If you're look for additional backup for your iPhone photos and videos, Shutter by Streamnation has an interesting proposition: unlimited storage for free.

Their iOS app, Shutter combines a useful camera with a clever storage service, and lots of sharing features. One of the things that initially caught my eye was the fact that I could capture an image in Shutter, then open it directly in Instagram.

When you're taking pictures with either an iPhone or iPad with the camera function, you have the basic features you'd expect: focus point, flash control, and a handful of filters. Nothing fancy, but it certainly gets the job done.

Beyond that, Shutter saves all of your photos and videos to your account, keeps the last 200 available locally in case you don't want to use bandwidth to play with them, and will even automatically backup your existing camera roll.

You can save your Shutter images to you camera roll (or leave them in the Shutter app), post them online, or email to a friend. The sharing options are strong with good connections to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Because we've had some bad luck with great services closing down in the past, I don't recommend putting all of your backup eggs in this basket. But I think it's worth testing and using as a redundant service to your primary archiving system. I'm particularly interested to see how this all ties together with the StreamNation app that I've loaded on the iPad that lets my manage the content I have in their cloud service.

I'm on the road in a week. That will be a good opportunity for further testing.

More Help on Managing Your Mobile Photos

In my lynda.com title, Managing Your Mobile Photos, I cover a variety of backup solutions for both iOS and Android users. These tutorials will help you build the perfect backup solution for you, so that you never lose a single memory.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

In a statement from Apple this morning, the new Photos App that will run on Mac OS X Yosemite, will replace Aperture.

"With the introduction of the new Photos app and iCloud Photo Library, enabling you to safely store all of your photos in iCloud and access them from anywhere, there will be no new development of Aperture. When Photos for OS X ships next year, users will be able to migrate their existing Aperture libraries to Photos for OS X," Official Apple statement.

So the new chapter begins. I'll be working with Apple to get the best information possible to help photographers move forward. More to come.

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Light is the soul of photography. And when it comes to portraits, it's one of the first things I think about. In the title, Photographing High School Senior Portraits, I talk about the lighting considerations and preparations for capturing an engaging portrait.

The focus in this movie is scouting locations prior to the shoot so you're confident about the light you'll have to work with when the subject is there. It's good food for thought. And if you have a portrait shoot coming up, or are ready to add senior portraits to your freelance business, I think you'll find this video helpful.

If the movie doesn't play here, you can watch it by clicking on this link.

Learn More About the Art and Business of Portraiture

In my lynda.com title, Photographing High School Senior Portraits, I'll show you how to organize, photograph, and deliver great images for fun or profit. Take a look at the free movies and see for yourself.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Many Aperture users are feeling like they don't belong to the cool club anymore. While Adobe Lightroom 5 users enjoy annual full release updates, a mobile app, and faster turnaround for new camera RAW support, Aperture is still chugging along at version 3.

So the temptation to switch is natural. If you're thinking of moving your photo library to where the party is happening, then here's a brief list of things to consider.

Lightroom 5.5 sports the latest image editing tools and is compatible with Mobile Lightroom for the iPad and iPhone.

Step 1 - Read my article Moving from Aperture to Lightroom on the lynda.com Article Center. I detail the various options available for moving content out of Aperture and in to Lightroom. All of the options involve a certain amount of work. Some are better than others.

Step 2 - If you're not pleased with the options for a complete relocation, take a look at the article, One Library Shared by Both Aperture and Lightroom that explains how to point both applications to the same set of master images.

With this approach, you still use Aperture as your main organizational tool (a function for which Aperture is superior), but still have access to Lightroom's Develop module and mobile app.

Step 3 - Evaluate the financial costs involved with a move. The best option for Lightroom is the $9.99 monthly Creative Cloud subscription that gets you Lightroom, Photoshop, and Mobile Lightroom. Currently, Aperture updates are free through the Mac App Store.

Step 4 - Identify the Lightroom tools that you want to use in Aperture. Then explore the plug-ins and presets available for Aperture. For example, I wish Aperture had gradient screens. But I have Color Efex and Perfect Effects plug-ins that give me that functionality while staying within the Aperture ecosystem.

