Mardis Gras 360 Degrees Photo Workshop

Photograph © Kirsten Luce-All Rights Reserved
The second annual Mardi Gras 2009,360 Degrees is planned for February 19 to February 26, 2009 in New Orleans. This is a hybrid photo event and workshop that seeks to bring photographers together to document the ritual that defines New Orleans and illuminates the city’s culture. Registration is now open on its website, with details, costs, etc.

The event is spearheaded by Andy Levin who, along with Donna Ferrato, Debbie Fleming Caffery, Alan Chin, Lori Waselchuk, and others, will be its faculty. Arrangements are being undertaken to hold the workshops at the Alliance Francaise just off St. Charles Avenue off the parade route.

I wish I could attend this event, but its timing conflicts with one of my photo expeditions, but there's some solace in visiting its website to listen to its opening screen's foot thumping "soundtrack". Trust me, you'll spend a while enjoying it, while looking at great work from the inaugural workshop.

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James H. Kenney Jr.: Women of Evangel

Photograph © James H. Kenney Jr.-All Rights Reserved
James H. Kenney Jr. is a photographer and an educator at the Western Kentucky University since 1993 where he's currently the coordinator of the photojournalism program. He was a photo editor for newspapers in Nevada before entering the teaching profession. He has taught courses in photojournalism, and is a director in Mountain Workshops.

James has spent summers photographing projects in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Nigeria and received awards in still photography and multimedia in the Best of Photojournalism 2007 & 2008 contests, and a multimedia award in the 2008 POYI contest, among others.

Here is his multimedia essay The Women of Evangel, Healing & Hope, a truly inspirational project which is humbling in its professionalism. Highly recommended.

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SanDisk CF Deals

I've just returned from B&H where I bought its last in-stock SanDisk 8GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card for the princely amount of $15 (after I fill in SanDisk's rebate form and get the $15 back). I also bought two SanDisk 4GB Extreme III CompactFlash Cards for the majestic price of $10 each (after SanDisk's rebate of $10 on each).

I'm sure there are similar (or even better) deals around, and just in time for the holiday season too.

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Mike Hutmacher:Kodakchrome's Last Stand

© Mike Hutmacher/Courtesy Kansas.com-All Rights Reserved
Skippy Sanchez (aka Mike Hutmacher) is a staff photographer working for The Wichita Eagle, and specializes in documentary projects such as el Dia de los Muertos, the festival of la Virgen de Guadalupe and various Christian mission projects in Honduras. Amongst his passions are street photography, travel, portraiture and illustrations.

He recently produced a slideshow, featured on Kansas.com (the website for The Wichita Eagle) documenting Dwayne's Photo Lab in southeast Kansas, which is the only processing laboratory in the world that still processes Kodakchrome film. It has no relevance to travel photography except that I recall stocking canisters of this slide film before leaving on one of my trips....and returning not knowing what my images would be like.

For many of us who have worked with Kodachrome and still remember (and perhaps miss) its uniqueness, this slideshow will stir many memories. I loved the format, the choice of ragtime piano music and finally an epilogue with words of Paul Simon's classic song.

Another thing: Skippy participated in my multimedia class at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Mexico City last June, and as I watched him photographing at the Church of the Guadalupe, I couldn't but marvel at how he moved seamlessly amongst the crowds, working his Leica as if it was an extension of his hands...greeting people, smiling and getting what he wanted.

A professional.

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Nikon D3X: Full Specifications

Image Courtesy Engadget

The authoritative British Journal of Photography has just published the full specs of the Nikon D3X as announced by the company. More details will emerge today...perhaps including the price which is rumored to be $8000 in the US. BJP confirms that its price in Europe is £5500 / €7728.


Here are the full specifications for the Nikon D3X camera.


* Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor with 24.5 effective megapixels
* Exceptional noise control from ISO 100 to ISO 1600
* Fast 14-bit A/D conversion incorporated onto the image sensor for high signal-to-noise ratio and low power consumption
* Nikon’s EXPEED image-processing system, utilizing a supremely powerful CPU with 16-bit image processing
* Near-instantaneous shutter release time lag of approx. 0.04 second (based on CIPA Guideline)*
* 5-frames-per-second continuous shooting in FX format and 7 fps in DX crop mode (up to 130 frames)*
* 51-point Multi-CAM3500FX autofocus system
* Scene Recognition System for more accurate AF, AE, and AWB results
* Active D-Lighting for complete control over highlight and shadow detail
* Picture Control: Standard, Vivid, Neutral and Monochrome (Landscape, Portrait and D2x Modes I, II and III are available free via download)
* Live View mode for shooting handheld and with a tripod
* High-resolution (approx. 920k dots), 3-inch VGA-size LCD monitor with tempered glass
* Durable, lightweight magnesium-alloy construction and comprehensive weather sealing against dust and moisture
* Intelligent power management that lets you shoot up to approx. 4,400 frames on a single battery charge (based on CIPA Standards)
* Compatibility with the Nikon Total Imaging System

