3.24.2009
Sweet Music Video Mashup
Really well done remix and mashup of existing videos into a new one. Wish I had half the skill and forethought to pull something like this off. There are seven other vids on the site. Have a look.
Free Online video and Multimedia Training
Angela Grant over at NewsVideographer put together a link fest of good resources to learn on the cheap.
On the money, and on photos
Great blog post about how focusing on the piracy of photos is not the solution. Making it easier and more functional to use legal licenses of photos is the solution.
Remember, locks on doors and drawers are only there to keep the honest people out.
Remember, locks on doors and drawers are only there to keep the honest people out.
3.18.2009
The best video advertisment I've seen in a while
If you like visuals and sheep herding, this is for you. Some serious planning and skills to pull this off. Four Stars!!
3.17.2009
Technology and trials
There are starting to be more and more trials that are being tossed out as a result of jurors using technology to research from their iPhone or Blackberry resulting in mistrials. Because people have become so accustomed to using technology for so much of their daily lives, I bet many don't even realize they are breaking rules stipulated to the jury. How often do you automatically do some form of a search about something to have a better understanding?
Imagine if you are a juror on a trial and the prosecution or defense uses a term or talks about something you have to understanding of and you want to know more to be able to make a better decision as a juror. Or even when you are overly connected, much like myself, and you decide to send a Tweet out about something you are doing. It just so happens that you are in jury deliberations when you do send out a message as an instinctual process. You broke the rules of being on a jury.
I'm sure we'll see more instances of this as we go forward. What if it ends up altering the way in which trials are carried out? Might be something interesting to watch as we go forward with technology that becomes more omnipresent in our lives.
Imagine if you are a juror on a trial and the prosecution or defense uses a term or talks about something you have to understanding of and you want to know more to be able to make a better decision as a juror. Or even when you are overly connected, much like myself, and you decide to send a Tweet out about something you are doing. It just so happens that you are in jury deliberations when you do send out a message as an instinctual process. You broke the rules of being on a jury.
I'm sure we'll see more instances of this as we go forward. What if it ends up altering the way in which trials are carried out? Might be something interesting to watch as we go forward with technology that becomes more omnipresent in our lives.
Dying newspapers and politics
Assessing the consequences of the closing of the Cincinnati Post at the end of 2007, the researchers found that fewer people voted in subsequent elections, fewer candidates ran in opposition to the incumbents and that, as a result, the incumbents had a better chance of being returned to office.
3.16.2009
IWantMyRocky to become InDenverTimes
Former Rocky staffers are trying to put together an online news source with paid subscriptions. Should be interesting to see how this all develops. They need to get 50,000 subscribers before the end of April to make it happen.
I will be watching this one with hawk-like eyes to see how it all evolves. I hope they will be producing content that no other media outlet will be –other than some of the great writers and staffers that are bringing their talent to the table– otherwise why pay $60 for an annual online subscription when I can read The Denver Post online for free? Looking at the staff of INDT, I don't see any visual journalists yet either. Hope they rectify that as well.
We shall see. I hope it becomes a precedent, really.
I will be watching this one with hawk-like eyes to see how it all evolves. I hope they will be producing content that no other media outlet will be –other than some of the great writers and staffers that are bringing their talent to the table– otherwise why pay $60 for an annual online subscription when I can read The Denver Post online for free? Looking at the staff of INDT, I don't see any visual journalists yet either. Hope they rectify that as well.
We shall see. I hope it becomes a precedent, really.
Jon Stewart's Moral Majority
Here's a really interesting column from The Week talking about how Jon Stewart could possibly be the most influential television personality after the build up to and subsequent dismantling of Jim Cramer.
It's a good read, and if you haven't watched any of the Stewart vs. CNBS/Cramer stuff, you should. Very interesting how the comedian has had to take over as the window to the deeper issues that have wrought havoc with mainstream media.
How'd all this start? Watch these below:
The Beginning
In Cramer we Trust
The Personality Clash
The Battle Previewed
Then the three-part Finale above.
It's a good read, and if you haven't watched any of the Stewart vs. CNBS/Cramer stuff, you should. Very interesting how the comedian has had to take over as the window to the deeper issues that have wrought havoc with mainstream media.
How'd all this start? Watch these below:
The Beginning
In Cramer we Trust
The Personality Clash
The Battle Previewed
Then the three-part Finale above.
3.12.2009
An Unlikely Weapon - The Eddie Adams Story
An Unlikely Weapon Trailer from senshi on Vimeo.
"Pictures are very important because people believe photographs, and the picture can be a lie, but that person will look at that and it’s real, it becomes a real thing, people might say the written word, bullshit, the picture is what does it."
3.11.2009
The Economics of Giving It Away
Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson on how the advent of digital bytes has changed several business models and the need to find new models in the now land of free on the Internet.
Found via Macloo on Twitter
In a battered economy, free goods and services online are more attractive than ever. So how can the suppliers make a business model out of nothing?
Found via Macloo on Twitter
Sometimes it's all about timing
You gotta check out this sequence of frames capturing a suicide bomber detonating himself in a crowd of Sri Lankan Muslim men during a religious holiday in Akuressa.
Wow
Wow
POYi Documentary Project Winners
The Roanoke Times beats out the likes of Los Angeles Times and National Geographic for first place. Lots of other interesting outlets in the honorable mentions.
Will have to come back to this and get a better sense of all these productions. Too much to look at right now, holy crap.
Will have to come back to this and get a better sense of all these productions. Too much to look at right now, holy crap.
Documentary Advertising, the future?
Pretty well done production from Honda. The cinematography is nice and the lessons behind the veil of the ad are good too. So do you feel like watching an eight minute video ad makes you want to consider buying a Honda the next time you need a car?
3.09.2009
JL's Blog of Blogs Turned 1 year-old
It was a year ago, March 8, that I started posting all kinds of these – in my humble opinion – interesting links.
