Full screen mode isn't just for editing anymore. You can take advantage of every pixel on your Mac for just about any task in iPhoto. This can improve your experience considerably when working on a smaller device, such as the new 11" MacBook Air.

Here's a short video on how to take full advantage of full screen mode in iPhoto '11.

More Training Available

There are now two ways to learn and have more fun with iPhoto '11: my iPhoto '11 Essential Training ONLINE at Lynda.com, and the new iPhoto '11 Essential Training DVD that you can purchase from the Lynda.com Store for $49.95 US.

Other Articles about iPhoto '11

Creating Smart Folders in iPhoto '11

Introduction to iPhoto '11 Essential Training

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Rain Clouds over Power Lines, originally uploaded by The Digital Story.

If you change your camera's resolution, remember to change it back.

During a Macworld class I was teaching, I lowered the resolution on my Canon 60D (for a particular demonstration) to "S2," which is only 1920x1280 (2.5 megapixels). After the class was over, I forgot to return the setting to Raw where I normally keep it. When I am shooting Raw, I get full resolution from the camera -- 5184x3456 (18 megapixels).

The next day, while driving to my Lynda.com assignment in Ventura, CA, I saw this dramatic scene on Interstate 5 and was lucky enough to capture it. Unfortunately, the image was at the lower resolution I had set during the Macworld class. Ack!

Well, at least I can use it on the Web...

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What's the best way to share images with clients and subjects after a photo shoot? I recommend putting up an online gallery. But you may want to control who sees the images, and what they can do with them. In this week's podcast, I talk about using Flickr and MobileMe to provide secure galleries for the people you photograph. One is easier than the other to set up... and which one that is may surprise you.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (20 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Loved One is the February 2011 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Feb. 28, 2011.

TDS Summer 2011 Photography Workshop

We're making plans now for the Summer 2011 TDS Photography Workshop. If you want your name on the reserve list, just drop me a line.

More Ways to Participate

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

Podcast Sponsors

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

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

Who cares if the weather outside is terrible? This month TDS shooters prove that you can stay inside and still get great shots. Check out the Indoor Lighting gallery from members of our virtual camera club. And which one will be the SizzlPix Pick of the Month?

The Feb. 2011 assignment is "Loved One." Start working on your contribution now. Details can be found on the Member Participation page. You can now submit photo assignment pictures up to 800 pixels in the widest direction.

Please follow the instructions carefully for labeling the subject line of the email for your submission. It's easy to lose these in the pile of mail if not labeled correctly. For example, the subject line for next month's assignment should be: "Photo Assignment: Feb. 2011." Also, if you can, please don't strip out the metadata. And feel free to add any IPTC data you wish (These fields in particular: Caption, Credit, Copyright, Byline), I use that for the caption info.

Photo by Wayne Lorimer. (Click on it to see enlarged version.) You can read more about how Wayne captured this shot, plus see all of the other great images on the December 2010 Gallery page.

Good luck with your February assignment, and congratulations to all of the fine contributors for December. Very impressive!

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Now Available! The Digital Photography Companion. The official guide for The Digital Story Virtual Camera Club.

• 25 handy and informative tables for quick reference.
• Metadata listings for every photo in the book
• Dedicated chapter on making printing easy.
• Photo management software guide.
• Many, many inside tips gleaned from years of experience.
• Comprehensive (214 pages), yet fits easily in camera bag.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, The Digital Story, Photo Assignment

When the sky is unsettled, it pays to have your camera next to you on the front seat of the car. As I headed down the heart of California on Interstate 5, I had one hand on my Canon 60Dand the other on the steering wheel.

Rain clouds on Interstate 5 captured with a Canon 60D and the kit 18-55mm zoom. ISO 100. Click on image for larger version. Photo by Derrick Story.

When this picture presented itself to me, I couldn't resist rolling down the window and capturing it. I recommend viewing the larger version (by clicking on the image) so you can better appreciate the power-line towers that add a nice linear element to the composition.

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During my teaching at Macworld SF, I was able to sneak away to SF MOMA to view the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit. Cartier-Bresson is credited with the concept of the "decisive moment" in photography.

What I liked about this exhibit, and so many others that I've seen, is that I place myself behind the camera with the artist and think about what he was seeing and reacting to. On thing that I noticed with many of Cartier-Bresson's shots of groups of people, was that there was always one individual that your eye could go to first, as if he were building the composition around this subject. The other people then supported the "main character." It's something that I'm going to keep in the back of my mind as I shoot.

Staying inspired is important to me. And whenever I can, I seek out the work of the masters to help me see the world with fresh eyes.

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Building movies in Aperture 3 that combine still images and video snippets is a great way to improve your presentations. There are two simple ways to add a title slide to the video.

The first is the default method where you simply check the box next to "Show title" in the Default tab. Aperture will use the name you've given to the slideshow project and overlay it on the first image. If you want to adjust the font or color, click on the buttons to the right of the check box.

A second method, and the one I prefer, is to go to the gear menu and choose, "Insert Blank Slide With Text." Again you have font and color options, but now you're making your adjustments in the Selected Slides tab.

You can create as many title slides as you want, and drag them to any point in the presentation. They're a handy tool for adding that professional touch to your work.

More Aperture Tips and Techniques

My next Aperture Workshop is May 23, 2011 in Santa Rosa, CA. write me if you're interested in attending.

To learn more about Aperture 3, check out my Aperture 3 Essential Training 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.

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Smart folders are intelligent ways to pull together virtual collections of your images. The great thing is that smart folders are living creatures that continue to populate automatically as the images you add to your library meet the conditions you've set up.

Here's a short video on how to set up smart folders in your iPhoto library.

More Training Available

There are now two ways to learn and have more fun with iPhoto '11: my iPhoto '11 Essential Training ONLINE at Lynda.com, and the new iPhoto '11 Essential Training DVD that you can purchase from the Lynda.com Store for $49.95 US.

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The iPad is great for viewing pictures, but it can help you take them too. I've been playing with an app called SoftBox Pro ($1.99) that makes it easy to use your iPad as a light source for small product photography.

iPad "softbox" was used to illuminate this image of an Audi key. Click on image for larger version.

I captured this shot of an Audi key by positioning the iPad as the sole light source. I set the ISO to 800 on a Canon S90 with auto white balance. The shutter speed was 1/30th with an aperture of f/2. Exposure compensation was -1/3.

SoftBox Pro also has a variety of grids and patterns allowing you to use it as an illuminated surface to put objects on as well as a light source. It could come in handy in a pinch!

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One of the most creative tools I use in Aperture isn't in the Adjustments panel. It's Versions. I make virtual copies of a selected image, then I play with the different looks until I end up with something I like.

Original image on far left, then using versions to work toward final image on far right. Click on image for larger view.

The process is simple. Click on an image, then go to Photos > Duplicate Version. Even though the new image looks and behaves like a full copy of the original, it's only bits of metadata. You're adding virtually no file space to your hard drive.

At this point, I like to put my versions in a Stack by selecting them and choosing Stack > Stacks or CMD-K. I think they are easier to manage this way. Then after some image play, I might create another version and do something else with it.

Final version of the photo using the Black and White adjustment brick in Aperture 3. Click on image for larger view.

Once you have a version the way you like, you can move it to the top of the Stack (Stacks > Pick), then close the Stack by clicking on the little number icon in the upper right corner. You can open the Stack at any time for more play by clicking on the number icon again.

More Aperture Tips and Techniques

My next Aperture Workshop is May 23, 2011 in Santa Rosa, CA. write me if you're interested in attending.

To learn more about Aperture 3, check out my Aperture 3 Essential Training 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.

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