Confirm Camera App Settings

A camera is a camera, whether it is a point-and-shoot, a DSLR, mirrorless or smartphone. After exploring your camera for new features ... or in new situations then it is time to review all your settings and return to your preferred workflow. Now you are ready for a quick shot without confusion. [Reminder to self!]

Make your own version of this Camera Apps Settings list:
Apple Camera [HEIF]
Camera+ 2 [Macro Preset | TIFF ] [Other Preset | RAW + TIFF separate images
SlowShutter [TIFF]
ProCamera [TIFF]
Obscura [RAW-DNG]
Moment [RAW-DNG]
Halide [RAW-DNG]
Hydra [HiRes 32MP | TIFF]
645 PRO [TIFF-DNG]

You will notice that most of the cameras are taking TIFF and RAW-DNG images. Two things to keep in mind before you follow my workflow: 1) these are large files and I do not expect to keep them on my iPhone indefinitely; 2) DNG photographs need to be processed to look their best and then a saved copy can remain on the iPhone. If storage space on your device is low, change your camera settings to save in HEIF or high quality JPEG.

This afternoon I'll be taking a set of photos with each app and then looking at the metadata with Metapho to see how the camera app is referenced. This will establish a baseline, and each time an app gets an update or when iOS is updated this test could be repeated.

iOS & Computer - Part 1

This semester we are taking file management in small chunks. We will see challenges presented by peers and how to adapt our workflow for improved efficiency or image quality.

File management is a spectrum of activities and approaches. We are all somewhere on that spectrum based on past experience and where/how we share our photo art. If you just want to share online, then you won't continue on the spectrum to home-based printing. If you will never use a print service bureau, then you won't continue on exploring archival papers and imaging processes.

Along with cloud file storage and ubiquitous USB thumb drives came the demise of CD/DVD optical storage. Charlene reminds me to "future-proof my photographs" and other important documents by moving to the latest storage media - in triplicate!

My computer experience is Macintosh-based since 2012 when I retired from supporting Windows and Macintosh and online learning systems. If you have Windows resources to share, give me URLs and a brief description and I will add them to this website. 

All of file management begins with saving, previewing and moving files. Naming files used to be important but our iPhones have their own scheme of naming files - we just have to get out of the way. 

This is a beginning outline. Help me improve it. 

Moving camera photos to iOS 

• SD Card adapter
• WiFi on camera 

Moving Files to/from your computer 

• iCloud - sync
• Files app 
• Dropbox account 
• PhotoSync app 
• AirDrop 
• Lightning/USB-C cable 

Prepare your computer / external hard drive 

• Clean off Desktop, use Stacks to collect related files
• Add folders for new edited photos
• [Subject, Location, Effects, etc? Something meaningful to you!] 
• Add folders for original photos 
• Select folder and drag to add to Finder Sidebar 
• Use caution when renaming image files 
• Backup your computer and external hard drives 

Preview & Review your photos

• Add Comments 
• Add Keywords
• Add Tags
• Delete 
• Mac Finder Views [icon, list, columns and gallery] 
• Sort list by name, kind, size, dates, tags 
• Quick Look - select file then Spacebar and Arrow keys 
• Select file then File > Get Info (Cmd + I) 
• Gallery view with metadata details in right pane [Rotate, Markup & More...] Use View > Show Preview Options to customize details
• Spotlight Search of contents and Internet
• Finder Search, add multiple criteria 

Resources for learning more and confirming your workflow 

As of 2/17/2020 my Mac computers are still running the Mojave, MacOS 10.14.6 with current security updates. To get Help with your current operating system use the Finder > Help > Mac OS Help or the Help > Search feature. Review the Optimize Storage > Manage > Reduce Clutter > Review Files option. New to me as I review this Help feature and the little details too insignificant to mention in a WWDC rollout presentation. Similar optimization features are available on iOS.

Apple Books also has free MacOS related User Guides for laptops and desktop computers. The MacBook Air with Retina Display Essentials or MacBook Pro Essentials. If you are using a desktop then the iMac Essentials guide is for you. Here is the link to see all the Apple Computer Guides in Books. The trick here is the books reference the newest MacOS, Catalina. 

Notes to add:
Safari Reading View, Save as PDF, Merge PDFs & Save to Books

To be continued, after my bike ride.

Tell a story

Chinese New Year - Daughter is a film by director Theodore Melfi (Hidden Figures) and cinematographer Lawrence Sher (Joker) shot on iPhone 11 Pro using a BeastGrip Pro. Grab a tissue and watch the eight minute film. Then read more about the making of the film in the Made on iPhone genre.

Day 2 Field Trip

We will use the Apple Camera, Camera+ 2 and ProCamera (with in-app purchases of VividHDR and Low Light+) for activities. The Macro Mode of Camera+2 and manual focus with burst mode will be effective. ProCamera will show details in the shadows while keeping details in the highlights on a bright sunny day. Of course I'll look for opportunities to use Slow Shutter Cam for motion blur (very effective for scenes with water).

