Issue 13 is chock-full of tests! We have the Nikon D750 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 on the test bench and we take a look at accessories and print labs, too. We have two interviews covering exhibitions and showcasing some fantastic photographs. Last but not least, Camera class answers some common focusing questions.
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Your FREE newspaper packed with the latest news, views and stories from the world of photography Cashbackbrings Christmas early Three leading camera manufacturers offer money-back deals as this year’s festive countdown kicks off Photography news NEWS PREVIEWS TESTS CAMERACLUBS INTERVIEWS ADVICE COMPETITIONS
FREE Issue 13
21October – 17November 2014
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Don’t miss your chance to win £1000s. See page 4 Enterwhileyoucan! Last call for images inthreeprestigious photocompetitions
Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilm have all announced tempting cashback deals in the past few days with more manufacturers expected to follow suit in the coming weeks. Cashback promotions, where customers claim money back from manufacturers by sending a proof of purchase, have become a festive fixture to boost sales in the run-up to Christmas and this year’s promotions are giving photographers a great opportunity to pick up new kit and keep the bank manager happy. All three companies are offering varying cashback amounts across a selection of products purchased between now and January 2015, but Fujifilm is also offering a free lens promotion on the X-Pro1 in which customers can claim two free prime lenses when they buy the camera body. For more details on all the promotions, turn to the news story on page 3.
Tested: NikonD750, Panasonic GM5 and 12 online print labs Salonmembers as selectors – chaos or theway forward? London Salon of Photography thinks it’s the future
Plus FujifilmXF18-135mm& B+Wpolariser
Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilmhave all revealed tempting cashback deals with up to £175 to be claimed on selected products purchased before January 2015.
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Issue 13 | Photography News
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Christmas comes early Nikon, Fujifilmand Panasonic get festive with cashback and free lens incentives
NEWS INBRIEF WIN A TRIP TO PHOTOGRAPHERS’ PARADISE Topping the list of must-visit places for pretty much every photographer is Iceland. Its breathtaking landscape with geysers, waterfalls, volcanoes and fjords provide endless photographic opportunities, ones which you could be making the most of if you’re the lucky winner of X-Rite’s competition. The colour science and technology giant has partnered with X-Rite Coloratti Einer Erlendsson and his company Focus on Nature to offer one winner an eight day all-inclusive trip to Erlendsson. You’ve got until 31 March 2015 to enter the competition via the website and the winner will be notified on 15 April. www.xritephoto.eu/ iceland Iceland, including a workshop with
£175 cashback
TWO FREE LENSES
£30 cashback
£100 cashback
XF lenses, but buying multiple lenses attracts greater cashback offers. Fujifilm X-Pro1 buyers can also claim two free lenses – the XF18mm and XF27mm with a combined value of nearly £900 – when they buy the body. Panasonic’s offer extends across CSCs, compacts and camcorders with the range-topping GH4 attracting £100 cashback and the high-quality TZ60 compact offering £30 back. Purchases should be made before 12 January 2015. Terms and conditions apply on all the deals, so be sure to check the small print on the links below before you buy.
Nikon, Panasonic and Fujifilm have brought Christmas early thanks to tempting cashback deals and free lens incentives on selected DSLRs, CSCs and lenses. Nikon’s cashback deals cover entry-level DSLRs, a range of DX and FX lenses and two flashguns with values ranging from £20 for the D3200 through to £175 on each of the 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, 24-70mm f/2.8G ED and 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lenses. Purchases made before 25 January 2015 qualify. Buy a Fujifilm X-E2 or X-T1 Black between now and 11 January and you’ll be able to claim £100 cashback, the same amount can also be claimed on individual
π To find out more, go to nikon.co.uk/promotions • fujifilm.eu/uk/products/digital-cameras/promotions • panasonic.co.uk/promotions.
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Latest photography news Hurry, hurry, hurry It’s the last call for threemajor contests so do the groundwork to get your shots ready now
For those fancying their chances in the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition, the pressure is on to get your entry in with the closing date of 31 October 2014 just around the corner. Enter into one of eight categories and get one step closer to scooping the top prize of £5000 or a £2000 prize and RPS gold medal for best portfolio. The winning images will feature in a touring exhibition that travels around the UK and worldwide, hosted, amongst other places, at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and as far afield as Australia. IGPOTY is also unique in that it offers feedback to entrants, it’s worth entering for that invaluable constructive criticism alone. Entries are made via the website. Garden Photographer of the Year
π To find out more, go to www.igpoty.com.
35th annual Nikon Photo Contest
This year, Nikon has thrown the competition doors open, welcoming images from any digital device – meaning your images will likely be up against smartphone snaps. The competition was already stiff last year, with nearly 100,000 entries coming in from 153 countries and with the net being cast even wider this year those numbers are more than likely to grow. Entries are organised into four categories: single photo, photo story, photographic video and motion snapshot. New for 2015, there is an additional ‘home’ theme, which invites entrants to offer up their interpretation of home. The grand prize winner as well as 96 first, second and third place winners will be chosen by a panel of 17 judges and will be announced in June 2015. There is a cash prize for the grand prizewinner and for those first in their category. You have until 15 December to get your entry in via the website.
π To find out more, go to www.nikon-photocontest.com/eu.
RHS Photographer of the Year
for the money, but there are also cash prizes for second and third places too and winners receive a year’s RHS gift membership giving you free entry to the RHS gardens. To clue you in on who’ll be casting a critical eye over your work, the RHS has just announced that international garden photographer Andrew Lawson will be joining the panel of judges this year. Enter via the website, but you’ll have to be quick!
