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Lastolite unveils two new ‘stone effect’ panoramic backgrounds for portrait photographers

15 Sep

Studio accessories manufacturer Lastolite has introduced a pair of new stone effects to its panoramic background range. Granite and Limestone are the first textured materials to join the range that currently just includes white, black and Chromakey Green plain finishes.

The Lastolite Panoramic Background system consists of a three-part collapsible frame that is self-supporting once erected. Plain or patterned covers stretch over the frame to form a 4×2.3m/13×7.5ft backdrop suitable for shooting groups, and once packed away the kit measures just 100cmx30cmx35cm/39x12x14in.

The new patterns will be available with or without the panoramic frame, and will cost £306 on their own or £600 with the frame (US prices still to be released). For more information see the Manfrotto website.

Press Release

Lastolite by Manfrotto presents new Granite and Limestone panoramic backgrounds to the collection

Lastolite By Manfrotto, the world’s leading manufacturer of backgrounds and lighting control systems has announced the launch of the new Panoramic Background in Granite and Limestone.

The Panoramic Background has quickly become the go to background for busy photographers needing a 4m wide, seamless, crease free, collapsible solution. Built around a three-panel collapsible lightweight aluminium framework, the Panoramic background is completely self-supporting so there is no need for additional stands and crossbars. The Panoramic Background is assembled in a matter of minutes and, once assembled, is simply clipped onto the framework. The stretchable cover fabric ensures a flat, crease free surface at all times. Unlike other large seamless background solutions, the Panoramic collapses down to an impressive 100cm x 30cm x 35cm size, making it very easy to transport. The Panoramic Background is perfect for shooting larger groups, shooting with props or creating the negative space in a photograph that agencies so often request.

The new themed covers now bring textured surfaces to the range and perfectly complement the existing black, white and Chromakey Green solid colour surfaces. There are two new covers available – Granite and Limestone. Granite offers a stone texture effect with a full range of grey tones and a dark vignette around the edges, whilst Limestone is much lighter, offering a subtle range of mid to light greys giving the effect of a Limestone surface.

The Granite and Limestone Panoramic background includes the framework and the cover. For existing Panoramic background users the new covers are also available separately.

Click here to see a video of the new Panoramic Background in action https://vimeo.com/230936776

The Granite and Limestone Panoramic Background has an RRP of £600.
The Granite and Limestone Panoramic Background covers have an RRP of £306.

For more information, please visit www.manfrotto.co.uk/lastolite

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Invisible Solar: Panels Camouflaged as Wood, Clay, Stone & Concrete

21 Oct

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

solar-shingle-design

Overcoming the awkward aesthetic factor typically faced by home solar technology, these disguised panels look like ordinary building materials you would expect to spot along the sides, steps or roof of a house.

solar-camouflaged-disguised

Dyaqua, an Italian company, has developed their Invisible Solar series to look like concrete bricks, slate shingles and wooden boards, allowing them to blend into ordinary built environments. A thin top layer mimics desired materials while allowing the sun’s rays through to the photovoltaic cells beneath.

solar-material-cover

From the company: “The Invisible Solar modules are composed of a non-toxic and recyclable polymeric compound, within which are incorporated the monocrystalline silicon cells. A special surface, opaque at the sight and transparent to the sun rays, covers the cells by hiding them without prevent their operation.”

invisible-solar-panel

Instead of adding semi-reflective, black-and-grey accents to a traditional wood or masonry structure, these fixtures are designed to fit any abode, historic or modern. The company has begun production with the Rooftile, which resembles a typical reddish-brown terracotta shingle.

solar-wood-block

secret-solar-panels

From there, they aim to create blocks and boards that can be used on walls (cladding) or walkways (pavement) sure to please even the toughest community design standards boards. They are also built for strength and durability, able to “withstand high static load, tolerates chemical solvents and atmospheric agents.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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Armadillo Vault: Delicate Stone Canopy Held Together by Compression

02 Jun

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

stone canopy 1

Not a drop of glue or any other adhesive holds together the delicate, 2-inch-thick limestone tiles that make up this airy canopy, which billows into the vaulted ceilings of the Arsenale di Venezia at the 15th annual Venice Architecture Biennale. Conceived by Block Research Group and presented by ETH Zurich, the ‘Armadillo Vault’ is a temporary custom-built installation showing off the surprising versatility of an unyielding material that’s been an architectural mainstay for millennia. Compression keeps all 399 individually-cut, unreinforced stones in place as they stretch across the cavernous space.

