Malta institute of professional photography newsletter sep oct l 2017 18 08

ISSUE

72

The official MIPP Newsletter

City Gate Dreams | Photography by Rik Van Colen

www.mipp-malta.com

2017

sept | oct

Photography Kevin Casha

Editorial

President’s Viewpoint Dear Members, 2016 has been a really busy year for MIPP – and rightly so – it was our 20th anniversary. During the past year, we have put in a huge amount of effort to improve and update the Institute’s services as well as its infrastructure.

Today’s society and lifestyle does not leave much space for complacency and continuous evaluation and improvement is vital.

In 2017, our website was totally changed and renovated, the MIPP newsletter was revamped, we have applied for two other accredited courses (which should be approved and announced shortly), we updated the Members’ handbook, we increased collaboration with other venues and sponsors and we joined up with the General Retailers and Traders Union (GRTU) so as to be better represented when issues arise with the authorities. Added to all this, our policy to rope in the help of as many of our members as possible has started to pay dividends. In fact, all this activity and improvement would not be possible if it was not for the input of our members, sponsors and friends. Yet, one thing I would like to see more is for our members to avail themselves further of our services and opportunities. The first meetings of the year have been very well attended and this gives us a lot of courage to continue improving.

Here, I would like to remind all our members that they can have a personal page with their work on our website.

Also, they can hire, at subsidized rates, studio lighting equipment and we also have at hand frames which are loaned free of charge to our members for photographic exhibitions. Add to this our member meetings, our tuition courses, our workshops, the Photographer of the Year competition, Mentoring programmes, Qualifications, etc; and one can realize how much our members benefit from the yearly investment of their €40 membership fee.

This year we have also introduced a reduced three-year membership fee which has been very well received.

This year there are already two major initiatives which have been confirmed. Four one-day seminars are taking place instead of our international convention. This move is aimed at giving members a more flexible base to learn specific genres of photography. In today’s hectic lifestyle, we hope that this move will enable our members to

2 | The official MIPP Newsletter

avail themselves more of one day seminars than the time consuming three day seminars we had previously been staging. Each one day seminar will have one of our major sponsors backing it. The second initiative is that the Committee felt that it was time to enable members to apply for the Licentiate with a panel of digital images. This move was mainly introduced in order to reduce the costs for applicants. Yet, the AMIPP and the FMIPP remain unchanged and need to be submitted as photographic printed panels.

As for the big news of the year, as already announced, the MIPP has purchased its own premises in Brittanja Street, Paola. It has been a long hard road in order to save the substantial amount of money needed to do this vital step. It was also a necessary one, as successive local governments have failed to help the Photographic community and provide a venue for so many persons involved in this art and culture form. It is a pity, but unfortunately, years of meetings, proposals, promises etc. have come to nothing where the authorities are concerned. Thus this premises has been acquired due to the support of members and sponsors and hard working Executive Committee members – past and present.

The premises consist of a ground floor maisonette having one main room and two other rooms, together with a bathroom and yard. We still have some work to do in order to make it ready so we would like to ask our members to bear a bit more with us. We would also like members to answer various calls for physical help in order to keep the finishing costs down as much as possible. I am sure we will have a good response, as we already have. Here I would mention the physical help that one of our members, Elton Barbara, is giving us in order to finalize the premises. He has been instrumental in many aspects.

From our part, we ask little from our members except to maintain their enthusiastic participation in our events.

It is what keeps the committee inspired.

Kevin Casha President.

THE MIPP SPONSORS Non-Profit organizations like the Malta Institute of Professional Photography are constantly in need of funds in order to be able to function in a modern and professional environment. That is why it was important to have various sponsors interested in networking with the MIPP and at the same time involving them in important issues concerning the photographic trade.

The MIPP feels it is vital to stimulate joint events and initiatives together with our sponsors. This policy helps our members to be constantly aware of products and services that our sponsors market thus not only encouraging an increase in business but also benefitting our members through special occasional offers and deals.

