I've just returned from two weeks in Europe traveling with an unlocked iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S. Both devices used SIMsmart cards for calling, text, and data while abroad.

Over the course of the trip, I was able to post to Instagram and Facebook directly from my iPhones. Plus, I could answer email, browse the Web, and check the weather.

One of the best aspects of the SIMsmart plan is the ability to order the SIM cards ahead of time, install them, and enable their data configurations. By doing so, both phones were ready for immediate use when I landed in London.

I charged each card with an $80 credit. The iPhone 3GS still has about $5 remaining, while the iPhone 4S ran out of data on the second to last day. I could have easily recharged either card online at the SIMsmart site, another nice feature of their service. Fortunately, I was able to use just the 3GS on the last day.

Once you receive the SIMsmart card via shipping, simply install it in your phone and go online to activate. Voice and text will be immediately available. If you want data too (and who wouldn't), then customer support will contact you with a link to their profile. It's very easy to install, and that finishes the set-up process.

For each of my phones, it took about 20 minutes in London before they were ready for data usage. I'm not sure what was going on in the background, but once everything had clicked in, they worked like a charm. I didn't have to do anything on my end to make them work.

I had full connectivity in England, Ireland, France, Scotland, and Wales. Phone service was reliable with no dropped calls, and data streaming was better than many of the WiFi hotspots I tried to use.

If you've unlocked an older smartphone (by request to your carrier), I think purchasing a SIM card with a phone number that's local to your travel destination is an excellent plan. I used WiFi when I could. But when it wasn't available, I was thankful for the SIMsmart cards.

The SIMsmart card has a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

It doesn't get the same press as other big cities in Scotland, but Glasgow is a bustling city with a lot of soul and sense of humor.

Be sure to follow my journal at thenimblephotographer.com

Photo by Derrick Story, Dublin Ireland

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

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 week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Travel Notes from Europe, Part 1, London and Paris - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - I record this week's show from our ship, docked off the coast of England and preparing to cruise to Ireland. I discuss how my adventures went in London and Paris. Special notes about photography gear and wireless connectivity.

Paris Afternoon - photo by Derrick Story.

Virtual Camera Club News

From SizzlPix: they've streamlined the SizzlPix! website, so that ordering is now easy as 1-2-3.

1. From any page, go to "Original Low Prices." Decide on your size and hanging option.
2. From there, click on the big blue button, "From Yours" at the top of the page.
3. After filling in the abreviated order form, you're taken automatically to the upload page to send in your image.

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

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

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

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

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until August!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Have you every been approached about a just-discovered gold ring on the streets of Paris? I have, and I share the story in my latest entry on The Nimble Photographer Journal.

"Paris from Above" by Derrick Story.

I'm also sharing images and anecdotes from London, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow, and more at the TDS Facebook page and directly from the streets on the DerrickStory Instagram feed. So be sure to follow along.

At this point, I had been awake for 26 hours without sleep, and hadn't planned on taking anymore pictures for the day. But this shot came together right before my eyes, so I pulled the Canon S110 out of my pocket and captured it.

Captured with a Canon S110 and processed in Snapseed on an iPad mini with Retina Display. (No laptops were used, or harmed, in the creation of this post.)

-----
Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. I'm posting daily as I explore the British Isles.

Over the next two weeks, you'll see Instagram posts, Tweets, and Nimble Photographer Journal entries from London, Paris, Dublin, Liverpool, and Glasgow. That's because I'm lucky enough to be teaching on MacMania 17 organized by Insight Cruises with sponsorship by Macworld.

While at sea, I'll be teaching classes on the iPad, Aperture, and iPhoto. I'll also be available for photography consulting to help conference participants take the best pictures possible when touring the British Isles.

When I'm not at sea, which is almost every day, I'll be exploring these wonderful cities with my iPhone, Olympus OM-D E-M10, and Canon S110. I plan on sharing photos on the social network sites mentioned above, and on the c't DigiPhoto Instagram page.

I'm sure there will be some irregularity with my posts here on The Digital Story, but I'll return to my normal daily posts once I land in California on June 24th. Until then, I hope you join me on Instagram, Twitter, and the TDS Facebook page.

This adventure will have a high Nimbleosity Rating. What does that mean? You can learn about Nimbleosity and more by visiting TheNimblePhotographer.com.

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 week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: See iOS 8's Time-Lapse Mode in Action, Instagram 6: It's like a real photo app, and Sailing Off to the British Isles - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Weekly Update: iOS 8's Time-Lapse Mode Demonstrated - Cool movie shows off time-lapse video captured with an iPhone 5S and iOS 8 (source: PetaPixel).

In other news, Adobe Announces Camera Raw 8.5 Release Candidate. Support is added for Fuji FinePix S1, Nikon 1 J4, Nikon 1 V3, Olympus OM-D E-M10, Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH4 (*) and a batch of new lenses. More information at http://labs.adobe.com (Source: Imaging Insider).

And finally, DxO Optics Pro 9.5 Intelligent Integration with Lightroom via c't Digital Photography.

Story #2 - Instagram 6: It's like a real photo app - Don't get me wrong, I love Instagram. But let's be real, it was viewed as more of a toy than a real photo app. Well, Version 6 just might change all of that. Here's why.

