Category: Photography

Posted on by vlado Posted in Blog, Photography

Merimbula Summer Sunset

Merimbula Summer Sunset

Have been tweeting on @WeMelbourne about blogging all night and my site hasn’t been updated since December… how embarrassing. That’s going to change… yes with this post but also from now on… more blogging… YES, I KNOW… I’ve said that before and failed. It’ll be different this time… I hope.

So, anyway… this is one of my all-to-common “Claytons” blog posts. But at least it gets 2013 on the calendar.

This photo was taken back in January, when the clan went to Merimbula for 10 days. Beautiful part of the country.

Given it’s 1.40am, I think I’ll leave it at that.

Posted on by vlado Posted in Photography

Port Campbell

Port Campbell

Despite having lived in Victoria for my entire life, I had never been to see the most visited local tourist attraction, The Twelve Apostles… I’d not been beyond Apollo Bay. That changed last week when we ventured out to Port Campbell with the clan… and I must say, it was every bit as beautiful as I’d been told, and I have no doubt I’ll be returning to this part of Victoria to take many, many more photos.

Posted on by vlado Posted in Personal, Photography

At The Beach

At The Beach

Was out with the clan a few weeks back, and went into a store to buy much needed replacements for my torn, tattered, patched jeans… I had no problem with them but someone was sick of patching them and said they could no longer vouch for the integrity of the repairs given the state of the original material to which it was being adhered.

Anyway, I succumb to the persistent suggestions and we went to take advantage of a 2-for-$109 offer, only to find that they were reduced to 2-for-$89… but that’s not important.

Having selected my two pairs of jeans, we were paying for them and the kids saw something on the counter promoting a photography competition being run by the clothing chain, and they suggested I enter.

I’m not a big fan of such competitions, but had an image in mind that I thought would meet the criteria. However, upon inspection of the “terms & conditions” I decided NOT to enter. The particular item I object to, and that is quite common in such photography “competitions” was this:

All entries become the property of the Promoter. The Promoter collects personal information about you to enable you to participate in this promotion but no further use of this information will be made without prior consent

That’s right… even if a photo does NOT win, the “Promoter” own the photo. I can understand (though, don’t necessarily agree with) the winner handing over ownership of the rights in exchange for the prize… there’s been an exchange of items of value… but to claim ownership of photos merely for entering a competition is a bit unfair. However, clearly the multitudes of people that entered either

  1. don’t mind giving away their photos to a corporation that may use it advertising without a single cent of compensation to the person that took the photo
  2. don’t read the terms and conditions

I’m betting most people would tick BOTH those categories… that is, until they DON’T win and then see their photo being used, and they’ve got NOTHING to show for it.

Me, however, would rather retain ownership of my photos unless I’m properly compensated for it, or give them as a gift to someone deserving i.e. not a multination clothing retailer that tricks people out of ownership of their own images.

About this image: This was taken 2 and a half years ago, out at Port Melbourne beach. Five of my six kids playing on the beach on a hot January evening.

Posted on by vlado Posted in Photography

Christmas Day

Christmas Day

This was my submission in the Art of 2011 best of challenge on DPChallenge. At the conclusion of voting, I was happy to see it finish 31st, with a respectable score of 6.3561. I was more impressed by the number of “favourites” and comments it received during voting, and in the post-challenge discussion.

Then, this morning, I woke and checked to see if the Jury results had been posted… and to my total surprise, it appears that this photo of backyard activity following Christmas Day lunch had taken out the top honours in the juried award. Yes… Jury’s Pick – First Place… WOW!

Never, would I have imagined that I’d win such an award. First Place in a competition where some great photographers, many of whom are exceptionally artistic, are challenged to dip into their 2011 archives and revel in their artistic side.

I have to say, I’m very grateful that many of these great photographers were on the jury, and therefore, not eligible for the award themselves…

Anyway… big thank you to the jury, the DPCers that liked my photo, and to my kids, niece, nephew, sister-in-law and father-in-law who created this moment in time.

For those of you wondering, this was not a setup shot. I lay on the grass in the backyard of my in-laws, following Christmas lunch. Kids running around, playing with their new toys, parents and grandparents joining in on the fun… I just lay there with my camera looking for the right moments to capture. Does this make it a “candid snapshot“? I guess so, given it was “Not posed or rehearsed“, though, such a term is coloured with such negativity. I’m glad some people can see art in the candid snapshots.