This co-operation and belief by our sponsors, most of whom have been with us since the MIPP’s inception, has helped in no small way in making the Institute what it is today. It is one of the MIPP’s main objectives to help keep this co-operation improving. We urge our members to truly support our sponsors by making use of their services and products whenever possible.

Our sponsors show faith in the MIPP so it is only fair that our members should reciprocate. Give your custom to those companies and entities that help us.

Editor: Kevin Casha

Design: Articles: Sita Azzopardi & Malcolm Sammut Various contributors

Proof Reading: Louisa Tonna

Members Profiles: Daniel Vassallo

If you want your photos featured on the newsletter’s front page just send the images to: newsletter@mippmalta.com Your contributions are always welcome

3 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Contents MIPP Premises

pg 05

MIPP members win top places in FAA’s Scenes of a City

pg 06

Marika Mallia Scerri by Daniel Vassallo

pg 09

MIPP Still Image - Tonio Polidano

pg 18

MIPP Still Image - Keith Ellul

pg 19

MIPP Activities : One day workshop Fashion Portfolio

pg 20

Light Hearted Moments by Mario Casha

pg 22

MIPP Calendar | Jot down dates

pg 23

MIPP Calendar | Jot down dates

pg 24

MIPP ONE DAY WORKSHOP by Ramon Sammut

pg 25

MIPP Foundations in Image Editing 2017

pg 26

Membership Renewal and newcomers | MIPP Benefits of Being a Member

pg 28

6

20 9

19 18

4 | The official MIPP Newsletter

22

MIPP Premises

by Kevin Casha

Preparing the MIPP premises: Work has started in earnest to finalize the new MIPP premises in Paola. The call for help was very encouraging and an enthusiastic band of helpers has already been busy at work doing various alterations and embellishments to the venue. I must here mention that the plumbing and electricity work needed is being done by member Elton Barbara, who has worked for

5 | The official MIPP Newsletter

us for free and has saved the MIPP a good deal of expense. Other members’ input has also been invaluable in order to enable us to keep finishing costs to a minimum.

MIPP members win top places in FAA’s Scenes of a City Competition MIPP members Claire Aquilina and Stefan Cachia placed first and second respectively in the recent photography competition organized by FAA. The three top photos were selected as those that best conveyed how Malta is, or is not, developing sustainably, in a thought-provoking and visually creative manner. The competition was organized by the NGO to raise awareness about Malta’s obligation to reach its 2030 targets as agreed with the UN, by planning, managing and developing its urban spaces in an inclusive, resilient and sustainable manner. MIPP President Kevin Casha was the competition’s consultant and one of the panel of judges.

1st place - Claire Aquilina Awarded 250 euro in photographic equipment 2nd place - Stefan Cachia Awarded 100 euro in photographic equipment 3rd place - David Grima Awarded 50 euro in photographic equipment

Photography by DAVID GRIMA

6 | The official MIPP Newsletter

3rd place

7 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by CLAIRE AQUILINA

1st place

Photography by STEFAN CACHIA

2nd place

8 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by marika mallia scerri

Marika Mallia Scerri Interview by Daniel Vassallo

basic photography to get further knowledge about

Marika was born and raised in Birkirkara and after

During this time, Marika used her father’s Minolta

getting married moved to Ħal Qormi, where she lives

Riva/Freedom Zoom 105i compact film camera

with her husband. For the past fifteen years, she has

and it was with this camera that she shot her first

been working in the ICT industry, the last eleven

meaningful street photograph whilst wandering near

of which as a Software Tester. During her free time

the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

how photography works and what it is all about.

