PhotoJudges: 2012

Monday, 24 December 2012

Merry Christmas

01:30 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

To all our members and subscribers we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Please drive Safely over the festive season.
Stay focused,

Cyri Furman

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Monday, 3 December 2012

THREE NATIONAL SALON AWARDS

03:37 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

I have recently received three National Salon awards for my photo "Sidecar Racing."

Sidecar Racing by Cyril Furman

National salons are judged by four judges per section.

Only 25% of entries are accepted.

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Like this page.

Let me know what you think.

Stay focussed.

Cyril Furman

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Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Top Awards

03:06 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

At my last visit to my photography club I entered three pictures as usual.

5_pi_fallen hero_cyril furman

I was pleased to receive a Certificate of Merit for this picture and best picture of the evening for the pictorial section in the five and six star category.

I received Gold awards for the two pictures below.

5_pi_mirage_cyril furman

5_pi_overaking_cyril furman

Stay focussed,

Cyril Furman

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Friday, 24 August 2012

05:21 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

Hello again,

Just to recap from my previous blog.

If I take a picture of the NELSON MANDELA statue, I without doubt have the copyright.

If I put up a picture of a statue at one of the photography or camera clubs, I will be told that it is a picture of someone else’s work and given no award.

If I do something with the picture of the statue, the work becomes mine.

I don’t need a model release to take the picture.

It is a statue!

Remember I didn’t make the sculpture.

The questions I asked last time are:-

1) Having taken a picture of a statue can I publish it?

2) Can I print a zillion T-shirts and sell them?

Answer 1.

Question:- Having taken a picture of a statue can I publish it?

Answer:-

I have two pictures of other statues.

The first one is a picture of Max the gorilla ay the Johannesburg Zoo.

The second picture is of the statue at the Anglo Boer War Memorial.

The answer is that I can make “fair use” of the pictures, even the one of the Nelson Mandela statue.

Answer 2.

Question:- Can I print a zillion T-shirts and sell them?

Answer:-

Nobody really cares about the statues of Max the gorilla and the statue at the Anglo Boer War Memorial.

Who would buy the t-shirts? There is no commercial value.

The picture of the Nelson Mandela statue is different.

It is a likeness of Nelson Mandela and I am reasonably sure that I would require his permission to use his likeness/picture for commercial purposes.

Also, I would more than likely have my stock confiscated by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

I most certainly would not take the chance

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Stay focused,

Cyril Furman

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Monday, 13 August 2012

Photographing the Nelson Mandela Statue

08:13 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

I have a number of pictures of the Nelson Mandela statue at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton. It is probably the most photographed statue in South Africa.

In my previous blog I asked the question “Who owns the copyright?” when you take a picture of a statue? The particular statue in question is the statue of Nelson Mandela.

1) Nelson Mandela?

2) Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton?

3) The sculptor?

4) The Photographer? (myself)

Without doubt the answer is number 4) myself, the photographer.

I have the copyright.

As soon as I press the shutter release I have the copyright.

I can take photos in any public place in South Africa.

I would like to know the answer for other countries.

I can think of at least four places around Johannesburg that are “sensitive” to cameras. (but not cell phones and point and shoots)

The problem arises if I put up a picture of a statue at one of the photography or camera clubs.

I will be told that it is a picture of someone else’s work and given no award.

This is entirely weird.

It is not about whom has copyright.

I can take a picture of a church, the local fire station or any building and that is ok.

The problem is that I am not the architect for any of the buildings, so it is also not my work.

Weird indeed.

However, if I do something with the picture of the statue, the work becomes mine.

I can use a software program, wait for a bird to sit on the statue or use a zoom effect to change the picture.

By the way, none of these pictures will win any awards.

The next questions that I want to ask are:-

1) Having taken a picture of a statue can I publish it?

2) Can I print a zillion T-shirts and sell them?

Let me know what you think

Stay focused,

Cyril Furman

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Tuesday, 24 July 2012

PHOTOGRAPHING STATUES

06:08 | Posted by Unknown | | Edit Post

When I posted the picture of the Nelson Mandela statue on Nelson Mandela’s birthday I was reminded me of a judging anomaly that we have in photography club judging.

I have a number of pictures of the Nelson Mandela statue at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton. It is probably the most photographed statue in South Africa.