Now that we're in the post Carousel era, how does Dropbox stack up for photographers? To be honest, quite well actually. In some ways, the tools seem more integrated now that we don't have to jump back and forth between applications.

In my latest title for lynda.com, Dropbox for Photographers 2016, I show you how to tap the photo capabilities of this cloud-based service across all of your devices, regardless if you're using Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android.

You can enable automated backups, create password-enabled galleries, comment on photos as part of a review process, and more... all with built-in Dropbox tools, and with a service that you may already be using for your everyday work. Here's a video overview of some of these highlights.

Dropbox users who enjoy photography will get a lot out of this course. Or if you just want to learn more about some of the cool things that Dropbox can do, then watch the free movies and see what you think.

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This is The Digital Story Podcast #548, Sept. 6, 2016. Today's theme is "And Then It's Over." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

I recently learned of the passing of Scott Sheppard, who helped me in the earliest days of The Digital Story podcast. This show is a bit about Scott, digital content in general, and how it all can just disappear in the blink of an eye.

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.

MacPaw Creators of CleanMyMac 3 and other great software for Apple computers. Visit www.macpaw.com today.

Hedge for Mac - The fast solution for moving photos and videos from memory cards to drives, or drives to drives for that matter. Learn more at Hedge for Mac.

The Nimbleosity Report

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If you're recording geodata with an iPhone and/or a camera such as the Olympus TG-4, then you have some handy viewing options built right in to macOS.

"Atop Mt. Tamalpais," The GPS tab in Get Info for the Preview app. Captured with an Olympus TG-4. Image by Derrick Story.

I catalog most of these images in Photos for macOS, which does show some basic geodata. But I really like the view in Preview using the More Info heads up display (Command-I). The GPS tab is more detailed than Photos, and you can click on the Show in Maps button for a terrific Satellite view with labels.

The Satellite view in Maps with labels showing.

Now one handy thing you can do in Photos is add a location pin to a picture, then export it and view in Preview and Maps. Do this in Photos by clicking on Assign a Location in the Info box and start typing where the image was captured. Photos will offer you locations. Choose the right one, and the tag will be assigned to the picture.

When you export the picture from Photos, be sure that the Location Information box is checked in the Export dialog. That will ensure the data travels with the image. Then you can view in Preview and Maps just like a picture that was geotagged with a camera.

Master Photos for macOS

(It's More Powerful than You Think)

VIDEO TRAINING

Want to see how easy it is to apply local edits to your images using Editing Extensions? Take a look at my new lynda training, Photos for OS X: Extensions for Local Adjustments.

And for an overview of all of the great features in Photos, my Photos for OS X Essential Training will get you up and running quickly. I cover everything you need to know to get the most from this surprisingly powerful image management application.

INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE

The Apple Photos Book for Photographers

For photographers who are more than just casual snapshooters, or who are making the transition from Aperture or iPhoto, The Apple Photos Book for Photographers shines a light on the sophistication of this app and the ecosystem it taps into. Available as an eBook now, and coming to print later this year.

Get it for $15 using checkout code APPLE15!

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Find us now on the Apple News App for iOS! Just open this link on your iOS device, then add The Digital Story to your Favorites.

I love classic architecture, and it's a big part of my street shooting. Fortunately, one of the best cameras for urban environments, the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II, includes Keystone Compensation. You may have heard of this feature, but I want you to see side-by-side images using it.

Downtown Oakland, CA by Derrick Story. Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II with the 14-42mm EZ zoom.

I generally shoot RAW+Jpeg on the streets. I have a monotone recipe that I use for the Jpegs. So I get a B&W superfine Jpeg and the original RAW with every shot I take. Keystone compensation is applied only to the Jpeg. That's fine with me, because that's the file that I typically want to share quickly (usually in a coffee shop via my iPhone). If needed, I can correct the RAWs later in Capture One Pro or Lightroom.

The above pairing is a single shot captured in both formats. The RAW file on the left is without keystone compensation, and the Jpeg on the right has it applied. I captured the image with a standard Olympus 14-42mm Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ lens.

If you want to know more about the actual operation of keystone compensation, I wrote an article about it for the EM-1. It's very easy to use, and as you can see, the results are nearly magical.

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The image editing tools in Capture One Pro are excellent. But there are times when I need to clone an area or use content aware, which is a strength of the venerable editing app. Fortunately, the two programs play well together, and here's how it works.

This fix is easier in Photoshop.

Here's a perfect example. There's a bit of a reflector in the above shot, and I don't have an easy way to fix it in Capture One Pro. So I right-click on the image and choose Edit With... from the popup menu. I then select Photoshop from the list of editing options.

Easy fix in Photoshop.

In just a matter of seconds, I have removed the reflector with the Clone Stamp tool in Photoshop. Now all I have to do is go to File > Save, and the corrected picture is returned to my Capture One Pro library. Generally speaking, the roundtripped photo is placed before the original in the thumbnail view. It will also be a Tiff file compared to the RAW that you probably started with.

Back in Capture One, I can continue to fine tune the shot, export it, or do anything else that I need to.

Just a few things to note: Capture one won't let you send an image from a smart album, you have to jump over to a regular album or collection. Also, after you choose Save in Photoshop, the image does return to Capture One, but it also just stays there in Photoshop. You can merely close it, or do something else with it if you wish.

Capture One and Photoshop work well together, and the only really penalty you pay is adding a Tiff file to your catalog that lives beside the existing content.

More Capture One Pro Tips and Techniques

Improve your skills by watching Capture One Pro Essential Training now available on lynda.com. More than 5 hours of tips, tricks, and techniques. Plus many free movies using advanced techniques.

I've also created a dedicated Capture One Pro Training page on The Digital Story. You can follow all of the tips and techniques that I publish in one convenient spot.

Thinking About Making the Transition from Aperture or Lightroom? - Download my free eBook titled, Rocky Nook's Guide to Moving to Capture One Pro. I show you the steps to create a test library, then build the foundation for a smooth transition to Capture One Pro.

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This is The Digital Story Podcast #547, August 30, 2016. Today's theme is "WiFi and GPS." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

I must admit that in the beginning, cameras that added WiFi and GPS felt more like novelties than real tools. But that was because the initial supporting software, and the implementations themselves, were a bit crude. But we've come a long way since those early days, and those radio technologies are very important to my work now. I explain why in today's show.

WiFi and GPS

I'll start with WiFi because it has had such an impact on my mobile photography and the speed at which I can share images. I tend to shoot in RAW+Jpeg then move the Jpegs to either my iPhone or iPad wirelessly.

I know some photographers would like to be able to make this transfer to their computers also. Well, all they have to do is use Macs and Photos for OS X. Images that are transferred to the mobile device's Camera Roll, automatically show up in the Photos application on the computer. You don't really have to do anything.

As for GPS, Photos, Lightroom, and Capture One Pro all take advantage of this data. Photos 2.0 that ships with macOS Sierra will be the most unique because it integrates the location data into its overall organizational scheme.

Because I've found so many ways to use location data: my dairy entries into Day One, Memories organization in Photos 2.0, and even Google Maps pins via Capture One Pro, I find myself shooting more and more with cameras that record this information.

My current GPS favorites are the iPhone 6S, Olympus TG-4, and the DxO ONE when connected to the iPhone. If I'm shooting analog, then I always capture a digital version too with one of these devices. It's nice that they all fit in my pocket.

And I'm getting to the point where if I shoot with the E-M5 Mark II or the E-M10 Mark II, I record a couple frames with a GPS camera too, just so I can have those coordinates available in the same collection.

In the News

Canon 5D Mark IV Includes Built-In GPS - For news photographers capturing hundreds or even thousands of images while moving around throughout the day, landscape photographers on location and even photographers on vacation, GPS has become an indispensable part of a daily workflow.

