It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking the photos on your old hard drives are perfectly safe. But are they really? Our guest Derrick Story needed to extract 200,000 images saved in Apple’s discontinued Aperture software on an old Drobo storage array. Using a combination of an old MacBook that could run Aperture and modern software like Peakto for organizing the extracted images, he was able to restore them all.

Guest:

• Derrick Story

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Digital Story (Derrick’s site, newsletter, podcast, photography, and more)

• The Rescue Mission (Medium Guest Link)

• Peakto

• Mylio

• Episode 144: Wrangling Libraries with Matthieu Kopp

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Moonfire: The Epic Journey of Apollo 11
• Kirk: Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

ALT: An old church door with large trees growing against the wall flanking the door. Black and white image.

To wrap up the year, we thought we’d turn our attention to selections from The Photo Book, a massive, rich collection of photography from some of the best photographers throughout the history of the art form. Out of hundreds of images, we each picked five photos and explain what about them caught our eyes.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Order your copy of The Photo Book, Second Edition

• Pete Souza episode - Photocombobulate podcast (Jeff confused his podcasts; he talked to Pete Souza on his other podcast Photocombobulate.)

Jeff’s Picks:

• Lessing, Erich: Erich Lessing's best photograph: Eisenhower raises his hat to peace
• Meisel, Steven: Untitled, 1996
• Pinkhassov, Gueirgui: Tokyo, Japan, 1997
• Salgado, Sebastião: Serra Pelada Goldmine, Pará, Brazil, 1986
• Bubley, Esther: Greyhound Bus Terminal, New York City, 1947

Kirk’s Picks:

• Carjat, Etienne: Charles Baudelaire, 1978
• Sammallahti, Pentti: Ristisaari, Finland (Frog in Water), 1974
• Erwitt, Elliot: USA, New York City, 1974
• Moriyama, Daido: Woman, Yokosuka, 1970
• Larrain, Sergio: Passage Bavestrello. Valparaiso, Chile. 1952

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

It’s time to talk about the B-word again! Jeff couldn’t trick Kirk into saying “bokeh,” but this week we’re looking at a few ways to get background blur using Portrait mode in the iPhone and editing in Lightroom. Technology has improved quite a lot in the last couple of years, to the point where simulated bokeh can sometimes pass off as natural lens blur.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Take Control of Apple Watch

• Episode #20 - The Blur-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Universal Magnetic Tripod Mount Adapter for All Phones
• Kirk: Braun Analogue Wall Clock

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The photographer’s dilemma rears again. Not only are we sometimes struck by gear acquisition syndrome when new cameras are announced, we run into it when new computers that can process our images come to market. In this case, it’s the new M3 MacBook Pro and M3 iMac models from Apple. Will the M3 processor make a difference when working with photos? If you bought an M1 iMac when it came out, is it time to upgrade? Kirk and Jeff hash it out.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Apple Scary Fast Event

• Apple has no plans to make a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon

• M3 vs M3 Pro vs M3 Max: specs, features compared

• iStat Menus

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: JJC Viewfinder Eyecup Eyepiece for Fuji
• Kirk: Michael Kenna: Photographs and Stories

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Google’s Pixel phones are held up as the Android smartphones to follow, and their cameras are often pitted against the iPhone as examples of the state of the art. However, as Kirk discovered when he bought a Pixel 8, the details matter... such as the Pixel 8 not being able to use the full resolution of its main camera. Also in this episode, we check in with some new developments in the generative photography world with Adobe’s release of Firefly 2 and GenAI integration in Photoshop.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Take Control Books

• MacVoices Video with Take Control

• Can an iPhone user learn to love Android? | Macworld

• An iPhone user's (surprisingly positive) experience with Windows Phone

• Pixel 8 Specs

• Made by Google '23: Keynote

• Google Pixel 8 Pro Review for Photographers: Android’s Best Camera

• The Best Android Phone | Wirecutter

• Adobe MAX 2023: Here's what Lightroom users need to know

• Episode 138: DPReview and AI

• Adobe announces improved Firefly AI, new Content Credentials, and more at MAX 2023

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

On the surface, making photos with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro is relatively simple: pick a zoom level, pick a format (raw or not), and go. But as soon as you get just below the surface, you’re faced with a surprising amount of complexity. In this episode, we wade into all the megapixels (including from the iPhone 14 Pro) to try to make sense of it all.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Note: Jeff discovered after recording that the problem he was seeing with HDR photos on his MacBook Pro was caused by a setting in a separate app (Lunar), not a bug in macOS Sonoma.

• Photomator 3.1 review: A machine-learning augmented photo editor for Mac, iPhone and iPad, DPReview

• Special deal: $10 off first year membership offer

Our Snapshots:

Jeff: OneWorld 65 International Adapter
Kirk: Starfield game

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Who wants to talk megapixels and tetraprisms? In this episode, recorded shortly after Apple announced the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, Kirk and Jeff look at the specs and possibilities of the newest cameras-that-also-make-calls.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Which iPhone 15 Is Right for You?

• The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max Review for Photographers

• Avoid Overspending for iPhone 15 USB-C Cables and Chargers

• OWC Thunderbolt Cables

• Special deal: $10 off first year membership offer

Our Snapshots:

(No snapshots this episode)

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In episode 111, we talked to the founders of the photo app and community Glass about their approach to making a social photo service that isn’t exhausting or frustrating like Instagram or many others. For this episode, we catch up with Daniel Agee, the head of Marketing and Community at Glass, to talk about Glass’s two year anniversary, eschewing VC funding, and how community is making such a difference.

Guest:

• Daniel Agee, Photography, Daniel on Glass.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Glass.photo

• Episode 111: The Glass App(roach) to Photography

• Introducing Patron

• Endless Appreciation podcast

• Special deal: $10 off first year membership offer

Note: We’re taking the next episode off as a late summer break. The next PhotoActive episode will go live on September 29, 2023.

Our Snapshots:

(No snapshots this episode)

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

“With writing I’m trying to use a story to create images, and with photography I’m trying to use images to create a story.” That’s S J Watson, best-selling novelist of Before I Go to Sleep. In this episode we talk to him about how street photography feeds his writing and vice-versa, and the way different endeavors contribute to creative mindsets.

Guest:

• SJ Watson, Photography.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Before I Go to Sleep, by S.J. Watson

• Write Now with Scrivener

• Zona: A Book About a Film About a Journey to a Room, by Geoff Dyer

• let's get lit podcast

• The Experiment

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Call Sheet

• Kirk: Michael Kenna | Hokkaido 2020

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Is photo editing too difficult? Layers and sliders and specialized apps and lots of options are available to us for processing our digital photos. How much is too much, and are we moving away from photography and getting lost in software?

