The Biggest Astrofestra In The World

Gracie Fields would have been proud...

I note from the up-and-coming-counter at work that there is to be an Astrofest Astrophotography contest and exhibition in 2016. It's a Western Australian event that will take place at Curtin University ( WA Institute of Technology ) on the 12th of March 2016. Camera Electronic, Shoot Photography Workshops, WPM Group, and Pendoley Enviromental are sponsors.

There are a number of divisions and presentations possible - the little flyer that was on the counter mentions star trails, night-scapes,solar system objects, or deep space images. They say that astro-photos, time lapse videos, and related digital imaging such as 360º virtual reality is welcome. As they are opening the entry to any astronomer or photographer, amateur or professional, who is a resident or visitor to WA...with no age restriction, I guess you could say it is a pretty darned inclusive brief.

An omission, however. No mention of macro shots of stars. Odd, that.

Well, you have until the 5:00PM on the 29th of January, 2016 to get your entries in and the best way will be to pick up an entry form from our front counter and read the technical details that they want for the images. I note they prefer jpeg format between 2 to 5 Mb per file and they set a time limit for the time lapse video of 2 minutes.There are more specifications on the form so make sure you read them carefully. Note that there is a limit of 7 entries per person.

You can use an email to do it, post in DVDs or thumb drives, or use Dropbox to send big files. Of course there are conventions about naming the files and you'll need to make sure they know which files are yours.

Award Categories include:

1. Best Astrophoto Award
2. Best Timelapse Video Award
3. Best New Talent Award
4. People's Choice Award

So far I can 't discover what the prizes and awards are going to be but there is going to be an exhibition of the entries and some of the winners may be published and feature in other presentations. It's all in the entry form.

Their website for this entry is:   www.icrar.org/astrophoto2016

At least your subjects cannot complain that you are making them stay still for too long.

We Have A Winner! Catch Of The Day!

Congratulations to Rhiannon Petticrew from Broome. She submitted the best picture of her catch of the day for the Red FM contest...and Camera Electronic will be providing her with a rather exciting GoPro camera as a prize.

The fish that is bigger than Rhiannon is a Spanish Mackerel. You can read the entire story on the Red FM website here:

http://redfm.com.au/index.php/catch-of-the-day-winner

I've pinched their picture for this column so that Rhiannon gets a bit more recognition for a great fishing effort. All you gentlemen out there poking at the water with your rods and lines can feel officially outdone by a long way...

And shy apologies to Rhiannon and the Royal Navy for the heading image. I'm sure that if she caught an UPHOLDER she would throw it back...they are hard to skin and not that good eating anyway.

Catch Of The Day Competition

I am writing this under duress. Normally I do not approach the subject of fishing as it is the source of many painful memories*. But the Code Of The Hack Writers is firm on the point; you must tell the story no matter what it costs.

Camera Electronics is sponsoring a grand prize for a picture of the Catch of the Day as adjudged by Red FM. They are a commercial from that apparently has more wireless stations in the Northwest than the USN. And they are running a Catch of the Day competition at the following web address:

http://www.redfm.com.au/index.php/competitions

There is an easy-enter form there and a method of sending them a picture of your piscine success.

The prizes are fishing-related as well -  a number of Shimano lures and the grand prize of a GoPro from us. Do give it a try.

* All right, if you insist. It was during the Canadian salmon run. We were constructing a dam in Alberta that had a diversion channel on a river and a number of salmon ladders built into it. The local Mounties gave the company kids permission to have one afternoon fishing on the ladder ponds with one fish apiece. We all got taken onto the site by our dads and set out alongside the ladder. The other kids had poles, lines, and smooth hooks so that the fish could be unhooked and thrown back if they were unsuitable. Every kid caught about a dozen before they settle of one to take home. I did exactly what they did with exactly the same gear and nothing...NOTHING...bit all afternoon. Not a nibble. They were hauling them out with bent pins on wrapping twine. For me...nothing. I took it as a message from heaven. Ever since then I fish at Kailis' with a credit card.

