Zoom out pictures, instructional video, Flash podcast player, new Creative Output department... welcome to The Digital Story V2 (TDS). In this week's podcast, I introduce you to the new features of our retooled site. We upgraded the hardware, updated the publishing platform, refreshed the look, and added new content. We poised for the next generation of our virtual camera club.

To help you visually compare. Here's how TDS appeared from Oct. 2005 through April 2009 (click on image to zoom to larger size):

After we launched the site refresh in May 2009. Here's how the site looked (click on image to zoom to larger size):

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Joseph Victor Stefanchik makes pictures for a living. His photography studio, JVS Pictures, brings craftsmanship to the entire photography process, from capture, to processing, through printing, and even to mounting and framing. You would think that such quality would require equipment that's out of reach for most of us. But that's not the case. For example, Joseph shoots with Canon cameras, processes with Photoshop and Canon software, and prints on an Epson 3800 using Red River paper.

Photo by JVS Pictures

In this podcast interview, I glean tons of useful information from Joseph about making great prints. To give you an idea about his experience, here's a little bio information:

"Highlights in JVS' photojournalism career include winning the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award for International Photojournalism as well as being named a Pulitzer Prize Finalist. Countless photojournalism contest wins date back to 1992. JVS has been furthering the education of other photographers by teaching in-depth lighting workshops with the help of his highly educated and talented wife, Anne Farrar. The two bring 30+ years of combined experience to each Workshop they teach.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

You can easily amass thousands of digital images, then one day realize that your computer has become more cluttered than the hallway closet. You need to get organized, but you're not sure where to begin.

I designed the photography workshop, "I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?" to solve that exact problem. In the workshop, I cover the five basic steps for an efficient photography workflow: Acquire, Organize, Edit, Share, and Save. I show how you can take control of your pictures using tools that are on your computer right now. Then I introduce some of the amazing workflow software that's available right now (Aperture, Lightroon, Photoshop CS4), so you can begin to upgrade you post production tools -- all the while keeping in mind your specific needs.

If this scenario sounds like something that can help you, then I suggest you download the class notes (1.3 MB PDF file), then listen to this podcast, I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?. Soon, you will be on the road to organization, efficiency, and enjoying your pictures more than ever.

If you'd like to attend the 4-hour workshop in person, the next session will be on June 20, 2009 at the Santa Rosa JC in Northern California. For more information, call 707-527-4372. The course fee is $63.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "I've Taken Great Pictures, Now What?" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Flickr excels at both image sharing and exploration. In this podcast, I discuss my 10 favorite Flickr tips.

1. Spend some time with your account profile. Think about the type of copyright you want to apply, who can see your photos, will geotags show, etc. In part, how you set your account profile reflects how you want to use Flickr and share your work.
2. Build Flickr into your workflow. Use uploadrs that are friendly to how you operate. If you're an iPhoto user, for example, check out FlickrExport by ConnectedFlow. It's more powerful than the built in uploadr in iPhoto '09.
3. Make tagging easy. For example, Flickr can read keywords in IPTC metadata. So if you apply keywords during your normal workflow, and export them with the image, Flickr tags will automatically be applied to your images.
4. You don't always have to image edit your pictures before upload. Flickr's online editing tools are quite decent.
5. Use the Share link (upper right corner) to share images with non-Flickr members. It's very handy and works great.
6. Have your Photostream page represent you and your approach to photography. Set your Photostream page layout in Account Preferences (under the Personal Information tab), organize the presentation of your Sets and Collections (in the Organize section), and share information about your photos to visitors.
7. Spend time in the Explore section. Flickr staff does a great job of highlighting beautiful photography, plus introduces you to new ways to think about imaging through tools such as the World Map, Camera Finder, Calendar, and the Flickr blog. This is a great opportunity to expand your boundries.
8. Learn about mobile Flickr if you use a smartphone. It is a wonderful site for managing your work as well as adding to it.
9. Speaking of cameraphones, here's a tip for mobile users. When uploading from your smartphone, set permission to Private. Then change to Public once you've picked your favorites and edited them.
10. Experiment with the "long photo," Flickr's approach to video. You can create terrific content that is viewable in 90 seconds or less, and then share it in your Flickr photostream.

iPhoto users may want to check out my Lynda.com title: iPhoto '09: 10 Things to Know About Flickr. I'll have a Flickr Essential Training title ready later this Spring, so keep an eye out for that too.

