Pro Photo 72x3

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VOLUME 72 NUMBER 3, 2016 www.avhub.com.au SP EC IAL RE PO RT FLASH Broncolor, Elinchrom, Godox, Profoto LYNDAL IRONS – LIVING THROUGH THE LENS MORE POSSIBILITIES By Luke Austin EG: 8> H >D C ™ > C CD K6I>DC I AM YOUR EYES. Picture your world through reknown NIKKOR lenses. Every photographer is unique. Whatever your ideas, experience or creative vision, there is a NIKKOR lens to draw out your potential. Each product in the lineup represents the pride and craftmanship that only an optical manufacturer can understand, delivering a level of clarity and reliability that every passionate photographer can appreciate. MyNikonLife.com.au. ™ FJ 6 A> IN ™ A: <:C 96GN Volume 72 No. 3, 2016 A recommended publication of the Editor/Technical Editor Paul Burrows, Hon.FAIPP [email protected] Art Director Kristian Hagen Production Editor Edgar Kramer Regular Contributors Andy Cross, Robyn Hills, Rosemary Ann Ogilvie, Bruce Usher, Alison Stieven-Taylor Contents Volume 72 No.3, 2016 Advertising Sales Lewis Preece 6 News & New Products Advertising Traffic Diane Preece [email protected] Making headlines in this issue is Leica’s digital M for the true purist (look mum, no Division General Manager Jim Preece [email protected] version) and Broncolor’s new line of battery-powered flash monoblocs. Additionally, the Production Manager Peter Ryman Circulation Director Carole Jones Group Editor Jez Ford PROPHOTO SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 361 146 or +61 2 9901 6111 Locked Bag 3355, St Leonards NSW 1590 Subscribe online: www.avhub.com.au FOR iPAD, ANDROID, PC/Mac www.zinio.com/prophoto OR Apple Newsstand monitor screen), Hasselblad’s all-new H6D digital medium format system (with a 100 MP Technical Image Press Association (TIPA… sister mag Camera is a member) announces the winners of its prestigious imaging product awards for 2016. (And for the very latest news, visit www.avhub.com.au) Above and this issue’s front cover photograph come from the On Parramatta Road series by Sydney photographer Lyndal Irons whose images of everyday life have evolved into some remarkable portfolios, documenting, she says, “what needs to be captured before it disappears”. Our profile of Lyndal, by Bruce Usher, begins on page 20. 20 Profile – Lyndal Irons A desire to explore “everyday mysteries” has led photographer Lyndal Irons to document real-life Sydney with some remarkable portfolios of images. She tells Bruce Usher about how her projects have always evolved beyond her expectations. 30 Special Feature – Professional Lighting Equipment It seems the only constant in imaging these days is change, and there’s a fair bit of it happening in professional lighting systems right now. Our overview looks at some of the Level 6, Building A, 207 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, NSW 2065 Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590 Telephone (02) 9901 6100 Fax (02) 9901 6198 www.nextmedia.com.au Chief Executive Officer David Gardiner Commercial Director Bruce Duncan ProPhoto is published 6 times a year by nextmedia Pty Ltd, ACN 128 805 970. ©2016 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the prior permission of the publisher. ProPhoto is entirely produced in Australia, and is designed on an HP workstation xw6200 using Adobe InDesign. Printed by Bluestar WEB Sydney, distributed by Gordon & Gotch. The publisher will not accept responsibility or any liability for the correctness of information or opinions expressed in the publication, the content of any published images, or for the loss or damage to any item submitted for publication or review. Correspondence and manuscripts are welcome and books, apparatus and materials may be submitted for review. All material submitted is at the owner’s risk and, while every care will be taken nextmedia does not accept liability for loss or damage. Privacy Policy. We value the integrity of your personal information. If you provide personal information through your participation in any competitions, surveys or offers featured in this issue of ProPhoto, this will be used to provide the products or services that you have requested and to improve the content of our magazines. Your details may be provided to third parties who assist us in this purpose. In the event of organisations providing prizes or offers to our readers, we may pass your details on to them. From time to time, we may use the information you provide us to inform you of other products, services and events our company has to offer. We may also give your information to other organisations which may use it to inform you about their products, services and events, unless you tell us not to so. You are welcome to access the information that we hold about you by getting in touch with our privacy officer, who can be contacted at nextmedia, Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards, NSW 1590. © 2016. ISSN 1328-715X Online at www.avhub.com.au current trends and technological developments. 36 On Trial – Elinchrom Quadra ELB 400 The latest incarnation of Elinchrom’s Quadra on-location flash pack is smaller and lighter, but at no loss of flash power or capabilities. 38 On Trial – Profoto B2 250 Air TTL As portable as an on-camera flash system, but with much more power and potential flexibility, Profoto’s ultra-compact B2 system also offers the convenience of TTL exposure control. 40 On Trial – Godox V860 TTL Affordability is a key attraction of Godox’s TTL speedlight, but even better, it’s powered by a high-capacity lithium-ion pack which means ‘bye-bye’ to those pesky double-As. 42 Feature – Auckland Festival Of Photography It’s only a short hop across ‘the ditch’ and Auckland’s annual photography festival offers plenty of variety. To whet your appetite for this year’s event – on throughout June – Alison Stieven-Taylor recalls the highlights from 2015. 48 Business Matters - Mobile-Friendly Websites It’s a mobile world, so the need to make your Website more user-friendly on smartphones or tablets is, to quote our business writer Rosemary Ann Ogilvie, “absolutely critical”. 17
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE Can’t find ProPhoto in your newsagent or haven’t got time to look? If you subscribe, you’ll have the printed magazine delivered straight to your mailbox and ready to read. Digital editions are also available! 03 FIRST FRAME VOLUME 72 NO. 3 Yosemite Falls, after Ansel Adams. Fujifilm X-Pro2 using the ACROS+R ‘Film Simulation’ preset. RESPECT s the editor of sister publication Camera – which is a member of the global Technical Image Press Association – I have the privilege of participating in the judging of the annual TIPA Awards, which annually recognise excellence in the design of imaging products (you can read all about our deliberations in the news section). This year’s judging took place in San Francisco, so it was a golden (ahem) opportunity to fulfil a longheld desire to visit Yosemite National Park, about a three hour’s drive to the east. Yosemite is, of course, forever linked with Ansel Adams, who first visited the park in 1916 when he was just 14, armed with a Kodak No.1 Brownie. He subsequently made famous – with his signature red-filter-enhanced B&W contrast – many of the Valley’s iconic views including Half Dome (a particular favourite), El Capitan, the Yosemite Falls and the Merced River. Adams’s life-long fascination with the park is completely understandable once you’ve been there… it is a truly mesmerising landscape, about which John Muir wrote, “But no temple made with hands can compare to Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life”. Muir was the Scottish-born inventorturned-naturalist who, in the 1880s, lobbied for wilderness areas of outstanding beauty to set aside and protected. In 1890 around 1200 square miles of the western Sierra Nevada in California became the world’s first national park. Today it attracts over four million visitors annually, but most of them only see a small part of the Valley, the rest – actually 94 percent – remains largely untouched. The Ansel Adams Gallery is located in the so-called Yosemite Village – essentially a series of gift stores – and there, among the various other knickknacks, you can buy a limited-edition Ansel Adams silver gelatine print for US$35,000. I bought a fridge magnet for US$4.95 and was well pleased. The desire to ‘do an Ansel Adams’ was too hard to resist, so that meant using B&W 120 rollfilm, but I didn’t really want to lug around my old Hasselblad 04 500C/M outfit, so took my Fuji GS645S Pro instead. It’s a compact and lightweight 6x4.5cm format rangefinder camera. Interestingly, Yosemite is not a panoramic landscape and its monolithic structures actually suit 6x6cm or, indeed, 6x4.5cm. As it happens, I also took along the Fujifilm X-Pro2 – testing for an upcoming issue – and, with its new ACROS ‘Film Simulation’ preset (in the +Red setting), it delivered impressive AA-like contrast. I suspect the great man would have been impressed. I don’t use the term “great man” lightly because, in my book, I think he was one of the truly great photographers of the 20th century and deserves all the recognition he gets in the USA. Back in Australia, I’ve been surprised at how little respect he gets, but then questioning the naysayers a little further inevitably revealed they actually knew very little about him beyond what one person termed “very technical landscapes”… and he wasn’t being complimentary either. Ansel Adams was indeed a very technically literate photographer – his infamous Zone System for determining exposure and contrast in a photographic print was just one manifestation – but he was far from the clinical, detached eye that many seem to think was the corollary. After creating what is perhaps his most famous image of Half Dome, he recalled, “I realised that only a deep red filter would give me anything approaching the effect I felt emotionally… I had been able to realise a desired image: not in the way the subject appeared in reality, but how it felt to me”. This was in 1927, but Adams’s many subsequent photographs made in the Yosemite were all as eloquently emotional as John Muir’s writing. Indeed, the photographer himself was instrumental in the creation of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (further to the south) with a handsome limited edition book of wilderness images titled Sierra Nevada: The John Muir Trail. Adams’s pursuit of technical perfection always had a greater goal – namely to attract attention to issues he held dear – so it seems strange he should be denigrated for it. Besides, the effects he created either in-camera or in the darkroom pale into insignificance compared to today’s Photoshop atrocities. Perhaps it’s just the Australian ‘tall poppy syndrome’, but locally it’s resulted in a sad neglect of our own photography ‘greats’, even those from just a decade or two ago. Beyond the photography collections held in the major art galleries, you’ll be hard-pressed to encounter them anywhere, except perhaps in a second-hand bookshop (assuming they managed to get published in the first place). And, as the mists of time get steadily thicker, much more of Australia’s photographic heritage is slipping from view. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised because photography is even struggling in the present – an all-too-easy target for cuts in arts funding because, well, it isn’t really an art form anyway, is it? If we don’t value what we’ve got right now – and, to be honest, right now we don’t – what hope of we got of any meaningful preservation of the past? Photography has been devalued over recent decades and, while technology is undoubtedly partly to blame, it’s more about attitudes and appreciation (or, more precisely, the lack thereof ). Could it be that the disparaging of the individual’s input – the emphasis that’s now much more on the process – has diminished photography in this country in comparison to literature, music or virtually any other branch of the creative arts? Do collectors buy prints because of the subject matter? Maybe just occasionally, but it’s really the author that’s the selling point. It’s time to start putting the emphasis back on photographers and their unique visions as the key – no, essential – ingredient of great photography… and we could just get that ball rolling with a greater acknowledgement of the contributions of those who have gone before. Paul Burrows, Editor 36 EFFECTIVE MEGA-PIXELS /PentaxAustralia cameras & imaging ISO SHAKE REDUCTION 204800 WEATHER RESISTANT BODY FULL HD VIDEO VIEWFINDER 100% facebook.com /PentaxSnaps COM.AU OXFORD STREET OX E LEEDERVILLE DE DE L 06 NEWS IMAGING PRODUCTS & PROCESSES TIPA Announces 2016 Awards Winners Sister magazine Camera was once again involved in the judging of the annual Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) awards for excellence in imaging product design. Camera is the only Australian member of the global group of photography magazines which now numbers 30 titles from 15 countries across five continents. This year’s TIPA Awards judging was conducted in San Francisco, with awards made in 40 categories including, for the first time, one for camera-equipped drones. TIPA’s Technical Committee regularly revises the Awards categories to reflect changes in the industry. Consequently, for 2016, the D-SLR categories have been adjusted to recognise the arrival of more ultra-high resolution models, as well as those with a more ‘hybrid’ design in terms of targeting both photographers and videographers. The Awards now also separate the enthusiast-level bodies with ‘APS-C’ and full-35mm sensors. Multiple award winners for 2016 included Sony, Fujifilm, Sigma, Canon, and Nikon. Sigma won three of the four categories for D-SLR lenses. while Fujifilm collected awards 1 2 3 4 TIPA AWARDS 2016 WINNERS BEST D-SLR ENTRY-LEVEL Sony Alpha SLT-A68 BEST D-SLR WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS Sigma 24-35mm f2.0 DG HSM Art BEST ‘APS-C’ D-SLR EXPERT Nikon D500 BEST D-SLR PRIME LENS Tamron SP 35mm f1.8 Di VC USD BEST FULL-35MM D-SLR EXPERT Pentax K-1 2 BEST PROFESSIONAL D-SLR