Step 5 - Review your ties to the Apple ecosystem. If you're using the iPad, iPhone, Photo Stream, iPhoto, and looking forward to Mac OS X Yosemite, then you might want to evaluate Aperture's role in that ecosystem.

No move is easy, and switching to Lightroom definitely has its challenges. For some, the effort is well worth it. Just make sure you weigh the pros and cons before making the leap.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!

It's a question I'm asked often: "What's the best way to jump start my photography career?"

There's no secret formula. Everyone knows that. For some shooters, it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. But for most of us, building a career is exactly that. We advance in our profession brick by brick.

I talk about this process in a new title for lynda.com, Insights on Photography: Business and Social Media. Over the years, I've had to reinvent myself a number of times: moving from the world of print and staff photography jobs to an online presence to social media.

In this movie, Getting Started in the Business of Photography, I discuss how the building blocks of my career helped me through those changes. Taking pictures isn't really that much different, but how we expose them to the world certainly is.

If the embedded movie doesn't play, you can watch it here.

If you like what you see, you might want to check out the other conversations that cover: Exploring options for ways to use social media, Utilizing social media to its best advantage, Looking at how photography gear has changed, and Evolving and expanding the business of photography. They are all part of the title, Insights on Photography: Business and Social Media.

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This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: The new Kodak Pixpro S-1 Micro Four Thirds camera, street shooting in Dublin, new title on lynda.com: Managing Your Mobile Photos - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Weekly Update: Nikon D800/E replacement should be announced on June 26th. Highlights include: 36MP full frame sensor, No AA filter like the D800E, higher resolution LCD screen, sRAW, no WiFi, better video, and built-in GPS - est. cost: $3,300. (source: Nikon Rumors).

In other news, Adobe Lightroom, Camera Raw, DNG Converter support more cameras including Sony A7S, RX100 III. Other goodies include support for the OM-D E-M10 and the ability to now use Star Ratings with Lightroom Mobile. BTW: Lightroom Mobile is now available for the iPhone too. (Source for parts of this story: Imaging-Resource).

And finally, Tattly Tattoos Photographers Can Rock via Resource Mag Online. Cool photo-related temporary tattoos that run $5 for a set of two.

Story #2 - Street Shooting in Dublin - I didn't fully realize that my May Street Shooting Workshop in SF would be an excellent tune-up for my European adventure. But while exploring the streets on Dublin, I felt very at ease photographing its Irish inhabitants. More about this in today's second story.

Story #3 - The Nimbleosity Report: "Kodak Pixpro S-1" Created by JK Imaging Ltd and released under the Kodak brand, the S-1 is a 16MP micro four thirds camera body that aims to compete at the entry level of the market. It has sensor-shift stabilization, 3.0" 920k dot tilting LCD that isn't touchscreen capable, built-in WiFi, DNG and Jpeg recording, video, and 3 new lenses. One of the lenses, a 400mm F6.7 with fixed aperture will be very affordable, but it's questionable to how useful it will be. More on this camera and lens during the third segment of the show.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Managing Your Mobile Photos with Derrick Story. I've worked on this title for quite a while, and it's finally out. I'll talk about why I think every mobile photographer should watch this one.

You can watch me in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library (including my brand new "Photographing High School Senior Portraits."

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (32 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Virtual Camera Club News

From SizzlPix: they've streamlined the SizzlPix! website, so that ordering is now easy as 1-2-3.

1. From any page, go to "Original Low Prices." Decide on your size and hanging option.
2. From there, click on the big blue button, "From Yours" at the top of the page.
3. After filling in the abreviated order form, you're taken automatically to the upload page to send in your image.

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until August!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

I've just returned from two weeks in Europe traveling with an unlocked iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S. Both devices used SIMsmart cards for calling, text, and data while abroad.

Over the course of the trip, I was able to post to Instagram and Facebook directly from my iPhones. Plus, I could answer email, browse the Web, and check the weather.

One of the best aspects of the SIMsmart plan is the ability to order the SIM cards ahead of time, install them, and enable their data configurations. By doing so, both phones were ready for immediate use when I landed in London.

