Rangefinder Magazine
March 2006

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The Bond Between WPPI and AIPP Peter Skinner
 

“Pontecuti”; Eastway explains, “I drove past this small bridge in front of Pontecuti in Umbria, Italy, and knew I could use it for something. By adding in the running figure, I’ve been able to create a story.”

While there is no single, definitive reason why the Australians have made such an impact at WPPI, there is at least one major influencing factor—the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. AIPP is a trade association primarily for commercial, wedding and portrait photographers, but it is open to people working in related industry services, such as equipment suppliers, lab techs, studio managers and educators.

Founded in 1963, AIPP is a not-for-profit organization with a mission similar to those of its international counterparts—to promote and maintain the highest standards of professional competence and business ethics in the industry. To accomplish these goals, the AIPP maintains rigorous entry criteria and a binding code of ethics for its members. Additionally, it is a strong advocate for professional education; AIPP provides seminars, workshops, and contests, and brings in international speakers for its approximately 1000 members.

“Alba”; Alba is a small village in northern Italy. This image has been heavily retouched so just the building and the mountains in the background remain. “I like to simplify images where possible, and the village behind this building was distracting. With Photoshop, I reduced the image to its essential components,” says Peter Eastway.

Peter Eastway of Sydney is the current chairman of the Canon Australian Professional Photography Awards. Eastway is well qualified to comment on the state of the industry Down Under. He has won the AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year Award twice—in 1996 and 1998—and was recently made a Fellow of the AIPP. He also won the Grand Award in the Commercial Category at the WPPI’s 2005 Awards of Excellence Competition. Magazines published by Eastway’s company include Better Photography, Better Digital and Better Photoshop Techniques. He points to the Canon/AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards with their points system as being instrumental in raising the standard of Australian photography to equal the best in the world. (He also points out that New Zealand is a hotbed of strong photography.) “The AIPP also pushes business issues through the membership publication, The Working Pro, but it is hard to educate photographers who are not really interested or capable in business matters. This remains an ongoing challenge,” he says.

Where the AIPP is really valuable is in fostering camaraderie and relationships among its members, and in providing a vital network for communication among peers. While the increasing participation by Australian photographers in WPPI is a tribute to the efforts made by the individuals, AIPP’s role, albeit an unofficial one, has also been important.

“Assisi“; This image was photographed in the forecourt of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, using Canon’s 24mm shift lens. A group of tourists have been retouched to look like monks in the backgroun

AIPP president Phil Kuruvita sees it this way: “The great relationship that Australian photographers have built with WPPI started with individual photographers looking to explore new horizons and then coming back to Oz and spreading the word through the network of AIPP. There has been no real official connection between the two bodies, but it’s certainly a great international relationship.

“These relationships are important as we all tend to go through the same issues at some stage or another. Being a volunteer organization with a relatively small number of members, it is important for us to keep an eye on overseas trends, as it may well save us from reinventing the wheel. At the same time, our smallness means we are able to adapt at a quicker rate, and so change seems to happen quicker here than it does in some of the larger countries. “At an individual level, it is always good to challenge yourself and go out of your own comfort zone. For some Australian photographers this has meant looking outside the country to groups like WPPI— some are pushing themselves to submit work outside of their normal areas; others have taken the opportunity to present and lecture. And the thought of traveling to new places and meeting new friends is appealing.

“There is also an extremely rich photographic history and culture that exists in the U.S., and exploring this is part of the growth of a photographer. Conversely, visiting photographers are always welcome at AIPP programs, which are advertised on our website, www.aipp.com.au. You will find the Aussies always willing to welcome photographers from around the world, and there is always a pub somewhere close!” says Kuruvita.

“Cape Leeuwin”; This is a 30-second exposure taken during a hurricane on the West Australian coast. “I used the car to shelter my camera from the strong winds and a neutraldensity filter to lengthen the daylight exposure,” says Eastway.

The Australian style of photography is hard to pigeonhole, but Eastway describes it as “more sophisticated on an aesthetic level.” According to Eastway, Australian photography reflects the willingness of the country’s more adventurous photographers to explore when and how to break traditional formulas; it also demonstrates an eagerness to harness new technologies. “Technique also plays an important part, and I think the Australians are leading the charge here. They are definitely not the only ones, but as a group, we seem to have a lot of them. The sophistication comes from knowing when to be more realistic, casual or posed as opposed to being one or the other. Rather than being formula-based all the time, I think the Australian photographers know when to break that formula and take an image to the next stage,” he says.

Digital technology has certainly been embraced by Australian photographers. In Eastway’s estimation some 90% of photographers are capturing digitally, while about 40% shoot both digital and film. However, he hastens to add that most photographers have a lot more to learn in the areas of color management and technique, issues being addressed in a continual flow of programs being offered by AIPP.

