Been chatting that “Back-Up” stuff here for awhile and before taking in the sick friend, read MacPro, triple backed up the photos.

I’m using a G-Speed ES, G-Raid, and a G-Tech Mini.
Paranoid? perhaps. Realistic? you betcha.
It’s not a matter of “if” but “when”. Your Hard drive will crash.

So, the news today come from a company that introduced a great product last year, the Drobo external hard drive back up system. They were all about stacking a group of hard drives and making it easy to back up your work.

One problem: it was not firewire 800. Why, oh why would they do that?
It’s not just a computer nerd lament, but a matter of speed. You want to back up those new, huge, photofiles fast. Especially if you are creating and saving larger files for publication. You need Firewire 800. Varooom.

Well, they heard us all, and came back to with the new Drobo.

Data Robotics, manufacturer of the Drobo storage device, has introduced a second-generation model with FireWire 800, improved USB 2.0 performance and an upgraded core processor. The company claims the new Drobo is the fastest product in its class for managing and storing digital information.

The increased read-and-write performance now makes the Drobo ideal for use as primary storage for media applications such as HD video editing and photography, as well as secondary storage, the company said.

The first-generation Drobo was popular because it allowed non-technical users to create redundant disk arrays with the simple plug-and-play of generic disk drives of various sizes and types. The Drobo automatically configured the drives for use, freeing the user from the technical details. New enhancements include an upgraded core processor, two FireWire 800 ports, dramatically increased USB 2.0 performance, and newly optimized firmware.

Current expansion for the new model Drobo is up to 16 TB. It also has the ability to take advantage of mix-and-match drive capacities. The unit has two FireWire 800/400 ports and one USB 2.0 port.

The new Drobo is priced at $499 and also comes in a 2TB version for $899, and a 4TB version for $1,299.

Look, I still have negatives from when i was 8 years old.
On the other hand, I have lost digital files of very personal photographs.
I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening ever again.

Be smart, be safe, back it up.
Darn. Wish i could come up with a better slogan
Anybody?….Bueller?….Bueller?……Bueller?………..

OK, It’s time to check in on the kernel panic. Hopefully the triage went well.

Boda Lens Bag:2 sizes pictured: the Jr on the left and the full size one we discuss here.

It’s essentially a shoulder bag, that will hold your lenses, battery pack,strobe, and the accessories that help you get your job done
The other stuff you use :notebook, pens,business cards, phone, media card wallet also have special pockets.

OK, why do you need yet another bag? Because this one has been designed with a special purpose. It is not intended to carry your camera bodies. It is built for speed.
The flaps and pockets have been placed to make it an easy in and out while you are working.

comparison next to a NIkon D3 with 24-70mm 2.8 mm with lens hood.

Discreetly black, it looks like a shoulder bag in a squared off version. You can use the included belt, but we wouldn’t unless it’s to steady the package.
The weight with the gear we loaded it with ( 14-24 2.8, 80-200 2.8,, Quantum Turbo 2×2, Nikon SB-800, 8 card media wallet is built in, moleskin notebook) was plenty of brickage for the job, and after about 3 hours, we felt it. Plus the Nikon was outfitted with a 24-70 2.8, which although carried in hand or the other shoulder, would get swapped out. We made sure there was space for that in the bag.

built in CF card holder

In the additional carry-on tool category, was the Gary Fong light adjuster, just because we love the light quality. Looks like a plastic food container from the takeout counter, but it’s more.
And it fit on top of one of the lenses for transport.

So back to the bag…….

The top flap can be secured with snaps to stay open as you may need the speed. We preferred to leave it loosely covered, and keep the lenses out of sight. This bag is water resistant so, if your covering an outdoor event, you should be fine with the top closed.

The shoulder strap is extra wide, padded with neoprene and VERY comfortable. you can do a cross sling or hang off the shoulder, but when you need to swing it to full operating position it is perfectly positioned to work.

Of course you can adjust the main cabin to fit the lenses you need, with standard velcro .

But after working with this bag, the main impression is: perfect design.
Everything is where is should be, and where we wanted it to be.

