This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: "The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8, Cool Apple Watch App for Photographers, The Ultimate Lens Guide" - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "The Apple Watch Can Be Used as a Live View Remote for the Olympus Air". Petapixel reports: "If you're the early adopter type and are looking into owning both the Apple Watch and the Olympus Air, here's some good news for you: the two gadgets can be combined into one functional camera system. A new app allows the Apple Watch to be used as the live view display and control interface for Olympus' unusual camera."

In other news... "Five Cameras That Can Shoot Great JPEGs" The Phoblographer reports: "No matter what your needs are, these five cameras shoot incredible JPEGs.

• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II
• Fujifilm XT-10
• Canon G1X Mark II
• Sony A7
• Samsung NX500

Story #1 - "The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8" -

Panasonic announced the Lumix DMC-GX8 that provides the first 20.3 MP sensor (5184 x 3888) in a micro four thirds camera. Other highlights include:

• Tilting 2.36m-Dot 0.77x OLED EVF
• 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
• 4K UHD Video Recording at 30/24 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity with NFC
• 10 fps Shooting with AF-S and ISO 25600
• DFD AF System, 4K Photo Modes
• In-Camera Image Stabilization, Dual I.S.
• A mechanical focal plane shutter enables a fast maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec., as well as a top flash sync speed of 1/250 sec. An electronic shutter function also avails a top shutter speed of 1/16,000 sec. to better enable working in bright conditions and with wider aperture settings.
• Built-in jack for external mic
• 5.2 x 3.1 x 2.5" and weighs just over a pound.
• Scheduled for release on Aug 16, 2015 for $1,197

I discuss the importance of this camera in the first segment of today's show.

Story #2 - The Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens will ship by the end of July for $999. Available for Canon, Nikon, and Sigma bodies, this wide angle Art lens features:

• Aperture Range: f/2 to 16
• FLD & Special Low Dispersion Elements
• Two Aspherical Elements
• Super Multi-Layer Coating
• Hyper Sonic AF Motor
• Internal Focus; Manual Focus Override
• Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
• Thermally Stable Composite Material
• Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

Story #3 - The Ultimate Lens Guide by c't Digital Photography is now available for download. This 65 page eBook features in-depth tests of more than 20 optics in the 50mm, telezoom, and macro categories. By using discount code: CTGUIDE120 you can get 20 percent off for a sale price of $7.99 through the end of the month.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Photoshop CC for Photographers: Camera Raw 9 Fundamentals with Chris Orwig.

You can watch Chris in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Chris' movies, plus every other title in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25, 2015 - Sonoma County has rolling hills covered in vineyards, beautiful trees, and gorgeous blue skies. What a prefect place to shoot Fall color and bolster your landscape library. But there's more. We include environmental portraiture with a professional model, and an exclusive African wildlife photo adventure at Safari West, led by a professional photographer, plus a few surprises. This is our longest running workshop of the season, and for good reason. Two full days plus pre-workshop reception, breakfast and lunch, excellent swag, professional model, private Safari West adventure with a pro photographer guide - all included for just $599.

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

SizzlPix puts a new spin on printed photography

Here's a interesting article that leads off with: "As ultra-high-definition TVs and computer monitors are replacing high-definition screens on the market, a new Davis-based company called SizzlPix is taking this new technology into the realm of print photography." It's a good background piece on SizzlPix.

New Printer Review Article

Article from Red River Paper: Epson Pro 3880 vs. Epson SureColor P800. The Epson SureColor P800 is the direct replacement to the Pro 3880. Both are 17" wide desktop printers using nine inks to produce professional quality photography, fine art, and graphic design prints. The two printers are very closely related and share most of the same features.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (26 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: "LED Studio Lighting, Rumors About the Podcast, T-Shirt Winners, Sigma 24-35mm f/2 Art Lens Review" - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Apple releases Digital Camera RAW 6.05, adds RAW support for ten new cameras". Imaging-Resource reports: "Apple has released Digital Camera RAW 6.05, a substantial update bringing support for ten new cameras to OS X Yosemite and OS X El Capitan, which is currently available as a public beta. Notables include the Fujifilm X-T10, Nikon D810A, Olympus STYLUS TG-4 Tough, and the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G7."

