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                        *      PHOTOGRAPHY HAPPENINGS !!     *
                        *        Photography news in Singapore       *
                        **************************************************

 Greetings all photo enthusiasts !!

1) This a private mailing list for photographers in Singapore, so that we
can all be kept informed of the latest happenings in the photographic
circle, eg. any courses, outings, interesting websites, and new products in
photography.

2) If you wish not to receive any mails, or if you have any photography
enthusiast friends who wants to be added onto this list, pls e-mail me their
e-mail addresses.  All the recipients on this mailing list will not be
listed, so your address will be kept private and confidential.

3) Depending on the amount of news, you should be receiving one update every
two weeks or so. If you have any news of photographic interest you wish to
share with the rest, pls mail it to me !! Remember, this mailing list is
only as good as the info I receive !

4) I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted, but I'll try my best to verify the information before putting it up.

                                                        Best regards,
                                                        Nelson Tan
 

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Issue #9                                                   Dated: 18 Nov 1998

                                *** CONTENTS ***
 

Okay, and in this issue of "Photography Happenings !!", we have:
 

        1) Announcements
           - Vacation Time !!
           - Website listing
           - Leonid Meteoroid Shower photos
           - New Article on Medium Format Photography

        2) New Products
           - No new product releases

        3) Website Reviews
           - Outdoor Images
           - Christopher Hauth Photography
           - Polaroid Artist Gallery
           - Michael Patrick Wong's Underwater Photography
           - Fodor's Photography Guide

        4) Events in Singapore
           - SAFRA Photographer Of The Year Opening Ceremony cum Exhibition
           - Photographic Competition (International Year of Older Persons)
           - Contax Club's Photo Exhibition on Germany
           - Copyright Issues Luncheon Talk
           - Singapore River Buskers' Festival '98

        5) Photography tips
           - Polarizing the skies
           - Model release

        6) Classified Ads
           - No classified ads

________________________________________________________________________________

                             * ANNOUNCEMENTS *

Vacation Time !!
----------------
I will be away from Singapore during the period 21st November to 12th December. Thus, there will not be any issues  at least until late-December. You can still send the classified ads and contributions to me via e-mail.

I shall be visiting the United States and Thailand, and I hope to be able to
set up a gallery website when I return (that is, if I find the images good enough). Anyone volunteering to scan my slides and pictures ? Keep your fingers crossed !!

By the way, there are lots of events this month to keep yourselves busy, including a competition, 2 exhibitions (very good ones), a luncheon talk, a new article and some performances for you to shoot !
 

Website Listing and Bounced Mails
------------------------------------
I'm trying to create a links page for photographers' website. So if you have a website with photographic contents, why not send me your website address so that I can compile them together ?? It would serve as a great resource for people surfing the net for local photographers. Who knows ? Maybe a Art Director may stumble upon your website via the links page, and hire you for a job !! Because I'll be away, please keep the e-mail short by sending me your web address only. Do not hit the "Reply" button and send me the entire copy of this issue !!

Sometimes, when your server is down or when your mailbox is full, I get bounced mails. This means that you do not receive your issue of Photography Happenings. I cannot resend the mails specifically to those bounced mailboxes, since it will take a lot of time. If you did not receive a specific issue, please download it from the archives at the official homepage.
 

Leonid Meteoroid Shower photos
------------------------------
I didn't catch the Leonid meteroid shower, becuase the entire sky was cloudy that night, at least from where I was. Guess I would have to wait another 33 years. If any of you on the list have caught the phenomenon on film, and have scanned it onto the web, you could send me your web address so that the rest of us could see what happened that night, without having to wait another 33 years.
 

New Article on Medium Format Photography
----------------------------------------
I have received quite a number of enquiries about medium format photography,
and I felt that it would be worthwhile to write an article on the basics of medium format photography. The article is basically for the intermediate level photographer who wants to move up into medium format. It provides basic information on medium format, and a brief roundup of the more popular models of medium format cameras in Singapore. It took me quite a while to write this one, so please take your time to read it, and don't expect new articles for a while !

You can find the article at the following location:
 

        http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~nelson88/mfphoto.html
 

                                        [Total list membership stands at 293]

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                            *  NEW PRODUCTS  *
 
 
No new product releases
-----------------------

There is no new product releases. If you spotted anything new or interesting, feel free to inform me via e-mail. The infomation should preferably include the brand, model, functions, price and where to get it.
 

