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| CONNECTED PHOTOGRAPHER NEWS - NEWS ARCHIVE |
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Broke it, fixed it
For those of you wondering why the menus at the bottom of our pages haven't worked for the past few days, well, uh, we broke them. When we did our mondo content management system upgrade, we knew something was going to break and that something was, apparently, menus. Oopie.
In any case, we've just finished upgrading our upgrade and the menus now work. Hopefully, that'll be the biggest oops of the upgrade, but, hey, this is software. Let us know if you see any other glitches.
The good news about the upgrade, at least from our perspective, is the menu fix took under an hour to find and repair. That was actually the purpose of this major upgrade: to make maintenance easier and to make it possible to change our pages much more quickly. With the old system, fixing this would have probably taken about a week and would have, without a doubt, broken something else. With this new framework, the fix is isolated to its own object, so even if we did something wrong in the fix, it wouldn't cascade to everything else.
So, clearly, at least from our own internal operations perspective, this first test is helping to prove the effectiveness of our new framework. Yay!
Renegade's Shoot with the Stars
Renegade Photo Shoots, the rogue photography education course provider, announced that photographer Jorge Parra will lead an intensive hands-on one-day course teaching the "Old Hollywood" clock system of lighting on Saturday, September 20. Parra will apply the clock methodology--a systematic approach for creating high-impact lighting on sets--made famous by acclaimed cinematographer John Alton in his highly stylized film work from the 1930s to 1950s. A masterful manipulator of light and shadow, Alton received an Academy Award in 1951 for An American in Paris, and is known for his dramatic high-key black and white film noir imagery. The "Old Hollywood" clock system course will be will be taught at a private studio in Miami Beach.
Memorex 500GB Ultra TravelDrive
Memorex announced that its Ultra TravelDrive is now available in a 500GB version. The 500GB version costs US$299.99.
The Ultra TravelDrive is a USB 2.0-based external hard disk drive that sports a blue LED to let you know when it's plugged in and operating. It's compatible with both Macs and PCs.
Aperture opens up to Noise Ninja
PictureCode has released its Noise Ninja noise-reduction application as a plug-in for Aperture. Previously available for Photoshop or as a stand-alone application, the Noise Ninja plug-in enables Aperture users to make adjustments to their photographs without having to leave Aperture's workflow.
Sony 8GB Memory Stick Micro
Sony has doubled the capacity of its Memory Stick Micro with the launch of its first GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) card. The new M2 card will give customers a choice of over 5,000 fine quality 5 megapixel photos, over 2000 MP3 songs, or over 88 hours of high quality MPEG 4 video.
Colour Confidence offers extra guidance
Colour Confidence has announced the publication of a new addendum to its Guidance to Digital Photography download. The 60-page PDF document has been requested for download by over 15,000 users since its introduction. However, to reflect changing technology and customer requirements, the Colour Confidence technical team has produced an extensive update to the original guide for the most comprehensive free color management resource available.
Six new COOLPIX cameras
Nikon announced six new COOLPIX cameras. These new cameras feature cutting edge technology designed to make the shooting, sending, and sharing of photos easy and fun for all levels of photographers. The COOLPIX S60 introduces a new, amazingly innovative, 3.5-inch TOUCH-SCREEN interface that is easy to use and will take users photo experiences to new heights. The COOLPIX P6000 integrates a new, built-in global positioning system (GPS) unit, which provides users the opportunity to record "geotags" of the location where images are captured based on their latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates when a picture is taken. New to the COOLPIX S610c, the Wi-Fi service is provided by Wayport, which will allow consumers to share their images and videos from over 10,000 different locations nationwide directly from the camera.
The COOLPIX S560 is equipped with Nikon's new Scene Auto Selector mode, which selects the right scene mode for the image a user is shooting for carefree photography. The S560 contains several unique shooting modes like Smile Mode, which automatically releases the shutter when the selected subject smiles. The COOLPIX S710 features 14.5 megapixels of ultra-sharp resolution, the precision optics of a 3.6x Zoom-NIKKOR wide-angle glass lens and the contours and fine finish of a stainless steel body. Featuring immediate response, the COOLPIX S610 possess the world's fastest start-up time at a mere 0.7 seconds. The S610 is equipped with Active Child Mode, which automatically tracks the movement of subjects, such as children and pets, to ensure that images come out crisp and in-focus.
