Using the Light Blaster in commercial work

I've got to say; I've had a Light Blaster for quite a while now, and I love mine, but I'm finding myself spending relatively little time in the studio recently. Well, that is, until we started working on a brand new Triggertrap product... But that's not what this post is about, and I'm not able to share those shots yet, so... Check out these three videos of people using the Light Blaster in commercial jobs, and feel the creativity sizzle...

http://youtu.be/H3mYTHuelhI

http://youtu.be/zSzokXLAv0o

http://youtu.be/_0p3bHva-Bo

Flickr's new automatic features: upload and straighten

Flickr has taken another step along its path to the epiphany that the future is mobile by introducing an automatic upload feature to its iOS app. You do have to be using iOS 7, though. It'll upload your iPhone images to Flickr and keep them private until you've edited them and are ready to share them with the world. Or you could use it as a private archive of your naughty selfies. Naturally this comes a week after I've made other arrangements for my iPhone image library and deleted approximately 1,000 photos from my camera roll. (Yes, okay, I'm refusing to update to iOS 7 for battery life reasons, but that's by-the-by.)

I was impressed with the Flickr app's straighten feature when it was overhauled recently (not so much the crop feature), but it's now added an automatic straighten function. Take a photo, open the crop/straighten function, select straighten, et voila! If you're not happy with Flickr's straightening prowess, you can put your own powers to the test and over-ride it.

So it's not all about automation, thankfully.

Love, Captured: a rather sweet photo competition from eHarmony

In celebration of its fifth birthday, online dating site eHarmony is running a rather sweet photo competition; it's looking for photos that capture the essence of love. They can be slushy, smoochy depicitions of couples in love or slightly more abstract interpretations of the giddy sensation. There's a £5,000 prize for the winner, which will be selected from 25 finalists by four judges: relationship expert Jenni Trent Hughes, editor of Practical Photography Ben Hawkin, photography blogger Annie Spratt (aka ‘Mammasaurus’), and Marketing Director of eHarmony.co.uk, Romain Bertrand. They'll be making their decision according to three criteria: creativity, quality, and charm.

Entries can be submitted between now and 17 January 2014. You must be over 18 and a UK resident to enter, you can submit as many images as you wish, but they cannot have been previously published. As always, I recommend that you read the terms and conditions carefully. All the details are to be found on the Love, Captured website.

Good luck!

Adobe's undergone a security breach. Time to reset your passwords.

Adobe has issued a communication to all of its customers this morning that it has sustained an attack to its network and its system has been breached. As a consequence, anyone who has conducted a transaction with Adobe has potentially had their name, encrypted payment card number, and card expiration date accessed by the attackers, although the number of affected customers has been placed at 2.9 million by Adobe's Chief Security Officer, Brad Arkin. Adobe does not believe that any decrypted card numbers were removed from their systems. The recommendation is for all Adobe customers to change their account passwords, which you can do by following this link, and to change the passwords of any accounts that might share your original Adobe password or ID. You should also keep a close eye on your bank transactions, be alert for any unusual payments, and to notify your bank if you spot anything untoward.

In addition to customer data, proprietary sourcecode for the ColdFusion web application and Acrobat programmes were filched. This has the potential to open up millions of users to security breaches, if the hackers can capitalise on any security holes or bugs in the code. Just think how many people use Acrobat.

The breach was spotted by Brian Krebs of Krebson Security; he has asserted that the hackers responsible were also behind the LexisNexis hack and it probably commenced at some time in mid-August.

Keep alert, people, and please remember to practise proper password security.

(Most information came direct from Adobe, some additional details from Ars Technica)

From iStockphoto to iStock by Getty Images

Seven years after Getty Images acquired the microstock agency iStockphoto, they've embarked on a name-change and rebranding programme. iStockphoto is now iStock by Getty Images, and there's a new logo to accompany it.

Dropping the 'photo' from the name was reflective of iStock's business: they don't just deal in photos, but also vectors, illustrations, video, and audio tracks. But the addition of the 'by Getty Images' was an attempt to raise iStock's profile. Lots of people know about Getty Images, but not so many knew that it owned iStockphoto. Now they will.

Flickr mysteriously grows a personality

I've got to say... When the Flickr re-launch happened, I wasn't so sure... But it's really warmed on me. It's good to see that Mayer & co are taking the Flickr property seriously... And they've even been able to inject a spot of personality in the process. Take their 'sorry we are down for maintenance' screen, for example. Very cute indeed.

