Photography

SJIMA spring show presents exhibitions by Tom Small, an International Photography Exhibition, Shades of Compassion, and OctoEyes | The Journal of the San Juan Islands

SJIMA spring show presents exhibitions by Tom Small, an International Photography Exhibition, Shades of Compassion, and OctoEyes | The Journal of the San Juan Islands

Submitted by the San Juan Islands Museum of Art

San Juan Islands Museum of Art announces the Spring Show featuring three exhibits running March 8-June 3. San Juan Island artist Tom Small will present six large stone sculptures outside in the orchard as well as sculptures in SJIMA’s North Gallery – works that recreate architecture and human structures to open up new conversations about how we build and live on Earth.

The Shades of Compassion exhibition features 41 international photographers addressing Compassion within three themes: Environment, Humanity and Spirituality. The exhibition’s primary goal is to promote compassion worldwide through inspirational, thought-provoking photographs. Dr. Kolkin, an internationally recognized photographer, educator and physician will present a talk at the museum on the medical benefits of compassion, Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama shared this about Dr. Kolkin, “Jon Kolkin admirably captures the essence of a life devoted to calming and focusing the mind so it can dwell upon developing compassion and wisdom”.

Seattle-based artist OctoEyes, integrates light, fire, and interactive elements into his sculptures, inviting audiences to engage with his creations and explore their own agency within the artwork. Exhibited in the Atrium, the work amplifies naturally occurring forms and alters their contexts in an immersive experience.

About Tom Small

Tom SmalI shared, “I think of my art as a translation of the Earth’s energy – the shape of the land is taken in through my feet and moves through my body and soul to emerge as art.”

Tom Small grew up near Kirkland, Washington. His early visual impressions included drawings of buildings on his father’s desk, skeletal frames of buildings under construction, and trees against the sky. As a child, he carved everything within reach and began carving wood in earnest in high school and at that time he also began exploring and backpacking in the Cascade Mountains.

He went on to study casting, welding, and wood carving at the University of Washington, graduating with a degree in sculpture in 1984. Looking to deepen his relationship with the wilderness, he purchased a remote piece of property atop Cady Mountain on San Juan Island.

He began working with galleries in 1985 and many of Tom’s larger works have been commissions that are featured in spaces across the United States. His sculptures live in collections throughout North America.

About the Shades of Compassion photography exhibit:

Participating photographers: Ansel Adams, Wolf Ademeit, Carol Beckwith & Angela Fisher, Daniel Beltra,Niki Boon, Phil Borges, Nick Brandt, Ernest H. Brooks Ii, Kevin Bubriski, Tom Chambers, Imogen Cunningham, Virgil Dibiase, Tj Dixon & James Nelson, Melinda Hurst Frye, Maurizio Gjivovich, David Gonzalez, Misha Gordin, Robert & Shana Parke Harrison, Michael Kenna, Angela Bacon Kidwell, Marla Klein, Jon Kolkin, Lisa Kristine, Joey Lawrence, Ruth Lauer Manenti, Rania Matar, Beth Moon, Nasa / William Anders, Wayne Quilliam, Chris Rainier, Antonio Aragon Renuncio, Manjari Sharma, Maggie Taylor, Joyce Tenneson, Jerry Uelsmann, Dave Walsh, Alice Zilberberg and Zoe Zimmerman.

Shades of Compassion is an immersive exhibit created to engage at all levels and includes a curriculum developed to encourage engagement for middle and high school teachers and students. This is a unique, thought-provoking exhibition experience.

Drawn from a diverse roster of international fine art photographers, the fifty exhibition photographs encompass a broad spectrum of perspective, subject, and artistic expression.

