Photo Wrangler

Latest Workshops

2011-06-26T21:10:00.000-07:00

Composition and Creativity

We will be walking Union Station, Olvera Street and Chinatown in Downtown LA. This workshop is like taking a nice walk with a friend who just happens to know a ton about photography. We have some great exercises for you to work your creativity muscles and we will tell you how to get the shots you have been longing for. You will work on becoming an image-maker rather than an image-taker. After shooting the you know what out of downtown, we find a nice place to eat and share our images. Best part is we treat for lunch!

The workshop runs from 9am to 2pm. The cost is $89.

One Light Outdoor Portrait

In this workshop you learn to master the control of light to create dynamic outdoor portraits using off camera flash. You will shoot with soft-boxes, umbrellas, scrims, grids, remote triggers, learn creative color and much more. This is all hands on and you will be working with professional models to put into action what you learn in the class.

If you are already familiar with working with strobe outdoors, this is a great opportunity to practice what you know and work with experienced models.

We bring all the equipment and you just bring your camera.

The workshop runs from 3pm-7pm. The cost is $159, including the models.

For more information and to reserve your spot, please contact Craig Mohr at craig@catfishfarms.com or call 310 924-9171

Beauty Culture May 21- Nov 27 at the Annenberg Sapce for Photography

2011-05-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

BEAUTY CULTURE provides a seminal examination of photography’s role in capturing and defining notions of modern female beauty and how these images profoundly influence our lives in both celebratory and disturbing ways.

Through different lenses focused on the body beautiful, the exhibition examines both traditional
and unconventional definitions of beauty, challenging stereotypes of gender, race and age. It explores the links between beauty and violence, glamour and sexuality and the cost (in its multiple meanings) of beauty.

Featuring works from over 100 world-renowned beauty, fashion and fine art photographers, BEAUT Y CULTURE encourages a social discussion about the allure and mystique of the pursuit of female beauty, as well as its cult-like glorification and the multi-billion dollar industries that surround it.

BEAUTY CULTURE presents diverse viewpoints on beauty as it has evolved through the 20th and 21st centuries. These viewpoints are at times challenging, daring and controversial. Ultimately, the exhibition illustrates the power of the still image in shaping cultural ideals and expectations of feminine beauty – and photography’s undeniable influence on conceptions of the Self.

In addition to over 170 photographs featured in the print gallery, BEAUTY CULTURE showcases hundreds of digital images in vivid detail on high-resolution screens in the Digital Gallery. The Digital Gallery also includes a short documentary film that expands upon the print exhibition’s themes, featuring interviews with well-known photographers, models, historians and beauty experts who guide visitors on a fascinating photographic exploration of the culture – and cult – of beauty.

LOCATION
2000 Avenue of the Stars, #10
Los Angeles, CA 90067
CONTACT
tel: 213.403.3000

Photoshelter discussion on 'How We Hire Photographers"

2011-05-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

Photoshelter posted a webinar with photo editors Whitney Lawson and Ashley Macknica. You can watch Whitney's portion discussing how she finds photographers for Travel+Leisure, and she walks through some of her favorite promos. In addition there is a lot of Q&A from the audience.
Photoshelter

ASMP to Getty Photographers: Time to Bail

2011-05-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) has released a memo that all but advises Getty contributors to quit the agency and find other ways to distribute their stock photographs if they can. American Photographic Artists (APA), meanwhile, has issued a veiled threat of legal action against the stock photo agency.

The uproar is over Getty's new contract terms for its contributors, which enable the agency to move rights-managed images that haven't been licensed for three years or longer to its royalty-free collections, and make royalty-free images available in its subscription products. The trade groups say the new terms further undermine stock photo pricing, as well as photographers' control over their work and their ability to protect their copyrights.
Read the full story here.

USB Film Roll

2011-05-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is kind of cool for us old school shooters. 4GB USB drive in a Recycled film can. Awesome for client deliverables or a gift for photo geeks. Check out the details at Photojojo they are only $20.

Latest Workshop Offerings

2011-04-16T22:13:00.000-07:00

Composition and Creativity - Saturday May 7th.
We will be walking Union Station, Olvera Street and Chinatown in Downtown LA. This workshop is like taking a nice walk with a friend who just happens to know a ton about photography. We have some great exercises for you to work your creativity muscles and we will tell you how to get the shots you have been longing for. You will work on becoming an image-maker rather than an image-taker. After shooting the you know what out of downtown, we find a nice place to eat and share our images.Remember it is Saturday, May 7th, from 9am to 2pm. The cost is $89.
One Light Outdoor Portrait - Saturday, May 21st. In this workshop you learn to master the control of light to create dynamic outdoor portraits using off camera flash. You will shoot with soft-boxes, umbrellas, scrims, grids, remote triggers, learn creative color and much more. This is all hands on and you will be working with professional models to put into action what you learn in the class.Put it on your calendar - Saturday, May 21st, from 2pm-6pm. The cost is $159, including the models.

NEW. Portfolio Review Workshop.
In this workshop we will review your portfolio to define your photographic strengths and work through a series of exercises to give your portfolio a visual focus. You will come away with the tools necessary to expand on your work and the knowledge of what goes into a strong portfolio of images. This class is limited to 10 people.Saturday, May 28th from 9am-1pm is the date. The cost is $59.

