El Médano (coastal town, trip base)

Parque Natural de la Corona Forestal, approx. 1,500 metres above sea level

Parque Nacional del Teide, approx. 2,500 metres

3,000 metres

Dormant volcano Mount Teide in the background (3,718 metres), highest point in all Spain

—

A little bit related: Photos from New York.

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“We got a few blank stares when we told people we were picking up our 8-month-old studio and moving it to Sarajevo for a month to make a magazine.

“We suspected there were a few reasons for the confusion; magazines seem to be a dying art form, moving a brand new business in the middle of a recession is ludicrous, and Sarajevo? Where is Sarajevo?

“Precisely.”

(It’s here, by the way.)

“As writers, designers, incessant travelers and lovers of magazines, the in-the-flesh-paper-between-my-fingers-smell-of-ink-in-my-nose type magazines, we couldn’t think of a better project for our brand new business to take on.

“Boat Studio is a deliberately small creative studio in the heart of London. We work hard for clients we love year-round. But in the slow months, we need a different challenge to tackle. Like, how can we get people to take notice of amazing but forgotten cities around the world, like Sarajevo? How can we help update people’s views of these places when the only information out there is dated and tied to past events?

“Our answer to this quandary is what you’re holding in your hand right now. We pulled together the most talented people we know; writers, photographers, illustrators, musicians… gave them a blank canvas, and set them loose on the streets of Sarajevo.

“We had one goal — to tell a new story.”

“Since the war in the Balkans ended in 1996, the media left and haven’t returned, leaving the images and ideas we have in our heads of Sarajevo dated, war-torn, and depressing. We hope this little publication will inspire you and help you create or update your ideas and images of Sarajevo.

“It’s a beautiful place with big stories to tell.

“We hope we did it justice.”
— ERIN SPENS, EDITOR

Erin Spens: Do you have hope for Sarajevo?
Ziyah Gafic: You know, the locals are very pessimistic about our circumstances, but I’ve traveled quite a lot and when I look at where we are, I think we’re doing okay. 15 years after WWII we were still on food rations. Now 15 years after the recent war we don’t need a visa to travel around Europe, we’ve got internet as fast as anyone else, we have freedom of press which is amazing, we have free education and health care. The locals’ only reference to how we’re doing is how much money they have in their pockets, which is fair enough. But when I compare us to Beirut, Kabul, even London and New York, we’re doing really well for a ‘war torn country’.

Edited by Erin Spens
Designed/art directed by Luke Tonge
Translations by Milica Vuković & Neno Novaković
Printed by Cambrian Printers (a few UK printer recommendations here)
Published biannually by Boat Studio Ltd
Boat Magazine on Twitter

I love insights of life in other parts of the world. This magazine gives just that.

Beautifully done.

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I’m not the first designer to share Things Organized Neatly.

And I’m sure I won’t be the last.

Those are matchsticks, by Claire Fontaine

The contents of a box of Nerds, organised by size

Things Organized Neatly. Via The Crossed Cow.

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Bank of America Tower, from the Sofitel on W 44th St

Central Park from the Rockefeller (looking north)

Empire State Building from the Rockefeller (looking south)

“Top of the Rock” viewing deck (lower level)

Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon memorial site in Central Park

One of Central Park’s little inhabitants

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim

North Design’s Mill logo, I think

The Brooklyn Bridge footpath

Broadway at night, toward Times Square

Empire State building from the Top of the Rock

The Nikon D5000 handled itself well for my amateur needs.

Brilliant trip.

—

Update:
I’ll be sure to check Debbie Millman’s favourite NYC spots before my next visit.

—

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—

Update: 26 June 2010
A few more photos here on Facebook.

—

Photography by Carmen Tyler (thank you).

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I’m back from a week in southern Spain, successfully dodging the ash cloud, and although I couldn’t justify reading all of my back-logged feed subscriptions, here are a few notable mentions.

Greenpeace launched a behind the logo initiative, calling for the public to design oil giant BP a new logo.

For football-lovers, Nike released a superb ad-spot for the World Cup (on Creative Review).

On a similar note, Michael Johnson spoke of the travesties that are World Cup logos.

The 2012 Olympic mascots were launched (and nicely compared to Britain’s new Government).

Gorgeous examples of tilt shift photography — something I plan on experimenting with.

Hardly worth the effort. A few well-chosen words from Seth Godin.

Lastly, davidthedesigner offered proof that not everything improves with age.

In other news, it turns out Catherine takes a half-decent photo (above).

I hope you’ve all been having a great week.

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I’m sure I’ll pay the bridge a few more visits as I get to grips with my Nikon D5000. 14 kilometres west of Edinburgh, the Forth Rail Bridge is so imposing it’s easy to capture a dramatic photo.

The structure was designed by Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker, and built by Glasgow based company Sir William Arrol & Co. between 1883 and 1890.

“The bridge was opened on 4 March 1890 by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, who drove home the last rivet, which was gold plated and suitably inscribed.

“During its construction, over 450 workers were injured and 98 lost their lives.

“There is a scene on the bridge in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film The 39 Steps.

“The bridge was built in steel alone, the first bridge in Britain to use that material. It was the first major structure in Britain to be constructed of steel; Its contemporary, the Eiffel Tower was built of wrought iron.”

Quoted from Wikipedia.

Here’s a beauty of a shot from George Gastin.

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Shot from my third-floor studio window as I get to grips with the Nikon D5000. There’s been no Photoshop work done on the sky (just a little darkening of the chimneys).

A beautiful Edinburgh dusk that my amateur photo doesn’t do justice.

Thanks a lot for your DSLR recommendations, by the way. More Edinburgh photos to follow.

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Nikon D5000

US Nikon D5000 on Amazon.com
UK £519.40 on Amazon.co.uk
UK £529 from Jessops

• 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
• 2.7″ tilt and swivel LCD monitor (230,000 dots)
• Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
• Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection and subject tracking
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• 11 AF points (with 3D tracking)
• IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
• 4 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
• Expeed image processing engine
• Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
• Connector for optional GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
• New battery with increased capacity
• 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback

Nikon D5000 review on dpreview.com (from July 2009)

Brian Hoff, Ashley Dean Newall, and Robert Anthony are all happy D5000 owners, and this is the camera I might just go for.

Canon EOS 550D

US $799.99 on Amazon.com (body only)
UK £799.99 on Amazon.co.uk (body only)
UK £1099 from Jessops, with 18-135mm lens

• 18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
• Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
• Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
• 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
• iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
• Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
• Exposure compensation +/-5 stops (although viewfinder scale is still +/-2 stops)
• Select maximum value for Auto ISO
• External Microphone socket
• Movie crop function
• Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility

Canon EOS 550D review on dpreview.com (from February 2010)

This is the very latest offering from Canon (released this month?), and as such, I haven’t heard from anyone who actually has one. It costs a bit more than I was thinking of spending, too.

Nikon D90

US Nikon D90 on Amazon.com
UK £755.97 on Amazon.co.uk
UK £799 from Jessops

• 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
• 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
• Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• Illuminated focus points
• Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
• IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
• 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
• Expeed image processing engine
• 3D tracking AF (11 point)
• Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
• Slightly improved viewfinder (96% frame coverage)
• Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
• Improved user interface
• New optional compact GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
• Same battery and vertical grip as D80
• Vignetting control in-camera
• 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback

Nikon D90 review on dpreview.com (from October 2008)

A step up in price from the previously mentioned D5000, Jin Yang and Lea Alcantara each recommend their D90s.

Canon PowerShot G10

US $600 on Amazon.com
UK £369.99 on Amazon.co.uk

• 14.7 Megapixel CCD sensor
• 5x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer
• RAW image recording plus support for Canon Digital Photo Professional
• DIGIC 4 for clear, sharp images, high-speed AF (including Servo AF) and fast response times
• Targets all the main causes of blur with High ISO Auto, optical
• Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Auto ISO shift
• Improved Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB plus Face Select & Track and FaceSelf-Timer
• 3.0” PureColor LCD II (461k dots resolution) with wide viewing angle and optical viewfinder
• i-Contrast boosts brightness and retains detail in dark areas
• Dedicated Exposure Compensation and ISO dials
• 26 shooting modes with manual control and custom settings
• Accessories include tele-converter, Speedlights flashes and waterproof case
• Smooth, 30fps VGA movies

Canon PowerShot G10 review on dpreview.com (from November 2008)

The G10 isn’t actually a single-lens reflex (SLR), but some say it does just as good a job as the budget range.

Simon Manchipp recommends the G10.

Nikon’s website
Canon’s website

Finally, here’s an interesting read on Photocritic, worth keeping in mind for your own camera purchase: Why I don’t need an expensive camera. (Via Duane on Twitter.)

What entry-level digital SLR do you recommend?

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I’ve read a lot about Dubai that paints a sad picture, but Philip Bloom makes it easy to look beyond the dark side and witness the undoubted beauty of the man-made surroundings.

This four-minute timelapse video was filmed in Dubai over five days and five nights, shot using a Canon 7D and a Panasonic GF1. It’s definitely best viewed full-screen.

“I mostly shot aperture priority mode to cope with the light change. Sometimes in manual. You don’t need expensive cameras to do this. The GF1 is a cheap camera and there are even cheaper ones out there like some of the powershot series with built in timelapse. It’s great fun, very boring to shoot but ultimately the most rewarding.”
— PHILIP BLOOM

Music is from The Fountain by Clint Mansell.

More info and stills on Bloom’s blog. Via creativeroots.

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