CameraTalk February 2024

To p r o m o t e t h e w i d e r e n j o y m e n t o f p h o t o g r a p h y THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIE T Y OF NEW ZEALAND INC

Februar y 2024

In this issue PRESIDENT

Paul Whitham APSNZ m: 021 644 418 e: president@photography.org.nz

SECRETARY

Janet Munnings LPSNZ LRPS m. 022 163 0379 e. secretary@photography.org.nz

EDITOR & GRAPHIC DESIGN Lee Boddington c. 021 215 3823

e. leestuartcreations@gmail.com w. www.leestuartcreations.co.nz

SUBEDITOR

Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ

t. 06 348 7141 m. 027 653 0341 e. dilinz@actrix.co.nz

ADVERTISING

Aston Moss LPSNZ m. 021 272 7866 e. aston.t.moss@gmail.com

NEXT CAMERATALK DEADLINE 25 March 2024 Email your contributions to the Subeditor.

Editorial should be sent as Word or .txt files, with images sent seperately from document.

JPEG images generally should be saved at 300 dpi, compressed to high to medium quality. Include return postage if you wish material to be returned.

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Council of PSNZ. On the Cover: Heavenly Crosses by Mike White MNZIPP APSNZ

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The February 2024 issue of CameraTalk has some wonderful and interesting articles, written by PSNZ members. It does not have a specific theme but covers a range of topics:

• An informative drone article, "A Photographer's New Best Friend!"

• A "must-read" article for all photographers regarding AMD • The first in a series on Astrophotography • A great article "As I Start a New Year" • PSNZ Canon Online 2023/24 Round 2 Results. Check out the stunning images which took the top spots.

Our next Issue (April 2024): As ever we are happy to hear from all members with ideas and articles.

Contents A Note from the President

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Key Dates for the Diary

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CONVERSATION ~ CRAFT ~ CREATIVITY

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A Photographer's New Best Friend!

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AMD – Age-related Macular Degeneration

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Astrophotography in Summer

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As I Start a New Year

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Why Workshops are Worth It

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AV News

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Māwhera National Salon of Photography 2024

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Landscape Photography Workshop

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Nature Photography Society of New Zealand

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PSNZ Canon Online 2023

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PSNZ Canon Online 23/24 - Round 2 Results

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Welcome to Our New PSNZ Members!

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Apologies & Corrections

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PSNZ Membership Benefits

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Sunrise Silhouette by Lynn Hedges LPSNZ

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A Note from the President

I trust that everyone had a pleasant break over the holiday period, and that you had the opportunity to catch up with family. We are already one month down in 2024 and clubs are starting to gear up for the year.

In November I attended a workshop organised by Kapiti Coast Photographic Society, and a number of people there expressed surprise that my term as President still had quite a number of months left.

In the past the President’s term and the national convention aligned, and the convention did mark the final act of the term. However, the reality was that it was the AGM and not the convention that was the true end of the President’s term. This year’s AGM will be held at the end of April and will be online as in previous years. I will hand over the chain of office to the incoming President when the Council meets in early May. Some of you will be aware that the Incorporated Societies Act changed in October last year and that over the next two years all societies that wish to stay incorporated must apply for re-registration.

This involves making some changes to constitutions to comply with the Act, and we

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are finalising those changes for this year’s AGM. In many ways for PSNZ this is not at all difficult; we only need to incorporate the dispute resolution provisions of the Act. It has taken so long for this piece of legislation to come into being that our current constitution, adopted in 2019, already factored in many of the changes required.

As we have stated before, 2024 is going to be a year of transition as we move the conventions back to their traditional timing and incorporate everything we learned from 2023. That is not to say that nothing will be happening.

There will be a National Salon, but it will be limited to digital only. I know that this will disappoint those who love prints, but without a place to display the images there seemed little point in going to all the expense associated with prints.

The workshop programme will continue, and full details of this year’s offerings will be out shortly. We are also looking at running more online seminars and last, but not least, there will be a North Island regional convention held in Gisborne, starting on Friday 20 September.

Finally, I want to address an issue that always seems to come up at this time of year when clubs are asked to confirm their numbers and pay their affiliation fees. We always have someone asking what PSNZ does for the clubs.

For those not familiar with the process, clubs pay $5.00 per member for those who are not PSNZ members in their own right. While the list of individual benefits is published in CameraTalk, the benefits that clubs receive is a little more vague and harder to nail down.

At an individual level, club members can submit images for their LPSNZ honours.

In addition, they are charged the same as PSNZ Members if they choose to attend regional conventions or submit images to the National Exhibition. They may also

attend Judge Training weekends at a rate that while it is higher than PSNZ members, is still heavily subsidized.

For a club as a whole there are two main benefits. Firstly, we provide the opportunity for clubs to promote their salons and competitions via CameraTalk and bulk email. And secondly, the Judge Training and Accreditation programme provides the resource for clubs to assess their members’ work in a standardised way. While it is true that judges do this work as individuals, they follow the guidance of the Judge

Accreditation Panel.

I hope that this will encourage clubs to stay connected with PSNZ because, in the scheme of things, they do provide the route through which most individual PSNZ members travel.

Best regards, Paul Whitham APSNZ

Key Dates for the Diary February 24-25

Creative Portraiture Workshop with Charlotte E Johnson

March 15

Instilling Emotion via Photoshop by Helen McLeod FPSNZ GPSA ARPS

March 16-17

Impressionist Photography Workshop with Eva Polak

April 28

PSNZ Annual General Meeting

Club News If your club has information or events that you would like to share, email the details to Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ at dilinz@actrix.co.nz

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CONVERSATION ~ CRAFT ~ CREATIVITY Planning for PSNZ Conventions, 2024-2025

By Annette Johnston FPSNZ

There is a proud custom of well-attended PSNZ conventions – a custom that has been interrupted due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, cancellations and subsequent financial pressures. Over this period, many of the traditional convention attendees have aged and PSNZ has had limited opportunity to excite and attract newer members to the tradition of convention attendance.

Following the decisions of the PSNZ Council to realign the National Convention to its traditional yearly timing of April/May and the reestablishment of regional conventions, three conventions have been confirmed. A Regional Convention in Gisborne (September 2024), a National Convention in Nelson (May 2025) and a corresponding North Island Regional Convention with the city yet to be confirmed (September 2025).

A convention organising committee has been established and tasked, on behalf of the PSNZ Council, with the responsibility of rejuvenating and rebuilding the proud, now seventy-year history of PSNZ conventions. Richard Passey is the Councillor in Charge of Conventions, and he is supported by Rachel Hume APSNZ and Annette Johnston FPSNZ.

Conversation A convention is, at its core, an opportunity for fellowship and conversations with like-minded people.

Craft A time when we are inspired by a variety of inspirational guest speakers; the opportunity to learn new techniques, to photograph new things and to think new thoughts – all the while improving our knowledge of the art of photography.

Creativity An opportunity to grow our creative selves.

Individual Themes Along with the brand or logo, each convention will have its own broad theme.

Branding Concerned that in some ways the photography community has lost sight of the benefits of conventions, the new conventions subcommittee decided to establish a cohesive and recognisable brand that will give the next three PSNZ conventions a common look.

The three arrows of the conventions logo plot a course around an implied “Y”. They have been designed to represent individuals coming into a space and then joining together for a time, before returning upwards and outwards, taking with them the inspirations of the time spent together.

