Archives for Links & Articles category
Some very exciting services and applications launched today including a new search engine Cuil.com and Adobe Lightroom 2. Having used Adobe Lightroom 2 Beta I’ve been very impressed and opted to buy Lightroom 2 at the first notice of its availability. Unfortunately after purchasing the Lightroom 2 Upgrade per the install PDF I was unable to get the program started. I was not given the option to reference my existing install and my Lightroom 1.0 serial number was not considered valid. Later I received an email that provided the upgrade serial number. Once entered then my old serial number was entered and then the application loaded. If only the install notes set my expectations correctly. Adobe gets the Good and the Bad reference in my post.
The Ugly is reserved for the new search engine Cuil. Cuil was getting tons of press today and was being blindly praised as the new kid on the block to challenge Google. As most found out today who tried Cuil it was far from impressive and probably could be considered to have one of the worst Web 2.0 lauches of all time. Why the hate on Cuil?
As noted in my first observation of the search engine via my post on FriendFeed:
“Not very impressed with Cuil.com and the seemingly random association of photos to results. Very confusing”
I wasn’t alone in thinking so. Later as I delved into the search engine even more I became even more troubled. When searching for my name in Cuil I knew it wouldn’t be pretty. There are two other Jim Goldstein’s that come up often when searching my name. Lucky for me! One is Jim Goldstein and his Band of Angels. Doh! The other is an eccentric Jim Goldstein with a house often featured in architecture magazines and in sports magazines due to his fanatical attendance to various pro basketball games. Flip a coin as to which is most inappropriate to my photography oriented web site. Sure enough the architecture/basketball Jim Goldstein has his image associated with my web site in Cuil search results. Even worse someone else’s photo of the Golden Gate Bridge is associated with a commercial site of mine.
My two biggest complaints…
First I don’t want another persons photo associated with my web site. The last thing I need is someone confusing my site with that of some eccentric.
Second I don’t want my commercial efforts being negatively impacted because inferior photography is being displayed and randomly associated with my commercial site.
I wrote Cuil about my concerns and due to the frenetic nature of their launch today they never wrote back. If and when they do I’ll follow up on this post. I later found out through another post that they were blaming much of what was being perceived as inaccurate results on technical problems due to a larger than expected spike in traffic. See Cuil shows us how not to launch a search engine via CNET
Today definitely wasn’t dull. Upgrade problems aside Lightroom 2 is worth a look and if you’re a glutton for punishment check out Cuil.com to see what kind of whacky results are being tied together for your site or photography.
Technorati Tags: Cuil, Lightroom, upgrade, search, technology, software
It’s official I’m back. Back from 5 days of a very hectic but relaxing travel schedule to photograph the beautiful natural landscapes of Utah and Wyoming. Not counting my flight from San Francisco to Salt Lake City I logged nearly 1100 miles in my trusty rental car. In a very strange coincidence I seem to have captured a tad over a photo per mile. As we all know it’s not the quantity of photos it is the quality of the photos that matter. Over the coming weeks you can expect to see photos and read vignettes from my trip.
Click to Enlarge
With an aggressive schedule and so much ground to cover
even while driving my camera wasn’t getting much rest.
On this trip I had the pleasure of meeting several great people across the region. I am looking forward to sharing in the coming week a conversation I had with a very talented and for now unnamed photographer in my next episode of EXIF and Beyond. I’ll also introduce you to a local environmentalist with a great cause that needs your support.
Before ending this entry I should also note that just before and during my trip quite a bit has happened that is noteworthy.
N. Rockies Wolves Get Federal Protection Restored - National Geographic
I have to admit I was very happy to have heard this news while in Wyoming.
My Arctic National Wildlife Refuge photos were referenced in a ThinkProgress.org blog post titled Boehner falsely claims there’s no ‘wildlife’ in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (with video of Congressman Boehner’s idiotic claim)
PhotoNetCast #8 has been released with discussions around Photography Contests with special guest professional photographer David Ziser
An Interview With Jim M. Goldstein on Bild och foto
Today there was a good conversation on the subject of photo manipulation on NPR “In A Photoshop Age, Can You Believe Your Eyes?” that I highly recommend listening to if and when they put up a recording of the program. As expected the ethics of photography played heavily in the discussion with many references to last years incident with Allan Detrich of the Toledo Blade details noted in my post Ethics of Photography: Career Suicide by Photoshop. What brought this to the forefront of discussion was recent news of a widely published doctored photo of an Iranian missile test showing 4 missiles launched when only 3 actually did.
