Isn’t this supposed to be the blog of a photographer?  Well, I’m straying off topic a bit but gadgets are dear to the hearts of many snappers out there so knowing how to fix something on the fly is a handy trick to have in your bag!

Whist I’m a convert to Android both my daughters have iPhones – one has my old iPhone 4 and the other a new iPhone 4S.  The old iPhone 4 (bought on launch day in Australia) has developed a very unresponsive home button which in turn has produced a quite unhappy daughter.  So…. Dad to the rescue!

After trawling the web for a few hours researching ways to fix the problem I have finally found what I am 99.999999% sure is the answer to most everyone’s problems.  Over time, oil and grime from your finger makes its way through the tiny gap between the body of your beloved iPhone and the home button causing a build-up on the contact under the button.  This in turn makes the button unresponsive to presses and you have to mash it just to get it to respond.

So…. how do I fix it you ask?

Easy.

1. Get some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol).  I actually used an Aussie product called Isocol which worked like a charm.  Little sachets containing a moist isopropyl alcohol soaked towel are also good.  Aim for a 70% isopropyl alcohol if you can although straying either way a bit probably won’t hurt.
2. Turn your phone completely off.
3. Put a drop of the solution on your finger (if you use the moist towel you will have to squeeze a drop on your finger) and rub it quite firmly around the home button, making sure to press the button in and out as you go.  You aim is to let the liquid seep into the gap and down to the contact under the button.  The solution will clean the contact.  I repeated it three times to really get it in there.  Remember, unlike water, this solution will evaporate very quickly and not damage your phone.  It is commonly used by electrical technicians to clean circuit boards etc.
4. Turn your phone over after working in each drop well and tap the phone reasonably firmly on a padded surface.  Something like a folded tea-towel on your benchtop will be just right (that’s what I did).  I found that a little bit of gunk actually came out on the gap between to button and the phone.
5. Give your phone a good wipe clean and fire it up.
6. Test it out.
7. See?  Perfecto eh?

Please let me know how you go, I’d love to know that I’ve helped someone fix their phone (or their pestering daughter’s!)

Just what I’ve been waiting for, a good quality high iso sample image from the new Canon 5DMkIII.  This ‘setup’ wedding photo was sourced via Canon’s Japanese site and shot with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 as a JPG file at 1/80 sec @ f/7.1.  With this sample in mind I’m REALLY looking forward to getting my hands on a couple of these!

EOS 5DMkIII wedding sample at 3200iso

Like to full high resolution JPG image here – [link]

A couple of issues though – unless there is a major shift in pricing I really think that the rumoured AUS$490 for the battery grip is simply way too expensive.  And don’t get me started on the price of the WFT-E7 wireless file transmitter!

What I would like to see on a future body.

1. Built-in Wifi with a FTP and mail server.  Along with this I’d like to see the camera link with an iOS/Android app to allow settings, custom functions and things like FTP server settings and emails be created and edited on your phone or tablet.  The camera would use a Wifi hotspot as the method of transmission.  An SMA antenna connector in with the camera ports would be a possible option to allow stronger signal tx and rx?
2. A ‘tag to transmit’ feature that allows immediate transmission of ‘tagged’ images direct from the camera.
3. Complex time lapse controls built into the firmware.  It really can’t be that difficult can it?  I’d like to see start time, interval, number of pictures, which days of the week as options.
4. 720P at 120fps movie mode.  I’m actually only writing that because I hear so many people wanting it – I can’t really see myself using it however I can see where it would be really great!

Note: Update to this blog post at the bottom…

A funny email exchange yesterday between a rural Australian newspaper and myself that I thought I’d share with anyone who may care to read.  If you’re a keen amateur photographer or a professional with no business sense be wary of newspapers offering a byline as payment on their belief that it will act as ‘publicity’ for you.

Hi Cameron 

Thanks again for your help. This is the url that I found the pic – http://www.cameronlaird.com/keyword/20060901%200764#92346091_28iMp

Like I mentioned it was taken in 2006 so if you happen to have a more updated one of him that we could use, that’d be great. If not this image where he’s playing for the East Tigers in Townsville Qld will be fine. And of course we will attribute the image to you.

Cheers

Hi ———, 

Thanks for your email.  I didn’t realise that ————- was a Rural Press newspaper, a wholly owned part of Fairfax.  As of yesterday Fairfax (FXJ) had a market capitalisation of 1,790 million dollars.  That is a LOT, LOT, LOT more than mine and the only way I will ever get closer to that valuation is if I get paid for my photos. 

How about I give you a discount and sell you the photo for 1/10,000,000 of the value of Fairfax?  $179.00 (+GST).  My normal price is $250.00 (+GST) 

Thanks in advance, I’ll wait to hear back from you. 

Cameron

Hi Cameron 

I totally understand your reasons and need to charge for the publication of your photos and I will put forward your request to my manager, however the problem is we need to photo today (for tomorrow’s paper) and the whole process of going through management may take too long. And I can’t promise anything – we don’t usually pay for photos but rather we give the photographer publicity. 

I’ll let you know if my manager gets back to me in time.

No problem ———, I’ve been working in the media industry for 15 years – I understand how slow the pencil pushers are.  ’Publicity’ might be handy for budding amateur photographers in the —– area but as I’m a professional and about 3000km from you I can’t see what good ‘publicity’ in — —– ——- is for me. 

Here’s a tip that is always fun – Wander in to your COS or editor and say “I need to run a photo of Luke Branighan and a professional photographer from Townsville has a great one that he is willing to sell me for only $179 which is actually a good discount”.  I’m willing to bet his response will be something along the lines of “F*ck him, we don’t pay for photos” or “Tell him the most we’ll pay is $50″.  You can then respond with this – “He is willing to give us the photo for free if we give him a byline but it has to read – “We shafted Cameron Laird for this free photo” 

Let me know the response.

