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World’s largest wet collodion plate created in abandoned house converted into a camera

While the rest of the world has been concentrating on making cameras smaller and lighter photographer Ian Ruhter was making one literally the size of a house in order to make the world’s largest wet collodion plate. Ian and his team sealed up an abandoned house in California and mounted a lens in the wall to create a massive camera. The camera was used to produce a portrait of a 100-year-old local resident on a sheet of glass measuring 66×90 inches.

The scale of the camera is one thing, and the size of the finished image is another, but what is most remarkable is that the team used a process that requires the glass plate to be coated with a solution of collodion poured from a jug right before the picture was taken.

The house selected was an abandoned ruin in an area called Bombay Beach, and the living room was used to form the camera. A giant hole for the lens was cut into the side of the house projected the image of the outside world into the room, and onto the massive sheet of glass for a ten second exposure.

The team made a fascinating documentary about the process that shows the project from start to finish and the thinking behind it. More of the team’s old-process adventures can be seen on the Silver and Light Vimeo channel.

Video description:

“While working with wet plate collodion Ruhter came up with an idea to show the world the beauty of these objects in a size that was deemed impossible. This led him and the Silver & Light Team to a forgotten town on the edge of the Salton Sea called Bombay Beach, located in California’s Imperial Valley. The idea was to create a camera out of an abandoned house. The structure would serve as the framework for the camera. Instead of focusing on the decay from the outside, this house camera allowed a view from the inside into someone’s dream.

Once the giant lens was placed on the front of the house, images of Ted, a 100 year old resident who recently found himself homeless, were projected in, breathing new life into this abandoned structure and once again making it a home. During this brief moment in time when Ted’s photograph was captured, he was present in both places. In reality, he was homeless in the outside world. However, the projected image simultaneously allowed him to be sitting in the living room where he was once again home. because the surface of the plate is highly reflective the life sized plate serves as a mirror, allowing one to reflect upon where they will be in the twilight of their life.

Ten seconds of this dream were recorded on a 200 pound sheet of glass coated with collodion. The result was a 66”x 90” Ambrotype, which is recognized as the world’s largest wet plate collodion image.”

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018
Gear Review: The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera

The post Gear Review: The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by David Shaw.

The Lumix G9 – a 20.3mp, micro 4/3rds, mirrorless camera.

When I bought my first full-frame DSLR many years ago (an original Canon 5D), I thought I’d discovered the pinnacle of camera technology. Because a bigger sensor is better right?

Well, not necessarily.

Sensor sizes are like film sizes- they are different formats, not different quality. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and some will fit your needs while some won’t.

Flying in small planes is how I reach many of my photo locations. A light camera system is vital.

The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera

Bigger sensors, for all their benefits, also mean bulkier and heavier lenses. A smaller sensor, such as the micro 4/3rds system, is compact, and light. That’s why, as an outdoor pro who specializes in shooting in remote areas, I’ve recently begun shooting the Lumix m4/3rds system. Specifically, my primary camera is now the Lumix G9 mirrorless camera, the flagship of Lumix still cameras.

Body Quality

The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera from the top.

The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera is of a similar size to other pro-level mirrorless camera bodies. For me, this is the appropriate size. If the body were much smaller the controls would become too small and cumbersome for rapid use in the field, and impossible while wearing gloves. The G9, in my opinion, is a good compromise between size and functionality.

The build is sturdy with a die-cast magnesium chassis and is environmentally sealed. A textured rubber coating covers most of the body providing a confident grip, even when wet. The body weighs in 658g, more or less typical of this size mirrorless camera. I’ve used mine in temperatures varying from -25F, to +100F in the snow, rain, and salt spray. I’ve banged it around inside bush planes, safari vehicles, rafts, and canoes, and have yet to have an issue with durability.

Bush planes. I’ve gotten used to flying in them, but I never get tired of photographing them. (De Havilland Otter reflected in an Alaskan lake).

Sensor

The 20.3mp micro four-thirds sensor has an excellent dynamic range for a sensor of this size and extremely low noise below about 1600 ISO. At higher ISOs, the noise does increase noticeably, which is a drawback for night photography. However, the files can handle substantial pushes in post-processing. Adding two or even three stops of light seems to have little impact on image quality.

Stabilization

Handheld, at 1/15th second. Easy.

Lumix advertises a whopping 6.5 stops of stabilization built into the camera; a system that works seamlessly with lens-integrated stabilization. This impressive number isn’t just marketing hyperbole. I’ve found I can handhold images, even while using a long lens, to speeds as low as 1/8th of a second. Blurred water shots no longer require a tripod and video capture is smooth and almost vibration free. This is unquestionably the best camera I’ve ever used when it comes to image stabilization.

Still Photography Performance

Frame Rate

Mirrorless cameras are not subject to the same limitations of shutter speeds as their DSLR counterparts. The electronic shutter of the Lumix G9 reaches a whopping 20 frames per second, far more than is needed except in all but the most extreme, fast-paced shooting situations. Even when using the standard frame rate, it still manages 9 frames per second, which is competitive with just about any camera on the market.

At 20fps in the high burst mode, or 9fps in regular, the G9 makes quick work of moving subjects.

Autofocus

The autofocus is perhaps the one point, where the G9 does fall a bit short of high-end DSLRs. Lumix has applied a contrast detection system combined with Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus technology (DFD). In bright conditions with few obstacles, I found the autofocus to be exceptionally fast with a high hit rate. However, in tangled environments, or in low light, it occasionally struggles to grab my subject.

The DFD system is an active autofocus that perpetually pushes and pulls the focus just a hair back and forth as it determines the focus point. It’s fast, but slightly distracting and often lead me to think that the camera hadn’t settled on my subject. It had, and the resulting images show a high hit rate, but the constant push-pull is a bit distracting.

Image Quality

While overall image quality is excellent, night photography is the one place where the G9 falls short. This image, captured at ISO 3200, required substantial noise reduction.

In most lighting situations, the 20.3mp images are excellent. RAW format files have a competitive dynamic range which allows substantial pushing of exposure in post-processing. If you are jpeg shooter, the camera exports colorful, but not unnatural files ready for sharing on social media. I like the jpeg outputs so much that I’ve set the camera to write both small jpegs and RAW files which allows for quick shares without post-processing.

Contrasting the previous image, this image captured at 800 ISO is nearly clean and required no noise reduction, despite the dim conditions. There seems to be a big reduction in image quality between ISO1600 and ISO 3200.

High contrast scenes like this, the G9 handles admirably well.

High-Resolution Images

One of my favorite features of the Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera is the high-resolution setting. The 20.3mp sensor is plenty for general use, however, as a landscape photographer, I often desire files that can be printed very large. The high-resolution image setting on the G9 takes 8 images in a row, each offset by 1/2 pixel. This produces a final file that is over 80 megapixels! For best results, a tripod is required, but for landscape work, I’m almost always using one anyway. The quality of the final image is, quite frankly, amazing.

This image was captured using the high-resolution setting on the Lumix G9. The original file is a whopping 10368x7776px.

The above image, cropped nearly in half, is still enormous by almost any standard.

Features

WIFI

Wifi connectivity when combined with Lumix’s intuitive app for phone or tablet, allows quick exporting of files for sharing from the field. Additionally, the app allows full remote operation of the camera. Once your image is composed, you can use the app to adjust exposure, aperture, shutter speed or ISO, then click the shutter from a 100m away.

Customization

With a wide variety of lenses in the Lumix (and Olympus) lines. There is no shortage of options for all kinds of photography from wildlife to portraits and landscapes.

Advanced shooters will appreciate the extensive customization options on the G9. You can program in multiple preset modes, accessible from the main function dial atop the camera. But I’ve come to like even more, a separate switch on the front of the camera at the lower left, which allows you to switch between two types of shooting modes. I have one set for my standard landscape settings, and one to my favorites for wildlife. With a quick flick of a finger, I can move back and forth between the two as my shooting situation changes. Nifty.

Video

Lumix has always been associated with video capture, even more than still photography. And while the G9 was definitely designed with still images in mind, it has inherited many video features of the other Lumix cameras. 4k video capture up to 60fps is possible with the G9, something few other still cameras can achieve. With the excellent integrated stabilization, high-quality video is a breeze. As many of my clients are now requesting video clips in addition to stills, the excellent moving image capture of the G9 means I no longer have to carry a second, video-specific camera when I’m shooting on assignment. For a still shooter who likes to capture some video or a film-maker who also wants high-quality stills, the G9 may be the perfect compromise.

From the back, the camera’s controls are straight forward.

But What’s it Like to Use?

All the tech specs in the world won’t tell you what it actually feels like to use the camera. And in that case, I think the Lumix has really won the race. The controls are intuitive, with buttons conveniently located and ergonomics that allow you to determine buttons easily by feel, and without searching around. I moved from Canon to Lumix and found it didn’t take long to feel at home from the new system. I also shoot a Sony mirrorless, and moving back and forth between the two is not challenging.

It was intermittently snowing hard and blowing cold wind when I made this image in Alaska’s western Arctic. The G9 handled the conditions without issue.

But it’s in the field that I really love the Lumix G9. The m4/3rd system means that not only the sensor is smaller, but the lenses too. Everything is much smaller and compact, even with fast, high-end lenses. My kit has shrunk substantially with my switch to Lumix. While full-frame mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter than pro-level DSLRs, the lenses are not, which puts a limiter on how much weight and space you can really save by switching to full-frame mirrorless. With micro 4/3rds however, everything is smaller.

As a wilderness photographer, this is a HUGE advantage for me. I can carry a body and multiple lenses for the same weight and size as a single DSLR and mid-range zoom lens. I can’t tell you how much this has meant to me on the many occasions I’ve had to weigh out every ounce to make my kit fit in a bush plane. Size matters to a backcountry photographer, and when it comes to cameras, smaller is better.

A Note on Lenses

While this isn’t a review of the Lumix lenses, I do want to offer a quick hat-tip to the Lumix-Leica lens systems. The glass is compact, light, and extremely sharp. The Leica glass elements are impeccable, and while not cheap, the sharpness is in every way comparable to the best Nikon, Canon, and Sony lenses. Secondarily, the m4/3rds lenses are compatible across brands meaning that Olympus equipment works seamlessly on Lumix bodies. (My current long lens is the Olympus 300mm f4 PRO, and it works perfectly on the G9).

Final Thoughts

Lumix has been a go-to manufacturer for videographers and film-makers looking for a compact, high-quality system for many years, while Olympus has led the m4/3rds still photography market. That has all changed with the Lumix G9. While I look forward to a few improvements in the next generation, the G9 has almost everything a serious photographer could want: great image quality, excellent choices in lenses, ability to shoot 4k video, abundant customization options, and intuitive controls.

It looks like the Lumix system has found a permanent place in my camera bag.

Have you used the Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

The post Gear Review: The Lumix G9 Mirrorless Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by David Shaw.

Digital Photography School

November 29, 2018

Anaiyyun: Prayer for the Whale: An interview with Kiliii Yuyan

Filmmaker Kiliii Yuyan has been a friend of DPReview’s for several years. He spoke at our PIX2015 event in Seattle and joined us later that same year in what was then called Barrow, Alaska (now known as Utqia?vik) for a long-form video shoot.

Since then, Kiliii has returned to Alaska several times, working with the people and communities of the north slope, and his new film, ‘Anaiyyun: Prayer for the Whale’ premiered earlier this year at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Anaiyyun: Prayer for the Whale is a short documentary film that tells the story of an Iñupiaq whaling crew in northern Alaska.

Since its premier at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) in spring, Anaiyyun has been shown all over the world, and is currently being featured in the National Geographic Short Films Showcase. We caught up with Kiliii recently, and asked him to explain more about the project.

What’s the new film about?

It’s focused on the spirituality of whaling. It’s intended to give you the perspective of the people up there and a sense of how very different the world of the whaler is, and how different the culture is. To put you on the ice, and let you absorb the beauty of the arctic. I like to say that being on the sea ice is a bit like being on the open ocean. There are long interminable stretches of boredom and silence, quiet. It’s very peaceful but those moments are punctuated with moments of sheer terror.

On the Arctic Ocean, Iñupiat paddle their umiaq skinboat. Spring whaling by umiaq is made possible by the shorefast sea ice. As the sea ice gets thinner each spring from a warming climate, traditional whaling becomes increasingly challenging.

That’s how the film is, too. There’s a lot of quiet observation, time just being there, but it’s broken up by moments where the sea ice collapses, and polar bears appear. I really wanted to do something experimental and introduce the indigenous perspective. It’s not a typical Hollywood-style structure. It puts you on the ice, and puts whaling into context inside that culture.

This is the latest piece that’s come out of a long-term relationship you’ve been cultivating with the communities of the North Slope in Alaska. How did it all begin?

Well if I remember rightly, you asked me to join you on a video shoot up there a few years ago! But the reason I wanted to go there is that it’s the only place where skin on frame boats are still being used, outside of Greenland. And the Iñupiat are a role model culture for northern indigenous peoples. People look at the Iñupiat like ‘how did they do it? How did they keep their culture so traditional yet have so much prosperity?’ They’re more isolated than most places, but there are many places just as remote which haven’t done as well for themselves.

The Iñupiat haven’t avoided modernity at all – they’ve embraced it

I originally went there thinking that the culture was so traditional because the people had somehow magically avoided modernity. But over time what I’ve discovered is that they haven’t avoided modernity at all – they’ve embraced it. But because they were smart, they managed to keep their culture and its traditions alive by placing a lot of importance on them, and reintroducing it into their education system.

It’s hard to think about all those things when you can’t eat. When there’s no food on the table, and the ice is getting thin and the whales are leaving and there are all these massive changes. It’s hard to hold on. They do it by embracing modernity in a smart way, and as a result they’ve retained one of the most beautiful cultures on the planet while still being successful. Despite the fact that Christianity has changed the Iñupiaq culture probably more than anything, the idea of the gift of the whale is old. Much much older than Christianity, right back to the shamanistic tradition, and it’s still alive.

Kiliii Yuyan is an indigenous Nanai/Hézhè photographer and journalist, based in Seattle.

His clients include The Nature Conservancy and National Geographic.

Are you hoping to change the way that outsiders think about that culture, and the culture of whaling?

This isn’t a political film. My intent is to give people the indigenous perspective. It’s fine to have films that are overtly political, but the thing that’s often missing is the indigenous viewpoint. Because the population is so low, indigenous peoples in the US and Canada just don’t have much of a voice. For the most part, stories told about indigenous peoples are told by colonizers, not by those who have been colonized, and you can really see the difference.

