Some software for photographic freelancers:

FotoBiz looks pretty comprehensive, with a FotoQuote stock pricing module. It's written in FileMaker and is extensible. $229.

An index of software for photographers over at stockphoto.net. Not a very focused list, but maybe worth a look if you can't find anything else.

I've been trying to find some relatively easy software solutions to the problem of tracking photography submissions to various publishers. There are a bunch of options for freelance writers, but none I can find for photographers.

However, I did find this nifty run-down of IMS (Image Management Systems) software, at the Technical Advisory Services for Images, an academic standards group.

I doubt whether it's right to call them 'cult classics,' but this web page does a great job of telling you which third-party lenses are worth checking out.

Of particular interest to me is the Tamron section, which exposes me as a fraud; maybe I am part of the Cult Of Tamron.

The Tamron Professional Learning Center isn't so professional as you might think, but it's also a whole lot of useful information.

A Simplified Zone System For Making Good Exposures

Norman Koren walks you through the basics.

I'm a sucker for a DIY project:

Build a Pentax Cable Release F out of spare parts.

And to replace the CS-205:

Making an electronic cable release for use with DSLR's.

The latter project has the benefit of being useful for non-Pentax cameras, as well.

I'd like to find a kit for making a timer device. Anyone know of any?

Over on craigslist I found an ad for an online outdoor adventure magazine called Stellar, calling for submissions.

But the reason I'm linking to it is because they produce tiny documentaries about people living that life. And one of those people is Ace Kvale, noted ski and adventure sports photographer.

The most interesting thing about all the different profiles is that these people choose to be outsiders (pun not intended), so their stories are told from the outside in. This kind of perspective can't help but lend itself to a certain view of the way people live their lives. So, for instance, Kvale says that when he travels, the culture shock comes from coming back to the US.

Photographing Flying Insects shows how a guy home-brewed a rig, and got some beautiful images of bugs flyin' around.

Go to the last page to see the best specimens.

Here's a page which describes how to change GTK themes under fink.

The fink project doesn't include GTK Theme Switch, which I hope to remedy immediately after posting this 'blog entry.