The three colourways add individuality and recognisability for each event. The cohesive is again addressed with the three words Conversation, Craft and Creativity.

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Gisborne Regional ’24 What’s your Why? Going back to the fundamentals: why do we photograph, why do we make compositions the way we do, why do we choose the aperture, the shutter speed? A chance to explore the very basics of our craft, as well as a chance to reset our purpose. Hosted by Gisborne Camera Club, 20-22 September 2024.

to extend your purpose and skills in the art of photography.

PSNZ, the Conventions Organising Committee and host clubs, all hope that members will take a moment to consider the benefits of spending time as part of the wider photographic community within the convention format. A great deal of effort is being made in the pursuit of relevant, inspirational topics, speakers, fieldtrips and workshops, with the hope that there will be something that will appeal to all of our membership.

Nelson National ’25 A Touchstone for Inspiration ̶ a full-scale National Convention, complete with international speakers and top-of-the-line workshops and field trips. Hosted by Nelson Camera Club, 2-4 May 2025.

The National Convention will include international presenters, up to ten different workshops, a presentation of the PSNZ Honours, and of course the Sony National Exhibition.

The regional conventions will host exciting and innovative New Zealand presenters, a return to the adventure of field trips, selections of boutique workshops plus a print and digital salon.

Why not make attending a PSNZ convention part of your aspirations for 2024 and 2025?

NI Regional ’25 Build on your Why? Taking the “Why” concept a stage further, learning and being inspired 7

A Photographer's New Best Friend!

Diving into the drone photography world

by Aston Moss LPSNZ

In early December, PSNZ hosted Ryan Groves from RPA Skills (www.rpaskills.com) and Grant Wilson, founder of Drone Depot (www.dronedepot.co.nz) for a webinar centred on the use of drones, more appropriately known as unmanned aerial vehicles [UAV] for photography. About 40 PSNZ members joined us online, with twenty others unable to join on the evening but registered to receive the recording.

Ryan generously shared his expertise in the field of drone/UAV flight, built up over several decades of experience piloting both unmanned and manned aircraft. He’s CAA/NZQA qualified with real world experience, not just as a trainer but with first hand depth and breadth of experience as an operator and manager of UAV operations. He has been responsible for assisting hundreds and hundreds of UAV pilots to improve their skills and knowledge, develop the necessary skills and meet the relevant requirements to fly well, to fly safely, and to get the best use from their equipment.

Ryan covered the regulatory environment including certification, airspace in New Zealand, flight handling and skills development, safety and etiquette, and risk management.

Ryan’s shared insights: • Use of the Airshare App. AirShare is the

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hub for recreational and commercial drone operators in New Zealand. It provides information needed to operate a drone safely, gives access to mobile and web apps to plan drone flights, identifies safe places to fly, and enables application for authorisation to fly in controlled airspace.

• The 12 key requirements to fly lawfully under Part 101 of the Civil Aviation regulations. You must: 1. Only fly in daylight.

2. Give way to all crewed aircraft.

3. Keep your drone in sight (with your own eyes) to ensure separation from other aircraft.

(You can also use an observer to do this in certain cases.)

4. Not fly your aircraft higher than 120 metres (400 feet) above ground level, unless certain conditions are met.

5. Not operate an aircraft that is larger than 25 kg, and always ensure that it is safe to operate.

6. At all times take all practicable steps to minimise hazards to persons, property and other aircraft (i.e. don’t do anything hazardous).

7. Have knowledge of airspace restrictions that apply in the area in which you want to operate.

others and being a competent and considerate pilot.

8. Not fly closer than 4 km from any aerodrome, unless certain conditions are met.

Grant then took participants through some of the most important considerations when thinking about purchasing a drone. He established Drone Depot in 2012 and his passion for aerial photography drove him to undertake much research to enable Drone Depot to offer customers his knowledge of all things drones.

9. When flying in controlled airspace, obtain an air traffic control clearance issued by Airways (via the AirShare app).

10. Not fly in special use airspace without the permission of the controlling authority of the area (e.g. military operating areas or restricted areas).

11. Have consent from anyone you want to fly above.

12. Have consent from the property owner or person in charge of the area you are wanting to fly above.

Being the pilot of a drone brings not only the opportunity to capture and create amazing images, but it also brings a number of obligations, many of which could be summed up as: being safe, being respectful towards

From his store in Parnell, Auckland, Grant and his team now serve customers from all over New Zealand. Drone Depot supplies equipment to a wide range of different users – all with their own uses. They include hobbyists looking for the simple joy of flight, amateur and professional photographers, and commercial users with a wide range of applications. Not only are Grant and his team able to answer questions and provide advice to prospective drone pilots and purchasers, they have equipment available to rent. This is a great way to learn about the technology and to ensure that customers obtain the right drone for their intended use.

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A Photographer's New Best Friend!

Diving into the drone photography world Cont'd

Knowing that our audience covered a wide range of experience in this area, Grant took participants through choices of equipment from the perspective of the user, essentially taking us through the series of questions a prospective drone pilot might ask in order to make the most appropriate use of equipment.

Key insights from Grant: • There is a wide range of drones available on the market. Users are recommended to look for an established and proven brand, such as the DJI brand.

• Think about both pre-purchase and after sales service. It’s helpful to have a retailer who can assist with issues that arise, along with any repairs or maintenance requirements you might have over time.

• Cameras and image quality vary considerably.

There are drones with built in cameras of very high quality, such as the Mavic 3 with its 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera which produces

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5.1K/50fps professional quality imagery. This particular drone provides a triple-camera system – three sensors and lenses with different focal lengths. Cameras such as this provide high quality imaging and enable a wider range of shooting perspectives, dramatically transforming what is possible with a single camera drone. The starting price for the Mavic 3 series is around $3,000 and the sky is the limit from there.

Even smaller, lighter weight drones such as the Mini series come with capable camera options alongside an affordable price.

Between $1,200 and $1,500 gets you a great starter drone such as a DJI Mini 3 Pro, This drone weighs a stunningly low 249 grams, the camera is equipped with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and supports 4K HDR video recording, with HDR available at 24/25/30fps. Photographers can capture images in RAW and JPG formats.

The camera gimbal can rotate 90 degrees, allowing for versatile image capturing.

Automated functions include the ability to shoot panoramas and time-lapses, along with subject and object tracking. Putting the camera into manual mode enables photographers to make use of some of the skills we often employ as terrestrial photographers, including image stacking and/or overlapping to result in high grade images. The Mini 3 Pro has a range of up to 12 km and a flight time of up to 34 minutes, along with a raft of safety features including obstacle sensing (forward, backward, and downward visual sensors).

Drone photography is perhaps more accessible and affordable than many people realise. The technology keeps improving and, although there are some basic considerations to keep in mind, building your basic skills as a competent pilot, being a considerate and respectful drone user and complying with fairly

basic regulatory requirements, it is possible to add this equipment to your suite of tools to capture and create incredible images.

For those wanting to improve their skills and to enhance their ability to fly and photograph in controlled airspace, Ryan, through RPA Skills (www.rpaskills.com) provides training courses covering both theory and practical assessments for Part 101 certification throughout the country.

In 2024 we are going to build upon this first webinar on this exciting and new topic for PSNZ members. We expect to repeat the webinar from early December and to complement the topic with speakers who are accomplished and recognised aerial artists. Stay tuned to CameraTalk and our other communication channels for further details.