In other news... "Sigma 24-35mm f/2 'Art' Lens Review: How does the world's fastest full-frame zoom perform?" Imaging-Resource reports: "This new zoom is the world's first constant-aperture f/2.0 zoom lens for full-frame DSLRs, which basically means you get three sharp f/2.0 primes -- 24mm, 28mm and 35mm -- in a single lens. Sigma is, once again, offering a unique lens that the major manufacturers simply do not offer! So, the big question is: How does it stack up? Very, very well."
Lens construction: 18 elements in 13 groups, including 2 aspherical, 1 FLD and 7 SLD elements; 9 aperture blades; weighs 33 ounces; Sigma, Canon, and Nikon mounts. Still waiting for details about price and release date.

Portrait of Siobhan Anderson using LED studio lighting.

Story #1 - "LEDs Light Up My Studio" -

This has been an interesting journey for me. I never really liked professional studio lighting kits with the array of big modifiers. So I opted for more portable speedlites with smaller accessories. And they were fine. I then tried compact fluorescent lighting, and was happy to have a continuous source again. But I have to say, since I've switched to LED lighting, I've been the happiest ever in the studio.

Currently I'm using a pair of FotodioX Pro FlapJack LED Edge Lights that have variable power output and built-in diffusion. I could use AC power, but the lithium battery lasts so long, I don't have to. The color temperature ia a pleasing 5,500 K. And they are so easy to pick and move around during the shoot, I find myself being more creative. I talk more about LED lighting in today's first story.

Story #2 - T-Shirt Winners from the The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group Giveaway

Here's the scoop: Last week we had 123 members of our virtual camera club share photos with the TDS Public Group, most of them adding more than one image to the pool. Image quality and creativity were outstanding. I show people the gallery on my laptop and the first comment is usually something like: "Wow, they're really good!"

So without further ado, here are the names of those eligible to receive a free T-Shirt:

• Joel_Favela
• RHYockey
• Jim Hansen
• Garagewerks
• callmeunity
• Tim Gilbreath
• mommapostal
• Fran Polito
• 440 volts
• LightMovesPhotography

If you name was called, please send email to thenimblephotographer@gmail.com with the subject line T-Shirt and your name (in the subject line). And in the body of the note, your T-Shirt size, your email address, shipping address, and phone (for shipper only). Congrats... and thanks to everyone who posted images.

Story #3 - Rumor has it... that The Digital Story podcast is moving over to the growing TWiP network. I clarify the situation in today's third feature.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room -Street Photography: Posed Portraiture with Steve Simon. Steve is one of those guys who can win the trust of strangers. Here's how he does it.

You can watch Steve in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Steve's movies, plus every other title in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25, 2015 - Sonoma County has rolling hills covered in vineyards, beautiful trees, and gorgeous blue skies. What a prefect place to shoot Fall color and bolster your landscape library. But there's more. We include environmental portraiture with a professional model, and an exclusive African wildlife photo adventure at Safari West, led by a professional photographer, plus a few surprises. This is our longest running workshop of the season, and for good reason. Two full days plus pre-workshop reception, breakfast and lunch, excellent swag, professional model, private Safari West adventure with a pro photographer guide - all included for just $599.

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Tip from Red River Paper

Article from Red River Paper: Frame Your Images for Maximum Impact!. A helpful article to help you choose the right frame for your prints.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (35 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: "Cuba Movies and eBook, T-Shirt Giveaway, White House Lifts Photo Ban - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Instagram stores higher resolution images". DP Connect reports: "After its recent app update it seems Instagram has further improvements up its sleeve, as the mobile image sharing platform has started storing higher resolution images on its servers. In the app and on the web interface, as before, images are still displayed at the small 640 x 640 pixel size, but a look at the website source code reveals that images are now actually stored at 1080 x 1080 pixels."

In other news... "White House lifts 40-year ban on photography during public tours" Imaging-Resource reports: "40 years ago, the White House put a ban on photography during public tours. Now, the ban has been lifted, with First Lady Michelle Obama posting a video on Instagram announcing the White House will once again allow photography during public tours."
"Although the ban has been lifted" there are still limitations on what imagery you can capture. Specifically, you're not able to use video cameras, interchangeable lens cameras, tripods, selfie sticks or flash. Smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches (stills only) are permitted on the public tour route as long as their use does not interfere with other guests' enjoyment of the tour.

Story #1 - "Cuba Confidential: Movie and eBook" -

I'm thrilled to announce that my lynda.com title, A Photographer in Cuba has been released. I'll tell you a bit about it today.

Plus, I have a sneak preview to my new eBook, "The Rocky Nook Guide to Photographing Cuba," which you'll be able to download for free this week.

Story #2 - "The Digital Story - Digital Photography Public Group Wants to Send You a T-Shirt"

Do you follow the TDS Member Photo of the Day? If so, all of those images are selected from our Public Group on Flickr, which consists of nearly 3,000 members and more than 50,000 photos.
And starting on Tuesday, July 7 we're giving away 10 Nimble Photographer T-Shirts, selected randomly from those who submit photos to our Flickr Public Group. Giveaway ends at 11:59 PDT on Sunday, July 12, 2015. Winners will be announced on next week's TDS podcast. If you submit a photo within the July 7-12 timeframe, you're eligible to win a shirt.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - A Photographer in Cuba with Derrick Story. I have a great movie for you this week: Music and Art in Cuba. It's a 9-minute journey to Havana to explore the rhythms and visuals that help make that city so vibrant.

You can watch me in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of the Cuba movies, plus every other title in the library.

Virtual Camera Club News

Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25, 2015 - Sonoma County has rolling hills covered in vineyards, beautiful trees, and gorgeous blue skies. What a prefect place to shoot Fall color and bolster your landscape library. But there's more. We include environmental portraiture with a professional model, and an exclusive African wildlife photo adventure at Safari West, led by a professional photographer, plus a few surprises. This is our longest running workshop of the season, and for good reason. Two full days plus pre-workshop reception, breakfast and lunch, excellent swag, professional model, private Safari West adventure with a pro photographer guide - all included for just $599.

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Tip from Red River Paper

Article from Red River Paper: Frame Your Images for Maximum Impact!. A helpful article to help you choose the right frame for your prints.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: 5 Tips to Energize Your Portraits, New Camera Tech for Next iPhone?, Tip to Make Clients Happy - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Apple's dual-camera technology rumored to be nearing completion". DP Connect reports: "Apple has been working on the dual-lens technology for three years, but until recently has been hindered by a number of issues, including image blur and supplier inadequacies. LinX's processing technologies may have solved those blurring problems, and Apple is said to have found a supplier for the components that is able to meet its production demands." Who knows if this will be ready for the next iPhone.

In other news... "Firmware 4.0 for the Fujifilm X-T1 Improves the Autofocus" The Phoblographer reports: "The Fujifilm X-T1 doesn't have terrible focusing performance to begin with, but now they're stating that it's much better than it was before. The new firmware 4.00 includes new wide and tracking methods as well as performance boosts to single AF point focusing. For portrait photographers, the camera will now have an Eye Detection focusing option too."

Story #1 - "5 Tips to Energize Your Portraits" -

Most subjects tighten up when you point a camera in their direction. Here are 5 tips to breath life back in to your portraits.

• One foot or the other.
• Burst mode.
• Twist and shout.
• Give them confidence.
• Change the scene.

Story #2 - "The Visual Shot List"

Here's how it works. The client figures out what type of images they want for a particular shoot. Then they research stock photography (they have an account) to find samples that come as close as possible to their ideas. They build the shot list with pictures and text.

Then, before the shoot, we have a phone conference to discuss the shot list. As a team, we look at the stock photos and talk about how "this comes close, but what we'd like is a little brighter background," and details like that.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Introducing Photoshop: Photography with Deke McClelland.

You can watch Deke in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Deke's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Fall Color with Safari West: October 23-25, 2015 - Sonoma County has rolling hills covered in vineyards, beautiful trees, and gorgeous blue skies. What a prefect place to shoot Fall color and bolster your landscape library. But there's more. We include environmental portraiture with a professional model, and an exclusive African wildlife photo adventure at Safari West, led by a professional photographer, plus a few surprises. This is our longest running workshop of the season, and for good reason. Two full days plus pre-workshop reception, breakfast and lunch, excellent swag, professional model, private Safari West adventure with a pro photographer guide - all included for just $599.

Use the Send Me Info form to get all the details.

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Save Money with Red River Paper

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: DxO ONE: The Pocket Powerhouse Camera; Plug Your Aperture Plugins into Emulsion: a New Photo App for the Mac; Say Ello to iOS - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Ello for iOS Has Arrived". Ello is now available for iPhone and iPad: "Featuring dozens of new features, including real-time notifications, new ways to find your friends, full screen images, and a hell of a lot more. And no ads, forever."

In other news... "Samsung Testing Prototype Truck With Live View Camera" Fstoppers reports: "Samsung is currently testing a prototype truck in Argentina fitted with a camera on the cabin and a live view display in the rear. The purpose of this is to help drivers safely pass trucks; a task which often proves difficult and has resulted in many accidents."

Story #1 - "DxO ONE: The Pocket Powerhouse Camera" -

Artists no longer have to choose between mobility and quality. The DxO ONE packs a 1″ sensor into a palm-size camera with a 6-element f/1.8 aspherical lens. When combined with bundled DxO software, the image quality can be stunning.

The system is simple. The 3.8 ounce device that measures 67.5 x 48.85 x 26.25 mm plugs into an iOS device, such as an iPhone 5S or 6, via its built-in Lightning connector. You can control the camera and compose the shot using the mobile device. Jpegs are saved to the iPhone (optional) and DNG RAW files are recorded to the microSD card in the camera. You can use the Jpegs immediately for social media and fine tune the RAW files later on your computer.

Story #2 - "Emulsion Could be the New Home for Your Aperture Plugins"

I've been playing with a new image workflow app called Emulsion. It runs on Mac OS X Yosemite, and it provides some handy non-destructive image editing tools plus star ratings, keyboarding, and more. Two of its more interesting features are that it accepts Aperture editing plugins and can import an iPhoto library. Emulsion handled all of the RAW files on my Mac, plus Jpegs and Tiffs. But what was really interesting was using it with Color Efex Pro. More on this in today's second story.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Up and Running with Pixelmator with Richard Harrington.

You can watch Richard in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Richard's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495. Use the Send Me Info form to receive a reservation form.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: 5 Photo Tips from the Eastern Sierra, A Handy Portrait Technique, A Tempting Leica - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Leica Q (Typ 116) is a 24MP full frame compact camera with fixed 28mm f/1.7 lens". Imaging-Resource reports: "Leica announced the Leica Q (Typ 116), a fixed lens compact camera that packs a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor and 28mm f/1.7 lens into a compact frame.
Despite its small size and much more wallet-friendly price, the Leica Q (Typ 116) still dons the German manufacturer's signature red dot and rigorous build quality, brought over from Leica's M-series digital rangefinders.
To coincide with the release of the Q (Typ 116) camera, Leica has developed a camera-specific iOSapp that will let you remotely control camera settings.The Leica Q is available starting today for $4,250. As with all Leica cameras, the Q (Typ 116) comes with a free copy of Adobe Lightroom 6."

In other news... "LensProToGo Suffers Theft of Estimated $500K in Gear" Stoppers reports: "An early estimated $500,000 worth of mostly Nikon, Canon and Sony equipment was taken out through a hole made in the drywall and smashed windows. The thieves gained access through a storage closet and then cut through an interior wall into the shipping department. LensProToGo's Facebook page commented this was likely to avoid motion detectors. Thankfully nobody was hurt."

Story #1 - "5 Photo Tips from the Eastern Sierra" -

• Talk to Strangers
  Unlike urban life where we generally avoid contact with strangers, just the opposite is helpful in rural areas. Just over the last week, I learned of a handful of new spots to visit that are off the beaten track. Each one of them the result to talking to someone I didn't previously know.
• Know your physical limits
  Traveling puts a strain on the body, and visiting high altitude locations even more so. Be honest with yourself about how far you should push your body while on the road. Yes, great shots are important. But good health should top the list.
• Work in Pairs
  Many remote locations don't have cell phone coverage. We forget that because we're so used to having it everywhere. So it's important to travel with a photo buddy to assist you if something goes awry. Plus it's fun.
• Tripods are still relevant
  Street shooters don't need them often, but working in the great outdoors demands a tripod now and again. Long exposures, HDRs, high quality panos, and twilight shooting all need a good set of sticks. At least put them in the trunk of the car so they're accessible on the road.
• Practice first with Neutral Density Filters
  Since we don't use ND filters that often in our daily shooting, we might not be aware of the color shift surprises they might present during a shoot. Don't trust that spectacular waterfall shot to an untested ND filter.
• Review your images each night
  Bring a laptop or tablet to review your pictures each night. We can't trust those tiny 3" LCDs for an accurate rendering of a day's work. If you or your camera is doing something wrong, you need to know while you're still on the road so you can correct the problem.

Leah Gerber photographed by Gary Angelo at the TDS Eastern Sierra Photo Workshop.

Story #2 - "Portrait Tip - Have the Model Hold the Reflector"

We don't always have an extra set of hands to hold a reflector for us, but don't rule out the model helping out. You can capture great head and shoulder portraits with the model holding your reflector at waist level and bouncing light up into his/her face. Continue to have them pose, twist, and shift weight from one foot to another. You'll be surprised at how good these images look.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - iMovie 10.0.2 Essential Training with Garrick Chow. iMovie is a highly capable video editor, and you can't beat the price. Learn how to tap its full potential with Garrick.

You can watch Garrick in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Garrick's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom - August 7-8 - Now that Aperture will no longer be developed, many photographers are contemplating their next move. In this software workshop, we'll explore the two leading contenders: Photos (part of the Yosemite Update) and Adobe Lightroom. By the time we conclude, you'll have a much clearer idea about your photo management future. Two full days plus breakfast and lunch - all included for just $495.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Red River Paper Discounts

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (30 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: Photos for OS X Gets Update with El Capitan, Conflicting Reports on the State of the Camera Industry, Free Film Emulator - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Sony rides wave of US Mirrorless sales surge". DP Review reports: "Mirrorless sales in the USA are rising, with sales values up 16.5% over the past year, says market researcher NPD Group. Sony highlighted the figures while celebrating its own success: with the success of the a7 series helping it generate 66% more income from mirrorless sales over the last twelve months. NPD Group says DSLR sales values fell 15% over the same period. Sony also points out that the Consumer Electronics Association has recently chosen 'Mirrorless' (short for Mirrorless Interchangeble Lens Camera) as its approved term for the class of cameras, with ILC as an umbrella term for Mirrorless and DSLRs."

In other news... "April numbers show 40 percent increase in DSLR shipments, stagnant for mirrorless" Imaging-Resource reports: "Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has published the numbers for April camera shipments. According to the publication, DSLR shipments have increased roughly 40 percent, a surprising stat when you take into consideration DSLR sales declined steadily over the past few years. Also revealed in the numbers is the continuing trend of stagnant mirrorless camera shipments. Since early 2013, mirrorless shipments have been been all but flat, with a few dips, both up and down, in Fall of 2013 and Winter of 2014, respectively."

Story #1 - "Photos for OS X Gets Minor Update with El Capitan" - If you scroll down a ways on the El Capitan Preview Notes, you'll see two notable items:

• New editing extensions let you go further with your photos
  OS X El Capitan supports third-party tools that will be available from the Mac App Store and accessible right in the Photos app. Use multiple editing extensions from your favorite developers on a single photo, or use a mix of extensions and the editing tools built into Photos. From adding subtle filters to using beautiful texture effects, you can take your photo editing to a whole new level.
• Everything in its place
  Photos has been fine-tuned to make it even easier to manage your library. Now you can add a location to a single image or to an entire Moment. Naming your favorite people in Faces is faster with a streamlined workflow. You can also sort your albums -- and the contents inside them -- by date, title, and more.

Story #2 - "Free Online Film Emulator"

This is really cool. I first learned about Film Emulator from a PetaPixel article. So I had to try it myself. All you have to do is point your browser to http://29a.ch/film-emulator/, upload an image, and play with a variety of presets and adjustments. I do recommend turning on "Show advanced controls" in the Settings window. Also, in my testing, the downloaded image needs a name and a .jpg extension. Fun stuff!

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Foundations of Graphic Design History with Sean Adams. We wander off a bit from the photography path this week, but it's an interesting look at graphic design history.

You can watch Sean in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Sean's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Eastern Sierra Workshop This Weekend - We have a great crew congregating at the Silver Maple Inn in Bridgeport, CA for the debut of the TDS Bodie and the Eastern Sierra Photo Workshop. I'll have images and reports for you in the next podcast.

Show Off with SizzlPix

Do you want to blow away friends and family with your photography? Then hang a 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix on the wall at home. You won't believe the comments.

Give it a try. They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Red River Paper Discounts

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (29 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: Canon 50mm STM Hands-On Review, Google Photos Hits the Streets, 5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Collapsable Reflector, Father's Day Gift Ideas - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Google Photos Offers Free and Unlimited Storage and Sharing of Your Memories". PetaPixel reports: "The new Photos service lets you store unlimited, high-quality photos and videos for free. The free storage covers photos of up to 16MP in original resolution and videos of up to 1080p HD. Google will store higher-resolution files as well, but they'll count toward your Google account's 15GB of free storage."

In other news... "Mary Ellen Mark, a legend among photographers, sadly passed away on May 25th, 2015 at the age of 75." A nice write up about here on DIY Photography. I met Mary Ellen at the LOOK3 festival in 2011. I had been a fan of hers ever since I first saw her book Streetwise, which is one of my all time favorite photo books. She worked a lot for LIFE magazine, which was the dream job for me as a kid. Her passing is a great loss for the photography world.

Story #1 - "Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM Hands On Review" - This is a fun $125 prime optic from Canon. In this segment of the show, I cover its pros and cons after field testing. Those include:

Pros

• Terrific STM motor that's definitely more quiet than its predecessor. Performed well for movie recording, focused fast and quietly.
• Updated design looks good on current Canon DSLRs.
• Metal lens mount nice update from previous plastic model.
• Improved manual focusing ring. Manual focusing only works when camera is on, however, thanks to the STM system. In fact, if you want to retract the lens barrel all the way in, you need to turn on the camera to do so.
• Manual focus override when half pressing the shutter.
• Seven aperture blades for smoother bokeh (compared to 5 blades before).
• Reasonable minimal focusing for close up photography.
• Optional bayonet mount lens hood available (and yes, it does reverse.)

Cons

• Confusing metadata listing: "Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 or Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II"
• Green chromatic aberration visible at wide apertures. Canon 70D says: "Correction data not available, cannot correct."
• Lens not super sharp, but does capture a pleasing rendering of scenes.
• Wish it performed just a little better wide open. I found myself stopping down to f/2.2 or f/2.5 to better control CA.
• Along those lines, it tends to underexpose at f/1.8.
• No image stabilization. I think it would have been a real coup to add IS to this lens, even if it increased the price a few dollars to do so.

The bottom line is that this is a good lens for the price, and it yields pleasing images with terrific autofocusing.

