When photography is so omnipresent, the very notion of 'photography' becomes increasingly difficult to define - especially in the digital age with infinite reproduction. 

I was delighted to be invited by the team at WeTransfer, to visit the Foam Talent exhibition they are sponsoring at the Beaconsfield Gallery in Vauxhall. An actual social trip for once (but obviously the camera came too!)

A small group of WeTransfer-ites met in the fabulous Pharmacy2 restaurant. The place is a joint venture of Damien Hirst and Mark Hix and based at the Newport St Gallery, which houses Hirst's personal art collection. 

Pharmacy 2, Vauxhall A weirdly enticing space filled with medicines, tablets and a glass cabinet with some rather macabre looking medical implements inside.  Where else can you have brunch whilst looking at some spotlessly clean amputation saws, or devices that are clearly designed to be inserted into various holes of the body for surgical procedure (or for fun it you're that way inclined)?

Brunch followed a short talk by Tom from the British Journal of Photography, and once the poached eggs were devoured we took a short stroll down the road to the Beaconsfield Gallery where we met Foam Director, Marcel Feil who walked us through the exhibition. 

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Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam and Beaconsfield Gallery Vauxhall in London have teamed up to present Foam Talent. 21 artists selected by the photography museum from its annual Talent Call and representing an international range of interrogative image-makers under the age of 35. 

L1001385 The idea behind the show is to reinterpret photographic traditions, with more than 100 photographs made through a range of digital and analogue processes. The exhibition showcases a new generation of photographers who deploy their skills to address topics from advertorial conventions to the truth-values of documentary. 

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Through this diversely installed exhibition hosted by Beaconsfield, Foam presents its views on the current state of photography, creating a platform that introduces emerging talents in the international world of photography. 

Foam is an internationally operating organisation in the field of photography, based in the centre of Amsterdam. Foam informs and inspires the widest possible audience by presenting all facets of contemporary photography, by organising a range of activities varying from exhibitions to publications, debates and educational projects.

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It was a great way to meet some of the WeTransfer head office team. It's really important o engage with your user base so they can understand how to make the file transfer service work better for us, and also for us to to pitch ideas to them with ideas on where they could take it into the future.  

A really lovely few hours away from my Mac, rounded off by a cheeky beer. Lovely!

ESC2016_ComeTogether_horizontal

If there's a night you get onto Twitter, Eurovision is the night.

It actually makes the whole show excellent fun. I read the #eurovision hashtags, and respond with hopefully witty quips.

There's a strange sense of camaraderie when you live-tweet an event. You gain a few followers (and no doubt lose a few too) and if you're lucky a few of your gems get re-tweeted by people you've never met before.

The stats coming out show that over 7 MILLION tweets were sent. Pretty impressive. But in Europe at least - it's what most people were tweeting about.

It would be rather dumb to try and send a tweet about anything else you'd like to draw traffic to right? I mean, who would even be slightly interested in anything else (unless you're Justin Beiber).

The timeline is pulsating, it's updating super fast with more and more tweets. I've got the hashtag open in a separate column. This is reactional TV viewing at it's finest. No time for a toilet break (you might miss a tweet).

satureyes_2016-May-14

I did notice that one person I follow decided to send a tweet linking to his latest blog post. At 9pm on a Saturday night, on one of the biggest TV events of the year, and one of the biggest social media events of the year too.

A blog post about Instagram and its new logo (which is old news by social media standards) and how it's messing with it's algorithms. Moreover, the chap who posted it happens to call himself a 'social media guru'.

Not much of a guru if you as me.

Seriously? This sort of charlatan drives me mad. What a senseless, waste of space it was. WHO would be interested in this at that time of night?

Now you could argue that he figured there would be a massive active audience at that time, but they certainly weren't going to click a link, leave tweeting and read up about algorithms.

If you're going to send tweets, and you want them noticed, you're an idiot for sending them during major events. He should have been contributing to the 7 million and cleverly weaving his link into his tweets.

Social media guru? No thanks.

iPadPro_Pencil-Hand-PRINT

In my latest update to iPad Pro and RAW files, I’ve actually found a type of solution. 

For me, the missing piece of the jigsaw with the iPad Pro is how to get actual RAW files into the iPad - work on them, and then send them wherever you like and also keeping your main desktop library in sync. 
As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s not really possible natively because iOS won't support RAW, and sure there are various decoders that are available as apps around but I wanted to keep my ecosystem and workflow as easy as possible, and keep everything RAW.  
For the purposes of this I am basing all this on what my workflow (on a Mac) is:

    •    Shoot some photos in RAW (not RAW+JPEG)
    •    Import to iPad (or other iOS device) using lighting adapter. 
    •    Edit photos on iPad 
    •    Edited photos and RAW files are synced back to my desktop
    •    LR mobile can now work as a 2 way process with the edit/selection of images. 

Seems simple enough, but the only way to do this at the moment is with the native photos apps on iOS and OSX and that's a basic app. My workflow uses Adobe Lightroom CC, so Ideally I want everything to be within this. 

Lightroom users will know that (at the moment) Adobe can’t send your RAW files from the iPad TO Lightroom Mobile, you have to import them to your desktop FIRST, set the files you want as a collection, and THEN sync that collection back to your iPad where you can carry on the edit process or whatever you like to to with your photos. Then all the data is a 2 way sync, but the bottleneck is the desktop.

I decided to look at how easy it would be to have this whole process done remotely. 

First: Getting the images from your camera into the iPad - EASY!

The good news for the larger iPad Pro users is that Apple now have the USB 3 to lightning adapter. USB3 speeds are ONLY on the larger iPad Pro NOT the newer 9.7” version. However this means that you can plug your camera into the reader and import to the iPad - assuming your camera has a USB connection. If it doesn’t and shoots SD cards, there’s a new SD card reader out too, but if you have the older one apparently the speed increase is only marginal. 
The advantage of the USB3 adapter is that is also can be powered using a lighting cable to a power supply so you wont get ‘this device doesn’t have enough power’ message. it means you don't need a card reader (I’m not sure if a card reader would even work) because I don't have the new adapter to try but there is a chance it would, so you can get a small USB3 SD/CF card reader too.
Once they are in the iPad this is where the fun begins. 

iCloud is a key part of the process. iCloud WILL sync the RAW files back to the OSX photos app.  Once they are IN the iPad (however you chose to get them there) then they automatically go to the ‘camera roll’. These are then uploaded to iCloud, and downloaded to your photos app.
Make sure you have enabled ‘download originals to mac’ in PHOTOS>PREFERENCES (this may not be necessary but seems to work with my system)
Once you’ve done this - you’ll see that the RAW images you have on your iPad start populating on your machines that are on the same iCloud account. 
So they are now in the cloud- but you need to get them into Lightroom. 

A while back I found a great plugin when iCloud was MobileMe and Aperture didn’t support it. It hooked into your library with no intervention and scanned photostream for new images which you could then set a folder for them to reside in. 

This app is called PHOTOSTREAM2FOLDER by Laurent Crivello and and has still been updated fairly regularly. This will pull the images very nicely into a folder of your choice without having to open the photos app - make sure you leave a donation for the author as a thank you for this app. 

What I did now was to create a folder in the same directory as my LR folders (could be anywhere though) and called it ‘Photostream’
In the PHOTOSTREAM2FOLDER I set that as the destination, then left the ‘format field’ blank (to keep the filenames intact and to remove the folder tree that it would create. 

    •    Make sure it’s pointing to your ACTIVE photo library
    •    I then set the ‘Lightroom pictures folder’  to the ‘Photostream’ folder I created. 
    •    Unticked ‘convert PNG to JPG’

Let’s recap.

Photos - into iPad using adapter into camera roll- iCloud syncs files and PHOTOSTREAM2FOLDER app pulls the photos down to a local folder on the desktop. 
We are half way there.

Of course what we need to do now - is to get those photos INTO Lightroom, and once they are there - somehow - get these images added to a collection that has been set to sync with LR mobile. 

Lightroom has the ability to ‘watch’ a folder - but it can’t contain any subfolders. So at this point you ‘could’ point the watch folder to the PHOTOSTREAM2FOLDER and the images would appear. Easy - but then how do you get those images into the synced collection?
I considered using a remote control app like Teamviewer to put the images into the synced collection, but this would be a pain. After a little digging I found.. A PLUGIN!

It’s called FOLDER WATCH and it’s by Jeffrey Friedl who has a swathe of plugins on his site. It’s also been updated recently so I had hopes this would be the missing link. 

This plugin will enable you to set a whole load of parameters that can work alongside the ‘auto import’ or as a standalone within LR. I decided to let it work alone. The bonus to this is that it can ‘see’ subfolders on the auto import. 

It also does one MAJOR thing - and that is the ability to move these new imports into a collection.

THIS IS THE MISSING LINK!

And.. IT WORKS!

    •    Install the plugin (you get a 14 day trial with no limits) 
    •    Don’t tick ‘enable scan’ yet - the other options will be greyed out if you do
    •    Setting it up is actually quite easy and you can customise it how you like but i have it set to watch the same ‘Photostream’ folder that I created earlier 
    •    Set the plugin to run when LR is started (if you like)
    •    I ticked ‘new images only’
    •    Then you can chose what metadata you’d like to add etc
    •    I build a smart preview
    •    Then I select the collection in ‘add to standard collection’ box - this would be the one you have already set to sync with LR mobile
    •    I selected log errors in a separate dialogue - assuming I wont be ‘there’ to clear any error messages

So now, for the moment - in a rather convoluted way  - things seem to be working fine. 

Obviously you need to leave your desktop machine switched on (and LR open) but other than that it works - I can get my raw files into my iPad, back to my desktop, into Lightroom, and then synced BACK to my iPad again for editing and I don't need to do anything for this to happen. 

Of course you are getting ALL the images that come through your photo stream via iCloud but iI don't really shoot loads of stuff on my phone, and it’s no big deal. You can of course tell the LR plugin to ONLY look for a specific file type but I think it’s best to get it all in - you can always delete them later. 
Once they are onto your iPad, you can of course move them to another collection and begin the editing process. 

I think this is a pretty decent workaround for now. It doesn’t involve any knowledge of automator or any terminal commands. It’s pretty straight forward. 
So.. Now I can Shoot, import and edit RAW files in the field. 

IPO logo 300dpi

Satureyes is delighted to be working with the IPO as part of their campaign to spread awareness of the importance of protecting your copyright. 

Satureyes has been selected as case study to be part of the IPO's latest initiative to spread awareness of copyright and ownership. 

The full case study can be found on the GOV.UK website HERE

The campaign was launched online and in print and has received a fantastic response both on social media and also from the printed leaflets that were handed out at The Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

The IPO distributed almost 1000 leaflets in 2 days, having to rely on an emergency print run. They've also been getting requests for them via their information centre online.  At the show they also had face to face contact with several hundred people. 

The Royal Photographic Society and the Master Photographers Association are also keen to circulate the booklet to their members. 

In this age of social media, understanding how and where your content can be used is critical. The IPO is working to ensure that what's yours stays yours. 

For more information about the IPO please visit The Intellectual Property Office 

iPadPro_Pencil-Hand-PRINT

This is vey much 'breaking news' so please bear with the updates. 

This week I got hold of an iPad Pro, and as I've written about before the biggest iPad yet appears to have a big bottleneck - getting stuff IN and working on it.

It's all very well having the power and the screen size to work on but as a professional photographer and video-maker I'd love to be able to review my images and footage and cull some files before I get back to my main Mac, and also whilst I'm in the field, So I don't have to take my laptop. 

So in a little experiment I decided to see if I could get past this 'injest' issue. This isn't going to be a review of the iPad Pro (iPP) but more a rolling review that i will add to as I make more discoveries. I want to get my images into Adobe Lightroom Mobile and ultimately back to my iMac. 

TEST 1

First test was to use the lighting to USB adapter, plug in a mini USB cable and connect directly to my 1DX SLR. 

The iPad immediately opened up the photos app and started to build thumbnails. I selected some images and they appeared to import quite fast.

On looking in the photos app, they also started to appear on my desktop. I could see the images on the iPad and they also started to populate into my iCloud photos account, as well as reflecting any edits made on the iPad. 

I plugged in the iPad and examined the files using image capture on my Mac and can conform that the files are indeed the RAW files NOT the JPEG renders.

The files all now on my iPad, I turned to Lightroom Mobile to import them. Lightroom Mobile shows there are files 'there' in the file count but can't see the actual images to import. It can see the JPEG files if I've shot JPEG+RAW but any editing done on the JPEG will not change the RAW file. 

You can of course use the iPad to cull images and then import them back into Lightroom using the lightning cable.

CONCLUSION

It appears that RAW files can be imported, viewed AND edited but at the moment only using the Photos app. Lightroom Mobile will not access the file. You can play around with the photo on the iPad and then this will be reflected in the Photos app on the Mac.

Shooting as RAW+JPEG will obviously show (and allow you to import) the JPEG into Lightroom but leaves the RAW untouched on the iPad. 

If you don't use Lightroom and only use the Photos app on the Mac - then you're in luck!

TEST 2

SD card reader using Leica M240 DNG files. 

As before the iPad opened up the photos app, and imported the files. HOWEVER the images were the tiny JPEG's that the camera renders for it's LCD rear screen. I was upset with this - obviously I could shoot RAW+JPEG, which would give me a bigger file to work with on the iPad. BUT then..

I opened Lightroom Mobile and is SAW the RAW files on the iPad. Unlike with CR2 files from the Canon, it actually saw the raw files. I could then import then into LR mobile and edit them. At the same time my iMac was showing the files after they were synced. I checked the file on my iMac 'reveal in finder' and it does appear that the RAW DNG file has been synced back to the mac. 

CONCLUSION

iPad Pro with lighting to SD card reader does import DNG RAW files and then LR Mobile can see the raw files (even though the stock Photos app can't) and then they can be worked on and synced. VERY promising news. 

TEST 3

Not quite still images but thought I'd try importing some video. The video came in through the SD card reader, and then was able to be used in iMovie. The video was MP4 shot on a Canon C100mkii so I have high hopes that this would work for pretty much most mp4 files. 

More to follow...

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Current price around £780
Leica Website

It’s been a good 6 months since I bought my D-Lux, so I thought it would be a good time to write a review based on long-term use of the camera. 

As well as their legendary rangefinder cameras, Leica also have a decent offering when it comes to compact cameras. It’s no secret that for their compact camera range, they team up with Panasonic. Leica supply the lenses and Panasonic the innards, but with some cosmetic changes and some tweaks to the camera firmware/software. 

Many years ago I owned an older D-Lux camera and loved it, since then my ambitions and overdraft have grown somewhat and I now own a decent collection of Leica kit, mainly the M and a plethora of lenses. 

Sometimes though, even a professional photographer like myself needs a camera that they can grab and go with. I like to call this a ‘waiter cam’. One that I can hand to a waiter in a restaurant and they will get a semi-decent photo of the group, in full automatic mode. I also would like to be able to flick it back to manual when I’m ready for some more hands-on control. 

I’m not going to write a huge technical review of the camera and it’s features because the camera has been out long enough for the web to be full of them. This is intended to be a more of a ‘real world’ user experience and how it fairs from when I bought the camera to now, with a few images thrown in for good measure. 

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The camera is indeed largely based on the Panasonic LX100, an equally very capable camera. There are cosmetic differences and also differences in the firmware, but there’s a school of thought that will say there’s no difference. There is a price difference however, the Leica coming in a little more expensive. There’s a few benefits of the Leica version. It comes with a copy of Adobe Lightroom which is now pretty much widely accepted as the de-facto platform for editing and sorting images and of course hooks in very nicely to the rest of the Adobe suite of software. Coupled with a longer warranty the Leica D-Lux seems like a pretty balanced offering compared to the Panasonic. Plus, in my opinion it looks lovely too.

I was an avid Apple Aperture power user, but when Apple canned the development I was pretty much pushed to Lightroom. Almost a year on I am very happy and settled and can honestly say that Lightroom is pretty good. Even for the amateur it’s streets ahead of the stock photo apps on Mac and Windows computers. Apples new ‘Photos’ app is quite basic, and although it has tight integration with iCloud I think it’s still lacking in features and power. This could of course change in time as it becomes more developed but if you’re wanting some longevity then I’d plump for Lightroom. Chances are it will be still be in use a lot long after the current range of native photo apps are gone. 

So back to the camera.

I was a massive fan of the Sony RX100 range (I’ve reviewed it in my blog) and currently they have yet another new model and the specs are impressive, but over my years with it I found it a little ‘fiddly’ to operate. Whilst a truly pocketable camera it was just a bit to menu driven for my liking. The D-Lux though, whilst not truly 'pocketable', it does go into a jacket pocket but you can’t cram it into your jeans. The trade off though in my opinion is you are getting a much better lens and sensor than the RX range. For me I’d rather have the more manual-friendly settings than the ability to carry the camera in my pocket. 

