We evacuated on Monday night, We spent most of yesterday driving around Florida, and we got back last night. Power's back on, and I'm just catching up.

If you've seen all the news reports, or the CNN stuff, they're broadcasting from the school across the street from where I live. And it was arson. They caught one suspect, but they're not sure if there are more.

There were 11 separate ground-zero fire locations in Palm Bay alone. More than 10,000 acres in Palm Bay burned, more than 20 families lost homes, over 162 homes damaged. We're ok, though. Quite freaked out, but we're ok. Kudos go to the Palm Bay and Brevard County fire departments. Those guys worked intensely, and did their best, but by Monday night, they were completely overwhelmed and out of resources. By Tuesday night, more statewide resources came in and they started catching up.

There are still fires in Palm Bay, but not near residences. There are fires in Cocoa (about 20 minutes north) and in Daytona (another 20 minutes north), and we're not expected to have rain for at least a week, so conditions are still pretty scary. But hopefully the worst is over.

I'm absolutely exhausted, so I think I'm going to skip publishing articles this week, other than this update. I'm just going to do the weekly update and the news, which Senior Editor James Booth kept running from his top secret lair located somewhere in an undisclosed location deep within fly-over country while Denise and I were escaping our own private, little armageddon. Our servers kept running as well, since they're inside a nuke-proof bunker in yet another mid-America location.

In fact, I may just run this note as our only article to bring everyone up to date. I've still not completely processed all that happened. On Monday night and Tuesday, we were facing the question of what happens if the house goes and we lose everything. We didn't, and our home is still here, but it's definitely going to leave a bit of a mark emotionally.

Anyway, I have a few thousand emails to catch up with, and am going to try to resume some degree of normal daily life. But if I'm a little off for the next few days, I hope you'll understand.

For more than 20 years, David Gewirtz, the author of Where Have All The Emails Gone? and The Flexible Enterprise has analyzed current, historical, and emerging issues relating to technology, competitiveness, and policy. David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines, is the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals, and can be reached via email at david@zatz.com.

Read Do-It-Yourself Wedding Photography and you'll learn everything you need to take exceptional wedding photos on a budget.

Buy this guide and you might be able to afford that dream honeymoon.

]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039041.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039041.html a series of weeklong exclusive digital photographic workshops at his studio adjacent to his oceanfront home in Mendocino, Calif. The picturesque coast, redwood forests, vineyards and locale offer amazing photographic backdrops.

This workshop series is ideal for any serious photographer looking to enhance his/her camera, lighting, color management, image editing and fine art printing skills in a relaxing intimate setting that combines Greg's passions for photography, food and wine. The weeklong workshops are offered from June 8 to 13, Aug. 3 to 8 and Sept. 21 to 26 and are limited to nine attendees each.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039042.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039042.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039055.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039055.html The new Hama Omega Carbon tripod range is aimed at semi-professional photographers. The height of the Omega Carbon III tripod adjusts from 71 to 202 cms, and it weighs under 3kgs including a 3D precision ballhead. The smaller Omega Carbon II model has an extension length of 68 to 174 cms and weighs 2.5kgs including the tripod head. A tripod case is included with both models. The Hama Omega Carbon III costs 329 Euros, and the Omega Carbon II 269 Euros.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039018.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039018.html The new Parrot Digital Photo Frame has been created by the leading lady of French design, Andree Putman. "I would like to pay tribute to Parrot for daring to think that this wonder of technology could be coiled up inside a beautiful wrapping," explains Putman. "Storage fans will be the most vulnerable to the charms of this object, which will overcome any problems of arranging photo souvenirs," she adds. The Parrot digital photo frame by Andree Putman will be available in exclusive concept stores across Europe and Asia in June 2008 for 299 Euros.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039019.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039019.html and lucid at 6am Florida time.

If you know our fearless leader, you know he's definitely not a 6am kinda guy, so the only way this is going to fly is stay up and do the show before going to bed. In any case, if you happen to be up at 4am and located pretty much anywhere on the western side of the US (50,000 watts reaches a long distance at night), you can tune in. You can also listen via their Web feed, should you be in a different part of the world. David promises to do his best to keep you awake throughout the full hour.

And, if you're mature and sleeping, like all good people should be at that hour, we'll post the download link sometime in the next day or so when it makes it online.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039011.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00039011.html is now available free of charge with "no strings attached." B*Gallery was originally launched as shareware in 2003.

B*Gallery is a Linux, Mac OS X and Windows application that makes it easy to create HTML image galleries that can be updated, extended and shared. Unlike most Web gallery applications that create simple, static galleries, B*Gallery makes it simple to add, update, customize and connect content into meaningful photo albums.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038998.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038998.html Photoshop Elements 6: The Missing Manual for the Mac by bestselling author Barbara Brundage--puts every new feature in Elements into a clear, easy-to-understand context. Something no other book on Elements does.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038997.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038997.html
Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038982.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038982.html A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases, a Wiley publication, written by professional photographer and industry analyst, Dan Heller.

