© Reece Byrne

In this Issue:

l Bluedog Photo News

l Workshops

l Exhibitions

l Checking Out Web Sites

l Photo Tip

l Photo Trivia/Dedication:

Bluedog would like to thank Reece Byrne for the use of this image
that he took during the February Bluedog Weekend Photography Retreat
for this month's cover image. What a great shot!

What's On: Workshops, Retreats and Outings:
For further details refer to Photography Workshops and Retreats
Don't forget to let us know if there is anything specific you would like covered in any workshop or during a retreat. Our workshop calendar will be on the web site and updated regularly as you make your requests and we are now trying to plan all workshops well in advance so you have plenty of time to prepare. Remember once you start with us, our advice does not stop when you leave the workshop you can e-mail us with questions and images for further continued advice.

The Bluedog Team of wonderfully talented professional photographers have a wealth of knowledge to share and have taught various aspects of photography throughout Australia. You may be a good photographer but that does not mean you can teach. We all continue to work as professional photographers and have the confidence and patience to take you on exciting paths with your work.

Registration and receipt of place is essential as numbers are limited. We want the workshops to continue to be very personalised so that you may gain the maximum from the workshops. Remember we do need you to book your place and after you book you receive a registration form. Once we receive this back with payment to secure your position then you are booked. View our terms and conditions.

An outline of each workshop and retreat itinerary is listed on Photography Workshops and Retreats

Photo Tip: Stop Before You Click

Before you press that shutter stop and ask yourself the following questions – if you answer yes then you are on your way for a great looking image!

l What is my focal point?
Remember you want the viewer’s eye to be drawn into your image. Make sure your focal point is dominant and placed correctly within the frame. Don’t forget your principles of composition!

l Is there Clutter? Is everything in your image exactly what you want or is there too much and your image will be too busy and therefore distracting.

l What is in your background? Often images are ruined because of the background either being too sharp or too out of focus. Have a good look and check your aperture that you are utilizing it to its best potential.

l Have I framed straight?
Yes a bit like the old pole growing out of a head but unless you are doing something arty your frame needs to be straight.

l Would this scene be best in horizontal or vertical format?
Many photographers get in the habit of either holding the camera horizontally or vertically. If this is you try turning the camera around – you may be pleasantly surprised.

Checking Out Web Sites:
In this issue we feature Annie

Check out more of her images from her project Women by following this link

http://www.nytimes.com/library/photos/leibovitz/bourgeois.html

If you have come across a great web site
send it to us and it may just be featured!

What's On: Exhibitions

l STUDIO: Australian painters photographed by R. Ian STUDIO showcases 61 of Australia’s most acclaimed painters, providing a unique insight into their minds, moods and working methods. Artists include Margaret Olley, Rosella Namok, Pro Hart, William Robinson and Gloria Petyarre.
Venue: slq Gallery, level 2 Queensland State Library
Date/s: 4 April – 9 June Entry Free

l Phantasia by Magdalena Bors, Mark Kimber, Andrew Mamo, Alexia Sinclair, Simon Strong
These works are described as 'vivid, complex and magical'.
Venue: Gallery 1 & 2 Australian Centre for Photography, 257 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021
Date/s: Friday 2 May to Saturday 7 June 2008

l Head ON: Alternative Portraits
'An innovative showcase of Australian portrait photography, reflecting a vibrant, diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices. Now in its fifth year, the show includes the work of 40 finalists, competing for prizes worth over $30,000.'
Venue: Gallery 3 Australian Centre for Photography, 257 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW 2021
Date/s: Friday 14 March to Sunday 13 April 2008

l Indigenous Connections: Sidney Nolan's Rite of Spring, photographed by Axel Poignant
Delight in this rare selection of Axel Poignant’s photographs of painter Sidney Nolan’s set designs and costumes for the 1962 Royal Ballet production of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Nolan’s work was inspired by Poignant’s photographs of several Arnhem Land communities in the Northern Territory during the 1950s.This meeting of creative minds resulted in a truly extraordinary collaboration between two Australian artists.
Venue: Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery, level 4, Queensland State Library
Date/s: 16 June - 31 Aug Entry Free

Photo Trivia: Did You Know?

Did you know that Samuel Morse, the man accredited for inventing Morse Code is also acclaimed to be the first person to take the first known group portrait.
It was at his class reunion in 1840. It was the same year he opened a daguerreotype portrait studio in New York with John William Draper where he went on to teach other photographers including Mathew Brady, the future Civil War photographer.

Morse became involved with daguerreotypes after meeting Louis Daguerre, the creator of the daguerreotype in Paris in 1939. On returning to the United States of America Morse went on and published an article on this new process and was one of the first Americans to successfully make daguerreotypes in the United States.

Dedication to the Masters of the Lens
Annie Leibovitz
(1949- )

American photographer Anna-Lou “Annie” Leibovitz was born in Connecticut in 1949. Annie trained at the San Francisco Art Institute and her style has become recognized for the close collaboration that exists between the photographer and her subjects.

Her career in photography really got started when she started working for the Rolling Stone magazine in 1970. By ’73 she was the chief photographer of the magazine and remained with the publication till 1983. Her portraits of the famous gave the magazine a certain look which its readers greatly admired. Leibovitz was commissioned by the Rolling Stones to document their world tour in 1975.

On December 8th 1980 Leibovitz photographed John Lennon and Yoko Ono – five hours later Lennon was shot dead – and this image is her most famous portrait.

From 1983 Leibovitz has worked as a portrait photographer for Vanity Fair. In the same year she had her first solo exhibition and her first book "Annie Leibovitz: Photographs," was published.

In 1984 Leibovitz was named "Photographer of the Year" by the American Society of Magazine Photographers and in 1987 she received the American Society of Magazine Photographers "Innovation in Photography" award

By 1990 Leibovitz founded the Annie Leibovitz Studio in New York City and Received the Infinity Award for applied photography from the International Centre for Photography

Today Leibovitz is considered one of the most famous living portrait photographers. She is one of only two living photographers to have had an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery.

One of our personal favourite collections of Annie’s work is Women and this image of Louise Bourgeois, Sculptor, New York City.

(c) Annie Leibovitz
"A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people."
Annie Leibovitz