Welshot Focus - Issue 4 - December 2017

issue 4

FOCUS ON...
COVER IMAGE:
by Nuala O'Rourke
Welshot Promo Image
Hello
& Welcome
to issue four of Welshot
Focus, the last to be created
for 2017. What a year we’ve
had at Welshot – Lots of fun,
photography and chips have been had,
new friendships made, skills and techniques
learnt, and portfolios are now bulging at the
seam with all the images that have been captured.
LEE IGGULDEN DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
EMAIL: lee@welshotimaging.co.uk MOBILE: 07765 461324
EIFION WILLIAMS MANAGING DIRECTOR
EMAIL: eifion@welshotimaging.co.uk MOBILE: 07990 680175
WELSHOT HQ: 01248 719126
Welshot Imaging Ltd – Plas Lon Las, Brynsiencyn, Anglesey LL61 6TQ
We would like to take this time to Thank a few people
– without them, many of our adventures or benefits would
not be possible. Bethany D’avincourt who makes sure all our
models are sourced and organised for events. Lynsey Hackett
of L29 Creative our graphic designer who works hard to get Welshot
Focus to print. Chris Doyle – our web developer who, behind the scenes
is always busy adding events, building new functionality and making sure you
are all looked after. Paula Cain of The Chester Costume House who is our go to
expert for authentic and original costumes for our themed shoots. Lauren McNeish
from SmugMug who provide all our Members with their own online gallery on the website
and Jen Baker of Lavender Blue Florist for all our still-life set-ups.
Finally, a BIG thank you to Jason Edwards, Chris Couchman, Sadie Thackaberry, Steven Riley,
Derek Buick, Nuala O’Rourke, Sharon and Rob Prenton Jones, Tracy Edwards, Dilys Thompson,
Debbie Hunt and John Arnold who have helped us to run all our events and academy evenings in 2017.
All that is left to say now is – Thank You, to you, our valued Welshot Member (and now our Kiwi Social
Members too) – without you, there would be no Welshot (or The Kiwi Social) and we really do appreciate your
loyalty and commitment to what we are trying to do.
We wish you nothing but health, happiness, love and in focus photos for 2018
Thank you all for making 2017 a great year.
Lee x
Hi Chris. So you’re Welshot’s resident IT boffin. Are you happy with
being called a boffin or shall I just call you Neo?
Ha! I wish I looked like Keanu, but sadly I don’t. We’ll stick with boffin,
maybe. I am a big fan of reclaiming the word geek as well though.
How long have you been in the Welshot family?
Oh, for a good long while now. I’m famously shocking when it comes to
remembering how long-ago things were. Safe to say, because I enjoy it so
much, it feels like not very long at all.
What do you do for Welshot and its members?
Everything Welshot does is driven by looking after its members. When I
first started, I took over the existing website and we started to respond to
requests for features from the members. After a couple of years, it became
obvious that the website needed a radical overhaul toproperly give the
members the service they desired. I created a brand-new website with
funky good looks, great new forums and a more transparent interface
for event booking and voucher visibility. I handle pretty much all queries
from members when it comes to their accounts; be it helping them find
their vouchers, how to upload their pictures to their SmugMug gallery or
assisting them with removing their images. It’s a source of pride for me that
I approach everything from the opposite point of view of most IT geeks.
The software or technology is, I feel, incidental. What matters most is the
understanding the people who matter – the members. I listen to everything
they ask for, and then work from there.
So what new projects are you currently working on for Welshot?
One of the biggest changes in
Welshots world is the creation of The
Kiwi Social. Feedback indicated that
the members would be best served
with their own website, separate event
and membership benefits. I’ve wanted
to work on a proper magazine style
website for some time and I’ve also
been looking for a project where my IT
and Strategy consultancy could find
an outlet. At the end of the day, I am
not a photographer so it’s brilliant to
have a way of helping the members in
a practical way
Chris Doyle
As a non-photographer, what impression
does Welshot give you?
Above all its friendly. It isn’t threatening or
remotely cliquey. Welshot looks after its
members; gives them what they want and
need, often before they think of it. I’ve lost
count of the times I’ve seen Eifion and Lee
dashing around, making sure everyone is
happy; that they are being looked after and are
leaving with a smile on their faces.
How do you see the relentless march of
technology impacting on photography in
the future?
Hmm. The thing about tech is that it should
enhance your experience and enjoyment of whatever you’re doing.
Sometimes that means learning a new skill; be it image editing or
whatever. I think, as computers grow in power and phones/tablets
become ever smarter, we’ll see more editing on the fly. You’d take a
picture, transfer it to your phone and edit it there and then. oI think
due to the number of photographs you can take in one shoot these
days that camera owners are going to need serious storage for their
images – be it off in the cloud or on local storage. On a non-tech
front, and allied to the last point, I think photographers are going to
have to be more brutal in discarding images
What’s your favourite tech toy?
Bizarrely, for an IT bod, I don’t have much tech in my house other
than what I need for work. Hands down though it would be the book
reader that I got from eBay. It holds around 800 books and means I
can read in bed without driving my wife mad turning the page.
And let’s finish with the IT world equivalent of the Nikon/Canon
bunfight –Apple or PC?
Ha ha. I think you should go with what you know. I’ve used both
and prefer Windows; purely because I’ve used it for years. If I
had to make a choice, I am going with option C – LINUX.
Neil Stevens - Welshot Does
Roving in Conwy
Designed by L29 Creative
tel: 01248 490 141
email: Lynsey@L29creative.co.uk
PAGE 3