At the start of the blog it was more about the imminent destruction of the newspaper business. I used it as a self-medicating soapbox. I didn't really advertise this blog for quite some time. Just figured it would be found by a few people sometime. It was mainly for myself in many ways.
Since then it has morphed a bit into more of a catch all of digital media nuggets and unique stories with my at times senseless musings. Many of my opinions have changed since the inception of copying and pasting hyperlinks and HTML. Some for the better and some that have ultimately driven me away from the notion of what I hoped to accomplish as a visual journalist.
The future is evermore unknown, but that is also of a major benefit. There are so many possibilities with digital media, as seen in the ramblings and linkage of the past 266 days. Where things go, who knows, all I do know is there will be some fantastic things that develop. Both for the realm of journalism and for me.
At the start of the blog it was more about the imminent destruction of the newspaper business. I used it as a self-medicating soapbox. I didn't really advertise this blog for quite some time. Just figured it would be found by a few people sometime. It was mainly for myself in many ways.
Since then it has morphed a bit into more of a catch all of digital media nuggets and unique stories with my at times senseless musings. Many of my opinions have changed since the inception of copying and pasting hyperlinks and HTML. Some for the better and some that have ultimately driven me away from the notion of what I hoped to accomplish as a visual journalist.
The future is evermore unknown, but that is also of a major benefit. There are so many possibilities with digital media, as seen in the ramblings and linkage of the past 266 days. Where things go, who knows, all I do know is there will be some fantastic things that develop. Both for the realm of journalism and for me.
3.05.2009
The Google Way
This is a very good read and poses some issues that many are fearful to face or comprehend.
Simply put, photography is becoming a devalued practice because of the simple prevalence of imagery.
Then you can follow that up with a rant about the notion of Creative Commons licensing eating away at the value of photography.
Where is the industry and the craft heading? Who knows, all I do know is that pricing for photography was stuck in neutral for over a decade before the flooding of the market with cheap digital camera equipment and tools and photographers. I'm thinking the yoke for the photo plane is pretty much stuck in the forward position and picking up G's.
Simply put, photography is becoming a devalued practice because of the simple prevalence of imagery.
Then you can follow that up with a rant about the notion of Creative Commons licensing eating away at the value of photography.
Where is the industry and the craft heading? Who knows, all I do know is that pricing for photography was stuck in neutral for over a decade before the flooding of the market with cheap digital camera equipment and tools and photographers. I'm thinking the yoke for the photo plane is pretty much stuck in the forward position and picking up G's.
Seattle P-I could be an interesting test
Seems as though one more two-newspaper town will soon see a drastic change in the media landscape. Hearst only offered a select few of present staffers opportunity to work on an online-only version of the historic newspaper. Those offers don't look at that appealing, regardless of the market trends and current national and local economies. You'll have to take a peek and see what you think.
Still haven't heard much on the media radar about the experiment in Detroit with the reduced home delivery days. At least those to markets are trying something that spineless Scripps Howard didn't even want to attempt in Denver.
According to Castro, Riddick said Hearst plans to start the site the day after the paper quits publishing, which Hearst has said will occur on a date not yet specified if no buyer has emerged by March 10.The P-I site has already been evolving towards the notion of a news portal rather than a news source of information for Seattle and King County, by linking to alt-mags and other news outlets in the area. Could be an interesting science project.
Still haven't heard much on the media radar about the experiment in Detroit with the reduced home delivery days. At least those to markets are trying something that spineless Scripps Howard didn't even want to attempt in Denver.
Stewart calls out the media so easily AND so well
CNBC's Rick Santelli – the "reporter" that went ape on the trading floor complaining about bailouts – was supposed to be a guest on The Daily Show, but was a no show. Well, like when McCain bailed on Letterman, you don't bail on high profile talk show hosts. Jon Stewart opens up a can of whoop @ss on Santelli and the entire network. Still find it amazingly saddening that it takes a comedian and parody show to reveal any freaking honesty in the media-on-the-media realm about issues that are impacting every single one of us, everyday now.
2.24.2009
Multimedia Stock Agency
Aurora Photos is launching a multimedia production company. The voracious appetite on the web for video and other multimedia elements could open up a very good opportunity here. Be interesting to see who mimics and who makes the model work effectively. Maybe there's a future there for somebody I know...he'll require he telecommute though. There's not enough open land and mountains in L.A. for the guy I'm thinking of.
2.11.2009
Functional Photography Art Project
Photog JR has been creating a unique project in Kibera, Kenya - on of the largest slums in all of Africa.
Really cool idea and functional in how it helps the community the project is literally on. Check it.
Really cool idea and functional in how it helps the community the project is literally on. Check it.
2.07.2009
Web 3.0?
Pretty interesting tool under development at Mozilla for better web usage. Should be interesting to see the lines start to blur more and more between web spaces.
Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.
Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.
2.06.2009
Ira Glass and storytelling
Pretty interesting video of the This American Life producer and host explaining storytelling and the important elements needed for good stories at the Gel Conference.
Too bad it's not embeddable.
Found via Journerdism
Too bad it's not embeddable.
Found via Journerdism
2.03.2009
Newsprint is REALLY expensive
"...we're trying to say is that as a technology for delivering the news, newsprint isn't just expensive and inefficient; it's laughably so."
The Kindle retails for $359. A rough estimate for the NYTimes's delivery costs would be $644 million per year. Do the math and selling a Kindle to the 830,000 loyal subscribers would cut delivery costs in HALF.
Cellular Obscura
Love this notion of getting back to making interesting photos and away from the hellbent technical and technological drive to have perfect pretty pictures.
Colbert Report spoofs NPPA and Amtrak
Gotta love it when a real issue gets turned into comedy. I guess you can always laugh at it all. Here's the NPPA story with links to the real issue.
1.28.2009
Fantastic stop motion video
Serious pre-planning here and attention to detail, but very cool production. Lots of possibilities with these cheaper tools (digital cameras, NLE video suites, etc.) to make content.