Marika reads books and articles, watches series and movies, eats anything that looks edible and smells

In the year 2000 Marika bought her first compact

good, practices photography and travels.

film camera, a Minolta Riva/Freedom Zoom 150, as she no longer wanted to keep using her parents’

Since she was a little girl, Marika has always been

cameras. She loved it because of its 37.5-150mm

interested in photography. She fondly recounts how

zoom capabilities, which came in handy when taking

her mother influenced her when she used to take

photos abroad. She used it for a while, but then had

family photos with a very basic Kodak Instamatic, the

to take a break from photography for a few years as

one with the Magicube flash. She also remembers

she was fully focusing on earning her Computing and

the professionally done family’s black and white

Information Systems degree.

photographs hanging on the walls at her grandmother’s house. She loves the fact that one is able to off-load

Then, upon completion, in 2007 Marika decided it

mental images onto a more permanent memory.

was time for an upgrade from her film camera and after some research, she chose the Nikon D80, which

In the nineties, Marika had studied and graduated in

came with an 18-135mm kit lens. She still owns this

Industrial Art and Design. During these studies, she

DSLR today, and has since put it to good use.

had a specific module on photography. Subsequently she also undertook a brief introductory course to

9 | The official MIPP Newsletter

MIPP:

Later on, encouraged by Kevin, Marika decided to

Back in 2012, she got to know Kevin Casha through

participate in the International Online Competition -

Charles Calleja who was her wedding photographer.

IOC and the Photographer of the Year Award - PTYA

After learning about the Malta Institute of Professional

competitions between the years 2014 to 2016. This

Photography, together with her husband, she decided

year, Marika did not take part in the PTYA due to

to join the institute.

lack of time but she is looking forward to participate again in the near future. She admits that through

She still remembers the first Convention that she

these competitions she has learnt a great deal thanks

attended, organised by the MIPP with Dennis Orchard,

to the precious feedback given to her and to other

Joe Zammit Lucia and Sergio Muscat amongst other

participants by the qualified and experienced judges,

famous photographers who conducted the workshops

who in recent times are also foreign, thus having

that year. She also recalls Cristina Lauder’s session,

diverse perspectives.

who spoke extensively on her unorthodox way of creating and using textures in her photography. It was

Beliefs:

an experience which she really enjoyed and has since

Being an introvert, coupled with living on a tiny

then renewed her membership every year.

island where everyone knows each other, makes it difficult for her to shoot street photography. Moreover, the introduction of the data protection act made it even more challenging. Thus, she chooses to refrain from taking such photos in Malta, but during her trips abroad, she photographs to her heart’s content, whilst trying to be as unobtrusive as possible.

She has been to several parts of Europe, including different areas of England, Scotland and Ireland.

These days, Marika shoots RAW files because they allow her to edit her photos with more versatility. She primarily uses both Nikon’s View NX 2 and Photoshop for this job. Moreover, the MIPP

wisdom

imparted

lectures

during

presented

by

fellow members proved to be very useful, as they encouraged her to experiment and ultimately improve her editing skills. She recalls the ones held by Kerstin Arnemann (on b/w photography), Sean Azzopardi (on how to use Photography by marika mallia scerri

10 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Camera Raw), Keith Ellul (on seascapes) and Sergio Muscat (on b/w photography).

Passions: Marika is into travel photography in a documentative way. She enjoys immortalising memories of her journeys by photographing the places she has visited, the people she met and the food and drinks she enjoyed. For locations, she usually starts by capturing the name of the place if available, before venturing in to photograph the most interesting sights, locations and more importantly the details.

A case in point is when back in 2012, she took 90 GB worth of photos on a 5 week tour of China, Hong Kong and Japan. Considering that the early digital SLRs produced fairly small files, this is a massive amount.

The reason behind the huge amount of photos taken is that Marika likes to capture everything, for instance, buildings of places she visits and then she

Photography by marika mallia scerri

concentrates on their details. Therefore, the number

ones that she had neither the time nor the presence

of shots adds up very rapidly but by doing so she gives

of mind to shoot – for instance the best ever direct

the same subject different dimensions and meanings.

into the camera smile she got came from a Buddhist

She revealed that sometimes her best photos are the

monk bathed in the soft, orangey light emitted by the

Photography by marika mallia scerri

11 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by by marika mallia

setting sun. It was complimenting his

on pushing the boundaries. She wholeheartedly believes in the ‘Less

warm coloured attire. She believes

is more’ maxim.

that that photo would have been the perfect travel memento from that

Lately, since the beginning of 2017, Marika started a very interesting

trip.

project she called ‘A texture a day’. It started as a personal challenge - to capture images of textures and publish one every day on a

