Perhaps most impressive were Canon’s prototype ultra-high-res displays — capable of displaying 4K video (think HD, but so sharp you can’t distinguish individual pixels), and 8-megapixel still images at full resolution.

Canon also had 4K video cameras on display, but without an ultra-high-res display on hand at that particular exhibit, it was difficult to grasp just how impressive these cameras were.

There was plenty more to see at the Canon Expo, including this full-wall display demonstrating the evolution of the Canon ELPH, and I hope to post more soon if time allows. I can’t even imagine what we’ll see at Canon Expo 2015!

Well, since everyone else in the tech community seems to be posting their Snow Leopard reviews, I guess I’m allowed to reveal that I too have been playing around with Apple’s latest operating system this week. With a background in photography, I was curious to see what new backgrounds Apple decided to include in Snow Leopard. I did a double-take when I saw one of Apple’s OS-themed “Nature” backgrounds. The image, captured by National Geographic photographer Steve Winter, was of a Central Asian snow leopard, and appeared in a slideshow for an interview I did with Winter for American Photo last year (it made a second appearance as my desktop background around that time as well). Congratulations Steve! Apple obviously has great taste.

WHEN: Thursday, August 6th, at 6:30 p.m. (slideshow begins at 9 p.m.)

WHERE: Canoe Studios, Chelsea
601 West 26th St., Suite 1465, NY, NY 10001

WHO: A wide array of artists and genres, some of whom are very accomplished, including:

•    SHEPARD FAIREY- Illustrator who created the Obama “Hope” Poster
•    PLATON- Famed celebrity photographer
•    TIM HETHERINGTON- Vanity Fair photographer showing a searing multimedia piece from Iraq
•    GREGORY CREWDSON- Fine-Art Photographer and Yale Prof. shows David Lynch-esque work
•    PETE SOUZA- Photographer appointed by Barack Obama to cover his administration

TO  RSVP: http://network.slideluckpotshow.com/events/slideluck-potshow-xiii

For more general information on the show, head over to my article at PopPhoto.com. I’ll definitely be there tonight, so let me know if you will too!

Q: Well, how was Beijing? Should I go?

A: After spending two months living in Beijing, I’d hesitate to recommend the city to tourists looking to soak up Chinese history and culture. Sure — there’s plenty of that in Beijing, but there’s so much more to China that you won’t be able to see through Beijing’s environmental and propaganda haze. I came to tolerate life in the city towards the end of my journey, but only because the Olympics were in town, and many familiar Western conveniences became available, such as an Apple Store and Cold Stone. Unless you speak Mandarin, communication with locals is almost always impossible. Some are learning limited English, but are unable to pronounce words correctly due to a lack of native speakers to practice with.

For photographers, Beijing can be a great place to shoot on clear days, but unfortunately, the sun only breaks through the clouds every so often. If you’re only in town for a week, you may not have a single day without a hazy blanket to get in the way of you and that perfect shot. The Chinese make incredible subjects, and are generally more open to photographers than Westerners. Unfortunately, I think much of this comes from a fear of confrontation, especially when they’re unable to communicate with the foreigner behind the camera.

Q: What was it like to work at the Olympics?

A: I can’t even begin to describe the Olympic experience – it was so incredible to be able to work alongside the world’s top photographers, reporters, and athletes. Just being around the athletes was a thrill – there were so many, from almost every country in the world. There were also plenty of opportunities for staff and journalists to mingle with athletes outside of the competition venues, especially towards the end of the Games.

During the first week of competition, I answered questions for photographers at the road cycling course (and ended up doing quite a bit of computer troubleshooting as well). A few days after road cycling, I transferred to indoor volleyball, where I worked as a flash quotes reporter, interviewing athletes in the mixed zone alongside reporters from around the world. Often, we had to work through translators — it was really an experience unlike any other.

Q: Can I work at Vancouver 2010 or London 2012?

A: Honestly, I’m not quite sure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) required the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) to hire native English speakers from overseas only because very few were qualified in China. Fortunately for the next Winter and Summer Games, that’s not the case — both will be held in countries where English is the official language. If you’re an expert with relevant experience, feel free to contact VANOC or LOCOG for more information about joining their staffs during the Games. I’d certainly recommend giving it a shot — working at the Olympics is an experience like no other.

I have a few regrets about my experience in China. Some are less significant, and were only realized when I read the United Airlines magazine on the flight back to the States. I can’t believe I spent two months in Beijing and only visited half of the locations they suggested in their cover article. I never made it to the restaurant, Made in China, but I certainly heard great things. My biggest regret, however, is not taking more time to travel around the country. I visited Shanghai and Tianjin, and made a side trip to the suburbs with Vincent Laforet, but I really wish I had taken more time in the beginning of my trip to explore other parts of the country. Some friends flew to see pandas in their native habitat near Chengdu, or visited the Terracotta Army at Xi’an. I’d love to visit China again at some point in the near future — but I don’t think Beijing will make it on my itinerary.

This marks my final post to Behind the Lens at the Beijing Olympics. Thanks for visiting, and feel free to continue sending questions or adding your comments to individual posts.

1. Take the train to Tianjin — The coastal city of Tianjin is located 120 km east of Beijing, but a new high-speed train will zip you from the capital to the coast in just under 30 minutes. You’ll need at least half a day to explore, especially if you plan to shoot at the “beach.” The ocean excursion is pricey (about 160 CNY r/t including taxi and light rail), but the incredible pictures you’ll be able to make there make it well worth the time and money.

2. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City — Several photographers I’ve spoken to haven’t even had time to visit the world’s largest public square, or the Forbidden City. If you have a few hours free, visit both, but if you can only spare an hour or two, head to Tiananmen Square to shoot tourists and locals enjoying the recently constructed Olympic displays.

3. Eat Chinese food — Under immense pressure to stay healthy so they can produce images, experienced photographers are avoiding eating anything outside of the media village, Main Press Center, or Olympic venues. While this makes sense, they’re really missing out on some incredible Chinese food. Peking duck roll ups (available for 15 Yuan at the MPC) aren’t going to cut it — experience the real thing at Quanjude, or visit a hole in the wall eatery to enjoy Chinese food at its best (and cheapest).

4. Wander the city on your own — Escape the Olympics bubble to meet locals in the hutongs, or roam the streets with a camera in the older parts of town. Don’t worry about having a plan — take the subway away from the Olympic Green, and get off at a random stop. If you don’t like what you see, simply hop back on and go somewhere else — you’ll also be able to make great pictures on the train.

5. Bring back some goodies — You can’t return from China without gifts for family and friends, so visit one of the city’s markets to bargain hard for souvenirs. Jade and pearls are very popular, as are calligraphy paintings, chopstick sets, and knock off clothing. Visit the Pearl Marketfor pearls (and sometimes jade) and the Tianya market (literally a few feet away) for everything else. Tianya is also a great place to shoot locals gathered around televisions to watch the Olympics.

Vince told me about a shot he had in mind several days ago, and asked where we could go to make it work. After a dozen phone calls and text messages to a translator familiar with the area, we settled on the town of Changping, located in the Changping District of Beijing, a suburb northwest of the city. The translator and I met at my hotel, hired a cab for the night, and headed over to pick up Vince near the Olympic Green.

After what seemed like an hour of driving, we arrived at a village near the Ming Tombs, a popular tourist attraction. We wandered down alleyways for 20 minutes, trying to talk to locals and searching for Vince’s shot — Chinese gathered around a television to watch the Olympics in a rural area near Beijing. We saw some homes that might have worked, but decided to keep looking.

A few minutes later, a man wearing a volunteer shirt approached us on his moped, and our translator asked him for advice on where to shoot. Our translator later identified him as the town’s leader — to my surprise, he was incredibly helpful, and seemed to have a general understanding of why we were there. We began to follow the “volunteer” as curious locals joined our entourage. Eventually, Vince settled on a group of three people eating dinner and watching television in a tiny grocery store.

I liked the shot, but it still wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, so we grabbed our cabbie and headed back to Beijing a few minutes later. After leaving the store, we noticed that an even larger crowd had formed — about 20 people in total, including a well-dressed woman who looked very out of place. The woman was asking many questions, and our translator later identified her as a leader of the Changping district, who had been informed of our arrival.

By the time we reached the city, our cab fare had reached 278 CNY (about $42) — most of my fares in Beijing are less than one tenth of that amount, and our translator was fascinated by the high number on the meter. 330 CNY later (luckily, Vince had paid), I arrived back at my hotel, to prepare for another day in the Olympics bubble. In the end, Vince wasn’t able to get the picture he had wanted, but we plan to give it another shot in a few days.

Visit Newsweek’s “Visions of China” blog for Laforet’s in-depth account of the evening.

At past Olympics, white Canon lenses dominated photo positions at the venues — but this year, with the release of their D3 digital SLR, Nikon is making a significant comeback. Former Canon shooters have made the switch to Nikon in order to stay on the cutting edge, taking advantage of improved focusing and better image quality. Photographers packed the photo workroom and sideline positions today during the most popular road cycling event. The women’s road race will follow tomorrow, with individual time trials to be held on Wednesday.

Your first stop at the MPC should be the rate card office, as wired and wireless Internet connections at the MPC and venues require a rate card for use. If you happen to arrive at a VMC without a rate card, your only option may be to return to the MPC to purchase one. Pay phone cards and China Mobile vending machines are offered at other venues, but rate cards must be purchased at the MPC. There’s also a McDonalds outside the MPC photo workroom, so you can get your Big Mac fix without exiting the Olympic Green.