LENS Sigma 20mm f1.4 DFG HSM Art 1 BEST D-SLR PROFESSIONAL/ACTION 3 BEST MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA Nikon D5 Phase One XF 100 MP BEST D-SLR PROFESSIONAL/HIGH RES Canon EOS 5Ds R BEST MIRRORLESS CSC ENTRY-LEVEL Fujifilm X-T10 BEST PHOTO/VIDEO PROFESSIONAL D-SLR Canon EOS-1D X Mark II BEST ENTRY-LEVEL D-SLR LENS Tamron 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Di II VC BEST D-SLR TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS Sigma 50-100mm f1.8 DC HSM Art 4 BEST MIRRORLESS CSC ADVANCED BEST CSC TELEPHOTO ZOOM LENS Fujinon XF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR BEST CSC WIDE-ANGLE ZOOM LENS Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f2.8 PRO BEST CSC PRIME LENS Sony FE 85mm f1.4 GM BEST EASY COMPACT CAMERA Canon IXUS 285 HS BEST EXPERT COMPACT CAMERA Canon PowerShot G5X Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II BEST MIRRORLESS CSC EXPERT Fujifilm X-Pro2 BEST MIRRORLESS CSC PROFESSIONAL BEST CSC ENTRY-LEVEL LENS Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f1.7 ASPH BEST FULL 35MM COMPACT CAMERA Sony Cyber-shot RX1R II BEST SUPERZOOM CAMERA Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 08 NEWS IMAGING PRODUCTS & PROCESSES for its X-Pro2 (Best Mirrorless CSC Expert), X-T10 (Best Mirrorless CSC Entry-Level) and 100-400mm X Mount telezoom (Best CSC Telephoto Zoom Lens). Canon and Sony both collected a total of five awards. Canon’s winners included its new imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 A2 photo printer, while Sony’s included the A7R II and RX1R II mirrorless cameras and its FE 85mm f1.4 GM high-per- formance E-mount prime lens. A full list of this year’s TIPA Awards appears here. At TIPA’s 2016 annual General Assembly, also held in San Francisco, it was also agreed to admit three new titles this year, two more from the USA and a second one from Canada. The new American members are both very prestigious publications – the highly-respected Photo District News (PDN) and Rangefinder which is the official journal of the WPPI (Wedding And Portrait Photographers International). The new Canadian member is Photo Solution, the French language sister publication of existing member, Photo Life. For more information about TIPA, visit www.tipa.com 1 2 3 TIPA AWARDS 2016 WINNERS BEST RUGGED CAMERA Olympus Stylus Tough TG-870 BEST TRIPOD Manfrotto 190 Go! Carbon Fibre 2 BEST CAMERA DRONE Yuneec Typhoon Q500 4K BEST PREMIUM CAMERA Leica SL 1 BEST STORAGE MEDIA Toshiba TransferJet SDHC Memory Card 3 BEST ACTIIONCAM S50 Sony HDR-AS BEST CAMCORDER Panasonic WXF991 BEST PROFESSIONAL FLASH SYSTEM Phottix Indra360 TTL BEST IMAGIN NG INNOVATION Nikon SnapBridge BEST PHOTO PRINTER Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 BEST PORTABLE FLASH Nissin i60A BEST INKJET PHOTO PAPER Ilford Galerie Prestige Gold Fibre Gloss BEST PHOTO MONITOR BenQ SW2700PT BEST IMAGING SOFTWARE Serif Affinity Photo BEST MOBILE IMAGING DEVICE DXO One N BEST DESIGN Ricoh Theta S ProPhoto On The Web Today a Web presence is an integral part of magazine and newspaper publishing so you’ll find ProPhoto – or, at least, some of it – at www.avhub.com.au Here you can n also visit the other titles in the stable of Next Media AudioVisual Group p magazines, including sister publication Camera. Have a look at these because you might find another magazine that you’d like to buy from your newsagent n or subscribe to. If you’re interested in hi-fi, video, home th heatre, music-making or car electronics, check out Sound+Image, Australian Hi-Fi, Australian Guitar, or Australian InCarr (just follow the links from the AVHub home page). The Website carries the latest news plus selected articles from both the current and past issues of ProPho oto, including a selection of test reports. Of course, there’s a lot more in ea ach printed issue, but you can stay in touch with us via www.avhub.com.au 20–25 SEPTEMBER 2016 | COLOGNE NO LIMITS – JUST IMAGING !
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$$$!!! Fairlab Exhibition Management Pty Ltd P.O. Box 1096, Bakery Hill VIC 3354 | Australia Tel. +61 3 5332 2823, Fax +61 3 5332 1304 [email protected] WWW.PHOTOKINA.COM #PHOTOKINA 10 NEWS BRIEF EXPOSURES IMAGING PRODUCTS & P Leica has introduced a major firmware update for its SL (Typ 601) pro-level mirrorless camera. Firmware Version 2.0 delivers a faster top shutter speed of 1/16,000 second, an increased number of 529 autofocusing points, improved AF speed, a longer timed exposure speed of 30 minutes (previously the maximum time was 60 seconds), improved JPEG image quality and easier application of exposure compensation. The upgrade can be downloaded by registered Leica SL owners via https://owners.leica-camera.com The H6D is subtly restyled on the outside but features extensive revisions on the inside. Hasselblad Joins 100 MP Club With Next-Gen H6D The start of what the company says is a return to core values has begun with the launch of Hasselblad’s sixth-generation medium format D-SLR system. The H6D, says Hasselblad, retains “…iconic design elements and Swedish handmade quality”, no doubt an oblique reference to the now quietly-shelved (and largely unsuccessful) program of rebadging selected Sony cameras. However, unlike the last couple of H System camera upgrades, the H6D is pretty much an all-new design and offers a number of new features which will keep it competitive with Phase One’s XF platform. The H6D will be available with a new 100 megapixels capture back which uses the same Sonymade CMOS sensor as the XF 100MP (albeit optimised for Hasselblad), or a 50 MP model, again using a Sony-sourced imager. While mildly restyled on the outside, H6D is more extensive revised on the inside, moving away from the more mechanical platform of the original H1 (which dates back to 2002) to a largely all-electronic design to enable, among other things, much greater integration between the camera body, the capture backs and an upgraded series of HC lenses, along with faster data transfer. An immediate benefit of the latter is increase in the top shutter speed to 1/2000 second also made possible by a revised leaf-shutter design. Incidentally, Hasselblad states that this new shutter assembly is durable enough for a million cycles. The H6D capture backs deliver a long list of new features, including a 7.62 cm monitor screen with touch controls, dual memory card slots (for the CFast and SD formats), 4K video shooting with the 100 MP version (direct to the CFast card or via an HDMI ter- minal to an external recorder), customisable operating menus, a USB 3.0 Type C connector and built-in WiFi. The 50 MP back shoots Full HD video. For video recording, there are also a stereo audio input for connecting an external microphone (actually essential as there are no built-in mics) and a stereo audio output for monitoring headphones. The H6D camera body retains a similar control layout to its predecessor, but has a larger info readout panel and a number of ergonomic revisions. It retains compatibility with the HVM 90x prism finders which incorporate a pop-up flash (as well as a hotshoe) and can be interchanged with an optional waistlevel finder. The sensor in the 100 MP back has a dynamic range of 15 stops and a sensitivity range equivalent to ISO 64 to 12,800. The imaging area is 53.4x40.0 mm (so virtually ‘full-645’) and stills are captured in the Hasselblad 3FR RAW format at around 120 MB in file size. 4K video is recorded at the UHD resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. In Australia the H6D-100c is priced at $49,995 (including GST, but which doesn’t include a lens) while the H6D-50c costs $38,995 (again without a lens). Hasselblad products are distributed in Australia by C.R. Kennedy & Company. For more information visit www.hasselblad.com.au Every Professional Photographer should have one. A professional quality printer is as much a part of the modern professional photographer’s armoury as is lights, camera action and DNP has a model to suit most needs. Capture and print the memories of the biggest sporting events, best corporate sponsorship events, award ceremonies, weddings and memorable holidays with ease and unsurpassed quality. DS Series™ award winning professional event photography printers are competitively priced, high-resolution dye-sublimation printers that produce rich photos that display full colour details and smooth gradation. DS Series™ printers are specifically designed to use DNP’s high-quality, value-priced dye-sublimation media, which incorporates a lamination layer to provide resistance to fading, fingerprints, water, ozone, and dust. Special Offer for ProPhoto Magazine Readers DS40 The DS40 is a high-volume printer – shooting out four print sizes at fast print speeds. Trouble-free operation and easy loading makes it the ideal model for event and portrait photographers. A small footprint, the ability to stack multiple printers, exceptional quality, and worry-free performance offers your clients the quality they demand and the convenience you need. ‘Try Before You Buy’ – For a limited time we are offering ProPhoto magazine readers the chance to borrow either a DS40 or DS80 printer completely FREE of charge.* Call us on 03 9646 5488 to arrange your loan printer. For more information visit www.dnpphoto.com.au and www.jadavey.com.au *conditions apply DS80 The DNP DS80 delivers portrait photos in formats 8”x4” 8x12” and all sizes in between. Designed for high performance, the small footprint makes it ideal for working in confined spaces and can be transported from studio to event and back again. Paper loading is easy and reliability can’t be beaten with an exclusive dust-protection system for those tough outdoor assignments. 12 NEWS INDUSTRY, PEOPLE & EVENTS MAKE A DATE EXHIBITIONS – EVENTS – WORKSHOPS – SEMINARS Current to 26 June: Exhibition. National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016. At the National Portrait Gallery (NPG), King Edward Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Admission is free. For more information telephone (02) 6102 7000 or visit www.portrait.gov.au — Current to 10 July: Exhibition. Journeys North. A revisiting of an exhibition first shown in 1988 and featuring the works of Graham Burstow, Lin Martin, Robert Mercer, Glen O’Mally, Charles Page and Max Pam. At the Queensland Gallery Of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland 4101. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Admission is free. For more information telephone (07) 3840 7307 or visit www.qagoma.qld.gov.au — Current to 31 August: Exhibition. Henry Talbot: 1960s Fashion Photographer. Eighty previously unseen photographs by fashion photographer Henry Talbot during his time working with Helmut Newton in Melbourne and drawn from the collection of the National Gallery Of Victoria (NGV). At NGV Australia, Federation Square, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. For more information telephone (03) 8620 2222 or visit www.ngv.vic.gov.au — Current 4 September: Exhibition. Tracey Moffatt – Laudanum And Other Works. Photography series and video montages draw from the gallery’s collection, including Laudanum 1998 and Plantation 2009. At the Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, NSW 2000. Telephone (02) 9225 1744 for more information or please visit www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily (open to 9.00pm on Wednesdays). — Current to 18 September: Exhibition. Cindy Sherman. Showing for the first time in Australia and presenting a series of large scale photographs made since 2000 which feature Sherman dressed in a theatrical array of costumes. At the Queensland Gallery Of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Stanley Place, South Bank, Brisbane, Queensland 4101. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily. Ticketed admission. For more information telephone (07) 3840 7307 or visit www.qagoma.qld.gov.au — 10 September to February 2017: Exhibition. New Matter – Recent Forms Of Photography. Recent works by Australian and international photographers who interrogate the limits of photographic representation. Artists include Jacqueline Ball, Walead Beshty, Matthew Brandt, Zoë Croggon, Christopher Day, Cherine Fahd, Todd McMillan, Justine Varga and Luke Parker. At the Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Road, The Domain, NSW 2000. Telephone (02) 9225 1744 for more information or visit www.artgallery. nsw.gov.au Admission is free. Gallery hours are 10.00am to 5.00pm daily (open to 9.00pm on Wednesdays). — 20 – 25 September: 2016 Photokina World Of Imaging. The world’s largest exhibition of new imaging products and processes. At the Köln Messe, Cologne, Germany. Visit www.photokina-cologne.com for more information. ProPhoto 35 Years Ago There’s nothing like a dip into the archives to reveal just how much things have changed in the imaging industry, especially over the last couple of decades. In the early 1980s, pros were considering shooting with 35mm film and struggling with the idea of increasing camera automation… well, exposure control at least. Here’s a selection of what was on the pages of this magazine 35 years ago when it was called Professional Photography in Australia. This is a snapshot of the May/June 1981 issue. COVER PHOTOGRAPH / Roger Garwood, Perth, WA TEST REPORTS / Agfa Vario XL C-41 processed B&W film PEOPLE AND PLACES / Carsten Burmeister on studio solutions (and shooting on 5x7-inch film) / Roger Garwood (WA) profile / Jane Chisholm, Melbourne, first woman to achieve a Degree in Photography in Australia / Richard Woldendorp and his Photo Index photography library / Richard Bennett (Tas) writes about Aerial Photography For Fun And Profit THE ISSUES / Copyright and photographs THE ADVERTISERS / Mark’s Camera Store – Industrial Division brands / C.R. Kennedy & Company – Hasselblad 500C/M 6x6cm SLR system / R. Gunz (Photographic) – Gossen exposure meters / R. Gunz (Photographic) – Cokin filter system / R. Gunz (Photographic) – Metz 45CT-5 and 45CT-1 on-camera flash units / Bond Colour Laboratories – professional film processing services / Ilford – HP5 Autowinder 72-exposure length 35mm