There are some days where I just want to take a light, compact camera out with me and not worry about lenses and so on. It’s always a difficult choice for any photographer though. Do we take the better quality camera out with us, or one which will enable us to snap some decent shots and not concern ourselves with changing lenses and so on. 

The D-Lux really comes close to my other cameras in terms of image quality. Sure it’s not full frame (it’s actually micro 4/3) so you’re getting a superb sensor but with a fixed lens, and a lens that is tuned to the body perfectly. After 6 months I’m confident to leave my other kit at home and only take the d-lux out with me. Not always, but sometimes. 

I also purchased the leather case. I did try using others but they just didn’t quite look as nice or fit as well. I feel this is now a complete system. Grab and go, knowing you’re going to get very very good quality images.

Leica+D-Lux_back
I do like the way you flick between modes. It’s a little odd at first but it’s actually quite logical. If you want it all automatic you can either push the ‘A’ button, or use ‘P’ (program) mode by turning the lens ring to A and the top dial to A. For Aperture priority leave the top dial on A and just adjust the aperture. For Shutter speed priority, leave the aperture ring on A and then twiddle the top dial around to whatever shutter speed you like. 

The exposure compensation dial is very useful too - I do have a tendency to knock it though so perhaps it could be a tad stiffer BUT it’s very handy and even with video shooting works well. 

The ability to actually use an aperture ring is a big selling point for me. I’m not a fan of ‘fly by wire’ systems, I like to feel the physical controls when I’m shooting. 

The EVF is wonderful too. I use this way more than the equally nice rear LCD. The refresh rate is amazing, very little lag and it most useful for shooting in sunshine or when you don't want people to see the shot appear on the screen. 

The battery seems to run and run. I’ve never managed to get through a full battery in a full day shooting. Using the screen and shooting video will eat more power but grab a spare battery and I think you’ll be safe for a long weekend of shooting without taking the charger. 

Video too is quite wonderful. I set the camera to shoot in 4k (but I edit in HD) just so it gives me more pixels to play with. For a compact camera the quality is lovely. I do dial down all the settings to make the image as ‘flat’ as possible so I can then tweak it more in edit, but then I’m doing this for al living. For most users the default settings are perfect. Shooting video is a breeze, point the camera and press the record button. The codec seems pretty robust and some say it’s on a par with the legendary Panasonic GH4 which isn’t surprising seeing as the innards are very similar. 
i’d be happy to use this camera instead of a Go-Pro mounted somewhere to capture as a second or third camera on a video shoot. 

As with all modern kit, the camera has NFC which I can’t test because I own an iPhone. It also has wifi and this seems pretty good and the free app works well with it. You can see the live feed from the camera, as well as control various settings and recall images and save to the camera roll. 

The only downside with this is with RAW files, they can’t be saved or viewed on your smartphone. You can thought shoot as RAW+JPEG and then the JPEG image will be the one you can play with on your mobile device. The app and connectivity isn’t a deal breaker for me but a nice addition. it’s good for those who want to seed to social media and want to use a much, much better camera than your smartphone.

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My first big trip with the D-lux was to Thailand. I’d barely had the camera a week, so it was all new. the Learning curve is pretty small. There are a LOT of settings on there but you can pretty much ignore most of them if you want manual control. Even for those who hate reading manuals you wont have too much trouble getting your head around it.

I have to confess that on many days I did leave my M kit behind and just took the D-Lux. It felt ‘wrong’ at first but then soon I realised that when I was back in my hotel and looked at the images they just looked great. It’s a great camera for stealthy shots too, totally silent (if you want it to be) and you can shoot from the hip too. An articulating screen would have been nice for this purpose but I think it would add to the bulk. I had a flip out screen on my last Sony and it drove me mad when I took it out of it’s case it would flip up somehow. 

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I do tend to edit most of my photos, not massively but I tweak the basics. Occasionally I will apply a film type of preset to the shot. I am still amazed about how much detail i can pull from these images. The RAW files are very robust. 

Although you get a little clip on flash in the package I didn’t really use it. I’d say you can get away with shooting at ISO 6400 but things tend to get a little mushy after that. The flash is handy as a ‘fill’ but with the decent ISO and fast lens it’s actually not really needed. I have considered getting a beefier flash for it but then I think it would take away the portability of the camera. I invested in the automatic lens cap, so I don't have to worry about losing the cap that comes with the camera.

At it’s widest the lens is a fabulous f1.7, but even zoomed it’s f2.8 so you’re not losing much. This is really impressive for a camera this small. The equivalent focal range is 24mm-70mm which is the same as the lens I have on my DSLR bodies 90% of the time. It can also focus down as low as 3cm giving you the option for getting some nice detailed shots very close up. 

If you like the background blur and lots of booked then it’s rather nice with this camera. Wide open and 1.7 and putting the subject nice and close will give you decent results. 

On some of the trips I made in Thailand I actually used the D-lux alongside my M rangefinder. There wasn’t always time to change lenses, so I tended to keep a wide on the M and then used the D-Lux tog get closer, and get some macro shots. Overall I felt it was a good combo and my shots sit perfectly well together in my library. 

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Recently I was working in Milan for 24 hours. I debated heavily if I should take my full rangefinder kit. I had booked myself on a later flight to get around Milan for a few hours and shoot some stuff. I had my roller bag crammed with my DSLR bodies and lenses, and had planned on taking my M240 and 3 or 4 lenses but the night before I decided  take the D-Lux in the leather case. Of course there were moments where I wished I’d have had my M with me but I had one camera, on my shoulder and that was all I took out with me. After spending the night before dragging my DSLR’s around with me this felt so good, freedom!

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Also, with Leica you are getting access to their support and customer service which I have found to be fantastic. I had some dust on the sensor, not a common issue but I'd used it extensively.  The unit was cleaned and ready within 24 hours. In London this can be done In-house in Mayfair, so if you're local you can drop it in and hopefully they will be able to do it quickly for you. I'm sure it's a similar setup in other countries too. 

To conclude, I’m delighted with this camera. It's great on a trip to the seaside, or an adventure somewhere else.I would confidently take this with me and leave my other kit back at home if I wanted to take a weekend trip or a day out or was limited to space. Sure there are new cameras every few months, but this one is great, and I intend to use it for a long time to come. 

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Place: The Deli House, 41 Shenley Rd, Borehamwood

https://www.facebook.com/TheDeliHouse

Being freelance, it's become a bit of a mission for me to find places that offer good value, tasty and fresh food when I need a quick, tasty fix. It's all too easy to slip back into the junk-fest of the fast food chains when things are busy.

With great excitement a new deli opened the other week. Today I decided that I'd reward myself with a spot of lunch after hitting a tight deadline, so I popped over to 'The Deli House' in Borehamwood for some food. 

There's a swathe of new eateries opening up on my local high-street. It's a pretty busy place, and it's great to see the old closed-down shops given a new lease of life and opening up as potentially exciting places to eat.

The Deli House actually opened a couple of weeks ago, but was so popular they ran out of food, then closed for a few days whilst they re-evaluated. It was encouraging that there was a heavy demand, but slightly worrying that they couldn't cope with actually having customers. Still, teething problems are part of the learning process and once they had announced they'd sorted them out I was rather excited about a salt beef sandwich. 

I arrived and the sun was shining, the place was packed, always a good sign. The decor is very light and fresh, lots of room to sit inside and a couple of tables on the outside. The whole front was opened up to the outside. The menu boards clear and not too overloaded with information. I liked it. 

So I stood there for around 10 mins, keeping an eye out for a table. I wasn't sure whether I was meant to order then sit down, or sit down and wait. I kind of hung around a bit then went to place my order. I was told to sit down and the staff would serve me. 

The menu is good. New York style, kosher deli style. Decent choice of hot and cold sandwiches, schnitzel and loads of delicious things. The classic Salt Beef, Reuben and all the trimmings, and sides of felafel and chopped herring. There's enough choice to keep you coming back for several visits. Excitedly I sat down, and spotted they'd put the Wifi code on the menu holder on the table. A nice touch, but I didn't see the network so I assume they've not set it up yet. 

The condiments on the table were fairly standard. Some random ketchup (not Heinz) but Heinz mayo. Some tables had salad oil too. Cutlery was sparse but in a tin on the table. Each set wrapped in a paper napkin. 

I'd come for one meat, and one meat only, and this was Salt beef. I ordered my Salt Beef on rye, mustard on the side (£5.95) and a potato latke (£2.25) with a can on mango juice (£1.20). 

I didn't have to wait too long, but the sandwich looked a little disappointing. A little limp and forlorn. On the plate were a couple of tomato and cucumber slices and a little pile of iceberg lettuce. Mustard in a pot on the side. I'd not say the salt beef was piled high, but it wasn't one slice. Somewhere in between, so not great but not terrible. possibly about 3cm thick in the centre. No pickles or other garnish though. 

My latke was on the way (I was told) When it did arrive I was disappointed. They had run out of the large ones so suppled 4 small balls. They were not even luke-warm. I'd say room temperature at best. 

The sandwich was dry. The meat was most definitely not hot. The 'hot sandwich' was tepid. Both in looks and temperature. The meat was 'ok', slightly dry but not the absolute worst I've had. Not a patch on the bagel places in Brick Lane though, where they hand carve thick slices and pile it high. Salt beed should be buttery smooth, break into juicy little glistening pieces and taste fresh and mellow. This wasn't. It felt like it had been delivered in shrink wrap,  pre-cooked and sliced. I don't think it's hand carved on the premises. I thought that over 50p for each little latke ball thing was overpriced too. 

All the time, playing on my mind is the fact that for another pound or so you can get a Salt Beef sandwich from the famous Brass Rail Salt Beef bar in Selfridges, The Deli House prices don't seem to compare for value, especially being in Borehamwood rather than Oxford St, and not, err, Selfridges. 

I would have addressed the issues with the staff, but they were totally inattentive. No one came to check up. I was waiting to see if they did. They were all huddled around the till (the same way they were when I arrived) trying to figure out how it worked. I'd have forgiven them for the learning curve, but they'd already opened and closed so I was rather hoping they'd be slick and ready to welcome customers. 

So that was that. I wasn't sure again if I needed to stand up, and go and pay, ask for the bill then take it to the till or sit and pay at the table. No one seemed to know. I went to the counter and waited another 5 or so minutes watching the staff figure out the till. 

Another problem is that the till is sandwiched (pun intended) between the high glass chiller cabinets with the cakes etc in, so you can't actually make any eye contact with the staff behind the counter. There were people paying for take-aways, people waiting to pay who had been sitting down to eat and just no form or organisation at all. I had to wave at the staff through the glass to get their attention and then mime to them what I wanted.  

The bill was just shy of £10 which for a lunch and a can of drink isn't a bad price, but I had a feeling of disappointment. 

The photo on their Facebook page really is not representative of the food they serve. If they'd served me this, it would be a different story. 

deli house

The place is nice, but the food is disappointing. Perhaps my expectations were too high- but there's little excuse for not heating the food properly. A couple wanted to order a pudding. They'd sold out. It was still lunch time. 

I really hope they iron out their issues. People won't give them a third or fourth chance. They opened, failed, closed and re-opened. People will not bother if they can't offer a decent level of good food and good service. On chatting to a couple of friends who've been, they also remarked their soup was cold, the food not hot. 

As I was walking to the car, I actually felt peckish. I don't usually eat massive lunches, but I was feeling totally unsatiated. I went home still hungry. 

There's another Deli type place opening very soon just a little further up the road. The Deli House should really use this time to capture a loyal audience or they could suffer. The other place is a chain too. I want to support my local business but I can't if they don't improve. I really hope they can pull it out of the bag and make this place something great. 

I don't know if I should give them '3 strikes and out' or abandon the place already. 

iPadPro_Pencil_Lifestyle1-PRINT

After a much talked about product launch the folk in California have announced a slew of new devices but the one which is of most interest to me and possibly other photographers is the iPad Pro.

The new iPad is large - a 13” screen and is very powerful. I don't need to go through all the tech specs, but they are impressive for a tablet and they are all over the web.

The addition of a stylus makes this a very interesting proposition for digital artists, and designers. It won’t be long before developers will fill the App Store with a range of apps all tailored to use the new pencil (or stylus) but what about the photography community?

I’ve used a Wacom tablet for years -I can’t (and won’t) use a mouse anymore, for photo editing the graphics tablet is a must for me. Accurate and fast, once you try it and get used to it you will never go back, the prospect of a large iPad with a pen to help you work is indeed very exciting.

At the moment there’s an app that actually turns the current iPad into a drawing tablet, (like the Wacom Cintiq pictured below) called Astropad. You can use the iPad screen to mirror your desktop/laptop screen and work on it like a graphics tablet - a very clever app, and a heck of a lot cheaper than the Wacom. If this works on the iPad Pro then it could be a killer app and would seal the deal for some people in making their purchasing decision.

Wacom Cintiq

I have had a few iPads over the years and for me the missing link is getting the photos from your camera in to the iPad. I mean the raw files - not small JPEG previews, inevitably it’s just less stressful to use a laptop and have all the connectivity and storage there and then - but these devices are big and heavy and perhaps I don't take the laptop to places I’d take the iPad.

So let’s look at what I would like to do with my workflow. I would imagine it’s very similar to other photographers.

Finish a shoot

Ingest images into iPad whilst still on location

Use Lightroom mobile to perform edits/cull images

Sync back via Adobe Cloud to my main mac

Refine the edits or export and upload to client.

Now this process hasn’t changed with the new iPad. For me there is still the missing link of ‘How do I get the photos from my camera into the damn iPad?’

With the new pencil (or stylus as we know them as) there is huge potential to be able to do very fast and accurate photo editing, with the larger screen it would be perfect for on the fly editing, and a heck of a lot more portable than a laptop. As it stands, Adobe Lightroom Mobile is an excellent tool for editing on the go. It will sync your camera roll with the app- and then your main Lightroom App on the Mac or PC.

Getting access to the actual files from your proper camera is still very much a one way thing. You ingest the images into your main PC/Mac, then sync the collection back to your iOS device. It does work very, very well BUT it doesn’t help when the client wants a few shots at the end of the event or shoot. It’s either back to the office or drag the laptop.

Apple has teamed up with Adobe and they showed some very interesting peeks at new software but it does seem to be firmly aimed at the artist rather than the photographer. It will be interesting to see what happens to Wacom, who for years have had the monopoly in professional, pressure sensitive graphics tablets.

I'd like to see Adobe look at something for photographers in the field, a workable workflow! If this could be sorted - this new device is potentially very exciting. Couple it with a data plan and you are ready to shoot, edit and upload anywhere.

The question would be, do you take the plunge now (well, November when it’s released) or sit tight and wait for version 2 where they could have developed the hardware and software to do what you’d like. Apple iPad Pro

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We all have them, but some are worse than others. 

In an age where we are mostly all on some form of social media or another, I would think we’ve taken it for granted that a photo can say a lot about a person, and we’ve become rather flippant about what we use and where.

Facebook is where most of us sit and play when we have some time (or when we should be working) and there’s obviously a lot of you out there who are the ‘serial’ profile updater, possibly changing your headshot more than once or twice a week. It’s fine there - but what happens when you cross the line to the ‘professional’ arena of other sites, like LinkedIn.

You can’t apply the same rules there as you do on Facebook.  So, after seeing MANY head shots I’ve put together this handy little guide to help you look your best without looking like a fool. 

Where?

Before you take your photo, think about what your wearing, and think about where you’re standing. You don't need a professional photographer to take the shot, just think about what you’re trying to achieve. You don't want the photo to be boring, so think about perhaps using a wall, or a bit of artwork somewhere, you don't have to be bland to be appropriate. 

The Selfie

A self-portrait has been around for many years, and this is perfectly acceptable, just try to avoid having it look like you’ve actually taken the photo yourself. Don’t have your arm in shot, and please, please don't pout. Use the timer on your camera, or just get someone in the office or a friend to take it. ANYTHING is better than a selfie. 

Lighting

Dont’ try and be ‘moody’ and have something dramatic (half your face in light, the other in shadow) type of thing. If you’re in the performing arts or you’re a magician then it might be acceptable.

Poor Quality

Keep the picture as good a quality as possible. DON’T zoom on your iPhone because it’s not a real zoom. It just does it digitally. Move closer (or get someone to move closer to you). Resize the image once you've uploaded it on whichever platform you want to use. 

Appropriate

I already mentioned in the lighting section that the images should be at lease slightly appropriate to the organisations you want to work for. Whilst we are on the topic of being appropriate, don't use a photo of you off your face at a party. It really wont be a good thing. Even worse with a bottle of booze and a packet of fags in your hand. 

The CropShot

Dont use a photo from your holidays and try and crop our your best friend who’s standing next to you with their arm on your shoulder. It looks rubbish. Actually, don't use a holiday shot at all. Beachwear in profile shots isn’t really recommended on a professional level, regardless of if you have the killer body (and especially if you don’t!)

