When you walk around with a 40-pound camera bag and two very large cameras slung around your shoulders enough people will stop you with questions like – “My camera doesn't advance the film roll anymore, what should I do?” A fair question for a guy with a lot of camera power, but my response is always a bit ambiguous. That's because there is no one universal answer to these types of questions.

You can have the camera checked for about $100 an hour. Or, you could go out and replace the batteries and restart the machine. Or, you can chuck it and buy another cheapo camera. It comes down to what your budget is.

Speaking of budget, I am in the mix now to buy a professional level digital camera. My freelance clients are demanding digital files and the conversion from film to digital on a regular basis is wearing me down a bit.

I am a huge fan of David Pogue, a technology writer at the New York Times. This morning's edition carries his article about two professional level cameras in the $1,000 range. I am eyeing the Nikon D-70 as I have been married to that company for quite some time now; lenses, flashes, gizmos galore – all Nikon. So, Canon won't do. If only the D-70 came with a vertical grip [for portraits]. Gripes and laments aside, it appears to be a wonderful camera. Thousand bucks, chump change right? It's still quite a bit of money but it will save me from dealing with film processing labs again.

Via Conscientious

“PhotoSeen is an ever-changing gallery for an expanding group of independent photographers. It exists to provide inspiration, motivation peer-to-peer critiques and a place to share our photographic passions. Membership is based not only on ability but on the desire to share, learn and help out other photographers.” 

Ten days ago I introduced you to the Vadukul Brothers, today I want to tell you about RJ Muna.

His real name is Raja John Muna and he been around for quite some time. According to John Callan's profile of Muna in PhotoMedia, “Muna began his professional career shooting street demonstrations in Berkeley at age 16, in the waning years of the Vietnam era. The protests were just a few miles from his current studio. The images he captured were not so far from the style he practices today. From the time he first picked up his father's 35mm camera when he was 13, he has strived to capture images of ideas rather than instances in time.”

He got his professional start in the Bay Area shooting commercials for IBM. He continues to shoot the highest profile commercials you see out there on magazine stands. But he knows how to balance professional drive with personal passion.

Peter Marshall describes Muna's art work in The Apparitions, by saying:

These pictures may have been created about the idea of apparitions or glimpses, but they are glimpses that exist and are viewed in the context of a relationship between two people, male and female, and they gain a part of their power from their latent eroticism.

Know of other desi photographers/artists/designers/writers? Send me their information (and links) to: tiffinbox{at}pipalproductions{dot}com.

Given that I link to so many photography web sites and photographers, today, I decided it was time to launch a photo gallery on this site. No, not my own work. That will come later. It's time to show off the work of some very enterprising friends.

The first photographer to be featured is Jasmeen Patheja, a graduate of Srishti, one of India's leading institutes for art and design education.

Look in the right column for Jasmeen's photo album (or click here). I expect to have an artist's statement or at least a description of her work real soon. Keep checking back. Want to see more of her work? Check out her fotolog.

Next up is John Isaac, the former Chief photographer for the United Nations. I am going to interview him – 20 questions. If you have anything to ask him, please email me.

Yes, it's 40 years since those bugs came into the world but this is about something else.

Kamlesh Lulla, reports Martin Desmarais for the Indus Business Journal, might as well be a space cadet.

“Lulla is the chief scientist for Earth observation at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. He directs remote sensing activities for space shuttle flights and the international space station.”

He may not in the technical sense be a photographer, but over the years given the depth and breadth of images he has analyzed, I am sure we can make an exception.

Earth From Space and The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth are some amazing resources if you are looking for some R&R from the muck and mayhem at sea-level.