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Four Inane Questions with photographer Roy Inman

By in Photography

Four Inane Questions with photographer Roy Inman
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Just ask, and Roy Inman will be quick to tell you about his—as he jokingly puts it—“checkered photography career.” His lifelong stint as an ace photojournalist has taken him “on board America’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, to the White House, and to Fashion Week in New York,” he says. “And, of course, all over my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.”  

Inman tells us he worked as a city desk photographer after graduating from the University of Kansas and earning an MA in photojournalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. (Fun fact: he was director of photography for the Kansas City Star’s Sunday Star Magazine for a total of 17 years.)

His work has been published in plenty of well-known publications, including Time, The New York Times, and Better Homes and Gardens, but he says his favorite thing to photograph is “what’s in front of his camera at the moment.”

He’s also the resident photographer at Union Station and can often be seen with a camera in hand at the iconic tourist attraction. (Yes, you probably have his famous parade crowd shots from the Royals’ World Series or Chiefs Super Bowl hanging in your mancave.) In fact, Union Station is so near and dear to Inman’s heart he spent five years documenting the building’s pristine restoration. He even produced a book showcasing that work: Kansas City’s Union Station: Reflections After 100 Years.

We caught up with Inman in between a hectic day of shooting to query him with our four whackadoo questions. Fortunately, he only made us carry his gear for seven of his nine shoots that day. 

The Pitch: What’s the single best photo you’ve ever taken?

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Photo by Roy Inman

Roy Inman: So, I was shooting this ginormous event at our beloved Union Station, a benefit for something or other, people in costume and all that. I saw one person dressed as King Kong and had in tow a flashy, big-bosomed blond woman resembling Fay Wray. Quite the scene it was. 

But then—then, I spied this amazing, gorgeous (in her own way), obviously self-actualizing creature with spiked hair and eyes that resembled a Star Trek character. Love at first sight for a roving photographer. She embodied all of the joy, laughter, and unbridled enthusiasm that is humankind. 

What’s your favorite, impossibly perfect, go-to, on-the-run photography snack?

That’s an easy one—Oreo Mint Thins. Not a big fan am I of the big glob of filling found in regular Oreos. In addition, the thin ones suggest to me that by eating them, I will actually get thinner! What a genius marketing idea! 

The only drawback to eating thin mint Oreos in the car is the little black crumbs that tend to collect on everything, including me. Fortunately, when I am out shooting, I typically wear black to blend into the background, the goal of every photojournalist.

You get a one-hour coffee klatch with any photographer. Who are you choosing to kibitz with?

One hour coffee with Ansel Adams would be my choice. He was well-grounded in life and photography—and an absolute master at black-and-white printing. Along with Fred Archer, Adams invented the Zone System, a complex formulation that virtually guaranteed every B&W final print to be sheer perfection. 

Who do you think the world’s most impossible celeb would be to shoot? (You know, a true diva, but not in a good way.)

Sean Penn. Don’t like the cut of his jib. 

He always looks as if he just sucked on a lemon. Or maybe ate a raw potato that had stayed in the ground too long. Uck! I know, I know, he probably has millions of adoring fans, and he has probably won some award or other, but I have never seen a film or even an interview with him that I liked. 

However, being a freelancer and always trying to stay ahead of the rent, I would take on the task for enough money. I mean, a lot of money. Then, take a shower afterward.

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Sand Castle Winery Moves to Shrink Sleeves to Beat Supply Chain Issues and Expand Distribution

By in Art World News

Sand Castle Winery Moves to Shrink Sleeves to Beat Supply Chain Issues and Expand Distribution

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The wine industry is still recovering from the 2020-2021 COVID pandemic. A November Geisenheim University survey for the ProWein Business Report found that two-thirds of global wine industry representatives it surveyed identified supply chain disruption as the biggest threat to their businesses after cost increases. 92% reported that they had experienced availability issues with glass bottles, significantly more than for any other products.

Sand Castle Winery, which lies along the Delaware River in beautiful Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is one winery that decided to pivot away from its specialty cobalt blue glass bottles to shrink sleeves that simulated the blue on a more readily available clear glass bottle for three compelling reasons:

  1. To control the supply chain.
  2. To ensure uniformity across bottle orders so the visual footprint on the shelf would not change.
  3. To gain significant cost savings.

“Like every business in the country, COVID made us face a decision about how to go forward,” says Managing Partner Chad Sletten. “We used that time to pivot. We have a very unique product, Alpine Spice, which we bottled in a beautiful cobalt blue bottle with a screen-printed label. The product began growing in 2020 from something people knew from wine festivals and local retailers to gaining state-wide and even some national attention, so we decided to expand our distribution. But the supply chains weren’t reliable: even if we were lucky enough to get it, we couldn’t count on a supply down the road.”

Sletten’s contact at Waterloo Container, George Hall, Waterloo’s Territory Sales Manager for the Finger Lakes and Eastern Pennsylvania region, suggested they use shrink sleeves instead and partnered with Syracuse Label to recreate the iconic cobalt blue bottle and original screen-printed art in a shrink sleeve with the same look and feel.

“It’s a very specific and unique bottle and label design,” says Sletten, “and we wanted to keep the integrity of that 25-year-old product and honor it. We used our 25-year mark as the moment to pivot to new packaging. The new process also removed a couple of steps, drastically reducing the cost of goods since it’s quite expensive to procure the cobalt glass bottle and have it screen printed.”

“Chad told me, ‘I need something scalable that isn’t going to change,’” Hall explains. “The shrink sleeve solution did all of the above. We went from a scarce German Riesling-style bottle not made frequently to an always-available flint (clear glass) stock made in Pennsylvania. It ended up being 30% cheaper and still gave it that iconic cobalt blue look with the alpine skier on it. It also allowed them to hit the price point in the retail market they needed for the product to take off.”

The packaging transition and ramp-up were both successful, and Alpine Spice has grown from 90 to 318 stores, with plans to reach all 603 PA Liquor Board (PLCB) stores. Sand Castle Winery also did a retail push with Giant Foods, and the product is in Giant Foods, Weis Supermarkets and Wegmans.

“We have not had any customers notice the difference,” adds Sletten.

Sand Castle Winery’s story illustrates the importance of a label that adds interest, conveys a message and generates sales―something wineries know is hard to do. With consumers more price-conscious than ever, a winery needs to capture the buyer’s attention immediately with the visual aspect of the package if they hope to increase the likelihood of getting the bottle in the cart.

Shrink-sleeve labeling is a rapidly growing solution that even the smallest wineries can use to create unique, easily-customizable labels that draw the eye. Wineries can create colorful full bottle designs that tell their story and instantly change―or recreate―the look of their package and brand.

“The current economic climate has created a renewed need for creative marketing,” says Bobbi Stebbins, Marketing Director at Waterloo Container Company. “A 360-degree label surface offers more marketing real estate. At this year’s trade shows, customers said they wanted their products to look different from the competition. At the same time, they are very cost conscious and want the most value per dollar spent on packaging. Since only so many bottle designs are available, and custom bottle molds can be expensive, choosing to label with shrink sleeves is a great way to create visual interest and add messaging space to any label. Sleeves can even be enhanced with special effects and textures not achievable with paper labels.”

Waterloo Container has provided shrink sleeves to its clients for ten years, and demand has grown significantly in the past three years, following the rise of online purchasing, which intensified the need for packages to stand out. A wine bottle must ‘pop’ on the website to convince customers to buy it and pay for shipping. A bright, colorful look and effective messaging can make the difference between a browsing consumer and a sale. Waterloo responded to the increased demand for this versatile labeling by purchasing and installing a second production line and a state-of-the-art shrink sleeve applicator that operates at high speeds for larger runs. This new line can sleeve up to 100,000 bottles per day with seven application mandrels handling a wide range of different bottle shapes and sizes. For smaller jobs or hand-applied applications, Waterloo maintains its original line.

To learn more about current special offers on shrink sleeve applications, please call 315-539-3922 or email contactus@waterloocontainer.com.

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Colony Debuts a First-of-its-Kind Incubator: The Designers’ Residency

By in Design

Colony Debuts a First-of-its-Kind Incubator: The Designers’ Residency

A new design incubator program from design gallery and strategy firm Colony has hit the ground running! The Designers’ Residency aims to nurture the next generation of designers by providing real studio experiences and collaboration opportunities under the guidance of Colony’s founder, Jean Lin. Over the 8-month long program, young design residents will have the chance to discover and hone their craft with the ultimate goal of launching their own studios and their first collection through Colony.

Marmar Studio, The Pet Collection

The curriculum was put together by Lin and Colony Art Director, Madeleine Parsons, leaning on both Lin and Parsons’ time as professors at Parsons and RISD. Focused on product development and design leadership, the program moves through the steps of launching a studio, including collection development, marketing and sales strategy, and exhibition and photography. The lessons combine to offer success in the contemporary design landscape, as well as positioning of their own studio. During the residency, Colony subsidizes shop space and employs the residents at the gallery, allowing for studio and curation experience at a professional level along with income.

tall, thin wood piece with five large holes and two toned wood bedside table

Marmar Studio, Noon Valet + Pippi Nightstand

For its inaugural Residency, Colony worked with two burgeoning studios. Marmar Studio, a furniture and object design studio founded by Ingemar Hagen-Keith, will be showcasing their debut Pet Collection. Alexis & Ginger, the namesake design studio led by Alexis Tingey and Ginger Gordon, will be debuting Ode. Both studios will ultimately be added to Colony’s permanent roster of independent American design talents.

tall, thin wood piece with five large holes and two toned wood bedside table

Marmar Studio, Noon Valet + Pippi Nightstand

“Each piece in the collection captures that explosive affection you feel when you see something you can’t hold back from embracing. I see these pieces as living companions for your home,” says Marmar Studio founder Ingemar Hagen-Keith of Pet Collection.

The furniture and object design studio is guided by animated gesture and refined form, with Pet Collection uniting the practical and fanciful. The series’ visual language pulls from abstract depictions of animal silhouettes and translates them using wood craft. For example, the Pippi Nightstand is an abstract interpretation of Hagen-Keith’s cat, bringing together smooth curves and sharp edges. Noon Valet follows suit with circular cutouts that cast dynamic shadows throughout the day.

tall, thin wood piece with five large holes

Marmar Studio, Noon Valet

two toned wood bedside table

Marmar Studio, Pippi Nightstand

wood and light blue corduroy stool

Marmar Studio, Ibbit Stool

detail of wood and light blue corduroy stool

Marmar Studio, Ibbit Stool

modern wood and leather chair

Marmar Studio, Clog Lounger

detail of modern wood and leather chair

Marmar Studio, Clog Lounger

three occasional tables on plinths

Alexis & Ginger, Draped Side Table, New Morning Side Table + Because the Night Stool

Alexis & Ginger, aka Alexis Tingey and Ginger Gordon, create work that brings together the pair’s love of process rooted in research and the desire to use traditional craft to evoke stories. Innovative material and form explorations reflect their appreciation of the nuanced details. The Ode collection is inspired by the balance of weight in materiality, form, and color.

three wood wall sconces displayed

Alexis & Ginger, Threshold + Silhouette Sconces

From hand-carved forms to compositions using natural materials, the pieces exude a refined strength while paying homage to artistry and craft. These talents are often associated with female makers, such as embroidery and lace making. An inlay of mother of pearl makes its way around an India ink dyed wood base of the New Morning Side Table. Meanwhile, the Tower of Song Light features a hand-pleated and cut ivory shade that brings to mind architectural forms and tapestry details.

