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Issue 47: October 2015

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Hello and welcome to the latest issue. We had a good range of photos in this month’s competition with people interpreting the theme ‘Movement’

in a variety of ways. It was great to see people getting ‘arty’. With movement, often the key is in the amount of movement that you record. Not enough and it just looks like a mistake. Too much and it can become a blurry mess. Julia Johnson got it just right with her stunning image ‘Forest on Fire’. A well-deserved win, well done.

I did notice a few photos that had real potential but to my eye anyway, looked a tad overexposed and washed out. I wonder if part of the problem is people are editing their photos on laptops? The problem with laptops is that you never open the screen to the same angle and your photos look lighter or darker depending on this angle. I’ll write an article on solutions to this problem for next month’s issue.

Allan CoxResident JudgeNZ Photographer

ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a

beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free!

EDITOR Allan Cox, allan@nzphotographer.co.nz

GROUP EDITOR Colin Kennedy

ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Phone Jennifer Liew on 09 522 7257 or

email jenniferl@espiremedia.com

WEBSITE www.nzphotographer.co.nz

NZ Photographer is an Espire Media publication

Allan Cox

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Next Month's Competition: Abstract

GET SHOOTING AND WIN!Next month’s competition is ‘Dusk till Dawn’. Due on 15th of October. Any photo

that has been taken after sunset, but before sunrise. City lights at night, stars and the moon, long shutter speeds as it’s starting to get dark and so on. The

following months theme will be ‘People’, and that will be due on the 15th November.

• The winning image on the cover of the next issue

• A high quality print of your image and cover to immortalise your achievement for your grandchildren, courtesy of PCL Imaging

• $50 cash

• And of course, bragging rights and the envy of your fellow NZ Photographer fans!

Check out next month’s theme and enter at www.nzphotographer.co.nz ✸WIN!

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Steve Perry

INSPIRING ARTIST

There are a few things that I really admire about Steve. First off, he takes amazing photos (that one’s pretty obvious). The second one is that

for Steve, I think the truth really matters. So many photographers (even good ones) will repeat the same old misinformation, without ever bothering to ask the question “Is this really true?” Not so with Steve. When you get info and advice from him, you know it’s been checked for accuracy by asking that critical question and by years of field experience.

One of his latest videos shows him breaking dozens of old lenses and filters in an attempt to answer the age- old question “Do filters protect the lens?”.

Finally, Steve is very generous about sharing his knowledge and photos. He gives away wallpapers for free, there are lots of teaching videos on his site and each photo on his site is supplied with technical info and back-story. So while ogling his photos, you can also learn something.

We have an awesome featured artist this month with Steve Perry from the United States: wildlife and landscape photographer extraordinaire.

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NZP: In New Zealand. we don’t have any animals that will eat you and our most venomous ‘creature’ is a plant—our native stinging nettle has killed a couple of people—so we can be a tad naïve about dangerous animals. If we were photographing in North America, which ones would we need to be careful of and what precautions would we need to take?

Honestly, while there are potentially dangerous animals here in North America, most of the time you can stay safe as long as you’re careful. The biggest factor is simply keeping a sensible distance and not intruding on the animal’s space. By and large, the wildlife here is not actively trying to eat you and would prefer to keep their distance.

That caveat out of the way, I’ll give you a rundown of what I think are the four most dangerous animals in NA:

1. POLAR BEAR When it comes to bears, you’re generally pretty safe with both black bear and grizzly, as long as you exercise some common sense and give them their space. Of course, there are exceptions where people get attacked by bears, but that’s a rare occurrence. In fact, there have only been 27 deaths from black and grizzly bears in the 2000s (as far as I can find stats about anyway). That means you’re more likely to be killed by a lightning strike than a bear attack.

However, Polar Bears are an exception in my opinion. I have photographed them in Churchill, Canada and our guides impressed upon us the fact that these bears most definitely think of humans as a potential food source. In fact, as we drove through town they pointed out where bears had dented large steel doors, cars, etc. attempting to get at the tasty occupants. However, the chances of running across a polar bear is pretty remote in most parts of the continent, so I don’t loose too much sleep over it.

