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For the ranters, the disillusioned, the nostalgic, the cynics, the pretenders, the owners of scarves and Leica M’s: http://www.emphas.is/home.html And please enjoy your day...

By Ctein Mike's column last week, "Shooting to a Theme," was one of the most thought-provoking columns he's written in a long time. The comments from the readership were equally insightful and inspiring. I sat down to write a comment... Michael Johnston

I'm preparing for a trip to Israel to work on an independent project about the Separation Wall. I know that mobility is limited for Palestinians and Israelis, depending upon who you are and where you are trying to get to. As a foreigner (American) - is there any advice anyone can offer about what to do/not to do? I intend to go to Ramallah and Nablus, but I know that it can be extremely complicated to get from one Palestinian town/city to another. I am also not sure if it makes sense to try to get support from a media agency (NY Times, BBC, etc.) or if that will actually restrict my access. This is not an assigned project, but I aim to spend two months working in and around Jerusalem and the West Bank. I don't know if entering the Territories as a "civilian" is more or less complicated than trying to enter as a "journalist." Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Adam

Ctein's column will be a little late today. I have a doctor's appointment. —MJ Michael Johnston

Hi All, Not sure if you're already aware of this one. If it's old news, then apologies. Received the below email recently. Looked a little odd, so quick Google of the name in the email pointed me to 'Photographers Direct' list of 'email addresses used by scammers' http://www.photographersdirect.com/sellers/email_scammers.asp Seemed suspicious and maybe obvious it's a scam but you never know who might get caught by it, therefore this post. Keep an eye out. Best, Sean "Hi, I am Medline James,the secretary of a wedding committee that has been constituted to see to the smooth running of my boss's son's wedding ceremony. I am saddled with the responsibility of locating and arranging for a good and experienced wedding photographer and videographer. So,i searched through the net and found you appropriate for the photography of the wedding ceremony. The details of the wedding are as follows: Date of the wedding: 22th of January 2011 Type of wedding: social venue of the wedding:[Church and reception will be held in the same place, London] Time of wedding: 10 A.M. Every other necessary details will be forwarded to you as soon as they are available. So, how much will your service cost me including your transport fare. Lest i forget, our payment is by Cheque/Credit card.So,after telling me the price and your availability, i will need your details to write the. Thanks in anticipation of your favorable response. Mr.Medline James"

Bruce Davidson, Fight, from "Brooklyn Gang," 1959 Mike Send this post to a friend Note: Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. More... Original contents copyright 2010 by Michael C.... Michael Johnston

Nuru Project is looking for images of the flooding in Pakistan for a fundraising auction. Whose work have people seen that is particularly powerful?

no joke, i am now in a bit of trouble…

hurricane Earl , now updated to cat 4 is gathering strength …and headed for my town…this is a very different report than i had earlier today when we all thought Earl was going to pass 300 miles out to sea ….now, it appears we have been given advance warning of the worst possible news for those of us who live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina… all but permanent residents are being evacuated and almost everyone is preparing to leave…our island can take any beating , it is  supposed to move around and come and go,  but the structures on it are extremely vulnerable to wind and water at all times…everybody knows, nobody should live here…

yet i do, and i always knew the risks…grew up in this neighborhood, fell in love with photography in this neighborhood…

i now have about 24 hours to make some very major moves…i must do all i can to save my house and honestly there is not too much i can do except close the wooden hurricane shutters…what i really must do is round up all things of archival value…my negatives which i have here ready to make use of my darkroom …was just getting ready to print a few editions of my early family work…

my son Bryan and his girlfriend yoga maestra Michelle  are my neighbors…just by amazing luck we are all here now to lend each other a hand ….Bryan travels the world as a film maker but always makes sure he is here this time of year for the world class surf…Bry lives to surf and he has made it an art….film making is in second place in his mind, but his visual talent is clear….Bryan’s main tool,  the surf , was in its most majestic moment this afternoon…..alas, those beautiful waves from this afternoon might just come and try to clean out these overbuilt beaches by tomorrow…i just love those waves….they are the earth and the earth has rights… more than my personal property which i hope will survive, but it won’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t…

however, i am not idle, nor complacent ….if the projected path of the hurricane continues as is predicted , i will have no choice but to put my negatives/prints/books  etc into my pickup truck and drive away to safety…if it were not for the negatives etc i would be tempted to stick it out..and no my friends cannot come and get the negatives for me..already thought of that…they will not let anyone not from here to come here…i think …

hmmmm, story here?? maybe i can get permission from NatGeo to let me publish a picture or two here on Burn from what is going on…i mean wouldn’t that create buzz for their upcoming OBX  NatGeo Magazine story which they are contracting from me?? just thinking off the top of my head…more important things for me to think about now…

when things get dire , i feel my best…little things irritate me and i am annoyed too easily….but big things and major problems tend to make me calm and focused…..my problems are no more important than anyone’s,yet this seems to be a problem for many…every tv network on the planet is set up down on the beach…..anyway let’s not overdue this..all things relative and in the realm of natural fluctuations , this is the easiest to survive because of the advance warnings…..but i do know that you would be interested and mostly how ironic that we have been discussing archives, and digi and film etc etc…

ok, must move on this …i will keep you updated as best i can….

oh yes, almost forgot, much better and bigger news…Diego Orlando , Special Projects Editor of Burn, is in Perpignan, France at this very moment and is showing (and maybe selling) first edition copies of BURN 01 at Visa Pour L’Image …we must also talk Jean Francois Leroy, Founder and Director,  into at least a projection for the Burn audience next year..if you are in Perpignan now , just know i miss hanging out with  you and yes  please buy a book from Diego…this is a seriously cool book featuring 25 essays from photographers/artists published here on Burn , both iconic and from the audience here, two think pieces by Akaky and Bob Black, and  printed and bound by the best in Italy supervised by Diego and designed by Anton Kusters and researched by Anna Maria  Jester and yea i am in the mix too…  and if you are not published  in this edition,  maybe next….please try….best part of this is if my own stuff ends up underwater, at least i will have BURN 01 to show….i think this really might be the first seriously published book/magazine from the works from an online blog audience…

anyway, just to give you something constructive to do , i will do what i often do and ask you a question…

ok, here is a relevant one: if you were in my shoes , would you now concentrate on getting the old work/negs/prints off the island or should i spend my energies on taking new pictures of the catastrophe around me?

-david alan harvey-

Hi all, I am looking for a new / used Digital point and shoot... something I can just carry around on hand to take snapshots with. Last year, I had Canon PowerShot SX110 IS, which I loved (it went missing in Afghanistan). Only set back is that it did not have a traditional viewfinder (only a large LCD) and it did not shoot Raws. I've been looking at used Canon G9s, but I've heard they have a slight shutter lag. So basically, here's the criteria that I am looking for: -A Digital point and shoot, new or used -NO shutter delay / lag -A traditional viewfinder (not just an LCD) -Shoots RAWs -light, easy to carry around Any suggestions? Thanks!!

I am curious what peoples experience is with Tumblr blogs? It seems like a lot of people are moving their Blogger and Wordpress blogs over to Tumblr. What is so great about it, it your opinion? Reasons to Use: http://www.tumblr.com/why-tumblr Free Themes: http://www.tumblr.com/themes/recent

I'm putting together a list of companies that offer template-driven photographer portfolio website products. It seems that all of them claim to have great SEO, to offer iPad and iPhone friendly html mirror sites, etc... I would love it if you all could comment on the list and add feedback from a user's perspective (and also let me know what companies I overlooked). I'm hoping this will be a useful resource for people navigating the many options out there. http://jasminedefoore.com/photographer-portfolio-website-products-compared/ thanks! jasmine

Just wonder if I could hear from people who have a K-x. How are you liking it? (For a feature I'm working on for later this fall.) Mike P.S. There! Finally, a short post. Now, don't mess it up with... Michael Johnston

From the comments to the "Five Leica Rangefinders" post. Someone suggested this should be a post on its own, so now it is. Jona, Sounds like you would benefit from a class. I'll tell you a little secret, though, if... Michael Johnston

I already know what people are going to say. Cameras are just tools. Who cares what they look like? It's hideous. I hate beat-up cameras. Would you really want a camera that has no built-in light meter? (Answer) That's cheating;... Michael Johnston

hi everyone... jiro here. so everything seems to breakdown in congo... so my laptop is slowly dying... i am wondering if anyone out there i bought drinks in the past, who is coming to perpignan, are willing to haul a small 12-inch screen laptop? i promise a very nice dinner if you can? many thanks jiro

©stefan rohner

http://elcyclista.com/1800-km/

As some of you know, I've been installing a darkroom in my basement this summer, working at an appropriately leisurely pace. The goal is a fine print portfolio from all the 35mm shooting I did between 1980 and 2000. For... Michael Johnston

Does anyone know of a team in Mogadishu, Somalia. We need to task footage for both the city environs, the refugee camps and AMISOM. Footage to be on Z1 at the lowest - but would equally suit somone shooting HD on Canon dSLR with seperate audio recording capability (or decent non AGC inbuilt audio through seperate mixer) Please get in touch if you know of crew or are in area. Decent rates paid.

I always just assume that everybody knows about Photokina (as I understand it, the official name is spelled with a lowercase "p"—the official title is "photokina, world of imaging [sic]"—but I'm too middlebrow to write it that way). But maybe... Michael Johnston

I always just assume that everybody knows about Photokina (as I understand it, the official name is spelled with a lowercase "p"—the official title is "photokina, world of imaging [sic]"—but I'm too middlebrow to write it that way). But maybe... Michael Johnston