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AMD – Age-related Macular Degeneration

by Lindsay Stockbridge LPSNZ

You Need To Read This!

I was on the open road, driving up the hill this side of Waitotara. In the mirror I saw a car behind me, and, sensing that he wanted to overtake, I indicated and began to move into the passing lane.

At the last split-second I realised that there was NO passing lane! Shocked, I knew that something was wrong. Very wrong. Back in Whanganui I checked in with the optometrist.

Among other tests, he gave me a card. On it was a square with straight vertical and horizontal lines and a circular spot in the centre. I was asked to look, one eye at a time, at the central spot and tell him about the lines.

With my right eye I reported that all the vertical and horizontal lines were straight. To my horror my left eye produced lines that were straight towards the outer parts of the square ̶ but severely warped and twisted in the centre. The chart was called the Amsler grid.

The optometrist suspected AMD ̶ Age-related macular degeneration. He said he would contact the ophthalmology department at the hospital. Within three days I was at the eye clinic, receiving a diagnosis and a treatment plan. AMD results from a small bleed inside the eye, in or around the macula, and the treatment, I was told to my horror, was regular injections of Avastin or Eylea.

I received my first injection that day, with a procedure with which I’ve become all too familiar.. The first eye drops reduced the pressure within the eye. Then followed, a few minutes between, three anaesthetic drops, and by then my eye was completely numb.

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Next, two careful washes all around the eye, and then a clip was popped in to stop me from blinking. Another wash followed and then a drop of something, perhaps iodine.

A plastic mask was placed over my face, leaving only my eye visible to the doctor. And then it happened. I was asked to look down towards my toes, and I could sense what was about to happen. The needle went into my eye.

There was no pain, just a puncture-like feeling.

I sensed some bubbles in my vision, and saw a couple of little black circles. That was it.

The doctor held up some fingers, and I was asked to count them ̶. reassuring to both parties. Another rinse followed. They gave me back my glasses, and a gauze dressing for the eye-watering that would follow a few hours later, along with a “pricky” feeling like dust in my eye. Amazingly, by next morning everything was fine.

I’ve given you the blow-by-blow details. I have injections about every twelve weeks. It’s not a cure, more a holding pattern. I know they don’t hurt, but I dread every trip to the eye clinic, even though I’ve scored more than eighty jabs so far. If you‘ve kept reading up to this point, you’ve probably found the details disturbing.

Nobody wants injections anywhere, but particular in your eyes – it’s too close to home.

Try my leg, anytime. So, why am I telling you about AMD and what can be done to control it?

Well, the figures aren’t good. One in seven adults over the age of 50 will develop age-related macular degeneration. A high proportion of PSNZ members are over the age of 50, and the rest will be soon. Given that photography relies on reasonably good eyesight, I think PSNZers should be on their guard. What should we be doing? Well, regular eye examinations of course. As well as that, get to your optometrist as soon as there’s a warning sign. Don’t drive into that passing lane that isn’t there!

There’s something else you can do. The chart I described at the start of this article is called the Amsler grid. Ask your optometrist for one and stick it on your fridge or somewhere really handy. Use it regularly. You can also visit the Macular Degeneration New Zealand website.

You’ll find the Amsler grid at https://www.mdnz. org.nz/take-the-test. If you spot something irregular, take action ̶ quickly.

This means YOU. Illustration: Amsler grid

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Astrophotography in Summer - the First in a Series

By Mike White MNZIPP APSNZ

Mike is a former airline pilot turned full-time landscape and astrophotographer, based in Twizel. He has an Associateship with the Photographic Society of New Zealand and is an Accredited Member of the NZ Institute of Professional Photography, with a Master of Photography NZIPP Distinction. In 2023 he was shortlisted in the International Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition with Passage of a Lunar Eclipse and won the Solar System Category in the 2023 NZ Astrophotographer of the Year with Comet Leonard, New Year’s Day 2022.

When and where can I go for the best views?

Now that we’ve passed the Summer Solstice, the nights are slowly but surely becoming longer by the day. Star gazing in summer has

the advantage of not needing to rug up like an Antarctic explorer (most of the time!) and you can often be outside in a t-shirt and shorts during these warmer nights. It can sometimes be surprisingly cool though, even after a scorching day, so don’t forget to take an extra layer or two to keep yourself warm. If you’re warm and comfortable, you’re much more likely to enjoy a stargazing/astrophotography experience.

But the lingering twilight offers the chance to observe the gradual darkening (or lightening) of the sky, to see the changes in colour and note the brightest stars and planets as they appear ̶ as if out of nowhere. It can also make it a little easier to capture details in the foreground if your aim is to include some earthbased scenery in your shots of the night sky.

Heavenly Crosses EOS 6D Mk II, Samyang 24mm, f/2, 13s, ISO 6400

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Astrophotography in Summer - the First in a Series Cont'd Keep an eye out for the moon too as it provides a surprising amount of light and can make it hard to see fainter objects in the sky. Try for some interesting compositions that incorporate the landscape and full moon as it rises above the eastern horizon around sunset or again as it sets towards the west around sunrise, or simply aim your telephoto lens at it for some closer details.

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Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve

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Wairarapa International Dark Sky Reserve

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Aotea Great Barrier Island Dark Sky Sanctuary

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Stewart Island Rakiura Dark Sky Sanctuary

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Wai-iti Dark Sky Park.

In general though, it’s hard to beat summer stargazing from any of our beautiful coastal beaches. You can lie back and enjoy the sound of the waves as you watch the stars above. DOC campsites also provide some pretty spectacular scenic locations where you can pitch a tent or park a campervan and look up. Many of these campsites are off the beaten track a little and aren’t affected by light pollution from nearby towns. They have the basics and are very affordable.

What can I see in the night sky?

Download a night sky map for your phone.

There’s plenty to choose from and they will help you navigate your way across the sky. www.timeanddate.com is a great site to check all the details around sunrise/set, moon rise/ set, hours of twilight etc for any location you might be at.

Anyone looking for dark skies to enjoy the stars should check out https://www. lightpollutionmap.info/ The map gives a quick visual reference to the best places to enjoy the stars in your local area.

We’re also lucky that local communities are embracing the importance of dark skies. We have several areas already recognised by the International Dark Sky Association for their quality of the night sky – with hopefully more to come.

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There’s plenty to see in the night sky throughout summer. Our solar system’s largest planet, Jupiter, will be clearly visible as a bright object in the north-western sky. Because it’s so bright, it’s one of the first objects to appear after sunset. As you move your gaze towards the right, you might note a small grouping of stars glowing faintly – this is the Matariki star cluster, now visible throughout the night. (If you get to a brighter orange star that forms the top of a sideways “V” grouping of stars, you’ve found Aldebaran, the fiery eye of Taurus the Bull. Matariki is back towards the left and a little lower in the sky.)

Passage of a Lunar Eclipse Composite / Time blend / Exposure blend

The “pot” or “saucepan” is also prominent in the northern sky throughout the night at this time of year, with the faint smudge of light at the centre of the handle a vast stellar nursery – a gigantic cloud of cosmic dust where stars are born. It’s the closest such region to Earth, lying just 1,344 light years away. High up in the north-eastern sky is Sirius – the brightest star observable to us here on Earth.

