PhotoActive

Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn
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Dec 8, 2025 • 34min

Episode 199: Vroom Vroom

We get views into two very different types of photography in this episode. Jeff travels to Nevada for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix where the cars’ speed is a challenge to photograph... but not as difficult as the rules set by the Formula 1 organization. Then we look at the fascinating dye-transfer process and how this dying art is being used to print William Eggleston’s prints. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! The Insane Logistics of Formula 1 Clive Mason, Getty Formula 1 Photographer William Eggleston's Guide William Eggleston: The Last Dyes (book) William Eggleston: The Last Dyes (exhibit info) Dye destruction print The Last Cibachrome Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Nov 29, 2025 • 37min

Episode 198: I’m Not an Animal

We’ve got several things to discuss in this episode, from little-known settings in the iPhone Camera app, to shooting panoramas, to the Leica M EV1 and to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Leica M EV1 Leica M EV1 PetaPixel Video Snapshots: Kirk & Jeff: Frankenstein Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Nov 3, 2025 • 37min

Episode 197: Overenthusiastic in Your Opinion

What started with a couple of new settings related to the iPhone Camera app quickly devolves into a discussion of Apple’s Liquid Glass effect in iOS 26, changes and consistency in the Camera app’s interface, and whether all of this is too confusing for most people taking photos with their iPhones. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Acorn 8 Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot – Apple Support Review: iTunes 11 adds cool features, but can be jarring to longtime users | Macworld Take Control of iPhone Photography iPhone 17 Pro vs. Pixel 10 Pro XL: I Pitted Smartphone Royalty Against Each Other - CNET RICOH GR IV Monochrome High-end Compact Digital Camera Development News - Ricoh Snapshots: Kirk: Cory Doctorow: Enshittification Jeff: Napster View Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Oct 20, 2025 • 35min

Episode 196: Has Camera Tech Hit a Plateau?

Has camera technology plateaued? We’re seeing technical advancements in image processing and autofocus, but what about the core parts like sensors? Also, we spend three hours talking about the Apple Watch Ultra 3 (not actually 3 hours). Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Snapshots: Kirk: Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning Jeff: Freewell iPhone Pro Filmmaker Basic Kit Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Oct 3, 2025 • 37min

Episode 195: Hands On with the iPhone 17 Pro

Fifty percent of the PhotoActive podcast got a new iPhone 17 Pro, which means one of us has been testing the new cameras and can report back with first impressions. Who could it be? However, fifty percent of the podcast also got hands-on time with the other new phones, the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air. Listen to find out who got what, who’s seen what, and what we think after the first weeks with Apple’s new cameras... we mean phones. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Sep 12, 2025 • 42min

Episode 194: iPhone 17 and Apple’s Fall Event

The new iPhone models are here, a yearly event that we look forward to mostly to see what Apple has done with the iPhone cameras. Does a 48 megapixel telephoto camera capable of 8x zoom appeal to you enough to buy a new iPhone Pro? Is the svelte shape of the new iPhone Air compelling enough to pay more for, despite it having just one camera and less battery life? Or did you see the Cosmic Orange color of the iPhone 17 Pro and made your decision immediately based on that? We look at what Apple announced and what we’re looking forward to. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Apple Thinks Orange Is the New Black. It Isn't, CNET Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Sep 6, 2025 • 30min

Episode 193: Photography Police and Google Pro Res Zoom

Are you following the proper rules of photography, or are you at risk of being busted by the photography police? Maybe you’re shooting photos out of focus, or introducing light leaks, or using direct flash. All of these can be considered “bad” photography, but they’re also currently popular styles of shooting. Also in this episode, Jeff talks about his experience with the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL and its Pro Res Zoom feature that uses generative AI to clean up images shot at up to 100x zoom. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Retro cameras are trending. But the blurry, grainy, and harsh flash look of retro photographs is coming back, too | Digital Camera World Episode 192: Process, Product, and Problem Solving Episode 190: Fuji X-Half, AI Scaling, and Lightroom Changes Hasselblad X2D II 100C Review: Hasselblad Finally Delivers on Its Medium Format Promise | PetaPixel Snapshots: Jeff: The Limey Kirk: Utterly Lazy and Inattentive: Martin Parr in Words and Pictures Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Aug 18, 2025 • 33min

Episode 192: Process, Product, and Problem Solving

Are you taking photos for yourself, or are you feeding the social media algorithms for brief dopamine hits when someone praises your images? In this episode, Kirk and Jeff ruminate on how the endless scroll of images is affecting how we enjoy and make photos. And we ask ourselves: what do we really want to photograph? Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! The joy of taking pictures no one else will ever see: stop feeding the algorithm, Digital Camera World Snapshots: Jeff: Endoscope Camera Kirk: The Count of Monte Cristo Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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Aug 1, 2025 • 30min

Episode 191: Macro Photography

Macro Photography Don’t know what to photograph? No vacation plans? With macro photography, you can get great results literally in your back yard. What was once a style of photography that required specialized gear is now something you can do well with just your phone — though of course there’s plenty of gear available if you want to go deeper into it. Hosts: Jeff Carlson: website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram, Jeff on Glass, Jeff on Mastodon, Jeff on Bluesky Kirk McElhearn: website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram, Kirk on Glass, Kirk on Mastodon, Kirk on Bluesky Show Notes: (View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co) Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast! Macro Photography (Wikipedia) Understanding the iPhone 16 Pro’s 48-Megapixel Macro Photography… and Reverting to 12-Megapixel Shots, TidBITS I Tried the Nothing Phone 3 and It Definitely Didn't Live Up to the Hype Andrew Lanxon Photography YouTube Macro at Home: My BEST Tutorial for AMAZING Product Photography Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast newsletter at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be notified of new episodes and be eligible for occasional giveaways. If you’ve already subscribed, you’re automatically entered. If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes/Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app, and please rate the podcast. And don't forget to join the PhotoActive Facebook group to discuss the podcast, share your photos, and more. Disclosure: Sometimes we use affiliate links for products, in which we receive small commissions to help support PhotoActive.
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22 snips
Jul 21, 2025 • 32min

Episode 190: Fuji X-Half, AI Scaling, and Lightroom Changes

Discover the nostalgic charm of Fujifilm's new X-Half camera, merging digital innovation with an analog vibe. Dive into the possibility of AI upscaling in future camera tech that could redefine resolution. Learn about essential care tips to protect your gear from sunscreen and bug spray. Explore the intriguing interplay between photographers and nature, and the use of creative filters. Finally, discuss the evolving landscape of Lightroom and image editing, which continues to push the boundaries of photography.

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