Christian Fletcher Photo Images

Please sign the petition on James Price Point

September 8th, 2010 at 8:10pm

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/Homelands&id=1386

The more we can get to sign this the better the chance we have of making the Kimberley industry free. There are better places for this gas plant. Let the premier know.

Send this link to all your friends who care about stopping the government from doing whatever it wants. Today the Kimberley, tomorrow the southwest. Hope they don’t find oil and gas under your patch of soil.

I want all you young people to sign too, get your noses out of Facebook for five minutes and think about what sort of future you want. My generation have had it good and we have not treated your inheritance that well. Make sure you don’t make the mistakes we made and help bring about change. You are the ones who will make or break our planet. Please don’t leave it up to the old, don’t give a shit I’ll be dead before there is a problem politicians that only see money and power as their goal. Sorry, was I just talking about Barnett. Let’s get the message out that this is important, we HAVE TO CHANGE OUR WAYS. Don’t leave it up to a handful to do the work for you, do it yourself and think about how else you can help. We need a revolution a total shift from our current thinking. Let’s save the only thing that can keep us alive, our planet.

No I haven’t been drinking!

19 Comments

Don’t forget your images for the Landscape 500

September 7th, 2010 at 8:56pm

Things are a little too quiet on this front, hopefully everyone is waiting for the cut off date to enter. Please don’t give me a heart attack. If you have the winning shot now, please enter online at The Landscape 500.

This image would be considered a landscape and therefore eligible to be entered in the competition. I took it with Antonio Raneiri and Matt Saul last week in Sydney. They have been taunting me with their own great pics so this is my first image from that trip. My wife likes it so it must be good.

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Bunker Bay Workshop filled in 4 hours – Second date to be announced

September 7th, 2010 at 3:50pm

The workshop for the 22nd and 23rd sold out in record time. Because Nick is flying all the way over we have decided to put on another date very close to the first Bunker Bay workshop. We are now taking expressions of interest for this second workshop at the Bunker Bay Resort. Email me if your interested. christianfletcher@westnet.com.au

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True North 3 Minute Teaser

September 7th, 2010 at 2:19pm

Michael has done it again with another brilliant True North Video. Poor bugger has two more trips coming up very soon. Markie and I feature in this clip on the top of a mountain at Raft Point. Doesn’t it just make you want to go! I’m running a photography workshop on the boat in PNG in November, can’t wait. Oh better get the passport renewed! Man being a pro shooter is the best job in the world, actually it isn’t a job, it is a lifestyle.

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Bunker Bay Workshop 22nd to 23rd of January 2011

September 7th, 2010 at 11:55am

STOP THE PRESS – IT”S FULL

Nick Rains and I are doing it again, Bunker Bay 2011.

There are only 9 spots left for the 22nd and 23rd of January 2011 to be held at the Bunker Bay Resort and it hasn’t been advertised yet. This workshop has been very popular and last January this filled very quickly. The cost is $995 for the two days. Doesn’t include Accommodation but includes morning and afternoon teas and lunch. We will have your photography to a professional standard by the end of the weekend. Hands on shooting and photoshop techniques will be the order of the day with advanced colour management techniques and printing.

We will have an Epson 3880 printer with us and will print out images we have shot over the weekend. There will be 3 or 4 shoots as well as the classroom workshops all in the luxury of the Bunker Bay Resort. A special rate for staying at he resort is available for those who don’t want to have to drive in from Dunsborough or elsewhere. Bookings can be made with the resort just mention you are on our workshop.

Nick will show you the subtleties of RAW conversion, how to master Lightroom or Camera Raw and get the perfect file every time. What this guy doesn’t know about photography and post production isn’t worth teaching.

I will be “butchering pixels”, in a good way, to show you how to get that WOW light in your images, the software I use and how I use it. You could say we have it covered what ever your style, clean and pristine or full on Glitz and glamour! If you like what Nick and I do we will teach you.

To book got to Nicks Website . Get in quick for this one.

Comments from recent Bunker Bay Workshop :

“Rated individually both Nick Rains and Christian Fletcher are easily placed amongst the top six landscape photographers worldwide with immensely successful careers, and a magical ability to pre-visualise and turn the most ordinary of scenes into beautiful works of photographic art.

