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  • Throwback Thursday: the dual-lens Kodak EasyShare V570

    Long before anybody put two lenses in a smartphone, the Kodak EasyShare V570 put dual lenses and sensors under the same roof – 23mm and 37-117mm equivalent folded-optic lenses coupled with 5MP CCD sensors. Introduced nearly 11 years ago for CES 2006, the V570 offered other cutting-edge features including:

    • 2.5″ 230k-dot LCD
    • In-camera distortion correction
    • 180-degree panorama mode, an ‘industry exclusive’
    • 2.3 fps continuous shooting
    • VGA 30p video recording

    It shipped with a ‘Photo Frame 2’ dock, which was a multitasking charger/image transfer/snazzy camera display. The charging feature was especially useful, since the V570’s battery was only rated to 150 shots per charge – pretty bad even by 2006 standards.

    We didn’t review the V570, but then friend-of-DPR and current DPR staffer Jeff Keller wrote about it on DCResource. He disliked that Kodak advertised the camera as having a 5x zoom lens, when it was really just a wide angle prime and a 3x zoom that you could switch between. Still, it was the first dual-lens implementation we can remember, and even though it didn’t catch on with camera manufacturers, the concept has found new life in smartphones like the iPhone 7 Plus. 

    Kodak V570 Sample Gallery

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Meyer-Optik-Görlitz reveals Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II lens for Sony E-Mount

    German lens maker Meyer-Optik has launched the Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II, a super-fast manual-focus standard lens for the Sony E-Mount that is optimized for use with full-frame sensors, but also works with APS-C cameras. 

    The lens comes with a focal length of 50mm and an aperture range from F0.95 to F22, offering lots of flexibility, both when shooting in low light and in terms of depth-of-field. The lens design features 10 elements in 7 groups and ensures high levels of sharpness in the focus-plane. Meyer-Optik says the 15 aperture blades with anti-reflective coating create a pleasant bokeh with circular highlights. The Nocturnus has a minimum focus distance of 50cm and weighs 680 grams. Manual focus control and the stepless aperture ring operate almost silently, making the Nocturnus an interesting option for video applications. 

    The Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II will be available from January 1st for €3000 (approximately $ 3225). More information is available on the Meyer-Optik-Görlitz website.

    Nocturnus 50 F0.95 II samples provided by Meyer-Optik

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    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Transformers: 2 Beijing Houses Packed Full of Space-Maximizing Tricks

    [ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-5

    Think you’ve seen it all when it comes to ideas for saving space in small houses and apartments? Beijing’s B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio is here to prove you wrong in the most delightful way, with a series of transforming elements and incredibly clever layouts in two tiny ‘hutong’ alley houses. Working with lots as small as 258 square feet that are squashed between existing buildings, the architects managed to produce functional, comfortable, private residences full of natural daylight and enough space for multi-generational families.

    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-1

    Both homes butt up against other structures, making it impossible to incorporate windows into the design. B.L.U.E. added skylights to both, utilizing open-plan lofted layouts inside to encourage a bright and cheerful atmosphere. The first home is on a narrow L-shaped lot and features a cool glass-filled rear wall that opens all the way up to the courtyard.

    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-2

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    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-6

    Inside, beds and children’s play areas are lofted above a pale wooden built-in full of sliding elements, fold-down tables, transforming stairs, beds that instantly double in size, retractible walls and a modest-sized table that expands to seat six diners.

    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-7

    blue-architecture-studio-narrow-3

    The second house is even smaller, with a nearly-identical arrangement of skylights and cabinet-packed walls revealing an array of unexpected features when opened. Extra countertops and work surfaces pop out of the wall facing the galley kitchen, and storage space stretches from the floor to the ceiling.

    blue-architecture-studio-hutong-2

    blue-architecture-studio-hutong-3

    Beneath the lofted bedrooms for the owners and their kids, a third bedroom area doubles as an extra dining space. Remove the mattress to reveal a pop-up table and cushioned bench seating that you climb into like a retro conversation pit, or lay it back down and pull down the blinds for privacy. A second table folds down from the adjacent wall in seconds, with storage cubes doubling as stools.

