The Africa Photographic Awards entices a worldwide audience of amateur and professional photographers with a broad spectrum of photographic categories and the largest prize pool ever offered for a photographic competition, being in excess of three million Rand! The main prizes have been donated by the distributors of Nikon in South Africa, Toyota, Kenya Airways and Sabi Sabi game lodges.

The range of categories includes wildlife, fashion, photojournalism and visual art to name but a few. Anyone may enter and there are specific categories for scholars and students too. Any make of camera may be used and some categories allow for artistic digital manipulation. Photographs submitted for each category will be showcased in leading magazines on a monthly basis, for the duration of the competition.

Africa Photographic Awards seek to establish a greater awareness of photography and inspire passion for the art amongst the younger generation. Leading supporter the distributors of Nikon in South Africa’s CEO, Stefan van der Walt elaborates: “We want to create a greater awareness of the importance of the role of photography in our society and to promote it as a career and rewarding hobby for life. Photography is the most powerful and widely used medium of communication today whether for recording history, for capturing memories or as an expressive art form.”

Africa Photographic Awards has pledged to help educate and enhance the lives of those less fortunate so that they too can experience the joy of photography as a medium of expression and as a rewarding career. Proceeds will benefit The Tomorrow Trust and will be used to create scholarships for the underprivileged, leading to job creation and self-sustainability. The Trust provides support structures for orphans to pass their school exams and follow a tertiary career path of choice.

This annual competition is deemed to become the largest and most prestigious of its kind. It will be judged by a panel of local and international judges. Final awards will take place at a prestigious gala dinner to be held in South Africa and attended by prominent authorities and celebrities. This glittering event is to be held during May 2010 and will receive wide press coverage.

Entries for the first annual Africa Photographic Awards will be accepted online from 15 May 2009, and the closing date is 30 March 2010.

Full details can be found at www.africaphotographicawards.com or www.nikon.co.za

The business’s owner, entrepreneur Mike Smith, said in a statement today (2nd April 2009):

“The worldwide banking crisis has created critical financial challenges for the company. The board has been involved in ongoing and intense discussions with the company’s bank, RBS, to obtain funding to secure the company’s future.

However, despite offering further injection of shareholder investment we have unfortunately been unable to reach agreement with the bank on additional lending facilities. Sadly, in these circumstances the directors have no option other than to appoint administrators to find a buyer – in the meantime it is business as can normally be expected under these circumstances.”

Spicer Hallfield CEO John Wyatt is working with administrators, MCR, to keep the business running day to day during the search for a potential buyer.

He said: “We are working flat out to find a solution to this problem. We are mindful of the extremely negative impact this is having on both staff and distributors and we are doing everything in our power to find ways to both save jobs and the legacy company that is Spicer Hallfield.”

He added: “It will be the job of the administrators to secure the best outcome it can to ensure the future of the company and I am confident that there a number of viable solutions. Whatever the outcome I am sure there will be an ongoing business to serve our customers and to save as many jobs as possible.”

Spicer Hallfield has been working for months to implement a move of its Bucks factory production lines to the company’s sister site in Bradford. The firm was planning to maintain Head Office and support staff locally in the Haddenham area, as the Haddenham site lease came to an end this spring.

The decision has been made following high-level talks with both Leaf and Hasselblad and will come into effect at the end of March. Joe Clark, Calumet MD explained: “The decision has been taken to focus exclusively on one high-end supplier in the medium format marketplace – and we believe the Hasselblad solution best fits our strategic plans for the future in this segment.”

He added: “We are the only dealer in the UK that can offer nationwide coverage with latest demonstration equipment and highly trained staff at every branch, plus a full equipment inventory throughout our rental departments. And we will be working ever more closely with Hasselblad on a consistent programme of promotional and marketing activity through 2009 and beyond. This begins with our exclusive â??Hasselblad Week’ at the end of March at which Hassselblad and Calumet experts will be demonstrating H3D-11 integrated camera systems and the outstanding Phocus software.”

