Focus on Photography

The New Olympus OM-D EM-5

2012-02-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's time to eat some crow. Before it came out, I guessed that the new Olympus OM-D camera would feature a full-frame, 35mm-sized sensor. Well, I was wrong. As I wrote before, I saw an image of the camera with a 45mm, f/1.8 lens on it, which is nearly a normal lens for the 35mm format, so I thought this indicated it was full-frame. And like I said, I was wrong about that.

The OM-D is, in fact, a Micro 4/3s camera, like the PEN series Olympus is already making. I have to admit, I am a little disappointed, though I understand it. The OM-D cameras will fit nicely into an already established system, using the same lenses, but will appeal to a different kind of customer. Okay, I get it. But even though it looks like an SLR with a pentaprism hump on top, when you are looking through the camera, you are looking at a small electronic screen and no mirror is involved in the viewing. This is the same as the Panasonic GH2 camera.

Looking at the OM-D EM-5, it appears to be a interesting choice. By the way, that's its full name, though what happened to models 1 through 4, I don't know. Maybe it's a reference to the old days of the OM 35mm cameras, when Olympus only made it up to an OM-4 in their line-up. I guess that was an OM-4T. Anyway, here are some of the main features.

16.1 MP High-Speed Live MOS sensor
5-axis image stabilization, in body for stills and movies
1.55 million-dot EVF for the internal viewing screen with 100% viewing
Automatic switching between internal EVF and external, tilting OLED touch screen
Dust-proof and splash-proof
ISO up to 25600
Full HD-Movie recording in MPEG4
9 frames per second without AF, 4.2 fps with AF
Black and Chrome versions of the body

There's also some new lenses announced for the camera. A 75mm f/1.8 and a 60mm f/2.8 Macro. While this doesn't appear to be as revolutionary a development as the original OM cameras, the OM-D EM-5 is still a welcome addition to the Olympus line-up. The features seem solid and the controls are simple and direct, just like the old days. Seems like a winner.

Nikon Debuts New Camera

2012-02-07T11:24:00.000-08:00

Nikon has announced the D800, which replaces the popular D700, which was the go-to camera for a lot of pros. The D800 has a 36 MP full-frame sensor, which makes it the current champ in terms of pixel count. It, of course, has full HD video capability, an ISO range from 50 to 25,600, and will do 4 frames per second shooting.

The most interesting fact about this camera is that it will be available in two different models. The difference is that you have the choice of buying the camera with or without an anti-aliasing filter. One of the facts of life with digital cameras is that the small segment nature of the image--that is, the pixels in the sensor break up the images into very small chunks--tends to create visual interference in subjects with small, regular details. These can be subjects like window screening, distant corrugated metal, and/or most kinds of cloth. The patterns of these materials combine and interfere with the pixelated digital image, creating false patterns and wave-like colorations called moire. When this happens, it can be very disturbing.

Well, to eliminate moire in digital cameras, manufacturers came up with anti-aliasing filters, which are placed in front of the sensor. They slightly diffuse the image, which gets rid of the moire. However, the cost is that the image is slightly diffused, that is, it is slightly soft or not sharp, in other words. This usually is not much of a problem, because nearly all 35mm shaped DSLRs use anti-aliasing filters, and most people don't think their Nikon D700's and their Canon 5D Mark II's are anything less that great.. The only exceptions to this are the Leica M8 and M9 cameras and the new Fuji X-Pro 1 camera. Those don't use anti-aliasing filters and that is a big part of the reason why the M9 is capable of recording such amazing amounts of detail. There is nothing in front of the sensor to degrade the image at all.

Now, you will be able to get a D800E, which means that it will not have an anti-aliasing filter. This fact coupled with the 36 MP sensor adds up to one seriously high-resolution camera. Fashion photographers, who deal with cloth all the time, will not want this camera, and photojournalists probably won't care, but advertising, commercial, and fine art photographers should really be interested in this one. This is a bold and smart choice for Nikon!

Kickstarter Project to Watch

2012-01-25T20:02:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there are interesting photography related projects that are seeking funding on Kickstarter, everything from equipment manufacturing to photo projects to book projects. Kickstarter is a crowd-sourced solution for funding things people want to create. Since a lot of grants and business loans have dried up since the recession and housing bubble burst, artists and innovators have successfully used Kickstarter to get the funds they need.

I'm sure the preceding is old news for a lot of you, but I ran across a new project there and it's about a guy trying to manufacture a follow-focus device for DSLR HD-capable cameras. He's aiming for it to be simple and reliable and cheap. It's called the 50-Dollar Follow Focus, and that says it all. If you know anything about this field, it seems like all the video accessories are really quite expensive. Even simple looking gadgets end up costing thousands. Go figure.

So if you are in the market for a follow focus device for your camera, you might want to look his project over. For $60.00, you can get one of these devices as soon as they are available. The extra $10 is to cover shipping and all that stuff. Sounds like a good deal. Read about it and watch his video here. His project will end in 18 days from now.

Photography: Against the Law!

2012-01-24T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ever since the events of 9-11, our world has changed in many ways. In the effort of fighting terrorism, individual freedoms and rights have taken a beating, and so have a fair number of photographers. Security personnel, from both the private and government sectors, have acted against working photojournalists and amateur photographers when they have been caught taking photographs in public settings. Cameras have been confiscated, people have been beaten and intimidated, and some have even been arrested. The idea is that terrorists could be taking photos of potential targets for terrorism, as part of their planning, though it is my understanding that no evidence of this picture-taking behavior has ever been found with any terrorists. In the past few years, police personnel here in the States have even been caught harassing citizens who try to photograph or record public police actions. This is a bad trend for any democracy and it seems to be happening all over the world, particularly in England and here in the USA. JPG Magazine has published an article on this topic and you can learn more about it here.

Olympus Resurrects the OM Cameras

2012-01-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, rumors are flying fast and furious around the web the past few days that Olympus will be revealing at an upcoming electronics show in London a brand, a new camera called the OM-D. Few facts are known at this time, but a few things are known, maybe. It's all guess work, of course, at this time, but it's probably going to be in form and function, a cross between a DSLR and a Micro 4/3s approach.

The leaked pictures of it show a pentaprism shape on top of the camera, but it won't have an internal mirror, it'll be a internal EVF screen. It will have interchangeable lenses, but who knows what lens mount it will use. No word has been given as to the size/dimensions of its sensor. Will it be Micro 4/3s or something else?

Well, the one photo I saw of it shows the camera with a 45mm f/1.8 lens. Another clue about the camera, from Olympus, is he word: "One." What does this all mean? I don't really know, but I wonder. That lens I saw seems suspiciously like a normal lens, so does that mean it will be a full-frame camera, like Canon's 5D Mark II? Or maybe it will be a new format that is only slightly smaller than full-frame?

Not completely sure how the "One" fits in here; maybe it refers to a 1:1 sensor or full-frame? Maybe it refers to the old Olympus camera, the OM-1. That was the first serious camera I owned and it revolutionized camera design in the 70s. Pro cameras of that time were large and heavy, much like current cameras today, and the OM series of cameras gave pros a smaller, more portable SLR with first-class lenses. Current pros have been clamoring for a smaller, more portable digital camera for years. That's why the Micro 4/3s have been doing so well among pros and enthusiasts. So maybe Olympus is going to try and repeat that strategy for this generation, and the OM-D (or maybe the OM-1D? maybe that's where the "One" fits in?) will be the digital camera that pros will adopt for photojournalism and documentary work. We'll just have to wait and see. When more is known, I'll let you know about it.

An Investment in Time

2012-01-19T11:30:00.000-08:00

photo by Michael Chrisman

Everyone tends to think of photography in terms of momentscaught in the blink of an eye. Philosophically, we get that from HenriCartier-Bresson and his Decisive Moment approach to photography, but in practicalterms, just look at the shutter speeds on our cameras; they are all infractions of a second. When I began photographing, my Olympus OM-1n had a topshutter speed of 1/1000 of a second. Now it’s not uncommon to have 1/8000 of asecond in higher-end cameras.

But the fractions of a second are only part ofthe story of photography. Working in low light or night settings, or with slowISO settings and high f-stops, and you will find your shutter settingsextending past the fractions of a second and into full seconds and evenminutes. In my Japanese Garden series, Visual Haiku, I once had an exposure of30 minutes for one shot. It was just after sun-up on a cloudy, foggy day andthere just wasn’t very much light to work with, though the end results weremagical.

Well, another photographer, Michael Chrisman, has taken the idea oflong exposures to its extreme. Using a home-made pinhole camera, Chrisman made animage of the Toronto skyline that took one year to expose. That’s right, a oneyear exposure. Not a second or an hour or even several hours, but every day fora year the camera was exposing the paper inside the camera and building up anexposure of that city. I’ve never heard of a longer exposure than that. Thelight, diagonal streaks in the sky of the image are the traces of the sun as ittraveled across the sky over the course of a year. The resulting image is moreinteresting for how it was made than for what it looks like, but it still has asubtle charm of its own. You can read the story about Michael Chrisman and hisproject here.

More New Cameras!

2012-01-09T13:18:00.000-08:00

Just before the weekend I was speculating on the new interchangeable lens digital rangefinder camera from Fuji, that was supposed to be a extension of the ideas behind their recent cameras, the X100 and the X10. Well, it's out and I was not completely right, but close enough. The new Fuji X-Pro1 is a digital interchangeable lens rangefinder camera, but it will have its own lens mount (the X mount, which is AF) and doesn't use the Leica mount, like I suggested last week. But Fuji will have a Leica lens mount adapter for it, so I wasn't too far off on that. The X-Pro1 will have a 16 MP APS-C sized sensor. The sensor itself is a new design that uses randomly arranged red, green, and blue pixels in 6x6 blocks. The random arrangement eliminates the need of an anti-aliasing filter, normally used in digital cameras to get rid of moire patterns, because the new sensor won't create moire patterns in fabrics or other materials. The random pixels are also supposed to replicate the look of film images better than most other sensors do. Three lenses are being introduced with the X-Pro1: a 18mm f/2, a 35mm f/1.4, and a 60mm f/2.4 Macro. These lenses are the equivalent of 27mm, 52mm, and 90mm lenses. They have a total of nine lenses planned so far for it, including a 14mm and a couple of zooms. This looks to be a great camera system.

The other new camera of note is Canon's G1 X. The new Powershot camera will have the largest sensor that has ever been used in a Powershot camera. It is just a bit smaller than an APS-C sensor, which makes it slightly bigger than the Micro 4/3 sensors. Its lens is the equivalent of a 28 - 112mm zoom and has maximum apertures of f/2.8-5.8. Looks like a good retro design, but their choice for a lens feels like a miss to me. It's not nearly bright enough and won't offer the range of depth of field effects that a wider aperture lens would give the user. And the people who will buy this camera are looking for that level of control. Well, folks have been speculating about Canon's response to the Micro 4/3 trend and maybe the G1 X is it. If it is, maybe Canon should go back to the drawing board and think about it some more.

Nikon Announces the D4!

2012-01-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Nikon announced today their newest pro camera, the D4. It has many of the same features and specs of the previously announced Canon camera, the EOS 1D X. The D4 will have a full-frame 16.2 MP sensor, ISO settings up to 204.800, full HD (1080P) video, and be able to shoot at 11 frames per second. Plus, it can do a whole lot more. Yada, yada, yada. Personally, I like the slightly melted look of the grip side of the camera. Seems more "swoopy" than most Nikons usually are.

It's interesting to see both Nikon and Canon introduce pro-level cameras with modest increases in megapixels compared to their previous iterations. Of course, both of these cameras are aimed at the photojournalist and sports photographer, where operating speed and low light capability are most important. My assumption is that they are concentrating on real image quality, higher dynamic range, and less noise than just resolution numbers, and if so, this is a good direction. My older 10 MP DSLR still makes great images, so there's no reason they can't do better with the latest sensor technology. The D4, like the 1D X, probably won't be seen in the metal till late this year or early next year. So don't hold your breath.

The Fall of Kodak

2012-01-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

I heard yesterday about Kodak’s impending bankruptcy and Istopped to consider the differences between Kodak and Fuji, which were one timerivals in the film business. This rivalry, at least in the US, got started inthe 1970s, though of course both companies had been around for many previous decades.Since I learned photography in the 70s, Kodak was always a big part of mypersonal history in photography. Tri-X and Kodachrome were the films to use, ifyou were a photographer. The familiar yellow boxes have been a comforting sightfor a long time. But times do change and the transformation of the photoindustry from silver-based photography to digital imaging has not been an easyone for all the companies involved in this paradigm shift.

Agfa, Minolta, Konica, Yashica, and Contax have all goneextinct. Ilford nearly went under, but managed at the last minute to pull off aswitch to inkjet papers. Before it’s all said and done, I’m sure others will fallas well. So now it’s Kodak’s turn. Film and processing, which used to be themajority of Kodak’s business, have all but disappeared. Kodak used their R& D prowess to develop digital sensors for other digital cameras, like Leicaand most of the professional medium format digital backs, but despite a fewattempts in the beginning to develop professional DSLRs, they stayed out of theserious digicam business. Of course, I know they have made and continue to makeseveral economically priced digicams, but nothing that could compete with themajor players like Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic. So they slipped out of theconsciousness of serious photographers.

Meanwhile, Fuji has fared much better than their Americancousin. Until recently, they played on the outskirts of the digicam trade, butthey always had a few models that attracted the attention of a few vocal fans.Now, they have some of the most exciting cameras that have been introduced inthe past few years, the X100 and the X10. Both of these cameras are targeted tothe interests and predilections of professionals and enthusiasts, especiallythose who long for cameras with traditional styling and simpler, manual controls.There is even talk of Fuji introducing an interchangeable lens version of theX100. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a full-frame model with the LeicaM-mount, in a direct counter to Leica’s high priced M9. Though they lost thefilm business, just like Kodak, they have managed to weather the switch quitenicely.