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2. BULL MOOSE My award for the second most dangerous animal has to go to the bull moose, particularly during the fall rut. They are big, powerful, and seemingly angry much of the time. It’s not uncommon for them to lash out at spectators or photographers who get too close. In fact, I’ve seen a foolish photographer head out to the middle of a meadow with a bull moose while he was after a cow (the moose, not the photographer). The moose and the photographer had quite the stare down, and I thought for sure I was about to see the guy get mangled. Thankfully the cow distracted the bull, and the shaken photographer was able to withdraw.

3. BISON This is another animal that demands caution. They are 2000lbs of uncompassionate muscle that can easily and unpredictably run you right down. The biggest problem with bison is they don’t give much in the way of a warning. They can seem docile and almost tame – and then instantly charge with little or no reason. I remember enjoying an early dinner in Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. As I was looking out of the window of the little cafeteria, I noticed a couple of guys with smartphones closing in on a pair of bison for a photo. I knew they were getting too close and sure enough one of the bison charged. The only thing that saved them from getting gored was the fact there were a couple of cars parked close together, and they slipped through before the bison reached them.

4. BULL ELK I think this is actually a tie for third! A bull elk can be exceedingly dangerous, particularly as he’s guarding his harem. They have been known to actually roll cars on their side because the vehicle came between their position and their cows (or because they see their own reflection in the paint and think it’s another bull). I’ve also seen them charge through and scatter crowds of photographers as they take off after a rival.

Now, the point of all this isn’t to frighten you off; it’s to impress upon anyone visiting that you need to treat these animals with respect. If you keep a safe distance, don’t corner them, and just exercise some common sense you’re going to be relatively safe and live to shoot another day. In almost all cases, the real problems happen when people

encroach on the animal, either deliberately or by accident. NZP: What was the hardest animal you have had to photograph and what was involved?I hate to say it, but I don’t have a really good answer for this one! I’d love to spin a good yarn here, but I tend to photograph in areas where the animals are fairly accustomed to people (parks, mostly). I’ve photographed in all kinds of conditions, from sweat-draining-into-my-eyes-too-hot to I-think-my-legs-are-frozen cold, from rainy to windy, in snow, ice, you name it. The truth is many of the tough ones would tie for first place; it’s just that they were different types of difficult.

In some cases, the animals were very skittish, and one wrong move was all that it took to make them bolt. In other cases, the animals were fine with my presence, but the weather was miserable. Of course, many of my bird pictures can be tricky, especially getting just the perfect wing beat in a flight shot.

Then there are the animals that you have to spend hours with before they ever look your way. Then again, if you’re in a crowded park, sometimes the most difficult aspect can simply be dealing with the crowds.

So, I really don’t have one that I’d call my most difficult, just a bunch that are a different kind of difficulty!Hmm... Maybe the most difficult shots are the ones I haven’t been able to capture just yet (bobcats, cougars, and the one pileated woodpecker in the Smokies that just

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won’t give me a break!)NZP: How do you have your camera set up for fast moving targets and is there a difference between one moving sideways and one coming towards the camera?Well, I guess it really depends. For starters, I’m always using Back Button AF coupled with Continuous AF (servo for our Canon friends). For more on back button AF, see my video.

From there, it really depends on the subject size and movement. I start with single point AF, and if I can keep the AF sensor where I want it on the subject, that’s the end of it.

If I start having difficulty keeping a single point on the subject (say a small erratic bird), I switch to D9 or D21 so the camera can switch AF points as I struggle along:) I’ve also been playing with Nikon’s new Group AF a little, but I tend to like just plain old single point most of the time. As for animals coming right at me vs. sideways, the settings

are usually the same.

NZP: How much does ‘what sells’ have an influence on your photographic style.Once upon a time ‘what sells’ would completely dominate my shutter finger - if I couldn’t sell it, what was the point of shooting it? In fact, when I was shooting slide film and my primary market was magazines and calendars I always had an internal dialog featuring a little voice that kept saying, “Can you sell it? Can you?” There were lots of great opportunities that I walked away from because they weren’t ‘marketable’ enough to bother with.

