Instagram Winners – Freeze Motion

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Having a technical challenge with Freeze Motion got you going for higher shutter speeds to really lock that motion in place. It's a handy skill to have so you can switch when needed to catch subjects moving a lot faster than your average or just freezing a moment. Like always we had a great assortment from wildlife to portraits and planes.You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #PRTV_goldenhr. Get out early or later in the day for that perfect soft and warm golden hour light. Watch Toby’s Time of Day & Quality of Light video for the best tips to get your golden hour photos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXEaFkgIqYo To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_goldenhr.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Toby's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFiElF_tDbt/I love this shot, it's pin sharp tip to tip. You captured the motion really nicely and I love this shot. Compared to Roy the green is very green but it's still a natural looking shot.

Toby's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJteip8DyY5/It's a bit messy, grainy, and oversaturated for my taste but holey moley you caught the action. It's a bit crazy, where's the rider? You froze the spray in place and you can see the individual drops.https://www.instagram.com/p/BMpFnAXBztQ/I picked angry_runner for the action sequence of post processing nightmare for this great shot. It's pretty cool!

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMjjFVFhJlI/Doortje has a tabletop drop shot for a splash which is a really nice way to practice your freeze motion photography. Using a faster aperture is a nice touch as it adds to the scene and really throws some of the drops out of focus. Just remember when using a reflective cup to clone out some of the reflections for a cleaner photo.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCntxJ2HMRr/Jberendtphotography has a nice frozen shot of an apple “falling”, it’s a nice posed composition and makes for a great fall scenic shot. https://www.instagram.com/p/BFiElF_tDbt/One of the great things freeze motion can work on is birds and wildlife in general. Using that faster shutter speed insures you get that crisp shot to freeze the bird in the moment. It could do with slightly less saturation though as it's a bit strong at the moment.

Hunting with the Hadzabe of Tanzania

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https://youtu.be/PtXxhdQSxIkWe go hunting with the The Hadza, or Hadzabe, a nomadic tribe that lives around the Lake Eyasi region of Tanzania in Africa. Hours spent in the bushes (going in circles sometimes) looking for this small group of  nomadic hunter/gatherersthat suddenly appeared with bloodied dikdik in their hand. Watching them start a fire without matches, smoke weed, roast Dikdik and then we all head out on a hunt - a squirrel hunt!Learn more about Mckay Photography Academy Learn more about Thomson Safaris My Big 5 Safari PhotosStabilized Shots from the Crane | Buy from AmazonSafari and Wildlife Photo Gear recommendationsThose cool wooden sunglasses 

Lightroom Mobile Android RAW Editing

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Lightroom Mobile 2.2 RAW EditingUPDATE: Today only - $30 OFF year subscription to Lightroom and Photoshop CC including LR mobileAdobe has just released a technology preview that allows Android mobile users to directly import RAW files into your mobile device for editing - The list of supported cameras is impressive - most current models- Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony and more. See the complete list of supported cameras  iOS users got this update in July.You will need a USB On-The-Go adapter also called an OTG cable that will allow you to directly connect your camera to your android mobile device. Shop OTG cables at B&H or on Amazon OTG cable. -Those are standard micro USB cables. If you have a USB-C device you will need to purchase a USB-C OTG.   iOS users need the SD card adapter. Why do you need a cable/adapter, don't modern cameras offer WiFi transfer?  Yes! But none of those cameras will transfer RAW files via WiFi.Various OTG CablesPlug the OTG cable into your device and use your standard camera cable to connect to your camera and change to the PTP transfer mode in the Android Notification Center. Then, tap on the notification that indicates “Connected to USB PTP Camera. Tap to view files.” (note - When I connected to my Android LGv10 I did not have to click the notification) You will be presented with an import box. Select the photos you want to import, the collection you want to import the photos into, and tap transfer. Lightroom will transfer the photos and notify you once all of the photos have been imported.
You get all of the benefits of raw, such as the ability to change the white balance, being able to recover blown out highlights, access to the full range of color information, as well as editing an uncompressed file, all using the exact same technology that powers Lightroom on your desktop. An added benefit is that the raw file that you’ve imported into Lightroom for Android will be synced with Lightroom on your other devices, such as Lightroom for desktop or Lightroom on the web, along with any of the edits, star ratings, or flags that you’ve added.Lightroom for Android 2.2 is available now from the Google Play Store.  Will you be editing RAW files on the Go?Do you want to learn Lightroom - I am offering my 6+ hour video course on Lightroom Training for just $18.74 in November!!  More about Lightroom Mobile Editing  

