Photography

San Francisco in the Great Depression: Photos by Dorothea Lange →

March 25, 2016 · 07:57

Michael Zhang:

In 1918, photographer Dorothea Lange left New York on a trip to travel the world. That ambitious trip was cut short by a robbery, and Lange ended up settling in the San Francisco Bay Area and opening a studio there. During the Great Depression, Langue took her camera out of the studio and onto the streets to document the country for the Farm Security Administration.

Galaxy S7 vs. iPhone 6S Plus Camera Shootout ‘Proves iPhone Still Best’ →

March 9, 2016 · 12:46

Daniel Bader writing for iMore:

It’s not easy to tell which device wins this contest, as both the iPhone 6s Plus and Galaxy S7 dominate a couple of categories. The iPhone’s strengths are in situations with ample light, particularly with the sun as a source; Apple manages to capture photos with more natural colors and less artificial sharpening. This is especially evident in shots with lots of minute detail, or in macros.

The Galaxy S7, on the other hand, performs well in lower light, owing to a larger sensor and wider aperture. That said, the device doesn’t outright dominate, as photos taken in dim situations tend to emerge warmer and less lifelike.

I hope I get a review unit to test this out personally, but it appears from the samples Daniel posted, that the iPhone takes the more naturally pleasing and technically better photos, while the Galaxy S7 prefers to go for more ‘pop’ (eg. in HDR mode). Having said that, many users prefer the latter, just like they like the screen’s colours to be unnaturally saturated.

I Chose the MacBook Pro Over the iPad Pro

February 11, 2016 · 20:44

I loved all my iPads, especially when travelling. They’re light, take up little space, and I even read on them instead of on my Kindle, just to have one less device with me. However, when I travel to places and plan to take a lot of photos, I always take my MacBook Pro1 instead of an iPad, albeit the decision is not an easy one.

While I can pretty much use the iPad, and more recently the iPad Pro, for close to everything, it does not run Lightroom nor does it support RAW files the way Lightroom for the desktop does. That is the single reason why I take the laptop. If I had an iPad mini, I would have probably taken that too2. But I don’t. And I want to be able to edit my photos.

So, Adobe, what I want, and need, is Lightroom for iOS which replicates the desktop version’s features, and allows me to transfer everything over to my Mac once I get home, integrating it easily with my existing catalog. Please make this happen.

  1. 2014 Retina 13″. ↩
  2. Instead of the Kindle most likely. ↩

Firewatch Allows User to Develop Physical Prints From Pics Snapped in Game →

February 9, 2016 · 09:00

Joey Davidson:

The PC version of Firewatch has a special feature that the console version lacks. You find a disposable camera in the forest. You can use that camera to take pictures in the game as you play. Once you finish the game, you’ll get a link in the menu to a web store where you can buy your prints.

Really, you can get the pictures you took in the game developed. Here are mine.

This is great! Unfortunately only in the PC version of the game.

The Rule of Thirds — a Rookie Mistake →

January 31, 2016 · 14:12

Tavis Leaf Glover:

If new artists start with the grid of dynamic symmetry instead of the rule of thirds, they’ll be able to later take advantage of the diagonals, which they can create rhythm with… by posing the model, or applying paint strokes. The available diagonals within the rectangle will limit the number of directions you use, called a gamut, which will create a more powerful composition…rather than the spokes of a bicycle tire.

Photographer Banned From North Korea for These Photos →

January 27, 2016 · 13:14

Michael Zhang:

Photographer Éric Lafforgue has spent years traveling the world to shoot documentary photos for well-known publications. He was even given rare access to North Korea, where he shot thousands of photos showing citizens and government officials going about their daily lives.

After his 6th trip to the country in September 2012, however, Lafforgue was banned by the government for the photos he was sharing online.

Worth seeing.