5 Simple and Surprising Things That Can Make Your Photography So Much

5 Simple and Surprising Things That Can Make Your Photography So Much

There are a few things that make life as a photographer much easier. Here are some simple changes I made that you might consider adopting to help you capture the shot.

As I gain more experience as a photographer, things I discover change my approach to photoshoots. Furthermore, technology has advanced too, so once-necessary accessories have become redundant. Occasionally, new inventions get added to our kit, and the best of those are usually simple ideas.

The first in my list fits into that last category. It is that curious-looking piece of wood in the image above. Like all great inventions, it is a simple idea. But it makes a big difference to me.

It is a patented Ergonomic Lens Rest. Carved from solid oak wood, the rest attaches to the tripod mount foot of my large telephoto lens. I bought it on the recommendation of Tesni Ward, a fellow OM System Ambassador, and a hugely experienced and brilliant wildlife photographer. I had a WhatsApp conversation with her after I bought my new OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC1.25X IS PRO lens, which I reviewed recently. Beforehand, I turned the lens’ tripod mount around by 180 degrees and was using my camera by holding the lens barrel. However, attaching this to the Arca Swiss-style foot makes the lens easier to handhold. The foot now sits comfortably in the palm of my hand, and I can still reach to adjust the focus zoom rings and operate the switches with my thumb.

Made in the UK by a business called The Secret Sign Writer, the Ergonomic Lens Rest cost me £52.98, approximately $65. Sadly, it’s currently only available for the following OM System cameras: 40-150 f2.8 PRO, 100-400 f5-6.3, 300 f4 Pro, and the 150-400 f4.5 Pro. Because it’s a small-scale operation, Edward, who makes them, doesn’t have a website. However, I am happy to pass on the email address if you direct message me.

2. The Reason to Love Beans

During the early to mid-naughties, photographers raved about carrying a beanbag as a camera rest. But, with improved image stabilization and small, light, and reasonably priced tripods now available, the beanbag’s popularity seems to have waned. Nevertheless, they are still handy for photographers, as you can use them to support your lens or camera on a wall, rock, or the ground without damaging it.

My beanbag was made for me by my wife; she is a dab hand with her sewing machine. The cloth she used was some rescued micro-fleece recovered from an old jacket, and it is approximately half-filled with mung beans.

If you travel to many poorer countries, beans are a staple food and cost next to nothing. Consequently, a small drawstring or zipped bag that you can fill on arrival will save you the weight when flying. Furthermore, you are not carrying foodstuffs, possibly infected with parasites, fungi, or plant diseases over national borders. Nor will you have it split open by contraband enforcement officers wondering what is inside.

3. Sit On It

That’s a catchphrase that those of us of a certain age will remember. However, in this case, it isn’t an insult.

I used to use a piece of foam sleeping mat I bought for camping. But, after experimenting with several options, including bubble wrap, I discovered that a carrier bag in my pocket a good option. A lot of my photography is shooting at a low level, and it stopped me from getting a wet bum when sitting on the sand at the beach. However, I now avoid single-use plastic as much as is practicable and I rarely have a plastic bag. It’s also windy where I live much of the time, and the last thing I want is the bag or bubble wrap blowing out to sea.

Here in the UK, we have many charity shops selling second-hand clothing. The items that are in too poor condition to sell get given to “the rag man,” who sorts and sells them for recycling. Sometimes those shops get donated old waterproof coats that cannot be sold. So, I buy one of those for the equivalent of one dollar, cut a square from the back, and it makes an ideal sitting or kneeling cloth that will fold up and fit in my pocket.

4. It All Happens in a Flash

One of the things that is a temptation for photographers comes from advertising. Ads push us into buying the latest, highly specified gizmos that perform in ways we don’t need and never use. So the fourth thing on my list is something I could not work without, but also have resisted the temptation to upgrade. That is my flash lightmeter. I have an old and very basic Sekonic L-308S. It has since been superseded by the Sekonic L-308X-U Flashmate.

