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Posts Tagged ‘Acquisition’

‘Gear Lust’ music video is a photographer’s ode to Gear Acquisition Syndrome

21 Mar

Canadian photographers Taylor Jackson and Lindsay Coulter teamed up to create ‘Gear Lust,’ a music video centered around Gear Acquisition Syndrome — that is, a photographer’s compulsion to acquire more gear than can reasonably be used.

The amusing song kicks off with, ‘Some people say that I have a problem acquiring gear, some say that I have Gear Aquisition Syndrome, but I like to call it Gear Lust.’

In addition to YouTube, the song is available to stream from Spotify and Apple Music.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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My Thoughts on the SmugMug Flickr Acquisition

21 Apr

Disclosure: I know people and am friends with people who work at both SmugMug and Flickr.

Earlier today we learned that the photo sharing site Flickr has been acquired by the photo sharing site SmugMug. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Flickr was purchased by Yahoo back in the early days of the internet in 2005 for probably somewhere around $ 40 million (give or take $ 10 million). Yahoo managed Flickr for many years, but more recently Yahoo’s core holdings were sold off last year to Verizon. Verizon folded Flickr into a new division called Oath which was made up of various Yahoo and AOL assets (another Verizon acquisition) run by ex-Google executive Tim Armstrong. Now Verizon/Oath has sold Flickr to SmugMug.

As They Pulled You Out Of The Oxygen Tent You Asked For The Latest Party
Flickr Fiesta party celebrating Yahoo acquisition in 2005 at Yahoo Campus.

Flickr Turns 2 (12)
Flickr Turns 2 Party, San Francisco, 2006.

As someone who joined Flickr back in 2003 pre-Yahoo and has been on the site pretty much daily since then, I thought I’d share my own thoughts on what this acquisition might mean for Flickr users and the larger Flickr community.

First off, I have to say that I think that today’s news is *very* good for Flickr users and the Flickr community. While time will tell how this acquisition goes, I have much more faith in SmugMug running Flickr than I do Verizon.

Before getting into the particulars about why I think this is a good fit, I think you have to take a general look at the types of companies Yahoo/Verizon/Oath were/are and the type of company SmugMug is. Yahoo/Verizon/Oath like Google and Facebook are largely advertising companies. These companies offer you free content and use your personal data to advertise at you. One of the things that I always liked about Flickr was that advertising was largely secondary to paid subscription accounts. Sure, Flickr had a free account, but at least as it was initially designed, the free account (which limited you to only seeing your last 200 photos) was really more of a trial for the real thing, Flickr Pro, for which you paid a subscription.

SmugMug has always been a profitable paid photo sharing service. They’ve never had a free option. This has served them well and has kept them profitable. At the same time it is hard to get people to pay for things on the internet so this in some ways limited their user growth compared to Flickr and other services offering a free option.

My own view is that I think people are waking up to the fact that “free” on the internet doesn’t really mean exactly free. The age old adage of if you are not paying for the product, you are the product is becoming clearer and clearer, even to the point of Mark Zuckerberg having to head on up to Capitol Hill and try to explain how all this social media stuff works to Senators and Congress.

Now, does this mean that SmugMug is going to kill the free Flickr account? Absolutely not. But I do think that they might try to nudge people in the direction of paid Pro — which I also think is smart and ultimately more sustainable than simply giving everyone a free terabyte. I LOVE that I have a complete ad free experience for my own use of Flickr AND also for the users who browse my pages of photos. I will happily continue paying for it indefinitely (assuming Flickr continues grandfathering my unlimited storage Pro account). I also think that SmugMug will likely be much better for Flickr from a privacy standpoint as well without having to worry about how to sell off our private information because we pay.

Ivan Makarov, SmugMug HQ
Ivan Makarov, one of my early Flickr contacts (now SmugMug’s VP of Finance) posing in front of a giant wall print at SmugMug’s Mountain View office.

In buying Flickr SmugMug more than anything is buying a community. I think that they are going to be very careful not to disrupt this community and look for ways to grow it thoughtfully. Having known the MacAskills (the family that owns SmugMug) for many years, one thing I can say for certain is that they LOVE photography and photographers. If you ever get a chance to visit their offices in Mountain View do it. What you will find is wall after wall covered with the biggest prints you have ever seen in your life. These are people who are passionate about photography, not advertising.

