This is The Digital Story Podcast #678, March 12, 2019. Today's theme is "Accidental Time Capsules." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Most of us have been shooting digital cameras longer than we realize. And even if we've been good about archiving, we probably haven't browsed those decade-old drives in a while. And then, there are those memory cards that we have stashed in a desk drawer somewhere. They are flattened time capsules. And it's time to pull them out and see what they contain.

Accidental Time Capsules

Here's a story that began with a search for a few CF cards to use with a Nikon D700 that I just bought, and what I discovered as a result.

U.S. Supreme Court Holds That Copyrights Must Be Registered before Plaintifs Can File Infringement Suits

This story is from the National Law Review. You can read it in its entirety there.

The U.S. Supreme Court held today that bringing a suit for copyright infringement requires that the infringed work actually be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, and that a mere application for registration will not suffice.

The ruling makes it even more imperative that copyright holders register their works promptly if they wish to enforce their rights--on top of the already considerable financial incentives that the U.S. copyright regime provides for registered works.

Justice Ginsburg, writing for a unanimous Supreme Court, held that only after the application has been "registered" and issued by the Copyright Office--a process that can take months--may a plaintiff bring a lawsuit to enforce its copyrights.

Interesting Stories on the Red River Blog

Among everything else that it does, Red River Paper also publishes a terrific blog. Recent articles include road trip photography, wildlife refuges, and smartphone accessories. You might want to swing by for a read, then bookmark it once you do.

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

Joshua Tree Workshop Update

We will have the Olympus OM-D E-M1X to work with at the event. Participants will be able to experience this latest technology wonder in the beautiful high desert.

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.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: I have a new goodie for you this week. Go over to the Patreon site now to watch an introduction to how the new library manager works in Luminar 3. Now that version 3.0.2 is out, I think Luminar 3 is worth a look. If you're curious, take a look at this benefit for Inner Circle Members. And if you want to join the Inner Circle, visit our Patreon site, or click on the tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

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 #677, March 5, 2019. Today's theme is "Spectre - An Amazing iPhone App I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

There are moments when Artificial Intelligence seems to defy the laws of physics. After testing the iOS app Spectre, I think capturing motion will forever be changed. This software may also drive the final coffin nail for tripods and virtually every other camera support that we once lugged around. Sound crazy you say? Tune in and find out that it's real, it's right now, and it's only $3.

Spectre - An Amazing iPhone App

I've spent a lot of time around the Santa Rosa Creek lately. The water is high and running fast. I can cruise a long stretch of the creek on bike thanks to Prince Memorial Greenway that runs along the shore.

So far this year, I've captured some pretty good water images. But all of that took a turn for the better recently after I uploaded the Spectre photo app to my iPhone and went for another ride. What I came home with was far superior to anything I had shot so far this year.

Spectre is a $3 iPhone app that does three basic things:

• Long exposures for soft water shots.
• Streaming lights such as cars on a nighttime highway.
• Making people disappear from crowded locations such as tourist sites.

Compatibility: Spectre works on iPhone 6 and newer and requires iOS 11 and up. Spectre's smart Automatic Scene Detection requires iOS 12. AI-based stabilization features are only available on devices with a Neural Engine (iPhone 8 and later). On iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Spectre captures in lower resolution.

The handheld long exposures are quite good, and they are higher quality images that my previous favorite method of converting Live View shots to long exposure with Photos.

Essentially, these are Live View files. But the secret sauce is a slightly improved recipe. When viewing the Jpeg files in Photos, they do show the Live View badge, but they certainly don't play the same way as those from Apple. If you're using Photos for macOS, your Spectre images will appear in the Live Photos album under Media Types.

Here's what they say on their site: "Spectre's intelligent computational shutter takes hundreds of shots over the span of a few seconds, and saves them in an accompanying live photo. That means you can pick a different frame as your photo, apply live-photo effects, and even use the long exposure as a live-wallpaper!

Spectre is a packed with powerful technology from by the team that brought you Halide. From machine learning-based scene detection to computer vision aided image stabilization, Spectre is jammed full of impressive technologies to get the best possible image.

On the downside, I have seen occasional banding at the very top or bottom of some images. This isn't consistent, and when it has appeared, I've just cropped it out.

