WORKSHOP: Focus on Nature, Iceland

Some of the world's most acclaimed and experienced masters in photography will be part of a new workshop series, "Focus on Nature," to be held at a former US military base in Iceland. Nature photography, of course, will be the focus, and Iceland's grand vistas the subject during its 2008 Summer semesters. Classes will be taught by regular CameraArts contributor John Paul Caponigro, Peter Gasser, Rick Sammon, Vincent Versace, and Markus Zuber. Campus facilities including a printing center and a computer lab will be readily available to participants.

Registration is now open for the Summer semester. Price ranges from $2,450 to $4,800. Participants can expect to be trained in a fully renovated, state-of-the-art facility, and learn in instructor-designed workshops. Field trips will be made regularly to capture the majesty of Iceland's countryside.

Click here to visit the "Focus on Nature" website.

Image ©Paolo Ardiani.

DHC Art presents six artistic visions of videography

DHC Art, the Montreal-based Foundation for Contemporary Art, will present an international exhibition, "Re-Enactments," with six artists whose work uniquely and brilliantly reassesses the mediums of film and media. Artists include Nancy Davenport, recipient of DHC's very first production grant; Stan Douglas, whose "Inconsolable Memories" draws inspiration from the Cuban film classic "Memories of Underdevelopment;" Harun Farocki, who will dissect the 2006 World Cup Final (with the infamous headbutt) using a dizzying number of perspectives; Ann Lislegaard will present a reenactment of daily life reflected on floorboard surfaces; Paul Pfeiffer melds the popular identity of Michael Jackson with the star's infamous run-ins with the law; and Kerry Tribe will simultaneously reinvent and pay homage to the TV masterpieces of Jean-Luc Goddard. The exhibition runs through May 25, 2008.

From DHC-Art:

"The aim is to generate new meanings and fresh relevance from this source material, often by reiterating its value in the form of homage or deflating its claims with critique, but always by rerouting it to mysterious and unexpected places. By vividly addressing politics, spectacle and subjectivity these re-workings of cultural texts or events of the past pose compelling questions about the present."

Click here to visit DHC's website.

Image: from Inconsolable Memories, ©Stan Douglas

Lexjet products go green, all the way

LexJet, makers of remanufactured inks for fine printers such as the HP 5,000 series wide-format inkjet, have announced that their packaging has been made fully recyclable. This includes the cartridge itself and the packaging it comes in. In the past three years, LexJet has recycled more than 100,000 HP cartridges. The LexJet Cartridge Recycling Program, which will award users with two dollars per recycled cartridge, encompasses cartridges for HP, Epson, and Canon, but will only pay for the HP 5,000 series.

From John Lane, Vice President of LexJet:

"LexJet's environmental philosophy is rooted in the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We also adhere to an additional 3R ethical code regarding the development and presentation of our environmental initiatives and programs – Real, Responsible, and Right. LexJet pursues responsible and practical solutions – like our new recyclable packaging – that actually reduce the industry's environmental impact while helping our customers and those who buy and use our customers' graphics with high-quality, economical solutions."

Click here to find out more about LexJet's environmental initiatives.

Juried exhibition: emerging (I) 3

The Creative Center for Photography's gallery space in Los Angeles, CA will be hosting a juried exhibition of silver prints in black and white created by students. The images were selected by Freestyle Photographic Supplies' Educational Steering Committee, a group of photographic educators dedicated to passing darkroom skills and other traditional techniques to future generations. Many institutions from California and beyond, like East LA College, the International Center for Photography, and Montana State University participated in this show. The exhibition will run from April 24 to June 25, 2008.

From FreeStyle:

"(The Freestyle Educational Steering Committee) offers advice and council to Freestyle Photographic Supplies with regard to supplies, curriculum, and
creative techniques. The Steering Committee also serves as a forum for the educators' thoughts and concerns about photography in the modern classroom."

Click here to find out more about FreeStyle.

Photoshop World and April Events at Adobe

Adobe has announced its April 2008 line-up for design professionals, and there is much here to appeal to the fine art photographer in search of digital know-how. First is Photoshop World, the world's largest official Adobe training event, taking place April 2-4, 2008, in Orlando, FL. Adobe will also have a booth at NAB 2008 (booth SL 3220, April 14-17, 2008), which is dedicated to audio and video technology, in Las Vegas, NV.

Adobe Conferences in April include The Creative Suite (CS) conference, a two-day intensive on how to get the most out of CS (April 30-May 1, 2008); and The Art Center Design Conference 2008: "Serious Play," which will present some of the world's greatest inventors, designers, artists, and computer nuts at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.

Other courses include "Collaborating on Web Design and Flash Creative with Acrobat Connect Pro," on April 8, 2008. Emphasis will be placed on using Dreamweaver and Flash to expedite workflow with Acrobat Connect Pro, which can allow photographers and other artists to transfer web pages to one another. A dizzying array of courses, ranging from online content protection to integrating video into a journalistic workflow, a good choice for photojournalists.

Click here to view the full list. Click here for more about Photoshop World.

Western Digital announces new My Passport Elite Drive

A new mobile media storage device has been introduced by Western Digital, one that is designed to appeal to photographers—the MyPassport Elite Drive. Easy transfer of large files and back-up utilities are indeed essential to today's digital photographer, and the MyPassport brand was designed to meet these needs. The small size (of no more than 5 ounces) should appeal greatly to those with already overstuffed photography bags. MioNet software, a failsafe backup program that will allow photographers to retrieve images lost (while still on the road) also comes included.

Features include automatic backup, a USB power source, MioNet software-enabled remote access, and a massive 250 GB storage space. A capacity gauge is included as well, so the photographer can know, at a glance, how much room for how many pictures is still available. This package is priced at $169.99, while an even-more-whopping 350 GB edition retails for $199.99.

The My Passport Elite is available at WD's online store here.

All Fujifilm Imaging Products to form single point of order

Fujifilm has just announced that it will be incorporating its Wide Format Inkjet unit into its generic imaging division of Fujifilm U.S.A. This move is expected to make it easier for retailers and professional labs to order any kind of product from one source at Fujifilm. The company has also introduced a simplified, streamlined ordering process for all of its 250 products, including inks, papers, and printers.

Wide format printing products have joined the already impressive roster of professional products, including everything from video to printing tools, at Fujifilm. In addition, Consumer products available at Fujifilm USA include still and film digital cameras and printers, while Commercial and Government-oriented supplies include microfilm, semi-conductors, and commercial-quality printing solutions. It seems that everything under the sun in photography is now under one roof.

Fujifilm USA can be accessed via its website here.

Open Studios 2008 at the Californian Institute of the Arts

The Californian Institute of the Arts (CalArts) will be promoting the annual Graduate Open Studios Day, featuring students currently enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts programs of Photography, Integrated Media, and the School of Art's Art. On April 13, 2008, 60 students will open their workspaces to the public, where the limits of chosen techniques are often tested, and the boundaries of emerging contemporary mediums. Visitors will have a rare opportunity to preview works in progress and converse with artists in a comfortable and informal setting, thought the works on display are sure to impress and even shock. Each artist will be present in her or his studio and available to answer questions and discuss their work. There is no better opportunity to see just what is coming on the horizon of contemporary photography and mixed media art.

From CalArts:

"The MFA program in Art, Photography, and Integrated Media at CalArts has produced an impressive range of influential contemporary artists. Notable CalArts alumni range from graduates from the 1970s such as David Salle, Matt Mullican, Jack Goldstein, Lari Pittman, Eric Fischl and Mike Kelley to Liz Larner, Cathie Opie, and Stephen Prina in the 1980s, and more recent alumni Mark Bradford, Brad Bird, Ruben Ortiz-Torres, Sam Durant, Andrea Bowers, and Rodney McMillian."

The six schools of CalArts—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—all share a single five-story building in Valencia, California, to encourage experimentation and unexpected, original combinations of existing mediums. This day of art and art-making is bound to be a colorul and exciting event.

Click here for more information.

From the CameraArts—B+H storefront...

Among the latest additions to the CameraArts B+H storefront, a special deal on the Sony α (alpha) DSLR-A100 Digital Camera is now available. The Sony α (alpha) DSLR-A100 10.2 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera is a top-quality 10 megapixel Digital SLR Camera that combines new technology with Minolta lens compatibility, adding to a photographic legacy of two decades. It accepts all Minolta A-mount lenses sold worldwide (Maxxum & Dynax), and introduces Sony imaging innovations like high-sensitivity shooting with Super SteadyShot in-camera image stabilization, Dynamic Range Optimizer to automatically increase detail in bright and dark picture areas, Anti-Dust technology to keep the CCD imager clean for better pictures, and Eye-Start Autofocus system for faster camera response.

Special Price- $499.95 + Shipping. Click here to navigate to this product.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts presents Women to Watch

Until June 15, 2008, The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, DC will exhibit "Women to Watch," in which 32 works by 11 contemporary female photographers. The exhibition was designed to increase the visibility of emerging female photographers deserving of both national and international attention. Participating artists include Marita Gootee from Mississippi, Lissa Rivera from Massachusetts, Zoe Strauss from Pennsylvania, Tricia Moreau Sweeney from Illinois, Tarrah Krajnak and Wilka Roig of Vermont, Valerie Belin from France, Jin-me Yoon from Canada, Elisa Sighicelli of Great Britain, Paulina Parra from Spain, and Joan Myers from New Mexico.

Joan Myers will contribute her images of industrial encroachment on nature—in this case, beautiful panoramas of generators and power plants. Strauss presents photographs of people in her hometown neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Gootee creates impressionistic images of nature, which emphasize the mutability of photographic perception. Rivera documents and unusual subject with deadpan attention to detail: the gaterings seen at college fraternity and sorority houses. Belin's images of Parisian models have been manipulated to appear lifeless and sexless, raising questions about contemporary identity.

This exhibition represents a collaborative effort between 10 of NMWA s national and international committees and the museum. For more information, click here.

Also, Joan Myers will soon present an exhibit at Andrew Smith Gallery in Santa Fe, titled "Brimsone: Photographs from Iceland, Yellowstone and Pompeii," from June 27 to September 10, 2008.

From Andrew Smith:

"Joan Myers is one of New Mexico's most intelligent and prolific artists. Over the last twenty-five years she has produced photographic projects and books about the Santa Fe Trail, Japanese relocation camps, images of older women, the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, the environment of the Salton Sea near Palm Springs, California, and a comprehensive document and book of Antarctica.

"In recent years Myers has been photographing globally. The exhibit highlights her color photographs made in Iceland, Italy and in Yellowstone where she has been concentrating on geothermal sites that include boiling lakes, mud pots, hot springs and geysers, as well as the ancient city of Pompeii that was destroyed by the fiery eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D."

Go to Andrew Smith Gallery's website for more information.

Image: Untitled (White), 2006 © Elisa Sighicelli. Partially backlit c-print on lightbox, 48 x 48 x 2.

Fotosphere Gallery presents Koichiro Kurita

A series of images inspired by psychological studies will be exhibited by Fotosphere Gallery in New York City until April 26, 2008. For the series "Perceiving," Koichiro Kurita used his camera as a moving eye, assembling individual photographs into unified works comprising four, eight, nine, and twelve images. Kurita is known for his tranquil, simple photographs of natural scenes. In the past, he has made platinum prints on handmade rice paper. With this exhibition, he aims to create a psychological examination on the concept of psychological comprehension as it relates to the photograph. Kurita's philosophy ties perception inextricably with experience of a form, object, or idea. Kurita has lived in New York City since 1990, and has been photographing landscapes (often in America, sometimes in Japan) for more than 20 years. This idea of "Chi-Su-Ki (Earth, Water, and Air)" is central to Kurita's work, as is the personal interpretation of these forces that takes place (whether aware or subcoscious) when one views these images.

From Fotosphere:

"Koichiro Kurita’s works are exhibited internationally and collected by major museums including Museum of Fine Arts Boston, The Princeton Art Museum, The Fogg Museum Harvard University, George Eastman House, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Maison de Europeanne de la Photographie, The Biblioteque Nationale de Paris, Fuji Art Museum and among others. He lives and works in New York City and gives workshops in his studio."

For more information about Fotosphere, click here. Image: The First Encounter Beach, Cape Cod, MA 2006 ©Koichiro Kurita 24x30"

CALL FOR ENTRIES: HeliRussia 2008!

HeliRussia 2008, the first Eastern European exposition for the Helicopter Industry, is extending an invitation for professional and amateur photographers to enter an International Photo Contest, "The Beauty of the Rotor Wing Machines." This event follows in the footsteps of the American Heli-Expо, West Europe's Helitech, HeliShow Dubai, and Heli-Asia. The exhibition is intended to promote awarness of the history and industry of Helicopter craft. There is no entry fee. Entries from photographers, publishing companies, Museums, and galleries will be accepted, for a maxiumum entry of five images. Entries are made by email, and finalists will need to submit a CD of images. The juried exhibition will run concurrently with HeliRussia 2008, May 15 to 17, 2008, at the Crocus Expo Exhibition Center in Moscow, Russia.

The deadline is April 15, 2008. Only Photographs, not mixed media or photo collage projects, will be accepted.

From HeliRussia 2008:

"All works must be sent to helicopterphoto@rambler.ru in JPEG format. The description in the email must include name of the photo work, full name of the author, date of birth, home address, phone number, and email."

Results will be available at the HeliRussia website here.

Open Shutter Gallery presents Mitch Dobrowner

In Durango, Colorado, Open Shutter Gallery will present the black-and-white work of Mitch Dobrowner, along with the photographs of Thomas Carr. Dobrowner has assembled an impressive collection of stunning outdoor scenes of natural vistas in the United States. His ghostly reprentations of legendary geographic monuments, like New Mexico's Shiprock shrouded in stormclouds, or Merrick Butte in Arizona's famous Monument Valley, are but two examples in the photographer's magnificent catalogue. Dobrowner's images are captured with black-and-white film, and some are processed digitally, making him an impressive example of the "new school" of analog photography, in which a photographer's expertise in color, light and shadow has complemented, rather than hindered, the old school sensibility reminiscent of landscape photographers like Ansel Adams.

The exhibition runs March 14 to April 30, 2008.

From the Open Shutter Gallery:

"(Open Shutter) Gallery owner Margy Dudley carefully selects the finest quality works with an eye on photographers who address humanitarian and conservation issues through their photos. Dobrowner’s surreal photographic landscape images, created by using a mixture of black and white film and digital cameras, reflect the power of nature and the hushed beauty of outdoor scenes in North America. Other great photographers who have exhibited at the Open Shutter Gallery include Pentti Sammallahti, Nick Brandt, Peter Turner and Lois Greenfield. Coincidentally, Mitch, as a young photographer at age 18, assisted Peter Turner at his NY studio."

Dobrowner's work was featured in a 12-page spread in Silvershotz Journal of Fine Art Photography, and he was also featured as a participant in the 2008 Photo LA Festival. To find out more about the artist's works, visit his site here. Open Shutter Gallery's site is here.

Museum of Contemporary Photography: 2008 Fine Prints Now Available!

The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College in Chicago has announced the release of their 2008 line of limited edition fine art photography prints at its website store. Archival ink jet prints, lambda prints and C-prints are available in editions of 50 available prints per image. New artists include American photographers KayLynn Deveney and Greta Pratt, British artist Simon Roberts, Israeli photographer Orit Siman-Tov, and Dutch photographer Jan Theun van Rees. All prints are numbered and signed by the photographer.

Also, Luke Batten and Jonathan Sadler's collaborative work, New Catalogue, will be available. Their work has been featured on Photo-Eye, and has sold out on the photo-book reviewer's website.

From Photo-Eye:

"Using a methodology that both parallels and gently ridicules the concept of stock photo agencies, New Catalogue (artists Luke Batten and Jonathan Sadler) has created a series of original editions that tap into popular culture while expanding on traditional photographic genres. This book, their first, examines elements of American iconography that are at once hilarious and vaguely unsettling: “Big Ten Co-Eds with Ski Masks,” “Preppy Girls with BB Guns,” and “The Lost Cheerleaders” – each of which hints at a subconscious desire for danger in a sterile suburban setting."
Publish Post
Each of the prints are $300 each plus $15 shipping. Visit the Museum of Contemporary Photography's website for more information.

Think Tank Photo brings new concept to bags for photographers

With the release of its new "Skin" Series of modular bags, Think Tank Photo has brought new ideas and inventions into the mix for photographers on the move. New security features include improved protection for photographer's gear and a "Security Plate" System for the identification and tracking of lost bags. Every bag has a unique serial number that can be tracked at Think Tank's website. Features also include a combination zipper lock, a security cable (think bike locks for cameras), and a secure laptop attache for roller bags. Also, the new "Skin" series bags are fully collapsible to maximize space while traveling.

The material forgoes the extra foam padding so often associated with photographer's bags, and is designed with the working photographer in mind. Think Tank's "Lock or Rotate" technology is present here, and all components for cameras, multiple lenses, and SLR flash units can be easily accessed from the Skin Belt, where they can rotate around freely or be locked in position. The Skin Set is intended to work with a minimum of noise, to avoid startling that elusive subject, whether they are cranes waiting above water, or a transient man who has yet to wake up.

Among the new line of Roller Bags, the Airport Airstream has received the most acclaim, having been included in the "Hot One Awards" of 2008 in Professional Photographer magazine. By synthesizing the qualities of a large camera bag with international carry-on size requirements, and including space for a laptop bag to be securely stored inside, Think Tank Photo has combined comfort, security, and ease of use in their new line.

From Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s founder and lead designer:

“As they are rollers, photographers can move quickly from one flight to the next and without the burden of carrying this weight on their shoulders. The goal is to minimize the wear and tear on their bodies and the fears associated with transporting expensive photographic equipment.”

The Airport Airstream comes at a price tag of $289. The Airport International V2.0 retails for $329. Visit Think Tank's website for more information.

CameraArts Publisher and Managing Editor Tim Anderson brings us an important message

There are a few spots left for the Dreamscapes May 25-27 workshop being offered by our own Tim Anderson and Pat Berrett (www.OneModelPlace.com, and www.modelmayhem.com, #484). The workshop will begin on Friday night with a meet and greet dinner at a great local hotel, and on Saturday there will be a shoot at a local Hacienda, with afternoon shooting at a variety of local wilderness areas.

On Sunday we will continue shooting at the Hacienda. There will be small group, as well as one-on-one instruction, and we have great nightly rates at another local
hotel. This workshop is for all levels of skill, and promises to be a rewarding experience for those involved. Attendees will be able to work with professional models and hone their skills as fine art nude photographers.

The CameraArts Photo Store: A Home Run!

The response to "The Photo Store" on www.cameraarts.com has been fantastic! B&H is extremely surprised about the amount of click-throughs there have already been in such a short time. Apparently the deals they have been offering have been compelling, because you keep coming back. Click here to check out the great price on a Nikon D300 SLR Digital Camera, as well as other great deals!


"Cheese."

The Center for Creative Photography: March Exclusives

The Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona presents a new line-up of events for the month of March 2008. First up is a Gallery Walk on March 9 with Becky Senf, organizer of "Debating Modern Photography: The Triumph of Group f/64." Senf will provide information on selected works and discuss their importance to the wider theme of this exhibition, which runs until May 4. Another Gallery Walk will take place April 24. On March 14, a lecture by Argentine photographer Marcelo Brodsky will discuss his work to remember “The Disappeared" as a result of military dictatorships in Latin America. Next up is a lecture presented by Joan Fontcuberta: "The Photography Paradox: Truth Against Beauty" takes place March 28.

From the Center for Creative Photography:

"Joan Fontcuberta, internationally acclaimed artist, curator, and theoretical writer, will discuss the tension between truth and beauty that has propelled photography's evolution since its origin. The aesthetic and ontological issues present in this tension can be observed in the present CCP exhibition, and in contemporary practice, including Fontcuberta’s own work."

For more information on upcoming events, click here to visit the Center's website.

Photolucida's Great Northwest Portfolio

The photographic scene in the American Northwest is often overlooked by hot spots in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, though one shouldn't doubt for a second the immense range and multitude of talent in this beautiful region. Photolucida, the annual week-long festival of photography in Portland, Oregon, will present a limited edition of The Great Northwest Portfolio, comprising fifteen contemporary photographers from the region. The edition consists of fifteen copies, which will be sure to be coveted by collectors and photography enthusiasts. The portfolio is available for a limited time at an original price of $5000.

Fifteen images will be reproduced in dimensions of 16 x 20, and essays will also be included from Rod Slemmons, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and Terri Hopkins, Director of Marylhurst University's Art Gym. The prints to be featured have been donated by some of the Northwest's premier photographic talents, including Paul Berger, Phil Borges, Cherie Hiser, Ann Hughes, Stu Levy, Christopher Rauschenberg, Glenn Rudolf, Carrie Mae Weems, and more.

Photolucida is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing photographic talent and encouraging a community of local support for fine art photography. This portfolio is part of a bold new fund-raising strategy to keep Photolucida coming back, with its Portfolio Reviews conference and popular calls for entries, such as the Critical Mass competition, year after year.

A preview of this portfolio can also be seen at this year's Fotofest in Houston, from March 7 to 20, 2008. The portfolio can also be viewed here.

AUCTION: Daniel Cooney presents photographs, photographic literature

Daniel Cooney's Early Spring Fine Art Auction has only a few more days before its close on Thursday, March 6, 2008. The lots are divided into photography, photographic literature, and painting categories. Daniel Cooney is holding this auction in conjunction with igavel.com, a partnership that occurs three times a year. As always, a preview of available lots is taking place at the exhibition space in New York City. None of the selections in this auction have been solicited from individual artists, thus creating a collection of images that stand fully on their own merit, in which the contest is decided by those at the helm of the auction.

Click here to view some of the selections available for auction, as well as estimated prices and the final selling price (where applicable).

Click here to view igavel's official auction site. Scroll down the list of photographs to see those that will remain available for the duration of the auction.

Image: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bicep Pose © Michael McKenzie