[John Bennett]

Its still available Will. On the off chance someone else wants it, they will be buying the rights to use it once.

The difference is Magazines and the like want NA “First” Serial Rights.

You must be clear that the image has already been published. They’ll either decline outright or if its an image they really want (perfect fit, difficult to get) they may stil buy it, but will likekly offer less than what they would normally pay for First Serial rights.

With Stock photography your not selling the image per se. Your selling liscencing rights……99% of the time your selling the right for them to use the image once within NA…If they also publish overseas there may be more envolved…. If they use the same image a year later ( its on file in their data base now)……they have to pay again.

To me anyways. The difference is

With Assignments: They’ve agreed topay me X to go somewhere/shoot something and in return they have 1 year exclusive rights to the image I cant even display them. They can run it/them………..or not (maybe the article gets dropped). After one year the rights are mine again to do with as I please.

With Stock: It’s published right away.

1 is an agreement to render services and get paid for them..No big deal…today, tomorrow, sometime soon 🙂

1 If they havent paid by the time its published is copy right infringment

[John Bennett]

It varies Will.

I’ve waited upto 3 months for assignment work, stock purchases have come within a couple weeks of the email notifying me they want to purchase rights to an image.

I think, that it may have be related to the immediacy differences. On the one hand, they’ve published the images and on the other have agreed to pay for assignement work. However, the relevant article for which I’m being sent somewere to photograph stuff won’t run for another 10 months to a year.

eg.
I shot an assignment in Nov, it won’t run till next fall. The check was just cut last week. I expect it this or next.

In late Jan they purchased 3 images (2 full page and an insert) for Febs issue, and when informing that both ckecks were being cut he told me they’d purchased from m stock for Marchs issure. I’ll hav that this or next as well.

Assignments have aken 2 to 3 months
Stock purchases 2 to 3 weeks.

I don;t worry about it. Everything has been made good and I’ve only had to enquire once and that was an assignment lat May that will b in this Marchs issue..Paid in late Aug.

Stay on thme politely, it will work out. If it continues then you might remind them the work was published X months ago.

[John Bennett]

If you hace CS2.

Open your image in ACR.
1) WB..Do you want to massage it a bit? Worthwhile using the eyedropper to click on something close to nuetral grey. 90% of the time I reset to “as shot”.

2) Refer to your histogram, you can play with exposure, blacks, recovery and fill light. Ideally you don’t want any clipped shadows, or blown highlights.

3) Saturation etc? Have fairly low presets ( I think 5 to 7). I rarely touch this beyond the preset

4) Use the heal tool to clean dust spots to the RAW file

5) Straighten? if needed I do it here

Convert your raw to tiff/jpeg…whichever.

This opens the file in PS.
Here I’ll sometimes apply filter effects, selective adjustments,  colour adjustments ( i do this to the jpeg/tiff as opposed to the raw, wanting the raw to remain true to the original) then finally curves and high pass sharpening ( corrects softening caused by AA filters)

Done.

Copy, resize for web or print, or other. Another light does of sharpening for output

Done

[John Bennett]

If you want to keep it simple initially to just enjoy casting and hooking up some, and not get bogged down with techno mumbo jumbo.

I’m going to echo Lees advice, get some black wooley buggers and have fun. Carry some small Adams incase you start seeing some surface activty and that will give a fly to try some surface action. My first couple years Id hit stocked lakes/ponds to practise casting and didnt bother with much else.

Once in a blue moon I might have switched the black Wooley for an Olive 🙂

[John Bennett]

Zach the AMP has been *in* effect since 2004.

Initially the daily class I tag was $20.00/day for non residents, today, 4 years later it’s $40. There was talk I beleive of raising it to $80 for 2009. As well there is talk of bringing in “tag caps” for non residents. This latter I think was or may have been shot down.

In a nutshell it’s getting worse, not better.

Again I’ll ask. If the system is so fragile, Steelhead so threatened, and “conservation” so paramount. Why aren’t they jacking the fees to exhorbitant levels for residents, who I would think use the resource more?

Let’s not forget that these fees apply to most Trout Waters. So it’s not just Steelhead. It’s the rivers and streams that one might want to fish for Bull and Cutts as well. The only difference is that the “conservation” surcharge for them is half the price of the $60 surcharge for Steel.

