Head On Photo Festival 2011

Head On Photo Festival (5 MAY – 11 JUNE 2011) is Sydney’s major innovative showcase for Australian and international photography, reflecting a vibrant, diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices covering all genres. Head On aims to present good photography regardless of the celebrity of either the subject or photographer.

Events for 2011 will include indoor and outdoor exhibitions, screenings, workshops, a seminar as well as some special events. Venues include public and commercial galleries, cafes, parklands and the streets of Sydney itself.

With the launch of the inaugural Head On Photo Festival in May 2010, the vibrant and cosmopolitan global city of Sydney finally gained a photography festival. Sydney is now firmly placed on the global photography scene alongside Perth, Brisbane, Canberra and Ballarat who all have established festivals.

www.headon.com.au

Vivian Maier

Little is know about Vivian Maier (1926-2009), a private person who lived and worked as a nanny and during her lifetime took over 100,000 photographs on the streets of Chicago. These photos had never been seen by anyone until author John Maloof acquired a dusty box of negatives from an auction whilst researching a history book on Chicago's NW Side.

Many now say she may rank among the greatest street photographers of the 20th century.

Nikon-Walkley Press Photo Exhibition

The Nikon-Walkley Press Photo Exhibition opened this week at the Brisbane Powerhouse and will continue to travel around the country with Newcastle being the next stop in May.

Featuring the finest in Australian journalism, the Walkley Awards showcases more than 100 photographs from the finalists in the areas of sport, portraiture, photographic essay and daily life in the city and regionally.

The 2010 Nikon-Walkley Award finalists will run from the 1st to the 27th February (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat-Sun 10am-4pm) and is one not to be missed.

www.brisbanepowerhouse.org.

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Canon announce new DSLR's, lenses and flash units.

A feast on goodies have been announced from Canon today following the last weeks sales conference in Sydney. First to be unveiled where two new DSLR's, the entry-level EOS 1100D and the eagerly anticipated EOS 600D.

The EOS 1100D is built around the latest Digic 4 processor and features a 12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor, extended ISO range, 9-point Auto Focus, a 2.7" TFT LCD display as well as the ability to shoot HD (1280x720p) movies. Designed as the perfect stepping stone for users of compact cameras, the 1100D will be the camera of choice for first-time DSLR users.

The EOS 600D sits in the upper levels of the Canon DSLR range and boasts some interesting new features including Scene Intelligent Auto plus a selection of five creative filters including a 'Fish eye lens effect'. A tilt and swivel 3" LCD is also included as well as an 18 Megapixel CMOS sensor (as seen in the 550D), Full HD (1920x1080p) movie recording and the ability to remotely control flash units using the built in flash (very nice!)

As well as adding some more Compact cameras to their extensive range, Canon also announced the production of its 60 millionth EF lens (first introduced in 1987) along with the launch of updated versions of both its 500mm and 600mm f4L IS USM pro lenses and the news that an EF200-400mm f4L IS pro lens will be available later in the year featuring a built in 1.4x teleconverter. 

And finally Canon also announced the 320EX and 270EXII speedlite flash units. The 320EX will feature a video light as well as the option of being controlled wirelessly by the EOS 600D or similar controllers. The 270EXII will replace the 270EX with the addition of a wireless slave mode.

For more info visit the Canon website

Abstracts

Whilst looking through some archived images today I came across two I would like to share. The first was taken four years ago as a test shot for a commission from Nokia who had given me the brief to supply some 'abstract' style images of unusual and distinctive flowers, plants and suchlike. The picture was actually taken in the garden section of my local Bunnings who had a great selection of plants and they were only too happy to let me snap away at my leisure.

The second image is more recent and is a warped and distorted view of the Iconic Brisbane Story Bridge. The original shot was a panoramic taken whilst I was giving some one-to-one photography tuition and has since been the subject of some major tweeking via Photoshop CS5.

The original image is featured on the home page of the Learn Photography website.

Brisbane flood and how it affects our courses and workshops.

Please be advised that flooding and inaccessible roads in the South Bank area of Brisbane has affected some of our courses and workshops

What courses are affected?

Practical SLR course
All day Workshops

What courses are not affected?

SLR course
Studio lighting course
One-to-One tuition

What happens next?

If your booking is affected then we will be in touch with details on the new location for the course/workshop.

If you cannot make the booking or would prefer to postpone or re-schedule then please let us know at the earliest convenience.

If you have any questions please email using the link below or contact us on 0430 99 12 10
(Please note that since the flood we have been experiencing network problems in our area - if you cannot get through to us please send us an SMS text message so we can call you back.)

Contact LearnPhotography

UPDATE 17th January

The majority of Southbank parklands remains closed - workshops and practical courses will be held at Wynnum and Manly until further notice.

UPDATE 18th January
Last weekends all day workshop on the bayside was a lot of fun - here's a handful of shots . . .

UPDATE Thursday 27th January
I have been informed today that much of Southbank Parklands (as well as our study rooms) is still inaccessible after the recent floods. We will monitor the situation daily but expect our Workshops and Practical courses to continue in the Wynnum / Manly area for at least another 2 weeks.
UPDATE Wednesday 16th February
All our courses and workshops are now running as normal. Most of the Southbank area is now open to the public and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding during the past few weeks.

10 perfect Xmas gifts for photography fans

Learn Photography's Paul Farris' essential guide to the perfect stocking fillers for photography fans.

