Want to see what it’s like to photograph wild gorillas up close and personal? Check out the clip above from the 1974 documentary Gorilla by Dieter Plage. It shows Belgian photographer and conservationist Adrien Deschryver in heart of Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Zaire, snapping pictures of gorillas from a short distance away.
In dramatic scenes the tale of an abandoned baby is shown in heart-stopping detail. Brought into the forest by Deschryver to help it adjust to its natural habitat, it begins to scream when it hears other gorillas, and is subsequently snatched from him by the dominant silverback. Stunning photography captures the sheer force of the silverback’s intimidating demonstration before he grabs the youngster.
Deschryver demonstrates one of the things you learn in Photographing Gorillas 101: don’t run when they charge. Read more…
Here’s a funny short clip from the HBO TV show Veep in which two photography enthusiasts discuss their Canon cameras, and… one of them is a camera snob. Does the guy remind you of anyone you know? Hopefully it’s not yourself!
If you liked the the “impossible shot” from the film Contact that we shared earlier this week, you’ll enjoy this clip as well. It’s a shot from the film Sucker Punch that uses some clever camera work and trickery rather than CGI to create its mind-bending effect. Interestingly enough, both this clip and the Contact one feature actress Jena Malone (albeit at different ages).
Have a habit of losing your lens caps? Add a clip to them to keep them attached to your camera strap when not in use! All you need are a lapel clip — the kind found on old wired cellphone headsets work great — and some strong mounting tape. It’s basically a DIY version of the Nice Clip, which we featured back in October.
Here’s a scene from NBC’s comedy show Parks and Recreation that can give you some ideas on how to direct your subjects the next time you’re doing a family portrait session.
Nice Photography Magazine editor Zeke Kamm has come up with a new product called “The Nice Clip” that acts as both a universal clip for lens caps, and also a cord catcher to keep your desk organized. The clip uses a strong 3M VHB adhesive to stick to your lens cap, which can then be clipped to your camera strap, belt, bag, etc… Attach the clip to the side of your desk, and it can help you keep your cables from falling to the floor when they’re not plugged in. Read more…
The next time you’re walking around with a DSLR around your neck and a stranger asks you for directions, you might want to keep a hand on your lens. Yesterday BBC’s “The Real Hustle” included a short segment in which they demonstrated how easy it is to steal a lens on the street. The con artists simply detach and pocket the camera lens of an unsuspecting photographer while pretending to ask for directions. Apparently this is a real con that thieves are using these days…
Engineer Peter Dering wanted a better solution for carrying his DSLR around so, after tinkering around with ideas and prototypes for a couple years, he quit his job and designed the Capture Camera Clip System, a small device that lets you securely attach your DSLR to belts and backpack straps. There’s also plans for an attachment that will allow you to attach cameras to the frame of your bike or the roof of your car. The camera attachment uses the standard tripod mount, and the base piece has a quick release system that provides easy access whenever the camera is needed. It’ll cost around $70 when it begins shipping in July, but you can support the project and pre-order a unit for $50 through its Kickstarter campaign. Read more…
Erin Hannon, the receptionist on The Office, explains why you should always use real cameras and not disposable ones when taking pictures of important events you want to remember.
British musician Robbie Williams was recently featured in Nikon’s “I AM NIKON” advertising campaign, with a commercial showing a fun experiment he did at a concert in 2003. He asked his audience to pull out their cameras and, on his cue, fire off the flash. The resulting scene was pretty awesome to behold. The full clip of the experiment is above. Read more…
