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Loom in an iPhone

After using Loom for a week to backup photos from my iPhone and iPad mini, I give the service high marks.

I particularly like using the iOS version of Loom. It's easy to navigate and create folders for organization.

The Timeline at the top of the organization panel shows all of your pictures in chronological order. Below that, each of your devices are listed where you can see the photos residing in each of them.

Then, there are the albums. You can create a new album and add virtual copies of pictures to it. I've created my usual Animals, People, Places, and Things collections. When 2014 rolls around, I'll create categories for the new year too.

As for the Web interface, I still haven't warmed up to it. Sharing images has been a challenge, and overall performance is clunky. It's almost as if the designers tried to port the iOS app to the computer browser. My hope would be that they revisit the web interface with fresh eyes.

Aside from that nit, I would say that I'm quite pleased with my first week of using Loom. If you need to augment your mobile photography backup solution, it's worth a look.


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The engineers at Flickr have been busy elves this season, and one of their latest goodies is the overhauled "embed" option for your photos. This is part of the new "photo experience" that's in beta. Unfortunately, for some sites, such as my Movabletype blog, it doesn't work.

flickr-embed-option.jpg

To get to this option while viewing your photo (in the new experience), click on the Share icon, then click on the Embed graphic. You'll be presented with a variety of sizes as shown above.

Flickr cites in their blog post on the topic, "your photos and videos are displayed with their full title and your Flickr name, embed feature is only available for publicly shared photos, and embeds are contextual and interactive."

My advice is to sit tight for a bit and let them work out the bugs in the new code. In the meantime, you can opt-out of the new experience and use the old embed code.


Flickr Essential Training 2013 - I explore the entire Flickr universe, mobile and computer, in my lynda.com title, Flickr Essential Training. Stop by and take a look.

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Camera+ 5 for iOS with Processing Lab

highlights-shadows-iphone.png

The folks at Tap tap tap have just released Camera+ 5 for the iPhone ($1.99) with plenty of updates, including The Lab.

Not only is Camera+ a terrific app for capturing images with your iPhone (or iPad), but The Lab adds some dynamite features worthy of your attention.

  • Clarity Pro
  • Tint
  • Soft Focus
  • Film Grain
  • Temperature
  • Highlights and Shadows
  • Vignette
  • And many more...

I just gave the app a run-through from start to finish for this image of my Lowepro Urban Reporter 150 that I posted on Instagram.

When capturing the image, I took advantage of Camera+ controls such as image stabilization and self timer (I was holding a reflector in my other hand). In The Lab, I added a bit of Clarity, recovered some highlights, and used just a bit of vignette to draw the eye to the center of the frame. Capture, processing, and sharing all accomplished on the iPhone 5S.

If you're looking for a new camera app to help you expand your iPhone photography, I would certainly consider this latest version of Camera+. For existing users, the upgrade is free.


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kathleen-raw-processing.jpg

We knew it was coming; just not sure when. Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 5.02 adds Raw processing for five cameras - all of them important: Nikon D5300, Nikon Df, Olympus OM-D E-M1, Sony Alpha 7, and Sony Alpha 7R.

My approach while waiting for such updates is to shoot Raw+Jpeg with a new camera. I upload both to Aperture, and work with the Jpegs until the new Raw processing is available. I keep the two formats in separate albums. Until the Raw processing is available, my thumbnails for the unsupported files look like this.

raw-files-before-update.jpg

Once the update is applied, I go to the Adjustments tab in the Inspector, and click on any thumbnail. Aperture will process the file and present me with an image. I can use the right and left arrow keys to move through the images quickly and display the updates.

processed-raw-files.jpg

As for the Raw processing itself, it seemed very good for my OM-D E-M1 files. Initial previews looked spot on, highlight and shadow recovery was smooth, color was pleasing, and all controls behaved as I would anticipate.

If you're a Mac OS X Mavericks user, the update should be applied automatically. If not, you can download it here.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.


The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!


This week on The Digital Story photography podcast: Lightroom 5.3 Goodies, especially for those with new cameras; Nimbleosity Report - Automated Backup of Your Mobile Photos with Loom; Photo Help Desk: Car Windshield Shade Portrait Reflector - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - Photographers who have upgraded to the Olympus OM-D E-M1, Olympus Stylus 1, Nikon Df, or Pentax K-3 should be interested in the latest Lightroom update, version 5.3. Not only is there Raw support for these cameras, Adobe has also added:

  • Tethered capture for Canon EOS Rebel T4i / EOS 650D / EOS Kiss X6i
  • New Lens Profile Support for 19 new lenses, including a boatload of Sony glass
  • Added Camera Matching color profiles (Natural, Muted, Portrait, Vivid) for Olympus cameras

lightroom-5pt3-profiles-web

Plus lots and lots of bug fixes. I talk about this substantial update in today's top story. (More information about the Lightroom 5.3 release is here).

Story #2 - On the Nimbleosity Report - Automated Backup of Your Mobile Photos with Loom. Now that Everpix is just a fond memory, I needed to find a robust backup solution for my iPhone and iPad pictures. I've been testing Loom, and I think it has potential.

One of Loom's most appealing features is the ability to create albums and move pictures into them. This really helps with organization. You can even create nested albums, but the procedure gets a bit more tricky doing this.

