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Posts Tagged ‘Beyond’

Beyond Basic Bikes: 12 Twists on Classic Cycle Designs

06 Aug

[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

Bike Innovations Commuter

Plug-and-play accessories, bendable frames, built-in tents and totally unexpected redesigns transform the classic century-old bicycle design for the modern era. These 12 clever and sometimes weird cycling innovations  range from simple flat-pack construction that can be assembled with a single allen wrench to bikes that incorporate a range of the latest gadgetry.

EVO: Commuter Bike with Clip-On Components

Bike Innovations Commuter Clip On 2

Billed ‘the ultimate urban utility bike,’ the EVO by HUGE Design features quick-connect mounts on both the front and back for attaching a range of accessories including child seats and a variety of racks. Inspired by San Francisco’s famous towers and bridges, the symmetrical frame was designed to support cargo loads on both ends.

nCycle Electric Bike with Integrated Lock

Bicycle Innovations nCycle 1

Bicycle Innovations nCycle 2

Bicycle Innovations nCycle 3

The designer of the nCycle questions whether it makes sense to simply add electrical components to a design that’s over a century old, choosing instead to completely re-invent the bike for this new purpose. Gone are the ‘odd mix of tubes and wires,’ replaced by a pair of side panels that conceal a battery, storage compartment and optional folding mechanism. It’s got a built-in lock, lights and a sound system, and a holographic display on the handlebars linked to a smartphone.

FLIZ Velocipede Requires You to Run

Bicycle Innovations FLIZ 1 Bicycle Innovations Fliz 2

This isn’t exactly the sort of bike you can ride around on – the FLIZ is basically a means to propel yourself faster than you could ever run otherwise. The rider clips into a 5-point harness and gets a running start, the belt replacing the saddle.

Space Roam Fixed Gear Bike

Bicycle Innovations Space Roam 1

Bicycle Innovations Space Roam 2

This fixed-gear bike design is anything but the same old conventional style, with an ultra-streamlined design inspired by liquid metal. It’s made of super lightweight materials to make it an extra-zippy ride.

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Beyond Basic Bikes 12 Twists On Classic Cycle Designs

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[ By Steph in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Olympus takes Pen E-PL6 beyond Asia

10 Jul

The Olympus Pen E-PL6, first announced in 2013 for the Asian market, is set to be introduced to the UK kitted with a pancake-style zoom lens and a Wi-Fi memory card. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ zoom lens is a pancake design, which Olympus claims is the slimmest of its type in this class. The 16.1 megapixel camera uses the same Live MOS sensor and TruePic VI processor as the 2012 PEN E-PL5 it replaces. It will retail in the UK for £429.99 from mid-July.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Beyond the ordinary: Tim Dodd’s Everyday Astronaut

05 Jul

Many kids dream of becoming an astronaut. While few of us will ever go on a space walk, photographer Tim Dodd has done what might be the next best thing – he bought his own space suit. His was the only bid in an online auction for a Russian high altitude space suit, and he’s turned this unusual purchase into a clever photo series. Titled ‘Everyday Astronaut,’ he transforms the everyday into something a little otherworldly. See gallery

related news: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Beyond Full Moon Photography

18 Feb

The rising full moon is a shot on many photographers’ bucket lists, but how many of us remember that the moon is even there on those other 28 days of the lunar month? Forget the moon no longer; there are many great reasons to keep shooting the moon throughout its phases.

moon, full moon, photography, how to

Better Craters and Contrast

Craters are a fascinating feature of the lunar surface, and they are easier to feature when the moon is no longer full. During a full moon, an entire side of the moon is visible and reflecting the sun’s light back to us. Craters, by contrast, look better in shadow, as this less direct light highlights the differences in elevation on the surface and bring better contrast and definition. A gibbous moon (the lumpy phase between full moon and the first or last quarter when the moon looks half full) is an excellent choice for craters. Along the edge where the moon fades into blackness, you will be able to capture the deep shadows of the craters in your moon photographs.

moon, moon photography, gibbous moon, how to, craters

As the moon continues along its progression, it will pass from gibbous through the first quarter, and enter the crescent phase. Before the moon reaches its classic, skinny crescent shape, there are also many opportunities to capture it that emphasize the craters. Because the moon is visible at different times of day and night during different phases, you will also be able to capture the different colors of its light.

