The latest issue of the monthly online photo magazine, Vivid Light Photography, has just been published. It’s packed to the rafters this month with some great articles - here are my highlights, in no particular order:

- Just Another Tool?
“I look at my cameras as tools. Just as any good craftsman worth his salt, I take care of them, and maintain them. But while I may have some affection for some of my older cameras, I’m not invested in them emotionally the way that some photographers are. I look at the whole digital-versus-film debate the same way. I can make professional quality images with either format. So the question is not which format is better, but rather which is best for the job at hand?”

- Let The Weather Affect Your Photography!?
“You can stay in bed if you choose, but not me! I’ve discovered that the rest of the time, those drizzly days, those cold days, those foggy days, those snowy days have all brought me some of my most exciting photographic experiences. As I’ve mentioned in past articles, effort plays an important part in the process and in letting the weather affect your photography.”

- Just Burn it to Disk - Not So Fast!
“How big of an issue is it? At PhotoPlus I spoke with a Fuji Rep. He told me that while consumer film sales continue to decline, pro film sales have seen a sharp increase in the past year. Why? As pros have gotten burned by disks they couldn’t read and high migration costs when upgrading systems they’ve reassessed their work flows. Archivally stored slides will last a lifetime and they can be easily scanned, worked in Photoshop, and distributed to clients and publishers.”

Website: Vivid Light Photography - Issue #39

Snapfish Press Release 17/11/04

Snapfish Announces 2004’s Must-Have Holiday Photo Gifts All Under $25

New Photo Gift Superstore Offers More Than 70 Personalized Photo Gifts and Industry’s Best Price of $19.79 on Popular Photobooks

SAN FRANCISCO - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Nov. 17, 2004 -In anticipation of the holidays, Snapfish, the leading online photo service, today announced dozens of terrific personalized photo gifts for every member of the family, and a 34% price reduction on its wildly popular photo gift, the MemoryBook, now at the new low price of $19.79.

The MemoryBook is a professionally bound, cloth-covered book that users customize with their own photos and words. Introduced by Snapfish in early spring, the MemoryBook is just one of dozens of special holiday photo gifts that are now available. Snapfish’s line of more than 70 unique, customized photo products includes everything from apparel and housewares, to toys, games and novelties, with gifts perfect for every member of the family.

Cut and Deal Press Release 18/11/04

Cut and Deal (http://www.cutanddeal.com), the new source for sports betting and gambling image library, had won three major contracts in its first three months of operation:

Thomson Gale, Michigan, USA
www.gale.com
Thomson Gale is one of the largest US publishers and is a wholly owned division of the Thomson Corporation. The Thomson Gale family of publishing imprints includes such noted brands as Macmillan and Thorndike Press.  With operational headquarters in Connecticut, USA, Thomson has approximately 39,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. 2003 revenues were $7.6 billion.

DCResource have just published their 2004 Holiday Buyers Guide, which includes the Canon EOS 20D DSLR (pictured).

“The best digital SLR for under $3000 in my opinion. It takes excellent 8 Megapixel photos, the burst modes are superb, and build quality is top-notch. Like the Digital Rebel, the 20D can use Canon EF or EF-S lenses.”

Website: DCResource - 2004 Holiday Buyers Guide

Check the Latest Prices for the Canon EOS 20D

Medialaundry Press Release 15/11/04

Online this month is the Medialaundry.com ? the Internet’s first dedicated media delivery system.

Send, receive and share media files across the Internet using the Medialaundry’s dedicated Digidelivery servers, at ultra fast speed and with total security.

Supplied directly by a tier one (100 Mb/s bursting) connection, users can transfer media without the corporate LAN traffic and ISP bottlenecks common with FTP servers. Deliveries are encrypted and only downloadable by chosen recipients guaranteeing security.

Each delivery is managed and invoiced immediately making accounting a breeze, and with delivery from as little as £4 per gigabyte it makes unreliable e-mail attachments and complicated FTP sites a thing of the past.

Visit Medialaundry.com and apply for an instant account.

