This is The Digital Story Podcast #880, Jan. 31, 2023. Today's theme is "Top Gear for Outdoor Photography." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

When we explore the great outdoors with gear in hand, we require ruggedness, dependability, and usually an extra bit of reach. So among all the different options available today, what are the items favored by experienced outdoor photographers? In today's podcast, we review their recommendations. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Top Gear for Outdoor Photography

I found an article titled 10 Best Cameras & Lenses of the Year: OP Editors' Picks 2022 on OutdoorPhotographer.com, and I thought it was one of the better recommendation pieces I had seen in recent history. I particularly liked that it was based on the research and experience of their editors who are top tier nature photographers.

I want to share with you some of their findings because it's already that time of year when we start thinking about our upcoming adventures in 2023. I also have some comments on their preferences.

Regarding the OM-1, Harold Mancusi-Ungaro wrote me: "Coincidentally your email found me in Antarctica photographing penguins with my OM-1. I can tell you that the AI subject AF for birds finds penguins on land as well as swimming and diving long the shores. And with its weather sealing I don't worry about the occasional splash in the Zodiacs. I love the camera."

So lots of good hardware in this segment.

AI-powered watermark removal poses uncomfortable implications for content use

You can read the entire article on DP Review.com.

Artificial intelligence being used to create photorealistic artwork is already causing significant unrest within the photography industry, but a new tool, WatermarkRemover.io, is among the most concerning.

WatermarkRemover.io, which is available for free, uses AI to remove watermarks from images - as implied by its name. While there are some benign reasons to want to remove watermarks from an image, for example, if you own the rights to an image but can't locate a version without the watermark, but it's easy to imagine much more nefarious scenarios in which someone wants to remove a watermark from a photo.

This isn't an article centered around bashing WatermarkRemover.io. It has every right to exist, and the developers aren't completely responsible for whether users download the tool to do something illegal - removing watermarks to steal photos is illegal, at least in the US. However, it's worth considering how the tool fits into an increasingly murky AI landscape.

You can already edit watermarks out of images with photo editing applications like Adobe Photoshop. In some cases, it's very easy to do so. Where AI comes in is making complex tasks, like removing multi-colored watermarks with different opacity values, much easier.

I've Joined Mastodon

I'm now posting and surfing on Mastodon. I've joined the Medium group there, but I'm available site wide. If you're on Mastodon as well, look me up so we can follow one another.

I polled our Inner Circle Members about Mastodon, and only 14 percent said that they were active on it. 36% knew about it, but hadn't pulled the trigger. And 18 percent said it just wasn't their thing.

We will see...

Follow Up to Mac mini M2 Pro Setup

Much has changed since last week's show on Luma Display and the new Mac mini. Here's an update.

As for the cool little 15.6" full HD display for $99 that I'm using to configure the Mac mini M2 Pro, it's an QQH 15 inch Portable Travel Monitor. And they are currently offering another $10 off if you clip the coupon box on the display page.

Now that I have things dialed in, I'm really enjoying using the Mac mini M2 Pro with the 2017 iMac 4K display.

Just Released! Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training

With Photos for macOS, you can manage, enhance, and share photos in a variety of ways. It's evolved into a powerful, but easy to use imaging application. And it's free!

In this course, I take you on a detailed exploration of how to use Photos for both the Monterey and Ventura versions, plus tips for iOS as well.

I start with an exploration of the interface, then move into the new features. Noteworthy topics include how to remove duplicates from your library, different ways to use Live Text to transform your camera into a personal assistant, how to search for pictures by object type, copy images from messages to Photos, use Quick Notes with Photos, and automate common tasks with shortcuts and built-in Mac intelligence.

Also included are updates on some of the recent improvements to the importing process, with lots of useful tips for organizing and editing your pictures. (The editing tools are terrific!) Upon completing this course, you'll be working more effectively with Photos for macOS Monterey, Ventura, and iOS.

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

Virtual Camera Club News

The Nimble Photographer Newsletter is now publishing every Thursday. Readers will enjoy a variety of content spanning from short photo essays, to commentary on weekly events, to reviews of the latest and coolest photo gear.

TDS Workshops! - You can sign up for available workshops by visiting The Nimble Photographer. Inner Circle Members receive a 10-percent discount on all events.

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! We are having a blast at our new Inner Circle hangout, the private group I've set up at DerrickStoryOnline. We'd love it if you join us. You can become an Inner Circle Member by signing up at our Patreon site. You will automatically be added to the new hangout.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 51 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me!

The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras - If you've discovered a film camera that's no longer being used, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on thenimblephotographer.com, click the box next to Donating a Film Camera, and let me know what you have. In your note, be sure to include your shipping address.

Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.

Red River Paper - And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #879, Jan. 24, 2023. Today's theme is "Will Astropad Luna Display Work for Our Photography?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Astropad Luna Display is a $119 dongle with supporting software that enables you to turn your iPad or Mac into a wireless secondary display and create a portable dual monitor setup with the devices you already have. It supports Macs, PCs, and iPads in a variety of configurations. But, is it robust enough to use for our photography workflow? I tell all in today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Will Astropad Luna Display Work for Our Photography?

Alright, so here's the backstory.

I have a 2017 4K iMac with a gorgeous screen. And it fits perfectly in my studio workstation. But being 2017, its brains are getting a bit laggy with today's software. I don't want to ditch the entire computer just because it needs a new processor.

So, I was thinking, what if I invested the $119 in the Astropad Luna Display, purchased a brand new M2 Mac mini, and used my existing iMac as the display?

This approach would save the iMac from the electronics recycler and save me the $1,600 required for the companion Apple Studio Display. Plus, I would still have the brains of the iMac as a backup computer.

I decided to test the feasibility of this approach by purchasing the Luna Display and testing it with my 2020 Intel 13" MacBook Pro. If using the iMac as a secondary monitor for the MacBook worked, it certainly would suffice with the more powerful M2 Mac mini. Here's what I learned.

• Do not use the WiFi connection for the two devices. It's way too laggy. I'm using the Ethernet cable, and the performance is much better. I tried to get USB-C to USB-C to work, but could not.
• The configuration options are really nice. I'm using the iMac as a secondary screen, and I still have all the screen real estate of the MacBook Pro. Plus, I can use the mouse for the iMac on both the MacBook and the iMac. Both keyboards work as well. Very nice.
• At first I thought the performance was going to bug me, because working in Capture One Pro on the iMac display was a little different than natively on the MacBook Pro. But to be honest, I forgot about that as I became absorbed in my editing. So not as fast, but not bad either.
• A downside is that I'm now using my Ethernet port for the display, making it not available for other uses. I do have a powered multiport connector that would solve the problem. I haven't tested it yet, but I will.
• You can take full advantage of the iMac's 4K Retina Display, but you have to enable Retina in the Luna Display software settings.
• It's fairly easy to switch the iMac back and forth from secondary display mode to native iMac mode. Simply hold down the ESC key to exit Luna Display.

So, what's my bottom line? So, I am going to order the Apple Mac mini M2 and use the iMac as the display. I'm not recommending that everyone do this, because some folks may find it too much hassle compared to a dedicated display, or the performance just a bit short. I will report more once I get all the pieces in place.

Apple announces updated MacBook Pro and Mac Mini models with new high-end M2 chipsets

You can read the entire article on DP Review.com.

Apple has updated its MacBook Pro and Mac Mini lineups to make the most of its new M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets. The new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro units are available with the company's high-end M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets while the updated Mac Mini is available with the M2 and M2 Pro chipsets.

The M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are featured in new MacBook Pro models. The new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro laptops feature the same design as the previous iterations, including the displays, albeit with improved performance and connectivity.

While the general arrangement of ports is unchanged with the new models-MagSafe 3, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an SDXC slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI port-the HDMI port is now HDMI 2.1. The prior MacBook Pro models used an HDMI 2.0 port, a much-maligned decision that limited the MacBook Pro to a single 4K display at up to 60Hz. The new models allow support for up to four external displays, including an 8K display at up to 60Hz and 4K displays at up to 240Hz.

When Apple announced the M2 last summer, many wondered when Apple's popular and affordable Mac mini would receive an update. The wait is over. You can now purchase the Mac mini with the standard M2 or the new M2 Pro chip - the M2 Max is not an option. It's worth noting that the prior M1-powered Mac mini wasn't offered with an M1 Pro or M1 Max. You can purchase the Mac mini with either the M2 Pro chip, the 10-core CPU/16-core GPU version, or the more powerful M2 Pro with a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. RAM is configurable up to 32GB.

The M2 version of the Mac mini supports up to two displays, whereas the M2 Pro version can use three displays. The M2 Mac mini supports up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz. The M2 Pro version supports up to 8K resolution at 60 Hz or 4K at up to 240 Hz over HDMI, so the M2 version apparently still uses HDMI 2.0, whereas the M2 Pro Mac Mini has an HDMI 2.1 port.

All versions of the new Mac mini include DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4, USB 4 and USB 3.1, Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, a pair of USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet and a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, the M2 Pro model includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports, whereas the M2 model has just two. The prior Mac mini had Thunderbolt 3 ports. Like the new MacBook Pros, the Mac mini supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.

