This is The Digital Story Podcast #688, May 21, 2019. Today's theme is "5 Things that We Can Learn from Warhol's Photography." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Last week I spent an afternoon with Andy Warhol at SF MOMA. As I looked at his paintings and photographs, I was intrigued at how his work could help my own photography. After studying my images from the day, and thinking about his, I came up with these 5 tips to infuse more creativity into our work. I hope you enjoy the show.

5 Things that We Can Learn from Warhol's Photography

"Ethel Scull 36 Times" by Andy Warhol. SF MOMA.

My five tips for increasing creativity based on Andy Warhol's images.

• Art is What You Can Get Away With - This Warhol saying applies wonderfully to photography. Don't limit your work. And especially now in the digital age when experimentation is so easy.
• The Photograph Doesn't Need to Be the End Product - Some of my favorite Warhol paintings started out as Polaroid prints, but ended up as beautiful mixed-media images.
• Repetition Can Be Interesting - At first a wall of Campbell's soup cans seems to be a single image repeated many times. But the slight variation pulls the viewer in for a closer look. In his work, "Ethel Scull 36 Times," Warhol created a vibrant, energetic series based on multiple poses of the same subject.
• Be Bold with Color - The images themselves are interesting for sure. But when bold color is added to the frames, they become vibrant works of art.
• Take an Instagram Approach to Your Portraits - Looking at a wall of tightly cropped, square portraits reminded me of some of my most popular Instagram images that had great presence and were easy to digest visually.

If you want to see the show for yourself, it's playing at SF MOMA. I'd be curious as to what your takeaways would be.

All about image quality, size and resolution

You can read the entire article here.

All images that are larger than 1920 pixels, in width or height, before upload will be resized to 1920 pixels during upload. To avoid quality loss, we recommend that you upload images that are 1920 pixels or smaller. Note that images that are smaller than 1920 pixels, will not be resized.

Dpi (dots per inch) only matters when it comes to printing or scanning. Monitors don't have dots but pixels, so dpi value has no effect on the quality of an image viewed on a screen or uploaded online.

Before uploading your images to your Portfoliobox site, make sure their color profile is sRGB. If you are using Photoshop go to File > Save for Web. This will make sure that the images will be optimized for web browsers.

Present your best self online with a Portfoliobox site. To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

2019 Buying Guide: Best instant cameras

You can read the entire article here.

What is it we love so much about instant cameras? Is it the nostalgia-factor? Or the sensation of being able to hold/share a physical print? Maybe it's the excitement that comes from watching an image slowly appear before your eyes. Surely for some, the lo-fi image quality is refreshing in an increasingly high-resolution, digital world.

Favorite: The Fujifilm Instax Mini 70 strikes the perfect balance of price to features to make it our top overall pick - plus it makes use of the most affordable instant format. Available in six colors, the Mini 70 is among the most compact and lightweight instant cameras on the market, and also among the prettiest (in our opinion). The CR2 batteries it uses can be a little annoying to find, but battery life overall is great. And unlike rechargeable instants, the Mini 70 should still have some juice in it even if left on a shelf for several months.

But most importantly, it's really easy to use. Users simply select their shooting mode - normal, macro, selfie, landscape, self timer or high key - and the camera does the rest. And unlike some of its competitors, focus is motor-driven (three positions) and set by the camera when your mode is selected. Exposure is fully automatic, though there is a +2/3rd EV option (that's the high key mode). Overall, the Mini 70 does a good job balancing flash with ambient light thanks to a variable shutter.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting www.thenimblephotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #687, May 14, 2019. Today's theme is "The Physiology of Active Photography." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Most of us agree that photography as a hobby feeds our creative soul. But it can also be good for the body. A regular diet of planned photo shoots can have a positive impact on our physical well being as well. In today's podcast I'll share with you five of the health benefits that I've enjoyed since embracing the photo exercise plan. I hope you enjoy the show.

The Physiology of Active Photography

A common pushback that I hear from fellow enthusiasts is that they don't have enough time to pursue their hobby. If you find yourself citing lack of time to engage in activities that are good for you and will provide you with more physical energy and clearer thinking, then you might want to hit the pause button for a minute and re-evaluate your choices.

On average, I work 10 hours a day Monday through Thursday, and 4 hours on Saturday. The only way that I can maintain that schedule and remain productive is by incorporating excise into my week.

Opportunities include early morning before work, lunch breaks, afternoon breaks, and weekends. If you don't take regular breaks, then that's an issue unto itself. To be honest; it's not healthy to skip breaks, especially at lunch time.

Mixing photography into these activities supercharges the health benefits. The chance of capturing a new image that you can share on social is motivating. Actually taking a great picture is exhilarating. And having raw material to work with on your computer feeds creativity.

My recommendation is that you venture out for a walk or a bike ride with your camera at least 3 times a week. According to my math, you have 21 opportunities a week to do this: 7 early mornings, 7 lunch breaks, and 7 afternoon breaks/after work.

And if you embrace this, here are some of the health benefits to look forward to.

• Sleeping Heart Rate Dip - Research shows that a measurable dip in heart rate during sleep is excellent for your cardiovascular health. Plus, you'll tend to feel more rested in the morning. In my case, burning an extra 225 calories from activity drives my heart rate down 7 beats per minute. On nights when I exercise, my sleeping heart rate is about 52 bpm. When I don't, it tends to by close to 60 or over.
• Better Regularity - By adding water to my photo walks and bike rides has improved my bathroom breaks. I don't need to articulate how much better this makes one feel. You know what I'm talking about.
• Stronger Legs - When I was a photographer/writer in the healthcare business, a common mantra was that a healthy 60 starts at 40. Our core strength and sturdy legs mean a higher quality of life as we age. If you want to be mobile later, you have to be active now.
• Emotional Resilience - I have days like everyone else when the world is intent on knocking me down a peg. Staying at my desk and stewing about it does not produce a better result. Taking a break and exercising does. It is the ultimate reset button.
• We are More than our Job - Exercising plus photography demonstrates to ourselves and our world that we are more than our job. We are creative, clear thinking, healthy individuals. And that is far more appealing than exhausted, downtrodden, and depressed.

About how many pictures do I take on my photo exercises? Generally 2-3 per 30 minute session. Not a ton, but they sure add up over time. And many of those shots are personal favorites.

How to create a start page for your website that attracts attention

You can read the entire article here.

There are different rules when it comes to designing a good start page. Rule of Thirds and Golden Ratio, to name a couple. Rule of Thirds is the easiest to understand and the simplest to apply. Simply take a screenshot of your start page above the fold, use this easy to use tool to apply a 3 x 3 grid on the screenshot. Instantly you will see if you need to rework your start page or not. A final suggestion, if you are going to rework your start page, pay attention to the change of your bounce rate in Google Analytics, this will help you understand if your new design is working or not.

Present your best self online with a Portfoliobox site. To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

MFT Sensor and 11"x14" Paper - Nearly Perfect Fit

I heard from Drew at Red River Paper, and he forwarded a comment that he thought I would be interested in: Full size images from Micro Four Thirds sensors are almost a perfect fit on 11" x 14" paper. I did a little testing, and sure enough if he wasn't correct about that.

I then ask Drew about their inventory of 11" x 14" paper, and he said that they have a wide variety of surfaces. You may want to check it out.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting www.thenimblephotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #686, May 7, 2019. Today's theme is "I Say Goodbye; You Say Hello." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

It has been a particularly tumultuous spring for me. So far this season I've had to bid farewell to business relationships, software favorites, and planned investments. This might feel a bit disruptive, but it also opens the door for new adventures as well. This week I share my goodbyes, plus have a terrific interview with my good friend Oliver from Boinx Software. Let's get to it!

I Say Goodbye; You Say Hello

Here are this season's goodbyes, and a couple hellos as well.

• Goodbye: My gig at Skylum Software - For those of you who hang out at the Skylum Facebook Public Photography Page, you might notice that I'm no longer moderating. I was recently informed via email that those operations are moving back to Ukraine.
• Hello Frederick Van Johnson - We recently reconnected and I'm on an upcoming episode of TWiP, and will probably be on there again soon after.
• Goodbye: Aperture Software for Real - Apple announces that Aperture will not run on macOS after Mojave. Those of you still hanging on should freeze a Mac in time so you can keep using the app.
• Hello Portfoliobox! - Looks like our friends a Portfoliobox will be returning for another sponsor run on TDS. I'm thrilled to be working with them again.
• Goodbye: VW Electric Bus in 2020 - I had planned on replacing my VW Vanagon in 2020 with the new all electric VW Bus for workshops, only to learn that the date has been moved back to 2022. Nuts. Looks like I'm going to have to wait a couple more years.

An Interview with Oliver Breidenbach, Boinx Software

I first met Oliver when I was program chair for the Mac Developer Conference for O'Reilly Media. His software company that he started with his brother, Boinx, makes some wonderful tools for media artists. Today, we're going to talk about mimoLive. It is amazing broadcast software for educators, businesses, and now, podcasters as well. You'll learn lots in this conversation with Oliver.

Update on the Nimble Photographer Podcast

If you're interested in learning insights from working artists who have managed to survive in this competitive environment, I would encourage you to subscribe to The Nimble Photographer Podcast. It's available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever you listen to your shows. My next interview should be live next week. In the meantime, you may want to check out to complete conversations with Trey and Ben. They're available right now.

New Online Trainings for Capture One Pro 12 and Luminar 3 with Libraries Now Available

Luminar 3 with Libraries Essential Training

Check out my new training, Luminar: Digital Asset Management that is available on LinkedIn Learning and on lynda.com.

Not only do I cover the library features, I provide a Quick Start chapter to get you up to speed in minutes, I show you the Magic Editing Filters in Luminar, and I explain how to use Luminar with other applications.

Once you apply these tools to your images, you'll discover that you can enhance them in ways never before possible, especially so easily. I hope you have a chance to explore both my training and the Luminar application itself. It may change your photography.

Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training

Topics in this course include (peppered with inside tips):

• Tapping all the new features in Capture One Pro 12
• Auto adjustments and basic image editing
• Advanced editing techniques (and goodbye to Photoshop)
• Organizing your catalog
• Using star ratings and color labels to cull images
• Building an electronic contact sheet
• Creating a slideshow to review and present images
• Strategies for protecting master images

For those of you new to this application, I have a Quick Start chapter that gets you up and running in less than 20 minutes. Yes, that's the entire workflow, start to finish, in less than half an hour.