For more information and to reserve your spot, please contact Craig Mohr at craig@catfishfarms.com or call 310 924-9171

Studio Lighting II: Developing a Style with Craig Mohr

2011-04-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Check out my next class at Julia Dean Photo Workshops.
Developing one’s own lighting style is the key to creating truly dynamic photographic images. Students will progress towards fully understanding how to modify and control the quality of the light in order to create drama and mood in their imagery.

Each class will start with a lecture followed by hands-on exercises using the lighting equipment. Multiple-light setup demonstrations will cover the effective use of speedlights (portable flash), Tungsten/hot lights and Kino Flo lighting. Participants will begin to develop their own style of lighting by learning to enhance mood and atmosphere, separate visual planes, reveal character and texture, and direct attention to provide more visual focus. Using models and still life, students will create their own light scenarios using their newly learned techniques and the equipment demonstrated in class. On the final evening, students will present their work in a group wrap-up, critique session.

Prerequisite: “Studio Lighting I: The Basics” or equivalent experience. Students should have a DSLR or film camera capable of manual exposure settings and a hot shoe or sync connection. A basic understanding of photography fundamentals is required.

Dates: April 14 - May 19
Workshop fee: $515 + $150 model and equipment fee
Enrollment limit: 12 students

Enroll here.

Effective Photo Promo

2011-03-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

The Influencers

2011-01-31T14:07:00.001-08:00

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

Studio Lighting 1 & 2 Workshops at Julia Dean

2011-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I will be teaching 2 studio lighting classes at Julia Dean Photo Workshops this Spring. The first one is the basics and will get you started on studio lighting and the second one is about creating your own lighting style.
Here are the Links.
Studio Lighting 1 - the Basics
Studio Lighting 2 - Creating your own Lighting Style

Look forward to seeing you in the Spring

Free Lightroom Plugins from onOne Software

2010-10-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

OnOne Software has another freebie with a new set of Lightroom presets optimized for Lightroom 3.0. PerfectPresets is three volumes of presets for Lightroom’s Develop module. PerfectPresets were created by Photoshop Hall-of-Famer, Jack Davis and onOne Vice President of Marketing, Mike Wong.
These presets expand the creative control that photographers have when processing their images.

Over 190 free Lightroom Presets to simplify and speed up your workflow.
Quickly correct color and tone.
Easily add creative effects.
Save time by streamlining your workflow.
Supports all versions of Lightroom

All free products from onOne Software.

Update for Canon 5D Mk II

2010-10-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

Firmware update to solve solve some video and still shooting issues. Follow this link.

Where Good Ideas Come From

2010-10-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

New Epson 4900 printer

2010-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

Epson America is once again redefining the standard for photographic print quality with the introduction of the Epson Stylus Pro 4900 17-inch printer. Leveraging Epson's latest engineering technology featured in the award-winning Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900, the Epson Stylus Pro 4900 combines the precision of Epson's MicroPiezo TFP print head with the performance of Epson UltraChrome HDR ink to deliver high quality prints, fast print speeds, and an extremely wide color gamut. Epson website.

ShutterSnitch - wireless diplay of images on iPad

2010-09-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

ShutterSnitch's mission is a simple one: take in photos from one or more Wi-Fi transmitter-equipped cameras, then display the photos automatically on the iPad's 9.7-inch screen. Photos can be zoomed, rated and shared via email or FTP, sent to the iPad's Photos app (or a handful of other third party apps) or uploaded to Flickr. It has specific support for wireless SD memory cards from Eye-Fi, but can accept pictures from any camera transmitter that's capable of an FTP transfer, which includes all past and current Canon and Nikon digital SLR transmitter accessories. Read the full story at Rob Galbraith's blog.

The Amazing Wooden Mirror

2010-09-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

The concept is simple but formidably clever: a tiny camera gathers light and shape data, before sending it to a computer that processes it and uses hundreds of tiny electric motors to shift the wood blocks into the image in front of the device. Subtle gradations of shade are achieved by both the natural grain of the wood and the angle at which they are displayed, casting shadow if necessary.

National Geographic Infinite Photo

2010-09-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

This is an infinite image of the national parks made up of thousands of amateur photos. Zoom in on a spectacular national park photo to reveal hundreds more photos making up the original. Then zoom again at each level for an endless array of images, each submitted by users to My Shot.
Infinite Photo

Herman Leonard (1923 -2010) - Audio slideshow at the BBC

2010-08-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

Herman Leonard, the jazz photographer who died on August 14 at age 87, was famous for his smoky, backlit black-and-white images of such artists as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra. As a tribute take a look at the distinctive work of American photographer Herman Leonard.Slideshow

Collectors' Favorites

2010-08-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

The Photographic Arts Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Duncan Miller Gallery are pleased to announce COLLECTORS' FAVORITES, a special exhibition of photographs on loan from private collections of members of LACMA's Photographic Arts Council.
AUGUST 14, 2010 - AUGUST 28, 2010

Click here to see article in Los Angeles Times

Opening reception, Thursday, Aug 19, 7-9 pm

Compare lens image quality on the new DxOMark 2010 website

2010-07-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

DxOMark contains precise and exclusive evaluations of photographic equipment based on measurement analyses of RAW image files. Evaluating image quality prior to digital processing allows photographers to compare the intrinsic quality of sensors and lenses. DxOMark

Building on the success of DxOMark, DxO Labs extends its website to include Lens scoring from objective RAW-based performance data.

Multicolr Search Lab

2010-06-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Idée, Inc. has indexed the colors in over 10 million Flickr images licensed under a Creative Commons license. Then they built those images into a color search engine. The Multicolr Search Lab search engine allows you to choose up to 10 different colors, each of which Multicolr will use to find Flickr images containing those colors, and produce a grid of matching images. This can be a useful tool for inspiration. Try it here.