If you’ve been umming and ahhing about which image to enter into the RHS Photographer of the Year – or pondering whether to enter at all – now’s the time to make a decision. You’ve got until 2 November to submit your entry and be in with a chance of bagging the top prize of £2000 and of course the much-coveted title of RHS Photographer of the Year 2015. There are five categories to enter: plants, abstracts, details, seasons, celebrating gardens and wildlife – leaving you with plenty of scope when it comes to choosing an image. Of course you won’t be entering
π To find out more, go to www.rhs.org.uk/photocomp.
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PNY power on
Congratulations to HarlowPS
NEWS INBRIEF
PNY has power banks for all your charging needs. The Direct Connect range has two models, the DCM2200 and the DCL2200, the M standing for Micro USB and the L for Lightning, and they fit flush with Android or Apple mobiles. They have enough power to give your mobile device one full charge. Prices are £18 and £27 respectively. If you want greater capacity for more charging cycles or need to charge up your tablet, look at PNY’s T-series PowerPacks. Four different
SUPREME
BOWENS Bowens has launched five flash heads for its Creo generator mains flash system. There are two Light Sticks (20cm and 30cm) costing £1080 each, two Slim Lights (69cm and 130cm) costing £2099 and the Creo FS250 Fresnel spotlight costing £3455. www.bowens.co.uk EDITING SOFTWARE GETS SLICKER CyberLink has updated its digital workflow program for Mac OS and Windows in the form of PhotoDirector 6. This latest version makes it easy to create perfect panoramas and has smart photo merging, which blends multiple group photos for one flawless shot. CyberLink has extended its compatibility range so it’ll now work with 100 additional camera sped up making it 41% faster than in previous versions. It can be downloaded from the CyberLink website and is available in three versions, PhotoDirector 6 Suite (£114.99), Ultra (£79.99) and Deluxe (£49.99). www.cyberlink.com models and lenses plus the exporting process has been
capacity models are available, T2600, T5200, T7800 and T10400, at £12, £20, £30 and £40 respectively. These lightweight battery packs feature a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
π To find out more, go to www.pny.com.
If you fancy a photo workshop in Tuscany in the company of an expert, check out Lakeland Photographic Holidays’ latest trip with John Gravett. The group will enjoy visits to Bagno Vignoni, Belvedere, Spedaletto, Siena, Pienza, La Foce, Montecchiello, St Antimo Castello Velona, St Quirico d’Orcia and Palazzone as well as hearty breakfasts in gorgeous trattorias, fabulous packed lunches and indulgent, relaxed dinners. Flying out 25 April 2015 and returning 2 May, it costs £1550 per person including transport around Tuscany and most meals but excluding flights. Visit Tuscany Now’s your chance to shoot glorious Tuscanywith an expert on hand
Back in Photography News issue 8 and thanks to the kindness of Epson, we offered camera clubs the chance to win an A3 R3000 printer, and the winners are Harlow Photographic Society – so huge congratulations to them. We asked clubs to submit three pictures and Harlow PS’s submission was judged to be the best by Nick White of Epson UK and Will Cheung, PN ’s editor. The winning portfolio comprised Black and White and Red by Tony Perryman, Attacking the Course by Graham Perryman and The Blue Welly by Heather Clarke. “Harlow PS is a well-established go-ahead club with around 45 members,” says Heather Clarke. “We engage in a lot of interaction with other clubs as this helps members to gain inspiration from different styles of work. We are also this year running separate ‘discovery’ evenings to help new members and less experienced photographers learn about their cameras, exposure, depth-of-field, lenses, photo- editing programs etc. The object of the club is enjoyment of our hobby along with helping each other to improve. “Thank you so much to Photography News and Epson for this wonderful prize.” ABOVE Delighted members of Harlow PS: Malcolm Tinn, president; Alan Buller, treasurer; Tony Perryman, viewfinder editor; Heather Clarke, outside competitions sec; and GrahamWoolmer, chairman.
π To find out more, go to www.lakelandphotohols.com.
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Latest photography news
DxOv10
NEWS INBRIEF
The Essential edition costs £99 and the Elite edition £159. Benefits of the Elite edition include the PRIME denoising feature, ClearView, and it allows the use of camera ICC profiles. DxO FilmPack 5 is an easy-to-use film emulator with up to 80 well-known films available at a click of a mouse. It is available in Essential and Elite editions costing £59 and £99 respectively. Elite has the benefit of Raw support, many more presets, and offers graphic effects like the ability to add frames, texture and light leaks.
DxO has announced two new softwares, OpticsPro 10 and FilmPack 5, and an update, Viewpoint 2.5. DxO 10 offers faster performance than the previous version. One of the many notable speed improvements is to the software’s PRIME noise-reducing feature. PRIME denoising is very, very effective, but it can take several minutes per image – v10 is now at least four times quicker. And it’s now also 10x quicker loading files so you have immediate access to images.
FUJI PROCESSING
LAB TO CLOSE Fujifilm has been running its E6
processing facility in partnership with CC Imaging but as of 1 November the camera company will no longer put its name to the facility. Customers with remaining rolls of Fujichrome Sensia process-paid film have until 1 November to get their film processed before the voucher becomes invalid. The E6 slide film processing line will then continue to be run by CC Imaging alongside its existing lab facilities, enabling customers to still process their transparency films, just not under the Fujifilm brand lab. For any queries, contact the Fujifilm Processing Lab
π To find out more, go to www.dxo.com.
