In the list of sexy subjects to write about, the Leveson Inquiry may appear to be low down the top 40 but this is the one that has huge potential to change working practise for every photographer in the UK.

The fourth day of the inquiry has now finished and, along with a large percentage of my colleagues, I feel truly let down at how we, as photographers, are being portrayed.  By way of a cheat-sheet for those not following the story, the inquiry was launched to investigate malpractice within the media, following on from the hacking scandal at News International but appears to slowly be turning into a witch-hunt against photographers.  While celebrity witnesses have been lining up to vent their anger at the ordeals that they have faced at the hands of the paparazzi, the differentiation between news photographers and paps has been blurred to the point where the whole industry is now being tarred with the same brush.

Having started writing a blog post on the subject, colleague and friend Christopher Pledger beat me to it with his “open letter” explaining how he feels about the situation.  He’s kindly let me reproduce it here.  If you agree with what’s been said or even feel that it’s made you consider how you feel on the topic, please share this page.  It’s important that as many people as possible get to know that there is a difference.  Over to Christopher…

“These are my personal views and are not intended to be representative of any organisation I work for as a freelance photographer.

The testimony of witnesses this week at the Leveson inquiry has included damning condemnation of the behaviour of the paparazzi. Both the celebrity and ‘ordinary’ victims of phone hacking have told of being chased, spat at and terrified by photographers. These experiences could have fatal consequences for the news photographer, a vital part of a truly free press.

There are important distinctions to be made between a paparazzo and a press photographer. A comparison of the two is like that between the cowboy builder and a professional tradesman. It is also important to distinguish between the paparazzi and celebrity photographers. Celebrity photographers work with the permission, and often to the benefit of, their subjects. This can range from red carpet premieres to organised and set up photo shoots of a celebrity out shopping or on the beach. I do not class them in my definition of paparazzi. Lacking moral or ethical guidance, the paparazzi work with little respect for the law. The composition, quality, or origin of a photograph is a distant second to its commercial value. Paparazzi agencies will often employ people with little or no knowledge of photography. The agency will provide cameras with settings taped over so they cannot be changed. It is not a photographer that is sent out of the office, simply a man with a camera.

Press photographers by contrast are skilled professionals with years of training and experience. They work within the strict guidelines of both the Press Complaints Commission and their newspaper or news agency. These guidelines include respecting both a person’s right to privacy and the boundaries of private property. A good news photograph will be technically excellent and able to tell the story in a single frame. In contrast to the paparazzi, financial rewards are low.

This is not to imply that all press photographers are angelic super-humans working to expose the truth to an unwitting public. Like any industry, there are a minority of ‘rogue traders’ who are prepared to bend or break the rules to get a picture.

The problem for legitimate press photographers is they are seen as no different from the paparazzi. Regardless of the assignment they are covering, press photographers now experience regular abuse from strangers in the street. When photographing something as mundane as a the outside of a high street bank, it is not uncommon to hear shouts of ‘pap scum’ or ‘leave them alone’ from members of the public. If a group of press photographers are gathered outside a court or government building, the first question asked by curious passers-by is not ‘what’s happening?’ but ‘which famous person is coming?’.

The problem of public perception stems from two different sources; celebrity magazine culture and television news. The dominant celebrity culture makes it hard to avoid a constant stream of images cataloguing the daily lives of the A to Z list. It is no surprise that the general public perceive the primary role of photographers as being to feed this machine. The problem is complicated by disreputable publications being prepared to buy pictures on a ‘no questions asked’ basis. This makes it hard to distinguish between photographers working in a professional way and those who aren’t.

Television news coverage is the other major factor in the problem of perception. During most stories a clip of press photographers is included as a ‘cut away’ shot to add visual interest. If the clip includes the subject of a story being surrounded by the media, reporters will often refer to a “scrum of photographers”. This ignores the numerous TV cameras both in the scrum and filming from a distance. This has been demonstrated during TV reports on the Leveson inquiry. Press photographers have been working from an official area behind a barrier to give the witnesses space to arrive without being disturbed. TV reports have consistently referred to ‘hordes of photographers’ while ignoring the numerous video cameras surrounding witnesses as they arrive. By using these tactics, TV news aim to draw a distinction between the dirty press and the clean media. In doing so, they may perhaps be driving the Leveson inquiry toward concluding tough privacy laws are required, privacy laws that will include a ban on photographing people in public without their permission.

A ban of this type would be the death of the free press in the UK. Current guidelines require that individuals should not be photographed while they have ‘a reasonable expectation of privacy’. In practical terms this means anyone in a public place can be photographed without permission, as they cannot expect privacy in a public space. If laws were introduced requiring the written consent of an individual before they were photographed, it would mean press photographers would have to ignore events unfolding before them. Some of the biggest news stories in the last year could not have been reported. Pictures of Charlie Gilmour swinging from the Cenotaph would have been taken illegally, likewise pictures of Oliver Letwin disposing of government documents in a park bin. Press photographers would be as ham strung as reporters are when they are prevented from covering stories of public interest that are subject to super-injunctions.

The problem of finding a solution that avoids this type of privacy law is extremely difficult. Legitimate press photographers already have licensed press cards that are required to be shown to work in places like Downing Street. This system has not stopped any of the behaviour reported this week, or prevented the use of faked press cards. Digital cameras are cheap and increasingly easier to use, making it hard for anybody to distinguish between professional and amateur, press photographer and paparazzo. If 99 out of 100 photographers comply with a code of conduct, one will always break the rules and tar the rest with the same brush. Introducing government or police regulation and control over licensing of press photographers would affect impartiality and freedom.

It would be very hard to argue that there can be no changes following the Leveson Inquiry. We must be very careful what these changes are and where they will take us. Press photographers are in danger of being so restrained by regulation that we become like the fire fighter who cannot enter a burning building for fear of breaking health and safety regulations.”

So there we have it.  This could well be a make or break time for British press photography.  Let’s hope that the inquiry sees sense before knee-jerk reactions destroy some of this country’s powerful freedoms forever.