Life after newspapers
Pretty lengthy article about a non-scientific survey of former newspaper journalists. Lots of things to pick through in there. Some things are tough to take.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' count for all newspaper jobs -- from reporter to delivery truck driver -- shows the payroll shrinking from 336,000 at the start of last year to 313,600 through October, a drop of 22,400 positions. What happens to all of those laid-off and bought-out journalists?Some folks are certainly struggling to find new work, even more so in the present economy. But there's also the seemingly consensus that most of those that were forced out of the newsroom, they might miss the idea of what it was to be a journalist at a newspaper, but that there is life after newspapers and it can be pretty rewarding.
1.20.2009
Another site of collaboration
Some pretty good journos, including Meghann Ackerman, have compiled a collaborative site "after quitting my job a few weeks back, I got involved with some friends who started a site where we're putting up video, photos and stories that we've decided are worth telling."
1.19.2009
Sweet Group Photo Project
Here's a link to A Photo A Day's blog posting about a group photo project on cyclocrossers in Portland by some rockstar photogs. They not only have a fantastic site but they compiled a book out of the sweet images. Just may have to see if there's a way to create such a project here in the 303. Not on psycho-crossers per se, but something with a passionate following.
The funniest Star Wars video ever
A video mashup of the plot and storyline based on a girl that has never seen the original Star Wars trilogy. Gotta watch this if you like Star Wars even just a little.
1.17.2009
Exactitudes
Really interesting sociological documentary project using simple photos. Gotta look at the design and visuals of the site as well as the complex yet simple idea of people.
1.16.2009
Finally a step in the direction
I get asked all the time what I intend to do when I get done with graduate school at the University of Denver. I really haven't been able to show anyone an example and I struggle to constructively describe the creations in my skull.
Here is one of the few examples I can point someone to when they ask that question again. The Las Vegas Sun has been making some of the most complete and creative multimedia experiential productions that I have seen. Many outlets seem to feel that putting video, text, audio and photo galleries into a page will be effective enough. And while that could be argued, they are all just stand-alone elements in the same coral. Thirst in the Mojave takes all those elements and makes each one act and react from the others.
One of the producers, Zach Wise who is now at the NYTimes, posted on his blog about the production as well. He was the brains behind Soul of Athens as well.
Here is one of the few examples I can point someone to when they ask that question again. The Las Vegas Sun has been making some of the most complete and creative multimedia experiential productions that I have seen. Many outlets seem to feel that putting video, text, audio and photo galleries into a page will be effective enough. And while that could be argued, they are all just stand-alone elements in the same coral. Thirst in the Mojave takes all those elements and makes each one act and react from the others.
One of the producers, Zach Wise who is now at the NYTimes, posted on his blog about the production as well. He was the brains behind Soul of Athens as well.
Obama's People
Here's a really interesting multimedia piece done by the NYTimes. As usual right? There's a gallery of the portraits made of the officials that will make up the new administration, but there is also a gallery documenting the creation of the portraits. There's some great photos all around and the premise is pretty fun.
Now if I only had an army the size of the 3rd Regiment to pull something off like this as well.
Now if I only had an army the size of the 3rd Regiment to pull something off like this as well.
Front-Row View
Here's a NPR interview with Pete Souza, who has been announced as the the official chief White House photographer, talking about covering Barack Obama during the last several years.
Has a nice photo gallery as well.
Has a nice photo gallery as well.
1.13.2009
Lawrence Lessig vs. Stephen Colbert
Really interesting argument about copyright from a recent show. It's funny as hell.
I see aspects of both sides of the battle. I'm not sure that one side or the other is absolute, the future is most likely a blend of something in the middle. And it will be based on the type of the content and the content producer.
Found this via a photography business blog that is hellbent on copyright protections.
I see aspects of both sides of the battle. I'm not sure that one side or the other is absolute, the future is most likely a blend of something in the middle. And it will be based on the type of the content and the content producer.
Found this via a photography business blog that is hellbent on copyright protections.
1.08.2009
One in 8 million
Really nice multimedia player from the interactive gurus at the NYTimes that is set to be updated weekly with a short piece on one of the 8 million people in New York. Everyone has a story and an opinion, it should be interesting to see what characters are found.
Fresh sparks from being a "one-man-band"
A good interview with CNN photojournalist Bethany Swain talking about how she and some colleagues created an outlet for natsound pieces on all the CNN platforms. No "talent" standing up yammering in front of the scene or someone talking over good imagery.
Just good storytelling.
Just good storytelling.
1.06.2009
End Times
A really solid story on the eminent tsunami of newspaper deaths to come, probably sooner than we expect.
____
If you’re hearing few howls and seeing little rending of garments over the impending death of institutional, high-quality journalism, it’s because the public at large has been trained to undervalue journalists and journalism. The Internet has done much to encourage lazy news consumption, while virtually eradicating the meaningful distinctions among newspaper brands. The story from Beijing that pops up in my Google alert could have come from anywhere. As news resources are stretched and shared, it can often appear anywhere as well: a Los Angeles Times piece will show up in The Washington Post, or vice versa.
____
1.05.2009
Kobré's Top 20 Video Productions of 2008
Haven't had a chance to view them all yet, but I'm sure there are a few that are pretty well done looking at the names of the outlets.
I'll be curious to see what the average length of all the videos after reading Mindy McAdams' post this morning.
1.01.2009
Tools for News
A pretty good beta database for all kinds of journalism tools to use. Register and you can add to the growing list.
One last hurrah for newspaper competition
An awesome story about how an intern at the Chicago Tribune won a Chicago Sun-Times contest.
Too bad in the decline of competing newspapers we don't get to see great ideas like this anymore. Radio doesn't even do this much anymore considering they are all owned by the same company these days. Too bad, might be one way to increase readership. You know, actually competing on stories that the community wants to know about rather than sharing the same freaking content.
