When I give portrait assignments to students, I usually ask them to capture three different types: Front-facing head and shoulders, environmental where the subject is part of a larger scene, and what I call the "engaged portrait," which is when the subject is doing something.

I like the activity portraits a lot. My feeling is that we learn even more about the subject when they are focused on their work, a hobby, or in the case of this young boy, watching soap bubbles with his mom.

With engaged portraits, we often see expressions that reveal personality. The person is thinking about an activity and not as much about be photographed. The protective shield is lowered, and the viewer gets a peek at an aspect of the real person.

You have to have your camera available and ready to fire, because these opportunities are often spontaneous. For example, I prepared my OM-D in the morning and had it available as we started our 4th of July BBQ with family. I didn't take any pictures for the first few hours. But when Charlie and his mom started blowing soap bubbles, I grabbed the camera and captured an engaging series of images.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of group shots and other types of portraits during these events. But the engaged portraits are often the ones I share with others.

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When you're working alone and have to move your lights from one area to another, it can be a cumbersome task. The Flashpoint 7' AutoStand aims to make that job just a bit easier.

Its standout feature is the set of automatic legs that retract against the main body of the stand when you lift it up, then spread when you place the autostand in a new location. It only requires one hand.

I've been using this lighting accessory in my studio that has a shooting room upstairs and the classroom downstairs. Now when I move lighting from one location to the other, I can still hold my camera in one hand and simply lift up the stand with the other to transport it down the stairwell. It's great.

The three legs spread automatically when you set the stand on the floor.

But when you lift up the stand with just a single hand, the legs retract against the body so you can easily transport it.

The autostand adjusts from 3 feet to 7 feet and folds down to 30 inches for storage or transport. This kit comes with a reversible 5/8' stud, with a ¼"-20 thread on one end, and 3/8" on the other, which can be mounted either vertically or horizontally as needed. The stand is made of aluminum alloy and weighs 2.8 pounds. It can bear a load of 15.5 pounds.

I like the over-sized tightening knobs and the general construction of the autostand. There is a bit of wobble when extended, due to the design of the legs to allow them to open and close automatically. This isn't an issue for lighting gear (the stand is plenty stable for my lights), but it's a design byproduct that you should be aware of.

The Flashpoint 7' AutoStand comes with a carry case for location work, and the entire kit sells for $59.95. Adorama also carries a variety of accessories to round out your rig.

The autostand is a handy addition to my studio. I always have it set up and ready to work.

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It's like Micro Four Thirds lenses were designed for this moment.

The Olympus Air A01 is a palm-sized cylinder with a 16MP M4/3 sensor and lens mount that allows photographers to attached any Micro Four Thirds lens and start shooting.

They can control the camera via their iOS or Android smartphone, not to mention view the images on those beautiful LCD screens.

What's different about this project compared to other competitors is that M4/3 optics are among the most compact in the interchangeable lens world. The pancake Oly 14-42mm EZ zoom, Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, Olympus 45mm f/1.8, (and on and on) are perfect for this device. Compact lenses plus compact body equals pocketable device.

If you're already shooting in this format, the admission price for the Air is $299. Smartphone not included.

So in addition to serving as a super nimble mobile device, the Olympus Air becomes the world's most compact, fully-featured backup camera.

That's pretty nice...

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

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This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: 5 Tips to Energize Your Portraits, New Camera Tech for Next iPhone?, Tip to Make Clients Happy - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Apple's dual-camera technology rumored to be nearing completion". DP Connect reports: "Apple has been working on the dual-lens technology for three years, but until recently has been hindered by a number of issues, including image blur and supplier inadequacies. LinX's processing technologies may have solved those blurring problems, and Apple is said to have found a supplier for the components that is able to meet its production demands." Who knows if this will be ready for the next iPhone.

In other news... "Firmware 4.0 for the Fujifilm X-T1 Improves the Autofocus" The Phoblographer reports: "The Fujifilm X-T1 doesn't have terrible focusing performance to begin with, but now they're stating that it's much better than it was before. The new firmware 4.00 includes new wide and tracking methods as well as performance boosts to single AF point focusing. For portrait photographers, the camera will now have an Eye Detection focusing option too."

Story #1 - "5 Tips to Energize Your Portraits" -

Most subjects tighten up when you point a camera in their direction. Here are 5 tips to breath life back in to your portraits.

• One foot or the other.
• Burst mode.
• Twist and shout.
• Give them confidence.
• Change the scene.

Story #2 - "The Visual Shot List"

Here's how it works. The client figures out what type of images they want for a particular shoot. Then they research stock photography (they have an account) to find samples that come as close as possible to their ideas. They build the shot list with pictures and text.

Then, before the shoot, we have a phone conference to discuss the shot list. As a team, we look at the stock photos and talk about how "this comes close, but what we'd like is a little brighter background," and details like that.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Introducing Photoshop: Photography with Deke McClelland.

You can watch Deke in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Deke's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25, 2015 - Sonoma County has rolling hills covered in vineyards, beautiful trees, and gorgeous blue skies. What a prefect place to shoot Fall color and bolster your landscape library. But there's more. We include environmental portraiture with a professional model, and an exclusive African wildlife photo adventure at Safari West, led by a professional photographer, plus a few surprises. This is our longest running workshop of the season, and for good reason. Two full days plus pre-workshop reception, breakfast and lunch, excellent swag, professional model, private Safari West adventure with a pro photographer guide - all included for just $599.

Use the Send Me Info form to get all the details.

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Save Money with Red River Paper

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes - MP3 version). 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

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

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

SizzlPix! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com.

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I stepped out the front door the other evening to witness a beautiful sunset. Like most other folks, I pulled a smartphone out of my pocket to record the event. Unlike most others, however, I then pulled a DxO ONE from my other pocket to capture a few more pictures. I thought you might be interested in how they compare.

Note: The DxO ONE images were captured with pre-release hardware and processed with beta software. Specs and performance may change with the final release in September.

The Jpegs from both the iPhone 5S and DxO ONE are right out of the camera with no further processing. The DNG from the ONE was processed with automatic settings (no individual slider tweaking) in DxO OpticsPro 10 and saved out as a Jpeg.

iPhone 5S Jpeg

The iPhone does a good job of capturing the vibrancy of the sunset. Gradation with the brightest tones isn't quite as smooth as with the DxO, and the resolution is less at 3263 x 2448. But overall, a nice rendering of the scene.

DxO ONE Jpeg

The Jpeg from the DxO One is very good. Smoother gradation in the bright areas and more resolution at 5540 x 3688. Noise is very well controlled.

DxO ONE DNG

Where things get real interesting is the the DNG version of the twilight scene captured with the ONE and processed with automatic settings in DxO OpticsPro 10. The rendering is more dramatic with excellent tonality.

Even though the iPhone 5S is an excellent camera (with the 6 being even better), it's hard to compete against RAW files produced by a 1" sensor and matching software. I also like the wider proportions of the DxO One (3x5) compared to the iPhone (3x4).

Either way, how cool to have such excellent cameras comfortably stashed in the front pocket of my pants.

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

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I have a commercial client who's very particular about the images we capture for their branding. They've spend a lot of time and money figuring out who they are and how to convey that to their customers.

One of the tools that we use to ensure that we work efficiently during our photo sessions is what I call the visual shot list. I think it's a great idea, and you might want to consider it too.

My assistant, Leah, reviewing the visual shot list before an important assignment at a salon in San Francisco. Image captured with a Canon 5D Mark II and a Yongnuo 35mm F/2.0 lens.

Here's how it works. The client figures out what type of images they want for a particular shoot. Then they research stock photography (they have an account) to find samples that come as close as possible to their ideas. They build the shot list with pictures and text.

Then, before the shoot, we have a phone conference to discuss the shot list. As a team, we look at the stock photos and talk about how "this comes close, but what we'd like is a little brighter background," and details like that.

If the client doesn't want to build the visual shot list, you can draft one, then review it with them. You'll be surprised at the things you learn during the discussion.

By the time that Leah and I arrive on location, we have an excellent idea about what we have to do and how we're going to do it. The success rate has been very high since using this approach.

I'm a big fan of creating shot lists for all assignments, but the visual shot list takes this concept to new heights.

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A big advantage to Photos for OS X is its iCloud integration. This allows photographers to tie together their mobile devices with their computers. Regardless of where an image is captured or uploaded, it's immediately available on all the other devices, plus it's backed-up in the cloud too.

If you have a Mac and have not set this up yet, it's easy and only takes a minute. Here's a quick walk through to get you up to speed.

After you enable Photos integration on your Mac, check all of your iOS devices too. Just go to Settings > iCloud > Photos and turn on all the switches (except for Upload Burst Photos, which I leave off).

That's all there is to it. From that point forward, every picture you capture with an iPhone, or upload to Photos, will be shared across all of your devices.

It's easy to turn on iCloud for Photos on your Mac.

For more free movies, check out the links at the end of this post.

Get Up and Running with Photos for OS X

Want to learn the ins and outs of Apple's latest photo management application? Then take a look at my latest online video training, Up and Running with Photos for OS X. Soon, both you, and your pictures, will be comfortable in their new home.

Previous Articles on Photos for OS X

Basic Editing in Photos for OS X.

What Do Those Icons Mean in Photos for OS X?

How to Switch to RAW Files in Photos for OS X.

Converting an Aperture or iPhoto Library to Photos for OS X.

How to Open an Aperture or iPhoto Library in Photos for OS X.

How to Migrate from iPhoto or Aperture to Photos for OS X.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: DxO ONE: The Pocket Powerhouse Camera; Plug Your Aperture Plugins into Emulsion: a New Photo App for the Mac; Say Ello to iOS - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Ello for iOS Has Arrived". Ello is now available for iPhone and iPad: "Featuring dozens of new features, including real-time notifications, new ways to find your friends, full screen images, and a hell of a lot more. And no ads, forever."

In other news... "Samsung Testing Prototype Truck With Live View Camera" Fstoppers reports: "Samsung is currently testing a prototype truck in Argentina fitted with a camera on the cabin and a live view display in the rear. The purpose of this is to help drivers safely pass trucks; a task which often proves difficult and has resulted in many accidents."