Animals

Don't pose with your pets. No cats, dogs or hamsters. Unless of course you're a Vet and thats part of your work but no-one cares about how much you love your gerbil. 

Finally...

If in doubt - keep is simple. Whilst you think you look amazing on a beach in Thailand with your new sunglasses on, a potential employer may think otherwise. 

It's very hard to continually innovate. I'm constantly worried that my shots are looking 'too similar' to the previous years - and at the back of my mind I'm also thinking that if I don't offer something new to my client then they could of course look elsewhere for some 'new blood'.

My usual armoury for a festival consists of quite a bit of kit - I have 3 cameras, and several lenses. Some of you may want the technical info so here we go..

Leica M240, and a 12mm Voightlander, 21mm Super Elmar, 28mm Elmarit, 35mm Summilux FLE, 50mm Summilux FLE, 90mm Summicron and a macro adapter for some fun (well you know.. fun for some!)

Also, I do use some Canon kit. Mainly for when I'm shooting the stage acts because i need to have much longer lenses than Leica make, but also I need to quickly change between camera bodies (and occasionally use auto-focus). I do shoot some on-stage stuff with the Leica though. 

So my Canon kit is a 1DX, 5d3, 14mm, 24-70mm, 24-105mm, 70-200mm and a 17mm Tilt-shift and some obligatory flashguns thrown in for good measure too. 

In fact - here's what I look like when I'm all tooled up. Those rather lovely camera holders/straps are from www.holdfastgear.com

all tooled up

This year, I decided to shoot the bulk of The Henley Festival using my Leica M. It's famed for being unobtrusive and silent. I've written in the past about how much I love the feeling of having everything all manual, and the buzz that I get from getting a shot that I have created rather than the electronics of the camera. Also, after several days of walking with cameras attached to you, you need all the help you can find in lowering the weight. 

Personally, I hate having my photo taken, and this is common for a lot of people, of course once the Pimms and Champers kick in it's usually a different matter but many people are shy, and the last thing I want to do is push a massive camera in their face. 

For me, the M is perfect. It's also a beautiful looking camera. I don't like being seen as 'the official photographer' when I am working at the festival, although sometimes I need to be seen to be the one who's calling the shots (pun intended) but generally I like to slink into the background and catch people in all their relaxed beauty. The M lets me do this, and not only that- produces some really really great results. I am constantly amazed at how much range the images have. When I process the images in Adobe Lightroom I can pull in details that I thought were lost. 

So my client seems pleased - I had a lovely email from them saying that my photos were 'head and shoulders' better than anything they have had from the scores of other photographers who were there. This pleases me, and maybe, just maybe I'll be invited back next year. 

Here's some shots from this year, all taken on the Leica M(240) with various lenses. 

Rick

Increased demand for high-end video production has resulted in a major kit upgrade. 

The camera will become the workhorse, and will add a new level of quality and creative options for my clients. It will also pair beautifully with the handheld stabiliser, producing stunning, cinematic shots, 

The system is perfectly suited for event videography, especially in low-light conditions.

The camera will sit well within the existing kit, as the main camera for all forthcoming shoots. This means Satureyes can now offer up to 3 camera shoots using all the in-house equipment. 

The new investment demonstrates Satureyes' commitment to offering their clients cutting-edge technology to deliver superlative imagery with a no-nonsense mentality. 

Satureyes shoots and edits everything in-house, and recognises the need for clients to have a completed film as soon as possible. With this latest addition, it will certainly aid the process and help deliver stunning imagery quickly, ready for seeding to social media or broadcast. 

EOS C100 Mark IIThe latest addition to Satureyes' shooting kit The Cinema EOS C100 Mark ii is the latest addition to the Satureyes kit bag.

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The C100 on the DJI Ronin Stabiliser.

Times are hard – money is tight and we all need to make sure what we buy and who we hire are giving us good value, but it's sometimes not JUST about who much things cost.

There will ALWAYS be someone willing to undercut - or work for less than someone else. If you hunt around, you'll probably get someone for free - however there really isn't such thing as a free lunch. Take the cheap option and you may end up in trouble. 

One thing that is often overlooked (and not even asked about) is whether your chosen photographer is insured. 

It’s not the most glamourous of topics – but it’s a crucial one. Its mutually important for both parties to have protection against something going wrong.  

Don’t be embarrassed to ASK a photographer if they are insured. Don’t assume they are. There’s a lot of people claiming to be 'professional' photographers – who just popped down to the camera store and bought a snazzy new camera. Insurance is just as important as having the latest kit.  A professional photographer will not be annoyed if you ask if they are covered. If they do get angry – they’re not professional!

The horror stories we tend to read about  are usually about wedding photographers – but there’s no difference when it comes to insurance whether it be commercial or private shoots – having adequate cover is critical.

Here’s a few things to look out for.

Check to see if the Photographer is properly qualified.  The Master Photographers Association (MPA) & the British Institute Of Professional Photography (BIPP) are the only two associations with recognised photography qualifications.  These organisations insist that their members have Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance – regardless of their quality of photography.

Public Liability, or PL as it is known, covers your liability for any damage you may cause to another person, or property, accidentally whilst undertaking work. This could be a simple accident such as someone falling over a tripod or being “bumped” with a lens or more serious issues that could leave people scarred or disabled for life. The other thing PL covers is 3rd party property damage if  someone else’s property is damaged whilst conducting some photographic work.

A photographer has a  “duty of care”  as does any other professional. If a service is offered in a specific area or classed as a specialist,  then the client is owed a “duty of care” to anybody who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that owed by the ordinary man in the street. Professional indemnity (PI) insurance protects the photographer if they face claims of professional negligence from clients, customers, suppliers or other people.

Insurance isn’t JUST for the photographer – its for the client too. A photographer with no insurance will not be able to afford to pay you compensation. You would have to rely on the courts.

Just make sure you ask and don’t assume – make sure you are both protected

It's not an easy job - lots of people rushing about and lots of stress - actors to keep happy and in this case children and animals on set too. The potential for a swift slap for getting in the way is high, and you run the risk of annoying people who could ultimately ask you to leave. 

After a short embargo I am finally allowed to share the shots taken on the set of the latest Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial. The adverts are now on air until February 17th (and you can see one at the end of the post). 

The last thing you'd want to do on set it get in anyones way. There's a lot of pressure on people in a live set - lots of decisions and processes that you dare not disturb. You have to tread very very lightly and do as you're told. If you annoy the Director, or the 2nd AD (or actually anyone) - you're in for a really tough time.

On this shoot the concept for the ads were 'stop motion' which meant even more logistical issues for the actors - moving one frame at a time is not an easy job. The ads are about a family going about their everyday lives and show how by adding ingredients to Total Greek Yoghurt can create low-calorie meals. A series of 4 adverts in total will air. 

I chose to shoot with the Leica M (TYP 240)  and a selection of M lenses including the 35mm and 50mm Summilux (f1.4). For me this is the perfect tool for this type of job. It's small, discreet and almost silent. The ability to use amazing fast glass, coupled with a camera that just delivers delicious looking images is key to success. 

It's a fine balancing act between having some banter with the cast and crew and knowing when to shut up. Something that isn't easy to do. 

Here's a few shots, and one of the commercials at the end.

Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240 Total Greek Yoghurt TV commercial 2015Behind the scenes of the 2015 Television Commercials for Total Greek Yoghurt, taken by Satureyes Photography on the Leica M240

It's been a great year for Satureyes, with a some really amazing projects and shoots from clients old and new.

Just as the year comes to an end I'm really really excited to announce that I will be working very closely with The Omidyar Network.The virtual ink is still drying on the paperwork but I wanted to share the news with you as soon as it was official.  

The Omidyar Network is a fantastic organisation which was set up by Pierre Omidyar (the chap who founded eBay), and is based on a belief that people are basically good.

Over the coming months, I will be working closely with them providing imagery for use in their marketing collateral. I hope this is the start of a long relationship and ultimately visit their projects worldwide and document them in both photographs and video. 

The Omidyar Network is based on a fundamental belief: People are inherently capable, but they often lack opportunity. They believe that if they invest in people, through opportunity, they will create positive returns for themselves, their families, and the world at large. They believe that businesses can be a powerful force for good.

Pierre Omidyar experienced this firsthand as the founder of eBay. Just as eBay created the opportunity for millions of people to start their own businesses, Omidyar Network believe market forces can be a potent driver for positive social change, so they  invest in both for-profit businesses and nonprofit organisations, whose complementary roles can advance entire sectors.

Starting from the premise that people are basically good, Pierre created a platform that gave everyone equal access to information, opportunity, and the tools to pursue their goals. Omidyar Network invests in entrepreneurs who share our commitment to advancing social good at the pace and scale the world needs today. They are focused on five key areas they believe are building blocks for prosperous, stable, and open societies: Consumer Internet and Mobile, Education, Financial Inclusion, Governance & Citizen Engagement, and Property Rights.

It's an exciting time and I can't wait to get started. 

However you do (or don't) bring in the New Year, may I wish you all a happy, prosperous, healthy and peaceful year ahead.

See you on the other side of midnight,

Rick  

The other week I was out shooting for the lovely folk at smart group. They have amazing venues around the country but this time I was at battersea evolution a huge venue that is slap bang in the middle of battersea park. 

I was asked to document the venue being used for super drug's 50th birthday and charity ball. Over 700 guests packed the cavernous venue and it looked amazing. Guests entered from the foyer and there were various 'stations' where they could get their hair fixed up, nails done and fake tattoos. The theme was pop-art.

I decided to shoot some panoramic shots, a few of them are below. They're made up from around 12 to 15 images each, and then stitched together afterwards. The event was produced by well pleased events and the night hosted by vernon kay. 

Enjoy!

battersea evolution superdrug 50th party battersea evolution superdrug 50th party battersea evolution superdrug 50th party

I was one of the first in the country to take delivery of this amazing piece of kit- and it's AWESOME!

DJI-Ronin-616x558 ronin-g14-616x410

The DJI Ronin is a newly launched handheld stabiliser which enables shots that were only previously possible (or not even possible at all) with expensive and often impractical kit. 

Imagine being able to tour a whole building, with silky smooth shots, or follow a guide through a venue. The unit can be used to shoot out from a moving vehicle without any sign of a bumpy ride. 

The possibilities are quite amazing and this is another indicator of how innovation and offering my clients value for money work hand in hand.

The unit can be taken anywhere in the world, and set up within a few minutes, ready to shoot. 

Here's an example of a film shot on a similar unit of an aircraft interior. 

And some more stuff shot with the unit.

Actually back in April, I found myself at the top of the Gherkin in London shooting for 'Visit Denver' as part of their drive to get people to.. well, visit Denver. Spectacular venue, but the weather was a little..err.. rubbish, but for me who loves architectural shots this is a great place to shoot. 

SAT24768

Then, it was over for a quick session at Earls Court to fire off some press shots for the launch of a new e-learning project for the publisher Blackwell's

The very next day it was over to  Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant to shoot the launch of Keith Prowse's hospitality at the AEGON Tennis Championships.

SATU4546

The Kia Oval was the next stop in the build up to summer. This time was the launch of the Kia Oval Terrace, so lots of delicious food and drink was served.  SAT25625

That very same week I was hot-footing across London to shoot the City for a client who was fed up of useless, out of date stock images and needed something tailored to their needs. 

L1000411

Greek Easter was upon us - and Total Greek Yoghurt had me shooting a Greek Cookery class. 

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Next up was a 2 day shoot for Amazon Web Services (the people who do lots of clever things with clouds and stuff) over at ExCel. This was a huge event, several thousand people and lots (and lots) of very clever people talking about very clever things and how it all works. Apart from the traditional people on stage talking shots, I do like to capture slightly alternative images. 

SAT26857

May happened - and I was aboard a boat on the Thames for The One Foundation - the guys who sell water and the profits go straight to Africa to help improve water supply out there. Truly inspiring evening with the founder and a lot of very lovely people who have helped raise a lot of money for this amazing organisation. There was also a Toshiba staff conference at Mercedes Benz World to shoot and make a super-fast turnaround video also. Another conference shoot was also thrown in for good measure. 

SAT27522

Boats on the Thames seemed to be a bit of a May theme - and I found myself back on the river shooting a press event for Discover The Origin. Lots of cheeses, meats and of course wine. Here's a shot just before the rain came of Ben Tish and David Vareille (chef and sommelier)

SAT28612

A trip to Bristol saw me shooting some stills and video for the install of a special project for Toshiba Medical Systems. They've build an amazing truck which houses a MRI scanner and can basically go pretty much anywhere. This one was a world's first and was off to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow once it had been built. 

SATU6263

Over at Epsom Racecourse, Domestic and General were having their staff conference and also breaking an actual Guinness World Record. They had to put on and off a number of t shirts whilst standing in a line.. they actually did it and are world record holders!

SAT20004

Wimbledon popped up it's lovely summery head and I spent some time shooting the Gatsby Club, the luxurious hospitality area at The Championships. 

L1000230

Home House was the venue for a very cool bar mitzvah party in July. The parents partied upstairs and the kids partied downstairs (and looked at their phones and ate candy floss and popcorn a lot)

SAT20952

The Henley Festival was upon us - and I have the honour of being the official festival photographer. It's one of my favourite jobs of the year - colourful and eccentric, but this year I met (and shot) The Jacksons which was utterly awesome- a career high point for sure. 

SAT27129

The Commonwealth Games were about to start, and I flew down to Glasgow with my kit to shoot the official opening of the MR scanner truck and that I've been following the progress of for Toshiba Medical Systems. Tessa Sanderson cut the ribbon, and welcomed in the athletes to this amazing facility. 

SATU6797

Manchester beckoned for a shoot with Konica Minolta, I was shooting both video and stills here too. They were showing off some very cool digital machines, and launching a new one.

SAT27559

And finally (for now) I shot a series of office portraits for Thompson Taraz. They needed something a little bit more exciting than your standard office head and shoulders shot, as well as some interiors of their office. 

SAT28672

So.. it's been a wonderfully busy few months thanks to my wonderful clients. 

Thanks for reading!

R

http://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/cyber-shot-compact-cameras/dsc-rx100m3

PRICE: (as of July 2014) : £699

RX100III_Right-1200

I must get asked 2 or 3 times a week about which camera to buy - and it usually always ends up with the same conclusion. A camera is only as good as the days you have it with you, so it’s really up to you to decide if you want a camera that you keep with you all the time or only pull out on special occasions.

I thought I’d write this one as a user, and possibly for those users who doesn’t necessarily want to take up photography professionally but is looking with interest to buy this camera. For the record I’m not connected with Sony in any way. They never send me stuff to review. 

RX100III_front_hand-1200

RX100III_Rear-EVF-1200

RX100III_Top-wide-1200

Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography. Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography. Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography.

Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography. Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography. Sony RX100 Mark 3Sony RX100 Mark 3 review by Rick Bronks of Satureyes Photography.

FOR:

Amazingly compact - totally pocketable

Superb quality for it's size

Innovative pop-up viewfinder

Fully manual/auto operation

Outstanding video quality 

AGAINST:

Costly

Front control ring a little fiddly

RICK’S RATING: 9/10

The three bodies are laid out on the floor, wrapped in Israeli flags. Various dignitaries are at the ceremony, including high-ranking government officials. it is a National moment. 

I don't want this to be a political piece - I do not wish to get into the rights and wrongs of this age long dispute, but this is something personal that I wanted to share.

What is really hard to explain to a lot of my non-Jewish friends is the sense of loss that pretty much every Jew around the world will be feeling right now. It's a very difficult concept to share and explain. Israel treats the death of it's civilians like other countries treat military heroes. Every dead boy, girl, man, woman or child that is killed in these troubled times is painful for the country and painful for us as Jews around the world. It's a national event. The country mourns, world Jewry mourns.

We are all gradually becoming desensitised to hard-hitting news. A death of a child in Syria or Iraq is no less painful than the death of a child in Israel but the feeling and the unity that the Jewish populations show around the world is something truly special. 

We have a shared sense of loss, those boys were not just 3 boys that were kidnapped and murdered, they were members of our family, part of our culture and part of our lives, living in a troubled land which is dear to our hearts and in our souls. 

When events occur in Israel, my Facebook friends react as if it's involved members of their own family.

My phone rings - it's my mother. 'Have you heard the news, those poor boys?'

The sense of loss is extremely hard to explain, but it's very much real and very much there. 

May their souls rest in peace. 

uk.leica-camera.com/Photography/T-System/Leica-T

PRICE: (as of June 2014) :

£1350 (camera body only)

18-56 Vario Elmar f3.5-5.6 lens £1250

23mm f2 Summicron lens £1350

The much anticipated arrival of a compact interchangeable autofocus lens camera from Leica has finally happened, and I got my hands on one for a few weeks. Did I like it? Was it any good? Read on to find out. Gallery of images at the bottom of this post.  

