f1 colour ‘ship-in’ a new member of staff for Aperture Services!

Due to the increasing demand by clients for our Aperture Services we’ve appointed Andy Chapman to head-up and spearhead the growth of this fast moving sector.

We feel we’re in the midst of one of the most exciting changes in the history of our industry. And having recognised the needs of our clients to acquire more and more visual content (assets) to satisfy their cross-media marketing requirements as the reasoning behind this growth.

Where in the past we might have received client instructions for a series of single studio shots of their products, we’re now being asked to expand our studio time to provide short video clips from the same sets. This allows us to facilitate various animated on-line assets such as web banners and youtube clips. These can also manifest into 360 degree or time-lapse photography and all for good reason. By leveraging on the original set builds, composition and set-up times we are able to provide the additional assets at a fraction of their combined individual values.

Andy has a strong background of working with blue chip retail brands such as Selfridges, Firetrap, FCUK, Liberty and House of Fraser, to name just a few and prior to that he graduated with full BA Hons and BTEC qualifications in both Photography and Media Production.

“I’m delighted to have joined the team at f1 colour, it’s an exciting opportunity to make a difference in a company that’s really going places and I feel my experience in media production is a perfect fit.”
Andy Chapman.

We’d all like to welcome Andy onboard and here’s to a exciting and innovative 2012!

Messenger to Managing Director, Mentor to Author!!

Tom O’Hara (account manager at f1) has a father-in-law who didn’t just reminisce about what it was like ‘when he was a kid’ he actually wrote a book about it. So here is the story how Carl Sims came to put pen to paper, well finger to keyboard actually, but you know what I mean.

Carl Sims. Author of ‘Ahh! Sims’

I was created in Catford and born in Lewisham.

This probably means nothing to those with little knowledge of London; actually it’s not a big deal – in respect of miles, very little, however for a Londoner it’s important, it designates you are a south London boy.

After Lewisham I lived in the Old Kent Road. Most of this area was wrecked by the war; being so close to the docks, stray German bombs were dropped haphazardly. My early life was spent playing in derelict houses with wallpaper flapping and broken stairs took you to where a room had once been…

I’ve not gone far. I still live near south London.

However, my book is about a time when I was neither there nor here.

It’s a collection of tales, hopefully amusing and sometimes poignant – dealing with the traumas we face when trying to grow up, and not being sure about, well, anything. Whether it be girls, bullies, teachers or indeed friends – most were a mystery, so I thought I’d share my confusion with others in the hope we can make sense of it – hence the book.

It’s called ‘Ahh! Sims’, because as a young boy, I was on numerous occasions sent to the headmaster for one innocent reason or another – on seeing me he would always adopt a pained expression and sigh
‘Ahh! Sims’…

I never fully understood why I of all children was singled out, after all I was a perfectly natural lad – undisciplined, uninterested, uninspired, uncaring and any other ‘un’ you can think of. I spent my free time being as obnoxious as possible – I created havoc where peace once reigned and constantly advised teachers why they had got the wrong boy.

Should you read ‘Ahh! Sims’ you’ll see despite my best attempts, things never quite went according to plan…

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ahh-Sims-ebook/dp/B005MRAZII

Getting published.

It’s said everyone has a novel in them but what if that novel wants to come out and dance around on the page? How would you get it published? This was my dilemma when I completed ‘Ahh! Sims’.

Publishers have a massive unsolicited post load on a daily basis; hundreds of authors send manuscripts and await response. Most will get a ‘Dear John’ response or in my case, ‘Dear Carl’. Don’t be put off – now there’s a way for you to see your inspiration in print, or rather, on screen.

You may not be an e-book reader – doesn’t matter, millions are! The phenomenon is relentless – many people download books onto their Kindle, iPad, Kobo, phone, android, even their laptop or computer and it’s growing! Let’s take a look at what you could do.

You can send your manuscript to numerous publishers – you never know, it may work. Or you should do what I did with ‘Ahh! Sims’ – self-publish with Kindle/Amazon, and it costs – nothing.

Ok, it’s not quite as simple as that – there are a few things you’ll need to consider: Just how do you actually upload your book?  How can you make sure it is, at the very least, worthy?  Can you get it reviewed anywhere? Where do you find somebody who can produce a professional cover?  And how do you market your book?

You love your book/story and have agonised over every word but you must get an objective opinion and painful though it might be, need to accept some criticism. Try www.youwriteon.com – this site has budding plus published authors who’ll critique your prose – take most of it on the chin! Either way, you’ll have the opportunity of reading their efforts – that’s the way it works – you read theirs, they read yours.

