ENFIELD — On Nov. 19, metal artist Matt Dyson and Bettye Hamill unveiled Downtown Enfield Restoration & Preservation’s new sculpture at the Enfield Town Square. Joining the artist and Hamill
DERP unveils sculpture in Enfield Town Square
Artists share skills to aid designermakers21 appeal
The Diss creative hub visitors to have a go at printing, etching and engraving to help its campaign to stay open.
Using Sculpture to Transform a Room
Expert advice and helpful tips for how to incorporate dramatic three-dimensional pieces into interior design for a home
She’s an Indigenous icon and the first Native person to win an Oscar. Is she actually Italian American?
Sony A7 III now $500 off in this Black Friday camera deal
The Black Friday camera deals have been coming hard and fast this year, and here’s one more for you — the Sony A7III is now $500 off in this Black Friday deal at Amazon. This is still a popular camera even 5 years after it was released and it’s held its value well, so this is a great deal to take advantage of.
For $1498, you can pick up this fantastic 24MP camera that can practically see in the dark — we loved it for astro and low light photography when we reviewed the Sony A7 III, and we picked it as the best value mirrorless camera in our best cameras guide.
When paired with one of the best lenses for astrophotography, this camera truly excels. It might not have the latest tech of the best mirrorless cameras, but it’s still a favorite and a great deal.
This Sony A7III Black Friday deal is just for the camera body and all the usual extras (strap, battery etc) — but you can always put that $500 saving towards one of the best zoom lenses.
It has 5 stops of image stabilization, 10FPS maximum shooting and can shoot 4K video, which is more than enough for most uses. As it’s getting older the tech is showing its age, so we’d now recommend this as more of an entry-level full-frame camera, but it still produces fantastic results and we were really happy with it when we reviewed the Sony A7 III.
It has an extended ISO range of 50 to 204800 and can autofocus down to EV-3, which is good enough for most casual astrophotography uses. Although it’s not without its faults, we think it’s great value for money and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it for this price of $1498.
If you’re on a budget, some of the best beginner cameras might be more in your price range, while the best cameras for astrophotography will suit dedicated astro shooters.
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Key Specs: The 24.2MP sensor strikes a good balance between detail and low image noise, perfect for low-light shooting. It’s accurate autofocus and 10FPS burst rate make this camera great for portraits, and the extended ISO of 50 to 204800 means it’s great in low light. It’s lightweight at 1.43 lbs / 650g and has two 2x MS/SD (1x UHS-II compliant) card slots.
Consensus: While it doesn’t boast the latest tech, the Sony A7 III is an impressive entry-level full-frame camera that offers photographers and videographers amazingly high performance for the price point.
Buy if: You’re looking for a compact camera for astro shooting or to take traveling with you, but don’t want to spend too much.
Don’t buy if: You want the latest model. This camera is over 5 years old and starting to show its age, so if you want the latest tech you’ll need a newer model.
Alternative models: If you’re a pro and have a big budget, we cannot recommend the Sony A7R V enough — it’s incredible. If you want newer tech but don’t have a big budget, consider the new APS-C Sony A6700 — it has AI-powered autofocus a fully articulating screen.
Check out our Black Friday 2023 deals page for a roundup of the best discounts and deals on telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, lego and much more.
How one photographer captures Berlin’s disappearing history
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Small business owners hope for holiday shopping boost
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The holiday shopping season is in full swing. You may want to consider shopping locally this weekend, in honor of Small Business Saturday.
In 2022, Small Business Saturday generated almost $18 billion in revenue, according to a survey by American Express.
On Saturday, more than 350 local shops and vendors will be set up in Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg for Shopapalooza. Featured businesses will be selling everything from clothes and jewelry to food and art.
Eniko Olah is the owner of Sans Market, a zero waste lifestyle store in St. Pete. Olah has been participating in Shopapalooza for more than five years and said the event helped her build up a large enough customer base to open a brick-and-mortar.
“We get to engage with a lot of new customers and let them know that we exist and what we’re all about,” Olah said. “Ultimately, we use that to bring them to the store, so it’s important obviously for the day of for the sales we generate, but really for us it’s about new connections with the community.”
Olah said a lot of small businesses in the area have been struggling with issues like the rising cost of rent and inventory, as well as staffing. She and other owners are hopeful a busy holiday season will keep the small business community thriving.
“If we want St. Pete to stay as cool and unique and beautiful as it is, I think it’s really critical to support the small businesses so we don’t have the big chains coming in,” Olah said. “It changes the atmosphere, it changes the vibe. Let’s keep it the way it is, I say.”
You can find Sans Market and hundreds of other local vendors at Shopapalooza from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. Click here for more information, including a full list of featured vendors.
This Photographer’s Story of Palestine Needs to Be Heard
“All I want is for people to live in peace and dignity,” says photographer Rania Matar in an emotional plea to the world. Having grown up in a war-torn country and living through multiple wars and conflicts during her lifetime, she knows firsthand the infrastructural and emotional devastation that they result in. And witnessing what’s ongoing between Palestine and Israel for the last 6 weeks now, she hopes dearly for the bombardments to stop and for a much-needed ceasefire.
We featured Rania’s work on our site last year when she was one of the three winners of the Leica Women Foto Project Award in 2022. A talented portrait photographer, many of Rania’s past experiences and learnings find their way into her photos as she seeks to break stereotypes with her photography. I remember her work and words having an impact on me during that interview last year:
“Reading about Rania’s experiences makes me want to go back and look at my portfolio again: to see what part of me has found its way to my photos, and to chase my newer projects with the kind of passion she embraces in her work.”
Rania’s Story
Rania’s familial roots trace back to Palestinian heritage, a fact that holds significant meaning for her. Despite the ongoing personal sorrow in her life, she willingly engaged in a conversation with me to discuss the subject at hand. It’s been three months since her beloved father passed away and Rania was very attached to him, as I could tell during our call. “My whole Palestinian identity is really tied to my father,” Rania said about her cultural roots. “My father is Palestinian, and he came to Lebanon after the 1948 Nakba. As a Palestinian Christian, he was able to eventually get the Lebanese nationality.” When she was growing up during the Civil War, he did not want Rania to get involved because of the war.
A Father’s Protection
Rania’s father was caring enough to often emotionally shield her from the effects of the wars he had lived through and the hardships of his past. The strong emotional connection she shared with her late father was palpable throughout our conversation. “He always told me – you’re not Palestinian, you’re Lebanese,” Rania recalls in an impassioned way. “The burden of the Palestinian problem is my problem. It’s my burden to carry, not yours.” This meant that Rania grew up identifying more as a Lebanese until later in life when, after moving to the USA in 1984, she began looking closely at her Palestinian roots.
“The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war”
Her father’s recent passing makes the ongoing conflict too personal and difficult for Rania. She identifies with the issues there on a very personal level due to her Palestinian background. When I queried her if there were any family members currently locked in there, she also recalled a photograph from her past.
The Power Of a Photograph
“I don’t have family back there now, but I’m reminded of a photograph my father had,” Rania says. “I found in my father’s suitcase, one that he carried around with him for over 70 years, a photograph he had.” She described it as a photograph of people running from Jaffa, where her father was originally from. An image of people fleeing into the water, escaping the clashes there. The fact that he had this photo his whole life and held on to it until the end was quite a poignant sentiment for Rania.
“Seeing the pictures of the happenings in Gaza is making me extremely upset,” Rania continued. “I don’t know where the picture came from; I found it with his things. It’s pretty powerful for me to realize that he carried this photograph his whole life, even though it was so hard for him to do so.” She knew her father tried to protect me all along.
Rania is contemplating the idea of a photo project to showcase her father’s belongings from the past. But as the ongoing war affects her on a personal level, she feels like she’s being thrown back into the conflicts she grew up in. Her father so carefully did his best to protect her from the conflicts his whole life. And I understand pretty well the difficulties in moving forward from this, especially with the constant bombardment of one-sided narratives on the news. As Rania rightly pointed out, it’s seemingly impossible for a ceasefire to be agreed upon as an, at least temporary, solution to the horrendous happenings. She recalls her youth as she mentions how she grew up in the 1982 civil war in Lebanon and also in the 2006 war with Hezbollah. All these memories repeatedly come back to her nowadays with what she’s seeing happening in Palestine. But at the end of it all, Rania truly wants everyone to live in peace with one another. Without war, without hatred.
Give Peace a Chance
Is it even possible to see the images coming out of Palestine and not be moved? Scenes capturing children frantically searching for their parents amidst the aftermath of bombings, or the haunting sight of lifeless limbs amidst debris, portray a stark reality. Many images now show entire cities reduced to nothing but graveyards.
What is most heartbreaking is not knowing what’s next for those who are alive today; will they be around to see a tomorrow. Being on social media these days is an endless doomscroll, but we must stand up and ask ourselves how we let humanity reach this level. Why is it that some lives are perceived to have more value than others? As much as I try to stay stoical while viewing photos from Palestinian photographers, I often find myself losing hope. And I feel painfully cushioned when I realize that those enduring that hell there have nothing but hope left.
Keep your eyes trained on the ground for reports from Palestinian photographers who are risking their lives each day to bring the reality of the situation to the world. Look at what people like Wissam Nasser, Belal Khaled, Hind Khoudary, Motat Azaiza, and Plestia Alaqad are photographing. You’ll truly understand the value of a dedicated photojournalist then. And you’ll truly appreciate what photography brings to the world, especially as a medium of documenting history. May peace come to the region soon. May common sense prevail where it’s needed. Let’s also say a prayer for those brave photojournalists who died (more than 50 now) in the line of coverage.
All images used in this article, unless otherwise specified, have been provided for usage by Rania Matar.
Best Professional Photographer: Samantha Turner Photography
How does it feel to win this category again?
“AGAIN!!! My heart is exploding! Knowing that the community has taken the time to vote for Samantha Turner Photography in itself is such an overwhelming feeling,” Samantha Turner said. “Then to win — AGAIN — is the cherry on top. I am so thankful and simply at a loss for words.”
What makes boudoir photography different from other types of portrait photography?
“Boudoir photography is empowering, emotional, and an experience like none other,” she said. “The boudoir experience with STP focuses on self-love from the inside out. This includes breaking social norms and striving to rewire our brains — we do not need to change our physical appearance to fit a specific mold. We are beautiful, worthy, and powerful just as we are and boudoir is a powerful reminder of just that.”
What’s been the most unexpected thing you’ve discovered about becoming a boudoir photographer?
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“When I first started photographing boudoir, I knew I wanted to focus on empowering female-identifying humans and building a community of powerful queens,” she said. “However, I have been a witness to so much more! The journey of celebrating oneself just as we are — that has become the most unexpected piece that fills my cup every day.”
- Second place: Taylor Jane Photography
- Third place: Urban Toad Media LLP
- Fourth place: Stacy Kennedy Photography
- Fifth place: Exposures by Kelli Photography
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Sebastian Maniscalco’s Toughest Audience Is His Kids
“When they laugh, it blows away the feeling of 20,000 people,” says the comedian, who stars in the new Max series “Bookie.”
Sebastian Maniscalco sells out theaters riffing on his tight-knit Italian American family. Earlier this year, in the movie “About My Father,” Robert De Niro played his hairstylist dad — who tutored the actor in the art of applying highlights. He even pitched a series centered on his life to the sitcom creator Chuck Lorre.
But Lorre had another idea. Would Maniscalco be game to portray a Los Angeles bookie adjusting his business plan as the legalization of sports gambling looms?
“I said, ‘Yeah, that sounds like an interesting world to live in,’” he recalled. The clincher: “I liked not playing me.”
“Bookie,” out Thursday on Max, caters to the antics that Maniscalco, with his elastic body and malleable face, excels in.
“I love not only telling a story, but kind of acting it out,” he said in a video interview from Atlantic City, N.J., where he was wrapping up a residency.
Onstage, Maniscalco is every bit the exasperated son, husband and father who finds even a trip to the grocery store a painful undertaking. But in real life, he revels in Sundays at the farmers’ market with his young daughter and son, admiring the art of his wife, Lana Gomez, and Whirley Pop movie nights with the whole family.
These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
1
My Theragun
I love massage, and I try to get one once a week. But when I’m on the road it’s hit or miss. And I like a really, really deep-tissue massage. So that’s what the Theragun provides for me.
2
Farmers’ Markets
It’s not necessarily shopping for fresh ingredients, but for me now with kids, to watch them walk around the farmers’ market and get excited about seeing that they’re making caramel corn, or you could feed the goat or the rabbits, or that there’s a whole pistachio stand. It’s a family tradition that we do on Sundays when I’m in town.
3
My Wife’s Art
My wife is unbelievably positive and cheerful, and her art reflects her personality. It’s abstract, it’s colorful, it’s happy. I wasn’t a big art guy prior to meeting my wife, but I have a different appreciation now about what goes into creating a piece of art. We have this huge piece in the living room that she just put up, and it’s different shades of green. It reminds me of her every time I see it.
4
Megaformer Pilates
I thought Pilates was on the floor. And then next thing you know, I’m strapped into a machine, and I’m doing these movements that I haven’t ever done before, and my body is becoming elongated. If you do it on a consistent basis, you really start to see the muscles that are being used.
5
Whirley Pop Movie Nights
We love making popcorn, and my wife turned me on to this machine, which has that crank on the side that stirs the kernels. Just canola oil and salt — that’s all you need. And we sit and watch movies. Now that the kids are getting older, they’re starting to get into movies that I grew up with, like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” My daughter is into doing all the songs from “Grease.”
6
Eataly
They have lobsters in an aquarium where the kids can look, and they have big whole fish with the eyeballs. They have a little pasta station, and I ask them, “OK, pick out the pasta that you want Daddy to make you tonight.” I feel like they have more of an appreciation of the food because they’re invested in it. I also want to open up their palates to different sauces on the pasta other than butter and cheese.
7
Cooking to Relax, Sort Of
Some guys go golfing. I like cooking for people. It’s a little nerve-racking because something could go wrong and you’ve got 13 people over. The problem with me is I like to do too much. I like people to be full before they even start eating the entree.
8
Surprise Date Nights
Sometimes you become ships passing in the night, and you need that time together as a couple. So she picks a night and surprises me where we’re going to go. And then the next week I’ll pick a night and surprise her. I think it’s very important to have those date nights in a marriage that let you reconnect.
9
‘Succession’
It is more of a comedy for me because I find myself laughing at a lot of the things they say, particularly Brian Cox, who was hysterical in this thing, and Kieran Culkin, the zingers that they throw out. I think I’ve got about four episodes left.
10
My Toughest Audience
There was nothing better for me than making a room full of strangers laugh — until I had kids. When they laugh, it blows away the feeling of 20,000 people. If I get my daughter rolling on a laugh, for me it’s gold. They’re my toughest audience, but the most rewarding.