moon, moon photography, crescent moon, how to, crescent, craters

Crescents and Earthshine

The crescent moon is the phase between first or last quarter and the new moon, when the unlit side of the moon is facing the earth. The crescent shape is hugely significant in many cultures. It is often the version of the moon drawn by children, yet it can be overlooked by photographers. The crescent moon is generally visible during the daytime hours, which can make it more difficult to see and photograph successfully. But, as the crescent reaches its smallest size, you will be able to capture it setting in the early evening, against the brilliant deep blue skies that are well-suited to moon photographs.

moon, moon photography, crescent moon, how to, crescent, craters

Another phenomenon to photograph with the crescent moon is known as earthshine. If you stare closely at a slim crescent moon, you should just be able to see the darkened outline of the rest of the moon’s surface. That surface is dark because it is no longer reflecting the light of the sun. The fact that you can see it at all is because that part of the surface is reflecting back light from the earth, hence the term “earthshine”.

moon, moon photography, crescent moon, how to, crescent, earthshine, star

If you want to capture a shot of the crescent moon showing earthshine, you will need to shoot in manual and significantly overexpose the image. The crescent part of the moon will become overexposed (very bright) as you bring out details within the shadowed sections of the moon, which can result in a very unique moon shot. A tripod or a camera with good high ISO performance is critical, as is a longer zoom lens. Try to keep your shutter speed below a second or two, otherwise the moon will begin to move during the exposure and blur the image.

Timing and Backgrounds for Moon Photography

A moon photographed alone, however, is simply a shot of the moon. To really make an impact with your moon photography, regardless of the phase, you need to feature an interesting foreground or background. The two critical components here are knowing the timing of moonrise or moonset, and knowing the approximate location of the moon in the sky.

The Photographers’ Ephemeris is downloadable software (free for laptops and desktops but a paid app for Apple and Android phones and tablets) that lets you view the moonrise and moonset times (as well as sunrise and sunset times) against a map, which allows you to plot out exactly where the moon will appear in the sky, depending on where you are standing. Moonrise and moonset tables and times are also easily available and searchable online. You can use the ephemeris to determine exactly when and where to stand if you wish to photograph the moon rising or setting over a specific place or landmark.

moon, moon photography, full moon, how to, Madison, Wisconsin, orange moon

You are not limited to only shooting the moon at night. Depending on its phase and timing, you can photograph the moon during the daytime too, which makes it easier to experiment with interesting foregrounds. By walking around, moving up and down, and otherwise changing your perspective, you can ‘move’ the moon where you want it to appear in your final image. The longer the focal length that you can use, the larger you can make the moon look, relative to the other objects in the image.

moon, moon photography, full moon, how to, gibbous, half moon, photography

Variations

There are an infinite number of variations on moon photography. Do not let yourself be limited by the full moon, only shooting the moon at night, or only when it is rising or setting. Do not let clouds stop you from looking for the moon. Pay a little more attention to the moon throughout the month, and you will find many opportunities for moon photography.

moon, moon photography, full moon, how to, clouds, photography

Have you got some great shots of the moon or some addition tips? If so please share them in the comments below!

More night photography articles:

  • Moon Photography: 6 Tips for Better Moon Photos
  • The Mystery of Night Photography – 35 Images of the Night
  • How To Photograph Star Trails
  • Light Painting Part One – the Photography

The post Beyond Full Moon Photography by Katie McEnaney appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Using Street Photography to See Beyond the Ordinary

28 Nov
A Tree Grows, Chase Bank, Street Photography, Seeing Beyond The Ordinary

A Tree Grows, Chase Bank

There is an important idea within street photography to ‘go beyond the ordinary,’ or to capture images that are different from the normal.

But what is the process of photographing this way? And why?  What is the point?

The idea behind seeing beyond the ordinary is to develop your own way of doing it, and although there are no clear-cut answers or rules to photographing this way, here are some ideas that can help you think about capturing images in a unique way.

Find beauty in the story

Beauty is not only a visual characteristic.  Try to create images that will cause your mind to invent a story.

It is important to note that these stories don’t have to have a resolution.  Some of the most powerful images will cause you to think about them differently over time or depending on how you feel that viewing, in that moment.

