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12 Star Wars Day stories about cameras, photography and shooting the saga

George Lucas operating a Panavision PSR-200 camera on the original Star Wars

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Happy Star Wars Day! Yes, what started as a bad pun and is now the overachieving “May the 4th be with you” slapped on t-shirts, coffee cups and ad campaigns everywhere.

It’s a day to celebrate all things Star Wars – and for us, as imaging aficionados, there’s a whole lot of fascinating Star Wars stuff that spans photography, photo editing, the cameras used to shoot the saga, and even Star Wars-branded cameras, film and phones you can buy.

So, to celebrate Star Wars Day, we’ve pulled together 13 must-read pieces of Star Wars content for you to dip into…

Shooting the Star Wars saga

The Mandalorian

(Image credit: Industrial Light & Magic)

Did you know that some of The Mandalorian was shot using a humble Canon EOS 5D (the first one)? Moreover, did you know that the person who shot it (Jon Knoll, above) is also one of the co-inventors of Photoshop? Check out this story and the brilliant behind-the-scenes video, showing the special effects wizard at work.

If you guessed that the most expensive piece of Star Wars memorabilia ever sold was the camera that filmed the very first movie… well, you’d be wrong. (It was actually the Dart Vader helmet worn by actor David Prowse.) However, George Lucas’ Panavision camera is the second most expensive Star Wars item in the galaxy!

Here’s a fun story: every line of dialog in Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones had to be redubbed, due to a prototype digital camera setup (this being only the third ever film shot on digital cameras).

Star Wars cameras and phones

Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Star Wars Special Edition

(Image credit: Samsung)

Star Wars is a merchandising machine, with just about every product under the sun having had a Star Wars logo slapped on it at some point – and cameras and phones are no different.

If you love Polaroid cameras and The Mandalorian, you might want to snap yourself up a Mandalorian Polaroid Now camera that’s finished in a Din Djarin-approved Beskar-style finish. You can even get ~~Baby Yoda~~ Grogu-themed film to go with it.

We also loved the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Star Wars Special Edition phone, which came in slick Kylo Ren-themed packaging with a red Lightsaber S(ith)-Pen, Dark Side Galaxy Buds and special themes.

Stunning Star Wars fan photography

Rey, Finn and BB-8 flee the First Order Navy

(Image credit: RL Photo Art)

From cosplayers to toy photographers to Photoshop wizards, there have been some stunning examples of fan-made photography depicting the Star Wars universe.

These are four of the best Star Wars photographers we’ve seen, from the epic work of Sgt Bananas bringing premium action figures to life, Instagram sensation Hot Kenobi’s hilarious and clever comedy shots, to some truly stunning cosplay shots.

Also check out our interview with toy photographer Gary Rivers, aka mr_gizmo_, who helps explain why Star Wars figure photography is a force to be reckoned with.

Star Wars Photoshop tutorials

Shoot a cinematic close-up

(Image credit: Future)

The Star Wars saga is such fertile ground for creativity, that we’ve done our fair share of tutorials on how to create its signature effects in Photoshop.

We’ve used Star Wars Lego as the subject matter for this pair of tutorials, firstly to create an action-packed recreation of the Millennium Falcon’s daring escape from Hoth (as seen in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back). We also show you how to create an incredible diorama of the iconic Darth Maul duel from Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

If you’ve ever wanted to make your own Lightsaber in Photoshop, now you know how. And this is how to create a jump to lightspeed effect to complete your own Empire-defying escape scenes.

If you can’t get enough in-Hothspitable terrain, this tutorial shows you how to get the most of toy photography in snowy scenes – courtesy of a Rebel snow trooper.

And as a bonus story, since Star Wars toys are such a common theme, you might want to check out this fascinating Star Wars photo book featuring the original 1970s Kenner figures!

It probably goes without saying, but the entire Star Wars saga is available to stream right now on Disney+, so today is the perfect day to chill out and rewatch your favorite flick or series (for us, it’s still Empire – though Mando’s adventures have done the originals proud!).

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Sony tease announcement of new Xperia: A Photographer’s Dream Phone?

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Sony has announced the upcoming release of a new Sony Xperia phone, and photographers are buzzing with excitement. Set to be unveiled on May 11th, the new phone could be a game-changer for those who use their mobile devices to capture high-quality photos and videos.

While details about the new phone are scarce, rumours have been circulating that it could replace the popular Xperia Pro-I, released last year. The Xperia Pro-I was specifically designed for photographers and videographers, with features like a 1.0-type Exmor RS CMOS image sensor and ZEISS Tessar T* lens. The phone also boasted eye autofocus for both stills and videos, as well as real-time tracking and object tracking for videos.

So, what can we expect from the new Xperia phone? Sony hasn’t given away too much information, but as soon as they do we’ll keep you updated. Here at Camera Jabber we’re hoping that the new Xperia phone will be designed with creatives in mind potentially including features that will appeal to photographers and videographers.

