360Photography

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  • The Leica TL is an upgraded Leica T mirrorless camera

    Leica has today unveiled the Leica TL, which is an updated version of the Leica T that was launched in 2014. The new model’s design has pretty much remained untouched but there is now a new Titanium color option with anodized finish that also comes with chamfered edges.

    Images are still captured on a 16MP APS-C sensor but Leica says it has improved autofocus performance, especially when shooting in continuous AF-C mode. The camera also features a 3.7″ touchscreen, 5 fps continuous shooting, an ISO range of 100 to 12500, DNG Raw file format and 1080p video. There is also a built-in pop-up flash and the TL has the ability to connect to a mobile Android or iOS app via Wi-Fi. This allows for viewing of the live view image on the mobile device and remote control of some camera functions.

    In addition the internal memory has been increased form 16 to 32GB, of course the TL also takes SD memory cards. The Leica TL system currently offers 6 lenses, 3 primes and 3 zoom lenses, and TL users can now also make use of legacy Leica R-lenses via the R-Adapter L. The Leica TL will be available in November for $ 1,695. 

    Official Leica sample images

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    Leica presents the TL-System:

    The new camera system impresses with perfected features, unique design, precise, high-performance lenses and a range of functional accessories and technical equipment.

    Wetzlar, 8 November 2016. Building on the Leica T camera system, which has been continually advanced in terms speed, ease of handling and flexibility since its launch in 2014, the Leica TL embraces all the perfected features and leads the innovative camera concept into a new generation with even more innovations and new aspects of its design. One of these innovations is the doubling of the size of its internal buffer memory to 32 GB. Other new features are improved autofocus, especially in AF-C mode, and optimised compatibility with lenses from other Leica camera systems. For instance, the Leica TL now supports SL-Lenses with OIS and allows the use of Leica R-System lenses in combination with the R-Adapter L. A new Leica TL app with revised functions offers additional options for sharing pictures by email or on social networks and is now available for the first time for Android as well as iOS devices.

    The Leica TL will in available in three colour options from the date of launch: the silver and black versions are identical in design and construction, while the titanium-coloured option is distinguished by a bevelled edge (chamfer) to the top and bottom plates. Functional camera accessories, such as the new high-quality protectors in Nappa leather, which can stay on the camera when changing the battery, and colour-coordinated carrying straps in stone-grey, black, red and cemento, round off the TL system portfolio.

    In combination with its high-performance image processor, the large, APS-C-format, CMOS image sensor of the Leica TL guarantees exceptional imaging quality and delivers brilliant pictures with outstanding contrast, finest detail resolution and natural colour rendition – even in unfavourable lighting conditions.

    The comprehensive portfolio of lenses for the Leica TL offers an ideal range of focal lengths for all situations and types of photography. The TL-System currently comprises six lenses – three prime lenses and three zooms – that meet the needs of every photographic situation. The two fast prime lenses, the Leica Summicron-TL 23 mm f/2 ASPH. and the Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH., are classic focal lengths for reportage photography, and the APOMacro-Elmarit-TL 60 mm f/2.8 ASPH. complements them ideally as a lens for finely detailed close-up photography. The three compact zoom lenses, the Leica Super-VarioElmar-TL 11–23 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH., Vario-Elmar-TL 18–56 mm f/3.5–5.6 ASPH. and APO-Vario-Elmar-TL 55–135 mm f/3.5–4.5 ASPH., cover an entire range of focal lengths equivalent to 17 to 200 mm in 35 mm format and deliver outstanding images with rich contrast from corner to corner of the frame.

    All Leica TL-Lenses impress with exceptional imaging performance at all distances from their close focusing limits to infinity and deliver pictures with the inimitable ‘Leica look’ and unique bokeh. Developed by optical design specialists in Wetzlar, they offer the exceptional imaging performance for which Leica lenses are famed. The combination of optical and precision engineering expertise and the use of finest materials in their construction ensures their constant quality and reliability in use.

    Thanks to the L-Bayonet mount shared by the Leica TL and SL cameras, SL-Lenses can also be used without an adapter on the Leica TL. With this, Leica once again carries forward its fundamental principles of cross-system compatibility and sustainability, which is now also reflected in a uniform product designation. Appropriate adapters are also available for using Leica M and R lenses on the camera.

    The particular trademark of the Leica TL is the unusual design of its extremely compact body. Each camera body is precisely machined from a single block of aluminium in the Leica factory. The use of premium materials and their processing in an elaborate manufacturing process are unique in the history of camera construction and lend the Leica TL-Camera an unmistakeable look, feel and solidity.

    The handling concept of the Leica TL is clearly structured, intuitive to use and concentrates only on relevant functions. The ‘control centre’ of this concept is its clearly laid out, 3.7- inch touchscreen display. It is generously dimensioned and generates a bright and clear image that allows precise and reliable assessment during subject composition and in playback mode. Numerous functions in capture and playback mode can be controlled simply by touching the screen. The only other controls are four ergonomically positioned haptic control elements that are intuitive in their operation. This ensures that camera users can concentrate fully on composing their pictures – without any unnecessary distractions. The freely configurable MyCamera menu of the Leica TL offers even greater flexibility, even in spontaneous snapshot situations. This means that the photographer always has fast access to the most frequently used features and personalised presets.

