This is The Digital Story Podcast #816, Nov. 9, 2021. Today's theme is "Can Electric Vehicles Cut It for Photo Road Trips?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Those of you who have been following the story about my transition from the VW Vanagon to the EV ID.4 for our official workshop transport, this is the week where the rubber hits the road. Is it too early to switch from ICE to EV? Tune in to this week's TDS Podcast to find out. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Can Electric Vehicles Cut It for Photo Road Trips?

It is 561 miles from Santa Rosa, CA to Florence, Oregon, the location of our Oregon Coast Photography Workshop that begins Tuesday morning. Adding in travel to destinations during the workshop itself, total mileage for the week will be more than 1,300 miles.

In the Audi A3, that would work out to around 54 gallons of gas. That car requires premium, which is over $5 a gallon throughout California. The bill for fuel alone would be at least $270, and probably more if I had to fill out in remote locations.

Using my free account with Electrify America for the long hauls, I will only have to top off in Florence, which I can do for $4 a session at the public utility. That should mean a $12 fuel bill for the entire trip.

Now the question is: will the car make it? And if so, how long will it take?

Going back to the Audi and gas, the estimated driving time for the trip is 9 hours, plus two 30 minute stops for refueling, bathroom, and leg stretching. 10 hours total if everything goes well.

Let's tackle the second question first. Based on my recent 900 mile road trip to Southern CA and back, I estimate I have to add an additional 15 percent for time with the ID.4 if things go as planned. My best guess is that it will extend my journey to around 12 hours.

As for the first question, will the car make it? Absolutely yes. Thanks to its room cabin, comfortable seats with massage, and advanced travel assist technologies, road tripping as more comfortable than ever. The car literally drives itself.

So it all comes down to recharging. Let's tune in to a refuel stop.

As for the viability during the week itself? I'll get some comments from workshop participants and share those in next week's show.

But on paper, here's what I'm looking at. 30 cubic feet of storage space in the back while seating 5 passengers. There's no floor hump, so the back floor is perfectly flat for the person sitting in the middle.

There are dual charging ports in the back as well as the front, providing a total of 4 USB-C outlets for passengers. Side door storage for everyone, plus dual pockets on the backs of the front seats. There's 38" of leg room and head room in the back, and even more of both in the front.

And finally, there is a full length panorama glass room on top with power sunshade if necessary. I think this will be a wonderful transport vehicle for participants.

Wish me luck. More on how it went next week.

OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO Lens

Olympus just announced the OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO Lens for $799 due to be released in December.

Highlight features include:

• 40mm (35mm Equivalent)
• Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
• 11 Elements in 10 Groups
• 1 Super ED, 3 ED, 2 Super HR Elements
• 2 Aspherical Elements
• ZERO Zuiko Extra-Low Reflection Coating
• Movie & Still Compatible AF System
• Weather-Sealed Construction
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
• Includes lens hood and lens wrap cloth

One feature that it's missing, that would push me closer to purchase is the snap focus option that allows the photographer to pull back the focusing ring to reveal a traditional distance scale with hard-stop infinity. This lens would be perfect for that, and why it's missing befuddles me.

If you don't already own the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, this is a lens to consider.

Why I'm Not Packing Olympus in Oregon

After last week's podcast, some listeners asked me why I wasn't taking my Olympus kit to Florence. Here's the back story on that.

Virtual Camera Club News

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 46 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!

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

Sometimes a lens is more than just a lens.

A recent example was the announcement of the OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm f/1.4 PRO. The optic itself looks terrific. But the real story is that it's the first tangible sign to the public that the Olympus Imaging Division has made the transition to OM System.

For those of us in the press, there have been other positive indicators. We're working with the same people in media relations that we did in the Olympus days. The procedures are familiar, and in many ways, it's like nothing ever changed. That's a good thing.

The real test, however, will be a new camera. If OM System can produce a worthy follow up to the impressive OM-D E-M1 Mark III, that would truly throw down the gauntlet.

The Micro Four Thirds system is a good fit for modern enthusiast photography. It combines excellent image quality with portability and innovative technology. Pair a MFT body with a couple of your favorite optics and a current smartphone, and you're prepared to capture just about any opportunity the world presents.

At the moment, there are two players in the Micro Four Thirds arena: Panasonic and OM System. We need them both because they serve different needs. Panasonic is excellent at creating high performance video devices. And if making movies is just as important to you as still images, then they have the tools you need.

OM System leans a bit more in the photography direction. And if that's your primary focus, their camera bodies are the better choice. And if Micro Four Thirds is going to continue to flourish, we need both companies to be on top of their game.

So now we wait. I'm not sure if OM System can deliver the camera that many of us want by the end of the year. But if they could in the first quarter of 2022, then those of us who appreciate the advantages of Micro Four Thirds can breathe a sigh of relief.

And start 2022 with a new camera.

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #815, Nov. 2, 2021. Today's theme is "Preparing for an Inclement Photo Shoot." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

In just a few days I leave for the Oregon Coast to co-lead a weeklong workshop. There are preparations on many fronts including travel route, photo gear, and apparel. As part of that process, I've noted that the long range weather forecast predicts plenty of precipitation. This definitely has an impact on my packing, and today I'm going to discuss how I prepare for a wet-weather photo shoot. I hope you enjoy the show.

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Preparing for an Inclement Photo Shoot

When I first started thinking about this workshop, I was leaning toward an entirely different backpack full of gear. But now that I see that rain is in the forecast, I've rethought all of my initial plans. Here are my priorities now.

Scale Back - Bad weather makes me want to travel even lighter than in good conditions. I want fewer moving parts a and smaller bag. As a result I'm taking much less.

Weather Resistant is King for the Backpack - Everything has to be able to take the rain. I'm starting with the relatively compact Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW that is weather resistant to begin with, plus has a built-in rain cover if conditions worsen. There is fast access on both sides and top so I don't have to open the entire bag to retrieve a camera or lens. So I can grab one thing and everything else stays dry.

Going with my Toughest Camera - My best bad weather camera is the Pentax KP with a handful of weather resistant lenses. I don't like working with rain covers and prefer just to have the camera in my hands, even in the rain. Pentax cameras are amazingly tough and reliable, as are their WR lenses. I put protection filters on everything so I can wipe them off quickly and often.

Absorbent Cloths and Big Microfibers - One of the most important things I learned shooting in Iceland was that you need extra cloths to wipe down your gear. Everything gets soaked fairly fast, so backups are required over the course of the day.

Appropriate Clothing - Start from the bottom up with shoes that provide great footing and are water friendly. I'll be sporting a pair of Merrell Men's CHOPROCK Sieve Water Shoes that have Vibram MegaGrip rubber outsoles with water-friendly mesh and woven uppers. Working upwards with rain repellant pants and layered uppers with an Eddie Bauer rain jacket with hood and ventilated sleeves.

Pack an Extra Baseball Cap - I wear one cap so that the hood doesn't go down over my eyes, then a second baseball cap in my bag to put over my camera when it's sitting on the tripod. Of all the covers I've tested over the years, a simple baseball cap is easiest to use.

Start a Week Ahead of Time - Over the course of time, you'll continue to remember little things that you want to add to your bag, such as a small first aid kit, rubber bands, headlight (with night-vision red), for example. Allow yourself the time to remember these.

Trekking Sticks to Help Maintain Balance - You want to feel confident to explore areas where great images may be waiting for you. In addition to proper shoes, I recommend a trekking stick that will help you maintain balance and can serve as a monopod if you get one with a camera mount. A nice one, for example, is the Cascade Mountain Tech Trekking Pole - Carbon Fiber Monopod Walking or Hiking Stick with Accessories Mount and Adjustable Quick Locks for $39.

One of my favorite sayings is: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing," by Alfred Wainwright. So true for photographers! Starting getting your gear together and get out there in the rain to make some wonderful images.

Fujifilm Instax Link Wide Printer

Live life WIDE The exciting INSTAX LINK WIDE Smartphone Printer has landed. Creating the largest prints in the INSTAX product line-up, this wide-format Smartphone Printer is overflowing with 'must-have' features to make sure nothing is lost.

Connect your Smartphone to the printer wirelessly via Bluetooth, and you're able to add text to your photos, resize, apply a filter, play with the contrast - the options are endless. Swipe up on your Smartphone photo and print. Select your image preference. You can choose between two image color modes - INSTAX-Rich mode for rich colors and INSTAX-Natural mode for a natural image quality.

Personalize your photo and choose from over 30 editable templates to create greeting cards, invitations and much more. Apply a QR code to your photo to link to a URL, hear sounds you recorded and view secret messages and locations - just by scanning the QR code with your Smartphone. And that's not all! Be creative with the Sketch, edit & print feature to import text and sketches as you customize your photos. With the Collage Print feature, add multiple images together to create fun collages. Also, choose from over 1,600 "stickers" in the app to apply to your photo! Available in Ash White and Mocha Gray. Live life Wide

Note: The Link Wide printer is also compatible with Fujifilm's X-S10 mirrorless camera from last year, allowing you to print directly without a phone. Of course, you can print photos taken with other cameras by uploading them to your phone and then to the Instax Link app.

The Fujifilm Instax Link Wide Printer that prints 3"x5" photos is available now for $149.

Nikon and the Z9 Are the Photo Industry's Comeback Story of the Decade

You can read the entire article on PetaPixel.com.

When the Sony Alpha 1 was announced, I remember being really impressed but not surprised. Sony had been the brand to beat and had been continuously pushing the envelope. What Sony did was impressive, but not shocking. The Nikon Z9 has shocked me.

Nikon, the company that had been in third place behind Sony and Canon in the full-frame mirrorless market (and it wasn't a close third place), has not only caught back up but has outright passed them technologically by a considerable margin. My expectations for the Z9 were to at least compete, to just bring Nikon back up to par. That would have been good enough.

But the Z9 reads like a camera where "good enough" was not good enough. No, Nikon wanted to send a statement with the Z9 and that message has been received.

It's hard to fathom how Nikon did this, given how slow it was to shift from DSLRs to mirrorless all while Sony was dedicating huge resources to developing its own expectation-shattering cameras. It felt like Sony was driving an F1 and Nikon a Honda Civic, and Sony got to have a head start as well. That kind of gap is monumentally difficult to make up ground on, let alone surpass, and yet here we are.

Nikon and the Z9 are without question the comeback story of the decade in the camera industry. There is a new top dog, and for Nikon, it's a return to a seat that the company has not occupied for some time. Canon and Sony will see what Nikon has done and have to work just that much harder. Sony won't just sit idly by as Nikon surpasses them, and neither will Canon. The race is back on, and I could not be more excited.

Virtual Camera Club News

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 46 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!

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

For years I've advocated taking pictures of signs instead of writing travel notes, and now Live Text takes that practice to a whole new level.

A visit to Coppola Vineyards, yes take a picture of the sign.

Want to know more about it? Live Text can help.

I use Live Text two basic ways. First, to provide data to Siri to learn more about the subject. And second, like an OCR scanner for text embedded in pictures so I can use the text separately.

For the first method, Live Text works in realtime or with a picture already in your Photos library. If you haven't played with it yet, 9TO5Mac has published an excellent how-to article.

Yes, you could type the same information in to your web browser and look it up, but this technology saves you a couple steps, and a fair amount of time.

The second use I find even better: as an OCR reader for words embedded in photos.

What a great saying! Too bad it's trapped in a ho-hum a picture.

Now it's an entry in my Notes app as well thanks to Live Text

For more detailed signage with lots of words, Live Text becomes a true time saver. It works wonderfully in tandem with the Notes app, and just about anywhere else on your phone.

I did all of my testing with iOS 15 on an iPhone 12 Pro Max. And Live Text has added yet another useful dimension to my already handy travel companion. Give it a try!

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #814, Oct. 26, 2021. Today's theme is "Inside a Live Photo Critique." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Have you ever wondered what actually goes on when a bunch of photographers critique the work of their peers? This week, you'll have that chance. I'm going to share a conversation from our recent class presentation for the Infrared Photography Workshop. Plus, I'm going to talk about Instagram and my favorite iPhone accessory. All of that, and more, on today's TDS Photography Podcast.

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Inside a Live Photo Critique

This show was recorded inside my VW ID.4 on a rainy day in Southern California using a Zoom portable recorder and my iPad mini on a steering wheel tray.