Worth Travelling To See - Steve Scalone And The Canon AIPP Awards

This is a column written in a fit of jealousy. The equivalent of an electronic tantrum. You see, one of our staff members got to do something and see something that I would have loved to experience....and I can only report it at secondhand*

The Digital Show has just finished in Melbourne. Our shop sent over a dedicated crew of sales people, stock controller, company directors, and the IT man - he's the one who is normally trying to figure out why the computer screen has gone all blue...It would have been a nice break for him to see other people's screens go blue. They showed Hoodman, Lens Coat, Cullmann, and lots of other goodies to the Victorian masses.

Aside from all this, the Canon company in conjunction with the AIPP holds annual awards for photographers upon a national scale. Camera Electronic was able to sponsor an award this year in the category of Australian Travel Photographer Of The Year - 2015.

This year the award has gone to Steve Scalone - a man based in Melbourne but who evidently travels world-wide for professional photography. Just how good he is can be judged by two investigations  - you can go to his website at:

www.stevescalone.com

or pursue the Canon AIPP web page that details this year's travel award. I googled both of them and am delighted I did. I'll pass over the commercial images from his site - though they are so good as to increase the fit of jealousy - and heap praise on the pictures presented in the travel section that garnered him the award.

They are imaginative - so far from the normal run of tourist shot as to leave reportage and enter art. They are colourful and powerful - even in the case of the snow shot that has no colour. They are perfectly timed -  look at the image of the brick towers. They are imminently rewarding.

Well, he got the award - Same Perejuan from our sales team was able to be present to see that - and he deserved it. And here is a picture taken by our Camera Electronic reporter of the actual hand over:

Yep. No picture. A shop full of cameras and people who know how to use them and...nada. Guys, next Digital Show take your blog columnist along with you. He has a camera and a memory card. And a case of jealousy.

* Well, we're licensed secondhand dealers...

The Difference Between A Self Portrait And A Selfie

The difference between a self-portrait and a selfie can be far more than the equipment that is used for the image - and far more than the location or occasion. It can be the difference between a portrayal and a betrayal.

We are beset or blessed by social media - Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, Blatt, Squeal, Overshare, and Timewastr. We all need photos of ourselves to put on the top or the bottom of the page - or, in the case of one of my FB friends...everywhere including the water tank at the top of the hill. We take selfies for this purpose. The traditional selfie for Japanese tourists is in front of a western monument smiling and making "V" signs with their fingers. The traditional selfie for belly dancers is making duck faces in front of the bathroom mirror. These are accepted as fun things.

The selfies with dead animals are not accepted. Hunt and shoot if you will, and frame your portrait with the dead whatever for your den wall, but be careful that you do not advertise it further. The contumely can be never ending.

The self-portrait is altogether a more serious thing. The photographer has the task of representing themselves to people who will really look at the thing - actual contemplation rather than a quick flick through the FB news feed. The self-photographer would do well to imagine their image printed to a large size and set for viewing in a public gallery - and then to provide an image that rewards that scrutiny. They may chose to reveal or conceal, but they must do it well.

Well - the man in the image seen at the top of this blog post did just that - he thought about himself; his interests, his personality, his external appearance. He considered which colours would look well on him, and would look well framing him. He considered the lighting. As he had the equipment to light a portrait, he used it correctly - he analysed the best angle for main face lighting and put in enough ancillary illumination to support this.

The result is...he looks good. Damned good. He can send this as a small image or frame it as a large one and know that it is a good ambassador for him. He can make a business card for himself with this self-porttrait and people will look at that card more than once. A successful self-porttrait.

PS: I pinched this Gold winner from last night's Mandurah Camera Club competition as well - I thought it a delightful image.

Uncle Dick

The Hanging Judge

Did goe to the Mandurah Camera Club laste night and was greatley entertained.

Any club that meets in a bistro with a bar and snacks is doing it right. This was the Mandurah Bowling club - new premises - and it has the advantage of being easy to find, easy to park, and serviced by a freeway.

Photographers are a funny lot. Sometimes funny haha and sometime funny hmmm. The Mandurah CC are funny fun - their photos were good and their welcome was warm. And there was a large roll-up...this is a club that is expanding. There were visitors other than myself last night and they were as warmly welcomed as I was.

Judging at club contests can be funny as well - some places I have felt that there are severe intra-club rivalries and I try to steer clear of favouring one person or one camp over another. Or at least keep an eye out for when the mood of the competition night turns and the first folding chair is thrown through the darkness and the scuffle begins. Then I run for the door.