Story #2 - "5 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Collapsable Reflector"

• Reflectors don't require batteries or power cords. They're always on.
• They collapse into very compact packages that are easy to tote. Plus, when they're in their round carrying cases, they make a great place to sit on the ground while waiting for the model to finish her hair.
• 5-in-1 reflectors provide you with a variety of lighting options, from cool fill light to super-coppertone-bronze. No messy lotions required.
• Reflectors a great for budding friendships. You can ask a nice person to lend a helping hand during the shoot, thereby creating a captive audience for your delightful banter.
• Reflectors are super inexpensive. You might not be able to afford a new dedicated flash, but everyone can scrape together the scratch for a reflector.

Story #3 - "Safari West Truck Confirmed for the TDS Fall Workshop," Oct. 23-25, 2015. Here's why Safari West our way is so much fun... If you want a reservation form, visit TDS Workshops Page and use the Send Me Info form. This workshop is listed in the popup menu.

Story #4 - "5 Father's Day Gift Ideas"

• Vanguard Havana 21 Shoulder Bag - Mirrorless Daytripper $39
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens $125
• Mefoto DayTrip Tripod Kit (Titanium) ($99)
• Gariz Genuine Leather Camera Hand Strap for Mirrorless ($29)
• CowboyStudio 43" Photography Photo Portable Grip Reflector 5-in-1 Circular Collapsible Multi Disc Reflector with Handle $29

Virtual Camera Club News

The SizzlPix Challenge

For a sensational surprise gift, or for yourself, pick out your favorite image, and order the spectacular new 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix at the same prices, unchanged in 5 years. If you don't agree, it's better than any print you've ever had, return it for a full refund.

They'll send Digital Story listeners and readers a free mini-proof before production; just put "proof first, TDS" in the comment space on the SizzlPix order page.

Bargain Page for Paper

Did you know that Red River Paper has a Discounts and Clearance page? Ink, paper, greeting card stock, all at big savings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (30 minutes - MP3 version). 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! - New 5k Ultra High Definition SizzlPix output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.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: Dropbox and Carousel for Photographers, Wrist Strap vs. Neck Strap, Do You Have DSL-ARM? Epson P600 Review - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "Fight DSL-ARM with a New Olympus Micro Four Thirds Body". Intense research and product development have led to the cure for DSL-ARM - the OM-D E-M5 Mark II. Capture amazing images without the bulk and weight of a DSLR. Don't you think you've suffered long enough? You can combat DSL-ARM and enter to win a new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II by visiting the DSL-ARM Symptoms page.

In other news... "Adobe Calling It Quits on Photoshop Touch" Petapixel reports: "After a three year run, Adobe is retiring Photoshop Touch, its current horse in the mobile photo editing race. The company announced today that the iOS and Android app will be removed from app stores on May 28th. The software will still be usable on your device if you've downloaded it already, of course, but there will be no further updates." That doesn't mean that Adobe is bowing out of this space. They're working on a new, more focused app that we should hear about before the end of the year.

Story #1 - "Dropbox's Carousel Is Coming of Age" - Dropbox has steadily been improving its tools for photographers. The $99 annual plan with 1TB of space is far more useful than the free storage that Flickr is giving away. In part, you can do so much more with Dropbox, and its integration into your workflow across devices is exceptional. And now that its photographer-friendly interface, Carousel, is maturing, Dropbox presents a compelling argument to photographers seeking cloud backup and sharing.

Story #2 - "Wrist Strap vs Neck Strap" - Mirrorless photography has changed so many things for me. But one area where it has introduced a dilemma is the choice between using a neck strap or a wrist strap. I explain in the second story on today's show.

Story #3 - "Dates Set for the Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom" - The 2-day workshop begins Friday, August 7 and ends on Saturday August 8, 2015. If you want a reservation form, visit TDS Workshops Page and use the Send Me Info form. This workshop is listed in the popup menu.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Portrait Project: Fixing a Distracting Background with Chris Orwig. Chris loves portrait photography. And as such, he's encounter just about every challenge imaginable, including distracting backgrounds. He draws from his experiences in this terrific lynda.com title.

You can watch Chris in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Chris' movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Red River Paper Reviews the New Epson SureColor P600. My favorite reviewers of inkjet printers have spent some time with Epson's latest photo printer. They've posted their review, in large part comparing it to the excellent Epson R3000. If you're in the market for a new 13" photo printer, you've got to check this out.