And the industry often wonder’s why there’s a negative perception amongst the greater angling public that Fly fishing is a rich mans sport.

am working with Reaction Fly and Tackle, Pacific Angler, Michael and Young Fly Shop, Sea-Run Fly and Tackle and Whistler FlyFishing to raise money for the Steelhead Society (steelheadsociety.org).

Everything I’ve been led to beleive and everything I can find on the subject would seem to suggest those are the types of groups (note careful wording 🙂 ) that lobbied for the AMP.

It’s a complex and contentious issue.

I wonder what SSBCs stance is on the AMP

[John Bennett]

Without a doubt Zach it’s a complex issue. I agree with alot of what you’ve said. And make no mistake I think what April is doing is commendable. Moreso because she has some “celebrity” status. She’s putting that to good use, something few of us can ever do.

I’m a huge proponent of conservationlism. Ive done my fair share and then some. Im sure most have. I’m also somewhat fanatical about access to fishing. So for me anyways, this is a moral delima of right vs right.

I have a hard time and philosophical difference with a

[John Bennett]

Just to put how punative the BC AMP is towards non residents into context.

Ontario which receives the highest non resident angling pressure by far charges $50.00 for an annual liscence thats allows the angler to fish for any species, anywhere, anytime.

NewFoundland which requires guides for non residents charges $53.00 for an annual
http://www.nfl.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/publications/guide2008/p2.asp

BC for a week (water specific) the afore mentioned $410.00

If we wan’t to compare both the “experience” and “plights” of Steelhead vs Atlantic Salmon…Well theres no comparison in either category.

Ontario gets about 73% of all non resident anglers canada wide

My understanding of the AMP (Angler Management Plan) is that it was laregely lobbied for and brought into effect around 2002/2003 by locals, outfitters, guides, angling associations who were upset about pressure, crowding etc from non residents, illegal guiding etc. Local tourism business associations are against it.

And now they want help??

Well when they start paying $400 for their tags, when they

[John Bennett]

Will the issue of black backgrounds is a direct result of what otherwise would be a badly underexposed image. Fairly common when hand holding macro rigs. The flash unit supplies whatever light is needed to bridge the gap. Thus you end up with a lit subject, but underexposed bg. If your settings are closer to a proper exposure, the background gets iluminated by whatever light is there.

The best solution for single flash is a good flash bracket that allows you to position the the flashhead  above the subject and in front of your lens. In this manner the flashes output is directed down at the subject and at the same time it illuminats a bit of both the fore and Back ground.

The GF Spere is ideal for this, but it starts with a good flash bracket.

Gooseneck: Flimsy, limited positioning.

Articulatd: Wimbery. Most flexible with regards to positioning the head. However that comes with a price. First is weight distribution. The arm goes out and away, then back towards. In short can be cumbersome. Second is manouverability. If theres brush, twigs etc around the fly how do you propose to get it in positon without disturbing the brush, and the fly?

RRS: Very flexible with regards to positioning, Keeps the weight of the backet, rail and flash head over the center axis (unless you desire sidelight).

With that I can slide the bracket fowards/backwards as needed for whatever clearance I need from the front element, which is the genesis for

[John Bennett]

Couple things Will.

Higher fees: No problem.

Using Ontario as an example I gaurantee you non residents don’t pay for liscences that are a) Water specific, and b) Date specific nor are waters “classified”.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/licences

Want to fish for Steelhead in BC for a week?
$40 per day, for class I waters. Date/water specific. Just for the licsence.

River blown?
Too bad, so sad.
Care to spend another $280.00 to fish the river down the road?

The classified waters of B.C. are forty-two (42) highly productive trout streams. These streams are classified as either Class I or Class II and are listed in the Water Specific Tables for each Region or a listing is provided in the Wildlife Act under the Angling and Scientific Collection Regulation [PDF 43KB]. The Classified Waters Licensing System was created to preserve the unique fishing opportunities provided by these waters, which contribute significantly to the province’s reputation as a world class fishing destination.

All anglers required to buy a basic Angling Licence must also purchase a Classified Waters Licence before fishing on a stream during the period when it is classified:

This licence is required in addition to the basic angling licence and any other stamps required by regulation.

Also note that a steelhead surcharge stamp is required at all times when fishing for steelhead, or when fishing classified waters during the period when steelhead are known to be present. The specific times when a steelhead licence is mandatory are listed in the Water Specific Tables for each Region.

Again its not aimed at “conservation”, its aimed at protecting the “local experience”. That in their own words. Conservation is secondary.

Those same anglers that sqwauked about non residents are free to travel to most other provinces an not incur anywhere near the same predjudicial “treatment”.

Ontario by comparison
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_165336.html

Like I said I think its great she’s taken the inititive, I just have a philosophical issue asking for non resident help, when the “gov’t is intentionally targeting non residents punatively.

New Fondland has guide rules but they arent as bad, not even close 🙂

/edit add
Basic license: non resident 8 day $36.00
Class I specific river ( you can’t move): 320.00
Conservation surcharge Steelhead: $60.00

$410 bucks for 1 week. Assuming non guided, class I waters. Lets hope the rivers not blown 🙂

Ontario: What $50? any day and water good for 1 year.

[John Bennett]

Sweet.

2.5 months and counting before our seasons start to open 🙁

[John Bennett]

April’s pretty cool and Koodos for starting the Fins for Flies program, but people should be aware the BC “gov’t” is starting to go out of their way to make non resident fishing, in particular DIY angling trips very difficult.

So I can’t help but question (searches for right word) the morality of enlisting aid from non residents when the ministry is contemplating making it even more onerous on “non-residents”.

If you are a non-guided “Non-Resident” or non-guided “Non-Resident Alien” angler: Your Classified Waters Licence for Class I or Class II waters may be purchased from a provincial licence vendor or directly from a licenced angling guide. It is sold on a per diem basis and is date and water specific. Although anglers may purchase as many Classified Waters Licences as they wish, each licence must not exceed 8 consecutive days.

According to Provincial documents, the goal of an AMP is to “regulate angler use to levels which maintain the quality of the angling experience.  The AMP is not intended as a conservation tool, and as such does not have within its scope the prescription of conservation-based regulatory measures.”  The idea is to manage fishing pressure and overcrowding by making it more expensive for anglers to fish.   An expectation is that anglers who have a choice will “vote with their feet” to escape the fees and fish waters in Montana or Alberta.  

Since the AMP was implemented, estimated non-resident angler days on the Elk River have decreased by 20%, to 6675 in 2005.  On the St. Mary’s River, the reduction has been 43% – from a high of 1641 non-resident angler days in 2003 to 941 in 2005.  Something is keeping anglers off southeastern BC classified waters.

Jeff Burrows is Senior Fisheries Biologist, Ministry of Environment, Kootenay Region located in Nelson.  “In 5-10 years the expectation is a capped number of legal guided and unguided angler days.  Also improvements in regulation compliance and perceptions of fishing quality,” he said.   “Conservation is a secondary goal”

The BC”AMP” is targeted at non residents, to protect “local experience”.

As a resident of Ontario Canada who has to hire guides, pay extra fees over and above to fish other provinces including water specific regulation,

[John Bennett]

To answer your question directly.
I’m Canon, my understanding is that Nikons NEF fomat is a RAW format. Potato/Patato

RAW vs Jpeg submissions
I would say it depends 🙂

1) As a general rule if guidelines request a,b and c, you give them a,b and c else they may just throw the submission out without really giving the images the time of day. It’s a risk your taking by not following the guidelines as an unestablished contributor. If they ask for contact sheets, you send them…I dont feel RAW should be any different if your trying to get your foot in the door and your name in front of the AD.

However
2) As Zach noted some publishing houses will have the budgets, staff and infrastructure to edit material to their liking/needs. Others won’t.
So I would say it depends on how big the publisher is. On a couple photogrpahy based sites I frequent there have been discussions around the growing equest/demand for RAW. Many feel it’s small publishers without the where withal and possibly even the technical no how to edit RAW files requesting them for no other reason than thats the thing to do, adding to it. Is it a big house with a dozen publication or more publications that might rightfully be assumed to have the staff and artists?

3) One publication I deal with does have the resources. They wanted RAW+low res jpeg (for preview). Thats what I supplied. Over time the relatoinship with the AD has grown and he no longer wants my raw files. He trust me and he knows the quality of my work. In other words a) he may not be able to improve on my work, b) he trust that I’m not manipulating images and c) I’m saving him alot of time. See point #2. Time spent eiting dozens of RAW images from contributors, is time not spent working on the cuurent or next issue.