I’ve shown this film to people who have spent a lot of time either with me on the North Slope or people who’ve been around the Iñupiaq culture a lot and they get it – it makes sense to them. But then I’ll show it to someone who is used to seeing western films and they find it harder to watch because it doesn’t follow the standard format.

I hope that outsiders who watch this film will understand that there is no single right way to live.

At Nalukataq, the summer whaling festival, the village comes out to celebrate a successful whaling season and to give thanks to the whale for its gift. Here, successful whalers must do the blanket toss. They are thrown up to thirty feet in the air, and depend on everyone’s hands to land safely.

You’ve said that the communities of the North Slope are at ground zero for climate change – how is that affecting them?

Well, the truth is they’re figuring it out. The Iñupiat have a lot of agency, they’re an extremely competent people, and Alaska has the kind of legal structure where hopefully they’ll be able to mitigate a lot of the problems. The Yup’ik communities on the west coast of Alaska are not so lucky— they are not as economically prosperous.

With a film like this it’s easy to fall into the romanticism of the Arctic

What kind of feedback have you had from those communities?

The highest praise I’ve received so far was having an Inuk look at it and tell me that his kids need to see it. With a film like this it’s easy to fall into the romanticism of the Arctic, but when I’ve shown it to locals who grew up with this stuff and it’s their everyday, that kind of feedback means a lot.

My hope is that the young people of those indigenous communities will be able to see the film and take inspiration from it.

Watch Kiliii’s talk, ‘Living Wild’ at PIX2015

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018

CyberLink launches subscription-based PhotoDirector 365 with premium add-ons

CyberLink has launched PhotoDirector 365, a new Windows program that is effectively a subscription version of the company’s PhotoDirector Ultra image editing software. The new option provides customers with unlimited access to the software’s premium add-ons, new style packs that are released quarterly, templates, and all new feature updates as they become available.

PhotoDirector 365 includes the new features found in PhotoDirector 10 Ultra, including AI Style Effects and tethered shooting. Other PhotoDirector tools, such as Layer Packs, Keystone Correction, and HDR, are also available. With the addition of all the add-ons, CyberLink says PhotoDirector 365 subscribers get access to “hundreds of dollars’ worth of unique tools” over time.

Whereas PhotoDirector 10 costs $ 99.99 USD for new customers to purchase, PhotoDirector 365 is available with a monthly cost of $ 14.99 USD, a quarterly cost of $ 29.99, or an annual cost of $ 54.99, depending on which plan the customer signs up for. PhotoDirector 365 joins CyberLink’s Director Suite 365, which bundles PhotoDirector with three of the company’s other software products for an annual cost of $ 129.99 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018
COOPH photo vest features smartphone-controlled heating system

If you appreciate the practicality of a photo vest but aren’t really into the beige or khaki safari design of most traditional models, the new COOPH photo vest might be worth a closer look.

The vest features a more modern reversible padded design and comes in several color options. There are plenty of storage options for gear, accessories and smaller lenses. COOPH also says the vest is easy to fold and carry when not worn. The outer material is a rip-stop fabric and sheep wool is used for insulation.

Despite the attractive design touches, the vest’s real highlight feature is smartphone controlled built-in heating. The optional THERM-IC Heating System warms the hand pockets and heats kidney, back and stomach regions.

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It is compatible with any 5V USB power bank and can be used as a simple “dumb” heating system. However, if you add the THERM-IC bluetooth dongle into the mix, it becomes smartphone-controllable. A dedicated app lets you control the temperature and a motion control mode provides more heat when you are static and reduces power while you are moving. An eco mode delivers a constant level of heat for best energy efficiency.

COOPH claims an approximate five hours runtime with its own THERM-IC 5200 mAh battery. Vest and heating system (including battery and dongle) are available as a bundle for approximately $ 440 (389 Euros). More information can be found on the COOPH website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018
Samyang announces 35mm F1.2 ‘XPert’ lens for EF mount cameras, due out in January

Product photo provided by Samyang

Third-party lens manufacturer Samyang has discreetly announced its new XP 35mm F1.2 manual focus lens for Canon EF mount cameras.

The XP 35mm F1.2 lens joins Samyang’s XP 14mm F2.4, XP 50mm F1.2 and XP 85mm F1.2 lenses to round out its ‘XPert’ lens lineup.

Samyang claims it’s built with 50 megapixel photos and 8K video in mind. It’s constructed of 12 elements in 10 groups and includes one extra-low dispersion, two aspherical and three high refractive elements.

The lens offers an aperture range of F1.2 to F16 and features a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. The front filter thread measures in at 86mm and the minimum focusing distance is 0.34m/1.115ft. The lens weighs 1,106g/2.2lbs.

The Samyang XP 35mm F1.2 lens for Canon EF mount lens is set to ship in January 2019 with a suggested retail price of $ 999 USD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018
10 Key Tools for Editing Portraits Using Adobe Lightroom Mobile

Photo: Jye B

As humans, we relate to and love to capture photos of other people. Be it family, friends, strangers in street photography or professionally in a portrait studio.