B&W film / Hanimex – Fujifilm professional films and papers / Hanimex – Durst M805 colour enlarger / Kodak – Ektachrome 64 Professional transparency film / Photape – Rowi, Hansa and Hauck darkroom products / Ted’s Industrial Sales – Broncolor and Braun flash products / Eveready – Energizer batteries / PICS – Bowens Quad studio flash system / Mini-Log – Colour paper processors / Maxwell Photo-Optics – Nikon F3 35mm SLR / Cabochon – Australian-designed jewellery / Ilford – Cibachrome II colour positive printing papers Photo: © Sails Chong, China BRONCOLOR WELCOMES THE SIROS L 14 NEWS IMAGING PRODUCTS & PROCESSES New Broncolor Location Monoblocs Pack A Punch Broncolor has unveiled a new Siros L line of compact batterypowered flash monoblocs designed for both on-location and studio use. The new Siros 400 L and 800 L have a maximum flash power output of 400 and 800 joules respectively, both with a nine-stop output range adjustable in either 1/10 or full-stop increments. The Siros 800 L will be the most powerful battery-powered location Monobloc on the market. They’re powered by an interchangeable 28.8 volts lithium-ion battery which gives up to 440 flashes at full power for the 400 joules model and 220 flash with the 800 joules version. Full recharging takes just 75 minutes. These new monoblocs are exclusively battery powered, but like Profoto’s B1, with the battery housed internally, operation is entirely cable-free. The Siros 400 L and 800 L employ Broncolor’s ECTC (Enhanced Colour Temperature Control) technology – as also used in the Scoro and Move power packs – enabling a fast flash duration of up to 1/7400 second (t0.5) with constant colour temperature stability over the full output range. Recycling times can be as fast as 0.03 seconds. In the monoblocs’ Speed Mode the flash duration can be as short as 1/19,000 second, but without the ECTC-controlled colour stability. A 25 watts LED-type modelling lamp is fitted and balanced at 3000 degrees Kelvin to match the halogen modelling lamps used in the mainspowered Siros monoblocs. All the monobloc’s functions can be remotely controlled via smartphone or tablet (both iOS and Android) by the bronControl app which establishes its own WiFi network. Up to six lights can be operated this way with the identification of each via colour-coded and easy-to-see LEDs on the units them- Both iOS- and Android-based tablets and smartphones can be used to control the monobloc's functions via the free bronControl app which establishes its own WiFi network. selves. Both models also have a builtin Broncolor RFS 2.1 radio receiver for remote triggering and power setting. A conventional photocell and sync cable socket are also provided. Additional features include a digital power setting display, USB port for firmware upgrades, a centralised rotary controller, audible signals and a sequence mode (for up to 50 flashes). The Siros L models are compatible with the entire range of Broncolor light-shaping accessories. Availability is from early July and will include various travel kit options. Local pricing is yet to be announced. For more information visit www.bron.ch Broncolor products are distributed in Australia by Sun Studios Australia. Visit the website at www.sunstudiosaustralia.com BRIEF EXPOSURES Various production issues, including parts supply problems related to the recent earthquakes in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture, have forced Nikon to delay the introduction of a number of new models, including the KeyMission 360 actioncam. Unveiled at this year’s CES back in early January, the KeyMission 360 now isn’t expected to be available until October. The DL Series of three high-end, fixed-lens compact cameras will also be delayed. Originally due in June, Nikon hasn’t given a revised introduction date for these cameras, but it’s also likely to be more towards the end of 2016. The earthquakes forced both Sony and Fujifilm to close factories in the region for a period of time. Sony’s facility makes imaging sensors which it supplies to Nikon. Photograph by Peter Eastway, G.M. Photog. Tools transform. Artistry remains. The Cintiq® 27QHD and Cintiq® 27QHD Touch creative pen displays set a new standard in colour, resolution and productivity. The Cintiq® 27QHD displays 1.07 billion colours and a full 97% Adobe® RGB colour gamut and therefore is the creative tool of choice when it comes to any high-end creative production in art, design, image editing, or media from print to 3D animation. For more information visit www.wacom.com NEWS 16 IMAGING PRODUCTS & P S Leica Builds An Even Purer Digital M The Leica M Typ 262 was already designed to appeal to purists by eliminating both live view and video recording, but now there’s a new version of this digital rangefinder camera which takes things even further. The new M-D – still, a bit confusingly, designated Typ 262 – now goes without the monitor screen itself, thereby also eliminating in-camera image review and a menu system. Leica says its M-D “…intentionally omits all but the most essential technical features” and is “…radically reduced to the most important parameters required for photography”. The new camera’s back panel now just has a selector dial for sensitivity settings as all the controls associated with image playback and menu navigation are also eliminated. There’s no provision for any in-camera adjustments and images are captured exclusively as Adobe DNG format RAW files. Focusing is, of course, performed manually as is i exposure control. t l Th The h optical ti l viewfinder i fi f d has a magnification of 0.68x and incorporates a split-image rangefinder plus brightline frame pairs for 35mm/135mm, 28mm/90mm and 50mm/75mm with automatic switching and parallax correction. The new M-D uses the same full-35mm format CMOS sensor as its monitor-equipped sibling, and which has an effective resolution of 24 megapixels and sensitivity range equivalent to ISO 200 to 6400. Image files are stored on an SD format memory card, and the camera supports SDHC and SDXC types. The sensor is matched with Leica’s ‘Maestro’ processor and there’s a 1.0 GB buffer memory to accommodate continuous shooting at up to 3.0 fps. The camera’s all-metal bodyshell has the traditional heavy-duty b db tt brass ttop and bottom plates with a black lacquered finish and real leather inserts. Also omitted is the Leica ‘red dot’ badge, according to the company in order to maintain an “unobtrusive appearance”. The new M-D is priced at $8900 body only and brings the current range of digital Leica M models to five (M, M Typ 262, M-P and M Monochrom). Leica has tried the monitor-less design before with its special M Edition 60 which, in 2014, which celebrated 60 years of the M System. This camera’s production run was limited to just 600 units, but the new M-D is a standard model and is available locally now. For more information visit http://en.leica-camera.com teds.com.au/pro Pentax K1 Full Frame DSLR Body The PENTAX K-1 full-frame DSLR features an image sensor equal in size to traditional 35mm m film, perfectly suited to photo enthusiasts and professionals photographers alike, you can now use all Pentax lenses in the way they were originally designed. With an AA-filterless CMOS 36MP sensor, weather sealed body, built in image stabilisation and Pixel Shift Resolution, the PENTAX K-1 makes it easy for 36MP 33 FULL FRAME POINT AF photographers to produce super- ” 3.2 TILT SCREEN 5 AXIS STABILISER FULL HD VIDEO high-resolution images rich in detail and with fine tonal gradation. 1st Floor at 235 Elizabeth St Melbourne Ph: 03 9602 3733 EDUCATION GOVERNMENT CORPORATE 317 Pitt St Sydney Ph: 02 9264 8499 9 Petrie Plaza Canberra Ph: 02 6247 6589 150 Adelaide St Brisbane Ph: 07 3221 9911 50 Plaza Pde Maroochydore Ph: 07 5479 2844 212 Rundle St Adelaide Ph: 08 8223 3449 All offers end 31st July 2016 or until sold out or otherwise stated. Not all stocks available all stores. Every effort is made to avoid errors in this publication, but Ted’s does not warrant the accuracy of the content of this publication and may correct any errors and may refuse to sell any product or service. 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PROFILE Marco Polo Hotel, Summerhill. From the On Parramatta Road series. 20 All photographs by Lyndal Irons, copyright 2016. LYNDAL IRONS PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS Living Through The Lens Lyndal Irons On The Street A desire to capture the essence of a place and explore “everyday mysteries” has challenged Sydney photographer Lyndal Irons, but in the process of pursuing her projects she learned to be receptive to whatever happened, and to enjoy the experience. INTERVIEW BY BRUCE USHER W hen Lyndal Irons first saw Swiss-born photographer Robert Frank’s attempts to capture an entire country in his highly influential book The Americans, she started to think hard about what it meant to try photographing places and began a few less ambitious projects just to see if she could do it. Places with potential for something to happen. She began walking around her inner Sydney neighbourhood of Petersham with a camera. “When you first start off, you’re too shy to shoot people and you end up shooting a lot of signs, things on the ground, things that don’t look or talk back or yell at you,” she recalls. One of those signs Lyndal found in August 2009 was outside the Huntsbury Hotel, which she describes as “an un-gentrified Australian pub on the brink of becoming a little friendlier to outsiders”. The sign read, “Despair, Pity, Comedy, Music, Beer, Live Music at 7.30pm on Thursday”. “That sounded like it might have a lot of photographic potential,” Lyndal says with a smile in her voice, and she eventually turned up with a camera on Australia Day in 2010. “It was a festive atmosphere. It wasn’t about the pub, it was about Australia… seeing what would happen. It was a good ‘in’ – people think you are photographing an event rather than them.” The publican was supportive and happy to have her there. There weren’t a lot of females in the pub at that time, Lyndal says, but she did learn a lot about meeting people and getting the photographs. Some days she would end up just talking rather than photographing. The Huntsbury was happy to have her shooting and she was happy to give them images for social media. She didn’t think she got many good photographs on that Australia Day, and then she started working on a series of portraits, which she admits isn’t her most important series (or, indeed, one that’s finished), but again the exercise has taught her a lot. In the pub she’d see the faces of neighbourhood people she was interested in photographing. She realised that, when you actually start a project, things come together. For example, “There was Kevin, another Huntsbury drinker, but not a particularly sociable guy”. Lyndal wanted to photograph him, but wasn’t sure what approach to take, even though she had permission to use the space and nobody was treading on her toes. She still had to develop relationships. “Kevin was a pretty private guy and not really into being photographed, but he tolerated me and he started to get to know me. He would walk outside for a smoke, possibly seven times a day. I’d photograph 21 PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS the same scene over and over, noticing subtle differences and strengths.” Changing Meaning “You aren’t very threatening,” I comment to Lyndal. She laughs and says, “I used to think that was a bad thing. When you see street photographers, you see the charismatic ones – the ones that can win people over. I’m not really like that and I thought it might be a weakness, but you realise that being non-threatening can be a big bonus”. She became ‘The Girl With The Camera’. Lyndal subsequently had an exhibition at the Huntsbury (it’s still on show there) and the pub also helped fund it. From this she also learnt how the meanings of photographs can change. “My Huntsbury images were a series of portraits that didn’t seem quite finished, but then, over time, some people were barred or started drinking elsewhere. Others, sadly, have passed away. Now it starts to feel different to me. Johan was one of those people with an amazing presence I’d seen around the neighbourhood and wondered about until he walked into the pub one day and I started to photograph him. But he didn’t talk much – I didn’t really get to know or capture his story. When he passed away really suddenly at 57, my pictures were used in a montage prepared for the viewing of his body, and then they took on a different meaning for me. In are a lot of things, places and people that are not photographed at all. People have blank sections in their family albums… and history has them too. There are parts of our life we don’t photograph, maybe because it doesn’t seem important, or because it is not obvious how to do it. Or because we just don’t think to record it. Those moments interest me as a photographer.” Consequences To History Lyndal has also been pondering the difficulties of photographing everyday environments in a high privacy, publicrelations-conscious world. “Increasingly there is a communications department to go through and a certain way a business must be presented if you are going to be allowed to shoot it. There are reasons for that, but there are also consequences to history. “When a second man pictured in my series died, we had a wake at the pub and I brought in all the pictures I had of him. I was surprised to find out that a man in the background of one was wanted by police on drug charges and was suspected to be in Thailand. I had no idea. That photo used to be insignificant to me, but it has a story in it now. “Things often feed into each other in my work, and my next project was starting to photograph the life of Kiet, another Huntsbury regular. Kiet knows everybody in the neighborhood… everyone in the pub… been drinking there forever. He’s been my fixer and an important friend.” Kiet kept certain people away from Lyndal and introduced her to others. “He came here by boat from Vietnam when he was 17,” she explains. “Then he had a car accident and is now in a wheelchair, but he’s the most