November 2005 Archives

DVInfo.net has an exclusive hands-on review of the new Canon XL-H1. I have one on order from B&H and can't wait to get my hands on it.

The Sanctuary has a great guide to budget lighting with examples: http://sanctuary.indieshare.com/viewtopic.php?t=3599

Softweigh has some great ideas for DIY videography gadgets including a Steadicam made from broom parts, tripod dolly using rollerblad wheels, etc.

Sam Longoria has a nice essay titled, "What is a Pro?" It's written for indy filmmakers, but I think it applies just as equally to still photographers. To quote: "While skill and/or talent certainly are important, the defining quality of a Professional is payment. Think 'paycheck.' May you earn many big ones."

Amen.

I'm cleaning out my closets. I just have too much camera junk. Anyway, until I can either get more shelving or a bigger discretionary household budget, I'm trimming down my collection a bit. After the "jump" is the list of items that I'm currently selling. This list was updated and expanded 2005.11.19 with many prices reduced.

I just found a fantastic resource in the Digital Journalist columns. All sorts of musings by professionals. Good for at least 4 hours of procrastination.... 8 if you're a slow reader.

Although it isn't very well advertised, the Society for Visual Anthropology holds a pre-conference each year before the AAA annual meeting. More information can be found here: http://societyforvisualanthropology.org/vrc-dc2005.html

The end of this month is the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association. Over 4,000 anthropologists will descend on Washington DC to present papers and schmooze. One of the grad students in my department asked for advice regarding giving a conference paper for the first time.

ProPhoto is blogging about a photo exhibit in San Francisco called Only Human:

ONLY HUMAN is an international photographic exhibit that inspires dialogue about the shared human condition, moves beyond stereotypes, and challenges people to recognize the unity within humanitys cultural diversity. It is an exhibit that calls on the people of the world to talk to the people of the world about the people of the world. ONLY HUMAN is a visual narrative that communicates that although no two people, cultures, or nations are alike, we all are united by our shared human nature. The goal is to shed some positive light on a world divided by conflict by reminding people that we are all ultimately on the same team that there is no enemy, there is no stranger. All humanity is one. We wish to inspire mutual respect, understanding, and a desire to know one another.

AlterNet posts a disturbing story about a quadriplegic man who died in a Washington DC jail after a minor drug conviction. Sadly to say, this isn't news to any of us who study disability issues:

Thirteen months ago, Superior Court Judge Judith Retchin sentenced Jonathan Magbie, a 27-year-old quadriplegic, to a 10-day Washington D.C. jail sentence for marijuana possession, assuring attorneys she had checked with the jail and that it could handle someone in his condition. By the fourth day of Magbie's sentence, he was locked in a cell with no ability to communicate or call for help. His breathing tube had been improperly placed; his weight had plummeted since his arrival; his apparent pneumonia had gone untreated. That night, Sept. 24, 2004, he was taken to Greater Southeast Community Hospital, where he died. (Read the rest of the story).

For people who always seem to forget something when packing for trips, here's the Universal Packing List. A small JavaScript will tell you exactly what you need.

From the SDS mailing list:

The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Disability Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago is accepting applications from prospective students for Fall 2006. The deadline for receipt of full applications is January 1, 2006. UIC's Disability Studies Ph.D. program promotes the development of new scholarly models for understanding disability. Part of this intellectual approach involves the education of disabled and non-disabled academicians, researchers, policy experts, and clinicians who will join with disabled people in the community as active challengers of oppressive institutions and environments. The program examines how addressing disability in its full complexity can promote the full participation, self- determination, and equal citizenship of people with disabilities in society.

UIC's Disability Studies program recognizes disability as a complex phenomenon existing at the intersection of human differences and social values. The program is open to scholars committed to studying how disability "works" and what can be done to lessen the negative social and personal consequences of disability. This includes the study of what disability reveals about society and humanity as well as how it affects people who fall both within and outside of the category. Scholars from any discipline can engage in disability studies. A particular strength of the UIC Disability Studies program is access to diverse faculty mentors and resources in the social sciences, the humanities, and the health fields. Students in the program conduct research across impairment, clinical, social, cultural, ethical, and policy perspectives.

For more information or to arrange a telephone or in-person meeting with Carol J. Gill, Ph.D., Director of Graduate Studies, please contact:

Sarah Rothberger, MFA
Disability Studies Program Coordinator
College of Applied Health Sciences (MC 626)
1640 West Roosevelt Road, Room 215
Chicago, IL 60608-6904
(312) 996-1508 (voice)
Fax (312) 996-0885
TTY (312) 996-1233
E-mail: sr22@uic.edu

You can also visit our website at: http://www.ahs.uic.edu/ahs/php/index.php?sitename=dis

I'm sure this is a joke site, but if it isn't, it's truly terrifying. A collection of online streaming videos from 9 Interviews from the Modern Languages Association meeting. View it and weep.

A graduate student in our Ph.D. program recently asked me about writing book reviews for academic journals. She didn't have any publications in her C.V. and thought it might be an easy way to remedy the situation. She had a couple of books she wanted to review and wondered which journals might be responsive. My first response was that most academic journals do not accept solicitations to review particular books. They have a dedicated book review editor whose job is to parcel out books to external reviewers. There's slightly more to the story as well.

Didier posted this wonderful motion optical illusion http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/col_lilacChaser/index.html on the Leica list. Give it a "spin."

In the continuing criminalization of photography, MSNBC reports on a man who was imprisoned for 24 hours and had his name and mug shot broadcast on local news reports for..... taking "artistic photographs" of a balloon and a table at a state fair in Texas.

Willem-Jan Markerink notes on the EOS mailing list that there is a EOS EF L 24-105mm recall. This is newly released MSRP $1249 prosumer lens that is attracting a lot of interest from photographers such as Fred Miranda because of its compact size and stellar optics. From his posting:

>From http://www.eos-magazine.com:

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EF 24-105mm RECALL

According to Canon USA, there is a problem with early production
units of the EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM lens. There is an unacceptable
level of flare in certain conditions, most noticeable at the wide
zoom and wide aperture settings.

Only lenses with a serial number under 1000 are affected. You will
find the number engraved on the rear of the lens. It is not always
easy to see - we find that it helps to shine a light at an angle
across the rear of the lens to increase the texture, and use a
magnifying glass. The number is prefixed by 'UT' (which indicates the
factory of manufacture).

If you live in the USA, starting 14 November 2005, Canon will repair
free-of-charge, any affected lenses. Other countries have yet to post
information, but check their web sites over the next few days, or
contact your local Canon Service Centre.
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Nikon has just announced its new DSLR, the 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200. It retains the 1.5x DX crop factor, which Nikon has stated will remain a standard for Nikon digital SLRs. It can shoot 5 fps and maintain this speed for 22 RAW/NEF shots or 37 JPEG/FINE shots. It's squarely aimed against the EOS20D (8.2mp) but with an estimated shipping date of "Spring 2006," is it too little too late for Nikon?