Here is an email I just received from ClusterShot. ClusterShot is a smaller version of micro stock websites like shutter stock or istockphoto.

The End of an Era

The End of an Era
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A little over two years ago we launched ClusterShot. We very openly called it an experiment. It was not only a technical experiment but an experiment for our company’s cultural and economic models.

The experiment is coming to an end.

We, silverorange, have decided to shut ClusterShot down. This may not be a surprise to some of you; as you may have noticed, our zeal for the site quickly disappeared this summer. There are many reasons for this but the overarching theme is simply: it wasn’t quite successful enough.

Right now our plan is:

(o) We are immediately going to be suspending pro-account sign ups, photo uploading (of all sorts), and new account creation.

(o) We are going to refund your money. What money will you get back? If you’ve signed up for a pro-account within the last 2 months, you’ll get it all back. If you signed up more than 2 months ago, we will pro-rate your account and give you back what you haven’t used (i.e. If you bought a pro-account for $20 USD and used it for six months you’ll get $10.00 USD back).

(o) There is a 0% commission on all photos sold until we shut the site off. Go nuts.

(o) On  February 21st, 2011  the remaining site functions will be turned off, and no more sales will be possible.

I hate this! I want to save ClusterShot!

==============================

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Well, you are in luck. If you really, really want to save ClusterShot then please make us an offer. We are open to selling the entire site, brand, and system to someone who wants to take it to the next level [1]. No reasonable offer by a reasonable party will be refused.

There is a lot of technical investment in ClusterShot by one of the better web development firms out there. We have spent over two years working on ClusterShot and have done what we think are some pretty cool things with it.

Why would I buy ClusterShot?
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Currently ClusterShot almost sells enough pro-accounts to cover hosting and technical fees. Over the past 6 months this has happened with virtually no input or energy from us. We strongly believe that with some effort and some smart marketing (things we just don’t have the time to do), ClusterShot could be a great little business. The interest is there (we have new pro accounts being bought every day) and we believe it will just take a few driven people to take it to the next level.

If you are interested in buying ClusterShot please email slice@silverorange.com.

Thank You and We’re Sorry

=========================
As this experiment comes to an end, we want to extend our thanks to everyone who played a role in shaping it. It’s been a fun project and we are sad to see it go. To all of those who have come to rely on ClusterShot and whom this will inconvenience, we are very sorry.

Respectfully Yours,
The ClusterShot Team

1. We will not consider any offer that violates our current terms of service or privacy agreement with ClusterShot users.

Everyone loves the big crash, boom and bang of the bright lights and fantastic colors of professional fireworks. I thought this would be a great Tech (Technique) Tuesday post, Photographing Firework Displays.

With the Fourth of July just a few days away, a lot of photographers will be out with camera in hand to capture a fireworks show. I love firework displays. I love the loud concussions, the bright explosions and the smell of sulfur in the air.

1. Preparation

In preparation of the firework show, scout your location. Get a good location picked out. I like to get to the location early and find a place that is slightly elevated i.e. a small hill or the top of a slope. I pick the places out for a couple reasons. One, it helps to keep people from walking in front of my camera and lens while shooting. Two, if helps to get above some of the distractions that can take away from the photograph i.e. trees, people, cars.

Make sure all you camera gear is in good working condition before you leave. Check that lenses are clean, camera is clean and working well. Make sure all batteries are charged and ready to go. Double check that you have everything, because once you get to you location and it gets dark you won’t have time to check your gear and make sure everything is working properly.

2. Tripod

Tripods are key to a great fireworks photography. It will be dark and a long exposure is required to capture a great firework burst. Tripods help keep the camera steady during the longer shutter duration.

I usually use a low ISO. I shoot usually at ISO 200 or ISO 400. This helps keep the noise or grain low on a long exposure. Doing this will allow me to keep the shutter open for a little longer to capture more firework bursts in one frame. I also us a technique I call shading. I will explain shading at the end of this post, as it is a little more advanced.

Some photographers will use a higher ISO. This allows them to take more images with a faster shutter speed. Once again you introduce a little more noise doing this, but on the newer cameras, their chips are more advanced and do produce as much noise or grain at the higher ISO’s. So a good sturdy tripod is a must.

3. Remote Shutter Release

I use a corded shutter release while shooting firework displays. It keeps my hands away from the camera so I don’t bump it while taking a picture. I can also step back away from the camera and enjoy the show at the same time. If you don’t have a remote shutter release I recommended getting one. You will thank me later. However, if you don’t have a remoter shutter release you can always use the self timer option on you camera.

