Oggl~A New App from Hipstamatic!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Linda

Our friends at Hipstamatic have been busily back at the drawing board…and now we, and the rest of the world, know why. Their new app, named “oggl”, was unveiled this month with exciting results. Oggl is a photo-sharing application, currently available for the iPhone…and growing. A version for Windows phones is coming next. As for the name, it is derived from something we all have done at one time or another: “ogg’ling” a picture!

hipstamatic-oggl-logoOggl was designed for “capture-first” shooting. You edit a photo after it’s taken. Once you’re happy with the look, you share your photos to an Oggl profile, or elsewhere, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Tumblr, and Flickr.

Here at Color Services, Gabe can’t stop oggling. When he demoed oggl for me, I was treated to an endless stream of gorgeous photos, and that’s wherein the beauty of this application lies. These were not hapless snaphots, but the best of the best. They were carefully crafted images enhanced with oggls dreamy filters.

The intent of oggl is to build a community for creative people. If you love treating your eyes to stunning imagery, and if you’d like to connect and share with like-minded photo connoisseurs, this is the app for you. Basic oggl is available free in the Apple iTunes Store. Extra features are available for a nominal fee.

 

 

 

 

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The Big Photo Show~FREE Admission

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Linda

Are you passionate about photography…and interested in learning more to improve your skills in a fun (and free!) environment?

BigPhotoShow_logoPMA,The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations, will offer photography instruction to photo enthusiasts at “The Big Photo Show”, May 4-5, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA.

The Big Photo Show is an event where consumers can try new products, ask questions, learn tips & tricks, and get inspired. The show will offer 3 zones, each with different types of learning opportunities:

  •     Education Zone – Theater seating with expert instructors speaking on various aspects of photography.
  •     Shooting Zone – Instructors will photograph live models, demonstrating different skills and techniques. Participants are encouraged to shoot right alongside!
  •     Hands-On Zone – Attendees will interact one-on-one and in small groups with instructors and models for in-depth, personalized training.

The instructors include Erin Manning and Lee Varis. Erin Manning is a digital photography expert, author and host of DIY Network’s “The Whole Picture” television series. Lee Varis is an author and digital imaging pioneer who has been a professional and fine art photographer for more than 30 years. His work has been featured in National Geographic, Newsweek and Fortune magazines.

Additional featured instructors are Mark Comon and David Bever. As a photography instructor for more than 25 years, Comon will be sharing 5 easy tips to improve your photography; as well as instruction on wildlife and safari photography, and sports photography. Comon’s Basic Photography class airs on cable TV in Southern California and he leads student photographic tours in Europe, Africa and the American Southwest.

David Bever, the owner of a Los Angeles event and fashion photography company, has photographed band members from such legendary groups as Pink Floyd, Elton John, and Guns & Roses. For anyone interested in turning their passion into a career, Bever will be talking about the business of professional photography.

The Big Photo Show promises to be seriously fun! To learn more…and get free admission on us (a $25 value!)…follow this link!
https://thebigphotoshow-colorservices.eventbrite.com/

 

 

 

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Jadyn Chen~Wild Things~Closing Reception

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Linda

Wild-Things-270x300Our own Jadyn Chen from the Color Services team will be hosting a closing reception of her exhibit “Wild Things” at DNA Studios in Santa Barbara on Friday, March 22.

Jadyn draws inspiration from nature, people and cultures and tranlsates her experiences into intricately well-crafted illustrations. Come meet Jadyn, see her beautiful work, and pick up a print or a tee!

RECEPTION: 7-10 PM
LOCATION: DNA Imagery, 529 E. Gutierrez St.
FOOD AND WINE WILL BE SERVED!

For a preview of Jadyn’s work, visit jadynchen.com.

 

 

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Goleta Valley Photo Exhibition~Now Seeking Submissions

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Linda

The Goleta Valley Historical Society invites the public to submit favorite photos of the Goleta Valley for a chance to be featured in its next exhibition.

The exhibit, titled “Capturing The Goodland: Picturing the Beauty & History of the Goleta Valley,” opens March 17 with youth (under 18) photographers on display until mid-June followed by adult works on display until Nov. 17.

Photo by Baron Spafford

Stow House: photo by Baron Spafford

The goal of this community exhibit at Rancho La Patera & Stow House is to inspire museum visitors to explore Goleta’s hidden treasures. Participants are encouraged to submit images of their favorite places—historical, natural and unusual!