    Thanks to its integrated WiFi module and the function for setting up its own mobile hotspot, the Leica TL can conveniently transfer stills and videos by WLAN to smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktop PCs from almost anywhere and allows users to share their pictures and films by email, on Facebook or in other social networks. A free Leica TL app for iOS and Android devices is available with the release of the camera. A particularly practical feature of the app is the remote function. This lets users connect a smartphone or tablet to the camera by WLAN as an electronic viewfinder for the Leica TL and offers remote control of shutter speed and aperture settings – for example for shots with the self-timer or from unusual angles.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • You can see Elton John’s rare print collection starting this week at Tate Modern

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Man Ray 1890-1976, Glass Tears 1932. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. 229 x 298 mm. The Sir Elton John Photography collection © Man Ray Trust/ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2016

    London’s Tate Modern gallery is about to host an exhibition of ‘modernist photography’ drawn entirely from the Elton John Photography Collection that will feature only vintage prints made by the photographers themselves. The show, which comprises 150 images taken by over 60 photographers, is called The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection and will open this Thursday 10th November and will run until 7th May 2017.

    The exhibition will concentrate on the ‘coming of age’ of photography which the museum says occurred between 1920 and the 1950s – a period when photography developed into a powerful tool for communicating as technology made it more flexible and convenient to use.

    Visitors can expect to see works by Man Ray Kertesz, Rodchenko, Steichen, Tina Modotti, Imogen Cunningham and Margaret Bourke-White, as well as a collection of portraits of some of those photographers themselves taken by other famous artists. According to Tate Modern this will also be the first chance for the public to see an ‘incredible’ series of Man Ray portraits that John has collected and brought together over the last 25 years. Elton John has over 7000 fine art prints in a collection he started in 1991.

    For more information on the exhibition, which will cost £16.50 to visit, see the Tate Modern website.

    Press release

    Tate Modern to exhibit unparalleled modernist photography from the collection of Sir Elton John

    Tate Modern today announces a major new exhibition, The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection, opening on 10 November 2016. The show will be drawn from one of the world’s greatest private collections of photography and will present an unrivalled selection of classic modernist images from the 1920s to the 1950s.

    Featuring over 150 works from more than 60 artists the exhibition will consist entirely of rare vintage prints, all created by the artists themselves. It will showcase works by seminal figures such as Man Ray, André Kertész, Berenice Abbot, Alexandr Rodchenko and Edward Steichen, offering the public a unique opportunity to see remarkable works up close. The quality and depth of the collection will allow the exhibition to tell the story of modernist photography in this way for the first time in the UK. It also marks the beginning of a long term relationship between Tate and the Sir Elton John Collection.

    The exhibition introduces a crucial moment in the history of photography – an exciting rupture often referred to as the ‘coming of age’ of the medium, when artists used photography as a tool through which they could redefine and transform visions of the modern world. Technological advancements gave artists the freedom to experiment and test the limits of the medium and present the world through a new, distinctly modern visual language. This exhibition will reveal how the timeless genres of the portrait, nude and still life were reimagined through the camera, as well as exploring its unique ability to capture street life and the modern world from a new perspective.

    Featuring portraits of great cultural figures of the 20th century, including Georgia O’Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston by Tina Modotti, Jean Cocteau by Berenice Abbott and Igor Stravinsky by Edward Weston, the exhibition will give insight into the relationships and inner circles of the avant-garde. An incredible group of Man Ray portraits will be exhibited together for the first time, having been brought together by Sir Elton John over the past twenty-five years, depicting key surrealist figures such as Andre Breton and Max Ernst alongside artists including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar. Ground-breaking experimentation both in the darkroom and on the surface of the print, such as Herbert Bayer’s photomontage and Maurice Tabard’s solarisation, will examine how artists pushed the accepted conventions of portraiture.

    As life underwent rapid changes in the 20th century, photography offered a new means to communicate and represent the world. Alexandr Rodchenko, László Moholy-Nagy and Margaret Bourke-White employed the ‘worm’s eye’ and ‘bird’s eye’ views to create new perspectives of the modern metropolis – techniques associated with constructivism and the Bauhaus. The move towards abstraction will also be charted, from isolated architectural elements to camera-less photography such as Man Ray’s rayographs and Harry Callahan’s light abstractions.

    Further themes explored in the exhibition will include new approaches to capturing the human form, highlighted in rare masterpieces such as André Kertész’s Underwater Swimmer, Hungary 1917, while Imogen Cunningham’s Magnolia Blossom, Tower of Jewels 1925 and Tina Modotti’s Bandelier, Corn and Sickle 1927 will feature in a large presentation dedicated to the Still Life. The important role of documentary photography as a tool of mass communication will be demonstrated in Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother 1936 and Walker Evans’ Floyde Burroughs, Hale County, Alabama 1936, from the Farm Security Administration project.

    Sir Elton John said: “It is a great honour for David and I to lend part of our collection to Tate Modern for this groundbreaking exhibition. The modernist era in photography is one of the key moments within the medium and collecting work from this period has brought me great joy over the last 25 years. Each of these photographs serves as inspiration for me in my life; they line the walls of my homes and I consider them precious gems. We are thrilled to be part of this collaboration with Tate Modern and hope that the exhibition audience experiences as much joy in seeing the works as I have had in finding them.”

    Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said: “This will be a truly unique exhibition. There are few collections of modernist photography in the UK, so we are delighted that Sir Elton John has allowed us to draw on his incredible collection and give everyone a chance to see these iconic works. Coming face-to-face with such masterpieces of photography will be a rare and rewarding experience.”