Story #3 - The Nimbleosity Report: "Sailing Off to the British Isles." As of Wednesday, I'm hopping across the big pond to explore England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. I discuss what this trip entails, and how it might prove entertaining for you.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Enhancing a Black-and-White Wedding Photo with Lightroom with Jan Kabili. Weddings lend themselves to B&W photography, probably because of their timeless nature. Jan demonstrates some terrific Lightroom techniques to help you maximize this opportunity.

You can watch Jan in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch other design, photography, and computing titles, plus every other topic in the library (including my brand new "Photographing High School Senior Portraits."

Virtual Camera Club News

From SizzlPix: they've streamlined the SizzlPix! website, so that ordering is now easy as 1-2-3.

1. From any page, go to "Original Low Prices." Decide on your size and hanging option.
2. From there, click on the big blue button, "From Yours" at the top of the page.
3. After filling in the abreviated order form, you're taken automatically to the upload page to send in your image.

Save on Ground Shipping for Red River Paper: Use coupon code ground50c to receive a 50 percent discount on UPS ground shipping for Red River Paper. No minimum purchase required.

Photo Assignment for June 2014 is "Any Kind of Light but Natural".

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

Listen to the Podcast

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

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

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

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

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until August!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

You see it in the movies all the time. The expansive opening shot that sets the tone and location for the action that follows. We can use this same technique for our articles, slideshows, and reports.

San Francisco from Pier 14. Click on image for larger view.

And often the easiest way to capture the ultimate establishing shot is with your smartphone. I used my iPhone 5S to record this panorama of San Francisco from the end of Pier 14. I was there scouting for night shots, and noticed how nicely the perspective of the pier led the eye to the cluster of buildings on the Embarcadero.

Instead of fiddling around with my interchangeable lens camera, I pulled out the iPhone and shot this panorama, handheld, in just a few seconds. I then slid it back into my pocket and continued my scouting mission.

Next year, when I return for the 2015 SF Street Shooting Photography Workshop, I can show participants this image to give them an idea of where they can go for a great night shot of the city or the Bay Bridge.

If a picture tells a thousand words, then a panorama must be worth ten thousand. So don't forget about that great storytelling tool you have in your pocket.

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

Join me on my Instagram site as I explore the world of mobile photography. And now Instagram features 15-second movies too.

The software engineers at DxO Image Science have created a modern, powerful RAW processing app with DxO Optics Pro 9.5. The program includes an array of useful tools for Aperture users such as noise reduction, lens corrections, geometric straightening, intelligent presets, and more.

Image from Aperture opened in DxO Optics Pro 9.5.

With the latest version, DxO can integrate smoothly into a Lightroom workflow. I explain how this works in the article, DxO Optics Pro 9.5 Intelligent Integration with Lightroom on c't Digital Photography Magazine. But what about Aperture? Can DxO Optics Pro work with it too?

The short answer is, "yes." The Aperture integration isn't as smooth as with Lightoom where DxO can read the original RAW file. With Aperture, you set up DxO as your external editor. Aperture sends out a TIFF file, and you can return a TIFF, JPG, or DNG to your Aperture library. Here's how it works.

Exporting from Aperture to DxO Optics Pro.

Step by Step Workflow for Using DxO Optics Pro with Aperture

• Download the trial version of DxO and install on your Mac.
• Open Aperture and go to Preferences > Export and select DxO Optics Pro as your external editor. Use TIFF (8-bit) as the file format and Adobe RGS as the color space. Close Preferences.
• Open a RAW file in Aperture, right-click (or Control-click) on the image, and choose Edit with DxO Optics Pro from the top of the popup menu. (See figure above.)
• Experiment with the different presets and editing tools in DxO.
• Export your finished image out of DxO by clicking on the Export Triangle icon in the lower right corner of the interface and choosing Export to Application. (See figure below.)



• Choose Aperture from the dialog box, then set the parameters for your exported file.
• Aperture will receive the file in a new Project. You can leave the image there, or move it to the project with the original RAW file. I recommend that you stack them.
• At this point, there's no need to keep the TIFF file that Aperture used as the handoff. You can delete that from your Aperture library.

What this workflow lacks in smoothness, it more than makes up for in capability. Having access to top notch lens corrections, presets, and noise reduction fills major gaps with Aperture's editing tools.

And the price is reasonable right now. Until June 15, 2014, the Standard Edition is discounted to $99 and Elite is on sale for $199. The difference between the two are the number of cameras supported. They have a compatibility checker to help you make the right choice. In my case, the Standard Edition was sufficient.

Comparing Files: Image on the bottom is the original RAW file. Upper right photo is the TIFF used for the handoff (you can delete this). Upper left corner is the Jpeg that was returned from DxO Optics Pro 9.5 to Aperture (it looks great!).

Bottom Line

DxO Optics Pro 9.5 is top drawer software that is a good fit for Aperture users. At this time, the workflow is a bit clumsy, but for your best images that you want to get the most out of, the effort is worth it.

Aperture Tips and Techniques

To learn more about Aperture, check out my Aperture 3.3 Essential Training (2012) on lynda.com. Also, take a look at our Aperture 3 Learning Center. Tons of free content about how to get the most out of Aperture.

The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS community, and inside information. Join our celebration of great photography!