Story #1 - "DxO ONE: The Pocket Powerhouse Camera" -

Artists no longer have to choose between mobility and quality. The DxO ONE packs a 1″ sensor into a palm-size camera with a 6-element f/1.8 aspherical lens. When combined with bundled DxO software, the image quality can be stunning.

The system is simple. The 3.8 ounce device that measures 67.5 x 48.85 x 26.25 mm plugs into an iOS device, such as an iPhone 5S or 6, via its built-in Lightning connector. You can control the camera and compose the shot using the mobile device. Jpegs are saved to the iPhone (optional) and DNG RAW files are recorded to the microSD card in the camera. You can use the Jpegs immediately for social media and fine tune the RAW files later on your computer.

Story #2 - "Emulsion Could be the New Home for Your Aperture Plugins"

I've been playing with a new image workflow app called Emulsion. It runs on Mac OS X Yosemite, and it provides some handy non-destructive image editing tools plus star ratings, keyboarding, and more. Two of its more interesting features are that it accepts Aperture editing plugins and can import an iPhoto library. Emulsion handled all of the RAW files on my Mac, plus Jpegs and Tiffs. But what was really interesting was using it with Color Efex Pro. More on this in today's second story.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Up and Running with Pixelmator with Richard Harrington.

You can watch Richard in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Richard's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495. Use the Send Me Info form to receive a reservation form.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes - MP3 version). 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

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

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

SizzlPix! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com.

Want to Comment on this Post?

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

Wide aperture zooms are typically bulky and expensive. But when I mount the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens on my Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, I feel like I can work all day.

Though not cheap at $1,499, this optic does provide an equivalent of 80-300mm focal length with a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8. And when mounted on the E-M5 Mark II with its excellent 5-axix image stabilization system, I can shoot handheld in nearly any lighting condition.

Captured at Mono Lake after 7pm handheld. Photo by Derrick Story.

The PRO 40-150mm balances nicely on the Micro Four Thirds body, focuses quickly, and renders outstanding image quality. I also like the included retractable lens hood that allows me to pack the camera in a small bag without having to remove the accessory.

I wouldn't say that the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO is as light as a bird, but when I need a fast telephoto zoom that I can carry all day, it's certainly a feather in my cap.

The Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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The DxO ONE is a palm-size camera that features a 6-element f/1.8 aspherical lens and a 20 MP 1" CMOS sensor that produces stunning images. Via a rotating Lightning connector, it connects to an iOS device such as an iPhone, to compose the image and control the camera. It can also capture photos as a standalone device, albeit without a viewable LCD.

I carried the DxO ONE in my pocket last week as I explored the Eastern Sierra. Because of its excellent image quality, I was able to rely on it for my wide angle shots (thanks to its 32mm fixed focal length lens). That allowed me to work with a long telephoto on the OM-D, and not have to worry about switching lenses in a breezy environment. The images I came home with were absolutely beautiful.

"Tufa and Water at Twilight" captured with the DxO ONE. Photo by Derrick Story. Click on image to see high resolution version.

Thanks to the maximum aperture f/1.8 optic and ISO range of 100 to 51,200, I was able to work in just about any type of lighting condition. When the ONE is connected to the iPhone (a 5s in my case), I had plenty to hang on to while making the exposure. When not in use, it detaches from the mobile device and takes up just a small amount of space in my pocket (measuring 67.5 x 48.85 x 26.25 mm and weighing a mere 3.8 ounces).

"Mono Lake Tufa at Twilight" captured with the DxO ONE. Photo by Derrick Story. Click on image to see high resolution version.

The DxO ONE captures both Jpegs and DNG RAW files. Using the free iOS app, I was able to automatically save the Jpegs to the iPhone's Camera Roll for immediate sharing, then work with the DNGs (saved to a microSD card) later on my MacBook PRO using DxO Optics Pro software. Here's where the images really take on a new life.

Because the hardware and software are made by the same folks, you can squeeze every drop of quality out of the photographs using Optics Pro or Film Pack (both come bundled with the camera). Lightroom users can have the photographs exported straight from Optics Pro to their LR library, ensuring a smooth workflow.

"Padlock" captured with the DxO ONE. Photo by Derrick Story. Click on image to see high resolution version.

I've included a bit more technical information in the article, DxO ONE Unlocks Mobile Photography for Artists. What has really impressed me is how such a palm-sized device can capture so much quality, and work so well with the iPhone I'm already carrying. When used with a larger screened device, such as an iPad mini, it's almost like having a view camera in the field... at a fraction of the weight and inconvenience.

You can preorder the DxO ONE for $599 with a shipping date set for September. Bundled software includes DxO FilmPack, and (for a limited time) the Elite Edition of DxO OpticsPro, their professional editing software (a $300 combined value).

Bottom line is this: The DxO ONE is an impressive camera that works well with the mobile device that many of us already have in our pockets. It's conceivable that you could traverse the globe with only your iPhone and the ONE, and return home with an amazing collection of artistic imagery.

More to report in the coming weeks and months...

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

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