What really made this program note worthy was a side point made by photographer Vincent LaForet that got little attention regarding reader based photojournalism and how much it can be trusted. With the advent of iReport on CNN and other news outlets publishing reader submitted photography it makes me wonder…
If photojournalists have a tough time sticking to the ethics of photojournalism how is the general public expected to?
Taking a quick look at the iReport Terms of Use I see nothing of photo manipulation or photojournalist ethics guidelines. Granted most people are submitting photos/videos from their cell phones and time is of the essence. None-the-less there is a risk that such news outlets take with such content and the burden to catch manipulated photos is clearly on photo editors.
I pose the question to you…
Do you trust everything you see when you know it is a photo submitted by a non-professional photojournalist?
3
Jul
Posted in Links & Articles, Photography by Jim |
This is by far one of the most beautiful sets of photos I’ve seen of Earth taken from orbiting satellites. Chris Ingham Brooke from Environmental Graffiti has posted a set of the 30 Most Incredible Abstract Satellite Images of Earth. Below are a few of my favorites, but it is very much worth your while to check out the full post. Each image is wallpaper sized and includes information about environment photographed.
Top Left: A stunning outcrop of black rock covered in swathes of shifting sand - Terkezi Oasis, Chad
Top Center: Bolivian Deforestation - an image of the once vast carpet of rainforest in the Amazon basin.
Top Right: Dasht-e Kavir, or valley of desert, Iran
Bottom Left: Malaspina Glacier pours into the Bay of Alaska
Bottom Center: Karman vortex, a repeating pattern of spinning vortices caused by the unsteady separation of flow over bluff bodies.
Bottom Right: The rivers of this small country in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau
Technorati Tags: photography, satellite, abstract
29
Jun
Posted in Links & Articles, Photography by Jim |
The Internet has proven to be a blessing and a curse for photographers. This week video related content takes the top two spots of this weeks Speedlinks. Interviews that would not have been as easily accessible only a couple of years ago are now only a click away…
What Make’s Photographers Click? - PixChannel (via A Photo Editor)
A collection of interviews from a variety of top notch photographers. A must watch/visit.
PhotoCycle’s Rare Glimpse into Ansel Adams Work at Yosemite - Fast Company
The inaugural episode of PhotoCycle with a very interesting interview with Michael Adams, son of legendary Ansel Adams, who gives some great background and insight to his fathers famous photos.
As mentioned the Internet as proven to be a blessing and a curse for photographers. One of the often discussed topics reflective of the changing winds of creative work online has been the Orphan Works Legislation and this week I bring you the perspective of an animation producter/director whose points ring true for all creative artists. In addition I also want to share with you the story of Momoko Sudo whose rights were infringed by a Coral Gables police officer who forced her to delete her images of him. Again both articles emplore you to know your rights and to stand up for them.
Mind Your Business: You Will Lose All The Rights to Your Own Art - Mark Simon is mad as hell and, in this month’s “Mind Your Business,” he tells you why you should be too.
Coral Gables Police Officer Destroys Takes Photographers Camera and Erases Her Images - Momoko Sudo
On to something a little lighter… in fact as light as air and incredibly inspiring…
Cameras That Float Through the Air - QUEST
In relation to photography related blogging and politics I found the following posts of interest and I think you might as well…
“Compromise, Hell!” Wendell Berry + As I was saying, we are getting robbed! And to why McCain flipped on the drilling issue! Watch this new MSNBC report. = Photography, politics, blogs…oh my!
22
Jun
Posted in Links & Articles, Photography by Jim |
Chris Jordon discusses his socially conscious photography and photographic art installations.