Scott Kelby World Wide PhotoWalk

2010-05-31T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am proud to be leading another Scott Kelby World Wide PhotoWalk. The date is July 24th. We will meet at the Camera Obscura on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. Follow this link for more information.

HoodLoupe 3.0

2010-05-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

This is the loupe I have been featuring in my workshops. It allows you to see your preview screen in full sun without any glare. The lens elements are glass and it features a +3 to -3 diopter to adjust for shooters who wear glasses.
HoodLoupe 3.0 Professional - follow this link for ordering info

The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp

2010-05-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent guide to mastering the creative life for any creative professional or for someone looking for personal creative growth. Ms.Tharp uses a mix of exercises, quotations and anecdotes to help readers reach their goals and further their careers. She gets to the point and keeps her topics brief. If you are already committed to living your life with creativity, you might find this book to be just what you need to keep energized.
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life - order info

Sun-Sniper Camera Strap

2010-05-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

I used this strap for the first time today and it is the best camera strap I have ever owned in 30+ years of shooting. The strap is a major improvement in safety and comfort. Standard camera straps always dangle and bump into things. With the Sun-Sniper, the camera and the strap, are worn diagonally across the body and are never in your way. The camera hangs over your butt and a carabiner that is attached to the camera's tripod socket, slides freely along the strap. The camera glides all the way to the eye as if it were on tracks – with virtually no frictional resistance. There is an elastic shock absorber built in that buffers the camera perfectly while you are walking.
Check out this video.
Buy the California Sunbounce Sun-Sniper, Black on Black Camera Strap

California Sunbounce Sun-Sniper, Black on Black Camera Strap

Cost of Doing Business Calculator

2010-04-29T15:56:00.000-07:00

Before you can price a product or service, you need to know your costs to provide it. This CDB calculator is one tool to help you get a handle on those costs. It lists annual expenses independent photojournalists need to account for. But it's only as accurate as your inputs, which can be hard to estimate.The categories do apply to any still photographer, not just photojournalists. CDB Calculator

Lightroom Tip of the Month

2010-04-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

I use the Recently Modified folder as a way to keep organized in Lightroom. It is found in the Smart Collections of the Collections panel. The default setting adds photos that were modified in the previous 2 days. Lightroom will then automatically remove them when they are past the 2 day category. Here's the tip....if you double click on the Smart Collection you can change the 2 day limit to however many days you want. I find this an easy and effective way of keeping track of what I am working on.

The Olympus PEN Story

2010-04-16T10:10:00.001-07:00

100 Meter Wide Photograph

2010-04-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

100 Meter Wide Photograph.
To create We’re All Gonna Die – 100 meters of existence, photographer Simon Hoegsberg stood on a railroad platform in Berlin for 20 days, photographing 178 strangers. The final result is a 30 inch by 100 meter wide print. Only some of the people were actually aware they were being photographed.

Trunk Monkey

2010-04-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

A little humor for your day.

Not a Good Week

2010-03-24T16:20:00.001-07:00

We lost two big names in photography in the past 7 days. Peter Gowland on March 17th and Jim Marshall yesterday.

Gowland photographed many aspiring actresses of the 50's and 60's, including Ann-Margret, Tina Louise, Joey Heatherton, Yvette Mimieux and Julie Newmar and was one of the first to photograph Jayne Mansfield in a bikini. He became one of the most famous glamour pin-up photographers not only of the day, but perhaps ever. Gowland also developed and manufactured the Gowlandflex camera, a twin lens 4x5 camera. Read more.

Marshall gained fame for his photos of Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers. He had more than 500 record album covers to his credit. But, he may be best-known for his iconic images from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock in 1969. Read more.

Quote of the Week

2010-03-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

"Creativity -- the power to connect the seemingly unconnected" ~ William Plomer

26 Gigapixel Panorama of Paris

2010-03-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

A Canon EOS 5D Mark II was used to capture 2346 photos of Paris on September 8, 2009, and the resulting 26 gigapixel stitched panorama went online today.

Vincent Laforet - Gear Needed to Shoot DSLR Video

2010-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

Given the level of interest in this new technology of shooting DSLR video - Vincent Laforet thought that readers might appreciate a slide show of images that show what such a production might entail in terms of gear. Link

Speedliting.com is Up and Running

2010-02-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

This site is the brainchild of Syl Arena Speedlite shooter extraordinaire. If you are a gear hound (Canon, Nikon or otherwise), this site features a number of mini-reviews and tips about Speedlite-mounted light mods, other Speedlite-oriented light mods, easy ways to move your Speedlite off-camera, and more.
Link

Surf Photography Legend Art Brewer at the Annenberg Space

2010-02-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

Renowned as one of the world’s premiere surf photographers, Art Brewer will lead this specially designed workshop focusing on action surf photography and all of its’ elements.This intensive one-day course is not only a unique opportunity to learn the technical skills and equipment necessary to shoot surfing and other water related sports, but also acts as an opportunity to become immersed in a day in the life of Art Brewer.

The workshop will take place Feb. 27th, on site at the Annenberg Space for Photography and will be demonstration based using a multitude of media including video, slides, prints and a selection of equipment that is pertinent to the surf industry. Details.

