The one feature I want from Lightroom v5

 
OK - so version 4 has only just come out and there are some new pretty cool features.

But it is missing one killer piece of functionality  - a need to rethink the idea that I always carry all of my data with me - read on ...

  Lightroom 4 features that are important to me 

• The awesome update to the highlight and shadow algorithms
  Am seriously looking at going over some old shots for this one. While in-camera is always best every bit helps and I want to see how it changes things 
• The upgrade to the adjustment bush
  This enhancement takes the flexiblity and the power of this tool to a whole new level ... again removing the further need for diving out to photoshop for finetuning
• Enhanced books and slideshows
  Useful but not a high priority but certainly saves the need to install more software and widgets to create these occasionally useful renderings of images
• Emailing from within Lightroom
  Doh ... version 4 !! ... seriously it took this long - well at least it's here 

Lightroom 4 features that are not important to me

• Improved video editing
  Because I don't ... and am not remotely interested at this point in time (and for the next forseeable few years)
• Soft-proofing
  I don't really know what it is. Okay I get the theory but I don't currently print and currently have a great contact for the prints that I do. I sort of leave this hard work to him (yes I do pay him for it) 

... and unlike Canon and their cameras and bodies who seem to think 30%-40% price hikes are going to be met with open arms - this version of Lightroom is 50% cheaper than its predecessors. 

To me this last is the deal-clincher and it is the final and important straw when asked 'What editing tool should I get ...' results in an instant response of Adobe Lightroom.

But what's missing ?

Now this is a hard one sometimes as it always seems like a constant whinge trail there is one key flaw in the product.

It isn't mobile.

Yeah there are a bunch of people who will explain how portable it is by following the simple series of 53 steps to move libraries, catalogues and images to another computer as well as the wealth of YouTube videos and blog posts that document and demonstrate how easy all of these steps are ... BUT ... its not easy ... its not intuitive ... and disaster looms if you get it wrong.

so finally - A mobile workflow for Lightroom 5 - 
(... or what it should be anyway ...)

• Load the photos from camera onto iPad
  You can do this today but it would be easier if there was a card reader inside the iPad itself - so this is not up to Adobe ... but the rest is
• Preliminary edit and categorisation of photos on the iPad
  This would be easier than a laptop and for short photography expeditions is ideal. You could easily do the categorisations, keywording, file renaming and high level edits. The current tools and systems fall short here - its a good start but this is really what is needed and within immediate reach
• Ability to transfer images, ratings, filenames and keywords readymade onto the laptop
  This needs to be seemless and complete. Getting these onto the laptop quickly and easily then allows you to focus on any fine editing work you need to do. The current clunky import / export features of catalogs and files within LR do not help here
• Easy Catalog transport from laptops to home drive system
  Download from laptop to central server at home. Ability to select images for mobile editing and synchronisation when back in contact with the main computer or library
• Finally the ability to take select images onto the iPad and the laptop from time to time to edit manage and synchronise back 

So here it is - the killer feature for Lightroom 5 - mobility across tablet, laptop and home disk arrays.

2 years waiting - 2 major announcements - Completely Underwhelmed !!

A couple of weeks on long awaited completely underwhelming announcements.

Firstly the Canon 5D mkIII - I agree a truly gorgeous camera - but a 50% price increase on the already awesome 5D mkII. I know alot of 5D2 owners who are definitely not feeling the envy flowing through their veins on this. Yeah they fixed a bunch of stuff, but this is expected in technological advances and not at a massive premium.

A great summary from one of the masters - Vincent Laforet

Secondly the New iPad (noticeably not called the 3 !!). New screen, faster chip, better camera, promises of more enabled technology in built

 ... but ...

• more memory ? - NO 
• thunderbolt or USB out ? - NO
• inbuilt memory card reader ? - NO 
• worth throwing out my perfectly adequate v 1.0 ? - NO

I am not posting a link because I can't find a relevant one that adequately critiques this truly non-revolutionary advance.

Oh well - more money in the account for lenses then and maybe the 1DX starts to look attractive !!!

A weekend in KL

   

 

A photo opportunity while chilling out in Kuala Lumpur catching up with old friends. Having been up there a few times including the Commonweath Games in 1998 I had never actually tried to capture the mood of the city through the lens. 

 

Am keen to get back there again soon

 

     

Surfing into 2012 - Bali Style

    

Down at Echo Beach in Canggu, Bali. Sunset on 30th December 2011. Watching the surfers surf the end of the year away happily grabbing the few last waves of 2011. 

The good 'ole 100-400mm lens having to check the lighting constantly as it quickly got darker - trying to keep the shutter speed as high as possible.

Check out the full stream here on Flickr.

Shooting Fruit

   

This Sunday involved getting out the strobes, lightboxes and trusty onOne software on the iPad. I had reviewed this in an earlier blogpost and again it came to the rescue in getting the lighting right and previewing the shots.

After a shopping spree the day before, and all the great summer fruit that is now here on the shelves from down-under (including some of the best nectarines I have had in over a decade) it was out with my two trusty flash units to try some food photography. 

Inspiration came from Nicole S. Young (Nicolesy) - author of Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots and (micro)STOCK: From Passion to Paycheck. Links to these can be found on her blog.

I have put the best shots up on the select project gallery here. On editing the images it also becomes clear that a single image can create many moods with different crops.

There is still plenty of room for improvement but it was good to try and prove the fact that backlighting food is always a must and use of softboxes to ensure a directioned but soft light was key to preventing harsh lightspots on the shiny fruit.

It was a grey drizzly day which helped keep the ambient light consistent and soft so I wasn't fighting harsh shadows on the display table.

In the meantime I have put the best of the best up here on 500px. While Flickr will still hold a large number of my general shots, I am aiming to use 500px to host the ongoing best works over time.