Mandurah was not like that. They were out for a good time, had a good time, and showed me a good time. Everyone played nice. They even lined up for a group photo.

The set subject for the night was a self portrait taken by the contestant. They had rules that the person had to be operating the camera themselves - fortunately most of the modern cameras have ether some port for remote control ( And we sell remote controls. See, Saul, I'm selling...) or a self timer that will allow for 10 seconds of frantic posing.

There were a number of good images - one of which is actually a very good commercial proposition if someone cared to pursue it. One of the others - a Gold winner - has been shamelessly pinched by me for the heading image on this blog. I am a bad person for doing this, but the image was so delightful that I could not resist. It has colour, humour, and charm...and as it is a self portrait we can cheerfully say the same about the photographer.

Walking Winners With Fujifilm - An Afternoon In the Sun

Recently Warwick and Justin from Fujifilm Australia came to see us here at Shoot Photography Workshops and held a splendid photo walk - you'll see an album of the pictures that the participants made on out Facebook page.

Well it was a good day in the sun and there are three winners of the competition for the walk. Here's their images repeated:

Second runner-up has won a $ 50 gift voucher from Camera Electronic - Nola Sumner with her image entitled " Bowls".

First runner-up will get a $ 100 gift voucher from Camera Electronic. This goes to Ray Ross for " Tucker Time".

Grand Prize is rather splendid - a red-bodied Fujifilm X-A1 with a silver XC 16-50mm f:3.5-5.6 OIS Fujinon lens. A world of art in a small package.

This has been won with an image entitled " 2" by...Dianne Kelsey.

We wish to congratulate the winners and thank all the participants who came along and walked. Warwick and Justin are always good and and the Fujifilm company ALWAYS has amazing new products. Next time they walk - run along with us - you'll love it.

Some Artistic Events Coming Up

Number One.

There is an exhibition currently on show at the Linton & Kay Galleries - 299 Railway Road, Subiaco and there is to be an especial artist talk connected with it.

On Saturday, 22nd August at 2:30 PM, Tony Hewitt will be speaking to his works.

This is proudly sponsored by Fitzgerald Photo Laboratory - Renowned fine art photographer Mr. Tony Hewitt concentrates on images that are both literal and abstract interpretations of the relatively thin boundary separating land from deep water, and the way that man interacts within these regions of both natural and constructed landscapes. 

A 'Grand Master of Photography' of the prestigious Australian Institute of Professional Photography, he was named Professional Photographer of the Year for 2013. Mr. Hewitt has exhibited extensively both within Australia and abroad.

Here is a link to their site.

Number Two.

The 2105 Perth Heritage Days photographic competition has prestigious sponsors and valuable prizes.

The sponsors include Leica Australia, Fitzgerald Photo laboratory, Camera Electronic, and Heritage Perth.

The prizes will be a Leica camera and a $450 printing voucher from Fitzgerald's. There will be a Judges Prize and a People's Choice prize.

Submissions are invited for he inaugural Perth Heritage Days 2015 photographic competition.Photographers will be encouraged to explore the amazing heritage places which can be fond in the city and to show their vision of Pret' Heritage.

The competition is open to all non-professional photographers who are residents of Western Australia.

Closing date will be the 30th of September 2015.

Here is a link to the website.

Number Three.

There will be a small group "boutique" tour of Cambodia under the title " Captivating Cambodia".

It will be conducted between October 30 and November 5, 2015.

The ancient temples of Agkor and the rich culture of the Kmer civilization awaits. Master photographer Nick Melidonis with guest: renowned American photographer John McDermott who resides in Siem Reap will take you on a personal journey to discover the culture and wonders of this exciting and vibrant destination.

8 Participants only.

Full details are available at:  www.nickmelidonis.com/tours

Good News For Jeremy - The Door

Well, here's a bit of good news for one of the people who attended the PhotoLive 2015 day at the Novotel Langley. The door prize is theirs.

It will be delivered later this week as soon as they can get it onto a low-loader with a HIAB. Those doors at the Langley are heavy! It's going to be cold and breezy in the lobby until summer  but at least the prize-winner will have a fine new portal for his house. Hope it's a big house...

All joking aside - Jeremy McGready won the prize - a night's stay at the Novotel for 2 people and has been notified by email. It's just the stay - if he actually does show up at home with one of their front doors we're all gonna be in trouble...