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 129: Visualizing the Edit

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: DJI Air 3
• Kirk: Peak Design Micro Clutch, Revisited

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

When we record PhotoActive, Kirk is at the end of his day in the U.K. and Jeff has just begun in Seattle, which means we both start off with steaming mugs of our favorite caffeinated beverages. For a change, we thought we’d make this the tea and coffee episode, essential ingredients for any photographer.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• YESPLZ coffee subscription

• Creama.co coffee subscription

• Morning coffee ritual article

Jeff’s Coffee Gear:

• Acaia Black Pearl scale, ~$250
• Cosori Pour Over, $30
• La Pavoni Europiccolo, $1000
• OXO Brew Gooseneck Kettle, $100
• Rancilio Rocky grinder, $440

Timestamped content:

00:01:40 Coffee and tea's importance in photography.
00:03:49 Tea: a delicious beverage that enhances experiences.
00:07:30 College student finds love in caffeine-infused coffee.
00:12:53 Espresso in Italy and ritual of coffee.
00:15:45 Types of tea: white, yellow, green, oolong, black.
00:20:16 First flush harvest of Darjeeling tea.
00:24:40 Tea: A daily ritual with segmented breaks.
00:26:33 Instant coffee has improved in taste.
00:30:52 Bad matcha, learn to make it. Expensive or insipid if not done right.
00:35:29 Try different teas, don't be scared.
00:38:11 Chinese jasmine tea: hint of jasmine, good. Bad: bitter, visible flowers. Earl Grey: interesting, bergamot. Flavored teas: like cheap wine, added fruits.

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

He really went and did it. When Kirk decided to simplify his photography setup, he sold all of his Fujifilm cameras and lenses, put the Leica Q2 Monochrom up for sale, and bought a brand new Leica Q3. In this episode, we talk about the reasons behind such a drastic move and the advantages of simplifying your gear.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Leica Q3

• Leica Q3 Initial Review, DPReview

• Episode 137: Zoom Lenses with Chris Niccolls

• Episode 68: Revisiting Geotagging with HoudahGeo 6.0

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: ON1 Photo Keyword AI
• Kirk: Dark Passage movie

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

If you’re like Jeff and Kirk, you probably have multiple photo libraries spread across your disks. Whether it’s because you use several editing apps, or some libraries are tied to outdated applications (RIP Apple Aperture), you don’t want to lose track of all those photos. This week, Matthieu Kopp of CYME joins us to talk about converting and managing multiple libraries using CYME’s utilities Avalanche and Peakto, and why both tasks aren’t as simple as you might think.

Guest:

• Matthieu Kopp, CYME

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Avalanche

• Peakto

Special deal! CYME is offering a 20% discount on their utilities Peakto and Avalanche until July 23, 2023 using the code PHOTOACTIVE20 at checkout when purchasing from CYME.

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Greg Williams Photo Breakdowns: The Stories Behind 100 Portraits
• Kirk: Kindle Scribe

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The weather is warming up, the skies are clearing, and we point our eyes and cameras to the sky. But capturing the night sky well requires more than just snapping a photo of the heavens. Mike Shaw, author of the new book The Beginner’s Guide to Astrophotography, joins us to talk about what gear you need—yes, you can do it with a smartphone!—and how to make stunning star photos.

Guest:

• Mike Shaw, Instagram

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography, by Mike Shaw. Use code SHAW10 when buying from Rocky Nook to get 10% off.

• International Dark Sky Association

• [The World At Night (TWAN)](twanight.com)

• Planit Pro app

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Skylight Forecast
• Kirk: That Stunning ‘Succession’ Emotional Set Piece Was Shot as a Single 27-Minute Take

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The folks behind Pixelmator Pro have just released Photomator for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and it’s won us over. Designed as a straightforward photo editor (versus the can-do-everything that is Pixelmator Pro), Photomator is surprisingly deep for an app that on the surface is non-intimidating. In this episode, we look at the new Mac version and why it’s likely to become Kirk’s main photo editor.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Photomator

• Pixelmator Pro

• Acorn

• Episode 141: You Say You Want a Resolution

• Episode 140: Denoise and Healing Tools

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Tetris movie on Apple TV+
• Kirk: Peak Design Micro Clutch Kickstarter

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Camera resolution is easy, right? More pixels, more quality, more options, more better! But as soon as you start digging into it, from the iPhone 14 Pro’s 48 megapixels to Sony sensors with 60 megapixels, all sorts of considerations make themselves known. Do you need that much resolution? How did we survive with less than 20 MP in the recent past? We pixel-peep and also look at the big picture.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Leica M11 Monochrom

• Episode 140: Denoise and Healing

• List of Fujinon XF Lenses that Get Maximum Benefit from Fujifilm X-H2 (and X-T5) with 40 Megapixel Resolution, FujiRumors

• Episode 137: Zoom Lenses with Chris Niccolls

• How To Solve The 3x3 Rubik's Cube

• The Speed Cubers - Netflix

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: UES APSC-16 DSLR and Mirrorless Digital Camera Sensor Cleaning Kits
• Kirk: GAN 356 M, 3x3 Magnetic Speed Cube

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Adobe added a new AI-assisted denoise feature to Lightroom and a Remove tool in the public beta of Photoshop, both of which are impressive. But how many photographers find themselves using these and other tools?

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• DxO PureRAW 3

• Bring on the noise: How to save high ISO files deemed ‘too noisy’

• PhotoshopCAFE: IMPOSSIBLE new Remove Tool in Photoshop disrupts retouching

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Carson Camera Sensor Magnifier - 4.5 x 30mm (SM-44)
• Kirk: Photomator

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

It’s time to rant. Are photographers spending too much energy in front of the computer instead of behind the camera? Does posting a photo to a public forum make it an invitation for criticism? And is there actually a good street photo of a woman looking at her cell phone amid all the copycats out there? This isn’t just curmudgeonly banter—we dig into some photographic issues that have been gnawing at us.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Ex-It Plan, PiXimperfect video

• Joel Meyerowitz - Shoes in the Street (we can't link to an individual photo on his site, but here's the street photography page)

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Lightroom’s Content-Aware Healing Tool and The Ex-it Plan with AI and Photoshop, PiXimperfect
• Kirk: Ember Mug

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

We had an entirely different topic planned for this episode and then learned just before recording that the website DPReview is being shut down after 25 years of covering digital photography and being the best resource for camera reviews. At about the same time, Adobe announced Firefly, its generative AI tool for making photos and artwork by typing text prompts. What does it all mean for photographers?

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• PetaPixel TV

• Samsung’s Moon photos are fake — but so is a lot of mobile photography

• Jeff's Photo AI Newsletter

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Adobe Firefly
• Kirk: To Photograph Is to Learn How to Die, Tim Carpenter

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Chris Niccolls joins us this episode to talk about zoom lenses! Chris gets to shoot using most new cameras and lenses for DPReview TV, so we wanted to tap into his extensive hands-on experience with zooms. Do they require too many compromises? Why are some so expensive? And can we put to rest the idea that real photographers only shoot with prime lenses?

Guest:

• Chris Niccolls, Instagram

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• DPReview TV

• Episode 68: Revisiting Geotagging with HoudahGeo 6.0

• Episode 40: Location Exploration with HoudahGeo

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Photos Workbench
• Kirk: William Eggleston: Mystery of the Ordinary

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Do you use a particular lens or photographic technique because someone said that was the only way to do it? In this episode, we break down some common photo preconceptions.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Joel Meyerowitz Retrospective at Kunst Haus Wien

• The Beauty of f/4 Lenses

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: When an iPhone Camera Is Better than Full Frame
• Kirk: Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

“I never metadata I didn’t like.” Do we need to spend hours entering metadata for our images? Or do we even care about metadata? We look at why metadata is important, and at some automated solutions like AI-assisted object recognition in the Photos app, Lightroom, and other tools.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Oops! Did Vice Just Give Away John McAfee's Location With Photo Metadata?

• Take Control of Your Digital Photos

• Episode #2 - Managing Photo Libraries

• Episode 31: Benefits of Digital Asset Managers

• MetaImage Unlimited

• Excire Foto

• Excire Foto 2022 can analyze and keyword your entire photo library using AI, PopPhoto

• How to use artificial intelligence to tag and keyword photos for better organization, PopPhoto

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Shift Happens: A Book about Keyboards
• Kirk: The Dolly Zoom: More Than A Cheap Trick - YouTube

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

We’re excited to welcome photographer Mike Hipple to talk about his latest book “Lived Through That: 90s Musicians Today.” What started as an artistic distraction to photograph creative people spawned a book of iconic 1980s musicians, “80s Redux!,” which he followed up with this book of notable music makers of the next decade. We talk about working on such a large project, dealing with unexpected adversity, and improvising on the fly.

Guest:

• Mike Hipple: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Book: Lived Through That: 90s Musicians Today

• Book: 80s Redux!

• Lived Through That podcast

• Nu Shooz, “I Can’t Wait” video

• Chris Buck

• Episode 113: Do Photographers Need the Mac Studio?

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Ice Cubes app
• Kirk: Mac mini M2 2023

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

What will your photography look like in the new year? Although Kirk and Jeff are wary of making any New Year’s resolutions, they each came up with photographic goals to chase that involve learning new skills and pushing out of their comfort zones.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer, by Joe McNally

• Episode 109: Joe McNally Is The Real Deal

• Episode 103: Posing People with Lindsay Adler

• The Photographer’s Guide to Posing, by Lindsay Adler

• Episode 80: Street Photography with Valérie Jardin

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
• Kirk: Alice in the Cities

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Perhaps you’ve heard that there’s an ideal focal length that is the closest approximation to the human eye. Or perhaps you’re a purist who can’t imagine shooting anything but a 50mm prime. In this episode, Jeff and Kirk dig into these preconceptions and talk about how focal length affects your photography.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 58: The Rule of Turds

• Fujifilm X100V

• Bob Kolbrener

• Episode 121: Jeff’s European Photo Adventures

• Episode 118: Scott Kelby’s Travel Tips

• Eve Energy

• How to Use Thread HomeKit Devices with Apple TV and HomePod mini

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A, Apple HomeKit Supported
• Kirk: Wim Wenders | A Curzon Collection

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

October and November bring a deluge of new camera announcements, which gets our minds to thinking, “Do we need new cameras?” But buying a camera today is different than it was just a few years ago, with factors such as AI-based autofocus systems and much higher megapixel sensors that affect everything from memory cards to computer storage.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Catch up on DPReview TV's wild week

• Episode #111: The Glass App(roach) to Photography

• Episode #16: Buying and Selling Camera Gear

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: VSGO V-B011E Camera Cleaning Blower
• Kirk: Extremities Insulated Waterproof Sticky Powerliner Glove

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In this episode, we’re focusing our attention on features in the Photos apps for Mac and iOS/iPadOS. Did you know you can select text in images, select and copy subjects with a single touch, identify plants and animals, and identify duplicates in your library? We show you how.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Highlight - Book Diary app

• Episode 70: One-Light Portraits with Sandra Coan

• Beyond Natural Light, Sandra Coan’s Facebook Group

• The Bear

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Utility Wagon
• Kirk: Boiling Point

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

When you look through the viewfinder of your camera, what do you see? Just the scene in front of the lens, or the version you know is possible when you edit the shot later in software? This week Jeff and Kirk talk about visualizing the edit while you’re shooting to get photos that look the way you remember or how you’d prefer them to be.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 123: Learn Your Camera

• Theme Time Radio Hour, Bob Dylan

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Wireless Flash Trigger 2.4 GHz with Transmitter and Receiver
• Kirk: The Philosophy of Modern Song, by Bob Dylan

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Apple announced new iPad and iPad Pro models aimed at two very different audiences, but how do they look for photographers? Also new are updates to Adobe’s Lightroom line of products, bringing improved AI-based masking features to the broad suite of photo editing apps. Jeff and Kirk weigh in on these and more in the latest episode.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• iPad 10th Generation

• iPad Pro

• Magic Keyboard Folio

• iPad mini

• Adobe Lightroom

• Opt Out of Adobe Scanning Your Content for Machine Learning

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Godox 32"x 32" 80cmx80cm Foldable Portable Softbox
• Kirk: Black+Decker Thermal Leak Detector

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Apple says every new iPhone is the Best Ever iPhone, but when it comes to the cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro, could that be more than just hyperbole? Find out why Kirk thinks this model is a game-changer, hear our opinions on how it stacks up to other phones on the market, and discover the pros and cons we’ve discovered when photographing with these remarkable portable devices.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 125: Gunning the Photonic Engine with the iPhone 14 Cameras

• Russell Brown Lighthouse photo

• Episode #110: Distortion

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: West Wing and Beyond
• Kirk: Peak Design Mobile system

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Putting together a photo portfolio doesn’t need to be a daunting task. William Neill returns to PhotoActive to talk about his new book, The Photographer's Portfolio Development Workshop, and share advice on how to edit, organize, and present your best work.

