The new Creative Output section of The Digital Story was created to inspire photographers to find new ways to share their images with others. I sometimes refer to this process as, "going beyond the print."

I brought in a true expert in this field, Stephanie Scheetz, to oversee this endeavor. Stephanie has been a craft designer and instructor for major craft companies for more than 15 years. She has taught classes throughout the U.S. and Asia, and has appeared on TV craft shows and home shopping programs in the U.S. and U.K. Her work can be found in craft industry and consumer magazines, in addition to, catalogs, advertisements, and books. In addition to that, Stephanie is an engaging personality.

So she and I sat down in front of the microphone this week to talk about her views on Creative Output and to give you a preview of the types of projects she's working on. You'll come away from the show with great ideas, and hopefully get to know Stephanie a little better.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Splash is the June 2009 Photo Assignment. You can capture anything from a child jumping in a pool to an olive dropping into a martini. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (26 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Other Creative Output Projects with Stephanie

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

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SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

State of the art technology melded with Olympus Pen tradition, the E-P1 digital camera is a new breed of DSLR featuring HD video, Raw format, micro 4/3rds, in a stylish stainless steel compact body. In this podcast, I walk you through the feature set of this latest innovation by Olympus.

Pros

• Well-crafted, attractive stainless steel body.
• Raw, JPEG, and 720p recording formats.
• Excellent image quality with 12.3 MPs resolution.
• Good combination of manual controls and automation.
• Many creative features such as multiple exposure.
• Clear menu system and easy to use camera controls.
• SD and SDHC memory card instead of xD Picture Card media.
• HDMI output.

Cons

• Motion JPEG AVI codec instead of MPEG-4.
• No external microphone jack.

The Olympus E-P1 kit with 14-42 mm lens will be available at Amazon.com for $799 US.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Splash is the June 2009 Photo Assignment. You can capture anything from a child jumping in a pool to an olive dropping into a martini. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Does the just-announced iPhone 3G S finally qualify as a reasonable compact camera? In addition to its resolution bump to 3 megapixels, the new device includes autofocus with "tap to focus" control, VGA video recording with editing, auto-macro, and improved battery life. I take a closer look at this device to see if it's the mobile camera we've been waiting for.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Splash is the June 2009 Photo Assignment. You can capture anything from a child jumping in a pool to an olive dropping into a martini. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (21 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

The Canon Rebel T1i is known for its HD video recording and 15 megapixel CMOS sensor. But this camera contains refinements in nearly every category. I recently published a field report with sample images tited, Street Shooting with Canon 500D/T1i, but I wanted to spend a little more time talking about the specifications and usability of the DSLR. And that's exactly what I do in this week's podcast.

Photo by Derrick Story with Canon Rebel T1i using the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens. ISO 100, 1/640 at f/4.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Splash is the June 2009 Photo Assignment. You can capture anything from a child jumping in a pool to an olive dropping into a martini. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (29 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Zoom out pictures, instructional video, Flash podcast player, new Creative Output department... welcome to The Digital Story V2 (TDS). In this week's podcast, I introduce you to the new features of our retooled site. We upgraded the hardware, updated the publishing platform, refreshed the look, and added new content. We poised for the next generation of our virtual camera club.

To help you visually compare. Here's how TDS appeared from Oct. 2005 through April 2009 (click on image to zoom to larger size):

After we launched the site refresh in May 2009. Here's how the site looked (click on image to zoom to larger size):

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Joseph Victor Stefanchik makes pictures for a living. His photography studio, JVS Pictures, brings craftsmanship to the entire photography process, from capture, to processing, through printing, and even to mounting and framing. You would think that such quality would require equipment that's out of reach for most of us. But that's not the case. For example, Joseph shoots with Canon cameras, processes with Photoshop and Canon software, and prints on an Epson 3800 using Red River paper.

Photo by JVS Pictures

In this podcast interview, I glean tons of useful information from Joseph about making great prints. To give you an idea about his experience, here's a little bio information:

"Highlights in JVS' photojournalism career include winning the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award for International Photojournalism as well as being named a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. Countless photojournalism contest wins date back to 1992. JVS has been furthering the education of other photographers by teaching in-depth lighting workshops with the help of his highly educated and talented wife, Anne Farrar. The two bring 30+ years of combined experience to each Workshop they teach.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

You can easily amass thousands of digital images, then one day realize that your computer has become more cluttered than the hallway closet. You need to get organized, but you're not sure where to begin.

