Envision!

Today I got the chance to visit the Envision Center at Purdue University. I've walked past it countless times over the past 5 years but have never wondered in. There is some pretty cool stuff tucked away in the space between the Union and Stewart. One of the pieces of technology they use that was particular interesting was a device called the cave. This was essentially a 3D viewing space that can be enclosed around you (on 4 sides) allowing you to interact with a 3-dimensional space. The cave uses a pair of 3D glasses in combination with a motion detector that is worn just over the glasses. This censor allows the virtual space to move according to your head movement. Thus, if you turn your head right, if you squat down the view will move down, and so on.

I most definitely see great potential in a set up like this. For one, it can be used to enter a space and become familiar with it, before ever stepping foot inside. It can also be a crucial device in research. The 3D space could be used to measure productivity, accessibility, and functionality of a space and determine necessary changes for the most optimal layout.

Another thing we were shown in the center that I found to be interesting is a tile wall. One of the stations in there was a seven monitor setup that had seven different viewing screens (all making one larger viewing space). The great thing about this is that the data on each screen is also split up into seven different computers. This allows huge data sets to be analyzed and accessed visually, without bogging down a single system. A sample of using this would be to access an area of land, and be able to visually see different components of that same land area, as well as the data that describes it.

Below is a video of the Pharmacy Clean Room that we were given the chance to interact with along with a brief explanation of how this is utilized.



The Envision Center at Purdue is definitely on the forefront of imaging and data representation. This research can be applied to an endless array of fields and professions, making it a very influential and important resource to have on a campus such as Purdue. If you are ever at Purdue and have a chance to stop by, I definitely recommend checking it out.

Learning Creatively

Have I mentioned how great it is to be a photographer in the now? Learning the techniques of digital photography, among other creative activities, has become even easier than before. The days of finding one photographer to teach you the trade are over. Chase Jarvis, a great photographer and inspiring creative, recently announced on his blog the introduction of CreativeLIVE. In conjunction with his recent live broadcast photo shoots, CreativeLIVE is a way for photographers and other artistic folk to learn from the greatest in their respective fields. They not only offer photography classes, but also painting, creative software and even designing and coding programs for the iPhone. The best part of it is... it is FREE! In following his blog and his work, Chase appears to be the kind of guy who knows what he's doing and wants others to be able to learn from him and his new project is another sign of that. Thanks, Chase!

What CreativeLIVE is, is an online site in which you can enroll in "classes" for free. Next you tune in to the sign during the designated times of the class you want to take and learn from the best in the business via a web streamed lecture/demonstration. Once a lesson is over, it becomes available for purchase via download. But wait, there's more! The website offers a live chat in which you can talk with others taking that class as well as those instructing it. Giving you one on one time with professionals as well as colleagues in the industry. The chat is available in two ways: an online chat connection, or via twitter using a hashtag. Below is a great promotional video that Chase put together about the program.




What do you guys think? A worthwhile tool for the creative minds of the world? Anyone know of any other similar programs? The simple fact is you can have these classes at your disposal (if downloaded) anytime you wish. They can also be put on your iPod, iPhone of other electronic device and you can learn tricks of the trade while your waiting on the bus or on your lunch break. I definitely see great potential in this project and I intend on utilizing it as much as possible in my free time. Love learning!

Taking Control

Having control of your DSLR's capabilities is of huge importance in the photography world. Remote control becomes even more important when trying to capture an image with high dynamic range or HDR. These dynamic images are created by capturing several different exposures of one image and combining them together to form an image in which there is adequate exposure of nearly every pixel in the image. Because you are shooting several different exposures of the same image it is important that the camera doesn't move, making changing the settings a risky move even when the camera is mounted. This has forced photographers and manufacturers to come up with remote ways of controlling the camera. In the past this has been done by connecting your camera to a computer and controlling it with software. The problem with this is the amount and size of gear required for the shoot. This has led the team at HDR Labs to develop the Open Camera Control.

To do this, the HDR Labs team has taken a Nintendo DS and created a piece of software that allows you to control your camera by tethering the device to your DSLR via a DYI cable made from a camera release cable, a standard Nintendo DS game housing and a few other circuitry parts. Although this step takes a bit of knowledge on circuit board building and coding, it is still putting the technology into the hands of the consumers and getting them to think outside of the "photographical" box. All of the Camera Control software they have developed for the Nintendo DS can be found here.

With the creation of the Open Camera Control, HDR Labs is hoping to put an idea in the minds of photographers, or rather a canvas, that they can then change and mold into something that fits a style of shooting or artistic vision they have in mind. Just like the creators of Frankencamera they are hoping that manufacturers begin to create cameras that can be programmed by photographers to do things completely unexpected.

Moving Still

The SLR has been the accepted standard camera in professional photography for quite some time. Its versatility and durability has made the SLR ideal for a wide variety of shooting. In the past five to ten years the DSLR has become the camera of choice for some photographers. The switch to digital has been hesitant but more and more photographers are moving past the nostalgic film work and picking up a newer digital version of their old SLR. However, something new has taken over the world of photography. The idea of using a DSLR for video capture is now possible. Over the past few years two major players in the camera manufacturing industry, Canon and Nikon, have released professional DSLR bodies with HD video (720p and 1080p) capabilities. This has not only put a professional still camera in the hands of cinematographers, but also creating a new market for photojournalist to document their work.

Now instead of lugging around huge cameras and lenses along with various other equipment required to capture high quality video, professionals and amateurs alike are able to cary something a bit more confined with them... making having the right equipment at the right time more likely. These cameras are a big hit for photojournalists covering events due to their light weight and ability to shoot in more confined spaces. DSLR's with HD video are also big hits among travel journalists as well because they are so easy to travel the globe with. In addition, users aren't constricted by bulky MiniDV tapes and the time consuming task of capturing all that video in real time! They can simply pop their SD or CF into their computer, edit their piece and upload professional HD video footage to the web. But that is only the start of it. Since the first two models of HD video equipped DSLRs in 2009, photographers have been using their creativity and their conveniently sized cameras to capture shots that have never been done before.

I saw a remarkable example in a post on Chase Jarvis' blog today about a new Nissan commercial that really shows these cameras in action. Using a DSLR mounted in a miniature helicopter in conjunction with other methods, this talented group of photographers, designers, and artists were able to create something quite unique. See the making of video below followed by the finished product.







I have a Nikon D90, one of the first DSLRs to have HD video and am in the market for a Nikon D300s (Nikon's newest addition to it's video capturing arsenal) and I haven't used the video function as much as I would like. After watching this video I hope to push my creativity more and utilize such an amazing piece of photographic equipment. If you have any suggestions on cool ways to shoot video on a DSLR or have shot some video on one yourself, please feel free to comment. I always enjoy seeing and hearing ways that other photographers are utilizing their equipment to make some creative stuff!