Newsletter from Kim Westerskov. Newsletter #22- May2013

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1 Please forward this to anyone you think might be interested and, of course, if you d prefer not to receive future newsletters from Kim, please just Reply with Unsubscribe please as the subject. Thanks Newsletter from Kim Westerskov kimsworkshops@gmail.com Web: kimwphotography.com 20 Greerton Road, Tauranga 3112, New Zealand Phone Newsletter #22- May BACKING UP 2. FUR SEALS & ALBATROSS 3. QUOTE OF THE MONTH 4. NZ GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO COMPETITION 5. KIM S PORTFOLIO 6. LINKS 7. COMING UP 8. AMAZING LIQUIDS WORKSHOPS 9. SUNSETS AND SUNRISES WORKSHOP 10. PHOTO IMPRESSIONISM WORKSHOP 11. UPCOMING WORKSHOPS 12. KIM S PHOTOS & COFFEE EVENINGS 13. PRIVATE TUITION This newsletter goes out to many photographers in New Zealand and overseas - and to anybody who asks to go onto the mailing list. If you know anybody who would like to be on the mailing list, please get them to me. It s free and they can unsubscribe at any time, of course. 1. KIM-TIPS BACKING UP A photographer friend of mine recently had her house burgled while she was away on a tramping trip. Burglary hits you hard in two ways you not only lose things that matter to you, but there is also a sense of violation and vulnerability that lingers for a long time. Among the long list of items stolen in this case [camera, laptop, TV, bikes, washing machine.] I noticed back-up hard drives. That reminded me of the 3:2:1 rule for backing up that I tell anybody who s listening. Your photos are precious. Have at least three copies of your photos [and anything else that matters to you], on two different mediums [e.g. hard drives and DVDs], and one of these copies stored somewhere else such as at a friend s place or a relative s place. Fire or burglary can wipe out all copies kept in the one building, so the off-site copy can end up being your last remaining copy. For more details, ask me or check out: - a good ebook on keeping your photos safe. [I have no connection with the authors, other than liking their ebook].

2 2. FUR SEALS & ALBATROSS Photo of me snorkeling [above] by Jeanette Nee

3 Just in case you were unable to get to sleep worrying about [ ] I wonder how Kim s recent Sea Photos field trip went? here s my report: Days at sea are very much like that box of chocolates in the film Forrest Gump you never know what you re going to get. Fortunately, if you like the sea, almost every day at sea is a good day and even the worst days have their redeeming features e.g.one of my photos ending up on the cover of the book The Perfect Storm. What s almost certain is that a sea day will be a good one. What is totally uncertain is exactly what will make it a good day? What will I see and photograph? Our last Cap n Butler/Dr Kim Sea Photos field trip on 24 th March headed out towards Mayor Island, my favourite destination. We didn t see whales [it was the wrong time of year October is whales time] or dolphins, but we did see a young shy or white-capped albatross [these closely-related species are almost impossible to tell apart when they are young] and got some good close photos. Raewyn photographed jumping schools of garfish [piper] sharp enough that we could easily identify them from her photos. Amy saw a turtle underwater, and several of us had an excellent fur seal encounter. The water at Mayor Island was warm, 21 degrees [some wore a thin wetsuit, others just their bathing trunks], flat calm, and very clear I could easily see the 60ft [18 metre] length of Gemini Galaxsea underwater. There were several New Zealand fur seals literally hanging loose near the shore in shallow water just hanging upside down at the surface, coming up to breathe occasionally. They took absolutely no notice of us, so I clicked off two full films [I m still shooting film underwater] of very relaxed fur seals. I ve been diving and swimming with fur seals for 40 years now, and these were the most relaxed ones I ve ever come across in the water. Then on the way back we played the what animals do those clouds look like? game. Yes, but what breed of dog? Summary: wonderful day! 3. QUOTE OF THE MONTH Understand your subject. Be it an animal or a landscape, a person or an event, to capture the essence of a subject you will first need to understand it. Understand how to approach your subject, how to interact with it, and fall in love with it, just a little bit. Appreciate how the light plays a sheen upon its feathers, how an unsolicited smile crosses their face when talking about their kids, how the outgoing tide leaves a pattern upon the shore that is only evident at sundown. These are observations born of intimacy with a subject, and it s the only path to an original image. One of ten great tips from James Frankham, editor of New Zealand Geographic 4. NZ GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR This competition has rapidly become New Zealand s largest and most prestigious photographic competition, with great prizes - $6,000 in cash and an expedition voyage. Plus the winner of the Young Photographer category wins the opportunity to attend a Kim Westerskov nature photography workshop as well as $1,000 cash from New Zealand Geographic. The competition is open to professionals, amateurs and students. Last year over 3,100 entries were received, a record, spread over 4 categories.

