Three Songs, No Flash! is a new book from Rocky Nook, written by concert photographer Loe Beerens. From punk to classical and everything in between, Loe covers how the music industry is organized, how to get access, the right people to befriend, and the proper etiquette of concert photography, the publisher says. Equipment selection and shooting techniques for each of the major musical instruments are covered, as well as capturing the peak action, post-production techniques, shooting in low light, and marketing your images. The 152-page book retails for $24.95.

Website: Three Songs, No Flash!

Competico has a special holiday contest with a cash prize of $50,000. You have until 12 January 2010 to submit your best holiday snaps to the competition. Note that the entry fee is $100 per photo, but if you enter the contest before 9:00pm EST today, you can enter an additional holiday photo for this contest for free.. Winners will be based on the combination of votes from other Competico players and votes from the Judging Panel. The winners will be announced on 15 January 2010.

Website: Competico Winter Holiday Photo Contest

Hireacamera.com has announced a Christmas offer on the whole of its rental base of equipment up to Tuesday, 22 December 2009. Clients can hire a camera, camcorder or any lenses, pay for a weekend and have the equipment up to 4th January 2010. To take advantage of this offer, call 01892 603440 between 9am and 6pm. All equipment is subject to availability.

Website: HireACamera.com

Apple has released Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 2.7, adding system-level support for a number of new digital cameras. Newly supported models include the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV, EOS 7D and PowerShot G11, and the Nikon D3s, D300s (pictured) and D3000. The update is available for Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) and 10.6 (Snow Leopard), and affects Apple Aperture 2 as well as iPhoto ‘08 and ‘09. The update is available via Software Update in the Apple menu of Leopard / Snow Leopard.

Via Rob Galbraith

Kenro has announced the UK release of a new range of cotton backgrounds. Measuring 2.4m x 2.7m (with certain colours also being available in 2.9m x 5m size), these handmade, washable cotton backgrounds have a sewn helm on the short side for a background support bar. They are compatible with the Kenro background support systems and will also fit supports from other manufacturers. There are 19 colours to chose from. Most of these cotton backgrounds cost £56.87, while the larger sizes are available at £91.94.

Website: Kenro

Colour Confidence has today announced its appointment as the exclusive distributor for the full range of PChOOD monitor hoods in the UK and key European markets. “The PChOOD range offers a definitive selection of monitor hoods which reduce glare and shield unwanted light from any monitor display and so improves on-screen colour consistency” Comments Simon Prais, Technical Director Colour Confidence. Ideal for photographers and graphic designers, the full range is available now through the extensive Confident Reseller network or direct from Colour Confidence’s website.

Website: Colour Confidence

Canon has issued firmware updates for its 1D Mark III and 1Ds Mark III digital SLR cameras. The new versions (1.3.0 and 1.2.0 respectively) add support for the WFT-E2 II wireless file transmitter, which was announced back in October and released earlier this month. To download the firmware updates, visit one of the websites below.

Website: Canon EOS 1D Mark III Firmware Update
Website: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III Firmware Update

Canon has released a firmware update for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR camera. Version 1.2.4 adds support for the WFT-E4 II wireless file transmitter, and fixes an issue with very long exposures using the Bulb setting. To download the newest 5D Mark II firmware update, visit the website below.

Website: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware Update

Nikon has released version 2.2.4 of its Capture NX software. The new version adds compatibility with 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, and fixes a number of bugs. For an exhaustive list of fixes and to download the update, visit the website below. Note that this update is Windows only!

Website: Nikon Capture NX 2.2.4

Lupus Imaging & Media – worldwide license partner of the AgfaPhoto Holding GmbH for several analogue photographic products - today announced that it has selected Ferrania USA as its exclusive North American distributor of AgfaPhoto branded films, ready-to-use cameras, analogue cameras and battery products. The AgfaPhoto product lines being distributed by Ferrania USA will include AgfaPhoto Vista 35mm Colour Print Film ISO 100, 200, 400 available in 12, 24, and 36 exposures;  AgfaPhoto CT Precisa 100 35mm Colour Transparency Film and AgfaPhoto APX 100 Professional Black-and-White Film;  AgfaPhoto LeBox single-use cameras and AgfaPhoto Analogue Camera Gift Sets. Alkaline and rechargeable batteries and chargers will complete the condensed AgfaPhoto product range to be launched in the US market.

Website: Ferrania

Photobucket and Ontela have announced an agreement under which the two companies will merge their operations. The new company will be called Photobucket Corporation. News Corporation, which acquired Photobucket in 2007, will hold a significant equity stake in the combined company and will be represented on the company’s board of directors. The Photobucket management team will continue to operate the business, while Ontela’s investors will make an additional capital commitment as part of the merger and will hold significant equity positions in the combined company.