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    From the pictures, it looks like there are even more built-in elements that aren’t demonstrated in GIF form, like a mysterious hatch in the dining room floor. The whole setup is clean, modern and uncluttered enough for a minimalist’s sensibilities despite so many people living in such a small space – an inspiration for all the tricks and hacks we’re going to have to come up with to boost housing density in cities with burgeoning populations.

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    [ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

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  • Urban Adventuring Apps: 13 Interactive Ways to Explore Your City

    [ By SA Rogers in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

    urbex-app-history-pin-3

    Whether you want to get to know your own city on a deeper level or explore secret spots in unfamiliar places, this collection of smartphone apps will take you on adventures you’d otherwise miss. Check out these scavenger hunts, walking tours, history lessons, interactive tasks that take you on random routes, user-submitted local favorites and other ways to interact with urban environments in fun and unexpected ways.

    Derivé: Random Tasks Send You on an Adventure

    urbex-app-derive

    Explore your city – or an unfamiliar city – in a totally new way with the Derivé app, which randomly assigns you a task to do, like “find your favorite building”, “follow a hat,” “sit for two minutes” or “find a tree.” Refreshed every three minutes, the task cards lead you on a single-person scavenger hunt that will encourage you to take routes you’d never take otherwise and experience your environment in a new way.

    History Pin: See History in Real Time

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    This user-generated history map lets you see what cities used to look like thanks to submitted historical photographs, which are pinned onto their real-life locations. The app uses Google Maps and Street View technology to overlay the historic photos onto the live camera view. Just hold up your phone in the street, and it’ll give you a glimpse of the past.

    Spotted by Locals: Get the Inside Scoop

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    When you’re traveling, it’s easy enough to wander randomly without the use of a smartphone or simply go by tourist guide recommendations, but finding out what locals love can be more challenging. The Spotted by Locals app tells you what’s popular in any given spot, and it’s constantly updated to keep track of business openings and closings.

    Geocaching: Treasure Hunting Challenge

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    The classic treasure-hunting app that has explorers digging for cleverly hidden containers called ‘geocaches’ remains the most popular way to participate in the adventure. The Geocaching app shows you geocaches near your location, allows you to message other players for hints and log the treasures you’ve found.

    Geo Street Art Apps for New York City & London

    urbex-apps-street-art-2

    urbex-apps-street-art

    Available for major cities like New York City and London, the Geo Street Art apps feature hundreds of local and international street artists, pointing you to their work so you can see it in person. ‘Street Art London’ and ‘Street Art New York City’ provide a “comprehensive reference point” of the street art scene, including artist biographies. The London version boasts over 600 images from over 90 artists in 270 locations.

    Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
    Urban Adventuring Apps 13 Interactive Ways To Explore Your City

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    [ By SA Rogers in Travel & Urban Exploration. ]

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  • Flickr says smartphones were the most popular device this year, iPhone tops list

    Flickr has published its 2016 end-of-year report detailing the most popular devices and brands on its platform. Per the report, 48% of photos published on Flickr this year were captured using smartphones, and 47% of them were captured using iPhones specifically. The top three iPhone models were the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6, and the iPhone 6s.

    As far as brands go, Canon was the second most used at 24% and Nikon came in third at 18%. Device types, meanwhile, show DSLRs ranked second after smartphones at 25%, point-and-shoot cameras at 21%, and mirrorless models at 3%. Comparing the figures with last year’s report, smartphone uploads are up 9%, DSLR uploads are down 6%, point-and-shoot uploads are down 4%, and mirrorless uploads have remained steady.

    Via: Flickr Blog

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

    Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016

    Although it’s true that ‘compact’ usually refers to cameras small in size, here, we use it to refer to any camera with a non-removable lens. This makes for an interesting spread of cameras, with 1″-type sensors and APS-C sensors, prime lenses and zoom lenses, pocketable wonders and DSLR-styled bridge cameras.

    So step (or sit) right up and take a peek through the high-end compacts of 2016, and let your voice be heard – which of these should be crowned the best high-end compact camera of the year?

    Note: This poll only includes high-end compact cameras released in the calendar year of 2016. If there’s a late 2015 product missing that you want to highlight, leave a comment and we’ll take this into account.

    Canon Powershot G7 X Mark II

    The Canon G7 X Mark II brings some impressive updates to Canon’s original 1″-sensor compact. It features a new Digic 7 processor, bringing with it increased operational speed and 8fps burst shooting in Raw + JPEG. There’s a (very comfortable) front grip, more effective image stabilization and the screen now tilts down as well as up (selfies will outlive us all).

