Run Around Mom

Arnold to Receive Sony World Photography’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Tracy Greene — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:06:39 GMT

San Diego, CA—Eve Arnold will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Sony World Photography Awards during the annual ceremony in Cannes on April 22, the day after her 98th birthday. The accolade was created to honor a photographer for a lifetime of widely recognized and critically acclaimed work.

“Over such an incredible life and long career it is difficult to imagine what Eve Arnold did not capture on film, and what she did capture are some of the most abiding images of our time,” said Scott Gray, managing director of the World Photography Organization. “We are proud and honored to celebrate her life and work at this year’s Sony World Photography Awards.”

Eve Arnold began working as a photographer in the early 1950s. Having worked at a film processing plant in New York, and then studying under Alexei Brodovitch, the art director of Harper’s Bazaar, she approached Magnum with a series of work she had taken of migrant laborers on Long Island. She was one of the first women to be taken on by the agency, first as a stringer and then, in 1954, as a full member, working under the tutorage of founders Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa.

Fascinated by social commentary, one of her earliest published photo stories was of black models at a fashion show in Harlem. She became involved in the civil rights movement, with Malcolm X personally choosing her to follow him on tours.

During her career Arnold photographed a host of stars, including Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, Marlene Deitrich and Isabella Rossellini, all of whom became close friends. She traveled the world extensively, photographing in China, Russia, South Africa and Afghanistan. She moved to London in 1960 with her son and became a regular contributor to the Sunday Times. Arnold continued to photograph well into the nineties and authored several books, in particular In Retrospect and Film Journal, editing her work and preparing her archive. She captioned, dated and signed every one of her prints (amounting to thousands) and continued to be an active voting member of Magnum.

A retrospective of Eve Arnold’s work, drawn from the Tosca Photography Fund Collection and curated by Zelda Cheatle, will be exhibited in Cannes (April 22-27) as part of the World Photography Festival. www.worldphotographyawards.org

Bideo.com Launches as Auction House for Newsworthy Video & Photos

Tracy Greene — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:51:43 GMT

New Orleans, LA—Bideo.com is an online media exchange where creators of breaking-news video and still images can manually protect and sell their content to publications in an auction setting. The Bideo message to creators is simple: “Stop giving away amazing videos and photos, and start selling them.”

Whether it’s a video of a tornado tearing across a field, a plane landing in a river or exclusive shots of celebrities or athletes, many images are often the result of a cameraphone being in the right place at the right time.

The increasing amount of valuable content being produced by citizen journalists is garnering interest from major publications, which are now welcoming an opportunity to access, purchase and publish such images.

Bideo provides a few steps to connect sellers and buyers. The seller uploads an image from a computer or mobile device, adds a description and sets the auction terms. The original file is stored on a secure server while a watermarked copy is listed in a live auction. Then, Bideo’s notification system automatically alerts relevant publications based on the item’s information. Sellers can also manually send notifications to their own list of potential buyers. Buyers assess the image and bid on the exclusive right to publish it. A buy-now option is also available. The original file is transferred to the winning bidder’s account when the auction ends and payment is made.

The seller receives 75% (and up to 85%) of the final bid price immediately after the sale is complete, and the seller agrees to honor the exclusive license purchased by the buyer.

Founder and CEO Pike Barkerding sees demand for a service like Bideo.com rapidly increasing. “Everyday more and more breaking images are published by citizen journalists who are not properly recognized or compensated for their work,” said Barkerding. “Bideo seeks to empower this growing army of right-place-right-time creators by giving them a simple, secure and profitable way to promote their content to interested buyers.” bideo.com/invitation

Cannes to Host 2010 Sony World Photography Awards and Festival

Tracy Greene — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:35:47 GMT

Sony and the World Photography Organization announced that the city of Cannes will again provide the location for the annual Sony World Photography Awards and World Photography Festival. The photographic events run from April 22-27, 2010.

Welcoming professional and amateur photographers, photography students and the general public, the awards and festival comprise a five-day celebration of the craft of photography. Taking place throughout Cannes, locations include the famous Croisette, with a host of exhibitions, workshops, portfolio reviews, student programs and talks from World Photography Academy members, such as Jonathan Torgovnik, Nadav Kander and Reza.

Another highlight of the program will be the Photography Now symposium. Presented by some of the leading international industry figures, it explores the current topics, trends, dilemmas and debates concerning photography.

