Photo Fabulousness ——

Alternate Universe by DdotG
 

Video Virtuosity ——

FRAMES from Martin Thoburn on Vimeo.

Frames is a short mixed media animation about a character who is thrust into different worlds after discovering the artificiality of his own world. Co-Directed and animated by Martin Thoburn and Matti Adoma, Frames was produced on a shoestring budget, and filmed using the directors’ friends. Why not check out the official website?
 

Online Awesomeness ——

Frames is a mixed media animation using pixilation, stop motion animation, green screen compositing, paper cutout, and live action video.  The film was shot with a variety of different cameras including the Canon 5D Mark II for most of the live action.  The Nikon D40x was used for still capture and stop motion animation while a small Panasonic DMC-ZS3 was used for a few extra shots.  Dragon Stop Motion was used to capture the frames for animation and After Effects was used to put the entire film together.

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Photo Fabulousness ——

Shack By Regan Shercliffe from the Vistek’s Photo and Video Pool on Flickr

Online Awesomeness ——

Ever wonder what it would be like to shoot a 3-minute short film everyday? The goal — perfect your abilities as a filmmaker. In 2010, Preston Kanak produced and posted a film a day. By the end of the year, he produced 365 films — ranging from nature films to corporate documentaries.  3 Minute Shorts (3MS+) is an online outlet for filmmakers that features work being produced from around the world — while also acting as an educational resource for filmmakers. While initially being an outlet for online videography services, 3 Minute Shorts now acts as an online community for visual artists. Mending both the desire for an online community as well a visual online portfolio, 3 Minute Shorts provides budding artists with the opportunity to showcase their work while simultaneously connecting with other like-minded artists from around the world. 3 Minute Shorts is also working to set-up opportunities for current post-secondary students through online workshops, tutorials, and festivals.

Video Virtuosity ——

And, since we brought him up, we thought we’d feature Into the Wild – one of Preston Kanak‘s  fantastic 3-minute films!

Into the Wild from Preston Kanak on Vimeo.

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Photo Fabulousness ——

Painting Toronto Planet On An Autumn Day By Katrin Shumakov
 

Bloggy Goodness ——

Pixiq is an online community where the world’s top professional photographers, bloggers, and technical experts can engage fellow image enthusiasts in a dynamic and ongoing discourse about all things photographic. The site is a fantastic resource, chock full of tips, tricks, tutorials and image galleries to inspire photographers of all stripes. And, if you were thinking of entering Vistek’s recently-launched photo contest, you might want to check out their fantastic blog post: How to Win Photography Competitions.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

11/11/11 marks a number of occasions: Veterans/Remembrance Day being the big one. But it’s also a palindrome date (and the last one for quite some time) which makes it an easy one to remember. That’s why the organizers of One Day on Earth chose it for their incredible project that creates a picture of humanity by recording a 24-hour period throughout every country in the world. Check out this stunning trailer.

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Photo Fabulousness ——

Ottawa Fringe Festival by Justin Van Leeuwen from Vistek’s Photo & Video Pool on Flickr

Bloggy Goodness ——

We’ve featured photos by Toronto-based photographer Matt Barnes on our blog before, but what you may not know is that this fab photographer has a behind-the-scenes blog of his own where you can check out how he pulls off his mind-boggling work. He’s got photos, video, and his own personal banter about his work. Check it out!

Video Virtuosity ——

Speaking of behind-the-scenes — Vincent LaForet invited Vimeo out to film a sneak peak at some behind-the-scenes action on the set of his new short film, Mobius. And what’s really cool about this footage, is that it was filmed on the spankin-new Canon EOS C300 Cinema Camera (see our previous post.) Seriously – it’s so new, you can’t even buy it… yet. But you can in January!

Mobius :: Behind The Scenes from Blake Whitman on Vimeo.

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Halloween is just around the corner and it’s a great time to get out there and shoot! Judging by the turnout at this year’s Zombie Walk in Toronto, it’s clear that creativity can be sparked by guys and ghouls out roaming the streets…

Photo Fabulousness ——

Zombie Walk, Toronto By _Rashomon_

Bloggy Goodness ——

blogTO has some fab coverage from this year’s Zombie Walk – photos, videos, the whole shebang. Who’s blogTo, you ask? Well – here’s the word straight from the proverbial horse’s mouth: “blogTO is a web site about Toronto written by a group of obsessed artists, musicians, photographers, politicos, advertising and media types, dancers, tech geeks, food lovers, aspiring film directors, fashionistas and people for the ethical treatment of animals.”

Video Virtuosity ——

While this doesn’t have anything to do with zombies or ghouls, it just might be the BEST costume idea… ever.

Fully Functional Nikon Camera Costume from YouTube user Ttothentothec03
 
Want to see how he did it?
 

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Photo Fabulousness ——

Feel the Breeze by Lynn Armstrong

Bloggy Goodness ——

More of a community than a blog, GigaPan.org is the free user site that allows hi-res images to be stored, shared, annotated, commented, linked, geo-located, and embedded on any website. With its goal to facilitate the capture of HUGE (gigapixel)composite photos, GigaPan is a collaborative project between Carnegie Mellon University and NASA Ames Intelligent Systems Division’s Robotics Group with support from Google. Gigapan has even delved into the world of photo gear that allows you to easily capture large format images with your DSLRs and even your point & shoots! Want an extra thrill? Check out GigaPan Time Machine to see the technology of Gigapan combined with the fun of time-lapse.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

And, while we’re on the subject of time-lapse…

Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.

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Photo Fabulousness ——

Arcade Fire By Brennan Schnell
 

Bloggy Goodness ——

Seven by Five is a website dedicated to photography that acts as a community, an education tool and a showcase for photographers of all levels. In addition to an extensive Photoblog Directory, the site also features a fantastic Guide to Music Photography.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

OK GO, the reigning kings of the viral music video have something truly unique with, New Leaf, a still- motion animation done entirely with toast and the  Samsung NX100 camera.  How was this done exactly? Geoff McFetridge did the animation in flash, and then each individual frame was laser etched in toast – 2430 pieces of toast to be exact.

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Photo Fabulousness ——

As you may have noticed we, at Vistek, love the photographers and the work that comes out of Westside Studio. If you’ve come in to just about any of our stores or have caught some of our advertisements you’ve seen the work of Westside photographers like Matt Barnes.

This shot, in particular is seen in a large format print in our Toronto location.

by Matt Barnes
 

Bloggy Goodness ——

Westside Studio also maintains a blog chalk-full of sneak peaks, behind-the-scenes images and a directory of blogs kept by the photographers/motion artists on staff. You can follow Westside’s Twitter feed or see their most recent Facebook activity from here as well.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

Ever wonder what you could do if you had more than one camera shooting at a time?  How about 48? This week, Ryan Enn Hughes‘ latest endeavor, The 360 Project, answers that question. These videos have turned some serious heads, getting nods from Applied Arts Magazine and F-stoppers while turning the notion that still cameras are strictly for still photography — right on it’s head.

BALLET 360 (The 360 Project) from Ryan Enn Hughes on Vimeo.

KRUMP 360 (The 360 Project) from Ryan Enn Hughes on Vimeo.

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The beginning of Fall tends to spark creativity and a thirst for education. Maybe it’s the change of the season and the fact that, as outdoor activities dwindle, people have more time to focus on themselves. Whatever the reason Fall is the season for learning and inspiration. It’s also, incidentally, when Vistek kicks off  its Saturday Seminar Series.

Photo Fabulousness ——

Falling By Kevin Morris from the Vistek Photo and Video Pool on Flickr
 

Bloggy Goodness ——

Magnum: Advice for Young Photographers
Magnum is a cooperative photographic agency founded by legends Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, George Rodger and David “Chim” Seymour in 1947. Magnum is probably the most recognized, elite agency in the entire world, and their photographers have some great advice to share with young and aspiring photographers.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

LEARN is part 2 of a 3 part series, titled Move, Eat, Learn, that was commissioned by STA Travel Australia. Watch all three, get inspired — and get out there!) Fun Fact: Vimeo has a video school that’s full of videos to help YOU make better videos. It’s totally free and totally worth checking out!

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

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We all know that macro photography – in the simplest of terms – is close-up photography, usually of very small subjects. But do we all know how to achieve this fab form of image capture? We thought a few samples, tips & tricks would be a great way to kick off a brisk fall weekend. Enjoy!
 

Photo Fabulousness ——

Macro By ZensLens (Brandon Tarek) from the Vistek Photo and Video Pool on Flickr
 

Bloggy Goodness ——

Everyone know National Geographic Magazine, but did you know that the same folks  have a fantastic Photo Blog? It features a Photo of the Day, spotlights on photographers & their galleries, a newsletter AND is chock-full of amazing videos & photo tips to help you bring your A Game and get National Geographic-like results with your own photography.
 

Video Virtuosity ——

This end-title sequence for a First World War drama, called  Herbst, proves that macro isn’t just for photography. Watch as the story and lives of the characters come to life through creative lighting, a vivid imagination and the lens of a 100mm Macro and a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. You can see the full trailer here and learn more about the video here.

Herbst titles from clemento on Vimeo.

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