Carl Zeiss Launches 2011 Photography Contest: “Every Moment Tells a Story”

Entries until January 15, 2012 on Flickr photo community

OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 12.2011 - Every moment tells a story. That is the theme of the Carl Zeiss Photo Contest 2011, which was launched today. Anyone can enter the contest provided the photos are shot with a ZEISS lens. It also does not matter if the photographer uses an SLR reflex camera or a smartphone with a ZEISS lens.


The theme

„We are looking for that moment when you not only see a subject, but also a story. We are searching for that very special moment,” says Martin Dominicus, Head of Marketing of the Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division. “Every life, every situation and every place is full of such moments. The ability to capture a moment in such a way that you recognize the story behind it — this is, and has always been, the high art of photography.”

Carl Zeiss encourages photographers from around the world to look for moments that fit the theme, and to submit their best image. The ability to consciously stage a moment of time into an image and press the shutter button at just the right time was mastered by the legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. He always knew what image he wanted to depict when the shutter was released. „Cartier-Bresson had an unmistakable way of expressing the story of a moment. We look forward to seeing how the participants of our photography competition capture the moments of everyday life in their own individual style,” says Dominicus.

As in 2010, this contest will again take place on the global online photo community Flickr. Participants should upload their best image to the theme “Every moment tells a story” on the official Carl Zeiss group on Flickr and tag it with the keyword “ZEISSContest2011“.

For more information about the contest and the terms of participation, visit: www.zeiss.com/photo/contest


The jury


Photographers and photo enthusiasts have until Sunday January 15, 2012 to submit their images on Flickr. Subsequently, the jury, consisting of Carl Zeiss employees and professional photographers, will shortlist the best images. One of the jury members will be the well-known Slovak photographer and researcher Filip Kulisev, who has received several international photography awards for his spectacular landscape photography.

The highest number of points will be given to images that have been consciously composed and in which one can recognize a story. The Flickr community will select the ten best images from the jury’s shortlist by designating them as a “favorite”. The images that receive the most “favorites” on Flickr will win.


The prizes

1st prize:
A ZEISS lens of the winner’s choice (ZE or ZF.2) with exclusive engraving +
Carl Zeiss T* UV filter +
Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap +
Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit

2nd prize:
Nokia Lumia 800 smartphone with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens

3rd prize:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX55 digital camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens

4th prize:
Logitech HD Pro webcam C910 with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens

5th and 6th prizes:
Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap +
Carl Zeiss knapsack+
Carl Zeiss watch +
Carl Zeiss umbrella +
Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit

7th and 8th prizes:
Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap +
Carl Zeiss umbrella +
Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit

9th prize:
Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap +
Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit

10th prize:
Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit

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Canon Speedliting with Multiple Flashes

YouTube link: http://youtu.be/hk7IRg1ApGE 



by BHPhotoVideoProAudio - In this Canon-specific workshop, you will learn the how and why of using multiple Speedlites off-camera. Our emphasis will be on the wireless system built into Canon Speedlites. We will explore all the settings on both the master and slave Speedlites.

• Canon Flashes
• Wescott Apollo Orb

Category: Education
Tags: Canon, 480, exII. ex. II, speedliting, speedlit, speed, lights, flash, photography, bh, bandh, photo, video, pro, audio, event, space

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The EPSON International Pano Awards 2012

 

Over US$25,000 in cash and prizes! Enter online at www.thepanoawards.com

Professional and amateur photographers around the world are invited to enter The EPSON International Pano Awards to compete for over $25,000 in cash and prizes.

Early-bird entries are open from December 2011 until Friday 20th of April 2012.

The third Epson International Pano Awards is dedicated to the art of panoramic photography. Advances in digital photography and software such as PTGui and Adobe Photoshop has resulted in an explosion in image stitching, especially in the panoramic format. Panoramic film photography also remains alive and well.

The Epson International Pano Awards showcases the work of panoramic photographers worldwide and is the largest and most important competition for panoramic photography.

The 2011 competition saw 3,586 images submitted from 985 photographers in 62 countries.

The 2012 competition is now open for all professional and amateur photographers with an increased combined prize pool of more than US $25,000 in cash and prizes!

Prizes include an Epson Stylus Pro 7900 printer, an Epson Stylus Pro 4900 printer, an Epson EB-1775 Ultra-Slim Projector and US$5000 cash.

2011 saw the successful introduction of a new VR/360 category for ‘immersive’ panoramic photography. The competition also presented a display of winning and high scoring images a the PMA Photo Imaging trade show in Sydney in June, which was attended by tens of thousands of people.