Random Excellence: Michael Paul Smith

2010-02-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

At first glance it appears to be a simple 50's era scene. Follow the link below to reveal the reality. What started out as an exercise in model building and photography, ended up as a dream-like reconstruction of a town by Michael Paul Smith.
Link.

Quote of the Week

2010-02-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

“Without passion, all the skill in the world won’t lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager but floundering. Combining the two is the essence of the creative life.” ~ Twyla Tharp

DSLR Toolkit for Dummies now on iPhone

2010-01-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

The "For Dummies" series is a great way to gain a basic working knowledge on any subject. Beginning Jan. 28th, the iPhone app DSLR Photography Toolkit for Dummies is available for ninety-nine cents.

Camera Controls section gives you a closer look at the buttons, dials, and symbols found on some of the most popular digital SLR models. Checklists Feature helps you choose the essential equipment you need to take along for common shooting scenarios like weddings, vacations and more.
Interactive Shoot Diary records and stores info about photo sessions; view other pictures taken from the same location and share your diary entries. Glossary cuts through the jargon and reveals the plain-English definition for over 200 of the most common digital photography terms. Read more here.

2010-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

There have been lots of rumors running through the photo journalistic community about the picture that was the cover of TIME magazine, showing Monica Lewinsky, her red lips glowing, her eyes closed in anticipation, being embraced by President Clinton at a fund raising event in October of 1996.

Read the whole story told by Dirck Halstead, the photographer who took the now famous image.

Read more here...

Quote of the Week

2010-01-21T14:06:00.000-08:00

"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ~Pablo Picasso

How Much Money Do Commercial Photographers Make?

2010-01-21T07:33:00.000-08:00

Rob Haggart of A Photo Editor (link) is kicking off a new column called “Ask Anything.” Two Former Art Buyers and current photography consultants Amanda Sosa Stone and Suzanne Sease have agreed to answer anonymous questions from photographers and not only give their expert advice but put it out to a wide range of photographers, reps and art buyers to gather a variety of opinions.
Read more here.

Epson Signature paper

2010-01-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

Epson America is now shipping an expanded offering of Signature Worthy papers to professional photographers and fine artists. This expanded collection includes new Epson Hot Press and Cold Press Papers and Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper, all of which are optimized for use with award-winning Epson Stylus Pro printers.

Offering advanced capabilities, these media types are poised to redefine fine art markets in unique ways. Epson Signature Worthy papers enable photographers to achieve images with richer blacks, wider color gamuts and smoother tonal transitions that define the ultimate expression in print making. Visit www.proimaging.epson.com.for more info.

26 Gigapixel Image

2010-01-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

A media company in Dresden, Germany, has created a 26 gigapixel image. It is made up of 1665 images (each 21.4 megapixels) shot with an EOS 5D Mark II and 400mm lens. A photo-robot moved the camera between each exposure. Converting the 102GB of RAW data on a computer took 92 hours. If you go to: http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP you will be able to see the final image. Be sure to zoom in using the thumbnails along the bottom of the full image to reveal detail not visible when the full image is shown.You WILL be amazed!
Link to video showing creation of the image.

PhotoLA

2010-01-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

Returning to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, photo l.a. 2010, the 19th Annual International Los Angeles Photographic Art Exposition moves back to it's former home at 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, California. Conveniently located, just off of the 10 Freeway and two blocks from the beach.

Fair Hours
Friday, January 15th	11am - 7pm: Public Hours
Saturday, January 16th	11am - 7pm: Public Hours
Sunday, January 17th	11am - 6pm: Public Hours

Over the past eighteen years photo l.a. has earned a reputation as one of the foremost art fairs and the leading photo-based events in the country. Presenting the finest galleries from around the globe, this 19th edition of photo l.a. promises to be the best ever. We are very proud to be presenting a preview installation of the upcoming Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) exhibition: Changing the Focus: Latin American Photography (1990-2005), the first survey exhibition to be presented in the Los Angeles area of Latin American photography and photo-based art generated between 1990 and 2005. The curator, Idurre Alonso, will give a talk about the exhibition and will lead an on-site collecting seminar. Gordon Baldwin, former Curator of Photography at the Getty Institute, will also conduct an on-site collecting seminar.

Read more here...

Quote of the Week

2009-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

“Once the amateur's naive approach and humble willingness to learn fades away, the creative spirit of good photography dies with it. Every professional should remain always in his heart an amateur.” ~ Alfred Eisenstaedt

Website Sizing for Optimum Viewing

2009-12-17T08:50:00.000-08:00

Google has just released a tool that tells you how many people can see
how much of your website page without scrolling: http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/
Enter your website URL and sit back.

The percentages are not based on screen resolution statistics, but on the actual browser sizes of visitors to google.com. In other words the figures take into account the fact that some
people don't maximize their browsers.

Carl Zeiss launches photo contest ‘digital culture’

2009-12-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Each year, optics manufacturer Carl Zeiss holds a worldwide photo contest. This year’s competition, which opens on December 15, has the theme “digital culture”. Photographers and photo enthusiasts are invited to explore and capture this broad theme from their own unique perspective. Anyone can participate, provided the pictures are shot with a Carl Zeiss lens. Pictures can be taken with any type of camera, from an SLR reflex camera to the camera of a mobile phone.

First prize is a ZEISS SLR-lens, which the winner can select. The second prize is a set of Cinemizer plus video glasses, including an iPod touch 8 GB. Third prize is a Nokia N 86 mobile telephone.

Details.

Joby's GorillaCam Enhances the iPhone Camera

2009-12-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

Joby just launched the GorillaCam App on the iPhone App store, a feature packed free app to enable some excellent photo taking utilities into your iPhone.

