I just got an email from the mailing list, and thought it sounded interesting. It never hurts to share.

"GET THE NEW FLAMING LIPS PHOTO BOOK

The Flaming Lips photobook, "Waking Up With A Placebo Head Wound: Images Of The Flaming Lips From The Archives Of Jay Blakesberg And J. Michelle Martin-Coyne (1987-2004)" is now available for pre-order at the Flaming Lips' online store. Click here to check it out. Pre-order before 11/12/04 and get a free vinyl picture disc single from the band's forthcoming movie "Christmas On Mars."

This 184-page book with a foreword by Wayne Coyne features 375 images from photographers Jay Blakesberg and J. Michelle Martin-Coyne. The book, edited by Jaan Uhelszki, also includes essays by Michael Ivins, Steven Drozd, Rick Gershon, Scott Booker, J. Michelle Martin-Coyne, and Jay Blakesberg.

Available only as a limited edition hardcover coffee table book, all copies are instant collectors items. The one-time printing of 1500 numbered books each come in a handmade box with each book signed by The Flaming Lips -- Wayne Coyne, Michael Ivins and Steven Drozd plus photographers Jay Blakesberg and J. Michelle Martin-Coyne.

This book is only available at the Flaming Lips online store."

Here's a link to it, if you're interested in further details:
http://www.flaminglips.com/store/detail.php?section=home&product=m_flipbook

I know others have asked/discussed obtaining permission and signed model releases for images they take in public and private...and I was reminded of the need to carry model releases with you as images are being taken when I was on Popular Photography & Imaging's web site today.

Here is a link for a few simple model releases for you to either print out and carry or turn into your own version of a release.
*(printer friendly version is here)

Opportunities to get published arise all the time, at any given moment. The main reason I wanted to post this link was because I was approached about an image I had taken by a publishing company, a street portrait from 1991, but one shot I neglected to obtain a signed release for...which sucked, because it was a missed opportunity to be published...

A shot you take tomorrow could be desired by a stock image company or may be used in an exhibit/publication...but there is no need to be sued and/or risk legal action without the proper, and legal, permission being acquired beforehand. Just a head's up because I don't want anyone to lose out on an opportunity to be published...noticed, recognized for the work they do and their passion for photography.

I've created a List of Camera Makes and Models in the wiki. The original list was taken from the Camera Survey that we had a while back.

I'd like to ask you (yes you) to take a look at the list and check it for mistakes and omissions. Anyone (yes, even you) can edit this document and make corrections. If enough of us fix just a couple small things, then we'll have a great list that can be used to make Photoblogs.org a better site.

I'll use this list to integrate camera data into our Photoblogs.org profiles. That way we can search to see who's using what cameras.

What do you think?

I hesitate to point this out, because I don't know how obvious this to everyone... Here in the US, Hewlett-Packard is running an ad with the Kinks' (hail Britannia!! hail the Kinks!!) "Picture Book" as its soundtrack. The song is deeply tied to photgraphy as a time capsule, and deserves notice.

Lyrics are here.

Now, not to suggest that photography is completely benign, Ray Davies also wrote a song called "People Take Pictures of Each Other," where the pictures replace the memory, lyrics here.

Just as points of discussion.

Part 2 in my series of non-English photoblogs.

I've been visiting Catedral for at least three months (I see I bookmarked it in my browser in early August), and enjoy it often enough to return regularly. I confess I know very little about Portugal, speak even less of the language. I think cod is popular there, and that's about it.

But Catedral looks like a great gateway. Your guide is Dionisio Leitao, nicknamed ognid, a 48 year old man who lives in Oeiras, a small town 20 km from Lisbon. When I look at his photos, I feel immersed in a completely different culture, and he himself says he loves Portugal for its uniqueness. "We really are different" — though he doesn't claim it's for the better or the worst.