It's quick and easy to enter the random drawing, and all DoubleExposure readers are eligible. Just fill out the short online entry form before May 23, 2008.

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ASSISTING IT PROFESSIONALS SINCE 1999
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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038983.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038983.html
Here are the best (and occasionally hidden) ways to adjust brightness and contrast, make colors pop, and sharpen your files.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038984.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038984.html take your pictures to a whole new level--no lightmeters, flash triggers, or stands required.

Without taking that extra control, you end up with those typical flash snapshots: Sure, your subjects in the foreground are properly exposed, but more than likely the background fades to black. That's never good. Whether you lose a dramatic sky or the interior of a room totally disappears, your subjects look like they're hanging out in a cave.

The trick to overcoming this problem is to set your camera so you know the background will look the way you want it, then let your flash fill in the foreground--without overexposing your subject. Sound hard? It isn't, because of a little miracle setting on your flash called TTL. TTL stands for "through-the-lens," and it means that the flash fires a pre-flash and uses that, along with information from the camera's meter, to figure out how much light to put out.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038985.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038985.html Microsoft scored a key hire from its competitor.

Mark Hamburg, who had been chief architect of Adobe Photoshop and who launched the Adobe effort that became Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, resigned from Adobe after 17 years and is joining Microsoft.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038986.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038986.html Akvis Sketch 7 converts photos to realistic pencil and watercolor drawings. Version 7 offers special effects that make the final photo more impressive, including creating a blend of the final drawing and the original image. Akvis Sketch 7 is available as a stand-alone application, as well as a plugin to a photo editor.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038964.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038964.html SeaLife's new DC800 8-megapixel camera, producing ultra-clear images down to 200 feet underwater.

The camera's ergonomic design, large shutter button and well-spaced buttons make it easy to handle and user-friendly. Versatility is key, as users can take striking photographs just about anywhere. You can take your DC800 scuba diving or snorkeling with no fear that water will damage the camera. No matter where you travel, the DC800 can handle the environment.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038963.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038963.html Annie Leibovitz defended her provocative photograph for Vanity Fair magazine of teen heartthrob Miley Cyrus--aka Hannah Montana--who has expressed embarrassment about the pose.

"I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted," the celebrity photographer said in a written statement. "Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."

The statement came a day after the 15-year-old apologized to her fans for her participation in the photo shoot, which took place February 9 in Calabasas, California. Vanity Fair spokeswoman Beth Kseniak also defended the pictures, which are posted on the magazine's Web site and are being published in the June issue.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038945.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038945.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038918.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038918.html the seventh Times Young Photographer of the Year competition, in association with Nikon UK, which closes on Saturday 10th May 2008.

The competition seeks to recognise the talents of young photographers and offer a head start in the industry with the sought after prize of a six month paid contract at The Times. Also, for the first time, a 12-page colour supplement will be published in June, announcing the winner with their first interview, and showcasing the runner-up entries.

With the six previous winners all having gone on to top jobs in the industry as well as many of the runners up, the benefits of winning such a unique opportunity are immeasurable.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038924.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038924.html a standard cable release and a wireless remote shutter release with a range of up to 100m. The WR-100 includes a built-in Li-ion battery pack and a dedicated charger and international power adaptor. Models are available for Canon 3 pin and single jack cameras, Pentax, Samsung and Contax single jack, Nikon 10 pin and Olympus cameras.

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BLOGGING AND PODCASTING WITH ONE EASY-TO-USE TOOL
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Personalize your blog or podcast with your own unique domain name -- or integrate it with your existing site by setting it up as a subdomain.

Tap here and get blogging or podcasting within minutes.

]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038925.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038925.html
Here, Pop Photo offers their second-annual roundup of the best wedding photographers in the world. This year they cast our net wider and farther by asking for nominations from dozens of experts, including photographers, wedding planners, and bridal magazine editors. From those nominations, the editors of American Photo chose finalists that represent the state of the art in wedding photography. Some of these photographers specialize in "wedding photojournalism," while others focus on fine-art and fashion styles.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038906.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038906.html
For that kind of investment, you want to get the most for your money, but where do you start? With digital cameras so cheap and easy to use, anyone can call himself or herself a wedding photographer, so how do you know who will do the best job?

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038905.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038905.html Pop Photo forums Reader's Gallery. Day in and day out, photographers share amazing photographs. But more than that, readers share their honest, constructive criticisms, tips, and tricks in a very friendly and supportive environment. Join in the fun and start sharing your photos.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038904.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038904.html
ZATZ Publishing today announces that national security concerns published by David Gewirtz, ZATZ Editor-in-Chief and the author of Where Have All The Emails Gone? have been proven true in a particularly tangible and unfortunate example.

Today, Fox News reported that Rafael Quintero Curiel, lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation was caught stealing six or seven BlackBerry devices belonging to White House staffers who were attending meetings between U.S. President George W. Bush and Canadian and Mexican leaders in New Orleans this week. Unfortunately, Quintero Curiel was caught after the devices had been in his possession for some time.

