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123RF.com Launches New Website with Many Exciting Features

admin — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:20:09 +0000

(Houston, Texas–March 31, 2010) Royalty-Free stock library 123RF.com has relaunched its website promising to be faster, more responsive given a sleeker and modernized interface furnished with several added features.

“We recognize that some of our clients are always on the move, so we’ve developed a mobile-enabled website that specially caters to clients who own an iPhone, iPod or other 3G enabled device. The mobile website can be accessed immediately at http//:m.123rf.com.” says Stephanie Sitt, CEO of 123RF.com.

“Among other features that clients can enjoy at the new 123RF.com are the extra-large image sizes in 100, 200 and 300 MB TIFFs that are available on demand. Though these image sizes cost a little more, we’re confident that our clients will appreciate this value-added service – thanks to our partnership with a team of expert image enlargement professionals.” adds Sitt.

To commemorate this event, 123RF.com is celebrating the launch by running a 3-month Apple iPad Giveaway campaign. Every week until the end of May 2010, 123RF.com will give away 4 Apple iPads to 4 lucky winners who have joined as a Fan on 123RF’s Facebook Fan Page (http://facebook.com/123rfFans), retweeted a message from 123RF’s Twitter account (http://twitter.com/123rf) or made a purchase on 123RF.com. “It’s one of the many ways that we reward our loyal customers for their continued support for 123RF.com” says Sitt.

123RF.com is currently seeking business partners who wish to represent 123RF.com to their business community. 123RF’s business development team promises good income sharing models, responsive partner support and technical help for suitable partners. Sitt elaborates further by saying, “Interested Entrepreneurs wanting to jump-start a Microstock business are invited to contact us at partners@123rf.com to further explore business possibilities or obtain further information.”

About 123RF.com
123RF.com is a royalty-free stock photo library, also a targeted subscriber and community-based website that provides an avenue for the creative community. The 123RF.com platform gives photographers, illustrators and designers a chance to showcase their photographs, vector illustrations and design talent, allowing them to promote and sell their creations to a worldwide audience. Since its debut in June 2005, 123RF.com today hosts over 6,500,000 stock photographs and vector illustrations with over 8,000 photographers and illustrators.

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The Insider’s Guide to Shooting in China

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:04:00 +0000

This article is originally from here

Photographers are heading to China in droves right now, whether for the coming Olympics in Beijing (August 8-24), to cover the aftermath of the tragic May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province — or just to shoot stock: China’s ferocious growth and rapidly changing economy have made it a perennially hot news property.

“It’s an unusual time of openness in China, which is traditionally a xenophobic country, thanks to the Olympics and the earthquake, ” says Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler , a project of the Earth Island Institute. “That openness is a two-way street. People traveling to China, particularly Americans, can try to counteract some of the negative images that China has of us from its media.”

But this is a very politically sensitive country. Attempting to shoot certain subjects—anything to do with say, Tibet, religion, state executions, and disease—can get you in trouble with the authorities. Along with Greenwald, PDNOnline talked to ten photographers who have shot in mainland China to get their tips for those new to the country. Several living in or frequently working in China spoke on the condition of anonymity. Those who spoke to us on the record are:

Monte Isom, a commercial photographer who specializes in portraits of athletes
Catherine Karnow, photographer behind National Geographic Traveler: Beijing
Wayne Liu, a Taiwan-born fine-arts shooter
Mads Nissen, a freelance photojournalist based in Shanghai
Sara Remington, a food and travel photographer
James Whitlow Delano, a Tokyo-based photographer with Redux Pictures and author of Empire: Impressions from China

BEFORE YOU GO

Vaccines: Many photographers recommended getting the Hepatitis B vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control has a Web site for China with a full health briefing.

Visas: Note that your passport has to be valid for at least six more months. The visa situation has changed several times in the past few months. Check the Chinese Embassy’s Web site for the most up-to-date requirements.