What makes a
GOOD COVER IMAGE?
IMAGE READY
by Derek Buick
One of the most important things to do first is research. Study
the publications in which you would like to have a cover
shot published. What kind of images have they used on past
issues? Research thoroughly the design style and target
readership. Find out what the editor wants and what they are
trying to achieve.
If the publication has an editorial calendar, download it or
request a copy so you can see upcoming themes. This gives
you some idea as to the types of images they might use on
an upcoming issue. Make sure you’re working at least four to
six months ahead of the publication deadline for a particular
issue. For example, if you are looking at getting published in
the September issue, then you need to start working on your
cover image ideas around April. Magazine editors are very
busy people and just don’t have the time to read through
long rambling emails. So, when contacting a magazine, be
precise and to the point and you will have a greater chance of
success.
In a cover image for magazines, the top one-third of the
image must not contain the subject, as this is where the cover
masthead text is printed. This area of the image must have
a background that doesn’t distract and be subtle so as to
not draw attention away from the text. When checking past
issues, look at the text colour on the cover. If the publication
uses a consistent text colour on their covers then make sure
that area on your potential cover image has a contrasting
colour. Otherwise, your image will not be selected because
the text would not show up clearly.
Subject placement is very important. Remember, the top third
must not contain the subject. Locate it from the centre of the
image and down to the bottom one-third vertically. Generally,
this goes against the composition ‘Rule of Thirds’, which is
why most of your images that haven’t been thought about as
cover shots won’t work. The next time you’re out shooting,
take a few extra shots thinking about how they could be used
as cover shots and place the subjects accordingly.
This is a question frequently asked by
photographers who want to get one of
their images published on the front of a
magazine or book cover.
If you are shooting for a book, try to research the feel of
book covers by spending some time in a bookshop looking
at covers, illustrated or photographic, that are similar to
your photographic style. Include as many different genres
as you can in your cover research, looking at books from a
wide range of publishers. Creating mood in your book cover
photography is also very important. The use of colour, lighting
and depth of field will all help to create different types of
mood. Whatever the final subject may be, the main reason an
image works is because the mood is just right.
When you are shooting for cover images, whether it is
for magazines or books, you have to think like a graphic
designer. On book covers, very often the image will be
overlaid with type. Don’t try to create a specific scene.
Instead, create images that hint at the story without giving too
much away. It is important that the photograph has negative
space so that there is room for type to sit comfortably. Unlike
magazines, the position of the book title varies on the cover,
so don’t assume that it will always be at the top. Remember,
the photograph is likely to be used creatively by the designer,
so allow some space so that it can be cropped if necessary.
Most magazines (and book covers) use images in a portrait
format. As a rough guide, cover pages are approximately
A4 in size, so portrait format makes a perfect fit. Rarely do
publications take a vertical cut out of a horizontal image. It is
advisable to submit images in TIFF format with a file size of at
least 10mb, and sized at A4.
If shooting images for book covers is something you are
particularly interested in, then it is worthwhile joining a stock
agency. However, it is a good idea to look for an agency that
works well for you, so do your research. Hundreds of books
are published each month and as a result, there is a high
demand for all kinds of photographs. Amongst those, are
very specific requests for themes that perfectly complement
a current literary trend. Catching these trends at the right
time will increase your chances of selling your photos. It is
therefore worthwhile keeping up to date with what the current
trends are. Also, stock photo agencies love diversity, so the
more different your shots are, the better chance they have
of selling. It is important to upload images regularly. If you
upload very few images, your chances of landing on a book
cover will be quite small.
PAGE 4
Sian Monument
PAGE 5

