Houston Photobloggers

Assignment: Houston

I have started a new Flickr group and I invite all of you to join. The group is called Assignment: Houston and is open to any Flickr member.

At the first of each month a new assignment will be posted. Assignments will be locations or themes in the Houston area. Members will have one month to take pictures and submit up to THREE of their best photos of the selected location or theme.

Even if you do not live in Houston this will be a good place to get photo ideas when you visit the city. And of course if you are planning a visit you can check the assignment for that month and play along. See you there!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/assignmenthouston/

Photobloggies Nominations

The 2006 Photobloggies nominations are now open! If you have a favorite photoblog site make sure that you go and nominate them before May 8th. This is your chance to bring attention to your favorite photoblog (yes, even if it is yours!).

There is a wide variety of categories covering regions of the world, subject matter in photography, best new photoblog and single best picture. You can nominate up to three sites for each category. The final winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and winners will be announced at the North American Photobloggers Meetup in Toronto.

JPG Magazine

Do you know about JPG Magazine? It is a project of the dynamic duo Heather Powazek Champ and Derek Powazek. It is a quarterly publication that features photographers like us, the photobloggers. The photographer in between snapshot shooters and professionals.

Each issue is built around a theme. Past issues have featured themes such as Lost, Origin and Fabulous. The latest issue is centered around the idea that Photography is Not a Crime, something we have to deal with in Houston all the time. This has been my favorite issue thus far. It features stories and photos on the theme, NYC subway photography, an interview with attorney Bert Krages on photographer's rights, and a special clip-out Photographer's Right Bust Card. You can order this or any issue through the JPG Magazine website.

The magazine is currently accepting submissions for Issue 6: Oops.

Sometimes the best shots are accidents. They come from the moment your finger slips, your settings are wrong, you shoot into the sun, or your model sneezes. The results are more about serendipity than technique, and they can surprise even the most accomplished photographer.

The theme for Issue 6 is "Oops!" to celebrate these happy accidents. We're seeking submissions of photos that say "Oops!" to you. Maybe it's a photo you didn't mean to take, or a moment you didn't expect to capture. You're encouraged to have fun with the theme.

You have until April 30th to submit your photos. Information on submitting a photo can be found here. Check it out and submit some photos. I'd love to see some of our members work in the magazine.

And speaking of members, I'd like to give a shout out to our newest member, Ed and his photoblog, phototainable. Welcome to the group Ed!

The Pod

I was watching "I Want That" on HGTV and well, I want that! The Pod. It is basically a bean bag support system for your camera. Carrying a tripod around isn't always convenient and this little guy can be placed practically anywhere. It has an industry standard locking bolt to secure your camera, a non-skid base on the bottom and is made of water resistant nylon. The Pods come in various sizes and ranges in price from $13.99 - $16.99. You can find more information at the Pod website.

Three Words: Japan, Derby, Downtown

Three words to describe places you can take your camera this weekend.

1.) The 13th Japanese Festival will be held this weekend at Hermann Park's Japanese Garden. The festival is sponsored by the Japan-America Society of Houston.

The Houston Japan Festival celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Japan with activities that represent traditional entertainment, sport, food and art. Experience the fun as the area in and around the Japanese garden at Hermann Park is transformed into an authentic Japanese village with colorful flags, windsocks, cherry blossoms, and paper lanterns.

That sounds promising! You can find out more details at the festival website including a schedule of performances. Admission is Free.

2.) NOW the Houston Roller Derby season is getting underway. Saturday night is the first official bout of the four team league. If you like to photograph interesting people or rough and tumble action, this is the place for your camera to be. You can find out more at the Houston Roller Derby Website. There you will find information on the teams, a schedule of this year's bouts (under news and events) and a video clip to give you an idea of what you are in for. It may be a sell out so if you want to go to this first bout you better purchase quickly. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door and available online at the website.

3.) For you architecture lovers and historical buffs, the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance is ready to help you explore Downtown Market Square with a walking tour this Sunday afternoon.

This tour begins at Market Square Park, the site of City Hall from 1841 to 1939, and explores Houston's early commercial and financial districts, now the home of many residential and entertainment projects. Among the highlights of the tour are the 1861 Kennedy bakery (now La Carafe), Houston's oldest commercial structure; the 300 block of Main Street, an intact row of late 19th century buildings; the storied Rice Hotel; and the little-known story of "Catfish Reef," a colorful section of downtown Houston in the early 20th century.

I am a big fan of these tours. They are interesting, informative and I always get good shots out of them. Tickets will be sold from 1:30 to 2:00 in Market Square Park and are $10 ($8 for GHPA members). You can find more information at the GHPA website including a map to the park.

What are you doing this weekend? Anything else we should know about? That is one of the great things about living in Houston. There is so much to do.

Photoblogs.org Update

I have a weekend project for you. If you haven't been by Photoblogs.org lately there are some big changes brewing. This weekend the transition is beginning to the new Photoblogs.org. Brandon Stone has worked very hard on this next phase of the site with an emphasis on community.

The biggest change is that favorites will no longer be used. In its place will be bookmarks which you will be able to tag. You have until June 1st to move your favorites over to bookmarks. While I was updating my bookmarks I found a lot of out of date links to photoblogs, including some of the Houston Photobloggers. Once the new site is completely functional you should be able to update your links. If you don't want to wait you can change your information under the add/update photoblog link at the old site and then mark your old site for removal. Changes are instantly transferred over to the new Photoblogs.org.

There is a lot to see over there so stop by sometime this weekend, poke around and start adding some bookmarks. If you have any questions you can use this form to get help.