Of course, the new Sony Xperia phone will likely offer other improvements over the Xperia Pro-I as well. We can expect to see upgraded specs, a faster processor, and improved battery life, among other things. But for photographers and videographers, the most exciting updates will likely be related to the camera.

If the new Xperia phone is indeed designed with photographers and videographers in mind, we could see improvements to the already impressive camera features offered by the Xperia Pro-I. For example, the new phone could include even more advanced autofocus capabilities or offer new ways to shoot in low-light conditions. We could also see improvements to the phone’s video capabilities, such as higher frame rates or improved stabilisation.

One thing we can be sure of is that the new Sony Xperia phone will be packed with features and capabilities that will make it a great choice for anyone looking to capture high-quality photos and videos on their mobile device. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just someone who loves to take pictures, this new phone could be the perfect tool for your creative endeavours.

Sony has not yet released any pricing information or a specific release date for the new Xperia phone. However, we can expect to learn more about the device on May 11th, when Sony will unveil the new phone to the world. In the meantime, photographers and videographers can continue to dream about this new device’s possibilities.

The new Xperia phone has the potential to be a photographer’s dream phone, with advanced camera features and capabilities that will help creatives capture stunning photos and videos on the go. As we wait for the official announcement, the photography community will eagerly anticipate the release of this new device, which could revolutionize mobile photography and videography as we know it.

For more information check out the Sony website

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Picture perfect: Rochester student receives national photography award – Post Bulletin

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ROCHESTER — The first thing you notice are the large, intimidating eyes.

If it wasn’t for them, you might not even realize you’re looking at an owl since it’s camouflaged so well against the bark of the tree behind it.

But once you do, you begin to see the rest of the bird of prey take shape. You see it’s ears. You see its beak. And last of all, you begin to see where the owl ends and the tree begins.

An owl in front of a tree. — Elia Atkins won as the Creative Category’s Grand Champion in the School Photographers of America contest in winter 2022-2023.

That’s the image that was named Grand Champion by the School Photographers of America. As an eighth-grader at Dakota Middle School, the photographer, Elia Atkins, not only beat out an immense field of peers, but she became the first winner of her age.

“She was our first middle schooler to ever place,” said David Crandall, executive director for the School Photographers of America. “For the most part, 97% of all of our entries are high school students.”

Crandall said that Atkins’ photo was selected from roughly 1,800 that were submitted. This was the second year of the competition. She won in the creative category. The other categories included winter sports, student life and senior superlatives.

The judges don’t just evaluate the subject matter of the photos. They also base their decisions on technical considerations like metadata embedded in the image, lighting and whether it was taken in manual mode or not.

Atkins took the image in the summer of 2022 during a photography course at Quarry Hill Nature Center. When the owl’s handler brought it out, Atkins wasn’t quite happy with the setting.

“I just walked around a little bit trying to find a nice background,” Atkins said. “Once everyone else was done taking photos of it, I asked if he could put it in front of the tree.”

She found out she was a national winner in a rather spectacular fashion. Her school principal, Levi Lundak, arranged for her parents to come to help surprise her in math class.

As the photographer of a winning image, Atkins received a new camera.

On top of that, it’s boosted her confidence in her own abilities. Although still in middle school, receiving the recognition has allowed her to imagine the possibility of making a career out of photography.

Whether it’s a future career or not, though, photography is a field she’s come to both love and excel at.

“I just really like how there’s no limit to what you can do,” she said. “Everybody can look at something and interpret it a different way. Anything can be turned into an amazing photo, and I find that really cool.”

Jordan Shearer covers K-12 education for the Post Bulletin. A Rochester native, he graduated from Bemidji State University in 2013 before heading out to write for a small newsroom in the boonies of western Nebraska. Bringing things full circle, he returned to Rochester in 2020 just shy of a decade after leaving. Readers can reach Jordan at 507-285-7710 or [email protected].

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Galaxy Z Fold 4 gets astrophotography support

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 is picking up a new trick, with support for astrophotography officially arriving on the device this week.

A new update headed out to Galaxy Z Fold 4 owners using Samsung’s “Expert RAW” app brings support for astrophotography to the flagship foldable.

Fold 4 owners on Reddit spotted the addition, including showing off support for showing outlines of constellations on the screen.

Samsung’s take on astrophotography can capture data for lengthy periods of time, even capturing the movement of the stars in the sky during the shot. Google’s Pixel phones have also supported astrophotography modes for the past few generations, but with limited improvements over time. The feature also doesn’t have a dedicated mode like Samsung’s, with Pixels just repurposing Night Sight for these kinds of shots, but delivering spectacular results at times.

What’s really fun about the Galaxy Z Fold 4 getting astrophotography support is that this allows owners to take great advantage of the Fold’s “Flex Mode” hinge, which can position the cameras at a certain angle perfectly still. Many have used that feature, especially on Galaxy Z Flip devices, for selfies as it’s quite convenient to have what is effectively a tripod on hand at all times.

Samsung is also rolling out support for astrophotography to the Galaxy S21 series with this update, as SamMobile spotted.

