Archive for the ‘Work’ Category

Fujifilm X-Pro1 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

One of the fastest growing segments of the digital camera market is the smaller bodied interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras that have been released by many manufacturers in the last 12 or so months. Filling the gap between DSLRs and compact point and shoots – these cameras give the flexibility of being able to change lenses with the benefits of not having to lug around a larger camera. Increasingly they’re providing these benefits with a really high standard of image.

One manufacturer doing great things in this space is Fuji who have won a lot of fans in the last little while with their highly acclaimed X100.

Today they went one further and released the Fujifilm X-Pro1 – an interchangeable lens system aimed at the professional and advanced amateur audience. It’s a 16 megapixel camera with a new custom APS-C sized sensor and hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder.

It is being launched with 3 lenses – a 18mm (27mm equivalent) f2.0, a 35mm (53mm equivalent) f1.4 and a 60mm (90mm equivalent) f2.4 macro lens. It’s great to see them releasing some nice fast lenses.

Design wise it’s a pretty minimal design – still a little retro and rangefinder-ish like the X100 but all in black this time.

There’s a lot more to say about this camera but rather than rehash all the details check out the news release and hands on video below. We’ll do our best to put hands on an X-Pro1 to test it for ourselves but until then check out the video below.

The Fujifilm X-Pro1 will be available in February and price is expected to be around £1500

 

 

Venice Carnival 2012 Workshops

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

VENICE, ITALY - MARCH 02:  Carnival costumes and masks pose near St Mark's Square  in Venice, Italy. The Venice Carnival, one of the largest and most important in Italy, attracts thousands of people from around the world each year. The theme for this year's carnival is 'Ottocento', a nineteenth century evocation, and will run from February 19 till March 8...HOW TO BUY THIS PICTURE: please contact us via e-mail at sales@xianpix.com or call our offices in Milan at (+39) 02 400 47313 or London   +44 (0)207 1939846 for prices and terms of copyright.. (Marco Secchi)

This is a one or two days workshop. The Venice Carnival is famous all over the world, and we believe it deserves its reputation. What we are offering is a great photographic experiences, something you would not be able to see or experience on your own. This tour is all about photography and we do not spend our time sitting inside each day and critiquing photos. Although we will do some critiquing, the written critique we furnish upon your return is a much more detailed learning tool.
We don’t let you simply roam the streets, hoping to bump into people in costume. What we offer is quite different from the average photo tour. We do not have dedicated models who pose for us on private shoots because we want YOU to catch the real atmosphere and MAGIC of Venice during Carnival.

Your 2 Teachers will be Marco Secchi and Guillem Lopez

Poveglia…Poveglia!

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Since moving to Venice, it has been a great desire of mine to visit the mysterious island of Poveglia, with its ruined mental asylum and haunted burial grounds. Finally, yesterday, thanks to two wonderful skippers Luca and Jacopo, and accompanied by fellow journalist and writer Robin Saikia I managed to visit the island.

HOW TO LICENCE THIS PICTURE: please contact us via e-mail at sales@xianpix.com or call our offices in Milan at (+39) 02 400 47313 or London   +44 (0)207 1939846 for prices and terms of copyright. First Use Only ,Editorial Use Only, All repros payable, No Archiving.© MARCO SECCHI (Marco Secchi)

For more images check the Poveglia gallery here or as a slideshow

Robin Saikia writes:
“Shortly before we left Poveglia, I forced myself to lie on an iron bed in the ruins of the psychiatric ward, recalling the images of the day: the desecrated chapel with the scabrous remains of its cheerful Tiepolo-blue ceiling, the claustrophobic corridors, the rusting beds and lockers, the quay, the bell-tower, the woods, the bridge. I closed my eyes tightly for a few long seconds. When I opened them, I saw a very clear picture of hell.
..”

The island of Poveglia, with its ruined hospital and plague burial grounds, is said to be the most haunted location in the world. Though the island is a multi-million dollar piece of real estate, it remains deserted and off limits to the public. Its dark, derelict and forbidding shores are only minutes away from the glamour of the Venice Film Festival on the Lido, but there are few visitors. Very few Venetians are prepared to talk about the island or answer questions. They believe that while the rest of Venice is governed by the Comune di Venezia, Poveglia remains firmly in the Devil’s jurisdiction. They see it as a kind of supernatural penitentiary, an outpost of purgatory and hell. This view is captured in an unnerving local saying: quando muore un cattivo, si sveglia a Poveglia; when an evil man dies, he wakes up in Poveglia. I visited the island in August this year with the photographer Marco Secchi. Our account is a drawing together of truth, half-truth, speculation and urban myth. It is based on conversations with local people and our exploration of the island. It is an attempt to make sense of the fear and revulsion that Poveglia continues to provoke, despite the best attempts of sceptics to exorcise its ghosts with the bell, book and candle of reason. (Robin Saikia)

Robin Saikia is the author of the highly acclaimed book, The Venice Lido, recently published by Blue Guides (http://thevenicelido.com). Please contact us to discuss licensing our 4000 word photo documentary of the island, words by Robin Saikia, photography by Marco Secchi. msecchi@gmail.com

Kunqu Opera in Venice

Sunday, July 31st, 2011

VENICE, ITALY - JULY 29:  Luo Chenxue from the Kunqu Opera of Jiangsu performs at Teatro Goldoni on July 29, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Kunqu Opera, now under the Unesco patronage, originated in the Jiangsu province, dating back to the early Ming dinasty. With a history of more than six hundred years, Kunqu Opera is a traditional type of Chinese drama and one of the most ancient opera forms in China and in the world. (Marco Secchi/Getty Images)

Luo Chenxue from the Kunqu Opera of Jiangsu performs at Teatro Goldoni on July 29, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Kunqu Opera, now under the Unesco patronage, originated in the Jiangsu province, dating back to the early Ming dinasty. With a history of more than six hundred years, Kunqu Opera is a traditional type of Chinese drama and one of the most ancient opera forms in China and in the world.

Image Gallery is here

How are you using LinkedIn?

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Professional networking service LinkedIn blasted through the 100-million-user mark in March, making it even more powerful for finding a job, keeping up with colleagues and promoting your resume.LinkedIn is growing so quickly, it’s adding a new member each second.

As the size of its network grows, LinkedIn is steadily getting more useful.

But how are people really using the fast-growing service? Researchers at Lab 42 asked 500 LinkedIn users that question and many more, and came up with a variety of answers in this infographic.

Among the fun facts they uncovered: We found it interesting the way top level executives use the service in vastly different ways from entry-level workers. How are you using your LinkedIn Account?

 

The last TwitPic

Sunday, July 10th, 2011
Image representing Twitpic as depicted in Crun...

Image via CrunchBase

I have recently sent my last picture using Twitpic, the  photo sharing service on Twitter, because I was made aware of an important change in their Terms of Service:

You retain all ownership rights to Content uploaded to Twitpic. However, by submitting Content to Twitpic, you hereby grant Twitpic a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the Content in connection with the Service and Twitpic’s (and its successors’ and affiliates’) business, including without limitation for promoting and redistributing part or all of the Service (and derivative works thereof) in any media formats and through any media channels.

 I  suggest using MobyPicture.com, or even better  PhotoShelter, both sites offers terms of service that are much friendlier to photographers.

Flying above Venice

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

The Seawings tours are specifically designed to complement your cruise experience, Seawings  encourage you to relax as your guide whisks you away to the historic Island of San Clemente; explore the grounds of the luxurious San Clemente Palace Hotel & Resort and hop on board for memories that will last forever.

Providing unparalleled and rarely seen aerial views of the Venetian Lagoon and the islands of San Servolo, San Giorgio Maggiore, Giudecca, Torcello and Lido, Seawings promises you all the excitement in a lot less time.

No other tour provides such a complete picture of the enitire empire of Venezia. Seawings guided sightseeing tour of Venice is truly a unique way to see Venice as never before.

VENICE, ITALY - JULY 07:    A general view of the Venice with Giudecca, San Giorgio Island and the Lagoon seen during the Seawing  tour above Venice on July 7, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Seawings has started a new tour of Venice by seaplane, offering aerial views of the Venetian Lagoon and its historic islands, continuing a long history of seaplanes in Venice.  (Marco Secchi)

Divided Italy celebrates 150 years of unity

Friday, March 18th, 2011

Italy celebrated yesterday (17 March) the 150th anniversary of its unification. But the country has never been so divided, with separatist forces gaining ground in the north and south alike. Anniversary celebrations took place all over Italy. The government decided to call a national holiday to mark the special occasion.

VENICE, ITALY - MARCH 16: A man hangs an Italian National Flags outside his window ahead of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Italy's unification on March 16, 2011 in Venice, Italy. March 17th has been declared National Festivity and events to celebrate the 150th anniversary will run in several Italian cities until the end of the year. (Photo by Marco Secchi/Getty Images) (Marco Secchi)

Separatist movements are gaining ground and the government itself is dominated by a party (Lega Nord) which began its political life by explicitly calling for the secession of the wealthier north from the rest of the country.

Lega Nord’s anti-national stance was blatantly confirmed during yesterday’s celebrations. In addition to four ministers, just one of the right-wing party’s 85 MPs was present at a solemn ceremony in the packed Italian Parliament in Rome.

A gallery of pictures is here

Proterra

Monday, March 14th, 2011

It is one of my favourite songs from Celtic band Runrig. The story is a universal one, as the elements of land and sea are pivotal for the survival of maritime civilizations. Probably of all kind of Civilization. It is the struggle of our Mother Earth subjected by greedy choices of few to all sort of damages and crimes.

The title is a made up word, from the Latin, meaning ‘for the land.’ It was taken from the motto on the Macdonald Clan crest – Per Mare, Per Terras – By Sea, By Land. The crest shows a severed arm holding a cross. The legend or myth of the crest origin became the subject of the song. In the story, two sons of the chief were given the opportunity to become his heir, and to take the title of Lord of the Isles. The Isles being virgin territory that would be claimed, to become the start of a new clan dynasty. The decision rested on a rowing race between the two sons and their respective oarsmen. The victor would be the one to first touch the new land. The galleys rowed neck and neck until close to the shore, when one brother drew ahead and was about to claim his prize. Before he touched the land, the other brother,
seeing the race slip away from him, drew his sword, severed off his own arm and threw it onto the land first. He then became the eventual victor.

This legend within the album is a piece of symbolism for the importance and the struggle that the Celtic peoples have experienced from the dawn of history to the present day for the ownership of, and their survival on the land on which they live.

As I was saying the story in my view is universal and is the struggle we are facing every day no matter if are earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, and other natural disasters after such tragedies we tend to ask ourselves “This is such a tragedy… God doesn’t exist…”. Of course some good-doer, no matter from which side will promptly come up with something made up claiming that not only does God exist, but he is trying to show us something through these natural disasters.
In reality God on Friday 11th was too busy doing something else and had no time to look down to the poor people of Japan!

Venice Carnival Fever

Friday, February 25th, 2011

On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February, the “Festa Veneziana” (Venetian Festival) took place in Venice.

The prologue to the Carnival – to be held this year from 26 February to 8 March – is dedicated to the people of Venice. Over the weekend, several of the city’s rowing associations made their way through the city’s famous canals.

The festivities ended with the “Volo della Pantegana” (the flight of the rat), a parody of the flight of the angel, which traditionally opens the Carnival.

VENICE, ITALY - FEBRUARY 20:  A woman wearing Carnival costume and mask poses in St Mark Square on February 20, 2011 in Venice, Italy. The Venice Carnival, one of the largest and most important in Italy, attracts thousands of people from around the world each year. The  theme for this year's carnival is Ottocento amd Sissi, a nineteenth century evocation, and will run from February 19 till March 8.  (Marco Secchi)

More pictures of Venice Carnival check under Images