2015 Winter Gallerie English Version

Issue No. 9 - Winter 2015

Canada’s Premier Magazine for Professional Photographers

Canadian

Imaging

Your Guide to the Conference Photograph People as you Would Want to be

Photographed Yourself

… it’s not what you light it’s what you don’t light, well sort of!

Lighting and Modifiers

Tips that will help

Improve Your Portrait Photography Lightroom May Not be Enough

Leverage Your Photoshop Knowledge © Copyright PPOC

w w w. p p o c . c a

Cover image by: Louise Simone MPA

GALLERIE - WINTER 2015

CONTENTS

32

Concept to Cover

12 Canadian Imaging 2015

by: Louise Simone

FEATURES

6

8

Photograph People as you Would Want to be Photographed Yourself

by Storey Wilkens

22

Tips that will help improve your portrait photography

by Johan Sorensen

26

Lighting and modifiers

by Michael Cooper

Lightroom May Not be Enough

by Dave Cross

In this issue A Message from the PPOC Chair................................................. 4 Calendar of Events........................................................................ 5 Are you an Accredited Professional Photographer?..................... 28

My PPOC ...................................................................................... 31 Concept to Cover........................................................................... 32

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Welcome to Gallerie From your PPOC Chair

PPOC has undergone months of intense preparation for the launch of its new IMS (Information Management System), integrating PPOC's website and database, as well as forum, blog and other social media pages which will allow members to interact directly through www.ppoc.ca

PPOC is pleased to present our flagship publication, Gallerie.

With award winning images, feature articles, editorial information, member services, and advertising, Gallerie is the premier magazine for professional photographers across Canada.

The photographic industry has undergone huge changes over the last decade, impacting not only the profession of photography, but how Associations like PPOC operate. This new IMS launches a new chapter for PPOC. It is vital that PPOC continues to change and grow with its members, and with the industry as a whole.

Advertising Manager: Jillian Chateauneuf Email: advertising@ppoc.ca

Publisher: PPOC Office: 519-537-2555 Email: info@ppoc.ca

There have been countless hours from key volunteers to help make this IMS a reality. On behalf of the PPOC board, I would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the following individuals for their tireless commitment to the membership and Association - Louise Gingras, Claude Wauthier, RĂŠmi Laprise and Mark Orenstein - as well as the teams of members who assisted in betatesting and proofreading.

We are approaching our busiest time of year in the PPOC, with preparations underway for the judging of our National Image Competition and the upcoming Canadian Imaging Conference being held in Niagara Falls, Ontario April 25th to 28th. These two events can be both inspirational and rewarding to those members that participate.

Testing your skills against those of your peers can be a nervewracking experience, but can also help you learn and grow as a photographer. Having images accepted into the National Image Salon is a victory in itself; going above and beyond acceptance with image scores of Merit and Excellence is a huge honour.

As a National Association it can be challenging to connect with members on opposite coasts. Attending Canadian Imaging is the perfect way to network with members from all over Canada.

When you surround yourself with fellow professionals who share common interests and goals, inspiration abounds. Come out and share the experience.

Sincerely, Tina Weltz, MPA -4-

Editor: Louise Gingras Email: editor@ppoc.ca

Translation: Claude Wauthier

Subscription All PPOC members receive the printed issue directly to their doorstep.

On-line issues are available to all photographers. To be added to our email mailing list please contact the PPOC office at info@ppoc.ca indicating your province of residence.

Additional printed copies of Galllerie are $6.95, plus postage. Please contact the PPOC Office.

Advertising

Gallerie is published three times annually; Winter (on-line issue) Summer (print and on-line) Fall (on-line issue) One single advertising package will secure your ad space in all three issues.

Full Page: $925/year Full Page Inside (front or back) $1075/year Full Page Outside Back Cover $1300/year Half Page: $600/year Quarter Page: $375/year PPOC Trade Members receive a 20% discount.

