File Under "Elections Have Consequences"

I am firmly convinced that we need more NannyState. This is so wonderful. The CofNY has decided that everyone needs a permit to take a picture. Control of the masses... the great unwashed. I am comforted beyond measure that someone cares enough about photographers to control them to prevent them from, uh, well, getting hurt...errr.. or, well...

Or... Maybe it is just another brick in the wall of BigAssGovernment regulating everything for "our own good."

Or maybe the bastards fear the power of the image as it can catch them in the daily lies and distortions. And that can't be good for re-election. Stand silent while the rights of public discourse are taken slowly under the guise of 'control' and 'protection' and we will wake to a country of elites who control the creation and viewing of everything.

OOOOHHHH... I get all warm inside just thinking of how safe I will be from distracting thoughts.

City May Seek Permit and Insurance for Many Kinds of Public Photography - New York Times: "Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment."

This is Pretty Cool

Quite a small footprint and it seems fairly powerful. If you need some basic image editing software that doesn't require much space, take a look at this. And... it's free.

MeeSoft: "Advanced image editing, enhancement and analysis software. The program contains both most image enhancement features found in conventional image editors plus a number of advanced features not even available in professional photo suites."

Another Excellant Photographer's Site

Timothy Allen is a photojournalist. I think you will find his portfolio a study in creative portraiture. Lighting, composition and that perfect moment are there, as well as a high level of technique.

I love how his website is so simple. Here's my pics, my bio and contact me here. Simple. The images are not presented in thumbnails so there isn't any skipping over, or tossing around... you follow his flow of image viewing. Ultimate control over presentation.

BTW... I will leave this image unto itself. I saw it on Reddit and that took me to Tim's site. Ironic? Or symptomatic of an entire group.

Jimmy Webb: Composer

An underrated composer, Jimmy Webb for Sunday.

This is Carly Simon and Jimmy Webb.

Kind of amateur, but interesting.

Can't embed this one, so sending you out for it.

By The Time I Get to Phoenix.

Probably one of his most well known, it is an amazing tune.

Why I Love the Workshops

Judi by Steve
Originally uploaded by Wizwow

This shot by Steve is just one of the fabulous images the workshop attendees did today. We started right out at 8:30am with the preliminary lighting discussion. At 9:30 Mia showed up (images coming soon of Mia.) She was just stunning and the photographers had a blast shooting headshots, body shots, glamour and more with her. We did softlight, beauty light, glamour headshot lighting and more. At 12:30 Judi came in and Mia started her journey back to Tucson.

Judi was wonderful to work with. Even though we headed in to Tempe for the location work in 111 degree weather, she was a trooper and worked hard. Wow, she brought it big time to the shoot. Everyone was thrilled with her exuberance and energy.

And this is the reason I love doing the workshops: I met 5 wonderful, talented photographers and two talented models who are all working hard, very hard, to increase their abilities. Raise their skill level. Be better than they were.

That's infectious. That is the kind of people I love spending a Saturday afternoon with. Strivers. People who work hard, achieve a goal. To Steve, Greg, Barb, Ray, Eddie, Mia and Judi... thanks for a wonderful workshop. You all made me proud to do what I do.

Rick Lee: Julian Beever, the greatest sidewalk artist in the world...

Sidewalk chalk. Sheesh.
Rick captures the day beautifully. (Photo Above by Rick Lee)

On Location With Rick Lee: Julian Beever, the greatest sidewalk artist in the world...: "Julian Beever, the greatest sidewalk artist in the world...
... finished his piece for the Charleston (WV) FestivALL today. I was lucky to be able to be there. He's a great guy to talk to and he just works like a madman."

Ooooohh... a bigass table! Wow

Parodies make me laugh.

Photographers: 1, New 'Ruling Class:' 0

They were once elected in this country. Lately they all think they were annointed. All of 'em.
Great catch by photographers. Wouldn't it give you a little hope if one of the, you know, "journalists" had caught it instead of standing there like rubes.
This is one reason why giving cameras to 'journalists' and doing away with photographers may not be in the best interest of, you know, the rest of us.