Abstract photography is also another

purposely created Facebook page bearing the same name. The idea is

genre which she loves engaging in,

to shine a light on everyday textures that make up our surroundings

as it is just Marika, her camera and

that, most often than not, are taken for granted. One peculiarity

the subject(s) that she uses or finds

about this project is that Marika chose to do it with her LG Nexus 4

to attempt to create wonderful and

smartphone instead of using her DSLR. The reason is that due to her

mysterious images. She states that

timid personality, she finds it to be much easier to take photographs

abstract photography allows her to

in public using such mundane and discreet equipment than if she

view a subject or an object in a lot

were to use a bulky DSLR.

of different ways - pretty much like in software testing - then based on

Conclusion:

the mood of the moment she gets

At the moment, Marika is fairly satisfied with the equipment she has

to choose just a couple of views and

at her disposal and is not thinking of upgrading. However, if in the

work on them. The great thing about

future she changes her mind she will be looking into getting a new

it is that she starts with an idea or

camera that can last her for a long time and one that has a broad

mental image, and then more often

range of specs to suit a diverse range of photographic genres should

than not, the resultant image is very

she decide to switch from one to another.

different from that. Like that, she herself is kept guessing what the next

Interview by

tries will look like and makes her keep

Daniel Vassallo.

12 | The official MIPP Newsletter

2016

Continental Cars Ltd.

13 | The official MIPP Newsletter

14 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by Daphne gatt

Photography by LORRAINE BUHAGIAR

15 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by Johan Siggesson

Valencia | Photography by Ramon Sammut

16 | The official MIPP Newsletter The Guitarist | Photography by GEORGE ABDILLA

17 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Photography by HENRY AQUILINA

Photography by MALCOLM SPITERI

Photography by Ondre Camilleri Gaglione

MIPP STILL IMAGE

Images taken during recent Still Image Award workshop with Tonio Polidano.

18 | The official MIPP Newsletter

MIPP STILL IMAGE

Images taken during recent Still Image Award workshops with Keith Ellul

GET QUALIFIED BY MIPP

APPLY FOR YOUR DIGITAL LICENTIATESHIP:

http://mipp-malta.com/qualifications/

19 | The official MIPP Newsletter

MIPP ACTIVITIES

by Kevin Casha

ONE DAY WORKSHOP ON BUILDING A FASHION PORTFOLIO A selection of images from a recent one-day intensive workshop on fashion photography and building a professional model portfolio.

During the event, the participants were first exposed to the theoretical aspect and afterwards given valuable practice at Buskett.

Under the supervision of Kevin Casha and the collaboration of two experienced models, both from

20 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Venezuela, the photographers were enabled to produce images of the highest quality and further improving their skills at this challenging genre of photography.

21 | The official MIPP Newsletter

LIGHT HEARTED MOMENTS

DO IT YOURSELF DRONE by Mario Casha

BENEFIT FULLY FROM YOUR MIPP MEMBERSHIP

DOWNLOAD THE HANDBOOK http://mipp-malta.com/wp-content/uploads/mipphandbook2016.pdf

22 | The official MIPP Newsletter

October /2017

CALENDAR

ONE DAY WORKSHOP

September October

POST PROCESSING with RAMON SAMMUT Coffee/tea/light snack included -50 eur for members 80 for non members

By BOOKING on courses@mipp-malta.com.

Saturday 14th October | 9am to 3.30pm

September/2017

Hilltop Gardens Naxxar

November /2017

MIPP Members’ meeting

MIPP Members’ meeting

GUIDO BONETT

KEVIN CASHA/CHARLES CALLEJA - IMAGE ASSESSMENT – PTYA ENTRIES

GORILLAS IN THE MIST

A recent trip to Uganda, in which Guido managed to photograph Gorillas in the wild

Wednesday 1st November | 19.30 Hilltop Gardens Naxxar

Tuesday 5th September | 19.30 Hilltop Gardens , Naxxar

September/2017

PTYA ASSESSMENT by local judges – EVENTS Tuesday 19th September | 19.30 Le Meridien

November /2017

MIPP Qualifications

Open to all (All levels welcome - subject to the amount of panels received) Details to be announced.

