Mar 11

Don’t Listen To Doubters. I’m Guessing Banksy Didn’t.

I'm not shy about my liking the UK graffiti artist Banksy (see my earlier post here if you missed it). All you artists out there should take a lesson from this: one of his graffiti, stencil style paintings sold last month at a Sotheby's auction for 102,000 British Pounds, or around $200,000 USD, a new high price for a piece of his art. Read the BBC article here. Why I'm bringing this up is to... read more ›
Mar 07

DST And Your Computer – A Quick Public Service Announcement

I typically don't go down the road of public service announcements, but this could be helpful. I'll make it quick.First, Daylight Saving Time begins this Saturday night at 2am (technically Sunday morning). Second, this is a change from year's past (thanks to a positive, energy conservation move from congress) and it could be a slight pain in the neck for your computer. That said, I'd suggest checking this out in advance... For Mac: just use... read more ›
Mar 05

Slow Down – Carl Honore on Chilling Out

I recently gave an interview and the questioner, like many others before him, asked about my busy lifestyle. "Absolutely," I said, "crazy busy all the time. Fast paced. Happy. BUT crazy busy." I'm sure you know what I mean. We're all doing everything so quickly. Saving time here, efficiency there, etc. Our lives are faster than every before. After the interview, I wondered to myself how many times I've replied with that answer when asked.... read more ›
Feb 25

Net Neutrality – Get Onboard

Chances are, if you're reading this, you're already attuned to the concept of Net Neutrality and why it's a good thing. If you're not dialed into it and why it's essential for the future, or if you want to see it explained in the most BS-free way possible, check out this four minute clip. It's all clear for the moment, but we might have to stand up and fight for it sooner than later. [youtube... read more ›
Feb 20

The Dichotomy of the Photographic Portrait.

Portrait Not as View of the Soul, But as Personal Advertising?What is the relationship between portrait as collaboration and portrait as unbiased recording? If the eyes are windows to the soul, and if in advance of a portrait sitting you’ve basically had the windows washed and lined up all the furniture inside and put on your favorite clothes for an open house, are the photos that result from that sitting any less “real” than a... read more ›
Feb 13

If You Thought The Digital Photography Market Was Getting Any Smaller…

...you were wrong. Household appliance manufacturing giant, General Electric, recently announced their entry into the digital photography game. Does that give any indication of how gi-normous this market is becoming? The name of their project is exactly what we'd expect: General Imaging.As an anecdote illustrating how big it's getting:I was recently on a dance floor in Manhattan at 2:30 in the morning with about 250 of my closest friends (ahem...). At one point, I pulled... read more ›
Feb 08

Tears of the Black Tiger!

Check out this trailer! The film was made some time ago (2000 by my quick check), but it's being released here in a limited fashion quite soon. I'm guessing it's going to make some waves if people can get out of their chairs to go see it. I'm loving how it's stylized. ...can't wait to try to wrap my mind around what looks to be a colorful, antention deficit, Thai, spaghetti-western, with 50's pastiche and... read more ›
Feb 07

Entertaining Video Highlighting Changes From Pen and Paper to Web 2.0 And Beyond

The nicest thing about the web these days, beyond email spam, file sharing, lovelygirl15, porn, and access to the latest NASDAQ numbers, is obviously the huge transfer of relevant information. I've written a fair bit on the somewhat-controversial (that's another issue...) term coined by Tim O'Reilly, Web 2.0, and what it means to the photography industry. I was happy to have been quoted or tracked back in some great blogs, by some talented journalists: Jay... read more ›
Feb 04

The Black Box of Advertising Photography Meets Business 101

This is not a rant. It's a page out of Business School 101.If you've ever seen/heard one of my speaking engagements, you've probably heard me talk about the Black Box. It's the name I've given to "what the world of advertising photography looks like to a new or aspiring photographer." Something goes it one end of the box (the request, the pitch, the job offer, etc) and something comes out the other end (finished images,... read more ›
Jan 30

Apple and ASMP, Adobe v. Apple?

So what am I, the frickin ASMP sales guy? Naw. Just found another good deal to pass your way: If you're an ASMP member, you can save up to 17% on stuff from Apple. Seems from this and my earlier post that Apple and Adobe are really going head to head on a couple angles: (1)connecting with the pro shooter (all these promos aimed at the pro market), and (2)fighting over marketshare between Aperture and... read more ›