Hi folks,

Well, we are finally getting ourselves together for our first (of many) London photobloggers meetups.

When: Saturday, May 7th, 3pm - onwards
Where: Meet at St.Christophers Place (just off oxford street - down by Bond street tube)

St. Christophers Place is that week's The Way We See It location, so we'll be "killing two birds with one stone". We'll meet at around 3pm and enjoy some photography before meandering to a pub or bar to relax and chat. Should be good fun!

For any updates, and to RSVP, head check out the London photobloggers website

I don't know if double posting is allowed, but I felt that a post by Susan B. over at Los Angeles Photobloggers was something that everyone should see. It's a true story about copyrights, derivative works, and Flickr. You can't tame the internet, but you can do your best to protect yourself.
Los Angeles Photobloggers
Los Angeles Photobloggers - Copyright Protection

I've been photoblogging for more than a year now, and I promised myself that if I stuck with this for a year that I'd consider taking a photography class. We have all sorts of options here in Seattle (local community colleges, DiscoverU), but before I pick one, I thought I'd get a little feedback here.

I'm curious to know if you've taken classes what, if any recommendations you might have; what to look for in a teacher/class (and what to avoid); and what were the things you learned that you feel really made the difference for you.

And if you have taken a class, did you feel like it hurt or helped your creativity? If you have yet to take a class, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject too.

(And of course anything else you'd care to share on the subject)

Thanks for your time,

myla
myla kent | photography

So, I finally remembered I had a flickr account, one that I started a (long) while back and just...procrastinated visiting, uploading to...anything.

But, I finally started uploading, then someone, a contact who I won't name, sent me a Pro Account for a year, so I thought..."this is good, I'll post stuff there I don't post on my own site and some of what I do..."

Then, I finally started surfing around people's images, adding favs, and I came across the most indelible images by someone posting on flickr, and I thought, "I'll pass along the link to the images that made me stare, continually, and come back for more..."

José Silva Pinto's images are fantastic in my book.  Xlnt detail in every shot, a strong focus on using the tones in a b&w image to set the mood, enhance the emotional punch of his photography...every shot is a cracker of a shot.

One of José Silva Pinto groups images, Cem Tons, has 21 images that are still lingering in my memory.

Just go have a look for yourself...if you like great photojournalism, and some that speaks of D. Lange, E. Bubley, E. Smith, you must view each folder. 

I hate my picture being taken.

Really, I run from the camera, I usually stick out my tongue like a water-starved animal when the lens is pointed at me and my legs were not fast enough to get me out of the picture.  I have always been that way, yet, I am addicted to taking pictures of other people and never hesitate to just walk up to a complete stranger, shoot the breeze, and then always ask to snap a few frames of them, and if they are less than willing I add additional pitches to sell them on the idea of me taking their picture.

I believe I know of one other photograph of me that I actually like, and did not mind being taken, and now there's a second to that single one image that exists currently...an image that Matt Matt took of me recently.  I must say that I really liked how he portrayed me, in b&w as well, perfect choice.  I always was a fan of Matt's images, how he had the knack of presenting his subjects with such ease but also a comfort level in his subjects that is apparent in the results.

*Thanx out to Matt from the narrative.net

But, regardless of my addiction, I still just don't like my picture being taken, no matter what.  I have a sneaky suspicion, from chatting with other photographers/bloggers that they too do not like their picture being taken even though they snap all the time images of other people without hesitation...

What do you think?

Do you shun the camera, run from it when it's pointed at you?  Or are you the opposite, do you ham it up all the time for the camera?

Also, any links to portraits that others have taken of you where you liked the results?  Hated the results?  If so, leave 'em behind, it would be a pleasure to place a face with the website and name.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4481789.stm

Calling all Los Angeles Photobloggers!
After a few technicalities getting the losangeles.photobloggers.org domain setup with my host, we finally have the site up and running. Thanks to Nitsa for posting our first real post and also thanks to Brandon, Susan and Whit for their help and moral support. Now the fun part. If you're a photoblogger in the Los Angeles or surrounding areas (or know someone who is), then drop by and let us know. At the very least, we want to add you to the blogroll, but what we really need are contributors to post news and stories.

Update: After a shaky start this morning, the crashed database server seems to be up and running! Let's cross our fingers that that doesn't happen too often.

Los Angeles Photobloggers

Photographers from around the world are sharing the fruits of their labour as yesterday was Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. Take a tour the the gallery.

A few of my favourites: Hanoi, Vietnam, Uruguay, New Jersey and New Zealand.

Here's to the following:

Bill Mr. Gadget, Kathleen from A Walk Through Durham Township, Dean, the photosuperstar, Jeff of jmgartblog.com and last but not least coming from Toronto, Matt from thenarrative.net...for they all weathered the constant rain and albeit brief periods of sunshine this weekend in Pittsburgh, PA.

For a lengthy post about this weekend's events go directly to this post.

There were pleanty of photo opps regardless of the rain and gloomy skies, go figure, 12 straight days of sunshine and perfect weather and Pittsburgh shows off its real weather when people come to town; rainy, overcast.  But inside there was subject matter, and group paparazzi shots such as this.  From L to R:  photosuperstar, btezra, Jeff, Kathleen.

One pit stop for any photographer must be any local establishment that offers up Guinness, obviously we all had no trouble finding Jack's Bar on East Carson Street in the South Side of Pittsburgh.  From L to R:  photosuperstar, Guinness, Kathleen, Matt

My irritable (usually very trusty) Jetta ran into a few issues on an overpass as I headed to meet up for dinner and some time on the South Side at night.

There was ample time to pass out business cards and info in the Strip District, here we all bumped into a friend of mine here in Pittsburgh, photographer Rob Strovers.  Rob is on Penn Avenue every Saturday, a street vendor with incredible photographs for sale.

There was time to take in the Pittsburgh Now exhibit at the Silver Eye Gallery on the South Side of Pittsburgh, PA...oh, did I mention Guinness?

Bill Rogers managed to snap all the following from L to R:  Dean, btezra, Kathleen, Elvis and Jeff as we posed outside of Pamala's resturant in the Strip District, quite a rare photograph and actual proof that Elvis is alive and well and eating food in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, PA.

Kathleen took full advantage of the Strip District paparazzi tour and stepped behind the sushi counter with my sushi guy, Andy, and also brought along one of the owners of Wholey's Market into the frame...no sushi was harmed in the taking of this photograph.

I have started to post some images from this past weekend, and I am sure the others who met up with each other on Saturday will post as well...I enjoyed meeting everyone, I hear there's talk about a Philly meetup soon enough.  Hopefully everyone left with a poistive image of Pittsburgh, PA, and that my tour guide capacity was not dimished by the amount of Guinness consumed and the rain that fell...I look forward to bumping into everyone again and there will be more Pittsburgheese lessons as well.

Jeff, from jmgartblog has a blip posted, and here's a pre-meetup blip from photosuperstar, Dean.

I did get an email from photosuperstar containing the next image, it seems that without and breakfast in my belly I tend to forget the smaller details...

Photosuperstar managed to catch me at one of my finer moments, lens cap on, attempting to snap away, and this was pre-Guinness.

Here's to everyone heading back to the 'burgh once again.

By the way...yinz all missed shots at Casey's on the South Side...

According to this website: "The original and one-and-only Lomo LC-A camera has been taken out of production."

So, buy one if you haven't already. 'Tis a sad day in the land of photography.