PhotoActive

Photos are meant to be shared, but with digital photos the options multiply. In this episode, Kirk McElhearn and Jeff Carlson look at several ways to share photos with friends and family. 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...

Gentleman Coder Nik Bhatt returns to help explain a complicated topic with Apple’s Photos app: Photos Extensions. If you want to use another tool to edit images beyond what Photos offers, you can load that software’s editing tools within Photos. It seems straightforward, but soon gets tricky if you want to go back and adjust some of your edit settings or even if you perform a minor edit in Photos...

A listener in the PhotoActive Facebook group asks a great question, “How do I choose a subject to shoot?” In this episode, Kirk and Jeff explore how they approach a scene, with groups of photos from deliberate photo shoots that seek to answer that question. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website , Kirk's photos , Kirk on Instagram Subscribe to the PhotoActive Inst...

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Andrius Gailiunas of Pixelmator to talk about machine learning and how it powers some of the features in Pixelmator Pro. In particular, we’re impressed with ML Super Resolution, a way to enlarge photos beyond their original dimensions while retaining quality and crispness. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website , Kirk's phot...

We’ve talked about several photo editing applications in the past, and in this episode we turn our attention toward Luminar 4 (and not just because one of us has a forthcoming book about it). Skylum has overhauled Luminar in significant ways for version 4, with an emphasis on AI features that save a lot of time and effort on your part. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk...

At several points when recording the PhotoActive podcast, Kirk has said that the “Rule of Thirds” does not exist. Most books and articles about photography insist it does, that positioning objects at approximately one third distance from the edge of the frame leads to better composition. So in this episode, we get into it: Does the Rule of Thirds exist, and why? Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's phot...

It’s time to step away from your camera. No, not put it away for the holidays—we’re talking about triggering the camera remotely! In this episode, Jeff and Kirk talk about various ways to trip the shutter from afar, such as using an Apple Watch to control the Camera app on an iPhone, remote cable releases, and products that control a mirrorless or DSLR via apps. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's phot...

With the holidays and Black Friday sales upon us, this is the time that photographers can often get good deals on equipment. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff ponder the reasons you might consider buying a second camera. Perhaps you want a backup for your regular camera, or maybe you want a smaller go-anywhere camera that might encourage you to take photos more often. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's p...

Photos App in iOS 13 and macOS Catalina Now that iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina are out, Jeff and Kirk have some strong opinions on the changes made to the Photos app for each platform. It's time to rant a little. Sponsor Luma Labs - Everyone needs a camera strap that is both comfortable and practical. The Luma Loop lets you carry your camera as a sling or snug to your body when you’re not...

How do you make product photos look fresh and interesting? Do you need a well-equipped studio? Dan Bracaglia shoots thousands of images of cameras and other accessories in his job as photo editor at DPReview. Dan joins Kirk and Jeff to answer those questions and more. Sponsor Luma Labs - Everyone needs a camera strap that is both comfortable and practical. The Luma Loop lets you carry your camera...

You can control depth of field in a photo using narrow apertures, but what do you do when that’s not enough to get everything in focus? For macro and some landscape photography, the answer is focus stacking, a technique that blends several images shot at different focal lengths. Kirk and Jeff talk about how it works and when you’d want to use it. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Ins...

Kirk and Jeff both bought the latest models of Apple’s digital camera - sorry, we mean the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. Does adding a third camera make a difference? Is the ultra-wide camera just a gimmick? And what is “semantic rendering” anyway? We explain why nothing is really real, and yet these might be the best-looking photos people create. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Ins...

We solicited photography questions from the great folks in the PhotoActive Facebook group, and now we have answers! All the answers. Or maybe just the most interesting ones. But definitely some answers. Panoramas, shooting photos in public places, revealing edits, and more. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website , Kirk's photos , Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: ( Vi...

Artist, photographer, and writer Harold Davis joins us to discuss his new book Creative Black & White, 2nd Edition , and we talk about the photographer as artist, and how to see the world in monochrome. Guest: Harold Davis: Instagram , website Creative Black & White - save 40% with the code HDAVIS40. Giveaway: We’re giving away a copy of Harold’s book, Creative Black & White , to two P...

You want to capture a wide-angle shot, but what if your widest lens isn’t wide enough? In this episode, Jeff and Kirk talk about creating panoramas, from the ingenious Pano mode in the iPhone’s Camera app to stitching many images from traditional cameras or drones. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk's website , Kirk's photos , Kirk on Instagram Show Notes: ( View show n...

Photographer Dan Bailey is our guest this week to talk about his book FUJIFILM X Series Unlimited: Mastering Techniques and Maximizing Creativity with Your FUJIFILM Camera —though we’re not focusing on Fujifilm cameras. We’re more interested in questions such as how many of your camera’s features you should understand, whether technical details really matter, and how Dan became a pro photographer...

Recently, Jeff was the event photographer for the CreativePro Week 2019 conference in Seattle, a task that requires a different approach to making photos. You've probably been asked to shoot some type of event, so we talk a little about specific gear to deal with low-light situations and catching candid shots in a crowded setting. Hosts: Jeff's website , Jeff's photos , Jeff on Instagram Kirk's we...

When you think of portrait photography, do you envision tails and fur? This week, we talk to Norah Levine about her book Pet Photography: The Secrets to Creating Authentic Pet Portraits , and how to take great photos of four-legged (or winged) family members. Sponsor Masters of Photography , online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOT...

Maybe you've used Apple Photos and are looking for more editing features, or perhaps you're in the Lightroom ecosystem and weary of subscription pricing. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff chat about other photo editing applications you may not be aware of. 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 im...

Michael Kenna has been photographing for 45 years, and is well known for his minimalist, black-and-white landscape photos. Kirk took a trip to Bosham, on the southern coast of England, to see a 45-year retrospective exhibit of his work, and to talk with Michael Kenna about his photography. Sponsor Neomodern: Neomodern treats your photos like art, offering simple, affordable concierge printing and...

You rely on your camera’s autofocus feature, but how does it work? Phase-detection, contrast-detection, machine-learning algorithms, AF-C, AF-S… autofocus quickly becomes a complicated subject for any photographer to keep straight while shooting. Rishi Sanyal, Science Editor at DPReview.com, joins us for this breakdown of autofocus works and how you can use it more effectively. Sponsor Masters of...

Your camera stores photos on memory cards, but trying to understand them is a confusing mess of acronyms, speed claims, and marketing. What’s the difference between a UHS-I SD card and a UHS-II card? We break it all down, including why you may not want the fastest (and more expensive) cards available. Sponsor Masters of Photography , online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the worl...

We’re excited to welcome Marie Read, author of the book Mastering Bird Photography (Rocky Nook), to the podcast. She talks about getting started with bird photography, where to find interesting birds, and, yes, we necessarily talk a bit about gear, since a good telephoto lens is essential for this type of photography. Sponsor Masters of Photography , online masterclasses with the greatest photogra...

Where did you take that photo? Nearly every smartphone records its position when it captures an image, but very few cameras do. In this episode, we talk to Pierre Bernard, developer of the Mac application HoudahGeo, about how and why you'd want to geotag your photos. Sponsor HoudahGeo -- If you want to take photos and remember where they were shot, and your camera doesn't have built-in geo-tagging...

Many photo situations call for stability, and that means setting up a tripod. But the options when choosing one quickly become complicated: height, weight, materials, price, and don’t forget the head that holds the camera. To help sort it all, we welcome photographer, educator, and former photojournalist Mason Marsh to the show. Sponsor Masters of Photography , online masterclasses with the greate...