Lomography

Lomography is the commercial trademark of Lomographische Austria for products and services related to photography. The name is inspired by the former state-run optics manufacturer LOMO PLC.

Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents," and alternative film processing are often considered part of the "Lomographic Technique.

I'd like to introduce LC-A+. It is one of the best Lomo camera. The vision of the LC-A was simple - a miniaturized, automatic camera meant to provide the masses with a reliable workhorse for everyday photography. It captures vivid images in an all-seeing wide angle view. Its innovative auto-exposure capability, usually only available on very expensive professional cameras, allows the LOMO to function in all lighting conditions and to blow your mind at nightime with beautiful infusions of colors and light. The compact shape of the LC-A makes it a pleasure to take the LOMO everywhere, and its strong metal construction - intoxicating with the aroma of old-fashioned Russian workmanship - empowers the LOMO to be a loyal companion for years to come.

Meteor Mic- USB Studio Microphone

Meteor Mic is the universal solution for recording music on your computer. Perfect for your home studio, Meteor Mic is also ideal for Skype, iChat or voice recognition software. Meteor Mic boasts one of the largest condenser diaphragms at 25 mm, as compared to other USB microphones. It uses a cardioids pick up pattern, seamless frequency response and 26-bit, 44.2/48 kHz resolution to deliver professional quality audio recordings. This recording gadget also features a stereo 1/8 inch headphone jack for zero latency monitoring and the integrated headphone volume control knob allows additional control. A microphone mute switch is provided for some audio privacy when video conferencing.

Meteor Mic comes in a chromed body with a stylish fold-back leg design that would look good on any desktop or recording room. The legs can be adjusted to give the mic the optimal position for capturing vocal to instrumental audio recordings. An integrated microphone stand adapter is provided in the bottom for mounting the Meteor Mic on a boom or desktop stand. This recording device is plug and play and comes ready to use right out the box as it’s compatible with most computers and audio workstation. The included USB cable and carry pouch comes as a bonus.

Features:

• Large (25mm) diaphragm condenser for rich audio recording
• Cardioid pickup pattern
• Smooth, flat frequency response of 20Hz - 20kHz
• CD quality, 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz resolution
• Fold-back leg design provides optimal mic positioning
• Durable chrome-plated body
• Plugs directly into any computer with a USB input, no drivers required
• Compatible with most computer-based digital audio workstation software
• Stereo 1/8-inch headphone jack for no latency monitoring
• Headphone volume control with microphone mute switch
• Includes USB cable and carry pouch

The World’s First Full HD 3D Consumer Camcorder

JVC takes pride in having developed a high-speed processor that’s capable of producing two simultaneous Full HD images. This invention led to the development of the world’s first consumer camcorder to offer 3D recording in Full HD – the new GS-TD1. The said gadget makes use of two camera lenses and two 3.32 megapixel CMOS sensors to take three-dimensional images like the way human eyes work. It is outfitted with JVC’s new high-speed imaging engine which is capable of simultaneously processing two Full HD images at 1920 x 1080i within a single chip.

The company also included in the said device its newly developed “LR Independent Format,” which makes the GS-TD1 the world’s first consumer-oriented camcorder that is proficient enough in 3D shooting in Full HD. Other shooting modes offered by this new camcorder are “Side-by-Side Format” for AVCHD (3D) as well as conventional AVCHD (2D) shooting. This new camcorder also employs the company’s 3D Twin HD GT Lens that features extra-low-dispersion glass for you to capture crisp, high-contrast images, and multiple aspherical lenses for fine image reproduction.

JVC GS-TD1 has many other remarkable features such as 3D optical 5x zoom, 3.5” 3D touch panel LCD monitor, and Optical Axis Automatic Stabilization System which is aimed for disparity control to deliver depth to 3D images. It also makes use of the company’s BIPHONIC technology which makes it capable of producing dynamic 3D sound and Automatic Parallax Adjustment to maximize your 3D-video comfort zone.

JVC Everio GS-TD1 Primary Features

• 1920×1080 Full HD 3D Recording

• New High-speed imaging engine “FALCONBRID”

• 5x optical zoom while recording in 3D mode

• JVC 3D TWIN HD GT LENS

• F1.2 super bright lens

• Back-illuminated CMOS Sensors

• 3D SOUND (JVC’s BIPHONIC technology)

• 3D Time-Lapse recording

• 3D digital still images

• 3.5” glasses-free 3D touch panel LCD monitor

• Everio MediaBrowser 3D Edition

• 64GB Internal Flash Memory with SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot

Aluratek Bump- Wireless Speakers

Wireless speakers seem to be all the rage with the in crowd this year. Just like gaudy headphones and understated earbuds before them, wireless speakers have become a new status symbol among the technologically (and musically) inclined. However, many of the models available are extremely pricey and require a significant investment. Either that or they don’t work for a hill of beans. The new wireless Bump speakers from Aluratek are, thankfully, neither pricey nor cheaply made.

There are three models available but the coolest (and most practical) is the AUWS01F. This little machine receives a signal from a 2.4GHz wireless dongle (that just so happens to be plugged into your handy computer) and converts it into high-fidelity sound.