Make no mistake - this is a beautiful looking piece of kit. It's solid. Really solid and it feels amazing to hold. It's the camera I want to dearly love, and it seems like an ideal partner for someone who has a larger DSLR kit and wants a smaller kit as a backup, or indeed as a second camera if you are already a Leica M shooter (like me). I thought I'd give my opinions on using it in a 'real life' situation, on a recent trip I took. 

Leica T_Unibody_1

So what's it like to actually use?

Conclusion

The Leica T is a fine looking camera that is capable of taking very good images. Leica have firmly placed their feet into the CSC (compact system camera) market with a potentially exciting product. The touchscreen is very nice too - and although the interface and operation may not be as finessed as other devices it's very useable. 

The additional viewfinder has a good screen and is helpful for framing in sunlight or using as a 'brace' when shooting video. It also adds GPS if you want to log your travels- but be prepared to carry a spare battery. 

The camera produced a good JPEG out of camera and they're quite robust in editing if (like me) the system can't read the DNG files it produces as it's RAW output. 

Video quality is 'ok' if not a little disappointing, and the 18-56mm lens is a little on the slow side. 

The ability to use M lenses means that you can perhaps start your foray into the world of Leica at a much more friendly price point and then perhaps graduate to their Rangefinders once you've saved enough!

What's for certain is that this is a very interesting camera. Albeit with disappointing performance at high ISO's.

I want to love it.. but not quite yet. 

Leica T_silver_emo_01

FOR:

Ultra cool, beautiful design

Excellent lens build quality

Access to the range of 'M' series lenses

16Gb internal memory

Good images in decent lighting

Adobe Lightroom included in the box

AGAINST:

Costly

Not good in high ISO/low light conditions

18-56mm lens a little too slow

Video quality is average 

RICK’S RATING: 7/10

This camera is one to consider if you want style and the 'wow' factor.

If you're a pro-photographer looking for a backup then this probably isn't for you, but if you want to invest in some quality kit and the highly desirable Leica brand then it's a perfect way to get into it. 

Here's a slideshow of images - visit the gallery to see the bigger files. 

I was recently approached by a client of mine - frustrated after spending weeks pouring through stock image libraries and not finding the right sort of image for a new marketing campaign. 

They found the process of hunting down the perfect image 'soul destroying' and wasted precious time seeking images which just didn't fit the bill. They also found that the images they found online were fairly out of date in terms of the London skyscape. New buildings weren't there - so they turned to me. 

What better a way to get the images you want than getting them shot specifically for you. 

So off I went  - into London to create a whole library of shots that would perfectly match the marketing campaign. 

Aside from the obvious benefit of getting the images you need they of course get to keep a library of images that can be used again and again. We also agreed a buy-out rate for all the images with no ongoing licence fees. 

Long term use of stock-photography and associated image rights.would have also worked out more expensive than hiring me for a day's shoot too. 

All shots were taken on the Leica M240

Here's a slideshow of my favourite shots from the day. 

If you want to see them in the gallery click here

The ad was shot in a corner of Spitalfields Market in London and the creative team built a small market of their own as a set. 

The advert stars street magician Ben Hanlin who's job it was to perform some amazing tricks with, err.. yoghurt!

I was there to capture the behind-the-scenes action, and I've created a little gallery for you to see what went on. The shoot took two full days. 

Attention to detail is key - all the food has to be perfect and as fresh as possible, the plants watered and all the product shots have to look perfect. 

It takes a lot of people to make a 20 second TV ad - and the days are long (and cold!) but in the end it's always amazing to see the finished advert on TV. 

Here's a selection of shots from the day - you can click through to see them in the gallery. 

If you want to see the finished ad it's here:

http://www.brando.com

PRICE: (as of February 2014) : $15 with shipping 

keychain lightning chargerkeychain lightning charger review and competition

I challenge you to find one iPhone user who hasn't been 'caught short' when they're out and about with no battery life. 

The TERROR of the 1% battery life panic as you make that last phone call before your trusty companion switches off, or not being able to tweet that last nugget of information before smartphone death. 

Well fear no more - because an incredibly handy little device is here to ease your pain, and even better you can WIN a brand new one all for yourself!

The KEYCHAIN LIGHTNING CHARGER arrived through my letterbox and I think it's a fabulous idea. 

Assuming you would always have a set of keys with you, this little device just clips onto your keyring and holds a really small USB to lightning charger ready for when you need a power boost- or indeed to sync your iPhone or iPad.

Keychain Lightning ChargerKeychain Lightning Charger gear review and competition

The key fob itself doesn't hold any charge - you will need a power supply, but you can borrow a laptop, or USB plug from someone (anyone) and top up your phone or tablet. 

All you do is open the little slide-clasp thing and take out the USB lightning charger and plug it in to your iPhone or iPad. 

The other end plugs right into any USB power source, so a laptop, a PC/Mac or a USB battery pack.. Pretty much anything.

Simple!

Keychain Lightning ChargerKeychain Lightning Charger gear review and competition Keychain Lightning ChargerKeychain Lightning Charger gear review and competition

COMPETITION TIME!

Fancy winning one of these? All you have to do is to guess how many images I have as of today (20th Feb) on my website. This includes ALL the client images that are not publicly viewable as well as the portfolio shots you can see.

The person who guesses closest wins!

Just mail me at rick@satureyes.com with your answer. Competition closes at midnight on Thursday 6th March. Multiple entries aren't allowed and your most recent answer will be taken as your guess. 

FOR:

Syncs AND charges

Brilliantly convenient

Great pricing

Well made

AGAINST:

Phone has to be close to the power source

May be a little too big for some people

RICK’S RATING: 9/10

A brilliant way to keep a spare charger with you, for the price you could have one oneach set of keys you own, or even keep it attached to a lanyard if you're that way inclined. 

Rose petal Martinis, canapés, and some delicious food were all on offer to the loved up couples attending the pop-up restaurant.

Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day. Madame Tussaud's Loved Up Valentines dinnerMadame Tussaud's London pop up restaurant for Valentine's day.

www.lollipod.com

PRICE: (as of February 2014) : £29.99

lollipodlollipod gear review

Every now and then a really great idea happens and proves to be a really valuable tool for both amateur and professional photographers. 

Enter the Lollipod - a really really small and light aluminium tripod that both the committed Instagram/blogger/selfie-shooter and professional snapper can find a huge amount of use for. 

SATU1993

SATU1999

What’s in it for the professional?

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SATU2012

FOR:

Ultra lightweight and compact

Versatile

Great pricing

Fun colours

AGAINST:

Not suitable for items over around 420g

Not good in windy conditions

RICK’S RATING: 8/10

A brilliant and cheap addition to any camera bag. They can’t take a huge load but they are incredibly handy. Get one and you will have a new range of shooting options available to you.

In the name of fair and full disclosure she was using my photos as the professional examples because they were her wedding photos.

Pro photographers usually put up their shields as soon as someone questions their fees. Indeed most blog posts about this (especially when related to wedding photographers) tend to be met with a whole barrage of other photographers extolling the virtues and benefits of using a professional snapper and all the tricks of the trade they use to entice the potential client to hiring them.

At this point I could pull out list and tables to show why you should hire me - similar to the endless musings of photographers who break down their fee, sometimes rather facetiously to highlight how much they are worth - you know the sort of thing..the charts and info-graphics that are designed to show the layperson ‘why I’m worth it’ - You pay me £x and this is how much money I make after paying for kit, insurance training and so on.

Some of this may well be true - there are a lot of associated expenses with being a pro photographer that are often overseen, and indeed I used to think like this - I always seemed to be on the defensive.

I think it’s a natural human instinct to protect your territory, to justify your worth and to make sure to the point of neuroticism that every client who hires you sees just how much value you’re bringing to the table.

I get the obligatory conversations at least once at every single event I shoot - no matter where it is:

person: ’How many pixels is that?’

me: ’I don’t actually know, probably a lot.’

person: ‘Oh that looks expensive.’

me: ‘Yeah it’s not cheap.’

person:’A good few hundred.’

me: ‘Few thousand.’

person: ‘Wow.’

me: ‘Yeah.’

At some point they may also throw in the line ‘It must take really good photos then’ (let's not even go there)

There is also a distinct possibility that someone at the event will try and ‘outgun’ me with their camera/lens, or just stand around with a general smugness at having a camera similar to the hired in professional .

Then there’s the ‘office photographer'. Someone in the office has a decent camera, they ‘love photography’ and they’re going to shoot the event. The office photographer tends gets bored rather quickly and the draw of the free bar is more appealing than spending the night taking photos.

It shouldn’t be difficult to see the value of hiring in a professional photographer. It’s easy to see their portfolio and make the call if you like their work. If you don't - there are plenty more for you to see.

So now head over to the blog post at  http://darlinglovelylife.com/2014/01/why-hire-a-pro-wedding-photographer-when-everyone-has-a-camera-phone/ and have a read. 

Jason Atherton presented the food that will be served by Keith Prowse at Twickenham Stadium next season. The venue was his fantastic Social Eating House restaurant. 

Here's a few shots to whet your appetite. 

Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London Social Eating HouseShots for Keith Prowse, Twickenham food tasting at Social Eating House, Soho, London

There's something of a trend-especially amongst the wedding photography community for 'husband and wife' combos to be touting their wares. I mean - really? Can it be such a twist of fate that 2 people become lovers - and those lovers share a passion for photography, and then take their career and their love to new heights together? 

Does being married to a photographer automatically give you the skills you need to be a professional photographer yourself? 

How does this happen? By osmosis? Does the partner acquire the relevant skills and aesthetic eye of a photographer just by being in the same room?

Some* people call me sceptical - the cheek of it - but in my humble opinion I'd say that if one partner has the skills the chances are the other one doesn't - and potters around in the background, looking like they know what they're doing fumbling around with a camera and big lens. I'd argue that the concept is to 'add value' to their photography - the client thinks 'wow - I'm getting 2 photographers, and the photographers can bang a good few hundred more on the bill.

Of course they will tell you that 'the women have a great bond, and they can get shots that men can't because they're much more relaxed' and other nonsense. They will certainly look busy on the day, ferrying kit here and there, and occasionally putting on spurts of energy to impress - and look busy. 

Does this happen in other professions? Does the wife of a doctor become qualified to diagnose? Does the husband of an architect have the ability to construct a building? 

Clearly not. 

*All

Times are hard – money is tight and we all need to make sure what we buy and who we hire are giving us good value, but it's sometimes not JUST about who much things cost.

There will ALWAYS be someone willing to undercut - or work for less than someone else. If you hunt around, you'll probably get someone for free - however there really isn't such thing as a free lunch. Take the cheap option and you may end up in trouble. 

One thing that is often overlooked (and not even asked about) is whether your chosen photographer is insured. 

It’s not the most glamourous of topics – but it’s a crucial one. Its mutually important for both parties to have protection against something going wrong.  

Don’t be embarrassed to ASK a photographer if they are insured. Don’t assume they are. There’s a lot of people claiming to be 'professional' photographers – who just popped down to the camera store and bought a snazzy new camera. Insurance is just as important as having the latest kit.  A professional photographer will not be annoyed if you ask if they are covered. If they do get angry – they’re not professional!

The horror stories we tend to read about  are usually about wedding photographers – but there’s no difference when it comes to insurance whether it be commercial or private shoots – having adequate cover is critical.

Here’s a few things to look out for.

Check to see if the Photographer is properly qualified.  The Master Photographers Association (MPA) & the British Institute Of Professional Photography (BIPP) are the only two associations with recognised photography qualifications.  These organisations insist that their members have Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance – regardless of their quality of photography.

Public Liability, or PL as it is known, covers your liability for any damage you may cause to another person, or property, accidentally whilst undertaking work. This could be a simple accident such as someone falling over a tripod or being “bumped” with a lens or more serious issues that could leave people scarred or disabled for life. The other thing PL covers is 3rd party property damage if  someone else’s property is damaged whilst conducting some photographic work.

A photographer has a  “duty of care”  as does any other professional. If a service is offered in a specific area or classed as a specialist,  then the client is owed a “duty of care” to anybody who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that owed by the ordinary man in the street. Professional indemnity (PI) insurance protects the photographer if they face claims of professional negligence from clients, customers, suppliers or other people.

Insurance isn’t JUST for the photographer – its for the client too. A photographer with no insurance will not be able to afford to pay you compensation. You would have to rely on the courts.

Just make sure you ask and don’t assume – make sure you are both protected

YrStore is a futuristic pop-up store that allows customers to design and print their own all-over print t-shirt live in store. 

Customers design their own t-shirt designs in just a few minutes on the in-store Yr software on various interactive touch-pods where they can create patterns, upload images and create their own t-shirt design live on screen. Once it's all finished the design is printed live onto a high-quality American Apparel garment, right in front of your eyes at the print bar – a world first.

If you're interested - head over to Yr Store and get creative! They're at Unit 11, Boxpark in Shoreditch. 

Here's a few pics from the launch night. 

YrStore Launch Night, Shoreditch

YrStore Launch Night, Shoreditch YrStore Launch Night, Shoreditch YrStore Launch Night, Shoreditch YrStore Launch Night, Shoreditch

Totally independent, the UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards now in its fifth year receives entries from the UK and world's top architects, designers and hospitality operators.

Judges consist of the most influential personalities and have included the editors of Wallpaper and Frame magazines, Karim Rashid and Alberto Alessi.

This year's Awards ceremony was held at London’s Farmiloe Building.

October 2013 will see Taschen publish a book about the Awards.

Here's some shots from the night. 

Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2013 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2013 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2013

Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2013 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2013

Here's just a few - hand picked just for you. 

The Kia OvalPitch-side at The Kia Oval. England Vs Australia test match Welcome!A Kia Oval Ambassador engages the crowds. Alec Stewart OBEA relaxed Alec Stewart in an impromptu portrait shot.

The summer of sun and sport continued for Satureyes. Goodwood was the next port of call, to shoot the magnificent setup of the hospitality area at the famous racecourse. 

Drawing inspiration from a quintessential English garden, Levy Restaurants offered race-goers a sumptuous menu prepared by its noted chefs. 

goodwood racecourse inside the secret garden food at the races food at the races

After the game, the party people arrived and the famous nightclub brand Boujis took over, with A-list DJ's and a few famous people thrown in for good measure. 

Here's a few photos from the day. 

Royal Marines BandEntertaining the crowds.

Smashing!UK Vs USA Prince CharlesCharles dropped by to catch the game and for a cup of tea. David GandyI had no chance with the D&G model David Gandy, who also eats his own ice-cream. Pete TongThe Boujis after party kicked off with a set from Pete Tong. Champagne all roundParty people and sparklers. Life is good.

First up was The Boodles club, which is the traditional curtain-raiser for Wimbledon, with some big names playing friendly games. 

There were also a LOT of expensive cars there...

boodles

A few weeks later I was at Woburn Abbey with Mercedes Benz, the whole F1 team flew in via helicopter from Silverstone to chat, Stirling Moss shared some stories and Dynamo amazed. Again there were some LOVELY cars on show, in an amazing venue.

woburn

And finally, Rolls Royce launched their super-luxurious 'Wraith'. Complete with star-illuminated roof. 

RRoyce

The trouble is - there’s hundreds of them. All manner of shapes and sizes and it’s never really a case of ‘one size fits all’.

So, myself like many other photographers before me have spent many an hour pouring through websites, looking and trying bags hoping that one will be THE one. 

So one afternoon I stumbled on a young company called Coordinate Gear. www.coordinategear.com who are taking a fresh approach to camera bags. 

They make a collection of bags - which are all modular, so you can pick and choose what you want to take with you at any time. Their bags can fit within their other bags so you can move lots around- and then split up the kit once you arrive at your destination. 

It looked like a great idea.. a modular solution that is keenly priced and looks great. After all - who doesn’t want matching luggage?

I contacted them and struck up a great relationship straight away. What was amazing was that they were really keen to listen to what we, as photographers wanted. 

Their founder, Paul Nel is actually a PADI master scuba diver who was looking for a way to transport his expensive Scuba gear - and keep it safe on and off boats. 

He realised that managing, storing and carrying equipment is best achieved in modules of square shapes that can be stacked. He compares it to ‘Tetris’ with bags.  

I met Paul and he presented his bags to me - and I fell in love. Sure there was some issues - but he was more than happy to listen to my feedback. Within a few weeks I’d already had several coffees and chatted through what changes I’d make to create the ultimate system. 

So, over the coming weeks, months and longer I will be putting the bags through their paces and seeing how they fair up. I will be using them for both work and pleasure. As bags for my camera gear as well as my personal items. 

Coordinate Gear have created the ‘Pro Team’ www.coordinategear.com/pro-team/

A group of photographers who are using the kit in a variety of uses and conditions and I’m honored to be part of it. 

As well as providing honest and unbiased feedback - we will be working with them to refine their already excellent products into hopefully the ultimate carrying system. 

bags

This sits alongside the qualification from the British Institute of Professional Photography as a EU-wide professional status for working photographers. 

As well as being able to use a smart new logo on my literature, this is obviously another reason for clients old and new to trust in the quality of my work. 

EP_certificate_Rick_Bronks

After last week’s Instagram furore, many people threw tantrum and stopped using it (for now, anyway)

A lot of those quitters went over to Flickr - a well established photo sharing and archiving site - which incidentally has just released a lovely new and very good iphone app. 

Now - in a VERY smart move.. over the weekend, Flickr gave its regular free members a three-month Pro subscription.  Not only as this a very shrewd way to prise people away from Instagram and the Facebook machine that now owns it - but – a Flickr Pro account ups your limit on photo uploads, so now - you can bring in LOADS of images from other services - err like err - Instagram!

Ah - but you say how are you going to get your thousands of photos of the cat, the car, the dinner, the coffee in all their beautiful swuare splendour into Flickr without it being a proper royal pain in the rear?

Well - there's a site called 'Free The Photos' and guess what - it does JUST that.

It moves your Instagram photos to Flickr. So you don't have to faff. It just does it. Plus. It's free. 

Just sign in with both accounts, check the box to get a notification when it’s done (and tap in your e-mail address so it can actually notify you) and you’re done. I short while later and you’ll find all your Instagrams in your Flickr.

The pictures are added to a new set called “Instagram,” and they’ll also appear in your timeline. Any captions you had on your photos are preserved.

Once the transfer is all done.. go to the Organizer on Flick and change the 'sort by so you can see the latest pictures at the top (which will be the same order they were in Instagram)

Hope this helps!

R

Here's a little video I shot for Merlin Events and Brand Event Awards 2012 at Madame Tussauds. 

The film was shot at the same time as I was also shooting still pictures and edited within 48 hours. 

Click the lovely image of Tobacco Dock to view the new gallery.

tobacco dock

I had a few hours to capture each museum, so here's a few of my favourite shots from the night. 

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Click through to my published gallery to see more of my work in the wild. 

square meal

square meal

I was sitting in my local synagogue yesterday, as the end of a 25 hour fast drew closer. I'd not eaten or drunk anything since the evening before, and it was the part of the service which is conducted mostly standing, head bowed and generally a fairly exhausting final couple of hours at the end of a rather intense 23 previous hours.

The day is called Yom Kippur - and it's THE most holy day in the Jewish calendar. It's the day when you ask the lord to inscribe you into the book of life, promise you'll be good, and say sorry for what you have done and who you have done it to over the past 12 months. 

Its one of those festivals that even the most irreligious of Jews will keep. Most fast - and more go to synagogue at least once during the day. Even those who don't go near the place seem to feel the need to make an appearance. The same can be said for Jewish New Year- many people appear for the 2 days of festivities (praying, eating, praying etc). 

So I was standing there, hungry, thirsty and tired and it occurred to me that perhaps event organisers don't always consider religious holidays when planning events. Sure - Christmas and Easter but what about others. I had to turn down a job on the evening the fast began. I hate turning down work but of all the nights it's THE night I had to decline and refer the work to a fabulous photographer friend of mine. 

In a society where we are trying to be as embracing as possible to other cultures and religions, and their respective beliefs should we not check the calendar for any possible clashes with religious dates? Is it through blissful ignorance that events are planned on key dates in other religions calendars? Do you plan events over Ramadan? During Lent would you serve meat at a Friday evening event? 

Are you alienating potential guests because of the date? Obviously you can't account for every single sect of every religion - but perhaps a quick look at the key dates of the main religions in the UK before firming up a date. 

Just a thought. 

Here's some shots for you to enjoy.

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I've had a dream to release the shackles of big, heavy lenses and DSLR cameras and get all my shooting kit into a much smaller bag- one that is more travel friendly but also enables me to carry on shooting in my style and more importantly for my clients and their needs. 

This post is going to end up getting quite geeky - so if you're offended by camera porn its not the blog to read.

I carry (as most pros do) pretty much 2 of everything - 2 bodies, flashguns, several spare batteries and enough lenses to cover a range of subjects and also to cover me if one should fail. Needless to say this all packs into a rather large and heavy bag.

Most of you will already know that I have invested a fair amount of my hard earned cash into the Leica system and over the past 18 months or so Ive fallen more and more in love with the quality of the images that it produces. I've been well and truly hooked into the somewhat exclusive Leica fraternity and it feels like this is where my photography and photographic journey is taking me. The only issues I have with it - is that it's not great with high ISO (low light) and this is where I tend to find myself shooting - especially events in dimly (but creatively) lit venues.

I've been eagerly awaiting an announcement from Leica about their new camera and other accessories to decide whether I was going to follow my head - and heart (possibly heart wins over head here) and buy their latest and greatest or upgrade my Canon bodies. 

The announcement came tonight - and I am now truly thrown a dilemma. What they have released is pretty much what I was hoping for. I was kinda hoping that they would not release anything that interesting so it would make my decision a little easier (part exchange some of my Canon kit for new Canon kit) - simple. But - for us photographers and new tech lovers life is just not that simple. 

So - I need advice here..

The easy plan:  Part exchange some of my current kit and re-invest in an updated Canon body (1DX)

The not so easy plan:  Part exchange my Leica M9 and then upgrade to the new M

or.. what I REALLY want to do.. 

Keep my Leica M9 as a backup, sell the entire Canon kit and invest in the new Leica M and all the accessories I'll need with it (grips, batteries etc) 

Essentially I'd be losing all the benefits of DSLR's - rapid Autofocus, fast shooting for fast action like sports and so on.. 

So..what to do? I thought I'd open it out to the floor...

Rick

The evening was in aid of a fantastic charity which helps children with a rare, genetic skin disorder http://www.debra.org.uk. There were a lot of high flying military and police folk there. I had the absolute privilege of meeting one of the only 4 living Victoria Cross holders. A Truly amazing man. 

Here's some pics from the night.

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But what happens when my professionalism actually gets taken advantage of? 

Here's a story that I'd love to hear your comments on, and what would YOU have done in the same situation. 

So here's the story.

I was booked for a recent shoot, to shoot both photos and video for a large Olympic themed event in Central London a few weeks ago. I was booked from 5pm to 11pm. I was also paid BEFORE the event which was amazing. 

The shoot day came, and I was there as I usually am a decent time earlier than the call time (4.30pm) and I went about exploring the venue and working out my routes and possible images for the day. 

Several hours later, my end time was approaching.. the clock was ticking away. I always tell my clients that I don't work like a taxi on a meter.. I will NEVER leave a shoot unless I'm completely satisfied the client is happy and I have all the images/footage I need from the night. I have worked in events long enough to know that sometimes things overrun, people may not be in the right place at the right time and so on. I consider myself to be one of the more flexible photographers out there in terms of staying later than the allotted time. 

I dont want to be in the situation where my client sees the images and feels that there's a lack of imagery. 

So back to the event.

It was clear that the 'clubby' part of the evening hadn't really kicked into gear yet - and this was a major feature of the night, so obviously it would look really odd if there were no photos or video of this part. I had a chat with my client and they agreed I would need to stay to get the party in full flow. I told them that I had absolutely no problem with staying 15/20 min past 11pm but I had to leave to get transport home. 

At this point my client put their arms around me (perhaps drunkenly?) and begged me to stay for as long as I could  - they would not only pay for me to get a cab home but also remunerate me for my extra time. I reiterated again that I didn't mind staying even for 30mins because I have worked with them in the past and so on - but they pleaded with me to stay longer to ensure the event was covered in full. 

At 1.50am I was getting into a cab (paid for by the client) and went home. 

I went to bed at 4am, and still delivered ALL the images the next day, by noon,  and the following day the complete - approved video. I also liaised with various generally clueless PR people about where they want the video sending and what formats they wanted it in.

So the job was complete. I sent an email to my client about a week later about the additional charges. 

I was told 'there was no more money' to pay me for the added time. I then sent another email expressing my disappointment at working 3 hours overtime and after all the promises would not be paid. 

A few days later- I received a Facebook message from my client informing me it was all sorted - and approved. 

I was then told a day later again there was no money left to pay me. 

Since then I've sent a couple of mails to get the details of someone more senior to explain the situation to but so far no response. 

Needless to say I am really disappointed- not only with myself- but also with the fact that a client (who I also considered an industry 'friend') has essentially  lied to me. I also work at their venue quite a lot, so perhaps this is all a little awkward now. 

I've spoken to respected photographers and also the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photography) and had a few bits of advice.. such as removing the images that were shot post 11pm from the gallery, and also cutting video clips that were shot post 11pm from the promo. 

Others have said I should have had a more formal contract etc. but this isn't how I usually work. I trust my clients and they trust me. I dont want to burden them with paperwork- because 99% of the time the system works smoothly. 

Had my good nature actually worked against me?

So over to you.. please comment as you feel and how would you have handled this differently (if at all). 

Every once in a while though, an opportunity that's too good to pass up, presents itself to me. Last weekend was exactly this.

It was a glorious day and the setting was perfect. The bride & groom,  friends and family pretty much put the wedding together themselves; making, baking and arranging for months beforehand. I knew there would be a huge amount of detail to shoot and I was really excited to capture the day unfolding. 

The bride, Sara runs a successful vintage wedding blog called Under The Vintage Veil and the wedding was chock-full of amazing details -  so I was in my element shooting this-ableit with an added responsibility to deliver images that would be shared and posted online and in print. 

The day had so much soul - everything was done from the heart and the guests were all lovely. I was made truly welcome and really felt part of their day. 

Here's a sneaky peak of just one shot, which I have published with the couple's permission.

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It's been a while since I've had a whinge.. but here's a good word to remember. FAUXTOGRAPHER

Here's a few shots I've taken that show a few different ways to get the shots without a swivel chair in a boardroom. 

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Here's a couple of shots for you. 

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Enjoy!

There was even a streaker. 

Here's a few piccies of the day. 

Here's a sneak peak.

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To be honest it was really just an excuse to try out my lovely new lens.. so here's a couple of the shots from a little wander.

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They truly create immersive, engaging products and experiences. 

Most people will know them as the guys that were on Dragon's Den (and won) with their graffiti wall, but they create a whole range of other things - including projection mapping- where images are mapped into intricate patterns, on walls or even buildings to create amazing effects. 

Here's a couple of shots from a recent Google conference. The colours on the screen are all animated and projected inside the black lines. It's a work of art brought to life.

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My iPhone decides that my name is 'Rock' and it never seems to learn that I don't type 'Rock' that many times a day in emails. 

Here's a really quick and handy tip to actually add your custom names to the built in dictionary - so follow these steps and you'll be set!

Go to SETTINGS then GENERAL then scroll down to KEYBOARD

at the bottom you will see SHORTCUTS. These are abbreviations that you can type and iOS will put the whole word in for you - it can be quite handy so  I sometimes have ST for Satureyes Photography. Every time I type those 2 letters - it writes the whole word/phrase. 

However - this is actually also the custom dictionary, so all you need to do is to click ADD NEW SHORTCUT and where is says PHRASE, just type the word you want it to 'learn'. You don't need to add anything to the 'shortcut' box if you don't want to. 

That's it. No more stupid autocorrects!

Regards,

Rock ;-)

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I'm not a full-on portrait photographer but I thought this shot came out particularly well. The Leica worked it's magic and I'm pretty pleased with the results!

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There was a stunning transparent marquee in the courtyard so here's my favourite shot (and another just because it's pretty!)

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So, without further ado, here's Petra: Revisited. 

You’ll see some food shots from Country Life and Cathedral City who were shooting jubilee recipes for magazines and supermarkets. The Cheltenham Festival and the 6 Nations got snapped for Keith Prowse. I also covered the launch of the new Le Cordon Bleu cookery school which was picked up by Harpers and The Independent. Standard Life had a Burns Dinner at Banqueting House and I shot some food for a chain of lovely eateries.

I’ve been shooting loads for Merlin Entertainments who run the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and The London Dungeon, which is always great fun, where there was a few fabulous parties and a bat mitzvah.  Claire Short made an appearance at the Gherkin and Celebrity chef James Martin cooked a meal at a party.

At the Event Production Show, Twist and Pulse showed up (Britain’s Got Talent people) and I was at the fabulous Brewery shooting a conference about Risk (very complex, didn’t understand a word). I’ve just finished a series of shots for Total Greek Yoghurt on pre and post natal excesses.

So a big THANK you to all my wonderful clients and for all the laughs along the way.

Now.. here’s the eye candy icon_smile

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Following previous successful shoots over the past 18 months with Prowse, Satureyes has been hired to shoot their entire  portfolio of events for the 2012 season plus additional material over the year.

Keith Prowse is the UK’s leading corporate hospitality and tours provider, specialising in sporting and cultural events.

The images will be used to refresh current marketing materials, as well as for press and PR.

This is a major coup for Satureyes, and director Rick Bronks is absolutely delighted with the win.

2012 has started in the most amazing way, with major client wins and a very full diary. Its testament to the hard work, high quality, creative images and speed of delivery that is all part of the Satureyes ethos.

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Most event organisers & venues are now trying to leverage social media to promote their event. They run hashtags, promote the event through the networks and use both traditional print media and also social networking sites – facebook, foursquare, pinterest, twitter and so on.

One thing that really surprises me is the lack of free Wifi in a venue where these events are. Lots of venues are underground or have poor mobile phone signals, so folks won’t be able to get a mobile data connection – making the need for free wifi even more critical.

I think it’s a shame that the groundwork has been put in – but when the guests/delegates arrive at the event there is no way for them to live tweet, post images to Facebook and so on. All for the sake of simply plugging in a wireless access point – or allowing a free login/passcode to the ‘in house’ network.

The event industry is always telling us how important social media is. Seminar rooms at conferences are usually packed with people wanting to discover the latest trends and tips in social media. Sadly – when the event is underway there’s no way to actually connect and deploy the information.

I think organisers are really missing a trick here.

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Both the big players – Canon and Nikon have released some new cameras into the market. Obviously these come at a premium price because they are their latest and greatest- so I’m not talking about splurging out on one of these models BUT look at the models they succeed.

Canons new 5D mark II has been fired into the market and people are very excited about this. When they realise that the price is just short of £3000 for the camera and no lens, it becomes slightly less appealing.

Same for the new Nikon D800. It’s coming in at around £2400 for just the camera and no lens.

It’s pretty unlikely now that there’s going to be any more major announcements for a while, and both manufacturers are taking pre-orders for their new cameras.

You may even find that the older models come lower in price as the new cameras start to filter through to stores inventories.

Of course there’s always the second hand market – and a lot of photographers (amateur and pro) will be trying to eagerly sell their cameras to get the latest models, especially as some would have had camera bodies for a couple of years or more while they have been awaiting an update.

Just a quick search online has pulled up a 5D Mark I (which is a fantastically able camera for £600) and the 5DII for an amazing £700 via Amazon Marketplace.

So.. its the same advice as I usually give to people looking to get a decent camera (or even starting out with their first camera) . Get the model below and you won’t do badly with some of the current deals.  If you do opt for this method, you can own a much more professional camera at a price of a new ‘more basic’ model.

If you need any more advice – feel free to drop me a line or send me a tweet icon_smile

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‘What’s the best camera to buy?’ is a question I get asked several times a week.

When I’m out shooting it’s pretty much guaranteed to be one of the first things people ask me. It’s an incredibly tricky question to answer because there’s a million other questions that need answering first. I have tried to give my professional (non technical) approach to helping your wade through the minefield of photography. This is a really quick rundown of personal comments and options – I am not affiliated with any manufacturer or website. I am a Canon shooter and very familiar with their kit – so I tend to mention them more than other brands.

There’s clearlybeen a massive surge in popularity for photography over the last few years. Mainly this is due to how accessible it’s become. People have really taken to wanting to produce much better images and do fun things with their photos.The major manufacturers have done a great job at bringing the cost of entry level DSLR (digital SLR) cameras down to a really affordable price- it’s clever pricing and marketing that is driving this forward at a sweltering pace.

The 2 main players- Canon and Nikon both have great offerings at the sub 400 pound level- both produce fantastic results- in the right hands.

This nicely leads us to the first point about the famous ‘what camera’ question.  Here’s something for you to chew over. It’s not JUST about the camera- it’s about a culmination of things that all work together to produce good or great results. I’ve said before how irritating it is when people see my camera and say ‘oooh you must take great photos with that camera’.

From the cheapest point and shoot to the top of the line pro DSLR will not yield you the results you want if you don’t know what to do with them- or have a cheap lens on the front. Similarly knowing every button on a camera doesn’t make a good photographer. I’m not going to discuss this in detail right now but in my opinion it’s a series of many factors that contribute to getting great photos. Sure knowing your camera is important- but so is composition, exposure, focus and the personality of the photographer. If the photographer can relate to the subjects then the chances are the resulting images will be a lot better. Regardless of how expensive the camera is.

So, back to the question. Clearly budget is a main issue for many people and with most things- the more a camera costs the more bells and whistles it has. Again this may not actually be as important as you’d think. More later about this.

