-money purchase, normally under £25 discounted. It’s also one of those prone to overheating. However, the same company’s Extreme Pro USB 3.0 128GB in a relative large metal casing (beautifully designed, see photo) has transfer speeds so fast your HD or SSD storage will find it hard to keep up. With 260MB/s read and 240MB/s write, they claim ‘transfer 1000 photos in 35 seconds’, based on 3.6GB of JPEG files – some sixty times faster than a typical USB 2.0 stick, which will take 35 minutes instead! Clearly you don’t need 128GB, or a memory module costing nearly £120, for clients. But you might well use one of these yourself. The modules provided by the labs and USB package creators will generally be 4GB or 8GB USB 2.0, the larger size becoming more affordable from 2012 onwards and many photographers finding 4GB just a little tight to fit multiple formats for image delivery. This is a decision you have to make – do you provide large finished JPEG fi les, in sRGB colour space to be compatible with most printing and viewing methods? Or do you create presentations as well, which put the images into order and add your own titles and credits? This need not be as long a process as you would imagine, and there’s no shortage of software including many almostfree downloads. Google Picasa and Apple iPhoto are good examples.


You can also add music, either royalty-free or selfprogrammed (not as difficult now for the non-musician as you would assume) unless you pay for the rights to use copyright material. Apple’s programs tend to need you to have the music saved in your iTunes library, which is tedious. Picasa for Windows in contrast allows you to select any MP3 file. Be warned however that most generic USB 2.0 memory won’t stream that 1080/50p conversion of a stills sequence you have produced using iMovie or Adobe Premiere, though the lower bitrate videos produced by Photodex ProShow Produce r should be safe. Using a specialist photographic program like ProShow also avoids the sheer overload on your computer processor imposed by the latest version of iMovie (for example) but it’s academic for Mac users as they do not have the choice, Photodex is still stuck in single-platform mode. It could be worth having a dedicated PC just to use ProShow and take advantage of its ability to create almost any size and format of selfplaying presentation. Most homes now have some kind of media player or a TV with a USB playback feature and it’s these which are most likely to cause you problems if you encode a slide show into the wrong video format. Other TVs and home entertainment boxes like Sony Playstation will play back stills, with zoom and scroll functions from the handset, but can be sur prisingly picky about the naming and format of your JPEGs. This is probably why most photographers don’t deliver in any format except as a collection of JPEGs. One very useful program to buy is Phase One Media Pro 1, not just for its ability to keep track of all your original raw and processed files. It has a completely free companion program, Media Pro Reader . You can create a Media Pro catalogue on the client’s USB device, and copy both Windows and Mac reader 46 •

On-line delivery and the new EU VAT

Photo: courtesy Smugmug

FROM THIS month, the business of selling digital downloads across European country borders became a little more complex. If you are based in a European country, have your own website, and accepts payments directly which initiate an on-line download in other EU states you either have to register for VAT in every different country you sell to (!) or in Britain use HMIRC’s Mini One Stop Shop – MOSS – to overcome the problem. To do so, you must be registered for VAT. There is no threshold limit for the new digital download VAT, in any country, so there’s no such thing as claiming your turnover is too small and you are exempt. Following pressure from the industry, an exception has been introduced which lets you register for MOSS VAT but keep your below-threshold status for your UK physical product and service sales. All we can say is, talk to your local VAT office and your accountant. Or… Don’t sell downloads directly from your own site. Sign up with one of the major on-line photo hosting sites such as OnLinePictureProofing.com , theimagefile.com, smugmug.com, Zenfolio.com because they are all having to tackle these new VAT regulations for their customers. Let them handle the transaction for ‘download on payment’ of your image files, and also handle the complex VAT within Europe, and any other issues worldwide. theimagefile.com has a 60- day trial offer for £1.00 with code MPA15, and offers a wide range of services from stock image download sales to print ordering. Smugmug.com, which has had a working relationship with Loxley Colour for some time, say they are “working on European VAT functions”. Their Power Account, at £38 a year, is mostly used to sell prints but does offer entirely free downloads, and a free App which allows clients to save galleries on their smartphone. The Portfolio account at £90 enables file download sales. Please note that these tax changes have no effect on print or photo product sales made on-line, and also no effect on payments made for files sent to the client on a CD/DVD or on a USB device. If you send the client files by email, Dropbox, Hightail or a similar service and they pay you by credit card or Paypal in a separate transaction, this is also not included. The VAT regulations from January 2015 only cover digital downloads automatically started by making a linked on-line payment (like software from Apple’s App store). Separate the payment from the file delivery and you’re fine.


programs as well. The catalogue can be linked to a full set of high-res images, or if you prefer can be stand-alone with screen resolution views embedded. These can also be protected from copying or printing, giving the customer the option to view an auto slide show, a lightbox or individual images with manual navigation. Media Pro has very good colours as you would expect from Phase One. If you have Adobe Creative Cloud , or any of the earlier Photoshop-related deals, you may have Adobe Acrobat Pro. This is normally used to create PDFs of documents, but it has a built-in feature to assemble slide shows from JPEG stills. All current computers support PDF reading as they have software provided with the system to do so – so do many media players, but not all. PDF slideshows or books can also be protected against copying or printing. Neither of these options allows the addition of music. So, apart from the presentation and packaging options we look at here for delivery of your USB product, I hope we’ve demonstrated here that ‘shoot to burn’ is not just a matter of outputting a load of JPEGs from Lightroom and copying them to a cheap USB stick to pop in a nice box. There could be just as much work involved in the preparation of the JPEGs and associated slideshows in custom players or video form, and if they are to play back at fine quality with a zoom function on a 50” television the read speed of the USB needs to be reasonable. Certainly, the unspecified USBs provided with packages will be fine for any still image use, generally sustaining 20MB/s or better. If you intend to deliver an HD – and in the near future, perhaps even a 4K – video created from your slide show, you may be better looking at products where you add your own USB stick capable of 45MB/s or better. – DK Á

MPA15


DIGITAL DELIVERY – TRENDS AND PRODUCTS

I

t’s fair to say that the first focused attention we paid to USB delivery products at Master Photography was a result of seeing the 3XM Solution from Irish entrepreneurs Photovalue at the Photovision Roadshows. The perfectly packaged devices, often encrusted with diamante and sparkling under spotlighting inside a perspex pyramid showcase, looked a million dollars compared to regular USB pen drives. Had these just been luxury USBs they would have been interesting, but 3XM’s packages included on-line photo gallery space (mini web sites) and a neat activation method. The photographer can buy a small stock of the presentation packs, including a box for the client to take away inside a neat mini gift bag, and activate the client’s benefits at the time of loading images on to the storage. The drives themselves are always beautiful, like the acryic and black lacquered metal masculine or minimal design shown here in contrast to the silver chrome with sparkle, ribbon and drawstring pouch. Now they are stepping the offering up by partnering with One Vision. A range of special print products can be ordered through the on-line galleries, with pricing set by the photographer. Just as Photovalue joins forces with one leading UK photo lab, another big name enters the USB field with a new product range. Loxley Colour launch their new books and boxes at the SWPP Convention this month in London. It’s been easy to

48 •

Above, a combination of stylish monochrome with substantial USB drives gives the 3XM Solution an exclusive look and feel. These drives weigh more, 33g for the acrylic/metal design and 30g for the diamante one. Regular USB drives are around 10g to 15g. Below: just part of Loxley’s complete new USB/CD range which is launched this month.


obtain albums with a rear cover to accept a CD/DVD for several years, and recently inserts for USB drives have been an alternative. Because of the bulk of some drives, the ‘credit card’ or USB key design is popular but Loxley’s preference is for a traditional drive. This could have benefits – heatsink function and possibly greater reliability. The new Loxley products use digital printing for neat smaller format books, with slipcases, and boxes. Mini albums, printed covers, printed media for the CD version and a wide range of colour choice should appeal for babies (Cherubs included), family, wedding and indeed for commercial and corporate uses. Since the details were under wraps and only released the week went to press, we have not been able to examine the products (which we have done with 3XM and Sim Imaging only in this report). After researching USBs for the first part of the feature, it would have been useful to have a wide range to run speed tests on. In practice both 3XM and Sim provided 8GB drives of different types, and speed tests showed only subtle differences. Every sample was able to read at between 20 and 25MB/s depending on image files sizes, and to write at between 5 and 10MB/s. Loxley offer 8GB or 16GB and a complete finished package including the printed work and the files saved to the media. Sim Imaging’s submitted products ranged from the very simplest “Shutter Love” magnetic closure box with


DIGITAL DELIVERY – TRENDS AND PRODUCTS

a natural wood drive to the “designer distressed” wooden boxes with a suitable bedding inside to nest a matching wooden cased drive. The lab’s transfer printing enables personalisation – like the black Mr & Mrs example on the left above – or supply of designs suitable for retail sale over the shop or studio counter. Both the other two could be sold as they stand, or loaded up commissioned photographs and video or slideshows. They make a neat complement to some of the natural wood frames also popular from Sim. One of the good things about reviewing these products is seeing the range of designs and styling. There’s

There’s something about Sim Imaging’s gift packaged USBs which reminds us of a crafts fair or antique shop

definitely no reason to stick with one supplier only. Your customers have wide ranging tastes and some may just the natural wood look, others going for 3XM’s sparkle. Two companies which seem to share a fairly austere design philosophy are Ireland’s Seamless (run by Padraic and Sonia Deasy, who were speakers at the Master Photography Awards) and the Japanese album-ma ker AsukaBooks. We’ve shown two Seamless products, for making up your own CD delivery box with lab or in-house prints inserted, and for housing a standard USB drive neatly, below.

The Seamless motto seems to match Henry Ford’s – but there’s no denying they have a consistent approach 50 •


Since Seamless’s corporate look is very black and white we would say these are more designed to suit the supplier, and look great on their website, than to suit every customer. But this is also what Padraic and Sonia teach – that your studio, and its output, should have a ‘look’ as recognisable as a trademark. Black boxes, black ribbons, black mounts, white mattes. The AsukaBooks USB case, bottom right, has a similar black and white theme but with Asuka’s excellent digital printing and paper engineering. It would have been good to check out the clear perspex compartment lid of the folding box, a very classy touch, but all we have is a photo. We asked our regula r lab advertisers and MPA trade partners for their solutions. Graphistudio executives had the busiest December imaginable, travelling the world and sealing a deal to pioneer a new Canon printing system. They don’t offer a USB solution and the first photographer’s web pages we looked at

where this was discussed also showed the first pre-launch glimpse of Loxley’s new USBproducts, being sold alongside Graphistudio albums as comparable in quality. This photographer also made a strong point about why a USB stick was now so much better than a CD – Apple Mac computers (desktop as well as laptop) no longer have CD drive slots, and what photographer would not want Apple Mac users as customers? Colorworld are also not yet offering USB products, and G F Smith and MTA have CD pages – clearly, any postbound or custom cover album has the potential to carry one of the credit-card shaped thin USB drives. Jorgensen offer a range of USB cases and albums. Both the 3XM/One Vision and Loxley marketing drives into the USB delivery field coincide with this magazine edition, and will be seen first at SWPP’s trade show in January, later at The Photography Show. It seems that this is a product whose time has come. Don’t be left behind. – DK

AsukaBooks – ideal for commercial as well as social presentation

Á

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Three into one does go!

T

he 3XM Solution (luxury USB presentation packages, left) and One Vision Imaging are joining forces to bring you the perfect opportunity to sell your images even after your client transaction is complete. Think about it. You hand your images over to your client on a digital delivery device or you sell products directly to your client and typically this is the end of your client transaction. Well not anymore! The guys at the 3XM Solution have partnered up with One Vision Imaging to give you more opportunities to sell products – just a few examples, right – even after your transaction with your client has ended.

So how does it work? By creating a beautiful online image gallery, your client can share their images via social media (note: as the images are not actually hosted on the social media platform there are no issues related to the recent copyright changes to Facebook). Every time the images or gallery get shared your brand and business details get shared too which is a great way to promote your business to future clients. Not only this, but the online gallery can be viewed on any device and even saved as an app on your clients phone. Super right? Well, it gets better.

Images that keep on selling Now, when your client (or their family & friends) view the online gallery they have the option to purchase products. As the photographer, you can decide which products you want to offer, view the lab prices for each product and very easily create a pricelist for your clients. The best bit? You keep 100% of the profits.

