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Sci-Fi to Reality: Giant Manned Robot Method-2 Has Taken Its First Steps

[ By SA Rogers in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

Looking and working remarkably like the robots in the 2009 movie Avatar, the 1.5-ton, 13-foot-tall ’METHOD-2’ by South Korean firm Hankook Mirae Technology has officially taken its first steps. Engineers and reporters watched the robot navigate the company’s facility on its massive mechanical legs, traversing about ten feet before reversing. It appears to be remote-controlled for this exercise, while previous videos have shown how it functions with a human ‘pilot’ sitting inside.

The idea is that METHOD-2 will be able to help people reach the kinds of hazardous destinations that are currently too unsafe to navigate, and it’s easy to imagine this thing walking down the street like a superhero after a disaster. It sounds like the company is currently working out the mechanics of the robot itself, and it’s unclear whether it’ll ultimately be able to climb over obstacles, negotiate uneven terrain or withstand harsh climates.

Its first planned expedition is into the space between North and South Korea known as the DMZ (demilitarized zone), the world’s most dangerous border, but it’s still got about a year of planning and tinkering to get it into shape. Right now, it requires a tether for power. Its arms weigh 300 pounds each and are controlled by the pilot’s own limb movements.

Unsurprisingly, the robot was designed by Vitaly Bulgarov, who previously worked on the Transformers films and helped design Boston Dynamics’ bipedal robots. Yang Jin-Ho, chairman of Hankook Mirae Technology, says the robot is still taking its ‘baby steps’ but ultimately aims to “bring to life what only seemed possible in movies and cartoons.”

METHOD-2 is already getting lots of interest from companies who want to purchase one, and the price tag is expected to run around $ 8.3 million. The final version is expected to be ready for potential buyers by the end of 2017.

Giant Robot Statues: 19 Stunning Images Of Our New Overlords

If there is one thing humanity has done right, it’s create some awe inspiring monuments: the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Gundam robot statue in Tokyo… wait, what? There are amazing …

Is This 3D-Printed Robot The Future of Surveillance?

Mobile robotic surveillance devices are nothing new – you can purchase remote-controlled ones online, and the government has been developing spy gadgets that get smaller, faster and harder to spot …

Painting Robot Plans Each Stroke Of Its Own Masterpieces

If you think humans in creative professions aren’t in danger of someday being replaced by robots, which ostensibly don’t possess the ability to produce real art, you’re going to want to watch …

[ By SA Rogers in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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January 3, 2017
Modern Markings: 42 Bold Black & White Tattoo Designs

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

Modern tattoos are less about sailors, pin-ups and ‘MOM’ and more about bold black lines, complex geometry, architecture, esoteric imagery, glitches and even blacking out entire body parts to cover up old work. These standout themes represent some of the most visually striking, imaginative and artistically challenging styles gaining popularity in recent years.

Black & White Snake Tattoos by Mirko Sara

Alone, white ink isn’t the greatest choice for a tattoo, according to many artists: it looks splotchy and uneven on all but the clearest, most evenly pale skin, fades quickly, and has a tendency to disappear into a blurry mess within a short period of time. But if you’re willing to get it touched up often to maintain it, it can be really beautiful, and it sets off black ink beautifully. Take the work of artist Mirko Sata for example – whose most common subjects are intertwined snakes.

Blackout Tattoos

What do you do when you’ve got a large number of old tattoos you want to get rid of? Laser surgery is an option for the removal of smaller tattoos, but some people get beyond that whole ‘permanent’ aspect of inking the skin in a different way. Blackout tattoos are growing increasingly popular, blocking out large areas of the body with solid swaths of black ink.

Though the lines from the old tattoo still tend to show through, and several painful sessions are often required, the look can be pretty incredible. Some people get blackout tattoos on virgin skin just for the dramatic effect. Tattooers working in this style include Chester Lee of Oddtattooer, Alex Arnautov, Simon Mora, Josh Stephens and Kenji Alucky.