Overall, though, Spectre is very impressive. It's intuitive and has the ability to produce great pictures - without a tripod.

Olympus Says that the OM-D E-M5 Mark III is Coming

I'll read from an interview with Olympus at the CP+ trade show in Japan. The full interview can be read on Imaging-Resource.com.

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

Joshua Tree Workshop Update

We will have the Olympus OM-D E-M1X to work with at the event. Participants will be able to experience this latest technology wonder in the beautiful high desert.

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.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: I have a new goodie for you this week. Go over to the Patreon site now to watch an introduction to how the new library manager works in Luminar 3. Now that version 3.0.2 is out, I think Luminar 3 is worth a look. If you're curious, take a look at this benefit for Inner Circle Members. And if you want to join the Inner Circle, visit our Patreon site, or click on the tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

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 #676, Feb. 26, 2019. Today's theme is "What We Can Learn from the Movies" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Oscars in a variety of categories on Sunday night. Aside from the sheer star power on display, there's an amazing amount of artistic risks and rewards that can serve as lessons for our own work. In this week's show, I present 5 photography takeaways from my favorite movies of 2018.

What We Can Learn from the Movies

Green Book - Honored for Best Picture, this story of a road trip through the Southern United States at a time of segregation is a great illustration of juxtaposition. A white driver hired by a black musician overcoming their predisposed judgments as they meet challenge after challenge.

We can bring that same richness to our photography by creating and finding images that challenge our viewer's preconceived notions. Picture this: a little old lady helping a fireman across a busy street.

Bohemian Rhapsody - The story of the rock band Queen and its front man Freddy Mercury. They were not always popular, in fact, far from it in the early years.

This is an excellent lesson in being true to your vision, even when others discount its merit. Not every artist who insists on going his or her own way will enjoy the success of Queen. But they can share in a similar satisfaction that they followed their vision and refined it to the best of their ability.

Blackkklansman - This story of a black under cover detective impersonating a white man and gaining access to the Klu Klux Klan is both entertaining and thought provoking.

The reason why I think Spike Lee enjoy success with this film is because he found the balance between humor and message. I our current polarized society, shouting louder than the next guy has diminishing returns at best. If you're using your art to convey a message that's important to you, then find a way to share it without alienating the very audience that you want to convince.

Crazy Rich Asians - Rich boy falls in love with sweet girl of lesser financial means. She then has to win over the family to move the relationship forward.

My lesson from this movie was a reminder not to overlook the power of love. The trick is, how does one tell the story with a fresh voice? My answer is, that the message is so universal, that if you can put a new face on it, viewers will embrace it.

Photographs that capture the relationships in life can indeed be powerful. Don't forget to look outside your own culture for these images. A long-standing emotion with a different look can make viewers pause and take note.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - This Cohen Brothers film shares a series of short stories with a theme that portrays to twists and turns of life.

The collection of shorts presented in one movie shows the power of a photo essay. We're able to see the different angles of how this theme plays out as we progress from one vignette to the next. The parts come together with impact, and in a way that none of the individual stories could on their own.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Image Quality - The higher quality your images have, the heavier the files would be. When you have lots of big and heavy image files on your website, it would affect your page speed.

You could speed up the loading of your website by slightly reducing your image quality. In Portfoliobox, you can adjust the image quality by clicking on the Cogwheel Icon > Settings > General > Website > Image Quality. The image quality scale is from -1 to 1. -1 is the lowest and 1 is the highest. You can try out different quality level to find the best option for your website..

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

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.

Skylum announces development of AirMagic drone imaging software

Via DP Review

Looking at the teaser video above AirMagic is capable of detecting what drone camera an image has been captured with. It can then scan the scene for haze, skies, and presumably other image elements and artifacts, before automatically adjusting exposure, color and other parameters for an optimized end result.

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.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: I have a new goodie for you this week. Go over to the Patreon site now to watch an introduction to how the new library manager works in Luminar 3. Now that version 3.0.2 is out, I think Luminar 3 is worth a look. If you're curious, take a look at this benefit for Inner Circle Members. And if you want to join the Inner Circle, visit our Patreon site, or click on the tile that's on every page of The Digital Story.

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 #675, Feb. 19, 2019. Today's theme is "Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The ground is still shaking from Canon's announcement of a full-frame mirrorless camera for $1,300. Are they bringing their successful Rebel strategy to the mirrorless space, or is this something more? Also, a follow-up and correction to last week's show on copyright protection. All of this, and more, on today's TDS photography podcast.

Canon EOS RP - Mirrorless Rebel or Modern 5D?

One of Canon's best marketing moves was creating the Rebel brand, long before digital. This gave them the ability to introduce new technology in a less rugged package for a very affordable price.

As I look at the just-announced Canon EOS RP, I'm feeling that wave of genius all over again. Let's take a look at its specs.

• 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 8 Image Processor
• UHD 4K and Full HD 1080 Video
• 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
• 3" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 AF Points
• ISO 100-40000, Up to 5 fps Shooting
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
• The RP has a few extra features such as the intervalometer function and 4K Video Time-lapse. It also has a silent shutter mode (electronic).
• Headphone and mic ports

But there are a few things missing as well.

• No sensor-based image stabilization (For video there is an electronic option that works with optical stabilisation.)
• 5 fps continuous shooting (4fps with AF Tracking enabled) 50 frame limit in RAW format.
• 250 shots you get from the LP-E17 battery in the EOS RP
• There are currently four lenses available and the brand has announced the development of six more in 2019. Most of these lenses (fast zooms and primes) are on the expensive side however. The most affordable zoom is the 24-105mm which still costs around $1K. The system needs more affordable kit lenses that can better suit a camera like the RP. Canon includes an RF to EF adapter in the box so that you can have access to its vast selection of DSLR lenses. However given the compact design of the RP, this solution will likely unbalance the camera.
• Minimum weather sealing - no gaskets.
• No built-in flash.
• Operating temperature only down tp 32 degrees f.
• No top LCD screen

All in all, I think that the specs for the RP are very impressive. And if you didn't have to mount a lens on this camera, it's a bargain.

But you do, and the 24-105mm RF lens is roughly a $900, and weighs 1.5 pounds. The best choice right now is the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens, which is available for $450. After that, the affordable pickings are pretty slim.

Overall, the Canon EOS RP goes beyond the Rebel series and is more like a lightweight 5D at its introduction. And once there are lenses for this camera, photographers can make real decisions about its usefulness for their work.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Move images from one gallery to another - You have uploaded photos to a gallery but think some of them would fit better in a different one. You don't actually need to manually delete them and upload them again -- we've saved you some time and made it effortless. Select the images that you wish to transfer and choose the new gallery under the drop-down menu Move to gallery.

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Challenge: Up Close

Congratulations to Craig Tooley, the honored image in our Up Close photo challenge for his mushroom image. Craig wrote, "It was shot held on a beanbag at 1/8 of a second with what I would list as a lenses I would be hard-pressed to give up, the Olympus 60 mm f2.8 would be one of those lenses. It's very sharp I think and fast and light and is just exquisite on the Olympus OMD EM1 mark 2." Craig will be upgraded to a Pro Membership for his efforts.

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.

Follow Up to Last Week's Show about Copyrights for Photographers

I received some very helpful email from listeners after last week's interview with Maggie Hallahan about copyrights for photographers. I'd like to share a couple of them with you now. None of this is legal advice. Rather, these are real life experiences of photographers in our audience.

Scott Davenport wrote: "Caught up on TDS 674 today. Interesting info from Maggie about the business side of her client dealings.

With copyright though, I am pretty sure the registration of an unlimited number of photos is gone as of mid-2018. Whether it is published or unpublished works, a single application is capped at 750 images. It's much more expensive to register all photos from a given shoot, especially if you're a prolific photographer (i.e. weddings and events).

For my work, I copyright only my published works. There is a provision that, so long as your application is submitted within 90 days of first publication, you can get full protection under copyright law. It takes an amount of discipline, but very doable. To the point you raised in the podcast about workflow, this might be of interest to your audience.

Mayra Martinez wrote: "I just finished listening to your latest podcast (#674) on copyright. I need to point out that some of the points made by your host are no longer current:

1. Unlimited submissions are a thing of the past. Group submissions of unpublished photographs are limited to no more than 750 photos.

2. In addition to submitting the digital photos, completing the online submission (preferred method by copyright office) requires a list with title and file name for each photo in the group.

