Photography Roundup - 12/4

Summary of photo news, the latest contests, and more

By K David in Columns on Dec 4, 2015

From the Series "My White Friday" | jcdog2006

Here in California, we've finally gotten some much-needed snow in the Sierra Mountains. Meanwhile, much of the world gears up for annual holiday celebrations. Whatever your tradition may be, we hope that your preparations over the coming weeks are enjoyable, safe, and appreciated by all.

Featured Deals

Black Friday has passed and now we're into Cyber Week. Let's take a look at some of those deals that will help make the Pentaxian (or future Pentaxian) in your life really happy this winter!

• DA 16-85mm $499, D FA 100mm $379, more Pentax lens discounts
• Sigma 17-50mm $399
• Pentax AF 360 II / AF 540 II flash deals

Pentax Forums Roundup

Official Monthly Photo Contest #112, Seasonal, Open to Submissions

Official Monthly Photo Contest #112 Theme Image

December's Official Monthly Photo Contest is themed "Seasonal". Tis the season... to enter this contest and win!

Official Monthly Contest #111, Motion, is Now in the Nominating Phase

Official Monthly Photo Contest #111 Theme Image

Throughout November, Pentax Forum members entered their most moving motion-related images for this month's monthly photo contest. Check out the nominating action here.

Picture of the Week is Back!

Picture of the Week #381 Sample Image | K David

Picture of the Week is back after a brief hiatus. And just because this week's host is one of those weird film nuts doesn't mean that your pictures have to be film. Share what you're taking or editing this week and last.

The Monochrome Landscape - Post Yours!

Black and White Landscape | paulh

Sometimes the world is black and white, at least when we photograph it that way. Did you know that Pentax Forums has an entire thread dedicated to black and white landscapes? It's a pretty great place to gain some inspiration for photographing our colorful world in shades and tones.

Post your Photos

Cream with Your Coffee | kyricom

If you haven't been to the Post your Photos sub-forum lately, head over and post your photos! This sub-forum is a great way to share your work and get creative inspiration from fellow Forum members.

Gear News

• Pentax Updates the 2016 Full Frame Release Teaser
• Read all the Pentax Forums Teaser Update Hubbub Here
• Top 10 Best APS-C Digital SLRs 2015 (Congrats to Ricoh for Pentax being in slots 1 and 3!)
• Pentax K-1 (tentative) exhibited in Salon de la Photo from Paris
• 645 digital family firmware updates

Good Reads

This week we've tried to find a nice mix of funny, interesting, and inspiring reads. Check out the reads and we hope you find something that you enjoy.

• Hilarious Customer Reviews for the Sigma 200-500mm Lens on Amazon
• The Sigma 200-500mm Listing with all the Reviews
• These Are The Most Spectacular Nature Photographs Of The Year
• This Shot of a Diving Kingfisher Was 6 Years and 720K Photos in the Making
• Fictionalized Landscapes Created From Strangers’ Old Photographs by j.frede
• Historical Photographs of Oakland
• See the Heartbreaking Portraits of Parisians in Mourning
• Disposable Camera Street Photography - Yes, Really!
• Testing for a Decentered Lens: an Old Technique Gets a Makeover

Featured Online Photography Resource: PICTO Benelux

PICTO Benelux is a French site that has a lot of technical and inspirational materials on alternative photographic methods. Alternative photography does not mean film or pinhole cameras but instead means things like home-made collodion images, albumen prints, and carbon transfer process images. These are difficult techniques that take years to master and that only a small, select group of photographers still practice. The largest threat to these art forms is not the lack of interest but the illegalization of chemicals used to create the images (because some of the chemistry can be used as precursors for explosives, for instance.)

Technical resources are available to everyone. The gallery is available to members.