Technology Explained, Practice
Daniela Bowker
Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! ...

When you hear the term 'high-res' thrown about with such abandon when it comes to images for web use, have you ever stopped to think just how big or how high quality and image meant for the web needs to be?

Resolution and pixels and image quality! Oh my! Saving images for the web
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring

There's an assumption that high-contrast images are more dynamic, more compelling, more inviting. Have a go at some low-contrast photography. You might surprise yourself with the results.

Low-contrast photographs don't have to be boring
Feature Articles, Theory
Daniela Bowker
Seeking balance in your photos

Balance doesn't mean symmetry; it means an internal consistency and tension within your photos. And it's a vital element of composition. 

Seeking balance in your photos
Feature Articles, Photography Theory
Haje Jan Kamps
Training your photographic luck

Great photos might be down to a little bit of luck, but most of that 'luck' you make yourself. Don't believe us? Read on...

Training your photographic luck
Feature Articles, Practice
Daniela Bowker
The ups and downs and ins and outs of ...

Photographing buildings doesn't have to mean wide-angle lenses and fretting about correcting for the keystone effect. Any lens, and angle. Don't believe us? Let us show you!

The ups and downs and ins and outs of photographing buildings

kit and kaboodle

ClusterShot closes its doors

Screen shot 2011-01-25 at 23.49.49

The guys over at ClusterShot – the website that made it easy for people to sell their images, be they of their hamster of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, to anyone that wanted them – have decided to call it a day. In their own words, ClusterShot was an experiment for their company and its business model, and the experiment hasn’t been quite successful enough.

The idea that it should be simple for people to sell their photos at a price they set, and for people to be able to find and buy the images that they want and need is a damn good one. So it’s a shame that it didn’t work out for these guys and the people that used the site.

As of the end of last week, account creation and photo-uploading have been suspended and refunds are being offered on pro-accounts. (Accounts over two months old will receive a pro-rated refund; accounts under two months old will be fully reimbursed.) You can still buy images right up until they turn off the lights and close the door behind them on 21 February, though.

Unless, that is, someone steps forward to buy ClusterShot. silverorange, the brains behind the website, have received quite a bit of interest in the site. So they’re planning on selling it by private auction. The highest bidder gets the whole kit and kaboodle, from the code to the content, to the FaceBook page to the reputation. But they also have to honour ClusterShot’s current terms and conditions and user privacy agreement.

Fancy becoming the proud new owner of a photo-dealing website? All the details of how the auction will work and what exactly is up for grabs are here.