www.professionalphotographer.co.

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for professionals, by professionals

BIG INTERVIEW
+ Tim Wallace nds
his mono mojo in
Death Valley

TERENCE STAMP:
A chance caf
bromance
COLUMNS ON:
+ Condence
+ Equality
+ Culture

MAY 2014 4.20

professional since 1982

BUSINESS:
+ Slow down
to succeed
+ PR dos & donts
+ Managing customers
THE SOCIALS:
Maximise Facebook
& Twitter

CSCs:

Fujilm X-T1
JPEG Vs Raw
ROCKARCHIVE:
Furmanovskys dream

IMAGING

MAC Vs PC:
Power or value?
You decide
COVER: ERIK ALMS

contributors

KATE HOPEWELL-SMITH

welcome
May 2014
SHED
YOUR SKIN

CRAIG FLEMING

CLIVE BOOTH

JAMES HOLE

BRODIE MCINTOSH

CATHERINE CONNER

KEVIN MULLINS

LAKSHAL PERERA

nakes do it to
enable them to
grow, and we as
creatives need to
do the same to
shed our metaphorical skins,
to enable us to seek out new
opportunities and ideas, to
fresh ourselves. After reading
Tim Wallaces highly
inspirational story, starting on
page 69 a double love affair
with a stunning location in
Death Valley and his beloved
Fuji X-Pro1 I was enthralled
with how he used this
experience to revitalise his
thinking. How he realised the
importance of, every now and
then, heading off somewhere
and shooting for shootings
sake. Okay, we dont all have
the luxury of driving to Darwin
in LAs Death Valley, but you
get the idea. I personally love
doing this myself, and always
did when I was a working
professional, as well. Always
saying yes to jobs that may
not excite you is part of being
a professional, but it can have
a draining effect on a creative
soul. Personal projects are
your defence against creative
brain drain.

TIM WALLACE

Adam Scorey, Editor, adam.scorey@archant.co.uk

ERIK ALMS

FRONT COVER BY ERIK ALMS

TIM WALLACE

Junes Issue

TAY KAY CHIN

BENEDICT REDGROVE
Lorna Dockerill chats cars, cameras and fast living with automotive photographer
Benedict Redgrove to discover the story behind a man who shoots speed, day in, day out.
PAUL JOYCE
Jane Fonda, Johnny Cash, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Redford, Spike Milligan, Sophia Loren
just some of the stars that next months big interview, Paul Joyce, has captured.
NIKON D4S
Karl Shaw takes a closer look at Nikons latest offering - find out what he found in next
months issue.

Special thanks to:

KARL SHAW

ANGELA WARNES * PAUL STEAD * NEALE JAMES * JILL FURMANOVSKY

25

contents
we talk to...
25 Clive Booth & Terence Stamp
Bumping into Terence Stamp in a Soho caf, Clive
Booth took the opportunity to recreate last months
cover shot by Terence Donovan, decades on!

33 Styling your Shoot: James Hole

61 Working Pro: Erik Alms

61

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize finalist Erik

Alms tells Will Roberts how he honed his unique style.

69 Big Interview: Tim Wallace

Top car photographer and last years PPOTY Travel
category winner Tim Wallace explores an abandoned
village in Californias Death Valley with just his trusty
Fuji X-Pro1 for company.

99 Archive: Rockarchive
ERIK ALMS

Jessica Bracey explores the world of rock n roll

photography at Rockarchive.

the business

69

40 Social Marketing
Intergages Brodie McIntosh gives valuable guidance on
making the most of social media in your business.

44 Catherine Connor
Catherine explains the importance of taking time out.

47 The Business of PR
Emma-Lily Pendleton discovers the relevance of having
PR on your side when it comes to business.

51 Kevin Mullins
TIM WALLACE

CLIVE BOOTH

Faced with the difficult task of shooting creative school

photography James Hole learns a lot from a
commission thats far beyond his comfort zone.

This month Kevin talks about the importance of

standing your ground with difficult clients.

73
56

regulars
9 Kate Hopewell-Smith: Location
Kate talks light, location and where her priorities lie in
this months column.

11 Fleming of the Shire

Helicopters, varying rates and flirtatious behaviour are
all on the cards for Craig this month.

12 Letters
Our very own agony aunt, Adam Scorey, responds to a
readers licensing issue.

14 Portfolio
6

LAKSHAL PERERA

This month we feature our favourite readers images

uploaded to our online gallery.

20 2014 PPOTY Awards

Find out more about the 2014 Professional
Photographer of the Year awards, this years categories,
sponsors and how to enter.

gear

56 Lakshal Perera

81 Choosing your Laptop

Our Oz correspondent tackles the second part of our

discussion on equality, looking at gender roles in the
bride-centric wedding market.

58 Tay Kay Chin

Our new Singapore-based columnist delves into the
world of business opportunities available in Asia.

78 Subscribe

Subscribe to Professional Photographer, save 50 per

cent and get a free PNY 8GB SDHC flashcard.

Our in-office computer guru, Paul Stead, looks at some

of the best laptops on the market and gives guidance on
what professional photographers should look for.

87 Buyers Guide: Storage

We select our favourite top-performing external storage
devices and cloud services on the market.

89 Fuji X-T1
Karl Shaw takes the flash, new Fuji CSC for a test drive.

94 JPEG Vs Raw

89

Wedding photographer Neale James explores which

format is the real winner.

97 Buyers Guide: Memory Cards

Investing in a high-quality memory card is a must for
professional photographers.

Love Professional Photographer? Get 1 off our June issue with

the code GP30 through www.buyamag.co.uk with free delivery!

KATE H

location,
location,
location
KATE HOPEWELL-SMITH talks light and
location, and reveals where her priorities lie
retty much since touching down from South
Africa, I have been giving talks and running
training sessions sharing my thoughts
and experiences about the lifestyle
photography market. A word that I have
repeatedly heard is confidence. Its generally in terms of this
being a vital yet lacking component for many photographers.
Many of you have spoken to me about your lack of confidence
with light, posing, expression, composition, metering its
different things for different people, but the sentiment is the
same. I have worked exceptionally hard over the last four years
to keep my learning curve steep, continually adding another
jigsaw piece to the puzzle that is photography. As each piece
slotted in to place, I gained confidence. As a result, each shoot
became easier until I reached my current state: never overconfident about my abilities but able to walk into any scenario
and produce consistently strong images.
I have learnt to shoot natural light in three different ways
outside, indoors, on location and I can make decisions very
quickly on what is the most appropriate option for the concept or
mood of the shoot. When I have beautiful light I am almost
dancing as I work, inspired and animated by what is possible. Of
course, natural light is completely governed by chance on
location. So for every shoot where I feel like this, there may be
many others when I am quietly disappointed and will probably
end up having to add light to improve what has been offered up.
Rightly so, light is my number one. But the other element that
will fight for my affections is location. You see, I find the blank
space of a studio deeply uninspiring. It reminds me of years past
sitting with a new canvas in front of me, brushes to hand and
the glossy swirls of oil paint waiting to be disturbed.
I found it daunting, which, I have discovered, is how many
photographers feel when they are out on location faced with a
canvas already full of sky, trees, buildings and a million other
potentially distracting elements.
I clearly remember when photography became an obsession
when I carried my camera everywhere and took pictures at

MITH
L-S

EWEL
OP

every opportunity. I loved every minute of it, but it was in my Before

Light phase, by which I mean I didnt see light at all I just saw
people and nice backdrops. I would seek out interesting backgrounds
such as peeling walls, accents of colour, quirky architectural
elements, and I would lead my subjects to them with no real grasp
of whether the light was any good or not.
And then I was taught to see light and so began the After Light
phase a wonderful place to be, but one that also haunts you as you
drive down motorways, sit in cafs or watch films. It changes
everything if, like me, you choose to shoot on location and
predominantly use natural light. Environmental portrait shoots have
become something of a lottery they are dictated by what
opportunities the light presents. Every shoot begins with an
assessment of the light and this leads me to possible locations.
Light first, location second.
As I walk around making decisions on where to shoot, I will see
something that I find interesting and is full of potential, only to
quickly discover that today is not the day because the light just isnt
going to deliver what I want or need it to. This must sound
frustrating for those of you who use artificial lights to deliver a vision
in your chosen location, and youre right. But when you have 20
minutes with a couple on their wedding day, you dont have the
luxury of time or assistants. You make the best of the situation.
I had a portrait shoot recently that was seriously tough. It was a
three-hour shoot with seven people and there wasnt a cloud in the
sky and the only location option was a wood. I knew it was going to
be tough and it took me 15 minutes of walking up and down this
wood to make a decision about where to shoot. Because it was all
compromise harsh, uneven light and distracting trees in every
direction. After two hours of working very hard with flash and
reflectors, we headed back to their house and safe light.
In contrast to this, I have just done a boudoir shoot where I had
studio flash and continuous lighting systems to hand. And yet the
natural light was so amazing that I was able to use that for most of
the shoot ideas and opportunities presenting themselves as quickly
as the light was changing. The truth is that I now find overcast light
very uninspiring. I know that I need to work locations hard to add the
impact that is missing from beautiful light. This is when location
becomes everything and can make the difference between an
ordinary shoot and one that will grab your attention.
Location is on my mind because Im sat on a plane to New York
writing this and while I am there I have an engagement shoot. I am
looking forward to it so much because I know that I will find
inspiration in the location. Its the same reason why I am prepared to
spend a week with another couple in August they are flying me to
Lake Como and Moscow for their wedding. And the reason why I
would never own a studio is because I love the challenge of finding
peace among the visual noise of a new location. Coupled with light, it
is the thing that keeps the passion alive when the reality of running a
business could easily kill it!
pp@katehopewellsmith.com @Kate_H_S_Photo
www.katehopewellsmith.com

This month, CRAIG FLEMING is baffled by the undue and overt attentions of a
model and narrowly avoids photographing a veneer-toting reality TV star

s often happens at the start of this column, the

phone rings. Only it didnt this time. Well maybe it
did, but it was more than likely someone elses.
So anyway, my email pings (metaphorically
mine isnt set to ping. I dont even know if it
can). Actually, it didnt either. So Ill start
again. Nothing happened. Or did it? It could have I actually
cant remember.
Its been a busy old month. It started off with two hair competition
shoots and a knitwear shoot in a very upmarket Cheshire hotel.
As the Jazz pulled up in front of the venue, a helicopter landed on
the fairway of the hotels golf course. My make-up artist, Bekki,
upon seeing the dream wheels arrive, mentioned to the model that
I was here. The model was sat down and didnt see the Jazz, only
the helicopter, and so put two and two together to come up with
a buttered frog. Okay, maybe not that, but it certainly wasnt four
you get my drift. Five minutes later I waltzed into the hotel room to
greet them both. I thought the model was a little more friendly
than normal but put it down to the fact that wed perhaps shot
before and Id forgotten. Forgetting people youve shot is normal
past the age of 40, so I wasnt unduly concerned.
Anyway, for the next five hours she flirted with me overtly. It must
have been overt because when it comes to women, Im like
Dave Stupid of Stupidtown, but even I saw it. Bekki was impressed
and kept making sly jokes to me about it all the way through. At the
end of the shoot and with the client unwilling to buy our lunch,
I asked the team if they wanted to come with me and wed hop over
to Knutsford for lunch. The model clapped with glee and I couldnt
help thinking she was a bit over the top. Then again, the Jazzs
reputation holds a somewhat magical enigma, which I have yet to
understand. So off we walked and as we approached the old blue
wonder, her face dropped: Err didnt you arrive in a helicopter?
she asked. Bekki and I just stared in amazement and the penny
dropped. Needless to say the model didnt join us for our slap-up
lunch in Knutsford of chunky chips and a pudding.
Its odd the model in question thought I could afford a helicopter,
given that the client wanted me for half my normal hourly rate
and was too tight to buy the team a snack. Ill never get a chopper
working for clients like that. That said, it is funny how when you
tell people what you do for a living, they instantly think I spend my
weekends moored somewhere off the coast of Monaco. The fact
is, I do own a boat well, half of one. Its an 11-foot dinghy that folds
up and goes on a roof rack. My brother and I troll up and down
the River Trent in it fishing for perch and zander. Its a boys toy and

for some reason, its never impressed any woman. And for the life of
me I cannot understand why. Fickle things, women.
Rates are constantly discussed within my circle of creatives. A
few of them have worked with various reality TV stars lately and
whats become apparent is that they, or rather their PR people,
seem to think well shoot them for free and be grateful in the
process. I was asked to photograph one of them too, and they
basically wanted me to shoot them for free then give them all the
Raw files for approval. Also, they wanted me to retouch 100 of them
then hand over everything including copyright and never use the
images for myself. I thought about their kind offer, but unfortunately
had to decline due to the fact that Im not a raving loon-ball with
a bath sponge for a brain. To be honest, I dont watch nonsense TV
and had to Google him. Turns out I was right not to shoot him.
He dresses like a pantomime dames scatter cushion, has teeth that
look like a row of fridges and isnt so much spray tanned as
marinated in creosote for a week. Ive had enough of seeing these
talentless, hair-brained humans spouting on TV without having
to spend five hours with them locked in a studio listening to them
talk in depth about how totes amaze-balls they are.
Ive got no idea what kind of DNA goes into making one of these
aberrations of the gene pool and, to be fair, I dont really care, as
long as I dont have to watch it gurning through its veneers
and harping on about carbs and marbs while clutching onto a dog
the size of a gerbil. But what I do care about is PR companies
insulting me and my profession by dictating rates and terms. If you
like my work, pay me my rate. Its that simple.
There are people I would photograph for free and, to be fair, it
wasnt about the individual, it was more about the terms. The PR
guy said the words A-lister to me. Now, to me, when I hear the
words A-list, I think of names like Clooney, Pitt, Johansson, Cruise
or Davro. So me and this PR guy, whose name was Jiff or Scooter or
something else made up to make him appear more zany, discussed
the alphabet in great length, and also this list. It turns out there are
only 26 letters in our alphabet and so, just to help him put into
perspective my feelings about this, I gave him an entirely new
alphabet. And this one had 439 letters in it. Then I explained it had
to have that many letters in it because, in my mind, his client was
lodged firmly at the arse end of it.
In summary, Craig Fleming wont be getting asked to photograph
anyone from reality TV anytime soon. Praise the Lord.
www.craigfleming.4ormat.com
@CraigMFleming

11

letters page

MEET
THE
TEAM

Each month, many of your get in contact with your queries,

questions and responses and here, we will be highlighting
our favourites. So if you want to raise a point, discuss an
issue or simply get something off your chest, get in touch!
letters@professionalphotographer.co.uk

Group Editor
of Archant Imaging
Adam Scorey

Acting Deputy Editor

Emma-Lily Pendleton

letter
of the
month
Art Editor
Rebecca Stead

12
Features Writer
Jessica Bracey

Last week I received an email through Flickr from Yahoo requesting the use of 10 of my
pictures for its weather app. Great, I think, some cash towards the bills! When I click on
the link, it took me to a Flickr group. Mmm, I cant seem to find anything about payment.
So looking at the T&Cs, it turns out that its the usual worldwide handcuffs, which means
Yahoo can basically do anything they like with the images and no payment is offered.
I have used Flickr for years, met many people (actually face to face) and had the odd bit
of business I even pay for the privilege. Yahoo has multi-billion dollar revenues and they
cant or wont pay for stock images! A little more research showed me that this seems
to be the norm for media businesses: free content, free product, make your money on the
advertising. So where does that leave us photographers, the content makers? Do we need a
new business model? What advice would you give to photographers about how to use this
business model to our advantage? What can photographers do as a community?
I am a pragmatist: if you cant change circumstances, then adapt and do it differently.
Keen to hear from you and other photographers, to hear how they deal with this.
Paddy McDougal, by email
Glasgow, Scotland

Features Writer
Jade Price

editors
response
Digital Editorial
Apprentice
Charley Yates

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Art Editor
Photography Monthly
Noel Hibbert

