We’ve just finished judging over 3,000 images for the VECC National.   This exhibition covers entries from UK photographers in four categories:  Colour, Monochrome, Creative and Natural History.   Now I’m going to ignore the natural history – I don’t understand the bugs and birds on sticks bit really.

So, here’s some observations:

COMMON PHOTOS:

All judges have seen a gazillion photos of Rannoch Moor, Dunstanburgh Castle, The Bothy, Iron Man contests, Venice masks, Selfridges Birmingham, steam railways in the snow or at night and the British Library.    Oh yes, dog racing, remembrance, bikes with the zoom filter as well.

If you really want to submit another one – please try and say something new, if nothing else, don’t put your tripod in the previous photographer’s spot.  We’ve seen it before!

CREATIVE EFFECTS:

Using a push button filter on Photoshop does not make an image “creative”.   We are all old hands, we know exactly which filter you’ve used and it is not creative, new or clever.

Spot colour on monochrome images is very, very old fashioned.

Really bad cut and paste montage and layering is very obvious.

MOTION BLUR

Actually I like motion blur on the right image, but I can tell you know, it won’t get accepted, so don’t bother.

WIDE ANGLE

Apart from a personal thing that just way too many shots are spoiled by shooting too wide, the whole nearly fish-eye look – especially on portraits – is tired, tired, tired.

GRABSHOTS OF FOREIGNERS

Preferably kids with dirty faces.   Just because they are foreign and you had an interesting holiday that is not an excuse for a poor grabshot of some poor native person.

VERY COMMON TITLES – MEANS VERY COMMON SUBJECTS

The following word lists are based on the last 7 years of entries, though to be honest the subject matter hasn’t really changed in all that time.

17 watching
15 concentration
15 abandoned
14 memories
14 bluebell wood
13 red kite
12 sisters
12 robin
11 walking the dog
11 waiting
11 misty morning
11 low tide
11 lady in red
10 tulips
10 tulip
10 solitude
10 reflections
10 red squirrel
10 morning mist
10 holly
10 contemplation
10 beach huts
9 lindisfarne
9 homeward bound
8 winter trees
8 windswept
8 the mask
8 frosty morning
8 evening light
8 determination
8 autumn leaves
8 alone
7 walk on by
7 the wave
7 the engineer
7 one man and his dog
7 leaves
7 end of the line
7 eilean donan castle
7 conversation
7 buttermere

VERY COMMON WORDS IN TITLES – MEANS VERY COMMON SUBJECTS

164 winter
127 light
122 blue
121 morning
107 tree
104 water
104 storm
100 autumn
93 mist
85 beach
69 grey
67 sunset
65 time
65 street
61 waiting
60 evening
58 sea
56 walk
55 lady
55 bridge
54 misty
54 girl
53 wood
52 old
51 home
50 snow
49 tide
49 last
47 sunrise
46 window
44 walking
44 dawn
43 man
42 young
42 trees
42 reflections
40 boat
39 sand
39 loch
39 ice

CONCLUSION

Competition entries need to be different, but not too different.   By their very nature they select for a median.   But please, before you submit, please look to see if you are doing something new or just re-treading the same old ground.

You know you have to!

I’ve been asked several times recently about my backup strategy, so I thought I’d write a quick post about how my backups are handled.

OFF THE CAMERA

I have written a special piece of software that downloads the images of the CF card.  It creates some working folders for me, separates out images that need rotating, RAW files from JPEGS and Movie files all to separate folders.

At the same time, it creates a duplicate of all these files onto a second internal hard disk.  So straight out of the camera I have two copies of everything.

DAILY BACKUP

Every night I have an automated backup process that copies all files onto a second internal hard drive.  This includes any images taken, plus any files modified.  This is not just for images, this covers all business correspondences, emails, databases etc.

BACKBLAZE BACKUP

Backblaze is an off-site backup service offered out of the US.  It continuously copies updated files from your PC to their remote server somewhere in America.   It’s $50 for unlimited storage space – which for a photographer is an absolute bargain.

The downside is that’ its quite slow backing up the files over the internet, most days its up to date, but the initial load (of about 2 terabyte) took nearly 3 months!!  But once that load is there it just chunters away in the background making sure everything is off site.

MONTHLY BACKUP

Once a month I copy everything onto an external hard drive, which I then take off site.  These monthly backups are cycled, I always have three on the go, and over-write the oldest one first. 

YEARLY BACKUP

Every year, one of those monthly backup hard drives is retired permanently off-site.

In this way I can recover everything from today, last month and last year (even last decade).

EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES

I have an external SATA plug-in connector.  This lets you plug any barebones SATA hard disk into the socket and its instantly added to your Windows hard drives list.  It’s very simple, very easy.  It’s not the quickest of backups, since it runs over USB, but 2-3 hours is enough to backup all the modified files for a month.

DVD BACKUPS

I used to make DVD backups of a clients shoot, but found that with the higher res cameras I’ve been using for a while a single DVD is no longer big enough to cover a single shoot so I’ve dropped that now in favour of the dual hard drive approach.

VULNERABILITIES:

If the machine breaks but the hard disks are OK then I can just swap them to another machine.