Friday 17th November

November /2017

October /2017

ONE DAY WORKSHOP

MIPP Members’ meeting

MASTER USEFUL PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES- various speakers – Coordinators: CHARLES CALLEJA & TONIO POLIDANO

LORRAINE ABELA

ALTERNATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

For detail & booking on : courses@mipp-malta.com.

Tuesday 4th October | 19:30

Saturday 18th November

Le Meridien

Hilltop Gardens

23 | The official MIPP Newsletter

7 er /201 Decemb

AWARD DINNER/ XMAS GET-TOGETHER Details to be announced

12

For detail & booking on : courses@mipp-malta.com. tes n the da Jot dow

Tuesday 12th December | 19:30 Le Meridien

Photography by IVAN EBEJER

CALENDAR

December /2017

24 | The official MIPP Newsletter

MIPP ONE DAY WORKSHOP

by Ramon Sammut • Saturday, 14th October, 2018 • Day Session – Schedule: 09.00 to 15.30. Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar

Fashion and portrait editing complete with editorial lighting and print preparation.

Part A • Portrait camera raw workflow • Fashion image editing - skin smoothing, light balancing, colour enhancing techniques, make-up and shape dynamics.

Part B • Learn how to improve your post processing lighting skills • Features - lighting techniques; mimicking light boxes, kicker lights, reflectors and barn doors.

• Complete with backlight control and light separation techniques

Part C • Preparing your files for printing • Print resolution, resizing, un-sharp masking, adjusting colour fringing and accentuating colour / light adjustments according to the choice of paper.

• Paper demonstration - will be showing all the main photographic papers, different laminations and canvas materials. Showing the difference between barium papers, cotton rags and c type prints.

• Portfolio printing (photographic and digital offset).

Course Requirements: • 1. Laptop with Photoshop installed; (version 6 upwards or Cloud).

• 2. Level: Intermediate This one day course will be held at Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar (The Grove) from 9am to 12.30 with one hour break and then from 1.30 to 3.30 pm. Light lunch, water and one coffee break is included. Parking is free according to availability.

Price: MIPP members - €50; Non-members - €75

For enquiries, bookings, details: courses@mipp-malta.com

25 | The official MIPP Newsletter

MIPP Foundations in Image Editing 2017 Course: • From 27th September to 2nd November 2017 • Lecturer: Martin Agius AMIPP ASIFGP • Co-ordinator: Kevin Casha FMIPP FSWPP AMPS AMPA

• Booking Deadline: 31st August, 2017

Editing. It is necessary that all participants bring their own laptop. A participation certificate will only be given to those attendees who will attend for at least 80% of course. Tasks and work files will be provided.

This course will be run in English if required.

• Venue – Hilltop Gardens, Naxxar • Start Time: 7.00 pm (approx. 2 hr duration).

Fees: MIPP members: €60 Non members: €80.

Special offer for non members: Course plus MIPP 2017 & 2018 full membership €100. Payment for the course is on booking.

A practical foundation course for all those who want

Only a limited number of students can be accommodated so

to get an excellent grounding in practical Digital

booking will be held on a first come - first served basis.

Course details: Foundation in Image Editing:

Lesson 4 – Thursday 19th October 2017 Monochrome – Professional Conversion of Colour images into Black & White, Monotone and Sepia Layers and Masks explained

Lesson 1 – Wednesday 27th September 2017 Introduction to Photoshop, Workspace, Bridge, Camera RAW & Shortcuts Importing Photos into Bridge, Speeding Up Photoshop, Configuring Bridge

Lesson 5 – Wednesday 25th October 2017 Selection Techniques – Marquee Tools, Lasso, Quick Selection Tool, Magic Wand, Refine Edge.

