Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i Australian Photography

You've likely heard the old expression “the more things change, the more they stay the same” applied to many things in life, but when it comes to black and white photography, it really does seem the perfect phrase. Even with all the advances in gear and software we use to take photos today, there remains a timeless appeal to the black and white style that makes it just as relevant now as it was back in the earliest days of photography. The strength of black and white is in its ability to force a photographer to focus on the essentials of the craft – light and shadow – and how these deceptively simple elements must work together to create visual harmony inside a frame. It's also a style that rewards…

THIS MONTH'S WINNER BRAD GEDDES Diamond Beach delight EDITOR’S COMMENT Brad Geddes says he was lucky enough to travel to Iceland in January this year and Diamond Beach was high on his agenda. We’re guessing most photographers would also hope for this kind of light when they photograph at such a well-known location, and especially so at a place such as Diamond Beach, which seems permanently cloaked by dull, grey cloud every time we see it photographed. These are the conditions we dream of, and there’s little to add here apart from our awe at such a beautiful morning and image. TECHNICAL DETAILS Nikon D750, 16-35mm lens @ 16mm. 2s @ f8, ISO 100. Nisi circular polariser and medium grad ND filter. Lightroom and Photoshop used to adjust shadows, exposure,…

What makes for a great black and white image? Interesting shadow details, interesting textures, repetitive patterns that have variations, dramatic lighting and shadows that transform intoextraordinary creatures of the night? Or is it simply the capture of a visual story that youreally care about? Whatever it is that appeals to you, black and white photography is anartform all of its own and something everyphotographer should explore. In this article, I have chosen somecommon subjects to show you how different black and white images are from their colour origins. My idea is to get you excited about practicing your photography now so you can apply this knowledge to future photography shoots, taking what you learn along the way to develop your personal style. EARLY DAYS The early black and white film…

The Australian Photographic Society (APS) has announced photographer Judy Parker as the winner of the 2020 MullinsAustralian Contemporary Photographic Prize (MACPP) for her work, Dumpster Sketchbook: Waterside. Parker's concept statement for the winning piece reads: “Recently I took a series of photographs of the side panels of a large open container at alocal recycling centre. The markings had a wonderfully strong graphic quality; red rust-lines on a silver-painted surface. A calligraphy of wear and tear. “When I processed my images, I was intrigued by the way sections of therandom patterns suggested a series of semi-abstract coastal landscapes, each quite different. I modified three of these to reinforce the reference and combined them as a triptych. Our minds are not limited to theliteral. They can equally re-identify andreimagine.” The MACPP is…

WIN! Thanks to Fujifilm, Robbie Last has won a brilliant Fujifilm XF10 camera valued at $799. A premium compact digital camera with a high quality FUJINON 18.5mm F2.8 fixed lens. The camera features an APS-C sized sensor which is 14 times larger than the sensor in a standard smartphone. The FUJIFILM XF10 includes all the hallmarks of the X Series system, combining simple manual operation with superior image quality and versatile picture-taking options. Find out more atfujifilm.com.au HOW TO SUBMIT AN IMAGE • Email entries to: imagedoctor@australianphotography.com with ‘Image Doctor’ in the subject line.• Include your name, image title and up to 150 words about how you created it.• Only one image per person per month.• Images must be saved in JPEG format. Maximum file size is 5MB. Include your…

This photograph came about while exploring the countryside villages outside the touristy town of Hoi An in Central Vietnam. It was stifling hot and sunny at the time of day when mostof the locals head indoors to escape the harsh conditions.I remember walking around aimlessly in search of something interesting to shoot and feeling frustrated by the lack of human activity in the rice paddies. That’s when I noticed a plume of smoke in an adjacent field. I wandered over to see what was happening when I noticed the rice farmer burning off his crop. It was a totally new and oddly beautiful scene. Burning the field allows farmers to harvest a rice crop quickly and efficiently, enabling themto reduce the turnaround time between the harvesting of rice and the…

YOUR BEST SHOT IS OPEN TO AP SUBSCRIBERS AND APS MEMBERS. TO ENTER AN IMAGE IN THE COMP, CHECK THE COMPETITION THEMES AND INSTRUCTIONS BELOW AND EMAIL YOUR BEST IMAGE TO YOURBESTSHOT@AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM UPCOMING COMPETITION THEMES NOVEMBER ISSUE ABSTRACT – August 31, 2020 YOUR ENTRY 1.Email your entry to yourbestshot@australianphotography.com with the name of the competition theme in the email subject line. For example: Weather, Abstract, Landscape, etc.2.The image file must be the same as your name. For example: Jane Smith.jpg. If you enter multiple images, each new image file name should be appended with a unique number, eg Jane Smith2.jpg3.A maximum of three images can be entered per person.4.Images must be in JPEG format.5. Email file size must not exceed 7MB.6.Please include the following information about your entry in the…

Runner up ADORABLE BABIES Sydney’s Xiaolian Zhang describes her photographic interests as “humanist” photography, and tribal life, and is especially passionate about documenting disappearing cultures and customs. During the years, the retired pharmacist has won numerous awards ina number of international competitions for her work. She took this particular image in 2018. “It is from the Guerewol, which is an annual courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe of Niger,” she explains. “The men would decorate their faces and dance for hours to impress the females who may (or may not) accept them as their lovers.” The mother figures in this image were carrying their babies while attending the ritual. “As I was observing them, the two babies turned suddenly at the same time to look at me and I was…

Now in its second year, The Mono Awards 2020 featured a prize pool of more than $10,000, thanks to sponsors digiDirect, Momento and Momento Pro, in our hunt for the best black and white imagery in Australasia. With more than 50 per cent more entries than last year, thousands of images from photographers in Australia and New Zealand were entered in the competition, with photographers Brence Coghill, Liz Barker and Bee Elle taking out the People, Places and Animals categories, respectively. The competition was judged by a panel of eight professional photographers, selected for their expertise in the black and white format. For judge Anthony McKee, the work submitted mixed strong examples of conventional imagery, including the use of some more traditional image making processes, through to newer ideas, all…

Winner LA TOUR EIFFEL Born in New Zealand, Liz Barker moved to Perth, Western Australia, in her late teens and has lived there ever since. Having first picked up a DLSR about six years ago, she says she tries to look for a new and different way to photograph her subject “whatever it might be”. “I have a particular interest in urban landscape, architecture and black and white landscape photography, and sometimes it ends up being a combination of all three,” she says. Her Places category winning image does the seemingly impossible – showing one of the world’s most photographed buildings in a unique and interesting way. “Looking directly up under the tower, I was amazed at the intricate detail of the steel work,” she says. “It looks like delicate…

THIS MONTH'S WINNER Robbie Last took this photo of the Freestyle Kings motocross team at the Bendigo Show. He wrote:“Using continuous high-shooting mode, I had lots of shots by the end of the day. After sorting through hundreds of photos, I found this one to be my best.” I am not surprised this was a favourite. There is not much I can say – it is pin sharp and clear, all the subject and bike are nicely captured in the frame, the action is impressive, the background has interest and the colouris good. It may have been good to have the bike slightlyover to the right, but that is really neither here nor there. While a shot like this looks quite simple, the fact that you shot hundreds of images…