White Ink Over Black Work

Fresh white ink applied over healed blackwork can also be a fun way to cover up old mistakes, and the contrast is pretty incredible right after it’s applied. Subjects have to sit for as many as five sessions to go over the white ink to make it opaque enough to stand out, and it can take years to finish a single piece. Artists who have experimented with this process include Esther Garcia, Nathan Mould, Ruslan Batyrbaev and Wayne Fredrickson.

Architectural Designs

Architecture can be a particularly striking tattoo theme, especially when it takes up large areas of the body. Artist Maxime Buchi of M-X-M has tattooed traditional Russian architecture across people’s backs, arms, legs and chests, and someone loved Haight Ashbury enough to get imagery of the famous San Francisco intersection inked onto their body by the tattoo studio of the same name. Dmitriy Tkach depicted a Victorian house with roots wrenched from the ground like a plant, while Wang Lei designed an intricately shaded classical church. Thieves of Tower, appropriately enough, often tattoos spindly towers onto their subjects.

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Modern Markings 42 Bold Black White Tattoo Designs

Permanent Markings: 13 Tattoo Artists with Bold Black Style

Working primarily in bold, black ink, these 13 top tattoo artists working in Kyoto, London, Berlin, Kiev and throughout the United States stand out for geometric and illustrative styles that put …

Cogs and Ink: 28 Cool Steampunk Tattoo Designs that Wow

Many think steampunk is a fad that will flare up and burn itself out quickly, as most fads do. If steampunk fans’ willingness to permanently ink themselves with steampunk themed tattoos is any …

Geek Tattoo Designs: Wish Your Social Life Goodbye

There’s geek, and then there’s hardcore, plaster your favorite operating system’s logo on your right forearm geek. The latter tends to be more interesting (at least on the internet), so I’ve …

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Drawing & Digital. ]

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January 3, 2017
Around the world in 10 videos: 2016 Field Tests

DPReview’s Carey Rose, doing what he does best. Staring at women. In this case, rodeo Queens at a rodeo in Nyssa, Oregon, during a DPReview Field Test of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II.

DPReview has been around the world in 2016, from the deserts of the Southwest to the lush jungles of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsular. We’ve used everything from enthusiast compacts to high-end professional DSLRs, and along the way we’ve met some amazing photographers.

Click here to See our full series of Field Test videos

You can check out the full series at the ^ link ^ right ^ there ^ but in this article, I want to take you back through the ten videos that we’ve published this year, and hopefully in the process, let you share a little in some of the sights, the sounds and the smells of DPReview’s Year in Field Tests. OK, not the smells, but definitely the other things.

Before we continue, I am legally obligated to let you know that all of the videos featured on this page are sponsored content, made possible with the support of Amazon and the manufactures featured in the videos. Click here for more information about DPReview sponsored content.

All clear? OK then – let’s watch some videos!

February: Sony Cyber-shot RX100 IV in the Yucatan

Shot at the end of last year, this Field Test, featuring Sony’s Cyber-shot RX100 IV was one of our most ambitious. Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsular is a beautiful place, full of amazing scenery, vivid history, and corner shops that sell antibiotics over the counter to weak-stomached gringos.

We took advantage of all of these things during our trip, and as a bonus, you get to see me try to speak Spanish. Just be grateful for what you don’t get to see me doing.

March: Canon PowerShot G5 X on the Olympic Peninsula

Even on a grey weekend in early spring, the Olympic Peninsular is still a stunningly beautiful place. In this video, featuring the Canon PowerShot G5 X, DPReview writer Carey Rose spent a couple of days bro-ing down hard with local photographer and keen fisherman Kyle Johnson.

A little bit of trivia for you – this video actually breaks the world record for most amount of plaid featured in the least amount of screen-time. If you have trouble telling some of the men in this video apart from one another, don’t worry – so do I, and I know all of them.

April: Claire Bangser and the Olympus PEN-F

In April, we headed to Mississippi with the Olympus PEN-F, where Editorial Manager Wenmei Hill joined New Orleans-based photographer Claire Bangser on the Blues Trail. Claire and Wenmei spent a couple of days on the trail, photographing the local sights and people of the area. And yes – they used all the Art Filters.

May: Shooting stars with the Nikon D810 & D810A

In May, we cast our eyes skywards. In this Field Test, DPReview’s Dale Baskin joined astrophotographer José Francisco Salgado in Death Valley, for a celestial shoot with Nikon’s D810 and D810A. One of the things I like most about this video is the way that José says ‘stars’. It’s hard to explain – you’ll just have to watch it.

May: Building a kayak with the Canon EOS 80D

While Dale was star-gazing in Death Valley, I was closer to home, learning how to make a traditional Greenland-style skin-on-frame kayak, in Seattle. I documented the entire process using the Canon EOS 80D. I’m proud to say that despite the countless mistakes, including several holes drilled in the wrong place, Aril still floats.

July: DPReview goes to the rodeo with the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II

From slow, methodical action to fast, energetic action. In July, we drove down to Nyssa Oregon, with Canon’s professional flagship DSLR, the EOS-1D X Mark II, to cover the annual ‘Nite Rodeo’. This one is worth watching just for the sight of me and Carey wearing cowboy hats. Quote of the trip, from a rodeo spectator: ‘Y’all sure as hell don’t look like cowboys’.

September: Shooting Action with the Nikon D5

DPReview’s Technical Editor Rishi Sanyal is a super-nerd. Given a chance, he’ll talk your ear off about everything from signal-to-noise ratio to smart lightbulbs. But what he’s probably most nerdy about is autofocus. In this video, featuring the Nikon D5, Rishi gets to indulge his AF obsession for almost 15 minutes. You’re welcome, Internet.

October: Birds in flight with the Nikon D500

In October, we traveled to Montana with the Nikon D500, to join wildlife photographer and friend to the wolves Ronan Donovan, at a nature reserve. It was a short, packed shoot, the dubious highlight of which was when I got dive-bombed by a hawk.

Fun fact: this is the only DPReview Field Test to feature a moose.

Wedding photography with the Fujifilm X-T2

Guemas Island is a tiny dot on a map of the Pacific Northwest, but it’s one of the most beautiful spots for a daytrip, weekend getaway, or a wedding. In this Field Test, Carey and Wenmei took the Fujifilm X-T2 to Guemas Island to document a very special day. Carey really covered himself in glory on this one, by forgetting to shoot Raw.

Dog Portraits with the Sony a6300

They say that dogs are man’s best friend. They also say you should never work with animals. Who are ‘they’ anyway, and where do they get their sayings? We may never know. In this video, Sam Spencer took Sony’s a6300 to a dog adoption shelter, to shoot some professional portraits of their canine residents. I’ll remember this shoot because it was the closest I’ve ever come to adopting an animal. See if you can spot which dog melted my heart.

Anyway – this video is cute. You should show it to your mum.

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All of the videos featured on this page are sponsored content, made possible with the support of Amazon and the manufactures featured in the videos. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 2, 2017
Wash, Raise, Repeat: Vertical Top-Loading Dishwasher Saves Space

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

Dishwashers have become household items in many American homes but have changed little since their invention, leaving room for improvement (especially in cases where ‘room’ is an issue). Many of the small problems associated with the traditional design are not initially obvious until pointed out — we are simply too used to them.

Front-loading versions can take up considerable space while taking dishes in and out. We take for granted, for instance, that the loading and unloading processes often have to be dedicated, all-at-once tasks in kitchens where folded-down doors get in the way. Front-loader doors also represent a potential point of failure if their water seals are degraded or damaged.

Designers Moshen Jafari Malek and Behzad Taheri have decided to take a top-down approach, developing a top-loading variant that addresses leaks as well as space issues. Putting the spray bar in the center also eliminates another problem with certain conventional designs: getting things equally clean on all racks and levels. The designers also note that a variable-height center shelf could allow more versatility in terms of including larger pots and pans. At the same time, the vertical design avoids messing with what works: porous wire-frame shelves and side containers for silverware. It makes you wonder: what other ordinary appliances are just waiting for a simple but powerful redesign?

Damn Dirty Dishes: 13 Cutting-Edge Dishwasher Designs

The very existence of the dishwasher is a feat of engineering and technology. The device has become a staple in just about every kitchen in the U.S. and is gaining popularity in other parts of …

Swiss-Army Bathroom: Spine-Inspired Space-Saving Design

Like a giant-sized Swiss Army knife, this narrow column unfolds to reveal everything your bathroom could need – a NASA-worthy, space-age modular design idea.