12.31.2008
Seattle P-I Year in Photos
I always love the P-I's YiP. The staffers pick their favorite 10 images and explain the back story to the photos. It's always fun to learn a little more about why or how a photo was made.
Photojournalists get the job done
A NYTimes story about the Mumbai attacks detailing how two working photojournalists had the images and reportage that mattered. Though there were many "citizen journalists" posting photos on Flickr, Twitter and other social networks as the attacks unfolded Sebastian D’souza and Vasant Prabhu have hundreds of images documenting the events and ability to describe some details they witnessed.
Granted these two put themselves in dire situations to make the resulting images, the point is that a citizen journalist is not going to willingly put themselves in danger for the sake of journalism. We could then get into the credibility debate as well, but that would take hours. A working professional has a base of experience and knowledge to work from in tough situations that most citizen journos won't. When you need something done right, best to use a professional.
Granted these two put themselves in dire situations to make the resulting images, the point is that a citizen journalist is not going to willingly put themselves in danger for the sake of journalism. We could then get into the credibility debate as well, but that would take hours. A working professional has a base of experience and knowledge to work from in tough situations that most citizen journos won't. When you need something done right, best to use a professional.
10 Questions for Journalists in the Information Age and info-overload
Here's some great notions to consider in this overwhelming era of easily accessible information. Having the right information available in functional and engaging access points will be a major component of successful journalism. Too bad most newspapers just shovel all their content into a big bucket on the web and expect readers to "find" what they need to know. Newspapers were barely able to accept the notion that television was a competitor by the time the Internet began to steal even more of their audience. Glacial pace won't work in the instantaneous realm of the Information Age.
12.29.2008
Boston's BIG Picture year in photos
This is only the first of three gallery pages. Gotta love those GIANT photos. Looking back at 2008, you will find several newspapers that "borrowed" the Big Picture idea and turned their daily galleries into similar productions.
MSNBC's Year in Photos for 2008
Good blend of audio and visuals from the year. MSNBC always puts together good multimedia. Just wish they would go easy on the music sometimes. But when you go back and see what photos are the most popular, you will understand what the major audience type is. Still good stuff to look at.
2008 Year in Pictures by NY Times
Nicely done gallery with full-screen mode. Lots of photos that you really don't get to see when you just read the stories on the web.
12.26.2008
50 Things we learned in the last year
There's a bunch of great stories and links in this compilation by TampaBayOnline. There's a few things I had forgotten and a few new ones listed.
What a wild and crazy year. I still feel that exponential theory as applied to the technology of our daily lives is speeding up our society at breakneck speeds. Every year it seems as though everyone makes the statement –"So many more things happened in the last year than the year before."
Well, here's hoping 2009 doesn't break us all, in so many different ways.
What a wild and crazy year. I still feel that exponential theory as applied to the technology of our daily lives is speeding up our society at breakneck speeds. Every year it seems as though everyone makes the statement –"So many more things happened in the last year than the year before."
Well, here's hoping 2009 doesn't break us all, in so many different ways.
12.22.2008
Brian Storm: Passion
Here's the text of Brian Storm's –the brain behind MediaStorm– commencement address to the journalism graduates at the University of Missouri.
Lots of good ideas, thoughts and advice. Read it.
Lots of good ideas, thoughts and advice. Read it.
12.12.2008
Prisoner of War
An interesting read from Men's Journal about journalist Michael Ware –a reporter first for Time, now for CNN– and his demons of covering the stories of Iraq for the last six years.
It's a unique look into the mind of a journalist that's been on the front lines probably too long but highlights what it takes to be there in the first place. The best portion from the piece as a photojournalist:
It's a unique look into the mind of a journalist that's been on the front lines probably too long but highlights what it takes to be there in the first place. The best portion from the piece as a photojournalist:
_____
Among his maxims was that it’s one thing to film a soldier firing his weapon, but it’s a whole other thing to shoot the expression on his face as he does it.
“If you think about it, to get that expression on his face, what do you have to do?” Ware asks. “You have to break from cover and expose yourself. You have to get in front of the man who is shooting and being shot at. Because that’s where the story is, in that face.”
_____
12.09.2008
Keep it short, sweet and interesting
So data mining is starting to show that online video consumers are the ultimate ADD
patient. (Yes, I know that could be taken as an oxymoron, but back to the point.)
Nearly half the audience of any video has an itchy trigger finger around 60 seconds into the show. So if you are going to be showing anything longer than that, it better be pretty darn compelling to keep them around. You are going to have only 23 percent of your audience sticking around past the two minute mark based on the study.
patient. (Yes, I know that could be taken as an oxymoron, but back to the point.)
Nearly half the audience of any video has an itchy trigger finger around 60 seconds into the show. So if you are going to be showing anything longer than that, it better be pretty darn compelling to keep them around. You are going to have only 23 percent of your audience sticking around past the two minute mark based on the study.
Web video services provider TubeMogul report after measuring 23 million streams on six top video sites over two weeks.That's 23 percent of the people that even bothered to click play mind you. So like the fishing guides in Belize say about setting the hook on bonefish on the salt flats: "You gotta rip his lips off mon!" Then you take advertising into account, if it's not a pre-roll, it's not getting ANY eyeballs.
12.07.2008
Typing Without a Clue
This is a great column about the absolute crap that gets published under the flag of writing. The author basically demands that actual wordsmiths have an opportunity to be published rather than the likes of Joe the Plumber or Barbara Bush's dog.
While I was at the checkout lane of the grocery store there were a couple different celebrity rags laying on an unused lane that had signs of being read and consumed. All I could think about was the news of just two days earlier about the Rocky being put up for sale – only a token notion to close it mind you. Why do people have enough interest to pick up a National Inquirer to read quasi truthful stories about Hollywood hacks, yet choose not to be informed about their community and their government's actions?
Is it because that is what media is giving readers? Or are do publishing companies dictate consumption more than we really perceive?
