Ok, I’m back with another note regarding the campaign that I assisted on last week.

Tonight, I’m giving the WordPress iPhone app a trial run. (I think) I can post a picture from my phone, and it gave me an idea that sparked Part 2 of the story which I think you’ll agree has a sort of completed circle vibe to it. ( if that doesn’t make sense, hopefully it will by the time you read the story and if not, hopefully, I will come up with a more sensible analogy for you by then.)

During the four day shoot, I snapped a number of photos on my iphone - in all honesty, I wished I’d had a P & S in my hand, for more control (ie manual settings) however, the job was assisting not shooting, and I was travelling as light as possible.

Anyway, I was flipping through the pictures while on the train today, and one of them is the one below. (that must have been taken while the phone was en route to my pocket)

The orange colored device is called a Vagabond II Portable Power System. This job was my first experience with them. The Vagabond is essentially a battery (cell) with a built in Inverter which provides AC power - outlets - from which you can power a laptop or re-charge a battery, or, in this case, power the lights we were using.

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This posting is a little late to the party, but if you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance that it will be of interest to you.

Newsweek DOP Simon Barnett has assembled a “Dream Team” of photographers to cover the Beijing Games for the magazine - and in an inspired and original way they are covering the Olympics from a very unique perspective (an increasingly rare feat). The “Dream Team” as Mr. Barnett has deemed them, consists of three former Allsport colleagues of mine, Vincent Laforet, Donald Miralle and Mike Powell. When I first began working with Allsport (now a part of Getty Images), these four were staff members, whom I got to know and admire.

In the planning for Newsweek’s Olympic coverage, it was decided to create an “open book”, a behind the scenes, photographers POV coverage of the games. They’ve been blogging and posting their selection of photographs and telling stories of their trials & tribulations, successes and failures. It is a wonderfully honest look at life as a photographer, 3 photographers, as they cover the biggest, most organized event in the world.

For a bit on the story behind the blog please see this interview with Simon Barnett by Rob Haggart’s A Photo Editor blog here.

This is a link to the Newsweek blog Visions of China: A 2008 Olympics Picture Blog

Just so you know, the front page is the most recent posting, so you’ll have to skip to the end if you want to read their tales from the start, which I strongly recommend.

For those of you that may think that being a photographer is easy, I hope you’ll read some of the journal entries from Donald, Vince and Mike as well as the notes from Simon, Beth and the other Newsweek editors - it will be a real eye opener.

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After a long, “stir-crazy” inducing couple of days, my site has finally made the full move to a new host, and I’m excited to introduce a fresh look to what was formerly know as the “News” page - re-named “BLOG” - in the interests of more frequent and more interactive entries I’ve decided to utilize the many features of the WordPress.org blogging platform.

I’m new to this blogging world, and, while I am not certain where it will take me, I am sure there will be something for everybody at the end of the day.

If you have any comments, suggestions or constructive criticism to offer, please feel free to let me know.

In closing, I’d like to publicly thank Grover, Jason and the rest of the gang at s2f.com - you’ve been great hosts and, while I’m sad to say good by to your hosting services, I’m excited for you and wish you continued success with the PhotoShelter movement. Thanks for all that you have done, and continue to do in support of photographers and the photo industry.

I’ll be back this evening with another posting of some of the other things that have kept me busy this week..

JULY 01, 2008: BROOKLYN, NY:
  
First and foremost, I’d like to thank Anibal of New York Edition who designed and programmed this wonderful site - his hard work (and patience with me) is something for which I am grateful. Thanks Anibal!

I will be continuing this post and adding news about what’s going on as often as possible, I hope you’ll come back again soon.

MDAVIDLEEDS.com

EDIT: This and my other “news and notes” have been relocated, here, I’ve begun blogging!