Photoshop + Lightroom for £8.78 ($9.99) a month

Gosh, did Adobe have some kind of epiphany? Did it actually realise that many of its customers were vexed, peeved, and felt exploited by its move from stand-alone software to the subscription-only Creative Cloud for applications such as Photoshop? Heavens is might have! Earlier today at the Photoshop World conference in Las Vegas it was announced that Photoshop CS3 (or higher) owners wil be able to subscribe to a Photoshop + Lightroom bundle that includes access to Behance, 20GB of online storage, access to Creative Cloud Learn's training resources, and ongoing updates for a fee of £8.78 (or $9.99) a month. You'll need to sign up before 31 December 2013.

According to Winston Hendrickson's blog: 'Since introducing Photoshop CC, we’ve listened to feedback from a spectrum of our customers, from advanced professionals to casual enthusiasts. One common request was a solution specifically tailored for photographers. We listened, and at Photoshop World we’re announcing a special offer for our loyal Photoshop customers.' It might be a good deal and it most certainly is a photographically oriented package, but Adobe's Creative Cloud storm left many of its loyal users feeling embittered. Sometimes a 'Sorry, we got it wrong,' can help, too.

There are more details on Adobe's blog.

A leaner, commercial market focused Kodak to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Following round-after-round of reduncdanies, the sale of a patent portfolio, and its exit from the film production business, Kodak's plan for to restructure itself and emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a leaner company focused on delivering to the commercial imaging markets, for example commercial printing and packaging, has been approved. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York confirmed Kodak’s 'Plan of Reorganization' and commented: 'It will be enormously valuable for the Company to get out of Chapter 11, and begin to regain its position in the pantheon of American business.' Whether or not Kodak will ever be able to regain the standing it once had as a stalwart of the American manufacturing and technology landscape is debatable, but the optimism is charming.

Once the company has finalised some outstanding elements of the reorganisation, which includes settling up with the Kodak Pension Plan in the UK for the sale of its document imaging and personalised imaging businesses, it should be fit to emerge from Chapter 11 on 3 September.

Other people can see your posts, y'know? How a gun dealer undid himself on Instagram

Using Instagram as a storefront for goods that you're selling is growing in popularity (especially in Kuwait), being a free and easy way to advertise items. A few clever hashtags and a group of loyal followers later gives you an instant marketplace. It works a treat for vintage products and handmade crafty items. Announcing that you've a hoard of guns for sale and gloating over the money that you've made from them via Instagram probably isn't the smartest move imaginable, though. Somehow, this disconnect between bright idea and 'Hmm, that's illegal and I could probably be prosecuted for arms dealing,' didn't occur to New York rapper Matthew Best.

Best's candid Instagram shots showing guns and bundles of money were initially spotted by narcotics investigators; from there, a single undercover officer tracked and broke a cross-state gun-running ring comprising at least 19 people and brought in a haul of 254 frearms. Best and his mate Omole Adedji were buying guns from Walter Walker of Sanford, North Carolina, and Earl Campbell of Rock Hill, South Carolina; the guns were brought into New York on cheap bus rides, and then sold for three times what Best and Adedji paid for them via a network of runners.

A rather chuffed Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced the swoop and displayed the seized weapons at a press conference in New York yesterday. The lone officer who bought up every gun Best and his crew put up for sale to prevent them from hitting the streets didn't put in appearance; he has work to do.

I'm not sure that anyone would try to sell a stolen gun on a bus (at least, that's something I'm yet to encounter on a London bus, and I have seen a few odd shenanigans there), so why do it on Instagram?

(Headsup to The Verge)

Jim Jannard is stepping down as Head of Red

Eight years after taking on Sony, Arri, and Panavision in an attempt to create a digital cinema camera that was 'respectful to film'; six years after delivering on his promise of a 4K camera under $20k, with the Red One; and after seeing his cameras used to create feature films spanning from The Amazing Spiderman to The Social Network, Jim Jannard has announced that he's had enough, that he's tired, and that he's stepping down as the face of Red. He will be replaced by Jarred Land.

With the release of the Dragon sensor, part of the Red ideal to make obsolesence obsolete with more resolution, more dynamic range, and more color depth, Jannard is done. In his words: 'I read on CML and other idiotic forums, that I an a hypester, a scam artist. I just have to wonder what these guys are smoking. But I have to say... they have gotten to me. I don't need this. I don't deserve this. Life is short and I am tired.'

He set out to address what he saw as a shortcoming in the camera industry and, as to be expected, made some enemies along the way. It probably means he got something right.

