Google's Panorama App Photo Sphere Now Available on iOS
I really love Google's Street View. It allows you to walk around mapped cities and even explore certain interiors of buildings, creating a wholly immersive experience that, really, was only meant to help people get their bearings in new areas. For the past year, Android users had exclusive access to Google's photo app, "Photo Sphere," that allowed users to create interactive 360 panoramas of their locations that could be shared with other users over Google Maps. This week, iOS users can now share the experience as the year-long exclusivity period has expired.
As somebody who's had one iteration of the iPhone for more than four years, I can't wait to test this out. I think some very innovative and creative panoramic shots can be made that go beyond the normal panoramic photo. Google created a video last summer detailing how Photo Sphere works if you're still a bit confused about the new app. If you create any cool ones, send them our way so we could feature them in the near future!
[youtube id="NPs3eIiWRaw"]
[via PetaPixel]
46 Free e-Books for Photographers
Whether you're a seasoned veteran photographer or aspiring amateur photographer, it's never a bad idea to refresh your memory with some guide books. After all, bringing things back to the basics can sometimes prove to jump kick those creative juices at times when you might find yourself spent. I know I need a bit of warm-up time when I'm out shooting after months of inactivity.
The team over at Light Stalking have put together an astounding collection of 46 free e-books for photographers to use as references, guides, inspiration, and more. Some of the books are straight guides, like A Photographer's E-Guide to Making Sharp Photographs while others are made up of photo collections, like Urban Exploration Photography. There are even guides for aspiring Instagram photographers, like the aptly titled The Photographer's Guide to Instagram. I know I'll be taking some time out of my day to refresh my Photoshop and Lightroom skills with Adobe Photoshop vs. Adobe Lightroom.
Even if you have no interest in picking up a camera, I'm sure you'll find some amazing photo books in the collection. The first half of the e-books can be found here, while the rest can be found here.
[Light Stalking via PetaPixel]
Canon Might Develop New Medium Format Camera
As an undergrad, I took a lot of photography classes to hone my abilities. Following 35mm classes were 120mm/medium format classes where we utilized cameras beyond the standard 35mm SLR cameras. One of my favorite cameras to ever shoot with was a Yashica TLR (twin-lens reflex) camera. Shooting in 120mm after 35mm was like making the jump from standard definition to high definition. Colors were more vivid, the area shot was 4x6, and the amount of detail in each photo was beautiful. If rumors are true, the modern digital camera game is about to change.
While rumors have been swirling for months that Canon was interested in entering the medium format area, nothing concrete ever came of it. Technically, nothing concrete has happened yet. However, a recently-released questionnaire sent to prolific Canon users included questions about medium format cameras, including questions on "image quality, usage scenarios and lens requirements." Canon might make the announcement official next month, but for now, this is all speculation. Chances are, they won't develop a digital TLR, which would be my dream camera. However, I'm crossing my fingers and toes in the off-chance that their first foray into the digital medium format arena comes in the form of one.
[via PetaPixel]
Javier Laspiur's Controllers Photo Series Focuses on Video Game Controllers
Photos by Javier Laspiur
Gamers know how important controllers are. After all, they're our entry into these beautiful, inspiring worlds that we have devoted a large part of our lives to. For better or worse, the wrong controller or controller input can ruin someone's experience with a game; just ask people who've thrown controllers at walls in a fit of anger. Javier Laspiur, a photographer from Madrid, Spain, has decided to pay homage to video game controllers in a new photo series entitled Controllers.
Controllers is a first-person styled photo series of presumably Laspiur's hands on various types of video game controllers (and handheld systems) with the date he first used them, which should not be confused with when each respective video game system was launched. Below, you can find a few of my favorite photos from the Controllers photo series featuring the Atari 2600 joystick, NES controller, Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in foreign markets) controller, Sega Game Gear, PlayStation controller, and PlayStation 2 controller.
You can find more from Laspiur's Controllers series on his Behance page.
Fantasy Art Photography by Margarita Kareva
Photos by Margarita Kareva
With the help of photoshop, beautiful models, and a creative imagination, Russian born photographer Margarita Kareva, specializes in fantasy art photography. What began as a hobby just 3 years ago, she says that she finds her inspiration through fantasy books and fairytales, thus transforming carefully selected models into witches and princesses. With adding surreal elements and the right location and she brings these fantasy worlds to real life in a very unique way.
In just 3 years of work, Kareva's portfolio is full of whimsical and vibrant portraits that stretch the imagination. Definitely keep tabs of more of her work here, as it continues to grow and evolve into very respected artwork, spreading around the world. Check out some of our favorites before, they may make you consider starting a new hobby of your own.
[Via BoredPanda]
[IG Weekly] angie178
Everybody is on their phone. Thousands of people everyday wear out their thumbs scrolling through photos, deciding which ones to post on Instagram. It’s so easy to do whether you’re a photographer or not; just point, shoot, choose a filter and post whatever you created. From funny duck face selfies, to breathtaking landscapes, to gritty city streets. Some use it as visual journal giving glimpses of their lives, while others have taken it to another level by creating works of art. All of us at Ruby Hornet are fans of the social media platform and decided to do a weekly series highlighting people whose Instagrams stand above the rest. Let us know in the comments section if you’d like to be featured, or let us know about some other cool Instagrams. Be sure to follow Ruby Hornet on Instagram, too.
This week’s featured Instagram comes from @angie178. If there’s one thing I do like, it’s landscape photography from places I've never been too. I’m drawn to this Instagram gallery because of its photo composition and the amazing landscapes shots from of our neighbors up north, Canada. Angie takes some great shots of what's around her and does some crazy stuff to her visuals when it comes to editing. Be sure to check out some of her photos here, and head on over to her Instagram for more of her work.
[via @angie178]
Classy Looking Mugshots of Gangsters from the 1920s
It's hard to believe that the age of the roaring 20s was almost 100 years ago, and tons of changed since. Although the 1920s was full of vibrant culture and music, it was also full of high crime, much due to the prohibition era. But the criminals back then didn't look like the criminals of today... they wore suits, ties, top hats, and they even shined their shoes. Looking back at mugshots of these criminals exemplifies the change in times, when looking classy was just as important as being gangster.
Take a look back in time at these "classy" looking mugshots of gangsters from the 1920s, and maybe pass this along to those who need to up their wardrobe.
[Via Distractify]
Interesting Photographs of Drugs Under a Microscope by Sarah Schoenfeld
Photos by Sarah Schoenfeld
Have you ever thought of liquifying drugs and putting it under a microscope to create art?... Neither did we, but Berlin artist Sarah Schoenfeld did, and they make for some pretty interesting photographs. By mixing water and different kinds of drugs, both legal and illegal, and putting droplets directly onto exposed negative film, each drug interacted with the film differently, creating a chemical reaction that continued for variable amounts of time.
In what turned out to be both a science experiment and work of art, the complete collection has been published in a leather-bound book titled “All You Can Feel", and it's fascinating to see the different effects each drug had on film. It also provides a visual on what each can do to the human body. In a separate interview with VICE, Schoenfeld spoke further on how her inspiration, “But then I became more interested in how things look. Now I'm always looking for ways to make the internal, visual.”
Check out the following results/photographs to this experiment, and let us know which are your favorites. Click here to find more.
[Via IFLScience]