Calumet is writing to all its Leaf customers explaining its decision.

Said Clarke: “We are fully committed to helping our Leaf users in any way we can in coming weeks and months. Leaf has appointed a new dealer and London-based Peartree Rental will be appointed our service and warranty partner when our commitment to Leaf concludes at the end of the month.”

The annual TFC Glamour/Figure course for 2009 is now starting to fill.

This popular course run by Chris Burfoot of TFC Courses for 2009 will be held on June 13/14th in deepest darkest Dorset at Studio Décor’s HQ near Beaminster.

As well as a fully equipped new studio the venue offers 60 acres of grounds! Sets will include (weather permitting) Meadow grass, woods, tree stumps with amazing views, an orchard, log cabin, a beach scene, old barn plus a brand new studio!

Supported by The Flash Centre, Elinchrom and California Sunbounce, this is your chance to spend two very busy days learning the finer points of Art/Nude and Glamour photography in this fantastic setting. Two professional models are available all weekend as is all the gear from the leading Swiss supplier of Studio equipment, Elinchrom. Chris will be assisted by fellow award winning photographer, Terry Hewlett so there is plenty of opportunities for producing some great shots and to get all those questions answered.

For further information please go to www.tfccourses.com or call 01249 444750.

The new Lastolite 2408 camera bracket allows the camera to be flipped between vertical and horizontal while retaining the flash position. The handle is extendable and has the option of hotshoe or spigot fixing.

The 2408 is the ideal partner for the Ezybox Hotshoe and the new range of Off Camera Cords.

Price & Availability:
The Lastolite 2408 camera bracket ( JP Code: 192142 ) is available at SRP £59.99 inc VAT

Last week was half-term and on Friday I decided to take my boys to one of our favourite places – Swanage, on the Dorset coast. When we were last down there I found myself drawn to a place I had not seen before (it turned out this was because it wasnâ??t there before, not because I just hadnâ??t noticed) called the â??Photographers Loungeâ?. Although not the biggest of galleries I have visited, it was probably the most welcoming!

The exhibition at the time was of images by Richard Heeps, whose work I had seen published before. There is nothing quite like seeing the real thing to make you appreciate the quality and skill and, in my case at least, to inspire you to get out there and do some work yourself. Anyway, I purchased a couple of Richardâ??s books and asked Kate (the gallery owner) if she could hang on to them and get them signed for me. Richard had been due to be in the gallery the week I was in Swanage, but had had to postpone or I would have tried to blag an interview!

Back to last Friday and Iâ??m collecting my books and having another enthusiastic conversation with Kate which lead to her telling me about a competition they are going to run.

The press release has just come through:

Make an Exhibition of Yourself!

Open Shutter Photography Competition

Open Shutter, a photography competition for photographers of any experience or ability, has been launched by the Photographers Lounge gallery. Every six months, an experienced panel will select three winning photographers to have their work exhibited and for sale in a month-long exhibition at the Photographers Lounge. Each exhibition will be launched with an Open Shutter Showcase evening and successful photographers will also receive continuing exposure on the galleryâ??s website.

Open Shutter will provide a unique opportunity for photographers to have their work presented in a dedicated gallery and for sale online, as well as being appraised by independent, well-respected panellists. Each biannual competition has a deadline in order to view the entries and choose the winners for each exhibition, but as soon as one competition closes, the next one opens, allowing photographers a continuing opportunity to submit their work.

The Photographers Lounge, based in Swanage on the Dorset coast, was set up just over a year ago by photographer, Kate Cross, and is already established as one of the countryâ??s foremost galleries dedicated exclusively to photography.

â??The Photographers Lounge and now Open Shutter came about as a direct response to the shortage of dedicated photography exhibition space in the UK.â? explained Kate. â??Whilst the USA and the rest of Europe have embraced photography as an art form, here in the UK, it seems that photography still takes a back seat in terms of exposure.â?

