I get a kick out of creating landscape panoramas. When trying to photograph a beautiful vista, panoramas come closer to what I'm actually feeling while standing there.

Many cameras these days will handle the alignment and stitching for you. Some do better than others. I recently tested the Olympus TG-1 compact "tough" camera in Maui. While doing so, I tried its auto panorama scene mode. Here are the results.

Good Panorama

The camera performed well when I did this three-frame pano of the Maui rainforest. There are most likely flaws in the shot. But the forest hides them pretty well. This one I could show to friends.

Bad Panorama

Things got worse, however, when I tried to shoot ocean scenes with big skies. In this shot, the alignment is off, and you can see the seams in the sky where the 3 frames are adjoined.

The Ugly.

But wait! Things can get worse. In this attempt just about everything that could go wrong, did.

Moral of the story. Handheld panoramas captured in auto stitching mode are a total crap shoot. Technology can make up for some of my laziness. But sometimes I just have to break out the tripod and shoot things the old fashioned way.

I have to admit though, these were fun to make.

You can find more photo tips and "photography how tos" on my Pinterest page.

Half the fun of image editing in a non-destructive environment is playing with different techniques. If you stumble across a look that you want to repeat in the future, you can save those settings as an Effect in Aperture. Here's how.

Click on the Effects popup menu (near the top of the Adjustments panel) and choose "Save as Effect." This brings up the Effects Presets dialog where you can name your new look. At the same time, decide which image edits you want saved as part of the Effect. Some of the adjustments you might have done, such as tweaking Curves, might be specific to the photograph, but not necessarily part of the preset you're creating.

To eliminate an adjustment from the preset, just click on the "-" symbol next to its name. When you're done, click the OK button.

To apply the Effect to another image, go back to the Effects popup menu, and you should see your new preset in the list. Mouse over it to get a preview of how it will look. If you like it, just click and it will be applied to your image.

You can fine-tune the picture by using the other tools in the Adjustments panel.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture 3, check out my Aperture 3 Essential Training on Lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

My next open Aperture Workshop is scheduled for Nov. 2012, in Santa Rosa, CA. You can get on the pre-registration list, plus learn about all the other photography workshops offered this season by visiting the TDS Workshops page.

The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!

For a week of hiking, snorkeling, and lounging around the pool in Maui, I depended on one camera - The Olympus Tough TG-1. Not only did it stand up to a week of island abuse, I got great pictures too. In this week's podcast, I talk about the Tough and how it was an integral part of my super nimble workflow.

Speaking of which, I detail the steps of getting the job done with just an iPad and the TG-1. Everything I needed to capture, organize, and publish fit in a light Lowepro Photo Hatchback bag. Don't believe it can be done???

And finally, I jumped in with both feet to Instagram while on the island. Near the end of the show, talk about the things I learned along the way. All of this and more in this week's TDS podcast.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (32 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

Street Scene is the August 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is August 30, 2012.

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 have the opposite problem with my camera phone. I'm so used to carrying a regular camera that I forget to shoot with my iPhone 4S. So even though I have an Instagram account (derrickstory), I haven't really tapped its potential. That is, until last week.

Heading out of town for a trip to Maui. Instagrams by Derrick Story.

Since I was in Nimble Photographer mode already (iPad, Olympus TG-1, tropical drink), why not take advantage of the joy of iPhone photography and share those images immediately via Instagram? It was a good call.

VW Bus on Maui.

Shooting Instagrams is pure "slice of life" photography. Something catches your eye, you capture it immediately, add a little spice to it, then share. The whole process can be completed in a minute... enough time to catch up to the rest of the group that kept walking as you created your masterpiece.

Breakfast at Gazebo on Maui.

So now that I'm back on the mainland, am I going to keep shooting Instagrams? Yes, indeed. I think they help me slow down a bit and pay more attention to the world around me.

If you want to explore with me, you can find Instagram in the App Store.

The Olympus TG-1iHS Camera"tough" is designed to withstand shock, cold, rain, and yes even immersion to 40'. I decided to put this camera to the "snorkeling test" on a recent trip to Maui to see how it would hold up to a week of water activity. The bottom line: this camera is not only tough, it takes great pictures. Here are a few samples. I will report more on its features in upcoming articles.

Black Rock, Maui. Photos by Derrick Story.

Sea Turtle, Maui

Ornate Butterflyfish

Moorish Idol

Take a look at the Olympus Micro Four Thirds Gear Guide for an overview of cameras, lenses, and accessories.

Canon issued a product advisory covering a potential focusing problem with the 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens.

In short, if you put pressure on the front of the lens, it may stop auto focusing. If this happens, you can fix the problem by detaching, then reattaching the lens. We should see a firmware update to correct this soon.

Canon 40mm prime mounted on a EOS 60D.

Sometimes the fun shots are available at dinner time.