    The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern will run from 10 November 2016 until 7 May 2017. It is curated by Shoair Mavlian with senior curator Simon Baker and Newell Harbin, Director of the Sir Elton John Photography Collection, assisted by Emma Lewis. It will be accompanied by a major new catalogue from Tate Publishing, featuring an interview with Sir Elton John by Jane Jackson and an essay by Dawn Ades, Professor Emerita at the University of Essex.

    Sir Elton John Photography Collection:

    Sir Elton John began collecting photographs in 1991 and his collection is now regarded as one of the leading private photography collections in the world, distinguished by its exceptional quality and remarkable range and depth. From major vintage 20th century modernist works to cutting-edge contemporary images, the collection now holds over 7,000 fine art photographs. To make this exhibition possible Tate has worked in collaboration with Newell Harbin, Director of the Sir Elton John Photography Collection.

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Herbert Bayer 1900-1985, Humanly Impossible (Self-Portrait) 1932. Photomontage, bromoil gelatin silver print with gouache and airbrush on paper. 394 x 295 mm. The Sir Elton John Photography collection © DACS, 2016

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Dorothea Lange 1895-1965, Migrant Mother 1936. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. The Sir Elton John Photography collection

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Otto Umbehr (1902-1980), Cat 1927. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. The Sir Elton John Photography collection © DACS, 2016

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Ilse Bing 1899-1998, Dancer, Willem van Loon, Paris 1932. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. 276 x 184 mm. The Sir Elton John Photography collection © The Estate of Ilse Bing

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    André Kertész (1894-1985) Mondrian’s Eyeglasses and Pipe, Paris 1926. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. 76 x 89 mm. The Sir Elton John Photography collection

    Photos from the Sir Elton John Collection at Tate Modern

    Alekandr Rodchenko 1891-1956, Shukhov Tower 1927. Photograph, gelatin silver print on paper. The Sir Elton John Photography collection © DACS, 2016

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Xiaomi Redmi Pro quick review: dual-cam on a budget

    Xiaomi Redmi Pro quick review: dual-cam on a budget

    Dual-cameras are all the hype in 2016 and we have seen several high-end smartphones with the technology being launched in the past months, including the Huawei P9, LG G5 and, most recently, the Apple iPhone 7 Plus. While each device uses the dual-camera technology in different ways, one thing is common to all of those devices: a high price tag.

    In the mid-range bracket of the market dual-cameras are still a rarity, but with the Redmi Pro, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi has recently launched a dual-camera smartphone that is suitable for smaller budgets. The standard version with 3GB RAM and 32GB of internal memory is currently available for approximately $ 300. Not only is the dual-camera unusual at this price point, but its very solid metal body, deca-core chipset and 5.5″ OLED display make the Redmi Pro look and feel like a much more expensive device. 

    The dual-camera setup combines a 13MP Sony IMX258 1/3.06″ sensor with a 5MP Samsung depth sensor. The system does does not offer any optical zoom capability, as on the LG G5 or iPhone 7 Plus, nor does it combine the captured image information from both sensors for improved image quality, ala the Huawei P9. Instead, it uses the dual-camera to simulate the bokeh of a fast lens on a large-sensor camera, something we first saw on the HTC One M8.  There is also a dual-tone LED flash and at the front the Xiaomi comes with a 5MP selfie-camera.

    Thanks to retailer Gearbest.com that ships Xiaomi devices worldwide, we’ve had the chance to try the Redmi Pro and its dual-camera, shoot a wide range of samples and see how it generally performs as a device for mobile photography.

    Key Specifications:

    • 13MP Sony IMX258 1/3.06″ sensor
    • Secondary 5MP Samsung depth sensor
    • F2.0 aperture
    • Dual-tone flash
    • 1080p video
    • 5MP front camera
    • 5.5-inch 1080p OLED display 
    • Mediatek Helio X20 Deca-Core processor
    • 3GB RAM
    • 32GB storage
    • MicroSD support
    • 4050mAh battery
    • USB Type-C port with quick-charging

    Camera App

    The Redmi Pro’s camera app is intuitively structured and easy to use.

    The Redmi Pro’s camera app comes with a pleasantly simple and intuitive design. Above the shutter button you can find the button for switching to video mode. Other controls on the main screen let you activate HDR capture and the dual-cam’s Stereo mode. Swiping up opens the camera mode screen where you can enter Panorama and Manual modes among others. The latter only offers manual ISO and white balance, though. There is no manual control over shutter speed. Swiping down on the main screen opens up a thumbnail preview array of 12 simple filter effects. 

    Image Quality

    In bright light the Xiaomi Redmi Pro camera captures 13MP images that show very pleasant colors and good exposure in most conditions. For a smartphone in this price category the Redmi deals well with higher contrast scenes, keeping highlight clipping pretty well under control. 

    Things don’t look quite as good when you start zooming into the image, though. At the center of the frame, image detail is decent for a mid-range device and luminance noise is kept at bay as well. However, our test sample’s lens shows strong softness on both the right and left edges of the frame, which is quite noticeable when viewing the image at screen size.

    ISO 101, 1/834 sec
    ISO 103, 1/1273 sec

    In low light situations the Redmi Pro uses a maximum ISO setting of 2050 and slowest shutter speed of 1/15 sec, which in combination with the F2.0 aperture, allows for usable exposures even in pretty dark interiors and night scenes. There is no optical image stabilization, so holding the phone steadily when shooting in dim conditions is recommended, but overall camera shake is not too much of an issue. 