The Raw Story | Paper 'busts' lawmakers at immigration rally pointing to 'empty boxes': "'As the Members repeatedly referred to the letters and gestured toward the boxes allegedly containing them as evidence of the support for the immigration bill that is struggling in the Senate, a crack Roll Call photographer on hand at the event began to grow suspicious,' Heil continues. 'He could see light shining through the handles of the boxes, indicating that they weren’t full.'

The paper reveals, 'Sure enough, a quick check revealed that the boxes were, indeed, completely empty.'"

Do you love portraits? I do. So do these photographers.

(Portrait of Lewis Payne by Alexander Gardener)
This is a great little post with interviews of fine art portrait photographers. What a great mix of thought processes, attitudes, philosophies and images. You will enjoy this post.

jen bekman news » Blog Archive » Great Portraits: "If anyone would know what makes a great portrait it would a photographer from the show A New American Portrait, right? So we simply asked them about their favourite portraits. In alphabetical order…"

mySkitch: One for the Mac folks

OK... this looks like it could be very, VERY useful to us web designers, bloggers, photographers... hey, us visual folks. It is fast, clean and easy. Not a replacement for Photoshop... (That would be a hard act to follow), but definitely something to look at for sending visual info quickly and efficiently without looking for exported files and making sure they are JPG'd and on and on.

Mac folks first... Windows to follow soon, I am told.

mySkitch: "When you want to get images quickly and easily online, Skitch + mySkitch is the way to do it.
It's perfect for putting images in forums, your myspace page, eBay listings, group chats and
when you would generally like to have a collection of photos, snap, scribbles or screen captures
online to share with the world."

Yes, but you ain't alone dude

Some of us have been saying this about TV for a long, long time. But specifically pointing to yourself and your staff for this egregious shit-shoveling is, well, refreshing. This guy became a parody of himself years ago, even SNL plays him like a moron.

Matthews: 'We're Putting on Sh-t' | NewsBusters.org: "The 'Hardball' host complained that 'we're all reacting here and putting on shit'

ImageBadger: Free for the rest of today

This looks pretty cool. Simple to use, and it does batch renaming. If you are looking for a simple image conversion, batching and renaming software, take a look at this app. And today, it is free till midnight. Remember that after you download it you have to install and register (free) tonight before midnight. It is a very small footprint as well... cool.

Giveaway of the Day » ImageBadger: "ImageBadger is a cutting-edge batch processing and image conversion program which supports over 140+ image formats such as JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, ICON, PSD. All features are available through command line calls."

New Multimedia Tutorial at Lighting-Essentials

Create a single setup and shoot two distinct glamour shots.

Planning in advance can save you a lot of time. I knew I wanted to shoot a more contrasty shoot as well as the type of ultra soft that I do a lot of. Set it up and shoot.

There is a multimedia tutorial there as well.

Sunday... must be time for a concert

Today's concert features one of my all time favorite iconoclastic singers, Jerry Jeff Walker. I saw him three times and each time he was more interesting than the time before. One of the mantras of my youth... "If I could just get off that LA freeway without getting killed or caught..." Yes, JJ, I know just what you mean. And that's a story for another time.

"Desperados Waiting for a Train". If you don't get the point of this song... man, I lived this song. "...always wink and give me money for the girls..." Hey Shorty, I miss you man.

"Takin it as it Comes"
Hey, it was the times.

And this touching ballad about lost souls from the south.

And we close with Waylon singin a song that pretty much sums up the way some of us have chosen to go. JJW, Waylon, Willie... man, those were heady times.
It makes me smile to see him so alive in this clip. He loved to live. Catch that young Kristofferson grinning like a cheshire cat through Waylon's solo. That is just contagious.

I have no reason why I chose JJ and Waylon this week. Willie next week... or maybe opera... we'll see.
UPDATE:
I just had to add this one. For reasons only a few people will understand, and you know who you are.

Work the Brain - Work the Page

One of the things I appreciate is my NetVibes page. Feeds, feeds, feeds. Time saver extraordinaire. Allowing me to lay out the page and make hierarchical decisions for my own taste. I love it.

I have designed a home page for a photographer (launching hopefully next month) which is very similar. A one page design with content delivered dynamically and the page having only specific areas change upon user decision. Everything on one page.