More on Samsung:

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360º Contributor of the Month – April – 360Cities Blog

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Sebastian Haut is a newcomer to 360Cities. Since joining 360Cities on February 22, 2023, he has published an impressive 121 panoramas, with 96 of them published in the month of April alone.

Sebastian’s latest panoramas showcase the beauty of Wandergebiet Sonnenberge in Jena, Germany, where he captured the natural landscape with detail and clarity. He also explored the city of Jena, photographing its vibrant streets and buildings, including the bustling Lutherstraße and the quaint Kleingartensparte Lutherkanzel.

It’s clear that Sebastian has a passion for photography. If you’re interested in seeing more of Haut’s work, be sure to check out his 360Cities profile. We can’t wait to see what he captures next!

Published
May 3, 2023May 3, 2023

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Corbin woman awarded Nash Black Photography grand prize

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve to start accepting JCB credit cards from Japan

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May 3—SOMERSET — Questions from the judges began just as soon as the picture for entry number 19 was shown on the screen.

“What is it?”

“Is it really a plant?”

“Looks alien. Are you sure it’s real?”

However, the contest coordinator provided no answers to their questions and would only say that image met all the contest submission requirements. And, in the end, that was enough. The judges were unanimous in selecting Peggy Yaeger’s unique photo of a maidenhair fern unfurling as the Nash Black Photography Awards grand prize winner.

Yaeger and other winners of Somerset Community College’s Fruit of the Lens Photography Club contest were recognized during the annual Earth Day Celebration held April 16 on the Somerset Campus. Theme of the contest was “Let There Be Plants!” and 28 entries were submitted.

Besides recognition for her winning picture, Yaeger als0 accepted a $100 cash prize presented by SCC student and club president Laurie Abbott. Cash awards were provided by the SCC’s Earth Day committee.

Yaeger, from Corbin, said she loves nature photography and came upon the unique plant while walking along the shoreline of Laurel Lake.

Taking the $50 second place prize was 12-year-old Russell County resident Jed Newcome with his photo, “Bee on Dandelion.”

Third place honors and $25 were awarded to Jenny Crawhorn also of Russell County for her unique photo of a cactus. Crawhorn said she was “proud” to be named as a winner.

Eli Parker’s photo of daisy fleabanes was recognized as the fourth-place entry and earned Parker a $15 cash award. Parker is an SCC alumnus and frequent contributor to photo club exhibits.

The judges also selected three other photos for honorable mention. Those receiving certificates in that category were Linda Alsip, of London, who is a past fourth place winner; Van Back, of Monticello who takes home his second honorable mention certificate; and Mackenzee Conner, of Somerset, who plans to attend SCC this fall.

Judges for the Nash Black Photography Awards were club member and two-time contest winner Denny Longsworth of Wayne County; Melissa Adams, Ed.D., director of Project BEAM; and SCC instructors Cindy Burton and Jeff Harris. Stuart Simpson, also an SCC instructor, coordinated the event.

Irene Black also served as a judge for the contest that is named for her and her late husband, Ford Nashett. The Russell County couple wrote under the pen name “Nash Black” and were founding members of the club.

The mission of Fruit of the Lens is to provide a setting where SCC students, staff and faculty can come together with the community to share digital images and discuss photography. To become a member, simply send a request to SCC faculty advisor Cindy Burton at [email protected].

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Series, Z Fold4 Receiving Astrophotography Mode with Expert RAW update

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News

lekhaka
-Subhrojit Mallick

|

Published: Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 11:35 [IST]

Samsung has updated the Expert RAW app for the Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra and the Z Fold4 to bring support for astrophotography that was introduced in the S22 series. The feature allows users to take long-exposure images of stars and constellations, in RAW format, allowing users to further edit it in post processing to bring out a better quality.

Expert RAW app for S21 Series, Z Fold4 Gets Astrophotography Mode

Samsung has finally introduced astrophotography for the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 and the S21 trio with the 2.0.09.1 version of the Expert RAW. The app is available from Samsung’s Galaxy store, a dedicated app store found in Samsung devices.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Series, Z Fold4 To Get Astrophotography Mode

That said, S21 series users will first have to install the April 2023 security update to use the Astro Photo mode. To receive the security update, users can check for it the phone’s settings under the “Check For Updates” menu.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 series is not the only smartphone to get the update. The astrophotography mode was first introduced in the Galaxy S22 series. Samsung has promised the update for the older Samsung Galaxy S20 series, Note20 series, and the Galaxy Z Fold devices except for the first one.

How to Use Astrophotography on the ExpertRaw App?

Samsung was late to enter the astrophotography party, but has demonstrated to be one of the better applications. The mode, available in a separate app for camera experts, comes with an AR overlay showing the constellations visible in the night sky. It also allows long-exposure shots for 4, 7, and 10 minutes. You will need a tripod to get the best results. Furthermore, you will have to be in a place that is totally dark, with clear skies, and free of pollution.

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