Maya on the cover of Popular Photography Magazine

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Maya on the cover of Popular Photography Magazine

via Confessions of a Photographer » Blog by Bert Stephani on 8/21/09

A while ago I was contacted by the people of the American magazine Popular Photography for licensing a picture of Maya for their back to school issue. About a week later they got back to me and said they wanted to use it on the cover. And now it's out:

Since I've showed the cover on Twitter/Facebook, I got many questions about how I got my picture on that cover. The answer is Flickr. For those of you who don't know, Flickr is a photo sharing site where you can upload, store, organise and share your pictures with the rest of the world. They have a free account that is already pretty impressive in features but the Pro account (25USD/year) lets you upload a virtually unlimited amount of pics (even in high res) and offers other advantages.
But Flickr is more than just a photo sharing site, it has a pretty strong social media side that's in constant development. You can post your pictures in groups, participate in discussions, …

When I started putting up my pictures on Flickr a few years ago, it seemed like a good way to show my work, get feedback and connect with other people. I also started sharing setups, lighting info and referred people interested in the EXIF info of my pics to Flickr. A nice side effect I noticed was that my Flickr photos generated a bit of extra traffic to my site. Flickr is also a great source of inspiration. Sure, there's a lot of crappy pics but there's also a huge amount of amazing creative work to be found. I often browse Flickr to get some new ideas.

Apparently I'm not the only one who browses Flickr. Two years ago I did a wedding for people who searched Flickr with "wedding photographer Belgium". These days more and more photo editors search Flickr like they do stock photo libraries because there's such a vast amount of good pictures. I already licensed some pictures for use in corporate brochures through Flickr and now there's that cover of Popular Photography.

I could write a very long article about this subject (and might just do that when I have more time) but I'd like to leave you with a few words of advice: Seeing my picture on a cover is certainly a nice ego boost. It's also great to see my own daughter on the cover and it would be nice for her to show that magazine to her grandkids one day. But don't give away your pictures!!! Kudos to Popular Photography for offering me a very reasonable deal right away but many would just offer you a photo credit.

Big thanks to Chris who let me know the issue was out and even dug up his scanner from the basement to send me the cover and even mail me a hard copy of the magazine.

 

 

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Nagano Japan shows off yet another contactless charging system

 

 

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Nagano Japan shows off yet another contactless charging system

via Engadget by Joseph L. Flatley on 8/20/09

It's been little over a month since Showa Aircraft demonstrated a contactless charging system that boasts 90% efficiency over a distance of 60 centimeters -- and now what is this? Nagano Japan Radio Co Ltd. is touting a similar system that works up to one meter, with a pretty incredible 95% efficiency at a distance of 40 centimeters. According to Tech-On, the company is currently hard at work trying to ramp the output up from "several tens" of watts to several kilowatts. As opposed to Showa's recent outing (which relies on electromagnetic induction), this system uses magnetic resonance to achieve its effect. However, as this method "drastically lowers" its efficiency when the position of the sending and receiving units are displaced, the team designed a system that automatically detects coil displacement and reorients itself accordingly. The company hopes to someday charge electronic vehicles with the thing, although we'd be happy if it merely enabled us to stow our WildCharge pads out of sight. They seriously clash with the decor here at Engadget HQ.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Nagano Japan shows off yet another contactless charging system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Tour 9630 Owners: Get Your Hands on the Free ‘Priority’ Theme

 

 

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BlackBerry Tour 9630 Owners: Get Your Hands on the Free ‘Priority’ Theme

via IntoMobile - Cell Phone News, Information, and Analysis by James Falconer on 8/20/09

So you're a new BlackBerry Tour owner and you want to give your Berry a new look? Righty-o. Today I stumbled across a new (and free) theme for your Tour, and it looks pretty darn good. The 'Priority' Theme from SocksInsideOut is a great new theme that uses some handy tabs at the bottom of the screen. Looks nice, and functions smooth.

I should warn you up-front that the theme is currently in 'testing' by the developers, but that shouldn't stop you from giving it a spin. You can grab the theme for free OTA via SocksInsideOut.

