nz photographer – issue 49

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Issue 48: December 2015

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Welcome to the last issue for the year. By the time you are reading this, we’ll all be into the finale run-up to the silly season. If you are heading

away over the Christmas break, don’t forget to pack the camera. If you are driving anywhere, take it easy and slow down; if for no other reason than you’ll see more landscape photo opportunities that way.

If you are like me and inclined to do the opposite i.e. drive real show while looking for photos, then remember to be courteous and pull over to let traffic pass. Personally, my wife Kim and I will be road tripping around the South Island, chasing the good light.

If you pass a dark green station wagon loaded to the gunnels with camping and camera gear, it could be us. Don’t forget to honk! With a bit of luck, Santa will bring us all nice photography related prezzies, and we’ll see you all in the New Year.

Allan CoxResident JudgeNZ Photographer

ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a

beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free!

EDITOR Allan Cox, [email protected]

GROUP EDITOR Colin Kennedy

ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson

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NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication

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GET SHOOTING AND WIN!The upcoming competition theme is ‘Landscape’, due on 15th December.

The following month’s theme will be ‘Open’ i.e. anything goes.

• The winning image on the cover of the next issue

• A high quality print of your image and cover to immortalise your achievement for your grandchildren, courtesy of PCL Imaging

• $50 cash

• And of course, bragging rights and the envy of your fellow NZ Photographer fans!

Check out next month’s theme and enter at www.nzphotographer.co.nz✸WIN!

TEAINSPIRED

ME

PHOTO COMPETITIONA 10-DAY TRIP FOR 2 TO SRI LANKA & YOUR CHOICE OF CANON PHOTO GEARWIN

CLICK HERE TO ENTER }


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Brooke ShadenThis month’s’ inspiring artist is Brooke Shaden from the States, whose photos are evocative, ethereal, surreal . . . and a whole bunch of other superlatives.Thanks Brooke for taking the time to answer our questions and for sharing some of your work.

Inspiring Artist


NZP: I guess the first question has to be: ‘Where do your amazing ideas come from?’

Thank you for saying so! I have always been inspired by life and death and that difficult to define period in between. Whenever I take a picture, I’m questioning what it means to be alive. My ideas always stem from that way of thinking.

NZP: Do you have an image in your mind, of what the final photo will look like before you start or to some extent is it ‘made up’ as you go along’?For the most part, I have a very good idea of what my image will look like before I begin creating. I love daydreaming. It is my favorite part of the photo process. I try to plan everything from wardrobe to location and even editing later, but most importantly, I like to fundamentally understand why I am creating.


NZP: Is it important to you that your photos tell a story? And if so are you happy if people just enjoy them without getting some deeper meaning?

I firmly believe that an image is enhanced when someone else is able to take something away from it, whether it be an immediate impression or something deeper. I do create with stories in mind, and I love when someone picks up on that, but my own fulfillment is not dependent on someone else’s reaction.

NZP: What specialised equipment do you use for your underwater photos?

I started out using a DiCaPac underwater bag and then upgraded to Equinox Housing. Finally, I settled on Ikelite which I found was lighter and less bulky. Now I go back and forth between using Ikelite and a Panasonic Lumix point and shoot underwater camera.

NZP: What would be in your camera bag on a typical day?

I try to keep everything super light, so I travel with my camera (currently 5d MkII), a 50mm Zeiss lens, and a 3 Legged Thing tripod. I also bring a remote when I remember, and sometimes I keep smoke emitters in there as well!

NZP: Things like makeup and costumes; do you do these yourself or is there a team of specialists in the background?

I do these myself, though that is not a big feat for the work that I create. I don’t use makeup or hair, or if I do, I make sure it is quite natural for the most part. As for costumes, I search everywhere I go for simple yet expressive dresses that are often vintage.

NZP: Some of your photos are very elaborate. Is there any shoot that stands out as requiring more than the normal setup and what was involved?

Oh yes! I did a short series of images in which I collaborated with fashion designer Michelle Hebert, where I created concepts for dresses I wanted to shoot, and she made them come to life. I photographed a dress made entirely of sticks for the first shoot, and it ended up snowing in the forest I had scouted two weeks earlier.

I took a team with me to film it, do makeup and hair and set the scene. It was quite a long process that, in truth, does not excite me, but it was amazing to try and we’re all proud of the images.

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NZP: When did you first discover photography and did you have a ‘creative life’ before photography?