Well made, padded construction, comfortable, and enough pockets, inner pockets, side pouches to take what you need to work.
Remember: this is really built to be used assuming your camera, bracket and one lens is being carried outside the bag.
It’s called a Boda Lens Bag, after all.
It’s a worker.
They say it should fit 4 lenses, but the 2.8’s we’re using have a bit more glass than normal.
So 3 max for us, with some extra room for…..a Flip video camera, perhaps.
And priced for the worker. About $200.USD for the main bag.
You can travel to the gig with just this bag and camera, OR bring the whole kit with backup body, ect., in another main bag and break down the working kit from that.

Trust me, if you are going to be on your feet for hours, you’ll want to trim your load.

Keeping the other gear in your car or safe place within the venue is the way to do it.

Your shoulders will thank you.

Farmer from the Westerwald, 1910
This image above also illustrated the power and beauty of a silver print. If you can, you should see it in person

The exhibit covers a social examination that was his dream project illustrating a class system in Germany that he also felt reflected common human conditions.

It’s a brilliant rich exhibit, shown in one of the premier galleries currently in existence.

There is a “but” here, though. The website descriptors give you a full overview and break down August Sanders massive social project, unfinished as it was.

However, as is the case with many art historians, there is a tendency to over analyze and perhaps assume too much knowledge about specific images, and it is related on the descriptor cards at the exhibit, and sometimes on the site.

Case in point:

From the Getty:
” In this family portrait featuring publisher Otto Schmidt and his sisters, each of the four siblings conveys a sense of individuality while still appearing connected to the others. On the left, a shy, bespectacled girl avoids gazing directly into the camera’s lens. As a result, the viewer sees only her blushing profile. A sister sits behind her, on a higher seat that emphasizes her status as the eldest. In the front, a confident sister looks directly into the camera. On the right, their brother leans in, as if trying to assert himself. They all wear modest, conservative attire, appropriate for this middle-class family.

August Sander posed the sitters in a compositionally balanced way that underscored their familial ties. He specifically avoided seating the brother in center or the rear, which would have determined his role as the family patriarch. “

Now having been in, and taken family portraits, sometimes it just happens that the seating and pose occur in the moment.
Yes, style and current methods will come to bear, but as Freud would say ” Sometimes a cigar, is just a cigar.”
In other words, when someone looks away from the camera, is it a deep seated desire to disconnect from the world, or did the profile happen to make a more striking visual? You can surmise relationships between the subjects, but they may not be a directive from the photographer.

One more part of the exhibit had some interesting observations.

Sanders livelihood included, not surprisingly, portraits taken at clients homes, or on their property. Now some of the farmers had dressed up in their best attire for the portraits, as opposed to their more casual attire. This became attributed to a desire to present another view to the world of a different reality.
OK, correct me if I’m wrong…..when anyone is sitting for a formal portrait, whether it’s a kid being shot at the local Sears, to a regal family portrait by Lord Snowdon, you present the best image you can.
Did that 6 year boy in his holiday picture usually wear a jacket and bowtie? Nope. Maybe at church.Once.
To assume more than human nature on the part of the subjects, in their desire to preserve a moment in time that they perceived to be their best foot forward, is a little over indulgent.
Think of the celebrities that prepare for the red carpet knowing this will be a moment in time they have control of, as opposed to paparazzi who may photograph them in their street gear.

At the end of the day here is the point: the value of these photographs is intrinsically linked to the Germany of the time, and posed or not, gives a viewpoint of a class system that photographed every subject with intelligence and respect.

The viewer can come to their own conclusions. This time the Getty did themselves a disservice by giving too much in the descriptor cards by the individual photographs.

A show not to be missed, but perhaps read the website and the cards on site, with a simpler eye.

I appreciate art historians, but have always felt that art should touch you first. The additional knowledge can enhance, but sometimes it’s like explaining a joke.
Yes, I know. Not an intellectual. Ahh well.

One of my favorite images of August Sanders’ was not in the show, however.

The Bricklayer

I originally saw this in the book, The Family Of Man when I was 8 years old. From the first time I saw this photograph it never left me.
I hope you find an image for yourself in his work.

