Weekly Wackness DEADLINE

Hello all!! Just a reminder that this week's Weekly Wackness Experiments entries will be reviewed no later than noon tomorrow. This means you must upload and share those weekly wacknesses to Twitter, Instagram, WordPress, Tumblr or Blogger with the hashtag #weeklywackness for a chance to have yours featured on our blog! OR your can email them directly to Indiephoto101@gmail.com Thank you! Indie-Photo 101 Team ps show the Twitter page and Instagram some love, will ya?

Tech News: iPhone Lovers and Travelers Rejoice!

Charging on the go is no worry anymore with these two new products!

View More Here!

Tech News: Cult of Mac

We found this awesome article from Cult of Mac that shows a terrific new product that transforms the back seat of your car into a drive-in movie theatre.

View Full Article

Tech News: iOS 6 Featuring Yelp!

We're all looking forward to iOS 6 in the fall which features a ton of new things including an all new Maps system, better integration with Facebook and now Yelp check-ins.

Read the full article from Bloomberg!

Tech News: Apple Released Podcasts for iOS

We've been waiting a long time for Apple to release an app dedicated to Podcasts, but the wait is over as Apple releases the app appropriately named "Podcasts,"

Read More Here!

Tech News: Google's Simulated Brain Recognizes Cats

Google is officially getting Skynet on us all. They've designed an artificial human brain that consists of 16,000 computer processors all connected to the internet, browsing and learning facts about us humans along the way.

Freaky?? Well, maybe not. Maybe just...cute?

Read More Here!

Quote of the Day!

"Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph," -Matt Hardy

News: Share your Instagram friends' photos on Facebook?

Just when you thought Facebook and Instagram couldn't get any closer after Instagram users started getting notifications that their Facebook friends were signing up for Instagram, it's about to get a whole lot weirder.

read more here!

News: A camera you control with your eye!

Imagine, if you will, that you're holding a lens up to your eye and looking through it. Try this with any normal lens and the image that you see will not only be hard to make out, but probably upside down. 


However, a new concept camera may allow users to look into the lens and not only see the image right side up a clearly, but control focus, zoom, and snapping photos by looking, narrowing/widening the eyes, and blinking. 


Read more here!

Indie-Photo 101 NOW ON TWITTER

You can't get enough Indie-Photo 101, so get the direct feed! @IndiePhoto101 

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News: Hallucinating Robots?????

We as humans are already afraid of the robots but what if we make them trip their faces off and hallucinate imaginary people everywhere? It seems like this might shorten the time it takes them to turn on us and kill us all, but researchers at Cornell University's Robot Learning Lab think it will make them better at their jobs. Whatever job that may be. 

read more here!

Reminder: Weekly Wackness

Just a reminder to check out our Weekly Wackness Experiment for this week! This is great way to get inspired, create a possible masterpiece and add to your professional portfolio!


or just mess around.

DONT FORGET to hashtag! #weeklywackness

This week's Weekly Wackness Experiment

News: Practical HDR

HDR photography as really taken off since the wide spread availability of affordable and professional quality DSLRs. It's no surprise then when Apple introduces built-in HDR abilities to their 8-megapixel camera. How can YOU create beautiful and unique HDR photos that stand out from the crowed? Ya know...photos that transcend the built in HDR. 


David Nightingale’s useful introductory volume provides an informative overview of the techniques and tools of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. HDR refers to pictures capturing a wide range of lights to darks, more than is typically possible with 8 bit camera-processed JPEGs. Read more here!

Product Reviews: Canon T4i

It seems like yesterday when Canon released the T3i, now here comes the T4i? Well, some results are in.

http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Canon-Rebel-T4i-First-Impressions-Review.htm

If you're interested in getting your photography career started by don't have the thousands to spend on a Canon 5D or 7D then allow me to recommend the Canon T3i, an upgrade from the T2i. (if you don't want to wait for the T4i)

The amazing thing about the T3i compared to the T2i is the flip out LCD screen which allows you to place the camera nearly anywhere to get that shot you want. These cameras also work with EF and L series lenses so you can always upgrade your kit.

When I started out as a photographer, I bought myself the T2i because it fell right into my budget plan. Forget thousands of dollars, I walked out of the store under 1000 with a new camera, ready to shoot. AND shoot VIDEO! 1080p HD video that looks absolutely stunning through Canons signature lenses.

All in all, if you don't want to wait for the T4i, go get the T3i.

News: Tech Rumors for iPhone 5

Wow, it really doesn't feel like too long ago when the "leaked" photos for the iPhone 4 gave a glimpse to what our friends at Apple were cooking up. But iPhone 5? I've got a lovely article here about the iPhone 5 and some of the "rumors" surrounding its new "Mini Dock" port.

Does this mean we wont be able to switch chargers from iPhone to iPad and iPhone 3g? And iPhone 4?? Probably...

