As mentioned in my last post on this site, I have a new site. The Picture Pundit is now online and contains its first few articles.

Head over to Picture Pundit and get photography news, articles, and commentary that should make photographers think a bit.

Continuing the Conversation: Picture Pundit is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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It’s been a fun 13 months of publishing Social Photo Talk. A year ago, a lot of photographers were still figuring out social media, trying to decide if Twitter was just a waste of time and whether or not Facebook was for anyone other than college kids.

Since then, I think that most of the photographers who are online have embraced social media in some form. In short… you guys get it. The attitudes around social media for photographers have changed quite a bit in the past year. Sure there are still some luddites, but if they aren’t on board at this point, they aren’t on board.

Partially due to the changing photo landscape and partially due to some other factors, I will no longer be publishing new content on Social Photo Talk. The site will remain online indefinitely, but you won’t see new articles about social media use or related industry news.

I’ve got something entirely new in store that will be of interest to photographers, and I’ll make one last post here when that launches in the next week or two.

Thanks to everyone who has read, commented, retweeted, or otherwise contributed to the discussions over the past 13 months. I’ve made some great connections and some new friends, and that’s going to last far beyond this website.

A Change in the Social Photo Atmosphere is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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Social Photo Talk is pleased to be a sponsor for this weekend’s 30 Hour Day, an encore to last December’s first-of-its-kind charity webcast. Hosts Cami Kaos and Rick Turoczy tie together 30 continuous hours of programming being broadcast live from Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square (during the day and evenings) and a secret undisclosed overnight studio. Looking at the schedule for the event I see they’ve got a bunch of great music, comedy, and variety acts lined up… it should be a nice set of entertainment.

Funds raised during the event are being donated to three charities: p:ear (a mentoring program that assists homeless youth), the Red Cross, and the Oregon Food Bank (yes, it’s true… people aren’t just hungry during Christmastime). Tune in from 4pm (Pacific time) Friday through 10pm on Saturday, check out the entertainment, and perhaps donate a few dollars towards some organizations that do good work.

If you’re curious to follow the event via photos, photographers Aaron Hockley, Igal Koshevoy, and Kate Borst will be posting pictures to the 30 Hour Day Flickr group as it happens.

New Media for Good – It’s the 30 Hour Day is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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Photographers are often a gear-obsessed bunch, and we occasionally talk about gear and products here, so I thought it might be interested to take a look at the best-selling items in Amazon.com’s Camera & Photo category as we reach the end of June 2010:

What’s interesting to me is that there are a couple themes at the top of the bestsellers lists: pocket-sized video cameras and waterproof cameras.

1. Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black) – a very affordable mini camera from the company that made the category popular.
2. Kodak PlaySport (Zx3) HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera (Black) – A waterproof camera, likely to be popular for those summer watersporting activities.
3. Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera – the Canon S90 is my pocket camera of choice – great images and a huge set of features for a camera of its size.
4. Polaroid t1031 10.0 MP Digital Still Camera – it’s a 10 megapixel camera for less than $65. Wow.
5. Fujifilm FinePix XP10 12 MP Waterproof Digital Camera – another waterproof camera, this time of the still variety
6. Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera – Canon’s PowerShot SD series cameras have been popular for a long time… I wasn’t surprised to see the SD780 amongst today’s most popular products
7. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP Digital Camera – Panasonic has become a big player in the compact camera market in the last couple of years…
8. Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (White) – the pale version of the product that’s at the top of the bestseller list.
9. Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens – the only DSLR to make the top 10 bestsellers is Canon’s T1i, offering great still images and HD video.
10. Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black) – Kodak’s popular Zi8 pocket video camera wraps up the top 10 list.

Check out these products – if you use the links above and end up purchasing through Amazon, a small commission will be returned to me that helps fund the operation of this site. Thanks for your support!

Top 10 Camera & Photo Bestsellers – June 2010 is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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Over the last couple of years, HDR (high dynamic range) photography has become more prevalent. Some photographers take it to the extreme and create pieces that are less photograph and more computer-generated artwork, while others use the technique in moderation and attempt to more accurately portray the colors, lights, and shadows as seen by the human eye.

The current process for creating and HDR image usually involves capturing multiple photos of the same scene while in the field, with each photo having a different exposure. The photographer then uses software to merge these photos and create a composite image which has a wider dynamic range of tones from light to dark than is possible from a single capture with today’s cameras.