The class presentation is the highlight of any TDS workshop, online or physical. The segment I'm going to play for you now is from our recent Infrared Photography Workshop. I think you'll find it entertaining and illuminating.

Instagram Now Allows Photo Upload from Desktop

I just posted my first IG image uploaded from the desktop of my Mac. The workflow isn't bad at all.

I started by going to my IG page via the Safari web browser. I then clicked on the new "+" icon that appears in the toolbar.

Once I selected the image I wanted, I had basic cropping options, some filters, and a few adjustments as well. I could add location and description too.

The upload went well, and the shot looks great on all my devices. A welcome addition to the Instagram workflow.

The Moment Multi-Threaded Mount - My Favorite iPhone Accessory Ever

You can read the entire article on The Digital Story.

I'm surprised at how often I want to connect an iPhone to some sort of tripod. Yes, it's a mobile device, but it's so good at so many things.

And if you're a photographer who appreciates the imaging athleticism of the iPhone 12 and 13, then you realize that their capabilities can stretch into areas that we traditionally used a tripod for, such as time-lapse, video interviews, panoramas, and night photography.

The problem was, until a week ago for me, that I hadn't discovered a satisfactory way to connect my iPhone 12 Pro Max to any type of 3-legged beast, large or small. That is, until I found the Moment Multi-Threaded Mount for MagSafe (best deal: $29.95).

This machined disc that feels like a slim hockey puck has a powerful magnet on one side that attaches to the MagSafe connector on the back of an iPhone 12 (or later), and an array of 3/8" and 1/4" female threads on the other. Now I can attach my iPhone to practically anything.

I can use the adapter with a MagSafe compatible case on, or just on the phone itself, making it the simplest and most versatile mobile photo accessory that I've to date. Just pop it on and it stays put.

In addition to attaching the phone to a tripod, I can also use the adapter to connect flash adapters, microphone holders, magic arms, and anything else that uses a 1/4" thread. I can even hitch the iPhone to a camera.

If you're serious about iPhone photography, then you'll want one of these on your pocket tripod.

Virtual Camera Club News

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 46 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!

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

I'm surprised at how often I want to connect an iPhone to some sort of tripod. Yes, it's a mobile device, but it's so good at so many things.

And if you're a photographer who appreciates the imaging athleticism of the iPhone 12 and 13, then you realize that their capabilities can stretch into areas that we traditionally used a tripod for, such as time-lapse, video interviews, panoramas, and night photography.

The problem was, until a week ago for me, that I hadn't discovered a satisfactory way to connect my iPhone 12 Pro Max to any type of 3-legged beast, large or small. That is, until I found the Moment Multi-Threaded Mount for MagSafe (best deal: $29.95).

This machined disc that feels like a slim hockey puck has a powerful magnet on one side that attaches to the MagSafe connector on the back of an iPhone 12 (or later), and an array of 3/8" and 1/4" female threads on the other. Now I can attach my iPhone to practically anything.

I can use the adapter with a MagSafe compatible case on, or just on the phone itself, making it the simplest and most versatile mobile photo accessory that I've to date. Just pop it on and it stays put.

In addition to attaching the phone to a tripod, I can also use the adapter to connect flash adapters, microphone holders, magic arms, and anything else that uses a 1/4" thread. I can even hitch the iPhone to a camera.

If you're serious about iPhone photography, then you'll want one of these on your pocket tripod.

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #813, Oct. 19, 2021. Today's theme is "The New M1 MacBook Pro for Photographers." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Apple showed off its next generation of Apple Silicon processors for two new laptops, and they are impressive. Not only the speed bumps, but the actual designs of the computers are improved as well, especially for photographers. And that's our lead story for today's TDS Photography Podcast. I hope you enjoy the show.

Tune-In Via Your Favorite Podcast App!

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The New M1 MacBook Pro for Photographers

Apple hardware presentations are usually interesting to watch. But today's unveiling of the new 14" and 16" MacBook Pros with M1 Pro processors was truly impressive. Let's take a look at the notable features for the 14" models, which I think is ideal for most photographers.

