Oppo launches mobile photography contest with huge $18,000 cash prize

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Oppo has just launched the Oppo Imagine IF Photography Awards with one of the biggest prizes for mobile photography competitions. Not only will the winners take home a cash prize of CNY160,000 ($18,000) but they will also receive expert training and get to take part in an international photo exhibition.

The Chinese tech manufacturer is responsible for the flagship Oppo Find N2 (opens in new tab), a foldable flip phone with a 50MP camera and the Oppo Find X5 Pro (opens in new tab) which combines two 50MP Hasselblad cameras. Oppo’s Moto is “inspiration ahead” and by launching a photography competition aimed purely at camera phone (opens in new tab) photographers, the company is empowering those who don’t have access to more expensive mirrorless cameras (opens in new tab).

• Check out the best budget camera phones (opens in new tab) that still enable you to take stunning photos without breaking the bank

In a first-of-its-kind competition, the theme is based around “Beyond the Image, Beyond Imagination and invites photographers from all over the world to enter images into eight categories; the distant view, landscape, light and shadow, the taste of memories, portrait, chapters of life, colors and night scenery. Offering such a diverse range of categories enables photographers specializing in a wide range of genres to enter.

Oppo Find N2

(Image credit: Oppo)

As well as awarding the Gold Award to the overall winner with a cash prize equivalent to $18,000/£14,483, Oppo is also offering four silver awards with a cash prize of CNY 60,000 (roughly $8,724/£7,019) and ten bronze awards with a cash prize of CNY 20,000 (roughly $2,908/£2,339) as well as training opportunities and inclusions in exhibitions. For each category, there will also be four honorable mentions as well as a partner channel award and a monthly activity award. All the above winners will also receive an Oppo Find X6.

The judging panel comprises a range of world-renowned photographers including Pete Lau, the senior vice president of Oppo, Tina Signesdottir Hult, a Norwegian art photographer and Hasselblad Master and Alec Soth, a Magnum photographer known for his large-format American projects.

Entry closes at 24:00 GMT on July 25 2023 and can be made through the (opens in new tab). All photos must be taken on an Oppo phone (opens in new tab), photographers are able to submit up to 40 images and it’s free to enter.

For more information on entry requirements, head to the (opens in new tab).

Check out the best selfie sticks (opens in new tab) perfect for using with your smartphone to take selfies and group shots

Contest for wildlife photography open till May 23

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

A not-for-profit from Bengaluru is inviting entries for a pan-India conservation photography contest called ‘Eye for wild’.

Applicants can submit photographs on the themes ‘Wildlife of India’ or ‘Human-animal conflicts’ until May 23. These photographs can be taken either exclusively for the contest or should not be more than 10 years old.

There is no age bar but you have to pay a fee of Rs 350 to register. “The money will be used to buy safety equipment for the forest frontline staff. They comprise local and tribal people. They risk their lives to prevent human-animal conflicts. They are the lifesavers of the forest,” Pavan Joshi, founder of Adavi Alert Foundation, which is hosting the contest, explains.

Illustrating the role of photography in wildlife conservation, he talks about Srikanth Mannepuri’s famous drone shot titled ‘Just one day’s catch’, which captures unsustainable fishing
in coastal Andhra Pradesh. “I believe the photograph prompted authorities to act,” Joshi says.

This is the first edition of ‘Eye for wild’ and with subsequent editions, Joshi wants to build a database of fauna to aid conservation efforts.

Winners will get cash prizes, certificates and goodies.

For details and registration, visit adavialert.photocontests.in

Minimalist Photography in the Middle of a Desert

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

There are a lot of beautiful places for photography, but typically we envision locations teaming with life, greenery, and complexities. Well, deserts are stunning locations in their own right, and this video shows how it can be the case.

I have been lucky enough to have traveled with my camera to many places to shoot, from glaciers in Iceland to rainforests in Costa Rica. There isn’t one kind of biome I gravitate toward more than another — I love the mountains and I love the beach — but there is one landscape I have yet to visit: a desert.

In this video, North Borders heads to Stockton sand dunes in New South Wales, Australia, to do some automotive photography with both a camera and his drone. One aspect of shooting with a drone that I have particularly enjoyed is the perspective you can’t easily replicate in any other way, especially during golden hour when the light paints shadows. Although desert sands can seem rather plain, when light hits the dunes from an angle, it creates interesting patterns, not to mention the contrast of colors between a deep blue sky and orange sands.

Have you ever done any photography in a desert? Share your experience in the comments.

Brookfield artistshares reconnection to creative impulse

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

It took three decades for Carla Riseman to reconnect with her love of creating art. But now that she’s rediscovered that create spirit, she’s determined to share it with her neighbors in Brookfield.

She’s a little more than halfway through The 100 Day Project, joining a global initiative where artists create art every day for 100 straight days and share the work online with friends and followers.

While the work is available to everyone via social media – her Instagram can be found @thundermoonstudio – Riseman has been placing the small works of art at various spots around the village, giving hints about where they can be found.

Without fail – April 19 marks Day 57 – they get snapped up and very often those seeking out and finding the art explain why they sought out the little 4-by-6 and 5-by-7-inch pieces.

A woman who found Riseman’s Day 40 painting of a peach to mark Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March – important to Riseman because she lost her mother to it – told Riseman that her father had succumbed to colorectal cancer in 2021.

Carla Riseman tapes her Day 52 artwork, a fanciful child-like monster, onto the front door of Ms. Clara’s Joyful Learning Center on April 14. She’ll wrap up her 100 Day Project on June 1, just a couple of days before she’ll be a vendor at the Brookfield Farmers Market. | Bob Uphues/Editor

On Day 8, Riseman’s art was a tribute to Audrey Overholt, who along with her husband Roy was synonymous with Brookfield Little League. The Overholts lived across the street from the field bearing Roy’s name. The lights shone on the field all night on March 1, the night of Audrey’s funeral, in her memory.

“I just grabbed this one,” a woman wrote to Riseman that day. “We moved into the Overholts’ old house across the street last summer. It felt fitting we should find this one.”

When she started placing the art around town in February, she had no idea if anyone would even notice, or care. Sharing each day’s art both on her own social media and Brookfield Connections, with its 14,000 followers, has resulted in an enormous response.

“I really thought I was just going to practice every day and get better at making art, and I feel I’ve really gotten connected to Brookfield,” Riseman told the Landmark as she taped her Day 52 entry to the front door of Ms. Clara’s Joyful Learning Center on Broadway Avenue.

On Day 25, Riseman hid this piece, described as a little stegosaurus out looking for flowers, taping it to a sign at the pollinator garden outside the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library. | Provided

“I’ve been here for 10 years and I have friends, but I’ve met people that I don’t know and that I now talk to every day and are my BFFs,” she said. “That’s really the connection with my town that was the unintended wonderful consequence.

Originally a fine arts major in college, personal circumstances led her to change that focus and she forged a career in human resources and marketing, laying down her sketch pad and paintbrushes, seemingly for good.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened.

Instead of business shutting down where she worked, things were busier than ever. With a 6-year-old daughter having to attend school remotely the work-life balance, as Risemen put it, “had gotten unsustainable.”

“It was the worst,” Riseman said. “She was 6 when it started and so she needed constant supervision.”

Art lessons were asynchronous, so Riseman just started doing them along with her daughter, “just for some happy time.”

“I just noticed, ‘I feel nothing bad while I’m doing this. It’s almost like a drug, like this is fabulous,’” she said.

Having buried her artistic past, she was surprised to see it spring back to life.

“I don’t know what possessed me. I bought a bunch of watercolors stuff, which is the hardest medium possible when you pick up after not doing anything for decades,” Riseman said.

Sharing some of her work with friends generated positive feedback, so in late 2021 she opened a couple of online shops at RedBubble and Etsy, where she sold original greeting cards.

As 2022 dawned, Riseman started branching out, selling her work a couple of times at the Brookfield Farmers Market before being selected as a vendor for the Brookfield Fine Arts Festival last fall.

“I went there and stuff was just flying off my table and I was just shocked,” Riseman said.

She hopes to return to the Brookfield festival this year, but she already booked two dates to sell her work at the Brookfield Farmers Market – on opening day June 3 and on July 22.

On Aug. 11, Riseman will have a table at the Wood Dale Sounds of Summer festival and on Aug. 23 she’ll be at the Riverside Farmers Market Artisan Tent.

Plunging back into art has also brought her into contact with other like-minded Brookfield residents. She’s pitched ideas to the Brookfield Beautification Commission regarding public art opportunities and said she hopes to get more involved in those initiatives.

“Even if I was not part of it, I’d love to see more public art in Brookfield,” Riseman said, “but if I could help that happen, that’d really be amazing.”

Why Is There a Teeny Replica of a Parthenon Marble Hidden in the British Museum? This Activist Group Was Hoping You Would Ask

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

In a bid to draw attention to the debate surrounding the British Museum’s Parthenon’s sculptures, IDA printed a miniature Selene horse.

Photography award winner admits image was AI-generated

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Berlin-based photographer Boris Eldagsen rejected the recognition from Sony World Photography Awards, saying that artificial intelligence (AI) images and photography should not compete with each other in similar contests.

In a statement published on his website, Erdagsen said that he applied to the competition “as a cheeky monkey” to find out if such events are prepared to handle AI-generated content.

The photographer also urged for debate on the role of AI in photography.

“We, the photo world, need an open discussion. A discussion about what we want to consider photography and what not,” wrote Eldagsen.

What does the AI-generated photo show?

Organizers of the award announced Eldagsen’s work, titled “Pseudomnesia: The Electrician”, as the winner of its creative category last month.

The sepia-colored image shows two women of different generations, one standing behind the other.

Screenshot of the website of Boris Eldagsen — Eldagsen had previously submitted photographs to the Sony World Photography Awards without being able to winImage: eldagsen.com

“How many of you knew or suspected that it was AI generated? Something about this doesn’t feel right, does it?,” said Eldagsen.

The artist pointed out that photography shouldn’t be confused with AI-generated content. “They are different entities. AI is not photography.”

How did the award organizers respond?

In an initial response, the awarding body accused Eldagsen of “deliberate attempts at misleading” them.

“As he has now decided to decline his award we have suspended our activities with him and in keeping with his wishes have removed him from the competition,” the organization said according to a statement provided to DW.

“While elements of AI practices are relevant in artistic contexts of image-making, the Awards always have been and will continue to be a platform for championing the excellence and skill of photographers and artists working in the medium,” the statement added.

They also said they were “looking forward to engaging in a more in-depth discussion” with the artist.

Eldagsen wrote that it was “nonsense” to suggest that the organizers were willing to start a conversation with him.

According to the artist, the awarding body refused to answer questions from him and from journalists.

“They had so many options to use this for good. They used none of them,” said Eldagsen.

Later on Tuesday, the organizers removed the accusation of being misled in an edited statement sent to news agency AFP.

The AI image debate

Recently, AI has been making headlines with its ability to generate various content, from detailed travel itineraries to academic essays and code in various programming languages.

AI-generated images have recently flooded the internet, sparking a conversation around AI and disinformation.

Last month, artificially created images showing the arrest of former US President Donald Trump caused controversy online.

With new language models like DALL-E 2, users are able to create detailed and realistic images from text input in a matter of seconds.

DW has written a handy checklist on how to spot AI-generated images.

vh/jcg (AFP, dpa)

While you’re here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival Celebrates 27th Edition in Toronto

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Every May, the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival unleashes its city-wide lens-based art initiatives throughout Toronto. For the last 27 years, the festival has cultivated an immense community of photographic artists, practitioners, and lovers by bringing together the city’s museums, galleries, and artist-run centers for spring programming dedicated to the expansive medium. This year’s edition includes over 20 public art installations, three of which speak to the intersections of land, migration, and imagination through the poetic possibilities of photography’s materiality.

Brooklyn-based artist Genesis Báez has created location-specific work for an installation at The Bentway, a public art space under Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, in a project curated by Alex Rand. Báez began Groundcover by re-photographing images of the expressway’s construction in the 1950s and ’60s, then burying the negatives in its soil, where the film was altered — and partially processed — by mud, water, and weather. The resulting abstract images, enlarged from those negatives and exhibited at the site where they were made, visualize the intersection of the human-built environment with the infinite forces of land and water.

Genesis Báez, “The Mountains Facing the Sun Oil, Yabucoa, PR” (2012) from the series *Reclamation (un registro de mi afuera*), which features images buried in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, and submersed in Caribbean water for the duration of Báez’s time away in the US (image courtesy the artist)

About a 20-minute walk northwest from The Bentway is an installation, curated by Gaëlle Morel, of images from Moroccan artist Seif Kousmate’s series واحة (Waha, or Oasis in English) that takes the place of billboard advertisements. The series unpacks how the climate crisis has severely damaged the oasis ecosystem of the country’s southern regions. Kousmate traveled around the region, taking photographs and meeting with communities to talk about the area’s future. His work provides a look at the landscape’s current condition and counters the paradise-like views of the country that proliferate under the Western gaze. Similar to Báez, Kousmate employs natural elements within his experimental image-making process, using palm leaves, flowers, dried dates, and fire.

East of these two sites, the installation Writing Without Words: The Autoportraits of Hélène Amouzou, curated by Mark Sealy, places Hélène Amouzou’s spectral images at a larger-than-life scale along the sidewalk of King Street West. Using long exposures, the Togolese-Belgian artist photographs herself in domestic interiors, often with suitcases, blurring and obscuring her figure by moving in front of the camera. Through this work she shares her own story of migration and displacement; of being at the mercy of the inhumane conditions of borders, nation-states, and citizenship; and the violent disruptions that this causes physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

For more information on the 180 exhibitions at this year’s festival, visit scotiabankcontactphoto.com.

Hélène Amouzou, “Autoportrait, Molenbeek” (2009) (image courtesy the artist)

Stop, shop and TikTok: Viral-worthy local businesses in the Yakima Valley

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Native

The Yakima Valley has plenty to offer in the way of natural beauty and good eats. But if what you want is a local business to support that will also make your social media feed pop, look no further.

From a blast-from-the-past video rental store in Wapato to eye-catching mosaics in Tieton, here are five places to check out if you want your trip to be #memorable.

Tieton town square

Between Tieton Avenue, Maple Street, Wisconsin Avenue and Elm Street in Tieton

The town of Tieton is no stranger to internet fame. The story of its transformation from a struggling farming community to an arts hub had been well documented online. It’s a must-visit spot for those with a heart for art.

The best place to check out the community’s famous mosaics — which are based on fruit labels — is in the town square. The regal Royal Purple Brand Apples mosaic is a background fit for a king or queen. While you’re in town, check out the local artisan spots associated with business incubator Mighty Tieton or grab a snack at Santos Bakery.

The Alignment Co.

12 S. Second St., Yakima

Calling all crystal lovers! The Alignment Co. is one of Yakima’s newest small businesses. Owner Dimitri Ray grew up in Yakima and spent over a decade working in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles.

Ray’s goal is to create a beacon of positive energy in Yakima, and the shop is curated accordingly. The Alignment Co. sells a kaleidoscopic array of crystals from around the world, as well as plants, books and apparel. Visitors can even look at mastodon teeth and ancient Roman coins.

Ray said he wants his store to be a place where Yakima’s youth feel comfortable, and he stocks some low-priced options, including crystals for under $5.

Sip on 1st Espresso

615 S. First St., Yakima

This one’s for everyone who loves pictures and videos of mouthwateringly beautiful food. Sip on 1st Espresso is a drive-thru spot that offers smoothies, lemonades, flavored Red Bulls and other drinks topped with candy and fresh fruit. The Tropic Island Breeze jar, for one, is sweet, refreshing and bursting with flavor.

The full menu has more than 200 options and you can create your own combinations. Prices range from $7 for an individual drink to $60 for a family-sized platter.

Owner Yaritza Aguilar also uses social media to bring in business. She posts short videos showcasing her eye-catching creations and has amassed over 20,000 Instagram followers.

Saint Jack’s Video

614 W. First St., Wapato

The dream of the ’90s is alive in Wapato at Saint Jack’s Video. A true movie lover could spend hours weaving through the aisles of thousands of DVDs for rent. If you get hungry, the shop offers real movie theater popcorn along with other throwback snacks. The Rocky Road candy bars are a local favorite, longtime employee Adam Decker said.

Those with streaming fatigue may enjoy searching for a unique movie that the algorithm could never dream of delivering. Something like “Sharkula,” perhaps, which was on the new releases wall.

Rose’s Native Designs

202 S. Toppenish Ave., Toppenish

In the heart of downtown Toppenish, “Where the West Still Lives,” Rose’s Native Designs stands out with its brilliant turquoise storefront. Inside, the store is stocked with practically every Native craft you could think of, from moccasins to earrings to medallions to dolls to polished abalone shells.

Many of the crafts come from local Indigenous artists, including store owner Rose Samson. She and her husband, Ralph, have welcomed visitors from as far away as South America, Europe and Asia into their shop.

The store is certified by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board.

Be sure to check out some of Toppenish’s murals while you’re in town. There’s one featuring a horse and wagon just across the street from Rose’s storefront.

SUV crashes through Lowell photography studio for newborns

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Photography

SUV crashes through Arkansas photography studio for infants

A driver crashed through the wall of a photography studio for newborns in Lowell Tuesday morning.The Ford Escape went into the Footsteps Photography studio just before 8 a.m. Amanda Webb, who owns the studio, said that if the crash had come just a couple of hours later, there would have been babies posing against the very wall the driver destroyed.Chris Johnson was parked across the street when he heard what sounded like an explosion.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.When he saw the SUV through the hole in the wall of the studio, he ran inside.”Tires had popped but they were still spinning,” Johnson said. “I just started beating on the windows to see if I could get anybody to holler out but nobody did.”Johnson tried to pry the door open but wasn’t able to.A fire broke out and filled the room with smoke, forcing him to leave after about three minutes.>> Download the 40/29 News AppEmergency workers came on the scene and pried the doors open.Johnson saw firefighters carry out a toddler, who appeared conscious. He also saw a man leave the car, who appeared shaken up.40/29 News has reached out to Lowell police for more information about the crash.Top Headlines Fayetteville police say officer arrived just seconds after woman was stabbed to death USPS offices no longer stay open late on tax deadline day Northwest Arkansas tax centers give advice for last-minute taxes McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office claims audio recordings were altered

LOWELL, Ark. —

A driver crashed through the wall of a photography studio for newborns in Lowell Tuesday morning.

The Ford Escape went into the Footsteps Photography studio just before 8 a.m.

Amanda Webb, who owns the studio, said that if the crash had come just a couple of hours later, there would have been babies posing against the very wall the driver destroyed.

Chris Johnson was parked across the street when he heard what sounded like an explosion.

Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.

When he saw the SUV through the hole in the wall of the studio, he ran inside.

“Tires had popped but they were still spinning,” Johnson said. “I just started beating on the windows to see if I could get anybody to holler out but nobody did.”

