We are looking for donations of old digital compact cameras (point and shoot) or old DSLRs that you no longer need/use, for use in the National Refugee Week photo project. The cameras will be used in photo workshops for kids with the view of getting them to create works for exhibition during National Refugee Week on June 18.

We desperately need about 10-12 digital cameras, so if you have pre-loved cameras that need a new home, please contact:

• Seng (Venture Photography Workshops) – 0417 604 614
• Jarrad (Propel Youth Arts) – 0431 815 264

Cameras can be dropped off at Propel Youth Arts WA (53 James St, Northbridge – downstairs from the Blue Room), or we can organise collection or drop off in Perth or Fremantle. Just give us a call!

After the Project, the cameras will be donated to the Camera Recycle Project so that they can continue to be used in youth- and community-based projects like this!

If you don’t have cameras you can donate, please help share this and spread the word. Thanks!

Setup: strip box located camera left; gridded reflector camera right and feathered on back of sitter; softbox camera right for fill.

Through a series of images, “Utopia” explores what was, is and will be. as urban and commercial development take hold of coastal landscapes, transforming what was once an iconic geography celebrated in West Australian art, literature and poetry – the patch of sand, sea and surf that belonged to no one and to everyone – into residential, retail and recreational spaces that have increasingly become the province of the privileged: million dollar apartments and million dollar views for million dollar incomes.

These images, which are created by combining digital and analogue photographs with found objects, present a story of change, as the dream to own one’s own patch of sand, sea and surf ironically transforms natural coastlines into marinas, artificial beaches, beachside apartments and shopping strips.

At times humorous, at times ironic, “Utopia” is an exhibition for those who love the WA coastal lifestyle and for those who appreciate the importance of valuing and maintaining its egalitarian landscape.

“Utopia” will be on show at Breaks Cafe, 85 High Street, Fremantle – from 14 March to 15 April as part of the FotoFreo 2012 Open Exhibition Programme.. Exhibition hours are 8am – 4pm daily.

100 percent of print sales will be donated to the following organisations: St Patrick’s Community Support Centre, The Fremantle Foundation, Red Cross and Medicins Sans Frontieres.

It can be a train of thought fraught with anxiety: we wonder whether our work is good enough, if we’re being creative enough in our photographic endeavours. We worry about becoming jaded with the medium, about losing our “mojo”, about failing. We then seek ways of rejuvenating our passion, of rediscovering what it was about photography that first got us hooked.

The tips I’m about to propose for reinvigorating your passion for photography are not new. But they’re sentiments that we all forget as we become more involved in the medium, particularly when we begin to pursue it professionally. Mired in the What and How (or How Much) and When, we often lose sight of the Why. So, here are four ways of rediscovering the Why for yourself.

1. Value your own vision (aka Stop comparing your work with that of other photographers)

New photographers often tell me, “I’d love to be able to shoot like [insert famous photographer's name here]“. My response is usually: “Why?”.

You have your own way of seeing the world. Why ignore that? Why sacrifice your own creativity by attempting to mimic someone else’s work?

Above all, do not compare your work with those produced by other established photographers. It’s the first step on the road to self-doubt. Don’t go there.

Appreciate the work of other photographers for the unique and creative ways in which they let us see the world. What makes their images so powerful is that they were produced from the heart. When you shoot, shoot from the heart – let your instincts guide you. Learn to ignore that voice in your head that says: “How would [insert famous photographer's name] have shot this? How would s/he have composed this?”

Don’t hide your work. Show it off – whether in an online portfolio, on Flickr, Red Bubble, 500px, Facebook and so on. When someone asks if you could photograph for them – refer them to your images. Tell them: “This is what I shoot. This is how I shoot. This is how I see the world. If you like my vision, then I’ll be happy to do the job for you. If not – well, there are other photographers whose vision may be closer to what you’re looking for.” A customer who does not value your vision is not worth shooting for.

2. Choose your critics (aka Not everyone’s an expert)

Web 2.0 and social networking have been terrific in putting photographers in touch with a wider audience. But it’s also fostered a cultural climate where most everyone considers themselves an expert and a critic, even if they may know precious little of the field. You wouldn’t take to the streets and canvas random people for their thoughts and opinions about your work, so why would you do the same in the online environment?

By all means, share and show off your work, but only take to heart comments (good or bad) from those whose opinions you value and, more importantly, those who you know have the experience and knowledge to back up their responses. If you’re specifically looking for critique of your work, choose the forum in which you present or publish your work carefully.

3. Accept that you will be your harshest critic (aka Learn to ignore your inner-critic)

I’ve been prone to listening too closely to my inner-critic. You know the voice that informs you that you haven’t perfectly composed according to the Rule of Thirds or the Golden Mean; the one that natters in your ear, reminding you of all the rules of photography that you have broken.

