TAPPA Tribune - March 2014

March, 2014

Salon Competition The Manual Way Reflectors Photoshop Tips

The TAPPA Tribune Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Why Compete?

Kevin Newsome

March is “Salon” month. Confusing term, isn’t it? Sounds like we’ll be having our hair done. Never understood why it was called “Salon,” but I guess that’s not important.

The “Salon” competition is really just another educational opportunity for our members. A way for us to improve our craft through competition, scoring, critique, and feedback from qualified judges who make their living by creating quality images.

There is a competitive spirit involved, but not always one where you’re competing against other members, more like one where you’re competing with yourself. You compete to become a better image maker.

You compete to learn what you don’t know. You compete to become the kind of photographer your clients appreciate more, and will pay top dollar for.

I highly encourage EVERYONE in TAPPA to compete, and challenge you to improve your skills, and raise the bar. Toughen up your skin though.

Competition isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s for those who want to grow, and don’t mind an occasional ego-beating to get there!

Cheers, and Best of Luck to ALL OF YOU!

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CONTENTS The TAPPA Tribune is published monthly for the membership of the Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association. Its purpose is to share knowledge and insight with the photographic industry.

The deadline for submission of articles and ad changes is the 15th of the month.

Contents Why Compete?

2

Image Salon Competition

4

Salon Judges

7

Important Message from your Salon Manager

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Upcoming Events

9

Print of the Month Rules

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Print of the Month - Portrait

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Chuck Vosburgh 300 62nd Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33710 Chuck@ChuckVosburgh.com 727.743.1740

Print of the Month - Social Function

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Print of the Month - Unclassified

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It’s Manual Way or The Highway

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Advertising:

Show them what you mean

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Delegate’s Report

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Photoshop Tips

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I don’t want to hear it

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Permission is hereby granted to reprint the contents of this newsletter, provided the authors and The TAPPA Tribune are recognized as the source.

The ideas and views expressed do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association; they are solely those of the author.

Editor:

To advertise in the TAPPA Tribune, please contact the editor for rates and distribution information.

Meetings: TAPPA monthly meetings take place the second Tuesday of the month at: Doubletree Hotel 4500 W. Cypress Street Tampa, FL (one block east of Westshore Blvd).

Networking Dinner Meeting

Visit TAPPA on FaceBook

6:00 pm 6:30 pm 7:30 pm

Register online at TAPPA.org

On the cover: First place, Portrait by Michael Landes

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THIS MONTH’S PROGRAM

Image Salon Competition

The TAPPA Salon Competition will be held at this month’s meeting, This competition will be all-digital. If you need any help getting your files ready, PPA has an online tutorial at ppa.com/competition/tutorials.php.

Meeting Details Tuesday, March 11, 2014 Judging: 4:00 Social 6:00 Dinner 6:30 Program 7:00 Member with PayPal RSVP

by Noon March 4th: $25 After the 4th: $35 Register online at TAPPA.org Doubletree Hotel 4500 W. Cypress St., Tampa

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Procedures & Rules Please study and follow carefully. Not doing so will prevent judging of your entry. Complete the official entry form. Be sure to sign the certification.

ELIGIBILITY: Any member of TAPPA in good standing.

ENTRIES: A total, not to exceed 6 images, may be entered by one photographer per salon judging.

Images previously entered in TAPPA Salon Competitions may not be entered again. No two images shall be of the same subject.

ENTRY FEE: The entry fee of $5.00 covers one to six entries.If you are not attending the competition, the entry fee is $15. Please pay that evening.

If you are not attending but placing entries please let me know a couple of days before the event.

ENTRY FORM: The completed entry form must be done at the time of entry.

ENTRY DEADLINES: Entries must be uploaded onto the website. Go to the TAPPA website and then to: PrintCompetiton.com

social function portraits or candids.

3. COMMERCIAL: This category includes illustrative, industrial, architectural, and product photography. Live models may be used for these entries.