3 Shot Burst - With one tap, the iPhone will take 3 consecutive photos and save them to the photo library.
Self Timer - The self-timer allows you to get into the shot. The timer can be set for intervals between 3 and 90 seconds.
Time Lapse - Allows you to take multiple photos spaced at certain intervals. You can set the number of shots between 3 to 200 and the time interval between 1 and 120 seconds.
Press Anywhere - Instead of tapping the camera icon at the bottom of the screen, you can tap anywhere on the screen to take a photo.
Grid Overlay - The grid overlay allows you to apply the rule of thirds to your photo composition.

You can download the GorillaCam app for free here: Link

Tethered Shooting Now Available With Epson's Multimedia Photo Viewers

2009-12-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Epson America announced new tethering capabilities for its line of multimedia photo viewers - the Epson P-6000 and P-7000. This new photo viewer feature allows photographers to instantly view and save images to the viewer as they are shot, streamlining the process of creating backup files and evaluating images in studio or on location.

Tether the photo viewer to your camera via an extra-long USB cord and you can let the art director or client follow along during a shoot while keeping them a safe distance from the subject.

The tethering feature is a free download from Epson.com while the viewers, themselves, are now retailing for $600 for the P-6000 (80 gb) and $800 for the P-7000 (160 gb).

The latest firmware for the P-6000 and P-7000 also includes a remote shutter release function so you can trigger your DSLR directly from the photo viewer.

Cost: Free firmware download

Further information: www.epson.com

How To Become Known Ss a Better Photographer

2009-12-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

A very good exercise on editing images for your website written by Scott Kelby.

Strobox

2009-12-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Strobox App is a lighting diagram creator for your iPhone or iTouch. Whether you want to repeat the same photo-shoot or share with others how you made that cool shot, Strobox app will give you the right tools to do so. It generates PNG files that you can share with anyone by sending it by email within the app.
The app gives you over 25 lighting equipment choices, backdrops, strobes, softboxes, umbrellas, hairlights and diffusion panels. Link

Beginner's guide to HD video

2009-12-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

A beginner's guide at dpreview.com

Charis Wilson dies at 95; model, muse and last wife of photographer Edward Weston

2009-11-25T16:02:00.000-08:00

Charis Wilson, the muse, model and last wife of art photographer Edward Weston and the author of several books including "California and the West," which the two co-wrote, has died. She was 95. Wilson, who had been suffering from various age-related ailments, died Friday in Santa Cruz.
LA Times story.

Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956–1968

2009-11-20T07:42:00.000-08:00

Featuring nearly 170 unforgettable images by more than thirty-five photographers, Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement, 1956–1968 tracks a crucial episode in American social and political history. Poignant and deeply affecting, the photographs in this exhibition portray historical turning points such as the Montgomery bus boycott (1956), the Freedom Rides to the Deep South (1961), the March on Washington (1963), the Selma-to-Montgomery march (1965), the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968), and the Poor People's Campaign (1968). Some of the photographs have never been displayed to the public. On view are images by recognized names such as Bob Adelman, Morton Broffman, Bruce Davidson, Doris Derby, Larry Fink, James Karales, Danny Lyon, Builder Levy, and Steve Schapiro, as well as by press photographers and amateurs. Read more here.

dpBestflow.org from ASMP

2009-11-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

dpBestflow.org is a rich web resource which includes a series of on-line educational seminars, software & hardware solutions, workflow guides and book references, designed to match a wide variety of working styles. Now, by accessing the web site, photographers and others in the visual arts community have real-world solutions for preserving the quality and integrity of digital images, proven best practices that have been shown to produce superior results, and guidelines for streamlined production workflows. Link.

New Getty Images Grants Schedule: How to Apply

2009-11-12T11:05:00.001-08:00

Getty Images will award all five of its $20,000 Grants for Editorial Photography at once next year, instead of breaking the announcements up over two rounds. This means there's now one deadline: Circle May 1 on your 2010 calendars.

Getty is also continuing its new Grants for Good program, which awards two grants of $15,000 each. Beginning next year, photographers must have the support of a creative agency in order to be considered for the Grants for Good. The deadline to apply for those awards is March 1, 2010.

Details about how to apply are online here.

Canon White Papers: Beyond the Manual

2009-11-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Canon's White Papers are not manuals. They are:

A detailed, in-depth look at the major features within each specific camera

An exploration of new system enhancements, with an explanation of the technology behind each one.

A comprehensive overview of Canon software and accessories compatible with each model.

All of the White Papers are free to download, easy to read, and they can help Canon shooters take the fullest possible advantage of their cameras.

Link to White Papers.

Black-And-White Black America

2009-11-03T07:49:00.000-08:00

In the 1950's, photography was hardly considered art. If you wanted to be taken seriously as a photographer, you snapped mountains and models -- not your neighbors. It also helped to be white. But Roy DeCarava, turned all of that on its head. He died this week at the age of 89. Listen to the NPR story, or this Fresh Air interview.
Read more hear.

METAmachine captioning utility

2009-10-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

METAmachine is an inexpensive, metadata browser that streamlines the important process of editing or adding keywords, licenses and other essential metadata to images, either individually or in batches. METAmachine reads and writes XMP formatted metadata in TIFF, JPEG, PSD and DNG images.

METAmachine can be used to write a complete set of the IPTC standard metadata into images. It can also be used to add solely copyright and contact information or licensing terms, leaving all other metadata already in the images unaltered.
METAmachine web site.