Curated to engender a nuanced experience of compassion, the exhibition invites the viewer to dig deeper into their understanding of compassion, an opportunity for growth and exploration. The photographs are sequenced and organized into three theme groups: Environment, Humanity, and Spirituality. Opportunities for engagement sparked by the photographs for exploring and experiencing compassion, are wide-ranging – recognizing planet Earth as our collective home, an expansive inter-dependent web of life containing microcosms of diverse wonders; weighing the fragility of endangered species and the complexity of human interactions with kindred life forms; witnessing isolation and alienation as well as the power of love, nurture, caring touch, inter-generational support, and transformative spiritual revelation. Compassion is inherently relational, interpersonal, and even communal. SHADES OF COMPASSION provides compelling portals for a broad spectrum of compassionate connections.

Coordinated educational programming for facilitated deeper compassion-centered exploration for Adult and K-12 groups is also provided (text guides). Materials for the self-guided Pause Stations and the facilitated curriculum was created under the guidance of leading experts, including senior MoMA and Minneapolis Institute of Art educators, Emory University’s Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning program for K-12, and Life University’s Compassionate Integrity Training for adults.

Compassion is the foundation for non-violent conflict resolution, equity, sustained social engagement, and addressing the needs of this planet and all its inhabitants. Extensive research in neuroscience and medicine also suggests that individuals who engage in acts of compassion toward themselves and others, benefit personally, achieving greater physical and emotional health and well-being, while living happier, more productive lives. Making a clear distinction between compassion as a motivator for social change, and affective empathy, ‘feel my pain’, which leverages distress, anger, and fear as the catalyst for action, the SHADES OF COMPASSION exhibition relies on positive, constructive emotions as a means to achieve its primary objectives. It strives to provide an immersive, safe, contemplative environment.

Shades of Compassion Artist Talk: Living A Balanced Life Guided by Compassion and Wisdom

Dr. Kolkin, an internationally recognized photographer, educator and physician will present a talk on the medical benefits of compassion, Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. All Welcome. Register at SJIMA.org

“The key to achieving true happiness is compassion for others, balanced with compassion for self, guided by wisdom.” —Jon Kolkin

“Jon Kolkin admirably captures the essence of a life devoted to calming and focusing the mind so it can dwell upon developing compassion and wisdom”. —HH The Dalai Lama

Shades of Compassion Symposium with participating photographers is planned for April 27. Details to follow. Please refer to SJIMA website for further information.

About OctoEyes

After a successful career as a software developer, OctoEyes is primarily self-taught in creating interactive installations. Driven by a passion for experimentation OctoEyes aims to inspire curiosity, wonder, and self-reflection through his work.

His fascination with the vast shapes inherent in nature serves as the foundation of his artistic exploration. Through his work, OctoEyes amplifies these natural forms and alters their contexts to offer viewers an immersive experience and as an intersection between artistry and audience participation.

“Myxogastria (aka slime mold) are common, but are so small, that they go unnoticed; yet they have incredible beauty. The first time I saw the fruiting bodies of these tiny wonders I was struck by how sculptural and otherworldly they are. I was inspired to play with scale and create these works which seem alien but are anything but.”

OctoEyes infuses interactivity into his sculptures, inviting audiences to engage with his creations and explore their own agency within the artwork. He has exhibited at events including Burning Man, Portland Winter Light Festival, and Oregon Zoo Lights.

Spring Show In-Kind Sponsors include Browne’s Home Center, Printonyx and Harbor Rental.

About San Juan Islands Museum of Art:

At the San Juan Islands Museum of Art, we celebrate artists, creativity, community and generosity through exhibits, education, and events. Located on beautiful San Juan Island in the Pacific Northwest, SJIMA connects islanders and visitors from around the world through powerful and timely museum exhibits and programming. Learn more at SJIMA.org

Contributed photo “Dance of Our Ancestors” by Wayne Quilliam

Contributed photo
“Dance of Our Ancestors” by Wayne Quilliam

Contributed photo “Ship of Fools” © Maggie Taylor

Contributed photo
“Ship of Fools” © Maggie Taylor

Contributed photo ”Nurtured” © Jon Kolkin

Contributed photo
”Nurtured” © Jon Kolkin

Area photographers excel in contest

Area photographers excel in contest

Two Haverhill women with an eye for capturing evocative images excelled in this year’s Essex Heritage Commission’s photo contest.

The contest encourages photographers of all levels to capture the living landscapes, unique places and vibrant communities of Essex County.

In 2021, Kathy Diamontopoulos took the grand prize for her photo of a plover chick in a clam shell. She titled her image “Beach Baby” and captured it at Sandy Point State Reservation in Ipswich.

She won the grand prize again this year for her photograph of a parent plover with chicks under its wings. She titled it “Precious Plovers” and also shot it at Sandy Point. The grand prize includes $300 in cash plus a $75 gift card to Hunt’s Photo.

“I was stunned when I was informed that I’d won a second grand prize, and again with an image of plovers,” Diamontopoulos said, adding that piping plovers winter in the Gulf Coast and other southern areas and spend their summers in this part of New England and other northern areas.

Diamontopoulos, a customer service representative for Middleton Electric Light, considers photography a “fierce hobby” and one that is very therapeutic.

To capture her 2021 winning “Beach Baby” image she used a Nikon Coolpix 1000 with a telephoto lens, but for this year’s winning photo she used a Nikon D7500 with a 500mm lens.

“The zoom lens allows me to get a close-up photo without disturbing the birds, which is my No. 1 priority,” she said. “Last summer, I laid flat on the sand and waited for the plovers to pass by and hoped for the best. I kept a safe distance as they are a threatened bird.”

Diamontopoulos said people walking the beach will often ask her what she’s doing, and a conversation about the plovers will often ensue.

“Education is a good way to help us coexist with nature,” she said.

People’s Choice Award

This year’s People’s Choice Award winner, Alison Colby-Campbell, has been entering the contest on and off for the last 10 years with great success.

Her winning photo for this year’s contest, titled “All is Calm,” shows a rabbi checking the operation of an electric menorah in downtown Washington Square during the past Christmas season.

“I liked the image as it represented what I think is one of the best parts of Haverhill, and that is multiple cultures being able to share space peacefully,” said Colby-Campbell, a marketing and advertising professional who founded the Heartbeat of Haverhill on Facebook. “Haverhill is an underestimated city that has a lot to brag about.”

Her first entry in 2014, a first prize winner in the downtown category, showed ice flows on the Merrimack River with a backdrop of the former Woolworth Building. Also in 2014, she was honored with a People’s Choice Award for an autumn photo of Winnekenni Castle.

She won a People’s Choice Award in 2023 for an image of the Basiliere Bridge at night and taken during a riverboat sunset cruise.

“This year there were more than 30 images up for the award,” Colby-Campbell said. “I put the word out and people in Haverhill were very responsive and supportive of my images.” Her prize, to be awarded March 6, includes a $50 gift card to Rockafellas in Salem, and a one-day pass for admission and half-day canoe rental ($30) at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary.

“I would not have won this contest for a second time if it had not been for friends and family,” Colby-Campbell said.

Her 2014 images were captured with Canon and Nikon digital cameras, while last year’s and this year’s images were taken with a Samsung smartphone.

From rocky coasts and rural farms to historic downtowns and parks, photographers vividly captured a variety of special places in Essex County for this year’s contest. All photographs were taken within the Essex National Heritage Area in 2023 and fell into the categories of “Buildings, Blocks, and Neighborhoods,” “Celebrating Our Communities,” “Four Season,” and a themed youth category which asked young people to show us why they love where they live.

