Competitions

http://www.photocontestinsider.com/photo-contest-filter/

This website is a competition finder in which I have found the three competitions that I am going to enter. I have been put off from entering established competitions because I do not feel my work is up to the standard that the other entries are at and I do not have a chance at winning, yet with some of the more less established contests there is more of a chance I will be placed higher in the running.

I have found some competitions that I can enter which are wildlife based, as I feel that these are my stronger images.


Monochrome

http://monoawards.com/page/terms-conditions/

One competition is the Monochrome awards which there is a range of categories that both professional and amateurs can enter, I am going to enter my work into the amateur category because in their FAQ's it states that professionals are those who make at least half their income through photography and this is not me. I am entering my work in two different categories; one in wildlife and the other in landscapes.

My first image I am thinking of entering is my photograph of a sun bear in Edinburgh zoo, this photograph shows the bear in a silhouette style and I have added in a small amount of vignetting to draw more attention to the bear.

My second photograph I am entering is the coastline of Bo'ness which shows the reflection of light on the water and the clouds, this photograph was taken as the sun was setting and the reflection really caught my eye, I'm glad this photograph turned out like it did as I did only slight retouching to bring out some of the details in the shadows.

When uploading these images I have stuck to their guidelines in file sizing and naming my file (I needed both my first name and second name in the name) as they state that any errors will be disqualified in entry and I wanted to take care that mine were not.

There are many opportunities to win this contest, there is an overall winner for both professional and amateur, with also second and third place. Each category also has a winner in both professional and amateur. Also available is 'Honourable Mention' which are people that have not won but the judges feel that this work is of a very high standing in the competition.

Julian Gardner Awards

http://www.gwct.org.uk/wildlife/the-julian-gardner-awards/

This competition is a yearly competition which wants to see British wildlife and nature subjects. There are two categories; adult and junior of which there is one winner in each. There are specific terms and conditions on the website that state that no entries of captive or domestic animals will be allowed and also farmed botanical subjects will be disqualified.

I have entered my photograph of a sunset that I viewed from outside my house. The colours are highlighted against the silhouette of the trees and street lights and I think that the contrast compliments each other.

I have also chosen to enter a photograph of a bridge that I took in Stockton-On-Tees while on a nature walk. I think that this photograph has a picturesque quality that one would expect to see when viewing landscape photographs.

North East Photography Competition

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/WildlifePhotography

In this competition I can enter up too six images across the six different categories. I have chosen to enter two in the category ' Nature Up Close' which is a new category just introduced, they are looking for images of nature or insects in the north east. Both of my entries for this contest have been taken in the Stockton-On-Tees area while I have been on a nature walk in Wynyard Woodland Park and one in Holy Trinity field.

My first image I have entered is a photograph of some Wheat Stalks using a shallow DoF so that the background is just the green of the grass.

My second entry for this competition is a black and white photograph of some branches against a landscape, I have also used shallow DoF in this photograph and I think that highlights the branches in the foreground and creates an aesthetic nature landscape.

Although I do not have high hopes that my photographs will win, I feel this experience has benefited me as I do now feel more confident about my work and the experience has made me feel like I do not need to be as critical about my own work.

Pay Scale

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Photo_Retoucher/Salary

I entered my information into Pay Scale which gave me the salary information for retouchers in Middlesbrough.

All Hands

https://fstoppers.com/commercial/becci-manson-helps-restore-reputation-retouchers-65766

https://fstoppers.com/video/hearts-retouchers-helping-japan-5468

http://hands.org/




These articles show the opposite side of the reputation that retouching has earned, in these links Rebecca Manson is doing a presentation about the work she has done for the All Hands organisation. She has travelled to Japan after the Tsunami to work with All Hands in building the community again but she discovered a purpose she was more able to help with.

Using photoshop she's helped restore family photographs that had been lost and/or damaged due to natural disasters, she shows how she has been able to take somebody's lost family memories and return them to a family.

crediting retouchers

http://jeremycowart.com/2012/08/should-retouchers-get-equal-credit/

Should Retouchers Get Equal Credit?

Personally I think they should get at least some credit if the photograph has been obviously or dramatically retouched, this is because the photographers vision would not have happened without the retouchers work being done.

Also I think that if the photographer is wanting to create fantastical imagery for most of their work then they should also take the time to learn Photoshop for themselves as it would benefit them because they know what their vision is and they wouldn't have to rely on another person or try to explain their vision and hope the retoucher gets it right.

Stock Photography

Alamy is a stock photography website in which photographers can sign up to upload their work and make a profit on each photograph that is sold from the website. Signing up while a student will give 100% of the profit that is gained for the first two years however I will need to use the code in order to be registered as a student. After the first two years I will then receive only 50% of the profit so I am going to work on building a collection of photographs that can be uploaded to Alamy and then sign up for it as I am graduating so that the profit is increased for longer while I am still establishing myself in the industry.