New M-ROCK backpacks
M-ROCK announced the brand new Zion 525 & McKinley 526 camera backpacks. The backpacks are so full of details and features it is hard to keep any description about them short. The Zion and McKinley are identical except the McKinley includes large roller wheels and locking telescope handle.
The backpacks include a modular interior with a removable Accessory Bag and spare dividers for three set up options. The basic set up is for a regular or Pro DSLR camera with up to a six inch lens attached, with room for an additional two to four lenses or photo accessories.
The Accessory Bag above can hold more electronics, personal items or hiking gear. Replace the Accessory Bag with the extra dividers will allow you to load use all of the interior space for extra photographic supplies and load your SLR camera with up to a nine inch lens attached. The removed Accessory Bag has Web & Velcro arms below that can securely attach to the fabric handle on top of the backpacks.
New article: Five must-have photo accessories
Sometimes, all it takes to make a perfect picture is the right tools. In this era of fancy SLR digital cameras and high-tech gadgets, it has become easier to achieve a high quality image. Whether you take a great photo by mere accident or with full intention is moot point. However, there are certain accessories which can increase the chances of taking "accidentally" awesome pictures. In this helpful article, Anne Violette shows you some of the most helpful accessories she uses to take great shots.
Read this Connected Photographer article.
Beware of fake Flash
Amidst confirmed reports that malicious hackers are starting to use fake Flash Player downloads as social engineering lures for malware, Adobe has issued a call-to-arms for users to validate installers before downloading software updates.
The company's notice comes on the heels of malware attacks on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter that attempt to trick Windows users into installing a Flash Player update that turns out to be a malicious executable.
When Google owns you
Nick Saber isn't happy now. Monday afternoon, after lunch, Nick came back from lunch to find out that he couldn't get into his Gmail account. Further, he couldn't get into anything that Google made where his account credentials once worked. When attempting to log in, Nick got a single line message: Sorry, your account has been disabled.
Suddenly, Nick can't access his Gmail account, can't open Google Talk, can't open Picasa where his family pictures are, can't use his Google Docs, and oh by the way, he paid for additional storage. So, what happens now? What does Nick do? He's sent a bunch of emails. But now what?
Kingston Mini Slim Flash drive
Kingston Technology has introduced a fun, easy, and colorful way to transport and share music, photos and other digital files with its new super thin DataTraveler Mini Slim USB Flash drive.
Available in black, blue, or pink with gray bottom casings, the new USB drives make a great fashion accessory by easily connecting to a keychain while storing up to 4GB of content. The new DT Mini Slim measures a mere 1.529x0.645x0.253-inches, making it one of the smallest USB drives available on the market.
Kingston's new DataTraveler Mini Slim USB drives are available in 2GB and 4GB capacities with a suggested retail price of $11.00 and $19.00, respectively. The new DT Mini Slim is backed by a two-year warranty and Kingston's legendary service and support.
Cybermarketing fine-art photography
The new virtual art gallery at photographerslimitededitions.com sells complete series and single images by reputable photographers in the fields it defines as "art, fashion and celebrity" photography. That has been done before, but what is apparently new here is that all the photographers have established reputations and all works are sold as closed editions.
Photographer of the Year
Hungarian photographer Balazs Gardi has been named Photographer of the Year in the Px3 Prix de la Photographie, Paris 2008 and Human Condition Competition. Mr. Gardi took first place in the categories of Professional Photojournalism and General News for his image The Valley in which an Afghan man holds a wounded young boy in front of a house on 20 October 2007 in Yaka China village, Kunar province, East Afghanistan. According to the caption, the boy received several shrapnel wounds from a rocket as a U.S. airstrike targeted a suspected insurgent position in a nearby house the previous night. The air strike also killed five other civilians and injured at least seven villagers including children.
Alien Skin Exposure 2
Alien Skin Software, developer of photographic filter and effect plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop and other compatible host programs, released Exposure 2, its film stock simulator and effects package. Exposure 2 lets digital photographers and graphic artists enhance any digital photo by simulating the rich, organic look of film.
Looks like we're upgraded!
