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Sam Merkel

Madison, WI
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Articles from Sam Merkel

Fstoppers Interviews Professional Action Photographer Dave Lehl

If you aren’t familiar with the work of Dave Lehl, it’s about time that you change that. Dave is not only one of the top photographers in the snowboard industry, but he consistently creates work that transcends genres and has landed him gigs shooting for a list of clients that includes the likes of Red Bull, Nike, and Lamborghini.

‘Confusion Through Sand’ is a Hand-Drawn Masterpiece Two Years in the Making

Ornana Films is a small production company based in San Rafael that is no stranger to awards. They took home the Jury Award at the SXSW film festival in 2012 for their short "(notes on) Biology" which continued on to win several other awards that same year, including Exceptional Short at Santa Fe Independent and the Grand Jury Prize at FFF.

Man Uses Nothing but Camera and Television to Create Mesmerizing Visuals

At one point or another we’ve all most likely played around between two mirrors facing each other, dancing and ducking as our reflection appears to repeat infinitely. As most of us know, the same effect can be achieved by pointing a camera at a live feed of its own image.

Justin Bieber Supposed Major Photoshop Treatment in Latest Calvin Klein Ad Appears to Be Fake

Justin Bieber is no stranger to the being in the media, whether it’s for any of his numerous tasteless stunts or even his interactions with photographers. This time it’s his most recent photoshoot for Calvin Klein that has the celebrity blogs buzzing, where an allegedly leaked, unedited photo shows major differences in muscle mass and body hair among other altered features.

SanDisk Drops Three New Products at CES 2015

Each year over 150,000 people flock to Las Vegas for CES, the world’s largest consumer electronic showcase. Major tech innovators from all over the world kick off the new year by showing off their latest and greatest gadgets and innovations to the public. This year, SanDisk unveiled three new products that are designed to increase your productivity and give your workflow a boost. 

Beautiful Japanese Photography Studio Designed to Harness Ambient Light

Have you ever wished that you could simply walk into your studio space and immediately have perfect lighting? Japanese architecture firm FT Architects has created a gorgeous photography studio which uses diffused skylights and windows to harness ambient light and do just that. This beautiful studio located in Kanagawa, Japan seems to be the first of its kind. 

The Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Gets an Official Price Tag and It's Lower Than We Thought

Update: This official announcement is only for Japan. The US price has not been announced. Earlier in the week a potential price leak was reported for Tamron's newest wide-angle zoom, which features vibration compensation and a fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range. As it turns out, we were misled — but this is actually good news.

No Presents? No Problem! Six DIY Photography Gifts to Save Your Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner and if you’re anything like me, you’re most likely short on cash and haven’t started gift shopping for friends and family yet. Fear not, for the lovely people over at The Cooperative of Photography have put together a how-to video of six different DIY photography gifts that you can make with just a few low-cost items and some images. 

PES Releases New Stop-Motion Short Film "Submarine Sandwich" and BTS

Whether or not you knew it, you have most likely viewed a short film by Adam Pesapane, better known as PES. The director and animator has released several immensely popular stop-motion shorts, directed numerous commercials for major companies such as PlayStation, Scrabble, and Bacardi, and has even been nominated for an Academy Award.

Hasselblad Slashing Prices on H5D and Lenses through December 24th

From now until December 24th, Hasselblad is offering 40 percent off of their H5D series of cameras and lens bundles. They are also offering 20 percent off of lenses when bought with H5D, H5X, and Certified Pre-Owned bodies. If you've been waiting for the right time to purchase a Hasselblad, this may be it. 

Dan Winters Shares the Incredible Story of Capturing the Last Space Shuttle Launch

Capturing the launch of a space shuttle is undoubtedly a tremendous task to take on. Add to that the pressure of capturing the last space shuttle launch and you may have one of the most immense photographic endeavours of your career. In a very passionate and insightful video talk, Dan Winters takes us through the process of accomplishing said task.

Is Your Security Worth the Price of That Discount Tablet?

Black Friday, love it or hate it, always manages to produce some tempting deals on the tech front, and tablets are no exception this holiday season. Numerous stores are selling cheap, poorly made Android tablets at prices that you can only believe once you open the box and realize what you just bought.

Sony Unveils the a7II & 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G SSM II A-Mount Lens

Sony seems to be stealing the show this week, first with the US release of their new 16-35mm f4 and then the announcement of the world’s first stacked CMOS sensor, they just keep bringing the fire with today’s announcement of the a7II by Sony Japan.

Sony Announces the Industry’s First Stacked CMOS Image Sensor

Sony has been on fire as of lately and has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They have pushed the boundaries of a mirrorless camera system with their highly regarded a7, a7R, and a7S, and now seem to be pushing the limits of mobile photography. Yesterday Sony announced the Exmor RS, the world’s first stacked CMOS image sensor.