Aw, SHOOT! Guess I Better Get Along To Learn How To Do It.

Well...yes... SHOOT Photography Workshops is a very good idea if you want to learn how to do it. And here are a few new dates to put in your calendar for just that purpose:

August 8th is this saturday morning. If you'd like to go to the beginner's workshop entitled Digital Stills with  Anthony Wilson - and it is only $ 99 for a full four hours between 12:00 and 4:00PM - email to   shannon@shootworkshops.com.au.

On August 15 Nick Melidonis will help new learners to begin to cope with the Adobe Photoshop editing program. It is knowledge that we ALL need to make out photographs sing, and Nick is a good teacher - or should that be choirmaster? Whatever, Saturday the 15th and the course runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00PM. $ 249...email Shannon as per the note above.

Okay - now the next one was a mystery to me until I phoned Shannon myself.

On Saturday the 22nd of August Dale Neill will be speaking about " Broken Images ". Dale has seen a lot of photo competitions and noted the entries that are submitted - but that will never be considered for recognition and prizes. He's inviting people to bring a few of their own shots for consideration but the most important message will be how to avoid the " broken " images that rule you out of contention.

If you are at all interested in competitive photography and the exhibition image this would be a very good $ 49 spent - and Dale is a good speaker as well. Phone Shannon on 9228 8232 if you'd like to book in or use the email system.

Last cab off the rank for the more advanced photographer is a chance to tune your food photography skills with Stefan Gosatti on Wednesday, August the 26th. Running between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, this will be $ 199 worth of very up-to-the-minute instruction from someone who knows food and photography on a pro level. I don't think he swears like Gordon Ramsay, so that is a good thing.

Three Weeks To Go For The FIPP

I love that name. FIPP. Sounds positively rude...but isn't.

The Fremantle International Portrait Prize competition closes for entries in three weeks. So far they have received entries from a number of countries - one of the organisers mentioned Russia, Argentina, Canada, France, The United Kingdom, India, and Samoa amongst others. Lots of entries as well from Western Australia and from someplace called The Eastern States...

Good doings until the 21st of August - you have until then to look at their website and then send in some electronic money and electronic images.

The competition offers real prizes - real money - and printing and exhibition of the images. They have had two big sponsors come on board - Fremantle City Council and Fremantle Ports. I was excited about the latter until I found out it wasn't a winery...

Nevertheless, this is a major contest for those of us who love the human face and its depiction. The entires will be well worth seeing when they are judged and hung.

Brodie Butler Passes Judgement!

It's not as bad as it sounds - he hasn't put on the black cap and the solemn voice...in fact the news he has to impart to the prisoners is all good...

Brodie recently gave a dynamite lecture on the subject of the new Canon EOS 5Ds and 5D Sr cameras at the Oxford Hotel. As part of the festivities, Canon Australia, Fitzgerald Photo laboratory, and Camera Electronic put up a little contest for the photographers who attended.

They were to submit pictures involving Canon products. Brodie was to be judge.

The entries were so good that Brodie finally had to give it as a spilt decision and award two prizes. They go to:

Hyrom Jones
Brad Miskiewicz

They both get a big 'ol print voucher from Fitgerald's, and $ 375 worth of Canon gear rental from us. Good images coming...

And for all who entered the contest , they can come in to see our service team for a free sensor clean - courtesy of Canon CPS and us.

Win A Camera From Samsung! Instagram!

Samsung Australia have a quick and delightful contest and a very nice prize as a reward - and it is a photo contest so all our readers will be good to go...

You can win an incredibly lightweight and remarkably powerful NX500 mirrorless camera!

What you need to do:

1. Upload to Instagram your most creative and unique black and white photo.

2. Tag the photo with @SamsungAU.

3, Hashtag #NX500BandW in the description of the photo.

Easy, right? Entries close 9:00PM ( AEST ) 21/07/2015 so get snapping!

T&Cs apply. See here

Photo taken by Karn Samanvorawon.

Here Come De Judge

I was given an interesting task over the weekend - judging a small photo contest that was part of a recent photowalk. It was a pleasant interlude for Sunday afternoon and I quite enjoyed myself. I likened it to reading a photographic magazine without the advertising
copy between the pictures.

I get enough of that everyday here in the shop - Heck, I write the stuff - no need to read it on the weekend.

But back to the photo walk. Rob Masters organised it in Cottesloe a couple of weeks ago and from what I can gather it was enjoyable for the participants. Certainly the weather looked fine in the photos and the participants seem to have had a reasonable variety of scenes to work with.

Their brief was to capture pictures of "water" and "architecture". Having that sort of direction is invaluable for any contest - because it makes the participant concentrate their vision. It is the same as an advertiser sending out a brief for an illustration or an editor sending a photographer out on an assignment - and it means that the contest judge has a form into which he finished image can be set - to see if it complies.

Don't think that makes for cookie-cutter judgements - there are still all the other aspects that can be considered - but it does shear off the wayward sort of photographer who just shoots willy-nilly and serves it up as art. If they ask for water, give 'em water. If you can't find water, make water...

The two winning images were not perfect - and some of the ones that did not win were. But the winners made me want to see more of the architecture and the water at the place - and that is what sells magazines or architecture or water.

Heading image: Melbourne Cricket Ground main stand during the Brisbane floods...

Wild Times With Lowepro - Competition And Cash Back!

Looks like the rest of June and July are set to become a little wilder, thanks to Lowepro.

As you all know, Lowepro are one of the foremost camera bag accessory makers in the world. They make special and general bags to carry the world's photographic and computer equipment - as well as the world's sandwiches and bottles of lemonade. They go everywhere.

Now they are going on the Pacific Trail with Reese Witherspoon in a promotion that highlights her new motion picture - aptly named " Wild ". Trail along yourself and you could pick up some prizes. Buy some of the Lowepro equipment and you can get yourself some nice cashbacks.

First the contest:

From 20/06/2015 until 31/07/2015 the wholesalers of Lowepro are going to provide 5 prizes per week for interesting answers to a Lowepro question. There will be 30 prizes in all, each worth $ 39.95...and you can enter once a week if you like. You enter at midnight on Saturday each week.

The question is; How would you use your Lowepro to get wild? Ignore the grammatical bumps in that road - you can understand what they are asking. Write a response that intrigues them and you'll be in the running. They're going to be pretty prompt in telling you if you've won something....early in the week, says their entry form.

Next, the cashbacks - note these are unconnected with the writing contest...

From 19/06/2015 until 31/06/2015 - that's to the end of this month - Lowepro will allow cashbacks to purchasers of their products in two divisions:

1. If you buy products above the value of $ 179 AUD up to $ 269 AUD you'll become eligible for a cashback of $ 30.

2. If you buy products valued above $ 269 AUD you'll become eligible for a cashback of $ 60.

You can find out more about the terms and conditions by clicking here:

http://www.lowepro.com/getwild/

July 12 - Kodak Brownie Day - Get Ready For a Blast From The Past

July 12th is the birthdate of George Eastman - long ago in 1854. Waterville, New York, actually. George was interested in photography...

To celebrate this birthday I am inviting or readers to set their digital cameras as follows:

ISO as low as possible - 50-100 is fine.

Aperture at f:11 in manual mode.

Shutter speed at 1/25 of a second in manual mode.

jpeg. sRGB. Basic quality.

Monochrome setting, if possible. You can make it sepia if you wish.

Aspect ratio - 1:1 if possible.

Manual focus set at 10 feet.

Now go out and take 12 pictures. 12 only, ' film ' is expensive...

Do NOT review the pictures on the LCD screen - just go on from 1 to 2 to 3 and so on. Bring them back to your computer and display them out at 56mm x 56mm. No cheating - no photoshopping - no HDR - no plug-ins. Your first 12 pictures just as they come.

Show us the results. You have just used your own Kodak No.1 Brownie  (Digital Division) and if you have used it correctly you should have pictures of your family and the school fete and possibly Mundaring Weir. With luck they will be squinting into the sun. And very slightly blurred. Sun hats will be a bonus.

I'll try to feature the best on this blog.

Uncle Dick

Clicking In A Westerly Direction

I can remember a night out at the movies used to include coloured slides flashed on the screen to advertise local businesses  - it also had watery orange cordial and ice cream bombs that cost less than the price of a moderate-sized family home. Those days have gone...

