Cameramen snap back at trust move

[trout]

Written by John Robertson - Courtesy of ShetlandToday

 

PROFESSIONAL photographers in Shetland are up in arms after a Frenchman was handed lucrative and prestigious promotional work for the new Shetland museum.

 

Posters, postcards and other materials depicting Shetland and its history will be sold from the gift shop in the £10 million building when it opens early next year. They will be the work of Didier Piquer and his outfit De.me.ter Photographies, based outside Paris.

 

He has documented many of the museum's most outstanding artefacts and exhibits which will be on show at the new complex at Hay's Dock.

 

Home-grown photographers are angry that they were passed over as not capable of doing the work, without even being asked to tender or show examples of what they could do.

 

The job was given to Monsieur Piquer by a small group inside Shetland Amenity Trust without the knowledge of most of the trustees, based on the strength of work he did last year for VisitShetland.

 

To add insult to injury for the local lensmen, he is being paid from community funds intended to support local endeavour. Shetland Development Trust donated £40,000 in the summer to help set up the museum gift shop.

 

Some of M. Piquer's previous photography in Shetland can be viewed and bought on his internet website at www.dmtrphotos.com, including striking posters of Eshaness in a storm and colourful montages of subjects such as Shetland drystane walls and wildflowers.

 

Local cameramen reckon the museum contract was for a month's work worth in the region of £10,000, the likes of which comes along only very rarely.

 

It also lends the photographer the prestige of being associated with a flagship cultural institution and provides an excellent shop window from which their work will continue to sell in the years to come.

 

Photographers who have seen M. Piquer's work are prepared to concede that it is impressive with high-quality images of considerable artistic merit. Their problem is not with their fellow photographer but with the amenity trust on a point of principle.

 

John Coutts and his retired father Dennis have documented more than half a century of Shetland's history, people and landscapes, which has included the recording of museum artefacts and specialised photography for crafts.

 

John Coutts admitted this week he did not even know M. Piquer's name or his work, nor was he sure about the nature and extent of the museum contract. But he felt the amenity trust had handled it badly.

 

He said: "Several local photographers must surely be capable of doing the work. It does seem a peerie bit like bread and butter work just being handed out to somebody else.

 

"If they would have asked us, or made anybody aware of it, I could have said: 'That's no bother at all, I'll have a go at it'. But I wasn't allowed that chance.

 

"The majority of artefacts are not particularly difficult, technically, to photograph and I can't entirely see why the job just gets handed on a plate to somebody outwith Shetland."

 

Garry SandsisonGarry Sandison, who specialises in studio photography and weddings, said a lot of his work takes him outside Shetland these days and he has been as far as Prague this year taking pictures for customers.

 

He said the jobs he was getting were not being handed to him by friends. "I'm going away because the price is right and the quality is what they're wanting."

 

He said he had assumed public contracts such as the museum one would be advertised publicly so he wrote to the amenity trust to complain ­ - one of several people who took such action. He received a letter back from trust manager Jimmy Moncrieff.

 

Mr Sandison said: "It's a bit ironic putting in a letter of complaint and the person you're complaining about puts back a reply."

 

Mr Moncrieff's letter stated that the contract was not a major one. But Mr Sandison still feels local photographers have not had their concerns properly dealt with.

 

He said: "They've not got an explanation for what's actually taken place. It's okay saying this guy could do the job and the price was suitable but if [Mr Moncrieff] had gone local he might have got it a lot cheaper."

 

According to the minute of a recent trust meeting the controversial contract was raised by trustee Andrew Blackadder who said such work should be advertised or at least some explanation given if it was not to be offered locally.

 

Mr Moncrieff told the meeting the photographing of museum artefacts was part of a package which included a range of postcards and other publications for the new museum. The minute says he told trustees "there was no other contractor based in Shetland who could have provided this complete package within the tight timescales involved".

 

He assured trustees that the trust adhered to EU rules regarding contracts but not all contracts had to be advertised.

 

The minute states: "In this instance it had been decided not to advertise as the chosen contractor had already undertaken excellent work for VisitShetland."

 

Mr Blackadder revealed this week that the episode had prompted him to call for a review of the whole public procurement process used by the amenity trust.

 

He said: "I thought it was time to have a bit more of a formalised written policy."

 

But he felt the explanation given by Mr Moncrieff and others had been "reasonable".

 

Trust deputy manager Alan Blain confirmed that the review will take place next January.

 

Asked to comment this week, amenity trust chairwoman Florence Grains said she was happy with the way the contract had been handled.

 

She said: "It was just handled by the project team and I leave the technicalities to them. They thought that it was the best way it could be done so I accepted that."

