World Photography Day 2011

Simon Le Bon

Today is World Photography Day. The date of August 19th was chosen as the day to celebrate the birth of the fabulous art form that allows us to document our lives, our triumphs, our difficult times, our work and our world as it is the historic day in 1839 when Louis Daguerre developed the first permanent photographic image known as the Daguerreotype. It was a process which allowed him to print a positive image, which were then usually placed in glass fronted boxes for display. He developed the process in early 1839 but it wasn’t formalized by the French government until August 19, 1839.

Also in 1839, William Fox Talbot developed the calotype process, which created both a negative image, allowing prints to be made of the positive image. Talbot’s process took photogrphy a step further than Daguerre’s since it allowed for both a negative and a positive. His process wasn’t formalized until 1841 but since both were developed in 1839, it is the year recognized as the invention of photography.

What does a photograph mean to you? Why do you take them and what feeling does it evoke from you when you witness the result? Do you take photos of your kids first day at school, graduations and weddings? Are you inspired by sunsets and dramatic landscapes? How many photographers out there still dabble with film cameras? How has the digital age changed the art form?

Bonelli Park

Please leave some comments and post a favorite photo that is meaningful to you or share some links to great photography! Today I’ve chosen one of my shots of singer Simon Le Bon from the band Duran Duran from a performance in Los Angeles earlier in 2011.

I’ve also been inspired lately by Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas, California which offers stunning landscape views and here’s an image from a recent outing to the area.

Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure Out Now on DVD

by Cindy Robinson

The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure is out now on Warner Bros. home entertainment  2-disc DVD collection for the next generation to smurf it up!

The Smurfs left miles of smiles on the faces of Saturday morning cartoon fans throughout the 1980’s as this smurftacular powder-blue crew, including Brainy, Lazy, Vanity and Smurfette, led by the wise, gentle and 542-year-old Papa Smurf. They live in their mushroom houses and battle Gargamel, the local evil wizard, who is forever scheming against the tiny team but our little friends outsmurf him every time!

The Smurfs in 3D from Sony Pictures is out now in theaters starring Neil Patrick Harris, along with the voice talents of Katy Perry as Smurfette, George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf and Hank Azaria as Gargamel. The Smurfs tied with the Universal Pictures, Jon Favreau (Iron Man) directed, Cowboys and Aliens over the weekend for the top spot each grossing approximately $36 million in their opening weekends. Helloooo Harrison Ford!

I do digress, but really, who isn’t distracted by Harrison Ford? Take the kids out to see the Smurfs in 3D and when they undoubtedly fall in love with this tiny group of blue creatures, who will fuel their smurftacular little imaginations, stop by your local Target or Best Buy on the way home and pick up The Smurfs: A Magical Smurf Adventure on DVD. Enjoy 10 classic episodes with the adorable Smurfette and wise Papa Smurf in his red cap over and over with the kids! It’s OK, we won’t tell if you pop it in the DVD player after the kids have gone to bed to relive your childhood and catch a favorite episode! Who doesn’t love the Smurfs?