Online Printing Workshop Scheduled for March 8, 2023

One seat just opened!

This inkjet printing workshop will help you tame your printer, enabling you to create beautiful prints and fine art greeting cards. We'll cover paper stocks, printer setups, project design, and even how to choose the best inkjet photo printer for you. Weekly printing assignments with class support will help you hone your skills.

March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 - Two Class Options Each Day. Each class is recorded and made available to participants. Plus, class members will have access to our growing online printing community on DerrickStoryOnline.

You can sign up for the printing workshop ($145) by visiting The Nimble Photographer. Inner Circle Members receive a 10 percent discount on all events.

Light Pollution Might Be Worse Than Previously Thought

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

It turns out light pollution might be worse than it appears by satellite. The problem has been steadily increasing over the years, which creates added difficulties for night photography.

Satellite data previously estimated that light pollution was increasing at a rate of 2% annually, but new research puts that number closer to 10%, according to a new research article published in Science. The problem in getting accurate numbers, according to the article, is due to LED lights. This is equivalent to a doubling of light pollution every eight years.

"Satellites can measure the light emitted upward, but they are not sensitive to all wavelengths produced by LED lighting or to light emitted horizontally," the article states.

To obtain the new estimates, 51,351 citizen scientists from 2011 to 2022 were shown maps of the sky at different levels of light pollution and selected which maps best matched their views. The gap between the two figures is likely due to the fact that LEDs have become more common and have become a go-to option for replacing older, less-efficient bulbs.

The increased light pollution can have effects on sleep patterns and even agriculture as the light can distract insects, The Verge notes. However, it also presents an issue for night photographers. While a washed-out sky of an urban area will always make for a more difficult canvas for astrophotography than a dark, remote sky, increased light pollution anywhere will require adjustments when shooting at night. There are light pollution filters, and photographers can upgrade their overall gear. PetaPixel's astrophotography guide suggests a number of cameras to check out. Additional light pollution might mean more tweaking of ISO and apertures settings as well before a photographer can take that perfect shot.

Just Released! Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training

With Photos for macOS, you can manage, enhance, and share photos in a variety of ways. It's evolved into a powerful, but easy to use imaging application. And it's free!

In this course, I take you on a detailed exploration of how to use Photos for both the Monterey and Ventura versions, plus tips for iOS as well.

I start with an exploration of the interface, then move into the new features. Noteworthy topics include how to remove duplicates from your library, different ways to use Live Text to transform your camera into a personal assistant, how to search for pictures by object type, copy images from messages to Photos, use Quick Notes with Photos, and automate common tasks with shortcuts and built-in Mac intelligence.

Also included are updates on some of the recent improvements to the importing process, with lots of useful tips for organizing and editing your pictures. (The editing tools are terrific!) Upon completing this course, you'll be working more effectively with Photos for macOS Monterey, Ventura, and iOS.

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

Virtual Camera Club News

The Nimble Photographer Newsletter is now publishing every Thursday. Readers will enjoy a variety of content spanning from short photo essays, to commentary on weekly events, to reviews of the latest and coolest photo gear.

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! We are having a blast at our new Inner Circle hangout, the private group I've set up at DerrickStoryOnline. We'd love it if you join us. You can become an Inner Circle Member by signing up at our Patreon site. You will automatically be added to the new hangout.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 51 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me!

The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras - If you've discovered a film camera that's no longer being used, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on thenimblephotographer.com, click the box next to Donating a Film Camera, and let me know what you have. In your note, be sure to include your shipping address.

Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.

Red River Paper - And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #878, Jan. 17, 2023. Today's theme is "The Uncomfortable Reality of AI Generated Images." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

In many ways, Artificial Intelligence is a friend to photographers. This technology makes our cameras smarter and our software easier to use. But there's also an uncomfortable side that creates computer-generated images based on text input. I'll explore some of those issues in today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App!

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Podbean Podcasts -- Podbay FM -- Tune In

The Uncomfortable Reality of AI Generated Images

Last week I talked about the popularity of analog photography. In many ways, this could be a response to the relentless march of digital imaging supplanting hand-crafted images.

One surging aspect of digital technology is the AI-generated image. Current software such as Stable Diffusion, Jasper Art, Starry AI, Dream, and DALL-E 2 work by entering a text prompt into a text-to-image generator that produces visuals based on those prompts.

The output ranges from surrealist illustrations to hyper-realistic photos. Much of the artwork I've looked at feels like a really good video game.

Understandably, there has been some concern in the photography community about AI-generated art. Is this something that will eventually replace all of us?

The short answer is no. AI-generated photography will no more replace picture taking than photography replaced painting. They are different art forms.

