PopPhoto Flash

Tiny Dancer Just Too Tiny?

The War on Photographers continues…and apparently even celebrities aren't immune to having their photos confiscated.
The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Tyneside, England, has recently been under fire for a series of explicit exhibits going up. Shortly before one exhibit was to be opened to the public, authorities were called in to remove one of the pieces and submit it to the Crown Prosecution Services for examination as possible child pornography.
It turns out that the controversial photograph is one of Nan Goldin’s and belongs to the private collection of Elton John. A longtime friend and admirer of Goldin (who is no stranger to controversy), the series that he contributed to the exhibit are part of a retrospective of never-viewed works taken from 1973 to 1999.
The gallery is still planning on going forward with the exhibition as planned, without the photo in question. Authorities have not yet said if and when Sir Elton is going to have the piece returned to him, but if that happens, but we think it’s gonna be a long, long time.  Read more here
—Lori Fredrickson
Assistant Editor

Tip of the Day: Freeze the Bling

To photograph a new coin or other small, very shiny object, I place the coin on a stiff card and slide it into the freezer for 15 minutes. While it’s chilling, I set up the camera and light so the exposure can be done quickly. Removing the coin from the freezer by holding the card keeps the coin nicely frosted until you snap the picture.
—Reader Tip from Bob Mayo of Baton Rouge, LA

Photo Marathon

Portrait and Wedding Photographer Matt Mendelsohn created a Photo Marathon fundraising session (in which he shoots portraits from morning to night nonstop) a few years ago in order to raise money for the children of journalist Michael Kelly who was killed in Iraq. Mendelsohn raised $14,000 at his first Photo Marathon and turned it into an annual event, raising money in the past years for tsunami relief and MS.

This year’s Photo Marathon will be held on Sunday September 30 at Mendelsohn’s studio in Alexandria, VA, and will benefit four children whose fathers were killed in Iraq. If you are in the area, you can stop by and get a portrait (of up to four people) taken and an 11x14 print for a donation of $250. If you don’t live near Virginia, you can still donate to the cause, or better yet, start your own Photo Marathon to benefit a cause you’re passionate about.
(Visit Mendelsohn’s Blog for more info)
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

Your Photo: Our Critique

Self Portraits are very difficult.  You can envision what you want the picture to look like but making that happen is not as easy as it sounds.  With that said, Anna Jackow has done a wonderful job with her self portrait.   The black and white works beautifully here, the lines of her arms and legs lead your eyes right up to her left eye.  The cropping off of the top of her head makes this an edgy shot.  The line of her body does not run right through the horizontal corners which is another plus. This is a really nice shot. 
This photo gets five stars on the PopPhoto Flash Rating System, great effort
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

The PopPhoto Flash rating system.
*= This part of the camera is called the lens
**= Don’t quit your day job
***= Good, but not yet great
****=So close you can taste it
*****= Yes, a thousand times yes!

Want us to critique your shots? Send 'em to us!

Tip of the Day: Pump Up The Contrast

Original                      Converted to Black-and-White       

Contrast Adjusted

Increase the contrast in black-and-white images to produce a stronger, more graphic picture. If the original is in color, first convert to black-and-white, then increase the contrast until you achieve the desired effect. This technique works well with silhouettes with clear outlines, and with objects with geometrical shapes or strong patterns.

From How To Photograph Absolutely Everything: Successful Pictures From Your Digital Camera by Tom Ang (DK Publishing, 2007, $40)

Your Photo: Our Critique

Photo submitted by David Boyd 

Here’s where a blatant disregard of a number of rules works exceptionally well!
Rule of thirds? Nope—the nearly perfectly centered dark eye of this little frog IS the focal point. Combine this with the shallow depth of field and the soft leading lines of the leaf on the left of the frame, with the definitive edge of the leaf leading in from top right and you’ve got a soft, yet dynamic composition that a powerful image that’s easy to read.
One might argue that the palette is a bit flat, but this is a whispering image, so there’s no reason to crank up the contrast to shout at the viewer. In fact, boosting contrast takes away from the feel of this moment.
Throw in the asymmetrical tone-on-tone balance of the right section of the frame where the leaf edge ends, and you’ve got a winning shot all around, elegant, simple, and beautiful.
—Jack Howard
Online Technology Editor

This photo gets 5 stars on the PopPhoto Flash rating system.

The PopPhoto Flash rating system.
*= This part of the camera is called the lens
**= Don’t quit your day job
***= Good, but not yet great
****=So close you can taste it
*****= Yes, a thousand times yes!

Want us to critique your shots? Send 'em to us!

BetterPhoto.com Photography Conference

Live in the Chicago area? Or, willing to make a trip to the windy city for a photo contest? The 3rd annual BetterPhoto.com photography conference will be held at the Westin O’Hare Chicago, September 29th and 30th, 2007.

The intensive weekend will include live critiques, instruction seminars, and professional panel discussions.  Presenters will include Josh Anon (The Cinematic Approach to Photography), Bruce Smith (Getting More Energy Into Your Photos of People), and Vik Orenstein (Kid Wrangling: Props and Distractors), as well as others.

The program promises to teach you everything important about photography, with an exhaustive list of lighting, exposure, composition, camera RAW and the histogram, making money, nature and landscape photography, photoshop, photographing children, workflow and printing, best digital cameras, and a photography contest. 

They're promising a lot, so hopefully it will be worth the $389 program fee. If you’re intrigued, see www.betterphoto.com/conference.asp or call 1-888-586-7337.  And if you go, drop us a line and let us know how it was.
—Marnie Soman
Editorial Intern

Tip of the Day: Make your own Photojournal

Judy Lee sells beautiful handmade photojournals she sells through her website. She recently teamed up with Photojojo to show you how you can make your own. Watch the tutorial video here.

In a nutshell you’ll need:
• Two 5x7 photos
• A stack of paper sized to 5x7 (Lee suggests recycling various different types of paper)
• Glue
• A paint brush to paint the glue onto the journal spine, 
• A small piece of paper to cover the spine and some wax paper,
• Wooden clothes pins
• Two books the same size as your journal
• A really heavy book to press the journal while the glue dries.

The result is makes a thoughtful gift and a practical way to put some of your shots to use. 
(photo via Photojojo)
—Melissa Macatee
Contributing Blogger

What the Duck

(click to view at full size)
Check out more photography-related comics by Aaron Johnson updated regularly at www.whattheduck.net

The F Stops Here: PopPhoto Flash Week in Review

• We showed you how to get a shot from the ceiling without leaving the ground, taught you how to make your own batteries, had no shame in going semi-automatic, advised that you to hold off taking postcard shots, and gave you some tips if you’re planning a visit Africa.
• We were happy to hear that Sony got a little greener, and annoyed at the police harassment of another photographer
• We were baffled that people will pay to be stalked my a paparazzi.
• We relived the 60s and took a peak inside America
• And we critiqued five more of your photos