The next decision which usually comes after deciding a budget is whether to get a point and shoot or something with more manual control- or as I like to think of it -creative control. Many high end compact cameras do have manual modes. Top end compacts have similar controls to DSLR bodies albeit sometimes not as accessible and hidden away within menus.

The question to ask here is ‘what do you want to do with your photography – and what will you be shooting?’ If you fancy building up a hobby- and it can become very expensive, do you want to invest in a particular range or manufacturer of camera and kit. Do you see yourself really gettinginto the hobby or are you just looking to take photos at a night out on the town and pass the camera to people to take snaps?

You also have to think about how much weight and bulk you will want to carry around. If you’re off on holiday then camera kit can really get heavy quickly. Perhaps you need a  a pocket camera for when you don’t want to carry the ‘kit’. Another thing to consider is quite important. Will you take the camera off full auto mode? Especially with DSLRs- lots have ‘easy green square’ mode which does everything and is great if you’re passing the camera to someone to take a pic of you but generally should be avoided by any photographer. If you never want to leave the green square behind then you’ve spent money on a camera that is essentially performing like a regular compact camera. Save your money and buy a compact point and shoot.

So formats- it’s not just DSLRs and compacts anymore. There’s a new breed of camera that has the ability change lenses and also keep the body small. Both Olympus and Panasonic both have micro four thirds systems – which look nice- and you can start collecting lenses etc for them. Here’s another decision though- if you buy loads of gear for those cameras you may decide to change to another body at a later date so you could end up with stuff that’s devalued a fair bit and you can’t use on other systems.

This is why it tends to come back to Canon, Nikon and slowly creeping up Sony. If you buy their kit there’s a better chance of compatibility within their ranges.

Let’s assume you have decided you’d like to get some better results than the point and shoot camera you’ve had for a few years and you settle upon a SLR.  What next?

Chances are that if you’re spending  below 500 pounds on a kit then the lens that comes with the camera is going to be fairly lousy. If the body only sells at 400 but with a lens it’s 550 its not hard to see that even with a discount on the lens then its not going to be that good. My tip. Buy a body and lens separately. You need to factor in spending as much on the lens- or more- than the cost of the camera. The lens is the most critical part of the camera. A poor lens is a poor lens whatever camera you use it on. Don’t worry about megapixels or resolution. Look at buying the camera model below the one you were looking at but spend the difference on a better lens. You’ll thank me for it later.

Those cameras may not have all the bells and whistles as the newer ones- but they were and still are very very good solid cameras. Again with Canon they sell B stock which are cameras that have been returned as unwanted, or old stock but they are usually guaranteed and come in less than new entry level bodies. The best thing about this approach is that those cameras which are now ‘obsolete’ were aimed at the semi pro photographer. The quality of the components and build of the camera is very likely to be far superior than the current entry level ones. Here’s an example.

I bought a Canon 30D as a backup camera last year. This camera (and it came with a really crappy lens) was in excess of 700 quid when it was launched – as a semi-pro camera – but now is  no longer on the market – BUT I bought B grade stock – camera, battery and charger with all the gubbins in the box for 285. You won’t get better value – and in terms of image quality it was great – and was built SO much better than the current entry level bodies. Somy top tip – go for an older body – spend the same or less and then get a jolly nice lens to go with it. Sorted.

Also – don’t think that because you have Canon or Nikon or Sony you have to buy their lenses – there are alternatives – Sigma have some great lenses and they are a fair bit cheaper than the Canon ones – likewise Tamron have a good selection – but with any manufacturer there are some not so good ones – so make sure you read up about them on the web.

Nicely leading onto my next little tip – get involved with forums. Ask questions, look at other peoples work. Why not see what you like – and try and copy their style. Look at the data on photographs and see what settings were used. All digital cameras have embedded data in each file – it has all sorts of geeky information but you can get an idea of the settings people use in a situation – so its well worth looking. Photo sharing sites usually make it easy to see the EXIF data.

Staying on the theme of photo sites this is also something worth considering. I use a few but by far my favourite is pix.ie

It’s a FREE site and really does your photos justice. You can upload your full resolution images and then they are online and safe. You get the benefits of a backup and also you can email your images – send people to the gallery and get involved with the community of other photographers. Again – look at their work – there’s a lot of very very good photographers out there on Pix.ie and it would be well worth spending some time clicking on their images.Of course you can make the galleries private too so perhaps only your family can see the pictures. Just a point to reiterate – BACKUP your images- don’t ever forget. If you forget you can be sure that you will, at some point lose a LOT of your precious memories.

Of course – you have also to factor in a bag for all the gear, possibly a spare battery, and certainly some memory, so expect to spend another 100 quid or so on all this.

I think that’s just about it for now -I’ll be back with some explanation of how to get your head around your cameras settings soon – but in the meantime here’s some top pointers to think about:

-try and avoid ‘kit’ lenses

-look at second hand, refurbished or ‘B’ stock

-will you want to expand your photography kit over time

-don’t use ‘green square’ mode

That’s all for now. Here’s some handy links to check out..

great photo storage/sharing site pix.ie

good site for cheapest camera gear www.camerapricebuster.com

great for information and forums www.dpreview.com

good for buying advice (quite techie) www.the-digital-picture.com

good for reviews www.steves-digicams.com

It’s not usual that I get emotional about companies coming and going – but today, with the news of Kodak possibly about to disappear of the photographic landscape its really gotten to me.

I don’t really understand the ins and outs of the US bankruptcy laws nor what the true wide-reaching implications of what may or may not happen are. It does seem though that Kodak is more than likely going to change and possibly vanish from the mainstream photographic landscape forever.

This is a truly sad moment.

Every single person who has held a camera of any sort, in any form would have been influenced by Kodak. Just as we hail the greatness of Steve Jobs and how he changed the way we interact with the world, George Eastman was doing this long before. His idea to democratise the way we capture moments and stored precious memories. Moments in time, from the seemingly trivial shots of families on the beach, or celebrating a birthday to the gut-wrenching reality of war and famine.

His business model was fantastic – to sell cameras and film. The film would be developed in chemicals and printed on paper. Then you buy a new roll of film and the process starts again. It was perfect.

I’m not lamenting the loss of the darkroom, or going to enter the ‘film vs digital’ debate. I truly believe that the digital darkroom is an evolution rather than a revolution. Nor am I holding Kodak to account for the situation they are in for ‘not moving with the times’. Perhaps it was all inevitable and just the way it goes.

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The first camera that was totally mine and not shared with my parents was a small Kodak 110 camera when I was around 9 years old- I loved it and I loved using it. Simple to load and to use.

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I remember my parents winning a new camera in a tombola when I was about 10. It was a new type of camera – a disk camera. The film was on a wheel and would just slot into the back- It was a bit like those ‘Viewmaster’ things kids use.

Again – it was fun and easy to use – but the format and film was ill-fated. I don’t think I shot more than a few ‘wheels’ on it.

Kodak killed the format in 1999, but people stopped using them years before that.

Of course there was APS film too – which lasted a little longer, but digital was fast approaching so it wasn’t around for very long either.

Then, when I hit 13, I was given an SLR, I guess the rest is history.

What makes me sad is that I think that most of us don’t realise the impact Kodak has had on our lives.

On saying all this  - one of my current cameras, the Leica M9 has a Kodak sensor inside. The sensor was developed especially for that camera – and the stunning images it produces are testament to the brilliance of the technology. It’s based on a 35mm size, the same size as good, old fashioned film. That’s no coincidence.

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Venture Marketing Group (VMG) have confirmed Satureyes as their preferred supplier for all show photography in 2012.

Over the whole of 2012 I will be shooting all 12 of VMG’s national exhibitions and conferences at the NEC Birmingham, Kensington Olympia, London Heathrow and Manchester Central. The dates run from February through to November.

Following a booking to shoot a trade show last year, VMG were impressed enough with my work to adopt me as their sole show photographer for all their 2012 show.

It’s amazing news and I am thrilled that VMG have made this decision.

Satureyes Photography specialise in Press & PR photography, delivering high quality images with a no-nonsense mentality.

Venture Marketing Group is a dynamic company, producing a portfolio of high quality exhibitions, magazines and websites. The current portfolio consists of exhibitions, publications and websites for business, recruitment and human resources, including market-leading products in franchising, HR learning, graduate and engineering recruitment.

For more information about Venture Marketing Group please see:

www.venturemarketinggroup.co.uk

The full Satureyes portfolio can be found here:

www.satureyes.com

So what’s new?

You can now order loads of different fabulous things with images on direct from the site. There’s a huge amount to choose, from coasters to bookmarks to metallic prints. The even better news is that I will now be offering all my client access to these products and prints, so they will have a designated client area with login and access to download all or some of their images, and have all the various products a few clicks away.

As well as an all new secure viewing area and ability to share the images on social networks there’s a load of new things that I can’t wait for you all to try out.

So.. without further ado, welcome to 2012 and here’s a few of my favourite shots from over the xmas period. Enjoy!

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I shot a secret event for Nokia when they previewed their new Windows Mobile phone to the major networks (I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about it!). Barclays had a little party over at Vinopolis crafted perfectly by Impulse Events. Mercedes took over the ICC in Birmingham and Myleen Klass hopped in to present the show for them. Levi Roots cooked his way through a couple of nights of 20/20 cricket  at the Kia Oval. Bubble Food threw a birthday party. There was also a lovely intimate dinner at The National Portrait Gallery organised by the lovely Mango Pie too, as well as a wedding in a field with a fairground theme just before the weather went rubbish for the year.

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I also made it into the British Society of Professional Photographers and passed the qualifications for the Press & PR category. I can now use the logo and be called an ACTUAL pro icon_wink

Anyway – here’s some pics to look at.

Here’s some pics from my first experience, shot at Earls Court, so sit back and enjoy.

Here’s a few shots from my recent work with Top Golf, shooting their new menu. Enjoy, and don’t forget to wash your hands.

I know you’re all hungry for more images, so here they are..click them to make them bigger.

If you want to get in touch with her, her contact details are: claireclarke.design@gmail.com or call her on 01727 827 943

I’ve been shooting up and down the country, and covering some fabulous events for some lovely clients. . Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve been up to. Click the pics to have a closer look.

I’ve been shooting trade shows at Olympia and the NEC, a few private parties, some corporate head shots and also the launch of The London Sky Bar way up in the clouds at Altitude 360.

So.. no chatter this time.. just a few pics of what I’ve been up to over the last 28 days. Click on them to make them a little bigger icon_smile

Enjoy!

I’ve actually emailed about 4 or 5 times and asked to be removed and I still seem to be getting this trash.

It got to the point – where following on from an email I sent this guy he called my mobile and tried to convince me to actually take up his services. I told him to remove all trace of me and my company from his database (which he said he couldn’t) then insisted on sending me more email-shots.

Here’s his latest email round robin. I have removed the details of who it is – I don’t want to give him any publicity (good or bad).. So without further ado.. here’s his latest offering. Please note- this guy is UK based, apparently does very well (yeah right).

If someone can explain connection between what he’s written about and marketing to me then I’ll buy them a nice cold beer.

Meanwhile.. here it is…

Hello Rick,

So how is your day going so far – quick – describe it in your
mind!

How is mine going? Well it’s raining and dreary, I’ve had two
appointments canceled and a bunch of paperwork from the Inland
Revenue to deal with.

BUT – I am having an amazing day! Let’s face it: I could have
been killed in Libya, buried under the rubble from an earthquake
in New Zealand, killed in the plane crash in China etc etc….

I FEEL GREAT! because I’M STILL HERE! I have people around me
who love me and I have food to eat and if I put my mind to it, I
can achieve anything I want. Isn’t that just fantastic!

Now how do you feel?

And to help make things even better for you….

To your success!

xxxxxx marketing ltd.

I had a flash and one lens. My camera was manual but had a little LCD screen.

I used to used Cokin filters on my new Chinon 35mm camera. (for the photo geeks out there.) These filters were basically little squares of plastic that were held in front of the lens and you could add 2 or 3 at a time. There were loads to chose from. This store used to sell them second hand for a few quid each.

It was a typical old style photo store. Lots of vintage cameras adorned the walls on shelves and a few glass cabinets held the more valuable stuff. It was an Aladdin’s cave of optical things – projectors, darkroom kit and all manner of salvaged parts. I can still remember the smell too, musty combined with the unmistakable aroma of stop bath and fixer chemicals.

The owner would pull out this wooden drawer and reveal a collection of filters all wrapped in little plastic bags and priced with a small white sticker in the corner. I would spend a few minutes thumbing through them.

I ended up with quite a collection over the years. Of course computers were not really able to do what they do today, all effects had to be done ‘on the camera’ rather than relying on a photo editing software. You had to get it right, at the start, the moment you pushed the shutter it all had to be just right.. exposure, aperture and focus.

I remember I had a orange vignette – which gave a clear centre and a blurry orange surround – not sure why I ever thought I would want an orange vignette. It was always exciting though to get the film back from the processors and see what you’ve shot and how the filters worked.

That was 20 odd years ago – and the reason for the little bit of potted history was I think I have finally found a love for photography in its most raw form again.

I have invested a lot of money over the last few years in the top of the line Digital cameras – I have several expensive lenses and I shoot with them almost daily. I love photography, but I found I was shooting for paid work lots, and then not really enjoying it as a hobby.

I took my trusty first SLR everywhere with me. I dragged it up mountains, on treks and around the world on every holiday. I took a big camera bag and a folding tripod. I shot rolls of film and put them all in an album with little notes about each photo. I actually started to miss those days.

I found it was a pain int the butt to drag out my DSLR cameras – and which lens to take – I mean – I cant just take one, and then I need a bag to carry the kit. It all seemed too much like work, so I was missing the joy of photography, and missing some shots too. I always carry a nice little compact camera but the image quality just can’t compare.

So I started to look at going back to basics – to look at a system that would offer me amazing image quality, in a portable size but will get me thinking about the images and how I am taking them rather than twiddling dials and pressing buttons, almost like you drive a car or ride a bike – you just know how to do it, almost without thinking. I wanted to strip it right down, take away the hundreds of pages of menu items, of almost infinite customisation and almost infinite complication.

So – I was hooked into researching and one name always came up tops – Leica. A company with an illustrious history of making amazing cameras, used by reportage photographers for years, documenting street life, showing us life through the lens, and capturing moments in time that are real. Their cameras are small, discreet and almost silent. Their lenses are touted to be the best in the world – and the prices reflect this!

Buying into this system also lets you into the community of Leica users, young and old who know lots about the kit and system. Its like folks who know their cigars or whiskey. Their latest model is a digital version of their still made film camera – it shoots like a film camera but on a digital sensor – but it can take lenses made from 1955 to the present day.

I decided to invest and bought a couple of lenses – and a digital version of their traditional rangefinder camera. Most Leica users don’t have loads of lenses – 2 or 3. Kits are small – portable and powerful. The camera looks like a ‘retro’ camera, and for those who are not photographers, it looks like an old camera so you can shoot and be discreet. No more everyone turning around as you pick up a massive lens and camera and point it in someones face -causing them to freeze and usually look a little more nervous.

After just one week with this kit I have found my passion again – I can leave the house with a small bag (or no bag) keep one lens on and shoot with my mind open, and not rely on a computer to take the thinking from my making a good photo. It feels rewarding again – when I get the exposure just right – or the composition like I want it. I want to go out every day and take photos knowing I can shoot away and be almost invisible. No one will look at me and stop me shooting because I have a ‘professional’ camera- I need to re learn the rules a little and not be scared of shooting things when I see them.

I hope I can bring these new tools and my new outlook back into my commercial work too. I know my work will benefit and as I learn the new system it will show in my images.

The journey has just begun for me again – over 20 years after it first started.

I love the fact I never know what I’ll be shooting each week & here’s some images to show just how varied it is!

Here’s a quick rundown of what the pics are of. I’ll be quick so you can enjoy the images!

Unilever conference at Wembley Stadium, Kriss Akabusi doing his corporate speaking, a couple of lovely weddings, a fancy party at the Truman Brewery, Christian Dior at Somerset House, a very cool kids party with reptiles and crawly things. All in all, a pretty mixed bag!

Here’s the pics, click to see them bigger & enjoy…

Iconic Marlborough winery Cloudy Bay, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has linked up with the Chefs at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill’s restaurant The Montagu, to launch a Chef’s Table, offering the best seasonal food expertly matched to wines from the Cloudy Bay portfolio.

The Chef’s Table overlooks the open plan kitchen at The Montagu restaurant, offering diners a front-row seat from which to watch the tasting menu come to life. Chef de Cuisine Carlos Teixeira and his team have created a five-course gourmet menu incorporating the best of the season’s produce, designed to perfectly complement the full portfolio of Cloudy Bay wines.

Satureyes spend the evening shadowing the team  as they prepared each gourmet course, including hand-carved fois-gras at the table.