And there is a huge bonus at the Getty:

Ten Years in Focus: The Artist and the Camera
March 25–August 10, 2008
Along with a celebration of the last 10 years of aquiring photographs, there are some standout images you will see no where else, like Daguerretypes of Egypt , from 1842, that have been kept in a private collection for years, and one of our favorite pieces;

David Hockney : Pearblossom Hwy., 11 - 18th April 1986, #2, in all of its original glory.

© 1986 David Hockney

Its a good time to visit the Getty Musuem.

On Line click here : Getty
Or click here if you are going to visit.

Cheers!
Damon Webster

Out Of The Red

It’s not the historical images we’re looking at right now, like those in the Sidney D. Gamble collection from the beginning of the century, or those from Fan Ho of Hong Kong of the 50’s. It’s finding the culture of the China we know today, and the photography that has emerged.

We’re not going to discuss the politics of the government here, because you are all wise enough to realize that from controversy can come great art. Sometimes it’s complacency that produces non challenging art. Neither is a judgment, but an observation.

The art world has been tracking these artists for a while and their popularity is racheting up.
As in, their prices are skyrocketing.

“Out of communist China, out of the cultural revolution, out of a closed world… Out of the Red presents photography at the end of this outage, at the start of a new generation of Chinese image makers. What does a young photographer see in the viewfinder of her camera in Beijing, Shanghai, along the Yuan River? The latest generation of Chinese photographers is given free reign across these pages. Witness the visions of Li Wei, Weng Fen, Lin Tianmiao & Wang Gongxin, Chen Lingyang, Huang Yan, Liu Jin, Ma Liuming, Wang Qingsong, Yang Fudong, Yang Zhengzhong, Xu Zhen, Zhao Bandi, Cui Xiuwen, Zhou Meijun, Song Yongping, Bai Yiluo, Hong Lei, and Liu Zheng. With an introduction by Francesca Jordan, an English critic and curator who lives China, and Shu Jang, a Chinese critic, curator, and artist.”

Now this book is a couple of years old, and the door has opened for a ton more photographers since it’s publication. At the Houston FotoFest this spring, China was the country of honor and many new artists were featured. The link will give you some samples.

It’s easy to get one of these books for free from photoinduced.com
This is how:
First of all you MUST be signed up for the NEWSLETTER. Then…. on Weds. @ 9:00 AM PST check your email in-box
1. Open the email from damonw@photoinduced.com and Hit Reply
3. Delete the main body of the email (saving server space).
4. Put the “special word” -posted right here on Weds. AM , in the subject line.
5. Add a shipping address.
6. Make sure you followed all of the above directions.
7. Hit send.

THE SPECIAL WORD FOR THIS BOOK IS….RED..

The 50th person to reply will be sent this look at current Chinese photography.
Enjoy.

It is STILL the coolest thing to pick up one of these plastic binocular type devices, slip in a circular disc and let your mind see things as in real life. With a proper depth of field, and almost like you can reach out and touch them.
I always prefer the photographs to the animations as it has that extra tweak of reality shift. And after all, photography is about a reality challenge and capture. Not overtly, nor specifically, but one of the essences.

What is it about these things that makes us impulsively pick them up and click along ?
For a more scholarly approach, click on this photo, below.

But we think it’s the fun factor that is almost becomes a challenge. How good is the 3D-ness of the each image. The better the separation , the better the image. Somehow, if you duck when a 3D object approaches you, or you reach out to grab it, it’s considered a big win.

The material available for your viewing pleasure is enormous.

You can get everything from world travels to the Charles and Ray Eames design set, to animals of the deep. Something to look for when you hit the flea markets.

You know the fascination for 3D goes way beyond the Viewmaster though. Even though it was, and is the most common form of 3D viewing.

No, we are not forgetting the red and blue glasses, nor the polaroid lenses that are used for movies.
Or even the lenticular photos from 4 lens,3D cameras like the Nishika or the Nimslo.
Too obscure? We’ll explain more in a moment

Remember, still photography has been in this 3D world for years!