Beautiful products, fulfilled by a professional lab you can trust With a comprehensive range of products available from One Vision Imaging, you can relax in the knowledge that any products ordered by your clients will be of the highest professional quality. This solution means that even after you’ve completed the job you can continue to earn money from product sales. And since it’s completely free for you to try, you’ve got nothing to lose. Online Gallery ‘share & sell’ plans Unlimited online galleries with up to 100 images – FREE Pro250 – Online gallery with up to 250 images – £5+VAT Pro1000 – Online gallery with up to 1,000 images – £10+VAT

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LoCall UK 0845 0800 750 Intl: +353 1 457 0244 Email: [email protected] www.3xmsolution.com MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 53

THINKING BIGGER:

BRENDAN HALL C

olour White Photography is based in Market Harborough, in an enviable position occupying the former Station Masters’ residence above the Railway Station. Owner Brendan Hall has, with his team of eight staff, built an excellent reputation that has seen their business thrive despite running what is essentially a High Street Studio without the immense shop window. Brendan is an Associate of the MPA, and will be known to many for his award-winning portraiture. What his firm represents however, is a sign that in a mixed catchment area a solid reputation will allow a modern portrait focused photography business to thrive. As people pop in and out for viewings and ordering, it’s clear that a low-pressure, relaxed environment is working well. The setting of high ceilings, a large yet cosy studio with the essential Skytrax to keep the Elinchrom flash out of the way of clients and provide rapid lighting setup. Scent and light shape the calm, relaxing environment of Colour White’s studio and it’s easy to see a medium format system’s considered workflow naturally fitting in. Looking out over the railway and Market Harborough’s architecture, framed portraiture in different sizes acts as a strong reminder of what social photography is about. It also reflects that Brendan’s award-winning work is just that – his work – not necessarily a contrived or planned award shoot. With this established business, happy clients and more importantly, satisfaction with his creative output on full-frame 35mm Canon, introducing a relatively new

54 •

Using medium format 645 digital equipment sets Brendan Hall’s Colour White business apart from most regional studios. Richard Kilpatrick interviewed him.

It’s 645 – but with all the best best features of smaller smaller DSLRs


and unproven camera system could be seen as an immense risk. A period with a Phase One system seemed to confirm the popular perception of medium format – that it is fine for painstaking environments where there is time to adjust and reshoot for the very best results, yet unsuitable for fast-paced, one opportunity to get it right work. However, the benefits of shallow, controllable depth of field and large, detailed images proved too compelling, and six months ago Brendan’s determination to work with medium format digital resulted in a significant investment. He is one of the first – if not the first – professional social photographers working with the newest 645-derived system, Pentax’s 645Z. Such is the significance of this new system, Brendan has been kind enough to share his experiences with us. Pentax is not a newcomer to 645, as photographers with long, film-era memories will recall their advanced 645N system of the late ’90s, with autofocus, program mode and advanced metering. Their debut into medium format digital took a little longer, with the 645D enjoying a rather haphazard beginning though ending up an u ndeniable bargain for a 44 x 33mm 40Mp system. The 645D was tightly integrated compared to the obvious competition from Hasselblad and Phase One, but image quality was not quite a match for the CCD experts. Price-wise, it became competitive very rapidly – but lacked the professional support that the other two marques claim to offer. With the 645Z, they have done something completely different. Oh, the body retains that Pentax 645 “bulky

The typical aggressive stance favoured for male portraiture is quickly forgotten; Brendan's engaging personality and confidence behind the camera soon has the lighter side of the Tigers' Tom Croft coming through where many would play it safe with the stance and emotion. Being able to work quickly and rely on the camera and lights goes a long way, but it's the rapport with his subject that helps Brendan get the pose and expression in the first place. MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 55

L L A H N A D N E R B © S H P A R G O T O H P

Logovi'i Mulipola of the Leicester Tigers, photographed by Brendan Hall for the 2015 Matt Hampson Foundation Calendar

SLR” shape, with the immense mirror box and prism paired to an impressive array of hardware controls, but it contains a completely new camera. It is perhaps best to summarise what Pentax have achieved, rather than losing it in a sea of prose! 56 •

The headline accomplishment for the 645Z is that Pentax have made a serious investment in the sensor technology. This is no runner-up in the race to a new tech – as 50Mp CMOS backs were announced, Pentax was launching a complete new


camera based around the same Sony 51.4Mp 44x33mm sensor. CMOS gives several advantages over the CCDs traditionally found in larger format bodies, including rapid live view. How rapid? Pentax has made the first medium format HD video DSLR. Tak-

ing further lessons from the 35mm market, the 645Z has been given an articulated 3.2" screen, restoring the ability to shoot “waist-level” without expensive accessories. The new mirror and shutter allow the 645Z to shoot at a class leading 3 f rames per

second (in optimal conditions shooting JPEG, it can sustain one frame a second for 300 images), and an advanced AF system offers 27 AF points with 25 cross-type sensors, functional down to -3EV. A magnesium alloy 1-piece body – no detachable backs here – is fully weathersealed, as was the original 645D. Unlike the 645D, Pentax have recognised the demand for studio tethered shooting and have implemented a cable version using USB 3.0 and wireless using the SD FluCard O-FC1, a more sophisticated 16GB WiFi card than straightforward sharing/ upload models, designed for Pentax DSLRs only (Trek also sell conventional WiFi SD FluCards so it is important to get the Pentax version). The lens range is similarly equipped – full weathersealing, optical image stabilisation a nd surprisingly compact dimensions when viewed alongside AF Hasselblad lenses in particular. The price of lenses is competitive, but still a shock if you’re expecting something that competes with even high-end manufacturer fast zooms and primes. All of this points to a highly competent DSLR system that users coming from Canon or Nikon professional bodies will have no problem adapting to. The 645Z’s medium-format workflow is a similar leap anyone going from say, a D2X to a D810 might anticipate. Compared to the restrictive specifications of competing bodies, it’s a completely different experience. Brendan’s primar y camera was a Canon 1Ds Mk III, a popular and hard working 35mm format body. His desire to move to medium format had persuaded him to try the Phase One system of a 645DF and P40+, which proved stunning on image quality but a sufficiently different experience to the 35mm SLR to prove disruptive. “I expected the Canon to be my second body, but the Phase One could not be relied upon to

Brendan’s nomination in the Olympus Portrait Awards 2014 was taken on his Canon 1Ds MkIII, one of the best full frame DSLRs ever made. Now he’s committed to medium format.