Just to make your mouth water – here’s the menu icon_smile

Amuse Bouche
Seared Swordfish and Tuna, with a Parmesan Crisp and Salsa Verde
with Pelorus NV

Starter
Smoked Duck Breast, Fig and Roast Sweet Pepper Salad, Shaved Fennel
with
Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2007

Fish
Fricassée of Scallops, Prawns and Clams, Lime
with
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009 served from magnum

Roast
Whole Roasted Foie Gras, Cox’s Orange Apple, Black Truffle
with
Cloudy Bay Te Koko 2007

Main Course
Braised Breast of Veal, Curcuma Polenta, Black Currants and Glazed Root Vegetables
with
Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2008

Dessert
Pear and Almond Tart, Honey Ice-Cream, Clove and Vanilla Foam
with
Cloudy Bay rarity – To be revealed

Coffee and Petit Fours

Following a fantastic shoot at Center Parcs a few months ago, Satureyes is proud to be the cover and article in the September editiion of C&IT magazine.

Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT), the UK’s leading meetings magazine, is the definitive read for the corporate events industry. Circulated to more than 18,500 agency and corporate event planners, C&IT covers the leading brands and their event strategies on a monthly basis.

Here’s the shots from the mag. Click the images to see them bigger icon_smile `

For the tech heads – Shot using a Canon 5D MKII with either a 16-35, 2.8L, the 24-70 2.8L or the 100mm Macro 2.8 IS.

So here’s the film – on the YouTube account of Square Meal Magazine. They’re really pleased with the results. I was also taking stills on my other camera (1d MKIV) at pretty much the same time.. who says men cant multi-task icon_smile

Make sure you watch it in HD too..

This goes to further strengthen the great relationship between Satureyes and the guys at Square Meal Magazine.

Rick has been a regular photographic contributor to the magazine, with regular feature spreads featuring his photographs, including coverage of last years Venue & Events show.

Now in its sixth year, Square Meal’s award-winning Venues & Events exhibition returns to Old Billingsgate in the heart of the City on 22nd & 23rd September 2010.

Satureyes will be covering the event and providing the usual high quality imaging that its clients expect.

This goes to further strengthen the great relationship between Satureyes and the guys at Square Meal Magazine.

Satureyes was hired because of the proven track record in shooting medical conferences and was there to capture every aspect of the event including  poster sessions, trade exhibition, seminars and learning zones, opening night reception, Exhibitior party, & Delegate party with a live band.

It’s great to have the Image stabilisation and a light(ish) lens. It’s looking like a worth contender to be permanantly in my camera bag  -great for portraits and even better for those close ups of food etc. The good thing of course is it has such a smal minimum focus distance that I can be close to my subject and still get a lovely tight cropped portrait or close-up.  Here’s some first shots on day one..I’m loving the colours and tone and bokeh – its all pretty damn lovely.

Have a look at the pics anyway!

Click on the pics to see the full size versions…

200 Innocent people arrived at Longleat Center Parcs for a weekend of fun and games – and lots of smoothie drinking. Center Parcs commissioned Satureyes because of their event photography background.

The images will be used for Innocent & Center Parcs PR as well as the cover shot and double page spread article in Conference & Incentive Travel magazine.

More images coming soon!

The conference attracted over 8,000 visitors from around Europe. The European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (try saying that drunk) hosted the event.

Satureyes worked with the Congress team to deliver photos each day of the event, turning around the images in super fast time and uploading them onto a custom website where visitors could purchase and download images for free.

Images were also sent to Plasma displays as the event progressed, and for the closing ceremony a video was created by Satureyes showing the highlights of the conference which was shown on a giant screen in the  main hall.

The event featured parties, boat trips and award ceremonies and Satureyes was there to capture it all, showing the diverse skill set of Rick Bronks.

Of course, some of these observations are not all about one venue or show – but an amalgamation of years of research and trawling through Trade shows and expos around the country.

You’ve got your pass in the mail, you’ve consulted the ‘seminar guide’ and circled the talks you want to go to.. so its time to hit the road and spend 3 hours travelling to the venue.

I love the walk from the over-priced car park where you’ve already been in line for 20 minutes behind overly excited sales-people and visitors to pay for your car park space.

Then there’s the delighful walk miles to the main door, around the back of the exhibiton centre, whilst you desparately try and mind- map the route to the front door so you can get back there later. You could of course wait 20 minutes for the shuttle bus which is caked in leaflets and plastic bags that people have deposisted there because they dont want to take them home- and feel a little disappointed that you’ve seen some leaflets that give away some of the secrets of what lies within the big doors to the exhibition halls.

You’ve inevitably chosen the wrong day to visit. Its ‘student’ day so you have to push past loads of Indy kids and teenagers smelling of Joss-sticks and Patchouli oil.

You eagerly attach your lanyard to the pass- and wonder why you have a green band on the badge whereas everyone else has yellow, what DOES it mean, I think I’m special because I have green. I am the best. Green means brilliance. The reality is probably that green meens ‘waste of space, dont even talk to me’

So you collect your show guide from the self-tanned brunette in tight black trousers and flat shoes, and decide ‘This year, I’m going to have a system, I’m going to walk up and down each aisle so I see everything.’

This lasts approximately 5 minutes before you’re distracted by a fire-breathing woman on stilts or a giant teddy bear handing out candy.

Once you wade past all the students looking at kit they can’t afford, you then walk up to stands displaying kit you have been reading about (but can’t afford) have a visit onto the stand that has the MOST expensive kit in the universe on, and watch men take photos of an oriental lady in a short skirt for their ‘special’ collection, whilst they pretend its for ‘testing’ purposes.

You become very disappointed with the lack of ‘free stuff’ at the stands. Surely it’s not already been given out. You manically collect plastic bags hoping there’s something other than a pen inside…perhaps a keychain, or a torch, or a torch keychain. Something. Not JUST leaflets. PLEASE!

A few stands grab your attention – but loiter at your peril. You’ve only just arrived and not in the mind-set of wanting some sales-person to chat to you.. so you loiter slightly further from the stand – ‘dont make eye contact’ you tell yourself.. dont.. make..eye..contact. DAMMIT she’s seen you..cue fake smile while she tries to see your name badge. You can hear her brain computing.. ‘name… occupation.. are they worth talking to?.. OH NO HE’S GREEN’ she stops smiling and looks away. WHAT? not even offer to scan your badge.. the ‘green line paranoia’ builds. Not even a M&M from their stand to keep your energy levels up. Anyway… Where’s the free booze?

Twenty minutes later you’re still trying to pry some cheap champaign off a stand. You know the only way you will get some is if you hide that damn badge and pretend you are responsible for a multi-million Euro budget and you may just consider booking their hotel for 5000 people and a 6 month conference.

Mission success! You have a glass of fizz and meander happily to the next stand – now you’ve got your patter sorted. Time to try and get pissed. Four glasses later, the heartburn has started, you’ve lined up for 20 mins to get a scoop of free ice-cream and you’re on top of the world.

So – seminar time. There’s only one, possibly 2 seminars you think are of real interest, so you make your way over to the pre-fabricated ‘seminar room’ located somewhere between the male toilets and the area where they push massive bins full of empty bottles past at regular 2 minute intervals. The only problem you’re not the only person who thinks that this seminar is going to give them the secret to unlocking your sales potential, or indeed how to do something on a shoestring budget. The line extends around the corner, past the stand giving chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil…you’re not going to get a seat.

You get a seat. At the back, in the corner, so you can make a quick escape. Seminar starts. Guy in ill-fitting suit on stage with a neck-mic set too low. He asks if we can hear him. ‘No’ we say. Mic volume is put up. Feedback through the speakers. Mic level turned down. Time to check Twitter on the phone.

You then realise you’re sitting in a plastic rectangle with a roof made from strips of material. This has the accoustic properties of a ruler and a piece of string. Coupled with the catering staff pushing bins on wheels full of empty beer bottles past the side of the seminar space you realise you’re on a hopeless mission- but you stick it out. You may learn something…

The presenter informs you he realises you’re all tired after walking round all day. He then makes you stand up and ‘get interactive’. He needs to demonstrate that you can communicate and win business without talking, so proceeds to make monkey sounds and wave his arms furiously. You leave.

For the photo shows, perhaps visit a seminar at Canon or Nikon where they show you the most ridiculously well shot images and try and convince you that with this camera you too can achieve images like that. They dont tell you its been taken by a photographer with 60 years of experience and processed using NASA kit, in zero gravity.

Lunch time.. whoa what a choice.. you’ve spied out the ‘eateries’ while you’ve been wandering.. you’ve tried in vain to get satiated by eating chocolates and canapes from as many stands as possible but you are weak. All this walking has made you hungry.

Why not grab an over-priced dry sandwich and a coke and not get change from 20 quid- OR spend 30 minutes waiting for a 6 inch Subway sandwich and not have anywhere to sit and eat it.

There’s always Pizza Express.. you have a voucher for that somewhere.. you check the small print.. ‘not valid in the Pizza Express you are currently standing next to.’ Of course its not. Dry sandwich it is.

A moment to contemplate the day so far.. and how long you can bear to stay for the afternoon..There’s a load of stands you haven’t seen, and you never know – THEY may have some good freebies.

3 hours later, laden with plasic bags and nothing in them apart from a mouse mat, pink stress ball and a badge. You make your way back to the exit.

Will you do it all again next year? OF COURSE you will!

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It’s been a while since I’ve had a jolly good whinge…

…So now winter looms, the evenings are drawing in darker and wetter and every single train seems to be delayed- I thought I’d pop up and spread some delicious and perhaps questionable debate about something that has been bothering me for a little while now.

I’m fast coming to the conclusion (after hours of highly scientific observation and research) that for many – the ability to boast a massive social network is a base for massaging their ego and ultimately use this network to brag to others about how big it is- possibly using it like a geeks penis extention or perhaps breast enlargement- or perhaps both.

I’ve been active on Twitter now for quite some time – I’d say I was pretty aware of the ins and outs of using it. I noticed st the start of my twourney that there was a handful of folk who were proclaiming to be ‘social media gurus’ or ‘web evangelists’. I still don’t know what the crap that means but a fellow Twittee mentioned at the time that this was the equivalent of putting ‘creative imagineer’ on a business card in the early ’90s. Basically a load of old bunkum that serves nothing but to massage the ego of the so-called ‘imagineer’.

We’ve moved on from meaningless job titles on business cards to these new kings of the social networks.

They’ve got thousands of followers hanging off their every update – what do they do? What gives them the credentials to preach their new media evangelism over the Twairwaves, or the Facebook fan pages, or the Linkedin accounts..you get the idea. I dont know what their backgrounds are – and they are usually not so forthcoming to tell us. I actually don’t get it. I see people with a mysterious skillset telling us about how good social networks are – and posting endless links to other reports and not actually making that much constructive commentary themselves.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence of the closeness in spelling Twitter has to twatter- and way way too easy to think of countless puns for these ‘social media gurus’ so I’ll avoid the trap of calling them Twatters. Or Twatterateri.

I actually don’t know what gives them the supremacy they seem to command. I observe lots of reverence but little knowledge imparted into the salivating mouths of their loyal fans. Sure- they use their network to organise events- a Moonwalk in London as a tribute to Jacko- but why? Perhaps they’ve been a devoted fan and this was the only way of consoling themselves following his death.

I’d wager this wasn’t the case though.

I actually asked the organiser why bother – no answer. I put it to him that it was because he siezed another opportunity to promote himself and his ego – but if he does have something to promote I don’t know what it is, so not a great campaign. Perhaps I’m too cynical and it was arranged purely for a bit of fun and and act of utter selflessness and that they wanted to harness their network power for the sake of others and that’s all it was. (cough)

So what is the secret? Well I think it’s down to the same old story – size. The more people you have in your network the more you can repeatedly tell them things that make you out to be a super-geek-online-hero-Jedi-Master. Keep telling people something and sooner or later they will believe you.

I have this image of these big-twitters sitting in a flat with no food, furniture, curtains or carpet. Just broadband and a laptop, yet the perception of these folk by their loyal fans is somewhat different. They seem to be accruing fans like sheep, and I just see lots of people blindly following folk like sheep because they think (and this is the key) they THINK that they will get a secret that will change their life in some way – be it through a way to ‘utilise the network’ to earn money or to get something for nothing. The reality is very different but once you’ve been trapped under their spell you can’t escape.

I was always a firm believer in quality over quantity, and to me this makes sense. Have a group of people that can directly affect your network and give you something that you don’t have. Share ideas with others and perhaps make friends, but its the quality of who you speak to, tweet to or chat online with that will help – not having an over-inflated ego and filling up their fans hard drives  with bags of manure and drivel.

I once went to a ‘networking’ event hosted by a well known married couple who run a successful ‘networking’ website, and it was their birthday celebrations. It was like sitting in a scene from the Witches of Eastwick. I was fully expecting the audience to peel off their heads to reveal some hideous creatures beneath. Admittedly some didn’t need masks- but what I heard was absolute nonsense of the highest brainwashing order. It was 2 hours of self-indulgent back-slapping banter that was nothing more than to lay praise on the founders of this site. A couple of badly produced videos thrown in for good measure too- all making out these people to be ‘life changers’. Looking at the audience it didnt appear to have helped them – every single one there selling a service, and no one buying their service- but they again touted ‘the more people you have in your network the better.’ The only thing its better for is the membership fees of their website.

It was actually bizarre and horrifically scary how this audience were in awe of these folk. If they had commanded the audience to boil each others heads they probably would. It really was that weird.

Following the speeches there was a networking session. I was approached by a clearly demented man wearing a multi patterned tweed jacket who butted into a chat I was having with someone who only had one head and looked on the surface human – he butted in and I asked what he did. His reply? ‘I do whatever you want me to do.’

I then left.

Here’s my conclusion and final thoughts. The whole social media thing is certainly  a more advanced networking  but without people actually talking face to face. – Still this is based on the paranoia caused by the need to generate new business. Its a vicious cycle of desperation.. lack of work so out you go networking, you meet others who are also looking for work, who are also desperate, you leave feeling deflated and under-valued so you look to the social networks online – full people following people who don’t help either.

My advice? Handpick who you speak to. Don’t follow the crowd. Don’t be too pushy and be yourself. You may not win new business but at least you wont be following the herd.

More and more the use of ‘social media’ is becoming some sort of ‘bargaining chip’ to get free work.

I’ve noticed this becoming more of a trend in the event & creatives industry. I’ve had chats with a few people and it seems it’s not just me who has experienced this. Basically each month I have a load of people asking me  for something  and and they don’t want to pay for it. It usually is followed by a ‘promise’ of something in return.. ‘I’ll twitter about you’ or ‘I’ll put you on my website’. You get the idea.

Then there’s the ‘showcase’ events. We all know these.. ‘If you give us a load of free stuff you can come to the event’ Promises of ‘exposure to new clients’ is a favourite one.

I had a great offer last year – In return for photographic coverage of an event, I was offered ‘membership’ of this collective of venues. I asked if this would enable me to be a preferred supplier to the venues- no it wouldn’t. I was offered the membership which had the cost of 1500 quid..but in return for this I had to do 1500 quids worth of work over the year for these people NOT including the event I was asked to shoot! What tosh.

I am known to be a bit of a grumpy old man, but think about how ridiculous this is. Imagine going into Tesco and telling them that you only want to pay 2 quid for a 10 quid product, or buying a DVD and telling them in HMV that you’ll talk about them on your blog. It’s just stupid!

Yet.. here we are in the event industry and it seems to be becoming the norm that clients ask us for something for nothing.. I don’t mean a discount (which I often give) but totally free.. and worse of all they think its totally fine to ask.

‘Can you throw in another 2 days shooting within the budget?’

‘Can you do it for 50 quid and some tweets?’

‘Can you do 10 days edit and we’ll pay you for 5?’

‘You have a camera, so can we borrow it for a shoot? You don’t need to be there. We’ll pick it up and return it the next day.’

The worst thing is that we are made to feel guilty if we decline the ‘offer’. It becomes OUR issue that the event can’t be shot, or covered, or catered for within the budget that the client has.

Why has this madness not been stopped? We all seem to get suckered in time after time.

Recently I did a video piece for a client. TOTALLY for free. I was promised the world in returns of PR, exposure (no pun intended) and getting my company name around the internet. This was a video for a campaign that was going to go places.. people will love it.. it will be all over the web, you’ll get press coverage, loads of hits to your site.

What do you think happened?

In short – they got a free viral that would have cost several thousand in pre and post production.. squeezed every ounce of patience out of me, then complained when I raised the issue that their campaign was a pile of piss and no one cared enough to even watch the film. 200 views on YouTube doesn’t constitute a successful campaign. I’d have got more hits in a videoof me dangling my testicles over a fence.

So good people my new years resolution is that I’m done with free. Its time we took a stand and did the same, or we will be perpetually made to feel guilty for not doing everything for nothing.

Wishing you all great business for 2010.

Here’s a video that sums it up perfectly.Enjoy!