Baldy Behind the Camera
Chris “Baldy” MacAskill on a SmugMug photowalk in 2013

Flickr Over San Francisco
Flickr Photowalk, Bernal Hill, 2013

For SmugMug I think what is probably most exciting is that they are getting a very large community of photographers by purchasing Flickr. I think that this will allow them to do even more with community, photowalks, meetups, etc. They will need to make sure Flickr is profitable (and it will be) but they will have a much larger group to build a bigger and stronger community with. While Google+ sort of became a place for the photographic community for a bit, before Google largely abandoned it, there really is not a good place for a larger community of photographers today and I think with the acquisition of Flickr, SmugMug hopes that it can build this and I think they have a pretty good chance at doing it.

I think the other thing that SmugMug owning Flickr will do is that it will allow them to be much more nimble in terms of hacking on and developing the site. Big organizations (like Yahoo and Verizon) have layers of bureaucracy that sometimes make things difficult to get done. Small organizations, by contrast, can move much more quickly. While I don’t expect any immediate changes to Flickr, I think that going forward it will improve more rapidly. I also think it’s great that from what I can tell the entire team at Flickr is being retained.

Mostly what I’ve seen online since the acquisition was announced earlier today has been a positive response. Flickr co-Founders Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake have posted positive tweets on the acquisition as well.

As far as I can tell from looking at the new SmugMug/Flickr TOS everything looks pretty much for things to be business as usual at Flickr for the immediate future.

SmugMug and Flickr will be run as two different sites/properties.

Since Flickr is one of the few sites on the web that allows moderated adult content, I did wonder how SmugMug would treat that — at least per the current TOS it looks like that is going to be handled as it always has been at Flickr. Make sure you moderate your adult content, keeping it away from the kids, and it’s allowed.

If you want to read more in depth at what this might mean for Flickr users going forward I’d point you to a thread in the Flickr Help Forum where more details are provided and where the community is currently reacting to today’s news.

A big congrats to both the Flickr and SmugMug teams. I’m looking forward to being an active user on Flickr for many years ahead and am looking forward to all the ways you will continue to improve both sites.

You can find me on Flickr here.


Thomas Hawk Digital Connection

 
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Disney’s 21st Century Fox acquisition means it will now own National Geographic

16 Dec

Earlier this week, a major entertainment industry merger was announced: Disney is planning to buy 21st Century Fox for a whopping $ 52.4 billion. But while this might seem unrelated to the world of photography at first blush, a closer look reveals something pretty important.

If the purchase is allowed to go through, Disney will be the majority stake holder in National Geographic, taking over the 73% controlling share that Fox purchased in September of 2015.

In the scope of the entire deal, Fox’s share in National Geographic might seem like small potatoes—the entertainment giant bought Nat Geo for just $ 725 million (less that 1/50th what THEY are being bought for) and immediately set about cutting costs further by slashing 9% of Nat Geo’s workforce. But fans of the iconic brand will pay close attention to see what Disney plans to do with it.

For now, all we know is that National Geographic will join Pixar, ESPN, Marvel and many more well-known brands in Disney’s so-called “swollen portfolio” of entertainment assets.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Eight Ways to Get Rid of GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome

30 Mar

All photographers find themselves suffering from Gear Acquisition Syndrome (or GAS, if you don’t mind) at one time or another. Whether you are eager to try something new or just stuck in a creative rut, falling into the trap of thinking that buying a new lens will instantly revamp your photography skills is something we have all been guilty of doing.

You can spend hours daydreaming of the amazing shots you would be taking if only you could afford that lovely lens you have your eye on. But what if you just can’t justify the purchase? If, like most of us, you don’t have inexhaustible funds, here are eight easy tips to keep your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) at bay.

Eight Ways to Get Rid of GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome

#1 – Keep your kit lens

One of the first things many photographers do after they’ve learned how to use their DSLR is to upgrade their kit lens. Kit lenses are lightweight, versatile, and can achieve most of the results you desire, despite their limitations. They are incredibly handy to keep around. As you start expanding your lens collection, you may suddenly find that there is a type of photography you want to explore that your current lenses aren’t very good for. Your kit lens can almost certainly help you.

