Picture Stories by Stephen Alvarez

Adobe Lightroom / Canon 5D mark II

Hot on the heals of sharpness issues with Adobe software and converting Canon 5D Mark II RAW files (here). 

I just heard that Adobe is hard at work on a new MK II RAW converter for its Lightroom program. It seems Adobe is not happy with the way their algorithm handles sharpness either. Can one for Photoshop be far behind?

Hope not.

-Stephen Alvarez

Bobby Model, Nairobi Kenya

This month's National Geographic Magazine arrived yesterday. The stories, as usual, are strong, but the most important thing to me this month is the editor's note. In it Chris Johns talks about photographer Bobby Model and his remarkable struggle to survive and overcome a devastating injury. Bobby's perseverance and absolute lack of self pity should shame us all into being better people.

I'll be the first person to say that I don't know Bobby well. Just met him one time in Nairobi when he was assisting David Alan Harvey. I had stopped in to see Dave on my way home from covering the long, ongoing mess that is the Uganda-Sudan Border. As I thought, a few days with Dave were the perfect antidote. Meeting Bobby was a an added bonus.

I was impressed with Bobby's kindness and with his photographs but mostly with his desire to be a better photographer. Bobby was already a very successful adventure shooter, but he wanted to be more, to say more, to tell complicated stories at a point in his career where he could have very easily sat back and kept doing what he was already very good at. 

Today I am even more impressed by his courage. Bobby, glad you are home.

-Stephen Alvarez

Sept 17, 2009  sadly Bobby passed away yesterday. His kindness and determination should still inspire us all

Bloodline: Aids and Family by Kristen Ashburn

Anyone in Atlanta should stop in and see Kristen Ashburn's Bloodline exhibit at APG Gallery. I first saw the work at VISA in 2005 when we both had shows. 

The work now is exhibited as 31 Duotrans light boxes. It is stunning.

Kristen is speaking January 31 at 10:30 am. Contact the gallery for directions.

-Stephen Alvarez

Think Fixed Tech: Rumors

I have no hard evidence of this but I hear rumors that not only is Microsoft killing Vista quietly (cheers from Vista users, boos from hipster Mac geeks) but that it is rebuilding the new OS called Windows 7 around a Unix or Linux kernel. 

Sharpness, Atlanta

I thought on the heels of yesterday's news of the Canon 5D Mark II's sharpness problems in photoshop I'd post an image where sharpness is not an issue. You know sometimes having razor sharp images is just not the most important thing in the world and a picture with blur or no focus in more true to the memory of a thing or place.