St. Louis Worlds Fair 1904

NYC Bridge

using anaglyph glasses (red/blue) the dimensionality is visible. WHAT? You don’t have a pair?
OK, email us and we’ll send you some. 1st email in gets em.

The Stereoscope

“The first stereoscopes called the Wheatstone’s stereoscope was developed around 1833 by British inventor Sir Charles Wheatstone. These first stereoscopes predate photography and the stereopairs in those days were created as hand drawings, similar to today where we create synthetic stereo pairs using computer graphics. The first stereoscope with a lens is attributed to David Brewster around 1849 and used paper prints contained within a box. The stereoscope shown here was developed around 1868 by Oliver Wendell Holmes and Joseph Bates, it force the eyes to only see the image they are supposed to see by using a lens and placing a physical barrier between the images.”
copyright Paul Burke 2005

Classic

Ummm…Modern??

There have been updates in the gear It used to be a Kodak Realist that used 2 lenses for the dual imagery.The center one is your main viewing lens.

In the 80’s the Nimslo 4 lens camera created images that were seen through a reticulated plastic screen and required no special lenses. Actually did some pretty good 8 x 10 images with one of these. Limited printing companies.
And guess what? It’s Baaaaaccccckkk!
That cool image you saw at the top of the page? OK, maybe not a cool image, but cool in what you could do with that technique.
All done with this camera:

Or you can go this route:

The good folks at 3D Stereo.Com are carrying a 3D lens to fit your digital SLR, allowing you to shoot 2 images (left eye-right eye) on one frame

I bought one, put it onto a Nikon D200 and it is incredible! A fixed lens with minor adjustments available (2 Fstops), it really works.

Using manual settings to get the right exposure, and of course my favorite 4×6 printer to quickly print out the dual images on one right sized print. They also sell folding paper viewers on the cheap, to get you started.

If you have more interest in this, or perhaps want to pick up some 3D items ( books, cameras,lenses, Viewmaster reels, etc.) the best place, no kidding is : 3D Stereo.Com,INC.They are the most knowledgeable, well stocked, nicest folks.
Let em know you read about them on photoinduced.com. We have no affiliation with them, just think they have the best stuff.

At the end of the day, all we’re saying is; keep exploring different ways to see, enjoy the methods and techniques out there for you, and have some fun. More fun.

And remember, your audience is watching.

But thankfully, it was added to the line, and not a replacement.
So consider this outstanding camera, the D300, and relish the fact that perhaps there may be a small price drop.

We put it through a variety of paces; Studio light, bounced and reflected natural light, and simple available light.
At first blush, it was simply the larger screen; same great ergonomic feel of the body, and a few extra touches (better connection caps on the 10 pin and USB connectors for instance) that spruced up the unit.
But would it be worth an upgrade from the D200? And how about the latest D700 just announced? Should you leap frog?

It’s a 2-part question:
A. Do you want to spend the same dough again, because I promise you, there will be a newer version next year. It’s just the way this digital world goes. (The D700 is actually the middle body in this lineup, as we mentioned.)
B. Is a better image processor and over all more control on the front end important to you?

For most folks, you can probably leapfrog models and live with what you have. We know that a lot of folks may not use their D200 all the time, but when they do, are very happy with the results . BUT if that extra mile is what you need, this camera will give you that additional quality in your digital file. Much better processor, especially.

And it’s about workflow, too. The more you deal with tons of digital media, the less time you’ll like to spend tweaking them to your specifications: color, exposure, contrast, etc.

The D300 has one of the most sophisticated, yet easy to use, color maps to customize your photographs in camera. Make sure you look at a calibrated monitor to start, but the short time you put in up front with the camera, will save you time on the post end.

Nikon’s Active D-Lighting Image enhancement: Provided on the fly while shooting, Active D-lighting produces broader tone reproduction in both shadows and highlights by controlling light intensity and exposure compensation while applying localized tone control technology to achieve the right level of contrast across the entire image for sharp, detailed results.

There are other post features on board, but the color and D-lighting, we found to be the most useful.

