This morning, Adobe has announced the winner of its "Summon the Terror of Undermountain" contest, in partnership with Wizards of the Coast. The contest, which asked artists to create a scary Dungeons & Dragons monster using Photoshop, was announced in November. Will Kalkanis was chosen as the winner. He won $5,000 and will sit side-by-side with Wizards of the Coast creatives at the Dungeons & Dragons studios to concept future dragons and beasts together. And the coolest part? His art depiction of "The Terror of Undermountain" will be … [Read more...] about Adobe announces winners of Dungeons & Dragons contest
News
Adobe Stock releases 2019 Visual Trends Forecast
With 2019 only weeks away, Adobe is looking forward to what the new year will bring, specifically with visual trends. The Adobe Stock team looked around the world, from fashion runways and art galleries to the business world, pop culture and social media — all with the goal of uncovering what 2019 will bring. Natural instincts As technology increases, this has led to a shift in more people seeking a balance through nature. Artists like Adobe Stock Premium contributor Archan Nair are part of a movement of creatives taking inspiration through … [Read more...] about Adobe Stock releases 2019 Visual Trends Forecast
Enter into the Spider-Verse with Adobe and Lightroom
Adobe has announced a contest in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation, ahead of the Dec. 14 release of the film "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." Adobe invites photographers to tap into their Spidey senses to transform a photo of their city into the Spider-Verse using Lightroom CC, Lightroom CC Mobile, Photoshop CC, Photoshop Mix or Photoshop Fix. Artists are then asked to share their work on Behance, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #spidergram and #contest, in addition to tagging Adobe Creative Cloud. Winners are eligible … [Read more...] about Enter into the Spider-Verse with Adobe and Lightroom
Massive Sony and Canon deals live at B&H
Cyber Monday Specials from B&H. Click here for the deals! B&H has the lowest price ever on some great Sony and Canon gear! These deals go into effect Saturday at Midnight (EST). Check out the details below. Sony To see all the Sony deals, visit the B&H website. Sony Alpha a9 Mirrorless Digital Camera - $1000 off; $3498 Sony Alpha a7R III - $400 off; $2798 Sony Alpha a7R II - $400 off; $1598 Canon To see all the Canon deals, visit the B&H website. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Kit - $500 off; $2799 Canon EOS 5D … [Read more...] about Massive Sony and Canon deals live at B&H
EyeEm and Skylum team up for photography scholarship
Premium stock provider EyeEm and Skylum, makers of Luminar and Aurora HDR, have teamed up to offer a photography scholarship. Ten talented photographers will be selected to share their editing style in a special edition EyeEm Creators preset pack on the Skylum Marketplace. The chosen photographers will also receive $1000 each to support their work and create own preset to be sold by Skylum. Revenue from preset sales will be shared with the creator, supporting their future works. EyeEm registered users are eligible for submission, which is … [Read more...] about EyeEm and Skylum team up for photography scholarship
Big, fast protected storage! Drobo introduces the 8D
Pictures and videos are getting larger and people are creating more and more of them. As the size and number of photos — moving or still — grows, the need for fast, protected storage does as well. Drobo 8D — big, fast, protected storage available today While size certainly matters when it comes to holding the terabytes of photos and videos that seem to increase all on their own, it's critical to have all of those memories or work product for that matter, stored in a way that when (not if) a hard drive fails the data is protected and … [Read more...] about Big, fast protected storage! Drobo introduces the 8D
Photoshop + D&D = Crazy Contest
Adobe has partnered with Wizards of the Coast for a crazy Photoshop contest. They're looking for people to design a scary Dungeons & Dragons monster. No, seriously. Instead of the normal 7-day trial, Adobe is offering a 30-day trial if you download from the contest page. A benefit in itself. The page also offers a Monster toolkit to help you with the contest. Are you brave enough to bring forth the latest Dungeons & Dragons monster: The Terror of Undermountain? Harness the powers of Photoshop and your own imagination for a … [Read more...] about Photoshop + D&D = Crazy Contest
Flickr to end 1 TB of free storage, limit free accounts to 1,000 photos