Still, I hope Kodak survives. The latest rumor has them declaringChapter 11, which releases them from past debt, unfortunately including all theretirement pensions they’re paying to past employees, but allowing them tocontinue in business. There is no doubt that these are tough times, andbusinesses will do whatever it takes to survive, if they can, but I hope theycan live to make better business decisions and make the changes needed tothrive in this new digital environment. It would be sad to see those yellowboxes disappear forever.

DP Review Publishes Guide to Mirrorless Cameras

2011-12-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Digital Photography Review has published a comprehensive guide to the new category of cameras, sometimes called Mirrorless Cameras and other times called Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras. Instead of old school SLRs, let's call them MIL's. There is more than one format in this category, but the standout format is the Micro 4/3 format used by Olympus and Panasonic. DP breaks out the different categories of cameras within this loose camera definition with Beginner, Intermediate, Enthusiast, and Specialist varieties.

For people looking for a professional alternative to DSLR's, the Enthusiast and Specialist sections are a great place to start. For myself, I must admit that some of these cameras are quite intriguing. I've been very impressed with the Panasonic DMC-GH2 and the Olympus PEN E-P3, and the Nikon 1 V1 is about the cutest camera I've had in my hands in quite a while and it feels extremely well-made. Though I've been a loyal Canon user for many years, that V1 is really tempting. And the Sony NEX-7 sports a 24 MP sensor and appears to be at the top of the image quality heap at the moment. Lots of people are singing its praises.

The other place for these cameras is as a back-up or casual camera; those cameras we like to take with us all the time or when it isn't practical to carry around a full SLR system. They offer enough control and image quality that when we make an image, we know we won't look at it later and wish we had used something different. There's a lot to be said for that. Anyway, check out the article here.

Changes to Focus on Photography

2011-11-17T14:50:00.001-08:00

There are a few changes to the blog here, as you may have noticed. It's now easier to subscribe to it and I am now allowing moderated comments. I turned off the comments a while back because of some weird spammy comments that kept showing up. And with luck, the new favicon will now show up on everyone's screen views. Cheers.

Polaroid Goes Digital!

2011-11-10T11:56:00.001-08:00

Talk about "What goes around, comes around," Polaroid is once again making a "spit 'em out" instant camera. The difference this time is the camera is really a digital camera with a built-in printer. So it acts just like an old Polaroid camera, but it saves the 14 MP images on an SD card, so you can print them out bigger at a later time. Convenient and flexible!

The old Polaroid cameras were loved by countless amateurs for family pictures and vacation snaps, but photojournalists used them, too. Many times, in the field, far away from a lab, working photographers would hand out Polaroids to their subjects, in place of prints from their "serious" cameras. I could see this camera filling the same niche.

The Polaroid Z340 Instant Digital Camera will retail for around $299.99 for the camera and $19.99 for a pack of 30 prints. You can order them directly from Polaroid, B&H, Adorama, and Amazon. Considering the cost of a good point-and-shoot, not to mention even an inexpensive mini-printer, this seems like a good deal to me. It's nice to see Polaroid back in the game with a camera that hits the right nostalgia notes along with current digital convenience. Kudos to Polaroid!

Basic Portrait Lighting Tips

2011-11-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here's a well-done, though with a slightly silly, slapstick ending, video on five basic lighting set-ups for portraits. It's on the Digital Photography School website and features photographer Jay P. Margan. I recommend this for poeple looking for basic, easy to follow info, and you can see it here.

Digital Cinema Developments

2011-11-07T08:27:00.000-08:00

When the EOS 1D X was announced recently, I thought that Canon would have another high-end camera to add to the line-up, and here is a preview of it. It has no name yet, but the letter "C" is a clue to what it is: a pro-quality DSLR designed specifically for HD cinema shooting. Canon isn't saying much about this new model (my guess for its final name is the EOS 1D C), so we don't know the resolution of the sensor, though I'm assuming it will be full frame 35mm, but they have said it will shoot in 4K, which means 4000 lines of horizontal resolution, compared to the 1080 lines that 1080P HD now has. That's a substantial increase in resolving power and it may change the way that movies are made in the future, even more than the 5D Mark II changed things. We shall see.

Canon also announced a new line of lenses, the 4K EF Cinema lenses. These are lenses designed for the latest HD video format mentioned above. The price of these lenses are somewhat unbelievable and indicate they are being targeted to the film studio crowd. For example, the lens pictured will go for $47,000. Ouch! Saving your pennies won't help with these babies.

Another cinema product is the EOS C300, a HD video camera with an interchangeable lens mount for Canon EF lenses. This isn't a 4K camera, but it will have a Super 35mm 8.29 MP CMOS sensor. This means that the sensor is approximately half the size of full-frame 35mm and will match the size of the image that pro 35mm film movie cameras shoot. Its price will run around $20,000, another high priced item aimed at pros.

The last item is one that should have potential buyers of the EOS C300 rethinking their choices. RED has finally announced its Scarlet-X camera with a Canon EF lens mount, which will shoot in 4K resolution with a 13.8 MP sensor. It will sell for less than $10,000. Relatively speaking, it sounds like a good deal, especially when compared to the EOS C300. I wonder if Canon will lower their prices on that camera when it finally becomes available. I wouldn't be surprised.

"Grit" Equals Success in Life

2011-11-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

There is an interesting article up on the Behance website that talks about personal "grit" being the most important factor in determining success and achievement in life. More than talent or ability, being able to stick with a task and not let obstacles get in your way is a better predictor of how well you do in school, career, and life.

Angela Duckworth, a researcher at Harvard, sums up the two main qualities this way:

1. "The tendency not to abandon tasks from mere changeability. Not seeking something because of novelty. Not "looking for a change." "
2. "The tendency not to abandon tasks in the face of obstacles. Perseverance, tenacity, doggedness."

In my life, I've seen this in action more than once, where people with a modest amount of talent, nothing extraordinary, succeed because they just never give up. They just work harder than anybody else. And I've seen other people with enormous amounts of talent ultimately fail because they just never stick with anything. They either get bored or they lose interest or they move onto something else.

So when it comes down to it, as it turns out, personal drive is more important than talent. You can read the article here.

Digital Detaill Enhancement

2011-10-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

DP Review has published an interesting how-to article, "It's All In The Details," on enhancing the level of details in your digital images and compares how different software programs and plug-ins perform this job. It should be noted that the author of the article works for one of the companies she talks about in the piece, Nik. Otherwise, good and informative reading.

New EOS Camera From Canon

2011-10-18T12:18:00.001-07:00

Canon has just announced a new model of the EOS-1D, with the designation: EOS-1D X. Canon claims this is the latest flagship model for their line of professional digital cameras, superseding both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and the EOS-1D Mark IV. The specifications are impressive and seem to be targeted at laying their own claim as the high ISO champions. In the last few years, Nikon has firmly led the pack in that regard.

Here are the new features of the EOS-1D X:

• 18.1 MP full frame CMOS sensor
• Up to 12fps and 14fps shooting
• 100-51,200 ISO, up to 204,800 ISO
• 61 point AF system
• 100,000 pixel RGB AE metering with DIGIC 4
• Full HD 1080p EOS movie
• Dual “DIGIC 5+” processors
• Clear View II 8.11 cm (3.2”) 1040K-dot LCD
• Ethernet port

All this just screams “speed” to me. The blazing fast 14 frames per second continuous drive, dual processors to handle the image processing, 61 autofocus spots, and ISO settings up to 204,800. This will be the photojournalist and sports photographer’s dream camera. And there are other advances: full color metering and full HD movie modes. This camera may become the first choice for documentary filmmakers, with that kind of low light performance.

But the curious thing is the size of the sensor. It’s only an 18.1 MP sensor, although it is full-frame. The EOS-1Ds Mark III and the 5D Mark II both have 21.1 MP full-frame sensors. Going backwards in resolution will benefit the high ISO performance, without a doubt—lower resolution means bigger photosites on the sensor which means lower noise—but what about commercial, studio, and architectural photographers, not to mention fine art and landscape photographers. They are all going to want a camera with more resolution, not less. So while the EOS-1D X may be the current king of the Canon hill, I suspect they will announce another model with substantially higher resolution. The rumors floating around the web point to a model with somewhere between 39 and 58 MP resolution, which will be a major change for handheld digital cameras.

Native American Dances at the Pendleton Round-Up

2011-09-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was hired to photograph at the Pendleton Round-Up in Pendleton, Oregon. This is a rodeo that just celebrated its 101 anniversary and for most of that time, the Indian Dances have been a part of this event. The Native Americans compete with each other in different categories of Native dances to win honor for themselves and their families. They also win Pendleton Trade Blankets. They make their own costumes or regalia, and they make the dances open to the general public. Lots of people, mostly Native Americans, attend the dances and if you follow a few guidelines and don't make a pest of yourself, anyone is welcome to photograph.

One thing to remember is that you are a guest and you should behave like one. Be polite, stay out of the way of the dancers and judges, and if anyone tells you to move, do it. Earlier this summer I interviewed Steve McCurry for PhotoMedia magazine, who made the famous image "Afghan Girl," and he had some interesting things to say about photographing in public. According to McCurry, he never takes a picture of anyone without some kind of verbal or nonverbal permission. For a documentary or street photographer, that's an amazing position to take. In the context of a public dance, this means that the performers are mostly fair game, since they are in a public performance, but spectators should be asked before photographing them.

In technical terms, for most of the images I used a medium telephoto (an 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens) on a reduced sensor D-SLR body. I shot in Aperture Priority, though I could have used Shutter Priority, and used an ISO of 800. The autofocus was set on servo mode, to follow the action, and continuous motor drive was used. I tended to shoot in bursts of 3 to 5 images and followed the movements of the dancers. It's hard to predict the movements of the dancers, or any other action-oriented event, so it's best to shoot as much as you can and edit later. During the 2 hours of the dances, I shot around 1000 images. The photos ranged from full-length shots to details. Below are a few of my favorites.

Great Printer Deal

2011-08-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

B&H has a great offer on a great inkjet printer that I have to tell you about. The Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Mark II is a pigment-based inkjet printer that will do 13x19 prints. It has ten ink cartridges, includes red and green inks, two blacks (one for matte and one for glossy prints), and one gray ink cartridge.

I have to say that I've used all the major brands of inkjet printers (Epson, Canon, and HP) and once you get the printers figured out, they all do exceptional prints. Some are more reliable than others though. Based on my own personal experience, for what that's worth, I'd rank them this way from most to least reliable: Canon, Epson, and a dismal and distant HP. So if you are looking for a good printer for your images, this is a deal you may want to consider. Just keep in mind that the deal is short-lived, so act fast.

B&H is offering a $200 instant rebate on the Pro9500 Mark II. This brings the $749.95 printer to $549.95. On top of this, Canon is offering a mail-in rebate of $300 on it, bringing the price to 249.95. To say the least, this is a good deal.

The $200 instant rebate ends September 4th. The Canon rebate ends September 30th. Act now or regret it!

Why Harper Lee Never Wrote Again

2011-08-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

Though this has little or nothing to do with photography, it does have a lot to do with creativity and with being an artist. Some artists, no matter their area of expertise, are endlessly prolific, churning out an unceasing number of canvases, or prints, or performances, or books. Other artists, like author Harper Lee, who wrote To Kill A Mockingbird, seem to have only one good effort in them. They create one stunning achievement and then nothing else. This can be frustrating for the audience and frightening for other artists.

Harper Lee wrote one of the most cherished books of the 20th Century and it was turned into one of the most cherished films of the 20th Century, yet she never had a follow-up. There was no second book or anything else. She became a recluse in New York City and stayed out of the public eye for the rest of her life. Why would this happen?

For working artists, Harper Lee's story and life must seem like a nightmare. To create the one good piece and then have the well of creativity run dry? Never to create again? That is a nightmare for creatives, but I don't think this was the case for Harper Lee. For her, one good work was enough and the benefits of the life of an artist and writer never came close to matching the drawbacks she experienced to make writing worthwhile for her. For her enough was enough.

Her friend, Dr. Thomas Lane Butts, told Harper Lee's side of the story:

“She once said to me when we were up late one night, sharing a bottle of scotch: ‘You ever wonder why I never wrote anything else?’ And I said, ‘Well, along with a million other people, yes’.

“I espoused two or three ideas. I said maybe you didn’t want to compete with yourself. She said, ‘Bullshit. Two reasons: one, I wouldn’t go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill A Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again’."

For most people, the story of Harper Lee is baffling. Most believe that an artist should create and create until they die, never letting anything get in their way. So what is the lesson here? Well, sometimes, creating one good and beautiful thing is enough and being true to yourself is more important than anything else. The truth is, Harper Lee didn't have it in her to keep working as a writer and she knew it. And then she acted on that knowledge. You have to admire her for her sense of personal integrity.

Another photokina Comes Around

2010-09-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

It seems like an off year for photokina, the every-other-year exposition in Cologne, Germany, for photographic products. Not much was offered that peaked anyone's interests, except for a few products. So here they are.

The Fuji X100 appears to be the darling of the show. It seems to be everything that photographers have wanted in a compact, serious digital camera. Old-fashioned, simple controls and supposedly excellent images quality in a small, nearly pocketable size. It will be slightly expensive at around $1000 with a non-interchangeable 35mm-E, f/2 lens. I have to admit that my heart did a little skip when I first saw it online. I'm looking forward to at least taking a closer look at this one.

Pentax has been working on this camera, the Pentax 645D, for several years, but it's finally in production and so far it's selling like hotcakes in Japan. Later this year (December) or early next year, it will be available in a kit with a 55mm lens for around $10,000. Gulp. Well, it has a 40 MP sensor and the reports from Japan indicate it has first-rate image quality and is very popular with wedding and portrait photogs. I expect landscape photogs will like it, too. All things considered, the Pentax 645D is a bargain in the world of medium-format digital cameras, as we'll see in the next new product.

Now for the big guns. Leaf introduces the world's largest and highest resolution digital back, the Aptus-II 12. It has an 80 MP sensor and will produce TIFF images around 480 MB in size. To paraphrase Sheriff Brody in Jaws, "I think we're gonna need a bigger harddrive." And a bigger bank account it seems, as the back will run around $32,000 without the camera in front of it. Which adds another $10,000 plus to it. Oh, who needs a new car anyway?

Last Roll of Kodachrome

2010-07-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry was given the very last roll of Kodachrome to be manufactured. This marks the end of a very long era in photography. 35mm Kodachrome film was introduced by Kodak in 1936. McCurry used Kodachrome for 35 years and he shot this roll of film in India and New York City.

This film was the standard against which all slide films were measured and few could match its color palette and image quality. In my experience, Kodachrome 25 was the best of the Kodachrome films and it especially did well with reproducing warmer colors. The film made its way into popular culture when musician Paul Simon wrote and recorded a hit called "Kodachrome" in 1973.

National Geographic plans to air a TV special next year on McCurry and this last roll of Kodachrome.

You can read about McCurry and Kodachrome here.

Print Offer at The Online Photographer

2010-04-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Now through this coming Friday, you have the opportunity to purchase a real platinum print for not much money. The photographer is Carl Weese, a talented large format photographer. The website is the excellent blog, The Online Photographer, which is edited by Mike Johnston. If you haven't run across his blog, you should do so right now.

You have a choice of three images shot on 8x10 negatives, I'm partial to the drive-in theater picture, as either platinum prints or as digital inkjet prints. The platinum prints cost $180 and the digital prints cost $80. If you want a compare and contrast set, you can buy the same images in both mediums, and you get the digital print for a mere $40.

Carl Weese is a wonderful photographer and you will never find another offer like this. Go here to read about the images and the purchase information. Remember, this sale is a limited time offer. As mentioned, offer ends this Friday, April 30th.

Is Photography Over?

2010-04-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is hosting a two day symposium on April 22 and 23 called, “Is Photography Over?” Several participants in the discussion include such photographic luminaries as Peter Galassi (the curator of photography at MOMA in New York City), Geoff Dyer (the author of the excellent book about photography, The Ongoing Moment), and Philip-Lorca diCorcia (acclaimed artist/photographer). There is an announcement about the symposium on the SFMOMA site here and more interesting there are the written responses to the question, “Is Photography Over?”, here. The answers make for long reading, but they are fascinating food for thought.

This question prompts me to think about the topic as well. Is photography at a crossroads? Yet again? Well, more than most artforms, photography has been on a steady course of ever-changing technology that has changed the way photography has been accomplished. I mean, very little has changed in painting for several hundred years. If you include the cave paintings of ancient Cro-Magnon people, we’ve been painting, even making air-brushed paintings, for tens of thousands of years. The same could said of music and singing, even with computers and improved recording technologies, live music performance hasn’t really changed all that much. But photography has changed a lot.

In the course of its not quite 200 year existence, we’ve gone from hand-made paper negatives to colloidal glass negatives to plastic-backed negatives to now, no negatives at all in digital capture. And that’s just talking about the recording medium. Cameras started out as large wooden direct-view devices and then went to complicated mechanical boxes that could focus the light into an image to now, miniature computers. The evolution of cameras has been one of miniaturization, for the most part. Cameras keep getting smaller as the image quality keeps getting better. Today, the sales of consumer point-and-shoot digital cameras will probably disappear and be replaced by the cameras that are in our cell phones. If this hasn’t already happened.

What does this mean for photography? I have no doubt that photography will continue to change its form like the shapeshifter it has always been. If it stops, that will mean that it truly has died. For the average person, they may soon no longer have separate dedicated cameras, but they will continue to document their everyday lives the way we all have since photography was invented. The role of and need for photography is one that will not go away.

The biggest challenge to the new era of digital photography is the question of Truth. Photography, whether it was ever absolutely true or not, has always been perceived as a documentary tool. Photographers capture the events and subjects in front of their cameras with absolute fidelity as they happen. They capture the Truth. Now with Photoshop, especially the frightful implications of CS5, you can no longer assume any photograph is the Truth. Every photograph can be undetectably manipulated. Of course, the act of manipulating images has been with us from the beginning of photography, but never has it been so easy to do. This is a serious challenge for photography and photographers. Though in another light, perhaps it now places photography in the same context as painting, which has never had the same restrictions to depicting truth and reality. Perhaps, perhaps.

Anyway, does all this mean the end of photography? I don’t think so. Photography and photographers are good at adapting. How we deal with the issue of Truth is an important issue, but not an insurmountable one. Photography will continue to change in ways we can’t imagine at this time, but the reason for its existence will remain with us as long as we exist—to record and remember our lives, our world, and our dreams.

Sony Steps up

2010-04-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

Sony just announced at the NAB show in Las Vegas that they will debut their 35mm Alpha mount Camcorder next year. It doesn't have a name yet, but you can see the prototype above. Like I mentioned in the posting about the new Panasonic Micro 4/3s camcorder, this is the camera I thought Canon would bring out. Full-frame 35mm sensor that uses Sony's Alpha lenses. This will be the next generation in digital film making.

Oh, Canon! You're now officially third place in this horse race, unless you can manage to pull a rabbit out of your hat and make a Hail, Mary pass to win the game, to thoroughly mix my metaphors.

Canon 5D mark II Hits Primetime!

2010-04-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

Greg Yaitanes, director of the season finale episode of House, M.D., has announced that the entire episode was "filmed" with a Canon 5D mark II camera with the EF 24-70mm L and 70-200mm F2.8 L lenses. This will be the first time a digital HD SLR has been used like this for TV. The things that attracted Yaitanes to the Canon camera was the shallow depth of field and the richness of the images. The episode airs on May 17th.

New Panasonic Video Camera

2010-04-12T12:09:00.001-07:00

A couple of months ago, I had this thought. Last year, I picked up a new Canon 5D mark II and have used it for one video project. It worked really well, for what it is, and I was more than happy with the image quality. But being an SLR, it isn't really suited to hand-holding and shooting video. It's too hard to hold steady. Given the popularity of this camera with indie filmakers, I had this insight: Canon will make a dedicated video camera with a full-frame or APS-sized sensor that uses Canon's own EF lenses from their EOS line of D-SLR cameras. Well, I got it somewhat right.

Panasonic has announced that they will debut the AG-AF100 by the end of the year. It uses their 16:9 Micro Four/Thirds sensor that is used in their GF-1 still camera and will use that camera's interchangeable lenses. This will be a full 1080p HD camcorder with 24 fps and a host of other features. The above picture is obviously an illustration, but that is the general configuration for the new camera. This is good news and I'm sure indie filmakers will line up to buy this one. In fact, it's everything I imagined Canon would do, but I forgot about Panasonic. Kudoes to them. Canon, get cracking before Sony beats you to it and you're left to come in third place in this race.

It's That Time of Year Again!

2010-04-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's time for Solo Photo Book Month (SoFoBoMo), or at least it will be before you know it. This year it will happen during the months of June and July. You need to shoot, edit, and "publish" a book of your images on any subject of your choice. All you need to do is start at any time in June or the beginning of July and then you have 31 consecutive days to finish it and post it to the SoFoBoMo website. There are no prizes, but you will have a very nice portfolio of your images ready to send out or link to. I did it last year and have pledged to do it again this year. This is a really good idea. Why don't you all consider joining me in this?

Go to SoFoBoMo to learn all about it and register.

The Shape of Things to Come

2010-02-22T10:42:00.000-08:00

PMA is going on right now and some products have been announced. Nothing earth-shattering, but Sony is showing a non-functioning prototype of a compact, non-SLR, interchangeable lens camera in the vein of Panasonic's GF1. More interesting to me is the CompactFlash Association, who knew there was one, has announced that the newest Compact Flash Cards will have the astounding capacity of 144 petabytes. For those like me who never heard of such a thing, a petabyte is a thousand terabytes, which is a thousand gigabytes, which is a thousand megabytes, etc. To go along with this, DALSA, which makes imaging sensors for high-end medium format digital backs and other more scientifically intended equipment, has debuted a 196-megapixel imaging sensor. For now, this will only be used in aerial photography cameras, but still, you know that sooner or later those sensors will show up in medium format backs and that will push Canon, Nikon, and Sony to even higher levels of performance which will mean bigger and bigger hard drives and faster and faster processors for our computing needs. Fasten your seat belts, the ride is going to get bumpy.

Interesting Reading on Photographic Composition

2010-02-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

George Barr has written a concise and easy-to-digest article on photographic composition for Michael Reichmann's website The Luminous Landscape. Barr breaks down the entire idea of what goes into the making of a great picture and explains everything in words and pictures. He has identified several common elements and themes that can be found in successful photographs. Some of his ideas are obvious, though they are worth repeating, while others are head-slappingly, simply brilliant. Highly recommended reading. And while you're there, check out Michael's site. It's one of the best. Go here to read the article.

World's Oldest Camera to be Auctioned!

2010-01-28T13:32:00.000-08:00

One of the world’s oldest photographic cameras will be auctioned off in Vienna, Austria, this coming May. The camera is a Giroux Daguerreotype and was made in Paris around 1839, which is when Louis Daguerre published his photographic technique known as the Daguerreotype. The camera was made by Alphones Giroux, Daguerre’s brother-in-law from plans drawn up by Daguerre. Considering its age, 170 years old, the camera is in beautiful shape and in its original condition. It’s a pretty look at the beginnings of photography. The camera is expected to bring somewhere around $750,000.

What is Criticism Good For?

2010-01-12T10:23:00.000-08:00

Criticism is a loaded proposition. All the various forums, blogs posts, tweets, and more have made the present generation of consumers instant critics. Unfortunately, many of the critiques take the form of a “love it” or “hate it” mentality. All too often, no analysis or reasoning is offered, just a blunt pronouncement. When it comes to art, more is needed. Especially when the artist receiving such criticism is expected to do something about it or learn from it. After all, shouldn’t that be the real goal of criticism? It’s hard to learn anything from, “That stinks!” And when the next person says, “I love it!”, the artist hearing it is even more confused.

Which opinion do you listen to? What are you supposed to learn from it? How are you supposed to improve you artwork from those comments? The first one, "That stinks!", offers no hint on what to change, while the second, "I love it!", doesn't tell you what you did right, so you can repeat it, if you choose to. Both extremes are kind of dead ends. They don't take you anywhere else.

David Ward, a British fine art photographer, wrote an essay called The Art of Criticism. You can read it here on the website PhotographyBlog. Ward’s views on criticism and what makes for good criticism are spot on and are worth reading.

Rick Loomis Profile in PhotoMedia

2009-11-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

The current issue of PhotoMedia Magazine has a profile of Rick Loomis, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for the LA Times, written by yours truly. Rick has spent a good deal of the last several years working in the most dangerous situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and recently won the Pulitzer for a five-part series about our endangered oceans called "Altered Oceans." You can pick up a copy of the PhotoMedia at most camera stores in the western United States and Anchorage, Alaska and it's free. Or you can find the article online here. Rick represents the best of photojournalism, managing to capture beauty, truth, and pathos in the same unflinching images.

Roy DeCarava, 1919 - 2009

2009-11-01T18:33:00.001-08:00

Roy DeCarava, 89, died October 27th in New York City. He and his work were closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance, urban African American life, the Civil Rights Era, and portraits of jazz musicians. He started photographing in 1946 as a sketching substitute for his painting, but it quickly captivated his interests and eclipsed painting for him. Mr. DeCarava was the first African American artist to be awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1952. His first book of photographs was called The Sweet Flypaper of Life, which was a collaboration with poet Langston Hughes, who wrote poetry as a narrative to the images.

One of the better monographs of Mr. DeCarava’s work was Roy DeCarava: Photographs. This was published in 1981 by The Friends of Photography. One of the difficulties of his photographs is that his images were printed in an extreme low key style, which was difficult to reproduce in books. He was the master of this way of printing. His photographs were dark as black velvet, seemingly bottomless, and very low contrast. The emotional effect of this was that they were moody and quiet, insightful and reflective.

In 1987, I had a chance to see a selection of his original photographs at a Friends of Photography workshop in Carmel, California. I’ve never seen prints as dark, lovely, and sensual as his images. His photographs changed what I thought photographs could look like; they were a revelation. The memory of those photographs remains with me to this day. Mr. DeCarava will be missed.

Man coming up subway stairs, New York, 1952

Mississippi Freedom Marcher, Washington, D.C., 1963

[John] Coltrane on soprano [saxophone], New York, 1963

Irving Penn, 1917 - 2009

2009-10-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

Irving Penn died this morning at his home in Manhattan. He was 92. There are a handful of photographers that influenced me early in my life as a photographer: Edward Weston, Brett Weston, Andre Kertesz, and Irving Penn. His straightforward, confrontational approach was lean and muscular photography if ever there were any, in addition to being elegant and classy. His framing and composition was radical then and still is unconventional. He approached every subject in front of his camera with perception and compassion, but also with unflinching honesty. He was one of the greatest photographers in the history of the medium.

He is mostly known for his fashion work for Vogue Magazine and his portraits, but my favorite work of his was the "Worlds in a Small Room" series. He traveled around the world with a portable studio and a Rolleiflex camera and photographed indigenous people in their traditional clothes. His idea was that fashion exists throughout human culture and this was his attempt to capture their sense of fashion and aesthetics: their idea of beauty. It's simply beautiful, illuminating work.

In 1984, John Szarkowski, the former curator of photography at the Museum of Modern Art, wrote this about Penn, “The grace, wit, and inventiveness of his pattern-making, the lively and surprising elegance of his line, and his sensitivity to the character, the idiosyncratic humors, of light make Penn’s pictures, even the slighter ones, a pleasure for our eyes.”

Taryn Simon Lecture is Online

2009-09-27T12:23:00.001-07:00

Taryn Simon is featured in a lecture she gave this past summer on TED.com. Simon is a large format, documentary photographer. The talk focuses on two of her projects. The first is called "An American Index of the Hidden and Unfamiliar," which deals with places normally kept hidden from the American public. The other project is "The Innocents," which is a series of portraits of people wrongfully convicted of crimes they didn't do. Simon was recently given the McArthur Award, which is also called the "Genius Award."

