The photographs entered must be of a landscape but can include urban, cityscapes or landscapes with people. No portraits or weddings please, Yikes!!

The winners will be judged by some of Australias best photographers, including Peter Eastway, Tom Putt, David Evans and Nick Rains. The prizes are awesome and I will talk more about them and all the competition details in the coming week.

So now start thinking about what you have that might win this competition. Why is it called the “Landscape 500??, that is the number of entries that are allowed. Most competitions attract thousands of entries, this one is different, it is a limited edition you could say. Each person will be able to upload 3 images per entry but you will be able to enter as many as you like, each entry of three images comes off the 500 allowable. So do the stats, 500 possible entries, 4 prizes, your chances of taking something away are pretty good.

First prize is a trip for two on True North! If you don’t know what True North is.. head to their website for sure: http://northstarcruises.com.au/

Unfortunately I can’t enter as I’m a professional.. but you guys can enter so good luck!

Regards

Paul Pichugin

We’re still in the process of working out what kit we need, I’m getting some new grad filters from Quality Camera, I’m upgrading to the Cokin Z-Pro series as the P System just doesn’t fit on my Canon 16-35mm lens! Also hunting down some decent hiking shoes as it turns out that I’ve grown out of my previous pair.. My feet should have stopped growing at least 8 years ago now! I think we’re going to be regulars at BCF over the next couple of weeks as we get different bits and pieces we need too :)

The plan of attack is to head straight to Carnarvon in the first day (30th August), finding somewhere to camp and spending the night, then across to Paraburdo and into Karijini! We’re going to speend just under a week exploring the various gorges and waterfalls, getting photos and HD Video footage! From Karijini we’re going to head up to Port Hedland and Marble Bar, resupply & recharge, do some exploring and see what we can find. We’re also planning to visit Karratha and Dampier while in the area.

From Karratha we’re going to head back down to Karrijini via Python Pool, hopefully get some nice swimming in as well as photos and video. We’ll spend another couple of days in Karijini before heading to Exmouth, & camping at Coral Bay, near the Ningaloo Reef. While in the Ningaloo, we’re going to do some snorkeling and get some underwater photos and video :) I’m really excited about seeing the Ningaloo as I’ve heard it’s some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world! We’re not sure how long we’ll stay in this spot, but we’re planning to do some exploring of Shark Bay and Monkey Mia while in the area. Then we’ll head home via Geraldton.

My goals for the trip are to get some exceptional photos of the area, ready to be printed up on aluminium and acrylic. I’m also producing a video of our trip and will have a lot of HD Video of the different sights. We haven’t even done this trip yet and we’re already working on a plan of attack for a trip to The Kimberly region! Looking forward to buying a “real” four wheel drive and a camper trailer of our own!

I’ll be blogging and twittering as much as possible while I’m away, with photos and maybe a few videos, be sure to subscribe to my blog to keep track of where we are :)

If you are going to be in the area and want to meet up or say hello, just leave me a comment, it would be great to connect with some people up in the Pilbarra region!

Regards

Paul Pichugin

http://paulpichugin.com

The dates of the workshops will be: August 27th (evening theory) and 28th (2 theory sessions & 2 practical sessions), so book it in on your calendar! I’ll be taking bookings shortly, be sure to subscribe to the blog to be notified of the announcment.

Regards

Paul Pichugin

http://paulpichugin.com

Well I’ve gone and launched the new studio’s website, and I’ve already got a wedding slideshow up there, check out http://blaquestudios.com.au and while you are there, check out Shane & Jacalyn’s wedding slideshow.

This blog here is going to take a bit of a new direction, it’s going to be more of a personal blog with more of my art work photos and other thoughts and travels.. rather than focusing on portraits and wedding photos.. there will still be some wedding and portrait shots put in here, mostly my favorite work.

I’m also going to incorporate some of the artwork from http://paulmp.com.au on this site and eventually the plan is to turn paulmp.com.au into a shopping site for buying my art work pieces..