Lighting it up
Interfit’s latest Nanguang LED lighting range has also been developed with an emphasis on portability. There are 16 products in the range, including pro bodies encased in metal, a mid-range using plastic bodies for portability and a value range. Prices start from £54 for a Pro on-camera 7.4W LED light to £540 for a Bi Colour 72W LED Panel Light. The Strobies Pro-Flash 360 (£450 with battery pack) is the last announcement. Designed as an off-camera flash, it is powered by an external 11.1V li-ion battery pack, which provides over 450 full-power flashes. It can also be used as a traditional on-camera speedlight.
Three new releases this month from photographic lighting and accessories firm Interfit Photographic. No surprises on their first announcement: a new line of softboxes. The difference lies in the range’s portability. Interfit has designed a series that is foldable offering a large size but light weight. The softboxes are easy to assemble featuring an internal frame of interlocking fibreglass rods that snap into place. The softboxes are available in a range of shapes and sizes, including two beauty dishes, and come in both S-type and EX mounts priced from £61 to £70.
by email at info@ fujifilmprocessing laboratory.co.uk.
π To find out more about Interfit products, go to www.interfitphotographic.com.
Elinchromdelights Elinchrom has added a few very interesting items to its already extensive product line-up. One of the most interesting to come to market is the Litemotiv, a brolly with 16 sides to produce circular catchlights, with two sizes available, 120cm and 190cm. They fit all Elinchrom heads and can be used with the system’s deflector panels. For special lighting effects the FS30 focusing Fresnel spot will find many fans, while Quadra users will appreciate a heavy-duty adaptor to fit Elinchrom accessories onto Quadra heads. Prices of these new items are yet to be announced.
π To find out more, go to www.theflashcentre.co.uk.
Lexar go fastest
Lexar’s latest 2000x SD UHS-II SD cards offer transfer speeds up to 300MB/s and write speeds of 260MB/s. Cards are available in 32GB and 64GB capacities and these cost £78 and £136 respectively. And every 2000x card comes with an SD USB3.0 reader to maximise the speed of your workflow. A less expensive 1000x SD card is also available and this offers write speeds of 95MB/s and transfer speeds of 160MB/s. Card sizes 16GB to 250GB are available – the 16GB version costs £24 and the 250GB £401.
π To find out more, go to lexar.com.
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Issue 13 | Photography News
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Camera clubs Tell us your club’s latest news, email: clubnews@photography-news.co.uk
Camera club news If your club has any news that you want to share with the rest of the world, this is the page for it. Your story might be about your club’s success in a contest, or a member’s personal achievement; it could be about a group outing you had recently or when the annual exhibition is on show. Any news is eligible for inclusion, so club publicity officers please take note of the submission guidelines and get your stories in
HOWTO SUBMIT
Allow plenty of time. Photography News comes out around the third week of the month. For the next issue, which comes out 17 November we need words and pictures by 6 November. Write your story on a Word document (400 words maximum) and attach it to an email to clubnews@photography-news.co.uk. In the story please include contact details of the club, exhibition or event – website, meeting time, opening times, whatever is relevant to the story. Images: Yes please, and attach these to the email too. Images should be JPEGs, 2000 pixels on the longest dimension and any colour space. If the story is an exhibition or event, please send a picture from the exhibition (not the publicity poster), the winning image or one of the event. If the picture includes people please identify them on the Word document. Deadline for the next issue: 6November
LondonSalondebut Derby City PC member has images accepted by London Salon of Photography
says Barry. “I also submit images to national and international salons. This year, I submitted four to the London Salon international print exhibition, which accepts around 200 prints from all over the world and goes on tour in the UK. When I heard that two of my prints had been accepted into this prestigious exhibition, I was very pleased.”
Barry Thompson LRPS and committee member of Derby City Photographic Club has had two images accepted by the London Salon of Photography 2014 annual exhibition. “Belonging to Derby City PC, we are encouraged to participate in the monthly competitions and over the years I have been moderately successful,”
π To find out more about Barry Thompson’s work, go to www.selectivedigital.org.uk. π To find out more about the London Salon, go to www.londonsalon.org or turn to page 14.
Hurry now! Three photographic exhibitions to catch if you can
which is open every day except Sunday. For details of opening times and how to get there, go to www.barbican.org.uk. The third of the trio is Davyhulme Camera Club’s annual exhibition, running from 27 October until 1 November (Monday to Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pm). Free to enter, the exhibition is at Urmston Library, Golden Way, Urmston M41 0NA (just minutes from the Trafford Centre); car parking is available. Visitors can vote for their favourite picture in the show and prints are also available for purchase. A wide range of images is on display and club members are on hand to provide further information.
We kick off with the Sileby Photographic Society’s 60th Annual Exhibition. Running until Saturday 25 October at Sileby’s Community Centre (on the High Street), the exhibition comprises colour and mono prints as well as two shows of digital projected images, selected by David Gibbins ARPS APAGB AFIAP BPE3*. As well as the club’s own members’ images, other local clubs are also displaying their work. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday evenings 7.30-9pm and Saturday afternoon 1-6pm. Open until Monday 27 October is the City of London & Cripplegate Photographic Society’s annual exhibition. Called Current Perspectives , the exhibition is at London’s Barbican Library,
CLOCKWISE FROMLEFT Fantasy Land by Susan Judd from the City of London & Cripplegate PS; Number 3 by Jonathan Thursfield fromDavyhulme Camera Club; and Brentor Church by Richard Storier from Sileby Photographic Society.
