“Whilst visiting central Shanghai recently I went for an early morning stroll from my modern skyscraper hotel. Just across the road was an entrance to a park where many Chinese people were practicing their Tai Chi moves. The park was beautiful all the more so because of its central location surrounded by High Rise apartments and office blocks”. Taken by Mike

Source: planetearthdailyphoto.blogspot.com

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The photographic community is incredibly diverse, made up of photographers who shoot from the sky to the sea and everywhere in between. Each month we look at a different segment of the industry, interviewing top professional photographers about life, their careers, and what sets their piece of the photographic industry apart from the rest.

This month we focus on Robert “Bert” Hanashiro, 53, a staff photographer with USA Today since 1989. Known worldwide for his online sports photography community, SportsShooter.com, Hanashiro will join thousands of other journalists in Beijing this August for what will be his sixth Summer Olympics. In anticipation of the 2008 Olympic games, Hanashiro talked with American Photo about the Olympic experience, which can often include 15- to 18-hour workdays and covering four events in a day.

American Photo: What led to your career as a newspaper photographer? How did you end up at “The Nation’s Newspaper”?

Robert Hanashiro: To borrow a line from fictional TV anchorman Ted Baxter, “It all started in a 5,000-watt radio station in Fresno, California…”

I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley and my father Seico Hanashiro ran a small newspaper just outside of Fresno. So some of my earliest memories of my dad involved newspapers and his love for sports. I guess I’ve always had it in me to be a “newspaper man.” I wanted to be a sports writer and went to college with that in mind. But somehow I took a left turn at California State University, Fresno in the ’70s and followed one of my best friends Barry Wong into photojournalism. Maybe being a horrible speller had something to do with it — there was no spell check back then.

As far as becoming a staff photographer at USA Today, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. In 1987 while I was the chief photographer at the Visalia Times-Delta (near Fresno, California), I temporarily worked on the news picture desk at USA Today as part of its loaner program — other Gannett newspapers “loaned” staffers to USA Today as a part career-building, part staff augmentation thing. I guess I made a good impression on Paul Whyte, USA Today’s director of photography at the time and Richard Curtis, the managing editor of the photography and graphics department.

They took me to the Seoul Summer Olympics in ’88 and I was offered several positions after that, but they were all on picture desks. In late 1989 they created a new staff photographer position in Los Angeles and I was fortunate enough to be offered the job. So I went from a 20,000 circulation newspaper to a 2 million circulation newspaper! And the rest, as they say, is history.

AP: What type of assignments have you photographed for USA Today? Have you always photographed sports? Do you approach a sporting event or athlete portrait session differently than other assignments?

RH: I cover whatever assignments come up. People think I only shoot sports, but really a majority of my work involves the other sections of the newspaper, particularly the Life section. I cover all of the major entertainment awards shows — and NO I do not do the paparazzi-thing — I generally shoot the actual show inside the theater. So basically I’ve covered every Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, and Grammy Awards show since 1990. I can’t say the same with the World Series or the NBA Finals.

I do a lot of portrait work and I take a lot of pride in that, especially lighting. Most people don’t know that I’ve covered a couple of international “conflicts” in my career, in Kosovo and Haiti. But most of my work involves the daily assignments in the other three sections of the newspaper as well as a growing number of video stories. But obviously my favorite assignments involve sports and working with athletes.

AP: With only five staff photographers at USA Today, do you find yourself traveling a lot? Are you ever required to cover multiple assignments in several distant cities in the same weekend?

RH: We travel when the need requires it and once in a while we have to move from city to city for assignments. I think the most I was on the road in one year was 169 days, but I haven’t been close to that in a while. I think now it’s probably around 75 or 80. Olympic years are higher because we’ll be gone for the three weeks of the games plus assignments covering Olympic qualifying trials and athlete profiles we ordinarily wouldn’t be doing in a “normal” year.

I will say that travel these days takes a lot more patience and fortitude than it did just five or six years ago. Travel by air is tiresome and frustrating most of the time. I’ve really come to hate air travel, while just a few years ago I used to love to travel.

Source: www.popphoto.com

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Sony CX11E HD camcorder : Experience amazing Full HD video and photos with the beautifully styled Sony Handycam HDR-CX11E. The Sony CX11E is the world’s first ever camcorder to feature Smile Shutter. This Sony technology automatically captures crisp 7.6 megapixel photos when someone smiles. There’s no need to press the shutter button or interrupt the action: it’s great for spontaneously capturing relaxed, moments while you’re recording. In вЂ?Dual Capture’ mode, stills are captured whenever someone smiles during movie recording. Switching Smile Shutter to вЂ?Always On’ mode can even grab photos while you’re in record standby – whether you’re in movie or photo mode – so there’s no chance of missing that smile between takes.