Anyway, there will be more on all that soon, in the mean time, check out http://blaquestudios.com.au

Regards

Paul Pichugin
http://paulpichugin.com

I’m sure none of you really need reminding that Christmas is fast approaching, but you may be looking for some creative gift ideas.. something a bit better and more thoughtful than the standard socks and chocolates.. Well I’m only too happy to try and help :-) Why not give the gift of photography, Memories that will last a lifetime and quite often more than your own lifetime! I have a few places left for portrait sessions in the next 3 weeks, a framed family portrait makes a great gift for grandparents, parents or uncles and aunties. Maybe instead of the standard.. and often cheesy Christmas Card, you could send personalised portraits with your message on it!

I’m offering a 1 hour portrait session, 2 8×10 prints and a cd with the photos for email, facebook and postcard sized prints for $180 per family. Feel free to email me: paul [at] blaquestudios.com.au to book your session, or you can phone me on 0415 864 811 during business hours.

Other great gift ideas, buy a calendar of my landscape photography for your friends and family, it’s a gift that lasts 12 months!

Regards

Paul Pichugin

Well today was the first of 2 days I’m spending at a seminar run by Yervant (http://yervant.com/), an excellent photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. Today’s session included some great tips on what not to do when running a studio and how to avoid some of the problems Yervant went through when he was starting up. It’s certainly given me some ideas and thoughts that I’ll have to go through as I finish off the business plan for our photography studio and we go into the setup stage. Things like how to keep good staff and how to make sure that every client is happy with the value you are giving them, while still keeping a healthy business running. Anie, his wife, had some excellent things to say about how they got through the hard times and gave some ideas and thoughts on how to think outside the box when it comes to marketing.

After that he ran us through how he works with the couple when shooting weddings. While he was doing this, we were able to capture some of our own photos and setup some of our own shots. Yervant hired a model (Rachael Cross.. beautiful girl, very easy to work with) to be our “bride”.. he didn’t get a groom though so I was roped into being the groom in some of shots.. haha. Anyway.. I don’t have any of those photos, though I’m sure they’ll pop up around the blogosphere in Perth over the next day or so.. if I didn’t wreck the photos :-)

I’ve got some more photos from our trip away to come, but I’ve got to go through them yet.. it’s been go go go since we got back on Monday.

I’ve included some photos from today in this post though, feel free to leave comments.

Regards

Paul Pichugin

Well it’s been a very busy couple of weeks, I’ve been working on all sorts of projects from photographing jewelery and cupcakes to preparing my workshop material for up coming workshops.. and trying to find time for some of my own projects in the mean time too.

First news is.. I’ve finally come up with a name and a logo for my new studio. I’ve been busy working on a business plan and trying to find a suitable property in Perth to open a photography studio. The new studio name that I’ve registered is Blaque Studios, it’s pronounced Black. I’ve got a temporary page up on the domain name so check it out here: http://blaquestudios.com.au let me know what you think and feel free to sign up to be notified of when the website or at least the blog is up and running. The idea is to get the studio having all the “work” related blog items and then this blog will turn into more my artistic related projects as well as more of a personal blog.

Recent projects: Well I’ve been working on a Jewelery website make over, for clients of mine: http://www.eternalimpressions.com.au, if you need jewelery for your wedding.. or to apologise to your wife for being a moron.. these guys are great way to do that. We’ve only just started taking the photos to fix up the photography on the website, but I’ve given the whole thing a web 2.0 make over and it’s looking good.

I had a lot of fun taking these photos, great to have a shot at something different. Talking about fun, I had a great afternoon taking photos of some of Mama Jo’s awesome cupcakes.. I seriously recommend these cupcakes. . I’m not much of a sweet tooth, but these things are just awesome. Order some of them now.. they would make a great tiered cupcake wedding cake.

I’ve also been working on 2 new websites for another client.. they will get revealed a bit further down the track though as they aren’t ready for public viewing. Looking forward to doing a corporate shoot with a real estate team based in Morley. Booking that work in for the middle to the end of November.