But that doesn't mean that Artificial Intelligence won't disrupt segments of the photography world. I could see, for example, AI dominating stock photography at some point.

Imagine an art director being able to enter text prompts into a web interface and presented with a variety of options based on those words. That seems quite plausible to me.

I could also see Artificial Intelligence playing a role in social media where people have lots of ideas to communicate, but not necessarily the skills to illustrate them.

But when it comes to documentation, my belief is that photography will still rule the roost. Areas such as real estate photography, education, science, and even portraits will still lean heavily on the tools that we use now.

That being said, there are still some areas of concern for photographers. First of all, where do all those images come from that computers use for machine learning? It is likely that copyrighted work has been used to fine-tune the algorithms that are constantly improving.

And what about distinctive artistic styles? What if a style is learned from a specific photographer, then incorporated into output, but without credit or compensation to its creator? That's troubling.

Here's an interesting anecdote from the article, "Why AI Is a Threat to the Photography Industry" on DIY Photography.

Alex London has worked in Costume and fashion design in New York City for the last ten years. His work is intricate and detailed and a large portion of his work is spent working with Art Directors and photographers on editorial shoots and brand campaigns. He shared with DIYP how he had recently lost a job to AI.

There have also been stories in chats online about models being hired for a casting. When they arrived they were shocked to be told that in fact their likeness was being scanned to be used as data for AI software, to help the machines learn as it were. And it's this slightly underhand hiding the truth that is getting people upset. It's one thing to lose work to a computer, but when a whole industry and its related industries crash because of it, we could be in for a world of hurt.

Author Peter Dench expands on these points in his article, The Human Cost of Artificial Intelligence in Photography published in Amateur Photographer.

After less than an hour of my own exploration into image generation I'm frustrated and bored. I can see the potential but ethically it's questionable. Software like Stable Diffusion scrapes copyrighted images from the web, taking aspects from other people's work and recombining them. It's not straight up plagiarism but it feels uncomfortable and certainly doesn't feel like photography.

'There never was a time when this was created other than someone like me who has absolutely zero photographic skill, typing in text prompts and pumping out an image.'

I think that clearly some of these issues need to be sorted out. I don't think any of us want to be unwitting contributors to our own professional demise.

While we work through the copyright challenges, there are many AI benefits to our imaging work. I truly enjoy taking pictures with my iPhone and OM-1 mirrorless camera, both of which rely on computational photography.

Using object recognition for search in Apple Photos feels like magic at times. And text recognition is truly useful for fast lookup and information retrieval.

So if we can navigate the potential dark side to Artificial Intelligence in photography, and continue to develop the positives, then we may just survive this latest technology disruption.

NVIDIA's Live Streaming Software Can Digitally Fake Eye Contact

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

NVIDIA Broadcast, the company's tool for live streaming and video conferencing, can now digitally alter a subject's eyes in real-time to make it seem as though they are looking directly into the camera.

One issue with shooting live-streamed video at home for professional use -- and it even crops up in simple video calls -- is that many people are uncomfortable staring directly into the camera instead of either on a script or at other people on screen. While doing so makes the user uncomfortable, not doing so breaks engagement with audiences.

To help solve this problem, NVIDIA has been developing a type of "deepfake" technology that can artificially adjust a subject's eyes to make them appear as though they are making contact with the camera. Called Eye Contact, it improves audience engagement with a subject by simulating eye contact.

"The new Eye Contact effect moves the eyes of the speaker to simulate eye contact with the camera -- achieved by estimating and aligning gaze.," NVIDIA explains. "The eyes retain their natural color and blinks, and there's even a disconnect feature in case you look too far away, to transition smoothly between simulated and real eyes."

Online Printing Workshop Scheduled for March 8, 2023

This inkjet printing workshop will help you tame your printer, enabling you to create beautiful prints and fine art greeting cards. We'll cover paper stocks, printer setups, project design, and even how to choose the best inkjet photo printer for you. Weekly printing assignments with class support will help you hone your skills.

March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2023 - Two Class Options Each Day. Each class is recorded and made available to participants. Plus, class members will have access to our growing online printing community on DerrickStoryOnline.

You can sign up for the printing workshop ($145) by visiting The Nimble Photographer. Inner Circle Members receive a 10 percent discount on all events.

DPReview Readers' Choice Awards 2022: Product of the Year

You can read the entire article on DPReview.com.

And the winner of our 2022 Readers' Choice Product of the Year award goes to the Fujifilm X-H2S, with 34.7% of the total vote. The X-H2S delivers the highest performance in an X-mount camera, thanks to its 26MP stacked sensor. Its much-improved AF system can track complex motion at high frame rates, and a large buffer makes high-speed shooting very usable.

