MediaStorm publishes Driftless: Stories from Iowa

Driftless: Stories from Iowa by Danny Wilcox Frazier Life in Iowa can be punishing. Many Iowans expend their lives sweating over soil and spilling the blood of livestock; they endure the hardships associated with a life inextricably bound to the ups and downs of nature. Today, those challenges and a shift in our nation's economy have pushed the youth of rural communities to migrate to the metropolises of America. Those left in the wake of this out-migration continue their lives, seemingly unchanged from the generations that preceded them, and entombed in obscurity. The tension of contemporary rural life plays out here: the struggle of a family farm to continue, disenfranchised youth, the slaughterhouse, migrant labor, and the aged fading from Iowa's mythical landscape. Through their stories we gain insight to a way of life that is disappearing, a culture that could be lost forever. As "community" continues to be homogenized in zones…

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Inspiration from Focus Awards Lifetime Achievement Award winner Eliane Laffont

The Griffin Museum's 2009 Focus Awards ceremony was held last week, recognizing "people who are not photographers, but who have been instrumental in increasing awareness of the photographic arts among the general public."  A well-deserved Lifetime Achievement award was given to Eliane Laffont, who has been a driving force in the industry for over 40 years. Those fortunate enough to be at the ceremony heard Eliane's speech, but for the rest of us, she has graciously allowed us to reprint it.  It's definitely worth a read: PHOTOJOURNALISM IS MY PASSION! “Photojournalism” is a word that evokes heroic stories and the call of adventure. It is a mirror of the world and a witness to its time. When Jean Pierre, and I — along with our French partners — created the photo agencies Gamma in 1968 and Sygma in 1973, we wanted to redefine the nature of photojournalism, reveal and explain the world's…

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MediaStorm’s Advice to Multimedia Producers

After my last post, 10 Ways to Improve Your Multimedia Right Now, I thought it might be instructive to take a step back from technical issues and focus instead on some of the underlying ideas that help shape the production process at MediaStorm. The concepts below have been compiled by members of the MediaStorm team over the course of their careers. Most of these ideas will hold true whether you are creating multimedia in Final Cut Pro, iMovie, or Soundslides. Equipment Never update your hardware or software in the middle of a project. After you've completed your project, backup to a separate drive, then update. If Final Cut is behaving oddly, try deleting your preferences by using FCP Rescue or do it manually, using the instructions detailed in this previous blog post.    When building an editing suite, purchase the fastest computer, largest display, most accurate speakers, and the most comfortable chair…

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W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund- Application Deadline May 15, 2009

The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography is accepting applications- the deadline is May 15, so don't delay! This grant was established in 1978 following the death of Gene Smith, the legendary American photo essayist. It is today the most prestigious honor in documentary photography. Every year it recognizes a photographer who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to documenting the human condition in the spirit of Smith's concerned photography and dedicated compassion. The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund independently administers the grant program that provides photographers with the financial freedom to carry out or complete major photographic essays. For 2009, the amount of the grant will be $30,000. An additional $5,000 in fellowship money will be dispersed, at the discretion of the jury, to one or more finalists deemed worthy of special recognition. Awards will be presented in a ceremony held in New York City in early October. For more information,…

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360 Degree Workshops: Donna Ferrato’s Diva Documentary Tour

Fans of Donna Ferrato, and anyone looking to explore documentary photography, won't want to miss these opportunities to work with Donna on her Diva Documentary Tour. Sex in the City: "Donna will teach you how to go behind closed doors and get access to moments of intimacy, with respect and understanding, and to appreciate the courage and conviction of men and woman who are pioneers in extending the boundaries of human sexuality through freedom and unselfishness." Naples, Italy: "The documentary driven workshop will be a week long groundbreaking radical event in its 24 hour intense focus as Donna with her students set out to discover together what makes the Naples one of the most awesomely terrifying cities in Europe. Be prepared. Doors will open for you and you will enter with your camera. Perhaps it will be a single parent family, perhaps a lost teenage girl, Perhaps a neighborhood gang of street…

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