The self-timer function allows you to depress the shutter and move your hand away before the camera takes the image. This is important, because any movement that you hand make while depressing the shutter will subside before the camera takes the image. It is a little tricky to get the timing right using the self-timer, because most self-timers have a ten second delay. Be patient and listen for the pop of the mortar rounds firing in the canister. When you hear the mortar rounds that means the firework has been launched and in just a few seconds you will see the display in the sky.

4. Aperture

Shooting fireworks is like shooting the moon or a bright light. Some photographers will us a wide open aperture like f2.8. I tend to shoot with an aperture between f8.0, f11 or f16. It allow for a greater DOF (Depth of Field) and long exposure time.

5. Shutter Speed

Probably more important to get right than aperture is shutter speed. Fireworks move and as a result the best photographs of them capture this movement meaning you need a nice long exposure. The technique that I developed when I first photographed fireworks was to shoot in ‘bulb’ mode. This is a mode that allows you to keep the shutter open for as long as you hold down the shutter (preferably using a remote shutter release of some type). Using this technique you hit the shutter as the firework is about to explode and hold it down until it’s finished exploding (generally a few seconds).

Sometime I press the shutter release as soon as I hear the the mortar round fire so I can capture the trail as the firework is propelled into the sky. This gives a nice streaming effect.

6. Good Composition

Most photographers don’t think about composition when they are shooting firework displays for the first time. I know I didn’t, all I wanted was a decent firework image. That’s OK if you don’t think about framing your shot or composition. This is where scouting you location comes in handy. Some more experienced fireworks photographers will add elements into their images. Sometime they will ad the crowed that has gathered the watch. Another option is to shoot a wide landscape from a distance that may included the fireworks being launched from a bridge. A good example would be the fireworks displays that are launched from the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

I took the above image in San Clemente, CA during their Fourth of July celebration. The other displays were from Dana Point Harbor and Laguna Beach, Ca. In the image above I used composition to capture all the firework displays at one time. Fortunately, all Fourth of July firework displays start about the same time. I knew this in advanced, that little bit on knowledge helped create my shot. I knew they would be going on at the same time so I setup my shot with a wide-angle lens so I could capture them all.

Here are a few suggestion to help with your composition and framing:

• Watch your Horizons - One thing that you should always consider when lining up fireworks shots is whether your camera is even or straight in it’s framing. This is especially important if you’re going to shooting with a wide focal length and will get other background elements in your shots (ie a cityscape). Keeping horizons straight is something we covered previously on this site and is important in fireworks shots also. As you get your camera on your tripod make sure it’s level right from the time you set up.
• Vertical or Horizontal? – There are two main ways of framing shots in all types of photography, vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape). Both can work in fireworks photography but I personally find a vertical perspective is better – particularly as there is a lot of vertical motion in fireworks. Horizontal shots can work if you’re going for more of a landscape shot with a wider focal length of if you’re wanting to capture multiple bursts of fireworks in the one shot – but I don’t tend to go there that often.
• Remember your framing – I find that when I photograph fireworks that I spend less time looking in my viewfinder and more looking at the sky directly. As a result it’s important to remember what framing you have and to watch that segment of the sky. Doing this will also help you to anticipate the right time for a shot as you’ll see the light trails of unexploded rockets shooting into the sky.

7. Lens Choice

I generally use a wide-angle lens. Sometimes I will you a wide-angle zoom. Wide-angle lenes give you a broader view so to catch the entire area of the firework display. It also gives me the option to zoom in to get a tighter shoot if I choose. Using a fast lens is not as important since I will be sopping down to f8, f11 or f16.

8. Advanced Technique

This is where I tell you about the technique I call “Shading”. I use shading to capture more then one or several firework bursts on the same image. During a firework show when you have your shutter set to bulb and open you are allowing a tremendous amount of light to hit your film or digital sensor. In order to capture more then one burst you have to continually leave the shutter open for maybe more then 30 or 40 seconds and sometimes longer, depending on how fast they launch the fireworks. This is where shading come in handy. In order to limit the amount of light that come in through my lens I have a black piece of cardboard or a small black reflector to carefully cover the front of the lens.

In between firework bursts I will place the over the front of the lens to block all the light. When I hear the next set mortars fire I will uncover the lens and the camera can capture the next burst on the same frame. I may do this several times before I close the shutter. This is a great technique to capture many firework bursts on the same image. This technique of “Shading” works better with film cameras, but can be done with DSLR’s as well.

Be aware that the more light that is captured their is a tendency to over expose the image, so some trial and error can be involved the first few time you try this technique. Also, if you have and older DSLR like I do. The longer the shutter is open, the longer it takes for the cameras to process the image. Example, if I take a 2 minute exposure it will take at least 2 minutes for the camera to process the image. Most firework displays only last 15 minutes so a slow processing camera can eat into allot of time. The new DSLR’s process the images faster, so if you have a newer camera it is not as much as a problem.