focus accurately on moving subjects”. Any photographer working with children will probably put forward the limited AF of both the Hasselblad and Phase bodies as a justifiable reason to stick with 35mm. What is more surprising is that Phase One’s professional support seems less geared towards maintaining the goodwill of owners. The UK dealer network is known to most of us, after all, as friendly and helpful people. A minor out of warranty repair to the back came with a standard, fixedfee service charge that could buy a full-frame 35mm DSLR outright. When Pentax announced the 645Z’s launch with a sub-£7000 price, Brendan sold the Phase One system and went for a modest, but functional Pentax kit of the new body and the 45- 85mm ƒ4.5 – a 36- 68mm equivalent, That lens covers most studio portraiture needs admirably, and at just 815g it is considerably lighter than the 1.4Kg Hasselblad HCD 35-90. The resulting combination weighs 2.3Kg – only a couple of hundred grammes more than

a pro 35mm DSLR and good full-frame w ide-standard zoom. It’s almost half the weight of a Hasselblad H5D50C with 35-90 on! The 45-85mm is likely to be a go-to lens for many converts to Pentax’s 645 family. The ƒ4.5 is affordable by medium format standards at a little over £2,000, and performs well with minimal distortion. The 645Z allows some calibration of AF and thanks to the high ISO capabilities of the new sensor, the Pentax’s TAV mode can come to the fore, with a directly accessed (and thus, directly disabled when necessary) auto ISO and manual aperture and shutter speed, and the relatively small aperture does not limit freedom to shoot in a variety of lighting situations. Brendan is quick to point out one of the advantages the 645Z has that, as a past medium format user, I had forgotten. “Battery life is a big improvement over the Phase One – I was constantly changing those camcorder batteries”. The CIPA rating for the 645Z is 600 shots – CIPA does include playback and review times as part of that specifica-

tion so for many professionals that will be e xceeded. Working on the annual Matt Hampson Charity calendar – which features sporting professionals baring, well, a lot in aid of Matt’s foundation to support injured and disabled sportspeople – Brendan found the 645Z met his expectations perfectly. The speed of shooting and accuracy of autofocus allowed a rapid, spontaneous interaction with the subjects – much as his primary work with families demands – as a result the 2015 calendar (see URL below for purchase details) is entirely shot with the 645Z. More relevant for sustained use is that as Brendan focuses on the photography side of his business, with his team working on marketing, sales and post-processing, the Canon is – at last – a faithful, but decidedly second or backup body. “I love the 645Z because it handles like an, albeit bulky, DSLR but produces results which not matched but exceeded what I was able to take from the Phase One system”. The impact in their Adobe Bridge based workflow has been minimal despite the larger file sizes. When Pentax’s 645D was launched, we covered the DSLR-esque handling, the low price, but even after a long period on the market and compelling deals at trade shows I never met a professional user. The 2nd generation 645Z represents one of the most disruptive technologies to enter the professional camera market in a very long time – undercutting established marques with a price almost one third of competitors and doing so with many unprecedented features for the segment. That a studio of Colour White’s calibre has adopted the platform at launch and put significant usage on a single body with no problems is a greater endorsement than any reviewer’s accolades.

Ì www.colourwhite.com www.pentax.co.uk www.matthampson.co.uk


HEY IT’S YOUR BABY! SO BE THERE

CHERUBS DAYS Ray Lowe gives you the key dates for Cherubs training and motivation in 2015

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our first Cherubs training dates of the year at at the SWPP Trade Show in London, Friday January 16th to Sunday January 18th. MPA has a stand at the show, and Ray Lowe will be delivering ‘The Perfect Portrait Business on a Plate’ for prospective Cherubs members at 11.45am all three days, Level 4 Foyer. The venue is the Hilton London Metropole Hotel, Edgware Road, and admission to the three-day trade show event is free. We will see you next at The Photography Show, NEC, Birmingham, March 21st24th. Here, the MPA has a large stand presence next to the Live Stage. On Tuesday 24th, there will be a Newborn and Portrait art image critique on the stand with David Calvert, and Cherubs advisors present the whole day. At 11.00am Ray Lowe will present ‘The Perfect Portrait Business’ on the Behind the Lens Stage. And after this, the Cherubs Roadshow takes to the highways and byways with a great line-up on three di fferent days at three locations. The dates and venues will be: Monday March 30th – Chislehurst, Surrey Monday April 20th – a northern venue to be announced Monday April 27th – Hinckley Island Hotel, familiar to anyone who attended the annual awards day in October. Jenny Joh nston from 3XM Solution (the USB package from photovalue.com) will be one of the main speakers, giving a talk on the success of social media in building a cherub business.

We also have Hamish from Light Blue doing a demo on how the right computer software makes running a cherubs business so easy. Paul Inskip will be talking about marketing. If there are changes to contract terms, this is where they will be explained, so every Cherub partner is urged to attend, as well as those thinking of joining the programme. The roadshows will be supported, once again, by the generous trade involvement. There will also be an auction to raise money for ‘Tommy’s’ our charity partner. Á

See MPA and meet Cherubs later in the spring at The Newborn Photography Show, it was a great success last year and we are going again! Diary dates 26th, 27th and 28th May 2015 – Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Road, Edgbaston.


• FREE WPPI membership for all MPA members • ‘The Rangefinder‘ magazine optional at only $ 55 per year for 12 issues mailed

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t the Awards day on October 19th, the collection supported by Fujifilm UK and Paul Felton’s Take That event Images team raised almost £1,000 for Tommy’s. Tommy’s funds medical research into premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage, as well as providing support and advice for parents-tobe to help them have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. 1 in 4 parents in the UK will lose a baby during pregnancy or birth, and 1 in 13 babies are born prematurely. Tommy’s aims to halve the number of babies that die during pregnancy or birth by 2030. The annoying bear who so persistently collected and honked a thankyou horn throughout the day concealed MPA’s director of the Cherubs scheme, Ray Lowe, and it’s surprising how few recognised him… Photo: Devina Ganas, Community Fundraiser for Tommy’s; that bear; and Clare Louise handing over a cheque rounded up to £1,000 to the charity.

