ClickrChart Launches

ClickrChart is a new Web-based application aimed at identifying the most interesting photographers and their photos in the Flickr world. “ClickrChart extracts the top 100 most popular photos, using the secretinterestingness recipe created by Flickr,” says ClickrChart owner Gianluca Merlo. “The website provides free daily, weekly and monthly charts as well as interviews with the most popular photographers in order to promote a photographic culture and encourage rookies to improve themselves.”

Website: ClickrChart

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Photo Stats for iPhone

The first application for making infographics on iPhone has just been released on iTunes App Store. Photo Stats app analyses all photos from your camera roll and creates infographics based on the extracted metadata, visualizing how, when and where you take photos with iPhone.

From today iPhone users can create infographics about their photos thanks to the new app Photo Stats, which has just been released on iTunes App Store by the Swedish mobile development company Dear Future Astronaut.

After users start the application on their iPhone, it analyzes location and time where the photos from the camera roll were taken as well as other photo properties such as size, exposure, ISO, photo application used etc. Statistical data are then transformed into a cool infographic which can be viewed on the device as well as shared with friends on social networks or via email.

For the first week the app will be available at the promotional price of only $0.99 at iTunes AppStore at the address http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id452201241?ls=1&mt=8

About the company
Dear Future Astronaut AB (http://www.dfany.com) is a Swedish creative mobile development company with a mission to develop applications at the intersection of code and creativity, add value to products and simplify for businesses and organizations to reach to their customers by using state-of-the-art mobile technology.

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Vimeo adds professional video hosting plan

"For the last five years, Vimeo has been for personal video sharing and we have had a non-commercial policy - we did not allow videos that are intended to sell or promote a product or service," says Blake Whitman, Vimeo's Vice President of Creative Development in an interview ahead of this week's launch. "For years, people have been asking us when we would open our services to businesses, for commercial services. Finally, we've listened and Vimeo Pro is the answer."

Vimeo Pro is priced £123 ($199) per year and offers 50 GB of storage and 250,000 plays. Photographers and videographers that will need to more storage will be able to purchase capacity in 50GB increments for £123 ($199). Additional plays can also be purchased for the same price in increments of 100,000. "Vimeo Pro is an evolution," says Whitman. "Over the last several years, we've realised that video hosting for major businesses is not easy to understand. The way we always approach things is: ‘how can we create a simple, easy and affordable solution for anyone and in this case, now, for businesses?'"

Whitman says that Vimeo Pro is "one of the most affordable offers available for businesses - the businesses that do not have a ton of video needs, but need it in some capacity. There are huge disparities between the free services, which are not really customisable, and the huge enterprise solutions, which are very expensive."

"We're really targeting sole proprietors and small businesses that need video. Right now, we allow small businesses and professional photographers to use Vimeo to promote their work, but not to sell their work," says Whitman. "Anytime that these photographers need video to promote their businesses and their services, they will need to use Vimeo Pro, which has some specific features they will benefit from."

Vimeo Pro will offers no upload limits per week - with Vimeo Plus, users can only upload up to 5GB a week. "We also offer portfolios, which are thematic websites that you can build to show off your video content," says Whitman. "They are completely unbranded pages that you can link to a custom domain name. And soon, there will be a way for developers to create and sell their own templates if they want - similarly to what Tumblr does."

Vimeo Pro also allows users to add their logos to the video player, as well as create basic, unbranded review pages to send to their clients. "These pages are unlisted and they don't appear on Vimeo," says Whitman.

Vimeo currently has 7.5m members.

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Crowdbooks Launches

Book Publishing Network Crowdbooks Marries The Power Of Crowdfunding With A Passionate Community Of Artists And Investors To Create A Revolutionary New Platform For Photo/Art Books.

(May, 2011) When Crowdbooks launches in May, the world will be introduced to a completely new and unique model of publishing. This model will merge talented photographic artists and passionate investors or supporters of the arts with a quality-focused independent publisher. The innovative concept behind Crowdbooks makes it stand out as the first-of-its-kind crowdfunding option that sees an idea through from its inception to publication. 

This new venture gives rise to exciting opportunities for all involved. Crowdbooks will create a passionate community wherein the artists and investors work hand-in-hand to bring a new photo book to life. Crowdfunding, also known as “participative financing,” involves a project which receives financing through a myriad of investors collectively pooling their money to fully fund projects. For would-be investors, the Crowdbooks platform offers them an compelling opportunity to both support the arts and have a hand in the success of a photographic artist and the resulting book. The investors literally become a part of the book.

