Recently I commented in one of my podcasts that I wasn't finding much of interest in the Photography category of the Mac App Store. I must not have been looking close enough. Because hiding there, just waiting to be discovered, is FX Photo Studio ($9.99 US) and FX Photo Studio Pro ($39.99 US). Each brings a ginormous collection of easy to apply photo effects, snappy performance, and an easy to use interface.

Click on image for larger version.

Import and Export

The Import Photo button lets you tap your Aperture, iPhoto, or Lightroom library. It's well implemented, allowing you to browse folders, projects, albums, and collections. The file size that gets handed off to FX Photo Studio is the preview resolution that you establish in your photo management application.

Also, this is not a roundtrip. Once you import the file into FX Photo Studio, you have to save it to a destination, that is, unless you use iPhoto. In that case, you can export directly from FX Photo Studio (either version) back to iPhoto.

With the Pro version, you can import Raw files directly into the app. This is along with the Tiff, Jpeg, PNG, and BMP files that both versions accept. Direct import (of any file type, not just Raw) using the Load Image command also allows you to export larger files out of FX Photo Studio, because you are no longer constrained by the imported preview size from the photo management application that prepared the photo for hand off. In other words, if you want big files to come out of FX Photo Studio, then bring them in directly and not through Aperture or Lightroom. (Unless of course, you have really big previews set for those apps.)

The application also allows you to import directly from a device, such as your digital camera.

Lots of Effects

Both versions of FX Photo Studio have 172 effects organized into 21 categories. As you might imagine, this is the strength of the program. It provides thumbnail examples of each effect applied to the image that you're working on. Once you choose one, it renders a larger version fairly quickly. You can then fine tune the look with adjustment sliders that accompany the effect. There were many that I liked a lot.

You can apply multiple effects to a single image. And if you come up with something that you really like, you can save it as a preset for later use, or for sharing with a friend.

Adjustment Sliders

The Pro version includes a number of image adjustment sliders that include the controls that you'd expect such as exposure, temperature, saturation; plus highlights, shadows, sharpening, and more. These work fine on both Jpegs and Raw files, but they are for fine tuning your image rather than replacing your primary image editor. Photoshop and Aperture will still sleep well at night.

Nice Touches

Both versions include some nice touches such as an attractive full screen mode, real time zooming (including trackpad gestures), side by side comparison, and direct sharing to the major social network sites including Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also email a photo directly from FX Photo Studio using Mail.app.

Bottom Line

Unless you need to process Raw files in FX Photo Studio, the standard version for $9.99 should provide you with all that you need. It interacts with iPhoto, Aperture, and Lightroom (using their previews), has all 172 effects, plus includes the above-mentioned goodies, except for the additional image adjustment sliders. If you want to open Raw files directly in the app, then you will need the the $39.99 Pro version.

I think FX Photo Studio is worth the ten bucks for the effects alone. Plus I very much enjoyed the speed of this application on my MacBook Air, not to mention the handsome, easy to use interface. FX Photo Studio is a gem awaiting your discovery in the Mac App Store.

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Matt Kloskowski has published his Insta-Lightroom Nashville-like Preset for Lightroom as a free download from the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips blog.

He writes, "Every time I turn around, I see photos from the Instagram app that have that old vintage look to them. It's kinda funny, because it can throw up a photo of someone's shoes, but it always seems to look good when it has a old-vintage style with a really strong vignette added to it. Anyway, here's a free preset that mimics the style."

It's cool, and it's free. What more could you ask for?

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For this shot of Danielle Winkler at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura, I set a Canon 320 EX on the ground pointing upward at her, then triggered it with a Canon 60D using the 15-85mm EF-S zoom set to 31mm. The built-in flash trigger on the 60D is very handy when you're traveling light, but still want to experiment with lighting.

I mounted a polarizer over the lens to maintain the tone in the sky. Exposure was 1/250th at f/5.6. The photo was processed in Aperture 3 with the Silver Efex Pro 2 plug-in. The image grain was added during processing. The original picture was captured at ISO 160 and is virtually noise free.

I had a blast during the entire shoot experimenting with different lighting configurations. Don't underestimate the results you can get with a single flash, a great setting, and a talented subject.