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Graphistudio new Baby Book now launched W E DD I N G A I NT E RN R N D P OR AI T P H L T M AS T AT IO OT O ( WP P ER P H NA G R I ) A M EM P HE OT O B RS E G RS RA P HE N am e o f a H I P R p S p li ca n F OR t : _ _ _ A M S i gn a tu _ S _ _ SO C r e: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I _ _ A _ _ T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S tu IO N d io N a m _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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raphistudio’s Baby Book – based on the Young Book and specified for the newborn, baby and infant market – has been shipping from first orders placed before the holidays. This example is from the order placed by Cris Lowis of Staffordshire as a first birthday book for his daughter Ava,

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MPA member? Join WPPI free, get Rangefinder magazine for only $55US – download an application PDF from http://bit.ly/1zoEV4x


59

TAKING A BALANCED Richard Kilpatrick sees the light – Nikon’s new high resolution DSLR…

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rofessionals are defined not by the camera they use, but by the images they take. As such, the stratification of product ranges into consumer, prosumer, enthusiast and so forth becomes an artificial construct. Inevitably truly talented photographers may refine their skills on an entry-level body like a D3300, and wealthy amateurs will chase the body with the best credentials. The rest of us probably go for the body which does what we need regardless of market demographic. That said, Nikon’s D700 defined the lower cost, full frame workhorse beautifully, and after being oddly overlooked for an S upgrade to match the D3S it feels like that sector has been left empty for some time now. Except if you overlook the obvious prosumer features like scene and art modes and the lack of a screw-terminal 10-pin port or PC-sync, the Nikon D750 could be the body D700, D300 and D3 owners have been waiting for. The lightweight body is weathersealed and has an articulated screen, the viewfinder is bright and offers a more comfortable 21mm eyepoint, and the 24Mp sensor is the ‘just right’ spot in the current range of 16, 24 and 36Mp from Nikon’s DSLR line up. Nikon have even added it to the NPS scheme officially, so it counts towards your professional support status. Weighing just 750g, externally a new composite material front end and monocoque alloy rear body allows an impressively compact body for a full-frame DSLR. Refinements to Nikon’s design language have yielded a steady evolution of grip sculpting and the D750 has one of the best yet, incredibly comfortable and secure with enough depth to allow a proper curled hand and freedom to reach all the

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D750 with 24-85mm zoom

Hinged but not pivoting rear screen – a first in a Nikon DSLR

WiFi remote is very simple and fast to connect.


controls. Internally the D750 has benefited from some of the upgrades introduced with the D4S and D810. Notably the 51-point AF area, still a little cramped compared to a D4 but a major improvement on the D610, now offers Group AF tracking and -3 EV operation with 15 cross-type sensors operating up to ƒ8. The sensor is a further refinement of the 24Mp FX CMOS unit and retains an AA filter, making it a little more forgiving of lower end lenses and avoiding false-colour moiré. Nikon have made the reasonable assumption that if you want the sort of sharpness and detail you get by removing the AA filter, you’ll want the D810’s 36Mp. All of Nikon’s recent releases fall into the Expeed 4 class of processing. This isn’t a simple processor or software upgrade, as the architecture varies between ranges, but it’s good way of tying together similar bandwidth and postprocessing abilities. With large sensels and a cutting edge sensor the D750 would undoubtedly have been able to hit the conservative 10012,800 ISO range with the previous architecture and still keep professional users happy – as it is I’d argue that the D750 is one of Nikon’s best DSLR bodies ever for the overall blend of handling, high ISO performance and dynamic range. It’s possible to underexpose by 5 stops at ISO 100 and pull out an ap pealing, saturated and strong image with enough dynamic range for a JPEG export. Compared to just a few years ago and the D3X flagship this is a world apart and really shows how far digital imaging has come even after it became the industry norm. Shooting straight to JPEG seems to be Nikon’s current goal, with the D750, D810 and D4S excelling at this

VIEW – NIKON D750 …which doesn’t break your back or your bank time-saving technique. Noise reduction and clarity are top notch, though you’ll want to make sure your colour balance and profiles suit your taste; the Nikon defaults are generally neutral. Two SD card slots provide the redundancy and backup essential for event and wedding photography; GPS and remotes can be added via the more recent push-fit connector. As a camera with a consumerderived featureset the D750 can use low-cost infrared remotes. It also has a pop up GN12 flash with wireless commander mode and even a multi-strobe burst mode.

Balancing ‘what a professional is used to’ with the reality that this is probably one of the best cameras you can get for this price point particularly if you want an optical viewfinder, the most obvious change is in mode selection. Is it really the case that pressing “Mode” and changing a wheel is t hat much easier than moving a dial on the left? As a D4 user it has caught me out occasionally purely because the viewfinder lacks a display for priority mode in use, but at a glance the physical dial markings are more obvious than a blank top-plate LCD. The D750 does have a top LCD, it displays a little less information and takes up less space. Drive mode is via the usual left control collar, and the D750 has all the modes you expect including Quiet and Quiet Continuous. The only function lacking – and it’s one that the D810 hinted

at, then stopped short of implementing fully – is a true silent shutter mode. This is one area where mirrorless bodies including Nikon’s own V3 have a real advantage during ceremonies, in large, echoing spaces and other situations where discretion is essential; recently whilst shooting the recording of a TV series I became painfully aware of the ‘click, clunk’ of my DSLR and switched over to the CX-format sensor Nikon 1 V3, though the production crew assured me it hadn’t been a problem, they seemed happier without the noise. Perhaps surprisingly they were not working with DSLRs, Nikon or otherwise. Adding to the D750’s specification, the de-rigueur D-Movie mode has been upgraded to 1080p/60 and the menus have been enhanced. The AA filter reduces the appearance of jagged, aliased edges, and the usual features of direct HDMI recording, microphone and headphone socket with adjustable gain are present. Although the viewfinder lacks a mode display, it does benefit from a refreshed LCD which now displays in a cool white, with bright orange for the flash ready symbol. For straight to JPEG users it also has a flashing B/W indicator in the top left if you have chosen the monochrome mode, extremely useful if you have forgotten to change back to one of the colour options. The level display is simplified compared to the rear LCD version which retains the full rotate, tilt, level and angle

information. If you want to move even further into planned-out specialist shooting, it’ll do interval shooting for 89,991 frames and can also put together time-lapse movies in camera. That articulated screen, with an improved 3.2” RGBW LCD is a first for a full-frame Nikon, and it opens up the possibility of waist-level shooting again allowing the photographer to keep the face to face rapport with their subjects and groups. The screen is even designed to articulate out from the body to avoid being blocked by the eyecup. It would be nice if it flipped against the body for protection (and hiding your previews from wedding guests) and that style – as seen on the D5000-series – can provide a camcorder-like screen to the side of the camera. Another first for the fullframe range is built in WiFi. The equivalent of a WU1 accessory, it allows simple remote live view and firing the shutter rather than the indepth control and browsing a WT-series adaptor provides, and it has the advantage of not being tied to an annoying security process (unless you set one up). It’s a nice freebie, but it would be nicer to see the advances made in the D4’s ethernet-based webserver filter down the range when so many lower-priced bodies from other marques offer very comprehensive and free remote apps. WiFi and articulating screens, an acceptable 6.5fps and 15-33 frame raw buffer with fast SDXC/UHS-1 card support, a viewfinder that supports spectacle wearers better than the 16mm eyepoint of the high-end bodies? Nikon are risking their own pro market to a degree with the D750 and they know it – if this came in a D810 style body with a good spread

