March 19, 2010
The web site Stop43 was launched yesterday and immediately attracted so many visitors that it crashed. Quite clearly it is the importance of the poorly considered government legislation going through parliament that is drawing photographers to this issue. Here’s what the Stop43 web site says about it…
You’ll have heard of the Digital Economy Bill: it introduces powers to cut your Internet connection if you’re caught illegally downloading films, music or software. It does more than that. It takes your photographs from you, too.
Until now, if someone found one of your photographs and wanted to use it commercially, they couldn’t without first asking you. Clause 43 changes all that by allowing the use of “Orphan Works” – photographs, illustrations and other artworks whose owners cannot be found.
Clause 43 says that if someone finds your photograph, wants to use it and decides that they can’t trace you, they can do whatever they like with it after paying an arbitrary fee to a UK Government-appointed “licensing body”. You’ll never know unless you happen to find it being used in this way, in which case you might be able to claim some money.
There’s more. Clause 43 also introduces “Extended Collective Licensing”.
This means that if someone finds your photograph and can trace you, they still don’t have to contact you for permission to use it. They can go to a UK Government-appointed “collecting society” and ask them instead. They’ll pay an arbitrary fee and be able to do whatever they like with the photograph. Your photograph. Again, without asking you first.
link:
Posted in current affairs 
1 Comment »
February 11, 2010
The Prodig email discussion List has been bringing people together for well over a decade.
Is it time we held some real-world intensive workshops “Prodig Bootcamps”?
Here’s some inspiration (thanks to Jorge). Pick your favourites…
-Full LightRoom hands-on learning, all the in-depths and barely known hidden features of LR.
-Photoshop CS4-CS5 tips and tricks
-Camera calibration methods- Custom white balance, Camera Profiles. Screen calibration methods.
-Apple Aperture and Phase One C1 training.
-Alternative processors, Raw Processor,etc which allow generation of LAB files directly from RAW.
-Basic LAB file handling, processing and adjustments.
-Channel Operations
-Workflow optimization so you don’t work-slow- Actions,Droplets, Scripts, Automation.
-DAM, the importance of Metadata for archival and business .
-The Business of photography, copyright issues, negotiation tools and skills, proper paperwork, contracts, invoices,etc
-Marketing your services, SEO for websites, the use of Blogs, Correct use of Social Media for business, etc.
- Video methods and techniques for hybrid cameras, file handling, sound, basic editing for photographers,etc.
Did you know that 30% of the total current internet traffic globally is accounted for in video streams? What do you plan to do about it??
Leave a comment to let me know what (1) Topics would be of interest, and (2) which country UK/USA you would prefer.
Posted in seminars 2 Comments »
January 25, 2010
Prodig member Rodney Rascona cover the Tsunami in South East Asia in 2004.
Now he is on his way to Haiti around the third week of February, covering his first assignment for a period of about two weeks.
Rodney will be keeping the Prodig web site up to date with his work.
Some have labelled news coverage of natural human disasters as “disaster porn”. But Rodney Rascona’s images go far deeper into the sensitivity and profundity of an event, and could never be misinterpreted as voyeuristic.
link: Rodney Rascona Tsunami
Posted in current affairs, features No Comments »
October 22, 2009
Adobe Lightroom 3 is now available as a free public Beta.
There are several new features including: New Import experience, Publish Collections, Sharpening and Noise Reduction improvements, Grain, Improved Vignettes, Process Versions, Slideshow Export to movie, Custom Print Package and Watermarking plus many small features. The underlying architecture has been rewritten to make the application more robust in dealing with the larger files from modern DSLRs.
Public Betas are not recommended for real workflow, as many of the components may not be compatible with the final version. But try it out and, as they say, kick the tyres around.
link: http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom3/
Posted in Lightroom, software No Comments »
October 4, 2009
This year’s SUN Awards, for the best commercial photography in the UK Regions, are due to be announced this Thursday night, 8 October.
Presentations take place at Matt & Phred’s in Manchester.
If you commission, buy, use or create photography you are invited to come along. Just RSVP to get your name on the guest list.
SUN21 is supported by Fujifilm, Towergate Camerasure, Comme Ca Art, UK Locations, BOSS, Anita Morris Associates, CC Imaging
link: RSVP SUN21
Posted in announcements No Comments »
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