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Most drone shots need a little love to reach their potential. And AirMagic from Skylum Software makes it easy and fun to do so.

AirMagic-Before.jpg Image captured with DJI Spark before AirMagic. Photo by Derrick Story.

Airmagic After.jpg Image after AirMagic has been applied.

Powered by AI and advanced algorithms, AirMagic improves your aerial photos automatically. All you need to do is drag and drop your photos to the app (or use the Open command). AirMagic will take care of the rest by carefully enhancing each picture.

There are three basic ways you can use AirMagic: as a standalone app, as a plugin for Lightroom or Photoshop, or as an editing extension for Photos. Regardless of which approach you take, the process is the same. Point the software to an aerial shot and let it do its thing.

The AirMagic engine detects the camera type on your drone and makes lens corrections and other optimizations specific to that hardware (in my case, a DJI Spark). It then analyzes the image and applies the adjustments required to make it look great. AirMagic works for both Jpeg and RAW files.

In the lower right corner of the interface there's brush icon that reveals a slider that allows you to intensify or soften the adjustment. In the lower left corner there's a styles menu that provides different interpretations of the image. More styles will be available in the future.

Airmagic-Styles.jpg A selection of styles that ship with AirMagic

AirMagic is available for preorder for $39. And the special preorder offer includes a cargo bin of goodies.

  • The Drone Photography Guide eBook ($19)
  • "Shoot Professional Photos with Any Drone" video course ($74.99)
  • One AirMagic Premium Style ($12)
  • $40 discount on a Lume Cube lighting kit for drones.

Mixed computer households can share the same product key for Mac and PC, and each license can be activated on two devices. AirMagic also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

I've been using AirMagic with Photos for macOS. The enhanced images are automatically saved in my library, and shared across my devices. It also works wonderfully with the Lightroom workflow as well.

Now that I have an easy, effective way to process the pictures from my DJI aircraft, I can't wait for the weather to clear so I can go fly. Hopefully, it will re-energize your passion for drone photography as well.

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

Farewell to Oracle Arena

I've been watching the Golden State Warriors play basketball in Oracle Arena ever since I moved to Northern California. My boys and I grew up there together. I was a season ticket holder for 5 years and 3 championships.

Oracle-Farewell-D-Story.jpg

With the move to Chase Arena next year and the escalating ticket prices, I gave up my seats at Oracle this year. To be honest, I couldn't afford them anymore. But I did want to say farewell to the place that we once referred to as "Roaracle." In its heyday, when everyday basketball fans could afford to attend, it was a magical place.

Farewell to Oracle 2

So I donned a Stephen Curry jersey, packed my Fujifilm XF10, and headed to the arena on a rainy bay area night.

Farewell to Oracle 5

In addition to saying goodbye, I wanted to capture one last album of shots from my basketball home. I set the camera to B&W mode, and took pictures every step of the way. These images are not cropped. I wanted to share the scenes exactly as I saw them while I was moving through the evening.

Farewell to Oracle 3

The XF10 is a great camera for this assignment. I can jack up the ISO to 3200, open the aperture to f/2.8, and just shoot away at 28mm. The black and whites are very pleasing. And no one seems to care that I'm taking their picture with this svelt little camera.

Farewell to Oracle 6

The game itself, well, it was a dud. The Boston Celtics came to town and took our lunch money. It may have been the worst game I've ever watched there.

But that wasn't the point of the evening. I was there to get the last of my memories, and to say goodbye. On that front, the evening was a success.

Farewell to Oracle 7

Who knows what will happen in the future with me and this basketball team. It's been a good run. My boys are graduating from college this spring. The Warriors are moving across the Bay Bridge. There are lots of changes ahead.

I will say this, however. I loved that the Warriors played in Oakland. I think Oracle is a great place to watch basketball. And if a new arena was truly necessary, I wish they would have built it in the East Bay.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #677, March 5, 2019. Today's theme is "Spectre - An Amazing iPhone App I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

There are moments when Artificial Intelligence seems to defy the laws of physics. After testing the iOS app Spectre, I think capturing motion will forever be changed. This software may also drive the final coffin nail for tripods and virtually every other camera support that we once lugged around. Sound crazy you say? Tune in and find out that it's real, it's right now, and it's only $3.

Spectre - An Amazing iPhone App

I've spent a lot of time around the Santa Rosa Creek lately. The water is high and running fast. I can cruise a long stretch of the creek on bike thanks to Prince Memorial Greenway that runs along the shore.

IMG_4132.jpg

So far this year, I've captured some pretty good water images. But all of that took a turn for the better recently after I uploaded the Spectre photo app to my iPhone and went for another ride. What I came home with was far superior to anything I had shot so far this year.

Spectre is a $3 iPhone app that does three basic things:

  • Long exposures for soft water shots.
  • Streaming lights such as cars on a nighttime highway.
  • Making people disappear from crowded locations such as tourist sites.

Santa Rosa Creek Color

Compatibility: Spectre works on iPhone 6 and newer and requires iOS 11 and up. Spectre's smart Automatic Scene Detection requires iOS 12. AI-based stabilization features are only available on devices with a Neural Engine (iPhone 8 and later). On iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Spectre captures in lower resolution.

The handheld long exposures are quite good, and they are higher quality images that my previous favorite method of converting Live View shots to long exposure with Photos.

Santa Rosa Creek

Essentially, these are Live View files. But the secret sauce is a slightly improved recipe. When viewing the Jpeg files in Photos, they do show the Live View badge, but they certainly don't play the same way as those from Apple. If you're using Photos for macOS, your Spectre images will appear in the Live Photos album under Media Types.

Here's what they say on their site: "Spectre's intelligent computational shutter takes hundreds of shots over the span of a few seconds, and saves them in an accompanying live photo. That means you can pick a different frame as your photo, apply live-photo effects, and even use the long exposure as a live-wallpaper!

Spectre is a packed with powerful technology from by the team that brought you Halide. From machine learning-based scene detection to computer vision aided image stabilization, Spectre is jammed full of impressive technologies to get the best possible image.

On the downside, I have seen occasional banding at the very top or bottom of some images. This isn't consistent, and when it has appeared, I've just cropped it out.

Santa Rosa Creek Monotone

Overall, though, Spectre is very impressive. It's intuitive and has the ability to produce great pictures - without a tripod.

Olympus Says that the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is Coming

I'll read from an interview with Olympus at the CP+ trade show in Japan. The full interview can be read on Imaging-Resource.com.

Do You Have a Film Camera that Needs a Good Home?

Over the last year, I've received donations from TDS members who have film cameras that need a good home. What I do is inspect the items, repair and clean as I can, then list them in TheFilmCameraShop where I can find a good home for them. If you're interested in donating, please use the Contact Form on TheNimblePhotographer site. And thanks for you consideration!

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Workshop Update

We will have the Olympus OM-D E-M1X to work with at the event. Participants will be able to experience this latest technology wonder in the beautiful high desert.

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: I have a new goodie for you this week. Go over to the Patreon site now to watch an introduction to how the new library manager works in Luminar 3. Now that version 3.0.2 is out, I think Luminar 3 is worth a look. If you're curious, take a look at this benefit for Inner Circle Members. And if you want to join the Inner Circle, visit our Patreon site, or click on the tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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 - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

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

IMG_4085-tds.jpg

When I discovered the STRATOMAX Vehicle Hooked on U Shaped Slam Latch Doorstep with Safety Hammer Function for Easy Access to Car Rooftop Roof-Rack,Doorstep for Car, Jeep, SUV ($13.99), I suddenly had visions in my head of Ansel Adams perched on top of his station wagon photographing Moon Over Hernandez. In my case, I don't want to be standing on the roof of my Audi A3. So I was searching for alternative ways to use my car for heightened perspectives for landscape photography.

What I've noticed over the years, is that even a slightly elevated perspective helps eliminate distracting foreground elements. So the concept of a foot petal that works with the door latch of my car was quite appealing.

IMG_4082.jpg The doorstep hooked into my Audi A3

The concept is that this lightweight piece of machined aluminum connects to the door latch loop on the car, allowing you to step up to reach a cargo bin. And for this purpose, I think it works pretty well. The key factor is that you have something to grab on to once you step up.

The problem for photography, however, is that you don't have anything to hang on to once you step up. And depending on where your car manufacture has positioned the latch, this could be quite tricky.

For example, on my Audi A3, the latch is high, and I can't really balance myself well enough for photography. On my Saturn SL2, however, the loop is lower, and I can put one foot on the step, and the other on the door armrest, and it works pretty well. The Saturn was never high enough to give me the perspective that I wanted, so the door latch step is a nice upgrade.

IMG_4080.jpg The door latch is lower on the Saturn than the Audi. Here the step works well.

My advice is, if you are tempted by the STRATOMAX Vehicle Slam Latch Doorstep, consider two factors. First, how high is the loop for your door latch, and second, do you have anything to hang on to once you step up.

If there are positive answers to both of those questions, then this $14 gizmo can help you elevate your perspective for landscape photography. As for mine, it's going in the Saturn. The Audi is just too precarious with it.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #676, Feb. 26, 2019. Today's theme is "What We Can Learn from the Movies" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Oscars in a variety of categories on Sunday night. Aside from the sheer star power on display, there's an amazing amount of artistic risks and rewards that can serve as lessons for our own work. In this week's show, I present 5 photography takeaways from my favorite movies of 2018.

What We Can Learn from the Movies

the-roxy-1024.jpg

Green Book - Honored for Best Picture, this story of a road trip through the Southern United States at a time of segregation is a great illustration of juxtaposition. A white driver hired by a black musician overcoming their predisposed judgments as they meet challenge after challenge.

We can bring that same richness to our photography by creating and finding images that challenge our viewer's preconceived notions. Picture this: a little old lady helping a fireman across a busy street.

Bohemian Rhapsody - The story of the rock band Queen and its front man Freddy Mercury. They were not always popular, in fact, far from it in the early years.

This is an excellent lesson in being true to your vision, even when others discount its merit. Not every artist who insists on going his or her own way will enjoy the success of Queen. But they can share in a similar satisfaction that they followed their vision and refined it to the best of their ability.

Blackkklansman - This story of a black under cover detective impersonating a white man and gaining access to the Klu Klux Klan is both entertaining and thought provoking.

The reason why I think Spike Lee enjoy success with this film is because he found the balance between humor and message. I our current polarized society, shouting louder than the next guy has diminishing returns at best. If you're using your art to convey a message that's important to you, then find a way to share it without alienating the very audience that you want to convince.

Crazy Rich Asians - Rich boy falls in love with sweet girl of lesser financial means. She then has to win over the family to move the relationship forward.

My lesson from this movie was a reminder not to overlook the power of love. The trick is, how does one tell the story with a fresh voice? My answer is, that the message is so universal, that if you can put a new face on it, viewers will embrace it.

Photographs that capture the relationships in life can indeed be powerful. Don't forget to look outside your own culture for these images. A long-standing emotion with a different look can make viewers pause and take note.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - This Cohen Brothers film shares a series of short stories with a theme that portrays to twists and turns of life.

The collection of shorts presented in one movie shows the power of a photo essay. We're able to see the different angles of how this theme plays out as we progress from one vignette to the next. The parts come together with impact, and in a way that none of the individual stories could on their own.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Image Quality - The higher quality your images have, the heavier the files would be. When you have lots of big and heavy image files on your website, it would affect your page speed.

You could speed up the loading of your website by slightly reducing your image quality. In Portfoliobox, you can adjust the image quality by clicking on the Cogwheel Icon > Settings > General > Website > Image Quality. The image quality scale is from -1 to 1. -1 is the lowest and 1 is the highest. You can try out different quality level to find the best option for your website..

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

Skylum announces development of AirMagic drone imaging software

Via DP Review

The application for Windows and Mac will be called AirMagic and is AI powered "to transform photos made with a drone from great to breathtaking." It will become available sometime in spring.

Looking at the teaser video above AirMagic is capable of detecting what drone camera an image has been captured with. It can then scan the scene for haze, skies, and presumably other image elements and artifacts, before automatically adjusting exposure, color and other parameters for an optimized end result.