[Via: CrackBerry]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• Free Android Theme for the BlackBerry Storm
• BlackBerry Tour 101 User Guide Now Available Online
• Free Theme Alert: SodaBerry Bottom Dock with Today Plus Theme for BlackBerry Bold
• Take a tour of Verizon's national testing labs!
• bDroid Reloaded Theme for the BlackBerry Storm

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Rumor: LG Versa Coming to Telus?

Rumor: LG Versa Coming to Telus?: "

Rumor has it that Telus (NYSE: TU) will be launching the LG Versa up in Canada… the same device that has been around in the US on Verizon (NYSE: VZ) for some time now. Verizon’s model is the VX9600, and we fully expect the Telus model to arrive as the CX9600 (Telus uses the CX prefix for all LG devices). I wonder why they use ‘C’… Canadian?

Long story short, the LG CX9600 has been approved by the Bluetooth SIG as a CDMA device, so it should work just swimmingly on Telus’ network. Expect the Telus LG Versa, aka CX9600 to arrive in Canada somewhere in the $150 – $200 range. The Verizon LG Versa is currently running $179.99 on contract.

[Via: LG Central]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• LG KEYBO 2 Coming to TELUS August 7th


• Verizon’s “Open Network” initiative just lip service?


• Verizon XV6900 coming to Verizon Wireless on April 16


• Verizon Wireless releases more details on “Any App, Any Device” network


• Telus BlackBerry Tour and Storm Won’t Play Nice With Upcoming HSPA Network

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Video: Updated HTC Hero ROM shows improved Sense UI

My next year wish-list...

 

 

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Video: Updated HTC Hero ROM shows improved Sense UI

via IntoMobile - Cell Phone News, Information, and Analysis by Will Park on 8/20/09

The HTC Sense UI might just be the best thing to happen to Android since, well, since Android was launched. The HTC Hero comes packed to the gills with smartphone hardware, like it's 5-megapixel camera, 3.2-inch capacitance-based touchscreen, GPS, WiFi and smudge-resistant Teflon coating, but it's the HTC Sense UI that makes the Hero really shine. Still, the Hero's interface does have a couple niggling faults. The analog clock update ritual and lags between homescreen transitions have been sticking points for HTC. So much so that HTC is preparing to release an updated HTC Hero ROM that should fix those problems.

MoDaCo's video proves that the upcoming Hero ROM is as smooth as butter.

Now, we just wait for that CDMA HTC Hero to hit Sprint (NYSE: S) on October 11.

[Via: PhoneDog]

Related News from IntoMobile:

• T-Mobile USA will NOT be launching the HTC Hero
• Sprint Prepping WiMAX Version of HTC Hero?
• HTC Hero: Unboxing the HTC Hero pics and vid
• Android roadmap dead-ends for T-Mobile G1, myTouch 3G
• Video: Guided tour of the HTC Sense UI

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More Worldwide Photo Walk Images Honored

 

 

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More Worldwide Photo Walk Images Honored

via Photoshop Insider Blog By Scott Kelby by Scott on 8/18/09

Today I'm going to give my personal favorites in a bunch of different categories, from images that didn't become one of the finalists or the Grand Prize winner, but I felt were so great that they deserved some recognition as well.

Here's what so amazing to me about all this. If the winning images you saw yesterday, and here today, were entered in a regular photo contest, none of us would blink an eye—-a great image is a great image. But most contest allow you to choose any photo from your entire lifetime of shooting, or perhaps any photo taken in the last year, or any photo in a particular category. But in this case, here's what the photographers were up against.

• They were not able to choose the location (it was chosen for them).
• They were not able to choose the time of day (it was chosen for them).
• They were only able to shoot for two hours.
• They shot in the light that was there. They couldn't go back later (or earlier) in better light.

Yet they came away that images that are inspiring, creative, and in many cases, breathtaking! That's what makes this so special. Two hours. That's it. And look what they came up with! To me, that makes these images, and the ones chosen yesterday, all the more amazing.

Before we get to seeing some images, there were some recurring themes in the types of photos that where picked by local winners, and went into judging to become finalists. For example, there were:

• Lots of HDR shots
• Lots of shots of other Photo Walk photographers
• Lots of shots of reflections
• Lots of shots of homeless people
• Lots of shots of children
• Lots of bees landing on flowers
• Lots of people seen through store windows
• Lots of Bridges
• Lots of Churches (inside and out)
• Lots of shots of statues and art
• Lots of shots of stairs
• Lots of train shots

Anyway, it gives you an broad view of what people wound up shooting a lot of.

