Profoto has launched a new website called ProfotoAssistant. The new site hosts monthly photo contests that are open to full-time photography assistants from around the world, and features a Photo Assistants Directory where assistants can get listed and get work. In order to participate in the Profoto Assistant Photo Contest, assistants must complete the online registration form certifying they are a full-time assistant. After they are registered as a Profoto Assistant they may enter up to 20 images a month. Each submission must be accompanied by a single image of a “behind the scenes” shot of the Profoto equipment on set, showing how it was used to create the image with the subject or background visible. Visitors and assistants may vote for as many images as they wish, but are allowed only one vote per image per month. The image with the most votes in a single month wins.

Land Rover North America has launched on Tumblr with “Five By Five,” an innovative photography project that “reflects a unique approach to the creation and distribution of content”. The company selected five socially-connected photographers in five different cities and granted them access to different Land Rover models. “Land Rover is excited to launch on Tumblr with Five By Five because it is such a unique project that highlights our vehicles in a creative and artistic way,” said Ken Bracht, Marketing Communications Manager, Land Rover North America. “We chose to maximize Tumblr as our new social media channel because it fosters engagement, and with this project, allows enthusiasts to share and follow the journeys of each photographer as they experience our vehicles through the eyes of a lens.” To view the photos visit the website below.

SmugMug and UK-based pro lab Loxley Colour have announced a new alliance offering a turnkey online business solution, enabling photographers to easily and cost-effectively showcase and profit from their work. Said Ian Loxley, managing director at Loxley Colour: “This integration means that photographers will never again have to manually take and fulfil orders for high quality prints. This new ecommerce solution gives customers the ability to sell prints and digital downloads for their photo and video inventories.”

Facebook has announced a few enhancements to its photo viewer, including support for high-resolution photos and full-screen viewing. Now the photo viewer will automatically display photos in the highest resolution possible, and you can expand the photo viewer to take up your entire computer screen. Note that this functionality enhancement only applies if you are using the latest version of Firefox or Chrome. Additionally, Facebook will now assign a simplified sRGB profile to every image, including thumbnails. You can read about this update at the website below.

Manchester-based Eposure is a new business which has been set up to support professional photographers by promoting its members to photography buyers, and raising the profile of commercial photography. The business will be supported by a website, launching at the end of April. “We are very aware of the challenges that professional photographers face these days, such as competition from amateurs and a general devaluing of the profession,” says co-founder and director Gabrielle O’Haare. “With a senior level background in photography and marketing at blue chip client level, we’ve valuable experience of many clients, and the problem often stems from the fact that many brand/ad agencies and clients, don’t understand photography and therefore don’t get the best out of it.” To tackle this issue the directors will be working with and providing content for the buying community. An example of this approach can be found on their blog.

Phase One has launched a new website and announced a price cut on its Capture One 6 software. The program comes in three versions. Capture One Pro supports virtually every professional DSLR and most popular camera models and includes powerful tools to enhance the capture and editing processes. Capture One Express features the same processing engine as Capture One Pro, but is without some of the more advanced tools. Capture One DB ships with all Phase One medium format camera systems. Capture One Pro is available for $299 and €229; Capture One Express is now priced at $99 and €69. In addition, the trial period of the software from 30 to 60 days.

Tunaverse Media has just launched its new photo sharing social network called Blinq. Using web linking technology combined with proprietary “just enough, just in time” image delivery software, Blinq makes remotely stored media appear to reside on the user’s local device. By adding remote control capability Blinq enables users to do whatever they want with those remotely stored photos from anywhere. Because upload time is eliminated, sharing albums of any size, even remotely stored albums, is instantaneous, the company claims. To download Blinq and start sharing your photos, visit the website below.

Photodex has updated ProShow Web, its online tool that lets people easily mix photos, video clips and music together into polished video slideshows. Highlights include new 3D tilt effects and themes, an automatic energy level which ensures that photos and music end at the same time, Flickr and Instagram integration, improved music categorisation and a new way of handling a user’s effects.

Hasselblad has launched Hasselblad tv – a new multi-language online video platform for professional and aspirational photographers. The website offers viewers a range of channel options, including education and training videos, product information, global news and events plus peer videos submitted by Hasselblad photographers worldwide. Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad’s Global Sales and Marketing Director said: “This initiative is very much a work in progress and it’s a ‘call to action’ to photographers worldwide. We want everyone, from students to leading professionals - from those who rent Hasselblad cameras and those who own them - to submit their videos.” Hasselblad tv is accessible on PC or Mac computers as well as iPhones and iPads via the website below.

FlarePresets.com is a new website offering a range of presets designed for users of the popular Mac app Flare. The company is currently offering its Retro Preset Collection for free, with other collections like Artist, City, Movie, Popstar and Romance being available for $10 each.