Typically ranging from 17-55mm, kit lenses offer a good wide-angle combined with a short telephoto capability (especially when used on an APS-C sensor camera). This means that they can shoot the gamut from landscape to portraiture easily. When you suddenly find yourself dreaming of that incredibly pricey wide-angle and wishing it was yours, having your kit lens on hand is a way of finding out if you actually want or need a wide-angle lens before you hand over your hard-earned money.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Shot using a kit lens.

#2 – Change your environment, not your gear

The easiest way to shake up the way you shoot with the equipment you already have is to change what you are shooting. Hop in your car and go on a road trip. Visit the sea. Climb a hill and take in the view. Go to a new neighborhood and explore.

Of course, it doesn’t all have to be about travel. If you always shoot landscapes or take some time out to see how your skills translate to portraiture. If you love still life photos, go to your local hardware store and buy a few wooden planks and marble tiles to use as backdrops in your images.

It’s easy to get bored, but shaking up your surroundings and seeking out new subjects is an instant form of inspiration.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

A new place opens your eyes.

#3 – Set your alarm clock

It’s a piece of advice given to photographers so often that it is almost a cliché, but there’s no denying that it’s true. Setting your alarm clock to wake up early and take advantage of the golden hour light is the easiest way to improve your photography without spending a penny.

The quality of light found at sunrise – that crisp, misty, lemony light – and sunset – that rich red and gold glow – completely transforms any scene. Buying a different lens isn’t going to change your world unless you have very specific needs for it, but having a limitless spectrum of shifting light to play with certainly will.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Light can make even the most mundane subject seem magical.

#4 – Join an on-going photography challenge

Whether it’s a 365 photo-a-day challenge or a 30-day photo sprint, whether it’s a once-a-week challenge or just something you dip into now and again like a photography tutorial book, starting a challenge can refresh your eye for photography. On-going challenges can also help you to avoid blank spots in your creativity and build up a body of work over time. As well as helping you get rid of any creative blocks, these challenges can introduce you to new techniques and ideas.

Sometimes changing the way you shoot is far easier than changing what you are shooting with. Why not try HDR? How about trying a new post-production technique? Or maybe try creating a photo series where you can only use a symmetrical perspective. These challenges help you try lots of new things without needing to buy any new gear.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

New perspectives can shake up your photography.

#5 – Limit yourself

They say that the best camera is the one you have with you. Sometimes we get so fixated on gear we think we need, that we forget that the photographer is the main component in making a great picture. Digital Rev’s Cheap Camera Challenge has proven time and again that great photography starts with the creative eye behind the camera and not the actual camera they are using.

Instead of investing in a new piece of gear, put your gear on the shelf and limit yourself for a while to the camera on your phone. It might sound like madness, but limitation can be the mother of creativity. Working with a more basic tool forces you to focus on the fundamentals of the form – composition, color, texture, symmetry, subject, style, and more. This minimalist approach will hone your eye, and when you finally go back to using your gear, it will be like dipping into a treasure trove of possibilities.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Shot with an iPhone.

#6 – Macro without a macro lens

There are some types of photography you may think are impossible without first investing in specialist equipment. Macro photography is one of those genres. Without a dedicated macro lens, how can you possibly achieve close enough focus? But there are a few ways to try shooting macro before you buy.

Firstly, free lensing is the technique of shooting with your lens unattached to your camera’s lens mount. By holding the lens freely and moving it backward and forward in front of the sensor, you can achieve a dreamy, light-leaked aesthetic. But this freedom of movement also changes the lens’s ability to focus at far closer distances. This is an easy and completely free way to test out shooting macro. The downside, however, is that it’s hard to control the light leaks and almost impossible to shoot steadily.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Shot using a Canon extension tube.

To resolve this you can try extension tubes. These cheap tubes mimic the effect of free lensing, but minimize light leaks and shake. If you have a little more to spend, you can buy AF-equipped versions. These cheap solutions can let you try shooting macro without putting quite the dent in your bank balance that a dedicated macro lens would.

#7 – Collaborate with models

If you find yourself stuck in a creative rut and you’re fixated on a new piece of gear in the hopes of shaking yourself out of it, why not try working with new subjects instead?

Platforms like Model Mayhem or Purple Port can help you to connect and collaborate with models. By finding subjects who also bring their own ideas to the table, you can test out new techniques and styles. Don’t forget that working with models can mean more than just portraiture. Food photographers sometimes need models to be the hands in their images and lifestyle photographers may need someone building the campfire in a landscape scene. Let your imagination run wild.

Eight Ways to Get Rid of GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome A model interacting with a scene tells a story.

#8 – Shop for bargains

If all else fails and you succumb to GAS, try and find some cheap alternatives before you splash the cash. By shopping around on platforms like eBay and Etsy, you can stumble across some great vintage lenses for reasonable prices. As long as you have an adapter for your lens mount, these manual lenses offer fantastic optics at less than a quarter of the price of a modern alternative.

You can also find secondhand cameras, lenses, tripods, and lighting gear from reputable sellers like Wex Photographic and the London Camera Exchange (in the UK) or B&H Photo Video and Adorama (in the USA). These sellers test the equipment they sell to ensure it is in working order and sometimes offer warranties, giving you peace of mind and shaving potentially hundreds off your purchase.

Eight Ways to Get Rid of GAS - Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Get out and shoot. (Shot with an iPhone.)

Conclusion

There will always be a time when you need a new tripod, lens, flashgun – or whatever it may be – in order to bring your creative vision to life. But I’d argue that nine times out of ten you don’t actually need more gear – you need more ingenuity.

So when you feel like you are succumbing to GAS and are hasty to spend money, just remember that a great photograph starts and ends with a great photographer. You don’t give credit for the exquisite work of a master carpenter to the chisel he chose to use, so you certainly shouldn’t give so much credit to your gear! Instead, focus on your ingenuity in using what you already own.

The post Eight Ways to Get Rid of GAS – Gear Acquisition Syndrome by Laura Hexton appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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GoPro announces Kolor acquisition

30 Apr

GoPro has announced its acquisition of Kolor, makers of stitching software used for spherical 360-degree videos and panoramas. Demonstrating exactly what we can expect when the two companies combine forces, the above 360-degree video has been released today, recorded with three GoPro Heros and stitched together with Kolor software. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Linkedin announces lynda.com acquisition

10 Apr

Linkedin has announced plans to acquire lynda.com, home to extensive online photography classes. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015, bringing lynda.com’s library of educational content to Linkedin’s professional networking site, all for approximately $ 1.5 billion. Read more 

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Blogger Olivier Duong continues look at ‘Gear Acquisition Syndrome’

11 Jul

ricoh-grd-iv-miami-street-photography-11.jpg

Florida-based photographer Olivier Duong has expanded his ongoing examination of so-called ‘Gear Acquisition Syndrome’ with a description of how he overcame his own personal addiction to buying photographic equipment. Categorizing G.A.S. as a ‘habit’, Duong identifies three components – trigger, routine, and reward, and describes how he went about overcoming his addition by ‘changing the routine [but] keeping the trigger, and the reward’. Click through for more details. 

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Programmable Aperture Photography: Multiplexed Light Field Acquisition

13 Feb

mpac.ee.ntu.edu.tw Programmable Aperture Photography: Multiplexed Light Field Acquisition (SIGGRAPH 2008) Chia-Kai Liang, Tai-Hsu Lin, Bing-Yi Wong, Chi Liu, and Homer Chen National Taiwan University –Abstract– We present a system including a novel component called programmable aperture and two associated post-processing algorithms for high-quality light field acquisition. The shape of the programmable aperture can be adjusted and used to capture light field at full sensor resolution through multiple exposures without any additional optics and without moving the camera. High acquisition efficiency is achieved by employing an optimal multiplexing scheme, and quality data is obtained by using the two postprocessing algorithms designed for self calibration of photometric distortion and for multi-view depth estimation. View-dependent depth maps thus generated help boost the angular resolution of light field. Various post-exposure photographic effects are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system and the quality of the captured light field.