**************************************************
* PHOTOGRAPHY HAPPENINGS !!
*
* Photography news in Singapore
*
**************************************************
Greetings all photo enthusiasts !!
1) This a private mailing list for photographers in Singapore, so that
we
can all be kept informed of the latest happenings in the photographic
circle, eg. any courses, outings, interesting websites, and new products
in photography.
2) If you wish not to receive any mails, or if you have any photography
enthusiast friends who wants to be added onto this list, pls e-mail
me their
e-mail addresses. All the recipients on this mailing list will
not be listed, so your address will be kept private and confidential.
3) Depending on the amount of news, you should be receiving one update
every
two weeks or so. If you have any news of photographic interest you
wish to
share with the rest, pls mail it to me !! Remember, this mailing list
is only as good as the info I receive !
4) I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted, but I'll
try my best to verify the information before putting it up. I will not
be held responsible for any inaccuracy of information in the newsletter.
5) The official "Photography Happenings !!" homepage is located at:
http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo/index.htm
Best regards,
Nelson Tan (Editor)
***************************************************************************
Issue #23
Dated: 5th July 1999
*** CONTENTS ***
Okay, and in this issue of "Photography Happenings !!", we have:
1) Announcements
- Editor's
note
- 2 New
Articles!!
2) New Products
- Kodak DCS 660 (Nikon F5 body)
- Yamaha CRW6416S SCSI CDRW drive
3) Website Reviews
- mindZeye
- SeinOff: The Last Days of Seinfeld
- Imaging Resource
- Soft Focused Kyoto
4) Events in Singapore
- Lenscape Workshops in Bangkok
5) Photography tips
- Underwater
Photography
- PhotoForum's File of Answers to FAQs
- Development of the Nikon F4
- The Digital Darkroom
- The Simple Making of Stereoscopic Photography
- George Lepp's Digital Panorama
- Stepping up to large format
___________________________________________________________________________
* ANNOUNCEMENTS *
Editor's note
-------------
Due to my heavier work schedule, "Photography Happenings!!" newsletters
will now be released once every three weeks instead of every fortnight.
Although this means that you'll not be updated so frequently, it also means
that each issue will be better, since I'll have more time to research the
news and write better articles. Subscription has grown steadily, and I'd
like to take this chance to thank everyone for their support.
There will be slight changes in the site and newsletter. For a start,
the section "Events in Singapore" will be renamed "Events" to encompass
events worldwide, since our international subscription base has grown substantially.
For example, this issue's "Events" highlights the professional workshop
in Bangkok which combines both traditional and digital imaging.
In addition, the opening page of the site will now be open to advertisements
from photographic companies, in return for a fee or donation of products
or services. This is to help support the cost of the site maintainance.
Interested parties can e-mail me for discussion. The site and newsletter
will however remain neutral and will not be biased towards advertisers.
Since the shift to the new site, the counter has recorded 2000 visitors
in the first month alone(25th June - 25th July). And to all the people
who e-mailed me about how much you love the site, thanks a million!!
New Articles
------------
There are two new articles this time round, so be sure to check them
out!!
New Article No.1: Is Photography Weighing You Down?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As serious photographers, one of the biggest obstacle we face is the
management of heavy camera bags. We all know that while we are out in the
field shooting, every single ounce becomes increasingly heavier as we plod
on forward in the search for better images. Weight management is not only
a matter of comfort, it also concerns our long-term health. Check out this
article for tips on how to manage the weight of your equipment bag. It
does not contain magic formulas on diminishing weight, but rather it is
a collection of common-sense tips on how to plan and pack your bags, and
some ways to distribute the load more evenly. So check out the article
in the "Articles" section at:
http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo
New Article No.2: Kodak E100VS Review (by Gerard Koh)
-----------------------------------------------------
Kicking off the new series of Visitor's Contribution, Gerard Koh has
kindly agreed to post his review of the new Kodak E100VS on the official
website. Will the new E100VS from the Yellow Giant successfully challenge
the dominance of the Fuji Velvia in the era of saturated-slow films? Check
out what Gerard Koh has to say about the new film in this review, complete
with images for you to judge the film, in the "Equipment Review" section
at:
http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo
Editor: If you feel that you have something valuable to share with the
rest of the photographic community, please feel free to e-mail to me about
posting it up at "Photography Happenings!!"