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: I have a new goodie for you this week. Go over to the Patreon site now to watch an introduction to how the new library manager works in Luminar 3. Now that version 3.0.2 is out, I think Luminar 3 is worth a look. If you're curious, take a look at this benefit for Inner Circle Members. And if you want to join the Inner Circle, visit our Patreon site, or click on the tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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 - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

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

The PEN-F was Never Meant to be Forever

Olympus has confirmed that it will discontinue production of the PEN-F. Online, many people are reading many different things into this report. But my take has always been that the PEN-F was never meant to be forever.

pen-f-1024.jpg My first week with the PEN-F, January 2016 in Austin Texas. Photo by Derrick Story.

When I first held the camera at an Olympus event in Austin, Texas, I knew this was something special. It was beautifully machined, well-specified, and truly unique in the world of digital photography. I also believed then, that there would never be a PEN-F II, just like there will never be another Sistine Chapel.

In the world of digital photography, we don't get to experience this often. Digital, by its very nature, is reproducible over and over again. Because the PEN-F had a digital sensor inside, many believed that it too would evolve into copies and variations well into the future. I honestly don't think that was the plan. Sometimes you do something just because it's beautiful, then you move on.

Pen-F-with-Nikon-lens.jpg Olympus PEN-F with a Nikon Series E 50mm f/1.8. Wonderful camera for adapting analog lenses.

I suppose that I should now retire my PEN-F to a locking glass cabinet and admire it from afar. But, that's not going to happen, at least not yet. It's going to stay in my camera bag with its Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II lens mounted on the front. I'm going to ride this horse off into the sunset. And only then, when he can run no longer, will I retire him to pasture.

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

The Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 Ai-S was already revered before Steve McCurry photographed the Afghan Girl with it mounted on a Nikon FM2. But that portrait, on Kodachrome 64 film, sealed its legendary fate. And for good reason. The 105mm is a superb optic, even today.

Nikon-105mm-PEN-F.jpg Nikkor 105mm mounted on an Olympus PEN-F digital camera.

In fact, it's so good that I can still use it on my digital Olympus PEN-F as if it were a modern pro optic, not one that Nikon stopped building in 2005.

All I need to make the connection between glass and sensor is an inexpensive K&F Concept Lens Mount Adapter ($22). I then register the lens on the PEN-F (Menu K > Lens Info Settings) so that its info appears in the metadata for each image captured with it. I love this Olympus feature. I then shoot in Aperture Priority Mode at f/2.5. I can't ever remember stopping down.

Pearl with Classic Nikkor 105mm
Pearl O'Keefe captured through the Nikon 105mm Ai-S on an Olympus PEN-F. Photo by Derrick Story.

I shoot RAW+Jpeg with the Color 1 Profile enabled. That profile has a analog chrome look to it. So I get two looks for the price of one with each click of the shutter: one chrome Jpeg, and one RAW file.

The 105mm has an effective 210mm field of view on the Micro Four Thirds body. It's actually quite nice, especially outdoors. I can also mount it on my Nikon FG if I want to use it natively at 105mm (which I do, quite often). I recommend Kodak Portra 400 professional film.

Pearl with Classic Nikon 105mm
Pearl O'Keefe photographed by Derrick Story.

The Nikon 105mm Ai-S f/2.5 lens still commands a noteworthy $250 price tag on the used market. Most comparable analog lenses go for much less these days. This one, however, has both pedigree and performance. It's truly a joy to shoot with, regardless of the camera it's mounted on.

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

Congratulations to Craig Tooley! His submission to the Portfoliobox Close-Up Photo Challenge is the top entry.

_1270077-Craig_Tooley.jpg Image by Craig Tooley

The judges selected this portrait because of its excellent rendition and interesting subject content. It's truly a beautiful image.

As a result, Craig will be awarded a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro account with custom domain name. We look forward to seeing more work by Craig Tooley presented handsomely on his Portfoliobox site.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Portfoliobox Close-Up Challenge. All of the entries were compelling and enjoyable. It was truly a challenge for the judges to choose the top entry.

