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"Photography is a strange phenomenon... You trust your eye and cannot help but bare your soul." (Inge Morath)

Inge Morath Self Portrait, Jerusalem, 1958

May 27, 2012 /Photography News/ Born 89 years ago today, on 27 May 1923, Ingeborg Morath was a photographer associated with Magnum Photos for nearly fifty years. 

After studying languages in Berlin, she became a translator, then a journalist and the Austrian editor for Heute, an Information Service Branch publication based in Munich.

In 1949, Morath was invited by Robert Capa to join the newly founded Magnum Photos in Paris, where she started as an editor. She began photographing in London in 1951, and assisted Henri Cartier-Bresson as a researcher in 1953-54. In 1955, after working for two years as a photographer, she became a Magnum member.

Her work included striking portraits of both posed celebrities and fleeting images of anonymous passers-by. Her feeling for places as reflected in images of Boris Pasternak's home, Chekhov's house and Mao Zedong's bedroom was so sensitive that some viewers insisted they could see invisible people.

'Inge Morath possesses the priceless quality of making the world look as though it had been discovered only this morning and she was present with her lens to record its bright freshness,'' Harrison E. Salisbury wrote in The New York Times Book Review about the couple's book ''In Russia'' (Viking, 1969).

Morath married the playwright Arthur Miller on February 17, 1962 and relocated permanently to the United States, where she had previously had assignments.

Ingeborg Morath Miller died of cancer on January 30, 2002, at the age of 78.

Because Morath devoted much of her enthusiasm to encouraging women photographers, her colleagues at Magnum Photos established the Inge Morath Award in her honor. The Award is now given by the Magnum Foundation as part of its mission of supporting new generations of socially-conscious documentary photographers, and is administered by the Magnum Foundation in collaboration with the Inge Morath Foundation.

May 26, 2012 /Photography News/ Guyanese around the world celebrate the 46th Independence Day anniversary today, 26 May 2012.

Guyana has been a former colony of the Dutch, and for over 200 years of the British. It achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a Republic on 23 February 1970.

To understand this day's significance, we invite you to take a look back into Guyana's past through a set of photographs --courtesy of The Field Museum Library-- covering the 1922 Stanley Field Expedition to British Guiana led by Bror E. Dahlgren and John R. Millar.

 All photos courtesy of The Field Museum Library.

The Field Museum is an educational institution concerned with the diversity and relationships in nature and among cultures. It provides collection-based research and learning for greater public understanding and appreciation of the world in which we live. Its collections, public learning programs, and research are inseparably linked to serve a diverse public of varied ages, backgrounds and knowledge. The formation of The Field Museum Library’s collections began in 1894 with initial transfers of books from the libraries of various departments of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Currently, the Library serves the Museum’s staff, visiting scholars and the general public.

On the occasion of the 65th Cannes Film Festival, Kolor and Gigapixel Tour launch the largest photo of France, Cannes 65 Gigapixels

 May 18, 2012 /Photography News - Kolor/ For the opening of the 65th Cannes Film Festival, the company Kolor and the website Gigapixel Tour pay homage to the city of the 7th art by publishing the biggest photo of France: Cannes 65 Gigapixels, a panoramic, interactive view of the bay of Cannes, la Croisette and the old town.
 

To establish this record, 6468 photos were taken from the tower of the Castre Museum and then stitched together using Autopano Giga software. The final 187-gigabit image was then processed with Panotour Pro software to allow for a smooth view on the internet.
 

Website: http://cannes.gigapixeltour.com
Project and photos: Gigapixel Tour
Software: Kolor Autopano Giga and Panotour Pro

May 17, 2012 /Photography News/ Born 155 years ago today, on 17 May 1857 in Ware, Massachusetts, Mary Devens was considered one of the ten most prominent pictorial photographers of the early 20th century. 

She was listed as a founding member of Alfred Stieglitz’s famed Photo-Secession.

Devens developed an interest in photography sometime in early life, with a strong interest in printing techniques that could be manipulated by the photographer, including ozotype, gum bichromate and platinum printing. She mastered the gum bichomate process so well that she gave a lecture on it to the Cambridge Photographic Club in 1896.

Mary Devens met Boston photographer F. Holland Day in 1890s, who personally submitted five of her prints to the London Photographic Salon of 1898 and was responsible for introducing her to photographer Alfred Stieglitz, with whom she would regularly correspond for many years. Day also promoted her work in his famous lecture "Photography as Fine Art" at the Harvard Camera Club in 1900 and included several of her prints in his 1901 exhibition “The New School of American Photography.”

In 1900-1901, several of her photographs were added to the important Paris exhibition of women photographers organized by Frances Benjamin Johnston.

In 1902 Devens was elected to Britain’s Linked Ring, and Stieglitz listed her as a founding member of the Photo-Secession. That same year Stieglitz also listed her as one of the ten most prominent American pictorial photographers in an article in Century Magazine.

About this same time Devens’ eyesight began to fail rapidly due to an unknown cause. After 1904 she showed only a few prints in exhibitions, although Stieglitz included her work in the inaugural exhibition at his Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession in 1905. She is not known to have engaged in any photographic activity after 1905.

Devens died on 13 March 1920 in Cambridge.


 

May 9, 2012 /Photography News/  Skyscrapers and other buildings of steel, concrete and glass dominate the landscape of today’s cities. They are monuments to the skills and talents of the architects of the modern world. The landscape of a city is about the vertical view and about looking above toward the sky. This particular call for entry deals with tall buildings and the view from above and also below. TBM is seeking your best interpretations of the metropolitan scenery. Both color and black and white images will be accepted.

Prizes:

First Place: $500 (USD) cash prize
Second Place: $200 (USD) cash prize
Third Place: $100 (USD) cash prize
Three (3) honorable mentions will also be chosen.

Entry Fee(s):

$20 (USD) for first 4 images (Up to 8 image entries may be submitted for additional fees)
Color and/or Black and White images will be accepted.

Eligibility:

Contest is open to all individuals 18 years and older, worldwide.

Entry Deadline:

June 28, 2012 (11:59PM CST)

http://terabellamedia.com/photo-contest/

May 2, 2012 /Photography News/ Hasselblad today announced that it is accepting submissions for the 2014 Masters Awards competition. The title of Master is awarded to one photographer in each of 12 categories in recognition of his or her contribution to the art of photography. Judging is based on photographic ability in the areas of creativity, composition, conceptual strength and technical skill.

Categories:

To meet the rules of the competition you need to upload three (3) images in each category you choose to participate in, and you can enter all of the 12 categories should you wish.

Winners will be chosen based on the following criteria: (33%) originality of photograph, (33%) creativity, and (34%) photographic quality.

Prizes:

Hasselblad Masters 2014 winners will receive a trophy presented at Photokina 2014 and will be sponsored with Hasselblad camera equipment for a period of approximately four months. During this time the photographer can use the equipment at their discretion to create a set of images for a special Masters Commemorative book that will subsequently be published. All winning images will be published on the Hasselblad global website, in VICTOR magazine, will be presented at the exhibitions around the world and will feature in Hasselblad advertising and Masters Partners promotions and in the Hasselblad Masters Book Vol. 4.

Eligibility:

The Hasselblad Masters Competition is open to all photographers who have been active professionals for more than three years and who are using cameras of 16MP and above, regardless of brand and format. The “Project//21” Category is open to all photographers under the age of 21. The term “active professional” means making 51% of your income or more from photography.

Usage rights:

Entrants must grant Hasselblad the right to use the submitted images in Finalist exhibitions and online activities, which can include press articles, Hasselblad publications, VICTOR Magazine, Bulletin and website news. 

Deadline: 31st August 2012

Submissions are being accepted from at www.hasselblad.com/masters-registration

White Knight Press Releases Photographer’s Guide to the Fujifilm X10: Getting the Most from Fujifilm’s Advanced Digital Camera

Richmond, Virginia, April 22, 2012 /Photography News/  White Knight Press announces the release of Photographer’s Guide to the Fujifilm X10: Getting the Most from Fujifilm’s Advanced Digital Camera, by Alexander S. White. This 338-page book, a complete guide to the operation and features of the Fujifilm X10 digital camera, is a follow-up to the author’s earlier guides to advanced compact digital cameras, including the Fujifilm X100 as well as models by Leica, Panasonic, Canon, and Nikon. The new book explains all operations, features, menus, and controls of the Fujifilm X10 camera in clear language, providing guidance not only about how to accomplish things with the camera, but when and why to use certain features. The book does not assume any specialized knowledge by the reader, but explains topics such as shooting modes, autofocus, manual focus, depth of field, aperture priority, shutter priority, HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, white balance, ISO, and macro photography.

The book also shows how to take advantage of the camera’s unique CMOS sensor with Fujifilm’s EXR technology. This special sensor enables the camera to be configured for high resolution, high sensitivity in dim lighting, or high dynamic range, depending on the lighting conditions the photographer is faced with. The book also provides guidance about the many the X10’s many other advanced settings, including adjustments for Color, Sharpness, Highlight Tone, Shadow Tone, and numerous others.

The guide’s more than 200 photographs, almost all in full color, provide illustrations of the camera’s controls and menus, and include examples of the various types of photographs that can be taken using the many creative settings of the camera, including the Film Simulation settings, which let the photographer alter the color processing and other aspects of images; various menu options such as Dynamic Range and Intelligent Digital Zoom; and the camera’s strong set of features for continuous shooting.

In addition, the book goes beyond everyday photography with introductions to more advanced topics such as infrared photography, astrophotography, digiscoping, street photography, and creating 3D (three-dimensional) images that can be viewed with conventional red and blue 3D glasses.

The book also includes a full discussion of the video recording abilities of the Fujifilm X10, which can capture high-definition (HD) video with stereo sound and can take silent slow-motion movies to enable studies of sports and other actions.

In three appendices, the book provides information about accessories available for the camera, including cases, filter adapters, and external flash units; sets forth a list of useful web sites and other resources for further information; and includes a section with “quick tips” that give particular insights into how to take advantage of the camera’s features in the most efficient ways possible.

The book includes a detailed Table of Contents and a full Index, so the reader can quickly find needed information about any particular feature or aspect of the camera. In the PDF version, the Table of Contents and Index are interactive, so the reader can click on a page reference to navigate to the desired topic instantly.

The book is available now in PDF format for download for $9.95 through http://www.whiteknightpress.com.  The paperback version is available for $29.95 through Amazon.com.  The book will be available in versions for the Kindle, Nook, and iPad by the end of April 2012.

Contact Information and Book Details:

Publisher: White Knight Press, Henrico, Virginia, USA
Author: Alexander S. White
Publication Date: April 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-937986-03-2 (paperback)
ISBM: 978-1-937986-00-1 (eBook)
Format: eBook or Perfect bound paperback, 5.5 x 8.5 inches (140 x 216 mm)
Interior: 338 pages, more than 200 mostly color photographs and illustrations, full    Index and Table of Contents; 3 Appendices
Retail price: $29.95 paperback; $9.95 PDF download; $9.99 eBook formats
Web site: http://www.whiteknightpress.com
E-mail: contact@whiteknightpress.com

April 19, 2012 /Photography News/  The human form is an extraordinary creation. It is capable of performing many different and varied physical activities. The camera is the perfect tool for capturing these actions. Whether it is the beautiful and graceful steps of a dancer, the skilled actions of an athlete or the simple and playful activities of a child, the human body is designed for movement. Profotio is seeking those images that best display the body in motion.

Eligibility: Open to all photographers 18 years and older. Color and/or Black and White images will be accepted.

Prizes: $600.00 cash prizes awarded

Sponsor: Profotio

 

Deadline: June 1st, 2012 (11:59PM CST)

Phocus Mobile enables wireless camera control - and the latest 2.0 version includes a host of new elements plus added access control.

Explained Peter Stig-Nielsen, Hasselblad Product Management Director: "Many discerning photographers across the world are already familiar with the sheer power and performance of this highly intuitive software package and this spring launch of Phocus 2.6.6 and Phocus Mobile 2.0 will make their imaging work more effective. Photographers can be wirelessly linked to a computer running Phocus - and now with the new 2.6.6 version, any number of Phocus Mobile clients can connect to the Phocus server simultaneously."

Phocus Mobile 2.0 significantly improves options for photographers to show and share their work during a shoot and also includes a 100% zoom function of images in the file browser; new GPS tagging; folder access control and a Demo Mode functionality. And all this is now available as a free download at the App Store."

Hasselblad says the innovative Phocus 2.6.6 software upgrade "provides uncompromising image quality and allows photographers to work quickly, efficiently and creatively with the world's most advanced image files."

Peter Stig-Nielsen added: "There is no question that Phocus 2.6.6 with Phocus Mobile 2.0 offer new functionality and innovations that will expand the options and speed up the workflow for time-pressed photographers."


Features in Phocus include:

•    Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS).
•    Sophisticated lens corrections for H and V System lenses.
•    Advanced tethered camera control.
•    Easy- to-use interface.
•    Extensive customization options for individual workflow scenarios.
•    License-free software with unlimited installations and no registration issues.
•    Live video.
•    Scene calibration and reproduction tools.
•    Highlight recovery, shadow fill, clarity and dust removal tools.

For more information go to: www.hasselblad.com/promotions/phocus-mobile-20

* for Mac OS only.

April 7, 2012 /Photography News/ Photo Romania Festival has returned in 2012 with more than 150 amazing photography events running in Cluj from May 18 to June 18, 2012. This year the festival will include:

PHOTO ROMANIA EXHIBITION CALL FOR ENTRIES:                                                                                                                     

Photo Romania is calling photographers (or groups of photographers) regardless of their age, nationality, themes and styles of photography, to submit bodies of work for solo or group exhibitions. Selected images will be showcased in art galleries, museums, libraries, public space and many other locations from 18 May until 18 June 2012.

Categories:

Entry Fee: 10 Euro

Exhibit Prints: 

Printing, framing, and shipping/ repacking fees are the responsibility of the exhibiting artist. For the convenience of those not living in Romania, Photo Romania offers optional fine art printing and framing services at an additional (low) cost to the photographer.

Deadline: May 1st, 2012
 

Artwork Due: May 12, 2012
 

PHOTO ROMANIA AWARD CALL FOR ENTRIES:

2012 Photo Romania Festival Programme:

March 27, 2012 /Photography News/  A door can simply be a way of leaving one room and entering another room. Some can be rather simple and plain while others can be grand and ornate. A door or doorway can lead us to an unknown destination full of surprises and mystery, or it can lead us to home and security. Doors can be obstacles that prevent us from seeing what is happening and they can hide all types of secrets. Profotio is seeking creative images that best represent what may be seen on either side of doors and what happens in their passageways.

Title: Doorways and Passages

Eligibility: Open to all photographers 18 years and older. Color and/or Black and White images will be accepted.

Prizes: $600.00 cash prizes awarded

First Place: $300 cash prize. The winning image will be featured on the Profotio.com homepage slideshow

Second Place: $200 cash prize. The winning image will be featured on the Profotio.com homepage slideshow

Third Place: $100 cash prize. The winning image will be featured on the Profotio.com homepage slideshow

3 honorable mentions: The winning images will be featured on the Profotio.com homepage slideshow

Sponsor: Profotio

Entry deadline: April 10, 2012 (11:59PM CST)

Website: http://www.profotio.com/contest.php

March 26, 2012 /Photography News/  Wispy tendrils of hot dust and gas glow brightly in this ultraviolet image of the Cygnus Loop Nebula, taken by NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The nebula lies about 1,500 light-years away, and is a supernova remnant, left over from a massive stellar explosion that occurred 5,000-8,000 years ago. The Cygnus Loop extends more than three times the size of the full moon in the night sky, and is tucked next to one of the 'swan’s wings' in the constellation of Cygnus.

The filaments of gas and dust visible here in ultraviolet light were heated by the shockwave from the supernova, which is still spreading outward from the original explosion. The original supernova would have been bright enough to be seen clearly from Earth with the naked eye.

Source:NASA. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

March 24, 2011 /Photography News/ Born 165 years ago on March 24, 1847 in Leeds, Wordsworth Donisthorpe was an English individualist anarchist and inventor, pioneer of cinematography and chess enthusiast.

On 9 November 1876 Donisthorpe applied for a patent (B.P. 4,344) for the Kinesigraph, an apparatus 'to facilitate the taking of a succession of photographs at equal intervals of time, in order to record the changes taking place in or the movements of the object being photographed, and also by means of a succession of pictures so taken ... to give to the eye a representation of the object in continuous movement ...' 

Donisthorpe's Kinesigraph camera was evidently inspired by the 'square motion' wool-combing machine designed by his father, with the 'falling combs' replaced with falling photographic plates. The camera was built, but how well it worked is not recorded. 

On 24 January 1878, a letter from Donisthorpe, 'Talking Photographs', appeared in Nature, in which he suggested that his Kinesigraph, used in conjunction with Edison's recent invention the Phonograph, could produce a talking picture of Prime Minister William Gladstone. 

Each individual photograph was to be illuminated by an electric spark and projected in sequence onto a magic lantern screen. The materials available for photography at that time did not lend themselves to motion picture work, and nothing else is heard from Donisthorpe on this subject until 1889, when he patented a film camera and projector. Louis Le Prince was living in Donisthorpe's home town of Leeds, and it may be that word of Le Prince's 1888 experiments revived Donisthorpe's interest in the problem.

The patent for Donisthorpe's new camera (B.P. 12,921), also called the Kinesigraph, was taken out jointly with William Crofts. It was a unique camera mechanism, which again had more in common with textile machinery than with other photographic devices. A shuttle carrying the film moved upwards as the film itself was pulled down, resulting in the film being stationary relative to the lens during each exposure. Development was entrusted to Crofts, and it was perhaps at a Camera Club lecture that he became aware of Eastman celluloid roll film. The new medium was ideal for their camera. 

Some time between late 1889 and early 1891, Donisthorpe and Crofts set up their Kinesigraph in a building overlooking London's Trafalgar Square, and shot at least one short film. It is an evocative, multi-layered view. Foaming water from one of the famous fountains is framed against a sooty background of the domed National Gallery building, with the bustling traffic of pedestrians and horse-drawn omnibuses; ten frames survive.

  

This footage has not been contested as the first motion picture ever taken of the city of London. 

In 1894 William Crofts died, and any hope that might have remained for the eventual success of the Kinesigraph project died with him, Donisthorpe never being able to acquire backing for the project of moving pictures. 

Donisthorpe later invented a new language (Uropa), and assisted his sons in experiments with colour and sound motion pictures. He died on 30 January 1914.