To reserve your ad please contact the editor.

Submissions

Articles and member stories are welcome, please submit to the editor noted above for consideration.

Calendar of Events 2015

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

APR

7th ............................................................................................................ PPOC Accreditation Deadline 25-26th ................................. PPOC Accreditation Judging, Sheraton on the Falls, Niagara Falls ON 25-28th ............................. PPOC Canadian Imaging Conference, Sheraton on the Falls, Niagara ON

JUL

13th .......................................................................................................... PPOC Accreditation Deadline 15th ................................................................................PPOC-ON Early Image Competition Deadline 29th ................................................................................ PPOC-ON Final Image Competition Deadline

AUG 12th .......................................................................................... PPOC-ON Image Competition Judging 26th .................................................................................PPOC-BC Early Image Competition Deadline

SEP

2th ...................................................................................PPOC-BC Final Image Competition Deadline 25th ........................................................................................... PPOC-BC Image Competition Judging 27-28th ................................................................................................................. PPOC-ON Convention

OCT

2th ..................................................................................PPOC-MB Early Image Competition Deadline 2th ...................................................................................PPOC-SK Early Image Competition Deadline 5th ............................................................................................................ PPOC Accreditation Deadline 9th ..................................................................................PPOC-MB Final Image Competition Deadline 9th ...................................................................................PPOC-SK Final Image Competition Deadline 24th .......................................................................................... PPOC-MB Image Competition Judging 24th ........................................................................................... PPOC-SK Image Competition Judging 24-26th ..................................................................................................................PPOC-QC Convention

NOV 2th ............................................................................................ PPOC-AT Image Competition Deadline

13th ........................................................................................... PPOC-AT Image Competition Judging 14th ....................................................................................................................... PPOC-AT Convention

Please visit ppoc.ca for all events

Join the Professional Photographers of Canada!

PPOC Office / Bureau du PPOC 209 Light Street Woodstock ON Canada N4S 6H6

www.ppoc.ca

Bus: (519) 537-2555 Toll Free: (888) 643-PPOC (7762) Fax: (888) 831-4036 Email: info@ppoc.ca

Š All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form, without permission of the editor, is strictly prohibited.

Views expressed by contributors may not be the representative views of PPOC and the publisher.

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Photograph people as you would want to be photographed yourself Never Forget Where You Came From

Article by Storey Wilkins

A

s a wedding photographer, my best photographs are the ones I wish I was in with my own loved ones. They usually involve great cuddles, bright shiny smiles, and of course, energetic and flattering body language. What they lack in a print competition aesthetic or finish, they make up for with a natural and thoughtful feeling.

Currently across the globe we have an immense pool of incredible photographic talent to be inspired by. Dazzling and humbling imagery cross my social media lexicon daily. Conceptual portrait masterpieces, complex fashion posing, intensely imaginative eye candy…I admit it leads to the occasional temptation to try out other concepts. It is fun to try something new.

Yet my greatest days are when I wander back to the very first style I started with 12 years ago… with images that have great cuddles, bright shiny smiles, and of course energetic and flattering body language.

My message to you comes from two legacies in our profession: Honour your “heart light”, said Joyce Wilson (http://www.joycewilson.com/).

Meaning, never forget where you came from. Whatever got you into this business is usually the style that will keep you going in this business, if you remember to return to the core ever so often. Also, remember to “choose your rut carefully”, said Arthur Levi Rainville (http://www. studiorainville.com/) because as artists we invariably fall into ruts that seem purposeless. Find a way to

make a living from your initial style, to help keep those ruts meaningful!

Because my “heart light” images centre around huge smiles, rich cuddles, and a sense of movement it is IMPERATIVE that my subjects feel comfortable and relaxed while being photographed by me. This is harder than it looks. It is not something that can be easily learned by reading a how-to manual. I feel the photography should revolve around the wedding day, not the other way around. That means I need to work quickly and creatively during the portraits, then blend into the background with a smile to record the ceremony and party.