    There’s abundant external controls and a well-thought out touch interface, the control dial around the lens can be ‘clicked’ or ‘unclicked,’ and a 24-100mm equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens sits in front of a 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor.

    In all, the G7 X Mark II is everything we hoped the G7 X Mark I would have been and more – is that enough to launch it to the top spot? Cast your vote and let us know.

    Fujifilm X70

    As is typical with Fujifilm cameras, the retro-styled X70 is quite the looker, with image quality to back up those looks. Along with 28mm equiv. F2.8 lens, it uses Fujifilm’s tried-and-true 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor and offers their famous film simulation modes.

    You also get a 77-point hybrid autofocus system, a 3″ touch-enabled LCD, and all the manual controls you could want – plus eight customizable buttons.

    The Fujifilm X70 is a camera for those that like a ‘hands-on’ experience, and it’s very petite considering the relatively large sensor. Do you think these qualities are enough to push it to the top of the pack this year? 

    Leica X-U

    The Leica X-U is the manufacturer’s first-ever rugged camera – it’s waterproof to 15m, and is also shock-proof and dust-proof. It features a 23mm F1.7 Summilux ASPH lens that works out to a 35mm equivalent field of view for its 16.3MP APS-C CMOS sensor. There’s a flash mounted directly above the lens barrel, which will be especially useful for use underwater.

    There’s always a certain cachet that comes with that red dot, reinforced here with Leica’s claims that they teamed up with Audi Design for the overall design of the camera. Are you a fan of the design? Excited by the prospect of dunking a Leica in the drink? Cast your vote and let us know.

    Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15

    The Lumix LX10 / LX15 is Panasonic’s answer to Sony’s RX100-series, offering a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, a 24-72mm equiv. F1.4-2.8 zoom and 4K video as well as some clever 4K photo modes. It has an all-metal body and well-damped dials, a pop-up flash, and a refined touchscreen interface.

    The LX10 / LX15 also uses Panasonic’s Depth-from-Defocus (DFD) technology, ensuring swift and accurate autofocus, even for moving subjects, and also features varying levels of image stabilization between stills and video. Does the LX10 / LX15 tick all the right boxes for you? 

    Panasonic Lumix FZ2500 / FZ2000

    The Panasonic FZ2500 / FZ2000 is the followup to the older FZ1000. Like many other models in this poll, it features a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor, though unlike other cameras in this roundup, it has a whopping 24-480mm equiv. F2.8-4.5 zoom lens. As much a video camera as it is a stills camera, Panasonic has also added a built-in variable ND filter, fully articulating LCD, 4K capture and 10-bit 4:2:2 vide output over HDMI.

    It’s not the most… compact… compact camera in this poll, but that’s you price to pay for that staggering zoom range. Are you a video enthusiast who’s picked up the FZ2500 for yourself? Do you think it’s beaten out all the other compacts this year?

    Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100

    The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 / TZ100 marks the manufacturer’s return to the compact travel-zoom market, and it is a camera that more or less stands alone in this regard. It uses a 20MP 1″-type CMOS sensor behind a 25-250mm equivalent F2.8-4.9 zoom lens in a package that will easily fit in your jacket pocket. Typically for Panasonic, there’s also detailed 4K video capture and a slew of stills capture aids like Post Focus and 4K Photo. They’ve even shoehorned a popup flash and an electronic viewfinder into the all-metal body.

    Is the ZS100 your go-to travel camera? Let us know.

    Sony Cyber-shot RX10 Mark III

    The Sony RX10 Mark III is as much about its lens as it is everything else. That lens is a 24-600mm equivalent F2.4-4 Zeiss-branded unit, exhibiting impeccable sharpness throughout the zoom range. The sensor is a familiar 20MP 1″-type CMOS unit, and the camera is otherwise very similar to the RX10 Mark II. It offers 4K and ultra-slow-motion video capture as well as Sony’s industry-leading JPEG noise reduction.

    Is the RX10 III and its monster lens enough to take the compact camera crown? Let us know what you think by casting your vote in the poll below.