You can read his full statement over on RedUser.

OJO Images joins the iStockphoto stable

Microstock megalith iStockphoto has announced that it's added another house to its stock photography village in the form of OJO Images. From today, all of OJO images 31,000 royalty-free files will be available exclusively through iStockphoto, which is in turn a part of Getty Images. They're expecting the number of files to increase to 45,000 by the end of October this year. Between its ever-expanding image archive and a new long-term pricing strategy, which prices half of its image library at half price, iStockphoto is claiming that acquiring content is now easier (and cheaper) than ever for those who need it. That's great for publications and companies, but not necessarily for photographers who sell their images as stock.

It isn't just iStockphoto that's owned by Getty; so are Jupiter Images, Thinkstock, Clipart.com, and Stock.XCHNG. As the centre of stock photography power gravitates closer and closer to Getty Images, we're drifting towards a situation that affords people who try to sell their images fewer options and fewer rights. The unpalatable Getty contract is one issue; so is the inability of smaller, more fairly priced stock houses competing against the image behemoth. Piled-high sold-cheap images from one of the biggest names in stock photography are easy for businesses in need of images to buy and use and harder for photographers to make a living by selling.

One man's tea is another man's poison, I suppose.

The First Amendment trumps privacy, rules New York judge in 'The Neighbors' lawsuit

In May I wrote about the controversial exhibition of photos by Arne Svenson, 'The Neighbors', hosted at the Julie Saul gallery in Chelsea, New York. If you didn't have the chance to read about it then, Svenson had stood in his flat and used a long lens to photograph the occupants of the glass-walled flats opposite his own. The residents of the Zinc Building met the images and the exhibition with a distinct sense of violation and some of them chose to pursue Svenson through the courts. One such case, presented by the Foster family, was presided over and has subsequently been dismissed by New York state Judge Judge Eileen A. Rakower. She has ruled that the photos were protected by the First Amendment and that the images were not in violation of New York's civil rights laws.

The Fosters had claimed that because the photos were available for sale, they constituted commercial use, which breached laws governing the use of people's likenesses commcercially without their consent. Judge Rakower, however, determined that the images were not used for commercial purposes as artists are at liberty to create and to sell works of art that resemble individuals without their consent.

In this instance, however, the primary purpose of the photos was artistic, and consequently the First Amendment trumps privacy. According to Judge Rakower: 'The value of artistic expression outweighs any sale that stems from the published photos.'

(Heds up to A Photo Editor and PDN)

Five more Fujifilm films discontinued

Fujifilm has been gradually scaling back its film production as demand declines, so it doesn't really come as much of a shock when it announces that more of its range has been cut. Today, five types of film—two 35mm format and three 120mm format—are being discontinued. Gone are:

• Fujifilm Neopan 400 35mm black and white film
• Fujichrome Provia 400X 35mm and 120 colour transparency film
• Fujifilm Superia 400 120 medium format colour negative film
• Fujifilm Reala 120 medium format colour negative film

Apart from stocking up on supplies while they remain, Fujifilm is recommending the following substitutions:

• Neopan ACROS 100 for Neopan 400
• Provia 100F for Provia 400X
• FUJICOLOR PRO 400H 120 medium format colour negative film for both Superia 400 120and Reala 120 films

Gabriel Da Costa, Fujifilm's product manager for professional film, thanked all of their customers who have supported these film brands over the years. I wonder for how much longer he and his team will be doing their jobs?

Don't install that newest Fuji X-Pro1 firmware upgrade!

If you haven't already done so, definitely do not install version 3.0 of the firmware that was released for Fujifilm's X-Pro1 on 23 July 2013. Fujifilm has pulled the update and announced that there is a malfunction when it comes to recording videos with the new firmware. If you have already installed the upgrade, contact Fujifilm's customer services and they will advise you on the best course of action.

In the UK, the number that you need is 0844 553 2322, or you can email fujitec@fuji.co.uk. Non-UK people can find their relevant contacts here.

Fujifilm is working on a replacement firmware upgrade, but there's no word on when that'll be available.

Want a Poppy iPhone-to-3D-camera device? Get in quick!

Poppy, the Kickstarter project that allows you to turn your iPhone into a 3D camera, will hit its Kickstarter deadline at 10:50 EDT on 26 July 2013. Now whilst the project reached its funding goal within a remarkable nine hours of going live and is sitting pretty with over $175,000 pledged to the cause, if you want a Poppy and haven't made a pledge already, you probably should. For a $49 donation (plus shipping fees), you'll be first in line for a black Poppy; a $59 pledge (plus the shipping fees) gets you a white version. Wait until Poppy is in full production and you'll have to pay at least $69, plus the shipping fees, and you'll be behind the Kickstarter backers in the queue.