I never considered that I would follow any path other than a creative one, from the time I could think for myself onward. That doesn’t mean I had talent or was a ‘natural’ in any particular genre, but it was in my blood. From a young age, I would write poems and short stories. I experimented with video before eventually studying filmmaking, English, and creative writing in college, and it was only after that when I picked up a still camera.

NZP: What or who inspires you?

My inspiration comes from creating the worlds I wish I could live in. From nature and forests to giving a voice to darkness and light, I love finding inspiration within.

NZP: What three pieces of advice would you give to people wanting to be better at ‘people photography’?

Photograph yourself. If you understand how the body or face can express emotion personally, you are much more likely to know how to direct and connect with others. Understand what kinds of characters you want to create and really work to give them a specific voice. Figure out what kind of light your subject needs (it should differ from image to image) and create or find that light.

NZP: What is it that you love about photography?

I love being able to create what I see in my imagination, whether it is through set design, transforming a location, or through Photoshop.

NZP: And finally where can we see more of your wonderful work?

My work can be found at www.brookeshaden.com, my blog at www.promotingpassion.com. And more work on my Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brookeshaden/ ■

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3 Steps to Effective Social Media MarketingBy Angelina Giles www.angelinagiles.com

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Whether your desire is to increase the exposure and build a more solid client base of a successful photography studio or to advance a photography

hobby into a profitable business, the power of modern social media to gain exposure and drive sales is obvious. As the advancement of technology displaces professional photography craft through automation and the flood of images on social media changes the perceived value of photography, the professional photographer is left with the choice to utilise the power of social media wave to expand their professional footprint. The must reach further or to be drowned by the world wide wave.

Approaching social media thoughtfully in three steps will help to create a purposefully managed strategy for marketing via social media.

Developing a Social Media StrategyBefore implementing any strategy it is critical to create a separate, independent professional online presence for social media. Your professional persona online should be a well thought out presence constructed with carefully chosen imagery, profile, information and logo which further your brand name. Consistency will represent your brand and foster a relationship with those you interact with online. Leave the politics, cultural tastes, and religious opinions to your personal pages unless they are used in deliberately developing a specific brand image. Thoughtfully consider the audience and target demographic you wish to approach and tailor your strategy accordingly.

Passive Strategy

Defined as one for professionals looking to maintain their business or grow organically and those seeking heightened social media exposure.

Determine the style, look, and feel of your professional image and maintain focus on that look and feel. Don’t forget to utilise friends and family to initially populate online social networks. Make sure you respond with timeliness to comments, suggestions, and requests made on social media.

Active Strategy

For professionals and studios looking to better utilise social media to drive sales, increase professional exposure and expand their professional network.

Keep the strategy consistent with established brand and style. Start by sharing the work of other professionals to strengthen network alliances. Also, think about including blogging in your strategy. It can be about both photography and non-photography subjects.

Audio/Video content can also be a great addition. Things like on-shoot video, behind-the-scenes, interviews, etc. or anything that furthers your brand and reinforces your professional skill and standing.

You will need to learn about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This is the science of posting/tagging content in such a manner so as to increase the likelihood search engines return your content early in search results. You should post links to other sites and pages where your work has been displayed.


Identify Which Social Media Platforms Best Suit Your Strategy

• Facebook: With 950million+ users (public information) Facebook is too big to ignore. Keeping your FB account up to date is the first place to start for marketing your business. A good platform for all photography genres.

• Instagram: It is the fastest growing photography network with 80+ million users because it is so image focused, we highly recommend you have an active professional account that you post to daily, whatever focus your photography is.

• Pinterest: Pinterest is all about beautiful images and users will be repinning your photographs for you! 23million as of July (Comscore) and growing fast. 50% of Pinterest users have kids, 68.3% are women so is ideal for family, portrait and wedding photographers.

• YouTube & Vimeo: These video sharing sites reach more 18 to 34 and 18 to 49 year-olds than any cable network. Essentially you can market for free what you may have paid a television station for. Good for adventure sports photographers.

• Twitter: Think texting to the world! With 517 million accounts (Global Web Index), it offers a simplistic form of communication. It can be time-consuming, so use as you feel relevant for high exposure for your photography specialty.

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn began in 2003 and currently boasts over 175 million users (LinkedIn Press Release) The only major social network for Professionals. It can maintain and grow your network with PR and marketing firms, editors and other professionals. Ideal for commercial and editorial photographers.

