Digital Archive & Website's

Building a website online can be difficult. There are a lot things to consider when having a website made, to make sure it is easy to navigate on and something clients will find visually interesting. The purpose of the website needs to be considered, is it being used to present archiving, sales, portfolio and even blogging. Many photographers use all of these for their work on their website but often can be a web link to another website more suitable, such as a blog. Updating a website often is crucial for clients to see what recent work has been done, but also should have options to see any other projects and portfolios that are relevant and include the best work you have done. Images should look sharp and the colour's should be correct, it could be misleading for viewers and result in less interest. Keeping it clean, simple and minimalistic seem's to be popular within photographers. It appears more professional and more appropriate when navigating around the website and making sure page titles, such as the contact page, are clear. Although many websites have a separate contact page, it is useful to just include all contact information on every page, small enough to not effect anything important but big enough so that it is clear to see and easy to read. This would make it more accessible for a future client.

During a seminar, we looked at different websites that provide templates but also build you website to your taste and requirement, that differed in price. We also looked at domain names and if they were available to what we would call our own photography business. Using .com or .co.uk as a photographer is the most appropriate domain name. Below is an example from www.fasthosts.com.

Examples of photographers websites.

Alamy

During a seminar learning about Digital Archiving and websites, we were shown stock photo website Alamy. The website began in 1999, when at the time there was already large agencies that provided stock images, but founders James West and Mike Fischer knew that the industry could change quickly and was an intelligent move in the website. This website unlike other stock image agencies, seems the most fair. It is a 50/50 commission rate on all images that can range from £15-£1000 and even more in some cases. It depend's on how the image is used from how much the photographer will be paid but for larger jobs it can be a very big amount. After 14 years after the website was founded, it now has the largest collection of images and videoclips online than any other agency. Alamy has paid out over $110 million to its sellers and contributors since it began and pays the largest royalty fee out of all the industry. Anything goes on this stock agency, there are no restrictions to what type of photography can be sold, whatever field any photographer is in then it can be submitted. The fact that there is so exclusivity from them and they do no further editing to your own image, really makes the website different and special from others. Retaining all copyright to your own work and being able to use it else where, makes yourself question why shouldn't you sign up. Students like myself, can upload images for free and gain 100% profit back for two years of registering. After hearing about this website I will definitely consider joining this website very soon.

Some screenshots of the website: http://www.alamy.com/default.aspx

Marketing and Promoting

Marketing and promoting a photography business is crucial to success and more clients in any photography career. Knowing who you are working for and who your ideal client is can shape a business and focusing on a specific part of the industry can result in working for a with who you ideal would like your client to be. By knowing who you want and produce work for can make your business and any previous work more appealing, even by just adding what field of photography applies to you.

Having a website is probably the most important and first part of a photography business the client is going to go, to view what work you have done to see if it appropriate for them. Photography websites tend to have a white background and a few pages (e.g contact page). Always having the best examples of work and keeping it updates shows the quality of your specialism to the client.

High quality customer service is always appreciated and keeping clients happy before and after the work completed for them, will be remembered and could result in more work in the future. Working successfully with one client often mean's more work will come from work of mouth also, from being exceptional during one job can lead to another as, customers will talk about the great work done for them. Facebook and any other social media's are also a great way to promote a business. All work posted can be shared by other people, leading other people to viewing it. Posting consistently will remind people what you are doing and that you are still there.

Attending exhibitions and events can also be helpful. Meeting people in person and explaining what you do has a stronger impression that a phone call or an email. It is a great opportunity to hand out business card that could result in a new client. A more expensive option in the marketing business is exhibiting work. Although it can be pricy, exhibiting can show on a professional level you are as a photographer, it can draw more people to your work that could then go on to follow your website and future exhibitions and also lead to future commissions. Entering competitions could also benefit and promote work. It will be viewed by many professional, well known and successful expert photographers that could result in opportunities that can be won, such as an exhibition in most cases, leading to connections in the future.

Copyright

Copyright is an area of law, that covers all aspects of photography. It means that the right of the copyright owner of the work, that in this case is photography, can authorise or prohibit certain things. It is a collection of rights that the copyright owner can also have that has little control over what the permitted acts are and also depending on the limitations to the copyright. The balance between the authors right and a right to creativity shows how it is a human right. In photography, copyright gives the photographer the rights to control how they use their photograph and also grants the photograph's to be used and available for payment from a client ect, as long as the photographer gives their permission to use the photograph. In the photography industry there are many implications of how copyright is exclusive to its owner. Permission is needed for others copying the photograph, infringement can be put forward if done so. When working with a client, exclusivity from you to them means they would have a more profound right to the images produced for them and would be more privileged for how they would only have access to them. Copyright exists in a photograph as soon as it has been taken by the photographer here in the UK, giving all rights to the photographer from the very beginning.