The EOS 5D Mark IV camera's built-in GPS helps photographers and filmmakers both tag their images with critical location data, and also adjust the time and timestamp on the camera automatically. Featuring both built-in GPS and Wi-Fi technology, the EOS 5D Mark IV can use GPS and WFT (Wireless File Transfer) together, making it easy to upload numerous images and movies both quickly and from increasingly distant locales. Compatible with American GPS satellites, Russian GLONASS satellites and Japanese quasi-zenith satellites Michibiki, the EOS 5D Mark IV's GPS information stays reliably accurate in many locations.

The camera has two GPS modes to help manage battery life. One keeps the GPS on, even when the camera is off, and the other turns off the GPS radio when the camera is off.

Hedge at IBC in Amsterdam Sept. 9-13

Hedge is teaming up with LaCie at the show to give away a LaCie 12Big array - (48TB, 72TB, 96TB) comes with Enterprise Class Drives (24/7 operations) and 5-year warranty and 25 Hedge Pro licenses. You can enter to win even if you're not attending the event. Just go to hedgeformac.com/ibc and click on the Create It Big link.

Keep these three things in mind...

• Hedge is the fastest app for importing and backing up media on macOS.
• Import multiple sources to multiple destinations, at the same time.
• Every file copied by Hedge is cross-verified with the original.

There's a free version and a premium version. Use this URL, hedgeformac.com/tds and save 20 percent off the price of the pro version that provides the full Hedge experience with Fast Lane copies, unlimited simultaneous transfers, plus NAS and RAID support.

Drobo Diaries

Speaking of massive storage, I've just unpacked a Drobo 5Dt five bay storage device that can manage up to 64TB with Thunderbolt 2 or USB 3.0 connectivity.

"Drobo 5D Turbo builds on the fully automated functionality of previous Drobo arrays by adding blazingfast performance. Leveraging cutting-edge Thunderbolt TM 2 and USB 3.0 connectivity Drobo 5Dt is the highest performing personal storage array on the planet."

I have 2 6TB drives and 3 2TB drives to start out with. "The Turbo Edition supports 4k Thunderbolt connected displays, includes an mSATA card for increased performance of up to 30 percent on streaming video and 3x read performance via Drobo's Hot Data Cache. Three years of DroboCare support is included on every 5Dt sold to ensure the best storage experience ever."

"The Drobo 5Dt doesn't just protect from drive failures, it also includes a battery backup system that protects all data in memory or cache. That's right, Enterprise grade data protection for you on your Drobo 5Dt! If power spontaneously goes away, the Drobo stays alive long enough for the data to be written to disk, ensuring your important information is always safe. The onboard battery recharges itself and is designed to last for the life of the product."

Over the next few shows, I'll be reporting on how I integrate this new drive into my workflow. Stay tuned. This is going to be fun.

Updates and Such

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.

MacPaw Creators of CleanMyMac 3 and other great software for Apple computers. Visit www.macpaw.com today.

Hedge for Mac - The fast solution for moving photos and videos from memory cards to drives, or drives to drives for that matter. Learn more at Hedge for Mac.

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 Nimble Photographer is on the road again, this time making a stop in Portland, Oregon for a 1-day Nimble Photographer Workshop. We're setting up camp at the Pro Photo Supply Event Center on Saturday, November 5, 2016.

We debuted this series in June at the Out of Chicago conference, and the event was a hit. Our next stop is the beautiful river city of Portland. And we have a terrific venue at the amazing, Pro Photo Supply on Northrup Street.

We gather at their event center at 8:30 AM on Nov. 5th. I'm keeping our group small, so we can really learn from each other, and to make it easy to move about the city when we go out to shoot.

Highlights over the course of the day include my sharing the techniques that I've developed during years of nimble photography, participant "What's in Your Bag" sessions, street shooting and portrait tips, hands-on session, post production discussion, gear review, photo sharing, and more. We're even including lunch.

You can reserve your spot for only $195. Seats are limited. Registration is open now. Pro Photo Supply has promised to have plenty of nimble gear on hand, and their event center, where we'll be working, is terrific.

I'm looking forward to spending the day in the beautiful Northwest. I hope you can join me.

Photo of Derrick Story by Scott Loftesness.

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!

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

Some news sites have labeled the Canon 5D Mark IV as the most anticipated camera of the year. I think in part that's because it has been a long time since we saw the Mark III. So fair enough.

