Pictures I keep in my camera phone -- license plate numbers for my cars, menus from my favorite take-out restaurants, parking spot numbers, store hour signs -- just to name a few. I know I've talked about it before, but by way of reminder, take a picture of things you want to remember.

How many times have you had to walk back out to the car to get your license number when registering at a motel? Slightly annoying, isn't it? And what day of the week does that favorite Mexican restaurant close? Well, I know because I have its hours sign as a photo in my iPhone. And believe me, it's a lot faster looking that up than trying to get the restaurant's web site online.

The point is, your camera phone can be a helpful second brain. We're visual people anyway. Why not use the great assistant you carry in your pocket every day?

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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.

The latest version of Adobe Camera Raw (5.2) features some terrific new tools. Two of my favorites are the Targeted Adjustment Tool (TAT) and Snapshots. In this screencast, Snapshots and TAT in ACR 5.2: Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers Screencast 5, I demonstrate how darn useful Snapshots are for creating historical bread crumbs while adjusting an image in ACR. If you've ever used Snapshots in Adobe Lightroom, you know that you can save the state of an image as you're working on it, and return to that state whenever you want. I think this allows for more experimentation during image editing, knowing that you can always go back to a particular spot in the process.

I also show off the Targeted Adjustment Tool. It allows you to click and drag on a particular area of the photograph and target the adjustment for those tones or colors. Many people were excited when this appeared in Lightroom, and now we have it in Photoshop CS4 too.

You can learn more by watching the 6:45 minute screencast.

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Learn what photographers need to know to organize and edit their images with Photoshop CS4. Take a look at The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. It fits in your laptop bag and is very easy on your wallet.

Technorati Tags: Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, digital photography, Photoshop CS4, Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, technique, The Digital Story

One of the reasons that photographers are inconsistent with backing up their images is because they don't have a system. So archiving turns into a housekeeping chore that they do when they "have time."

The trick is to create a simple habit for archiving that never fails you. One approach is to use the "Save Copies to:" feature in Adobe Bridge (Photo Downloader) or in Adobe Lightroom. Both applications allow you to backup your masters to an external hard drive while you're transferring them from the memory card to the computer.

So, while downloading, your masters are actually going to two locations: the Pictures folder on your computer's hard drive (or where ever you store your images) and to a second backup hard drive. The good news about this approach is that it's easy and you instantly have a duplicate of your "digital negatives." The bad news is that you don't get to add any metadata to the backup images during download, only to the primary pictures.

But I do find it comforting to having duplicate versions of every shot I've transferred when I pull the memory card out of the reader. And I never have to worry, "Did I back up that last shoot or not."

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Learn what photographers need to know to organize and edit their images with Photoshop CS4. Take a look at The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. It fits in your laptop bag and is very easy on your wallet.

Technorati Tags: Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Derrick Story, digital photography, Photo Downloader, Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, Technology, The Digital Story

Fpr more than a year, the Canon G9 has ruled the roost of Raw shooting compacts. Its good lens, great capabilities, and handsome looks have been tough to beat.

But Round 2 may have a different outcome. When you compare the new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 to the new Canon PowerShot G10, the LX3 seems to have a bit of an edge. Take a look at these key comparisons:

• Leica f/2-2.8 2.5X lens compared to Canon's f/2.8-4.5 5X zoom lens. The Canon has more reach, but the Leica is wider (24mm vs 28mm) and faster.
• Panasonic's 10.1 MPs compared to Canon's 14.7 MPs on roughly the same size sensor. Is it just a coincidence that the Panasonic has better high ISO performance?
• Panasonic's 265 grams weight compared to Canon's 350 grams. And the Panasonic definitely fits better in the jacket or pants pocket.
• Panasonic's HD movie capture (16:9, 1280 x720 pixels at 24fps) versus Canon's 640x480 recording.

Based on reader reviews and professional reports, the Canon G10 is an outstanding camera. But it is no longer the automatic choice for serious photographers looking for a compact that records in Raw. On its third try, Panasonic has created a gem of a camera with the LX3 -- and by some accounts, a more desirable model than the G10. Post a comment if you've shot with either.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Technology, The Digital Story, Canon G10, Panasonic Lumix LX3

Recently, one of our virtual camera club members sent me a note about a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens that he wanted to sell. I've been looking for a well-kept version of this pro telephoto glass for some time. I have the 70-200mm f/4, and I absolutely love it. But there have been times when I wanted that extra f/stop of light.

The f/2.8 is an interesting lens. It's been around since late 2001, so I've wondered if a revision is in the works where it would receive the same 3rd generation image stabilizer that the f/4 version uses, which is good for four stops instead of the three stops of stabilization that the current f/2.8 can achieve. Plus I've wondered if they are going to tweak the optical formula or stick with the successful recipe they've enjoyed for years.

Despite these questions, I decided to buy the lens. Even though its owner had used it for a couple years, it was in great shape. The first thing noticed when I mounted it on the Canon 5D body is how heavy the lens really is, especially if you're used to the f/4. The second wave of realization was how sweet f/2.8 is for portraits and fading light -- add to that the creamy boca effect for soft backgrounds, and it's easy to see why this is such a popular lens.

Focusing is fast and quiet with the USM motor. But be careful when shooting wide open at 200mm. You can easily make a focusing mistake resulting in a "soft eye" if you get lazy. The image stabilizer works well, though a little louder than the current versions. Plus, there are the included extras: nice case, lens hood, and tripod collar.

I've used the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens for two shoots, and I'm already hooked on it. Normally, it sells for about $1,700 new, with deals around $1,600. But you can find pristine condition used versions for $1,100 - $1,400. It's big, it's heavy; but for portraits, events, and fading light, it's an outstanding zoom.

Photo of brother and sister by Derrick Story captured with a Canon 5D and Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens at 200mm, f/4, 1/500, ISO 250, using the spot meter pattern.

Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography

Next week's podcast will be a holiday gift guide for photographers. I'm recording the show on Sunday and am soliciting ideas from TDS members.

If you've discovered a gadget or photo accessory that you think would make a great addition to our gift guide, please send a note with the following information:

• Its name
• What it does
• Where you can find it (web address preferred)
• How much it costs ($100 or less)

Use the Subject for your email: TDS Gift Guide. You can find all the information on where to send you suggestion on our Submissions page.

Don't delay! Your great idea could make someone very happy this holiday season.

Image caption: The Gorilla Pod is a terrific holiday gift that is affordable and very useful for photographers.

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How many bus-powered portable hard drives have you seen that come with HDMI ports that plug directly into your HDTV, enabling you to view photos, movies, and even listen to music without a computer? And how many of those come with a remote control?

The new LaCie LaCinema Rugged looks similar to the other drives in their Rugged product line, but boy is it different. It comes in two capacities (250 and 320 GBs), connects to your computer via USB 2.0, and has a variety of output options: video (composite video + stereo audio), HDMI, optical video, analog stereo (via A/V cable included), and optical audio.

It can play a variety of formats including: MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI, VOB, IFO, ISO), MPEG-4 (AVI, XviD), plus audio and Jpegs. And if you want, you can even use it as a regular backup hard drive via the USB 2.0.

The pricing is a reasonable $219 for the 250GB model, and $249 for the 320GB drive. I couldn't find anywhere they were available yet, but they should be in stock at the usual places soon.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, Technology, The Digital Story

Fear not if you accidently erase your pictures off a memory card. The latest version of PhotoRescue can help you recover those images, even including Raw files from the latest cameras, including the Nikon D700 and Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D.

Just download the demo version (Mac and Windows), see what pictures can be recovered, and if you want them, pay the $29 to license the software. It's great stuff; I've used it myself.

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Technorati Tags: Derrick Story, digital photography, memory card, Technology, The Digital Story

Once you download the trial version of Photoshop CS4, you have 30 days to freely explore, test, and enjoy its bounty of new features. Here are a few things I'd look at during the trial.

Review Mode in Bridge. I've really become hooked on this carousel approach to sorting images. Enable by pressing CMD-B or CTRL-B. Use right and left arrows to navigate, and the down arrow to drop images out of the carousel. Once you have your favorites, use the Make Collections icon to save them as a group.

Collections in Bridge. These virtual folders are like Albums in iPhoto and Aperture, and similar to Collections in Lightroom. They finally give us the versatility to group images without messing up our filing organization.

Graduated Filter in Adobe Camera Raw. What a great addition this is to ACR! Not only can you use it for tonal adjustments, but for color and sharpness too. You'll find it in the toolbar at the top of ACR.

Localized Corrections with the Adjustment Brush in ACR. Another killer tool that allows you to work on specific areas nondestructively. You'll find it in the toolbar at the top of ACR.

Targeted Adjustment Tool in Curves and HSL Adjustment Panels in Photoshop. I like the new Adjustment Panel that automatically creates a new layer for you. But I really like the Targeted Adjustment Tool in the Curves and HSL panels.

Birdseye View in Photoshop CS4. Great navigation addition. When you're working with an image at magnification, hold down the H key and click. Photoshop takes you into Birdseye view enabling you to easily navigate to another area of the photo. You have to see it to believe it. And zooming (Z) in general is smoother and more fun. Try it.

Another recommendation is to get the book, The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers before you download the trial. This 190 page guide will only set you back $16.49 on Amazon, and it can serve as your navigator for exploring Photoshop CS4. If you decide CS4 isn't for you, then you can pass the book along to someone else. If it is for you, you have the perfect companion for learning the new application.

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Technorati Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Derrick Story, digital photography, Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, Technology, The Digital Story

Of all the features that Amazon offers its customers, reviews submitted by people who read the books are still the most useful. This is especially true when a book takes a specific approach to a subject, such as what I've done with The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. Unlike other Photoshop manuals that try to cover all of the tools, I filter through hundreds of features to present the most important ones for photographers who want to use CS4 as their photo workflow application.

When I read the first Amazon review for the Photoshop Companion, it was interesting to see that the book was perfectly suited for what that customer wanted (David J. McKee). By David sharing his thoughts, he helps both those who have similar needs and those who may want something else.

I'm mentioning this because, if you've read The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, and you have insights about it that might be useful for other photographers, I encourage you to post a review on Amazon.

It's like so many other things we do on The Digital Story: share our ideas and our work with each other.

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Technorati Tags: Adobe Photoshop, Derrick Story, digital photography, Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers, Technology, The Digital Story