David Becker

Articles by David Becker

Tyler Shields Allegedly Refused Kardashian Cover Shoot for Vogue

Have intellectual property theft, cratering wages and general unfairness left you feeling a little down on the photography business?

Then here's a little restorative tonic: A well-known, in-demand shooter refuses a celebrity cover shoot for Vogue just because he doesn't like the particular celebrity. Who happens to be Kim Kardashian, fiancée of photographer-basher Kanye West and a major cultural annoyance in her own right. Come back to Mama and Daddy, faith in humanity!

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to Include ‘Unapologetic’ Barbie Poses

Guys, you may want to be extra careful about where you read your copy of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue this year. It will contain a double-helping of grist for feminist outrage this time around, as Barbie, that icon of feminine pulchritude and academic rigor ("Math class is tough. Let's go shopping!") struts her stuff alongside the human models.

The $28K Ralph Gibson Leica Monochrom Sold Out in 5 Minutes

A lot of people might have thought Leica had staked out enough of a challenge convincing people to pay $8,000 for a digital camera that only shoots black-and-white.

Never one to shy away from a luxury marketing opportunity, however, the German camera maker briefly offered the opportunity to pay an extra $20,000 for a limited-edition version of the M-Monochrom... an opportunity people jumped at.

Pro Photographer on Craigslist: Why Don’t You Work for Free?

You don't exactly have to be telepathic to know where this Boston-area photographer is coming from. He/she was probably checking over his accounts receivable, wondering how he was going to make it to the next gig, when some clueless would-be entrepreneur contacted him with a fabulous opportunity to do head shots of his entire staff in return for exposure and goodwill, aka bupkis.

Rumor: Sony Set to Unveil Faster APS-C Camera Next Week

If recent rumors are to be trusted, Sony is getting ready to continue its assault on all ends of the mirrorless market with the announcement next week of a successor to the mid-line NEX-6 and NEX-7 models -- among other potential announcements.

Microsoft’s 20-Gigapixel Seattle Panorama is Packed Full of Fun Artistic Surprises

There's no rule against having a little fun while proving a technological point, even if you're Microsoft.

So when the software giant's research arm wanted to flex some image-editing muscle by creating a 20-gigapixel panorama of Seattle, they decided to bring local artists into the picture (literally) and encourage them to do creative stuff while the camera was clicking away.

Apple Wins Patents for Removable-Lens iPhone Designs

For those intrigued by the notion of add-on lenses for smartphones but put off by the bulky design, Apple offers hope with a couple of recently patented designs for swapping camera components on an iPhone without turning it into an unwieldy monster.

Behold Lux: The 100% Do it Yourself, 3D-Printed Medium-Format Camera

"Do-it-yourself" can mean a lot of things, but for camera dweebs, it's usually entailed some degree of scavenging and recycling parts from factory-made cameras. Grad student and specialty camera builder Kevin Kadooka understands the ease and accessibility of the practice but doesn't think it's sustainable -- eventually we'll run out of old cameras to cannibalize.

Passenger In Fatal Plane Crash Captures Whole Thing on His GoPro

On December 11th, Ferdinand Puentes captured many people's worst nightmare on video: his plane making an emergency water landing.

Puentes enjoys capturing takeoffs and landings, and so his GoPro was already rolling on that fateful day when something very bad happened to the single engine of the small plane in which he was a passenger.

Vivitar Working on Interchangeable Lens Smartphone Add-On

Whatever you want to call the emerging category of camera/lens assemblies that snap onto a smartphone, there no doubt it's growing. Case in point: Sony's QX line and JK Imaging/Kodak's SL series will soon by joined by a Vivitar model that made a very quiet debut last week at CES.

Getty & AFP Appeal $1.2 Million Copyright Infringement Verdict

Getty Images and Agence France Presse are avid protectors of their own copyright privileges. But when the chaussure is on the other foot?

Haitian photographer Daniel Morel continues to find out that it's a whole different ball game, as the agencies try to evade the $1.22 million penalty levied against them for stealing eight of Morel's images of the aftermath of his country's devastating 2010 earthquake.

Is Lomography Preparing to Unveil a Movie Projector?

Lomography has low-fi imaging fans all aquiver thanks to a tease for an upcoming mystery product.

The Lomo news page merely shows a hand on a plastic crank, accompanied by an audio file that most listeners liken to the clicking sound of an old movie projector. (Sounds more like a playing card in a bicycle wheel to these ears, but a Lomography bicycle would just be too much to hope for.)

Ladibird Aims to Turn iPhones Into Serious Portrait Cameras

Is the Ladibird an iPhone case, a fully-functioning camera or a cleverly designed smartphone add-on? The answers, in no particular order, are yes, yes and yes. The upcoming device manages the increasingly difficult feat of pioneering a new and potentially useful category by turning an iPhone into a seriously capable portrait camera.

Polaroid Ups Its Action Camera Game With Sporty New Models

Oh GoPro, the action cam crown must rest uneasy on thy sweaty brow. CES has been flush with announcements of new entrants in the wearable camera market, and now Polaroid joins the scrum with a handful of new models. (All manufactured by Polaroid licensee and troubled asset specialist C&A Marketing.)

Panasonic and Leica Initiate Nocticron Line With Impressive 42.5mm f/1.2 Lens

Panasonic is looking to boost its appeal to high-end shooters with a new line of super-fast Leica lenses, starting with a 42.5mm f/1.2 model that was introduced Monday at CES.

The debut model in the newly dubbed "Nocticron" (was he a good Transformer or an evil Transformer?) line of glass is pitched as a portrait-friendly lens (35mm equivalent focal length of 85mm) for MFT Lumix cameras.