PCC News of the Week:
Well, unfortunately we had to postpone this week’s PCC meeting at The Space due to leaks in the toilet (ha ha!), so next week Paul and myself will be totally ready with a show for you. Apologies for the late call.
Diary Date - for KF1 - Subject – Open – 3 entries allowed Colour, Monochrome, Off Camera a. Hand-In – Thursday 7th January 2021
2021 Charles Hosken competition entries open on Jan 21st - Final details still not yet available.
Don’t forget that you can include your own images and profile in the new “Portfolios” area and Paul will help with sizing and uploading at andrewpaulcooper@hotmail.com so just email him to find out more.
Apparently Christmas is just around the corner (that’s why this Newsletter is late due to having to erect the tree!!). So why not give your nearest and dearest a little hint regarding that new Photobook you have always wanted !!
Photobook Suggestions (Reviews paraphrased from The Times – 5th Dec 2020)
“The Boy and the Belle Époque” – by Louise Baring Thames and Hudson £28 A superb insight into the early 20thC life of Jacques Henri Lartigue. He was born in 1894 to a somewhat wealthy family and at the age of 7 he was given his first camera. He never stopped photographing people, places and events and when he died in 1986 he left a wealth of amazing photographs. However, it wasn’t until 1969 that he was finally “discovered” by John Szarkowski who presented an exhibition of his work in New York at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).
“On Photographs” – by David Campany Thames and Hudson £25 British writer David Campany looks at 120 photographs from various photographers and various genres and writes an incisive essay with commentary.
“Magnum Streetwise” – by Stephen McLaren Thames and Hudson £29.95 This book is a demonstration that Street Photography is by no means a new phenomenon as it includes images from some of the great masters of photography including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliot Erwitt and our own Martin Parr etc. It demonstrates that the street has long been a source of inspiration.
More A to Z Composition Tips – Paul Cooper
Candid
A candid is a portrait taken while the subject is not posing. This can be achieved either by capturing a subject unaware of the photographer’s presence or by introducing motion and surprising the model during a photo-shoot. This kind of portrait photography is highly popular in street photography and is becoming more relevant informal environments such as weddings.
Candid taken at Photo London 2019
Chimping
Chimping means to constantly check the camera display after every single shot. The term comes from the similarity between the “oooh, oooh!” sounds photographers tend to make while chimping and the sound of a chimpanzee! This action is commonly seen as a major amateur mistake as many shot opportunities can be lost while over- checking each image.
Of course, this doesn’t mean - never check. There is a wealth of information to be gleaned from the camera display including the fact it took 4 tries to get this almost (spot the error?) central histogram on manual mode!! But once you have that right, focus on the composition - not the mechanics.
Chromatic aberration
Chromatic aberration is a common optical problem in lenses where colours are not focused on the same convergence point in the focal plane. This tends to happen more frequently with cheaper and/or zoom lenses and at larger apertures. As a result, the image shows fringes of different wavelength colours normally red, green or blue around the edges where bright and dark sections meet. Another cause is shooting against the light or a white background. In black and white photography, chromatic aberration is less prevalent due to the colour fringing being invisible, but it can also result in a significant blur in the picture. So particularly when photographing against a bright background, stop the lens down and use a prime lens.
That’s all for now Folks!
Oh I nearly forgot the End of Year test coming up in a fortnight, so don’t forget to do some revision (Joke !!)
Cheers Derek