Photo Gear

One question I get repeatedly when giving presentations to photographers is whether you should abandon Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or some other photo processing software in favor of Adobe Lightroom. The short answer is most definitely. Now let me tell you why.

Comparing Lightroom to Photoshop (or Elements) is really comparing apples to oranges. Photoshop was designed as a general purpose graphics application. It is used by designers, illustrators, scientists, publishers, digital artists, and photographers. Because of its widespread use, it caters to none of these groups, and includes a huge range of features and options that are usually daunting to a photographer wanting to process and edit his/her images. Now this is not to say that it is not useful and immensely powerful, and it probably does belong in the arsenal of any serious photographer. But I recommend Lightroom as the core application for your digital photography.

Lightroom was designed from the ground up with a single purpose – provide one application that functions as the modern digital darkroom. All of its features are targeted at the digital photographer, and as such provides a complete workflow from capture to print. And because Lightroom also works with psd, tiff, and jpeg files, you can work with all of your older images that may have been scanned or processed with another application.

My experience as an instructor is that the vast majority of photographers at all levels need to simplify their workflow, and focus more on the creative side of post processing. It should be fun and enjoyable, not frustrating and something to be approached with negativity. I think Lightroom helps in this regard, and allows you think like a photographer, not like an engineer. Plus there are many great plugins that provide enhanced editing features that were previously only available in Photoshop. This keeps your workflow much simpler. Here are a few of my favorites:

In short, use Lightroom as the command center of your digital worlkflow, and Photoshop as a powerful, but specialized tool that can be called upon only when you need the extra horsepower. As Lightroom matures and adds more specialized features, my trips to Photoshop are becoming fewer and fewer.

For those who suggest that Adobe’s Bridge application offers the same benefits as Lightroom, that is correct to a degree. But here are a few specific Lightroom advantages:

  • Much better database functionality – try accessing 20,000 images in Bridge the way you can bring them up in Lightroom with virtually no delay.
  • Intuitive before/after views for comparing your adjustments easily
  • New Book and Map modules
  • Vastly superior printing workflow – this alone is worth it, even if no other benefits existed
  • Off-line access to image library – means you can still access your images even if the original RAW files are on external drives not connected or available – great for travel.

Finally, this is my perspective and based on my particular workflow and processing needs as a fine art photographer. If you’re in advertising or commercial photography, then your needs may require heavy Photoshop use. That’s not my situation, so I would rather spend as much time making images rather than behind my monitor pushing pixels. I think Lightroom helps me do just that. Find what works best for you.

Which do you prefer? Still have questions? Please let me know!

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Mobile devices have really changed how outdoor photographers research and scout locations, use their gear, and run their businesses. I’ve been using an iPhone and iPad for a few years, so a post about my favorite apps is long overdue. I’m going to start with the iPhone in this post, and cover the iPad in the next.

Because I almost always have my iPhone with me, it has become a crucial field device in my landscape photography. I use apps that help me scout locations, calculate exposure times, predict weather and solar events, and track my gps coordinates.

I choose apps based on 3 criteria:

  • have clean and intuitive user interfaces (no fumbling through confusing menus)
  • operate efficiently (give me the data I want when I want it, which is usually right away!)
  • are truly useful (no time wasters or bloated features)

I don’t mind paying more for an app I find useful and adds to my creative work, so I’m not using price as a criteria here. Value is what its all about for me.

So based on that, here are my favorite apps in no particular order.

  • Focalware – simple app that provides direction and elevation of sunlight at any time, plus sunrise / sunset times. There are many apps that do this, but for me this one just works.
 
  • MyCast – my go-to weather app with good graphics and detailed forecast info
  • Aye Tides – a must have app if you want to keep track of tidal changes (probably my most used app when I’m photographing the Hudson River or along coast lines)

  • TrueDof-Pro – crucial for determining proper hyperfocal distance, easy to use, and invaluable for landscape and nature photography.
  • PhotoBuddy – a really great general purpose app for photographers, extremely versatile, the first I ever purchased. These days I mostly use it for calulationg exposure times when using different ND filters, and its ease of use keeps me from looking for dedicated alternatives. If I could only have one app, this would be the one.
  • Viewfinder Pro- ingenious app that provides a digital viewfinder for determining which focal length you need for a particular composition. For example, in the screenshot below showing my desired composition, I would need a 70mm focal length using my Canon 1DS Mk III. Great way to train your eye and save time when choosing lenses.
  • GPS Kit – the best GPS app I’ve used for mapping and tracking routes, locations, and interesting data that can be used for sharing with others.
  • Photographer’s Ephemeris – another fantastic app for tracking the direction of the sun and moon, plus uses google maps for great looking and visual user interface. I still prefer Focalware when I’m out in the field and need a quick reading, but if you have a good internet connection, PE is awesome. Highly recommended.