Now working together as a team enlightening, enthusing and empowering the next generation of photographers these two guys offer what is arguably the most comprehensive and valuable of learning experiences currently available worldwide.

From capture to process to print these two good-humoured wizards have undoubtedly now influenced my career and enabled me to take my own photography to a higher level that I’d long aspired towards but struggled to attain.

Thanks Guys!”

Dennis

South Africa

4 Comments

Extreme Coolness from My friends at Epson

September 6th, 2010 at 3:37pm

Ben from Team Digital went to Sydney this week to talk to Epson about their latest Printer promo. It was sure worth it. There simply has never been a better time to get into a Epson STYLUS Pro 7900 or Epson STYLUS Pro 9900. Not only are these printer the best on the market but now they represent the best value on the market. I wish I had bought mine when this deal was announced.

When you purchase a Epson STYLUS Pro 7900 you receive from Epson just under $ 4000.00 worth of bonuses.

When you purchase a Epson STYLUS Pro 9900 you receive from Epson just under $ 5500.00 worth of bonuses

Now this would have to be an easy sell to your partner, “honey, how would you like a kick A55 home theatre”?? When you tell them that is is free it will be a shoe in! Just don’t mention you have to buy the printer first. My 9900 is like one of my children but it makes me money not cost me! You will love it too.

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Last nights workshop

September 5th, 2010 at 12:09pm

Thanks to everyone who came to my workflow workshop last night held at my dunsborough gallery. Got to meet a whole new bunch of people and really enjoyed myself. Hope you all did too, and remember if you have any questions after the workshop please ask.

One of the participants was the cousin of the infamous Muzz, we all gave him a royal welcome and the Spittle star power was strong with him too.

Thanks everyone.

18 Comments

Don’t think we can’t stop the Gas Plant

September 3rd, 2010 at 9:48am

Have a read of this. It is inspirational stuff and proves that the people can make a difference.

http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/wild-rivers/franklin

If anyone wants to meet at James Price Point in Early October and get some photos let me know.

Some of Peter Dombrovskis photographs have been instrumental in the conservation of various Tasmanian wild places including the prevention of the damming of the Franklin River. Lets carry on that tradition and save the Kimberley.

In 1958, photographer Olegas Truchanas became the first person to kayak the length of the dangerous Serpentine and Gordon Splits in recorded history.

Most of Truchanas’ early photographs were destroyed when his house was destroyed in the Hobart bushfire in 1967. However, over the next five years, he substantially rebuilt his collection of photos of the Lake Pedder area. Though, as a clerk temporarily employed by the Hydro Electricity Commission, Truchanas was forbidden to speak about the increasing controversy surrounding the impending damming, his photographs began to play an important role in publicity for the campaign. He was once quoted as stating “This vanishing world is beautiful beyond our dreams and contains in itself rewards and gratifications never found in an artificial landscape or man-made objects.”

After taking what are now among the only remaining records of the pre-dam Lake Pedder, Truchanas realised that the campaign was lost, and turned his attention to the Pieman, Gordon and Franklin Rivers. In 1972, Truchanas drowned in the Gordon River after slipping and falling into the current. His body was found, trapped beneath a log, by his protege, Peter Dombrovskis.

These two guys made a difference back before the internet and social media, imagine what we can do now in this day and age to get the message out there.

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The Government Set to Steal James Price Point

September 3rd, 2010 at 6:37am

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/02/3000587.htm?section=justin