It's also an impressive video tool: it can capture 4K/60p video (and even 6.2K/24p), includes internal ProRes LT recording, and can capture 14-bit video at up to 30p for slightly expanded dynamic range when using Fujifilm's new F-Log2 gamma profile. There's even an optional cooling fan for dedicated video shooters. It's no surprise that DPReview readers chose the Fujifilm X-H2S as their Product of the Year.

As always, thanks to everyone who voted in our polls. We appreciate your participation and couldn't do any of this without you!

Just Released! Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training

With Photos for macOS, you can manage, enhance, and share photos in a variety of ways. It's evolved into a powerful, but easy to use imaging application. And it's free!

In this course, I take you on a detailed exploration of how to use Photos for both the Monterey and Ventura versions, plus tips for iOS as well.

I start with an exploration of the interface, then move into the new features. Noteworthy topics include how to remove duplicates from your library, different ways to use Live Text to transform your camera into a personal assistant, how to search for pictures by object type, copy images from messages to Photos, use Quick Notes with Photos, and automate common tasks with shortcuts and built-in Mac intelligence.

Also included are updates on some of the recent improvements to the importing process, with lots of useful tips for organizing and editing your pictures. (The editing tools are terrific!) Upon completing this course, you'll be working more effectively with Photos for macOS Monterey, Ventura, and iOS.

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

Virtual Camera Club News

The Nimble Photographer Newsletter is now publishing every Thursday. Readers will enjoy a variety of content spanning from short photo essays, to commentary on weekly events, to reviews of the latest and coolest photo gear.

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! We are having a blast at our new Inner Circle hangout, the private group I've set up at DerrickStoryOnline. We'd love it if you join us. You can become an Inner Circle Member by signing up at our Patreon site. You will automatically be added to the new hangout.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 51 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me!

The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras - If you've discovered a film camera that's no longer being used, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on thenimblephotographer.com, click the box next to Donating a Film Camera, and let me know what you have. In your note, be sure to include your shipping address.

Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.

Red River Paper - And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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

When Apple rolls out a new operating system, such as macOS Ventura, there are so many little improvements, that sometimes it takes a while to uncover all of the gems. The much-improved straighten tool in Photos is one of those. And it's terrific.

The improved Straighten tool in Photos for macOS Ventura.

Compared to what we had to work with in the Monterey edition of Photos, Ventura both improves the interface and adds vertical and horizontal adjustments. Plus the straighten command is so much easier to use. Just click on the Crop tab to reveal it.

Here's what we had in Monterey.

The Straighten tool in Photos for macOS Monterey.

First of all, the annoying "dial" is replaced by a more logical linear slider. Plus, we can correct buildings now with the vertical and horizontal sliders - a much needed tool.

iPhone photography just got a bit more versatile!

Learn More About the Power of Photos for macOS

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #877, Jan. 10, 2023. Today's theme is "Is Film Photography Really Making a Comeback?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

We keep seeing the headlines, but do we know what they really mean? And if indeed analog photography is making a comeback, how does that play out in the overall world of imaging? Thanks to my TheFilmCameraShop that I run on Etsy, I'm in frequent contact with those who fancy a fresh roll of Kodak Tri-X, and here's my take on the state of analog photography. I hope you enjoy the show.

Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App!

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Apple Podcasts -- Spotify Podcasts -- Stitcher

Podbean Podcasts -- Podbay FM -- Tune In

Is Film Photography Really Making a Comeback?

I think a better way to frame this discussion is that analog cameras have become more in demand over the last two years. And I think there are some very logical reasons why.

• Outside of top-end models from Leica and Nikon, no one is making quality 35mm film cameras right now. So like oil and other finite resources, when they're gone, they're gone.
• We're seeing a pushback to the perfection of digital imaging. Some creatives are looking to film to create that artistic, somewhat imperfect look, while others are turning to old digital cameras.
• Film is expensive, but there is a wide variety of options that are truly intriguing. And we are seeing new film emulsions all the time.
• Film photography is easy. I know this sounds weird, but think about it. You don't need a computer, backup system, or have to learn software. Take the picture, send off the roll, and get back finished prints.
• And finally, film photography is cool. Most folks won't give you a second look if you say you like to take pictures. But if you say that you like to shoot film, they are interested.

You know it's interesting, film photography has become part of our cultural DNA. Just go to any used book store and dig around in the old magazine section. When you flip through the pages of Life, Time, and others, it's like looking back through your artistic ancestry. And the fact that we can create pictures like those today has an almost time machine feel to it.

The very first article that I wrote for Medium was Why Film Photography Won't Go Away. For a first effort, it was a hit.