I charged each card with an $80 credit. The iPhone 3GS still has about $5 remaining, while the iPhone 4S ran out of data on the second to last day. I could have easily recharged either card online at the SIMsmart site, another nice feature of their service. Fortunately, I was able to use just the 3GS on the last day.

Once you receive the SIMsmart card via shipping, simply install it in your phone and go online to activate. Voice and text will be immediately available. If you want data too (and who wouldn't), then customer support will contact you with a link to their profile. It's very easy to install, and that finishes the set-up process.

For each of my phones, it took about 20 minutes in London before they were ready for data usage. I'm not sure what was going on in the background, but once everything had clicked in, they worked like a charm. I didn't have to do anything on my end to make them work.

I had full connectivity in England, Ireland, France, Scotland, and Wales. Phone service was reliable with no dropped calls, and data streaming was better than many of the WiFi hotspots I tried to use.

If you've unlocked an older smartphone (by request to your carrier), I think purchasing a SIM card with a phone number that's local to your travel destination is an excellent plan. I used WiFi when I could. But when it wasn't available, I was thankful for the SIMsmart cards.

The SIMsmart card has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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It doesn't get the same press as other big cities in Scotland, but Glasgow is a bustling city with a lot of soul and sense of humor.

Be sure to follow my journal at thenimblephotographer.com

Photo by Derrick Story, Dublin Ireland

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Travel Notes from Europe, Part 1, London and Paris - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - I record this week's show from our ship, docked off the coast of England and preparing to cruise to Ireland. I discuss how my adventures went in London and Paris. Special notes about photography gear and wireless connectivity.

Paris Afternoon - photo by Derrick Story.

Virtual Camera Club News

From SizzlPix: they've streamlined the SizzlPix! website, so that ordering is now easy as 1-2-3.

1. From any page, go to "Original Low Prices." Decide on your size and hanging option.
2. From there, click on the big blue button, "From Yours" at the top of the page.
3. After filling in the abreviated order form, you're taken automatically to the upload page to send in your image.

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until August!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Have you every been approached about a just-discovered gold ring on the streets of Paris? I have, and I share the story in my latest entry on The Nimble Photographer Journal.

"Paris from Above" by Derrick Story.

I'm also sharing images and anecdotes from London, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow, and more at the TDS Facebook page and directly from the streets on the DerrickStory Instagram feed. So be sure to follow along.

At this point, I had been awake for 26 hours without sleep, and hadn't planned on taking anymore pictures for the day. But this shot came together right before my eyes, so I pulled the Canon S110 out of my pocket and captured it.

Captured with a Canon S110 and processed in Snapseed on an iPad mini with Retina Display. (No laptops were used, or harmed, in the creation of this post.)

-----
Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. I'm posting daily as I explore the British Isles.

Over the next two weeks, you'll see Instagram posts, Tweets, and Nimble Photographer Journal entries from London, Paris, Dublin, Liverpool, and Glasgow. That's because I'm lucky enough to be teaching on MacMania 17 organized by Insight Cruises with sponsorship by Macworld.

While at sea, I'll be teaching classes on the iPad, Aperture, and iPhoto. I'll also be available for photography consulting to help conference participants take the best pictures possible when touring the British Isles.

When I'm not at sea, which is almost every day, I'll be exploring these wonderful cities with my iPhone, Olympus OM-D E-M10, and Canon S110. I plan on sharing photos on the social network sites mentioned above, and on the c't DigiPhoto Instagram page.

I'm sure there will be some irregularity with my posts here on The Digital Story, but I'll return to my normal daily posts once I land in California on June 24th. Until then, I hope you join me on Instagram, Twitter, and the TDS Facebook page.

This adventure will have a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: See iOS 8's Time-Lapse Mode in Action, Instagram 6: It's like a real photo app, and Sailing Off to the British Isles - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Weekly Update: iOS 8's Time-Lapse Mode Demonstrated - Cool movie shows off time-lapse video captured with an iPhone 5S and iOS 8 (source: PetaPixel).

