WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Thirteen-year-old Delvyn is an up-and-coming photographer hoping to share an opportunity of a lifetime with his classmates at Gordon Parks Academy.

During a recent trip to the Gordon Parks Museum to celebrate the iconic photographer, writer and film director from Kansas and his namesakes, Gordon Parks Academy teacher Mary Delvecchio noticed there was a photography contest happening.

She submitted photos students took during their efforts in putting together the school yearbook. A week and a half later, Delvecchio said she got the announcement that Delvyn won second place. The runner-up reward includes a trip overseas.

“I didn’t really think I was going to get second place. I really thought it was going to be one of my friends that got to it,” the 13-year-old said.

Delvyn won a trip to Paris, a trip he and Delvecchio hope can include his classmates. The prize isn’t just a vacation package. It’s an educational opportunity that will could students the chance to learn more about their school’s namesake and the impact Gordon Parks left in Europe, cementing himself as an icon on two continents.

“One of the things that you may have heard is that Delvyn has a free ride to Paris. But I have nine to 11 other students that are also wanting to go and are not funded,” Delvecchio said.

So, she’s fundraising to give her other students a chance to share in the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Delvecchio set up a GoFundMe to help raise $35,000 to take 10 other students to Paris to retrace the life and legacy of Kansas native Parks during his time in Europe. Those wishing to contribute to the cause can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-journey-to-gordon-parks-legacy-in-paris.

Copyright 2023 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com

ARDMORE, Okla. (KXII) – An Ardmore man is spending the next few months in jail after pleading guilty to clandestine photography.

Court records say that Dalton Hurt took nude photos of four people, at least two of them minors, without the victims knowing.

Court documents show that after a psycho-sexual analysis and polygraph test, an officer withdrew his opinion that Hurt was a danger to the public.

Copyright 2023 KXII. All rights reserved.

Embarking on my journey as a landscape photographer has been a thrilling ride filled with exploration, challenges, and countless awe-inspiring moments. Over time, this pursuit has not only honed my technical skills but also imparted invaluable life lessons. In this article, I’m excited to share the five most significant insights I’ve gained as a landscape photographer, each of which has enriched my craft and my perspective on the world. They may also be applicable to you. Or, perhaps you have more to add?

Patience Is the Ultimate Virtue

One of the most enduring lessons landscape photography has taught me is the art of patience. Nature operates on its own timetable, and capturing the perfect shot often requires waiting for the ideal lighting conditions, weather patterns, or moments of serenity. Learning to wait, observe, and anticipate the right moment has translated into a valuable life skill, teaching me that not everything can be rushed or controlled.

This lesson in patience has led me to appreciate the beauty of the journey as much as the destination. It also helps me to slow down and in a world that is continually fast-paced. This is one of the things I’ve learned to enjoy the most about being a landscape photographer. After all, other than a yoga retreat, where else would you be able to sit around, take deep breaths, and wait for an hour or more until you take that perfect shot?

The Dance of Light and Shadow

In the world of landscape photography, light is a dynamic and transformative force. I’ve learned that the interplay between light and shadow can turn an ordinary scene into an extraordinary spectacle. Understanding how different lighting conditions affect the mood and atmosphere of an image has heightened my sensitivity to the subtleties of the world around me. A scene which can seem mundane can spring to life in an instant, and by the same stroke, can return to mundane just as fast. Be ready to shoot, as the light will not wait for you to be ready. You need to be armed and ready for it. Additionally, it has taught me to know my camera very well, so that I’m not fumbling around with dials and settings when that moment arrives, only to miss the shot because I wasn’t ready. This can be very helpful on many occasion. However, when the light comes, it will change the scene totally, and any settings you had beforehand will be null and void at that moment. So, be ready with your setup too. 

