Yallingup Without The Surf

If you fancy a trip down south to talk photography with the AIPP people, it looks as though the 22nd and 23rd of February are the dates to aim for. They are calling it the South West Summer Sessions and organising it at Caves House, Yallingup.

Those of you who have been there know it for a rather magnificent resort of the 20's and 30's associated with the Yallingup caves and beaches and boasting a pretty magnificent period decor. They are turning on a number of high-poewered speakers for the two days as well as trade displays and professional workshops.

This is an eat, greet, listen, learn, schmooze, and develop Monday and Tuesday with David Dare Parker and Martine Perret. You'll be challenged by talks on photojournalism. business development, and creative thinking.

They'll feed you well - all day at various times - thought their flyer does note that the prices do not include accommodation - you book that separately with Caves House or other hostelries in the area. There is always sleeping on the beach but the bugs can get a bit much in summer.

They are running Earlybird prices for people booking between now and January 31st - don't neglect these as you can save yourself $ 100 by doing so. The price structure is:

Earlybird - AIPP Member $ 400,  Non Member $ 600, Student $ 180

After February 1st - Member $ 500, Non Member $ 700

Book Now - Summer Sessions - AIPP
 

The Country Show - Cameras In The Sticks

One of our principals and one of the sales staff have just returned from attending a photographic conference in Albany - a delightful country city located on the south coast of Western Australia. They took a large Mercedes van stuffed to the gills with equipment down over the weekend and presumably entertained the masses. We are in the process of emptying the van and restocking the shelves in the shop.

Looks like they had reasonable weather - the rains have hit the place today but they are back up here in the sun. The Albany run is fairly long, and they would have had a busy and tiring weekend of it.

Country conferences and open days are generally good things - the local people out in the bush are as keen about photography as those of us here in the city and as a fair amount of the landscape in Western Australia is stored out in the country - they have the ocean out off-shore to keep most of the water together - the country people can sometimes get out to the scenery a lot more conveniently...And they can take some pretty good images of it all.

One problem that seems to plague some of them is the primitive nature of the internet connections out there. They want fast access to the sites and information but sometimes the wet length of twine that the PMG has installed as the country phone line gets overloaded and they are thrown back upon their own resources*. Thus the advent of the Camera Electronic Visiting Van is a blessing - they get to see the latest goods and discuss the new trends.

Hopefully, the CE people were able to answer some questions, inspire some ambitions, and find out what sorts of gear the folks really want.

* Wait for the NBN. It is coming to your locality. It came past our front yard and broke the concrete driveway...and had to pour us a new one. Heaven knows what will happen when they start to connect the new improved high-speed optical wet twine...

Important Event Coming To Perth - Book Now

If you are a photographer...not an impossible assumption if you are reading this on your computer...you'll have a vital interest in The Event.

It's the Nikon AIPP conference for professional...and would-be professional...photo people that meets annually in a different Australian city. This year it is here in Perth at the Crown. The block of time that you'll need to devote to it is from the 29th of June to the 1 July 2015.

Bookings are essential to get to see and do everything. AIPP members will know this already as they have had lots of publicity from their own organisation, but we urge everyone else to go to the AIPP Website for this event - sorry...Event - and see what 's going to happen.

This writer went to one in 2012 and was vastly impressed by the knowledge of the speakers, the quality of their work, the professional equipment and marketing ideas on offer, and the cupcakes with afternoon tea. Also with the urbane and sophisticated demeanour of the photographers as they met each other and discussed their businesses.

I daresay there was a bit of industrial spying and bragging going on as well, but then we get that round the local bowling club on prawn night as well, and no harm done. No-one was stabbed while I was watching.

Please dial on over to the AIPP site and see if you can't plan a great time for yourself and your business.

Uncle Dick