Technical details? I couldn't tell you what he uses when, but his description is that "My cameras are a Nikon D70 with a 18-70 mm and a 70-200 mm Sigma zoom, a Canon PowerShot Pro1 camera, a Nikon Coolpix 3100 camera, a Canon SLR 500DX with a 28-80 mm zoom and an old Canon Ftb with several
lenses (it was my first serious camera offered by my father when I was 17). I used to have a laboratory to B&W pictures but now I only work with digital photography."

Now: the photography itself... It's funny that sometimes photographers point to different highlights than viewers, but I guess it's not that unusual. (Could you imagine someone approaching Bach and saying, "Would you please play 'A Lover's Concerto'? Or maybe 'Whiter Shade of Pale'?")

Three he highlighted, which you should go to first, I think, because he pointed to them:

• Reflexos I Not sure if David Nightingale is jealous?
• Templos da água
• A escada impossível (II)

Nice, no? Those shots, though, don't give you enough of the local flavor. I have about a dozen more I could show you, but will limit it to these:

• Amizades - II (Two pre-teens by the water)
• Chegámos com festas e romarias! (A festival)
• Esta foi-nos oferecida (sunrays in a church)
• Janelas - I (some cobwebbed windows)
• Minas de Jales (I love this: if you've seen some of my fire escape shots, you'll see why — it's a taut network of angled iron)
• Pela rua onde o Escritor ama a sua musa (II): street lamps
• Silêncio, calma

If you want to add Catedral to your watchlist or favorites, ognid's site profile is here.

Enjoy!

This Friday, October 29, 2004, photographer Duane Michals will appear at an opening for a new exhibit at the Pittsburgh Filmmakers Melwood Gallery.

As the press release on the Filmmakers site details:

Known for his narrative, sequential photography, Michals will exhibit eight images each from two new series, Jonathan Kills a Fly and Cavafy Imagines He is a Priest. The show will also include excerpts from The House I Once Called Home and his self-portrait, I Think About Thinking. Michals is known for his commercial work as well, including the cover art for The Police's Synchronicity LP, Life magazine covers, and fashion spreads for Vogue magazine. Michals is entirely self-taught and renowned throughout the world of art photography for blurring the lines between philosophy and photography.

Duane Michals is one of the greatest living photographers IMHO. He has relentlessly pursued being creative in his work. Intent on expressing the ideas as opposed to capturing images, Michals aimed to develop a meaningful relationship with photography. For Michals, it has always been of paramount importance that a photograph not only evoke feeling, but that it be enhanced by inviting the viewer to internally examine issues and ideas. Michals creates art solely for his own exploration, something that strikes a cord in my own photography, one of the major reasons Michals has long left an indelible mark in the way, and the why, I photograph subjects. Michals enjoys teaching by example, pushing other photographers to reject the conventions of photography and look inward for the questions that will stimulate artistic growth and enhance the medium. He encourages those in the field to study not only photographers, but painters, filmmakers, philosophers and writers as well.

I hope I am not the only photoblogger in the Pittsburgh area who will attend this Friday's opening, and that a few others who reside in the PhotoBlogs.org community will make the trip to Pittsburgh to see and meet a living legend of photography. If anyone is interested in attending and would like to meet up before the exhibit shoot me an email, btezra@gmail.com, and I will get in touch.

October 25, 2004 - This week, DailySnap.com interviews Charlie O'Shields from Always Curious:

Alright Charlie, let the folks know a little about yourself:
I'm a 33 year old Aries who was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and somehow managed to never leave it. I work as a Creative Director at an interactive design company, and if you don't know what that means exactly, don't worry, my mother doesn't either. I have a BA in Studio Art, and I have held several full-time, part-time and one-time jobs including, but not limited to, siding installer, real estate agent, singer, clown, playwright, copywriter, violinist, tap and jazz instructor, professional actor, industrial designer, art director, and marketing consultant.

How does that work out? A tap-dancing clown violinist? All this, and you don’t have any jobs that involve photography?
Actually, I have directed photo shoots in my current line of work, but nothing hands on. After I managed to turn every hobby I've ever had into some sort of paid gig, it's actually nice to keep photography as a hobby. At least for now... I never know what will happen next for me!

