Frederick and I grab a table at an outdoor cafe in Yerba Buena to discuss mobile photography and to answer the question, "Can you travel with just an iPad and your digital camera?" The short answer is, "Yes."

Watch this interview and discover, in detail, how nimble photography can enhance your creativity and enjoyment without sacrificing quality.

iPad for Digital Photographers

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

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You might not realize that iPhoto and iMovie can talk to each other on your iPad. This is great news for those wanting to author slideshows with a bit more pizzaz and control compared to what can be created in the Photos app.

In my latest Macworld Magazine article, Building Better Slideshows on Your iPad, I walk you through the process, step by step.

You have much more control over your presentation in iMovie for iOS than with the Photos app.

The basic workflow is to organize and edit your images in iPhoto for iOS. Once you have everything looking the way you want, send the images over to iMovie for iOS. From there you can add Ken Burns effect, transitions, titles, and music. When the presentation is finished, upload it directly to YouTube or a handful of other social media options.

And like other creative projects on the iPad, it just feels more fun to create a slideshow on a tablet than a computer.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

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We see it all the time. People holding up their iPads and taking pictures. Thanks to the smaller size of the iPad mini, this endeavor doesn't look quite as awkward as with the full sized version.

But can you capture quality images from an iPad mini? Thanks to software optimization from independent developers, my answer is yes.

Here is a four shot comparison to help you draw your own conclusion. I captured three images using the iPad mini with Digital Negative HD in Tiff mode, Pro Camera HD in high quality Jpeg mode, and the Camera app that comes with iOS 6. I also shot a reference photo with the Fujifilm X20 12 MP digital camera in Jpeg mode.

Here's how the comparisons shook out. (Click on images for larger versions.)

Digital Negative HD app for iOS in Tiff capture mode

Pro Camera HD app for iOS in high quality Jpeg mode

Camera app that comes with iOS 6

Fujifilm X-20 digital camera in Jpeg mode

Conclusion

The iPad mini doesn't produce images as detailed as a dedicated compact camera, but it's not bad either. And thanks to clever software apps such as Digital Negative HD and Pro Camera HD, you can squeeze every drop of quality out of that tiny sensor.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

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If you're looking for a compact camera that works seamlessly with your iPad (or iPhone) for on-the-fly processing and sharing of images, you may want to investigate the just-released Canon PowerShot Nwith built-in WiFi. When paired with Canon's Camera Window app for iOS, you have an ultra compact "capture - edit - publish" duo.

PowerShot N with an iPad mini.

Why not just use the camera on your iPad or iPhone instead? Of course you can (we all do). But the PowerShot N gives you these additional features.

• Sharp 28mm - 224mm optical zoom (8X) with additional 4X digital zoom available.
• High quality 12 MP sensor that is remarkably noise-free at higher ISOs.
• True Program mode with exposure compensation and metering patterns.
• Plenty of creative tools to create interesting images.

Connecting to the iPad

You can communicate with your iOS device over an existing network or have the camera establish its own access point. You can also set up a preferred device, such as an iPad, that connects with a single push of a button on the right side of the camera.

But you can add additional devices too, such as an iPhone and computer, that can be selected using the WiFi menu. Once you become familiar with navigating these menus, you can switch from one device to another in just a few seconds.

Communication between the iPad and PowerShot N was flawless while at home or at my studio when I had control over the network. But what about in public? I packed my tandem and traveled to Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA to watch the Golden State Warriors battle the San Antonio Spurs with 19,000 of my closest friends. The networks are often quite busy at Oracle. So how would the PowerShot N fare there?

Right away it decided to create its own access network. It presented a network name and password on its LCD that I was to enter in the Settings app on my iPad. I did. And it worked.

While at Oracle, I published four images that I had just captured to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr -- all from my iPad mini after transferring from the PowerShot N. This shot of Klay Thompson, for example, required all of 224 mm optical zoom on the Canon (ISO 1600). This is the actual shot I published to Flickr from Oracle Arena from the iPad mini.

Ultimate iPad Companion?

So is the $299 Canon PowerShot Nthe ultimate iPad companion? Well, in terms of communication and transferring photos, I would say that it's top drawer. But I'm still learning about this camera, and will file another report once I have a bit more experience with its other features. For the moment, however, I give it a very high nimbleosity rating.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

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Creating a portfolio on your iPad says that you have reached a certain point in your photography. It makes the statement, "Not only do I know how to make a photograph, I know how to present it as well."

Here are five tips from my latest book, iPad for Digital Photographers that will help you build your mobile portfolio.

• Don't add too many images. Limit your portfolio to 12-28 photographs.
• When in doubt, leave it out. If you're debating whether or not to include a certain photo, you probably shouldn't.
• When sharing your portfolio, avoid pointing out aspects of an image you don't like. Once you point out a "flaw," that's all the viewer will see.
• Hand the iPad to the viewer and let them navigate. This allows them to enjoy your work at their own pace.
• Listen to what viewers say. Comments about your photos are gifts. Accept them with an open mind.

Assemble your portfolio now and have it ready to go. Nothing kills the moment like fishing around for shots on a mobile device.

There's plenty more about this topic in Chapter 6 of iPad for Digital Photographers, titled, Presenting Your Mobile Portfolio.

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Photographers who shoot Raw often don't realize their camera might have a powerful image processing function that creates Jpeg variations of those Raw files in camera. There are many advantages to this capability.

