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August 2021

06 Aug

Posted at 08:53h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

I dived for the Nikon stand at the PhotoLive 2021 as soon as I saw the little group of colourful cameras at the front of the table. I'd been primed to this by reports of the new Nikon Zfc retro-style mirrorless camera that had been introduced just a few weeks earlier by the company. I read DP Review and Rockwell and a lot of other sites every day - the reports so far seem very impressive. What I didn't realise was that the colourful examples there were trade samples showing the decor. Nevertheless, they were spectacular to look at and I think will sell the product to a whole new range of clients - people who have started to see cameras just as same old/same old. There is bound to be a major show and launch when they come on stream here in Australia and I am going to make sure I'm there to see it. There will also be the release of a much bigger new Nikon mirrorless camera, I suspect, but this is still just glimpses and rumours from...

04 Aug

Posted at 08:56h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

If you thought the Indianapolis 500 was a gruelling race you want to go to a PhotoLive trade show as a wholesale representative  or the official photographer. By the end of the day you'll be ready for the pits! Here's Brenda and  Julie at the Canon stand taken early in the day before the thundering herds arrived. They are cheerful and relaxed, and not at all apprehensive. They both know that the Canon equipment will not let them down - whether thry are selling it or shooting with it. Note that Julie is using an on-camera flash to raise the light level of the venue, clean up the colour balance, and tame the shadows that overhead spot lighting can sometimes produce. If you're ever in the same position - having to be a fast-moving worker in a variety of lighting situations, emulate her - a speed light is often the difference between a blah shot and a sparkler. Note to self: Emulate Julie in the footwear department as well. I chose my old black shop boots with the bovver toecaps for the day,...

02 Aug

Posted at 19:22h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

I went to the show yesterday and it was a lot of fun. I was on the refurb and ex-rental stand and it got a good picking over in between the lecture and workshop sessions and I'm pleased to be able to say several sales were made. Also pleased to think that the people who bought the gear got the right thing for themselves - the cameras and lenses carried substantial warrantees as well as discounted prices. I was also pleased to see that the bustle in the trade rooms did not abate. The staff from the shops had done a massive job in the days leading up to the show selecting and transporting the stock - so much so that I believe they closed Wanderlust and Murray Street shops for the day. The take-down was no small affair either, but I could tell that the next few days would be something of chaos as goods were found and re-stocked into their accustomed places. The fact that the show prices will continue for a little while longer will also put pressure...

30 Jul

Posted at 08:06h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

Well, sort of a trade fair. As good as it's going to get in the current locked-down state of the world. You trade a gold coin to charity and the photographic people trade in their Sunday ( plus all the rest of the week to get things restocked and accounted for ...

26 Jul

Posted at 10:02h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

The answer depends on whether they have been in the business, trade, sport, or profession of photography. If they have, and have ceased before they have deceased, then yes, they have retired. But I am hard pressed to think of any trade people who have done so. No names, and none of us are fit enough for pack drill, but cast about at the next ex-trade affair and see for yourself. Old photographers are never really retired. No need to get romantic about the smell of D-76 in the morning or artistic inspiration. Most people who have squeezed the rent and food out of a camera did because they knew how to do it and found there was a market for what they were prepared to do. That applies to a lot of professions. The fact that they got enough food to get to retirement age says they were a success. But there is something about doing photography that we do not let go. The fact that it carves a place in posterity ( at least until the hard drive fails )...

23 Jul

Posted at 08:13h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

In this case, of your success in photography. Many people, it would appear, and sometimes even  those who we do not license to the task: a. The judges. They may be the contest judges of your local camera club, the state agricultural show, or the most prestigious photographic society in the country. In most cases they will have some expertise in the business of photography, and likely some experience in the sorting and comparing that a contest requires. You won't pay them, but someone will...

22 Jul

Posted at 07:14h in Blog, News by [social_share]

It's time for the big PhotoLive Expo event! Are you ready?  What You Can Expect When Attending PhotoLive This Year   On Sunday, 1st August, the Camera Electronic team and the representatives from the imaging industry will join forces to put Western Australia on the map again with the largest expo in Australia for 2021! Adding to the excitement will be selecting the finest speakers and talented artists who will share their knowledge on their chosen craft. It's all happening from 9am - 5pm at Edith Cowan University Mt Lawley (Building 3).   PhotoLive Expo   If you have never been to a Photo Live Expo before, you're in for a treat. For the gear enthusiasts out there, you'll be able to attend the expo area from 9am to 5pm. It's here that you'll get to engage with industry representatives to ask them your burning questions about cameras, lenses, filters, tripods, bags, cases, and lighting equipment (plus much more). What's more, the best thing about the expo is the show specials you won't find anywhere else! So if you are coming along to try out some gear, know...

21 Jul

Posted at 08:20h in Blog, Dick's Rant by [social_share]

Specifically, a shot with a camera. We'll leave the firing range instructors out of this one. Can you learn photography by attending a lecture on the subject? Is your time sitting in the audience likely to result in your images and fortunes improving? Like most things in life, the answers are yes, no, and maybe. People who attend photography schools - full time institutions designed to provide trade training for the various photographic industries - do have to be good at listening to their lecturers. They have to read, study, listen, reflect, and experiment. By and large they do and the results of their student efforts are often very good indeed. They have a vested interest in learning and doing. Further away from the institutions, the clubs and societies also provide lectures and talks that present specialised subjects to the enthusiasts. The fact that the attendees are keen makes the job of the lecturer hard but rewarding. They need to present a show that is worthwhile seeing and listening to. Volunteer audiences may start polite but are not bound to continue so by...