Before we continue, what's the story behind your site's name?
I've always been curious, ever since I was a child, but I was inspired by reading a book by Patrick Mauries entitled Cabinets of Curiosities. On the back of the book was the following text: "Cabinets of Curiosities, or rooms of wonders, were the astonishing creation of collectors who wished to gather together everything, all knowledge - animal, vegetable, or man-made - into a single unimaginable space. An entire universe in miniature." This seemed like the perfect way to describe the way I wanted to photograph and display my images, so I based my site concept around this concept.

Do you remember the first time you grabbed a camera?
I've always loved photography, but I didn't really start photographing until college. Even though I did get an art degree, it wasn't part of my emphasis, so I took a summer class at a local community college and bought a Pentax K1000 from a pawn shop to get started. I loved that camera, but gave it away last year to another budding photography student at a local college. Hopefully she'll enjoy the same happy returns I did.

What are your thoughts towards photo schools? Some people say they’re a waste of time; self-learning is best; they’re great..?
I think, like most organized learning, it depends on the school and especially the instructor. If the instructor is passionate and informed, than I think they are a fantastic way to learn and the ability to view and critique the work of others is always a huge opportunity. I think that's why photoblogs are so great... they almost create a virtual classroom of sorts, although, I don't think anything takes the place of face-to-face communication.

Why do you like photography?
I've always enjoyed collecting things, but could never limit myself to a single category of things to collect. Photography allows me to collect all sorts of things... little slices of life that are more fun to collect than precious moments figurines would have ever been anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with that. And truthfully, my long term memory is pretty poor, so it's a good way to remind me where I've been.

Any other hobbies other than photography that remind you where you've been?
I enjoy writing, and at one time dreamed of being a famous writer. Then I found out that in order to actually be a famous writer you needed to write... a lot. So writing comes into play, but only in the two to three word titles I assign to my photographs. I'm sure it's healthier to have other hobbies, but photography seems to be the only thing that consistently holds my childlike attention span.

Have you had any memorable photo experiences that come to mind?
It's always a memorable experience when I find a place to photograph that truly inspires me. I might be walking around my garden, and think, "wow, I've never seen that before" and start snapping off shot after shot with new eyes - when simple curiosity turns into true inspiration.

Any negative?
I've never really had a truly negative experience while photographing, but I have been stopped on several occasions by fearful Americans who just want to be assured that I'm not a terrorist. It's very unfortunate, but it's a sign of the times we live in.

Do you think the situation will ever get better? What do you recommend should change?
Without getting too political on the subject of well... change, I don't foresee things getting much better as long as the government continues to use fear as a way to gain support of the masses. But hopefully, one day, we'll enjoy the happier times when people were more frightened of murdering mosquito's and killer bees than the occasional rogue street photographer.

Funny stuff... now onto your shooting style. What it is?
I love to shoot handheld and although I own a tripod, I really don't like to use it. I prefer the spontaneity of shooting whatever catches my eye at the precise time it captures it. I seldom stage my shots, unless a particular concept seizes my imagination. As for subject matter, I'm drawn to life and anything that I feel represents a piece of it, which means, I photograph just about anything.

So you’re more of a spontaneous shooter? What kind of challenges do you get with this?
Even for someone who's always curious, it's a huge challenge to look for the interesting in the ordinary. Rather than being able to dream up a shot, I have to find the shot that's waiting for me, which is a frightful challenge some days, and a gigantic reward (in) others.

Do you feel you have any underlying themes in your work?
I've always had trouble assigning singular themes to my work, although I know I've envied the way other photographers find a particular theme that's so compellingly strong in their work that it exudes from every photo. That's why I chose to go with the Cabinets of Curiosities concept, so I was only limited to the theme of knowledge... learning about the world one piece at a time.

Do you have any themes when it comes to photo technique?
I do find that I'm drawn more to single subject shots and macro photography. I think this stems from the fact that such small things catch my eye sometimes that if I don't focus in tightly on them, no one would have any idea why I choose the subjects that I do.