• Google+: Has 336 million active users (Global Web Index). Google+ has a Great UI (User Interface). There is a thriving Photography Community which was the fastest growing network to date. We recommend all photographers set up at least their basic page as this helps with google search strength.

• Flickr: This is a photo-sharing site that can be used to build awareness and drive traffic to your product pages. It has 80 million world wide visitors (A June 2011 report from Yahoo) Many photographers make plenty of print sales from being active on Flickr. Great for landscape photographers.

• Company Website/blog: Having a well-branded professional website that is mobile compatible is a vital part of social media marketing. You essentially are using these platforms to drive people back to your website, and then contact you directly to book.


Your professional persona online should be a well thought out presence constructed with carefully chosen imagery, profile, information and logo which further your brand name.


Develop and Post Content and Network Using Established Social Media

Developing appropriate, relevant and engaging content is essentially the key to successful social media marketing. Each social media platform has varying primary audiences, and your content should reflect that. There are some general practices regardless of the site. Your posts should be well written, grammatically correct and consistent. Also, be judicious with long posts.

Be conscious of holidays, seasons and current events,

especially those relevant to your main target audience. There are specific days and times to post that will help gain maximum exposure. For example, post on Thursday and Friday at 1pm to get the most shares on Facebook. Linkedin works especially well on weekdays during work hours and Pinterest is most popular on Saturday between 8pm and 11pm, and Monday has a peak in uses for Instagram outside work hours.

There is much to know about mastering social media marketing, but by applying these simple tips, you will be well on your way. Good luck! ■

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In last months competition, we managed to mix up a couple of the photos. Peter Kurdulija’s image got missed altogether and Jana Lou’s image got credited to

Peter. Oops! Sorry guys; can I take the hair shirt off now?

Following are the two images and their correct captions and credits.

AUSPICIOUS DAWN by Peter Kurdulija. Motueka, Nikon D200, Nikkor 18-200mm, f/4.5, 1/80 sec, ISO 100.

Corrections


HAMILTON ROAD BEACH, AUCKLAND by Jana luo. Simply like the sunset glow fading away and tried to embrace myself into the scene.


PLAYING CARDS by Sue Block Card playing in South East China. Nikon D700, Lens 28-300mm


By Paola MusumeciThe man in the picture is my partner, I was fascinated by the light playing on his hands, beard and face. I like the line drawn by the fingers which leads the viewer’s eye to his face. Nikon D60, f/8, 1 sec, 55mm


TAPESTRY OF LIFE by Sue Block I loved the way the man’s smile crinkled up his whole face. Taken in South East China. Nikon D700 - Lens 28-300mm


PLAYING IN A VINEYARD by James WinchYoung girl playing in a vineyard in Nelson, Nikon DF 1/250 sec F5.6 ISO 220 at 200mm


MY PHOTO OF ME by Paul RobertsonI did a photo shoot with a lady from my work. It was my first time directing a model, and her first time as a model, and she was very nervous about it. I had one idea to do this shot with her holding one of my photo mounts. Canon EOS 600D, f/4, 1/200sec., ISO-100, focal length 28mm.


LET HIM BE by Paul Robertson A street photo taken in Paris. I was

struck by the number of people like this in Paris streets and on this occasion I was lucky to be in the

right place at the right time as the two policemen had just walked by and turned to look.

Canon 600D, f/4.5, 1/500sec., ISO-320, 32mm.


LET ME IN by Gail Orgias Rome. Street photography provides many opportunities to create a story from an everyday moment. Fuji EX-1, 35mm, ISO 200, f/2.5.


UNPLANNED by Emily Halligan

I took this photo last weekend at Omana Beach (Auckland), for my sisters wedding. As I was taking the shot my niece walked in front of the camera. I really like how it was unplanned and turned out to be a really interesting shot. I took it with my Nikon D610, Aperture F/16, Shutter speed 1/200s, ISO 200.


Hasselblad cameras had the reputation as the best medium format camera and today a digital one will set you back 50k give or take. The Apollo

astronauts took them to the moon, but to save weight for the return journey, they often left the camera behind (just the film would come back). There are thought to be around 12 Hasselblads still on the moon.

Did You Know?

Hasselblads Cameras Just Lying Around


“It can be a trap of the photographer to think that his or her best pictures were the ones that were hardest to get.”

- Timothy Allen

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nz photographer – issue 49

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