This Orphan Works drama has been a thorn in our sides for quite some time. By all accounts, there is a need for some legislation that addresses the situation that arises when the owner of a copyright protected work cannot be identified and located. It's just that everything I've seen, read, and otherwise researched on the topic--from the perspective of photographers--has found all such previously proposed legislation unsatisfactory. Well hold your horses. A new bill... read more ›
May
05
Apr
09
In my popular post from two days ago I committed to begin sharing the things that inspire me creatively, as well as the things that challenge me. After I hit publish, I had a pang of trepidation, a gut check: "What the hell am I doing? Now I've really put myself in harm's way. I've either got to pretend I know what the hell I'm talking about or struggle thru this ongoing series and say... read more ›
Apr
07
More and more "how to" photography blogs are coming online everyday. And hallelujah for that. Seriously. Technical education in photography is more accessible today than ever before. New shooters are being born from nearly nothing overnight (a Flickr account and a $400 camera anyone?). Growth and development is accelerated by new technology, watching videos, reading the insights of art buyers and photo editors, and on and on. Hell, even education in the business-of-photography is infinitely... read more ›
Feb
27
In a continuation of my recent themes of artistic vision and photo industry changes , this month's Wired (and column over at Wired.com), editor Chris Anderson is ranting about the topic of his new book: FREE.The entire article is well worth the read, but there's one thing in particular worth noting if you're a photographer or a musician, and that's his little diddy about "Zero Marginal Cost". That is, the cost of digital things that... read more ›
Feb
24
I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for the past two weeks. In a good way. More energized artistically than I can remember in years. Brain is jumping, one concept to the next. Taking snapshots like mad. Lots of notes, scribbling. Shooting. Torn up magazines all over my desk, filling my briefcase. Compact flash cards everywhere. My computer desktop looks more like a minefield than a lean, binary machine. It... read more ›
Feb
07
I'm obviously an advocate for artists' copyright and I believe strongly that it's king in the world of photography. I have for years, however, been cognizant of impending pressures on the perception of copyright and how it affects me and my photographer, artist, musician, designer, writer, and filmmaker friends. Like so many of us interested in the new media, I'm ecstatic about the opportunities abound and interested in sharing the content I create, but simultaneously... read more ›
Feb
03
Kevin Kelly has a remarkable post over at The Technium about the free flow of information online and how certain values must be cultivated in order to succeed in the New Economy. I think it very much applies to all creatives, and most certainly is of particular interest to photographers. Kevin says: 1. The internet is a giant copy machine, spreading your work to every corner of the globe;2. When copies are super abundant, they... read more ›
Jan
21
If you've watched any videos on this blog, you should watch this one. Whether you're observing the holiday from home or the office, I recommend that you turn up your speakers a few clicks, gather some family members, friends or colleagues together and watch this 17 minute video.RSS readers can catch the video here.
Nov
22
Two words: Thanks. Giving. For USA readers, today is a holiday where we're encouraged to take pause from our daily grind and give thanks for the myriad of wonderful things in our lives. For the international readers, I'd encourage you to join in.I'll start with the THANKS portion. I'm thankful for too many things to list here, but most of it can be wrapped into health, family, and community. The first two need no explanation.... read more ›
Oct
22
Our in-house tech wizard and all around genius utility player, Dartanyon, unearthed this last week and it's been in my mental queue since then to share. Kansas State guru Michael Wesch blesses us with another smart vid on the changes in -and power of- information.Update: just popped over to BoingBoing - they just posted it there this morning too, but they wisely added this link as well to Michael Wesch's earlier short about Web... read more ›