Medialaundry - Fresh to your desktop.

PhotoPoints Press Release 03/11/04

PhotoPoints Film and Digital Photography Community Announces Release of ePhotoSites

PhotoPoints (http://www.photopoints.com) is proud to announce the release of ePhotoSites (http://www.ephotosites.com). ePhotoSites allows PhotoPoints members to easily build their own web sites.

(PRWEB) November 3, 2004—“Many of our members have expressed interest in having a more customized gallery. With the release of ePhotoSites we give our members this capability. ePhotoSites is part of their $25.00 annual membership,” says Oscar Meszar, River North Software, LLC Managing Member and Chief Information Architect.

The latest issue of the monthly online photo magazine, Vivid Light Photography, has just been published. It has some great articles - here are my highlights, in no particular order:

What’s the Big Deal About a Full-Size Chip? - We clear up some misconceptions regard digital SLRs and their image chips.
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3814.htm

Gary Stanley - Put the Buzz Back in Your Photography!
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3804.htm

Lennie Lee Rue III - Success—At Last !
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/3804.htm

Website: Vivid Light Photography - Issue #38

Canon USA Press Release 01/11/04

COMPLETE THE PLAY FOR GREAT IMAGES WITH CANON’S CONNECT AND SCORE REBATE PROMOTION

Consumers Can Score A Visa Gift Card Worth Up To $100 In Value When They Purchase Select Canon Digital Cameras or Camcorders with the Select Photo Printer

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2004 - At the Super Bowl or high school playoffs, catching the photo of the game winning touchdown is a moment that deserves a fine print to share with friends and family. This football season consumers can connect their favorite Canon digital cameras or MiniDV camcorders to Canon’s popular photo printers, and score great photographs while qualifying for valuable rebates up to $100.

Canon, an official sponsor of the NFL is the only manufacturer that can supply a complete digital imaging solution that includes digital SLR, digital compact cameras, camcorders and photo printers. Canon is supporting this consumer promotion with an NFL themed advertising campaign that features five-second spots added to Canon’s existing television advertising as well as one-quarter page ads featuring the Connect and Score promotion.

Canon USA Press Release 01/11/04

“CASH IN WITH CANON” REBATE PROGRAM RETURNS FOR ANOTHER SEASON WITH HARD HITTING REBATES AND PROMOTIONS

Canon Rebate Program Offers Hundreds of Dollars in Rebates, And A Chance To Win A Trip To The Pro Bowl In Hawaii To Shoot On The Sidelines

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 1, 2004 - Football games, tailgate parties, and parking lot pick-up games are all great opportunities for consumers to capture their memories with a quality digital camera system. Canon’s Cash In With Canon Rebate Program returns this year from Oct. 15, 2004 to Jan. 31, 2005 with double and triple rebates on popular products. Additionally, every rebate claim received by January 4, 2005 earns a chance to win the Canon Fantasy Photographer Sweepstakes.

Canon is offering mail-in rebates from $15 to $50 for select EF lenses and a $100 mail-in rebate for the EOS Digital Rebel. Purchasing two eligible products doubles the rebate amount for both products, while purchasing three or more eligible products triples the rebate amount for all eligible products.* Additionally, Canon is offering rebates on select EX-series Speedlites and all IS (Image Stabilizer) Binoculars. These items are not eligible for double or triple rebates.

Mike Johnston’s “Sunday Morning Photographer” column this week is devoted to digital, with opinions about the new DSLR cameras on the market, a cheap and effective black and white printing system, and the Tamron 17-35mm Di lens (pictured).

“Got all that? It’s not quite all. Two very important specifications you also need to know about are: weight, 14.4 ounces (440g); and price, less than $500.

These last two bits make the Tamron 17-35mm Di truly stand out. Virtually any lens maker can make superb lenses if a) it can charge enough money for it, and b) if it can make the lens as large and heavy as it wants to. Most lenses of this specification are, to put it kindly, beasts. As in, big and heavy. This lens isn’t. I know, I know, real men don’t care about weight…and yet you know in your heart you do, especially if you practice a style of photography that has you carrying the camera around with you wherever you go. Virtually anyone who has been in this game for a few decades has owned lenses that more often than not get left behind because they’re just friggin’ bricks, and I don’t care if you’re the Guvernator. I’m not a nut about small and light, but small enough and light enough are plusses.”

