PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES
AWARDS
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
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SHPS DIGITAL CONTENT LIBRARY
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IMPROVING PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH EDUCATION
LIFE ACCORDING TO ELLIOT ERWITT
JULY 2018
MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
SHPS.ORG.AU
9
ON PHOTOGRAPHY
POST PROCESSING TECHNIQUES
upcoming program activities for 2018
ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY WE CELEBRATE THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S INIMITABLE WIT THROUGH HIS WRY OBSERVATIONS ON LIFE, RELATIONSHIPS AND, OF COURSE, DOGS.
"It's about reacting to what you see, hopefully without preconception. You can find pictures anywhere. It's simply a matter of noticing things and organizing them. You just have to care about what's around you and have a concern with humanity and the human comedy" Elliott Erwitt is known for his witticisms. They leap out of the page when reading his photobooks. Often dry, sometimes biting, his musings on daily life sparkle with a wicked irreverence. The Magnum photographer, whose 90th birthday is in July, has spent a lifetime behind the lens. To mark this anniversary a new specially curated collection of fine prints, posters, and contact sheets is now available on the Magnum Shop. “The maxim says ‘time flies when you are having fun,’” he writes of taking photos, “It surely has been fun and time has surely flown. But more than fun it has been and continues to be a way of life for me.” Having joined Magnum Photos in 1953, Erwitt is one of the agency’s long-standing members. Over the course of his career, he has produced seminal works on barrack life in the Army Signal Corps, post-war Pittsburgh and iconic celebrity portraiture. However, it is his deeply humanist approach in photographing his subjects that has won him international acclaim. From his amusing commentary on beachside voyeurism to his teasing indifference to cats, Erwitt’s wry observations have continually fed into his photographs. As he says, “I found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” Here, we share a select few of his sideways takes on life, in his own words. Everybody is equal, even celebrities “Taking pictures of celebrities is exactly like taking pictures of non-celebrities. Compose the photograph properly, try to evoke something special or unique given the available possibilities. Above all do not be intimidated. Remember that even the most exalted celebrities brush their teeth at night before going to bed.” — Elliott Erwitt’s Personal Best (2006) Ways of seeing “To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place…. I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Museum Watching (1999) Between the sexes “We all find new dimensions of love between the sexes. The sober, profound, long-lasting possibilities for love: affection and loyalty and friendship, not confused by urgent passion. This isn’t a second-best, thirdhand kind of love. It is, for some relationships, the right love for the season.” — Between the Sexes (1994 Sex on the beach “The beach is a better pickup spot than any cocktail party. There’s always a lot of pawing going on. And you get the product properly displayed.” — On the Beach (1991) "The beach is a better pickup spot than any cocktail party" The alchemy of a photograph “When photography is good, it’s pretty interesting, and when it is very good, it is irrational and even magical… nothing to do with the photographer’s conscious will or desire. When the photograph happens, it comes easily, as a gift that should not be questioned or analyzed.” —Elliott Erwitt’s Personal Best (2006) "I rely on a hunch, a little luck, and some cunning" Every cloud has a silver lining “In life’s saddest winter moments, when you’ve been under a cloud for weeks, suddenly a glimpse of something wonderful can change the whole complexion of things, your entire feeling. The kind of photography I like to do, capturing the moment, is very much like that break in the clouds. In a flash, a wonderful picture seems to come out of nowhere.” — Between the Sexes (1994) The recipe for success “If you’ve got no responsibility and don’t have to generate a certain amount of cash each month, and can live on a shoestring, and are ambitious enough, then you might have a chance. You can be dedicated but that is no guarantee that you’ll make it. I rely on a hunch, a little luck, and some cunning.” —The Private Experience: Elliott Erwitt (1974) Love hurts “1st Truth: It is painful to be separated from the people you love. 2nd Truth: It is painful to be united with the people you don’t love.” “There’s one good thing about the first kind of pain: how nice it feels when, and if, the separations stop. Of course, when one person in a couple feels the second kind of pain, it probably won’t be long before the other feels the first type. Some philosophy.” — Between the Sexes (1994) The endless fascination of museums “People seem to be attracted to items in museums with which they have a special affinity. I’ve noticed people sometimes take on the look of an item on display. Perhaps we are drawn to things that resemble ourselves. Certainly, people form relationships with particular works of art. If a painting or sculpture grabs you, you can come back and visit it again and again, perhaps for the rest of your life, and get something out of it each time.” — Museum Watching (1999) A dog is a man’s best friend “Dogs have more to do than children. For one thing, they are forced to lead a life that is really schizoid. Every minute, they have to live on two planes at once, juggling the dog world against the human world. And they’re always on call. Their owners want instant affection every day, any time of day. A dog can never say that he has other things to do. He can never have a headache, like a wife.” Stirring emotions “Making people laugh is one of the highest achievements you can have. And when you can make someone laugh and cry, alternately, as Charlie Chaplin does, now that’s the highest of all possible achievements.” "Making people laugh is one of the highest achievements you can have" Curiosity is everything “I don’t think you can create luck. You’re either lucky or you’re not. I don’t know if it’s really luck or if it’s just curiosity. I think the main ingredient, or a main ingredient for photography is curiosity. If you’re curious enough and if you get up in the morning and go out and take pictures, you’re likely to be more lucky than if you just stay at home.”
