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Fresh out of the box

Ideas and inspiration, news and reviews, pictures and points of view – it's all right here in FOTB

Welcome to our monthly news page packed with all the weird and wonderful things happening in the world of photography. Helping you stay on the photographic pulse!

It's also a great opportunity for you to get involved and make you opinion count. Email us with your ideas, views, photography tips etc.


Featured photographer: Helena Smith


As an award-winning writer and journalist, Helena Smith has always had an interest in photography and found an increasing desire to make it her career. To achieve her goal she took a Postgraduate Certificate in photography at Central Saint Martins College. Graduating just last year, Helena now works as a successful freelance portrait and travel photographer.

"I discovered the magic of studio lighting and portraiture"

She even has own solo exhibition currently showing at the Curzon Soho cinema. Helena says "Leaving my desk job at Rough Guides was a big leap for me, but I stayed in touch with the company and relaunched myself as a travel photographer.

By Helena Smith

Image by Helena Smith

At college I discovered the magic of studio lighting and portraiture and began my cinema stills project. I always hoped to show the images in a cinema, and now the Curzon Soho has provided me with my ideal venue."

Helena’s exhibition of cinema style stills, entitled Mirage Pictures, is part of the Curzon Soho cinema’s Art in the Bar programme and can be seen until 13th October 2007.

 

Diary dates


Events and exhibitions you won't want to miss

Photo wonderland


Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Image by Lewis Carroll

Don’t be late for a very important date, at Dimbola Lodge on the Isle of Wight. The Photography of Lewis Carroll is on show from 14th September – 4th November. Carroll might be best known for his poetry and of course Alice in Wonderland, but he’s is also considered one of the best amateur photographers of his time. Covering a wide range of subjects, taken between 1856 and 1880, the highlights are arguably his wonderfully atmospheric portraits of children. Inspiration for Alice I’m sure! Admission £4.

 

Wonderwall


Lomography

Lomography

The Lomography World Congress 2007 is coming to London, 17th-23rd September. During this time Trafalgar Square will be transformed by the imposing presence of the LomoWorldWall, a massive display of some 100,000 lomo photos. The Lomography team are also putting on plenty of other interesting activities. If you've never heard of Lomography then sneak a peek at their website, it will open up a whole new world of photographic possibilities.

 

Open house


Open House London Event

Round House Camden
Hufton Crowe

London is full of architectural gems. Over the weekend of the 15th and 16th September though, many of these gems not normally accessible to the public are throwing open their doors for the annual Open House London event. The buildings, both old and new offer loads of great photo opportunities and vantage points across the capital. Entrance is free, see www.openhouse.org.uk for details.

Join the caravan


The Caravan Gallery

The Caravan Gallery

Some galleries have a rather pretentious reputation but not this one – it’s a gallery in a caravan! Brainchild of artists Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale, The Caravan Gallery’s mission is to record ordinary and extraordinary details of 21st century Britain through drawings and photos. The caravan’s distinctive mustard colouring makes it easy to spot in a crowd, but you’ll have to be quick as this little baby has a busy schedule. See website for tour dates - it’s well worth a view.

 

V&A double bill


Curtis Moffat

Image by Curtis Moffat




Fire Masks by Lee Miller

Fire Masks
©Lee Miller Archives

The V&A is always a great place to visit but it’s surpassed itself with two outstanding new photography exhibitions. Go back in time with Curtis Moffat’s Experimental Photography and Design from the 1920s and 30s, including dynamic abstracts and glamorous society portraits. Admission is free and runs until 13th January 2008.

Read our review

From 15th September the V&A will also be showing The Art of Lee Miller, an exhibition celebrating the centenary of the birth of prolific model turned war, fashion and society photographer. Admission £6, on until 6th January 2008.

Read our review

 

PhotoBox favourites


Here are a few of our favourite things!

Pop-up pictures


Pop up albums

How’s this for a bit of fun? A smart black book on the outside, open it up and discover a pop-up album, just like the books you had as a child. Simple but effective – brilliant! Available online from Umbra the photopop album is priced at £41.50.

 

Latest launches


ECOshot camera from SeaLife Cameras

Nikon D3

The battle for supremacy between photographic heavyweights Canon and Nikon just gets more and more interesting. Both have two exciting new launches to shout about. For the advanced amateur Canon has the new EOS 40D, which is a snip at around £900 (body only), well compared to its latest pro model, the EOS-1Ds Mark III at a whopping £6000!!! Nikon hits back with the new D300, around £1,300, and the full-frame D3, around £3,400. All pretty impressive stuff with state-of-the-art features, as would expect at these prices. For details and advance orders go to www.calumetphoto.co.uk.