While I was at the checkout lane of the grocery store there were a couple different celebrity rags laying on an unused lane that had signs of being read and consumed. All I could think about was the news of just two days earlier about the Rocky being put up for sale – only a token notion to close it mind you. Why do people have enough interest to pick up a National Inquirer to read quasi truthful stories about Hollywood hacks, yet choose not to be informed about their community and their government's actions?
Is it because that is what media is giving readers? Or are do publishing companies dictate consumption more than we really perceive?
12.06.2008
Bigger dominoes beginning to fall
This last week was graced with the unpleasant announcement that E.W. Scripps has put the Rocky Mountain News up for sale. The flagship newspaper for the company that has won four Pulitzers in the past eight years.
This, in the midst of a month where more than 500,000 Americans lost jobs. Those are just the ones that filed for unemployment mind you, there could be many more undocumented.
Then two days later reports are that The McClatchy Company is putting a FOR SALE sign on their flagship The Miami Herald.
Denver will most likely become a single newspaper town, as there will probably not be someone crazy enough to buy a property that is losing over $1 million a month in a competitive market and in a declining industry. Sadly, hundreds more will be added to that skyrocketing unemployment statistic, but those additions will be people I know. People I respect. People that care about the Fourth Estate.
Scary thing is I didn't think all these troubles would come this soon. I knew that the first quarter of 2009 was going to be a bloody mess, but before Christmas bells had even begun to ring? The acceleration in the decline of the newspaper business, as well as the economy in general, is speeding up much faster than many thought would be possible. The first quarter of 2009 may just look like the basement of Leatherface's Texas Home.
This, in the midst of a month where more than 500,000 Americans lost jobs. Those are just the ones that filed for unemployment mind you, there could be many more undocumented.
Then two days later reports are that The McClatchy Company is putting a FOR SALE sign on their flagship The Miami Herald.
Denver will most likely become a single newspaper town, as there will probably not be someone crazy enough to buy a property that is losing over $1 million a month in a competitive market and in a declining industry. Sadly, hundreds more will be added to that skyrocketing unemployment statistic, but those additions will be people I know. People I respect. People that care about the Fourth Estate.
Scary thing is I didn't think all these troubles would come this soon. I knew that the first quarter of 2009 was going to be a bloody mess, but before Christmas bells had even begun to ring? The acceleration in the decline of the newspaper business, as well as the economy in general, is speeding up much faster than many thought would be possible. The first quarter of 2009 may just look like the basement of Leatherface's Texas Home.
12.04.2008
Photo Workshop
Been working over the last few weeks to build a working and functional website for Kenn Bisio as well as for my final project in one of my grad school classes. Had several coding issues but I think it's got a green light now. Take a peek and let me know if you find any issues. Or sign up for a trip to Ireland!
12.03.2008
Travel documentary and photography
Was tipped off about this site by a fellow photog, thankfully. There's a ton of things to look at on this blog!
I'm sure I'll link some of them soon, but in the meantime check out this one called SocialDocumentary.net
I'm sure I'll link some of them soon, but in the meantime check out this one called SocialDocumentary.net
12.01.2008
Leibovitz interview
Annie Leibovitz is on a book tour for her book "Annie Leibovitz at Work" and there are a few places that have posted interviews. This is a longer interview in Seattle.
She's really created her own career and carer path in the realm of photography. It should be interesting to see what she included in the book and the back-stories. She also included who influenced and what images stand out to her.
NPR also has an interview and some photos.
She's really created her own career and carer path in the realm of photography. It should be interesting to see what she included in the book and the back-stories. She also included who influenced and what images stand out to her.
NPR also has an interview and some photos.
Need help with some photo biz works?
John Harrington's book "Best Business Practices for Photographers" has been uploaded to AmazonOnlineReader. You can read it there for free to see if you want to buy it.
Listened to John speak at a workshop a few years ago. He's a smart guy and must know what he's doing considering the photo empire he has created.
Listened to John speak at a workshop a few years ago. He's a smart guy and must know what he's doing considering the photo empire he has created.
Old School film, I mean old school
A post on APAD about the lone Kodachrome processing lab in the world with a audio slide show.
Platon talking about his portraits
This has been out there a while, but this is a solid audio file to listen to. Great stories and insight.
Faces of Sunset Blvd
Great portraiture work and idea out of California for a book. Fun site as well. The video about shooting the LAPD chief is pretty cool. Check it out.
Found via 10,000 Words Twitter Feed.
Found via 10,000 Words Twitter Feed.
11.26.2008
Tilt shift video playground
Metal Heart from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.
Keith Loutit produced a pretty cool video using a tilt/shift lens on a DLSR shot at intervals. Pretty cool look. Kind of limiting at times I'm sure, but nonetheless a fun trick to play with.
11.19.2008
10,000 Words and Photojournalism
There's some fantastic links in this blog post of the best places to find the best photos.
Happy viewing.
Happy viewing.
MTV's Gideon Yago putting the smack down on Journalism
Gideon Yago worked with The IFC Media Project to create a series about journalism and how news sausage is made. Should be interesting. Hopefully it's available online!
Testing your awareness, again
I posted a link a while back that the Transport For London did to test your awareness while watching a situation. The campaign is in an effort to remind motorists to look out for cyclists.
Well, I got an email from the creator of the videos and they made a few new ones. I'll admit, the first one I watched, I failed miserably. Dare you to take it yourself.
One more great use of online video and the ability to convey a message. Brilliant work.
Well, I got an email from the creator of the videos and they made a few new ones. I'll admit, the first one I watched, I failed miserably. Dare you to take it yourself.
One more great use of online video and the ability to convey a message. Brilliant work.
11.18.2008
This will be fantastic, 10 million times.
Google scores one for their "good" column in my book – though their "bad" column in my book has been franticly growing. In Google's quest to dominate the planet and the moon, they have secured 10 million images from the LIFE collection owned by Time, Inc. to be hosted on their servers.