While the concept of crowdfunding is not unique and has grown in recent years, Crowdbooks offers a completely new element to this established model. Other venues step out once funds are secured, yet Crowdbooks steps in and sees the projects through the final stages of design and distribution. Each project is created with an intense focus on craftsmanship, quality and an eye for detail. Handmade production methods are often employed, insuring each book is itself a work of art. Additionally, Crowdbooks offers the know-how of large publishing firms juxtaposed with the dedication of individual artists and talented teams focused on the success of each project.

Renowned fine art photographer and New York City teacher Amy Stein had this to say about the future of photobooks: “If we want the photobook to evolve I believe we need to bring back collaboration and, more importantly, evolve the definition of a book. Instead of a mass mentality, where the book is reduced to a means to distribute your photographs, we must return to a place where photographers work with other artists and professionals to conceive and produce unique, standalone objects. “ This collaboration and evolved definition of a book is exactly Crowdbooks’ goal as it builds this exciting new platform and community. The artists that seek funding and publication through the platform will receive the comprehensive support of passionate investors and superior publishing practices.

ABOUT CROWDBOOKS:

Crowdbooks is the first art/ photo book publishing network to use online crowdsourcing to fund its projects. Through social networks and the online community, Crowdbooks funds and produces unique, limited edition photo-based books that challenge the conventional methods of publishing, as well as the artistic limitations associated with the offline model. Crowdbooks acts as a traditional publishing company, overseeing a project from its design to its distribution. To be part of a book, be part of a crowd!

Nathalie Belayche works as an indepedent curator, photo editor, writer.She is the founder of the photography platform Food For Your Eyes. She has a passion for the photography book medium, convinced this is the best means of expression for photographers/ Prior to joining Crowdbooks as an Editor, Nathalie, collaborated closely with photographers to develop photography book projects and to get their book published. She is also an active member of the online photography book community with contributions to crowdsourced projects such as “The Future of Photobook” or to “the Photobook Club” website. 

ABOUT CROWDBOOKS FOUNDER, STEFANO BIANCHI:

Stefano Bianchi, the passionate mastermind behind Crowdbooks, is an established graphic designer and communications consultant. He has worked with companies such as Magnumphotos Agency, Louis Vuitton, Relais & Châteaux, Dior, Fabrica (the Benetton group communications research center) and Diesel Jeans. From his current home base in Paris, France, Stefano acts as CEO of N2o Studio, a creative consulting agency. His passion for photography, quality design and craftsmanship, and an appreciation for the arts, led to the creation of this exciting new platform.

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Fotobounce 3.5

Fotobounce 3.5 allows users to!manage, store and share digital photos securely within a private network of friends and family, referred to as “Bouncers”. One of Fotobounce’s key features is its face recognition technology that automatically detects faces when photos are found or imported. As faces are detected by Fotobounce and tagged by the user, this “trains” Fotobounce to learn who people are and helps automate the tagging process. Version 3.5 brings improved face detection accuracy and speed enhancements, as well as support for Twitter and Eye-Fi memory cards. A new product called Fotobounce Viewer has also been released. Fotobounce Viewer allows users to browse Fotobounce libraries remotely and securely from Android, Windows, Mac and Linux systems.

Website: Fotobounce

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Camera Pro for iPad 2

KenigArt announces the release of Camera Pro for iPad 2 v1.0. Now, with our app, photos taken on iPad2, will look better than pictures taken on professional SLR cameras. Camera Pro contains 10 tools and instruments to help you make your photos as professional looking as if they were taken with a professional SLR camera by a professional photographer. Our application will teach you how to make highly professional photographs in one click.

KenigArt announces the release of Camera Pro for iPad 2 v1.0. Now, with our app, photos taken on iPad2, will look better than pictures taken on professional SLR cameras. The program contains 10 tools and instruments to help you make your photos a professional looking as if they were taken to a professional SLR camera, a professional photographer.

Featured by iTunes - Top 20 Paid Photography iPad App in US and 150 other countries

Now you will not need to buy an expensive book on photography, reading hundreds of books or attend expensive classes of professional photographers. Our application will teach you how to make highly professional photographs in 1 click.

Application Features:
* Simple and easy HD interface is fully optimized for iPad 2
* 10 tools to improve your photos from your iPad 2 camera
* Even if you’ve never photographed before, now you can learn how to do it at the professional level using our application!

Device Requirements:
* iPad and iPad 2
* Requires iPhone OS 4.0 or later
* 2.8 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Camera Pro for iPad 2 v.1.0 is only $2.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.