This week has seen me move into the wonderful world of wedding photography.

The main issue for me not doing this years ago was that it’s an area of photography steeped in mystery – especially for the clients. There’s a whole bunch of wedding photographers out there that really should not be there.. and certainly not charging what they charge for what is quite average work. So I’ve set out to revolutionise this, and I really didn’t feel comfortable being labelled as ‘one of them’

However, over the last 12 months I’ve seen my portfolio grow substantially with work for magazines, interiors food, live events and travel, I believe that the wedding world is ready for my new ideas!

I actually thought that a new wave of young creative photographers would have emerged onto the wedding scene by now but it seems not. On a recent trip to a photo expo in Birmingham I wandered around and noticed a LOT of wedding snappers there they generally were older chaps with their wives, meandering from booth to booth drooling at kit they would like to buy but probably not be able to operate. It didnt seem like the industry has moved on in years.

It’s absurd how some photographers operate. Just because you live with someone you automatically have the ability to absorb a skill set. We’ve all seen them – these photogs who bring their wives along on a job who stand there snapping away – either its an amazing co-incidence that the couple are BOTH pro-photographers.. perhaps they met at a local photographic club.. or perhaps they didn’t. More like  they are over-charging and not actually having the skills to do the job. Does the wife of a cardiac surgeon assist her husband in the operating theatre? Of course not, so why does the wife of a photographer become a professional by proxy?

Much of the wedding photo world still bases itself on the fact that people who are organising weddings have buckets of cash to spend and they are VERY anxious about their photos and choosing the right person for the job – and quite right they should. Some prices that are being banded about are insane. Much of this is based on the vulnerability of people  at a time in their lives where they are about to embark on a massive adventure.

What also gets me is the ‘extras’ such as the additional prints.. It harks back to the days when getting prints made was a time consuming process that needed many days or weeks to finish, so charging a premium for prints and not releasing the negatives was another way for the photographer to make some cash  and covering his time and costs of getting prints done. I think this model needs to change. Its out as out dated as the people taking the images.

YOU pay for the photographer and their time.. YOU have a right to those images.. they are YOURS.. its outrageous that some photogs keep them and then charge and charge again for the prints. Its unfair, and greedy but its almost universally accepted. Why? Well because people don’t challenge it.

Many of my clients are more than happy to get their prints done themselves or on a canvas or in a photo-book that they can order online. Of course I offer the usual trimmings.. albums, canvases and other items of memorabilia but I believe that the client can get it done cheaper and think it better value for money that they do. I want to concentrate on my work as a photographer, not as a money leech for vulnerable folk.

My rule is simple. I  Charge a fair and competitive price for the work – and offer the finished images in all their glory on a disk for the client afterwards. I process every image, select and sort, putting care into each one.This is how it should be. My corporate work follows the same model and all my clients come back to me tim and time again.

So.. here’s the offer.. for £750 I will shoot the WHOLE wedding (none of this running away at the cake cutting) up and including a good stint of the dancing. I will then process every image and all the useable ones will be available in their highest quality on a disk for you to keep. No hidden charges.. just great photos!

Feel free to drop me a line for more information

click here to email me for more information

I’m shooting a live teleconference tonight. Ages away but at least the view is good.

I’m gonna make more of a resolution to post more blogs. It’s very lazy of me and I should be more active on here.
By way of an apology- here’s a quick snap from my work the other night. More to come but right now here’s a taster icon_smile

Olympus has just released a firmware update for its E-P1 Micro Four Thirds camera. The new version (1.1)  improves the camera operation in Continuous AF mode.

The company has also posted firmware updates for the E-P1′s kit lenses: the M. Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 and the M. Zuiko Digital 17mm 1:2.8 pancake lens.

The updates promise to improve the autofocus operation of both the lenses- which is exactly the problem that I had with them!

Firmware updates can be downloaded via the Olympus Master/Studio software. In case you’ve lost the disk the link to the software is below.

Olympus Software for the EP-1

Here’s a couple of snaps from over the last few weeks. I’m getting more fond of the EP-1, still unsure if I would buy it though…

Ok.. its rubbish weather, we all have swine flu, so I thought I would run a little competition for you all.

THE PRIZE: A gorgeous limited edition A3 print of your choice from any image on my website

THE CHALLENGE: ‘What is your visual ecstacy?’

Feel free to send the answers by twitter/email  or however you like. Competition closes 12pm GMT on Friday August 7th.. so get thinking and WIN!

Winner will be announced on Tuesday 11th August

Good Luck!

So, we got hold of a sample EP-1 for a project we’re working on and decided to take it out for a trip, to a huge rock concert at Wembley Stadium.

There’s been a lot of buzz about this camera, people really want to get their hands on it, and with good reason, it looks great and for many it harks back to the days gone by where cameras were used by real men who knew a little about how to shoot photos. If you’re interested in this camera you already know what it looks like – and you’ve read the reviews, so I thought I would offer a personal look at how the camera was to use, in a real life situation. There is no techie reasoning here.. no pixel peeping.. just little old me, a pro(ish) photographer looking to potentially invest in something nice to take on holiday.

When the kit arrived (the 14-42 lens kit) I looked at it and thought ‘why do i need MORE kit’ I spend the afternoon thinking about who this camera is aimed at.. where it sits in the market, and if there is indeed a market for it. I still dont have an answer. I have a couple of DSLR’s and the lovely Leica S-lux 4 so I think I’m pretty happy with my photo tools. I just don’t know who would be buying this camera. Its not cheap – around 6/700 quid with the lens, so its a pretty major investment for a keen amateur, and to add lenses to this you have to be making a fairly major commitment to the 4 thirds system, so for someone like me who has Canon kit, I’m not sure I’m ready to be getting a whole other kit.

I thought that if I owned one, then I would use it instead of a DSLR and then take it to more places where a DLSR cant go. Here’s the thing though – take the EP-1, a flash (there is not one built in) and a couple of lenses, and I’m pretty sure it will be in a similar size bag to a xxD and a lens (even if you make do with a built in flash on the Canons)

So.. that was the initial thoughts.. of course I’d not taken any photos yet. The menus seemed to befuddle me.. you can customize pretty much everything which lots of people will like. Personally I had to actually read the manual off the PDF because it was too much – not very intuitive. I realised how we take for granted a great UI until we encounter one that is a little too complex.

So home the camera went.. took some snaps around the home.. the usual – cat, kitchen, some hight ISO shots.. the ones we all take when we get a new camera and its too late to go out and shoot something. Popped the card into the Mac.. problem 1 – Aperture doesnt recognise the Olympus RAW file. It will in time, but its a brand new camera so you will be tied to the Olympus software if you want to use RAW. I then switched to RAW and JPEG just so I could see what the camera is capable of.

The day after…It was time to go to a huge rock concert at Wembley Stadium. I decided to leave my Dlux 4 at home and take a chance with a camera I didn’t feel 100% comfortable with. I like the idea of shooting some HD video there too (hell why not). I was really debating whether to take the EP-1 or not. I wanted to get some nice shots.. but I wanted to take something more compact. THIS I thought was the real reason why I would have one of these units.

Bravely (well I thought it was) I toddled off to the concert EP-1 in bag, excited about putting it to the test.

OK.. it wasn’t like I was in the press pen, so i could get some amazing photos of the band, but I wanted to put it to real life testing. The people I was with needed to take a decent photo of me when I hand them the camera, and it needed to take some pretty good photos if it’s to live up to the hype.

Long story short. It was a mixed bag of feelings. The focus didn’t work a lot of the time.. it ‘hunted’ in any mode apart from full Auto, and would not lock focus.  Took the lens off.. cleaned the contacts.. reset the camera.. and well.. no use. No matter what I tried it just didnt want to play.

I shot some video – it looked nice. Put some of the fancy built in filters on it.. was fun.. but well nice but not something I feel the need for in a camera but nice to have.

Once the light went, then the only thing we could take photos of was the stage because it was so well lit. We needed a flash badly for snapping us having a good time. ISO3200 wasn’t great.

I still dont know. I am desperate to really like the camera. If felt great – a good weight to it and seemed it was going to be a no brainer. I just feel a little underwhelmed. I think for many they are in love with the the idea more than the actual practicality and real life usage.

I also think its possibly people lusting after a rangefinder camera (read: M8) who will try this.. but its not the same beast. No way.

I will give it some more go’s, but right now I am not sure. If i was gonna shell out 700/800 quid for some more kit I think I’d think about a new lens (or even a 50D body) and keep on with what I have. I just don’t understand the market for this camera. I’ve spend 3 days trying to think of who would use it and why, and still can’t. Perhaps its me being a little dumb.

I’ve posted some images.. JPEG’s straight from camera.. as they are, some with the effects..one is taken of me by a stranger. They have been shrunk to keep the size down.. thats about it..

As always, over to you. Comments people?

I’ve just been exchanging some ‘tweets’ and an interesting but age old debate seemed to re-emerge. ‘That must be a good camera, the photo is lovely.’

Something interesting came up today after a few sessions on Twitter. I posted some photos that I’d taken last night whilst walking home from a launch party. I’d had a few drinks (the event was sponsored by Beefeater Gin) so it would be rude not to have a sample, or two.

Anyway, I was walking home and pulled out my camera that I carry with me every day. Its not my weapon of choice but I keep it with me just in case there’s an opportunity that arises. I feel that I’d rather have some memory than none at all. Not every photo I take is (or will be) a work of art.

I posted the images on Twitter this morning via Twitpic, and within a few minutes I’d had some great feedback from a couple of my followers. One wanted to purchase the image for her office, and the other wants to print it in their magazine. 

Another follower (@incapete) also commented on how nice the image was, and especially because it was from a compact camera and not a DSLR. After a few Tweets between us we came to an agreed conclusion: That when people say ‘ooh thats a nice photo, you must have a good camera’ is more than likely nonsense.

In the right hands (and with some knowledge) anyone can take a good or great photo using most cameras.

When you think back a few years, most of us had 35mm compact cameras, some had 110 cameras (the casette type thing) and some (including me) had the Kodak disc system.. then we had APS etc etc.

I think that its a shame how most people now dont even take 10 mins to look at how their new cameras work . If they did, they would probably have much better results. Simple things.. learning how to compose a shot, not always using ‘Automatic’ using a higher ISO etc.

Funny thing was that with film people knew about film speed.. even if it was basic knowledge – the film boxes had icons to tell you what that film was suitable for… clouds, sunshine etc.

People sort of knew that outdoors they would need 100 ISO, indoors 400 or 800ISO and that was that.. limited knowledge but it was all useful and helped take a better photo.

Digital has pushed this out of the window.. we’re lazy, and flippant. Film cost money to buy and process so we when were very careful.. now we spend 10 quid on a memory card and we can store hundreds or thousands of photos for a 2 week holiday and not have to worry.. when you get home.. you put them on your computer and that’s it.

That’s a whole other story which I will pick up another time, but the original point was that a small amount of education and knowledge can really help you take a better photo.

The marketeers at Canon and Nikon will have you believe that buying an ‘entry level’ DSLR will mean you immediately have better photos. I am certain that it won’t. I am also certain that most people charge it up, turn it onto the green square and leave it like that. Essentially you have just got yourself an expensive point and shoot camera. In my opinion, you’ve wasted your money.

There’s a ton of resources on the web – free guides, workshops, forums and so on.. plus there’s your friends (everyone knows a photographer) ASK!

I have no problem offering advice, its a compliment when people ask me things.

The summer is pretty much upon us, all cameras will love the weather.. learn the basics and you will reap the rewards with some lovely photos.

I promise!

Now we can answer them visually!

Click HERE to see me icon_smile

They’ve also just booked me for a 4 page shoot for their Summer edition

icon_smile

Click HERE to take a look…

Unfortunately there’s no photography allowed inside the house (probably so that they can make loads more money from guidebooks and renting the location for films)

Anyway.. took the DSLR out for the first day of British Summer TIme 2009, and this is what I captured.

Stumbled across this link today. Seems like my original ‘help me’ post on the Apple discusions site is getting a LOT of response.. Whilst people await an official response from the big fruit in the sky.. people seem to be holding back on new purchases of the 17″ laptops. 

What amazes me in this current climate is that companies like Apple are simply being careless.. there is NO room for errors on scales like this one appears to be. People are edgy about making high value purchases and don’t need a reason to move to another manufacturer. 

So the wait for my replacement continues, perhaps it was a faulty batch and it’s all s storm in a teacup.. as usual – time will tell!

Take a look at AMD’s little jab at Apple HERE

Following up from my last post about a busted graphics card in my new expensive Macbook Pro, it seems that Engadget have picked up on this too, and linked to my original post on the Apple Discussion boards. It will be interesting to see what Apple do now. 

I have a new laptop on the way…Apparently…so I’ll keep you all up to date with what happens with that

See the Engadget post (with my image) and links to the Mac Discussions HERE

I finally managed to get my new replacement laptop from Apple (as in my previous post).  It’s a brand new 17″ Unibody Macbook Pro, retails at about 2300 UKP and its a lovely looking machine, great specs…

So.. I load it all up with my pro apps, sort out my settings and off I go.

For those of you who dont know techie shizzle, there are 2 different graphic cards in the machine. One is for saving on battery power, and the other is for more processor intensive things, like animation, gaming, video editing etc.

So.. getting over the fact the laptop has a scratch on it out of the box which annoyed me but not enough to warrant asking for an exchange, I fired up the machine, and flicked on the super duper high powered graphics card.

AGGGGHHHHHH

The screen was corrupt. The more I used the laptop, the more the crap marks appeared on screen. I am absolutely livid.

If I ask them to change the machine I have another 2 week wait because my configuration is built to order, so has to come from China.

It also seems there’s a flurry of other users with the same problem. Could it really be that Apple has gone rotten AGAIN and put a dodgy batch of graphics chips in its top end, state of the art laptop?

I really hope this isn’t the beginning of another 6 months of new laptops and exchanges and this can be solved with a firmware or software update. I REALLY hope so!

Take a look at the screenshots and let me know what you think!

A man. On a train.

I have no idea why I took this.

The colours look nice though. I think I may have had a couple of cocktails. Still, its a photo and he has sort of got big glasses on.

I was on my way home last night and i loved the orange glow of the electronic signs, and the drips of water. 

I only had a couple of minutes before my train was due, but there’s a somewhat voyeuristic feel to it, peeking through the stairs towards the waiting room.

Legend has it that the famous Victorian writer John Ruskin failed ever to consummate his marriage because he found one aspect of his wife’s body utterly repugnant.

It’s claimed that when she undressed on their wedding night, he was shocked and disgusted by the sight of her body hair.

Ruskin’s wife Effie Gray was a normal woman – a great beauty. But Ruskin had never seen a naked woman before; he’d only ever gazed at Greek sculptures. He expected his wife to be as hairless and smooth as the marble images he admired.

This story has often been used as an example of Victorian prudishness and ignorance about sex. How we, in our liberal times, have mocked those uptight Victorians, so strait-laced that they would faint in shock at the sight of a well-moulded piano leg.

Click HERE to read more

I was waiting at the Post Office and this lady was happily bopping away to her music.]

I wish I had more balls and taken the photo with my Leica, but I was cautious about my safety and figured a sly phone camera picture Would be better than none at all.

I still believe it’s better to get something even if it’s on a crappy camera, rather than miss an opportunity to capture a moment.

Well.. on the whole the feedback was pretty good, and the site was received well, but then the select few started to nit pick beyond all reasonable comment, and were pulling me up on things that even Ansel Adams would not have noticed, or for that matter cared about.

The actual comments were irrelevant, but what struck me was the anger and possible jealousy that some folk had towards what they perceived as a newcomer to the club.. I thought I’d just go and ask some advice.. but left feeling angry and deflated.

I’m all for hearing and taking on board feedback but I think , especially with photography that there’s an increasing trend to focus (no pun intended) on the micro analysis of every shot.. pour over each pixel and analyse each angle as if a life depended on it.

I dont ever remember people looking at 35mm negatives or slide film the same way. Just because we can doesn’t mean we have to. For me the enjoyment from digital means that I dont have to be stood in the dark and stinking of chemicals and my results are instant. its JUST as rewarding. But i think people, espcially the pros and tend to overlook one important element of the art of photography – how it looks.. on paper, or on the eye.. NOT enlarged 1000% and analyzed.

In my opinion..clients dont care what camera you use, what lens, what make, how fast your memory card is, what kind of ISO you are shooting at. They just want nice photos. True, nice cameras tend to give nice photos, but a good photographer can get good photos from an expensive camera. An excellent photographer can get  good photos from a crap camera. 

I left the forums feeling both fustrated and angry.  Too much analysis, not enough time in my life to care about pixel-peeping. If you look on my website, can you tell which of those have been taken with a 100 quid camera, and which have been taken with a 1000 quid  camera? I bet you can’t. Would you like them less once you knew? I would doubt it.

I’m thinking that forums are not such a great idea.