United National Photographers Ltd

Announcement 2012 World Press Photo Contest

2011-11-18T13:01:00.000Z

Dear entry coordinator,

In the beginning of December, the 2012 World Press Photo Contest will open
for entries. As a former entry coordinator, you will get an email alert from
us with a link to the website. The deadline for registration for the 2012
Photo Contest is Friday, January 6, 2012 at 23:59 Central European Time.

The deadline for submitting your entries to the 2012 Photo Contest is
Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 23:59 Central European Time.

We look forward to receiving your entries. If you have any questions, please
do not hesitate to contact us at contest@worldpressphoto.org.

Best of luck,

Micha Bruinvels & Anna Lena Mehr
World Press Photo Contest

Hard Times Ahead

2011-11-03T10:01:00.001Z

Dear photographers, colleagues, comrades,

“And if you gaze for long into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” –Friedrich Nietzsche

For a long time we at UNP felt immune to ups and downs of the economic turmoil and the dreaded R word. In fact, if anything, our sales increased at the time when everybody was moaning about the recession. Inevitably, the talk of double-dip and U-shape economic stagnation has at last caught up with us.
There is no need to panic nor worry about United National Photographer’s overall stability or our ability to pay what is owed to you. However, there are some concerns and pointers I would like to speak about.

For years, we have been fair and square with our freelance photographers. It is, after all, thanks to you that we have managed to trade for almost 15 years, during which we’ve provided 29,000 photo shoots to high-end clients.

So it is with regret that I have to let you know that we are reducing the rate paid to freelancers for one hour photography to a fixed rate, like many players in the market. This fixed rate will include mileage and most expenses.

We have been under a lot of pressure lately to reduce our rates. Our clients, who are very loyal to us, are being bombarded with all-time low figures by other agencies and freelancers. Quite rightly so, our clients want to see a reduction of their bills.

The sad fact is that many companies, for whom UNP has been working for several years, are going under (one example here 28 Oct 2011) while owing us thousands of pounds of outstanding invoices. As you already know, regardless of this fact, we still pay you for the services rendered.

After much thought, we’ve made this decision. The reason for this blog is not to debate it but to inform everyone that, in order for us to stay competitive and to stay in the business, we are going ahead with it. However, please let us know your thoughts either below or by email/phonecall/text.

It is common knowledge that prices don’t decline during a recession. Well, I wish that all the agencies and freelancers offering ‘no frills photography’ to multinational companies also realised this. I don’t blame them as they all have families to feed and to think about; I only wish that they knew the long-term effects of what they are doing! Not by coincidence, I’ve noticed that some of these providers are no longer in business today!

If you no longer wish to associate with us, then I truly thank you for your help, support and for your, sometimes, cutting edge, brilliant press, pr, corporate, conference, news and features photography services. However, if you wish to carry on with the hope that one day we will get back to normal and that there are good times ahead, then let’s get on with it and carry on as normal, with this hope in mind.

Many thanks,

Hamlet
Managing Director
United National Photographers Ltd

Confessions of a News of the World Photographer

2011-10-20T16:36:00.000+01:00

Although associated with the, well, seedier side of our industry, Paul Barker's Snapper: Confessions of a News of the World Photographer is well worth a read. Probably for reasons related to perceived consumer interest, press photographer memoirs are exceedingly rare, so it's no real surprise that one of the very few published deals with the more accessible, celebrity driven end of the market. Accordingly, the book isn't exactly a hard-nosed examination of the business practices of a red top but more a collection of amusing anecdotes and revelations of tricks of the trade which is written in a largely celebratory tone. Of course, the NOTW is now gone precisely because of the clandestine nature of some of their information gathering methods, but you won't find much of that here.

Bill Gates and Photojournalism

2011-09-26T11:58:00.002+01:00

Lengthy but worthwhile article here on the various adventures of Microsoft mogul Bill Gates in the commercial photography world. Through his investment firm Corbis, Gates purchased both the Bettmann picture archive (in 1995) and the French photo agency Sygma (1999). The angle taken by the article is that whilst Gates has made great strides in the preservation and promotion of the images themselves, less of an interest has been taken in the contractual rights of photographers over their images.

The article focuses on a lawsuit bought about by former Sygma photographer Dominique Aubert after he discovered that several of his images had been licensed for commercial use by Sygma without his consent and, more importantly, without Aubert receiving the compensation which he is legally entitled to. The story of the legal action and its aftermath form a rather depressing narrative. Finding his initial requests for payment dismissed offhand by Syhma/Corbis, Aubert eventually won a judgement for the modest fee of $140,000. When this was increased to over $2 million in the wake of a failed appeal, Corbis reacted by shutting down Sygma (which at the time of purchase was reported to be the largest photo agency in the world) at the cost of 29 jobs. Given that $2 million is likely but a fraction of Sygma's annual turnover, this move very much looked like an over-reaction. However, when lawsuits by other disgruntled photographers started to pile up, the commercial viability of Sygma, the reason cited for the closure, seemed very much to be in question.

It's not difficult to see who is to blame here, and it's nice to see photographer's standing up for their (all too-often disrespected) professional rights. Another former Sygma photographer, Allen Tannenbaum, puts it best:

We photographers have always been adaptable – we just don’t want to adapt to our own extinction.

Sign of the times?

2011-09-23T11:52:00.000+01:00

Really interesting interview over at the BJP site with wildlife photographer Michael Nichols, who last year decided to forego updating his personal website in favour of creating an iPad App. It's debatable whether the iPad is any better for viewing images than a desktop/notebook monitor with similar screen resolution, but there is certainly an argument to be made about the professional and cultural cache which comes along with having your name attached to an iPad only project, particularly in creative industries.

Something which the interview doesn't really address is that whilst Nichols' late website was free to access, the app costs £2.49. Nichols claims that profit was not behind the decision to switch, and we are inclined to believe him. Nichols worked with professional developers to design the app, a process which we ourselves know is far from cheap. But regardless of this, the cost does raise the issue of exclusion; £2.49 is hardly likely to break anyone's bank (particularly if they own an iPad...), but it is a further barrier to accessing content already restricted due to only being available on a single platform. But, as Nichols admits in the interview, it's a test and he is happy to be a guinea pig for other photographers thinking of moving their content to the iPad. The app is available here.

Lucinda Grange

2011-09-21T16:12:00.000+01:00

Although we ae primarily press and comercial photographers here at UNP, many of us are keen travel photographers in our (increasingly limited!) spare time. The travel photography business is particularly hard to break into, and that's why it's so nice to see a regional gallery supporting one of their own. That's exactly what Hartlepool Art Gallery is doing by exhibiting the travel photography of Lucinda Grange until November. Based in Hartlepool, Grange's work attempts to expose the less-beaten tracks of much photographed cities such as London, Antwerp and New York. Great stuff, and let's hope that more galleries support their local photographers!

Plagiarism

2011-09-16T13:12:00.000+01:00

With all of the (justified) fuss surrounding the alleged plagiarism of journalist Johann Hari, it's somewhat timely to read of a quite similar case involving Norwegian wildlife photographer Terje Helleso. Much like Hari, Helleso initially denied any wrongdoing before coming clean. Whereas the fame accrued by Hari is mostly because of the coverage of the scandal, Helleso was already a well-known television personality throughout Scandanavia.

Although the plagiarism by Helleso looks to have been endemic and far from an isolated incident, it should serve as a reminder of the dangers of taking the easy road. The internet is very good at catching even the smartest plagiarists, so you're probably not going to get away with it. Work hard at your craft and succeed the right way.

Don't be a photographer in Burma

2011-09-15T12:00:00.000+01:00

Disturbing news from Burma, where press photographer Sithu Zeya has been given an 8 year prison sentence for taking pictures at the scene of a bomb attack last year. Given that this sentence (ostensibly for the circulation of material which could, to quote the article, "damage tranquility and unity") was tacked onto spurious sounding charges relating to immigration and illegal associations, Zeya clearly had his card marked already by the Burmese government. Press photographers in the West occasionally face relatively minor restrictions on their trade, such as the incident outside Manchester Magistrates Court a few months ago, but considerably more serious affronts to press freedom occur in places like Burma on a daily basis. At UNP, we realise how lucky we are to operate mostly without having to think about government interference, and certainly without having to worry about the possibility of criminal charges. We can only hope that everyone will soon be able to enjoy these privileges.

A bit more than he bargained for...

2011-09-13T11:32:00.000+01:00

A quite humorous story from across the pond. Photographer Andrew Lichenstein was aimlessly wandering the Bronx Zoo on Sunday when he came across a kudu antelope freely roaming around the park's shrubbery. Given that, as we all know, professional photographers are never truly off-duty, Lichenstein used his initiative and took a picture - the very same image that is now being published alongside the story! Nice work Andrew. For your sake, we're thankful it wasn't a lion that had escaped (though your commission might have been more then...)

DIY Photo Books

2011-09-09T13:58:00.000+01:00

Photo books seem to be on the up, according to an article on the BJP website. Despite hardback picture books being traditionally considered by publishers to be cost-prohibitive to produce, the article persuasively argues that the medium is experiencing a resurgence motored by a rise in independently and self-produced tomes. As opposed to the bureaucratic and ‘agreed supplier’ expenditure inevitably involved in publishing a photo book with one of the larger publishing houses, small firms and artists themselves can more accurately micro-manage the project, thus minimising losses and (maybe...) creep into profit. The article talks about several events focusing on DIY photo book publishing which are being held throughout Europe over the coming months . An interesting and encouraging read.