Once you have considered various critiques; adopted some, ignored others, you’ll then want to get it read by those who might actually pay for the privilege! Kindle is the answer! Go to mine http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ahh-Sims-ebook/dp/B005MRAZII   – scroll to the bottom of page, you’ll see ‘self-publish with us’ click and follow instructions.

Wait! You’ll see you need a cover for your book and yes; internet users will judge a book by its cover. I’m sure people reading this might just know a graphic designer… Be realistic about pricing your book. At the moment you’re getting nothing for it, so price it low.

Once it’s on the internet it will not sell itself. You need to let people know about your wonderful work – don’t be shy. Try Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, local press/library. With Facebook you can set up your own ‘fan’ page’ which generates massive interest – see mine for example; http://www.facebook.com/ahhsims  Give it a go, you never know, it may just work…

Carl has four children and always worked in the ‘creative businesses’. His first job was as a messenger in a commercial art studio and trained as a typographer. He progressed to the dizzy heights of studio manager. He ran his own design studio but was drawn to a new progressive agency where he became a director. Headhunted to be a Managing Director, Carl started to realise he had more to offer and eventually became a Business Mentor and has been helping creative companies for the last eight years http://www.creativebusinessmentor.co.uk  However in that period he found time to write a book. There we are; somebody’s life in 99 words!

Here’s someone else’s thoughts, well tweets actually…

f1 colour amazingly perfects the art of time shifting!!!

As the weather finally starts to turn cold then f1 colour’s retouching skills start to rival natures own frosty outlook!

When River Publishing (http://www.therivergroup.co.uk) recently asked us to turn a late summer’s evening landscape photograph into a crisp January morning frosty scene to accompany an article in Walk magazine (http://www.walkmag.co.uk) our senior (masters degree in colour science) retoucher Graham rose to the challenge!

As much as we’re use to Marketeers relying on our retouching skills to help them promote the right imagery for their latest product or service offerings, it’s normally just repairing damaged packaging or skin blemishes. So when we received this request it was nice for us to be able use our knowledge and skill sets at a higher level.

From the earliest days of expensive scanners and Barco Creator software to the recent explosion of Adobe Photoshop and the digital backed camera,one thing has remained constant and all-important: the creative flair and eye of the digital artist/ retoucher. Some marketing & design agencies employ specialists in image retouching and manipulation however unless they’re doing this type of work day in day out it doesn’t become commercially or artistically viable. As part of f1′s Aperture Services we’re constantly providing services, from simple clipping paths that cut around the edges of the product image so they can be pasted onto a new background, through to complex retouching services to enhance the overall image, whether this be a product, person, building or as in this case a landscape.

Take a look at the before and after shots below and see if you agree with us. Time shifting from an late September evening to a January morning is truly magical and something Dr Who would be proud of!!!

Please check out the rest of our aperture services here.

Baby Boom at f1!!!

The staff at f1 are certainly doing their bit in keeping the maternity wards busy.

Not only are the chaps at f1 helpful, knowledgeable, technically astute, efficient and friendly to work with, they are also incredibly virile; hence the amount of new-born babies arriving recently!

(They are obviously quite friendly at home as well then!!)

Prepare to ooh and ahh…

Jamie’s – Well, he must have left the office at some point then!!
Chloe
Born:  18/08/11
Weight: 7lbs 13oz

Scott’s  – How did he have the strength after those triathlons?!
Monty
Born: 12/06/2011
Weight: 7lbs

Will’s – Do Dolce and Gabanna do romper suits?
Isabella
Born: 17/12/10
Weight: 7lbs 6oz

Nat’s – May well become more photographed than Princess Diana.
Gabriella Viivi
Born: 15/07/11
Weight: 6lbs 4ozs

Bearly funny!!

Nat turns up to work with just the bear essentials…

It’s good to know that there is still time for the odd practical joke, poor Nat, one of F1 Colour photographers was told that as a charity fundraiser all the photographers were wearing a polar bear suit for a day to highlight the plight of the polar bear due to global warming.

Having worn the rather hot suit all morning whilst shooting in the studio, he was then informed of the wind-up and asked if he fancied sushi for lunch? His answer is not repeatable and revenge will be served cold, I hear.

f1 colours Man of Iron!!

Scott Wise is f1′s resident fittie!

Scott has completed over 30 triathlon races, from sprints all the way up to Ironman distance; which is swim – 3.8k, cycle – 180km then run – 40k (a marathon to you and me!)

He is now getting his coaching qualifications and is training all levels, from beginners right through to athletes representing GB; both juniors and adults at Crystal Palace Triathletes.

This is Scott competing in the Ironman in Nice, France.