The book How to do Photographic Story Telling: Including composition and posing ideas is out now. There are three versions, in order of our personal favourites
How to do Photographic Story Telling bookHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sampleHow to do Photographic Story Telling page sample
The book covers our philosophy about photography, including how to get great photos that tell a story. Add value, meaning, and depth to your photos.
The purpose of this book is to give a different perspective on creating amazing photographs. Travel photographer Andrew Blyth (B.Sc, M.A) presents his two decades of learning in psychology and photography in this simple, concise, and easy to digest book. He reveals his secrets of how to create authentic-looking scenes, how to direct models (and clients), and how to make even ‘boring’ scenery ‘aesthetic’ (beautiful). He demonstrates his ideas with myriad of examples photographed in Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, South Korea, and Australia. This book includes inspirational quotes from some of the greatest photographers which will help guide your thinkings.
The eBook edition makes for great portability and easy referral. The print edition makes for a great in-studio or on-site reference. Many sample images are included to help show models and clients little details like hand placement, how to pose, and a lot more. Topics include:
The Three Elements
Photographing Movement
Visual Stories: Operation Bilby
Photographing Boring Things
Visual Stories: Events in Japan
Posing People
Composition and Posing Ideas
Some proceeds from this book will support environmental charities and photographic project Operation Bilby.
eBook: ISBN 978-0-9954040-2-1 | Print: ISBN 978-0-9954040-5-2
How to do Photographic Story Telling: Including composing and posing ideas
Andrew Blyth (B.Sc, M.A)
Publisher: Travel Photos (Aus)
On Sale: 8th February 2023
Print: USD$42.95
eBook: USD$9.99
Print ISBN: 978-0-9954040-5-2
eBook ISBN: 978-0-9954040-2-1
Travel Photographer Opens Archives and Offers Advice on Making Great Photographs
Melbourne, Aus – 30th Jan 2023 – Travel photographer Andrew Blyth opens up his 20 years of archives of life in Asia to share his tips and philosophy of visual story telling. His first book for the arts and photography community How to do Photographic Story Telling offers a unique insight into his mind and vision. With many of us wanting to travel abroad again, we are looking to get the most out of our trips and key to this is getting amazing photographs. Andrew believes that ‘Photos are a time travel device that can instantly take us back to our adventures abroad’. Nothing will devalue these experiences more than poor photography. Andrew’s advice and philosophy of his style of photography will make for great reading – and viewing.
As you can expect from a photographer, How to do Photographic Story Telling is loaded with amazing examples of photography from Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Australia. It includes how to pose people, how to think about photo compositions, and what makes a photograph meaningful. The book is light on words, heavy on unique ideas, and filled with visual expression. Andrew leans on the ideas of some of the greatest minds in photography by providing quotes in very clear context that will echo in the mind of the reader. It is an essential photography guide for all avid photographers and travellers.
The book, due to its photographic content, is published in print-on-demand premium magazine format (22x28cm / 8.5×11in). It can be ordered from Blurb, Amazon, and as an eBook on Kindle and Apple Books. The book is 124 to 128 (depending on edition) pages plus soft cover.
Travel Photos prefers recycled, recyclable, renewable, and reusable materials for its physical products. A portion of profits are used to support environmental charities. A portion of proceeds from this book will help support the next stage of the Operation Bilby photographic project.
There are many more reasons to get a professional photog’ to do the job for you. Here are some. We hope you enjoy the last one.
It’s a Service; not just “a Photo”
Occasionally we get clients who are shocked that “a photo” costs more than $20, and say they can do it themselves for less. Ok, that’s fine. Remember, you’re hiring a service, not buying an artistic mass-produced framed photo from Kmart.
Sample of the editing and post-processing done at Travel Photos
We have invested tens of thousands of dollars in equipment, software, training, practising, and more. Yes, you can use your iPhone or ask your colleague to do it for you. However, compare an amateur photo with a professional. Which is going to bring you value?
That is why our company Director Andrew prefers to take his car to a mechanic rather than do it himself – even though he has his own hammer. We save you time, effort, energy, and investment costs.
A photo of Travel Photos poster with other street ads in a Melbourne laneway
There are legal risks
Travel Photos PtyLtd has public liability insurance. We are also educated in photo licencing, model employment, and other legalities required when using photos of people and things. There are many stories of how a photo in an ad has either gone sideways or backfired.
In 2007, an Asian American young lady sued Virgin Mobile Australia for their racist and insulting bus stop ad used in Adelaide. The ad makers did not have permission from the photographer, and did not have permission from the young lady to commercially use her likeness. What did the ad say? “Dump your pen friend” (CBS News). Needless to say, it probably cost Virgin Mobile more than what they gained.
Travel Photos PtyLtd ensures all the legal basics are covered before supplying our clients with images.
We have Skills and Talents you Don’t Have
Sorry to be so bold in saying it, but it’s true. The owners of the Lotus, Mercedes, Ferrari and other such Formula One race teams don’t drive the cars themselves – they hire highly skilled professionals to do it for them. In the image below we bet only the most talented of photographers (and this model) will know how we achieved this remarkable photo (btw, no torches were used).
Art Project: Operation Bilby, Supper Time.
Full Service
For busy people, understaffed offices, and those who don’t know all the ins and outs, we take care of all the details for you. We can do the following:
Image research
Production planning
Model/talent auditions and hiring
Location scouting
Travel to the required locations
Organise specialised equipment
Provide specialised services (like makeup artists, local fixers, security, etc)
Do the photo shoot
Manage staff
Image management and long term storage
Editing and post-processing
Image delivery
Legal document management
and more
In short, tell us what you need, and we’ll make it happen.
Our makeup artist preparing a model for a shoot in Yokohama Japan
No Copy Cats Allowed
As a standard, Travel Photos PtyLtd retains the ownership of the photographs. Additionally, the licence we issue to our clients includes an “exclusive use” clause. That means, your photos won’t be used by your competitors. Additionally, we are proactive in protecting the copyrights of our photos.
True story. At the start of the Stock Photo era at around 2005, two advertising agencies bought the same $2 stock photo for their print material. People in the north east of the US wondered if two competing banks were now merging because the look and style of the print materials appeared the same. Avoid confusing your customers, avoid diluting your message, or worse – be unintentionally promoting your competitor. Unique exclusive photos is what we specialise in.
Confusion occurs when you use cheap stock images
Don’t let your business get lost in the crowd. Stay unique. Stay fresh.
The general feeling of Twitter users is that Elon Musk has gone into it like a wrecking ball. Within a fortnight he turned a smoothly running machine into utter chaos. Before firing the human rights department, you’d want to find out what they do, why they do it, and what would happen if they didn’t do their jobs – before firing the whole team – only to realise later you need them. It’s simple management strategy to gather information before taking action.
Sunset on heroes. Art Project: Operation Bilby
Every tweet now feels like the last. With all the depth of knowledge gutted out of the company, any new staff will have a rough ride learning what/how to do things. With so much confidence in the platform lost, where should we go? Exclusively on Instagram? Blog here more? Swallow our pride and use FaceBook. Note, we are not fans of FB because of the privacy violations built into the platform. What are your thoughts?
Get more eyes on your products and brand with this iconic outdoor adventure art project.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; The Sentinel
Operation Bilby is an art project intended to do a few things:
Promote outdoor adventure and outdoor lifestyle
Promote Australian companies and their products
Create a new Australian mythology
Demonstrate that despite the racial diversity of Australia, all Australians have common goals and common values
Demonstrate women are capable of contributing to national goals and ideals outside of archaic gendered roles
Aim: To be at least shortlisted in any state or national art, photography, or other awards and competitions.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; On Comms
We want to help you get save time and get maximum benefit. You will get:
Extensive social media promotion
Featuring your brand or personal contribution
Exclusive access to the photo library that can be used for your own promotional uses
Product placement
Displayed in art galleries
Art Project: Operation Bilby; Serrated Edge
This art project was first conceived in November 2021 and call for sponsors and participants was made in December 2021. Since then, participants and resources (including costumes) were sourced. Then, most unfortunately, Russia invaded Ukraine. This art project was not meant to be about nationalism or to contribute to anti-Russia sentiment. We have deepest sympathies for the people of Ukraine, and we wish we could provide support for them. We never intended for this project to have any relationship to any actual wars, and we do not want to distract from the plight of the Ukrainian people.