As you look around the eastern horizon, you’ll see the faint band of the Milky Way galaxy arching across the sky. Although not as bright as the pictures of the “galactic core” you might be more familiar with, it’s no less impressive when you consider that we’re staring out into the depths of space, well past the reaches of our own galaxy. As your eye reaches the southern skies, the familiar shape of the Southern Cross appears almost upside down and quite low to the horizon at this time of year. Because of its orientation, it makes it easier to photograph it with some sort of interesting foreground in your frame. It’s in this general area of sky that you might be lucky enough to see the Aurora Australis (the result of material from the sun

being blasted into space by solar storms). Your chances improve the further south you are, with dark skies and clear views of the southern horizon. A little further to the west (right) of the Southern Cross, two bright stars mark the location of “the Pointers”. High up above the Southern Cross lie two brighter stars, Canopus towards the east (left) and Achernar towards the west (right) – both important for navigational uses. Just below these two stars lie two faint fuzzy patches of light that look like unmoving wisps of cloud. These are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two satellite galaxies that orbit the Milky Way. Keep an eye on the weather forecast. Aside from a general preference for clear skies, you’re looking for calm to light wind conditions.

For those keen to see and photograph the Southern Lights for the first time, the next issue of CameraTalk will feature an article about aurora photography. In the meantime, Les Ladbrook from Southland looks after the excellent online community group on Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ groups/NZaurora

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Astrophotography in Summer - the First in a Series Cont'd What gear do I use?

My main camera set-up these days is a Canon EOS R6 with the RF 15-35mm f/2.8 lens. I also use a Sigma Art 40mm f/1.5 lens and a Samyang 24mm f/1.4 lens with the EF-RF adaptor. I also use a Nodal Ninja Panoramic Head for more complex shots and an iOptron Sky Guider Pro Star tracker mount for tracked images of the stars (much longer shutter speeds than possible from a fixed tripod).

I mount this gear onto a Sirui W2204 carbon fibre tripod. For close-up photos of comets, nebulae, or even the moon, I use a 100mm f/5.5 refractor telescope on a German Equatorial Mount.

become fully conversant in how to operate all its features and change any setting. Practise setting your gear up at night in a dark room or outside. Doing this makes things a whole lot easier when it comes to taking photos at night out in the field. The last thing you want to be doing is turning a light on all the time to change settings; it’s not good for your night vision and it will frustrate anyone else nearby who is also taking photos. Full frame cameras generally produce better results than crop sensor models due to their low light capabilities. Beware though; this hobby can be a real rabbit hole and it’s best to work with what you’ve got until you’ve exhausted its capabilities and you’re sure it’s your gear that’s limiting your photographic talents, and not you!

What do I need to explore astrophotography for the first time?

It’s quite incredible how far smartphone camera technology has come. Those with the latest flagship phones should experiment to see what sort of night sky images they can take. A long exposure, using the camera’s night mode, and a small tripod (or sturdy DIY substitute) will yield surprising results and can produce images that will no doubt wow your friends on social media. However, smartphones still have their limitations, due to the physical size of the optical elements and sensor involved.

Moving up from a smartphone, you’ll be wanting a DSLR or mirrorless camera, a fast (wide aperture) wide-angle lens, and a sturdy tripod. (Incidentally, you could most likely buy yourself this gear for less than the price of a new flagship phone if you keep an eye out for a good second-hand bargain through a reputable source.)

A dedicated camera, either a DSLR or mirrorless with a fast (wide aperture), wide-angle prime lens, operated in manual exposure mode, will yield the best results for most photographers.

Learn to use your camera during the day and

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Aurora Australis over the Pacific EOS R6, RF 15-35mm at 29mm, f/2.8, 4s, ISO 6400

Lens choice: 14mm (full frame) is a popular focal length for wide-angle nightscape photography (photos that include foreground features and the night sky). 20-24mm lenses are also quite popular for this sort of photography. Third party lenses from manufacturers like Samyang are incredibly popular for those delving into astrophotography as they have pretty good optical qualities and are very affordable. Faster lenses, those with a maximum aperture of f/1.2 to f/2.8, will make it easier to capture images of the night sky. Still, kit lenses in the f/3.5-f/4 range will still produce acceptable images, especially when taking photos with a bit of moonlight.

Shutter speed: generally the aim of nightscape images is to avoid turning the stars into streaks as they move across the sky during your exposure. With modern cameras, I suggest starting with the “300” rule of thumb. Take your focal length, say 14mm, and divide it into 300. Our rounded answer is pretty close to 20 seconds (20” on your camera, not 20 which is only 1/20s). This assumes fully dark conditions; if the sky is brighter, then reduce the shutter speed accordingly to maintain a correct exposure.

Base exposure settings for a nightscape image taken in dark sky conditions with a 14mm focal length lens: •

Aperture: f/2.8

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Shutter speed: 20”

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ISO: 1600-3200

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Manual focus: learn how to use live view to manually focus on the stars.

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Self-timer: 2-5s (avoids camera shake from pressing the shutter button).

Take a test shot and make adjustments to settings as required. Learn what works best for your combination of gear. Also, learn how

to use your camera’s histogram feature to avoid losing too much detail in the shadows or highlights due to clipping.

Don’t forget to take some spare charged batteries and memory cards just in case you run out mid-shoot! If you’re headed out on a solo mission, remember to tell someone where you’re going and when to expect you back.

What are four things to take other than camera gear?

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Headlamp, for walking into and out from my shooting location. It has a red-light function for when I need to dig something out of my bag on location or for fine-tuning gear set-up.

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Extra clothing layer, including beanie and gloves.

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Chocolate, in both edible and drinkable forms! Hot chocolate in a thermos is great in the wee hours of the morning.

•

PLB (Personal Locator Beacon). I always have it, but it’s essential if you’re heading out into a location that has no cellphone coverage – not uncommon when hunting for the best dark sky areas!

If astrophotography is something you want to pursue further, get together with others in your local club or look up local workshops in your area (including those offered in the PSNZ Workshop series). Often landscape workshops have sessions on astrophotography included.

The author runs astrophotography workshops throughout the year from Twizel in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

There is also a wealth of information available on websites and of course YouTube. You can also reach out to me directly by email at mike@mikewhite.co.nz or via my website at mikewhite.co.nz.

Clear skies!

19

SAM BERNARD Shot on X-T4 + 56mm 1.2 and X-H2 + 16mm-80mm 4.0 Artists included: Keri Hilson, Bizzy Bone, Mario, Fabolous, Trey Songz Ashanti, Mase, YG, T.I, T-Pain

20

As I Start a New Year

By Annette Johnston FPSNZ

As a new year commences, I reflect on my journey within this wonderful artform known as photography. It has been an excursion that has rewarded hard work and the years spent, in learning the where, the what, the when, and the how of this ever-evolving craft – secure in the knowledge that the learning never stops!

The reward, for me has been the discovery of a visual voice, one that tells my stories, that speaks to, and of, my thoughts. A voice that communicates to me, and about me. I have discovered that photography is the way I preserve moments, and how I paint words.

Just as we marvel over the grainy, indistinct, not-at-all sharp photographs of our forebears, and then reminisce over the strange Kodak colours that record our own more relatively recent youth, I watched as my two-year-old grandson laughed in delighted amazement as he saw himself “flying” in an image that I had captured. It was one of those oft-repeated, seemingly hard-wired moments, executed by daddies the world over. Two-year-old Mac was being tossed in the air, over and over again.

I was able to capture Mac’s look of absolute trust as he descended, confident that big, strong, daddy would catch him. This moment is now preserved.

I went about these photoshoots with a surprising confidence. Normally I fuss and fret about camera settings, light sources, backgrounds and compositions; should I add light, should I have remembered my reflectors? All the while forgetting to just enjoy; choosing perceived control over just letting the scenes evolve and responding appropriately.

I am a mother to four children and now a grandmother to nine. This Christmas, as I observed the relative abundance my offspring have been blessed with, I decided that my gift to them would be a handcrafted, casebound book inspired by my late mother and their grandmother. Additionally, and perhaps more gift-like, I also gave each household (pets were an optional extra) the promise of a family photo shoot.

The story of the book is something I will come to, but the joyous, slightly riotous, informal family photo sessions will now remain as documented moments, and I hope blessings for years to come.

For these sessions I was gifted fine, soft-box days. The children were fed and watered, the collection of loved humans, beautiful. Even the dogs behaved. These few sessions were wondrous, and as is my wont I considered why this was so. I realised that I have acquired sufficient skill as to be able to approach such challenges with a level of confidence. As I focused on the moments of in-between, I was able to record the everyday, the movement of tiny sandy feet, nearly three-year-olds trying hard to smile; a mummy laughing with her small children. My grown-up grandson with his working sheep dogs, my teenage granddaughter just dreaming. I become just a part of fun conversations; grandma and mother, but also someone quietly observing, noticing, and ultimately preserving some very natural interactions. I noted that simply being there was magical; to have a physical record of those instants is something else again.

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As I Start a New Year Cont'd

Now for the story of my newest book. For some time, I have been considering the idea of constructing my own book, as in photographing, compiling, curating, printing and then binding a book; not just having one printed for me. After a chance conversation during the 2023 PSNZ Convention with the multi-talented Ann Bastion Hon PSNZ FPSNZ EFIAP/b MFIAP, I discovered that she has dipped her toe into book binding. Ann kindly sent me some photographs of her own book creations as well as some recommendations on reference books she had found helpful.

Inspired, I set about bringing together a series of conceptual images I had been working on in response to the ten-year anniversary of my mother’s passing. Ten years seemed simultaneously a moment, and a very long time.

I reflected on the qualities of loss, and how it is that we who remain, rebuild. How we keep on going, and how it is that from loss a new beauty evolves, despite or perhaps because of, the pain of permanent separation. I completed a series of ten floral still life images, images that I had photographed and processed in a way that spoke to the shattering, the brokenness, the despair, the anguish, the ongoing separation that is within loss; images however that I hope showed something of the loveliness, the quiet beauty that remains.

Simultaneously, I set about acquiring the

22

requisite skills for book binding. I spent many hours on YouTube, which resulted in a lot of experimentation as I grappled with a completely new range of vocabulary, materials, and skills. I learnt to identify paper and board grain direction, how to fold various papers, then compile and eventually “stitch”’ the “signatures” together, before progressing to making my own book cloth. I learnt the difference between Coptic Binding and Case Binding, making a number of examples of each system with blank pages within (they make excellent notepads). Sourcing double-sided photo paper that would print on my 10-yearold Epson printer was a challenge, but even that was resolved when I came across the Epson Double-Sided Matte Paper (178gsm) and worked out the appropriate settings to best print my new series.

One of the things that I am learning perhaps over and above process, is the nature of the imperfect. Whilst listening to a frustrated “me”, my very patient husband quietly reminded me that it is a good idea to embrace imperfection.

Handcrafts of any nature have a soul to them; each made-by-hand project takes with it something of its creator. Small and large imperfections are the stamp of uniqueness that cannot be replicated within mass production.

This being said, I don’t much like imperfections, and I am working towards a copy of a book that is (as close as possible) perfect.

Eventually, and after any number of failed attempts my series of images, a poem penned by me, and a collection of wisdom imbued quotes have become a complete hand-made, linen covered, casebound book that I have given the title Silent Tears; a name that I felt reflected the fact that grief is often undertaken in private, in silence. I have now made twenty copies of this book, and whilst I do acknowledge my mother, I have dedicated the book with the line, “For all who have loved and lost”; as the wonderful Queen Elizabeth II stated, 'loss after all is the price we pay for love.' I have gifted, boxed and tissue wrapped copies to family and friends, many being touched and moved by the story that is within.

I am now deep into the process that is book binding. As a photographer the idea that I could take a project from just a moment of inspiration, through to creating images, then curating and collating these images into a story before finally printing, crafting, and publishing a handmade book is filled with satisfaction; it gives me a sense of completeness.

occasion my prayers.

I am learning to not ascribe value to my photography purely in respect to success in competitions or by the receipt of a good grade. I now measure my images in terms of the quality of their voice. I ask, does an image whisper, or shout, does it speak calmly or is it restless? When I view an image can I sense a cadence, does it have rhythm and balance?

What within its construct works, what can be improved, made clearer? Ultimately, I think that a quality image is one that lingers in memory; an image that leaves something of its voice, its message, its story, with the viewer.

As I start a new year, I am very grateful that I have discovered photography. Photography is demanding, it is ever evolving, it makes me more observant, it makes me think, it challenges me, it makes me do.

I noted at the beginning of this article that I had discovered that photography is the way I preserve moments, and it is how I paint words; I would now add that photography has become the way I tell stories. Sometimes my images reflect my stories, sometimes they seek to tell the stories of others, of places, spaces, objects. Sometimes photography is a way for me to conceptualise ideas, thoughts, and on

23

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24

Why Workshops are Worth It

By Chryseis Phillips

It’s February again, and guess what? It’s time to hold workshops again! February is officially the start of PSNZ’s Workshop Season, and we have a lot of exciting workshops lined up for 2024. Some workshops have already been filled, but there are more to come. We are just ironing out the nitty-gritty details, and registrations will open as soon as everything is in place.

Some of you may be wondering why you should attend workshops (and pay a fee) when there are a lot of invaluable FREE learning resources available everywhere! Surely you can learn by borrowing books and magazines from the library, signing up for online courses, listening to podcasts; and watching the many tutorials available on YouTube!

Well – as someone who has attended PSNZsponsored, and privately run workshops in the past – I can say that you learn more at workshops than by learning through the methods mentioned earlier. Here’s why: You learn from the best.

Workshops are run by highly-skilled professionals who are known to be experts in their field. They have spent years honing their craft, and now they are sharing their knowledge with others.

During a workshop the tutor will answer questions raised, provide individualized guidance (time permitting) on matters such as camera settings, even demonstrate postprocessing techniques, and some will even give post-workshop feedback. These are learning opportunities you can’t possibly get from books or the internet.

You learn from others.

When you attend a workshop, you are never by yourself. There will be other like-minded photography enthusiasts in the group – and you will all have varying levels of photographic proficiency, as well as different life experiences that give you different ways of seeing things.

You learn from fellow workshop attendees through the questions they ask, by watching them use cameras and lenses different from yours; by seeing what they have photographed (they will see things differently from you), by discussing post-processing techniques. Online courses may provide you with forums where you can have a robust discussion with other enrollees. Whilst that format works, it does not compare to having real-time, personal interactions with others.

You learn about yourself.

Workshops are places to learn about yourself and find the kind of photography you truly enjoy.

If you don’t know what type of photography you want to focus on, attend a workshop to experience what it’s like to be in that type of environment. If you already know what genre you want to specialise it, attend a workshop to increase your knowledge and possibly learn new techniques.

At workshops, you also learn how to “wing it”.

YouTube tutorials and online masterclasses are great resources, but these won’t teach you how to deal with the unexpected such as wet weather, strong winds, having the wrong type of camera lens, subjects not behaving as they should. Dealing with the unexpected is a great part of photography, and the only way you’ll learn how to react to such situations is to be in these situations.

But it’s so expensive ….

My husband calls me T-Rex because I have short arms and deep pockets. Believe me, I know how difficult it is to justify going to a workshop, especially when you are on a fixed income. However, the good news is that PSNZ offers subsidised workshop fees as an exclusive benefit to its members. After you’ve attended one workshop, you’ll realise it’s well worth the investment.

The PSNZ Workshop Series is available only to PSNZ members, and workshop registration is done via the members portal.

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AV News

By Trish McAuslan FPSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS PSNZ AV Coordinator mcauslanav@gmail.com

Audio-visual Workshop My apologies to everyone who wanted to register for this workshop. My email address, and therefore your ability to contact me, was accidentally left off my article in the last CameraTalk.

To give everyone who is interested in the opportunity to be included, I have shifted the workshops to four Wednesday evenings, starting on 3 April. Please let me know if you are interested but Wednesday nights don’t work for you. To register your interest, email me at mcauslanav@gmail.com.

Each session will last about an hour and will be held on Zoom to make it possible for everyone interested to attend, regardless of where they live. This workshop is open to members of clubs affiliated to PSNZ as well as members of PSNZ. Please pass this information on to all your club members.

The workshop programme is designed to introduce and illustrate part of the process and then allow participants to use their own images to complete that step over the following week.

At the end of the workshop participants should have a completed AV to share with family and friends or to enter into a competition.

Programme Outline Workshop 1: Creating a storyboard and selecting/taking the images required Workshop 2: Preparing images Workshop 3: Introduction to PTE AV Studio 11 Workshop 4: Adding an audio track, syncing it with the images and exporting the finished AV.

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If you have already done a workshop on AV creation but would like to know how to use the PTE software which is the best replacement for ProShow Gold and Fotomagico, let me know and you could join in at Workshop 3. NB: Unless you are planning to buy this software, do not download it until just before Workshop 3 as the trial version lasts for 30 days.

Registration is essential. I will then send you more details and the link to the Zoom meeting.

Challenge 321

Tauranga AV Salon

The entry form and other information is available at https://www.challenge321.org/

The Salon will be held again this year, with entries opening on 1 May and closing a month later on 5 June. There will be four categories: Theme, Documentary, The World of Nature and Music, Poetry and Song. Of special interest to some NZ entrants is the Novice Award.

Are you interested in watching short AVs created in other countries? Join a group of photographers judging the 321 entries. You do not have to have any prior judging experience to do this. Towards the end of March you will receive some helpful instructions and copies of all the AVs. You will have until the end of April to complete judging. I strongly encourage you to give it a go. If you are interested, email me: mcauslanav@gmail.com

Full details are available on the Tauranga Photographic Society website: www.taurangaphoto.nz. Check under Audio Visual Salon on the menu bar.

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Māwhera National Salon of Photography 2024

By Elizabeth Passuello FPSNZ FNPSNZ APSEM APSA EPSA EFIAP

Following the success of the inaugural Māwhera National Salon of Photography in 2023, the Greymouth Photography Club has decided to run it again in 2024.

judging the Open Colour and Nature sections, while Cushla Moorhead, Nick Munnings and Simon Runting will judge Open Monochrome, Creative and Portraits.

The salon was run last year as one of the club’s 70th Anniversary celebrations. We received a total of 1439 images from 137 entrants, and we once again thank each of those entrants for supporting our salon.

We have increased the number of awards on offer. In each section a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal and six Honours ribbons will be awarded by agreement among the judges.

After the medals are awarded, but before the Honours ribbons, each judge on the panel will also award two Judge's Choice ribbons to photographs of their own choosing in each of the sections they are judging (being a total of six per section). With five sections, that is a total of 75 awarded photographs (up from 60 in 2023).

This year we have the same five enthusiastic members on our salon committee and will be offering the same five sections as last year: Open Colour, Open Monochrome, Nature, Creative and Portraits. The salon is once again open to all photographers in New Zealand and PSNZ financial members residing overseas.

We are delighted to have another six highly respected PSNZ photographers judging our salon. Caroline Ludford LPSNZ LRPS, Trish McAuslan FPSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS and John Reid APSNZ ANPSNZ AFIAP will be

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Last year we also added three additional awards which were not announced until the showing of the salon. In the form of engraved acrylic trophies, which the winners retain, they will again be on offer in our 2024 salon.

We are looking forward to seeing all your wonderful images in our salon!

Enquiries are welcome and can be sent to the Salon Chair at mawherasalon@gmail.com.

The trophies are awarded to the first, second and third placed entrants with the highest overall score, which includes the judges’ scores on their entire entry whether the images were accepted or not.

Accompanying Images – Gold Medal Winners from the 2023 Salon Open Colour : Holi Colour Festival by Jeanette Nee APSNZ Open Monochrome : My Little Boxer by Kirsty Wilson LPSNZ QPSA LAPS Nature : Zizina otis labradus by Glenys Steegh LPSNZ PPSA LAPS The salon opens for entries on 1 May 2024, and will close on 31 May 2024. Our salon website is once again being hosted on the MyPhotoClub network of sites which offers an excellent interface for both entrants and judges. Check it out at https://mawhera.myphotoclub.com.au

Creative : Horizon by Deborah Martin APSNZ AFIAP Portraits : Eddie’s Happy Place by Irene Callaghan APSNZ

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Landscape Photography Workshop Workshop 2 - 17th to 19th May 2024 (Dunedin) Landscape Photography

Join award winning landscape photographer Meghan Maloney to explore the landscapes around Dunedin.

“The more I explore New Zealand, the more I fall in love with our country. I'm SUPER passionate about sharing moments and experiences that I know others will also enjoy through my landscape photography.” Meghan Maloney

Meghan is a regular on our workshop series and her workshops sell out within days. Be quick to register for a fun weekend of inspiration and learning.

The workshop will start at 2.30pm on Friday 17th May and conclude around 1pm on Sunday 19th May. Locations will dependent on DOC permissions and weather conditions and may include Tomahawk Beach, St Clair Beach, Tunnel Beach, Brighton Beach, Aramoana Beach, Moeraki Boulders (Sat sunrise), Ross Creek Falls and Mt Cargill Lookout.

A medium level of fitness will be required as some walking on tracks will occur.

The workshop fee includes 2 nights’ accommodation at Woodlands Village.

Accommodation is in 2 bedroom units (One with a Queen bed the other with 2 singles) with a maximum of 3 people per unit.

No meals are included in the registration fee. Meals will be a mix of cafes, takeaways and restaurants.

Queen Room - $425 per person Single occupancy - single bed - $420 per person Shared twin room - (single beds) - $370 per person If you are happy to share a twin room with a friend or someone you don’t know email Nicole on nictai@hotmail.com as soon as you register to indicate you wish to share a twin room with (name) or with another attendee.

Once you have registered and paid, you will receive more in depth information on the schedule and locations as well as a recommended gear sheet.

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Nature Photography Society of New Zealand News from James Thompson

Entries open for the Trenna Packer Salver Competition on 1 May 2024.

