Apple has done it again: they've created new phones with significantly different features and some of the changes include new cameras and software cheats for "better" pictures. I've watched the Keynote and read the press releases, and here are my impressions of the new iPhone X and iPhone 8/8+. First of All... In the Keynote they said that these new camera phones will help you make better pictures, but I take issue with that statement. These new phones will provide better image quality than ever before from a super tiny camera that is really … [Read more...] about A Photographer’s Take On iPhone X And iPhone 8
Apple
iOS 11 Photos – A New Image Format?
In the past few days since Apple’s keynote at WWDC June 5th, a bunch of articles have popped up around the web about a new image format coming to iOS. Indeed, Apple plans to fully adopt the HEIF image standard on iPhone and iPads running iOS 11. What is it, how does it work, why change everything? Keep reading… What is HEIF? HEIF is short for High Efficiency Image Format and is a new image “wrapper” just like a JPEG or a TIFF. With the new “wrapper" comes a new compression algorithm, or codec, known as HEVC. We know HEVC in the video world as … [Read more...] about iOS 11 Photos – A New Image Format?
Quickly Delete Apple Live Photos in Lightroom
I shoot a lot of images on my iPhone. It’s the camera that’s always with me when I stumble upon something interesting. In 2015 Apple introduced Live Photos at the iPhone 6s release, which creates a video showing the moments right before and right after you take a picture. These “sidecar” video files are 2 seconds in length and are embedded into the photo on your phone. While it was a cool idea, and I was excited for them when they were first released, but they’re become a bother every time I import photos from my iPhone into my Lightroom … [Read more...] about Quickly Delete Apple Live Photos in Lightroom
Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
I just wrapped up installing a Seagate 2TB FireCuda gaming hard drive into a 2012 27" iMac, and boy is it worth it! The reason I chose this specific hard drive is due to the technology that this drive uses. Seagate, back in 2010, launched one of my favorite affordable upgrades for laptops-- a hard drive line called Momentus XT. This hard drive differs from the usual hard drives by combining the then new technology of solid state storage with the larger, more spacious, traditional platter hard drives. This combination drastically improved … [Read more...] about Do it! Put a Seagate FireCuda in your 27″ iMac!
Apple and Microsoft Both Announce New Machines
It's rare that we get announcements at the same time which will appease almost everyone interested in tech. This week, Microsoft announced the new Surface Studio and Apple announced the latest iteration of the MacBook Pro. These two powerful computers both offer features of particular note to photographers; but are they enough to warrant buying a new machine? Surface Studio The biggest feature about the newest addition to the Surface lineup is its size. It's an all-in-one computer with a beautiful 28" screen with touch sensitivity. 28" is a … [Read more...] about Apple and Microsoft Both Announce New Machines
Live: Mastering Photos for Mac Extensions with Mykii Liu and Richard Harrington
You gotta join us live for our next Live Webinar, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away two copies of Athentech's new extensions for Photos for Mac. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Tuesday, September 20th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. Check here and it'll show your local … [Read more...] about Live: Mastering Photos for Mac Extensions with Mykii Liu and Richard Harrington
Live: Mastering Photos for Mac Extensions with Mykii Liu and Richard Harrington
You gotta join us live for our next Live Webinar, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away two copies of Athentech's new extensions for Photos for Mac. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Tuesday, September 20th at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. Check here and it'll show your local … [Read more...] about Live: Mastering Photos for Mac Extensions with Mykii Liu and Richard Harrington
PEOPLE! Stop Fearing the New iPhone!
I'm going to try to tone this down a little bit, as I've willingly participated in absolutely ridiculous and brainless conversations regarding the iPhone 7 with people. Everything from conspiracy theories like, planned obsolescence, to thoughts like "my life as a professional photographer is now doomed" have been made known to me. C'mon people. Really? I don't think anything has been as dramatic in politics, recent news, The Bachelor and other random TV shows lately... except for … [Read more...] about PEOPLE! Stop Fearing the New iPhone!
Apple’s New iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Cameras
Apple have just announced the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Of course, we're most interested in the camera(s) specs. iOS 10 Shoots RAW That's right, now you can shoot RAW photos on your iPhone, and it doesn't even require buying a new phone. Some other phones already shoot RAW, but this is new to iOS. Adobe Lightroom Mobile is already optimized for working on RAW photos, and Apple said these new phones are perfect for it. iOS 10 should be available September 13th. 12-Megapixel Sensors and Performance The iPhone 6s also had a … [Read more...] about Apple’s New iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Cameras
Apple Enhances Photo Organization, Camera with iOS 10
While Wednesday's announcement of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus was deeply catered to photographers, you don't need to upgrade your device to get all the new features Apple is offering. iOS 10, which will be released Sept. 13, introduces a new reign of organizational capabilities for your photos and videos, along with some long-desired features. RAW! That's right — iOS 10 introduces RAW image capture, which means your workflow can be streamlined more than ever before. Third party apps can take advantage of shooting in RAW once … [Read more...] about Apple Enhances Photo Organization, Camera with iOS 10
What to Look For At NAB 2016
It is that time of year again. NAB is just around the corner. My inbox and social media have already been flooded with official announcements and "unofficial" leaks. What am I excited to see on the show floor? There is a lot to cover, so let's dive in. Lytro Cinema — Lytro's light field cameras caused quite a stir in the photography community a while back. And, while the consumer market was not ready for the Illium, Lytro has not been idle. I knew they had VR projects in the pipeline, but I did not see Lytro Cinema coming. … [Read more...] about What to Look For At NAB 2016
There’s a New, Smaller iPad Pro. Should You Care?
In what certainly counts as the least surprising Apple keynote in recent years, the company teased two new products on Monday that shrink existing products: a new 4-inch iPhone and 9.7-inch iPad Pro. While the phone is aimed squarely at new customers, the iPad seems to answer many of the complaints existing Apple devotees had of their massive 12-inch iPad Pro which hit the streets six months ago. The new more svelte iPad Pro packs almost all of the processing punch of it's bigger sibling into the more hand-friendly 9.7-inch form factor 200 … [Read more...] about There’s a New, Smaller iPad Pro. Should You Care?
Macphun’s Aurora HDR Pro Update Has Me Impressed!
By now most of you have heard of Aurora HDR from Trey Ratcliff and the team at Macphun, and if you haven't, well it's a joint project by Trey and Macphun to create an application tailored to exactly what the most prolific HDR photographer in the world would want out of software. Over the course of an entire year they worked together to create an app for photographers of all skill levels that would produce incredible images. You can run it as a plug-in for Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, and Photoshop Elements, OR you can run it as a complete … [Read more...] about Macphun’s Aurora HDR Pro Update Has Me Impressed!
Quick Tip to Free Up Space for Photos on Your iPhone
Have you tried to delete images or video on your iPhone to free up space, only to find out that you never seem to gain any free space? Apples Photos app has a built-in trash folder to save you from immediately deleting your photos or videos. Its set to auto-delete after 30 days, but its really easy to manually delete. Heres my quick tip: Step 1 Inside Settings > General > About, we can see how much space we have remaining on our phones. Step 2 Inside the Photos app, click on Albums in the lower-right corner. Step 3 Find the album … [Read more...] about Quick Tip to Free Up Space for Photos on Your iPhone
A First Look: The Apple iPhone 6s Plus
On Friday, September 25th, Apple released the next addition to their industry-shaking smartphone, the iPhone. Customers who were fast enough to preorder either the iPhone 6s and/or the iPhone 6s Plus either queued up in front of their local Apple Store or had a courier deliver their unit(s) to their doors. For the past year, I've used an unlocked 128Gb Silver iPhone 6 Plus and have been exceptionally pleased with it. So, when preorders for this next generation of smartphones went live, I stuck with what I knew and ordered an unlocked 128Gb … [Read more...] about A First Look: The Apple iPhone 6s Plus
Apple’s New iPad Pro – Laptop Killer or Just a Bigger iPad?