2023 Essex Heritage Photo Contest Winners

Grand Prize Winner

“Precious Plovers,” by Kathy Diamontopoulos of Haverhill, taken in Ipswich

Category: Buildings, Blocks, and Neighborhoods

1st Place – “Man at the Wheel,” by Jason Kennedy of Nashua, N.H., taken in Gloucester

2nd Place – “Pink House, Half Moon,” by Catherine Grassello of Wakefield, taken in Newbury

3rd Place – “Lollipop Trees,” by Karen Hosking of Salem taken in Manchester-by-the-Sea

Category: Celebrating Our Communities

1st Place – “Ice Breaker,” by Francisco Urena of Marblehead, taken in Boxford

2nd Place – “Jackson Cup,” by Mark Katz of Marblehead, taken in Marblehead

3rd Place – “Enjoying the Show,” by Rick Matthias of Salem, Mass., taken in Salem

Category: Four Seasons

1st Place – “Springtime Eaglet — It’s Your Turn to Feed,” by Carin Macnamara of Wakefield

2nd Place – “Cygnets Amidst Fall Hues,” by Deric LePard of Salem, taken in Andover

3rd Place – “River Snowfall,” by Brian Searles of Topsfield, taken in Topsfield

Youth Category

1st Place – Merrimack River in Lawrence,” by Dante Cutietta of Tewksbury, taken in Lawrence

2nd Place – “Grasshopper,” by Georgana Cauthers of Gloucester, taken in Gloucester

3rd Place – “Mushroom Meadow,” by Jameson Dick of Ipswich, taken in Topsfield

People’s Choice Award Winner

“All is Calm,” by Alison Colby-Campbell of Haverhill, taken in Haverhill

Photo Contest Reception and Exhibit

The public is invited to attend an in-person Essex Heritage Photo Contest Reception on Wednesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. at the Salem Armory Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty St. The reception is free, open to the public and light refreshments will be available. The 14 winning images are on display at the Center through the end of March.

See winning photographs on the Essex Heritage Facebook page or at essexheritage.org/programs/photo-contest/.

Support for the Photo Contest was generously contributed by North Shore Bank, DeIulis Brothers Construction, Geller MicroAnalytical Labs, Groom Construction, and the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission. Other prize sponsorships were donated by Hunt’s Photo & Video, Ipswich River Watershed Association, REI, SEE Shore Photography, The Trustees, Mass Audubon, Harbor Sweets, Rockafellas Restaurant, and Atomic Café.

Photography Club hopes to capture new members

Photography Club hopes to capture new members
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Interested in improving your photography skills? 

If so, try joining the recently created Photography Club on campus. 

All you need is simply any kind of camera. Many students are already members of the club, each with different equipment, different knowledge and/or different photography styles. This allows everyone to learn from each other and develop new skills. They learn through weekly meetings, a Discord server and even small shoots that they sometimes do for other clubs.

Club President Jordan Joyce has been into photography for about five years and even ran a photography club in high school. He said he enjoyed running it so much that, after discovering MSU didn’t have a photography club, he immediately jumped at the opportunity to start one last November.

At the moment, the club is still young and quite small. Joyce talked about the struggles he faces because of the low number of members, altering how the club is running. For example, lately they haven’t been able to have their weekly meetings because most of the students in the club don’t have the time in their schedule to make those weekly meetings.

“We can’t exactly do the club how I would like the club to be run at the moment. We just don’t have enough people at those meetings to do the kind of workshopping stuff that I want to do,” Joyce said.

Recently they’ve been participating in fairs and advertising to gain new members. Joyce said he wants to do a fundraiser this semester to raise the group’s profile.

Joyce also talked about the importance of photography and why he felt it was necessary to start a photography club.

“It’s an important art because it allows a lot of people to see parts of the world in a way that they never would have been able to see it before. Traditional art allows you to see everything through the artist’s lens. The artist will show you their view of the world. In photography, I believe you get a much more objective stance,” Joyce said.

“It all sort of just boils down to the point of: The camera doesn’t lie. So 90% of the time, what you take a photo of is what you see in the world, and I believe that’s quite an important perspective to have,” Joyce said.

The Photography club is always open for students to join. 

“Regardless of if you have a proper camera, just being able to take some slightly better photos or just have a little bit of knowledge around editing and things like that, I feel is just quite beneficial regardless of what you do,” Joyce said.