A water-transmitting ‘spinal …

Split & Slide: Modular Dividers Make 3 Rooms in Single Space

Complimenting a flexible open area on one side of this apartment are a series of suspended separators that provide storage but also move along rails, opening up a variety of additional functions …

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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WebUrbanist

January 2, 2017
Wars Star: Street Art & Graffiti Tributes to Princess Leia

[ By Steve in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

Star Wars character Princess Leia, played by the late Carrie Fisher, has been feted in street art and graffiti for a long time in countries far, far away.

While spray-painted graffiti and, especially, stencils have been the most common methods of applying Princess Leia to urban infrastructure, there is another unlikely yet undeniably successful medium: tile mosaics. Since 1998 the secretive street artist known as Invader (after his Space Invaders-inspired style) has applied over a thousand 8-bit tile mosaics in over 30 nations around the world. His economical rendering of Princess Leia, as captured by Flickr user ratskaweiller, looks down from the wall of a building on Paris’ 6th arrondissement.

Maid in the Shades

Flickr user Aaron Kinzer (ascension9studios) captured this vivid triptych of Star Wars characters plastered to a wall in Melbourne, Australia. Yeah, we’d ALL need shades if everyone was really that pink.

Hello Princess

“Most of the characters I created before Lucasfilm and Sanrio lawyers came knocking at my door (no joke),” explains creator Dan Knispel of his Hello Wars character stickers.

Due to their conveniently adhesive nature, Hello Wars stickers have turned up on applicable surfaces ’round the globe. Flickr user Darth Admin captured several such appearances of the Princess Kitty character as shown above.

Graffiti Wars

The revival of the Star Wars film franchise with The Force Awakens in late 2015 sparked a corresponding explosion of relevant street art. You’ll find the expansive multi-artist mural above in Melbourne’, Australia’s graffiti mecca of Hosier Lane. Flickr users City of Melbourne – Official and sherlockedtxh snapped the images above on December 21st of 2015, shortly after the blockbuster film was released worldwide.

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Wars Star Street Art Graffiti Tributes To Princess Leia

Art Strikes Back: 24 More Sweet Star Wars Graffiti Artworks

A generation of artists who grew up on Star Wars is now decorating tunnels, alleys and other urban surfaces with Darth Vader, Yoda, Han Solo and the rest of the gang in works of graffiti art that …

How Graffiti Can Be Even Cooler: Just Add Star Wars

Graffiti is often a disappointing eyesore, the bane of storefronts, and signposts for gang activity, but there are also those who have turned it into an art form that delights urban populations …

May The Art Be With You: Star Wars Stormtrooper Graffiti

White-armored stormtroopers of the Star Wars universe may be the true face of the franchise if their stenciled images on walls worldwide is any indication.

Sure their aim is lousy and …

[ By Steve in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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January 2, 2017
2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Collembola (Springtail) under a drop of water. Central Park, Burnaby. Sony A6000, Sigma E60mm F2.8, 42mm extension tube. Photo by Don White

Picking your favorite image is never an easy task. Nevertheless, our readers were up to the challenge when we asked them to submit their best shots of 2016. We received a huge number of submissions, and it was no small job picking favorites. We didn’t need the reminder, but it underscored just how talented our readership is. Photos were divided into three categories and we settled on a small selection to feature in each.

This category, ‘things,’ is admittedly a little ambiguous. With apologies to our feathered and furry friends, animals fell into this category, as did just about anything else that isn’t a landscape or a portrait. We tried to include a variety of subjects, and there were many excellent images submitted – check them all out here and here.

A huge thanks to everyone that participated and gave us a chance to see your work!

