
PhotoActive
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.
Latest episodes

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.

Aug 31, 2018 • 41min
Episode 14: Chris Marquardt Goes Wide-Angle
Photographer, podcaster, and author Chris Marquardt just published the book Wide-Angle Photography, and he joins us to talk about the time he took only a 24mm lens on a photo tour and fell in love with wide-angle lens photography. We cover composition, thinking in wide-angle terms, and shooting with tilt-shift lenses.
Sponsor
The Photographer’s Ephemeris: It’s all about the light. Plan your outdoor photography in natural light, at any location on the planet. Get 33% off the Photo Planning Tools bundle - three apps - at the App Store. https://www.photoephemeris.com
Guest:
Chris Marquardt
Tips from the Top Floor podcast
Happy Shooting podcast (in German)
The Future of Photography podcast
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
Wide-Angle Photography, by Chris Marquardt: Order from Rocky Nook, or use a
PhotoActive Amazon affiliate link to help support the show.
Patients are desperate to resemble their doctored selfies. Plastic surgeons alarmed by ‘Snapchat dysmorphia.’, Washington Post
24mm Canon Tilt-Shift Lens
24mm Nikon Tilt-Shift Lens
24mm Rokinon Tiilt-Shift Lens for Sony mount
Lensbaby
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: RAW Power app
Kirk: The Photo Book
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.

Aug 24, 2018 • 30min
Episode 13: Aspect Ratios and Why They're Important
Aspect ratios in photography are about more than making prints at 8x10 or 5x7 sizes. In fact, aspect ratio has been key in defining some of the best-known photos in the world. In this episode, Kirk and Jeff talk about why every photographer should understand the importance of aspect ratios.
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:
Aspect Ratio (image), Wikipedia
Harness the Creative Power of Aspect Ratio in Photography
Fujifilm GFX 50S Sample Images at DPReview
Pragmatics, Wikipedia
Why You Need To Grasp Social Media Image Aspect Ratio
Square, Andrew Gibson
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits: Stories and Techniques from a Photographer's Photographer, by Gregory Heisler
Kirk: Spect
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.

Aug 17, 2018 • 36min
Episode 12: David duChemin on the Long-Building Vision
"Gear is good, but vision is better," says photographer and educator David duChemin. This week, we talk to David about discovering and developing that vision.
Sponsor
Take Control Books. Get 30% off any Take Control Books purchase with the coupon code PHOTOACTIVE. Go to www.takecontrolbooks.com/photoactive
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Show Notes:
See the full show notes, including photos, screenshots, and more, here.
David duChemin
The Compelling Frame
Master Your Craft course
Pilgrims and Nomads Limited Edition book by David duChemin
The Craft and Vision Field Cap
“The Helsinki Bus Station Theory”
David’s YouTube Channel
Leaving Dafen
Insta_repeat on Instagram
“Is it any good?”
Elliot Erwitt
Ernst Haas
Ernst Haas: Color Correction: 1952–1986
Alex Webb
The Suffering of Light, by Alex Webb
Wynn Bolluck
Our snapshots:
Jeff: From These Hands: A Journey Along the Coffee Trail, by Steve McCurry
Kirk: Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
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.

Aug 10, 2018 • 29min
Episode 11: Selective Editing
Most photos can benefit from universal edits to tone and color, but what do you do if just a sky needs to be made more dramatic or you want to add a soft splash of light to a person’s face? In this episode, Jeff and Kirk talk about adjusting specific areas within an image using selective editing tools in apps such as Lightroom, Luminar, and Affinity Photo.
Sponsor
Take Control Books. Get 30% off any Take Control Books purchase with the coupon code PHOTOACTIVE. Go to www.takecontrolbooks.com/photoactive
Hosts:
Jeff's website, Jeff's photos, Jeff on Instagram
Kirk's website, Kirk's photos, Kirk on Instagram
Adobe Lightroom
Graduated neutral density filter
Snapseed
Skylum Luminar
Affinity Photo
Botched Restoration of Jesus Fresco Miraculously Saves Spanish Town
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Miops Mobile Dongle
Kirk: SHOOT Shutter Remote Release Switch Control Cord Trigger RR-90 for Fuji Fujifilm
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.

Aug 3, 2018 • 45min
Episode 10: Quintin Lake's Long Photo Walk
Long walks are great opportunities to bring a camera and make photos—but what about 10,000 km of walking? In this episode, Kirk and Jeff welcome photographer Quintin Lake, who is walking the entire coastline of Britain and taking photos of what he discovers. Our interview talks about the motivation behind Quintin’s The Perimeter project, how it quickly made him realize what gear is essential and what can be left behind, and why ambitious projects like this are worth pursuing.
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:
See the full show notes, including photos, screenshots, and more, here.
Quintin Lake home page
Quintin Lake on Instagram
The Perimeter project
The Perimeter FAQ
Quintin’s Kit List
The Last Resort, by Martin Parr
Martin Parr on His Infamous Photo Series, The Last Resort
The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) app
Peak Design Capture Clip
Our snapshots:
Jeff: Verbatim USB-C Pocket Card Reader
Kirk: Retro Cameras, by John Wade
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.