Because it Counts!

A new ad campaign by Sony Australia pokes fun at DSLR camera geeks who seem to have more gear than brains. The ads are hilarious and they succeed because they contain a grain of truth: a lot of photographers really are obsessed with their gear and far too many shutterbugs do allow their DSLRs to get in the way of the creative process.

But a recent ad by Canon offers a great counter-argument to the Sony ad. And it does so by answering the question "why?" with just three words: Because It Counts. 

Now I will be the first to admit that I have more gear than I really need and that I have a weakness for uber-cool Leicas and super-fast Canons. But if there is one thing I have learned after decades of carting all manner of photo gear around the world it is that the photos you take really do count. In fact, a photo can be one of the very few things in this world that actually becomes more valuable to you over time. 

The image below is a great example. It is of my mom and dad and it was taken in the summer of 1959. Whoever took it (probably my dad's brother Bill) went to quite a bit of effort to get such a nice shot. He had to have used a completely manual camera with a fixed focal length lens since there were no auto settings on cameras back then and no zoom lenses. And he shot it on slide film that probably had an ISO no faster than 25!  

But was the effort worth it? Did it count back then...and does it still count now? To me, my family, and to anyone who can appreciate a sweet portrait of two love-struck kids just starting out in life, the answer is very clearly YES. Because it Counts. 

© Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk

A GREAT VICTORY FOR CANADIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS
At last, Canadian photographers owns their copyright.




The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators (CAPIC) would like to congratulate all Canadian photographers in Canada on this important date and pivotal achievement in the photographic industry. As of today, Canadian photographers now officially own the copyright to all of their work whether the photograph is commissioned or not, thanks to the new Copyright law.
The principle of protecting photographers’ ownership rights started 65 years ago by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who founded Magnum with Robert Capa and David Seymour. Magnum assured that a photographer’s image belonged to the photographer and not to the commissioner of the work.


In Canada, all other artists have already owned the copyrights to their work and thanks to this new law, Canadian photographers, albeit the last in the industrialized world, now have all legal rights to their images. 
CAPIC has been working towards this monumental achievement in Canada for more than 20 years through lobbying efforts and could not have achieved this truly important mission without the support of its members, who have contributed financially, morally and offered countless volunteer hours towards this major effort led by CAPIC National Copyright Chair, Andre Cornellier. 


The Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) were a valuable partner in this achievement as well as the lobbying firm Temple Scott Associates for their work in Ottawa.
‘‘I would like to thank the team that worked so patiently and for so long,’’ commented Cornellier. ‘‘Finally we have won a right due to us as artists. Thank you to Canadian photographers across the country for your support and patience and to André Amyot and Brian Boyle of PPOC for your work. It has been worth it.’’ 
CAPIC will be providing more information on the direct effects of the law for Canadian photographers in the week to come as we celebrate this important Canadian achievement.


For more information:
André Cornellier
Copyright Chair
CAPIC, The Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
andre@cornellierphoto.com
tel.: 514.933.4000