RenSoc Fall Catalog

There will be a change in the Fall 2024 Seminar Catalog - "closed" seminars will not be listed. That includes iPhone Photographic Studio. We will not be accepting new members, hence "closed" status. The Program Committee and Board felt showing listings for seminars/SIGs that are not enrolling new members is ... well, false advertising. 

So I will probably use my home email account to notify past participants about the class dates, Zoom links and field trip plans. I will also use a different social media platform called Padlet. Here is an example of my current experiments with iPhone Studio board. While we have our Photos Shared Album, a Padlet board allows people to comment and rate posts and for folks wanting the full experience, join Padlet with my referral link to get 6 free boards for your own experimentation and sharing. Did I mention that Padlet is a way to play with creating images using generated artificial intelligence? Padlet is used in some K-12 and college classes around the world and has controls about who can see or post content. This summer I'm exploring how to use Padlet for the RS Members Discuss AI class because I want participants to contribute thoughts, ideas, articles in-between our monthly meeting. Participants use all types of devices, like Android, Windows and Apple systems. Padlet serves everyone.   

After Apple's big announcements at the World Wide Developers Conference, WWDC, earlier this month, some of our fall activities will look at the artificial intelligence - or Apple Intelligence - features in MacOS, iOS and iPadOS. For example, iPadOS 18 introduces powerful new intelligence features ... watch for changes to the Photos app, intelligence added to Memories for videos and slideshows, the new Image Playground app integrated into Messages, Mail and more. 

TheAppWhisperer offers Introducing Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system that puts powerful generative models at the core of iPhone, iPad, and Mac as a glimpse into what is coming. 

Apple Announcement 2024

Today is the first day of WWDC - Apple's World Wide Developer Conference. The keynote presentation included previews of iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and MacOS Sequoia among other tech. Expected revelations included addressing artificial intelligence, Apple style. A few mentions of "machine learning," "large language models," "generative models," and "privacy" were included and then "Apple Intelligence." 

Watch for the redesign of the Photos app and new features called Clean Up, Search using natural language and Memory movies created by writing/dictating a description and hint at music selection. 

Siri will have on-screen awareness; Mail includes Rewrite, Proofread and Smart Reply; Messages can Record/Transcribe audio, Geomoji (image generation), and Image Playground; Notes includes Image Wand and Summary; Pages will Compose with ChatGPT, Image Playground and Summary ... and so much more. 

Maps app will include top views and trail-making. Notes app will use Smart Script with Apple Pencil for perfected handwriting and editing. The Calculator appears on iPad and works with the Apple Pencil includes a new feature called Math Notes with Graphing capability and variables that can be edited and the solutions resolve after edited input. OMG! 

The Verge has published Apple Intelligence: every new AI feature coming to the iPhone and Mac by Wes Davis and includes a link to a brief video on A.I. - Apple Intelligence.

Back in the Day - Time Mag Covers

Back in September of 2027 Time Magazine was published with several different covers - Kira Pollack was chosen as the photographer. She used an iPhone and photographed 46 women who were changing the world. Using natural light and finding comfortable outside locations and the occasional reflector, she captured portraits in five to 10 minutes. Since the project involved many subjects, she used iPhone 5, 6, 6S Plus and 7 traveling for three weeks. Several cover examples are included on the webpage. 

Social Media, Ideas and the Files app

Let's talk about where your inspirations come from and what you do with them. Think of overcoming "writer's block" except the solution involves fingers, gestures and ... a clean camera lens. 

iMovie and Slow Shutter Demos

Mike will demonstrate making a video using iMovie on iPad and Cynthia will demonstrate using the Slo Shutter app for Intentional Camera Movement, ICM. 

iMovie project - play final project. Movie has audio, text and transitions. Photos are stylized and text appears to show filter details. Orientation is landscape and set to 16:9 aspect ratio. 

iMovie > Start New Project > Movie (for full control). Media sidebar appears and then browse Photos > Albums. iMovie does not recognize Shared Albums. So must download to local Photos Library if including posted images. Soundtrack options are copyright free and video could be posted to YouTube (and it won't be taken down). 