Regular readers may remember the first parts of the “London Knowledge” that I posted a while ago.  Having managed the previous “tips”, I squeezed out a further batch to make the century so here’s the final and complete collection.  Read and learn (or at least nod with recognition…)

• You can tell a long-term Billingham bag user by the fact they look as though they’re carrying one particularly heavy shopping bag, even when their hands are empty.
• When filing a zoom-burst, the automatic punishment is to text your colleagues to alert them to your heinous photocrime.  The allowable amount that you can file varies from once a year, to once in your whole career, depending on the employer.
• It is important that news photographers stay in town until 6pm in case of the ever-present threat of the 5.59pm atrocity.  The 6:01pm atrocity is unheard of and could never happen.
• Despite it possibly being the future for us all, not many people aspire to shoot film like their favourite cameraman.  Photography will always be cooler.
• Being a professional photographer means that it will be assumed you know all about the latest point and shoot Sony cameras when your friends and relatives need a new camera for their holidays.
• All accreditation, particularly festival wristbands, should be removed when leaving the site for the final time, due to a distinct danger of looking like a cock if wearing it on the bus three months later.
• The length of time that you’ve been shooting professionally is directly proportional to the size of one of your photos in the paper that actually please you.
• The chamois leather is an often-overlooked essential for every jobbing photographer.
• Every photographer has an early project in their archives along the theme of “rusty locks and old painted doors”.
• When a client asks for all your raw images from the shoot, ask them if they ask for all the spare ingredients after enjoying a delicious meal.  If they don’t take your point from this subtle refusal, a monopod makes a great blunt instrument.
• You can tell a photographer who’s covered Downing Street jobs for a decent length of time by his comfortable use of the word “counterpart” in captions.
• Press photography grants you seats that others would kill for, to events that you’d sometimes rather be a million miles away from.
• That external drive on your desk is just an insecure archive until it’s duplicated at least once.  A backup isn’t a backup if it’s the only one.
• If you get the only frame and everyone uses it, it’s a great picture.  This even applies if you only got it by accidentally dropping your camera as you ate your Big Mac, firing a frame of the subject by accident as they passed behind you.
• If you’re accused of getting a shot out of focus, set the critic straight by explaining that you were merely “bracketing your focus”.
• Union Jack umbrellas were originally designed to keep desperate news photographers happy.
• Once you’ve gone RAW, you’ll never need more.
• Street photography is more than just photos of people walking past the camera, converted into a heavy black and white.  Using a retro-style digital camera or even film doesn’t gain any extra points either.
• Save the selective colour for your Grandma.  Any self-respecting picture editor will be dabbing the tears of laughter from their eyes if you put one in your portfolio.
• What IS the very best way to respond to someone who calls you a pap on the street?  SURELY there must be an intelligent retort other than the previously mentioned blunt instrument?
• There is no real need to take a camera, especially your Leica, to Focus.
• When cleaning your lens with a cloth, it will invariably be the final wipe when the cloth slips and you smear a Dorito-grease covered finger across the front element.
• The World Press Awards must be something to do with the Corby Trouser Press as the pictures that win every year rarely have anything to do with the images that we see in the daily newspapers.
• Both of the major camera manufacturers’ products are pretty much the same in terms of quality, features and price so no, I can’t tell you “which one is best.”
• When photographers are gathered together, conversation soon turns to their loved ones and, in particular, whether or not the new firmware has improved performance.
• The fastest way to make money from your cameras is to sell them. (unknown origin)
• The photojournalism festival in Perpignan does a great line in depressing monochrome care home pictures, angry people with machetes and dead soldiers in desolate locations, but really falls short when it comes to shots of kittens dressed as cowboys.
• For those of you wanting to get into the industry, consider the fact that careercast.com listed photojournalist as being below “sheet metal worker” in a list of 200 careers in 2009 in relation to salary, working conditions, serious risk of injury or death, and poor employment prospects in the future.  Nice.
• Nothing ruins the line of a good suit more than a belt-pack and camera bag.
• When working on the same job as paps, there is no point in thinking that common sense, reason or the need to actually get a good photograph is on the agenda.  They will inevitably rush in as close as possible with their pre-f8-welded wide angles, ruining everyone else’s shot.
• Taking hot weather pictures was probably a lot easier in the days before pointing a camera at anyone under eighteen automatically made you a child-hungry paedophile.
• If you drop a lens while in the company of other photographers and the inevitable “Ooooh” is heard from all around, you will invariably scoop it up quickly and put it straight into your bag as if it escaped perfectly unharmed, even if you’re left standing in a small pile of finely powdered optical glass.
• Photographers who choose to become known only by one name deserve all the flak that they get.  (See Zoriah and his “intimate” $4000 Haiti-based earthquake masterclasses.)
• News photographers keep the British stepladder industry alive through a combination of forgetfulness and desperation.
• For some reason, Canon and Nikon both give away huge bulky camera bags at events rather than something really useful like laptop shades or monopods.  I know you shouldn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth but surely there won’t be that many photographers who travel to the venue with all of their gear in carrier bags on the off-chance that their gamble might pay off.
• Having said that, ebay will always manage to find someone who wants to pay rather a lot of money for team sheets, programmes, press passes and, yes, camera bags.
• Heart surgeons are nothing compared to the photographer who decides to clean the sensor in his/her brand new £4,500 camera for the first time.
• Jolyan Turrall‘s law of  “Subject Gravity”  means that all photographers will end up 6 inches from the subject matter, even if the shoot started with everyone 20 feet away.
• As soon as your local Council starts accepting a “photo credit” as a valid form of payment for your council tax, you can start giving away your pictures to all those people who enquire about using them without payment.
• When using a busy urinal during the working day, turn off your cameras before squeezing in between the other users.  This particularly applies if your camera has a fast motordrive and a delicate trigger action.
• If you actually prepare for the bad weather for once and get fully waterproofed up, by the time you arrive at the tube station in central London, you’ll emerge to blistering sunshine.  The same also applies in reverse.
• You will see the politician that you waited 10 hours outside the House of Commons for on a daily basis as soon as the story that involved him/her has passed.
• A celebrity on the red carpet that points at an individual camera is incredibly irritating to forty six photographers and very pleasing to one.
• The kid who got the blurry picture of the burning building on his 4mm ultra-wide angle camera phone never quite understands that the image isn’t worth a grand.
• The first casualties of press photography are your lens caps.