    As you can see in the samples below, the Redmi Pro is capable of capturing nice exposures and colors, even in pretty dim light. Lens softness aside, detail is pretty good for this type of device at lower ISO levels, but things start falling apart at ISO 800 and above. On the plus side, luminance noise is well-managed and chroma noise is hardly visible, even at the highest sensitivity setting. Overall, the Redmi Pro’s low light images look nice at web and typical social network size, but at larger viewing sizes the smearing of detail and strong lens softness don’t make for a good combination. 

     ISO 155, 1/30 sec
     ISO 405, 1/30 sec
     ISO 841, 1/30 sec
     ISO 1413, 1/15 sec

    Dual-camera Stereo Mode

    Stereo mode is The Redmi Pro’s feature highlight. Thanks to the secondary depth-sensing camera, the Redmi can distinguish between foreground and background. Applying digital blur to the latter simulates the shallow depth-of-field you can achieve with a DSLR and fast lens. In the camera app you adjust the ‘virtual aperture’ between F0.95 and F5.6 to control the degree of background blur. Alternatively you can change the focus point and the aperture after capture in the gallery app.

    As you can see in the samples below, the feature works reasonably well, but under closer scrutiny it becomes obvious that Stereo mode is not too precise at distinguishing the focal plane, and the transition of blur is often too abrupt to look natural. Generally things look better if you choose a smaller aperture setting and make sure there is some distance between the foreground subject and the background. Stereo images are captured in 16:9 format and are 5.3 MP large.

     ISO 434, 1/30 sec, F2.4 virtual aperture
      ISO 101, 1/1445 sec, F2.0 virtual aperture
      ISO 101, 1/896 sec, F3.5 virtual aperture

    In addition to refocusing and controlling the background blur you can apply a range of effects to your Stereo images in the gallery app. Again, the foreground/background separation is not too precise, but the modes can be fun to play with. 

     In the gallery app several effects can be applied to Stereo images.
    Blackboard effect

    Conclusion

    In its price bracket the Xiaomi Redmi Pro can score a lot of points with its premium look and materials, a bright and sharp OLED display and very good battery life. The 13MP camera delivers good color and exposure across the ISO range but our test sample suffered from strong lens softness away from the center of the frame.

    The dual-camera does not offer the same zooming or image quality improvement functions we have seen on some recent high-end models, but the effects can be fun to play with. Close-up the results of the shallow depth-of-field simulation do look a little artificial but they are good enough for social sharing.

    Overall, the Redmi Pro looks like a good choice for those who want a high-end look and feel for little money and want to try out the dual-camera as a bonus. However, if image quality is your number one priority, and you can live without the dual-cam and metal body, the Motorola Moto G Plus might be a good alternative at a similar price point. The 32GB version of the Xiaomi Redmi Pro is currently available at Gearbest.com for $ 299.

    What we like:

    • Premium look and feel
    • Very god battery life
    • Bright and sharp OLED display
    • Good exposure and color across the ISO range

    What we don’t like:

    • Lens softness
    • No manual control over shutter speed
    • Imprecise background separation in Stereo mode

    There are 22 images in our Xiaomi Redmi Pro gallery. Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter / magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review), we do so in good faith, please don’t abuse it.

    Unless otherwise noted images taken with no particular settings at full resolution.

    Review sample gallery

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • The filmmakers who took a stroll on Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic are facing jail time

    Three of the four Canadian filmmakers who were caught roaming onto Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic hot spring have pled not guilty to charges of foot travel in a thermal area and disorderly conduct. Hamish McNab Campbell Cross was the only member of the group representing clothing brand High on Life to plead guilty to his charges. He’ll pay a fine of $ 8000 and accepts a five year unsupervised probation.

    The remaining three have received court-appointed lawyers and may face a bench trial if they do not accept plea deals. The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that the group’s previous attorney, who removed himself from the case due to a conflict of interest, mentioned that the US Attorney is considering jail time.

    The Grand Prismatic incident is just one of quite a few recent cases park vandalism. Stiffer penalties for offenders may help reduce incidences of vandalism, but is an $ 8000 fine enough? Do the filmmakers pleading not guilty deserve jail time? Tell us what you think in the comments.

    Related: Opinion: Park vandals need to be stopped

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Olympus STF-8 Macro Flash is first weatherproof model of its kind

    Olympus has announced what it says is the first ever macro twin flash with a weatherproof construction: the new STF-8 Macro Flash. This model is, according to Olympus, both splashproof and dustproof with construction that can withstand temperatures as low as -10°C / 14°F. Features include a guide number of 8.5 when both heads fire and of 6 when one head fires, as well as full TTL auto-sync, removable heads, customizable positioning, and manual output control down to 1/128.

    The new Macro Flash is compatible with the following lenses:

    • M.ZUIKO Digital ED 30mm F3.5 Macro
    • M.ZUIKO Digital ED 60mm F2.8 Macro
    • M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 Pro

    Says Olympus, users can also attach third-party step-up and step-down rings to use other lenses. The STF-8 is available to preorder from some retailers now, including B&H Photo, for $ 479 / $ 600 CAD. Shipping will start in January 2017. 

    Source: Olympus

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Nikon reportedly eliminating 1000 jobs in Japan

    Senior Nikon Executives at CP+ 2016

    Nikkei Asian Review reports that Nikon is cutting 1000 jobs, or 10% of its domestic workforce, over the next two to three years. The cuts are expected to have the highest impact on the under-performing semiconductor and digital camera business. Nikon’s camera sales have dropped 30% in the last three years, and the company will miss its ¥30 billion ($ 287 million) net profit forecast when this fiscal year wraps up in March.