illuminated wood wall sconce

Alexis & Ginger, Threshold Sconce

“We both began by going to the NYPL picture collection and sifting through the endless stacks of folders filled with images of lace, gloves, architectural details, greek urns, and portraiture from every era,” said Gordon. “We find inspiration in the smallest details and the largest forms.” Tingey adds, “Through gathering images and discovering details we find stories and moments that resonate with us. Through our research we look for stories that feel tactile and hold a connection. We try to incorporate these experiences into our designs.”

upholstered black and red stool

Alexis & Ginger, Because the Night Stool

detail of upholstered black and red stool

Alexis & Ginger, Because the Night Stool

black side table with white details

Alexis & Ginger, New Morning Side Table

tall floor lamp, wall mirror, and side table

Alexis & Ginger, Ode Collection

detail of floor lamp

Alexis & Ginger, detail of Tower of Song I

“At Colony, we have a foundational imperative to support and celebrate emerging independent American designers. In recent years, my work in design education as a professor at both Parsons and RISD has inspired me to explore new ways to provide a bridge from designers in their nascency to professional practice,” said Lin. “Starting one’s own studio is an enormous undertaking both creatively and financially, and a privilege that is not always afforded to many immensely talented designers. My hope is that this program allows more voices to shine, and more young designers to feel supported enough to take the leap into creating work that is wholly their own.”

An advocate of education and inclusivity, Lin hopes for the program to create more accessibility and opportunity in an industry that can hold many obstacles. While the inaugural residency was by invitation, applications for the 2023-2024 Residency program are open until May 1st.

To learn more about the Designers’ Residency, visit goodcolony.com.

Kelly Beall is senior editor at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based graphic designer and writer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, and enjoys sharing her finds with others. When undistracted by great art and design, she can be found making a mess in the kitchen, consuming as much information as possible, or on the couch with her three pets. Find her @designcrush on social.

Andrew Keller named global chief creative officer of WPP Coke agency Open X

By in Art World News

Andrew Keller named global chief creative officer of WPP Coke agency Open X
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After more than seven years at Meta, Andrew Keller is returning to the agency world as the global chief creative officer of WPP’s Open X, the holding company’s team dedicated to serving its massive Coca-Cola account.

Keller joined Meta in 2016 as global creative director and most recently served as VP of creative and experiential. Prior to his time at Meta, Keller logged 18 years at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he rose through the ranks to become chief creative officer and eventually CEO.

Returning to agency side

For Keller, the Open X position represents a chance to return to the agency world while using the expertise he gained working brand-side.

“Being able to focus on a brand was actually something that I really appreciated,” Keller said. “I really missed the agency world, where it’s [about] ideas every day. That’s the product, that we make coming up with ideas. And that was something that I really wanted to get back to.”

Keller will be based in Atlanta and start his role in June. He replaces Javier Campopiano, who is set to join McCann this year.

Read more: McCann Worldgroup hires Javier Campopiano

Keller also sees his new role as a chance to work on a brand responsible for his initial interest in advertising as a child growing up in Atlanta.

“It was a Career Day in the third grade when someone came in and talked about an ad for Mello Yellow, I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s amazing,’” Keller said. “My father-in-law was a Coca-Cola bottler in Savannah. There’s just a lot of meaning in this brand …even if it didn’t mean something to me, it means something to the world in an important way.”

Keller will help lead an Open X team open to all of WPP’s employees which currently utilizes around 8,000 employees globally, according to Laurent Ezekiel, CEO of Open X and chief marketing officer at WPP. Agencies that are part of the team include Ogilvy, VMLY&R, AKQA, Wunderman Thompson, Grey, EssenceMediacom, Ogilvy PR, Landor, Design Bridge & Partners, BCW, H&K, Hogarth and The&Partnership.

Ezekiel says he was looking to find the “CCO of the future,” which meant purposefully looking for someone with a background in tech.