I hope this helps you in taking great firework photos. Have a great time and enjoy you holiday. Happy Fourth of July everyone. If you are reading this and don’t celebrate the Fourth of July, I hope you can use this technique and another time during whatever celebrations you can enjoy a fireworks display.

The Lay's® Happiness Exhibit

Yesterday while I was on flickr, I found a flickr add that linked you to the “Lay’s® Happiness Exhibit.” This web site caught my attention, not because it was part of flickr, but, because I love the way this web site looks and works. The front page is laid out so simply, but is has a lot going on. I do find it interesting that they are partnered up with flickr. If you look in the lower right corner you will notice it says “Powered by flickr.”

I have been looking at a lot of web sites lately because I would like to upgrade my personal website and make it more functional or photography. My problem is that I am very technical and have a tendency to make things more complicated then it needs to be. I am trying to teach myself how to keep it simple (stupid). It is not as easy as it sounds for someone that is not artsy, but technical. So I keep looking and making notes and adding them to my list of web sites I  like. This sight has been added to my list because of it’s simplicity and that is was made with flash.

If you know how they built this site or have an expertise in this type of web design, I would be interested in hearing from you. Also, i would like any suggestions of clases I can take to learn how to make this type of site. You can place your comments and suggestions in the comment section below.

Now on with the Lay’s® Happiness Exhibit. When you look inside, you first notice that the images submitted are not by pro’s, but by the average point and shoot photographers. As you dig deeper you will find some very exceptional photos. It’s is easy to join and add photos. If you have a flickr account just go to the upper left corner of the frames, and you will see UPLOAD YOUR HAPPY PHOTOS and click on the Start Here. This will link you to your Yahoo or Flickr sign on. Sign-in and the follow the instructions to accept the API. Next when you go back to the Lay’s® Happiness Exhibit it will ask you to accept and a few other instructions to follow. When you are done you will be able to add images directly to the flickr group Lay’s® Happiness Exhibit flickr group or directly to the Lay’s® Happiness Exhibit.

If you don’t have a flickr sign-on you can follow the above instructions and create a new flickr account.

Here is a little video to entertain you. I have always been interested in doing arial photography. Yes, I would like to one day go up in a actual helicopter or plan and do so really great arial photos. However, If you decide that flying is not your cup a tea, then maybe you would want to consider trying this as a alternative and keep you feet on the ground, and leave the flying to the birds.

Aerial video with a Canon 5D , 7D helivideo.com from Eric AUSTIN on Vimeo.

April 22, 2010, 4:06 PM
Suit Filed to Allow Photography Near U.S. Buildings
By ALISON BOWEN

Citizens should be allowed to take photos while standing in public spaces near federal buildings, according to a lawsuit filed on Thursday by the New York Civil Liberties Union. The lawsuit challenges regulations that prohibit photography on federal property.

The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, names the Department of Homeland Security along with the Federal Protective Service, an unnamed federal officer, and Inspector Clifford Barnes of the Federal Protective Service.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Antonio Musumeci, 29, a software developer from Edgewater, N.J.

According to the complaint (pdf), in November 2009, during Mr. Musumeci’s lunch break, he was filming Julian Heicklen, a libertarian advocate, while he protested outside the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in Manhattan.

Mr. Musumeci recorded while Mr. Heicklen distributed pamphlets, and he kept recording as Mr. Barnes approached the two. Mr. Musumeci stepped back about 10 feet to keep recording on his hand-held camera as Mr. Barnes arrested Mr. Heicklen.

Mr. Musumeci was also arrested, and Mr. Barnes and another officer confiscated his camera’s video card. He was later given a ticket for violating the regulation barring photography; the charge was dismissed in March.

The lawsuit seeks a court order to bar federal officials from harassing or arresting people taking photos while standing in outdoor public areas by federal buildings. “In our society, people have a clear right to use cameras in public places without being hassled and arrested by federal agents or police,” said Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

This amazing photo of Earth cost only $750 to take

Hello, Earth! Can you believe that this photo was taken by a man who attached a digital camera to a balloon? Madness. There’s actually not too much involved here. You take a helium-filled, high-altitude balloon, strap a digital camera to it, and off you go. The camera goes up (that’s 22 miles above the surface of the planet), takes a photo every five minutes, then it comes floating down to Earth on a parachute. A simple GPS, not too different from the one in your car right now, gives the location of the camera when it comes back down.

It’s the space-photography equivalent of macaroni glued to construction paper.