Everyone had an opinion on getting a tourist or business visa versus an official journalist visa:

“We went in on a tourist visa to shoot a wedding and pick up stock. The photographer I went with and I had four camera bodies and 10 lenses. But she and I purposefully made ourselves look younger and separated ourselves.”—Remington

“When I was freelancing, I was on a business visa because I wanted to stay completely off the radar. Now, I am staff and on a J-1 (resident journalist) visa, as it is required by my company. There are benefits to being unregistered and registered. Unregistered allows more freedom to move and work on sensitive stories, but you run the risk of being deported, arrested, or having your contacts get arrested. Being registered allows you to do official events and work openly, but it is restricted. Registered journalists are not allowed to visit Tibet unless invited, and the invitation is difficult to obtain.”—Photojournalist based in China

“It depends on how much you have to lose. If you were going to come and shoot a big production with a lot of lights and models, you kind of need to get a proper visa. The police can close your operation down in a second.”—Beijing-based documentary photographer

“The business visa situation was changing constantly this year. Even my local Chinese producer couldn’t get it all put together. We needed a letter of invitation from the company hiring me, proof the airfare was confirmed and booked, hotel confirmed and booked, two passport photos, a letter from me to my assistants saying I was hiring them and they needed a visa, and an official invitation from the correct department. And that’s for one month. For a multiple-entry visa you need to prove why you need to come in and out.”–Isom

SHOOTING

Street/stock photography:

“The first thing to remember about China is that it’s not just one ethnic group. You can’t make assumptions about how people will feel about having their photo taken, or the courtesies involved. People in Beijing on the street might be OK with you shooting without asking, but Muslim Chinese people in the southern regions might react every differently.”— Greenwald

“As a woman, you just look a lot less threatening. Sometimes I wear little open-toed sandal with a pedicure. I wanted to shoot this massive demolition scene from above. There was a hotel nearby overlooking it, but there is no way in China you can just go up to the manager and explain you’re shooting for a National Geographic guidebook and get permission. I pretended I was checking in, looked at several rooms, and then I ended up sneaking in through the kitchen and shooting from the fire escape. I stuck my camera in my nice big Coach purse.”—Karnow

Photojournalism and sensitive topics

“Sometimes the political situation is dominant (anti-NATO riots 1999, the annual party congress), and sometimes it fades. But during the Olympics you can be sure it will be forefront. It’s not like there are cops everywhere telling you not to shoot, but subjects might get touchy about mildest things during times of political stress. Be subtle and act innocent. —Documentary photographer

“There is a saying in China that it is easier to ask forgiveness than for permission (read: access). Act first, and chances are if you are mild mannered, good natured, and wear a smile, even authorities will forgive a photograph of a bridge, soldier, or some other moderately sensitive subject in this often loosely controlled one-party state.”—Whitlow Delano

Commercial photography

“Chinese clients typically do not pay the agency and have them pay you. If they did, it would cost them about 12-15 percent more because of invoice taxes etc. So the client pays you directly—except the client does not want to pay anyone outside of China because that incurs a 15 percent tax; there is a loophole in Hong Kong. So the best way to go about doing a job there is to find a local production, hire them to produce your job, and then they pay you. They will charge a premium, but it makes the Chinese company more willing to hire you. Also, negotiating with Chinese clients is much different than in the United States. They want a deal. Doesn’t matter where the starting price was, they want it to be lower. “—Isom

LOGISTICS

“Skype is great for calling back home. With an unlocked cell phone, you can get a local SIM card, put $50 on it, and SMS back and forth to your local clients and back to the States. People in China text a lot and won’t like paying international fees to text you while you’re just across the city.”—Isom

“For those of us who are accustomed to uploading and downloading via FTP, you will realize as soon as you get to China that FTP speeds are nowhere near where it once was.”—from Nissen’s handy posting on
Lightstalkers.org for using the Internet in China

“It’s easy to find cheap hostels; I used Lonely Planet. Don’t pay until you see the rooms. They might be sketchy, dirty, rat infested. I felt safe leaving my film and extra camera equipment in the hostels I stayed in.”—Liu

“The bathroom situation is interesting for women. Pack your own toilet paper —and hand sanitizer is good, too.”—Remington