π To find out more, go to www.silebyps.org.uk, www.cityandcripplegate-ps.org and www.davyhulmecc.org.uk or @davyhulmecc.
Chapel CCget challenged Back in September Chapel Camera Club enjoyed the Buxton Photo Challenge, one of several events to celebrate the Club’s 30th anniversary. The idea behind the Challenge was to shoot six set themes in the order presented and on an empty memory card. Only one image per theme could be downloaded for judging later. The themes were: lines, 30, the natural world, movement, multicoloured and the end. The event, organised by Chapel members Karl Wood, Keith Gordon and Malcolm Blackburn, has resulted in a display, which is at the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery until 22 November alongside the Club’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition.
π To find out more about Chapel CC, go to www.chapelcameraclub.org.uk.
ABOVE Entrants to the Buxton Photography Challenge competing in Buxton.
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“York Photographic Society recently had an exhibition in the Chapter House of York Minster,” explains Allan Harris, president of York Photographic Society. “We had been given the run of the building for two evening sessions and we were asked if we would stage an exhibition in the hope of raising some funds for the building. Members donated prints of our evening sessions and some were taken at other times. We knew that the exhibition space in the Chapter House is challenging, a 12th century building with a very high ceiling and poor light levels, but the exhibition boards presented plenty of space. “Having received all the images, it fell to me to frame them. We have a supplier in Halifax who sells good quality frames, oak finish, at a very reasonable price so we bought 50 and I ended up framing 46 pictures. Dismantling, glass cleaning, checking for stray dust and then fixing mirror plates took me two days. “The exhibition looked great and the comments book had some really encouraging things to say about the images. Having a unifying theme held the exhibition together and seeing it in the context of the historic building was another positive thing. Although we managed two press articles about the show, sales were disappointing. Only three images sold in two weeks. By comparison, we held our annual society print exhibition in York this summer and sold six images in two days. I don’t think that a price of £60 for a framed original image, mostly on archival materials, is steep. How much is a photograph worth? Maybe there wasn’t the emotional appeal of animals or people in the shots? “If we held it again we would need better lighting, even more publicity, possibly cards or other smaller mementoes of the exhibition. Overall, it was a very worthwhile exercise and when we next go for an evening photo shoot in the Minster we will have more idea of its photographic potential.” YorkPhotoSociety SPOTLIGHT If you want your club featured in Club Spotlight, write 200 words about your club and why it’s going places, then send the Word document and up to five JPEG images frommembers to clubnews@ photography-news.co.uk.
After the successful event last year, Southampton Camera Club is delighted to host another lecture by Travel Photographer of the Year 2013, Timothy Allen on 9 November. Tim is probably best known for his work on the BBC book Human Planet , which accompanied the TV series. Travelling the world, Timothy records the lives and customs of people wherever he goes. His photographs of people and their environments are stunning and his stories of the peoples’ lives and the extraordinary efforts he makes to capture the images are totally absorbing. He seldom has time to lecture, so this is a rare opportunity to hear him speak about his work and see his amazing images. The lecture is at Thornden Hall, Chandler’s Ford, starting at 2.30pm on Sunday 9 November. Tickets are £10 and can be booked at events@southamptoncameraclub.co.uk. Our human planet TPOTY winner Timothy Allen returns to Southampton for his second talk
π To find out more, go to www.southamptoncameraclub.co.uk.
Northallerton Camera Club put on its annual exhibition in the town hall in September. All the competition winning prints and PDIs from the previous year were shown to great success, with record crowds enjoying the images as well as the biscuits, scones and tea put on by the club. November’s line-up of events includes It’s a Knock Out, a female versus male PDI competition, on Monday 3rd; summer outing PDI judging on Monday 10th; Step into my World by Richard Cochrane on the 17th; and a trip to Easingwold for an inter club competition on the 24th. The club has also invited all members to the 2014 NYSDPA competition, hosted by Guisborough Photo Group on 28 November at St Nicholas Parish Church Hall in Guisborough. Held annually, the competition pits all photographic clubs in north-east England against each other, as they each submit six prints and six PDIs. Northallerton CC will host next year’s competition. Finally, congratulations to club member Pauline Potany, who has been awarded her ARPS, having completed her BA Hons degree at Cleveland Art College. Northallerton Camera Club meets on Mondays at 7.30pm at Brompton Methodist Church Hall, Northallerton DL6 2QC. News from Northallerton
Sedgemoor CameraClub takes its first steps
Setting up a new camera club is a challenge, but the effort can be totally worthwhile, as Brian Bateman, press officer of Sedgemoor Camera Club, explains: “Four months ago a handful of people decided to set up an additional camera club here in Bridgwater. Sounds straightforward, doesn’t it? It’s not. The name, Sedgemoor Camera Club, and a venue, a community centre in the village of Wembdon, were chosen. “First of all a small steering committee was formed with a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, programme secretary, webmaster and press officer. Later, they were joined by two loyal support members, who helped us plan the vision and future of the club. “As well as the photography side of the club, much emphasis was going to be placed on the social side. Our aim is to be a friendly club with lots of fun, but we acknowledged that the majority of members would be eager to learn the basics of their camera and the art of taking a good picture. We are fortunate in having a few experienced members willing to share their knowledge. “We will have club competitions but that is a little further down the line. For the time being it’s all about
people and their desire to learn. Hence our motto, ‘Focused on learning’. “Much of our success has been due to word of mouth and a very talented web designer Ian Durston, who has spent countless hours creating a superb website which has proved to be very successful. Ian also set us up with Chimp Mail and 102 people have registered an interest and they all now receive a weekly newsletter.” Sedgemoor CC meets on Wednesdays at 7.45pm at St George’s Parish Centre, Wembdon.
π To find out more, go to www.sedgemoor.co.uk.
π To find out more, go to www.northallertoncameraclub.co.uk.
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Profile
INTERVIEW
SunHong Lim At last month’s Photokina show, Photography News was the only UK photographic publication that had the chance to sit down with Samsung imaging business’s senior vice president Sun Hong Lim to find out more about his vision not only for the NX1, but also for Samsung as a camera brand
Lenses are an important consideration for anyone buying into a new system. Do you think you have the lens range to satisfy consumer needs? There are currently 16 lenses in our line-up, which many people aren’t aware of. This is a full lens range, which includes two premium lenses, so I believe we currently have enough lenses to satisfy all the different shooting requirements and expectations. We also introduced the 50-150mm lens alongside the NX1 and have plans to expand our lens line-up. The 300mm, for example, which we also showed at Photokina, is handmade and if there is a strong demand we will definitely start to produce it, which is another commitment. Do you have any immediate plans to add to the Premium S lens range given that these are the ones the target audience will be most interested in? We do internally, but nothing I can share. What will we be talking about at the next Photokina in 2016? We will have another exciting product to talk about, that’s in our DNA. We always try and introduce new innovations and technology. Obviously, our R&D people are working very hard to introduce meaningful innovation – not just innovation – for the consumers. We have all the departments working together so we are in the perfect position to develop new products by combining all of them. In order to be successful I believe that usability is very important; even though technology is very complicated it’s vital that we make it easy to use. Connectivity and portability are also key. These are the three key areas I consider whenever we develop new products: usability, connectivity and portability.
sector of the market for a long time, but it is very different from the mass market. Expectations are high, consumers are sensitive to the specs, but they are also looking for good handling and good ergonomics. Consequently, we have spent over three years developing the NX1. What do you think is the current perception of Samsung among the target market? Samsung is not the number one company in imaging, but we have always been the company producing innovative technology for the industry. For example, we were the first to introduce Dual View cameras, Wi-Fi connected cameras and Android smart cameras. The NX1 is another introduction of market-leading technologies and that’s going to improve our perception among target consumers. Since we introduced the NX1, the media response has been overwhelming. Is it all about producing a model with the most pixels or the fastest AF? We try to be the best in these areas. In developing the NX1 we didn’t want to compromise anything so we tried to be the best in each category. The NX1 is quite bulky compared to other compact system cameras. Was this a conscious decision? We didn’t want to limit its size as a compact system camera, we just wanted to create a professional interchangeable lens camera. Pro photographers don’t care whether it has a mirror or is mirrorless, whether it’s a DSLR or a CSC, they are looking for the best technology, which is why the size is not that important a consideration. Our target consumers are used to larger cameras and sometimes this is an advantage as they are more comfortable and more stable. Given that connectivity is a key part of the NX1’s specification, where does that leave models like the Galaxy NX? Everybody loved the first Galaxybecause everyone loved Android, but it was fixed lens. Customers then told us they wanted interchangeable lenses, so we introduced the Galaxy NX. We didn’t sell a huge quantity but the people who used it, loved it because of the excellent usability – being able to download applications, edit images and then share; you could do everything with one device. The NX1 target is somewhat different as there’s no Android, no 3G or 4G. This is purely targeting the professional who is looking for excellent optical performance first; the provision of Wi-Fi, NFC (Near Field Communication) and Bluetooth is enough for them, I think.
BIOGRAPHY
What does the NX1 represent for Samsung? We have a breadth of products in Samsung, including TVs, smartphones, tablets, monitors and, of course, cameras. Cameras are very important because they create the content for the other products, they complete the full system. We have been working in this area for 35 years and during that time we have produced many innovative products, but we believe the NX1 represents the pinnacle of our imaging technology so far. It combines all our capabilities from the sensor, to the image processor, to the lens, the batteries and wireless technologies. Is this a key difference that an electronics manufacturer has over a traditional imaging manufacturer? Yes, absolutely. We are different from conventional imaging companies as we can take our knowledge from other areas and apply it to cameras. Consumers’ needs are drastically changing and that’s driven by smartphones. You may well wake up in the morning with the alarm on your smartphone, after that you may check your schedule or check the weather with your smartphone. This functionality means consumer expectations have changed for cameras. For example, we feel that cameras that don’t have connectivity options make users feel uncomfortable. What doors do you think the NX1 opens for Samsung? It’s our first camera that targets professional and high-end amateur users, so we are very excited by this. We have been planning to enter this Mr Lim has worked for Samsung since 1988, joining the imaging side of the business in 2011. In the past three years he’s been instrumental in shaping the company’s camera business into what it is today. He successfully introduced Samsung’s Smart Camera range at CES in 2012 and, after recognising the growing trend for connectivity, has gone on to oversee the creation of a portfolio of Wi-Fi enabled cameras that allow customers to shoot and share images with ease. Mr Limwas also a key figure in the development of the Galaxy NX, which remains the only interchangeable lens camera with an Android operating system. In 2014, he’s been key in the development of the NX1, which sees the Samsung brand move into a new area of the market, catering for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts.
Our target consumers are used to larger cameras and sometimes this is an advantage as they aremore comfortable andmore stable
π To find out more, go to www.samsung.co.uk.
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Advertisement feature
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Get creative with your ’gun ACCESSORIES Want to get studio quality results, but working to a limited budget? You need Lastolite’s Strobo range
style lighting indoors. The coloured gel and gobo sets are two options that can add instant impact to your results, while taking more directional control over the light is easy with the honeycomb set, collapsible snoot or barn doors. Further options can be added using the Ezybox Plate that’s compatible with three different sizes of softbox up to 76x76cm square as well as the 38x38cm Beautybox, which offers an even more flattering light for fashion portraits. Thanks to the Strobo range, studio flash effects are no longer the reserve of the professional or well-heeled photographer. Select a range of Strobo accessories and unlock the creative power of your flashgun!
Not so long ago, the only way photographers could modify light from their hotshoe flashguns was by bouncing the light off a ceiling or taping a piece of coloured gel over the flash head. Studio lighting was the only option for real creativity. But times have changed. Thanks to the popularity of strobism, a wide range of flashgun accessories has appeared, and one of the most comprehensive is Lastolite’s Strobo range, with starter kits available from just £30.95 SRP. Suitable for any hotshoe flashgun, it’s easy to get up and running with the system through one of two starter options. The Direct To Flashgun kit allows smaller Strobo accessories to be attached directly to the flash head, while the Ezybox Hotshoe Plate is a more substantial accessory that paves the way to using any of the Strobo add-ons. The modifiers available offer a wide variety of lighting options that can help you get more creative whether you’re on location or wanting to create studio-
π To find out more, go to www.lastolite.co.uk.
Keep shooting, whatever theweather
plenty of time out on location. Four different versions are available as follows: n Pro Light E-690 PL for compact system cameras and small digital SLRs – £49.95 SRP n ProLight E-702PL for digital SLRswithup toa70-200mm lens attached – £69.95 SRP n Pro Light E-704 PL extension sleeve used with either the E-702 or E-705 for a digital SLR and extra-long zoom or telephoto lens – £74.95 SRP n Pro Light E-705 PL for digital SLRwith up to a 70-200mm lens and professional flash attached – £79.95 SRP
Autumn and winter are some of the best times of the year to be out with your camera, but they’re also the most inclement. This year, however, there’s no need for you to make that dash to the car during a sudden downpour thanks to the new Pro Light Element covers fromManfrotto. The Pro Light Element covers can be quickly attached to your digital SLR or compact system camera to provide complete protection from the elements, without compromising handling. Made from fabric with a special water-repellent coating and high-quality plastic that doesn’t kink or damage easily to provide a reliable, completely weather-proof barrier, the covers are perfectly suited to landscape, wildlife and sports photographers who spend
π To find out more, go to www.manfrotto.co.uk.
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Issue 13 | Photography News
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Competitions
Exhibiting up north The Northern Counties Photographic Federation (NCPF) was founded in 1901 but it was only 35 years ago that then-president Jane Black set up its salon, the Northern Counties International Salon of Photography (NCISP) INTERVIEW
How long have you been interested in photography? Since I was nine years old. It is my main interest and hobby in life: both organising related photography events and actually taking photos myself. Have you judged or entered exhibitions? I have entered from time to time over the years but kept no record. My great interest is travel photography and that costs. It is more important to go and take the picture than pay the high cost to enter it into salons. I have all the letters behind my name I want: ARPS, FPSA gifted from PSA and the top award from the PAGB, Hon PAGB. I have judged on the Dutch circuit, in Italy and sections in the NCPF. I am also a PAGB listed judge. Doyou see certain trends cropupover the years? Photographers all tend to study the winning pictures from the previous year’s entrants and follow the successful themes. There have been the
What’s a typical day in the life of an exhibition chairman like? It’s very busy; during the eight days of the year when judging is in full swing I arrive at the club rooms at 8.30am ready for a 9.30am start. It’s non-stop then throughout the day, ensuring everyone knows what they need to be doing as well as briefing and supporting the judges – I don’t get home until 10pm on these days. I do this for three days running for the print judging and for five days for the DIs. I always look forward to having the catalogue in my hand in November when another year is complete without any major problems. Whilst I have been chairman and the mover and shaker for 35 years, no one can achieve this alone. I have had very loyal, long-serving and hard-working committee members and support team members who have backed me up all the way. One member, Stan Bewick, started with me in 1979 and only retired in 2007 and there are others with service of ten and more years.
Interview by Megan Croft
ABOVE Austin Thomas’s image Little Owl Running succeeded in the 2014
For those who aren’t familiar, can you give us an introduction to the salon please? I was in my second year as president of the NCPF when the only international colour slide exhibition within the Federation (Stockton Photo Society’s International Colour Slide Exhibition) closed its doors. I felt this would leave a huge vacuum and so proposed the idea of an NCPF salon and it became a reality in 1980. I believed that this would be a prestigious event which would focus national and international attention on a well-organised but little known photographic body, the Northern Counties Photographic Federation. I also felt the substantial financial outlay could best be handled by the Federation and similarly the considerable workforce needed could be sourced from across all the clubs within the Federation. We received 2159 slides from 547 entrants in our first year.
Nature category. BELOWTsun Ip
Patrick Chow’s winning image Having Fun. BELOWRIGHT Rikki O’Neill’s Lady Love image won the PSA Bronze Medal in the Colour Print awards. BOTTOM RIGHT Yue Yun Chan’s Mum Give Me won a PSA Gold Medal for the best Colour Print Nature shot.
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‘racing motorbike years’, the ‘Indian years’, the ‘Cuba years’, the ‘old cottage interior years’ etc… and many more country-orientated themes are there but not so prominent. How many entries did you receive this year, and how does this compare to previous years? One of the biggest leaps in entry numbers came in 2011 when we moved to online entry and we permitted unmounted prints from all countries, including the UK, with non-return of prints encouraged. The total soared from in the early thousands to 11,000. This year we had 7675 entries from an impressive 751 entrants. Which countries consistently come out on top in the competition? In terms of prints, UK entrants tend to do consistently well as do entrants from Hong Kong. In 2007 the exhibition expanded to include print categories, a move some would see as retrograde. What was the motivation behind it? In 2006, South Shields Photographic Society’s salon was unable to replace its retiring chairman. After more than 60 years, they were facing closure so I persuaded the Federation to take over the print exhibition in 2007. In our first year running the print exhibition, we doubled the entry. We eventually dropped slides in 2010 due to the decline in entries, leaving just print and DI categories. Prints are now very important as they have to be included in applications for an FIAP distinction along with DI entries. In 2013 the salon introduced two newcategories: Open traditional and Open creative. Why was that decision taken? I encouraged the committee to split the DI General section into two: Traditional and Creative. Many felt that the traditional in-camera photograph was losing out to the computer- generated image so we decided to give them a section each. The total entry for last year was 4000,
TOP LEFT Angy Ellis’s shot received a PSA Bronze medal for best Photojournalism image. TOP RIGHT Phil Barber won a judge’s medal in the Open Creative category. RIGHT Pia Jessen won best Geology image for this shot: Australia Mount Bromo Morning. BOTTOM Joao Taborda won a judge’s medal for this image, Funny Girls.
What kind of images would you like to see more of and which would you like to see less of? A dangerous question! I would have to say more landscape and fewer dark ugly images but this is very personal. Are there any mistakes that people make in their entries that really get your goat? Many – entrants think theirs is the only one and ask you to make adjustments when their work has already been processed. This is possible with DI but often impossible with prints. It can be especially frustrating after judging when entrants want their prints back quickly – finding four differently marked prints amongst more than 2000 is just not possible. What are your future plans for the exhibition? The salon has just completed several years of considerable change. I want a few years of stability.
split into approximately 2500 in the Traditional category and 1500 in Creative.
Tell us abit about the selectors for each category. We have six sections in total and then we break these down into open and creative projected digital image sections; nature projected digital images; photo travel projected images; and monochrome and colour print sections. Each trio of judges includes a selector from overseas, one from the NCPF and one from the UK. I was always adamant when I set the salon up that one of the judges would be from the NCPF to give them the experience of a salon. How are the selectors chosen? I collect knowledge from many sources: I’m an RPS organiser, have been in charge of PAGB competitions for 12 years and, including my friends, I make a list of names and put them to the committee who decide which selectors will make the final panel. How does the selection process work? The salon has always had silent press button judging, using a handset and giving scores from two to five. Medal and ribbon winners are chosen after a discussion amongst the three judges. In each section, a judge has a personal medal – this is an NCPF medal which is a copy of the medallion on the president’s chain of office. There are 30 NCPF medals presented each year. What makes a successful image? I think they’re after impact, good composition, colour and good technique.
π To find out more, go to www. northerncountiessalon.org.uk.
The winners from the 2014 exhibition have now been announced and you can see the winning DIs on the NCISP’s website. The print exhibition tours for four weeks around 19 salons within the Federation; again dates and further details can be found on the salon’s website. See thesalon
I was always adamant when I set the salonup that one of the judgeswould be fromtheNCPF to give themthe experience of a salon
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Issue 13 | Photography News
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Competitions
INTERVIEW
An exhibition anomaly Breaking away from the norm, the London Salon of Photography’s annual print exhibition embraces and celebrates all that is different. Who better to tell us more than the salon’s chairman, David Lowe?
Interview by Megan Croft
How did you become a member of the salon? I have been submitting prints to the London Salon exhibition for over 30 years and have been fortunate enough to gain three medals along the way. As a Friend of the Salon I had been helping with the exhibition, which led to an invitation to become a member. My predecessor, Dave Yates, facilitated the introduction of an online entry system that streamlined our procedures and allowed us to produce a high-quality catalogue and CD with a commentary on selected images. I helped him with this work and as a result was elected as chairman. The chairman’s role is to protect the heritage of the London Salon and ensure a successful exhibition is produced. The London Salon has a long history of tradition but if it is to survive it must look to its future as well as its past. A great number of members, Friends and volunteers are involved in producing an exhibition of this size and type without whose help it would be impossible to contemplate.
may have contributed to its demise. For example in 1908, American member Eduard Steichen had 39 acceptances. As a result Link [as they called each other] FJ Mortimer, then editor o f Amateur Photographer magazine, organised an exhibition of rejected work. Clear divisions of opinion led to a split. One group, led by FJ Mortimer, held its first exhibition in 1910 and the London Salon was born. At that time it had 39 members, 12 of whom had been Links. In those early days until the 1960s there were very few exhibitions in the London area and the London Salon and the RPS exhibitions were the largest and most prestigious. The London Salon today still includes members who are invited based on the quality of their work, their long-term commitment to entering the salon and also their willingness to play an active role in the running of the salon and its exhibition. There are 41 members currently and one honorary member.
The London Salon has a rich history; indulge us with the tale of its origins… In 1892, a number of leading pictorial photographers who were not in sympathy with the Royal Photographic Society’s exhibition procedures (they considered the RPS selection process to be too lax) got together in a restaurant where they formed The Linked Ring. It was agreed that there would be no officers nor rules or regulations but some customs and observances. The Linked Ring organised its first photographic salon in 1893. It was an open exhibition and all the attending members served as selectors. The informality of the organisation The chairman’s role is to protect the heritage of the Salon and ensure a successful exhibition
TOP LEFT From Russia With Love by Les Forrester. ABOVE LEFT Soft Touch by Dinah Jayes. ABOVE Perfecting the art of chair hurdling by Richard Spurdens.
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London Salon members act as selectors for the exhibition; how does that compare to having external selectors? The images are considered more carefully than is possible with the rapid decision-making associated with other exhibitions. Members are able to discuss both the quality and content of the images. Differing views mean that no image is rejected without due consideration. Having so many selectors ensures all styles of photography get consideration, producing an eclectic mix of images with wide appeal. Since the early 1970s, the number of entries and acceptances has been smaller than in earlier years. The aim of the salon has always been to exhibit only that class of work where there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution. The digital revolution has opened the way for ever more creative photography although the salon still looks for and shows traditional images that are artistic and printed to a high standard. Where is the exhibition held? All accepted images are exhibited and hung (unlike many images accepted into PSA and FIAP exhibitions) and can be seen in Croydon, Birmingham, Edinburgh and two venues in Dublin. Last year the exhibition in Croydon was seen by around 3000 visitors; a further 2000 visitors got to see the pictures at the venues in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin. Unusually, the exhibition isn’t affiliated with any national or international organisations; what effect does that have? Undoubtedly, it lowers the number of entries. But it also means that the entrants are a select group who value the ethos and traditions of the salon and who want their work to be hung and enjoyed by a large audience. Many of those who have prints accepted in the exhibition feel that it is a high point of their exhibiting career. Not being affiliated to other organisations also means we are not constrained by their rules and demands; we can produce an exhibition that meets our criteria not someone else’s. What differences have there been in entries over the years? There are only two categories: monochrome and colour. What’s the reason for that? By not setting categories we do not offer any constraints on the types of images we will consider for acceptance. This helps to attract a very wide range of styles and also offers an opportunity to see those pictures that the authors feel don’t fit into other exhibitions and therefore don’t get seen. Who enters the London Salon exhibition? Photographers who enjoy making artistic prints that will be appreciated for what they are, even if they are not following popular trends. Those photographers seeking only to produce formulaic images that gain acceptances – and hence points towards various national and international distinctions that enable the photographers to put letters after their name – are less likely to be successful.
Howmany entries do you receive and howmany get accepted? We receive around 3000 prints each year and select between 190 and 200 for the exhibition. The relatively low percentage of prints accepted is due to the limited space available for hanging the exhibition. It is surprisingly difficult to find venues that can accommodate 200 framed prints. Each year we award up to ten medals; we do not always award all of them, sometimes there are not ten images that we can justify giving medals to. The medal-winning prints are the best of the best. The competition is intense and winning a London Salon medal is an emotional experience that provides a lifelong glow of satisfaction. The London Salon has always exhibited ‘only that class of work where there is distinct evidence of artistic feeling and execution’. As there are no restrictions on the type or style of work accepted, visitors to the exhibitions will see a wide range of artistic images fromaround theworld includingmany that are not usually found in other photographic exhibitions. We hope they will find these images Tell us about the London Salon medals. What does it take towin one? What type of images can we expect to see in the Salon’s exhibition?
refreshing and be inspired to experiment with new ideas to produce pictures for future exhibitions.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? Anyone who wishes to support the salon can become a Friend of the Salon. For a small fee they have special privileges, which include a full colour copy of the catalogue containing all the accepted images, an invitation to the private opening of the exhibition and annual entry into the draw where one lucky Friend receives a framed print that’s been donated by a member of the salon. The Friend’s subscription fee mainly covers the cost of the catalogue. This said, the small surplus given by our Friends supports the exhibition and is a vital contribution to its continued existence. Most importantly, we value our Friends who undoubtedly want to see the ongoing success of the salon.
π To find out more, go to www.londonsalon.org.
Planahead
TOP LEFT Ruth with her candelabra by Chrissie Westgate. ABOVE LEFT Twinkletoes by Anne Griener. TOP RIGHT School of Science by Andrew Wood. ABOVE RIGHT Mist over Stokksnes by Gillian Morgan.
You’ve got plenty of time to prepare your images before entering them for consideration in the London Salon 2015 exhibition. The online entry system opens on 5 February 2015 and closes on Sunday 5 April. The exhibition opens to the public at Fairfield Halls, Croydon on Sunday 7 June 2015 until Friday 19 June 2015. All other information will be available on the London Salon website.
Not being affiliated to other organisations alsomeanswe are not constrained by their rules anddemands; we canproduce an exhibition thatmeets our criteria not someone else’s
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