The Art of Photography Show, an international photo exhibition which will take place 28 August through 7 November, is now open for entries. Part of the show is a juried competition. Images created via any form of photography will be accepted for consideration, so long as part of the image is photographically created. The total worth of the awards is $10,000. Do note that there is an entry fee, which is $25 for the first entry, and $10 for each additional entry.

Website: The Art of Photography Show Registration Form

X-Rite has announced i1Profiler, the company’s next generation colour profiling software and Pantone Link, a new colour swatch bridging software. Accommodating a broad range of proficiencies and expertise i1Profiler lets pre-press, publishing, digital printing and photo professionals create custom profiles for their RGB and CMYK printers, monitors and digital projectors. i1Profiler  together with PANTONE Link, introduce new UI concepts that offers an unprecedented level of flexibility to address the specific needs of users at all levels, the company claims. i1Profiler will soon be undergoing beta testing and is scheduled for release in Q4 2010.

AKVIS has released ArtWork 3.5, a piece of software that transforms photos into paintings using various techniques. This latest version introduces the ability to save guiding lines to a file , making it easier to continue editing a photo later. When guiding lines are loaded, their size is adjusted automatically to the image. AKVIS ArtWork is available as a stand-alone application, as well as a plug-in to a photo editor. In version 3.5 the plugin version of AKVIS ArtWork is now 64 bit compatible. AKVIS ArtWork Home License (plug-in or standalone) sells for $72 USD. Registered users can upgrade to version 3.5 for free.

Website: AKVIS ArtWork

Canon has announced that the season finale of House is the first network television prime time drama episode to have been shot entirely on a digital SLR camera. The crew used a Canon EOS 5D Mark II body and a selection of EF lenses for a completely digital workflow that allowed them to complete filming the entire episode in just 10 days. The season finale airs tonight, Monday, May 17 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Canon U.S.A. has announced the fifth annual Photography in the Parks contest. From 17 May to 30 September 2010, contestants will have the opportunity to submit their best “Nature” image – the theme for this year’s competition. The contest invites participants to compete within two divisions; the teen division, for entrants ages 13-17 and the adult division, for entrants ages 18 and older. The winning photographers from each division will be announced in December and will be awarded with some of Canon’s latest photography equipment. Along with receiving Canon products, the Grand Prize winner will also receive a trip to a U.S. National Park of his or her choice, within the lower 48 states. To highlight the creative experience, all winning images and honourable mentions will be displayed on the Canon Digital Learning Center. Note that this contest is open to legal residents of the U.S.A: only.

Website: Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest

The new SteadePod is a retractable, compact and lightweight camera-steadying device. “To use, simply attach the SteadePod to your camera, extend the stainless steel cable and anchor the footpad then pull to place a small amount of tension in the cable,” the manufacturer says. A ratchet and locking mechanism allows positioning of the camera for a steady picture nearly anywhere between 6” to 6’. A swivelling camera pad enables seamless transitions from portrait to landscape compositions. SteadePod is available immediately for £29.99.

Leica has announced a new version of the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens for its M series rangefinder cameras. The new Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. differentiates itself from its predecessor by incorporating a floating element:  the lenses behind the aperture blades are constructed as a floating group that changes its position relative to the front lens group during focusing. According to Leica, this ensures outstanding imaging performance at closer focusing distances (the close-focus point of the new lens is at 0.7m). The Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH will be available in the UK at the end of June 2010 at a suggested retail price of £3,375 including VAT.

Created as an homage to classic photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank, Think Tank Photo has created five soft-sided shoulder bags in its new Retrospective series. This new series is made up of two styles: three Retrospective Soft-sided Camera Shoulder Bags and two Retrospective Soft-sided Lens Changer Shoulder Bags. Their soft and supple fabrics conform to the body and feature two color options: Pinestone Cotton Canvas and Black Poly Spun Canvas. Each of the three shoulder bags accommodates a pro-size DSLR camera with a zoom lens attached, and has separate front pockets for back-up bodies. The Lens Changer bags carry two or three lenses plus small accessories in separated compartments for rapid access. Think Tank Photo is dedicating a percentage of sales of the Retrospective line of shoulder bags to Fifty Crows Foundation, which aims to bridge the gap between venues and distribution mediums for documentary photography, and to encourage public dialogue on the issues raised through the photography.

In the UK, the white version of the recently announced Canon IXUS 300 HS is now available exclusively from Jessops. A premium compact featuring a 10-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 28-106mm equivalent f/2.0-5.3 lens with image stabilisation, semi-manual exposure modes and 720p HD movie recording; the new Canon IXUS 300 HS is capable of taking full-resolution stills at up to 3.7 frames per second (fps), and 2.5-megapixel photos at up to 8.4fps. The Canon IXUS 300HS White is available exclusively from Jessops for £379.

Gerald Donovan has posted a 45-gigapixel panorama of Dubai to the Gigapan website. Before Christmas, we wrote about a record-breaking 26-gigapixel cityscape of Dresden, Germany, which was soon followed by a similar resolution panoramic image of Paris. With almost 45 gigapixels’ worth of detail, the Dubai photo - which was allegedly taken with a Canon EOS 7D and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens mounted on a Gigapan Epic Pro robotic camera stand - is now the world’s largest-resolution photograph. According to Donovan, he stitched together 4,250 individual shots taken at the long end of the zoom over a period of three and a half hours to set a new world record.