FOOD

“I basically eat what the locals eat. But if I’m doing a pollution story on, for example, in a ‘cancer-village,’ I’ll bring my own food or eat instant noodles, though it can be pretty boring for a whole week. “—Nissen

“I always have antibiotics on hand because my experiences is that one gets sick at 2 a.m. not 2 p.m.”—Delano

“The person I was traveling with was allergic to gluten, which was impossible to explain to people. So if you have food sensitivities, bring plenty of protein bars, almonds, etc.”—Remington

PEOPLE

“If you don’t speak Chinese, find a hip and friendly bilingual local assistant. It’s pretty easy to chat young people up, but older folks feel more comfortable with a local person talking to them. Avoid the scams where English-speaking ‘art students’ try to show you ‘their works’ that you buy because they are so friendly, or take you to a tea shop where each cup is practically $50.”—Documentary photographer

“A good guide, a good ‘fixer,’ is absolutely critical. Smart, tireless, their English has to be good but not necessarily great. When I am shooting portraits, for me to be able to coax the expressions and gestures out of people, I need almost simultaneous translation.”—Karnow

ETHICS

“Be aware that your actions when uncovering sensitive issues may bring heavy consequences upon people who can not leave the country. Do not post names, photograph faces of people who are quoted commenting on sensitive topics that are contrary to government policy. The story is not worth ruining a good person’s life. Period.”—Delano

“If I were covering a sensitive story I would hire a translator who is not a Chinese national—who has a foreign passport, but who speaks Chinese fluently. I would try not to use a minority, like a Tibetan, to work on these issues. Because they’re already in a politically sensitive situation. As the photographer I do what I can do to protect the people I work with and who I photograph, but in the end it’s a really messed-up situation.”—Beijing-based documentary photographer

Freelance writer Bonnie Azab Powell lives in Oakland with her husband, portrait photographer Bart Nagel . She would like to go to China someday — but maybe after the Olympics.

http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003815876

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Suggestions for Fresh Film Directors

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:25:23 +0000

This Post Originally from here.

Yu Nan, one of the jury members for the Asian New Talent Award during the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, had an exclusive interview with correspondent from Daily News yesterday. As a jury member, Yu Nan expressed her excitement to see so many spirited works, and she hoped these fresh film directors could stick to their own style, not to be distracted by material gain. Besides work, for the first time, Yu Nan replied to questions related to love in her real life and confessed that she was hoping for true love.

Yu Nan has already had some experience of being a jury member on International Film Festival overseas ahead of the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, but she told the reporter that this time she felt very familiar and a sense of achievement. “I feel honored, because to be a jury member means that people already recognized my acting; and I feel very familiar, because I can speak native language to communicate with people and meet so many old friends. The get-togethers are most exciting.”
As for the evaluating criteria to this Asian New Talent Award, Yu Nan laughed and continued, “Each jury member has his own taste, but we will get together and discuss over it. The exchanges of ideas are valuable.” Yu Nan indicated that she had viewed four pieces of works so far to compete for the award, among them two were very impressive. However, being a jury member, she declined to reveal those names. She went on to comment, “I am so glad to see vitality and creativity all over these works, and each piece of work has its own style. I hope these fresh film directors could stick to their own style and not to be lead by material gain, including the awards. I firmly believe these film directors are the promising ones on international film festivals in the future.” As for the debate on “art or business” by Wang Xiaoshuai and Lu Chuan during the forum the day before, Yu Nan smiled and said, “maybe different directors have different perspectives towards films. But from my point of view, whether it’s business film or art film, the key lies in its good quality.”

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Greg Yu – Music Composer

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 08:43:56 +0000

Greg Yu Movie Music

For those of you who don’t know about talented composer Greg Yu, here is his Showreel, please let us know what do you think!

Greg Yu TVC Music

Greg Yu Ferrari Film Music

Greg Yu Ferrari Travel Video Music

There you go! If you need any Original Music for your movie, tvc, video, etc. Feel free to drop us an email!

info@brightshadowfilms.com

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