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.
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?”
The young Syrian girl in the photograph is named Hudea and understandably thought the photographer’s camera was a weapon. Upon seeing it she threw her hands in the air and surrendered. At just four years old the world is still a mystery and confusion between objects is appropriately normal and part of learning. So it’s truly heartbreaking that this little Syrian girl is more used to seeing guns than cameras, especially in this now image conscious, self-obsessed celebrity world.
BBC Trending reports that the image was widely shared in the Turkish speaking world for several months before it made it on to English speaking social media.
Moscow based artist Dmitry Morozov has designed a digital camera by reengineering a Gameboy classic, accompanying thermal printer accessory and a GUN!
Dmitry Morozov’s 8-bit Instant Photo Gun.
He calls it the 8-bit Instant Photo Gun, and that’s exactly what it is. Despite looking like a movie prop from a futuristic steampunk-esque film like Mad Max, the camera is actually quite functional. Albeit a certain taste may be required to appreciate this certain output aesthetic.
The thermal printers & camera were sold as an accessory to the Gameboy over a decade ago. With under 1 Mega-Pixel of power they are slowly starting to creep bag into the digital-hispter’s bag. Morozov has simply repurposed the entire system to work with a gun’s trigger. Continue reading →
With increasing frustration I’ve watched some of my gullible friends post this image in relation to today’s spectacular Solar eclipse. It’s cited as ‘The ISS took this photo of the eclipse today. #eclipse2015‘
Don’t be fooled, it’s fake. Besides they don’t have Photoshop on the ISS (or at least I don’t think they have.)
Maybe a touch of Photoshop happened here.
The real photographs taken by the astronauts currently stationed on the ISS are much more underwhelming. In fact, somewhat pleasingly they make all the ones I’ve taken look pretty good.
You can certainly sense a bit of embarrassment from that tweet, and quite rightly so. Poor Sam Cristoforetti who seems like an absolutely lovely person, is no match as a photographer to the now widely known Chris Hadfield.
Here’s a selection of the REAL photographs taken today during the Solar eclipse from NASA’s Flickr feed: Continue reading →
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.
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.
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, 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 →
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 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.
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 →
With no less than 33 images attributed to him on Astronomy Picture of the Day Rogelio Bernal Andreo is one of the most respected astrophotographers on the planet. In fact, his images are so beautifully clear, it’s hard to believe he’s taking them from inside our atmosphere.
Recently this image of the constellation Orion has been receiving a growth spur and deservedly so as a meticulous amount of work was required to capture it. Amongst other things you can see the Witches Head nebula, the Flame nebula, the Horsehead nebula, Barnard’s Loop, the Running Man nebula and of course the Orion nebula. It is, as anyone in the Northern hemisphere will recognise an absolutely enormous part of the sky and to have such an incredible amount of detail there is breathtaking.
Orion Constellation | Rogelio Bernal Andreo
Of course you can’t see these gas clouds with the naked eye, although you would have some limited success with Orion’s nebula found in the middle of the sword with a pair of binoculars. To bring out more detail Rogelio made use of a narrow hydrogen alpha-filter and exposed for a total of 28 hours stitching together 32 images. Take a look at a detailed section of the top right revealing the ever spooky Witch Head nebula.
Witch Head Nebula | Rogelio Bernal Andreo
Rogelio began his astrophotography career like many of us; experimenting with is DSLR camera. Rogelio calls this his ‘introductory stage’ and has since moved on to dedicated CCD sensors to capture his images of the dark skies. Don’t worry though, ‘RBA’ as he’s known online still uses his DSLR to compose magnificent landscapes.
Take a look at just a small selection from his incredible portfolio starting with this stunning image of Simeis 147 and its surroundings. Continue reading →
Two and a half years ago the web was abuzz with news that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook.com had struck a deal with the owner-founders of Instagram to buy the photo sharing service for a billion dollars made up of $FB stock options and hard cash. On the most part it was considered a very risky move by Facebook, as Instagram wasn’t even turning a profit. Purchasing a completely separate entity rather than innovating themselves is something Facebook has made a name for.
The general sentiment at the time was dampened as not long had passed since Yahoo had completely desecrated the once king of photo sharing sites Flickr by rolling out a complete redesignat the bereft of its users. If one of the major players in social media can do that to Flickr, what will Facebook to to Instagram?
Connor Adams Sheets for The International Business Times summed up how much of the industry felt about the deal at the time:
“overpaying for companies like Instagram won’t help Facebook maintain its dominant market share, as a billion bucks for a fun (and admittedly useful) photo app represents a huge overestimation of how much the company is really worth.”
Oh how wrong we all were. Because today, Facebook announced by virtue of the brokers CitiGroup that their acquisition of the selfie, filtered, food-fest site is now estimated at a very cool $35 billion dollars. The maths involved has had a few commentators a little sceptical, but even if it’s only half that value it is an impressive investment.
Next comes the real test, as you may recall early this year Mark made another photography related (yes, perhaps a little tenuous) acquisition by bringing on board the mobile messaging app WhatsApp for $19 billion dollars! Let’s see what Citigroup have to say about that next quarter.
First, let me invite you to look at Prince Harry’s Getty Images portfolio, freely available for anybody to peruse, however not linked in any one of the articles I will post below.
There are, in total, three images:
HRH Prince of Wales Getty Images Portfolio consists of just three B&W images
I’m glad the Prince of Wales had the artistic vision to turn these portraits monochrome. Why would one make use of the colour sensor in your digital camera when you can just flick a switch and avoid a distraction such as colour? – If Harry had used a film camera and a roll of HP5 then I may have been a little more forgiving.
Yes, you read that right. Photography masters, professionals, all of you who’ve spent many years perfecting your craft, step aside. Prince charming is here with three photos that are ‘Portrait Photography at its Finest.’
It’s unfair to judge so quickly, as one of the images isn’t actually all that bad. This striking portrait of an apparently young orphaned herder is well composed and he’s even managed to keep it in focus. After all, he’s shooting on a Fuji X100S in full auto, I should hope so.
HRH Prince of Wales / Getty Images
That’s one third of his entire portfolio that can be considered excellent work.
Although, after seeing the gorgeous red walls in Chris Jackson‘s meta portrait, I’m once again saddened by the decision to flick the B&W switch on.
Chris Jackson / Getty
The other two images by Harry aren’t so good. They are, and a more seasoned photography critic will point this out in due course, tourist tat. If you wish to look at them in a larger size rather than the thumbnails above: Image 1, Image 2.
Even the Prince’s description of his images makes absolutely no sense at all:
‘I have always enjoyed photography and the challenges that come with trying to capture the perfect shot, although privately I don’t take many photos. The best photos I have are in my head’
It’s safe to assume Getty Images were ever so slightly starstruck after his visit to their Children of Lesotho exhibition last year. Perhaps that’s how his portfolio was approved so fast?
This post is satire. If you’d like to donate to Prince Harry’s charity so he can buy another £800 point and shoot camera and a return flight to Lesotho, you can do so here.
Phogotraphy 