Jessops.com celebrates its ten-year anniversary with 10 days of 10 deals across the whole product range. These offers started on Saturday, 24 October and change daily. Today’s deal is a saving of £50 on the new Nikon Coolpix S640 digital camera, billed by Nikon as “the world’s fastest Coolpix”.  Jessops have also shaved £10 off the SANDISK U2 SD HC 8GB memory card. Additionally, Jessops is giving out a £10 discount voucher to anyone purchasing any item from Jessops.com this week, which you can use when you spend over £150.

Professor Graham D Finlayson, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cambridge-based computer vision company imsense, has been awarded the Royal Photographic Society’s Davies Medal for 2009. Instituted In 1998, the Davies Medal is awarded for a significant contribution in the digital field of imaging science. Professor Finlayson, holder of numerous patents for his work on image analysis and enhancement, including Dynamic Range Compression,  founded imsense as a spin-out from the University of East Anglia in 2006, and has developed computer and embedded versions of his algorithms into what is now branded as eye-fidelity technology and incorporated into camera devices and photo software. Professor Finlayson will be presented with the award at the Royal Photographic Society’s annual awards dinner in November.

Today at PhotoPlus Expo 2009, HP unveiled ARTtrust, a simple self-certification system that allows artists to provide individual identity to any Digital Fine Art Collection Pigment Print produced on an HP Designjet Z series printer using HP Vivera pigment inks and any compatible media. ARTtrust is specifically designed to meet the needs of the art market including creators (photographers, designers, digital or traditional artists), printmakers (artists who print themselves, photolabs, specialized fine art printers, print service providers), retailers (galleries, auction houses) and private or public art collectors. The solution is comprised of BubbleTags, a translucent polymer containing random and self-generated air bubbles affixed to the artwork itself that references the certificate of authenticity filed by the artist. ARTtrust is available for existing and new prints and any Digital Fine Art Collection Pigment Print can be retrofitted on demand.

PhotographyBB announced today the release of the 21st edition of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine. The October 2009 edition features Halloween themed tutorials such as “How to Photograph Ghosts” and “Digital Pumpkin Carving in Photoshop.” Additionally, this issue explores a sneak peek at the new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Beta release, and some of the exciting new features that Adobe has to offer. Other topics covered include outdoor portrait shooting techniques and HDR imaging, while their Photography Around the World feature showcases photographs of Ireland’s countryside, mountains, churches, and forts. Issue #21 is downloadable from the website below.

Website: PhotographyBB Online Magazine

To celebrate the launch of the new, 12.1-megapixel Sony Ericsson Satio handset on Vodafone, photographer Jillian Edelstein has been commissioned to capture the beauty and individuality of 121 eyes in only 12.1 hours. While Julian Edelstein has become famous for her portraits of celebrities, the Eyes Wide Open project “takes her gaze from the world of famous faces, and looks to delve into the realm of visual communication through the exploration of eyes”, the organisers say. Sony Ericsson are searching for people from all over the United Kingdom and all walks of life to be part of Eyes Wide Open. Jillian will be personally selecting the 61 participants from all applicants and inviting them to an invitation only Satio studio photoshoot. Members of the public can find out more and win the chance to be involved by visiting the website below.

Website: Eyes Wide Open

Vicon, a UK company based in Oxford, has obtained a licence from Microsoft to mass produce their wearable camera, which was originally developed to help people with Alzheimer’s disease. According to The New Scientist, the ViconRevue camera, which is worn around the neck, can automatically take a picture every 30 seconds, and can store up to 30,000 such snaps at a time in its built-in 1GB memory. Therefore it can help create a visual log of one’s life (as long as the photos are backed up on a regular basis, of course). Vicon will initially market the ViconRevue to its original target market of researchers but plans to launch a consumer model next year. The price is expected to be in the region of £500.

Via The New Scientist

An exhibition from the pages of Dispatches’ first five issues will be held in Bar 61, 3 rue de l’Oise, Paris. The exhibition opens at 7 p.m. on 20 October and runs until 1 November 2009. Dispatches is a quarterly that has been conceived “to fit somewhere between Gutenberg and Google, a lively source of fresh knowledge about a world changing at warp speed in a format for people who savour the heft of words and images on paper”. The exhibition features photographs by Antonin Kratochvil, Yuri Kozyrev, Seamus Murphy, Gary Knight and Philip Blenkinsop.

Website: Dispatches

X-Rite has announced a free webinar entitled “Raw Color Power with Adobe Lightroom and ColorChecker Passport”. Topics covered include white balance and camera calibration, creating and applying DNG camera profiles in Lightroom & Photoshop, one-click image enhancements, matching colour response with different cameras and matching colour response under different lighting conditions. The webinar takes place at 10 a.m. GMT on 23 October 2009. To register, visit the website below.

Website: RAW COLOR POWER with Adobe Lightroom and ColorChecker Passport

Photo-i has just launched its latest DVD title, A Guide to Digital Printing and Scanning. Written and presented by Vincent Oliver, photographer and editor of photo-i.co.uk, this 2 hours and 54 minutes DVD shows you how to get the best from your printer and scanner in an easy-to-follow way. Topics covered include choosing a printer, colour management, profiling a monitor, creating custom printer profiles, choosing the right paper, optimising photographs for printing, printer settings for monochrome, scanning film and prints, and more. A Guide to Digital Printing and Scanning has been produced in association with Epson and is available to buy online at the website below.

Website: photo-i

On October 22, Swann Auction Galleries is holding a Photographs & Photographic Literature Sale, featuring works ranging from the earliest days of photography through images by modern masters. Some of the works, including a series of portraits by Diane Arbus, are expected to sell for $20,000 to $30,000 each. Others, such as Richard Avedon’s nude portrait of Rudolf Nureyev or Ansel Adams’s landscape shot, Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California, are estimated to be sold for $30,000 to $40,000. Other interesting items include a “mural-sized” chromogenic print of Marilyn Monroe, an album containing Los Angeles Police Department photographs from the years 1917 through 1942, as well as a selection of rare salted paper prints by William Henry Fox Talbot, one of the inventors of photography itself (pictured above).

Peleman Industries announced today the new MyBook Collection kit for photographers. MyBook Collection is a low-cost, easy way for photographers to quickly make portable 4”x6” photo books for wedding and special event photography. Priced at $5.99, the kit comes complete with a custom designed 4”x6” book cover, 2 end sheets, an easy-to-use assembly guide and a free matching mailing envelope.  MyBook Collection features a wide variety of colors, themes and designs to choose from to fit any occasion, from baby, graduation, anniversary, holiday, to thank-you notes and professional albums. It is available immediately at select Target stores and at www.myunibind.com.

Professional photographer John Freeman has announced the launch of John Freeman Photours, a comprehensive range of educational photographic tours and workshops that offer the chance to benefit from the knowledge and success he has gained during his 40-year career. Starting in January 2010, John Freeman Photours will offer photographers of all levels unique, educational photographic tours in the UK and abroad. A diverse range of London-based studio workshops will also be available from January 2010 for those wanting to discover more about the professional approach to studio working methods. Anyone that requires further information or would like to make a booking should call 0800 298 8190.

Bonhams, one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques, will organise its first-ever stand alone Photgraphy Sale on 20 May 2010. A beautiful early print by John French can be yours for as little as £500; a Parkinson or Beaton for £1,500; and Demarchelier can offer you Claudia, Elle, Cindy, Helena or Christy for a little more.

Nikon UK has teamed up with National Geographic in a partnership that aims to inspire wildlife and photography enthusiasts.  The channel sponsorship of National Geographic and National Geographic Wild & HD takes shape as a series of programme idents and three short vignettes, featuring renowned wildlife photographer, Andy Rouse. Given his impressive experience and expert eye, Andy is expected to inspire viewers of all photographic levels to get out and take pictures. To complement the television activity, Nikon will also be sponsoring an exhibition of Andy Rouse’s work, titled Vanishing Worlds, to be held at the National Geographic Store on Regent Street, London, from 16th October – 26th October.