Hi Paddy,
Its that old argument about free marketing (or exposure) in place of cold, hard cash.
Sometimes this does work as a brand exercise, but only if your brand can be seen on the
image(s) they use and your Flickr name (only) does, in this instance. Another perspective
(from Yahoo) could be that as the app doesnt make money directly (its free to download),
they shouldnt pay, which is hokum, of course. My biggest concern is signing away your
image rights which you should never do for free. The issue is that too many people (pro
and hobbyist) have agreed and felt honoured to have their images chosen Kevin Mullins
wrote about this in the Feb 2014 issue of PP. I guess you will need to vote with your feet, as
it were. If you believe that the kudos of having your images featured on the Yahoo weather
app is a big deal or not can you leverage this to raise your profile? Suggestions: Perhaps
have a link to the app on your blog or website? Ask if the link on the image within the app
can be a hyperlink? Can Yahoo create a logo that you can use as a preferred supplier,
perhaps? If you create newsletters, include this as an update and try and get a quote from
the person behind the name as to why they chose the images and use this quote in your
branding and marketing. Ask Yahoo for the number of app downloads and use these
numbers in your marketing. Another tact is to ensure that you only supply the images at the
exact pixel density and dimensions the app needs. They dont need them high resolution,
surely! Basically, try any route to make these images work for you and give you a return in
some tangible way.
Yours sincerely,
Adam Scorey
letters@professionalphotographer.co.uk

14

portfolio
Weve chosen our favourite images from
PPs online gallery. Dont forget to upload
your work for the chance to be featured

Daniel Ackerley,
UK

portfolio

Nicola Kirk,
UK

Rebecca Tate,
UK

15

Cristina Venedict,
Romania

Mohammadreza Rezania,
Iran

portfolio

16
Moritz Stragholz,
Malta

Joann Randles,

portfolio

Jolanta Macionczyk,
UK

Adrian Dewey,
UK

18

Melissa Downhill
UK

Joann Randles,

portfolio

Ella Hansmann,
Germany

Cristina Venedict,
Romania

19

Joas Souza,
UK

Jolanta Macionczyk,
UK

competition

Could you be our

Professional Photographer
of the Year 2014?
The gates are open and the entries are rolling in. For your chance to be Professional
Photographer of the Year 2014, take some time to read the next few pages before
entering one of the 15 categories

20

Nothing Else But Us Right Now has been uploaded to the Prime Lens category by Lionel Taplin. www.stealtheday.blogspot.co.uk

competition

Whatever your field of photography, theres a category for

you among the 14 single-image categories and one
triple-image category. There will be a winner for each of
the 15 categories and, as always, an overall winner will be
chosen from those category winners. It is that person who
will win the coveted title of Professional Photographer of
the Year 2014. The competition will be closing on 31
August 2014 and the winners announced at an awards
night, held in Cheltenham, in early November 2014. Here
are the final categories for the 2014 competition and this
years judges, who will work alongside editor Adam Scorey.
To enter, visit
www.professionalphotographer.co.uk/PPOTY2014

To enter,
visit www.
professional
photographer.
co.uk/PPOTY
2014

Action & Extreme Sports Sponsor:

Samsung Memory
Black & White
Family Portraits
Fashion Sponsor: Elinchrom
In the Studio Sponsor: Morgan Richardson
Location Flash Sponsor: Profoto
Medium Format
News
Portfolio of Three Sponsor: Chaudigital
Prime Lens Sponsor: LensPimp
Street Photography
Travel Sponsor: One Vision
The Turning Pro Award Sponsor: Aspire
Wild Card
Wedding Sponsor: Folio Albums

21

Jared Leto has been uploaded to the News category by Marie Simonova.
www.mariesimonova.foliosites.co.uk

To find out more about the categories visit

www.professionalphotographer.co.uk/
PPOTY2014

My4 has been uploaded to the Family Portraits category by Denise Slark. www.angelswithdirtyfacesphotography.com

22

CATHERINE
CONNER
Judging the Turning Pro
award, founder of Aspire
Photography Training, Catherine Conner,
tells us what shes looking for in this
years winning images.
This summer will fly by, as will this
amazing opportunity with Professional
Photographer and Aspire Photography
Training. We are looking to acknowledge a
photographer that has a burning passion to
succeed, a photographer totally committed
to photography and producing great
imagery. Whether you are a university
student or turning your passion into a
career, we are interested in finding out more
about you and discovering why you deserve
this great accolade. We are on the hunt for
someone that has a vision for their
photography. You have nothing to lose
and everything to gain.

MIKE DEERE
Judging the Prime Lens
category, last years winner,
Mike, tells us what hes
looking for in the winning images.
Primes are as much about perspective as
they are depth-of-field. Whether its a
frame-filling fisheye sport shot or a
patiently planned wildlife spectacular at
sunrise, primes are about knowing your
subject and knowing your own creative
vision and craft.

To enter,
visit www.
professional
photographer.
co.uk/PPOTY
2014

ADAM SCOREY
Group Editor of the three
Imaging magazines, ex pro
Adam oversees the
competition and is head judge.
An image needs to entice an emotional
response from me positive or negative. It
needs to have visual impact, compositional
tension and have some form of narrative
that I can become part of, whether capturing
a specific moment or clever use of elements
within the frame. I like it to meet the brief,
though happy for that to be interpreted
widely for maximum creative effect. I want
to be able to like, if not love, the image.

PRE ORDER
THE NEXT ISSUE

AND SAVE 1
Use discount code GP30
at www.buyamag.co.uk/PP

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CATEGORY
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Turning Pro

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Elinchrom is a Swiss
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Aspire is a leading photography

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training.co.uk

A specialist insurance
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CATEGORY
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Kevin Mullins
Kate Hopewell-Smith
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CATEGORY Weddings
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Asuka aims to break the mould

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CATEGORY
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CATEGORY Travel
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One Vision is a high quality

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Doing what it says on the tin,

this studio offers the space
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23

photographing a legend

25

CLIVE BOOTH

Tea
Terence Stamp
A chance meeting turns into the opportunity of a lifetime for photographer
CLIVE BOOTH. In March we featured a young Terence Stamp on PPs cover nearly
half a century on our man photographs the film legend, creating his own stamp on history

photographing a legend

26

dont believe in fate, luck, destiny, karma or kismet. As the saying goes, you make
your own luck. Another favourite of mine is, preparation meeting opportunity
keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities that stem from interactions with
both people and places.
It is mid-May and an overcast day in Soho with the usual busy streets. Everyone is on
a mission and they walk, ride or drive with purpose and intent. I live in what some
may consider a sleepy town in Derbyshire but I love the contrast and the buzz of this, my place of work
in the heart of London. Having spent 20 years as a graphic designer and the last 10 as a photographer
shooting fashion, beauty and portraits, Im embarking on directing and shooting short films
and commercials.

A chance encounter
Its the days fourth meeting and Im on my way to see directors representative Corin West, from
production company th2ng. Corin wants to get out of the office, so we head to one of several new
tearooms in the area. As we near the tearoom, something no, someone catches my eye. It takes a
moment to process the fact that there, sitting in the window, is Terence Stamp. Im not particularly
surprised by this; we are in Soho after all with its multitude of production and post-production
houses, recording studios, restaurants and meeting places and hes the third actor Ive seen today.
But this is Stamp, I remind myself who cut his teeth alongside Fellini, Bardot, Brando and Christie;
starred in Far from the Madding Crowd, Priscilla and The Limey; and stole the show as Superman
archvillain General Zod. Hes an icon of the Sixties and, quite possibly, one of the most photographable
faces in the world. This was an opportunity and with that came the pressure to seize it but how? As
we enter the tearoom Stamp is facing us in full view, not sitting in a corner and not hiding behind a
newspaper. Surely this must mean that he is receptive to being approached, I convince myself.

TERENCE DONOVAN ARCHIVE. COVER: PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPER MARCH 2014

clive booth

27

The Alan Titchmarsh Show

To me, at least, hes generating a 10-foot aura and its clear why he is so often chosen to play God or
the Devil at the wave of his hand I could very well find myself sipping tea out of a crater on the dark
side of the moon. His looks are so striking that I cant help but stare. Its the eyes that I find so
captivating, they are incredible: piercing, metallic and now pointing directly at me. To my surprise
I blurt out something about how I enjoyed watching him on The Alan Titchmarsh Show. Alan
Titchmarsh! Where the hell did that come from? Titchmarsh asked if he would reprise his role of
General Zod, as three overweight middle-aged men in Superman outfits knelt before him. Two were on
both knees and the third only on one. So Stamp, on afternoon TV, imperiously ordered: Both knees, you
bastard! I go on to say how this is the one day I dont have a camera and there he is, a portrait just
waiting to be taken. Stamp quotes his friend, Terry ONeill, about how paparazzi photographers have
brought photography to its knees. He thinks Im a paparazzo! I quickly move to dispel this impression
and explain that I am a portrait photographer and film-maker and, besides, I dont have my camera. A
silence follows and I awkwardly hold out my hand and we shake, me saying something along the lines
of what a privilege it is to meet him. As Corin and I sit and chat, my mind inevitably wanders and
I cant help but feel that I have made a complete cock of myself in front of Terence Stamp: Fellini,
Bardot, Brando, Christie... Titchmarsh?

Opportunity meets preparation

Twenty minutes pass and Stamp rises to leave and, to my surprise, walks over and says goodbye.
I watch him walk down the street. The seconds tick by and I think, You make your own luck. The urge
to photograph Stamp is overwhelming he is an icon. I looked at Corin and say, Fuck it! I get up and
run after him, shouting his name and catching up with him on Berwick Street. There is a moment of
silence as the sun bursts from behind the clouds and Stamp stands majestic in a pool of light, looking

photographing a legend / clive booth

at me quizzically with those piercing eyes. You can tell me to bugger off if you like, but I really want to
take your picture, I say. There, Id said it, and using an expletive just like he did on The Alan Titchmarsh
Show. I am represented and my agent used to look after Richard Avedon and Terence Donovan, I add.
Excruciating seconds pass but then a smile slowly unfolds and he starts to talk about the
aforementioned photographers. We chat and he play punches me enthusiastically, explaining how he
credits Donovan with taking his best portrait. I knew the one [featured on PPs March cover],
photographed while Stamp was shooting Far from the Madding Crowd. He just grabbed me off the set
and shot a few frames, he says. And then right out of nowhere, Stamp says: How about here,
tomorrow, at 11.30am?

A simple agreement between creatives

Slowly I walk back and resume my meeting. Again, my mind starts to wander, trying to process exactly
what has just happened. Will Stamp turn up? How am I going to photograph him? Where am I going
to photograph him? It was very fortunate that I didnt have my camera on the day I met Stamp he
would, almost certainly, have agreed to be photographed, but it would have been short-lived,
transient almost like a tourist shooting a picture of him or herself with the star. The fact that he
agreed to meet the next day meant that he had made a firm commitment to be photographed the
expectation was set in both of us and I, at least, had time to prepare. Its not a commission but every bit
as important as one. It makes me wonder if this is how things were done in the Sixties: simple,
uncomplicated an agreement between two creatives. Collaborations with none of the bureaucracy we
have today, when even getting close to a famous person means wading through a pile of red tape,
petit politics and people who can find a million reasons why it cant happen. The chaps behind the
counter in the tearoom agree to let me shoot Stamp. Looking at the direction of light for 11.30am,
I point out a couple tables to reserve that would suit Stamp him sitting in the corner in front of a brick
wall, with a big picture window to his right. The forecast is for an overcast day which will give excellent
diffused light so, in theory at least, he would be lit by perfect window light. Thanks to my involvement
in the Canon Ambassador program, a quick phone call provides the extra lenses and batteries I need.
As I go to spend the evening with my agent, Mark George, I feel the excitement bubbling up along with
a large degree of trepidation and nervousness. Its the fear of failure I get on almost every shoot, but
most of all when Ive not been able to prepare as thoroughly as Id like.

Some legendary advice

I phone Don McCullin. Weve worked closely together for the last three years as hes started to
embrace digital photography. Best known for his conflict photography, Don is also one of the great
portrait, still life and landscape photographers. He is a master of light and observation. For 40 minutes
we discuss Stamp, cameras, shooting in India and his recent trip (at the age of 78) behind enemy
lines in Syria for The Times. I take a moment to savour the fact that I am discussing tomorrows shoot

29

photographing a legend

with the legendary British actor, Terence Stamp, with the legendary British photographer, Don
McCullin. Don goes on to say that shooting Stamp would be very important for me: You dont see or
hear much about him, he says. He adds that it would be great if I could shoot the portrait
in half light. I agree. Only a month ago I photographed film-maker Jacqui Morris, creator of
feature-length film McCullin, in her living room for the BAFTA Awards. This same room could enable
me to shoot Stamp in half light, producing my own take on Donovans famous portrait if I can get him
to agree to a second location.

The day dawns

30

Waking at 6am I spend an hour walking Sohos empty streets looking for possible exterior locations.
Will he come or wont he, I wonder. Sure enough, just after 11.30am he peers through the tea room
window. He is in a green cashmere sweater with a yellow spotted cravat, white jeans and open-toed
sandals. I have no control over his wardrobe, yet the perfectionist in me thinks Id have preferred him in
an open-collared, white linen shirt. From the moment he walks in I see no one other than Stamp
I am in a bubble. Ive ordered his favourite Assam tea and I invite him to sit in the pre-arranged spot in
the corner both the light and the location are good. At first sight he appears stern and aloof its a
face that suggests he doesnt suffer fools gladly. Yet once the conversation starts, this ice-cold veneer
lifts, revealing a rich seam of life experience just waiting to be mined. He is completely at ease with
himself and this, in turn, helps me to relax. Photographing people is as much about communication
inter-personal skills and just being able to listen as it is about shooting pictures. Past experience tells
me that if I get to know him better, he will be a far more willing subject and Ill get better results.
The conversation is easy and I start by saying how Id like the pictures to be more portrait than
editorial: permanent and considered. I talk about my obsession with light and he reminisces of working
with some of the great directors of photography. I decide to go for broke: The light is good here, but
I know a far better location nearby where I have more control over the light, with maybe some street
photography on the way? Less keen on the street, he agrees to the other location with genuine
enthusiasm. It starts to feel like a great collaboration. I introduce my camera gradually into the space
between us and start to shoot. I ask about his approach to life and his answer is simple: being present
minded, in the moment. This makes perfect sense. So many of us, myself included, walk around
with minds so cluttered that our heads are like washing machines, noisily churning thoughts over and
over, a constant distraction from where we should be in the here and now. Researching Stamp the
previous evening, I didnt have to look far to find out that after splitting with Jean Shrimpton,
he all but disappeared to India for nearly a decade. I ask if this state of mind is a result of his time in
India and does he meditate? He explains that meditation is a permanent state. As we talk its clear that
he is giving me his full and undivided attention its beguiling, mesmerising and, at times, even
disconcerting. He is one of a very select group of male actors ever referred to as beautiful. I try and
imagine the young Stamp and the effect he must have had on others, on women in particular. When he
talks about his looks, he is detached and objective a workman talking about his tools. I knew
I was losing them as I reached my fifties, he says. Now I dont bother, Im 75 in July. But its clear that
Stamp looks after himself; he has great posture, is tall, slim and tanned with a shock of receding,
white, fluffy hair.

In front of the lens

The conversation moves to the subject of his talks at the British Film Institute, the Hay Festival and
seeing himself in his prime, on the big screen and on stage in front of an audience. I kneeled before
them [after a standing ovation] and they went crazy! Zod kneeling before the audience I can imagine
the scene. Stamp is doing all the talking, there is fire in his eyes and his hands are expressive. Then he
is still, deep in thought one minute and then laughing heartily the next. This is not the understated and
brooding Stamp that I had anticipated. He is a gift to photograph I cycle through lenses and angles

clive booth

hes sitting, standing, crouching. At times I am just inches from him as he sits patiently, talking to me
through my camera. Stamp sips his tea and for a brief moment only his eyes are visible over the lip of
the cup. I ask him to repeat this several times. When photographing recognisable faces, its always
interesting to somehow mask off part of the face the picture becomes a puzzle. The result pleases
me as its so very English tea and Terence Stamp. Neglecting the conversation in favour of shooting
pictures, I start to feel it wilt and Stamps attention is beginning to drift. We move on. Outside, with
Stamp leading the way, there is a sense of unreality as we walk through the busy Soho streets. Stamp
is back on song, talking about reprising his role as the dangerous ex-con, Wilson, for a sequel to The
Limey. I ask if that was his favourite role. Yes, he says, because it was written for me. Stamp stops
and enthuses about the screenplay he has written for the sequel its mood, atmosphere and lighting.
He grabs both of my arms and looks me straight in the eye, painting the scene hes hypnotising. On
Frith Street hes re-enacting how Soderbergh was both director and cinematographer on the original
movie. He would just pick up the camera and shoot off the shoulder! he says enthusiastically. It was
all done in a single take.