The copyright act in the UK: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 actually became effective in 1989, from other amended acts from 1956 and 1911. It looks at the definition of a photograph, still's from films, work generated from a computer and the originality in the photographs. It is interesting to see how much there is to know about copyright and how important it is when in the photographic industry and having a photography business of your own. It also goes into other details that would not normally seem to come straight to mind, such as can a photograph have more than one author. It seems to be possible for a single photograph to have two or more authors, which means two copyright owners, but can lead to complications like who has control over the work.

Employed photographers do not hold the full position of copyright in their work, unless in a contract or agreement stated otherwise, the copyright belongs to the employer. Anyone who is in a contract, tax and national insurance is contributed by their employer tends to mean that it is taken by the employer. A clause should be included in any employment contract, which should state who has right's to the photographs and how they can be used. Freelance photographers should also ensure a contract is brought up and stated they have copyright.

The length of copyright in an image is the length of the photographers life, plus 70 years on top of that and then it will be passed on. However it is a debated issue that has complex areas that need to be discussed when having a photography business. Extended copyright was applied in the 1988 act, which is all works were still in copyright at the end of 1995 plus 50 years for photographers. The revived copyright is also a term that means protections has expired, but is still protected by copyright.   Copyright is hugely important in professional practice and many photographers today are freelance or commissioned, and are the copyright owners of their work, but agreements must be made to make sure it is clear about copyright.

Pricing & Costing

To have a successful and manageable photography business, it is key to have a solid understanding of numbers and the cost of business: desired salary, total annual costs, non reimbursable expenses ect. It is important to have realistic goals for a profitable career, rather than having really high prices it would be more sensible to start and go on with practical fee's and have a consistent work flow to the quality you know you could achieve. To handle your expenses it is important to keep track and a record of every shoot is taken and any other professional and personal expenditure. Fee's are charged at a daily rate, that is usually on a normal day 7am-9pm. It depends on the experience, knowledge and type of shoot the photographer is doing, such as an editorial or advertising shoot could mean a larger fee calculated on what the images will be used for. In the Photographic Industry, we all want to be able to price and fee our photography as high as we can, but being realistic will mean a more sustainable future.

Knowing information about your client before a shoot and how to fee them is a must. For example if you are shooting food and is for a local restaurant, you are not going to charge them as much as you for a major food chain such as pizza hut. But feeing them appropriately to your own daily rate to what it should be, needs to be applied. Production costs should also be applied, different shoots may require different equipment and specific requirements that will show up on your expenses. The investment on the shoot should be evaluated for what will be used. Even small things such as catering food and drink for models, make-up artists and hair stylists need to be included to keep on track of all costs used.

Clients will always want to know prices and costing straight away. They will also want to know why does it cost so much or why it doesn't look to be costing enough. By knowing all your expenses by keeping organised, so that you can explain and even show the client through spreadsheets so that it is easier for them to understand why. Sometimes a price is best decided on by negotiating a price with the client to see what is most suitable. Pricing can often result is a client going against the photographer and cancelling the shoot. However as the photographer it is also critical to know when to turn down a shoot also. For every cost of every shoot there is a minimum for what can be charged, which means that is the price for what is needed to cover any costs and salary.

How do photographers make money:

• Selling price higher than costs = profit margins.
• Value = quality, reputation, experience, location, competition, price.
• Is the price profitable?

Cost:

• Overheads = General to business
• Direct costs = Specific to a piece of work e.g film, editing, prints

Break even:

• Costs, value, income are equal. 
• All can be used as salary.

Contracts & Releases

In the Professional Photography business it is important to keep track and know about the business and legal side of the industry. Whatever photographs are being taken, as a photographer being paid for produces them, you should protect yourself with a basic contract, stating the intention of the work being done, the whereabouts, pricing and the agreements made between photographer and client. One of the reason contracts are so crucial is anything could go wrong, such as camera equipment not working and any injuries made to yourself or anyone around you. It also makes the job more formal, so that if you are are working with a client that is new, they would know and appreciate the contract being made. 