• Battery Life - 17 hours video playback, 11 hours of wireless web browsing.
• SSD Speed - Up to 7.4GB/s or two times the previous generation speed. Can open thousands of RAW photos at once. The base SSD is now 512 GB with an options for 1, 2, 4, or 8 TBs.
• Display - Liquid Retina XDR with Extreme Dynamic Range and ProMotion with refresh rates of up to 120Hz. The resolution for the 14.2" is 3024x1964, 5.9 million pixels at 254 ppi (1 billion colors).
• Video Conferencing - 1080p camera with three studio quality mics using directional beamforming to ensure a loud and clear voice. BTW: A 6-speaker sound system with spatial audio is also part of this setup.
• Ports and Connections - SDXC card reader, direct HDMI output, a 3.5 mm headphone jack that detects and automatically adjusts for high‑impedance headphones, 3 Thunderbolt 4 ports, and they brought back the MagSafe port (and you still can charge via Thunderbolt as well, includes a USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable). You can connect up to two Pro Display XDRs with M1 Pro.
• Improved Keyboard - Magic Keyboard brings a full‑height function key row to MacBook Pro -- with the tactile feel of mechanical keys that pros love. It includes new keyboard shortcuts for Spotlight, Siri, Dictation, and Do Not Disturb. And Touch ID has a new, tactile ring that guides your finger for a fast, easy, secure way to unlock your Mac.
• Processor - Apple M1 Pro chip with 8-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 2 efficiency cores, 14-core GPU.
• Media Engine - Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW, Video decode engine, Video encode engine, and ProRes encode and decode engine.
• Price - 14" M1 Pro with 16 GB Unified Memory and 512 GB SSD is $1,999 or $2,499 for the 1 TB model with 10-Core CPU ad 16-Core GPU.

Bottom line: this is an incredible laptop for photographers.

Infrared Photography Showcase from Our Recent Workshop

For the past month, our workshop photographers have been learning and practicing techniques for producing infrared images. Our class presentation was on Saturday, and I wanted to share a sample of the wonderful work they produced.

You can see the gallery here.

During the class presentation, each photographer talked about his or her images, shared the processes they used to create them, and discussed their plans for future work.

And because these are online events, we have participants from all over the world, ranging from England, to the U.S. east coast, the midwest, and California. So not only do they bring their unique artistic visions, but also a sense of where they live and what life is like there.

If you want to learn more about our online classes, visit The Nimble Photographer Workshops page. Among the other events, our next infrared photography workshop is scheduled for May 2022.

Apple's Most Tricked-Out M1 Max-Powered MacBook Pro Costs $6,099

You can read the entire article on PetaPixel.com.

The most tricked-out 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Max will cost $6,099 which is significantly more than the max price of $2,300 for the first M1 13-inch MacBook Pro announced last year.

While Apple said that the 16-inch M1 Max-powered machine starts at $3,500, it's not hard to almost double that. Jumping from 32GB of unified memory up to 64GB of unified memory adds $400, and moving to 8TB of SSD storage capacity up from 1TB adds a whopping $2,200. Together, that brings the final price to $6,099.

Luckily, most won't need that much internal storage thanks to the abundance of Thunderbolt ports that support blazing fast external storage. If the base 1TB SSD isn't touched, the most powerful MacBook Pro Apple has ever made costs a much more approachable $3,900. That's not anything close to cheap, but if Apple is to be believed, this computer is set to make the M1, which already roasted much of the competition, look slow by comparison.

Sony teases the Sony a7 IV, confirms October 21 announcement

You can read the entire article on DP Review.

Sony has announced the forthcoming premiere for a new Alpha camera set to debut in just three days, at 10am EDT / 15:00 BST / 22:00 SGT on October 21.

As tends to be the case with many of these YouTube premiere teasers, Sony doesn't reveal any details about the camera in the video's description or in the placeholder image. That is, aside from the confirmation it will be a Sony Alpha camera system and its announcement date.

October 21 should prove to be an exciting day for Sony full-frame mirrorless camera fans.

Virtual Camera Club News

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! (And welcome to our new members.)

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 46 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!

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

For the past month, our workshop photographers have been learning and practicing techniques for producing infrared images. Our class presentation was on Saturday, and I wanted to share a sample of the wonderful work they produced.