• A standard “Grip and Grin” photo inside Downing Street lasts around 10 seconds. When the press officer tells you “this will be a quick one”, be concerned.
• The Met Police do actually have rules to follow, regarding the working relationship with photographers.
• There are only so many times that you can manage to genuinely laugh when a passer-by “amusingly” offers to swap their Praktica sure-shot for your full-frame DSLR with 300mm f2.8 lens.
• Nobody wears photographer vests (See also “Wanker jackets”).
• Your friends and family don’t care about the 15-month project that you’re doing on inner city deprivation but will want to hear all about the 8 seconds that you spent photographing David Beckham at the launch of his new branded Thermos flask.
• Try to lead by example and make sure you wear deodorant when shooting London Fashion Week.
• No matter how many times they’ve been shot, the Politico Top Trumps cards given away during party conference season are always a must.
• Mentioning the name “Paul Delmar” is the press photographers equivalent to the masonic handshake.
• When you’re slapping your laptop for only connecting at 7kb/s when wiring a job in the countryside, remember that it was only a few years ago when you’d have been high-fiving anyone close to you for getting such blistering speeds.
• Nothing redresses the balance with PRs better than a full photographer walk-out.
• The free photo recovery software that you get with your memory cards is no good to you uninstalled, sitting at the bottom of your desk drawer at home when things go wrong.
• When shooting boxing, don’t assume that you’ll have the first round to get your settings adjusted.
• When trying to board a plane with a very large camera kit as hand luggage, they may weigh your peli-case, but they won’t weigh your extra-pocketed jacket (but always consider “the wanker jacket”).
• Nail your tight, bright and shite before you paint with light.
• A photograph taken using Hipstamatic is not necessarily a great photograph.  It is more than likely a very average picture of an old car, slathered in faux retro image filters. (See also “fashions and trends”)
• It’s good practice to get on with all the photographers you come across as it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up stuck on a doorstep for three days with the one you told to piss off.
• Stand next to the loudest shouter at film premieres. (See “Ian West”)
• Even if the object that we’ve been sent to shoot is stationary and there’s an hour available for pictures, photographers will instinctively end up scrambling into the room and monstering it.
• If Nikon or Canon brought out a single pocket-sized camera that did everything, we’d still be inclined to carry the whole stockroom of Jacobs camera store on our backs most of the time.
• Playing the age old game of “Where a photographer can and can’t take pictures” with the private security that work in office blocks and company headquarters is the modern equivalent of bear-baiting.  As a vague hint, if you’re on the public pavement and you’re on the outside edge of any studded boundary markers on the ground, snap away.  This may not apply if you’re doing a project on “The security systems of the MI5 building”.
• Cameras may have been around since 1814 but every year, manufacturers manage to create exciting new ways to make photographers spend their wages.
• Don’t expect to get eye-contact from the baked bean.
• There’s only so much you can do with an old painting, a pair of white gloves and an auction house assistant.  See also “For Sale” signs, burning gas hobs, petrol pumps and credit cards.
• Fashions and trends are just as common in the world of photography as anywhere else.  Lens babies, old film cameras, tilt & shifts and all-prime lens kits anyone?
• Some photographers are just always in the right place.  These people are known as gits.
• Freebies make the dullest job a little better.  The only exception being the 128mb USB stick.  I mean, come on…
• Remember to take advantage of the incredible access that the job gives you.  If you’re somewhere cool, get a picture for yourself.  If you’re shooting someone you like, get a picture with them.  You’ll only regret it if you don’t.
• The general public has no idea. If you’re stood with a 5d over your shoulder with a 50mm lens on, you will be asked which television channel you’re filming for.
• The most anticipated jobs are often the biggest let-down for quality images and vice-versa.
• Never think that you’re a better photographer than anyone else as someone with a sure-shot will come along and spank you (photographically speaking).
• There’s no point in being a photographer if your camera isn’t ready.
• Photographers that smoke can make any overdue event happen by simply putting their camera down and lighting a cigarette.
• Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is the best stadium.  This has nothing to do with any team preference and everything to do with the free wifi, three course meal before the match, personal editing areas with power points and free mini portions of fish and chips after the game.  If only I didn’t have to shoot football to get in.
• Legendary stories can be found in the bar during Party conference season, listening to incredible stories of Fleet Street photographer history from one of the old guard.
• The moment you stop shooting to entertain and satisfy yourself, you might as well go and work in an office.
• Not much can compare to feeling the first hot rays from the sun as you leave Downing Street on a Summer’s day after an 8 hour stakeout.
• No matter how sure you are of the job, the longer you wait for it to happen, the more likely you are to feel the need to frantically change your lens at the last moment.
• The occurrences of Photoshop locking up and causing a system reboot is directly related to how urgently the pictures are needed by your picture desk. See also Laptop battery-life.
• The habit of saving all of your newspaper cuttings grows less important as you realise that your house is beginning to resemble something from “Life of Grime“.
• Working London photographers are walking encyclopaedias of where the nearest free toilets, wi-fi or shelter can be found at any time.
• First three songs, no flash.
• Every camera is designed to randomly refocus at the moment that the subject looks directly at you for the first time during the critical press conference.
• Jacobs, not Jessops.
• If you’re covering a story in a dodgy area of town, the first thing that the ever-so-friendly youth who comes over to chat will ask you is “how much is your gear worth?”  The answer is always “..about £300.  It’s all years old and knackered.  Your phones probably got a better camera”, even if you’re actually holding both of your D5 bodies with a 400mm f2 lens on each.
• The silhouette is the last bastion of the charlatan. (Edward Mulholland 2004)
• Anyone accepting a job on any picture desk automatically has their sense of time/distance awareness removed.
• The photographer’s life is one constant rollercoaster of going from having the photographic Midas touch to feeling like an Amateur Photographer also-ran.  This is rarely a reflection on your actual abilities.  Dem’s da breaks.
• There’s a very good reason that PR photography pays so well.
• 250th/sec, f8, 1/4 power, manually focused to a metre and 45 degrees to the glass.
• If you decide to pad out your filed images from a job with a few of lesser quality, they’re the ones that’ll be all over the papers the next day with your name in a larger than normal font.
• Opposite number 10, Downing Street and the road outside the Old Bailey are the coldest places on Earth.
• However long you’ve been doing it, there’s nothing like seeing a stranger really studying one of your published pictures in the paper.
• “Only fools rush in” could have been written about digital camera purchasers.  When firmware version 1.2 comes out, they might have finally managed to get rid of the “freak-out during operation” glitch.
• No matter how distinctive the person you’re all waiting for is, the collective of photographers will get more and more random with their choices of “possibles” to hose down as time goes on.
• If all else fails, just whack it on f1.4 and make art.