1. Lens Mug

Without a doubt one of the coolest photography related gifts around this year is the 'lens mug'. Available as either 'Nikon' and 'Canon' varieties, these mugs are actual replicas of real lenses with rubber-grip focus and zoom rings, easy to clean stainless steel lining, replica auto/manual focus switch and even a lens-cap lid.

You can purchase the lens mug from PhotoJoJo.com

2. A lens for low light (and great blurry backgrounds!)
Every photographer should have at least one lens in their kit bag that offers a wide aperture and thus performs well in low light as well as providing a shallow depth of field (great for portraits). Canon and Nikon users are some of the luckiest here as they both offer 'fast' lenses at very reasonable prices - The Canon 50mm f1.8 has long been a favourite of many and is a must-have lens for Canon users and a steal at around $135 (AUS). Nikon users should consider the slightly more expensive 35mm f1.8 DX lens at around $350 (AUS) or the 50mm f1.8 for $190 (AUS).

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for good deals and great service on lenses.

3. Subscription to a cool photography magazine
Photography for me is a continual learning curve - I pick up new ideas, inspiration and hints all the time from other photographers, the internet and from reading photography magazines. Two of my personal favourite magazines are 'Capture', Australia's top selling professional photography magazine and the 'British Journal of Photography' which is an great read and features some amazing contemporary work. For Australian readers 'Capture' is without a doubt the best option and will make any photographer happy at just $38.50 for a years subscription.

 Subscribe to Capture via Yaffa Publishing

4. A tripod

A tripod is a must-have bit of kit for just about any photographer. It doesn't matter if your a keen landscape, portrait, architecture, product or even wedding photographer - at some point the cameras shutter speed is going to be so slow that hand holding the camera is out of the question and using a tripod is the only way to avoid camera shake and blurry images! My advice is simple - buy the best tripod you can for your budget (in fact, stretch the budget if necessary as it's an investment you will not regret!)

I recommend checking out tripods from Velbon as good all-round tripods that won't break the bank or Manfrotto, which although more costly are head and shoulders above most of the competition.
Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of Tripods.

5. Remote shutter release

Shutter release devices are available for most major DSLR cameras as either the old-school cable variety or the more popular wireless versions. A remote shutter release allows the photographer to trigger the cameras shutter without the need to physically touch the camera and thus avoid camera shake and blurry photos. This is an essential must-have bit of kit when using slow shutter speeds and can be purchased for as little as around $30-$40 (AUD) from most photography stores.

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of shutter release and remotes.

6. Camera strap
OK so I know every camera comes with a camera strap already....!   The problem with the strap supplied with the camera is that 1- it's a big advert for the camera manufacturer and do you really want to draw unwanted attention to the expensive bit of kit hanging around your neck?  2 - The supplied straps are not well designed and are uncomfortable if your out for a long day of shooting. 3 - The straps easily slide of your shoulder as they have no grip ability.  My strap of choice is the ' ridiculously named 'Industry disgrace' from the cool bag manufacturers Crumpler - it's comfortable, strong, extra long and available in some cool colours for a bargain $40 (AUD)

Visit the Crumpler website for more - or visit their stores in Brisbane (CBD) and in West End

7. Story Bridge Photoclimb experience

The Story Bridge is a Brisbane icon that first opened in 1940 and offers spectacular uninterrupted 360 degree views of the Brisbane CBD skyline that you won't be able to see from anywhere else. Regular climbers of the bridge are not allowed to take cameras along which is what makes the photoclimb both an opportunity and experience that is not to be missed for any photography enthusiast. You will have the chance to capture some amazing images with a brief prior to the climb during which we will give you plenty of hints and tips and advice during the two and half hour climb.

Visit the official Story Bridge climb website for more details

8. Camera bag

I'm of the opinion that there is no such thing as the perfect camera bag, and I should know as I currently number six to my collection in a range of shapes and sizes, all of which get regular use depending on where, what and when I'm shooting plus of course what gear I need to bring along. I've owned a trusty Crumpler backpack for about five years and is my firm favourite as it swallows up a fair amount of gear, is rugged, looks cool and is extremely comfortable to wear.

More recently I've also become a big fan of Think Tank who are very popular with pro photographers around the world, make great bags and until very recently had not been available in Australia. Check out the Think Tank website for more info or drop in at Photo Continental to see the full range.

9. Photoshop elements 9

Adobe Photoshop has long been the essential must-have software for photographers. Whilst Photoshop CS5 is the big daddy and the pro photographers choice at over $1000 (AUD), Photoshop Elements 9 is perfect for the enthusiast photographer who wants to be able to perform essential editing of images without breaking the bank.

Elements 9 can be purchased online from Adobe for around $145 (AUD) or maybe try the free trial version first!

10. Learn Photography gift voucher
The final gift idea is not only a shameless plus but also a great gift idea for any photography enthusiast wanting to know how to get better results from their digital SLR camera. We have gift vouchers starting from just $99 (AUS) that can be used against any of our photography courses, workshops or even One-to-One tuition.

For more info or to purchase online visit the Learn Photography website.

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Hints and tips for DSLR users

If you are new to digital SLR photography then I recommend you check out DTown TV which is a FREE online 'TV show' full of cool hints and tips for DSLR users. This latest episode is aimed at the complete novice and covers topics such as "What lenses should I buy?" and "What are UV filters for?" - enjoy!

Click here to watch DTown TV