Gregory Bull

2011-09-07T16:26:00.000+01:00

Very nice set of Gregory Bull images on the Guardian website today. Bull is in his fifteenth year as an AP staff photographer and has captured some extraordinary events during this time, including the recent Japanese earthquake. This particular set focuses on the recent oil boom in North Dakota and is part of the weekly(ish) 'Featured Photojournalist' section on the paper's website. It's always nice to see the work of press photographers getting recognition on purely artistic terms, so we think this feature is a rather splendid idea.

Photography exhibition at Tate Modern

2011-09-06T17:43:00.000+01:00

Now this looks really good. The New Documentary Forms exhibition consists entirely of newly acquired work and features works by, to name a few, the French social documentarian Luc Delahaye and the ever-challenging Lebanese photographer Akram Zaatari. The exhibition also offers a rare chance to see early images by Boris Mikhailov. It runs until March 2012, so no excuses not to check it out!

Support Teri!

2011-09-02T12:19:00.000+01:00

Five months ago, the freelance photographer Anton Hammerl was tragically killed whilst reporting on the conflict in Libya.Tomorrow, a friend and colleague of ours at UNP, Teri is doing a 10K charity swim in aid of Anton's wife and three children. Obviously, a great cause that we support fully. You can find out how to sponsor Teri here, Dig deep!

Photography and sound

2011-09-01T13:31:00.000+01:00

Super article on the BJP regarding the use of audio alongside photography. The article contains lengthy quotes from both editorial and conflict photographers, and examines how audio from the original location of the image can both enhance and detract from slideshow exhibitions. It's all very though-provoking stuff, but one thing the article doesn't really consider is how the addition of an extra sensory layer can drastically alter a viewer's perception of an image. To get a bit Roland Barthes here, photography is processed by the human mind through denotations and subsequent connotations; in other words, what an image represents literally and in terms of meaning. When sound is thrown into the mix, it stands to reason that the brain has more to decode (or work with), so impressions of the image may well end up quite different than if they were viewing an unaccompanied photograph. One of the great beauties of photography is the fundamental simplicity behind how it is consumed. Surely the addition of audio only distorts this?

Finally!

2011-06-25T12:34:00.000+01:00

Exciting news for those of us lucky enough to own an Ipad - Nik Software has developed an application which finally enables RAW editing on the mobile device. The new capability comes by way of an upgrade to the firm's existing and very popular Snapseed Program. It's on the Itunes store at £2.99, which is quite a bargain considering that the ability to handle RAW is only one of a host of features. With the restricted features on mobile Photoshop and the novelty value of image manipulation and sharing apps like Instagram, mobile photography software has only really catered to the amateur market. Professional photography has historically been an industry quick to embrace new technology, so we expect the new Snapseed to be very warmly received by practitioners.

Guernsey Photography Festival

2011-06-24T16:21:00.000+01:00

Nice write-up of the Guernsey Photography Festival from The Telegraph site last week. The festival, which runs for another week, this year takes the broad theme of Identity as its conceptual foundation and has over twenty exhibitions over the city, the vast majority of which are free. The events schedule has already featured talks with Samuel Fosso and Martin Parr, and the final week includes workshops with Mike Brehaut, Nick Palluch and Jean-Christophe Godet as well as a photographers fair/street market. It's quite a coup for a new festival (2011 is only the second instalment) to be able to attract high-profile speakers such as Fosso and Parr, so somebody seems to be doing something right. More info here.

VII to simplify structure

2011-06-21T16:34:00.000+01:00

The BJP reports that legendary agency VII Photo is to simplify its structure by eliminating the VII Network of non-member contributors. Currently VII has eleven members with an ownership stake in the company (including founding members Ron Haviv, Gary Knight and Christopher Morris) and an additional eighteen non-exclusive photographers who contribute to the agency's output through the Network. If this sounds confusing to you, then you're not alone: clients not understanding the two-tiered is one of the reasons cited by VII for the dissolution of the Network.

After Network agreements expire in September, all existing non-member photographers will be invited to re-apply for full membership (though not with an ownership stake), although not all will be accepted (nor will all existing Network members necessarily choose to re-apply). The key difference between Network membership and the new system being that VII will now take a commission on all work done by the photographers, rather than on jobs commissioned through the agency. VII claims that the commission will be modest, and is basically a way of ensuring that member photographers are committed to the agency.

VII has a, to the untrained eye at least,complicated business structure and so any move to simplify the public face of its operations will surely be welcomed by clients. The Network was a good idea in principle which the agency has decided (hopefully for reasons more motivated by logistical than financial concerns) is no longer viable, which is a shame for freelancers who wished to retain an element of independence. As we know, running an agency is increasingly hard work and sometimes the decisions we make are not always popular with everyone and this can include (sadly) our photographers. The real challenge lies in keeping the business creative and dynamic in a changing market. We don't doubt that VII can do this.

Not to blow our own trumped, but UNP administers a non-profit directory of UK freelance photographers. You can sign up here!

Liverpool International Photography Festival

2011-06-18T10:29:00.000+01:00

A bit late on this, but just a reminder that the Liverpool International Photography Festival is still going for another week or so. The LIPP is an impressively extensive event, with numerous works housed in over 20 venues over the six weeks of the festival. Furthermore, it has an agenda that we admire greatly:

The message is to ‘stop, think, examine and debate’ where the industry is, where the current trends in the photographic industry are moving and to ask questions as to whether photography can take an effective role in addressing social issues for the international community.

It's always nice to see organisers and curators make a thematic commitment in their work and, considering that this is the first instalment of the festival, here they seem to be laying the groundwork for the creation of an annual event with its own identity in a city which has in recent years rediscovered its own cultural identity. Here's to their success.

An arrestable offence?

2011-06-14T12:39:00.001+01:00

A strange story on the Press Gazette site today tells of the arrest yesterday of Manchester Evening News Photographer Sean Wilton, who was bizarrely apprehended whilst shooting a scuffle on the steps of Manchester Magistrates' Court.Wilton was cited for disturbing the peace and obstructing a police officer, but was later (unsurprisingly) released without charge. We realise that the police have a difficult job to do and that mistakes are made in the heat of the moment, but surely it's not hard to distinguish between a press photographer doing his job (as he is entitled to do on public property) and someone involved in or exacerbating the situation? More disturbingly, the MEN claims that more of their photographers were threatened with arrest if they didn't delete their photos of the incident. Cooler heads seem to have prevailed, but still, quite an alarming incident.

World Pride Photo Awards

2011-06-13T10:52:00.000+01:00

News of a very interesting contest to start the week. The first Pride Photo Award is looking for entries which 'show the way the outside world reacts to people who are (visibly) different from gender and sexual stereotypes.' The call stipulates that the images can depict reactions both positive and negative, and has five distinct categories: sports, gender, documentary current topics and an open section for miscellaneous entries. A challenging and provocative competition.

More details here

And we thought the cameras we used were expensive...

2011-06-09T10:28:00.003+01:00

We're quite busy at the moment that we somehow missed the story about the world's most expensive camera, a Leica o-series which sold for $1.9m (£1.15m to us) at auction last week. And we complain about modern camera being too expensive! It's a lovely machine but, suffice to say, our agency will be sticking strictly to the high tech stuff. Although it might be amusing to see how a Leica would hold up to the rigours of press photography!

Small Businesses and Image Rights

2011-06-08T12:00:00.000+01:00

Late last week, an interesting story appeared on the BJP website regarding rights holder's enforcing their ownership over the illicit use of images by small businesses in promotional material. The article (fairly) pointed out that the appropriation is often innocent on behalf of small businesses who either don't understand the complexities of image ownership (particularly as relates to digital photos) or contract a third party who takes the images without much thought. The catch with the latter scenario, particularly prevalent in small business websites, is that the businesses themselves, not the third party, are liable for any copyright infringement, even if the offence was done without their consent or knowledge.

To help combat this growing problem, the Forum of Private Businesses has issued a series of guidelines for small business owners to consider when using images. The recommendations basically amount to a call for common sense and reasonable caution: don't blindly take images from the net thinking you won't get caught, keep an eye on third party designers and question whether they have cleared the rights and, if so, does the use fall within that particular set of rights?

Although we in the trade sometimes forget this, image rights are rather complicated to the untrained eye. Our advice to small firms (and anyone using found images, really) would be to think about it pragmatically and as a businessperson; the image is essentially an owned commodity and, as such, always requires fair payment. If this one piece of advice was followed, small businesses wouldn't find themselves in trouble with image owners.

Landscape Photographer of the Year

2011-06-07T10:58:00.000+01:00

Another day, another high-profile photography competition. The Telegraph site (rather generously, considering the award is co-sponsored by The Sunday Times) announced that entries are now being accepted for the 2011 Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. The overall winner receives a £10,000 prize and there are smaller prizes of £1000, £500 and scholarships for 2-day workshops up for grabs in the various subcategories. Pleasantly, the awards are split into Adult and Youth (under-16) sections. Spread the word!

