February 2011

Michael Zhang

Unboxing the $30,000 Leica M9 Titanium

With a suggested retail price of £19,800 (currently about $32,000) and only 500 units in existence, Leica's limited edition M9 Titanium probably isn't a camera you're ever going to lay eyes on in real life. When it was announced back in September of last year, we predicted that most of them wouldn't see the light of day and would be placed immediately into collectors' vaults. Luckily for us, someone decided to actually unbox (gasp!) one of these babies (camera #164), allowing us to see what it's like to receive such an absurdly expensive camera.

Michael Zhang

$25,000 Reward for Polaroid Photo of Dennis Hopper Stolen From Gallery

Last Friday the art collective THIS had a gallery opening during which a patron asked to use the restroom shortly before closing time. Turns out it wasn't just to relieve themselves -- the person brazenly snatched a one-of-a-kind Polaroid photograph of Dennis Hopper taken by Jason Lee off the wall and walked off with it. Now Lee is personally offering a $25,000 reward for the return of the photograph.

Michael Zhang

Candid Portraits of People Peering at Their Own Reflections

If you think the expression on these people's faces don't look like ordinary street portraits, it's because they're actually looking at themselves in a mirror. Moa Karlberg captured these unique candid portraits of strangers by using a one-way mirror, capturing what it looks like when people look at reflections of themselves.

Michael Zhang

Decorate Your Wall with Fake Frames and Real Photos

You might have framed photographs up in your home, but what about using an entire wall to show off your pictures? Photographer Lyanne Wylde turned her hallway into a photo wall by putting up wallpaper with frames and slowly filling in the frames with her own photographs. You can buy the wallpaper, titled "Frames", yourself from Graham & Brown for $45 a roll and start your own wall!

Crafty Staci

How to Make a Camera Lens Cap Pouch

For Christmas, I received a Canon 60D. I’m definitely still learning how to use it, but I’m excited to have it. The first big problem I encountered, besides the need for more regular exercise so I can lift the beast, is that I am going to lose the camera lens cap. I take this cover off the lens and leave it everywhere. I had the camera for about 4 days before I was considering checking the price on replacing it. Lucky for me, I came up with a better idea while I still knew where it was. Instead of waiting until I lost it, I made it a little pouch that slides onto my camera strap.

Michael Zhang

Pentax Spotmatic F SLR Completely Disassembled and Laid Out

What would it look like if you tripped and with a Pentax Spotmatic F camera in hand, and it somehow smashed neatly into its most basic components? Artist Todd McLellan gives us an idea by taking one apart, neatly arranging it on a table, and photographing it in a style similar to Carl Kleiner's IKEA baking book shots.

Michael Zhang

Blind Visual Artist Pete Eckert Makes Photographs Without Seeing

Pete Eckert didn't start out too seriously in photography. Trained in sculpture and industrial design, he was working as a carpenter when one day a doctor diagnosed him with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that leads to permanent blindness. He eventually discovered photography and has been doing amazing work since. The beautifully made video above sheds light on how he goes about creating art despite his visual impairment.

Jon Alexander

How to Build Your Own LED Ring Light

I had some stuff lying around as well as saw some parts as I was out and thought this would be fun to make. I have around $20 invested in parts. On eBay I saw ring lights for anywhere around $40 on up, so this will save you money and it was fun to make.

Michael Zhang

Beautiful Chapel in Poland Captured in an HDR Time-Lapse Video

Patryk Kizny created this short HDR time-lapse film titled "The Chapel" that explores the inside of a Protestant chapel located in Zeliszów, Poland built in 1797. The HDR imagery gives the video a eerily beautiful surreal look that makes the video look like it came from a video game.

Michael Zhang

Look Ridiculous with This Massive Lens for Your Smartphone

If you're not content with having a massive telephoto lens for your DSLR camera, you can get one for your cell phone as well! The Conice Zoom Lens is a 6x lens for the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S, or Sony Xperia 10 that makes your phone look absolutely ridiculous.

Michael Zhang

Gap Uses Flickr Photo for Clothing Graphic without Permission

Flickr user Chris Devers recently found that one of his photographs had been used by The Gap as a design for children's clothes (here and here). The photo itself was published under a Creative Commons license requiring attribution, non-commercial use, and no derivative works -- usage conditions that were completely ignored.