Recently in Photography

  Page 83 of 381 in Photography  

The news just keeps getting better for Capture One photographers. Today's happiness is brought to us by RNI, who just released RNI All Films 4 Lite for C1 users on both Mac and PC platforms. These styles are absolutely beautiful.

RNI-Kodak_E100GX.jpg "Street Musician, New Orleans" - Olympus PEN-F with Panasonic 20mm, RAW file processed in Capture One Pro using the Kodak E100GX Style in RNI All Films 4. Image by Derrick Story.

Here's what RNI has to say about them: "RNI All Films for Capture One is designed to bring the magic touch of film into your digital workflow. This package features 39 beautifully crafted film styles made after real analog film stocks. Rediscover film aesthetics. Create an emotional essence in your photography with RNI All Films.

And that's no exaggeration. Seems to me like the marriage of C1 RAW processing and RNI's film emulation science is ideal. As folks would say, "They are going to have some beautiful kids."

Once your purchase the Styles ($59), install them by opening Styles and Presets in the Adjustments panel, then clicking on Import Styles in the ... menu. All 39 film emulation profiles will be added to your User Presets.

Following that, simply open an an image and mouse over the different film types, you'll instantly see a preview of each effect. The workflow couldn't be easier.

Here's the processed version of the above image, using only C1's RAW processing and the RNI style.

Street Musician, New Orleans "Street Musician, New Orleans" - Photo by Derrick Story.

Master Capture One Pro

Start with Capture One Pro 10 Essential Training that will quickly get you up to speed with this pro level imaging application.

Then drill down into mastering the editing tools with Capture One Pro 10: Retouching and get supremely organized with Advanced Capture One Pro: Catalog Management.

Personalized Instruction Too!

If you want to have your questions incorporated into the curriculum, plus have live Q&A interactions, then take a look at my Nimble Classroom Series. I have personalized online sessions scheduled for Capture One Pro, Photos for macOS, and Luminar. Sign up today!

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

Luminar 3-Day Sale - $49

For the next 3 days you can purchase Luminar Neptune for $49. Considering that this app was a steal at $69, this is one terrific offer.

luminar-sale.png

Luminar Neptune includes the impressive Accent AI Filter, adaptive workspace, non-destructive RAW workflow, layers, filters, noise reduction, intelligent erase tool, and tons and tons of presets.

Luminar is also a plugin for Lightroom and my favorite editing extension for Photos for macOS. All of that is included in this $49 sale that's only available until July 27.

Photos for macOS as Your Digital Darkroom

I'll be showing you all the cool Luminar pro techniques in my upcoming Nimble Classroom on Luminar on Sept. 23. Interact with me and others from the comfort of your home.

You can learn more about using Luminar as an editing extension in my lynda.com training, Photos for macOS: Advanced Editing Extensions.

And if you'd prefer to cozy up with a book, check out The Apple Photos Book for Photographers that features chapters on basic editing, advanced post processing, and editing extensions.

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #594, July 25, 2017. Today's theme is "No Such Thing as Free Time." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Time is like horizontal space in an office. If there's an opening, it becomes occupied. Seems to be a law of human nature that free time belongs to the young and the old. For everyone else, time must be planned. And if your photography isn't on the agenda, it won't make the cut. Ensuring that doesn't happen is the first topic of today's show.

No Such Thing as Free Time

free-time.jpg

It was a little after 7pm when I had finished watering the garden. The plants were thirsty after another 90 degree day in Sonoma County. But things were changing as the day began to wind down. There was a light ocean breeze in the air, and the temperature slipped back to the low 70s.

My chores were done, and I had a decision to make. Should I head inside, make a drink, and park it on couch? Tempting, and certainly justified after a weekend of work. But I hadn't shot since Thursday. And the light was absolutely beautiful right now.

Instead, I grabbed my camera bag and the keys to the Vanagon (that's right, the Vanagon!). Shilo Park was only a mile and a half from my house. I'm going to spend this last hour of light outside.

My first choice was to fly the DJI Spark. I waited about 10 minutes until everyone had cleared out of the parking area. I didn't want to end their day of nature with the sound of my drone. Once everything was clear, I lifted off and shot video for the next 15 minutes. The shadows were long and the colors were warm. It was a beautiful time for aerial photography.

Later that night as I was editing the footage in Final Cut, I thought about that last hour of the day. It made my whole weekend. And I almost let it slip away.

If you've let opportunities slip by you, here are five suggestions to help keep photography on your priority list.

  • Manage Your Energy - At first this might sound like an odd addition, but it's been my long standing opinion and fatigue is the enemy of creativity. The three most important facets of energy management is sleep, exercise, and diet. Keep enough gas in your tank so you can seize the moment when it presents itself.
  • Sell Yourself on the Value of Your Photography Work - If you don't believe that shooting is of vital importance, no one else is going to take your seriously. And you need them to do so if you're going to carve out time for your creative endeavors.
  • Explore New Techniques and Gear - Many photographers feel a little guilty about acquiring new gear. But if a camera, lens, housing, drone, tripod, reflector, or bag excites you to the point of motivation, I think that's a good thing.
  • Create Projects and See Them Through - Projects are vital to creative longevity. Last week I talked about seeing an image all the way through printing to framing. Photo essays, finished movies, printed books are other great examples of completed projects.
  • Get Better - Few things are more motivating than mastery. The first thing that I thought when I reviewed my final movie from Shilo Park is that I can't wait to get out there again and make a better movie. What I did last night was better than any aerial work I had done before, and now I have the confidence to do even better.

If you make time for your photography, it will reward you beyond any reasonable exception. It is one of the best investments in you that you can make.

More On Being a Good UAS Citizen

After my podcast about the DJI Spark (Unmanned Aircraft System), I received quite a bit of mail, some of it kindly chiding me for not being more clear about certification. So, here's a bit more info about flying your UAS, including a link to the getting started page on the FAA site.

If you're flying only for fun, there are no pilot requirements. If you plan to use your drone commercially, however, you must have Remote Pilot Airman Certificate that involves a written test. The big question in my mind is how do you define commercial? Education, BTW, seems to fall into the non-commercial category.

Need to be aware of restricted airspace. Maintain line of sight with your drone, and always yield to manned aircraft. Don't fly over people unless you have their explicit permission. Do not fly from a moving car. UAS flight is for daylight hours only.

And just as important as all of that, be courteous to others and use common sense. If you follow these guidelines, you should have a rewarding experience, and it won't be at the expense of others.

ImageFramer 4.1 Available

ImageFramer 4.1 is available, which includes hiding layers (including image layer) and a drop-down list of templates in Lightroom plugin (needs an update of the plugin).

More information can be found at right here.

ImageFramer on Facebook

For more tips like these, and lots more, visit ImageFramer on Facebook. And give your images the ImageFramer look they deserve.

We want everyone to enjoy the benefits of the new ImageFramer. ImageFramer 4.0 is a free upgrade for ImageFramer 3 customers. Note that it requires macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or later. TDS listeners can receive a 20 percent discount by visiting: our ImageFramer landing page.

New Subjects Added to The Nimble Classroom

I've trying to figure out a way to bring more personalized training to photographer without them having to travel. It's one thing to get on a plane to photograph wine country or the French Quarter, but not quite as alluring to sit in a classroom for two days.

As a result, I've designed a new approach called, The Nimble Classroom. And now there are four courses for the Summer Session of The Nimble Classroom.

  • August 19, Catalog Management, Capture One Pro
  • September 9, Expert Editing, Capture One Pro
  • September 23, Luminar Pro Techniques
  • October 7, Photos 3 for macOS

You can learn more about them and sign up for your favorites by visiting The Nimble Classroom online.

Updates and Such

Big thanks to all of our Patreon members!

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.

Texas-based Red River Paper recently announced a new fine art paper, Palo Duro Etching. The new paper is a 100 percent cotton rag paper and is free of optical brightener additives. The paper is designed to offer warm white tones, deep blacks and a subtle texture to accurately recreate traditional darkroom fine art prints.