Write to Jack Harding at jack.harding@mnsu.edu

Header Photo: This photo of an elephant taken by club president Jordan Joyce is one of the many photos students in photography club shared during meetings. (Courtesy Jordan Joyce)

Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s Photography Debuts in New Spring Training Exhibition

Hall of Famer Randy Johnson’s Photography Debuts in New Spring Training Exhibition
Randy Johnson, Gentle Giant, 2023. Digital Print. Courtesy Scottsdale Arts

As thousands gather in Arizona for Spring Training, baseball fans and art lovers alike will also have the opportunity to view the amazing photography works of one of baseball’s greatest players.

Beginning February 23, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will showcase photographs taken by former professional baseball pitcher and longtime photographer Randy Johnson that will be on display throughout the Spring Training season. The exhibition, “Storytelling with Photographs,” will run through April 28 and showcase many of Johnson’s works that capture the scenes and wildlife of African Safaris and other environments that the athlete has encountered throughout his travels.  

Known in the sports world as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Johnson earned many accomplishments throughout his 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, including winning the World Series in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and later becoming a Hall of Fame pitcher. 

While the all-star athlete led a career in baseball for two decades, sports wasn’t his only passion. Johnson is a longtime photographer and studied photojournalism from 1983 to 1985 at the University of Southern California where he had a full athletic baseball scholarship. Upon retiring from his baseball career in 2010, Johnson re-dedicated his time to photography and traveled the world, capturing everything from motorsports and major musical artists to majestic wild animals, such as the one displayed in his “Gentle Giant, Amboseli National Park, Kenya,” photograph that can be seen in the Scottsdale exhibit.  

“Photography has taken me on an amazing journey, but it’s only just beginning,” Johnson said in a statement. “I look forward to visiting places I’ve never been, shooting things I’ve never seen and getting better each and every day.” 

Johnson’s photography encapsulates the same intensity and dedication to his craft that can be seen throughout his baseball career. His works have been featured in multiple publications, including Rolling Stone, Spin and Metal Hammer, as well as in concert tour programs, posters, books and websites. 

The “Storytelling with Photographs” exhibition featuring Johnson’s works will be located in the Center Space gallery inside the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts starting February 23 through April 28, 2024. Guests can join Johnson himself for a free opening reception event at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, February 23 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Click here to RSVP for this event and learn more about the exhibition.

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan’s vibrant architecture studios

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan’s vibrant architecture studios

architecture studios captured by marc goodwin in japan

Expanding his documentation of workspaces in different corners of the world, Archmospheres photographer Marc Goodwin takes us today on a tour of architecture studios across Japan. This latest series is rooted in a personal project by architect, writer, and model builder Samuel Michaëlsson, who approached Marc to shoot several Japanese practices following the autumn of 2019, just before Covid 19. During that period, Michaëlsson traveled to Japan to interview the participants featured here. The collection of videos combines clips from Samuel’s interviews with Marc’s new work. ‘I’ve been working on a project for a number of years now, documenting (mostly) young Japanese architects and looking at how the architectural landscape there has changed drastically from one generation to another. I have conducted around 20 interviews over a period of three years,’ he tells designboom. From Kengo Kuma and Associates to Akihisa Hirata, Terunobu Fujimori, and Noiz, explore below the daily atmosphere of 16 different studios across Japan. 

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
all images © Marc Goodwin | @archmospheres

Atelier Fujimori

Marc Goodwin (see more here) begins his photographic tour in Japan, jointly with Samuel Michaëlsson, in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo. There, architect and historian Terunobu Fujimori found shelter for his current atelier in 2017, transforming the spaces of a converted residential building from the 1990s. Operating solo within the 815 square-meter structure, Fujimori is seen below, deep in focus with a pencil in hand, sketching out his latest ideas. 

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
Atelier Fujimori

Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office

The next stop is the Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office in the Nishi-azabu district of Minato-ku, Tokyo. The practice, founded in 2005, unfolds as a 323 square-meter space within a building erected in 1985. The structure itself holds a rich history, having served as both an office and residence prior. Today, Hirata is joined by a team of 21 dedicated creatives. 

