Author: Nicolai Grossman

2008 f295 Symposium on Lensless, Alternative and Adaptive Photographic Processes: dates & rough line-up

Nicolai Grossman 1 Comment

Tom Persinger of f295.org writes:

We are PLEASED to announce dates & some details for the 2008 f295 Symposium!

The event will take place in Pittsburgh, PA USA May 29 – June 1, 2008. The schedule is beginning to take shape with the following events already planned (though subject to change).

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DRAFT Schedule of Events
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Thursday May 29, 2008
5-10pm: Symposium reception with work sharing & ‘mini-trade show’ event!

The impromptu work sharing session that erupted at the end of the lectures/round-table discussion last year was such a hit that it’s been officially incorporated as part of the schedule of events. We have a large room in the University Center at Carnegie Mellon at which there will be tables for registered symposium attendees to spread out images, cameras, and other materials and equipment to share with other participants. We’ll also have our friends from B&H there with assorted goodies and symposium specials as well as a few other choice vendors! (this event is ONLY for registered symposium attendees)

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Friday May 30, 2008
9am – 6pm: Lectures and round-table discussion at McConomy Hall, University Center, Carnegie Mellon University (same location as this year)
So far we have confirmations from the following speakers (and are working on a few others!):

Martha Casanave
Jill Enfield
Jesseca Ferguson
Jerry Spagnoli

We’re excited to have our friends at the Center for the Arts in Society at CMU partner with us again this year to help bring together this day of lectures and discussion!

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Saturday May 31, 2008
8am-5pm Workshops TBA
7-11pm: f295 Exhibition opening at 707 Penn Gallery (next to where we had this year’s show) Watch for the Call for Entry that will be going out soon!

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Sunday June 1, 2008
8am-5pm Workshops TBA
9am-12pm: Lensless/alternative photography walk-about
3-6pm: Informal closing get-together/workshop sharing/etc…

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Estimated registration fee: $140 USD (this does NOT include workshop registration, and is subject to change as we nail down exact numbers…)
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We’re working with Visit Pittsburgh to secure a block of hotel rooms near the event at a special symposium rate. More information TBA.

Feel free to forward questions, comments or suggestions to tp@f295.org

All the best,
Tom

Microsoft fix rights-grabbing terms in student photographer contest!

Nicolai Grossman 3 Comments

The rights-grabbing terms in Microsoft’s Future Pro Photographer Photo Contest that I previously posted about have been changed!

The old, abusive clause has been changed from

5. ENTRIES PROPERTY OF SPONSOR.

All Entries become the property of Sponsor and Administrators and will not be returned. By submitting your Entry, you grant Sponsor and Administrators an irrevocable royalty-free, worldwide right, in all media (now known or later developed) to use, publish, alter or otherwise exploit your Entry. You hereby forever release the Sponsor and Administrators from any and all claims you might have in connection with their use and exhibit of your Entry as set forth above. You also agree to sign any necessary documentation to effectuate that license and release. If you do not want to grant Sponsor and Administrators the foregoing, please do not enter the Contest.

to the very model of reason and fairness:

5. Rights to Use Entries.

As a condition of accepting a prize, you agree to grant Microsoft an irrevocable royalty-free worldwide license to reproduce and display the image, credited with your first and last name, in print and on the web for the purposes of only promoting this contest.

These terms take only what’s necessary to reasonably manage the contest, and it guarantees a photo credit. I never thought I’d hand it to Microsoft, but well done. (Of course the original all-your-rights-are-belong-to-us terms should have never, ever been out there in the first place, but they sorted it out quickly.)

Razzledog’s prototype 4×5 SLR

Nicolai Grossman 3 Comments

Australian Polaroid-to-4×5-rangefinder camera modifier Razzledog built a prototype 4×5 SLR! He says:

I have long had dreams of building a 4×5 SLR……so this prototype is currently under review. The advantages are finally the image is right side up, so I no longer have to stand on my head….. I don’t have to worry about any parallax issues so I get perfect framing without fear of any cropping……and interchangable lenses are no problem. It has bellows so awesome macro is also permissible…

Continue reading and check out photos at Razzledog’s site.