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

low budget

Polaroid's Grey Label

Polaroid GL30 instant digital camera

I admit it, I was intrigued. I couldn’t resist having a look at Polaroid’s live stream from CES, to see what they and Lady Gaga had up their sleeves. (By the way, Lady Gaga didn’t look as outlandish as you might’ve anticipated. She was in all black. Admittedly her skirt was floor-length and she was wearing a veil, but she wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Victorian high street. Except maybe for the bleached-blonde hair with pink bits.) Right, you weren’t here for a fashion commentary. Onward to the announcement.

First of all came the sunglasses. Sunglasses that can capture images and store them, or share them by the miracle of technology in real time. I said that I wasn’t here to talk about fashion, but how can I ignore it in this instance? As they look right now, I shan’t be buying them in a hurry. If I were to wear them someone might mistake me for an extra from a low-budget sci-fi film. That can’t be a good look.

GL20 sunglasses, for space invaders

The instant mobile printer will be available from May this year costing around US$150. The idea behind it is to be able to print off your pictures from your mobile phone, which you send to the printer by Bluetooth. (But at the moment it isn’t iPhone compatible. They might be missing a trick here.) It also prints from computer via USB cable, or direct from any Pictbrdge-enabled camera.

Polaroid GL10 instant printer

Finally, the instamatic camera meets the digital age. It’s a classic Polaroid camera, but being all digital, it allows you to select from an LCD swivel screen the images that you want to print in 3×4 inch format. It’s a pretty big, retro-looking beast. It’s definitely Polaroid.

Polaroid GL30 instant digital camera

Was it worth staying up for the announcement? Ehm. Well, I was up anyway. I don’t anticipate any of it changing my life, or yours for that matter. Still, it did make me giggle to see Polaroid giving free publicity to Canon. Their booths are next to each other at CES, and a few panning shots emblazoned Canon logos across the screen.