    Nikon isn’t alone in being affected by the declining camera industry: Canon’s imaging division is expecting a 25% drop in get group profit for 2016. But while most camera companies have shouldered plenty of setbacks recently, earthquake-induced and otherwise, Nikon’s consumer business seems to have had it particularly tough lately. Its enthusiast-friendly DL compacts have failed to materialize almost a year after their announcement, and the KeyMission series of rugged action cameras haven’t been well received since their launch last month. 

    Will the workforce reduction help stabilize Nikon? Is it a sign of more bad news to come? Let us know what you think in the comments.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • NYC Dance Project: How two photographers capture the beauty in movement

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Charlotte Landreau, Soloist, Martha Graham Dance Company. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    New York City-based photographers Deborah Ory and Ken Browar have spent the past two and a half years creating images of today’s most influential dancers in their home studio. A project that began in a quest to make photographs to decorate their daughter’s bedroom quickly became a long-term endeavor to capture the beauty of movement. This self-funded project, fueled by their passion for photography and dance, resulted in the team’s first book: The Art of Movement—a beautiful, award-winning 300 page compilation featuring photographs of more than 70 dancers from the world’s leading companies including American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Royal Danish Ballet, among many others.

    Ory, who started dancing when she was 7, began her photography career photographing rehearsals when a dance injury prevented her from performing. She has shot editorial for magazines including Self, Martha Steward Living and Real Simple and served as photo editor for House and Garden and Mirabella.

    Fashion and beauty photographer Browar began his career in Paris, with work published in some of the leading fashion magazines in Europe and the U.S. including Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire. Browar’s interest in dance began when he photographed dancers for the Paris Opera Ballet.

    Together their NYC Dance Project has been featured in numerous magazines ranging from Harper’s Bazaar to Vogue Italia.

    For behind the scenes insight into the project, you can read our Q&A with this talented team. Be sure to scroll through the gallery to see some of the images from the project.

    The book can be purchased here. Follow NYC Dance Project on Facebook and Instagram And if you’re in New York City, check out these events celebrating the book:

    November 7 – ABT Jr Council Book Launch – A cocktail party and book signing; many of the ABT dancers will be there. More info and tickets

    November 10 – Barnes and Noble Book Signing – 7pm – 150 East 86th Street, New York City. A book signing and Q&A. Ory and Bowar will be joined by Martha Graham Principal dancers, Lloyd Knight and Masha Dashkina Maddux (the dancer on the cover). More info here

    ?November 30, 2016 – Martha Graham Dance Company Studio Series – 7pm. Ory and Browar will be having a discussion with Artistic Director, Janet Eilber. Members of the Martha Graham Company will be performing and there will be a chance to take photographs of the dancers. Reserve your tickets here

    December 8, 2016 – Rizzoli Bookstore – 6-8pm. 1133 Broadway, New York City. There will be drinks and a launch party to celebrate the book as well as a panel discussion with Ory, Browar and the dancers.??? rizzolibookstore.com

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Xin Ying, Principal, Martha Graham Dance Company. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    How did the NYC Dance Project get started? What was your inspiration?

    The inspiration for the project came when our daughter Sarah, an aspiring ballerina, wanted to decorate her room with dance photographs. To our disappointment, we were not able to find images of the current dancers that Sarah admired in any contemporary books or photographs. There were beautiful images of famous dancers from past generations – such as Baryshnikov or Markova, taken more than 40 years ago – but nothing of the current stars.

    Ken decided we needed to photograph these dancers ourselves. We were great fans of Daniil Simkin, the American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer, and sent him an email asking him to be our first subject. Daniil loves photography and agreed to be photographed and this was the beginning of NYC Dance Project. Daniil helped us in getting a lot of other dancers involved in the project. It was a time when dancers were starting to use social media to promote themselves and they were interested in having images taken.

    We originally thought it was going to be a blog, but after we had 4-5 shoots, we realized this had a longer life than we thought it would.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Gillian Murphy, Principal, American Ballet Theatre. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    You’re very active in social media. How has that benefited you and the project?

    Social media is a really important part of our project and we started with it right away. Daniil Simkin was very involved in social media and helped us learn how to promote our project through Facebook and Instagram. Our audience has been really active and it’s been a great way for us to reach even more people. Through social media, we have been able to reach an international market – we have dancers from around the world contacting us and asking about doing shoots with us when they are touring to NYC. It’s been a great way for us to connect worldwide with the dancers.

    Having a large social media following was also important to our publisher, as it’s a great way to promote the book.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Michael Jackson Jr, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    Your studio is set up in your living room. How do you manage that arrangement?

    Ken and I mostly worked in rental studios or outdoors previous to this and the fact that we work from our home changes the mood for the shoot. There are usually no more than the two of us, the dancer and sometimes a hair and makeup artist. Because it’s a small crew, in our home, it’s a very warm and friendly environment. There is something about the casualness of being in our home that we really love. We also can do a shoot at the last minute. Often we leave our studio set up for a few days and shoot several dancers. We go in spurts where shoot a lot, then we put our home back together and spend a few days editing.

    The space we have is very large. We were able to do a shoot with 9 dancers here, although it was very tight. Ideally we would have an even larger studio, but as this is a self-funded project, we never would have been able to do it if we rented a studio.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Michael Jackson Jr, Daniel Harder, Sean Aaron Carmon, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    Tell us about how your studio space is set up, what gear you use and how you work together.