Let’s keep going-

The Flash controls are as good as they ever were, giving you the ability to get into the Commander mode, where your SB-800 strobe comes off the camera and goes wireless. Extremely easy and when you want to bounce some light, it’s a great tool in the lighting toolbox.

above is an example of a light bounced into a reflector, mixed with natural light. One SB-800 used in Commander mode.

Of course Nikon’s famous ability to shoot both Raw and Jpeg in a selection of sizes is still standard and perfect. Sometimes the size of a jpeg may be all someone needs, but to have a fully uncompressed companion file is mandatory in our humble opinion.

Borrowing the 51-point focus system from the D3, this unit rocks for auto focus. The simple button which allow you to place the center of focus where want it without moving your eye form the eyepiece make life easy.
The active auto focus, the best in the business, insures a sharp image.

Of course we will freely admit that we do have a slight tendency to use the floating ISO feature: set the manual adjustments you want and let the camera pick your ISO. Good only in certain circumstances, like an event sans flash, it has been a lifesaver on occasion.

At the end of the day, ergonomics for us, are a critical factor. This camera has a solid weighty feel, with all of the controls in just the right places. The left hand controls the viewing and reviewing of the images, while the right controls the exposure.

GeoPic II mounted on top of D300, in one of 3 geotagging modes

GPS data shown on the D300 info screen

Plus the Nikon 10 pin connector is only one of 2 cameras that takes, in our opinion, the current leader in geotaggers, the GeoPic II. Tiny, fits on the hot shoe, embeds the GPS coordinates onto the EXIF file, and displays it on the large screen in the back while we check all of the other stats.
Truly a great feature, and feels like and imaging computer in our hands.

Oh ……it is a computer. Right.

But it feels as great as any of the best 35mm cameras we’ve ever owned.

Theses are a few of the unique features of the D300, and we know many of the other units in the pay grade, share a bunch of common features, so you have to ask yourself one question:
Is it worth it?

And we’re back to the beginning questions: money and quality.
How do you use your camera? What do you do with the end images?

We’ve been happy to use this camera for a couple of months. And easy transition from a D200. Now that the D700 has been announced, it changes the landscape a bit.

With many of the features of the D3 in this new unit, you have to decide whether the additional $1200 for the D700 is worth it to you now.

And remember, since the sensor is the full frame FX variety on the D700, if you use 2 bodies, they should probably match in the way they use the lenses and virtual focal length. Big new investment.

At the end of the day, we loved the D300 for the simple reasons of processor, color control, and auto focus. Geotagging is a plus, but personal. The feel in the hands is solid and substantial.

The downsides are the lack of the full size sensor ( although now available in the mid-range ) and perhaps for some, the weight.

We encourage you as always to visit you local camera store and put one in your hands. Only you know how the tool works / feels for you.

We fell in love the first time the D300’s RAW image processed in Lightroom and there were no color artifacts.

You can visit the other sites for the hardcore specs and see how other folks have used the camera.
We just open the box and use it. Like you would. Yes, we go through the manual. Once. Then refer back when we discover a new thing.
That’s why we take a bit of time.
The camera is with us everyday, when we review. Just like your camera.
It’s about the image, this is a tool.
And the D300 is a superb one.

Here are some additional images using some of the features we discussed.
While shooting some of the best skateboarders today, the descendants of the original Dogtown, we used the D300 and some SB-800’s the way they were meant to be used.

While in the bowl, the 51-point focus was critical to capturing these dudes. Plus on the bike shot on top, being able to adjust the main focal point, the guarantee of crystal sharp photographs was a lock. Plus the high ISO let me shoot with no additional lighting.

When it came to getting a single, full story shot, the burst rate came in handy. On the second shot, you can see that an off-camera SB-800 was used in Commander mode to add a bit of light. This is the raw image before photoshop was used to remove the shadows from the fence.

Utilizing the high ISO in a natural setting, gave me time to shoot a natural portrait between runs.

Here is a more formal portrait using the SB-800 once again the wireless commander mode.

So there you have it. A real world usage of one of the best cameras out there.

All photos © Damon Webster

Not just being flippant, but the art market depends on the collectors to set the tone for value. When Andreas Gursky’s diptych of the 99cent stores sold for over 3.3 million dollars, a new height was reached for the sale of a photograph by a living artist.
And it was a public sale at auction.

