Category: Blogs

Instragram – Hate it or Embrace it

Recently, there has been a spate of articles declaring how Instagram is debasing real photography and how its only purpose is to feign talent we don’t have.

Nosy Ass Ashu Mittal Instragram

Image Credit: Ashu Mittal

 

This article written by Ashu Mittal 

I joined Instagram exactly an year ago on being introduced to it by Pei Ketron, one of the most talented photographers I know of. I started out hesitantly, clicking and posting whatever caught my eye. And before I knew it, I was completely hooked on to Instagram.

I loved the “ease” as I was always carrying my phone in my pocket when a photo opportunity presented itself and I loved the “challenge” of creating a somewhat interesting image given the limitations of a cellphone camera. The more I used the Instagram app, the more of a ‘convert’ I was (well ok, addicted).

Did Instagram ruin “Traditional” Photography?

I think all Instagram has done is made photography accessible. And saying that Instagram promotes shallow photography is like saying cheap utensils promote unhealthy eating. It is what you do with the equipment or platform is what matters. You could click photos with Instragram that end up in Sports Illustrated or you could click photos that end up, well, here (the rich kids of Instagram).

Personally, Instagram has done more for me in terms of helping me improve my composition and framing skills than shooting with a pro-camera (DSLR) has. With Instagram, all you have is the view-finder (no fancy settings of the SLR) and then probably a couple of effects like tilt-shift and filters (not the infinite processing capability of desktop software!) to produce an awe-inspiring image.

And there are a host of Instagram photographers doing exactly that; I urge you to look at some of the Instagram accounts recommended in this Huffington Post article.

Instagram Photos – Fake or Authentic

Instagrammed photos aren’t any less “authentic” than photos clicked with a digital camera or even a film camera. Even in the very early days, photographers would “dodge” and “burn” photos in the confines of the darkroom. Did that make the final photo any less “authentic”?

Just the fact that it is now (probably) easier to do so using an image processing software, does not make the end result any less (or more) authentic. And if the technology is improving and making it easier for people to click and post-process the photos, the bar for what constitutes a good photo is also rising at the same time. So, while an Instagram filter may make bad photos look passable (yes, Cats and Starbucks coffees, I am looking at you), it certainly cannot result in a masterpiece. That will always take an expert eye.

“Keep calm and Instagram.”

I think some of the angry reactions to Instagram’s success can be attributed to resistance to change or probably the insecurities of some professionals now that “the barrier to entry” in the field of photography has drastically reduced.

Few years ago, the debate was around Digital vs. Film, now it has shifted to Mobile vs. DSLR Cameras and it will definitely be something else tomorrow. Mobile photography is here to stay, the sooner we embrace it and move forward, the better it is.

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NextDoor.com

Do you want to meet your Nosy Ass neighbor? ;) Sure, why not! nextdoor.com

Here are a few easy ways to get the word out about your NNO event and your Nextdoor neighborhood.

Each year over 37 million neighbors in 15,000 communities nationwide participate in National Night Out™ (NNO) – the annual crime prevention event created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). Nextdoor is proud to partner with NATW to sponsor National Night Out, and we’ve created tools to help you plan and promote your neighborhood’s NNO event to build a safer and stronger community.

National Night Out – taking place around the country on August 7* –  is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and get them involved in your Nextdoor website. The more you get together and connect with your neighbors, the safer your community will be year-round.

Here are a few easy ways to get the word out about your NNO event and your Nextdoor neighborhood:

  • Create an NNO event on Nextdoor for your neighborhood here.
  • Print NNO flyers and hand them out in your neighborhood before the event. Once you’ve created your NNO event on Nextdoor, you can print flyers from your event details page. Flyers contain multi-use invitation codes for easy sign up.
  • Set up a table with a sign-in sheet at your NNO event to collect neighbors’ names and email addresses. After the event, send Nextdoor email invitations to all attendees.
  • Pass out Nextdoor invitation flyers at your event; flyers are available here.
  • Use the new Nextdoor mobile invitation app to invite neighbors on the spot. To access the mobile app:
    1. From your smartphone, open your web browser and go to http://nextdoor.com/m/login
    2. Sign in with your Nextdoor account
    3. Click Invite
    4. Enter your neighbor’s email address
    5. Save this URL on your phone’s home screen so you can easily access it later

Have a great National Night Out event!

*Some communities, including the state of Texas, are sponsoring NNO events on alternate dates. Check the National Night Out site for details.

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Fifty Shades Of Grey

Wow, I love it. So much hype around this hot novel.  The book is sparking great discussion. I stumbled upon this article on Time.

50 Shades of Grey: Why Is It News That Women Like Sex?

The hubbub about the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey shows we still view female sexuality in black and white

By Susanna Schrobsdorff

A few facts might be welcome. A 2006 study at McGill University found that women watching sexual imagery reach physical arousal as quickly as men and are sexually aroused by a greater range of images than men. In a landmark 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that women remain interested in sex well into their ninth decade. In fact, among women with an intimate partner or spouse, fully 75 percent of women between age 75 and 85 reported sexual desire (compared to 80 percent of men.) Among respondents who had been sexually inactive for at least three months, the major reason given for lack of sex was the male partner’s physical health.

But we still act shocked that women have grown-up desires. After decades of advocacy and progress, it’s hard to believe the staying power of some of these one-dimensional portraits of women. The hype around 50 Shades of Grey feels more like 50 shades of condescension.

Fifty-Shades-of-Grey-NosyAss
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CENSORED

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/technology/sopa_explained/index.htm?iid=GM

Educate yourselves on SOPA! Use Cassette tapes and Vinyl – bahahahah Oxymoron

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