For me, Instagram is the ultimate travel log. You can capture images with your smart phone, apply effects, write captions, and share with others -- all in real time over a cellular network. During my visit to Germany, I've used Instagram to augment my Photokina reporting for Lowepro and to document my own observations. This is the first time I've tried this (in fact I've only been using Instagram for a few weeks), and I'm having a blast.

Recent Instagrams from my travels.

You can set up the application to share your posts on other social networks too. So I'm able to keep my Twitter and Facebook friends up to date, even if they don't follow me on Instagram.

"Power Lines, Setting Sun" captured through a train window while traveling from Cologne to Munich.

What's even more interesting to me, is that I'm using an iPhone 3GS for this reporting, not my iPhone 4S. As you may recall from a podcast earlier this month, I had AT&T unlock my iPhone 3GS, then I bought a SIM card in Germany for 25 Euros with 750 MBs of data plus plenty of talk time. This allows me to post lots of content regardless of my location.

Tonight, we head to Oktoberfest. I will certainly be reporting from there. If you use Instagram, you might want to follow me at derrickstory. Otherwise, I'll be sure to post on Twitter and on TheDigitalStory on Facebook. Prost!

By now you've probably read plenty about the announcements and discoveries at Photokina in Cologne, Germany. So, for just 90 seconds, I want to take you inside the halls and share with you what I've been experiencing over the last week.

Thanks to the entire Lowepro team for your support and outstanding effort. It's a pleasure to work with you.

Now... I board an ICE and head to Munich. Next report and podcast will be from the land of Oktoberfest.

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Do you have a few rolls of 35mm film in the freezer that you'd love to do something fun with? Take a look at the Spinner 360 degrees by the creative folks at Lomography.

All you do is load up the camera with film, find an interesting subject, pull the cord, and the camera spins, filming as it moves. It records everything around you.

Specs include: 25mm fixed focus lens, two aperture settings (f/8, f/16), 3 exposure settings (1/125 - 1/250, manual slow), and a battery-free, rubber band drive. You can get your hands on one for less than $100.

Then all you have to do is develop the film, have it scanned, and share with friends. You might want to take a look at the sample galleries to get those creative juices flowing.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'm on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

I was wandering around the lighting hall today at Photokina and noticed a lot of people positioned around a very large stage. Everything was branded Hensel Performing Light, a very big name in the lighting game. But it didn't stop there. Backstage was Manfred Baumann, a widely known celebrity and fine art photographer.

This was no standard booth talk. Hensel had an all star photographer waiting in the wings.

So I decided to hang around with a few hundred of my closest friends. On stage was a model who was being tended to by a stylist. Both had their backs to us, in part, I'm guessing, to add a bit of drama to the scene.

Then at 3pm, Manfred Baumann made his grand entrance and shared some opening remarks in German. The stage was cleared and the model shoot began.

The model shoot begins...

I think this was the part where everyone else knew a lot more about what was going to happen than me. The model was quite sexy, and all around me shutters were firing off as she moved from one pose to the next. Manfred was using some big time Hensel lights as he captured her in his lens. No wonder there was a crowd: sexy woman, famous photographer, and lots of gear.

Moral of the story. If there are a lot of people gathered around an empty stage at a photo trade show, there's probably a good reason why.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'm on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

If you like pancake lenses, you're going to love this. The just-announced Olympus BCL-15mm f8.0 Body Cap Lens is literally the size of a body cap, yet transforms to become a fixed focus snapshot lens that's a blast to shoot with. The lens is just 9mm thick, and when the cover is in place (to protect the glass), it looks like a body cap for your micro four thirds camera.

In the Olympus booth, they were calling it "the cookie."

The 15mm will be perfect those who have a back-up body. In my case, I pack the PEN mini as a second camera. With the body cap lens, the PEN will occupy even less space in my camera bag.

It's fixed-focus. So you just shoot. Don't worry about the AF locking in on the correct element in the composition. I think this will be very appealing to street shooters.

In my informal tests on the OM-D in the Olympus booth, the 15mm rendered quite nicely. If has 3 glass elements and a fixed aperture of f/8.