The calm and then the magic

Eventually we reach the apartment and Stamp scales the three flights of stairs to be greeted by Jacqui
and her 19-year-old son, Archie. Introductions over, he leaves his sandals at the door and walks in bare
foot. I move to close all the shutters, leaving just one slit a couple of inches wide, casting a single shaft
of light. I am reminded of the Donovan portrait. The light falls over a huge, old brown leather armchair
and behind it theres an antique Victorian screen with a mural of exotic birds dancing across its
time-worn and stained surface. Archie sits in for me as I look at lighting, angles, camera settings and
styling. In all professions there is a magic that can happen if all the correct ingredients are present, but
its what you do with the ingredients that is actually the magic. Photography is no different, and put
very simply it can be broken down into the following categories: subject, location and lighting. Of
course you need the right camera and lenses, but that should be a
given. As Terence Stamp relaxes into the big old armchair, he
brings his legs up and sits in the lotus position with his arms
kit list
resting on his knees and hands falling limp. The light falls across
his face. Its one of the very few times I have looked through a
Canon EOS 1D X
viewfinder and thought this is it. I cannot do any more and with the
EF35mm f/1.4L USM
right direction, which in Stamps case is none, this has the potential
EF50mm f/1.2L USM
for magic. A calm follows and I start to shoot.
EF85mm f/1.2L II USM
www.clivebooth.com @cliveboothphoto
A small reflector

31

styled shoot

33

playground
potential

JAMES HOLE

Taking on the task of shooting creative school photography,

JAMES HOLE fills Jessica Bracey in on the lessons learned
when deviating from his usual commissions

chool photos provide a steady income for many photographers, and usually
require a fairly formulaic approach with the pupil as the sole focus. But what
skills would you need if you were asked to shoot a collection of images that
promoted the school itself? With a pinch of patience, a heap of imagination and
a big dollop of technical know-how, West Sussex portrait and advertising
photographer James Hole took on the challenge.
After he was approached by the marketing company FrogBox, James was given an unexpected brief
for the school shoot: FrogBox had recently completed a full rebrand of the school and required a set
of six adverts, along the concept of spotting potential early in a childs development and the possible
career theyd have as a result of their education at the school. With Great Walstead being an

styled shoot / james hole

independent school, the careers would need to be geared towards the higher end of the jobs market,
says James. My initial thought before the first meeting was that it was going to be a naturally lit,
candid-style advert. But after talking to the team and seeing the references they had pulled from my
site for the lighting style and composition of the ads, I got really excited. One was of my father jamming
on his guitar, sitting on my deck. Its one of my favourite images, for obvious personal reasons, and it is
shot and lit in a way that feels very natural to me, so became a template for the style of the shoot.
Taking this personal style, James applied it to the childrens environment and played with varying
levels of dramatic lighting to highlight each of the professions played by the children a key element.
The team narrowed down the careers most relevant to the school, ones that would be possible [to
illustrate] given the locations we would have access to and ones that we would be able to do inside of
our time-frame, he says. This left us with about eight shots, which gave us room for the possibility of
dropping a couple, if any problems arose or a particular set-up just didnt fit with the rest of the series.
Portraying the themes in a still was all going to come down to working on posing and gesture to convey
the idea that we were alluding to the childs aptitude and the idea that it is being spotted by the
subtle things they often do. So, for example, in the philosopher image, the child is pondering the classic
chicken and egg scenario, or the obvious imitation of the famous chancellors briefcase.

Styling the school

34

While it may seem a simple task to style the school children, as the uniforms are already to hand,
styling the characters with the schools new branding was a challenge for James. We were only able
to meet the children about five minutes before we were shooting. They would just be brought out,
as they were, to the pre-lit location, all wearing the new style of uniform that had the latest branding
on. But we only had two sample jumpers and blazers for the whole shoot. There was a certain
amount of clothes pegging and muddying up on some of the shots to fit with the scene and particular
child, he says. Using props to tell the individual stories was essential in bringing the shoot to life and
they were sourced from the classrooms themselves. Dont work with children or animals, goes the old
saying, yet James had to do both. Two chickens were loaned by the parents of the child in one shot,
which also meant he was familiar with being around them. Therere some great behind-the-scenes
pictures from when we shot a bunch of plates of the
chickens in different positions, with Tim, the creative
director from FrogBox, chasing the chickens around
to get as much as we could after the main shot. Props
were a very important part of the story, for letting the
viewer know what we were suggesting the future
profession could be.
James applied his recognisable lighting style and
shot square on, leaving little to distract the viewer. He
wanted to achieve a commercial look that maintained
the on-location quality with a 50/50 split of natural
and artificial lighting. I generally put the light source
in line with where the natural light was coming from,
to avoid conflicting shadows in the background. The
lighting on the subjects was also, in most cases,
feathered to a large degree to help avoid them
looking spot-lit, thus increasing credibility for being
shot at the school and not looking like composites,
he says. James shot the collection using a single
Profoto B2 AirS and a Profoto 90cm Octabox on a boom. I love the quality of the light from this set-up
and after a recent move away from using bunches of speedlights to do this sort of thing, I love the
versatility of the Profoto kit and the extra power it affords. In the majority of my work I only shoot with
one light, I much prefer to supplement the existing light with my own key or motivated light when on
location. For this particular shoot, it was important to be able to set up and break down quickly to move
between locations, to keep to our schedule.

I cant stress how

important it was to make
it fun for them. You only
need one good frame to
make the ad, so shoot a
bunch that are just about
making it an enjoyable
experience the second
it becomes boring, youve
lost them.

35

styled shoot

36

james hole

Children on camera
As portrait photographers will know, working with children is never an easy task. So for James to direct
the school children in a short time-frame, as well as working to the clients brief, required tolerance, fun
and a way to get the children on his side. The biggest concern going into the shoot was posing the kids
for the shortest time possible and keeping their attention. The key to this was to explain what we were
trying to do and to get them excited about it and up for playing the part of their character. Its so
important to act like youre one of them make sure you talk at their eye level and make it fun. If you
seem excited about it, theres much more chance they will too! advises James. I cant stress how
important it was to make it fun for them. You only need one good frame to make the ad, so shoot a bunch
that are just about making it an enjoyable experience the second it becomes boring, youve lost them.
All the direction was made by stepping into the shot with the children and showing them what I wanted
them to do, then minor positioning tweaks like moving an arm or turning a little more one way. Generally
it was all fairly organic, except for the archaeologist she seemed fine until she was in the shot, then she
completely locked up. We were a 10-minute walk into the woods, so had no choice but to push on and try
to get her to work with the props. Insisting that he wasnt just a photographer taking their picture, James
made sure to have the camera fixed on a tripod and pressed the shutter from his laptop, so that he was
more involved with the scene and could put the children at ease during the unfamiliar experience.

Behind the scenes

Shooting on a Nikon D800 complete with a 24-70mm f/2.8, and 4 x 4 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 ND LEE filters,
James enjoyed the opportunity to work in the school grounds. However, as he was working with children,
precautions needed to be taken. Mostly I work on location, but the problems we faced were with the
order that we had to do the shots in, and the amount of walking involved between locations with a small
crew. Also, as we were working in a school, we had to have the relevant background checks. It meant no
one could be added to the team at short notice and we also needed to be chaperoned between locations
for the schools security policy, says James.
He kept the aperture between f/4 and f/5.6 throughout, to keep a consistent look with a shallow
depth-of-field. The ISO and shutter speeds varied from location to location, depending on the available
light. To see what the finished product would look like, James used Capture
Ones feature that allows photographers to overlay a PDF while on shoot. It
Jamess tips for styling a shoot
enables the client to see the final ad while on location and for the
When working with children, be on their level and
photographer to adjust the composition to fit the layout. My post-processing
make the shoot fun and exciting. Give them easy-tois pretty straight-forward from the start. In Capture One 7, the shot is
follow instructions.
sharpened and then I usually use the keystone correction tool to correct the
When shooting a collection of advertisements, its
slight vertical and horizontal distortions that really show up in this sort of
best
to maintain a similar aperture so that lighting
composition. I then add a colour curve to tone the shadows and the highlights
levels
are kept consistent.
in this case, it was blue into the shadows and yellow tint to the highlights
When working with children, ensure that you have
and then add a touch of contrast and clarity. Clarity is one of those things
the right paperwork filled out in time for everyone
that some people tend to whack up and do all kinds of weird things to a file,
involved in the shoot.
but I try to make my adjustments as subtle as possible, just enough to give the
If working with Capture One on shoot for an
shots a distinctive look that also helps to tie them together.
advertisement, make the most of the PDF overlay
The commission stretched Jamess creativity the school children were far
tool, so you can see what the finished result will
removed from his usual subjects of bikers, bearded men and tattoo artists. But
look like.
following the madness and challenges he and the team faced, what did James
Too much artificial light may look like the image
learn once the school bell rang? One of the main challenges was working
has been composited together.
around the school schedule and adapting quickly to last-minute changes and
Props are essential when bringing a character
the weather. But above all, it was essential to get the kids on our side, excited
to life.
and enjoying themselves during the very short time we spent with them.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.
Making sure they had fun, while keeping them involved in the process.

PHOTOSHOOT INFO
Photographer: James Hole www.jamesholephoto.com I Client: FrogBox Marketing www.frogboxmarketing.com and Great Walstead
School I Location: Great Walstead School, West Sussex I Camera: Nikon D800 with 24-70mm f/2.8 I Lighting: Profoto B2 AirS
and Profoto 90cm Octabox I Accessories: 4 x 4 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 ND LEE Filters I Post-Processing: Capture One 7 and Photoshop CC

37

business

39

ANDREA DENNISS, PINK LILY PHOTOGRAPHY

business
We talk to experts in other
fields to glean valuable
information for your
business: everything from
press relations and social
media tips to lessons from
Kevin Mullins on standing
your ground

marketing

optimise your platforms:

Facebook
& Twitter
When it comes to engaging with your online followers,
says BRODIE MCINTOSH from digital marketing
agency Intergage, in the world of social networking
your mantra should be quality not quantity

40

nly 10 years ago, Facebook had just one million users. Thats the
population of Birmingham. Now multiply that by 1230 and you get
1.23 billion. Yes, that would be a lot of Brummies, but Im talking
about the latest figure for Facebook users.
On its recent birthday, Facebook celebrated not only 10 pioneering
years in social media, but also having 1.23 billion monthly active
users, with 757 million logging on every day.
But weve heard it all before. When reading about social networks youre hit with a
barrage of numbers, facts and figures. How many new people sign up each day, the
amount of users in your part of the world, which pages have the most likes from UK
users (Family Guy, if youre interested).
But do these figures really help us? Do they provide us with information which will
alter how we use the platform? Not really, no. The facts you want to focus on are the
ones which will help you grow your company presence on the site.
Its the same case with Twitter. With nearly 650 million active users, numbers get
bandied about which just fog your vision and dont help you put anything in perspective.
Its time to forget about those figures and focus on what really matters achieving your
networking goals.

Facebook
As I mentioned in last months issue, prior to signing up to any social platform, you must
learn about your audience. Once youve done this, you need to decide if Facebook is the
best platform for you.
Typically speaking, this platform is ideal for businesses that sell directly to
consumers (known as B2C business to consumer). If you primarily sell to other
businesses (B2B), then Facebook is not the place for you. It doesnt offer the same type
of engagement that other platforms will give you. LinkedIn or Google+ will be better
suited (which Ill be talking about in next months issue).
When posting on Facebook, you want to reach as many relevant people as possible.
The reach of your posts on the platform is easily measured as it is simply the number
of people who saw them. However, these people are not necessarily just the people who
like your page.

marketing

With likes, comments and shares, your post will be viewed by the friends of those who
have engaged with it therefore increasing the amount of users it has reached. This is a
great indicator of how well received your posts are and you should be aiming to increase
it as your Facebook presence grows.
With this in mind, when posting you need to consider the content you share and the
message you post with it. If these two aspects are considered, your engagement will
subsequently increase.

41

Content is king
A phrase made famous by Bill Gates in 1996 still resonates with web marketers today. If
you share content that intrigues and excites others, youre on to a winner. It can be as
simple as a piece of company news presented via your blog or a beautifully designed
infographic or image.
The list of content you can create or share is extensive, so its about finding out what
your audience will enjoy the most. Make sure to vary what you share. Repetitive posts to
your blog will become boring, so try and mix it up.
Its important to be as eye-catching in the newsfeed as possible, so by including links
and images the post will take up more room, literally. By increasing the clickable area,
users will be encouraged to find out more. Images of your product or service in action
also work well and allow users a behind-the-scenes look.
Exclusive offers or information via Facebook show that you value your followers on
the platform; however, this is also a useful tactic for Twitter, Pinterest, Google+,
LinkedIn you catch my drift. So be careful what you offer, but a promotional code or
something similar will always get a great response.
Finally, your goal for all platforms should always be to drive quality
Content types:
traffic to your website so keep this in mind when you create content.
Upload it to your website and share that URL.
 Webpages

The message
Nothing puts off a user more than seeing a huge bulk of text on
Facebook. When theyre scrolling down their newsfeed, they are
unlikely to stop and are even less likely to click the read more button.
Therefore, the first rule of the attached message on all Facebook
posts is that it should be short and sweet. Studies have revealed that
the shorter the post, the higher the engagement. Facebook suggests
nothing longer than 250 characters, but a great rule of thumb is no
longer than two lines (because, lets face it, whos going to count?).
Within your two lines, always try and include a CTA (call to action),
such as click here or find out more, to encourage the user to
act on their interest. 













Articles
Blog posts
Images
Videos
PDFs
Games
Slide shows
Infographics
Adverts
Case studies
Digital newsletters

marketing

Asking questions is great too. Show off your brands personality and ask for input or
ideas on a project or event. Being quirky and witty works like a treat, so show off the
human side of your business. After all, that is the point of social media, otherwise we
would have stuck to websites!
Try not to include too much practical information in your posts. It does sound slightly
ridiculous, but by including the price or product features youre actually discouraging
engagement. Research suggests this is because a user can be put off by recieving all the
necessary information immediately. Allow the natural intrigue to take hold and
encourage questions!
Finally, remember Facebook is a platform full of variety. Keep the interest of your
audience by posting different messages and types of content all the time. Never leave
your account idle for too long two days, maximum and always reply to comments as
soon as possible.

42

Twitter
With a small number of characters to play with, its difficult to tell if this makes Twitter
easy to use or a fine art. Its probably the latter. For the more talkative among us, 140
characters is like a gagging order, but its a skill we all once possessed.
Before the invention of smartphones and contracts with unlimited texts, we all
mastered the art of squeezing everything we needed to say into a 140-character text
message. Granted, our grammar and spelling suffered so much it made English
teachers cry, but it was do-able.
Twitter, described as a micro-blogging site, is the ideal place to present your brand
and what youre about, so a user can find out more about you and what makes you
different quickly and easily. Youre able to customise a lot of the design settings in
Twitter, so make use of that space!
Brand your background and header images and always make sure you will be
recognisable from your profile picture. Use a bold image using your brand colours or
logo that way people will recognise you from afar.

What should I tweet about?

People regularly ask me what they should tweet about, and this tends to be a stumbling
block for most businesses. The most common faux pas on Twitter is the belief that
everyone cares as much about what you have to say as you do. A small handful of
people follow your every move (also known as your brand advocates) and more often
than not theyre friends and family.
There is no problem with this at all. However, unless youre charging them full price
for your products and services, they arent going to be a reliable part of your business
model. So its time to think outside of the box and consider what other people want to
hear about.
The attractiveness of Twitter is the constantly updating newsfeed. The fast-paced
nature of it is a beauty and a curse, however. It means you can tweet a lot more than you
can post on other platforms (without annoying people). It also means your tweets can
disappear quite quickly. Before you know it, its five scrolls down the page and thats as
useful as being on page 50 of Google.

What to tweet about:











Converse, network, reply

News (stop the press!)
Announcements
Live tweeting from/about
events
Industry news
Research and prospecting
Questions, polls and
feedback
Answer questions, share
answers to FAQs
Offers, discounts, deals

marketing

Tweet throughout the day, but the content of those tweets must vary. Listed are the
types of things you can tweet about and, remember, its not always about you! Studies
have revealed that news from your industry is more likely to attract engagement than
news from your company.

Repeat after me
Committing social suicide can be done in a manner of ways, but stick to the following
rules and you will soon be a tweeting success.

I will not thank people for following me.

This type of tweet has such a small relevant audience that it is not worth tweeting
about. It also makes it appear that you have a small enough amount of new followers
that you can thank them individually not a good look.

I will not ask my followers for help.

Asking for re-tweets and new followers is not engaging or interesting for your existing
followers. Also, do not ask your Twitter followers to like you on Facebook (or any other
site) unless there is different content on that platform.

I will not sell, sell, sell!

Social media exists because we like to talk and interact with each other. Create a
conversation and interact with people. The hard sell will only lead to users hovering
over that unfollow button and, eventually, clicking it.

I will not spam, spam, spam!

It is easy to log on and send out a torrent of tweets all at once. This will not look good
on other peoples feeds and may lead to you being unfollowed. Use tools like Hootsuite
to schedule your activity throughout the day.

I will not start unengaging conversations.

Due to the nature of the platform, it is tempting to post tweets such as, How is
everyone today? or, Good morning tweeps. Unless you are a member of One Direction
or Stephen Fry, you cannot get away with this. Ask something meaningful.

Any questions?

Coming Up

Find me on Google+ at google.com/+BrodieMcIntosh3

or on Twitter at @brodietosh
www.intergage.co.uk

In the next issue, Ill be talking about LinkedIn and the new kid on the
block, Google+ (a platform you definitely shouldnt avoid!).

43

comment

44

comment

Prepare
yourself
for success

ANDREA DENNISS, PINK LILLY PHOTOGRAPHY.

But take time out to reflect if youre

to avoid becoming a victim of it, says
Aspires CATHERINE CONNOR

So many of us focus on building our businesses and

become accustomed to this phase. It can become a
daily performance and the only routine we know.
Your drive, determination and boundless energy and
enthusiasm are key to maintaining this constant push. Yet at the
same time, you have to appreciate when rest is required.
Pushing yourself and the business hard will always trigger
results, growth, development and success. Naturally, it will also
build your client base and profile. The flip-side of the growth and
the drive, drive, drive attitude is an overwhelming desire to
retreat to a more peaceful position. Its vital to allow time to stop
the clock, or at least slow it down you need to regroup.
So many become victims of their success; the business ends
up running them. As quickly as possible, learn to identify this
situation for you and your business. If you continue to work in
such a way, you will simply burn out. There is nothing wrong
with living within your comfort zone for a while, while you take
stock and prepare yourself for the next level of growth. Give
yourself enough time to regroup and by that I mean more than a
few days more like a couple of weeks or even a month.
Remember how you felt last winter? Dont get that burned out
again. Pace yourself and learn to recognise when you need to
take stock of your situation.
We crave success so much that it often renders us blind to the
success we may already have. We often have what we desired;
we just forgot to take the time to recognise it! As all of you know,
I am a go, go, go girl; its in my nature not to stop, ever. But I do.
I just turned down a fabulous opportunity to go on a tour; it
would have been an adventure-filled trip and I would have loved
it. However, I am also a gal who knows when enough is enough.
So I will be in taking a month out to reflect and regroup with the
business, its products and those around me.
My ambition could take me to the moon, when actually the
stars are a rather nice place to hang out. Maybe the moon will
come later. I would rather it took me longer, yet gave me more
time to enjoy the voyage and do a little sight-seeing, than to get
there quicker and be too tired to enjoy the view. Or in the
worst-case scenario, even miss the point of why I am working
this hard. Dont lose sight of why you are building the business.
Are we all not doing what we do to pay off the mortgage, have
nice holidays and quality time with family and friends? Oh, and
nice shoes, too!
I love my role, the gift I give photographers, the lives
I change, develop and enhance. Yet I must remember to enhance
mine as well. Remember that you are doing the same, and
while gifting your clients on so many levels, dont forget to
gift yourself!
enquiries@aspirecpt.co.uk
www.facebook.com/aspirephotographytraining
www.aspirephotographytraining.co.uk

45

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business / pr advice

PR: Some
(Ab) Fab
Advice
Ever wondered what a public
relations professional does,
exactly? In a bid to find out,
Emma-Lily Pendleton talks
to Photastic PR director
ANGELA WARNES

espite the perception

reinforced by Jennifer
Saunders heavy drinking
Edina in Ab Fab, PR isnt all
celebs and swearing theres
a wealth of knowledge that
professional photographers can
learn and benefit from, hiding behind the champagne breakfasts.
Bill Gates once said: If I only had $2 left, Id spend $1 on PR. So surely its
time to sit up and listen. A PR agent, whether theyre part of an agency or freelance, is there to help build and protect
a business or individuals reputation. They help to present it in the best possible light and deliver information, on a
platter, to the masses. Often one-man-band businesses, professional photographers have to do their own sales,
book-keeping, marketing, web design and PR. So we spoke to Angela Warnes, director of an independent PR
consultancy specialising in the imaging sector, about why public relations is such an important component of any
business, and how you can get the PR wheel turning for you.
ELP: If you had to choose five words to sum up what PR is all about, what would they be?
AW: Communication, influence, brand amplification, media relations, news creation. But its also much more.
ELP: Why do you think its important for a professional photographer to consider PR?
AW: Public relations is an important part of the marketing mix. When looking for a PR professional, look for someone
with a desire to understand your business. It needs to be a trust-building relationship between the PR and the client.
If you feel like doing some PR for your business, it is important to remember that PR is not advertising. Advertising
is paid-for media space which is usually mass-market and will have a persuasive selling message. PR is about
generating free editorial coverage, plus other communication tactics to deliver a complex range of messages to
many audiences. It is about telling a story, not selling a story. A good PR agent will recommend specific goals based
on your business objectives and collaborate with you on the best approaches.
ELP: So where do you start?
AW: An outsiders view of your business is often a valuable starting point for a PR strategy. PR can take your brand
from being low profile with inconsistent messages, or perhaps no message to tell at all, to a responsive brand with
proactive, well structured PR and an openness that is visionary and dynamic.

47

business

ELP: What should photographers be aiming for, ultimately, and what can be achieved?
AW: PR for photographers can include many different approaches. It can include feature placements and
proactive editorial themes to put forward to your local media, or perhaps a profile piece on you or what your
business is doing in the community.
ELP: Can you offer any advice on online PR?
AW: When it comes to online PR, your best asset is your website. So even if it was built years ago, make sure
it is updated and looking fresh.
Make it easy for people to find you by putting Twitter and Facebook icons on your website, regularly
encouraging Facebook fans to follow you on Twitter and vice versa. If you have a blog, make sure it is updated
at least once a week. In terms of Facebook, you can get away with one status update a week. Tweets should be
sent at least once every couple of days.

48

ELP: Is there any benefit to be had from appearing in the local newspapers, magazines and blogs?
AW: Absolutely. It will help to build your brand locally and its a good starting point that can become a
springboard to gaining coverage nationally, or within a specific target media that you ultimately want to be seen
in. As well as case stories and features, local press competitions can work well for gaining exposure. Perhaps
you could offer a prize for someone to win a day on a shoot with you, or perhaps a group of readers go out on a
special assignment just for them. Also, look for opportunities to put yourself forward as a judge of photography
competitions within the local media and specialist photo magazines.
It is important to understand the media type you are approaching: local papers will not mind you calling to
find out their weekly deadline for news, competitions and features. You could put yourself forward for a media
interview but, be aware, interviews can be unproductive and even harmful if you do not understand the needs
of the journalist or build the right relationship with them. It might be worth considering a media training course
to help you communicate key messages and deal with the media with confidence, if you are thinking of doing
this without a PR professional to support you.
ELP: How would a professional photographer go about getting featured?
AW: PR professionals are skilled in writing material that will fit your style and requirements. If you are going
to try this yourself, remember that a press release needs to be set out in an appropriate style stick with this,
be clear and concise. A useful tip is to always get the main news into the first paragraph. Case studies on your
business or perhaps a particular project you have worked on successfully could be written up as a feature that
you could try to place with the media.
ELP: Do you have any final words of wisdom?
AW: A well-timed piece of editorial often has a better chance of publication try thinking of topical links that
occur throughout the year, such as Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Christmas.
Dont be disillusioned if you dont succeed try again. You could try talking to media contacts to find out when
there is a relevant feature that you could work with them on.
www.photasticpr.com

Angelas advice on things to do and to avoid:

Do
Understand and get to know the titles you want to be in and their readership.
Know your story think of an angle for the specific media type and be positive, interesting and informative.

Respond to journalists ASAP and build a relationship.
Watch the length of your press releases one page is good, two is okay, three is too many.

Think graphics you guys are in the ideal position to do this by selecting images to bring your story to life.


pr advice

It is about telling a story,

not selling a story.

PHOTO BY: SIPA/REX

49

Dont
Ask journalists if you can review what they have written.
Just rely on a spell checker grammar is important in PR. Check communications through carefully.

A story may not get included there may be too many stories to fit in a publication, or perhaps some

other reason. Do not contact the journalist demanding to find out why. An editor may cut an article
at the last minute and there is no guarantee that any story will make it to publication.
Give out negative comment, even when an interview is going that way. Pull it back to a positive point.
Be drawn into criticising others stay within your field.

business

51

Do you stand
your ground?
Its only a matter of time before you encounter a bullying
client, as KEVIN MULLINS knows only too well

KEVIN MULLINS

nce upon a time I was speaking to a very well-respected wedding

photographer. A wedding photographer who had donkeys years of
experience, but still had a smile on his face and still had time to
talk to little newbs like me. He said to me, and I quote: One
day, youll get a right bastard of a client. Whatever you do, dont let
the bastard bring you down. Well that cheered me up. It took three or
four years of 100 per cent happy clients, but eventually, around
two years ago, that fateful prophecy came true. I suppose I knew it would happen. Like
I know every weekend that Im not going to win the lottery, I knew this client from hell would
come my way at some point. It was just a waiting game, really. And bang. Like walking into
a lamp post, it hit me. Despite knowing it wouId happen I wasnt prepared for it, but I
remembered those words well and didnt let the bastard bring me down.
Ill explain further, and also why Im even talking about this. I consider myself to be okay at the
business side of things. Im probably rubbish at the art side of things, but the business stuff

business

52

Good communication with your clients is

key for an all-round happy relationship. Stick to
your guns and have a solid contract to protect
yourself. Fortunately the situation I describe
here is a rare one and no, none of the images
used in this feature are from that wedding.

I calmly explained that I appreciated it wasnt his fault,

that, respectfully, it wasnt my fault either and that
perhaps their wedding insurance would be able to redress the
balance. But Id like paying, please. He had the right hump and
flatly refused to pay. So I had no choice but to take the last five
hours worth of pictures down from the gallery, so the images
were only there up until shortly before the meal. KM

kevin mullins

keeps me going. Ive been in business, in various guises, since I left school.
With the exception of one year of employment, Ive worked for myself for
more than 20 years, so I know that two things are supremely important
when the chips are down:
Dont take it personally
Stand up for yourself. The client is not always right
My wedding photography contract is pretty good. Its been ratified by a
lawyer and, as we should all know, a contract has to be fair to both parties.
It cant just be all about protecting us. So, I have a fair contract but
because I work and get paid by the hour, I have a clause outlining the fees
for overtime. If a wedding runs behind schedule and Im required for more
than the prepaid coverage, I get paid more. Its quite fair in my mind and
Ive never had a client query it. I dont particularly want to charge more.
The clause is there more as a Sword of Damocles to help with the running
of the day. Since I introduced the clause, 85 per cent or more of my
wedding clients have done their first dance when they told me they would.
Thats cool and everyone is happy.
So, around two years or so ago I shot a wedding up in Scotland. It was
actually a really lovely wedding and the clients themselves were over
the moon with the pictures. However, the wedding was badly behind
schedule and I ended up shooting an extra five hours over my agreed eighthour coverage. It was so bad that by the time my eight hours was up, they
hadnt even sat down for dinner, let alone thought about speeches and
dancing, etc. I explained to the clients on the day that this was going to end
up costing more. Fine, they were happy.
A few weeks later I posted the images to my proofing gallery and, at the
same time, sent an email to the clients with an invoice for the overtime.
Shortly after I received a call from a very irate father: You cant charge us
extra, he fumed. It wasnt our fault everything was late, etc, etc. I calmly
explained that I appreciated it wasnt his fault (turns out it was a problem
with the catering companys boiler), that, respectfully, it wasnt my fault
either and that perhaps their wedding insurance would be able to redress
the balance. But Id like paying, please. He had the right hump and flatly
refused to pay. So I had no choice but to take the last five hours worth of
pictures down from the gallery, so the images were only there up until
shortly before the meal.
Back on the phone he came. This is disgusting. Everyone knows that
wedding photographers work until at least the dancing. It doesnt matter
when that is! At this point I calmly pointed him to the clause in the
contract that his son had signed. I also pointed out that, actually, it was
nearer six hours but Id rounded it down and I would be grateful if the
balance was paid within 14 days, upon which I would restore the missing
images to the gallery. Of course, he had no idea about the contract. Nor
had he any idea in his head that even though we are just wedding
photographers, we deserve to be paid for our time. They paid, and I gave
them the rest of the images.
The point of that anecdote is that Ive been reminded of the bullying
tactics of some people recently, when another photographer friend of mine had a similar situation.
The details were different, but ultimately the client was being a bully. My friend had several failings
in his contract and was taken advantage of, and had he stood up for himself sooner, his problems
would have gone away. It reminded me of a conversation I had with another photographer who
insisted that her clients pay her after the wedding, and only when they had seen and were happy
with the pictures. She told me that it was the only way she could get bookings. Its her USP, as all
other photographers insist on payment up front and clients can be reluctant to do that. After I picked
my mouth up off the ground, I told her about the time I met this photographer who said: One day,
youll get a right bastard of a client. Dont get me wrong, I think its admirable that shes so trusting
and confident in her work (which is bloody good, to be honest), but its a crazy way to do business
and it is another way of handing all economic control to the client, when in fact it should be


53

business / kevin mullins

55

completely the opposite way. If thats the way to get bookings, then something is very, very wrong.
So why do we (and I mean we collectively I have done some stupid things in my time) seem to
allow the public, and by inference our clients, to believe that wedding photography is some kind of
second-class industry? The venue wouldnt give them an extra day for free. The caterers wouldnt
give extra meals for free and the band wont play for an extra hour for free. So why do we allow
ourselves as an industry to be kicked around the playground? Im fairly sure its because there are
so many wedding photographers who are desperate to get work. They are allowing these clauses to
be ripped out of their contracts, or agreeing to abide by the ridiculous demands of clients just to get
the booking. Dont get me wrong, these are certainly tough times and despite what Mr Osborne says,
they dont seem to be getting any easier. I totally appreciate people need to be creative in their
methods of getting bookings, but really that creativity shouldnt come at the expense of business
common sense.
I guess that to some extent, this months column is an extension of last months, where I discussed
the merits of working harder and smarter. I talk to lots of wedding photographers who are all weary
and cautious of the fact that there is so much competition and some people just seem to be hell bent
on making it a race to the bottom of the barrel. It doesnt need to be like that and I kind of hope that
this may make some people think a little bit more about standing up for themselves, standing up for
the industry and practising proper business ethics, at least when it comes to common-sense
elements of the business.
Okay, so last month and this month were kind of serious columns. I like to keep these business
related and relevant to current market trends, but at the same time I think its important to keep
things a little level headed. Next month (if the good folks at PP towers ask me back), Ill try and bring
something far more positive and uplifting to these pages. Ive got an idea already and as Im about to
head straight into a very busy wedding season, I want to bring something fresh to my shooting and
Ill use that as a catalyst for the next column.
www.kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk
@kevin_mullins

letters from Australia

Dont forget me!