After our meal, I got up from the table to work on this shot for a few minutes. And when I came back, everyone was gone.

Sometimes the photographer's life is a lonely one...

I want the sand beneath my toes and the sun low on the horizon... and not much more during my vacation in Maui. So when it comes to gear, I'm in Nimble Photographer mode.

Here's what I'm packing during my 8 days in paradise. Over my shoulder is the versatile Lowepro Photo Hatchback 16L AW. It protects my camera gear and iPad while leaving plenty of room for personal items while exploring the island. And when it's time hike to my favorite snorkeling spot, I remove the camera box allowing enough room in the bag to carry my mask, snorkel, fins (sticking out the top) and Olympus TG-1 underwater camera (more on this beauty in an upcoming post).

After I return from my swim, I put the camera box back in the Photo Hatchback and get into photographer mode. For these adventures I'm carrying the Olympus OM-D E-M5 with the 14-42mm zoom and Power Battery Holder HLD-6. I usually leave the bottom part of the HLD-6 back in my room and just use the grip.

I'm also carrying the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 R Lens, the 17mm f/2.8 Lens, and the 45mm f/1.8 Lens. All of this fits in the Photo Hatchback camera box along with the XZ-1 10MP Compact Camera that I also carry separately at times in my board shorts.

Olympus XZ-1 with VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder. I often choose the XZ-1 for my compact camera because I can use the electronic viewfinder with it, which is great in bright beach conditions. More about this in the article, Olympus XZ-1 with VF-2 Electronic Viewfinder - Best of Both Worlds?.

I round out this nimble kit with a Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Mini Tripod with Ballhead and the new iPad with Camera Connection Kit.

So in my Photo Hatchback that only weighs 2 lbs to begin with, I have a 16 MP CSC body, 4 lenses, compact camera with f/1.8 zoom lens, underwater camera with f/2 zoom lens, tablet computer, card reader, and still tons of room for personal items. And with these tools that nary strain my shoulder, I can handle image editing, uploading, blog posting, and keep up with my social networking... all in-between the occasional refreshing drink.

Take a look at the Olympus Micro Four Thirds Gear Guide for an overview of cameras, lenses, and accessories.

Leah Lavoneh works on both sides of the camera. As a junior college student, she studies Anthropology and enjoys taking photographs. To help cover expenses, she works part time as a model. Leah recently loaded up the Lowepro Photo Hatchback 16L AW and took it on a road trip to Oregon and Washington State. She was looking forward to exploring the beautiful scenery with a Canon DSLR and her outdoor gear.

"Hiking with the Photo Hatchback was an unexpected pleasure," Leah remarked. "Its compact size is deceiving; it has compartments for food, water bottles, sunscreen, extra clothing, flashlights, and other random stuff needed on the trail -- and all of this while still providing great protection for my camera."

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington by Leah Lavoneh.

Part of the pleasant surprise with this bag unique "backside" compartment that keeps expensive gear protected, yet has fast access to make picture-taking easy. All Leah had to do was slide off the shoulder straps and swing the bag around via its waist belt. Then she could access her camera without having to set the bag on the ground.

Backside camera access.

"The ability to use my camera while still wearing the backpack around my waist really made life on the trail easy," she said. "Not only did this feature help keep the backpack clean, it was much easier to put the camera away once I had taken the photo. In fact, it was so convenient, I found myself taking more pictures than normal."

"I loved not having to set my bag down in order to get to my camera," Leah said.

Having this kind of capacity without the heft kept Leah light on her feet while exploring the Northwest.

"The Photo Hatchback wasn't bulky at all. So, for example, when I was squeezing between boulders in Ape Cave (a pitch-black lava tube), I didn't have the annoyance that usually accompanies bigger backpacks."

Other helpful features of the Photo Hatchback include an All Weather cover in case the weather turns nasty, a dedicated pocket for an iPad, and a fully adjustable harness system for just the right fit.

The only downside to convenient picture taking? "I have so many images to sort through now," Leah exclaimed.

Editor's note: The the Lowepro Photo Hatchback 16L AW is available for $89.95 from B&H Photo. Thanks to Leah Lavoneh for sharing her experience and a photo from her trip. Bag provided by Lowepro.

You can find more photo tips and "photography how tos" on my Pinterest page.

Inquiring minds want to know, right? On most Canon DSLRs, once you get over 100,000 shutter actuations, the risk of it failing increases (pro bodies more like 300,000). So how do you find out?

Canon 40mm prime mounted on a EOS 60D. Photo by Derrick Story.

I just read a good article full of information on this topic titled, Finding the number of shutter actuations for your Canon EOS DSLR. The author, Shane, provides good background information on the subject, then lists links to freeware utilities that can help you determine the shutter actuations for your camera.

It's not something that I lose sleep over at night. But it is cool that I can find out if I want to.

You can find more photo tips and "photography how tos" on my Pinterest page.