New from Adobe Labs - Content-Aware Fill

2009-10-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Removing unwanted items from an image is one of the most common uses of Photoshop. Here’s an early glimpse of improvements to the Spot Healing Brush and Edit/Fill commands that are being developed at Adobe Labs.

iPhone Apps for Photographers

2009-10-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

Lots of iPhone apps center on the photos you take with your iPhone. But, many others are useful when you shoot with your DSLR. From exposure calculators to GPS taggers, these apps will make the iPhone or iTouch your best photo assistant ever. Read more.

The Adobe Shortcut App

2009-10-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

Can’t remember your shortcuts? No worries. Introducing the Adobe Shortcut App, an amazing new tool from Adobe that lets you find and gather the shortcuts you need on your desktop. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, After Effects, and a bunch of other Adobe applications, will be right where you need them, when you need them, allowing you to create your masterpieces with ease and yes this is cross-platform so both MAC and PC folks can enjoy. Link

Ask an Art Buyer: Email Promos ?????

2009-10-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

From Heather Morton, freelance Art Buyer......"While emailers sounded like a good idea several years ago, they are now little better then spam. Most of the work I get is not appropriate to any need I might possibly have, and lots of it just isn’t good at all. Plus, if the image isn’t displaying in my email window and fast, I’m on to the next one. On the other hand, when I receive a printed promo, at the very least, I look at the image(s). I also notice your attention to detail in your paper and design choice. Most often, email promos feel templated and generic, hence the agency opt-outs". Read more.....

Canon Announces EOS-1D Mark IV

2009-10-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Canon has announced a major update to its flagship professional digital SLR, the EOS 1D Mk III. After listening to professional press, sports and wildlife photographers who are the 1D's main users, Canon has revamped all of the camera's major systems. The new model features a 16.06 million image pixel, 1.3x crop sensor, top ISO of 102,400, 1080p video with external stereo mic jack, a revamped 45-point AF system and a wider-gamut, 920,000-dot rear LCD. Read full story at RobGalbraith.com.

Was the photoshopped Ralph Lauren model fired for being overweight?

2009-10-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Read the full story here.

Nikon announces D3S with 102,400 top ISO

2009-10-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Late next month Nikon will ship the D3S, an update of its venerable D3 digital SLR that features improved high-ISO image quality (and an eye-popping top ISO of 102,400), a 720p D-Movie mode with external stereo mic jack, approximately double the burst depth of the D3, a useful 1.2x crop mode and various other refinements.

Like its predecessor, the D3S is aimed at the working photojournalist. To create the new model, Nikon started by keeping the D3 hardware mostly intact; the D3S' 12.05 million image pixel CMOS image sensor is the only truly-new core hardware component in the camera, and is responsible for its promised improved image quality at stratospheric ISO levels.

Read more at RobGalbraith.com

Do Not Forget - Irving Penn at the Getty

2009-10-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Do not miss the Getty Exhibit of Irving Penn's photography. If you have already seen the exhibit, go again.

Penn was one of the most respected photographers of the 20th century. In a career that began at Vogue in 1943 and spans more than six decades, he has created innovative fashion, still life, and portrait studies. His photographs are defined by the elegant simplicity and meticulous rigor that have become the trademarks of his style.

The exhibition begins with an overview of the Small Trades photographs Penn created in Paris, London, and New York in 1950 and 1951. The first gallery includes original gelatin silver prints, as well as French, British and American editions of Vogue magazine that published selections of the photographs from each city. Several galleries are devoted to the platinum/palladium prints that Penn began to make after several years of experimentation in the mid-1960s. One gallery presents Penn's photographs of one trade as found in each of the three cities. Another focuses on Penn's process, comparing gelatin silver prints and platinum/palladium prints side-by-side. Other groupings demonstrate Penn's use of tools to create elegant, balanced compositions; his fascination with the crisp uniforms associated with the Parisian restaurant trades; and his dynamic treatment of technological occupations in New York. Ends January 10, 2010.

SHOTS Magazine - Call for Entries

2009-10-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

SHOTS Magazine is an independent, reader-supported, quarterly journal of fine art photography. SHOTS is known for its democratic presentation of work by a variety of photographers from around the world. Often described as a “photographer’s photography magazine”, SHOTS reaches a wide audience that includes not only photographers, but also educators, gallery directors, museums and others interested in photography.

Submit a cohesive series or simply a selection of your best images. Photographers selected for inclusion will be interviewed for publication and featured on at least 4 pages in this annual edition of SHOTS.

Full details.
Current Issue.

'Frankencamera': A Giant Leap For Digital Photos?

2009-10-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's big. It's ugly. And it's made from recycled parts, at least for now. It's called the "Frankencamera" — and it might someday change the way you take pictures.

Computer scientists at Stanford University say the new camera works something like an iPhone: It can be altered in nearly infinite ways, depending on the applications downloaded to it.

Say you want to take a photo of your child playing with a new toy in a dark room, near a bright window. It's tough to do now because of the variations in lighting within that single frame. If Junior's face is visible and bright, the tree and the sky through the window will be bleached out. If the scene outside comes out just right, Junior will be so underexposed you won't be able to see the glee on his face.

Not so with the Frankencamera, says Levoy. For the prototype, he and his colleagues developed a program that instructs the camera to take two rapid shots if a frame has both dark and light parts. One shot exposes correctly for the dark; one shot exposes correctly for the light. The program then merges the two images into one, taking the best parts from each.