Jeff Jarvis has some very interesting views on single page experiences. Kill the 'home page' he is saying. While I may not be ready to grab my pitchfork and join the revolt, I do think there are some huge merits to his point.

BuzzMachine » Blog Archive » After the page: "THE VIEWER: So imagine if a site had only one page. You come to that and you can get anything you want there without ever clicking off to another page. Yes, this marks the welcome death of the click and its delays and uncertainties. Now you can get many things on this infinite page. It is a gigantic menu of media. Over here, I’ll put a video of live sports. Then I’ll replace it with a video of a news story. Up with it comes a list of related links and background. Over there, I’ll put a feed of headlines from elsewhere. Down there I’ll have discussion about what’s going on in what I’ve just pulled together. In another dimension of media, I have a separate soundtrack — perhaps my friends talking about the game, maybe music, maybe news. When something new happens in any of these, it will pop to the front and alert me; when it goes stale, it fades into the background. It can all be about one thing — every angle on a story — or it can be about many things and can morph from one view to the other. (And of course, somewhere in all this, there’ll be some new forms of advertising to support it but one hopes that is relevant to me more than my content.)"

20 Firefox Extensions That Will Save You Money - and time

There's something here for everyone. It makes a lot of sense to use your browser to help keep you apprised of prices, cell minutes, sites you visit... and my favorite one... sending all the tabs you have researched to an email... sweeet. These are the little things that save you time and time means money.

20 Firefox Extensions That Will Save You Money - SavingAdvice.com Blog: "Immerse yourself in Firefox goodness while indulging your inner frugal fantasies. Here are 20 extensions that are sure to help you save some cash."

"hasselblad lady in bar"

hasselblad lady in bar
Originally uploaded by edwardolive erotic explored

Just ran across this photographer in my Flickr feed. While only shooting for a couple of years, Eduardo has created a unique and interesting style that should take him right where he wants to be.

There is simply no shortage of copy cat photographers out there. Shooting the same way, lighting the same way, trying to copy this celebrity shooter or that currently "hot" style. This guy seems to be totally ignoring those trends and is exploring the world with a sense of vision that is all his. You can spend a while on his Flickr site. Going back to the beginning gives you a rare glimpse into an artist developing in front of your eyes.

Great work, Eduardo.

A Site That Promotes Creative Business

The Unusual Business Ideas That Work blog is a place to check in every week. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you will get a charge out of this site. Ideas that make you smile, people who didn't take no for an answer and a full cadre of stimulus for creating that niche site or idea that will make you rich, or possibly just make you more comfortable.

In the book "The 4 Hour Work Week", Tim Ferris refers to Muse Income as a method to create wealth. It is taking an idea. product, service or knowledge and monetizing it online to provide a steady income. Ebooks, pearls, cat litter... whatever. If it is a good idea, a niche that makes sense to a group of people, you may find that you can make a few hundred bucks a day with it. That's muse income.

Take some time to visit the UBITW blog and get those creative juices going. From a lady who makes a bundle selling tumbleweeds to a company that makes glowing clothing, to making money from singles without a dating scheme, you will be inspired. Below are three of my favorite posts.

Unusual Business Ideas That Work: 05/18/07: "George Davison started his first business in 6th grade. He would buy candy in bulk from a local merchant each morning and then sell it to the children at Shadyside Academy that day. Buying Charms lollipops for five cents and then selling them for 25 cents, he learned first hand how to buy and sell, as well as to create his first inventory system. As time passed, he found himself leading his fellow Kiskimenetas Spring School (prep) students as one of only a few students selected to run the dorms. He attended school six days a week in a coat and tie and held down his first major job managing his classmates."

Seems like so many people are making "bling" out of the simplest things. I am waiting for crystaled camera bags or flash-card holders... maybe a flash holder or small camera bag that looks upscale instead of that everpresent nylon.

If it's free, there's sure to be hype--but even the promotional products industry could use some pizzazz lately. Enter Andrew and Lee Sequeira, 41 and 44, respectively. Owners of an online spa and beauty boutique, this husband-and-wife team couldn't resist acquiring Sparkle Plenty Designs Inc., which specializes in Swarovski crystal-embellished T-shirts, in January 2006. Adding just enough "bling" helped them give an upscale look to the promotional tee industry.