Ideally we would all possess the supernatural qualities of being an amazing person, a great and wonderful sensitive soul and communicator of the highest order, and a person that can make anyone feel special. This is NOT common. It is NOT an integral part of all photographers – indeed it is missing from many. So, here are a few tips to take with you into a wedding day: -6-

Whatever got you into this business is usually the style that will keep you going in this business

1. Learn the names of the immediate families and bridal party (bring a small cue card to help).

2. Pop out from behind the camera (make eye contact, don’t hide behind your camera).

3. Smile often (subjects will always mirror you…if you smile they will smile back).

4. Remind them to BREATHE (after a few takes of a group portrait, get the group to take a breath).

5. Speak clearly with gestures (the more chaotic and noisy the environment, the more important this is).

6. Acknowledge, don’t steal the shot (when doing candid work, if someone notices that you took a photograph of them, don’t look away. Instead, smile and mouth the words “thank you”).

My great hope for my remaining days as a photographer is to always have a freedom, movement, and energy to my work, which I can pass on to:

7. Make their day better than expected (do anything you can to help out during the day, from boutonniere pinning, to driving someone to the church).

• clients in the form of treasured photographs, • other photographers in the form of teaching, • And hopefully to my children so that they can know the joy of photography as I do.

Storey Wilkins will be speaking at the Canadian Imaging Conference in Niagara, April 2015. www.conference.ppoc.ca

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Seven tips to improve your portrait photography Try them first and see the results Article by Johan Sorensen When the person is on the right-hand side and looking towards left it could be perceived as looking into the past, which is a negative feeling.

There are a few tips in photography that can improve your composition; however, they don’t always apply in every situation.

Photography tips are generally a guide and not necessarily hard and fast rules that you must follow all the time.

I always advise people learning photography to try them first and see the result.

Tip number two: When you set up your frame and you are about to take the portrait, don't look through the camera, try to look at the subject with your own two eyes. The subject matter will now look at you instead of the camera. This technique will relax your subject and the direct eye contact will convey a more powerful portrait.

Tip number one:

Tip number three:

When composing a portrait have the person placed on the left-hand side of the frame and have your subject matter turned towards the right. When a person is looking towards the right-hand side of the frame, it is interpreted as looking into the future and evokes a positive feeling.

When people trigger the shutter, they have a tendency to push hard and abruptly, causing the camera to slightly change composition or vibration. Squeeze the trigger slowly and you will relax your hand and your mind.

Tip number four: Always try to find a different point of view.

Photographers have a tendency to always stand upright at their own height when composing their image. Try to choose a lower angle or higher angle, walk around the subject, and look at your lighting and your composition from a different perspective.

Tip number five: The biggest mistake portrait photographers make is to forget to look at the background first before composing their photograph. My advice is to stand and look at the background for a few minutes before placing your model at the intended spot. See what is there and try to

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By utilizing these rules and tips whenever possible, better photographs will emerge from your efforts.

imagine how it will look in the final shot. Are there any distractions that will lessen the impact of the portrait?

If so, move your subject to a different location or try a different angle of view.

Tip number six: Use black and white photography as a training tool for your eyes to see better composition. Black and white photography removes color and all you have left is shapes and grayscale. This forces you to look at your portraits in a completely different way and it will improve your composition skills.

Tip number seven: He best way to learn how to take better pictures is to look at other successful photographs by established artists and try to learn from that person's composition.

Try to deconstruct what the image is all about - what lighting was used, the composition, framing and lastly, the message of the photo.

By utilizing these rules and tips whenever possible, better photographs will emerge from your efforts.

Johan Sorensen will be speaking at the Canadian Imaging Conference in Niagara, April 2015. www.conference.ppoc.ca

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Hospitality Suite

Judging Clinic

This is your nightly networking time. Debrief the day's events while enjoying a beverage and the company of other photographers.

