It's that time again to pack your bags and hit the road. In this year's edition of "Vacation Packing," I interview Colleen Wheeler, who is an O'Reilly editor in the Digital Media group, and an enthusiastic amateur photographer. I caught Colleen as she was preparing for a trip to Ireland to photograph a family reunion. We focused on making sure the well-heeled traveler has all the necessary pieces of equipment, but packed as compactly as possible.

It's a terrific, informative conversation that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Colleen's travel pictures will be published on the TDS Flickr Public Group.

Shown here is Colleen's "day bag" that includes her Panasonic LX2, Treo 680, and a few personal items.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Pattern. Keep your eyes peeled for the patterns that are all around us. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is July 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Vacation Packing 07." You can download the podcast here (31 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

During a recent discussion about printers on the TDS Flickr public group page, I asked members what they are using to make prints. The Epson R1800 and HP B9180 were mentioned a few times, along with other options.

I thought this would be an interesting topic for the podcast, along with my three tips for great prints:

First, calibrate your monitor. I like the Pantone Eye-One Display LT Monitor Color Calibrator for about $163 US, but any good colorimeter will work.

Next, match your ICC profiles and printing paper. Usually the easiest way to do this is to buy paper manufactured by the same company that makes your printer. If you have an Epson, buy Epson paper. The corresponding ICC profile will be available in your printer dialog box because they are loaded on to your computer when you install the print driver. If they're not there, go to the manufacturer's web site, download them, and install them on your own.

Finally, let the application control the color management (Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc.). Make sure you're using the matching ICC profile (usually called out under "Profile") for the paper that's in your printer, and you're set.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Before & After. Participants will submit two images this month: the original picture right out of the camera, and then the edited picture with all of the adjustments made in post production. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Printers and Prints." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

Program mode is great for the bulk of our shooting. But some situations demand that we take more control of our camera to get the shot we want. Aperture priority and shutter priority modes make this easy... that is, if you know how they work.

In aperture priority mode, you set the f/stop and the camera sets the corresponding shutter speed. Most photographers use this mode to control depth of field. I used aperture priority to capture this image of the red stairs. I mounted a 16-35mm zoom lens on a Canon 5D, then set the camera to aperture priority mode at f/16. By "stopping down" the aperture, I was able to extend my depth of field so that everything in this image would be sharp from front to back.

If I were shooting a portrait, I might use a 70-200mm lens and "open up" the aperture to f/4 to create a shallow depth of field. This would enable me to make the background soft and dreamy so it doesn't detract from the subject.

Shutter priority mode enables you to set the shutter speed and the camera controls the aperture. This is particularly handy for action photography where you need to stop motion. But I also use it to photograph water to get the exact effect I want.

In this podcast, I explain how to use both aperture priority and shutter priority modes. I think you'll find it helpful and an easy way to extend your photography.

"Red Stairs" photo by Derrick Story. Captured in San Francisco. Canon 5D, 16-35 mm USM L II, ISO 100, 1/60 @ f/16 (aperture priority mode), +1 exposure compensation to hold the bright whites.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Before & After. Participants will submit two images this month: the original picture right out of the camera, and then the edited picture with all of the adjustments made in post production. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Aperture and Shutter Priority." You can download the podcast here (23 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

In Part 2 of this interview with Dave Story, Adobe VP of Product Development for Digital Imaging, and Kevin Connor, Senior Director of Digital Imaging Product Management, you will learn more about the development of Photoshop CS3, how Lightroom fits into the big picture, and some of the thinking behind the plethora of features found in Photoshop. Dave and Kevin even discuss the use of Photoshop in criminal investigations and its aiding in the search of lost children. This interview recorded at Adobe headquarters in San Jose, CA.

If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, you can find it here.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Before & After. Participants will submit two images this month: the original picture right out of the camera, and then the edited picture with all of the adjustments made in post production. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Adobe Interview Part 2." You can download the podcast here (27 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

The Adobe Photoshop team was staring into the teeth of a perfect storm when they began the development cycle for CS3. Windows Vista was looming and Apple made a surprise switch to Intel processors. Suddenly, not only did Adobe have to deliver a new version of their venerable photo editing application, they had to completely change the entire development process to do so.