â??Open Shutter now provides emerging photographers the link with the gallery and the opportunity to see their work exhibited, which Iâ??m really excited about.â?

In its relatively short lifespan,The Photographers Lounge has rapidly become synonymous with the promotion of photography, and its growing reputation has meant that it is now a must-visit gallery for art-lovers and photographers alike. In its first year it has helped promote several emerging and established photographers. Richard Heeps, the internationally-acclaimed photographer, is a permanent member of the Photographers Lounge portfolio, as well as an Open Shutter panellist.

â??I have been impressed with the Photographers Lounge dynamism and enthusiasm from the word go,â? commented Richard. â??As a photographer looking to get as much exposure as possible, they have continually supported and promoted my work, and Iâ??m happy that they are now a permanent outlet for my work. I think the Open Shutter is a great concept, because I know how much they will be behind the chosen photographers, and Iâ??m delighted to be one of the panellists.â?

The Open Shutter competition only accepts submissions online at www.openshutter.co.uk.

For further information view the website at www.openshutter.co.uk or email info@openshutter.co.uk.

Additional Information

Open Shutter is a photography competition for all photographers run by the Photographers Lounge gallery in Swanage, Purbeck, Dorset. The competition is a rolling competition with two six-monthly deadlines a year. Three photographers will be selected by a well-respected panel to have a month-long exhibition in the Photographers Lounge, as well as to have their work permanently on sale on the Photographers Lounge website. Each exhibition will be launched with a showcase evening, and all works will be for sale.

The Photographers Lounge was established in January 2008 and is one of the few galleries in the UK devoted exclusively to photography. It has exhibited work by both emerging photographers and established photographers. The gallery also offers hi-resolution scanning, fine art printing (up to A2 on a range of media), promotional printing, website design and mounting & framing services.

Contact Kate Cross by phone on 01929 424414 or email kate@photographerslounge.co.uk.

The Photographers Lounge is based at 38 High Street, Swanage, Dorset BH19 2NX

The son of devout Mormon parents, Matt Irwin spent his teenage years dividing his time between working in a tractor factory and tying miniature explosives to his bike and riding around like a lunatic. Fast-forward a decade or so, and he is pretty much one of the most sought-after young photographers working in Britain today. Starting out, in his own words, “taking pictures of f***ed up, lo-fi punk kids”, Matt Irwin is now pointing his lens at supermodels for Vogue, Self Service and V Magazine among others, and shooting campaigns for leading high street stores. Needless to say, he dispensed with the Mormon sensibilities some time ago.

Mentored in the beginning by Dazed & Confused’s Creative Director, Nicola Formichetti, Matt’s breed of bright, candid, fashion and portrait photography was an instant hit with London’s disaffected generation. Rather than trying to emulate anything big and glossy, Matt was – and still is – interested in capturing stills from his subject’s own personal films. It was, and always will be, about the subject. Matt’s photography is instantaneous, unaffected – a diametric opposition to the over-saturated stuff we’ve become used to over the years – and fashion editors across the world simply can’t get enough of it.

So what can we expect from PUNK. PERFECT. AWFUL, Matt’s third solo exhibition in London? And more importantly, what is that name about? “It’s stolen from â??Awful’, that Hole song,” he explains. “I feel like I’ve gone through a complete cycle. You start out being viewed as a punk and super-cool, then you go on to being â??perfect’, in a sense, when you’re at a place where you’re consistently happy with what you’re producing. But then everything becomes super-commercial and everyone (including myself) thinks you’re awful.” So what’s the answer? “You just have to go back to the beginning. F*** what everyone else is doing. Start again. Just like that song says, Just build a new one/Make it beautiful.”