Mindfulness and Connection With Nature

Landscape photography has deepened my connection with nature in profound ways. To capture the essence of a landscape, I’ve had to immerse myself fully in the environment, observing its details, textures, and nuances. This heightened sense of awareness has translated into a greater mindfulness in all aspects of life. As I frame a shot, adjusting composition and waiting for the perfect light, I’ve discovered a sense of harmony between myself and the world, fostering a deeper appreciation for the present moment. It is often at moments like this that a challenge or a problem that I have been having will unveil the solution to me, as my mind was so busy outside of this time that I wasn’t able to see the wood from the trees, literally.   

Embracing the Unpredictable

Mother Nature is unpredictable, often reminding us that our plans can be easily disrupted. Weather changes, unexpected elements, and unforeseen challenges are all part of the landscape photographer’s journey. This experience has taught me the importance of adaptability and embracing uncertainty. Just as I’ve learned to pivot and make the most of unpredictable situations in photography, I’ve applied this resilience to navigate the twists and turns of life with a positive attitude and an open mind. A good friend of mine, Adam Gibbs, once said: “having expectations in landscape photography can only lead to disappointment.” While I agree in principle with this, I have also learned to expect the unexpected and take what comes my way regardless. I now have my own philosophy, which is bad conditions do not exist in landscape photography. There is always a shot. Granted, it may not be a banger, but it will be a shot of some kind, and more often than not, that shot isn’t as bad as you might think. 

Perseverance in Pursuit of Perfection

The pursuit of the perfect shot is a relentless endeavor that requires dedication and continuous improvement. Through the process of trial and error, I’ve discovered that success is built on a foundation of perseverance and a willingness to learn from failures. Landscape photography has shown me that growth occurs when we push ourselves beyond our comfort zones, experiment with new techniques, and embrace constructive criticism. This resilience has spilled over into other aspects of my life, reminding me that excellence is achieved through unwavering determination. If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it, and that’s not just applicable for photography. It is when it all works out that makes it all worthwhile, until, of course, the next shoot, when that chase begins once again. 

Conclusion

My journey as a landscape photographer has been a profound education that extends far beyond the realm of photography. From patience and mindfulness to adaptability and perseverance, the lessons I’ve learned through my lens have enriched my perspective on the world and deepened my understanding of the human experience. Through the dance of light and shadow, the embrace of the unpredictable, and the pursuit of perfection, landscape photography has become a teacher, guiding me towards a more profound connection with nature, others, and myself. Above all, however, it’s the feelings that photography can give us, while shooting and also afterwards while editing and/or printing out images. Plus, along the way, I get to meet some pretty cool people who share this passion, and it is through this passion that I have formed great friendships too. 

Have you more to add to this?

Canadian company Reveni Labs, known for its remarkably compact spot meter for analog photographers and recent automated film processing machine, has launched an affordable camera tester for repair technicians, store operators, resellers, and avid collectors.

As reported by Japan Camera Hunter and Kosmo Foto, the Reveni Labs Camera Tester promises to be exceptionally useful for the film camera community. The community agrees, having helped the camera tester eclipse its funding goal on Kickstarter with 28 days left in the campaign.

“Our favorite film cameras aren’t getting any younger. Just like any machine, they need care and maintenance to keep them working. However, the repair shops of the golden age of film are no longer in business, and many of the skilled technicians have passed away, taking their knowledge and experience with them. The tradition of passing down the trade to the next generation has broken,” explains Reveni Labs, highlighting how vital it is that not only people know how to repair cameras, but that they have access to the tools they need to make camera repairs possible.

One such tool is the Reveni Labs Camera Tester. It is a “modern device capable of advanced camera system analysis,” including curtain testing, leaf shutter efficiency testing, aperture testing, tools for frame centering for leaf shutters and lenses, and more.

The Camera Tester offers three-sensor horizontal and vertical curtain analysis, curtain-velocity compensated timing, single-sensor shutter efficiency and leaf shutter analysis, aperture and lens transmission testing, automatic exposure testing, multi-sample averaging, continuous shooting framerate testing, and flash sync input.