Of course they know what is best for us and the environment! I’m heading to JPP and should be there by the start of October. I am driving up with the family so we can all see it before it is ruined. I hope to come home with some nice photos of the place. It is one part of the Kimberley Coast you can get to easily. If you want to see more you need to go by boat or Helicopter. So now this “unremarkable place” is going to be even more “unremarkable” thanks to a big polluting gas plant. Why can’t they ship the gas to Dampier? Can someone tell me? There has to be a good reason right, it can’t be the cost, surely not? That would be minuscule compared to the money they will make from the project. Does anyone in the government really believe that a huge gas plant won’t cause any environmental damage? Am I wrong thinking it will? Hey I’m no expert, but I guess the government has unbiased environmental groups providing them with the relevant information, right? Do you really think Barnett looks at himself in the mirror? I do when I’m brushing my teeth! And does he really sleep at night knowing the environment won’t be harmed in any way? I guess he must or he would be making stupid decisions every day! Phew, one thing I am glad about is all the extra tourism it will bring to Broome, hang on, I mean fly in fly out workers! Sorry they aren’t tourists, they are there to work. I think some big high rise buildings along Cable beach would be perfect to house everyone. I love that look! It is a shame that the price for the tourist to stay in Broome will go up too, just like in Port Hedland and Karratha. So hang on who is going to win from this? Well I guess we all will, well some of us, maybe just a few. Hey I would be buying some Woodside shares right about now, imagine how much money you could make! Hey don’t feel bad about the gas plant, it’s just a few small acres of land and the 20,000 odd whales zipping by every year can just go have a baby somewhere else. They don’t own the ocean you know, they just lease it off us, we own it and we can screw it how ever we want. Whales are overrated anyway, tourist don’t want to see them, they prefer oil slicks and industrial oblivion. Hey I for one think this is a brilliant idea,go for it premier, youdaman! Lets see what you have done so far.

Barnett believes that if Western Australia handed over 30% of the only GST revenue it receives it could eventually lead to the federal government being able to acquire 100% of the state’s GST revenue. There’s that word again, acquisition! No you can’t do that, that wouldn’t be fair.

In October 2004, Barnett led a campaign to re-criminalise homosexuality for anyone under the age of 18. Phew, for a minute there I thought Tommy would have to put his Pink feather boa away!

In October 2009, Barnett announced a series of new policies relating to drug legislation including a repeal of the Cannabis Control Act 2003. The previous laws were formulated by Geoff Gallop’s drug summit, taking input from experts such as academics, police, social workers, lawyers, medical professionals and members of the public. Barnett has stated it is his intention to overturn these laws because of HIS BELIEFS and stated that the drug summit members made a mistake introducing them and that cannabis was a “gateway drug”. To help with the enforcement of this new policy, Barnett also supported legislation to give police the power to search and seize property without any suspicion or belief that a crime has been committed. A Liberal parliamentarian, Peter Abetz, voiced support for these laws in parliament by drawing reference to the work Adolf Hitler did to bring security to Nazi Germany. Barnett stood by Abetz’s statements, saying he was making a valid point. Haha what a beauty, security to Germany but not to the rest of the world!

At the 2005 state election, Barnett, proposed the construction of a canal from the rivers of the Kimberley Ranges in northern Western Australia to Perth to meet Perth’s growing water supply problem. The proposal was costed by Barnett at AUD $2 billion, however it soon emerged that no feasibility study or detailed costings had been done. Some experts put the cost as high as AUD $5 billion. Oopsy, that was a bit of a blunder!! So he does his own calculations. Hang on, does he do his own environmental studies too? Hmmm, nah surely not!

Don’t panic people, we are in safe hands!

5 Comments

Curtis

September 2nd, 2010 at 9:32pm

Curtis Taylor is a young guy we met out at Parnngurr when on the last Pilbara Project shoot. Curtis works with Martu Media, a program of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa. He has produced short films that describe the history and culture of Parnngurr (Cotton Creek), his home community in Martu Country, for the project’s multimedia installation One Road. He is studying film making so him and Michael hit it off straight away. He was kind enough to show us around his land. It is a spectacular place and standing on the hill above town he pointed out to us where his peoples land extended to. Off in the distance were lots of hills and plateaus all begging to be explored. I must get back there soon. There was something about being so remote that felt great. And just to show how small the world is I bumped into a Dunsborough guy who is living out there and doing volunteer work in the community. It blew me away. I love this portrait of Curtis, you can see he is a strong, proud fellow. Will be keen to see his work.

Shot with the Phase One P65+ and the glorious 80mm Schneider, hows the bokeh!!

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Lake Ballard Video

September 2nd, 2010 at 4:53pm

A short film Michael knocked up from our trip to Lake Ballard last month. The time laps stuff is awesome.

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Gigapan Promo Video

September 1st, 2010 at 4:35pm

Another great video by my brother Michael. Shows off the Gigapan and the fun you can have with it. Now before you guys go, hang on that Sugarloaf shot wasn’t taken with the Gigapan, it is there because the actual image we shot wasn’t that great. Not in quality, that was awesome, in light and feel. It was the wrong time of day. For the video Michael thought this shot looked better, see even with all the best technology in the world if the light isn’t on….