Enjoy. And when you need a site to sell them on, try www.mymusesite.com for the fastest, coolest website that YOU can build.

Ouch!

Me? I am staying quiet on this. If you know me or this blog, you know where I come down on this.

Photo Staff On Strike! ??? Other Photojournalists Doing The Right Thing! — MultimediaShooter: "I know I'll lose some readers here, but COME ON! Are you guys/gals serious? Do you even know what's going on in the industry right now? We're producing a product no one wants!"

Gallery Tools Roundup

No More Excuses: That's what I call this page. I have compiled a long list of free to very chea.., uh, inexpensive... tools that any photographer at any level of web competence can use. From hosted tools that make it very easy, to some very robust tools that require some skills in coding and web knowledge, you will find a solution for you and your site here. Most are free, the most expensive is under $40.

If I have missed one, please let me know.

Making the shot even when the light sucks

This is a little tutorial that I created on shooting in natural light. We did a studio shoot and then went on location at noon - in Phoenix - in late May. Tough light? You betcha.

The point is to think of the natural light and the studio work and try to blend the two by using natural light like it was in the studio. You could do the opposite as well, thinking about natural light when shooting in the studio.

It's about 6 minutes, so take a few and see how easy it is to create stunning headshots even when the light really sucks.

Small Businesses Being Killed by Technology

An interesting take, but as with anything there are those that take advantage of the situation and do well with it. I sure know what tech has done to the photolab business. I also have first hand knowledge on neighborhood bookstores and art /craft stores. Good post to think about

The 10 Small Businesses that are Being Killed by Technology | Inspired Business Growth: "Sometimes the culprit was the convenience or advancement of the Internet. Others, it was the in-store technology of large chain stores that made it easier and cheaper to carry a wider variety of products.

In all cases, business found a cheaper and more efficient way to deliver in-demand products. In the end, it also meant that many small mom-and-pop stores either have had to change with the times or go out of business."

Giveaway of the Day: Concept Draw

If you do any kind of project work, you may want to check this free program out. Free today, that is.
This is a very nice product, and can keep you and your team on the same page.

Giveaway of the Day: "ConceptDraw Project 3 is a unique program, designed to help successfully plan and keep track of any number of projects simultaneously.

With the help of ConceptDraw Project 3 it’s easy to manage the resources being shared by different projects, as well as create linkages between them. You can generate various reports to share information about the current state of your project."

Well, This Makes Sense

I linked to the Leonard Cohen Multimedia, so let's take some time and listen to the master. Most of these are very old... and that is what is cool about them... that timeless remembrance that makes us feel respectful of our own place in the journey.
Famous Blue Raincoat... so much imagery.

"Avalanche."

"The Stranger Song"

The amazingly touching "Suzanne"

And here is a setting of a Federico Garcia Lorca poem.

"Hallelujah." Yes, it predated Shrek by a few decades. This original rendition gives a much different feeling than the more recent ones.

Alright, Wainright does a fine job of it as well.

And we end with Tori Amos. A bookend effect, ya know.

Happy Sunday.

Leonard Cohen in the Globe and Mail

I fell in love with "Famous Blue Raincoat" a long time ago. Time has a way of making things seem old, or new, without regard to the context of our own lives. Leonard Cohen has always been a favorite of mine. Lovely melodies and poetry that meets its own high expectations.

See this nifty little SoundSlide at the Globe and Mail.

I Am So Sorry...

Really. I am. I just couldn't let this pass.
Paris Hilton Anagrams:

LA prison hit.
Rail thin p.o.s.
Trial siphon
I halt prison
Roil in staph
Loin pit rash
I sit on Ralph
Pliant ho, sir
I nip harlots
Hast loin rip
Harlot I spin
Hail! It’s porn!
Train polish
Phat sirloin
Hip oral snit
Oral his pint
Nail this pro
Ah, loin strip
Lost hair pin
A horn pistil
Hail in ports!
Hair lip snot
Tailspin hor
A hip nostril
Ha! Tonsil rip!
Harlots I pin
Sharp oil tin
Ha! I list porn

I apologize deeply and will start to find tomorrows music posts immediately. As soon as I stop laughing.