But a lot has changed over those years, and I'm wondering who this latest version is for? After all, it's a hefty investment at $3,499.

I think those who stuck with the 5D Mark II are prime candidates for this latest model. With the new sensor, vastly improved autofocusing, increased frame rate, and built-in wireless connectivity, it's finally time to demote the trusty Mark II to the role of backup camera. Plus, c'mon, how long has it been since your upgraded your DSLR?

I also think the 5D Mark IV is a good choice for freshly-minted professional photographers, especially those who cover events, weddings, and shoot portraits. If this camera has the longevity that the Mark II provided for those like me, then the $3,499 is a sound investment for the long haul.

Beyond those scenarios, however, the choices are less clear. With the innovations rolled out by Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, and other mirrorless providers, plus the latest DSLR releases from Nikon and Pentax, the 5D Mark IV faces strong competition.

As for me, I'm waiting to see what Olympus is going to do the the OM-D E-M1 update, and the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. The OM-D line is providing me with everything that I want right now. And they are far more affordable.

Like I said, a lot has changed over the last few years.

Capture One Pro Tips and Techniques

Improve your skills by watching Capture One Pro Essential Training now available on lynda.com. More than 5 hours of tips, tricks, and techniques. Plus many free movies using advanced techniques.

I've also created a dedicated Capture One Pro Training page on The Digital Story. You can follow all of the tips and techniques that I publish in one convenient spot.

Thinking About Making the Transition from Aperture or Lightroom? - Download my free eBook titled, Rocky Nook's Guide to Moving to Capture One Pro. I show you the steps to create a test library, then build the foundation for a smooth transition to Capture One Pro.

Want to Comment on this Post?

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #546, August 13, 2016. Today's theme is "The Black & White Project." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Over the past few days, I've been seeing the world in Black & White. "How?" you may ask. It's been through the viewfinder of my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, set in monochrome mode. And as a result, I saw the rugged landscape of Pt. Reyes in a whole new way. What I discovered is the subject of today's podcast.

The Black & White Project

I had toyed with this idea before. But after spending an entire day scouting for the TDS Pt. Reyes Photography Workshop, it dawned on me that the foggy mornings, hillsides covered in tall grasses, and charismatic trees were perfect elements for monochrome work. So that night, I pitched the idea to my workshop group.

The key elements go like this...

• The project works best for those who have mirrorless cameras with electronic viewfinders that let photographers compose the scene in monochrome.
• Shooting in RAW+Jpeg allows for the Jpegs to be B&W, while still having a full color RAW of the scene.
• With the absence of color, I found it easier to work with the main element of the composition.
• I also slowed down, carefully zooming in and out looking for just the right arrangement of elements.
• Then, on the computer, I found it interesting to see which shots looked better in B&W, and which ones in color, And shots were clearly one or the other.

I've published a small gallery of photos from this project so you can see what I was seeing through the viewfinder all weekend. I have to tell you, it was a blast.

In the News

How to Figure out what to charge for your next portrait assignment via The Phoblographer.

This is a challenge for freelancers and emerging pros alike. How much do you charge for a portrait shoot? The key is to analyze all the steps involved in the project, and the time that it takes to accomplish them, then attach a dollar amount to the endeavor.

I break my shoots into 3 categories: preparation, actual shoot time, and post production. All of those have to be accounted for. But also, you need to consider consultation, travel costs, and gear investment. This article helps put all of these things, and more, into an equation that will hopefully lead to to determining how much to charge.

Hedge Free License

Not sure if Hedge will improve your workflow speed drastically? Go to hedgeformac.com/tds, download the app, and you'll receive a free 10-day pass to give it a thorough test run. If you like, there's a link to a 20 percent discount there for you too."

And if you're a Lightroom user, try the free trial and think about how this could help your Lightroom import experience. Next week I'm going to discuss how Hedge can better integrate with Lightroom, and we want to hear your thoughts.

Keep these three things in mind...

• Hedge is the fastest app for importing and backing up media on macOS.
• Import multiple sources to multiple destinations, at the same time.
• Every file copied by Hedge is cross-verified with the original.