What’s it all worth? What ever the market thinks it is.

We try to keep you informed about the current auctions coming, and sometimes these aberrations in the sales. A photograph truly can be not only a thing of beauty, inspiration, and visual touchstone in you home, but a great investment. You may not be able to afford a new house, but an investment in art, may be more attainable.

With Butterfields, Sothebys, DePury, Christies and all the rest, artnet joins this group of trusted names. Plus you can bid online.
No buyers fees (at this point). Yes, sellers pay a $25. listing and 10% selling surcharge, but if you’re looking to buy, here is another option from the comfort of your home.

© Marvin Newman, Coney Island

Want some more background?
artnet has been online since 1995 and is host to over 2,000,000 visitors each month. Through its Price Database of over 3.5 million auction sales results and its Gallery Network of over 2,000 galleries worldwide, artnet is the leading online resource for the international art market. With the new Online Auctions, artnet is adding a transaction platform to its successful information services.
Want more? Click here, or here.

From their site:
“Every artnet Online Auctions seller has been approved by artnet after a thorough review. All of our sellers are required to accept the following artnet policy: A buyer may return an item purchased through artnet Online Auctions, if the item received is not as described in its listing, or is found to be not authentic. Please see our full Return Policy for details.”

Admittedly, we do like to see the work in person at previews if possible. We once were looking for a particular photograph but the prints we had seen didn’t appeal to us in person. However, there are photos we’ve purchased that were done through the mail from respected galleries.
As long as there is recourse, you should be fine.

Correct us if we’re wrong, but this seems to be the way it’s all going.

Still wish we bought the Rue Mouffetard by Henri Cartier-Bresson when we had the chance.

© Henri Cartier-Bresson 1954, Rue Mouffetard

And we are sure you will.

120 artists, 520 pages, glossaries, and brilliant observations and reviews of each photographers work.
Aperture has done it again with this look at the current group of artists leading the way to a new vision of photography.

You can approach this book in bite size pieces, as you mainly have 1 page discussions of each person,(or in some cases, collectives) and then 3 additional pages with photographs .

We have one book to give away free to one of our readers. even if you don’t get one from us, you should visit the Aperture site and check out their sale going on right now.
A good time to pick up those books you’ve been considering.
Plus you’re supporting one of the best, non-profit, photographic organizations out there.
Win-win.

And this is how we do it:
First of all you MUST be signed up for the NEWSLETTER. then on Weds. @ 9:00 AM PST check your email in-box
1. Open the email from damonw@photoinduced.com and Hit Reply
3. Delete the main body of the email (saving server space).
4. Put the “special word” -posted right here on Weds. AM , in the subject line.
5. Add a shipping address.
6. Make sure you followed all of the above directions.
7. Hit send.

THE SPECIAL WORD FOR THIS IS….PHOTOART.

The 50th person to reply will be sent this loaded volume.
Enjoy.

Here is the full story:

When we went to site, we found 3 levels or floors.
The first floor was general admission - freebie
Then you went to the 2nd floor , for members, and the 3rd floor for benefactors.
Benefactors ?? Hmmm. Would that mean we get invited to virtual cocktail parties to virtually meet the artists? And have some virtual wine and cheese?
Perhaps a new web page could be named in honor of a benefactor.

Ok, I’m just kidding around, but we would love to see more of the images available to be viewed by more of the people. We know you’ve got em.

After a phone call to Corbis, we found out how to do this all. Wish it was a little clearer on the MOFAA site though.
Here’s how to become a member: Go to Corbis.com, log in or sign up.
Yes, It’s still free. You will generate a user name and password giving you access to the exhibitions.

The concept is sound. Let’s give them a chance to work out the kinks.
And lets see if the other companies follow suit. We just want to look.

Remember, even though they give you an address and floor plans, THIS IS A VIRTUAL MUSEUM!

By the way, have you noticed that when you go to the YouTube site, you have a choice of watching the videos in high quality?
Check it out sometime, You’ll be amazed at the difference.