More info here.

Joan Wakelin Bursary

2011-06-06T12:43:00.000+01:00

Exciting news on the Guardian website today with the announcement of the Joan Wakelin bursary, a photography competition in which the winner receives £2000 and also has their work published in the print version of the paper. The scope of the competition is somewhat broad, with the only requirements being that entrants submit up to 12 images (there seems to be some confusion over this, with the Guardian saying 6 images and the RPS 12; we'll go with the award givers!) and a 500 word explanatory essay. More info here.

Taryn Simon, celebrity photographer

2011-05-31T12:12:00.000+01:00

Although her work is very different from what we as press and corporate photographers do, it's nice to see young American photo artist Taryn Simon getting some column inches in the broadsheets. In today's Independent, Susie Rushton reports that the private viewing for Simon's A Living Man Declared Dead And Other Chapters I-XVIII, which is on at the Tate Modern until November 6th, was attended by bona-fide celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Salman Rushdie and Tilda Swinton. Rushton astutely notes that whilst coverage of art photography tends to focus on the ludicrous prices often paid for the work of certain practitioners, the buzz surrounding Simon's work is based on the content of her serious, important work and thus brings 'another kind of gravity to a medium that long struggled to achieve equal status with painting and sculpture.' Quite.

As well as the London exhibition, A Living Man Declared Dead opens next week at the Venice Biennale and at the New National Gallery in Berlin in September.

Congratulations to Jim Goldberg

2011-05-30T10:52:00.000+01:00

American photographer Jim Goldberg is the winner of the 2011 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize, an award given to the individual who the jury (which this year included luminaries such as the artist Joel Sternfeld) feels 'has made the most significant contribution (exhibition or publication) to the medium of photography.' Aside from getting to receive the award from Miranda Sawyer, Goldberg also takes home £30,000. Not sure which one of those we're more jealous of...

Oh no!

2011-05-26T14:03:00.000+01:00

Terrible news today - Jeff Stelling is to leave Countdown. For our money he was the best host since the dashing and much-missed Richard Whiteley. Who will replace him?!

Festival of Ethical Photography

2011-05-25T12:01:00.000+01:00

Continuing until the 29th of this month is The Festival of Ethical Photography (the website lists only the event dates, but the exhibition continues for a few days yet). Rather fittingly held in the northern Italian commune town of Lodi, the event aims to raise awareness amongst the general public of the ethical and moral issues involved in photojournalism, as well as create debate within the industry itself. As might be expected from such parameters, the exhibited work generally takes on contentious, thought-provoking topics; last year's festival included Robert Knoth's breathtaking series on nuclear contamination in the former Soviet Union and a screening by the radical Israeli-based photo collective Active Stills. If you happen to be anywhere remotely near Lodi, a highly recommended event.

RPS seeks new Director General

2011-05-23T11:41:00.000+01:00

The Royal Photographic Society, a primarily educational charity with members from all areas of the trade, is seeking a replacement for longtime Director-General Stuart Blake, who has decided to retire after over 20 years of distinguished service. Typical of the inclusive style of the RPS, the only requirement for applicants is that they have an interest in photography, regardless of background and experience. In an increasingly squeezed arts sector, the next RPS DG will face the difficult, yet crucial task, of ensuring that the organisation continues to push its ambitious local education and licensing programs.

Visa Pour L'Image 2011

2011-05-17T13:02:00.000+01:00

Festival director Jean-François Leroy has announced an early programme for this year's Visa Pour L'Image. Taking a central place in the high-profile proceedings are tributes Chris Hondros, Tim Hetherington and Lucas Dolega, three photographers whose lives were tragically lost whilst working in conflict zones. Leroy's comments to the BJP demonstrate the levity with which he considers the three deaths:

"I think it's important to remind people of the role photojournalists play in our lives...We often hear people asking whether photojournalism is still needed; whether it still serves a purpose. Well, as you can see, there are a lot of people that have given a lot of themselves to allow us to stay informed."

Alongside VPLI's core function as an unparalleled public exhibition, the festival's professional week is a rare opportunity for photojournalists, press photographers and practically anyone else who holds a camera for a living to network with fellow professionals from Europe and beyond. All being well, we'll see you there!

Martin Parr and online newspapers

2011-05-15T12:18:00.000+01:00

There is a brilliant set of Martin Parr images on the Guardian website, featuring photographs from Parr’s upcoming exhibition ‘What Would You Save’, which runs from 17-24th May at Proud Gallery Strand, London. The idea behind the images in the exhibition was to capture both Vietnamese living in the frequently flooded Qui-Tiang province holding objects they saved from their destroyed homes and Western celebrities (including Alain De Botton and Shappi Khorsandi) holding the object which they would try to save if their home was flooded.

The slideshow on the Guardian webpage contains 24 images, a number which would be simply impractical to print in the newspaper. It would be lovely to see the online branches of newspapers take advantage of a more flexible medium and do this kind of thing more often.

Twitpic and ownership

2011-05-12T11:46:00.000+01:00

Another day, another social networking story. The BJP reports that celebrity photo specialists WENN has signed a deal with Twitpic which grants the agency exclusive sales rights on all images posted on the online image service. This announcement, startling enough in itself, comes hot on the heels of the furore surrounding Twitpic apparently claiming copyright on all user-generated images posted on its service, a move which provoked sufficient outrage to cause a hasty revision of Twitpic’s ToS. However, as the BJP’s article points out, the new ToS do not provide much reassurance either:

"You retain all ownership rights to Content uploaded to TwitPic. However, by submitting Content to TwitPic, you hereby grant TwitPic a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the Content in connection with the Service and TwitPic's (and its successors' and affiliates') business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Service (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels."

The perfunctory sentence on the bizarrely defined concept of‘ownership’ aside, the revision seems to enshrine Twitpic’s right to distribute, and the deal signed with WENN would suggest, profit from user images. Worryingly, the wording seems to suggest that the photographer would not be entitled to any fee for the commercial use of their work, a step which flies in the face of the conventional workings of freelance photography.

Noah Everett, the CEO of Twitpic, states that images posted on the service have become an essential tool in the dissemination of breaking news. This is undoubtedly true, but quite how this justifies the monetisation of user-generated content for parties other than the users themselves seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Of course, it could be argued that people who upload images to Twitpic and similar services are neither seeking nor expecting financial reward. Valid as that argument may be, a decision to post an image on Twitpic should in no terms be construed as permission for a third party to transfer the image out of its original medium and exploit it for profit. The murky assimilation of these two quite different actions is one that all photographers should not take lightly.

Fotofringe

2011-05-06T12:13:00.000+01:00

An exciting event for those of us on the agency and publishing side of the photography industry takes place in London next week. Fotofringe is a one day networking event being held in Kings Place (N1) on May 11th that will feature exhibitions by 55 photo agencies. Best of all, it's free! Rarely does our disparate industry get together in one location, so this will be a great opportunity to not only network, but discuss many of the industry-wide issues which have been talked about on the very blog over the the past couple of weeks.

Phyotojournalist Erhan Arik

2011-05-05T15:01:00.001+01:00

The brilliant, moving work of Turkish photographer Erhan Arik is currently being showcased in Istanbul. Arik's exhibition deals with the genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks against Armenians in the wake of World War 1, a subject which understandably to this day remains a hugely sensitive isue to both Turks and Armenians.

©Gayane Abrahamyan/ArmeniaNow.com

The work focuses on survivors of the genocide who settled in border towns and uses both stills and video to present their accounts of the period. Without wanting to wear our politics on our sleeve, the exhibition being held in Turkey represents a progressive step in the acknowledgment of the genocide and can be seen as a timely reminder of the important social function of our industry.

Freedom and Photography

2011-05-04T10:53:00.000+01:00

Fittingly given all the (confused) palaver in the UK over superinjunctions, yesterday was World Press Freedom Day. Governmental and legal interference/restriction on the work of journalists is a popular discourse which can be found throughout the print media, largely due to the fact that the people writing about it are the ones being directly affected by it. You'll find plenty of complaints about farming in a farming magazine, and you'll find a million breathy diatribes on the state of journalism in a paper.

Less widely reported are similar issues faced by photographers. So, it falls to the BJP to bring news of events which took place yesterday in Trafalgar Square, where 40 photographers gathered peacefully to protest the increasing restrictions placed on shooting in 'semi-public' places. The demonstrators chose to station themselves outside City Hall due to it being one of several London locations to be publicly owned but privately managed. Legally, this places jurisdiction over permitted behaviour in these places in the hands of the private firms, many of whom irrationally and inexplicably choose to arbitrarily ban or limit photography in high-profile locations such as City Hall, Canary Wharf and the Thames Walk.

Of course, this is a relatively mild problem when compared with the more serious instances of press restriction and direct censorship seen in many of the world's less developed countries. But it's all a part of the same myriad issue of draconian laws being imposed on what should be a free press. While we may sell weapons to these countries, do we really want to be them?

Photography Agency Appoints Marketing Manager

2011-05-04T09:48:00.001+01:00

Saltaire-based UNP Ltd (United National Photographers) has appointed Genevieve Whitaker to head its expanding marketing department.