Only about three percent of the collection has ever been published. Can you imagine the photos that you will be able to see there? From all the greats? I may have to set a timer to limit the amount of time a kill just looking at the greatest visual record of history.
Only about three percent of the collection has ever been published. Can you imagine the photos that you will be able to see there? From all the greats? I may have to set a timer to limit the amount of time a kill just looking at the greatest visual record of history.
11.17.2008
Minority Report meets 2008
Very interesting video showing physical computing and design. And we all thought Tom Cruise was living in a futuristic time.
Anyone have $30K I can borrow?
RED's Scarlet has been unveiled. As were several other versions of the high-end digital video cameras. It will be a few months before the culmination of video capture rates at pro-DSLR resolution goodness arrives on shelves. But I don't care, I just need to find someone with some investment capital.
There's a lot of possibilities coming very soon. Very soon...
There's a lot of possibilities coming very soon. Very soon...
A good pair of shoes and...
Alec Soth sent an email to the entire staff of Magnum asking two questions: 1. When did you first get exited about photography? and 2. What advice do you have for young photographers?
There are a lot of responses all over the map, but in the end there is definitely a consistent thread of passion, curiosity and need to be self-motivated regardless of the consequences.
Good find from an up and coming photog herself. You can also download a pdf of the responses here.
There are a lot of responses all over the map, but in the end there is definitely a consistent thread of passion, curiosity and need to be self-motivated regardless of the consequences.
Good find from an up and coming photog herself. You can also download a pdf of the responses here.
The real version of Man on Fire
A photo gallery on NYTimes.com about bodyguards in Mexico. Some good images in a sticky situation. Not only the chances of getting caught up in a shootout but not being able to visually identify the "principal" or his family.
11.14.2008
Let the bottlenecking begin!!!
So one of the Fox and NBC stations in Philly are going to "pool" the video operations of the two news organizations in an effort to cut costs. Brilliant!! Lessen the scope of journalism even more. The newsrooms will be independent of each other in how they edit or use the footage.
The ever growing notion of doing more with less in journalism.
Only that showing the exact same content on two competing stations will dilute your audience even more, thus weakening your advertising base further. Nope, not a single downside. Nor the jobs that can now be eliminated to reduce costs.
And the fat cats in the corporate offices wonder why their market share is only shrinking ever more rapidly. How about producing unique content that no other news org has? If you are the only one with it, where are the viewers going to have to look for it? I guess on your competition's 10 o'clock newscast.
The ever growing notion of doing more with less in journalism.
Mr. Wallace added, “We see no downside on this.”
Only that showing the exact same content on two competing stations will dilute your audience even more, thus weakening your advertising base further. Nope, not a single downside. Nor the jobs that can now be eliminated to reduce costs.
And the fat cats in the corporate offices wonder why their market share is only shrinking ever more rapidly. How about producing unique content that no other news org has? If you are the only one with it, where are the viewers going to have to look for it? I guess on your competition's 10 o'clock newscast.
11.08.2008
Laforet and power of the web
Mr. Laforet is trying out a new widget from Photoshelter to promote his print sales and generate money for a student scholarship. As more aspects of business move to the web being able to capitalize on technology is the key to success. I think he's going to make this one works as well as the Reverie video.
11.06.2008
Christopher Anderson and Objectivity
Great interview with the Magnum photographer talking about his role as a photographer versus a photojournalist.
11.05.2008
Timelapse web watch
Here's a sweet video brief showing the progression of the NYTime's homepage during election night. The crazy kat that had the skills to time it to the music deserves a quality drink. Bravo
Umm, WOW! That's a lot of viewers.
NewTeeVee put together an interesting post about the volume of people consuming information on the web during election night. The numbers are staggering.
Check it out.
Check it out.
11.03.2008
Tell me people don't enjoy looking at photos
Some serious numbers of photos being uploaded to a couple social networks. Flickr and Facebook are hosting over 13 BILLION photos.
And that's just two of the several popular social networking sites.
And that's just two of the several popular social networking sites.
Convergence and an election
Here's a good NYTimes article about how the various platforms of media collided while following the presidential election.
After this is all over –thankfully– it will be interesting to compare the results of the American votes to the investments in the various media platforms used to campaign.
We all know Barack Obama was able to build a media empire with his dozens of sites, YouTube channel, Twitter, Facebook as well as applications within FB and others. McCain did as well, but not nearly to the degree of his rival. Did all of the media platforms and the mainstream media outlets play as much of a role in generating interest in the election as the challenges that our country face?
I guess we'll have to wait and see and give all the talking heads a day or two to find new things to fill all those channels with the next big story.
After this is all over –thankfully– it will be interesting to compare the results of the American votes to the investments in the various media platforms used to campaign.
We all know Barack Obama was able to build a media empire with his dozens of sites, YouTube channel, Twitter, Facebook as well as applications within FB and others. McCain did as well, but not nearly to the degree of his rival. Did all of the media platforms and the mainstream media outlets play as much of a role in generating interest in the election as the challenges that our country face?
I guess we'll have to wait and see and give all the talking heads a day or two to find new things to fill all those channels with the next big story.
11.02.2008
Experiential multimedia
I'm a skiing nut. So when I was looking at my daily digest of New York Times headlines I noticed a little box highlighting a multimedia piece about how to ski the most treacherous downhill course in World Cup skiing.
The Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria, is a torture fest of skill, speed and human limits. In an effort to explain how and what it takes to ski this ice glazed course at 80-plus miles an hour they recruited a former downhiller to be the voice for a multimedia experience.
This is a fantastic way to present information and data about a unique topic. The limitations are falling away in ways to share information and educate. So many more ideas are bouncing around in my brain now. Including wanting to take a couple of runs on the course.
The Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria, is a torture fest of skill, speed and human limits. In an effort to explain how and what it takes to ski this ice glazed course at 80-plus miles an hour they recruited a former downhiller to be the voice for a multimedia experience.