“There is a huge data, tech, and experience-driven [capabilities] behind everything that we’re doing for The Coca-Cola Co.,” Ezekiel said.

Art and technology

Recent Coca-Cola ads have leaned into art and technology. The company held a recent contest for fans to create Coke art utilizing AI tools ChatGPT and DALL-E, with the winning art to grace billboards in New York and London. A short film called “Masterpiece” highlighted an iconic Coke bottle in an art gallery come to life. The latter was part of Coke’s global “Real Magic” campaign.

In February, Coke inked a deal with management consultant Bain & Co. to explore new ways to enhance the creativity of its marketing through OpenAI.

Keller said he’s excited about the potential of AI as a “co-pilot” for creatives.

“I actually think we’re going to learn more about what creativity really is as we explore AI, and I think that we’re going to be able to use AI quite effectively to drive ideas and to drive insight and to drive production,” he said.

“We’re applying and experimenting with AI across the entire WPP Open X model, and we’re pushing hard across many of the brands at The Coca-Cola Company,” Ezekiel added.

Keller will join Open X’s creative council, which includes Laura Visco and Thiago Cruz, global creative leads for Open X at Grey; Guillermo Vega, global creative lead for Open X at Ogilvy; Hugo Viega, global creative lead for Open X at AKQA; Rafael Pitanguy global creative lead for Open X at VMLY&R; Manuel Borde, global creative lead for Open X at VMLY&R Commerce; Daniel “Dany” Minaker and Sebastian “Patán” Tarazaga, global creative leads for Open X at Wunderman Thompson.

Keller’s focus will also include helping to build experiences for Coke brands that are centered on building communities.

“Community’s about finding intersecting values,” Keller said. “What’s important to you as a brand? What’s important to the people and where do you connect [with them]? … We’ve seen the sort of personalization of content and products [driving community building]. I would say that more than ever we’ve got to know exactly who we’re talking to and what we’re talking to. We’ve got to be extremely relevant. These days it’s easier than ever. And that creates a bigger obligation to do it, or you just feel like you’re missing everything.”

Time at Meta

Keller led global business creative during his time at Meta which included working on the company’s rebranding from Facebook and leading the communication and positioning of Meta’s products and tools for businesses, creators and developers. He helped double the size of Meta’s social and web channels, according to Keller, which included the Meta for Business website and social channels for entities, such as Instagram for Business.

Keller helped lead campaigns such as Meta’s “Good ideas deserve to be found,” and shows on Facebook including The #BuyBlack Friday Show.

Keller departed for what was then Facebook during a time when many advertising execs were making the move into the tech space. And while that is still the case for some high-profile names, this is the latest example of a Meta executive going back into the agency world. In February, Jason Sperling was named chief operating officer of Innocean USA after serving as global executive creative director of Meta Reality Lab and Teemu Suviala, global head of brand design for Meta Reality Labs, joined the WPP-owned brand and design consultancy Landor & Fitch.

A reunion

Keller’s return is a reunion of sorts for him and WPP’s Global Chief Creative Officer Rob Reilly, both of whom played lead creative roles at Crispin during its prime when it was named Ad Age’s Agency of the Decade.

“We’re just great partners that really respect what each other does. And I think it’s just going to be so fantastic to be back together with him and playing in the world that he has really played a big hand in creating,” Keller said about Reilly.

Rewind: Why there won’t be another agency of the decade

Keller recognizes the significance of the reunion but doesn’t put too much stock into it.

“I don’t think about it,” Keller said “I loved what I was doing … but through the journey, what I realized is this is the space that I want to come back to. I’ve got the bandwidth, I’ve got the energy, I’ve got the excitement to really dig in here, and I am excited to figure out what is going to be this next innovative age of marketing and advertising.”