1. There is no real need to take a camera, especially your Leica, to Focus.
2. When cleaning your lens with a cloth, it will invariably be the final wipe when the cloth slips and you smear a dorito-grease covered finger across the front element.
3. The World Press Awards must be something to do with the Corby Trouser Press as the pictures that win every year rarely have anything to do with the images that we see in the daily newspapers.
4. Both of the major camera manufacturers’ products are pretty much the same in terms of quality, features and price so no, I can’t tell you “which one is best.”
5. When photographers are gathered together, conversation soon turns to their loved ones and, in particular, whether or not the new firmware has improved performance.
6. The fastest way to make money from your cameras is to sell them. (unknown origin)
7. The photojournalism festival in Perpignan does a great line in depressing monochrome care home pictures, angry people with machetes and dead soldiers in desolate locations, but really falls short when it comes to shots of kittens dressed as cowboys.
8. For those of you wanting to get into the industry, consider the fact that careercast.com listed photojournalist as being below “sheet metal worker” in a list of 200 careers in 2009 in relation to salary, working conditions, serious risk of injury or death, and poor employment prospects in the future.  Nice.
9. Nothing ruins the line of a good suit more than a belt-pack and camera bag.
10. When working on the same job as paps, there is no point in thinking that common sense, reason or the need to actually get a good photograph is on the agenda.  They will inevitably rush in as close as possible with their pre-f8-welded wide angles, ruining everyone else’s shot.
11. Taking hot weather pictures was probably a lot easier in the days before pointing a camera at anyone under eighteen automatically made you a child-hungry paedophile.
12. If you drop a lens while in the company of other photographers and the inevitable “Ooooh” is heard from all around, you will invariably scoop it up quickly and put it straight into your bag as if it escaped perfectly unharmed, even if you’re left standing in a small pile of finely powdered optical glass.
13. Photographers who choose to become known only by one name deserve all the flak that they get.  (See Zoriah and his $4000 Haiti-based earthquake masterclasses.)
14. News photographers keep the British stepladder industry alive through a combination of forgetfulness and desperation.
15. For some reason, Canon and Nikon both give away huge bulky camera bags at events rather than something really useful like laptop shades or monopods.  I know you shouldn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth but surely there won’t be that many photographers who travel to the venue with all of their gear in carrier bags on the off-chance that their gamble might pay off.
16. Having said that, ebay will always manage to find someone who wants to pay rather a lot of money for team sheets, programmes, press passes and, yes, camera bags.
17. Heart surgeons are nothing compared to the photographer who decides to clean the sensor in his/her brand new £4,500 camera for the first time.
18. Jolyan Turrall‘s law of  “Subject Gravity”  means that all photographers will end up 6 inches from the subject matter, even if the shoot started with everyone 20 feet away.
    
19. As soon as your local Council starts accepting a “photo credit” as a valid form of payment for your council tax, you can start giving away your pictures to all those people who enquire about using them without payment.
20. When using a busy urinal during the working day, turn off your cameras before squeezing in between the other users.  This particularly applies if your camera has a fast motordrive and a delicate trigger action.

***

The three previous instalments of the knowledge can be found at;

http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2009/06/11/the-alternative-london-knowledge-v10/

http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2009/06/15/the-alternative-london-knowledge-v20/

http://www.leonneal.com/blog/2009/07/10/the-alternative-london-knowledge-v30/

Following a strong grassroots campaign to raise awareness among photographers of the potential threat to their livelihood, I’ve just followed the advice given at stop43.org.uk and written to my MP on the subject.  For those of you either unaware of the Digital Economy Bill or unsure of what it’s about, head over to the stop43 site.  It really is important that any photographer reading this gets in touch with their representative in the House of Commons to push for them to raise a question when it next comes up for debate.

You can either email your MP through www.writetothem.com or, if you can, it’s better to write a proper letter as then they have to reply to you individually rather than just hitting the delete key.

I’ve included a copy of my letter below that is a minced-up version of the well-written text from the stop43 site and my own style of writing.  Feel free to copy and tweak the text before sending your own letter.

Dear xxx,

This is the first time that I’ve ever felt the need to write to a politician before but there is currently a bill being passed through Parliament that is very likely to affect countless photographers throughout the country.

Until now, if someone found one of my photographs and wanted to use it commercially, they couldn’t without first asking me. Clause 43 of the UK Digital Economy Bill changes this by allowing the use of “Orphan Works” i.e. photographs, illustrations and other artworks whose owners cannot be found.

The proposed Clause 43 says that if someone finds one of my photographs, wants to use it and decides that they can’t trace me, they’re free to do whatever they like with it after paying a small fee to a UK Government-appointed “licensing body”. Any photographer affected will more than likely never know unless he/she happens to find it being used in this way. If they did manage to find it, only then would they be able to claim some money.

Even worse than this is that Clause 43 also introduces “Extended Collective Licensing”.

This means that if someone wanted to use one of my images, they don’t have to actually approach me. They could go to a UK Government-appointed “collecting society” and ask them instead. In this way, they’d pay an arbitrary fee and be able to do whatever they like with my photograph. This totally removes any value from the image. If I have an exclusive picture, why would anyone come to me for a fair price when they can go straight to the “collecting society” and pay a standard lower rate?