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

ImageFramer 4 - ImageFramer is used by artists, professional and amateur photographers, scrapbookers, framers, and people who simply want their family photos to look better.

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

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.

Photos for macOS version 3 will ship with High Sierra. As part of the public beta, we're getting a chance to look at this app and some of its new features. One that I think a lot of photographers will be interested in is Curves.

after-curves-2.jpg Image after applying Curves in Photos 3. Image by Derrick Story.

As it stands now, this implementation of Curves is on the basic side in terms of features (no presets, etc.), but effective. We have highlights, midpoint, and shadows droppers. We can target specific tones and add them to the adjustment curve. And we can work in individual channels, or all channels rolled up in RGB view.

before-curves.jpg Before the Curves adjustment in Photos 3

There are also the normal controls that you would expect such as Auto Curves, reset adjustment, and the ability to turn it on and off without affecting the other sliders.

processed-image.jpg Final image output from Photos 3. Picture by Derrick Story.

Sometimes it's handy to target a specific tone and make an adjustment. In Photos 3, we'll be able to do just that with Curves.

Book, Videos, or Live Classroom: Photos for macOS

I'll be covering Curves and all the new Photos features in my upcoming Nimble Classroom on Photos for macOS, October 7. Interact with me and others from the comfort of your home.

You might also be interested in exploring the world of modern photography with my The Apple Photos Book for Photographers that features insightful text and beautiful illustrations.

And if you'd like to cozy up to a video at the same time, watch my latest lynda title, Photos for macOS Essential Training

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

Beware of Flare

It wasn't that long ago that a lens hood was mandatory gear. Hoods serve the dual purpose of helping to protect the front element from accidental bumps, plus assist in blocking stray light falling directly on the glass.

beware-of-flare.jpg

But no practical person rigs up a lens hood for his iPhone. And it's rare that I even see them on mirrorless cameras as well.

But not using a hood doesn't mean that flare won't compromise your image when shooting toward the sun. The biggest downfall is contrast degradation. If you do a "before and after" test with your hand shielding the lens, you'll see what a difference it makes eliminating stray light.

So, by way of reminder, I say this: first, be aware of situations where flare might occur, then, take steps to prevent it. Most commonly, I will cup my hand and use it as a temporary lens hood. I'll move it around until I find the position where the stray light is blocked, but my hand isn't part of the picture.

If it's convenient for your camera, a lens hood still makes sense. It doesn't always eliminate flare by itself, but it definitely makes it easier to control. Plus, you can cup your hand on the outside of the hood, then use them both together.

Regardless of the method that you use, beware of flare, and don't let it compromise your shots.

There are certain tools, that once you learn them, you wonder how you ever lived without them. For me, the Gradient Mask in Capture One Pro is a perfect example.

fix-a-sky.jpg

I particularly like the gradient mask for adjusting the sky in landscape shots. Not only does it make it easy to tweak color, saturation, and tone, I can go back with the brush tool and tailor the mask exactly as I wish. Keep in mind this is my everyday photo management software that can handle this. (Sweet!) Here's a short video that shows how it works.

Open one of your favorite landscapes in Capture One, then follow along with the video. After just a few minutes, you too will be smitten with the Gradient Mask tool.

Master Capture One Pro

Start with Capture One Pro 10 Essential Training that will quickly get you up to speed with this pro level imaging application.

Then drill down into mastering the editing tools with Capture One Pro 10: Retouching and get supremely organized with Advanced Capture One Pro: Catalog Management.

Personalized Instruction Too!

If you want to have your questions incorporated into the curriculum, plus have live Q&A interactions, then take a look at my Nimble Classroom Series. I have personalized online sessions scheduled for Capture One Pro, Photos for macOS, and Luminar. Sign up today!

