Today Apple announced two new models of the MacBook Air. The larger of the two, 13.3", could be the mobile device that nimble photographers have been waiting for.

The specs are impressive:

• 13.3" LED backlit display at 1440 x 900 pixels
• Core 2 Duo processor (1.86 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics
• Full size keyboard and multi-touch trackpad
• Up to 256 GB of Flash memory (no traditional hard drive)

Since the device weighs less than 3 pounds, has instant-on, 7 hours of working time, 30 days of standby time, plus you have USB input to Mac OS X, you get many of the benefits or a traditional laptop combined with the portability of an iPad.

This will most likely become the desired computer for photographers on the go. Given that the top-of-the-line model is priced at $1,599, I think many shooters will make the move right away. More to report soon.

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Is the 70-200mm zoom lens the most important glass in your camera bag? Many pros feel so. In today's podcast I explain why that's the one piece of photo gear I don't want to live without. Weddings, portraits, wildlife, landscape, events... you name it, I'm usually reaching for the 70-200. Listen in, and I'll give you some details.

White Rhinoceros photographed with a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 and a 1.4x Canon extender on a Canon 5D Mark II. Photo by Derrick Story. Click on image for larger version.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (29 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

Fall is the October 2010 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Oct. 31, 2010.

TDS Spring 2011 Photography Workshop

We're making plans now for the Spring 2011 TDS Photography Workshop. If you want your name on the reserve list, just 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. It's a blast!

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

Mac users who have an "all-in-one" printer and a WiFi network can take advantage of easy wireless scanning throughout the entire home or office. For my Snow Leopard computers, this is another of those " it just works" scenarios... as long as you know which buttons to push. To test this, I fired up three different all-in-ones: a Lexmark, HP, and a Kodak.

I then used the Preview app that comes installed with Mac OS X to control all operations. You can read the details from the test in my latest Macworld article, Scan Images Wirelessly with Preview. The bottom line is, there are some powerful capabilities waiting for you that can make your life easier.

Not only are you free of wires, allowing you to initiate and control a scan from every corner of the network, but there are also intelligent functions such as "detect objects" where the scanning software will create a number of individual scans from a document with many items on it. Very handy.

It's all quite easy, and most likely available to you right now. So start digitizing those documents.

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During the first day of the TDS Fall Photography Workshop, we loaded up our cameras and went shooting at Safari West. We had our own off-road vehicle with a pro photographer as the driver. As the afternoon sun began to set, the images took on a new life. This is one of many favorite portraits from the shoot.

Portrait of an Ostrich by Derrick Story. Click on image for larger version.

I captured the image with a Canon 5D Mark II, 70-200mm f/2.8 L zoom with the 1.4x tele extender. The ISO was 800 with a shutter speed of 1/125 and f/4 aperture.

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It's that time again!

Tonight is the launch of the TDS Fall Photography Workshop. The highlight of this evening's festivities is the Lowepro Bag Grab.

Here's what's up for grabs tonight. Click on image for larger version.

Each of the 8 workshop participants gets to choose a Lowepro bag from the heap. The order is determined by a drawing of name tags. I have extra bags in the pile so everyone has a chance to get a preferred choice. The selected bag goes home with the participant.

Red River Paper and SizzlPix Too

But wait, there's more... Each workshop attendee gets a prize package from Red River Paper. Tonight's package includes:

• Pigment Ink Sample Pack (#9995)
• UltraPro Satin Pack
• Printer Cleaning Sheets Pack (#6371)

And on top of all of that, SizzlPix is offering each participant a 20 percent discount.

Upcoming Workshops

If you're interested in attending one of the TDS Photography Workshops for 2011, just drop me a note with the Subject Line: "TDS Workshop Reserve List" and ask that I add you. You'll get first crack at the workshops before the announcement goes out to the general public.

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After playing with one at photokina, then continuing to study the specs, I have become quite tempted by the Canon EOS 60DDSLR body.

It all started with looking for a replacement for my Canon T1i. It's a great body, and I've enjoyed shooting with it, but there are some new features that I want for my work, primarily better video controls and an external mic jack. Initially, I was looking at the Canon EOS Rebel T2i upgrade, but the 60D gives me a swing out LCD, faster burst rate, in-camera Raw processing, image resizing, creative filters, and more.

Seems like for an extra couple hundred dollars, it's a better complement to my 5D Mark II. I'll let you know if I take the leap. As I said, I am very tempted.