Can you imagine if this was talking about something commercially manufactured like cars? If I saw one for sale for £20,000, I could either pay the owner or choose to pay a Government body a nominal fee instead. Finally, the car’s owner would only get paid if they knew whom to approach to get the money from.

It really is a terribly thought out bill and I strongly request that you consider my concerns when the bill comes up for discussion or vote.

Yours sincerely,

Leon Neal

The address to send your letters to is;

(First name) (Second name) MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

Now get on it, peeps..

The other day, the lovely people at AFP Paris sent me through my new toy, the Nikon D3s.  To those who aren’t as obsessed with keeping up to date with all things new, the D3s is essentially a D3 with the small amount of concerns that photographers had ironed out plus a few very attractive new features.  It replaces the D3 in the shops with a retail of virtually the same price.  If you’re looking for a comparison of every contour, button and digital input on the camera, there are plenty of sites out there that are more than happy to put all but the most avid technophile to sleep.  Here, I just want to share my “hands-on” thoughts after a few days of using Nikon’s baby.  Anyway, enough waffle.

Here’s the lowdown on the features that interest me;

• Noise at higher ISO settings has been improved, resulting in usable images even up to the frankly ridiculous 102,400ISO
• 720p video (1280 x 720 @ 24 fps) is now included on a Nikon pro body for the first time
• Auto sensor cleaning has been introduced
• The buffer is now extended as standard, rather than as an optional feature, allowing up to 48 RAW/130 jpeg images to be captured in one burst
• A “Quiet” mode has been added for discreet shooting in sensitive conditions.

First off the bat, it’s fractionally lighter than the D3 but aside from that, it seems virtually the same.  All of the buttons are in their usual place, aside from the introduction of the info and LiveView buttons on the back.  The first allows instant access to a screen displaying the cameras current setup with each parameter adjustable without having to access the main menu.  The second sees access to the LiveView feature move from the fiddly dial on the top left of the body to a single button.  On the D3, I found that I rarely used this feature but as the D3s comes with video, fast access to this area is now vital.

With noise being the rival camera company’s very own current Cold War, it takes some getting used to when working to consider that I can now safely shoot at 3200ISO without fear of grubby looking pictures.  When I first got it out of the box, I instantly fired a few frames at 12,800 and slowly lowered it with no glaringly obvious difference in the quality from 3200 down to 200ISO.  I used to start the day with my cameras defaulted to 400ISO and with the D3, that went up to 800ISO.  It seems to have reached the point where a news photographer could safely leave the camera on 1600ISO as a starting point.  Bloggers and websites with far more time (and inclination) have some stunning examples of just how good this is, even against rival company’s latest models.

Both of the images of Gordon Brown on this page were shot at 5000 ISO during his monthly press conference in number 10.  I’ve applied no noise-removal software or sharpened the images in any way.  The first was shot on a 300mm, hand-held.  Here’s a link to a full-size version which is well worth seeing, just for the fact that even at 5000 ISO, you can still see the fine hairs on the end of his nose (not a nice thought but worth a look).

Video is something that I’ve only been tickling up to now, having volunteered to take part in AFP’s trials with webclips and embedded media.  The videos that I’ve shot were captured on a D90 with a godawful 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR kit lens.  The problems were many and considerate.  Firstly, the D90 has the most unbelievable rolling shutter effect (also known as “wobblevision”) whereby when you pan the camera on a horizontal plane while filming, all vertical objects suddenly turn to jelly and bend away from the direction you’re turning.  Secondly, as I already carry a significant amount of kit on a daily basis including two D3 bodies, four lenses, a laptop and various other gubbins, having to then carry a D90 body and lens on the off-chance that I may find something to video became a real chore.  Compared to the D3, the D90′s images just weren’t up to scratch so I couldn’t just ditch one of the big boys either.  Thirdly, as previously hinted at, the choice of lenses was very limited in that as I’m on foot, I don’t have the space to carry any significant form of support (tripod/monopod) so it’s vital that I have a lens with VR (vibration reduction).  Unfortunately, the current range of f2.8 high-end Nikon lenses for everyday work don’t have it.  If I want a mid-range lens with VR, I end up having to go for something like the lens mentioned before.  The options at the mid focal range are also all DX chips so using them on a full frame camera is a bit of a travesty in my book. Yuck.  It has been replaced now with a VRII version that has a range of tweaks but I doubt anyone will be replacing this one in the near future.  Surely this is an area that both Nikon and Canon need to work on now that they both are aiming at getting photographers to move towards video.

With all that in mind, the D3s has arrived with a new algorithm in the video processor, dramatically cutting the jelly effect plus, as it’s all in one camera now, I can ditch the D90.  My back will be so pleased..  While I will still have the same issue regarding a lack of decent wide and mid-range Nikon glass with VR technology, the fact that it shoots high quality video while remaining an excellent stills camera will make up for it.  While its clear that the quality of the Nikon isn’t up to that of Canon’s latest range including the stunning 5dmk2 and the new 1dmk4, the file output of the D3s is perfect for what I aim to use it for; high quality video files for use on the web that could also be used for broadcast if the situation arose.  Knowing that there are many out there who are light-years beyond me in knowledge and ability with video production from SLRs, I’d feel a fraud to spout my thoughts on the pros and cons of aspects of the capability of this unit apart from to say that this is a massive leap forward for me in what I have access to.  AFP worldwide have bought the D3s for their photographers with this in mind so clearly there’s a lot of belief in Nikon’s choice NOT to go for full HD.

As a quick aside, after a quick search for hints and tips, it seems  that the D3s has full manual control in video mode, but it is not documented in the manuals. To get true manual control over the ISO, shutter speed and aperture while in video mode, press the OK button while in LiveView. A light meter will appear on the screen and the camera switches to whatever mode that you currently have the camera set on in stills camera mode (ie aperture priority, shutter priority, manual).  This means that if you’re in manual when you go into video mode, by pressing the OK button, you can adjust all of the settings while in video mode. Obviously for webclips, this may be overkill but for those who are interested, it’s a great option that for some reason Nikon have decided to keep hidden. Also, if you push the info button, you can shift through the different display modes including a virtual horizon, a live histogram and grid lines.