Our Recent Nikon DSLR Reviews: D5000 | D3000 | D300s

Alexx Henry debuts a “Living Cover and Spread” with the October issue of Outside Magazine. The story features Chris Lieto in a pioneering moving-picture narrative of the tri-athlete. Designed with emerging technology in mind, Henry created the Living Spread as a contribution to a debate concerning the future of print, and to offer a scenario for its possible evolution. Currently, Henry’s Living Spread - created using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and a RED camera - can only be viewed online, though not for much longer. While magazines have yet to widely implement the technology for motion photography spreads, that day appears to be imminent: display technologies such as E-ink and OLED screens continue to develop towards flexible screens that will make Henry’s imagining of a futuristic magazine possible within a few short years. A presentation of the Living version can be viewed at the website below.

Website: Living Cover and Spread

With just over a month to go until the first Canon Pro Photo Solutions show, the countdown has begun until doors open. To be held on 27th and 28th October 2009 at the Business Design Centre, Islington, final details of the show content have just been released. The show is aimed at moving and still image professionals and will highlight how Canon can provide a complete workflow solution from image capture to output. 39 seminars will be held over the two days from 18 industry experts, and photographers will be able to book one of over 80 portfolio reviews with a distinguished panel including Canon Ambassador Lorenzo Agius, Getty Images, Professional Photographer Editor Grant Scott, and Canon UK Envoy Annabel Williams. Online registration for the event is free in advance at the website below.

Website: Canon Pro Photo Solutions ‘09

Matty Martin, an industrial design student at the California College of Arts, has come up with an unusual concept camera. The “Punch Camera”, as it is called, combines an imaging chip, an LCD screen and a hole-punch system to capture photos and output a rasterised image made up of holes of different sizes. To achieve this, it uses a fixed number of pins that come in four different sizes. As the output medium is a regular piece of paper, the rasterised “prints” cost virtually nothing. “This is a camera which was inspired by the loss of tangible memories. It is meant to connect both physical and digital while minimizing excess materials and the hardships in sharing images,” Martin explains. “I wanted to allow users to create a hardcopy image but minimize the use of inks and paper cartridges.”

While wireless transmission of photos, videos and other types of data is becoming increasingly common, electrical devices still need a mains cable to draw power to operate or charge their batteries - but this may soon change, according to Sony. Their new wireless power transfer system incorporates a form of contact-less electrical energy transmission technology based on magnetic resonance. Using this system, up to 60 Watts of electrical energy can be transferred over a distance of 50cm at an efficiency of approximately 80%. According to Sony, this transfer distance can be extended to 80cm using passive extender units to relay power between relatively small-sized transmitters and receivers. While the theory of wireless energy transfer is not new, and we have seen successful experiments in the past - including Intel’s 2008 demonstration involving a 60W light bulb being powered via a Wireless Resonant Energy Link -, today’s announcement signals that the technology may be finally getting ready for prime time, and that truly wireless homes and offices may eventually become a reality.

On 21 October 2009, professional photographer Will Cheung will host a workshop designed to introduce attendees to mains flash photography. Mr Cheung will demonstrate how to use mains flash, talk about lighting control basics, light positioning, how to use backgrounds, brollies, softboxes and a beauty dish. Attendees will practice using reflectors, metering and using one and two heads, and be given posing and composition tips. The workshop begins at 10am and lasts till 5.30pm; the location is Studio Anglesey Arms, Menai Bridge, Anglesey; and the price is £55 for Welshot Imaging Photographic Academy members, £70 for non-members. Booking is essential.

Website: Welshot Imaging Photographic Academy Mains Flash Workshop with Will Cheung

Following an extensive period of negotiations with HSBC, Jessops plc has agreed a solvent restructuring of Jessops Group Limited, its principal trading company, which will “place that business on a sound financial footing for the future”. The restructuring proposal, achieved with the support of HSBC, will enable Jessops to continue with business as usual. Importantly, the restructuring will protect 2,000 jobs directly, as well as others in the supply chain, the company says. Under the restructuring, Jessops main operating company is being sold to a newly formed company, Snap Equity Limited, which will be 47 per cent owned by HSBC. In exchange, HSBC will forgive £34m of debt owed by Jessops plc.