16 Feb 12 The Big Picture Photography Competition Terms and Conditions
2. all information detailing how to enter this competition forms part of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. the decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of an entry will be taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.
4. all entries must be received by the advertised closing time and date.
5. all images submitted must be the work of the individual submitting them and must not have been published elsewhere or have won a prize in any other photographic competition. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that any images they submit have been taken with the permission of the subject and do not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. Entrants must warrant that the photograph they are submitting is their own work and that they own the copyright for it.
6. Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with the respective entrants. However, in consideration of their providing the Competition, each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence to Telegraph Media Group Limited to feature any or all of the submitted images in any of their publications, their websites and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition.
7. only one entry per person. Late, illegible, incomplete, defaced or corrupt entries will not be accepted. no responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt. Entries must not be sent through agencies or third parties.
8. the winning entry will be that that is judged to be the most visually appealing, original and self-explanatory. the winner will be notified within seven days of the closing date of the competition (The closing date for the next round is midnight on Tuesday, February 21, 2012).
9. one entrant shall win Coolpix P300 camera, worth £299.99, provided by Nikon. the prize is subject to availability.
10. the winners may be required to take part in publicity.
11. the winner’s name and county may be disclosed to anyone who writes within one month after the published closing date, stating the date of publication and enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, to the Big Picture Winner, Travel Desk, the Daily Telegraph, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT.
12. the prizes as described are available on the date of publication. all prizes are non transferable and there are no cash alternatives.
13. Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Promoter and accordingly the Promoter may at its absolute discretion vary or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof.
14. the Telegraph is responsible for the first part of the promotion, which is the publication and adjudication of the competition. all other facilities connected with the provision of the prize are the responsibility of Nikon.
15. English law applies and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts shall prevail.
Promoter Telegraph Media Group Limited, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.
07 Feb 12 Amanda & Dave – Driskall Hotel – Austin Texas
Here are some 12×12 album spreads and single images from a wedding we shot late last year that I haven’t shared with you and thought you might enjoy….the Driskill Hotel. Built in 1886 as the showplace of cattle baron Jesse Driskill, the Driskill remains a landmark of Texas hospitality. As a member of the Historic Hotels of America and associated Luxury Hotels International, the Driskill offers an elite level of luxury and service to rank as one the world’s finest hotels. what a wonderful venue for both casual and wedding shots not to mention the actual ceremony and dinner. All under one roof, one day, one great party….here are a few from Amanda and Daves great adventure.
This flush mount album opening two page spread uses the Hotel napkin along with the Bride and Grooms rings.
I photographed the interior from the top of the lobby stairs hand held using three different exposures to get this high dynamic range look.
Amanda and Dave’s cover was a lot of fun designing. On every floor of the hotel, every four feet are hanging oil paintings in large gilded frames. There had to be over a thousand paintings. when it came time to design the cover I decided to use actual shots taken from within the halls and combine my own oil painting effect on the 12×12 Flush mount album cover. I wanted to create something fun with a slight vintage look. I placed the frames in a very rough cut and paste look as opposed to perfectly aligned frames. I like the outcome.
Here is a crop from the front cover showing the effect
The story behind this ring shot was that Cody from Tricoast Photography and myself would each take 10 minutes and leave the brides dressing room. We would shoot the rings within the hotel then let the women decide what image they liked. I am happy to announce I won the competition. Cody has never gotten over this tremendous loss
Cody Clinton, Mike Fulton and myself walked from the Driskall to try a few shots using the Radio Poppers with the State Capital in the background. a lot of tooting horns helped get the couple into the groove
26 Jan 12 Social Media Whiz at Endeavour Marketing / Work In Startups
Endeavour Marketing is a full services marketing agency with an emerging digital branch. We are planning to expand greatly in this area and are looking to expand our social media presence.
This is the perfect role for an enthusiastic individual who thrives in online communities, is constantly building networks and is on top of all things digital.
You will have direct impact on our and our clients online presence and you will be able to build our social media identities. This includes writing blogs and newsletters, as well as keeping our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels updated, interconnected and vibrant.
You are:
- Passionate about social media
- Know the insides fo Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the like
- Aware of how SEO works and how it connects to social media interaction
- Great at writing and communication (blog articles, interesting status updates, etc)
- Enthusiastic, proactive and capable of managing tasks and deadlines without too much guidance
- London based
You would:
- Keep our social media channels updated and interconnected
- Write blogs, newsletters and grow online presence
- Contribute to our social media strategies
Extra points if you:
- Have an interest in property (as most our clients are property-related)
- Have a grasp of basic HTML code and principles (formatting text, adding images, etc.)
- Can do basic image editing (resizing, cropping, etc.)
- Are experienced in using online content management software (e.g. Drupal, Sitefinity, Blogger, WordPress or similar)
We are looking for someone to start as soon as possible and put our current strategies into action. it is a flexible freelance role revolving around weekly tasks. We welcome students and recent graduates.
To be considered for this role, please send over your CV to our email, and a sample of your written work or a link to a social media profile / blog / channel you are involved in.
Check out what you will be editing:
endeavourmarketing.co.uk/youtube.com/user/EndeavourPMtwitter.com/EndeavourMrktngfacebook.com/pages/Endeavour-Marketing/126410287439040
23 Jan 12 Self-taught artist makes his mark
by Doreena Naeg. Posted on January 15, 2012, Sunday
HE stood there for a long time, staring at swathes of paint peeling off on two rows of shophouses and trying to see what artists usually do – beyond the scenery.
