Leaf Imaging today announced the availability of the Leaf Aptus-II 10R digital camera back, with internal rotating sensor. The Leaf Aptus-II 10R is available for a variety of medium and large format cameras, and is best suited for architecture, landscape, portrait and product advertising, the company says. The Leaf Aptus-II 10R 56 megapixel sensor is 56x36 mm in dimensions, and can capture the full width of medium format capture area for either landscape or portrait setups. Whether shooting handheld or with the camera mounted on a tripod, there is now no need to remove the back to change the camera orientation. The Leaf Aptus-II 10R camera back is priced at €24,995 and is now available for orders.

Manfrotto is launching a new online tutorial platform called the Manfrotto School of Excellence. Allowing users to log on and access the experience and know-how of the world’s most famous photographers and videographers, the Manfrotto School of Excellence will offer a series of free training sessions of varying difficulty (from beginner to advanced level), designed to add to the knowledge of all enthusiasts, amateurs and professionals alike. Launching at the end of March, this learning opportunity will focus on the most popular areas of photography and video-work today - portraits, still life, news photo/videography and documentaries - for fashion, advertising and the traditional publishing trade.

Website: Manfrotto School of Excellence

Mastering HD Video with Your DSLR is a new book from Rocky Nook. The book teaches readers about capturing and editing video footage, and about the effects that weren’t possible with standard digital video equipment. Topics covered include mastering video concepts, specific video features of DSLRs, and equipment needed to shoot video; as well as the restrictions, problems, and pitfalls of shooting video with a DSLR. The authors use an easy-to-follow approach of introducing concepts, thoroughly explaining the process of shooting video, and finally, presenting step-by-step projects that take the reader from capture to editing. The 240-page book is available from ‘Reilly, priced at $34.95.

The Master Photographers Association (MPA) has launched the UK’s largest prize for baby photography, a cash prize of £10,000. The prize will be awarded to the consumer with the ‘Cherub of the Year’ bonniest baby. Established in 1993, Cherubs is the UK’s longest running baby photography programme and has over 200 professional photographer partners covering postcode areas in the majority of the UK. There are still some unallocated postcodes, so MPA is now actively recruiting professional photographers to join the programme and guarantees postcode exclusivity. For further details, visit the website below.

Website: Cherubs

Nik Software has just announced its Spring 2010 Webinar schedule. These six hour-long educational webinars, which début on 8 April and continue through mid-June, cover a range of photography topics including portrait, scenic and landscape, flora, fauna and architecture, while offering basic information, insights and tips on using Nik Software’s entire line of plug-ins. Read on / click through for the complete list of webinars including dates and times.

Hasselblad and DRS are sponsoring a photo competition called “SCREENings Internet Goes Print” in Berlin, Germany. The aim of the contest is to provide photographers with an uncomplicated, yet effective, means of contacting industry insiders and important decision makers in the photography sector. To enter, photographers need to provide a link to their online portfolio using the form at the competition website. Entries are judged on the basis of photography and creativity rather than website design and implementation. The closing date for applications is 20 April, and the finalists will be exhibited at the UPdate - Salon for Photography on 14 May in Frankfurt. The winner will receive €5.000.

Website: SCREENings

A team of Hasselblad imaging experts will demonstrate the new Hasselblad H4D cameras and the company’s Phocus software to photography students at colleges and universities across the UK. Chris Russell-Fish, Hasselblad UK MD explained: “Students are the future of the imaging business so we decided to plan a completely free of charge, nationwide educational roadshow to enable them to get some real hands-on experience with the 40-megapixel medium format H4D-40”. Hasselblad is also holding evening sessions after each student day event, and these are open to all professional photographers.

Website: Hands On Hasselblad

Avanquest Software has announced Print Artist Platinum 23, an application that makes producing personalised calendars and other items quick and easy. Photos are easily imported from digital cameras, mobile phones and scanners to be included in posters, flyers, brochures, greeting cards and even iron-on apparel designs for customising t-shirts, bags and a variety of other items.  Photo slideshows with music and animated transitions can also be created and burnt onto a CD. Additionally, Print Artist Platinum 23 features over 375,000 graphics including watercolours, vector images and photographs. Available from PC World, Currys, Amazon.co.uk, Play.com and Avanquest.co.uk, Print Artist Platinum 23 from Avanquest Software is priced at £39.99.

Tamron USA has just announced a new programme of educational weekend events. Aimed at enhancing the picture-taking abilities of photo enthusiasts, these “TamronExtravaganzas” are hosted by local Tamron dealers at over 50 specified times and locations throughout the United States, and will be listed on the Tamron website in the events section. Each event includes Tamron’s “Eleven Simple Secrets to Better Pictures” two-hour seminar prepared under the guidance of Tamron’s distinguished group of veteran pros including Andre Costantini, Ken Hubbard, and John VanSteenberg. Topics include when and how to use different lenses, making the most of available light, the effective use of flash, and more.

Website: Tamron Events

Writing on the Edge: Great Contemporary Writers on the Front Line of Crisis is a new book illustrated with photographs by award-winning UK photographer Tom Craig. Published in association with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Writing on the Edge features fourteen essays that take the reader on a harrowing tour of countries in crisis. Tom accompanied each writer to photograph the patients and stories they witnessed. The visits took place in 2005 - and the essays and Tom’s photos were published in the Sunday Times that same year. The book will be launched on 20 April in the US, followed by the UK, Canadian, Australian and South African editions. The 276-page hardcover book is priced at $29.95 USD / $37.00 CDN / £19.95

Blurb’s third annual international-juried competition, Photography Book Now 2010, is now open for entries. Photography Book Now celebrates the very best in self-published photography books and the photographers behind them.The competition features a grand prize of $25,000. Entries will be accepted in three categories – Fine Art, Editorial, and Photography Portfolio. The finalists’ books in each category will become part of the permanent collections at the International Center for Photography, the Annenberg Space for Photography and the George Eastman House.Submissions will be accepted through 11:59 pm PDT on July 15, 2010, at the website below.