Using different camera apps lets us also experience different file formats. Maybe HEIF for Apple Camera and Camera+2 and TIFF for ProCamera and Slow Shutter Cam. Are you interested in post processing? Camera+2 can shoot RAW (just not macro at the same time) and it has a RAW processing editor.

Videos Uploaded

There are now two videos with narration and two silent video demonstrations. Here are the links:

Apps Organization - iPhone XI 2020 Revision

App Stacking - Local Pond Project 

Snapseed Perspective Correction (silent movie)

Cheatsheet Page - View in Reader & Print 2-up (silent movie)

How To - Slow Shutter Cam

Big file - not ready for prime time yet. Still under construction

This is my second attempt to share the story of using Slow Shutter Cam for long exposures of water. The best experience is through a series of shots with screenshots and added text. The first effort was to share 15 images as an iCloud link. But the order of pictures does not tell the chronological story.

Try number two is as a Keynote presentation in iCloud where you can view, see the transitions and experience the West Fork of the Carson River as if we are on a photo walk. Give it a try. Don’t fall in, this is snow melt water after all. Viewing this presentation is not as simple as it could be. There are two option in the top right corner, Open and Download. I need to preview this scenario on a device that is not logged into my iCloud to write accurate instructions. So much work. Not for novices.

Note: on a DSL connection, it will take awhile to load.

A wealth of resources

Ok, I'll admit that I'm barely staying a step ahead of all you studio-ites. If you want to catch up or pass me, check these resources off your list:

• Books - ebooks and paperbound
• Podcasts
• Youtube Channels 
• Instagram, Flickr, etc 

When reviewing resources, be sure to look at the publish date or the iOS version under review. As I write this update in February 2020, iOS 13 is our current version. There are significant operating system changes since iOS 11 released September 2017. I am especially interested in how the Files app has ground more powerful and other apps interact with it.

A few details will emerge as my journey continues and terminology begins to take hold. Visit the website for PhotoActive Podcast with Jeff Carlson and Kirk McElhearn - many episodes but #52 iPhone 11 and Semantic Rendering also covering "computational photography"is a good place to start. This is not to say you need the latest iPhone for our seminar, but these guys cover the direction Apple is heading with camera technology. For instance:

• iPhone has multiple cameras with dedicated sensors - Ultra-Wide no optical stabilization and can't shoot RAW or do Night Mode, less pixel density
• iPhone X and beyond - cameras take multiple frames to blend together - smart HDR and now rapid blending of multiple frames
• Telephoto and zoom lenses are still DSLR/Mirrorless domain 
• Night mode using a tripod will length exposures over hand-held still needs some light 
• Pet Portrait mode now available 
• Todd Hido has interesting landscapes and suburbia 

Many roads lead to Rome and many photographers read DP Review - Digital Photography Review for details on hardware but also read the member forums where sharing of challenges and possible solutions are offered by real world users. Read the iOS Forum.

Are you still using a Mirrorless or DSLR camera? Are you interesting in upgrading to a new camera body or system? Will an iPad be your out-and-about editing platform? Then take note of the file sizes produced by the new camera. Go to a local camera store for research - take a few pictures in RAW and in just JPG. Then at home, load them into the iPad and your favorite editor. Personally, my question is do I need a full-frame camera with a huge file size to capture and render the subjects? My Nikon 7000 is a APS-C 16MP sensor.

Watch for more soon

Registration is open and the waitlist is growing.

Enrollment has CLOSED

Expect to be added to the waitlist for this seminar. New participants will get an email from the instructor and a follow-up phone interview. Ohh! Not threatening much! This is not a beginning photography seminar, it is guided activity with participant driven content. This semester will be different than the last six semesters in that we have too much digital content on our devices and will be looking at how to migrate to computer or online archives.

We will still be using our iPhones to take, edit, style and share images. The list of applications will change slightly.

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Official description:

iPhone Photography Studio (A/S)
This seminar includes participant-led demonstrations where experienced photographers use iPhone apps to create print-ready artwork. In-class demonstrations and online shared albums are our critique and learning platforms. This semester we research apps for computer migration and reporting exposure metadata. Visit our website for demonstration videos and artwork examples at our website. New photo studio artists should expect to purchase $25 in apps. Requirements: iPhone 7, 8, X, XR, XS, 11, 11Pro; iOS 12 or 13, AppleID. An iPad is helpful for editing. This is NOT a beginner photography seminar. We continue socializing at lunch after session. Rancho Cordova Library is located at 9845 Folsom Blvd. (between Bradshaw and Mather Field Road). Sessions: 4 classroom with 2 local photowalks. All enrollees go to WAITLIST and will be contacted by instructor to check prerequisites mentioned above.

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Do take time to view our past online galleries.

How far we've come

This seminar was first offered during the Spring 2017 semester and our photographers had iPhone 5, 6 and 7 running iOS 9 and 10. As we start our seventh semester our photographers will be using iPhone 8 and later and iOS 12 and 13. One of the key features in our seminar is using a Shared Album to upload our creations, get feedback and be inspired to go further with our apps.