    Our home is a loft space with 16 foot high ceilings. Usually our background is about 15 feet high. We work with a Hasselblad on a tripod, using a standard 80mm lens. We now have the H6D. We like working with medium format, because we love the way it looks. Also, we like printing the images very large and the medium format lends itself well to this. We work very slowly, as we are using strobes and never have used a motor drive. When a dancer does a jump, we have to get the timing right, there is no room for mistakes!

    We tend to keep our lighting very simple, with just one or two lights – from the top and/or side, depending on where the subject is and how they are moving. We’ve been using Profoto’s D4’s. These are not as fast as other lights that would stop the action 100%, but we are not bothered by not having technically perfect images. It’s the emotion and movement that we are trying to capture.

    Our light is just to enhance the movement. We’ll start with the movement and think about how the light can work the best to complement it. Since the dancer is always moving throughout these shoots, we are constantly adjusting the light, bringing reflectors in and out and refining things. It’s all very fluid.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Artem Ovcharenko, Principal, Bolshoi Ballet. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    …(cont.) People write us all the time asking if we can send them a lighting diagram. We can’t do this as we are constantly adjusting the lights. It’s so helpful having two people making the images – one of us is watching the dancer and the other is moving a light or adjusting it.

    We use hand painted backgrounds that we’ve had an artist make. She is constantly refining it over and over for us. At one point she told us that she can’t add any more paint to it, it was getting too thick to roll up!

    We have wood floors but we put a Marley dance floor, which comes in rolls, on top of the floor and underneath the canvas. That helps dancers from slipping and helps keep the canvas in place as well.

    In the beginning we each worked with our own camera and had our own idea of what the image should be. The dancer would have to repeat the movement for each of us and we would compare who captured it better. Now we have become a team and work with one camera.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    James Whiteside, Principal, American Ballet Theatre. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    When a dancer comes into the studio for a shoot, how much do you direct them? Where do you begin?

    Most of these dancers are well known dancers that we have seen perform before. If we haven’t seen them live—such as dancers from another country—then we’ll watch videos of them so we kind of know their strengths. Ken and I have an idea about what we would like to capture about each dancer, but once the dancer comes in, it’s a collaboration with them as well. We have them start moving with very little direction from us. We’ll look at a few images together and start to refine them. Usually we pick one or two ideas to work on and fine tune those until we get an image we all feel works well.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Miriam Miller, New York City Ballet. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    Who styles the dancers and where do you get the outfits for the shoots?

    I [Ory] do most of the styling for our shoots. Once we worked with a stylist and we felt it was too much about fashion and often the clothes did not move well. The clothing needs to be simple and beautiful, but most importantly, it needs to move well.

    Clothing is a really important element for us. We’ve gotten outfits from different designers, including Leanne Marshall, who has been a big contributor for us. Companies like ABT will sometimes give us old costumes. They’re tattered and hand stitched and I love that you can see little rips and tears.

    We also sometimes paint their pointe shoes so they match the clothing. In fashion you would never wear the same colored shoes with every outfit, so why would you wear pink pointe shoes with every dress?

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Fana Tesfagiorgis, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    What software do you use and how much post-processing is involved?

    On set we shoot tethered with Hasselblad’s Phocus software. The images are brought into Lightroom to edit and the post-processing is done in Photoshop, after we have made our selects. Post-processing is pretty minimal in terms of what we do to the pictures. Most of our time is spent cleaning up spots and dust in the background. There is very little manipulation of the images themselves.

    Often we have to remove cats from the photos! Our cats are literally walking through the set and often they are in the photo or there is a tail in the picture. They will go lay down underneath the dancer, no matter what the dancer is doing!

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Misty Copeland, Principal, American Ballet Theatre, from our shoot for Harper’s Bazaar, Degas story. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    You were commissioned by Harper’s Bazaar to do an editorial with American Ballet Theatre’s Principal dancer, Misty Copeland in conjunction with the Degas exhibit at MOMA. How did that come about?

    Harper’s Bazaar found us on Instagram and also through another principal dancer who recommended us for this job. Glenda Bailey, their Editor-in-Chief, wanted someone who was used to shooting dancers, rather than a fashion photographer. Also, we had worked with Misty before, so they had seen our images of her. While we were very fortunate that they picked us, we were not really looking for commercial assignments at that time. They asked us if we had a porfolio and we just suggested they look through our Instagram feed. It was interesting to us as we knew how difficult it can be to send your portfolio and try to get jobs with magazines like Harper’s Bazaar.

    It was a really difficult shoot. Bazaar wanted to make the pictures look exactly like Degas’ painting of dancers. We were stressing about how to make these images keep the perspective and painterly look of the Degas paintings. Degas sometimes just painted things in the background and we could not figure out what these things were. What are those blue streaks? Is he painting a set or was that just for effect? It was really a challenge re-creating these paintings!

    There were about 50 people on set, and it was the first time we had worked with a crew that large for a dance shoot. The space we used at Pier 59 photo studios in NYC was really large, but we had to create 5-6 sets and there was only room to put up 2 at a time. Luckily, there were a lot of people to help us create these sets and it all came together beautifully. There was a lot of press surrounding the story, so it really helped us to get better known.

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    Your first book, The Art of Movement, was released this October. What was it like to publish your first book?