Zoner Software has released the new version of its Zoner Photo Studio photo management, editing and sharing application for Windows. The latest version introduces new and more efficient ways to manage, edit and especially share photos. The module for RAW files has seen a complete overhaul.  Settings for processing each file in queue can be fine-tuned until the moment the queue is processed. For easier work with large photo archives, the new version introduces a Catalog view — virtual folders that automatically organize pictures by timeline, no matter where they are on disk. Zoner Photo Studio 12 Home is handy for point-and-shoot photographers looking for one-click editing features, and flexibility for creatively sharing photos, as well as creating calendars, panoramas and other presentation formats. Zoner Photo Studio 12 Professional offers advanced photographers and avid hobbyists a wide selection of features designed with their workflows in mind, covering everything from organising and editing, to publishing.

Website: Zoner

IDimager Systems have announced the latest release of their image management solution, IDimager V5. “IDimager has always been ahead of the competition by offering state-of-the-art technology, an innovative feature set, and customer support that’s second to none, ” said Hertwig van Zwietering, president at IDimager Systems, Inc. “Now, with the release of IDimager V5, we’ve extended that lead in many areas and have set the bar high for the future of digital image management”.  New to Version 5 is support for Windows 7, voice labelling, face labelling, a new label assignment panel, a feature-rich download tool, non-destructive editing and enhanced geotagging support. The professional edition of IDimager V5 is priced at $139, while the personal edition is available at $69.

Website: IDimager

The 2009 international Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) awards have, for the first time, been won by a Bangladeshi photographer. G.M.B. Akash’s vibrant yet poignant images of rail travel in his home country and his portfolio depicting the ship-breaking industry in Pakistan all showed how imagery can tell a story, and won unanimous praise from the judges. As well as being awarded the title of Travel Photographer of the Year 2009, Akash wins Adobe CS4 Web Premium software, an Apple MacBook Pro 13” with Aperture 2 software, a Mountain Paradise trip to the Tatra Mountains, an ILFORD Lightjet 40” x 30” silver gelatin print of one of his images, a 16GB Lexar CompactFlash & Lexar Professional card reader, a Plastic Sandwich leather portfolio book and a Wacom Intuos4 S pen tablet. The winning images from TPOTY 2009 can be viewed online in the Winners’ Gallery at www.tpoty.com and will be published in the new Travel Photographer of the Year book Journey Three. Click through / read on for a complete list of category winners.

Photo Gallery at photo-gallery-website.co.uk now features improved search optimisation, faster loading and smooth transition between images. Designed for anyone who wants photographs, products or graphics to be the main focus of their website (as opposed to text and navigation), Photo Gallery is eCommerce enabled allowing publishers to sell photographs or products. Developed by website design agency Rubber Dragon, Photo Gallery includes a content management system allowing publishers to easily update their website.

Website: Photo Gallery

The National Park Foundation has issued a reminder that there are just a few weeks left to enter the 2009 Olympus Share the Experience photo contest, which is seeking this year’s best photo of the 392 national parks or other federal recreation lands in the US. The 2009 Share the Experience Photo Contest closes at 11:59 pm ET on 31 December 2009, and showcases the more than 500 million acres of Federal Lands, drawing entries from all across the United States.  The grand prize winning photo will be featured on next year’s Federal Recreation Lands Pass and the photographer will receive an Olympus E-3 Digital Camera. The 2008 winning photo (above) was taken by Mark Cromwell in Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Website: Share the Experience

Hasselblad have released version 2.0 of their image processing software, Hasselblad Phocus. Phocus 2.0 boasts a range of new features, such as an improved user interface that drastically reduces the learning curve for high-end imaging. Among the highlights of the new version you will find an advanced Highlights Recovery, Shadow Fill and Clarity tool, the ability to use floating tools, a loupe function, a Scene Calibration tool for equalizing intensity and removing cast, lens optimisation for all Carl Zeiss lenses, advanced histogram controls and extended preview controls during tethered capture.

Website: Hasselblad Phocus 2.0

The Kodak Pic Flick iPhone app, which enables consumers to print pictures wirelessly on the KODAK ESP 5250 All-in-One WiFi-enabled printer, can now be downloaded free of charge from the iPhone App Store in the UK. Announced at the beginning of last month, the Pic Flick app lets you print photographs directly from your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, in sizes ranging from 3x7.5cm to 21.5x28cm. All you need to do is ensure that the printer is connected to the same LAN/WiFi connection as your iPhone or iPod Touch. The KODAK ESP 5250 AiO printer, available since September 2009, is the latest in Kodak’s range of AiO consumer printers, claimed to produce lab-quality, long-lasting photos and documents.

Webaite: Kodak Pic Flick

Kubota Image Tools have announced the first-ever Photographers Ignite sessions to take place 9-11am, Thursday, 11 2010 at the WPPI Convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Ignite is a style of concentrated presentation where participants are given exactly five minutes to speak on a subject accompanied by 20 slides. Each slide is displayed for only 15 seconds before being automatically advanced. Photographers Ignite is focused on photography topics, tips, hints and inspiration. It’s a challenging new way for photographers to share ideas and stories, five minutes at a time. There will be about 15-20 session ideas selected. Proposals for these fast-paced sessions are now being reviewed and accepted. Professional photographers interested in being a presenter should visit the website below.

Website: Photographers Ignite