Photography by Richard Sharman
Pete Jenkins, the Vice-Chair of the NUJ Photographers Sub Committee has sent through some very interesting documents on predatory “photographers agreements”. These insidious “agreements” seem to be coming more prevalent and I commend Pete and the NUJ on the work they have been doing on this matter.
Below is the an article Pete sent through and some associated files are available for download. Feel free to comment on this issue. Read More >>
Love Police proudly announcing the first ever tour of Australia by JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE. Son of Steve Earle, but with a style all of his own, Justin will take in shows in most states.
Hot on the heels of the announcement that Neil Young is playing the 2009 Big Day Out festival is news of three more acts appearing on the bill:
Look out for more announcements soon.
“Bad music is the devil and I will be your exorcising priest, helpin’ you out!”
Heading to these sunny summer shores for some festival highs,
The Hives will headline two intimate and explosive shows of their very own!
Melbourne, The Forum – Monday December 29
Sydney, The Metro – Tuesday January 6
Tickets on sale Friday October 3
Following on from the Tyrannosauraus Hives era of 2004, The Hives have splashed their bright colours on the world once more with the release of The Black and White Album (Universal).
A musical feast born out of some serious major label cashola and a smorgasbord of top notch Producers, including one Mr Pharrell Williams, The Hives horizons have broadened along with the length of their songs!
Digest the thoughtful words of Frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvistand: “The first two Hives records were designed to be played at a 200 capacity club, tops, whereas now we play to 1000s of people. The bigger the crowd, the slower they react, so there’s a natural progression in making the songs longer. When the last row of the audience hears the first chord, it’s already over for the first half of the audience, so basically we’re doing it for the people at the back.”
Get busy amongst the frenetic, über colourful black and white world of Fagersta’s killer bees! Don’t miss The Hives LIVE this summer!
“I know that it has been a long time coming
You bought your tickets, you waited in line
You were walking and now you find yourself running
To get closer to the giant neon sign
Allow me to
Give you a clue
You’re looking at black and white
Seeing our name in lights
Make you feel alright
Baby we’re here all night
We rule the world
This is our world
We rule the world
This is our world
T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S.”
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY OCTOBER 3
Book through: Melbourne – Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au
Sydney – Ticketek OR Metro box office 9550 3666 www.metrotheatre.com.au
Compact, lightweight with environmental protection, EOS 5D successor boasts a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor, with ISO sensitivity up to 25,600 for shooting in near dark conditions. The new DIGIC 4 processor combines with the improved CMOS sensor to deliver medium format territory image quality at 3.9 frames per second, for up to 310 frames.
Triggered from Live View Mode, HD video capture allows users to shoot uninterrupted at full 1080 resolution at 30fps – for amazing quality footage with outstanding levels of detail and realism.
The integration of HD movie capability into a high-end 21.1 Megapixel camera opens a multitude of new possibilities for photojournalists and news photographers. With its full frame CMOS sensor and outstanding ISO performance, the EOS 5D Mark II will appeal to any photographer in search of the finest camera equipment available – from studio and wedding to nature and travel photographers.
Other improvements to the EOS 5D include
“Professional photojournalists and wedding photographers already choose the EOS 5D for its discrete size and outstanding image quality,” said Mogens Jensen, head of Canon Consumer Imaging. “The addition of HD movie recording opens a new chapter for EOS. It creates new possibilities for EOS photographers to capture and share their stories and to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape.”
Key Specifications:
Additional information
New CMOS sensor
The EOS 5D Mark II’s newly designed full frame 21.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor features ISO sensitivity from 100-6400, expandable to 50, 12,800 and 25,600. Large 6.4µm2 pixels have been redesigned to capture more light and yield a better signal to noise ratio to ensure lower noise images throughout the ISO range. The full frame sensor has the same dimensions as a frame of 35mm film. This means that wide-angle lenses stay wide, without the change in angle of view associated with smaller sensor cameras. As well as benefiting from finer control over depth of field, photographers moving up to the EOS 5D Mark II’s full frame format will find the newly designed wide, bright 98% coverage viewfinder on a joy to work with.
New DIGIC 4 processor
A new DIGIC 4 processor combined with 14-bit analogue to digital conversion provides smooth gradations in mono-tonal areas such as skies, and highly accurate colour rendition. As well as HD movie shooting, DIGIC 4’s high speed provides for long uninterrupted continuous bursts of large JPEGs, near-instant start-up times and immediate and fast review after shooting. DIGIC 4 also provides for improved noise reduction algorithms, complementing the already low noise images from the EOS 5D Mark II’s CMOS sensor.
HD video capture
The EOS 5D Mark II is Canon’s first D-SLR to incorporate full HD 1920×1080 video capture. Once filming is started from Live View mode, photographers can fire off either single of continuous stills, with video capture continuing after the final frame is captured.
See everything
A new 3.0” VGA resolution LCD provides a wide 170º angle-of-view, providing plenty of clarity for accurate focus checks in playback. The screen brightness can automatically adjust to suit viewing conditions, extending battery life in low light and improving viewing in bright conditions. A new dedicated Live View button switches modes to display a real-time image on the LCD. This allows EOS 5D Mark II photographers to enjoy simplified shooting from awkward angles. Simple connection to a PC provides easy remote shooting.
Precision focus and metering
A 9-point auto focus system is supported by 6 additional invisible Assist AF points, located inside the spot-metering circle to optimise subject tracking performance in AI SERVO AF mode. For accurate exposure readings in tricky lighting conditions, the spot metering circle covers just 3.5% of the frame.
Control
The EOS 5D Mark II’s redesigned menu system includes a new Quick Control screen, for instant access to the most commonly changed settings. A new Creative Auto mode allows photographers to cede control of key settings to the camera, while retaining control over creative variables such background blur, drive mode and image brightness. Custom user settings allow photographers to switch between two completely different camera setups. This is ideal for changing quickly between two different environments, such as switching from working inside a church without flash to outdoors with fill-flash at a wedding.
Accessories
Shooting flexibility is enhanced with a range of new accessories. Shooting capacity can be extended with either the high capacity 1800mAh lithium-ion Battery Pack LP-E6, or Battery Grip BG-E6.
A new optional Wireless File Transmitter –
the WFT-E4 – offers external HDD and GPS compatibility along with ability to transmit images direct to computer or FTP server, or operate the camera wirelessly. Both the BG-E6 and WFT-E4 feature a vertical orientation shutter release and other key controls for comfortable portraiture work, with a substantial grip to help balance the camera when used with long lenses.
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, the trade union for journalists in Australia is launching a campaign to have international brewing giant Heineken Ireland settle a copyright claim by a number of photographers for the misuse of their copyrighted images.
The misuse of the images occurred on the www.heinekenmusic.ie website and was only terminated after a number of photographers raised their concerns at the copyright breaches with the company. The company then made a derisory offer of €15 per image but only after seeking to force the photographers to fully justify their ownership of their own material. The original material was appropriated without obtaining photographers’ approval from the flickr website even though the images were clearly watermarked as being not for general use and were also copyrighted.
The offending website was being used to promote the Oxegen festival, a music festival sponsored by Heineken Music, and the material in question was displayed on the website from at least June 19 until July 8 2008 when the site was pulled down. This was in response to concerns by a number of photographers about the misuse of their copyrighted material rather than a unilateral action by the company acting as a good corporate citizen.
Mr Richard Sharman, an Australian freelance photographer expressed his concern at the action of the company in allowing material that was clearly identified as belonging to him and was not to be used without proper authorisation and the subsequent inaction by the company to resolve the matter equitably.
“This is a large multinational organisation with a brand name that it seeks to protect around the world. It uses copyright laws to ensure its name is protected but it won’t accept responsibility for using some 26 images of mine without proper payment or approval. Certainly the company is correct to ensure its intellectual property is secure, it’s just that they should apply the same standard to the copyright of others,” he said.
Speaking for the Alliance. Mr O’Donnell, Federal Industrial Organiser said, “The photographers whose images have been appropriated by the company are disappointed that it now simply refuses to enter into negotiations to get the matter fully and equitably resolved. Respect for copyright is an international obligation and the company must be aware that the internet is also international in nature. The opportunity is now available for the company to start discussions with the affected parties to prevent any further harm to its reputation.”
The media release and background information can be downloaded from the link below.
meaa-heineken-release-170908