And that’s not even the worst of it! There were plenty of times I snapped the shutter on images I really didn’t care for at all, but I captured the image because I thought it might be something a magazine could use.

When I switched over to fine art prints and now e-books, everything changed for the better. I now only shoot images that really appeal to me, and I generally only shoot images under great conditions. Instead of looking for images that would be popular at a stock agency, I’m out looking for images I like and that appeals not only to myself but other photographers and the folks kind enough to purchase my prints. I’m no longer trying to get as many ‘stock’ images as I can on a trip. In fact, there are times I go for days without even clicking the shutter because I don’t think the conditions are right. And hey, I still end up selling to magazines and calendars

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from time to time!NZP: How do you get animals to ‘look at you’ without scaring them off.That’s a tough one! In places where the animals are habituated to people, it can be next to impossible to get them to look your way. You can jump, scream, shout and they don’t bat an eyelid (although anyone standing nearby tends to take a step or two back). In these cases, you may just have to wait until the animal decides to look your way on its own - and in some cases that never happens.

On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a wary animal, it takes little more than a rustle of leaves to send them bolting away. In those cases, I get locked in and maybe generate just a slight bit of noise by shuffling my feet or breaking a small twig in my fingers. You need to do this carefully though, too much or too often and you’ll send them running. (As a side note, it’s never good to send an animal away like that, they have enough stress out there, they don’t need humans chasing them around. I consider it a failure on my part if my actions cause an animal to bolt away).

Finally, there are times when you get an animal that’s

used to people, but he’s still a little cautious (probably the most common situation actually). In these cases sometimes a noise or a little foot shuffling can get a quick look your way. I also like to do a long slow arc over my head with my hand. They tend to lock onto that, and it allows you to get a shot or two off.

NZP: What lenses do you carry/use? And which would be your favourite?Wow, I have a LONG list! For wildlife, I carry a 600mm F4 VR and the new 80-400mm VR. I like them both but tend to use the 600mm the most. I like to keep a comfortable working space between myself and the subject, and the 600mm comes in handy for that. I also like the narrow field of view the 600mm brings to the table and the soft, creamy backgrounds that are so easy to achieve at that focal length.

For landscapes, my most used and favourite lens is my 14-24mm. Super sharp and great for the big sky shots I enjoy capturing. I also have a set of Nikon’s 1.8 primes as well as a 24-70mm 2.8 and the 70-200mm F4. I like to

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have everything covered and then some. NZP: What are your thoughts on 1.4x & 2x converters?As a rule, I like to avoid teleconverters when I can; however, I do use the 1.4x quite frequently. I have the Nikon’s new third generation TC14, and it’s almost (almost) like having no teleconverter attached at all (well, other than the missing stop of light of course).

Still, I enjoy the performance of the naked lens and prefer to skip the teleconverter unless I need it. I’ll often start with the 1.4X teleconverter attached and as I work my way closer I can slip it off and just use the lens by itself. As for the 2X, I did give the new Nikon 2X a try and just didn’t like it very well, at least not with my 600mm. Sharpness was just OK, but I think I’d prefer to get closer and use the 1.4X. Of course, I could have had a bad copy of the converter - I know there are lots of people very

happy with it. NZP: What are your thoughts on image manipulation? In general and for animals in particular?Well, it depends on what you mean by image manipulation. Personally, I like to process my images, so they are not only a representation of what I saw but also of how it felt to be there during the photo. I want the photo to share my experience with the viewer, not just be a sterile documentation of the scene. So, reasonable post processing (whatever that is LOL), is certainly fine by me. Where I do draw the line is when people transplant animals or other elements into a scene. For example, I’ve seen it done (poorly in most cases) where a transplanted eagle is flying over a mountain, with the light somehow coming from a different direction for the eagle than it was for the mountain! I think the photo should be a representation of what was there, not a collage from

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several different images. NZP: Do you have a favourite location to shoot? And where would the dream location to shoot be?That’s another tricky one - it all depends on what I’m after. For wildlife, I love Yellowstone and the Tetons in the fall - and I enjoy spending a few days in Custer State Park, SD from time to time as well (Moose Peterson calls Custer ‘Disneyland for photographers’).