    Sony RX100 Mark V

    The RX100 V is the most refined RX100 model yet. It comes with a 20MP 1″-type sensor, 24-70mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 Zeiss-branded lens, and incredible 24fps burst shooting with full autofocus and autoexposure. There’s also oversampled 4K video capture, ultra slow motion video capture, a clever pop-up electronic viewfinder and a tilting rear screen.

    The RX100 V is about as much technology as can fit into a pocket. Does it make your list of best cameras of the year?

    Vote now!

    Voting is easy – you pick your favorite products by dragging and dropping. You can pick up to three, and rank them in order of priority.

    Have your say

    $ (document).ready(function() { Poll({“pollId”:”4436302269″,”openForVoting”:true,”mainElementId”:”poll0″,”slot”:null,”isSingleChoicePoll”:false,”minNumberOfChoices”:1,”maxNumberOfChoices”:3}); })

    Have your say: Best high-end compact of 2016
    Your answers
    1. Required
    2. Optional
    3. Optional
    You need to login to vote

    Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II

    Fujifilm X70

    Leica X-U (Typ 113)

    Panasonic Lumix FZ2500

    Panasonic Lumix LX10

    Panasonic Lumix ZS100

    Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III

    Sony Cyber-shot RX100 V


    Poll Rules:

    1. This poll is meant to be a bit of fun. It’s not sponsored, promoted or paid for in any way and DPReview staff don’t care how you vote, so please don’t start a flame-war in the comments. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    2. It’s fine to vote for products that you haven’t used (some may not yet be shipping, after all) but please don’t vote purely just to sandbag another product or brand. I.e., please don’t be a troll.
    3. Please only vote once, from a single account. Creating and voting from multiple accounts for a community poll of no consequence is a silly thing to do with your time. See points 1 and 2, above, about not being a troll.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Heliskiing the British Columbia wilderness with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II

    We took the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II up to Revelstoke, British Columbia and caught the season’s first helicopter out into the wilderness alongside some of the World’s top pro skiers. It was cold and terrifying, but we did it all in the name of putting this new flagship camera to the test. Part of a forthcoming feature video with Scott Rinckenberger, we wanted to share some of the images with you as soon as we got back. We also used the camera to shoot opening day at Revelstoke resort, which is famous for having one of the longest (and most fun) lift lines of any mountain in North America. 

    The gallery contains a mix of Raw conversions and out of camera JPEGs, including some shot using the Grainy Film II profile (a staff favorite), as well as a High-res mode sample. Many of the images shot in back country were done so under extreme conditions: sub-freezing temperatures, blizzard-like snowfall, avalanche warnings and the like. This in particular should demonstrate just how tough this this camera is, even if the photographer who shot the images was less so.

    See our Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Heliskiing Samples Gallery

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Ricoh Keenai photo management system launches with smart tagging

    Ricoh has announced the launch of a new photo storage and management service called Keenai. With Keenai, photographers can upload and store original resolution photos and videos, sync the content across multiple devices and share the content with others. According to Ricoh, Keenai features smart technologies that facilitate rapid image searches via smart tagging and image recognition, as well.

    Once uploaded, photos and videos can be shared with others, including 360-degree panoramas. In addition to syncing across devices, Ricoh says Keenai stores content for offline access at ‘device-friendly resolutions.’ Each account allows an unlimited number of photos, including raw images, to be stored at original resolution, but only up to 300 15-minute videos can be uploaded per month.

    Ricoh Keenai is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, macOS, and Windows, and supports direct photo and video transfers from Toshiba FlashAir and Eyefi Mobi WiFi SD cards and WiFi-enabled cameras. The service is available for $ 4.99-per-month or $ 49-per-year. The service’s mobile and desktop applications are available here.

    Ricoh Innovations Corp. Debuts Keenai, One-Stop Smart Photo Management for All the Latest Smartphones and Digital Cameras

    Keenai automates the most tedious part of being a photographer: centralizing and managing your photos and videos; Keenai’s intelligent solution eliminates the frustration of managing photos and videos from different devices, and makes enjoying and sharing digital memories a simple and pleasant experience

    CUPERTINO, CA–(Marketwired – Dec 6, 2016) – Ricoh Innovations Corp. (RIC), a Silicon Valley-headquartered subsidiary of Ricoh Company, Ltd., has launched Keenai, a smart photo-management service that keeps digital memories safe and organized. Available immediately in eight languages on all popular platforms (macOS™, Windows®, Android®, iOS™ and Windows Phone®), Keenai is the only photo service that connects all your devices and cameras, and unifies all your photos and videos for viewing and sharing on any device.

    “Consumers are struggling to keep track of all the photos and videos they capture using the different devices they own. Keenai provides a smart solution to this problem, and is designed so that non-technical people can gain control of all their photos, share them with friends and family, and feel confident that their memories are safe,” said Toshinori Arita, senior vice president of Ricoh Innovations Corp.

    Finally, an app that handles everything: all devices and platforms — photos and videos

    Keenai is perfect for non-technical people with lots of photos (often, on different devices) who prefer to not be locked into any one vendor’s cloud services. Keenai delivers a beautiful, unified, cable-free photo sharing experience on every device. Plus, it is the only application that can transfer photos and videos directly from Wi-Fi® cameras, Eyefi Mobi, or Toshiba FlashAir™ Wi-Fi SD cards to all the latest smartphones and tablets (Android, iOS and Windows Phone).

    Some of Keenai’s standout features include:

    1. Automatic cloud backup of unlimited, original-resolution photos and videos. Users can store an unlimited number of original photos (including RAW) and up to 300 15-minute videos per month in the Keenai service.
    2. Syncs collections of photos and videos so they can be enjoyed on all your devices. Keenai lets you bring your entire photo collection with you, wherever you go — online or offline. Keenai’s smart syncing keeps the originals safe in the cloud, and stores only device-friendly resolutions on your local device.
    3. Bring your adventures to life as mixed-media experiences for family and friends. Keenai provides sharing of stories as gorgeous albums that combine photos, videos and even 360° images. Albums can be privately shared with friends and family via email or shared links, and accessed via any web browser.
    4. Automatic image recognition and smart tagging for fast photo search. Keenai’s intelligent suite of applications does all the tedious tagging work for you, and makes enjoying and sharing your memories a simple and pleasant experience, every step of the way.

    How to get started with Keenai

    All members start with a free trial of 30 days. Thereafter, membership costs only $ 4.99/month or $ 49.99/year. There are three easy on-ramps to Keenai: web, mobile app or desktop:

    1. Keenai Web Application: Create your account at www.keenai.com. No download required. After creating your account, simply visit app.keenai.com in your favorite browser for easy access to all your original-resolution photos and videos. You can upload and download photos and videos via the web application, and use intelligent tools like Smart Views and Discover dashboards.
    2. Keenai Mobile Applications: Use Keenai mobile applications to transfer images directly from your camera to your device, or upload photos directly to the cloud from your smart phone. Your entire collection is instantly synced with the cloud and can be browsed on all your devices — even later when you’re offline. Download here.
    3. Keenai Desktop Applications: Use the Keenai desktop utilities to upload photos and videos from your desktop collection to Keenai. You can also set up a folder to automatically sync your original resolution photos from the Keenai service to your desktop or networked drive. Download here.

    Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

  • Tips from the Sports Photography Pros to Help You Get the Money Shots

    The pros know that sports photography is a fast paced and intense profession. You have to be quick. Really quick! Catching the moment is one-third intuition, a third skill, and the rest is pure luck. Accept it now! Sometimes the most amazing shot you capture will just be pure luck.

    sports photography action

    Capture the emotion and the intensity of the players. These shots sell.

    There are things you can do to increase the odds of success. If you’re like me and you want to earn part of your income from sports photography then there are some tips and tricks you need to learn. Sports photography is a lot more than just pointing the camera at an athlete and holding down the shutter button.

    Camera grip is key

    The sheer speed of sports photography requires a specialized grip. You have to be able to zoom in and out quickly as well as switch from landscape to portrait (horizontal to vertical) orientation. If you are strong enough to handhold your lens then this technique is for you.

    sports photography black and white

    For a magazine a shot in black and white can create a lot of drama.

    Loosen up the tripod collar on the lens so it slides easily. Hold the lens by placing the base of the collar in the palm of your hand and grip the zoom ring with your fingers. As you rotate your camera from portrait to landscape your camera will automatically change focal lengths. It’s quick and convenient and it’s also pretty easy to maneuver. You can then adjust the orientation of your camera back to portrait or landscape by releasing your grip on the zoom ring. It takes practice to perfect this method but once you’ve got it the process becomes very quick.

