A print auction held at the annual PDN PhotoPlus Expo Bash on October 28 raised more than $8,000 for the Red Cross’s relief efforts in Japan, PDN PhotoPlus Expo has announced.

Harry Benson, Douglas Kirkland, Susan Meiselas, John Isaac and Art Streiber were among the 50 photographers who donated prints for the benefit silent auction.

Unique Photo, Fuji Film and Modernage sponsored the event, held at Highline Stages in New York City, which featured live music by Tyburn Saints and was attended by more than 1,200 people.

“It was important for us as an organization, and an industry, to organize an event that would give us an opportunity to participate in the worldwide efforts to help the victims in Japan,” Jeff McQuilkin, Group Show Director for The Nielsen Company, said. “Obviously, the photographic industry has strong ties to Japan and its culture and was deeply affected by the disaster. The fundraising event was one way we could show our support.”

“It was amazing how the industry came together to support this event,” added Lauren Wendle, Vice President, Nielsen Photo Group. “Everyone had a great time but never seemed to lose sight of fundraising aspect of the event. The print auction was very active and we want to extend our warmest thanks to the photographers who donated prints, and our guests who bid and bought them.”

A silent auction of photographic prints to benefit relief efforts in Japan will be held next Thursday, April 21 at 25CPW Gallery in New York City. The auction is being organized by a group of NY-based Japanese and American photographers, and includes work donated by more than 60 photographers.

Ticket sales for the event, and 100% of proceeds will go to Architecture for Humanity, a non-profit organization that is helping rebuild communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Participating photographers include Gilles Bensimon, Kenro Izo, Elliott Erwitt, Jean Gaumy, Lois Conner, Nina Berman, Suzanne Opton, Wayne Liu, James Whitlow Delano, Jonathan Mannion, and Stephen Ferry.

In addition to a silent auction, the event will feature Japanese-themed live music, food and drink.

The event is dubbed The Wa Project, after the ancient Japanese term, which “dates back to the 8th century and means many things,” says a statement by the organizers. “It is the ancient name of the spirit of the country itself. It also stands for peace and calm and is a symbol of the circle, unity, and harmony.”

The Wa Project is being produced through a partnership with Nuru Project, 25CPW and Sombra Projects, with contributions from the Magnum Foundation and Friends Without Borders.

For more information on participating artists, and to purchase tickets, please visit http://waphotographyauction.com/.

This short piece by Dan Saelinger plays with the visual possibilities of melting popsicles. Created as a test, the video expanded on the concept of one of Saelinger’s still-life photographs.

Popsicles from Dan Saelinger on Vimeo.

If you have a video you would like us to consider for PDN’s Video Picks, just send a link to editor@pdnonline.com.

To paraphrase George Costanza, worlds have collided!

Microsoftie Josh Weisberg, the guy we wrote about earlier this year who rose to fame when he secured a coveted Canon lens mug at the Vancouver Olympics (sorry, that original post was destroyed when our blog went down), recently celebrated his 40th birthday with, get this, a birthday cake in the shape of a giant Nikon digital SLR.

Josh’s friend Mia made it for him, basing it on an old D200 he loaned her. (Ok, so maybe he’s not a Canon guy, after all.)

Josh reports that the entire cake is edible, including the printed labels which are made of edible ink; the plastic on the LCD panels; the lens; and the back cover which are made of sugar.

Happy birthday Josh! And maybe for your next one Mia can make a cake shaped like a Canon lens mug. Talk about worlds colliding.

Yes, it had to happen. Earlier this year we broke the news on the Canon White Lens coffee mug that was being distributed at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the Internet nearly exploded. Now a Nikon version has surfaced.

(Gulp.)

Don't know if it's an "official" Nikon release, but this simulated Nikon AF-S 24-70mm F/2.8 lens thermos coffee cup looks pretty sweet. We especially like the gold box treatment and the drawstring carrying bag.

It's selling for $23 here where they've got a few more choice photos of it.

Get 'em while they last!