A focus on partnerships

Moving forward, Ezekiel said the Open X team is focused on a few key growth areas for its client, which includes a focus on digital and innovation, co-creating products with outside partners, such as launching a limited-edition beverage with electronic music producer Marshmello and its canned Jack & Coke launch in partnership with Jack Daniel’s.

Coca-Cola’s fourth-quarter net sales increased by 7% to $10.1 billion, driven by 12% growth in pricing and a favorable sales mix. For 2023, the company previously forecast organic revenue growth of 7% to 8% and earnings per share growth of 4% to 5%.

Read more: Coca-Cola to discuss AI at Ad Age Web3 Summit

Speaking at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in February, Coca-Cola President John Murphy described the company’s results over the last few years as “steady returns in an unsteady world.” Moves to trim its portfolio and adopt a more efficient marketing approach have resulted in a healthier company, Murphy added.

“We have a very clear understanding of what is it that drives volume, price and mix in our many markets across the world,” Murphy said. “And I think what we’ve seen over the last few years is developing capability to toggle these levers so that we can both win locally as well as deliver on our broader enterprise agenda … This approach is paying off.”

SA Photographer wins 1st place in World Photography Awards

By in Photography

SA Photographer wins 1st place in World Photography Awards
sony-world-photography-awards
© Lee-Ann Olwage from South Africa has won 1st Place in the Professional competition, Creative. 2023 Sony World Photography Awards.
Image Credit:

Lee-Ann Olwage, a visual storyteller from South Africa, has won 1st place in the professional creative category at the World Photography Organisation. The winners of the various categories of the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards 2023 were announced at a special gala ceremony in London, hosted by broadcaster and art historian Kate Bryan.

In Lee-Ann’s award-winning submission, The Right to Play, she features Maasai girls from Kenya where the majority (over 80%) leave school at the age of 12 to get married. Lee-Ann seeks to reveal what’s possible when these girls are given the chance to choose a different path.

Lee-Ann, who uses photography as a mode of co-creation and celebration, says:

«What do girls dream of? And what happens when a supportive environment is created where girls are empowered and given the opportunity to learn and dream? The Right to Play creates a playful world where girls are shown in an empowered and affirming way.»

The multi award-winning photographer says that worldwide, it is estimated that around 129 million girls are out of school and only 49 percent of countries have achieved gender parity in primary education, with the gap widening at secondary school level.

« Every day, girls face barriers to education caused by poverty, cultural norms and practices such as FGM, poor infrastructure and violence, » she says, adding:

« For this project, I worked with girls from Kakenya’s Dream in Enoosaen, Kenya who have avoided FGM and child marriage, showing what the world can look like when girls are given the opportunity to continue learning in an environment that supports them and their dreams. »

Acclaimed photographer Edgar Martins from Portugal won the overall Photographer of the year title, scooping a $25,000 (USD) cash prize, and a range of Sony digital imaging equipment Additionally, Martins receives a solo presentation of his work as part of next year’s Sony World Photography Awards exhibition.

Also announced at the event were the 10 category winners, and those who placed 2nd and 3rd in the Professional competition, as well as the overall winners of the Open, Youth and Student competitions and the first-time winner of the Sustainability Prize.

To view Lee-Ann’s prize-winning photographs, the Sony World Photography Awards 2023 exhibition is at Somerset House, London until 1 May 2023, featuring over 200 prints and hundreds of additional images in digital displays from winning and shortlisted photographers.

Or view her photos on the World Photographer’s page here.

6 Common Wildlife Photography Mistakes and How to Fix Them

By in Photography

6 Common Wildlife Photography Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Wildlife photography is a challenging genre that requires sound technique, specialized equipment, particular knowledge, and heaps of patience, often for just a few seconds of prime opportunity for a shot. Whether you are new to the genre or a seasoned pro, this helpful video tutorial will show you six common mistakes wildlife photographers make and how to fix them or avoid them in the first place. 