Black Friday Camera Deals 2016

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Black Friday 2017 Deal List Live - Photorec.tv/BF2017

Black Friday 2016 (updated hourly) we will post all current Black Friday and Cyber Monday Camera, lens, photography and accessories like tripods, SD cards and more below. Follow me on InstagramFor the Month of November, I am offering my Lightroom for Beginners video series at 25% Off . Over 6+ hours of Video, 30+ presets and much more.  Learn More.Lightroom for Beginners Amazon Black Friday Dealsbh-holiday-deals

TODAY ONLY

All Deals

canon savings nikonsavings Sony Black Friday Deals

Spider Holster Savings

Camera Rebate Savings

olympus savings

Black Friday Drone Deals

Black Friday Lens Deals and Rebates

 Did you know B&H Photo has an awesome selection of outdoor gear?B&H Pro Audio GearSee ALL current Deals and Recommended accessories

Instagram Winners – Halloween

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Being the week of Halloween we just had to make the challenge #PRTV_halloween. Pumpkins, figurines, costumed portraits, and more this week fit the mood perfectly. It gives us an excuse to be a bit more creative with shoots using a mood, or fitting someone in a costume.You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #PRTV_freezemotion. It's time to practice your technique by freezing the action with fast shutter speeds. Something everyone always dismisses but it's a handy to know how when you need it. The subject is up to you whether it be sports, kids playing, or a tabletop DIY like water drops.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_freezemotion.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Guest: Steve Scurich

Toby's Winner:

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/BMPHJo5gDux/[/embed]It's a really cool shot.  The focus is great and just thin enough that the horns go in and out of focus.

Toby's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMO0kkwgCxH/Fantastic job with this macro, the framing and silhouette in this light is super cool.https://www.instagram.com/p/BMJGDKagt39/This makes me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas with a ghost and it's a cool, creative, shot.

Steve's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMO2mOKA-Ql/As a kid the creepiest part of Halloween was the Sleepy Hallow, headless horseman story. I like the desaturated look and it gives that spooky vibe. The small branch by the cape is the weak point that would make the photo stronger if cloned out.

Steve's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMPafJOjmch/I love this one, the lighting is great. The contrast between the fake face but real eyes bring the spooky vibe. Albert Einstein is haunting us!https://www.instagram.com/p/BMPHJo5gDux/I love the focus on her eye and the horns coming right at you make for a great photo.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMPHJo5gDux/It's a great portrait and you nailed the focus on this shot.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

Join the dark side, we have cookies! It's a great example of a blackout portrait. Being a spooky Halloween shot the black dropoff works otherwise next time just put a reflector up to his left to put light back on his figure.https://www.instagram.com/p/BMXizNthIKA/As I said while sharing this on Instagram, not everything gets done in post. It's a great make up job and the sepia works for the shot.https://www.instagram.com/p/BMLurJZgGWY/

Don't use a Tripod or Tripod Tips and Tricks

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https://youtu.be/0wIlHixjTr8 Tripod Recommendations:Budget Tripod: Dolica ProlineMy Recommendation: MeFoto Road Trip CFTop of the line: Feisol Legs with Acratech GP Ballhead Mini Tripod: Pedco UltralightFlexible Mini Tripod: Joby GorillapodI want to take just a few minutes and talk about when you should and should NOT use a tripod - far too often I see beginners carrying around and using a tripod when they don’t need too. In my opinion the only time you must use a tripod is when you are shooting at shutter speeds slow enough that you might get blur from handshake and that typically happens when your shutter speed is less than your focal length. If shooting at 50mm your shutter speed should be at least 1/50 of a second. There are more variables in figuring out the best shutter speed to avoid shake and I talk about those in my shutter speed video.Shooting at those slower shutter speeds is when you DO want the camera on a sturdy tripod DOES it really hurt to use it at those other times? It can because I see beginners doing two things when they use a tripod - setting up at eye level and rooting. We are humans we like to be comfortable and so we often setup cameras at a comfortable eye level, for some compositions this is OK but being free of a tripod means you are free to quickly try a variety of heights - what does your composition look like from ground level, just above? How about as high as you can reach? Using a tripod encourages us to set up at ONE height and stick there - this brings up ROOTING. We plunk the tripod down, put the camera on it and don’t move, continually shooting from the same location - maybe you try a different depth of field, maybe you try moving the focus point but generally you are going to end up taking way too many photos from that point of view and being free from a tripod encourages movement. Small shifts left or right, up or down can make a large difference in your composition not to mention frees you to look in all directions. When we work with new photographers on our trips we like to remind them about the 360 rule - always take a moment to do a slow spin looking for other possible subjects or compositions that are sometimes behind you. Shooting with a tripod is friction against moving and that’s potentially holding you back from a better shot.When are tripods useful?

  1. Using a tripod to shoot a bracketed exposure can help reduce ghosting and increase image quality but if you have a camera with a decent burst rate, with some practice you can certainly shoot a fast burst of bracketed shots without serious alignment issues.
  2. When you are setting up a careful composition, I find a tripod makes it easier to really study your composition, leveling your horizon, scanning the frame for distractions. It's harder as a beginner to study a shot and bring it up to your eye making the adjustments you want though it is possible, just don’t get rooted in the same spot
  3. Working with really heavy lenses, it is nice to have some support there even if you remain above the shutter speed rule.

So there are certainly valid reasons for using a tripod but as beginners I want you to aware of the drawbacks and hope you will keep those in mind as you photograph.

Quick Tripod Tips -

  • Always turn of image stabilization when your camera is on a tripod - some stabilizations systems at some shutter speeds will actually cause blur and give you soft images as a result.
  • I like to position one of the tripod legs under my lens for increased stability.
  • Never ever walk away from my camera on a tripod unless you are 110% sure it is stable.
  • Position the tripod plate release under the lens, making it harder to accidentally grab. There are times in the dark I thought I was adjusting the ball head when really I was loosening the plate. Not fun!!

Do you have additional scenarios where tripods are useful - leave them in the comments below.These days because of all the travel I am doing I am happy carrying the MeFoto Carbon Fiber Road Trip - it offers a nice blend of portability and stability- You can see several other recommendations at different price points below. If you would like to plunk your tripod down next to me in some awesome locations- Click here to see where I am headed next year. Tripod Recommendations:Tripod Recommendations:Budget Tripod: Dolica ProlineMy Recommendation: MeFoto Road Trip CFTop of the line: Feisol Legs with Acratech GP Ballhead Mini Tripod: Pedco UltralightFlexible Mini Tripod: Joby Gorillapod

 

Yongnuo 100mm Lens Coming Soon

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It looks like the next big item to come out from Yongnuo is a 100mm lens after the decent 50mm F/1.8 and 35mm F/2 lenses that have came out recently. Photo Rumors doing a bit of hunting managed to find a gallery of new 100mm lens product images from Yongnuo and a new sales listing so consider this an unofficial leak with an official announcement expected soon. As of now we know that it's a 100mm Prime similar to Canon's lens priced at $170 for Canon EF mount and Nikon mount expected to follow later. It's a speedy F/2 lens with auto focus and similarly sized to Canon's model. With the release of their two prior lenses it's an interesting option for sure considering the estimated low price.Specifications:

Aperture: F/2-F/22Blades: 9 BladesFocus mode: Af, MfMaximum Magnification: 0.140 timesFocal length: 100mmLens size: 76.6 * 122mmType: Fixed focal length lensFull frame: YesFocus Type: PrimeModel Number: YN100mm F2.0 CLens Type: AutomaticFilter Size: 58mmWeight: 401g-500g
 

Instagram Winners – Seasons

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With the leaves changing it was up to you to shoot the season with #PRTV_seasons. You shot the entire forest, a single set of leaves, and even birds this week for a nice set of photos. It seems relatively simple to shoot color but when you get out there the composition can be tough and you have to think on your feet. Just like Toby's post on Facebook a bit ago in New England finding a few leaves to shoot as a detail shot.You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #PRTV_halloween. It's time again for Halloween so send us your spooky shots, or your daughter dressed up as Elsa for the billionth time. it's up to you so think out of the box!To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_halloween.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Toby's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMCyoENBx5A/

Toby's Honorable Mentions:

 

 

Roy's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BL7LvOEBWV6/It’s a nice range in color through the forest and you let the sun shine through.

Roy's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BL7lRPZAe9G/I wish it was a bit more centered but I like the thought and color muting the yellow stripe.https://www.instagram.com/p/BL4hxnGge8h/People always miss the tree through the forest, it’s a nice fall detail shot.  

Canon 5D Mark IV Articulating LCD Hack

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In my 5D Mark IV Review I complained about the lack of articulating LCD screen - several of you commented with the suggestion that you can use your phone with the Canon Camera Connect app as an articulating screen.  Here I demonstrate what that might look like and ask if you think it is viable alternative to actually having an articulating screen on the Canon 5D Mark IV.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPEl_RUQaMUscreenshot-2016-10-28-10-14-31Gear NeededPhone Holder Mefoto: http://amzn.to/2dTCn7kHotshoe Mount: http://amzn.to/2fno2W0 Want to travel with me and McKay Photography Academy? Learn more: http://bit.ly/MPA_toby

Made for Creators, Microsoft's New Line of Surface Products

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jurc3SxztGwThe Microsoft Surface line just got a bit of an upgrade with a new Surface Studio desktop and an update to the Surface Pro series laptop. Oddly we've noticed the demo shows Lightroom mobile but we're bound to find out more as they are shipping relatively soon in November. If you've been looking for an upgrade to your aging system on paper both are expected to be great choices.

Surface Studio Surface Dial surface book

The big show stopper for this announcement is the Microsoft Surface Studio all-in-one desktop. First off, yes they basically copied an iMac, the design works why re-invent the wheel. What's different is this desktop shifts down to a 20 degree angle for better access to use it's touch screen, draw, or edit photos. A 28" 4.5K touchscreen makes for a heck of an editor but looking under the hood you can't dismiss the i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 2GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M graphics card, and 1TB SSHD. Then with more expensive models hosting an i7 with twice as much ram, 2TB SSHD, and even better graphics.As a companion peripheral to the Surface Studio we get the Surface Dial. Working with Windows 10 as a new way to scroll, zoom, and navigate. Setting it on the screen opens up an immersive environment with tools and options for the dial specific to the app your using. Using Photoshop? Set the dial on screen for tool and color options without having to get your mouse.Big brother is back with an update to the Surface Book. A powerful option last year, due to it's small size and strong processing power ratio it became the go to laptop for a ton of photographers. While the outside hasn't changed much since last year the biggest improvement is a 30% boost in battery life for up to 16 hours of use on one charge. With a new i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M you get even more speed in a small package outpacing the popular 13" MacBook Pro.Playing devils advocate overall the one thing that kills these is the price. If you can afford three grand for the studio or the surface book at $2,400 these are great options to up your editing game. In terms of processing specs a gaming laptop or 5K iMac ($1,799 vs $2,999... ouch) would beat these on paper for a fraction of the price. Being made for us the ergonomics of a tilting screen, surface pen, and immersive dial in a small format are the key selling points. For quality hardware in a seamless setup without having to pickup something like the Wacom Cintiq for touch input it's a good option... if you can afford them. As they just have released this new product it's expected future generations will benefit from a price drop as production advances.Microsoft SurfaceFor photographers, artists, and the like it's another step forward after the Surface Pro made a giant leap into the market. Turn your desk into a studio, with a dial to boost your workflow, or on the go with a laptop that lasts forever on one charge and can do anything you need. When it comes to this new line of surface products they may be a bit pricey but you get your fair share of power, speed, and function to make your editing workflow seamless.Surface Studio - MicrosoftStore.com. Starts at $2,999 and available for pre-order today.Surface Dial - MicrosoftStore.com.  $99 on pre-order or available bundled with the Studio.Surface Book - MicrosoftStore.com. Pre-order today starting at $2,399. 

Up to Solving Adobe's Photoshop Mystery 2016?

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The third annual Adobe Photoshop Mystery has started and it's up to you to take the challenge! Adobe teamed up with artist Matteo Bassini as Photoshop turns into an interactive game and shows the power Photoshop. Embrace the spirit of Halloween and give it a shot to see if you can save the kingdom.It won't be easy, find the secrets in 21 PSD files and over 1,000 layers to survive until Halloween. Using 330,000 lines of Action Script code Photoshop creates everything from clickable stories to magic at your command. Follow the harrowing story over the course of five chapters spread out till Monday.Photoshop MysteryIn 2014 we solved a murder in adobe's clue themed mystery.  Last year was a space themed challenge to save the world from a unknown illness.  This year you'll enter a medieval fantasy world, finding yourself the victim of an evil plot to destroy the king and the only hope to restore order to the kingdom.Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/Photoshop/ and download the PSD file at http://www.psmystery.com. Daily updates on Facebook will provide clues and more info until the final revel on Halloween. Fair warning between audio files and the massive amount of layers the download is a 279MB zip file.

Photographing Cities - Tips & Tricks for Better Photos

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I have some tips and recommendations for getting better photos in historic cities like Edinburgh Scotland- What to look for, how to frame, what is the best focal length for city photography and the best time of day for photographing in the old historic streets. Filmed on location in Edinburgh Scotland and London England.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAv0gxRVbQg  

Instagram Winners – Backlit

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The backlit Instagram challenge #PRTV_backlit is a way to get people to think before they shoot. A lot of people starting out take a photo based on composition but tend to forget about the quality of light on their subject. Some very high quality photos this week, really, and you guys managed to submit a bit of everything thinking outside the box for ideas.You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #PRTV_seasons. Fall color was the plan but as some have mentioned it's not really fall color in Australia, or even Texas really for that matter. So instead we want you to show us your season weather you go pumpkin spice for lack of color, shoot a fall landscape, or even a spring one for the Aussies.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #prtv and #PRTV_seasons.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Scott – photoscott88 Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Scott's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJx8Oafhl-5/Great timing, light, and composition for a great shot with a lot of character.

Scott's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLZBLcRBwSh/Like you said, sometimes waiting a spot out for a photo can make for the best ones!https://www.instagram.com/p/BLtiGxYh-nk/Here at Photorec cat's are always a winner, you got a good shot with a bit of action and didn't clip the shadow.

Roy's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLw3-UbgE6b/J.Berendt Photography might be a bit of a mermaid addict but it works out this week for a backlit photo. A nice pose and expression for your model while you left enough foreground to lead up to her leaving the horizon slightly above the top rule of thirds line. Have to remember rules are meant to be broken as they are guidelines you learn from, not hard and fast laws.

Roy's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLrntDRByUL/While admittedly the photo I have is quite bad compared to this one and taken on a cell phone while hunting this is what I thought of for the challenge. You did good capturing the light rays while letting in enough ambient light to properly light up the trees.  I like you left composition a bit low to catch the color in the grass and raise the ground's level up a bit in the photo.https://www.instagram.com/p/BLnA3oEjD0D/It's a great wedding photo this week by Angie Cruz Photography. You did a nice job getting that "glow" everyone wants in their photos, even if we know its backlighting. It's a great posed shot while you left the aperture shallow enough to just start getting the bokeh balls in the trees. Being me that one brown leaf in the side needs cloned out but I'm the most picky of the three of us at Photorec.tv.

SpiderLight Holster Now Live on Kickstarter

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Spiderlight HolsterSpiderLight Backpack

Spider, known for their great camera holsters have came up with a new design just for mirrorless and small DSLRs.  The same great build as it's larger counterpart, the SpiderLight holster is a lightweight setup for a quick draw without any straps in the way. Go anywhere, from the trail - to the street - to the studio, with your hands free, and your camera ready to grab the next shot.The same professional design, just in a smaller package:

  • All-metal construction and ergonomic holster design
  • Two-position metal lock ensures security & fast draw action.
  • Securely clips to your own belt or to our SpiderLight Belt.
  • Quickly change from hip to to backpack with the SpiderLight Backpacker!
  • Connect to any tripod plate. Built-in ArcaSwiss tripod profile to boot.
  • Provides a connection for any tripod quick-release plate. Does not block Mirrorless camera battery doors!
  • Adjustable for thinner or thicker camera bodies/grip configurations.
  • Optional tether/quick connection for Sling Straps.

With today's Kickstarter you can also get the SpiderLight Backpack adapter giving you the option for a mounting point directly on your backpack strap. Designed to be universal the SpiderLight Backpack lets you use the Spider holster system on virtually any bag. As a bonus it's GoPro adapter gives you the ability to swap your mirrorless camera for the full range of GoPro Accessories and cameras.

Pledge $80 for the SpiderLight Box Set or you can get the SpiderLight Backpack Early Bird Pledge for $115. Now live on Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spiderholster/spiderlight-holster

Spiderlight Holsterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeL8cGEv6qs

Amazon Launches Prime Photos Family Vault

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prime photoLast month Amazon started Amazon Prints with an affordable way to get photo printing done at far less than the competition. Coming today with more updates to their photo service now Prime members can invite up to five people to join their Family Vault and access unlimited photo storage, at no additional cost. So why should you care? It's a free unlimited offsite storage for all your photos, your families photos, friends, and even other photographers. Not to forget that you can print from it to get your photos at your door in just a click.Say your house burns down, you get robbed, or there's a hurricane on the horizon having an offsite backup will keep those photos safe no matter what happens. Part of the 3-2-1 backup strategy is having three total copies of your data with one on your computer, one saved on say an external drive, and one offsite with Amazon Photos in case the other two get destroyed. Now not only do you get this benefit, but you can share it with up to five people as well whether it be family or a few photographer friends you shoot with often.Family Vault is a streamlined update to get all your photos in one place. Sharing access allows a person to access prime photos for unlimited photo storage and an additional 5GB for videos or other files from Amazon Drive. Coming with Prime Photos there is an updated Prime Photos app for mobile access, uploads, browsing, and search. Overall search got an improvement similar to the AI smart search in Google Photos as well. Allowing you to find people, places, or things such as a wedding, a dog, or your Uncle Eddy.Family Vault with Unlimited storage, Prime Photos, and Amazon Prints make Amazon an attractive option for a Photographer. For $10.99 a month you have full backup and printing that work seamlessly right at your finger tips. Especially considering with Amazon prints you can make photo books and source the photos quickly by searching your online storage. Remember with Prime you also get free two day shipping, video streaming, music streaming, early access lightning deals, eBooks, and more.Get your 30 day free trial of Prime today to try out the updated Prime Photos with Family Vault and Amazon Prints! Try Prime Today!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEwXYDXZPsI

Instagram Winners – Still Life

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Still life was your challenge this week being a bit more on the artsy side of things. It's definitely a challenge depending if your more right brained or left brained which is why its open to found still life. Overall it's a harder subject but you guys managed to get entries in that fit the bill.

Winners this week were chosen by Scott and Roy for the challenge.

You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #PRTV_backlit. It's time to watch your lighting and aim for a nice backlit photo. Whether it's people, animals, objects, or buildings if you can find a bit of nice backlighting to take your shot it counts!To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #prtv and #PRTV_backlit.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Scott – photoscott88 Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Scott's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLjAyt9B_ah/It's a nice styled still life that fits the theme quite well this week.