Practice using the interface. Choose 5-8 photos to add to timeline. Touch every button. Media > Background > Black > inserts a clip with color. Title > Line/Title ... then on screen tap placeholder text to type your own title. Emojis included! Look for buttons to edit text: Aa - Color Wheel - ( ... ).  Clip edges can be stretched to lengenth or shorten the playback time. 

Still images automatically include the Ken Burns effect. Tap a still photo > tap Actions to see menu over the photo > tap Ken Burns Effect Enabled > now this is toggled off. 

Transitions between clips. Tap icon to make different transition choices. 

Add video clips to project if appropriate. 

Tap Done to return to project screen. Tap default title to rename project. Tap Play button to preview video. 

Edit project and on Media sidebar > Audio > Soundtracks > tap a title to play music > tap ( + ) to drop soundtrack to project - with green waveform. Sound and narration volume can be be raised or lowered. 

Rearrange photos by touching photo and hold/drag to new location in timeline. 

Add narration from device microphone. Write script and display on a computer/other device and then use the iPad > iMovie to record in short chunks. 

Workflow tips: collect photos and video clips in a new Photos album. 

Export to USB thumb drive for portability, .mp4 or .mov are file types to use. 

XXXX

Cynthia - Slow Shutter Cam - Intentional Camera Movement for abstract and impressionistic images. "Not just out-of-focus" photography! Extremely high delete rate on captured images. Difficult to repeat effect in a scene. 

Workflow Settings and Capture Modes: Motion Blur, Light Trail and Low Light. Motion Blur: Light sensitivity @ full, Shutter speed @ 1/2 - 1 sec, ISO @ auto. 

Workflow Auto-Save-Clear, Photo Resolution 12 MP and Format : TIFF.  Experiment with options for personal preference. Instructions included with video tips. 

Small movements and 1/2 second. Up, across, go up/down, closeup to distance, tilt, giggle, etc. 

Also Multiple Exposure option in Workflow ... 

Videos for hints and suggestions 

How to use Slow Shutter
https://iphonephotographyschool.com/slow-shutter-cam/

Slow Shutter Cam Walk-through (video) Long Exposure water demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb_EcQt1lss

Slow Shutter Review -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhSYfEl94ro

Gear icon > Instructions = website:

https://www.cogitap.com/instructions/

Apple Apps

You might have overlooked or even deleted these apps: Support and Tips. These apps are helpful to resolve issues with your devices. Tips is periodically refreshed to offer new content in small doses. 

Tips includes a Setup Checklist that includes Recovery Contact , Legacy Contact and Medical ID. It also knows all the other devices where you've logged in with your Apple ID. 

Support is one place you can manage your subscriptions, watch tutorial videos, and review recent contact with Apple Support over Chat or Phone. 

Gotta Love Content Creators

Cynthia sent me a link to Proper Honest Tech's 8 iPad Tips I Wish I Knew YEARS Ago on YouTube. This is definitely worth watching, even if you use just an iPhone. But the channel has so much more. The Photos App for iPhone is AMAZING! Here's how to use it! is another one to watch and share with friends. Thanks Cyn! 

Sharing Photos

In Studio class we use Apple Photos Shared Albums to post our work, share critiques and likes. There is one more thing ... if you have a smart television, you might try connecting to a shared album you create for your artwork, family events or travelogues. 

I recently had an engaging conversation in another RenSoc class about Digital Photo Frames with wifi and feature ways for family and friends to share photos to the frame. From personal experience, Barbara suggested looking at Nixplay or Aura photo frames. There are many options and Tom's Guide offers The Best Digital Photo Frames in 2024 with detailed reviews. Scroll down the page to view the table summarizing the reviewed frames. 

This is newer technology than something I saw back in 2006 when my mom move to assisted living. One of her neighbors had an HP Printer that family could send photos or articles to their loved one. 

But, wait. There's one more thing. Mini Photo Books was recommended by Bob. He uses PrestoPhoto to make 5.25" x 3.5" books, a three pack for $15. This site has many options and tutorials. 

It is not enough to choose to share your favorite photos, you have to think about aspect ratio. Will the photo frame or book be viewed horizontally or vertically? Prepare your photos by cropping or collaging to the appropriate aspect ratio. Or, to simplify everything, make them square!