Our apologies for a delay in posting the final Top 30 of 2009. We’re blaming lots of things, but mainly Christmas holidays, travel, too much eating and definitely drinking, children, pets, photo shoots and technical issues. We hope it’s worth the wait.

Every time I sit down to run through this editing process I am astounded by the number of quality images presented by those, who only 8 weeks earlier knew NOTHING about photography.

This time we started with 1480 images which were presented on the final night ( wk 8 ) by each of the students. The first edit was easy, as images were selected based on initial impact. Basically, they stood out from the rest of the pack. Within a few hours the 180 were whittled down to 60 as we lost a great number to critical (or general) focus issues and slightly sloppy composition. From there things really slowed down, we compared, discussed and even argued over each image, and it’s merits.

This final selection was based on, originality of idea, overall impact of image (mood), use of colour and composition, and technical execution.

Congratulations to all those who made the final cut! I feel most would agree that these images hold their own on most gallery walls around town.

VIEW THE TOP 30 IMAGES

International Photographer Scott McGale braved a coolish early morning in Sydney last week to cover “The Base” an installation by Spencer Tunick. Below is Scotts account of the morning, sit back and enjoy!

©Scott McGale

©Scott McGale

It was 4.45am and I was just parking the bike near the Harbour Bridge,  a good walk away from the event site, knowing that I would be able to get away easily after the gig was over.  As I made my way to the Opera House, I was thinking, what the hell am I doing here?  I’m still half asleep, its just about to start pouring with rain, and I am going to take pictures of a few naked people lying around the steps of the Opera House!  I need coffee –  fast!

The event I was covering was called “The Base”.  The 2010 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, had invited photographer, Spencer Tunick, over from the USA to do his thing.  Spencer has developed a solid reputation for roaming the Globe and asking as many people as possible to take off their clothes so he can photograph them, in good taste, for art’s sake.

©Scott McGale

I first encountered Spencer in London in 2004 I think, doing the same thing over there.  A friend of mine was involved in the organisation of the event, and I ended up covering it for The Observer Magazine.  I have to say it was one of the most interesting events I have ever been to.  Spencer creates amazing body-scapes in an urban setting that are just incredible.  Hundreds, or thousands of bodies filling the horizon makes for fabulous images.  So when I got the chance to be involved with the event here in Sydney, I put my hand up straight away because I knew that there were some amazing images to be had.

After securing a rather large coffee, I made my way to the Media entrance to the event.  It was still dark, cold, and it felt like rain was just minutes away.  The Media were corralled into a very small, confined front, facing the left hand side steps of the Opera House.  I was there at 5.00am, but it was obvious that others had beaten me to the prime spots already.  I spent the next few minutes elbowing my way into a very nice spot on the railing at the front of the section, pretending to be very friendly to the other journos and photographers who had been up from the wee small hours before me.  All in all, there must have been about a dozen of us there at that time in the morning.

It was plainly obvious to me that if I was to move even one step backwards, I was going to lose my position at the front, so I resigned myself to having to stay put exactly where I was until the event started in a couple of hours. Bugger!  That’s about the time you start developing long and detailed conversations with the complete stranger next to you at the railing, who is also determined not to give up an inch of their position until the bitter end.  One thing that was clear to all of us, was that we could only see about 1000-1500 people that had turned up to take their clothes off on such a cold miserable morning.  And they were all right over at the other end of the steps from us!  The media was only allowed at the left hand side of the Opera House steps, and we were trying to work out just how we were going to get a good picture from this side, when all the nudies were going to be on the other side of the steps.  Typical!

After waiting ‘til well after the light started to rise from the depths of the shadows, did we hear that the event was going to get underway.  Drew, the PR man, who was regularly scooting up and down the media line saying just how fabulous it was going to be, announced that there was a record attendance of five thousand, two hundred people and they were just about to disrobe!  As it turns out, there were that many people, and they had been hiding either in the Opera House itself, or around the corner at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair.  Needless to say, this news raised our spirits and we all took up our positions with renewed fervor.  A cheer went up from the crowd, and naked body after naked body started flowing onto the steps of the Opera House until all but a very small corner, just out of shot, was completely covered.  It was still freezing at that time in the morning.  Nothing like the early winter’s morning in London, I might add, but cold enough to give a man a reason to wish it was a lot warmer!  And everybody was hopping up and down on the spot to get a little warmth into their extremities.  A few minutes later Spencer Tunick was introduced to the crowd and the arrangement began.

Using a loudspeaker, Spencer very carefully positioned the nudies so they were evenly spaced across the steps.  He also reiterated that everybody had to be completely naked, and that no undies, hats or jewelry could be left on, but he did encourage people not to take out any piercings they may have.