So you’re getting ready for a day of shooting… What are your rituals, tricks, and what are you carrying around?
I have two cameras, a point-and-shoot S400 and a Canon 10D DSLR. I carry the S400 with me everywhere due to its compact size. If I'm actually preparing for a day of shooting, I grab my Canon 10D in a bag which houses: 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS, 50mm f1.8 II, 17-40mm f4L, 100mm f2.8 Macro, photo wallet, and backup cards. I don't prepare... just grab the bag and head out to find out what's curious.

The boring/exciting question: film or digital?
I love film and black and white photography, combined with working in the darkroom, is the reason I started photographing in the first place. But today, I love the immediacy of digital, but prefer DSLR because I really don't like using a screen to compose as much as I like holding a camera up to my eye and hearing an actual shutter sound. I know that there are wonderful debates out there with eloquent stances on each, but for me, it's just one good old base need... immediate gratification.

So you no longer use film? Do you think your photography will suffer as a result? Do you think it will eventually die out?
I actually do use a LOMO occasionally, but yes, I'm shooting 99% digital now. To me, it's all about the art of composition and that can be accomplished with everything from a pinhole camera to an 11-megapixel digital beast, so I don't think my photography suffers at all. My knowledge of film cameras and traditional darkroom techniques has suffered, but my composition skills have increased with the immediacy of digital. I don't think film will ever die out... in fact, the flood of digital cameras has caused a counter-flood of interest in vintage film cameras, which I think is wonderful.

What's your favorite camera?
I love my current Canon 10D, although I still have pangs for my original Pentax K1000. I think this has more to do with nostalgia as I adore the 10D and love the quality and responsiveness.

Do you do any heavy Photoshop work on your photos? What are your thoughts behind it?
I don't use any heavy Photoshop techniques on my photos. The only technique I have ever used that can't be replicated in a traditional film darkroom is the Clone Tool to remove dust and sometimes other scene distractions. I appreciate the power of Photoshop, and in capable hands, I've seen some heavily processed photos that are really fantastic. I'm not opposed to heavy Photoshop work, but I will usually simply abandon a shot that requires that much time... short attention span.

Onto your photoblog... why did you start one?
After dropping a ton of money on the 10D, I realized that I wasn't shooting as much as I needed to shoot in order to improve quickly. The only real way to become a great photographer is to simply shoot a hell of a lot of photos. I started Always Curious as a lesson in self-discipline, but it's grown into so much more. Now it's truly becoming my cabinet of wonders that I get to share with the world.

How did you stumble upon the whole photoblogging idea and world?
A few of my friends with traditional written blogs linked to some wonderful photoblogs. I would visit their site and then click through to enjoy the photos. I was taking photos actively and printing them to put in a book, and finally thought, "Hey... I can start a photoblog and stop working in a vacuum!" A quick Google search to find software kept pulling up Photoblogs.org and soon I found this huge community. It was really overwhelming!

You've become one of the hottest photoblogs since you started, and it shows in the numbers with photoblogs.org, Alexa, Blogshares and many others. What do you attribute to your fast and huge success?
Honestly... I was more than a little shocked when I started even getting any traffic. I would love to think it's because people really enjoy my work, and I honestly hope that's the case. But at the same time, I'm amazed on a daily basis by all the fantastic blogs at Photoblogs.org and constantly visit sites in search of inspiration and well... some major humbling. I know that being active in the community has definitely increased my traffic, but I can't help it... I'm addicted!

What's been the best thing about running Always Curious?
I love the community that I've discovered via Photoblogs.org. I had no idea when I started the site, just how many fantastic photographers and wonderful people were out there, just like me, photographing and sharing their photos. Each day, I learn something new and I am continually inspired by everyone's great work.

What types of things are you learning?
I can't count the number of times I've looked at a photo and thought, "Man, I wish I thought of that... how did they even see that!!" Everything from use of color to creative composition, to bizarre and interesting subject matter, I'm constantly learning. I've also learned some great Photoshop techniques and the more technical aspects of my photography via e-mail from fellow photobloggers.