4. UNCLASSIFIED: This category includes abstracts, pictorials (non-portrait), animals, figure studies and photojournalism.

5. ELECTRONIC IMAGING: This category includes digital restoration, image enhancement. Entries will be judged for digital, artistic and technical proficiency.

6. ALBUMS: This Category includes wedding albums, story book and portrait albums. Albums can be from 1 or more makers.

Send ALBUM ENTRIES ONLY, 24 hours before salon, to: Constance Avellino at cap_studios@hotmail.com

The deadline for all entries is 24 hours before the salon.

IMAGE PREPARATION: Always SAVE a copy of your competition print file before attempting this!

FILE NAMING: Will be done automatically. But of course you will need to title your entries.

See tutorials at http://www.ppa.com/competitions/tutorials.php

CLASSIFICATION OF ENTRIES: Entries must be designated by the entrant in one of the six (6) categories listed on the entry form. If the chairman feels the entry is placed in an incorrect category, he/she may change the entry’s category. Color and Black and White images will be judged together in all categories.

Files must be sized so the longest dimension is 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi). Each file must contain an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10. Total file size should not exceed 3.5 MB.

1. PORTRAIT: This category includes portraits of men, women, children, couples (2 people), groups (3 or more), and environmental portraits.

2. SOCIAL FUNCTION: This category includes

File Preparation: Entries must be uploaded to PrintCompetiton.com at least 24 hours before the salon.

All files must have the longest file dimension at

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4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi), have an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.

Studio identification or entrant’s name cannot appear on any file within the entry.

File naming will be done automatically. But of course you will need to title your entries when you upload.

Album File Preparation: Entries must be emailed to the Salon Manager 24 hours before the salon.

Judging Procedures: Each salon will be judged by a panel of three qualified judges using FPP and PPA guidelines including point scoring procedures.

The score of the three judges will be totaled and averaged for the final score. When a judge’s score varies 10 points or more from the average score, it becomes an automatic challenge and the photograph must be discussed and re-scored.

A judge may initiate a challenge at any time.

SCORING:

All page/spread files must have the longest file dimension at 4,000 pixels (20 inches at 200 ppi), have an embedded color profile of either sRGB or Adobe RGB1998 and be saved at a JPEG quality setting of 10.

Prints are scored from 0 to 100 as follows:

Each page/spread file may contain as many images as you desire.

An entry may contain up to 36 page/spread files

100-95 EXCEPTIONAL

79-76 GOOD

94-90 SUPERIOR

75-74 AVERAGE

89-85 EXCELLENT

73-70 FAIR

84-80 VERY GOOD

69-0 UNACCEPTABLE

Files are to be numbered in viewing order using two digits (i.e., 01 jpg, 02 jpg, 03 jpg, etc.).

All entries receiving scores of 78-79 are automatically challenged and re-judged. On the re-judging, the change of a score is by a 2/3 majority vote of the judges.

All individual files must be compressed into a single ZIP file. ZIP file must be named: LastName_Album_Title (use _for spaces, e.g. Sewell_Summer_ Wedding.zip)

AWARDS: Ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place in each category. Merit ribbons will be awarded to all images scoring an 80 or above.

Studio identification or entrant’s name cannot appear on any file within the album entry.

A Best of Show ribbon will be awarded to the print judged best by the panel of judges.

Send ALBUM ENTRIES ONLY, 24 hours before salon, to: Constance Avellino at cap_studios@hotmail.com

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Salon Judges Peter A. Burg

Gregory Daniel

John Woodward

Peter A. Burg is sought after as a lecturer, mentor and judge by other photographers. He has received the following degrees, awards and recognition: Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman, Certified Professional Photographer, Florida Degree of Photographic Excellence, Florida Service Award, Florida Education Degree and Qualified Panoramic Photographer. He is a two time recipient of the Kodak 50th Anniversary Award for Consistent Quality and The Becker Award for Creative Photography.

