Eyeist launches photography review service

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Eyeist
has launched an online photography review service which will see experts review users work and provide private guidance and feedback on their images.

With an interface which built from the ground up, paying users can submit up to 30 images and get comprehensive feedback within 72 hours, schedule a private, 20-minute live session with an Eyeist Reviewer.

The team of over 50 reviewers, including Photo Editors, Publishers, Photographers and Photo Agents will also help you get your presentation, portfolio, or book organized.

Autographer is an automated camera which decides when and what to shoot

                                                                                                                                                               
A hands-free camera which is worn around the neck and uses a host of sensors to automatically decide what photos to take is set to go on sale.

Autographer uses five on-board sensors and GPS capability to identify the perfect time to take a photo, based on changes in light and colour, motion, direction and temperature, and  then snaps away using a wide-angle lens.

For instance, Autographer might capture an image when the wearer speeds up as they run for the bus, moves from a warm pub to a snowy street or turns around to greet a friend.

Nikon introduces the Nikon 1 J2



Nikon have rolled out the latest update to their mirrorless Nikon 1 range, the Nikon 1 J2.

A modest update the J1, the new camera sticks with the same 10mp sensor and EXPEED 3 engine, it now boasts a higher resolution 3.0-inch, 921,000 dot LCD and is available in a range of six colours.

The Nikon 1 J2 is being also launched alongside the new 1 NIKKOR 11-27.5mm f/3.5-5.6 lens and the WP-N1, a waterproof case capable of going 40m below surface.

AntiCrop lets users expand those borders for a bigger image


A good crop can make or break an image, but sometimes we wish we could uncrop our raw images and make them that little bit wider.

Well the good news for iPhone photographers is that they now can thanks to an iOS app which uses a clever set of algorithms to create the parts of the photo your lens couldn't cover.

AntiCrop is said to be the world's first app with anti-cropping algorithm and can uncrop photos in any direction using a lossless straighten technique.

8-year-old is Iraq’s youngest professional photographer

Qamar Hashim is an award winning photographer from Iraq who has been praised for his images of people in Baghdad… did we mention he's only eight?

The son of a photojournalist, Hashim has now become a celebrity in his own right after becoming the youngest photographer to win a variety of local Iraqi photography awards.

Hashim says he started taking pictures when he was 4-years old, capturing moments such as US troops invading outside his window.

Canon Vs. Nikon rivalry takes a violent turn

The rivalry between Nikon and Canon shooters is normally limited to photographers claiming the superiority of their camera brand of choice.

But a video which is currently doing the rounds imagines what it would be like if that rivalry was notched up from spec-comparisons to warfare.

'Double Exposure – Canon Vs. Nikon' follows the action as a group of Canon commandos is sent out on a mission. Their objective: to save an innocent girl who has been taken hostage by Nikon terrorists.

Software tells you whether your photos are good or bad


We all like to think we can take a good photo, but can we? And isn't it a subjective indefinable quality that makes one image great and another naff?

Well not according to boffins at Xerox who have developed a piece of software which can discern between good and bad images.

The 'Aesthetic Image' software judges the quality of a photo using an algorithm which takes into account factors such as the balance of light and the framing of the picture.

Camerasim: The online DSLR simulator


It's one of our pet-peeves that so many DSLRs never make it off the Auto setting, with owners seemingly wanting a powerful point-and-shoot.

But at the same time we can understand that confronted with so many dials and buttons, would-be photographers are daunted by manual controls.

If only there was an easy way for them to see the impact of changing the ISO, aperture or shutter-speed without the risk of taking dodgy pictures? Well now there is… meet Camerasim.

Steve McCurry: The Iconic Photographs Limited Edition


There are few photojournalists who have taken as many truly iconic images as Steve McCurry whose work includes the famous green-eyed Afghan Girl.

And now Phaidon have released a limited edition collection of his most beautiful photographs which is sure to be of interest to photo-fans… even if it does cost £250.

While there are plenty of considerably cheaper Steve McCurry books available, this specially-bound large-format edition, is signed and numbered by the photographer and comes with an exclusive signed print.

Pete Eckert: The Amazing Blind Photographer


 
Pete Eckert is one of the most stunning photographers we have ever ever heard of. Not only because his images are eerily haunting visuals… but because he is blind.

Eckert lost his sight as an adult due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, and bizarrely it was after this - upon finding an old camera which had belonged to his mother - he decided to take up photography.

After getting his wife to describe the settings to him, he decided to used the infrared setting because he liked the idea of a blind guy doing photos in a non-visible wavelength.

Site allows you to get photos reviewed by pros


 
One of the best ways to take better photographs is to constantly review your images  and look at what you did well, and what you could have done better.

But the problem for many hobby photographers is that they don't necessarily have the knowledge to be able to do this themselves -- which is where Photosynesi.com comes in.

For a fee ranging from $39 to $129 their reviewers - who include award winners and respected photographers - will look at your images and offer constructive feedback.

Top 10 Cool iPhone Photography Apps



If you're a self-confessed photo geek who just so happened to received a shiny new Apple iPhone 4 for Christmas this is for you. Because here are out Top 10 iPhone Photography Apps.

Sure, you're never going to pack your iPhone over your D700 for a planned photo-shoot, but you will always have it in your pocket and the iPhone 4 now takes pretty decent photos, so why not embrace that little camera.

And what better way to show it a bit of love than downloading a couple of photography apps and doing something cool with those pictures.

So with no further ado, here are our pick of the best iPhone photography apps… unfortunately not all of them are free. Sorry about that.

Manfrotto Hosts Free Portrait Photography Webina


Great portraits don’t just happen, as any photographer knows they take substantial time, planning and thought. 

And this is due to be explained in a free online webinar from tripod-makers Manfrotto, called... "Great Portraits Don’t Just Happen."

Taking place on their School of Xcellence website at 3pm EDT on December 2nd the free event will be hosted by Sports Illustrated Staff Photographer Bill Frakes.

Strictly No Photography: The pictures you're not allowed to take



As a photographer there are few things more annoying than lugging all of your camera gear somewhere -- only to discover one of those frustrating "No Photography" signs.

But that doesn't stop everyone, as StrictlyNoPhotography.com proves. It's a website dedicated to sharing photographs taken in places where photography is meant to be strictly forbidden.

Cloak Bag offers discrete photography wherever you are


A discrete camera bag has gone on sale which promises to help you capture all those moments you might otherwise miss due to feeling conspicuous or unsafe.

The 'Cloak Bag' has been specifically designed while thinking about the times you don't want to be seen wielding an expensive DLSR. That's because you don't ever need to take it out.

Lomography Cameras - Retro Revisted

Most modern cameras do everything as perfectly as possible. They automate focus, aperture, shutter, film speed, white balance and everything else you would care to think of. They recognise faces and switch to portrait mode - even taking the picture when your subject smiles.

Lomo cameras don't. They leak light, over and under saturate your images, over-expose your images and sometimes stop taking pictures altogether. Why would you want such a device? Well I asked myself the same question when I bought my first Holga.

Most of you, I'm sure, will have heard of Lomography. It has been around since the early 90s and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger; it now has more of an established following rather than cult status, but this is why I recommend you spend some time shooting with a lomo as these cameras often provide very satisfying results with the minimum of input.