Go here to see her talk, which runs about 15 minutes or so. She's a fascinating photographer with a lot to say about the medium.

Actual New Leicas

2009-09-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

Over the past several years, Leica has been having a hard time with the changing paradigm of film to digital. Actually, it goes further back than that. When all 35mm cameras went fully automatic exposure and autofocus, they hung back and waited to see if it was all a passing fad. Well, it wasn’t and they were left by the side of the road, becoming increasingly archaic and out of step with the rest of the universe. For more than a decade, it seemed like the only people using Leica cameras were either hard-core, anachronistic pros who used them no matter what or wealthy hobbyists who bought them for their prestige. Fewer and fewer working pros could justify the cost and the lack of ease of use any longer. Well, maybe that is about to change.

What Leica was good at was designing and building compact, ultra high quality cameras aimed at serious photographers. Olympus and Panasonic have recently announced cameras designed to fill that niche, the E-P1 and the GF-1. Well, Leica has just announced a few cameras that also fit that bill. And instead of rebranding cameras made by other companies, they are making these all in-house, just like the old days.

The new M9 could possibly be the worst kept secret in cameras in recent times, but there is now a full-frame, 35mm-sized digital Leica rangefinder and that is no small matter. The real surprise, though, is the X1, a compact fixed lens APS-C digital camera. This camera seems to take the design advantages of a Leica and apply them to a digital camera in an intelligent and thoughtful manner. In a weirdly old-fashioned way, it is an innovative and even fresh approach. It took a while for Leica to get things straight in their heads, but maybe they had it figured out for themselves. Leica can’t compete with Canon and Nikon or even Sony or Panasonic, but they can choose the ground they wage their battles on and I hope this strategy pays off for them. Here’s the run-down of these two new cameras:

Leica X1 • a fixed lens, compact digital camera.
12.2 MP CMOS APS-C sensor; 24mm f/2.8 Elmarit (35mm equivalent); 2.7-inch LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels; SD and SDHC cards, JPEG and DNG formats; 100 – 3200 ISO; optional optical viewfinder; really simple and straightforward controls; around $2000.00.

Leica M9 • full-frame, 35mm digital camera with interchangeable lenses and rangefinder focusing.
18 MP CCD sensor with an infrared filter instead of an anti-alias filter mounted in front of the sensor; micro-lens overlay on the sensor to create perfectly even images in terms of exposure and sharpness; JPEG and DNG formats; 160 – 2500 ISO (with a “pulled” setting of 80 ISO); 2.5-inch LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels; under $7000.00.

The only caveat I have with these cameras is Leica’s choice of rear LCD monitor. Both the M9 and X1 have decently large ones with rather anemic pixel counts of 230,000. The new camera, the Canon 5D Mark II has a 3-inch LCD with 920,000 pixels. Knowing the clarity and sharpness of that LCD, I have to wonder what Leica was thinking. Oh well, I’m still looking forward to checking them out when they are available. Congrats to Leica and best of luck. It's good to see you back in the game.

A New Leica, part 2

2009-09-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

Panasonic has recently revealed the Lumix GF-1, which is pictured above. It's a camera in the same vein as the recently announced Olympus E-P1, which I discussed earlier this summer. Both of these cameras seem to be aimed at actual photographers, rather than P&S hobbiests. The lens paired with the GF-1 is a 20mm f/1.8 pancake lens, which will be equivalent to a 40mm semi-normal lens. The body and lens makes a compact set that won't be much bigger than most P&S cameras, but will provide much higher quality images. It has a 12.1 MP sensor and interchangeable lenses, and an enticing one for the near future is the 45mm f/2.8 Leica DG MACRO-ELMARIT with O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer). The GF-1 and 20mm f/1.8 lens should sell for around $900.00, which isn't too bad for such a potentially high quality camera. Like the E-P1, this cameras looks to be one that will neatly fill the niche of the old Leica rangefinders, and should be near about perfect for photojournalists and street shooters. It certainly looks tempting.

Speaking of Leica, tomorrow they will announce several new cameras. Supposedly one of those will be the new M9 digital rangefinder camera. After the announcements, we'll post what they will have to offer.

New Sony DSLR!

2009-08-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Sony a850 represents a landmark camera. This is the lowest price full-frame DSLR ever offered. It will sell for around $2000 for the body only and for around $2800 in a kit with the new Sony 28-75mm f/2.8 SAM lens. The only differences between this camera and the a900 is the viewfinder: a900 with 100% view and the a850 with a 98% view; and the shooting rate: a900 at 5 fps and the a850 at 3 fps. Otherwise, they share the same 24.6 MP sensor and the same dual BIONZ processors. Most of the other features of the a900 are carried over to the a850.

Considering that most other "entry level" full-frame cameras, like the Canon 5D mark II and the Nikon D700, sell for the price of the a850 with a lens, this is a great deal. Like I've said before, Sony is the company to watch out for in the years to come. I bet it won't be long before we see a full-frame DSLR for around $1500.

How not to use Photoshop

2009-08-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is an example of the wrong way to use Photoshop. The story is carried on the BBC News website and says that the original image shows a black man who was altered to be white man for Microsoft's Polish website. Microsoft is looking into the matter. For the entire story, go to BBC News.

Whoever did this, shame on you. If you're going to do something like this -- not that it is ever okay to manipulate race in this way -- at least put in a head that is lit in the same way as the other people in the original photo. Sloppy work! The Asian man and the white woman have highlights on the right sides of their faces, while the replaced white man's head has a highlight on the left side. This is inexcusable on so many levels.

To see other examples of the misuse of Photoshop, go to Photoshop Disasters, an interesting blog dealing with these issues.

To the Moon!

2009-07-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Forty years ago, the summer before I started Middle School, my family moved up from West Point, Mississippi to Fairchild Air Force Base, near Spokane, Washington. My dad was a career Air Force man. We arrived on the base a week or more before our belongings did. This is important part of the story.

Like most kids in the 60s, the Apollo moon missions were a dream come to life. I grew up watching every cheesy sci-fi movie ever made and was a devoted Star Trek fan and I saw the Apollo moon landing as our first major step towards a life of exploring other planets. Unfortunately, our TV was in the moving van that was still making its way to the Northwest. We didn’t know anyone at this base, and I was going to miss seeing one of the most important moments in history. My only consolation was a small transistor radio. At least I’d be able to hear it happen.

But a few minutes before the scheduled landing, a guy from down the street knocked on the front door, and when my mom answered it, he handed her a small portable TV and said, “This isn’t something you should miss.” It was one of the best gifts I can recall getting in my entire life.

He came back the next day for his TV, but for a moment the people on this planet were drawn closer together. And that guy went out of his way to do something because he felt it was the right thing to do and I will never forget him and his generosity.

Here’s to the 40th Anniversary of the landing on the Moon.

Julius Shulman, 1910 - 2009

2009-07-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

Julius Shulman, one of the best architectural photographers in the U.S., died at age 98 on July 15. Although he was more famous among architects than he was among photographers, Shulman was considered by most to be the best photographer of Modernist architecture in the 20th Century. He completed his last assignment two weeks ago and he began his career as a photographer in 1936. That's a 73 year run, which is truly remarkable in any field.

The New "Leica"?

2009-06-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Olympus unveiled its latest Micro 4/3 camera, the Olympus Pen E-P1. They are calling it a Digital Pen, in reference to their half-frame 35mm cameras of the 60s and 70s, most famously the Olympus Pen-F and other models. Like the vintage camera line, the new E-P1 is small, sleek, and stylish. Decidedly old-fashioned looking, in fact, but filled with the latest digital camera technology, including HD video.

What strikes me about the E-P1 is how much it looks like what I thought Leica could come up with if they tried to make a digital camera from scratch. Taking the good ideas from their M-series cameras, like small bodies and lenses and economical design, but not being needlessly married to existing designs and guidelines that are now quite ancient, which is how I see their M8.2. I don't know how this camera will perform, though Photography Blog has several images from the camera online here and frankly the results seem mixed to me, but this design has a lot of potential for serious photographers. Especially, documentary photographers. The E-P1 could be the Leica M for the 21st Century. We've needed something like this, so let's hope that this it it.

Fave Pix from SoFoBoMo!

2009-06-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

These are three of my favorite images from the Old Aurora Colony Museum shoot. The first one of the white pitcher was used as the cover image. Be sure to check out the finished book at SoFoBoMo.

Solo Photo Book Month Project Completed!

2009-06-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I uploaded my finished e-book for the Solo Photo Book Month event. You can find it here. I ended up with 40 images all together and I have to say I'm pleased with the final result. It looks pretty good. It also feels good to be done with it.

This really is a good project to take on because it pushes you to new extremes in photographing. To end up with 35 or more images, most people would agree that you need to shoot roughly 10 times that amount depending on the person. Over the years, that's what I've noticed in working professionals. Of course, there are those who can produce good work at a much tighter ratio, but if you count on 1 photo out of 10 as a starting point, you won't be far off. So, for 35 images you need to to shoot about 350 images.

In my case, I shot 550 images, some of them duplicates or variations of the same scene, and ended up with about 40 finals. I could probably have included more images in the final book, but I decided what I had was enough. That puts my shooting ratio at 1 in 13. I've known some pros who shoot at 1 in 36. It should be acknowledged that shooting digital encourages overshooting. When I used to shoot with a 4x5 camera, my ratio was closer to 1 in 4 or 5. With 8x10, it was more like 1 in 2. The bigger the camera, the more work it is to make an image, the smaller the shooting ratio becomes.

When you shoot 350 or more images, it takes a lot of time to edit them all down to the final images and it takes a while to prep them, sequence them, and come up with a layout, not to mention choosing typefaces. And it all has to happen within the 31 days. A project of this sort is a lot of work, but it can also be highly rewarding. While it may be too late to try it this year, keep it in mind for next year. You'll be glad you did.

Later today or tomorrow, I'll post a few of my favorite images from the project. In the meantime, check out my book at the SoFoBoMo website and check out some of the other ones as well. There's a lot of good work out there.

SPBM Update

2009-05-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

I officially kicked off my own book project for Solo Photo Book Month (SPBM) a few days ago. Thursday the 21st, to be exact. Not too long ago, while my mom was visiting from out of town, my wife and I took her to the Aurora Colony, which is about 30 miles south of Portland, Oregon. It is the site of a Utopian Community that was founded in the mid-1800s. While I was walking around on that visit, I thought it might be a good subject for a book, and therefore would work for SPBM.

It also worked out that I finally decided to pony up the money and buy a new Canon 5D Mark II and this would be a good project to get up to speed on this new camera. So I headed out to Aurora with my new camera on Thursday morning. I spent 6 hours there shooting and came back the next day for 2 more hours. I came away with 552 images from 8 hours of work. Uh, that comes to a shooting rate of 69 images per hour, which is kind of interesting. I sat down and edited those 552 images down to a more manageable 132. Now it's a matter of picking which images will go into the book. Remember that according to the rules of the event, I have to have a minimum of 35 images, so I shouldn't have too much difficulty meeting that requirement. Of course, few of those 132 images will make the final pick.

At the moment, I'm printing out contact sheets, so I can cut them apart and start to combine them in the order that they will appear in the book. When I get the chance, I'll post a few of my favorites images. Well, the clock is ticking and I still have a lot to do and only 27 days left to do them. As I get things done, I'll you know how it's going.

Bill Jay, 1940 - 2009

2009-05-19T11:29:00.000-07:00

Bill Jay passed away the other day. I never met him, but he still managed to have a profound effect on me, my writing, and my photography. He was probably best known at this time for his column in LensWork magazine called EndNotes. EndNotes was his random, sometimes stream of consciousness, musings about the state of the art of photography—occasionally funny, sometimes off topic, always fascinating. Early in his career, Bill was the founding editor of Creative Camera Magazine, a very influential British photography magazine. He was born in Britain. He wrote hundreds of articles on the subject and published more than a dozen books about photography. Eventually, he moved to the United States and founded the Photographic Studies Department at Arizona State University. He retired earlier this year and had just moved to Costa Rica. Bill Jay died in his sleep just the other day.

It is my hope that Bill will be remembered by future generations of photographers because of one particular book he wrote. It is a book he co-wrote with David Hurn called Being a Photographer. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of photography manuals and how-to’s that have been published over the years, but this book is special. Instead of focusing on how to use the equipment, which nearly all photography books do, he chose to write about the mental and intellectual processes that a photographer undergoes in making photographs. The result is the best book on how to approach the craft and process of photographing. When I read Bill’s book, I immediately thought that this is what every aspiring photographer needs to read, no matter their level of accomplishment. It’s the book I wish I had read when I was starting out. It would have saved so much time and effort and struggle. Even after being a photographer for thirty years, I still learned a great deal. I never had the chance to thank Bill for this gift of his experiences and insights. Thanks, Bill.

Solo Photo Book Month

2009-05-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

First there was National Novel Writing Month, where (as the title implies) you write an entire novel from start to finish in one month. For people who have a problem doing a project without a deadline, this is perfect. Now for photographers, there’s Solo Photo Book Month. The idea is the same: complete a photography project, do any writing that’s needed, and make a book out of it in one month’s time, or 31 days. So many photographers never get around to doing a book. We might have exhibits or portfolios, but there’s something different about a book of your own images.

The specifics are doable for most people. The month is actually kind of loose. It’s any 31 consecutive days during May or June, so you plan around your own schedule. So you must start on or after May 1^st and the book must be completed by June 30^th. You need at least 35 images—usually, the projects work better if they’re of a single subject and every image needs to be shot in this 31 day period. Of course, you can do the planning ahead of time. The nice thing about this is that you don’t have to produce a physical book of images, just a PDF version of it. You can read all the specifics about the event here.