y Siân Monument
PAGE 6
My Landscape
WELSHOT JOURNEY
I suppose I’ve always been a sucker for a nice
landscape. After all, who wouldn’t? Living on
Anglesey, I’ve always loved the big skies we
have in this part of the world. Combined with the
spectacular sunrises and sunsets we have only
emphasises the experience for me. Of course, on
Anglesey, you’re never that far away from the coast,
a lake or a river, which is why I capture some form
of water in most of the work I do. The reflections
water creates just adds to the impact for me.
My interest in landscapes originally came from the walks I would go on
with my two boys. I used to carry a small point and shoot camera in
my pocket, always on the lookout for a pleasing landscape which I was
never short of! One day, I realised that I just wasn’t getting the images I
was after, and this was down to the limitations of the technology I was
using. I know that it’s the photographer that makes the shot and not
the equipment, but not being able to control my shutter speed nor my
aperture was a problem.
After briefly flirting with an interchangeable lens compact system camera,
I eventually plumped for a full frame DSLR. Now I was presented with
another problem – how to use it! This camera I now had was most
definitely not a point and shoot, and it also had more buttons than a
habdashery! Kris Williams, a friend of mine and a very well-respected
award-winning landscape photographer pointed me towards Welshot, of
which he was also a member.
All my friends know that I’m quite a shy person. I’m not particularly
comfortable with groups of people, especially ones I don’t know. It
actually took me three months to join, but Kris’ recommendation meant
a lot to me, so after attending one of Welshot’s open evenings in Menai
Bridge, I signed up. It actually took me another four months to attend an
event – I told you I was a nervous character back then! In addition, my
confidence had taken a major knock after attending an evening class
in photography at the local college some months earlier; it completely
overwhelmed me and this in turn made me think that I’d be judged for
my level of skill and experience at Welshot. Well, how wrong could I have
been?
My first Welshot event was an Academy Evening at Llanddwyn. We met
up at a local café and made the short journey to a spot that I’d been to
countless times before but I suppose you could say that this particular
time was a bit of a photographic awakening for me. This is where Welshot
came into its own, and the level of support I received that night was way
beyond anything I thought I’d get. I actually left that evening knowing what
the random collection buttons on my camera did!
I have to be honest, I did drag a friend of mine along with me that evening.
Like I said, my experience at the local college had totally undermined my
confidence, in both photography and myself, and I felt as if I needed the
moral support of someone I knew. To cut a long story short, my friend was
so impressed with Welshot, he signed up that night and is still a member
to this day, as I am I hasten to add!
Apart from the evenings and events I’ve been a part of, my 1 to 1
with Eifion was probably one of the most invaluable photographic
learning experiences I’ve ever had. Even though the only experiences
of photography I’d ever had was on digital, I chose to use the session
to get to grips with film, which Eifion was only more than happy to
accommodate. From a digital photography perspective, this opened
my eyes to a whole new way of shooting. Absolutely everything is
manual, there are no shortcuts. What I learned most about was the art of
patience – visualising a composition first before taking it, making sure that
everything is 100% in camera before taking the shot.
Fast forwarding to now, I have to admit that things are looking pretty rosy.
I’m putting all the learning and experiences I’m gaining at Welshot to good
use and am currently studying for a photography degree. I sell my prints
all around the world, I’ve been published in the national press on multiple
occasions and my social media presence is really starting to take off.
As far as where my photography is going, that’s the million dollar question.
Without doubt, Welshot has been the catalyst for both my technical and
professional development but it’s fair to say you never stop learning. I’m
currently putting my efforts into more minimal black and white landscape
photography, methods that I’m relatively unfamiliar with but keen to
master nonetheless.
Over the past few years, I’ve come to recognise the importance of not
forgetting why you’re picking up a camera and getting out there. I always
give it everything –after all, you’ll never get the shot you’re after if you’re
sat on a sofa with your camera on a shelf in a cupboard. If I’m not coming
home covered in mud or soaked in seawater, does it even count?!
PAGE 7

Our last Welshot adventure of 2017 was to the lovely City of Dubrovnik in October.
We have been there before but couldn’t resist another visit. An amazing place for
photography and known as a popular destination for many a scene of the successful
series ‘The Game of Thrones’.
Here is a selection of images taken in Dubrovnik by myself and fellow academy
members and a few tips and hints on how to capture something a little different.
Discovering DUBROVNIK
Eifion Williams
Sue Mannings
What’s in my camera bag for travel
Olympus Pen F camera body. Small, light and great image quality.
14-42 ez pancake lens for general photographs, 40-150mm
lightweight zoom for those subjects we want closer. A couple of
faster primes, normally a 17mm f1.8 and a 45mm f1.8. Both ideal
for lower light or when I want a bit extra speed to stop the action
as in Street images. Spare batteries, cable release and a lens pen
to remove any dust or marks from lenses.
Look for different angles to shoot from
Don’t just take your images from eye level, try different angles.
...
Even go for a worm’s eye view from ground level. Tilting your
camera can sometimes also work with the right image.
by Eifion Williams
PAGE 8
PAGE 9