Of course, if you’re into birds, there are a TON of places in Florida that always produce - one of my favourites is Ritch Grissom Wetlands in Viera. You can almost toss a camera at it and get a good picture! And of course, it’s tough to beat Cade’s Cove in the Smokies for black bear and deer.

For eastern landscapes, I do like shooting in the Appalachians, but I think my favourite location is probably Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in MI. Of course, head out west and I pretty much like everything in Utah!

As for a dream location, I’d probably have to pick Alaska. I know, it’s a huge area, but I think I could spend years up there shooting - and I think that’s one of the reasons I haven’t made my way there yet. In fact, my wife is convinced if I ever

go she’ll never get me to come back home!NZP: How did you first get into photography?I first started photography when I was about 10 years old. I loved the outdoors, and a friend and I would spend countless hours exploring the small local woodlands near my neighbourhood. He was a hunter, and it wasn’t long before I started to show an interest in hunting. My mother terrified I was about to start bringing little dead animals home, convinced my dad to try to find something else for me to do in the outdoors.

Well, he had a Minolta X700, and I was always fascinated with it. Since he wasn’t about to hand that over to a 10-year-old, we went out and found an SLR for me (a very used Pentax ME Super). From there we’d head out most weekend mornings searching for wildlife - usually deer in the local parks. It wasn’t long before I was hooked, and I’ve been doing photography in one form or another ever since (mostly wildlife and landscape, although there was a dubious flirtation with portraits and weddings for a few years).

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NZP: What are your three top tips for others who want to become better photographers, and what common mistakes do you see people making when shooting these days?I’ll cover both the tips and the mistakes together:

1. Shoot in great light and conditions. This is the simplest thing anyone can do to get better photos - and everyone knows it. The thing is; people just can’t seem to pry themselves out of bed early and grab that great light. Conversely in the evening, everyone’s set on leaving and satisfying their grumbling stomachs. I can’t tell you the number of wildlife and landscape shots I have that, if taken during the harsh midday light, would have been throwaways. In fact, I don’t think I have a single shot taken in those conditions on my website.

2. Pay attention to everything in your frame, especially the background. A huge mistake I see all the time - especially with wildlife - is people simply get so caught up with the critter that they completely ignore distracting elements in their frame. Make sure there aren’t any annoying sticks, branches, or other distractions. Watch your background and make sure there aren’t any bright spots from the sky or the surrounding landscape. Really watch how the background works with the subject and move if it’s not working. Many times, just a small move one way or another is all you need to go from a terrible background

to a great one - why not do it?

3. Be patient. Whether it’s landscapes or wildlife, take your time and don’t rush it. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve spent hours with an animal in order to get a shot. Sometimes the magic doesn’t happen in the first ten minutes; sometimes you have to let the animal get used to you and relax. I have a photo of a mother grizzly and cub crossing a river (see photo above) that was a direct result of my deciding to stay a little longer - and this was after I had started driving away after already spending an hour or more with them! See, they had disappeared into the woods, and I thought the fun was over - as did pretty much everyone else hanging out there. As I was pulling away, I started wondering where they might be headed. It occurred to me there was a slight chance they could emerge again down the road, so I turned around and just hung out for awhile. About 45 minutes later, I got one of the best shots of the entire trip.

Same applies to landscapes. I like to get to a location well before sunrise or sunset, select the spot I think is going to be the best and wait for the light to happen. So many times I see a photographer rush onto a scene just as the light is getting good and then photographically assault the area with their camera. So many times, photographers seem more worried about the number of shots they get on their cards than the quality of those images. In my opinion, it’s far better to get a few stunners than to have a card full of mediocre images.

