CoolPhotoIdeas

Information about Photography: Ideas, gifts, prints and novelties!

Photoshelter launch 'Photographer’s Social Media Handbook'

Being a successful photographer isn't just about taking great pictures, it also involves being business minded and getting your name out there.

And one of the most effective ways to do this right now is using social media -- which is why it's awfully handy that Photoshelter have just launched 'The Photographer's Social Media Handbook'.

The free digital download explains how to optimise Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, and Twitter to generate new business and build a following from the viewpoint of a photographer.

2 Comments

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.

Comment

Canon facial recognition will focus on you and friends

While most point and shoot cameras now come with a facial recognition focus system, Canon are said to be going one further with their latest cameras.

The new PowerShot ELPH 520 HS and ELPH 110 HS will apparently feature a 'Face ID' system which will identify your friends and family and ensure they are always the ones in focus.

The cameras will remember the faces of up to 12 people who will receive preferential focus when you are taking photos.

1 Comment

Lexar: World's First 256 GB CF Card

While you might think a 8GB memory card would suffice on a day out, with DSLRs increasingly shooting HD video it's surprising how quickly they fill up.

And with that in mind, Lexar have just rolled out a whopping 256 GB CompactFlash card, the Lexar Professional 400X. Ideal if you've pre-ordered a Nikon D4.

“More professional photographers and enthusiasts are embracing the fact that they can capture high-quality images and HD video with their digital SLR." said Manisha Sharma, director of product marketing for cards, Lexar.

Comment

Fujifilm unveils the impressive-looking X-Pro1

We were impressed by the X100 when Fujifilm released the retro-looking camera, and we were intrigued when they rolled out the similarly styled X10.

So we were bound to be interested when the firm announced their intention to release a new interchangeable-lens camera -- and now they have at CES, we can't wait to get our hands on it.

Fujifilm describe their X-Pro1 as a new category of camera which they're calling 'Premium Interchangeable-Lens Camera' thanks to the APS-C sensor and quality lenses.

Comment

Nikon D4 announced as new flagship DSLR

Nikon have this week announced the launch of their latest flagship digital-SLR camera, the Nikon D4. And it looks great.

Equipped with a new Nikon FX-format 16.2-million pixels CMOS image sensor, Nikon say this pro-targeted shooter also packs more than 45 new or improved features from the already impressive D3s.

These include the latest EXPEED 3 image processing engine which allows for shooting 11fps (making it the fastest Nikon DSLR) and a 91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition System.

Comment

Mirror Mirror self-portrait helpers for compact cameras

Self portraits can be some of the most difficult to take, what with not being able to see yourself in the viewfinder when you are in front of it.

But the guys over at Argraph have come up with an obvious, but ingenious, solution… a mirror which sticks to the front of your camera.

Mirror Mirror is a small reflective dot which is designed to be stuck close to your lens, so that if holding the camera out to take a photo of yourself, you can see what the lens sees.

Comment

Print photo business cards from your Facebook Timeline

DIY business card specialists Moo.com have just come up with their latest photo-based offering -- Facebook Timeline cards.

The innovative cards take their design from the recently launched Facebook Timeline which puts images big and central. Just as we like it.

Moo.com have translated the Cover Photo concept by mirroring the fonts, layout and iconography of the page -- including profile picture and contact details.

Comment

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.

Comment

Vintage camera pillows are awesome and comfy

Almost everyone shoots with a digital camera nowadays, so it's easy to forget how comfortable analogue cameras were… wait what?

A US-based Etsy seller is selling an impressive range of pillows in the shape of classic cameras.

So for around £20 to £30 you get to own a Rolleiflex, Pocket Kodak or Ansco and while you won't get to take photos with it, it could make your sofa a bit more comfortable.

Comment

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.

Comment

Photo fabric dye kit puts photos on your clothes

We are always looking for creative new ways to display our photos and while having them printed on other objects is nothing new, we are loving this.

You see, rather than taking your digital images and having them printed, this is a DIY solution for analogue photos.

The photo fabric dye kit from Photojojo lets you print photos on fabric or wood or practically anything.

1 Comment

Camera returned to owner after year beneath sea

A camera which was lost and spent a year at the bottom of the ocean has finally been returned to its owner... after being discovered by a scuba diving wildlife photographer.

Diver Markus Thompson had been exploring the sea at Vancouver, British Columbia when he came across the submerged DSLR camera which had clearly seen better days.

However, he was able to recover 50 images of a family vacation from the memory card within the Canon EOS 1000D camera and decided to try and find the original photographer.

Comment

Photographer tried to film storm waves… lost £2,000 camera

how to lose $2400 in 24 seconds from Kurtis Hough on Vimeo.

It's the one thing photographers dread, having their camera snatched away from them as they're trying to capture an image.

And that's exactly what happened to Kurtis Hough as he was trying to shoot footage of storm waves in Oregon, only it wasn't a mugger which took his camera, it was the sea.

This footage shows what happened after he left his Canon 5D Mark II on a ledge several feet above the beach… squeamish camera owners should look away now.

1 Comment

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.

Comment

Meet the camera film toilet roll dispenser

We know you love photography. You know you love photography. But do people using your toilet know you love photography?

Well they will if you buy this 'Film Paper Towel Box' from Brando.com!

The bizarre bathroom wear is essentially an enlarged film container -- complete with label -- which can be used as a loo roll or tissue dispenser.

Comment

Broken vintage cameras repurposed as nightlights

It's never nice to see a camera which has stopped working, destined to life out the rest of it's years unused in the bottom of a dusty old cupboard.

And it's with this in mind that Jason Hull has embarked on a mission to give a new like to old cameras from the 50s and 60s.

That's because Jason is converting cameras he finds at flea markets, garage sales and on eBay into working nightlights which plug into the wall and give a nice glow.

Comment

Holga iPhone case has a rotating filter wheel

Sure you could just add Instagram-style filters to your iPhone snaps, but Holga don't want you to do that, they want you to use a retro-style filter wheel.

And because of this they've just released a iPhone 4 (or iPhone 4S) case with a built-in rotating filter wheel.

The case -- which is available in five different colours -- offers 9 different and crazy special effects and filters without the need for an app.

Comment

Photojojo shows us how to make a 3D tunnel book!

We're always on the lookout for something quirky and funky to do with our beloved photos -- but we'd never thought of making a 3D tunnel book with them.

Primarily that's because we didn't know what a 3D tunnel book was until we stumbled on this fab little instructional from Photojojo.

But now we do -- it's a 3D diorama made by using image to create a foreground, middle ground and background -- we can't wait to make one.

1 Comment

Lytro: The camera you can focus after taking a photo

Any photographer knows that getting your focus spot-on is one of the most important things when taking an image… or at least is was.

That's because a revolutionary new camera is being released which allows you to focus your images after you have uploaded them to your computer.

The Lytro Digital Camera works by capturing the entire light field -- rather than a single plane of light -- including colour, intensity, and direction of all the light.

Comment