He has also been awarded the FPP Past President’s Award for Photographic Excellence, and was the #1 Photographer at the 2010 FPP convention. He has also received numerous Kodak Gallery awards, and several Fuji Masterpiece Awards. He was also the first photographer to ever score a 100 at SEPPA. He has traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada, British Isles, China, Tibet,France, Cuba and Italy. His work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Builder Architect, Winter Park Home Magazine, Fifty Plus, Sun Coast Builder, Bowlers Digest and Billiard Magazine.

M. Photog.,Cr., CPP, F-ASP, FDPE, FSA

Master of Photography PPA, Master of Photography MPOC, Craftsman Photographer PPA, Approved Photographic Instructor PPA, Educational Associate ASP, 2x Photographer of the Year PPA, 2x Regional Medallion , Winner ASP, and National Award Recipient PPA.

Greg and his wife Lesa Daniel are internationally recognized for their artistry. Though he is one of the most awarded photographers in the United States, Greg has the utmost privilege of living out his passion every day alongside Lesa in operating their portrait photography galleries in both Indialantic and Titusville Florida.

He has achieved both the title of Master of Photography and The American Society of Photographers Fellowship Award. In addition, Greg is a member of the prestigious Cameracraftsmen of America, and is a proud founding member of the International Society of Portrait Artists (ISPA). He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Professional Photographers of America.

John has spent 40 years producing images for corporations such as Chase, Citibank, Viacom, Paramount, RJR Nabisco, Hawaiian Tropic, Cunard, Hyatt, Unisys and Marriott.

His work in sports includes being the official photographer for the New York Yankees for 6 years, He was director of photography for the Avon and Virginia Slim’s women’s tennis championships as well as corporate sponsors photographer for the Jets, Giants, Islanders, Rangers, the New York Marathon and several others.

John was the Corporate Sponsors Photographer for the United States Tennis Open for three decades. He was Unisys’s photographer for the United States Golf Open.

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As an event photographer, he covered the Heisman trophy presentation, the NFL draft, the Emmy awards, and eventually had a headquarters in the New York Marriott Marquis when it opened on Broadway in New York City.

In the world of music he has had opportunities to work with the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Bon Jovi, Billy Idol and Billy Joel.

Mr. Woodward was the photographer for the League of American Theater Owners and Producers.

Important Message from your Salon Manager

Mr. Woodward has photographed Heads of State, two Popes, the Dalai Lama, Presidents Reagan, Carter, Ford, Bush and Nixon and First Ladies Reagan and Bush.

John has received his Master of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America. He is also a Craftsman Photographer. He was a Two-Time Photographer of the Year and is the recipient of the National Award at the Western states Regional Convention. The Professional Photographers of America recognized him as an Approved Photographic Instructor [API] The American Society of Photographers [ASP] recognize John Woodward as an Educational Associate. He received two regional medallion’s from the ASP. His most recent achievement is becoming a Master of Portraiture granted by the Master Photographers of Canada. He will also be a lead judge for this organization.

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Hope everyone is working on their images for Salon.

Judging begins at 4pm March 11th, with critique following dinner. upload your images to : https://printcompetition.com If you have any questions contact your salon manager, Connie at: cap_studios@hotmail.com

Upcoming Events

Print of the Month Rules - Prints are to be mounted.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Salon

- Size: 8x10.

- Electronic Imaging size can be two 8x10 taped together on the back and spread open for viewing.

- Three entries per member each month.

- There must be at least three entries in a category for that category to be included in the monthly competition.

- All entries MUST have your name and the category you wish to enter on the back of the print.

- Prints must be turned in before 6:25 pm.

Prints received after 6:25 will not be accepted!

Winners: - Please send your winning files to POM@TAPPA.org for the newsletter as soon as Possible. Deadline for publication is one week after the meeting.