Lady in Red, 5th Avenue, Street Photography, Seeing Beyond The Ordinary

Lady in Red, 5th Avenue

Take a look at the image above.  For me, there is a story here somewhere within the disconnect between the image of the free flowing girl in red on the iPhone case and the rigid stance of the woman dressed in jewelry and muted tones.

Slow down

It’s so hard to pay attention to what’s going on around you if you are running around, overstimulated, and trying to immediately capture everything around you.

Take a deep breath, put the camera down to your side, and just wait and look around a bit.  Unique photographs are hidden all around us, but you need to pay attention to be able to seek them out.

An image that is different might not stand out at first

The Cigarette Break, Street Photography, Seeing Beyond The Ordinary

The Cigarette Break

Have you ever listened to a song and disliked it the first time, but then the second or third time you hear it you start to appreciate it. Then you can’t get enough of it?  (and then it’s played so much that you can’t stand it again, but that’s another story)

Some of the best, most extraordinary images will not always hit you at first.

The same idea happens within imagery. Some of the best, most extraordinary images will not always hit you at first.  With photography, and especially with the amount of imagery that passes our eyes daily, an image only has a millisecond to grab our attention and then a couple seconds of our attention if we do decide to click on it.  This trend can affect how we photograp,h and how we see the world.  I think this is a reason why coloured filter effects are so prevalent these days, because they catch our attention so well, but just as quickly as they enter our lives, they fade off into the sea of similar photographs that we forget about.

The best images are the ones that grow with you over time – that you can put next to your desk and look at over and over again without losing interest.

These images don’t care about the first two seconds.

If everyone’s looking one way, look the other

Designated Photo Spot, Lisbon, Street Photography, Seeing Beyond The Ordinary

Designated Photo Spot

This idea works for so many things; investing, real estate, but also for photography.  If everyone is fixated on one thing, or one way of doing something, then it’s often best to head in a different direction.

What direction that is, who knows.  But it will be easier to figure that out if you are able to rule out the wrong directions.

Find beauty in the mundane

This idea doesn’t mean to photograph things that are boring.  It means to search for interest in areas that would normally be thought of as mundane.  Don’t rule out areas or objects to photograph and don’t be afraid to capture something as ‘mundane’ as an empty wall.

You don’t need to know why you are capturing something, you don’t have to know the meaning of what you are capturing, and it doesn’t have to be beautiful in the traditional sense.  The most important gauge is that it makes you feel something when you look at the image.

Don’t fixate on getting attention

Lost in Lisbon, Street Photography, Seeing Beyond the Ordinary

Lost in Lisbon

Photographing this way might mean that people are going to pass by these types of images the first, second, or fifth time they see them.

Not everyone is guaranteed to like it, to be used to it, or to understand it.  Even more likely, most people might not even stop and notice it at first.  So don’t be discouraged if this happens.  With this type of photography you are interested in influencing one person significantly, not catching the eye of most people right away.

It is a good idea to find one photograph,y or art-loving friend, to talk about these images instead of worrying about how everyone feels about them.  If you stick with one or a few people to show your work consistently, they can grow to understand it better and can give you advice and feedback.

Anyway, the real success of an image is if you like it.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Using Street Photography to See Beyond the Ordinary

The post Using Street Photography to See Beyond the Ordinary by James Maher appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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How to go Beyond the Regular Composition Advice for Getting the Best Shots of your Kids

01 Oct

A Guest post by Rachel Devine – author of Click! How to Take Beautiful Photos of Your Kids.

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If you search for advice on how to take better pictures of children there are certain gems that are sure to appear on any list of tips. “Get on their level” and “Get Closer”, are the two that come to mind right away and they are both solid ways to improve your kid shots. Let’s look first at why these work and then how to expand those ideas to create infinitely more interesting images.

The top tip on any list you find is often going to be “Get on their level”. There is a reason that it should be as it is great advice and will make a big difference immediately. If you get down on the same level as a child to take their portrait, you give them power by allowing them to look into the camera straight on. Kneel down so that you become the same height as the child. Chat with your subject and engage them before just going right into taking their photograph. When the time is right, lift your camera and ask the kids if they can see themselves (or a fairy or a pony or any other magical subject) in your lens to get direct eye contact.