    As photographers, both of us had always dreamed of making a book. We certainly did not just create the images for instagram! Meeting with publishers was a bit depressing, however; most said they only do a dance book every ten years or so. It took a lot of persistence, and also a great literary agent, to help us find the right publisher. Although it worked out in the end, we got our contract at the last minute. Our publisher, Black Dog & Leventhal, wanted to get the book out this year, so we had to work incredibly quickly to meet the deadline. We barely slept for a few months. Putting together a 300 page book in such a short amount of time was very ambitious and stressful, but looking back now, it definitley feels worth the struggle!

    NYC Dance Project: The Art of Movement

    Michael Jackson Jr and Sean Aaron Carmon, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. © Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

    What’s next for you?

    It’s likely that we will make another book. The next step is also working with galleries. We just started working with the Holden Luntz Gallery in Palm Beach and will be looking for a gallery in NYC as well.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Power struggle: Hauntingly beautiful images of abandoned cooling towers

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    Belgian photographer Reginald Van de Velde has made a project of exploring the inner workings and mechanisms of some of Europe’s awe-inspiring, dormant giants: cooling towers. His images document both active and decommissioned cooling towers, as well as towers slated for demolition.

    The interiors of the towers yield astonishing vistas, and as they’re abandoned he’s able to enter explore them, document and admire them. In his imagery he searches for patterns, a sense of scale, repetition, and disruption, rendering landscapes within the massive structures.

    ‘One thing that fascinates me extremely is the fact that not a single cooling tower is the same,’ Van de Velde says. ‘Each and every one of them has a unique interior design and build! They all look the same from the exterior, but with each visit to a new cooling tower I’m always surprised by a different interior, time and time again.’

    To see more of Reginald’s work, visit his website or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    Vegetation is slowly taking over the bottom area of this cooling tower slated for demolition, Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    Inside the belly of an active cooling tower: billions of water drops fall down while releasing heat to the environment. Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    The impressive interior view of a giant cooling tower scheduled for maintenance, France. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    The spectacular view inside a decommissioned gasometer in Germany, looking upwards. The air vents at the top dome create natural ambient light. Gasometers can reach heights of 150 meters. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    Inside Active and Abandoned Cooling Towers

    Unreal scenery resembling the set of a sci-fi movie. This is the view inside a defunct cooling tower in Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    Warm moist air rises from a central outlet inside an active cooling tower, Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    Inside Active and Abandoned Cooling Towers

    Snow particles cover the interior mechanism of an abandoned cooling tower in Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    Covered in moss and algae, these beams support the inner structure of a defunct cooling tower, UK. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    A look inside active and abandoned cooling towers

    A structure that resembles the look and feel of a cooling tower: this is the view inside a gasometer, an industrial recipient used for the storage of natural gas. Belgium. Photo by Reginald Van de Velde

    To see more of Reginald’s work, visit his website or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Accessory review: MindShift Gear SidePath camera backpack

    The MindShift Gear SidePath
    $ 99.99 | MindShiftGear.com

    MindShift Gear makes a lot of cool bags; I’ve used several over the years and have been impressed with their durability. The most recent bag to join the MindShift Gear family is the SidePath. It caught my attention because it features a near identical design to one of my all time favorite camera backpacks, the Lowepro Hatchback. These ‘hatchback’ style bags consists of two main compartments: an upper area to store personal stuff and a lower area, accessible via the back of the bag, for storing one’s camera gear.

    I’ve found this style of bag to be exceptional for everyday use. I almost always have a camera on me (usually a Nikon D750 and 35mm F2), but often need additional room in my bag for carrying my hard drives, extra clothes and a snack. With the SidePath, I have plenty of room to do this. I was also able to keep my camera and hard drives separate from my cloths and food. Also convenient: the bag has a trapdoor to open up the two compartments into one. This makes it a good grocery-getter as well.

    The SidePath is available in one size only, and offers a total volume of 14 liters (by comparison, Lowepro has a 16L and 22L version of the Hatchback).

    Specifications:

    • Exterior Dimensions 10.6″ W x 19″ H x 5.9″ D (26 x 47 x 15 cm)
    • Camera Compartment: 9.1″ W x 6.7″ H x 5.5″ D (24 x 15 x 14 cm)
    • Tablet Slot: 8.3″ W x 9.8″ H x 0.6″ D (22 x 25 x 2 cm)
    • Weight: 1.6 lbs (0.7 kg) (includes rain cover)

    Design and Construction

    I live in Seattle and spend a lot of time walking and biking between my apartment, the office and concert venues. I had previously been using the Lowepro Hatchback before swapping it out for the SidePath and found I sacrificed very little in the switch (I have the 16L Hatchback, so I did lose some volume.) After three weeks using the SidePath, including a weekend trip to Santa Cruz California, and I have mostly positive things to say.

    What I like most about the design of this bag is how ordinary it looks; it doesn’t scream ‘I’m a camera bag!’ Moreover, I love how well-protected my camera gear is in the hidden lower compartment. Now, I’m not suggesting you sneak your camera somewhere it doesn’t belong, but the lower gear pocket makes doing just that VERY easy. And because the lower compartment is padded, it also doubles as a cooler-like area. Once again, I’m not suggesting you fill the compartment with brews, but it does perfectly fit a six pack of cold beverages.

    The exterior of the bag has a water repellent coating while the inside is coated in polyurethane. This helps to keep your stuff dry when not using the dedicated rain cover. More on that later.

    The side pockets are impressively stretchy. As you can see from the photo, I was easily able to stuff a water bottle in one and a Manfrotto BeFree tripod in the other. The two bungee cords located on the upper left and right of the bag can be used to further secure any oversized gear, like a tripod or flash stand.