- Name your files by your last name-place-category. For example Smith-1st-Portrait.jpg - Any resolution 1000 pixels on the longest side or greater is acceptable. JPEG format is preferrable.

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Print of the Month - Portrait First Place: Michael Landes

Print of the Month - Portrait Third Place: Kim Warmolts

Print of the Month - Social Function First Place: Booray Perry

Print of the Month - Social Function Second Place: Shiree Beckwith-Funk

Print of the Month - Social Function Third Place: Shiree Beckwith-Funk

Print of the Month - Unclassified First Place: Michael Landes

Print of the Month - Unclassified Second Place: Curtis Frey

It’s Manual Way or The Highway

By Booray Perry

One of the things that I see time and again online is photographers arguing for shooting in Manual Mode all the time. They claim it’s the only way to have complete control over your camera settings. They refuse to listen to any argument to the contrary and shun anyone who dares suggest that one of the “auto” modes might be useful from time to time.

I never use “Auto” mode or “P” mode but I use “AV” mode all the time. I think that a lot of people don’t realize that AV mode can be very useful in the right situation… much more useful than Manual mode. This stems from the fact that many people don’t know about or use the Exposure Compensation settings on their camera.

I only use AV mode in bright sunlight when I am shooting without a flash. But in that setting, it is much better than manual mode. Here’s why: Let’s say I’m shooting a wedding outside in the sun. I’m in Manual mode. My primary concern is depth of field because I want to isolate my subjects from the background as much as possible.

So, I set my aperture to 4.5. Then, while looking at the camera’s meter, I adjust my shutter speed until I have a good exposure, a “center-needle.” If I want to over or under-expose the image, I move the needle left or right until I get the setting I want. I glance at my shutter speed to make sure it’s okay but if it’s a bright day it’s really not a concern because it’s going to be high no matter what.

Let’s say that I did all this while focusing on the groom’s face. I now have the shot I want, so I move

around to take a shot of the bride. The problem is that the groom was facing into the sun and the bride is not. So, my needle suddenly buries itself and I have to start turning my dial to lower my shutter speed until I center the needle again. Now I have my shot.

Now, let’s do the same thing in AV Mode. I set my aperture to 4.5 and take a picture of the groom.

Then I walk around and take a picture of the bride.

I never have to adjust my shutter speed because the camera does that for me. The camera centers my needle faster than I ever could.

This is where photographers often shout, “Yes, but you don’t have control! The camera has control!” To which I reply, “Yes, I’m letting the camera change my shutter speed to the exact same setting that I would set it to myself in Manual Mode.”

I don’t check the temperature in my home every hour and turn the A/C on and off by hand. I tell the thermostat what I want the temperature to be and it controls the settings for me. Why not tell my camera, “I want a center needle. I’ll control the aperture and you just set the shutter speed to give me a center needle since that’s what I was going to do anyway.”

I think the biggest reason that photographers are afraid of the “auto” settings is that they don’t always understand the Exposure Compensation setting on their camera. I’m convinced that many don’t even know it exists. It rocks.

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With Exposure Compensation, you can tweak the setting that your camera selects. For example, on the beach I always overexpose a little. So, I turn my exposure compensation dial on my camera to +1 stop. Now, I select my aperture and the camera selects the shutter speed that will give me a +1 exposure… instantly… no matter where I am standing… no matter where I am aiming, etc. You can adjust the exposure by 3 stops in either direction.

In Manual Mode, my needle is all over the place as I move around the wedding.

I’m constantly adjusting to compensate.

In AV Mode my needle never moves. It stays right where I want it all the time. If a manual shooter wants to change the exposure they turn the shutter speed dial.

I do the same thing by turning the exposure compensation dial. The difference is that the manual shooter has to make adjustments constantly while I can let the camera make those adjustments for me.