I designed the photography workshop, "I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?" to solve that exact problem. In the workshop, I cover the five basic steps for an efficient photography workflow: Acquire, Organize, Edit, Share, and Save. I show how you can take control of your pictures using tools that are on your computer right now. Then I introduce some of the amazing workflow software that's available right now (Aperture, Lightroon, Photoshop CS4), so you can begin to upgrade you post production tools -- all the while keeping in mind your specific needs.

If this scenario sounds like something that can help you, then I suggest you download the class notes (1.3 MB PDF file), then listen to this podcast, I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?. Soon, you will be on the road to organization, efficiency, and enjoying your pictures more than ever.

If you'd like to attend the 4-hour workshop in person, the next session will be on June 20, 2009 at the Santa Rosa JC in Northern California. For more information, call 707-527-4372. The course fee is $63.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Flickr excels at both image sharing and exploration. In this podcast, I discuss my 10 favorite Flickr tips.

1. Spend some time with your account profile. Think about the type of copyright you want to apply, who can see your photos, will geotags show, etc. In part, how you set your account profile reflects how you want to use Flickr and share your work.
2. Build Flickr into your workflow. Use uploadrs that are friendly to how you operate. If you're an iPhoto user, for example, check out FlickrExport by ConnectedFlow. It's more powerful than the built in uploadr in iPhoto '09.
3. Make tagging easy. For example, Flickr can read keywords in IPTC metadata. So if you apply keywords during your normal workflow, and export them with the image, Flickr tags will automatically be applied to your images.
4. You don't always have to image edit your pictures before upload. Flickr's online editing tools are quite decent.
5. Use the Share link (upper right corner) to share images with non-Flickr members. It's very handy and works great.
6. Have your Photostream page represent you and your approach to photography. Set your Photostream page layout in Account Preferences (under the Personal Information tab), organize the presentation of your Sets and Collections (in the Organize section), and share information about your photos to visitors.
7. Spend time in the Explore section. Flickr staff does a great job of highlighting beautiful photography, plus introduces you to new ways to think about imaging through tools such as the World Map, Camera Finder, Calendar, and the Flickr blog. This is a great opportunity to expand your boundries.
8. Learn about mobile Flickr if you use a smartphone. It is a wonderful site for managing your work as well as adding to it.
9. Speaking of cameraphones, here's a tip for mobile users. When uploading from your smartphone, set permission to Private. Then change to Public once you've picked your favorites and edited them.
10. Experiment with the "long photo," Flickr's approach to video. You can create terrific content that is viewable in 90 seconds or less, and then share it in your Flickr photostream.

iPhoto users may want to check out my Lynda.com title: iPhoto '09: 10 Things to Know About Flickr. I'll have a Flickr Essential Training title ready later this Spring, so keep an eye out for that too.

And don't forget about The Digital Story Public Group on Flickr.

A screenshot of my mobile flickr photostream on an iPhone.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Top 10 Flickr Tips" You can download the podcast here (24 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Have you ever looked at a magnified image on your computer screen and felt disappointed about its appearance? You thought you had a sharp, crisp photograph, but it wasn't holding together at 100 percent as well you thought it should. This is the perfect scenario for making a print. Then you will know how good (or not so good) your picture really is.

High magnification computer monitors are very useful for photographers, but that's just one way to look at an image. And think about it: Is that the way you share your work with others? At 100 or 200 percent zoomed in on the eyelashes? If you make an 8.5"x11" or a 13"x19" print, and it looks good, then you can trust that you have a quality photograph.

The trick is, how do you build an easy printing workflow that is dependable? In this podcast I give you a few tips to put you on the path to successful printing and accurate judging of your images.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Five Printing Tips" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

The TIPA Awards, 2009 feature outstanding photography equipment. In this podcast I cover many of the winners and look at the trends we see in today's market. It's not just Canon and Nikon these days...

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Award Winning Equipment" You can download the podcast here (30 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

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

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips