PhotoActive

Many photo situations call for stability, and that means setting up a tripod. But the options when choosing one quickly become complicated: height, weight, materials, price, and don’t forget the head that holds the camera. To help sort it all, we welcome photographer, educator, and former photojournalist Mason Marsh to the show. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Guest: Mason Marsh Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Jeff’s recent tripod: 3 Legged Thing Punks Corey Mag Alloy Tripod Kit w/AirHed Neo Kirk’s tripod: Vanguard Alta Pro 3 Legged Thing Albert Peak Design Cuff, which Mason uses to secure his camera to the tripod as backup protection Mason’s tripods: Small: Really Right Stuff TFA-01 Ultra Pocket ‘Pod Medium: Really Right Stuff TVC-23 MK2 Large: Gitzo Tripod Systematic Series 3 XL (Amazon Affiliate Link) Clamp: Really Right Stuff Travel Clamp Kits Mason’s Ballheads: Small: Really Right Stuff BH-40 Ballhead Large: Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ballhead Panorama Head: Really Right Stuff PG-01 Compact Pano-Gimbal Head Head Platypod: Ultra (Amazon Affiliate Link) Our Snapshots: Jeff: 3 Legged Thing Toolz Multi-Tool Kirk: The Fujicron quartet (16mm f2.8) Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

We welcome back Nik Bhatt, of Gentlemen Coders and RAW Power fame, to pick his brain on editing photos using levels and curves: what the differences are between the two tonal adjustment tools, and how to use them. We also talk about understanding the histogram, and touch on editing white balance and why we may be using the eyedropper tool wrong. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! RAW Power PhotoActive Episode #26 - RAW Power 2.0 Download the RAW file we used as an example in this episode (21 MB) Batch Processing in Apple Photos, by Kirk Our Snapshots: Jeff: White Wall AR, iOS app Kirk: White Balance Gray Cards Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

We're tackling two topics in this episode of PhotoActive. First up, all-important backups! We emphasize backups all the time, but what does a good backup system look like? Then, after the break, we turn a never-ending corner and look at 360-degree photography, an interesting and creative niche. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! PhotoActive Episode #27 - Flying High with Ian Schray and Drones Backblaze Hard Drive Stats for 2018 Backups for Busy Creatives, Jeff’s article at CreativePro.com How to Back Up Your Mac to Multiple Time Machine Disks, Kirk’s article at his website Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 500 GB - USB 3.1 External SSD A 360-degree photo shot by Jeff, at Facebook Samsung Gear 360 at Museum of Flight, video at YouTube The Best 360-Degree Camera, The Wirecutter Ricoh Theta V 360 Spherical Camera Our Snapshots: Jeff: Peak Design Shell Kirk: Drive Docks Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

In this episode of PhotoActive, we have some specific ideas about photographing with constraints. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge of individual shooting features (such as aperture or shutter speed) or get out of a creative rut, imposing constraints on yourself can actually turn out to be a freeing exercise. Sponsor Gentlemen Coders RAW Power 2 lets you process raw files on your Mac with full control over Apple’s raw engine, offering features previously available only in Aperture. It has exceptional highlight recovery, as well as noise reduction, capture sharpening, gamut mapping, and more. RAW Power also works with JPEGs, TIFFs, and other standard image formats. RAW Power 2 runs as an extension in Apple Photos or as a standalone app. RAW Power 2 for iOS is a full photo library app that offers the same features, and works with your existing Photos library. Learn more at rawpower.app. Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! PhotoActive #10 - Quintin Lake’s Long Photo Walk Photo: Ripening PhotoActive #3 - Black and White In the Real World, the William Eggleston documentary PhotoActive #8 - Gordon Laing on Taking Great Photos In Camera Three Notable New Photobooks: Don McCullin, Michael Kenna, and Todd Hido Our Snapshots: Jeff: Using iOS Shortcuts to Import Photos into Lightroom CC Mobile Kirk: Bright Black World, by Todd Hido Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

For this week’s episode, we’re moving to the other side of the camera. Kirk had the opportunity to get his portrait done by world-renowned Magnum photographer Martin Parr. He shares what it was like to be the subject, not the photographer. Sponsor Gentlemen Coders RAW Power 2 lets you process raw files on your Mac with full control over Apple’s raw engine, offering features previously available only in Aperture. It has exceptional highlight recovery, as well as noise reduction, capture sharpening, gamut mapping, and more. RAW Power also works with JPEGs, TIFFs, and other standard image formats. RAW Power 2 runs as an extension in Apple Photos or as a standalone app. RAW Power 2 for iOS is a full photo library app that offers the same features, and works with your existing Photos library. Learn more at rawpower.app. Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! I Had My Portrait Shot by Martin Parr Martin Parr's photos Martin Parr Foundation Remote Scottish Postboxes, by Martin Parr Britain Through the Eyes of the Photographer Who Knows It Best The Gucci Timepieces that Appear in Martin Parr’s Photographs Shot Around the World for #timetoparr Gucci Is Dropping a Super-Limited Book Inspired by Legendary Post-Punk Band New Order Vogue Brazil Cover The Last Resort: See photo #21 for the photo of a woman lying on a towel next to heavy machinery. Yousuf Karsh’s photos of Winston Churchill Martin Parr Portrait Studio 2019 #Martinparr on Instagram Our Snapshots: Jeff: The Photographer’s Guide to Posing, by Lindsay Adler Kirk: ExifTool Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Author, educator, photographer, and all-around knowledgeable guy Ben Long joins us this week to talk about the 9th — yes, ninth — edition of his comprehensive book “Complete Digital Photography.” We cover how photography and people’s expectations about photography have changed since the early versions of the book. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Guest: Ben Long (Complete Digital Photography, Instagram) Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Production Note: We’ve decided to change the frequency of episode releases to fortnightly (every two weeks) due to current commitments we both have. Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Complete Digital Photography, Ninth Edition, by Ben Long Pentti Sammallahti Richard Misrach Desert Cantos, by Richard Misrach Jerry Uellsman Our Snapshots: Jeff: 3 Legged Thing Punks Corey Aluminum Tripod Kit w/ AirHed Neo Kirk: Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB 100 Aluminum Tripod with SBH-100 Ball Head Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

When we edit photos, we have a good idea of what the Exposure slider does—it makes everything brighter or darker throughout the image. But you’ll also find controls for Whites, Brightness, Brilliance, and others, depending on the software. What’s the difference? In this episode, Kirk and Jeff look at just what various editing controls do, so you have a better idea of which ones to use and how they affect your images. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Our Snapshots: Jeff: OWC USB-C Travel Dock Kirk: Use your iPhone light as a flashlight Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

What is 2019 going to look like? While we aren’t interested in making resolutions that are easily forgotten or ignored, we do have lots of ideas to spark your photographic creativity. Chief among those: Be less critical more often. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Episode #14 - Chris Marquardt Goes Wide-Angle Leica M Monochrom #chimping at Instagram #shakespearehouse at Instagram #kerryparkseattle at Instagram Oblique Strategies cards Obliques app (iOS) Our Snapshots: Jeff: The Photo Ark: One Man’s Quest to Document the World’s Animals, by Joel Sartore and Douglas H. Chadwick Kirk: Apple Pencil 2 Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Do you store your photos in an application or in specific locations on your hard disk? In this episode, Jeff and Kirk talk about the advantages of using a Digital Asset Manager (DAM) such as Apple Photos, Lightroom, or Luminar. Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Affinity Photo Luminar Adobe Lightroom CC Adobe Lightroom Classic CC Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan Take Control of Lightroom CC Alien Skin Exposure X4 Dropbox First look: Skylum Luminar 3 adds support for photo libraries, Digital Asset Manager to follow, by Jeff Carlson, at DPReview Luminar Roadmap, Skylum.com The Photographer’s Guide to Luminar, by Jeff Carlson (forthcoming) Buy Luminar using this link and help support PhotoActive (Affiliate link) Our Snapshots: Jeff: Lumy app Kirk: American Winter, by Gerry Johansson Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

If you want to learn all about something, write a book about it. Or, to avoid yourself a lot of work, read someone else’s book about it! Jason Snell has written several versions of his book Take Control of Photos, and he joins us to talk about what’s new in Apple’s photo software and ecosystem for the Mac and iOS devices. We also talk about making print books and calendars, features that were removed from Photos earlier this year, and how machine learning is going to play a more important role in photo software. Sponsor Luma Labs - Everyone needs a camera strap that is both comfortable and practical. The Luma Loop lets you carry your camera as a sling or snug to your body when you’re not using it. The Luma Loop’s mounting hardware is custom designed so you don’t have to choose between a strap or a tripod mount. Get 10% off any purchase with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://luma-labs.com Guest: Jason Snell (SixColors.com, Twitter, Instagram) Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Take Control of Photos iCloud Storage Plans and Prices Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 2TB - USB 3.1 External SSD Books and calendars in Photos for Mac: What are the best options?, SixColors.com Motif Mimeo Photos Shutterfly Luma Labs from the factory floor Instagram account Our Snapshots: Jeff: Whoosh! Screen Shine ($13) Kirk: SD Card Reader Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Jeff and Kirk do their first Christmas gift guide. But they don't choose (much) gear. Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Decisive Moment Pete Souza: Obama: An Intimate Portrait Georgia O'Keeffe: One Hundred Flowers Seagate Expansion 2TB Portable External Hard Drive Michael Kenna: Huangshan: The Yellow Mountain Michael Kenna's gallery of his Huangshan photos Peak Design Everyday Backpack or Everyday Messenger Bag Planet Earth II / Blue Planet II Peter Lik Amazon (or other) gift cards Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