My main gripe with the D3 was always the lack of sensor cleaning facility.  With a full frame chip, it sucks in the dust at every lens change leaving globs of dust and dirt in every frame.  When I spoke to Nikon about this, I was told that when they were designing the camera, they had believed that the pro photographer would rather have a 100% viewfinder without sensor cleaning over a 98% viewfinder with.  Nope.  You kinda got that one wrong, chaps.  Thankfully, they saw the light and now the digital brillo pad comes out every time I turn my camera off.  Huzzah!  Now I can go and cover the “Wind-machine and household dust” conference at ExCel with impunity!

(D3s with 14-24mm. Full-size version of the above image with no noise-reduction software or sharpening here.)

For most photographers, the idea of filling a 130-frame buffer will just sound insane but as I shoot RAW .NEF files, it’s great to have the added headroom.  Like before, as soon as you turn on features like highlight recovery/vignette control/Long exposure noise reduction etc, that buffer drops significantly but still remains an improvement over the previous incarnation.  On a slightly different note, as always with new cameras, those of us who shoot in RAW should be aware that Adobe have only released their Raw update patch for Photoshop CS4.  Anyone who could be stupid enough to NOT be able to afford to buy the latest version every time it comes out (like 98% of the world) will find that they can’t edit their files.  I shot my first job with it, only to find that I couldn’t access the files when I came to edit them.  Thankfully, Adobe does provide an option with the DNG software, allowing you to convert the files to the supposed “industry standard” digital negative DNG format which will then be friendly to older versions of Photoshop.  Obviously, if you use the Nikon proprietary software, you’ll be fine but I can never face it.  Every time I’ve looked at either the Canon or Nikon bundled packages, they seem clunky, slow and poorly designed.  In a way, I’d rather this as it at least shows that when you buy the camera, you’re paying for camera R&D rather than their software developers costs!

It’s also good to see the return of the “Quiet” mode to my available tools.  With my previous life as a Canon user, I always loved the rather well hidden sneaky shutter feature that allowed you to shoot a single frame and as long as you held your finger on the shutter release button, the mirror would stay up.  This allows you to wait for a convenient burst of applause or music before you let go.  As I say, I loved it on the Canons and now I love it on the Nikon.  Well observed, Nikon peeps.

In conclusion, I’m a happy bunny so far.  My biggest problem since getting it has been slow news days and grey, dull weather that hasn’t been very inspiring to shoot in!  I guess I’ll have to wait for the D4 for cloud-buster technology.

Just a super quick post to wish anyone who follows this stream of waffle a very happy Christmas and best wishes for 2010.  Next year’s going to be a belter, especially for you.  May your f. stops never stop, your public exposure not get you arrested and your shutter never fail..  Enjoy! 

As anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis may know, I generally tend to avoid doing reviews of cameras and equipment partly due to lack of time but mainly due to the abundance of websites available such as dpreview that offer incredibly in-depth, fast and dependable advice on which route to take when buying new gear.

However, I’ve decided to post my thoughts on the new Panasonic Lumix GF-1 camera.  Having previously used a Canon Powershot S70 and a Canon G7, I knew that the time was getting closer when I’d need to upgrade and despite copious research, I was unable to find a pocket-sized camera that’s output didn’t fall to pieces over 400 ISO.  Nikon just seem to be a no-go for some reason when it comes to sureshots and I don’t know anyone that uses one for some reason.  Canon’s S90 looks promising but the new Powershot G11 features the same fiddly body that I’ve never been able to get my head around.  While my Sister and Mother both still use G7 cameras and get great results, I’ve never been able to really “connect” with the design, if that makes sense.  A camera needs to feel invisible in your hands.  If at any point, you’re thinking about what your fingers are doing or where a certain button is, you’ll often see the moment that you hoped to capture pass out of the corner of your eye.

With Olympus releasing the micro 4/3 lens-based EP-1 “Pen” camera in Summer, I was tempted to see what it could do but then I heard about Panasonic’s offering.  After plenty of time spent on camera review sites, I managed to get my hands on one thanks to a colleague who’d been unable to resist.  Two minutes later and I was trying to work out how to justify the cost!  Anyway, on with a bit of technical gubbins;

• 12.1 megapixel Live MOS sensor
• interchangeable micro 4/3 lens system
• HD Movie in “AVCHD Lite” format and Motion Picture P Mode
• LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7 lens as one of the standard options
• 3 frames a second
• built-in dust-removal system
• RAW capture (through Panasonic’s .rw2 format)
• AE lock
• ISO range up to 3200
• built-in pop-up TTL flash
• 3.0″ screen

So that’s the main specs in a very dry format so I guess I should explain all that in real world terms.

With the big camera manufacturers having thankfully realised that more megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean better quality, the GF1 has what I think is an optimal resolution of 12 megapixels.  The 4/3 sensor means that the lens size is half what it would be on a 35mm full-frame camera so the 20mm lens is effectively a 40mm lens in traditional focal terms.  The whole chip size issue is going to be one of those things that takes a long time to be properly scrubbed from the general public’s mind.  With most people believing that the higher the pixel count, the better the camera, manufacturers will continue to try bringing out 16 megapixel phone cameras.  I believe the phrase is, “Never mind the size, look at the quality”..

While the majority of people wanting to buy a new pocket camera will be looking for an all-in-one unit that has an 8-600mm zoom on it, the GF1 uses the micro 4/3 system.  The 4/3 system was announced in 2006 as a joint initiative between a group of companies ranging from consumer manufacturer Sanyo through to legendary optic manufacturer Leica and aimed to create a standardised fitting for lenses so that they could be swapped and changed between bodies, opening up the market for the customer. The micro 4/3 system was a development of this, pioneered by Olympus and Panasonic for their new range of hybrid units.  The downside is that, like an SLR, you’ll find yourself looking to buy more lenses as you get to use the camera more.  The upside is that the quality of the lenses will safely be of a higher quality than that found in a standard zoom sureshot.