positive person I have ever come across.” Attempting to photograph his life became Lyndal’s next project. Because Kiet had a standard routine – Dulwich Hill to the pub, a coffee and the TAB, the casino on Sundays and the Oxford Tavern on Tuesday afternoons, she would always know where to find him. Even in this era of Instagram and selfies – where everything feels like it’s been overrecorded – there are a lot of things, places and people that are not photographed at all. his earlier life, he appeared confident and happy with his family – he looked like a cross between Elvis and John Travolta. But, apart from mine, there didn’t seem to be any pictures of Johan from the most recent chapter of his life, the one where he had grown the thickest beard I’ve ever seen and come to live alone in affordable housing. I am not sure what happened in those years, but going to his funeral and being able to give that to his sister and his daughter gave a new meaning to photography. It made me realise that even in this era of Instagram and selfies – where everything feels like it’s been over-recorded – there 22 Making Notes Lyndal Irons grew up in Cattai, a semi-rural town 60 kilometres northwest of Sydney, Top and middle: from the Goodbye Oxford Tavern series. Bottom: Annandale Hotel, images from the On Parramatta Road series. All photographs by Lyndal Irons, copyright 2016. PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS 23 PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS close to the Hawkesbury River. Both her parents are keen amateur photographers. She learned camera and darkroom basics at high school – “we all photographed each other a lot at high school” – and then at TAFE, as part of her Higher School Certificate. She used a 35mm Ricoh camera. When she was in her early twenties, Lyndal moved away from Cattai and put photography aside to do a Communications degree in writing and “It’s an odd way to spend time. In the summer it’s often really hot, polluted and taxing, and it’s hard to get around as a pedestrian. But something interesting almost always happens at any time of day.” Lyndal even lived on Parramatta Road at the Marco Polo motel in Summer Hill for a week so she could be close to her subject. She was featured in the Leichhardtbased CIAO magazine. The cover photograph was of Lyndal sitting in the middle of Parramatta Road, and people started recognising her from this publicity, including the proprietor of the Olympia Café in Stanmore. “It’s probably the most famous thing on Parramatta Road, and totally unchanged from the 1950s, but he hates photographers. I’ve tried to explain what I’m doing a few times, but he hasn’t allowed me to take his photo yet. He’s got a cult following, but doesn’t want it. I feel lucky that we get along, even if he won’t let me photograph him.” “Goodbye Oxford Tavern was another series of photographs that demanded to be done,” Lyndal says of the closing of the iconic bar in her neighbourhood. She badly wanted to record its passing, but says, “It wasn’t offered to me on a platter. I had to ask multiple times before the licensee gave me permission to shoot the final days of the topless bar.” There were so many people curious about the Oxford but had never been inside, she felt it was a place she had to preserve. “Thousands drive along Parramatta Road every day, but they don’t often get out and walk around to experience the place. The Oxford sat on a corner in Petersham for decades, offering something unique, but it was blacked out and so not many people went inside. Something I seem to do is offer a legacy to subjects that are somehow underrated or deserve a more threedimensional appraisal.” I know when a project is working not by the pictures, but by a feeling I’m being offered something more than I could construct or know to ask for. publishing at the University of Western Sydney. She says she has “always been a writer in a way” and, before university, she was the type of person who would always be making notes. After university, Lyndal worked in notfor-profit communications for nine years as a journalist and sub-editor. She was involved with news reporting, creating profiles and writing for Websites, but then increasingly took on photographic duties. She then did courses in street and documentary photography at the Australian Centre for Photography with Marco Boc, and says that these gave her a better sense of what a camera could be used for. Parramatta Road In 2010 Lyndal started photographing Sydney’s Parramatta Road, a project she has followed ever since. Again, at the start she had no idea what she was trying to do. She shot street pictures on film and digital and thought about cataloguing the road from start to finish, or perhaps every business or employee – in an “August Sander style”. She started photographing the signs and the decay, but increasingly she came to get the most out of encounters with the people she met – the real life. “I gave up on the idea of any shot plan already covered by Google Earth, and just gave myself over to enjoying it as a road trip close to home and seeing what it would offer me… and then it began to make sense.” For some locations she has to organise permissions, but at other times she just stumbles upon something. Seeing The Lighter Susan Meiselas’s Carnival Strippers was one of the first photography books Lyndal owned, and it made a real impact. “It got me thinking about personal projects and what needs to be captured before it disappears.” Lyndal says she loves the way that William Yang uses words and pictures and From the On Parramatta Road series. 24 All photographs by Lyndal Irons, copyright 2016. PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS 25 PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS respects his writing as much as his images. The Little Brown Mushroom Dispatch collaborations between Americans Alec Soth and Brad Zellar are, in her opinion, “perfect”. Garry Trinh is one of her favourite photographers and she has really enjoyed their conversations about photography and everyday environments. She met the American photographer and Magnum member David Alan Harvey when she was working for the Head On Photo Festival and he was one of the international presenters. She sat in on Harvey’s workshops and recalls, “The most interesting thing was the photographers who came along. I saw their bodies of work and there was some really good work – not when you have six months to do a project, but when you have four days! Watching what they came back with and how they struggled with that was very interesting, and also to see how he motivated people”. Alan Davies, then Curator of Photography at the State Library of NSW, offered her honest feedback whenever it was needed. “He helped make sure I chose the right fork in the road when two were presented,” she says. Early on, Alan encouraged Lyndal not to get too dark with a camera. There are obviously many important but difficult and sometimes depressing stories worth telling in documentary photography, but they are not the only stories. He encouraged her to take on the lighter and the commonplace. “They are tough stories to tell with a camera, without being either cheesy or boring, but they are important to preserve too. And I’ve found that people really respond to them because they’ve experienced them directly.” Open Mind Physical culture – better known simply as “physie” – is of Australia’s oldest sports. It happens in cities and towns and suburbs all over the country. Thousands of girls train in it, but people are still surprised to hear it exists. This work sort of chose Lyndal. Conversations with a friend who has been competing in it for a few years often turned to how great a subject it would be for a documentary or photo series. “Then one day she just told me she’d organised permission for me to shoot a competition cycle. Access is about the greatest gift you can give a photographer, so the rest just had to happen no matter how busy I was at the time.” Lyndal’s resulting exhibition, Physie, was subsequently displayed at the State Library of NSW during July, August and September in 2015 26 “My work often begins with an everyday mystery that captures my imagination. In theory, I could photograph a subject I didn’t like or run an exposé on something horrible. I often start shooting with an open mind, but inevitably I grow to love the places I photograph. I know when a project is working not by the pictures, but by a feeling I’m being offered something more than I could construct or know to ask for. If I get that feeling, I know the images will be there. “Some of the times I’ve felt most alive have been while shooting so, in a way, it hasn’t really mattered if the pictures came out well… I had an amazing time. I think that might be the key. I live better through a lens. I wouldn’t say it’s a way of life, but it has a lot of positive effects. Patience, challenge and exploration. When I get stuck at traffic lights now, I am pleased because something might happen framed through my window. It’s just a different approach to everyday life when you are keeping an eye out for photographs.” In May 2015 Lyndal was awarded a Pool Grant for the On Parramatta Road project. The grant provides $10,000 to an emerging artist to enable them to create a body of photographs to be exhibited 12 months later at the next award ceremony. September 2015 was spent as an artist in residence with Leichhardt Council, and was spent prowling the streets looking for images and histories. Her On Parramatta Road exhibition was staged in May this year at the Articulate Project Space on Parramatta Road as part of the 2016 Head On Photo Festival. The Pool Grant is unique and apart from financial support, it includes advice from Pool photographers. Lyndal describes it as “an incredible resource” (for more information visit www.thepoolcollective.com/pool-grant). Hopefully Lyndal’s On Parramatta Road project will also morph into an amazing photography book with the help of a future caring publisher, and she won’t have the same problem as Robert Frank… who had to edit his 28,000 images down to just the 83 finally selected for publication in The Americans. To see more of Lyndal Irons’s photography visit lyndalirons.com.au Top left: Image from the Physie series. Clockwise from top right: Parramatta Road, Summer Hill. Late night football at the Wash n’ Wax, Concord. Maurice, corner of Johnston Street and Parramatta Road, Annandale. Benson Archery, Granville. Fiona, R. A. Motors, Granville. Street sign; all from the On Parramatta Road series. All photographs by Lyndal Irons, copyright 2016. PROFILE LYNDAL IRONS 27 CANON EOS-1D X MARK II CANON EOS 5DS R “Equipped with a newly-developed 20.2 megapixels (effective) full-35mm CMOS sensor, Canon’s new D-SLR flagship offers continuous shooting at up to 14 fps, or up to 16 fps in live view mode.” “Rivalling the resolution of many digital medium format cameras, the CMOS sensors in the Canon EOS 5Ds R and EOS 5Ds deliver an impressive 50.6 megapixels (effective) with continuous shooting at 5.0 fps.” ` Rugged, weather-proofed all-metal bodyshell ` Expanded ISO 50 to 409,600 sensitivity range ` Cinema 4K resolution video shooting ` 61-points AF and 360,000 pixels RGB+IR metering ` Maximum image resolution of 8688x5792 pixels ` Weather-sealed magnesium alloy body ` Dual memory card slots for SD and CF formats ` 61-points AF with 41 crosstype sensor arrays Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Best Photo/Video Professional Camera Canon EOS 5DS R Best D-SLR Professional/High Res CANON’S VERSATILE A2 PHOTO PRINTER WINS 2016 TIPA AWARD Desktop 17-inch format model is crowned Best Photo Printer by global imaging magazine group. F ive Canon imaging products won their respective categories in the prestigious 2016 TIPA Awards which are judged annually by the Technical Image Press Association, a global group comprising 30 of the world’s leading photography magazines. Canon’s winning products this year include the EOS-1D X 8 Mark II and EOS 5Ds R high-end D-SLRs plus Canon’s imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 A2 format photo printer. Held each year since 1991, the TIPA Awards recognise the best photo and imaging products announced during the previous 12 months, based on such criteria as innovativeness, use of leading-edge technologies, design and ease-of-use. Canon won its first TIPA Award in 1993 (for the EOS 100 35mm SLR camera) and has subsequently won awards every year since for a grand total of 78 products and technologies. The imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 represents a new breed of photo printer, combining many of the performance aspects of Canon’s wide-format professional floor-standing printers with the convenience of a more compact desktop design. Consequently, the imagePROGRAF PRO1000 ticks a lot of boxes for both professional and enthusiast-level shooters. It employs a newly-developed pigmented inkset called Lucia PRO which comprises 12 colours to give an extended colour gamut and smoother gradations. In fact, the PRO-1000’s increased colour gamut represents 110 percent of the existing PRO-1 model’s on lustre or gloss paper and 119 percent on matte papers. The Lucia PRO inkset comprises Photo Black and Matte Black – using separate channels – plus Grey and Photo Grey to give enhanced B&W printing. It also includes a gloss optimiser to reduce the bronzing effect when printing on lustre or gloss papers. Silicon oil has been added to the Lucia PRO inks to improve their resistance to scratching and abra- Canon ImagePROGRAF PRO-1000 Best Photo Printer “THE PROFESSIONAL PRINT MAKER WILL FIND THE STRENGTH AND QUALITY OF OF THE PRO-1000 APPEALING WHILE THE KEEN ENTHUSIAST WHO APPRECIATES TOP CLASS MACHINERY WILL BE EQUALLY ATTRACTED.” Canon’s imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 has been voted Best Photo Printer in the 2016 TIPA Awards. A FOCUS ON CANON The PRO-1000 can handle papers up to 400 gsm in weight, including canvas. It has WiFi, Ethernet and USB connectivity, and is supplied with Canon’s Print Studio Pro Version 2.0 plugin for Photoshop, Lightroom or Canon’s own Digital Photo Professional editing software which includes the Accounting Manager function – as also provided on the larger format models – to record the costs of ink and media for determining print production prices. In selecting the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 as Best Photo Printer for 2016, the TIPA Awards judging panel noted, “Combining the convenience of desktop use with a 17-inch wide paper capability and many of the features from Canon’s higher-end pro-level models, the PRO-1000 represents a new class of photo printer for enthusiasts. It uses a new 12-colour Lucia PRO pigmented inkset and Canon’s precision ‘FINE’ print head with a tubular ink delivery system that results in faster print speeds and stable print-to-print quality. There is a newly formulated Photo Black ink, while both it and the Matte Black have their own channels so no ink swap is needed when changing papers. A vacuum paper feeding system keeps sheets absolutely flat during printing, ensuring more accurate ink placement regardless of the paper weight and type.” Trevern Dawes CAMERA Magazine sions. The ink cartridges are 80 millilitres in capacity to extend the periods between replacements. The PRO-1000’s 1.28-inch print head (which is 1.5x larger than the PRO-1’s) employs 18,432 nozzles and Canon has developed a new image processing engine – called L-COA PRO – for more precise ink droplet placement and mixing of the inks while also reducing the processing time. An A2-size colour print (with 25 millimetre borders) on high gloss paper can be produced in six minutes. Equipped with the air feeding system found in Canon’s large-format imagePROGRAF inkjet printers, the PRO-1000 virtually eliminates paper skewing, regardless of paper weight and type, while also achieving more accurate ink placement. Additionally, non-firing nozzle detection and correction helps eliminate banding. 