Better Fuji Photos

Better Fuji Photos Episode 42: 2023 Wrap and 2024 Thoughts We made it a year! I honestly didn't think this podcast would make it a year, discouraged mainly by statistics of how many of them quickly die. But I was encouraged to continue by all of you! How did 2023 go for everyone? Were you able to pursue the year-long challenge presented in Episode 1? I hope so, and I hope it made you a better photographer. Going into 2024, this will no longer be a weekly podcast. I need to take a few things off my plate, so I'll only be able to keep this up every two or three weeks. And that leaves me with a final thought going into the following year: what does photography mean to you? This was posed in another podcast a few years ago; I answered it in an article linked below and now here in this episode, and I'd be curious to hear your answer in the article comments. Accompanying web article: ⁠https://jmpeltier.com/what-is-photography-all-about/ Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

Better Fuji Photos Episode 40: Mastering Depth of Field - It's Not Just Aperture! Maybe you've been there. You're wondering why your photo created at f/22 has a sharp foreground but a blurry background, even though it was at f/22. Or why your photo made at f/1.4 doesn't have a blurry background like f/1.4 photos should. That's because, as educators, we've failed to emphasize how depth of field is equally affected by variables other than your aperture. Focal length, focus distance, and how the photo is viewed also affect your depth of field. In this episode, we'll discuss how: Wider focal lengths give you deeper depths of field Further focus distances give you deeper depths of field Smaller apertures give you deeper depths of field And how all three combine to give you a final depth of field Read the accompanying web article here: https://jmpeltier.com/what-affects-depth-of-field/ Take the Advanced Depth of Field course: https://photocourses.link/dof Explore the Fujifilm Photographer Membership options: https://photocourses.link/fujimembers Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 38: Obsessing Over the Wrong Things What do you think is the most important part of a photograph? The moment captured or the small technical details that no one but yourself will notice? This short episode is not meant to diminish the technical aspects that accompany photography - only to say that, with all of the gear being sold to us, sometimes we lose sight of what's really important. Take a moment to re-calibrate your priorities and what you value most when creating a photograph. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 36: Using the Histogram for Perfect Exposures Traditional "metering" is still available in today's digital cameras. But why not use an easier, better tool to get more accurate exposures? That's the histogram! This graph, which you can enable in different ways in your camera (outlined in the podcast & article), is easiest to use when broken up into three "zones": the left third representing the shadows, the mid third representing the midtones, and the right third representing the highlights. Then, you simply adjust your exposure to "place" things where they belong in the histogram, depending on how much light they should reflect - or how bright you want them to be! See this breakdown, along with a walkthrough, in the accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/using-mirrorless-histogram/ Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 34: Camera Bag Essentials There are just some things that photographers should always have with them, and I like to break this up into the "must haves," "nice to haves," and "situation-dependent." I'm also a big fan of the modular system - using organizers like those from Think Tank Photo and Shimoda to keep all related items together for quick transfer from one bag to another. You can read more about all of these things in the accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/camera-bag-essentials/ Must Haves: Lens cleaning kit Extra battery Extra storage (SD) card Appropriate smartphone apps Nice to Haves: White balance card Lens cleaning solution Small tripod Tablet and external storage Rite In The Rain notepad & pen Portable battery charger Situation Dependent: Polarizing filters Cable release Red headlamp External flash (& kit) Rain cover Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 32: A Photo Mechanic + Capture One Workflow Photo Mechanic is a great editor, but you can't process RAW photos. Capture One is a superior RAW processor, but its editing functionality is nowhere near what Photo Mechanic can do. How can you easily combine Photo Mechanic and Capture One in a workflow to get the best of both programs? That's what we'll discuss in this podcast episode, with these steps: Set up Photo Mechanic Set up Capture One Edit in Photo Mechanic Put the selected photos in a Selects subfolder Open photos in Capture One Process RAW photos in Capture One Export processed photos into Processed subfolder Though it may seem like a few more steps than necessary, it's actually faster and more efficient than trying to do everything in Capture One (or Lightroom Classic) alone! Accompanying web article: ⁠⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/photo-mechanic-capture-one-workflow/ The Photo Mechanic Guide course: ⁠https://photocourses.link/pm⁠ Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 30: Editing to Improve your Photography When chasing the perfect photograph, we often get bogged down in gear choices and post-processing techniques. But when was the last time you paid attention to editing - the process of selecting which photos you want to share - as a means to improve your photography? Why are you selecting those photos, and how can you improve your photography in general as a result of those selections? That's what we'll discuss here - how editing can improve your technical, creative, and storytelling skills. Links mentioned in this episode: Accompanying article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/editing-improves-your-photography/ After the Capture course: https://photocourses.link/ac Better Photography Through Visual Storytelling course: https://photocourses.link/story Use the coupon code "POD20" for 20% off all courses. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 28: Finding Photography Success without Instagram Go to any "Starting your photography business" checklist and you'll see "create an Instagram page" on there, with a long list of "rules" for posting to Instagram. It works, and some people really have fun with it, and find success doing so. But it's not for everyone. So is it possible to find photography success without Instagram, or any social media at all? I for one wish I could enjoy the process. But I frankly don't, and that's okay. And guess what? I'm a full-time photographer without ever having a single dime come from using Instagram. There are so many other (and arguably better) ways of finding success as a photographer without Instagram. Take control of your publishing with a portfolio site and email list. Pitch your work to editors and publishers. Get on "call for submissions" lists. Network with others. Encourage word-of-mouth marketing. Join a professional organization. These are just some things that we discuss in this podcast episode. Links mentioned in this episode: Fujifilm Photography Membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off your first three months. Article - Do You Need Instagram to Succeed as a Photographer?: https://www.jmpeltier.com/successful-photographer-without-instagram/ After the Capture post-processing course: https://photocourses.link/ac⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 26: Stuck In a Rut? Give Yourself an Assignment! We all experience "photographer's block" or get in a rut where we just don't have any interest or desire to get out with our camera. And that's a shame! One way to fix this is to give ourselves photography assignments. We look at a few ideas for photography assignments in this episode, as well as how to brainstorm your own photography assignments. Some ideas include: Using a fixed focal length Limit your number of exposures Record JPEG only Focus on a specific subject To brainstorm your own ideas, use "idea mapping" or "clustering," writing down a broad topic and below that, write down related sub-topics. Keep going until you have a robust list. Next time you're in a rut and don't know what to photograph, go to the list and give yourself an assignment! Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 24: Backing Up Your Photos While Traveling How do you ensure your photos are secure while you're on the road? You certainly don't want only to have them on one SD card - you'd lose everything should that SD card disappear or get damaged. You can still follow the 3-2-1 backup rule while traveling, and we'll look at some strategies for this in this episode. Have 3 copies of your photo files Store them on 2 different types of media 1 of those copies should be off-site (a different location) WITH A LAPTOP: Copy the photos from the SD card to your laptop, then from your laptop to an SSD (three copies of at least two types) Back them up to the Cloud if you have WiFi (one copy off-site) In all cases, spread out all three storage devices throughout your luggage, so they're not in the same bag WITHOUT A LAPTOP: Copy your photos to your phone or tablet using an SD reader adapter For added security, then copy them to an SSD using a USB adapter (three copies of at least two types) For extra security, back them up to the cloud if you have WiFi (one copy off-site) In all cases, spread out your storage devices throughout your luggage, so they're not in the same bag Links mentioned in this episode: Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off. The Photo Mechanic Guide: https://photocourses.link/pm The Lightroom Guide: https://photocourses.link/lr Recommended SSDs for travel: LaCie | SanDisk SD readers for smartphones/tablets: Apple iOS | Android uses regular USB USB adapters for smartphones/tablets: Apple iOS | Android uses regular USB Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 22: Choosing the Right SD Card How do you pick the right SD card? There are so many different letters and numbers on them that understanding their capabilities - and how that relates to your photography/videography - can be incredibly confusing. In this episode we'll cover: Storage capacities Bus speeds Speed classes Ideal cards for different photographers Ideal cards for different videos *Please note that the storage requirements for HD & 4K video cited in this episode are the bare minimum, for minimum bitrates & high compression. Higher bitrates and lower compression will require significantly higher storage. Accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/choosing-a-memory-card/ Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 20: Photographing People in Public (Case Study) If any stranger has ever been in your camera viewfinder, I'm sure these thoughts have crossed your mind at some point: Can I photograph this person? What can I do with the photograph afterward? Is it legal? Is it ethical? We will answer those questions in this episode via a case study, a photograph submitted by one of our listeners. It's a photograph of a child crouched on a public street in France, focusing on something in the cracks of some paver stones. We're looking at the top of the child's head, with one side of the face marginally visible. Was it okay to capture this photograph, without permission from the parents? Is it alright to sell this photograph? Do they need to be compensated for sales? Let's first get to the meat of the issue: the legality and ethics of photographing strangers in public. It's easiest if we break this into several steps: Is it legal to capture a photo of someone in public? What can you legally do with that photo after it's been legally captured? If it's legal, is it ethical? The legal questions will vary by country, as each country puts different weights on the right of expression (photography) versus the right to privacy in public, though in most cases, the right to expression wins. The ethics question is best answered using the Golden Rule: would you want to be photographed in that situation? How do these apply to the photograph in question? Read the article/see the photo here: https://www.jmpeltier.com/photographing-people-in-public-legal-ethical-considerations/ Interview with Valerie Jardin - Ethics in Street Photography: https://www.jmpeltier.com/ethics-in-street-photography-valerie-jardin/ Country-specific consent requirements table: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Country_specific_consent_requirements Learn more about considerations of photographing people in public in the Better Photography Through Visual Storytelling course, with model release downloads: https://photocourses.link/story. Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 18: Five Apps to Improve your Landscape & Travel Photography As much as I hate to say that I love smartphone apps to help my photography, I'm going to have to get used to it. Smartphone apps can really help with photography planning, creation, and post-production. Here are five landscape & travel photography apps that you should really check out if you're not already familiar with them. The five photography apps that I absolutely love: PhotoPills The Photographer's Ephemeris 3D Gaia GPS PeakFinder AR RAW Camera Phone App Links mentioned in this episode: Online Photography Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/learn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off. Article - The Five Best Apps for Travel & Landscape Photographers: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/five-essential-outdoor-photo-apps/ Article - PhotoPills vs The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE): https://www.jmpeltier.com/photopills-vs-tpe/ Article - Planning a Photography Project with Gaia GPS: https://www.jmpeltier.com/photography-project-planning-gaiagps/⁠⁠ Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going. If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com. End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip