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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: Brett Harkness


Brett Harkness runs a beautiful studio in a converted wood mill just outside Manchester, with his partner Kristie. Together their stunning images and sound business know-how have seen their business flourish in the past few years. Brett is inspired by the variety of work they cover, successfully shooting high-end social and wedding photography, as well as strong documentary work.

"Great photos are all about keeping it simple."

For those looking to follow in his footsteps Brett's says, 'Great photos are all about keeping it simple. Whether using natural daylight or other light sources, keep your subject involved in the shoot.

By Helena Smith

Image by Brett Harkness

If you make it look easy then the subject will do more for you. Keep the backgrounds uncluttered, old doors or rusty skips make great backdrops, no matter how crazy you may look! The most important thing though is to just have fun.'

To learn more from Brett, check out his brand new website where you'll find details on forthcoming courses aimed at both beginners and professionals.

 

Diary dates


Events and exhibitions you won't want to miss

Double the fun


Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Image by Ianthe Ruthven

London's Southbank is particularly appealing at the moment due to two great photography exhibtions, both showing at the National Theatre. Unfamiliar Thames takes a fresh look at London's famous river, featuring the stunning photographs of Ianthe Ruthven. Exhibition ends 20th October, admission is free. Equally enticing is Take a View, made up of fiercely fought entries from the coveted Landscape Photographer of the Year 2007 competition. Ends 3rd November and again admission is free.

 

AIDS awareness


Lomography

Anastasia Protas who is ill with AIDS pictured with her husband, Budaga, at their home in Mwanza, Tanzania. (Photo by Tom Stoddart/Getty Images)

The thought provoking work of esteemed photojournalist Tom Stoddart, is currently on display at Nunnington Hall, North Yorkshire. This hard-hitting exhibition, entitled Lest We Forget – Africa's AIDS Crisis, gives an incredibly personal look at the lives of those living with AIDS. Exhibition entry is included in the admission price to Nunnington Hall, a picturesque National Trust property.

Style statement


Style statement

© Ferdinando Scianna/Magnum Photos

Celebrating sixty years in the business, leading photo agency Magnum is putting on Documenting Style: 60 Years of Fashion Photography. It's designed to showcase changing fashion trends and photographic styles. Magnum's extensive archive means the exhibition fills not one but two venues: The Magnum Print Room and The Atlas Gallery. Both venues are hosting the exhibition until 2nd November. See www.magnumphotos.com for details.

 

Exhibition Extravaganza


Image by Matthew Pontin

Students from University College Falmouth are hosting their MA Photography Show '07 at London's Dray Walk Gallery off Brick Lane. Exhibition runs 25th -29th October. Also worth seeing is Photo Open at The Art Pavillion in Mile End Park. Both are part of Photomonth, a series of 80 events and exhibitions across 50 East London venues, happening throughout October and November. See www.photomonth.org for details.

 

PhotoBox favourites


Here are a few of our favourite things!

Back to basics


Pop up albums

If you're just getting into digital photography Get the Most from your Digital Camera is the perfect read for you. It has loads of helpful hints and has just been updated to ensure you're kept up to date on all the latest technology to help budding photographers. It will not only inspire you to get snapping, but encourage better composition and show you how to digitally enhance your photos. Not bad for just £12.99!

 

Photo cube


Photo Cube

Cox & Cox describe this little gem as, 'A blast from the past that's just as brilliant now as it was then!' We agree this photo cube is a true design classic. Simply pick five of your favourite photos to fill up the cube and display it where you want. It's the perfect addition to your desk, or keep one by your bedside. And at just £6 it's an affordable and thoughtful little gift idea.

Bitesnich's new book


Bitesnich's new book

Austrian Photographer Andreas Bitesnich's latest book is simply called, Travel. It's packed full of powerful portraits and breathtaking landscapes, taken in a range of exotic countries around the world. The images are presented as duotones, giving a particularly pleasing atmosphere to this book, making you want to browse through it again and again. It retails around £20.

 

Tree of pictures


Tree of pictures

Dekko's Fotofall is an eye-catching way to display your favourite photos. It's stylish enough to grace any living space, or as a fun item for a child's bedroom. Simply clip on the photos of your choice and you've got a colourful display of all your happiest memories. Price £48.

 

Latest from the LightBox: Perfect pet pictures


Love your animals and the photos you take of them too!

What most of us want from our pet pictures is the ah-factor. Getting there is another matter entirely, especially with particularly playful pets, so here are a few hints to help.

With any type of portraiture, people or pets, using a narrow depth of field works really well. This blurs the background and concentrates your attention on the main point of interest.

Read the full article


Email us your pet photos for a place in our Editor's gallery and the chance to win a PhotoBook!

Perfect pet pictures

Issue: 5

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Media mentions

Digital Photographer enthuses, 'Quick delivery and a great product make using PhotoBox an excellent experience.'


Computer Buyer says, 'PhotoBox offers comprehensive online storage and sharing facilities and an enormous range of print options. As well as standard prints, you can get everything from keyrings to calendars of your images, and it's all presented in a very neat website.'

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
Contemporary Photography from South Africa, Hereford Photography Festival, until 27th October 2007 London Independent Photography 19th Annual Exhibition, 14th-27th October 2007 Sisters/Introducing Viola, Pernille Koldbech Fich, 5th October 2007-10th November Crewe Photographic Society 60th Anniversary Exhibition, Lyceum Theatre, Crewe, until 31st October Fragments of the Foreshore, River and Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames, until 4th November The Running Line, Saltwell Park, Gateshead, until 21st October Bitter Sweet: Legacies of Sugar and Slavery in the Caribbean, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston, until 29th March Now these days are gone – The Beatles photographs of Michael Peto, National Conservation Centre, Liverpool, until 2nd March 2008 Slow Burn, Focal Point Gallery, Southend, until 10th November
Competitions
LightBox
Just published
In The Blink of an Eye, The World as You've Never Seen it by John Blackenbury The Studio Photographer's Lighting Bible, by Calvey Taylor-Haw Travel, by Andreas H Bitesnich Lighting for Portrait Photography (revised editon) by Steve Bavister Understanding Digital Cameras: Getting the Best Image from Capture to Output by Jon Tarrant
Creative courses
Mark Cleghorn's Photoshop Seminar - Getting to grips with CS3, Calumet, Belfast, 31st October Digital Photography & Retouch Masterclass, London Academy of Media, Film & TV, 1 week from 29th October Nikon D200 Digital SLR 2 Day Course, Surrey & Manchester, 11th November 2007 Digital Photography, Beginners, Zoom-in, London, 18th & 25th November and 2nd December. Photoshop for Photographers, Burghley House, Lincolnshire, 24th November 2007
Bright ideas

1. Learn from the pros

Flick through professional photographs and go along to photography exhibitions. You'll find they're a great source of inspiration when it comes to taking your own images.


2. Correct the crop

Re-cropping an image before ordering can make all the difference between a simple snapshot and a professional looking print.


3. Always carry a camera

The first rule of photography is to always carry your camera. If you haven't got it with you won't be able to take that award-winning shot! Just one of the many reasons camera phones are so popular.

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