These two points are part of the following pdf in the copyright.gov site: https://www.copyright.gov/eco/gruph-transcript.pdf. (Definitely check out this link!)

The changes in the number of images per submission were implemented on 2/20/2018. More draconian measures were about to be made later in the year, but the public comment period was extended until June 21, 2018, and then everything stopped. You can read about it in Ed Greenberg's and Jack Reznicki's The Copyright Zone post on May 24, 2018.

A big thanks to both Scott and Mayra for there contributions to this conversation.

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.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #674, Feb. 12, 2019. Today's theme is "Photography and Copyright - An Interview with Maggie Hallahan." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The online world has changed the business landscape for artists who care about protecting their intellectual property. But there are reasonable, affordable steps that you can take to protect your images from being used by others without your permission. And on this week's show, I talk with professional photographer Maggie Hallahan about those very steps. I hope you enjoy the show.

Photography and Copyright - An Interview with Maggie Hallahan

Even though Maggie's client list include big names like Microsoft, the things she's learned to prepare her for those jobs can help us in our everyday photography projects. In this interview, Maggie covers the specific steps that she takes to copyright her images.

Maggie Hallahan

You can learn more about Maggie by visiting her site, mhpv.net.

Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Here's how to create a professional looking contact page in Portfoliobox. This step-by-step video makes it easy, and you will have your online in just minutes.

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

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.

ProGrade Digital's Recovery Pro Can Save Lost RAW Photos

As reported on Petapixel.

Recovery Pro goes beyond JPEG files and recognizes other types of photo files as well, including most types of files (including RAW) from cameras by companies like Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic, DJI, GoPro, and more (e.g. TIF, CRW, CR2, DNG, NEF, ORF, SRF, PEF, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG). In total, the software is currently capable of recovering over 90 different types of photo, video, and audio files from SDXC, microSDHC/XC, CompactFlash, and CFast cards.

ProGrade Digital Recovery Pro is compatible with both Windows 10 and Mac OS X, and it's available for $50 for a 12-month subscription. If you'd like to give it a try, there's also a "try before you buy" evaluation copy.

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.

The reserve list has filled up, and registration starts next week. If you want to be on the waiting list, drop me a line via the Contact Form on www.thenimblephotographer.com.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #673, Feb. 5, 2019. Today's theme is "3 Stories About the Dawn of a New Flickr Era." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Photographers with free Flickr accounts will be limited to 1,000 photos starting today. Pro users see their annual fee rise to $50. Given all of the other options that we have in the marketplace, why should we even concern ourselves with this? I'll provide not one, but three answers to this, and more, in today's TDS Photography Podcast.

3 Stories About the Dawn of a New Flickr Era

Answering the question, "Why should we care?" is a dicy proposition with any topic these days. So I thought I would start by telling a true story that one of our listeners recently experienced.

The Story of Charles Peterson and the U.S. Postage Stamp.

Charles recently sent this email to me:

One of my photos was used as a reference for painting a USPS stamp celebrating the 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad. The photo is of a replica of Union Pacific Engine 119. It was taken on December 29th, 2013 at the Golden Spike National Historical Site, Box Elder County, Utah. This engine is a copy of the locomotive that met the Central Pacific Railroad's Jupiter engine at Promontory Summit in 1869 during the Golden Spike ceremony commemorating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad.

Art director Greg Breeding designed the issuance," the Postal Service said. "Michael J. Deas painted the Jupiter and No. 119 stamps. Kevin Cantrell illustrated the stamp depicting the ceremonial golden spike and did the border treatments and typography for all three stamps.

The Transcontinental Railroad stamps will be issued as a set of three in a pane of 18, with a May 10 first-day ceremony in Promontory Summit, Utah. The railroad's last spike was driven on that date and at that location 150 years earlier, in 1869.

The two train stamps appear to be horizontal commemorative size; the third stamp is smaller and depicts the golden spike that was a prominent part of the ceremony.

So how did Chuck become involved?

In February of 2017, I was contacted by a research company called PhotoAssist (http://photoassist.com/) that, among other things, helps the USPS find reference materials for creating stamps. They apparently found my photo on Flickr.

Last September they told me they wanted to use my photo and sent me a contract for $750. I have found Flickr to be a very important resource for sharing my photography. I use Creative Commons - Noncommercial - No Derivatives license. Many of my pictures have been used by conservation organizations, government agencies, schools, etc. I post medium resolution files and allow them to be downloaded. I have been paid for a few things but that was not my goal.

I highly recommend visiting Chuck's Flickr page, petechar

The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group

If you seek a community for your photography, there is a vibrant one right under your nose.

Current membership for The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group is 3,286 photographers publishing 78,551 images. Thousands of visitors scroll through these photographs annually, and this is also the source for the TDS Member Photo of the Day. Over the years I have curated 36 Galleries of Amazing Images, and we are stronger today than ever.

To create this place of sharing, exploring, and enjoying high quality photography, without Flickr, would be a much different proposition all together.

Why This is the Dawn of a New Flickr Era

Back in November 2018, Thomas Hawk wrote this in his article titled, Why Limiting Free Users to 1,000 Photos on Flickr is a Smart Move:

Besides the obvious business model reasons why this is a smart decision for Flickr and their users, there are other important reasons this makes Flickr better as well.

Also, if people are willing to pay for something they tend to put more effort into it. If you are paying for something and perceive it's value you'll care more, contribute more and be a part of something. These are the accounts that I value on Flickr the most.

Under the new business model, not only will Flickr become more financially stable, it will also begin to evolve upwards in terms of artistic quality.

How Portfoliobox Helped Me Connect with Models

Recently, I had to find new models to help me with some upcoming projects. In the past, my success rate for connection hadn't been as high as I thought it should be.

However, this time in my follow up notes, I included a link to my new Portfoliobox site - derrickstoryphotography.com. The turnout has been amazing.

I asked one model how important the About Me page plus the curated galleries were to her decision to work with me. She said it was vital. "I want to know that I'm working with someone who is legit and who will capture me in the best light. Your site gave me that confidence."

I've added my Portfoliobox site to the nav bar on TheDigitalStory.com as the About Me page. I can't think of a better way to introduce myself to the public.

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

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.

Do You Have a Lens that You will Never Sell?

I read this interesting article on FStoppers, where the author stated that he would never sell his Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 telephoto.

This got me thinking about my current stable of optics and if any would qualify for the "Do Not Sell" franchise tag. After some pondering, I did come to the conclusion that my Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 and my Olympus PRO 45mm f/1.2 both deserved the franchise tag.

Do you have a lens that you would never sell? If so, share it in the comments area of the Facebook post about this podcast.

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Update

Our Spring workshop in the high desert is sold out. But but I promise that we'll share reports from the event.

San Francisco Street Photography Workshop

I think after 5 great seasons, this workshop has run its course. At the moment, I don't have enough deposits to move forward with the event, so I'm going to cancel it. Thanks to everyone who has made this event one of my favorites!

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.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #672, Jan. 29, 2019. Today's theme is "The Olympus OM-D E-M1X - It's Not What You Think." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

One of the first questions that you may have asked yourself after hearing about the E-M1X is: "Why did Olympus make this camera?" It's relatively big, somewhat expensive, and it's not full frame. The Internet is brimming with posts explaining why this camera won't succeed. What they're missing is the bigger picture. And I'll tell you what that is in today's TDS photography podcast.

The Olympus OM-D E-M1X - It's Not What You Think

The 20MP Olympus OM-D E-M1X ($2,999) has an impressive spec list.

• Computational Photography Functions Powered by Dual TruePic VIII Image Processors (digital neutral density filter for example)
• Integrated Vertical Grip, Dual Batteries
• Dual SD Memory Card Slots
• Handheld High Res Shot mode - 50 MP
• Built-in Field Sensor System sports an integrated GPS module (GLONASS and QZSS) along with an electronic compass, manometer, temperature sensor, and acceleration sensor.
• DCI 4K/24p & UHD 4K/30p Video Recording
• 5-Axis Sensor-Shift IS up to 7 stops
• 15 fps Shooting and Expanded ISO 25600
• 121-Point All Cross-Type Phase-Detect AF
• Super Weather-Sealed Construction

Will this be the next camera for the greater Micro Four Thirds audience? Probably not. But that's not why Olympus made it...

The Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Allowing visitors to right-click on images so that they can save them.

To enable the right click and allow your visitors to save your images, go to Settings. Under General, in the Website section, check the box Enable Right Click.