But it wasn't my writing that grabbed the spotlight, it was the subject: Film Photography. People are interested in it, even if they never intend to shoot a single frame of Kodacolor 200.

There isn't a film photography resurgence, it never really went away. It's the fact that it's still here that impresses headline writers.

It feels like the Pentax K1000 should have been buried with 8-Track tapes and shag carpet. But here it is today, alive and well with its audio brother vinyl records.

You don't have to be popular to be good. You just have to be good. And film photography is indeed very good stuff.

New Eco-Friendly Film Lab Lets You Pick Which Photos to Print from a Roll

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

The company says that it realized photographers are not likely going to want prints of every photo on a roll of film, which means that every time a photographer asks for prints to be mailed along with developed negatives, a large number of those prints will be discarded -- Analogue Wonderland estimates between 50% and 80%.

"This represents a huge environmental waste -- every one of those prints takes paper, ink, electricity, and shipping -- irrespective of the quality of the focus, colors, and composition," the company says.

"On the other extreme there are photographers who never choose prints, worried about the risk or lacking the confidence to bet that something magical will have been captured. This is an entirely different type of waste -- artistic instead of environmental -- but equally avoidable."

Its new system works like this: photographers order film and scans through Analogue Wonderland. After the film has been processed, customers are emailed a link to view those scans in their account. From there, the photos can be reviewed and the ones that a photographer actually wants to be printed can be selected. When the negatives are mailed, they include only the photos that a photographer specifically denoted as the ones that they wanted.

Analogue Wonderland says that this process is more eco-friendly, results in higher quality prints since its editing team has the opportunity to fine-tune color, contrast, and crop the image before sending it to the printer, and the system is no less convenient than other established methods and there is no requirement to download, change, or reupload images.

Analogue Wonderland is UK based. Hopefully we'll see a service like this in the States before too long.

Online Printing Workshop Overwhelming Favorite for March Addition

I polled our Inner Circle Members about topics for a potential March Online Workshop, and the overwhelming favorite was a redux of the Inkjet Printing Class.

So stay tuned while I pull together some details, and hopefully I can make an announcement next week.

You can sign up for any of our events by visiting our Photography Workshops Page. Inner Circle Members receive a 10 percent discount on all events.

Meet Luminar 100, a new 35mm color film stock made from Kodak Aerocolor IV aerial film

You can read the entire article on DP Review.com.

As the film revival continues strong, another new color film stock has been released, this time by Montreal-based Popho Camera Company. And unlike other respooled rolls of film, Popho Camera Company comes right out and says what its new Luminar 100 film stock is: respooled Kodak Aerocolor IV 2460, historically used for aerial surveillance.

Popho Luminar 100 is a daylight-balanced color negative film stock that Popho describes as having 'medium saturation and contrast' with 'warm tones, enhanced red sensitivity and a wide dynamic range.' Popho notes the film stock is 'well-suited for landscape and other general photographic applications.'

Kodak, in its data sheet for Aerocolor IV 2460, says the film uses the company's 3.9-mil (0.10mm) ESTAR Base with gel backing for 'flexibility, moisture resistance, high tear resistance, and excellent dimensional stability' and has an 'abrasion-resistant emulsion, an antihalation undercoat, and a dyed-gel backing.' Kodak also says the film doesn't have integral color masking,

Unlike many of the recent film stocks we've seen pop up, Luminar 100 isn't a limited release, meaning it should be around for years to come.

36-exposure rolls of Popho Luminar 100 are available to pre-order for $10.51 each. This isn't a crowdfunding campaign and the first units are produced and will be shipped out (without the paper box) by mid-January 2023. We have pre-ordered a roll and will feature the results once we shoot and develop the film after its arrival.

Limited Ricoh GR III 'Diary Edition' Debuts a New Film-Like Photo Mode

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

Ricoh has announced the GR III Diary Edition, which features a different "warm gray" finish, comes with specially-designed accessories, and debuts a new image mode that provides "a negative-film finishing appearance."

Other than aesthetic changes, the GR III Diary Edition is the first Ricoh camera to receive a new image mode that the company says provides an appearance that is similar to negative-film.

"Based on the visual effects possible only with negative film, this mode produces an exquisite balance between rich colors and the uniquely discolored prints resulting from using negative film," the company says.

This new photo mode will be available for GR III and GR IIIx-series models via a firmware update that is scheduled to be released following the availability of the Diary Edition. At the time of publication, Ricoh did not provide any examples of what photos taken in this mode look like.

The Ricoh GR III Diary Edition Special Limited Kit will be available in late January 2023 from Ricoh's website for $1,149.95. The company says that it plans to sell the camera as a standalone (without the strap, ring cap, hot shoe cover, or case) in the spring.

Just Released! Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training

With Photos for macOS, you can manage, enhance, and share photos in a variety of ways. It's evolved into a powerful, but easy to use imaging application. And it's free!

In this course, I take you on a detailed exploration of how to use Photos for both the Monterey and Ventura versions, plus tips for iOS as well.

I start with an exploration of the interface, then move into the new features. Noteworthy topics include how to remove duplicates from your library, different ways to use Live Text to transform your camera into a personal assistant, how to search for pictures by object type, copy images from messages to Photos, use Quick Notes with Photos, and automate common tasks with shortcuts and built-in Mac intelligence.

Also included are updates on some of the recent improvements to the importing process, with lots of useful tips for organizing and editing your pictures. (The editing tools are terrific!) Upon completing this course, you'll be working more effectively with Photos for macOS Monterey, Ventura, and iOS.

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

Virtual Camera Club News

The Nimble Photographer Newsletter is now publishing every Thursday. Readers will enjoy a variety of content spanning from short photo essays, to commentary on weekly events, to reviews of the latest and coolest photo gear.

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! We are having a blast at our new Inner Circle hangout, the private group I've set up at DerrickStoryOnline. We'd love it if you join us. You can become an Inner Circle Member by signing up at our Patreon site. You will automatically be added to the new hangout.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 51 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me!

The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras - If you've discovered a film camera that's no longer being used, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on thenimblephotographer.com, click the box next to Donating a Film Camera, and let me know what you have. In your note, be sure to include your shipping address.

Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.

Red River Paper - And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #876, Jan. 3, 2023. Today's theme is "Shoring Up My Backup System with the Synology DiskStation DS220+" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

In last week's show I discussed getting what I needed (instead of what I wanted). And now I've done exactly what I should have: shore up my backup system with the Synology DiskStation DS220+. This week, I talk about how I have this $299 workstation setup, and how it's working for my photography. I hope you enjoy the show.

Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App!

---

Apple Podcasts -- Spotify Podcasts -- Stitcher

Podbean Podcasts -- Podbay FM -- Tune In

Shoring Up My Backup System with the Synology DiskStation DS220+

I've made tremendous progress filling the gap in my backup system. As you may recall from last week, my weakness was the immediate backup of working files and photo shoots. I really like the solution I settled on.

I now have running the Synology DiskStation DS220+ 2-Bay NAS Enclosure with a pair of WD 8TB WD80EFZZ Red Plus SATA III 3.5" Internal NAS HDD internal drives.

After initial setup and testing, here are the reasons why I like this solution.

• Good Value for the Money - $299 plus hard drives feels like a good price for what I get.
• Can Run on My Network, But Don't Have To - I could plug the DiskStation directly into my router and use across the network, and even tap via the Internet. But after testing that, I've decided to plug directly in using Ethernet cables (RJ45 included) and the twin Gigabit Ethernet Ports.
• Good Choice or RAID Options - RAID 0, 1, JBOD, Synology Hybrid - I'm using RAID 1.
• Decent Read/Write Speeds - Reads up to 225.98 MB/s and Writes up to 192.21 MB/s.
• Tons of Supported Protocols - CIFS/SMB, CalDAV, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, NFS, SMB 3.0, SNMP, and iSCSI.
• Good Admin Software - Easy to setup and easy to use.

Currently I have an iMac and MacBook Pro plugged directly into the DiskStation using RJ45 Ethernet cables. The iMac has an Ethernet port, so that's easy. And I purchased a uni RJ45 to USB C Thunderbolt 3 - Type-C Gigabit Ethernet LAN Network Adapter for $16 to use with the MacBook.

I use the Connect to Server > Browse > Synology DiskStation sequence to access the RAID unit. You can get there even faster if you add Network to your Finder Sidebar. Once you're connected, the DiskStation shows up as a Shared Disk on the Desktop.

The Synology DiskStation DS220+ 2-Bay NAS Enclosure is easy to use, relatively fast, and I can have multiple computers connected to it simultaneously, even without getting the router involved. It solved my backup problem perfectly.

52Frames Weekly Photo Challenge: Improve Your Photography One Week at a Time

You can read the entire article on FStoppers.com.

Make 2023 a year of creative breakthrough. We all know the key to getting better is consistency. Doing something over and over again will eventually make you better at anything. 52Frames is a photography community that encourages you to improve by prioritizing consistency over perfection: a photo every week for a year. Photography, like any other skill, requires practice. It's like going to the gym: you need a training plan, with clear goals and ways to achieve them.

52Frames is an online community that helps people to engage in creative play and personal growth through a weekly photo challenge.