of AF points and full magnesium alloy construction I think they would struggle to keep up with demand. That’s with the specifications and image quality as they are, too. No imaginary D4S-challenging frame rates, hybrid AF or single-press to upload to social media connectivity. Which raises the question, how often do you test that build quality on the professional bodies? Is your D700 battlescarred and broken, or still pristine with just a few wear marks from being held? If the latter is the case then the composite body is a benefit, not a drawback, being light and strong. If you generally focus in the middle of the frame, then the -3 EV is better than any other Nikon body right now and the D750 is very, very quick with conventional AF. The battery life is great, CIPA rated for over 1,200 shots. Use the LCD less and that increases, meaning the D750 does the D3/ D4 trick for more economical photographers of appearing to have an almost inexhaustible battery. At £1,799, the D750 is a substantial premium over the D610 which on the surface at least also offers a 24Mp FX sensor. Current promotions on the latter look to be pushing it below £1,000 street price, an indication of just how serious Nikon are about making full-frame the standard for their DSLR range. That premium gets you one of the best DSLRs on the market with versatile configuration, professional support and exceptional image quality. As a second or primary body, only the most extreme requirements justify going further up the range – the D750 truly is the perfect full-frame DSLR for 99% of professionals. – RTK

Á www.nikon.co.uk


NEW MPA MEMBERS’ CLIENT CONTRACT ON THE WAY

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he MPA has a new set of terms and conditions for use in client contracts, drawn up by consultation between the directors and commercial solicitors and IP specialists Wright Hassall. Iain Colville of Wright Hassall gave a very well-received talk at the annual Awards day, covering much ground in depth with precise information about current legal issues affecting professional photographers. Leading up to and following this talk, Wright Hassall has worked with MPA to create a set of PDF documents which should be used without making any changes. To ensure the documents are not altered, Amanda at MPA HQ (contact email [email protected]) is inserting member business details into the documents before emailing bespoke copies to every qualified member. The new Terms and Conditions (“T&Cs”) are over 3,000 words and cover a wide range of topis – Definitions, The Contract, Changes to Order or Terms, Providing Services, Consent to Use Photographs, Problems with Services or Photographs, Price and Payment, Our Liability to You, Events Outside Our Control, Cancellation Rights and Applicable Refunds (including a schedule of percentage refundable by date of cancellation); Our Rights to Cancel and Applicable Refund, Complaints Policy, Using Client’s Personal Information, and Other Important Items. The Guidance Notes are over 2,000 words under

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Above:Iain Colville gives his talk at the awards day. Below: the documents are being emailed to qualified members only as electronic PDF or Word files.

the heading of ‘Dealing With Consumers’ and give very clear instructions and information for you and your staff – we’d love to print all this, as all readers and the trade would find the details more than useful in any business. However… As these T&Cs and guidance notes are exclusive to qualified MPA members, we can not reprint them in full in the magazine. Amanda Buckle is sending the documents to each MPA qualified member by email, personalised to their business, and no action needs to be taken to receive yours. Patrick McCallum, a paralegal in Wright Hassall’s Commercial department, has helped explain the new T&Cs and some changes from previous contract terms.


New terms The T&Cs are “ready to use” once each member inserts the name of their photography business in the header of page 1 (this will be done by MPA HQ). We would advise members to read and ensure they understand the additional Guidance Notes PDF which is supplied, as this contains information as to other obligations to consumers which do not specifically relate to the content of the T&Cs. We considered whether it would be useful for the Schedule (the contract details sheet for the client and the photographer to fill in, which is supplied as a Word .docx) to have a separate point of contact other than

the Customer in case they were unavailable. However we agreed that the Schedule should be clear as to who the Customer is and therefore this section should only contain the names of the people you are contracting with. Two of the topics (covered in the Guidance Notes) which were discussed were the ‘checklist’ found on some wedding contract schedules of various groups and combinations of guests, and the e xpectation that photographs will be retouched. The list of ‘please do’ shots is no longer included. Apart from the extra space and complexity of filling it in, it places additional commitments on you on the day of the event. See ‘Terms’ at the end of this article. Retouching services we feel should be purchased separately if requested by the Customer. It would be wise to include a price for retouching services in your price list but make this clear this is an additional service not included in the “Services” of the T&Cs. As for Signatures required – if you list the bride and groom as the Customer in the Schedule then you will need to obtain both their signatures. If you contract with just one person then just that individual’s signature will be necessary. Consent: the consent tick boxes provided in the Schedule represent the maximum you can obtain from the Customers themselves – consent to use

images of themselves, and images of their children and/ or dependents. Customers can not legitimately provide consent for their guests or their guests’ children or dependents. We gave considerable consideration as to how we best deal with the obtaining of consent of guests whilst avoiding the need for you to physically obtain the consent of everyone in attendance at the event either beforehand or at the event itself. We decided that the best solution was to use the T&Cs to place an obligation on the Customer to procure the consent of those individuals who feature in Photographs you wish to use for promotional purposes. We would suggest that you are clear with the Customer from the outset that selfpromotion is an important part of your business which can not work without the consent and cooperation of your customers and that the T&Cs require the Customer to obtain the consent of individuals who feature in Photographs you wish to use for promotional purposes. Provided you are open and honest with your Customers we can not foresee many would object to agreeing to procure the consent of their guests. We go into further detail on the issue of consent in the Guidance Notes every qualified member is to receive. Please note that you will still be at risk if you proceed to use Photographs for promotional purposes if the Customer is unable/unwilling to procure the consent of specific guests who feature in such Photographs. Whilst the Customer may have breached a provision of the T&Cs (you may have a right to sue them for breach of contract) this does not permit you to use the Photographs as you wish.

Off-premises contracts If you are marketing at wedding fairs, in hotels, shopping malls etc. you should study the Guidance Notes.

“Off premises” consumer contracts impose stricter obligations on traders than in the cases of “on premises” or “distance” contracts. The T&Cs and Guidance Notes have both been written as if all contracts made under them would be “off premises” contracts. Members can be assured that they may use the T&Cs for any type of consumer contract and still act within the law.

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Terms Photochromatic Anomalies Clause – this new addition to the contract T&Cs will help members who encounter problems with matching colours of clothing, etc. which are beyond their control. Clause 8 (“Events Outside Our Control”) enables you to avoid any liability in the event that you can not take specially requested Photographs due to individuals’ absence, time available at the event, the weather etc. It would nevertheless disappoint customers if you said you would satisfy special requests and then were not able to, despite the reasons for this being outside of your control. We therefore recommend that perhaps the best way to “offer” any special request Photographs would just be to say to customers as part of the discussions before signing a contract that you would do what you could but could not make any guarantees due to the potential number of factors. Alternatively, if you do choose to add special Photograph requests in the Services section of the Schedule, clause 8 will protect you if you can not take such Photographs due to events beyond your control. Á Members can contact Wright Hassall to enquire about the legal services they offer, including commercial and IP services. Tel: 01926 886688. Email: [email protected]

RiskAlliance PhotoShield offer tailored specialist policies for professional photographic businesses

Discount for MPA members in addition to No Claims Discount. Monthly payment options

Contact: PhotoShield Department RiskAlliance Insurance Brokers Ltd 2 Aire Valley Business Park Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA Tel: 0845 180 6666 E-mail: [email protected] RiskAlliance Insurance Brokers Limited are authorised and r egulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business. MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 • 63

REGIONAL EVENTS INTERNATIONAL February 26th to March 5th 2015 – MPA will be present at WPPI, Las Vegas. Clare Louise will be one of the judges, along with Fellow Keda Z Feng from Singapore www.wppionline.com

CENTRAL REGION A HUGE thank you to everyone who came to the Central Region AGM and to see Ian Pack’s Lighting Hacks at the Pin Wei in November, it was a thoroughly intriguing and entertaining evening full of ideas and tips for creating great lighting out of not-soexpensive kit – never thought about using a golf-trolley as part of our lighting rig before! Our meetings for 2015 will be on: 17th of March, 16th of June, 15th of September and 17th of November. See you there for more ideas and inspiration! Contact Paul Wilkinson FMPA on 01844 291 000 or email paul@ paulw ilkinsonphotography.co.uk

Monday 23rd – Paul Wilkinson, Qualifications, the Process and the Benefits. 12.30pm, Live Stage. Qualification assessments on the stand, all day. Tuesday 24th – Ray Lowe, Building the Perfect Portrait Business with Cherubs, Behind the Lens stage, 11.00am. Tobias Robins, Baby and Family photography, 3.30pm, Live Stage. Portrait and Newborn Art image assessments with David Calvert on the stand, Cherubs advisors present all day. April 27th 2015 – Cherubs Roadshow, all day, Hinckley Island Hotel, M69/A5 junction.

LONDON & ESSEX March 30th 2015 – Chislehurst, Surrey. Cherubs Roadshow all day. Contact: Paul Cudmore: tel 01206 230027 or email: [email protected]

MIDLANDS

NORTHERN REGION

March 21st-24th 2015 – The Photography Show, NEC. MPA will have a stand, facing the Live Stage, at the show. Saturday 21st – Faye and Trevor Yerbury, live studio demonstration, ‘Taking the Ordinary to the E xtraordinary’, 3.30pm, Live Stage. Sunday 22nd – Simple Lighting Techniques and Fashion Style for Wedding Photographers, with Steve Howdle, 12.30pm, Live Stage. Wedding assessments on the stand all day.

April 20th 2015 – Northern Cherubs Roadshow, all day. Venue to be confirmed. Contact Steve Ramsden on 01904 479063 or email [email protected]

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NORTH WEST For information on future events in the NW Region and to receive updates: Call David Thexton on 01229 835 035, email smile@tjphoto. co.uk; or Ian Stewart [email protected]


At the beginning of December John Surtees OBE, motor sport legend, was guest of honour at a private view of a classic and supercar photography exhibition ‘A Drive Down Memory Lane’ by MPA member Stella Scordellis, at Eve Edenbridge, Top Foto Gallery, Edenbridge, Kent. Stella’s images featured in the September/October edition of Master Photography. The exhibition ended on January 5th.

SCOTTISH REGION HOPE YOU all had a fantastic Christmas and are looking forward to the rest of 2015! We are planning to have a number of informal Studio visits happening at the start of the New Year. The first visit will be hosted by Parris Photograph in their Hawick Studio on Monday 26th January 2015. They have a limited space for 15 delegates, so please contact them ASAP on 01450-370523 to book your space, first come first served basis. It will be an informal get together giving us all a chance to meet, chat about business as well as see a few of John and Sandra’s AV shows to break up the afternoon. The afternoon visit will start at 2.00pm until 5.00pm. A nominal fee of £5 per person will apply which can be paid on the day and will cover the cost of a cold buffet supplied from our Award winning local butcher. We have many B&B's walking distance from us if anyone wants to stay over and make a night of it, feel free to bring a bottle if you are planning staying, we are sure there will be a good few that plan to stay over, maybe we could head out for a few drinks and some pub grub after 5.00pm. Spouses

are also welcome. Further studio visits and other events will be published as soon as we have confirmation of dates. We know it's early but it's a good time to start plan ning ahead for entering this years annual awards, again we will update you on venue and dates as soon as we have them ready. John Parr is FM PA FBIPP Sandra Parris LMPA Parris Photography 13 Hislop Gardens, Hawick, TD9 8PQ – 01450 370523 [email protected]

SOUTH WEST Contact Phil Flowers LMPA on 01458 273 144 or email [email protected]

WELSH REGION Contact Collin Davies LMPA on 01792 883274 or email [email protected]

WESSEX REGION Contact Belinda Harvey at [email protected]. To keep up to speed with the Wessex region, follow: mpawessex.wordpress.com Á

SUBSCRIBENOW NEVER MISS YOUR COPIES www.iconpublications.com editions for photographers Masters of Photography MPA EXHIBITION ANNUAL 2015 • £7.95 A MasterPhotography magazineSpecialEdition

Photograph by Jason Banbury LMPA,UK and International MasterPhotographerof the Year2014/15