A few compact (point and shoot) cameras have started to feature “in camera HDR”, where the device performs the merge in-camera so that only one file, and HDR composite, is the result. While this might be great in a point-and-shoot, I disagree with some predictions that pro photographers will start to use it on their DSLR. For the same reasons that pros don’t shoot in “P” mode, pros will want to control the details of the process so that the photographer can create the best possible image and potentially apply their own style to the photo.

In-camera HDR will be much like in-camera JPG: although there might be some ideal conditions where it’s useful, most pros will choose to shoot RAW and process their own HDR so that they can control the process completely… folks are paying for that professional touch.

What do you think? What’s the likelihood of you using in-camera HDR?

Pro Photographers Won’t Use In-Camera HDR is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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After having used an iPad for a couple months, I can say that most things on the device are fairly intuitive, but there are a lot of things to learn. I was given a copy of iPad: The Missing Manual for review and I’m happy to say that for someone who wants a comprehensive guide to Apple’s first tablet computer, the book didn’t disappoint.

The Missing Manual series of books sets out to be what one might expect: thorough user manuals for today’s products which lack the traditional printed manual of yesteryear. The overall tone is definitely in the how-to style although the author does a good job of injecting humor and real-world reality into the text instead of just dry instructions.

The first few chapters cover iPad basics including explanations of the hardware, buttons, and ports along with a tour though basic app navigation. A discussion talks about how to get online with the iPad (either wifi or AT&T’s 3G service). Since the book was written prior to AT&T’s recent rate plan changes, the rate information is no longer entirely accurate. After discussing connectivity, the next couple of chapters talk about surfing the web and using email on the device… these are probably the most important uses for many people. Topics move along to the other built-in apps including iBooks and the iBook store.

Although Apple’s iWork suite (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote) aren’t bundled with the iPad, they’re quite prevalent and are the subject of their own chapter. Following the productivity coverage a few chapters are dedicated to both basic and advanced usage of iTunes as well as the music-playing functions of the iPad. The book wraps up covering videos, photos, and MobileMe, Apple’s synchronization service.

I found the book to be light-hearted yet technically complete. As a previous user of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, I found the iPad fairly intuitive but someone who is new to the platform would likely find the book to be a great resource for both getting started and then diving in deeper with the iPad and applications.

Interestingly enough, iPad: The Missing Manual is available in print (iPad: The Missing Manual on Amazon), or as an iPhone/iPad app (click to access on the ), but not as an iBook.

The book is less than $20 through Amazon and is a good, thorough look at the various hardware and software features of the iPad. If you’ve wanted a comprehensive iPad manual, this is a good solution.

iPad: The Missing Manual – Book Review is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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I swear that when I tweeted this morning:

I had no knowledge that only a couple hours later, Flickr would unveil a newer interface. Flickr has been enhanced with several updates to photo pages.

Similar Look; Several Enhancements

The overall look remains similar, but here’s what you’ll find with the new Flickr photo interface (along with a few editorial comments):

• The default photo size has been increased to 640 pixels wide (up from 500 previously). Bigger is better, but in these days where it seems that everyone’s default resolution is at least 1280 pixels wide, I’m a bit disappointed that only half of that is being used for a photograph.
• A new lightbox view, accessed by clicking on a photo, opens a black-background lightbox for image viewing. I don’t see this as being used by many folks, but it’s nice to see a black-background option being available. Even better would’ve been the ability for users to choose their background color for the page.
• Photo titles now display underneath images (near the description) instead of at the top of the page. The image comes first, the supporting words second.
• Photos with geolocation data display a small map on the right. The camera information is displayed in this same area. Both of these items are more prominant than the previous small-font display that was down near the bottom of the sidebar.
• Navigation buttons to move to previous/next images are now fairly prominent. A new “filmstrip” look replaces the older single-photo options to move forward or back within the photostream or image set.
• Several of the options that were previously in various above-photo menus have been consolidated into an “Actions” menu. This results in a cleaner interface, but it’s going to mean an extra click if you frequently used some of those options.
• Previously viewable only to photo owners, Favorites are now public and displayed along with the comments.
• Licensing information is now displayed more prominently, including on the “All Sizes” view of a photo.

First-Glance Conclusions

Overall these are evolutionary, not revolutionary changes. I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. When I got word of the new interface I’ll admit I was kind of hoping for some bigger changes but I suspect Flickr users might have revolted at anything too radical.

For power users who might be enhancing Flickr with Greasemonkey scripts, my suspicion is that most of these scripts will need to be updated to accomodate the user interface changes. Incidentally, I use about ten scripts that enhance Flickr, and none of today’s announced changes addresses the shortcomings that I overcome with scripts.

I’m not really sure where Flickr is headed. Perhaps these changes are the first step or are needed to support some bigger innovations that have yet to be announced.

Get Started with the New Interface

The new interface is technically in a beta period right now, but signed-in Flickr users can opt-in to the new design. Use this link to opt-in to the new Flickr photo interface.

Read more about the changes in the announcement blog post, the Flickr FAQs, or a Flickr Group that’s been set up for discussion.

Flickr Unveils New Photo Page Interface. I Swear I Didn’t Know, Really. is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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For portraits, headshots, and other forms of “people” photography, one of the keys to great images is to get the subject relaxed.  Folks generally don’t look great when they are uptight and nervous, so whenever I’m working with a client I try to get the individual to relax a bit as I gray to develop a casual rapport for the photography session.

Social media can be a great way to start developing that rapport in advance of the photo session. I’m connected with and do a lot of work for folks in the software and tech communities on my area, and most if not all of these folks have embraced Twitter and Facebook. By following and conversing with clients and potential clients in these online venues, I learn a bit about their lives and build up material about which we can converse. When it’s time for headshots or another photoshoot, we’ve already had the small talk and have a basis for conversation that can put my subject at ease so I can take photos that capture a relaxed, natural subject.

Do you build rapport with social media? Do you think it’s been a contributing factor to better photos?

Photo by eperales, used under Creative Commons licensing

Better Portraits Because of Social Media is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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Late last week, Flickr rolled out a change that widens the reach of it’s collaboration with Getty Images and allows anyone on Flickr to offer their photos for sale via the Getty program.

Previously, the Flickr+Getty partnership was essentially invitation-only, where selected photographers would be invited to have selected photos represented by Getty. Now, photographers can opt-in to allowing any of their public photos to be licensed via Getty. Photographers will see a “Want to license your photos through Getty Images?” link in the “Additional Information” section of their public photo pages. Clicking the link leads to the preferences screen (shown partially in the screenshot) where a photographer can opt-in to allowing Getty to manage licensing of their public photos.

For photographers who choose to participate, a link will be added to all of their public photos page that allows a viewer to request to license the photo. When a request is made, a Getty editor will manage the deal between the photographer and the buyer.

Will This Impede Licensing Deals?

At first this sounds like a great way for photographers to license their work, but I’ve started to think more about it and I wonder how this might over-complicate the behind-the-scenes licensing deals that already occur on Flickr. It’s not uncommon for a photographer to receive a licensing request via Flickr and work with a buyer to arrange terms and payment; will the introduction of Getty into the picture lead to less of the informal deals? Might folks be put off by the formal nature of introducing a third party?

And What About that Non-Commercial Angle?

As most Flickr users know, Flickr prohibits commercial use of the service. From their terms of service:

Flickr is for personal use only. If we find you selling products, services, or yourself through your photostream, we will terminate your account.

We’ve seen in the past that Flickr is quick to delete accounts without warning for this reason. By rolling Getty licensing out to every user, it’s clear that Flickr is fine with commercial use as long as Flickr gets a piece of that deal. If this was about allowing users choice or flexibility, I’d be able to add a link that allows users to license photos directly through me. That’s not what it’s about. By forcing users to license through Getty, Flickr can control the terms and presumably earn a portion of Getty’s proceeds on the deals.

Are you going to offer your Flickr stream to be licensed via Getty? Does this feature excite you or do you feel limited by the lack of licensing options on Flickr?

Flickr Enables Anyone to Make Commercial Sales… Sorta is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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WordPress 3.0 is the newest release of my favorite blogging software. The new release includes an all-new easy-to-use menu system, more options for theme customization, a lighter admin interface with more contextual help, and more. You can download it directly or upgrade your existing install.

I’m sure I’ll write more in depth about specific elements of the new features, but in the meantime you can take a quick video tour of WordPress 3.0 (hit the icon in the lower right to embiggen the video):

Are you diving into WordPress 3? Are you going to wait a bit before upgrading your sites?

WordPress 3.0 is Released: New Menus, Theme Options, Better Help is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

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