    The same basic premise can be used if you shoot with a monopod. Instead of using your hand as the base for monopod ring you’re going to handhold the zoom ring and turn from portrait to landscape in the same way.

    sports photography

    In this case, the image is about the struggle and expressions on the kid’s faces. The scene tells a story about struggle.

    Money shots

    I quickly learned that certain types of shot sell while other shots are nice but they don’t sell. The images that generally fall into one of the following three categories:

    sports photography action hockey

    At tournaments, these types of shots sell to parents.

    1) The Celebration

    Images of athletes celebrating are so popular because they show the height of emotion and sacrifice. The recent shot of the World Series winning Chicago Cubs is a fantastic example.

    While this isn't an epic celebration parents love this type of shot.

    While this isn’t an epic celebration parents love this type of shot.

    2) The profile shot

    In this instance, you capture an image of an athlete in action. The shot shows the shape of their body as they compete and there is little to distract from the perfection of their form.

    sports photography girl running

    The water droplets are my favorite part of this shot even though most people won’t notice them.

    3) The unusual occurrence shot

    These are the unique moments in sports that only happen once. You won’t catch these types of shots very often but when you do it’s a fantastic adrenaline rush.

    sports photography expressions

    In this case, the facial expression and position of the girl’s arms and the ball make for a unique shot.

    I’m not saying that other shots won’t sell but the likely hood is far less. Sometimes the image falls into a category of its own. If you try to capture the majority of your images from these three categories then you are well on your way to earning an income from sports photography.

    Don’t give up

    Sports photography is an incredibly tough world to try and break into. You have to work so hard to get noticed. It’s also incredibly challenging and very physical. Be prepared for the ride of your life. You will have to push your camera and your body to their limits to keep up with these talented and very physical athletes.

    So use every trick or tip you can find to rise above the rest and take those memorable shots. Leave any of your tips below and also share your favorite images.

    Capturing goalies is a real challenge. Usually, there's a lot of traffic in front of them.

    Capturing goalies is a real challenge. Usually, there’s a lot of traffic in front of them.

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    The post Tips from the Sports Photography Pros to Help You Get the Money Shots by Erin Fitzgibbon appeared first on Digital Photography School.


    Digital Photography School

  • US Megaregions: Algorithm Redefines Boundaries of Metropolitan Areas

    [ By WebUrbanist in Culture & History & Travel. ]

    real-america

    A new geographical study of the United States reveals the functional boundaries of megapolises around the country, defining them by usage rather than arbitrary political borders. Unlike gerrymandered districts or state lines, these sprawling areas are rooted in deep data analytics versus historical accident.

    america-borders

    Historical geographer Garrett Dash Nelson teamed up with urban analyst Alasdair Rae to publish a paper using commuting information and computational algorithms. Studying over 4,000,000 commutes, they traced interconnections between economically connected points and reported the results in An Economic Geography of the United States: From Commutes to Megaregions.

    border-edges

    Taking it a step further, the authors also devised names for various megaregions extrapolated from the data – while semi-subjective, they start to give a sense of the real shape of metropolitan zones (and reveal areas where few residents and vast distances make it hard to define or confine regions).

    connections-raw

    Some cities at the heart of various sub-regions are not surprising — San Francisco and Los Angeles were givens — but others may be new to some people, like Fresno, California. Many cities trace influence across state borders, like Minneapolis into Wisconsin or New York City into effectively every adjacent state. Some overlap while others are isolated, especially in the west.

    main

    In the end, this is not a definitive way to look at geography within the Lower 48, but it does start to push the observer to rethink conventional regions of influence and defined borders. From the abstract: “The emergence in the United States of large-scale ‘megaregions’ centered on major metropolitan areas is a phenomenon often taken for granted in both scholarly studies and popular accounts of contemporary economic geography. We compare a method which uses a visual heuristic for understanding areal aggregation to a method which uses a computational partitioning algorithm, and we reflect upon the strengths and limitations of both. We discuss how choices about input parameters and scale of analysis can lead to different results, and stress the importance of comparing computational results with ‘common sense’ interpretations of geographic coherence.”

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