Entries are now closed but you can download a voting form for the Garden Photographers' Association International Photographic Competition and view nearly 100 stunning images. Inspiration indeed.

Bristol, UK - between 11th and 13th August Canon will be attending The Discovery Channel Bristol Balloon Fiesta. It promises to be an amazing event full of photographic opportunities with 150 hot air balloons launched over the three days. Canon will be demonstrating how easy it is to print directly from a camera to one of their printers.

The closest you can get to a digital SLR without actually buying one - the eight-megapixel, 5.8x optical zoom Kodak P880. Reviewed on PC World.

A picture of nerve cells growing on the silk is one of the winning images in this year's Wellcome Trust Biomedical Image Awards. It is one of 26 images - many revealing objects invisible to the naked eye - captured from medical research programmes across Britain.

Example of using Photoshops gradient mask to remove an unwanted object from a photography. On Still Life With...

HP's PIXACO has announced a summer of online 'photo fun' with lowered prices in some European countries by up to 36 percent. Pixaco provides its customers with "high-quality prints and photo merchandise from quick, convenient home photo printing to customer-friendly online ordering"

Canon are to host a series of free shows aimed at photography enthusiasts focusing on using their EOS camera system ,

The shows will take be at London's Business Design Centre in Islington. There are two sessions planned - Thursday 3 August at 6.00–8.00pm, and on Saturday 5 August at 9.00am–12.00pm or 2.00–5.00pm.

Presented by various experts including celebrity and music photographer Andy Earl (www.andyearl.com) they will demonstrating how professional photographers use EOS in their work. Nature, fashion, sports and reportage photography are all to be covered and will supply tips and techniques to help amateurs extend their photographic skills. Post-shoot possibilities will be demonstrated with iPhoto and Aperture image processing applications from Apple.

RentGlass. com allows the rental of camera lenses for your SLR's. A great way to test out a lens before you buy or to experiment with those specialist lenses that you would love to have but couldn't possibly warrant the expense. At the moment the site is offering the Canon 24mm Tilt-Shift at $44/$37/$32 per week for 1/2/3 weeks respectively. 

At the moment only Canon-compatible products are listed (Nikon-compatible are listed as being available from the 20th July). It seems to be a popular service as the Canon page states "The Canon store is currently under extremely high demand. Please use our in-stock email notification system for the best chance of getting the lens you want."

Each lens comes with a prepaid return shipping and label - how easy can it be? Your week doesn't actually begin until the UPS tracked package is delivered.

Direct Source Marketing, (a partnership of Rolleiflex and Horseman) has announced the Horseman LD - an accessory that provides bellow functions to DSLR cameras and the ability to convert the LD into a 4 x 5-inch film camera. Sounds impressive.

Available for Canon and Nikon digital SLR's, the Horseman LD gives the ability to add full bellows functions with all the associated perspective and creative effects of the view camera. The front of the Horseman LD allows users to attach any standard medium or large format camera lens. They promise that users will be able to control depth of field, distortion, and lateral shift easily. 

The LD can also be adapted to a high end medium format digital back with the soon to be released sliding back. Converting the LD to a 4×5 film camera or popular 6×7, 6×9, 6×12cm, roll film backs, and large format scanning backs can be easily accomplished with the optional 4×5 adapter kit.

The Horseman LD is currently available at retail outlets or at www.horsemanusa.com. Suggested retail is $2500.00.

Klaus Schrioff over at PhotoZone has a review up of the new not-yet-released Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. It seems to be a decent lens, with above average line resolution out to the edges and better than average CA figures. Barrel distortion and pincushioning are normal for a 17-55. Vignetting, however, is pretty serious, at about 1EV throughout the entire zoom range at f/2.8. since this lens' reason for being is supposedly the demand for a fast EF-S zoom, that's pretty discouraging, especially given the hefty $1,200 price tag. So is the plastic construction, which Klaus also has some harsh words for, considering the cost. In fact, he describes the lack of a magnesium-alloy shell--which many cheaper EF lenses feature--as  "probably a marketing decision to keep professionals away" from APS cameras. The IS is apparently top-notch, but all-in-all, this sounds like a pretty decent $600-$800 lens. Look for it on eBay.

[via TPN::DPS]

The 2006 Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) 2006 European Photo and Imaging Awards have been announced. There are 36 categories, but some of the highlights:

D-SLR Entry Level: Nikon D50
D-SLR Expert: Nikon D200
D-SLR Professional: Canon EOS 5D
D-SLR D-System: Hasselblad H2D-39
High-End Professional System: Sinar M System
Digital Back: Leaf Aptus 75
Consumer Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC
Professional Lens: AF-S VR Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED

Looks like solid choices all around, although I was a little surprised by the glowing review of the Nikkor lens; I'm a little suspicious of the built-in vibration reduction. But then I'm suspicious of most new technologies until they prove themselves. Looks like VR may be ready for prime time.