Camera Pro for iPad 2 v1.0: http://kenigart.com/camerapro4ipad2.php
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id443687178
Press Kit: http://kenigart.com/camerapro4ipad2-press.php

Kenigart is a web design and development company that you can rely on for all your digital needs. Our developers and engineers are highly competent professionals and have extensive experience in their respective fields. Every new project is based on close collaboration of the entire team with the best skills and experiences applied into all aspects of the task. Before we start every single project, first we work closely with the customer to understand their specific needs and goals. We make sure the result will meet their expectations and requirements. Our team understands that the final product should be easy to understand and maintain. In Our Studio we care about people and try to retain the best engineers, designers, and developers. We have the best talents - you get the best results at the affordable price. Copyright (C) 2011 Kenigart. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Color Range for iOS

Virginia-based SSA Mobile LLC claims that their brand-new iPhone/iPod/iPad app for photo and image editing, Color Range 1.0, goes far beyond simply brushing parts of the original image to grayscale. The app’s ability to read the color range of a photo, automatically selecting and highlighting colors, while the rest of image is converted to grayscale, makes it an unique and handy tool for making photos look exquisite and stylish.

Leesburg, Virginia - SSA Mobile LLC has announced the release of its new iPhone photo and image editor, Color Range 1.0, allowing users to modify the color range of an image and achieve extremely stylish and eye-catching effects with any photo. The app uses an alternative approach to highlight colors, by reading the photo’s color range. Spotlighting a particular color or range of colors is done automatically, following user selection, meaning that there’s no need for manual “brushing” of the necessary areas. The rest of the image is converted to grayscale. Or, conversely, a selected color or range of colors can be converted to grayscale.

“The disadvantage of manual painting has always been the inability to single out small objects and details. Even with the biggest zoom and highest resolution, the procedure took far too long or was simply impossible,” says Serge Aliseenko, CEO of SSA Mobile LLC. “Automatic color range definition allows for high precision, speed and unique abilities, adding up to killer pics.”

The color range effect is applied to the entire picture, making it possible to create colorized vintage photos of the past, with just a few simple finger taps. However, there is also manual grayscale / color brush for custom edits of image areas when needed.

Color Range provides real-time preview, features pinch zooming and an unlimited number of undoes / redoes for more flexible and smooth work. It also allows loading and editing of pictures of any resolution, saving and, of course, sharing via E-mail, Facebook and Twitter.

In addition, Color Range offers 21 more built-in photo effects for free, including the HUE effect that enables you to change the color (or colors) originally selected to any other you like. Applying it after the main color range effect offers users a variety of new looks to highlighted details on their photos.

Color Range Features Summary:
* Unique Color Range effects with real-time preview for more convenient work
* Load pictures in any resolution or use the built-in camera
* Zoom in and out for more convenient color choice
* Use Gray / Color brush for custom edits of image areas when needed
* Unlimited number of undo and redo options
* 21 additional free built-in effects to add awesomeness to your final pictures
* Easy and super user-friendly interface and help
* Save to Photo roll or share your unique pictures via email, Facebook & Twitter
* Universal app designed for both iPhone and iPad

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
* Requires iOS 3.2 or later
* 2.7 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Color Range 1.0 is $1.99 USD and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category. Review copies are available upon request.

Color Range 1.0: http://ssamobile.com/apps.php?app=colorrange
Purchase and Download: http://itunes.apple.com/app/id443150747

SSA Mobile LLC is a mobile development company founded in 2011. In partnership with our experienced European and US development teams, we focus on top quality utilities, photography and entertainment apps for iOS platforms. Copyright (C) 2011 SSA Mobile LLC. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod, and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

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Nokia N9

The Nokia N9: a unique all-screen smartphone

Singapore - Nokia today announced the Nokia N9, built for people who appreciate a stunning blend of design and the latest smartphone technology.  To learn more about the design of the Nokia N9 visit:http://swipe.nokia.com

One swipe and you’re home
The Nokia N9 introduces an innovative new design where the home key is replaced by a simple gesture: a swipe. Whenever you’re in an application, swiping from the edge of the display takes you home.

The three home views of the user interface are designed to give fast access to the most important things people do with a phone: using apps, staying up to date with notifications and social networks, and switching between activities.

The industrial design of the Nokia N9 is an example of extreme product making and craft. The body is precision-machined from a single piece of polycarbonate and flows seamlessly into beautiful curved glass. The laminated deep black display means that the user interface just floats on the surface of the product.

The Nokia N9 also packs the latest in camera, navigation and audio technology for a great all-round experience.