Australian wedding photographer LAKSHAL PERERA asks why the
industry always seems to give grooms-to-be the cold shoulder

56

riting last months column was a bit of a challenge, I must admit. I spent far too
long on it but being such a sensitive topic, I think it deserved the time and energy.
It focused mainly on the idea of representation and how we as photographers have
a responsibility to represent the people we work for equally. This month, we get to
the second section of our brief discussion on equality gender roles and the
bride-centric wedding industry.
When Kristen and I decided to get married, we were both really excited about preparing for it. We had
similar ideas for what we wanted an intimate and beautiful event in a garden under the night sky with
tasty food, plentiful beverages (mostly of the delicious non-alcoholic fizzy variety!) and some cheesy Sri
Lankan dancing music. We spent many hours hand-making nearly every detail (including our own
invitations) and it was consistent with us as people. Like most other things in our relationship, it was
something that we invested in equally and we both had opinions on what we liked and didnt like. And by
having opinions and ideas, I wasnt one of those grooms who was trying to hijack Kristens special day;
neither was I someone who was apathetic. I was just a normal person who loved my partner and wanted to
have a day to celebrate that. And I know Im not the only one.
But the reality is that the wedding industry tried its hardest to make sure I wasnt involved. Aside from
the two stereotypes I mentioned above, it creates the impression that the role of groom is generally not of
much significance he just has to turn up on the day. You can see website after website and magazine
after magazine focusing on just the bride just look at the words that are used (often only the bride is
mentioned, not the groom) and the images that are featured. Ive also heard some sad stories, such as
grooms going with their partners to sample the services of suppliers only to be ignored by the supplier
outright implying that they are simply there to pay the bill. Another story included a newly engaged
couple who decided to go to a bridal fair together (not a wedding fair, I noted), and on arrival they
realised that the woman was given free entry while the man was required to pay to attend.
Its ingrained in many cultures that its the brides day; she needs to look beautiful and have the wedding
of her dreams. Shows like Bridezillas, Bridalplasty and Four Weddings demonstrate the ugly repercussions
of these attitudes even if they are staged to a certain degree. However, all of this bride-focus is
somewhat ironic considering that marriage throughout much of its history has treated women as being
insignificant and considered as property to give away in exchange for wealth, power or simply as baby
machines. I believe that our current focus on a brides beauty and the lack of visibility of men in the
wedding planning are left-over elements of that history. This isnt something Ill get into in much detail;
there are plenty of great critiques and discussions on the history of marriage elsewhere.
Anyway, back to the point, which I think is quite obvious it takes two people to get married! Its pretty
damn exciting to find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and I think that excitement
applies to BOTH people, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. And theres plenty we can do to
accommodate this. For example, when I get an enquiry via my website, I request that the person
contacting let me know the name of their partner and in my response I address both people. I also use
non-gender-specific wording in my website, information documents and booking forms as not all weddings
are between one man and one woman. If I ever organise a catch-up with a potential or already booked
couple, it is with both people, never just one of them. These are such simple things to do but doing them

lakshal perera

LAKSHAL PERERA

57

will help you attract couples that have similar value bases and keep you inside your window of tolerance
(see PP February). It goes without saying that a marriage is about both people, so why would the wedding
be any different?
All of this makes sense personally, but its sometimes a challenge from a business sense. If I post a
photo of a bride by herself on my FB page, it will get more views and likes than if I post a photo of a groom.
No matter how amazing his outfit is or how awesome he looks, the bride photo always wins. I guess we still
have a way to go but I feel like the tide is slowly turning as Im starting to see more and more suppliers and
websites being accessible and inclusive and doing things like using non-gender-specific language and
featuring diverse content. And when there is specific mention that a site or supplier provides a service for
couples getting married, rather than just for brides, my heart is happy and theyre the ones that I support in
whatever way I can.
All of this may just seem like were changing a few words and pictures here and there, but its much
more powerful than that. Equality really is better for everyone, theres a lot of evidence to back that up,
and beyond that, its just the right thing to do.
This will be my last column from Australia for a while as for the next four months (May to August) well
be living in the UK and Europe. Send me a message if youd like to say hello!
www.lakshalperera.com @lakshalperera

Meaning: Tay Kay Chin

Creativity
meets
Culture
58

n South Asia, it can be very difficult for a foreigner to take photographs in the street
because the locals will never leave you alone. The same can be said for many parts of
China, too. In Japan, you can get away with snapping in the street without any hassle,
but dont expect the Japanese to stop and engage in small talk.
Intrigued and convinced by my bold generalisations? Please dont be, because for
everything that I claim to be true, there will always be exceptions. I travel a fair bit for photography and
Ive always told myself not to assume that my cameras and I are welcome in all homes. I do not believe
that I have the right to photograph anywhere and everywhere. But I also remind myself constantly to
keep an open mind, and to be prepared for pleasant surprises.
After photographing a young girl called Shetu in the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, I found her
loitering outside my dormitory at different hours for a few days. Coming from a First World country
I was cynical, dismissive and assumed that Shetu (no more than 10 at the time) wanted money, or at
least a few prints. I couldnt be more wrong. Through a friend, I found out that all she wanted was
to invite me to her humble home, so that her family and friends could meet me and be satisfied that
her claim, that she had been photographed by a foreigner, was not a lie. Was I ashamed of my
condescending thought? You bet. Imagine Shetus pride and relief when I followed her home. There,
doors opened for me, and I even managed to take pictures of her home, something I never imagined
was possible. After that day, I never saw her again.
In recent years, I have photographed a fair amount in the streets of Tokyo without being stopped or
stared at. Id like to think that urban Japanese people love gadgets and cameras, and therefore dont
react adversely to being photographed in public. I also
believe that the Japanese take pride in their appearance
and would never leave home in a shabby state, so the
individuals I encounter in public spaces are ready for the
camera. Perhaps the Japanese are also too polite to
protest, or just too busy to care. But the same cannot be
said for the people outside its urban centres. When I was
in north-eastern Japan last summer, to teach a
journalism class, I was told that to photograph a
Japanese person there I needed an invitation. And before
that, I would also need an introduction from a village
leader. And you can forget about being invited home,
I was told. Fortunately, the claims werent entirely true.
Several of my students gained access after succeeding
in breaking the ice. In Japan, people exchange gifts at
meetings and it is entirely appropriate to bring a little

TAY KAY CHIN

Do you assume the right to photograph anywhere and everywhere?

Singaporean photojournalist TAY KAY CHIN discusses the
importance of learning about local cultures when working abroad

souvenir to a newsmaker do that in the West and you

could be accused of buying your way in.
Speaking of access, China must be one of the most
fascinating places in the world to operate as a
photographer. Jetting into Guangzhou for a corporate
shoot with a film crew some years ago, I witnessed first
hand how life could be made complicated if one didnt
have connections or failed to say the right thing. At the
airport, the customs officers told the crew
accompanying me that they needed a permit to bring
professional filming equipment into China. The custom
officers went on to say that they could discuss the
matter over dinner that night. Dinner? What dinner?
Fortunately for me, I had the foresight to walk through
checkpoints separately from the others. And I was
sneaky enough to pretend that I did not know them.
Despite having a Pelican case full of photographic
equipment, I was waved through because my DSLRs
and lenses were not considered professional enough. Outside the airport, I reunited with the dejected
film crew, sans their gear, and apologised for abandoning them. I explained to them the concept of
having dinner, and how it was a fair deal in China. Two days later, they got their equipment back and
by then I was done with my assignment.
The incident didnt make me very popular with my travelling companions, but they also began to
understand that having some local knowledge is a must to working peacefully in a foreign country. I am
not smug about this, and certainly dont believe I will get it right every time. But I do know I cant afford
to be ignorant about local cultures in this global market.

www.taykaychin.com

kaychin@taykaychin.com

facebook.com/kaychin

Tay Kay Chin, also known as Kay-Chin Tay, teaches photojournalism at the Wee Kim Wee School of
Communication & Information at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has spent more
than a decade in newspapers in Singapore and the US, and held positions from photographer to
presentation editor. In 2003, he was named a Hasselblad master of the world.

59

working pro
Holy Mother was shortlisted in
last years Taylor Wessing
Photographic Portrait
Prize competition.

61

storyteller
ERIK ALMS

the

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize finalist ERIK ALMS explains

to Will Roberts how he has honed his unique style to such great effect

working pro

62

I wanted to include some of the surface, so

we started looking at where there are
moonscapes and we ended up in New Mexico, in
this beautiful place called the Bisti Badlands. But
when we got back and I started putting it
together, it didnt feel like the moon...

erik alms

rik Alms has been on the road for over

a month and it will be another month
before he is able to return to his adopted
home in San Francisco the price you
pay for business success. When I speak
to him, hes at his parents house in
Trondheim, Norway, for a couple of days
over Christmas a brief respite from
the non-stop nature of his work. Its the
first time hes had a moment to himself
for weeks: Im making the most of
the daylight because the days are so
short here, he says.
Competing in a global marketplace can
be exhausting Erik pitches against
agencies in the US, the UK and Australia
for contracts across the globe. His work is
used in major advertising campaigns, but
hes also in demand for his portrait and
fine-art work. There is a richness about his
photography, each image an indulgent
treat for the eyes. Be it a busy composite
photograph created as part of an
advertising campaign, or a simple portrait,
the thought, care and creativity shines
through in all of his images.

Contrasts
The contrasting techniques used in his
work are also prevalent some are clearly
the product of hours, if not days, of work by
a team of dozens while others are much
simpler affairs. The variation is something
Erik embraces. I enjoy all of my work,
he says. The big composite pieces that
have a lot of elements and a lot of people
involved are great, but I also love things
that are really quiet thats more in tune
with what photography is. Making the
simpler things is what fills the soul more than the big projects. So, we
wonder, which does he prefer? Everyone asks me what I like better, but I
dont prefer one thing or the other it all fulfils a different side of me. You
could do a quiet nude where there is only two people and a light source and
thats it no retouching, its just shape and light. Then there is something
bigger like a moonscape, which is where your mind is racing at a million miles
an hour to make something complete out of these pieces. Its really gratifying
to create something out of nothing. Its truly yours.

Lunar challenge
Eriks moonscape was a particular challenge. It is the product of several
layers of photographs, seamlessly woven together to create one engaging
picture that has a distinct cinematic grandeur. He started with a picture of
Earth a NASA image in the public domain, meaning a quick trip to outer 

63

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working pro

66

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize competition is organised

by Londons National Portrait Gallery and sponsored by Taylor Wessing.
It attracts some of the worlds best portrait photographers from gifted
amateurs to established professionals. Last year, judges shortlisted 60
portraits from 5410 submissions entered by 2435 photographers. Eriks
Holy Mother was on the shortlist. While the photograph of a woman in a
head dress (page 61) didnt win the coveted prize, it became the face of
the competition, featuring on its adverts. Erik explains that the portrait
was initially taken as a fashion series, inspired by the holy mother. I was
increasingly aware and inspired by connections with people and places,
he says. After a long career in observing beauty, I realised that to get
better I also had to connect beautifully with both the land and the
people, the space and the energy I photograph. I became taken with the
vulnerability of the girl I photographed, so the fashion intention never
came to be. It became about her and she became the Holy Mother.

erik alms

connect better with the people in front of his camera. The storytelling aspect
of his work is clear to see. His photos have a fairytale allure, dripping with
detail and warmth. Erik improved his storytelling by working with what he
calls reverse memories. I will ask myself, What does this mean to me and
how do I relate to it?, he says. Through those questions something might
well up perhaps an old memory or a smell, or a sense that might remind
me of something that I have experienced and through that comes a story. You
think about the moment right before you take the picture and what is going to
happen next, then you build a story around the person and the place. Its then
easier to express that to the person youre photographing. You build a
character around it and tell them who they are, what they are portraying and
the emotion they should put into it. To improve his connection with his
subjects, Erik had to come to the realisation that he was too distant from the
people he was photographing. I am still the observer, because that is part of
my aesthetic, but I wanted to make it more about the people too. When you
know that, you try and invite them into the pictures and open up a dialogue,
which is stronger than just observing. The focus on these areas has, over
time, improved his work. Erik thinks many of his photographs have become
more cinematic because of it. While this approach may not suit every
photographer, Erik says its a vital part of his creative process and even more
important given the high level of competition in the marketplace.

Style
He says that having a style is essential for a photographer and that style
should flow through all of a photographers work, regardless of the type of
photography. You should be able to shoot a million different things in
that style that is your aesthetic, he says. Today there are so many
photographers, so clients dont just say, I need a picture taken; they want a
picture that will stand out. With good photographers, you can recognise
their images instantly. If you want to be successful commercially, I think
you need that.
www.erikalmas.com

www.npg.org.uk

67

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big interview

69

documenting

darwin

TIM WALLACE

Prestige car photographer TIM WALLACE took a break from

his usual work to explore a ghost town with a Fuji X-Pro1. He
tells Will Roberts how the experience refreshed his creativity

big interview

70

former marine and veteran of tours in Bosnia

and Iraq, Tim Wallace is no stranger to
unnerving experiences. But Darwin,
California, is like no other place he has ever
visited. Tim, a straight-talking, protagonistic
kind of photographer, went on a mission to
find the eerie, abandoned village in Death
Valley during a recent holiday. The mystery,
history and undisturbed state of Darwin make
it an engrossing subject for any artist.
Tims series from Darwin is a personal project
fuelled by intrigue and the subject is far
removed from his usual high-end cars. He left
his Hasselblad at home, swapping it for a Fuji
X-Pro1. He went without flash units, technicians
or a brief and came back with some absorbing
stories, some even better pictures and a
refreshed mind. But the dusty, rusty world of
Darwin is a far cry from Tims normal life. Seven
years ago he set up Ambient Life, a photography
company specialising in high-end prestige cars.
His work is stunning the product of the most
beautiful lines created by the best vehicle
designers, captured by an artistic eye against a
striking backdrop. It doesnt take much to make
most of us want an Aston Martin, but its
photographs like Tims that reinforce the desire.
His work is about selling the lifestyle
promoting that dream of touring around epic
landscapes in a shiny new DBS.
His work is well thought out shooting highly
reflective cars, with all their subtle lines and
angles, is a difficult task, Tim explains: Im not
saying this to make myself sound better, but its
very hard to shoot cars, he says. A Hasselblad
is a fairly unforgiving camera and if you dont
light things well and dont use it well, all you get
is extremely high resolution rubbish. They are
multi-angled, multi-reflective surfaces and they
are a nightmare to light it took me years to get
my technique right.
It was a trip to the States last year that
encouraged Tim to think about taking some
time off from work to pursue a personal goal.
Whenever I go away, I always end up shooting
back plates for car work, he says. I was in 

tim wallace

71

big interview / tim wallace

73

San Francisco last year and the sun came up.

I was going to do some back plates but I saw a
scene, with some buildings and the sun coming
up with the bridge in the background, and
I thought, Im going to shoot this just for me.
I realised that I never took any pictures for
myself any more. I did that shot and, amazingly,
it won the 2013 Professional Photographer of
the Year competitions Travel category.
It was just the starting point for Tim, who
returned to San Francisco in November last
year. I just wanted to shoot a bit of life really
things that I found, things that I was interested
in and some street stuff, he says. I wanted a
camera that would make me look like a tourist
and wouldnt freak people out but I obviously
needed a very good lens. So I bought a Fuji
X-Pro1, which I absolutely love. Tim hired a
Chevrolet Camaro and set off on a road trip,
down the coast from San Francisco towards Los
Angeles and Las Vegas, before heading east into
Death Valley. Death Valley is enormous its
the size of Britain and it takes a day and a half
to drive across it. You can drive for hours and not
see a single car, he says. People talk about
deafening silence, but you dont really
experience it until you go somewhere like Death
Valley. Theres no wind, theres no rain, theres
nothing. In some places its so hot even bacteria

Death Valley is enormous

its the size of Britain and
it takes a day and a half to
drive across it. You can drive
for hours and not see a
single car...
doesnt grow there. Its these conditions that
have helped preserve Darwin in the same state
for decades. Tim had heard about the town but
wanted to see it for himself, so set about trying
to find it.
Based in Lone Pine, a real banjo-twanging
town, he set off to find Darwin, eventually
stumbling across it at the end of a long dirt road
early one evening. It was too late to start
shooting the sun was going down and in an
area strewn with open, abandoned mine shafts,
it wasnt a good idea to explore. So Tim headed
back to Lone Pine and returned the following
day. I thought I would spend about an hour
there, but I ended up spending more than half a
day taking pictures it is just amazing, he says.
Silver prospectors were the first settlers in 

big interview

74

Tims verdict on the X-Pro1

For his trip to Darwin, Tim ditched his Hasselblad and Nikons in favour of Fujifilms X-Pro1 a decision he doesnt regret. Its not too
small, so it feels like youve got a proper camera. Its got a really hard metal body so it looks like you can bounce it about a bit. Its very
similar to a film camera it feels like youre shooting on film, which I like, he says. Tim tested the X-Pro1 with a 14mm lens against
his Nikon D3S and his Hasselblad and found it somewhere between the two, with a much better dynamic range than the D3S. He says:
The depth of field feels a bit like medium format depth of field. I shoot wide open quite a lot, its one of my traits. The fall-off on a DSLR
is different to the fall-off on a medium format.

tim wallace

75

big interview

76

Darwin and by the early part of the 20th century,

there were almost 3000 people living in the
town. Now there are fewer than 30, a collection
of mostly artists. The town emptied in the
1960s, but nobody quite knows why. When they
left, they left everything, Tim says. Therere
these old wooden houses and the contents of
the houses are still there. Its really spooky.
There are cars on the drive that have been
rusting for 40 or 50 years. And there is also an
old Airstream caravan, which is aluminium so is
still in mint condition.
The desert has frozen Darwin. In the dance
hall theres a picture of Elvis, with a notice
advertising that his records would be playing
that night. Tim stumbled across an old US Army
pick-up, among all of the other rust-buckets. In
the windscreen, in line with where the drivers
head would be, is what appears to be a bullet
hole. But there are even more bizarre aspects to
Darwin. The only thing that really freaked me
out was that a lot of the clocks had stopped all
at the same time 4.20, says Tim. I started
thinking, I wish I had a geiger counter because
Im not too comfortable here. Theres something
just not right about it.
Darwins mystery poses many questions. With
the nearest large town a two-hour drive away,
why didnt people take their cars when they left?
What happened to the driver of the US Army
vehicle? Why did the clocks stop at 4.20? I just
went around shooting everything I could, says
Tim. It was really refreshing. The thing with an
X-Pro1 is that if you shoot anything with any
texture, it defines it really well, especially if you
use black and white. I cant get away with black
and white in my working life because nobody
wants it. But I love it, so everything I shoot on the
X-Pro1 Ill straight-away slap into black and
white. There was minimal need for postproduction on the images a couple of minor
adjustments to shadows and tone was all that
was called for, according to Tim.
While Darwin is far removed from Tims dayto-day photography, there are parallels. The
pleasing way he captures the lines of those

The thing with an X-Pro1

is that if you shoot anything
with any texture, it defines it
really well, especially if you
use black and white. I cant
get away with black and white
in my working life because
nobody wants it. But I love it.

abandoned, rusty old vehicles can also be seen

in his pristine, smooth and slick work with
prestige cars. The use of light to add drama and
depth to his work is a thread that passes through
Darwin and deluxe alike. With Darwin it was
less about being technically perfect and more
about the feel and creativity of it, he says.
Sometimes I was taking photos and not even
looking through the viewfinder. Its nice to go
back to shooting something that is just the guts
of something.
Tim says that, as a photographer, finding time
to shoot what he, rather than a client, wants to
shoot is of great importance. I shot stuff in
Darwin and I learnt lessons by looking at things
in a different way. If you go out and shoot
something out of your comfort zone then youll
be better for it. You learn about how to use the
camera but you also look at things with a
different eye. So, is this the end of the story?
Ill be going back to California and Ill go to
Death Valley just to go to Darwin I loved it so
much. But I have no doubt that if I go back in 10
years, it wont have changed.

Tim Wallace founded

Ambient Life and specialises
in photographing high-end
prestige vehicles. He lives in
County Durham but works
around the world. He also
works with KelbyOne to
produce online tutorials.

www.ambientlife.co.uk
www.kelbyone.com/members/twallace

GEAR: Over a long career I have accumulated tons of cameras from 4x5 to 35mm and all kinds of light shapers. For medium format I now
use a Contax 645 with a Phase One Q160 Digital Back. Lenses include 45mm, 80mm and 140mm Carl Zeiss. For 35mm format I currently
use the Canon 5D Mark III with the 35mm f/1.4, 50 mm f/1.2 and the 24-70mm f/2.8. For light shapers I usually travel with two 6x6 Scrim
Jims with two silks, a silver/white and a black velvet.

tim wallace

77

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magnum

A treasure trove of monumental work, The Magnum Print

Room in London houses exhibitions from the agencys
prestigious photographers. Lorna Dockerill discovers the
latest exhibition on show

ARCHANT

102

utter the word Magnum Photos to any professional photographer and youre
likely to hear a sigh of reflection. It was described by the French father of
photojournalism, Henri Cartier-Bresson, as: A community of thought, a
shared human quality, a curiosity about what is going on in the world, a respect
for what is going on and a desire to transcribe it visually. Its plain to see why.

A Slice of History
Owned by its photographer members, the Magnum co-operative holds a prestigious status, its
band of international photographers recording slices of world history since its creation in 1947.
It was then, two years after the Second World War ended, that photographers Robert Capa, Henri
Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David Seymour established Magnum. Combining their work
as truthful photographers and storytellers, the group set the standard for generations of
photojournalists, becoming emancipated by leaving the constraints and boundaries of magazine
journalism. Extraordinarily, the agency allowed photographers to own the copyright to their
images instead of handing it over to magazines so the agency could sell the pictures to other
publications across the globe and photographers could therefore explore the world without
having an assignment or specific timescales. The result? Independence.

Delving into the Magnum Archives

History buffs interested in how the face of photojournalism is changing
should make their way to the exhibition, since it is only running until
11 April this year and prints are available to buy. Featuring imagery

ABBAS / MAGNUM PHOTOS

ARCHAN

equality
Does your portfolio represent a cross-section of society?
LAKSHAL PERERA poses the question

103

An Exclusive Environment

The Magnum Print Room

Now, in our Archives series, it seems a relevant time to rediscover the Magnum legacy that has
inspired waves of professionals following news of a new exhibition showcasing the work of one
of the agencys founders.
Taking place at Magnum Print Room, London, North African Stories: Then & Now, pedals back
50 years to war photographer George Rodgers recollection of 1950s Africa. But the exhibition
also incorporates a new Marrakech commission by five other Magnum photographers Abbas,
Jim Goldberg, Susan Meiselas, Mark Power and Mikhael Subotzky
bringing together two collections of Magnum works focused on Africa.
Sophie Wright, cultural and Print Room director at Magnum Photos,
London, explains: The fact that we cycled back 50 years between the
two bodies of works is what makes the juxtaposition so interesting in
terms of photographic approach and presentation. We produced the
Marrakech commission last November, so you are seeing both archival
work alongside very new exploratory work a good way to talk about
Magnums roots and where we are going.

lakshal perera

letters from Australia

a picture of

As the Magnum Print Room is a project space showing four exhibitions of Magnum members
work per year, it is rather an exclusive venue, but it is also an important part of the commercial
side of Magnum. Sophie adds: It is a trading space for print sales in which we show new work or
explore a theme through our archive. The drawers are stocked with the fine photography for sale
some of which is archival material and it is also the space in which we welcome clients from
across the agencys departments.
As there are no prints permanently on display, the old print archive is kept in cold storage
elsewhere in the office and viewings are ideally arranged by appointment, the beauty of the Print
Room lies in its selection process. It is possible to find a mix of contemporary and historic
collections that are both timeless and current from a broad range of Magnum photographers.
We try to balance archival and contemporary content, group shows with solo projects, says
Sophie, when explaining what is considered during curation. We think commercially but also
about what we want to say about Magnum, the agency and what is happening in the cultural
landscape of London at a particular time. After this show we have an exhibition by Russian
photographer Gueorgui Pinkassov. It is the year of UK and Russian culture and he is an incredible
photographer, whose distinct layered compositions are at the fine-art end of the documentary
spectrum represented by Magnum.
Building upon its reputation, the Print Room runs a Collectors Circle, which was launched in
Paris Photo, and for 10,000 a year entitles you to a higher level of access to and collaboration
with our photographers, supporting new creative production and institutional acquisitions, adds
Sophie. After 10 years, Sophie struggles to pick one stand-out exhibition at the Print Room, but
with the standard of work on display, we cant really blame her. Ive been here 10 years so I cant
name just one, she says. Working with amazing older Magnum photographers such as Rene
Burri on a project with the Tate is a privilege. The Marrakech commission, although hugely
challenging, produced incredible work and Im really proud of it.
North African Stories: Then & Now will be exhibited at The Magnum Print Room, London,
from 18 February 11 April 2014. www.magnumphotos.com

Above: Algeria. Sahara. Tamanrasset.

Tuareg women celebrating the birth of a
noble child. 1957.
Left: Morocco. Marrakech. Shadows. 2013.
Portrait of Marrakech in a collaborative
project with MMPVA, five Magnum
photographers lived and worked for two
weeks alongside curator Simon Njami and
the local creative community of Marrakech
to document the city.

58

think a lot about equality I guess being a dark skinned person growing up in a
predominantly white country, youre kinda forced to. Ive been fortunate to not experience
discrimination in the same way that many others have, but that doesnt make me immune
to it. Nor does it make me exempt from discriminating I always try to think about how my
behaviour impacts others. As such, when it comes to being a photographer and small
business owner, maintaining equality is something at the forefront of my mind.
This month is the first of two columns on this very topic equality, and why I think that its something all
of us, even photographers, need to think about. You might not agree with everything in this article, but
I hope it at least starts a discussion.
The wedding industry is huge. People have access to information and inspiration like never before and
resources such as Pinterest, wedding blogs and forums, photographers websites, magazines etc. are
driving the direction of the industry. But from what I see, this industry is in no way representative of
society. I think its overly obsessed with the idea of beauty and, by that I mean, societys convention of
beauty. Some wedding resources are more representative than others but, for the most part, youd think
that it was only ever white, model-esque, wealthy heterosexual people that get married! Im willing to
predict that most of you can open up any of the well-known wedding magazines, scroll through every page
of it and not see a single person who looks like you. And if you just happen to be a non-white person like
me, or part of a same-sex couple, your chances dropped just that bit more. Its well known that societal
norms that cause people to feel excluded create a lot of damage as time goes on. The number of people
who suffer from body image issues, anxiety and depression as a result of everyday exclusion is staggering.
Every day each of us is sent messages about how we should look, and weve all had days where we arent
happy with our appearance we may not be skinny enough, or have clear enough skin, or maybe our
eyes are too close together, our face too freckly or were too short. But you know what? Its rubbish
were all unique, interesting and valuable, and nothing should tell us otherwise.
Us wedding photographers, unfortunately, have figured out a way to contribute to this process of
exclusion too through the process of selective blogging. I have heard many wedding photographers say
that our websites should show only the kind of weddings you want people to book you for. It took me a
little while to figure out why this was bad but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that if
I selectively blogged, I was actively participating in discrimination by supporting the idea of only showing
what the industry views as the best weddings.
Kristen found out early on that most of the wedding photographers we know selectively blog and she
was appalled. At the time I navely parroted to her that to be a successful wedding photographer, you
needed to be seen to shoot the best weddings, and you should only make public your best work. To say
she was unimpressed with that would be an understatement. She bombarded me with questions: who
decides what weddings are best?, so photographers make money from couples then dont show their
wedding publicly because they think it isnt cool enough? The one that really hurt was, how would you
have felt if a wedding photographer refused to blog our wedding because they didnt think we were
attractive enough or our wedding pretty enough? I kept repeating: Well, this is just how the industry
works! and Kristen said: I dont care in the slightest what the industry does, this is about what YOU do
I thought you wanted a business where your work was about the uniqueness of the couple and about
capturing that uniqueness with awesome photos. It sounds really harsh, but it was the reality check that
I needed. Kristen is a psychologist and deals on a day-to-day basis with the real impacts of people being
excluded and she wanted no part in it. For her to think we were earning an income from discriminating
against people was against her values and it was also against mine, but I was being pulled into the idea of
what the norm of the industry was.

LAKSHAL PERERA

THE GLORY
OF MAGNUM

from Rodgers trips to Algeria in 1957 and Tunis in 1958

when he first travelled there during the war following
troop movements in Libya and Eritrea, his impartial ways
are evident in the silver gelatin exhibition prints. Ever the
adventurer, the hazards of Saharan travel brought refuge
to Rodger after hed experienced being the first
photographer to enter the WWII Bergen-Belsen
concentration camp in Germany in April 1945. He went on
to photograph the German surrender in Lneburg for Time
and Life. According to Magnum Photos, he was disturbed
by seeking nice compositions in front of the dead and fled
to Africa and the Middle East on a 28,000-mile journey.
In this particular exhibition, these pictures of Rodgers
trip through the desert, some of which feature his wife
Jinx Rodger, show their encounters with locals and the
extremes of the desert with nostalgic caption sheet
accompaniments. This is a contrast against the five
Magnum photographers enlisted to produce, edit, print and
exhibit their work within a two week period for the
Marrakech commission. Curated by Simon Njami and in
collaboration with the Marrakech Museum of Photography
and the Visual Arts (MMPVA), the photographers used an
array of creative approaches from a six-lensed GoPro
camera and gridded prints to street studios and
panoramics to capture emerging Africa and a city that is
accustomed to tourism.

GEORGE RODGER / MAGNUM PHOTOS

archives

59

I understand why a photographer would only show off their best work and I also appreciate we are under
no obligation to ever release work that we dont love but if were not releasing the images based simply
on our personal assessment of the people in the images or of the level of details in wedding, were
further reinforcing inequality and unrealistic norms. Basically, at the core of it, selective blogging
encourages us to feature not our best images but only the best looking couples who have the best
looking weddings, which all depend on current trends in broader society. It reduces each couple and their
wedding day down to a personal and, dare I say it, prejudicial assessment. It even reeks a little of hypocrisy,
the couples money is in your pocket but you cant possibly be seen photographing people like that. The
resources available in the wedding industry should inspire other couples that are planning their own
weddings, but at the same time, we shouldnt be creating unrealistic expectations for couples about what
they and their wedding should look like.
If you can get past the ethical issue of selective blogging, its also a pretty bad business decision, as
youre potentially alienating a huge portion of your potential client base. Lets just look at just one easily
quantifiable element when measuring representation in the wedding industry: skin-colour (there arent
statistics on beauty or cuteness of wedding details). The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that of
123,173 marriages in 2012, 18.1 per cent of males and 22.2 per cent of females getting married were born
in non-Caucasian countries. Its probably also safe to also assume a fraction of the remaining 100,000 or
so couples have one or both members who are the children of non-white migrants, or of people of varied
descent. Thats a damn lot of people who you can appeal to by making them feel included or represented in
your work. I met a couple about six months ago who couldnt believe that I blog every single wedding
I photograph. At the same time, they marvelled the fact that I seemed to have such diverse and interesting
weddings on my site. This isnt just a coincidence, I think these two points are intrinsically linked in a cycle
if you represent everyone, you will be accessible to everyone and then you can represent everyone.
We are always battling uphill as ethical photographers but in order for greater society to change for the
better, we need to first create change directly in front of us. Things are not automatically okay just because
other people do it and you always have the choice to not be part of anything, if it doesnt fit in with your
values which is what all of this comes back to.
www.lakshalperera.com @lakshalperera

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choosing your laptop

Macs and PCs:

Power Vs Value
PPs resident computer expert, PAUL STEAD, takes a
closer look at some of the best laptop options available to
the professional photographer

Large files, memory-intensive programs and time restraints theres no doubt about it, photo
editing pushes a laptops capabilities right to the edge. As a pro photographer, your business relies
on being able to produce top-quality work in a timely fashion. And if youre to edit to a high standard,
you ideally need a large, high-resolution screen, a fast processor and a decent amount of memory
(above 8GB, preferably). But the rigors of travelling with photo gear plus a computer make small,
lightweight machines with long battery life a real asset too. Unfortunately, there is no one perfect
laptop for all photographers it depends on your priorities but weve taken a closer look at whats
out there in the high-end market, to help you navigate your way to the right laptop for you. Let us
also state that these machines are not being directly compared in fact we struggled to find
powerful machines fit for the task but are being offered up as options to consider. Costs vary
hugely so on this alone comparing a 1100 machine with a 2200 machine would be totally unfair.

HOW WE BENCHMARKED
We used two programs to profile the performance of each laptop: Cinebench and Geekbench. In all
instances, the higher the resulting figure, the better.
Cinebench This is a popular benchmarking program that tests CPU and video performance.
Geekbench This is a popular benchmarking program that tests and scores the CPUs singlecore and multi-core performance by simulating real-world scenarios.

HOW WE TESTED THE SPEED

To test the speed of the machines, we batch processed 33 images that were a combined 298MB
a mixture of JPEGs and TIFFs in Photoshop CS5. The actions were: Resize image > Convert to
CYMK > Make adjustment layer > Flatten > Unsharp Mask > Gaussian Blur > Save > Close. 

81

choosing your laptop

Chillblast Photo OC

1199
www.chillblast.com

Processor
(CPU) speed:
The processor
speed listed
first is its usual
speed and the
speed in
brackets shows
what it can
boost up to
when
performing
processorintensive tasks.

82
This laptop is excellent value for money, says Paul. It packs excellent specs and is more than
capable of completing a photographers daily tasks. Dont be put off by an unfamiliar brand name
Chillblast specialises in machines for photographers.

PROS

Processor: 4th Gen Intel Core i7 4700MQ

Processor (CPU) Speed: Quad 2.4GHz
(3.4Ghz) 6MB cache
Memory: 16GB 1600MHz
Storage: 120GB SSD/ 1TB hybrid
Optical storage: Blu-Ray reader/DVD-RW
Card storage: 9 in 1
USB: 3.0
Screen size: 15.6in IPS display
Screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
Size: 374 x 252 x 31.4mm
Weight: 2.4kg
Graphics: Onboard: Intel HD 4600,
Dedicated: NVIDIA GT 850M 2GB
Video out: HDMI
Web camera: 720p
Wireless: Wireless N
Bluetooth: 4.0
Battery: Up to 5 hours
Operating system: Windows 8.1

Dedicated graphics card

Between these four models, this has the largest amount of storage
Two disks: one fast Solid State Drive (SSD) for the operating system/programs
and one large Hard Disk for data
Very good screen calibration out of the box, with sharp images

CONS
Only Wireless N, which isnt as fast as the two laptops with Wireless AC
Slowest of the four in terms of batch processing, but still a very quick machine

HARDWARE TEST
tosho

142

seco

nds
:

Geekbench
Single: 3418
Multi: 12,682

available from

Chillblast
Tel: 0845 45678 31
wwwchillblast.com

ce

P ho

h proces
si

performan

Cinebench
OpenGL: 51.11fps
CPU: 307cb

tc
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SPEC PANEL

choosing your laptop

Apple Macbook Pro

16GB/512GB/2.3GHz with Retina display

2199
www.apple.com/uk

OpenGL test:
The speed of
the graphics
card how
quickly it
renders 2D and
3D vector
graphics.
With this and
the CPU
test, the higher
the number,
the better.

83
This laptop has excellent build quality, as youd expect from an Apple product, says Paul. It also
has specs to match its a premium device, but with a premium price tag!

PROS

Processor: 4th Gen Intel Core i7 4850HQ

Processor (CPU) speed: Quad 2.3GHz
(3.5GHz) 6MB cache
Memory: 16GB 1600MHz
Storage: 512GB SSD
Optical storage: N/A
Card storage: SD (SDHC SDXC)
USB: 3.0
Screen size: 15.4in LED display
Screen resolution: 2880 x 1800
Size: 359 x 247 x 18mm
Weight: 2.02kg
Graphics: Onboard: Intel Iris Pro 1GB,
Dedicated: NVIDIA GT 750M 2GB
Video out: HDMI
Web camera: 720p
Wireless: Wireless AC
Bluetooth: BT 4.0
Battery: Up to 8 hours
Operating system: OS X Mavericks

Dedicated graphics card

Retina display with second highest screen resolution with very good colour
Excellent build quality
Best battery life of all the devices
Latest wireless standard (AC) for best wireless throughput (with an AC
supported router)

CONS
Cost this is the most expensive out of all the machines

HARDWARE TESTS
tosho
P ho

h proces
si

62

seco

nds
:
ce

Geekbench
Single: 3468
Multi: 13,582

available from

Grafx
Tel: (01242) 787878
www.grafx.co.uk

performan

Cinebench
OpenGL: 27.86fps
CPU: 562cb

tc
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ng

SPEC PANEL

choosing your laptop

Dell XPS 15

1679
www.dell.co.uk

Dedicated
graphics card:
This frees up
video processing
tasks that would
otherwise be
completed
by the systems
processor
and memory.

84
The build quality isnt quite up to Apples level, says Paul. But still, it emits quality in every
respect. The screen on this device will definitely impress.

PROS

Processor: 4th Gen Intel Core i7 4702HQ

Processor (CPU) speed: Quad 2.2GHz
(3.2GHz) 6MB cache
Memory: 16GB 1600MHz
Storage: 512GB SSD
Optical storage: N/A
Card storage: 3 in 1
USB: 3.0
Screen size: 15.6 inch LED touchscreen
Screen resolution: 3200 x 1800
Size: 372 x 254 x 18mm
Weight: 2.01kg
Graphics: Onboard: Intel HD 4600,
Dedicated: NVIDIA GT 750M 2GB
Video out: HDMI/DisplayPort
Web camera: 720p
Wireless: Wireless AC
Blutooth: BT 4.0
Battery: Up to 5 hours
Operating system: Windows 8.1

Dedicated graphics card

Slim design
Highest screen resolution of all the devices, with good sharpness
Touchscreen for better access on Windows 8 apps

CONS
Screen resolution so high that some programs, including Photoshop,
have very small menus and toolbars

HARDWARE TEST
tosho
P ho

h proces
si

92

seco

nds
:
ce

Geekbench
Single: 3180
Multi: 11,518

available from

Dell
Tel: 0844 444 4699
www.dell.co.uk

performan

Cinebench
OpenGL: 65.18fps
CPU: 579 cb

tc
ba

ng

SPEC PANEL

choosing your laptop

Apple Macbook Pro
8GB/256GB/2.0GHz with Retina display

1699
www.apple.com/uk

85
We wanted to test the lower spec Macbook Pro (8GB as opposed to 16GB) to see what youre losing
in terms of performance, says Paul. This laptop is 500 cheaper and has slightly lower specs, but
still packs a punch with excellent performance it was only six seconds slower in the processing test.

SPEC PANEL

PROS

Processor: 4th Gen Intel Core i7 4750HQ

Processor (CPU) speed: Quad 2.0GHz
(3.2GHz) 6MB cache
Memory: 8GB 1600MHz
Storage: 256GB SSD
Optical storage: N/A
Card storage: SD (SDHC/SDXC)
USB: 3.0
Screen size: 15.4in LED display
Screen resolution: 2880 x 1800
Size: 359 x 247 x 18mm
Weight: 2.02kg
Graphics: Onboard only: Intel Iris Pro 1GB
Video out: HDMI
Web camera: 720p
Wireless: Wireless AC
Bluetooth: BT 4.0
Battery: Up to 8 hours
Operating system: OS X Mavericks

Retina display with second highest screen resolution with very good colour
Excellent build quality
Best battery life of all devices
Latest wireless standard (AC) for best wireless throughput (with an AC
supported router)

CONS
No dedicated graphics card

HARDWARE TESTS

nds

Geekbench
Single: 3150
Multi: 12,322

available from

Grafx
Tel: 01242 787878
www.grafx.co.uk

ce

tosho

68

seco

performan

P ho

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Cinebench
OpenGL: 27.58fps
CPU: 563cb

tc
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buyers guide

Memory for
a Mountain
of Data

If you want to keep your machine moving

fast, you need to invest in an external
storage device. On page 94, Paul Rogers
says he creates 100GB of images at
every wedding! Storing and protecting
such prolific professional output is a big
decision, so were here to help

The G-Dock EV
Designed to fit seamlessly into your busy workflow and optimise digital content transfer for professional
photographers, the G-Dock EV has two removable G-Drive EV hard drives which both have USB 3.0
connectivity and transfer speeds up to 260MB/s. When drives are inserted back into the G-Dock EV, you
can transfer your content with the high-performance Thunderbolt interface. Any combination of G-Drive
EV hard drives can connect with the G-Dock for ultimate flexibility. Priced at 564 on Amazon, more
information about the G-Dock EV can be found at www.g-technology.com
Samsung D3 Station
Sometimes we need a quick fix to answer our storage prayers, but what if we arent able to splash the
cash on the most expensive external hard drive out there? Samsung offers a cheaper option that does
not compromise its impressive performance and sleek design. The Samsung D3 Station provides up to
3TB of desktop storage for all your creative needs, from photographs to videos. With SuperSpeed
USB 3.0 performance and a SecretZone that allows you to encrypt part of the drive for storing
sensitive files, you can rely on your precious content being looked after. Its outer casing is compact,
robust and finished with a sleek black design. Priced at 85 on Amazon, for more information
visit: www.seagate.com/samsung
Zenfolios Raw Storage Device
Acting as an online hub for photographers, Zenfolio has created a Raw storage feature for your website,
so that photographers can keep all their files in one place, including non-image. The added feature caters
for files such as Raw, PSD, DNG, NEF and other formats, on top of the standard JPEG format. The feature
is available to all Unlimited Premium and Premium Business Zenfolio accounts with no additional sign-up
needed and is free for up to 2GB. Thereafter users will be charged monthly per gigabyte at 8.5 cents. For
more information go to www.zenfolio.com
Drobo 4 Bay
Drobos 4 Bay storage system is the best-selling series in its history, and the company claims this, the
third generation, it to be three times faster than its previous incarnation. It features a new architecture
and rebuild times that are four times faster, maximising data availability. The addition of a battery backup and a system that automatically protects data without user intervention provides the user with even
more peace of mind. As with all Drobo products, the 4 Bay is built on the BeyondRAID technology, which
allows first and second generation customers to upgrade seamlessly to this new Drobo. Priced between
$349 (approx. 210) with no drives included and $1449 including four 4TB HDDs, shipping is due to start
in late April and pre-orders are available from www.drobostore.com
Western My Cloud EX2
With promises of quality and reliability expected from WD, My Cloud EX2 provides a two-bay NAS for
your home or office providing up to 8TB of storage in one safe place. Use the integrated WD Red hard
drives for ultimate compatibility or opt for the diskless enclosure to build your NAS with the drives of
your choice. The cloud features 512MB of memory and a 1.2GHz processor, delivering fast performance,
easy drive management, options to protect your data, a remote back-up system and award-winning
mobile and desktop apps that make it as straighforward as possible to upload, access and share your
documents from anywhere. Priced at 264 for the 4TB version on ebuyer.com and 587 for 8TB on
amazon.co.uk. For more information visit www.wdbrand.com

87

PPMAY14

88

gear / fuji x-t1

89

FUJI X-T1
Can Fujis new X-T1 step up to the mark and
take on the big boys when its asked to perform
professionally? KARL SHAW finds out
Well, Ive finally done it. Ive bitten the bullet and bought a Fuji X-Pro1. Let
me explain. In PPs sister magazine, Photography Monthly, I asked the
reader to take me at my word that any review, appraisal or test of a Fuji
product would be totally impartial, unbiased and honest. Although a fan of
the X-series cameras, I didnt actually own any Fuji products so brand
loyalty didnt come into play. At the time of writing, that was absolutely
true. Now, given the type of work I produce mainly fashion or commercial
photography, usually in a studio environment the X-Pro1 wasnt the type
of camera that would earn its keep. You see, I wanted one more than
I needed one.
It all started in the summer of 2012 when those very nice people at Fuji sent
me an X-Pro1 and three prime lenses to test 18mm, 35mm and 60mm
macro. I did say at the time that Fuji had created a game changer with that
camera, and I stand by those words today. I was taken aback with not only the
image quality, but how it just felt so right in use. Skip forward to 2013 and,
once again, Im sent Fujis latest offering, this time an X-E1. Ooo, I thought,
an X-Pro1 in a smaller, tighter package with the bonus of a built-in flash!
I then spent a very cold week touring southern Poland and three months
later a very hot week touring through Europe. The X-E1 never missed a beat 

gear

Kevin Mullins on X-T1:

90

Id been waiting for the highly

anticipated X-T1 for some
months and whilst underneath
its very similar to the X-E2,
there are a whole load of features that
make it stand out as the best X-Series
camera Fuji has produced to date. The much
improved continuous focusing is, of course,
one of the technical standouts. But for me,
really, the usability of the amazingly bright
and large EVF allows me to shoot even
quicker. The general AF is greatly improved
and the weather sealing will be of benefit
for those traditional summer weddings we
have in the UK, when its pouring with rain.
At the time of writing, I havent yet shot a
wedding with the X-T1, but Im really looking
forward to working it in tandem with either
my X-Pro1 or my X-E2. The new 56mm f/1.2
lens was the missing part of the jigsaw for
me and now its here I can see me reverting
back to my favoured shooting combination
of 35mm and 85mm in full-frame terms.
I think Fuji has pulled another master
stroke with the X-T1 and I genuinely hope
more and more people can see the power
and benefit of CSCs (from Fuji or other
manufacturers): lighter, smaller, cheaper
but as good and perhaps even better image
quality than many DSLRs.
www.kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk

and was incredible in every way. But however much it never let me down,
however much it recorded scene after scene in the exactly the same way my
eyes had visualised, it didnt get under my skin in quite the same way as the
X-Pro1 had a year earlier.
So its 2014, two years after the X-Pro1 hit the shelves, and Im finally a
proud owner. Why has it taken me this long to become the owner of a camera
that, at the time, I said I would lose a limb for? Well, as I said earlier, I didnt
need one. I couldnt justify spending over 1000 on a camera body and
probably the same again on a couple of lenses that wouldnt contribute to my
photography work. I had the perception that my clients would feel short
changed if I didnt turn up to a job with a case full of battery-grip-clad
professional DSLRs even though the X-Pro1 is more than capable of mixing
it with the big players in the professional game. But, in the end, heart ruled
head. It wasnt helped by the epic deal I was offered by Duncan on the
Calumet stand at The Photography Show a deal that was too good to miss.
Well, that was how I justified it to my wife. At least I now have a benchmark
with which to evaluate Fujis latest X-series camera the X-T1.
Now, part of the charm of the X-Pro1 is that it isnt a DSLR it doesnt even
look like one. Its a different way of working. Same with the X-E2 theyre
both cool in that up-to-date, retro way. So it came as a bit of a surprise when
I first clapped eyes on the X-T1. I was expecting to go all weak at the knees at
the announcement of a new and improved X-Pro1 you know, same body,
even better internals. But no, what we have here is something a bit bolder
still mirrorless, but more mini-DSLR, more Olympus OM-D E-M1 than
anything I was expecting. Thankfully, its still refreshingly retro.
Out of the box I like what I see. Theres that all-over black colourway that
looks so good on other X-series cameras and theres no silver-topped option
or other colours to pick from off the shelf, so you can have any colour you like
as long as its black. What does strike me is the huge EVF, which juts out of
the top plate. Now, Im not a huge fan of EVFs, but I have to say that this one
is pretty damn good.
If youre like me and hate delving into menus to change the most basic of
settings, then youll love Fujis approach with the X-T1. Gorgeous machined
dials take care of basically every setting youll ever need. Okay, if you want
film modes or file types, then its the dreaded menus, but for the actual art of
taking a photograph, from metering to ISO settings, theres a dial rather than
the button-press-scroll-choose-click affair that you get on most cameras.
Fuji has even double-stacked some dials the ISO dial sits on top of the drive
dial and the shutter speed dial perches on top of the metering mode dial. It
could have just stuck the ISO setting and metering modes within the bowels
of the menus, like some manufacturers do. But its that thought process and

PROS:

CONS:

Build I Weather-sealed I Size I EVF I Image Quality I Looks

I Controls I Tiltable Screen I Lens Choice

Fiddly four-way controller

fuji x-t1

91

attention to detail that I love about the X-series cameras. Theres even a
command-like dial that zooms your pictures on playback instead of the usual
plus and minus magnifying-glass offering. And because Fuji has positioned
the memory card slot on the side of the body like a DSLR, rather than the
usual base plate, theres a proper battery grip available. And in typical Fuji
fashion, with the grip in place, the X-T1 handles even better. It also doesnt
look like a bolted-on extra like most grips do; it looks like it was designed
from the ground up to fit beautifully and integrate seamlessly into the body
like, say, a Nikon D4.
The huge tiltable LCD screen dominates the rear of the camera. Theres
Fujis usual extensive custom options with the screen, my favourite being the
rule of thirds grid and levelling guide. You can turn the screen off and use the
EVF if you prefer I switch between the two, with the EVF kicking in when I
lift the camera to my eye. Its the best of both worlds. You can also customise
the EVF to have a dual view. Another feature of the EVF worth mentioning is
that as you move the camera from a landscape to a portrait position, the
shooting information rotates within the viewfinder so that all your data
shutter speed, ISO, aperture remains in the same place. Genius. Also on
the back is the usual four-way selector, which is slightly recessed and can be
quite fiddly compared to the X-Pro1.
Internally, theres the same 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR
Processor II that you get with the X-E2. You also get HD video recording and

built-in Wi-Fi. This is not merely to send

images over a network its much more
clever than that. You download Fujis
Camera Remote app to your smartphone,
pair with the X-T1 and watch in amazement
as what your camera sees is magically
transmitted to your smartphones screen.
From that screen, you can then change the
cameras settings and take a picture it
worked beautifully on my iPhone 5S.
The ISO ranges from 200 to 6400 and is
expandable to 51,200. Frame rate is a very
rapid 8fps with 3fps available in live view.
Unlike the X-E2, theres no built-in flash.
Instead, theres a small flash unit that
attaches to the hotshoe and is bundled with
the body at no extra cost.
All in all, Fuji has pretty much thought of
everything. And, to be honest, I could write
far more words than space will allow. And
I havent even mentioned image quality yet.
Well, it goes without saying that the


SPECIFICATIONS
Street price: 1049 (body only) I 16.7MP CMOS sensor I 23.6mm x 15.6mm (APS-C) X-Trans CMOS II with primary colour filter
I ISO 200 51,200 I 3.0in, 1,040,000 dot LCD I HD Movie I SD, SDHC and SDXC support

gear / fuji x-t1

X-T1 meters, resolve detail and generally impresses in every way. The images
that Ive shot in low light at ISO 3200 are absolutely fine. I need more time with
the camera (are you listening, Fuji?) to fully explore all the film simulation modes,
filters and sharpening options. But with everything set as it came out of the
factory, I cant fault it. Can it really be used professionally? Absolutely. Okay, in
use its not as quick as a professional DSLR. By quick, I mean the everyday way in
which we drive our cameras; twin control dials one taking care of the shutter
speed and one taking care of the aperture. Even changing the focus point involves
another step before the
four-way selector is utilised.
And, although the EVF is the
VERDICT:
best there is, its still an EVF.
The fact that the X-T1 looks as good as
Honestly, that really
the pictures it takes is part of the
shouldnt put you off if it
attraction. Its the perfect blend of new
does, I suggest you try before
technology and old-school charm. If the
you buy as it takes no time
thought of giving up your beloved DSLR
at all to adapt to. The one
scares the pants off you, dont worry, it
feature that is often
does me too. But Im seriously thinking of
overlooked on this type of
investing in an X-T1 to run alongside my
camera, which is worth its
professional Nikon gear. Ive dipped my
weight in gold, is the ability
toe in the water with the X-Pro1 and Im
to meter the scene in real
finding Im using it more than I thought
time in the EVF, or on the
I would. The more time I spend with the
screen, so you get an instant
X-T1, the more Im convinced its the
WYSIWYG. You can turn
way forward.
this feature off for studio
work where, say, f/16 at
www.fujifilm.eu/uk
1/125sec would render the
www.karlshaw.co.uk
screen black.

t
9 ou0
of 1
Matt Hart on X-T1:
The X-T1 is stunning; yes thats my first
impression. The view finder is massive and
bright, the rear tilting screen is
a bonus. I have seen so many
people putting the tilting
screens to great use at events,
and out on the street I decided a tilting
screen was a must-have. I love my X-Pro1
and will not part with it. The X-T1 is my
event camera, as well as my portrait
camera; of course I will use it for landscapes
as well, as soon as I get myself an
electronic cable release. Fuji has changed
the way I think about my craft, taken me
back over 40 years and made me want to
start all over again. It has given me my
passion back, by putting all the passion it
has for photography and film into these
little cameras. At last a company that is
doing things for the right reasons and not
just mass producing cameras for profit! I
have been so impressed by what Fuji has
managed to do this year and cant wait to
see what it brings out in the future.
www.matthewhartphotography.com

93

jpeg vs raw

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94

Wedding photographer NEALE JAMES discusses the merits

of JPEG and Raw files and whether any of it really matters

rom the off, dear reader, I hope you dont perceive my understanding of this
subject as the musings of a technical Luddite, grasping the coat tails of
traditional digital workflow with stubborn tenacity.
A little personal history: I trained using film during the digital revolution of the
early noughties, so I can comprehend a time where anything above ISO 400 would
be considered a digital exclusion zone and full frame was but a choice of mount
style. Photoshop, as I remember, had no more than two or three version incarnations and JPEG
was preached by tutors of the new age.
Photoshop, of course, has undergone many face changes and the addition of Lightroom, along
with a plethora of alternative non-Adobe-flavoured editors and Raw converters, gives me no
excuse to hang on to my overt, traditional preferences. But my workflow has always been
ridiculously simple: ingest cards, sort through in Adobes Bridge, open in Photoshop, retouch using
a series of actions purchased and developed since digital day dot, et voil! My peers suggest that
I should be burned by processor for such an archaic workflow, and that there is no possible way
my images could weather a quality storm when produced as large-scale prints.
Photographer Bob Owen recently wrote in a forum: Workflow is best decided by which one
makes you happiest, adding that clients dont peer at screens or prints in nearly as much detail
as we do. Yet I am constantly told I should be troubled by JPEG data loss and its beginning to
trouble me. Not yet to a sleep deprived level, but enough to be writing my thoughts within this
cathartic piece. For starters, JPEG records 256 levels of brightness, Raw records somewhere
between 4000 and 16,000 levels. Its easy to correct facets like posterisation using this amount of
multi-layered, additional data. Posterisation, you say? Thats where you see step changes in
colour across a graduated scene, for example.
Kevin Mullins, as a respected friend, PP columnist and champion of JPEGs within the Fuji
religion of X-series cameras, says: For me, all modern cameras have amazing processing engines
within them and so it makes sense for me to shoot JPEG to minimise my post processing. When
I shot primarily Raw, it was very dismaying watching the gorgeous JPEG previews in Lightroom
render down to the Raw files and I would find myself re-working the images just to get them back
to the image the camera would have created for me as a JPEG file. So, for me, it makes sense to
shoot JPEG when applicable. This is, as you can probably imagine, somewhat of a revelation.
Having seen his images displayed in extremely large format, and celebrated his simply

jpeg vs raw

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95
phenomenal JPEG landscape scene of Tokyo, taken from 2000 feet atop the Tokyo Skytree
tower, an image that if you havent seen, you should Google instantly. It was a worthy winner of
the landscape picture prize at this years SWPP conference.
In the interests of balance, I asked another photographic friend to explain his reasons for using
a Raw only approach. Times photographer Paul Rogers told me, I started shooting Raw files on a
5D Mark II after Id been back through my archive and tried re-processing some news
photography from Iraq in 2003. Back then I only shot JPEGs, and only saved the images Id edited
and sent. Laptop space was limited, and storage expensive. The files were almost useless in
Lightroom. I realised then that with every software advance, new possibilities for old files had
come, providing you had captured as much data as possible at the time. So now, I record Raw files
to a CF card and JPEGs to an SD card in my 5D Mark III. I get the advantage of being able to
rescue poor exposures, easily correct mixed lighting shots, and have the security of knowing
I have all possible data available for future processing techniques. The storage space is cheap
enough for me to keep 100GB of data per wedding, and the JPEG back-up files are all uploaded
to the Cloud. I adapt my technique to deal with the small buffer this creates, and my workflow
with Raw files and Lightroom is just as fast as if I were dealing with JPEG files.
In my social photography role Ive shot 500 weddings and, up until now, Ive captured 99 per
cent of those images in JPEG file format. If you look at my website and study the depth of
contrast that is my chosen style of capture, I am told that I should only be able to achieve this
through Raw manipulation. While I appreciate that Raw technology is indeed the lexicon of the
forward thinker, the latitude afforded through JPEG is actually very good and has been a friend of
mine for many a long evening spent editing.
So reaching for those coat tails, my point is this really: its not about the technology of capture,
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is, that Raw is indeed inarguably more rugged than JPEG, that the Raw way of doing things is the
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that sync feature before the kettle has boiled. No and I genuinely subscribe to this rather
analogue motive surely its about the emotive capacity to make one person look at one picture
and linger, if only for a second longer. Even if it is shot in JPEG.
www.nealejames.com

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archives

JILL FURMANOVSKY

Oasis..

ROCK
OF AGES...
ROCKARCHIVE

Music has been pivotal throughout cultural history. But

photographic memoirs havent always received the recognition
they deserve. Changing the record and celebrating the
stills of sound, Jessica Bracey speaks to Rockarchive founder
JILL FURMANOVSKY
Speaking to Jill Furmanovsky at the home of the Rockarchive in London last year, her wish was for
someone to recognise the cultural significance encapsulated in the photographic back catalogue of
music greats such as Elvis and The Beatles, Amy Winehouse and David Bowie, and to create a
spectacle of it. Seven months on, and lo and behold, Rockarchives finest work is being showcased
in a prime central London location, in collaboration with Olympus. This exhibition is a dream come
true, says Jill. We struggle to survive, frankly, and we were thinking, Oh God, how do we get
through this year? Then the visionary Mark Thakara from Olympus believed in what we were doing
and said that it put rock n roll back into photography. We have to sell prints, but underneath the
Rockarchive is something bigger than a commercial operation. Rockarchive is an archive of archives
inspired by Magnum to bring attention to the rock n roll era, to the images that lie hidden and to
photographers that are undiscovered. 

99

 LEX VAN ROSSEN

100

Now if the name Jill Furmanovsky doesnt ring a bell, then maybe her iconic images of
Michael Jackson as a child, Bob Marley in his London apartment or The Who performing at
the Rainbow Theatre may be more familiar. Yet in our eyes, its the photographers that hold
just as much acclaim as the artists themselves a view that Jill feels it is her duty to
communicate to the public. The idea was sparked by her 1997 Oasis Was There Then exhibition
in collaboration with Olympus and Epson. With the remaining equipment, Jill took on the task
of founding Rockarchive at the very start of the digital revolution. I thought, wouldnt it be
really great to do this scale of exhibition not just with one band but a whole archive.
Rockarchive was a generic term to put my work into and started with 30 of my images, which
represented 30 years of my work, and printed 30 limited editions to go online as
collectors items.
With fellow music photographers such as Storm Thorgerson, Ray Stevenson, Barrie
Wentzell and Mick Rock among her list of people to bring on board, Jill soon had an army of
music photographers allowing her to publish their images through Rockarchive. The same
set-up at Magnum archives. Magnum was put together by a bunch of photographers in a
particular situation; they wanted acclaim for their work and the rights to crop or not crop.
Were not a photo agency, but were equally passionate about the product that we have its
got to be a beautiful print and must be retouched to the photographers specification. We dont
like to piss off the artists in the picture; if the artist didnt like the picture, we would probably
withdraw it. On the other hand, we do have pictures in the archive that are not archival but are
of historic interest and I wanted to keep that alive as well.
With the majority of Rockarchive photographs produced digitally, there are very few
darkroom silver gelatine prints made from the original negative. Instead, they are restored and
printed with a digital enlarger. We tend to make Hahnemhle Photo Rag prints on matte
paper theyre so beautiful as prints. Some people prefer c-types, but from the punters point
of view, they often just want a picture of Debbie Harry or The Rolling Stones from the classic
era, says Jill.
As a fan who adores the music behind the images, I was interested to hear what prints are
at the top of the collectors purchase lists. Its the usual suspects: The Rolling Stones, Bowie,
The Clash, The Who and Bob Dylan, says Jill. Im such a fan of photographers so, for me,
one of the reasons I got involved was really to meet all these people. I think the collectors
arent interested in who shot the photo or who the production house is, but thats only because
we were the first doing it. The making of the print is what makes them collectors items. I think
a lot of people like the prints we make, and they would prefer to buy our version of it than, say,
from the photographer themselves, because they send it out to a local lab to be made. At
Rockarchive were very careful about our prints and editions. In a way, were having to
reassess how we set up Rockarchive because we think our original decision to make 100
limited edition prints was too many our current runs are much smaller. Some editions have
nearly sold out, so theres a mixture, she says of the prints that sell for up to tens of thousands
of pounds, the value increasing 10 fold since the Rockarchive was founded in 1998. 

DON HUNSTEIN

archives

rockarchive

JILL FURMANOVSKY

101

Top: Bob Dylan. Left: Grace Jones. Above: Sinead OConnor. All
images are available as prints from the Rockarchive collective.

 ALFRED WERTHEIMER

rockarchive

103

Above: Elvis Presley.

The allure of historic music photography sparked the production of the film Who Shot Rock
& Roll, featuring Jill Furmanovsky telling the story behind some of her most iconic images,
along with a host of other photographers. The film follows the exhibition Who Shot Rock &
Roll, curated by Gail Buckland, who is one of the greatest curators in the world. She came to
see me in 2009, with a project for the Brooklyn Museum to put on a proper rock n roll
photography show. Her words were: I want to see your work, I dont care who the band is, I
just want the best pictures. Premiered in the US in 2013 the award-winning documentary
was brought to the UK for the launch of the Rockarchive Olympus Image Space, thanks to Jill
who asked Paul McCartney himself one of her music heroes as a child for permission to
showcase the film in London.
Now set for a six-month stint in Shoreditch, the Rockarchive gallery has been called an
inspirational environment that fosters innovation and showcases the best photographic
talent. For Jill, this is a pivotal moment in the Rockarchive journey, but theres still work to
do. I want someone to give us a building that is a rock n roll museum in London. Well donate
600 or 700 images from the Rockarchive and then people can leave their archives to it. Its a
really big dream. Ive heard people say they wouldnt be interested in it I beg to differ.
www.rockarchive.com

Curators comment

Photography curator Gail Buckland has worked with the likes of Cecil Beaton and, most recently, curated the exhibition and film Who Shot
Rock & Roll. Everyone knows that rock n roll is a revolution and someone needs to document that. Peoples response was: I never really
thought about the person that took the picture. Im a photo historian and if I dont know who made the album covers I cherish and love, then
its my duty to celebrate the men and women who shot the image because theyre not anonymous, theyre as skilled in their craft as the
musicians. I kept being told that music photography is not an art subject. My job is to break down those barriers and get rid of the hierarchy.
There needs to be a new appreciation of music photography. Im not dazzled by who is in the picture. I want to bring new photographers into
recognition. Im so glad Ive brought it to light.

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