Chris Jordon Presentation Video - TED
Just when you thought you had the kick-ass setup at home or in your office Chase shows off a pimped photography van he had the opportunity of using on one of his last photography assignments.
Chase Jarvis SHORTS: Pimped Photography Van - Chase Jarvis
Another reminder why being prepared and having a pre-shoot checklist can make a huge difference in your photography and sanity.
Another Episode of “Scott’s School of Hard Knocks” - Scott Kelby
A reminder to the importance of filing Copyrights with the Library of Congress.
Photographer Gets $12 Million Verdict!!! - Photo Attorney
This past week the news has been full of stories about high gasoline prices, expanding domestic drilling and various politicians perspectives on the issue. Now that most every American is feeling the squeeze due to higher gasoline prices pro-oil politicians are trying their best to convince the average American that domestic drilling is the answer to their problem. Sadly nothing could be farther to the truth.
Jay McDonough of the San Francisco Examiner wrote a short but very effective article this week ANWR Bottom Line: Two Cents A Gallon. As the title would lead you to believe opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling would help lower the price per gallon of gas approximately 2 cents a gallon in 2025. The net benefit in the near future… ZERO as it would take years if not a decade to begin seeing an impact from drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As this analysis makes abundantly clear the tactic to open up domestic oil drilling is nothing but an exploitive sham. What would make a huge immediate impact to the price of oil? The answer may surprise you.
Would you believe Enron is still impacting your energy bill? That is correct. We’re feeling the effects of the “Enron Loophole” as discussed on Marketplace with Michael Greenberger. What would would make a significant and immediate impact would be putting back in place regulation of the oil futures market that had been functioning effectively for over 70 years. Enron in 2000 lobbied for the deregulation of the oil futures market enabling speculative investors to drive the price of oil to record prices. If after reading or listening to this interview with Michael Greenberger you’re outraged then make sure to contact your U.S. Congressperson or Senator and let them know how you feel about the “Enron Loophole” and rolling back domestic drilling bans.
Click to view more Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) photos
Technorati Tags: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR, photography, photo, stock photo, oil, drilling
I found recent news of an on going dispute between Robert Wyland and the California Coastal Commission over the use of his whale tail license plate design quite interesting. I actually have this license plate on my car and never knew it was a Robert Wyland design. In short Wyland is asking that 20% of future revenue be donated to his art foundation and the California Coastal Commission is not interested.
The licensing arrangement was apparently a handshake deal and Wyland is arguing that it was never intended to last forever. I have mixed feelings about this dispute. The California Coastal Commission has been using the design for the license plate (its intended purpose), yet how could you relinquish the rights to an image on a handshake deal as an artist in this day and age.
For up and coming photographers the argument against Wyland is something commonly heard:
“For its part, the commission has reminded the artist that the Wyland brand and foundation have benefited from the goodwill and free publicity from the plates which also feature his signature. The plate appears on the commission’s Web site, press releases for the plate and DMV material that are mailed to millions of California drivers.
On the flipside Wyland argues:
“After allowing the state to use his intellectual property rent free for 14 years, Wyland said his foundation is entitled to an annual contribution. The alternative is the state gets nothing.
“I would just say it would be like Picasso lending one of his pieces for a license plate and them saying we’re not donating to the Picasso Foundation,” said Wyland, an official artist for the United States Olympic Team for the 2008 Games. “They’re saying ‘We can get anyone to paint a Picasso.’ Well you could, but it wouldn’t be a Picasso.”"
I can see both sides of this argument and really wonder why it took Wyland 14 years to suddenly realize that he should get some revenue off his donation. I have to really scratch my head why a license agreement wasn’t drafted and signed to avoid this kind of mess in the first place. On the flipside I hardly think the California Coastal Commission is doing as much as they claim to promote his artwork and contribution. I checked the California Coastal Commission web site and found two references to his name, but no link to his his web site or the web site of his art organization.
So who is to blame in this situation? You make the call… let me know how you interpret this mess.
Read the latest on this battle in this San Francisco Chronicle article:
Artist in spat over Calif license plate royalties
Technorati Tags: Robert Wyland, California Coastal Commission, licensing