August 21 Arthead Paul Harmon-Drone Photography September 18 Photoshop Workshop-Sue Robertson September 18 Image Evaluation: Street Photography Judge: Hamish Ta-me October 16 Presentation-Printing Presenter:Mark Kelly Mid October Field Trip -TBD Ocotber 30 Image Evaluation -Open Judge: Malcolm Fackender November 20 Presentation-Projects of Passion Group December 13 Annual Dinner: image of Year/Photographer of Year
SHPS AWARD SUMMARY-juLY 2018
P R O J E C T E D I M A G E S
COLOR PRINTS-DISTINCTIONS Bob Green 'Saphire Rocks' Alan Edwards 'Pensive Lion' Ian Fegent 'Cradle Mountain' Gary White 'Wedgetail in Flight' COLOR PRINTS -CREDITS Gianni Biasi 'My Barrel Role' Brad Anderson 'Fire & Ice' Bob Green 'Frozen Rose' Alan Edwards 'Scramble' Alan Edwards 'Quivering' Ian Fegent 'Sicilian Courtyard' Nadine Lindsay 'Old Shed' Helen Leeson 'Storm' Mike Nolan 'Flannel Flower' Mike Nolan 'Wattle Reflection' MONOCHROME PRINTS-DISTINCTIONS Phil Belbin 'Pedestrians' Phil Belbin 'Hawser' Mark Passfield 'Cologne' John Roberts 'Contemplation' Bob Green 'Homeless' MONOCHROME PRINTS-CREDITS Helen Smith 'Drough Feed Time' Chris Stimson 'The Big Shed' Chris Stimson 'Facing Life Head On' Mark Passfield 'ANZAC Bridge #2' Gianni Biasi 'Shelley Beach Swim Time' Brad Anderson 'White Boy' Ian Fegent 'Joadja at night' Roger Lurie 'The Scream'
P R I N T I M A G E S
PROJECTED IMAGES DISTINCTIONS Jacqui Davey 'Windswept Waves' Laura Knight 'City of Mirages' Sue Robertson 'Mucking Up' Sue Robertson 'Tears on a Rose' CREDITS John Knight 'Bridge of Sighs' John Halpin 'Fishing' Dawn Izurieta 'A Misty Morning' Jacqui Davey 'Blue Eyed Honey Eater' Laura Knight 'Majestic Metropolis' Pat Halpin 'Graffiti'
CREATIVE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
3 MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN WORKING WITH LIGHT
CREATIVE LONG EXPOSURES: THE SWIPE
ADOBE LIGHTROOM NEW RANGE MASK EXPLAINED
photography TECHNIQUES
TIPS FOR USING SHADOWS IN PHOTOGRAPHY
HOW TO USE THE TONE CURVE IN LIGHTROOM
CUT OUT HAIR WITH VERY BUSY BACKGROUNDS IN PHOTOSHOP
Travel of the Month: THAILAND
GRACE AND GRIT STEVE MCCURRY'S INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHY
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Congratulations to all July award winners. One of the benefits for me of creating this newsletter is the enjoyment I receive in viewing the creativity and imagination in your images. As always all suggestions for improvement on this newsletter are very welcome. Please email me at: lgknight21@gmail.com All newsletter content will continue to be added to the Online SHPS Digital Content Library and can be accessed anytime.