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                           * WEBSITE REVIEWS *

 
This issue's recommended websites are biased towards nature and outdoor photography :
 

Outdoor Images
--------------
Mervyn Sek highly recommends the following websites. I've checked them out, and the pictures in the gallery are breathtaking images of the outdoors. Makes you wish that you're in Antartica with the penguins now !!

http://www.lanting.com/store.html
http://www.extremeimages.com/
http://www.mountainlight.com/

                                                  <Contributed by Mervyn Sek>
 

Christopher Hauth Photography
-----------------------------
See some of the most beautiful landscape images of the Pacific Northwest.View snowcapped mountains,cascading waterfalls, rivers, lakes and ancient forests. There are around 20 images in the gallery. If you're into outdoors photography, you must check this one out !!

                http://www.open.org/hauthc/index.html
 

Polaroid Artist Gallery
-----------------------
If you're into creative art works, check out the Polaroid Artist Gallery to see how you can manipulate Polaroid materials to get creative and unusual effects. These guys really spend a lot of effort trying to find new uses for their products !!

                http://www.polaroid.com/studio/artists/index.html
 

Michael Patrick Wong's Underwater Photography
---------------------------------------------
In a simple statement: underwater photography seldom looked this good !!!

If you've never considered taking up underwater photography, Michael Patrick Wong's gallery might just persuade you to change your mind !! Check out his 15 amazing images of the underwater kingdom, and you might just be plunking down your cash for a Nikonos and a scuba-diving trip to Bali.

        http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/underh20/index.htm
 

Fodor's Photography Guide: How to Take Travel Pictures Like a Pro
-----------------------------------------------------------------

         With the assistance of author and photographer Jeff Wignall, Fodor's has put together an invaluable guide to shooting great travel pictures: Nearly 100 easy-to-follow tips, with accompanying photos, covering every aspect of travel photography. A great site indeed !!

                        http://www.fodors.com/focus/

(Highly recommended for beginners and intermediate photographers)

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                            * EVENTS IN SINGAPORE *
 

SAFRA Photographer Of The Year 1998 Opening Ceremony cum Photo Exhibition
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The SAFRA Photography Club will be holding the opening ceremony cum photo exhibition of SAFRA Photographer Of The Year 1998 photographic competition.
The details are as follows:

Date/Time:          Tuesday, 24th November 1998 at 7.00 pm
Venue:              UOB Plaza I, Raffles Place
Exhibition dates:   25th to 27th November 1998 from 9am to 7pm.

All are welcome.
 

*My comments*
SAFRA photo exhibitions lean heavily towards salon-style photography, but they are of high-standards. Do make an effort to take a look at the 3-day exhibition. Just alight at Raffles Place MRT station, and go out by the UOB Tower exit.
 

 
PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION FOR INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF OLDER PERSONS 1999
---------------------------------------------------------------------
THEME: Towards A Society For All Ages
 
OBJECTIVE
The competition is organised in conjunction with the International
Year of Older Persons (IYOP) 1999. The objectives of the competition are :
 
-- project a positive image of senior citizens
 
-- foster the awareness that growing old does not mean a loss of physical and mental ability; but offers opportunities for further development and contribution to society
 
-- promote the vision of a more inclusive and cohesive society that
does not discriminate between the ages
 
ELIGIBILTY
-- Student category: Open to students of sec schools, JCs, ITEs and polys.
-- Open category: Open to all S'pore citizens and PRs

SOME IMPT RULES AND REGULATIONS
-- mere portraits of senior citizens are NOT deemed to project such a positive image as required
-- max of 4 8R COLOR prints per entrant (must be mounted on 30 X 40cm cardboard)
-- all entries will not be returned
-- prize winners must surrender the negatives
-- etc

CLOSING DATE is 31 Mar 1999

PRIZES
Student Category
1st prize:    $1500
2nd prize:    $1000
3rd prize:    $500
10 consolation prizes    $200 each
School prize:    $1000
 
Open Category
1st prize:    $3000
2nd prize:    $2000
3rd prize:    $1000
10 consolation prizes:    $300 each
 
Official entry forms are available at PSS Geylang clubhouse
For further enquiries, one may contact Ms Tng Hwee Noi at 354-8305
or The Photographic Society of Singapore at 743-4835

organiser: Ministry of Community Development
co-organiser: Photographic Society of Singapore

                              <Info contributed by Mervyn Sek and Ng Ken Liong>
 
 

Contax Club's Photo Exhibition on Germany
-----------------------------------------

In conjunction with the German Cultural Week 1998.The Contax Club will be holding a photography exhibition on the images a professional team took during
a September trip to Germany. The exhibition will be held at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, from 20th to 22nd Nov 1998. Admission is free. Don't miss it !!