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Brooklyn, N.Y. Olympus E-M1, Lumix G Vario 12-35mm F2.8. Photo by GarySloman

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Taken on April 1st 2016 in the evening during the Silverstone 24hr Race. I wasn’t accredited so this was taken through the fence. I used an extremely slow shutter speed to blur the unsightly background and add a sense of movement. Fujifilm X-T10 & XF100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. 100mm. Shutter Priority @ 1/15sec. Photo by ChrisH37

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Photo was taken in aviashow near Mazeikiai city, Lithuania. Sony Alpha a7R II, Sony FE 70-200mm F4 G OSS. 1/6400sec, 70.0mm, F4, ISO 200. Photo by Razabaitas

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

A warehouse emergency exit shot in Reze, France, On July 6th this year. Nikon D5500, 16-80mm F2.8-4. Shot at 16mm, ISO 100, F6.3, 1/1600sec. Photo by UneVache

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Taken in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, Mexico. In this lagoon a few mother and calf grey whale pairs will come up to the fishermen’s boats to play which normally means getting you wet. I took this shot with a Panasonic FT5 waterproof compact (as I said, you get wet!) which I held over the side as a calf surfaced on its side alongside the boat. The camera was at maximum wide angle. Photo by Chris Ryan

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

Memories of summer 2016 taken with a Panasonic kit lens 12-32mm on a Olympus Pen E-PL7. Photo by mjdundee

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

I made this photo during a late-August visit to northern Arizona’s Mormon Lake. This was one of four juvenile red-tailed hawks riding the summer breeze above the east rim overlooking the lake. This one was quite curious and soared in, close, to size me up for a late-day snack. When I got home and started going through the exposures, I was hoping this one didn’t cut off any tail feathers. As it turned out the framing was just about perfect and the result is the uncropped image above.

Nikon D610 with Nikkor 200-500 F5.6E VR at 500mm, F5.6, ISO 1100, 1/2000sec, with +2/3-stop exposure comp. Photo by Bill Ferris

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

After decades in front of the main Hamburg Art Gallery, this Sculpture has found it’s new place inside the halls. I took this photo with my Canon 6D, a Sigma 24mm art lens. 1/30sec, F8.0, ISO 1000. Photo by moehh

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: Things

A kind of beetle when it was about to fall off the corner Nikon D90, Nikkor MF 50mm F1.4, Hama closeup filter. 1/20sec, F5.6, ISO 100. Photo by Netmsm

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 1, 2017
Fog waves: photographer Nick Steinberg captures nature in motion

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Imperial Flow by Nick Steinberg

As you can see the fog kind of arcs up in that one spot. What amazes me most about fog is the fact that no two shots are ever the same. This is what I call, “subtlety of movement” where there are small windows of opportunity with fog as it evaporates, moves in, and undulates. This requires decisive action, tests your skills, and requires one to be “present” in the moment, and “ride” along with it.

Landscape and cityscape photographers have a love/hate relationship with the fog that inundates the San Francisco Bay area. It can make for some spectacular and moody photos, but it can also leave the area un-shootable – that is unless you seek higher ground. Nick Steinberg and other photographers in the Bay Area have formed a group that they call the “Fogaholics”.

The group consists of around 20 photographers that watch forecasts religiously and seek out the best foggy shooting conditions possible. When the fog rolls in, they make their way to Mt. Tamalpais, which sits at 2,572ft above sea level. This unique vantage point gives them the opportunity to photograph some amazingly beautiful conditions. With the help of an ND filter and exposure times sometimes exceeding two minutes, Nick is able to capture the fog waves as they make their way inland.

To see more of Nick’s work be sure to visit his website and Instagram.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Fog Waves by Nick Steinberg

This was my original shot entitled fog waves. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I discovered how, when the fog was at the perfect height and density, it would create wave-like movements as it contoured the land. On this particular evening, not only did we have amazing fog flow, but a nice vibrant sky to match.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Wavy Gravy by Nick Steinberg

I would say the fog on this summer evening was purely magical. It had the perfect consistency that was so delicious. You can even see the Transamerica pyramid sticking out of the fog in the distant San Francisco skyline. An evening to remember!

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Awake in Dream by Nick Steinberg

Mt. Tamalpais is one of my favorite places on earth! On this night I went up there on a whim. I didn’t expect much, but to my surprise, there wasn’t a single person in sight and the fog rolled in perfectly. It truly felt like I was in a dream world!