Website: Sunday Morning Photographer: A Killer Digital Lens

The October/November 2004 issue of AK47.tv is out now. This is an online art photography magazine, published bimonthly, which showcases images from both fine arts and documentary photographers. It looks very similar design-wise to the now defunct 28mm.org, but it’s mainly flash-based and features less photographers (5 in total this month).

Website: AK47.tv - Issue #5

BZKmag is a new, good-looking online magazine made by photography lovers for photography lovers. Well worth a visit.

”...the editorial line of BZKmag is very simple: we will show photography that moves us emotionally. And we will reflect on those emotions. This will result in issues where well-known photographers and works mix with others completely buried in anonymity. Where popular themes are discussed with more informed reflections. Ah, and maybe each issue will have a vague thematic orientation… but we won’t promise that.”

Website: BZKMag

ShootSmarter.com have just published a number of new articles for the month of October. Highlights include:

PROFESSIONAL INKJET 101: HARDWARE, INK & PAPER
What type of inkjet gear meets the expectations of demanding professional photographers?? Here’s Will Crockett’s kickoff smArticle to get you printing smarter with inkjet.
http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc032.html

SUZETTE ON PHOTOSHOP:GREETING CARDS FOR INKJET.
‘Tis the season for Christmas cards make one thank-you card for each family that I give them when I show their proofs. I sell Christmas cards from that little sample more than half the time, too!? Let’s show ‘em what you can do in this new smArticle from the best PS instructor on the planet:
http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/sa018.html

PRO ON-CAMERA FLASH: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS.
For those of you who are ready to confront on-camera flash exposures, Jim Tweedie reveals the problem and how to fix it. “I’ve conquered this issue and you can too.” Here’s 4 really good solutions and Jim’s recommended flash units:
http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/jt016.htm

Website: ShootSmarter.com - October 2004

Casion Press Release 25/10/04

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Casio’s Newest Digital Cameras Consolidated In One New Easy-To-Navigate Website

DOVER, NJ, October 25, 2004 - CASIO, Inc. is making it easier than ever for digital camera buffs and potential buyers to find out everything they need to know with the launch of the new http://exilim.casio.com website.  The website is specially dedicated to provide consumers with invaluable information about Casio> ‘> s newest EXILIM line of digital cameras, from its Pro to its Zoom and Card lines, including the EXILIM EX-P600, EX-Z30, EX-Z40, EX-Z50, EX-Z55 and EX-S100. 

The exilim.casio.com easily guides you to quickly find information such as dealer location, special promotions, awards, and product reviews.  You can even learn about the history of Casio’s digital cameras on this informative site.  What’s more, if you cannot decide which camera is best for you, the website conveniently gives you the ability to do some comparison-shopping.  Using the Casio Advantage feature, you can learn all about the numerous camera features, compare key features and advantages and then decide which camera best suits your needs. 

Kingston Technology Press Release 25/10/04

25 October 2004 - Kingston Technology, the world’s leading independent memory manufacturer, has announced the launch of its new Digital Memory Website, www.kingstonflashmemory.com. The site is the first of its kind to feature a built in memory configurator, allowing users to instantly find out the type and speed of memory their digital product requires and enabling them to make an informed and quick decision when purchasing.

The site has been specifically designed to provide customers with straightforward access to the latest information regarding Kingston Technology’s full range of digital memory products. Linking directly to Kingston Technology’s ‘where to buy’ section and also to the company’s product e-tailers, the website has been designed so that customers are able to order online. The site also features a ‘find your nearest stockist’ section, making it even easier for customers to source the exact Kingston Technology digital product they require.

The latest issue of Nature Photographers Online Magazine has recently been posted and features some new articles that will appeal to nature and non-nature photographers alike.