Many complex light meters on the market do all sorts of jiggery-pokery. They do tempt me. However, I always found that my old flash meter does everything I need from it. It advises me on the light levels I need for shooting portraits or products for clients. If you want to know why a flash meter is useful, this excellent video by Gavin Hoey explains all.

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5. Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, Or Not

Number five is something that I have stopped using altogether: a camera backpack.

When I started shooting digital photographs with a DSLR, I had excessive enthusiasm for all my gear. I feared missing the shot because I didn’t have the right lens with me. Consequently, on every photoshoot, I carried all my lenses, lots of spare batteries and memory cards, a filter kit, and everything I could fit into my camera bag. The bag cost me a small fortune.

There was often a degree of snobbery when it came to camera bags. I heard someone exclaim that good photographers would only ever have A-brand bags. Similarly, they declared that you must buy B-brand tripods and only C-brand filters. Furthermore, D-brand cameras were worth owning, and nothing else would do. Although, at the time, all four of those brands did make good gear, the situation has changed. There is far greater competition with great alternatives from other manufacturers, and two of those brands now have serious quality issues they need to address; I’ll let you work out which two.

Times change. So too did my level of experience. Now, I carefully plan my photoshoots because I know I will get much better photos that way. Part of that planning process is working out what equipment I need. I’ve also realized that I can usually carry everything by hand or in my pockets. My camera is either slung over my shoulder or attached to my tripod. Moreover, because of my camera’s outstanding image stabilization, I rarely need a tripod.

Therefore, I no longer lug extra lenses around with me. I might take one spare battery. However, the one time I needed to change it was at an all-day wedding shoot; battery technology has come a long, long way over the last few years. If I am taking a filter, it will be in my top pocket. That means I no longer suffer from a bad back lugging all that gear around.

There are also two other good reasons for not using a camera bag. Firstly, they scream that you carry lots of expensive equipment worth robbing. Secondly, they never seem to be designed to carry a packed lunch and thermos flask.

Consequently, I never carry a camera backpack on a photoshoot. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t own one. For transporting my camera and lens in my car, Peak Design Cubes are great for protection and better for access. But hidden in the trunk (or boot as we call it in the UK) is where they stay.

What Do You Think?

Those are five simple things that simplify my shooting. Are there any of those you would adopt? If there is one other thing you do or don’t use to make your photography easier, please tell us in the comments.

Cinema Visiona: A Home Theater With an Undulating Landscape of Seating

Cinema Visiona: A Home Theater With an Undulating Landscape of Seating

In a world of standardized furniture and predictable design, this architectural project stands out as a testament to creativity, comfort, and the boundless possibilities of holistic design. Welcome to Cinema Visiona, a home theater project by Matter Make that challenges the norms of scale and aesthetics, inviting you to embark on a cinematic journey like no other. The story of Cinema Visiona began when a client approached Matter Make to transform a unused room in the basement of their villa in Malta into a home theater. What followed was a design adventure that pushed the boundaries of imagination and ergonomics.

At the heart of this project is the idea of embracing the child-like freedom of seating that appears out of scale with the human body. Imagine sinking into a landscape of seats where every curve and contour is meticulously crafted for comfort. It’s a space where one is encouraged to explore, find the own perfect spot, and express oneself through the way they sit.

back angled view of home theater with wave-like dark blue seating with people sitting randomly view screen

This playful concept draws inspiration from Verner Panton’s “Visiona” projects dating back to the early 70s, but with a twist tailored for a home cinema setting. The color palette is more subdued to enhance the cinematic experience, emphasizing form over distraction.

back view of home theater with wave-like dark blue seating with people sitting randomly in front of movie screen

angled back view of home theater with wave-like dark blue seating with people sitting randomly

