This is The Digital Story Podcast #897, May 30, 2023. Today's theme is "Why I Love Graduations and a Review of the New XApp." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Photographers are witnesses to the good and bad of life. Since I've left the newspaper business, I photograph mostly good. And one of my favorite positives is documenting Junior College graduations. There is something very special about these people. And being there to watch them celebrate their accomplishments reminds me that there is hope for our community, and for society overall. I'll explain why on today's TDS Photography Podcast.

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Why I Love Graduations

I was one of a handful of credentialed photographers hired to cover the 2023 Santa Rosa Junior College Graduation Ceremony. Each of us had specific assignments and were tasked with overall coverage as well.

Basically, we're there to retell the story that is happening before us. This moment features hundreds of graduates, each with their own story. But what is different about this collective is, generally speaking, the odds they had to overcome to reach this moment.

Junior College life is different than at a four-year university. I know this firsthand from my two years at Chaffey Junior College in Southern California that saved my academic career that was eventually completed at a university.

JC graduations, at least the ones I've covered, do a great job of capturing the challenges and accomplishments of those seated in their caps and gowns. The speakers on stage tell stories of adversity, financial challenges, doubt, and ultimately, triumph.

For many families in the stands cheering for those seated on the football field, they are seeing the first from their clan receive a higher education diploma. Their child, sister, brother represent the hope that following generations will have more opportunity than those before them.

Many of the graduates had to balance their studies with one or more jobs, often being key providers for their family. Their life consisted of work, study, family, more work, more study, and if they were lucky, some sleep.

They often had to piece together small scholarships and grants, in addition to what could be spared from the paycheck, to pay for books and tuition. And remarkably, thanks to the genius that is the junior college system in California, most of the graduates received their diplomas debt free of educational expenses.

Many of the graduates will go one to four-year schools, as I did. Some will enter the workforce now as dental hygienists, medical assistants, firemen, computer programmers, hospitality specialists, fashion designers, and electricians, just to name a handful of the disciplines.

These are people we need in society. And not only do they graduate with the technical skills required for their career, they are disciplined and are willing to exert the effort required for success. They are prepared to meet the challenges of the workplace because they are already battle tested.

Every educational milestone is an accomplishment, from high school diploma to doctorate degree. But there is something unique and special about those who battle to achieve an AA Degree or Certificate.

And for me, it's a real honor to be able to share that moment with them.

Fujifilm's new XApp simplifies mobile sharing for recent X-camera models

You can read the entire article on DPReview.com.

Fujifilm unveiled a new phone app for its cameras. The Fujifilm XApp replaces the old Camera Remote app for users of supported cameras and will be the new default going forward.

XApp looks to roll image transfer, sharing, remote control, firmware updates, and even some unique stats into one convenient interface. Fujifilm is boasting improved image transfer times, more reliable Bluetooth connections and a minimalist design. Compatible cameras will also automatically sync their datestamp to the smartphone's clock, and can assign GPS data to images if desired.

In addition, the Fujifilm Xapp will track your shooting habits and locations. Everything from your lenses, preferred film simulations and number of shots (in virtual 'rolls' or 'feet of film' depending on whether you shoot video or stills) can be seen in a unified timeline interface.

You can also use the XApp to store, change and apply camera settings, making it easy to sync settings across cameras of the same model when you're shooting with multiple bodies.

Not all Fujifilm cameras will be making the leap to the XApp, as it requires Bluetooth functionality. That said, a long list of cameras will be compatible, with others like the GFX 100 and GFX 50R added in the future.

Wine Country in Autumn Photography Workshop This November

November 2-4, 2023 - Sonoma County Wine Country is a special place in November. The harvest is in and it's time to enjoy the fruits of labor.

During this workshop we'll combine an outstanding and educational wine experience with beautiful photography, at a relaxed pace. It's the perfect get-away for those who love alluring scenery, great food, and delicious tastings.

If you want to do something truly different, beautiful, flavorful, and come home with unique pictures, this wildly affordable workshop is for you.

We still have a few seats open. And now you can fly directly into Sonoma County Airport and you're here!

Reserve your spot now.

Confessions of a Photographer Who (Formerly) Packed for Every Possibility

You can read the entire article FStoppers.com.

As a 6'1" guy with 20+ years in the Army National Guard and a lot of construction projects behind me, I'm fairly used to carrying heavy things. Recently, my wife and our three kids (all under five years old) took an overnight flight to Lisbon, Portugal. Traveling from La Crosse to Amsterdam via Minneapolis with only one flight left, the airline gave away my seat to someone else -- just my seat, of course. According to their system, I never showed up at the La Crosse airport despite getting on two planes thus far and everyone in my party traveling with me. Nevertheless, I was stuck in Amsterdam alone, waiting for the next flight, while the rest of our group went to Portugal without me so the kids could get there before nighttime.

The Epiphany - Prior to this seat-being-given-away episode, we had been awake for 22 hours and just raced across Schiphol Airport because of a short layover. When I say race, I mean fast walking with two or three of the kids in a stroller and 42 lbs of camera gear in my backpack. For this trip, I had four lenses, two Canon mirrorless bodies (an R5 and R6 II), an Insta360 X3, a Profoto A2 flash, two microphones (I had no use for even one mic), and two ball heads, among other countless accessories. That's not even counting my tripod in our carry-on. I decided to pack lighter after a trip to Hawaii with the kids in December. How did I do this time? I left my drone at home, mostly because of the confusing drone laws in Europe. But hey, I felt pretty proud about reducing my kit!

So, How Did It Go? I loved it! Limiting what I used allowed me to create better photos. Although I didn't do as much architectural photography as I usually do (three kids under five), my work was better than anything I've ever done before. I also felt more confident knowing I didn't have to take all these things. I might still bring a backup camera body in my carry-on, but now that the iPhone is so amazing, I'm even doubtful about that.

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.