That's the equivalent in strategic U.S. government information of about 28,000 printed pages of data, or seven complete sets of all seven Harry Potter novels. And that's per BlackBerry. Given today's incident, that's seven times seven complete sets of all seven Harry Potter novels.

Read the full text.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038898.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038898.html
But if you thought that the price might have come down to bring in the curious consumer, you're wrong. And endearingly naive. At $1,600, it costs more than a few iPhones, most quality laptops, and even a couple of Danny Dumas or Brian Lam haircuts. Heck, you could even take a round trip to see Lebedev himself in Europe--why don't you buy him a beer in Russia's most expensive pub for coming up with such a cool and crazy-cracky product? Or you can stare at tiny screens and see your own fonts come to life, which is its own type of fun.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038879.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038879.html the College will honor Annie Leibovitz, world-renowned photographer, with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Fine Arts, at this year's College graduation on Saturday, May 24 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC.

Annually, the Corcoran College of Art + Design honors an artist who has contributed significantly to the advancement of his or her discipline and to the collective body of related knowledge in the visual arts. Past recipients of this prestigious award include: Phyllis Lambert, architect (2007), Sally Mann, photographer (2006), and Karim Rashid, designer (2005).

Annie Leibovitz's powerful portraits have been appearing on magazine covers for more than 30 years, and she is recognized as one of the most influential photographers in the world. While studying painting at the San Francisco Art Institute, Leibovitz took night classes in photography, and in 1970, she began working for Rolling Stone magazine. Her first major assignment was for a cover story on John Lennon, and in 1973, she became Rolling Stone's chief photographer. By the time she left the magazine--10 years later--she had shot 142 covers and published photo essays on scores of stories, including her memorable accounts of the resignation of Richard Nixon and the 1975 Rolling Stones tour.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038880.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038880.html Canon Photography In The Parks Photo Contest. The contest invites eligible photography enthusiasts, from April 22nd to September 30th, 2008, to enter the contest by submitting images from any park or monument in America. Participants are invited to enter their "Inspirational Nature Images," the theme for this year's contest. Canon is also enhancing the photo contest by extending the age range of eligible participants to non-professional photographers ages 13 and up.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038881.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038881.html a critical vulnerability in Photoshop Album Starter Edition 3.2, its free image-manipulation software product.

The flaw, which affects Windows users, could be exploited to launch code execution attacks if the target is tricked into opening a malicious BMP file. The vulnerability remains unpatched.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038860.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038860.html the latest Critique My Image, a collection of photographs submitted by enthusiasts and pros from around the world seeking advice from Kingston's "Icons of Photography" on improving their skills as photographers.

In this new installment, each of the Kingston Icons selected several images from the numerous submissions and provided constructive advice for improving or enhancing each photograph. Tips and topics covered included lighting, exposure, composition, texture and styling.

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NO HASSLE PHOTO PRINTING, SHARING, AND STORAGE -- AS LOW AS $2.54 PER MONTH
Discover an easier way to share, print and manage your photos online! Get your own online photo album site for sharing photos, as well as easy-to-use editing tools to make sure your photos look their very best. You can even order high quality prints directly from your album -- and have them delivered right to your door!

Best of all, you can also get login-free photo sharing at your personal domain name (if you have one), so your friends and family don't have to hassle with signing up or logging in just to view your pictures. It's the perfect solution for sharing, printing and storing all your favorite images!

And it's only from The Duck! Tap here to get started.

]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038861.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038861.html Digital Photography Masterclass--the new title from Tom Ang. This practical guide from the renowned author and digital photographer will take you through the processes with step by step tutorials, examples and stunning imagery.

Throughout the book Tom uses a selection of innovative approaches to pass on valuable skills, from the tutorials to practical assignments and projects Tom encourages you to go out and explore digital photography for yourself.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038862.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038862.html an interview with John Knoll, an Academy-award winning motion picture visual effects specialist at Industrial Light & Magic. Knoll, who is one of the original founders of Photoshop, brings unique expertise and innovation in computer graphics to the creation of visual effects.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038863.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038863.html a powerful new internal hard drive called VelociRaptor, the fastest SATA drive available on the market. The new drive is the successor to the WD Raptor series drives but with twice the capacity, increased performance and overall speed. The new WD VelociRaptor offers 300GB of high-performance storage with a spin rate of 10,000 RPM.

In addition, the drive's new form factor includes a 2.5-inch HDA but ships mounted inside the new WD IcePack to fit nicely inside traditional 3.5-inch frames and allow proper cooling of the drive for maximum and sustained performance.

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]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038839.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038839.html Perfect-Pixs Natural Colour Card to his Adobe Camera Raw scripts for digital camera calibration. The scripts are free of charge and provided as shareware with no warranty. They have been tested with Photoshop CS1, CS2 and CS3.

The text reports showing the variance between the target and image colours. The reports show the details for each patch followed by summaries and statistics by category. Other analysis includes an evaluation of the image colour noise, lighting uniformity, and potential gamut problems. Complete information about the script options and the reports is available in the respective User's Guides.

Read | Permalink]]> http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038838.html http://www.connectedphotographer.com/newsitems/00038838.html