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Fire Waves by Nick Steinberg

Out of almost daily trips to Mt.Tam in the summer of 2016, I would say that this was by far the best flow i’d seen. Normally the rangers kick everyone out around sunset, but on this evening they came really late and allowed me to get some rare footage of fog coming in at twilight. What I loved about this one was the layers of fog coming through the trees. The beautiful and vibrant red sky was unfortunately lit up due to a nearby fire.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Candy Land by Nick Steinberg

On this night I was going for a little different feel to add some foreground interest to the fog waves. I can’t help to think that the fog looked like fluffy marshmallows flowing across the land during my long exposure.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Lunar Fog Waves by Nick Steinberg

On this evening me and about 4 friends decided to get some different vantage points by hiking “off the beaten trail” to get some moonlit fog flowing in. At first, the fog wasn’t flowing, but within no time it was spilling over and creating, “the wave.” While it was a pretty tough hike, it was by far one of the most magical experiences shooting up there that evening.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Heaven on Earth by Nick Steinberg

There’s something about being up there and experiencing the fog flowing like this that is somewhat of a spiritual experience.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Fog Sweep by Nick Steinberg

This is a little bit of a closer, intimate view of the fog waves flowing through the nearby town of Mill Valley and the little houses down there. I wonder if the people who live there understand how beautiful it is from above.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Rip Curl by Nick Steinberg

Another close up, intimate view of the extreme fog waves as it contours the land. Shooting Fog is a study and each day is a little bit different flow. On this day, it was particularly active.

Fog Waves: Capturing Nature in Motion

Summer Waves by Nick Steinberg

A typical summer evening up on the mountain. By typical I mean amazing and magical!

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 1, 2017
Flat-Pack Bicycle Helmet: Portable Paper Head Protection for Cyclists

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

As urban cycling continues to increase in popularity, bike commuters still face the same challenge: carrying a clunky helmet with them wherever they go. For part-time, on-demand cyclists in places with bike share programs the problem is even more pronounced: hopping a ride is simply not a safe option unless they happen to have headgear handy.

Hence the EcoHelmet by Isis Shiffer, a graduate of the Pratt Institute of Design in New York. Her collapsible helmet is designed to be low-cost (around $ 5) and easy to pack into vending machines paired with bike sharing stations.

Recycled paper is woven into a folding honeycomb structure that is light, durable and portable, forming a protective cover in moments. A waterproof coating also protects the helmet from rainfall. Paper sounds like an implausible material, but the design has passed European safety reviews and is looking for approval in the United States. Still skeptical? The video below features some impressive impact tests — sure, the helmet may need to be replaced after an accident, but if it does the job in the moment that is what really matter.

The low price tag presumably makes these cheap enough that riders won’t balk at buying one even for a single ride (though hopefully they would save and store them for future trips given how compact they are when folded up.

Sladda: IKEA to Sell New Flat-Pack Bicycle for Urban Cyclists

IKEA has announced a new lightweight bicycle with a rust-resistant chain, aluminum frame and low-maintenance construction all aimed to make it easier for more casual bicyclists to hop on and …

All-in-One Bicycle Helmet: Sleek Integrated Lights & Signals

Bicyclists need this. Incredible design is not just about looking good (which this does) or working well (which this does), but weaving the solution so that each seems the natural outcome of the …

Boat to Go: Portable Flat-Pack Vessel Folds Up Like a Tent

This folding boat from design student Thibault Penven is a surprisingly effective way to keep a water conveyance with you at all times. It is surprising, of course, because one would not expect …

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Products & Packaging. ]

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January 1, 2017
2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Michal Herrmann

The old man and the sea. Old and hard working, most elderly still need to work to make a living. You can look into his eyes and read his story.

FUJIFILM XT10 with 58MM Helios 44/2 at 58mm, 1/100 sec, ISO 640, F2

Picking your favorite image is never an easy task. Nevertheless, our readers were up to the challenge when we asked them to submit their best shots of 2016. We received a huge number of submissions, and it was no small job picking favorites. We didn’t need the reminder, but it underscored just how talented our readership is. Photos were divided into three categories and we settled on a small selection to feature in each.

