Does the end of Windows XP support mean trouble for photographers using it?

Does your computer run on Microsoft Windows XP? If it does, you're not alone. As of the end of last month, NetMarketShare reported almost 30% of computers world-wide are still running Microsoft Windows XP, more than three times the total number of Apple computers running all versions of OSX.

As of April 8^th, Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP. That means Microsoft will no longer be providing security fixes, and other critical updates and patches to the 13 year old operating system.

You might ask if the end of Microsoft Windows XP support signals upcoming trouble for its users? In my opinion, it does!

Websites which strip image metadata may face future copyright liability

In the US District Court of the Southern District of California, Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel is hearing the case of Steven M. Gardner, vs. CafePress Inc. (Case No. 3:13-cv-1108-GPC-JMA).

CafePress.com's website allows users to upload images for printing on items like hats, T-shirts, other clothing, mugs, home decor, etc. Mr. Gardner has alleged CafePress facilitated the storage and sale of his photographs of Alaskan Wildlife, infringing on his copyright, in large part by stripping the metadata, containing his copyright information, from his images. He has claimed that before CafePress disabled access to his images in response to his lawsuit, more than $6,000 in merchandise printed with his images had been sold.

The crux of the case is the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA), it's “safe harbor provisions,” and the automatic stripping of image metadata, including copyright information which some websites like CafePress perform.

Calumet Photographic bankruptcy update: Contact Information for those with rental equipment and other issues

As reported here earlier this month, on March 12th Calumet Photographic, the US based photography store chain filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and closed all their US locations. The Calumet stores in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in Europe, being financially separate entities from the US company, are unaffected by the US bankruptcy.

By the middle of the day on March 14th, the Calumet US website, as well as their Twitter and Facebook accounts were shut-down.

There are many US Calumet customers who are currently holding photography gear rented from the company, and currently unable to return the gear, due to the store closures. Others have prepaid orders at the company, while others have Calumet US store based credits.

Unreturned rental gear from bankrupt Calumet Photographic isn't owned by renters

For many of us in the photography world, it was a sad day today, when we learned that Calumet Photographic in the US filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy on March 12th, and closed all their stores in the US.

Apparently their employees were given no warning of the impending bankruptcy, and many have personal belongings remaining behind the locked doors of Calumet's stores. They appear to be completely in the dark about what will happen next, and when they can retrieve their belongings.

Calumet was an important part of the communities in which they had stores, not only selling equipment to professionals and amateurs alike, but offering quality classes for photographers at affordable prices.

Daylight Savings Time and your Digital Camera

In most locations of North America, we are about to reset our clocks, moving the time forward one hour, in the “wee” hours of the morning, on Sunday, March 9^th, to begin “Daylight Saving Time,” or “Daylight Time.” In some parts of North America, such as the states of Arizona (except for the Navajo Nation lands there) and Hawaii in the US, and most of Saskatchewan in Canada, “Daylight Time” isn't used. They stay on “Standard Time” throughout the year.

North America isn't alone in the world moving it's time forward in the spring and back in the fall. Across the globe, 79 nations use “Daylight Time” in at least part of their country. The Falkland Islands stay on “Daylight Time” throughout the year. Most countries on Earth, 159 at this time, remain in “Standard Time” all year.

For those countries which use “Daylight Time,” the date on which “Daylight Time” starts and ends varies from country to country, set by government regulation or law. It also varies according to which hemisphere each country is located, north or south.

Since photography began, photographers have always been cognizant of the time of day, both because it can dramatically affect their work, both outdoors and inside, and for image documentation.
I hear the question, “When is the best time of day to shoot?” often. The answer is, of course, every time of the day is the “best” time to make photographs, as the light at these times can each set a particular mood, feeling, or tone, giving an opportunity to show the same scene in far different, and multiple “lights.”

Photography Exhibition: The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - An Enduring Vision

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, periodically has terrific photographic exhibitions. An Enduring Vision: Photographs from the Lane Collection definitely one such exhibit and it's ending soon.

This exhibition will run through March 30, 2014

Understanding and Achieving Image Focus and Sharpness: Part IV

Image sharpness depends on multiple factors including focus.
While it's true an image can't be sharp unless the subject is in focus, the converse is not necessarily true, that an image which is in focus, will necessarily be sharp. Image sharpness is fundamentally controlled by focus, but there are other important factors which enable in-focus images to be sharp.

In Part I we looked at how modern digital cameras autofocus (AF), and what factors influence AF systems' ability to focus quickly and accurately.

In Part II, we discussed choosing the best focus mode for a particular subject, manual or autofocus, or using them together, as well as single versus continuous focus, all to achieve a solid focus for a variety of situations common to travel photographers.

In Part III, we got to the nitty-gritty of using autofocus and manual focus, including looking at the different AF area and tracking modes, and focus locking methods.

In Part IV, below, we discuss photographer focus technique, and other factors which enable photographers to make sharp images.

Purdue photojournalist detained, and his equipment seized covering a shooting

On January 21, 2014, Michael Takeda, Purdue University Exponent newspaper photo editor, was attempting to photograph the aftermath of an on campus shooting in the Electrical Engineering Building.

Mr. Takeda reports he was at the entrance to the building near the skywalk where there were no police barriers or signs telling anyone not to enter the building, and identified himself to the Purdue University Campus Police as an Exponent photographer. Mr. Takeda had a Nikon camera in each of his hands at the time.

Wildlife Photo Walk: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, February 8, 2014

On Saturday, February 8, 2014, I will be leading the Wildlife Photography Walk, sponsored by the Friends of Heinz Photo Group, starting at 9am in the Visitor Center of the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge in South Philadelphia, near Philadelphia International Airport.

We'll be walking and photographing in several areas of the Refuge, including near its Impoundment Pond, Darby Creek, Hoyes Pond, and through some of the deciduous woods areas of the Refuge. The walk will last for about three hours. During the walk I expect to discuss the challenges of cold weather photography.