You can learn all the ins and outs of this amazing software in the comfort of your home, or even on your smartphone by watching this fast-paced training: Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. If you're a lynda.com fan, it's available there as well. You will learn everything from image organization, to expert editing, to output and more. It will feel good to finally take control of your photo library with Capture One Pro 12.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting www.thenimblephotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #685, April 30, 2019. Today's theme is "Weighing in on the Full Frame Panasonic S1." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

For experienced mirrorless photographers, the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 might feel like a beast of a camera. With the standard 24-105mm zoom lens attached, it is every bit as hefty as a Canon 5D with comparable zoom. In fact, it's about 3.75 pounds. That being said, this camera packs a lot of technology in that body, and that's what I'm going to take a closer look at in today's TDS Photography Podcast.

Weighing in on the Full Frame Panasonic S1

For my field test, I traveled east to the picturesque town of Calistoga. I set the S1 to RAW+Jpeg, program mode, auto white balance and ISO with its 24-105mm zoom lens. I wanted to see how it performed in its default mode.

Before I share my results, however, let's take a look at the highlight specs for the $3,400 camera and lens combo.

• 24.2MP Full-Frame MOS Sensor
• Venus Engine Image Processor
• 5.76m-Dot 0.78x-Magnification OLED LVF
• 3.2" 2.1m-Dot Triaxial Tilt Touchscreen
• UHD 4K60 Video; HDR and 10-Bit Recording
• ISO 100-51200, Up to 9 fps Shooting
• Contrast-Detect 225-Area DFD AF System
• Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
• Weather-Sealed Construction
• Lumix S 24-105mm f/4 Macro O.I.S. Lens

Let's start with the sensor. It is beautiful! IMHO, the Panasonic is every bit as good as the top Sony mirrorless in terms of dynamic range, low light performance, and color rendition. When paired with the zoom lens, the images are crisp and colorful, especially the Jpegs.

The RAW files are more, well, RAW. I like the Jpeg processing of the S1 and how it renders those images. The RAWs have wild potential, but even in Capture One Pro 12, they were a bit dull at the starting point (which is OK, BTW.)

Moving into the shooting experience, it took me a while to get comfortable with the S1.

When I compare the RAW files at 400 percent to those of the Olympus E-M1X, it really depends of how much light is available. During normal outdoor shooting, there wasn't a noticeable difference between the two sets of shots, except, however, for the faster drop-off of depth of field with the S1.

However, as the ISO goes up, the differences become more apparent. I think it's safe to say that the S1 has a 2-stop advantage in low light.

So, is this camera for you? If you've been jonesing for a full frame mirrorless, you have to consider the Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 a contender. Great sensor, excellent features, and top notch pictures - this camera delivers on the full frame promise.

Plus you're starting out with a reasonable L-Mount lens catalog thanks to the trio Panasonic launched with, plus 11 new optics from Sigma, plus Leica glass.

But, if you don't need full frame, I would choose a lighter more nimble camera, especially if the bulk of your shooting is in reasonable lighting. Plus, you could save yourself quite a bit of money.

Facebook, Instagram sue company that made over $9M selling fake likes and followers

This falls into the category that money can buy you love, or at least it could...

DP Review reports:Despite Instagram's Terms of Use (TOU) saying purchasing likes, followers and general activity isn't permitted, there's no shortage of services available that'll do just that. Instagram has long tried to shut these services down, but now the issue is going to be challenged in court for one particular New Zealand-based company.

Facebook has announced in a post on its Newsroom website that it and Instagram have filed a lawsuit in United States federal court against a company and three individuals located in New Zealand. According to the complaint, the defendants used various websites and corporations 'to sell fake engagement services to Instagram users.'

The lawsuit specifically seeks to stop the defendants from 'Engaging and profiting in the sale of fake likes, views and followers on Instagram,' 'Violating our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines' and 'Violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and other California laws for distributing fake likes on Instagram even after their access was revoked and their accounts were suspended.'

Update on the Nimble Photographer Podcast

A new episode will drop on Thursday. This time I'm talking with musician Alan Howarth. He's worked on scores for big time Hollywood hits such as Halloween. I think you'll be interested to hear the parallels between a musician's journey compared to that of a photographer or writer.

If you're interested in learning insights from working artists who have managed to survive in this competitive environment, I would encourage you to subscribe to The Nimble Photographer Podcast. It's available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, and wherever you listen to your shows. My next interview should be live next week. In the meantime, you may want to check out to complete conversations with Trey and Ben. They're available right now.

New Online Trainings for Capture One Pro 12 and Luminar 3 with Libraries Now Available

Luminar 3 with Libraries Essential Training

Check out my new training, Luminar: Digital Asset Management that is available on LinkedIn Learning and on lynda.com.

Not only do I cover the library features, I provide a Quick Start chapter to get you up to speed in minutes, I show you the Magic Editing Filters in Luminar, and I explain how to use Luminar with other applications.

Once you apply these tools to your images, you'll discover that you can enhance them in ways never before possible, especially so easily. I hope you have a chance to explore both my training and the Luminar application itself. It may change your photography.

Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training

Topics in this course include (peppered with inside tips):

• Tapping all the new features in Capture One Pro 12
• Auto adjustments and basic image editing
• Advanced editing techniques (and goodbye to Photoshop)
• Organizing your catalog
• Using star ratings and color labels to cull images
• Building an electronic contact sheet
• Creating a slideshow to review and present images
• Strategies for protecting master images

For those of you new to this application, I have a Quick Start chapter that gets you up and running in less than 20 minutes. Yes, that's the entire workflow, start to finish, in less than half an hour.

You can learn all the ins and outs of this amazing software in the comfort of your home, or even on your smartphone by watching this fast-paced training: Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. If you're a lynda.com fan, it's available there as well. You will learn everything from image organization, to expert editing, to output and more. It will feel good to finally take control of your photo library with Capture One Pro 12.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting www.thenimblephotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #684, April 23, 2019. Today's theme is "How an Artist Evolves" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

On one level, evolution seems inherent in the artistic process. Creativity is both exploration and problem solving. This is all fine in theory, but what about the practical reality of being an artist in today's economy? How does work? In today's podcast I share my findings based on conversations with two creatives tackling this very topic. I hope you enjoy the show.

How an Artist Evolves

I've been working on this project that I find fascinating, and I think you might find it interesting as well. I've started a new podcast called, The Nimble Photographer where I seek out artists who have redefined success and are willing to share their stories with me.

My first conversation was with photographer Trey Ratcliff where he talked about failures vs successes. Then, I sat down with writer Ben Long, who had to reinvent his career after the crash of 2008. I have upcoming interviews scheduled with musicians, painters, and more, all touching on the topics of evolution and reinvention.

First, I want to start with this thought by Trey, who addresses the notion of success vs. failure. I think he makes some good points here.

Now, I want to jump over to Ben, who touches on the idea of doing what we love for a living, and where did that idea come from in the first place.

If you're interested in learning insights from working artists who have managed to survive in this competitive environment, I would encourage you to subscribe to The Nimble Photographer Podcast. It's available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Podcasts, Stitcher, and wherever you listen to your shows. My next interview should be live next week. In the meantime, you may want to check out to complete conversations with Trey and Ben. They're available right now.

New Online Trainings for Capture One Pro 12 and Luminar 3 with Libraries Now Available

Luminar 3 with Libraries Essential Training

Check out my new training, Luminar: Digital Asset Management that is available on LinkedIn Learning and on lynda.com.

Not only do I cover the library features, I provide a Quick Start chapter to get you up to speed in minutes, I show you the Magic Editing Filters in Luminar, and I explain how to use Luminar with other applications.

Once you apply these tools to your images, you'll discover that you can enhance them in ways never before possible, especially so easily. I hope you have a chance to explore both my training and the Luminar application itself. It may change your photography.

You can download a 30-day Luminar trial here.

Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training

Topics in this course include (peppered with inside tips):

• Tapping all the new features in Capture One Pro 12
• Auto adjustments and basic image editing
• Advanced editing techniques (and goodbye to Photoshop)
• Organizing your catalog
• Using star ratings and color labels to cull images
• Building an electronic contact sheet
• Creating a slideshow to review and present images
• Strategies for protecting master images

For those of you new to this application, I have a Quick Start chapter that gets you up and running in less than 20 minutes. Yes, that's the entire workflow, start to finish, in less than half an hour.

You can learn all the ins and outs of this amazing software in the comfort of your home, or even on your smartphone by watching this fast-paced training: Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training on LinkedIn Learning. If you're a lynda.com fan, it's available there as well. You will learn everything from image organization, to expert editing, to output and more. It will feel good to finally take control of your photo library with Capture One Pro 12.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting www.thenimblephotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #683, April 16, 2019. Today's theme is "What Makes Nikon, Nikon?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Nikon is celebrating 60 years of the Nikon F, which was released in 1959 to overcome technical obstacles inherent in the rangefinder design. At that time, the F wasn't designated as a professional camera. But that soon changed. And the events that fueled its evolution are the subject of today's TDS podcast.

What Makes Nikon, Nikon?

Anyone who has ever pressed the shutter button and wound the film advance on an analog Nikon camera, knows that they were a marvel of mechanical design. And that's one of things that always stood out for me with those early Nikons, was attention to detail.

To help illustrate this point, here is a common scenario for me. I will purchase some forgotten Nikon that had been sitting in someone's garage for decades. On the outside, it will be covered in layers of fine grime that had settled on it over the years. It probably endured extreme temperatures as well.

More often than not, after a through cleaning of the exterior, and replacing the rubber seals in the back, the camera will fire up, take a picture, and wind with the precision of a finely designed machine. How many of today's cameras would fare as well under those conditions?

There are definite milestones to the evolution of the Nikon SLR and DSLR. For today's show, I'm choosing five of them that I think make Nikon, Nikon.

• 1959 - The Introduction of the Nikon F - Nikon rangefinders were popular cameras and sold well. But there were a handful of technical challenges that required a new camera design. One of the problems that had to be solved was attaching longer, telephoto lenses, which was difficult to do on rangefinders. Another was designing a large, inner diameter lens mount to accommodate faster lenses and reducing vignetting. Plus, a total system camera with a wide variety of interchangeable lenses and accessories seemed to be the path forward. (Source: The Phoblographer.)
• 1959 - World's First Telephoto Zoom Lens - In the same year, Nippon Kogaku K.K. released the Auto NIKKOR Telephoto-Zoom 8.5 - 25cm f/4-4.5--the world's very first telephoto zoom lens for still photography cameras. Source: Nikon Rumors.
• 1971 - NASA and the Nikon F2 - 1971 was a busy year for Nikon. First, the production of Cameras for NASA, which commissioned a specially designed, space-ready cameras for their Apollo 15 and 17 missions. The result was the Nikon Photomic FTN, which was constructed to withstand the extreme environments of space.
  Also that year, Nikon releases the iconic Nikon F2, which was a reliable, easy-to-use, and feature-packed camera heavily patronized by professional photographers, especially newspaper and magazine photographers of that decade. Source: Nikon Rumors.
• 1972 - World's First Extra-Low Dispersion Lens - The NIKKOR-H 300mm F2.8, which was the first lens to use extra-low dispersion glass, was released. This technology is widely used today by practically all lens makers.
• 1986 - First SLR with Built-In Autofocus - The Nikon F-501 (N2020) is released. It was the first Nikon SLR camera to have its autofocus mechanism controls built into the body. Apart from its outstanding features, the F-501 also sported a different look compared to previous models. The black polycarbonate body instead of metal was one obvious change; another is the extended grip on the shutter button side. However, it also borrowed the red stripe that first appeared in the F3, but placed horizontally instead of vertically. (Source: The Phoblographer.)
  BTW: this camera is truly under-rated. It has a fantastic feature set and great durability, and can be purchased today for less than $100.

Other fun facts include that the iconic red line made its debut in 1980 with the Nikon F3. In 1992, Nikon released the NIKONOS RS, the first underwater SLR with autofocus. And in 2004, the company releases the Nikon F6, which was to be the final installment in their highly popular flagship Nikon F-series line. The F6 combines the well-loved features of the previous Nikon F cameras and the latest technological advances during this time. Source: Nikon Rumors.

The release of the F6 marks the end of an era, but Nikon does not slow down, with subsequent milestones including the first camera with WiFi, first DSLR with video capture, and back to space with the International Space Station.

But after all of this, what still makes Nikon to me is a company that's priority is making cameras, lenses, and the accessories for them. Their optical expertise expands to microscopes, surveying equipment, and scanners. And they don't stray far from products that don't include lenses.

Regardless of which camera brand you favor and shoot with, chances are good that Nikon technologies have in some part influenced them. And their 60 year run with the F Mount has been good for all of photography.

Wedding photographers reveal the 'red flags' they see at ceremonies that signal a doomed marriage - including no eye contact and poor 'cake etiquette'

This is an excerpt from an article published on The Daily Mail.

A group of wedding photographers have revealed the relationship 'red flags' they have noticed at ceremonies over the years that ultimately signaled a 'doomed' marriage. The photographers formed Reddit thread to explain how various simple moments at weddings ultimately spelled the start of a marriage breakdown.From smashing cake into one another's faces to fighting on the day of their nuptials, these were the tell-tale signs they could all agree on.

• Whether there was cake etiquette - Couple needs to be in sync. "Sometimes one of them (usually the groom) will force cake all over the other's face and embarrass and upset them. I've seen this happen a handful of times and all of those relationships that I have kept up with have ended in a divorce."
• Having a bad fight on the day - "If they are respectful toward one another (and toward me) during a day full of stress then I think that's a good indicator of being able to deal with other problems that may arise during a marriage," a woman said.
• When the couple are very quiet or won't talk - Just as overly loud and obnoxious couples can signal trouble, those that barely speak throughout the day are also a concern, so says their photographers.
• Wanting to change a partner
• The omen of getting married outdoors - So other professionals chimed in to say they distrusted any sort of outside venue at all. Just try to be under some sort of cover. Whether it be rain or wind, you'll want some kind of protection from the elements - or it could lead to unnecessary fighting on the day,' another said.

TDS Workshops Update

Humboldt Redwoods Workshop Update

Our grand finale of the season will be on Sept. 18-20 in one of the most beautiful areas on the planet. Our headquarters will be in Fortuna, CA - an easy drive from the Eureka Airport only 25 minutes away.

We're located on the Eel River, and situated perfectly to explore the Redwoods just south of us. This will be an excellent event to cool off, slow down, and get some great images. Plus, you'll be able to spend some quality time with your fellow virtual camera club members.

We still have a couple openings on the reserve list. You can secure your seat by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com, and place a fully refundable deposit for the event.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #682, April 9, 2019. Today's theme is "Spark Joy by Organizing Our Camera Gear." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Marie Kondo is a best-selling author who hosts a show on Netflix titled Tidying Up. Her mission is to spark joy through cleaning and organizing using the KonMari Method. She attacks clutter by organizing a home into 5 categories: clothing, books, paper, komono, and sentimental items. As photographers, our gear falls into the komono category, and that is the focus of today's TDS podcast.

Spark Joy by Organizing Our Camera Gear

Even though I've never seen Marie address photography gear directly, her systems lends itself well to our challenges, which I see as two-fold: 1) Avoiding redundancy in cameras and lenses, and 2) providing organized access to the items that we use.

To help us tackle both challenges, I have five steps for you to consider when address your gear.

• Make a list of all the gear that you own - This is important to help us spot redundancies. In her show, Marie has clients put all of their clothing on the bed so they can see how much stuff they have accumulated. We can do the same with our gear, either physically or by list. Either way, this step is critically important.
• Organize gear by category - For example, I have one kit that I use for my public relations clients, another for my personal travel, and a third for my portrait and studio work. Every piece of gear must go in a category.
• Review your categories for redundancies - This is where the opportunity for thinning happens. Do you really need 3 zoom lenses that cover the same focal lengths? Tighten up your categories so that you have what you need, but nothing more. The items that don't make the cut can be sold for cash.
• Create storage units that are organized by the categories that you've established - Old camera bags are great for this. Each category should have its own storage unit or units. These containers should fit neatly into a secure space that you've established to store your gear.
• Get in the habit of returning gear to its assigned space after use - I will admit that there are times that I don't want to spend the extra few minutes maintaining my organizational system. But in the long run, this saves me time because I always know where everything is, and I never lose an item.

Since I've started using this system, it really has sparked joy, and Marie advocates. I actually smile when I open up my storage area and see those neatly stacked containers with my cameras, lenses, and accessories inside.

10 Life Hacks for Your Photo Studio

This is an excerpt from an article published on PetaPixel.com.

Having a photography studio is fun, but it is even more fun when you start applying simple and cheap solutions plus common sense to make your shooting experience (and your clients' experience) smoother. This is the list of what I think are the smartest and most useful photography studio life hacks.

• Transparent Rubber Hairbands
• Wine Boxes
• IKEA Pegboard
• Shelf Rails and Wood
• Metal Clips and Magnets
• Shoe Rack
• Elastic Ropes and Clips
• Door Stopper
• Silver Reflector Backdrop
• Neon Tubes and PVC Corrugated Roofing Sheets

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've just had one seat open up. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us. If you do, you'll have an incredible photography experience.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

.

.

Opening Monologue

It is stealth black and can hide behind an iPhone without detection. It is so nondescript that you can point it directly at a subject on the street, and they will barely notice that a camera is pointing at them. Yet, once an exposure is made, the takeaway is a high quality 24MP image that's capable of making posters. What is this ninja camera? It is the Ricoh GR III, and it's the subject of today's TDS photography podcast.

Ricoh GR III Review and Comparison to the Fujifilm XF 10

What a feeling of freedom to embark upon an afternoon of street photography in San Francisco with nothing more than the Ricoh GR III ($899) in my front pocket. Between that, and my iPhone on the other side, I had everything that I needed for my adventure.

Today, I'm going to talk about the performance and the images produced by the svelt GR III. First, let's take a look at the feature highlights.

• 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
• GR Engine 6
• 28mm f/2.8 Lens (35mm Equivalent)
• 3-Axis Shake Reduction System
• 3.0" 1.037m-Dot Touchscreen LCD
• Full HD 1080/60p Video Recording
• Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi
• Hybrid AF System, Macro Mode
• 35mm and 50mm Focal Length Crop Modes
• USB Type-C Port, 1x SD Card Slot

"Stockton Tunnel at Night" - Captured with a Ricoh GR III in Hard Monotone mode. Handheld. ISO 3200. Photo by Derrick Story.

The things that I liked about this little powerhouse:

• Very responsive - Fast performance is something that you want in a street camera.
• Really impressive image stabilization - I kept pushing and pushing the handheld long exposures, and I captured shots that I liked at 1/2 second.
• Outstanding black and white options - There are four B&W modes: Monotone, Soft Monotone, Hard Monotone, and Hi-Contrast B&W - and they are all excellent. Hard Monotone is my favorite.
• Easy to Use and Powerful Macro Mode - Just push a button, and get close.
• Handy Crop Mode for 35mm and 50mm Perspectives - I programmed the FN button to cycle through the different crop modes so I could change them on the fly. The standard dimensions for an image are 6000x4000 px. At 50mm crop mode, you still have 3360x2240 px.

"Building Speed, Union Square" - Captured with a Ricoh GR III, ISO 100, standard color mode. Photo by Derrick Story.

Now, how does the $899 Ricoh GR III compare to the $499 Fujifilm XF 10 compact camera.

• Image Stabilization Winner - Ricoh - The IS is quite good in the GR III, and the XF 10 doesn't have stabilization.
• Flash Photographer Winner - Fujifilm - Yes, the GR III has a hot shoe, but who wants to carry a flash around that's bigger than the camera? The XF 10 has a super intelligent built-in flash that works great.
• Connectivity and Geotagging Winner - Fujifilm - The XF 10 connects easily to my iPhone and uses its location data to geotag my images. After many tries, I could not get the GR III to connect to my smartphone via bluetooth.
• Film Simulation Winner - A Draw - Both cameras have great film simulation filters. The GR III is a tad better at B&W and the XF 10 is a notch better at color.
• Autofocus Winner - A Draw - The XF 10 has been criticized for its slowish autofocus, but using single point focusing, it performs about the same as the GR III. And to tell you the truth, I don't have a problem with either of them.
• Macro Mode Winner - Ricoh - The close up mode on the GR III is really good, and on the XF 10, it's really frustrating.
• Looks and Operation Winner - A Draw - I love the auto lens cap on the GR III and really don't like the removable cap on the XF 10. But the XF 10 has great looks and a leather strap compared to the nondescript styling and string strap of the GR III. I also like the around the lens command ring on the XF 10.