This is a great way to focus your efforts and output. It might even be the beginning of a real printed book, even if you publish it yourself on Blurb or Lulu as print-on-demand. That’s what I plan to do. Or it could be an excellent way to jumpstart a new long term project. Give this some thought and give it a try. If nothing else, it’ll be a lot of fun. But remember, since we’re in May already, you better get started soon. Check out the Solo Photo Book Month website for all the info you need to get going and to see examples from last year’s participants. I'm planning to do this as well, so as I work on it, I'll give you updates on the project's progress.

History of Kodak Pro Digital Cameras

2009-04-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a fascinating bit of history of the various cameras Kodak adapted and marketed as professional digital SLRs. They started this in 1987 and used Nikon, Canon, and eventually Sigma camera bodies for their modifications and wrapped things up in 2004. When they first came out, these were frighteningly expensive cameras, but every once in a while I see one for sale on Ebay or Craig's List for just a tiny fraction of what they originally sold for.

As a side note, Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer blog, recently commented on the sense of collecting these abandoned and now obsolete early digital cameras. In the not too distant future, they'll probably be worth something and they're quite a bargain now. It'd be an good way to start a camera collection.

Anyway, go here to see the .pdf called The DCS Story, which is hosted on NikonWeb.com. It's an interesting read.

Chris Rainier Profile in PhotoMedia Magazine

2009-03-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

If you happen to live on the West Coast of the US, you can pick up the latest issue of PhotoMedia, a free magazine distributed in camera and photo-related stores. I wrote an article for the latest issue that profiles Chris Rainier, a photographer who works for National Geographic. Chris is a great example of someone who can blend their varied interests into a cohesive whole. He was the last assistant to Ansel Adams, but instead of going into landscape photography like so many of Adams's assistants, Chris went on to work for the International Red Cross and Amnesty International as a documentary photographer. Today at National Geographic, his work focuses on indigenous and at-risk cultures around the world. His work combines the aesthetics of traditional fine art B&W photography with the social relevance of documentary photography. Chris Rainier is an artist who believes that your work should make a difference in the world. Pick up PhotoMedia and read all about him and his work.

To see the online version of this article, click here.

P&S Camera Recommendations - Updated!

2009-01-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lateness on this, but here are the recommended cameras from Digital Photography Review (www.dpreview.com). This is the short and sweet version, but for the complete run-down on all the cameras, please go to their excellent site. The cameras are listed in order of preference, from most recommended to merely highly recommended, in this case. You won’t lose in picking any of these cameras.

Best Budget Cameras (under$150.00):
Sony Cyber-Shot W120
Panasonic Lumix LZ8
(My runner-up: the Canon PowerShot A590 IS)

Best Ultra Compact Cameras:
Tie for 1st: Canon PowerShot SD 790 IS and the Panasonic DMC-FX37
Runners-up: Sony T700 and the Nikon S210

Premium Compact Cameras:
Fujifilm F100fd
Canon PowerShot SD 880 IS

Enthusiast Compact Cameras:
Panasonic LX3
Highly Recommended: Canon Powershot SX110 IS and the Panasonic TZ5
(My recommendation: the Canon Powershot G10)

For the Enthusiast category, I see the Panasonic LX3 and the Canon PowerShot G10 as the best choices, with each having different strengths. The LX3 has the equivalent of a 24mm wide-angle lens (which is great), but it only zooms up to 60mm, which for most people isn’t enough telephoto. But its lens also has a wide f-stop at f/2. These days, that’s unusual. The G10 is more of an all-around choice. Its lens is the equivalent of a 28 – 140mm zoom. That’s darn near perfect for an all-purpose carry-around camera. The G10 also has a 15 mp sensor, while the LX3 has a 10 mp sensor. And the LX3 is much better in low light situations and high ISO settings than the G10. They’re both good cameras, but they are also very different from each other. Noticeably missing from DP’s list is Nikon. Nikon is devoting more energy towards SLRs than P&Ss, but with the rapidly dropping prices of SLRs, that kind of makes sense. Anyway, if you are looking for a new P&S camera, any of these deserve a closer look. Cheers.

And now:

This is a bit late for the Holidays, but their Super Zoom category, which is the fifth and last of the group P&S camera tests, was just published these yesterday (1-15-2009). These are cameras with wide-range 10X to 20X zooms and image stabilization features of one sort or another, like the Canon SX10 IS with a lens that is, equivalent in 35mm terms, a 28 – 560mm zoom. This sort of camera is a carry-all type of camera that will handle most if not all of your photographic needs.

Super Zoom Cameras:
Tie for 1st: Canon SX10 IS and the Panasonic FZ28
Recommended: Olympus SP-565UZ

It’s also interesting to note how many Panasonic cameras made their lists. Panasonic is one of the newest camera brands and not very long ago no one could have predicted how well they would be doing now. The switch from film to digital has certainly shaken things up in the camera business, to say the least.

Odds & Ends

2008-12-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

Digital Photography Review has published a couple more of their Holiday Camera Group Tests: Ultra Compact Cameras and Premium Compact Cameras. If you're looking for holiday gifts, or just a new camera for yourself, check them out. When they finish all their tests, I'll run their picks for the best of each category.

A couple of photographers whose images were featured in Focus on Photography have published books that you should be aware of. First is Tim Flach, who was the career profile for the animals chapter. His book is called Equus, and it features a wide variety of images of horses, from all angles, points of view, and stages of life. From the studio to wilderness locations, Flach covers every imaginable aspect of horses. This is a beautiful book and well worth looking at.

Second is Dan Burkholder, who provided the title page photo in Focus on Photography and a few other images. The title page image was part of his series of post-Katrina New Orleans photographs and his book is that series. It's called The Color of Loss. This work is hauntingly bittersweet and beautiful, and showcases the capabilites of digital photography. Burkholder is a great photographer and this is a wonderful chance to see images that push the boundaries of documentary and fine art photography. Check it out.

Budget Camera Tests!

2008-11-28T12:53:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays is a comprehensive test of digital cameras under $150.00 from Digital Photography Review, which is an excellent website for those interested in technical matters and camera/lens testing. They review 9 different models, show the strengths and weaknesses of each one, and offer their takes on the 2 best Point & Shoot cameras for under $150.00. Read all about it here.

This is the first of 5 such Group Tests from www.dpreview.com. Stay tuned!

Useful Gadget

2008-11-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

This isn't exactly new (the utility has been available for a couple of months), but it recently occurred to me how easily and quickly this new tool has fit into my digital darkroom routine. So I thought I'd like to share it with everyone.

The issue of whether or not to shoot RAW in the camera has been rendered a moot point by one easy-to-use, free, downloadable utility: the Instant JPEG from RAW utility or IJFR for short. Once it's installed, you simply right-click on a RAW image, select "Instant JPEG from RAW," and in no time you have a JPEG of that RAW image. How fast, you ask? Well, last night after doing a bit of shooting (the client wanted JPEGs right away so she could create simple place-holder images for a catalog), I selected the images in the folder (around 16 images), and it took 1 second to convert all the images into JPEGs and put them into a new folder of their own. That's one second to convert 16 images. I think that says everything.

Once you use this utility, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. You do have to register at the website and then they'll email you a link to the download site for the utility. It's really simple to install after that. Go to RawWorkFlow.com, and look around at the different products they offer, or just go to the IJFR page here. You'll be happy you did.

Daivd Maisel: Library of Dust

2008-10-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

The current exhibit in the back gallery at the Blue Sky Gallery in Portland, Oregon is David Maisel’s project, Library of Dust. It runs from October 2 to November 2. Library of Dust is Maisel’s series of color photographs of corroded copper canisters. Each one is placed on a black background and while the copper is sometimes polished to a soft glow, in other images the copper is dull and tired looking, dented and bent out of shape. The colors of corrosion vary from brilliant cerulean blue to deep magenta. In some images the corrosion builds out from the surface of the copper and spills down the metal sides, creating thick layers of mineral deposits, like what you might find in a limestone cave, but made of white, green, and blue accretions.

Occasionally, the canisters are laid on their sides, but most are upright and positioned in the center of the frame, much like the Edward Weston’s Nautilus Shell (1927) or, more specifically, one of Irving Penn’s Cigarette or Street Materials photographs from the 1970s. Visually, Maisel’s images share a lot in common with Penn’s images, but Penn’s were shot on a white background and presented as platinum prints. Another thing that Maisel and Penn share is the scale of the exhibited work—both are big. Penn’s were roughly 4 x 5 feet in size and Maisel’s are perhaps a bit bigger than that—intimate, small-scale objects presented larger than life. They invite the viewer to be drawn in and they seduce the viewer with sensual, visual delights. But whereas Penn’s images showed us the discarded, used-up objects of people, Maisel’s images are of discarded, used-up people. Literally.

The copper canisters contained the cremated remains of people. They were patients at the Oregon State Hospital, whose bodies remained unclaimed after their deaths. The earliest canisters date from the 1880s and the latest from the 1970s. There are more than 3500 of them at the hospital. When Maisel photographed them, they were all placed in a small room with simple pine shelves, stacked three deep in rows, looking like a library, hence the name of the exhibit. In an effort to conserve them, since that time, they have been placed in black plastic bags on new shelves in a room next to the old one.

Standing in the gallery surrounded by Maisel’s photographs is like standing in a mausoleum. And in many ways, this is exactly what is happening. But the first response is one of wonder at the beauty of the objects themselves. The colors are deliciously rich. The patterns of the corrosion are delicate, nearly ephemeral, like they would fall apart if you touched them and blow away with the wind. At other times, the corrosion seems like the sediments of the ages—solid and geologic—or like aerial photographs of the borders between earth and sea. The black of the background is the black of outer space—infinite and eternal. It separates and propels the canisters toward the viewer. But the scale and presence of the images belie the reality of the objects themselves, the canisters become as fragile as the lives they contain. All of these are people who left this world unwanted and unclaimed. Their lives and their bodies are now packed into these containers. This is all that remains of them. The sadness of that truth is mixed with the stunningly bittersweet testimonial of Maisel’s images. In a way, Maisel offers these people another chance of recognition—a way for them to be seen and not forgotten. The images are Maisel’s own memorial to the patients of the Oregon State Hospital. Like a lot of good art, Maisel’s Library of Dust works on a variety of levels. Visually beautiful and emotionally devastating. It pulls you in and repels you at the same time. It is both grotesque and sublime. And because of this, the Library of Dust is unforgettable.

-Hermon Joyner

News from Photokina

2008-09-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s Photokina time again and unlike most years, there are a few surprises this time around. You can always get the complete scoop at dpreview.com, but here is my take on the more noteworthy product announcements.

The biggest surprise is Leica’s S2 digital camera and system. Not only did they come out with a brand new digtal SLR, but they invented a new format for it. The sensor on it falls between full frame 35mm cameras like the Canon 5D and medium format backs like those from Hasselblad and Phase 1—it measures 30 x 45mm and contains 37 MP. For reference, the 5D’s is 24 x 36mm. Added to the surprise, is that the S2 is slightly smaller than pro cameras like the Canon 1Ds and the Nikon D3. And they have a full range of lenses, a total of nine, to go with it. Just when I thought that Leica was going to fade away, they come out with something like this. Go figure. Of course, it’ll be way too expensive for most people (I heard one guess that the S2 body might sell for $30,000. Yikes!), but it sure is an interesting idea. You could even consider it something totally new.

And not too long ago, I mentioned in the blog that Panasonic had announced a new format, the Micro 4/3s and I said then that we probably wouldn’t see any cameras using this new format for a while yet. Well, I guess it’s been a while because both Panasonic and Olympus have shown new cameras in the format. The prototype from Olympus even takes the form I talked about—a small, Leica-styled compact camera with tiny interchangeable lenses. Like the folks at Leica, they must have been sitting on this for some time. When the production camera actually arrives, it’ll give photo-journalists a new tool for their trade. Which is a really excellent thing for everyone concerned.

And Canon finally unveiled the 5D replacement, the 5D Mark II. The sensor jumps from 12 MP to 21 MP and the camera will do HD video (1080p at 30 fps). The ISO has also been increased up to 25,600, just like the newer cameras from Nikon like the D3 and the D700. It also has the latest Digic 4 processor, for what that’s worth. And it features automatic dust reduction for the sensor. The increase in MP is a bit surprising, as is the video capability, but the new model has everything that people were expecting, which is good. And not surprisingly, the rumors and speculations about the replacement for the EOS 1Ds Mark III (it's about one year old) have already begun.

Also good news for photogs is that Lensbaby has all new lenses. One is called the “Muse,” and it’s built like the older 2.0 model. The “Control Freak” is similar to the older 3G and has 3 screw posts to finely control and lock in the degree of tilt on the lens. The newly designed “Composer” is based on a ball-and-socket and allows the user to move and tilt the lens quickly, but have it stay in place. Quick like the “Muse” with the control of the “Control Freak.” Sounds good to me. The big news is that all the lenses will have interchangeable lens elements. You can choose from a 2-element multicoated doublet (reasonably sharp), a single element uncoated lens (slightly soft), a plastic singlet (think of Holga plastic cameras), and even a pinhole (for great depth of field that is still soft). All will have varying degrees of sharpness and interesting image characteristics. And once you buy a complete lens (which will retail for about $270), the rest of the lens element choices are pretty inexpensive (around $35). How cool is that? I’ve been using the 3G for a couple of years and I love it. Lenbaby’s give you results like nothing else. They’re a wonderful tool in your lens kit. If you haven’t tried them, check them out.

Norvel Trosst – the Telford Chronicles

2008-09-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

How Art comes into existence is a question whose answers are as individual as the people who make it. Norvel Trosst’s latest project, the Telford Chronicles, is an exhibit showing at the Lorinda Knight Gallery in Spokane, Washington (509.838.3740). It shows there from September 5th through the 27th. Trosst’s project combines aspects of traditional landscape photography, conceptual art, Pictorialist, Surrealist, and Expressionist art. It is also one of the most successfully conceived and executed exhibits I’ve ever seen.

By way of full disclosure, I have to admit to a few things. Norvel is a friend of mine. I’ve known him for many years. He asked me to appear in a film which he included in the exhibit and is central to the concept of the project. Norvel also has a photograph in Focus on Photography (page 215), the textbook Kathy and I wrote. And he included some of my haiku in a radio program that he hosts on public radio in Spokane. So am I impartial? Not at all, but what follows is my opinion and observations, so make of it what you will.

The idea behind the Telford Chronicles is quite ingenious. The exhibit is a narrative about the discovery of negatives and prints found after some vague apocalypse—it could have been in the far past, or the distant future, or perhaps some alternative version of our world. Part of the set-up of the exhibit is a film of the discovery of these lost negatives. I play one of the explorers in the film with Zan Agzigian, a poet and writer in Spokane. The photographs are Adrian Telford’s record of this apocalyptic world, sometimes serving as testaments of the desolation and destruction of the landscape and sometimes showing Adrian as the silent observer, the explorer of this world. Norvel plays Adrian in the photographs with a costume of camouflage pants, dark blue blazer, white turtleneck, and dark goggles. He doesn’t interact with the land, he acts as a witness to the destruction. He continues to wander looking for something undefined, whether other people, remnants of civilization, or his own past. Accompanying each image is a short statement, many of them bleak cries of anguish and grief. None were written with any particular image in mind, but after the prints were made, they were paired up together, not as explanations of the images or captions, but as affirmations of their shared emotional content.

Using photography to tell a fictional narrative is not a new idea—it has its origins in the costume portraits and tableaus of the Pictorialists—but in Norvel’s hands, it has a poignancy and weight that few photographers have matched. The isolation, the desolation, and the emotional depth come from Norvel’s own life. The origin of the project can be found in his own long-term illness that haunted Norvel for more than a decade. It’s all too true that sometimes, though not always, art and beauty comes from suffering. You only have to look at Van Gogh or jazz musicians like Charlie Parker or Billie Holiday to see evidence of this. But in the end, out of Norvel’s illness, his suffering, came a thing of great beauty. This is one of the most moving and emotionally resonant exhibits I’ve seen. There’s no question that the images and statements are dark and sometimes sinister, but still there is a quiet beauty and grace that underlies it all. If you are in Spokane this month, go see this show.

A Couple of News Items

2008-08-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has released PhotoSynth, a “revolutionary” software program. It can combine dozens up to thousands of images (maybe much more?) of a particular location or scene, and then create a 3D image of that place. Then you can “go into” the image and move around and zoom into tiny details. Several months ago I saw an online demo of the program and it was frankly baffling. My mind could hardly grasp what I was seeing. The closest thing to it that I can think of is a scene from Blade Runner, that old Harrison Ford/Ridley Scott classic. In one scene, Ford’s character feeds a photograph (it looked like a Polaroid to me) into a machine and then was able to go deeper and deeper into the image, going through doorways and checking out other rooms, chasing down images and scenes in mirrors—seeing details and views that weren’t visible in the original photograph. It was pure fantasy. At the time. PhotoSynth has nearly the same capability. Isn’t that weird?

Also, Michael Reichmann and Jeff Schewe have had their online/downloadable tutorial Fine Art Printing: From Digital Camera to Print published by Calumet Photo as a DVD. Reichmann is the man behind that great website Luminous Landscape. If you haven’t checked it out, please do so. I’d recommend the DVD based on my experiences with their tutorials. They produce quality goods.

And one more thing. Specs on a new Canon DSLR have been leaked--the 50D, which will supposedly replace the 40D. The 50D will have a 15.1 MP sensor and a high-resolution 3-inch LCD. This is, of course, unofficial, but I'm sure the official story will come out for Photokina. I just wish info had been leaked about the replacement for the 5D. Oh, well.

New Digital Format Announced

2008-08-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Panasonic and Olympus have announced a new digital camera format called Micro Four Thirds. Both companies were early adopters of the original Four Thirds format. The size of the Four Thirds sensor is about halfway between point & shoot sensors and C-DSLR sensors.

The new cameras won't have mirrors and prisms and won't be, strictly speaking, SLRs. It will have the same video preview that point & shoots have now. The big, and signifcant, change is the lenses for the new system will placed at half the distance from the sensor as in current DSLRs and the lenses will be greatly reduced in size. Together this means significantly smaller and lighter cameras with nearly the resolution of full-sized DSLRs. At least, this could be the case. See, there are no cameras, lenses, or anything else at the moment for this new system. This is all on paper, so to speak. Maybe we'll see prototypes at Photokina in September this year, but I suspect that it may be a while before we have anything in hand.

Still, seeing that Leica is partnered with Panasonic for many of their digital cameras, this seems like a perfect opportunity for them. Small compact cameras with small compact lenses is just up their alley. At least it seems to me that they should be jumping all over this. It would be a way to be in on the start of a whole new system and format, and they wouldn't be forced to play catch-up with all the other camera companies like Canon and Nikon. They've always been good at creating and playing on their own terms in their own niche, and this is the best chance they've got to do this again. I hope this works out for them.

Ansel Adams and the Lone Pine Photograph

2008-07-15T16:44:00.001-07:00

People love to speculate on whether Ansel Adams would have liked and used Photoshop. At least in a documentary of him I saw, that was made before he died, he talked with some excitement about future electronic technologies and how they might interpret his images. Digital photography and the enormous image manipulation capabilities of Photoshop weren’t available yet and wouldn’t be until 15 years or so after he died. He was seeing and liking the effect digital technology was having on the printing industry. The laser-scanned reproductions of his images were the best he’d ever seen. But he didn’t see or talk about the manipulation and compositing aspects of what was to come. Of course.

The people who think that Ansel would have embraced Photoshop usually point out a certain image of his—Winter Sunrise: Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, 1944. Ansel talked about this image in his book, Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs. He made the image while in the neighborhood shooting his documentary project of the Japanese Internment Camp, Manzanar, during 1943 and 1944. In this otherwise pristine landscape, the local high school students had put their school’s initials, “LP,” on the hill side in white-washed rocks. “LP” stands for Lone Pine.

Ansel made the image and spent a number of years dealing with it after the fact. In his words, “I ruthlessly removed what I could of the L P from the negative (in the left-hand hill), and have always spotted out any remaining trace in the print.” When I took a workshop from John Sexton in 1987, he related the story that Ansel gave him the job of scraping the LP out of the 8x10 negative with a scalpel, when John was Ansel’s assistant in the 70s. On the face of things, this account isn’t all that different from what digital photographers do every day, cloning out offensive elements from their images to make them a better representative of what they saw and felt. And it’s a good way to control things beyond your control when you shoot.

Whether or not Ansel would have embraced and used Photoshop, no one can say, but I suspect that he, being the equipment junkie that he was, probably would have done so. Below are the version of this image that we usually see now and below that is one from a 1968 book This is the American Earth, written by Ansel Adams and Nancy Newhall. This version of Winter Sunrise was made before the removal of the hillside letters (I circled those annoying letters in red, just to make them more annoying) and shows how Ansel once printed it. Please forgive the big crease in the middle of the image. It was reproduced as a double page spread in the book. It is a lower contrast, quieter image and it is cropped differently. Notice how the sky is lighter in tone. Ansel’s printing grew bolder and more dramatic as he got older. He’s a great example of how an artist’s vision and language changes over time.

Hermon Joyner

Winter Sunrise: Lone Pine, 1944 (from Examples: The Making of 40 Photographs)

Winter Sunrise: Lone Pine, 1944 (from This is the American Earth)

Close-up of the "LP" on the hill.

Play with the Plastic

2008-05-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

I was feeling a bit stale in my approach to photographing. Maybe it was just the aftermath of a long cold rainy Oregon winter, but I thought I needed a change of pace. Something to shake loose the cobwebs and see things in a new way. Yadda yadda yadda. So I signed up for a workshop. I’ve taken several workshops over the years, and taught quite a few as well, but it’s always nice to get together with other folks with a shared interest/passion and have some fun. You don’t have to have a definite agenda beyond maybe trying something new, learning a new trick or two, or just taking a few pix. So I signed up for an all-day field trip to Sauvie Island.

Sauvie Island is, not surprisingly, an island in the Columbia River northwest of Portland, Oregon. It’s mostly farms, beaches (some clothing optional!), and wildlife refuges. The workshop/fieldtrip, offered by the Newspace Center of Photography in Portland, was led by Susan Bein, a long time Photoshop guru, photographic artist, and genuinely nice person. The first stop on the excursion was the Bybee-Howell farmstead, an old house that is now overseen by the State Parks Department. Susan had brought along a 400-foot roll of plastic intended for use as a painter’s drop cloth. It’s very lightweight, translucent, and tends to drift in the air and billow in the breeze. As we were walking up to the house, she asked if I wanted to use the plastic in some photographs. After all, that’s why she brought it along.

I looked at the plastic, looked at her, and thought, “Are you kidding? That is nothing that I would ever photograph!” But I said, “Uh, no thanks,” and shuffled on. Now remember that I signed up for the workshop for a change of pace, and here I was turning down something that was a definite change of pace, for me anyway. Not a shining moment for yours truly. Well to make a short story long, once we got in the old house and I saw how she was using the plastic, I did take some photos. And I did have a good time doing it. And I even like the images I made.

Moral of the story is: if someone offers you some plastic to play with, take it and have fun with it. You’ll be glad you did. Thanks, Susan.

Below are a couple of shots of the plastic in the old house. Spooky.

The Cutest Digital Camera

2008-03-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, I might have to save up for this one (speaking of eqipment). Komamura Corporation, in Japan, has unveiled a miniature Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera as a digital camera, called the Rolleiflex MiniDigi AF5.0. It works much the same as an old Rollei, except it's 3-inches tall and it is digital, after all. MSRP will be around $399, or so. But isn't it cute?

Does Equipment Matter?

2008-03-19T19:13:00.000-07:00

There’s a kind of online debate going on at the moment that will be of interest to photographers. It’s about the importance of equipment. Ken Rockwell wrote an article called, “Your Camera Doesn't Matter,” and the title says it all. Michael Reichmann, the guy behind the excellent site Luminous Landscape, offers a counter-argument called, “Your Camera Does Matter.” Click on the titles to read those articles.

Rockwell offers a ton of clichés and clever one-liners, not to mention redundancies and downright bizarre statements, to support his view that photographs are made inside a photographer’s mind and not in the camera and that the camera is inconsequential to how well a photo turns out. Well, in my experience, the camera and lens and all the dozens of decisions and choices made along the way have a definite effect on any resulting photographs. While it may be true that if you can’t “see” an image in the first place you won’t be able to capture it even with an excellent camera, to pretend that equipment doesn’t matter is just not being realistic. It’s like all the other choices a photographer makes in creating an image, the equipment you choose impacts your images in a very real way.

Reichmann’s point of view is that photography is a craft (not just an art) that uses equipment to produce its images. It’s hard to argue with this statement and matching the equipment to the subject matter is a very important part of being a photographer. After all, you can’t make professional quality architectural photographs with a disposable camera. You can’t make a formal portrait with an old Polaroid camera. That’s why black-and-white landscape photography is almost always done with 4x5 and 8x10 view cameras or more precisely folding field cameras, or at least it used to be. But it seems like Reichmann’s leaving out or downplaying the photographer’s creativity—the mental process that happens in making an image. And frankly it’s true that having the best equipment is no guarantee for getting the best images.

Over the years, I’ve known plenty of photographers with all the latest expensive equipment who can’t make a decent image and I’ve known many who use cameras I wouldn’t even pick up on a dare, but manage to create wonderful images just the same. I believe it’s a matter of matching the photographer’s working methods or personality to the equipment and the subject matter. When these three qualities are aligned with each other, excellent images are the result. But in my experience, better quality equipment can allow a photographer to achieve even greater results. Good equipment makes the job of photographing easier, and it’s just that simple.

It seems like Rockwell and Reichmann are both trying to separate the art from the craft (coming from different directions) and that’s not something you can really do with photography—art and craft in photography are way too entwined. So in a way, they are both right and wrong. Does equipment matter? Of course it does. Does creativity matter? Of course it does. They all matter just as much as any of the other variables that exist in photography. And like I usually say, the art of photography is found in the choices you make in creating a photograph.

West Elm Catalog Copy

2008-03-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

I saw the latest catalog from West Elm, a contemporary home furnishings company. They feature a few framed photographs for sale along with beds, sofas, and rugs. The descriptions of the photographs leave me a little baffled, however. In three of the four examples, they include what kind of camera made the image in specific detail.

Here’s an example: “These striking images were captured using a Nikon D70 camera with Nikon 17-80mm lenses.” Ignoring the grammar problems, why would a potential buyer be interested in this level of product detail? Maybe I could see it if the camera and lens used were rare or high-end professional models, but this is not even strictly pro-oriented gear.

Either an image is interesting or it isn’t. Knowing what kind of camera was used won’t make it any more appealing. I don’t know of anyone who has ever bought a photograph because of the equipment used to make it. They might buy one because of who made it, but for the most part people buy photographs because the images are beautiful, interesting, nostalgic, or shocking.

News Briefs - February 11, 2008

2008-02-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

Polaroid has announced that they are completely getting out of the (instant) film business by the end of this year and will concentrate on television and digital photography technologies. This is a sad day for all the photographer/artists that used Polaroid materials to such good ends for so many decades. Gone will be all the square little SX-70 pictures. Gone will be all the cool and unique image and emulsion transfer prints. Gone will be the black-and-white images with the distinctive edges, such as Mark Klett’s. While their decision is understandable from a business sense, they will be missed.

Trading on the enduring reputation of Swiss bank accounts for security and discretion, the Swiss Picture Bank is now offering the first online, guaranteed permanent digital archive. Their catchy motto is: “Safe. Forever.^TM” Since most digital photographers are a hard drive crash away from losing most or all of their images, this could be seen as a valuable resource. The costs start out at a reasonable one-time charge of $.03 an image for 30 years of storage. Seems like a good idea to me.

This last item is not photo related, but I found out today that actor Roy Scheider died this past weekend from complications of cancer. He was 75 years old. His notable film roles include The French Connection, Sorcerer, 2010, Marathon Man, All That Jazz, and, of course, Jaws. He always brought a genuine sense of the everyman to his characters and carried himself with dignity and gravitas. Every movie that he was in benefited from his presence. I’m sorry to see him go.