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My advice is to really examine the scene and get into the perfect position before the magic starts. NZP: Finally, where can we see more of your amazing work?At my website of course :)http://www.backcountrygallery.com

For 290 pages of my best wildlife photography advice, check out my e-book, Secrets To Stunning Wildlife Photography. It’s been exceedingly popular, and I’ve received tons of positive feedback on it. Hundreds of tips and tricks:http://www.backcountrygallery.com/secrets-to-stunning-wildlife-photography/

Also, when you’re there, check out my YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrygallery

And my articles:http://www.backcountrygallery.com/photography_tips/

NZP: Beautiful photos, insightful answers and a nice sense of humour. Thanks Steve for all of your time and effort! ■

This is the simplest thing anyone can do

to get better photos - and everyone knows

it. The thing is, people just can’t seem to

pry themselves out of bed early and grab

that great light.

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LESS IS MORE NEW EOS 100D

The world’s smallest and lightest APS-C DSLR*,all performance, no compromise.

*As at 1st March 2013

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Macro 9By Allan Cox

I promised last month to talk about stacking photos. The basic principle of stacking photos, is to take a series of photos, where the focus has been shifted slightly

between each photo, and then use special software, that takes only the bit of each photo that is sharp, and joins them all together into one photo with everything sharp. With this technique, you can get more in focus than ever would have been possible in one photo alone.

In the photo of the pencil tips, you will see that in each progressive photo I’ve moved the focus back a little. The final individual photo of the pencil has been made by stacking these eight photos into one photo.

You need to take enough photos so that you have taken a photo with every part of your subject sharp. For my pencil photo, I really should have taken two to three times more photos. If you look closely at the finished photo, you will see that it is not quite sharp at the boundary between lead and wood. The areas of sharpness have not quite overlapped at this point, so we have an area that is slightly soft.

It’s not uncommon to take a set of photos for a stack that consists of one to two hundred photos. This may sound difficult, but it’s not, it’s just repetitive. Take a photo, change the focus, take a photo, change the focus, and so on. During the process, everything has to stay the same, except the changing of the focus. So manual exposure is used to keep your aperture and shutter the same.

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Stacking macro photos

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Macro 9

Moving subjects are a ‘no-go’ for this technique and light conditions need to stay constant. It can be a real bummer when you are three-quarters of the way through a 170 photo set, and suddenly the sun goes behind a cloud. Ahhh!!!

The moving of the focus point can be achieved by changing the focus of the lens, but I’ve found I get better results by moving the whole camera slightly forward (1/2mm) between each photo. To achieve this, I use a focusing rail.

Adobe® Photoshop® has a stacking feature built into it, but I found specialised software did a better job. I use Helicon focus. I’ve also read good things about Zerene stacker.

It’s pretty easy to use the software. The basic procedure is: load the set of photos into the program, pick a method to render the photos (you get a choice of several, if one doesn’t do a very good job just try one of the others) and click on the render button. Like most software, it has additional features that once you have learnt to use, will give you even better results.

They are not particularly difficult and with a bit of experimentation you will soon be a whiz at it. The photo of the fluffy bummed toadstool above (not it’s real name) was taken by a student (Ashley Ross) on a Macro workshop that I ran earlier in the year. It was his first attempt at stacking and involved 64 photos. A pretty cool result for a first-time attempt! You too could get results like this. ■

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Breaking the RulesBy Jennifer Van Waard http://jvw.co.nz/

In this age of mass imagery, where anyone with a device to take a photograph can call themselves a photographer, it feels virtually impossible to stand

out amongst the crowd. And when we fall into the trap of constantly comparing our photographs to the many others out there, despair and ultimately a loss of love for this wonderful art form can soon follow.

Daring to be different can mean many things to many photographers. It can be as simple as an image that has been taken on an angle, or it can be a photograph

Never be scared to try something different!

that is mostly blurry, but you can still see distinct shapes and patterns. An image does not have to have every inch perfectly focused and exposed to be an amazing image, nor does it have to be treated with HDR to be acceptable either.

The first photograph above was taken to try and capture the dreariness of a wet grey day. It was taken through a windshield of a car that had rain on it.

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“I realise more and more what

it takes to be a really good

photographer.You go in over your head, not

just up to your neck.”

