GKPE 8, Yet more NZ ramblings from some flightless Kiwis.

RobDickinson wrote in post #17518718
The 11-24 looks great but not sure I need that wide in one frame that often, without filters.

like the 17-40 there is a place at the back of the lense to place a filter. Not to sure where you get them from tho. And of course if you wanted to use a CP then that's out of the question. the front element just comes out to far.

Any of them here on POTN? I'd like to pick them brains a little. At the very least get to know more about the area for curiosity if it's not possible to work long term due to visa issues. Whenever they're not swamped, of course.

Mark0159 wrote in post #17518901
like the 17-40 there is a place at the back of the lense to place a filter. Not to sure where you get them from tho. And of course if you wanted to use a CP then that's out of the question. the front element just comes out to far.

Kodak wraten filters I think. OK for ND only, they work but do fade over time etc.

I shoot almost all my stuff with grads, I could go for bracketing and blending I guess but that has its own problems. May oddly work better on the sony...

idkdc wrote in post #17518905
Any of them here on POTN? I'd like to pick them brains a little. At the very least get to know more about the area for curiosity if it's not possible to work long term due to visa issues. Whenever they're not swamped, of course.

There are a couple of members who are active wedding photogs, but like most of us who have moved into the professional realm they are not as active any more.

The wedding market here is big, and a lot of money is spent on the industry. It's got so crowded now that your not only competing with other photogs, but with other services for a share of the budget.

Like anywhere else we have very low, and very high budget weddings, with a full spread in between, and lot of providers catering to all areas. At the low end it is a saturated market, but I think you would find room at the high end if you can present something different.
Marketing, relationship building and establishing a local presence would be hard if your only here 6 months of the year. We are a small country, everyone knows everyone and most business is done by work of mouth. At the wealthy end of the market it's even tougher, we have a large middle class population, and only a small elite wealthy one.
Being here for only half a year would make that relationship building hard. If the wedding planning and sourcing process occurs during winter for a summer event, your going to find it hard to do the meet and greet when competing with a local provider.

There will be ways to get a visa, plenty of international photogs move in and out of NZ for advertising shoots. Since you plan on doing business here you would need to set up New Zealand company, but that is VERY easy to do, even if your based overseas. That would cover you for tax and GST purposes.

The biggest problem would be managing your gear. Being in the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed, but so are a lot of other things. The cost of getting your bodies and lenses re-calibrated and the orientation changed for each hemisphere every time you move could get very expensive, and it might be easier to invest in two set ups.

Moppie wrote in post #17519125
There are a couple of members who are active wedding photogs, but like most of us who have moved into the professional realm they are not as active any more.

The wedding market here is big, and a lot of money is spent on the industry. It's got so crowded now that your not only competing with other photogs, but with other services for a share of the budget.

Like anywhere else we have very low, and very high budget weddings, with a full spread in between, and lot of providers catering to all areas. At the low end it is a saturated market, but I think you would find room at the high end if you can present something different.
Marketing, relationship building and establishing a local presence would be hard if your only here 6 months of the year. We are a small country, everyone knows everyone and most business is done by work of mouth. At the wealthy end of the market it's even tougher, we have a large middle class population, and only a small elite wealthy one.
Being here for only half a year would make that relationship building hard. If the wedding planning and sourcing process occurs during winter for a summer event, your going to find it hard to do the meet and greet when competing with a local provider.

There will be ways to get a visa, plenty of international photogs move in and out of NZ for advertising shoots. Since you plan on doing business here you would need to set up New Zealand company, but that is VERY easy to do, even if your based overseas. That would cover you for tax and GST purposes.

The biggest problem would be managing your gear. Being in the southern hemisphere the seasons are reversed, but so are a lot of other things. The cost of getting your bodies and lenses re-calibrated and the orientation changed for each hemisphere every time you move could get very expensive, and it might be easier to invest in two set ups.

Wow, that was super helpful, thanks a bunch! I think the New Zealand company might be my best bet if I do think seriously about it. What do you mean about recalibrating bodies and lenses though for the Southern Hemisphere? I'm not sure if I completely understand.

Any chance you can point me towards those POTN members? Maybe I can ask them to second shoot or something just to get started. Definitely looking for high end and medium end market, for sure.

idkdc wrote in post #17519134
What do you mean about recalibrating bodies and lenses though for the Southern Hemisphere? I'm not sure if I completely understand

I think he is just pulling your leg there...

RobDickinson wrote in post #17519137
I think he is just pulling your leg there...

Hehe. Good one!

Moppie wrote in post #17519125
.......... and the orientation changed for each hemisphere every time you move ...........

Well there is a point of difference, upside down wedding photo's from a northern hemisphere camera...

Though my UK TV , a 32" sony CRT did have to get binned because of the different magnetics of the southern hemisphere!

RobDickinson wrote in post #17519166
Though my UK TV , a 32" sony CRT did have to get binned because of the different magnetics of the southern hemisphere!

Oh...is there a remote chance that he wasn't kidding?

RobDickinson wrote in post #17519166
Though my UK TV , a 32" sony CRT did have to get binned because of the different magnetics of the southern hemisphere!

Oh, I think I found the answer to why that happened! http://www.webopedia.c​om …re/MonitorHemis​pheres.asp Looks like I'm safe for now, haha.

RobDickinson wrote in post #17518718
The 11-24 looks great but not sure I need that wide in one frame that often, without filters.

Be worth hiring before buying. The fact you cant have front filters (yet) is an issue for me as well

weka2000 wrote in post #17519229
Be worth hiring before buying. The fact you cant have front filters (yet) is an issue for me as well

The size and angles are all wrong for a wondapana kind of system on the front. For anything square/flat to work it needs to be behind the middle of the front element some I think. Perhaps OK down to 14mm but wider? And that just wouldnt be worth the expense.

speaking of photography, are there any N.Z. locals interested in hosting a nifty 50mm f/1.8 in the next wee while? I managed to get one quite cheap recently (okay it was in two halves at the time) and will be adding it to the number of units floating around the potn-sphere for folks to borrow/loan & take shots for the "Where's Nifty" thread. Knowing a lot of you are superb photographers, we/you should be able to raise the standard somewhat... any takers?

RobDickinson wrote in post #17519301
The size and angles are all wrong for a wondapana kind of system on the front. For anything square/flat to work it needs to be behind the middle of the front element some I think. Perhaps OK down to 14mm but wider? And that just wouldnt be worth the expense.

Seems like like exposure blending is the only realistic option.