For this category, ‘people,’ we looked for photos that tell a story about the human side of this world we inhabit. There were many beautiful and compelling images submitted – be sure to check out all of the submissions here and here.

A huge thanks to everyone that participated and gave us a chance to see your work!

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Pavel Matousek

From a photo essay on Kenya children AIDS care program.

Nikon D600 with 50mm at 50 mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 200

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Ahnaf Akeef

The Weary Way Back Home. This was taken on a boat on our way back from a waterfall we went to see in Bandarban, Bangladesh.

Canon 6D with 24-70 2.8L II at 70mm, 1/1250 sec, F2.8, ISO 100

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Gabriel Jakab

Photo taken in a rainy day or, as I like to say, the Golden Hour for rugby.

Nikon D750 at 200mm, 1/1000 sec, F2.8, ISO 1250

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Michel Hébert

Here is a candid portrait shot I took in May 2016 during the Lag BaOmer celebration in the Mile-End neighborhood of Montreal, where there is a quite large Hasidic Jewish community. The contrast between the lighting of some faces (provided by the bonfire in the middle of the street) and the darkness of others reminds me of the clair-obscur/Chiaroscuro style of some dutch painters like Rembrandt. What do you think?

Olympus E-M5 Mark 2 with Olympus 75mm F1.8 at 75 mm, 1/10 sec, F2, ISO 1600

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Richard Caughey

Pat McManus live at the Corn Market Blues event at the Raven in Corby, UK. First time out with my Fuji XT2.

FUJIFILM X-T2 with 18-55mm F2.8-4 at 46.3mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 4000

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Myrgjorf

Masai warrior – the lion killer, with a traditional hat from the lions fur. Masai village, Mara North Conservancy.

Canon 7D Mark II with 70-200mm F4 at 150 mm, 1/250 sec, F4, ISO 320

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Afzal Khan

The best cook.

Sony A99 with Minolta 50mm F1.7 at 50mm, 1/60 sec, F3.5, ISO 1000

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Al Downie

Storytime for sleepyheads

FUJIFILM X-Pro2 with 35mm F2 at 35mm, 1/125 sec, F2, ISO 400

2016 DPReview Readers’ Best Shots: People

Photo by Rick Jacobi

Golden Eagle Festival in Western Mongolia Oct 1st as Kazakhs are entering the parade ground.

Sony A7R-II with 70-300mm at 300mm, 1/250 sec, F10, ISO 200

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 31, 2016
Vertigo Wallpaper: Warped 3D Room Illusions Transform Flat Gallery Surfaces

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

You could be forgiven for cautiously entering one of these rooms full of wavy sketched lines, stepping over obstacles that aren’t really there, uncertain whether parts of the walls are really projecting out toward you. Artist Peter Kogler creates spatial illusions that take over every surface of a gallery, turning it into a ‘virtual maze.’ A master of the large-scale print, he’s spent the last 30 years perfecting his techniques. The ones involving grids of lines pull off the most disorienting effects.

Pictured here are installations from the last few years, including work displayed at the ING Art Center in Brussels this year, the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna in 2015 and the Galerie im Taxiplalais in 2014. His computer-generated works have even adorned the exterior walls of pavilions and museums, and often feature imagery of snakes, ants and pipes.

According to his artist statement, “Kolger has been interested in new, innovative art practices, not only in the field of visual, but also in performative arts, sound and music. He continued his work by shifting the boundaries of artistic expression and developed a very impressive, emotionally and artistically convincing world, whose layered meanings open communication paths to the widest public.”

“After several years of research at the beginning of his artistic career, in painting, performance and experimental film, since 1984 Kogler has used computer technology. Heralding the future development of computer-generated art already in the ‘60s, in the spirit of that positivist-optimistic time, Michael Noll wrote: ‘The computer is an active medium the artist can interact with at a new level, liberated from many physical limitations of all former media. The artistic possibilities of this kind of creative medium as the artist’s helping device are truly exciting and challenging.”

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Inside Out: Print-Crazy Wallpaper Made for Exterior Surfaces

Why should interior walls have all the fun? Prints are nearly always relegated to the insides of homes and other structures while the outside walls are left bare, but a new wallpaper made …

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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December 31, 2016