It is a friendly community of people who want to improve their camera skills in a fun and easy way. There is actually a hidden photography lesson behind each week's challenge. The challenges encourage the photographers (who call themselves "Framers") to feel creative freedom and express their own creative take on their submissions. Week 29 of this year, for example, was "Common Object," which allowed the Framers to take pause during the week and observe the many photographic opportunities around them that they would usually just pass by. Perhaps this is one of the beautiful things about 52Frames: everyone responds to the same brief in a different way. The result is like taking a virtual tour around the world through the album each week.

Each week, 52Frames issues a challenge, which often is a new opportunity to explore outside your comfort zone and learn something new. The challenges may be centered around a technique, like a principle of composition, or it may be something more creative and story-driven, like "Red." Levitation Week inspired the members to learn layer masking in Photoshop. Fast Shutter Speed Week was an opportunity to capture fast-moving subjects and learn to work with your shutter controls. One challenge that stood out to me personally was Portrait of a Stranger. Being a studio photographer, I am mostly comfortable with my subjects. In short, they know why they are there, and I simply need to photograph them. Going out on the street and asking a stranger to take their photograph is a whole different ball game.

The 2023 TDS Photography Workshop Lineup

• Inkjet Printing Workshop for Photographers Online Workshop - Nov/Dec 2022 and Nov/Dec 2023. SOLD OUT
• Maximizing Your Micro Four Thirds Camera Online Workshop - Feb. 2023. SOLD OUT
• Ultimate B&W Photography Online Workshop - April 2023. SOLD OUT
• Pt. Reyes In-Person Photography Workshop - May 16-19, 2023
  Pt. Reyes and its surrounding areas (Tomalas, etc.) provide a wealth of landscape and wildlife photography - and we will explore both!
  This four-day photography adventure takes you to rugged Northern California coastline, rolling hills, seashore wildlife, Tule Elk, tranquil inlets, and so much more.
  This is the perfect getaway to relax, breath fresh air, enjoy the company of your fellow photographers, eat good food, and fill your memory cards with beautiful images.
• Infrared Photography Online Workshop - July 2023
• Sedona Arizona In-Person Photography Workshop - Oct. 2023. SOLD OUT
• Wine Country in Autumn In-Person Photography Workshop - Nov. 2023

You can sign up for any of these events by visiting our Photography Workshops Page. Inner Circle Members receive a 10 percent discount on all events.

Do's and don'ts to building a great portfolio

You can read the entire article on PhotoFocus.com.

Just Released! Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training

With Photos for macOS, you can manage, enhance, and share photos in a variety of ways. It's evolved into a powerful, but easy to use imaging application. And it's free!

In this course, I take you on a detailed exploration of how to use Photos for both the Monterey and Ventura versions, plus tips for iOS as well.

I start with an exploration of the interface, then move into the new features. Noteworthy topics include how to remove duplicates from your library, different ways to use Live Text to transform your camera into a personal assistant, how to search for pictures by object type, copy images from messages to Photos, use Quick Notes with Photos, and automate common tasks with shortcuts and built-in Mac intelligence.

Also included are updates on some of the recent improvements to the importing process, with lots of useful tips for organizing and editing your pictures. (The editing tools are terrific!) Upon completing this course, you'll be working more effectively with Photos for macOS Monterey, Ventura, and iOS.

If you use a Mac and haven't explored Photos for a while, I think you'll be surprised by its power. Take a look for yourself by visiting Photos for macOS Ventura and iPhone Essential Training.

Virtual Camera Club News

The Nimble Photographer Newsletter is now publishing every Thursday. Readers will enjoy a variety of content spanning from short photo essays, to commentary on weekly events, to reviews of the latest and coolest photo gear.

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! We are having a blast at our new Inner Circle hangout, the private group I've set up at DerrickStoryOnline. We'd love it if you join us. You can become an Inner Circle Member by signing up at our Patreon site. You will automatically be added to the new hangout.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 51 published articles on Medium.com. And if you haven't visited the site, and enjoy good writing on a variety of topics, I suggest that you may want to take a look. You can just go to the home page and enter "Derrick Story" in the search field. And if you like what you read, then follow me!

The New Donation Kit for Carefree Shipping of Found Film Cameras - If you've discovered a film camera that's no longer being used, our new Donation Kit makes it easy to pack and ship. Just visit the Contact Form on thenimblephotographer.com, click the box next to Donating a Film Camera, and let me know what you have. In your note, be sure to include your shipping address.

Affiliate Links - The links to some products in this podcast contain an affiliate code that credits The Digital Story for any purchases made from B&H Photo and Amazon via that click-through. Depending on the purchase, we may receive some financial compensation.

Red River Paper - And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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