Scott's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLUsi95j1Dg/You found a nice toy plane to shoot at the park that makes for a nice scene.https://www.instagram.com/p/BK6sYXYgzbz/A bit of nice lighting to select out the berries and make for a composed still life worked well.

Roy's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLjAyt9B_ah/A nice classic example of a still life. I really like the old globe you added to the theme of the travel shot.

Roy's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLgzCCdhy7J/It's a bit more of an abstract piece but fits into the still life mold well.https://www.instagram.com/p/BLhn2TWlErl/It's good lighting and the variation of levels/color work for the shot.

Make Your Fall Color Photography and Editing Pop

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It's that time of the year, fall color is here, and Toby is in New England with McKay Live for the Fall Color Tour. Watch these videos for your go to source to get the best shots you can this season. For a fall color map for your area you can check the Smoky Mountains site here: https://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0JiBWe5UG0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSxqnephiYohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smx9rtUnn88Bonus Editing Tips for Fall Colorshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0mW_KDOgGY

Instagram on Windows 10

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[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="12663,12664,12665,12666"]Instagram received a port for Windows 10 that hit the app store earlier today. Virtually identical to the IOS and Android apps you can browse and comment like normal. While we might not be getting the full boat today, it’s a step in the right direction.Worst news first, unfortunately Instagram being Instagram, they’ve disabled uploads to anything but tablet devices making this for viewing only on PCs. Anything it deems tablet like with a touchscreen and webcam will be getting upload access but that’s where they draw the line. Actually, with the release it makes those that have purchased a Surface Pro gain a slight advantage, as they will be able to upload. Odds are someone will eventually find a workaround for the program to allow uploads from the official app soon.In terms of the app itself it’s a 1:1 copy from the app you’re used to using. You get multiple accounts, insights, messages, notifications, and the rest just like the mobile app. At least personally, for my slow internet it runs faster than loading the feed from the Instagram website, which is a bonus. Previously a lot of us have used Iconosquare for that purpose until the API closure cut access to many services.Unofficially people have been doing many tricks to access Instagram on a PC. The app for Windows is a step but blocking access to uploading just makes it more tedious on us photographers. Things like the LR Plugin or Pixbuf are nice fixes, but temporary ones, as Instagram patched that hole last month making hashtags invisible to everyone but the users account. Even emulators such as Bluestacks have been intermittently seeing the same hashtag issue as well.Overall, it is still a better and faster than using the Instagram website making things a bit easier for those that prefer a laptop or desktop. We cannot really count this one as a win without uploading, but at least for accessing the site it’s another option for people to use. Hopefully next they’ll take some time to make a proper app for the iPad hopefully.

Available now for Windows 10 at the Microsoft app store. 

Instagram Winners – Gear

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You had a chance to show off your gear this week for the Instagram Challenge #prtv_gear. Shooting what you've been carrying around all this time to get those great photos. To be creative with it for a challenge, a bit of product photography, or behind the scenes of a shoot. From family shooting photos, to literal gears, and going underwater we like to see your creativity every week.

Winners this week were chosen by Scott and Roy for the challenge.

You can find all the past challenges on the PRTV page along with next week’s Instagram challenge #prtv_stilllife. Still life photography is a bit more on the artsy side than most are used to but another great way to get out of your comfort zone.  Typically an inanimate object such as food, or basically anything not moving, taken on a table is what pops in everyone's head when it's brought up. Which is true, and quite challenging in that you have full control of light, composition, subject, etc. literally making the image. For those like myself that are better at finding things there is also found still life. It can be a challenge itself and a bit off the standard as compared to typical still life your finding a moment and not in control as much as the former method.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #prtv and #prtv_stilllife.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram here: Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – Photorectoby Scott – photoscott88 Roy – RoyMcKeeIII

Scott's Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ_4JH-jeLs/A great behind the scenes shot capturing the moment well with the composition just catching the sun while letting the camera sit opposite in the frame.

Scott's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLQTuOEjhFt/Aperture was key in this and you did great. It separates the camera with space while not losing enough detail where you can't distinguish the background.https://www.instagram.com/p/BLQ09wygtwY/?taken-by=jberendtphotographyA view from the models perspective, in this case mermaids. It makes for a great shot while leaving the space around the large underwater rigging to somewhat draw the eye center.