In other news, Adobe Announces Camera Raw 8.5 Release Candidate. Support is added for Fuji FinePix S1, Nikon 1 J4, Nikon 1 V3, Olympus OM-D E-M10, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4 (*) and a batch of new lenses. More information at http://labs.adobe.com (Source: Imaging Insider).

And finally, DxO Optics Pro 9.5 Intelligent Integration with Lightroom via c't Digital Photography.

Story #2 - Instagram 6: It's like a real photo app - Don't get me wrong, I love Instagram. But let's be real, it was viewed as more of a toy than a real photo app. Well, Version 6 just might change all of that. Here's why.

Story #3 - The Nimbleosity Report: "Sailing Off to the British Isles." As of Wednesday, I'm hopping across the big pond to explore England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. I discuss what this trip entails, and how it might prove entertaining for you.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Enhancing a Black-and-White Wedding Photo with Lightroom with Jan Kabili. Weddings lend themselves to B&W photography, probably because of their timeless nature. Jan demonstrates some terrific Lightroom techniques to help you maximize this opportunity.

You can watch Jan in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library (including my brand new "Photographing High School Senior Portraits."

Virtual Camera Club News

From SizzlPix: they've streamlined the SizzlPix! website, so that ordering is now easy as 1-2-3.

1. From any page, go to "Original Low Prices." Decide on your size and hanging option.
2. From there, click on the big blue button, "From Yours" at the top of the page.
3. After filling in the abreviated order form, you're taken automatically to the upload page to send in your image.

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until August!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

You see it in the movies all the time. The expansive opening shot that sets the tone and location for the action that follows. We can use this same technique for our articles, slideshows, and reports.

San Francisco from Pier 14. Click on image for larger view.

And often the easiest way to capture the ultimate establishing shot is with your smartphone. I used my iPhone 5S to record this panorama of San Francisco from the end of Pier 14. I was there scouting for night shots, and noticed how nicely the perspective of the pier led the eye to the cluster of buildings on the Embarcadero.

Instead of fiddling around with my interchangeable lens camera, I pulled out the iPhone and shot this panorama, handheld, in just a few seconds. I then slid it back into my pocket and continued my scouting mission.

Next year, when I return for the 2015 SF Street Shooting Photography Workshop, I can show participants this image to give them an idea of where they can go for a great night shot of the city or the Bay Bridge.

If a picture tells a thousand words, then a panorama must be worth ten thousand. So don't forget about that great storytelling tool you have in your pocket.

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You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

The software engineers at DxO Image Science have created a modern, powerful RAW processing app with DxO Optics Pro 9.5. The program includes an array of useful tools for Aperture users such as noise reduction, lens corrections, geometric straightening, intelligent presets, and more.

Image from Aperture opened in DxO Optics Pro 9.5.

With the latest version, DxO can integrate smoothly into a Lightroom workflow. I explain how this works in the article, DxO Optics Pro 9.5 Intelligent Integration with Lightroom on c't Digital Photography Magazine. But what about Aperture? Can DxO Optics Pro work with it too?

The short answer is, "yes." The Aperture integration isn't as smooth as with Lightoom where DxO can read the original RAW file. With Aperture, you set up DxO as your external editor. Aperture sends out a TIFF file, and you can return a TIFF, JPG, or DNG to your Aperture library. Here's how it works.

Exporting from Aperture to DxO Optics Pro.

Step by Step Workflow for Using DxO Optics Pro with Aperture

• Download the trial version of DxO and install on your Mac.
• Open Aperture and go to Preferences > Export and select DxO Optics Pro as your external editor. Use TIFF (8-bit) as the file format and Adobe RGS as the color space. Close Preferences.
• Open a RAW file in Aperture, right-click (or Control-click) on the image, and choose Edit with DxO Optics Pro from the top of the popup menu. (See figure above.)
• Experiment with the different presets and editing tools in DxO.
• Export your finished image out of DxO by clicking on the Export Triangle icon in the lower right corner of the interface and choosing Export to Application. (See figure below.)



• Choose Aperture from the dialog box, then set the parameters for your exported file.
• Aperture will receive the file in a new Project. You can leave the image there, or move it to the project with the original RAW file. I recommend that you stack them.
• At this point, there's no need to keep the TIFF file that Aperture used as the handoff. You can delete that from your Aperture library.

What this workflow lacks in smoothness, it more than makes up for in capability. Having access to top notch lens corrections, presets, and noise reduction fills major gaps with Aperture's editing tools.

And the price is reasonable right now. Until June 15, 2014, the Standard Edition is discounted to $99 and Elite is on sale for $199. The difference between the two are the number of cameras supported. They have a compatibility checker to help you make the right choice. In my case, the Standard Edition was sufficient.

Comparing Files: Image on the bottom is the original RAW file. Upper right photo is the TIFF used for the handoff (you can delete this). Upper left corner is the Jpeg that was returned from DxO Optics Pro 9.5 to Aperture (it looks great!).

Bottom Line

DxO Optics Pro 9.5 is top drawer software that is a good fit for Aperture users. At this time, the workflow is a bit clumsy, but for your best images that you want to get the most out of, the effort is worth it.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!

Aperture is the great organizer. Lightroom's Develop module is terrific. Some photographers just can't decide which way to go.

Technically speaking, you don't have to choose. By setting up a referenced library in Aperture, you can point both applications to the same set of master files, then choose which one you want to use for image editing. Neither app will alter the original picture.

In my latest post for the lynda.com Article Center, One Library Shared by Both Aperture and Lightroom, I explain how to accomplish this. It's quite easy, and honestly, fun too.

Even though can jump back and forth for your image editing, I recommend that you choose just one app to organize you photo library. In my case, I prefer Aperture for that. But when it comes to post production, you have a lot of options between the two apps.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!

Taking a good picture is important. But so is the preparation before the shoot and the delivery afterward. In this movie, Understanding the business of senior portraits, I address those little details that are important for the business side of the project.

Even if you're not a professional photographer, that doesn't mean that you can't act like one. Take a look at this movie, and think about how you can apply this to your portrait work.

Learn More About the Art and Business of Portraiture

In my lynda.com title, Photographing High School Senior Portraits, I'll show you how to organize, photograph, and deliver great images for fun or profit. Take a look at the free movies and see for yourself.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

I confess. I already liked Instagram. A lot.

But my fondness for this social networking photo app has grown considerably with the latest 6.0.1 release. Without sacrificing ease of use, we now have an entire tool box of image editing adjustments, improved speed, and the ability to adjust filter strength.

When you first select an image, the app behaves as before. You can crop and move around in the square frame to position the photo to your liking. Things change, however, once you hit Next.

Adjusting filter strength in Instagram 6 on an iPhone 5S.

You have three editing categories represented by icons beneath the photo (on the iPhone 5 and 5S). The magic wand icon for Filters, the sun icon for Lux, and the wrench icon for Tools.

Initially Filters behave as before. Scroll to find the look you want by tapping on the filter name. But now, tap again on its icon and a 0-100 slider is revealed, allowing you to adjust its strength. This is where you can add a frame too. If you like what you see, tap the checkmark and the adjustment is applied. Tap the X and you go back without any changes.

Lux remains the same. Which is fine with me because it's an amazing slider as is.

Three of the new adjustment options in Instagram 6 on an iPhone 5S.

If you tap on the wrench icon, you're presented with 10 editing tools: straighten, brightness, contrast, warmth, saturation, highlights, shadows, vignette, tilt shift, and sharpen. Each adjustment has a slider allowing you to apply the amount of strength you desire.

Add a dash of speed without breaking anything, and we have a winning update. And you don't need the latest OS to use it. The new Instagram will run on devices that support iOS 6, and it's optimized for the iPhone 5. I tested it on both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 4S. Worked fine on both, however, the editing icons were at the top of the screen on the iPhone 4S. Instagram 6 is also available in Google Play for Android devices.

Based on my preliminary testing, there's no downside to this release. If you enjoy Instagram, or feel like it's time to jump in, I think you'll like this version of the app. You can follow me at DerrickStory.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

For the April 2014 Photo Assignment, TDS shooters stopped and smelled the roses. See for yourself in our gallery, Flower Power. And which one will be the SizzlPix Pick of the Month?