Did I mention I am truly sorry... ahahahahahaha...

Google PageRank - Smashing Magazine

Yes... it is this complex. If you are trying to navigate the waters of Google (and other search engines) on your own, this could be a great read. There are enough links and abundant information to make any noobie a neophyte quickly. If, on the other hand, your designer sold you on a "really cool Flash site", don't bother.

BTW... to the guys at SmashingMagazine: Stellar job! It is definitely one of my favorite sites, and one of the best on the web.

Google PageRank: What Do We Know About It? | Smashing Magazine: "In this article we put the facts straight.

Over the last weeks we’ve done an extensive research and selected dozens of facts and suggestions about PageRank, which seem to be true in practice. Besides, we’ve collected academic papers related to the issue - such as scientific proposals for better search results (such as Topic-Sensitive PageRank); you’ll also find references to mathematical background of PageRank as well as 16 useful PageRank tools you can use to analyze und track the ranking of your web-projects."

JoeMullins shares his view of Stock Photography

Well... love him or hate him, this is a well written piece from the perspective of someone on the front lines doing the work. Personally, I think he hits a nerve... and that's cool. (Hat Tip: A

JoeMullins.com » Stock Photography: "Being a child of the internet, I can’t really get on the bus, despite being a photographer myself. Let me just get this out of the way right up front: A lot of photographers are assholes. There I said it. Many charge an insane amount of money for their images with little to no regard for their customers and justify it with claims of great technical skill and the aesthetic sense of an artist. They claim value in a product that in many cases the customer just doesn’t see, then whine and complain about how uneducated and simple their customers are."

I think he misses a few of the realities (5K and a few months of learning ain't gonna make you Jerry Jacka, and thinking it is silly. I don't think he was trying to say that, however.) But he has some really salient points about changing markets, the new world order in photography and dinosaurs.

Read it.

Have You Ever Wondered...

... just what would happen if you were on a truck going 100 mph and threw a baseball back off the truck at 100 mph? Whew... used to keep me up at night. But now I know. Here it is on video.

My favorite part however is that the guy driving the truck is in full flame-retardant gear, gloves and helmet. The guy with the baseball machine is sitting in the bed of the pickup truck without a seatbelt, in a pull over shirt, no helmet - not even safety glasses. Classic.

Website Elegance

Here is another site that gets me excited. Notice how you get right to it. Images at the top with a cool little flash thing, then copy at the bottom to let you delve into a deeper experience. Dubtastic presents a fresh, modern and uncluttered way of experiencing his site.

Sure, the image area is Flash, but the site itself is modern CSS, with plenty of text for the search engines, design elegance for the those that want it, and fast navigation for people in a hurry.

I think this site is well done, and indicative of the kind of sites we will be seeing a lot more of.

OK, these are pretty cool...

Cheap too. I have been using different cards, boards, domes... dang, I have tried a lot of things, and I have a ton of them in my bag. May have to add a few of these as well... $25!!!! They would work well off camera as well.

Demb Flash Products - Flip-it! the variable-angle flash reflector: "Attaches in seconds without Velcro - folds flat to store in pocket or purse. By simply changing the angle of the reflector on the hinge, you can easily choose your best lighting in small or big rooms or outdoors."

Jewelry Shoot Tutorial

I have been asked for some lighting tutorials for non-people shooters. Not photographers who are not human, I mean for shooters that shoot things that are other than people. Still life and such. I love shooting that stuff and did a fair amount of it over the past few decades. I have put together a little tutorial on shooting jewelry using a few shots from different clients. If you want to pop on over, take a look and let me know what you think.

Karma?

Sorry for another off topic post, but I really loathe lawyers and the irony here is all too pungent. I have daughters and cannot imagine defending a rapist... I just can't. I sincerely hope all is well with his daughter and that she remains safe, very much unlike how he feels about anybody else's daughters.

Feministing: "In other words, it's his daughter, and of course he's doing all he can to ensure she's safe now that her photo is plastered all over the internet in a sexual context. But he seemed to not only lack concern but to show outright disdain for the woman who was sexually assaulted by a traffic cop and for the girl who was gang-raped. From his previous comments, he seems to desire a world in which reprehensible treatment of women (sexual assault, harassment, rape) is a-OK. But maybe, just maybe, his views will change now that he is forced to consider the fact that his own flesh and blood -- his wife, his sister, his mother, his daughter -- could be a victim of that violence."

Now back to the marketing fun.

David B Moore: Photographer

I am pleased to note that the site I did for David B Moore has now launched. There are a few bugs with Safari (well, there's a surprize) but we should have them worked out very soon.

We have built in some cool tools for David. He takes care of all his page content, images, thumbnails, and links. It is very easy for him to change images in any portfolio, and create new images for the home page 'recent photos' set.


I think the site does well by David's classical shooting style. Need a photographer for your next project, check out David B Moore Photography.

Tim Ferris on Scoble

Watch the long version and see if you catch an idea or two to help you. I found his book terribly interesting, his manner fun and irreverent, and the material solid, if not a little glossy. If you haven't picked up a copy of his book, "The 4 Hour Work Week," you should.

Here is the link with the video. Turn off the phone and put the email tone on silent. Take 50 minutes and watch the interview. You will be intrigued at least.

Wait for Me: A Flickr Gem

Wait for Me
Originally uploaded by Ms Ladyred

Ladyred she calls herself. I call her an incredible photographer. Take a look and get ready for some serious eyecandy. Ms Ladyred, great work.

Perhaps the Coolest Guy Ever

Time for Sammy today:

In Paris:

Classic:

Last time we saw him.

Off Topic: Just too good to pass by

I spent time in the Haight back in the, well, a long, long time ago. Visited there a few years ago. The dreamers became what they feared the most... mainstream. Irony is so very interesting to me.

There's not a lot of love in the Haight - Los Angeles Times: "In the 40 years since 1967's Summer of Love, Haight-Ashbury has remained a beacon for drifters, dreamers and dropouts. Most are drawn by the Haight's reputation as a safe place to hang out, experiment with drugs and search for life's direction.

They come expecting a warm welcome, but their presence has become increasingly divisive in the gentrifying neighborhood, where old-timers now rub shoulders with newcomers who are buying up the old Victorian houses for $2 million and more.

Empathetic residents say homeless kids deserve as much respect as those with roofs over their heads. 'People suffer from compassion fatigue,' said Pam Brennan, owner of the Haight-Ashbury Flower Power Walking Tour. 'If they're fatigued, they should go take a nap so others can work to help these kids.'

But a lot of ex-hippies-turned-homeowners are weary of the youthful intruders. They want the Haight to adopt a more mature demeanor, just as they have.

Outreach services, they say, only draw more young people to the area. Many suggest sending the homeless to centers in other areas, including the inner-city Tenderloin district.

'I'm sick of stepping over gangs of kids, only to be told 'Die, yuppie!' A lot of us were flower children, but we grew up," said Robert Shadoian, 58, a retired family therapist. "There are responsibilities in this world you have to meet. You can't be drugged out 24/7 and expect the world to take care of you."

Do you know how hard it is not to mimic my father from all those years ago when he would say "That's not music." Good grief, have you listened to top 40 radio? Yeah, whatever.

Building 43: The Gatekeepers

Seth points to a very popularly linked page in the NYT about Google's infamous Building 43. That center houses a bunch of the best minds in the business all focused on spoiling "black hat" and unethical web SEO tactics. Seth nails it in this graph:

Seth's Blog: Building 43: "Once you've done everything you can... once you've built a web of information and once you've given the ability to do this to your best clients and your partners and colleagues, then by all means apply the best SEO thinking in the world to your efforts. Hire the best consultants and use the resources you've got left to be sure you're playing by the right rules.

Betting against Building 43 doesn't seem nearly as smart as betting on them."