In 2012 we hope to expand the VR category, and will repeat the highly popular PMA display, this time held in Melbourne in May.

The judging panel includes some of the world's top panoramic photographers and industry professionals, including members of the IAPP and IVRPA.

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Color Splurge 1.4 Free for iOS: Selectively Remove/Alter Color in Photos

Indie developer Vijay Doddavala today announces Color Splurge 1.4 free for iOS, his photography app that allows users to create dramatically enhanced photos by selectively removing or altering the color of people and objects in the photo. The #5 Photo app in the U.S. app store, Color Splurge makes it easy to turn a color photo completely black & white, and then selectively replace the original colors or paint in new ones. It works with most photos from the camera, Facebook, or photo library.

Bangalore, India (PRWEB) December, 2011 - Indie developer Vijay Doddavala today is pleased to announce Color Splurge 1.4 free for iOS, his photography app that allows users to create dramatically enhanced photos by selectively removing or altering the color of people and objects in the photo. In the Top 5 Photo apps in the U.S. App Store for all of December, Color Splurge makes it easy to turn a color photo completely black & white, and then selectively replace the original colors or paint in new ones. The app works with most photos from the camera, Facebook, or the iOS Photo Library. Color Splurge features: unlimited undos, revert to original, zoom in & out, move photo left/right & up/down, compatibility with most photo resolutions, powerful save & export & import, continuously variable color selection for 16 million possible shades, and post card delivery with built-in Sincerely Ship capability, which creates and ships a 4 x 6 personalized postcard anywhere in the world.


In the age of iOS photography, where billions of snapshots are in circulation around the globe, it is not easy to make a portrait photo stand out. A technique long used by professionals, selective desaturation, produces dramatic results by accenting a black & white photo with splashes of color. Until recently, a photographer needed a costly Photoshop-like piece of software to expertly execute this graphic sleight of hand. Now, Color Splurge produces professional results effortlessly in a free app for iOS. Formerly named Color Splurge - Color/Recolor/Gray/Splash Color/Colorize, the app includes all these functions, plus much more.

To start, users can use photos from any of the following sources: Facebook Profile photo, Facebook Album photos, iOS Photo Library or Album, built-in camera, or Clipboard. Once opened in the app, the user can completely desaturate (remove the color from) the photo with one button. Next, the creative photographer uses the normal two-finger gesture to zoom in to the photo, making it easier to add color to a small area. Two-finger manipulation of the photo is easy, even on an iPhone-sized screen. Finally, the user can choose from two kinds of color accents: natural or artificial. Natural accents reveal the actual, original color "beneath" the B&W photo. Artificial accents allow the user to paint a translucent color over any part of the B&W photo, turning an orange blue if desired. Because it is a semi-transparent layer of color, the details of the object, including highlights and shadow, show through, which adds realism. Photo retouchers can dial in any one of more than 16 million colors, and can paint using a fingertip or variable sized paintbrush. Another choice is to colorize the entire photo, for example, add a sepia tint uniformly to the entire picture.

Feature Highlights:

* Selective desaturation - remove color from selected areas

* Colorize - pick the color you like and paint your photos

* Get the images from your Facebook Album, Facebook Profile Photo, Photo Album, and Camera

* Upload your work to Twitpic, Facebook Albums, Phone Album, Email and Clipboard

* Supports Undo with unlimited (until memory is full in your device) number of levels

* Save as many projects as you want

* Multiple resolutions to choose while Uploading your images

* Copy the image to the clipboard and use it wherever you like

* Zoom In, Zoom Out and Pan using your two fingers

* Use the Brush size that works for you

* See the Brush tip while working on the image, so that it will be easy for you while working on the image

* And it is free

With their new photo finished, Color Splurge artists can save the photograph to the iOS Photo Library or the Clipboard. Integrated export and upload options include: email, Facebook Albums, Twitpic, and the newly incorporated post card feature. The app includes a built-in, optional service called Sincerely Ship. This third-party photo specialist offers Color Splurge users the opportunity to have their custom photo printed as a 4 x 6 post card with a personalized message, and then mailed anywhere in the world. Customers are billed directly through Sincerely, Inc., known for their Postagram service.

"It has been very gratifying to see Color Splurge become a Top 10 Photography app in more than 30 App Stores worldwide," commented Vijay Doddavala. "My plan is to continually improve it and keep it free, so that more and more people can enjoy it."

Device Requirements:

    iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
    Requires iOS 3.2 or later (iOS 5 tested)
    6.5 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Color Splurge 1.4 is now free (ad-supported) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photo & Video category.