Website: Gigapan: Dubai 45 Gigapixels

In keeping with its promise made last month, Panasonic has announced firmware updates for the first three of its Micro Four Thirds (MFT) cameras, including the G1, GH1 and GF1 models. With thess firmware updates, all three cameras are given a new menu option for image stabilisation when the new Lumix G Vario 14-42mm lens is attached, and all three models benefit from improved auto-focus performance with other manufacturers’ MFT lenses. Additionally, the G1 and the GH1 gain improved flash exposure accuracy, whilst the GH1 also benefits from improved auto-focus performance in movie mode with the Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. / MEGA O.I.S. lens. Plus, firmware version 1.3 for the GH1 enables auto-focusing in Full HD mode with regular Four Thirds lenses that are compatible with contrast-detect AF.

Website: Joint update service for Four Thirds

Ricoh has issued a firmwre update for the Ricoh CX3 digital compact camera. Version 1.09 addresses the following issue: “After rewinding a movie file in the camera once, there could be a case that the move playback is suspended”. Follow the link below in order to download the firmware upgrade.

Website:.Ricoh CX3 Firmware

Adobe has posted a release candidate of ACR 6.1 for Photoshop CS5 users. This version of Adobe Camera Raw adds support for a range of digital cameras and medium-format backs, fixes bugs and includes new lens correction functionality that can apply profile-based corrections to accommodate geometric distortions, chromatic aberration and lens vignette effects. Manual corrections for geometric distortion as well as vertical and horizontal perspective transforms are also available.

Website: Adobe Camera Raw 6.1 RC

TimeShot is a very interesting web application that allows you to “paint” with your photos. “The inspiration for this came in a talk with a friend,” TimeShot developer Tiago Cardoso says. “After doing a timelapse of sunsetting, it was cool to see what it would look like a photo that blended all the timelapse, showing daytime on one side and nighttime on the other.” The application has multiple uses, including the already mentioned timelapse photography, HDR imaging, “super slo-mo” video, focus stacking and more. While TimeShot is not the only way to achieve these effects, it promises to be easier and more fun than others.

Website: TimeShot

Sigma has launched the Sigma APO 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM in Sony and Pentax mounts. Incorporating a Hyper Sonic Motor for fast and quiet focussing and optical image stabilisation for blur-free handheld images, the Sigma APO 120-400mm f4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM is constructed of 21 lens elements arranged in 15 groups. Of these, three are Special Low Dispersion glass elements that have been implemented to combat chromatic aberrations. This lens is equipped with a rear focus system and features super multi-layer coating that reduces flare and ghosting. The Sony version is compatible with the 1.4x EX DG APO and 2x EX DG APO teleconverters that provide additional reach, albeit at a light loss of 1 and 2EV, respectively, meaning the autofocus system cannot be used when the lens is mounted to the camera in combination with either of these teleconverters.

Samsung Germany has announced the 13.8-megapixel Samsung WB5500 digital camera with a 26x zoom lens. Spanning a 35mm equivalent focal range of 26-676mm, the Samsung WB5500’s lens bears the prestigious Schneider-Kreuznach name on its barrel. The camera offers manual and semi-manual exposure modes and can store the captured photos as raw image data. Videographers will appreciate the HD movie recording capability and the fact that they can use the 26x optical zoom while filming. Movies are compressed using the H-264 codec and stored in MPEG-4 format. Endowed with an HDMI port, the Samsung WB5500 is available priced at €429.

Website: Samsung press release (in German)

Light & Land has announced a new tour to the Isle of Wight. The tour will be based at the Northcourt Lodge in Shorwell – which was built in 1615 and is the largest manor house on the island, located just 5 minutes from the dramatic coastline of the west Wight. Taking place from 1-5 November 2010, the tour is suitable for all levels of photographers.

Website Light & Land

On 14 June, high wire artist Philippe Petit will engage in a freewheeling conversation with photographer Tom Wool, whose images of Tibet’s Rongbuk Valley are the subject of a current exhibition at the Rubin Museum of Art. Wool’s Rubin Museum exhibition, In the Shadow of Everest, presents images of life in the villages of the valley. In 2001, accompanied by two yakmen and a tiny horse, Wool followed the route taken during the first British expeditions through this area, including that taken by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine as they attempted their ill-fated Everest climb in 1924. Petit and Wool will talk about everything from heights and altitude, to Tibet, to education, to the nature of creativity and motivation. The conversation will take place in the Rubin Museum of Art (150 West 17th Street, New York), at 7pm on Monday, 14 June. Tickets are available via the website below, priced at $15.

Website: Rubin Museum

Datacolor has launched the “Real New York” online photography competition. This contest invites photographers to submit examples of their work that capture the essence of the city that never sleeps, and the urban core of the metropolis that goes beyond tourist hotspots. The grand prize winner of the ‘Real New York’ photo contest will be awarded a trip to the Photokina trade show taking place September 21-26, 2010 in Cologne, Germany.  The first and second runner-ups will receive a Lensbaby Composer and a $250.00 B&H gift card, respectively. There is a limit of 10 entries per submitter. The contest is open to any person 18 years or older residing in the United States. All entries must be received no later than July 24, 2010.

Website: Real New York