Website: FlarePresets.com

Website developer Idan Shechter has announced an update to CameraSize.com. Designed to help users visually compare different cameras in terms of size, CameraSize.com allows them to view each camera from different angles and directions, alongside its competitors. The new “Compact Camera Meter” widget lets you sort cameras by height, width, depth or weight, change the orientation of all cameras in a single click, change the size of the images so you can view more cameras onscreen etc. Click through / scroll down for a video demonstrating the capabilities of the Web app.

Formerly in beta as GadgetTrak Serial Search, the recently launched CameraTrace service gives users a chance to find images taken with a stolen camera based on its serial number alone. CameraTrace now provides premium services including the ability to register a camera and receive real-time notifications when new images are found. Also included in the one-time $10 premium service fee is a metallic “Lost & Found Tag” with a unique serial number that provides an easy way for someone who finds a lost camera to get in touch with the owner. The tag also serves as a warning to would-be-thieves that the device is registered with the system.

Website: CameraTrace

Now open to the general public, the recently launched Morpholio project seeks to create a new platform for presentation, dialogue, and collaboration relevant to all members “of any image driven culture”. Originally initiated by a group of five architects and academics, the Morpholio project has grown to include over 200 contributors including representatives of other visual disciplines including photography. “Our interest is in advancing the ways that we discuss, debate, and critique our work with a global community,” the founders say. They have recently released a free iOS app called Morpholio Beta 1.0 and launched a website where you can learn more about the project.

AllPhotoAdventures.com is a new and unique website which has quickly become the most comprehensive global directory for photographers seeking landscape, nature and wildlife photographic workshops & tours on a worldwide level.

Searching for photographic workshops/tours has never been easier with our friendly search page boasting a geo map and further narrowing down results by keywords and/or relveant dates. All workshops/tours are displayed with full details, tesimonials, real participants’ reviews, sample photos and are linked directly to the company who operates them for immediate booking.

Some of the more interesing features the website offers photographers include a personal favorites list to which photographers can bookmark the workshops/tours they have located for future referral. AllPhotoAdventures will also save automatically all executed queries allowing photogrpahers to re run searches from previous visits at no effort. These features are invaluable and save precious time.

Bi weekly pro photographers tips, useful articles, monthly polls and informative newsletter complement our extensive resources for photographers.

With more than 500 workshops and tours spanning 65 countries worldwide, every photographer novice or expert may find his/hers next photographic adventure .

To learn more about their services, please refer to http://www.allphotoadventures.com

The website MyBestShot.com has been launched with the ambitious aim of creating the most beautiful collection of photos on the Web. To that end, every contributor is allowed to upload their single most beautiful photo only. “It doesn’t matter if you are an amateur or a pro, as long as you have a truly beautiful photo, we want to have it,” says My Best Shot founder Rick van Haasteren. “We already have some really cool photos on the website, and we hope to get a lot more!” Interested readers are encouraged to visit the website using the link below.

Website: My Best Shot

iStockphoto has recently unveiled a new referral programme that rewards participants with their choice of $20, 20 credits or 20 percent commission on all first-time purchases by customers they generate. The programme is open to all iStockphoto members and participation is simple. The agency is providing several plug-and-play email templates and banner ads or participants can create their own. They can also promote the program via social sharing links to Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin found below every iStock image. Any time a participant shares an image, their referral code is automatically embedded. If the share results in a new sale, payment is awarded. Customers who have been participating in the existing referral programme simply have to agree to the new terms and conditions and update their links to continue earning payouts. For more information, visit the website below.

Snapfish by HP is offering a new range of personalised photo gifts for the holiday season. “From large coffee table photo books to small books that make great stocking-fillers, Snapfish offers easy tools and fun ideas to create sentimental holiday gifts,” the company says. “With the new photo organiser, collecting photos for books is easier than ever. Personalising books is simple and fun with many themes and fonts to choose from.” For more information, visit the website below.

PhotoWhoa is a new website offering daily deals on a variety of photographic products. “We differ from other photography-related daily deals sites by really offering our users insights on the product they are buying,” says PhotoWhoa co-founder Kevin Tang. “We provide in-depth coverage and review on each and every product we sell, and we focus on only one deal at a time.” To check out the website, simply follow the link below. (Do note that in order to see the deal of the day, you’ll have to provide your e-mail address first.)

Website: PhotoWhoa

Canadian photographer Brian Mosoff has launched a new website offering video reviews, tips and tutorials. Taking the form of a video blog, the site currently features an introduction to off-camera flash photography, a half-hour Lightroom tutorial, plus an album and a tripod review, with more to come.

Website: The Photo Tip

Redeye, a UK-based non-profit organisation dedicated to photographers, has launched a new website with a membership scheme allowing members to showcase their work. The new membership scheme, which costs £50 per annum and £30 for students, will also offer them discounts and additional support, access to commissions and other work opportunities as well as an input into how the Redeye Network is run. The website also has an Opinion section where leading photographers post their thoughts on the profession. To find out more, visit the website below.