Whitaker has extensive experience in B2B, direct marketing and sales, and joins UNP after deciding to leave her studies at Leeds Metropolitan University in order to pursue a career in marketing.

©UNP. Press Picture. Genevieve Whitaker, UNP's Marketing Manager.

“Although I enjoyed my time studying, I took a realistic look at my employment prospects and decided that it was time to join the workforce,” says Whitaker. “The marketing sector has always interested me, so I decided to make the move now rather than be saddled with debt and looking for work in three years time.”

Educated at Bingley Grammar School, Whitaker says that UNP’s creative atmosphere, friendly environment and professionalism attracted her to the firm. She was also convinced of UNP’s genuine desire to expand.

“When I first spoke to Hamlet (UNP’s managing and creative director), I was really impressed with his vision for the marketing department. He has a clear idea of where he wants UNP to go in the future, and sees marketing as having a significant role in the growth of the business.”

Hamlet says that the appointment was made to strengthen the marketing department as he seeks to further diversify the business portfolio of the agency.

©UNP. Press Picture. Genevieve Whitaker, UNP's Marketing Manager.

“Over the past year, we’ve really seen an upswing in corporate, event and PR photography commissions and I think that’s largely because of the marketing efforts made in that particular area of our business. By adding Genevieve to our team, we can hopefully continue to expand UNP into new and exciting areas.”

Whitaker’s main responsibility will be to continue UNP’s innovative approach to attracting new business. The formula direct marketing, affiliate sites and social networking media, has resulted in a stronger than expected business year for the national photography agency, especially with regards to corporate, event and conference commissions.

“We need to continue to grow as a business in spite of tough economic times,” Hamlet added. “The only way to do this is by adding quality people to our team.”

Syndication and licensing

2011-05-03T15:42:00.001+01:00

A familiar debate has been raging on the business networking site Linkedin. The issue of fair rate and commission is one which all freelance photographers (press, corporate or otherwise) and photo agencies have to deal with on a daily basis. Business being business, rates can differ (wildly) between agencies and thus the question of payment for stock photography in particular is one which seems to set a light under freelancers.

A widely-held belief is that stock photography has created a buyer's market which has cheapened the work of freelancers. According to Italian-based photo artist Thomas Hodges:

The whole problem is supply exceeds demand, and with so much rubbish being put into the market now that anybody can be a photographer. The upside (if there is an upside?), is that some art buyers (some but very few!) are still looking for that unique image and are prepared to pay for it (albeit still at a questionable rate).

What the market needs is quality not quantity and it needs more buyers to acknowledge and respect that quality. Maybe a high-end stock agency that is very selective and only offering the very top-end has some market potential. That said, there are fewer and fewer buyers who appreciate that high-end quality, which is why the high-end agencies then start to diverse into the lower-end of the market.

Victoria Yee, meanwhile, outlines how the changing stock photography market has affected her own work:

I have to say that all that I am reading is all too true, and has turned a profession that I have loved being in and successful at , into a everyday battle of getting paid. I have been shooting stock from way back when rates were 50/50 and Getty was not yet the huge photo sweat shop megalith that it is today. Over the years it has bought out 3 of the other photo Stock agency's were I was signed to, and who of course I had 50/50 agreements with. I have seen my sales number's drop consistently from a fair and quite decent return to abominable rate.. Lets see on my current statement I am getting anywhere from $.49, to the highest number at $146.45 but of course that is only 30% of the $488.16 the agency's made on the sale and so on... Across the board costs for everything and the demand of services increases but the fees linger.

Mark Pinder warns of a particularly canny tactic used by some agencies:

One of the biggest scams is the taking of cuts from sub agencies when very often the sub agent is just another trading arm of the same parent organization that owns the photographers primary agency. Years ago, when many independent agents had syndication deals with separate independent foreign agencies, the model had, (some), justification. Now, the nominal separation is just a model for the chiseling of photographers fees where the profit from this practice ends up ultimately in the same shareholders pool regardless of which division made the sale.

Fashion and Advertising photographer Patrick McHugh blames freelancers themselves for not acting sooner to prevent the market being flooded:

Photographers should have shied away from stock from the beginning, I remember the debate twenty years ago in NYC. Photographers were publically against stock, but shooting it quietly in case they were missing the trend.I regularly meet art buyers and creatives who attempt to shoot original content, I give them a quote, only to get shot down by the very repetitive question from an account executive "How much would it be to go the stock route". We all know that answer - it can be as low as 'free'. There is such a mountain of stock, and with search engines ever more efficient, we are on a very slippery slope.

Unsurprisingly, figures on the other side of the divide see things quite different. Jeff Hohn, owner of Canadian firm Stockflo Inc, believes that there still is a market for quality over cost:

We have seen the same trends of saturation, low costs sourcing and volume over quality occur in all industries. We must remember though, that not everyone shops at warehouse discount outlets. There are still a significant number of image buyers who appreciate quality photos and will pay a premium for them. [...] To many a buyer, time is money and there's enormous value in being able to source a good image quickly as opposed to digging through the bargain bins for days on end.

It would take a massive, and unlikely, shift in how the business of photography operates for any significant decease in the reliance on stock to occur. Therefore, the most pragmatic solution seems to be an agreed standard rate for the use of syndicated images. This rate must respect both the labour of the photographer and current market conditions, forces which naturally oppose each other. So, we ask, what would a fair rate be? Comments here or on our Twitter are most welcome!

World Photo Awards

2011-04-28T11:40:00.000+01:00

The winners of the Sony World Photo Awards were announced in London last night. The main prize of the L'iris D'or was won by Argentinian photographer Alejandro Chaskielberg for a series of images based around his experiences with Parana river islanders. We strongly advise looking up his work, as well as checking out the WPA website for some simply stunning examples of press photography and photojournalism!

Flickr and copyright

2011-04-27T15:49:00.003+01:00

The BJP website has an interesting story today regarding accusations made against the Daily Mail by the photographers Steve Lachan, Vicky Tuff and Nicholas Smith, who have all separately alleged that the paper lifted their images for use alongside an article on the somewhat un-Royal background of Katrina Darling, a distant cousin of Kate Middleton. Lachan and Tuff suspect that their images were found on Flickr, whilst Smith believes his to be taken from Facebook.

As yet, these accusations are unproven one way or the other and so can't really be commented on. The story does raise as yet unanswered questions on the relationship between media sharing/social networking services and copyright infringement of work by freelance photographers. Opinion in the trade is particularly split on Flickr, with some press photographers regarding it as a bottomless source of free content to be mined indiscriminately by people who previously paid for images, and others hailing it as a significant source of inspiration and ideas for their own work. More progressive voices within the photography community opine that it's naive for photographer's to be expected to be paid for every use of their image. Yet the law seems to state that this should be the case. All very interesting questions which we'd love to hear your feedback on!

Politically Correct

2011-04-26T14:30:00.002+01:00

The news seems to be dominated by two things recently: the Royal Wedding and the upcoming referendum on whether to accept the Alternative Vote system. We'll have more to say on the Royal Wedding later this week (live from London, in fact), but the whole AV debate brings to mind UNP's work with political parties over the years.

ATL Conference, Harrogate International Conference Centre

Political party conferences are challenging commissions at the best of times, even when you're lucky enough to have several specialist conference photographers on staff, as we are. Intimate knowledge of the venue, conference timetable and fringe events are needed to ensure a set of images are produced which genuinely reflect the party conference. Also, party conferences tend to be 'live' events, meaning that their is often an element of spontaneity to the proceedings.

NHS Confederation Annual Conference, London

In our experience, the best way to keep on top of things is by working closely with the organisers who, as busy as they may be, are generally always ready with any answers you need regarding last minute timetable changes, locations and all the other variables which affect the work of a conference photography.

Next Conservative Party Conference will be held at Manchester Central

Collaboration with the client is always key to the work of a photographer, but in the case of party conferences, we've found this to be particularly true.

Ex British PM Tony Blair at Labour Party Conference with Britain Forward Not Back message

Two photographers killed in Libya

2011-04-21T11:28:00.000+01:00

BBC News has reported that two photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, have been killed by a grenade attack in Libya. Absolutely awful news. Our sympathies go to the friends and family of the deceased.We also hope that our colleagues remain safe in the dangerous, yet essential, job of covering the conflict.

Something to think about

2011-04-20T13:44:00.001+01:00

A story on the BBC website today revisits the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and assesses whether the environmental damage has been as bad as initially feared. Thinking about the story from a photography standpoint raises some interesting ethical questions for our profession. Media images played an important part in shaping the public's perception of the disaster, but to what extent did press photographers and photojournalists accurately reflect the situation?

Oil spills and their subsequent clean-ups are technically complex situations which require a nuanced, rounded journalistic approach. Over-simplification for the sake of a story does nobody any favours, as we are currently seeing with the mass confusion over the Tohoku earthquake. Looking back on the Deepwater Horizon explosion, it seems that the media were all too ready to follow the narrative spun by the powers that be; there has been a disaster, now we're going to save the day. Images of oil-blackened birds and rescue machinery may be memorable and suitably compliment hysteric copy, but they only represent one side of a story which, a year on, seems like it was never fully told.

We knew it was too good to last...