PAnnual

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great way to get ƒ2 is to subscribe. You should receive your magazine on or before the retail sale date. Subscriptions cost the same or less than cover price (UK only), and we pay the costs of postage. You can also find special offers to reduce the cost if you order more than one title from our website: www.iconpublications.com Or – if you want to read ƒ2 on your smartphone, tablet, Blackberry, Kindle, iPad, Android, Mac or PC – just go to pocketmags.com and search ‘freelance’

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ameracraft is our way of creating an affordable international publication without just giving in to progress and making it i nto an app. All our printed magazines are lodged with the libraries of record in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the USA. Even a single copy surviving a few hundred years will be of more value to the future than any volume of PDFs, apps or web pages. We know that books and magazines survive intact, and readable, for centuries. Part of the ethos of Cameracraft comes from the idea that even if only a thousand copies are printed, it’s free of all advertising and paid for by the subscription alone. Though articles are included which deal with equipment and cover the important news from each quarter, it’s almost from a retrospective viewpoint. Cameracraft was partly inspired by the San Francisco based Camera Craft , started at the beginning of the 20th century for a new generation of photo enthusiasts which blurred the boundary between the amateur and professional. Looking back at copies, we found the contents of even a single volume gave a snapshot of the technology and art of the time. Gary Friedman is our US Associate Editor on the West Coast, and our readership is evenly split between the UK and the world in general. The latest edition of Cameracraft , No 9, includes an 8-page portfolio by Glyn Davies who features on pages 14-15 of this ƒ2 issue.

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aster Photography is our magazine produced for members of The Master Photographers Association, the only UK group for photographers recognised as a ‘Trade Association’. It’s what you are reading now, and it is published six times a year, five normal editions and one special Annual. The Masters of Photography 2015 annual is a superb 80-page special edition and unlike regular bi-monthly copies, it is on sale through newsagents until mid-January 2015 for only £5 (cover price £7.95 originally). Order your copy now – ask for ISSN 2042-0234 Special Edition, Masters of Photography. If you are unable to get a copy because the period on sale has ended, be sure to come along to The Photography Show.

From March 21st to 24th 2015 at the NEC, Birmingham, it’s the biggest show of the year in the UK and the Master Photographers Association has a large stand. Icon Publications Ltd also has a small stand nearby and we’ll have back issues of our magazines and subscription offers. Masters of Photography 2015 will be at its full £7.95 cover price and in short supply!


Why slide when you can glide?

REGIONAL

CONTACTS

CENTRAL

PAUL WILKINSON FMPA 6 High Street Haddenham Bucks HP17 8ER Telephone: 01844 291000 [email protected]

Camera Strap

EAST MIDLANDS

DEBORAH SELWOOD AMPA Gecko Studios Photography Limited The Old Lace Mill 112 Station Road Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 5LL Telephone: 0115 944 7727 Mobile: 07870 262296 [email protected] LONDON & ESSEX

RAYMOND R LOWE Hon FMPA 123 Crossbrook Street Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN8 8LY Telephone: 01992 636152 [email protected] NORTHERN REGION

STEVEN RAMSDEN LMPA 10 Gillingwood Road Clifton Moor York North Yorkshire YO30 4ST Telephone: 01904 479063 [email protected] NORTH WEST

enjoy your camera Just Ltd. The Old Shop, Hook, Swindon SN4 8EA [email protected] • Tel 01793 855663

www.cameraclean.co.uk

E&OE

DAVID THEXTON LMPA T&J Photographic 111 Ramsden Street Barrow in Furness Cumbria LA14 2BW Telephone: 01229 835 035 [email protected] SCOTLAND

JOHN PARRIS FMPA 13 Hislop Gardens Hawick Scottish Borders TD9 8PQ Telephone: 01450 370523 [email protected]

Focus on Insurance

SOUTH EAST

Enquire to head office, 01325 356555 SOUTH WEST

PHIL FLOWERS LMPA 12 Sevenacres Somerton Somerset TA11 6HF Telephone: 01458 273 144 [email protected] WALES

Insurance Endorsed by the MPA Discounts available to MPA Members Towergate Camerasure looks after the insurance needs of more professional photographers than any other broker in the UK. We pride ourselves on providing a personal service to tailor the right insurance package to meet our clients' needs, from newly qualified professionals to established studios. As a part of the Towergate Group, the largest independent insurance intermediary in Europe, we have the market strength to deliver highly competitive premiums. Specialist covers for photographers include: All risks including Accidental Damage and Theft Public Liability Employers Liability Professional Indemnity Shoot / Production insurance • • • •

COLLIN DAVIES LMPA High Society Photography Caecarrig House 15 Caecarrig Road Pontarddulais West Glamorgan SA4 8PB Telephone: 01792 883274 [email protected] WESSEX

ANTHONY VON RORETZ LMPA 22/24 Trinity Street Salisbury Wiltshire SP1 2BD Telephone: 01722 422224 [email protected]

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PI from £60, and up to a 40% discount on other covers available to MPA Members.

WEST MIDLANDS

For a free no obligation quote, contact us on

DEBORAH SELWOOD AMPA Gecko Studios Photography Limited The Old Lace Mill 112 Station Road Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 5LL Telephone: 0115 944 7727 Mobile: 07870 262296 [email protected]

Tel: 0870 411 5511 Email: [email protected] Towergate Camerasure products are underwritten by one of the UK's largest insurers Norwich Union

Towergate Camerasure is a trading name of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Calls may be recorded for training purposes

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MPA Trade Partners Colorworld Ltd PO Box 2 Norham Road North Shields NE29 0NX Tel: 0191 2596926 www.colorworld.co.uk Graphistudio SPA Via Monte Raut 1 33090 Arba (PM) Italy www.graphistudio.com Loxley Colour 1 Drum Mains Park Orchardton Woods Cumbernauld Lanarkshire G68 9LD Tel: 0845 519 5000 www.loxleycolour.com One Vision Imaging Herald Way Binley, Coventry CV3 1BB Tel: 01203 440404 www.onevisionimaging.com Photovalue.com 13 Crag Crescent Clondalkin Industrial Estate Dublin 22 Republic of Ireland Tel: +353 1 457 0244 UK: 0845 0800 750 www.photovalue.com Towergate Camera sure Funtley Court Funtley Hill Fareham Hampshire PO16 7UY Tel: 0870 4115 5511 www.towergatecamerasure.co.uk The Pr int Fou ndr y Ltd Croydon House 1 Peall Road Croydon CR0 3EX Tel: 020 3362 4140 www.theprintfoundry.co.uk


Master Photography - January February 2015

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