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

This is The Digital Story Podcast #593, July 18, 2017. Today's theme is "Just One Print." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Sometimes we make things too big. And as such, we shy away from them. I was actually thinking about this as it relates to making prints from our digital images. The idea of printing and all that goes with it seems like so much work. But what if you said to yourself, "I'm going to make just one print." That doesn't seem so bad, does it? We explore this approach on today's TDS Podcast.

Just One Print

print-1024.jpg Work in Progress - A 13" x 19" print with an ImageFramer matte on my worktable getting ready to be framed.

You probably didn't know that for a while, I smoked cigarettes. I was in a rock n roll band called Section 8. I was in my 20s, and it was the golden era of small night clubs in Southern California. After our sound check, but before the gig actually started, we had a lot of time on our hands. And that's when I learned to smoke.

As you may have guessed, after a while the charm wore off. And when it was time to quit cigarettes, I found that was much more difficult than starting. Fortunately, my paths crossed with someone who could help me. He was teach smoking cessation for the Public Health Dept.

One of the things that he used to say, is that when the urge would strike, just say that I'm not going to do anything for the moment. Not forever, or even tomorrow, Just right now. And soon the urge would pass.

I learned that this technique worked in the opposite direction as well. If I was facing a big task, I would say to myself, "I'm just going to do one thing right now." Then later on, I would do another. And I some point I would have completed the whole thing.

I bring this up, because I think people feel that printing their images is a big task. Not only the actual output, but the matting and framing and all of that. But what if you decided to make just one print? That's it. Just a print, then a matte, then a frame. How would you feel about printing after that?

Making Your Your Own Mattes with ImageFramer

So after I made my one print, I decided to make a matte for it. I had a particular color scheme in mind, so I opened ImageFramer and started playing. Once I created the design I wanted, I substituted the picture with a a blank white Jpeg. Why? Because my intention was to print out this design on Red River Paper, cut it, then use it as a matte. And it looks terrific!

ImageFramer on Facebook

For more tips like these, and lots more, visit ImageFramer on Facebook. And give your images the ImageFramer look they deserve.

We want everyone to enjoy the benefits of the new ImageFramer. ImageFramer 4.0 is a free upgrade for ImageFramer 3 customers. Note that it requires macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or later. TDS listeners can receive a 20 percent discount by visiting: our ImageFramer landing page.

Vanagon Update

Here's the latest on the VW Vanagon...

New Subjects Added to The Nimble Classroom

I've trying to figure out a way to bring more personalized training to photographer without them having to travel. It's one thing to get on a plane to photograph wine country or the French Quarter, but not quite as alluring to sit in a classroom for two days.

As a result, I've designed a new approach called, The Nimble Classroom. And now there are four courses for the Summer Session of The Nimble Classroom.

  • August 19, Catalog Management, Capture One Pro
  • September 9, Expert Editing, Capture One Pro
  • September 23, Luminar Pro Techniques
  • October 7, Photos 3 for macOS

You can learn more about them and sign up for your favorites by visiting The Nimble Classroom online.

Updates and Such

Big thanks to all of our Patreon members!

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.

Texas-based Red River Paper recently announced a new fine art paper, Palo Duro Etching. The new paper is a 100 percent cotton rag paper and is free of optical brightener additives. The paper is designed to offer warm white tones, deep blacks and a subtle texture to accurately recreate traditional darkroom fine art prints.

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

ImageFramer 4 - ImageFramer is used by artists, professional and amateur photographers, scrapbookers, framers, and people who simply want their family photos to look better.

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

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.

Capture-One-Square.jpg

Want the benefits of personalized training without having to travel? The new Nimble Classroom Series offers just that.

Participation is limited to six, questions can be submitted before each session with the answers incorporated into the curriculum, and live Q&A segments allow us to address queries that arise during the live instruction.

You can attend class via your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Each session is recorded, so you can review the content as many times as you wish in the future. Each participant receives a video as part of their tuition.

Luminar-Class.png

Plus, the Nimble Classes are affordable. Five hour sessions only cost $99 (Luminar & Photos) or $129 (Capture One Pro). Combine the low tuitions with the fact that there are no airfares, hotels, rental cars, or restaurants to contend with, and the result is high value live instruction. You work with Derrick Story as if he were sitting right across from you.