Lynsey Hackett
Eifion Williams
Set your camera to Jpeg and RAW
If you do this, every image will be saved in both formats. If
you apply any camera in built Filters, White balance settings,
or Film simulations you will have these saved to your J Peg
files whilst your RAW file’s will remain unchanged (just like an
unprocessed roll of film).
Bean bag or Gorilla pod camera support
If you are travelling really, light but need a camera support for
low light images try these out. A bean bag is a good idea as
it can mould around your camera to hold it securely. A Gorilla
pod bendable mini tripod is also very handy support, can also
be used wrapped around railings etc. to securely hold your
camera.
Ted Reece
PAGE 10
PAGE 11

Some of the most iconic landscape images have come
from national parks and are the subject of Art Rangers’
philanthropy and obsession.
STAR
They’re amassing a collection of stunning photography from all the national
parks in the U.S.—all for sale in all kinds of prints. The proceeds from each
sale will be donated to the National Park Foundation.
CALLING ALL
You can get involved two ways: grab a print for yourself or as
a gift, or donate a photo of your own for a chance to
WIN A CAMERA FROM SONY.
SmugMug is so glad to be a partner on the Art Rangers project because
it both highlights our commitment to the National Parks and allows us to
showcase stunning imagery for a worthwhile cause that our audience can
engage in. All proceeds from the online print sales will be donated to the
two nonprofit partners of Art Rangers - the National Parks Foundation and
the Sierra Club.
In this issue Lauren has chosen a photograph
by Duncan Vaughan.
This is what Lauren has to say:
With Winter fast approaching, it's photos like this I love to
look at. I get so envious when I see photos of the Aurora
because I've yet to witness this spectacle! The colours are
lovely and I hear that to capture the Northern Lights is no
mean feat, so well done, Duncan - this is beautiful!
PARK LOVERS
PAGE 12
Karl Ndieli - Grand Canyon
Dirk Dallas - Death Valley Oscar Nilsson - Great Sand Dunes
PAGE 13

welshot members
SHOWCASE
Jackie Roach - Welshot Does Lighting with Gels
Grahame Brooke - Welshot Does Halloween
Mark Powell - Welshot Does Chester
Sharon Prenton-Jones - Welshot Does Norse Dragon
Steven Riley - Welshot Does Hollywood
Susan Ryan - Welshot Does Portraiture
Richard Langton Davies - Welshot Does Macro
PAGE 14
Tracy Edwards -
Welshot Does Poldark
Paddy Reason -
Welshot Does Poldark
Joan Reece - Welshot Does Dubrovnik
PAGE 15

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
20% off
Academy Evenings / Mini Modules / Workshops / Events
1:1 Email or Phone Guidance & Support - helping to choose your camera,
lenses and other equipment specific to your needs
1 x Academy Evening
1:1 4hr Tuition Learning How to Use Your Own Camera
1 x £50 off a Full One Day UK event
1 x Full One Day UK event
1:1 4hr Tuition Learning Basic Studio Lighting
20% off a New Model Army Photography Workshop
A2 Giclee Print from The Pixel Printer.Com
Support, advice & tuition from Team Leaders in various genres
of photography
Ability to earn WelshotRewards which will give you access to FREE
workshops and events that only WelshotRewards can purchase
Ability to Network with like-minded people (professional & enthusiasts)
online & offline
WELSHOT ONLINE
Exclusive to Welshot Members Only - Online Webinar Events Hosted by
Welshot & Team Leaders
Access to a growing library of online tutorials, lectures, events & product
tests. To use & review at your leisure
Monthly Online Creative Projects / Challenges
PROMOTION, SUPPORT & GUIDANCE OF YOUR WORK
Personal SmugMug Guest Account on Welshot Website
Commission on Sale of Images Through Welshot
Commission on Sale of Images Through SmugMug
Advanced warning of images needed to help you get published or
to sell an image
Access to Welshot Forum
ADVANCED SUPPORT
Consultation & preferential rates on Insurance from Aaduki Insurance
Support, guidance & help with business documentation including licence
agreements, quotes & copyright agreements
Access to a large Network of Photographic Industry Contacts &
Business Professionals
PHOTOGRAPHY?
JOIN US...
WELSHOT
membership
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✗✗✗
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
EARN 50%
EARN 100%
✓
✓
✓
✗
✓
WELSHOT
membership
✓
✓
✓
✗
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
EARN 70%
EARN 100%
✓
✓
✓Professional cover
✓
✓
2HOW
by Jason Edwards
This is a dead easy one! If you’ve ever used your camera on
Program, Shutter or Aperture priority and your photos were
either too dark or too bright, using your camera’s exposure
compensation feature might be the answer. For example, if
you turn it up to +1, it’ll give you an extra stop of exposure
– ideal if your photos are coming out a little dark. Similarly,
if your photos are a bit overexposed, bring your exposure
compensation down. Remember – a camera will never be
as sophisticated as the human eye, so its own systems will
never be foolproof, hence the need to help it out once in a
while! Your exposure compensation will probably go from -3
to +3 and increase/decrease in thirds of a stop.
Alternatively, you may have noticed that even though your
camera is telling you your photo is properly exposed, it may
be coming out either too bright or dark. In this instance, it’s
worth checking your exposure compensation and seeing
that you haven’t accidentally knocked it up or down. Some
cameras have this control as a dial on top of the camera; with
others, you may need to push a button or two to access it.
What is
EXPOSURE
COMPENSATION?
If my camera is telling me that what I’ve composed in my
viewfinder is perfectly exposed but it’s coming out like this, I
could bring by compensation down. In this case, I’d probably
begin by turning it down a couple of stops and seeing what
the camera produced. From there, I may possibly make some
minor adjustments if needed.
If my camera is telling me that this photo is theoretically
well exposed but it’s coming out too dark, I could add some
extra exposure to the image by turning up my exposure
compensation.
There is one other major component of the camera’s ability to
measure light, and that is the camera’s own metering method.
We’ll look at this in the near future, explain how it works and
work out which one of the options is best for you.
So there we have it. Exposure compensation – compensating
for your camera’s own exposure (mis)calculations.
PAGE 16
DISCOUNTS OFF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Special Member only discounts off all printing from The Pixel Printer.Com
(online services available)
15% off SmugMug Account
Discounts, offers & special promotions as they become
available to Welshotters
COST
Helping YOU get the best out of YOUR camera
✓
✓
✓
£120.00
✓
✓
✓
£160.00
PAGE 17

ACADEMY EVENINGS
ELLESMERE PORT
70’S GLAM ROCK FASHION – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Tuesday 9th January
OIL, WATER, SMOKE AND MACRO
Tuesday 13th February
HOW TO POSE AND DIRECT A MODEL – THEORY & PRACTICAL
Tuesday 13th March
HOW TO SHOOT WITH GELS
Tuesday 10th April
Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port: 6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
MANCHESTER
HOW TO POSE AND DIRECT A MODEL – THEORY & PRACTICAL
Wednesday 17th January
HOW TO SHOOT A FERRARI
Wednesday 21st February
HOW TO SHOOT WITH GELS
Wednesday 21st March
70’S GLAM ROCK FASHION – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Wednesday 18th April
fivefourstudios, Ellesmere Port: 6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
CHESTER
HOW TO POSE AND DIRECT A MODEL – THEORY & PRACTICAL
Thursday 18th January
HOW TO SHOOT WITH GELS
Thursday 15th February
70’S GLAM ROCK FASHION – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Thursday 15th March
HOW TO RECREATE A VOGUE COVER - – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Thursday 19th April
Chester Crowne Plaza: 6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
ANGLESEY
CREATING AND MAKING PHOTOGRAPHS USING BOKEH
Wednesday 31st January
OIL, WATER, SMOKE AND MACRO
Wednesday 28th February
HOW TO POSE AND DIRECT A MODEL – THEORY & PRACTICAL
Wednesday 28th March
HOW TO SHOOT WITH GELS
Wednesday 25th April
Victoria Hotel, Menai Bridge:
ROVING
LLANDUDNO & GREAT ORME
Thursday 22nd February 6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
ACADEMY EVENTS
20
18
JAN - APRIL
WELSHOT DOES...
STREET & DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY
Saturday 20th January, Chester – Chester Crowne Plaza
FREE EVENT
OPEN EVENING – FREE EVENT FOR NON-MEMBERS
Thursday 25th January, Crowne Plaza, Chester
CAMERA CONFIDENCE – GET YOURSELF OFF AUTO
Sunday 28th January, Chester Crowne Plaza
CREATING A SCENE – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Saturday 3rd February, Chester Crowne Plaza
LIGHTING ACADEMY WEEKEND
Saturday 17th – Sunday 18th February, Chester Crowne Plaza
CAMERA CONFIDENCE – GET YOURSELF OFF AUTO
Sunday 4th March, Llanberis Slate Museum
VINTAGE – THEMED PHOTO-SHOOT WITH MODELS
Saturday 17th March, Chester Crowne Plaza
DISCOVER – EXPERIENCE – PHOTOGRAPH – VENICE
Sunday 22nd – Friday 27th April
WELSHOTREWARD Days are something a little bit
different – not like your normal “Rewards Scheme”, we reward
Academy Members for “Doing Stuff” rather than spending
money.
MENAI BRIDGE
Thursday 22nd March
6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
INTRO TO LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Sunday 14th January, Anglesey
PAGE 18
CONWY
Thursday 26th April
6.30pm – 10pm Supper included
STREET FASHION – OFF CAMERA FLASH & NATURAL LIGHT
Saturday 24th February, Chester
PAGE 19
Jackie Roach - Welshot Does Hollywood