stone canopy 2

stone canopy 3

The centerpiece of an installation entitled ‘Beyond Bending – Learning from the past to design a better future,’ the Armadillo Vault aims to show the world that digital design and fabrication methods can go hand in hand with humble, ancient building materials like earth and stone. Other components on display include four innovative vaulted floor systems and a series of graphical force diagrams showing how the stones fit together.

stone canopy 4

stone canopy 5

Spanning over 52 feet through the Arsenale, the canopy was initially manufactured and assembled in Texas before being disassembled and shipped to Venice, with master stonemasons tasked with setting it into place on-site over a period of two weeks. The precision of the puzzle-like assembly to hold up all that weight with very few supports is a result of mathematically analyzing the structure to control compressive forces.

stone canopy 6

Check out how the structure was designed and installed in this video from Block Research Group, including computer models that show off the tessellation and Voussoir Geometry used to design the tile assembly.

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Neolithic Modernism: History Museum Appears Carved from Stone

30 Oct

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

cave museum

A bold break from traditional closed-box museums, this gorgeous open Museum of Indigenous Knowledge design is as much an interactive rock-hewn landscape as a work of contemporary architecture.

cavernous neolithic history museum

Kengo Kuma & Associates of Japan are the team behind this stoney structure slated for construction in Manila and designed to showcase Philippine history starting in the Neolithic period, known for its huge stoneworks.

ave museum contrast

Populated with tropical plants, waterfalls and pools, the carved-out center of the structure is made to feel both organic and inviting, encouraging visitors to climb up, wander and explore their environs.

cave museum interior spaces

The building is meant to stand out in contrast not only to more minimalist and austere museums but the surrounding urban environment as well, providing relief from the relentless urban cityscape on all sites.

cave museum sections

cave museum floor plates

Restaurants and shops are located along the artificial ravine toward the base of the building, meant to be accessible independently but also a gateway to the galleries and exhibition spaces on the floors above.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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See Through Stone: 13 Aging Structures with Glass Extensions

03 Feb

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

modern ruins sant francesc 1

The crumbling stone ruins of churches, farmhouses and barns are integrated into new structures that preserve and display their historic character while adding playful modern elements, like glass additions that adjoin disparate buildings or fill in damaged areas. These 13 renovations to historic architecture include examples of when the process is done right – honoring the original structure’s heritage – as well as cases where the changes are less than welcome.

Convent de Sant Francesc by David Closes

sant francesc

modern ruins sant francesc 2

A gaping hole created during the demolition of an adjacent convent was filled in with a geometric modern glass addition at the Sant Francesc church in Santpedor, Spain, a stone building dating back to 1721. The renovation added contemporary elements to both the interior and exterior while leaving the evidence of the building’s decay over time in place, creating skylights where the ceilings had caved in.

Contemporary Studio Extension to Historic Church

modern ruins studio 1

modern ruins studio 2

A historic brick church in Hoboken, New Jersey in use as a studio for Marchetto Higgins Stieve Architects is extended with an unusual glass canopy, curving down from the upper portion of the existing structure to the ground.

Two Stone Cottages Connected by a Glass Staircase

dublin stone 1

dublin stone 2

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A pair of dilapidated stone farmhouses in Ireland are now connected via a transparent, glass-enclosed staircase. Architect Peter Legge maintained the rustic character of the rural buildings but added the glass atrium to unite them, as well as a transparent dining area with folding doors.

Modern Addition to a Historic Farmhouse

ballymahon 2

ballymahon 1

ODOS Architects transformed a collection of 18th century stone farm buildings in Ireland with a new single-story wing made of glass and timber. The new wing unites the trio of existing buildings to create a courtyard and enables views to the adjacent woodlands with large expanses of frameless glazing.

Glass Extension to a Private Farmhouse in Gloucester

gloucester

Having absorbed “changes and layers of occupation from the 17th century onwards,” this farmhouse in Gloucester has now evolved into a contemporary home with the removal of incongruous additions from previous eras and the addition of a modern glass structure. The award-winning renovation encloses and extends a portion of the living area, bridging a gap between the two original buildings.