Damn straight. One of the things I preach to my clients over and over again is that there is simply no shortcuts. Want to be known as the best physical therapist on the web... be them. Offer advice, links to products and services - even competitors where it makes sense. Establish community, if not a 'social network', at least a place where like minded gather to read and view what you are doing. It isn't even hard to do anymore. There are tools and services out there that are free to really, really cheap YouTube, for example is a soft marketers dream. Streaming video that doesn't eat your bandwidth... are you kidding?

Does it take time? Yep. Does it require doing more than what we are doing now? Yep. Does it sometimes require the expertise of a consultant hell bent on having you do it the right way? Yes, it does.

It just does.

Why the art world is a disaster

Yes!!! Read this... the whole thing.

The New Criterion — Why the art world is a disaster: "Mr. Botstein and the Bardian have it exactly wrong. When it comes to art, Ms. Hessel is neither a risk taker nor a risk giver. Like Bard itself, she simply mirrors the established taste of the moment. Far from “challenging” or “subverting” the status quo, the 1,700 objects she has accumulated are the status quo. And far from “struggling” with questions about gender or feminism or anything else, she has simply issued a rubber stamp endorsing the dominant clichés of today’s academic art world. “Academic,” in fact, is the mot juste: not in the sense of “scholarly,” but rather in the sense that we speak of “academic art,” stale, conventional, aesthetically nugatory. A wall full of photographs of two girls does nothing to “interrogate” (a favorite term of art- and lit-crit-speak) identity any more than a mutilated doll forces us to reconsider our usual notions of whatever-it-is those odious objects are supposed to make us reconsider. Really, the only thing exhibitions like “Wrestle,” or institutions like the Hessel Museum, challenge is the viewer’s patience."

Outsourcing: It's Not Just for Big Business Nymore

And it is going to impact designers, web firms, illustrators, reps, writers, programmers, and, I imagine, photographers... especially the already pressed midline shooter who does the product and catalog shots.

Outsourcing Your Life - WSJ.com: "He logged on to Guru, which he'd learned about from computer programmer friends who had used it for work. Within a week, 80 bids had come in from countries like Lebanon, Ukraine and Malaysia. To narrow the field, he had 10 finalists send him sample drawings depicting a young girl. He rejected the illustrators who didn't follow instructions and sent pictures of animals instead, and he bypassed an Indian firm that seemed big and impersonal, offering him a 'project manager' to oversee a staff of artists.

The woman he finally hired lives in the Philippines. He says her drawings, styled after Japanese anime, were more cheerful than other entries, and he was impressed by her polished portfolio. She offered to do 25 drawings for $300 -- what some others wanted for a single illustration. 'I was kind of amazed at how easy it was,' says the 36-year-old sales and marketing consultant. He says his mother was 'overwhelmed' when she saw the finished product."

This is Something To Keep Your Eyes On

This is a must read folks. Whether you agree or not, it is very important to be aware of these trends. Well written, and very persuasive.

"So, when I hold up an HDV camera in front of an audience and say, "This is the future of photojournalism," it's not too hard to dismiss me as a lunatic. You can easily turn your nose up at HDV, pick up your 35mm and say "This is made specifically for stills and the other is for video. Since I shoot stills, video doesn't apply to me."

Unfortunately, not only does it apply to you, it could likely help us save an industry threatened by the overwhelming demand for rich online content. It could also save your job during rounds of massive layoffs spreading like a cancer through our newsrooms and it could become one of the greatest technological developments for our profession since the 35mm rangefinder slowly replaced large formats. The use of quality frame grabs from moderately priced high definition video cameras is a no-brainer in a world demanding rich multimedia content."

"They got the Bastard"

He may not be guilty... I hope that they have the evidence they need. But I can tell you this: my spam dropped from 100 per hour to 265 for a 12 hour period. That is substantial. So, yeah - he may not be the guy, but this would be an amazing coincidence. I wish they would bring back public hangings for this kind of thing.

WILMINGTON, Delaware: A 27-year-old businessman dubbed the "Spam King" pleaded not guilty to charges that he used a network of computers to send millions of unsolicited junk e-mails.

Robert Alan Soloway entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The 35-count indictment charges him with e-mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, Emily Langlie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney in Seattle, Jeffrey Sullivan, said in a telephone interview.

If convicted, Soloway faces more than 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the indictment.