The prestigious Sony World Photography Awards prize ceremony is scheduled for April 22 at the Grand Lumier Theatre of the Palais des Festivals; there winners of the professional, amateur and student categories will receive their trophies and the overall winner of the 2010 L’Iris D’Or for Photographer of the Year will be announced. The final presentation will go to the recipient of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other festival activities include:
-Cannes ‘lypse’ - The iStockphoto team offers a series of workshops and live shoots for anyone interested in strong stock photography concepts. The iStockalypse will engage attendees to join in challenging, educational shoots influenced by French culture and the city of Cannes. Anticipate beachside cafes, shopping, sailing, fashion, food and culinary topics, even some red carpet shoots—all with art-direction, models and studio lighting.
-A seminar from Panos Pictures Agency that offers insight into the professional world of photography and how to stand out from the rest.
-A special exhibition by participating students of the SWPA Student Focus program showcasing images from universities around the world.
-Portfolio reviews where top industry leaders offer constructive criticism, helping photographers improve their portfolio selection and presentation. Expert reviewers already confirmed are Aidan Sullivan (vice president, Getty Images), Monica Allende (picture editor, the Sunday Times), Chloe Limpkin (picture director, Harpers Bazaar), Bill Hunt (collector and portfolio owner/cofounder of Hasted Hunt Gallery), Roberto Koch publisher, Contrasto and founder of Forma, Milan) and Mark Sealy (director, Autograph).

“We are delighted that the awards and festival have grown into such a spectacular event in just three years,” said Astrid Merget, creative director, Sony World Photography Awards and Festival. “We really look forward to welcoming the international photographic community, everyone interested in photography and the general public to Cannes this April.”

Tickets to the 2010 Sony World Photography Awards and World Photography Festival are available now at www.worldphotographyawards.org.

General Mills Expands Photography Studios

Tracy Greene — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:25:46 GMT

Ever wonder where they shoot all of those food photographs that make your mouth water?

General Mills’ 15,500-square-foot renovated and expanded photography studios are among the largest in-house, full-service food photography and styling studios around. The department uses more than 100 food photographers and stylists, and over 25,000 images are archived each year. The six completely digital studios have 91MB file digital studio camera backs; medium- and large-format cameras; 61MB file video and still SLR systems; 13 shooting bays and digital workstations; dedicated servers; and a digital asset system for archiving.

Worth all of that?? Seems to be since the more delicious looking the food, the better chance you will make the purchase.

Casio Launches Animate and Share Website for Dynamic Photo eGreetings

Tracy Greene — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:21:53 GMT

Casio America launched its Animate and Share website (animateandshare.com), which helps consumers experience “dynamic photo” fun through the creation of unique eGreetings.

Visitors can add creative touches to photos and bring them to life with Casio’s animation feature on the new virtual camera site. Users can share their creativity with the option to send their dynamic photo as an eGreeting or through e-mail or upload it to social networks like Facebook. The site also allows customers to experience dynamic photo before making a purchase.

Casio first introduced its dynamic photo function at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show; because of the high-speed image processing capability of the Exilim camera, moving subjects can be dynamically “cut out” and pasted into a different still shot that forms the background. This year, the feature was enhanced through the ability to add animation art stored on the memory card to still photos captured by the camera.

“We are thrilled to offer a fun and interesting way to take pictures and share their creations with friends and family,” said Toshi Iguchi, senior general manager of Casio’s Digital Imaging division. “The Animate and Share website offers prospective customers a glimpse into the Exilim line and allows them to engage in the photo process without making a purchase.”

Nikon Picks Winners in the Nikon Festival

Tracy Greene — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:14:22 GMT

Nikon has posted the winners in the Nikon Festival at NikonFestival.com. Since the contest launched on November 10, there have been over 1,200 submissions to the Nikon Festival for the chance to win up to $100,000. Finalists were encouraged to rally their social networks to campaign for votes and win the Audience Award of $25,000. The contest was created to celebrate the HD video capabilities of the Nikon D5000. Not required to use a specific camera, consumers were asked to capture the essence of their day in a video of 140 seconds or less.

Samsung NX10 DSLR with AMOLED Screen

Tracy Greene — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:27:50 GMT

What’s the only drawback of digital cameras when shooting in bright sunlight? You can have a hard time seeing (with any degree of clarity) the screen.

The Samsung NX10 promises to correct that with their latest 3 inch AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic LED) screen. This revolutionary technology will let you clearly see the image - even in bright sunlight.

This is one of the greatest innovations to digital photography. This digital SLR has a 14.6 megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and weighs in at just over ¾ of a pound (not including the battery and memory card). According to Samsung, the NX10 is equipped with “one of the fastest autofocus (AF) systems in its class”.

Now, this is a camera I can live with. Read the Samsung NX10 digital camera review to get all of the details.