Video capability in cameras is one of the current dividers among professional photographers with some drawn to it and enjoying expanding their knowledge while others find it a threat on the original concept of photography that could see the skill diluted.  I fall into the former camp, having been shooting video on my Nikon D90 for a few months now so the inclusion of video on the GF1 is a bonus.  The ease that you can switch between stills and video is seamless and I’ve found myself splitting my shooting 50/50 since getting it.  The quality is exceedingly good for something of this size and combined with the 20mm f1.7 lens, strong focal effects can easily be achieved.  Obviously, a camera of this size is not going to be a match for a dedicated video camera but for video notes, webclips and breaking news, I think it’s perfectly acceptable.  On the downside, the bizarre video format (AVCHD) may leave you scratching your head as you try to work out what the hell a .mts file is and how to play one.  The answer comes in VLC for playback and Handbrake for conversion on a mac.  Not using my pc to edit, I can’t say how good the supplied software is if you’re in the Windows clan.

As I’ve just mentioned, I opted for the 20mm f1.7 lens with my camera and I have to say that it is truly exceptional.  For those not up to scratch on lens issues, the lower the f number, the more light can be allowed through the lens, making it perfect for darker conditions or for getting the effect of a shallow depth of field.  For more details, check this site out.  For a start, getting such a fast lens as an f1.7 on a pocket camera is a rarity but by combining it with a good sensor, the results have been astounding.  Shooting in manual focus has really given me a spark for shooting again and I’m pulling it out of my bag as I walk between jobs, just to shoot anything that I see.  The only downside to the 20mm is that all vibration reduction is in-lens rather than in-camera and it is one of the lenses in the range that doesn’t include it.  This is fine for stills but for video, it can prove a little frustrating.  The other option in the pre-packaged kits is a 14-45mm lens that does feature stabilisation.  If you are planning on doing a lot of video, this could be a wiser choice but for stills, go 20mm!

The dust removal is such a vital thing for any camera with interchangeable lenses (do you hear me, Nikon D3!?) so it’s reassuring to see that Panasonic didn’t scrimp on this necessary feature.

I’ve been shooting on RAW exclusively now for around four months so it’s been a pleasure to be able to continue this with my “off-duty” camera too.  The only downside being that the exclusive .rw2 format used by Panasonic is incompatible with any version of Photoshop before CS4.  As the software that comes with the camera for Mac is laughable, I’m currently editing them using the new beta of Lightroom, available here.

In the second paragraph, I wrote of needing to connect to the camera in a natural way so it’s good to see that I can assign the AE lock button on the rear to act in the same way as I have my Nikon system set up.

On previous pocket cameras, the images have crumbled and died if I dared to go up to 400 ISO so to be able to shoot confidently at 400, get good results at 800 and even get usable (in an emergency) shots at 1600 is unheard of.  The shot below of a colleague in Downing Street is straight out of the camera aside from a bit of resizing and touch of sharpening for web and was taken at 800ISO.  Against a full frame D3, there is obviously a quality dip but for a pocket-sized sureshot, I’m pretty chuffed.

The main difference that sets this ahead of the Olympus EP-1 is the inclusion of the neatest little pop-up flash in existence.  Now I know that a grown man shouldn’t be impressed by the mechanism of a flash but you’ll just have to forgive me.  If you own one of these, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  As I try to avoid flash where possible, I’ve only had a few opportunities to use it but the output on these occasions was smooth and full with no overblown highlights.

A camera can be very easily shot down by a poor screen.  When Canon released the 1Dmk3, if the screen was compared to the Nikon D3, it felt as though you were looking through Vaseline.  Well maybe not quite that bad but you were never truly positive that the frame was sharp from the display on the rear.  (Canon have now solved this issue since their 5dmk2 screen)  Thankfully, the GF1 screen is another strong point with 460,000 pixels and a full 100% representation of the frame.

As is the way with every good toy, Panasonic have created a whole batch of ways to get more money out of the GF-1 user including the digital optical viewfinder that slots onto the hotshoe (and has received mixed reviews), a whole range of lenses, custom designed cases and remote triggers. Ahh, to have spare funds.

So that just leaves my general thoughts and as you’ve very probably guessed, I love this little thing.  While I know that I haven’t covered many aspects of the unit, I can only tell you about what I’ve experienced in daily use.  One issue that I hope Panasonic address with future firmware is the fact that when shooting in “auto ISO” setting on aperture priority, the shutter speed defaults to 1/30th of a second rather than increasing the ISO.  If this was set a little higher to, say, 125th/sec, the “auto ISO” feature would be able to kick in more and the feature would become worthwhile.  This really shouldn’t take too much to remedy so hopefully it will be looked into. Despite this small issue, that fact that the GF-1 is capable of producing images of a level that are easily high enough to be used for my work means that it’s already become a vital bit of my kit.  Bravo, design bods.

With a retail price of £799, I bought mine from Photo Express Lakeland for a bargain £659.  Thanks for the great service and price, guys!

1. If you actually prepare for the bad weather for once and get fully waterproofed up, by the time you arrive at the tube station in central London, you’ll emerge to blistering sunshine.  The same also applies in reverse.
2. You will see the politician that you waited 10 hours outside the House of Commons for on a daily basis as soon as the story that involved him/her has passed.
3. A celebrity on the red carpet that points at an individual camera is incredibly irritating to 46 photographers and very pleasing to 1.
4. The kid who got the blurry picture of the burning building on his 4mm ultra-wide angle camera phone never quite understands that the image isn’t worth a grand.
5. The first casualties of press photography are your lens caps.
6. A standard “Grip and Grin” photo inside Downing Street lasts around 10 seconds. When the press officer tells you “this will be a quick one”, be concerned.
7. The Met Police do actually have rules to follow, regarding the working relationship with photographers.
8. There are only so many times that you can manage to genuinely laugh when a passer-by offers to swap their praktika sureshot for your full-frame DSLR with 300mm f2.8 lens.
9. Nobody wears photographer vests (See also “Wanker jackets“).
10. Your friends and family don’t care about the 15-month project that you’re doing on inner city deprivation but will want to hear all about the 8 seconds that you spent photographing David Beckham at the launch of his new branded Thermos flask.
11. Try to lead by example and make sure you wear deodorant when shooting London Fashion Week. Also, learn to rest when you can.
12. No matter how many times they’ve been shot, the Politico Top Trumps cards given away during party conference season are always a must.
13. Mentioning the name “Paul Delmar” is the press photographers equivalent to the masonic handshake.
14. When you’re slapping your laptop for only connecting at 7kb/s when wiring a job in the countryside, remember that it was only a few years ago when you’d have been high-fiving anyone close to you for getting such blistering speeds.
15. Nothing redresses the balance with PRs better than a full photographer walk-out.
16. The free photo recovery software that you get with your memory cards is no good to you uninstalled, sitting at the bottom of your desk drawer at home when things go wrong.
17. When shooting boxing, don’t assume that you’ll have the first round to get your settings adjusted.
18. When trying to board a plane with a very large camera kit as hand luggage, they may weigh your peli-case, but they won’t weigh your extra-pocketed jacket (but always consider #9).
19. Nail your tight, bright and shite before you paint with light.
20. You never know everything so with this in mind, it’s over to you.  Feel free to add your own golden rules below!