Read the whole story at NPR.

Image of ultra-thin Ralph Lauren model sparks outrage

2009-10-08T10:22:00.001-07:00

In recent years an ongoing debate has brewed over advertisers and fashion magazines using photographs, particularly photographs of women, that have seemingly been altered, or "retouched," by airbrushing and photo editing software such as Photoshop. The latest such image to cause an uproar is one featured in a new Ralph Lauren advertisement that shows a model, Filippa Hamilton, so emaciated that her waist actually appears to be smaller than her head.Read full story here.

Photographer Irving Penn Dies at 92

2009-10-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

Irving Penn, the influential, versatile and indefatigable studio photographer, died Wednesday at 92.
A craftsman and a perfectionist, Penn was known for longtime association with Vogue magazine. He shot elegantly constructed portraits of many of the most important creative figures of the 20th century and was still producing work into his 90s. Read more here.

Free Model Posing Guide

2009-10-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

Inexperienced photographers find it very difficult to direct models to get great poses. Here you can find some resources which can be very useful when you are just beginning to shoot models.
Link

Quote of the Week

2009-10-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye and the heart. It's a way of life." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

Southern California Photo Expo

2009-09-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations will host the first Southern California Photo Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center on Saturday, February 20th. Based on the theme “Discover, Create, Share,” the photo expo will give consumers an opportunity to see the latest in digital imaging products from the world’s leading manufacturers and learn new and creative ways to capture, to print, and to share their photographs.

Live demonstrations, free workshops, drawings, and giveaways are some of the highlights of the one-day event, which will be open to the general public from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Whether photography is your passion, hobby, or you simply want to learn how to take better pictures, this is one event you can’t afford to miss.

Full details.

Camera: A History of Photography from Daguerreotype to Digital

2009-09-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

This volume, created in collaboration with the world-famous George Eastman House, celebrates the camera and the art of the photograph. It spans almost two hundred years of progress, from the first faint image ever caught to the instantaneous pictures snapped by today’s state-of-the-art digital equipment.

The informative narrative by Todd Gustavson traces the camera’s development, the lives of its brilliant but often eccentric inventors, and the artists behind the lens. Images and highly descriptive captions for more than 350 cameras from the George Eastman House Collection, plus more than 100 historic photos, ads, and drawings, complement the text.

Link to Amazon.

Quote of the Week

2009-09-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

If it makes you laugh,
if it makes you cry,
if it rips out your heart,
that's a good picture. ~ Eddie Adams

Born on This Day

2009-09-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Edmon Sproquette was born Sept. 22, 1901. He is the inventor of the film take-up spool for the first Rolleiflex camera (1929). Originally fashioned from wood, it was eventually manufactured from metal. Today's version is high impact plastic, but still very much resembles Sproguette's original design.

ColorChecker Passport from X-Rite

2009-09-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

ColorChecker Passport is a powerful ‘capture to edit’ color solution for any photographer looking for more accurate, consistent color and creative flexibility. ColorChecker Passport combines three photographic targets into one pocket size protective, multi-positionable case that adjusts to any scene. Together with the included camera calibration software, you get the ultimate in functionality, flexibility and portability. Read more.

10 Photography Pet Peeves We’d Throw Down a Black Hole

2009-09-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the top photography pet peeves that Wired Magazine would like to throw into the abyss.

The Megapixel Discussion

“How many megapixels does that camera have?” We don’t know, and we really don’t care. The real question is: Can you make a picture with it?

Read all 10.

Suzanne Sease – Estimating An Advertising Shoot

2009-09-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Suzanne Sease has decades of experience in the field of advertising, including 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, where she matched the world’s finest photographers with international projects for clients such as Saab, Mercedes-Benz and Coke.

Having evaluated thousands of portfolios, Suzanne knows what it takes to connect the photographer to the project.

Here is a very informative Q&A with Suzanne at aphotoeditor.com.

Suzanne Sease's website.

The Photographer's Rights.

2009-09-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

The Photographer’s Right is a downloadable guide that is loosely based on the Bust Card (UK) and the Know Your Rights pamphlet that used to be available on the ACLU website. It may be downloaded and printed out using Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may make copies and carry them in your wallet, pocket, or camera bag to give you quick access to your rights and obligations concerning confrontations over photography.
Thank you to Bert Krages, Attorney at Law for posting this on his blog. This was found through Photo Attorney, again thank you.

Link to Guide.

Copyright Myths Debunked

2009-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Bryan Cave is a law firm that has a division specializing in copyright and artists' moral rights, licensing, commissioned works and public art installations, relationships with dealers, galleries, museums, expositions and traveling exhibitions, insurance and import/export. They counsel both artists of world renown and the next generation of innovators.
At their blog artlawteam.com they have posted a very interesting quiz on Copyright Protection. Follow this link, take the quiz and see how you do.
I found this quiz through the Photo Attorney blog, a great site for legal discussion related to Photography and the Arts.

artlawteam.com

the quiz

Photo Attorney

New Epson 3880 - 17 inch wide printer

2009-09-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

The 3880 is getting the 8-color UltraChrome K3 Vivid Magenta ink set that's already been incorporated in most of Epson's other Pro Graphics printers, plus the same ink-repellent coating on the printhead to minimize nozzle blockages. With this model, Epson introduces Accuphoto HD2, an update to its screening technology with look-up tables co-developed with RIT; the new LUTs go a step beyond choosing the appropriate color for any given dot to selecting the appropriate color with the lowest metameric index (i.e., the least likely to change appearance under different lighting conditions).

