MagCloud Update

August 8, 2011 By 2 Comments

A while back I wrote a two-part article (Part 1, Part 2) about a recommended workflow for publishing with MagCloud which has received favorable feedback from both MagCloud and other readers. In those posts I mentioned that MagCloud used two different profiles for saddle-stitched and perfect-bound magazines and suggested that I would most likely stick with the perfect-bound option. I have been recently informed that MagCloud now uses a unified profile for both binding options which should make life a lot easier for all the publishers using their services.

The new soft-proofing profile is available for download. After downloading it, you should go back to the original articles and replace the references to the profiles with this one. The earlier articles did not include links to any profile but MagCloud had allowed me to share them with anyone who wanted to use them. This should make the series of articles on this subject more complete and useful.

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Remote Control Canon DSLR with Android Devices

August 6, 2011 By 4 Comments

Back in February 2010 when they introduced the first iPad I wrote a wishful post and speculated on a killer application for iPad. Yesterday on one of the sites I visit I came across the following video that demonstrates the same idea using an Android phone. That is excellent news since I now use an Android phone and have an Android tablet and I intend to try the software as soon as I get my tablet keyboard from repair. [Read more...]

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Munki See, Munki Do: Display Calibration

July 4, 2010 By 3 Comments
X-Rite ColorMunki Photo

X-Rite ColorMunki Photo

I am amazed that many photographers, far too many of them work on a monitor with no calibration, no profiling and get surprised when they do not achieve the expected colors from their prints. I have made quite a few presentations on digital workflow, and have been preaching the importance of color management starting with the display monitor calibration and profiling. The importance of a calibrated and properly profiled display monitor cannot be overemphasized.  It is a must, period. The rest of the color-manged workflow depends on it.

[Read more...]

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iPad for Photographers

February 1, 2010 By 1 Comment
Apple iPad

Apple iPad

Apple introduced with the usual fanfare its new entry to the market: iPad. Many have started test-drooling over the pictures and Job’s cool presentation. Others, like me, see it as a stretched iPod Touch, which it is. I have read on various blogs “imagine taking your photography portfolio to a gallery on an iPad” and similar comments. Frankly, I think that will emphasize the technology of the presentation rather than the art in the photographs. After all, iPad will not be hanging on the wall, a beautiful print will.

One potential use of iPad highly interests me and I believe it will be the killer app for iPad. Add two features for photographers and it will start selling like hot cakes. First, add a CompactFlash and an SD card reader. This will make it irresistible to photographers. Imagine being able to store and back up your photos in the field and see them on a 10″ screen for field proofing. Second, put an application on iPad that allows it to directly tether to the DSLRs which will make it indispensable to the same crowd. Think about it, you are looking at a 10″ screen to preview your photograph while controlling the camera features from the same screen. You can do the same now but you need a laptop for that which is larger and bulkier. Until then, iPad will remain an oversize iPod Touch.

Are you listening Acer, HP, Dell, Asus, …?

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Imagine

August 29, 2006 By 2 Comments

Digital photography certainly opened new horizons on imaging and gave photographers a very powerful set of tools. We enjoy the quality and spontaneity of digital cameras and the software to handle small or extensive image processing has improved greatly. We can create stitched panoramas for wide field of view photographs, or use software to generate high dynamic range images that yield images of great tonal spectrum and detail. All this has been really great, but …

… imagine the next generation of cameras that, by using more powerful on-board computers, could converge computing and photography. As I write this piece, researchers are busy working on various experiments, experimental cameras that are collectively called “computational photography.” Where there is now some time and space separation between the taking of the photographs and later processing on a separate computers, the new generation of cameras will likely merge these separate activities into one device.

These cameras that bring discrete steps together into a seamless process will bring some very exciting capabilities to photography. Imagine the following:

  • A camera that can record scenes with 10-12 f-stop brightness range, maybe even more
  • A lens that captures an image with information that comes from three separate points and can generate a 3D rendering of the subject that can be seen from different angles
  • A camera that allows photographing a scene and later deciding on the plane of focus
  • A camera that captures 360 degree horizontal field of view and 200+ degree vertical
  • A camera that captures a group photograph where everyone’s expression is as desired, no closed eyes

Now, imagine that these are not some fancy of my imagination and they actually exist!

And you thought the digital-vs-film debate was heated…

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