Month: December 2013

  • Past Food: 10 Creepy Closed & Abandoned McDonald’s

    [ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

    abandoned closed McDonald's
    I’m leavin’ it! You can bet your sesame seed buns these 10 closed and abandoned McDonald’s have swirled their last McFlurry and will bag burgers no more.

    Archless In America

    abandoned McDonald's (image via: Flavio Grana)

    The usual knock against modern architecture (or should we say, “ARCH-itecture”) is that it lacks character, and the stereotypical mansard-roofed “McStore” style of McDonald’s outlets is the poster child for the genre. With that said, Flickr user Flavio Grana has managed to coax a supersized amount of depth out of the anonymous abandoned McDonald’s location above. Stripped of all brand identity yet instantly recognizable, the moonlit McD’s stands alone in silent glory, a washed-out monument to conspicuous consumer culture.

    Sweet & Sour Saucer

    Megatron McDonald's Alconbury(images via: Reddit, Comfortable Disorientation and Geograph UK))

    If you thought the UFO-shaped McDonald’s in Roswell, NM was out of this world, then feast your eyes on the former McDonald’s restaurant in Alconbury, UK. First opened in 1990 as The Megatron, the distinctive saucer-shaped eatery was an interplanetary flop: in 1993 it closed but soon re-opened under the McDonald’s banner.

    McDonald's Megatron Alconbury(images via: Daz, Comfortable Disorientation and HuntsPost24/Geoff Soden)

    After roughly 15 years serving up burgers, fries & shakes to hungry Huntingdonshire locals, the location shut down for good and (oddly for a closed McDonald’s franchise) remained shuttered for a further half-decade before finally being demolished in mid-2008. Plans are now afoot to allow six “gypsy pitches” to occupy the land where the McUFO once stood. Tramps and thieves are advised to look elsewhere.

    Arch-Criminal?

    abandoned McDonald's golden arches sign(image via: rustyjaw)

    It’s not often an item (with emphasis on the “em”) this large and obtrusive escapes the watchful eyes of the McBrand Police but it seems to have happened here. Flickr user rustyjaw doesn’t explain what the Big M is doing inside an abandoned naval communications station or what plans (if any) he has for this piece of fast food M-orabilia, and that’s probably in his own best interest. Imagine refurbishing and re-electrifying the signage, then mounting it on your dining room wall… awesome to be sure, though it would definitely ruin the mood during intimate gourmet dinners.

    Supersize My Storm

    abandoned McDonald's Biloxi clown(images via: Imgur/1RgbS and Joel Carranza))

    If Ronald McDonald wasn’t creepy enough already, check out his zombie clown alter-ego, still (barely) standing in Biloxi, MS, shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in September 2005. It took a while for reconstruction to get into full swing around Biloxi and the neighboring gulf coast but it was too late for both this shattered & shuttered McDonald’s and the tilted Ronald – they’ve been replaced by a Wendy’s.

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    Past Food 10 Creepy Closed Abandoned Mcdonalds

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    [ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

    [ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


    WebUrbanist

  • 15 December, 2013 – Finding Photos In Your Garden, etc.

    It has been a cold week in the US.  Here in Indianapolis it got down to 5 degree (F) a day ago.  For you Celsius people that is -15.  We have published a lot of Antarctica images and ice and it is all too much a reminder of winter.  So, today we switch gears and give you a glimpse of warmer times to come.  Frank Sauer shares his article on Garden Variety.  This is an essay on photographing in your own backyard.  However it is a lot more.  It reminds us that we can find a lot of things to photograph near our homes without having to travel great distances.  Take your camera off the shelf and get out and find something close by that you have seen many times and try to see it differently.  Take some images and if you are bold enough share them on the forum.  

    There was great response to Adam Woodworth’s recent article on Landscape Astrophotography.  Adam has made a 30 minute video illustrating how he works the image to come up with the final image.  It’s a great Photoshop tutorial on blending and layers.  Check it out HERE.

    My good friend and fellow workshop leader Josh Holko from Australia recently completed a beautiful video about the Arctic.  There is some excellent photography in the video and it is well done.  Enjoy Arctic Expedition

    Speaking of Arctic Expeditions, stay tuned this week as LuLa launches 2 back to back Arctic trips this July.  These will be most unique so look for our announcement very soon.