"Classic San Francisco" - Captured with a Ricoh GR III in Standard Color mode. ISO 100. Photo by Derrick Story.

So is the Ricoh GR III worth the hefty price tag? I think it comes down to image stabilization, hot shoe, and design. If you feel like you need IS and the hot shoe, the GR III is an excellent choice. If you don't, then you can save a lot of money with the Fujifilm XF 10.

Ricoh says it will repair GR III cameras affected by a wobbly control dial, scroll wheel

This is an excerpt from DPreview.com.

Ricoh Korea and Japan have issued a statement regarding an issue with select Ricoh GR III cameras that caused the control dial of the camera jiggles more than it should, as seen in the above video shared by Photo Rumors. Following an investigation of the issue, Ricoh says it will fix affected devices free of charge and notes that the movement of the controls does not interfere with the functionality of the camera.

The translated statement says 'The basic specification is to set a slight rotation allowance width, but as a result of investigation, it has been found that some products with the following target serial numbers have combinations with large display inclinations.'

The list of serial numbers for affected cameras can be found at DPreview.com.

The Best Photography April Fools' Day Jokes of 2019

This is an excerpt from Petapixel.com.

Favorites included: Nikon's Left-Handed DSLR, Elon Musk's Camera Ambitions, Pentax Unveils the ME-D, The SD Card Photo Printer, and my personal favorite, Minolta DiMAGE V hands-on review.

Do You Have a Film Camera that Needs a Good Home?

Over the last year, I've received donations from TDS members who have film cameras that need a good home. What I do is inspect the items, repair and clean as I can, then list them in TheFilmCameraShop where I can find a good home for them. If you're interested in donating, please use the Contact Form on TheNimblePhotographer site. And thanks for you consideration!

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us. If you do, you'll have an incredible photography experience.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #680, March 26, 2019. Today's theme is "Who Would Want the Olympus OM-D E-M1X?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

For a Micro Four Thirds camera, it's big. For a non-full frame body, it's expensive. When I tried to squeeze the OM-D E-M1X into my camera bag, it didn't fit. It is the least nimble Olympus camera I have ever held. It's like I requested a Jetta and they handed me the keys to a Caravan. So, reluctantly, I packed it up anyway, and hit the road. Here's what I discovered along the way.

Who Would Want the Olympus OM-D E-M1X?

Being a taller than average guy, I have pretty good sized hands. But when I warp my fingers around the grip of the Olympus E-M1X ($2,999), I suddenly feel a bit shorter. Putting it bluntly, this thing is a handful.

I put the camera to my eye and look through the viewfinder. It is clear and crisp with excellent readouts. I press the shutter button halfway, and the image snaps into focus. Yes indeed, it is fast.

The drive is in High Speed mode. I full press the shutter button and the camera records 15 frames in one second. RAW+Jpeg, it doesn't care. It sounds like a machine gun from a war movie. It's actually kind of exciting.

I decide to take it with me on a walk. Hundreds of frames later, I think to myself, "My word, this thing is a beast."

You're probably familiar with the specs already, so let's just recap the highlights of the OM-D E1MX.

• 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds Sensor
• Dual TruePic VIII Image Processors
• Integrated Vertical Grip, Dual Batteries
• 2.36m-Dot 0.83x Electronic Viewfinder
• 3.0" 1.037m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
• DCI 4K/24p & UHD 4K/30p Video Recording
• 5-Axis Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization
• 15 fps Shooting and Expanded ISO 25600
• 121-Point All Cross-Type Phase-Detect AF
• Weather-Sealed Construction

So this leads us to the question, who is this camera for? I have five scenarios where I think the E-M1X is a good choice.

• The Need for Speed - If you're a sports photographer who wants to shoot mirrorless, this camera is perfect.
• Former DSLR Photographers Who Like a Good Handle - For those who have moved over from bulky DSLRs and feel that many mirrorless cameras just feel and look too small, this is your camera.
• Outdoor Photographers Who Need Strong and Long - Combine dual batteries with robust weather sealing, and you have a camera that can last all day in the nastiest of conditions.
• Photo Nerds Who Want to Geek Out - There is a ton of technology in the E-M1X. Handheld HiRez shot, Live ND Filter shooting, built-in GPS recording, configurable dual SD card slots, and more.
• Those Who Want the Best Micro Four Thirds Camera - Even if you don't care about the previous four reasons, but are someone who insists on owning the best in its class, that indeed would be the OM-D E-M1X.

Truly, it is not a camera for everyone. But for certain types of photographers, I think it's a worthy investment.

Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 First Impressions: The all-in-one vacation zoom for MFT stretches its legs

This is an excerpt discussing the $899 Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3 from an article on Imaging-Resource.com.

In terms of initial handling, the lens feels terrific in the hands. It's very light for such a long-zooming lens, weighing in at just 16oz (455g). The 12-100mm Pro tips the scales at almost 20oz (561g) and that's with less zoom range, but of course that lens has on-board IS and a beefier build, not to mention the constant f/4 aperture, so we're talking about different animals here. And yet, for the 12-200mm to come in at 16.6x zoom and weigh only 1lb is, well, a neat feat for the Olympus engineers!