Let more light in


Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Owners of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom will be delighted to learn that you can now get a free upgrade to the latest version, Adobe Lightroom 1.1. The new release enables smoother workflow and image editing for an even greater number of the latest RAW format cameras. For details see Adobe’s website.

 

By the book


Damien Lovegrove’s courses

Anyone who’s attended one of Damien Lovegrove’s courses will know what a talented wedding and portrait photographer he is. Now we can all pick up his top tips for weddings as he’s just launched his first book, The Complete Guide to Professional Wedding Photography. Usually priced at £19.99, PhotoBox members can receive a special 15% discount, plus free P&P (UK only). Just order the book online at Focal Press using the offer code ARS3, discount valid until 31st November 2007.

 

Latest from the LightBox: Learn the art of still life


Interesting still life shots are all around us

Still life photography is a great starting point for beginners. It’s so much easier get to grips with your camera without the pressure of impatient models waiting for you to, ‘Just take the picture!’ There’s no need for a studio and everything is usually pretty portable. Use this to your advantage and see your photography skills come on in leaps and bounds.

Read the full article


Submit your favourite still life snaps for a place in our Editor's gallery

Learn the art of still life

Issue: 4

Quick links
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I think PhotoBox is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You offer such cheap prices and the delivery time is second to none - immense!! Thanks for a great service.
Steven Legge

Media mentions

PC Pro’s online photo printing article says, 'PhotoBox remains our top choice for the enthusiast.'

PC Pro

PhotoShop Creative says, 'PhotoBox is forever inventing new gift ideas enabling you to show off your images. The latest addition is a range of notebooks which you can adorn with your own images of whatever you wish. Perfect for scribbling down design ideas, using as a sketchbook or even writing the shopping list, this is a great personalised product to give as a gift or to use yourself.'


T3 enthuses, 'Liberating your photos from the cruel confines of your digital camera and camera phone has suddenly become very easy, thanks to PhotoBox.'

Latest reviews
Daily Encounters: Photographs from Fleet Street
National Portrait Gallery until 21st October 2007

Diana: A Princess Remembered
Kensingston Palace until the end of this year

Anything You Want
Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park until 14th October 2007

The Art of Lee Miller
V & A, London until 6th January 2008

Curtis Moffat Experimental Photography & Design 1923-35
V & A, London until 13th January 2008
Exhibitions & events
Living on the Borderline Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, 13th-16th September The Royal Photographic Society: Scottish Region Members Print Exhibition Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, until 22nd September Blood, Sweat and Lycra: Paul O’Leary Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, until 23rdSeptember London – Matthew Pillsbury Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, 12th-29th September AOP OPEN Association of Professional Photographers, London, until 28th September John Stezaker Still, Edinburgh, until 28th October Justin Coombes – Urban Pastoral Paradise Row, London, from 6th September until 30th October Now these days are gone – The Beatles photographs of Michael Peto National Conservation Centre, Liverpool, until 2nd March 2008
Competitions
Amateur Photographer of the Year 2007, various deadlines for different themes RHS Photographic Competition 2007, deadline 26th October 2007 Lumix Award 2007, various deadlines for different themes British Journal of Photography: Project Assistance Awards, deadline 3rd December 2007
LightBox
Just published
Creative Photoshop: Digital Illustration and Art Techniques covering Photoshop CS3, by Derek Lea 500 Lighting Hints, Tips and Techniques by Rod Ashford Panoramic Photography by Lee Frost Digital Nature Photography: The Art and the Science by John Gerlach and Barbara Gerlach Hackney Flowers by Stephen Gill Still Life and Special Effects Photography by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz Rainforest by Thomas Marent
Creative courses
Advanced Photoshop, The Herbert, Coventry, 20th -21st September Wild Kites and Eagles Photography Workshop, Wild Area, Hampshire, 25th September Debal’s Professional Practice Seminar, Calumet Liverpool, 28th September Glencoe Budget Workshop, Scotland, 4th – 6th October Photoshop, 9 week course, Lighthouse, Brighton, starts 10th October Weekend Digital Course, Photo Opportunity, London, 20th - 21st October
Bright ideas

1. Celebrity stance

A trick favoured by celebrities is angling one shoulder slightly towards the camera, this gives an instantly more elegant and slender look.


2. Low light

When photographing in low light, if you don’t want to use flash, try bumping up your ISO setting to 800 or 1600.


3. Group shots

For large group shots it’s worth getting sizeable enlargements printed up so you can be sure of seeing everyone clearly.

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