The Trenna Packer Salver Competition is the annual New Zealand nature inter-club competition run by the Nature Photography Society of New Zealand. This competition is for sets of six nature projected images and is open to all clubs in New Zealand. The objective of the Trenna Packer Salver Competition is to illustrate the diversity of the natural world in New Zealand and its offshore islands.

We hope that by running an annual New Zealand nature inter-club competition we can promote an increasing interest in photographing the natural world as well as encouraging best practice in photographing nature subjects.

Coordinators of sets, please note that the competition is for sets and the image showing the format should be presented in a single row of six. See the 2023 winning row of six images below. The emphasis is on the set, rather than on the individual images, so it may be better to leave out an excellent image if it does not fit well with other images in the set. The completed set must provide a pleasing demonstration of both technical skill and artistry.

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The sets will be judged for flow and cohesion, from image one to two, two to three, three to four and so on. As this is a nature competition, appropriate titling is important.

This year the judge is Lorraine Gibb APSNZ. Lorraine is from Timaru, is a member of the Timaru Photography Club and a former NPSNZ member. She is a very accomplished photographer at national level and an award holder internationally. Over the years Lorraine has been very involved in her Timaru club as secretary and competition coordinator. She has been secretary for both a national and regional convention. Lorraine enjoys all photography genres but nature, macro, landscape and impressionist have always been her favourites.

A seasonal addiction is fungi photography.

Last year the competition was won by the Hawkes Bay Photographic Society.

Entries close on 15 June 2024. See details at https://naturephotography.nz/trenna-packersalver/

Canon Online, 2023 PSNZ Canon Online 2023 John Hawkins, PSNZ Canon Online Coordinator, reports

OnLine

By John Hawkins, PSNZ Canon Online Coordinator

Summary

Summary PSNZ Canon Online competition numbers The competition has returned to six rounds, PSNZdown Canon Online compe77onyears numbers fromthe previous due to first years closing ona shorter 25 October 2023. were from previous duewhere to adownwith compe77on, with fourwith rounds of six.

This allowed to align the roundparticipating with the PSNZwas up Theusnumber of final authors shorter competition, fourinstead rounds instead conven7on, where the overall compe77on receives thethis Canon Online proportionally year, by trophy.

9% on last year. ofna7onal six. This allowed us to align the final round winner with the PSNZ national convention, where the The number of entries in each round tapered The compe77on haswinner returned to six rounds, with the first closing on 2530% October 2023. Theentered numberall of four off slightly, but of authors overall competition receives the Canon authors par7cipa7ng was up propor7onally this year, by 9% on last year.

The number of entries in each rounds.

Online trophy. round tapered off slightly, but 30% of authors entered all four rounds.

Sta7s7cs

4 Rounds

6 Rounds

6 Rounds

6 Rounds

2023

2022

2021

2020

Total number of entries

425

742

895

754

2023

No of individual authors

166

227

262

269

Total number of

Avg entries per author

2.5

3.2

3.4

2.8

individuals who entered

Round 1 entries

128

147

151

157

once

49

Round 2 entries

103

99

194

160

twice

23

Round 3 entries

99

159

162

132

3x

36

Round 4 entries

95

119

137

107

4x

50

Round Winners Winner

Round

Image Title

Deborah Mar7n APSNZ AFIAP Round 1

Tara i7

Nel Davison LPSNZ

Round 2

Looking Over Your Shoulder

Barbara Lee APSNZ

Round 3

Time Ticking

Janice Chen

Round 4

Flying

Each winner received a PSNZ Canon Online trophy and Canon will send each winner an A3 size print.

Top Ten Each round had ten entries awarded a Top Ten spot. A total of 40 authors achieved a top ten placing (24% of par7cipants) and of those, one made the top 10 three 7mes, and six made the top 10 twice.

This indicates that a small group of authors who entered most, if not all, rounds were the most successful but not necessarily dominant.

33

PSNZ Canon Online 2023 Cont'd Top Ten

Our Sponsor

Each round had ten entries awarded a Top Ten spot. A total of 40 authors achieved a top ten placing (24% of participants) and of those, one made the top 10 three times, and six made the top 10 twice. This indicates that a small group of authors who entered most, if not all, rounds were the most successful but not necessarily dominant.

We are grateful to have had the support of Canon in continuing this competition series over a number of years. The Canon range includes a vast array of products from digital compact cameras through to professional photography and videography solutions, along with a range of printers to suit different needs and budgets.

Aggregate Winner

As Canon would say, ‘No one sees it like you.’ Images submitted by PSNZ members continue to prove this to be true in terms of their creativity and innovation, along with the exquisite quality of images produced for the competition. As a previous judge has noted, there is often very little to separate a winning image from others in the top 10 of each round.

Congratulations to Barbara Lee APSNZ, winner of the PSNZ Canon Online Photographer of the Year, with 26 points. This is amazing, as Barbara also won this award last year ̶ with the same number of points!

Judges All judges provided constructive feedback, both in general and for the top 10 images.

Some judges noted that selecting the top ten was not an easy task. They all returned the results promptly.

All judges were PSNZ-accredited. This year they were: Round 1 Judge – Chris Parkin APSNZ Round 2 Judge – Alley LPSNZ Round 3 Judge – Cushla Moorhead Round 4 Judge – Trish McAuslan FPSNZ EFIAP/b FAPS AV-AAPS

34

Along with a trophy, Canon has generously offered to provide each round winner with a high-quality print of the winning image. Images that are of this calibre deserve to be printed and displayed. We thank Canon for their support throughout 2023 and look forward to our continued partnership in the years ahead.

Administration It was a pleasure coordinating this competition, not only seeing some amazing images and being able to communicate with the successful authors, but also gaining great feedback from all participants and receiving inspiration for my own photography. I look forward to seeing more amazing images in the 2023/24 series.

The table below shows those who achieved 5 points or more during the compe77on.

Placing

Combined Points

Name

Placings

Entered

1st

26

Barbara Lee APSNZ

3

4

2nd

17

Lynn Fothergill LPSNZ

2

4

3rd =

14

Deborah Mar7n APSNZ AFIAP

1

4

3rd =

14

Janice Chen APSNZ

1

4

3rd =

14

Jenny Mitchell

2

4

6th =

13

Julia Rae APSNZ

2

4

6th =

13

Nel Davison LPSNZ

1

3

8th =

12

Cliff Threadgold FPSNZ ARPS

1

3

8th =

12

Laurie Bonsor

1

3

8th =

12

Peter Foulds

1

3

11th =

11

Allysa Carberry APSNZ

1

3

11th =

11

Jane Barnes LPSNZ

1

3

13th =

10

Dianne Kelsey LPSNZ

2

3

13th =

10

Graeme Skinner LPSNZ

2

4

13th =

10

Jennifer Burton

1

3

13th =

10

Michael Byrne LPSNZ

1

4

13th =

10

Pauline Smith APSNZ

1

3

13th =

10

Terry Molvik

1

2

19th

9

John Smart APSNZ

1

4

20th =

8

Rebecca King LPSNZ

1

1

20th =

8

Sushrutha Me7kurke LPSNZ

1

1

20th =

8

Toya Heatley FPSNZ AFIAP

1

2

23rd =

7

Brian Eastwood MNZIPP

1

2

23rd =

7

Carole Garside LPSNZ

1

3

23rd =

7

Derek Teague LPSNZ

1

4

26th =

6

Jo Cur7s APSNZ

1

3

26th =

6

Sheryl Williams APSNZ

1

3

26th =

6

Sue Henley LPSNZ

2

4

29th =

5

Dianna Hambleton APSNZ

1

3

29th =

5

Jeanede Nee APSNZ

1

4

29th =

5

Paul Conroy APSNZ

1

3

29th =

5

Rob Vanderpoel LPSNZ

1

3

35

PSNZ Canon Online Photographer 2024 Round 2 Results

By John Hawkins, PSNZ Canon Online Coordinator

Congratulations to Martin Barwood LPSNZ, winner of the Canon Online round 2 for 2024.