There's a free version and a premium version. Use this URL, hedgeformac.com/tds and save 20 percent off the price of the pro version that provides the full Hedge experience with Fast Lane copies, unlimited simultaneous transfers, plus NAS and RAID support.

SmugMug is Helping Save 200 Million Photos Lost when Picturelife Died

When photo storage site Picturelife shut down, users were left high and dry without a way to access and/or download the images they had stored there. This didn't sit well with SmugMug, who reached out to Picturelife and, today, is helping reunite those photographers with their lost images.

In all, some 200 million files were lost into the ones and zeroes of Internet history when Picturelife went under--but out of this sad tale came 200 million opportunities for SmugMug to be both altruistic, and maybe snag a customer or two for themselves.

It's important to note that it will cost you nothing to take advantage of this offer from SmugMug. It's something SmugMug was adamant about.

You can read more about this and get the link to begin retrieving your images in this Petapixel article.

Updates and Such

The fourth episode of The Nimble Photographer Podcast is not posted for our Patreon supporters. If you wish to join the inner circle to support this show, click on the Patreon tile that's on all the pages of The Digital Story.

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

I'm currently working on an article that will show you the easiest way to print fine art greeting cards with Capture One Pro and Red River Fine Art Card Stock. I think C1 users are going to dig this. And I'll let you know as soon as it's live.

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.

MacPaw Creators of CleanMyMac 3 and other great software for Apple computers. Visit www.macpaw.com today.

Hedge for Mac - The fast solution for moving photos and videos from memory cards to drives, or drives to drives for that matter. Learn more at Hedge for Mac.

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.

During our TDS Photography Workshop in Pt. Reyes, CA, I put forth the idea of working in B&W over the course of the event.

Skipper on Thistle flower. Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO zoom in monochrome mode. Photos by Derrick Story.

Since many of the participants had mirrorless cameras with electronic viewfinders, we could view the beautiful Northern California landscape in Black & White right there in our cameras. I consider this a wonderful feature that makes this type of capture even more exciting.

Another nice feature is the ability to shoot in RAW+Jpeg. In my case, my Jpegs were the monochrome images, recorded at full resolution with SuperFine compression. But I still had the corresponding RAWs for each shot. This provided me the luxury of choosing which version I liked best for any given scene.

Tomales Point. Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 14-42mm EZ zoom in monochrome mode.

I was surprised at how often I liked the monochrome better. Yes, I had anticipated that some of the landscape scenes would look great in B&W, but I was delighted that many of the wildlife images looked great too.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO zoom in monochrome mode.

Because the monochromes were Jpegs, I knew that I would be able to edit them quite as much as the RAW files (although they held up better than I anticipated). So I did try extra hard to get them right in the camera. I think this led to me slowing down a bit and really enjoying the experience of photographing the diversity of Pt. Reyes.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 9mm "lens cap" fisheye in monochrome mode.

A few of our photographers also went this route and created very artistic images. Others stuck with RAW and converted to B&W in post. But almost everyone shared a stunning monochrome or two during our class presentation at the end of the workshop.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO zoom in monochrome mode.

So what's my conclusion after this artistic experiment? I think I'm going to use this technique more often. I really don't have anything to lose with RAW+Jpeg, and I felt that my concentration was improved while shooting. Not to mention that I really like some of the images.

Capture One Pro Tips and Techniques

I cataloged and fine tuned these images with Capture One Pro. If you want to learn how to work with your photographs in this application, check out Capture One Pro Essential Training, now available on lynda.com. More than 5 hours of tips, tricks, and techniques. Plus many free movies using advanced techniques.

I've also created a dedicated Capture One Pro Training page on The Digital Story. You can follow all of the tips and techniques that I publish in one convenient spot.

Thinking About Making the Transition from Aperture or Lightroom? - Download my free eBook titled, Rocky Nook's Guide to Moving to Capture One Pro. I show you the steps to create a test library, then build the foundation for a smooth transition to Capture One Pro.

Want to Comment on this Post?

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