The traditional AIPP programs and networking facility receive high praise. One outstanding photographer who emphasizes that he owes AIPP a great deal is Marcus Bell, owner of Brisbane-based Studio Impressions. Bell is well known in WPPI circles as an award winner and program presenter. He claimed both the WPPI’s Wedding Photojournalism print and Portrait print awards in 2004, and that same year was the Queensland State AIPP wedding photographer of the year. He followed up in 2005 by claiming the same title. In 2003 he won the AIPP Australian Wedding Photographer of the Year Award and repeated that success in 2005. He was also named Queensland Photographer of the Year that same year.

“Queenstown, New Zealand”; The Remarkables mountain range in the background was used in Lord of the Rings. This view is taken from above Queenstown in late evening light.

“I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be the photographer I am today without WPPI. When I first joined, I had the opportunity to attend seminars where I gained valuable advice and inspiration. The other major benefit was meeting fellow photographers to discuss mutual issues, both technical and business. Also, I was able to meet highly respected photographers, the vast majority of whom of were willing to share their experiences and valuable advice. Over time, I forged great friendships with these photographers, and you really can’t put a value on something as important as that,” says Bell.

Bell’s sentiments are echoed by his colleague Yervant Zanazanian, who runs a thriving and highly acclaimed studio in the southern city of Melbourne and concentrates on the high end of the market. Yervant has excelled in WPPI competitions, winning a number of major awards in WPPI print and album competition. He has also won numerous awards and accolades in Australia, and he cites his first Master of Photography AIPP Award in 1994 as his most cherished. That award coincided with his receiving the Digital Image Maker of the Year Award. Additional AIPP awards have included Wedding Photographer of the Year for 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002; Professional Photographer of the Year, 1999 and 2002; Landscape Photographer of the Year, 2000; National AIPP Best Wedding Portfolio, 2001; Wedding Album of the Year, Master’s category, 2002.

Yervant has been impressed with AIPP and its role in Australian photography. “The freshness in Aussie photographers’ work, I believe, is a result of influencing each other’s efforts. I am a strong believer in the role AIPP has played in the development of an Australian style and the annual national conference and print competition, as well as each state’s competitions, have provided positive encouragement,” he says.

“Te Anau, New Zealand”; Eastway says, “Just outside the town of Te Anau on the way to Milford Sound, there is a flat-bottomed valley covered in long grass. I have enhanced the color of the grass and darkened the sky to produce what I hope is a landscape with a difference.”

The immense value of this program is emphasized by both Yervant and Marcus Bell. According to Bell, contestants push their individual boundaries further and further every year. “Each photographer is inspired to expand the limits of their own photography, and this in turn inspires other photographers. It is very competitive, yet it generates mutual respect and brings photographers closer together. Stronger friendships and bonds are created within our community of photographers. The awards are about so much more than the images—it is also about the opportunity to get together, share our highs, share our lows, share a drink and enjoy everything that brings us all together,” he says.

Is there room for more photographers? Can existing markets offer all of these new photographers a future? Peter doesn’t think so. “Fortunately for those already in the game, being a professional photographer requires you to be good at business and photography. Many of the schools concentrate just on photography, so the real world is a bit of a shock for graduates trying to come to grips with the business side. I think photography will probably change in some areas and be incorporated into other skills such as graphic design. However, there will always be a market for wedding and portrait photography. As the numbers increase and the quality improves, it will make it harder for the topechelon photographers because the lower echelon offers such a good product for a much better price. Do you buy a Holden or a Mercedes?” says Eastway. Many U.S. photographers would agree that similar trends are happening in the States.

However, business issues and a competitive marketplace are nothing new to photographers, and it’s a sure bet that leading photographers will continue to do what they do best—raise the bar ever higher. And it’s just as certain that WPPI will continue to attract a contingent of Aussie shooters who are eager and willing to show their wares and share their ideas with their American mates.

Kuruvita says that being a relatively small group is an advantage for Australian photographers and has a bearing on what’s happening Down Under. “As a small group, we can push each other to new heights and the standard keeps rising. The standard of photography in Australia is extremely high, something that is recognized by photographers and judges in the U.S. They will also learn from this just as our photographers who venture overseas will learn from others. The result is that photographers strive to attain higher goals—a win-win situation for all of us.”

Peter Eastway will be presenting “Image Sense” at WPPI 2006. His program will be held on Tuesday, April 11, at BALLY’s in Las Vegas Rooms 5–7, 8:30–10:30 a.m.

Marcus Bell and Joe Buissink will present “The Art of Shooting from the Heart” to kick off WPPI 2006 in BALLY’s Platinum Room on Saturday, April 8, 8:30–10:30 p.m.

Yervant and fellow Aussie Jerry Ghionis will present the closing program at WPPI 2006, “A Wedding Shoot-off.” The program will be held in BALLY’s Platinum Room on Wednesday, April 12, 9:00–11:00 a.m.