Great Photography Articles on Live View - If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view.

If you're interested in writing for Live View, drop me a line at dstory@gmail.com.

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 #896, May 23, 2023. Today's theme is "Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Being the creatures of habit that we are, it's easy to stick with things we're comfortable with. In the world of photography, that could mean landscapes only or "I'm really a Photoshop guy." But what would happen if you stepped out of your comfort zone into the unknown waters of experimentation? I have a few real life stories to share of photographers who did just that. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Point Reyes Shipwreck by Steve Csoto.

It's not that most photographers don't want to experiment, but sometimes they need a little nudge. I just spent a week with a group of artists in Northern California who were doing exactly that.

Their stories are interesting. And I thought that you might way hear the different ways these folks stuck their big toes in the pool of uncharted creativity.

Scott: I'm Primarily a Street Photographer

Scott generally packs a compact Ricoh GR when he heads out the door. But last week he brought a Fujifilm mirrorless camera and a humongous telephoto zoom lens. "I told my friends that there were elk in Pt. Reyes, and they challenged me to come home with a picture."

On the first day were were standing on a deck overlooking Tomales Bay with his rig in hand. Here's what happened.

Harry: I'm Not Going to Shoot Big Landscapes

Harry's story is how he began working with Intentional Camera Movement, Close Ups, in-camera processing, and quadpics.

Rich: Going the Extra Mile

The most senior member of the group, Rich, doesn't do that much hiking these days. But in Pt. Reyes, he pushed himself out to areas that he normally wouldn't explore. And he returned with some very compelling images.

Steve: I'm Not Going to Be Bound by Conventional Standards

One of the best examples of Steve's artistic rebellion was when we visited the Pt. Reyes shipwreck. Everyone returned with a unique angle or approach to photographing the old ship. Steve went way beyond that.

Michael: Experimenting with the Illusion of Depth

Michael saw the lingering fog as an opportunity to add more depth to his images. He would find a foreground subject that was detailed, then position it against a distant tree in the background shrouded in fog.

Each of these photographers stepped outside of their comfort zones and shared their images with the others. And to be honest, they left Northern California different artists than the ones that had arrived a week earlier.

Pentax's first 'Film Camera Project' release to be a fixed lens compact, hints film SLR may be next

You can read the entire article on DPReview.com.

In the midst of the film resurgence, Ricoh announced last year that they were going to explore the idea of building a new film body camera under the Pentax banner. Details were scant; we knew that Ricoh was launching a 'Film Camera Project,' to formally house a research and development team, but we didn't know timelines, form factor, price points they had in mind or what criteria they were using to use to decide if actually building a film body was a viable idea.

The last peep on that front from them was Pentax's December 2022 announcement, until this past weekend when Ricoh published a pair of new YouTube videos that detailed the project's progress.

In a video released we learn more about the camera that Pentax has committed to building, along with a hint of a possible second film camera to come. Pentax's first film body will be a compact fixed-lens camera, according to Pentax product planning/design team member Takeo Suzuki.

Pentax clearly sees an opportunity in film cameras and may be positioning itself to fill the void left by its competitors. The company has famously kept manufacturing DSLRs as other manufactures have moved to mirrorless bodies. Perhaps here too, Pentax is seeing gold to be mined with consumers seeking ways to discover or rediscover a classic style of image-making.

Film photographers may not represent the mainstream today, but the community is growing. The closest parallel may be in the return of vinyl record albums, which grew from a small niche of buyers a decade ago to outsell CDs in 2022 (the first time since 1988), accounting for $1.2 billion, a 20% jump from the previous year. So film photography could be a fad, or, if it goes the way of vinyl, a potential boon for Pentax.

Wine Country in Autumn Photography Workshop This November

November 2-4, 2023 - Sonoma County Wine Country is a special place in November. The harvest is in and it's time to enjoy the fruits of labor.

During this workshop we'll combine an outstanding and educational wine experience with beautiful photography, at a relaxed pace. It's the perfect get-away for those who love alluring scenery, great food, and delicious tastings.

If you want to do something truly different, beautiful, flavorful, and come home with unique pictures, this wildly affordable workshop is for you.

We still have a few seats open. And now you can fly directly into Sonoma County Airport and you're here!

Reserve your spot now.

Madavor Media Offers Bundle of Photo Sites

You can read the entire article OutdoorPhotographer.com.

Madavor Media is offering the following bundle of its print and digital photo properties:

• ICN - Image Creators Network
• Outdoor Photographer
• Imaging Resource
• Digital PhotoPro
• Digital Photo

This is an "as-is" only bundle offering and includes archives, websites, and sub roster. Price: $500,000. Serious inquires only.

AI-Generated Image of Pentagon Explosion Caused Markets to Dip

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

An artificial intelligence (AI) generated photo which showed a fake explosion outside the Pentagon went viral and caused the markets to briefly dip today.

On Monday morning, an image showing a huge cloud of black smoke on a grass lawn outside a building was widely shared across Twitter with reports that there had been an explosion near the Pentagon building in Washington D.C.

But the photograph of the explosion was a hoax, purportedly generated with AI technology.

The U.S. stock market briefly dipped as news of the purported explosion spread. The fake image was reportedly first shared on Twitter at 10:06 local time -- although the original post has since been removed from the platform.

And by 10:10, the U.S. stock market had turned sharply lower shortly after reports of the explosion had circulated. However, the market bounced back and stabilized after the photo was revealed as an AI-generated hoax.

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 90 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.

Our photography group explored the far corners of Pt. Reyes, Tomales Bay, and Inverness, CA. during the Pt. Reyes workshop that just concluded. I thought that you might enjoy seeing some images from that event. Here's a mini-gallery.

A view of Tomales Bay from our workshop headquarters. Photos by Derrick Story.

Tule Elk.

Michael photographing birds near Abbotts Lagoon.

Seals having a conversation.

Harry at work at Drakes Bay.

Seaside Daisy.

Douglas Iris.

Singing White-Crowned Sparrow.

Curious Fawn.

If you'd like to learn more about our photography workshops, please visit our workshops page. (We have a fantastic "Wine County in Autumn" event this coming November!)

This is The Digital Story Podcast #895, May 16, 2023. Today's theme is "Scouting for a Photo Shoot Is a Photo Shoot." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

I've been exploring some of the most beautiful corners of Northern California in preparation for our Pt. Reyes Photography Workshop that begins this week. I love scouting missions. No pressure, no timeline, no expectations. Just looking for the best places to bring my crew for their upcoming shoots. But if it's just a scouting mission, why do I always come home with such great pictures? We'll find out why on today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App!

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Scouting for a Photo Shoot Is a Photo Shoot

So, technically, a scouting mission is designed to find great locations for photo shoots and decipher the best time to return for optimal results.

Typical scenarios include locations for movie making, ideal spots for portrait shoots, hidden treasures for photo workshops, or great vantage points for wildlife and landscape photography.

The thinking is that you can scout any time of day, in any weather condition because that isn't the real shoot. You gather the information, look up a few things, then return when the conditions are ideal for your project.

And that's what makes scouting missions so fun. Basically you're just following leads, exploring tips, and sometimes just wandering aimlessly out in nature. I like to pack a lunch, plenty of water, and an extra layer so I don't have to return to civilization any earlier than absolutely necessary.

I do bring a camera, of course. My favorite for these days is the X100V with a couple specialty filters. The camera is light, versatile, and records great pictures. My iPhone Pro Max fills in the gaps.

I think there's a bit of a psychological thing going here, however. Because I don't feel the need to capture great images, I always seem to do so. I guess you could say that the pressure is off, and the bar is set low.

Listen to this audio segment I recorded out at Tomales Point last week when scouting for the workshop. I had just completed a hike on a beautiful day, captured lots of pictures, and had returned to the car where I was sitting with the hatch up watching the world go by.

I don't sound very stressed, do I?

That got me thinking about frame of mind and our approach to photo shoots. Maybe there's something to lower expectations. What if we just go out with out camera and have fun?

I was taking pictures with a pro mist filter, R72 IR filter, switching to B&W film simulations, playing with weird angles, and just sitting on the ground. I never really cared about how good any of those shots would be. I was like Rainman with an expensive camera.

After playing with a handful of images on the computer back at the house, and really enjoying the pictures, I decided to look up other scouting trips. And darn it, if I really didn't like those photos as well.

I'm beginning to think that Scouting for a Photo Shoot Is a Photo Shoot. All I have to do is forget that fact the next time I pack up the car to go exploring.

Amazon sues its own Marketplace sellers for selling fake Canon batteries

You can read the entire article on DigitalCameraWorld.com.

Canon USA and Amazon.com have filed a joint lawsuit against sellers of counterfeit Canon camera batteries and chargers sold through Amazon.com. The statement from Canon (opens in new tab) specifies that the joint lawsuit was filed with the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington against 29 Amazon accounts selling fake products, infringing Canon's trademark rights.

The fact that Canon is pursuing trademark infringement is to be expected, as fake Lithium-ion batteries and substandard charging equipment being fraudulently sold with Canon branding could well be dangerous for unsuspecting end users. More surprising is that Amazon is jointly filing the lawsuit, as it's Amazon's own platform that's facilitating the sale of these counterfeit goods. If Amazon already had tighter control over its Marketplace seller listings, this issue could well have been prevented before fake products could ever reach buyers.

With this lawsuit in progress, you might therefore assume Amazon had now removed all dubious Canon-labelled listings from its Marketplace platform. However when we did a quick search for 'Canon battery' on Amazon.com, we found several suspicious products still prominently listed for sale. These items feature images of batteries clearly embossed with the Canon logo, but there are several clues that hint that these products might not be the real deal. Item titles such as "Battery for Canon Rebel...." (you'd expect the product title of a genuine battery to lead with "Canon") don't inspire confidence. Likewise, the 'Brand' section in the product details of these suspect listings usually specifies the battery brand as 'Generic' or even 'EOSRebel' - not 'Canon'. And of course there's the surprisingly cheap prices being charged for these batteries - often way less than half Canon's RRP. It all gives us serious cause for concern.

Imaging Resource was a respected camera review site founded in 1998 and was the only other United States-based photo publication with a dedicated camera testing lab except for DPReview which itself is being closed down by Amazon.

Wine Country in Autumn Photography Workshop This November

November 2-4, 2023 - Sonoma County Wine Country is a special place in November. The harvest is in and it's time to enjoy the fruits of labor.

During this workshop we'll combine an outstanding and educational wine experience with beautiful photography, at a relaxed pace. It's the perfect get-away for those who love alluring scenery, great food, and delicious tastings.

If you want to do something truly different, beautiful, flavorful, and come home with unique pictures, this wildly affordable workshop is for you.

We still have a few seats open. And now you can fly directly into Sonoma County Airport and you're here!

Reserve your spot now.

The Z8 is Nikon's best mirrorless camera yet

You can read the entire article TheVerge.com.

Take the Z9's guts, put them in a smaller body, and cut almost $1,500 off the price, and you've got the Z8.

When I reviewed the $5,496.95 Nikon Z9, I said that "Nikon finally put itself in the professional mirrorless camera race, and in a lot of ways it's now winning." I said this because, while most camera manufacturers went small and light, Nikon made a big, heavy mirrorless camera with very high specs that felt made for working professionals.

The company has now taken those great specs and put them into a smaller $4,000 body. The new Nikon Z8 boasts a 45.7MP stacked CMOS sensor that, thanks to the Expeed 7 image processor, can shoot RAW photos at 20fps for over 1,000 frames. There are also autofocus readings up to 120fps. And impressive video specs: 12-bit N-RAW at 8K 60fps or 4K 120fps.

With the Z8, Nikon is now playing ball with most of the other camera manufacturers who set out to get big specs into smaller systems, and it is going to be more challenging to capture an audience when its camera now looks like everyone else's. Tune in to my video above for sample photo and video from the Z8, which is available for preorder today and launches on May 25th, 2023, for $3,999.95.

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 90 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 #894, May 9, 2023. Today's theme is "I Asked ChatGPT 5 Photography Questions - Here's What It Said." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Amid the looming doom and gloom in the photography community about AI, I began to wonder about its usefulness to help enthusiasts take better pictures. I decided to put ChatGPT to the test and ask it 5 reasonable photography questions. How it responded, is the first segment of 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

I Asked ChatGPT 5 Photography Questions - Here's What It Said

AI may still destroy the world. It's too early to tell. But in the meantime, can ChatGPT help us be better photographers?

"ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot developed by OpenAI and released in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI's GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 foundational large language models (LLMs) and has been fine-tuned (an approach to transfer learning) using both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques." From Wikipedia.

I wanted to see how good its photography chops were, so I asked it the following questions. To hear its answers, tune in to the podcast.

1. When taking pictures, should I use Auto White Balance in rooms with tungsten lighting?
2. When taking pictures, what's the longest shutter speed I should use without a tripod?
3. My son started playing PeeWee soccer. What camera, lens, and accessories should I purchase to capture good photos of him?
4. I am going to start photographing weddings professionally, what software should I use on my computer to organize and edit all of those pictures?
5. I am considering quitting my current full time job and becoming a professional photographer for a living. What advice do you have for me?

And finally, I asked ChatGPT to write a poem about photography. Here's how it replied.

Imaging Resource is Now Offline as the Camera Website Shuts its Doors

You can read the entire article on PetaPixel.com.

It was first reported back in 2019 that Imaging Resource was to be shuttered but the website was seemingly saved when it was bought by Madavor Media in 2020.

The website operated for a couple of years under Madavor but without Etchells as the editor. That was until the BeBop Channel bought Madavor Media in March 2023. However, when BeBop purchased Madavor it was made clear in a press release that the only publicly traded company for jazz, dance, and theater was most excited about acquiring another of Madavor's brands; JazzTimes.

As PetaPixel's editor-in-chief Jaron Schneider noted in March, "BeBop's focus on theater and music seems to put the multiple photography publications the corporation now owns in a strange spot, as the new owner does not have a history in the niche or even in general technology." Madavor Media also owned Outdoor Photographer, Digital Photo, and Digital Photo Pro.

Imaging Resource was a respected camera review site founded in 1998 and was the only other United States-based photo publication with a dedicated camera testing lab except for DPReview which itself is being closed down by Amazon.

This Week on Live View

"The Square Mile Photography Challenge" by Lawrence Lazare; "The Cameras that Made Me" by Andrew Howe.

Andrew writes: "IThe accepted maxim is that it is "the photographer that makes a great picture not the camera". I have no issue with that, but I think it is an over-simplification. The camera IS just a tool, but people can have a strong relationship with their tools. I am certainly been guilty in the past of spending hours watching or reading views purely as a symptom of Gear Acquisition Syndrome. However, sometimes we start with a purpose and our search is for the tool that will best serve that purpose. If you choose wisely, then sometimes this new tool will not just facilitate your purpose?-?it will inspire it."

If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view.

If you're interested in writing for Live View, drop me a line at dstory@gmail.com.

Mylio Photos Is Relaunching as a Free App

You can read the entire article FStoppers.com.

Mylio Photos is about to be reborn as a free app with some options that will have a price attached. Mylio Photos is a complete photo management solution that allows users to easily collect, organize, browse, search, and share their media files, including photos, videos, and documents.

Mylio Photos' AI SmartTag technology can recognize over 1,000 activities, objects, and properties in photos. In an industry first, users can customize the filter's sensitivity to fine-tune results for identifying animals, plants, environments, food, and more. Unlike most other AI tools, Mylio Photos' AI tools run on users' devices without transferring data, providing impressive speed and complete privacy.

Mylio Photos users who want to connect their devices, access their library from anywhere, and automatically protect their photos can sign up for the Mylio Photos+ add-on plan. To get a preview of new Mylio Photos features and functionality coming with spring and summer releases (including the upcoming Version 23 update).

Mylio runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, and Android. The version that connects all your devices is a subscription option, at $99 per year.

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 90 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 #893, May 2, 2023. Today's theme is "Wedding Photography Makes You Better at Everything." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

It's time of year when the flowers are blooming and the weddings are booming. And chances are that at some point you will be asked to photograph someone's nuptials. Should you immediately disregard the request? Maybe pretend that you didn't get the email? I say think twice before declining. Weddings can make you a better photographer. I'll explain why on 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

Wedding Photography Makes You Better at Everything

Back story on my own wedding history.

Here are five ways that I think weddings make you a better photographer.

• Weddings encompass a variety of photography challenges - To successfully shoot a wedding you need to capture: closeups of flowers and place settings, portraits of bride and groom, group shots of entire family, establishing shots, flash photography, action shots, and more.
• Weddings force you to interact - Unlike putting the camera on a tripod at sunset, you must interact, and sometimes negotiate, with others at weddings.
• Weddings help you master your camera - You'll need to be able to change WB, adjust flash, lower shutter speeds, change depth of field, and possibly even switch to video mode - and quickly.
• Weddings force you to think about how much gear you actually need - Unless you want to lug around 50 pounds of equipment for 8 hours, you need to think about what you really need, and what you don't.
• Weddings improve your post-processing speed - You'll discover that you have thousands of images to cull, many of them similar in nature. And most likely you'll have an anxious couple waiting for your selects.

If you shoot a wedding or two early in the season, you will be ready for any type of event photography, sports, portraits, and macro. Plus you might make enough to by a new lens.

