Keeping tabs on the chattering classes

Apart from the value of posting up to date information, interest and enjoyment is to read of the success, achievements, and dare we say it, misfortunes of other members.

If you are in the news, have a story to tell or perhaps a comment on the site, drop an email to stuart@clarkphotos.fsnet.co.uk

....and if you wish to strike up a correspondence we will welcome that  too!

Getting back on track

Steve Howdle is still hoping you will send a copy of your winning images from the print competition, together with your up to date email address and phone number, to insert in the Member page, a handy reference now we no longer have a Directory.

A great day with Clare-Louise...and Rose

Put yourself in the position of the sitter:
Take time out to take the pictures you want to take, for yourself:
Maximise opportunities to make  yourself known to the buying public:
Above all, realise the value of networking as a member of the BIPP.

Just a taster of one of the greatest value whole day seminars presented in this and perhaps many other Regions for some time, when Clare-Louise from Leamington assisted by Rose, went through their  comprehensive routine of wedding and outdoor portraiture photography.

Opening and closing with an in depth expose' of her world, no one will have missed out on the wealth of knowledge presented with honesty of purpose and integrity.

Bet she'll be coming again!

Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover

It was eat your heart out time at the May meeting when Tim Wallace treated a large and enthralled audience to the thrills and techniques of photographing luxury cars.

Stating in  the darkrooms of the Daily  Express gave Tim the knowledge and experience needed to  produce stunning digital images which sell these high cost cars. Not product photograp[hy butevocative images which engender a feeling of   'must have'

A spell with the Royal Marines surely developed a mind set and approach of 'must win' which has obviously reaped rewards in the two short years since coming back into photography.

We were priviledged to enjoy Tim's presentation, usally commandong a high fee on corporate days, for which he is generously offering some complimentary  places to students for his forthcoming presentations. For details contact Tim through his website.

Yet another prestigious presentation.

Watch out, there are students about.

George Dawber of Photo Training Overseas  note and Mike Kinsey of Dewsbury College were faced with a few less entires than last year in the annual print competion, some categories being markedly lower, perhaps reflecting a down turn of opportunity in those disciplines.

Judging was preceded with a free buffet, enabling members to network before the appraisal of each of almost 200 prints. It was good to see many new members present, some of whose entries gained awards.

Biggest surprise of the evening was the award of both the Fashion and Commercial trophies to third year BA student from Hull College of Art, Nathan Pidd, who instead of entering the student category,as a Licentiate member, courageously pitched his entry against the long established practitioners in the main competition.

A proud moment for both Nathan and the Region.

Schools out

STOP START 5th-20th June. Red Gallery. Osborne Street. Hull

We were invited to the opening of  'an exciting new photography exhibition by six up and coming BA Honours Lens Based Photo Media Degree' students from Hull School of Art and Design when the  gallery quickly filled with family, friends and supporters, viewing a well presented display of diverse personalised images to illustrate their skills and interest.

All the exhibits were well framed and while not the sort of pictures our members are normally acquainted with, they were nevertheless though provoking and not easily dismissed and perhaps on the wave length of Sun Awards.

Your correspondent was thrilled to  renew the friendship of course leader Matt Winterlech after a gap of 25 years and with whom the Region look forward to forging a closer link with the college and it's students.

Getting a record

On another page we refer to the tenuous relationship between the police and jobsworthies who are either unfamiliar with, or go OTT when 'snappers are accused of taking pictures unlawfully.  Not for the first time have we heard of students taking pictures for their  course work 'having their collars felt.'

The former edtior of The Photographer ventilated the issue, but currently only the RPS and BJP appear to be taking a stance in the interest  of those believing, but deemed not to be, lawfully taking pictures.

If you have experienced any brush with officialdom we will be interested to hear from you.

This could affect you!

The National Trust has organised a photographic competition whose rules require assignment of all rights of photographs entered to it's commercial arm:  and simultaneously demandS the removal from Alamy of photographs taken at it's properties, citing bylaws banning the commercial use of photographs taken on it's properties.

The National Trust is not the first or only organisation to set up a photographic competiton requiring the author to assign all rights, however, requiring to remove photos from Alamy represents a worrying trend as  the latter requirement may be  a separate issue over and above entry to the competition.

Family portrait find

A family in America were amazed to learn from a friend on holiday that the family group which they have taken each year for Christmas was seen being used on an advertising poster in a Prague supermarket . Lifted from someones files, or were they modelling?

Wedding loans soar

The number of people taking out loans to cover their wedding costs has soared by 43 per cent during the past year. Sainsbury's Finance estimates that 13,600  couples borrowed £113 during the first four months of this year, up from 9,500 in 2008
More on libraries.

Photo sharing

Flickr has teamed up with Getty Images who have employed 30 art directors to trawl through 3 billion amateur images which have appeared on Flickr in the hope that they would have commercial appeal and add new content to the collection. So far 20,000 have been picked and any may be used in whatever publication and context the buyer chooses. There are of course procedures to follow but payment can range from $10-$10,000.

I didn't know that.

Phot. A unit of light. One square milimetre is equal to 10.000 lux. In Collins English  dictionary there are over 50 words starting with Phot

Lawful Exposure

Laws asserted to address terrorism are being formed thick and fast and doubtless in the times i which we live, necessary.  But, we fear, in these days of political correctness and over assertive jobs worthies  extending their remit, incursions  and restrictions on the liberty of the individual grow daily.

The British Journal of Photography carries an article referring to a new law to Counter Terrorism and coming into force 18th February which in itself and used in the manner for which it was intended is all well and good. However, the wording leaves much to question in regard to the liberties of photographers, especially those engaged  in news gathering where police may be included in the frame.

There is a report of a woman detained  for 40 minutes while photographing a wedding in Dockland, requiring her to prove she was not taking photographs to aid terrorist activities. The suggestion is that a policeman can arrest you for taking his picture if he feels intimidated,  and if the case is proved could lead to ten years in jail.  Do you know of anyone being fined £2,000 or getting two years for a copyright infringement, or any other law with extreme penalties. It’s window dressing!

Nevertheless, read the article and see what you make of it. Mostly this and other laws are unlikely to affect our members in the ordinary course  of their business activities. But it is  well to be aware not only of  the risk of committing an offence, but more especially, your rights.  The BJP web site is bjp-online.com for fuller explanation.

END