The basic info on a contract about yourself should be:

• Name/Name of business
• Business address
• Relevant contact information
• An arrea to sign your name.

The clients should be exactly the same, but the date, time and location for whereabouts you are shooting. 

It is also essential to include a clear precise amount of time you will be shooting for. In many cases such as weddings, the photographer often has to work a few more hours than planned because of the reception going on into the evening. You should shoot along as the client needs and plans you to so that the contract stays the way it was intended to. 

Pricing of contracts should be included and will be different every time depending on the photographer, type of shoot and how many hours. The flat rate or hourly rate is different for photographers depending on how they work. It should be as specific as it can be so there will be no confusion about the agreement afterwards. Anything that is not stated in the contract, could result in losing time and money, including everything that comes after the shoot like post processing which should also be covered.

The type of payment should also be stated in the contract and when you should receive the payment. This means how the payment should be delivered, who will be paying you and if you require a deposit. A date to show when the payment is due should be clear and a receipt or invoice is required. The issue of late payments can also arise. Many photographers add a late fee to their contract, showing that the client will pay extra for every day/week they fail to deliver the payment, which the contract should also state what should happen if it is a complete failure to pay as well. Any client should understand and respect this issue as it can happen quite a lot with the wrong clientele, it should come across as professionalism and not greediness. 

The rights to your images and the clients also is necessary to include. The question of who owns the images could result in being a huge problem if not dealt and stated with. Every photographer is different and so many give all rights to the client so that they can do what they will with the images. Others will not give the full rights due to how they could be used after they have finished with the clients, such as the images being printed else where or even being sold on stock photo website ect. An agreement of how the copyright of how the photographer would like the images to be used is definitely a crucial point for a contract, as no photographer would like to see there work being used somewhere where they did not agree too or taken credit for. 

The amount of time the images can take to be delivered to the client, whether it may be printed or just by a USB. The client should know when to expect to receive them as they will want to use them for their own purposes(that are stated in the contract). All the contract needs to say is the amount of time that you will preform your job as the photographer and how you will prepare and post process the images. You and the client should agree on a appropriate time, it is important to give as much time as you need to give the best results that you and the client will be both happy with. 

The collapse of the contract is a possibility that can happen at anytime due to any cause. An emergency could arise and there is nothing that you can do to stop it. However if stated in the contract and protected, this issue can be avoided. An agreement stated in the contract explaining in the event of an emergency or equipment not working that you will return the money to the client and claim no liability.  It is necessary to protect yourself in case of these situations, that will benefit you and your client from any legal battles. It should be a contract that will gain good results that you and the client want and will take interest in. 

Visiting Lecturer - Craig Astley

In our professional studies session on the 9th of January, we had a visiting lecturer. Craig Astley is the marketing manager and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle. Craig talked about a lot of different positions at the centre that I personally did not know about such as what they call the "Baltic Crew" who are curators all around the the centre. The Baltic holds a range of artists work that change throughout the year. Craig took us through their website which could be very helpful to my studies as it contained a range of resources from every artist that has exhibited their. He also showed us the library section of the website that has access to thousands of creative books that the public can have access to when visiting the centre, but also our college can have access through the website its self. Craig's talk was very interesting in the fact that I gained knowledge of positions and uses of the Centre. It was also great to see in his presentation the progress the Baltic has made from its very first opening. Overall the talk has made me want to visit the centre's library for definite.

Mario Testino "In Your Face" Exhibition

World Famous fashion photographer Mario Testino's latest exhibition "In Your Face" was held at the Kunstbibliothek museum in Berlin and fortunately whilst visiting the city with the college, I was able to visit this fantastic exhibition. The show featured around a 125 pieces of Mario's work from different points of his photography career, presenting a full range of his photographic portfolio. Following on until July, it has been the first time "In Your Face" has ever been exhibited in Europe. Its success at Boston and Sao Paolo, will definitely follow in Berlin because of the popularity and skill of Testino himself but his work has fascinated people all over the world for many decades. We also had an audio guide when walking round the two floors of Testino's work, with a little screen that showed a video of how Testino works and how he came to produce some of the photographs in the exhibition. This was useful in that it was like a sneak peak in to his life and and insight into how his photographs have been so successful. The photographs in the exhibition celebrate the diversity and contradiction in his work, which celebrates each different image that was used, that include editorial, portraits, fashion and his own private projects. In my opinion the exhibition was very successful in the fact it presented a range of pieces from his career and different photographs I had never seen from his portfolio before, but also projects that that have never been published. I would definitely recommend trying to visit this exhibition for fans of Testino. Below is a quote from Mario Testino talking about this exhibition.