The winter months are dark for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, so how do you create good photos in dimly lit environments? Your camera wants to make the best exposure possible, but in low-light situations, that can lead to long shutter speeds and blurry camera motion. Kirk and Jeff cover the many options for dealing with dark scenes in this episode. Sponsor Luma Labs - Everyone needs a camera strap that is both comfortable and practical. The Luma Loop lets you carry your camera as a sling or snug to your body when you’re not using it. The Luma Loop’s mounting hardware is custom designed so you don’t have to choose between a strap or a tripod mount. Get 10% off any purchase with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://luma-labs.com Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Amazon Basics Monopod An Introduction to the Inverse Square Law, Digital Photography School Episode #21 - HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography Luma Labs from the factory floor Instagram account Night Sight camera update for Pixel 3 is awesome, CNET Leica M10 Sample Images Our Snapshots: Jeff: Strobist Kirk: Grant Simon Rogers (Instagram) Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

In traditional photography, a great piece of advice is to “zoom with your feet,” or, move yourself closer to a subject. What happens when the subject is 400 feet high? Or you want a unique viewpoint that wouldn’t be possible without a crane? This week we talk to Ian Schray about flying drones: quadcopters outfitted with cameras. Guest: Ian Schray (Twitter) Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! The Committed Podcast DJI Drones DJI Pantom 2 V2.0 Quadcopter DJI Phantom 4 Quadcopter (Ian’s model) DJI Mavic Pro 1 (Jeff’s model) DJI Mavic Pro 2 FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems information DJI Fly Safe information Our Snapshots: Jeff: Fstop Labs Accessories for DJI Mavic Pro/Platinum/Alpine White - Transport Clip Controller Transmitter Joystick Protector Kirk: 133 Countries from Above, by Yann Arthus-Bertrand Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

This week we’re joined by Nik Bhatt, former developer of Aperture and iPhoto at Apple and now a distinguished gentleman at Gentlemen Coders. Using his deep knowledge of how Apple’s raw photo editing engine works, Nik has just released RAW Power 2.0, an app for macOS and iOS. We talk about RAW Power’s unique features and learn some of the fascinating ins and outs of raw image processing. Sponsor Gentlemen Coders, RAW Power 2.0 lets you process raw files on your Mac with full control over Apple’s raw engine, offering features previously available only in Aperture. It has exceptional highlight recovery, as well as noise reduction, capture sharpening, gamut mapping, and more. RAW Power also works with JPEGs, TIFFs, and other standard image formats. RAW Power 2.0 runs as an extension in Apple Photos or as a standalone app. RAW Power 2.0 for iOS is a full photo library app that offers the same features, and works with your existing Photos library. Learn more at rawpower.app. Guest: Nik Bhatt Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! RAW Power for macOS RAW Power for iOS Episode #6 - Raw vs. JPEG Hands-on: RAW Power for iOS, DPReview Our Snapshots: Jeff: 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2018) Kirk: Any Tripod Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

If you use Apple’s Photos app on your Mac or iOS device, are you also synchronizing your images via iCloud Photo Library? In this week’s episode, Jeff and Kirk talk about the pros and cons of Apple’s cloud service for photos. Why should you consider it? What are the downsides? And if you have your images in the cloud, is that considered a backup? (No, it’s not. We explain why.) Sponsor Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography Hosts: Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Take Control of Your Digital Photos, by Jeff Carlson The Next Track podcast Set Up and Use iCloud Photos, Apple Manage your photo and video storage, Apple Buy more iCloud storage, Apple Spect app Photo browser utilities for the Mac: Quickly sort through a photo shoot, Macworld Inside iOS 12: Photos Encourages More Engagement, TidBITS iMazing HEIC Converter Our Snapshots: Jeff: Mini Gaffer Tape Rolls Kirk: Everyday Photography Every Day podcast by Michael Rubin and Suzanne Fritz-Hanson Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.