Model/Actor: Patrick Walsh, Jr.

However, we don’t always have time to sit in front of a computer at home or in an office to edit our work. With the fantastic creation of Adobe Creative Cloud, you can now sync your Lightroom library to all your devices. You can create and edit images directly on your mobile phone or edit images created in any fashion, including in a studio. You can edit them in Lightroom Mobile on the go via laptop, tablet or smartphone.

While editing portraits, Lightroom Mobile, like its desktop counterpart, has many tools available to help take a snapshot of a great portrait. While it is helpful to explore every tool in the toolbox, here are ten key tools for editing portraits using Adobe Lightroom Mobile.

1. The Exposure Tool

Whether it’s midday outdoors and your image is a little overexposed or its a bit overcast and your image is a little underexposed, the exposure tool in the Lightroom Mobile app is a quick fix to brighten or darken a photo to your liking arbitrarily. In the image below, the mirror image of my subject was a little bit dark, so I bumped up the exposure just a little. Doing so lightened some of the shadows in the subjects sunglasses so that you could see his eyes better. It also helped to show more detail in the black coat.

In this case, bumping up the exposure helped bring out details.

2. The Contrast Tool

Adding contrast to an image creates more emphasis between light and dark colors in an image. However, sometimes contrast needs to be subtracted because too much can make similar tones can blend and lose definition. In the image below, I lowered the contrast to enhance the detail in my subject’s coat. Adding exposure in the first step brightened the subject as well as the mirror image. Although, it brightened the subject a little too much. I also dropped the highlights to put less focus on the brightest parts of the subject’s face.

Taking away contrast can show more detail. Taking away highlights can lessen the glare.

3. The Shadows Tool

You can utilize the ‘Shadows’ tool when sculpting to a face or body is required, or you can remove them to show more detail. In the image below, while I did bump up the exposure a little bit, I also took away shadow to show more of my subject’s eyes through the sunglasses. You can now see the irises and catchlights in the eyes. It has also lightened some of the lines on the face too.

Removing shadow can sometimes reveal more detail.

4. The Healing Tool

One of the most amazing Lightroom Mobile tools recently introduced is the ‘Healing’ tool. This tool allows you to correct things on portraits such as blemishes. In the image below, I tried to preserve the model’s natural moles and birthmarks while only removing unwanted blemishes using the Healing brush.

Before and after images using the Healing Brush in Lightroom Mobile.

5. The White Balance Tool

Sometimes you may capture an image where the white balance is a bit off. It could be too warm or too cold. The ‘Temperature’ slider under the ‘Color’ tab for ‘White Balance’ allows you to cool or warm an image. The below-left image was too cold, and the skin appeared gray. So, I boosted the warmth using the Color Temperature slider from 4400K to 4768K, giving a more natural color to the skin.

You can cool or warm an image using the ‘Temperature’ slider for ‘White Balance’ under the ‘Color’ tab.

6. The Clarity Tool

The ‘Clarity’ tool has a very magical effect when it comes to editing portraits – especially of women. If you have a portrait with harsh shine on the skin or the pores are extremely visible, softening the ‘Clarity’ helps to blur out some of those imperfections subtly. It can make skin appear smoother, as in the image below.

Softening Clarity can subtly blur out some imperfections and make skin appear smoother.

7. The Sharpening Tool

In portraiture, a sharp image is key. An essential portrait element to be sharp is the eyes, or at least the eye closest to the camera. Sometimes you may need to sharpen your image in Lightroom Mobile to achieve this.

Sometimes sharpening is necessary to get key features, like the eyes, crisper.

8. The Noise Reduction Tool

After sharpening, zoom in to check for unwanted noise in your image. If there is unwanted noise, Lightroom Mobile has an entire ‘Noise Reduction’ section under the ‘Effects’ tab that you can use to minimize noise in your portraits. The Noise Reduction tool is also helpful in smoothing out any highlighted rough skin.

The Noise Reduction tab helps get rid of noise and smooth out the rough skin under highlights.

9. The Presets Tool

The ‘Presets’ tab is a fun tab. There are several sub-menus under Presets with a variety of readymade one-click settings you can quickly apply to your portraits. As examples, I chose two from the ‘Creative’ sub-menu under Presets to apply to the original image below-left.

Left to right: Original image, Soft Mist, Aged Photo.

10. The Crop Tool

The last tool you may find you need while editing on-the-go is the ‘Crop’ tool. Sometimes we have too much in an image, whether by accident or on purpose, knowing we can edit it later. Lightroom Mobile allows you to select the area of an image you wish to keep. Using your fingers, you can drag the borders to where you want them placed, as per the image below.

Using Lightroom Mobile, drag borders with your fingers and click the checkmark to finished when cropping images.

Tying It All Together

Lightroom Mobile grants photographers many tools to edit on-the-go. You can take a regular capture and make it an extraordinary image. Take a few images, use the various tools of Lightroom Mobile, and learn how they can be adjusted more toward your vision. You’ll find the convenience of Lightroom Mobile second-to-none, with results being similar to those of a desktop computer.

Have you used Adobe Lightroom Mobile? What are your experiences with it? Let us know in the comments below.

The post 10 Key Tools for Editing Portraits Using Adobe Lightroom Mobile appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

November 29, 2018
DJI announces the Osmo Pocket, ‘the world’s smallest 3-axis gimbal’ that shoots 4K60p video
DJI has announced the DJI Osmo Pocket, the world’s smallest three-axis stabilized camera system.

The Osmo Pocket features a 1/2.3″ sensor that captures 12-megapixel photographs and 4K60p video at 100Mbps. It also captures slow-motion footage at 120 fps when shooting 1080p. Audio is recorded with two buiilt-in microphones (one on the bottom of the camera and one on the rear of the camera) that feature noise-cancelling technology for reducing unwanted background noise.

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To compose shots, review media, navigate the menu, and select the various shooting modes DJI included a 1″ integrated touchscreen onboard the Osmo Pocket. The integrated shooting modes include ActiveTrack, which tracks a subject within the frame; FaceTrack, a more advanced version of ActiveTrack that will follow a particularly persons face when visible; Timelapse & Motionlapse, modes that speed up time and integrate motion into timelapse videos; FPV Mode, a locked shooting mode that follows the movement of the users hand while keeping the footage steady; and Panorama modes, which enables the capture of multiple images for stitching together in post-production.

For times when the onboard screen isn’t enough — and to unlock a slew of other features — users can also attach a mobile device using the onboard USB Type-C port. Using the included adapters, Android and iOS mobile devices can be connected to the DJI Osmo and operated with the dedicated DJI Mimo app. In addition to live-view and image review, DJI Mimo also adds Story Mode and Pro mode.

Story Mode simplifies the entire video creation process by offering ten templates that automatically control the camera movement and include music, transitions and color grading presets in post-production. After shooting is finished, the DJI Mimo app constructs an entire video that’s ready to share.

Pro Mode, which is available on numerous other DJI products, gives complete control of almost every camera setting imaginable. As its name suggest, it’s oriented more towards professionals, but when auto modes just aren’t enough, Pro Mode is there to fill in the gaps.

The DJI Osmo Pocket battery life is rated for two hours when shooting 4K30p video. The battery is built-in, so there’s no swapping out batteries on the fly, but it’s possible to charge on-the-go with an external battery pack.

DJI has also announced a range of nine accessories for the Osmo Pocket to expand creative possibilities, including an accessory mount, wireless module, controller wheel, expansion kit, ND filter set, waterproof case, extension rod, charging case, and a 3.5mm adapter.

The DJI Osmo Pocket retails for $ 349 and is available for pre-order at DJI.com and through other DJI Authorized Retailers, including B&H.
Capture Life’s Moments With Ease Using The DJI Osmo Pocket Stabilized Camera

The world’s smallest three-axis stabilized camera is made for your travels, family events and adventures

November 28, 2018 – DJI, the world’s leader in creative camera technology, today announced Osmo Pocket, a highly compact three-axis stabilized camera created for everyone. Designed to be incredibly easy to use, Osmo Pocket offers a host of intelligent features to help capture creative videos and photographs in a portable form factor.

“Innovation is at the heart of every product we create and DJI Osmo Pocket is here to change the way photos and videos are captured, not just by professionals but by parents, couples, adventurers, travelers, and everyone in between,” said Roger Luo, President at DJI. “Osmo Pocket is a portable personal camera crew and we can’t wait to see how people use it to capture their stories and share them with the world.”

Small yet powerful

At just over 4 inches tall, Osmo Pocket is DJI’s smallest three-axis stabilized camera. It redefines DJI’s family of handheld gimbals offering features never before seen in a product this compact. A 1/2.3-inch sensor records 12-megapixel photographs and 4K video up to 60fps at 100Mbps in stunning detail. Osmo Pocket also uses built-in dual microphones and advanced noise-canceling algorithms to ensure you capture high quality audio to match your footage. Furthermore, a battery life of up to two hours shooting video in 4K, 30fps means you can always rely on Osmo Pocket to capture your story no matter where you are at the very best quality.

Smooth, stable video

Building on DJI’s experience creating gimbal technology, Osmo Pocket helps capture stable video for all of life’s moments. The state-of-the-art three-axis mechanical gimbal compensates for movements and smooths these motions so you can focus on composition and subject matter. Whether you are taking videos of your vacation or documenting special holiday moments, Osmo Pocket helps ensure your video comes out smooth.

Simple and smart

Designed with ease of use in mind, Osmo Pocket doesn’t just let anyone shoot cinematic footage; it empowers creativity. The gimbal camera uses a 1-inch integrated touch screen that provides a high quality live view as well as the ability to toggle through the various shooting modes, adjust settings, review footage and gain access to a full suite of creative features including:
- ActiveTrack- DJI’s image recognition algorithms allow Osmo Pocket to recognize and follow subjects of your choice, perfect for capturing family moments easily with the tap of your finger.
- FaceTrack– FaceTrack takes ActiveTrack one step further. With enhanced ActiveTrack algorithms, FaceTrack automatically recognizes a human face and locks the subject in center of the frame at all times. It does not identify individual faces, but keeps the camera centered on one. To initiate FaceTrack, simply select selfie mode and the camera will detect your face.
- Timelapse & Motionlapse– If you’re looking to turn minutes into seconds, Timelapse is perfect for capturing unique content with the effect of the world moving faster around you, while Motionlapse adds the dynamic element of camera movement to your Timelapse.
- FPV Mode– FPV Mode lets you capture your greatest adventures by recording video from your perspective. Instead of locking the gimbal to maintain the horizon, FPV tells the camera to follow your every tilt and lean, shooting dynamic footage exactly as you experienced it.
- 3×3 & 180° Panorama– For capturing breathtaking wide-angle photos, Osmo Pocket offers two Panorama modes. 3X3 takes an expansive 9 images in total while 180° mode captures 4 images. Osmo Pocket software stitches them together automatically so you can focus on the framing of the scene.
Unlock the full power of Osmo Pocket

A universal port under the touchscreen allows users to connect their mobile devices that use iOS Lightning or USB-C. Upon connection, the new dedicated DJI Mimo app will automatically open and serves as a monitor, while in-app menu offers a variety of intelligent features and recording modes:
- Story Mode – Bring creative editing to your video with a host of preset music, video transitions and coloring. Choose one of 10 fun templates and Mimo will handle the camera movement for you. After finishing, Mimo automatically generates your very own short story, ready to be shared.
- Pro Mode – If you want even more control over your content, “Pro mode” gives you access to camera setting adjustments and exposure settings to let you create exactly how you want, from rich video in bright conditions to a perfect handheld long exposure photo at night. Whatever you want to shoot, Osmo Pocket and DJI Mimo let you explore and expand your creativity. Osmo Pocket automatically detects and illuminates low-lit scenes into bright photos. This helps eliminates the need for a tripod, and you can rely on the gimbal to keep the camera still for a shutter speed of up to three seconds. Illuminate the dark, or capture the movement of light in a “light painting.” You’re only limited by your imagination.
A versatile tool with a range of accessories

An ecosystem of accessories unlocks the potential of Osmo Pocket:
- Accessory Mount- The accessory mount makes Osmo Pocket compatible with action camera accessories so you’re able to capture your adventure footage, such as when mounted on a helmet, backpack or your wrist.
- Wireless Module- The wireless module supports Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth transmission between Osmo Pocket and your smartphone, providing remote access to the camera feed and control of Osmo Pocket; perfect for setting up a Timelapse or Motionlapse on a busy city street.
- Controller Wheel- The wheel allows you to precisely control gimbal movement (left-right or up-down) enabling you to easily adjust the composition of your shot. Re-center the gimbal or switch to selfie mode easily with dedicated buttons on the handle.
- Expansion Kit- The expansion kit includes the Accessory Mount, Wireless Module and Controller Wheel.
- ND Filters Set**- Specifically designed for Osmo Pocket, ND filters attach to the front of the camera to reduce the amount of light entering the sensor. The ND Filter Set offers several levels of filter darkness and allows for more control over the camera’s aperture, exposure time, and sensor sensitivity settings.
- Waterproof Case**- Bring a unique underwater perspective to your footage using the Waterproof Case which can be placed at a depth of 60 meters.
- Extension Rod**- The Extension Rod attaches to the Lightning or USB-C port and provides 31 inches of reach to Osmo Pocket, opening a world of new creative angles that are normally difficult or impossible to get. A gimbal control joystick and camera button on the handle were designed for remote control when using the Extension Rod and a tripod was added to the bottom for expanded use cases
- Charging Case**- This dual-purpose case not only protects Osmo Pocket while in transit but charges it as well. Dedicated sections were added into the case for your MicroSD card and ND filters so you can quickly grab your Osmo Pocket and know you’re ready to capture those moments and adventures.
- 3.5mm Adapter**- The 3.5mm Adapter allows you to connect an external microphone if you prefer to capture audio using a separate device.
**coming soon

Price and Availability

Osmo Pocket retails for $ 349 USD and will be available for pre-order at store.dji.com, DJI Flagship Stores, DJI Authorized Retailers and additional retailers beginning today, November 28^th 2:15 PM EST. Pre-orders will start shipping in December. For more information on all the new features and capabilities of Osmo Pocket, please visit www.dji.com/osmo-pocket.

OSMO Shield

OSMO Shield offers comprehensive two-year protection coverage, doubling your DJI warranty from one to two years. Customers also get an additional free accidental coverage service.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
November 29, 2018
3 Critical People Skills Portrait Photographers Need
Photo by: Greg Gelsinger

How do you ensure failure as a portrait photographer? That’s easy; treat your subjects or clients poorly. From start to finish, make the entire experience unforgettably miserable for them!

So, what does it take for an amateur or professional photographer to create a wonderful experience for their subject? Three things: generosity, empathy, and assertiveness.

Let me show you how these three qualities, combined with your photography skills, create a wonderful experience for your subjects and clients.

Treat your subjects and clients as you would your friends.

1. Begin With Generosity

When you bring a generous spirit to your work, your clients are delighted with the experience. You may be one of the few people who has treated them well. You can show your generosity with:
- your time
- gifts
- yourself
When I photographed college and university students for their graduation portraits, I often gave up my lunch breaks to spend extra time with them. Maybe they were self-conscious, and I had to work extra hard to capture portraits they would love. Perhaps I wanted to take extra time to work out some creative ideas.

Don’t treat time as if it’s your you own, treat your time as if it’s theirs.

I wouldn’t normally travel so far, but this couple told me they had a really unique place for their photo session. From the highway to back roads to small trail roads, it took an hour and a half to get there. But the scenery was much different than I could have found close to home.

What does generosity look like for street photographers? Think about carrying a small printer with you so that you can print a portrait when you photograph somebody. Perhaps offer to send them one digitally.

Wedding photographers can show up a little bit early or stay a little later to capture candid photos. When I photograph weddings, couples are always so thankful that I didn’t rush to leave – especially when they are behind schedule.

You’ll take many photos as a travel photographer and discover unique places in small towns and villages. Share the love by promoting those places through Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Personality, friendship and time are among the most valuable things you can share with a person.

Over the years, some of my closest friendships began as photography clients.

Will people take advantage of your generosity? Absolutely! However, you tend to fear the worst case scenario. There aren’t very many people who take advantage of your generosity. When they do, you won’t care – because you’re generous!

For photographers in business, being generous doesn’t mean that you give everything away for free. It just means that you build generosity into your business model.

2. Empathy

Empathy is a superpower.

It is a superpower because it allows you to understand your subject or client. Empathy allows you to care for them deeply, see it their way, and serve them as a unique person instead of a fast food process.

Empathy provokes understanding and opens people up. They’ll discover something new about themselves, and you’ll discover something new about yourself.

Also, empathy means not treating people on streets as if they are mannequins on display. Ask permission to photograph people and understand when they say “no.” If you aren’t willing to spend a few minutes with them as a person, why photograph them at all?

Their ultrasound appointment revealed that they would be having a baby boy. But the doctor kept it a secret, allowing their friend to create a paint war between the couple! Once they started squirting the paint, they found out they were having a boy.

Having empathy helps you understand the exhausted parents of newborns. It helps you to understand the toddler who is tired of posing for your photos. Empathy helps you to understand the middle-aged headshot client who is self-conscious about wrinkles and their double chin. You may even have compassion toward bridezillas!

Moreover, empathy leads you to ask, “how would I want to be treated if I was getting photographed?”

When generosity is the foundation of your workflow, it is easy to be empathetic.

3. Be Assertive, But Not Bossy

Assertiveness is a critical skill for portrait photographers. Most people have no idea what to do in front of the camera (photographers included). You have to tell them!

They haven’t just come to you for a photo, they’ve come to you to get guided through the process.

You’ve tuned into your subject with empathy, so you already know they feel awkward in front of the camera. Assertiveness allows you to give your subjects direction so that they can relax and lose their self-consciousness. The first thing people used to say to me was, “tell me what to do.” They don’t ask me that anymore because I guide them from the start.

Of course, it’s possible to be overly assertive. You’ve gone too far when you’re impolite and bossy. Nobody enjoys getting photographed by a photographer who is rude.

If you’re a kind and assertive photographer, you’ll enjoy directing your subjects through your creative vision. Moreover, your subject could love you for it too.

Strength and Weakness

There is a pretty good chance that you’re stronger in one of these three and weaker in another.

Maybe you’re very empathetic but not very assertive. Alternatively, quite assertive and not very generous.

Determine where your strong points and play on those strengths. However, also observe where you are weak and work toward improving it. I can tell you from experience that even timid people can become assertive with practice.

You know how to handle a camera and work the light. When you’re equally good with people, your photography life is rewarding and fulfilling.

“If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it’s already a lot. The instrument is not the camera but the photographer.” — Eve Arnold

If you have any other tips or experiences, please share with us in the comments below.

The post 3 Critical People Skills Portrait Photographers Need appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 29, 2018
Flash made easy: Two portrait photographers try out Canon’s 470EX-Ai smart flash

Canon’s new Speedlite 470EX-Ai flash is designed to do the hard work for you, automatically repositioning itself for the best results. In this video we gave the 470EX Ai to two portrait photographers – John Keatley and Chelsea Miller, to see what they thought.

John is a professional studio photographer, whose usual setups involve multiple external strobe lights. Chelsea, meanwhile, is a self-described ‘natural light snob’. Watch our video to see how they got on with Canon’s smartest accessory yet.

This is sponsored content, created with the support of Amazon and Canon. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 29, 2018