Calvendo self-publishers in conversation: Lucy Antony

From vintage minis to colourful Portmeirion via some lovely seals in Norfolk – Calvendo calendar publisher Lucy Antony, aka Lucy Antony/Loose Images in her photographer guise, has a wonderfully eclectic portfolio and a love for detail, as she tells us in our interview. She also lets us in on how she honed her photography skills through a 365 project and has some excellent advice for first time Calvendo users.

Lucy in the sky ... loving this levitation-cum-self-portrait shot!

Lucy in the sky … loving this levitation-cum-self-portrait shot!

Lucy, can you talk a bit about your background as a photographer and how and when you took up photography?

I’ve always loved photography. My dad was rarely seen without a camera, and I suppose I took my lead from him. I have all his slides and cine films in my attic! So, I took for photos for years, but it wasn’t until I did a 365 project – taking a photo every day for a year – a few years ago that my skills improved to the point where I thought ‘yes, these are worth showing to the world’, and started my Facebook page Loose Images. Since then I have sold works to the local city council, a restaurant used some shots for an award they won, and of course, via Calvendo. I have made calendars for friends and family as presents for a number of years (my mum always asks for one for Christmas!), so that’s why I thought I would try some online with Calvendo.

I highly recommend the 365 project for improving photography skills, though – I tried macro work, long exposures, ‘trick’ photography and self-portraits, the latter something I thought I would never do. Although in my case I combined trick photography with self-portraiture, producing a number of levitation shots, including my ‘Mary Poppins’ shot which was great fun!

Vintage Minis calendar, by Lucy Antony/Loose Images

Vintage Minis calendar, by Lucy Antony/Loose Images

How would you describe your style and approach as a photographer? Continue reading

Eight Calvendo authors winners in Gregor Self-Publishing Calendar Award 2016 competition

Time to congratulate a few people: Eight Calvendo self-publishers have won prices in the prestigious Gregor International Calendar Award 2016. Well done! The awards ceremony took place in Stuttgart last week and everyone looks very happy, don’t you think:

Copyright: Udo W. Beier

Copyright: Udo W. Beier

The international Gregor award was launched in Stuttgart in 1950 in order to showcase calendar creations in Germany and abroad. Participants can each year submit calendars on different subjects and altogether 1026 calendars from Germany, other European countries, Japan and Israel were evaluated by the jury for the 2016 awards. For the first time, the growing importance of self-publishing was recognised by adding a whole new category for self-published wall calendars. Which we, at Calvendo towers, obviously very much applaud and it’s great to see our users showcasing their work and being awarded for their creative efforts! Altogether ten prices were handed out for the Gregor Self-Publishing Calendar Award 2016 and here are the eight Calvendo winners:

Klaus Eppele: Natur pur (travel/landscapes category)

Florian Westermann: Zauberhafte Landschaften (travel/landscapes category)

Marcus Bayer: Architektur – 126 Grad (cities/architecture category)

Eberhard Ehmke: Komm doch näher … (animals category)

Beat Frutiger: Fremde Wesen (art/culture category)

Kamran von Kleist: Feuerdrachen (art/culture category)

Manfred Zimmermann: Pixel Zeitzeugen (art/culture category)

Beate Gube: Amerikanische Schönheiten aus Stahl (technology/transport category)

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Covers of the Calvendo calendars receiving the Gregor Self-Publishing Calendar Award 2016:

Beat Frutiger: Fremde Wesen, awarded in art/culture category as well as jury price

Beat Frutiger: Fremde Wesen, awarded in art/culture category as well as jury price

Klaus Eppele: Natur pur, awarded in travel/landscapes category

Klaus Eppele: Natur pur, awarded in travel/landscapes category

Florian Westermann: Zauberhafte Landschaften, awarded in travel/landscapes category

Florian Westermann: Zauberhafte Landschaften, awarded in travel/landscapes category

Marcus Bayer: Architektur – 126 Grad, awarded in cities/architecture category

Marcus Bayer: Architektur – 126 Grad, awarded in cities/architecture category

Eberhard Ehmke: Komm doch näher …, awarded in animals category

Eberhard Ehmke: Komm doch näher …, awarded in animals category

Kamran von Kleist: Feuerdrachen, awarded in art/culture category

Kamran von Kleist: Feuerdrachen, awarded in art/culture category

Manfred Zimmermann: Pixel Zeitzeugen, awarded in art/culture category

Manfred Zimmermann: Pixel Zeitzeugen, awarded in art/culture category

Beate Gube: Amerikanische Schönheiten aus Stahl, awarded in technology/transport category

Beate Gube: Amerikanische Schönheiten aus Stahl, awarded in technology/transport category

CALVENDO self-publishers in conversation: Jon Grainge

From fashion to aviation, “I shoot what I like” says ex-RAF trainee jet pilot Jon Grainge. A few months back, he started using the Calvendo platform because it was, as he puts it, the next logical step for him to also produce calendars, after already publishing his own photo books and magazines. We agree!

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Jon, can you talk a bit about your background as a photographer and how and when you took up photography?

I have had an interest in photography since I was at college in Taunton in 1965 when I loved taking pictures of graveyards in black and white. After I left the RAF (trainee jet pilot) I retained my interest in aviation with visits to many air shows which I photographed with an assortment of cameras. This I continue to the present day. After my retirement I took up shooting fashion models and to combine this with my love of travel, I arranged many trips around Europe and North Africa  to obtain some classic images. It was just before this period that I qualified with the Institute of Professional Photographers.

Jon's 'Cotswold Cottages' calendar

Jon’s ‘Cotswold Cottages‘ calendar

How would you describe your style and approach as a photographer? Continue reading