Want? Head over to Poppy's Kickstarter page before the deadline.

Planned Flickr downtime

Flickr will be having a period downtime for site maintenance from 16:00 to 22:00 PDT on Thursday 25 July. (You can see what time that'll be for you if you're not in san Francisco, here.) There won't be any web or mobile access for the duration and neither will you be able to reach the API. A site-wide notice will go up an hour beforehand to make sure that you're in the process of uploading all of your photos from your safari trip when they pull the plug.

Aspiring young food photographers, get your entries in to Pink Lady competition!

Aged 17 or under? Love taking photos of food? Pink Lady (yes, those very same pink-skinned apples) have a competition for you! It runs between today and 31 Janaury 2014 and the panel of judges includes David Loftus (Jamie Oliver's food photographer) and Yotam Ottolenghi (one of my favourite chefs). Any photograph that features food is fair game: food in the field, food in preparation, or food on a plate and you need to be 17 or under on 31 January 2014 to be eligible. The entire category has been divided into three age ranges: 15 to 17, 11 to 14, and 10 and under.

If you win your category there's a trophy to mark your success and vouchers towards new camera kit to celebrate it. Your photo will also go on display at an exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London in spring next year along with the finalists from the adult categories.

There are some specific entry requirements for your images, for example they can't be posted on social media networks or have been entered in any other competitions, so please do read the conditions carefully. And whilst the adults might have to pay to enter their categories, there're no fees for the youth competitions. You can also be anywhere in the world to submit an entry. Last year's overall winner came from Romania.

You can have a look at last year's winning and commended photos to see what you're up against, but what do you have to lose? It sounds like a tasty competition to me!

Snapchat does Snapkidz

I must be horribly old and terribly boring. The prospect of sharing ephemeral photos with my friends via Snapchat doesn't hold that much appeal. Lots of 13 to 23 year olds love it, though, and plenty of under-13s would love to love it, but can't for legal reasons. (For Snapchat to send these young people's messages, they would have to collect personally identifying information without their parents' consent. That's not permissible under the Children's Online Privacy Proetction Act.) To meet their legal obligations, then, Snapchat has introduced Snapkidz. Pre-teens can sign up to the app and will be able to take photos, to edit them, and to scribble on them; they just can't send them. Instead they'll be saved to the camera roll. Then of course they can be sent by SMS or iMessage, but Snapchat won't be storing these young people's data. And when they do turn 13, their worlds can be augmented with spontaneously deleting messages. Or they could just lie about their ages when they sign-up but I'm sure that no one would be that nefarious.

Snapkidz is available just as an iOS update at the moment. If it proves popular, an Android roll-out might be considered.

Video on Instagram, with filters

It wasn't really the surprise that Facebook had been hoping for, after TechCrunch had speculated that today's announcement would involve Instagram and video, and be a competitor to Twitter's Vine. So what does Instagram's video-clip sharing feature have to offer? Well, first and foremost there are filters. Thirteen of them to be precise. How could there not be?

Then users can choose the length of their videos, anywhere between three and 15 seconds.

Clips can be stitched together to form a collage.

And unlike Vine, videos won't loop.

Finally, if you're using the service on an iOS device, you can deploy the Cinema Stabilsation function, to help reduce camera-shake.

My guess is that it won't tempt people to Instagram who weren't already there, but it might well eat into Vine's market of existing Instagram users.

We might not be able to make our own panoramas on Mars, but we can look at Curiosity's

Over the course of almost six weeks towards the end of last year, Curiosity roved around the area of Mars called 'Rocknest', collecting over 900 photos. The majority of the images (850) came from Curiosity's telephoto camera Mast Camera instrument, as well as 21 from the Mastcam's wider-angle camera, and 25 black-and-white shots (most of which were of Curiosity itself) from the Navigation Camera. These have been stitched together to create a 1.3 billion pixel image, showing Mars' dusty landscape across its horizon to Mount Sharp.

The image is ready and waiting for public perusal on Nasa's website. You can even choose between raw and white balanced versions. There's also a slightly more manageable 159MB version available for download, too.

You can zoom in and out, exploring the finer details of Mars' landscape and the differences in the dustiness of the atmosphere. You might be there some time!

(Headsup to Engadget)