Member Picks - Mar & Apr
LISA
Just a reminder this month to watch our YouTube channel. See the links found under the Exhibits page. Watch the resizing/formatting video to submit your pictures for local and N4C contests.
KEVIN
Artificial Intelligence and Photography
If you use photo editing software on your computer, you are probably seeing ads for artificial intelligence add-ins. Here is one that works from a webpage and has a free to try version that does image sharpening and re-sizing. It has some photo size limitations and interface is a little clunky, but it works. Works better on some pictures than others. Go to the web link below and look under the dropdown for products to try various tools. www.imglarger.com
TARA
Phone Apps
Let’s talk about apps. I don’t mean the ones you order at a restaurant before a meal (although I love a good recipe swap if you have any). I want to talk about phone apps.
There is an app for just about anything these days, all you have to do is search for them. There are especially a lot apps out there that are useful for photographers. I use several apps when I’m planning an outdoor shoot, when I’m out in the field photographing, and for learning and/or getting inspired. Here are some of the apps I frequent most and a few I cannot wait to use and learn more about myself.
The biggies I think everyone should have: The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) and Photo Pills:
Both apps do have an initial cost, both are $9.99 each, but it’s a one-time cost, and I know I’ve gotten my money’s worth for these apps, with only using the bare minimum from them.
TPE
This is a map based app that you could pin locations, see rise/set data, moon fullness, horizon data, azimuth/altitude, geodetics, twilight times, even dark sky information. You can change location and date to plan ahead, it gives you the pinned locations elevation and latitude/longitude. There is so much information in this app, I know I don’t utilize it to the full extent, but I use it every time I want to plan a sunrise or sunset photoshoot and figure out best day for Milky Way photography based on the moonrise/set and fullness.
PhotoPills
This is a relatively new app for me to use. It has a lot of the same rise/set data that that TPE has, but it also has SO MUCH MORE! There is so much content in this app, it has a PhotoPills academy that has tutorials and videos on how to use all the features of the app.
It tells you galactic center rise and set and degree of angle. Golden hour, blue hour, twilight. I plan on really digging into all the features of this app, so I am ready to fully use it for my summer hikes.
All Trails & Avenza Maps
For maps, I use two apps, depending on the type of trip I am making. All Trails is just as it sounds. It shows you all the trails in your surround area, or you can move the pinpoint location on the map to search for trails in other areas.
When you select a trail, it shows you pictures from the trail that other users have submitted, user star-rated reviews of the trail and their feedback. If you’re looking for an easy hike, or something more challenging, it also gives you a difficulty level on each trail.
When I moved here a few years ago, this app really helped me figure out all the trails in the Black Hills.
Avenza Maps is an app you can download US geological maps from all the parks. Some maps you do have to pay for, a lot are free. Once you’ve downloaded a map, you can use it to record your gps location to see how many miles you travel, you can plan ahead and trace a path to see how many miles the trail roughly is. I used this app when I was backpacking in the Big Horns last summer. It was great tracking where all we went to see how many miles we travelled each day.
There are a lot of night sky apps out there. You just have to find one you like the best for you. Star Walk, Star Walk2, Starlight, Star Tracker. I have used all of these; they all feel about the same to me. They show you the constellations, locations of meteor showers (if applicable). It even showed me where to look for Neowise during the summer.