In this interview with Dave Story, Adobe VP of Product Development for Digital Imaging, and Kevin Connor, Senior Director of Digital Imaging Product Management, you will get an insider's look at the development of Photoshop CS3, the thinking behind the Extended Edition, and the directions we'll see Adobe take in the future. This is part one of a two part interview recorded at Adobe headquarters in San Jose, CA.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Before & After. Participants will submit two images this month: the original picture right out of the camera, and then the edited picture with all of the adjustments made in post production. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is June 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Dave Story & Kevin Connor Insiders' Look at Photoshop CS3." You can download the podcast here (24 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

Polarizers are still the one accessory filter that every photographer needs. In this episode of The Digital Story, I discuss how to pick the right polarizer, how to use it, and the pitfalls to avoid. In the show I refer to it as "buffet line" because I have lots of other goodies to cover too.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Slender. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Polarizing Filters." You can download the podcast here (31 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

I depend on 3rd party plug-ins to help me customize three of my favorite photo applications: iPhoto, Aperture, and Photoshop. In this podcast I talk about a handful of my favorite add-ons, then solicit your favorites for next week's show.

Here are some of the plug-ins I wax about in the show:

FlickrExport for iPhoto and Aperture by Connected Flow

Aperture2Gmail and iPhoto2Gmail by NotOptimal.net

Shutterfly Export Assistannt for iPhoto by Shutterfly

Exposure Plug-in for Photoshop (Mac and Windows) by Alien Skin Software

BetterHTMLExport for iPhoto by GeeksRUs

What's Your Favorite Plug-In?

I want to feature your favorite plug-ins for next week's show. You can contribute by posting a comment to these show notes (be sure to wait a minute or two after you hit the "Post" button for your comment to register on the TDS server) or by chiming in on our Public Group page on Flickr. List the name of your favorite plug-in, the URL where I can find it, and a sentence or two about why you like it. Please have your comments in by Saturday, May 26.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Slender. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "My Favorite Plug-Ins." You can download the podcast here (32 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

The two new killer features in the Photoshop CS3 package are Adobe Camera Raw 4.0 (ACR) and the Bridge 2.0. With the Bridge, you can browse all of your images, review their metadata, rate, organize, and even add keywords. The Bridge works closely with ACR for processing your RAW, Jpeg, and Tiff files. That's right, ACR 4 can also nondestructively edit Jpegs and Tiffs now too.

In this podcast, I discuss the new features in Adobe Camera Raw 4.0, provide some tips for using it, and even touch on building a photo management workflow with these new applications. Do you really need Lightroom or Aperture? Listen to the show and find out.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Slender. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Photoshop CS3 for Photographers." You can download the podcast here (32 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

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

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

You can now post your favorite pictures to our Member Photo Gallery on The Digital Story. We've added this capability so members of our virtual camera club can share and discuss photography directly.

You can read the step by step guide for getting started right here on the site. But if you want to know why we did this, then you should listen to this week's podcast.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Slender. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is May 31.

Listen to the Podcast

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

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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

"I have a Polaroid back for my Holga," says Rick LePage. The back costs 3x more than the Holga itself, and I'm still perfecting exposure with it since the Polaroid film ISO is different than what the Holga is set up for. But the images this combination produces... well, they're something else."

Rick LePage is currently editor at large at Macworld Magazine. He is a knowledgeable photographer and has become an expert in inkjet printing. I have another interview with him about printing over on the Inside Aperture site. (Really worth a listen if you're in the market for a new printer.)

But today we're talking about one of Rick's favorite types of media: Polaroid film. Rick rediscovered Polaroid photography recently when he found an SX70 in good shape. It's one of the cameras he grabs on his way out the door everyday, and he's captured some great images with it. Then he discovered that you can mount a Polaroid back on a Holga, and his Polaroid experimentation broadened even further. In this podcast, Rick talks about his passion for instant photography and the process he uses to take images from camera to his flickr site. It's a terrific interview that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Polaroid self-portrait at top of page by Rick LePage.

Links Mentioned in the Show

Rick LePage, on flickr:
www.flickr.com/photos/bigbuckaroo/
Also, Rick's Polaroid Collection on Flickr

Flickr's top 100 Polaroids:
www.flickr.com/groups/polaroid_instant_100/pool/

Great SX-70 photographer, Grant Hamilton:
http://sxseventy.com/

Lou O'Bedlam's slr680 portraits:
www.flickr.com/photos/louobedlam/sets/72157594554361877/

Land List (polaroid reference site):
www.rwhirled.com/landlist/landhome.htm

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Slender. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Instant Holga Photography and More." You can download the podcast here (21 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

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