For mobile shooters, it eliminates the need to capture in Raw + Jpeg. You can shoot in Raw, convert the images you like to Jpeg in-camera, then send those pictures to your iPad or iPhone for sharing. This approach saves space on the memory card and allows the camera to empty the buffer faster.

Creative photographers have lots to play with here too. Most cameras that support Raw processing (such as the Olympus OM-D and Fuji X20) allow you to add effects during conversion. The sample image in this article is a Raw file converted to Jpeg in an Olympus OM-D using the Key Line Art Filter. I still have the original Raw that I can process normally on my Mac at a later date.

The trick is to learn how your camera handles Raw processing. It's usually an option in the Playback menu. On the OM-D, for example, you press the OK button while viewing a photo. An option appears labeled JPEG Edit. Press OK again and the camera will convert the Raw file to Jpeg and add it to your memory card.

The secret with the OM-D is understanding that the file will be processed with the current camera settings. So if you want to apply an Art Filter, for example, then set that up before you process the Raw file. The result will be a Jpeg with the Art Filter settings applied.

On the Fujifilm X20, the options are presented to you when you choose Raw Conversion from the Playback menu. You have options for Film Simulation (my favorite!), color, exposure, noise reduction, and even push/pull processing. Check your camera's manual for its approach to Raw processing.

Once I convert the Raw file to Jpeg, I can send it directly to my iPad via the Toshiba Flash Air Card using Olympus Image Share iOS app that ignores Raw files on the card and shows me only the Jpegs.

Bottom line, if you love to shoot Raw, but sometimes need Jpegs, in-camera Raw processing might be the perfect workflow for you.

iPad for Digital Photographers

This is the kind of stuff I write about in iPad for Digital Photographers-- now available in print, Kindle, and iBooks format.

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

Photographers: Do you really want to lug your computer everywhere? My camera bag has become so much lighter since I started carrying an iPad when I travel. And yes, you can organize, edit, and share your pictures, just as easily, if not easier, than before.

In my new book, iPad for Digital Photographers ($13.45),I explain the workflows I've developed to upload, organize, edit, and share images while working virtually anywhere in the world.

Using inexpensive, but powerful software on the iPad, plus the latest in wireless technology and cloud services, you can create and publish beautiful images. And it doesn't stop there. I explain how to run your entire photography business using the iPad.

And yes, you can integrate all of these accomplishments with your Mac or Windows computer. Nothing will ever get lost or out of place. You'll have a workflow that streams from camera to iPad to your computer back home.

Sound too good to be true? It isn't. The tools are here now.

iPad for Digital Photographers is available as a paperback book or Kindle Edition from Amazon, or in the iBooks Bookstore for the iPad.

Get more out of your iPad than you ever imagined possible.

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Which of the popular smartphones have the best camera for you? In the article, Super Shootout: Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One vs Apple iPhone 5 vs Nokia Lumia 920 on DP Connect, they put these top four models through basic image testing.

The iPhone 4S was a big photography story, sporting improved optics and an 8MP sensor housed in a very mobile device. Is the iPhone 5 better? How does it compare to the other top models?

Is there a clear winner? Well, not really. My take away was that if you're already shooting with any of these models, you have a pretty good mobile camera. But if you're debating among the group as part of a new purchase, you might want to look at the test results to see which phone best compliments your shooting style.

iPad for Digital Photographers

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I like to write my podcast notes when ideas come to me, regardless of which device I'm using at the moment. That's why I use iA Writer for Mac and iOS. Thanks to iCloud synchronization, I can start my notes on an iPad 3, add to them on my MacBook Pro, then read them off my iPad mini during the show recording.

iPad mini displaying show notes for the TDS podcast in my recording studio.

My biggest problem with this workflow had been finding a high-quality iPad mini stand that was light enough to set on my MacBook Pro 17" during recording, and adjustable enough to get just the right viewing angle.

Fortunately, I discovered the the FrameShift Mini stand for the iPad mini and iPhone 5. Assembled by hand, using anodized aircraft grade aluminum with abrasion-resistant rubber padding and stainless steel hardware, the FrameShift Mini can be adjusted to just about any angle, then folds up for easy transport. It's just as handy in the studio as it is on a fold-out tray table while flying.

The FrameShift Mini that I use to position my iPad mini to help me in the recording studio.

Of course, it's the iPad mini that pulls this all together. In addition to all of the other things it does so well, the mini is a terrific note-taking device, and my favorite PDF reference. I keep all of my owners' and technical manuals on the iPad. It's my own personal library availabe anywhere I happen to be.

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You have a DSLR around your neck, and another body in your camera bag. You should be able to cover just about anything, right?

Yes, indeed. Especially since you have a formidable third option in your pocket. An iPhone.

Wide angle shot captured with an iPhone 4S in panorama mode.

I love standing in the thick of things and pulling out my iPhone to record panoramas. Those images look much different than anything I shoot with my other cameras. I often hold the iPhone overhead and sweep across the scene to capture an entirely new perspective.

Panorama mode is built into the Camera app. Tap the Options button to reveal the Panorama control. Once enabled, you can sweep from left to right, or right to left. Just tap on the side that you want to begin recording.

If you have Photo Stream enabled, the images can go directly into your Aperture or iPhoto library. Since I'm an Aperture user, I've set up iPhoto to house my Photo Stream images. Then I use what I need and archive the rest.

When on location, you never know which perspective you're going to like the best. But you can't choose among them if you don't record 'em in the first place. So don't forget about that third option in your pocket.

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Using Aperture and iPhoto Together