The Landscape 500

17 Comments

Arts Freedom Australia Sydney Rally

September 1st, 2010 at 3:50pm

The rally in Sydney last weekend was a huge success with what seemed like a thousand people turning up to support the rights of artists to go freely about their business without overly restrictive and expensive laws. All the big guns were there and of course the biggest gun of all Tommy Putt, ok I mean’t Kenny D Duncan. I had the unenviable job of saying a few words to the crowd after Ken and was thinking having my arm chewed off by a pit bull with braces would have been more fun. I have never been so nervous in my life. There were cameras and videos everywhere and it was a little daunting. I had a speech organised but because Ken covered everything I was going to say that went out the door. Oh no I thought, I’m going to die in front of every photographer in NSW. As it turned out I didn’t but I didn’t set the world on fire either. I don’t think anyone laughed at my jokes and that confirmed my fears that people on the East coast have no sense of humour!! Couldn’t be because I ain’t funny! Could it?

If you look closely at this photo kindly sent to me by amazing photographer Gavin Blue, you can see none other than the great Thomas Putt in the dark shades. He was my body guard for the day and made sure I had all the right hair products available at all times. Nick Rainsy Rains is next to me and Leo Meier is just to my right. Also there protesting was some West Aussies, Sandra Herd, Matt Matty Saul and Adam Monk. Also Brent Pearson, Antonio Ranieri and Dan Capobianco were there. Pete Eastway turned up to hear my speech, the last I saw he was pissing himself, at my expense. David Oliver was there also, he said, You have to make a speech?, what have you got to say? Then laughed uncontrollably! There were so many other people there too many to mention and it is always great hanging out with your peers.

Thanks to the crew from Arts Freedom Australia, especially Renee for doing so much for this day and pulling it all together. And to Kenny D, you are the man! The rest of us mere mortals could only hope to have your profile. Your a great ambassador for photography. Nick, your a great MC, a little bit of rap now and then, scratch a few tunes and you could do the wedding circuit. You are the man after the main man!

17 Comments

My Workflow Workshop

August 27th, 2010 at 9:34am

I am running what might possibly be my last workflow workshop for the year. i have been trying to get one up and going for months now but the calendar has been so full. I know it is short notice but the details are below.

Date – Saturday night the 4th of September 2010 at 7.30pm

Location – My Dunsborough Gallery, Shop 4/27 Dunn Bay Road

Cost – $250 per person

What you get – 4 to 5 hours of learning, A printed workbook with the nights topics, Free wine and Desert.

What I cover -

Composition

Light

equipment, camera etc

Shooting in RAW

RAW image conversion

Photoshop examples

Other software I use to get the results I do

Stitching

Colour Management – Working spaces, colour profiles, colour settings

Soft proofing

Monitor Calibration

ICC profiles

Sharpening Resizing

Printing

Tips and tricks to make your images pop!

Plenty of time to ask questions

This is my workshop that will get you on the right path to professional results and is suited to all levels of knowledge. A basic understanding of photoshop would be helpful as well as and understanding of the basics of photography and the operation of your camera.

Let me know as soon as you can if you can make it down for the night.

5 Comments

New Gear from Canon

August 27th, 2010 at 9:29am

Benny from Team Digital gave me the heads up on some new Canon gear that is coming out very soon.

Canon demonstrates the company’s commitment to continually improving lens technology for SLR cameras.
Announcing today:

Four new Canon Super – Telephoto lenses
Two new Canon EF Extenders
One New canon fish eye Zoom lens
One Canon Tele photo Zoom

The first of these new products will be available toward the end of October and extending through to 2011.

2 Comments

Tony Hewitt – the Inaugural Masterclass on Rottnest Island November 5th to 7th

August 26th, 2010 at 7:28pm

My good mate Tony “Tone” Hewitt is running an awesome workshop on Rottnest with Denis Glennon. This will be an opportunity to get inside the head of one of Australia’s most awarded photographers. Tony has taught me more about creating stunning images than anyone and his enthusiasm will rub off when you are all together and the creative juices are flowing. Tony has a unique vision. What he has shown me is a brilliant photograph isn’t created in Photoshop, it is created in your mind. He will teach you that your own unique vision is your most powerful tool. Below is some more info on the workshop. Get on it.