Roy's Winner:

An army of camera's thanks to McKay live (www.mckaylive.com). It sets a great scene shooting the mountains and adds to the story from your trip.

Roy's Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLKBgq_jGho/I thought someone might try to do something like a bokeh night shot with their camera in this manner. I never thought about a phone but with today's technology it is the gear we use to shoot with on the go. It's a great shot capturing the subject while creating a bokeh background in the process.https://www.instagram.com/p/BLPm-j9BgFc/Angry_runner has a bit of a family shoot for this weeks challenge and I like how it turned out as well. A gear photo with a little photographer in the making.

Sony a6500 Announced: Speed, Stabilization, and a Touchscreen

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 a6500Sony steps up with the new a6500, serious speed in a very small mirrorless package. The a6500 comes with 5-axis in-camera image stabilization and touchscreen capability; the two major points everyone asked for after the a6300 was released in February. Considering Canon and Nikon’s release schedules are yearly it seems a bit early for a new model but with a 24.2MP sensor, 11 frames per second, and 4k video it’s the little camera that can make a mark.a6500 frames per secondSharing the same 4D FOCUS as the a6300 you get fast autofocus times in as little as 0.05 seconds. Not too unexpected considering the a6500 has 425 phase detection AF points and a 169-area contrast detection system. The highest number of AF points on any interchangeable lens camera. Even while tracking fast subjects in continuous autofocus the 11 frame per second speed can capture up to 307 photos. A large part of the boost thanks to using a new front-end LSI chip like the A99 II announced during Photokina.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKVIHtPmszwYou also get 4k Super 35mm format video and 1080p 120fps with the a6500. Touch focusing and adjustable focus transitions for video make recording a breeze. Grab any shot you need while recording with 8MP stills available from recording in 4K. A S&Q (Slow & Quick) Motion setting allows full HD video from 1-120fps to control speed and pace your shot for slow motion for faster action. S-Gamut and S-Log shooting allow for post production color grading with a wide dynamic range for better editing for the advanced videographer. With a new magnesium body design to fit ibis hopefully the overheating and rolling shutter issues found in the a5300 were fixed as well in the update.a6500 ibisThe first Sony APS-C sensor camera to get Sony’s great in-body stabilization. The a6500 gets a step closer to it’s higher end counterparts while barely increasing the camera’s size. With approximately five steps of stabilization, it can handle any lens you can get to fit on the camera. A feature sure to be a major selling point with adapters such as metabones as it allows a giant lens ecosystem of third party lenses to choose from that ibis can provide stabilization.  a6500 TouchscreenOne major complaint of the a6300 has always been that people get the camera then come to realize that it does not have a touch screen. Something available both on Nikon and Canon entry level DSLR’s making it a bit of the odd man out with the competition. Sony's updated the a6500 with this in mind adding a 3” OLED tilting touchscreen that should fit that bill fine. Touch focus is available even when using the viewfinder, swipe while shooting to move the focus point where needed without looking at the screen. Unfortunately while it is touch to focus for photo and video it cannot be used to select menu settings. a6500 menuThe a6300 to a6500 upgrade has gotten a few other tweaks. The menu system is now rearranged and colored for quick access when you need to find a setting. With the body redesign you gain another custom button, improved grip, better eyepiece, and updated weather sealing (but not listed to what degree). It's slightly larger to fit everything in as well, making it a bit less pocketable while adding a bit more balance with larger lenses (a6300 4.7 x 2.6 x 1.9 in vs a6500 4.75 x 2.75 x 2.125 in).

Time to sell the a6300 to upgrade for that touch screen and stabilization you always wanted? Despite sharing names the a6500 has enough going on that it's another camera almost. At least on paper with 5-axis stabilization, 11fps shooting, a 300+ shot buffer, 4k video, and weather sealing you can't complain that the specifications are not impressive. The a6500 will be available in November starting at $1,400 body only with pre-orders starting soon.

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Link to Specifications