Built into the undulating landscape of seats are eight optimized recliners. These seats are not just visually enticing, they are engineered for ultimate comfort. Layers of foams with varying densities cradle the body as one immerses themself into watching mode. Careful attention was paid to sight lines to ensure that each view of the screen remains unobstructed, no matter where everyone is reclining.

side view of woman laying on stomach propped up on wavy home theater seating

woman leaning back seating on wavy home theater seating

What sets Cinema Visiona apart is not just its design but also its production. The entire cinema was crafted in-house, promoting local manufacturing while giving the studio the freedom to choose materials. Notably, the walls and ceiling are clad with acoustic paneling made from recycled water bottles, a nod to the project’s commitment to sustainability.

masked man leaning back seating on wavy home theater seating

masked man leaning back seating on wavy home theater seating

masked man sitting on wavy home theater seats

Cinema Visiona is not just a beautiful space – it’s a testament to the “maker-architect” revolution. Matter Make embraces a holistic approach where architects are not just designers but fabricators, craftspersons, and contractors. The shift is made possible by the integration of digital technology and fabrication tools like CNC machines. This approach empowers architects to take control of all aspects of a project, from design to construction, enabling them to tailor solutions to specific needs.

front view of modern home theater looking out to single undulating dark blue seating block

front view of modern home theater looking out to single undulating dark blue seating block

Every detail, from the hidden speakers and technology to the concealed lighting and ventilation, was meticulously thought out to enhance the cinematic experience.

view of modern home theater looking out to single undulating dark blue seating block

closeup of modern home theater looking out to single undulating dark blue seating block

view of entryway into modern home theater room

detail view of home theater shelves

closeup view of brass knobs opening doors to modern home theater

front view of modern home theater looking out to single undulating dark blue seating block with labels

schematic plan of home theater project

Photography by Sean Mallia Photographer.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Coastal artist celebrated in Ten Fifteen Theater’s ‘Bartow’

Coastal artist celebrated in Ten Fifteen Theater’s ‘Bartow’


Bartow in studio

Contemporary artist Rick Bartow is the subject of a staged reading at the Ten Fifteen Theater, opening Friday.


Rick Bartow, a contemporary coastal artist and member of the Wiyot tribe of California who died in 2016, is the subject of an upcoming staged reading at Astoria’s Ten Fifteen Theater.

“I am a huge fan of his work,” said Annie Eskelin, executive director of Astoria Visual Arts, who is delighted at the celebration. “He was one of the nation’s most prominent Native American contemporary artists.”

Bartow is the central character in the Ten Fifteen Theater reading, running at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.



Bartow art

Bartow’s art spanned graphite and mixed media, drawings, paintings, etchings, wood sculptures and monotypes.


Author Greg Berman and Portland gallery owner Charles Froelick will speak with the audience after the Saturday performance. Their appearance will be moderated by artist Philip Barasch. The gallery will also provide exhibits at the theater, previewing a storytelling theme that pervades their members’ showcase in October.

Bartow was a Native American artist who grew up in Newport. He worked in graphite and mixed media, creating drawings and prints, acrylic paintings, drypoint etchings, wood sculptures and monotypes.

His art features animals like hawks, ravens and eagles, many reflecting Native American transformation stories.

The reading, being performed in person for the first time, is being directed by Danyelle Tinker, executive director of the Ten Fifteen Theater.

Julian Painter appears as Bartow and Connor Swan plays a former art student who switches to a medical career and becomes Bartow’s caregiver, even as his troubles emerge.

To highlight surreal elements in Berman’s script, Bill Honl, Olive Delsol and Deborah Jensen take on multiple characters, including a bear, a coyote and a deer, as well as other caregivers. Rhonda Warnack portrays a circus figure from a Bartow painting, as well as the medical student’s mother.



Staged

Julian Painter, center, appears as Bartow and Connor Swan plays Will, a struggling medical student, in “Bartow,” which will be performed as a staged reading at the Ten Fifteen Theater in Astoria for one weekend. With them is Rhonda Warnack, who portrays Will’s mother.




Painter, who is Native American, savors Bartow’s significance as an Indigenous artist who embraced many styles. “It is interesting to learn about him as I am portraying him,” said Painter, an artist who writes poetry and music. “It is kind of nice to connect with someone who did similar things.”

Bartow earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Western Oregon University in 1969. His service during the Vietnam War as a teletype officer, who played music to soothe wounded combatants, left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In his hometown, he was a guitar and bongo player who wrote songs for his band, Bartow and the Backseat Drivers.

Bartow’s artistic status mushroomed with national recognition after a 1985 Portland exhibit. The content and style of his art changed in his later years as battles with sobriety, mental health and the loss of his wife to cancer, were exacerbated by two strokes.

His work can be found in the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts and the Portland Art Museum.



'Me & Spegi'

“Me & Spegi,” a drypoint etching by Rick Bartow.


The state of Oregon owns at least four pieces, displayed at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport and on the main campus of Oregon State University. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian commissioned him to create a cedar sculpture overlooking the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Eskelin, at Astoria Visual Arts, celebrates the title of Bartow’s national work, “We Were Always Here.” A similar phrase, “We’ve existed always,” is adopted by the Chinook Indian Nation.

Coastal artist celebrated in Ten Fifteen Theater reading

Coastal artist celebrated in Ten Fifteen Theater reading


Bartow in studio

Contemporary artist Rick Bartow is the subject of a staged reading at the Ten Fifteen Theater, opening Friday.


Rick Bartow, a contemporary coastal artist and member of the Wiyot tribe of California who died in 2016, is the subject of an upcoming staged reading at Astoria’s Ten Fifteen Theater.

“I am a huge fan of his work,” said Annie Eskelin, executive director of Astoria Visual Arts, who is delighted at the celebration. “He was one of the nation’s most prominent Native American contemporary artists.”

Bartow is the central character in the Ten Fifteen Theater reading, running at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.



Bartow art

Bartow’s art spanned graphite and mixed media, drawings, paintings, etchings, wood sculptures and monotypes.


Author Greg Berman and Portland gallery owner Charles Froelick will speak with the audience after the Saturday performance. Their appearance will be moderated by artist Philip Barasch. The gallery will also provide exhibits at the theater, previewing a storytelling theme that pervades their members’ showcase in October.

Bartow was a Native American artist who grew up in Newport. He worked in graphite and mixed media, creating drawings and prints, acrylic paintings, drypoint etchings, wood sculptures and monotypes.

His art features animals like hawks, ravens and eagles, many reflecting Native American transformation stories.

The reading, being performed in person for the first time, is being directed by Danyelle Tinker, executive director of the Ten Fifteen Theater.

Julian Painter appears as Bartow and Connor Swan plays a former art student who switches to a medical career and becomes Bartow’s caregiver, even as his troubles emerge.

To highlight surreal elements in Berman’s script, Bill Honl, Olive Delsol and Deborah Jensen take on multiple characters, including a bear, a coyote and a deer, as well as other caregivers. Rhonda Warnack portrays a circus figure from a Bartow painting, as well as the medical student’s mother.



Staged

Julian Painter, center, appears as Bartow and Connor Swan plays Will, a struggling medical student, in “Bartow,” which will be performed as a staged reading at the Ten Fifteen Theater in Astoria for one weekend. With them is Rhonda Warnack, who portrays Will’s mother.




Painter, who is Native American, savors Bartow’s significance as an Indigenous artist who embraced many styles. “It is interesting to learn about him as I am portraying him,” said Painter, an artist who writes poetry and music. “It is kind of nice to connect with someone who did similar things.”

Bartow earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Western Oregon University in 1969. His service during the Vietnam War as a teletype officer, who played music to soothe wounded combatants, left him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

In his hometown, he was a guitar and bongo player who wrote songs for his band, Bartow and the Backseat Drivers.

Bartow’s artistic status mushroomed with national recognition after a 1985 Portland exhibit. The content and style of his art changed in his later years as battles with sobriety, mental health and the loss of his wife to cancer, were exacerbated by two strokes.

His work can be found in the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts and the Portland Art Museum.



'Me & Spegi'

“Me & Spegi,” a drypoint etching by Rick Bartow.


The state of Oregon owns at least four pieces, displayed at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport and on the main campus of Oregon State University. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian commissioned him to create a cedar sculpture overlooking the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Eskelin, at Astoria Visual Arts, celebrates the title of Bartow’s national work, “We Were Always Here.” A similar phrase, “We’ve existed always,” is adopted by the Chinook Indian Nation.

Newgrain iOS App Aims to be the Digital Home of Analog Photography

Newgrain iOS App Aims to be the Digital Home of Analog Photography

Analog photography remains extremely compelling to many shooters, carving out a relatively small but passionate niche in the photo space. Alongside the resurgence in film photography in recent years, digital platforms have become increasingly crucial for photographers at large.

However, the film photography community is fragmented, and popular digital platforms are not built with sharing analog imagery in mind. A new app and platform, Newgrain, aims to solve both these issues.

Dubbed “a digital space for analog photographers,” Newgrain promises to “make analog photography thrive in the digital age” through three primary features and goals for the platform. Newgrain gives photographers the “space they deserve” to share their photos and creates a unified place for the film community; it promises to be the best online resource for information about film stocks, cameras, and film labs; and the app includes a digital standard for analog shots, ensuring that film photos have important metadata, like digital image files.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

The Newgrain app is designed to look and feel like an art gallery. Unlike Instagram, Newgrain does not include any ads or feature videos.

“We’ve removed distractions and metrics such as likes and followers, so that the focus is truly on the photographers’ work. In other words, ‘Quality over quantity’ was our philosophy behind the creation of Newgrain,” explains the Newgrain team.

Speaking of the team, Newgrain was founded by Tim Issenmann, a passionate film photographer from France who built the prototypes of Newgrain during COVID lockdowns while studying in England. Issenmann is Newgrain’s CEO. Arish Tripathi is the company’s CTO and a highly skilled software developer from Kolkata, India. Tripathi joined Newgrain in early 2023 while studying in England.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

The Newgrain app launched in August and quickly passed 10,000 shared photos. It now includes more than 6,000 registered users.

The app’s catalog of film stocks includes more than 300 films, and users can learn about each of them across different characteristics, including grain profile, exposure latitude, and contrast. The film stock index is constantly growing as the community adds more information and sample shots for each film.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

Any social media platform worth its salt must have some sort of feed. Newgrain’s customizable chronological feed shows users the latest photos shared by the community, ensuring that everyone has the chance to have their work seen by others. “You’ve put care and effort into making a beautiful photo. It deserves more recognition than what algorithms will give it,” says Newgrain. Users can also customize the feed to see the most recent shots created with specific analog technology and film formats.

When new users sign up for Newgrain, they can pick out a unique URL, enabling them to share their profile and portfolio directly with others. Work that someone uploads is kept on their profile, which includes a short bio field.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

“Ever wonder how a photographer achieved certain results?” Newgrain asks. The app promises to solve these mysteries quickly. Any post can be tagged by its creator with information such as film stock used, camera, lens, format, push/pull, film lab, film expiry date, scanner, and much more.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

Rounding out the app’s key features is its Community tab. This section of the app features curated “Newgrain Picks” that showcase the best photos from the community.

Newgrain app for iOS is a digital home for analog photographers

Pricing and Availability

Newgrain is completely free to download and use. It is available only on iOS, although an Android map is on the roadmap. iOS was prioritized due to the small scale of the team and its experiences working with the platform.


Image credits: Newgrain

Unfolded Origami Works by Sipho Mabona Reflect on Inevitable Transformations

Unfolded Origami Works by Sipho Mabona Reflect on Inevitable Transformations

Photo by Heinz Dahinden. All images © Sipho Mabona, shared with permission

In Transcending the Garden, Sipho Mabona continues to push the boundaries of origami through large-scale folds inspired by beastly and geological shapes. On view now at Glacier Garden Lucerne, this body of work evokes both animal physiques and the rigid, monumental nature of glaciers portrayed through monochromatic geometries.

Mabona became known for his animal sculptures ranging from small schools of koi to a life-sized interpretation of an elephant. In recent years, he’s shifted to more abstract, hand-dyed works on cotton that, rather than focusing on a three-dimensional figure, highlight the creasing process itself. The pieces appear unfolded and allow the viewer to envision what the final form could be if the sheet were re-constructed.

This emphasis reaches new heights in Transcending the Garden, which comprises wall-based works and a pointed sculpture that rests on the gallery floor. Mabona tells Colossal that he opted for a larger scale “to provoke a more visceral response from the viewers… I always loved to get lost in large pieces of work and discover lots of minute details that only reveal themselves after thorough inspection.”

In the context of the glacial space, Mabona’s pieces point toward change, transformation, and regeneration: are the works remnants of animals past or current aerial depictions of mountainous landscapes?

The garden released a filmed visit to Mabona’s studio to coincide with the exhibition—the video is in German, so be sure to turn on English captions for translation. Find more from the artist on Instagram.

 

a large folded sheet in blue on a gallery wall

a large folded sheet in red on a gallery wall

a detail of a folded blue sheet

a large folded sheet in yellow on a gallery wall

a large folded sheet in brown on a gallery wall

two large folded sheets on a gallery wall with a pointed sculpture on the gallery floor in the center

five folded sheets on a gallery wall

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Unfolded Origami Works by Sipho Mabona Reflect on Inevitable Transformations appeared first on Colossal.

New General Manager for Coral Springs Center for the Arts Announced

New General Manager for Coral Springs Center for the Arts Announced

Published on October 02, 2023

woman

Coral Springs, FL– The City of Coral Springs has selected Coral Springs Center for the Arts Interim General Manager and Marketing Director, Meera Hammad, to lead the facility as its General Manager.

As General Manager, Hammad is responsible for overseeing The Center’s day-to-day operations including staffing, ticketing, marketing, and more. She is also responsible for management of The Center’s upcoming programming, including shows. Hammad has served as the Interim General Manager since June 2023. Prior to that, she was the Marketing Director for the facility, a position she started in May 2014. As Marketing Director, Hammad was responsible for entertainment marketing, media buying, content creation, and graphic design for the center’s 50+ show season.

Effective October 1, 2023, The Center’s operations are under the City of Coral Springs umbrella, and in her new role as a city employee, Hammad looks forward to combining her passion for theater with a focus on the city’s vision — to be the premier community in which to live, work, and raise a family — to help direct programming.

“Coral Springs is where I grew up and now where I am raising my own family,” Hammad said. “I witnessed how far the facility has progressed over the years, and I’m equally as excited – joined by my dedicated team – to bring forward a new slate of unforgettable experiences to the community.”

Under its new structure, the City of Coral Springs is applying a hybrid management model to conduct facility operations. This includes utilizing both a theater consultant (Art Center Management) and in-house staff to run The Center, while increasing the potential for other rental requests, ultimately aiming to grow the types of entertainment activities offered and possible uses for the facility. The city anticipates the new model to be cost-neutral andwilladopt acost recovery model toguide decisions related to operating the facility.

Hammad will report to City of Coral Springs Deputy City Manager, Dale Pazdra who will oversee the transition to the new model and support The Center’s staff during the transition.

“City management has a desire to utilize The Center for additional public uses, when available, and grow the types of entertainment activities offered at the facility,” Pazdra said. “With Meera’s passion, dedication, and open-mindedness, she is the perfect person to lead during this transition, and I look forward to working with her as we strengthen our commitment to the arts and show more pride in ownership.”

Hammad holds a bachelor’s degree in business marketing from Florida Atlantic University. Upon graduation, and prior to joining the Center for the Arts, Hammad spent six years in Los Angeles where she worked as a Talent Agent for a top 20 agency. She returned to Coral Springs to raise her family and apply her expertise on a local level.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling to utilize my talents and experience in a way that benefits the city I have always called home,” Hammad said.” I look forward to growing, both personally and professionally, in the city with everything under the sun.”

Information about the Coral Springs Center for the Arts can be found atTheCenterCS.com.

LG’s StanbyME Go Packs a Home Theater Into a Suitcase

LG’s StanbyME Go Packs a Home Theater Into a Suitcase

Are you someone who binges most of your favorites from bed, at the dinner table, or during your commute? You’re definitely not alone. Viewing habits have changed considerably since the introduction of mobile devices, with “content any time, anywhere” liberating viewers to enjoy streaming video, video games, or other sources once confined to a single communal television. In response to this trend, TV manufacturers have rolled out a variety of novel and innovative designs that take advantage of advancements in flat high resolution display technologies. The LG StanbyME Go is the epitome of the mobile viewing trend taken to an extreme, packing a literal suitcase design with an all-in-one entertainment system under its lid.

We’re not sure whether LG’s branding team are big fans of the Stephen King novel/film, or if its purely a play on stan culture, but either way they’ve given the StanbyME a memorably punny product name.

Imagine an enormous laptop hidden within the form of a suitcase and you’ve got the gist of the LG StanbyME Go. Housed inside the confines of the handsomely subtly rose-tinted hard sided case hides away a 27-inch LED touchscreen, supported by a built-in speaker hidden into the case top.

Attached to an adjustable stand, the 27-inch 1080P (1,920 x 1,080) LED display is flexible like a gymnast, and can tilt, rotate, and be adjusted in height for optimal viewing angles in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Users can also enjoy hands-free control with StanbyME Go’s voice recognition functionality for easily changing channels and searching for content. One HDMI and USB port are accessible in the back of the suitcase.

LG StanbyME Go open with the 27-inch LED display in flat position with simulated turntable on its display. Interior of top lid hides a 20-watt audio speaker.

A third option, table mode, allows the screen to be used flat within the suitcase, an orientation LG showcases as a virtual turntable streaming music and as the playing field for virtual boardgames entertainment.

Young man and young boy playing chess video game on the screen of the LG StanbyME Go open with the 27-inch LED display in flat position.

To maximize surround sound playback, the system’s integrated 20-watt speaker automatically adjusts according to the screen’s orientation, with support for Dolby Vision video technology and Dolby Atmos stereo sound – a literal home theater in a box solution. Don’t expect an immersive audio experience, but seated up close, the audio playback should prove sufficient.

LG StanbyME Go shown closed from the back with port door also closed.

The StanbyME Go’s built-in battery life is modest, delivering only up to three hours of viewing time between charges; that’s not even enough time to watch all of Oppenheimer, but also a by-product of the power required to drive a 27-inch LED and audio at once in a form factor much larger than a phone, tablet, or laptop.

Alongside Bluetooth and Wi-Fi pairing, thankfully LG also made the suitcase home theater AirPlay compatible, with screen mirroring from an iOS or Android device also an option, allowing for multiple viewers to cast their photos, video, and music to share.

LG StanbyME Go open with the 27-inch LED display angled and viewed from the side showing its adjustable arm.

LG is positioning the 27-inch LED touchscreen setup for entertainment, but the system could also operate as a portable all-in-one business presentation solution.

The StanbyME Go is available for pre-order for $999.99 and shipping after October 16 exclusively through LG.com. To sweeten the deal, LG is currently throwing in a free omnidirectional LG XBOOM 360 Bluetooth Speaker with every pre-order.

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Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.