Harry Telegadas - Butterfly with flowers.

Jeffrey Ambs - The walking bridge.

Nelson Charette - Portrait of a rose.

Laurence R. Martin - The water canal.

Peter Ruczynski - House with trees.

Donald Guthrie - Tree with church.

Beverly Braun - Cabin with grass and sky.

During the class presentation, each photographer talked about his or her images, shared the processes they used to create them, and discussed their plans for future work.

And because these are online events, we have participants from all over the world, ranging from England, to the U.S. east coast, the midwest, and California. So not only do they bring their unique artistic visions, but also a sense of where they live and what life is like there.

If you want to learn more about our online classes, visit The Nimble Photographer Workshops page. Among the other events, our next infrared photography workshop is scheduled for May 2022.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #812, Oct. 12, 2021. Today's theme is "If There Ever Was a Time to Stand Pat." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

I have become very familiar with the term, Request Stock Alert. As I compare recent camera announcements with availability, I see there is a fairly wide gap. You can receive shipment on some items, but they may not be the exact thing that you're hoping for. And this got me thinking, maybe this is a good time to simply appreciate the equipment that I have, and leave it at that. I explore this topic on today's TDS Photography Podcast (and lots more!). I hope you enjoy the show.

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If There Ever Was a Time to Stand Pat

Let's start with the story of my studio refrigerator.

When it comes to cameras, we're seeing a similar situation. Here's the latest Stock Requests on B&H:

Fujifilm XT-4, Fujifilm X100V, Fujifilm X-E4, Fujifilm X-T30II, Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R3 (preorder), Canon EOS R6 (body only), Canon EOS M50 Mark II,Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z fc (body only or with 28mm), Ricoh GR III X (not in US at all except through an Amazon channel), Sony Alpha a7S III (body only), Sony Alpha 1 (body only), and Sony ZV-E10 (body only).

Pentax, Panasonic, and Olympus had good stock numbers and could ship immediately.

With prices on the rise and availability spotty at best, it might be time to stand pat with your current gear. And maybe this is something we should be doing anyway.

Our Inner Circle Winner of Ben Long's New Book

Congratulations to John Pemberton who wrote:

"There are a number of things I liked that resonated, such as it's ok to shoot cliches, or that not every shot has to be the best ever, some are simply meant to be supporting images for others or practice for the future.

"But the insight I am going to use first and foremost is taking the practice of looking at other photographer's work to my photo club and pitch the idea of a "photo book of the quarter" that many of us get, review and then share with others who do the same. Then for one of our meetings we discuss an image that we each liked the most and why."

John, please send me your mailing address!

Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements 2022 announced with new Sensei-powered technology

You can read the entire article on DP Review.

Adobe has announced the 2022 versions of its Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements software. The applications are designed to make creative photo and video editing accessible and fun.

To that end, Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements include what Adobe calls 'Guided Edits.' These are step-by-step interactive tutorials you can use on your photos and videos to achieve specific editing tasks. The new applications add four new Guided Edits, bringing the total to 87.

The four new Guided Edits include a couple in Photoshop Elements, and the other two are in Premiere Elements. In Photoshop Elements, you can use a new Guided Edit to edit pet photos and extend photo backgrounds. For pet photos, you can adjust color and lighting, select and refine detailed edges like fur, remove collars and leashes and more. In the Guided Edit for extending photo backgrounds, you can use Content-Aware Fill technology to extend your image beyond its original crop, either to change an aspect ratio or just change up the framing.

Looking now at just Photoshop Elements 2022, the new software uses more Adobe Sensei AI technology than last year's release. You can use Adobe Sensei to transform your photographs into painting-inspired images. You can select from different artistic effects inspired by famous artwork and other popular styles.

Another Sensei-powered feature is the ability to warp photos to fit any shape. You can place one photo inside another by wrapping it around an object, like a mug, or fit the image into shapes, like the sunglasses example above.