Photography is a visual language and the angle with which you shoot the photograph is an integral part of the structure of your story you are telling. Think of composition as part of the “grammar” of this language and that the choices that you make should serve a purpose. Photography is a common language that even kids can understand and when you make the effort to physically go down to their level you are showing them a certain respect.

Tech tip: Use a long lens so that you can put some distance between the camera and the child’s face. That is just another layer of respect.

Once you have begun to incorporate the “Get on their level” angle into your regular routine, here are four other ideas to break the cycle of the adult eye level shots:

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Over Their Shoulder: You are down on their level, you have taken a straight on portrait, now move around the child and have a look at what they are doing. Immerse yourself in their world and let your camera see what they see.

Tech tip: If you have a fast 50mm lens, use it now and include some of the child in the frame. If they are busy, you will need to use a faster shutter speed to freeze the motion. Using a fast 50mm lens means you will be able to open up the aperture to allow you to use that faster shutter speed indoors and avoid triggering your flash.

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Go Low: Kids are short and you may have gotten on your knees to get their eye level, but now, go further. Come on, you can do it, lie down. You may be amazed at what the world looks like from the ground. Babies tend to hate tummy time, but if you get down with them, they may even enjoy it more and you can end up with some wonderfully funny faces. Or, how about that mountain of toys on the playroom floor? You think it looks bad from where you are standing? It is massive from down here!

Tech tip: Keep your aperture as wide as your lens will let you go so you can blur some of the floor in the foreground of these shots. That will help you isolate your subject even more.

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Bird’s Eye: Breaking the adult’s eye level angle is not always just about sitting “criss-cross applesauce” or laying on the floor. It is about carefully observing the world that your child inhabits. It may be the same one as you, but it sure can appear different when you make an effort to look from unexpected points of view. Climb (carefully!) up above the kids and shoot directly down on mealtime, playtime, naptime, story time or bath time…anytime really. I have balanced (carefully! yet precariously) on the edges of various bathtubs, crib railings and dinner tables to get some of my favorite shots. It may be easier to grab a step stool though.

Tech tip: Use the widest focal length that you have and really get a sweeping scope of the children in their environment. Just watch out for your own feet getting into the frame.

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Reflections: Use reflections to not only capture yourself with kids, but to catch their expression when they don’t realize the camera is trained on them. You don’t need a house full of mirrors to do this either. When you start looking, you will find shiny surfaces all around you.

Tech Tip: Show yourself in the shot. Set the camera to closest subject auto focus mode and take the camera away from your face before you press the shutter button.

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Almost as often, when searching for ways to improve your photos of children, you will be told to “Get closer.” Children’s faces are so perfect and beautiful that it is great advice for you to fill the frame with them. Isolate the tiniest of details by photographing in close on things like newborn lashes, pursed toddler lips going in for a kiss or the drips of a juicy orange picked right from the tree. These shots make for beautiful additions to your collection of images.

Tech tip: Use a macro lens, close-up adapter (or the little flower icon for point and shooters) to get the closest focus possible.

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Far Away: Now that you have that powerful and fantastic full frame eye contact shot of your child, step back and let the kids in your photos breathe. You will need to really step back and feature the children in their big world. This angle will emphasize their smallness, but their confidence at being alone in the frame will be their strength.

Tech tip: Use color and negative space well. A messy shot will not be as powerful.

Image by Peta Mazey

Enjoy this post? Check out Rachel’s new eBook – CLICK! How to Take Beautiful Photos of Your Kids

Rachel Devine is an international commercial kid photographer and daily life photo blogger from the states. She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia. Rachel and Peta Mazey are the photography duo behind “Beyond Snapshots”. They teach and mentor (in person and online) photographers of all levels on how to take better photographs of life. Their book will be published next year on Amphoto/Random House.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

How to go Beyond the Regular Composition Advice for Getting the Best Shots of your Kids


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Beyond Google Glass: 13 Real-Life Wearable Tech Inventions

11 Sep

[ By Steph in Gadgets & Geekery & Technology. ]

Wearable Tech Main
Once thought to be a dystopian dream of the distant future, the merging of technology and the human body is already well underway, and it could help us avoid injuries, diagnose disease, and even control gadgets with our minds. Google Glass is just the beginning – wearable technology gives us a vast array of incredible, unprecedented capabilities with everything from tiny ultrathin electronic ‘tattoos’ to clothing that translates our movements into computer commands. These 13 inventions are either already available to the public, or well on their way.

