Close up of the Staue of Liberty photographed from the side showing the book, crown and torch.
Click on the photograph of the Statue-Of-Liberty-Close-Up-Side-View to see more information and a larger version.
I know I’m a bit late on this story, but at least I made it before the actual opening. Better late than never.
From a press release issued by the National Park Service on May 8, 2009 and a pdf document on how to get tickets :
“The American public will once again be able to visit the crown of the Statue of Liberty, which was closed after the 9/11 attacks for safety and security reasons. ” [1]
“On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift,” Salazar said. “We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty’s crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where the forbearers of millions of American families first saw the new world.” [1]
“crown reservations may be made through the Statue Cruises Web site at www.statuecruises.com or by phone at 877- LADY-TIX (877-523-9849). Crown tickets may be reserved up to 1 year in advance.” [2]
Story Related Links:
[1] http://home.nps.gov/news/release.htm?id=865
[2] http://www.nps.gov/stli/upload/STLI-FAQs_Crown%20Tickets_Final.pdf
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Categories: Color Photography · Metering and Exposuure · News Photography/Photojournalism · Photographic Composition · Photography Basics · Photography Classes · Photography Classes In Washington DC · Photojournalism
Tagged: photography, travel, stock photo, photos, prints, pics, tourism, architectural, architecture, building, concept, concepts, conceptual, edifice, edifices, structures, Art, National monument, Statue of Liberty, Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, architectural detail, art movement, art movements, close up, democracy, detail, freedom, land, monument, scenery, symbol, symbolic, symbolism, vertical, July 4, Independence Day, 4th. of July, Fourth of July
May 9, 2008. The National Aquarium. Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland. Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes! exhibit.
Click on the photograph of the Australian Freshwater Crocodile
to see more information and a larger version.
Background Information:
What If I told you that I photographed this Australian Freshwater Crocodile while I was in the Outback of Australia.
If I told you that I was in the Outback of Australia, I’d be lying; I was at the National Aquarium located in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland.
Fortunately for me, since I’m as much a wildlife photographer as I am a neurosurgeon, we can get some interesting wildlife photographs at some not so wild places.
This Australian Freshwater Crocodile was on display during the Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes! exhibit.
While researching this reptile I learned that it is also called Johnston’s crocodile, Australian freshwater crocodile, “Freshie”, Fish crocodile, Johnston’s river crocodile and Crocodylus johnstoni. [1]
“The Australian freshwater crocodile is a relatively small crocodilian which rarely exceeds 2.5 to 3 m in the wild and takes many years (at least 30) to reach this size. Females general reach a maximum size of 2.0 to 2.1 metres. The shape of the snout is unusually narrow and tapering, lined with numerous sharp teeth (unlike the blunter teeth found in larger C. porosus). The body colour is light brown with darker bands on the body and tail – these tend to be broken up near the neck. Some individuals possess distinct bands or speckling on the snout. Body scales are relatively large, with wide, closely-knit armoured plates on the back. Rounded, pebbly scales cover the flanks and outsides of the legs.” [1]
Compositional Information:
The reflections of the reeds and crocodile were almost mirror like in the still water of the display.
Shooting in manual mode I spot metered off of a brighter area of the crocodile and overexposed by approximately two stops.
Composing horizontally I wanted to split the frame (horizontally) down the middle with the reflecting line of the crocodile and reeds. I think I succeeded with the reeds, not so much with the crocodile.
My exposure was f-4 at 1/30. I pressed the lens against the glass of the display to steady the camera and remove any possible reflections from the glass itself.
I assumed that the light in the display was approximately 5200 K to simulate sunlight so I set my white balance to cloudy to warm the photograph.
In Lightroom, since I capture using Raw files, I reset whit balance to cloudy and saved as a tif file in Photoshop.