Apple took the lid off their long-anticipated large-format iPad this week and as people line up for and against the new tablet I sat down with Jeff Carlson to discuss what the new technology means to photographers. Carlson is the author of the book, The iPad for Photographers, which is currently in its third edition with Peachpit Press. Key Features of the iPad Pro The iPad Pro is due to arrive in November, but at Wednesdays event, Apple gave us a long look at the new member of the incredibly popular iPad line. With its 12.9-inch screen … [Read more...] about Apple’s New iPad Pro – Laptop Killer or Just a Bigger iPad?
What’s New with the iPhone 6s and Why Does it Matter to a Photographer?
Apple just announced the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus with a redesigned 12 megapixel camera. For those of us who rely on their phones as a behind the scenes camera or use this as our backup camera, this is a good thing. Processor and Physical Improvements Sure, many will pay attention to the megapixels, but it's what you do with them that matters. Apple promises that the new phone has a new image signal processor that works with iOS 9 to provide better temporal and spatial noise reduction. They also utilize an improved local tone mapping option … [Read more...] about What’s New with the iPhone 6s and Why Does it Matter to a Photographer?
Just Announced Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C Connector
If youre a business professional, content creator, gamer, or just want to simplify your 4K workspace, your world is about to get faster and simpler. - Thunderbolt Technology Intel just announced Thunderbolt 3 with a USB-C connector supporting single-cable support for dual 4K displays. Thunderbolt was developed to simultaneously support the fastest data and most video bandwidth available on a single cable, while also supplying power. USB-C is the new industry-standard connector and cable used for connectivity and power. It was developed by the … [Read more...] about Just Announced Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C Connector
Why Apple’s New Photos App Is Not For Me
As a long-time Aperture user, and one of the original proponents of Aperture, I was very disappointed when Apple pulled the plug. But I saw this coming a couple of years ago and already switched to Lightroom. That doesn't take the sting away. And when Apple announced that it had a new app to replace both iPhoto and Aperture, I had the slightest hope there might be something there for me and other serious photographers. My First Impressions I had beta access and frankly, my initial impressions were not good, but I held out hope that the final … [Read more...] about Why Apple’s New Photos App Is Not For Me
Apple Photos Now Available (And Aperture Isn’t)
Apple just released its long-awaited Photos app to the public (a beta was available recently that people could sign up for). You can get the application by simply updating your copy of your OS to OS 10.10.3 (use the Apple menu and choose App Store). You can also find the update here. What's Available Apple Photos is a streamlined tool that allows users to work with their images. Here's the official core feature list from Apple. Browse your photos by time and location in Moments, Collections, and Years views Navigate your library using … [Read more...] about Apple Photos Now Available (And Aperture Isn’t)
Recover Files from a Corrupt Memory Card Using Mac Disk Utility
Your memory card can be the most important piece of gear on a shoot. It stores the one thing that can get you paidbut what do you do if it becomes corrupt? Ive had a bunch of memory devices become corrupt; a brand-new CF card while shooting HDR and portraits on Zuma Beach in California, a trusty SD card in my main camera while shooting video interviews for Under Armour, and even an AJA hard drive while recording my multi-camera sports production for ESPN. They say everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. But there are steps I can take to … [Read more...] about Recover Files from a Corrupt Memory Card Using Mac Disk Utility
Apple Photos Beta for OS X Available Now
Apple just announced the availability of its new photo application, Apple Photos. While its not shipping yet, there is a public beta program available. Apple also released more details about the application. Migration from Aperture Aperture libraries can be moved to Photos for OS X. This includes photographs, their adjustments, keywords and albums. The Aperture library will remain intact after migration. Aperture and Photos do not share a library. Any changes made to the same photo in Photos will not appear in Aperture. Remember, Aperture … [Read more...] about Apple Photos Beta for OS X Available Now
Easy Photo Geotagging Using Your Smartphone
