30 June 2009
How the iPhone is changing the world of photography ★

Following my previous post on cellphone photography, the bar is now raised once again as a photographer snapped an award winning picture with his iPhone.

With the help of CameraBag and his Mac, Steve creates a print of his photograph and took home a Gold Award at the AIPP print awards.

iPhone’s huge screen equipped with a rock solid developer APIs practically makes iPhone an extremely versatile photo capturing device. Though it could use a better camera, its connectivity, friendly interface and the App Store makes it a perfect photographer’s alternative to pocket cameras.

Quote from TUAW:

There’s just no predicting how creative people can be even if the equipment is not top notch. As I remember learning some years ago from an instructor in a photography course when I was complaining about my little camera, ‘If Ansel Adams uses my camera, he gets great pictures. If I get his camera, not so much.

Stephen Turner Photography via TUAW.com & Gavin Blue

29 June 2009
Photographing people: The bare essentials ★

Wired posted a how-to video of Clay Enos taking photos of people with a simple studio setup on the street. Recently he was known as the photographer of super heroes on the set of Watchmen, now he’s showing us how to photograph random people in real life.

Clay Enos

Click the above picture to jump to Clay’s people gallery, or see Wired Video to learn more about his technique & approach in photographing people: Street Portrait Photo How To via wired.com

27 June 2009
The Man in the Mirror: Tribute to Michael Jackson ★

Update 06.44AM: Added Gotham Chopra’s note.

A very personal note from Michael’s longtime friend, Deepak Chopra:

Michael’s reluctance to grow up was another part of the paradox. My children adored him, and in return he responded in a childlike way. He declared often, as former child stars do, that he was robbed of his childhood. Considering the monstrously exaggerated value our society places on celebrity, which was showered on Michael without stint, the public was callous to his very real personal pain. It became another tawdry piece of the tabloid Jacko, pictured as a weird changeling and as something far more sinister.

Another one from Deepak’s son, Gotham:

Michael would hum songs and talk about what he wanted to say with the song and we’d try and marry our skillsets and come up with something. We came up with great stuff. Michael swore me to secrecy those days.

Deepak Chopra: A Tribute to My Friend, Michael Jackson

Writing songs with Mike via @Deepak_Chopra

When the mobiles take over

26 June 2009

The above image was taken with a cellphone, so did a dozen or so images in the latest Lens blog feature:

None of his cellphone pictures have been published in the newspaper. His aim is not to win Canon-carrying professionals over to the Motorola E815, already an ancient relic in the constantly churning mobile landscape. Rather, it is to escape — however briefly — what he calls the “megapixelmania” of contemporary photography, in which every aspect can be rigorously and technically controlled.

Cellular Obscura via Lens Blog – NYTimes.com

Friday, 19 June 2009

Voices of Love: Visions captured by heart

visionsofsoul.jpg

Sonia Mouhtar, Ofer Nakar, Leah Pe’er, Shmulik Rokah, Riki Fritsh, Shoshana Tzarum, Karina, Miriam Dahan:

Our ignorance kept us afar from our vision, now you have proven that the unseen still can be heard, the deep voice inside each of us is the one that we should not ignore, no matter what the reality might unfold.

You have shown that the silent vision is louder than voice, the dark is brighter than the sun as you are that beacon of light and inspiration.

Thank you. BIG Thank you for bringing to us such wonderful message. You have taught us how to see beyond reality!

From a fellow photographer, a friend, admirer and now a big fan: Good Shooting!

More about the photographers here and see their gallery here

CNN has a video

via Lightstalkers.org