    Comfort

    I’m 5’10” and have found the SidePath comfortable to wear, even for an extended period of time. It is also perfectly sized for every day out-and-about use (the next slide will give you a better idea of just how much you can lug). The back is well-padded, though the shoulder straps could benefit from some additional padding.

    Another benefit of the hatchback-style design is that most hefty items, like your camera and lenses, will be located in the lower portion of the bag, right up against your back. This makes hauling heavy equipment less painful. There is also a chest strap and buckle on the over-the-shoulder straps for added support.

    Capacity

    You can seriously fit a lot of stuff in this bag, including: a full frame DSLR body (Nikon D700), 2 lenses (Tokina 17-35mm F4, Nikon 85mm F1.8), two film cameras (a Polaroid 300 and Olympus Stylus Epic), a flash, card wallet, rain cover, 11-inch Macbook Air (you could probably squeeze a 13-inch in there instead), laptop charger, water bottle, tripod, US map, sunglasses, extra socks (it rains a lot in Seattle) and various personal items.

    Upper Storage

    The SidePath has only one interior zippered pocket, which I found disappointing. The more places I can organize and secure my stuff the better. It’s located up against the front inside of the bag. There is also a pocket against the back of the bag that MindShift is advertising can fit a 10” tablet or 1.5L hydration reservoir. I didn’t attempt to fit either of those in the pocket, but did find it a useful space for stowing my notebook, memory card wallet and extra Instax film. I only wish it had some way of securing itself closed, whether it be Velcro or a zipper.

    An 11″ laptop can easily slide down into the front portion of the bag. I also used that area to store my iPad while flying to Santa Cruz. There is also quite a lot of space in the open portion of the top area, which I was able to fill up with my flash, laptop charger and Polaroid camera.

    Lower Storage

    Whether you’re hauling sodas or camera gear, the lower area is well-padded and well-secured. The bag ships with three padded velcro pieces that can be reconfigured to your liking.

    One feature the Lowepro Hatchback offers that is missing on the SidePath is the ability to remove the lower gear portion of the bag completely. Still, it is nice that the divider between the upper and lower area can be dropped down to combine the two area into one.

    Side Pockets

    The ability to haul lightstands or a tripod securely is invaluable. The previously mentioned bungees chords located on either side of the bag are an excellent feature. And one not offered by the competition.

    Rain Cover

    The SidePath ships with a rain cover. Good thing because I tested the bag during the month of October, which just so happened to be the wettest October in Seattle history. Thankfully, never once did I find myself with wet gear. I’m also quite fond of the clips on the rain cover: they really help secure it to the bag and ensure no moisture is getting in.

    Areas for improvement

    There are aspects of the bag’s design I feel could be improved upon. The zipper track for the upper compartment allows the bag to open up dangerously wide. On several occasions over the course of this review, I unzipped the bag only to have it flop open and spill the contents of the upper compartment everywhere. If the zipper started and ended an inch or two higher than the bottom of the compartment, I think this would go a long way to rectify this issue. Or maybe I just need to get use to not opening the zippers all the way.

    I mentioned it before, but the back pocket could also really benefit from a zipper or velcro to secure itself closed. Because seriously, only one zipper pocket on a camera backpack is not enough, ever.

    The bottom line

    The MindShift SidePath is not a carbon copy of the Lowepro Hatchback, but the two are strikingly similar in design. There are aspects of each I like better, for instance I love the SidePath’s bungee cords for securing light stands or tripods, and I love the Hatchback’s removal lower compartment.

    On its own, the SidePath is an excellent day pack or travel pack. It can haul an impressive amount of gear, all in secure fashion and is well-versed to deal with inclement weather. At $ 100 MSRP it is pricier than the Lowepro Hatchback 16L (and a bit smaller), but it easily gives my favorite camera bag of all time a run for its money.

    What we like:

    • Lightweight
    • Spacious design with an impressive amount of room
    • Two compartments, one for personal items, one for gear
    • Camera gear compartment is secured against one’s back when wearing the bag
    • Trapdoor allows the two compartments to be one
    • Exterior of the bag is treated with a water repellent and it ships with a rain cover
    • Side pockets can easily fit a small tripod or light stand
    • Bungee cords allow for tripods or light stands to be easily secured to the bag

    What we don’t:

    • Only one interior zipper pocket
    • Camera compartment can not be removed
    • Upper compartment opens too wide, this sometimes lead to its contents spilling out
    • Shoulder straps could use a little more padding

    Score:

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Apple cuts adapter and card reader prices to appease new MacBook Pro buyers

    When Apple announced its new MacBook Pro last week, Mac fans were up in arms about the removal of its HDMI port, SD card reader and MagSafe power connector (among other things.)  The new models have four Thunderbolt 3 ports (two on each side), and that’s it, thus requiring ‘dongles’ in order to use legacy connectors. SanDisk also produces an SD card reader (pictured) that plugs right into the side of the computer.

    To help placate those who aren’t excited about spending nearly $ 120 just to get their SD card reader and HDMI port back, the company has cut prices of many USB-C and Thunderbolt adapters for a limited time.

    • USB-C to USB adapter: $ 19 to $ 9
    • Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter: $ 49 to $ 29
    • USB-C to Lightning cables (1/2 meter): $ 25 to $ 19 / $ 35 to $ 29
    • Multiport adapter w/HDMI, USB and USB-C: $ 69 to $ 49
    • Multiport adapter w/VGA, USB and USB-C: $ 69 to $ 49
    • SanDisk USB-C SD card reader: $ 49 to $ 29

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)