MIDI Controller Jacket Turns Your Body into a Synthesizer

Wearable Tech MIDI Jacket

Convert your body movements into music with Machina’s MJ v.1.0, a jacket that integrates a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) controller with flexible motion sensors so you can operate digital music instruments and computers by modifying the position of your body. It’s so complex, including flexible membrane potentiometers to monitor finger position, it can’t be mass-produced just yet; it has to be hand-made by a master tailor. Other than the placeholders, the sensors are totally invisible, so the jacket looks like any ordinary piece of clothing.

Air Waves Pollution Mask by Frog Design

Wearable Tech Air Waves Pollution Mask 1

Wearable Tech Air Waves Pollution Mask 2

A smart device that monitors air quality in real time and shares the data to smartphones could help combat the negative health effects of extreme pollution in China. The AirWaves mask is a combination of wearable tech and an app that guides users to areas of the city with better air quality, and enables them to track air quality over time. So far it’s just a concept, but an intriguing one that could help raise awareness and give people a little bit of power over a frustrating problem.

MYO Band – Control Gadgets Using Gestures

Wearable Tech Myo Wristband

Rather than external sensors that ‘see’ your movements, like those used by the Nintendo Wii and XBox Kinect, this gesture-reading system for gadgets measures your actual muscle movements. MYO is a band that fits around your forearm, sensing movements similar to those you’d use on an Apple trackpad, like scrolling, flipping and zooming. It uses Bluetooth, so it could theoretically connect to virtually any mobile device, like smartphones, tablets and televisions. It’s currently available for preorder.

Robotic Exoskeleton Could Help Paraplegics Walk

Wearable Tech NASA Exoskeleton

NASA produced this robotic exoskeleton to help astronauts maintain muscle health in space, but the 57-pound X1 device could also help regular people here on Earth. Compared to the Iron Man suit by NASA, the X1features ten joints with multiple adjustment points that help astronauts in  zero gravity avoid muscle atrophy. Its more mundane uses could include increasing the range of movements possible in people who are disabled in various ways, including walking across varied terrain or stairs.

Wearable Solar by Pauline van Dongen

Wearable Tech Solar Dongen

Fashion designer Pauline van Dongen and solar panel specialist Gertjan Jongerden teamed up to join solar power and couture with ‘Wearable Solar.‘ The line consists of a leather and wool coat and dress featuring a series of solar-powered flaps that unfurl to soak up rays of sunlight, folding away ‘invisibly’ when not in use. The modules contain up to 48 flexible solar cells, which is enough to charge a smartphone 50 percent after an hour in full sunlight.

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11 July, 2013 – Beyond Calibration 2.0

11 Jul

Today Christopher Schneiter follows up on his very popular first article on the topic, titled Beyond Calibration, with Beyond Calibration 2.0.

The Luminous Landscape has just announced two spectacular new 
Antarctic Photographic Expeditions for January and February 2015

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These Expeditions Will Sell Out Quickly. They Always Do.


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Nikon looks beyond cameras as compact sales continue to slide

08 Jul

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Nikon President Makoto Kimura says the company could make a non-camera consumer product, prompting speculation that it’s eyeing the smartphone market, in response to falling compact camera sales. With compact camera sales down by around 25% across the industry (according to market research company IDC) and shipments from Japanese makers down 47% year-on-year for the first five months of 2013, Nikon says it may fall short of its ‘fairly low’ earnings estimates for the first quarter of this financial year. Despite Japanese DSLR incomes falling by around 13% in the first five months of the year, Kimura says he expects the company’s DSLR sales to support the loss of compact sales for ‘several more years’ until it can produce ‘a product that will change the concept of digital cameras.’ Read more over at connect.dpreview.com

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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28 January, 2013 – Beyond Calibration : The Heresy of Artistic Intent

28 Jan

Are you a slave to colour management? If so, why, and if not….?

In a new essay entitled Beyond Calibration : The Heresy of Artistic Intent, contributor Chris Schneiter explores how and why we can become trapped by a mechanistic approach to colour management.

         

"Yes I downloaded the videos. THEY ARE AWESOME!!! I learned so much I think my brain is going to explode.

 

Now I need to get the LR4 video to see how much of Lightroom 4 I don’t know". 

 


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