Open to all conference attendees. Drop by and say hello. Cash bar.

Spend the day learning what it takes to be a judge. What to look for when assessing an image, the PPOC scoring system, and how to critique effectively. Open to PPOC members holding a minimum of our CPA designation.

Clinic Charge $95/person includes lunch (Discount available for previous attendees).

Register via the PPOC Office: exec.director@ ppoc.ca

Accreditation Judging Earning an accreditation is one of the requirements for becoming an Accredited PPOC Member and a requirement to receive a Craftsman of Photographic Arts or Masters of Photographic Arts designation. Watch the PPOC judges as they comment on and rate accreditation submissions. Each submission is comprised of 10 images so this is a great opportunity to learn. Free Session.

Welcome to PPOC Drop in and learn more about the Professional Photographers of Canada and how to maximize your membership. Learn about accreditation, designations and merits, plus salon image competition and how to get involved. Everyone is welcome; bring your questions. Free Session.

Salon Image Critique The 2015 PPOC Image Salon will be judged prior to Canadian Imaging. This is your chance to come listen to the PPOC judges as they critique images from the salon. Submit your membership number for an opportunity to hear comments on the images you entered.

Free Session.

Early Riser Programs Your opportunity to get up close and learn from the conference speakers in a small, intimate session. Limited seating. Tickets $75 each.

Social Night Let loose and network with new and old friends. This casual evening will take place at Planet Hollywood and features light refreshments and a cash bar. Tickets $45 each (one ticket is included in full registration).

Bring your musical talents, and an instrument too if you wish, and be prepared to jam with the band, The Full Nelson.

Awards Gala This formal banquet is the highlight event for the Professional Photographers of Canada. Enjoy a delicious four-course dinner and celebrate the best of Canadian photography as the 2015 Salon award winners are announced. Cheer on members receiving their designations and congratulate the four PPOC Photographers of the Year. Formal or business attire suggested.

Tickets $95 each (one ticket is included in full registration).

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Tradeshow Check out new equipment, the latest camera gear and current photographic supplies.

Tickets $10 each (one ticket is included in full registration and day passes)

Canadian Imaging Tradeshow

The Sheraton On The Falls 5875 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Tradeshow Hours

Sunday, April 26, 2015 1:00 to 5:00 PM Monday, April 27, 2015 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Exhibitors from across North America will be in attendance to display and sell their photographic equipment and supplies. Stroll through the displays and speak directly with trade vendors, ask questions, and touch the products.

Watch the presentations on the Trade Show Stage.

You have the opportunity to get a Free Portfolio Review which will be available during the Trade Show.

Sign up for yours on-line now.

Be sure to make your purchases at the Trade Show for an additional opportunity to win at the Treasure Chest Booth.

Every $50 spent during the Trade Show gives you another ticket in the prize drum.

There will be lots of great prizes donated by our exhibitors and sponsors that will be drawn throughout the Trade Show.

The earlier you make your purchases, the more chances you have to win.

Extra tickets $10 each or contact exhibitors for free trade show passes

Trades wishing to participate in this show should contact: Gail Gold – 403.949.2748 – ggold@goldphotography.com

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Lighting and modifiers I maintain that it’s not what you light it’s what you don’t light, well sort of!

Article by Michael Cooper

L

ighting and understanding the control of light sets the professional apart from the amateur. The performing arts has shown me how to use a bare space and direct the viewer with light.

Mood is created with negative space, i.e. not lighting everything.

Your eye moves to the highest area of contrast, to warm colours and things that are in focus. If we look to the masters of painting, photography, performing arts or cinema, light sets

the mood. Great art direction is pale without a beautifully lit moment.

High key lighting is popular today. High key lighting is almost doing the opposite of what I’m saying yet it renders the same result. Lighting that washes out the background or edge lighting on a subject that is hot will make you look at the subject, not the surrounding or blown out areas. Either way it is all about using the correct modifiers on your lights to direct the viewer where you want them to look.