The inner-critic is a useful tool, especially for photographers beginning their journey. After a while, however, its prattling can become annoying and intrusive. Your inner-critic is the consciousness that developed while you were learning about photography; it was formed when you were discovering the rules of composition, the techniques of exposure, the mechanics of the medium. Having learned the rules, you’re intuitively ready to break them to create your own unique vision, but that voice won’t let you.

Even worse, it’s the voice that’s been created by self-doubt, the voice that scolds and says: “Why can’t you shoot like so-and-so,” or “Why are your pictures lacking the dramatic intent of the images taken by so-and-so”.

Train yourself to ignore your inner-critic. Self-assessment is useful, but self-assess too much and you will spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about the quality of your work, instead of just going ahead and producing new work.

If your inner-critic begins to harp on about composition, tell it that you’ll do better next time. If it begins to question the quality of your work in comparison to that by another artist, tell it to shut up and that you’re not interested in being derivative.

4. Find something new (aka Stepping outside the square)

The more experience you gain as a photographer, the fewer new subjects become available for your photography. Shoot for a few years and you’ll find that your checklist of things to photograph grows shorter and shorter. And when you begin to revisit the same subjects, you run the risk of repetition. It’s a creativity killer and you risk losing your “photo mojo” if it continues.

Remember the thrill of the first time you shot an event, or the excitement (and anxiety) when you did your first portrait shoot? Look for something new to photograph – whether it’s a new angle on a genre in which you are already comfortable, or a completely different subject.

Work out what you’re currently comfortable shooting and what you shoot well. Then, take yourself out of this comfort zone. Start by asking yourself what you would never shoot, and then go shoot it! Sometimes, it’s as simple as changing the setting in which you would normally photograph – if you shoot during the day, start shooting at night; if you haven’t shot in a storm, start chasing storms.

Because you’re entering new territory, you’ll discover new ways of seeing. You’ll struggle with new challenges and most likely stuff up once or twice (in which case, you might like to listen to your inner-critic a bit as part of the learning process), but the prospect of creating something completely new will be thrilling!

As you look forward in your photography for 2012 – what lessons from 2011 will you take with you? What thoughts have you given about challenging yourself this year to make sure that photography stays fresh for you; that your passion for photography grows, and that you will be primed and ready to consider new challenges at the end of this year?

Our first stop was Garvey Park in Guildford, the site of the old brickworks where clay was excavated from the banks of the river. Now lush wetlands, it was a perfect setting for our first shoot – with models Mal and Nene. The emphasis here was on controlling natural light when shooting in the shade, and making use of sunlight for rim, while exposing for the subject.

Photo by David Winch

Then, we brought on our speedlights, and looked at how TTL flash can be used as both key light and fill flash, on-camera and as bounce flash. Here’s Mal and Nene looking rather cosy with one another.

And here’s another of Mal looking a bit more “blue steel”, lit by flash bounced off a silver reflector camera right.

Meanwhile, Nene, our resident “cow girl” was hamming it up next to a lake – see how powerful a bounce flash can be in making a portrait taken in full sun pop?

Photo by John Miocevich

Photo by Capturing Hearts Photography (Samantha Kinkella)

After Garvey Park, we headed to Taylor’s Cafe and Studio in the Swan Valley, and photographed in an “outdoor studio”. Working with portable manual strobes, participants learned how to make use of location and light positioning to take location portraits. We went with quite a sexy look here, with Mal all oiled up and sweaty ala fireman’ calendar dude, while Nene posed in something black and slinky, in keeping with the junkyard’s very gritty environment.

Photo by Capturing Hearts Photography (Michelle Donoghue)

Photo by Capturing Hearts Photography (Michelle Donoghue)

Our pit stop for lunch was at Ironbark Brewery, where participants shook off the heat with a cold beer (or ginger ale) and a great lunch spread.

Suitably re-fueled, we headed to Kosovich’s Vineyards and Winery for a spot of wine tasting, before shooting among the spring vines with an Elinchrom Ranger. We looked at how using a powerful light can allow photographers to overpower the sun, turning day into night and lighting up their subjects in dramatic fashion. With the sun hanging a little lower in the sky, it was time to play around with sun flare – shooting into the sun and lighting our models up with the Ranger. Mind you, we nearly lost the beauty dish when the wind picked up and sent it and the light stand tipping over a row of vines!

Photo by Capturing Hearts Photography (Michelle Donoghue)

Photo by Capturing Hearts Photography (Samantha Kinkella)

We went with a romantic theme in this shoot, and had Mal and Nene playing the part of a young couple traipsing through the vines.

We had to wait until after dark for our final session (no one minded as it meant we could wet the whistle at the Royal in East Perth), where we ventured down to the banks of Claisebrook Cove for some amazing fire and light painting courtesy of light-painter extraordinaire, Stephen Humpleby. We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves!

LightPlay 2 was a long day, but packed with action, excitement and new opportunities for photographers to develop their skills in creative lighting! And participants LOVED it! As was summed up by one of our participants, Michelle of Capturing Hearts Photography:

“Had soooo much fun and learned so much! Light bulbs going off in my head as well as camera! All starting to make sense now. Can not thank you enough!”