Charles Brown writes, " I thought of scanning a photo of my 1965 VW bus, but went with this instead ;)" See all of the great images from this month's assignment by visiting the Flower Power gallery page. Photo by Charles Brown.

Participate in This Month's Assignment

The June 2014 assignment is "Any Kind of Light but Natural." Details can be found on the Member Participation page. Deadline is June 30, 2014. No limit on image size submitted.

Please follow the instructions carefully for labeling the subject line of the email for your submission. It's easy to lose these in the pile of mail if not labeled correctly. For example, the subject line for this month's assignment should be: "Photo Assignment: June 2014." Also, if you can, please don't strip out the metadata. And feel free to add any IPTC data you wish (These fields in particular: Caption, Credit, Copyright, Byline), I use that for the caption info.

Gallery posting is one month behind the deadline. So I'm posting April 2014 gallery at the end of May, the May gallery will be posted at the end of June, and on and on.

Good luck with your June assignment, and congratulations to all of the fine contributors for April.

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iPad for Digital Photographers

If you love mobile photography like I do, then you'll enjoy iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks versions.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: My 5 Favorite Cameras, iOS 8 for Photographers, and Photographing High School Senior Portraits - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Weekly Update: New Photos App in iOS 8 - Apple announced that the Photos app is receiving a complete makeover including sharing images and their edits across all devices. (source: Apple). Plus a host of new smart editing tools and time-lapse capture capability. And if that wasn't fun enough, Apple is introducing a plugin architecture for Photos so 3rd party devs can create new tools for the app.

In other news, Samsung "DITCHtheDSLR" event on June 4, 2014 in Times Square offers a brand new NX30 for those who want to trade in their DSLR. (Source: Imaging-Resource.com).

And finally, iStick: USB Flash Drive with Lightning for iPhone and iPad is open on Kickstarter until June 17, 2014.

Story #2 - My 5 Favorite Cameras - The most common question I get is, "Which camera should I buy?" Here are my current Top 5 and why I like them.

• Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds ($679 body only)
• Fujifilm X-T1 ($1,299 body only)
• Sony DSC-RX100 Mark III ($798 with Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f/1.8-2.8 lens)
• Canon EOS 70D DSLR ($999 body only)
• Nikon D4s full frame DSLR ($6,496 body only)

Story #3 - The Nimbleosity Report: Auto Camera Backup with Transporter Sync - Now with version 2.2.24 of the iOS app, Connected Data has added automatic Camera Roll backup that is useful. I discuss why in the third segment of today's show.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Photographing High School Senior Portraits with Derrick Story. I think anyone who aspires to shoot portraits will enjoy this title, and especially those working with young adults.

You can watch me in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (32 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

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After a few weeks with the Samsung NX30, I have a pretty good feel for it. Over at c't Digital Photography, I posted my hands-on review.

To help me write that piece, I compiled a list of pros and cons that I'm sharing with you right now.

Pros

• Large APS-C 20MP sensor that produces excellent RAW files and Jpegs.
• Electronic viewfinder that can be angled upward for a variety of shooting positions.
• Colorful 3" articulated LCD that's touchscreen capable.
• Clever fn button on side of lens that provides easy access to common camera settings.
• Excellent WiFi (with dedicated button) and NFC feature set for Android users.
• Image-stabilized kit zoom lens.
• Photoshop Lightroom 5 is included with the camera.

Cons

• Feels large for a mirrorless camera, especially the kit 18-55mm lens.
• Some hesitation in performance when working with RAW+Jpeg.
• WiFi compatibility with iOS devices could be better.
• Standalone battery charger sold separately as an accessory.
• Mundane body styling.

I've handed the camera to many people to see how it felt. In general, those with larger hands thought it was comfortable, while others evaluated the grip to be a bit too deep. This leads to my bottom line: The Samsung NX30 is a camera that you need to test in person before purchasing. How it feels in your hands and responds to you commands will most likely determine its overall appeal.

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