Any strains?
Now that people are actually visiting my site (only myself and my dog were viewing the pictures in the first couple months...he won't admit it, but I think he rather liked them), there's a responsibility to continue to shoot and post a picture each day. As my photography improves, so does the quality of a "post-worthy" picture and it's sometimes hard to come up with the right shot.

So would you say you provide more of an ‘artsy’ approach towards photoblogging, instead of a daily journal/diary?
I started out with an intent to simply shoot a photo a day, but it rapidly turned into something more for me. Now, instead of posting what I shot that very day, I post a shot that relates to my mood. For whatever reason, a shot will speak to me on that day or a theme will grab me and carry me for an entire week. So, I still consider my site a journal of sorts, but a slide show of my photos in order would probably reveal something a little bizarre and non-linear. That might be considered 'artsy'! I'm not sure.

By the way, is time a strain at all, especially for a man with over 20 jobs? How long do you take to shoot, edit, and upload?
I shoot during the week and always carry a camera with me, so most of the photos are 2-3 days 'fresh'. But, it's true, the time strain is amazing, so I tend to go on longer shoots on the weekend and process enough shots for the week (unless I spot something really cool during the week that can't wait and then I just stay up too late and post it..! Which happens a lot). This was part of the reason I changed the sub-head from, "A Daily Photo Journal" to, "A World of Wonders" - I shoot daily, but the photos aren't always taken the same day.

Do you feel photography and/or photoblogging has changed your life in any ways?
Wow, now that's quite a question. I think photography has definitely changed my life in that it allows me a rare opportunity to focus on the typically insignificant aspects of life rather than the stress of everything that's supposed to be so important. Photoblogging has given me the chance to share my collected sightings with the world and shown me that nothing is insignificant if it resonates with even one other person. It has shown me that we are all connected through this world of wonders that's more plainly referred to as life.

Your inspirations? Both in photography and photoblogs?
The top spot goes to my favorite server of fab photography, my friend, your_waitress. She really has a way of capturing life and making me look for the interesting in the everyday. Also, Zoran "Zee" Milich who manages to capture life in a way that's both beautiful, comical, and emotionally charged, usually in the same photograph. And a third would be Tim Gerdes at Wax Rhapsodic whose elegant site design was very inspiring as well as his excellent macro shots which caused me to spend even more money on my hobby by buying a new macro lens.

Best photo ever?
I'm not sure I can honestly pick just one, but my favorite photographer is Henri Cartier-Bresson and this is one my favorites of his.

What do you think can make the photoblogging community stronger?
I'm always envious of the strong photoblogging communities in New York, San Francisco, and Canada. It would be great if more of these groups would start up across the country in greater numbers. I've not heard of a Kansas City group, but I would love to be a part of one.

What are your thoughts on photoblog commenting?
I love them! It's so great to receive comments on my photography as it gives me feedback that I've never had before photoblogging. There are debates out there on whether comments should be critiques or applause, but I think any time a photo elicits a response, of any kind, it's a great thing. I tend to comment on photos that I simply love for whatever reason, and have a horrible habit of gushing without much in the way of constructive criticism. But I hope there's a place for comments like that as well!

Are you involved in anything else photography-wise other than your photoblog?
I participate in several of the memes, Thursday Challenge, Photo Friday, and i-gizmo. I've also contributed to File Magazine, which is an amazing "collection of unexpected photography." I've also worked with other photographers and designers on collaborative projects, but would love to do more.

Before I forget: Red Sox or Cardinals… or do you care?
I've never really been into sports, as I don't have the attention span required to follow it. But I have to say, that since I'm from Missouri, I'm rooting for the Cardinals... albeit in a sort of. I don't really watch the games and seldom remember a single score sort of way.

Any closing words?
I love being part of the photoblog community and I continually find inspiration and renewed enthusiasm by visiting the sites at photoblogs.org. Prior to having a site I used to get very depressed and think my photography was complete crap. This would cause me to stop shooting for quite awhile. Now, while I still think that most of my photos are crap, I can at least get the kick in the butt I need to get back out there and try again.

