The Value of a Small Sensor

This article is huge to me. I shoot with digital 35mm sensors, super35, Micro Four Thirds, iPhones, and more. There is nothing more irritating than scuttle between photographer arguing about sensor size, equivalencies, etc. A small sensor is just as valuable as a large one.

My experience in cinematography is one where I value the background as much as the subject and foreground. You'll find that in many films, the background is very prominent and not just a blurry field of color. Many discuss ultra shallow depth of field; razor thin where only the subjects eye is in focus but their nose isn't. There is no doubt that in some situations that is important but I find the challenge and fun of finding an excellent background, working with the background, and making it part of the image so valuable that I wouldn't want to blur out such details.

I encourage you to read Why I Shoot with a Small Sensor. 

Photos gets Extension Support in OS X El Capitan 10.11

Many have been disappointed with photos for the Mac. I, on the other hand, have been using it for several months and find it very pleasing. It is better than iPhoto, not quite as powerful as Aperture, but overall it's a solid application.

This week, at WWDC 2015, Apple announced OS X El Capitan. The next generation of Apple's operating system for the Mac brings a new version of Photos. The application that mirrors the Photos app on iOS has many great editing tools but it does not reach the level of something like Aperture or Photoshop. With extension support, however, new tools can be developed by third parties to make Photos a powerful editing application while continuing to use the organizational tools and iCloud.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc.

New editing extensions let you go further with your photos. OS X El Capitan supports third-party tools that will be available from the Mac App Store and accessible right in the Photos app. Use multiple editing extensions from your favorite developers on a single photo, or use a mix of extensions and the editing tools built into Photos. From adding subtle filters to using beautiful texture effects, you can take your photo editing to a whole new level.

This is a major improvement for Photos. I have been very much looking forward to this update. I'm glad that it is coming along so quickly with Photos.

Watch

When the iPhone came out, I was excited and saw some real potential. When the iPad came out, many wrote it off as a "giant iPod Touch." I wrote an article about how it would change my life and many others' lives and industries. I'm going on record that the Watch is going to do the same.  

But this is my site devoted to photography and, as such, I'll narrow my focus and say that while the iPhone changed my photography (for the better) I'm looking forward to the potential of how the Apple Watch will change photography. There are some neat apps for controlling one's iPhone camera from the iPhone. I imagine the app could also be modifiedor someone could make an app to remotely control a DSLR, mirrorless or other camera too.

I think it will even go further than that but just for now, as of March 22, 2015, I'm making the call, again, on the future of this new device. The Apple Watch had some really amazing prospects in its future. I can't wait to see what we can do with it. 

My Apple Watch of choice: Apple Watch Sport, 42mm, silver and white or, if I really spring for it, the Apple Watch, 42mm Space Black.