Website: Photography Book Now

Fujifilm has just launched the ASK-2500 dye sublimation printer. Targeted at retail outlets and photographers’ studios, the Fujiflm ASK-2500 measures just 300mm x 411mm. Using thermal transfer to achieve its results, the Fujifilm ASK-2500 is capable of printing one 6x4-inch image every 6.9 seconds. It is recommended to be used with Fujifilm’s ‘Quality Thermal Photo Paper’, one roll of which gives 600 prints at 6x4” or 308 prints when set to 5x7”.

Kenro has announced the UK release of the Nissin PS 300 Power Pack for electronic flashes. By using the PS 300 together with the regular power source, the flash recycle time is reduced to a quarter of the standard time (approximately 0.7 seconds to recharge the Nissin Di866, Canon EX580EX II or the Nikon SB900). The PS 300 is powered by a NiMH battery – (7.2V/3,300mAh) that provides approximately 300 full flashes per charge (based on using the Di866 on full power).

Website: Kenro

Ilford UK has announced a special offer on its Galerie Smooth Lustre Duo paper. From now until 30 June, a pack of 25 A4 sheets costs only £10. Galerie Smooth Lustre Duo has a natural photographic white tint to produce prints with excellent colour gamut that is perfect for skin tones, according to Ilford. Compatible with both dye and pigment printers, Galerie Smooth Lustre Duo is suitable for creating tailor-made wedding albums, portfolios or even premium quality invitations.

The Annenberg Space for Photography is hosting a three-month photographic and multimedia exhibit based on the work of six photographers featured in National Geographic magazine’s April issue. The featured photographers are Jonas Bendiksen, with a story on Himalaya glacial melt; Edward Burtynsky, capturing California’s water infrastructure; Lynn Johnson, documenting the burden of thirst on women and children in Africa; Paolo Pellegrin, looking at water rights in the Middle East; Joel Sartore, with a story on freshwater species; and John Stanmeyer, with a moving portfolio of our spiritual connection with water. The Annenberg Space for Photography is located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars, #10 Los Angeles. The exhibit is open to the public until 13 June 2010.

Website: The Annenberg Space for Photography

Pixelspace Retouching and Anagnorisis Fine Arts have announced a photography exhibition and silent auction, Distorted Beauty, a collaboration between artist and retoucher D Tyler Huff and a select group of commercial fashion and beauty photographers. The proceeds of the auction will benefit the Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center. Participating artists include Michael David Adams, Alex Beauchesne, Indiria Cesarine, Amber Gray, Edwin Ho, Wendy Hope, D. Tyler Huff, Sergio Kurhajec and Caitlin Mitchell. The exhibition runs from 8 April to 6 May, and is hosted by the Gallery at Station Digital, located at 73 Franklin St., New York.

AKVIS has updated AKVIS ArtSuite, a collection of versatile effects for decorating photos, to version 6.0. Like many other AKVIS products, ArtSuite is available in both a Standalone version and as a plug-in to Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Corel Painter, Corel Photo-Paint, and Paint Shop Pro, ACD FotoCanvas, and Corel PhotoImpact. The Standalone version now supports Frame Packs of Hand Painted Photo Frames. Two new themed frame packs are also available. These frame packs contain frames which have been designed by artists specially for ArtSuite. Also new to version 6.0: support for 64 bit in the plugin version, bug fixes, and a new installation program. A free frame pack containing 30 hand painted frames is also available as a separate download. AKVIS ArtSuite Plug-in sells for $49; AKVIS ArtSuite Standalone for $ 69.Version 6.0 is a free upgrade for registered users of earlier versions. A free 10-day trial is available to new customers.

Website: AKVIS ArtSuite

Reflections on Nelson Mandela is a new book that contains exclusive photographs of renowned statesmen, thinkers, performers, celebrities and commentators alongside their answer to one simple question: “What do you think society, mankind and humanity can learn from Nelson Mandela’s values and virtues?” Reflections also reveals ‘the meaning’ of Mandela to the world at large – from artists to activists, bankers to bouncers, marketers to road sweepers, policemen to journalists, healers to students, and many in between. Completing the volume are revealing images of Mandela himself. To celebrate the pre-launch of Reflections (which will hit the shelves on 1 July 2010), selected images and quotes from the book will be framed and displayed at the Proud Central, London W1. An auction of these items (25 May 2010) will raise money for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Guilherme Junior, a Brazilian photographer, is the winner of the 2010 Sony World Photography Awards’ Campaign Award. The winning image, entitled ‘Twisters’, shows the supporters of the Flamengo soccer team in Rio de Janeiro. Delly Carr, one of the world’s leading sports photographers, and chair of the judging panel commented: “This female fan epitomises football’s energy and passion. She is singled out from the rest of the crowd through her ‘over-the-top’ celebratory jump, and therefore as one with the team. She has channelled all her energy into that explosive reaction. Her face is pure joy.” A selection of shortlisted images entered to the competition, including the Guilherme’s winning shot (reproduced above), will be exhibited in Cannes, April 2010.