iCloud for Windows users

Apple has an online resource, iCloud for Windows User Guide, that should be required reading for anyone using a Windows computer. This guide provides links to download iCloud on your computer. 

Also for Mac/iOS users who have friends and family that use Windows. In our studio we use Shared Photo Albums and you'll want to read about cross-platform features. 

Nice of you to drop by

Welcome! This is the website, actually a blog, for the Renaissance Society iPhone Photography Studio seminar. Our website is open to all who find this nook of the Internet. While active participants in the seminar will be the source of postings here, we welcome others to dive in, follow along and build your iPhone Photo Library into an amazing resource. 

Two resources to help you "see" what this seminar is all about: 

• Checkout the digital galleries from past semesters posted on YouTube to get an idea of what we do in this class. 
• Watch the summer presentation by Cynthia and Melissa about Smartphone Photography. 

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 coming this fall

Some of us are brave and sometimes we are careless. Actually, this applies to drinking cool-aid and updating your device's operating system ... too soon. 

Read the Apple 15 Preview and think how refreshing the cool-aid will be. Messages will stack multiple photos, Safari has a new fresh look, Live Text from any photo or camera image is cool, Photos now has Visual Look Up for more AI magic, Spotlight Search will find photos and more, Photos is also curating our memories in new ways, iCloud+ will replace existing iCloud storage plans and add privacy features ... 

Hidden in the full list of features is this gem: the Photos image picker interface will let us specify the order of photos in Messages ... and other sharing scenarios. 

After Apple announces the public OS is available - for free!, take care to review app updates BEFORE you update your OS. Make sure any critical apps are iOS15/iPadOS15 compatible before updating. 

Go to Settings > General > Software Update >  Automatic Updates > Install iOS Updates > OFF  (now the screen changes to Software Updates > Automatic Updates > Download Only). 

Once your critical/favorite apps have updated, and you have heard from classmates about their successful update experiences then ... go for it! 

The iPhone User Guide online version should reflect the latest info after the big announcement. 

Percolator and TangledFX for Summer Play

Cynthia will give us some tips on using Percolator and Melissa will do the same with TangledFX at our August 12th Zoom get-together. These apps are wonderful steps in your workflow. Expect to export several images as you P L A Y with each app. Then you could blend the original and the altered photo in Image Blender or Pixelmator. Why not take the images into a collage app and then into Image Blender. Obviously, iPad storage is the only limitation here! 

• Percolator by Tinrocket, LLC - $2.99 
• Checkout Flickr for wild examples of Circle Packings 
• TangledFX by Orange Qube - $2.99 
• Checkout TangledFX Group Pool in Flickr 

Valentine Peter has posted his workflow tips on Flickr 

Some of the images posted to social media encourage us to expand our workflow, making many images and app stacking with more twists. We can be adventurous! Remember, our superpowers are Undo and Delete. 

Get ready to play on 8/12. Create a new album in Photos with example photos. Don't choose your favorites! Add photos with patterns, shapes, strong colors, contrast, landscape and people portraits. By not choosing favorite photos you give yourself license to experiment, push to extremes, go with the flow and let surprise be your guide. Then take your favorite results (capture screenshots of settings) and then apply to your favorite photos. 

Have you tuned into Cocktails with a Curator presented by The Frick Collection? The World program - July 23, 2021 fast forward to 40:12 to hear Karen Michelle discusses how this virtual event is coming to a close. But the recordings are still available. Chardin's Still Life with Plums is one of the offerings. 

Chalk It Up - Labor Day Weekend

Thanks to Karen for reporting that the three-day art and music festival for 2021 is back on! This is a fabulous photo opportunity! Just think of how many camera modes you can use wandering one square block! Think of the storytelling and collage opportunities. 

September 4, 5 and 6 at Fremont Park and other locations around Sacramento. 

My plan is to always go early each day while the temperatures are cool. Music, food trucks, vendors, and, the best of all, fun art appears before your eyes. 

Checkout the Chalk It Up Gallery 

"Chalk It Up! aims to empower and support the next generation of Sacramento artists through targeted art grants for young artists and the programs that inspire them." 

Summer Presentation

Beware when Allan Keown calls to request a summer presentation on smartphone photography. 

Well, it all worked out because Cynthia agreed to share the opportunity to show off some of the work inspired by this seminar. 

Checkout Spontaneous Creativity - Smartphone Photography page for the recording link and responses to questions posted to Chat.  Our audience was a mix of Android and iPhone users. 

iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 coming soon

Any day now we might see a red badge on the Settings app. This indicates that there is something new. Dig into Settings > General > Software Update > ... 

This is an expected and anticipated change - especially for iPhone users -- unlock iPhone while wearing Apple Watch when wearing a mask. 

Watch for other changes as well. Privacy settings will adjust again. Our editing apps need access to ALL photos. 

Mac Finder - Tips from Elaine Giles

Somehow I got on a mailing list. Actually, this is a good list for me to listen live on Friday afternoons at 1 pm. They originate from the UK! You might just want to peruse Elaine's YouTube Channel and pick up topics of interest. Back in our library days we had a Macintosh File Management session. You can never get too many views of how to manage files. learn new things, keep using what helps. 

In MacBites After Hours #0125 on April 23, 2021 Elaine begins Part 1 of Mastering the macOS Finder at 02:40:00. I'm looking forward to part 2.