There’s a wired version too (the AMS01F) that features media player capabilities and relies on an audio line-in or a pre-loaded SD card for its library of tunes. This model also sports a FM tuner but it’s not like anybody actually listens to the radio anymore.

While these Bump speakers from Aluratek don’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the wireless speakers we’ve seen, they also don’t come laden with such a heavy price tag. You must answer for yourself the age-old question: style or functionality.

Check out the official Aluratek website for more info: http://aluratek.com/

Lensbaby

Lensbaby manufactures a line of camera lenses that combine a simple lens with a bellows or ball and socket mechanism for use in special-effect photography, allowing modern cameras to obtain effects associated with view camera. Lensbaby lenses can be used on cameras that accept interchangeable lenses, mainly of the 35 mm lens or DSLR formats. The focal length of the Lensbaby is approximately 50 mm, making it a normal lens in 35 mm format.

The reason I love this lensbaby is they provides a new way to control depth of field by bringing one area of a photo into sharpest focus with that Sweet Spot™ surrounded by graduated blur. By bending the Lensbaby lens, the photographer moves the sharp area around the photo for customized creative effects.

There are few types of lensbaby in the market now. The general types are composer, scout, muse and control freak.
The composer- Smooth and Precise

The Composer retains its position after being bent and is easy to use even with one hand. It can simply tilt the lens to a desired angle and then focus with a barrel focusing ring. The Composer stays in the desired bent position without requiring a locking mechanism and features the new Lensbaby Optic Swap System. The Composer’s barrel focusing ring has a unique design that becomes more sensitive (requiring greater rotation to move the optic in and out) as you approach infinity, making it easer to focus on subjects from 10 feet to infinity.


The Muse – Fast and loose

The Muse replaces the Original Lensbaby and Lensbaby 2.0 lenses while being very similar in appearance and functionality. It can used to focus by compressing the lens and move the sweet spot by bending the flexible lens tubing. The key update for the Muse is its new Lensbaby Optic Swap System.

The Control Freak – Step-by-step

The Control Freak updates the Lensbaby 3G by adding the Lensbaby Optic Swap System like The Muse. With The Control Freak, photographers compress to focus, bend to move the sweet spot, and then push a button to lock the lens in place. Once locked, photographers can adjust the fine focus with a barrel focusing ring and fine tune the tilt by rotating its three metal posts.

All these lens babies enable photographers to choose an optic that expresses their individual artistic vision.”

New Year Resolution 2011 to success

New 2011 has arrived. Let us make some changes for this brand new year to make it a better day!

1. Make a plan- Priritize the important thing first then only do the rest. Pick one out of the many to-dos and focus on accomplishing it. In this way, you could give it 100 percent without being pulled in all directions.

2. Make it realistic- Do not make a resolution that is unreasonable or next too impossible to obtain, you are only setting yourself up to be discouraged and disappointed. Instead, make a step by step to adjust yourself so that you could reach your high expectation.

3. Find resources- If this is a new challenge, or something that you have been unable to accomplish, then you may need some help to achieve your resolution. There are many ways to look for, eg: do some research by checking resources on the Internet or do it the old fashion way and go the library; look in the paper; check the yellow pages; ask a friend or a family member.

4. Reward yourself- Don't forget to reward yourself for achieving success. You have made a significant commitment to do something important and meaningful; you need to be commended for your initiative and must be rewarded for your effort.

Greg Pritchard at Britain's Got Talent

This guy is so awesome. You will totally freak out when you hear his singing. His outlook is so rock & roll but it turns out to be a different way. It's totally not matched with his look yet he's still very awesome. Simon is always saying that he's looking for someone with a good, and unusual talent. Well, this guy has fit the bill!

New gadget's out!

A new Android Tablet is coming out to fight with iPad. Japanese Company Onkyo recently launched a whole line of tablet computers running Windows 7. This gadget features included 10 inch tablet with an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and Google Android 2.2

The tablet has a 10.1 inch. 1024 x 600 pixel capacitive multitouch display, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluooeth 2.1, a 1.3MP camera, 512MB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. It supports HDMI output with an optional dock accessory. It would be good if the price is affordable. Looking forward to this product :)

An incredible lens

Have you ever heard of EVIL cameras? Well, it is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC), some of them called it digital electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens' a.k.a 'DEVIL', or electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens (EVIL), Micro, or Digital Interchangeable Lens system camera. It is an, intermediate between compact digital cameras and digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs). They are characterized by large sensors (the same size as entry-level DSLRs), no mirror, and interchangeable lenses, as the name suggests, and provide DSLR-quality pictures in a significantly smaller camera. But this is not the thing I'm going to show you. The incredible lens I'm going to show you is the Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens (WVIL).






It is a concept camera design by Seattle-based design firm Artefactgroup. The special design of this camera is the imaging sensor is situated in the back of the lens rather than in the camera body, allowing the lens to be detached and used apart from the body wirelessly.

The WVIL system takes the connectivity and application platform capabilities of today's smart phones and wirelessly connects them with interchangeable full SLR-quality optics. I believe that this invention will make a brand new way for national geographic photographer as well as other photographer. It is really awesome if they make it real!