Well, after about 3 1/2 hours, it looks like our new upgrade is up. What you'll notice most is going to be a new consistency of fonts across pages. There's more to come, and a lot of tweaks, but we think the new system is now working.
Since it's about 3:30am here in Central Florida, it's time to go watch some TV, wind down, and get some sleep. If you notice anything weird (weirder than usual, please!), let us know.
Site update
OK, folks. We're about to install a major upgrade we've been working on over the past few months. We're going to do so from midnight tonight, until it's working. Hopefully, you won't see much different (the upgrade's mostly behind the scenes) although once it's running, it'll enable us to do a lot we've been unable to do without it.
This is a big upgrade and the site may look crapply for a few hours. If it continues through to the morning, we'll post another update, but we're honestly hoping everything will be back to pretty much normal by about 2am.
Thanks for your patience and send cookies.
Back-to-school tools from SanDisk
Students heading back to school this year have more technology needs than ever. SanDisk is ready to help with exciting new tools that make the return to class more rewarding and fun. Among the many choices from SanDisk are: SanDisk Cruzer Pattern USB flash drive, SanDisk Mobile Ultra cards, SanDisk Sansa Fuze MP3 player, and SanDisk Ultra II cards.
Nikon clarifies NX2 upgrade policy
Nikon has issued a statement clarifying its policy regarding free upgrades for some users who purchased Capture NX in the month before Capture NX version 2 launched. Capture NX Version 2 was announced on June 3rd, 2008, and a 60 day trial is available for download.
Picture Information Extractor 4.2
Picture Information Extractor 4.2 extracts the metadata from JPG and RAW formats of practically all cameras. It then automates general tasks such as transferring, renaming and rotating image files. Picture Information Extractor special EXIFcare technology ensures that no information contained in the file gets lost. The full version of Picture Information Extractor 4.2 costs $29, and a free evaluation version is available.
Take Your Best Shot
Tim Grey loves answering questions. In fact, for years he's been answering queries on digital photography topics in his popular DDQ: Digital Darkroom Questions daily email newsletter, at public speaking appearances, in hundreds of magazine articles, and in his printed "Digital Darkroom Quarterly" newsletter.
Tim Grey's newest publication--Take Your Best Shot--is devoted to answering digital shooters' questions. In it, Grey, a member of the Photoshop World Dream Team of Instructors, provides the answers to the most common and vexing digital darkroom questions. Written in the Q&A format, the colorful new reference shows you how to overcome technical and creative obstacles. And with today's evolving world of digital photography, Tim's authoritative voice and experience is the one best suited to provide this ultimate definitive guide.
Homeland Security can seize laptops indefinitely
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has concocted a remarkable new policy: It reserves the right to seize for an indefinite period of time laptops taken across the border. A pair of DHS policies from last month say that customs agents can routinely--as a matter of course--seize, make copies of, and "analyze the information transported by any individual attempting to enter, re-enter, depart, pass through, or reside in the United States." DHS claims the border search of electronic information is useful to detect terrorists, drug smugglers, and people violating "copyright or trademark laws."
This is a disturbing new policy, and should convince anyone taking a laptop across a border to use encryption to thwart DHS snoops. Encrypt your laptop, with full disk encryption if possible, and power it down before you go through customs. Here's a guide to customs-proofing your laptop published in March.
Call for entries
There are many ways to create special effects in your images. Whether you do this in-camera or in post-production, Double Exposure would like to see your very best special effects photos. On September 1st, they will be running a story entitled "Double Exposure Challenge: Special Effects," and they're looking for reader photos to illustrate it. Send your best special effects--they have some terrific prizes for the winners.
Rescue, recover an outtake
Rick Sammon shows you how cloning, copying and pasting, increasing canvas size, and enhancing color can save a mediocre image.
Tenba Shootout Daypack
Tenba's Shootout Daypack expands to fit everything you need for a full day of photography. Whether you're hiking for the day or vacationing for the week, the Shootout Daypack is perfect for those times when you need more than just your photo gear.
Go to Space With Your Frequent Flier Miles
If you have frequent flier miles on Virgin America, your points could be worth more than you think. The airline is allowing passengers to cash in their miles for the chance to win a seat on a Virgin Galactic space flight.
Is it one chance per point or do you get extra chances for that 3,000 mile flight where you sat next to the screaming baby?
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