The device includes a backlit LCD graphical display, a 3-inch x 3-inch LED light panel, stainless steel jig rods, and powder-coated aluminum housing. Its software can be updated using USB, ensuring long-term practicality.

The new tester can analyze shutter speeds as fast as 1/12,000th of a second and shutter speeds as slow as one second. It can test apertures ranging from f/1.4 to f/32. It can do a lot, and Reveni Labs says that in ideal testing conditions, its measurements can be extremely precise. For focal plane shutter analysis, for example, it is precise to a microsecond.

The Reveni Labs Camera Tester has numerous accessory add-on options, including frames for different film formats, flashes, and cables. The Reveni Labs Camera Tester is available to backers for $500 CAD, which is about $365 USD. Reveni Labs expects that its sophisticated testing product will begin shipping in April 2024.

Disclaimer: Make sure you do your own research into any crowdfunding project you’re considering backing. While we aim to only share legitimate and trustworthy campaigns, there’s always a real chance that you can lose your money when backing any crowdfunded project.

Image credits: Reveni Labs

||| FROM DAVID KOSIUR for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY |||

Starting November 1st in the Orcas Library, Lewis Francis will be displaying his black and white photos of the Southwestern US. Lewis states: “The shadowlands include the vast deserts of Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and California where beauty, solitude and silence offer shelter from the chaos of modern life.”

Lewis Francis was born and raised in Gibraltar, moved to the US in 1995, and lived in Southern California until 2020. His home is now Orcas Island where he lives with his partner and three dogs. Prior to moving to Orcas, he explored the amazing light and landscapes of the Southwest primarily and has been lucky enough to have his work shown around the country. Since he moved he has been exploring, and enjoying, the landscapes of our islands and the Pacific Northwest.

Lewis will be hosting a reception in the community room of the library on Saturday, November 4, from 4 – 6 p.m.

Chronophoto is an incredibly simple yet addictive immersive guessing game where players are presented with a series of random images and they have to guess what year a photo was taken. The game tests users knowledge of visual history by examining the details of each image to zero-in on the specific year or decade the photograph was taken.

The amusing photography web game, originally spotted by Amateur Photographer, uses images ranging from the early 20th century (1900) to the present day (2023) with points ranging from 0 to 1,000 per image depending on how close users get to the actual year. The game presents users with a series of five randomly selected images to build their scores and challenge their historical recognition abilities, with a maximum score of 5,000 points possible.

The game provides users with four modes of play, three of which are available on the web version of Chronophoto. These modes include “Classic” where players identify five images to hit the highest score possible, “Daily” where users are challenged with a new set of photos each day, and a “Party” mode that pits users against their friends in a battle for the highest score. On iPhone, the “Survival” mode asks users to guess the year of as many images as possible before they run out of lives.

Playing the game is straightforward whether using the app or web versions. Users simply open Chronophoto and select the game mode to start. Once the images open, users move the slider to the year they believe the photo was captured and click submit to test their skills. For challenging images, users can enlarge and zoom in on the images to try to see if there are any “giveaway” details in the shot to help identify the year the photo is from, and even see potentially telltale signs of film grain and colors, for the true analog experts.

After completing five rounds, users see their final scores which they can share or simply reset to start again with a fresh set of images. According to several posts online ranging from Reddit to random photo blogs, Chronophoto is a very fun, entertaining, and visually challenging game for photographers that could easily occupy a few hours of time when played with friends.

Chronophoto is available to play online through the official website, or to download from the Apple App Store for iPhones and iPad.

The Through a Global Lens Photography Competition invites students to submit original photographs that showcase their international experiences capturing “The Beauty of Culture Around the World.” The International Student Services Office (ISSO) encourages you to submit your photo for a chance to win.

This year’s contest closes on Thursday, November 9, 2023 with prizing for the top three participants.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 in Campus Life, News
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