[Total list membership stands
at 455]
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* NEW PRODUCTS *
Kodak DCS 660 (Nikon F5 body)
-----------------------------
Kodak has released a new digital camera based on the Nikon F5 body
- the Kodak DCS 660. The newest member to Kodak Professional's family of
digital cameras offers a six-million-pixel CCD sensor with a burst rate
of one image per second, with flexible ISO setting of 80 to 200. The DCS
660 is capable of producing 18MB RGB-files in 8 bits/color. It is equipped
with FireWire (IEEE 1394) connections for fast data transfers. The DCS
660 weighs 1.86 kg, and it is developed by Kodak based on the Nikon F5
body. Check out more information on the DCS 660 at the following website:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/cameras/dcs660/dcs660.shtml
Editor's Note:
The Nikon D1 (to be released soon) is developed by Nikon, while the
DCS 660 is a product of Kodak (even though it is based on a Nikon F5 body).
Yamaha CRW6416S SCSI CDRW drive
-------------------------------
Yamaha has just released a 6X4X16X CD-RW, probably the fastest in the
home consumer market. According to the reviewer, it is possible to burn
527mb in 10 minutes 33 seconds, which is pretty quick no matter how you
look at it. The review also includes information on how CD-writers work,
and the difference between the different types of recordable CDs. Shucks...
and I've just purchased a HP 8200i....
http://www.hardware-one.com/reviews/ya6416/
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* WEBSITE REVIEWS *
Here are this issue's recommended websites:
mindZeye
--------
Opens with a short passage about how one should see with the mind's
eye, to add depth to what one observes in everyday life.
Beautiful gallery of landscape and nature photography, as well as some
engaging portraits of ordinary people. The most interesting aspect might
be the Safari trip organized by the author. Check out the great itinerary
of the trip! The organizer seems very experienced in such trips, and the
trip is organized with photographic opportunities in mind. Wonder if we'll
ever have such tours groups locally?
http://www.mindzeye.co.za/
<Recommended by Mervyn
Sek>
SeinOff: The Last Days of Seinfeld
----------------------------------
Remember the popular American sitcom Seinfeld? Recall the big hoo-ha
when it was announced that the series will be ending? Remember the last
episode when the entire cast was jailed because of their sadistic pranks
on other people? Well, photographer David Hume Kennerly did not forget
the joys he had watching the series, and he was given the rare opportunity
to photograph behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the last episode.
The approach is very photojournalistic, and it gives a surprisingly candid
view of what went on when the camera was not rolling. The quality of the
black-and-white images are amazingly good. Even if you don't like Seinfeld,
you should check it out. And if you love Seinfeld, don't miss this site
for your life!
http://18.23.0.67/issue9811/seinoff01.htm
Imaging Resource
----------------
This website has pretty comprehensive tests, photography articles,
a chat forum, and some FAQs. Its main focus is on digital imaging, and
there are useful and comprehensive reviews and image comparisons between
different digital cameras, as well as hints and tips on getting the most
out of your digital cameras. Also check out the scanner reviews and news
about the latest in imaging technology here at:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/INDEX.HTM
Soft Focused Kyoto
------------------
Well, it is difficult to be indifferent to this set of photographs.
You'll either love them or hate them. This is a series of soft-focused
images taken in Kyoto, with a KIYOHARA 50mm F4.5 soft focus lens. Who knows?
It might get people inspired enough to go out and get the DC-Nikkor or
Minolta Soft-Focus to recreate something like this!
Quite frankly, I liked the images when I first saw them. But viewing
24 similar soft images consecutively became slightly unbearable for me
:)
http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/gordon/soft/Kyoto/index.html
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* EVENTS *
Lenscape Workshops in Bangkok
-----------------------------
Lenscape Workshop is a photography workshop in Bankok, aimed at teaching
the participants conventional photography and digital manipulation, in
a fun and hands-on manner. The participants have basic knowledge of photography
and the computer, and the course will take the participants outdoors for
the actual shoot, and back in the computer lab for some hands-on imaging
creativity. The five-day intensive workshop will have professional instructors
by your side to guide you along, and provide assistance whenever required.