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/June2012/iphone-5-to-feature-new-mini-dock-connector.html

Indie-Photo 101 on Tumblr

Hey guys! If you are on Tumblr, check out the Indie-Photo 101 blog! Get your IP News fast!

http://indie-photo101.tumblr.com/

Weekly Wackness Experiment!!!!!

HEY EVERYONE!!! It's about that time for a Weekly Wackness Experiment. Each week, the creative team behind Indie-Photo 101 will come up with the guidelines for a photographic experiment that YOU undertake. If you read the Weekly Wackness Experiments page, there's a full description of what this is. (and an explanation as to why we say Weekly Wackness Experiments so much)

"But IP-101 guy, why should I participate in some stupid Weekly Whatever?"

Well, Rude-Internet-Guy, these are projects that add to your artistic development. You break the "rules" of traditional photography and step outside your comfort zone to create something totally spontaneous and creative. These photos, even if they're "bad," can lead to an infinite supply of artistic inspiration for photoshoots and other photographic endeavors.

Still don't care?

Well, these photos are pieces that you can use in your own professional portfolios, or you may even submit them to an art gallery as abstract pieces. Either way, you're experiencing growth as an artist.

...still nothing?

Well check it out! We're inviting YOU to go out and do these experiments and hashtag them with the tag #weeklywackness so the creative and technical team at Indie-Photo 101 can sift through your entries and choose a select number to be featured ON Indie-Photo 101. 


You ready now?

Good.

Here's the rules this week:

• All entries must be completely and 100% yours 
• All entries must be created strictly for Weekly Wackness Experiments
• All entries must be created IN-CAMERA using no third party digital enhancements
• yes you can use weird custom white balance or in-camera B&W or sepia
• yes you can use every photo editing app you have if you're using an iPhone for Weekly Wackness Experiments

Those were the boring rules, here's where it gets good.

• All entries must be 100% totally and completely out of focus
• Entries can be taken in the day or at night
• Shoot as many experiments as you like, hashtag them all, we don't mind!
• Long exposures and wild abandon recommended, but not a ruley rule. 

Remember to post your Weekly Wackness Experiments on your blogs and social networks using the hashtag #weeklywackness for your chance to be featured on Indie-Photo 101.

Happy shooting!

Tips and Tricks: Making Soft Light

You'd love to shoot a nice, soft lit portrait but have no soft box? No flex fill? Is your flash making everything come out too harsh? (haven't a clue what I'm talking about? Stay tuned for IP-101's beginners lighting course) A quick fix to that hard flash is right at your finger tips, literally! Get some scotch tape and a tissue and put the tissue over your flash.

 Suddenly those harsh shadows don't look so harsh and you spent nothing!

Unless you count the cost of tissue and tape, then I can recommend you some links.

Photo Quote!

"You don't take a photograph, you make it," Ansel Adams

IP-101: The Rule of Thirds

In this week's IP-101 lesson, we'll talk briefly about the rule of thirds. If you've just purchased your first camera or you're an avid Instagrammer this will do you well. Don't get alarmed by the evil word "rule" or get taken aback by the sinister sounding "thirds," this technique is a million times easier to learn than it sounds. Even better, the rule of thirds will give you a better photo.

Do you want your friends to like your photos and not even know why? You want your amateur photographs to look somewhat top notch? After this lesson, you'll be well on your way to astonishing your peers with your amazing photographs.

First off, let's discuss what the rule of thirds actually is. It's a grid that breaks up the frame into nine equal parts, as seen above. That's all cool and everything, but why would you care? What's so cool about making a grid on the frame? Why would I want to limit my creativity? Well, you're not.

What makes the rule of thirds so amazing is the it lays out for you the guidelines to getting the best desired effect. If you photograph your subject along the lines (ie the horizon, the edge of a building) it automatically looks good to people and they don't know why. But you do! It's a secret!

EVEN BETTER!! When you photograph your subject at the intersection of the lines (ie a beautiful woman's face) you suddenly have a stunning work of art. It's true! I tell no lies.

When talking to other photographers, it's handy to know the jargon. You already know a key term, Rule of Thirds, but there a couple more you need to know. First off, the intersections of the line are called power points or crash points. I'm pretty sure Microsoft commandeered the term power point which is why we now call them crash points. Either way works if you're talking to a photographer.
The beauty of knowing these key terms when talking to photographers is know when the other guy is full of it. It's always fun to pick out the wanna-be's and blow-hards.

Below are two photographs of the same thing. One is shot using the rule of thirds and one is not. Can you tell which one is which?

If you guessed the bottom one, you're well on your way to becoming a professional! If not, just keep at it. A failure is an amazing experience because it allows you to see where you went wrong, so you can keep improving. Never dwell on your mistakes. Alright enough with the pep talk, let's review. Take out a pen and paper, or open a new document and write down these questions and stay tuned for the next IP-101 post to get the answers.

1. The Rule of Thirds - What is it?
2. Why do we use the rule of thirds? 
3. What are the intersections of the lines called?

All the information above and more coming soon  in a comprehensive eBook for beginner photographers!