Art Project: Operation Bilby; Stalking Prey
Who can benefit
This art project is suited for any outdoor-related and adventure companies. We have a preference for Australian companies. This project will be great for the following companies:
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Boots / outdoor footwear
Women’s’ active wear
Outdoor electronics (inc. uhf radios, navigation, and other equipment)
Camping equipment manufacturers
Adventure / outdoor training organisations
Private sponsors (will receive merch and art prints)
Lockdowns are over and many industries need to reinvigorate and recreate or create new connections. We are wanting to work with makeup artists, models, and costume designers to make a project go forward that can be used for our own self-promotion efforts. The long term plan is to get financial support for this project, and for it to be profitable for all involved (participants and financial supporters).
Theme: Women outdoors, in nature, in the sun, doing adventurous activities. More specific details will be given to serious potential collaborators and funding supporters.
Aim: To be at least shortlisted in any state or national art, photography, or other awards and competitions.
Opportunities for sponsors: Exposure with product placement and multiple @ mentions in social media, and on-going placement in social media posts, videos, and in professional creatives’ portfolios.
Early autumn portrait photos with a Melbourne model
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Flying with the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Melbourne Gliding Club
As an experiment I wanted to see how a photo would look on the streets of Elsternwick Melbourne. I chose a photo from a photo shoot I did with a great local model Wendy earlier this year. Mocked up a poster. Got some photos of my neighbourhood, and photoshopped in the mock poster. Here are the results. Can you imagine a local small businesses using promoting their own wares too? We’re eager to work with local hairdressers, makeup artists, real estate agencies, you name it.
Our ethos is equity, respect, dignity, freedom, and travel. To honour these, we’ll offer 30% off commercial photo shoots for female small business owners. This can be for products, show of experiences and services, professional portraits, whatever.
Terms and conditions: small businesses (less than 10 employees), the company director be female, be situated in Victoria Australia. Certain expenses like travel costs cannot be discounted.
Contact us now. Valid for anytime before Easter 2021
A FREE PORTRAIT SESSION!!!! Sounds awesome right?!
Perfect for Lunar New Year & Valentines Day!
It’s our first public event since lockdowns, so we’re a little shy and nervous, but it’s a great chance to step out and do something different. We have professional experience in travel photography, but – like you – we can’t go anywhere. So, instead of stewing at home, we wanna get out and do pseudo-travel photography (pretend travel portraiture). So…
Let’s have some fun. Wear your best fashion, wear a top hat. Put that kimono on. Dust off that frock. Polish those boots. Do whatever you need to blast the lockdown lethargy and cobwebs off.
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Photo shoot with Wendy Lu at Old Treasury Building in Melbourne CBD
Why free? We really, really, really, wanna do portraiture again! We really wanna do stuff with the camera. We really wanna meet people again.
What does it cost? The shoot will be free. You’ll get two photos that will be small (not printable), but socially shareable. These will be AirDropped or emailed to you on the spot.
What can be paid for? More photos, professionally post-processed, printed on high quality art paper, framed, and delivered. Usually, a photoshoot costs money because it requires time to do properly. So, if you want something different and unique, let’s arrange that shoot.
Where? On the steps of the Old Treasury Building, Melbourne CBD.
When? Please book a time with us, which will be on Saturday the 13th Feb. Will we do this again? Probably not… for a very long time.
How long will it take? It’s free, so it will be a very short photoshoot, just 20mins or so, plus a bit of on-the-spot photo selection and post-processing.
We do the shoot for one hour (it’s a short simple shoot)
We’ll quickly process the best of the bunch
Send you a download link (or use AirDrop right away)
Post our pictures on your Instagram tagging us in, and mentioning good things about us in your comments
What we will do is shoot for an hour. Together, we’ll go to a cafe or other convenient place, and while you wait we select and quickly process some key photos. Our cameras are bluetooth and wifi enabled, and we carry our iPads with us anyway. A link to a folder with your folders will be emailed to you. Maximum of 8 websized photos will be sent.
Paid for upgrades will include
A higher quality shoot for better photos
Prints or a photo book made and delivered to you
Extra time or locations
More photos delivered
Full print-sized digital files (web-sized files print badly)
Other full upgrades are possible, please see Portraits for more information.
Lam, a Taipei-based American model in Ximen shopping district in Taipei.