If this has whet your appetite for some creative lighting, keep an eye out for LightPlay 3 – due out in April/May 2012!

Others argue that the light meter is an essential tool, especially when you’re shooting with multiple lights and need to achieve the correct lighting balance.

I’d like to think that the truth lies somewhere in between.

The light meter is a tool. Much like the exposure meter in your camera. And with most tools, they’re best used as guide, a means of establishing a starting point from which you then develop the rest of your image-making creatively.

The light meter gives you an exposure reading. Rely too much on it and you get into a “lock and leave” mentality – you think you’ve measured the light correctly and then you shoot. You forget that your sitters or models are mobile – they’ll move closer to the key light, or away from it, and their distance from the light source will affect the way they’re exposed in your photographs.

As with all forms of photography, you need to keep an eye on the light as it falls on your subject. Studio strobes have modeling lights – take note of this, and if it looks like your model’s position has changed, obtain a new exposure reading and adjust lighting or exposure settings accordingly. Even if you’re dealing with multiple lights, be observant and remember where your model is positioned in relation to these lights.

Tools make work easier for us, but they should never replace our ability to think creatively and to problem solve. I like my light meter and use it at the start of every studio shoot to check exposure. I shoot dynamically – changing the model’s position, lighting angles, height, distance and so on. I estimate changes in exposure and make changes accordingly. At the end of the day, I like having the light meter there to confirm that the estimates are on the right track.

If you’re just starting out in studio photography or using strobes, having a light meter is invaluable. As you become more and more familiar with the way light works in the studio, you’ll find that you’ll rely on it less and less, and that you’ll eventually use it as a means to check and confirm. It’s a bit like having a spirit level – good to have in your pocket, but there are times when you know that you have set something straight and you don’t need to pull it out and use it.

I’ve attended lighting demonstrations, where the professional commercial photographer, sans light meter, has taken nearly 5 minutes to obtain correct exposure as he fiddled around with adjusting strobe power on the lights. With a light meter, he could have set things up and confirmed them within 30 seconds.

For an alternative point of view, consider Charles Lucima’s take on the light meter on the Model Mayhem blog.

Do you use a light meter? What are your thoughts on its use?

(Light meter image in banner by Chad Miller)

My interests in photography lie predominantly in portraiture, but I’m rarely interested in creating “flattering” people portraits. I don’t use skin smoothing software, for instance, and very rarely will you see me spotting or cloning away the errant mole or pimple (unless it’s on the bride).

For me, people’s faces and bodies are topographies – landscapes where lines and bumps, pits and pores are as interesting as streams, rivers, mountains, forests and lakes for landscape photographers.

In a recent shoot of a fitness model, I wanted to change the tone of the shoot, albeit briefly, and focus on creating what I call “gritty” portraiture. The model, like most fitness models, was tall, fit and good looking. Which meant I had to change things somewhat to “grit” him up. On came a hoodie and directional lighting (best to make every pore and bump visible to the naked eye). Some black and white post-processing and selective sharpening later and Adam was transformed into a character who would not look amiss in the boxing ring.

Without doubt, being able to photograph models makes it so much more enjoyable for participants to practise what they have learned. Our workshops are very hands on and all participants get the opportunity to work with our models.

From beginner’s workshops to portraiture workshop, flash photography lessons to 1-on-1 fine art nude photography workshops, without our models, these workshops wouldn’t be as engaging and, heck as much fun!

So, without further ado, let’s introduce our talented models past, present and future.

“I’m a model you know what I mean
And I do my little turn on the catwalk
Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah
I shake my little tush on the catwalk”
(I’m too Sexy, Right Said Fred)

While there was no catwalk at Up On High Studio in Fremantle, there certainly was a lot of posing, strutting and tush shaking at our Fashion Photography Workshop, which we ran in collaboration with Perth fashion, commercial and lifestyle photographer, Tristan Jud.

Modeling for us was the fantastic Nene Bolin (have a look at the photos of Nene below and you’ll see what I mean), with make up artistry by the very talented and creative Sandy Tau who made Nene glow under studio lights. Cupcakes and art direction tips and tricks came courtesy of Tristan’s other half, Mona Jud.

The three-hour workshop covered lighting for fashion (it’s all about the garment, dah-link!), posing and attention to detail. Participants took turns directing and shooting Nene in two separate shoots – the first somewhat glamorous and the second more cutting edge.

To give this workshop an authentic flavour, participants were asked to shoot the cover for a fashion magazine targeting a younger, more street-wise audience. Make sure you check out Tristan’s effort on the cover below!

So what next for the likely lads of Venture Photography Workshops and Tristan Jud Photography? We’re already planning our next workshop – this one on beauty and glamour, and it’ll be a corker. Sign up for our Newsletter to find out when it’s available or if you’re a Facebook junkie like us, go on and “Like” the Venture Photography Workshops Facebook page for updates.

Photo by David Savage

Photo and cover by Tristan Jud