Alamy is free to sign up for
It helps with learning about the industry and what photographs are going to sell
Will also improve my organisational skills
I can receive email support and social media help if needed

My work will be placed higher in the search results if I get more views on my work. For new applicants I will be placed in the median range and then my work can either go down or up. To be able to get more views I will need to be original and create new photographs that are not already available.

Keywording
If my work is not key worded it will not be viewed. More key words are better as there is more chance of being seen.
Use 'Specific' 'Literal' 'Conceptual' 'Descriptive' keywords, this is using keywords that describe the psychical or viewable aspects of the photograph and also the connotations of the photograph.

The average selling price is £125

There is also a list of approved cameras on the website, these are cameras with high enough quality.

XO Vain

http://www.xovain.com/news/magazine-retoucher-on-altering-weight-face-makeup


This is an interview with a retoucher who works for a glossy magazine, he talk about the work he is asked to do and gives his opinion and reaction to it. Although retouchers are getting blamed for the work and it is their reputation being ruined he says that it is not their fault and that it is the fault of the art directors for not approving the retouchers work until she is thin enough. He says they constantly ask for more yet 'less'; more retouching yet less of the real person.

He also says that stylists are getting lazy because of the advancing capabilities of the retouchers. He says he now adding highlights and creating hairstyles on people because the stylists are depending on the retoucher to do their work.

Reading the comments in reply to this article offers other opinions to it. I agree with one some comments made that they prefer the retouched photograph in the GIF, and that we have been conditioned to like these photographs more because we see so many of them that real people look unnatural to us now.

Digital Archiving

Digital Archive can be a range of different formats, it can either be presented as a website or as a page either through a blog provider or on Facebook.

Blogs = create a separate page to keep everything together
Website = online templates are great to start with
Facebook = not as professional but reaches a wider audience
Flicker = whole collection/ online backup storage

The digital archive required for this project will be marked on professionalism, I am creating an online portfolio and I will need to understand editing my work that gets showed.


How to choose a website provider ?

What is my purpose for the website? (Archive, Portfolio, Sales, Blog)
Do I need to be able to sell online?
How often will I update? (Some providers have limits)
Online Template or Dreamweaver?
How do I want to Showcase? (full bleed, slideshow etc.)
Do the images load quickly? (people don't like waiting)
Does screen size affect the display?
Optimised for mobile?
SEO ?
How secure are images? (Can people 'copy' and 'paste' from my website?
where is everything stored?
Good customer service reputation?
Does it fit my budget?


11 secrets to creating a good website

Clean and Simple is better
Full Bleed images, consider these
Update Often
Easy navigated user interface
Small Relevant bio
EDIT work down
SEO
Contact info easily available (Possibly put on every page)
Be social (link to other places your work is available)
Fast loading images and pages are better
Sell from portfolio



Throughout this post I have referred to the term 'SEO' this is Search Engine Optimisation, when searching on google the servers find the most relevant websites from the words you search. Optimising your website with more keywords means that the higher up in the search results your website will be and that means more traffic is directed at your website so more people will see it.

Photography Concentrate

http://photographyconcentrate.com


This website is a collection of tutorials helpful to all photographers not just retouching. They also share a handful of articles that are about current affairs in industry.

The shy photographers guide to confidence is a free ebook which is featured on the site which i think may be helpful for me too read as I am not very confident when it comes to photographing infront of people and any advice is welcome.

Artists Rights

http://artists-bill-of-rights.org/competition-lists/rights-on-list/


This link takes you a website which lists all the competitions which are following the standards of the "Artists Bill Of Rights" They also have a list have a list of competitions that do not follow this standard.


The Artists Bill Of Rights

This is a set of guidelines/rules devised for competition organisers to follow, this was created because of many competitions were using peoples entered photographs for their own purpose and 'stealing' copyright.

Many companies do not want to pay for permission to use images and these competitions were hosted with the purpose of collecting images. In some cases there would be no prize given and some contestants were even asked to pay in order for their work to be published in the book.

After the bill was introduced many contests started following this ethic practice, however not all competitions do so it will be helpful to know which have the photographers best in mind.

CV Writing

creative skill set has some helpful information available

CV's only have seconds to impress so they need to be clear concise and professional not just 'good looking' .

BASE CV
This is the CV which contains every scrap of information and is constantly updated with everything new that is done. This is then adapted for each job that is applied for as each one will have different relevant information

CV

Target it to the reader = show specific experience for that job
No one size per all = clients may specify size
Honesty = Liars don't get hired
No Negatives = good is better, makes you look better

All Cv's need to be clear, concise, spell checked, have 'Active words', be consistent, use negative space effectively, use a professional font.

The CV is all about what you would bring to the client/company, how do you help them? what can you do for them?

Skills / Experience
(Darkroom, studio, software)

What am I currently doing?