– Dorothea Lange

The second photograph was taken using an empty toilet roll with tin foil on the inside of the roll to create the effect around the centre of the Magnolia.

The third photo is of bubbles that formed on the top of a spa pool after the chemicals were added, and the cross is the pergola above the pool.

Another way to embrace uniqueness is to take an interest in those everyday items that blend into the background of our daily lives. There is a whole host of inspiring objects waiting to have their story told with a simple photograph, and some of the most interesting images taken are those showing common items in a completely different setting.

Daring to be different can also include breaking the rules whenever possible, and you will benefit the most from breaking those rules when you know what they are. Taking the time to learn everything about your camera and lenses and about composition, rule of thirds, how to manipulate ISO etc. and all of the fundamental principles of photography can in turn allow you to use those skills to their most creative end.

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Colouring pencils, a notebook and a macro lens makes for lots of fun

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Other examples of breaking the rules might include using lenses for their intended opposite, taking your macro lens when you go along to photograph a building instead of a wide lens, shooting into sunlight for that eye-catching sunburst or using a very high ISO to create an artistic grain in your image.

So the next time you are looking through the viewfinder, getting ready to press that shutter button, ask yourself – what rule can I break here? Can I take this from another angle, maybe from underneath or would it look good if it had a lovely coloured hue over the whole image - there are just so many

different ways to take a photograph and imprint your own personality and imagination into the image.

Breaking the rules and daring to be different go hand-in-hand to help make us all better photographers and, photography at its best, should be about technique, creativity and most of all, imagination. ■

The coffee cup of Love

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Dollars or Sense? What’s Happening to New Zealand’s Photography Industry?By Navdeep Kaur Marwah navdeepm@espiremedia.com

New Zealand's photography ecosystem is under threat because local camera retailers are facing increasing competition not only from each other

but also from low cost overseas websites.

The rise in internet shopping has impacted every industry but to explore the wider impacts of how online shopping is affecting our community we spoke to people across a range of sectors including camera distributors, retailers, brands, professional photographers and photography clubs. Are we seeing a ‘hollowing out’ of the New Zealand photographic industry?

Online sales taking traditional retailers offline

There is no disputing that photography is an important part of New Zealand art. The growing number of photographers both professional and amateur across New Zealand pays testimony to this. The good news is that more New Zealanders are buying camera gear than they were a decade back.

But what has also changed is that more and more New Zealanders are buying their cameras and accessories online from overseas sites rather than through local retailers. People are also increasingly reaching for their smartphones and their powerful inbuilt cameras for their basic photography needs. As a consequence of these changes, it seems New Zealand's photography industry is facing big challenges with many recent stories of photography shops across New Zealand shutting down.

Camera & Camera on Auckland’s Queen Street, and Paul’s Camera Shop in Christchurch are among the old guard of photography shops that have closed this year. It was reported that Camera & Camera, which was operating since 1979 was placed into liquidation in April, owing nearly $900,000 due to dwindling customer demand. Joint liquidator Simon Dalton of Gerry Rea Partners was quoted as saying that the changes in technology and drive to online sales lead to a drop in customer demand and hence the liquidation.

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Riccarton based Paul’s Camera Shop closed forever early this year after 36 years in operation. The shop’s owner Paul Farrow was quoted as saying that said he could not survive the ‘Snapchat generation’ and the increasing use of smartphone cameras actually spelled doom for the shop. One of NZ's longest serving photography supply shops Apix recently merged with ProGear, a leading retailer based in Newmarket, which further reflects the ‘squeeze’ hitting the New Zealand photography industry.

Colin Kirk, which used to have a high-profile retail store on Wellington’s golden strip on Lambton Quay closed down a few years ago and it seemed that rising rents and falling sales contributed to them shutting up shop.

There has been no denying that online shopping has made its impact felt across the globe and no industry seems immune. The fact that in this fast paced world, online shopping allows one to sit in the comfort of their home and order the products from any part of the world with just a few clicks of the keyboard - in other words, convenience - is the main reason that people opt for online shopping.