Vijay Doddavala
http://www.photoandvideoapps.com/

Color Splurge 1.4
http://www.photoandvideoapps.com/Apps/ColorSplurge/ColorSplurge.html

Purchase and Download
http://itunes.apple.com/app/color-splurge-color-recolor/id473535285 

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PhotoBiz.com Develops Powerful iPad App for Photographers

PhotoBiz Proofing is an iPad companion to our powerful slideshow based presentation system, Client Viewing. PhotoBiz Proofing is the perfect solution for photographers and creative professionals that are looking to proof albums, private viewing galleries, or entire events for large groups. Some of the most advanced features are dynamic resizing, customizable labels/messages, multilingual ready and social network sharing integration.

Greensboro, NC (PRWEB) December, 2011 - For PhotoBiz.com’s customers that have Client Viewing, there is now a feature packed iPad app for mobile proofing. This is a great mobile way to show off their work in a “Flash” like application on an iPad. It is the perfect app for PhotoBiz clients to display their photography while on the go, be it at a speaking engagement, at shows or at training seminars.


PhotoBiz Proofing is the perfect companion to PhotoBiz’s powerful online proofing tool. The integration that our iPad app holds with the PhotoBiz Client Viewing System provides a seamless mobile shift in such a way that requires ZERO extra work. The full screen display will show the photographer’s images in detail and the zoom feature offers an even more enhanced view. PhotoBiz Proofing is a high impact presentation app that is multilingual with complete social network sharing integration that has the potential to be one of our customer’s favorite selling tools.

The photographer’s clients can securely log in to PhotoBiz Proofing {itunes link} (they can even have a guest with Dual Login) to view as a slideshow or select from large thumbnail menu. This great tool for album proofing is just right for allowing clients to narrow down their selections with easy one-click addition or removal of “Favorites”. Individual image comments or editing requests can be submitted so that the photographer can update images and retain all comment history until final client approval.

As an innovative leader in the photographic/web industry PhotoBiz.com is always on the lookout for new technology to better serve our customers and reach out to new ones. Already in development and scheduled to be released soon will be an Android supported version of the app.

For more information about the new PB Viewer iPad app or PhotoBiz.com visit http://www.PhotoBiz.com or visit us on Facebook at http://www.photobizfanclub.com.

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New Pixel Blend Pro iPhone App Transforms Photos into Impressionist Art

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - To help photographers transform their images into impressionist art, Michael Valdez today introduces the innovative new app Pixel Blend Pro, giving iPhone users unique and unexpected tools to manipulate their digital photos in dramatic ways previously only possible with film. 

Pixel Blend Pro lets photographers scratch, smudge, and smear their photos in new ways to give them a painterly look that is unique in the App Store. Based on the innovative iPad app Pixel Blend HD, Pixel Blend Pro for the iPhone adds many new features including changing tool sizes, applying new textures, and an eraser tool.

"Pixel Blend Pro can help you find your inner artist by creating original photo art," said Michael Valdez, creator of the app. "You can easily create impressionistic effects by manipulating the pixels of your images."

Pixel Blend was inspired by Polaroid SX-70 time zero film manipulation, a process that used original tools such as paperclips to distort the film's soft emulsion into a beautiful new look.

In the app, photographers can choose from unique tools to manipulate their photos in subtle or dramatic ways. A slider can be used to increase or decrease the size of each brush.

Available tools include:

* Toothpick

* Knitting needle

* Crochet hook

* Dental tool

* Wooden knife

* Eraser

Also, Pixel Blend Pro lets users apply a sandpaper texture to photos or choose from 3 new textures.

A unique feature of the app is the ability to change the photograph's temperature - this affects how each tool works so users can achieve the exact effect they are looking for. Hot temperatures allow for maximum movement of the photo's pixels while cold temperatures are used for less movement. 

 Completed photos can quickly shared with friends by email, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or Flickr.

Features of the Pixel Blend Pro app include:

* Create impressionist images - Photos can be transformed in beautiful new ways, giving them a painterly look

* Unique tools - Photos can be scratched, smudged, and smeared to create original, unexpected effects

* 3 new textures - Sandpaper and other textures give a dramatic "real world" look to digital images

* Use any photos - Users can pick any image from their iPhone or iPad, or take a new picture to manipulate.

* Share photo art - Finished photos can be sent by email, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or Flickr

Device requirements:

* iPhone or iPod touch

* Requires iOS 4.0 or later

* 6.3 MB

Pricing and availability:

Pixel Blend Pro (for iPhone and iPod touch) is currently available for sale worldwide through the App Store in the Photo and Video category for $1.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies). Pixel Blend HD (for iPad) is also available for $1.99 USD. Review copies are available upon request.

