Adobe just released ACR 6.7 that includes RAW support for 9 new cameras plus 30 new lens profiles. Heavy hitters are included such as the Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800, and Olympus OM-D. Plus Creative Suite 6 is now available.

I finally found a way to speed up Aperture on an older Mac: replace its spinning platter with a Solid State Drive. I talk about my experiences with that project.

Would you like to improve your B&W photography? I have a webinar coming up on May 23, "A Fresh Look at Familiar Subjects in B&W." It's free, but you have to reserve your seat in advance.

All this, and more, in this week's podcast.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (26 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

Action is the May 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5is about ready for its North American release. I've spent a few weeks with this beautiful micro four thirds system camera, and walk you through its highlights and a few of my nits. Then I switch gears to a handful of photo accessories that I've enjoyed using lately. Plus, there's a new photo assignment this month! All this and more with TDS Podcast Episode 323.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (30 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.

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 with 12-50mm Zoom. More photos are on my TDS Flickr page.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Action is the May 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

Lots of news this week and I'm covering four topics that have been on my radar: The New iPad, Adobe Creative Cloud, Lowepro Flipside Sport AW, and the just-concluded TDS Close Up Photography Workshop. More fun that you could even imagine!

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.

Enter to Win a Nikon 1 with 10-30mm zoom lens by "Liking" Red River Paper Facebook Fan Page.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Macro is the April 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is April 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

With the closing of MobileMe, and Flickr seeming to fall behind the pack, it reaffirmed my belief that it's best to have complete control over your photos. In this week's podcast, I talk about the balance between local storage, online storage, and sharing via social media. Each avenue presents its own challenges and benefits. The trick is using them correctly, and staying on top of the game.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (30 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.

Enter to Win a Nikon 1 with 10-30mm zoom lens by "Liking" Red River Paper Facebook Fan Page.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Macro is the April 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is April 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

It's exciting to create an image unlike anything you've shot before. That fresh look can lead to a entirely new type of photography. To help jumpstart that process, here are 5 stimulating projects that you can do at home. Each presents its own unique challenge that will add a new dimension to your work. Also, at the end of the podcast, I talk about my latest experiences at Oracle Arena and the $10,000 shot.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (30 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.

Enter to Win a Nikon 1 with 10-30mm zoom lens by "Liking" Red River Paper Facebook Fan Page.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Macro is the April 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is April 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

Cropped sensor cameras aren't getting as much attention these days as they should. Recent full frame announcements such as the Canon 5D Mark III and the Nikon D800 have many shooters thinking that it's full frame or bust. Not too fast there cowboy! Cropped sensor cameras such as the Canon 7D, Nikon D7000, and upcoming Olympus OM-D offer many advantages. And I cover five of those benefits in this week's podcast.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (26 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.

Cropped sensors can provide a more satisfying experience for macro photography. Image on the left captured with a Canon 5D Mark II while the image on the right with a cropped sensor Canon 60D.

Enter to Win a Nikon 1 with 10-30mm zoom lens by "Liking" Red River Paper Facebook Fan Page.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Macro is the April 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is April 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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 just finished covering a big 3-day event in Petaluma, CA called the Artisan Cheese Festival. There were so many things going on at once, we needed two other photographers (Rick Roellke and Frank Filice) to help cover all of the action. In this week's episode, I share 5 tips for successful event coverage. Plus, I talk about the event itself, which was a real eye-opener for this "not really a foodie type" of guy.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (31 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.

In the pasture on a Farm Tour during the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma, CA. Photo by Derrick Story. For more, visit my Artisan Cheese Festival Flicker Gallery.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Eyes is the Mar. 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is March 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

Working efficiently in Aperture or Lightroom allows you to spend more time being creative and less fooling around with medicore shots. In this week's podcast, I cover the 5 basic workflow steps: Intelligent Import, 2-Pass Sort, Isolate Your Best, Edit to Perfection, and Share Your Work.

This the same approach I teach in my Aperture 3 Essential Training on lynda.com and in the TDS Aperture Workshops.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (31 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

Eyes is the Mar. 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is March 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

When Apple announced the new iPad, many of us got what we had hoped for: a new Retina display, more horsepower under the hood, and 4G connectivity. What we didn't expect was a "built from the ground up" iPhoto app that runs on both iPad 2 and the new iPad. In many ways, iPhoto fills a gap in the nimble photographer workflow. In this week's podcast, I cover the new iPad, then dig into iPhoto to explain its capabilities and how it can help shooters on the go.

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

Eyes is the Mar. 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is March 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

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

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.

Over the last decade, digital photography hardware has evolved at a fast pace. This led to us buying cameras more frequently than in the film days. But now that the technology has stabilized a bit, do we need to upgrade as often? And camera manufacturers seem keen on charging more than ever for their gear. This came into focus for me when Canon announced that the Canon 5D Mark III would cost $1,000 more than its predecessor. And it got me thinking, "How much am I willing to pay?" I provide the answer in this week's podcast.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 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

Eyes is the Mar. 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is March 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

Red River Paper -- The $7.99 Sample Kit is back! And with free shipping.

You might also want to check out my article, Artistic Gifts You Can Make in an Hour.

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

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.