This is a fantastic way to present information and data about a unique topic. The limitations are falling away in ways to share information and educate. So many more ideas are bouncing around in my brain now. Including wanting to take a couple of runs on the course.
10.31.2008
Breaking the rules
A fantastic idea that destroys all the limitations of rules in documentary and journalism to create a unique piece. I really want to see the camera setup. A Canon HV-20 with a Nikon 50 f/1.8.
I'm still thinking about what my answer would be.
10.28.2008
The dominoes are starting to fall
Once the campaign advertising dollars stop flowing in by the truck-load, the majority coming from the Obama media machine, the advertising dollars will dry up like the lakes east of Los Angeles have.
Let's face it, we're in the midst of a recession. Advertising dollars are the first to go from budgets. Advertising is the rocket fuel for newspapers in print, whereas the ad dollars from the online version resemble the concoction of two-stroke motor oil and unleaded gasoline. You don't see NASA using two-stroke to get the space shuttle into orbit do you?
That recession is going to prevent many from spending too many ad dollars for the holidays, let alone some general advertising. Newspapers are beginning to topple before the election has even come to a close. The first quarter of 2009 is going to look like a scene out of the movie "Saw."
The question becomes: Do we cut off integral parts of the paper in an effort to free it for possible growth online? But if the recent digestion of data is any clue, cutting all the aspects of each newspaper might not work.
The first few dominoes have started to fall, how far will they go?
Let's face it, we're in the midst of a recession. Advertising dollars are the first to go from budgets. Advertising is the rocket fuel for newspapers in print, whereas the ad dollars from the online version resemble the concoction of two-stroke motor oil and unleaded gasoline. You don't see NASA using two-stroke to get the space shuttle into orbit do you?
That recession is going to prevent many from spending too many ad dollars for the holidays, let alone some general advertising. Newspapers are beginning to topple before the election has even come to a close. The first quarter of 2009 is going to look like a scene out of the movie "Saw."
The question becomes: Do we cut off integral parts of the paper in an effort to free it for possible growth online? But if the recent digestion of data is any clue, cutting all the aspects of each newspaper might not work.
The first few dominoes have started to fall, how far will they go?
Making Media work for you
Here's a great story about a guy who found a niché and made his own possibilities with digital media. Entering user-generated ad contests he's nearly made a living out of it. Though he did start off in a rather bleak situation.
It's just another case of finding possibility and capitalizing on it.
It's just another case of finding possibility and capitalizing on it.
10.17.2008
InSight America
Magnum photo agency is doing a running project up to the election with some of their top notch photogs. Their objective?
Found via APhotoADay
Could be another interesting series to keep an eye on much like Hard Times.Who are the people of America? What are we thinking? What makes us angry and frustrated? What gives us hope? Are some of us really all blue and some all red? Or are we mostly shades of purple?
What is the American Dream today?
Found via APhotoADay
10.15.2008
Four for a Quarter
I was waiting around at the UPS Customer Service center while they dug up a package for me and decided to look through a couple issues of the Smithsonian magazine. I found great photo articles in both of them, but one had a url with more content.
A photographer produced a book based on the photobooth. You know, the ones you used to see in the mall and would get four photos on a strip. There are some great images and a unique notion about how these inexpensive commerce photography sessions recorded very interesting aspects of history. Four frames at a time.
Today, photographic imagery is at nearly every fingertip on a smartphone that the notion a trip to the photobooth could be one of the lone images of a person in existence seems crazy. I only hope that at some point this over abundant digital immersion will drive people back to analog, much like vinyl records are popular again as CD sales plummet.
A photographer produced a book based on the photobooth. You know, the ones you used to see in the mall and would get four photos on a strip. There are some great images and a unique notion about how these inexpensive commerce photography sessions recorded very interesting aspects of history. Four frames at a time.
Today, photographic imagery is at nearly every fingertip on a smartphone that the notion a trip to the photobooth could be one of the lone images of a person in existence seems crazy. I only hope that at some point this over abundant digital immersion will drive people back to analog, much like vinyl records are popular again as CD sales plummet.
Got Passion?
Simply put: If You Don't Have Passion - Get Out Da' Kitchen.
That's the title of DigiDave's blog post and it has some great thoughts and links about passion. It's a nice refresher for some of my goals.
Found via Journerdism
That's the title of DigiDave's blog post and it has some great thoughts and links about passion. It's a nice refresher for some of my goals.
Found via Journerdism
Pray for Snow
It's opening day at Arapahoe Basin and Loveland today and all I can think about is fluffy white blankets of joy.
Be sure to watch the hi-def version. The video has a lots of quick transitions that the normal definition looks lame.
10.03.2008
9.30.2008
Watershed moment in the future of American politics?
"We know it's in the millions," he said of the number of e-mails that lawmakers in the House have been receiving. "But we haven't counted yet, because when you're about to get hit by a tidal wave, you don't count the drops of water in the wave."
Seems as though millions of Americans let their voices be heard not only by calling their representatives. They used the fastest communication tool available. E-mail. And the US House wasn't ready for the traffic.
This is the first presidential election cycle that is saturated with the use of online tools and portals. The ease and effectiveness of the Internet in communication will become more and more integrated into our world. Hence, the iPhone and Android phones are the early stages of the evolution towards the mobility and connectivity of our communication world.
A digital stereo camera
Fuji has come up with a two-lensed 3-D camera.
I'm sure the camera is cheap, but the headset player will probably cost a fortune. It'll be interesting to say the least. Maybe someone will be able to hack it and use it for visual storytelling in a new way. Curious...very curious.
I'm sure the camera is cheap, but the headset player will probably cost a fortune. It'll be interesting to say the least. Maybe someone will be able to hack it and use it for visual storytelling in a new way. Curious...very curious.
Nachtwey's Wish is revealed Oct. 3
I'm curious as hell to see what it is. There's a lot of stories to cover with a $100,000.
Here's the video from last year when he won the award.
