Category Archives: News

Commentary, Ideas, News

Photographer Beware – Two Examples of Intellectual Property Rights Grabbing ‘Contests’

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Minor updates were made to this article in May of 2018. Note that the examples come from nearly a decade earlier, and that the parties mentioned may have changed their policies since they were originally posted. Although the specific examples are now dated, they still illustrate things that anyone considering entry in a “photo contest” needs to understand.

If you ever read the terms of many “photo contests” you have likely been appalled by some of them – and you should be! By simply entering many of them you surrender substantial rights to your own work. Today I want to share two current examples – each of which is very troubling though in somewhat different ways. Continue reading Photographer Beware – Two Examples of Intellectual Property Rights Grabbing ‘Contests’ →

Commentary, News, Photographers, Workshops

News From Charles Cramer

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I got an email from Charles Cramer last week, meant to pass some of his news along right away, and then became very busy and forgot. (My excuse is a combination of having a ton of papers to grade and about 40 prints to make!) Anyway, better late than never…

The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley is having a show of Charlie’s work through May 27th. You can see some examples of his work from the show here. (I’m fond of most all of his photographs, but the luminous photograph of an aspen grove found in this series is one of my favorites.) If you are in the Valley during the next week and a half, be sure to stop by the Gallery and linger for a while  – if nothing else it sounds like a great way to spend some time during the midday non-shooting interval! (It would certainly be more edifying than what I usually do in the middle of my epic One-Day Bay Area to Yosemite and Back marathons: nap for an hour in my car!)

Charlie does workshops. He reports that almost all of them are currently sold out, but that are still some openings for a workshop in Santa Clara, California on June 26-28. Highly recommended – more information online. I’ve been fortunate to have Charlie share some of his vast knowledge of photography and printing with me, and I know personally how well he explains important concepts and techniques and how insightful he is when it comes to seeing and critiquing your photographs. He also has a great – though slightly twisted – sense of humor as well. If you have a chance to read his Photoshop Techniques booklet, you know what I mean.

Commentary, Ideas, News

Photography and Freedom of Speech… and War

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Taking a break from the usual landscape stuff you’ll find here – don’t worry, it will be back soon! – I’d like to draw attention to a New York Times article posted today:  “Images, the Law and War” (You may need to “join” the site there to see it.)

I’m not going to take sides here – not at the moment, anyway – on the question of whether President Obama is right or wrong to withhold the release of additional photographs that reveal painful truths about our treatment of captives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have an opinion, but I’d rather you consider the article and the underlying issues it illustrates for yourself. The article, in my view, does an admirable job of laying out the complex and conflicting values that collide in questions like this one.

It also provides clear evidence of the power of photographic images and their ability to affect those who see them.

Commentary, Community, News

California Nature Photography Blog

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I can’t believe I neglected to mention this earlier, but John Wall asked me to be one of a group of California photographers contributing to the California Nature Photography blog. When John asked, I said “yes” immediately – partly because I’ve seen his work and like it and partly because he came up with a really fine idea for this blog. Wander on over and take a look, and while you are there subscribe to the blog’s RSS feed – you’ll find the link way at the bottom of the home page there.

I have a few posts planned in the near term, with likely photography subjects including Point Lobos, Death Valley, and possibly Muir Woods. I’m certain to post on “my” Sierra Nevada before long now that spring is here and summer is not far behind. I offered my first post there last week, a little piece on California’s “impossibly green” season. I had intended to post earlier… but with all the other interesting posts I decided to wait for a brief lull in the action!