The Mac and iOS apps seem solid, you get 5GBs of storage for free, and you can increase your allotment to 50GBs for $3.99 a month or 250GBs for $9.99 a month. If you pay yearly, you can save: $39.99 and $99.99 respectively.

I think it's important to begin 2014 with a solid mobile backup solution, and I discuss the potential with Loom in the second segment.

Story #3 - From the Photo Help Desk: Car Windshield Shade Portrait Reflector. We might not always have our disc reflectors on us, but chances are you have a windshield shade in your car. Here's how it can save the day for a portrait shoot.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

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

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

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High school yearbook portraits are generally a mechanical process. With lots of students to photograph, and not much time to do it, it's understandable why the process can become a bit impersonal.

According to the students I've talked to, they get one shot in front of the photographer. There might be a second exposure if something went terribly wrong with the first. Otherwise, that's it. Next.

If your child decides that he or she doesn't like the image that was captured, offer to give them a second chance. After all, this is a photo they have to live with for a long time.

yearbook-head-shots.jpg

As photographers, we shoot portraits regularly. Yearbook shots are among the easiest to do. Simply look at the image that was supplied by the official photographer, find a comparable backdrop, and shoot a series of images.

That's right: a series.

Along the way, show the pictures you've already recorded to the subject. Ask which ones they like the best. Then shoot another series working that pose and expression. After just 15 or 20 minutes, you'll have a happy high school student, and you've put your skills to work for your family.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

If you have questions about portrait retouching in Aperture, or how to adjust the background color, take a look at Portrait Retouching with Aperture. You may want to check out my other Aperture titles, including Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012), Using iPhoto and Aperture Together, and the latest, Enhancing Product Photography with Aperture. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

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My appreciation of the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 increased over the last three days while shooting a high school basketball tournament. I relied on the fast 75mm f/1.8 lens for the bulk of the action, and I have to say, I very much enjoyed this tandem.

Tip Off

I would shoot the first half on the side of the court, usually from the first or second row of the stands. Then move to the end court for the second half. This provides a nice variety of angles. The tip off here, for example, was captured at 1/500th, f/1.8, ISO 1600. I then processed the Raw file in Lightroom 5.3

Speaking of Raw, the E-M1 did not bog down at all while shooting burst mode, even when I was capturing in Raw+Jpeg. This is one of its big improvements over its sibling, the E-M5. The fast processing combined with the swift autofocus makes the E-M1 the best micro four thirds camera, that I've shot with, for sporting events.

The lightness of my kit was also a big factor. I used the Lowepro Urban Reporter 150 all three days of the tournament. I was able to keep the bag on my shoulder the entire time. Not once did I feel tired or experience the need to set the bag down.

We've known for some time that micro four thirds cameras and lenses are good for travel and street photography. But this latest iteration of the OM-D is a serious action camera too.


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Olympus Raw shooters have a new goodie under the Christmas tree: camera color profiles. I saw this note on DP Review and tested it myself. We're no longer limited to the standard Adobe color profiles for our Raw processing.

color-profiles-lightroom-5-pt-3.jpg

You can find the profiles under Camera Calibration in the Develop module. Cycling through them provides you with different interpretations of the image. Choose the one you like best as a starting point, then finish off the photo with your favorite editing tools.


Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

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Adobe officially released Lightroom 5.3 that includes Raw processing for 20 new cameras. This is great news for Olympus OM-D E-M1 owners who haven't had many options for processing their .ORF files.

lightroom-5-omd-em1.jpg

I did some testing this morning with Raw files from the E-M1 in Lightroom 5.3. The default profile by Adobe is comparable to the previews presented by Olympus Viewer 2. Editing tasks, such as recovering highlights and shadows also went well.

I do note that highlight recovery didn't seem as smooth (graduated) as with some of my other cameras, such as .CR2 files from Canon. In some ways, it felt more like trying to recover highlights from a Jpeg than a Raw file. This could have been just my eyes today (not enough coffee?), and I'm going to continue to test highlight recovery with OM-D E-M1 files. I will post an update if I discover something new.

Other areas, such as color and sharpness, responded well to the editing tools in Lightroom 5.3. And at the moment, I would say that this app is your best option for Raw processing if you shoot with the Olympus OM-D E-M1.

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PhotoHelpDesk.com is a down-to-earth resource for curious minded photographers. Submit your questions, and we'll post an answer.

Is the iPhone Flash Useful Outdoors?

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One of the most popular tricks used by event photographers is to turn on the flash for outdoor portraits. I've used this successfully with DSLRs and compacts. But do you get the same magical benefit from the LED "flash" on the iPhone 5S?

Kathleen and I decided to test this during an assignment photo shoot today. First, I posed her against a bright background and turned on the iPhone flash. As you can see, she was wildly underexposed. With any of my standard cameras, this image would have turned out great.

Then I changed directions and used a shaded area as the background. I wanted to see if the LED could provide any benefit in this type of lighting. We shot with the fill flash on (left), and with the flash turned off (right).

iphone-fill-flash.jpg Fill flash on (left); off (right)

At first I didn't think the flash was making much difference. But later, when I had a chance to compare the images on my Mac, I could see some of the benefits of the LEDs. The skin tones were warmer, eyes brighter, and overall, more glow.

Bottom line is this: with bright, contrasty backgrounds, your iPhone fill flash is like a pea shooter at a bazooka range. But when both subject and background are in open shade, it's worth turning on. Give it a try.


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The iPhone has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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