Keep your verticals straight!

A photo tip from the founder of the Washington Photo Safari and well known Architectural Photographer, E. David Luria.

Do you have LBS?
It is a medical condition even more prevalent than swine flu! Known as Leaning Building Syndrome, it appears in your building pictures: when you lean back to take the picture, the vertical sides of the building converge in toward the top, an optical phenomenon known as "keystoning."

This is not good! Buildings have straight sides! Elevators do not travel upwards at an angle!

Here is a quick and dirty way the way to keep your building sides straight without dabbling in Photoshop adjustments:

1) use a wide angle lens, preferably a 12-20mm on an SLR (DX format), or an 18-24mm on an FX format camera.

2) Back up as far back as you need to go, preferably across, the street, keeping the camera PERFECTLY level with the ground, NOT leaning back, until you get the top of the building and the nice sky above it in the photo. (A tripod with a level is the best way to do this). Check to make sure the vertical edges of the building are PERFECTLY parallel to the vertical edges of your viewfinder.

3) Take the picture, and then, on the computer, crop out the street or grass at the bottom of the photo, giving you a square or rectangular format photo with a perfectly straight building.

We are happy to have David as one of our instructors at Penn Camera. He is teaching such popular Safaris as the Monuments at Night, Photography as a Second Career, the Fransiscan Monastery, and Regan National Airport Safari just to name a few. Check our website soon as we will be announcing some exciting new Safaris that you won't want to miss.

To find out more about the Washington Photo Safari, visit, www.WashingtonPhotoSafari.com

Facebook responds to image ownership controversy

In Response to overwhelming negative feedback Facebook has reversed course on its claim of ownership to members images
ASMP has sent the statement below regarding the Facebook user information policy decision this week to media outlets nationally, including newspapers, television, radio, business publications, photography trade publications, and wire services. We are asking our membership to support our position and to be vigilant about the terms and conditions governing the sites you patronize. You can also be involved through blogging and talking about the issues. Blogs have formed including Facebook Owns Your Photos and The People Against the New Terms of Service. Other blogs include The Consumerist, an advocacy blog, news blogs etc. ASMP is also coordinating with the Copyright Alliance, who will use our statement on its blog.

ASMP Responds to Recent FACEBOOK Decision to Reverse User Information Policy

ASMP applauds the decision of Facebook to reverse its recent policy change concerning ownership of user information. We encourage other networking sites to review the ownership issues raised and how this may impact members and users.

The important subject of copyright ownership of uploaded material has been underscored by the outcry from thousands who were galvanized by Facebook’s new Terms of Use language granting itself permanent rights to users’ photos, posts and other information – even after accounts were closed. We are pleased that Facebook reported on Wednesday it would delay changes while it works to resolve “the issues people have raised.”

ASMP hopes that the Facebook licensing controversy will bring attention to the important issue of image ownership and control. We encourage our 7,000 + media photographer members across the country to inquire about the terms and conditions of the sites they utilize, and we have asked them to patronize only those who respect the rights of creators to have their work valued and protected.

ASMP is the leading trade association for photographers who create images primarily for publication. ASMP has 39 chapters across the country and over 7,000 members including the world’s premier photographers. Founded in 1944, ASMP is a leader in promoting photographers’ rights, providing education in better business practices, producing business publications for photographers, and helping to connect purchasers with professional photographers