Expect the Unexpected by Christopher Jordan and Ron Leonetti
“Learn your local landscape. It may not be Half Dome or slot canyons, but with patience and repeated exposure it will surely yield subject matter of interest. I firmly believe that getting to know a place in great detail, in all seasons and all weather is much more likely to yield high quality photographic results than trophy hunting at the photographic hot spots that attract hordes of photographers. In most cases my favorite images have come from repeated visits to the same place.”

Sossusvlei by Balloon by Peter Madeley

Landscape Photography Composition - Part 2 by Guy Tal

Website: Nature Photographers Online Magazine - October 2004 Issue

Imaging Revue is a subscription based website ($120/year) that features forums attended by some of the great names in digital imaging. It seems than all is not well, as virtually all of the experts resigned earlier this week.

The following Imaging Revue Experts resigned from the IR website as of 10-11-2004:

John Paul Caponigro, Katrin Eismann, Martin Evening, Bruce Fraser, Greg Gorman, Mac Holbert, Ian Lyons, Steve Gorman, Seth Resnick, Andrew Rodney, and Jeff Schewe

The statement they issued to IR subscribers is shown below:

“While we, as a group, appreciated the community that included the IR membership, we have fundamental differences with the organization and management of Imaging Revue. When it was first proposed, we felt the time was right for a site dedicated to digital imaging on a subscription basis. However, the management of the site has failed to meet our expectations. We now feel it is wrong for us to be involved as Experts without any direct control over how
the site is administered.

Our disagreement is not with the subscribers of Imaging Revue nor its community. We have nothing but good feelings towards the friends we?ve made here. We wish the community well. But clearly, in the opinion of the Experts, the management of IR has not followed through with its commitment to the fundamental structure and organization of the site. In fact, we now question the validity of the basic business model of paying Experts to answer questions.

We realize that many members have subscribed and paid money in large part because we, as Experts, were involved. To those people we can only offer our sincere apology. We would like to have offered a better and stronger involvement but circumstances have prevented us from being able to do so.

For those of you who feel angry or frustrated, we can only apologize and sympathize. We wish this site had met your expectations as well as ours.

The individual Experts have expressed a desire to offer their own goodbyes, but as a group we felt the need to make a unified statement.”

MyFourThirds.com looks like an interesting site for all you Olympus E-1 owners out there, and for all the people who will buy the E-300 (pictured) when it’s launched. Billing itself as “The Photographic Community for the Four Thirds Photographer”, there’s already quite a bit of content there.

Website: MyFourThirds.com

One of my favourite photography websites has sadly decided to call it a day, with the final issue publishing work from 51 contributors to the online photo magazine. Thanks to Rachel James for running this great site!

“In two years, 28mm published fourteen issues with 107 photographers.  Fifty-one of them have put their best foot forward for this final issue of 28mm.

I believe that when you cannot give a website like this your 100%, then it’s time to stop.  It is a decision that some of you might not understand, but one that I hope you can respect.

Before we officially close the chapter on 28mm, I have decided to put my energy into creating “28MM: The Book”.  An official announcement will be made about that on Monday.

In the meantime… Enjoy.

“

Website: http://www.28mm.org

The Slovenian website eFotoGrafija have published another very interesting interview (in English) from Photokina, this time with Olympus representatives Toshifumi Nakano and Masaharu Hamada. The following info about the new E-300 DSLR is just one of the things that caught my eye:

“E-1 was released one year ago and was meant for professional market, where pentaprism is almost compulsory. From a professional camera one expects it to be made in a certain way. The new E-300 is built for a lower, consumer class and we believe that such a camera needs to be special. In the near future, Sony and Panasonic will probably launch their lower-end DSLR cameras and when that happens, we will have to respond, perhaps with an EVF and different design also.

With that in mind we developed a new technology, which makes it possible to use a new design while still keeping the optical viewfinder. Looking at the cameras to come from Sony or Panasonic we are aware that we will need a new design.”

Website: eFotoGrafija - Interview with Olympus representatives Toshifumi Nakano and Masaharu Hamada