funny

Professor Puppet Explains Depth of Field.

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The scene is set, the voluptuous female lead makes her entrance and all but confesses her husband’s murder. Then out of absolutely nowhere Professor Hans Von Puppet interrupts the femme fatale scene to explain depth of field.

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In this wonderfully put together ‘Pocket Film School’ web series by Mark W. Gray’s alter ego Professor Puppet goes to great lengths in explaining different techniques and cinematic phrases that we’d otherwise be clueless about. In the short film below we’re treated to an array of samples and how to make the most of our cameras using different aperture settings. That and the Professor’s trademark humour.

It even touches on how focal length is affected by sensor and film sizes as an added bonus, which even some of the more seasoned photographers have troubles realising (though they’d never admit it.)

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If you enjoyed that video we urge you to sign up to Professor Puppet’s Youtube channel and look out for more of his Pocket Film School.

Incidentally if you want to commission Professor Puppet for one of your own videos, you can do so here on Fiverr.

How do you Make a Prize Winning Photograph?

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To coincide with the launch of their new photography prize, Source, the Ireland based contemporary photography magazine have commissioned a short film called ‘How do you Make a Prize Winning Photograph?’ A question most of us have probably asked themselves at one point or another.

The short generally makes little to no sense at all, like a lot of contemporary photography without context, however filmmaker Richard West has done a great job of at least sprinkling a hint of inspiration into two minutes.

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Entry into Solas Prize costs $30 and there is $11,500 prize money available with the prospect of two exhibitions.

Darth Vader with a Selfie Stick made out of Lego because Sunday.

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Here’s a cute picture of Darth Vader and one of his minion Storm Troopers taking a selfie using a selfie stick made out of a light sabre.

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This picture has been making the rounds on Twitter and Reddit today and looks set to carry on going viral over the next couple of days. Great news for the original photographer, right?

Wrong! Not a single retweet, share or blog I’ve found has cited the original artist, and that’s the point we want to make. Even after conducting a backwards image search on Google which usually does the trick, we turned up hands empty, again with countless links to sharing the photo uncredited. Continue reading →

‘Exposure’ Now Legal Tender For Photographers.

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A change in the law will allow photographers to pay rent on their homes & studios with ‘exposure’ instead of money. They will also be able to buy coffee, shampoo and other essentials, by mentioning to the checkout assistant that they did a big job last week for nothing, and are hoping it will bring them some paying clients.

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Landlords and supermarkets are protesting this move, on the grounds that “Well what the hell am I supposed to do with ‘exposure’? I can’t pay my bills with fresh bloody air! Why can’t you just give me money like every bugger else?” Continue reading →

12 Reasons Photographers Choose to Shoot Digital Instead of Film.

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Since posting the original article 12 Reasons Photographers Choose to Shoot Film over Digital an intense amount of vitriol has been directed towards it, which is not surprising considering how divisive the dichotomy can be.

It’s mostly been by people who can’t read properly and are therefore already at a disadvantage, however to be completely fair we’re going to flip things on their head and take a look at reasons why a photographer would choose to shoot digital instead of film.

The perfect Kodak moment now only comes in digital.
The perfect Kodak moment now only comes in digital.

Continue reading →

Lady who Flashed her Breasts at Google Car is Being Charged by Police

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When Karen Davis ticked off one of the items on her bucket list, she never expected the story it created would land her in trouble with the law. But now, over two months later the infamous stunt has been noticed by SA police who are charging her with ‘disorderly conduct’

Karen Davis directs a cheeky wobble toward the Google Street Cameras.
Karen Davis directs a cheeky wobble toward the Google Street Cameras.

Although not sexually motivated, the harmless prank is being treated like any other public display of nudity would be. Davis admits that she felt liberated after the Google car has passed. She told the Adelaide advertiser:

“I used to be ashamed of my bust size and now I’ve accepted it and I embrace it.
“It’s a set of boobs and they show them on TV, you know what I mean?”

Continue reading →

London Metropolitan Police Issue Caution to Editor of the Guardian for Using a Tripod.

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The police in London had nothing better to do yesterday morning than respond to the cries of a “large, sweaty speck” who happened to be passing by Guardian journalist Alan Rusbridger as he was having his photograph taken by David Levene on Hampstead Heath, a public space.

In Rusbridger’s blog on the Guardian he explained how the situation played out:

On the brow of the hill there was a jogger stretched in silhouette, no more than a tiny speck against the trees and blue sky. I took a picture.

The tiny speck turned out to be an unhappy speck. He ran down the hill shouting that I had no right to take pictures and I’d better effing delete them. As he got nearer he became a rather large and shouty speck, sweat beading on his bald head as he bellowed in my face.

We were effing out of order. It was illegal to take effing pictures here and if I didn’t delete the effing picture he’d effing call the police. He was really quite menacing – in the manner, say, of a 90s gangster movie.

I explained I was disinclined to delete the picture I had taken in a public space just because he looked to be on the point of murdering me. This made the speck even crosser.

Continue reading →

Camera Collector Sees Red – Bizarre Photographic Exhibition of ‘Tacky Red Cameras’

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Last week during a cold February evening in the Borders of Scotland, the lights of a small photographic art gallery were turned on for the first time and a new exhibition was unveiled. The walls were devoid of landscapes, portraits and the traditional visual art you’d come to expect with photographers. Instead a large, garish print hung on the far wall, unmistakably red. A small sign to the left gave it the name ‘Tacky Red Cameras.’

Tacky Red Cameras, Photographic Print - Sam Cornwell 2015.
Tacky Red Cameras, Photographic Print – Sam Cornwell 2015.

We’ve got used to seeing camera collections in many different shapes and forms, especially ones with high price tags on eBay. What makes this collection different from all those is the overwhelming abundance of the colour red. Upon further inspection, The Becher-esque style grid is filled with 81 (9×9) individually coloured red cameras.

Tacky Red Cameras Photographic Print, 70x70", Dibond.
Tacky Red Cameras Photographic Print, 70×70″, Dibond.

Tacky Red Cameras is a five year long study into mass production practises of the 20th century and how we have continued to consume in the present and beyond. A seemingly unobvious collection of red cameras all of which are still in their purchased, second hand state take place in three forms; a sculpture, a photographic print and a 3D printed object. The past, present and future.

The large print fills the white wall it is homed on and is big enough for the viewer to get up close and personal to inspect the different models on display. The actual cameras in sculpture form are presented beautifully encased in clear tubes close to the print.

Tacky Red Cameras, Sculpture – Sam Cornwell 2015.

The trifecta is completed with a much smaller exhibit, also unashamedly red. Artist Sam Cornwell collaborated with French artist Quentin Orhant to print a red camera. Yes, print. Continue reading →

Artists Brings old Cameras back to Life as Anthropormorphic Sculptures

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In a twist that may inspire millions to reach for their attic cupboards and pull out boxes of old camera gear, Michael Vivona shows that film photography isn’t dead just yet by bringing analogue cameras back to life.

Michael Vivona Camera Statue or Johnny 5 is still alive?
Michael Vivona Camera Statue or Johnny 5 is still alive?

Michael openly admits that he isn’t a photographer, which is evident from the Instagram filtered display photos he’s taken for his art. However, what he lacks in compositional detail for the camera frame, he more than makes up for in his artistic ability as a sculptor. And it’s not just your typical Hollywood shape that’s appearing in his collection, there’s a penchant for dogs as well.

Woof woof, whirrr, click.
Woof woof, whirrr, click.

Drawn to items built and designed in the ‘Atomic Age’ Michael poured through local thrift stores looking for items when he stumbled across his first ‘camerabot.’ With a projector as a body, security cameras as feet and an old twin lens reflex 120 film camera lending itself as eyes, his first Wall-E or Johnny-5 type character was born. Continue reading →