Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Station fire over La Canada-Flintridge, CA. 8/28/09
The Station fire over La Canada-Flintridge, CA. which is just north of Los Angeles.
Photos/Video by Keith Skelton
Monday, August 24, 2009
Here are some very nice aviation photos from The Big Picture
Plus, one of my own photos of the F-16 Thunderbirds.
Photo copyright by Keith Skelton
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Lens: Essay: The Bang Bang Club. A memorable story.
Photos of, and by Kevin Carter
Joao Silva discusses his photography in South Africa in the 1990s as part of The Bang Bang Club which was a group of fearless photographers working in South Africa in the 1990s. For better or worse, the story is now being made into a movie.
One of the photographers, Kevin Carter, a Pulitzer Winner, committed suicide in 1994. His photo starving Sudanese toddler stalked by a vulture won him a Pulitzer Prize that same year. A few days after his Pulitzer was announced, another member of the group, Ken Oosterbroek, was shot dead photographing a gun battle.
This graphic video shows when Ken Oosterbroek, as he and others come under fire during gun battle outside Johannesburg. The main subject of the video is about James Nachtwey is also shown at the center of the scene.
The book The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War by Greg Marinovich.
Lowered prices for Street Photography Workshops!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Lens: Essay: Storytelling With Pictures
"The Lash of Success," by Grey Villet
I too remember Grey Villet’s “The Lash of Success” and other essays in Life magazine. I own an old Time-Life book that has many of the original photo essays reproduced exactly like they were originally published. Besides Villet's, it includes some great W. Eugene Smith photo essays.
Iran's Disputed Election - The Big Picture - Boston.com
Photo by OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI/AFP/Getty Images)
These photos are dated by still very powerful.
Canon announces two new quality compact cameras
Canon announces two new quality compact cameras perfect for snaps, street photography, and photojournalism.The Power Shot Canon G11 is the replacement for the G10. It has the same lens but a better image processor. Photojournalist
Gary Knight discusses it HERE. Also, in response to the wonderful Panasonic LX3, Canon has also released the Power Shot
S90 with a 28mm -105mm f 2.0-4.9 lens. It looks better than the older S80 which was a disappointment.
Advance order HERE
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Longest Beard
The Longest Way 1.0 - one year walk/beard grow time lapse from Christoph Rehage on Vimeo.
November 9th 2007 - November 13th 2008
one year on foot - 4646km through China
unlimited beard & hair growth
http://www.thelongestway.com
How Could This Happen to Annie Leibovitz? The $24 million question.
Two vendors had sued her for more than $700,000 in unpaid bills and she had essentially pawned the copyrights to her entire catalogue of photographs. The New York Magazine
Monday, August 17, 2009
More controversy over Robert Capa's "Falling Soldier" photo
Photos by Robert Capa
A new book by a Spanish researcher asserts that the picture could not have been made where, when or how Capa’s admirers and heirs have claimed. Experts at the International Center of Photography in Manhattan, where Capa’s archive is stored, said they found some aspects of Mr. Susperregui’s investigation intriguing or even convincing. The New York Times
Friday, August 7, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Kodachrome slide show with Peter Guttman, Steve McCurry, and Eric Meola
Steve McCurry: Change is good from Kodak
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Where Do You Rank with Photography Snobs? By Paul Melcher
Paul Melcher writes on Black Star Rising:
Photography has its social classes, almost like a feudal society. It has its kings and knights, its jesters and courtesans, and of course, the peasants.
So where do you rank on the totem pole of photo-snobbery? Here’s a quick take, starting with the photographers most respected (by snobs) –
1. Conflict Photographer. The bigger the scarf around the neck, the more important you are. It’s like a medal of honor. Conflict photographers are treated as heroes, regardless of the quality of their images. It is not so much what they bring back that matters, but what they go through to get it. They even earn more credentials if, heaven forbid, they are wounded or killed. The path to legendary status is then almost a given.
2. Fine Art Photographer. If your works seems to carry a hidden message that no one understands, or is “disturbing,” or both — you’re in. The more academic titles you have, and the more awards (even unknown awards) you’ve received, the higher your ranking on the totem pole. Books, exhibits, and speaking engagements are a plus.
3. Documentary Photographer. Even one photo story on dying children in Africa goes a long way. It’s even better if you use multimedia. A crappy documentary photographer is 20 times more respected than the best red carpet photographer.
4. Magazine Cover Photographer. It doesn’t matter that the end product is highly retouched by on computer. Magazine cover photographers often enjoy privileged celebrity status; it helps to be a great schmoozer. Being a good photographer is irrelevant. It’s all about who you know.
5. Corporate Photographer. We’re heading down the totem pole now — but taking pictures of CEOs and lawyers still brings respectability. The longer you do it, the more respected you’re likely to be. Not for your talent, but for the mere fact that you have been around for so long.