More Off Camera Flash Tutorials

If you want to learn more about getting pro results from simple flash units, be sure to check out my Off Camera Flash title on Lynda.com. I show you all sorts of helpful lighting techniques that are especially good for portraits.

Off Camera Flash - Basic Techniques for Pro Results

Light Modifiers for Off Camera Flash

Off Camera Flash - The Single Light Portrait

Control Background and Subject with Off Camera Flash

"More Off Camera Flash" - Digital Photography Podcast 233

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We're putting the finishing touches today on my latest lynda.com title, "Organizing and Archiving Digital Photos" (you can see my entire library here). We've been working on this title for over a year, and I think there will be concepts in these movies that will help every shooter in our community.

Derrick Story on the set of "Organizing and Archiving Digital Photos" at lynda.com

Unlike other titles that focus on a specific application, I start with basic organizational concepts, then show you how they can be applied to scenarios where you use Lightroom, Aperture, or just stick with the file management system in your operating system. We're both platform and application agnostic in this series. There are workflows for beginners, intermediate, and advanced alike. You choose which approach works best for you.

In general, I recorded the Aperture hands-on pieces on a Mac, and the Lightroom movies on Windows 7. Plus I cover RAID1 hard drives, LAN computing, and personal cloud storage. And... there are a few surprises.

I anticipate that the title will be released this September. If you want to be notified when it's live, just send me an email, and I will keep you posted, plus provide you links to key movies.

I'm passionate about this title because preserving your work, and being able to easily access it, is important for all of us.

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If I've learned nothing else over the years, I've grasped the concept that photography is an evolving medium. I think this is a good thing because it encourages us, as individuals, to grow too.

I just read 22 Things You Can Do Today to Change Your Photography Forever. There are many good ideas in this article worth considering. Try one or two yourself. It might provide that little kick-start you're looking for to go to the next level.

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I learned about Going Candid: An Unorthodox Approach to Street Photography (PDF download, 8.6 MBs) via a post by its author, Thomas Leuthard, on Google+. I downloaded the eBook and have enjoyed both the images and straightforward approach to street photography described by Thomas.

If you're interested in candid photography in general, or street shooting specifically, I think you'll find these nuggets of wisdom useful in this free download... and share it with your friends!

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It's been a while since we've had a visit from the Nimble Photographer, so I thought after being on the road for a couple weeks would be a good time for a check in. I review some of my favorite iPad photography apps, talk about a sweet camera bag that's soon to be released, and chat up the virtues of nimbleosity. Recorded from my hotel room in Ventura, CA.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (34 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Reflection is the August 2011 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is August 30, 2011.

TDS Nov. Aperture Workshop

I'm considering adding an Aperture Workshop on Nov. 12th and 13th. If you want your name on the reserve list, or just more information, drop me a line.

More Ways to Participate

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

Podcast Sponsors

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Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to saven 20% at check out.

I always have a few model releases in my camera bag in case I capture a great portrait on the fly. One thing I've learned over the years is that you have to get the signed release on the spot. If you wait to exchange emails at a later date, the odds of you getting the release diminish substantially.

Since I always have my iPad in my camera bag, I can now use Photographers Contract Maker (for iPad and iPhone) instead. It comes with four templates: photo shoot, model release, copyright release, and 2nd shooter work for hire.

After a little practice, I was able to complete a model release in just a couple minutes, then have the PDF emailed to me and the model right on the spot. The model signs the release using the touchscreen.

Photographers Contract Maker is available in the App Store for $2.99. Don't leave home without it!

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Adobe has created a CS5 Hidden Gems channel, hosted by Bryan O'Neil Hughes. Via a series of short videos, Bryan demonstrates helpful, interesting techniques for Photoshop.

You can learn how to straighten images with ease, restore old photographs, remove a wire, and more. Plus, Bryan will be adding more hidden gems to this channel, so you might want to subscribe to it.

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"Sharing a View" by Derrick Story. Click on image for larger version.

Who says that man and animal have different sensibilities? In this case, everyone seems to be enjoying a late morning view of the ocean waves.

Captured with a Canon 60D, 15-85mm E-FS zoom, polarizer, and processed in Aperture 3 with Silver Efex Pro.

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