Friday, October 21, 2011

Kelby Photoshop Power User - Toronto


Kelby training is coming back to Toronto on November 16th putting on a PhotoShop CS5 Power User course. As usual NAPP members can save $20 on the $99 fee , but if you order before November 1st you can save an extra $10.

Update (18-Nov):  The training was great, Dave Cross is one of the best presenters I've seen live here in Toronto so far from Kelby. Great sense of humor that makes learning easier if entertaining at the same time. 

The Bang Bang Club

 Was a monicker given to a core group of four South African photojournalists who documented the fall of apartheid during the early 90's. The term "bang bang" refers to the violence that was taking place in the townships during the run up to the first open elections after Mandela was released from prison. The violence was mainly between the African National Congress (ANC) and the white sponsored  Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) of mainly zulu warriors brought in to stir up trouble.
 The core group was made up of Kevin Carter, Greg Marinovich, Ken Oosterbroek, and João Silva  other war correspondents like James Nachtwey were also present during the conflict. Their story was made into a movie which premiered during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010 which closely followed the earlier released book (2000) under the same name "The Bang Bang Club". The movie although interesting didn't capture the internal conflict of what these guys were going through at the time. When someone is being murdered in front of you do you take the shot or try to intervene? Marinovich won a Pulitzer for an image of a burning man being attacked with a machete. When a fellow photographer is wounded as was the case with Marinovich and Oosterbroek (who died of his wounds) do you capture an image before providing first aid? Kevin Carter who captured a Pulitzer prize winning image of a vulture stalking a starving Sudanese girl was often questioned by the press "What did you do to help the girl after taking the shot" nothing.  He committed suicide shortly after losing his friend Ken and dealing with all of the violence he had seen during the conflict.
 If you haven't seen the movie I suggest renting it, but please go get a copy of the book it is a really good read, and provides a small taste of what these guys went through on a daily basis putting their life on the line to get the shot, chasing the Bang Bang.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Henry's Fall Camera / Video Show

Henry's Exposure: Camera Video show takes place this weekend at the Toronto International Center

Update (15-Oct): Went to the show today took in a couple of the seminars NIK software ( I was really impressed with some of their plugins) another was a bird photography introduction at the Nikon booth (less than impressed).
One thing Henry's needs to do is regulate the sound systems used in the booths and competing demonstration areas. There were companies blaring unnecessary musical introductions to there product videos that were drowning out presenters who were trying to communicate with attendees of training demos. I can understand that they are trying to attract customers but audio that fills the entire hall is annoying and just plain rude.