 

Mr Moncrieff is in India just now, taking part in the SIC project to exchange development expertise with communities in the tsunami-hit region of Tamil Nadu.

 

M. Piquer has now delivered his photographs and is back home in Les Mureaux. He said on Wednesday he had no knowledge of the row and found it surprising and hard to understand.

 

The service he offers is not just photography but publishing, he said, which he has done for 15 years, producing a range of crafted products for his clients to sell.

 

"It is not only about photographing; it's about how to make money with nice products after that," he said, citing the success

of his involvement with VisitShetland.

 

As far as the museum work goes, M. Piquer said: "You will see new things that nobody has done before ­ I hope. I always create new stuff for the client."

 

Over the years he has done considerable work for French museums and chateaux. He has also years of experience in international advertising and marketing. During the past two years he has spent a total of six months working in Shetland and he reckoned he would actually love to live here.

 

He refuted the suggestion that the French would be angered if the job of photographing a national treasure, like the Palace of Versailles, went to a British person.

 

"That happens every day," he said. "Here, it doesn't matter where you come from as long as you deliver a nice quality pack. It is not a problem of the language o culture or even the colour of skin. We don't care here."

 

However, he did accept that not advertising public contracts in a small community could gave rise to suspicion and resentment.

 

Many of the gifts in the new Shetland Museum shop will not be of foreign or southern origin. The development trust awarded another £24,000 to help develop a range of quality branded craft products made by local craftsmen and women, although some may be designed by outside professionals.

 

The amenity trust has already raised a few eyebrows locally this year when it decided to hire upmarket public relations consultants to sell the museum to the wider world. Colman Getty have been charged with getting the message across in the UK and northern Europe.

 

What are your impressions of this? You can really appreciate where these "photographers" are coming from. Admitedly, as they do, the mans work is outstanding .. but that isn't really the point. To have not been given that chance to be turned down in favour of the Frenchman is a bit galling, no?

[Njugle]

It isn't a fair scenario at all. The very least they could have done was go through the motions of tendering it. I think Florence Grains has shot herself in the foot by upholding their decision without question.

 

The point that the contractor has vast experience of design and publishing promotional material is a very valid one. Something often lacking hereabouts, but an opportunity like this may well have caused a local photographer to collaborate with a professional design and/or publishing agency to maximise their potential.

 

Perhaps that is a lesson they should take from this, get mad but get even also.

 

Still, it may all change after the Amenity trust review, to be held once this product is well established.

[Colin]

Given that one local photographer has just closed his business due to lack of trade, I think it's appalling, insensitive and arrogant and those responsible should be taken to task.

 

I might also add that, in my opinion, there are some pretty good photographers on Shetland and as for producing postcards etc. haven't Shetland Litho won awards for that sort of thing?

 

I just can't believe that there isn't anyone locally who could have done it just as well.

[peeriebryan]

Does the councils 'best value' policy come into play with regards to the decision?

[JustMe]

Does the councils 'best value' policy come into play with regards to the decision?

 

Would that perhaps be the "worst value" policy in many cases. Certainly our local photographers should have been invited to express an interest. Even if this can slip under the legal requirements for competitive tendering our money holders should feel a moral obligation to check if local firms can do the job.

[Pooks]

This is a typically 'Shetland' way of doing things. Shetland in many ways doesn't believe in itself. It has to get other folk in to sell itself. Look at 'Visit Shetland', which although successful was using people outwith Shetland to market the whole thing.

 

The 'Shetland Brand', which has been touched on in another thread, is another prime example. Left to a London design agency without even a thought about seeing what the Shetland folks could come up with. Why not run an open competition to see what ideas could be bandied about? Why not ask the schools to see what the bairns can come up with?

 

It is about time that some of the folk who have the clout to make things matter paid a little more heed to what Shetland is capable of.

[Ghostrider]

Written by John Robertson - Courtesy of ShetlandToday

 

Mr Moncrieff told the meeting the photographing of museum artefacts was part of a package which included a range of postcards and other publications for the new museum. The minute says he told trustees "there was no other contractor based in Shetland who could have provided this complete package within the tight timescales involved".

 

 

The man needs to justify to everyone's satisfaction how he came to his conclusion. Given that it seems local photographers were unaware the work was available until after the fact, it would seem very, very strange anyone could know what any of them could produce, and in what timescale.

 

On broader note, this is just one example of why I have considerable misgivings about the Amenity Trust and other such essentially council funded trusts. The money these trusts spend is as much the property of all of Shetland as any other council sourced funds, yet the public have far for less say how it is spent, or to avenues to complain if they take exception to trust finiancial activities.

 

I stand corrected if wrong, but my impression of these trusts is that they are made up of trustees who are nominated/appointed by the council, in other circumstances that's called a "puppet government". At least as far as the council goes the public has some small illusion of control over them, you can go harrass your councillor, or a councillor over council (in)actions, and you can manipulate a bit who is actually on it, by voting. There is nothing of that with these trusts, yet the work they're doing is nothing more than an extension of the council, they exist because it is finiancially and/or legally beneficial to have them, otherwise it would make much more sense for their work to be integrated in to the council. Is it not time moves were made to have trusts at least as publically accountable, and their office bearers as democratically elected as the council is, if not more so?

[Sam]

Well im no suprised to hear this sort of thing going on - some of this trusts that have no idea how to suport the actual people that keep them in jobs - the shetland people!

 

I think its not on not even giving the locals a try out, i was in John Couts this week, and some of his views are fantastic and he lives here. How on earth do they justify flying (at great costs) in a french man to take photos of the same things the locals can do just as well?

 

Do you think the french goverment would fly in a shetlander to take photos of France for the same thing - i think not.

 

Many of the trusts think that unless you come from the south (or north) ie not shetland you are no good. They should hang their head with shame.

 

Im all for buying south when the quality or quantity is better as i think its a free world and we should go for the best their is, but in this case the shetland guys could hand have done a great job.

 

On the other hand i have heard that in some cases its a job for the boys or from outside altogether, never open to everyone.

[PoolHaddock]

How on earth do they justify flying (at great costs) in a french man...

Surely an aeroplane (or even a hot air balloon) would be the far more obvious answer, and as you say, the much cheaper option. I can't even begin to imagine the cost of fitting out a Frenchman with a passenger deck, not to mention having to pay tiny french flight staff. Surely these "flying French men" are fairly hard to come by? First time I've ever heard aboot it. The size and weight restrictions on the luggage have to be far more severe than on any commercial flights I know of?? And presumably they can only take one passenger at a time?

 

Do you think the french goverment would fly in a shetlander...

Holy hell! 8O

 

 

Sorry... couldna resist....

[north]

Do you think the french goverment would fly in a shetlander...

 

Well, they could certainly fly in an Islander in Shetland! [/code]

[islandhopper]

Curious world. We try to promote unknown but Scotland based photographers on ower website whenever possible (http://www.schottlandportal.de/content/allgmWerbung.asp), while Shetland lets itself internationally represented by an UPC backbencher.

 

But at least VisitShetland gives a proper credit to all photographers in its 2007 brochure:

Photography: VisitShetland, Didier Piquer, Charles Tait, Malcolm Younger, Billy Fox, David Gifford, Steve Lindridge, Seabirds and Seals, Hugh Harrop, Donna Smith, Davie Gardener, Paul Thomkins.

Cover Image: Eshaness, Billy Fox

 

Would be interesting to see what would be left from Mr Piquer's 'strength of work he did last year for VisitShetland' (as the article has it) after cutting out all the other contributions.

[nobbystiles]

I agree with what Poooks said. There are, sadly a lot of fok in Shetland who think its better to have things originated from tda sooth. Visit Shetland is one of the worst offenders, and Shetland Arts Trust and Shetlan Amenity Trust are no far behind. This is a perfect example of that. Another is that guy Gwynneth Gwalliams who is the new arts trust boss. He comes from Wales or somewhor and is apparfenly commuting to Shetlan every week. Absolute nonsense this neds to be knocked on the head.

[Heimdal]

No problem as long as he is paying his own fare, but somehow, I doubt it.

[Tomblands]

I agree with what Poooks said. There are, sadly a lot of fok in Shetland who think its better to have things originated from tda sooth. Visit Shetland is one of the worst offenders, and Shetland Arts Trust and Shetlan Amenity Trust are no far behind. This is a perfect example of that. Another is that guy Gwynneth Gwalliams who is the new arts trust boss. He comes from Wales or somewhor and is apparfenly commuting to Shetlan every week. Absolute nonsense this neds to be knocked on the head.

 

Careful now...

 

Was the Arts Trust post an advertised position where applicants were interviewed? If that is the case, then you are verging on "we should give jobs to people who don't come from Shetland"?

 

Anyway, if the guy was interviewed for the Arts Trust post it has very little to do with the photographers issue.

[BigMouth]

Asbestos suit on -

 

He may be the best person for the job rather than the best cousin for the job.

 

There is an incredible amount of nepotism here and in the end it does the place no good at all.

 

When it comes to making decisions, the SIC being an excellent example, they don't want to make the decision and would rather leave it to anonymous consultants from sooth.