4) Assignments I shoot for them I will continue to provide RAW. *Technically* they own exclusive rights to the photos for one year, I can’t even upload them for

[John Bennett]

Thanks guys.

Mark.
The handler feeds her chicklets and quail. However when they hunt she gets to eat some of her catch. It depends a bit on herweight. All birds have a “flying weight”. Under that weight and the are very hungry, not fit. Over that weight and the bird doesn’t want to “fly” much less eat. Just like trout they want maximum nourishment with minimal effort to conserve energy, especially in winter.

Her flying weight is 930 grams.
At 950 she’s not very interested in flying.

Because you can’t control the bird there is always a risk it will take something thats not in season. Right now Rabbit’s in season until June.
If she smokes a Duck (out of season currently) they have to employ whats known as “Let Lie”…In other words the bird gets her feed, but what ever isnt eaten, must be left to spoil or become a meal for somethin else. It cant be “harvested”.

Theres 3 pics here of a Red Tail catchinh and eating a Cotton Tail if hes interested in see a bit of thei behavior. The one pic it’s disembowling the Rabbit, so as to get to the better organs ( highly preferred)

Pics 6,7 and 8
http://jben.zenfolio.com/p966495226

These aren’t pets, and they arent treated like them, so no they dont typically come in the house unless theres a really good reason, injured or extreme cold. Harris Hawks are native to Texas so if it gets super cold, under -30 the handler I go with will bring her in for the night occassionally. Frost bite of the Talons is the end of the Hawks hunting days. as they’ll fal off.. Otherwise they stay in their Mews.

J

[John Bennett]

My experience with editors and ADs in the broader hook and bullit market thus far is exactly as Zach describes it. So its not just fly fishing.

Its not to say they aren’t good people and don’t offer feedback, they do. But like most of us in the real world they have jobs, and the ADs first responsibility is meet deadlines. They don’t have much time for people, even established contributors.

I don’t think people fully realise the extent of the good fortune they have here and Phils progressiveness to capitalise on the resource. If I had the access and opportunity to do more fly fishing stuff…man.

Maybe in time others will get wind and follow, the net and groups like this and what Phil launched on flickr is a remarkably good tool for it, resolving many problems. It creates its own in some ways but still.

[John Bennett]

Woot Phils back in the game. Hearty grats Phil.

Working guides I have, even with a dog. Unfortunately Ontario doesn’t look like Oregon. 🙂

Have some Chinook Salmon shots. Need to check my archives. One in particular you might like but it was taken with a 5MB camera so print constraints might be an issue??

[John Bennett]

Very nice Matt, love the last image.

[John Bennett]

No you don’t need to urine mark them yourself

Darn Will your taking all the fun out it. I was looking forwards to dressing in my snow camo, then marking my territory so to speaks as someone walked nearby 😉

Thanks for the suggestions. Ive thought about freezing some chicken scraps in a pail of water and using that, hadnt considered burying some.

Re the Den. I wasnt sure about that stuff so have erred of the side of caution thus far. I typically stay about 100 to 150 away any time im there and just scope out the snow in front after snow falls to see if theres fresh tracks, which so far there always has been.

Dont want to get busted before spring an Kits.

J

[John Bennett]

I think its a cool idea, the winner could likely be he who adapts the best, not he who predicts the best

Meaning: Under the 1 fly format, you make your best guess and are stuck with it. With your proposed format, as written, theres nothing preventing an angler from “re-tieing” mid tourney as long as they have still have the hook and thread. They might do that for any number of reasons.

They could make their initial tie out of whatever, but perhaps while walking the bank they find something, think it has potential and stuff in their pocket just incase.

Would flies found in trees/brush creekside be eligible for scavenging?
Would need an honor system but………

[John Bennett]

I played with a gold disc for a bit.
Pros: Can help when dealing with directional light
Cons: Wind 🙂

a remote flash on a stand can probably do as much and more. Been toying with the idea of getting a small flash and using it with a gorilla pod.

[John Bennett]

Yeah I use a Rabbit Distress primarily and a Yote howler (Primos Hot Dog) for yotes occassionally.

[Author]

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