member FOCUS
Nuala O’Rourke
CHESTER, ELLESMERE PORT &
MEMBER SINCE: 2014
ACADEMY EVENTS:
MANCHESTER.
currently doing a flat lay project. The key to doing a 365 is to
know that some days, all you will manage is a poorly executed
snap of a cat, and not to worry about it.
FAVOURITE GENRE: GENRE ,
MACRO,
PORTRAITURE,
CREATIVE,
FLOWERS
PAGE 20
Hi Nuala, how does it feel to be approaching your fourth year
as a member of Welshot?
For me, Welshot is about more than photography, it’s about making likeminded
friends, having fun and let’s not forget chups (chips). No seriously, I’ve learned
loads from my membership and had lots of opportunities to practice what I’ve
learned – but the camaraderie and lack of ego is what makes it different for me.
Can you remember your first Welshot event?
Yes, my first Welshot event was an open evening at Barca in Manchester. It
was only the second time I’d shot with models and using off camera flash.
There was a large group of people and I was immediately impressed with how
well it was organised with people separated into groups and working with a
team leader there to offer advice and answer all your questions. The key thing
for me was how friendly everyone was and whilst there was plenty of time for
learning, the emphasis was on having fun.
What are your favourite genres?
The great thing about Welshot is the variety of things you can try. The range
of Academy evenings and full day events give you opportunities to try different
genres of photography. I’ve always enjoyed my flower photography and, as
my daughters have horses, I’ve spent plenty of time at events photographing
show jumping.Since being a Welshot member, I’ve really started to enjoy model
photography and started working on composites. I’ve done (badly) landscapes,
photographed at the Zoo and practised macros and stock photography.
Tell us about your photo a day challenge, I believe it’s quite a task you’ve set
yourself.
I had many failed attempts to do a 365 – that is a photo a day, every day for
365 days. I tried 2007, 2011 and 2012 but always fell down half way through
the year. Then in 2013, I met some great folk on line and joined their group
and that was it – I’m now on Year 4, Day 315. I think without Welshot, I may
well have given up some years ago.The events I have been on have given me
loads of ideas – and sometimes given me projects to follow. For instance, I’m
Does your love of horses (and cats & dogs!) creep into your
photography?
Well, with 7 cats, 3 dogs and 4 horses, it’s not surprising that
they often feature in my photo a day. I will say though, none
of them are the most cooperative models and I’m in awe of
pet photographers who produce beautifully stylised images
of animals. The horses are the easiest and we’ve even had a
Welshot Academy evening at our stables!
Here at Welshot, we’ve noticed that you’ve become quite
the dab hand at composite photography. How did you get
started with that? Is it as difficult as it looks?
I’ve always enjoyed working in Photoshop but hadn’t really
tried composite photography until I went to the Welshot
Composite weekend led by Welshot members Rob and Sharon.
That event really opened my eyes up to what was possible
and I’ve enjoyed developing my skills. I’ve attended two more
composite events and not only learned loads but had lots of
fun as well.
Tell us about your involvement with The Kiwi Social
I spent 21 years working publishing magazines and
newspapers, I had a staff of journalists, photographers,
graphic artists and sales people and spent a lot of time training
them – in fact I trained as a journalist myself. I’m bringing the
marketing and sales skills I developed to the Kiwi Social to help
small businesses to develop a strong brand and an effective
marketing message. There are great people with good business
ideas joining the Kiwi Social and I hope that through sharing
my knowledge and experience I can help the Kiwi Social
support their growth.
What’s next in your photographic journey?
I thoroughly enjoyed my last full day event with Welshot, Norse
Dragon Armoury at Newborough Forest, it really sparked my
imagination. I’ve been learning to craft costumes in foam
and I’m thinking of some themed photographic ideas. I’ll bet
there’ll be an opportunity at a Welshot event to dress up the
models in my home crafted I’m also hoping to put a panel
together for one of the Societies qualifications. So, watch this
space.
And finally, do you put the milk in before or after the boiling
water when you make a cup of tea?
I’m the worst person to ask this question – as I don’t drink tea
or coffee – only water or wine - but when I make it for others
it’s always the boiling water first.
PAGE 21

