News

Canon has announced an Amateur Photo Contest that will help provide supplement
funding for the 2007 Canon Envirothon--North America's largest high school
environmental education competition in which teams battle for recognition and
scholarships by demonstrating their knowledge of natural resources. Students
apply their training and problem-solving skills in five subject areas--soils,
aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and a current environmental issue that changes
each year.

...

Nikon Inc. is recalling EN-EL3 batteries as detailed in a service advisory
(issued Nov. 7. 2005) because of possible overheating and melting. The recall
involves over 700,000 affected battery packs (including 200,000 in the US) that
were packaged with the Nikon D100, D70 and D50 and also sold as accessories
under model number 26265. Replacement will be free of charge. Although only
four incidents of problems have been reported to date, replacement of batteries
with the pertinent lot numbers is strongly recommended. Full specifics are available
at http://www.nikonusa.com/email_images/nikonusa/service_advisory/battery.html
on the Nikon Web site. To receive instructions and materials for the return
of your affected EN-EL3 battery pack, postage prepaid, and your free replacement,
click here http://www.nikondealernet.com/sa2.asp
or call toll free 1-800-645-6678.

...

The new Intuos3 6x11 pen tablet from Wacom is specifically designed for photographers,
designers and artists who are using multiple monitors or a widescreen display.
With an active area that matches the aspect ratio of either a widescreen display
or two standard displays used together, this innovative tablet features intuitive
controls, a cordless, battery-free Grip Pen offering 1,024 levels of pressure,
and an ergonomic five-button Intuos3 mouse.

...

Photography is full of `scapes: landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes
are all very popular subjects. But the next time you grab your camera and head
out for a day of shooting, why not take try to capture what's on "the
other side" and shoot some windowscapes for a change? There are a couple
of different approaches to take. You can use a window as a compositional device
to frame your subject, or you can concentrate of photographing objects you find
inside or behind a window.

...

Sometimes all it takes to lift your photo from the ordinary to the extraordinary
is a striking edge or border. Would a soft-edged vignette or a unique pattern
border take your image to the next level of dramatic impact? While there are
myriad software programs and plug-ins designed to add special effect edges,
borders and frames, you probably already have quite an array of possibilities
built into your current image-editing software. To get you started, here are
some effects that I created with Adobe Photoshop. You can use Elements for these,
as well. Earlier versions of these as well as other image-editing programs offer
many of the same effects. Now let's give some photos a new leading edge...

...

Wacom Technology is now including several additional software programs with
its 6x 8" Graphire Bluetooth wireless pen tablet. Priced at $249.99, the
device now ships with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 and PC digital inking programs
for added versatility. When used in conjunction with the Wacom pen, Photoshop
Elements tools such as the Healing Brush allow users to selectively alter images
and precisely remove photographic flaws with greater ease and accuracy. Nineteen
pressure-sensitive tools deliver dynamic control of important tool attributes
such as size, opacity and color.

...