Sony CX11E HD camcorder
The Sony HDR-CX11E camcorder delivers stunning high resolution, low noise HD pictures thanks to its ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor derived technology. Sparkling Full HD video and 5.1 surround sound is recorded on removable �Memory Stick’ PRO Duo media (up to 85 min with supplied 4GB �Memory Stick’, or 5 hrs 55 mins with 16GB optional �Memory Stick’, LP mode).

Sony Smile Sensitivity
�Smile Sensitivity’ can be adjusted to recognise anything from a gentle smile to a beaming grin. Priority can also be set to recognise children or adult’s faces. Smile Shutter is teamed with Face Detection that automatically fine-tunes focus, exposure and colour balance for great-looking videos and photos of friends and family.

Sony Camcorder features
The easy-to-use CX11E is packed with cutting-edge Sony imaging technologies for breathtaking picture quality. The high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens features a powerful 12x optical zoom range, with Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation for crisper, clearer video and stills.

10.2 effective megapixels
Powered by the high-speed BIONZ processor, D-range Optimiser technology automatically adjusts exposure and contrast to maximise shadows and highlight detail with tricky high-contrast scenes. Still images are captured in photo mode at an incredible resolution of 10.2 effective megapixels, rivalling today’s finest digital compact cameras.

5.1 channel surround sound
Image quality like no other is matched by superb 5.1 channel surround sound, with a zoom microphone function to minimise distracting background noises when images are zoomed in. Shots are viewed in exquisite detail on the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus widescreen touch-panel that displays video and photos with superb contrast, even when you’re viewing outdoors in bright sunlight. Browsing your footage is easy with Film Roll Index and Face Index that simplifies finding the right scene.

Sony Handycam Features
- 1920×1080 Full HD recording (AVCHD) on вЂ?Memory Stick’
- 4GB Memory Stick supplied with camcorder
- Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens
- ClearVid CMOS Image Sensor
- Smile Shutter / Face Detection
- 12x Optical Zoom / 150x Digital Zoom
- Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation
- x.v.Color mode
- 10.2 effective megapixel Still Image Recording
- 5.1ch Surround Recording with zoom microphone
- 2.7-inch Wide, Clear Photo LCD plus screen
- STAMINA up to 7 hours (with optional battery)

Sony Handycam Station
When you’re back home, hook the Sony CX11E up to your HD ready television for a superb HD viewing experience. x.v.Colour expands your color palette for more vivid, lifelike reds, blues and greens when you’re watching on a compatible television. BRAVIA Sync allows easy control of camcorder functions with your TV remote. Cable-free playback is even simpler with your Sony Playstation 3 – just transfer a вЂ?Memory Stick’ from the Sony CX11E HD camcorder and enjoy the show. With a PC connected to the supplied Handycam Station, footage can be burned at the touch of a button from вЂ?Memory Stick’ to DVD for safekeeping.

Sony Handycam HDR-CX11E price & availability
Supplied accessories include a 4GB �Memory Stick’ PRO Duo, USB and component A/V cables, Handycam Station and remote controller. There’s also a full range of optional accessories including conversion lenses, batteries, chargers, micro phones, tripods, HDMI cables and cases. The Sony Handycam HDR-CX11E is available from August 2008.

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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Olympics 2012 bosses have apologised to photographers who complained about heavy-handed treatment by security guards at the East London construction site.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) came under fire after two amateur photographers complained following a confrontation outside the site on 3 May.

Louis Berk and Steve Kessel say they were left feeling intimidated after guards demanded to see their identification.

ODA spokeswoman Laura Voyle said the guards approached the photographers ‘to investigate a report that they had been seen within the Olympic Park boundary’.

However, the pair insisted they had been on a ‘public pavement’ and had not ventured onto the Olympic site itself.

In a letter of apology to Louis dated 12 June, the ODA’s head of security David Commins wrote. ‘I am determined that we learn the lessons from this event to improve the skills of the guard force and prevent any repetition.’

Commins pledged a review of the ‘response protocols’ and the way guards approach members of the public.

And he promised to conduct a ‘review of instructions on how they will deal with issues relating to photography’.

Earlier this month the ODA told : ‘We cannot stop people photographing the site from the footpaths or any other public placeВ… that has always been our policy.’

Louis admits he feels ‘worn down’ by the complaints process and told us: ‘I do not plan to pursue this any further.’

However, he does not feel reassured, telling us: ‘What concerns me is that I still don’t know if the ODA realises that suspicion of taking photographs of their property from a ‘public place’ is not a cause for intervention by the guard force.’

