Lens quality http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-is-lens-so-expensive.html

http://scanwiches.com/

Sort of a silly site, but I like it because it demonstrates how non traditional photographic equipment can still produce really compelling images.

This weeks podcast is up http://www.newmediaphotographer.com/2009/03/new-media-photographer-podcast-39/

A great pair of articles at Digital Photography School on breaking the rules to create great portraits.

http://digital-photography-school.com/10-ways-to-take-stunning-portraits
http://digital-photography-school.com/tips-portrait-photography

I just updated by blog http://www.francisspecker.com/blog with new photos from coverage of UFC 96 from Columbus, OH. I would also like to direct photographers to Paul Melcher’s blog on Getty Images getting into the paparazzi game. http://tinyurl.com/gettyimage

Zack Arias video short. Good stuff http://www.zarias.com/?p=284 Very insightful.

Greetings

On the website (Social Documentary) there are many fine portfolios, the link below is mine with 72 images, between 1999 and 2008. 72 images take a short time to load, my suggestion is to set the picture duration @ 3 sec. and hit start arrow once they load. Thank you. ……………peter

Statistics of Baltimore Maryland, since 1990, Population drop: 100,000, Houses demolished: 50,000+, Elementary school reading grade level: Low, HIV/AIDS: High, Heroin addiction: High, and a murder rate of approximately 300 per year. It is this murder rate as manifest through the graffiti “R.I.P.” that I have been documenting since 1999.

http://www.socialdocumentary.net/exhibit/peter_barry/301

From Marc Silber - here’s my next video tip “Make friends with your camera”, with advice from Ansel Adams http://bit.ly/rqqvD

A favorite blog post about the struggle of setting prices for your photos: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PhotopreneurBlog/~3/TSmWiSE2e1Y/setting-prices-for-your-photos

What is a network? Is it the people you’re linked to? Is it people with a common interest or vocation? Is people you communicated with in the past? I see postings in the LinkedIn groups all the time - or any social networking site, really - saying “I want to expand my network; please add me!” I have to think to myself, “And then what?” Will we actually connect and communicate? Or will I just be another semi-anonymous ‘me too’ who has the pleasure of watching your status updates?

My networks tend to be pretty small on these sites, because I draw a distinction between people I want to watch and people I actually have a networking relationship with - even if the relationship is slim or old. But in this day and age of the easy “friend” list, I think we’re in danger of losing the social aspect of social networking.