Category: Inspiration & Showcases

Photo contest vs. mass consumerism

By John Watson
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A buddy of mine is running a photo contest with a cause. Dave is living with just 100 personal possessions in an effort to raise awareness of the problems caused by mass consumerism.

The 1st prize winner will receive $100 plus $100 donated to the Plant with Purpose Trees Fund in the winner’s name. All winning photographs will be printed, matted, and displayed in the lobby of Rohr Hall at Point Loma Nazarene University for two weeks in December.

The theme is: Challenging Stuff. Mass consumerism is a way of life. Photos should challenge assumptions about consumerism.

I’m one of the judges along with photographers Scott Bennet and Marcus Emerson. The contest is free to enter and helps a good cause. Please check it out.

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Survey results: Selling photos…

By John Watson
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Interesting results to the survey. For one, 62% of survey responders indicated that they are selling their photos online. I wasn’t expecting it to be that high. Only 38% indicated that they are not currently selling their photos. That tells me we’ve got lots of pros and/or enthusiasts trying to make some side money on their hobby. Sound right to you?

Pie chart: How do you sell your photos online?

The main point of the survey was to find out how you all are selling your photos online. The biggest group (18%) sell their photos on their own websites. I do this myself. You get to keep all of the profit but it’s the most work of all of the options. That’s the main reason I’ve been thinking of joining the second largest group (11%): ImageKind users.

ImageKind lets you keep most of your profit over their base prices. Of course, they squirrel away some profit for themselves in the base price itself and they take 5% of any amount that is 100% or more above the base price (that’s a complicated sentence—they explain it better in their FAQ). I don’t begrudge them making a profit on their service.

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Taryn Simon photographs secret sites

By John Watson
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Taryn Simon exhibits her startling take on photography—to reveal worlds and people we would never see otherwise. She shares two projects: one documents otherworldly locations typically kept secret from the public, the other involves haunting portraits of men convicted for crimes they did not commit.

—Taryn Simon photographs secret sites

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Stop Motion Photography to Inspire

By Ray Davis
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I have to admit that I am not someone blessed with much patience. I will spend an average of 8.3 seconds trying to get something to work and then get distracted and/or frustrated and move onto something else. So stop motion photography isn’t exactly my strong suit but man, I wish it was! Especially after watching these two stop-motion photography videos. Keep in mind as you watch these they weren’t shot as video rather they are made of thousands of still photographs.

Bathtub V from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

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LIFE.com launches

By John Watson
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LIFE.com

From the press release:

More than 7 million photos from the Life and Getty Images photo collections are now available to consumers in the largest online photography site. The curated site features both rarely seen and iconic photos from the 1850s through today. More than 3,000 new photos from Getty Images award-winning photographers will be added to the site daily. Users will be able to rate, email, share, purchase, license photos and explore their world through the world’s greatest images in this user-friendly web site.

Other features include:

  • Photo Galleries: News, Celebrity, Sports, Travel, and Animals with the most relevant and timely photos featured daily
  • Gallery of the day’s top photos
  • Editor’s picks of photo galleries in categories relating to current events and other themes
  • Celebrity-curated galleries featuring their favorite photos by subject or topic

LIFE.com

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Bored with photo magazines

By John Watson
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I just received an email from Amazon with an offer of 83% savings on photography magazine subscriptions (use that link if you’re interested and Photodoto will get a small commission). With magazines and newspapers closing their doors left and right this year, who knows if you’ll actually get all 12 issues.

But it reminded me that it’s been a long time since I’ve bought a photography magazine.

I still browse the racks at the book store but I’m less and less likely to actually pick one up. 5 hot portrait tips! Shoot better photos instantly! 8 new cameras reviewed! Upgrade! Upgrade! Upgrade! They all seem the same.

I was pretty happy with my D70 for years. And, while the articles can sometimes be helpful, I don’t think there’s any such thing as a “recipe” that will give you a good photo every time, as the magazines will lead you to believe.

Do you read or subscribe to any photography magazines? Any recommendations out there for someone who is tired of hot tips and shopping guides?

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Review: David Pogue’s Digitial Photography: The Missing Manual

By John Watson
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Digital Photography: The Missing ManualDigital Photography: The Missing Manual from O’Reilly sets out to answer all of the questions beginning photographers face before and after they open their new cameras and file away the unopened and often unfriendly manual that came with it.

I’m giving away my review copy. Read on to find out how to enter the drawing.

For the digital novice, this book opens with two chapters on choosing a new camera in the first place. These chapters are great if you don’t know what to look for in a digital camera or you find yourself exasperated from teaching a friend or relative about megapixels and digital sensors. The advice can help you determine what you need, what’s important, and what can be ignored.

The following five chapters deal with actually using the camera itself. Chapter 4 covers decisions that are often made on a shot-by-shot basis, chapter 5 is devoted to avoiding blur. Chapter 6 contains nothing but “recipes” for certain types of shots: panoramas, frozen action, classic sunsets, outdoor portraits, etc.

Chapter 7 has a little advice specifically for SLR owners. But other than that and few notes here and there,

… Continue reading Review: David Pogue’s Digitial Photography: The Missing Manual

Photos of police banned in name of counter-terrorism

By John Watson
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Came across this news item over the weekend that should be of interest to photographers everywhere and in the U.K. in particular:

Whereas in the past the police have not had the power to prevent photographs being taken of them, from today they have. Under the new Counter-Terrorism Act it is an offence to take pictures of officers “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”. This is such a catch-all measure that it can be used—and, in view of recent trends, will be used—to prevent photographs to which the police object merely by invoking counter-terrorist requirements. While it is important for officers involved in such operations to maintain anonymity, many photographers fear these powers will be abused.

It’s a disturbing trend. It’s also kind of disturbing that this has passed without much protest (or have I just missed it all because I’m on the wrong side of the Atlantic/not paying attention?)

Read the full story: Why can’t we take pictures of policemen?

… Continue reading Photos of police banned in name of counter-terrorism

I Only Want One Job…

By Ray Davis
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I’m sure this is a sentiment many people can sympathise with at the moment. I came across this photo in Improperganda: Art of the Publicity Stunt which I’ve been enjoying flicking through very sporadically over the last few weeks. If you get the chance it’s worth a look through, the book is an investigation into some of the greatest PR stunts and scams of all time, with some great photographs. I’m not sure it’s actually worth buying but definitely worth a loan from the library.

sandwhichboard

… Continue reading I Only Want One Job…

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