Jessops goes into administration

Is it camera phones, is it the wonder web, what has caused the death of the high street camera shop?

We learn today that Jessops has thrown in the towel and is in administration. The death of camera shops is a great loss to everyone interested in photography because where do you go now for personal advice and to get the chance to handle a camera you want to buy. I believe the fit of a camera to an individual is very important, I know that I cannot use small compact cameras because of the sausages on the ends of my hands which other people call fingers, that is important when buying a camera. I also know that I will never buy the Canon EOS 1D mk 3 because it is so heavy, how do I know, well because I had the chance to handle one in a camera shop. The internet has brought savings to our equipment buying but it has not brought a better service. Here in Oxford we used to have 5 camera shops, mostly staffed by knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff who wanted to help you buy the right camera for you, now we have none. The best Morris Photographic has moved to a small town about 20 miles away, to an industrial estate, still they exist, here is their web address in case you want to find them in the wilds of Oxfordshire

This article int The Telegraph tells the tale of Jessops demise, if you prefer the BBC go here

Keeping it Real in HDR using Photoshop

There are many articles on our blog about HDR, we have always thought that using HDR to try to recreate what the eye sees is the best use of the technology and advocate the excellent tutorials on the Cambridge in colour website. This article By Jason Row on Lightstalking says much the same and gives a step by step guide to doing so

If you would like to read more of this article on Lightstalking go here

Photographers, Know Your Rights!

Every so often we hear stories about a photographer who has had their rights violated by the police or some jobsworth. The law in the UK is relatively simple, you can take any pictures you want as long as you are in a public space, the law does vary around the world. This article on Lightstalking by Jason D. Little explains some of the complexities of being a photographer and how you might resolve rights issues

We have previously posted about this subject here

https://oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/the-ten-legal-commandments-of-photography/

https://oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com/2011/08/24/six-photographers-test-their-right-to-shoot-in-london/

https://oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/photographing-in-public-when-the-police-gets-it-wrong/

https://oxfordschoolofphotography.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/street-photography-for-the-novice/

Thoughts on fine art photography

Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
Albert Einstein

Introduction
What are the most important aspects of composing a Fine Art Photograph?  The answer to this question certainly varies from photographer to photographer because each of us places more importance on some aspects than on others.  What follows is what I personally consider to be the most important aspects of Composition. Writes alainbriot on Lightstalking

This list is excerpted from a longer list that I use for teaching during my workshops and seminars.  The decision to create a shorter list, with only 15 items instead of 37, stemmed from the desire to focus on the essential aspects of composing a fine art photograph regardless of the  subject we are studying or the specific project we are working on. The resulting list is free from a particular teaching emphasis and represents what I look for in a Fine Art Photograph.

1 – Composition is the strongest way of seeing
This is Edward Weston’s definition of composition. It is still my favorite definition of composition

You might like to think about our Composition Course – Seeing Pictures which starts 6th March

Read more here 15 Thoughts on Fine Art Photography Composition by Alain Briot (With Photos)