“With the Nokia N9, we wanted to design a better way to use a phone. To do this we innovated in the design of the hardware and software together. We reinvented the home key with a simple gesture: a swipe from the edge of the screen. The experience sets a new bar for how natural technology can feel,” said Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia’s head of Design. “And this is just the beginning. The details that make the Nokia N9 unique - the industrial design, the all-screen user experience, and the expressive Qt framework for developers - will evolve in future Nokia products.”

Innovative all-screen design
With no need for a home key, the all-screen Nokia N9 makes more room for apps to shine. The 3.9-inch AMOLED screen is made from scratch-resistant curved glass. The polycarbonate body enables superior antenna performance. This means better reception, better voice quality and fewer dropped calls.

Camera, maps and multimedia
The 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss autofocus sensor, wide-angle lens, HD-quality video capture and large lens aperture enable great camera performance even in lowlighting conditions. This makes the Nokia N9 one of the best camera-phones ever produced.

The Nokia N9 features free turn-by-turn drive and walk navigation with voice guidance in Maps. With the new dedicated Drive app, you can get in your car and start navigating to your destination right away.

You can watch videos in true 16:9 widescreen format. And because the Nokia N9 is also the world’s first smartphone with Dolby® Digital Plus decoding and Dolby Headphone post-processing technology, you get a surround sound experience with any set of headphones.

Touch just got better
Fitted with the latest in wireless technology, Near Field Communication (NFC), the Nokia N9 allows you to easily share images and videos between devices by touching them together.  Pair it with Bluetooth accessories like the new NFC-enabled Nokia Play 360° wireless music speaker only once, and you get a great surround sound music experience with just a tap.

Colors and Memory
The Nokia N9 will be available in three colors - black, cyan, and magenta with storage options to accommodate plenty of content: 16GB and 64GB. The Nokia N9 is scheduled to be in stores later this year, with availability and local pricing to be announced closer to the sales start.

More information about the Nokia N9 can be found at: http://swipe.nokia.com.

About Nokia
Nokia is committed to connecting people to what matters to them by combining advanced mobile technology with personalized services. More than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia, from our most affordable voice-optimized mobile phones to advanced Internet-connected smartphones sold in virtually every market in the world. Through Ovi (http://www.ovi.com), people also enjoy access to maps and navigation on mobile, a rapidly expanding applications store, a growing catalog of digital music, free email and more. Nokia’s NAVTEQ is a leader in comprehensive digital mapping and navigation services, and Nokia Siemens Networks is one of the leading providers of telecommunications infrastructure hardware, software and professional services globally.

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PhotoDirector 2011 for Windows

CyberLink Enters Photo Editing Market with Launch of PhotoDirector 2011

Featuring the most intuitive workflow with all dynamic features needed to manage photo libraries, enhance photos and showcase creativity

London — June 21, 2011—CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW) today released PhotoDirector 2011, the brand new professional-quality photo editing software that allows users to efficiently manage, enhance and share their digital pictures. By delivering powerful management and editing tools, PhotoDirector 2011 is designed to smooth the flow from the time an image is imported to the PC to its final output. Offered at a value-price (SRP £79.99) that will appeal to all photographers who are serious about their hobby, PhotoDirector 2011 comes with a free of charge upgrade for the next version.

PhotoDirector 2011 introduces a wide array of dynamic adjustment tools that can be applied in a non-destructive editing environment. Additionally, PhotoDirector 2011 provides several unique solutions, such as native rendering of RAW files from Canon and Nikon cameras, a highly desirable feature to maintain the immaculate quality of your images as intended by the camera manufacturers. All without the hassle of installing plug-ins. PhotoDirector 2011 is also the first photo software that lets users easily share their own presets and download an unlimited number of presets defined by others, directly from the application, through CyberLink’s online community DirectorZone.com.

“PhotoDirector 2011 is an exciting brand new software that adds to the growing range of CyberLink products delivering dynamic multimedia experiences,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink. “We designed PhotoDirector 2011 as the complete post production solution for photographers.  It helps them bring out the absolute best of their photos.”

Over 75,000 people from all over the world participated in the three week Beta program, giving PhotoDirector 2011 an overall product satisfaction score of 4.2 out of 5.

PhotoDirector comes from the makers of the award-winning PowerDirector 9 video editor and brings comparable stunning results and intuitive user experience to photo editing.

Key Features in PhotoDirector 2011

Fast, Intuitive Workflow: PhotoDirector’s fast, intuitive workflow is designed to bring unparalleled efficiency by smoothing the flow from import, manage, enhance to final output.
Non-destructive Editing Environment: Since original images are safely unaltered, creative experimentation is encouraged in PhotoDirector’s non-destructive editing environment.
State of the Art Adjustment Tools: PhotoDirector delivers all cutting edge tools to perfect photos, including adjustment brushes, levels, white balance and noise reduction.
Native RAW Support: Native rendering of RAW files from Canon and Nikon cameras delivers absolutely stunning colour. PhotoDirector also delivers support for a broad range of RAW file formats from the world’s leading digital cameras.
Exchange Unlimited Presets: Share and download unlimited adjustment presets directly from PhotoDirector with the DirectorZone.com community.

CyberLink PhotoDirector 2011 Versions

PhotoDirector 2011:          UK £79.99

Product Availability

PhotoDirector 2011 is available online, supporting the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese and Korean. CyberLink offers OEM versions to PC and CE manufacturing customers, while a free trial download is also available from the CyberLink website.

About CyberLink

CyberLink Corp is the leader and pioneer in enabling digital multimedia on PCs, CEs and mobile devices through the use of video editing software, video player software, and other multimedia solutions. Backed by a group of high-caliber software engineers, CyberLink owns its core codec and a number of patented technologies. CyberLink has built a solid reputation for delivering high-quality, interoperable, and fast time-to-market solutions that keep our OEM partners on the leading edge. Our business partners include leaders in the PC industry: top-5 desktop and notebook providers, optical drive manufacturers and graphic-card makers. Today, CyberLink’s software solutions include: complete applications for Blu-ray Disc playback and creation; digital home entertainment; and touch-enabled media solution. With customers spanning from multi-national corporations to small/medium-sized businesses, and from power users to home users, CyberLink has enjoyed rapid and consistent growth leading to a record breaking IPO in 2000 on the Taiwan Over The Counter Exchange (OTC: 5203). Currently, CyberLink is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 5203.TW). CyberLink’s worldwide headquarters is located in Taipei. To keep up with market demands, CyberLink has operations in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region, including Japan. For more information, please visit CyberLink’s website athttp://www.cyberlink.com.

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Apple releases Final Cut Pro

Apple has unveiled a "revolutionary" new version of its Final Cut Pro video editing software, which will now be available at a fraction of its usual price

The software now features the Magnetic Timeline, which is a trackless approach to editing footage "that lets you add and arrange clips wherever you want them, while other clips instantly slide out of the way," says Apple. The new feature also allows editors to link clips with other elements such as titles and sound effects, as well as combine story elements into a "Compound Clip that can be edited as a single clip."

Final Cut Pro X also uses a new Content Auto-Analysis feature that can scan a user's media on import and tag it with information on the number of people found in each clip. The tool can also detect whether the clips are close-up, medium or wide shots.

A new feature, dubbed Auditions, lets users "swap between a collection of clips to instantly compare alternate takes. Final Cut Pro X also features audio editing and colour correction tools, which used to come as standalone software in previous versions of the video editing software.

However, Apple has also released two companion apps to assist editors with motion graphics and advanced media encoding. Motion 5 and Compressor 4 are also available from the Mac App Store, retailing at £30 each. Final Cut Pro X is available at £180, a fraction of its previous retail price of £800

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Sony Alpha SLT-A35

Sony introduces α35 (SLT-A35) with Full-time Continuous AF powered by Translucent Mirror Technology

Light, compact camera with 16.2 effective megapixels and new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’

16.2 effective megapixels Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor
Exclusive Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony for high- speed, full-time continuous AF with stills and AVCHD movies
Up to 7fps in Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting mode with approximately 1.4x magnification
Ultra-high quality, low noise images with up to ISO 12800
In-camera ‘Picture Effect’ enhances stills or HD video

Light, compact and easy to use, the new α35 (SLT-A35) by Sony brings pro-style shooting speeds and generous creative options to photographers of all abilities.

As introduced on the acclaimed α33 and α55, Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony allows high-speed shooting with responsive, accurate continuous autofocus - whether you’re shooting stills or Full HD movies.

Making its debut on the α35, Tele-zoom High Speed Shooting magnifies a central portion of the image area to give an effective approximately 1.4x magnification while you shoot at up to 7 fps. Providing continuous tracking autofocus of still or moving objects, it’s ideal for capturing fast-moving sports, children’s faces or distant subjects with a high-speed burst of frames. There’s also a rapid 5.5 fps drive mode that offers full-resolution continuous shooting with tracking AF.

With a resolution of 16.2 effective megapixels, the newly-developed Exmor™ APS HD CMOS sensor delivers stunningly detailed, low-noise still and HD video images. Complementing the sensor’s extremely high resolution and sensitivity, the powerful BIONZ processor cleans and optimises image data to assure flawless images with rich, natural colour reproduction. With a maximum sensitivity of ISO 12800, it’s possible to capture beautifully natural still images and HD video in low light where other cameras struggle.

Advanced Quick AF Live View continuously displays a real-time output from the main image sensor during still- or Full HD video shooting. Light is partially directed from the translucent mirror to an AF sensor to permit non-stop precision TTL phase-detection autofocus – a benefit that’s not possible with traditional DSLR cameras.

Whether you’re shooting stills or AVCHD video, you’ll enjoy a superbly detailed view on the high-quality Xtra Fine LCD. TruBlack technology assures high-contrast images with rich, deep blacks – even if you’re shooting outside.

The high-resolution Tru-Finder offers a precision alternative to framing shots on the camera’s LCD. Offering an extremely detailed, high contrast image with full 100% field coverage, it’s ideal for live preview of picture effects and exposure adjustments. Accurate composition of landscapes, architecture and other scenes is enhanced by switchable grid lines.

Aside from its powerful imaging possibilities, the α35 is refreshingly accessible, even for photographers stepping up to their first interchangeable lens camera. The on-screen Help Guide gives a clear explanation of selected functions and how they’re used.

More advanced photographers, meanwhile, will welcome the top panel-mounted customisable button that allows instant recall of any of 14 frequently-used functions.

The α35 offers a new in-camera ‘Picture Effect’ setting that lets users add extra impact to stills or HD video during shooting, without the worry of editing images afterwards. Effects can be previewed on the camera screen, allowing photographers to see the result of a chosen effect instantly rather than post-shooting. The inspiring palette of artistic treatments includes Retro Photo, High-key, Toy Camera and Posterisation.

It’s also easy to produce dramatic Partial Colour effects, with a single colour picked out against the rest of the image in monochrome. This popular effect normally takes a series of painstaking steps to achieve with photo editing software: with the α35 it’s both automatic and instant.

Refinements in power consumption now boost the camera’s shooting stamina to a generous 440 still shots (approx. when using the rear LCD panel) between battery charges – that’s a 30% increase over its predecessor. The α35 is compatible with the full range of 32 A-mount interchangeable lenses from Sony that includes six Carl Zeiss lenses.

The new α35 digital camera with Translucent Mirror Technology by Sony is available from August 2011.

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Sony E 30mm f/3.5 Macro

The versatility of the α E-mount compact camera system grows with new style-matched accessories to expand your shooting possibilities even further.

Joining the range of E-mount interchangeable lenses, the SEL30M35 is currently the world’s lightest[1] life-size macro lens (138g) for interchangeable-lens cameras. This high-quality 30mm F3.5 macro lens features a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of just 2.4 cm, making it ideal for capturing detail-packed close-ups of small subjects like flowers and insects. Despite its extremely compact size, the SEL30M35 employs one ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for excellent optical performance, with minimised aberration and very high edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast. It also offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation whether you’re shooting stills or HD video. The macro lens is supplied with a matching lens hood.

1 As of 8th June 2011

Sony America Press Release

New E-mount 30mm Macro Lens

The versatility of the α E-mount compact camera system grows with new style-matched accessories to expand shooting possibilities even further.

Joining the range of E-mount interchangeable lenses, the SEL30M35 is currently the world’s lightest life-size macro lens (approx 4.9 ounces) for interchangeable-lens cameras. This high-quality 30mm F3.5 macro lens features a 1:1 magnification ratio and minimum working distance of just 0.95 inches (2.4 cm), making it ideal for capturing detail-packed close-ups of small subjects like flowers and insects. Despite its extremely compact size, the SEL30M35 employs one ED glass and three aspherical lens elements for excellent optical performance, with minimized aberration and very high edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast. It also offers smooth, quiet autofocus operation whether shooting stills or HD video. The macro lens is supplied with a matching lens hood.

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Learn & Master Photography Series

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY INTERACTIVE LESSON EDITION OFFERS PHOTO ENTHUSIASTS SOLID TEACHINGS AND ADVANCED TECHNIQUES WITH VINCE WALLACE

Nashville, Tennessee…June 16,  2011…Legacy Learning Systems, the award-winning multimedia and new technology company based in Nashville, Tennessee announces the release of Learn & Master Photography, the sixth edition to the popular instruction courses. Legacy Learning Systems is known for producing instructional multimedia training courses and apps with a mission to bring personal dreams and talents within reach while maintaining a fun and exciting learning experience based on personal interaction, new technologies, steadfast techniques and engaging instructors.

The Learn & Master Photography is a 15 instructional DVD set which contains 24 sessions, two photography sample CDs with hi-res images for editing, an exclusive Lesson Book highlighting each session and access to a free online student support site. The instructional package is so complete that users find it the only one they need to master the art of photography.

The course takes the user through step-by-step video sessions with renowned photographer Vince Wallace. It starts with the beginner skill level and moves to the advanced techniques used by professional photographers.  The interactive course gives instructions on how to best capture light, emotion and imagery in an easy and personal way. Key elements include understanding how to create illusions of three dimensions, composing photographs and taking in-studio shots. Many sessions include assignments to apply the skills learned. There is no other course on the market today which covers all the elements of photography including design elements, color theory, capturing movement, lense types and the components of a digital SLR camera. It is designed not just for beginners but also for those who have also been taking photographs for a period of time. The Learn & Master Photography edition allows the user to study the sessions remotely on the DVDs.

“We are delighted to be working with nationally recognized photographer Vince Wallace on this exciting new edition to the Learn & Master series,” said Gabriel Smith, CEO of Legacy Learning Systems.  “We are confident Learn & Master Photography will give new meaning to the saying A Picture Paints A Thousand Words and look forward to many success stories from our users.”

Learn & Master Photography includes:

The twenty four sessions on 15 DVDs are the heart of the course. The producers of the sessions filmed the specific instruction one would receive when shadowing a professional photographer. The DVDs allow for repeat sessions in the highest of quality.

The Lesson Book is full of photographs and illustrated photo techniques to add to a user’s visual learning. It contains information on all the assignments in the video sessions so it can be read at the user’s own pace. There is also a glossary of photography terms.

The two CDs of hi-res images provide practice images for the user to experiment with.

Professional instruction with photographer Vince Wallace gives photo enthusiasts the rare opportunity to study with a real professional at their own pace and without expensive private photography lessons. Wallace is a masterful landscape and commercial photographer with a very impressive portfolio as well as an inspiring teacher and communicator.

ABOUT LEGACY LEARNING SYSTEMS:

Legacy Learning Systems is a Nashville based multimedia company with a mission to bring personal dreams within reach. The company produces multi-media self-education courses and develops award-winning apps. The Learn & Master series have included lessons for guitar, drums, piano, ballroom dancing, painting, photography and their spotlight series and have gone on to sell over 100,000 courses. The Gibson’s Learn & Master Guitar course is the winner of the Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s “Players Choice” Award, two Telly Awards and AEGIS Award for Excellence in Education.  The self-education courses are so popular that celebrities like actress Patricia Heaton and others have talked about them on national television and ordered various other courses. For more information go tohttp://www.learnandmaster.com

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Light & Land Launches Luxury Photographic Retreat on Sark

Just 80 miles south of the English coast, nestled between Guernsey and Normandy, lies the hidden jewel that is the Isle of Sark.

Light & Land is delighted to announce a brand new photographic tour – the first of its kind - to this stunning and remote location, which at just 2.2 square miles boasts over 40 miles of some of the most spectacular and picturesque coastline anywhere in the world.

Hosted by tour leaders Phil Malpas and Clive Minnitt the trip is based at the sumptuously luxurious Stocks Hotel, which is conveniently located in the centre of the Island.

With just 14 client places available and with two dedicated leaders, this tour is designed for those wanting to immerse themselves in both photography and the beauty of this enchanting location.

The aim of this workshop, under Phil and Clive’s expert guidance, will also be to help guests create a body of work suitable for a self published artist’s book.  Advice and support will be given on topics including image selection, design, textual content and page layout with the view to using an online publishing service to produce a finished book at the end of the trip.

The tour, which will run in April 2012, is also timed to coincide with the abundance of wildflowers present on the island in early spring – including woodlands carpeted with bluebells, red campion and wild garlic, while the cliff paths, fields and headland deliver a profusion of primroses, thrift and celandines. 

Due to the lack of light pollution, Sark is also the first island community in the world to be granted ‘Dark Skies’ status with the milky way stretching from horizon to horizon and on a clear night, stars which 
seem close enough to reach out and touch.

As a totally traffic free island, this photographic ‘retreat’ will enable guests to completely escape the pressures of the real world, focus on expanding their photographic knowledge and passion, while enjoying relaxing tranquillity of a luxury hotel base.

For full details of the tour visit: http://www.lightandland.co.uk/tours/SAR01 or call the Light & Land team on 01432 839111.

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Photo by Clive Minnitt

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Sony Announces PR!NT

Sony UK today announces the launch of PR!NT, an exciting new online photo printing service, powered by PhotoBox.

The service has been developed to help photo lovers do more with their digital images and create works of art with their photos. The service launches in time for the summer holiday season when many consumers are capturing precious moments they want to hold onto.

The service will develop over time to provide new ways for customers to get the most out of features unique to Sony such as Sweep Panoramic images. It will also offer an unlimited online storage for a secure back-up of images and will complement other services from Sony such as tutorial and community sites, and Personal Space for private photo and video sharing.

Users can upload, store and share images and chose to turn them into a treasured gift or keepsake, or uniquely personal wall art. Simple to use, photos can be printed at the click of a button.

The service will be found at http://www.sony.co.uk/print and will also be accessible through the growing ‘Communities’ portal. There will be an introductory offer of a free 30 page photo book for all new registrants.

“We are excited to be able to offer a new print service for Sony customers, allowing them to print and bring to life exciting images taken on a Sony product. The service is an important addition to the Sony Digital Imaging range as it will offer consumers the ability to release the unique features in our Cameras such as Sweep Panorama, and help them learn more about taking great photos.” Said Neil Bowen, Proposition Development Manager, Sony UK, a subsidiary of Sony Europe Limited.

“This is a great match for us, two market leaders with unrivalled expertise in photography, now working together and creating a compelling offer to consumers. We’re thrilled at the prospect of working with Sony UK as we continue developing the service with more innovative products and features, making it a joy for everyone to free their photos”. Concluded Lawrence Merritt, PhotoBox Managing Director.

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A Snapshot of Africa

As part of global celebrations for Day of the African Child, Sony Europe has today unveiled photographs from the sixth Sony EYE-SEE initiative, an annual workshop held in partnership with UNICEF, giving vulnerable African children the opportunity to learn about photography and tell their stories through images.

Held from April 13 to 17th this year in Bamako, the capital of Mali, the photographs capture life in the city as seen through the eyes of a group of twenty boys and girls aged 10-18yrs. They capture the children’s daily lives and explore common themes ranging from playfulness and humour to the harsh realities of extreme poverty and child labour.

UNICEF photographer Giacomo Pirozzi led the group in an intensive week-long workshop, equipping them with a Sony digital camera and teaching them the core photography techniques necessary to go out and shoot the pictures.

What is the Eye-See initiative?

Developed as an exercise in non-formal education, the Sony EYE SEE initiative aims to give children a voice by promoting participation and diversity of expression, as well as highlighting key issues in the community through the medium of photography.

Children who live or work on the street are selected to learn about photography, and at the same time strengthen their social skills and enjoy a safe space to learn about their rights.

The workshop was facilitated in partnership with the UNICEF Japanese National Committee and implemented by local partners The Association of Working Children (AEJT) and the Centre for the Promotion of Training in Photography (CFP).

Previous initiatives have been held in UNICEF offices in Pakistan, Liberia, Rwanda, Madagascar, South Africa and Ethiopia. 

How is Sony involved?

Sony has been a long-term partner of UNICEF and the chief supporter of Eye-See, actively contributing to every workshop over the last six years.

In addition, this year Sony donated 12 VAIO laptop computers and 25 Sony Cybershot digital cameras in order to help offer further workshops to marginalised youth and provide opportunities for children to learn about photography and social media.

Last year, Eye-See also formed part of the Sony World Photography Award’s ’Focus Award’, with winners working as part of the initiative to highlight the Rights of the Child, UNICEF’s core vision for that year.

What happens next?

Throughout 2011, photographs by the children will be featured in a series of exhibitions around the world, beginning in Mali on June 16th to mark Day of the African Child.

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Below is a gallery of images taken by the children and their mentor Giacomo Pirozzi

#1: Garbage dump on a hill behind Marché de Medina Koura. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 /.Korotim Djire
#2: A young girl and her brothers in Dravéla. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Rokia Keita
#3: A child blacksmith behind Marché de Medina Koura. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Zoumana Diallo
#4: Fatoumata poses for UNICEF photographer Giacomo Pirozzi, as part of the EYE SEE initiative 2011. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Giacomo Pirozzi
#5: Assetou Diarra prepares meat, while her grandson Rokiatou Guindo eats a mango in Hamdallaye. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Rokiatou Guindo
#6: Portrait of a young water seller outside the Centre for the Promotion of Training in Photography (CFP). Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Minata Sissoko
#7: Fatoumata Kalako holds her son in front of the family Abdoulaye Cissé house in Hamdallaye. Copyright UNICEF Mali / 2011 / Abdoulaye Cisse

Image Gallery

Click on a thumbnail to see the full version.

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