Technical Information:
Subfile Type: Full-resolution Image
Image Width: 3072
Image Height: 2304
Bits Per Sample: 8 8 8
Compression: Uncompressed
Photometric Interpretation: RGB
Image Description: May 9, 2008. The National Aquarium. Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland. Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes! exhibit
Make: SONY
Camera Model Name: DSC-V3
Strip Offsets: 25884
Samples Per Pixel: 3
Rows Per Strip: 2304
Strip Byte Counts: 21233664
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Planar Configuration: Chunky
Resolution Unit: inches
Modify Date: 2009-06-07 19:54:36 GMT
Artist: Sam D’Amico
Copyright: (C) Sam D’Amico
Exposure Time: 1/30
F Number: 4.0
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO: 400
Exif Version: 0221
Date/Time Original: 2008-05-09 13:52:28 GMT
Create Date: 2008-05-09 13:52:28 GMT
Shutter Speed Value: 1/30
Aperture Value: 4.0
Max Aperture Value: 2.8
Metering Mode: Spot
Light Source: Cloudy
Flash: Off
Focal Length: 28.0mm
File Source: Digital Camera
Scene Type: Directly photographed
Custom Rendered: Normal
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Manual
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Links:
[1] http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/csp_cjoh.htm
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Tagged: animal, Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes! exhibit, animals, Australian, Australian Freshwater Crocodile, Baltimore, creature, creatures, crocodile, Crocodilia, crocodilian, Crocodylidae, Crocodylus johnstoni, Fish crocodile, Freshie, freshwater, horizontal, image, images, Inner Harbor, Johnston's crocodile, Johnston's river crocodile, Maryland, National Aquarium, photo, Photograph, photographs, photography, photos, pic, pics, pictures, prints, reflection, reptile, Reptilia, rm, stock photo, stock photography, stock photos, undomesticated animals, water, wildlife, zoology images
If I pass a store and it has an outdoor display on the sidewalk, I could take whatever is out there, right? After all, the display is on a public sidewalk, so whatever is in public and easy to take, is anyone’s property, yes ?
Of course not. Just because something is in public and easy to take does not mean we could take it. It’s someones property and if you take it, you’re stealing.
Sometimes I find the ignorance of people astounding ! Especially when people who should know better are engaging in such behavior and THEN, using their public platform, encouraging the masses to join them in their kleptomaniac ways.
A writer from the NY Times, Sonia Zjawinski, advocates taking pictures from Flikr to decorate her home.
A post on the blog A Photo Editor titled “NYTimes Advocates Stealing Photos From Flickr To Decorate” [1] has confirmed that the ignorance of some people is unfathomable.
Here’s a quote:
“And if you’re wondering about copyright issues (after all, these aren’t my photos), the photos are being used by me for my own, private, noncommercial use. I’m not selling these things and not charging admission to my apartment, so I think I’m in the clear.”
SHE THINKS WRONG !!! Unless she has been granted permission from the copyright owner of the photograph(s), she is stealing (committing copyright infringement) and denying the photographer who may derive an income from selling prints any money that they would have made by selling that print.
This writer should be ashamed of herself and charged with copyright infringement by every photographer who has not granted her permission to take their work.
I’m getting too worked up about this. Before I start using words that really express my feeling about this writer I encourage you to link to the post [1]. You’ve got to read this stuff to believe it !!!
Links:
[1] http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2009/06/25/nytimes-advocates-stealing-photos-from-flickr-to-decorate/
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Tagged: A Photo Editor, Business Of Photography, copyright infringemnt, copyright issues, Flickr, home decorating, New York Times, NY Times, photography, Photography Classes, Photography Classes Washington DC, Sonia Zjawinski, stealing
Categories: Business Of Photography · Photography Classes · Photography Classes In Washington DC · Random Thoughts
Tagged: ABC, AMPTP, Art, artists, Ben Silverman, Bob Iger, Business, CBS, comedy, commerce, copyright, Daily Show, Disney, Fox, intellectual property, Les Moonves, NBC, photographer, photography, Rupert Murdoch, satire, Sumner Redstone, Viacom, WGA, writers strike
Why would someone pay $500.00 for a trash-bin or $200.00 for a toilet brush? [1] Believe it or not, for those of us in the creative industries, there’s a lesson in the answer.
In the article titled “It Is Okay for Artists to Make Money…No, Really, It’s Okay” [1] associate professor Robert D. Austin examines the apparent conflict between artistic and commercial objectives within creative companies.
The PDF link [1] is the entire thirty-one page paper.
The html link [2] contains the Executive Summary and Abstract.
Some quotes to pique your interest:
“The Vipp example attracted us, as researchers, because the company sells products in categories that consumers have traditionally valued functionally, not aesthetically. Most people mostly care about how well a trashcan or toilet brush does its job. That has determined how much people will pay for one: how well it works. But not these trashcans and toilet brushes. There’s no way functionality alone can justify their prices. People must be buying something else—something worth a lot.” [1]
“There are three fallacies, often implicit, about relationships between art and commerce: (1) art is a luxury and an indulgence, (2) art is clearly distinguishable from “non-art,” and (3) commerce dominates and corrupts art, and subverts its purpose.”[2]
“…the interests of art, artists, and business can be best served if more commerce enters into the world of art, not less.”[2]
Links:
(1) http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/09-128.pdf
(2) http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6193.html
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Tagged: Art, artist, artists, Business, commerce, Harvard Business School, money, Robert D. Austin, Vipp
December 19, 2008. 1400 block of Girard Street NW. An apartment building in the Columbia Heights section of Washington DC viewed through a rain covered window.
Click on the photograph for more image information.
My decision to post the above photograph was prompted by the weather this morning.
While working one day I looked out the window and decided to photograph what I saw as a gloomy day.
Using my perception of “gloomy” to drive my composition, I chose a white balance of fluorescent to give the image a feeling of “the blues”. Since I wanted to communicate a mood instead of the details of the scene, I threw the image out of focus to militate any details that a viewer may get caught up in.
During processing in Lightroom, sine I capture in RAW, I had to to reapply the fluorescent white balance setting. I then applied noise reduction and used lens vignetting to darken the corners.
EXIF Data
Subfile Type: Full-resolution Image
Image Width: 3072
Image Height: 2304
Bits Per Sample: 8 8 8
Compression: Uncompressed
Photometric Interpretation: RGB
Image Description: December 19, 2008. 1400 block of Girard Street MW. An apartment building in the Columbia Heights section of Washington DC viewed through a rain covered window.
Make: SONY
Camera Model Name: DSC-V3
Strip Offsets: 29088
Samples Per Pixel: 3
Rows Per Strip: 2304
Strip Byte Counts: 21233664
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Planar Configuration: Chunky
Resolution Unit: inches
Modify Date: 2009-06-18 10:26:23 GMT
Artist: Sam D’Amico
Copyright: (C) Sam D’Amico
Exposure Time: 1/125
F Number: 4.0
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO: 200
Exif Version: 0221
Date/Time Original: 2008-12-19 13:26:19 GMT
Create Date: 2008-12-19 13:26:19 GMT
Shutter Speed Value: 1/125
Aperture Value: 4.0
Max Aperture Value: 2.8
Metering Mode: Spot
Light Source: Fluorescent
Flash: Off
Focal Length: 13.9mm
File Source: Digital Camera
Scene Type: Directly photographed
Custom Rendered: Normal
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Manual
Scene Capture Type: Standard
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Tagged: America, apartment building, apartment house, apartments, architectural, architecture, block of flats, Blue, blurred, blurred motion, blurry, building, cityscape, cold, coldness, Columbia Heights, concept, concepts, conceptual, coolness, District of Columbia, dominant color, dominant colour, ecology, ecosystem, edifice, edifices, emotion, emotional, emotions, environment, environmentalism, gloomy, home, horizontal, images, moody, North America, photo, photographs, photography, pic, pictures, rain, rainfall, rainshower, rainstorm, rainy, real estate, residence, residential building, rm, seasons, shower, soft focus, stock photography, stock photos, structures, U.S., United States, United States of America, US, USA, Washington D.C., Washington DC, weather, Winter, wintertime
Kutztown Folk Festival. Hex Sign And Pedestrian At The Midway. (Click on the photograph to see more images from the Kutztown Folk Festival)
WILKUM !