You can read the step-by-step instructions right here!

Photo Contest: Up Close

To enter, send your best close-up image to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Feb. 12, 2019. Subject Line: Up Close. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

Speaking of winners, congratulations to Rhys Gwyn - Tops in the TDS B&W Portrait Challenge. To honor his top entry, Rhys will receive a 1-year Portfoliobox Pro site upgrade. Way to go!

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.

Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training Coming Soon

Just wanted you to know that I'm putting the finishing touches on my Capture One Pro 12 Essential Training title that will be available on LinkedIn Learning and lynda.com. Capture One Pro 12 is an outstanding release, and I think you will enjoy learning all about it. Stay tuned!

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Update

Our Spring workshop in the high desert is sold out. But but I promise that we'll share reports from the event.

San Francisco Street Photography Workshop

I think after 5 great seasons, this workshop has run its course. At the moment, I don't have enough deposits to move forward with the event, so I'm going to cancel it. Thanks to everyone who has made this event one of my favorites!

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.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #671, Jan. 22, 2019. Today's theme is "The Real Tintype, Not the App: An Interview with Jeremiah Flynn" I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Tintype photography dates back to the 1850s. And in the hands of today's capable artists, it's still alive. For some folks, their knowledge of Tintype is confined to an app on their smartphone. But the actual process is fascinating, and today, we'll chat with a true Tintype photographer, Jeremiah Flynn, to learn more about this wonderful art form.

The Real Tintype, Not the App: An Interview with Jeremiah Flynn

I grabbed by portable recorder and visited Jeremiah Flynn at his place, Jeremiah's Photocorner in Santa Rosa, CA. His Tintype studio is there as well. If you want to see samples of his Tintype work, jump over to JeremiahFlynn.com.

I hope you enjoy learning about this incredible photographic artform from one of its accomplished technicians. We chat about other related topics as well.

The Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

Did you know that you can display your instagram photos on your Portfoliobox site?

Creating an Instagram page is an easy way of having fresh content on your site. You just need to connect your Instagram account with your Portfoliobox site and each time you post an image with a specific tag, the image will also display on your Portfoliobox site. Easy, right?

You can read the step-by-step instructions right here!

Photo Contest: B&W Portraits

To enter, send your best B&W portrait to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Jan. 22, 2019. Subject Line: B&W Portrait Contest. Make sure you have permission from the subject. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

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.

Big Thanks to James Hess and Jozsef Scheiber for Their Generous Donations

Both James and Jozsef have pulled together impressive analog camera kits, packed them up, and sent them to me for refurbishing and listing in TheFilmCameraShop. I want to express my gratitude to both gentlemen for their support of this podcast and the world of film photography.

If you have analog gear that you'd like to see in the hands of an enthusiastic film photographer, please us the Contact Form on the Nimble Photographer to get in touch. We'll work together from there.

TDS Workshops Update

Joshua Tree Update

Our Spring workshop in the high desert is sold out. But but I promise that we'll share reports from the event.

San Francisco Street Photography Workshop

I think after 5 great seasons, this workshop has run its course. At the moment, I don't have enough deposits to move forward with the event, so I'm going to cancel it. Thanks to everyone who has made this event one of my favorites!

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.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our new Photo Challenge is RAW Capture. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #670, Jan. 15, 2019. Today's theme is "The DJI OSMO Pocket Review, Las Vegas, and More." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

Las Vegas was lit during CES week. Thousands of technology professionals from all over the world converged on sin city to show their inventions and discover those by others. I was in the middle of it all, and with me was the DJI OSMO Pocket to record the sights and sounds of this consumer tech wonderland. So how did it perform? Is the OSMO Pocket a breakthrough device or just another geek toy? Stay tuned for my verdict.

The DJI OSMO Pocket Review

The DJI OSMO Pocket ($350) debuted before CES with much fanfare and discussion. The petite 3-axis gimble 4K movie camera fits nicely in a top shirt pocket, but packs an incredible amount of imaging power in its svelt frame. It is not perfect, but by any reasonable measure, it is a breakthrough device.

