New York to restrict photography!

New York City Council are trying to introduce legislation that requires photographers and film makers to apply for permits when shooting on city property including sidewalks.

If this goes through maybe your local city will follow suit. This could effect all of us so if you have an interest in photography make sure you sign the petition, tell people about the campaign and read this article in the New York Times.

Ian Parry Scholarship Exhibition

The Ian Parry Scholarship 2007 exhibition runs from the 3rd August to the 11th August at the Getty Images Gallery, London.

You can see Ivor Prickett's winning portfolio as well as the other finalist's work and a selection of single images from other entrants including Photography MA graduate Adam Dean's image from Mongolia below.


"Almost all of the work entered was very political but when I was a young photographer I was told to shut my mouth about the political side. Now, people are more aware, they are communicating more and these photographers are sending us work of real concern" Don McCullin, Patron

WINNER OF THE IAN PARRY SCHOLARSHIP 2007: Ivor Prickett Highly Commended: Liz Rubincam Commended: Gareth Phillips Commended: Liz Hingley Honorable Mention: Dominic Nahr

UPDATE: You can read the article about the Awards and winning images in The Sunday Times Magazine and view a selection of images in a multimedia slideshow.

MA Student Reacts to Bomb Threat

While waiting at Heathrow airport for a flight back to China to attend his graduation ceremony, MA student Adam Dean was evacuated to the car park, along with thousands of other passengers after a bomb scare following the terror attacks in London in July. Not wanting to miss the opportunity he shot pictures of the event, found an internet connection and started to call publications around the world. His images featured the next day in numerous publications including the front page of the International Herald Tribune, the New York Times and
The Guardian.

Simon Norfolk/HOST Podcast

Thanks to David at Lightstalkers for highlighting the new series of photo podcasts launched by the excellent HOST gallery in London. They start off with a presentation by Simon Norfolk followed by a Q&A session led by Jon Levy of foto8. You can choose between audio only or video. Click here to check it out.

Or here to subscribe in iTunes.

MA Photography Graduate Chosen for Exhibition

Following his exhibition at Photo Espana this year, photography MA graduate
Markel Redondo has had a series of good news. Firstly he was accepted on to
the prestigious Eddie Adams workshop in New York, then he heard his
exhibition was accepted at next year's Ankor festival in Cambodia and
finally he was offered a paid internship at Spanish national paper El Mundo.

Image by Markel Redondo from series Chinese Tourists

Exif Data Used To Track Potter Fraudster

The Times have reported that the person who painstakingly photographed every page of the latest Harry Potter book and posted it online before it was officially released may be tracked by the digital fingerprint left in the Exif meta data of the images posted.

Apparently the camera in use was a Canon Rebel and the serial number (560151117) has already been posted online at digg.com. Canon have admitted that they would be able to track the probable store the camera was purchased in and if it had ever been serviced may even have the details of the camera owner!

Read the full report here and if you have lent out your Canon rebel recently double check the serial number!!

Baghdad's Strung Out Stringers

These days it is almost impossible for Western journalists and photographers to work outside the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad unless they go down the embed route which has its own consequences.

As a result many of the news organisations have to rely on Iraqi stringers to report on events and many of them have been killed and those still working face the possibility of death on a daily basis.

"My wife has begged me to quit my job and even to leave Iraq," Abdul says. "But I told her that every day tens of Iraqis are being killed for no reason, and they will be forgotten otherwise. To die as a journalist, I would know that I was killed while I was reporting the truth. I would die proud."

Read more here.

Reuters Tour do Farce

Reuters were coming to terms with the events that seemed to suggest their coverage of the Tour de France was cursed.

Following replacement vehicles, parking tickets, theft of a brand new Canon EOS 1D MkIII they probably thought things couldn't get any worse until their people carrier support vehicle that doubles as an editing and transmission suite and travels a few miles ahead of the racing pack, caught fire destroying thousands of pounds worth of equipment and personal belongings of the photographers, editors and motorbike riders covering the month long event!

Read the full report here.