2011-04-19T10:33:00.001+01:00

After a few days of glorious sunshine, the British weather has returned to Yorkshire in typical overcast fashion. The warm weather not only improves everyone's mood (especially when it's still nice on a Monday!), but also makes the work of PR and freelance photographers on location jobs significantly easier. Natural light means no time wasted on setting up artificial lights, thus freeing up our photographers to concentrate on the images.

According to our London-based freelancers, the sun is still raring in the capital. Lucky you! Let's hope it comes our way later....

Wedding bells are ringing....

2011-04-18T14:14:00.003+01:00

With the big day less than two weeks away, 100s of London-based freelance photographers are sure to be in commission heaven with the upcoming royal nuptials. UNP's wedding week calendar is already looking hectic and our staff are working night and day to make sure that we get the the future King William and Queen Catherine in their best light. Worryingly, confirmation from Buckingham Palace has yet to be received so, to be on the safe side, we've lined up several stunningly accurate look-a-likes!

Conference Photography Coverage

2011-03-23T11:23:00.000Z

Our New Conference Photography Coverage Portfolio. Get Quick Online Quote

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United National Photographers has been in the business of providing high-quality conference and corporate events photography for over fifteen years.

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Known for our relaxed efficiency, we have provided coverage for organisations as far ranging as The British Red Cross, CBI, RCN, Labour Party, Conservative Party, NHS Confederation, ATL, ASCL, Unison, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, RBS, ISS, English Heritage, British Council and Lloyds Banking Group.

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Our extensive experience has taken us to prestigious conference venues throughout the UK, including Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and International Convention Centre, Manchester United Hospitality Suites, Blackpool Winter Gardens, and Cardiff Convention Bureau.

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In London, we have photographed events at Barbican Conference Centre, Earls Court and Olympia, and Royal Festival Hall, amongst many others.

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Alongside our general technical and practical knowledge of conference photography, our familiarity with a great number of the most commonly-used commercial venues helps us to maintain our high standards whilst shooting quickly and discreetly.

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You can be assured that UNP will work exactly to your specifications. After contacting us for a quote, we will work together with you to ensure that the conference photography services we provide will be tailored to your precise requirements.

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Whether you require documentary-style reportage or fun and relaxed coverage, UNP is able to work in a range of photographic styles to ensure that the images reflect the tone of your event.

UNP_Photo_Conference_Photography_Freelance

We employ over fifty distinguished freelance photographers throughout the length and breadth of the UK, so you can rest assured that the conference photographer we assign to your event will be both local to your area (thus minimising the carbon impact of your commission) and ready to work with attention to detail and in a flexible, creative fashion.

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Our photographers are all equipped with the latest lightweight digital equipment, meaning that we are able to provide mobile coverage of your conference.

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This guarantees that all areas of your event will be covered fully and to the highest of professional standards.

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Be it the keynote speech in the main auditorium, an AGM or EGM, a lunchtime fringe meeting or a skills workshop, you can rest easy that the images we produce will be of a consistent high-quality and will reflect the diversity of your conference proceedings.

Photo_ISS_National_Management_Conference_Photography_De_Vere_Staverton_Park_Hotel_Daventry

Timely delivery of your conference photographs need not be a worry when working with UNP. By working digitally, we are able to deliver your images instantly.

UNP_Photo_Conference_Photographers_Freelance_Coverage

This means that your event can be swiftly publicised; we can even arrange for yesterday’s images to be in today’s conference newsletter.

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As we maintain a permanent archive of all our images, our relationship with clients does not end with the conclusion of the conference. Regardless of when the original commission was received, we will be happy to help with any further needs and requests related to your pictures.

UNP_photo_Tony_Blair_ex_British_Prime_Minister_Labour_Party_Conference

For a competitive quote, simply click here 'Quick Online Quote' or call our 24-hour phone service on 01274 412222 to discuss. Thank you. Hamlet

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Country House Rescue

2011-03-14T12:33:00.000Z

This was an engaging TV! Photos: ©UNP

Ruth Watson's Country House Rescue at Channel 4

Next on Channel 4 Sun 20 Mar, 9PM

Ruth visits Monreith House in Scotland, home to eccentric bachelor Sir Michael Maxwell.
Monreith House is an imposing Georgian Mansion built in 1799 near Port William in south west Scotland. It is home to Sir Michael Maxwell, the last in line to one of Scotland's oldest families, who can be traced back to 1481, and whose power and riches have contributed to the architectural heritage in the area. Photo: ©George Carrick / UNP

Ruth Watson is back for a third series of Country House Rescue, taking on some of Britain's biggest country houses and most historic families. Britain's historic buildings are central to our sense of identity, but they are in crisis.

Ruth visits a sprawling stately pile in Devon, home to notorious eco-activist Hector Christie.
Tapeley Park, on the North Devon coast, has been in the Christie family for 300 odd years. Until recently Hector was running Tapeley as a quasi-commune, but he has decided it's time to regain some control - so he kicked out the hippies and called on Ruth Watson to help turn the crumbling mansion's destiny around. ©Jim Wileman / UNP

The recession has left stately home owners facing a predicament not seen since the mass demolitions of the 1960s.

Ruth visits Wyresdale Hall in Lancashire, home to the Whewell family.
The Hall belongs to James Whewell senior and his wife Sally, who have spent decades restoring the estate back to its former glory. Next in line is their son, Jim, who currently lives in London and runs a successful arts and music festival. ©MIke Poloway / UNP

Can Ruth find new ways of keeping these cash hungry buildings running, relevant and standing? From the Scudamores of Kentchurch to the Maxwells of Monreith; Ruth brings her no-nonsense business savvy to bear on centuries of family history and tradition.

The Life Less Travelled: Photography

2011-03-10T16:17:00.000Z

Photos by Ara. Superb, just superb! just have a look at this section The Life Less Travelled: Photography: http://thelifelesstravelled.com/2005

Forensic Science Service No Longer

2010-12-14T13:14:00.000Z

14 December 2010

Pictures ©Edward Moss / UNP

The Forensic Science Service, the largest provider of crime scene evidence for police forces in England and Wales, is to be wound up by March 2012.

FSS played a an important role in the arrest of serial killer Steve Wright and in the case of the missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews.

©Edward Moss / UNP www.unp.co.uk

Sony World Photography Awards Competition

2010-12-08T15:26:00.000Z

Dear All,
I believe that the Sony World Photography Awards Competition may be of some interest to you. Here is the final call for entries for the 2011 World Photography Awards competition. The deadline is 4th January, 2011. Please find their e-flyer attached. They had some fantastic entries last year, including winning submissions ...from photographers such as Paolo Pellegrin and Brent Stirton. As you know, the first prize is $25,000 and it is free to enter the competition online: http://www.worldphoto.org/competitions/Post Options

Assistant Picture Editor

2010-11-10T13:55:00.002Z

Company: United National Photographers UNP
Location: Saltaire, United Kingdom
Job sector: Photography
Job type: Temporary 6 months (may lead to permanent)
Reference: APEd

Providing administrative support for the commissioning picture editors, such as handling queries, arranging photoshoots, dealing with freelance photographers.

Description

Assistant Picture Editor.

UNP is one of the UK’s leading independent photo agencies and provider of freelance photographers in UK and Northern Ireland. We are seeking an assistant to help and support us on day in day out basis.
The role involves a significant amount of contact with freelance photographers as well as dealing with clients and you must therefore have self-confidence and the ability to communicate well. This is an exciting position for an individual who is serious about a future in picture editing and photography.

Key Responsibilities include:

Providing administrative support for the commissioning picture editors, such as handling queries, arranging photoshoots, paperwork
Preparing and replying to online enquiries
Drafting intelligible emails and quoting
Conducting mini market research in Googel Adwords and Google Analytics
Photo research

The Company

The network of United National Photographers is one of the UK's most broadly based and successful Press and PR photography agencies and diverse provider of a broad range of modern digital photography services. Having a team of 57 experienced photographers based throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland while also having contacts throughout the EU, America, Australia and New Zealand makes us a truly national agency with "inter" ideas. Our mission is the delivery of quality and affordable, best picture photography to newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, public relations and marketing firms.
For our staff we offer on site parking and subsidized staff kitchen. We do not offer flexible benefits commensurate including company pension, nor we offer medical and dental schemes.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:
a GCSE in English and be educated to degree level
excellent verbal and written communication skills
excellent interpersonal skills
excellent time management skills
ability to work to tight deadlines
ability to multitask and prioritise
strong Mac / PC and office based skills, such as use of Adobe Photoshop, Photomechanic, Skype, Outlook, Microsoft Word etc.
a good eye for detail
previous experience is not essential.

Training

face to face training will be provided by experienced picture editors

Salary

Depends on experience

Contact
Telephone
01274 412222
Email
pictures@unp.co.uk
Skype
picture_desk_unp
Post:
United National Photographers Ltd
24 Victoria Road
Saltaire
United Kingdom
BD18 3JR

To Apply Please submit an email with ref: APEd on subject. Closing date 15/12/2010

NB: Data used by UNP for internal user demographic purposes only and not passed to third parties.

Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, has been sentenced to death

2010-10-26T10:22:00.000+01:00

According to Iraqi state tv, one of Saddam Hussein's closest aides, former Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, has been sentenced to death by a court in Baghdad.

This guy was good to city's minority Christian population. What a shame.

©Photo Hamlet Mejloumian/ UNP

looking ahead to the 2011 World Press Photo contest

2010-10-15T14:52:00.000+01:00

FYI:

World Press Photo newsletter

World Press Photo newsletter, October 2010
Dear friend of World Press Photo,
It is time to start looking ahead to the 2011 contest. We are also busy preparing for the upcoming Joop Swart Masterclass and celebrating the launch of a new book of photography from the Middle East.
David Burnett to chair the 2011 World Press Photo jury
We are proud to announce that photojournalist and founding member of Contact Press Images, David Burnett (USA), has accepted our invitation to chair the 2011 World Press Photo jury. Since he began working as an intern at Time magazine in 1967, Burnett has spent over 30 years building an impressive career, in which he covered various conflicts, the US presidential elections, every Summer Olympic Games since 1984 and much more. Read the biography of David Burnett here.
Getting ready for the 2011 contest
In less than two months, the 2011 World Press Photo contest will kick off. We will begin accepting submissions from 1 December 2010 through 13 January 2011, 23.59 CET (Central European Time). From 1 December you can request a user name and password for our web entry site through 7 January, 23.59 CET. Keep an eye on our website for further information.
17th Joop Swart Masterclass on the horizon
From 29 October to 4 November, 12 young photographers will gather in Amsterdam for the 17th annual Joop Swart Masterclass. The talented individuals come from five different continents and were selected from among 162 candidates. The participants will explore the theme Persistence while guided by six prominent figures in photojournalism. Biographies of the participants and masters, as well as a gallery previewing their photo essays, can be viewed online here.
Stories from the Middle East in print
On 5 October World Press Photo celebrated the launch of Hekayat: Picture stories from the Middle East. The publication contains work produced by six photographers who took part in a photography training program. The participants created photo stories around the theme of active citizenship. The book is bilingual in English and Arabic and can be ordered through the World Press Photo online bookstore. Read an article about the book launch and watch a multimedia production online.
The World Press Photo exhibition continues its worldwide tour
The World Press Photo exhibition will be on show at one of the premier cultural landmarks in London, the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre from 12 November to 5 December.
We are also pleased to announce two new locations on the exhibition tour. For the first time, the exhibition can be seen in Zug, Switzerland from 23 October to 1 November and in Chicoutimi, Canada from 4 November to 28 November.
The final location of the Deutsche Bahn tour will open in Berlin, Germany on 15 October, wrapping up a nine-stop tour of Germany railway stations. Information about all of the World Press Photo exhibitions can be found on our exhibition calendar.
TNT continues its sponsorship of the exhibition in Brussels
For the fourth year, TNT will sponsor the exhibition in Brussels, Belgium. The exhibition will be on show at the Musée du Cinquantenaire from 12 November to 28 November. TNT organizes and sponsors the exhibition in addition to being a World Press Photo corporate sponsor. Read a short interview about the company motivation here.
Connect with World Press Photo
In addition to the content we offer on our website, you can now stay updated with the latest World Press Photo news on Facebook and Twitter. We will be reporting on our numerous events and sharing information, photography and reports on World Press Photo activities around the world. Join us online at:
www.facebook.com/WorldPressPhoto
www.twitter.com/WorldPressPhoto
If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here: newsletter@worldpressphoto.org

World Press Photo exhibition at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall

2010-09-29T14:00:00.000+01:00

World Press Photo exhibition at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The exhibition will be opened on Thursday 11 Novembe, 2010.

I think it's a must this year!

Hamlet

UNP

Picture Researcher at The Economist

2010-09-22T09:36:00.000+01:00

I wish i could give-up everything and apply for this position at The Economist. See the link below for Photoarchivenews.
http://www.photoarchivenews.com/archives/2010_09.html#003879

Picture Researcher
The Economist Newspaper & economist.com - Based Central London
Reporting to the Picture Editor and working closely with journalists and designers, you will deliver interesting and pertinent photographs to accompany a diverse range of articles.
This will involve working as part of a dedicated team, researching pictures and clearing rights for both the print and online editions.
Experience in researching pictures; a sound knowledge of picture sources around the world, the ability to quickly locate appropriate images on any story within the complete range of topics covered by The Economist, a firm understanding of copyright as it relates to photo use, a keen interest in current affairs and the ability to work calmly and methodically yet quickly under deadline pressure are all essential. Also, you must be able to communicate effectively with editors and others on changing needs.
Technical skills should include proficiency using Adobe Photoshop while knowledge of Flash and using Picdar’s Media Mogul system would be distinct advantages. Tenacious and determined when solving problems, you’ll have excellent visual skills and a flexible approach as there will be some late night and early morning shifts.
The newspaper has a world wide circulation approaching 1.4million while economist.com attracts 5 million unique visitors making well over 27 million page views.
We offer an excellent benefits package including 5 weeks’ holiday, profit share, medical insurance and contributory pension scheme.
To apply, please send your CV along with a covering letter and current salary to
Penny Garrett, Head of Graphics, by e-mail: recruitmenttwelve@economist.com
Closing date is October 17th 2010.

London Business Photographer

2010-09-21T08:58:00.000+01:00

If you ever in London or need commissioning headshots or head and shoulders :-), business portraits, corporate images, creative photography at a short notice, then please visit the London Business Photographer site for a quick quote.

Photos of Redcar's Corus steel plant, Teeside

2010-08-27T13:06:00.000+01:00

Some fantastic pictures from photographer Mark Pinder:

£320m deal to sell mothballed Teesside's Corus steel plant in Redcar is being discussed today.

Teesside Cast Products (TCP) was partially mothballed in February when a consortium pulled out of a deal. Thai company SSI (Sahaviriya Steel Industries Public Company Limited,) is now signed a deal to buy the Redcar site from Corus.
If the deal goes through, a "significant" number of jobs would be created in addition to the existing workforce of over 700.
Photo / Image / Pictures Copyright © Mark Pinder / United National Photographers

My Desk Is the Best

2010-08-19T11:43:00.000+01:00

While others are discussing "to be or not to be a mosque near ground zero" and "the sudden death of Frank Ryan -- a plastic surgeon who nipped and tucked the rich and famous for many years," PAN is running a series of photos 'taking you into the agencies - for our latest feature we have been asking Managing Directors and Owners of photo agencies and libraries across the globe to send a shot of their desk.'

I think my desk is the BEST! :-)

BJP International Photography Award

2010-08-17T10:11:00.000+01:00

The British Journal of Photography's International Photography Award

Do you dream of winning sexy new kit plus a professionally printed exhibition in London? If so your chance has come – the British Journal of Photography’s International Photography Award is now open until 30 September.

The IPA is divided into two categories, the single image and the body of work prize. Both winners will see their work printed at Spectrum Photographic, one of Europe’s leading photographic printers, and exhibited in London’s East End. In addition, the body of work winner will pick up a D700 plus a 50mm, 1.4G lens, and the single image winner a Sigma DP2s, the thinking photographer’s compact.

The IPA is now in its sixth year. Edmund Clark won the body of work prize in 2009 with a sobering portfolio looking at living conditions in Guantanamo Bay. He’s now publishing the project as a book with Dewi Lewis and is staging another exhibition at London’s Photofusion. Guilio di Sturco won the single image prize last year with a dignified shot of a victim of religious violence in India. Mentored by VII Photo, di Sturco has already won a World Press Award and seen his work exhibited at Visa Pour L’Image.

For more information and to enter the competition, visit www.bjp-online.com/ipa. Members of the press may also contact Diane Smyth diane.smyth@incisivemedia.com.

Press Photo Agnecy: UK Freelance Press Photography Directory

2010-07-22T12:25:00.000+01:00

Journalism.co.uk published an article about Press Photo Agency and how it's provides info about awards, grants and training courses specialising in photojournalism and photography.

Google updates it's design and presentation of the image search section

2010-07-22T11:31:00.000+01:00

New, Google image ads will appear on the top of the results page, like the text ads, clearly marked as ads. This could be a good way for freelance photographers advertise with Google.

Read further at

Journalism.co.uk

or

New York Times

or at

Googleblog

News Team International Restructured

2010-07-21T10:20:00.000+01:00

According to Photoarchivenews News Team International in now NTI Media Ltd.
I wonder why Kent News and Pictures couldn't do the same and become KNPI Media Ltd. As you all know, we launched a new site Photographers In Kent ( http://www.photographersinkent.co.uk ) for serving press, corporate and pr in Kent and beyond, with a hope to expand our coverage in South East of England.

Press Photo Agnecy

2010-06-30T11:35:00.000+01:00

Since the first photograph appeared in a newspaper in 1880, press photography agencies have played a key role in the visual documentation of the modern era. This website will explore the place of the agency in today's difficult marketplace, surveying the current state of affairs in the United Kingdom and abroad before briefly looking at the part played by subscription news services. Moving outside of the marketplace, the site will also identify opportunities available to press photographers for exhibition and funding, as well as education and apprenticeship. ( By Michael Smith, University of Leeds, England, UK © Michael Smith 2010 )

Read more at the dedicated website and if you are a freelance press photographer, then please add your details to the new, free press photographer's directory PRESS PHOTO AGENCY

UK PICTURE EDITORS' GUILD AWARDS 2010

2010-06-11T12:05:00.000+01:00

for further info please visit Photoarchivenews.