We try to emulate natural light with soft boxes, giant umbrellas or beauty dishes yet when the light is broken up or diffused with a gobo that is when I feel we have created something magical. Light through a window or window covering is broken up, diffracted or diffused. This adds depth to the image.

Often lighting designers add a small percentage of additional light to the principal performers to make them “glow” and stand out in a crowd. Just enough so it isn’t obvious yet enough for the audience to notice the lead performer more than others on stage.

I’ve heard it said that lighting designers know their job was well done when the audience does not talk about the lighting. Light advances a plot or helps one to fully set a mood. Light is not meant to be a distraction from the story being told.

I use cards, grids, egg crates and my favourite simple solution, BlackWrap (Cinefoil). BlackWrap is an amazing product that is so versatile and simple yet so effective. It’s inexpensive, reusable, can be used to stop camera flare, direct the light or used as a gobo. Using BlackWrap as a gobo (poke some holes in it and put it in front of a bare or gridded head) gets back to my idea of it’s what you don’t light that counts. The quality of light created by varying the intensity of light (blocked by a gobo) adds depth to an image.

When shooting I often have to ask myself how the image will look in B&W and Colour. Most shoots I prefer to light specifically for one or the other but

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Light advances a plot or helps one to fully set a mood.

sometimes you have to cover both in one shoot.

In the days of old when I used a lot of colour on the backgrounds, the colour images would look amazing. A red and blue light that are at the same intensity hitting a neutral wall will draw the viewer to the warmer red colour. If the intensity of light is the same for the background lights, the image will look flat in B&W. I started thinking of the intensity of the light not just the colour and where the light is directing the viewer. Varying the intensity or putting in a gobo/ breakup in one or both of the lights will make the background less flat.

I try to think of the photograph I’m creating as an image with different planes to be lit. Foreground, background and especially when shooting through things, as much as possible all planes need to be lit individually. This allows the ability to have fast and easy control over the intensity and quality of each light, each object being lit. First I establish my POV and choose a lens. That lens can often dictate where and how to light. When I first began I used freelance assistants, one asked me what f-stop do you want to shoot? At that time he was one of the most perceptive assistants I worked with. I now ask myself that same question at every shoot! This sets

the tone for the shoot and can change the tools I use.

I know of a production house that shoots catalogue images, bedroom sets, etc. on large format digital.

They back up very far from the set and use a long

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Continued on Page 24

Lighting is one of the most important tools we use in photography lens so they can keep all the elements apart from each other. The bed is several feet away from the wall yet with a long lens the bed looks like it is right against the wall. They can easily light both the bed and the wall without worrying about the shadows.

The long lens compresses the image and makes the room seem normal. Certainly you can light an image using any lens, but for fast production they worked this out and are able to produce great images really fast.

Most of my work is comprised of shooting people for ads, corporate, editorial or the performing arts.

When shooting with my lighting I dictate the mood or direct the viewer with my light. As a performing arts photographer I am more of a documentary photographer working with what is in front of me.

This season is my 32nd year shooting stills for the

Canadian Opera Company. I shoot on the run during a performance. I have to record the memorable moments of the production while thinking of how they will reproduce as ads, reviews for the press or as banners and photo galleries on the web. I tend to move around the auditorium to gain better vantage points that tell a better story. I set up the composition so the photo will reproduce better. A performer set against a black background is less likely to end up as a large press still. An image with some additional details or depth can make the photograph a better story.

Lighting is one of the most important tools we use in photography. After all, the definition of photography is to create an image with the use of light. I’ve used all kinds of units and brands of lighting to create a look or open a world of creative possibilities. On one shoot I rented some strobes that allowed me to freeze water and hair. I shot at f6.3, 800iso with 4 strobe heads firing at 11 frames a second at 1/8000th of a second flash duration. I was having a great time capturing the moment being unencumbered by the limitations of my normal strobes. These units range between $9,000 and $12,000 per pack (+ heads) so renting is the way to go!