& Photoshop, Palettes

Compositing – replacing a background

Lesson 2 – Thursday 5th October 2017

Lesson 6 – Thursday 2nd November 2017

Essential Photoshop tools Cropping & Vignettes

Producing

Manipulating Contrast & Brightness – Curves, Brightness/Contrast, Levels Colour enhancement & correction. Sharpening – Adjust Sharpness, High Pass Sharpening & Unsharp Mask Lesson 3 – Wednesday 11th October 2017 Retouching Marks & Blemishes – Clone Stamp Tool, Spot Healing Brush & Content-Aware Handling Raw Files

26 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Text,

Frames

&

Borders,

Creating

Panoramas – Stitching Photos HDR - High Dynamic range processing, Creating simple Action tools *The MIPP reserves the right to cancel any course/s if the sufficient amount of participants is not attained.

For bookings and enquiries kindly contact MIPP course director Kevin Casha on courses@mippmalta. com quoting course title when applying.

MIPP Foundations in Image Editing 2017

BOOKING INFO:

There are three payment options: Go onto our website link

http://www.mipp-malta.com/index.php/joinus

Option 1:

If you are a member, you can pay for the courses directly through the Bank of

Valletta website: www.bov.com and log in to BOV internet banking with your Securekey. You can thus avail yourself of the special subsidized rates for MIPP members.

Option 2:

If you want to join the MIPP and attend the course, you can download the MIPP

Membership Application Form, http://www.mipp-malta.com/index.php/join-us fill it in and send it together with your cheque for 40 euros and the relevant course fee for MIPP members. Please make the cheque payable to THE TREASURER, MIPP. Postal Address is MIPP PO Box 8, Birkirkara, BKR 1000. Acceptance of your membership is subject to MIPP approval.

Option 3:

If you are a non member (and you do not want to join the MIPP), you can pay for

the courses directly through the Bank of Valletta website: www.bov.com and log in to BOV internet banking with your Securekey or you can send your relevant non member course fee by cheque. Please make the cheque payable to THE TREASURER, MIPP. Postal Address is MIPP PO Box 8, Birkirkara, BKR 1000.

27 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Membership Renewal = =

We would like to remind you that we are now accepting payments for 2017 membership renewals. By renewing the €40 fee (from 2016 it is €40 even for those that have been members for 5 or more years), you will have a chance to

Become a qualified photographer with our three levels of qualification: Licentiate, Associate and Fellowship

Reciprocal photographic qualification with the best UK Institution

Get reduced rates to our courses and workshops

Informative monthly lectures and newsletters

Exclusive photographic competitions ONLY for MIPP members and much more

OR

One may pay by either sending in a cheque to: “27, Moonlight, Giovanni Papaffy Street, Ta’ Paris, Birkirkara, BKR 4021, Malta”, together with the relative membership fee.

(Cheques are to be made payable to “The Treasurer, MIPP”)

28 | The official MIPP Newsletter

Pay directly from the BOV website: www.bov.com and log in to BOV internet banking with your Securekey.

OR When attending an MIPP Event.

29 | The official MIPP Newsletter

www.mipp-malta.com 30 | The official MIPP Newsletter

THE MIPP SPONSORS Non-Profit organizations like the Malta Institute of Professional Photography are constantly in need of funds in order to be able to function in a modern and professional environment. That is why it was important to have various sponsors interested in networking with the MIPP and at the same time involving them in important issues concerning the photographic trade.

The MIPP feels it is vital to stimulate joint events and initiatives together with our sponsors. This policy helps our members to be constantly aware of products and services that our sponsors market thus not only encouraging an increase in business but also benefitting our members through special occasional offers and deals.

This co-operation and belief by our sponsors, most of who have been with us since the MIPP’s inception, has helped in no small way in making the Institute what it is today. It is one of the MIPP’s main objectives to help keep this co-operation improving. We urge our members to truly support our sponsors by making use of their services and products whenever possible.

Our sponsors show faith in the MIPP so it is only fair that our members should reciprocate. Give your custom to those companies and entities that help us.

31 | The official MIPP Newsletter

contacts

Web: www.mipp-malta.com Email: president@mipp-malta.com Address: 27, Moonlight, Giovanni Papaffy Street, Ta’ Paris, Birkirkara, BKR 4021, Malta Tel No: 21486097

2017 sept / oct