The Opera House was an exceptional venue for this type of event as the steps naturally tiered the bodies to full advantage and created a wall of nakedness of epic proportions.  That coupled with the iconic shell shaped roof, made for some amazing compositions that were wholly Australian.  The other factor that was in our favour on the day was the light.  As it was severely overcast, the light was incredibly soft and even.  Initially it was very difficult to get a good exposure below ISO 2000 without a tripod, but as the sun rose through the clouds and the event took shape, I was able to drop the ISO to about 400 to get some truly awesome images of a great event.  The feel of the images would have been vastly different if the sun was shining directly onto the bodies instead of being diffused through the soft clouds.

During the picture taking, Spencer directed the crowds into a variety of positions.  All this while, the more mainstream television stations were broadcasting the weather, on the half hour, using the event as a backdrop for their broadcasts. It was during one of these weather broadcasts, that there was a huge cheer from our end of the crowd on the steps.  After a minute of cheering, Grant Denyer, the weather anchor from Channel 7, leapt over the media railing completely naked and ran over to the nudies, turned to camera, covered his privates with one hand and held his microphone in the other and presented the weather to the cheers and heckles of the crowd surrounding him.  He just got it done when security “talked” him into returning to the media railing and to put his clothes back on.  In a defiant stance against the event security, before remounting the railing, he turned back to the crowd and proceeded to shake his bits for all to see, and to the great amusement and approval of the crowd.  Not too long after that, the event came to a close, and participants either retreated back into the Opera House, or made a dash for their clothes and a chance to get warm again.

©Scott McGale

©Scott McGale

It wasn’t until I had was back home in my studio did I get a chance to realize the magnitude of the event that had unfolded before my eyes.  Never before had I had an opportunity to witness that many naked bodies, in that sort of composition, with that quality of light before.  And I doubt if I will ever get the chance to do that again.  Somehow I feel that we, behind the media railing, had an even better position than Spencer himself, who was shooting from a raised platform high above the bodies.   Our low lying position, and the elevation of the steps gave us an unparalleled view of a wall of bodies. One, which I will never forget.

Hi all, ok time for some inspiration (said in a heavy French accent) I was recently sent a link to The “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” (Px3) and was very impressed by the images submitted by both professional and amature photographers.

A little about the competition -

The “Prix de la Photographie, Paris” (Px3) strives to promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and to introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris. Winning photographs from this competition are exhibited in a high-profile gallery in Paris and published in the high-quality, full-color Px3Annual Book.

Check out the Px3 website for all the latest winners from each category. I especially love the series that came second titled “Aftermath of War in Lebanon”

I’ve been searching for a decent tool to create flash websites for a long time now, I am pretty sure I have finally found one! WIX.COM. I had been tossing up the idea of paying a web designer $1000’s of dollars until I discovered WIX.( I can now use that money to buy myself a new lens!)

For photographers who want to create awesome flash online portfolios this might be just the thing for you. WIX is a free website builder that’s really easy tool to use, lots of dragging and dropping with the ability to add your own content, pictures, videos, text, animations, effects and widgets. One of the biggest selling points for me was I no longer have to learn or understand any type of programming or code, which is a huge bonus!

The free version of WIX is suitable for just about anyone however you have the choice to upgrade to Premium for features such as –

- Use your own domain
- Remove Wix ads
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Extra storage
- Google Analytics site stats
- Unlimited pages
- Professional hosting
- Premium support

Take a look at some of the example photographers sites that have been created with WIX, they also have a blog to keep you up to date with  latest news and announcements etc.

If you are currently using WIX let us know what you think? Or, if you are using something similar tell us about it using the comments section below.

Here’s a short  video I found on youtube on how to build a website in 2mins using WIX

Have you ever tried to sell your images online? Not sure what websites to use? Or which images attract the most attention from buyers out there? Well, hopefully I can cover some of your burning questions.

I spoke with Phill Danze who has experienced some great success selling images online. Phill is also a long time student of Sydney photo Workshops and has had one on one tuition with Daniel Linnet to try and perfect his craft. Phill shares with me some insider knowledge about what keeps him inspired to keep selling and promoting himself as a photographer.

Trying to decide which photos in your collection would sell the best, or attract the most attention could be a difficult task.  Which images are you having success with?
“In stock my best selling pictures are those that are a series of rocks with inspirational words on them and shots with a recycling or environment theme.”

Then there’s choosing the correct website.  There are many out there that allow you to sell your work.
“I mainly use two agencies for stock and have found most sales success with iStock, not enough to give up my day job but over time it has enabled me to upgrade my equipment and get the satisfaction of seeing my work used in the market place.”

© Phillip Danze

“I also use two online platforms for fine art and of the two, Redbubble is the one I get the occasional sale from. Fine art you need to market yourself, the platform is just that, the means to show your work and provide a place for people to buy it – it is up to you to drive traffic to your work.”