If a hard disk fails, I’ve got another hard disk duplicate ready to go from yesterday.

If the office catches fire, I’ve got the last months back up held offsite on hard disk and daily backups to backblaze.

If a customer comes back from 5 years ago wanting a reprint (yes it happens) then I’ve got the annual backups to go back to.

Just got back from the first day, I’ve only been down to the trade show, would like to do the convention as well, but couldn’t make the time this year.

So, here’s a quick view of the trade floor:

1) Very crowded, it’s a shame a little more space would go a long way, goodness knows what it will be like at the weekend!   Sort of related, but there’s very limited parking at the hotel too.

2) Lots of album and print suppliers – surprise surprise – I’ll come back to this in a moment.

3) Gizmo shops fairly light on product, don’t expect the usual loads of stuff to buy, there are some gear stands, but not that much.   I was interested in bags and was hoping to try a few, but very limited choice there.

4) Lots of strobist type gear.  Loads of goodies to fit to your speedlights, mini softbox, gels, filters all sorts.  If you’re into that there’s quite a bit to look at.

5) Some software to look at, wasn’t paying much attention in this area.

ALBUMS

This was my main reason for going, to look at albums and books, and there’s a really good range of digital albums out there now.   Saw some really interesting stuff that would appeal to different audiences.  

For me I have to say the Loxley range really impressed, I like the contemporary look and feel of their products and the accessories that go with them.   As you may know I’ve been a committed Graphistudio fan from day one, but the Loxley products are seriously making me re-consider.

This is shamelessly culled from the net-model website, but I thought it was interesting, the discussion was on favourite accessories, excluding lenses and cameras, here’s the summary:

“Custom Brackets Mini RC”

“A large, round white/silver reflector.”

“Alien Bees parabolic brollies”

“My remote trigger”

“Cambo "Redwing" Light boom”

“Ringflash” (several times)

“Elinchrom skyports”

“Elinchrom Deep Octa”

“Iphone”

“Elinchrom Quadra A kit”

“Beanbag”

“Expodisk”

“Pocket Wizards”

“Lastolite Hilite”

For me, I’m going to repeat my entry from last year, my little Canon Selphy 720.  It prints 6 x 4 inch postcards by dye-sub – they’re brilliant.  It’s quick, easy, no fuss and perfect to give a client something to take away on the spot. 

Mine broke down this year, so picked up an eBay replacement for about £30 I think.  I could have got the more recent versions, but I like the old one and know it does what it says on the can.

The other accessory I still use so often and still get impressed by is the Canon EP-4 (I think) the battery pack for the 540-EX flash unit – holds 8 AA batteries to add to the 4 in the flash unit.   I can shoot a whole wedding with just one change of batteries with this fella.   Very fast re-charge time – personally I much prefer it to the heavier Quantum Turbo type packs.

Do you want your images and style to look current and fashionable?  Well, mostly, so here’s my guide to photographic trends for 2010

Attainable Life Styles

We’ve seen it in 2009 and it’s going to continue, pictures of happy people, doing happy things in a fairly ordinary circumstances.  It’s not going to be fast cars, yachts and foreign places yet. 

So locations are going to be nice, smart, but homely.   Aspirational but attainable.

Keeping It Green

The green theme will be stronger this year, locations will feature lots of nature, so its grass, flowers, golden fields in sunlight.

Retro Is Fading

The style of using stock photos from the 40’s and 50’s has really run it’s course now, they’re going to be disappearing.   It’s becoming more apparent to the consumer that these are just cheap photos used by lazy designers.

Retro is Back!

But fashion is incorporating a lot of retro elements in the clothes styling and that’s going to be reflected in props and accessories especially.  I think we’re going to see a lot of scooters, big sunglasses and big hats this year in photos.

Computer graphics in and out

The inclusion of computer generated imagery (CGI) is going to really split this year – on the one hand its going to be really subtle enhancements to images that no-one will see, and on the other the very over the top is still going to be there. 

The over the top CGI has reached its peak and will start to fade away, but not noticeably this year.

Editorial work is going be mostly natural, with faux-film style photos, but the occasional, well executed CGI extravaganza will also turn up from time to time.

In which I answer all sorts of questions relating to the end of 2009….

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Make a video all by myself – it was a present for my wife – a video of me singing "I Scare Myself" – which was the music we used for our first dance when we got married.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Um, no.   It was to get rid of my tummy – think I’ll repeat it this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Good kentwell friends seem to have been popping out babies like nobodies business this year!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully no, I’ve had too much of that already.

5. What countries did you visit?

Much less travelling this year, did get out to Ireland, but we did in-country travelling this year.

Next year I think it’s time to get around the world a bit more

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More commercial/fashion work

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I can’t do dates, but the floods at the mill were very memorable.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Still being here!!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Being nominated for, but not winning Photographer of the Year

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I’ve been good this year

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I’m very pleased with the money spent on re-furbishing the office.  It’s not quite a "thing", but I spend so long there I’m really glad I did it.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

This year I’ve been blessed with working with so many great models and wedding couples.  

I really enjoy working with models who bring intelligence, talent and beauty to our shoots and that’s been terrific.