Control of light separates the good photo from the great photo. BlackWrap, bounce cards, LED, battery operated or high-end strobe lights with their compliment of modifiers are the tools that allow us to complete the job. I equate it to doing a crossword puzzle, you can use a pencil, pen or marker. Choose the right tools for the right job.

Hence I’ve adapted my usual saying, by adding the “well sort of ”!

I maintain that it’s not what you light it’s what you don’t light, well sort of!

Micheal Cooper will be speaking at the April 2015 Canadian Imaging Conference in Niagara Falls. www.conference.ppoc.ca - 24 -

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Lightroom may not be enough Leverage your Photoshop Knowledge Article by Dave Cross

O

ver the last few years more and more photographers have embraced Lightroom as their main post-production tool. Although I completely understand that thinking – and it’s valid for most photographers – I worry that Photoshop is in danger of becoming the forgotten advantage.

If you are in the business of selling your photography services, I am sure you have run into the challenge of competing with the “craigslist photographers”.

These are the folks who have bought a decent camera and are offering to “take pictures” at ridiculously low prices. Convincing potential customers that it is worth spending more money on a professional photographer can definitely be a challenge. One way to distinguish yourself from these part-timers is Photoshop – or at least what you can do with Photoshop.

Yes you can do a lot of “standard” editing work in Lightroom, from color correction to basic retouching, but the power of the Layers panel puts Photoshop apart from Lightroom, and might be the advantage you are looking for.

As I set up the shot I didn’t worry about C-stands and fishing wire being visible because I knew that I would also have a shot without those elements. That way it was relatively simple (and quick) to mask out those unwanted elements.

It is also possible to take basic studio shots on a plain background and use the selection and masking tools of Photoshop to put your subject on a new background.

With that in mind, I am always capturing potential backgrounds, shooting them at different angles just in case I can use them “some day”.

This is not to say that Lightroom doesn’t play a role in this workflow because it certainly does. You can still take advantage of the strengths of Lightroom to organize and adjust your images, and then bring them into Photoshop as Smart Objects. That way when you are finished editing in Photoshop, the .psd file will end up in your Lightroom catalogue. To do this, use the command called “Open as Smart Object in Photoshop”, found under the Photo>Edit in menu. Then when you save the layered file in .psd format, it will automatically be added into your catalogue – while preserving the option to continue to edit the layers in Photoshop.

Whether it is compositing your subject onto a different background, adding texture or graphic overlays, or creating a fantasy image, Photoshop can help you create one-of-a-kind images…images that your part-time competitors are unlikely to be able to emulate.

When shooting portraits I often think about shooting in pieces, almost imagining each shot as a layer in Photoshop. That way it is easy to composite the layers together to create an unusual portrait like this Good Book image.

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The value that Photoshop can potentially bring to your business

Another great way to leverage your Photoshop knowledge is to create custom brushes. Just about anything can be turned into a brush, from smoke to clouds to textures and then used to enhance an image.

Brushes can be used as overlays and to paint on a mask, to take an image from portrait to art.

This tip-of-the-iceberg article was intended to make you start thinking about the value that Photoshop can potentially bring to your business. I honestly believe that you can increase sales and differentiate your business by exploring what Photoshop can add to your creative workflow.

For 25 years Dave Cross has been helping people get the most out of their Adobe software. Dave has a Bachelor of Education, is an Adobe Certified Instructor, and is in the Photoshop Hall of Fame.

You can learn from him in person at the Canadian Imaging Conference in Niagara April 2015.

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Are you an Accredited Photographer?

PPOC Accreditation

A

n Accredited member of PPOC is a specia list in his or her chosen f ield of photography.

The accreditation process recognizes photographers who have reached a nationally accepted standard of proficiency and k nowledge in photographic arts.