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See Through Stone 13 Aging Structures With Glass Extensions

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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Architectural Magic: Big Stone Building Breaks Free & Floats

23 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

architecture floating building magic trick

A work of art, genius and incredible effort, half of this replica structure appears to hang in mid-air, seeming at once a perfect aesthetic fit for its surroundings and completely disconnected from the laws of physics.

architecture covent garden installation

British artist Alex Chinneck and his crew spent over 500 hours and had to construct a 4-ton counterweight to balance this faux building in the sky – what appears to be solid stone is in fact a steel-framed copy of an historic structure also found at Covent Garden (the original is nearly 200 years old).

architecture floating building illusion

architecture draft plan model

Chinneck is well known for his architecture-centric optical illusions, with this particular piece created as a play on the area’s “performance culture” – its proximity to theaters and performance spaces.

architecture faux construction process

architecture cut slice pieces

The construction process required a painstaking attention to historical details and materials in addition to grafting the appearance of age, wear and tear onto the fake structure. Another significant challenge: the seemingly haphazard breaking and slicing of everything from stones to windows and their frames.

architecture hidden steel frame

architecture floating building magic trick

From the artist: “The hovering building introduces contemporary art to traditional architecture, performing a magic trick of spectacular scale to present the everyday world in an extraordinary way. My objective was to create an accessible artwork that makes a harmonious but breath-taking contribution to its historic surroundings, leaving a lasting and positive impression upon the cultural landscape of Covent Garden and in the minds of its many visitors.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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14 June, 2014 – Symphony In Stone

14 Jun

Landscape photography is something that for many of soothes the soul. It’s our passion. Sometimes we like shooting the large sky vistas and sometimes it is the forrest and for others it is a shoreline. Nigel Turner turns his camera to the stone. In his essay Symphony In Stone, Nigel shares what it takes to get his beautiful images.

Luminous Landscape’s Publisher and CEO Kevin Raber was recently interviewed on Rick Sammon’s Digital Photo Experience Podcast. Kevin’s interview starts at the 29:07 mark. Learn about Kevin’s photography and Luminous-Landscape. Direct LINK to the MP3.

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The Luminous Landscape – What’s New

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Flintstones Furniture: 15 Designs Made of Stone and Lava

03 Apr

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

Flintstones Furniture Main

Evoking the primitive furniture of mankind’s cave-dwelling days, these tables, chairs, stools and desks feel massive and monolithic, yet many are surprisingly lightweight. Some are hewn from heavy boulders, some carved from soft volcanic rock, and others made of materials like wool, wood and concrete.

ONYX Sofa with Volcanic Lava and Carbon Fiber

Stone Furniture ONYX

This hybrid sofa is part raw volcanic lava, part ultra-sleek carbon fiber. The ONYX sofa by Peugeot Design Lab in collaboration with designer Pierre Gimbergues features lava sourced form ‘the Auvergne,’ a landmark dating back almost 11,000 y ears. The aesthetics echo the bodywork of the Peugeot ONYX supercar, while the material choice is meant to invoke the ‘robustness’ of the car brand’s history.

Living Stones Wool Furniture by Stephanie Marin

Stone Furniture Living Stones 1

They may look like enormous river rocks, but these ‘Living Stones‘ are actually soft and comfortable poufs made of wool. The oversized pebbles come in various shapes and sizes suitable as floor pillows, loungers and footstools.

Natural Stone Table

Stone Furniture Table 1

A ragged, rocky edge lends a sense of gravity to this natural stone table by Lex Pott. The variation from the raw natural finish to the smoothed-out table legs on the other side tells the story of the Belgian bluestone table’s creation, from the rock quarry to the final polishing of the finished product.

Mt. Etna Lava Transformed into Experimental Furniture

Stone Furniture Etna
An unusual series of sculptural tables consists of volcanic volumes held together by brass pegs and straps, visually and symbolically invoking Mt. Etna and the cultural history of its surroundings. ‘De Natura Fossilium‘ aims to “bring both the landscape and the forces of nature together as facilities for production,” actively using the lava from the volcano in various manipulated forms.