China, Photography and Privacy

The issue of privacy and other legal matters in regard to photography in China were discussed at a one day event in Dalian, China. The conference was the second of in two weeks organised by the MA Photography course designed to raise important issues in Chinese photography.

Visiting speaker and renowned British privacy Lawyer Rupert Grey was joined by local lawyers to discuss the main issues affecting photographers. The previous week Editor/Academic Colin Jacobson, and photographers Chris Coekin and Ian Beesley had met in Dalian to discuss the state of British Photojournalism. There were also workshops and seminars led by Barbara Herrmann (Stern Magazine), Tom Peters (Film maker) and Pieter van de Houwen (photographer).

Nikon Rumours

The Canon Nikon debate rumbles on amid recent rumours of a "Big Announcement" about a possible D3 from Nikon as tech fiends salivate over the prospect of a full frame Nikon SLR and set of fast prime lenses to compete with the recent success of Canon's 5D.

Somebody with far too much time on their hands has even set-up a Nikon Watch blog to monitor all the Nikon rumours and reports!

Canon EOS 1D MkIII Field Report

Interesting field report on Andy Biggs' blog discussing his first impressions of the MkIII on a 3 week safari shoot. Addresses the auto-focus issues that some others have highlighted.

Macbook Hard Drive Upgrade

Many photographers are using MacBooks these days so you might be interested in this very easy to follow tutorial on how to upgrade your MacBook hard drive. If you are buying a new MacBook, worth thinking about upgrading it yourself rather than getting Apple to do it as they charge a serious premium...

UPDATE: There is another tutorial with more detail and photos here.

Magnum: The Early Years

This year sees the 60th Anniversary of Magnum Photos with various festivities in New York. Inge Bondi, who worked for Magnum for 20 years, looks back at the early years of the agency in an insightful article here.

Guardian PJ's footage from Iraq

"The Guardian's award-winning photographer and filmmaker Sean Smith spent two months embedded with US troops in Baghdad and Anbar province. His harrowing documentary exposes the exhaustion and disillusionment of the soldiers."

See the footage here.

Reuters: Pictures of the Month

See the latest Pictures Of The Month slideshow from Reuters for June.

Reuters: Picture of the Month

See the latest Pictures Of The Month slideshow from Reuters for June.

Advice For Young Photographers

As highlighted on Snapper Talk, Michael Kramber from the New York Times has written some excellent advice for aspiring photojournalists. Read it on Lightstalkers or on Snapper Talk.

Working in Iraq

In a week that two Reuters staff were killed in Baghdad, Michael Kamber (New York Times photojournalist) writes about his experience of the inner workings and restrictions of the embed process in Iraq and discusses the new embed rules banning pictures of dead US soldiers being published which brings up a number of important questions:

"What would our collective photographic history of World War II look like if Robert Capa was forced to chase stretchers down Omaha Beach on D-Day trying to get releases? What would our history of Vietnam be if Tim Page or Don McCullin carried a clipboard as they worked and presented it for signatures at Khe Sanh or Hué?"

You can also read about WpN photographer Danfung Dennis's recent experiences working in Iraq and Getty Staff Photographer, Chris Hondros's trip here.

Nachtwey Award Video

James Nachtwey recently won a TED award for his work and a project he is working on. Have a look at the video here of his acceptance speech and presentation of some of his work over the years.

MediaStorm: Black Market Multi Media Essay

The excellent MediaStorm has produced a mixed media essay of Patrick Brown's long-term documentary project about the illegal wildlife trade.

Cameras in Conflict Discussion

The Frontline Club in London is hosting a talk on 12th July at 6:30pm:
Cameras in conflict: the changing face of war photography

With Horst Faas, two-times Pulitzer-prize winning photographer and former picture editor of AP, Oded Balilty, AP's Jerusalem-based staff photographer and Santiago Lyon, AP's director of photography.

Read more here or register here.

The Effect of Disaster Photographed

An intersting blog post and discussion on the Exposure Project about the benefits and negative consequences of imaging disaster.

Spencer Platt Interview

2007 World Press Photo Picture of The Year winner, Spencer Platt is interviewed here about life behind the lens.