Web Profiles

Cellography
As cell phones get both more ubiquitous (they already outsell digital point-and-shoot cameras) and higher in resolution it was obvious that sooner or later somebody was going to make some pretty good photographs with one. I'm not talking about the ones with cousin Billy with Mickey Mouse in Orlando, but real photographs such as the kind Hugh Scott-Symonds creates with his cell phone camera. The images on his website (www.hupix.net) explode the myth that equipment makes images, not photographers. And to the purist who moan that while Scott-Symonds' photographs are "great but it's too bad they weren't made at higher resolution," I have one word for you: Holga.

Armed only with a Sharp GX20 mobile phone the images are presented in a simple yet elegant interface without digital manipulation. Scott-Symonds' images are arranged singly or in pairs as a photographic tone poem about nature. In this cellography world, water, ice, and leaves dance a delicate ballet of mood and color. I believe that in the not-so-distant future and much sooner than some might think, cell phone cameras will replace low-end digital point-and-shoot digicams. And now you know one reason why I believe that.

Website Correction
Due to a production error, Rod Tuach's website was printed incorrectly in the April 2005 installment of Web Profiles (see page 152). Mr. Tuach's correct website is www.photos-spain.com. Our sincere apologies to Mr. Tuach.

Privacy A Priority?
Try this: Type your phone number into Google (www.google.com) and click "Google Search." You may be surprised to see your name and address appear in a listing. But wait, there's more. Next to that information are two clickable links: One is to Yahoo! Maps and the other is for MapQuest. Clicking either link accomplishes the same thing; it produces a map for anybody showing him or her how to get to your home. Now I don't know about you, kemo sabe, but this makes me more than a little uncomfortable. Sure people can easily find your address and phone number on many other sites on the Internet, but do we need to draw them a map? If you are as bothered by this as I am, why not drop Google an e-mail (www.google.com/contact/security.html) and ask them to stop this practice, now!