4 I m delighted to be associated with this competition again in 2013, both as one of the four judges, and also as sponsor of one of the prizes KIM S PORTFOLIO Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Tony Stone Images were probably the premier stock photo agency in the world and I had a great relationship with them. Tony Stone Images were brought out by newly-formed Getty Images in the 1990s and I ve been with Getty Images ever since. A good number of my best photos are on Getty Images, 562 at present. US&p=WESTERSKOV&assetType=image#1 Click on any thumbnail for a larger view and caption details. Getty Images has possibly the finest collection of stock photography in the world, so while you re there, search for some of your favourite subjects and see what comes up. There s many remarkable images on Getty Images. 6. LINKS YOU MIGHT ENJOY Some amazing Dinnertime! photos, though not all the captions are accurate. WOW! Turning Portuguese man o' war into art. An inspiring 4 minutes. Turning his photographic passion into a career. Red-hot lava landscapes 7. COMING UP Coming up in future newsletters: Tips on entering photo competitions Tips on backing up [insuring your photos against loss], including choosing reliable DVDs, CDs, & blu-ray discs What monitor to choose for serious photography Some of our photographers featured Some of your photos from workshops and Tuesdays featured

5 8. AMAZING LIQUIDS WORKSHOPS with PAUL OELLERMANN Have you ever wondered how such amazing photos as those above [all by Paul Oellermann] were taken? It s a specialized and highly technical photographic niche. Tauranga s Paul Oellermann has spent years investing in equipment, testing and refining techniques for these water drop collisions and crowns, as well as the bubble photos. Paul ran two popular

Amazing Liquids workshops with me last year, and has offered to run two more, sharing his equipment and techniques.

Take the photos home with you, get the best ones printed big, and hang them on your wall. Did you really take those photos? your friends will ask. Yes I did you can answer.

Each workshop participant will connect up their camera and take home photos that should be of similar quality to the photos on these pages.

00pm you ll wonder where the time went! We ve scheduled two workshops: 1. Saturday 25 May 9.00am 5.

6 Amazing Liquids workshops with me last year, and has offered to run two more, sharing his equipment and techniques. Better that just watching Paul, bring your own DSLR camera - or borrow Paul s or Kim s - and take YOUR OWN photos just like these. Take the photos home with you, get the best ones printed big, and hang them on your wall. Did you really take those photos? your friends will ask. Yes I did you can answer. Paul will set up and test his equipment at Kim s studio before the workshop. At the workshop Paul will first run through the different techniques and then it s your turn. Each workshop participant will connect up their camera and take home photos that should be of similar quality to the photos on these pages. Last year every photographer took home amazing photos. Paul is passionate about his photography and has lots of secrets he s willing to share with you. At 5.00pm you ll wonder where the time went! We ve scheduled two workshops: 1. Saturday 25 May 9.00am 5.00pm 2. Sunday 26 May 9.00am 5.00pm Cost: Full course fee [which includes tuition, detailed hand-out, refreshments and Vivienne s yummy lunch] $295 - or $245 for Early Birds [if you register before 17 May]. Fulltime students $150. For anyone living outside the Tauranga area, there are three motels within 6 minutes walk of Kim s studio. 9. SUNSETS AND SUNRISES WORKSHOP MAGIC HOUR Sunday 9 June - plus assignment and follow-up

Aaaaaaah, magic hour! Golden light! Sunrises and sunsets! This long-awaited workshop will look at using the often-magical light of dawn and dusk to create great photos.

Photoshop/Lightroom or not? This workshop is in three parts: Part 1: The workshop itself on Sunday 9 June at Kim s comfortable workshop studio in Greerton, Tauranga.

If the weather is good, we ll head into the field about mid-afternoon in time to catch the sunset. Part 2: Photo assignment in your own time over the following 2-3 weeks.

We meet at Kim s studio again for a few hours at a time that suits everybody, probably a weekday evening.

8 Aaaaaaah, magic hour! Golden light! Sunrises and sunsets! This long-awaited workshop will look at using the often-magical light of dawn and dusk to create great photos. Topics include the equipment, techniques and approaches needed for super sunrise/sunset photos: landscapes, seascapes, coastal scenes, wildlife and other subjects. Also: wide angle or telephoto? Photoshop/Lightroom or not? This workshop is in three parts: Part 1: The workshop itself on Sunday 9 June at Kim s comfortable workshop studio in Greerton, Tauranga. A mix of modules covering many different aspects of the subject, screen-projected images, live demonstrations e.g. Photoshop, and questions answered. If the weather is good, we ll head into the field about mid-afternoon in time to catch the sunset. Part 2: Photo assignment in your own time over the following 2-3 weeks. Part 3: Evaluation and critiquing of your photos [this can be done by if you re from out of town]. We meet at Kim s studio again for a few hours at a time that suits everybody, probably a weekday evening. Cost: Full course fee [which includes tuition, hand-outs, refreshments, yummy lunch and follow-up] $295 - or $245 for Early Birds [if you register before 30 May] Fulltime students $ PHOTO IMPRESSIONISM WORKSHOP Saturday 15 June 9.00am 5.00pm plus assignment and follow-up evening 2-3 weeks later for evaluation [at a time that suits everyone]. The follow-up can be by . I m predicting that quite a few of you who don t already know about Photo Impressionism will really like it. It s liberating in many ways - it lets out your inner artist much more than normal photography allows. It s fun. As photographers, you ll know that there are many days and places where nothing much is happening photographically the light is lousy, the day is grey [or even drizzling], there s no interesting subjects around.. The thing I m noticing about Photo Impressionism is that on any such day I can easily create good impressionistic photos pretty much anywhere. Photo Impressionism is an exciting area of photography, and one probably new to most of you. This is where photography meets art, where photography becomes art. This is photography inspired by Monet, van Gogh and the other wonderful painters of that time.

These photos are more about feelings and emotions and ideas and colour and movement

I ve learned and developed many techniques, tips and tricks over the years, and I ll

Many are remarkably easy, once you know what to do and get your eye in".

Kim takes you step by step through the weird and wonderful abilities of the camera,

weird happenings into art. A challenging and rewarding workshop.

! The photo impressionism workshop was wonderful.

Photos full of fun, imagination and mystery. Please thank Viv for the lovely food.

Vicki Ostler Cost: Full course fee [which includes workshop tuition, handouts,

register before 5 June ]. Fulltime students $150 11.

9 These photos are more about feelings and emotions and ideas and colour and movement than the normal or real photos we re used to. I ve learned and developed many techniques, tips and tricks over the years, and I ll pass these on to you. Many are remarkably easy, once you know what to do and get your eye in". You will very likely impress yourself! You'll almost certainly have fun. Kim takes you step by step through the weird and wonderful abilities of the camera, then how to take your imagination and good judgement to the computer and turn those weird happenings into art. A challenging and rewarding workshop. Tamara Rendell I was thrilled with my photos thank you. It opens a whole new world!! The photo impressionism workshop was wonderful. We went to a bleak, midwinter park and created beautiful, colourful photos. Photos full of fun, imagination and mystery. Please thank Viv for the lovely food. See you again soon. Vicki Ostler Cost: Full course fee [which includes workshop tuition, handouts, refreshments, yummy lunch, and follow-up] $295 - or $245 for Early Birds [if you register before 5 June ]. Fulltime students $ UPCOMING WORKSHOPS more details in next newsletter 22 June Long Exposures creating magic photos of sea and sky using long exposures. 6 July Composition Making Your Photos Sing 20 July Lightroom Magic processing your photos in Lightroom. 3 August Stars & the night sky September [dates TBA] Nature Photography Weekend The biggest workshop I run a full weekend of workshops, nice food, nice people and field trips, then an assignment

10 and follow-up later on. Weekend: $475 [$425 EarlyBird if booked 10 days or more in advance]. Students $235. Price includes Viv s yummy catering. Apart from the Nature Photography Weekend, all workshops are one full day [9.00am to 5.00pm, based at Kim s workshop studio in Greerton, Tauranga] plus assignment and a follow-up evening a few weeks later. Price includes workshop, follow-up, hand-outs, and Vivienne s yummy catering. Cost: workshop + follow-up $295 [or $245 Early Bird if booked 10 days or more in advance]. Fulltime students $ KIM S PHOTOS & COFFEE EVENINGS These friendly, relaxed get-togethers are for those of you who have been to any of my workshops or field trips over the last few years [since the University of Waikato workshops finished] or are thinking about maybe coming on one. There s no obligation of any kind. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month [every month of the year except January], chat informally about photography, and view some of the recent photos we ve taken. No charge [free]. Supper is served. Please me if you d like to come and please only book up to one month ahead. It s always fun and friendly. The next two are: Tuesday 4 June 2013 starting 7.00pm Tuesday 2 July 2013 starting 7.00pm 13. PRIVATE TUITION I had a great day not so long ago, all day teaching three photographers [in two separate sessions] how to get the best out of their camera, and covering specific techniques they were interested in. A bit later I was teaching two more photographers, concentrating on the best organisation for their photo libraries, their workflow through Lightroom/Photoshop, and photography in general. Topics covered can be anything from general photography to specific techniques, computer workflow, Lightroom, Photoshop Each photographer determines their own agenda, and so each session is unique. Most tuition so far has been one-on-one, but there s no reason why [if you d like to bring a friend with similar questions] it couldn t be for two people at once [making it much less expensive for each person, of course]. Sessions are typically 2-3 hours. We cover a lot of ground every hour. First 2 hours: $80 per hour, after that $70 per hour [for those of you who qualified on the previous plan, don t worry, your bottom rates still apply nothing has changed for you ] What I learned in one evening with Kim would have taken me months to figure out by myself. Overall I found the session extremely worthwhile and consider it excellent value. Raewyn Adams [Kim s] support and encouragement has enabled me to understand my camera and how it works, and a lesson in Photoshop was amazing. Lyn Yates

Newsletter from Kim Westerskov. Newsletter #21- April 2013

Newsletter from Kim Westerskov. Newsletter #21- April 2013 Please forward this to anyone you think might be interested and, of course, if you d prefer not to receive future newsletters from Kim, please just Reply with Unsubscribe please as the subject. Thanks