Phill has been lucky in that his “regular” job has allowed him to travel and keep him motivated “I’ve travelled a lot internationally with my job so I bought a digital SLR and took some courses on how to use it plus learn the basics of composition and lighting.”

Remaining inspired about photography is a challenge for all photographers; from amateurs to professionals. We often have t0 find new avenues of inspiration to keep us motivated and on top of the game. “I stay inspired by reading photography magazines, websites, liaising with fellow photographers and seeing their work, plus doing courses and workshops.”

Phill has been fortunate enough to travel to some pretty magical destinations. I asked Phill to describe some of the most interesting places he has photographed around the world, “There would be two, Macquarie Island and Antarctica. The wildlife was stunning and the remoteness and minimal human presence in these places added to the experience and pressure of getting the shot the first time. I also learned a lot about photography in either damp and drizzly conditions, or in freezing, high wind conditions.”

“I owe the success of my shots to some practice before leaving Australia and some tuition with Daniel Linnet”

When it comes to advice about selling images online, Phill offers some final tips and tricks of the trade “Think about what you want to sell and who your market is. There are plenty of sites where you can sell your own work and I recommend you only put your very best work out there as if someone looks at an average shot, they may not look at your other work. Think of themes or concepts to create a collection of shots. Market your work and leverage events or celebrations to promote sales of your work. Stock on the other hand requires you to use an agency and they will inspect your files before accepting them into their database of pictures. They require very high quality files and in my experience do not tolerate poorly composed pictures, artifacting, chromatic aberrations, or over processed work (i.e. keep the post camera processing to a minimum). Finally, be patient, there are a lot of budding photographers out there (not to mention professional photographers) and it could take a while to get your first sale. Most of the enjoyment I get from selling online is that is challenges me to be a better photographer and to think about what I am doing and trying to convey when taking a picture.

Check out Phills images at Red Bubble and istockphoto

This years Canon Photo5 competition brought many challenges. One of those being the pair of cardboard spectacles. Andrew Foo submitted the below image to Canon and has kindly shared his insight to the creation and thought process behind it. Enjoy

© Andrew Foo

Getting creative… creative flash that is!

Thinking up an idea that is both original and witty for a creative portrait is hard. Well, actually I lie. Neither isn’t terribly difficult, it’s executing on the idea where the hard yards are.

The inaugural competition Canon Photo5 competition came and went again this year and there’s nothing better than a good competition to bring out the best in your creative side.

The “portraiture” brief commanded the use of a supplied black spectacles made from thin piece of cardboard paper. How you used it in the shot, was open to the photographer’s interpretation. In keeping with the competition’s judging brief I wanted to create an image that would engage and probe more questions from the viewer. In “Think it’s time for a new pair…”, I played with the idea of a different kind of portrait and uniting fake with reality. Having worn the spectacles, the main subject could not see any better and proceeds to attempt to clean the cardboard spectacles with a lens cloth. This somewhat felt like a surreal moment, so I thought a ‘dreamy’ cast to the image would be a neat idea.

Having had the opportunity to attend one of SPW’s recent Shots @ The Arthouse (Flash Dance night) I felt more equipped to introduce some off-camera flash in getting a bit more creative. Shot inside one of my rooms in my house later in the day I didn’t have much ambient light to play with. I started by exposing for the ambient lighting for the room’s background. The idea was to keep the foreground pin sharp and in focus, so I dialed in a higher ISO to maintain a shutter speed of 1/50th of a second to eliminate camera shake. Using a wide aperture of f/2.8 allowed me to keep the foreground sharp and throw the background out of focus in emphasizing the action and the object in hand.

A radio remote trigger fired off a flashgun placed left of camera through an umbrella for a softer light. Needless to say I had a lot of fun doing this and comps are a great way to focus on a specific theme and get your creative juices flowing!

Camera and Lens: Canon EOS 450D, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

Off-Camera Flash: Canon Speedlite 430EX II attached to stand and shot through umbrella @ ¼ power

Remote triggered by Speedlite Radio Kit

Exposure: Shot handheld at f/2.8, 1/50sec, ISO800, Flash WB

Cheers,

Andrew Foo

Check out the link to the image – Think it’s time for a new pair

The final SPW Studio Lighting workshop for 09 has been hailed a great success.

The workshop started promptly at 8:30am where a mix of new and familiar faces gathered at the new Light Pro Sydney studios in Artarmon.

The day began with a short presentation by Daniel Linnet running through some theory of basic lighting techniques. There was also a short slideshow of images from both Daniel’s and Scott McGale’s portfolio, showcasing some of their high and low key images to which the students will be shooting today.