One quick note is that many of these apps will deplete your battery faster when in use, so I carry and recommend an extra power source for your iPhone. I really like the Trent iMirror battery pack which allows you to charge the phone while in the field. If you prefer a case with built-in battery, then the Mophie Juice Pack works great as well and adds that extra protection for outdoor activities.

If you have any apps that you use and recommend, please let me know in the comments below. I’m always on the lookout for great apps, and would love to hear your recommendations. Thanks for reading!

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For those who have never heard of Magic Lantern, it is an open source firmware “hack” that can be installed on most Canon DSLR’s that significantly enhances the capabilities of the camera. It’s been developed by a small group of enthusiast film makers and software engineers that wanted to add and enhance the capabilities of Canon bodies that are already present in the hardware, but limited by the Canon firmware. This firmware resides inside the camera and controls such things as the menus, ISO capabilities, filmrate for video, etc.

Now I’m hesitant to use the word “hack” since it has some negative connotations, so let me explain what it means exactly. It is a software only modification that actually runs from the memory card and is loaded into the camera when it is turned on. It does not modify any hardware components, and can easily be removed by simply using a regular memory card that is blank. It’s as simple as that, and I’ve been using the ML software on my Canon 60D for over a year now without any issues whatsoever.

After a long development period, ML has finally released a new significant update that I think is worth considering if you use a Canon body. Their website says:

“Magic Lantern v2.3 represents an important milestone – professionals from all around the world are already trusting it for their paid work. We can safely say it’s no longer a hack, but it’s strongly heading towards a solid piece of engineering that you can trust. We have worked a lot on bug-fixing and usability improvements and we sincerely hope you will find it a great companion for all your shooting sessions – from hobbyist to professional.”

So why use ML on your Canon DSLR? Well here are a few benefits that I use regularly:

  • Built-in intervalometer – eliminates having to purchase an external unit from Canon
  • Automatic HDR bracketing – great for HDR photography AND video
  • Advanced ISO control – more options and control over ISO settings which can improve image quality
  • Zebra focusing – if you shoot video, great feature which makes it much easier to lock focus

These are just a few of the many options that can be adjusted, but these alone are great for me. If you think these might be useful for you, check out their website and give the software a try. I just love the idea of getting more out of the hardware I already paid for. There is a great online user guide, a PDF user manual (it’s also built into the software so you can read in-camera), and many video tutorials showing how others are using it for their work.

The current latest release is free, but they are asking for a small donation for 3 weeks to cover the costs of development. After 3 weeks, it will be free to download and try. Of course with any “hack” there is the possibility of damaging your camera, but I have never had issues nor heard of anyone else damaging their camera – and their is a very large use base.

Any questions or feedback, let me know.

 

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A Look At The Hardware In My Photography Studio

June 11, 2012 General

I’m often asked about the equipment setup in my studio, and how I use it all together to run my business. This includes computers, applications, backup hardware and strategies, printers, network configuration, and everything else I use on a regular basis. This doesn’t only include processing and printing, and framing, but also marketing, writing, teaching […]

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Visually Managing Your Data With DaisyDisk

April 6, 2012 Photo Gear

Here’s my system drive showing where most of my largest files are – my Home folder. One of the challenges of digital photography and computers in general is storage – you never seem to have enough of it. Applications are getting bigger, photo and video files take up huge amounts of space, and we’re generating […]

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Questions on UV Filters and Long Lenses

March 29, 2012 Craft

I received the following two questions from a loyal reader, so I thought they would make a great post and hopefully be useful and informative for all of you who read the blog. 1. Do you use “protective” filters on your lenses — like the UV filters?  In general I prefer not to use protective filters […]

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