Guest:

• William Neill: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Photographer's Portfolio Development Workshop, by William Neill. Use code WNEILL40 to get 40% off when ordering from Rocky Nook!

• Jeff’s Portfolio section of his website

• BetterPhoto.com

• Impressions of Light portfolio

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Hit the Island app

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Here we go again: Apple has released the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, with more camera enhancements including a new 48 megapixel sensor on the Pro. What is pixel binning? Is the Photonic Engine just marketing terminology? Kirk and Jeff break down what’s new…while waiting for the phones they ordered to arrive.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Pixel binning explainer

• Apple's iPhone 14 and 14 Pro: Imaging tech examined

• Compare iPhone Models

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: The Follower
• Kirk: TRI-X 400 FOR CAPTURE ONE

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

How do you make mouth-watering photos of food? This week we’re joined by Lauren Caris Short, author of the beautiful new book The Complete Guide to Food Photography to talk about what it takes to be a food photographer. Lighting, food styling, composition... photographing food is a multi-disciplined photo endeavor.

Guest:

• Lauren Caris Short: Instagram, website, YouTube

[Photo of Lauren Caris Short by Tommy Reynolds]

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Complete Guide to Food Photography, by Lauren Caris Short. Use code LAUREN40 to get 40% off when ordering from Rocky Nook!

• Light ― Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting, by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua, Robin Reid

• Episode 70: One-Light Portraits with Sandra Coan

• Food Photography Academy

• Jeff’s articles about webcams

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Insta360 Link Webcam
• Kirk: 2022 MacBook Air M2

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

It’s easy to forget that your camera is more than just a box that records light. It’s a sophisticated computer with a huge amount of control over the light that hits the sensor. In this episode we talk about why it’s important to (gasp) read the manual, experiment with features, and gain a better understanding of the camera’s capabilities. This isn’t just an exhortation to RTFM, but a practical look at what you can get out of it.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Take Control of Audio Hijack

• Episode 115: iPhone Camera Tips & Tricks

• Do We Have Too Many Buttons?, DPReview

• Episode 43: Autofocus with Rishi Sanyal

• Rocky Nook

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: OneWorld 65 - International Adapter with 65W PD Charger
• Kirk: Magnum Editions Poster: Miles Davis, 1958 - Dennis Stock

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In our last episode, Kirk asked a question that stumped Jeff: While on vacation, did Jeff ever think about not taking a camera with him for a day? Being a photographer of any level means you look at the world a little differently—you develop a “photographer’s eye,” but could that be a detriment? Is it possible to just enjoy one’s surroundings without looking for compositions and dynamic lighting?

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 121: Jeff's European Photo Adventures

• ‘I’ve taken a million pictures – 50 were good’: photographer Ferdinando Scianna, The Guardian

• Episode 82: Quintin Lake Returns

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
• Kirk: William Eggleston: Chromes

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Jeff just returned from two weeks in France and Italy with almost 3000 photos, even though his was a family vacation and not a “photo trip,” per se. From choosing gear to bring and finding time to make photos amid demands of travel and family, it turned out to be an interesting photographic challenge. We talk about what Jeff experienced and learned for the next adventure.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 118: Scott Kelby's Travel Tips

• Platypod Ultra

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo
• Kirk: First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

What do the cameras of the future look like? The ones we use now are vastly different from cameras just a decade or two ago, so it’s reasonable to assume that changes will continue to advance. Jeff and Kirk speculate on what’s coming.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Smarter Image column at Popular Photography.

• Resolutionator

• Stacked Sensor

• Caltech research team develops lensless camera

• Eye in the Sky (2015 film) - Wikipedia

• Merlin Bird ID – Free, instant bird identification help and guide for thousands of birds – Identify the birds you see

• Episode 41: Bird Photography with Marie Read

• Episode 118: Scott Kelby's Travel Tips

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
• Kirk: Canon 10x30 Image Stabilization II Binoculars

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) wrapped up last week, and with it a lot of news about hardware like the M2-powered MacBook Air and what's coming in macOS Ventura, iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and watchOS 9. In this episode, Jeff and Kirk look at what struck their interest for photographers.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• 2022 WWDC Keynote

• MacBook Air M2

• Compare Mac Models

• Rediscovering the Mac: An iPad User’s Journey into macOS with the M1 Max MacBook Pro by Federico Viticci at MacStories

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Platypod Ultra
• Kirk: CalDigit TS4

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Scott Kelby joins us this week to talk about travel photography, using the years of experience he’s gained and now collected into his new book The Travel Photography Book. We often want to start by figuring out what gear to bring, but Scott makes that point that there are far more important things to consider first.

Guest:

• Scott Kelby: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Travel Photography Book

• ThinkTank Photo Turnstyle 10

• Platypod Ultra

• Topaz Sharpen AI

• ON1 Resize AI

• DJI Mini 3 Pro

• 500px

• Pinterest

• Spanish Synagogue

• A Week with Jay Maisel

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD
• Kirk: Smash His Camera

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In episode 110, Kirk and Jeff talked about dealing with distortion when you’re editing your photos. Now we’re happy to welcome portrait photographer and educator John Cornicello to discuss distortion when you’re photographing. You know those grids of headshots that demonstrate how wide-angle lenses cause distorted features? They’re wrong, and John explains why.

