930 The Sky Mystery

It’s been too long! In today’s episode Chris brings you a fresh mixture of photo topics that go deep into the changes that we photographers face, as well as a discussion on what determines the value of a photograph. Turns out there are a lot of answers.

Topics:

  • [WORKSHOPS] Eastern European Electric Photo Road Trip : Yes, it’s ⚡️ electric! And it’s filling upl Join us now, over half of the spots are already taken. We’ll set off from the vibrant city of Berlin in Germany and embark on an epic 10-day adventure through some great historic destinations in Eastern Europe. From the charming streets of Prague, to the elegant architecture of Vienna, the rich history of Budapest, and the captivating landscapes and history of Transylvania, a trip to remember. Pack your bags, get ready for a unique 10-day experience filled with great memories where you capture the beauty and rich history and culture of Eastern Europe through your lens.
  • [AI] ChatGPT Plus is here : Let’s discuss how AI writing assistants such as ChatGPT are highly relevant for photographers. They can be used by professional photographers to handle mundane tasks like client communications, writing emails, contracts, model releases, shot lists, and scheduling. The AI can assist in creating social media posts and promotional materials, as well as generating quick responses to common client questions, freeing up the photographer’s time to focus on creative tasks. While AI can be a useful assistant for mundane tasks, it will not replace the photographer’s role in capturing and creating the final product though. At least not for now.
  • [PHOTO, SPACE] Juno Camera Glitch : In photography/space news: During a recent flyby of Jupiter on January 22, much of the photography taken by JunoCam, the visible-light color camera on board NASA’s Juno spacecraft, was unusable due to an anomalous temperature rise after power-up. However, the camera returned to normal operation after the issue resolved itself and the remaining 44 images were usable. The Juno team is evaluating the data to determine the cause of the problem before Juno’s next close flyby on March 1st.
  • [OTHER] Darktable needs help : Darktable is an open-source raw developer and asset manager that offers similar functionality to Lightroom and runs on multiple platforms. The software is community-supported and requires checking and packaging for different platforms with each update. The macOS version has been maintained by one person for ten years, and they will soon quit, putting the future of the macOS version in jeopardy. This is a bit of a call to action for those of you with macOS SW DEV experience who might want to contribute to a community project.
  • [PHOTO] The Value of a Photo : What happens when an AI-generated picture wins a photo contest? It made me go down a rabbit hole on what makes a photo valuable. Some argue that a photograph’s value is in the difficulty and timing required to capture a moment, while others believe that value is subjective and depends on the relationship between the viewer and the photo’s content. In a commercial context, a photograph’s value can be based on historical significance, rarity, customer relevance, and added value for clients. Meanwhile, personal relevance, such as memories and emotions, will give a photo intangible value. The physical photo itself is virtually irrelevant compared to the content it captures. The debate raises questions about the relationship between speed, equipment, and value, and how commissioned work can flip the sense of value upside down for clients. Also, let’s look at the difference in value between inkjet and giclée prints.
  • [PHOTO, ANALOG] Same Sky : Here’s a fun mystery for your weekend: Vox made a video about a photography mystery involving postcards and some detective work. A man who collects postcards notices that many of them have the exact same sky, even though the photos are from different locations. Vox begins researching the postcards and speaks with a postcard historian to uncover the mystery.

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917 Are Starlink the Good Ones?

A look at exponential growth (it’s the smartphones), an update about the state of satellite streak mitigation to keep the astro photographers happy, two history lessons (hello Lytro, hello Magnum) and a ground-breaking photo of a planet.

Topics:

  • [PHOTO] Have the Smartphones Won? : Here’s an interesting animation that shows various cameras since the 1950s and how many were sold. We start with sub-million numbers and take it from there. Have the Smartphones won? Oh well…
  • [SPACE, PHOTO, NEWS] Starlink and Astro Photography – an Update : Chris talks to astronomer Meredith Rawls about low-earth-orbit satellite light pollution in astronomy and astro photography. Meredith is involved in the CPS, the Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky From Satellite Constellation Interference and has a lot of really interesting insights. Including new information about how Starlink plans to mitigate satellite streaks coming from their constellation.
  • [PHOTO] Video Tip: The History of Lytro : Remember Lytro? Here’s a great video taking a good look at the history of a really interesting technology and how it ended up with Google.
  • [SPACE, PHOTO] JWST Images the First Exoplanet : Back in ep 912 Chris talked about how JWST finds exoplanets. One of those methods is direct imaging (e.g. taking a photo of it) – JWST hast done just that for the first time.
  • [PHOTO, NEWS] Happy Birthday Magnum! : It’s Magnum’s 75th anniversary and Chris takes a minute to talk about some of the key moments in their long life.

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910 Welcome to Dongle Town

Let’s talk about photo road trips, dongles, an exercise in spotting humanity, smartphones closing in on us, astrophotography and big satellite constellations. Plus: Where is TFTTF really located on the spectrum of photography podcasts?

Topics:

  • [OTHER] Welcome to Dongle Town : Chris has figured out an interesting way to vlog from his car with a multi-camera view and excellent sound. All while spending zero money and using exactly one device: his iPhone (plus a cheap lav mic)
  • [HOUSEKEEPING] It’s the Periphery
  • [PHOTO, AI] Exercise: This Image Does Not Exist : Can you tell if an image was generated by a human or a machine? The average score is 18.
  • [PHOTO] Foreground blur in portrait photos : Small but interesting change for the iPhone cameras when iOS 16 is out. Bokeh in front of the subject will now be rendered. One step further into the realm of the bigger sensors.
  • [SPACE] LEO constellations and astro photography : Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) is some 300 to 600 km above the Earth. With thousands of satellites, LEO is also one of the busiest areas outside of our planet. And Astronomers aren’t always happy about it. Chris talks with Meredith Rawls from the Vera C. Rubin observatory about what the new satellite constellations mean for space observation.

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