"In Your Face, for me, represents the most free way of expression", says Testino. "As an image-maker people always want to put you in a box. I believe we are made of many different aspects and not always are we allowed to let all these different aspects show, let alone to live next to each other as they do in this exhibition. This particular hanging style for these photographic works allows all of these different aspects of my curiosity to have a conversation; they not only exist on their own but trigger a reaction when being next to each other."

Quote from: http://www.smb.museum/en/exhibitions/detail/mario-testino-in-your-face.html

CV

Having a CV is very important to securing future jobs and partnerships and also making a good first impression on the employer. Without a CV you may lose a chance at a job you have always wanted and worked hard for. A quality CV will boost the chance of maybe getting an interview and eventually the job, so highlighting key skills and qualifications that are linked with the potential job. The presentation is also very important because you are not going to appear organised and skilled if the layout of the CV is not tidy and spacious. In the photography industry it is important to have different sections that focus on experience and awards that you may have acquired during your photography career. Employers will be interesting in any awards or commissions because it shows that you have experience in different ways whether it is connected to the use of software, studio environments or specialising in difference camera formats and also specific genres. Below are some key points I feel are important when writing a CV.

1. Personal Details such as full name, address, phone number and email address are a must. Date of Birth is optional, but depending on the job it may be useful to include it.
2. Summarising a personal profile of areas of interest and enthusiasms of the job you are applying for is useful, as it shows your eagerness and motivation.
3. Key skills such as knowing how to use a computer or any other softwares or knowing how to work a till, show that you learned things from precious jobs and could be relevant.
4. Education and Qualifications ar very important because it shows what you have achieved in previous years that are relevant.
5. Make sure it is clear and concise, a good structured layout and a professional font. 

Networking

Networking is one of the most important roles to result in a successful photography career and business. Whether working as an assistant or an independent photography, it is important to contact photographer that you want to work with or anyone that is needs for the work that is going to be completed in the future such as make up artists, food stylists ect. Anyone that is needed in shoots or for advice, it is critical to have a polite, professional and positive attitude so that people will want to work with you on other shoots and projects again. Below is a list of reasons that I consider to important when networking in the photography industry:

• Have a good relationship with clients, they will want to work with you again. 
• Networking does not cost a lot and with social media it is very easier and fast to present your work. A lot more people will then see your work as other may share it or comment on it.
• Conduct yourself in a way you would like others to present themselves to you, the more professional you are the better it will be.
• Meet and Greets are available for networking and events in most countries are available for others in the same industry to chat and create contacts. The photography show is an example.
• Never use other photographers work to market yourself, it is illegal and not acceptable and basically a slap on the face for the original photography. Also it could become knowledge that it could be not your own work and damage relationships in the future. 
• Always carry business cards, but do not flaunt them. Only produce if necessary and appropriate opportunity. 
• If you are collaborating or working with another photographer e.g. at a wedding, it is important to work together and not against each other trying to get the best shot. It will overall result in failure all together. 
• It is an important aspect of business and social life, that can create relationships with people that have to same passion of photography as you do. If you value these relationships with clients and individuals, it should result in a career long contact. 

Overall after doing some research, it is extremely important to network throughout your career. Whether it be business cards or social media, it is crucial to always be professional and aware of what could benefit your career 

Photography Events in the UK

Photography festivals happen all over the world. They are events that generally celebrate photography in all of its forms and technicalities. People travel all over the world to experience photography festivals, showing how interesting and useful they are. Many events offer portfolio reviews for the public at a price, which can be an extremely effective way of gaining feedback from photographers with many years of success and experience. It can also be a way of networking and achieving the interest of others and resulting in a few contacts that may be useful in the future. Discovering photographers and their work is also a positive of these events, it could lead to a new interest in their work and maybe even meeting them. Overall it is a great way of seeing different parts of the country, or even the world if you explore that far of these photography events, but mainly because of the knowledge that is gained from talking and listening to people in the photography industry. Below are three forthcoming events in the UK.

Format Festival
Format International Photography Festival is one of the UK's leading festivals of photography and media held in Derby, which occurs every two years and this year is held from the 13th of March to the 12th Of April. Every category of photography is included here, from every field you could possibly think of. It is known for bringing forward new work of the best practitioners in the photography world and focuses on the opportunities that can be developed for the people who are involved themselves, but also for the audience. Each of its festivals adopts a theme every year it happens and this year concentrates on "Evidence". The way in which the festival is structured around included its exhibitions, commissions, international open call, events, talks and performance, but also master classes and portfolio reviews. I would definitely be interested in visiting this event as it seems to be organised by people who are passionate about photography and media, but also offers a range of photographers work and an insight into other important factors of photography.

The Photography Show
The Photography Show is one of the most well known events in photography that is held in Birmingham NEC in the UK and is from the 21st-24th of March. It holds possibly everything that is linked photography over its four days at the NEC. A few of its popular events are its photographer speakers on its "Live Stage", who are always big names in the industry, a few from this year includes Don McCullin, Martin Parr, Tom Stoddart and Tim Flach, giving an insight into their careers and what has made them so successful. Other events that go on, is kit demonstrations that offer the chance to see the latest equipment used and also how to use them of a range of camera's. Software demonstrations such as lightroom, adobe and photoshop, the best skills shown from the experts that will talk you through the best tips and tricks of retouching images. Also many different genre's of photography such as Street and Garden photography master classes. These are just a few to name of what goes on at the Photography Show and there are many more to list. The show's website was very useful of what is happening and what are the best things to go to. I would definitely like to visit this event as it offers a range of useful photographic skills to be learned and also an interesting insight in to different area's of photography and equipment.

Photo London

Photo London is held at Somerset House in London from the 21st-24th of May and as it describes its self as a "Unique" new photography event. It is its first time as an event and will feature a international photography fair that will hold 70 exhibitors including many major photography galleries and publishers from around the world. It will had a range of photography from every genre and will hope to engage new audiences for photography and show new talent and promote the concept of photography as a whole that will draw different crowds from all over the world and from the UK to this new and exciting event in our countries capital. The website does not really give away that much information, but shows the exhibitors being included and where it will be held. I think this event has the potential to be successful, but maybe in a few years could be a lot better. 

Shutter Hub

(05.12.14) Today we had a visiting lecturer, Karen Harvey. Karen was here to give us information about the website Shutter Hub. Shutter Hub is a community and resource for photographers as a way to promote their own work and receive support from others. It offers a range of opportunities for photographers and people who generally just love photography, to attend events, lectures and workshops and a chance to exhibit their own work. The website is for UK citizens only and was created in the UK also. It does not matter what format of camera is used whether film or digital and the range of genre's does also not apply, it suits its members professional and creative needs. Karen really sold the website to us in the lecture, making the website sound great for promoting our work and getting it out into the world. She really told and showed us every aspect of the website and after looking at the website in my own time, I will definitely be joining to be a member in the near future. The fact that it holds exhibitions and curations, it definitely has the whole package and is a opportunity to see other photographers work, talk to people about your own and network and support other artists. Another plus to the website is having access to offers on software and equipment as the network grows as a whole, making it easier having everything under one roof for members. Overall it was a great lecture with Karen, being told about a network I did not know existed until then and I will definitely be looking further into Shutter and becoming a member.

Screenshot of Shutter Hub's homepage. 

Getty Images Grants for Editorial

Getty Images is an American photo agency that often hosts a number of photography competitions for all sorts of different genre's and also is a supplier for business's and companies around the world that can use the thousands of photographers work that is uploaded to the website for a price. It is used by creative professionals in the art industry, the media and marketing uses. The company also hosts exhibitions around the world that presents a number of photographers. The company seem's pretty extraordinary itself, being host to so many different types of photography that have their own interesting subject matter. The website has an editorial option that includes a range of genre's that are classed as editorial photography. I have found this useful in researching and searching for photographers that have inspired me throughout this assignment. Above I have included a video from youtube that has hosted a lecture from a few photographers that have been funded by Getty Images to capture the project that they wanted to do. I find it helpful to hear photographers talk about their work and the reasons behind it because it makes it a lot easier to understand.

Workshops

For the last three weeks we have been having workshop sessions with Tim. They have all been to help us expand our knowledge and skills with lighting that will benefit our photography that can make photographs extraordinary and different.