Guest:

• John Cornicello: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Anatomy of a Studio Portrait, by John Cornicello

• Episode 110: Distortion

• Photographic Lenses and Shutters, 1940, by Richard W St Clair

• Dolly vs Zoom and perspective in photography

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: AeroPress Go
• Kirk: Cranberry Margarita

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Is an iPad good for photo editing? It can be great for slimming your amount of gear on a trip, but what tradeoffs are involved? In this episode, Jeff and Kirk look at using an iPad or iPad Pro in a photography workflow, from importing images to culling and sorting to editing the photos.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• USB-C and Thunderbolt: Understanding Ports and Cables for Macs and iPads - The Mac Security Blog

• Apple USB-C to SD Card Reader

• Best USB-C memory card readers, Macworld

• Take Control of Untangling Connections, by Glenn Fleishman

• Capture One for iPad

• First impressions: ON1 360 is a cloud-based alternative to Lightroom's ecosystem, DPReview

• Mylio

• RAW Power

• YINVA Cover Compatible with Apple Pencil Tips Silicone Nib Cap Accessories

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Fujifilm X100V
• Kirk: Blind Gary Davis: Harlem Street Singer

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Millions of people take billions of photos using the built-in Camera app on their iPhones, so we wanted to do an episode all about the clever and sometimes hidden capabilities of this camera that’s always with you.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Outsmart Your iPhone Camera's Overzealous AI

• Episode 102: The iPhone 13 Pro Cameras

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: OWC 0GB Mercury Elite Pro Dual RAID USB 3.1 / eSATA Enclosure Kit
• Kirk: Cocktail Codex

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

An offhand remark from our guest Bryan Jones when he was a guest on a previous episode stuck with us: “You know color doesn’t actually exist, right?” We had to invite him back to explain! Jones, a retinal neuroscientist, explains that color is really a shared hallucination and talks about how photographers can take advantage of this knowledge.

Guest:

• Bryan William Jones: Instagram, website, Flickr

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 90: Bryan William Jones on How We See

• MacVoices #22054: Kirk McElhearn on Appreciating Black and White Photography (1)

• The Camera, Ansel Adams

• The Negative, Ansel Adams

• The Print, Ansel Adams

• CORONA satellite

• Leica M8 Review, DPReview

• Arts and Ideas podcast episode on color

• Sanna Dullaway, artist who colorizes black and white photos

• INCREDIBLE IMAGES: Artist adds color to famous black and white photos

• Apple QuickTake Camera, Wikipedia

• Wings of Desire, Wim Wenders

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: UCOMX Nano 3 in 1 Wireless Charger, Magnetic Foldable Charging Station
• Kirk: Loupedeck Live

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Apple announced the Mac Studio, a brand new M1-based desktop Mac that smokes the performance of even the Mac Pro. But is it a good machine for photographers? Jeff and Kirk discuss what’s interesting about the Mac Studio and the new Studio Display.

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode #16 - Buying and Selling Camera Gear

• MPB

• Mac Studio

• iStatMenus

• Studio Display

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Reincubate Camo
• Kirk: DPReview TV: Fujifilm vs. Sigma X-mount prime lenses compared

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Dan Bracaglia joins us again to talk about that perennial problem: rekindling the joy of photography. Especially in winter, it’s easy to remain uninspired about photography, when in fact we know that there are image possibilities everywhere. We chat about some unusual steps to find fun in photography.

Guest:

• Dan Bracaglia: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• More Than Fun, David DuChemin, A Beautiful Anarchy podcast

• Opinion: Ode to the 'happy accident' or why film photographers have more fun, Dan Bracaglia, DPReview

• Panda Lab

• Episode 109: Joe McNally Is The Real Deal

• Episode 36: Photographing with Constraints

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Shimoda Filter Wrap 100
• Kirk: Modern Color, Fred Herzog

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Tom Watson and Stefan Borsje created the Glass app as a way to get back to the experience of enjoying photography, without the endless pursuit of engagement metrics and traffic and all the things other apps (cough Instagram cough) do that detracts from it. We talk to them about the Glass approach, the new iPad app, and the upcoming web version.

Guests:

• Tom Watson (website)
• Stefan Borsje (website)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Glass app

• Glass on the Web preview

• Jeff’s Glass Profile

• Kirk’s Glass Profile

• Glass on iPad

• Glass Feedback Board

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Apple AirPods Max
• Kirk: XP-PEN Deco mini7W Wireless Graphics Drawing Tablet

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

What can you do when shooting with a wide lens introduces unwanted optical distortion in your photos? In this episode, Kirk and Jeff look at ways to correct for distortion, including correcting for horizontal and vertical planes, in apps such as Lightroom, Capture One, and Pixelmator Pro.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Adobe Lightroom

• Capture One

• Pixelmator Pro

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: HeroClip
• Kirk: Hotshoe Magazine

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Joe McNally, who humbly refers to himself as a “working photographer,” has shot everything from high-concept editorial to the Olympic games, and established a reputation as one of the most generous photographers in the business. We talked with Joe about his dogged start on the streets of 1970s New York City and how he’s built his career, which he chronicles in his new book, The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer.

Guest:

• Joe McNally (website, Instagram)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Real Deal: Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer, by Joe McNally

• Faces of Ground Zero photos

• Faces of Ground Zero project, Wikipedia

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Apple Magic Keyboard
• Kirk: Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The new masking features in Adobe Lightroom and Lightroom Classic make it much easier to apply selective edits to areas such as skies or subjects, without a lot of manual fiddling.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Adobe Lightroom

• Pixelmator Pro

• Episode #11 - Selective Photo Editing

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: MacBook Pro 2021
• Kirk: Capture One 22

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

You shot a lovely portrait and realized later that the background could benefit from some artistic blur. It used to be that if you didn’t get it in camera, you were stuck. But now it’s possible to recreate that blur using AI features in software later. Or, if you captured the shot using the iPhone’s Portrait Mode, you can edit the effect whenever you want. Is the software option really worth doing?

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 106: PhotoActive 2021 Gift Guide

• Episode 20: The Blur-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named

• Pixelmator Pro

• Episode 105: Aaron Hockley and Computational Photography

• Halide app

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Green Extreme batteries
• Kirk: Expert Shield screen protector

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

When they set out to produce a gift guide—the first one in three years—Kirk and Jeff chose items that really reflect how they approach photography, and items that hopefully aren’t on every other photo gift guide out there. This episode covers a gamut of price ranges and interests, so something is sure to appeal to you as the giver or the receiver this holiday.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 29: Christmas Gift Guide

• Photocombobulate Episode 8 Holiday Gift Guide

• PhotoActive Episode 94: All About SD Cards

• Mesh Laundry Bag

• Peak Design Everyday Sling bags - 10L $150

• Peak Design Cuff

• William Eggleston: The Outlands - $385

• The Real Deal, by Joe McNally (Get 40% off using the code CARLSON40.)

• Apple Lightning to SD Card Camera Reader - $29

• Biolite Rechargeable Headlamp

• Alec Soth: Photographic Storytelling | Magnum Learn - $99

• Apple Pencil

• Balvenie Week of Peat Whiskey

• YESPLZ Coffee Subscription

Kirk’s Books:

• Take Control of macOS Media Apps
• Take Control of Scrivener
• Take Control of Audio Hijack
• Take Control of Launchbar

Jeff’s Books:

• Take Control of Apple Watch
• Take Control of Your Digital Storage
• Take Control of Managing Your Files
• Take Control of Your Digital Photos
• The Photographer’s Guide to Luminar AI (Get 40% off using the code CARLSON40.)