Find more information at http://www.artefactgroup.com/wvil/


Check it out this pretty well-made video showing the camera in action at CES 2011:

New Zodiac Sign Ophiuchus; New Zodiac Dates

I'm always interested in astrology and one article caught my attention when i was reading news today. The New Zodiac Sign: Ophiuchus. Many are tuning into today as the news this week is that the standard zodiac signs may be out of date.

Ophiuchus is a rarely used astrological sign, not included in most versions of the Zodiac. It is also known as Serpentarius.

Astronomer Parke Kunkle told NBC News this week that the Earth's changing alignment in the last 3,000 years has prompted new consideration of the sign into standard zodiacs.

In fact, the sign you are born into now are different than what you've been led to believe your entire life. Kunkle said: "This is not something that happened today. This has gone on for thousands of years," says Kunkle. "Because of this change of tilt, the Earth is really over here in effect and Sun is in a different constellation than it was 3,000 years ago."


About the Zodiac

In astronomy, the zodiac (Greek: ζῳδιακός, zōdiakos) is the ring of constellations that lines the ecliptic, which is the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The paths of the Moon and planets also lie roughly within the ecliptic, and so are also within the constellations of the zodiac. In astrology, the zodiac denotes those signs that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude. As such, the zodiac is a celestial coordinate system, or more specifically an ecliptic coordinate system, taking the ecliptic as the origin of latitude, and the position of the sun at vernal equinox as the origin of longitude.

It is known to have been in use by the Roman era, based on concepts inherited by Hellenistic astronomy from Babylonian astronomy of the Chaldean period (mid-1st millennium BC), which, in turn, derived from an earlier system of lists of stars along the ecliptic. The construction of the zodiac is described in Ptolemy's Almagest (2nd century AD).

The term zodiac derives from Latin zōdiacus, which in its turn comes from the Greek ζῳδιακὸς κύκλος (zōdiakos kuklos), meaning "circle of animals", derived from ζώδιον (zōdion), the diminutive of ζῶον (zōon) "animal". The name is motivated by the fact that half of the signs of the classical Greek zodiac are represented as animals (besides two mythological hybrids).

Although the zodiac remains the basis of the ecliptic coordinate system in use in astronomy besides the equatorial one, the term and the names of the twelve signs are today mostly associated with horoscopic astrology.

When astronomers in 2006 declared that Pluto was no longer a planet, the world gasped -- and then obeyed. School textbooks were re-written, and scientific discovery ruled the day. Then this week, a Minnesota astronomy professor took on something even more sacred -- our horoscopes. The astrological calendar was all wrong, he said in public comments that set the Internet aflame.

"When they [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pisces, it's really not in Pisces," Kunkle said, indicating that most horoscope readers may be reading the wrong predictions and may be rationalizing their behavior on wrong traits. People might think they're a Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they're really an Aquarius (witty, clever) -- at least based on an exact reading of the earth's orbit. Or maybe, if you were born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17, you're actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder. But who wants to admit to being that snake-guy sign on a first date?

"I defined the zodiac by the constellations that are in the background when you look at where the sun, moon, and stars are," said Minneapolis Community and Technical College instructor Parke Kunkle, the man responsible for momentarily turning the astrology world upside down. "Ophiuchus has been around a long time, and the sun has been going through Ophiuchus for thousands of years." In Kunkle's 13-member zodiac, the signs occupy more or less space on the calendar depending upon how long they are in the sun's path.

Though Ophiuchus (seeker of wisdom, lucky) has only what amounts to a celestial toe in the sun's path, Kunkle defended its inclusion by noting it hosts the sun for more than twice as long as Scorpio (independent, passionate).


The New 13 Sign Zodiac Dates

Capricorn: Jan. 20 - Feb. 16
Aquarius: Feb. 16 - March 11
Pisces: March 11- April 18
Aries: April 18- May 13
Taurus: May 13- June 21
Gemini: June 21- July 20
Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10
Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16
Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30
Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23
Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29
Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17
Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20

What is photography all about?

There're 3 main basic interest why we loves photography:

1. Remembering
Said photographer Aaron Siskind: “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”

Capturing the moment to remember it has always been one of the main motivations and desires, be it in writing, drawing or through photographic images. No matter if the memories are staged or spontaneous, photography helps us to remember events, mood, atmosphere, location and – last but not least –the people involved.

2. Sharing

Sharing photos with people could have lots of joy and happiness. It helps to bring back those great memories with all the people you love. In today’s connected world, we could share the joy anytime, anywhere and anyway such as online services as Facebook, Flickr, Picasa and etc.

3. Self-expression

Photographers can also turn into artists that creatively express themselves, generate a certain mood using photography or use the photos they have taken as a basis for post-processing.

In analog photography these goals were accomplished with ink, paint, airbrush or a simple “pointed scraping tool” as it was used in Polaroid Art, where the photographer dissects and then scratches the emulsion of their instant photos to create a desired effect.

Nowadays there is a slew of digital tools available, most importantly Photoshop on the desktop and mobile offerings such as iPhone-favorite Hipstamatic.