What excites me now is the prospect of next week - the 3rd of June at the La Premiere Cinema at Carousel. That'll be the venue yet again for the WAPF's presentation of the Canon Click West competition.

They've been busy, the judges - considering the entries from camera club members all over the state. They have been looking in 4 various categories and sorting through portfolios that photographers have submitted to them. The rules for submission meant that there were entires into different forms of photography but as they were put to the contest in digital form it will all have gone swimmingly.

I note that this year they have also added a prize for first-time entrants.

Prizes? Well, there is a prize pool for this contest of some $ 22,000. that's big money in equipment, services, trips, and other things. Well worth the time of those club photographers who submitted their work. They have probably been sitting on tenterhooks this month - the cut-off date for submissions was the start of May.

They'll be showing the entries on the big screen at La Premiere next Wednesday - if you are interested in seeing what will be, go to the Click West website of the WAPF and follow their directions for booking.

In the meantime, we here at Camera Electronic will be packing  showbags for the night.
There will be goodies in there from a number of sponsors and something interesting for every show-goer. Unfortunately the Customs Department seized the fireworks and flick-knives I was originally going to give out, but I'll will find something else.

Uncle Dick

Still Time To Ring Our Bells - Competition!

There's still time to enter a great photo competition - with a fun twist.

The Perth Bell Tower is an iconic landmark on the Swan. Here's your chance - as a non-professional photographer - to make a photographic expression of the Bell Tower's Golden Treasures.

The fun twist is that the photograph must be taken from inside the Bell Tower...You can download free entry passes to the tower at :

thewest,com.au

Three entry categories - People's Choice ( 18+), Judge's Selection ( 18+), and Youth category ( 12-17 years ).

Canon Australia and Camera Electronic are providing Canon cameras as prizes; People's Choice ( 18+) and Judge's Selection ( 18+) get Canon EOS 700D single lens kits and the Youth category prize is a Canon G 16 camera. Definitely not prizes to be sniffed at.

The winners will also get especial gold Bell Tower charms.

The voters wo go on-line to vote between 8-18 May are also eligible to go into a draw for an ADAMS Pinnacle tours 2-Day Margaret River Getaway or a 12-monyh pass to the Bell Tower and a Sterling Silver Bell Tower charm.

Still time to enter - competition entry closes 5:00 PM Monday May 4. Go find the details at:

thewest.com.au/thebelltower

Fremantle = Portraits = Prizes in 2015

Yes, here it comes again.

Our friend Dale Neille has just alerted us that the Fremantle International Portrait Competition is on again for 2015 - with some bouncing rewards for the best photos. $ 12,000 in cash and material prizes. You can bounce pretty darn good for $ 12,000...

You'll have some time to prepare as the date for the start of entries is set at 15 June, 2015...and the closing date for entries is 15 August 2015.

The best research you can do right now is to go to:

www.fipp2015.org

And of course, start hunting down your subjects for your portraiture. With today's high-speed shutters and high ISO digital cameras you won't be restricted to thumbtacking your sitters onto a wooden chair in full sunlight for ten minutes...but it's still a fun idea.

Let's face it, if Fox-Talbot succeeded, so can you.

Getting To The Point

How often have you sat in the dark at the camera club competition and looked at the perfection on the screen. And then had the judge pick out the one-pixel-wide flaw on the image - this in an image that is the size of a two-car garage - and score it as " can do better ".

Kinda makes you want to pack a pistol, don't it? Or at least throw a double-dark slide through the darkness like a ninja star, in hopes of winging the miserable sod. All your work, and all to no avail...over one pixel.

Well, take heart. This last weekend several members of the staff attended an exhibition of famous photographs of famous people by a famous photographer. And they were wonderful images, and iconic, and masterful, and apparently wouldn't make the cut at any of our local clubs...

One of the chaps said that we might have higher standards now - now that we have a flood of images in the world. These were taken when the photographer had to do a lot more hard work to produce an image. Or maybe the exhibition pictures are of such an emotional and artistic value as to transcend the judgement.

Whatever. I think it just means that the club people are better than they know it when it comes to making the images. All they need is a famous personality to photograph and an picture editor to buy it. And for LOOK, LIFE, SIGNAL, and FILM FLOOZIES magazines to come back onto the news stands....

Heading Picture: Grey Company's Saxon shield wall preparing to receive visitors.