Website Links

Pixel Blend http://www.pixelblend.me

Purchase Pixel Blend Pro http://itunes.apple.com/app/id486949989

Purchase Pixel Blend HD http://itunes.apple.com/app/id449226514

Sample Photos - Flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/1760215@N22/

Corporate Identity

Based in Nevada, Michael Valdez specializes in creating photography apps for the iPad and iPhone. His first app, Pixel Blend HD for the iPad, allows users to apply impressionist effects to their digital photos. Pixel Blend Pro is now being released for the iPhone. Copyright (C) 2011 Michael Valdez. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. 

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Scott Kelby Launches New Photography Lighting Magazine Exclusively for the Apple iPad

Light It: The How-To Magazine for Studio Lighting and Off-Camera Flash is the first digital photography lighting magazine made exclusively for the Apple iPad®. It features the industry’s top experts on photography lighting. The free debut issue boasts more than 50 pages of articles, lighting techniques, equipment overviews, and more. The digital-only format allows for stunning photographs, videos, and web links for a whole new reader experience.

TAMPA, FL – August 24, 2011 – Today, best-selling Photoshop® and photography book author, Scott Kelby released a new iPad-only digital magazine called Light It: The How-To Magazine for Studio Lighting and Off-Camera Flash through his KelbyTraining.com division. The debut issue is free and available now on iTunes in the App Store.

Light It is for photographers of all skill-levels who use lighting or want to explore lighting concepts. The debut issue of Light It is being distributed free of charge as part of the Light It app, also free, that serves as the “magazine rack” for all future issues. No subscription is required.

The free debut issue of Light It features contributions from executive editor Scott Kelby, with features from editorial photographer Zack Arias; Help-Portrait founder Jeremy Cowart; and one of today’s most influential photographers Joe McNally. Regular contributors include Matt Kloskowski and Rafael "RC" Concepcion from The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and KelbyTraining.com; sports, adventure, and editorial photographer Tom Bol; senior portrait photographer James Schmelzer; fashion photographer Frank Doorhof; wedding photographer and Guinness record holder Jason Groupp; commercial photographer Erik Valind; and Brad Moore.

“The future is digital, so there will be a digital version of
everything we do going forward. There has to be. The cheese
has been moved.” – Scott Kelby

Light It was conceived and designed specifically for the iPad to incorporate crisp, sharp photos and embedded videos and links with the intuitive feel of a print magazine. “Our number-one goal with Light It is to give readers an easy-to-read app that doesn’t get in the way of the learning. If we have to teach people how to read it, we’ve failed,” said Kelby.

The launch of Light It as an iPad-only publication represents a bold new step for Scott’s company, Kelby Media Group, since the company’s origin is deeply rooted in the print publishing business. “I think the future of magazine publishing is digital, and I personally now prefer to read magazines on my iPad, which is something I never thought would happen,” said Kelby. “With iPad publishing, you can try new things, experiment, and even launch new magazines without the massive risk normally associated with print publishing. The future is digital, so there will be a digital version of everything we do going forward. There has to be. The cheese has been moved.”

KelbyTraining.com selected Aquafadas Digital Publishing System to produce Light It. Aquafadas’ tools let designers create fully interactive apps and content for iPad and iPhone by using the tools they are familiar with, Adobe® InDesign® and QuarkXPress®, and without requiring programming skills. The company also provides creative software for Flash®, HTML5, photo and video editing, and is a leader in the digital comics market with AveComics, used by French and international publishers to publish comics to tablets and smartphones.

“We are very pleased Scott Kelby selected Aquafadas as his digital publishing partner, and very happy that the features of our Digital Publishing System are able to meet the exceptional demands of a magazine for creative professionals like Light It,” said Claudia Zimmer, Aquafadas CEO.

For more information on Light It including video, graphics, press kit links and more quotes from Scott Kelby, please visit: KelbyTraining.com/LightIt.

About Scott Kelby
Scott is the founder and president of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) the largest Photoshop training resource in the world with more than 72,000 members; and KelbyTraining.com, which offers online classes on photography, lighting and the Adobe Creative Suite. He is editor-in-chief of Photoshop User, the executive editor of Light It, and creator of KelbyTV.com where he hosts two top-rated weekly video podcasts, PhotoshopUser TV and The Grid. He also serves as training director for KelbyTraining LIVE, the official Adobe Photoshop Seminar Tour, and is the technical chair of the Photoshop World Conference & Expo. In addition to being a Photoshop expert and photographer, Scott is also the world’s #1 bestselling author of all Photoshop and photography books.

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