Nikon leaks on itself

Nikon let the cat out of the bag early about the new D3x by publishing in Nikon Pro magazine and then accidentally shipping the mags early. At least that’s the story. 🙂

24.5 megapixels, not bad. How much? Not known.

Nearly half of Americans’ photos will disappear

Here’s another horror story about our photographic history being lost forever, this time from an independent study, and this time talking about non-digital photos. While a lot of the info is factual (color prints fade, color negatives fade, and average folk do little to take care of them), once again here’s a few facts to note:

“Americans have taken nearly 550 billion non-digital photos in their lifetimes…” Well, if only half of those images survive, that’s still 225 billion photographs to document pretty much the 20th century. That’s a lot of pictures by anybody’s standards.

“Photo albums rank among the top few items people would grab if their house were burning down…” The article doesn’t mention the fact that the majority of those albums add to the decay of the images. Those “magnetic photo albums” are about the worst thing you can put your photographs in.

“…one of the biggest threats is simply misplacement — 37 percent of respondents admitted to losing important old photos..” In my experience this is the most likely way photos are lost. Not simply by being misplaced, but also by being loaned to or lifted by a relative, or being hacked up for a school project. When filuing, the biggest danger is in misfiling. If you put it in the wrong spot, you may never find it again.

I still call it editing. If you care about your photos, you’ll make some effort. If you don’t, I guess America will do without that little bit of history.

A pinhole wedding photographer

Not me, I love pinhole cameras, but the first question I’m usually asked during the potential wedding photographer interview is “How long will the formal portraits take, because we don’t want to keep the guests waiting.”

So I was surprised at finding the website of Sheila Bocchine, who (among other pinhole projects) photographs weddings with a pinhole camera. Imagine getting the bride and groom to hold still for several minutes while you take a portrait, or having a client that’s more interested in your interpretation of the event than the literal translation. This isn’t photojournalist-style wedding photography. It requires a lot of cooperation from the subjects, and some serious out-of-the-oatmeal-box thinking on the part of the photographer. (Note the “intimate” photos of wedding cakes)

Cool stuff! Good luck!

WV Music Hall of Fame

From the 2008 West Virginia Music Hall of Fame induction rehearsal and ceremony.

Duct tape repair

Bob Thompson

Mark Davis

John Ellison

Catherine Russell

Ann Magnuson

Finale

Sidewalk flower