Geotagging, or the act of applying detailed geographic coordinates, to my photos is exceptionally important to me. I do a lot of traveling and am often photographing in remote areas. So, being able to remember exactly where I took a particular photo has saved my bacon a number of times. Additionally, it just makes things so much easier if/when I want to return to a particular spot to have another crack at a photo. Finally, when I'm out shooting, it's important to me that I don't keep my feet planted in one place. I want to know that I was … [Read more...] about Easy Photo Geotagging Using Your Smartphone
Why I Am (Finally) Migrating to Lightroom
Last July, Apple announced that development on Aperture would cease. Last October, Adobe announced an Aperture Import Plugin for Lightroom. Both announcements garnered groans from me. The writing was on the wall. It was time for me to finally become an Adobe switcher. To explain, I have to share a bit of background. I come from video production. Specifically, I cut my editing teeth on Apple's Final Cut. So naturally, I gravitated to Aperture to manage stills. For the most part, I was content in my Apple bubble. Then, at NAB 2011, as part of … [Read more...] about Why I Am (Finally) Migrating to Lightroom
The Essential Guide to Moving an Aperture Library to Adobe Lightroom
Before I start this article, let's set the record straight. I'm a long time Aperture user... I started with Aperture the first day it was released. My Aperture library tracks my evolution with digital photography and it was one of my favorite tools for years. A while back I decided to switch from Aperture to Lightroom. I've always used Photoshop in conjunction with Aperture for my Panoramic work and advanced retouching. Recently, Ive been absolutely inundated with people asking me how to move their libraries from Aperture into Lightroom. … [Read more...] about The Essential Guide to Moving an Aperture Library to Adobe Lightroom
How to Post Instagram Photos Directly to Twitter
Back in the day, Instagram photos used to show up in our Twitter feed. That changed several months after Instagram was bought by Facebook in April of 2012, and . Instead, if a photo is shared through Twitter, it is linked to the photo on Instagram instead of being embedded into your tweet. Instagram is the number one way that I (and millions of other people) share mobile photos. For those of us with linked Twitter accounts, the bottom line is that more people are less likely to see the photo if they have to click a link to view it. But alas! … [Read more...] about How to Post Instagram Photos Directly to Twitter
Breaking up with Aperture
Breaking up is hard to do. No one likes coming to the realization that a once blossoming relationship is now dwindling, leaving you less than fulfilled and perhaps jaded. When Apple dealt the blow back in June that it was killing my beloved Aperture, I was heartbroken. I was an early adopter of Aperture. Actually, because I was working for Apple at the time of the release (November 2005), I was glued to the demo on the sales floor the day it came out and took home a copy that night. At the time there was nothing like it. Apple's iPhoto … [Read more...] about Breaking up with Aperture
The Black Menu Bar is Finally Here!
Finally! Its been forever, but Apple has given us a dark mode in their new release of OS 10.10 Yosemite, bringing a black menu bar and a whole bunch of new features. Its surprising how much nicer the black menu bar is once you try it. When I first installed Yosemite, my eyes were always drawn to the stark-white bar on the top of my screen. With the black menu bar, it fits perfectly with the black bezel on my laptop, and looks great with my Adobe applications. Adobe launched dark versions of Photoshop in the CS6 collection and Ive since wanted a … [Read more...] about The Black Menu Bar is Finally Here!
Apple Watch | The Photographer’s New Best Friend?
Like many of you, I had the Apple product announcement playing in the background at the studio recently. I was excited by the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but what I really wanted to see was the Apple Watch. There are so many possible applications for wearable computing devices and, until Apple, no manufacturer had come close to realizing that potential. Why Does Apple Watch Matter to Photographers? What makes the Apple Watch a potential game changer? A combination of form factor, Bluetooth, WiFi and apps that take advantage of all three. … [Read more...] about Apple Watch | The Photographer’s New Best Friend?
Photo Face Off: iPhone 6 vs Android
iPhone Day! Yesterday, I woke up at 6AM morning to head over to the Apple Store at Pioneer Place in Portland, OR. It was "iPhone Day" after all and there was a 128GB silver iPhone 6 Plus with my name on it somewhere in that store. Fortunately, I successfully preordered mine last Friday and somehow managed to be the very first person in the Reservations line, whereas the line for the day-of purchasers literally wrapped around the entire city block. But based on the global news reporting on this launch, no one should be surprised. The Face Off … [Read more...] about Photo Face Off: iPhone 6 vs Android