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Adding a vignette in post production is one of those love/hate techniques. Some photographers think it's a powerful tool to move the viewer's eye to the most important part of the composition. Others think it is overused.

I think how it is used is the most important factor. If you go to the fx tab in Adobe Camera Raw 6, you'll find a very flexible post crop vignetting tool that gives you the controls you need for an elegant application of this technique.

Post Crop Vignetting applied in Adobe Camera Raw 6.1. Click on image for full size version.

You have three styles to choose from: highlight priority, color priority, and paint overlay. I prefer the look of color priority for most images. Then you have five sliders: amount, midpoint, roundness, feather, and highlights. These give you the control you need to apply an artistic vignette.

The approach I recommend in the beginning, is to move the amount slider all the way to the left. That allows you to clearly see how the other sliders work. This is especially helpful for the roundness slider -- that actually changes the shape of the vignette -- and the feather slider that applies a subtle graduation. Once you have those adjustments set, then back off the amount slider to the appropriate level.

The Christmas Cactus without Post Crop Vignetting (preview is turned off). Click on image for full size version.

As you can see, there is quite a difference between the two versions. And there are countless variations to what I've done here. Keep in mind that when you work in Adobe Camera Raw, all of your edits are non-destructive. The original image is left unharmed, and you can go back and adjust the effect any time you want.

Adobe Camera Raw 6 is part of the Adobe Photoshop CS5 Upgradealong with Adobe Bridge CS5, which is included in the package too.

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Not one, but two podcasts for you today. I join Frederick, Steve, and Ron for This Week in Photo. We talk about travel (photokina, Germany, Oktoberfest), the new Nikon D7000, compact cameras, and color calibration. It's a good discussion that I think you'll enjoy.

Then, on TDS Podcast 244, I tackle printing resolution. If you've wondered exactly how many pixels you need for various sized prints, this is a show you won't want to miss.

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Printing resolution can be confusing if you don't have a few guidelines to steer you in the right direction. In this week's episode, I'll take the mystery out of printing resolution, pixel dimensions, and file sizes.

Here are some of the guidelines I discussed in the podcast:

Dimensions based on printing at 240 ppi

• Print size: 16.5" --> Longest side pixels: 4,000
• Print size: 12" --> Longest side pixels: 2,900
• Print size: 10" --> Longest side pixels: 2,400
• Print size: 8" --> Longest side pixels: 2,000
• Print size: 7" --> Longest side pixels: 1,700
• Print size: 6" --> Longest side pixels: 1,500
• Print size: 5" --> Longest side pixels: 1,200

--------------

• 13" x 19" Print --> 3,200 x 4,600 pixels
• 8.5" x 11" Print --> 2,100 x 2,700 pixels
• 5" x 7" Print --> 1,200 x 1,700 pixels
• 4" x 6" Print --> 960 x 1,450 pixels

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (36 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

Fall is the October 2010 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Oct. 31, 2010.

TDS Autumn 2010 Photography Workshop

The next TDS Photography Workshop will be Oct. 15-17, 2010. The event is sold out. But, you can place your name on the reserve list for the next workshop. Just 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. It's a blast!

Podcast Sponsors

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Make Your Photos Sizzle with Color! -- SizzlPix is like High Definition TV for your photography.

In preparation for this weekend's TDS Fall Photography Workshop, I was hanging a few new SizzlPix on the classroom wall. I want workshop attendees to be able to experience these images firsthand.

As I was looking at the shots, I thought what perfect gifts they would make this coming holiday season. I'm mentioning this now in case you think so too, so you'll have plenty of time to get your shots together.

Imagine the double-delight when the recipient opens the box. First, they will see a handpicked image that you have been thoughtful enough to print for them. Then, they notice how the picture "jumps" out of the box. (If you have a SizzlPix, you know what I mean.

You can also share the following points to further impress your friend:

• Waterproof photo prints? (dye-infused aluminum!)
• Environmentally friendly? (no paper, wood, nor glass - no noxious fumes while manufacturing!)
• Archival? (rated for a 50-year life; stain proof and scratch resistant!)
• Economical? (The same or less cost than pro-quality matted, framed under glass!)

OK, maybe not the last point. We want them to think that you paid a lot for their gift. Anyway, this is something that occurred to me, and I wanted to share with you... before I forgot all together ;)

And if you didn't know this already... SizzlPix is a sponsor of The Digital Story. So we have that to thank them for too!

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