It is achieved by submitting samples of photography to a PPOC Board of Review. This peer-reviewed program cha llenges candidates to demonstrate their capabilit y of delivering exceptiona l qua lit y photography in a chosen categor y.

Interested in becoming a professiona l in the most recognized photographic association in Canada? We encourage you get connected by visiting our website where you can join on-line or f ind contacts in your region.

Accreditation Submission dates: April 7 t h , 2015 July 13 t h , 2015 October 5 t h , 2015

www.ppoc.ca

What Members Say “The response to my first Accreditation has been amazing... from past clients to new ones. Recently a client came back, not only because she loves my style but since I earned my Accreditation I must be even better now! Those are her words not mine :).� ~ Doxa | PPOC Member since 2011

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My PPOC

PPOC members share their stories

B

eing a PPOC member is like being part of a "family" within the association. You know you always have someone you can turn to for information. With the Facebook page you always have access to answers, experience and new and existing friendships.

Being part of the association is about sharing, being part of a much bigger picture. If you have issues with an assignment for one reason or another, you can almost guarantee that there will be someone within the association who would back you up and cover for you, I doubt you would have that kind of support outside of the association.

PPOC is about sharing as much as it is about giving. I have tried

to involve myself since I became a member. Helping with image competitions, accreditations, becoming part of the Branch Executive, then part of the PPOC-ON Executive and then Ontario's Image Salon Chair. Each step has offered me the opportunity to not only help myself with continuous learning opportunities, but it has also allowed me the chance to help others within the association.

I believe PPOC is only as good as the members and the people who volunteer. Each one of them is trying to make this association beneficial for all, but change takes time and it is changing. New blood is always welcome, ideas are always welcome, and honest inquiries help PPOC to become stronger. Nothing is perfect, but we have good people, talented people, who are volunteering their time and energy to move this association forward, this is time away from their business and family.

If you want more out of the association you have to participate, try to attend meetings even if it’s only 1 or 2 a year. It is being "part of " a group and not just from a distance. I travel anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to get to a Central Branch meeting as I find value in being part of them. I always learn from attending, whether it’s from the speakers, or just from some small tidbit that someone shared with me. The yearly Canadian Imaging Conference is another opportunity to be involved and get connected. Attending events is part of the package, you get to meet people, share, learn, and participate.

If you don't find value in the association it’s like one of your potential clients judging you merely on what you charge and not what you provide. What do you tell your clients when they ask what is the value in your work compared to another photographers? Why should they hire you?

I could go on with more reasons to be a member, but I think you get the idea. Some things cannot be measured on price alone.

Wendy Gonneau, MPA Wasaga Beach, Ontario - 31 -

Concept to Cover The creative story behind the cover photo By : Louise Simone, MPA

M

y image “Moody” is a reflection of the great passion I have always had for child portraiture. I find children project deep and true feelings in their simplicity and honesty. This image was an outdoor portrait using natural lighting and a reflector set in a beautiful location in a doorway entrance.

It was captured with a Contax medium format camera and the Kodak ProBack, using a 120mm lens on a tripod at ISO 400, 1/30 sec, f4.0.

In post-production the image was retouched in Photoshop, painted with Corel Painter and turned into Black and White with a subtle touch of warmth.

I have been in this beautiful profession since 1975 and share it with my husband Joseph under the signature of ‘’ Simone Portrait’’ in Quebec, Canada. In addition to winning an award in the PPOC image competition, this image also received a 1st place Grand Imaging Award in the PPA international competition and a Golden Medallion from the American Society of Photographers.

After retouching Images By: Louise Simone

Original photo before retouching

Setup

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Photo by Kieron Nevison, shot using ELinchrom ELC Pro HD self-contained flash.

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PHOTO | VIDEO | DIGITAL | SALES | RENTALS | SERVICE TORONTO • MISSISSAUGA • OTTAWA • CALGARY • EDMONTON - 34 -• VISTEK.CA

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