VSO Software announces the release of VSO Image Resizer 4, a major new version of its photo resizing freeware.

VSO Image Resizer 4 is a stand-alone application which will compress, convert, create copies, import, edit or organise a single picture or a whole batch. VSO Image Resizer 4 offers an improved stand-alone usage and a quick access to profiles from the Windows shell extension. The file selection has been revamped, allowing images and folders to be added together to the same project. With the live preview, a major new feature in VSO Image Resizer 4, users can see what the result will look like before actually resizing or converting images. The output can be sent directly by email or be compressed to a zip folder. Finally, the watermark function has been improved with html-like text formatting features.

Photography Blog: VSO Image Resizer 4

The Photographer’s Ephemeris is an interesting software application that presents details of moon phases, times and directions of sun and moon set and rise for any location you select. You can save your favourite locations and call them up again with just a few clicks. The software runs on the Adobe Air platform and is therefore available for Windows, Apple Mac and Linux operating systems. There is also a version for the iPhone. Read the Digital Photography School review It’s all about the light: The Photographer’s Ephemeris for more information.

Manfrotto has updated its tutorial website with additional features and improvements. ‘The Manfrotto School of Excellence’ now includes features such as live chat, news updates and photo-features in addition to free tutorials from established photographers, most of which have an understandable three-legged slant to them. The website also promotes products from other brands from the Vitec Group including Gitzo, Lastolite, Elinchrom and Kata.

Manfrotto revamps its tutorial website

It’s nearly that time again – only a few weeks left before we close the Environmental Photographer of the Year for another year.

As always, we appreciate the enormous help you provide through telling your contacts, friends and colleagues about the competition, so would really appreciate you reminding them that the deadline for entries is 31^st July 2010.

The categories are:

Changing Climates

The Natural World

Quality of Life

Innovation in the Environment (New for 2010)

The Underwater World (New for 2010)

A View From the Western World (New for 2010)

Young Environmental Photographer of the Year (Under 16 & Under 21)

Winners share a prize fund of £5,000, and all winning and highly commended entries are displayed in the free Environmental Photographer of the Year exhibition – to be launched on 25^th October in Mayfair, London. Copyright is retained by the photographer.

For all the details on entering, go to www.epoty.org. You can also keep up to date with any new developments by joining our Facebook group.

Thank you again for your help and I look forward to announcing the winners in September.

Emily Doyle  /  Press and Marketing Officer

Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM),15 John Street, London, WC1N 2EB. Tel: 020 7831 3110. Website: www.ciwem.org.  Registered Charity No. 1043409

CIWEM is an independent professional body and a registered charity, advancing the science and practice of water and environmental management for a clean, green and sustainable world.

A number of prints were evaluated by Sean, Rosie (the first-timer) and Antenie – they are thanked for giving reasons for their various comments … this is the only way that we can experience another angle on our photographs. 

Paddy gave a short report on the outing to De Doorns, which apparently was looking its best.  At next month’s meeting Steve will show the Rally pictures, and Kobus Barnard will be ‘Getting his Feet Wet’.  That will be on July 14th – see you there!

Please keep a check on our program under the Tabs at the top of the webpage.

In every photography conversation that takes place anywhere in the World, the subject will eventually come up. Someone will innocently ask: Do you shoot RAW or JPEG? And a friendly conversation turns into an ugly bloodbath, ending with photographers spinning their cameras over their heads held by the strap, as modern-day photographic flails, mouths frothing, shrieks of hate filling the air as they attack one another in defence of their chosen file format. It’s not coincidence that ‘RAW’ is ‘WAR’ spelled backwards.

It needn’t be this way. I believe photographers of all races, colours, creed and shooting format can coexist and live together, in peace. Seriously, I do.

RAW vs JPEG: An End to the War