Rock Pendant Lamp

Stone Furniture Pendant Lamp

Handmade from natural stone, this pendant lamp seems to defy gravity, dangling from the ceiling with just two thin wires. In fact, the Aso San lamp by German designer Daniel Stoller is made of basalt lava and much lighter in weight than it looks.

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Flintstones Furniture 15 Designs Made Of Stone And Lava

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

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Monument & Void: Massive Stone Museum of Mayan History

07 Feb

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

mayan museum central void

Commissioned for Guatemala City, this weighty megalithic structure is set to be the largest museum commemorating Mayan culture and history in Central America. Its architectural success, however, comes as much from its empty spaces as from its imposing structure, as evidenced by the eight-story central void shown above.

mayan museum plynth megalith

At a glance, the building looks like a monolithic box set upon a piecemeal plinth, the latter helping to give the former a sense of impossible mass. This humbling exterior gives way to an only somewhat-more-human-scaled series of spatial experiences inside.

maya museum monolithic void

Heavy stone-clad walls pierced by patchwork voids conspire to reinforce the sense of visual thickness that permeates the project, referencing ancient Mayan temples in terms of architectural materials and concepts but also sheer scale.

mayan museum exterior forest

This region-referencing design resulted from international collaboration between Harry Gugger Studio of Switzerland and Over,Under of Boston. More details from these firms below.

mayan museum gallery room

“The new Museo Maya de América is among the most ambitious cultural projects under development in Central America. It is planned to house one of the world’s most significant collections of objects, artefacts, artworks, textiles and knowledge relating to the history and culture of the Mayan Civilisation.”

mayan museum scale figure

“Located on the northern edge of L’Aurora Park, the new museum building will form the culmination of a cultural axis that includes the Guatemalan Museum of Contemporary Art and the Children’s Museum. This dense cluster of cultural institutions, in tandem with the large open spaces of the adjacent park will become a focal point for tourists and residents alike.”

mayan museum monolithic facade

An open central “void extends down in to the parking levels below ground, providing an interesting route up into the museum and a special place to display underworld-related artefacts. The landscaped roof of the museum is once again given back to the public with a series of different areas including a restaurant and terrace, roof gardens and viewing decks all accessible from the Cenote.”

mayan museum exploded axon

mayan museum central void

“The large surface of the roof will also be used to collect rainwater in a manner recalling traditional Maya practices by drawing water through a series of channels into the Cenote, enhancing the museums commitment to the environment through water recycling.”

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Public & Institutional. ]

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Penthouse Mountain: Stone Villa Tops Chinese Condo Tower

13 Aug

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

mountain on condo tower

Over six years, one dedicated man has constructed his dream house, complete with boulders, trees, gardens, pools and ponds. It is the kind of luxury home you might expect expect to set into the side of an actual mountain … rather than perched atop an urban apartment building.

mountaintop penthouse on roof

The Daily Mail reports that Chinese eccentric Zhang Lin slowly assembled this structure in Beijing despite disruptions and dangers caused to those residents below, apparently without planning permission and in defiance of zoning laws (not to mention common sense). The many tons of material required were hauled up the building, then transformed into a faux mountaintop. In turn, the industrious top-floor owner tucked his unique private penthouse retreat into the resulting rock face.

mountain rock condo sprawl

A number of residents have complained about the noise from construction, and one has experienced flooding, either from fake mountain pools and ponds above their place, broken drainage due to displaced infrastructure, or perhaps both.

mountain condo in context

Meanwhile, the penthouse – originally slated to be a small shack added to the top – has sprawled in all kinds of creative and (to those below, at least) unexpected ways. There are various outdoor decks, viewing platforms and winding paths that make their way through and around the stone mountaintop and its outgrowths of greenery.

mountain shaped carved apartment

And what comes next? Well, no one in the city has stopped the project so far, but as complaints mount from other residents, and as the weight loaded on the roof grows, one has to wonder what will happen first: government intervention or a tragic structural collapse.

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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360Photography

Posts Tagged ‘Stone’

Lastolite unveils two new ‘stone effect’ panoramic backgrounds for portrait photographers

Lastolite by Manfrotto presents new Granite and Limestone panoramic backgrounds to the collection

Invisible Solar: Panels Camouflaged as Wood, Clay, Stone & Concrete

Armadillo Vault: Delicate Stone Canopy Held Together by Compression

Neolithic Modernism: History Museum Appears Carved from Stone