After the initial presentation Scott McGale took the students on a walk through the huge Dragon image showroom, going through each light and explaining the effect they could expect to get when using it. Meanwhile, our two models for the day, Olivia and Tara were having their makeup done and choosing the first of about 3 outfits each.

By this stage it was obvious that the students where keen to start shooting! We broke up into 2 groups; 6 students in the low key set with Daniel and 6 students on the high key set with Scott.

Both Scott and Daniel got straight into it, starting with a blank canvas and adding one light at a time to produce the desired effect. The students were given plenty of shooting time. Of course, all this with the help of the ever-so hard-working-assistants for the day; Kieron Dobbin and Jose Fernandez.

Lunch was the usual SPW feast; wraps, sandwiches, sushi and fruit to fuel the students for the afternoon session.

There was a quick costume change for the models and then back on the sets for the afternoon session. Again, different lighting techniques explained and lots of time for the students to go one-on-one with the model.

For the finale of the day in the low key set, the props included a mini tramp and a smoke machine which produced some stunning images, as you can see in the images attached to this post.

The day finished at approximately 6pm (I reckon the students would have stayed on until 9pm if they could) and there were happy faces all round. That is, except for Daniel and I who were left feeling a little jealous that we weren’t getting the opportunity to produce some of the fantastic shots that the students were getting!

Check out the photos and behind the scenes from the day!

Jose

Approximately every 8 weeks a new batch of SPW “Beginners DSLR Workshop” graduates go out into the world armed with their new cameras and enough new photographic knowledge and inspiration to make the most of them.

From chatting to the tutors and also the students themselves, one of the most beneficial, and I would say fitting ending to the course, is the Final Night presentations where each student brings along a selection of images created during the 8 weeks for a final slide show to music. Being able to see other photographers interpretations of the various exercises and subject matter as, well as uses of basic techniques in unique ways, often broadens the creative mind and can offer a new perspective on an otherwise familiar subject.

Images are created to be shared, to teach, to inspire and off course, to communicate the creators vision of the world. I always make a point to encourage ALL to attend this final night as the value gained from seeing the results of others often outweighs any that can be passed on verbally or by the written word. After all, photography is a visual medium.

For myself, the reward is seeing the quality of the images created and the breadth of ideas from a group who just 8 weeks earlier had little or no photographic knowledge. So it is with great pleasure that we present the first selection of our ‘Final Night Top 30′.

To view the image larger, just click on the photographers name below the thumbnails

This set of Top 30 Images was selected anonymously from over 800 final night images presented. In the selection process we considered; initial impact, originality of idea/concept, technical execution, composition and overall mood and feel.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO MADE THE FINAL CUT!!!

by: Daniel Linnet

"Jesus I Trust In You" - © Daniel Linnet

One of the most asked questions from aspiring and pro photographers alike is “What are my rights when photographing in public places, especially if photographing people candidly?” In other words, are you able to photograph a couple smooching in Hyde Park, and then use it in your online folio or for other purposes? The answer can often be a complex one, especially when you start considering common courtesy, etiquette and plain old morals.

A big thank you to Glenn Weinnert who found and posted this link on our Shots Flickr Group. It definitely answers a lot of questions.

“Created in response to objections to my Sydney Unposed project, it is written from a photographer’s perspective, with a focus on what rights shooters have (and don’t have) when it comes to candid photographs of people. Please note: as it is not an encyclopaedia on every possible aspect of photographic law, it does not attempt to address issues like anti-terrorist legislation, council photography permits or National Park commercial photo restrictions. The sole purpose of the following is to discuss legal issues which apply to people photography only.” – Andrew Nemeth BSc (Hons) LLB MTeac

Click here for ‘Australian street photography legal issues ‘

by Daniel Linnet

Melt - ©Simon Harsent

Simon Harsent has won numerous national and international advertising awards including Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio, D&AD, London International, and Australia’s first Cannes Grand Prix.

As one of the world’s most awarded photographers Simons’s work has also been featured in many national and international publications and is also included in the permanent collection at the Queensland Art Gallery and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Simon was awarded Photographer of the year in 2008 at the Hall of Fame Awards in Singapore for his work on Levis.

In 2009 Simon completed his latest project Melt: Portrait of an iceberg, a study of Icebergs photographed off the coasts of both Newfoundland and Greenland.

Melt media release

“This portfolio begins with images of the massive icebergs as they enter Greenland’s Disco Bay from the Ilulissat Icefjord; it ends with the icebergs off the East Coast of Newfoundland, by which time they have travelled hundreds of miles, and have been so battered and broken down that they are little more than ghosts of what they once were” – Simon Harsent

I found his iceberg images absolutely amazing, the light, textures and sheer size of them are mind blowing.

Simons personal website
Portrait of an iceberg

By Jose Fernandez