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational photography…whichever term you use, the technologies are here and touching almost every part of the photos you’re making. Our guest this week is Aaron Hockley, author of the book The Computer Ate My Photos: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Photography, and he’s here to help us unravel this brave new world (and convince us that he’s not a robot).

Guest:

• Aaron Hockley (website, Instagram)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Computer Ate My Photos: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Photography, by Aaron Hockley

• AI Needs Regulating Before It’s Too Late, The Guardian

• ImagenAI

• Episode 104: The Leica Episode

• Jeff’s Sierra Nevada Photo Trip, Photocombobulate Podcast

• TechPhotoGuy, Aaron’s website

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Apple TV 4K (2021)
• Kirk: Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The day has arrived: Kirk finally purchased his dream camera, the Leica Q2 Monochrom. Why would someone pay for a camera that shoots only in black and white? In this episode, we talk about the advantages of a sensor without RGB, how shooting with the Q2 Monochrom is changing the way Kirk shoots, and processing the images in Capture One.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Leica Q2 Monochrom

• Episode 92: Sensors and Megapixels with Richard Butler

• Cycling through the crop lines

• Capture One

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Shimoda Explore v2
• Kirk: Eyes Wide Open! 100 Years of Leica Photography

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Does the thought of posing people for portraits make you nervous? Our guest this week is fashion and portrait photographer Lindsay Adler, whose book The Photographer’s Guide to Posing will calm your nerves and give you the tools to make beautiful photos of people. Lindsay talks about how she prepares for a portrait shoot, techniques to encourage great poses, working with everyday people compared to working with models, and much more.

Guest:

• Lindsay Adler (website, Instagram)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Photographer’s Guide to Posing, by Lindsay Adler

• Photographing Challenging Features class, CreativeLive

• Episode 35: Martin Parr Shot My Portrait

• Lindsay Adler Photography site

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Anker Power Strip Surge Protector, 12 Outlets & 3 USB Ports with Flat Plug, 6ft Extension Cord, PowerIQ
• Kirk: Peak Design Everyday Sling

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

It’s Apple’s best iPhone ever! Well, yes, they say that every year, but this time around the camera improvements are more exciting than in the past. In this episode, we look at what’s new, from the sizes of the lenses and sensors themselves to the Cinematic and Macro modes, in the iPhone 13 Pro.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• On set with iPhone 13 Pro Featuring 2x Oscar® Winner Kathryn Bigelow | Apple

• iPhone 13 Pro camera switching issue

• Episode 92: Sensors and Megapixels with Richard Butler

• Why we're excited about the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, DPReview TV

• What Does Cinematic Really Mean?

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: 2020 Unmasked
• Kirk: Godox TT350

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

What does it mean to really practice your craft? In this episode we welcome back photographer and educator Ben Long to PhotoActive to talk about his wonderful new book The Practicing Photographer: Essays on Developing Your Photographic Practice. We talk about why practice involves more than grabbing your camera every once in a while, about getting out of creative ruts, and the value of studying other photographers’ works.

Guest:

• Ben Long (Complete Digital Photography, Instagram)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Practicing Photographer: Essays on Developing Your Photographic Practice, by Ben Long

• Insta Repeat

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Spigen S350 Apple Watch Stand
• Kirk: Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In the very early days of the PhotoActive podcast, when Jeff was a nervous first-time podcast host, Kirk said to him, “It’s OK. Once you do a hundred of these, you’ll be better.” Well, here we are! Episode 100! To celebrate, we’re showcasing some of our favorite episodes and sharing what we’ve learned from them.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Follow the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Intego Mac Podcast

• The Next Track Podcast

• Write Now with Scrivener Podcast

• Take Control of Scrivener 3

• Episode 44: Minimalist Photographer Michael Kenna

• Episode 74: Michael Kenna and His New Book 'Buddha'

• Episode #8 - Gordon Laing on Taking Great Photos In Camera

• Episode #10 - Quintin Lake's Long Photo Walk

• Episode 82: Quintin Lake Returns

• Episode 35: Martin Parr Shot My Portrait

• Episode 70: One-Light Portraits with Sandra Coan

• Episode 79: Professional Retouching with Lisa Carney

• Episode 78: Everyday Photo Retouching

• Episode #5 - Wenmei Hill Interview

• Episode 43: Autofocus with Rishi Sanyal

• Episode 54: Product Photography with Dan Bracaglia

• Episode 85: Film Camera Love with Dan Bracaglia

• Episode 65: Barney Britton on the Future of the Camera Industry

• Episode 67: Chris Niccolls on Making Videos about Photography

• Episode 86: Jordan Drake on Shooting Video

• Episode 92: Sensors and Megapixels with Richard Butler

• Episode #26 - RAW Power 2.0

• Episode 38: Levels and Curves with Nik Bhatt

• Episode 62: Photos App Extensions with Nik Bhatt

• Rocky Nook

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Where are your photos stored? Internal disks, external drives, network-attached storage? In this episode, Kirk and Jeff talk about strategies for where to put and access all those digital files your cameras create.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 37: Backups and 360-degree Cameras

• Take Control of Your Digital Storage, by Jeff Carlson

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: DriveDx
• Kirk: Carbon Copy Cloner

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

There are all sorts of camera accessories out there, but for this episode, Kirk and Jeff challenged themselves to consider only add-ons that stay affixed to a camera all (or most) of the time. From additional shutter buttons to thumb rests and screen protectors, we look at whether these items are worth consideration, and if they help or hinder one’s photographic experience.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 95: Lens Filters Are Cool

• Foto&Tech Soft Shutter Release Button

• Fujifilm MHG-XE4 Metal Hand Grip for X-E4, Black

• Fujifilm VG-XT4 Vertical Battery Grip, the “Big-Ass Grip” mentioned in the episode. The model for Jeff’s X-T3 is no longer available; this is the one for the X-T4.

• Haoge THB-XB Metal Hot Shoe Thumb Up Rest Hand Grip for Fujifilm Fuji FinePix X-E4 X100F X-100F X-Pro2 XPro2 X-Pro3 XPro3 Accessories Camera Black

• Fujifilm Fuji XT4 L Plate L-Shape Bracket Holder Aluminum Alloy Quick Release Plate (This is one for a Fujifilm X-T4; find an L-bracket that matches your camera.)