Vintage digital cameras you should actually buy

You can read the entire article on AmateurPhotographer.com.

By not being as truly perfect as modern cameras and smartphones, they have become the obvious choice to some people for creative and fun photography. The icing on the cake being that you can sometimes find them for a bargain price.

Fujifilm F10 (and subsequent 6MP models)
Ricoh GR Digital (and subsequent) - non-APS-C version
Olympus C-750 / C-765
Canon Powershot S90/S95
Sigma DP1/DP1s/DP1x
Sony Cyber-shot R1
Olympus PEN E-P1
Leica Digilux 2
Casio Exilim S100
Contax i4r
Lego Camera

This Week on Live View

"Kodachrome in Black and White - iPhone Photography in Kodachrome Basin State Park, Utah" by Cynthia Wehlan; "Beyond Black and White" by Derrick Story.

Cynthia writes: "In 1948, a National Geographic Society expedition passed through here and named the area Kodachrome Flat. In 1963, the state of Utah acquired the land from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and established a state reserve. After securing permission to use the name Kodachrome, a popular color photographic film from the Eastman Kodak Co., the reserve was called Kodachrome Basin State Park."?-?Utah State Department of Natural Resources." So what does she do? She pulls out her iPhone and begins shooting in B&W.

If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view.

If you're interested in writing for Live View, drop me a line at dstory@gmail.com.

Leica launches two new watches inspired by the Leica M11 Monochrom

You can read the entire article DigitalCameraWorld.com.

The Leica Watch collection consists of two models - both with the mechanical, hand-wound movement developed and produced in-house - the Leica ZM 1 and Leica ZM 2, which are now available in the new Monochrom Edition.

Following the holistic view of the Leica product portfolio, the ZM in the name stands for "Zeitmesser" - which is the German descriptive word for an instrument that measures and displays time (not a clock).

Following the success of the latter series of Leica Watches that were launched in 2022, the ZM collection is now available in 25 Leica stores worldwide including the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, China, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.

The recommended retail price starts at �9,900 (approximately $12,400 / AU$18,800) for the Leica ZM 1 Monochrom and �13,300 ($16,700 / AU$25,300) for the Leica ZM 2 Monochrom.

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 90 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 #892, April 26, 2023. Today's theme is "Going Beyond the Polarizer." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

It's true, we just don't need many filters these days for our digital cameras. Maybe a protection filter. Maybe not. Many photographers, if they carry anything at all, it's a polarizer. But if you're interested in distinguishing your work from the masses, there are a couple other filters I recommend. And I'm going to share those in the first segment of 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

Going Beyond the Polarizer

In our digital cameras, White Balance has replaced a whole slew of color correction filters. And I say, "Thank God!" What a pain in the neck strap they were.

In fact, I have an entire shoebox filled with amber and green and gosh knows what in various sizes. I still have yellow, orange, red, and green screw-ins for B&W photography. But I don't really need them since they too are emulated in my digital cameras.

However, I still find the polarizer quite useful. It can tame distracting reflections, deepen a blue sky, and slow the shutter speed by 2 stops. No wonder it's still quite popular.

But I'm going to share a secret with you. The polarizer isn't the only filter in my bag of tricks. There are two others that I depend on. One of them you probably know about. The other, I would be surprised if you did.

Let's start with the one your know about: the Hoya R72 Infrared filter. I just talked about it recently, and it allows me to convert my Fujifilm X100V into a harsh light IR capture device. I find it indispensable.

The one you probably don't know about is the NiSi Black Mist Filter.

Now we've all had our disappointments with external diffusers and softeners. Forget about all of that. NiSi filters are a whole different ballgame.

They come in 3 strengths, and the effect is subtle, but profound. Here are their basic characteristics.

• Reduce highlights and lower contrast - If I want to shoot midday, and I don't want to work in B&W, this is my color option.
• Can be used to create a cinematic look - Because of the way the NiSi diffuses light sources, such as a street lamp, the image has a glow that feels very cinematic.
• Doesn't derail sharpness - When I use it for portraits, I still get wonderfully sharp eyes, but skin is much more attractive.
• Comes in a variety of sizes - They make screw-in versions for 49mm, 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, and 82mm. Plus they have special mounts for the X100V, Ricoh, GR IIIX, and iPhones.

I'm currently using the NiSi Black Mist 1/4 Filter for FUJIFILM X100 Cameras (Black) $69. And Ricoh GR IIIX photographers can use the NiSi Black Mist Filter Kit For Ricoh GR IIIx $95. And the NiSi IP-A Filmmaker Kit for iPhone $149 includes IP-A Filter Holder, Black Mist 1/4 Filter, P1 Prosories Case, and a True Color ND-VARIO Pro Filter.

I'm posting two examples with the Black Mist 1/4 on a X100V in the Show Notes. Both images were captured around midday. The first is a bumble bee collecting pollen on a Blue Blossom Ceanothus flower. The NiSi filter helped me tame the contrasty light for a lovely image. And the second is Sylvester the cat resting her chin on a shoe in the bright light streaming in from a south facing window.

Regardless of which camera you use for your creative work, there's probably an artistic filter that fits it. And the best part is, you don't have to do anything in post. Just take the picture and enjoy.

The Pentax K-3 III Monochrome is so Popular, Ricoh Can't Keep it in Stock

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

Ricoh has already sold out of its Japanese allocation of Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome cameras twice. Clearly, the company's latest DSLR is extremely popular.

Announced earlier this month, the Pentax K-3 III Monochrome is the only black and white DSLR on the market. Based on the original K-3 Mark III, Pentax's flagship APS-C camera, the body of the Monochrome version is not substantially different other than a lack of color in the design and the fact that the sensor is only capable of capturing black and white photos.

Clearly, the camera is extremely popular, at least in Japan, since Ricoh has not been able to keep it in stock. While the camera doesn't start shipping until the end of April, pre-orders have flooded the company to the degree that it's not going to have any more available for at least a couple of months.

Ricoh in Japan actually apologized that it had run out of its allocation for the country the same day the camera was announced.

"We are pleased to announce that the number of pre-orders for the PENTAX K-3 Mark III Monochrome Matte Black Edition, a monochrome digital SLR camera that is scheduled to be released on April 28, 2023, has greatly exceeded our initial expectations. As a result, production is unable to keep up with demand," Ricoh said on April 13.

"Therefore, we will temporarily suspend accepting new orders until we have a certain outlook for product supply. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to customers who have been waiting for this product."

Five days later, Ricoh announced that it had resumed accepting orders for the camera as it had, apparently, been able to catch production up with orders and would be able to ship out this second allocation by the end of May.

That did not last long. On April 21, Ricoh sold out again.

"We will temporarily suspend accepting new orders at the Ricoh Imaging Store until the next product supply (scheduled for summer 2023) is confirmed. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to customers who have been waiting for this product," the company writes.

The Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome DSLR is still available to pre-order for $2,200 in the United States, but given the popularity in Japan, it's not clear how quickly those pre-orders will actually be shipped to buyers.

This Week on Live View

"Learning Process From Ansel Adams" by Ben Long; "5 Simple Steps for Shooting on the Street" by Sean Staples; and "Shooting Blind" by Lawrence Lazare.

If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view.

If you're interested in writing for Live View, drop me a line at dstory@gmail.com.

What juice jacking and trustjacking are, and how to protect yourself

You can read the entire article AppleInsider.com.

Inserting an unprotected iPhone or iPad into a new port can leave you with unwanted infections. "Juice jacking" and "trustjacking" are two ways to catch digital diseases, but there are ways to protect yourself.

You might not have previously thought about cybersecurity when charging your iPhone on the go, but that Lightning cable can carry data as well as power. Here are the vulnerabilities involved and how to minimize the risks.

Smartphones and tablet computers use the same port for charging and data transfer. "Juice jacking" exploits the possibility that an owner might connect their device to a malicious or compromised charging port, which can then be used to steal data from the device.

Previously, iOS devices were more vulnerable to juice jacking, since connecting an iOS device to a PC didn't require authorization. However, when iOS 7 was introduced in 2013, this was no longer the case.

How to prevent juice jacking

When you connect your iOS device to a computer, iOS 7 prompted you with, "Trust This Computer? Your settings and data will be accessible from this computer when connected via USB or Wi-Fi." You could then select "Trust" or "Don't Trust."

The wording was later changed to, "Allow this device to access photos and videos? This device will be able to access photos and videos while it is connected to your iPhone." You could then choose "Allow" or "Don't Allow."

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 90 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 #891, April 18, 2023. Today's theme is "Are You Nuts? (buying a monochrome only camera)." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

I would imagine that most people's first reaction to the just-announced Pentax K-3 III Monochrome DSLR would be, "Who would buy that?" In fact, I may have uttered the same thing. But after a little research on the idea, I'm not so sure. Find out why, and lots more, on today's TDS Photography Podcast. 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

Are You Nuts? (buying a monochrome only camera)

The Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is variant of its highly regarded 25.7MP APS-C DSLR, but with no color filter array.

What happens without the color filter array? Well, according to Pentax, typical color image sensors are designed to receive light passing through red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color filters, so each pixel detects only one color-data component. To compose a monochrome image, color sensors must convert color data into monochromatic data by interpolating the color data they collect. The new monochrome-specific image sensor, however, can faithfully reflect the brightness data obtained by each pixel in the image -- without the interpolation process -- to produce extra-fine monochromatic expression, in images high in resolution and rich in gradation. Plus, there's no AA (anti-aliasing) filter either.

The changes just weren't on the inside either. The PENTAX K-3 Mark III Monochrome provides white backlight illumination on the LCD data panel positioned on its upper panel, while featuring "Monochrome" lettering printed on the upper-left shoulder of the back panel. Its menu screen features a black-and-white visual scheme as default, while the SR (Shake Reduction) badge is finished in silver. The icons printed on buttons and switches across the camera's exterior are finished in three shades of gray to assist the users with their camera operation. All in all, the concept of monochrome photography is evident throughout the camera body. Plus, since WB isn't an issue, the white balance button of the PENTAX K-3 Mark III is replaced with the Fx (function) button.

Still not swayed? Fair enough. Let's dig a little deeper.

This is only the third monochrome-only camera on the market. Leica and Phase One each have an offering, at many times more the price than the Pentax.

Leica is just getting ready to release the M11 Monochrom Rangefinder Camera. What's interesting about the M11 Monochrom is that this is, I believe, the fourth edition in its monochrom line. Far from a one and done.

As I continued to research and think about the Pentax Monochrome, I realized five things that weren't initially apparent to me.

• Total Embodiment of B&W - It's not just the sensor, the entire camera oozes monochrome goodness, from its stealthy body design, to custom BW settings, to the heart of the camera itself. It is the total B&W experience.
• Compatible with Every Vintage Pentax Lens - Yes, you can use your modern Pentax AF lenses on the Monochrome, but you can also mount a Pentax-M 50mm f/2.0 and further stylize your B&W captures. Vintage lens are a blast on any camera, but imagine using your favorites on this Monochrome body. And since the image stabilization is sensor-based, you have IS for the vintage glass as well.
• Affordable by Comparison - The Leica M11 Monochrom was just released for $9,195. Plus, we know how much the lenses sell for. The Pentax Monochrome will be released in late April for $2,199.
• Better Low Light Performance, No Color Noise - The monochrome sensor provides an additional stop of sensitivity, better capture sharpness, and less noise.
• No Post Processing Required - For those who want the pure photography experience without the need for post processing, just grab your yellow and red filters, and fire away with the Pentax Monochrome.

Am I saying that you should check your credit card balance and buy the K3 Monochrome? No, I'm not. It is a specialty camera for a niche audience.

But what I am saying is that I'm thrilled that Pentax continues to explore all aspects of photography and deliver tools for those who want this experience. I'm very much hoping to get my hands on one. I just hope that I'll be able to let it go once I do.

You can now order your Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome.

Meike's New 85mm f/1.4 to be the First 3rd Party Autofocus Lens for Canon RF

You can read the entire article on Petapixel.com.

Meike has announced a new 85mm f/1.4 autofocus lens for Sony E, Nikon Z, Leica L, and -- surprisingly -- Canon RF mounts. If this stands, Meike will be the first third-party manufacturer to come to market with an autofocus-equipped lens for Canon's mirrorless mount.

While Meike isn't the first third-party camera lens manufacturer to make an autofocus-equipped Canon RF lens, if things stand it will be the first to actually successfully sell it.

For example, Rokinon (also known as Samyang), tried to release a 14mm f/2.8 autofocus lens for Canon RF and Viltrox attempted to sell several autofocus lenses that would mount to Canon's mirrorless cameras, but those companies quickly heard from Canon's lawyers and ceased production.

Last September, Canon confirmed that it was pursuing legal action against manufacturers that were producing autofocus lenses for its RF mount. It's not clear if anyone who actually purchased any of those lenses received them, and -- until now -- no third-party manufacturer has tried to produce another since Canon's legal department is particularly aggressive -- the company has repeatedly shown that outside of cameras in its printer department as well.

The only third-party RF lens to get the official nod from Canon is the Cosina Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 aspherical, which is notably not an autofocus lens.

In addition to RF mount, Meike intends to make the stepping motor-driven autofocus lens available for Sony E, Nikon Z, and Leica L-mounts (though the company humorously refers to it as Panasonic L mount).

At the time of publication, Meike had not determined a final price or the release date. The lens is currently on display at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. It remains to be seen if Canon will allow Meike to actually produce the RF mount version of the lens.

This Week on Live View

"This imaging revolution will be different than the last one" by Ben Long; "A Day Later, A Dollar Wiser" by Jim Kuzman; and "No Skies Were Harmed in the Making of My Photographs" by Michael Bryant.

If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view. Hope to see you there.

Incredible Hand-Held 30 Second Exposures With an iPhone App

You can read the entire article FStoppers.com.

From the creators of ReeXpose comes Reeheld. It apparently uses AI stabilization (something we are all very aware of at the moment) to create stunning handheld images.

This is ideal for when you don't have your camera kit with you. Missing your tripod? Don't worry using this app can give you up to 30 seconds of exposure blending the correct parts together. Now I'm not a landscape photographer as such but there are times when I'm out and about and like to take pictures but just don't have my camera with me. This could be the answer. Other apps that Dewis includes in his video are Spectre which has been around for a long time but has just not been updated in quite a while.

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 90 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.

Practically any child who's ever inherited anything from a relative received a box of aging slides and negatives as part of the bargain. None of us really asked for this stuff. It was just loaded up with the rest of the mementos.

The funny thing is, there are often treasures sandwiched in there between the embarrassing vacation shots and awkward birthday moments. But to discover them, we have to set aside a little time to explore.

In my view, it's time well spent.

But then what? Once you discover that timeless portrait of a loved one captured on celluloid, what do you do with it? The answer is nestled right there in your gear bag. Using a digital camera with a close-focusing lens is the easiest way to preserve, enhance, and ultimately share aging film images that may have otherwise languished.

Here's a simple path forward.

Digitize the Film

The first step is to make a digital copy of the negative or slide. You'll have to spend a few minutes getting things set up. But once you do, the process is easy.

An LED light with a film holder to illuminate the film negative.

You'll need some sort of illuminated stage to put the film negative on so that it's backlit. Currently, I use an LED light with a diffuser and a film holder, but you can use anything in your gadget box that works. I've gone as simple as using a plain white sheet of paper as the diffuser and a large diameter lens protection filter to keep the film flat on the stage. If you have an old lightbox laying around, that works great too.

Once you have the stage set up, put your camera on a tripod and get things as level as possible. Shoot in RAW. This will give you the highest quality output. I use the self timer to trigger the shutter so I don't jar the camera at exposure. And make sure the focus is on the actual film so that the image is as sharp as possible.

Process the Image on Your Computer

If you digitized a negative, then you need to convert it to positive. You can use any photo app that has a Levels adjustment. Mac users can go as simple as opening the file in the Preview app that comes standard on the computer.

Even the humble Preview app on Macs can be used to convert a negative to a positive.

In Preview, go to Tools > Adjust Color. The Levels adjustment is at the top of that panel. It displays a histogram with three triangle "handles" below it. To convert the negative to positive, grab the handle on the left and drag it to the right side of the histogram. Then grab the handle on the right and drag it to the left. This will create your initial conversion. Now play around with all three handles to get the final exposure you want.

Inverting the Levels adjustment converts your negative to a workable image.

If you want to tone the photo a bit to give it more of an old time look, try the Sepia slider or play with Temperature. When it's time to crop the image, go to Tools > Rectangular Selection and click-drag the frame. Use Tools > Crop to finish it off.

Finishing Touches

You can score points with other family members by sending them a copy of the digitized file. I also recommend printing the image on nice photo paper and framing it for inclusion in the family gallery. Framed prints make excellent gifts too.

Final Thoughts

There are two basic reasons why treasured family images never make it out of the shoebox. First, it does take some time to sift through them to find the ones worth saving. But once that happens, most folks don't realize how easy it is to digitize that content and start sharing it with others. Just cobble together the few items you need to create a backlit stage, then get our your camera.

We can't bring our loved ones back to life. But what we can do is resurrect their best moments - not only for us, but for the generations that follow.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #890, April 11, 2023. Today's theme is "The Thing About Sunsets (and other notes from Maui)." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

When you're on an island in the Pacific during springtime, the sky is a moving picture show of clouds. And when the sun begins to set, well, that's the main feature. Photographers are drawn to sunsets like moths to flame. And in my view, there's more to it than just another pretty picture. This, and other notes from Maui, on today's TDS Photography Podcast. 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

The Thing About Sunsets (and other notes from Maui)

Sunset is about a quarter to seven in Maui right now. So around 6pm, regardless of what you're doing, we usually put a bookmark there and head down to the beach.

It's fun to watch the gathering crowd in what has become an evening tradition on the upper west side of the island. Some folks bring fish and veggies to barbecue while others are holding cocktails in a plastic cups. And you can hear fragments of conversations wafting in the air.

The other night, as the sky was lighting up in shades of orange and blue, a lady walked by and noticed how stunning it was. "Will a picture of that turn out?" she asked out loud. I said, "Of course. Try to frame it with those palm trees. The silhouettes will add some depth to your image." "Oh, that's a good idea she said," while holding her iPhone up to the sky.

She was not alone. Many of us were capturing the moment with our cameras. It's not that I have a shortage of Maui sunsets. But each one of them is a little different and often has its own story.

And that's the thing about sunsets. Yes, the common denominator is that they are beautiful. But they are also different. And just because you captured one the night before, doesn't mean you should pass on the next. Because they will be as unique as two snowflakes landing on a frozen leaf.

One of the reasons I never get tired photographing Maui sunsets is because I always have other elements to play with. On the horizon, there are the islands of Molokai and Lanai that always attract their own clouds. I can count on at least on sailboat drifting by. And then there are the silhouettes of palm trees and people in the foreground.

No reasonable photographer can turn their back on a striking sunset without pulling out their camera. Nor should they. There is no better way to end the day than standing with loved ones and strangers admiring nature's final flourish before the evening stars take over the sky.

Meet Me at High Noon

If sunsets are the epitome of beauty and ease, photography at high noon is its scurrilous sibling. With the sun high overhead and the landscaped bathed in harsh, contrasty light, middle of the day compositions can be a real challenge.

I remembered to pack a Hoya R72 IR filter to use with my X110V in monochrome+R mode, and immersed myself in hyper B&W photography.

I love the results!

DPReview closure: an update

You can read the entire article on DPReview.com.

We've received a lot of questions about what's next for the site. We hear your concerns about losing the content that has been carefully curated over the years, and want to assure you that the content will remain available as an archive.

We've also heard that you need more time to access the site, so we're going to keep publishing some more stories while we work on archiving.

Thank you to this community and the support you've shown us over the years.

This Week on Live View

"Get Outside and Leave that Big Camera Behind" by Scott Houston and "How to Make Your RAW Files Look Even Better" by Derrick Story.

If you check out our publication and appreciate what you see, be sure to follow us and clap for those authors. You can find us at medium.com/live-view. Hope to see you there.

Tesla Sued Over Report Employees Shared Private Car Camera Footage

You can read the entire article PetaPixel.com.

"Since at least 2019, the cameras in Tesla vehicles captured highly-invasive videos and images of the cars' owners, which Tesla employees were able to access--not for the stated purposes of communication, fulfillment of services, and enhancement of Tesla vehicle driving systems--but for the tasteless and tortious entertainment of Tesla employees, and perhaps those outside the company, and the humiliation of those surreptitiously recorded," the lawsuit reads.

"By virtue of this defective system, Tesla employees accessed and circulated recordings of Tesla customers in private and embarrassing situations, without their consent including, for example, video of a man approaching a Tesla vehicle completely naked, and video of vehicle crashes and road-rage incidents," the lawsuit continues.

"Tesla employees also shared pictures of family pets, which were made into memes by embellishing them with captions or commentary before posting them in group chats. While some postings were only shared between a few employees, others could be seen by 'scores' of Tesla employees. And as is common with internet culture, many of these videos and images were very likely shared with persons outside the company."

Multiple reports have confirmed that Tesla employees were able to view images of customers through the company's cars and shared them amongst each other, despite Tesla's own privacy statements.

Portrait Beast: We Review the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Lens for Fujifilm

You can read the entire article FStoppers.com.

The Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 autofocus lens is the first in their high-end PRO series line, and it is clear from first opening the box that this lens means business. It is all metal and feels extremely robust, with a smooth focusing barrel and an aperture ring that has just the right amount of resistance to click into place without feeling cumbersome. The lens is certainly not small or light, but I found it quite comfortable to use. I really like the way it pairs with the Fujifilm X-T5, not only aesthetically but more importantly it balances nicely with the camera, especially for a lens with a full frame focal length equivalent of 112.5mm.

What I loved the most were the beautiful colors, pleasing skin tones, and excellent contrast. Portrait photographers will absolutely love the bokeh, and as someone who enjoys shooting wide open, this lens hits the spot. Regarding image quality, this is one of the best lenses I've tested and certainly rivals the quality I get with my Fujifilm lenses.

I upgraded the firmware to version 1.0.2 after my studio session, and there was a noticeable difference in the autofocus performance. I thought that the autofocus was good even before the update, so having the slight bump in performance was a nice touch. One thing I really appreciate is how quiet the lens is. The STM motor is fast and almost silent, and when using it with eye tracking, I was able to achieve excellent and consistent results with the X-T5.

Outside of some flaring when shooting in direct sunlight, I really can't find anything negative to say about the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2. In fact, from the moment I put it on my camera, I fell in love with it, because it handles like a much more expensive Fujifilm lens in terms of design, performance, and most importantly, image quality. I think that Viltrox has hit a home run with this lens, and for those of us who shoot with Fujifilm cameras, it is a very appealing lens in terms of focal length, autofocus, and overall quality.

The Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 AF Lens is available now from B&H Photo for $549.

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!

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