9.26.2008
Photog that rocks
This is a CNN story about a high school student that created a program for homeless children to have a voice with a camera. Watch the video. She won a huge grant to continue the program and expand it. There's some interesting photos that the children made as well.
This is a great example of the power of photography.
This is a great example of the power of photography.
9.23.2008
Is digital photography killing photography?
The advent of inexpensive equipment that allows for even more photographers to produce photography. I paid nearly $4,000 for a Nikon D1H in 2004. I recently picked up a D300 that is nearly 20 times the camera for $1700. And don't forget to add inflation, it would be over $4,700. I remember buying a Nikon N90s film camera for about $1,000 in 1994 and thought it was unreasonable. Boy, was I wrong. The Kodak DCS420 was about $12,000 in 1994. Your cell phone now has twice the resolution the 420 had.
Eventually supply and demand market forces take over and the imagery becomes worth less and less. Add to the dog pile the notion of people willing to give their content away for free so that they can say they have been "published" or in hopes of getting "more business" and you have a recipe for destruction. One more layer to make it truly gloomy? Working photographers struggling to make ends meet in this harsh economy begin to under-cut each other's bids to get work.
All that adds up to an acceleration of inexpensive photography to go with the relatively inexpensive gear.
CNN's iReport and the like go even farther to destroy the notion of a working photojournalist. Why pay for the cow when the milk is free?
Sure, I'm a Flickr user. But I reserve copyright on all my images. Many don't and leave their work open to Creative Commons. Others give their work to Getty in an over-saturated stock photo market.
What's the future of photography? I don't know, but I'm thinking of buying a bunch of silver gelatin paper from Europe since it's fading so fast here in the US, finding a sweet Leica enlarger at a garage sale and preparing for the rebirth of traditional process.
Eventually supply and demand market forces take over and the imagery becomes worth less and less. Add to the dog pile the notion of people willing to give their content away for free so that they can say they have been "published" or in hopes of getting "more business" and you have a recipe for destruction. One more layer to make it truly gloomy? Working photographers struggling to make ends meet in this harsh economy begin to under-cut each other's bids to get work.
All that adds up to an acceleration of inexpensive photography to go with the relatively inexpensive gear.
CNN's iReport and the like go even farther to destroy the notion of a working photojournalist. Why pay for the cow when the milk is free?
Sure, I'm a Flickr user. But I reserve copyright on all my images. Many don't and leave their work open to Creative Commons. Others give their work to Getty in an over-saturated stock photo market.
What's the future of photography? I don't know, but I'm thinking of buying a bunch of silver gelatin paper from Europe since it's fading so fast here in the US, finding a sweet Leica enlarger at a garage sale and preparing for the rebirth of traditional process.
9.22.2008
Convergence might as well be retired as a word
Power photographer Vincent Laforet was tasked with putting the new Canon 5D MkII through its paces earlier this month. Well, this video nearly made my soil my pants. The rich visuals and complete command of the lighting are something dreamlike. Then we can talk about the camera and the absolute thrashing of the notion of a DSLR.
Also check out the behind-the-scenes video.
Nikon better react very very fast with an upgrade on the D700 –the D90 was going to be good until Canon did this– or they will be stuck at the back of the pack with Olympus, Sony and Fuji in the digital camera market.
All this being said, I'm still waiting for Scarlet. With the announcement of the 5D MkII it looks like the Scarlet will also be radically different.
All of this rapidly changing technology is just getting rolling. Hold on tight, just like Miss Budweiser it's going to get fast and rough.
Also check out the behind-the-scenes video.
Nikon better react very very fast with an upgrade on the D700 –the D90 was going to be good until Canon did this– or they will be stuck at the back of the pack with Olympus, Sony and Fuji in the digital camera market.
All this being said, I'm still waiting for Scarlet. With the announcement of the 5D MkII it looks like the Scarlet will also be radically different.
All of this rapidly changing technology is just getting rolling. Hold on tight, just like Miss Budweiser it's going to get fast and rough.
9.11.2008
Where's the line?
Parents are now social networking their children before they are barely even cognizant of life. Does this further the social interaction of people or does this go too far? Is there a line of no return in our constant sharing and publishing of our lives?
I know that I over broadcast my life at times and am too hyper-connected to various portals of social and digital media. I'm sure some people get sick of some of my pointless Twitter updates which is also connected to my Facebook and FriendFeed. Will all of this computational connecting become shallow and get people to connect in reality again? Social networking has seemingly taken over the web with it's ability to search out those of likemindedness and communicate. I just don't think that it is enough of a replacement for the true social interactions of a true social species.
I guess we'll see, right?
I know that I over broadcast my life at times and am too hyper-connected to various portals of social and digital media. I'm sure some people get sick of some of my pointless Twitter updates which is also connected to my Facebook and FriendFeed. Will all of this computational connecting become shallow and get people to connect in reality again? Social networking has seemingly taken over the web with it's ability to search out those of likemindedness and communicate. I just don't think that it is enough of a replacement for the true social interactions of a true social species.
I guess we'll see, right?
9.10.2008
9.08.2008
A business opportunity in Colorado?
Those Canucks may have figured out a way to use beetle-killed trees for newsprint. Since the price for newsprint is going through the stratosphere, why not figure out a way to go local?
Just need some investment capital to set up a shop in Silverthorne or Dillon and fire up the chainsaw.
9.06.2008
Todd Heisler, Damon Winter and David Scull on photographing the conventions
Talking about covering the political conventions. I always like to hear what was going on outside the view of the viewfinder and behind it.
Traffic is Growing Fast—but Capacity is Keeping Pace
Some interesting tidbits about the growth of Internet traffic and trends.
9.02.2008
Red is going hunting
Nikon has announced the release of the D90, which is a DSLR with video capability. Well RED has already been turning the motion picture world on its head with his proposed 5K RED Epic camera and now plans on snaring the DSLR world in his spiderweb.
I may just wait another year to buy any kind of camera.
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