The images that follow are my favorites that didn't make their way into the prize category, but are nonetheless deserving of recognition:

BEST REFLECTION SHOT
"Reflection of Thai"
by Jakkrit Koompaisawad (Muang, Thailand)

BEST USE OF HDR
"Punta Gorda Gas Station"
by Bill Conway (Punta Gorda, Florida)

BEST SHOT WITH TOO MUCH HDR BUT I LIKED IT ANYWAY
"Steeplechase Face"
by Brian Matiash (Brooklyn-Coney Island, New York)

BEST HDR SHOT THAT DOESN'T SCREAM "IT'S AN HDR SHOT!"
"The Arcade"
By Tom Bower (Cleveland, Ohio)

BEST B&W
"Windows"
by Les Doerfler (Washington, DC)

BEST MACRO SHOT
Flower with Bee'
by Don Tredinnick (Saint Paul, Minnesota)

BEST LANDSCAPE SHOT THAT NEEDS A LEVELS ADJUSTMENT
Vermillion Lake Sunrise
By Peter Carroll (Banff, Alberta, Canada)

BEST USE OF COLOR
'Faz'
by Andrew Morley (London Southbank, England)

BEST DUOTONE
"Waiting for Water"
by Shamir Karim (Dhaka Gulistan, Bangladesh)

BEST SHOT I LOVE BUT CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY
"Day by Day"
by Jacek Glogowski (Krakow, Poland)

BEST CAR SHOT
'Thunderbirds'
by Shelly Wynecoop (Spokane, Washington)

BEST REALLY BLURRY SHOT OF A COUPLE IN A TUNNEL WITH GRAFFITI
'Tunnel Vision' (above)
by Eric Parks (Blue Ridge, North Carolina)

BEST SHOT OF SOMEBODY'S FEET
'Wading'
by Fred Moses (Boston, Massachusetts)

BEST SHADOWY SHOT
"No, It Is Not A Gun!"
by Nemanja Jovanovic (Belgrade, Serbia)

BEST 'CUTSIE' SHOT THAT MAKES YOU SMILE
'Hitchhiking On A Mural'
by Hugh Smith (Burnsville, North Carolina)

BEST SHOT OF THING I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS
'Augers'
by Jerry Ranch (Des Moines, Iowa)

BEST PHOTO WITH PAINTING EFFECT
'Photowalk Tugs'
by Landya McCafferty (Portsmouth, New Hampshire)

BEST PATTERN SHOT
'The Stairs On Mirror Lake'
by Trenton Moore (Lakeland, FL)

BEST SHOT OF ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER FROM THE PHOTO WALK
'Sunset'
by Panot Tangsucharit (Khon Kaen Provine, Thailand)

BEST SHOT THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE HANGING IN A REALLY NICE HOTEL LOBBY
'Sinuousity'
by Nick Heaphy (Christchurch, New Zealand)

BEST FLOATING PEOPLE SHOT
'Dancing on Air'
by Nicola Corboy (Cashel, Ireland)

BEST USE OF PHOTOSHOP EFFECT SHOT
"Paradise Lost"
by Don Johnson (Boise City, Idaho)

BEST STILL LIFE
"Glasses"
by Ernesto Campana Jr. (San Pedro, Philippines)

BEST SHOT THAT DROVE BY
"Passing Smiles"
By Adrian Bailey (Brisbane City, Australia)

BEST MOODY SHOT
"Dreary Day"
by Chris Lazzery (Ogunquit, Maine)

BEST SHOT THROUGH A WINDOW
"Al Faisaliah Tower"
By Thamer Altassan (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

BEST HAPPY SHOT
"Terrazza Mascagni"
by Franco Catalucci (Livorno, Italy)

BEST WARM COLORS SHOT
"Both Sides of the Track"
by Mike Toth (Bridgetown, Western Australia)

BEST SHOT I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT
"After Hours Apothecary"
by William Palank (San Francisco, Chinatown, California)

My sincere congratulations to all these fantastic photographers whose work I really felt deserved some extra recognition.

 

 

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