The 2009 Kutztown Folk Festival (1) marks the event’s 60th year anniversary (2).
The primarily agricultural festival celebrates Pennsylvania Dutch Culture and runs this year from June 27 – July 5, 9am – 6pm.
If you would like to, learn more about this festival and see more pictures, please click on the photograph above.
Related Links:
(1) http://www.kutztownfestival.com/
(2) http://www.kutztownfestival.com/blogfest/?p=10
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Tagged: agricultural festivals, blur, cultural, culture, dominant color, dominant colour, early American, fairs, festivals, folk-life, folklore, Hex Sign, horizontal, human, human being, human beings, humans, images, Kutztown, Lancaster County, motion, one, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvania German, people, person, photo, photographs, pic, pictures, red, rm, stock photography, stock photos, summer, tourism, tourist attractions, travel
My thanks to Marc Harkness [1] for sending a link to the following you tube video. Below the video you’ll see a thread of comments.
Why can’t photographers and other creatives see how ridiculous this is when it applies to their own business?
On May 29, 2009, at 12:27 PM, Cory wrote:
that harlan ellison video has stuck with me for a long time.
working for free is like playing scab.
On May 29, 2009, at 12:24 PM, Sam D’Amico wrote:
Thanks for the EXCELLENT link.
For whatever reason, it seems that people in the creative industries, have difficulty valuing their own work.
Not all though (Harlan Ellison).
You know the sad thing is that, at least in photography, there are plenty of photographers who cave in to this crap.
Excellent videos, these are MUST watches for the folks in the business classes that I teach.
Sam
On May 29, 2009, at 11:48 AM, Marc wrote:
Funny but sadly familiar at the same time -
Links:
[1] Marc Harkness http://www.marcharkness.net/
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Tagged: Art, artists, Business, Business Of Photography, clients, commerce, copyright, creative, creative industry, intellectual property, vendors, work for exposure, work for free
I’ve tried, I really have. I’ve joined Facebook and Twitter, but it seems I’m no more the social butterfly online than I am offline.
I’ve been told by other photographers that they use these social networking venues to market themselves and increase business. When do they have time to do work when they’re busy updating Facebook or Tweeting every five minutes?
I need help with this online social networking stuff and I’ve found it ! Read on !
Categories: Random Thoughts
Tagged: face book, social networking, twitter
It seems that Google is in the process of totally disregarding the copyright laws in preparation for the passage of the Orphan Works Bill.
The following stories clearly demonstrate how big corporations profit at the expense of the individual artist.
I’m sure the intentions of Google are purely altruistic, after all someone has to care for the orphans; and who better than Google to do that?
Just like Fagen from Oliver Twist, Google will “adopt” the orphans, give them a place to stay, and then put’em to work earning money by taking it from who it rightfully belongs.
Here a couple of excerpts to whet your whistle. Use the links to get pissed.
“But the deal also would allow Google — and only Google — to digitize so-called orphan works, which has raised some eyebrows in antitrust circles. Orphan works are books or other materials that are still covered by U.S. copyright law, but it is not clear who owns the rights to them.
“Essentially, it gives Google a free pass for infringement for selling all these books,” said James Grimmelmann, who teaches at the New York Law School. “Publishers (who are part of the settlement) would be happy to share the monopoly with Google.” Reuters (1).
…”Google has more than just thrown down the gauntlet to the traditional business model that gets books from authors to readers. The onus now is on creators to rethink the way they make money before companies like Google decide it for them.” newmatilda.com (2).
Links:
(1)http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE53R8DO20090429
(2)http://newmatilda.com/2009/04/21/copyright-what-copyright
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Tagged: anti-trust laws, copyright, Google, infringement, monopoly, Orphan Works