Signups have already begun for the first set of Nimble Classes:

photos-3-logo.jpg

  • August 19, Catalog Management, Capture One Pro
  • September 9, Expert Editing, Capture One Pro
  • September 23, Luminar Pro Techniques
  • October 7, Photos 3 for macOS

Reserve your spot today and learn photography software from a pro photographer who uses these tools in his daily work. It's fun, affordable, and most importantly, it will help you improve your images.

If you have questions about the Nimble Classroom Series, contact me via the Nimble Contact Form.

I hope to see you in class!

My original goal was to use the Olympus PEN-F for street photography and travel. I packed it neatly in my Think Tank Retrospective 7 for the SF Street Photography Workshop last April. Now, three months later, it's still in my bag.

Olympus-PEN-F.jpg

The mistake that I made was thinking that the PEN-F was a niche camera, something that one uses for certain situations such as exploring urban environments. But the truth is, at least for me, that it's the camera that I want to have with me all the time. So, what happened?

  • 20 MP Sensor - I didn't think that bump from 16MP (my E-M5 Mark II) to 20MP would be that big of a deal. But, turns out that it is. I'm loving that extra resolution.
  • Amazing Design and Quality - I've never owned a Leica, but I have some idea now why photographers love that level of quality. Every physical detail on this camera is exquisite. I use a BolinUS Handmade Leather Half Case and a leather wrist strap. This combination is absolutely irresistible.
  • The Creative Front Dial - The dial on the front is genius. I have my B&W setting (Mono 2), film color, and Art Filter all pre-programmed. All I have to do is set the front dial to the effect I want, shoot RAW+Jpeg, and enjoy pure creativity.
  • Fully Articulated 3" LCD - I like the PEN-F's implementation of the swing out LCD better than with my E-M5 Mark II because it doesn't interfere with any ports. I can shoot using so many interesting angles with this viewfinder. And being able to close it up so only its textured back is exposed, saves me the trouble of having to purchase and mess with an LCD screen protector.
  • It Fits Everywhere - For everyday use, I keep the Olympus 14-42mm EZ zoom with the Auto Opening Lens Cap for a camera that fits anywhere, and is ready to shoot instantly.

I tried to make the PEN-F a niche camera, but it refuses to be typecast. I'm resigned to the fact that it is indeed my favorite Micro Four Thirds camera... ever.

The Olympus PEN-F is currently available at B&H Photo for $1,099 with free shipping and no tax.

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

There are many reasons why I carry the DxO ONE camera. It's super compact, works with my iPhone and Apple Watch, has an amazing editing extension for Photos for macOS, and provides tons of control and flexibility.

4th-july-plaza.jpg "4th of July Concert in the Square, Healdsburg, CA" - Captured with the DxO ONE by Derrick Story.

But at the end of the day, what really keeps me reaching for the camera is its outstanding image quality. It does capture in RAW, but most of the shots that I publish with it are Jpegs that have automatically been added to my Photos for macOS library, then fine tuned with the DxO Optics Pro for the DxO ONE editing extension.

For this outing on the 4th of July, I didn't want to carry a camera bag, but I wanted a bit more visual horsepower than just the iPhone. This is when the DxO ONE really shines. It fits in my pocket allowing me to travel light, but it provides amazing image capability when I want it.

I know that compact camera popularity has declined during the rise of smartphones. But the DxO ONE is different. It works with the iPhone and gives you the pixel grabbing power of a 1" sensor, but without the bulk. It's a beautiful combination.

If you want more than your iPhone, but don't want to carry a dedicated camera, reach for the DxO ONE. After all this time, it continues to amaze me.

Photos for macOS as Your Digital Darkroom

You can learn more about using DxO Optics Pro as an editing extension in my lynda.com training, Photos for macOS: Advanced Editing Extensions.

And if you'd prefer to cozy up with a book, check out The Apple Photos Book for Photographers that features chapters on basic editing, advanced post processing, and editing extensions.

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