turning green ?

Is it my imagination, or is the local bush really turning greener as winter approaches ? Craigie Bush Reserve, which has become my own almost private study area, is certainly a whole lot greener than what it was 3 weeks ago. And there is now definite activity happening in there with plants budding and even flowering, not to mention more than a few bursts of fungi here and there. Ah yes, fungi, one of my favourite subjects, but also a constant headache on the identification front.

Top of the Class

I really shouldn't boast, but after achieving a 100% score in my first endemic plant identification test, I thought a post was in order.
Apparently, only about 5 or 6 students have ever achieved a 100% score in this test since the course began.
Personally, I can't ever remember cracking a 100% score in any exam ever, but I guess this proves the point that my knowledge of endemic plants didn't begin in February when I started the Conservation & Land Management studies up at Joondalup TAFE.
The photography endevours and my specialising in the photography of native plants has been on-going for over a decade now, although the CLM studies have certainly added structure to what was otherwise an 'amateur' knowledge base that had many, many gaps needing to be filled in.

New Directions ...

Well here goes with the first post in six months and the first post since I decided to head in a whole new career direction.
I don't feel that it is appropriate to dissect all of the reasons for my decisions here and now, although I am still contracted to a major Australian car magazine publisher - but am only commiting to selected shoots and write ups on that front.
After a lifetime of interest in nature, animals, plants and the environment, I identified the Conservation and Land Management studies through TAFE as possibly providing me with a means to an end, so to speak.
I therefore began studying Cert II in Conservation and Land Management at Joondalup TAFE back in February and although the course takes up 'only' Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week, there are assignments and other things in life I need to take care off.
Despite the fact that I have not been to school (actually, it was Newtownabbey Technical College near Belfast where I studied General Engineering and specialised in electronics) since 1982, I have taken to the CLM course at Joondalup like the proverbial duck to water.
But will it lead to a decent job and if so when ?
Those indeed, are the golden questions.

Perth stock photography prints

With Christmas just around the corner, it might be time to think of an alternative present and our range of Perth scenic shots might just be perfect for that something different. And we're about to add block mounting and framing to our service as well. There's too much to show here, but from Perth city scenes to the Avon River, landmarks and of course our ever growing range of endemic flora images, we've probably got something that will look fantastic on any boardroom or loungeroom wall. Don't forget too, that our prints are true photographic quality prints done by one of Perth's longest established and most professional outlets for such. Email us for more details at ricphoto@iinet.net.au

stock photography alternative thinking

The old saying in stock that you never know what will sell and anything can and often does sell rings true. My daughter recently thought I was mad when I asked to borrow her Lego for some conceptual images I had in mind. Well, within 2 weeks of loading a set up to Alamy, I scored a sale on the one shown here. RF and not bad money either. A couple of hundred $$ actually. I've also had some solid Zooms on other images I've made along the same lines and am expecting good sales to follow. Only problem now, is that my daughter expects my sales with her Lego to fund an entirely new Lego set ... Hmmm, that Lego Star Wars set has me thinking ....

Adventures with Garden Picture Library

Having recently received my first payment from Garden Picture Library, I must say that I am well pleased. Admittedly, that first GPL payment included a 'Monster' sale of a Eucalyptus flower and such Monsters are rare in stock world. Unfortunately too, the pressures of everyday life and bills and debt meant that the payment couldn't be used for that new 7D. However, if this is where GPL are at with pricing and sales generally, then it's full steam ahead on that front.

Royalty Free Images

Some examples from recent efforts to bolster the Royalty Free side to my portfolio

Alamy stock photography pricing

I must admit that I am a little shell shocked at some of the prices recent images have sold for on Alamy. Three sales in the RM editorial genre for less than $100.00 total is very scary indeed. Even a year back, those three sales would have been worth a combined $500.00 approx'. What's going on ? Package deals or similar no doubt, but it seems clear that my own strategy now should be towards pumping out as much RF material as possible. RF certainly seems to be the only way to attract decent pricing these days.

Blow Up Enlargements for Everyone !

Never mind the new drag racing season coming ... it's now the downhill run to Christmas 2010. What, are you serious ?
Absoloutely and we have a wide, broad, large, even massive range of photos that can all be blown up and enlarged, making for great presents.
From drag racing to Barbagallo and not forgetting all of our WA Scenery and flora images ... all of it is available to purchase as an enlargement.
Remember too, that our enlargements are true photographic prints, printed by a professional colour photo lab in Perth.
Our 40cm X 50cm print size is proving to be especially popular, although with inflation and price increases all around, the current price of $55.00 postage included is going to rise soon - not much, but a little :)
(and no, that doesn't include framing, because if it did, even for $100.00, it'd be ridiculous !)
Have a look around this Blog and check out our images at Alamy and Gekko and on our Facebook page too.

Western Australian wildflowers & flora

trying to get the next set together for Garden Picture Library. It seems to take forever just to prepare images, add keywords and make sure all dust spots are removed. Still, it's all par for the course in this game.

Keywording data base for Stock Photography

I learnt a valuable lesson last week.
With backup and then backup and even more backup the name of the game with images, feature articles as well as personal information for tax and more ... you'd think I'd have devised a system for backing up my keywords and sets of keywords.
Well, when Windows XP went bye bye last week, all my stored Photoshop CS4 IPTC data fields went on a permanent holiday too.
Oh, and yes, I'm still using XP.
Big fan of XP, Vista can go take a jump ... might get to 7 eventually.
Anyway, while most of my keyword sets and groups are in my head, as well as attached to my images around the libraries, it was a valuable lesson learnt.
Even if one does use Bridge or Lightroom or whatever, a seperate backup data base for keywords and sets is a good idea.
Pity it took me this long to realise it.
Better get on with this Excel document then !

Best ever stock photography sale

Just clicked over 1,000 images on Alamy this week - and then made my biggest ever stock sale with another specialist library. A nice 4-figure sum for this Eucalyptus shot, to be used by a domestic products manufacturer in a European country. A few more like this and I might be able to afford that 60Mpixel P1 ....

Avon River & up around Bells - again !

Can't get enough of the Avon this time of year and further exploring yesterday produced more images. Also met up with fellow local photographer John Harney, who introduced me to the range of Yong Nuo wireless triggers. After a play with these little beauties, I have to order a set. You can go and check out some of John's images from Bells and more too ... his link is over there on the right of this page

Avon Valley & Bells Rapids

After a 5 hour walk looking for running water up between Bells and Walyunga the other weekend, Perth finally got hit with some decent rain and the flow of H2O has begun ! Here's some of the first images from what I hope will be a fantastic season of shooting up in this fantastic area.

Photos of the Perth City Skyline

The recent cold weather in Perth might be hard to handle, but with a big High in the Bight and calm, almost glassy waters on the Swan, it has been a perfect opportunity to grab some classic South Perth foreshore images of the ever changing Perth City Skyline. Here's a panorama we cobbled together last week.