News from SizzlPix! Last week for the TDS exclusive 5K Ultra High Definition SizzlPix. Only TDS listeners and readers can get the new 5k in time for June weddings, anniversaries, Fathers Day, graduations and birthdays. Just write TDS or The Digital Story in the comments field, and your order will be upgraded for free.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes - MP3 version). 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.

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: The Fujifilm X-T10 Mirrorless Digital Camera, Mobile Lightroom Without a Creative Cloud Subscription, Dates Set for the "Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom" Workshop, and the Five-Step Creative Process - all of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - "The New Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7" is on its way. Let's see what's in store for us.

• 16 MP Live MOS Sensor
• Venus Engine 9 Image Processor
• Micro Four Thirds System
• 2.36m-Dot OLED Viewfinder
• 3.0" 1.04m-Dot Free-Angle Touchscreen
• 4K UHD Video Recording at 30/24 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Up to 8 fps Shooting with AF & ISO 25600
• DFD AF System, 4K Photo Modes
• 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 POWER O.I.S. Lens

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7 should be available by the end of June for $1,097.99 with zoom lens.

In other news... "The New Fujifilm X-T10 Mirrorless Digital Camera" debuts also, the little brother to the X-T1. But check out these features.

• 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II Sensor EXR Processor II
• 0.39" 2,360k-Dot 0.62x OLED Viewfinder
• 3.0" 920k-Dot Tilting LCD Monitor
• Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
• Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Intelligent Hybrid AF with 77 Areas
• Up to 8 fps Shooting and ISO 51200
• Film Simulation Mode, Electronic Shutter
• Built-In Pop-Up Flash

The Fujifilm X-T10 should be available by mid-June for $799 (body only) or $899 (with kit zoom lens).

Story #1 - "Mobile Lightroom Without a Creative Cloud Subscription" - If you prefer the perpetual license to a Creative Cloud subscription, there are options for serving a Lightroom catalog to mobile devices and other computers. I provide an overview in today's first feature story. And if you want to try it for yourself, read my article on how to set up this system on ct-digiphoto.com.

A note from the publisher of c't Digital Photography Magazine: May is National Photo Month, and to celebrate c't Digital Photography is offering its biggest discount of the year - 50 percent off newsstand price (for a limited time).

Story #2 - "MP3 vs M4a for the TDS Podcast" - Some of you may have noticed that I switched from MP3 to M4a for the weekly podcast format. For most of you, all this means is higher quality audio in a comparable file size. For those of you with older MP3 players, here's how you can still get the MP3 format version of the show.

Story #3 - "Dates Set for the Moving from Aperture to Photos or Lightroom" - The 2-day workshop begins Friday, August 7 and ends on Saturday August 8, 2015. If you want a reservation form, visit TDS Workshops Page and use the Send Me Info form. This workshop is listed in the popup menu.

Story #4 - From the Screening Room - Five-Step Creative Process with Stefan Mumaw. Creative problem solving is an important part of our work. Stefan Mumaw shows us how to improve this process in just 5 steps.

You can watch Stefan in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Stefan's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Red River Paper for Ink. I just ordered a handful of replacement cartridges for my Epson R2000 printer. It's so easy to do this at Red River, and our discount code STORY10X worked for ink as well as paper. It's much easier than dealing with those large online retailers!

News from SizzlPix! Introducing 5K Ultra High Definition SizzlPix photographs for the wall, stunning in their clarity, resolution, depth, luminance, and vibrancy. Unlike traditional prints, new 5K Ultra High Definition SizzlPix defy intuition by appearing even more realistic and vibrant, the closer you look.

TDS listeners are the first to be able to purchase a 5K Ultra High Definition SizzlPix, and for the same price as the original SizzlPix. Just write TDS or The Digital Story in the comments field, and your order will be upgraded for free.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS 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.

Download the Show - MP3 Version

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes - MP3 version). 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.

Want to Comment on this Post?

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