He walked to the far end and stood there, doing what he just did. again his artistic eyes failed to capture the intended images. Thinking a different angle might help, he looked at the shophouses from the sides. it didn’t work either.
Kuching-born self-taught artist Huon Kee Hwang’s creativity was having an off day – stifled by what is known as an artist’s mental block. At that time, he just couldn’t bring himself to paint Siniawan, a small historically steeped bazaar off Kuching-Bau Road.
“It was just two rows of shophouses in an old tired town. I couldn’t capture them on canvas. it just didn’t feel right,” he lamented.
On the way home, he kept asking what should he paint. He wasn’t commissioned to do a painting of the archaic bazaar but the artist in him challenged him to do one – even for keep-sake. but the inspiration was missing.
Huon felt failure creeping all over him, an over-powering feeling of negativity and disillusionment.
After a ‘dry’ period, he didn’t even bother to pick up the easel and brush. then one morning – during the wee hours – he sat in front of a canvas, closed his eyes and let his mind wander.
That was when the magic started to happen. For the first time in a long while, he was able to see clearly, in his mind, the haunting beauty and forlorn nature of the bazaar. not wanting to let the moment of inspiration dim into oblivion, he wasted no time capturing the mysticisms of Siniawan with his brush but wasn’t too thrilled about the result at first.
Recalled the 41-year-old painter: “I wasn’t all that keen to see my finished work – just in case I might be disappointed.”
But disappointed he was not. In fact, he was stunned by what he saw – his painting of Siniawan was brilliant.
No artistic ambition
Huon never thought of becoming a full-time artist, believing he wasn’t good enough. and of all the things he thought of doing, being an artist was way down the list.
He enjoyed reading comics and this kindled his interest in sketching figures.
“I remember drawing the figures in the comics, especially my heroes. I would spend hours drawing them – it had to be prefect. Oh, how I wasted paper! Each time, I made a mistake, or if my sketches did not resemble the figures in the comics, I tore them up.”
Huon is also passionate about sports and bodybuilding is his favourite. the gym was like a second home and it was only natural that he took the job of gym instructor.
While working at the gym, he dabbled in sculpturing, making figurines of his comics heroes. a friend who recognised his talent, suggested he take it a step further by trying pottery.
Heeding the advice, Huon showed his works to a pottery shopowner who was impressed and wanted him to make figurines of cats. That was the start.
Huon learned the ropes working at the pottery shop as an apprentice. He got so good that some of his works were displayed at the Cats Museum in Kuching.
His confidence as an artist began to grow. with no training whatsoever, the determined autodidact turned to oil painting and sought tips from a painter friend who frequented the gym.
In his first try, he managed to produce four paintings, selling three and keeping the first for remembrance. the sales boosted his morale.
“I have to admit I felt good and ready for anything,” he recalled.
According to him, passion aside, getting paid for one’s works is highly motivating and a great morale booster.
With newfound confidence, he began to specialise in oil paintings and his interests lie in capturing the rich cultures and the diversity of Sarawak.
After making a name for himself in Kuching, he left for Kuala Lumpur to get more exposure.
“The art scene in KL is more vibrant. the culture there is all about aggressiveness and going out to get what you want. there is no place for complacent artists.”
While struggling to make ends meet, Huon made more sales than he had imagined possible. He exhibited his works alongside his peninsular counterparts.
Noting the art scene in KL was way ahead of Kuching’s, he decided, on his return, to correct the imbalance but it didn’t work out the way he envisaged.
“I was hitting my head against the brick wall. In the process, I lost my spirit to bring chance. I was no longer burning with the same enthusiasm,” he said.
But one good thing did come out of the setback. Huon started compiling documents and written materials on local pioneer artists. it wasn’t easy but perseverance saw him through. He faced many obstacles but his patience and good nature soon won him many friends and supporters.
In 2008, he organised a retrospective exhibition entitled Sarawak’s 1st Generation Fine Art Artist, featuring six local artists – all of them old timers.
“I realise these first generation artists are not being recognised or appreciated. our public have no time for art and the people who have made it. so before they passed on, someone had to document their works and contributions.”
Huon’s painstaking documentations will be released this year.
So far, he has held two solo exhibitions – Portraits of Sarawak in Kuala Lumpur (2003) and Portraits of Malaysia in Kuching (2005).
His paintings also adorn various galleries in the country and the homes of collectors, including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong XII Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail.
In 2003, Huon was commissioned to draw the portraits of His Majesty (Yang di-Pertuan Agong XII) and his Consort, Tuanku Fauziah binti Tengku Abdul Rashid.
His oil masterpieces can be viewed now till February 14 at the Sarawak Museum. Titled from Studio to old Street – Capturing cultural heritage through art, the last of his genre exhibition is jointly organised by the Heritage Society and the Sarawak Museum. On display are about 20 of his paintings of Siniawan.
Huon acknowledged he couldn’t have done it without the encouragement and help of Mike Boon, former president of the Heritage Society.
“This is my last exhibition of such genre. It’s time to move on to another genre. I don’t know what but it will be something different.”
Whatever he has in mind, he will definitely excel in it. His patience, strong sense of commitment and refusal to accept failure will promise him more sweet rewards.
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