But I’ve also been really lucky to shoot weddings with really great couples this year, who have been such fun and radiated such love.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Bankers and their bonuses – the fat cats, completely lacking in humility and if I hear the phrase "we can’t retain competent staff without big bonuses" again I shall really throw my toys around.  Like they’ve been competent this year?

Never mind the fact that so many very competent workers in so many other fields have lost their entire livelihoods thanks to these experts.

It’s been so sad to see a number of my photographic colleagues close up shop this year.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Moving house (again)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Setting fire to a wedding dress

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Lovesong by Snake River Conspiracy – although its been around for a while it really bit me this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Happier
ii. Thinner or fatter? Thinner
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

More shooting

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Less paperwork

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

A quiet time and the longest holiday I’ve had in years, at home with the family

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

No.

22. How many one-night stands?

None.   Hey, I’m a married man for one thing!!

23. What was your favourite TV program?

True Blood – especially the title sequence.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.  Hate is such a wasteful emotion

25. What was the best book you read?

Probably Stig Larsons Millenium Trilogy

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Moulin Rouge Soundtrack – volume 2 – I loved the film and love the music

27. What did you want and get?

A new car

28. What did you want and not get?

A focussing fresnel spotlight

29. What was your favourite film of this year?

500 Days of Summer – romantic and so reminds me of my feelings of love

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

People joke about my lack of memory, and do you know it really is bad – I can’t remember my birthday – I think we might have gone to see the stage version of Lion, Witch, Wardrobe

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

War on Collars – actually in the process of getting completely designer clothes made to my specification

34. What kept you sane?

Shooting

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Miranda Raison = who played Jo Portman in Spooks and was killed off (Spooks is now on boycott from me, she was the only reason I watched)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Oddly the whole Prof. Nutt / Ecstasy / Horse-Riding thing – mostly because this should be personal choice

37. Who did you miss?

My brother Tony

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Crikey – this is not b*****x but I’ve met some really good people this year, but special mentions go to Tessa, Pixie, Tina

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

That even though I treat people simply, straight and honest – not everyone else does.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

"Come what may"

Just a short note on the value of shopping around.   It’s time to have my brochures re-printed, I’m duplicating an existing brochure, which is quite  fancy tri-fold on heavy stock card.  I sent a sample from my last print run to 7 local suppliers and here’s what I got back:

1) £340, 300 gsm silk

2) £430

3) £701, 280 gsm silk

4) £669.22, 350 gsm silk

5) £344, 350 gsm silk

So, the most expensive was twice the price than the cheapest.  The quote I’m going for is number 5 – from Color Co in Cheltenham, they are cost competitive, offer the heavy card and where the quickest to respond.

Now, there’s two reasons for posting this particular item.   Firstly, when you are looking for suppliers, it’ pays to shop around – particular on something fairly commodity driven.

But also just look at the price of these things – at the cheapest rate I’m paying nearly 40pence per brochure – marketing never comes cheap.  Worse, by the time I’ve posted these, envelopes and stamps – that’s nearly £1 per item mailed to mailing list.

1) Get In Close – it’s the faces your interested in, not the shoes.   Fill the frame with the face or faces.  

2) Keep it natural – don’t over-pose pictures – natural pictures are often the best ones.  Keep your camera ready and take peoples pictures when they’ are not looking.  This is especially true for children.

3) Get down with the kids:  while your children are playing with the Christmas presents you want to be down on your knees or tummy photographing from their height.

4) If you are posing to be in a photo – guys face square forward and look big.  Girls should turn slightly sideways and kick the hip out for a more feminine shape.

5) If you’re a couple, girls should rest their head on the fella’s shoulder for a nice relaxed, but loving and joined portrait.

6) If you’re shooting one person, then put them off-centre in the frame rather than bang in the middle – it makes a more interesting picture.

7) If you’re shooting a couple make sure your camera is not focussing down the gap in the middle of them – leaving you with an out of focus picture.

8) If you’re shooting three or more people, try and arrange the heads into a triangle, or a circle if there’s lots of people – this makes a much stronger composition.

9) Lots of Christmas pictures are taken at parties – but try and keep the drinks out of shot – they look messy and ruin many a good photo.

10) If you can, try and shoot without flash – many new digital cameras can shoot in quite dark places without flash – the images will look much more natural.

11) If you have to use flash – see if your camera has a “night” mode – this will make sure your subject is properly lit, but will also show the background well too.

12) Backgrounds are interesting too – and let you remember where you were when the picture was taken.  

13) If you’ve got an add-on flash unit that fits to the top of your camera – tip it towards the ceiling to “bounce” of the ceiling – it’s a much nicer light and also stops red-eye

14) See if you can find a plain wall as a background, doesn’t matter what colour – but if you get a choice blue works best for faces.  Look out for fire signs, plant pots, etc.  Don’t stand the subject right against the wall though – the more space between your subject and the background the better.

15) Take a second picture straight after the first – often the moment when people relax after they think the picture has been taken is the best one.

This is what you get when you compress six hours shooting into sixty seconds.

Have fun!

Comments welcome – I’m sure there are loads of things you could do like this