Commenting on photography stores in New Zealand, professional Auckland based photographer and teacher, Paul Petch says, “We are always busy being busy, so the digital space suits this reality. The whole process of research and comparing pricing comes into play more than advice from real people it seems. Photography stores in New Zealand are not as they were. Just look at the stock… or lack of it. Online retailers have always had an advantage as they can stock the latest gear with minimum risk, sell cheaper and offer more variety.”

But Petch also maintains that buying photography gear online is not always a good idea. “The currency exchange does not really save you anything when shipping from overseas. Add the risk of damage in transit, customs opening and most often damaging it in the process, and the added sting of GST is just too high risk. Sure there are warranties, but you have to deal with that hassle, postage and risk. Moreover, there are also lots of fakes out there too from memory and flashes to camera bodies. And if servicing is needed for a camera bought online from an overseas website, it is a daunting task.”

While there is an increasing shift to online shopping, there are many who feel that online shopping cannot compete with the experience of actually walking in a store and physically touching the camera before you make your decision.

“There are certain aspects where the internet cannot compete or will not compete and that’s to do with the overall experience including the service that a customer gets. Online competitors didn't impact our business, but like all competitors we had to evolve our business model to compete with them. We have a very good relationship with our suppliers so we can resolve any issues that may arise rapidly and we feel that our back-up support is second to none,” says Sean Aickin, Store Manager, Wellington Photographic Supplies.

Sharing the same sentiment, Phillip Glamuzina from ProGear, a leading retailer based in Newmarket, Auckland, says, “As a professional and with the expertise we have, we believe in selling our customers what they need and what not just what they want. And this personalisation is just not possible when someone buys photography gear online. Of course online stores give more choice as far as range of products is concerned, but we can fight back on service.”

Another factor worth considering is that the barriers for entering the photography services industry were once quite high, requiring expensive equipment, websites and marketing. All of which have reduced significantly in cost in the past five to ten years, thus also placing downwards pricing pressure on professional photography services.

Thus as is the case for retailers, professional photographers must also find other ways to compete in order to differentiate themselves. Wellington-based photographer Brady Dyer says, “For under $1000 someone can buy a reasonably good camera, set up a professional looking website, and call themselves a photographer. However, it’s the level of service that will always be the deciding factor amongst and industry. I put more attention into providing a level of service that clients should expect from a professional photographer.”

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Adapt or die

Apart from service, according to Allan Cox, editor of NZ Photographer magazine, there are various areas photography stores in New Zealand have to work on if they want customers to stay with them instead of going online. “Stores need to have unique selling point if they want customers to stay and one of the key things is specialised knowledge. But the fact is that a lot of stores in New Zealand have staff members that don’t know much about the products they are selling and also there is a lack of latest stock and choice in New Zealand. Times are changing and if stores won’t change and don’t innovate and be open to adapting, they are not going to survive. The small stores can adapt more quickly than bigger stores and they have to convert their disability into opportunity.”

Do smartphones create dumb photography? Not necessarily.

Photograp`hic suppliers not only face competition from online shopping but there is also significant technological competition due to increasingly powerful smartphone cameras. This has led camera manufacturers to make conscious changes. Kristie Galea, Marketing Manager, Olympus Imaging Australia, says, “Without a doubt smartphones have impacted

the total camera market, they have made photography accessible and a part of everyday life; however the flip side is now consumers no longer have a need for a compact camera. As manufacturers, we have all had to evolve, change direction and bring products to market that offer a differentiating value proposition.”

Sharing this point of view, Sean Aicken says, “The benefit of smartphones is they gave the gift of photography to more people. People would shoot on their smartphone, be bitten by the photographic bug and then want more. We were seeing people pick up entry level DSLRs after experiencing the joy of photography through smartphones.”

So smartphone cameras seem to be a mixed blessing for camera retailers. They are impacting on the sale of lower end cameras but at the same time they are seeing more people graduate to high end cameras. In the end though, the net effect of lower camera sales margins, has also had an impact on the way industry players support photographic exhibitions and community-based projects. As Aicken explains, “An often unseen victim of online purchasing is our advertising and sponsorship budget. We used to support many more photographic exhibitions and community-based projects than we are able to now, due to lower sales and margins.”

