These days we celebrate the models of our time that strut their stuff in Victorias Secrets lingerie or the itsiest- bitsiest of bikinis adorning the cover of every magazine from Sports Illustrated, to most fitness magazines.
Sure, from talk shows, reality shows, and every kind of entertainment press coverage possible.

But let’s take a moment to honor the memory of a photographic model, who shunned the public mores of her time and become one of the most “pinned-up” models in her field. And became a cultural icon for decades after: Bettie Page

[photopress:bettie_page.jpg,full,alignright] As camera clubs of the 50’s had a strange penchant for hiring models, to show up at club meetings as the mostly male club members would snap away, making personal cheesecake. Bettie Page began her career as a model for these gatherings.

The 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died last year. She was 85.

“She captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality,” Mark Roesler, trustee of the Bettie Mae Page Trust said. “She is the embodiment of beauty.”

Page attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years.

“I think that she was a remarkable lady, an iconic figure in pop culture who influenced sexuality, taste in fashion, someone who had a tremendous impact on our society,” Playboy founder Hugh Hefner told The Associated Press . “She was a very dear person.”
Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine.

A biopic was released in 2005 called ” The Notorious Bettie Page “, dramatizing the story of this woman who posed for over 20,000 photos both cheesecake-y and delving into the world of bondage.

After gaining her initial fame in the 50’s, she disappeared in 58′, only to be rediscovered by a kitsch crowd in the nineties, when her photographs came into the marketplace again in many formats.

Why raise a glass to this woman?
It’s not an endorsement of cheesecake. Nor a celebration of bondage.
Perhaps it’s a balance to the celebrity models of today.
As she was a reflection of the sexual underground of the 50’s, her persona gave an identity stamp to the pulp images of the day.
Not just becoming a faceless model for the unsophisticated amateur photographers.
When she left the world of modeling, it was to give her life to Jesus Christ.
That extreme balance of her own life, was part of what made her life worthy of a feature film.
She was a photographic modeling star. And remains so.

As we head into the new year, perhaps a little sprucing up is in order here at Photoinduced.
Or some re-arranging at the very least.
So here’s a little something we’re going to add to the HOME page: video previews.
Yeah we know. There are almost 85 of them on the VIDEO SHORTS page. From interviews with the masters, to checking out the latest gear, and some Photoshop mini lessons.

But we want to give you a preview right here on the HOME page.

So starting now, we’ll be putting a sample video in the right hand column in a small screen.
An hors d’ vores you might say. Of course the full size videos are available on the VIDEO SHORTS page.

We’ll probably play with the placement a little but let us know what you think.

First up is the interview we did with Alec Soth in NYC this past fall. Some great stuff in there.

Forget Spring Cleaning.
If you had a few free moments during the winter holiday, you must have checked out your photo files.
Either looking for that special shot to send an old friend, putting together those family photos to book up and make your holiday gift, or maybe just adding all of the new ones you just took.
Oh yeah.
Unless you have tagged your photos as you went, the old visual method had to do.
Bummer.
Well, this week we have a few things that should help you do all of those things easier.
From Software-Cinema we have 3 Discs for you. 2 are geared more for the Photoshop CS3 folks and one for those of you using Photoshop Elements.
1 of the Photoshop discs will give you a ton of training in photo illustration, plus the workflow help.
The other is primarily workflow training.
On the Elements disc, you learn how to make excellent creations, destined to share with friends and family.

[photopress:100_product_image_903724281.jpg,full,alignright] Creative Photo Illustration & Workflow CS3
with Jim DiVitale

Photoshop CS3 – See Jim’s unique and in demand techniques for using Adobe Photoshop to create Photo Illustrations. This is awesome instruction that shows the creative insights and best practices of a master digital photographer. You will learn Jim’s own methods that you can use in the commercial as well as the artistic worlds.

[photopress:92_product_image_3977875.jpg,full,alignright]How to Wow – Workflow & Optimizing CS3
with Jack Davis

Photoshop CS3 – This program is packed with essential Workflow processes to increase your productivity and valuable adjustment techniques to optimize your images including Color Management, Camera RAW, Bridge, important Preferences, Smart features, Masking secrets, Filters and more!

[photopress:81_product_image_584399168_1.jpg,full,alignright] Create Scrapbook Pages in Photoshop Elements
with Jane Conner-ziser

Jane Conner-ziser instructs you with 23 step-by-step sessions designed to broaden the skill-sets of scrapbooking hobbyists committed to taking their artistry to the next level. Each session covers various techniques on topics ranging from: an overview of the Elements workspace, manipulating image size and color, cropping, adding text to photographs, using layers to manage multiple elements in the design, custom decorating, facial retouching, borders and shapes, and additional special effects, among others.

Yep, it’s time. Get yourself into the good habits at the start of the year and maybe it’ll be easier next year.
And unlike all of the diet and exercise programs being foisted on you now, this one will trim the fat on your hard drive and make your creative side fully toned.
Feel the burn.

Just make sure you’re signed up for the NEWSLETTER to be eligible for one of these discs. 3 different winners this week.

I’m looking lovingly at the collection of Polaroids: The converted 110A’s, Pola Back for a Hassleblad, coupla SX-70’s, and a Spectra.
Back in the day, these beauties could tell me what the strobe lighting would look like before the film was processed, or maybe put a shot of an actress onto a contract in an instant, for reference. Perhaps it would spit put an instant gift to give to someone from another land.
Yeah, good times, good times.
OK, stop the crying. Fuji has introduced 3 new Instax Polaroid-esque cameras to take up the instant grat slack.
BUT DO THEY????
[photopress:REG_1345.jpg,full,centered] side by side with Polaroid Spectra
[photopress:REG_1347.jpg,full,centered] overhead with lens extended on Fuji
I took the wide format Fuji Instax 200, due to largest print size available, for some test runs around the hood for the past week
[photopress:fujisamples1004_2.jpg,full,centered] sample shot w/o flash

This is what I found:
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