                                      (Info taken from "Life" - ST Nov 10, 1998)
 

Copyright Issues Luncheon Talk
------------------------------
The Institute of Advertising, Singapore (IAS) is organizing a luncheon talk on the copyright issues relating to film, photography and music. The guest speaker is Mr. Richard Tan, a partner of the law firm Lee & Lee. It is organized to inform artists, producers and photographers interested to know of their legal position and rights. Listen over lunch, a talk on the often-confusing issues relating to rights of ownership of photographic works and music. But this talk will not come cheap. It costs $48 per person and $38 if you're a IAS member. But you do have to take into consideration that it includes a lunch at a moderately posh location.
 

               Date: 25 Nov, 1998 (Wed)
               Time: 12 to 2 p.m
               Venue: NUSS Orchard Guild House
                      8th Floor, Cineleisure
               Costs: $48 per person
                      $38 (for IAS member)
                      Inclusive of sit-down lunch served at 12.30 p.m

               Closing Date: 20th Nov 1998 or when all seats are booked
               Call IAS at 220 8382 for information on reservation

*my comments*
All in all, this will be a enlightening session for those planning to turn professional, or for those engaging in free-lance work. Singaporeans in general have very poor knowledge of their legal stand on copyright issues. Do take time to attend this seminar if you want to prevent yourself from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous businesses engaging your services. Perhaps you could tell this newsletter some of the knowledge you learnt if you attended the seminar, for the sake of those of us who could not attend.
 
 

Singapore River Buskers' Festival '98
-------------------------------------
This is the second time that the Singapore Tourism Board has organized a buskers festival. 22 performers from 7 different countries will be performing at Clark Quay, Riverside Point and Robertson Walk. The buskers will be performing various thrilling acts, and they will be great photographic subjects. Because some of the acts they'll be performing are highly dangerous, please do not distract them by using flash when taking photos. Try instead to use high-speed films and fast-aperture lenses.

        Date: 14th to 22nd November 1998
        Time: 6.30 - 11.00 p.m (Mon-Thu)
              6.00 - 11.00 p.m (Fri-Sun)

*Photo Tip*
Use a longer lens (around 105mm) and wide-aperture to throw the background out of focus, so that you can concentrate focus on the performer, and try not to include too much audience in background. Finally, try to catch the performer at the peak of the action.
 

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                             * PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS *

Polarizing the skies
--------------------
Many people know that using a polarizer will darken blue skies, provided the
sun is at 90 degrees to your left/right shoulders. But many people tend to over-do the effect, by polarizing the skies to the maximum. This leads to a nearly black sky, creating a graphic by unnatural result.

Try to slightly polarize the skies, rather than going full-strength on the polarizer. It gives a more believable result that total polarization. Sometimes, too much of something can be a draw-back.

In addition, you may find that adding a polarizer will make the image look cold. You can warm up your image by adding a 81A filter, or buy warm-polarizers which has a 81A effect built-in to counteract the cool nature of the polarizer. Only the more expensive brands have such a variety, such as Tiffen and B+W.
 

Model Release
-------------
A model release is a legal document that is signed by the model to release the rights of the images to the photographer for commercial use. If you don't have a model release signed by the model, and you use the images for commercial purposes such as in advertisements, you are liable to be sued. However, non-commerical purposes such as your personal portfolios is okay. Some competitions require you to have a model release, as they may use the winning entry for promotional purposes. So it is always useful to have your model sign a release, to avoid future legal hassles. To make it a legal document, the model must be more than 21 years of age. Her legal guardian or parents will have to sign on her behalf if she is underaged. A model release is available from this site:

           http://www.photo-one.com/resources/adult_model_release.html
 

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                              * CLASSIFIED ADS *

(Disclaimer: the list maintainer will not take responsibility for any transactions carried out through this classified ads.)
 

No classified ads
-----------------

I did not receive any classified ads for this issue.
 
________________________________________________________________________________
 

That's all, folks !
Happy shooting !!!

                                                 Your friendly list-maintainer,
                                                                    Nelson Tan
 

Visit the official "Photography Happenings !!" website at:
 
                        Http://home1.pacific.net.sg/~nelson88