9 SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING LIGHTER WORK Professional Lighting Equipment Light is photography’s essential ingredient. We’ve come a long way since flash powder, and some of the most dramatic changes are taking place right now... Overview by Paul Burrows 30 he reduction of size and weight has been driving the design of cameras since the pioneers struggling with big wooden boxes thought that there just had to be a better way. It’s been the same with lighting equipment, particularly since the early days of studio flash and power packs that were so big and heavy they needed wheels. Remember Strobe anybody? A number of technological stars have aligned over the last few years to drive even greater changes in the design of photographic lighting equipment, especially in the move towards more portable systems. Of course, there are some that claim the ever-improving sensitivity of imaging sensors combined with more sophisticated noise reduction processing is reducing the need for artificial lighting sources, but the reality is that light in photography has never been just about exposure; there’s a creative element that Mother Nature often can’t supply. And having more light on tap has technical benefits too (faster shutter speeds, smaller apertures, etc, etc). In addition to increased portability, being freed from the constraints of a mains power supply has seen significant changes in the areas of ‘traditional’ studio flash which, of course, is now no longer confined to the studio. In just a few years, battery-powered systems now dominate, especially in monoblocs, but also in the portable pack-based systems which have two or maybe more outlets for flash heads. Advances in battery technology have been the key here, enabling smaller and lighter units which are both more efficient and can be recharged in shorter times. Consequently, bulky and heavy studio flash power packs are giving way to much more compact units – as largely pioneered by Elinchrom with its original Ranger series and later Quadra models, and now taken even further by Profoto with its ‘crossover’ B2 system which is part studio flash, part ‘speedlight’ kit. Likewise, battery-powered monoblocs are more numerous than the studiobound mains-powered models, except at the entry-level of the market where low cost is the priority The advantages of integrating a battery pack are obvious, starting with increased portability, but also including the elimination of another cable following on from the move to remote © Sandra Åberg Now Buy the B1 or B2. Get the OCF Beauty Dish for free. The new OCF Beauty Dish will bring out the beauty of your subject like no other Light Shaping Tool. Buy a B1 or B2 kit at your nearest dealer before June 7, and get the OCF Beauty Dish White 2’ and an OCF Speedring for free. Seize the offer at: NSW: Georges Cameras (02) 9299 2323 NSW: L&P Digital Photographic (02) 9906 2733 QLD: CameraPro Pty Ltd (07) 3333 2900 SA: Diamonds Camera Video & Digital (08) 8224 0665 VIC: Borges Imaging (03) 9646 2399 VIC: Michaels 03) 9672 2222 VIC: Specular Pty Ltd (03) 9091 2111 WA: Camera Electronic (08) 9328 4405 SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING triggering and control over some functions via radio frequency. So, for example, the Profoto B1 is fully functional on location with needing any cables at all (including TTL flash control, but more about this feature shortly). It’s easy to see why this also has advantages in the studio situation where a myriad cables snaking across the floor are often a hazard. Advances in capacitor technology are enabling shorter flash durations with faster recycling, so continuous shooting is possible at frame rates previously considered inconceivable. This is making studio flash equipment more attractive for shooting fast action, especially when battery power and greater portability allow it to be used in outdoor locations such as a mountain bike track or a skate board park. 1 2 4 3 LED Ahead The ability to freeze high-speed motion is the key advantage that electronic flash still has over the increasingly popular LEDbased lighting systems. LEDs (light emitting diodes) have taken over everywhere in lighting – film and theatre, automotive, domestic, personal devices such as torches and, of course, photography especially as the convergence with video continues. Compared to other forms of continuous lighting, LEDs are extremely efficient – by up to 85 percent compared to halogen or incandescent sources – hence they don’t waste so much energy as unwanted heat and even fairly small 5 1 The Bowens Creo 1200 flash power pack delivers flash durations as quick as 1/5000 second and colour stability from flash to flash of +/-40 degrees Kelvin. 6 2 Bowens’s Gemini 400 RX adds remote radio triggering to the British brand’s classic monobloc. 3 Elinchrom’s compact ELC Pro 500 monobloc delivers up 500 joules of flash power and has a built-in EL-Skyport wireless receiver. 4 Broncolor’s Move L portable power pack has a maximum output of 1200 joules with the either symmetric or asymmetric power distribution between its two outlets. 7 5 Profoto’s D4 line-up of studio flash power packs comprises 6 Broncolor’s brand new battery-powered Siros 800 L Monobloc can output up to 800 joules of flash power. 7 The Profoto B1 pioneered the company’s wireless TTL exposure control. 8 LED panels offer the advantages of efficiency, controllability and stability. 32 8 The moment you enjoy full creative freedom. This is the moment we work for. ively s u l c Ex Sony e h t fo r e ri e s αs // INSPIRATION MADE BY ZEISS The perfect bridge between classic photography and modern technology. Our lightweight ZEISS Loxia 2.8/21, ZEISS Loxia 2/35 and ZEISS Loxia 2/50 lenses give you the best of both worlds: the fantastic creative possibilities only offered by manual focus, and the benefits of compact, modern, mirrorless, full-frame sensor cameras from the Sony α Series. Let your creativity run free. And look forward to breathtaking images and videos. Find out more at www.zeiss.com/loxia ZEISS dealers www.zeiss.com/photo/dealer SPECIA ATURE PROFES ON L LIGHTING Who Sells What? STUDIO FLASH SYSTEMS BOWENS C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd, 300 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207. Telephone (03) 9823 1555. www.crkennedy.com.au, www.bowensdirect.com.au The Elinchrom ELB 400 compact battery-powered flash pack combines portability with a maximum power output of 424 joules. modelling lights – which can also be used as a continuous source when shooting video – are convincing, and ‘hybrid’ flash/ LED lighting products – such as monoblocs – are becoming more common. Need For Speed A growing number on-camera flash units (a.k.a. the speedlight) now also incorporate an LED source so they can be used for both photography and video. It’s the upsurge in the use of multiple speedlights as alternatives to monoblocs that no doubt spurred Profoto to put the time and resources into developing the wireless TTL automatic flash exposure controllers for its innovative B1 and B2 portable systems. In technical terms, though, this isn’t as easy as it looks, which is why there hasn’t exactly been a rush of competitor models, even though the B1 has now been around for well over two years. However, the convenience of TTL exposure control combined with the flexibility of a wide power range (and greater control over effects via light shapers) would seem to make following this route an inevitability for Profoto’s key rivals. The last time we looked at the professional lighting market, we asked whether the era of the big and powerful traditional flash floor pack was over. As the flexibility and convenience associated with better batteries, high-efficiency LEDs (or a combination of LEDs and a flash tube) and wireless TTL exposure control make the various portable options steadily more attractive for a whole range of applications, it’s hard not to conclude that this is the area of professional lighting that has undergone the greatest change. Of course, the natural habitat of the big pack – the big studio – is also largely gone, except for rental complexes which usually have rental lighting equipment available too. 34 Profoto’s B2 250 TTL combines the flexibility of dual ultra-compact flash heads with a wide power range up to 250 joules. There is always going to be a need for big lighting set-ups, but most photographers now service such requirements via the hire of studio space and appropriate flash equipment. And, in fact, it may not be flash equipment at all, as TV/film continuous lighting – including big LED panels – is a viable alternative when shooting a static subject. Nevertheless, the design of studio flash packs continues to advance too, again with the goals of enhanced portability, speed and operational convenience. As noted earlier, the pack-and-heads configuration has migrated through to a new generation of very compact battery-powered units which trade on the inherent flexibility of having two or more flash heads powered from the same generator – which also centralises the control operations. Both Elinchrom’s ELB 400 and Profoto’s B2 TTL are good examples of such products and, with maximum outputs of 400 joules and 250 joules respectively, are actually less powerful than many monoblocs. However, because both systems are very compact and use lightweight flash heads; in reality they’re as portable as carrying a couple of monoblocs. The speedlight option is also an increasingly popular one, not just because carrying even four or five units isn’t especially onerous, but because sophisticated wireless TTL exposure control makes such multi-light set-ups easy to manage. Additionally, there’s now a wide choice of accessories, including light-shapers and softboxes, for such set-ups, helping to overcome the limitations of a comparatively small-area light source. The growth in this market has seen a number of new ‘third-party’ brands – most notably from China – arrive to compete with the established camera brands such as Canon and Nikon, in some cases offering matching features and functionality at a distinct price advantage. This difference starts to become more marked if you’re buying two or more units when the total cost of a camera-branded speedlight system can then start to match that of battery-based studio light kit. Professional lighting equipment has always been about balancing power and portability, but you generally had to sacrifice one for the other to some extent, especially if you wanted to travel light. To some extent this is still true, but today’s portable systems are much less compromised – especially when combined with the sensitivity ranges of the latest imaging sensors – and, indeed, the various technological developments of the last few years have all contributed to a great scope for creativity and the capacity to solve many more lighting challenges. BRONCOLOR Sun Studios Australia Pty Ltd 42 Maddox Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015. Telephone (02) 9641 5555. www.sunstudiosaustralia.com, www.bron.ch ELINCHROM Kayell Australia Pty Ltd, 1/19 Hotham Parade, Artarmon, NSW 2064. Telephone (02) 9439 9377. www.kayellaustralia.com.au, www.elinchrom.com JINBEI PROtog 17-19 McKeon Road, Mitcham, Victoria 3132. Telephone (03) 8822 2248. www.protog.com.au PROFOTO C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd, 300 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207. Telephone (03) 9823 1555. www.crkennedy.com.au, www.profoto.com LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS APUTURE Kayell Australia Pty Ltd, 1/19 Hotham Parade, Artarmon, NSW 2064. Telephone (02) 9439 9377. www.kayellaustralia.com.au DRACAST Sun Studios Australia Pty Ltd 42 Maddox Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015. Telephone (02) 9641 5555. www.sunstudiosaustralia.com LEDGO PROtog, 17-19 McKeon Road, Mitcham, Victoria 3132. Telephone (03) 8822 2248. www.protog.com.au MANFROTTO Adeal Pty Ltd, 2 Baldwin Road, Altona North, Victoria 3025. Telephone 1300 723 001. www.manfrotto.com ROTOLIGHT C.R. Kennedy & Company Pty Ltd, 300 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207. Telephone (03) 9823 1555. www.crkennedy.com.au, www.rotolight.com CCAALL LL TTOODDAAYY FFOORR OOUURR TRY BEFORE YOU BUY OFFER!  

 


 







 















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 SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING Pack Light ELINCHROM QUADRA ELB 400 Elinchrom continues to refine its portable studio flash products, and the latest Quadra battery-powered location pack is the most compact and capable yet. REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS The ELB 400 pack is more compact than that of the earlier Quadra models and a whole kilogram lighter. Ranger philosophy, the ELB 400 has a ruggedised design, including very substantial rubberised bumpers along all exposed edges, a membrane-covered control panel, and stoppers for the flash head outlets, sync cable connection and microUSB port. With the battery pack fitted, the unit’s total weight is still a very manageable two kilograms, while the Quadra heads weigh in at a mere 280 grams. A two-head kit is available with its own custom hardcase (soft bag options are available) and the pleasant surprise is just how easy this is to carry around even over quite long distances… no need to go into training beforehand. The battery itself is a 14.4 volts lithium-ion pack (thankfully gel cels are being consigned to history) with an improved capacity which now gives up to 350 flashes at full power. If you’re using a lower output this number now climbs into the thousands. Lithiumion also allows for faster recharging… now just 90 minutes for a full tank. The battery unit clips quickly and easily to the base of the flash pack so if you are on a long shoot, the interruption while changing packs is minimal. The twohead kit includes a spare battery. Power Play AN INDICATION OF JUST HOW FAR the development of battery-powered studio flash packs has come is to compare Elinchrom’s original Ranger portable models with the latest version of its Quadra compacts. The size difference is very significant, as is the weight – even compared to the first incarnation of the Quadra, shaving off in the order of a kilogram – yet the Quadra 36 ELB 400 still delivers up to 424 joules of flash power. This represents a pretty appealing combination of portability and flash power, not to mention the various enhanced capabilities that Elinchrom has given the ELB 400 and which are designed to increase its versatility when shooting, particularly in outdoor locations. As per the original The ELB 400 has two flash head outlets with 2:1 asymmetrical power distribution. The flash power can be wound down all the way from 424 joules down to just 21 joules across the two outlets – or 14 from Outlet A and just seven at Outlet B. When the Quadra Action head is used, the shortest flash duration is 1/2800 second at maximum power using Outlet A, but 1/4000 second when using two heads. It’s even shorter – at 1/5700 second – when using just Outlet B’s max power (i.e. 140 joules). Recycle times can be as short as 0.17 seconds. Exposure and colour balance stability are excellent across the full power range. Clearly Elinchrom has Profoto’s B2 in its sights here, giving the ELB 400 similar sporting credentials for shooting fast-moving subjects. Auto dumping means lower power settings are re-adjusted virtually instantaneously. There’s a new, contrastier OLED-type display panel which includes a six- SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING stage level indicator for battery power, but conveniently the batteries also have their own LED-type capacity indicators so this can still be checked when they’re off the pack. Despite the increased capacity, obviously battery power is still precious so there are a number of management options for setting stand-by and auto switch-off delays, the modelling lamps in the heads and the recycling time. A handy ‘Statistics’ display option shows the flash count (for monitoring tube life) and pack’s total running time. Operations are performed entirely via push-buttons with easier-to-navigate menus, and the ELB 400 also gets a new set of flash modes – strobo (from one to ten flashes per second for up to five seconds), sequence (up to 20 units) and delay (i.e. for second curtain sync). The standard cable and photocell sync options are provided (the latter adjustable for preflashing), but additionally Elinchrom’s EL-Skyport radio frequency receiver is built-in and provides up to 20 channels in four groups. The ELB 400 is supplied with an EL-Skyport Speed RF transmitter, which also allows for the remote control of power settings. Importantly, the built-in receiver is compatible with the next-gen EL-Skyport Transmitter Plus which has an extended range of 200 metres, much-improved controllability, a tilt/swivel head and uses standard AA-size batteries (this transmitter is supplied in some of the kit options offered by distributor Kayell Australia). Heads Up As noted earlier, the Quadra flash heads are remarkable for their lightness of weight, and this is partially achieved by replacing the conventional halogen modelling lamp with an LED source. Rated at 20 watts, this is the equivalent of a 50 watts halogen lamp and its running time can be preset from the pack for durations of one to 60 seconds (the default is 15 seconds) or, more conveniently in some situations, left on continuously. IN DETAIL The control panel has been redesigned along with the menus and a new OLED-type display screen. Asymmetric power distribution is provided across the two flash head outlets. Protective stoppers now simply push-in rather than screw. Flash tubes are user-replaceable and here there’s the choice of a standard Quadra Pro head or the Action head, which has a fully-circular tube for shorter flash durations up to 1/2800 second at full power. The Action head is not just for high-speed applications, it works with the latest leaf-shutter lenses in digital medium camera systems which allow for flash sync at speeds of up to 1/1600 (Phase One) or 1/2000 second (Hasselblad). The Quadra heads have a shallow bayonet-fit reflector dish which, in turn, can be fitted with a clip-on diffuser (that also doubles as a protective cover). Alternatively, an adaptor ring – which also incorporates a reflector – can be fitted to provide compatibility with Elinchrom’s standard range of lightshaping accessories. The Verdict While the ELB 400 is smaller, lighter and faster than its predecessors, it’s still more of a dual-purpose unit than, say, the Profoto B2. While the latter offers the distinct advantage of TTL exposure control, it’s primarily designed for the great outdoors and, more specifically, shooting action with very short flash durations. Thanks to its higher power (and hence wider output range) and increased battery capacity, the Elinchrom pack works equally as well on location or in the studio. The capacity to fit standard accessories also helps in the latter situation while, in addition to the sheer portability, the availability of extension cables (up to ten metres in length) further increases its potential versatility in the former. The pricing is also competitive. Profoto is currently the big deal in this sector because of the sheer convenience of having TTL exposure control, but the Elinchrom ELB 400 still represents a viable alternative to both the B1 and B2. It’s much more powerful than the B2 and more flexible in a multi-light set-up than a pair of monobloc-style B1s. It’s also very easy to use with a realistic battery life, fast flash durations at useful power levels, and convenience features like being able to run the modelling lamps for as long as they’re needed. As a highly capable all-rounder in portable professional lighting, the Elinchrom ELB 400 is hard to beat. SPECS ELINCHROM QUADRA ELB 400 Maximum Power: 424 joules. Guide Number/f-stop: f64.5 (48-degree reflector, ISO 100, one metre). Number Of Outlets: Two. Power Distribution: Asymmetrical 2:1. Variable Power Output: 6.9 stops in 1/10, ½ or full-stop stop increments. Flash Duration (t=0.5): 1/1200 – 1/2800 second (Output A at 100 percent). Recycling Time: 1.6 seconds to 424 joules (fast mode). Modelling Lamp: 20 watts LED (equivalent to 50 watts halogen with programmable timing). Model Lamp Control: On/off, continuous and programmable timer. Triggering: 3.5 mm sync connector, photocell/IR receiver, EL-Skyport (radio frequency). Main Features: Compact, batterypowered unit giving approximately 350 flashes at full power; 14.4 volts lithium-ion battery pack, auto power dumping, OLED digital display, battery charge status display, audible signals, backlit control panel, battery charge indicator, flash modes (Strobo, Sequence and Delayed), auto power off (programmable time), memory stores settings, moisture protection, quick-release battery packs, multi-voltage charger, built-in Skyport receiver (20 channels, four groups), microUSB port for firmware upgrades. Size (WxHxD): 150x185x85 mm (including battery pack). Weight: 2.0 kilograms (including battery pack). Price: $2845 ‘Action To Go’ set comprising ELB 400 with one Quadra Action head, EL-Skyport Transmitter Plus and custom soft case. $3995 for kit comprising ELB 400 with two Action heads, spare lithium-ion battery and EL-Skyport Speed transmitter packed in a custom hard case. All prices include GST. Distributor: Kayell Australia, telephone (02) 9439 9377 or visit www.kayellaustralia.com.au 37 SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING Action Packed PROFOTO B2 250 AIR TTL Combining elements of a speedlight on-camera flash system with those of an on-location studio flash system, Profoto’s B2 opens up a whole new world of creative lighting opportunities opportunities. REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS Profoto’s B2 combines the convenience of TTL auto flash control with the flexibility of a two head system with full asymmetry. panel is also surrounded by rubberised sections to provide protection against knocks and scuffs. While the B2 isn’t fully waterproofed, there’s sufficient protection to enable it to be used in situations where spray or dust would normally be an issue. Once a head is plugged in, a twist lock secures it in place – reassuring given the some likely applications – and also prevents the intrusion of moisture. The power setting for each outlet is controlled independently, and the range is nine stops, adjustable in 1/10 crements. This means the power stop inc output can be wound all the way down from 25 50 joules to actually just under one jou ule (0.975 joules to be precise). In the Normal N mode, this gives a flash du uration of just 1/9300 second, but switch to the faster Freeze mode and it’s an even shorter 1/15,000 second. Also in Freeze mode, the recyclin ng is rapid enough to allow continu uous shooting at up to 20 fps. espite its compact size, the And, de B2 packk still incorporates a proper cooling fan to deal with those rapid-fire sequences, but this only cuts in when it’s needed to avoid an unnecessary drain on the battery. Head ds Up REMARKABLY, WELL OVER TWO years since it introduced the world’s first flash monobloc with TTL wireless flash control, Profoto is still unchallenged with this feature. It’s since introduced the B2, which further builds on the conveniences of TTL flash control, but is an even more adventurous product in terms of its design. The B2 is based on the idea of a very compact power pack – similar to Elinchrom’s Quadra, only smaller – which has a pair of outlets for connecting small and lightweight flash heads. In fact, the B2 head is small 38 enough to be mounted on-camera via a bracket b k t with th the th power packk carried d on a shoulder strap… in a similar style to the old Metz CT-series models. However, unlike the Metz units, the B2 packs a much bigger punch, but still with the convenience of TTL auto control. Just as the B1 repeats the distinctive styling of Profoto’s D1 monoblocs, the B2 pack looks a bit like a scaleddown D4. The battery simply clips to the base and the combined weight is just 1.6 kilograms. As the battery subsequently becomes the B2’s base, it’s completely encased in a tough rubberised material, while the control The ultrra-compact B2 flash head weighs 700 gra ams and incorporates an LED modelling lamp which is rated at nine watts, but b such is the efficiency of this light source, this is the equivalent of a 50 wa atts halogen lamp. Apart from reducin ng the demand on battery power, the LED D lamps also run a lot cooler. Like e the B1, the B2 flash heads have Prrofoto’s novel built-in reflector arrange ement so, for many applications, th thatt’s as compact as they need to be. A frosted front glass acts as a protector as well as delivering a more diffused and even illumination than would normally be the case with such a small light source. The B2 heads are also light enough to mount on things like a Gorillapod, and they can easily be tucked away in tight corners so they’re out of sight. Three-metre extension cables are available to extend the set-up options. Profoto offers an extensive system of ‘OCF’ (Off Camera Flash) accessories such as softboxes, a snoot, SPECIAL FEATURE PRO OFESSIONAL LIGHTING barndoors set and grids, so the lightshaping options are the same as any conventional studio lighting system. In keeping with the concept behind the B2, all the OCF light shapers are more compact and lightweight than Profoto’s standard accessories and, in the case of softboxes, have been redesigned to make them quicker and easier to set up. The B2 pack’s control panel layout is also simplicity itself. The main buttons operate in conjunction with a large LCD control panel which indicates their settings (i.e. Model On/Off, Mode Normal/Freeze and Ready Beep/Dim). There’s an extra-large level indicator for the battery just so you don’t miss it… as with the B1, the B2 is exclusively battery-powered. Up to around 215 full-power flashes can be obtained from a full charge, but as the B2 is often likely to be operating at lower power settings, the reality is that you’ll probably do a lot better than this even when shooting a lot of action sequences. Air Time There’s a choice of three low-profile, hotshoe-mounted remote triggers which are purchased separately. The first is the standard Profoto ‘Air Remote’, which is non-TTL and simply allows for remote synchronisation via the flash maker’s ‘Air’ control system which is based on UHF digital radio – operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz – to give a very short delay (as brief as 375 μs) and a range of up to 300 metres. For the owners of Canon D-SLRs there’s the Air Remote TTL-C, which allows for TTL automatic flash exposure control via Canon’s current E-TTL II flash metering system, and also control over various settings, including flash power, modelling lamp operation and switching between first/second curtain sync. It can also be switched to non-TTL operation for radio triggering. The Air Remote TTL-N makes the B2 compatible with Nikon’s i-TTL flash metering system. These two dedicated controllers have a USB connection, enabling firmware upgrades to accommodate future models of D-SLR. In TTL mode, the wireless range is reduced to 100 metres, although few users are going to find this isn’t sufficient. Importantly, you can have both the B1 and the B2 in the same S SPECS PROFOTO B2 250 P AIR TTL A The B2’s control panel is logically designed. Push-buttons along the right relate to the corresponding displays in the LCD panel. wireless TTL set-up as, to quote Profoto, “everything works with