

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

Nov 9, 2018 • 31min
Episode 24: Manual vs Automatic Camera Settings
We (good-naturedly) wade back into the question of “What makes a REAL photographer?” In this case, we’re talking about shooting using entirely manual controls or using the auto or semi-automatic modes on your camera. (Spoiler: Anyone with a camera is a real photographer.) We discuss when each approach works, and the advantages of knowing how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all work together.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography
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)
Episode #21 - HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography
Aperture Priority mode (Wikipedia)
Shutter Priority mode (Wikipedia)
The Exposure Triangle - A Beginner’s Guide (PhotographyLife.com)
Episode #8 - Gordon Laing on Taking Great Photos In Camera
f/8 and Be There - What We Can Learn from WeeGee’s Philosophy
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Road to Seeing, by Dan Winters
Kirk: iPhone XS Max
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Nov 2, 2018 • 33min
Episode 23: Printing Photos with Rick LePage
Do you print your photos? Although we know we should make prints, but getting from screen to paper isn’t always easy. It turns out, though, that printing is much easier today than it used to be. In this episode, we welcome photographer and publisher Rick LePage to talk about printing photos at home, from hardware to paper to inks.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography
Guest:
Rick LePage
Rick's Instagram
Complete Digital Photography
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)
Kirk's Canon printer
Printerville archives
Red River Paper
Moab Paper
Fracture
Hahnemuhle FineArt Glossy Inkjet Paper Sample Pack
MOAB General Sampler
Canon Pro Paper Samples Pack
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Moo.com Business Cards
Kirk: Magnum square print sale
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Oct 26, 2018 • 32min
Episode 22: Editing Photos in iOS Apps
We’ve talked about using an iPhone as a camera, but what about as a photo editor? The iPhone and iPad have come a long way since the early models, and they’re now quite capable digital darkrooms. But can you do “real” editing on them? Jeff and Kirk reveal how they use their devices with their photos, and cover some of the top editing apps for iOS.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography
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)
The iPad for Photographers, Jeff’s book
Photoshop for iPad (Adobe)
"Finally: Real Photoshop on the iPad,” The Verge
Color Management (Wikipedia)
Snapseed
Affinity Photo for iPad
Review: Affinity Photo for iPad, DPReview
Lightroom CC mobile
VSCO
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: USB Camera Battery Charger (be sure to search for a model that supports your camera’s battery)
Kirk: Stalker, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky; Kirk's article about Stalker

Oct 19, 2018 • 32min
Episode 21: High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography
“HDR” used to bring to mind surreal landscapes with garish colors and very few shadows. Fortunately, high-dynamic range photography has matured beyond those early days, and is a useful technique for getting more detail out of any scene. The latest iPhone and other smartphone cameras use HDR liberally to create good shots in all types of situations. We talk about making HDR photos using traditional cameras and techniques and also the new iPhone's computational methods.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Photos of Chipping Campden (Google images)
Graduated neutral density filter (round)
Graduated neutral density filter (rectangular, requires a holder)
Aurora HDR: A Photoversity Guide, Jeff’s book
Trey Ratcliffe's HDR
The Best Camera Lens Filters, Flashes, and Accessories for Taking Great Photos
The iPhone XS is a leap forward in computational photography, Jeff’s article at DPReview
Lightroom Classic CC
Lightroom CC (which does not have HDR capability)
Affinity Photo for desktop
Aurora HDR 2019
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: SanDisk Rescue Pro software
Kirk: Hoya Pro 1 Polarizing filter. (Be sure to search for the diameter that matches your lens.)
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Oct 12, 2018 • 34min
Episode 20: The Blur-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named
The recent release of iPhones that improve Portrait mode spurred us to talk about bok... Kirk can’t say the word. That’s okay, because neither can Apple VP Phil Schiller (correctly, anyway). Yes, we’re discussing background blur and shallow depth of field, how to get the effect with traditional cameras and lenses as well as the faux version in some smartphones, and why you’d want to in the first place.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Bokeh (Wikipedia)
Bokeh in Pictures, The Luminous Landscape
Snow Rail, Jeff’s photo with extremely shallow depth of field.
Kirk's Flowers & Macro gallery on his photos website; there are a number of photos with shallow depth of field.
The Timeless Beauty of Cape Cod
Joel Meyerowitz: Cape Light
Lensbaby Sol 45
#iphoneportraitmode on Instagram
SD memory cards: The features and specifications to look for, Macworld
Best USB-C memory card readers, Macworld
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Westcott 1107 14-inch 1-Stop Diffuser
Kirk: SanDisk Extreme Pro SD Card
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Oct 5, 2018 • 36min
Episode 19: Michael Rubin and Classic Photos
Conversations about photography can lead to unexpected places. Although Jeff has known Michael Rubin since the days when they were both writing technology books for Peachpit Press, it wasn’t until recently that he learned about Michael’s extensive collection of fine-art photography. Of course, he had to introduce Michael to Kirk, which resulted in this episode where we enjoy an enthusiastic conversation with Michael about two prints in his collection: Arnold Newman’s “Igor Stravinsky, 1946” and Elliot Erwitt’s “New York City, 1950.”
Sponsor
Neomodern treats your photos like art, offering simple, affordable concierge printing and framing. Neomodern works with you to make gorgeous work from your images that you'll be proud to hang on your walls. Go online or drop in to the gallery at 1898 Union Street in San Francisco. https://www.neomodern.com
Guest:
Michael Rubin
Michael's Instagram
Neomodern
Everyday Photography Every Day
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Arnold Newman: Igor Stravinsky, 1946
Arnold Newman: Portraits
Jerry Uelsmann photos
Elliot Erwitt’s America – New York City, USA. 1950
Elliot Erwitt's jumping dog (Paris, France, 1989), and other photos by Erwitt
Joel Meyerowitz, Girl on a Scooter, 1965
f/8 and Be There
Robert Frank Street Line
Michael Talks about Newman’s “Igor Stravinsky, 1946” at Neomodern
Harry Callahan’s Trees in Chicago
Our Snapshots:
Jeff: Phottix Ares Wireless Flash Trigger Set
Kirk: In My Room, Saul Leiter
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Sep 28, 2018 • 39min
Episode 18: Katrin Eismann on Photographic Literacy
Guest:
Katrin Eismann
Katrin's Instagram
School of Visual Arts (SVA) Digital Photography Program
Adobe Photoshop Restoration & Retouching (4th Edition)
by Katrin Eismann, Wayne Palmer, Dennis Dunbar
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Kodak (Wikipedia)
Apple QuickTake (Wikipedia)
Renowned film director Wim Wenders hits out at 'phone photography'
Michael Kenna's photo of Stonehenge
Robert Capa: In Love and War
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
Our snapshots:
Jeff: A Photojournalist's Field Guide: In the trenches with combat photographer Stacy Pearsall
Kirk: Paul Hart: Farmed
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Sep 21, 2018 • 33min
Episode 17: Prime vs Zoom Lenses
Photographers often focus on cameras, but it’s the lens that can have the most impact on your photos. In this episode, Jeff and Kirk talk glass: lenses. When do you want a prime lens, which has a fixed focal length, and when does a zoom work better? Why are prime lenses often better? And why not just use one zoom lens that hits both wide and telephoto ranges? We sort out an often confusing topic.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography/ref/27/?campaign=PhotoActive
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Fujifilm X-T3
Episode #14 - Chris Marquardt Goes Wide-Angle
Fujinon XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS
Episode #16 - Buying and Selling Camera Gear
Episode #13 - Aspect Ratios and Why They’re Important
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Fall Foliage Maps, Clear Outside app
Kirk: Lensbaby Velvet 56
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Sep 14, 2018 • 33min
Episode 16: Buying and Selling Camera Gear
Do you have a pile of old cameras and lenses stashed in a closet somewhere? Or do you sell your used gear to make way for new goodies? What about buying previously-owned cameras and lenses? This week, Kirk and Jeff talk about buying and selling your photo gear: where to do it, pitfalls to avoid, and more.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography/ref/27/?campaign=PhotoActive
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
LensRentals.com
Borrow Lenses
Fujifilm Refurbished (UK)
Apple Refurbished
Lake in Catskill Mountains, 1971 (Woman Throwing Crutches), Joel Meyerowitz
MPB.com
Ebay
How to Make the Most Money Selling Your Camera Gear, Fstoppers
Tips for Buying Used Camera Gear, Digital Photography School
How to Buy Used Lenses, Photography Life
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list 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 to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Toffee & Honey
Kirk: Joel Meyerowitz: Taking My Time
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.

Sep 7, 2018 • 30min
Episode 15: Time-Lapse Photography
Time-lapse photography can create dramatic short videos - think about clouds zooming overhead throughout the course of a day or flowers blooming in seconds - but creating time-lapse videos turns out to be remarkably easy. In this episode, Jeff and Kirk walk through the process of using the Time-Lapse mode in the iOS Camera app as well as capturing time-lapse photos with traditional cameras.
Sponsor
Masters of Photography, online masterclasses with the greatest photographers in the world. Get 5% off any course with the code PHOTOACTIVE. https://mastersof.photography/ref/27/?campaign=PhotoActive
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
A Student Took a Selfie Every Day for Eight Years and It’s the Best Time-Lapse
The Longest Way, by Christoph Rehage
How Does the iOS 8 Time-lapse Feature Work?, Studio Neat blog
Hyperlapse app
Benny Hill - End Show Clip
Intervalometer example
Miops Mobile Dongle (be sure to pick the right model for your camera)
Sample Time-Lapse Shot with Miops Mobile Dongle, created by Jeff for a DPReview article
The Same Time-Lapse with a Push-In Camera Move
Sunset Hill 360-degree Time-Lapse, also by Jeff
The BEST way to make a TIME-LAPSE!, by Peter McKinnon
Adrift, a great time-lapse example
Sequence for Mac
Subscribe to the PhotoActive podcast mailing list at the bottom of any page at the PhotoActive web site to be eligible for a random giveaway of Photographer’s Ephemeris apps and all future prize drawings. If you’ve already subscribed to the mailing list, you’re automatically entered.
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Top Photographer
Kirk: Affinity Photo Workbook
If you like the show, please subscribe in iTunes 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.