Hermon

PMA 2008 News

2008-02-06T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well, the PMA show (Photographic Marketing Association) came and went last week and there were a few noteworthy items that showed up. Canon has a new digital Rebel, the Rebel XSi. It now has a 12-mp sensor, Live View (sort of like what point & shoot cameras have), and uses SD cards instead of CompactFlash cards. The expected replacement for the 5D wasn’t shown, but since this is a Photokina (that’s the big European trade show) year, it might show up in the Fall. Nikon has a few new lenses: a AF-S 60mm f/2.8G Micro lens and a PC-E 24mm f/2.8D tilt-shift lens. From Casio, not exactly a leader in digital cameras, comes the Pro EX-F1, which looks like a small SLR and has the astounding shoot rate of 60 frames per second at full 6-mp resolution. I guess you better have a big memory card for this camera. I’m not really sure what this will be good for (motion studies? scientific research?), but that’s truly amazing performance.

Fuji showed a good camera for people who want D-SLR performance, but don’t want to change lenses: the S100FS. It has a wide-range image-stabilized lens, equivalent to a 28-400mm 35mm lens, and has an 11-mp sensor. If you want high performance and only one camera, you might take a look at this one.

Perhaps the most curious camera shown was a unnamed prototype also from Fuji: a folding 6x7 medium format film camera with Aperture Priority automatic exposure. Since they discontinued all their medium format cameras a few years ago, this was a surprise to say the least. Still for the film fans out there, this will probably be a great camera to shoot with—small, portable, and with a tack sharp lens on it. Some of my favorite and most used view camera lenses were made by Fuji. You can see a photo of this new camera here. It’s kind of pretty, in a nostalgic sort of way.

And Now a Word from the Department of Transportation

2007-12-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

Effective January 1, 2008, passengers on planes will no longer be able to carry loose rechargeable lithium batteries (the kind that are commonly used in digital cameras, camcorders, and laptops) in their checked baggage. However, you can have them in your carry-on bags, as long as they’re in their original packaging or in a simple resealable plastic bag. And you’re limited to a total of only two spare rechargeable lithium batteries in your carry-on bags. It seems that under certain circumstances, these batteries can explode and catch fire. Hmmm. Makes me wonder what exactly are those circumstances? So if you’re traveling, plan ahead. And just to be safe, don’t carry lithium batteries in your pants pockets. Ouch.

Happy New Year to All

2007-12-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

I hope the holidays have been kind to you all out there, no matter what flavor of holiday you observe, and I hope the new year is productive and profitable to all. Also, I hope that peace is given a chance in all troubled parts of the world. Take care.

Milestones for Canon

2007-12-27T09:28:00.000-08:00

There are a few important milestones for Canon happening right now. 1) They’re celebrating their 70^th Anniversary as a company. 2) They’re celebrating their 20^th Anniversary of making EOS SLR cameras. 3) They’ve just produced their 30 Millionth EOS camera. Congratulations to Canon.

Canon made the switch from manual focus cameras to autofocus cameras in 1987 with the introduction of the EOS 650 camera. They had established a large loyal following through the 60s and 70s with pro-oriented cameras like the F1 and amateur-oriented cameras like the very popular AE-1. At one time, it seemed like everyone was using an AE-1. Then in 1987, they made the tough choice to change lens-mounts and come up with a totally new AF line of cameras and lenses. Even at that time, they were seeing the eventual change from film cameras to digital cameras, and with the new lens-mount system it would be easier to make that transition. After making the change, Canon has been more popular than ever, trading the #1 spot with Nikon back and forth ever since.

I bought my first Canon SLR in 1989, when I picked up a brand new EOS-1, their professional level camera. I loved the camera and the Canon lenses. Previously, I had been using first Nikon and then Olympus cameras, but decided to make the shift to autofocus, since that was where the industry was going. I never regretted that decision. Over the years I’ve continued to use Canon cameras, switching to digital bodies when they became available—first the D30 in 2000, then a 10D, a Rebel XTi, and soon a 40D. It’s been a fun trip and I plan to continue using these fine cameras. Thanks, Canon.

A New Book is Out

2007-12-05T10:49:00.001-08:00

The Arts and Crafts Movement in the Pacific Northwest, a book by Lawrence Kreisman and Glenn Mason (a friend of mine for many years), has been published by Timber Press and is available in time for the holidays. If you know someone interested in the Arts and Crafts movement, you won't find a better book. Congratulations to all involved. And of course, you can find this book at Amazon.com or order it through your local bookstore.

The photo above shows a display of the book at Powell's bookstore in Portland, Oregon. It also shows a couple of paintings I photographed for this book. I made around 75 images for the project, ranging from pottery to paintings.

So What’s So Great About Digital?

2007-12-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

When talking about digital photography, it’s only fair to give credit where credit is due. Digital cameras and digital photography are better at some things than film technology ever was, so here are a few of the things it’s especially good at.

Instant Feedback – Of course, instant Image Review is a great feature. Checking your composition as you shoot is wonderful. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, that this works best with subjects that aren’t so time sensitive, like landscapes, architecture, still lifes, studio, and portraiture. For time sensitive situations, like sports and photojournalism, looking at every image you shoot before shooting again might get in your way of getting the shot. The Histogram is also part of the instant feedback. For older photogs, this is like having an instant densitometer reading on every image as you take them. You know right away how good the exposure is for each image and how easy it will be to make a print from it. Both of these aspects allow for accelerated learning as you photograph. Take a picture, analyze it, make corrections, take it again, and repeat as necessary. It really condenses and speeds up the photographic learning curve.

Speed of working – With low cost memory cards and high capacity shooting, it’s not unusual for digital photographers to shoot nearly 10 times more than they would have shot with film. In the past, a photographer might shoot in their lifetime maybe 10,000 to 20,000 images. Many photographers today will shoot that much in a year. And the truth is that the more you do anything, whether it’s sports, music, or any kind of performance, the better you get. Speeding up your output will speed up your progress. Combine this with the first advantage, Instant Feedback, and this will result in younger photographers learning and improving faster than ever.

Quality and Ease of Color Imaging – I first started with color photography when Ektacolor paper was fiber-based and most of the processors required you to work in total darkness with not even a safe light. Yuck. It was exciting for everybody when color papers became resin-coated and lightproof processing tubes became available. But regular color prints faded quickly and most of the time had a veiled quality to the colors. Digital cameras are made for color and image manipulation programs make high quality color images a snap. Inkjet printers produce richer truer colors and with pigment inks you get prints that can last 200 years. You now have complete image control, better looking images, and longer lasting prints. What more could you ask for?

Image Manipulation – In digital, any image becomes plastic. You can bend them, reshape them, alter colors, add colors, increase the sharpness, increase the fuzziness, turn a color image into black-and-white, remove objects, add objects, or any one of an infinite variety of options. And all of this can be done with hardly any sign of tampering. While it sometimes casts doubt on the truth of an image (such as: is that real?), this is a huge advantage for artists trying to capture their own unique vision.

Combining Images – In the beginning, people had to physically cut out images and glue them together to make one composition. Now we can cut and paste in the computer, adding and altering and moving any number of images to make a single image. It’s relatively easy and almost undetectable. With this advantage, photography becomes closer to painting or collage, giving the artist complete control of the composition.

Ease of Combining with Other Media – This is a generally unexplored area for digital photography. We now have the capability to add words, illustrations, and/or audio to any image. It’s possible to add video as well. While this changes the concept of still photography, it also opens the door to new creativity and new opportunities for photographers, adding depth and context to any project.

CAEA Conference Report

2007-11-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Tuesday and we're back from the California Arts Education Association Annual Conference. Kathy and I each taught two workshops and together we did the opening address/lecture for the first ever Digital Strand segment for the Association. For the lecture, I wrote it out and delivered it, and Kathy designed and produced the PowerPoint presentation that went with it. The lecture examined the contributions of John Szarkowski and how his idea of photographs functioning as "Mirrors" or "Windows" continues to have relevance with digital photography.

Here's some of the more pithy quotes I included in the lecture.

Photography: “. . . is it a mirror, reflecting a portrait of the artist who made it, or a window, through which one might better know the world?” – John Szarkowski, 1978

“Every man’s work, whether it be literature or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself, and the more he tries to conceal himself the more clearly will his character appear in spite of him.” – Samuel Butler, The Way of All Flesh (1903)

“You use a glass mirror to see your face: you use works of art to see your soul.” – George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah, 1921

“Life is very nice, but it lacks form. It’s the aim of art to give it some.” – Jean Anouilh, The Rehearsal (1950)

“The Arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of a nation, are very close to the center of a nation's purpose - and are a test of the quality of a nation's civilization.” – John F. Kennedy

“…knowledge of photography is just as important as that of the alphabet. The illiterate of the future will be ignorant of the use of camera and pen alike.” – László Moholy-Nagy, 1936

Many people at the lecture were interested in the photographers included in the "slide show," so here is the list of them.

Eugene Atget - A French photographer who took on the project of documenting the entire city of Paris. He worked with, even then, antiquated equipment and produced images of timeless beauty.

William Eggleston, Joel Meyerowitz, Joel Sternfeld, and Stephen Shore - Very influential color photographers who started working and exhibiting in color in the 1970s. Their impact can still be seen in today's young photographers.

August Sander (1876 – 1964) - He photographed the German people as a large scale, long term national portrait. He was one of the first to make environmental portraits, showing people as they were in daily life.

Irving Penn – He is a fashion, product, & portrait photographer for Vogue magazine. He was successfully able to blend commercial and fine art.

William Henry Jackson (1843 – 1942) - One of the first photographers of the American West. He could make up to 17 wet plate negatives a day. He was the first to photograph in Yellowstone and his images helped to make it a national park.

Carleton E. Watkins (1829 – 1916) - One of the first photographers to visit and photograph Yosemite in California. One of the first photographers to make a living selling prints of scenics and landscapes.

Russell A. Kirsch & Associates - This is one of the first digital images. He worked for the National Bureau of Standards and invented a machine that could scan an image and convert it into a 1-bit image.

Henry Peach Robinson – Early English Pictorialist photographer (1830 - 1901). One of the first to make combination prints. “Fading Away” used 5 different negatives, 1858.

Jerry Uelsmann – He is the master of combination printing and originator of the concepts of Post Visualization. Produces black and white prints that seamlessly combines up to 8 separate negatives.

Jeremy Dawson – This was an image from his series “Men in Suits.” While it mimics traditional street photography, it is actually a subtle and clever composite.

Daniel Lee – Manipulated images from series based on the Chinese Zodiac. Included images were Year of the Ox and Year of the Cock.

Kathryn Hunter – American. Image: Escape. Digital composite from B&W infrared film images.

Tom Chambers. Image: They Comfort 2003.

Mary Frey. Image: In Her Bedroom 1997.

Joyce Neimanas – She is a digital collage artist producing evocative and colorful images.

Larry McNeil – Native American artist whose works incorporates elements of traditional imagery and text.

Loretta Lux – She is mostly known for posed studio portraits of children. They wear the photographers’ old childhood clothes and she puts in backgrounds from images she makes while traveling. She also does subtle and not so subtle manipulations to alter their features, shapes, and geometry.

Fritz Liedtke – Works in Film and digital, frequently mixing the two. The images I included were from a series on adolescence.

Maggie Taylor – She is a digital artist that uses scanners for most of her work. Finished images can contain as many as 150 separate images and layers.

Olivia Parker – She started out as a painter, but switched to photography. In the beginning she used large format and is a master printer, but has since switched to digital cameras and inkjet printers.

Hermon Joyner – From my series called "Figures," which is an oblique look at how humans view themselves through artwork as idealized forms.

Nathan Baker – He shot this series (2006) with a 4x5, scanned them and combined them (up to 36 separate images) in Photoshop. This series is a look at people at work.

Stewart Harvey – A series of upbeat and poignant Post Katrina New Orleans portraits that focuses on the people and life that is still left in the city. It combines the environmental portraits with Harvey's impressions and anecdotes of his encounters in New Orleans. A successful mix of images and words.

Dan Burkholder – This is a series of images of Post Katrina New Orleans that focuses on the damage, but explores the unlikely beauty of that devastation. He takes several images, varying the exposure, and then combines them in the computer. Burkholder has a book coming next year (March 2008) on this series entitled, "The Color of Loss: An Intimate Portrait of New Orleans After Katrina."

Hermon Joyner - Black and white Japanese Gardens images. It eventually became the project and book, Visual/Haiku, which paired the images with haiku poetry.

Mark Klett - He started the Rephotographic Survey project in the 1970s, which picked old photographs from the early survey photographers like Timothy O'Sullivan and tried to reproduce those views exactly - matching angle of view, perspective, framing and lighting. It's an exporation of geologic time versus human time. Working on this project since the 70s, the Rephotographic Survey has found its culmination in digital media, incorporating still images, audio interviews, video clips, and interactive features. This project is available as a book/DVD combination, titled, "Third Views, Second Sights: A Rephotographic Survey of the American West."

Hermon

Focus on Photography goes to California

2007-11-14T20:40:00.000-08:00

Kathy and I are traveling to Pasadena, CA this week to attend the California Arts Education Association Conference, November 15 - 18. Kathy will be giving two beading workshops and I'll be doing two digital photo workshops, plus giving a lecture on the Art of Digital Photography for the opening of the digital strand of the conference. For those interested in the digital photo workshop, there is a .pdf of the handout I did for the workshop available online for download. Click on Tips and Tricks for Fast and Easy Digital Documentation.

I'll post again next week to let you know how it went.

"Focus on Photography" textbook wins award!

2007-09-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

Recently, our textbook Focus on Photography, published by Davis Publications Inc., was given the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers. This is an organization that monitors, evaluates, and awards instructional materials and textbooks for use in primary and secondary schools. Kathy and I, and the many people involved in the editing, design, and production of this textbook, are thrilled that we were given this honor. And so, it must be true, hard work is rewarded. Thanks and congratulations to all.