Why do I want the job? - not just 'need work'

Contact details

Structure:

Name
Personal statement (30 words)
Key Skills (bullet point list)
Experience (jobs awards)
Training (Specific courses taken)
Qualifications (Highest and others if relevant/asked for)
Interests (select relevant ones first)
Contact details (keep up too date)

Film Manipulation

Chemical Abuse

Matthew Cetta

http://www.popphoto.com/news/2014/06/flim-kickstarter-wants-you-to-shoot-chemically-abused-film

http://www.matthewcetta.com/photogenicalchemy/

He uses substances such as Ammonia, Coca-Cola and Febreeze while developing films to enhance his works and create a [random chaos] that could not be created with digital.

"Film can be random. Chaotic." Here

It would be fun to try using other substances as they add an element to the film that can not be recreated by another person, it is a technique that would be fun to experiment with however I would have to talk to the technicians to be able to perform this safely.

His is an example of the ways that film can be retouched further than just using filters in the darkroom.

Cross Processing

Cross processing is another form of manipulating the development process of the film, it is the intentional development of E-6 (for slide film) film in C-41 (for negatives) chemicals or vice versa. The effect varies depending on the chemicals and the calibrations that the processing lab uses.

Developing slide film with the C-41 process will give more of a visible effect with negatives coming out more saturation or grain as the colour profile is different and not calibrated for the slide film.

Gavin Smith

http://www.crossprocess.co.uk/about/

Gavin Smith uses a cross processing technique to add something extra to the outcomes, the photographer can never be fully sure of what will happen to his film in the developing however this process gives a more aesthetically pleasing outcome than standard developing.

Mad Photo Assistant

https://madphotoassistant.wordpress.com



This blog is the inner thoughts of a photographers assistant who also has interests in retouching, she shares her experiences in the industry and some advice for people who are wanting to start or just starting.

I like the way she talks about her experiences as she does not glamourise anything however if I was to do a blog in this way I would keep myself anonymous as I feel that if potential clients or companies found the blog it would have negative consequences and I would not be hired.

In one of her blog posts she shows us an original image, her retouched image and then the final outcome that was posted. The client had asked her to keep the model realistic however when she had done this they rejected her image and got it redone with another person. The two final outcomes are completely different and I feel the clients approved image does not represent a realistic person or location however in the advertising genre photographs are not about showing realism but showing a fantastical world that still borders on realism so consumers feel their reality could be that of the advert if they had that product.

Retouching - doing it wrong

https://fstoppers.com/originals/retouching-youre-going-about-it-all-wrong-39185


This article talks about the different retouching that is out there, he talks about the amount of time needed on each type; saying that wedding photography does not need much time as you cannot charge for these costs yet a commercial or advertising photograph needs more time as these will be printed larger and these need a more careful approach and a finer eye for details.

He also states one of the differences between 'good' and 'bad' retouching, his opinion is that bad retouching is a retouching job that you spend far too much time on compared to the job at hand and the type of work it is.

He says it is a good idea to set a time limit on jobs and create a plan of what needs doing.

He says that newcomers to retouching typically start by over retouching their photographs then learn to cut down everything that is done. I think this is true as when you are just beginning you want to show all the different techniques that you have learned to do rather than applying the ones that are relevant.

Some final advice is that he explains that people expect miracles however photoshop does not work miracles and that if something can be fixed in camera it is better to do it that way as this makes the retouchers job so much more easier.

DP Challenge

http://www.dpchallenge.com/challenge_index.php

This website is always hosting small competitions some open to any body however nearly all are for members. They run for different lengths of time and all have different specific subjects.

What is Retouching?

http://creationlondon.co.uk/what-is-retouching/

"retouching is the process of getting an image ready for the final presentation"
Nick Page - Creation London

Some images have more manipulation than others but nearly all have some form of retouching done. minor adjustments include spot or dust removal, whereas major ones include compositing people into locations.

Manipulation is also done in the darkroom with filters and dodging and burning areas of the negative.

Technical retouching

-assists at the end
-checks colours so the photographs remain consistent no matter where they are printed
-has to understand the differences between printers/inks/papera

Creative Retouching

-can specialise in different genres (cars, beauty, products)
-has to get approval from everybody on the shoot
-needs: skills / experience / speed
-works close with the client, understand their vision

Emailing

This is a copy of the email I sent to retouchers:


Subject: An inquiry into retouching

Dear [insert name]

I am currently an undergraduate student at CCAD studying for a BA in Photography, I was wondering if you could spare a few moments to answer some questions for a report on retouching I am writing.

How did you become to work in the industry?

Is working for a studio more beneficial than freelancing for newcomers?

What software is most commonly used in the industry?

Having a portfolio is crucial to all artists, is it necessary to show “before and after” versions of retouched photographs?

Who has been your favourite collaboration?

Thank you

Cara Burns