Effective pixels
24.5 million

Image sensor
CMOS sensor, 35.9 x 24.0 mm; Nikon FX format; total pixels: 25.72 million

Image size (pixels)
FX format (36 x 24): 6,048 x 4,032 [L], 4,544 x 3,024 [M], 3,024 x 2,016 [S]
DX format (24 x 16): 3,968 x 2,640 [L], 2,976 x 1,976 [M], 1,984 x 1,320 [S]
5:4 (30 x 24): 5,056 x 4,032 [L], 3,792 x 3,024 [M], 2,528 x 2,016 [S]

Sensitivity
ISO 100 to 1600 in steps of 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV; can be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1 EV (ISO 50 equivalent) below ISO 100, or to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 6400 equivalent) over ISO 1600

Storage media
CompactFlash(Type I/II, compliant with UDMA); Microdrives

LCD monitor
3-in., approx. 920k-dot (VGA), 170-degree wide-viewing-angle, 100% frame coverage, low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with brightness adjustment

Exposure metering
TTL full-aperture exposure metering using 1,005-pixel RGB sensor

1) 3D Color Matrix Metering II (type G and D lenses); Color Matrix Metering II (other CPU lenses); Color Matrix Metering (non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data)
2) Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-, 15- or 20-mm circle in center of frame, or weighting based on average of entire frame
3) Spot: Meters 4-mm circle (about 1.5% of frame) centered on selected focus area (on center focus area when non-CPU lens is used)

Exposure modes
1) Programmed Auto (P) with flexible program,
2) Shutter-Priority Auto (S),
3) Aperture-Priority Auto (A),
4) Manual (M)

Interface
Hi-speed USB

Power sources
One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a/EL4, Quick Charger MH-22/MH-21, AC Adapter EH-6 (optional)

Dimensions (W x H x D)
Approx. 159.5 x 157 x 87.5 mm (6.3 x 6.2 x 3.4 in.)

Weight
Approx. 1,220 g (2 lb. 11 oz.) without battery, memory card, body cap or accessory shoe cover

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Chico Sanchez: Mexican Bullfighting

Photograph © Chico Sanchez-All Rights Reserved
I've featured Chico Sanchez's work on a number of occasions (links below), and he's back on TTP with his SoundSlides slideshow on Mexican Bullfighting. The audio is well chosen, and weaven quite nicely into the slideshow with narrative, ambient sound, etc.

Although the subject matter may offend many who (in my view, justifiably) oppose this gruesome and cruel activity, there's also the consideration that it is a tradition, and part of Mexican history. The Spanish occupation of Mexico led to the rise of bullfighting which is locally known as la fiesta brava.

The justifications for this controversial tradition in some the slideshow's captions are rather puerile but whether we like it or not, it has been one of the most popular "sporting" events in Mexico for the last 400 years

Chico Sanchez is a freelance photographer based in Mexico City. Chico worked in Venezuela, collaborating with Reuters, European Pressphoto Agency, Agencia EFE, and freelances for various newspapers and magazines.

Previous posts of Chico Sanchez's slideshows are (here, here, and here).

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Kalpesh Lathigra: Transmission

Photograph © Kalpesh Lathigra-All Rights Reserved
As previously noted in The Travel Photographer blog (see below for link), Kalpesh Lathigra is an enormously talented London-based freelance photographer, working for most of the United Kingdom's newspaper magazines, including the Sunday Times Magazine, and The Independent Magazine. His work ranges from photographic essays of the American Midwest to the aftermath of the Asian tsunami, as well as social issues related photography projects such as The Brides of Krishna, the widows in Vrindavan.

He has recently published a series of photographs titled Transmission on his website which portray women prostitutes (including some hijras, or eunuchs who dress and identify themselves as female) outside of their usual environment in Mumbai, India. Kalpesh chose to photograph his subjects, not in the brothels as many photographers have done, but in his studio.

In an accompanying article in the Independent, Kalpesh says: "They were really surprised that I wanted to take their photographs in the studio and not in a brothel, but I did it because I wanted to isolate the women visually in a direct way. The photographs are for me a way of breaking away from visual clichés – and more importantly, a way of breaking away from the taboos and stigma of HIV, which in India are still very prevalent."

Viewing these dignified portraits, I'm reminded of Sebastiao Salagado's "If you take a picture of a human that does not make him noble, there is no reason to take this picture. That is my way of seeing things."

Previous post on Kalpesh Lathigra (Link)

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