• Colorado Tripod Arca Plates 40mm Universal Arca Swiss Quick Release Plate for Tripod Ball Head with Hand-Adjustable Stainless Steel Screw & Removable Rear Stopper

• Peak Design Cuff

• Luma Labs QD Loop with QD Mount

• Peak Design Anchor Links

• Tempered glass screen protector

• SmallRig Cages and Accessories

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Marine Traffic app
• Kirk: Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

William Neill’s photographic career began in the Ansel Adams Gallery and continues as a long-time resident near Yosemite, leading one-on-one tours and writing about the craft in columns and books. We talk about his latest book, Light on the Landscape, and how his vision of the splendor in his backyard has changed over the years.

Guest:

• William Neill: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Light on the Landscape, by William Neill

• The Ansel Adams Gallery

• Desert Cantos, by Richard Misrach

• Cape Light, by Joel Meyerowitz

• Landscapes of the Spirit, by William Neill

• Hardbound special edition of Light on the Landscape

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: TripMode
• Kirk: Sasuke, by Masahisa Fukase

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

We’d bet that a sizable portion of the DSLR or mirrorless camera market wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for parents wanting to take photos of their kids. Too often, though, people think that just buying a “good camera” will ensure good photos. Then they discover just how fast kids move. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff talk about overcoming challenges unique to photographing children using traditional cameras. (And why using an iPhone instead can be a better option most of the time.)

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Fuji 35mm f/1.4

• DPReview Fuji Primes video

• Episode 70: One-Light Portraits with Sandra Coan

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Softbox Diffuser for LED Video Light Panel
• Kirk: Fujifilm MHG-XE4 Metal Hand Grip for X-E4

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

We’re talking filters in this episode—not the kind you apply in Instagram to make your photos look different, but actual glass filters that change how light passes through the lens. Neutral density (ND) filters, circular polarizing (CPL) filters, infrared (IR) filters, and the debate over whether ultraviolet (UV) filters are worthless junk or actually useful.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Hoya: How Black & White Filters Work

• Breakthrough Photography

• Infrared Photography with the Hoya R72 Filter

• Episode 86: Jordan Drake on Shooting Video

• Episode 69: What to Print, with Rick LePage

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Printerville
• Kirk: Lake Pictures, by Lucinda Devlin

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

You can shoot the most amazing photos using the best gear you can afford, but it doesn’t mean anything if the pixels you capture aren’t saved to a storage card. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff talk about SD cards: what do the symbols on the card stand for? What speeds are good? How best to transfer images from the camera to the computer? What capacities should you buy? If your camera includes two card slots, do you write to them sequentially or for simultaneous backup? And how in the world did Jeff manage to shoot a Hawaiian sunset and end up with zero images?

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• SD memory cards: The features and specifications to look for

• Charge and connect with the USB-C port on your iPad – Apple Support

• The Best USB-C Memory Card Readers

• Update to My USB-C Memory Card Reader Article: Verbatim  

• The 16 Best USB-C Cables and Adapters 2021 | Reviews by Wirecutter

• Cig Harvey (Instagram)

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: NITECORE FX1 Digital USB Camera Battery Charger
• Kirk: Blue Violet, by Cig Harvey

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Do you capture photos using your camera’s automatic modes, or do you shoot using manual settings? Jeff and Kirk debate both approaches, looking at situations where each is appropriate and clarifying which features constitute “auto” modes.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 89: Buttons and Knobs

• Opinion: Do we really need all those buttons and dials?, Kirk’s article at DPReview

• David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020, Royal Academy of Arts

• David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy 2020 Hardback

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Glide Gear TMP100 Adjustable iPad/ Tablet/ Smartphone Teleprompter
• Kirk: Spring Is Not Cancelled, David Hockney and Martin Gayford

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Camera marketing often leans heavily on sensor size and numbers of megapixels, because those are numbers that are easy to sell. But are they easy to understand? When does an APS-C sensor outperform a medium format one? Are larger pixels better? Should Jeff take the plunge and buy the 100 megapixel Fujifilm GFX 100S? Our guest Richard Butler, technical editor at DPReview, helps clarify how sensor sizes and megapixels affect the way you shoot photos.

Guest:

• Richard Butler: Instagram, website

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Image Sensor Formats, Wikipedia

• Adobe Super Resolution

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Exposure, Netflix
• Kirk: Videos about photographers curated by Masters of Photography

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

In episode 87, we explored Kirk’s workflow for importing and editing images into Apple’s Photos app. Now, we revisit the topic by focusing on how Jeff works with photos on the iOS side, using both the Photos app and Lightroom on the iPhone and iPad. And has Jeff fallen in love with presets?

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 87: Apple Photos Workflow on Mac

• Episode 83: Raw and ProRAW on the iPhone

• Snapseed

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: UTEBIT Heavy Duty Tripod Camera Mount Clip Clamp
• Kirk: LiveScan app

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Retinal neuroscientist Bryan William Jones joins us this week for a fascinating discussion about how our eyes, brains, and technology work together to create and record images. Can we apply the understanding of the way we see to the way the camera sees?

Guest:

• Bryan William Jones: Instagram, website
• Flickr

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Amblyopia - Wikipedia

• How a 19th-Century Photographic Technique Erased a Māori Tradition

• Leica M10 Monochrom

• Moran Eye Center at University of Utah

• Jonathan M. Singer, author of Botanica Magnifica | Abbeville Press

[Credit: Photo of Bryan William Jones by Chris Michel]

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: YESPLZ Coffee
• Kirk: Spirit Stones: The Ancient Art of the Scholar's Rock

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

The experience of using a camera is just as important as what you put in front of the lens. If the controls are complicated — or too minimal — you wind up focusing on the camera, not the images. In this episode, we count buttons and deliberate whether today's cameras are helping or hindering photographers.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• DPReview X-E4 Review

• Episode 71: The Exposure Square

• Episode 47: Jeff Becomes an Event Photographer

• Fujifilm X-E 4: The Camera Designed for Prime Lenses

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Elgato Cam Link 4K
• Kirk: Fujinon 27mm f/2.8

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

How has the past pandemic year affected or changed your photography? Kirk and Jeff discuss not just cancelled trips and lost opportunities, but also the process of getting back into the habit of photography as we hopefully head toward a vaccinated, post-Covid reality.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode #13 - Aspect Ratios and Why They're Important

• Episode 74: Michael Kenna and His New Book 'Buddha'

• Alec Soth Photographic Storytelling

• Episode 77: Photo a Day Challenge

• Gordon Laing: Rode Wireless Go II review: PERFECT wireless mic?

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Rode Wireless Go Microphones
• Kirk: Alec Soth YouTube Channel

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Apple’s Photos app is the photo-editor-for-the-rest-of-us, but there are still complications that can trip up any photographer, from deciding where to import images to making sure you don’t max out your iCloud storage. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff look at Kirk’s unusual workflow for getting his photos into Apple’s Photos and editing them on macOS.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
• Join the PhotoActive Listeners’ Facebook group

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• RAW FILE CONVERTER EX powered by SILKYPIX | Software | FUJIFILM Digital Camera X Series & GFX – UK

• Episode 54: Product Photography with Dan Bracaglia — PhotoActive Podcast

• Episode 38: Levels and Curves with Nik Bhatt — PhotoActive Podcast

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Clean your tripod
• Kirk: Stonehenge Stone Circle Experience | English Heritage
  

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Your camera likely records video, but if you've never used it, you may be in for a surprise. DPReview TV co-host Jordan Drake joins us to talk about how shooting video on a DSLR or mirrorless camera differs from shooting stills.

Guest:

• Jordan Drake: Instagram
• DPReview Page

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 67: Chris Niccolls on Making Videos about Photography

• Episode 71: The Exposure Square

• DPReview TV: Canon EOS 90D Review

• DPReview TV: Is Jordan Out of Touch?

• DJI RSC 2 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer

• Why Raw video might not be the game-changer you expect, DPReview

• DPReview TV: How to set exposure when shooting video

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: FEELWORLD F5 Pro 5.5 Inch Touch Screen DSLR Camera Field Monitor Kirk: Alec Soth Photographic Storytelling: Use code START-LEARNING at checkout for 20% off.

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Dan Bracaglia of DPReview joins us to talk about his love of film cameras, how to get started with film in this day and age, and the enduring appeal of analog photography.

Guest:

• Dan Bracaglia: Instagram, website
• DPReview Page

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 54: Product Photography with Dan Bracaglia

• Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Film Photography: Part 1 Getting Started, DPReview

• Michael Kenna: Holga

• The Absolute beginner’s guide to film photography: What you need to know - B&W film, DPReview

• Panda Labs

• Moon Photo Lab

• Retro Cameras: The Collector's Guide to Vintage Film Photography

• Konica Big Mini: fun but fragile, Matt Loves Cameras

• Olympus XA

• Throwback Thursday: The Olympus Stylus Epic and my love for sliding lens covers, DPReview

• Leica M6, Wikipedia

• Nikon FM2, Wikipedia

• Camera Manual Library

• No 2A Folding Pocket Brownie

• 
  We’ve come full rectangle: Polaroid is reborn out of The Impossible Project, TechCrunch

• Polaroid

• FujiFilm Instax

• Best Instax Cameras in 2020, DPReview

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Why iPhone Is Today’s Kodak Brownie, Om Malik
• Kirk: 10 Steps to Improve Your Computer Ergonomics

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

We often talk about "bringing up the shadows" and "recovering highlights" when editing photos, particularly with raw files. But what does that mean exactly? This week, we walk through some edits to show just how that's done. This episode is available as audio with embedded images, and also as a video—go to photoactive.co and get the video link in the show notes.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Video version of this episode

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Sea and Smoke: Flavors from the Untamed Pacific Northwest
• Kirk: 25 best movies about real photographers

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Is Apple’s new raw photo implementation ProRAW or FauxRAW? In this episode, we look at why you’d want to shoot raw on an iPhone in the first place, and then dig into the details of Apple’s new ProRAW format, which is available only on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• Episode 6: Raw vs. JPEG

• Halide app

• Manual app

• Lightroom for iOS

• Affinity Photo

• Understanding ProRAW, by Ben Sandofsky

• Episode 30: Jason Snell Takes Control of Apple Photos

• ProRAW Editing, Gentlemen Coders video

• ProfileGainTableMap tag in DNG 1.6

• [RAW Power](tktk)

• Adobe Lightroom release notes, including the following note: "* Apple ProRAW: Apple ProRAW DNG images may appear overexposed in Adobe apps compared to Apple Photos. We are working closely with Apple to address this."

• Austin Mann on ProRAW

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Evergoods Civic Access Pouch 2L
• Kirk: The Undoing

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

When we last checked in with Quintin Lake, he was walking the coastline of the United Kingdom and photographing what he found. In September 2020 he finished the trip: 6,835 miles (11,000 kilometers) and 179,222 photos. As he continues to edit his backlog and make and sell prints, we caught up with him to talk about the experience.

Guest:

• Quintin Lake, Instagram

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• The Perimeter project

• The Perimeter FAQ

• Quintin’s Kit List

• The Broomway

• White horizon, Irish Sea, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

• Hiroshi Sugimoto

• Banded Clouds

• Kirk's Print: Arctic Horizon, Greenland, 2006

• Route Map

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: HomePod mini
• Kirk: MacBook Air (Apple M1 Silicon)

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

As with every new iPhone release, Apple touts the camera capabilities more than any of the other features. Jeff upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro right away, while Kirk is happy with his iPhone 11. In this episode, they talk about the choices around iPhones as cameras, and why Jeff ultimately didn’t go for the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which features better camera capabilities.

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
• Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account

Show Notes:

(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)

• Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!

• iPhone 12 Pro

• Austin Mann Reviews the iPhone 12 Pro

• Austin Mann Reviews the iPhone 12 Pro Max

• Review: iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro , two gems, one jewel, TechCrunch

• Review: The iPhone 12 Pro Max is worth its handling fee, TechCrunch

• Compare iPhones, Apple

• Apple’s Photos App and Lens Correction

• Halide devs on iPhone 12 Pro Max results

• Photographer captures the highest resolution snowflake photos in the world

• Modernist Bread

• Modernist Cuisine Gallery

Our Snapshots:

• Jeff: Viltrox 56mm F1.4 Autofocus Portrait Lens
• Kirk: Modernist Bread

Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered.

If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more.

Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.

Street photography looks easy: grab a camera, find some people, make some photos. Doing it well is another thing altogether. Photographer, educator, and author Valérie Jardin joins us to talk about the art of street photography, and how to develop the skills for creating great images with the help of her new book, Street Photography Assignments.

Guest:

• [Valérie Jardin](www.valeriejardin.com), Instagram, Twitter

• Valérie’s book, Street Photography Assignments — use the code JARDIN35 for a 35% discount at Rocky Nook.

• Hit the Streets Podcast

Hosts:

• Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
• Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram