NYTimes to Bundle 1 Million+ Google Cardboards for VR Photojournalism

The rise of virtual reality photojournalism will get a huge boost this weekend thanks to the New York Times. The newspaper’s Sunday bundle for print subscribers will include a free Google Cardboard viewer for experiencing immersive photo and video content. Over 1 million units will be shipping with the paper, and another 300,000 will be sent to digital subscribers as well.

Google Cardboard is a cardboard viewer that lets people use their smartphones as the display and “brains”, providing a low-cost way for people to get into VR content and development.

This freebie is part of a new project called NYT VR, a virtual reality collaboration between the Times and Google. The first piece of VR content for subscribers is a 360-degree documentary film titled “The Displaced,” which “captures the resilience of three extraordinary children uprooted by war.” Viewers will be able to experience first-hand what it’s like to be a child in the global refugee crisis.

The New York Times says that in addition to another documentary film coming in December 2016, they will also be publishing a behind-the-scenes look at how a New York Times Magazine cover photo was made.

NYT VR will be releasing an official app for Android and iOS through the Google Play and iTunes App Store, respectively, on November 5th, 2015. In addition to New York Times content, people who receive the Google Cardboard will also be able to experience VR photos and videos from other services and publications as well, including 360-degree photos of the world through Google Street View.

(via NYTimes via Vantage)

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A Wedding Photographer on a Self-Balancing Scooter

Self-balancing scooters have become all the rage over the past couple of years, and you can now buy a small handle-less Segway-esque device for yourself for around $300 to $400. In addition to gliding around and attracting curious looks on the street, you can also use the “hoverboards” to shoot stable photos and videos.

Brooklyn-based wedding photographer Mendel Benams posted this short video of himself riding a self-balancing scooter to film a bride at a wedding in Monsey, New York:

Why not ?

Posted by Benams Photo on Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Segways are already widely used by cameramen for everything from sports broadcasts to television music competitions, so it makes sense that photographers and videographers are interested in adopting similar devices that are both smaller and cheaper.

(via Benams Photo via DIYP)

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Here’s a 1965 US Army Training Film on the Basics of Photography

Here’s an interesting blast from the past: in 1965, the US Army released the 25-minute film above to teach the basics of photography (for military police purposes).

“Keep in mind that a camera is only a tool and can do nothing by itself,” the instructor says. “Your skill with it determines whether or not the photograph you take will serve its purpose and yours.”

“The workhorse and best all-around camera is the 4×5 Press Type with synchronized flash.”

“Since it is small and easy to conceil, you may wish to use the 35mm camera for surveillance work.”

In addition to introducing some general photography and camera principles, the film also covers the use of photography in military police work and criminal investigations.

(via Jeff Quitney via Photofocus)

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Using a Vintage 1910 Lens on a Modern Sony a7II

Paris-based photographer Mathieu Stern released this short and sweet video showing how he took a 105-year-old folding camera lens from 1910 and mounted it to a Sony a7II mirrorless camera using bellows for focusing.

“The lens is incredibly sharp for a 105 year old lady… but it also gives some strange lens flares and light leaks that are pretty dreamy,” Stern says. The video contains some sample footage shot using the lens. There are also some sample photos on Stern’s website.

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Ep. 17: Turns Out Maybe You Can Shoot a Drone Out of the Sky

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Here’s episode 17 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast. You can also download the MP3 directly and subscribe via iTunes or RSS!

Call 1-206-333-9308, leave a comment in this post, or use our voicemail widget for feedback/questions for the show.

In This Episode

If you subscribe to the PetaPixel Photography Podcast in iTunes, please take a moment to rate and review us and help us move up in the rankings so others interested in photography may find us.

Music photographer Adam Elmakias opens the show. Thanks so much Adam.

A judge in Kentucky clears a man who shot a drone out of the sky above his property. (#)

Listener Nicky of Nicky Digital in New York City contacts Adobe to help speed up Lightroom. (#)

Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York has a second book hit the New York Times Best Sellers list. (#)

Snapseed v2.1 for Android allows for RAW file editing. (#)

Railway operator Network Rail in the UK shows how many people pose for photos at a single rail crossing in one day. (#)

Canon’s future 120 megapixel DSLR may have a new 5-layer stacked sensor in it. (#)

A couple in Taiwan divorce with the wife citing the husband’s photography obsession as a major factor. (#)

Apple quietly adds support for 10-bit color in Mac OS X 10.11 “El Capitan”. (#)

Photo filter company VSCO releases DSCO, an animated GIF app.  Can you use it for your photography business? (#)

GoPro releases video from it’s upcoming camera drone with ridiculously smooth video amid a 16% drop in its stock price. (#)

Connect With Us

Thank you for listening to the PetaPixel Photography Podcast! Connect with me, Sharky James on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (all @LensShark) as we build this community.

Leave us an audio question through our voicemail widget or call us at 1-206-333-9308. Alternatively, you can comment below or via social media. But we’d love to play and answer your question on the show!

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