New Tools for the Creative Mind. Weekly digital photography podcasts, photo tips, reader submitted pictures, equipment reviews and more. The Digital Story is about making photography, music, and filmmaking enjoyable. Creativity flows better when technical issues are resolved. Instead of trying to figure out every blessed control on your digital camera, we want to show you the simple things that help it become an extension of your vision and a tool for your expression. http://www.thedigitalstory.com/feed/podcast.xml No Derrick Story http://thedigitalstory.com/ New Tools for the Creative Mind New Tools for the Creative Mind. Weekly digital photography podcasts, photo tips, reader submitted pictures, equipment reviews and more. The Digital Story is about making photography, music, and filmmaking enjoyable. Creativity flows better when technical issues are resolved. Instead of trying to figure out every blessed control on your digital camera, we want to show you the simple things that help it become an extension of your vision and a tool for your expression. en-us 2006-2008 Story Photography Story Photography webmaster@thedigitalstory.com http://www.thedigitalstory.com/img/tds_logo_144_web.jpg http://www.thedigitalstory.com 144 144 Wed, 16 May 2012 06:54:58 -0800 Wed, 16 May 2012 16:20:04 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.37 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 2006-2008 Story Photography dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) When there's a dark area in your photograph that you want to lighten, the common inclination is to reach for the Dodge tool. I don't know about you, but I find the Dodge tool one of the most difficult to use for getting natural looking results. On my images, it always looks like someone spilled bleach on the photo. A more elegant approach to lightening a dark area is to use the brushing tool in the Shadows & Highlights brick. It's nearly foolproof in use, an the results are fantastic. The Shadows & Highlights brick in Aperture's Adjustments panel.... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/vELseb9ajj0/a_better_way_to_ligh.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/a_better_way_to_ligh.html Photography Wed, 16 May 2012 06:54:58 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/a_better_way_to_ligh.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Your iPhone captures terrific pictures. And now, so does the iPad. So when you want to give a print to someone, what do you do? There are actually quite a few options available for printing directly from your iPhone or iPad. In the Macworld Magazine article, Mobile printing gets easier with or without AirPrint, I cover a number of options that don't include your Mac. Just send the file from your iOS device directly to a printer. This works for photos and documents alike. While working on this article, I printed from a web browser, Pages word processing app,... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/S5bg6LrnuqQ/iphone_printing_made.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/iphone_printing_made.html Photography Tue, 15 May 2012 08:03:09 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/iphone_printing_made.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Back-button focusing allows you to separate the auto-focusing function from the shutter release button. I talk more about how to do this, and why you might want to consider it for your shooting. I also discuss a unique opportunity where you can help me cover the Wine Country Big-Q Competition as part of the Event Photography Workshop that begins on July 13. I then gripe about the lack of availability of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and touch on a great new technical backpack, the Lowepro Flipside Sport 10L. Enjoy the show! Would you like to improve your B&W photography?... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/0SraPyYZkHc/back-button_focusing.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/back-button_focusing.html Show Notes Tue, 15 May 2012 07:43:19 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/back-button_focusing.htmlhttp://media.thedigitalstory.com/tds120515.mp3 dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Typically, most DSLR shooters lock their focus by pressing the shutter half way, recomposing, then pressing further to record the image. It's a tried and true technique that I still use to this day. But there are situations, such as portrait shoots and action photography, where you might want to move focus activation to a different button. This technique is often called "back-button focusing" because the most common repositioning is the button on the back of the camera. Improve Photography has published a good article on this technique titled, Back-Button Focusing: Easier Than You Think!. We'll be practicing back-button... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/_ydIYljEzXI/learn_more_about_bac.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/learn_more_about_bac.html Photography Mon, 14 May 2012 06:56:27 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/learn_more_about_bac.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Popular photo sharing site Flickr has retooled its uploader interface. The new version features both improved functionality and is easier on the eyes. The first think you'll notice is that the previous stark white thumbnail background has been replaced by charcoal gray. Not only does this make the photos look better, it's more attractive overall. You can grab thumbnails and reposition them so they appear in the order you want in the photostream. There are also presets for the sorting order if you want newest first or oldest first. Changing titles, adding captions, and working with tags is also... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/Glua924B1uA/new_flickr_uploader.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/new_flickr_uploader.html Photography Fri, 11 May 2012 07:16:19 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/new_flickr_uploader.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) I keep a box of prints handy for reference. It consists of a few images printed on 3 or 4 different surfaces. When I'm thinking about which stock to use for a photo that I want to run through my Epson, I pull out my box of sample images. It helps me decide where to start by actually looking at the same photographs on different papers. Being able to touch the prints is an important part of the process. It's easier to hold them at different angles and feel the texture of the paper. I also use this sample... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/F87cgjHBK5E/create_your_own_pape_2.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/create_your_own_pape_2.html Photography Thu, 10 May 2012 08:16:15 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/create_your_own_pape_2.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) The iPhone display is so beautiful. Wouldn't it be great to use it as a control panel for your DSLR? Now, thanks to enlight photo, you can. The ioShutter Release Cable ($69.99) with accompanying iOS apps (free "lite" version, or the "pro" that costs $9.99, shown in the illustration to the right ) enables you to shoot with your DSLR in a variety of ways: Standard remote release. Press the button on the iPhone screen and the camera takes a picture. Timer mode. With the free lite app you have countdown of 20 or 60 seconds. In the pro... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/Iz0L9P6YC8U/ioshutter_release_pr.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/ioshutter_release_pr.html Photography Wed, 09 May 2012 06:51:44 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/ioshutter_release_pr.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Regardless of the weather outside, you can still have fun with your photography inside. I just read a good article titled, How to Get Great Photos with a Cool Tabletop Home Studio that provides plenty of helpful tips.. Another point that I want to add focuses on the lights. I've been using the Lowel Ego lights for my table top work. They're affordable and work great. To support the entire project, I use a 60" folding table.There's just enough room for my lights and portable light box kit. When I need to clear the area for other types of shooting,... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/bgGsPaIafO0/weather_proof_-_tabl.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/weather_proof_-_tabl.html Photography Tue, 08 May 2012 07:31:30 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/weather_proof_-_tabl.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Adobe just released ACR 6.7 that includes RAW support for 9 new cameras plus 30 new lens profiles. Heavy hitters are included such as the Canon 5D Mark III, Nikon D800, and Olympus OM-D. Plus Creative Suite 6 is now available. I finally found a way to speed up Aperture on an older Mac: replace its spinning platter with a Solid State Drive. I talk about my experiences with that project. Would you like to improve your B&W photography? I have a webinar coming up on May 23, "A Fresh Look at Familiar Subjects in B&W." It's free, but... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/DNoSTQV7SuI/acr_67_aperture_spee.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/acr_67_aperture_spee.html Show Notes Tue, 08 May 2012 07:10:04 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/acr_67_aperture_spee.htmlhttp://media.thedigitalstory.com/tds120508.mp3 dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) I like my vintage 2008 17" MacBook Pro (MBP). But it had become too tired to run Aperture and manage my extensive photo library. Rather than give up on this otherwise beautiful machine, I decided to replace the traditional hard drive with a new Crucial Solid State Drive (SSD). Now that the project is completed, I have to say, the results have exceeded my expectations. Preparing for the hard drive replacement. Basic Specs for the Mac Even by today's standards, the MBP 17" has decent specs. At its heart beats a 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I have... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/rjP7AeLty9o/switch_to_a_solid_st.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/switch_to_a_solid_st.html Photography Sat, 05 May 2012 17:16:17 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/switch_to_a_solid_st.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) On Saturday, May 19, I'll be in San Jose, CA speaking for TWiP and SmugMug on How to Pack a KILLER Camera Bag, then on Tuesday, May 23 at 10am PDT, I'm conducting an online webinar titled, A Fresh Look at Familiar Subjects in B&W. Both events are free, but you do have to reserve your spot for the webinar (do that right now!) The engagements are also listed on the Events tab of The Digital Story Facebook Fan page, the best place to stay in touch with upcoming activities. Here's a brief look at the two talks for May.... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/IbbPuN7-ytI/join_me_for_how_to_p.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/join_me_for_how_to_p.html Photography Fri, 04 May 2012 07:16:02 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/join_me_for_how_to_p.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) Nimble photographers who like sling bags and want to carry their iPad with them, might want to investigate the new Lowepro Urban Photo Sling. This street camera bag has two loading options, three wearing options, and a dedicated tablet computer sleeve. It comes in two sizes: Urban Photo Sling 250 (Pro DSLR without grip with attached 70-200mm lens plus accessories) or the smaller 150 (DSLR with attached 55-200mm lens plus accessories). The larger model is available now for $89.95, and the more compact model is selling for $76.95. The Digital Story on Facebook -- discussion, outstanding images from the TDS... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/Tc7c3KtAK6Y/street_shooters_-_lo.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/street_shooters_-_lo.html Photography Thu, 03 May 2012 06:57:54 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/street_shooters_-_lo.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) One of the reasons that I had to get my hands on The new iPad was for a time-lapse movie project I'm working on. Yesterday, while at the TWiT Brick House shooting some test video, I decided to record sequences with both the iPad 2 and The new iPad to see how much difference there really was. Screen capture from recorded video using the iSight camera on The new iPad. Click on image for full resolution version. Screen capture from recorded video using the built-in camera for the iPad 2. Click on image for full resolution version. I mounted each... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/aGVDKJJRJfo/ipad_2_vs_the_new_ip.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/ipad_2_vs_the_new_ip.html Photography Wed, 02 May 2012 08:08:29 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/ipad_2_vs_the_new_ip.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) For the March 2012 Photo Assignment, TDS shooters focused their lenses on the "windows of the soul"...or a twist on that concept. See for yourself in our gallery, Eyes. And which one will be the SizzlPix Pick of the Month? Photo by Brian Reynolds. "This is the GOMZ/LOMO Sputnik that I use to make Medium Format stereo slides. This was taken with a Pentax K-5 and a smc PENTAX-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro lens. It was processed with LightZone to adjust the exposure, color balance, and sharpness." To see all of the other terrific shots from March, visit the Eyes... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/uDlqz49mJeY/eyes_-_results_from.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/eyes_-_results_from.html Photo Assignment Tue, 01 May 2012 09:33:33 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/eyes_-_results_from.html dstory@gmail.com (Derrick Story) The Olympus OM-D E-M5is about ready for its North American release. I've spent a few weeks with this beautiful micro four thirds system camera, and walk you through its highlights and a few of my nits. Then I switch gears to a handful of photo accessories that I've enjoyed using lately. Plus, there's a new photo assignment this month! All this and more with TDS Podcast Episode 323. Listen to the Podcast You can also download the podcast here (30 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone... http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheDigitalStory/~3/YIAAh_9Ebvg/cool_accessories_imp.html http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/cool_accessories_imp.html Show Notes Tue, 01 May 2012 07:07:23 -0800 Technology http://thedigitalstory.com/2012/05/cool_accessories_imp.htmlhttp://media.thedigitalstory.com/tds120501.mp3 Derrick Storynonadult