Week One: In our first week of workshop sessions, Tim brought us outside of Uni to show us how we can change the lighting by using a fill in flash that can be connected to the camera or hand help to be placed near the subject if need be. A reflector was also used so that the light from the flash is even on both sides so that it results in equal light on the subject. The fill in flash is useful for shoots when on location because it can change the light without needing any soft boxes or any other studio light.
Week Two: During the second session Tim took us a bit further outside Uni for a contrast in the image and also using a different lighting technique. This time we used a soft box light outside. It was interesting to see the difference from using a soft box light and a fill in flash from the previous week because of how different the light produces. The soft box initially made the background in the image look quite dark but brought out the subject really well.
Week Three: This session we had to recreate the lighting in a photograph of a model stood on a staircase in one of the building at Uni. We had to decide the equipment that was used and decide what would be best to impersonate this image. We used the DSLR, Elinchrom studio light, beauty dish and reflector. Overall the image we created was not far off as the original photograph had actually been edited on lightroom, that made most of the shadows a lot brighter.

Overall I have learned a fair deal from these workshops and I have found them very useful and will definitely use these in the near future to experiment and expand my work.

Careers in Photography

In todays Profession Studies lesson we looked at different career paths in photography that does not necessarily lead to being a photographer, which were:

• Editor
• Curator
• Researcher
• Teacher
• Retoucher
• Art's Organiser
• Critic
• Assistant

We then were given the task of focusing on one of the above, to find out more information on the following. I chose a Photography Critic as I have never thought or even new that my degree could lead into that career path. It was interesting to see what qualifications and skills are needed to be a critic, but overall I would not want to go down this route, at this present moment I could not see myself enjoying it, but it is useful to know what a critic does. Below is the research of a Photography Critic.

• A Critic analyses the meaning behind the artists work and how good the quality of it is. They often report on the work in magazines, newspapers and websites to present their opinion, which can often make or break the artist. 
• They must have a wide range of knowledge about art and the different genres it can branch out to and often have some sort of art based degree/MA/PH, who also have experience working with galleries, museums and something in journalistic.
• They report on new and upcoming work but also could be previous work, such as a collection of the photographers work if they have been successful in their career, to celebrate it.
• Critics present it in readable manner so that it is interesting to the audience that should sound intelligent and feel like they have really thought about the work.
• It is useful to have your work looked at by a Critic because most of the time it can be used as constructive criticism that can help you develop in whatever skill or project that the photographer is following that could be used differently next time.
• It should be an informative and honest opinion that should not insult the work but suggests ways in which could be improved.

Photography Competitions

All year round many photography companies and associations organise competitions that can range from all different levels of photographers and normally have a certain theme, which the photographs that are entered will have to follow and present within their work. Prizes are part of the event that can be money, being part of an exhibition or the work being shown somewhere and sometimes often the most latest photography equipment. Competitions are a great way to get your work out there and become known in the photography world, which can often result in being spotted by business's and that may become commissioned jobs and overall benefit your work. In most cases it costs to enter a competition because that is what keeps it funded, it can range from £10 to £50, but is worth it in the long run if you win somewhere in the competition. One of the most crucial factors in entering a competition, is your statutory rights. It is so easy to enter what you think is a legitimate event that can take your copyright of your images away and use them for their use only and end up losing protection and right to your photographs. It is important to read carefully and make sure in the terms and conditions that your work will stay your own work.

Photography Competitions:

• Sony World Photography Awards

The Sony Competition is one of the worlds leading photographic awards today. It launched in 2008 and its aim is to support the cultivating photographic culture in the world. They hope to look for new talent in the world of photography and is offered to all levels and experiences. There is an awards ceremony and includes a range of prizes and each category has a different theme and concept.

• LensCulture Visual Storytelling Awards

This competition is focused on visual storytelling and is offered to all levels and genre's of photography. It is open to all themes and approaches and does not have much rules when what the photograph/s have to be about.

• British Journal of Photography International Photography Award

The British Journal competition also has no theme and can be any style or genre. Anyone can enter, but the aspect has to be a recognised coherent series and the other a stunning single image, so you can either enter both categories or just one. The prize is an exhibition.

• National Portrait Gallery Photographic Portrait Prize
• Save the Children International Photography Commission
• Travel Photographer of the Year

There are hundred more competitions, I have just named a hand full. I think it is important to enter competition because it means getting your work out there. As a student studying photography with not a major amount of experience, entering competitions will help me become more motivated in producing more work and push me into want to go further in the photography world than I already want to. Over the next coming months I plan to enter as many competitions as I can, so that I will share my work with more people and hopefully resulting in some good results.

Mining Institute - Aaron Guy

On Thursday afternoon we visited the Mining Institute in Newcastle to listen to Aaron Guy, photographer and motion film maker, talk about some of his work that was commissioned by the Mining Institute itself. Other than his passion in the visual arts, his main interests are geography and geology, which are defiantly apparent in his work shown below. During the talk, I found Aaron's work very different but the more we were presented the more I began to be fond of it. It is clear to see that interests have brought out the best in his work because of how successful it seems to be. His project "Void." about a coal site that he grew up near, which is shown below, that was published in to a newspaper, with the images placed throughout, Aaron said the difficulties of this was the quality of the photographs. The colour would not be same they would not look as strong rather than in a photo book ect. But looking at this newspaper esque booklet, the grainy effect matches the photographs and gives the effect of dark, hardwearing material's which is what coal generally is. His work is definitely extraordinary, in the way he captures his subjects and what he involves, such as the elements and materials that is connected and what coal is made out of, making it seem like he successfully makes the most out of everything. Aaron's attitude towards his work was very professional and seemed like he has worked hard over the years with his photography and motion film, that he has linked together in his projects.

Images from http://aaron_guy.ideastap.com

Photograph's below are of the Mining Institutes Library. Taken On my iPhone, edited in the app Afterlife, Filter: Relic.

 

Richard Whitehead

The talk we had with Richard enlightened me on what Editorial photography work generally is and could look like. Richard himself said that "Editorial photography is work that supports the written work that comes along side it" which explains it simply and easy to understand. He also gave us a task in between looking at his projects, which were what practical considerations were involved in his editorial work. It was clear to see that a lot of planning goes into his work including research and what influences the style of the subject and who and where it is.Also the kit that he used, which I found useful to hear a photographer who explained his profession, down to the details of the importance of cleaning your kit the night before is, showing the little things like that are also crucial, adding to the how the photographs will eventually turn out. He also explained how social interaction and 'looking' is probably the most significant element of the job. The fact of looking around you did not jump out to me at first as being the number one part of being a photographer because of how obvious it is, but really is where the reason and generation of what the final result of the photograph will be because of 'looking'  and how it presents where the idea comes from. Social interaction plays a big part of any work that involves people, as communication can help create the final image that could result in a great photograph's from setting a friendly atmosphere with who you want your subject to be. Other important factor's he explained was practical documents and objects that should be with you when photographing whilst travelling: Insurance, Verification I.D, Model release forms and waterproofs for yourself and kit. Richard's work was really impressive, and inspired me to want to travel and do something similar with photography. I personally admired his work on Fuji and his exhibition called Brick Lane.

Fuji

Brick Lane

All images were taken from http://www.richwhitehead.com/

What do artists do all day? - Cornelia Parker

In our first lesson of Professional Studies we watched an episode of "What Do Artists Do All Day?" by the BBC. This episode was  about artist Corneila Parker who is generally a sculptor, but brings elements of photography into some of her Art work. The episode featured her working in her studio in London, on some of her latest work for her own exhibition in 2013. I found her personality very eccentric and flamboyant, which was present in the way of how she worked and what her art was all about. It showed her most recent work that was to be featured in the exhibition, that were sculptures of crack's in pavements of roads and paths in the places she walked on a day to day basis, that were made of bronze.

Image from: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/may/18/cornelia-parker-interview

Although her personality is very quirky, she still worked in a professional manner. The programme showed Cornelia in a working environment and how she interacts with other companies that help her create her art work. She presented herself very friendly but serious with the people who were surrounding her and constructing her work. I picked up on a sentence she said very pleasing about her profession and how "Art is a privileged activity" because it was clear to see that she loves doing what she does, building sculptures and capturing interesting subject matters and how she worked in a professional way resulting in a completed piece's of work that are featured in many galleries across the country making her a well known artist of today.

Cornelia's work also came across as extraordinary to me and linked in with our editorial photography work. Her work is very individual and is not like any other photographer or artists work. The way she works is also quite extraordinary because she shoot's literally anything and everything she comes across which I feel is a great way to work as Cornelia did not seem to miss anything in the programme we watched. The photography work she produces that was shown, presented a uniqueness as they had a meaning to them that fit in with everyday events, such as politics.