And don't forget about The Digital Story Public Group on Flickr.

A screenshot of my mobile flickr photostream on an iPhone.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Rim Lighting is the May 2009 Photo Assignment. This portrait technique puts the light source behind the subject (creating the rim light effect) then uses a fill light for the front. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Top 10 Flickr Tips" You can download the podcast here (24 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

Have you ever looked at a magnified image on your computer screen and felt disappointed about its appearance? You thought you had a sharp, crisp photograph, but it wasn't holding together at 100 percent as well you thought it should. This is the perfect scenario for making a print. Then you will know how good (or not so good) your picture really is.

High magnification computer monitors are very useful for photographers, but that's just one way to look at an image. And think about it: Is that the way you share your work with others? At 100 or 200 percent zoomed in on the eyelashes? If you make an 8.5"x11" or a 13"x19" print, and it looks good, then you can trust that you have a quality photograph.

The trick is, how do you build an easy printing workflow that is dependable? In this podcast I give you a few tips to put you on the path to successful printing and accurate judging of your images.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Five Printing Tips" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

The TIPA Awards, 2009 feature outstanding photography equipment. In this podcast I cover many of the winners and look at the trends we see in today's market. It's not just Canon and Nikon these days...

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Award Winning Equipment" You can download the podcast here (30 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

When comparing quality 16 GB cards, prices vary from $210 to $30. That's quite a spread. Which one is right for you?

In this podcast, I take a look at a variety of "pro" memory cards and try to determine which are the best value for my camera. Along the way, we consult the excellent CF/SD Performance Database run by Rob Galbraith. I think you'll enjoy this show.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "How Much Should You Pay for a Memory Card?" You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

The perfect blend for a Photoshop discussion: an expert who oversees the Photoshop engineering team, and who is a photographer too. Meet Winston Hendrickson, Sr. Director, Engineering, Digital Media, for Adobe.

During this chat in a conference room at Adobe headquarters, Winston and I talk about what's happening under the hood for Bridge, ACR, and Photoshop. He explains lots of goodies such as, the difference between the Lightroom and Bridge "databases," the similarities between the Develop module in Lightroom and the sliders in ACR, improvements in Photoshop, and some great lesser-known features such as Camera Profiles. Terrific, informative interview.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Adobe Engineer Pops the Hood on CS4." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

How do you build a photography site that expresses your vision? I interview Chris Lang, who has become as well known for his beautiful web site designs as he has for his excellent photography. Chris uses SiteGrinder 2 to construct these stunning online properties, and in this interview, he shares his philosophies and a few of his secrets.

Editor's Note: Wedding graphic is a screenshot of Chris Lang Weddings created by Chris using Photoshop and SiteGrinder 2 (which is a sponsor of The Digital Story). Chris Lang is a professional photographer, designer and image maker based out of Wilmington NC. Among his various projects, Chris is a marketing photographer for the PGA's Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Vibrancy is the April 2009 Photo Assignment. Here in North America, Spring is on the way. But nature isn't the only source of vibrant colors. See what you can create for this assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is April 30, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "The Web Site That Expresses You." You can download the podcast here (26 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips

With the introduction of Faces in iPhoto '09, face detection and recognition technologies in computer software became a hot topic for discussion. But we've seen other applications, such as Google Picasa and Facebook embrace face recognition prior to iPhoto '09, and actually, this is a set of technologies on the move.

In this podcast, I discuss face detection both on the capture side of the fence with digital cameras, and on the software side. I cover how this technology is being used, and some things to keep in mind if you decide to take advantage of it for your work.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Sign of the Times is the March 2009 Photo Assignment. So many things are changing right now. This is a good opportunity for us to capture these signs of the times in our camera lens. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is March 31, 2009.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Face Recognition All Around You." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Follow me on Twitter

-

SiteGrinder lets you take ownership of your websites. Effortlessly output pages right from Photoshop.

Red River Paper -- Try the $7.99 Sample Kit.

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, technique, Technology, The Digital Story, tips