Working too hard

I want to make a collage image from an AI source with a screenshot and text. This will require erasing, masking (maybe), scale, watercolor effect and words on a curve. There will be rotation and warping of the screenshot involved. What are the apps to use and what is my workflow on iPad? Anticipate using multiple apps in this image processing.

The erasing part was the first step and no tool seemed to do the job as envisioned. Pixelmator (layers and erase), Graphic (layers and rotation), PicCollage (stylize and words on curve), Leonardo (layers and masking - no easy erase tool), and finally Procreate (layers, erase, rotate, scale) did the job. 

Every project begins and ends with Photos. Final workflow details: ChatGPT (image creation) > Safari (screenshot) > PicCollage (watercolor effect, export image) > Snapseed (Drama effect, export image) > Procreate (assemble pieces, erase, scale, rotate, export image) > PicCollage (import portrait image to landscape shape, add text on curve @ top, add text on curve @ bottom, export image) > Photos (crop) > Mail > (send article text and attach image). 

You might run into a project like this where your designer insists on using copyright-free images. You have to have permission to use art or a meme found on the Internet. Option to use or create your own original art. AI tools can assist and you want to explore your options. If you subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud you will have FireFly AI built-in and ready for anything anytime. Or sign up for an Adobe Account to use FireFly on the web under monthly limitations. Other AI tools will also create images. Apple’s Image Playground is a beginning but style choices are limited. 

I’ve just confirmed “erase” has been used in this blog before but not in the same context as this workflow. It is finally time to update the Cheatsheet and add these details so it will be my go-to-starting-point for the next image creation project. 

Many of the apps we’ve used in this seminar have an AI stylizing feature before AI was hyped everywhere. It is a journey. I’m glad you all are on this path. Show us what you’ve got … Tell us your workflow story about any image creation workflow. The Cheatsheet awaits your insights.

Procreate app hints

Procreate is one of the apps that Today at Apple sessions introduce to iPad owners. It is digital art on steroids, especially when paired with the Apple Pencil. 

Leaving myself a note here about Art With Flo YouTube Channel or her website. where you will find tutorials building skills from beginner to intermediate to advanced. Some tutorials are free; come with brushes, color palettes and notebook. 

External SSD Video Recording

Ok, just went shopping at Costco and instead of buying a 55-gallon drum of ... anything ... I bought a 1TB Lexar SSD because the packaging said: Supports Apple ProRes Recording. This kit came with MagSafe connection, lanyard USB-C 3 data cable and USB-A adapter. This SSD seems to be formatted at exFAT and therefore ready to rock and roll. 

So much to learn. Now to YouTube for some ideas: 

Do These 4 Things to Record to an External SSD with your iPhone 16 Pro Max! Richard Taylor TV - Did you know that the Files app on iPhone can format an external SSD (or thumb drive)? Wow. 

How to record iPhone video directly to an external hard drive Backlight by Tara Schatz - iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models can shoot Apple ProRes video. 

Apple ProRes is little like shooting RAW photo format. ProRes records 4K 60fps video in a lossless format that results in large files. Big files. Huge files. External capture and storage are essential. 

Easy and fast to transfer from Photos app to Files > SSD > New Folder ... 

Use this as a backup. Take caution on deleting files from Photos while will delete them from iCloud and all synced devices. 

Stumbling around with iPad and resorted to the Online User Guide to find more frustration. Under the Shutter button are only three options for shooting modes. The text of the guide were not helpful either. As a reminder-to-self the visible options are in a longer list and swiping up or down on the mode labels will reveal the other options! Time-Lapse Video, Slo-Mo, Video, Photo, Portrait,Square and Pano. 

Photo Walk with Newbies

I have invited people on our Studio Waitlist to attend a Photo Walk on week two. I asked for details about their goals ... 

What thoughts do you have about coaching iPhone Photographers? 

Refresh Your Viewpoint

Forget that you've used an iPhone for years! Now that we have iOS 18.2 and Apple Intelligence, it is time to erase our past experience with the Camera app and the Photos app. Especially the Photos app! 

Our muscle memory is not helpful now. How we interacted with our devices is ancient history. Put those visual clues out of your mind. Look at the app as if 1) this is your first time seeing it ... touch every button; 2) you are a 7 year old child exploring this screen for the first time -- swipe up, down, left and right. 

You know, "touch every button" is not a complete thought. There are gestures that have become more useful and the "when and where" to use gestures is not ... intuitive. Yet. We will build new habits this semester. 

The Apple Tips app refreshes in many ways. The brief content is updated with an iPad/iOS update and the tip categories switch out content. Two important features are here: 1) easy access to the User Guide for devices you own, 2) Setup Checklist to review features to take full advantage of your device. There is an item covering Gestures, but it is missing an important skill. Look for yourself. 

Apple Intelligence has arrived

Yes, AI is everywhere and always on. I have successfully updated all my devices, iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 and just this week, MacOS 15.1 Sequoia. All photo and editing apps seem to be working. A few of my other productivity apps are showing signs of not keeping-up-with-the-times and I am looking for replacements. 

In December and then in early 2025 we can expect updates to operating systems that will introduce additional AI tools. 

Go to the source at Apple Intelligence. 

Spring 2025

A new proposed class for Spring 2025 to run 6 meetings on Zoom or photo walks, Thursdays 10 am to noon beginning February 6th and ending on March 13th. Our class will be closed to new participants - previous Studio participants will be moved from Waitlist to Enrolled once registration begins. Please keep a list of potential venues for photo walks. 

The RenSoc open house is Jan 17th and online class registration opens that week. Our Shared Photo Album will be open to new postings until January 22nd. 

Authenticity, Provenance and Metadata

In these AI (artificial intelligence) days we need to know about how images are created and edited. Often we look at the information attached to a photo, metadata, and know ISO-Aperture-ShutterSpeed and location. After editing, some apps add to metadata with their name and Photos Search feature (iOS 17.x) can find other images edited with the same app.  

But what about images generated by AI? What about deepfake images? What do we see in metadata? How do we spot photo manipulation? 

This post will share recent articles to increase our understanding of the information behind our images. 

Content Authenticity Initiative is a site to watch: 

• How Wrapt’s end-to-end platform protects creative workflows with Content Credentials by Coleen Jose, 7-24-2024 In the top right corner of the Brooklyn Bridge photo is a small (cr) icon. Click it to investigate further. Stuart Waite: " In an era of deepfakes, content theft, and plagiarism, Wrapt provides an industry solution to millions of content creators, brands, and publishers seeking to protect and insure their creative assets. It's as simple as wrap it, share it, track it! Wrapt is a B2B SaaS content protection platform. With Content Credentials, Wrapt protects and insures your creative work by securely tracking how it’s created, shared, and published across the internet." 

more later ...