Within Photoshop Elements 2022, you can combine still and motion photography with animated frames. You can place different moving overlays like snowflakes, hearts and sparkles to your still photos and then export the motion image as an .MP4 to share on social media.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 also includes new slideshow styles, a revised Organizer that lets you view GIFs in motion, and automatic software updates.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 and Premiere Elements 2022 are available now. The applications are available for macOS and Windows and can be purchased standalone or in a bundle. Standalone versions are $99.99 for new users and $79.99 to upgrade. The bundle is $149.99 or $119.99 for eligible upgrades. Education pricing is also available.

How I Made a Large Wall Print from an iPhone 6S

You can read the entire article on Medium.com.

Practically every photographer has Photoshop somewhere on their computer, even if it is generations old. One of the most useful tools in that application is Image Size, and you can use it to give your 12 MP smartphone pictures a resolution bump. This is particularly handy for making 13" x 19" prints.

For example, a 2016 shot of the Golden Gate Bridge that was captured with an iPhone 6S.

The original file measured 3024 x 4032 pixels. If I printed it at 300 dpi, I could make a 10" x 13" print with no cropping at all. That's short of the 13" x 19" output we were hoping for. But using Image Size, I could get there.

In Photoshop, I went to Image > Image Size, checked the box next to Resample with the Bicubic Smoother option, and increased the Fit parameters to 150 percent. The resolution remained at 72 ppi for this step. After clicking OK, Photoshop said that I could now make a 15" x 20" print at 300 ppi from the very same image. Yay.

Pergear Reveals a 10mm f/5.6 Pancake Fisheye Lens for Multiple Mounts

You can read the entire article on PetaPixel.

Pergear has announced the new 10mm f/5.6 fisheye lens for Fuji X-mount, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E-mount. The ultra-wide manual lens provides a 172-degree angle of view, which the company says is perfect for exploring creativity through distorting and exaggerating normal perspectives.

The new fisheye lens is made of solid metal but weighs only 100 grams (0.2 pounds). The front lens has a multi-layer coating that suppresses flare and ghosting. It also adds greater contrast and color reproduction when shooting in strong lighting conditions, the company claims. The lens comes with a built-in petal-shaped lens hood to provide protection for the lens and also to prevent stray light from entering the lens and causing unwanted flare.

The new Pergear 10mm f/5.6 fisheye lens is available on Pergear's online store for $89.

Virtual Camera Club News

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts! (And welcome to our new members.) And be sure to sign up for Inner Circle Annual Gathering of the Clans on Saturday, October 23.

My Writing on Medium.com: I now have 46 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!

Product Links and Comments

There are product links in this article that contain affiliate tags. In some cases, depending on the product, The Digital Story may receive compensation if you purchase a product via one of those links. There is no additional cost to you.

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

Practically every photographer has Photoshop somewhere on their computer, even if it is generations old. One of the most useful tools in that application is Image Size, and you can use it to give your 12 MP smartphone pictures a resolution bump. This is particularly handy for making 13" x 19" prints.

For example, this 2016 shot of the Golden Gate Bridge was captured with an iPhone 6S.

Original iPhone 6S photo. All pictures by Derrick Story.

The original file measured 3024 x 4032 pixels. If I printed it at 300 dpi, I could make a 10" x 13" print with no cropping at all. That's short of the 13" x 19" output we were hoping for. But using Image Size, I could get there.

Using Image Size to sample up the picture.

In Photoshop, I went to Image > Image Size, checked the box next to Resample with the Bicubic Smoother option, and increased the Fit parameters to 150 percent. The resolution remained at 72 ppi for this step. After clicking OK, Photoshop said that I could now make a 15" x 20" print at 300 ppi from the very same image. Yay.

After Image Size, I had the resolution I needed to make a print.

Once I had the resolution that I needed, I could enhance the image and make that 13" x 19" print that I was hankering for.

We can use all sorts of tools to sample up images, even the Swiss army knife app, Preview, has Adjust Size that provides this functionality. And of course, we've been reading about the new software that uses AI to further refine the results.

But Photoshop, if you have it, is a sweet spot because it is readily available, provides lots of options for sampling up and sampling down, and works great.

BTW: that Golden Gate Bridge shot is now hanging on my wall at home.

The final product hanging on the wall.

If you want to know more about the story of this shot, check out my Medium.com article titled, How I Made a Large Wall Print from an iPhone 6S.

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