Image Blender - A-OK

Last week I sent an email about odd things happening with Image Blender after I had updated to iOS 12. The developer, Johan, was very responsive to my email, first to say my report was a first, and also with suggestions on how to refresh to test the app. This is a good list to use on any app that stalls out:

1. Quit the app and relaunch
2. Power off then on the iPhone 
3. Delete app and reinstall (no problem if in-app gallery not included)

Johan mentioned that an image copied to the Clipboard could be pasted into one of the Image Blender layers. Of course, the camera can be a source for layers as well.

After finding no problems on the iPad Pro, and looking at my All Photos collection - I see that my most recent photos were shot in RAW format. Other Albums with JPEG, HEIF and TIF files display and load as expected.

Thanks for checking on this problem (where I stumbled over my own feet) and confirming that your iPhone and IB are working as expected! I've also added a complimentary review for IB on the App Store.

Day 5 Tabletop Shoot

Wow! What fun to watch you bring objects and textures for practicing with macro, clip-on lenses and tripods. I'm so impressed with how you work together and discover making photos.

Your image collections become layers for new photo artistry. So inspiring ...

Demos for Class 4 - Fall 2018

For class our minds will be expanded by Clarence & Chad. Clarence has been posting photos were he uses the Apple Pencil on his iPad Pro in Photos. Apple Pencils are a fine point stylus that connects to an iPad via Bluetooth and recharges from its Lightning port. If you have a different stylus, you will still learn new tricks! Chad has been working with photos in Leonardo and other apps on his iPhone and iPad. Be ready for Insight 2.0!

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There is a powerful app on our list: Snapseed. You will appreciate the features and the price tag (free). Here are two links to help you see the potential in your mobile darkroom / photo studio:

Tutorial: Create Double Exposures with a Phone and Snapseed App! - YouTube
https://youtu.be/DEdQmqAG24Q

Snapseed 2.0 - KelbyOne - Real World First Look - YouTube
https://youtu.be/IyhoXMshX7Q

You will want to play with Snapseed for 20-30 minutes before watching these videos all the way through. Then you might want to select photos from your Camera Roll and rewind to follow along. I can definitely see that watching these videos two or three times will help me "play" with the features in Snapseed and create new artwork.

Here are my hints on Snapseed. Copying the edits from one image to another is a powerful feature.

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Any app will have familiar features for editing photos. Because of your desktop editing experiences you will find mobile editing features implemented for touch gestures. The motto is: Touch Every Button. The icons only hint at what power lies within.

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Fall 2018 Class 5 will be our Table Top Shooting Day.
Fall 2018 Class 6 will be a field trip to Loomis, High Hand Nursery.

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Sharing Discoveries

Our website grows each semester. Much of the binder I keep is filled with scribbled notes and instructional details. Now the binder is overflowing yet some of the notes would be better shared.

New pages have been created under a "Discoveries" theme:

• Discoveries: Snapseed - from Shared Album posts
• Discoveries: Leonardo - Selections & Masks
• Discoveries: Available Space - "Stylized Winter" 
• Discoveries: Native File Formats 
• Discoveries: Enlight - 
• Discoveries: Blend Modes - 
• Discoveries: Large Prints - 3' x 4' 
• Discoveries: what say you? 

I'd love for you to share details of your workflow process, not only in class, but in a short written form that can be posted here.

Think of this as "long-term memory." Because we can search the posts on this website. Ha!

Apple Announcements - Soon!

Rumor has it Apple will announce new iOS devices, operating systems for iOS and Mac and reveal upgraded computers on Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

How is it that their fall announcements always come after back-to-school sales?

Clip Art for Play and Discovery

In the updated version of Apple Keynote there are additional graphics and shapes available. Download any of these images to work with Selections, Masks and Blending Modes.

Hint: the blue silhouettes might need to be re-colored for your work.

Touch any image below to load in your browser. Touch and hold on the large image to see the pop-up menu options: Save Image or Copy. If you Save the graphic will go to your Camera Roll/All Photos. If you Copy, the graphic goes to the Clipboard and you will need to go to an application that recognizes Clipboard as a source for Paste.

   

  

Why not Save the graphics to your Camera Roll and practice making a new Album inside your Photos > Studio Folder. 

Begin to Fall

Before our first class...

Download and print

• Revised PDF Apps Reference includes icons and brief descriptions
• Open Cheatsheet page in Reading View and print - organized by features or open 2-up version of the 12 pages and print. 

Review website: Home, Prep, Videos, Day 1.

Bring your iPhone & iPad fully charged on Thursday.

About to start our 4th semester

My how time flies. Especially with the "fun factor" of iPhone photography. See the work created by our participants in the 2018 Sampler Gallery or 2017 Online Gallery! Here is an interesting statistic: in our first semester 100 images posted to shared album; second semester 177 images posted; third semester 357 images posted. Wow!

Our class website will get updated by August 20th, just in time for online registration. You will notice that enrollment is controlled by a waitlist. Previous participants will be granted enrollment and after I talk with newbies to make sure they understand the seminar requirements they will be enrolled as space permits. Newbies: use the email or phone number in online registration to make contact with me. Leave voicemail with your name and briefly describe your photography skills and iPhone use.

Anyone can keep track of our seminar by reading this website.

Often at Rendezvous there is another waitlist of interested folks. To me that means there could be more iPhone Photography related offerings in Renaissance! Consider your interests and how you want to collaborate with other photo-artisans and ... make it happen. The most important qualities for a leader are curiosity and enthusiasm. Notice I did not mention "expertise." For example, I'd love to attend an Introduction to Drawing on iPad seminar followed by an iPad Drawing Studio seminar.

Meeting dates: 9/6, 9/13. 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/11

Camera Obscura app

Get on this free offer ASAP! JoEllen found this gem hiding in the Apple Store app. (Not in the App Store!)

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Update: Obscura 2 was created by Ben Rice McCarthy, an independent developer in Dublin, Ireland. If you get the free app, then consider buying one of the in-app Filter Pack purchases. After reading the manual, exploring the app and absorbing the respect for user privacy, supporing this small developer is on my radar.

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"Obscura, is available free if you follow these steps in the Apple Store App: Go to Apple Store App, tap Discover, Scroll way down till you find Obscura 2, tap Download now for free, Tap on Redeem in the upper right hand corner. The code will automatically be entered then Viola! You have it."

Thanks for a great new app. Especially for a great new FREE app!

Do we really need a new camera app? This app is powerful and includes many views of image details. There are filters that can be applied when shooting or by opening images in All Photos (Camera Roll). Obscura shoots in RAW and utilizes both lenses if your iPhone has them. Play. Experiment. Delete. Laugh. Then let's talk in September.