The zoom and focus rings are amply textured and certainly straightforward to operate. They don't rotate with the buttery smoothness of the Zuiko Pro lenses, but again that's not their intended market first and foremost, nor price point. It does feel quite well-built though, even if not a Pro lens. The zoom functionality, while not internal like some high-end zooms (meaning the lens doesn't change size as you zoom) is still smooth enough to be reassuring.

Autofocus operation with the E-M1 II proved quick and capable. No surprises to report here on this first impressions pass, and this combination locked focus quickly on my intended subjects. The only time this didn't happen was shooting the setting moon, as the combo struggled in twilight and I ended up using manual focus. But I've had that issue on many a camera and lens combo, including with some high-end full frame cameras, and virtually always manually focus the moon regardless of camera body, so this isn't a big deal at all.

Do You Have a Film Camera that Needs a Good Home?

Over the last year, I've received donations from TDS members who have film cameras that need a good home. What I do is inspect the items, repair and clean as I can, then list them in TheFilmCameraShop where I can find a good home for them. If you're interested in donating, please use the Contact Form on TheNimblePhotographer site. And thanks for you consideration!

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us. If you do, you'll have an incredible photography experience.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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.

This is The Digital Story Podcast #679, March 19, 2019. Today's theme is "The Chill and the Thrill of Night Photography." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Having just spent nearly a week in the high desert, I can tell you that the nights are just as exciting as the days. As soon as the sky darkens and the stars come out, so do photographers with tripods and cameras in hand. After working with these late night shooters, I have some tips that might encourage you to bundle up and step into the starry night. All of that and more on today's TDS Photography podcast.

The Chill and the Thrill of Night Photography

"Desert Sky" by Dennis Lewis (@lewisontheorad on Instagram) captured during the TDS Joshua Tree Photography Workshop - Olympus OM-D E-M1 II with Rokinon 12mm f/2 lens, 30 seconds, f/2, ISO 400, light painting on the Yucca Tree.

Some of my favorite images from the Joshua Tree Photography Workshop were captured well into the evening. We had a number of things going for us.

The Adobe Rockhouse, our HQ, was about 3500' in altitude above the city lights of Yucca Valley below. Plus we had wonderful rock piles and Joshua Trees to use for our foreground subjects, with the starry nights in the background.

Most us learned tips from the others for compelling night shots, and I'm sharing five of my favorites with you right now.

• Get the Right Lens - You'll need a wide prime for effective star photography. A favorite among our group was the Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS lens for Micro Four Thirds ($249-$399 depending if it's on sale). It's fast and wide (24mm on MFT) and has enough light gathering power for stars. Also check the Samyang 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS Lens for Micro Four Thirds
, which is essentially the same lens. You should be able to get one of them for under $300.
• Test Your Infinity Setting - First you need a lens that allows you to manually focus and includes an infinity marker. But beyond that, you need to test where infinity actually is. On the Rokinon, for example, the sharpest infinity was just past the infinity marker. We fine tuned this through testing.
• Get the Formula for Star Exposures - I recommend the article, Learn How to Shoot Stunning Milky Way Photos in Five Minutes. That's what many of us used as a starting point. The basic exposure was 20-30 seconds wide open with the 12mm. ISO was between 400 and 1600 depending on the conditions.
• Use Your Flashlight for Light Painting - A few brush strokes with the flashlight on foreground subjects can add pop to them and help you create an overall compelling composition. Don't overdo it - just a second or two will suffice.
• Consider a Clear-Night Filter to Offset Sodium Vapor Lights - If you don't care to the overly yellow-orange tint that comes from sodium vapor lights in the surrounding city, consider a Haida 67mm NanoPro MC Clear-Night Filter ($67) or equivalent to help you better control the color. These aren't helpful if you have LED streetlights in the surrounding area.

A Recap of the Joshua Tree Photography Workshop

Here's an overview of the highlights from our trip.

Nikon Now Includes the $250 FTZ Lens Adapter for Free with the Z6 and Z7

Via PetaPixel.

If you shoot with a Nikon full-frame DSLR and have been considering a jump to the new Z Series of full-frame mirrorless cameras, it's now easier on your wallet to bring your existing lens collection over with you. Nikon is now bundling the $250 FTZ (F-mount to Z-mount) lens adapter for free with the Nikon Z6 and the Nikon Z7.

The FTZ adapter allows over 360 F-mount NIKKOR lenses to be used on Z Series mirrorless cameras with no change in image quality, and it guarantees full compatibility with over 90 NIKKOR lenses. F-mount lenses mounted via the adapter can make use of Z camera features such as Hybrid-AF and 3-axis in-camera Vibration Reduction (VR).

TDS Workshops Update

Sonoma Coast Workshop Update

I've secured a beautiful home for us just south of Bodega Bay. This will serve as our headquarters during the event. There's plenty of room for our classroom and presentation work, plus beautiful areas for relaxing, and even sleeping accommodations for those who wish to stay there.

We've started registrations for Sonoma Coast Exploration, and it looks like we have two seats open. So I've updated the inventory on the reserve list page. And you can place your deposit if you want to join us. If you do, you'll have an incredible photography experience.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: A big thanks to those who support our podcast and our efforts!

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.

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

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

Portfoliobox - Your PortfolioBox site is the best way to show off your best images.

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