“[The exhibition] acts as a connecting thread between my very first pictures to the stuff I’m doing now,” says Matt. “They’re all moments of novelty.” Featuring Natasha Poly, Natalia Vodinova, Lovefoxx, Alice Dellal, Lara Stone, Georgie Jagger, Coco Sumner, Gareth Pugh and, most importantly, Matt’s personal icon, Bjork (“the highlight of my life”), among a whole host of other recognisable faces, PUNK.PERFECT.AWFUL is like stepping into a mini time capsule – capturing the very essence of what it means to be young, sexy and creative in 2009. As Vodinova says herself, “he has this kind of energy that comes from him… it makes it hard to stop”.

“I still approach everything in exactly the same way,” says Matt. “And I haven’t grown up at all. Maybe only in the sense that I take what I do a little more seriously. Before it was all a big joke.”

Exhibition runs 20th Feb-11th March at Cordy House, Curtain Rd, London.
Opening times Tuesday-Sunday 12-7pm

Designed with cutting edge imaging technology, ILFORD GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls are available now.

Press Release in full, as supplied by distributor:

Marly, Switzerland, 20 January, 2008 — ILFORD is pleased to announce their new GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls are now available. Designed with cutting edge imaging technology and approved by professional photographers in acceptance tests worldwide, the new Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls will give professional photographers a new and versatile media.

Engineered by the ILFORD research and development team to include a new optically controlled nanoporous layer and redesigned base, GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls empower professional photographers with the high performance media they need to achieve their desired results. The new GALERIE rolls are fully compatible with the latest inkjet printers, including the new HP Z3200 and Epson 7900 /9900, providing photographers with greater choice and further artistic flexibility.

Created for professional photographers, and using the latest in digital imaging technology, the GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls feature several new characteristics including:

Optically controlled, nanoporous technology coating

Having fully explored the imaging possibilities of nanoporous particles, and re-optimised the coated layer, photographers can now get the best possible results from the latest wide-format, aqueous inkjet printers. The new, more transparent layer reduces light scatter giving cleaner highlights, deeper shadows, more open mid-tones and improved sharpness.

Innovative base, optimising weight, flexibility and opacity

More compacted fibres translate to greater opacity and flexibility for the 290gsm paper weight. This new base will transport easily through all current inkjet printersâ?? capabilities whilst retaining the feel of a true photographic paper. The base also has a cleaner, more natural white tint, presenting a superb canvas for the image.

Full printer compatibility – The new media has a colour gamut that will fully exploit the benefits of the latest wide-format, aqueous inkjet printers. This media is fully capable of exploiting the performance of such printers while remaining compatible with future technological developments.

Up to date optimised ICC profiles, available at www.ilford.com

In addition to combining the latest in imaging technology, the ILFORD GALERIE Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls have passed acceptance tests by leading professional photographers worldwide.
â??Following great work from our R & D team and successful customer acceptance tests worldwide, we are pleased to launch our new Smooth Pearl and Gloss rolls,â? shares Andrew Stewart, Sales and Marketing Director, ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH. â??At ILFORD, weâ??ve been delighted with the clear, crisp images and deep colour palate emphasized by the more natural white base of the GALERIE range. But for us, the new GALERIE rolls are truly ready for market following the rave reviews we have received. We design for professional photographers, and we succeed when we create their media of choice,â? finishes Stewart.

Product availability:

ILFORD GALERIE Smooth Gloss and Pearl will be available as 17�, 24�, 44� rolls plus 60� pearl rolls starting January 2009, through JP Distribution.

JP Distribution:

JP Distribution is a successful division of Johnsons Photopia Ltd., an independent, privately owned company that can trace its roots back to 1743. JP Distribution is committed to providing an exclusive complimentary portfolio of leading brands for the professional and enthusiast photographer via a dedicated network of retail partners.
Mamiya, Sekonic, Lastolite, Gepe, Geimuplast, Billingham, PocketWizard, Peli, Trek-Tech,CamGrip, Magix and Schneider are all part of the JP Distribution brand portfolio.

JP Distribution is located in the heart of England at the company headquarters in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, where the company employs a wealth of experienced personnel with an unrivalled level of imaging knowledge, expertise and experience.