For the previous two lists, see here and here.

1. It’s good practise to get on with all the photographers you come across as it’s guaranteed that you’ll end up stuck on a doorstep for three days with the one you told to piss off.
2. Stand next to the loudest shouter at film premieres. (See also “Ian West“)
3. Even if the object that we’ve been sent to shoot is stationary and there’s an hour available for pictures, photographers will instinctively scramble into the room and monster it.
4. If Nikon or Canon brought out a single pocket-sized camera that did everything, we’d still be inclined to carry the whole of Jacobs on our backs most of the time.
5. Playing the age old game of “Where a photographer can and can’t take pictures” with the private security that work in office blocks and company headquarters is the modern equivalent of bear-baiting.  As a vague hint, if you’re on the public pavement and you’re on the outside edge of any studded boundary markers on the ground, snap away.  This may not apply if you’re doing a project on “The security systems of the MI5 building”.
6. Cameras may have been around since 1814 but every year, manufacturers manage to create exciting new ways to make photographers spend their wages.
7. Don’t expect to get eye-contact from the baked bean.
8. There’s only so much you can do with an old painting, a pair of white gloves and an auction house assistant.  See also “For Sale” signs, gas hobs and credit cards.
9. Fashions and trends are just as common in the world of photography as anywhere else.  Lens babies, tilt & shifts and all-prime lens kits anyone?
10. Some photographers are just always in the right place.  These people are known as gits.
11. Freebies make the dullest job a little better.  The only exception being the 128mb USB stick.  I mean, come on..
12. Remember to take advantage of the incredible access that the job gives you.  If you’re somewhere cool, get a picture for yourself.  If you’re shooting someone you like, get a picture with them.  You’ll only regret it if you don’t.
13. The general public has no idea. If you’re stood with a 5d over your shoulder with a 50mm lens on, you will be asked which television channel you’re filming for.
14. The most anticipated jobs are often the biggest let-down for quality images and vice-versa.
15. Never think that you’re a better photographer than anyone else as someone with a sureshot will come along and spank you (photographically speaking).
16. If all else fails, just whack it on f1.4 and make art.
17. Photographers that smoke can make any overdue event happen by simply putting their camera down and lighting a cigarette.
18. Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is the best stadium.  This has nothing to do with any team preference and everything to do with the free wifi, three course meal before the match, personal editing areas with power points and free mini portions of fish and chips after the game.  If only I didn’t have to shoot football to get in.
19. Legendary stories can be found in the bar during Party conference season, listening to incredible stories of Fleet Street photographer history from one of the old guard.
20. The moment you stop shooting to entertain and satisfy yourself, you might as well go and work in an office.

1. Not much can compare to feeling the first hot rays from the sun as you leave Downing Street on a Summer’s day after an 8 hour stakeout.
2. No matter how sure you are of the job, the longer you wait for it to happen, the more likely you are to feel the need to frantically change your lens at the last moment.
3. The occurrences of Photoshop locking up and causing a system reboot is directly related to how urgently the pictures are needed by your picture desk. See also Laptop battery-life.
4. The habit of saving all of your newspaper cuttings grows less important as you realise that your house is beginning to resemble something from “Life of Grime“.
5. Working London photographers are walking encyclopedias of where the nearest free toilets, wifi or shelter can be found at any time.
6. First three songs, no flash.
7. Every camera is designed to randomly refocus at the moment that the subject looks directly at you for the first time during the critical press conference.
8. Jacobs, not Jessops.
9. If you’re covering a story in a dodgy area of town, the first thing that the ever-so-friendly youth who comes over to chat will ask you is “how much is your gear worth?”  The answer is always “..about £300.  It’s all years old and knackered.  Your phones probably got a better camera”, even if you’re actually holding both of your D3 bodies with a 400mm f2.8 lens on each.
10. The sillhouette is the last bastion of the charlatan. (Edward Mulholland 2004)
11. Anyone accepting a job on any picture desk automatically has their sense of time/distance awareness removed.
12. The photographer’s life is one constant rollercoaster of going from having the photographic Midas touch to feeling like an Amateur Photographer also-ran.  This is rarely a reflection on your actual abilities.  Dem’s da breaks.
13. There’s a very good reason that PR pays so well.
14. 250th/sec, f8, 1/4 power, manually focused to a metre and 45 degrees to the glass.
15. If you decide to pad out your filed images from a job with a few of lesser quality, they’re the ones that’ll be all over the papers the next day with your name in a larger than normal font.
16. Opposite number 10, Downing Street and the road outside the Old Bailey are the coldest places on Earth.
17. However long you’ve been doing it, there’s nothing like seeing a stranger really studying one of your published pictures in the paper.
18. “Only fools rush in” could have been written about digital camera purchasers.  When firmware version 1.2 comes out, they might have managed to get rid of the “freak-out during operation” glitch.
19. No matter how distinctive the person you’re all waiting for is, the collective of photographers will get more and more random with their choices of “possibles” to hose down as time goes on.
20. There’s no point in being a photographer if your camera isn’t ready.