Imaging Companies Donate to Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts

Tracy Greene — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:50:49 GMT

Following the recent devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, causing extensive destruction and loss of life, imaging companies from across all sectors are beginning to mobilize to contribute to relief efforts. The earthquake is reported to have been the worst to hit Haiti in 200 years, and the United Nations estimates that tens of thousands of people may have been killed.

The Hewlett-Packard Company Foundation announced it has committed $500,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund to support relief efforts in Haiti. The foundation also committed up to $250,000 to match eligible contributions by employees of HP in support of the earthquake relief efforts. The funds committed by the HP Company Foundation will, through the American Red Cross, go toward supporting short-term relief as well as helping the long-term reconstruction work needed to rebuild the country.

The Canon Group, including Canon Inc., Canon USA and Canon Latin America, have pledged approximately 20 million yen ($220,000) to the Haiti relief and recovery efforts. The Canon Group is contributing to the relief efforts for victims of the earthquake through donations to Red Cross Organizations, which will help to provide the people of Haiti with necessary supplies and services including food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support.

“The Canon Group would like to express its condolences to the people of Haiti and our thoughts go out to all of the people that have been affected by this inconceivable natural disaster,” said Joe Adachi, president and CEO, Canon USA. “A tragedy of this magnitude requires support from the global community, and it is our hope that our contribution, along with all of the aid coming in from around the world, will help the people of Haiti begin the rebuilding and healing process.”

Panasonic Corporation also announced that it would donate 10 million yen (around $110,000) to the effort to aid victims and support the recovery of areas affected by the earthquake that struck the Haiti region on January 12. The company stated, “Panasonic and its employees feel deep condolences for victims of the earthquake and sincerely hope for swift recovery of the people and areas in Haiti affected by the disaster.”

Best Buy reported it has donated $200,000 in order to aid Haiti relief efforts. The donation will be split 50/50 between the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Mercy Corps. The Red Cross donation will be directed to immediate relief, while the Mercy Corps money will go to “both immediate and long-term technology and infrastructure rebuilding.” Employees are also encouraged to volunteer or make personal donations through the Red Cross.

Panasonic Lumix FH Series with Wide-Angle Lenses, Long Zooms

Tracy Greene — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:31:30 GMT

Panasonic has done it again by adding a slim, pocketable FH series to its 2010 Lumix digital camera lineup. Besides having the DMC-FH20 (14.1 megapixels), FH3 (14.1 megapixels) and FH1 (12.1 megapixels) the FH models will record high-definition video and provide iA (intelligent auto) mode for ease of use. These little digital cameras are easy to use while providing great quality.

The FH series features HD (high-def) 720p motion jpeg video recording at 30 fps, in addition to WVGA (848x480) and normal VGA (640x480), to make it easy to view videos on your computer or upload them to YouTube to share with family and friends.

Can it get any easier to have the correct lighting? The FH models also have 2.7-inch 230,000-dot intelligent LCDs designed to detect lighting conditions and control the brightness level in 11 steps.

With all of these new digital cameras from Panasonic, there is something for anyone. They have a camera for the novice as well as the very experienced photographer. Read more about the new Panasonic Lumix lineup.

New Olympus Digital Cameras Get You Close, Have Style, and are Tough

Tracy Greene — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:16:26 GMT

Olympus Stylus Tough-3000
Olympus unveiled the STYLUS TOUGH-3000, a shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof compact camera that will capture all of life’s adventures from the extreme to the everyday that moms like us deal with. It's the first Stylus Tough camera with High-Definition (HD) video and with features like Magic Filter that expand your creativity and AF tracking to keep subjects in focus, the STYLUS TOUGH-3000 is as smart as it is durable.

Three Olympus Stylus Cameras Zoom in with Style
Olympus will get you close and do it with style with its new Stylus cameras that have High-Definition (HD) video, 14 megapixels, Magic Filter that transforms average photos into works of art, and AF tracking so your subjects are always in focus. They even offer choices for how close you want to get - 7x on the STYLUS-7040 and STYLUS-7030, or 5x on the STYLUS-5010.

Smart and Easy to Use Compacts Make Photography Fun
Olympus also added two cameras its FE series, designed for ease of use. The new FE-4020 and FE-47 come with 14 megapixels for super-high resolution, up to 5x optical zoom and a host of in-camera features to make photography simple so you can keep your mind on the action when you’re in the middle of it. Intelligent Auto mode plus Shadow Adjustment technology automatically selects the settings you need so you know the shot will come out right without making adjustments. AF Tracking will keep your kids, pets and other fast-moving objects bright and in focus so you can get great shots.

Learn more about the new Olympus digital cameras.