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The way forward

Going forward, there is a lot to ponder on if the photographic industry in New Zealand has to bloom. The Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ), which represents camera clubs from Cape Reinga to Bluff, is doing a lot in this regard. Murray Cave, President, PSNZ says, “We completely discourage the use of the “grey market” for purchasing cameras and camera equipment in New Zealand. We are conscious of it and working towards addressing it. We also encourage people in New Zealand to use local brands and local retailers for their photography needs. We support local retailers and brands and our members know about it and support us in this endeavour. Moreover, the community has to evolve and there is no escaping that.”

Dollars or sense?

One question that needs an answer is should consumers in New Zealand support small businesses if it means that he or she has to pay higher prices? “By buying local you are helping kids go to school, roads to be maintained and families to be fed. That extra cash paid goes a long way to giving something back in New Zealand so it’s worth considering,” points out Petch.

According to Dyer, “I think if it’s purely “supporting” a small business, most people wouldn’t do it. But if they’re offering added services, for example Wellington Photographic Supplies offers a few hours hands on training with all new cameras bought, then most people I think would support local businesses.” ■

NZ Photographer would like to thank all who made themselves available for this story. Some contributions were received after this story went to print. What do you think? Should photographers be prepared to pay more to support local retailers? What’s the answer to ensuring New Zealand’s photography community stays healthy and vibrant? Have you purchased a camera online? Tell us your thoughts on the special post we’ve set up on our Facebook page.

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MAY FIRE IN THE FOREST by Julia Johnson Forest on Fire. ICM (intentional camera movement) at the local forest. love the Autumn tones of this shot. Nikon D610 F5.6 ISO 500 exp. 4s

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THIS IS GONNA HURT by Chris Adkins Taken at the NZ Rodeo finals at Kihikihi. Was there taking action shots, I like this one as it was different to the rest and could see his face. Canon EOS Kiss X5. Tamron 18 - 270 lens, f/5.6, 1.640 ssec, ISO 100

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RED ROCKS SUNSET by David Coxon It was a stormy night with the sea pounding the immovable rocks. I wanted to show the way all this turmoil might seem to the rocks that have stood there so long. Location: Wellington south coast. Canon EOS 60D, 15s at f9.0

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Red bottle by Kevin MarshallTrying motion freeze using two Speedlite 600EX-RT

flashes and a tank of water. Canon 7D; Canon EF 100, 2.8 lens; 1/160 sec; f8; ISO 100.

PLAYGROUND HERON PARK by Steve Harper In the morning light Lumix DMC-GM5, 32mm, 1/100 sec f5.6

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REFLECTIONS AND COLOURS by Steve Harper The Domain, Auckland. Lumix DMC-GM5, 32mm, 1/100 sec f5.6

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NEED FOR SPEED by Peter KurdulijaFeatherston Nikon D200, Sigma 150-500mm, f/7.1, 1/180sec, ISO 100

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MOVEMENT by Angelina Giles There is something quite magical about ballerinas. Nikon D800 with profoto studio lights

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JUST SWINGIN’ by Chris AdkinsI was trying to get a movement photo with his face in focus, that didn’t happen but still like it. Canon Eos Kiss X5, Tamron 18 - 270 lens, f/5.6, 1/25 sec, ISO 100.

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FAST THROUGH THE PAIN BARRIER by Peter Kurdulija Wellington Street Race. Canon PowerShot A710 IS, f/8, 1/50sec

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FLAT ROCK, MURIWAI by Steve HarperGreat evening lightNikon D610, 24mm lens, 1.6 sec f22

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CHINESE DANCE by Jana Luo This was taken at a traditional Chinese dance. I love ICM technique to shoot. Just because I love impressionist photography.ISO 100 35mm, F8.0, 1/6sec

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Muriwai Beach by Jana Luo It was taken at Muriwai beach Auckland. Love the lighting and movement created by ICM ISO100, 300mm,F32, 1/10sec

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“I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn’t that good.”

- Anonymous

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