Source: www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

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Canon photo printers : Canon USA announces two new additions to its line of compact photo printers: the radical Canon SELPHY CP770 and the exciting ultra-compact Canon CP760 photo printers. These sensibly sized photo printers tout a fresh, unique design which simplifies printing for all users and makes it easier to print digital photos instantly, almost anywhere. Whether it’s baby’s first steps in the nursery or grandma and grandpa’s summer road trip, these compact photo printers can provide the whole family with instant memories almost anywhere – all without having to use a computer or camera to download images. These new Canon photo printers are the perfect choice for anyone who wants to experience the joy of printing photos.

Canon SELPHY CP770 photo printer
The Canon CP770 compact photo printer is the cute carry-it-all solution for those looking for a small photo printer for the home or on-the-go. The Canon SELPHY CP-770 photo printer comes bundled in a basket-style storage bucket, which not only houses the printer, but also stores coordinating accessories including paper, ink cartridge and power cord. The unique design is the first of its kind and allows consumers to tote the printer virtually anywhere they need to go: summer camp, birthday parties, wedding showers, or a scrapbooking get-together.

Large print buttons
Canon’s new design innovations were created with a focus on improving mobility and usability based on the printers’ broad range of uses, including printing photos for family albums, school art projects and scrapbooks. Each printer has larger buttons arranged in a “makes-sense” layout, designed for simplicity and easier navigation through menus. The number of buttons on each printer has been reduced from 12 buttons on previous models, down to nine for more simple functionality.

Canon CP770 Compact Photo Printer
The inviting “basket” design and fun colors make this printer appealing for moms, kids, grandparents or anyone who wants access to a photo printer for their entire memory portfolio. At first glance, many might not think of the SELPHY CP770 as a photo printer because its appearance is such a natural fit for a child’s playroom or family living room. An on-the-spot photo printer makes a great gift for friends and family, too.

Canon Digital Photography
“Canon wants to keep digital photography fun for the whole family by making it easier for children and adults to print out instant memories and share them with everyone,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “The fun design and ease of use helps make these printers the perfect gift for anyone who wants a new and convenient way to display and share their photographs.”

Canon compact photo printers price & availability
The printer is equipped with a 2.5” High-Definition LCD monitor to preview images before printing. The monitor itself has also been angled so that it can be easily viewed, even when sitting at a table that the printer is resting on. The SELPHY CP770 compact photo printer is available in a friendly apricot and crisp white color. The optional Canon NB-CP2 battery pack, makes it easier than ever to print photos while on the road or camping. The NB-CP2 battery pack can provide hours of printing power before each recharge and has a suggested retail price of $79.99. The Canon SELPHY CP770 and CP760 compact photo printers carry an estimated retail price of $149.99 and $99.991, respectively.

Wireless printing from mobile phones
This printer makes it easier than ever to print out priceless shots taken from a mobile phone or other handheld device. The Canon CP770 compact photo printer supports the new, must-have “IrSimple” feature – a high-speed infrared wireless communications standard allowing consumers to wirelessly print snapshots from their mobile phones, PDAs or other digital devices. The printer accepts a wireless infrared signal to transmit photo data from mobile phones and other devices that support this standard.

Canon SELPHY CP760 Compact Photo Printer
Easy to use, the new Canon SELPHY CP760 compact photo printer helps turn digital images into photography with a compact simple to use design to print great 4×6 inch photographs and make the most out of a digital camera. Now the whole family can crowd around the printer and easily see images on the new 2.5 inch, Thin Film Transistor (TFT) control screen which can be clearly viewed from various angles. The easy-to-view screen also lets users quickly navigate through menus and neatly preview images before printing. The addition of simplified card slots lets users plug in memory cards or print straight from the camera with a USB cord.

Portrait Photo Optimize & Face Detection
New Portrait Image Optimize technology from Canon allows users to correct and improve their image quality all without a computer. When “red-eye” occurs in photos, the CP770 and CP760 printers can automatically determine the position of the red-eye and change the pupils back to a natural color for printing. The Canon CP770 and CP760 printers can lighten or darken individual areas of an image, making it possible to create a photograph where the face and background are well balanced. These functions will also identify a subject’s face inside an image, and correct to the ideal brightness and coloring for “brilliant” images.

Photo Lamination
Both the CP770 and CP760 photo printers feature new overcoat technology to help reduce blurring, and fingerprint smudges. After the yellow, magenta and cyan colors have printed, a special overcoat layer is applied to the image through a proprietary lamination process. Not only does the lamination help to reduce bleeding and blurring of printed photo, it also helps to reduce the risk of water and fingerprint smudges, as well as fading that can be caused by ultraviolet light, gas and other such environmental factors.

Canon BU-30 Bluetooth Adaptor
Making it even more convenient to print images is the optional Canon BU30 Bluetooth adaptor. Available for both the SELPHY CP770 and CP760 photo printers for a suggested retail price of $49.991, the BU-30 adaptor allows images to be sent from Bluetooth enabled devices directly to the SELPHY model to be printed.

Source: www.letsgodigital.org

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