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
Akihisa Hirata architecture office

Atelier Tenjinyama

Established at the intersection of architecture and art, Atelier Tenjinyama by Ikimono Architects is a five-people practice situated in Takasaki City, Japan’s Gunma Prefecture, occupying 62 square-meter within a relatively new building (erected in 2011).

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
Atelier Tenjinyama

Kengo Kuma & Associates

In Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Marc Goodwin captures the atmosphere of Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA), nestled inside the BY-CUBE building erected in 2003. With iconic projects spanning 40 countries, the globally praised architecture studio taps into the relationships between nature, technology, and human beings. Over 300 individuals contribute to KKAA’s vision, tackling a wide array of architectural forms, including urban planning. 

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
Kengo Kuma & Associates

Tsubame Architects

Tokyo-based Tsubame Architects describes its specialization as ‘social tectonics’. Founded in 2013 by Takuto Aando, Motoo Chiba, and Himari Saikawa, the firm features two divisions: the studio, where they perform the architectural design work, and the lab, which focuses on research to refine the framework in the design phase and devising ways to activate them in the post-construction phase. The studio’s work mainly focuses on interior design, including residential projects and workspaces.

photographer marc goodwin takes us inside japan's vibrant architecture studios
Tsubame Architects

Tomito architecture

In the city of Yokohama, tomito architecture transforms a former house-office into a snug architectural workspace. Eight people collaborate within the 65-square-meter office, tackling projects ranging from stores and beauty salons to welfare facilities, residences, and gardens.

Mind-bending photography: the Deutsche Börse prize

Mind-bending photography: the Deutsche Börse prize
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The project began in 2013 in the Adivasi village of Ganjad, Dahanu. Vangad, who grew up in this landscape, served as Gill’s knowledgeable guide. While Gill’s photographs captured the ever-changing qualities of the land, they fell short of revealing the hidden but essential elements beyond the visible. Vangad bridged this gap by embellishing Gill’s images with intricate drawings. His vivid narratives depict the multifaceted realities of Warli life in the region, from floods and droughts to family and village life

Lensbaby Unveils the Sweet 22 Pancake Lens, Redefining Creative Photography and Videography

Lensbaby Unveils the Sweet 22 Pancake Lens, Redefining Creative Photography and Videography
Lensbaby Sweet 22 Sample Product Photo

Lensbaby Sweet 22 Sample Product Photo

Lensbaby, a leading innovator in creative effects photographic lenses and accessories, is thrilled to announce the release of its latest wide-angle lens

PORTLAND, OR, USA, February 22, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Lensbaby, a leading innovator in creative effects photographic lenses and accessories, is thrilled to announce the release of its latest gem of a wide angle prime lens, the Lensbaby Sweet 22. Available to purchase starting February 22nd, 2024, the Sweet 22 pancake lens is set to revolutionize selective focus photography and videography.

The Lensbaby Sweet 22 boasts an extraordinarily sharp and small sweet plus the most blur produced outside the sweet spot by any Lensbaby lens, all in a tiny form factor. This creative effects lens for mirrorless systems is meticulously crafted with a compact, robust metal body, making it a must-have for photographers and videographers seeking to create an extreme sweet spot effect optically, in real time.

Key Features of the Lensbaby Sweet 22 include:

Tack-Sharp Sweet Spot: The lens creates a tack-sharp, centered sweet spot with engaging blur increasing as it moves away from the center, adding a dynamic sense of motion to still images.

Dramatic Focus Transitions in Video: Capture dramatic focus transitions of moving subjects entering or leaving the Sweet 22’s sweet spot, elevating the storytelling potential in videography.

Impressionistic Blur: Immerse your imagery in a sea of impressionistic blur, gradually transitioning to a precise, tack-sharp sweet spot, enabling photographers to direct the attention of their audience more powerfully than ever before.

Super-Wide Angle of View: With an impressive 90-degree angle of view on full-frame cameras, the Sweet 22 allows photographers to pinpoint a single subject in a sea of uniquely rendered, impressionistic bokeh.

Close-up Capability: Focus down to ~5 inches from the front of the lens, allowing users to get up close and personal with their subjects, effectively separating them from the background.

A Champion for Mirrorless: The lens is compatible with most mirrorless cameras. Compatible with APS-C and full frame bodies.

The Lensbaby Sweet 22 is set to empower photographers and videographers to explore new realms of creativity, pushing the boundaries of selective focus with in-camera optical effects. Lensbaby invites enthusiasts and professionals alike to experience the unparalleled possibilities offered by the Sweet 22 lens.

For more information about the Lensbaby Sweet 22 and to stay updated on its official release on February 22nd, 2024, visit Lensbaby’s official website.

About Lensbaby: Lensbaby is a trailblazer in the field of creative photography, designing lenses that inspire photographers to explore new dimensions of visual storytelling. With a commitment to innovation and quality, Lensbaby continues to push the boundaries of optical technology, providing tools for artists to express their unique vision.

What does extraordinary creative freedom mean to you as a photographer? Our mission is to give photographers the tools to move through their fear of shame, judgement, guilt, and being a part of the status quo. Photography isn’t about fitting in. Photography is about discovery, risk, getting out of the box, saying no to what everyone else is doing and being EXTRAORDINARY as defined by you.

We believe that creativity isn’t about what THEY do. Photography is about what YOU want to do!

What does being a photographer mean to you?
How do you #ShootExtraordinary

Learn more about Lensbaby Https://www.Lensbaby.com
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Lensbaby
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Lensbaby Sweet 22 Launch Event Video

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S.C. photographer converts home into Civil Rights Museum

S.C. photographer converts home into Civil Rights Museum

Orangeburg, SC (WOLO) —  While South Carolina played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement. One Orangeburg man found that there was no museum specifically dedicated to Civil Rights.

That was before 2019 when Cecil Williams converted his old home into a home for hundreds of artifacts and photographs.
ABC Columbia’s Alex Tejada toured his museum Wednesday and has more.

Kodak Black Throws Rocks at Photographer, Allegedly Threatens to Punch Reporter After Being Released From Jail

Kodak Black Throws Rocks at Photographer, Allegedly Threatens to Punch Reporter After Being Released From Jail

Kodak Black was just released from jail and he’s already making headlines for the wrong reasons. Video has been captured of the rapper throwing rocks at a photographer who was there to document Kodak’s release.

Kodak Black Lashes Out at Media

Kodak Black was released from the Broward County Jail in Florida on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 21), after having drug possession charges dismissed in connection to his December of 2023 arrest. The rapper’s release went left when he reportedly got aggressive with Local10 News reporter Rosh Lowe and his photographer. The news outlet captured Yak on video throwing rocks at the crew. In the clip, which can be seen below, the reporter can be heard pleading with the South Florida rhymer not to throw rocks at the camera. Yak can then be seen rearing back and throwing a stone at the group.

According to Lowe, Kodak Black also threatened to punch him in what Lowe called “one of the strangest things he’s ever seen.”

XXL has reached out to Kodak Black’s attorney for comment.

Read More: 10 Rappers Who Are Still Supporting Donald Trump

Kodak Black Released From Jail

Kodak Black has been in jail at the Miami Federal Detention Center since mid-December when he was taken into custody for possibly violating his probation when he was arrested on Dec. 6, 2023 and initially charged with cocaine possession and evidence tampering. Charges were later changed to Oxycodone possession after tests proved the substance was the prescription drug and not cocaine. The drug possession charge was later dismissed, leading to Kodak’s release today.

Read More: 23 of the Wildest Moments on Instagram Live Involving Rappers

See video of Kodak Black throwing rocks at a reporter below.

Watch Kodak Black’s Wild Interaction With Reporters Moments After Being Released From Jail

See Why These 24 Rappers Are in Jail or Prison Right Now