Stunning Photos with the Nikon D80

For those of you haven't visited the stunning Nikon site yet, we highly recommend it. Nikon got 16 photographers together for an online and print ad campaign, and gave them a Nikon D80. (Yes, I feel sick, too.) The photographers all contributed images that were taken with the new Nikon DSLR and also took self portraits in a mirror. (It's a little humorous to see the backwards "nokiN" logos in all of the self portrait shots.)

In addition, some of the photographers participated in a more in-depth "documentary" of sorts; the photographers themselves were filmed and interviewed while they put the Nikon D80 through its paces.

Besides the print ads that are now coming out, Nikon has combined the photographers' work with the D80, the self portraits, and the interviews into a Flash site at http://www.stunningnikon.com/dslr/. And while the photos included on this site are great examples of the amazing images that are possible with this camera (not to mention what can be created when you allow a group of extremely talented people loose), the interviews are my favorite part of the StunningNikon site.

Here's why:

The Nikon D80 digital camera is one of our favorite cameras of the year. Not only does it set a new value point for digital SLR's, but the D80 is feature-rich, lightweight, and takes incredible photos. It is truly a pleasure to photograph with, and this is what the Stunning Nikon film clips and the photographers' interviews demonstrate. To watch them photographing -- spying a shot and then snapping away just a couple of seconds later -- is inspiring. It shows that great shots are all around us if we keep our eyes open, and that, with the right camera, even fleeting shots can be captured easily.

Personally, it makes me want to carry my digital cameras everywhere with me.

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Tags: Digital Cameras, Digital Photography, Nikon Digital Cameras, Nikon Cameras, Nikon D80, Digital SLR

9-11: Five Years Later - Memorialized Forever

The five-year anniversary of the attack on New York's World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, is just around the corner. In the past half decade, there have been literally thousands of sites created to memorialize the horrific event, as well as the people - the citizens and rescue workers - who sacrificed their lives on that day.

The attack and aftermath of 9/11 has got to be the most photographed event in history. From live shots of the airliners hitting the WTC towers, to rescue workers fighting to save lives and put out the fires, to the subsequent cleanup and reconstruction... many thousands of images of the events of September 11th have been captured by both amateur and professional photographers, some of whom were heroes in their own right.

Our favorite online memorial to 9/11 has got to be James Nachtway's photo essay at Time.com, which includes many familiar pictures of that day. Time.com also offers many related photo essays and articles, such as their A Nation Remembers section, which was created one year later.

Space Imaging has some interesting before and after satellite photos which show the devastation from the viewpoint of the IKONOS satellite.

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The Libary of Congress has sponsored a project to locate and archive many of the photos taken during and surrounding 9/11. The documentary photographs of September 11th collected by the LOC are as gripping and moving as TIME's. In addition, the Library of Congress has a 9/11 web archive that allows you browse their collection of literally thousands of web sites focused on the events of 9/11.

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For those of you who may have links stripped out through the feeds, below is a list of the URLs for the sites mentioned above:

TIME's 9/11 Photo Essay:
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/shattered/

TIME's One Year Later section:
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020909/

Space Imaging's September 11: One Year Viewed From Space
http://www.spaceimaging.com/gallery/9-11/

Library of Congress: Documentary Photographs of 9/11
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/911/911-docphotos.html

Library of Congress 9/11 Web Archive
http://lcweb4.loc.gov/911/index.html

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Tags: Photography, September 11 Anniversary, 9/11 Anniversary, American History, Historical Photographs, World Trade Center

Photographer That Inspired a Memorial Passes Away

Joe Rosenthal, the photographer who captured the famous image of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, passed away on August 20, 2006, at the age of 94.

Rosenthal was always humble about his Pulitzer Prize-winning shot, saying he was fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. The photograph was taken at the top of Mount Suribachi after one of the fiercest battles of the war. It was published on the front page of every major newspaper of the time, and gave Rosenthal instant celebrity.

Almost all agree that the photo has perfect composition, lighting and inspirational subject matter. In fact, the picture is so perfect that it spawned a controversy as to whether the shot had been entirely staged, and Mr. Rosenthal himself was threatened with a lawsuit. Fortunately, home movies taken by a Marine sergeant of the event provided the evidence that restored Rosenthal's reputation.

The photograph was used on many war posters, and was later honored with its inclusion on a postage stamp. The historic photo was also the inspiration for the Marine Corps War Memorial near Arlington National Cemetery.

Tags: Cameras, Photography, Obituaries, Joe Rosenthal, American History, Historical Photographs, Iwo Jima

Book: Rainforest by Thomas Marent

While browsing through Barnes and Noble this evening, I was literally stopped in my tracks by an end cap display of the photographic essay, Rainforest by Thomas Marent. Marent spent 16 years capturing these images in rainforests all over the globe, and in this case, the end result was definitely worth the effort. From an extreme close-up shot of a jungle tree frog to a time lapse photograph of a waterfall cascading downward through lush, green foilage, the photos in this book are captivating. If anyone needs an example of what nature photography can be, this is it.

Be sure to ask for this volume at your local bookstore, or find it online at Amazon, Barnes&Noble or many other online bookstores.

Tags: Photography, Nature Photography, Photography Books, Books, Thomas Marent, Rainforest