Participants will be taken to Bangkok’s exciting locations from ancient
temples, monuments and statues to floating markets or sampan boat rides
on rivers and canals to experience the "Venice of the East.". According
to the literature at the website, "every lesson will start by assessing
how the image should be manipulated and what the artist in you can do to
enhance it to its full potential. This is where the computer becomes your
creative tool."
Group size will be limited to six participants to ensure maximum interaction
with the instructor and with each other, with a ratio of three participants
to one instructor. The website provides comprehensive information about
the courses, lesson structure, facilities, instructors and it appears to
be a very well-organized and professional course. For those of you who
are thinking of taking a short vacation to Bangkok, you might like to consider
merging this photo workshop with your holidays!
http://www.lenscape.com
Behind The Glamour Industry
---------------------------
Join TCS celebrities Gurmit Singh and Pierre Png (from Phua Chu Kang)
and Andrew Seow (from Growing Up) on 9th of July, as they talk about a
recent photography project about the glamour industry. Together with the
stylists and photographers which were involved in the project, they will
discuss behind-the-scenes issues on the creation of glamour. Admission
is free, but prior reservations will be required.
Glass Hall, Singapore Art Museum
9th July 1999 (Friday)
7 p.m
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* PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS *
Underwater Photography
----------------------
Enthusiasts of underwater photography should take a look at this collection
of articles about Underwater Photography. DIVER Magazine has a special
section called "Focus on Photography" to provide tips on how to take better
underwater images. Be sure to check it out at:
http://www.divernet.com/photog/photog.htm
PhotoForum's File of Answers to FAQs
------------------------------------
Photoforum is one of the most popular Internet forum catering to photography.
Its high traffic volume and long history means that many questions have
been asked, sometimes repeatedly. In order not to jam up the forum with
repeated questions, Photoforum has created a collection of answers to frwquently
asked questions (FAQs). It is a rich archive of data that you should save
on your harddisk, in case you might need the information someday!
http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/faq.html
Development of the Nikon F4
---------------------------
This is not essentially a tip, but an interesting piece of info I stumbled
upon while surfing the net. This article describes how the Nikon F4 was
developed, and the decisions which led to the features which was included
in the F4. Interesting reading for Nikon F4 lovers:
http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/rhnc01f4-e.htm
http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/rhnc02f4-e.htm
The Digital Darkroom
--------------------
Sponsored by Hewlett-Packard, this article explains the advantages
of the digital darkroom, giving you an insight about the possibilities
of going digital. There are some jargons here and there, not for the technically
weak-hearted. However, it is an interesting reading to further your knowledge
of digital imaging. Ans the article says, "although we'll use Hewlett Packard's
PhotoSmart system as the basis for our discussion, the information here
should be useful regardless of the brand of equipment you choose". Cool!!
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/DDARK/DDARK.HTM
The Simple Making of Stereoscopic Photography
---------------------------------------------
This website must be written by a Japanese, because it sounds very
much like Yoda speaking! The articles provide interesting insights about
how to make simple sterographic images by combining two disposible cameras
and how to view the resulting images so that it looks three dimensional.
http://www.rpm.or.jp/home/h-kouno/3dphoto.htm
George Lepp's Digital Panorama
------------------------------
http://www.leppphoto.com/TechTips/DigitalInfo.html
Note: For those of you who do not intend to read this article, George
Lepp warns that CD burned with the DirectCD program will not be able to
be read by the DVD drives. He advised that for compatibility sake, the
use of the EasyCD program is recommended over DirectCD.
Stepping up to Large Format
---------------------------
At certain points in life, you feel that you have done pretty much
what can be done with what you have. Of course, it is probably false, but
you feel that you should be moving on to something new. The recent trend
is to embrace digital photography or larger formats of photography (such
as medium format or large format). This article by Larry Sizemore explores
the process, the controls, and the pros and cons of large format photography.
It's a simple article with illustrations and images, to give you a insight
of the medium, so that you can decide whether it is suitable for yourself.
http://www.LarrySizemore.com/articles/art8A.htm
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That's all for this issue, folks!
Happy shooting!!
Your friendly list-maintainer,
Nelson Tan
Visit the official "Photography Happenings !!" website at:
http://lioncity.s-one.net.sg/~photo/index.htm
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