Wired Magazine has an excellent article for those of you who may have missed it entitled, Point, Click and Kiss it Goodbye. The article has a fascinating description of the Bettman Archive, a collection of roughly 11 million photographs that is perhaps the best-known collection of photos in the world. The gist of the article is that metadata will become increasingly important in the future. At present I have 43,888 digital photos (I just checked the properties of the folder). A small portion of these are old photos that I've scanned in from the pre-digital world but the majority are digital photos that I've taken myself.

I've tried to be as thoughtful as I can in naming the files and organizing them by folder. All photos always include the name of the individual(s) in the photo as well as the date and location. Typically I have not included much more than that as I've found that Windows XP doesn't really like long file names.

I have not begun to edit any of the metadata of my photos but I understand that some things (like date and time) are automatically added to the metadata.

But what about the new GPS idea of automatically tagging photo's by GPS and does anyone know of any way to do this with a Cannon EOS 10D?

As my collection grows larger and I'm sure someday will surpass the one million photo mark, how easy will it be to find and naviagate my library.

I'd be very interested on comments from others on this important topic.

The October 2004 issue of Esquire magazine is worth checking out. As a non-Esquire reader I was really pleased at how well their first ever photo issue came out. The issue features some of today’s most prominent professional photographers as well as several interesting articles revolving around photography. The only thing that might have made the issue complete would have been a discussion of photoblogging and a review of some of the top sites on the internet today.

The cover of the magazine features Brazillian supermodel Gisele Bundchen behind a strategically placed tripod as well as her dressed in a Polaroid dress on the inside. Photographers featured include Tina Barney, Martin Parr, Mary Ellen Mark, Eugene Richards, Joel Meyerowitz, Christopher Anderson and Bruce Davidson.

Additionally the issue features several interesting stories including an interview with Playboy photographer Arny Freytag and a photo essay series of pictures taken by famous people including Avril Lavigne, Robert Smith, Alicia Keys, Terry Bradshaw, and Kevin Smith (who seems to be obsessively focused on having sex with this wife).

The issue also includes some of Diane Arbus’ photographs from when she worked for Esquire between 1960 and 1971. There is an article on how to take a self portrait by Chuck Close, a photo essay piece on the 7 people who will elect the president by Andrew Hetherington, a piece on how to photograph your dog by Elliott Erwitt and one of the most interesting pieces, some of the polaroid’s taken by Director John Waters. Apparantly John Waters has photographed everyone who has come to his house… EVER.

Finally there is a series of professional photographers doing self portraits as well as a series of famous people making funny faces.

All in all the issue is quite interesting and definitely worth the $3.50 cover price.

I've posted some of the photographs from the issue as a preview over at Thomas Hawk's Esquire article.

Back in 2000 or 2001, I was introduced to photoblogging by the wonderful work of Michael Costentino (then at Brooklynkid, and now at MeccaPixel), Laura Holder (then mostly at lauraholder.com, but now posting mainly at fotolog.com/lauratitian), and David Gallagher (still running a great pblog at lightningfield.org). At the time, all three of them were posting in a multi-shot format- that is, they'd post an entry with a bunch of photos, and then tell write a short bit of text explaining the shots. This method of photoblogging really spoke to me, because it seemed like a great way of telling a story. When I started my own photolog a couple of years later, almost everyone seemed to still be doing multi-shot blogs. The pictures had gotten slightly larger, but people were still doing multiple photos in each post- and sometimes multiple posts on the front page- and this was the model I followed.

This pattern has certainly changed- today, eight out of the ten blogs on the photolog top 10 are single shot blogs, and many of my personal favorites, including Eliot Shepard (slower.net) and Keith Yan (overshadowed.com), are using that format. While some of us continue to use multi-shot formats, our numbers seem to be dwindling.

My questions to the community are this: in the move to single-shot formats, have we lost something? Has it become harder to tell a story in posts on these blogs? Have our values changed- from a focus on subjects to a focus on aesthetics and technical perfection? And are we better or worse off?