Epson site.

Canon announces 18 megapixel 7D

2009-09-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Canon has announced the EOS 7D, a 17.92 million image pixel digital SLR that features 8fps shooting, 19-point AF, a 63-zone metering systems, a dual-axis electronic level, wireless TTL control thru the built-in flash and 1080p video in a body that is more configurable than any previous EOS camera. The EOS 7D is Canon's most ambitious new digital SLR in some time, and is meant to attract professional photographers as well as compete directly with Nikon's D300 and D300s in both features and price.
Read an in-depth report at RobGalbraith.com

Quote of the Week

2009-09-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

'I myself have always stood in the awe of the camera. I recognize it for the instrument it is, part Stradivarius, part scalpel'. ~ Irving Penn

Annenberg Space for Photography

2009-09-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

IRIS Nights offers a look at the groundbreaking work of Susan Meiselas, a documentary photographer and a member of Magnum Photos since 1976. Meiselas is best known for her documentation of human rights issues in Latin America, and her photographs have been published widely throughout the world. She is the author of Carnival Strippers, Nicaragua, El Salvador: The Work of 30 Photographers, Chile from Within, Kurdistan: In the Shadow of History and Pandora's Box.
Thursday, September 10th, 6:30-8:00pm
Learn more.

What To Charge – Advertising Photography

2009-08-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Rob Haggart, the former Director of Photography for Men's Journal and Outside Magazine, has posted a very interesting example of what people are charging for Advertising Photography these days. His blog is aphotoeditor.com , definitely worth a look.

NPPA Independent Photographer's Toolkit

2009-08-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

If you are an independent photographer or simply shoot a little on the side, you are running a business. Many photographers look at freelancing as extra money or a way to get by until a staff job comes along. But if you are not looking at your photography as a business, you may be cheating yourself, and worse, you may be hurting the very industry you are trying to break in to.
The National Press Photographers Association offers the Independent Photographer's Toolkit as a guide to help put you on the right track. Make sure you checkout the Cost of Doing Business Calculator.

NPPA site.

Camera of the Week

2009-08-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Canon PowerShot G11 employs a new 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System by combining a powerful CCD sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Image Processor. The G11 is dramatically more sensitive than cameras with identical megapixel counts, and delivers spectacular images with minimal noise. The PowerShot G11 delivers with a new maximum setting of ISO 3200. Blur and camera shake are notably reduced.
In Low Light mode the camera automatically adjusts the ISO from ISO 320 to ISO 12800 in relation to ambient brightness, subject movement and camera shake.

ART & COPY

2009-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time. George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in ART & COPY were responsible for "Just Do It," "I Love NY," "Where's the Beef?," "Got Milk," "Think Different," and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. Coming Fri. September 11, Laemmle's Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA ,Time to be announced.

Website

Quote of the Week

2009-08-22T12:51:00.001-07:00

'Ultimately, my hope is to amaze myself. The anticipation of discovering new possibilities becomes my greatest joy'. ~ Jerry Uelsmann

RadioPopper JrX at Strobist

2009-08-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

David Hobby over at Strobist has a great Q&A on the new RadioPopper JrX. If you are looking for remote triggering options other than Pocket Wizard or Skyport, this is a must read. RadioPopper site.
ps. You should be checking out Strobist for all your Off-camera flash/speedlight info anyway.

Alternative Photography

2009-08-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

AlternativePhotography.com is the place to see what is going on in the world of Alternate Process Photography. From Platinotype to Cyanotype to Gum Bichromate you will find the latest in art and find supplies necessary for these hand-crafted photographic processes. Subscribe to their free monthly newsletter, they do not spam you.
Link to site.
Link to newsletter.

Black Rapid Camera Strap

2009-08-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

Link to the website.

Canon Rumors

2009-08-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

August 19th is announcement day for Canon. Keep your eyes open for the new DSLR. Posssibly a 60D/7D body.

Latest Version of Nikon Transfer and Capture NX

2009-08-07T09:14:00.001-07:00

Link.

Digital Tip of the Week

2009-08-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

Shooting 'tethered' is where your camera is connected to a computer or laptop, which allows you to shoot straight into the computer. One very big advantage is seeing a large 'preview' of your image on the computer screen. This helps greatly in evaluating composition, posing of models, lighting, etc.

But, in the field I like using a High Quality Portable DVD Player to see a large preview. It has a 7 inch screen, is lighter in weight and costs less than a laptop. Granted it does not have any software for image editing, but if you are just looking for a larger 'preview' this may work for you.
Just connect the DVD player to the AV output connector on your camera and you are ready to go. With the cable connected, whatever use to appear on the cameras' preview screen, now appears on the DVD players' screen.

Be sure you have the correct cable for connection. Take your camera and the player with you to Radio Shack when you buy the cable, to make sure it all works.

One last thing, make sure the screen of the player is 'high quality' or you will be disappointed with the resolution.

Quote of the Week

2009-08-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

'The enemy of photography is the convention, the fixed rules of 'how to do'. The salvation of photography comes from the experiment'. ~ Anonymous

Art Buyer Interviews at ADBASE

2009-08-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

Juliette Wolf-Robin is the voice behind a series of podcast interviews at ADBASE.com. She travels the US, speaking to creatives at all types of companies about artist marketing and other issues in the creative industry. She’s been working to connect artists with art directors and buyers for over 20 years. Here the interviews here.