For more information on JP Distribution, please visit www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk

About ILFORD:

Founded in 1879, ILFORD is a leading player in the development and manufacture of photo quality media for both inkjet printing and colour photographic processes. The ILFORD worldwide Digital Imaging and Colour Photo businesses, including the R&D and manufacturing operations in Switzerland, are owned by Oji Paper, Japan.
The ILFORD name is well established in the history of Imaging and today it continues to be associated with cutting edge technology thanks to its strong links to the photo imaging marketplace, R&D, technical know-how and manufacturing capabilities.

For more information on ILFORD, please visit www.ilford.com

Press release verbatim:

Though the current outlook might be gloomy, Dazed & Confused is excited and optimistic about the new wave of creative talent shaping and colouring our futures. Writing for this week’s Independent, Dazed & Confused fashion editor Katie Shillingford said, “Our fashion horizon is positive and thriving, despite the panic that the credit crunch has inflicted on the industry. The creators are creating more than ever before… optimism is a must, and our outlook is multicoloured!” After scouting out the most exciting new photographers, designers, models and stylists of the moment, Dazed & Confused is this month showcasing the year’s hottest new fashion talent in its own inimitable style.

Also in this issue, we investigate Beijing’s flourishing young creative underground, and talk to Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk about the forthcoming screen adaptation of his cult novel Choke. We also profile rising art star Alex da Corte, while Japan’s notorious purveyor of erotic photography, Noboyushi Araki, talks us through his personal archive. Harmony Korine introduces his previously unpublished zines from the last 15 years, plus we eat cake with hotly-tipped electro-pop duo HeartsRevolution, and meet Susannah Knoop, the alter-ego behind literary hoax phenomenon J.T. Leroy.

Dazed & Confused is an independent British fashion, culture and arts magazine, with a reputation for ground-breaking photography, fashion and editorial. Published monthly, it was founded by Jefferson Hack and photographer Rankin in 1992. Its editor is Rod Stanley, and Nicola Formichetti its creative director. Luxury biannuals AnOther Magazine and AnOther Man, and website DazedDigital.com are part of the Dazed Group.

GALERIE GOLD Fibre Silk continues to set the standard in digital inkjet technology

Marly, Switzerland, 21 October, 2008 â?? Digital imaging specialist, ILFORD, collected its award for Best Fine Art Inkjet Paper at Photokina 2008. Presented by Europe’s most celebrated photo and imaging panel, the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Awards, ILFORD GALERIE GOLD was the only inkjet media to be recognised in a total of thirty-six award categories.

Lars Sommerhäuser, Chief Operating Officer of ILFORD, was presented the prize by the TIPA Chairman, Mr. Thomas Gerwers, on Tuesday, 23rd of September in the presence of some of Europe’s leading professional photographers and press.

“This win is hugely important for ILFORD,â? said Mr. Sommerhäuser. â??ILFORD has a heritage of groundbreaking imaging products and these awards prove that the company remains at the forefront of meeting customer needs and technological developments. The reaction we have received from professional photographers around the world is testament in itself to the quality of this outstanding product,â? he concluded.

ILFORD GALERIE GOLD Fibre Silk is a 310gsm inkjet media featuring a traditional barium sulphate (baryta) base. The baryta enhances the media surface which gives the creamy whites and velvety blacks that form part of the unique look and feel of a true fibre print; the standard amongst art photographers worldwide. The media also produces real high definition images with an extended tonal range, making it a must for exhibition quality images ranging from vivid colour to dramatic black and whites.

ILFORD GALERIE GOLD Fibre Silk is available in the UK through JP Distribution.

About the TIPA Awards

TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) was founded in 1991 as an independent, non-profit Association of European photo and imaging magazines. With 27 member magazines from 11 countries, TIPA is the largest and most influential photo and imaging press association in Europe. Each year, editors of member magazines vote for the â??Best Photo and Imaging Products in Europeâ? considering innovation, use of leading-edge technology, design/ergonomics, ease of use and price/performance.

For further information, visit www.tipa.com