Looking at my last wedding, the first 6 images have these shutter speed: 1/800, 1/500, 1/1250, 1/500, 1/400, 1/1000, 1/640, 1/800. Now, I could have set those shutter speeds myself before every shot but why bother when the camera will do it for me? There’s no benefit to having “total control” of your settings if you are using the same settings that the camera would select for you.

It’s important to remember that using the AV setting this way only works when you are in bright sunlight because the shutter speed is so high that you don’t have to worry that the camera will set it too low and cause camera shake or motion blur.

But in the right situation, AV mode is easier and faster than manual mode and gives you the same level of control.

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Show them what you mean

By Chuck Vosburgh

Recently I had the honor of speaking at a local organization about my business and one person’s comment hit me right between my eyes.

For my presentation, it wasn’t practical to have a projector, and space was very limited so I just brought one big print on canvas and an easel. The print was a nice classical portrait of a lady, since that’s what I wanted to promote. After my presentation, one of the attendees made a comment that hit me right between my eyes.

“ I knew you were a photographer, but I didn’t know that is what you do.

That’s like a piece of art!”

He didn’t know. Worse yet, he is someone I’ve known for some time and he didn’t know. How could he not know?!

He never actually saw one of my prints. Sure, he’d seen my web site and the flyers I hand out, but he never really saw my work. It’s easy to assume people can understand by your description and photos, but they can’t. They have to see it and feel it for themselves. So does that mean I have to carry a canvas around with me? Maybe.

Delegate’s Report

The Monday Delegates meeting followed an incredibly great Spring FPP Seminar with Andre Amyot.

The Delegates meeting is a chance for one person from every section to all come together and share ideas and tell each other what has and what has not worked well for their section. Some of the sections have had falling membership numbers for the past couple of years. The numbers seem to be getting a little better for some of the smaller sections so there are more signs of recovery for our field. There is always a concern about the number of people who don’t join any organizations because they can do all of their training and networking right at their computer. They truly do not know what they are missing out on in terms of training, fellowship, sharing, support, and sense of community.

Tampa has so many professional photographers that it would benefit all of us to befriend these photographers and bring them into the fold.

The Delegates meeting is also a good time to remind everyone of all the ‘paperwork’ (mostly electronic fortunately) that has to be done. Your

TAPPA Board is very good about keeping up both their FPP affiliation and their PPA affiliation, as well as staying on top of the State of Florida and IRS requirements.

The old NWSFPP (Destin area FPP section) has renamed themselves the Panhandle Professional Photographers and their new logo will include P3 as an identifier. They said that rebranding their Section has made several members think about doing their own personal business rebranding… might be a good idea every once in a while.

After the delegates meeting I had a chance to sit in on our FPP Board meeting. This is a very hard working Board. They are putting a tremendous amount of effort into making sure the FPP is being run in the most streamlined way while still be totally responsive to the needs and desires of their membership. Very impressive group.

Thank you to both the TAPPA Board and the FPP Board!

Julie Johnson Delegate TAPPA

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Photoshop Tips

Provided by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals

Create A Layer Below A Layer

Cross-Processed Look With A Curve

Sometimes, you need a new layer to appear below the layer you’re working on. If you Command-click (PC: Ctrl-click on the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel, a new layer will appear below your active layer, unless you’re on the Background layer, as nothing can go below the locked Background layer.

I often use a Curves adjustment layer to create a nice fashion cross-processed look. Choose Blue in the channel pop-up menu, then click-and-drag the curve a little bit up on the left side and a little bit down on the right side.

Provided by Raphael “RC” Concepcion

Deep Eye Sockets

Creating Glossy Lips

If your subject has dark eye sockets, press Command-J (PC: Ctrl-J) to duplicate the Background layer, then change the layer blend mode to Screen to brighten the entire image. Option-click (PC: Altclick) the Add Layer Mask icon (circle in a square) to hide this brighter layer behind a black mask.