Coming to you from Steve Perry, this awesome video tutorial discusses six common mistakes wildlife photographers make and how to fix or avoid them. One that many of us are often guilty of (myself included) is not checking the background. This is a common problem across many genres: events, portraits, weddings, and more. It is a natural thing: we tend to focus closely on ensuring we get the shot of the subject, particularly when it is in a narrow time window, and as such, we lose focus of what is going on in the background, often not even noticing a distraction in the frame until we look at the images on our computer later on. Getting in the habit of checking the background more often will help you create better images and avoid that aforementioned frustration. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Perry.

Leofoto Announces New Geared Products

By in Photography

Leofoto Announces New Geared Products

Gear News

Architectural photographers are probably following the news in the small specialist geared head market with interest. In a space that has been dominated by Manfrotto and Arca Swiss for, as far as I can tell, decades, the Chinese brand Leofoto emerged a few years ago. Their products, especially the first, are clearly inspired by European and American models, but they are successively expanding their range with new solutions.

Recently, several new products were unveiled that should be of interest to architecture and interior photographers: The G3 head, a smaller lighter version of the G4, the G20, a larger and more versatile version of the G2, and the GR-2: the missing piece of the ideal geared head, that is, the geared panning adapter. Then there is the G4 pro head, which, if I understand it correctly, differs from the existing model only in the top mount, which has been replaced by the aforementioned GR-2.

G20

The Leofoto G20 is a mid-sized geared head offering adjustments on three axes along with a panning clamp mount that accepts Arca-style plates. It differs from the smaller G2 model in a very important detail, it has a panning not only at the top, but also at the bottom. The Leofoto website claims that it can sustain a weight of 20 kg (around 44 lbs) and the head itself comes in weighing 0.68 kg (G2 weighs 0.36 kg). The head is 81 mm high (G2 is 62 mm) and 75 mm wide (G2 is 60 mm). The new head also has a greater range of movement of 15 degrees (G2 10 degrees). A great addition is the two spirit levels located on the sides of the head. It is therefore a larger, more versatile model. I know that many of you have complained about the lack of a bottom swivel in the G20. You have been heard!

It should be mentioned that It does look very similar to the Arca Swiss Core 75 Leveler which we recently posted about here.

G3

The G3 model is simply a smaller, lighter, and arguably (we do not yet know the prices) cheaper version of the well-known and previously described G4. It is dedicated to smaller tripods, as the diameter of the base is 50 mm (the G4 is 60 mm), the weight of the head itself is only 450 g (the G4 weighs 690 g) and the declared load capacity is 12 kg (the G4 20 kg). Other than that, there are no apparent differences.

GR-2

I think I would most like to test the GR-2, the geared panning adapter. Unfortunately, this type of component is difficult to find on the market and few geared heads are equipped with geared panning. Noteworthy products of this type are Rogeti (CAP-GZA) and Sunwayfoto (GC-01G).

The GR-2 is fitted with an Arca Swiss standard connector underneath, so we can quickly mount it on our existing head. It is worth noting that the lower plate can be unscrewed and the GR-2 can be permanently installed as a top mount in the head by removing the existing one. The GR-2 is 60 mm in diameter, which means it should fit perfectly on, for example, a G4 head, 42 mm in height and weighs a hefty 300 grams. It’s great that the adapter is equipped with two side spirit levels, which, if sufficiently precise, will be great for architectural photography.

I hope to describe the new Leofoto additions in more detail for you soon. What do you think?

Sony World Photography Award 2023: Winner refuses award after revealing AI creation

By in Photography

Sony World Photography Award 2023: Winner refuses award after revealing AI creation
Pseudomnesia: The ElectricianBoris Eldagsen
By Paul Glynn
Entertainment reporter

The winner of a major photography award has refused his prize after revealing his work was in fact an AI creation.

German artist Boris Eldagsen’s entry, entitled Pseudomnesia: The Electrician, won the creative open category at last week’s Sony World Photography Award.

He said he used the picture to test the competition and to create a discussion about the future of photography.

Organisers of the award told BBC News Eldagsen had mis-led them about the extent of AI that would be involved.

In a statement shared on his website, Eldagsen admitted he had been a “cheeky monkey”, thanking the judges for “selecting my image and making this a historic moment”, while questioning if any of them “knew or suspected that it was AI-generated”.

“AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this,” he continued.

“They are different entities. AI is not photography. Therefore I will not accept the award.”

The image in question showed a haunting black-and-white portrait of two women from different generations.

But as Eldagsen pointed out in his statement: “Something about this doesn’t feel right, does it?” That something, of course, being the fact that it’s not a real photograph at all – but a synthetically-produced image.

The use of AI in everything from song and essay writing, to driverless cars, chatbox therapists and the development of medicine has been widely debated in recent months; now its utility around photography has come into focus.

Boris Eldagsen

A spokesperson for the World Photography Organisation, the photography strand of art events organisers Creo, said that during their discussions with the artist, before he was announced as the winner, he had confirmed the piece was a “co-creation” of his image using AI.

He noted his interest in “the creative possibilities of AI generators”, they added, while “emphasising the image heavily relies on his wealth of photographic knowledge.

“The creative category of the open competition welcomes various experimental approaches to image making from cyanotypes and rayographs to cutting-edge digital practices,” they said.

“As such, following our correspondence with Boris and the warranties he provided, we felt that his entry fulfilled the criteria for this category, and we were supportive of his participation.

“Additionally, we were looking forward to engaging in a more in-depth discussion on this topic and welcomed Boris’ wish for dialogue by preparing questions for a dedicated Q&A with him for our website.”

They continued: “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.”

They said they recognised “the importance of this subject [AI] and its impact on image-making today” but stressed 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.”

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Analysis by Chris Vallance, BBC senior technology reporter

When an AI generated image won a US state art competition last September it ignited a debate that has raged ever since.

All the while the power of the technology increases seemingly week by week.

Photographers and artists who previously could console themselves by pointing out the flaws in AI generated images – it struggles with hands for example – now find they are becoming ever harder to spot.

Last month, Tim Flach president of the Association of Photographers, told me of his shock at how easy it was to generate an AI image of a tiger that closely resembled a photo he’d had to step into the cage to capture.

A photography student who spoke to me at the time worried whether his planned career would still exist in a few years.

Many artists and photographers accuse AI systems of unfairly exploiting the works of hundreds of thousands of human creators on which the systems are trained – some have even launched legal action.

But others simply regard AI as just another tool, a new category of art perhaps, but no less valuable.

Photography itself was once a new and, to some, threatening invention they point out.

But a host of very basic issues remain unclear, including who owns the copyright for an AI image.

As well as pictures, AI has generated a raft of as yet unanswered ethical and legal questions.

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‘I don’t blame Boris’

Eldagsen told the BBC on Monday he had made it clear to the organisers that he too wanted to publicly engage in a “open discussion” on the topic, from much earlier on in the awards process, but that this had come to no avail.

Photographer and blogger Feroz Khan took a particular interest in how the events of the past week unfolded. And he said he did not blame the artist for showing “there is a problem here in the photography industry”.

“For starters, most people have a tough time distinguishing AI-generated images from photographs (at least at first glance),” he wrote. “In a few months, it will probably become even harder to determine critical differences unless scrutinised.

“With this intention, Boris has stated that he wants photography contest organisers to have separate categories for AI images.

“I appreciate him for wanting this distinction in photo contests. Yes, he entered an AI image into the competition, but it doesn’t seem he was out to defraud anyone. He wanted to highlight an issue that certainly needs a lot more attention from everyone.”

He concluded that Eldagsen had “clearly shown that even experienced photographers and art experts can be fooled.”

An exhibition of the winners and shortlisted images from this year’s Sony World Photography Awards takes place at Somerset House, London from 14 April to 1 May 2023.

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