Orphan Works (again) and Dick Dale follow up...

John Herrington, a Washington, DC photog, posted this on his blog recently. It make for good reading and helps bring to light the problems the Orphan Works Bill could bring if allowed to stand as is. If you haven't written to the politicians who are driving this, please take the time to do so. Actually phone calls and faxes are the most effective way of being heard in DC.

On a better note, I wrote a few days ago about Dick Dale and his fight with cancer. Dick sent me a personal email the other day and tells me he is done with chemo and radiation, which is great news! He still has his humor and says that we can rest as, "he is still on this side of dirt!" If you are a fan, be sure to drop him a note. He can easily be reached via his website.

I've got a lot of other things going on right now, but I'm too busy to write about them or post pics. Catch you all after the Memorial Day break...And a huge heartfelt thank you to all you vets and servicemen who make our way of life possible!

PHOTO QUOTE OF THE DAY: A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a
changed person for having seen it. It is in a word, EFFECTIVE-Irving Penn

another Orphan Works opinion...

From yesterdays New York Times by Lawrence Lessig, law professor at Stanford University. Folks, this is a REALLY bad idea and I hope that there will be enough public outcry to scrap this ugly legislation and start with a clean slate if needed. On a professional photographers forum that I participate in and follow closely, one photographer made sense of this farce. When another poster pointed out that passage of this bill equates to being caught stealing from a store, you would only be responsible for paying for the item, Editorial Photographers (EP), Brian Smith wrote: "Excellent point, however it's actually worse than that...If you use the store anology, Ophan Works means IF you catch someone stealing your work and IF you pay the legal costs to take that infringer to court and IF the court rules in your favor, THEN you can collect the cost of the item they stole." Please contact your state representative to voice your concern immediately!

Photo Quote of the Day: You have to be ready for luck-Neil Leifer

Say NO to Orphan Works

There is an undertaking currently going on in Washington, DC that will seriously undermine professional photographers ability to earn money and to control the use of our images. It is a called the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works act of 2008. The bill was originally introduced to make it easier for people who had images and could not find the photographer to lay claim to the images and use as they see fit. Museums, universities, and libraries, baffled by current "Fair Use" exemptions in the current copyright laws have been afraid to use things in their archives for fear of being sued eventually by the photographer or copyright holder.
This is a very complicated issue to run through on my blog for it's mixed readers. However, if you are a professional photographer or artist the new bill will greatly effect how we control our images, will devalue our work, and most importantly puts the onus on the creative, not the people stealing your work to prove they violated your copyright. Unfortunately, having your images registered (which EVERY creative should be doing) will not totally protect you.

I urge all of you to please educate yourself on this pending legislation and to write letters to your Senators opposing this bill.
You can learn more about Orphan Works HERE.

Photographers who belong to professional organizations such as ASMP, APA, SAA, EP and PPoA should contact their organizational website for sample letters and best way to contact their representatives. If you don't belong to an organization, this will still effect you, so please act today!

Photo Quote of the Day: "You don't take a photograph, you make it"-Ansel Adams

New Book Cover

This image was from a stock production I shot a few years ago. I shot originally on Velvia film and Polachrome black and white as well. It has been used many times and another version of this shot appears on one of my business cards cropped much tighter that represents my people/lifestyle photography.

In other news...I learned today that I will be speaking to the Pittsburgh ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) about the making of my book, Pittsburgh: A Photographic Portrait. I'll be presenting my experiences of the book publishing world and will also be examining self publishing and various cost effective venues that are now available to photographers for making short run books. The lecture will be in September, so stay tuned and I'll keep you posted as details emerge...

Photo quote of the day: People say photographs don't lie...mine do. -David LaChapelle

Environmental Portrait for American Bar Association

This is a photo of a political refugee from South America made at LaRoche College in Pittsburgh.

In other news today, Barnes and Noble in Cranberry Township is firming up plans for me to give a lecture on taking better vacation photographs along with a book signing for my book, PIttsburgh: A Photographic Portrait in June. I'll keep you posted here as soon as the date is set. Also be on the lookout for an article featuring my corporate portraiture in Professional Photographer Magazine in June.

Quote of the day: Keep it Simple-Alfred Eisenstaedt

Lifestyle photo and quote of the day...

I ran across some really great photo quotes the other day...I think I'll start passing them along regularly to my blog readers for inspiration and reflections...
Don't shoot until you feel it in your gut-Lisette Model

Get Well Dick Dale...

I was saddened to recently learn that one of my all time guitar heros, Dick Dale, recently was diagnosed with a re-lapse of rectal cancer last month. Dick who almost single handedly became the father of heavy metal and surf guitar rock in the early 60's has had an amazing life.
He became popular by playing louder, faster, blowing up Fender amps, and rocking the house down at just about every place he played. His music was the staple for surf movies in the 60's and Dale was every bit a California Surf legend. He is a true renaissance man who no doubt will have a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
At 71 years old he flies his own plane, has a place in the California desert complete with airstrip, has a zoo full of exotic animals, and unlike most rock and rollers doesn't drink, smoke, or do drugs. He is truly a man high on life and up until last year his energy level performing in concert would put "youngsters" half his age to shame. Dick's career received a huge boost in the arm when his song, Miserlou, was featured in Tarentino's Pulp Fiction. Since then he has toured steadily, and his music has been used as soundtracks in numerous television commercials and has enjoyed a strong following of surf music fans who lovingly refer to themselves as "Dick Heads"

Up until a few months ago he was still touring and blowing out eardrums with his speed playing, heavy reverb and Fender Strat which is wound tighter than a duck's ass...He is currently undergoing another round of chemo following surgery and according to his webiste, hopes to take some time off in Hawaii to do a little surfing and heal as soon as he can. Dick..I wish you nothing but the best. Your music has meant a great deal to me and I can only hope to have your energy when I reach your age. Take care of yourself, beat the demon, and I look forward to seeing you again when you hit the road!

Family picture...

Portrait of my youngest son who recently has taken up fencing. I've decided it's a great sport if you are participating and not so much if you are a spectator. Anything to get him away from the xbox...

I also learned yesterday that my oldest son, has been accepted at Carnegie Mellon University Design School Summer Pre-College program! We are very excited about his bright future!

Make it a good one...

Environmental portrait

This was photographed for local NBC affiliate TV station, WPXI awhile back. It's a photo of Jack Etzel who had a home handyman segment. I built the set on a sound stage at WPXI studios. A couple of two by fours, a roll of insulation, some drywall and electrical components is all it took. Originally shot on 6x7 Velvia Film with a Pentax 67. I stumbled across this while pulling photos for Professional Photographer Magazine for an upcoming article about my location portraits.