Photographers will be able to enter five pictures in one or more of each of the following sections:
A. Sports Photographer of the Year
B. Royal Photographer of the Year
C. News Photographer of the Year
D. Celebrity Photographer of the Year
E. Bloomberg Business Photographer of the Year
F. Newscast Young Photographer of the Year - entrants to be 25 or younger at closing date of July 16th 2010
G. Photo Essay - minimum of ten, maximum of 20. pictures which tell a story
H. BT Citizen Photographer of the Year – open to the public to reflect the impact of citizen journalism
on newspapers and web sites
I. From among all the entries, the judges will select a single photographer to be given the accolade of
SABMiller Photographer of the Year
Terms and conditions (including an administrative entry fee for some catergories) are at: http://www.piced.net/

Online Journalism News: New site to assess impact of CRB checks on photographers

2010-06-04T13:43:00.000+01:00

There is a very good article by Laura Oliver at Journalism.co.uk regarding the new website that has been launched to look at the impact of Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks on the work of editorial, pr and commercial photographers.

Published by us, freelance press photo agency United National Photographers (UNP), the CRB Checked Photographers website explores the regulatory role of the CRB and "the usefulness of its services" for working photographers.

Online Photo Agency for Kent for Press PR Corporate Photography

2010-06-02T14:51:00.001+01:00

New, online photo agency for Kent area for editorial, press, public relations and corporate photography has been finally launched this afternoon.

When it comes to quality PR photography, corporate photography and editorial photography coverage, Photographers in Kent are the best. Corporate portraits, special events, conferences, promotions, openings, toping out ceremonies are just some on the types of events they specialised in photographing.

The photographers work to extremely high standards and they confidently guarantee the satisfaction while delivering:

Quality Photography

Digital Post-production editing

Same day editing, email or FTP

Full usage rights (terms and conditions apply) on all images

DVD in o.n post of all hi-res photos.

Clients who would like an instant quote should use Quick Quote Now facility on the website or should call 0207 0 603 603

Quality photographers in the area who would like to contribute should email kentATunp.co.uk

For coverage of the rest of the United Kingdom please visit UNP photo agency or call 01274 412222.

BJP went live with its redesigned website, but is there anything in it for Photo Agency like...

2010-06-02T13:55:00.002+01:00

The press release from Diane Smith is below, but what i want to know is that how helpful they have been to hard working on day in day out basis, editorial, press, pr photographers and photo agencies like ours?

Elegant design, extra features and a constant stream of inspiring content
— British Journal of Photography unveils its new look website

www.bjp-online.com

LONDON, 02 June, 2010

British Journal of Photography went live with its redesigned website this morning, introducing a brilliant new look that better complements the print magazine’s move to a high-quality monthly format.

In addition to introducing an elegant new design that gives primacy to images, the site has added many extra features, including slideshows and video, plus new sections such as Gear and Daily. BJP’s ever popular blog, 1854, has also been integrated into the redesign.

The new site was put together by BJP’s editors and the award-winning web team at Incisive Media, working alongside Shristi Softech in India, with design input from Mind Orchard in Brighton. The launch coincides with the publication of BJP’s June issue, which focuses on the convergence of still and motion capture, and follows three months after the print magazine switched from weekly to monthly format.

“Going monthly has been a massive success, resulting in a huge increase to our readership, and we are very optimistic that we can welcome many more people to our new look website,” says BJP editor Simon Bainbridge. “We genuinely have something different to offer with our focus on creativity, authoritative reviews and investigative approach to reporting.

“Whereas the staff on most other photography magazines work across more than one title, our team of editors are dedicated fulltime to BJP, and we bring the same exacting standards and enthusiasm to our online content as we do to our print version. So, while many sites simply cut-and-paste press releases, we have been at the forefront in campaigning on issues like the Digital Economy Bill and Section 44 of the Terrorism Act.

“We will be adding extra unique daily content to the site from now on, including Q&As with photographers as well as slideshows previewing shows and festivals, along with video. Visitors also have access to our archive content, which we are adding to with newly uploaded content each day. For the launch, we’ve made everything available to see, but in the future we will restrict access to the latest content that appears in print to subscribers.”

About British Journal of Photography

Established in 1854 as a monthly, British Journal of Photography is the world’s longest running and most influential photography magazine. It went fortnightly in 1857 and weekly in 1864, establishing the blueprint for photographic journalism and featuring articles by eminent writers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. During both world wars it was given special dispensation to continue publishing. It is aimed at serious photographers, ranging from full-time professionals to younger aspiring photographers graduating from the booming education sector currently not served by the traditional approach of consumer magazines.

Coastival 365

2010-05-12T12:52:00.000+01:00

Coastival 365 started life as an idea for a personal project, but I felt it needed something to link into, to give me the discipline to carry it through and keep a reasonably high standard throughout the project.

I was chatting to Wendy who runs CREATE, an arts and cultural development agency in Scarborough, in the next office to me. We were discussing the second Coastival festival, due in February 2011, and I offered her the picture a day project as a means of keeping the festival in the public eye and as a countdown to its launch date. It was there on a cold grey winter’s day that the seed was sown.

The daily shooting of a picture is much more of a discipline than I first imagined; it does mean not really going anywhere without a camera – but I tend not to do that anyway. I try and shoot a picture early in the day, so I’ve got something in the camera to fall back on if nothing catches my eye later, and it’s amazing how often I find the pic for the day when walking the dog, going to the post office, or on the way back from the school run. Some days, however, I’ve gone off in search of a picture, always keeping in mind the type of images published in the few days before to avoid repetition, preferring the countryside to the seaside if I’ve just had a seascape, for example.

The project has started to unpeel layers of life around me that I hadn’t really noticed before: the group of Polish guys who practise street acrobatics on the seafront (14th February) are a case in point. I came across them on a Sunday afternoon, day four of the project, and they were really happy to be photographed and chat about what they were doing. Or the group of Hindus photographed last weekend (8th May) on the beach, having a spiritual weekend at the seaside, singing and praying together on the South Bay sands. It turned out that most of the older members of the group were amongst those forced to leave their homeland of Uganda in 1972, when dictator Idi Amin forced 60,000 Asians to leave.

The project has now got a decent following online, and I even have people stopping me, or emailing and suggesting things they have seen as possible ideas for an image. I do keep a mental filing cabinet full of places and events that may make a good frame at different times of year, but the good thing about this type of project is you really have no idea of what’s round the next corner, waiting undiscovered to be captured for posterity.

So hopefully that acorn of an idea dropped into the muddy winter earth will grow with the seasons over the year and deliver a unique visual record of life in and around Scarborough. And who knows, I may even feel inclined to continue past day 365!

Tony Bartholomew, Photojournalist, Press, PR & Corporate Photographer based in Yorkshire, England, UK

UNP Photo Agency

Cardiff, Wales, based CRB checked photographer in Q&A session

2010-05-07T11:08:00.001+01:00

Simon Ridgway, Cardiff, Wales, based CRB checked freelance photographer in Question and Answer session regarding the CRB.

Q. Why did you agree to be vetted for Enhanced CRB?
A. It was requested for a specific job. I didn't see any reason to
refuse, since UNP were handling the application on my behalf.

Q. Were you requested to provide extremely sensitive and personal
information for vetting?
A. No, I think just proof of ID.

Q. Do you often work with children or vulnerable adults completely on your own?
A. Never. I always make sure there is somebody supervising for my own
protection.

Q. Have you had a photoshoot booked because of your Enhanced CRB check?
A. Only one that I know of.

Q. How important do you think the Enhanced CRB check is for
photographers who work with children or vulnerable adults?
A. I don't think its necessary at all. Since I am never left alone
with the subjects of my photos, I don't think I need one. Some clients
may feel it necessary, but from my point of view as a visiting
photographer it serves no real purpose.

Q. Is it essential for an editorial photographer, press photographer
or corporate photographer to have an Enhanced CRB check?
A. No, for the reasons above. Any professional photographer should
ensure that they are not put in the position of being left alone with
children during a shoot.

Q. Would you say CRB checks are another form of tax imposed and
implemented by the Government and the Home Office?
A. I'm sure they are useful in many circumstances, but they don't
serve any real purpose for professional photographers.

Q. Would you recommend other photographers to go through the vetting
system? Yes or No would do.
A. Only if it is specifically requested by a client, and the client
is paying for it and handling the application on your behalf. But even
then, I wouldn't use having the CRB check as a reason to be left alone
with children or vulnerable adults while on a shoot. There is always
somebody else available who can supervise and be responsible for them.

Q&A was prepared for UNP Pohot Agency

Midlands based CRB vetted freelance photographer: Phill Hill

2010-04-29T10:37:00.003+01:00

CRB vetted freelance photographer from Birmingham: Phill Hill
Q. Why did you agree to be vetted for Enhanced CRB?
A. Because I am requested to photograph children and vulnerable adults on a regular basis for various organisations and the media. It helps assure people of my integrity.
Q. Where you requested to provide extremely sensitive and personal information for vetting?
A. No
Q. Do you often work with children or vulnerable adults completely on your own?
A. No
Q. Have you had a photoshoot booked because of your Enhanced CRB check?
A. Yes
Q. How important do you think the Enhanced CRB check is for photographers who work with children or vulnerable adults?
A. Very.
Q. Is it essential for an editorial photographer, press photographer or corporate photographer to have an Enhanced CRB check?
A. No. In most cases there is supervision.
Q. Would you say CRB checks are another form of tax imposed and implemented by the Government and the Home Office?
A. Yes, but only because of the fee charged.
Q. Would you recommend other photographers to go through the vetting system? Yes or No would do.
A. Yes
Phil Hill is Birmingham based freelance photographer
Q&A was done for UNP Photo Agency

CRB checked Press Photographer: Mike Poloway

2010-04-28T18:13:00.002+01:00

Question and Answer session with Photojournalist and Corporate Photographer Mike Poloway
Q. Why did you agree to be vetted for Enhanced CRB?
A. To be able to work with children when needed.

Q. Where you requested to provide extremely sensitive and personal information for vetting?
A. No, I don't think so.

Q. Do you often work with children or vulnerable adults completely on your own?
A. No.

Q. Have you had a photoshoot booked because of your Enhanced CRB check?
A. Yes, it was requested first I think.

Q. How important do you think the Enhanced CRB check is for photographers who work with children or vulnerable adults?
A. Very.

Q. Is it essential for an editorial photographer, press photographer or corporate photographer to have an Enhanced CRB check?
A. No, but certainly advisable.

Q. Would you say CRB checks are another form of tax imposed and implemented by the Government and the Home Office?
A. It could be seen as such. I appreciate costs must be covered, but to what extent?

Q. Would you recommend other photographers to go through the vetting system? Yes or No would do.
A. Yes.

Q&A for UNP Photo Agency

Enhanced CRB Cheked Photographers: Victor de Jesus

2010-04-28T18:07:00.001+01:00

Q&A with Freelance Press Photographer / Photojournalist Victor de Jesus
Q. Why did you agree to be vetted for Enhanced CRB?
A. No reason not to.

Q. Where you requested to provide extremely sensitive and personal information for vetting?
A. No.

Q. Do you often work with children or vulnerable adults completely on your own?
A. No, there is always someone from the organisation present.

Q. Have you had a photoshoot booked because of your Enhanced CRB check?
A. No.

Q. How important do you think the Enhanced CRB check is for photographers who work with children or vulnerable adults?

A. Depends, personally I would never put myself in a position where I was left alone with children or vulnerable adults.

Q. Is it essential for an editorial photographer, press photographer or corporate photographer to have an Enhanced CRB check?
A. I don't think it's essential, but don't see the harm in it either.

Q. Would you say CRB checks are another form of tax imposed and implemented by the Government and the Home Office?
A. No.

Q. Would you recommend other photographers to go through the vetting system? Yes or No would do.
A. Personal choice, as I said before, don't see the harm, still to see the benefit.

Q&A for UNP Photo Agency

PM Gordon Brown calls pensioner Gillian Duffy 'bigoted woman'‎

2010-04-28T12:58:00.001+01:00

File pic by Press Photographer Charles Knight taken in June 2003, of Gordon Brown at LGA conference.

I think he will have few like this published in tomorrows papers!

2010-04-28T12:41:00.000+01:00

Brown on live mic in an unguarded moment - calling a pensioner Gillian Duffy "bigoted" in Rochdale. Could she be the nail on Cordon's coffin? Why can't we, press photographers, have radio transmitted cameras, so we can get scoops like that?

London Photo Agency: Editorial Press, PR, Corportare Photographers

2010-04-27T13:57:00.000+01:00

Specialists in single or multiple photography assignments, London Photo Agency, covers greater London and home counties. This is another well designed and perfectly presented photography website that displays London based photographer's portfolio.

The Editorial Press, PR, Corportare Photographers service provided by London Photo Agency is powered by UNP and is one of the leading agencies in the UK.

Creative Corporate Photography, Professional Headshot Photographer, Press, PR and Business Portrait Photographer is all what we do, no weddings, funerals or christenings.

Paula Solloway: Skipton based PR, Business, Corporate Photographer

2010-04-27T12:42:00.000+01:00

Photographer Paula Solloway, who offers press, pr and corporate photography to clients throughout the UK always had UNP in her website as a clickable link and we would like to thank Paula for that!

Here is a blurb from her website, which features many sections in which she blossoms :-)

Welcome to my website, www.paulasolloway.co.uk. I am a creative freelance photographer based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, with over twelve year's experience working for the national and regional press, arts organisations, charities, housing associations and local government.

I also regularly work for United National Photographers (www.unp.co.uk) and am a member of...

Thank you very much Paula>

2010-04-27T12:35:00.000+01:00

This is how one of our midlands' photographer, Mark Warner, described while adding UNP Photo Agency to his links page:

jobs on mars ??'s

I cover the midlands and beyond but these guys get right to the edges so for that job in the outer hebrides you're struggling to find a photographer for ...do try here

http://www.unp.co.uk/

If anyone wants to visit Mark Warner, Derby based photographer's site, who is trading us Page One Pictures, then go to: http://www.pageonepictures.co.uk/

Extract from his Welcome page reads: “Page One Pictures” specialises in publications photography in the Midlands area of the United Kingdom. Mark Warner is a post graduate and an NCTJ. qualified news photographer. He has been working in photojournalism since 1986. Thats over 23 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN NEWSPAPERS , MAGAZINES AND PR. work. All pictures on this site were taken by him.

Thank you Mark.

Victor de Jesus: creative Press, Public Relations and Features Photographer

2010-04-27T12:27:00.000+01:00

Yorkshire based creative Press, Public Relations and Features Photographer, Victor de Jesus, who covers Leeds, Harrogate, York, Manchester, Sheffield Bradford, Halifax and beyond, kindly added UNP link to his website, which can be seen at http://www.victordejesus.com/

thank YOU

editorial and corporate photographer, based in Southampton, Hampshire, UK

2010-04-27T12:12:00.004+01:00

I would like to thank to Paul Carter for for adding UNP link to his website. Thank you.

Should you wish to visit Paul's website, please go to: http://www.paulcarter-photographer.co.uk/about.html

it reads:

I am an editorial and corporate photographer, based in Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
I shoot for a wide variety of media, business and public sector clients, supplying pictures for press stories, magazine features, marketing materials, annual reports, prospectuses, exhibitions and the web. With the help of my team - Julie Fortescue and Rachel Platt - I work hard to provide high quality images with a fast turnaround.
I am a contributing photographer to ReportDigital photolibrary and shoot for the United National Photographers (UNP) agency.
I am a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ

2010-04-27T12:10:00.001+01:00

editorial and corporate photographer, based in Southampton, Hampshire, UK

Photo agency sales up by 36%

2010-04-07T09:43:00.000+01:00

UNP 36% sales increase reflects improving market
Success leads to launch of new site www.photographerinlondon.co.uk

United National Photographers (UNP Ltd) the leading independent provider of press, PR, corporate, business and events photography, is today boasting a sales increase of 36% in the first quarter of 2010. The company is also launching a new site to showcase a portfolio of the best London photographers, www.photographerinlondon.co.uk.

UNP’s first quarter financial results for 2010 demonstrated a significant improvement on this time last year, based on sales increases of 26% in January, 8% in February and an impressive 75% in March. Figures show that it was a good quarter for editorial and corporate photography. Business portraits and headshots especially, were in high demand. That's a different scenario from last quarter, when UNP, like other agencies and freelancers posted declining sales, some even went bust.

“Results for the quarter were within the range of our expectations and we believe that we are on track to meet our fiscal 2010 targets,” comments Hamlet Mejloumian, Managing Director of UNP Ltd. “We continue to execute on promising new initiatives, and believe that our quality and price monitoring programme makes us an attractive photo agency in these difficult times."

Such new initiatives include the launch of www.photographerinlondon.co.uk, an ideal way to get a quick and accurate quote for editorial, press and corporate photography in London and the home counties. The site will showcase London based photographers portfolios, as well as the latest rss articles from various news sources.

Hamlet Mejloumian continues, “We have always been a good barometer for the press, pr and corporate photography sector, just like WPP in the advertising, marketing and communication sector. I see our increasing sales as a reflection of an improving market - we are far from business as usual, but certainly heading that way!”

Interested parties can contact UNP via it’s dedicated 24/7 hotline 0207 0 603 603 or indeed the newly launched www.photographerinlondon.co.uk.

2010-03-18T15:12:00.000Z

Listen to BJP. Digital Economy Bill: Contact your MPs. http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=873831

UNP Blogging at last

2010-03-11T18:37:00.000Z

This is our first BLOG entry. People have asked us for years why don't we start one. Frankly we didn't have the time. I now realize that there is so much information that we come across that is truly useful and we don't always have time to write an article. In many cases the ideas don't require an entire article anyway. Blogging seems to make a lot of sense as an actual time saver for us. Thanks for reading and we hope all our time and effort helps (or at least entertains) you on many levels.
Thankyou,

Hamlet & Co
Picture desk