Rob Fergus, Associate Professor at NewYork University, and Dilip Krishnan, a first-year student at the same institution, have developed a flashgun that emits invisible light. According to a report by the New Scientist, the “dark flash” actually works over a wider range of wavelengths than normal flashes, but visible light is filtered out. In order to use it with a digital camera, the camera’s IR cut filter has to be removed. The resulting image is, unsurprisingly, monochromatic, and resembles the view through a night-vision system. To address this issue, Fergus and Krishnan have come up with the idea of taking two exposures - one with the “dark flash” and one without it, by ambient light. The second one is captured at a fairly high shutter speed, and is underexposed for it, but contains valuable colour information. In other words, the shot with the “dark flash” delivers the necessary luminance information, whereas colour is derived from the exposure captured by ambient light. The main benefit over regular flash shots? Well, the “dark flash” does not disturb or dazzle the models, Krishnan claims. The technique also makes for glare-free photos that do not suffer from the annoying reflections you see in many photos taken with “normal” flash.

Website: Dilip Krishnan’s Dark Flash Page

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, whose historic moments were captured with Hasselblad medium-format cameras. The first Hasselblads used by NASA in space were modified Hasselblad 500C models, whereas the ones used during lunar missions were called Hasselblad Electric Data Cameras. They had a glass plate with reference crosses that recorded on the film during exposure. These crosses can be seen on all pictures taken on the moon from 1969 to 1972. The most interesting photographs can be downloaded from NASA’s website. NASA has also made available the Apollo 11 onboard voice transcription, which is where our title quote comes from.

Website: Great Images in NASA

Sony was today announced as the UK’s leading technology brand in the 2009/10 Superbrands list. The announcement follows an independent selection process which tapped into the views of over 2,100 British consumers. The annual Superbrands survey, now in its 11th year, has become a key barometer on the strength of brands across a wide variety of sectors. The selection process was independently administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis (TCBA) on behalf of the Superbrands organisation. As a Superbrand, Sony has been recognised by the British public as representing quality, reliability and distinction.

Nick Kelsh, renowned photographer and author of eight photography books is introducing an easy-steps DVD entitled “How to Photograph Your Baby”. It is a warm, entertaining, and poignant look at common photography mistakes and offers simple, fun and effective ways to instantly improve results with a few quick tips. “How to Photograph Your Baby” DVD is available now at http://www.howtophotographyourbaby.com for $24.95.

Charlie Waite and Amateur Photographer editor Damien Demolder are combining their expertise with that of five other UK photographers in a major landscape exhibition to be held in Southwell Minster, the Cathedral of Nottinghamshire. The exhibition opens on 1 August and runs throughout the month. The joint showing brings together established and emerging talents, as well as a wide range of photographic styles. Both Charlie Waite and Damien Demolder will be giving talks during the exhibition. Damien’s talk, ‘Seeing and Taking Great Pictures’, will be held on the evening of the first day of the exhibition, Saturday 1st August, at 7.30pm, and Charlie’s ‘Landscape Photography Seminar’ will be held on the evening of Thursday 13th August. Tickets for the talks cost £10 and can be booked at http://www.mastersofvision.co.uk/talks.html

Light & Land is hosting an exclusive photography workshop with the National Trust – with access to the otherwise private areas of the Kingston Lacy Estate. Hosted by Charlie Waite on 8th August 2009, the workshop will begin with a talk from Charlie, covering the finer aspects of landscape photography before heading out to shoot ancient woodlands, farms, rivers, and an estate favourite, the White Mill Bridge. Places are strictly limited and cost £149.

Image Mechanics, a digital capture studio in Santa Monica known for its educational outreach, has announced the first conference to focus on DSLR hybrid photography and cinematography. Image Mechanics, Redrock Micro and the LA Film School will present the two-day conference spotlighting the “collision” - or should we say convergence - of still photography and cinematography. This conference is intended for professional photographers and filmmakers interested in working with DSLRs to create moving and still imagery. The conference will be held at the Los Angeles Film School, located at 6363 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CA on Saturday and Sunday August 29th and 30th, 2009.  Conference passes are available immediately from http://www.ImageMechanicsExpo.com for $200 per day or $350 for a two day pass.

Fujifilm UK have announced their first underwater photo festival, ScubaSnap Weekend 2009. The festival will take place in Looe, Cornwall on the 12th and 13th September. In association with local dive operators Looe Divers, the weekend will include shore diving, photographic tuition and seminars from industry experts such as Mat Trim of Fujifilm and Maria Munn of Ocean Visions, photo competitions and a dinner dive and BBQ in the evening. ScubaSnap Weekend 2009 is open to divers of all levels, but if diving doesn’t appeal then snorkellers can take part, too. The only rule is that all photos taken and entered in the competitions must be taken on a compact camera.

Issue #17 of the PhotographyBB Online Magazine has been released. The June 2009 edition features articles on composition and how keeping things simple can lead to great photography. The issue also examines how to overcome “photographer’s block” when lack of inspiration occurs. Included is also a Photoshop tutorial on creating an urban “grunge” type effect for dramatic impact. In the Photography Around the World column, photographer Ian Miller takes readers to Cambodia, a place of interesting history and rich culture. The magazine also has some tips on how you can make money with your photography, an editorial for the film purists, a look at 50mm prime lenses, and an interview with one very talented photographer. PhotographyBB Online Magazine is available for free download from http://www.photographyBB.com/magazine.

Fujifilm is joining forces with Fujifilm Sericol, Epson and Xerox to hold a free open day at its showroom in Bedford on Thursday July 9. This event is intended for those interested in what’s new in the world of inkjets, inks, dry labs, digital printers and learn about business opportunities and how the market is changing, Fujifilm says. The day will feature a series of presentations and an introduction to the new generation of inks and eco-friendly solutions as well as demonstrations of the latest kit, including the Fujifilm Acuity UV Inkjet, the Epson Inkjet, Xerox iGen Digital Press, Epson Disk Producer and Fujifilm’s award winning Drylab. The event is free to attend but advance registration is required. To register, send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 01234 572144.

Aaduki Multimedia, an insurance company that offers a specialist service to photographers, has announced that it will be attending the DPI Show in London at the Islington Business Design Centre on June 18 and 19. Aaduki Multimedia has grown in the last 2 years to become one of the leading insurance providers of insurance for photographers, journalists and video makers, the company says. Aaduki will be offering special prices at the DPI Show.

Shutterfly has announced ideas for honouring the new dad in your life this Father’s Day as well as a new, free photo sharing iPhone application that allows him to upload, view and share photos on the go. After a simple download, he can sign in and view his Shutterfly albums on his iPhone. He can also snap pics of the kids and upload them directly to his Shutterfly account or Share site. Other Shutterfly gift ideas include tribute albums, milestone memory calendars and surprise photo shoots.

Issue #16 of the PhotographyBB Magazine Online has just been released. The May 2009 edition explores positive ways to engage law enforcement officials, preparing your gear for rainy day photography, and a brand new “readers questions” column. Additionally there are Photoshop and Lightroom tutorials for photographers to get the most out of their post processing techniques. This month’s Photography Around the World column features the vibrant Isla de Mujeres. PhotographyBB Online Magazine is available for free download through the PhotographyBB Website at: http://www.photographyBB.com/magazine?

Blurb is hosting a Photography Book Workshop series this June, featuring photographer Dan Milnor, graphic designer Bob Aufuldish, and Lightroom guru Jerry Courvoisier. These 4-hour workshops, preceded by an opportunity to have your work reviewed, will cover the principals of book design, editing your images in Lightroom for optimum results, and how to use Blurb books to promote your work. Each workshop is £30 standalone, or £50 including the portfolio review. The first Blurb workshop will be held on 22 June at Cayley Theatre, University of Westminster.

Website: Blurb Photobook Workshop

Critically acclaimed photojournalist Simon Norfolk is going to deliver a lecture on 11 June in London, as part of the PhotoVoice Lecture Series. The lecture will cover a number of topics ranging from early photojournalism to the “sublime awfulness of modern weapons systems”, from 18th century Romantic paintings to the questions of how to photograph a nuclear missile and how to “yomp 12,000 watts of lighting through the jungles of the Yucatan”. The lecture will be held at Conway Hall, South Place Ethical Society, 25 Red Lion Square, starting at 7:30pm on Thursday, 11 June. Tickets are £10 in advance and £12 on the door.

Website: Online Booking

CT Media/Photography Institute (CTPhoto Workshops) has moved to Farmington, Connecticut and offers inaugural workshops from 5 July -  August. Located in the brand new facilities on the campus of Tunxis Community College, these one-week courses will focus on the “total experience” of digital photography. Joint teaching sessions provide interrelated instruction in digital photography, lighting, digital manipulation and digital printing. Note that these courses are for intermediate to professional-level students that already have an understanding of manual camera functions including f/stop, shutter speed and ISO film speeds. Students taking digital lab courses should also have a basic working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop CS3+ and Adobe Lightroom. Address all questions to David Archambault, Director of the CT Media/Photography Institute workshops at: [email protected]

Website: CTPhoto

Wild Magnolia Design has announced the world’s first archival, eco-friendly wedding albums. Each album is made completely by hand and incorporates materials such as hemp canvas, vegan silk, and tree-free paper. The albums come in a variety of sizes and are available through select professional photographers, some of which are listed on the Wild Magnolia website. Wild Magnolia Design also offers eco-friendly photographic prints and graphic design services.

Park Cameras have announced a dedicated event for professional photographers that looks to showcase the Canon ‘Digital Solution’. This is a one-day event running from 10am-5pm on 28 May. It consists of opportunities to both attend seminars on the Canon EOS system and also have the chance yourself to put any combination from Canon’s Professional range to the test. Canon is supported by the presence of both onOne Software and Colour Confidence, themselves displaying the latest post-production products through a combination of seminars and ‘touch and try’. This event is free for all those attending. Advance booking is required. Click through / read on for the seminar overview.

Futuresource Consulting says the US photobook market is on track for healthy growth in 2009, with demand projected to reach nearly 17m units this year, up from close to 12.5m in 2008. In value terms, this means the US photobook market is set to exceed $500 million this year. Although online remains the channel of choice for most consumers, with current and forthcoming product launches like the Kis photobook kiosk, duplex printing equipment from Kodak, Fuji and Noritsu, and a number of new software features from companies like Lucidium, HP, Rocketlife and DNP, there is now a growing emphasis on developing the retail angle.

Photo Iconic has launched a new range of photography courses, designed to appeal to photographers, journalists, writers and authors. These new courses will teach participants how to shoot to a brief and illustrate a story which appeals to picture buyers and editors. After participants are taught how to shoot like a pro, with lots of practical opportunities and advice, plus repeated feedback, they’ll get the opportunity to photograph an actual event under the watchful guidance of the tutors. There are two courses for 2009: ‘A Country Life’ (July 4th-5th) covers the Heveningham Hall Country Fair, while ‘Sea to Table’ (September 26th-27th) explores the coastal villages and seafood beloved by Suffolk ‘foodies’. There is also the option to come back on the third day to review the images taken at the event and receive advice and feedback on composition, editing and picture selection. Each course also includes the option of a dinner at the 16th century Crown Hotel in Framlingham. Each course costs £345 for the first two days (to include the Suffolk produce dinner, but excluding accommodation), and the optional feedback day costs £95.

Website: Photo Iconic