60 years later, Beatlemania will make its way to Brooklyn.

On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Museum announced that “Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm” will debut on May 3 and run through Aug. 18.

The acclaimed exhibit, which premiered last year at Britain’s National Portrait Gallery, features more than 250 photographs taken by the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer on his Pentax film camera between November 1963 and February 1964 — just as The Beatles were becoming a global phenomenon.

Described as an “immersive installation of photography, video clips, and archival material,” the exhibit chronicles the period when the Fab Four started out in Liverpool and went on to play concert halls in London, Paris and the United States.

“Since first arriving in New York in February 1964, Paul McCartney has built a strong, everlasting connection to the city,” Brooklyn Museum senior curator Catherine Futter said in the announcement. “His vibrant photographs from The Beatles’ first visit capture the energy of the city, the excitement of the American fans, and the frenzy of the band’s status as celebrities. Yet the images also record The Beatles’ fun and delight with each other.”

“Eyes of the Storm” is McCartney’s treasure trove of personal snapshots of the group performing onstage, hanging out in hotels and interacting with fans and paparazzi.

“Through McCartney’s lens, we feel the intensity of being at the center of such extraordinary events,” Futter added.

But The Beatles aren’t the only major entertainers with exhibits at the Brooklyn Museum this year.

The community-focused art institution, which offers free admission on the first Saturday of every month, is currently the home of the “Spike Lee: Creative Sources” retrospective, which closes on Feb. 11.

Beginning Feb. 10, the Brooklyn Museum will feature Alicia Keys’ and Swizz Beatz’ “Giants” exhibit, showcasing the Grammy-winning couple’s wide-ranging private art collection, including sought-after works by Black artists such as Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lorna Simpson and Kehinde Wiley.

Every year thousands of giant spider crabs come into Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria, Australia, for their annual moult. They shed their exoskeletons, then double in size while their new shell hardens over the next couple of days. During this time they are vulnerable to predators, so they gather tightly in large numbers to reduce the risk of being eaten

JULES CASEY

The Starkville Photography Club is bringing Starkville residents and Mississippi State University students together in a diverse community of shutterbugs and artists.

The club began with a simple Facebook group formed in October 2022. Arielle Jones, a local photographer, created a group to connect photographers in the Starkville area. As more people joined to share photos and ideas, new relationships were formed and new ideas were born.

Rosemary Wright saw the Facebook group as a launching point for getting together to grow and learn as photographers. With this vision, she created an in-person group.

“I used to live in Boise, Idaho, and there was a group of photographers there that would get together and do shoots about once a season. They were always great fun with great photographers,” Wright said. “So, I thought, why not start a group here too?”

J.C. Long, a photographer and Starkville resident, was present at the first meeting of the Starkville Photography Club and helped Wright gather photographers for the initial meeting in June 2023.

“I asked Rosemary how I could help her, and her reply was the suggestion of a group photoshoot,” Long said. “The first shoot was sunset light in the beauty of the grounds surrounding the Bost Center and Hunter Henry Center.”

At that meeting, several group members got together to walk the grounds and photograph several local models, as well as each other, while utilizing the university’s landscape and architecture.

Candace Morris is another Columbus photographer who comes to Starkville for the meetings. “I’m heading up the next meeting,” Morris said. “I’m really excited about getting to build relationships with everybody. There didn’t seem to be a community for photographers in our area, and I’ve been really hungry for that.”

Long agrees that community is necessary for photographers and believes that Starkville is a prime location for that community to grow in what he calls a “grassroots movement.”

“We have a unique opportunity here because of the collective culture. We’re drawing on a rich cultural landscape here. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone, especially those who are connected to Starkville beyond just Mississippi State University,” Long said. “Many Starkville residents aren’t originally from Starkville, and that’s all tied to the university. Starkville residents are from way far out, and that makes this place really interesting and unique. People come here to learn, work or teach, and put their roots down right here in this town. It creates a diverse and unique landscape that makes Starkville itself.”

Photographers in the group work together to learn and experiment with new projects and techniques. Morris is particularly excited to work with studio lighting.

“I am not a studio photographer, so it has been nice to talk to people who are doing that and have experience with it. I am very excited to learn more,” Morris said.

Kelli Jacobs, a digital asset coordinator for MSU, has been a member of the group since its conception. She encourages students who are interested in photography to join the club.

“The more diverse we can get, the better it’s going to be,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs, inspired by the club and the photographers she has met, has been working on building a magazine to showcase the work of the club and other photographers in Mississippi.

“I have submitted my work to small regional magazines before, and I thought, why not start something local?” Jacobs said. “If it takes off, that will be great.”

Jacobs’ first issue is tentatively set to be released within the next month.

“It’s called Mississippi Photographers Magazine, and I’m especially excited to feature photographers from the club,” Jacobs said. “I’ve been playing around with the layout, and I’m looking for some more submissions.”

For Wright, the group is exactly what she was looking for,

“I’d say the group is working in that direction, towards building community,” she said.

Those interested in the club, Mississippi Photographers Magazine or photography opportunities in Starkville can join the Starkville Photography Club Facebook group.

“We don’t all know what we’re doing, or where we’re going, but we’re excited to get there,” Long said.

Trade-ins take the financial sting out of upgrading your tech, especially if you’re someone who always wants the latest and greatest devices. You can trade-in your old smartphone, tablet, laptop, you name it, and take a small (or large) portion off the bill for your new purchase. (Or, in some cases, forgo paying for the new device at all.)

Of course, the entire deal hinges on the condition of the device you’re trading in. Most buyers assume your phone or laptop will have accumulated some minor wear and tear in use, even with cases, screen protectors, and protective sleeves. But what they usually look for is that the device is fully functional and free from major cosmetic damage. The worse the device’s condition, the lower your trade-in quote is going to be.

But let’s say your device is in great condition. You take the trade-in survey, and confirm to the buyer that your, say, iPhone, looks and operates as it should. You package it up, send it off, wait until the buyer receives it, only to find an email claiming the device you sent in didn’t match the conditions you said it was in. There could be dents, scratches, a broken display, perhaps buttons don’t work, or the phone doesn’t turn on at all. As such, they reduce the amount of money they’ll offer you for the phone, as the original quote was contingent on the device you described in the survey. You could appeal, of course, but you don’t have the device yourself, so you can’t prove it was in good condition when you sent it off.

Take photos and video of your devices before trading them in

Some good documentation can potentially save your trade-ins, and get you the money you believe you deserve. Before packing up your device to ship off to the buyer, take photos or video of it from different angles, so you can prove it is free from any major cosmetic issues or damage. It’s not a bad idea, either, to record the device in operation: Wake it up and unlock it, for example, to show that a buyer would have no problem using the device as it is now.

It’s not a bad idea to show that the charger works, too. Plug your phone or laptop into power, and demonstrate how it begins charging. If you really want to be thorough, you could capture the device’s serial number in the video, too, just so there’s no doubt that it’s the device you traded in or sold.

This is something I’ve done with my trade-ins in the past, just in case something happens to the device in-transit. Again, you have no control over what happens with your phone, tablet, laptop, what have you when it leaves your possession, but if you have proof of its condition before it gets in the box, you have the upper hand against issues down the line.

What prompted this piece was this since-removed post on r/samsung. The poster recommended that Galaxy users take photos and videos of their Samsung phones before trading them in. There are some helpful anecdotes in that thread, too: One user, for example, was told their smartphone had a cracked display upon arrival. The user asked for an email to contact, so they could send pictures and video to prove the display was fine when they mailed it out. Thankfully, the claim was dropped following the proof.

While tech is the focus here, this really is good practice for just about any device you want to trade-in or sell, from devices, to equipment, to antiques. You don’t want a buyer claiming the camera lens you sold them has a crack through it, or the commemorative glass you sent out is shattered. Add an extra minute or two to the packing process by documenting your trade-ins. It’s great insurance should you need it.

I’d been thinking about getting some kind of lighting system for night photography for quite some time. As someone who is primarily a landscape photographer, I wanted to expand my time outside, but most of my work was at sunset or dawn. 

After some basic research, I knew I wanted an LED small lighting system that could produce virtually any color, could fit in my pocket, and would be rechargeable. 

I liked the Luxli Fiddle Pocket LED light, and it seemed to fit my needs. It works with an Android or iOS app or can function alone. Its list price is $310, but the usual online stores have it at lower prices. 

What’s It For?

As a landscape photographer, I saw it as a way to light subjects at night and increase my useable time when it’s dark. I hoped I could light the interiors of abandoned buildings (we have a lot in Arizona, especially in our numerous ghost towns). I also saw it as a tool to get some warm or cool light on the cactus that I often photograph. 

Tech Specs

The panel is a 5″ diagonal RGBAW honeycomb of 78 LEDs, which can create almost any color on their own or with combining LEDs. The light is equipped with Bluetooth 5, which pairs with Luxli’s Composer mobile app from up to 100 feet away. Whether controlled via the app or the intuitive interface on the unit itself, the Fiddle’s multiple operating modes will deliver any color or brightness of light you desire. The color temperature range is from 2,800 to 10,000 K. You can dial it what you want from the app or the front screen on the Fiddle itself.

The Fiddle runs on a powerful internal rechargeable battery that boasts over three hours of runtime at full brightness. When it’s time to recharge, the USB Type-C connector supports Power Delivery 3.0, so the Fiddle can be quickly recharged from the included wall adapter, a power bank, or a car charger.

CCT (correlated color temperature) mode is perfect for setting traditional lighting temperatures from 2,800 to 10,000 K in 50 K increments. A filter mode lets you accent it with one of the 150 preloaded “gels.” Of course, with this device, gels are a thing of the past. It’s all done electronically. The expansive HSL mode lets you produce nearly every hue of the visible spectrum. Also, using the app, you can load any picture or video you have, tap on a color you want, and the Fiddle will duplicate it.

The Fiddle case is rugged, with a forged aluminum chassis. There are two controls for adjusting color values. For much of your photography, you’ll want it on a tripod or something to keep it steady. The Fiddle body has two 1/4-20 threaded sockets to give you the option of mounting the Fiddle on a tripod, light, stand, or ball head. With the right adapter, it’s compatible with a DSLR or camcorder for vertical or horizontal mounting. You can also use the versatile Joby GorillaPods.

First Time Out With The Luxli Fiddle

I was thinking of a good place to test the Fiddle at night and thought it would be fun to find some abandoned cars and light them up. They’re not too hard to locate, and I found six junked cars near an abandoned tire shop. 

I loaded the Fiddle on what was left of the seat of a junked car and set up my camera about 20 feet away. Using the Luxli iOS app, I chose the brightness and color I thought would work. The app quickly connected to the lights, and I was ready to experiment. 

For my photos, I also wanted to catch the star field, so I settled on 17-second exposures before the stars began to trail. Exposures at that length meant the Fiddle needed to be dimmer, so I dialed the brightness down. That adjustment was smooth, anywhere from zero to 100%. 

I experimented with different colors, which was easy from the app, and had complete HSL (hue, saturation, and luminance) control. 

I liked the results. It was a different form of photography than I was used to, but the Fiddle light certainly opened up a lot of possibilities. 

Things I Learned Using the Luxli Fiddle

Luxli makes a diffuser that magnetically clips on to the light, and I bought that later. It makes a difference in softening the light and would recommend it to potential buyers. Luxli also offers a case for the Fiddle, which is useful. I just had mine in my coat pocket, which was OK, but the case, which can hook to a belt, seems a really good option.

Things I Liked

• Very reasonable in price. Current online prices are about $240.
• Build quality is excellent. I dropped mine a few times, and it survived unscathed.
• It’s small, portable, and can last three hours. You can hook an external battery to it via USB-C and it functions and charges at the same time.
• The app is easy to use and very powerful. I liked that the Bluetooth range is very long. At 30 feet, I had no trouble operating the light. It’s specified at 100 feet.

Would Like to See

• I can’t remember a product I’ve reviewed without reservation. Luxli has done it all with the light and the app. To own this is to use it. To use it is to like it.

Summing Up

Obviously, this light does a lot more than let you take night shots of junk cars. It’s got great uses in portraits, product lighting, and a whole host of things I haven’t thought of. It’s not going to light up a big building from a great distance, but there are other lighting products for that, but this light and some time exposures will help you with almost any lighting problem. I wish I’d discovered the Luxli Fiddle a long time ago, but having bought one, I’m going to use it on multiple photo shoots. Check it out if you think you can find some uses for one. You can purchase the Luxli Fiddle Pocket LED light here.

Lifestyle photographer Amy Harrison focuses on capturing the feelings happening behind the lens. Originally from the Bay area in California, Harrison grew up always being drawn to nature and art. In 2014 she made the move to Arizona and now calls Queen Creek home.

As a kid Harrison was always painting and drawing, but photography was always something that had interested her. She was that friend that would always take the best photos for everyone’s social media accounts. It was one of her friends that pushed her to pursue photography.

“It took a lot for me to take the leap and financially invest in myself,” said Harrison, owner of Emotion Photography. “I finally decided to invest in the equipment and then I just started and it’s been amazing. I feel like the artist part of me got unlocked again.”

It was the summer of 2022 when she first started buying gear and learning the ins and outs of her camera. In October of 2022 she started doing photo sessions. 

Shooting everything from maternity to senior pictures, weddings to family portraits, branding shoots and more, Harrison encourages people to reach out to her for whatever event they may need covered. She’s open to anything!

“I really feel like our relationships are the most important thing that we have in this life and I think that’s why it’s magnified when there’s people together that love each other… trying to capture that and bring that feeling out in a photograph is what brings me so much passion,” Harrison said.

“It’s capturing the way his hand is in her hair or the way she’s holding her face. The way they’re kissing, the way a mother is holding their baby or the way this beautiful person is just looking off… it’s just capturing these little snippets of them and their interactions that highlight the depth of a relationship.” 

Instead of focusing on getting that perfectly posed photograph, her goal is to capture you. With the belief that everyone has a beauty to them, Harrison’s goal is to allow that to shine through in her work. 

“It’s almost like I’m just documenting you being you, you being with your favorite people, you having fun at the lake or whatever it is that we’re at… it’s more so that I’m documenting what’s taking place versus a posed, frozen, perfectly in place photo,” Harrison said. “It’s capturing the little special moments that happen as people are interacting.”

Having put her artistic roots aside for a while due to other priorities, Harrison’s happy to get back into creating. It’s given her a chance to reawaken that creative part of her that had become dormant. 

Looking ahead to her short-term goals, Harrison wants to master her craft and continue to build her business. Long-term, she’d love to become a destination elopement photographer. 

This job allows her to be a part of all of these magical moments people share. She wants her subjects to feel comfortable enough around her so they can be themselves as if the camera isn’t there. That’s when the photos with the most emotion come out. 

“It’s these happy and beautiful moments, things that they want to cherish forever that I get to be a part of by capturing those memories for them,” Harrison said.

To see some of Harrison’s work with Emotion Photography or to book a photo shoot, visit emotionphotography.org.