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CONFLICTED eBook now available with 40% off and as a DRM free download.

40% Off‘Conflicted: London’s Faces of Protest’ is now available as a DRM (Digital Rights Management) free download with now 40% off.

Looking around at the digital book marketplace it’s time to dispense with DRM. Originally brought in by Adobe to safeguard authors against piracy, in the majority of cases it has instead thwarted users from being able to enjoy their eBooks across their other devices. That’s not right. So, from today ‘Conflicted’ is now available as a DRM free download. (If you’re one of the original purchasers and you want swap your eBook over, no problem, simply email me here).

In addition to this, I’ve reduced the price of ‘Conflicted’ to £2.99 (from its launch price of £4.99). As the eBook revolution gathered pace, what was originally an economic way of buying your books, has become an increasing cash cow for publishers and digital stockists alike with consumers crying fowl in a lot of cases where the digital versions are as expensive as their paperback equivalents. That’s fine if the digital version offers something that the hardback can’t, like audio book playback, integrated videos, web links and so on, but it’s not if it doesn’t.

‘Conflicted’ doesn’t support any of these features as neither did the authoring tools or digital readers when I originally made my eBook. That said, those are things I’m planning with my next book (a-ha, yes, a new book) and so consequently it seems only fair to adjust ‘Conflicted’s price as a result.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading and looking at the photos in ‘Conflicted: London’s Faces of Protest’ and if you’ve haven’t yet I hope you do so at the new cheaper price.

All the best,

Mark.

 

(Oh. One more thing. I’ve been warned that the Apple iBookstore might be a bit slow to reflect the new pricing change so if you want to buy it quickly you can do so at Lulu.com (follow this link: http://bit.ly/10g7FgH) Happy reading!)

Photo spread in National Geographic Traveller magazine out now.

Kites on snow (Latawce na śniegu). Rider: Matthias ChartonI’m really pleased. A feature about snow kiting has just come out in the polish edition of Nat Geo Traveller magazine using my photos over five pages.

The article is called Latawce na śniegu (Kites on snow) which explains all about the sport of snow kiting and how to get into it.

Occupy LSX shot featured in The Guardian’s ‘photographs of the year’ 2011

Occupy London Stock Exchange 2011 in The Guardian Weekend MagazineI’ve just received an email from fellow photographer Ray Tang telling me that my photo of Occupy London Stock Exchange has been featured in today’s Guardian Weekend Magazine’s ‘photographs of the year’ story.

A great way to finish the year 🙂

Feedback & Reactions to ‘Conflicted’

A Congolese protester makes his point during a television interview.Last month I gave a talk both at the Applestore in London’ s Regent Street and the London Photo Forum. It was a great opportunity to explain to other potential authors what lies ahead of creating their own photo books and hear what people thought about Conflicted. In fact, during the Photo Forum talk, one  of the questions came from someone who bought the book online live during the Q&A – which was a pleasant surprise – since I was talking about the iBookstore as a 24hr book shop.

I also received a really warm email from Robert Gershinson with a great story attached:

“… I held off from emailing you because I wanted to let the book sink in. I’ve just re-read/looked at it this lunchtime. I started off with a White Stripes youtube playlist on in the background and by the time I reached page 109 Jack and Meg had ended and I hadn’t even noticed when; that’s the draw of your images. It would be a cliche for me to say that they made me feel I was there, but rather they give me an absolute understanding of the pain, anger, frustration and passion of the protesters regardless of my own political (if any) views, so much so that I felt myself well up more than once…”

Thanks Robert. And thank you also to everyone who attended and wrote in.

All the best,

Mark.

Talk at London Photo Forum

Candle-lit Vigil for MumbaiTonight I’ll be talking again about my electronic photo book Conflicted: London’s Faces of Protest at this month’s London Photo Forum. It takes place at 6pm downstairs in the Jacobs Pro Lounge at 74 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1EU

As before, I’ll be covering the how the eBook was made, including the successes, setbacks and lessons I learnt as a result with a short Q&A session afterwards – time allowing.

In keeping with previous Photo Forum’s there will also be a raffle to help meet the costs of the event where you can win one of 3 large prints from Conflicted or fellow photographer Alex McNaughton‘s London Tattoos photo book (who will also be giving a talk tonight).

This is a free event, so there’s no booking necessary. However I would recommend turning up early as seats tend to disappear very quickly before the 6pm start.

For more information and travel details follow this link to the Photo Forum’s web page: http://www.photo-forum.org/

 

New Canon 1DX Tested

Canon 1-DXRecently I went to the Canon Pro Solutions show at London Business Design centre to check out the new Canon 1DX.

To say I’m really pleased with this new camera looks and feels would be an understatement. I normally shoot with two cameras, a Canon 1D MkIV and a 5D Mark II.

The new Canon 1DX has the best bits of both combined in one body. I love the 5D for its picture quality and it’s full frame sensor but I wanted to see that technology inside a 1D’s chassis with a really fast focussing system. It has now that and a whole lot more in the Canon 1DX.

I put my name down for one at the show and will be posting a fuller review once it arrives next march.

If you want to see my first impressions and those of some other photographers head over to the video on the following page: http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/news/pro_solutions_eos_1dx.do

From Photographs to eBooks

Please join me at the Applestore, Regent St from 7pm to 8pm on Tuesday 8th November 2011 where I’ll be talking about my electronic photo book Conflicted: London’s Faces of Protest.

I’ll be discussing the whole process of creating the eBook, including the successes, setbacks, lessons learnt and what eBooks / ePublishing might mean as a whole for photographers in trying to broaden their work and make it more accessible. There will be a Q&A session afterwards time allowing.

There is no booking necessary as this is a free event but I would suggest turning up early as the seating disappears fairly fast at the Applestore’s seminars.

For more information and travel details follow this link to the Apple’s events page: http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/regentstreet/

The 99%

20111021-202836.jpgJust found out that I got the front cover of today’s G2 Magazine in The Guardian. Delighted. Especially with the shot; people peacefully sat on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral beneath a huge banner: “We Are The 99%”

Despite some tense moments on the Saturday night it was generally a quiet day. When I returned on the Monday I found the camp had grown and that police presence was at an absolute minimum.

Speaking to some of the protesters it seems that the land they are camped on is owned by the church and that St. Paul’s didn’t have a problem with them being there (provided they don’t interfere with the normal running of the church, its visitors or it’s services.)

I hope when I get back from shooting the Occupy Amsterdam demo that peaceful atmosphere is still there.

Great Feedback

Another great two days here at VISA Pour L’Image 2011.

I’ve had successive portfolio reviews with the heads of Red Dot Agency, Canon Professional Network, former World Press Photo guys and just now Anthony Holland Parkin, senior art Director from Getty Images. It’s amazing the effect these guys and the whole event has on you.

The feedback is great, honestly delivered and very informed. Everybody genuinely wants you to improve. This festival really is the best there is.

Assange Photo Story exhibited at Palais de Congrès, Perpignan

It’s still all go at the 2011 Visa Pour L’Image Photojournalism festival.

I have finished putting up the Assange photo story which is now on display at the Palais de Congrès in Perpignan. I also got a nice surprise last night to see some of the shots being projected on the huge outdoor cinema screen at Campo Santo in a compilation of top news stories of 2010 (courtesy of my agency Polaris Images). Fantastic. 7 days to go ;o)