Getting MORE from YOUR Welshot Membership
USE THE FORUM…
At Welshot we want to give you the very best
experience possible and that means helping
you to get the best from your membership and
more bang for your buck. Below we have listed
just a few of the forum boards that could help
you, not only by giving you valuable information
to help you but also a way of you to earn
WelshotRewards, money off and extensions to
your Membership.
This is Eifion's domain. It
is where you will find tips,
tutorials and all manner of photographic usefulness from the
man who reads camera manuals for fun. Got a question? Ask
the BossTog, this is where he hangouts most days and can
reply to your questions in lots of detail – or find someone who
can help if he can’t.
Want to know what your
Membership benefits
are? Want to know how
to get them? Then you
need Lee’s Greenhouse.
It keeps you updated
with the most recent
happenings. Watch out for the extra stuff that’s often
added to your benefits – for Members only and not usually
advertised.
Image Ready Board
This is the forum board
where we ask you to
post images needed for
a specific purpose - If
you’d like your photos to
be seen in any Welshot
promotional material –
this is the place to post
them. You will of course
be WelshotRewarded.
If we have any outside “Image Requests” we will pop the
requirements here and you could earn a few pennies too…
Here are a few things to remember…
• Make sure you tell us the event your photo was taken at.
• Re-size your photos to 1Mb.
• We will ask you for the full-size resolution file if we want to
use it in the magazine.
• Post YOUR BEST WORK from each event, limit your
images to one to three at most.
• The name of the author is always attributed.
• We like your final photos as well as behind the scene,
informal shots too.
• WelshotRewards are always given and you can sometimes
earn extras as well.
PAGE 22
Welshot Focus – Member Showcase
Want to see YOUR photo in print in the centre spread? This
is where we ask you to post them.
Panoramic Photos for Welshot Focus
For the observant amongst you all, you may have noticed that
under Lee’s “Welcome” in each issue of the Welshot Focus
Magazine we have been using a specific image. They are
ALWAYS in Panoramic format (e.g. Letterbox style) and they
always show Welshot Members in action.
www.thekiwis o c i a l .com
PAGE 23

14 DAYS IN TUSCANY
by Judith Bond
Who remembers Truprint? Back in the day when
we all had film cameras on holiday, snapping
away and then posting our films off in printed
envelopes, and waiting with baited breath!
Holiday photos - love them or hate them?
A week later a fat package would drop on the doormat –
great excitement, followed quickly and often by crushing
disappointment.
I’m sure some of you had better camera skills leading to
more pleasing results, but for the masses - like me - with our
brightly coloured compact film cameras - the results were
mediocre, at best.
There were the blurry family shots, the overexposed beach
scenes and the embarrassing poolside pictures that went
straight in the bin!
Let’s be honest, it was all a bit hit and miss even for the best
of us.
When I joined Welshot a couple of years ago, holiday photos
PAGE 24
weren’t on my mind at all. I wanted to improve my basic
camera skills for my business and take better photographs of
my cakes.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about focal lengths, F
stops, shutter speeds, exposure compensations, as well
as composition and lighting. All useful skills for cake
photography and blogging. And it’s paying off, I think?
So last summer, Mr. Bond and I took the plunge and
booked our first European holiday for 3 years and quickly
started counting down the days until our September Italian
adventure, I soon realised that a happy by-product of my
Welshot sessions might just be that, this year, my holiday
photos could be in with a chance.
So off we went - camera bag, lenses and tripod in tow, or
rather in hand baggage, carefully packed and carried like the
crown jewels.
If you fly with your camera, you’ll know - it’s quite a
performance. Of course, it’s not just the camera, lenses
and tripod that have to be disrobed and untubed as you go
through security. There’s the lap top, the iPad, and all the
chargers and adapters, which is quite a balancing act when
you’re kicking your shoes off, puling your belt out, removing
jewelry, watches and jackets and enduring the inevitable “pat
down”.
It’s quite exhausting! Thank goodness for the oasis of the
Business Lounge – peace and quiet, comfy chairs and free
prosecco!
But the real reward, after a good night’s sleep was quickly
finding ourselves relaxing in the warm Tuscan sunshine with
a frothy cappuccino looking up at the perhaps infamous
Leaning Tower of Pisa, famous only for being an engineering
disaster. We've done Rome. We’ve done Naples and the
Amalfi Coast, but never Tuscany. It’s always been a dream
of mine to visit Florence and a short stop in Pisa marked the
beginning of our Tuscan adventure.
After a lot of thought I packed the 18-55mm wide angle and
50mm prime lens which turned out to be the right choice.
The wide angle was on the camera most of the time, with an
occasional change to the prime for closer work.
After Pisa, we took in Lucca, Montepulciano and Florence
covering most of the Tuscan hills, visiting picture perfect
villages along the way. It was harvest time in the vineyards,
and porcini and truffle season in the forests. We enjoyed
PAGE 25