everything”. Furthermore, you can assign each of the B2 heads to a separate channel, further adding to the flexibility of this system. The conveniences of TTL auto flash control are many and addictive. If you do need to adjust the exposure, simply dial in the required amount of compensation at the camera. Similarly, if you don’t want your TTL exposures shifting as you change shooting angles, composition or framing, switch the Air Remote TTL controller to manual mode and the desired exposure is then effectively locked in. Alternatively, there’s an operating mode which uses the auto TTL control to establish an exposure and then allows for subsequent fine-tuning manually. High Speed Sync (HSS) enables you to shoot with flash at shutter speeds of up to 1/8000 second, but again Profoto has gone a bit further so its technology allows for speed and power with exposure consistency… previously you could have one or the other, but not both. It’s done by generating an extremely fast series of flash pulses – as opposed to the conventional method of using the long ‘tail’ of the flash output curve – which ensures an even exposure while maintaining both speed and power, and it obviously opens up a whole world of new opportunities when mixing flash and ambient light (for example, using wider apertures for shallow depthof-field in bright sunny conditions)… still all with full TTL control or with the ‘hybrid’ auto/manual control options explained in the previous paragraph. The Verdict The B2’s compactness, power range, full asymmetry, true high speed sync and, of course, convenience derived from TTL auto flash control make for a hugely potent lighting package. While it’s primarily designed for on-location, there’s no reason why you can’t use the B2 in the studio – it integrates seamlessly with the B1 after all. It’s become popular to promote a set of ‘speedlights’ as a compact flash lighting solution for shooting in challenging locations, but in practice this has never really proved to be satisfactory… the multi-unit set-ups are cumbersome, you have three or four or more control panels to fiddle with, and there’s a limit to what can be achieved in terms of light shaping. The Profoto B2 does the job far more effectively with the added bonuses of more power (and more controllable power), a far superior quality of light (again with more control), and much greater overall flexibility. M Maximum Flash Power: 250 joules. G Guide Number/f-stop: f32.2 (at two m metres and ISO 100 with Magnum rreflector). Variable Power Output: Nine stops, adjusted in 1/10 or full stop increments. Flash Duration (t=0.5): 1/1000 to 1/9300 second in Normal mode. 1/1000 to 1/15,000 in Freeze mode. Recycling Time: 1.35 seconds to 250 joules. Modelling Lamp: Nine watts LED (equivalent to 50 watts halogen). Modelling Lamp Control: Proportional, on/off, free adjustment. Triggering: Sync connector, switchable photo/IR cell, radio frequency. Main Features: Wireless TTL exposure control for selected Canon and Nikon D-SLRs, two flash outlets with fully asymmetric power distribution control, flash-to-flash output consistency of +/1/20 f-stops and colour temperature of +/-150 degrees Kelvin, Normal and Freeze speed modes, digital display, auto dumping, cooling fan, switchable audible signals, accepts standard Profoto system reflectors and accessories. Air Remote TTL-C is compatible with Canon D-SLRs with E-TTL II flash metering. Air Remote TTL-N is compatible with Nikon D-SLRs with i-TTL flash metering. Power Requirements: Rechargeable and interchangeable 14.4 volts lithium-ion battery pack. Dimensions (WxHxD): 80x170x60 mm. B2 Head (LxDiameter) = 103x100 mm. Weight: 1.6 kilograms (including battery pack). B2 Head = 700 grams. Price: B2 250 Air TTL ‘To-Go’ Kit = $2838 (comprises the B2 Off-Camera Flash with two B2 heads, one battery pack, battery charger 2.8A and B2 Carrying Bag, packed in the custom B2 Location Bag). B2 250 Air TTL ‘Location’ Kit = $3938 (comprises the B2 Off-Camera Flash, two B2 heads, two battery packs, the battery charger 2.8A and B2 Carrying Bag, packed in the custom B2 Location Bag). Profoto Air Remote TTL-C/N sells for $495. Distributor: C.R. Kennedy & Company, telephone (03) 9823 1555, www.profoto.com 39 SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING No Waiting For Godox GODOX V860 TTL ON-CAMERA FLASH Chinese company Godox shows the way ahead in speedlight design, dumping fiddly sets of AAsize batteries for a powerful lithiumion power pack. And the V860 adds the convenience of TTL control for either Canon or Nikon. REPORT BY PAUL BURROWS THE OWNERS OF ELECTRIC CARS talk of ‘range anxiety’, the stress associated with possibly running out of power before reaching your destination. There’s a similar stress associated with using on-camera flash units – despite whatever the specs might claim, you never quite know when a set of doubleAs is going to call it a day. Not with the Godox V680 though. It doesn’t use conventional batteries, but instead is powered by a substantial lithium-ion power pack with 2000 mAh on tap – Godox’s V860 on-camera flash is available in versions for either Canon or Nikon’s TTL flash systems. 40 roughly equivalent to a dozen AA cells – to give around 650 full-power flashes. Welcome to the 21st century. The V860 is Godox’s second generation lithium-ion powered on-camera flash, and the Chinese company had to deal with a few teething problems early on, but now with all the bugs sorted there’s no question this is the way to travel. Given that you’re unlikely to be always flashing at full power, the ‘real world’ range is likely to be much more than 650 pops… certainly enough to cover the typical wedding, for example. The V860 packs a handy punch in terms of flash power too… with a metric guide number of 58 at ISO 100, which equates to a working aperture of around f32 at one metre. And, inevitably, it’s significantly cheaper than the comparable camera-branded speedlights – even when you add in an RF wireless transmitter/receiver kit – yet the feature set is pretty competitive. There are two versions, for compatibility with either Canon’s E-TTL II system (V860C) or Nikon’s i-TTL (V860N), and the Godox flash can operate either as the commander unit or a slave unit in a wireless TTL set-up with branded flashes. To be honest, the V860 feels just as well-built as either a Canon Speedlite or Nikon Speedlight… the GRP casing is solid and the hotshoe foot has a metal mounting plate. With the battery aboard it weighs just under 600 grams so it can hardly be considered flimsy. The tilt/swing flash head has very meaty actions… in fact, the swivel is perhaps just a bit too stiff, but at least it’s going to stay exactly where it’s set without the need for a lock. The zooming reflector gives a coverage range equivalent to 24mm to 105mm (35mm format) with the option of either auto or manual adjustment. There’s a built-in, pull-down wide-angle diffuser which increases the light spread to the equivalent of a 14mm’s angle-of-view. There’s also a built-in catchlight panel… should you have use for such a thing. Up To Speed Another benefit of using a lithium-ion battery pack is faster recycling times, and Godox quotes just 1.5 seconds to recycle after a full power flash which is very rapid indeed. Of course, it’s even faster with lower power flashes. SPECIAL FEATURE PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING IN DETAIL Control panel layout is straightforward with the central control wheel for navigation and selection. Bye-bye AA batteries. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack good for up to 650 full-power flashes. Flash head incorporates a wide-angle diffuser and a catchlight panel. While the emphasis with V860 is on its compatibility with the Canon or Nikon optical-based wireless TTL flash systems, it can be operated fully manually with an adjustment range down to 1/128 of full. Additionally, there are exposure compensation and auto bracketing functions – both over a range of +/-3.0 EV – to supplement normal TTL operations. Driving the V860 is very straightforward via its large LCD info panel and various function buttons (although the latter aren’t back-illuminated) with a centralised control wheel for navigation. Godox pretty much sticks to the basics here, but there are the options of first/second curtain sync, HSS sync (up to 1/8000 second), a strobo mode and a modelling flash function. No frills then, but everything you’re likely to really need. One curious omission, though, is the absence of a flash distance scale from the info panel. We tested the V860C variant with both a Canon EOS 6D and an 80D plus a Canon Speedlite 580EX II (as it happens, its direct Canon rival) and found it integrates without any issues as either the master or the slave unit. The TTL auto exposure control was reliably accurate with both direct and bounce flash, and the Godox flash is fully controllable via the D-SLR’s ‘Flash Control’ menu. The only negative is that lighting ratios have to be set up manually, unit by unit, using the exposure compensation control. It’s important to note that a new version of the V860 models – announced just as this report was being written – includes a built-in radio receiver for wireless TTL control. The Verdict The flash head has tilt and swivel adjustments and zooming range equivalent to 24mm to 105mm. It’s tempting to say that affordability s the Godox V860’s main appeal, and this is certainly true if you’re buying multiple units, but it can hold its own in terms of capabilities and performance. At the top of the list is the high-capacity lithium-ion battery pack, but this is a well-built unit with a competent list of features and no issues as far as TTL system integration is concerned. It lacks some frills, so it’s more workhorse than show pony, but most importantly, it gets the job done. SPECS GODOX V860 TTL ON-CAMERA FLASH Guide Number: 58 (ISO 100/ metres). Flash Coverage: Equivalent to 24mm to 105mm (35mm format). 14mm with built-in diffuser panel. Auto/manual zooming. Head Settings: Swivel = 0 to 360 degrees. Tilt = -7 to 90 degrees. Sync Modes: First/second curtain, high speed up to 1/8000 second. Exposure Control: TTL automatic, manual (down to 1/128), exposure compensation up to +/-3.0 EV, auto exposure bracketing (up to +/-3.0 EV), exposure lock. Flash Duration (t=0.5): 1/300 – 1/20,000 second. Recyling Time: 1.5 seconds at full power. Triggering: Hotshoe, 2.5 mm cable connector, IR photocell, RF receiver. Main Features: Wireless TTL control (master/slave) for either Canon E-TTL II (V860C) or Nikon i-TTL (V860N), 650 full-power flashes from a battery charge, AF focus assist illuminator, LCD digital display panel, USB port for firmware upgrades, wireless control port (for FTR-16s non-TTL RF receiver), modelling flash function, strobo mode, built-in wide-angle panel, built-in catchlight panel, thermal protection circuit (after 30 consecutive full-power flashes), auto power-off. Power: Rechargeable 11.1 volts, 2000 mAh lithium-ion battery pack. Size (WxHxD): 76x190x64 mm. Weight: 540 grams (including battery pack). Price: $295 including battery charger and carry case. X1 TTL Flash Trigger = $85. X1 TTL Receiver = $79. Distributor: Kayell Australia, telephone (02) 9439 9377 or visit www.kayellaustralia.com.au 41 EVENT AUCKLAND FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY Photograph by P.J. Paterson. Work commissioned for the 2015 Auckland Festival Of Photography. 42 EVENT AUCKLAND FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY Truth And Fiction Auckland Festival Of Photography Soon to run its 15th event, the Auckland Festival Of Photography continues to expand and attract an international line-up of exhibitors to New Zealand. Alison Stieven-Taylor reviews the 2015 festival as a taster for this year’s show in June. 43 n a year when the legitimacy of the photograph as proof is under question once again with the rumblings in the last World Press Photo awards, the concept of truth and fiction in photography seemed an appropriate theme to explore in the 12th annual Auckland Festival of Photography in 2015. Festival director Julia Durkin says the choice of theme – Truth And Fiction – progresses the conversation around digitally constructed imagery, and also allows for the incorporation of photojournalism, providing the festival’s audience the opportunity to engage with the new as well as the familiar. The 2015 program combined the fictional and imaginary worlds of international artists like Julia Fullerton Batten (UK), Jae Hoon Lee (Korea) and Maria Kapajeva (Russia) alongside “hard hitting factual photojournalism”, including group screenings from Angkor Photo Festival. There was also solid representation from the local photographic community in New Zealand, with individual and group shows plus a new series by 2015’s commissioned artist, P.J. Paterson. Portfolio reviews, cultural symposiums and talks about contemporary photographic issues, such as the future of photojournalism (by yours truly), made the festival a drawcard for photography professionals and enthusiasts. I spent a hectic opening weekend running from one opening to another – many of which attracted large audiences – and meeting some fantastic photographers in the process. “Ninety percent of the work in the festival is by local artists and we are very proud to support New Zealand photography and promote our cultural identity through photography,” says Julia Durkin. “Within the theme there is a nice balance. I think it’s important for our audience to have exposure to international work they wouldn’t get to see, as well as New Zealand work that is part of SIGNATURE EXHIBITIONS Each year the Festival selects a series of ‘Signature Exhibitions’ that form the core of the program, which also features fringe exhibitions spread across the city and the suburbs. I’ve chosen four ‘Signature Exhibitions’ to demonstrate the breadth of work. 44 Maria Kapajeva Jae Hoon Lee Anne Noble Interiors Omnipresent No Vertical Song The series by Russian artist Maria Kapajeva comprised digitally manipulated collage artworks that use found photographs. In Kapajeva’s artworks we see Russian women in their domestic environment adopting the poses that Western mass media use to exemplify female sexuality. This commentary on the clash of cultures and the labelling of women builds on Kapajeva’s body of work that focuses on women’s issues in contemporary society, and the cultural and social stereotypes that are perpetuated by the mass media. New Zealand based Jae Hoon Lee is originally from Seoul. His series Omnipresent was an artistic departure for him, and is the result of a six-month residency in 2014 at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York. By layering original photographs taken across multiple occasions and locales, Lee weaves fragmentary images into dense, digital compositions. Elusively hyper-real, Lee’s landscapes build a technologically amplified version of the world around him. His intention is to envelop multiple moments within these mural-scale images creating an artwork that moves the viewer beyond reality and into the realm of the surreal. Portraits of dead bees have never been so interesting. But this exhibition is more than a microscopic view of the Apis in rigor; it is a commentary on our relationship with the natural world and explores the notion of a time when the bee may be extinct. Noble is one of New Zealand’s most celebrated photographers and the 2015 winner of the coveted Overseas Photographer Award in the 31st Higashikawa Awards held in Japan. These works were truly stunning and highly engaging. Murray Lloyd and Peter Evans Oil & Water: Is Clean Water The New Oil? The works of two New Zealand photographers – Wellington-based Murray Lloyd and Auckland’s Peter Evans – were combined in this exhibition to explore the notion that clean water may soon become a precious, and valuable, global commodity as pollution and climate change influence the availability of this essential resource. The concept – like Anne Noble’s bees – is scarily close to reality and adds to the richness of the festival’s overall theme of truth and fiction. ""(
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  $  Stand out from the crowd It has recently been suggested that of all the photographs ever taken in the world... 10% were taken in the year 2012! Tell them you are a professional, show them you are a professional and demonstrate to them what a professional can do. www.aipp.com.au EVENT AUCKLAND FESTIVAL OF PHOTOGRAPHY 2015 Commissioned Artist P.J. Paterson the cultural landscape, contemporary and also archival. It’s a very New Zealand bias program, and that’s what we’re here for.” Universal Language Auckland has one of the most diverse communities with more than 160 languages spoken in a city with a population of only 1.4 million. “Photography is a universal language and can engage people no matter their mother tongue,” says Durkin. “The great thing about festivals is they are conduits for community engagement for the delivery of cultural experience and the building of cultural currency. We are the only photography festival in New Zealand and we have managed to build and maintain it. I’d like to think there are 12-year-olds in Auckland that have never known the city without a photography festival.” In 2015 the Auckland Council granted the festival long-term funding, a breakthrough Durkin puts down to the increased profile of photography in the Asia Pacific. “There is a change in the air now,” says Durkin, who credits the collaboration between regional festivals through the Asia Pacific Photo Forum for shifting the focus away from European, American and Japanese photography and putting the spotlight on our region. “We’ve positioned ourselves fantastically to be able to capture 46 this shift because we’ve actually led it with our partners in Australia [Head On and the Ballarat International Foto Biennale]. It’s nice that we are now in a position where the cultural funding agencies in New Zealand are taking note and are now supporting what we are doing because of that. It’s taken us having this network in place and being able to take New Zealand photography off shore for them to suddenly wake up and say ‘hang on, that’s amazing, we want to support it’ .” Photograph by P.J. Paterson. Work commissioned for the 2015 Auckland Festival Of Photography. Punching Above Its Weight The Auckland Festival of Photography really punches above its weight and reflects the passion and commitment of its small team The great thing about festivals is they are conduits for community engagement for the delivery of cultural experience and the building of cultural currency. - Julia Durkin, director, Auckland Festival Of Photography. “This is my first public commission, it’s awesome,” said P.J. Paterson. “Working with the festival’s theme of Truth And Fiction meant the brief was very broad and wasn’t beyond my normal scope… my work is highly manipulated. It’s not a real representation of what I see, but rather what I feel.” Paterson’s images – where the refuse of a consumerist society mars pristine landscapes – create a metaphor for the waste generated in our cities, yet this is incidental rather than conscious. “I’m not really trying to convey a message or a belief of mine,” he explains, “but it is amazing just how much stuff we make and buy and throw away. There’s a kind of beauty to it, like there is with images of derelict buildings. There’s something cool about it, they look amazing even though it’s someone’s hurt. There’s kind of a voyeurism to it rather than being right in it.” To fulfill the festival commission, Paterson created five new works that deal with urban landscapes and feature images he shot in Shanghai early in 2015. This new series built on his existing work where Paterson inserts unlikely objects or buildings into existing streetscapes to create newly imagined cities. While it is obvious Paterson’s images are manipulated, it doesn’t lessen the political and social themes that give them weight. headed by director Durkin and curator Elaine Smith. It’s no easy feat to put together an annual photo festival on a shoestring budget and to continue to grow the content and extend the conversation. The 2015 event attracted photography professionals from as far away as Lithuania, Poland and France. There was also a solid contingent from Australia. If you haven’t ever been to the Auckland Festival Of Photography, book your ticket for this year (see dates below) as it’s well worth the short trip over ‘the ditch’. The 14th Auckland Festival Of Photography runs from 2 to 24 June 2016. For more information visit www.photographyfestival.org.nz Alison Stieven-Taylor is a writer and photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. Visit her blog www. photojournalismnow.blogspot.com BUSINESS MATTERS MOBILE-FRIENDLY WEBSITES W hen we looked at the issue of mobile-friendly Websites a few years ago, it was more-or-less an optional extra. Today, it’s absolutely critical, following Google’s decision to prioritise mobile-friendly Websites in any searches conducted on mobile devices from April last year. And the decision is quite understandable given that, in Australia alone, 8.9 million people with an internet-enabled mobile phone downloaded a mobile app in the six months to May 2013, with 4.3 million downloading a banking and finance app, and 2.9 million downloading a shopping app, according to ACMA research. All these stats will have certainly increased over the last two years. Essentially, the Google change has meant that mobile-unfriendly sites are pushed to the bottom of the pile when you do a search on any mobile device (searches on a desktop or laptop aren’t affected. That’s something you seriously don’t want in these days of fleeting attention spans where people won’t waste time searching too deeply. The good news, though, is that mobile-friendly Websites will achieve improved rankings. Determining the mobile friendliness or otherwise of your site couldn’t be easier. Go to www.google.com/webmasters/ tools/mobile-friendly (or simply Google the words “mobile friendly”) and type in your Website address. Google runs an analysis, and reports back with an ‘awesome’ if it passes, and if it fails, provides pointers as the where it falls down. For example, it may say: Make Your Website More Mobile Friendly With mobile devices now in more frequent use than desk-bound computers or laptops, optimising your Website so it’s easier to use on the go is an absolute priority. Rosemary Ann Ogilvie provides some advice. t t t t Content wider than screen Links too close together Text too small to read Mobile viewport not set (see https://developers.google. com/speed/docs/insights/ ConfigureViewport) Take these comments on board, even if you don’t agree with them. It’s what Google sees and this influences how your Website is ranked, end of story. Call up your Website on your smartphone and check the appearance yourself… chances are you’ll find Google’s comments are spot on. Check out your competitors’ sites while you’re there, to see how they stack up. Friendly Options The old mobile-friendly option was to either use plug-ins to create a separate, 48 BUSINESS MATTERS MOBILE-FRIENDLY WEBSITES OPTIMISE YOUR WEB PAGES You can make a number of adjustments to the layout of your Web pages to ensure they display well on a small phone screen. LANDING PAGE Eliminate everything that isn’t absolutely necessary for the landing page. The more there is, the longer it will take to download, and the more there will be to distract your visitors. Distracted readers leave. Keep in mind the way people are likely to use your site on a mobile device. They may be looking for your location or how to contact you to get a quote or make a booking, so the easier it is to access this information the better their experience. To this end, place your business name, contact information, location and – if relevant – a link to a map on the top left of the landing page. IMAGES Don’t position large images at the top of the page as it dramatically slows the loading – unless of course it’s part of a photo gallery. Crop each image tightly and keep images small. The smaller they are – in terms of both dimension and download time – the happier mobile customers will be. Remember that download limits apply to mobile networks and users don’t want to use their entire allocation, or pay extra, for downloading excessive images or navigation icons. A good rule of thumb is to restrict individual images to a maximum of 12 KB, and the total size of a Web page – including all images, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – to 100 KB at most, but optimally 50 KB. GIF files include an index of the colours present in the image. This index can include more colours than are actually displayed, so reducing the index to only the colours present in the image produces a further reduction in the file size. mobile-friendly site, or to build a completely separate site – which then involved the additional workload of keeping two sites updated. These mobile versions tend to have the ‘.m’ subdomain – and the risk now is that search engines may not be able to find a site that has a second URL. Google advocates a single URL, both for findability and for search engine optimisation (SEO). Adaptive versus mobile These days, adaptive design is the high-end of Web design. Used by major corporations for maximum reach, adaptive design detects and identifies the user’s device and then generates pages tailored to the capabilities of that specific device. Alternatively, you can hire a professional designer to create a custom website: just be sure they understand the term ‘Responsive Web Design’ (RWD) before signing on, because for the majority of 50 ALL PAGES Replace words with conventional mobile icons where possible for tap to call, to connect socially or to find the menu. Position navigation buttons so users can easily find what they’re looking for without a lot of clicks or scrolling. Ideally, your site should be navigable with one thumb and require no pinching – people want the ability to navigate with their ‘phone hand’ without using their other hand. Have large, touchable buttons to accommodate ‘fat’ fingers. An adult’s average index finger is 15 to 20 millimetres which translates to 45 to 57 pixels. So, ideally, allocate at least 45 pixels of space to buttons or tap elements. This ensures the targets on screen are easily selectable and reduces the incidence of accidental taps. Short URLs are the ideal when they have to be typed in, but conversely a long link is actually easier to tap onto so, where possible, use three to five words for an embedded link. Use larger font sizes – say 16 point – as segments of text on a cell phone can become difficult to read. Experiment with different fonts. A popular belief is that sans serif fonts (which don’t have the little flicks at the ends of each character) are easier to read, but there’s no conclusive evidence about this. Aim for between 30 to 40 characters per line, and wrap any long strings of words with a word-wrap style so the text will break to the next line rather than running off the page, enabling the user to see the whole text without needing to scroll around. Position key information ‘above the fold’ (i.e. the part of the page visible on a device without needing to scroll). However, when it comes to articles, don’t break them up into multiple pages. While it can be difficult to scroll on a phone, scrolling is generally easier than clicking. Change certain form input attributes – very easy for someone with a knowledge of HTML – to make life easier for mobile users. If your Website uses input fields to request a user’s name and address, switch off ‘auto correct’ and switch on ‘auto capitalise’ as this saves the mobile user having to toggle the caps key for each word. For the email address, use the emailspecific input field so the user is presented with the ‘@’ key without having to search for it. Future-Proofing Your Website When thinking about investing in Web redesign, you need to ensure you future-proof your site to the greatest extent possible. It needs to accommodate not only screens smaller than the typical desktop screen, but also considerably larger: ultra-large desktop screens, giant screen televisions and, possibly sooner than we anticipate, refrigerator doors, bathroom mirrors and more. SMEs, RWD is the most cost-effective alternative for building mobile friendliness – and it’s what Google recommends. RWD is not the same as mobile design which, as mentioned, involves creating an entirely new Website or Web app with content specifically created for the mobile experience. Instead, RWD retains the same domain and content, but the Website is laid out and coded in a way that offers the flexibility to provide an optimal viewing experience across a wide range of devices. An RWD site, on the other hand, responds automatically to the size of the particular screen, whether desktop monitor, notebook, mobile or tablet. This eliminates the need for a user to pinch the text or scroll from side-to-side to have all content visible and readable, thereby ensuring an easier browsing experience. Certainly, mobile device users are well accustomed to swiping, but doing it constantly on a single Website becomes annoying. For DIY-ers, platforms such as the highly popular WordPress (https://wordpress.com) and GoDaddy (https://au.godaddy.com) offer designs that suit a range of screen sizes. Once again, look for the word ‘responsive’ when choosing a theme. However, if your existing site is based on a non-responsive theme you’re happy with, or that would be difficult to change, you or your Web designer can make it responsive by adding code to your CSS file. Check out the tutorial (http://colorlabsproject.com/tutorials/make-your-wordpresstheme-responsive) which shows how to transform WordPress’s non-responsive Twenty Ten theme into a responsive one. A number of cost-effective online mobile site creators enable you to convert your current Website into a mobile-friendly version. You’ll find a comprehensive listing at www.mobyaffiliates.com/blog/ the-best-mobile-website-and-app-building-tools/ Do your due diligence before committing. Take out a month’s trial where offered, ensure it suits your level of expertise and produces the results you require, and check user review sites. While this is not a recommendation, it is worth mentioning that Fiddlefly (http://fiddlefly.com), which is suitable for novice users, appears to be an extremely popular option with a good reputation. Rosemary Ann Ogilvie can be contacted via email by writing to [email protected] The W idest Gamut in L a rge Format THE NEW EPSON P-SERIES GRAPHICS RANGE + &"#!#
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