I’ve had to replace a failing computer hard drive more often than I’d care to remember. Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson: my workstation now includes external drives as both backup and primary storage. I routinely move content from the computer onto one external drive and back up to a second drive. (I usually prefer to transfer memory card files first to the computer, so that my backups will include these; then I move those files to the external drive when a project is completed, making sure that they are synced to Lightroom.) Unfortunately, the cost of all this may amount to the price of a second camera body or new lens, but it’s money well spent, as you’ll realize the first time a drive goes down.

There’s nothing more discouraging than making great shots in the field only to discover that they are nowhere to be found on your memory card when you get to your home or studio. That’s why we were happy to receive this list of mistakes to avoid when dealing with memory cards from David Zimmerman, CEO of LC Technology, a company that supplies data management and recovery solutions to a wide variety of companies within the field.—Editor

Tamron USA announced that they are embarking on a 100-city national Tailgate Tour to promote photography and Tamron lenses. A fully equipped Tamron van will be visiting camera stores throughout the country, turning mundane parking lots into photo celebrations, complete with free photography mini-sessions, test drives on the latest Tamron products, full evening seminars, specials on Tamron lenses and complimentary tailgate lunches at most participating retailers. This casual and fun approach to photography education is designed to offer easy and free access to great information to anyone interested in photography.

X-Rite, Incorporated announced the release of ColorTRUE™ for Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. ColorTRUE provides photographers, designers, and prepress professionals the ability to calibrate and profile their tablet and mobile devices for accurate color matching. ColorTRUE includes a Create Profile tool and an Image Gallery viewer and is currently available as a free download on the Apple® App Store and Google® Play Store.

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. has announced the launch of the NX mini, the world's slimmest and lightest interchangeable-lens camera. With NFC and Wi-Fi capabilities, it allows users to take impressive shots that can then be shared quickly and easily, for friends to enjoy in real time.

GFIP Holdings LLC launched an addition to its popular lineup of flash diffusers with the introduction of the LightBlade Diffuser. Designed to accommodate nearly all speedlight flashes, the new LightBlade Diffuser softens harsh light emitted from power-packed speedlights, minimizes shadows and reduces glare while creating more accurate skin tones. The portability and compact size of this combined bounce and shoot-through diffuser make it a perfect solution for event photography, portraits, interiors and product shots.

Choosing the right paper for your prints is often a matter of surface texture and tone, but there’s more to it than that when printing for exhibition or display. It’s what the paper is made of, and the inks it can handle, that make the difference between a “warrantied” saleable print and one that might be used for quick display or repro. While there are no industry standards for print longevity as of yet, working with papers that could be dubbed “archival” by their very makeup is a good place to start.

Given that the physical and perceptual experience of making a photograph is shaped by technology, and that technology is also embedded in the resulting images, one of the chief and perhaps most profound changes in how we make an image has been the changes in focusing—and recently autofocusing—technology. There’s a reason that the documentary photojournalism of Lewis W. Hine (shot with a ponderous 5x7 view camera or a 4x5 Graflex SLR) has a qualitatively different feel from that of Alfred Eisenstaedt or Henri Cartier-Bresson (shot with pocket-sized 35mm rangefinder cameras). It’s not only framing—it’s responsiveness, spontaneity, and, perhaps, repose, that underlies what these image-makers showed us.

Nikon Inc. has launched the “Nikon Behind the Scenes” video series, dedicated to empowering and entertaining intermediate level photographers by equipping them with the skills they need to take their photography to the next level. The video series follows a diverse group of leading photographers into the field, including Nikon Ambassadors Joe McNally and Corey Rich and Nikon Professional Photographer Tamara Lackey.

Virtual Backgrounds LLC has announced the introduction of their new digital projected virtual background system using digital files instead of film based slides to create backgrounds for use by photographers and videographers. The new digital system is available in two versions, the VB Express Digital and the VB Optima Digital.