Photographers interested in submitting work for consideration should send image(s) to photos@goletahistory.org. Submit: photo, title, location and an artist statement describing what you love about the photo or a more general statement about life in Goleta. A print version will be requested for the selected submissions. Photos may be black and white or color. The submission deadline for adult entries is May 15, 2013.

Stow House, established in 1873, is on the National Registry of Historic Places. The beautiful house, along with its gardens, ranch area, and other historic structures of Rancho La Patera, are treasures in the Goleta Valley that will transport you to another time.

Visit Rancho La Patera from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Entrance to the museum is $8 for adults and free for children under 12. Rancho La Patera is located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road. Questions about the photography exhibit may be directed to Education Coordinator, Jim McNay at photos@goletahistory.org or at 805-681-7216. For more information, visit http://www.stowhouse.com.

 

 

 

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Kids+Cameras Teaches Photography to Children in Santa Barbara and Thailand

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Linda

On February 22, a new after-school activity called Kids+Cameras will launch at Adams elementary school in Santa Barbara, California. The program, created by two creative and compassionate young adults, was designed to introduce children to photography as a way to tell a story, express their feelings, and experience a new way of seeing the world.

1_kidscameras-4xKids+Cameras began when Santa Barbarans Robby Barthelmess, a photojournalist, and Courtney Owen, an art lover and photographer, traveled to Thailand to learn more about the problem of human trafficking that faces rural children in that country.

With 12 cameras in hand, Robby and Courtney set out to teach a photography workshop for children at the Resource Center in Chiang Rai. Expecting to have more than enough cameras, they were shocked by the large number of children that showed up, eager to try out photography. The workshop was tremendously successful. The students learned a lot, had the chance to explore a new art form, and began to look at their surroundings in a different way. Robbie and Courtney also learned a lot. They realized how much they loved teaching children and watching them experience a new means of expression.

Kids+Cameras was created to sustain the photography program at the Resource Center in Thailand and to expand the program elsewhere. After Adams School in Santa Barbara, their next project will be at Santa Barbara’s Franklin School.

Since March of 2011, Robby and Courtney have been raising money to continue their cause, but they need help. Kids+Cameras needs donations. The organization chose to use film cameras, seeing this as a way to recycle the many unused cameras in our communities and put them into the hands of youth. Kids+Cameras would appreciate donations of film, cameras, camera straps, camera bags, and any other photo accessories. Color Services is proud to be a sponsor of Kids+Cameras. We hope this exciting program will inspire children to pursue the art of photography and to learn more about the world around them. For more information, visit www.kidspluscameras.com.

 

 

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Art is Life~VADA Art Sale

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Linda

VADA_2013The Visual Arts & Design Academy (VADA) at Santa Barbara High School is currently holding its first annual art sale fundraiser, “Art is Life”.  More than 50 works of art in a wide variety of mediums are available for sale, including watercolor and oil paintings, artist’s prints, and photography by renowned and beloved local artists. The artwork is on view & available for purchase M-F, 9am-5pm, through Feb. 25 at the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center, 1118 E. Cabrillo Blvd. in Santa Barbara, California. A select number of artworks will be auctioned during the public reception on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 6-8pm. All auction proceeds will benefit VADA. Check it out and support VADA!

 

 

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LA Art Book Fair~Coming this Weekend

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Linda

If you’re an art buff who likes books, photography, and much more, a unique (and free!) 3-day event is coming to Los Angeles this weekend. The first annual LA Art Book Fair will take place from February 1-3 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. An opening will be held on the evening of Thursday, January 31.

The LA Art Book Fair will showcase artists’ books, catalogs, periodicals, and zines presented by 220 international presses, booksellers, antiquarians, artists, and independent publishers from 21 countries. Featured projects include FOCUS: PHOTOGRAPHY, a cross-section of photo-based books and magazines, including: Aperture Foundation (New York, NY); Little Brown Mushroom (St. Paul, MN); Super Labo (Tokyo); Edition Patrick Frey (Zurich); and TBW Books (Oakland, CA). Check this out at Gallery W on the Mezzanine.

The LA ART BOOK FAIR, presented by Printed Matter, is the companion fair to the popular NY ART BOOK FAIR held every fall. To explore this collection of artistic excellence and inspiration, get excited…gear up…and go!