Flickr has announced massive changes to its account offerings, taking effect this coming January. In April, SmugMug purchased Flickr, which sparked a "months-long effort to listen to its members and understand what Flickr needed to thrive and evolve." One of the most requested changes will come in January 2019 — the ability to access Flickr without having a Yahoo! account. Changes to free Flickr accounts The most noticeable change is that, effective Jan. 8, 2019, free accounts will be limited to 1,000 photos. This is a major change, as up … [Read more...] about Flickr to end 1 TB of free storage, limit free accounts to 1,000 photos
Skylum announces the Smart Sky Enhancer filter coming to Luminar on 11/01/18
Skylum Software of Bellvue, WA is adding an exciting new filter to its flagship image editor, Luminar 2018. Smart Sky Enhancer joins Accent AI and Foilage Enhancer which are both artificial intelligence-driven features. https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=OeZYIPP2rw0tOX_n&u=/watch%3Fv%3DScbyevtYiiE%26feature%3Dem-comments In a press release, Skylum CEO Alex Tsepko said, "We are extremely proud of the tremendous solutions our AI Lab has developed to help photographers quickly correct images. Boring skies can minimize the … [Read more...] about Skylum announces the Smart Sky Enhancer filter coming to Luminar on 11/01/18
Huge news from Lumix: New cameras, new lenses, new system
Panasonic has announced a new line of full-frame mirrorless cameras, a new lens mount, a new lens for micro four-thirds and the new Lumix Pro Services. Let's take a look at the new tools and the impact they could have. S1 and S1R, 24 megapixels and 47 megapixels The S1 and S1R area completely new, but they are the next evolution in mirrorless cameras from Lumix. Lumix has been building mirrorless cameras for 10 years and these cameras promise to build on that legacy. They are already refined and have the features photographers and … [Read more...] about Huge news from Lumix: New cameras, new lenses, new system
GoPro announces HERO7 Black
Today, GoPro introduced its new product lineup including the $399 flagship, HERO7 Black. The HERO7 Black features a new feature — HyperSmooth — toted as the best in-camera video stabilization ever featured in a camera, working both underwater and in high-shock and wind situations where gimbals can fail. HERO7 Black also features a new form of video called TimeWarp, which applies a high-speed effect to your videos. It helps to transform longer experiences like a scenic drive, ocean dive or walk through the city into a short, compelling video … [Read more...] about GoPro announces HERO7 Black
Video: Preview of Photoshop’s updated Content Aware Fill
I'm glad to see that Adobe are actively improving a really useful feature in Photoshop. Content Aware Fill has been a really useful tool for me, and if you haven't tried it, you should check it out (here's a video from Rich Harrington to get you up to date on the basics). I use it to remove objects from a scene and to expand my scene when I need to create a different crop or aspect ratio. It looks like the upcoming new interface will offer important controls to help us use it better. It's coming 'soon' and I'll let you know as soon as we have a … [Read more...] about Video: Preview of Photoshop’s updated Content Aware Fill
Pupparazzi: The first-ever photography reality show starring Kaylee Greer
For the past several months, professional dog photographer Kaylee Greer has been working hard on a new reality TV show called Pupparazzi. This first-ever photography reality show will premiere on Nat Geo Wild this Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CT. Pupparazzi follows Kaylee around as she photographs and works with dogs to brings awareness to animal shelters. The show has three segments; the first segment is a storyline about a rescue dog and what the dog has endured, the second segment is how she works with sponsors to … [Read more...] about Pupparazzi: The first-ever photography reality show starring Kaylee Greer
Canon EOS R pre-orders are live!
Canon just released its EOS R cameras, lenses and accessories for pre-order. You can learn more about Canon's entry into the full-frame mirrorless camera world here. Below are links to order through B&H: Camera Canon EOS R Mirrorless Digital Camera (Body Only) Canon EOS R Mirrorless Digital Camera with 24-105mm Lens RF Mount Lenses Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Lens Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens RF Mount Adapters Mount Adapter EF-RF … [Read more...] about Canon EOS R pre-orders are live!
