January 23, 2006
Olivo Barbieri
He achieves the distinctive look by photographing from a helicopter using a tilt-shift lens--a method, he says, that "allows me to choose what I really like in focus: like in a written page, we don't read [it as an] image but one line at a time."
via Metafilter
January 22, 2006
January 19, 2006
Optimizing Photoshop CS2 Performance
"Photoshop can use a maximum of only 4GB of RAM. This limitation is imposed by hardware and the operating systems, among other things that only geeks and engineers with degrees in astrophysics understand fully. Suffice it to say, if you have 4GB of RAM installed, or more, you can safely increase the RAM allocation to 70%. Doing so will ensure that Photoshop uses as much RAM as it possibly can, up to the 3.7GB limit (or thereabouts, because the OS will reserve some of the 4GB for itself). If you do not have more than 4GB of RAM installed, you should reduce the allocation to something like 50–60%, especially if you are experiencing slow performance in Photoshop, which includes Camera Raw. To allocate RAM, go to Preferences>Memory & Image Cache and specify a percentage in the Memory Usage section of the dialog box (Figure 9)."
Minolta waves bye bye
"Japanese photographic equipment maker Konica Minolta has announced plans to withdraw from the camera business.
Konica Minolta said the market had become too competitive, and added it would sell its digital camera business to Japanese electronics giant Sony."
My first 35mm was a Minolta. Loved that thing. Looks like digital claims another company....
scanner camera
"Several years ago, I built my first homemade digital camera. The idea was simple - I would take an ordinary flatbed scanner, and use it in place of photo paper with a large format camera."
Thanks Steve!
January 18, 2006
SECURITY SERIES
"My current project examines issues of fear, safety and liberty in post-9/11 America. I am photographing official training facilities, equipment and personnel involved in the massive government and private sector efforts to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks within the nation’s borders. This work addresses the increasingly complex relationship between the U.S. government and its citizens, and the tangible effects of international events on Americans' day-to-day lives, personal freedoms, and sense of security." -Paul Shambroom
Nice stuff via Conscientious, still one of the best photo sites out there though the German content can get old to me. I don't go for all that cold stuff too much.
On a side note, it looks like there are new posts surfacing at consumptive. If you have the time you should swing on by.
January 17, 2006
Apple MacBook Pro Preview and a Value Proposition for Buying It
"On paper Apple has created a competitive product in the MacBook. Now that these Intel based systems are known and their specifications disclosed I think you can see that the notion of Apple having over-priced systems is not true. You can argue with elements of their value proposition such as the bundled software, but for a lot of people those features are deal breakers. I keep a Mac around just to have iLife and I consider the $70 Apple charges for the latest version of the stand alone software to be a good value (especially considering the $150 price tag of Photoshop/Premiere Elements)."
January 16, 2006
updates
So I finally found the time to do some much needed updates to the site. I have a Retouching page up live now where you can see my style and approach to that. There is a art to it. A much misplaced and abused art, but a art to it none the less. And a new Portfolio page that has some of my newer work from the past year that I am happy with. Hope you enjoy them.
Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
"Launched in 1974 in Los Angeles, Z Channel was one of the country's first pay cable stations. Its prominence was solidified in 1980 when maverick programmer Jerry Harvey took over as head of programming. Z's uniqueness was attributed to Harvey and his staff's determination, diverse taste and encyclopedic knowledge of cinema. Harvey's programming showcased a combination of classic, international, independent, and Hollywood films. Z was the first to develop programming innovations such as 'director's cuts' and uniquely themed on air festivals, while also airing many rare and never before seen exclusives and critically acclaimed films not in the mainstream.
The documentary chronicles Harvey's emergence as a brilliant programmer, but also explores Harvey's emotional and psychological descent, which eventually resulted in a shocking murder/suicide and the eventual demise of Z Channel itself."
....
"Q&A with Xan Cassavetes
The daughter of famed director John Cassavetes discusses her documentary, Z Channel; the impact the cable network had, and the tragedy of its famed programmer, Jerry Harvey"
"And I guess at that time older generations who were really into films knew about it from all over the country, because there were bootleg tapes all over the place from Z Channel. People would pay or trade for tapes, and there was a little culture of people who knew about the channel all over the country. Z Channel was a completely unpretentious, complete spectrum of all films together: Hollywood ones, auteur ones, silent, westerns, kung fu, soft-core porn, animated, from all over the world and every kind of movie you could think of. And of course it was the first forum for the ‘director’s cut’."
Quote
'Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage.'
-Anais Nin
January 12, 2006
Nikon ends film camera lines
"A bolt from the blue - Nikon have announced that they are ending production of almost all of their film camera range, as digital cameras take over. The F6 (pictured), FM10 (outside Europe) and a small number of fixed-focus manual lenses will be the only surviving film products after September 2006. All large format cameras lenses and enlarging lenses will also be discontinued. This move is obviously one of the biggest indicators yet of the increasing digital dominance.
"...As a result of the new strategy Nikon will discontinue production of all lenses for large format cameras and enlarging lenses with sales of these products ceasing as soon as they run out of stock. This also applies to most of our film camera bodies, interchangeable manual focus lenses and related accessories. Although Nikon anticipates that the products will still be in retail distribution up to Summer 2006.
In recognition of Nikon’s commitment to professional photographers we will continue to manufacturer and sell the F6, our flagship film model, as well as a number of manual interchangeable lenses. Sales of the manual FM10 will also continue outside Europe."
Wow, I mean, we all saw it coming, but that happened FAST. Especially when Nikon is the haven for film purists and digi holdouts.
January 09, 2006
Lightroom
So Adobe just released "Lightroom" today. A RAW processor to compete with C-1 Pro and Aperture. I just donwloaded the free beta and will post some thoughts on it soon. But I thought I'd link to a review of it by someone who has been running the beta, Luminous Landscape.
"By releasing Lightroom now Adobe likely hopes to further side-swipe Aperture's early sales momentum, though Apple bears considerable responsibility for Aperture's generally negative early reception by reviewers and many users. With Lightroom out in the wild as a free beta for much of 2006, and with availability for Windows computers coming in the relatively near future, Adobe clearly hopes that huge numbers of photographers will explore and then start using Lightroom. Then, when it launches as a commercial product, a very large installed base of pre-sold buyers will exist. It also means that Lightroom (hopefully) will contain features and functions that are a result of feedback from these early adopters, and thus will engender a loyal user base. A pretty smart strategy, in my view."
January 07, 2006
New years
OK, I swear in the coming year I will post more often in here. I will no longer neglect you, my poor old blog, like I have these past few months. I'm sorry. I really am. It's just with work and all the stress of running it I have been really busy.
I tell you what. I'll make it up to you with a big old link fest just like days of old. Would that bring you back to me?