Opening: Thursday, January 31, 6–9 pm
Friday, February 1, 11-5 pm
Saturday, February 2, 11 am–6 pm
Sunday, February 3, 12 pm–6 pm

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, moca.org

 

 

 

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Color Services teams up with High Sierra Workshops

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Linda

As we launch a new year, Color Services is pleased to announce that it has partnered with High Sierra Workshops, an educational workshop company offering intensive, small-group photography workshops in California and across the globe. This collaboration celebrates the shared passion between Color Services and High Sierra Workshops for making photographs look their best!

High Sierra Workshops provides instruction in technique, theory, and composition in spectacular locations. According to workshop participant John Walser, “The workshop was all about the image, thinking about what you wanted the picture to be and how to compose and capture it.  It was not a workshop to learn all of the controls on your camera .”

Color Services and High Sierra Workshops look forward to offering participants an opportunity to photograph stunning locations and then preserve them for years of enjoyment with high-quality printing services. All workshop participants automatically receive an entry into an end-of-year giveaway. Two winners of the Color Services’ giveaway will receive a custom 20×24-inch Chromira print of the image of their choice.

The High Sierra Workshops in California, include Yosemite, Death Valley, Big Sur, the Eastern Sierra and Owens Valley. The next workshop, scheduled for February 14-17, 2013, is “Yosemite in Winter”. To learn more about High Sierra Workshops, go to highsierraworkshops.com or www.facebook.com/HighSierraWorkshops.

 

 

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The 5th Annual Worldwide Photo Walk ~ October 13, 2012

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Linda

On Saturday, October 13, more than 27,000 photo walkers, united by their love for photography, will take to the streets in a free global photography event: the 5th Annual Worldwide Photo Walk.

The Worldwide Photo Walk is a social photography gathering where photographers meet, usually in an urban area, to walk around, shoot photos, and generally have fun with other photographers! The WWPW, organized by photography instructor Scott Kelby, is the world’s largest event of this nature—with groups registered in more than 1,000 cities—and plenty of room for more sign-ups.

Here in my city of Santa Barbara, California, Walter Naumann will lead a group along the Breakwater from 12-3pm. Participants will meet on the lawn by Chuck’s Waterfront Grill and gather again at Chuck’s after the walk. Walkers can register up until the day of the walk, as long as space allows. To register for the Santa Barbara walk, click here. To find a WWPW in your area, click here.

After the Photo Walk, there is even more fun in store! For a chance to win great prizes, log in at WorldwidePhotoWalk.com, go to your city’s walk page, and submit your single best image to the WWPW contest. You can enter a pano, HDR, or B&W. You can create a collage…or use Hipstamatic or Instagram on your iPhone. Your entry just has to be shot during your walk and submitted by October 22. Prizes will be awarded to a winner from each city, to the Top 10 finalists, a Grand Prize winner and the People’s Choice. Voting for the People’s Choice takes place from November 9-16 with the winner announced on November 19.

The WWPW will also include a wonderful opportunity to help others. An official Worldwide PhotoWalk T-Shirt has been created and 100% of the profits from their sales will go to feeding children at the Springs of Hope Kenya Orphanage.

To learn more about the Worldwide Photo Walk, go to worldwidephotowalk.com.

 

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The Joy of Photo Restorations

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Linda

Seeing the “before” and “after” of a photo restoration is a highlight of my job. First of all, when a customer brings in a damaged photo to be fixed, I know that it is somehow special to them. Sometimes they are eager to share the story, while other times it is their own quiet memory. Frequently photos are faded from being displayed in the light; sometimes they are stuck to the glass of the frame that holds them; and sometimes the damage is extreme from creasing, stains, or a torn-away corner. Then…to present the recipient with a beautifully restored photograph one week later…it is magic to see the impact.

Several years ago, my friend, Ann, brought me a pencil-sketch of her deceased father that had been drawn by one of his army buddies. It was a nice likeness that had become faint, spotted and yellow. Ann wanted to give a nice copy to everyone in her family for a Christmas gift. We digitally fixed the damage, pumped up the contrast, and made an additional colorized version that had a hand-tinted look. To see Ann’s face when she saw that restoration was a golden moment. And to hear that the 8×10’s she gave to her family that Christmas were the gifts that made their holiday special was the icing on the cake.

A candidate for a photo restoration doesn’t have to be a professional portrait. Sometimes it’s the little snapshots that have the most meaning in our lives…or something as simple as Ann’s pencil sketch.

 Now through September 14, 2012, Color Services is including a free 8×10 enlargement with every photo restoration.

 

 

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