Total cost? Around $750. That’s less than what I spent to build the PC I’m writing this post with. Clearly Robert Harrison, the UK chap who put all of this together, is cooler than I’ll ever be.This amazing photo of Earth cost only $750 to take

5 Free iPhone Apps and Services For Your Photography Business

By now, you’ve likely seen those clever Apple commercials which present a variety of situations before boasting, “There’s an app for that.” With over 100,000 options to choose from, their claim is remarkably accurate. As a small business owner, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to maximize my productivity with cutting edge technology. Over the past year, these are the apps that I’ve relied upon heavily. Each one is available as a free download from the App store with the exception of “My Writing Nook” which sells for $1.99.

1. My Writing Nook

I’m writing this article while riding a train to New York City. Instead of carrying a laptop, I’ve opted for an iPhone app called “My Writing Nook”. Besides the ability to work in landscape or portrait mode, this simple program allows users to sync content with a desktop computer. After my train arrives at the station I’ll be able to access the material from an office computer by logging into my account at www.mywritingnook.com. Some other convenient features include an integrated thesaurus, dictionary, and word count. For those of you who forget to hit save, the Writing Nook has you covered. It auto-saves every two minutes so you’ll never lose another masterpiece again. You can also email your written pieces directly from the app.

2. Evernote

Here’s how it works: You can log into your account from any computer or phone with an Internet connection. Then, create a few different “notebooks”. I set up areas for client management, photography techniques, inspiration, and more. You can make as many notebooks as you’d like. Anytime you need to remember something, just log in, enter and save it. When perspective clients call, my first step is to create a file about them in Evernote. This will include their contact information, details about the job, and any other information I feel is relevant. I can then access this data later using the Evernote app, or a desktop computer. This is the equivalent to having a large file cabinet with me at all times. The content automatically syncs between your phone and any desktop computer. Continue Reading →

New updated information

I just learned that the release of Adobe Creative Suite 5 will be on April 12, 2010. Here is the link to the new information: Countdown to Abobe Creative Suite 5 Release

Does anyone have any news when Adobe will release their Creative Suite 5. I started looking across the web to find a release date for the CS5. I have come across a blog called CS5.org. According to CS5.org they had an unconfirmed release date of October 2009. Well obviously they were a little off on their release date.

I did find another date that seemed be a little more realistic.  This date has been repeated form web site to blog. The date of the suspected release will be April 2010.

3. Adobe Creative Suite 5

Rumor has it that the new versions of Photoshop, Flash et. al should be with us around April. It’ll be a new era for the design suite because the Mac version has been completely rebuilt in Cocoa, and will no longer run on PowerPC chips. Judging by the sneaky peeks we’ve seen here and from what was announced at Adobe MAX 2009, designers will be whimpering with delight when CS5 finally becomes available. New goodies you can expect from the suite include ‘wet look’ 3D Photoshop paint brushes, native iPhone game compiling in Flash, and a ‘Smart Paste’ tool for Dreamweaver that makes it easier to integrate vector graphics and Illustrator-created content into your web sites. Ref: Top Software for 2010

I am really interested in the release of CS5, because I am thinking of buying the Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium and I don’t want to throw my money into a product that will be out dated in two months. I learned my lesson in the past. I have purchased products and spent a great deal of money on them, when a month or two later they release a new item. Then it’s to late to return the item and it cost another chunk of change to upgrade. That happened to me on my DSLR.

I guess that is one of the questions I can ask when I head into San Francisco for the Photoshop 20th Anniversary bash.

I you have any information on a release date of any Adobe CS5 products put them in the comments.

25/365 Cayenne Chicken, originally uploaded by Kirk Howard.

Image 25/365

Today on this rainy Monday, I made in the Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot a Cayenne Chicken. It’s a take off of Grandmas Chicken and Rice. I could remember what the real recipe was, so I improvised.

It was very tasty…

(4) 1/2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen or thawed).
(2) Cans of Cream of Mushroom soup (condensed).
1 cup of brown rice or white rice.
1/2 of medium white onion (sliced).
1/2 of whole red bell pepper.
1 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper. (optional)
2 1/2 cups of water.
Salt
Black Pepper

In a slow cooker or crock-pot layer all the ingredients. Fisrt pour the water in, then the rice.

Next place two pieces of chicken ontop of the rice water mixture.

Next add one can of cream of mushroom soup. Add onion and bell pepper.

Add the last two pieces of chicken, pour the last can of soup and add the cayenne pepper.

With a spoon lightly mix the soup up with the cayenne pepper.

Last turn on the slow cooker to low and let it cook for 6-8 hours. You can cook it on high for 3-4 hours. The slower the chicken cooks the more tender the chicken will be.

To serve:
Remove chicken from the slow cooker. Scoop the rice and place it on a plate. The add some of the onion and red bell pepper on the rice. Place a piece of chicken on top. Scoop some of the soup and pour it on top of it all, Serve warm.