15mm on OM-D, ISO 1600, f/8, existing light

We can expect to see this holiday stocking stuffer around mid-November. It should retail for approximately $50 US.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'm on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

The most recognized icon at Photokina is the Photo Globe. It attracts curious visitors to look at the thousands of images there, and to take pictures themselves. Here's a short time lapse movie captured with an iPhone 4S that shows this activity.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'll be on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany starting on Tuesday, Sept. 18. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

One of my stops today at Photokina was to take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Camera. In case you missed the announcement, this is the first compact camera that's WiFi and cellular connected, and controlled by the Android mobile operating system.

The front looks like a Samsung camera, including a collapsable zoom lens. But the back has the appearance, feel, and functionality of an Android-powered device. Yes, that means apps too.

Taking a picture with the Samsung Galaxy.

The screen looks great. I opened and closed various apps and had a nice geeky moment with the device (except for one thing -- more on that in a minute). But then I wanted to take a picture, and I wasn't sure how to hold the camera. There's no place on the back to rest your thumb. It's all screen. After some trial and error, I ended up holding the Galaxy by the edges like I do my iPhone.

Speaking of the iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy Camera is a bit larger than the iPhone 4S I always have with me.

Now, back to when I was playing with the Android apps. I wasn't sure how the hold the device then either. The zoom lens was smack in the middle of my hand.

The zoom lens wasn't that comfy in my hand when I was in "Android mode."

All of this led me to one, big question: how the heck should I hold it? I guess these are the little things you put up with when you're very enamored with the technology.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'm on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

Canon comes through with the 6D, a more affordable full frame DSLR. I take a look at its specs and see how it stacks up the the 5D Mark III and Nikon D600. Olympus was busy also with two new PEN announcements, the E-PM2 (mini) and E-PL5. They both have the same wonderful sensor as the OM-D, but in smaller packageS. I share a few travel tales, talk about the week ahead, and even have a surprise or two. All of this on this week's TDS Podcast, recorded in Cologne, Germany.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (24 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Bokeh is the Sept. 2012 Photo Assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Member Participation page. Deadline for entry is Sept. 30, 2012.

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

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Need a New Photo Bag? Check out the Lowepro Specialty Store on The Digital Story and use discount code LP20 to saven 20% at check out.

After 24 hours of traveling, I'm in my room in Cologne making sure I stay awake until the evening hours. I want to acclimate to German time as quickly as possible. Of course, having a Kolsch is part of the acclimation process.

It was definitely a "planes, trains, and automobiles" trip, with the last leg on the high speed ICE train that clocked over 185 km per hour on some of the open stretches to Cologne.

While I was traveling, both Panasonic and Olympus made big announcements in the micro four thirds space. I'll cover those in the podcast that I'm going to record tonight from my room overlooking the old Wolkenburg building that's outside my window.

Tomorrow morning, German time, I take a local train to the Koelnmesse for the official opening of Photokina. Stay tuned for hands-on reports, Instagrams, and tweets. But first, I need to find some food. I don't really remember when my last real meal took place.

More to come...

Live Photokina Coverage

I'll be on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany starting on Tuesday, Sept. 18. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.

The rugged Sonoma Coast provided the perfect background for the stunning Alyssa Jayne during the first day of shooting at the recent TDS Sonoma Coast Photography Workshop. As part of our assignment work, we assembled a gallery of favorite images.

Contributions include images by Doug Kaye, Sean Staples, Gary Angelo, Tom Seng, Fred Brundick, Scott Loftesness, and this image by Michael Arbore. John Larsen contributed the action shot of these photographers working.

You can see the entire gallery here that contains more than 50 images by these photographers.

If you're interested in attending a TDS Photography Workshop, the 2013 Season will be announced in November. You can use the "Send Me Info" form on the Workshops page to get on the reserve list for your favorite event. Most TDS Workshop fill up via the reserve list.

Thanks to a great crew of photographers, and to Alyssa. You can contact Alyssa via her Model Mayhem page.

Live Photokina Coverage

I'll be on the floor at Photokina, in Cologne, Germany starting on Tuesday, Sept. 18. You can follow via Twitter and Instagram. Wrap-ups will be published here on The Digital Story.