Cameras, Cameras, Cameras

2007-09-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

This isn’t exactly new news, but camera manufacturers have announced several cameras of interest in gearing up for the Christmas sales season. Considering it’s an off year for Photokina, it’s slightly surprising that so many cameras have been announced.

Canon announced the EOS 1Ds Mark III, the EOS 40D, and the Powershot G9. All of these are significant updates and upgrades from the models they’re replacing, which are respectively the 1Ds Mark II, the 30D, and G7. The 1Ds Mark III will have a CMOS sensor measuring 21 MP, the 40D with 10 MP, and the G9 with 12 MP. All will have much larger rear LCD screens and of course higher resolution. The 1Ds Mark III and 40D will also feature anti-dust technology and Canon’s Live View, which is what all point and shoot cameras have so you can view and compose the image through the screen on the back of the camera. DSLRs haven’t had this feature in the past, mainly because the internal reflex mirror has prevented this from being the norm. In the new cameras, the mirror flips up out of the way so the sensor chip can preview the image. It’s unclear at this time how much battery power will be eaten up in using Live View. More important news for the 40D is that it will shoot at 6.5 frames per second for up to 75 images without stopping. This will make it very useful for sports photographers. And it will have more weather sealing included in its construction. It won’t be waterproof, but should hold up better in wet conditions. The big news for the G9 is that it will be able to shoot RAW images, which is preferred by most pro photographers. The previous model, the G7, had dropped this capability, much to the dismay of serious shutterbugs around the world.

On the Nikon front, they have two cameras of note coming out: the D3 and the D300. The D3 is Nikon’s first entry into full-frame sensor cameras. For a while, some people were speculating that Nikon would stick with their reduced chip cameras, but that is not the case. The D3 will have a full-frame 12 MP sensor and it is reputed to have amazingly good high ISO capability (up to 25,600 ISO!!!). It should be a good fit for photojournalists who shoot with available light. Personally, I think most of the manufacturers have gotten too hung up on pixel count and haven’t paid enough attention to image quality, especially high ISO image quality. I can only hope that this is the reasoning behind Nikon’s 12 MP full frame chip, which is a bit low on the pixel count by today’s standards. Anyway, if this is the reasoning, it’s a very smart move. The D300 replaces the D200 and will have a 12 MP sensor (1.5 cropping) and will shoot at 6 fps. Both cameras will also have Live View capability, anti-dust technology, and use a 51 point AF sensor.

In the Sony camp, the A700 has been announced. Since Minolta/Konica was absorbed by Sony a few years ago, they haven’t introduced any pro-level cameras. The A700 changes that. It has a 12 MP sensor, 11 point AF sensor, faster focusing, and built-in image stabilization (IS). In comparison, Canon and Nikon put their IS technology in their lenses, not the camera bodies. With the Sony camera, you have IS for every lens, not just a few, more expensive, lenses. It will also use both Memory Stick Duo and CompactFLash formats for image storage. Another point in its favor is that the A700 will have access to the excellent Carl Zeiss lenses, which are very fine indeed.

DSLRs are obviously not going away and this season proves that there is still room for innovation and improvement.

P&S Article at dpreview.com

2007-05-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Dpreview.com has posted an interesting and useful article by Simon Joinson concerning high ISO settings with point & shoot cameras. This goes a long way towards counteracting the inflated marketing claims of camera manufacturers. The upshot of the article is keep the ISO at the lowest setting for the best results, except for one or two camera models. Check it out here.

Portfolio: Bloomsday 2007 Photos

2007-05-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

Once again, my mom (Lavelle Joyner, age 82), Kathy and I walked Bloomsday, a 12k race. I brought along a small point & shoot camera and took some snaps. The farther back in the pack, the less formal things are. These pictures reflect that, plus all along the way bands and other entertainers set up to encourage the runners, walkers, and strollers along. It was a fun day for all.

Hermon Joyner

The Gorilla & Rabbit Band near the finish line.

Belly dancers and strollers.

People posing with the Bloomsday vulture near the top of Doomsday Hill.

Inflatable cat with guitar.

Tail feathers.

Discarded clothing in the trees.

A gorilla ready to run.

A pair of hearts.

News: Amazon Acquires dpreview.com

2007-05-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

One of the largest online retailers, Amazon.com, has just acquired one of the biggest destination photography websites, www.dpreview.com. Digital Photography Review was started in 1998 by Phil Askey and has become one the most popular sites on the web for digital camera enthusiasts. Their camera reviews have become the benchmark for reviews and feature the most detailed information and objective feedback possible. Amazon is a Fortune 500 company that sells new and used products of nearly every description, though they got their start as an online bookseller.

Dpreview.com has always been a dependable site for unbiased reviews of digital cameras. It seems to me that it could be problematic for them now that such a big retailer owns them. I hope they can continue delivering the same level of objective reviews, and don’t become simply another selling tool for Amazon. On the other hand, maybe this will give them the resources to publish more reviews than they usually do. For some time, it’s been hard for them to keep up with the torrent of new cameras that pours out of the manufacturers. Perhaps this is just what they need to take it to the next level.

Visit dpreview's site here.

Commentary: Why We Buy Stuff

2007-05-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

I’ve been using the same 6-MP SLR for a few years now and, while I wasn’t tempted by the 8-megapixel models that replaced it (not enough difference, in my opinion), I am now starting to look at the newest 10 to 12-MP models. All this looking around and tire-kicking has prompted me to consider why anybody buys anything. Why do we buy stuff? Is it always driven by actual need? (Obvious answer: No.) Or is it more than that? (Likewise obvious answer: Yes.) Like any type of human behavior, it is always a complex situation and answer. (I bet you didn’t see that coming. Oh, boy.)

Okay, this is the way I see it. Here are the main reasons we buy anything, whether we’re talking about a car, a stereo, computer, musical instrument, or camera:

1. It gets the job done and that’s it.

2. It makes it easier to do the job.

3. It does a better job than other tools.

4. It creates an enjoyable experience in and of itself.

5. It makes me feel better about myself or increases my prestige.

For myself, getting a new camera is probably a mix of reasons 2 and 3, with a tiny little bit of 5 thrown in. Honestly, shooting with a 6-MP SLR sometimes makes me feel a bit out of the loop, although I can’t really complain about the results I get. Well, I’m trying to deal with these feelings. I’ll let you all know how this all turns out. Cheers.

Hermon Joyner

Eloquent Nude: The Love and Legacy of Edward Weston and Charis Wilson

2007-05-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

This isn’t a full review, but I wanted you to know about this exquisite new documentary, “The Eloquent Nude” by director Ian McCluskey. Charis Wilson was the subject and model for some of Edwards Weston’s most famous nude studies. She met him when she was 19 and he was 48. First she posed for him, but eventually they fell in love and later married. They became partners in his photography when she wrote the journal entries for his famous Guggenheim trip exploring California. “Eloquent Nude” is a documentary about Charis Wilson and her relationship with Weston.

At the time of the filming, Wilson was 91 years old, physically frail and mostly blind, but still filled with the same fire and strength of intellect she had when she met Weston. The interviews with Wilson are sometimes insightful and spirited and at other times turn wistful and poignant. It’s easy to still see the person that inspired, encouraged, and contributed to one of the greatest photographers of the 20th Century. “Eloquent Nude” provides much needed context for both Wilson and Weston, their relationship, and those early years of photography. The recreations of their photography sessions and trips with actors portraying Wilson (Christine Bernsten), Weston (Barrett Rudich), and Ansel Adams (Eric DiIlio) are fascinating and, speaking as a photographer, mostly authentic.

If you get the chance, please see “The Eloquent Nude.” At the moment, it is playing in extremely limited release, but should eventually be released on DVD. Bear in mind, however, that because of the subject matter and the actual Weston photographs, there is full-frontal nudity in this documentary, though it is never salacious or gratuitous. If you get the chance, don’t miss this documentary. It is a beautiful and sensitive film about a fascinating and dynamic woman.

For more information about the documentary and upcoming screenings, click here.

Hermon Joyner

Canon Lens Work III Available Online

2007-04-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Canon website in Europe has made the current Lens Work III publication available online as a PDF. This provides details about all the lenses in the Canon catalog, sort of like an expanded sales brochure, but it does contain lots of valuable information about using lenses, optics, and MTF charts, plus there are a lot of great photographs. It's a really excellent resource. Usually published and sold as a book, it is now available as 11 chapters or separate PDFs for free, though at nearly 32 mb altogether, you will need a broadband internet connection to download it.

Click here to download Lens Work III.

Book Review: Ghosts in the Landscape by Craig J. Barber

2007-04-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Ghosts in the Landscape: Vietnam Revisited
Photographs by Craig J. Barber, Umbrage Editions, 2006

Craig J. Barber was a combat marine during the Vietnam War in the 1960s. In creating the series of photographs for this book, Ghosts in the Landscape, he went back to Vietnam three times during the years 1995, 1997, and 1998. For Barber, it was the chance to lay these revenants of war to rest, to deal with the memories of what happened in that place and bring closure to what happened to the people he knew and to those he left behind. Vietnam continues to be touchstone for an entire generation of Americans. Writers, poets, filmmakers, and artists have all tried to process the experience of that war in order to make sense of it all. This is Barber’s attempt to do the same. The photographs function as memorials to his memories of war, but they also function as tributes to the land and people of that country that survived after the war.

Before getting to the book, the first aspect to know about Barber’s photography is that his cameras don’t use lenses exactly; they use pinholes. A pinhole is a very tiny hole that is drilled in a metal sheet which functions as a lens, in that it’s able to focus the light into an image and project it onto film or paper. Because the tiny hole also acts like a very small f-stop, the image it creates has tremendous depth of field. In fact, most pinhole photographs have universal depth of field—everything is in focus. The consequence of this is that exposure times tend to be very long because pinholes don’t let in very much light, sometimes lasting several minutes or longer even in bright daylight. This produces interesting motion effects in the images; objects that don’t hold still are recorded as blurs and streaks of movement. The second thing to know about Barber’s images is that his prints are platinum prints, which accounts for the softer look and brown tones. Platinum prints are especially good at rendering subtle light values, while maintaining rich darker values. To the viewer, platinum prints have a nostalgic look about them, which can complement some subjects. In the case of Ghosts in the Landscape, they work very well.

The images in Ghosts in the Landscape are presented as diptychs and triptychs, that is, each image on a page consists of two or three separate images that function as one long panoramic image. This results in a slightly disjointed feel to the images, almost disorienting, where you see elements that should continue, but don’t—like memories that are missing details out of the middle of the experience. Some elements are duplicated in both images; others are left out. The people found in these haunting photographs take on the aspect of faded memories, as if they are people whose very shapes are beginning to shred and disperse due to the passing of time. Of course, this effect is because of long exposures and the inability of the subjects to hold still, but they also serve as a comment on the nature of memory. The landscapes are melancholy and contemplative, darkened at the corners as if your view has been restricted, allowing you to examine only what Barber wants us to see, which is only what he wants us to remember from his journey. And indeed, memory seems to be overriding theme in this book. Barber is dealing with his memories of the war and reconciling those memories against the reality he encountered when he went back to Vietnam. His images are luminous and beautiful with a keen bittersweet edge to them. They are meant to be slowly and patiently taken in a bit at a time, as much as any painful memory should be handled.

Ghosts in the Landscape can be purchased at: http://www.photoeye.com/.

Hermon Joyner

Voigtlander announces two new lenses

2007-04-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Cosina Voigtlander has announced two new versions of previous lenses. The 21mm f/4 P and the 25mm f/4 P will now be available with the M-series bayonet mount, instead of the Leica screw mount. Their introduction is intended to complement the release of their new Leica mount rangefinder cameras, the R4A and R4M, which have specially designed viewfinders for wide-angle lenses (built-in viewfinder frames for 21mm, 25mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm lenses). Both lenses are now rangefinder coupled, but they won’t come with an accessory viewfinder, as they did in the screw mount versions.

Hermon Joyner

Stop and smell the. . . well, you know.

2007-04-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

There was a story in the Washington Post recently where some reporters talked virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell into dressing incognito and playing as a busker at the Metro in Washington D.C. It makes for an interesting read that directly addresses most people's inability or simple lack of time to stop and pay attention to the things going on around them on an everyday basis. Even extraordinary things. This is the story:

"Pearls Before Breakfast" by Gene Weingarten

"Pearls Before Breakfast" functions as a cautionary tale for photographers because of the importance to pay attention to what is around us at all times. Whether you call it being present in the moment or achieving full engagement in the world, it is part of being a photographer, or any artist for that matter, that requires us to be aware. To see. To interact with the world. In your own lives, don't miss out on the "Joshua Bells" that present themselves to us. Sometimes these opportunities won't repeat themselves.

Speaking of missed opportunities, the always excellent photographer/writer Ctein wrote a poignant story called, "The Worst Photographic Mistake I Ever Made," for Mike Johnston's blog, The Online Photographer. That posting is definitely worth reading, but in general I highly recommend this blog for worthwhile content. It's one of my favorites.

Hermon Joyner

Welcome

2007-04-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

Focus on Photography is a high school level textbook published by Davis Publications, Inc. in Worcester, Massachusetts. It covers both traditional darkroom based and digital photography, and teaches photography by subject categories, such as landscape, portraits, photojournalism, and still life. It features interviews and profiles of artists and working photographers like Eliott Erwitt, Jody Cobb, Olivia Parker, and Maggie Taylor. Historical profiles of significant artists like Ansel Adams, Berenice Abbott, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Gordon Parks are also included. Examples of good photography run the gamut from top-class student work to the best of currently working professionals. The aim for Focus on Photography is to teach photography as a visual art and to teach students how to see photographically. For more information, check out:

www.davis-art.com

In the coming days, the Focus on Photography blog will be the place to come for news and insights on the art and practice of photography. I might also include non-photographic content once in a while, like film and DVD reviews and even a music CD review. Check in on a regular basis, as I will try to update this as often as I can. See you soon.

Hermon Joyner