Work coming up:

Bec and I are off on another Road Trip! We’re driving up to Geraldton tomorrow (well actually today now), where we’re going to have a bit of a visit with Bec’s family for a day and then we’re driving across to Mullewa where I’m going to be presenting a total of 9 photography workshops, including a photography workshop with the Mullewa Women’s Indigenous Group, really looking forward to meeting some new people and getting out in a new community to take some photos. We’re going to be doing a couple of trips out to some farms while we’re there too, so that I can go through some practical shooting with the participants of the workshops. Should be a great time.

When I get back, it’s go go go.. I’m going to be going to a 2 day seminar with Yervant, one of Australia’s top wedding photographers, hoping to learn a lot from one of the best in the industry. Also hoping to maybe pick his brain a bit about setting up a successful boutique photography studio in the current market.

On Saturday the 14th I have a wedding to photograph with an awesome couple.. this wedding is here in Perth, going to be great, we’ve got a huge window of time to shoot between the ceremony and the reception.. it will be a good chance to put the inspiration from Yervant into practice :-)

The week after that I’m in a studio taking some corporate photos for a real estate team and then we’re going to do some shooting in the mall and a few other places.

Then I have another wedding booked for the 29th of November, that’s going to be another great wedding.. not that I really photograph any other types of weddings ;-)

Anyway, that’s enough from me, I’ll be sure to post up what ever I can while I’m in Mullewa, I’m not completely sure that my iPhone will let me on the internet there..

Regards

Paul Pichugin

http://paulpichugin.com

I know it’s been over 2 weeks since I last posted, but it’s been an incredibly busy 2 weeks.. I’ve managed to book another 2 weddings, one in Perth and another one in Phuket, really looking forward to both these weddings. I’ve also picked up a great commercial client, I will be redoing their entire corporate image for all their photography along with 2 websites.

I’ve shot a couple of portrait sessions, some of my own projects as well as done a bit of exploring around Perth, I’ve attached some of the photos to this entry for you to have a look at. In the next week to 2 weeks I’ve got several portrait sessions booked in and I should be getting my new flyers as well, I’ll keep you updated as I go.

Early next month I start a great community project with the community of Mullewa, approximately 100kms East of Geraldon in Western Australia. Bec and I will be driving up there to spend a week photographing the area and doing photography workshops with the local community. Both of us are really looking forward to the opportunity to meet some new people and to photograph some new areas. I’ll have further details on this trip in the coming weeks.

Regards

Paul Pichugin

Bec and I traveled to Brisbane, Queensland last weekend for the wedding of Ash & Tristin, it was such a great time. It started off nice and early at Tristin’s place with all the girls getting ready, they had been up for a couple of hours already when I rocked up at 7.30am! I did a few quick photos with the boys under a railway bridge in Petrie and then off to the ceremony in Strathpine. After the ceremony we did a photo shoot at North Pine dam and Keperra Golf Club, also the location of the reception.

Ash & Tristin wanted to get some photos of just them at Parliament House in Brisbane City after the reception, so we headed in there for a quick shoot.. Over all I’m very happy with the photos and the new camera gear is working much better than expected :-)

Here’s their slideshow:

Thanks heaps for having us at your special day Ash & Tristin, hope you have a great time in the Cook Islands.. can’t say I’m not jealous!

Regards

Paul Pichugin

I’ve had such an awesome response to Michael & Tash’s wedding photos, I’m so glad that everyone loves them.. most of all Michael & Tash themselves :-)

Bec and I are off to Sydney tomorrow, we’re going there for 2 days to visit some friends and then we’re off to Brisbane for another wedding this weekend, I’ll be sure to post up some photos and the slideshow as soon as I can! I bought a new camera yesterday, so I’m looking forward to trying it out at this wedding.

For those who mentioned that there are no photos on the actual website of my website.. it’s because my website got hacked and they deleted the photos for some reason.. I’ll be working on getting at least a couple of photos up by the end of tonight so that the website doesn’t look so bare!

In the meantime, please feel free to have a look at some of my fine art prints and landscape photography over at my other website: http://paulmp.com.au and you can buy prints from http://www.redbubble.com/people/paulmp/art if you find something you really like. Bec and I have a few up around our house, they look great.. but I could be slightly biased.. haha.

Here are the shots we have up on our wall:

More updates to come shortly!

Regards

Paul Pichugin