Its highlight features include:

• Gimbal Camera with 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor
• Compact 4.1 oz, 4.8" High Design
• Up to 4K Video at 60 fps, up to 100 Mb/s
• Connects to Smartphone via Mimo App
• 12MP JPEG or DNG Raw Still Photos
• Includes Lightning & USB Type-C Adapters
• Optional Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Monitoring
• POV, ActiveTrack & FaceTrack Modes
• Standard Time-Lapse & Motionlapse
• NightShot & Panoramic Modes

The features that I was most interested in were video recording (1080p and 4K), SloMo capture, timelapse, panorama, and audio recording. Here's my opinion on all of those functions.

For sample videos, audio, and images, see my post titled, DJI OSMO Pocket Review - It's Probably for You on TheDigitalStory.

The Portfoliobox Tip of the Week

How do I make a Portfoliobox page private? In order to make a specific page private, you need to lock it with a password. Follow the steps below:

• Click on Edit this page
• Click on Settings
• Check the box Password protect
• Choose a password

Please note that to test this setting, you must log out from the admin panel. When you are logged in as admin, you have access to all the pages.

Photo Contest: B&W Portraits

To enter, send your best B&W portrait to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Jan. 22, 2019. Subject Line: B&W Portrait Contest. Make sure you have permission from the subject. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

To create your own Portfoliobox site, click on the tile that's on every page of TheDigitalStory or use this link to get started. If you upgrade to a Pro site, you'll save 20 percent off the $83 annual price.

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Visiting Las Vegas

The odds of having a great time in the desert wonderland increase if you follow these five tips:

• Set your gambling budget before you leave, and stick to it. If you lose your money, it's gone. And throwing more money after it will not bring it back.
• Alternate water and alcohol when out on the town. Have one cocktail, then one ice water. Repeat as often as necessary.
• Do not accept anything handed to you on the street. Period.
• Avoid rip-off cab companies. My experience is that it's best to stick with ride sharing and the monorail. But if you have to take a cab, such as from the airport to the hotel, ask what the expected price should be and if there are any add on charges beyond what the meter reads. Fares to most hotels on the strip should not be more than $23.
• Shy away from over-priced restaurants. There are many fine eating establishments in Las Vegas. Do your homework first and avoid the outrageous steak houses and big name chefs.

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.

If you do want to join us July 17-19, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our current Photo Challenge is Repetitive Pattern. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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 #669, Jan. 8, 2019. Today's theme is "Making Photographs with Ibarionex Perello." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue

The Candid Frame Podcast has been running as long as The Digital Story. And over those years listeners have enjoyed the insightful interviews conducted by Ibarionex. And now he has a new book titled, Making Photographs. Seems like a great time to have this long overdue visit with one of the great guys in our industry. Hope you enjoy the show.

Making Photographs with Ibarionex Perello

Ibarionex and I sit down to discuss his new book, Making Photographs, and our combined 25 years of podcasting.

The Portfoliobox Tip of the Week and Photo Contest

Tip of the Week

Set colors and fonts on your entire website at once - You can fine-tune your website and choose specific colors and fonts for every element of your Portfoliobox site: menu, logo, text, headers, links, etc. Or you can opt for the quick and easy way and change all of them at once by choosing one of the preset combos we've prepared for you. Go to Colors and Fonts and click on Color Scheme or Font combo.

Photo Contest: B&W Portraits

To enter, send your best B&W portrait to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com by Jan. 22, 2019. Subject Line: B&W Portrait Contest. Make sure you have permission from the subject. Entrant must have captured the image and performed all of the post production on it. Recommended size of the image is 2000 px on the longest edge. The selected image will be featured on TheDigitalStory and the photographer will receive a 1-Year Pro Account with Portfoliobox.

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.

Short Movie - Chinatown Photo Shoot

Mike and I made this movie on the final day of last year's SF Street Photography Workshop. (Here's link as well.) It provides you with an inside look at our premier urban event. We're going to have just one more street photography workshop in SF, this coming April. And we'd like you to join us for the farewell to this long running gathering in the city.

If you do want to join us April 26-28, and I hope you do, please visit the Workshops Signup Page and place your $100 deposit. That will secure your ability to attend when official registration begins later this month. You can also read more about the event on the TDS Workshops page.

Updates and Such

Inner Circle Members: Our current Photo Challenge is Repetitive Pattern. Check your Patreon page for the details and prize. And thanks for supporting this podcast!

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.