6. Commercial Stock Shooter. The higher the nose is pointing, the more important the photographer.
7. Sports Photographer. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
8. Wedding Photographer. So plebeian.
9. Celebrity Photographer. If you are a photographer with a lot of talent shooting every day because people hire you all the time, then you are a “peasant,” a laborer. Especially if you work in the celebrity field. Although everyone will tell you that celebrity photography is what sells these days, it is considered by photo snobs a sub art form, a dirty job, like cleaning the sewers. Celebrity photographers are completely ignored at photo festivals, trade shows, photo museums and even workshops. They are like a family member you keep locked in the basement.
10. Paparazzi Photographer. The scum of the earth, right? How dare they take pictures of people without their approval! Of course, documentary photographers also invade privacy, don’t they? But I guess that’s OK because it’s in Africa or Afghanistan and not Hollywood.
Photography has its social classes, almost like a feudal society. It has its kings and knights, its jesters and courtesans, and of course, the peasants.
So where do you rank on the totem pole of photo-snobbery? Here’s a quick take, starting with the photographers most respected (by snobs) –
1. Conflict Photographer. The bigger the scarf around the neck, the more important you are. It’s like a medal of honor. Conflict photographers are treated as heroes, regardless of the quality of their images. It is not so much what they bring back that matters, but what they go through to get it. They even earn more credentials if, heaven forbid, they are wounded or killed. The path to legendary status is then almost a given.
2. Fine Art Photographer. If your works seems to carry a hidden message that no one understands, or is “disturbing,” or both — you’re in. The more academic titles you have, and the more awards (even unknown awards) you’ve received, the higher your ranking on the totem pole. Books, exhibits, and speaking engagements are a plus.
3. Documentary Photographer. Even one photo story on dying children in Africa goes a long way. It’s even better if you use multimedia. A crappy documentary photographer is 20 times more respected than the best red carpet photographer.
4. Magazine Cover Photographer. It doesn’t matter that the end product is highly retouched by on computer. Magazine cover photographers often enjoy privileged celebrity status; it helps to be a great schmoozer. Being a good photographer is irrelevant. It’s all about who you know.
5. Corporate Photographer. We’re heading down the totem pole now — but taking pictures of CEOs and lawyers still brings respectability. The longer you do it, the more respected you’re likely to be. Not for your talent, but for the mere fact that you have been around for so long.
6. Commercial Stock Shooter. The higher the nose is pointing, the more important the photographer.
7. Sports Photographer. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
8. Wedding Photographer. So plebeian.
9. Celebrity Photographer. If you are a photographer with a lot of talent shooting every day because people hire you all the time, then you are a “peasant,” a laborer. Especially if you work in the celebrity field. Although everyone will tell you that celebrity photography is what sells these days, it is considered by photo snobs a sub art form, a dirty job, like cleaning the sewers. Celebrity photographers are completely ignored at photo festivals, trade shows, photo museums and even workshops. They are like a family member you keep locked in the basement.
10. Paparazzi Photographer. The scum of the earth, right? How dare they take pictures of people without their approval! Of course, documentary photographers also invade privacy, don’t they? But I guess that’s OK because it’s in Africa or Afghanistan and not Hollywood.
Nikon COOLPIX S1000pj is a camera and projector.
Nikon has developed the first camera with an ultra-small, built-in projector with 12.1 Megapixels. It will be interesting to see what kind of quality it has.
Monday, August 3, 2009
THE COVE - Louie Psihoyos Director
The Cove begins in Taiji, Japan, where former dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry has come to set things right after a long search for redemption. In the 1960s, it was O’Barry who captured and trained the 5 dolphins who played the title character in the international television sensation “Flipper.”
But in a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and “Keep Out” signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt. The nature of what they do is so chilling -- and the consequences are so dangerous to human health -- they will go to great lengths to halt anyone from seeing it.
Louie Psihoyos (rhymes with Sequoias) has been widely regarded as one of the top photographers in the world. He was hired directly out of college to shoot for National Geographic and created images for the yellow-bordered magazine for 18 years. His ability to bring humanity and wit to complicated science stories carries over to his filmmaking. An ardent diver and dive photographer, he feels compelled to show the world the decline of our planet’s crucial resource, water.
But in a remote, glistening cove, surrounded by barbed wire and “Keep Out” signs, lies a dark reality. It is here, under cover of night, that the fishermen of Taiji, driven by a multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry and an underhanded market for mercury-tainted dolphin meat, engage in an unseen hunt. The nature of what they do is so chilling -- and the consequences are so dangerous to human health -- they will go to great lengths to halt anyone from seeing it.
Louie Psihoyos (rhymes with Sequoias) has been widely regarded as one of the top photographers in the world. He was hired directly out of college to shoot for National Geographic and created images for the yellow-bordered magazine for 18 years. His ability to bring humanity and wit to complicated science stories carries over to his filmmaking. An ardent diver and dive photographer, he feels compelled to show the world the decline of our planet’s crucial resource, water.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Annie Leibovitz having financial troubles. NYT
Annie Leibovitz, the highly paid celebrity photographer, who reportedly makes $2 million a year from Vanity Fair and also rakes in handsome fees for her corporate work, is being threatened with involuntary bankruptcy.
Photo of Lance Armstrong by Annie Leibovitz
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