David Metz, photographic industry icon, dies at 71
Dave Metz was a true innovator in the photographic industry. He joined Canon in 1977 and through three decades there started several programs that are ongoing today. Dave's career included his starting Canon Professional Services (CPS), the Canon technical representative program, the Explorers of Light as well as Canon's support for special events including the Olympics and NFL Super Bowls. He rose through the ranks to become the director and general manager for professional services at Canon. He left Canon in 2006 to start Dave Metz … [Read more...] about David Metz, photographic industry icon, dies at 71
Canon announces full-frame mirrorless EOS R camera
Fresh off the heels of Nikon announcing its full-frame Z series camera lineup, Canon has announced its first full-frame mirrorless camera system — the EOS R. What are your thoughts on the new Canon EOS R? Sound off in the comments below! The new mirrorless system features a 54mm RF mount, allowing for a shorter back focus distance. This lets the lens sit closer to the sensor, allowing for fast, sharp and more compact lenses. The RF mount features a high-speed 12-pin communication system and is designed for full compatibility with existing … [Read more...] about Canon announces full-frame mirrorless EOS R camera
Pitch your way to Adobe MAX
This year, Adobe is doing something really cool for creatives. At its annual Adobe MAX Conference, taking place Oct. 15-17 in Los Angeles, the company is asking creatives to give them their most creative elevator pitches. But not just any elevator pitch — an elevator pitch on why you should win a trip to Adobe MAX. Using your most creative method (photography, graphic art, poetry, etc.), come up with a 15-second elevator pitch on why you should win a trip to Los Angeles. All you have to do is post it to Twitter and Instagram with the … [Read more...] about Pitch your way to Adobe MAX
Nikon Z Event streaming live Friday, August 24, 2018
Nikon is doing a live event today at noon on their new mirrorless cameras. Watch the live stream here. … [Read more...] about Nikon Z Event streaming live Friday, August 24, 2018
Nikon announces 500mm, dot sight for wildlife and sports photographers
As a part of last night's mirrorless system announcement by Nikon, the company also announced a new F-mount lens — the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6 PF ED VR, a fixed focal length super-telephoto lens for Nikon's DSLRs. Geared towards wildlife and sports shooters, the 500mm f/5.6 has a Phase Fresnel (PF) lens element that results in a significantly reduced size and weight of the lens, making handheld photography much easier. With a maximum diameter of 106mm and length of 237mm, the lens weighs 1460 grams, roughly the same size as Nikon's … [Read more...] about Nikon announces 500mm, dot sight for wildlife and sports photographers
Drobo & Nexsan become part of StorCentric
Drobo, world-renowned maker of protected storage enclosure and Nexsan a global leader in enterprise storage have been acquired by StorCentric. Drobo & Nexsan remain independent business units StorCentric is headed by Drobo CEO Mihir Shah. The company's Drobo unit will serve storage needs for both prosumers, small and medium businesses with storage needs greater that is cost effective with cloud solutions. Nexan will serve enterprise customers with much larger storage requirements. Read the press release here. (Editor's note: I am a … [Read more...] about Drobo & Nexsan become part of StorCentric
Breaking: Nikon announces entry into mirrorless with Z 6, Z 7 cameras
It's official — Nikon has announced its entry into mirrorless cameras with the Z 6 and Z 7 camera bodies. The Z 6 packs a 24.5-megapixel sensor, while the Z 7 has 45.7 megapixels. While the cameras are virtually the same on the exterior (minus the Z 6 and Z 7 branding), the internals feature some important distinctions. Nikon's new mount, the Z-mount, is Nikon's first new lens mount since 1959 when it introduced the F-series lenses that are still current on their DSLR cameras. It promises to deliver better reliability and higher performance, … [Read more...] about Breaking: Nikon announces entry into mirrorless with Z 6, Z 7 cameras
Nikon to announce mirrorless system tonight
Update: Nikon has revealed the Z 6 and Z 7 camera bodies, as well as various lenses and accessories. Click here to read more. Nikon is set to reveal its two rumored mirrorless cameras — the Z 6 and Z 7 — tonight, at 9 p.m. PT. The Z 6 is rumored to be a 24-megapixel, full-frame mirrorless camera, while the Z 7 clocks in at 45 megapixels. The new cameras are said to use a new mount — the Z-mount — marking the first new mount developed by Nikon since the 1959 F-mount. In addition to the cameras, Nikon is also said to introduce a 35mm, … [Read more...] about Nikon to announce mirrorless system tonight
Adobe announces its 2018 Rising Stars of Photography