Press D to set your Foreground color to white; choose a small, soft-edged Brush (B); then paint over the entire eye-socket area to brighten that area. Now, lower the layer Opacity until the brightening matches the surrounding skin.

If you see a shiny highlight on your subject’s lips, and you want to make it look glossier, duplicate the Background layer then change your layer blend mode to Screen to brighten the entire image. Option-click (PC: Alt-click) the Add Layer Mask icon to hide this brighter layer behind a black mask. Press D to set your Foreground color to white; choose a small, soft-edged Brush (B); and paint over those white highlight areas on the lips and they’ll get even glossier.

Provided by Scott Kelby

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TAPPA Tribune

Provided by Calvin Hollywood

Provided by Scott Kelby

EDITORIAL

I don’t want to hear it

By Chuck Vosburgh

I’m starting to get a bad attitude. It seems like everywhere I read and everyone I talk to has nothing but doom and gloom about our industry and it’s polluting my thoughts. It’s so ubiquitous, I can’t help but wonder if we’re all becoming brainwashed into believing it’s worse than it really is.

There’s no doubt that it’s been tougher than ever, and I don’t know anyone in any line of work who isn’t struggling to make it these days, but come on...

If it’s as bad as I hear, I have two choices; deal with it or quit and do something else for a living. It’s that simple. Many photographers have quit, but I plan to stay.

It seems that all the problems come down to three issues: 1. There are a lot of new people who work cheap (or free) who have very little skill.

2. Clients who think the newbees’ work is good enough.

3. There are no good assignments out there anymore.

Let’s start with problem number one. If a new person with minimal skills is beating you out of jobs, assuming you’re a good, estabilshed photographer, you’re going after the wrong kind of clients.

Problem number two is an issue of being able to show and explain why your work is better. The reasons have to be in the clien’t best interest.

Problem number three is not true. Someone’s doing all those big projects.

The way I see it is this: If I can’t kick a newbees butt in the marketplace I don’t deserve the business.

If I can’t prove that my work and price is a better value I don’t deserve the business.

Someone earned the business of the big clients. If I can’t earn it myself, I don’t deserve the business.

I don’t know about you, but my problem is in the mirror. I have stopped reading all the bad news and when someone starts complaining, I’m going to resist the urge to commisurate and politely excuse myself.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2014 Officers President

Kevin Newsome

813 968-2810

Kevin@NewsomesStudio.com

Vice President

Susan Black

813 230-6472

Susan@Bespics.com

Secretary

Carol Hackman

727 867-9254

HackmanC@tampabay.rr.com

Treasurer

Christine Reynolds

813 760-0831

ChristineR@aol.com

Past President

Benjamin Todd

813 431-2873

Benjamin.Todd@Verizon.net

Directors

Constance Avellino

813 600-8152

Me@ConstanceAvellinoPhotos.com

Lee Burgess

813 245-3320

Lee2810@verizon.net

Booray Perry

813-728-7110

booray@boorayperry.com

Melissa Sewell

813 230-7092

Melissa@DontBlinkllc.com

Chuck Vosburgh

727 743-1740

Chuck@ChuckVosburgh.com

Committees Delegate

Julie Johnson

Membership

Melissa Sewell

813 230-7092

Melissa@Dontblinkllc.com

Program

Susan Black

813 230-6472

Susan@Bespics.com

Salon

Constance Avellino

813 600-8152

Me@ConstanceAvellinoPhotos.com

Door Prize

Amber Wilkes

605 351-5865

ambi57106@yahoo.com

Scholarship

Susan Black

813 230-6472

Susan@Bespics.com

Audio Visual

Lee Burgess

813 245-3320

Lee2810@verizon.net

Newsletter Editor

Chuck Vosburgh

727 743-1740

Chuck@ChuckVosburgh.com

Photographer

Elizabeth Kraker

727 403-1436

LizQueenBee1963@yahoo.com

Web Master

Lee Burgess

813 245-3320

Lee2810@verizon.net

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