Cheers,

Cameron

I didn’t hear back from her.

UPDATE:

It appears that the newspaper didn’t use my photo which is both good and bad.  Good because they didn’t use a photo without permission and bad because it also means they didn’t use my suggested byline of  ”We shafted Cameron Laird for this free photo”.  That would have been a real shining beacon in my career if they had!

Whilst they didn’t use my photo without permission they have found another photo of Luke Branighan.  Interestingly though – it seems to have proof or copyright markings on the image.  I’m not accusing them of anything, just surprised that they would run a watermarked image when they have should have the rights to the unwatermarked image.

Here’s a screengrab from their site, no idea what ran in the actual hardcopy.. (click on the image for a fullsize version)

Yesterday I was commissioned to photograph the 2011 INBA Tropix Titles held at RSL Stadium in Townsville.  I’m not exactly a supremely fit specimen  so being around all those buff girls & guys made me realise that while I have been busy ‘body-building’ I must have gotten the architecture all wrong!

Overall mens winner Rob Schmidt with the 2011 INBA Mr Tropix trophy

Feel free to head over to my website gallery at http://www.cameronlaird.com/INBATropix to have a look at more than 1200 photos that will possibly and most probably make you feel like a fatty!

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A wonderful Greek wedding on Sunday – it’s been many many years since I’ve photographed inside an orthodox church and I forgot just how great it was.  Truly stunning and very intimate.  Riss and Chuck (Marissa and Chris), my bride and groom, were the perfect wedding clients, very easy-going, great to photograph and best of all, a genuinely lovely couple.

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What’s not to love about winter weddings in Townsville?  Temperature hovers at about 23 degrees during the day, perfect blue skies and best of all – NO sweating!

Yesterday was the wedding of Townsville final year photography student Naomi Eardman and her fiance Jackson Mallory.  A beautiful garden affair with the reception outdoors at a beachside surf lifesaving club.  A great day!

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Yesterday I was fortunate enough to meet and photograph a VERY lucky young Townsville boy who survived a sting from a deadly box jellyfish.  Osborne Kewe, 7 was swimming with his sisters at Townsville’s Palleranda beach when the deadly marine stinger locked on to his arms and legs.  Osborne was pulled screaming from the water by sister Desiree, 12 and was soon unconscious.  A passing nurse administered CPR and brought Osborne back to life, not once but twice.  Once paramedics arrived the nurse disappeared without the Kewe family finding her identity.  Townsville journalist Roanne Johnson found the mystery nurse and she has appeared on the front of the Townsville Bulletin here.

Osborne’s eldest sister Tracey shot video of the incident and gave me a copy to edit together.  I’ve attached it below along with a pic of Osborne and sister Desiree.

Osborne Kewe, 7 with sister Desiree, 12

Click here to view the embedded video.

Yesterday I was commissioned to photograph Tonka, the 2yr old wombat at Billabong Sanctuary who has been diagnosed with depression following the sanctuary’s closure after Cyclone Yasi.  Seems Tonka has been missing all the cuddles and hugs he’s used to and has dropped 20% of his body weight.  Well, a bit of shameless PR and the reopening of the park on Saturday should solve that issue – Tonka won’t know what hit him when the kids start arriving in droves at the weekend!

Hello everyone! - Billabong Sanctuary animal curator Vince Toohey with 2yr old wombat Tonka - Photo: Cameron Laird (Ph: 0418 238811)

Let's play! - Billabong Sanctuary animal curator Vince Toohey with 2yr old wombat Tonka - Photo: Cameron Laird (Ph: 0418 238811)

After a hards day's play nothing beats a nap - Billabong Sanctuary animal curator Vince Toohey with 2yr old wombat Tonka - Photo: Cameron Laird (Ph: 0418 238811)

UPDATE: iOS 4.3 is now available as a general release.  Plug your iOS device into iTunes and check for updates.

Apple has released the gold master of iOS 4.3 so it’s easy for anyone to upgrade now ahead of Apple’s official general public release.  I’ve put together this easy guide below to help you out.

1. Upgrade your iTunes to 10.2.  It’s available now, just open iTunes and check for an update if you aren’t already on 10.2.
2. Download the iOS 4.3 Gold Master for your device – iPhone 4 (link), iPhone 3GS (link), iPod Touch 4G (link), iPod Touch 3G (link), iPad 3G & WiFi (link)
3. Connect and sync your iOS device via USB and make sure to do a backup
4. In iTunes hold Alt (shift on PC) and click on the ‘Restore’ button then point it to one of the Gold Master files you’ve just downloaded.
5. Wait 10-15 minutes while it restores to the new iOS 4.3
6. iTunes will then recognise it as a new device.  Restore from the backup you made at step 3 and you’ll be back in business just as before but now sporting a spanking new iOS 4.3!
7. Show some love and retweet my tweet

Last Thursday I travelled to Weipa on Australia’s Cape York to photograph Eddie Sigai who amazingly survived a vicious attack from a saltwater crocodile.  Eddie had just got out of hospital after suffering terrible wounds to his hand and back. Despite this he was really great to chat with and photograph.  Eddie’s the star of Weipa at the moment and has been tagged “Crocky Balboa” and “The new Mick Dundee” by papers around Australia and the world.

Here’s a look at how my pics appeared in Sunday papers around Australia including the Sunday Mail (QLD), The Sunday Mail (SA), Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC) as well as a few news websites around the world.

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