For the second straight year, Adobe has announced its list of Rising Stars of Photography. A diverse lineup of photographers from across the globe, the list features everything from an Indonesian high schooler to an environmental conservationist in Los Angeles. For the complete story on all of this year's Rising Stars, check out the Adobe Blog or follow the Rising Stars' journeys on the Lightroom Instagram. Here's a first look at this year's Rising Stars. Stay tuned to Photofocus for more. Gabriella Achadinha – Age 26, South … [Read more...] about Adobe announces its 2018 Rising Stars of Photography
Save the date: PhotoPlus Expo is coming up
I'm sure looking forward to PhotoPlus Expo, this fall. It's a singular event with educators and vendors from around the globe gathering in one spot. You'll be able to get your hands on all the great new cameras and lenses and tripods and Platypods and lights and software and who knows what else. The most important thing that happens at shows like this, however, is that you get to meet people like yourself who are passionate about photography and trying to learn more. I love getting together with old friends, making new friends, and seeing … [Read more...] about Save the date: PhotoPlus Expo is coming up
Adweek Webinar: Video storytelling the impact of motion
Video is a force in advertising. From television to social media, motion impacts the message for products and services. Adweek, the voice of the advertising industry is presenting a webinar featuring Adobe Stock Content Development Manager Dennis Radeke and Photofocus publisher Richard Harrington. Dennis and Rich will present insights and practical advice on being a better storyteller by using the impact of motion. July 24, 2018, 1:00 PM EDT Register Now Video expectations are reaching new heights as audiences become more sophisticated. … [Read more...] about Adweek Webinar: Video storytelling the impact of motion
Adorama to Host INSPIRE Event Series, Celebrating Creative Storytelling Community
Camera retailer Adorama has announced plans for Adorama INSPIRE, a new, week-long event taking place June 25 through July 1 in New York City. INSPIRE will be filled with designed-to-share experiences featuring innovators and influencers Tamara Lackey, Mark Wallace, Gavin Hoey, Tracie Maglosky and more. The week-long conference will feature workshops surrounding cinematography, photography, music making and social influence. Specially curated workshops will focus on improving technical expertise and important industry decisions. … [Read more...] about Adorama to Host INSPIRE Event Series, Celebrating Creative Storytelling Community
At Photoshop World? Come See Us
Are you in Orlando this week for Photoshop World? The Photofocus team is here and would love to chat or have a drink. You can catch up with several team members including: Vanelli Levi Sim Kevin Ames Jason Hahn Rich Harrington Scott Bourne Where to find us? Meet Our Editor Kevin Ames, our Managing Editor is at the show. He's got several free slots to meet. Just email him at [email protected] Share your ideas Request articles Sign up to write for Photofocus Learn about our upcoming … [Read more...] about At Photoshop World? Come See Us
SmugMug Cofounder’s Next Big Thing
As the theater lights darkened at the Tribeca Film Festival two weeks ago, Chris MacAskill reached for his phone to silence it. At that moment a message appeared: SmugMug had bought Flickr. Chris MacAskill s the co-founder of SmugMug along with his son Don MacAskill who was SmugMug’s CEO and Chief Geek (and now Flickr’s CEO and Chief Geek). Two years earlier, Chris had left SmugMug to pursue an unlikely and ambitious dream, and here was confirmation that Don had achieved a big dream of his own. “We had always admired Flickr and Don was … [Read more...] about SmugMug Cofounder’s Next Big Thing
Flickr is Bought by SmugMug
(Editor's note: For more information see Bryan Esler's post on this consolidation in the photo-sharing website industry.) Big news just crossed our desk. The popular photo sharing site Flickr has been bought by SmugMug. Previously Flickr was owned by Yahoo. Below are some details about the changes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4B_qlaN8C4 Why did SmugMug buy Flickr? An opportunity to join together two communities and businesses that share the same values was one we couldn’t pass up. Is SmugMug simply acquiring … [Read more...] about Flickr is Bought by SmugMug
SmugMug Just Purchased Flickr
On the heels of Yahoo's purchase by Verizon, SmugMug has bought former Yahoo property Flickr. SmugMug has promised that neither product is going anywhere, but has yet to offer any specific details about the future of Flickr. According to an FAQ page about the acquisition, "Flickr and SmugMug will continue to operate separately, just as both have been. Your SmugMug and Flickr accounts will remain separate and independent for the foreseeable future." "Flickr is an amazing community, full of some of the world's most passionate photographers. … [Read more...] about SmugMug Just Purchased Flickr