There were 84 entries in this round.

though I now live in Wanaka, I have only one picture of our world-famous tree – taken some 60 years ago with that viewfinder camera when the tree was just the Last (fence) Post out in the water.

About Martin and his winning image…

Judge’s Comments

I remember my father explaining depth of field to me on an old Leica, over 50 years ago.

Photography has always been a hobby. Not long after retiring from work in 2019 I happened to photograph some silveryeyes feeding in our backyard. Seeing these beautiful little birds up close through a 300mm lens changed my world. The image of the titipounamu was taken at the start of the Routeburn track. We walked it the day before and didn't see any birds at all.

The following morning it was raining and we found three birds feeding, and the lighting was perfect. The photo was taken on a Nikon D850 with a 600 mm f4 lens.

As usual, there was a very high standard of images of widely varied material. Getting the initial 84 down to about 16 was tough enough, but the path from there to ten was painful.

The Winner!

The judge for this round was Errol Kelly, who writes: I started photography with what soon became an insufficient rangefinder camera. I joined the newly-formed Dunedin Camera Club, just started with the encouragement of Ernie Ashby, to help those wanting to be more involved in photography. I quickly upgraded to an SLR with a 250 mm telephoto lens. Then, within life’s time limits, I travelled primarily to take photos and developed an appreciation of natural history. Confession of a judge: even

36

Although initial impact was important, emotional attachment was critical. My final selection was based on those images that gave a growing appreciation with repeated viewing over time.

1st - Titipounamu by Martin Barwood LPSNZ This image stood out in the initial viewing of the thumbnails and never lost its place.

An outstanding presentation of an iconic bird. The placing in the frame and on the perch is perfect. That, added to the ideal background, gives the picture a remarkable sense of depth.

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2nd - Sunrise Silhouette by Lynn Hedges LPSNZ A beautiful rendition of the ancient building in the calm of the early morning. What is intriguing is the dissonance in the person in the foreground, who is interested in his screen, made more noticeable by the fact that he is also looking out of the frame. It creates a tension that strengthens this image.

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3rd - Hibiscus Coast by Paul Donegan Soft-focus/movement images are becoming more common, with varying degrees of success. This image is a very satisfactory balance between the real and the surreal.

One can get an impression of shoreline here that is sufficiently dreamy to allow the mind to feel, hear, and smell the seashore.

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4th - Oil Extraction by Ron Willems Hon PSNZ FPSNZ FAPS AFIAP ARPS This may not be pictorial, but it is an extremely powerful protest. The black, foreboding, oil pump above ground,contrasting with the beauty and value of the natural environment, unconsidered, underfoot, says much about the planet’s major problem today. And the subject’s isolation in space has a delightful association with Terry Pratchett’s Disk World.

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5th - The Market Lady by Meg Lipscombe FPSNZ While it is easy to consider that “character” portraits are perhaps trite, they are nevertheless usually well worthy of our attention. But this one goes further; instead of the more typical featureless background, we have a very busy one that not only is extremely interesting but adds to the character without distracting from the person.

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6th - Nothing’s Ever Black and White by Derek Finnigan Almost a definition of composition ̶ a picture with a focal point that allows the eye to wander the frame, but the eye is always dragged back to that focal point. Here, the focal point stands out all the more because it is colour, while the rest of the interesting content is monochrome.

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7th - Eye Spy by Deborah Martin APSNZ AFIAP There is little doubt that the modern digital camera has allowed this quality of bird photography to be attainable by a higher proportion of photographers, but this image shows that even the best equipment and talent can still benefit an awful lot from pure luck!

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8th - Tiny Kitty by Lynn Fothergill LPSNZ So simple, but so engrossing. I do like that the well-positioned cat is so young and shaggy, while the aged building appears so well cared for.

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9th - Street Shuffle by Dianna Hambleton APSNZ Here go the rules of composition ̶ is this a rule-breaking 2-2, 1-2-1, or 3-1? The hidden depths in this image take a finite time to be appreciated because it can be seen in so many different ways, but the expression on the face of the man on the right is what really makes this picture. Almost a salt statue, he appears truly lost by the pace of the youth.

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10th - Fallen Trees at the Beach by Brian Eastwood MNZIPP I am not usually a fan of such a complex picture, but this is a worthwhile exception.

One’s attention is continually drawn back to the tree through the gap, but this does not stop one enjoying the large amount of interesting material amongst the fallen trees.

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Welcome to Our New PSNZ Members!

Barbara Herman

Kyu Tack Cho

Brian Duncan

Leonie Mercer

Courteney Marshall

Mabel Hart

Cristy Benson

Noel Herman

Dave Hart

Philip Armitage

Graham Reichardt

Pol Syrett

Jackie Kiddle

Richard Chilcott

Janice Phillipson

Robert Beckett

Joanne Yeoman

Sachin Unnikrishnan

John Phillipson

Sharon Duncan

Kasey Hunter

Steve Smith

Vikas Viradiya

Apologies & Corrections CameraTalk December 2023 Apologies to Irene Callaghan APSNZ. In our last CameraTalk issue (December 2023) on the inside cover (contents page) of the issue, the image Double Exposure was incorrectly credited. The praise belongs to Irene Callaghan.

Image credits:

From the article by Irene Buchan LPSNZ, titled A Creative Weekend, the following credits were missing:

Group Shot by John Miles

Double Exposure by Irene Callaghan APSNZ Reflections by Irene Callaghan APSNZ Duck by Tom Young

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PSNZ Membership Benefits • Expert advice and continual education to help improve your photography.

• The opportunity to achieve a Society distinction (Licentiate LPSNZ, Associate APSNZ, Fellowship FPSNZ).

• The opportunity to apply for FIAP (International Federation of Photographic Art) distinctions via the liaison officer. (PSNZ is a member of FIAP.) • The opportunity to attend PSNZ Workshop Series events annually.

• A complimentary copy of New Zealand Camera, and the opportunity to submit your images for this publication.

• Access to member-only resources, including a member-only PSNZ Facebook page.

• The opportunity to enter images into national and international competitions.

• Discounts to Society activities (e.g. annual PSNZ national convention, workshops, international competitions).

• The opportunity to participate in regional club meetings and events.

• A copy of our bi-monthly members magazine – NZ CameraTalk.

• The opportunity to exhibit your work in regional and national exhibitions (e.g. PSNZ Sony National Exhibition).

• Subsidised access to judge training workshops through the Judge Accreditation Programme.

• Ability to promote your personal website to our members.

• Regular blog posts to stay up to date with the latest news on events, activities and special offers.

• Product discounts and savings from our corporate partners and associated companies.

• Discounts to some NZIPP national events.

• The opportunity to join a PSNZ print circle.

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