

PhotoActive
Jeff Carlson & Kirk McElhearn
Jeff Carlson and Kirk McElhearn discuss photography and the Apple ecosystem. We cover using an iPhone or any other camera with Apple hardware and software, and we welcome photographers to discuss their work.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 22, 2021 • 34min
Episode 84: Editing Shadows and Highlights
We often talk about "bringing up the shadows" and "recovering highlights" when editing photos, particularly with raw files. But what does that mean exactly? This week, we walk through some edits to show just how that's done. This episode is available as audio with embedded images, and also as a video—go to photoactive.co and get the video link in the show notes.
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Video version of this episode
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Sea and Smoke: Flavors from the Untamed Pacific Northwest
Kirk: 25 best movies about real photographers
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.

Jan 1, 2021 • 37min
Episode 83: Raw and ProRaw on the iPhone
Is Apple’s new raw photo implementation ProRAW or FauxRAW? In this episode, we look at why you’d want to shoot raw on an iPhone in the first place, and then dig into the details of Apple’s new ProRAW format, which is available only on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
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Episode 6: Raw vs. JPEG
Halide app
Manual app
Lightroom for iOS
Affinity Photo
Understanding ProRAW, by Ben Sandofsky
Episode 30: Jason Snell Takes Control of Apple Photos
ProRAW Editing, Gentlemen Coders video
ProfileGainTableMap tag in DNG 1.6
[RAW Power](tktk)
Adobe Lightroom release notes, including the following note: "* Apple ProRAW: Apple ProRAW DNG images may appear overexposed in Adobe apps compared to Apple Photos. We are working closely with Apple to address this."
Austin Mann on ProRAW
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Evergoods Civic Access Pouch 2L
Kirk: The Undoing
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.

Dec 11, 2020 • 37min
Episode 82: Quintin Lake Returns
When we last checked in with Quintin Lake, he was walking the coastline of the United Kingdom and photographing what he found. In September 2020 he finished the trip: 6,835 miles (11,000 kilometers) and 179,222 photos. As he continues to edit his backlog and make and sell prints, we caught up with him to talk about the experience.
Guest:
Quintin Lake, Instagram
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
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The Perimeter project
The Perimeter FAQ
Quintin’s Kit List
The Broomway
White horizon, Irish Sea, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Hiroshi Sugimoto
Banded Clouds
Kirk's Print: Arctic Horizon, Greenland, 2006
Route Map
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: HomePod mini
Kirk: MacBook Air (Apple M1 Silicon)
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.

Nov 27, 2020 • 37min
Episode 81: The iPhone 12 Pro Cameras
As with every new iPhone release, Apple touts the camera capabilities more than any of the other features. Jeff upgraded to the iPhone 12 Pro right away, while Kirk is happy with his iPhone 11. In this episode, they talk about the choices around iPhones as cameras, and why Jeff ultimately didn’t go for the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which features better camera capabilities.
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
iPhone 12 Pro
Austin Mann Reviews the iPhone 12 Pro
Austin Mann Reviews the iPhone 12 Pro Max
Review: iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro , two gems, one jewel, TechCrunch
Review: The iPhone 12 Pro Max is worth its handling fee, TechCrunch
Compare iPhones, Apple
Apple’s Photos App and Lens Correction
Halide devs on iPhone 12 Pro Max results
Photographer captures the highest resolution snowflake photos in the world
Modernist Bread
Modernist Cuisine Gallery
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Viltrox 56mm F1.4 Autofocus Portrait Lens
Kirk: Modernist Bread
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.

Nov 6, 2020 • 38min
Episode 80: Street Photography with Valérie Jardin
Street photography looks easy: grab a camera, find some people, make some photos. Doing it well is another thing altogether. Photographer, educator, and author Valérie Jardin joins us to talk about the art of street photography, and how to develop the skills for creating great images with the help of her new book, Street Photography Assignments.
Guest:
[Valérie Jardin](www.valeriejardin.com), Instagram, Twitter
Valérie’s book, Street Photography Assignments — use the code JARDIN35 for a 35% discount at Rocky Nook.
Hit the Streets Podcast
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Joshua Coombes #DoSomethingForNothing project
Vivian Maier
Portfolio: Street Dogs
Portfolio: Readers
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: The Way I See It documentary
Kirk: Des Oiseaux - Pentti Sammallahti
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.

Oct 23, 2020 • 39min
Episode 79: Professional Retouching with Lisa Carney
In Episode 78, we talked about everyday photo retouching, such as removing dust spots and objects from your images. Now, we’re shifting to the big leagues, talking to professional retoucher Lisa Carney about the art and business at this level. You may never look at a movie or TV ad the same way again.
Guest:
Lisa Carney, Instagram
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Episode 78: Everyday Photo Retouching
Lisa Carney Portfolio
Television/Streaming Examples
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: The Art of Drew Struzan
Kirk: Pixelmator Pro; AppleScript support
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.

Oct 9, 2020 • 49min
Episode 78: Everyday Photo Retouching
You may think of “retouching” as a high-end photo skill for professionals—and it is—but there are also many types of retouching that every photographer will run into. In this episode, Jeff covers many of the techniques he uses, from removing dust spots in clear skies to erasing unwanted objects from photos, as well as portrait retouching that’s accessible to anyone. This is an extra-long episode with lots of example images, so don’t forget you can view the photos in some podcast players (like Apple Podcasts or Overcast), and of course you can also view them at PhotoActive.co.
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Adobe Lightroom
Luminar 4
Pixelmator Pro
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Share Apple Watch Photos Face
Kirk: Ted Lasso
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.

Sep 25, 2020 • 42min
Episode 77: Photo a Day Challenge
Photo a Day Challenge
We gave ourselves a simple challenge to create one photo every day for the month of August. It’s advice we give often: shoot often, shoot what’s nearby, use your photographer’s eye to find beauty in the everyday experience. Were we successful? And what unexpected challenges arose?
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Subscribe to the PhotoActive Instagram account
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Jeff’s Photo a Day Shared Album
Kirk’s Photo a Day Shared Album
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: SanDisk 16 GB Thumb Drive
Kirk: Joel Meyerowitz: How I Make Photographs
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.

Sep 11, 2020 • 42min
Episode 76: Shooting and Developing Film with Angus Haywood
This week we talk to landscape film photographer Angus Haywood about building his own darkroom in a shed behind his house, seeing the world in a square aspect ratio, and the pace and people you experience when shooting film.
Guest:
Angus Haywood, Instagram, Facebook
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Bosham Gallery
Episode 74: Michael Kenna and His New Book ‘Buddha’
Piezography Inks
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Avalanche
Kirk: - Kirk: Shooting in High ISO
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.

Aug 28, 2020 • 36min
Episode 75: Creative Garden Photography with Harold Davis
The summer and fall are some of the best times to visit and photograph gardens, so we’re happy to welcome Harold Davis back to the PhotoActive podcast to talk about his newest book Creative Garden Photography. We cover photographing public gardens, your own garden, getting creative with light tables when the weather is sour, lighting, and more.
Guest:
Harold Davis
Instagram
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
(View show notes with images at PhotoActive.co)
Rate and Review the PhotoActive Podcast!
Creative Garden Photography, by Harold Davis (Use code GARDEN40 to get 40% off when purchasing from Rocky Nook.)
Episode 50: Harold Davis Creative Black and White
Visiting a Garden of Cars
Picture This app (iOS)
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Peak Design Clutch
Kirk: Cézanne: The Rock and Quarry Paintings
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.