ACADEMY EVENINGS, Chester Crowne Plaza
amazing food, gorgeous local wine and the most stunning
countryside you can imagine. The city of Florence was a
dream and although our art history was a bit lacking, we
made up for it with strong coffee and gelato.
High on my holiday bucket list, apart from the classic Tuscan
scenes of rolling countryside, vineyards and olive groves, was
a classic Tuscan sunset. The weather was a little off during
our first week with some rain, so the 2nd week in a gorgeous
west facing villa perched in the hills above Florence looked far
more promising.
If you’ve ever tried to capture a sunset on your travels, or in
beautiful North Wales, you’ll know it takes both patience and
speed. You need to know your time window, you’ll want to
set up in the perfect spot to get the view just right, and then
when the moment arrives – don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
Now please don’t judge too harshly. I’m still at the stage
where my enthusiasm often overtakes my skill level. But I’m
rather pleased with the results.
I set up my tripod just outside our terraced apartment on the
edge of the pool facing due west across the valley. The sky
had some interesting cloud formations but was essentially
clear and the sun was a perfect pinky apricot globe sinking
fast behind the hillside. Mr Bond sat stage right with a bottle
of Chianti Classico and 2 large glasses. You can imagine the
scene.
All good things in this life take a bit of effort so carrying my
brand-new travel tripod half way across Europe seemed a
small price to pay for the enjoyment of this moment.
Thanks go to Eifion, of course, for his sage advice in
purchasing the Manfrotto Be Free in a lovely shade of royal
blue. It’s compact, reasonably light and very easy to pop up
and down.
I am grateful to Lee & Eifion at Welshot for the way they have
invested their time and energy in helping me. Not only has
my business benefited massively, but my holiday snaps have
reaped unexpected rewards. If you want to know more about
wine tasting in Montepulciano, or the stunning city of Siena,
check out my blog at www.judithbondcakes.co.uk
I started off as a “Business & Blogger”, have now progressed
to a “Kiwi Socialite”, and my interest in taking decent images
has become a proper hobby. Still lots to learn, but now I have
itchy feet so need to have a word with Mr. Bond about where
we can head next.
There are lots of other photos of course but this sunset
is the one I’m most proud of – so I hope you enjoy being
transported to a little corner of Italy even if just for a few
moments. Perhaps I’ve whetted your appetite to plan a trip
somewhere. I’d love to know where you decide to go?
Thursday 4th January 6.30pm
FOCUS ON SOCIAL – Everything Mailchimp
FOCUS ON BUSINESS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Presentation from Nuala O’Rourke –
Content from a Marketing perspective for Mailchimp
FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE - “How to…” Create a Mailchimp template
PLUS create an image in CANVA for your Mailchimp campaign
FOCUS ON IMAGING – Practical photographic “How to…”
session and creating images that will be useful for you and your marketing –
Commercial & Product including Flat-Lay
Thursday 1st February 6.30pm
FOCUS ON SOCIAL – Getting Ready for GDPR
FOCUS ON BUSINESS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT –
Presentation from Debbie Hunt
FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE – “How to…” make sure you are ready for GDPR
FOCUS ON IMAGING – Practical photographic “How to…” session and
creating images that will be useful for you and your marketing – Commercial &
Product including Flat-Lay using your own props
Thursday 1st March 6.30pm
FOCUS ON SOCIAL – Everything SEO
FOCUS ON BUSINESS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT –
Presentation from Debbie Hunt
FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE – “How to…” Making Yoast work for you on your
Wordpress website.
FOCUS ON IMAGING – Practical photographic “How to…” session and
creating images that will be useful for you and your marketing – Commercial &
Product including Flat-Lay using your own props
Thursday 5th April 6.30pm
PAGE 26
FOCUS ON SOCIAL – Facebook Live
FOCUS ON BUSINESS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT –
Presentation from Debbie Hunt
FOCUS ON TECHNIQUE – “How to…”
Use Facebook Live to boost your business on Social Media
FOCUS ON IMAGING – Practical photographic “How to…” session and
creating images that will be useful for you and your marketing – Commercial &
Product including Flat-Lay using your own props
www.thekiwisocial.com
PAGE 27

FULL DAY EVENT, Chester Crowne Plaza
Sunday 4th February, 10am
FOCUS ON SOCIAL
Content Planning & Image Creation Workshop
At this full day Focus on Social – Content Planning and Image Creation full day
event, which has been specifically designed to help you create the content (and
photographs) you need for your blog, website, social media schedule will be
just what you need to develop a solid content marketing plan for the next 90
days!
If you’re ready to get serious about improving your online presence, growing
your email list, blogging, keeping your website and social media pages up-todate
and sending out informative and interesting newsletter on a consistent
basis, and learning about efficient and effective content development, then this
workshop will help you bring in more customers who keep coming back to buy
more.
PAGE 28
www.thekiwisocial.com