And a big thanks to Portfoliobox for sponsoring this series of photo challenges. If you want to showcase your finest work in the best light possible, Portfoliobox is the artist's choice.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #675, Feb. 19, 2019. Today's theme is "Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The ground is still shaking from Canon's announcement of a full-frame mirrorless camera for $1,300. Are they bringing their successful Rebel strategy to the mirrorless space, or is this something more? Also, a follow-up and correction to last week's show on copyright protection. All of this, and more, on today's TDS photography podcast.

Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?

One of Canon's best marketing moves was creating the Rebel brand, long before digital. This gave them the ability to introduce new technology in a less rugged package for a very affordable price.

Canon-RP-front.png

As I look at the just-announced Canon EOS RP, I'm feeling that wave of genius all over again. Let's take a look at its specs.

  • 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • UHD 4K and Full HD 1080 Video
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 AF Points
  • ISO 100-40000, Up to 5 fps Shooting
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
  • The RP has a few extra features such as the intervalometer function and 4K Video Time-lapse. It also has a silent shutter mode (electronic).
  • Headphone and mic ports

But there are a few things missing as well.

  • No sensor-based image stabilization (For video there is an electronic option that works with optical stabilisation.)
  • 5 fps continuous shooting (4fps with AF Tracking enabled) 50 frame limit in RAW format.
  • 250 shots you get from the LP-E17 battery in the EOS RP
  • There are currently four lenses available and the brand has announced the development of six more in 2019. Most of these lenses (fast zooms and primes) are on the expensive side however. The most affordable zoom is the 24-105mm which still costs around $1K. The system needs more affordable kit lenses that can better suit a camera like the RP. Canon includes an RF to EF adapter in the box so that you can have access to its vast selection of DSLR lenses. However given the compact design of the RP, this solution will likely unbalance the camera.
  • Minimum weather sealing - no gaskets.
  • No built-in flash.
  • Operating temperature only down tp 32 degrees f.
  • No top LCD screen

All in all, I think that the specs for the RP are very impressive. And if you didn't have to mount a lens on this camera, it's a bargain.

But you do, and the 24-105mm RF lens is roughly a $900, and weighs 1.5 pounds. The best choice right now is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens, which is available for $450. After that, the affordable pickings are pretty slim.

Overall, the Canon EOS RP goes beyond the Rebel series and is more like a lightweight 5D at its introduction. And once there are lenses for this camera, photographers can make real decisions about its usefulness for their work.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Move images from one gallery to another - You have uploaded photos to a gallery but think some of them would fit better in a different one. You don't actually need to manually delete them and upload them again -- we've saved you some time and made it effortless. Select the images that you wish to transfer and choose the new gallery under the drop-down menu Move to gallery.

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Challenge: Up Close

Congratulations to Craig Tooley, the honored image in our Up Close photo challenge for his mushroom image. Craig wrote, "It was shot held on a beanbag at 1/8 of a second with what I would list as a lenses I would be hard-pressed to give up, the Olympus 60 mm f2.8 would be one of those lenses. It's very sharp I think and fast and light and is just exquisite on the Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2." Craig will be upgraded to a Pro Membership for his efforts.

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

Follow Up to Last Week's Show about Copyrights for Photographers

I received some very helpful email from listeners after last week's interview with Maggie Hallahan about copyrights for photographers. I'd like to share a couple of them with you now. None of this is legal advice. Rather, these are real life experiences of photographers in our audience.

Scott Davenport wrote: "Caught up on TDS 674 today. Interesting info from Maggie about the business side of her client dealings.

With copyright though, I am pretty sure the registration of an unlimited number of photos is gone as of mid-2018. Whether it is published or unpublished works, a single application is capped at 750 images. It's much more expensive to register all photos from a given shoot, especially if you're a prolific photographer (i.e. weddings and events).

For my work, I copyright only my published works. There is a provision that, so long as your application is submitted within 90 days of first publication, you can get full protection under copyright law. It takes an amount of discipline, but very doable. To the point you raised in the podcast about workflow, this might be of interest to your audience.

Mayra Martinez wrote: "I just finished listening to your latest podcast (#674) on copyright. I need to point out that some of the points made by your host are no longer current:

1. Unlimited submissions are a thing of the past. Group submissions of unpublished photographs are limited to no more than 750 photos.

2. In addition to submitting the digital photos, completing the online submission (preferred method by copyright office) requires a list with title and file name for each photo in the group.

These two points are part of the following pdf in the copyright.gov site: https://www.copyright.gov/eco/gruph-transcript.pdf. (Definitely check out this link!)

The changes in the number of images per submission were implemented on 2/20/2018. More draconian measures were about to be made later in the year, but the public comment period was extended until June 21, 2018, and then everything stopped. You can read about it in Ed Greenberg's and Jack Reznicki's The Copyright Zone post on May 24, 2018.

A big thanks to both Scott and Mayra for there contributions to this conversation.

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

B&H and Amazon tiles on www.thedigitalstory. If you click on them first, you're helping to support this podcast. And speaking of supporting this show, and big thanks to our Patreon Inner Circle members:

And finally, be sure to visit our friends at Red River Paper for all of your inkjet supply needs.

See you next week!

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 - Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

The Nimbleosity Report

Do you want to keep up with the best content from The Digital Story and The Nimble Photographer? Sign up for The Nimbleosity Report, and receive highlights twice-a-month in a single page newsletter. Be a part of our community!

Want to Comment on this Post?

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

Small Camera, Big Workflow

fujifilm-xf10-front.jpg

The software we have on the backend can help free us from cumbersome equipment at capture. One example is my "weekend kit" that I carry with me when out and about with family and friends.

In one pocket, I have an iPhone X for all the usual reasons. And in the other, I often carry the Fujifilm XF10. Even though it fits in my front jeans pocket, it sports a lovely Fujinon aspherical lens and an APS-C image sensor. Plus it communicates with the iPhone to record location data as I shoot. (I love geotags!)

Most of the grab shots are in Jpeg mode, but if I come across a scene that would benefit from RAW, I can capture a .RAF file with the simple press of a button the the back of the camera. By doing so, I have all of my options available to me later in post production.

In Between Storms "In Between Storms" - Fujifilm XF10 - Photo by Derrick Story

Once I return home, I have a specific workflow that helps me maximize the content that I've captured in the field. I process the RAW files in Capture One Pro 12. This latest version does a great job with Fujifilm RAW files, pulling out all of the color and detail. Plus, while I'm there, I can fine tune the image a bit with the new Luminosity mask or a graduated screen.

Gazebo on a Rainy Day "Gazebo on a Rainy Day" - Fujifilm XF10 - Photo by Derrick Story

There are lots of things that I could do at this point. And to be honest, this is where most photographers will diverge from my workflow. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

I then export a maximum resolution Tiff file, import it into Photos for macOS Mojave, and use the Luminar 3 Editing Extension to finish the shot.

One of the reasons why I move my best shots to Photos after processing in Capture One Pro 12 is because of iCloud. The image is automatically backed up and propagated to all of my devices. I can use it right away for Flickr, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Plus, I have the good feeling of knowing that my favorite work is archived without any further effort on my behalf.

The other reason is because the Luminar 3 editing extension is just so darn good. The finishing touches I apply with that app really make a difference, and the changes are automatically saved to the images in iCloud.

Side Note: Luminar 3 is on sale for 29 percent off through Feb. 18, 2019. That's only $49 for this impressive app.

I only use this Capture One Pro 12 > Photos > Luminar 3 workflow for my favorite shots. The rest of the images are backed up traditionally via hard drive in Capture One. But those favs... they are culled out and are now in my pocket, and available to share at anytime, anywhere.

Luminar Essential Training

You learn all the ins and outs of Luminar via my Essential Training on lynda.com and on LinkedIn Learning. It's fun, and I promise, you will improve your shots.

Learn Capture One Pro

You can get familiar with this imaging software by checking out Capture One Pro 11 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. You can also tune in on lynda.com if you prefer your training there. My updated Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training should be out next month. Stay tuned.

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