    You can win an all-expenses paid photographic expedition to Antarctica, along with air fare from anywhere in the world. The value of this prize is $ 15,000.

    The Luminous Landscape wants you to try any of our more than 60 training or travel videos and our new free video player. Each purchase is an entry, and an annual subscription that includes all previous as well as new videos counts as six entries. The winner of a free lifetime subscription is also chosen from each month’s entries.

    FIND OUT MORE


    The Luminous Landscape – What’s New

  • Day 3 Deals – Turn your Dreams of Going Pro into Reality

    Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas sale is all about inspiring and equipping people keen to turn pro. Secretly wish you could be a full-time photographer?  Not sure where to start? No problem – Digital Photography Santa has all the answers in these mega-special Day 3 deals.

    Deal 1: Save 60% Off our popular eBook – Going Pro

    Day3Single

    Learn first-hand from experienced magazine photo editor Kelly Kingman about selling your images the way YOU want. Going Pro covers everything from choosing the right business model to teaching you the practicalities of building a successful business.

    For just $ 20, it’s guaranteed to pay for itself many times over!

    You can read about what’s included in Going Pro here.

    Deal 2: Total Training in Commercial Photography – Online Course by Charlie Borland for only $ 124 ($ 499RRP) Massive 75% off!

    Day3Bundle

    Download this fantastic deal now and save 75% off!

    Commercial photography is one of highest paid areas in the industry. It’s true; rates can run $ 1000, $ 2000, and even $ 5000 per day plus expenses.

    After watching 125 lectures by veteran commercial photographer Charlie Borland; you’ll be fired up, totally prepared and ready to compete in the lucrative commercial photography market.

    Start 2014 with a real plan to start living your dreams.

    But don’t hesitate… both these incredible deals are only available for the next 24 hours.

    The post Day 3 Deals – Turn your Dreams of Going Pro into Reality by Darren Rowse appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • browserFruits Dezember, Ausgabe 3

    Wir entführen Euch im Fotospecial heute nach Mittelerde. Bilder von Elfen, Hobbits und fremden, beeindruckenden Landschaften findet Ihr hier. Die Fantasiewelt ist unglaublich inspirierend, nicht nur für uns. In unseren gesammelten Links geht es jedoch schnell wieder in die Wirklichkeit. Wir haben Lustiges und Ernstes wie immer bunt gemischt. Aber vor allem hoffen wir, dass die Links Euch informieren und zu neuen Projekten anregen.

     

    Fotospecial: Mittelerde

    Flickr

    500px

     

    Deutschsprachig

    • Der Fotograf Björn Abelin erreicht durch einfaches Spiegeln eine beeindruckende Wirkung, die bei seinen Bildern an Apokalypse erinnert.

    • Fabian Weiß dokumentierte in seinem Projekt „Wolfskinder“ mit emotionalen Bildern die Hintergründe sowie die Landschaft der Jugendsozialarbeit in Deutschland. Emerge zeigt diese beeindruckende Arbeit.

    • Herzerwärmende Bilder einer ungewöhnlichen Freundschaft: In Norwegen haben sich ein Fuchs und ein Hund gefunden.

    • So steril, so klinisch sauber, so abgewrackt: Der Fotograf Bastian Gehbauer zeigt in seinen Bildern Umgebungen, in der Menschen Sex haben, in der Leben entsteht oder endet.

    • Falls Ihr ab und zu Gedächtnislücken habt: Fotografieren bremst das Gedächtnis aus.

     

    International

    • Wie verschieden Körperposen wirken, zeigen diese Aktbilder von Gracie Hagen mit dem bezeichnenden Titel „The Illusions of the body“.

    • Engadget berichtet über den wohlbekannten Straßenfotografen Matt Stuart und hat auch ein Video, in dem zu sehen ist, wie er zu seinen großartigen Aufnahmen kommt.

    • Wenn es einen Film gibt, den Martin Euch dringend ans Herz legen möchte, dann ist es „Everybody Street“. Darin werden viele altbekannte (und eher weniger bekannte) wie Bruce Gilden, Bruce Davidson und Jeff Mermelstein vorgestellt sowie interviewt, die in New York City die Straßenfotografie geprägt haben. Für jeden, der etwas mit Street, Fotogeschichte und analoger Fotografie anfangen kann. Schaut Euch unbedingt den Trailer an. Der Film kostet 13 $ .

    • 500pxArt heißt die Seite, auf der die große Fotoplattform 500px jetzt auch Bilder ihrer Mitglieder zum Verkauf anbietet.

    • Eine Sammlung von 28 emotionalen, traurigen und auch erschreckenden Bildern.

    • Um Euer Gleichgewicht gleich wiederherzustellen, gibt es hier eine Sammlung von 29 lustigen Bildern, die schnell falsch verstanden werden können.

    • Schönsein in den 30er und 40er Jahren nahm zum Teil sehr gruselige Formen an. Bilder von erschreckenden Schönheitsprodukten findet Ihr hier.

    • Sehr lehrreich: Jim Estrin vom New York Times Lens Blog spricht über ihre Kriterien für ein Feature.

     

    Neuerscheinungen und Tipps vom Foto-Büchermarkt

    buchtipp

    • „If only for a second“ ist ein Fotoband der Mimi Foundation. Für das Projekt wurden 20 Krebspatienten und -patientinnen verkleidet, während sie die Augen geschlossen halten mussten. In dem Moment, in dem sie sich selbst im Spiegel betrachten durften, hielt ein Fotograf die erstaunten und glücklichen Gesichter fest. Eine Sekunde, in der die Krankheit vergessen war. Seht Euch unbedingt auch das Video dazu an! Das Buch kann ausschließlich über die Mimi Foundation erworben werden.

    • Wer sich ein wenig für Fotogeschichte interessiert und wie unser Herausgeber bei W. Eugene Smith hängengeblieben ist, wird sich über dieses Buch freuen: „Dream Street“*. Dazu empfehlen wir zwei Artikel: Hier beschreibt Sam Stephenson, wie es für James Karales war, unter Smith für dessen Pittsburgh-Projekt zu arbeiten. Und in diesem Artikel von Harold Feinstein werden seine Erinnungen über die Zeit mit Smith ausführlich beschrieben.

     

    Wettbewerbe

    • Der Verlag Gruner + Jahr schreibt den Henri-Nannen-Preis aus. Noch bis zum 3. Januar 2014 können eigene, aber auch fremde Arbeiten in der Kategorie Foto-Reportage eingereicht werden.

     

    Videos

    Alex Stoddard haben wir Euch bereits im Interview vorgestellt. In dieser Folge von „Framed“ spricht der 17-Jährige über seine Arbeiten und man kann ihm beim Kreieren eines Selbstportraits über die Schulter schauen.

     

    Jean Kilbourne über das Bild, das die Werbeindustrie von Frauen verbreitet und was sie damit anrichtet.

     

    * Das ist ein Affiliate-Link zu Amazon. Wenn Ihr darüber etwas bestellt, erhalten wir eine kleine Provision, Ihr bezahlt aber keinen Cent mehr.


    kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin

  • Backdraft at 1,000 FPS in full 4K resolution

    Fire_in_4Kv2.png

    Filming fire has come a long way since the 1991 movie Backdraft. Emerging Director Brendan Bellomo and DP Greg Wilson shot a slow motion short using the Phantom Flex4K camera, which shoots 1,000 FPS at full 4K resolution. The results are riveting. See video

    News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • 15. Türchen: Manfrotto

    15. Türchen

    Gibt man seine Kamera aus der Hand, achtet man immer darauf, dass sie auch mit Kameragurt um den Hals benutzt wird. Sicher ist sicher. Warum dann beim Stativ sparen? Gerade in unebenen Gelände möchte man doch, dass die Kamera sicher steht und man sich ohne Angst auf die Bilder konzentrieren kann. Die Adresse für gute Stative ist dabei Manfrotto.

    Bereits im Herbst gab es bei Manfrotto die Neuauflage der beliebten 190er Stativ-Serie. Die Produktreihe besticht durch ihre schnelle und flexible Nutzung. So lässt sich die Mittelsäule mit einem einfachen Handgriff in die horizontalen Position schwenken.

    Mannfotto
    Manfrotto

    Die Stativschulter hat einen Easy-Link-Anschluss für die Befestigung von Zubehör wie LED-Leuchten, Blitzgerät, Reflektor oder sonstiger Ausrüstung auf einem ausziehbaren Arm oder einer Halterung. Die Stative gibt es in Carbon oder Aluminium mit je drei oder vier Beinsegmenten.

    In unser Kalendertürchen hat Manfrotto die Aluminium-Variante mit drei Segmenten und einem Wert von 219,90 € gelegt. Mit seinem Gewicht von 2 kg hält es eine Belastung von bis zu 7 kg aus und wird damit sicher zu einem großartigen Begleiter für unseren glücklichen Gewinner.

    Um das Stativ zu gewinnen, schreibe einen Kommentar unter bürgerlichem Namen und gültiger E-Mail-Adresse bis heute um 24 Uhr. Danach verlosen wir es per Zufallsgenerator unter allen Kommentatoren. Die genauen Gewinnspielregeln findest Du hier. Viel Glück!


    kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin

  • Using a Video Slideshow to Showcase Your Photography

    This is a guest contribution by Alison Dias-Laverty

    Take your Photos and Videos to the Next Level: Create a Video Slideshow

    One of the most memorable photos I have taken was on the highlands of Scotland. It is one of the most beautiful and breathtaking views and experience that changed my life.

    Yet as many times that I have tried to capture my feelings and emotions of being in that present moment of magnificence, I could never rekindle those same feelings in all my still photos. Technology is truly exciting for the creative. You can now use your photos and video clips, mix them to music to create a video slideshow.

    What is a Video Slideshow?

    It is not just about displaying your photos to music. It is about giving your audience an unforgettable experience through your photos and videos. There is an art to creating stunning slideshows and it is in the story from your images.

    Five Great Tips to Help you Start Your Video Slideshow

    1. Know your Audience

    Your photos must connect and speak to your audience. Your story needs to touch their hearts for the right reason. Whether it is to bring joy or make a strong statement about life. Knowing your audience will make it easier to connect to them.

    2. Your Message

    Why did you take that photo? Was it to embrace the moment, in the hope it would last forever? Therefore, your message must create that awareness of what you want to share. Even a simple text that connects your photo to your audience will give them cue to your message.

    3. Tell a Story

    Everyone loves a story and when you show your photos, let the beauty of your photos speak out loud. Photos speak louder than words and in many ways, can take your breath away and touch someoneís heart.

    4. Choose Appropriate Music

    I cannot stress the importance of choosing music to create the mood, because it will carry your slideshow to its climax. Music can evoke feelings and emotions that will take your audience on a journey through your lens. If your music in your video is used for anything other than private use, depending on which country you come from, there are Music Copyright Laws that you need to follow. YouTube has a list of Royalty Free Music to use for free as well as a couple more options – Free Play Music and Incompetech.

    5. Take your Audience on an Emotional Journey

    What you want your audience to feel is the ìWow Factorî. You can create that dramatic effect with your photos to amaze your audience, by using motion effects and transitions, synchronized to your chosen music.

    Summary

    Creating a Video Slideshow is a great way to showcase your photography portfolio. You can create a short introduction video clip to connect with your audience or display a showcase of your best works. All it takes is a little practice and creativity to amaze your audience with your stunning photos.

    Resources for creating your own slideshow:

    • Online Slideshow Website Tool – Photodex ProShow
    • Animoto slideshow creator

    Alison Dias-Laverty is a Video Slideshow Designer and the founder of Photoshow on DVD, based in Brisbane, Australia. Her love for music is expressed in every video slideshow created and bound with the essence of her passion for taking photos. Visit her YouTube Channel to see more videos.

    The post Using a Video Slideshow to Showcase Your Photography by Guest Contributor appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • Half Abandoned: Twin Townhouses Tell Two-Sided Stories

    [ By WebUrbanist in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

    half deserted townhouse

    Physically conjoined by separately sold upon construction, the lives of paired buildings (ones that share a common wall) can diverge dramatically as this photo series poignantly illustrates. In various cases, one half is occupied by squatters, filled with trash, burned out by a fire, boarded up, simply deserted or even entirely demolished.

    half abandoned home

    Camilo José Vergara was born in Chile, resides in New York and is famous for documenting urban decay and city slums through text and images, but his Paired Houses set from Camden, New Jersey, tells a particularly powerful tale of times past and present.

    half burnt out home

    half deserted boarded up

    This approach epitomizes a theme common to his work, which frequently focuses on showing change over time. Like twins separated at birth, these dual buildings (once mirror images of each other) are uniquely illustrative of change. They are found particularly often in Camden, a place with a long history of struggling against decline.

    half deserted half occupied

    half abandoned house

    The common theme: buildings that share a party wall. For the unfamiliar, ‘party walls’ are not as festive as they may first sound. These are simply the shared partitions between buildings that are structurally contiguous – a common phenomena in densely-built areas. This joint element ties homes and other structures almost inextricably together – some of these share stairs, porch roofs and other architectural elements as well, all hard untangle.

    half homes urban decay

    half townhouse disrepair repainted

    Once abandoned, things tend only to get worse for the half still occupied. The other side may be used for anything from sleeping to drug use and dealing. Infestations of vermin on one side can cross back over as well. In many instances, the best-case scenario is to tear down the decaying half, like separating one conjoined twin to save the other.

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    [ By WebUrbanist in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

    [ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


    WebUrbanist

  • Why Blocking is Important for a Social Network

    Why Blocking is Important for a Social Network

    Earlier today Twitter reversed their decision to change how user blocks are handled after a backlash reaction on their network.

    From the Twitter blog:

    “Earlier today, we made a change to the way the “block” function of Twitter works. We have decided to revert the change after receiving feedback from many users – we never want to introduce features at the cost of users feeling less safe. Any blocks you had previously instituted are still in effect.”

    In a way, the current block at Twitter is sort of ineffective. If I block someone, the only thing it really does is prevent them from seeing my tweets when they are logged in (which also serves as notification to them that I’ve blocked them). They can still open up an unlogged-in version of Twitter (as easy as cmd-shift-N in Chrome, or cmd-shift-P in Firefox) and see everything I’ve tweeted publicly. Still, Twitter’s reversal shows that users really do care about blocking functionality and want more control and powerful blocking tools, not less.

    I would argue that there are three key benefits that come from strong blocking tools on a social network.

    1. Users feel empowered when they are more forcefully able to deal with harassment on a network. If someone is saying something offensive, why shouldn’t I personally be able to take control over that situation? If someone is making me uncomfortable, why shouldn’t I be empowered to deal with that for my own personal experience?

    2. More effective blocking tools encourage more civil interaction. The thing that most trolls, haters, griefers, offensive jerks, etc. want on a social network is attention. By making it super easy to mute them or diminish them (especially by an intended target) it provides a disincentive for anti-social behavior in general.

    3. Empowering users with blocking tools provides immediate relief for a user. Since oftentimes harassment is happening in real time, this can be more effective than waiting for customer service / community management reps at a social network to respond to reports of community violations. It is frustrating for a user to have to suffer even an additional 12 hours of harassment while a complaint works its way through to a community manager.

    As far as best practices go, I’d hold up Google+ and Facebook as the networks that provide users the best blocking protection on the internet today.

    Like Twitter, on Google+ and Facebook when you block someone they cannot see your public posts.

    Google+ and Facebook take it one important step further though. Not only do they prevent someone you’ve blocked from seeing your public posts, they *also* filter the blocked user entirely out of your G+ or Facebook experience.

    On G+ and Facebook when you block someone they become completely invisible to you everywhere on the network. It’s like they no longer exist in your social utopia.

    That second block function is even more important than the first.

    Flickr by contrast has some of the weakest blocking tools on the internet. When you block someone on Flickr, all it does is prevent them from private messaging you or commenting/faving your photos. Because of Flickr’s weak blocking tools, I’ve seen many of the most active, social accounts on Flickr leave due to harassment. This is bad design.

    What makes harassment even worse on Flickr, is that (unlike G+ and Facebook) they allow anonymous troll accounts. So if a Troll1022 is harassing you anonymously on Flickr, and you report them, and three days later that account is deleted, all they need to do is set up Troll1023 and continue with the practice. Flickr’s weak blocking function allows virtually unlimited harassment on their network by anonymous trolls.

    Protecting users and providing more control over your experience on a social network is important. It’s your most social and active users who will most likely sooner or latter run into friction. These are the users that any social network should be striving to empower.

    I’m glad Twitter reversed their block policy after user reaction, and hope all networks realize how important the block feature is.


    Thomas Hawk Digital Connection