Johnson tried to pry the door open but wasn’t able to.

A fire broke out and filled the room with smoke, forcing him to leave after about three minutes.

>> Download the 40/29 News App

Emergency workers came on the scene and pried the doors open.

Johnson saw firefighters carry out a toddler, who appeared conscious. He also saw a man leave the car, who appeared shaken up.

40/29 News has reached out to Lowell police for more information about the crash.

Top Headlines

Black Writers Workspace Cultivates the Art of Writing During Upcoming Virtual Workshop

Apr 18, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Three-day writer’s workshop set to provide practical tools for diverse writers interested in developing multi-genre writing skills

NEW ORLEANS, La., April 18, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Three times self-published author and entrepreneur Michelle Jackson had no idea starting a private Facebook group would change her life. In March 2020, inspired by COVID’s unexpected stay-at-home orders and civil unrest caused by the murder of George Floyd, Jackson took to social media to connect with writers of color and to find resources on how to market a book without leaving the confines of her home. To her surprise, thousands of black authors were facing the same hurdle and looking to collaborate with other like-minded artists. And so, the Black Writers Workspace (BWW) online community was born.

BWW has grown to over 15,000 followers in three years, hosting over 100 author interviews and virtual roundtable discussions, four book fairs, four writing competitions, and a writer’s workshop. Also, the community has inspired the launch of a new business venture, Direct2Author.com, an online independent book marketing and writing service platform developed by Jackson to help authors build their fan base with effective and low-cost book marketing tools.

“Over a million books are published each year, making the book marketing journey more competitive and crucial to the success of a publication,” said Jackson. “BWW was created to provide a positive space where writers can share resources and get the help they need to publish great works of art.”

In a move to expand the BWW brand and help writers of color succeed, the community will host the BLK INK Virtual Writer’s Workshop on May 18-20, 2023, via Zoom. This year’s theme is ‘Straight FIRE! Writing to Inspire a New Generation of Readers.’ The event is designed to educate aspiring, new, and experienced writers about practical tools and techniques for navigating the world of book writing and publishing.

The speaker roster includes Alex Jennings, a New Orleans-based award-winning fantasy writer and instructor of popular fiction at the University of Southern Maine; Jane Friedman, author, co-founder of The Hot Sheet and a columnist with Publishers Weekly; Diane Marie Brown, professor at Orange Coast College and author of the debut novel, Black Candle Women, a Read with Jenna Bush Book Club selection that is currently being adapted for television and Dr. Mona Lisa Saloy, professor at Dillard University and Louisiana’s newest Poet Laureate.

Hour-long sessions will tackle topics like ‘Land a Deal in 2023,’ ‘Put it in an (Audio) Book,’ and ‘Writing Fantasy & Sci-Fi.’ During the event week, writers can also participate in a one-on-one manuscript review session with professional editors with Speak Write Play LLC, a New Jersey-based English Language and Editing Service.

“BWW benefits when experienced writers share their pathway to success with us. Collaboration is key to nurturing a vibrant and diverse literary community,’ said Jackson. “We invite everyone to join us for the BLK INK workshop. Our goal is to nurture the next great writer.”

The event is open to all writers, regardless of race, religion, sex, and sexuality. It will take place via Zoom over three days, starting Thursday, May 18th, and ending Saturday, May 20th. Attendees can pay one fee for all three days or pay per day. College students can attend for free when they register with a .edu email address.

To register on Eventbrite, go to https://bit.ly/BLKINKWORKSHOP.

For sponsorship opportunities, email Michelle D. Jackson at events@prsolutionsllc.org.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvLTqx4GsQWed70-zOPDZTQ

NEWS SOURCE: Black Writers Workspace

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Black Writers Workspace) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: 89987 APDF-R8.7

To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/black-writers-workspace-cultivates-the-art-of-writing-during-upcoming-virtual-workshop/

Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by the Associated Press (AP).