Tony Hewitt, AIPP Grand Master Photographer, Hon Fellow AIPP, and Denis Glennon AO, have

combined their respective expertise to present Tony’s inaugural Masterclass in Western Australia.

The venue for this exclusive event is one of Western Australia’s jewels of nature –

The Country Club, Rottnest Island.

Only twelve participants will be registered.

The Masterclass is scheduled for Fri 5th & Sun 7th November 2010, when Rottnest will be at its best.

Highlights of the Masterclass include:

■The journey of photographic vision through the eye of a Grand Master Photographer

(only nine in Australia)

■Tony’s candid and eloquent sharing of his techniques and thought processes on capturing

images that strongly resonate with viewers

■Learning why great, award winning images are the result of the photographer’s passionate

intent, engagement with the world in the frame and most importantly, creative vision

■Informing participants how to

■Tony’s sympathetic, warm-hearted talks and honest photographs go deep to the core of

both the purpose and method of making great photographs. He is a free-spirited but a

sure-footed wanderer who will ensure, as a participant, you will stay inside his head and

therefore vision, right from the moment he shoulders his camera bag and leads you on the

first pre-dawn shoot

■An insight to the mindset of photography award judges …… by one of the most experienced

and respected international judges in the photography world

It is a “total package” event and includes:

■Return Rottnest Express Ferry tickets

■Shared accommodation

■All meals, (excluding alcohol) – dinner on Fri and Sat evenings, breakfast on Sat and Sun

morning, lunch on Sat and Sun and morning & afternoon tea/coffee

■Transport to remote areas of the island for pre-dawn and sunset shoots such as Parker

Point & West End

■Attendance at all Masterclass tutorials and shoots on Sat and Sun

■Handout materials and helpful, constructive commentary on your images captured during

the shoots

To secure your place go to : http://denisglennon.com/tony-hewitt-masterclass-on-rottnest-island/

17 Comments

Lake Ballard Overview

August 25th, 2010 at 9:01pm

This is my take on the view overlooking Lake Ballard. I have come up with a new technique for adding a tone and contrast at the same time and it is completely editable so it is easy to fine tune. This tone can bring an image to life. Again I have a very light sky as opposed to the heavy dark ones. I like it for a change. This pic is almost 3 metres wide at full res. Another one I did with the gigapan is just under 5 metres wide at full res. That is big!

This image would do well in the Landscape 500 Photo Competition. Enter here.

7 Comments

RAW Coolgardie Building Photo

August 25th, 2010 at 8:33pm

This one is for Andrea. This is how the building actually looked when I shot it. All out of shape, and with a plain blue sky. See you can make something out of nothing.

Don’t forget to enter the Landscape 500, so far the odds are pretty good you will win a prize.

31 Comments

Cool Coolgardie Building

August 17th, 2010 at 12:54pm

This is my take on the old hotel Markie and I shot in Coolgardie. Was a classic building and I thought long and hard about the final image I had in my mind. This is pretty much what the it said to me. Who would have thought they could build such beautiful things on the way to no where. All this image needs is an old guy in a wheelchair and I would be completely happy. Some major work went into this and I will show the workings at my next workshop. Whenever that will be.

Might have to do one soon before the Landscape 500 Competition finishes. Could inspire you to greater photographic pieces, or just bore you silly!!

4 Comments

Nik-64 bit Upgrade

August 17th, 2010 at 11:16am

Benny from Team Digital just told me some good news, all the Nik software is now soon to be 64-bit. That will be awesome with CS5 and my newly upgrade Mac Pro with 24gb of ram. Thanks for the heads up mate.

How To Update:
If you are a current Viveza 2 customer, you can get the 64-bit update from the websitehttps://www.niksoftware.com/site/ simply go the Support and then FAQS then you will see “Is Viveza 2 compatible with 64-Bit host applications”. Then follow the prompts from there

Next in Line:
The next products to be released are:

• Silver Efex Pro &
Color Efex Pro 3.0
• Dfine 2.0 &
Sharpener Pro 3.0

We are currently completing these updates and reviewing them to assure the highest level of quality.

I use Nik software all the time when working my images. It is worth getting Colour Efex and Silver Efex alone but the whole suite is nice. Don’t forget if your getting some awesome results with Nik software, enter the Landscape 500 Awards. Show us what you can do!