The phone as a camera has taken over any need for a point and shoot camera. The camera brands have known this for years. The improvements keep on coming, and you just have to make sure you are charged up ALL THE TIME!

As we all start to become one with wireless charging, the options are pretty darn massive!

I will say that MagSafe has been a game changer, where a magnet in a phone and/or a phone case will connect your phone to the charger in just the right place to charge.
I have run through a few charging mats or circles that you have to be quite specific in where the phone is placed, so you don’t end up with a dead phone, thinking you had charged it enough.
At least with MagSafe, the phone locks onto the proper place, so charging can begin in earnest.

Here are some tested chargers, that you may want to add to the gifting list.

Twelve South The HiRise 3

Built in watch charger with the ability to use a bracelet type of band, Charger area for the phone that magsafe, and a useable angle.
The feet are grippy, and I will admit, when I first started to us it, it was way too slippery.

Till I took off the clear plastic and the feet were able to grip the surface. And they are non stick!
Even on wood there are no marks. Of course, like most, you charge your airpods on the base as well

Then we have the Mophie.

More angle choices for the phone, the watch charger is not included, but if you have a watch, IOS or Android you must have a charger cable, somewhere, right?

Weighted base so you can be secure in moving the phone around to get the optimum angle.

Looks great in black.

One thing that irks me a little is that both of the above chargers need an additional item to work, or to work fully: The HiRise needs a USB adaptor to plug in to the wall.
The Zagg needs a watch charging cable. Now I had an extra charger block for the HiRise, and had a watch charger from previous chargers.
I like them both for different reasons, but wish they put everything you need in the box.

And since you will probably be entertaining more this holiday season, your guests may need a charge.
The best looking, and functional one I have seen is made by Zens.

With a clear surface so you can see all of the charging elements, it matches form and function.

2 phones can go in it, and there are tiny LED lights in the back, so you know it’s charging!
It can take a watch charger, but if this is primarily for guests, they probably won’t need to charge their watch

For Travel,  it’s the mophie 3-in-1 for the win.

Quality product with a lot of power, especially for the phones (yep, the like a more powerful charger)

When I’m on the road, I don’t want to take a chance of waking up in the hotel room and having a dead phone. Or watch.

Plus, it looks deluxe, and works the same.

On cases, I’d recco a simple case from Speck. After trying a few, the speck has a great selection and have no issues on wireless charging.

Many times, there are sellers with knock-off cases right outside Apple store. Great prices but, if you’re going to buy, I’d try it out by going back into the Apple store to make sure it charges.

And a surprise for me this year, is this product from Zagg: Gear4 Ring Snap 360

For the folks who are, or were, hooked on pop sockets, and since the pop socket interferes with wireless charging, this item is perfect:

Magnetic, so it connects securely to your phone through a case, and the inner ring allow you to use it as a kick stand, horizontal or vertical, with enough stiffness to support the phone.

And the best part is that you can remove it simply from the phone for charging. Best phone accessory stocking stuffer!

There you have it! Sure, many choices out there and more coming next year!

Stay tuned for the next Holiday Gift Guide!

It’s always a tough category to recommend as there are so many ways to go.
As we go headlong into the holiday season, nothing says “I know You”, like a well-chosen photo book as a gift.
That’s the good thing: there are quality photobooks for whomever you are gifting, worthy of your time, and the recipients tastes.
Maybe you want to relax over the holidays checking out some of the new publications.

Let’s look at some you should consider:

First up is a beautifully produced book by master photographer Lynn Goldsmith, titled “Music in the 80’s”
Ms. Goldsmith captured the world of Rock and Roll in the 80’s. Not that she didn’t capture other decades, she is still quite prolific, and this is just her current collection of brilliant images.
Included here, not only as a document of the music that was, but also as a perfect gift for the music lover.
I could say coffee table book, but only to reference the high quality of the publication.

In addition, she collaborated with her friend Patti Smith to create a limited edition collection of photos, signed by both Lynn Goldsmith and Patti Smith For the special friend. Lynn Goldsmith. Patti Smith. Before Easter After
Prints are available!

Next up we have a brilliant reprint of Segregation Story by Gordon Parks
In the 50’s the only African American photographer on the Life magazine  staff, captured the essence of segregation in the south .

The iconic shot of the young girl and mother outside of a dress store, speaks volumes, but there is considerably more depth with the pages.

“Department Store, Mobile, Alabama,” 1956. Photograph by Gordon Parks. Courtesy of and copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation.Courtesy of and copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation

One of the great things about this book is that it’s a reprint of a much sought-after book, published by one of the best photo book printers, Steidl

Usually selling for upward so $800 for a 1st edition, this reprint also had a great publisher.
Stiedl again!
And by adding about 20 images not included in the original, this one belongs in your library.

With a similar layout, size, and even binder titling, the interior layout doe s tells a mostly different trajectory than the original but its splitting hairs.
As to the quality, you can feel the ink on the page, (don’t eat with your hands before checking that out) and the high-grade quality of the publication is everything you expect.

Once again, published in conjunction with the Gordon Parks Foundation, so rest assured this volume is a true American beauty, retelling the reality of the segregation story of the South, that sadly, is rearing its ugly head again.

In a more introspective space, is a current book by Donna Ferrato –
With a unique ultra-personal viewpoint, Donna Ferrato tells her tale in an almost diary like format in her current book, Holy

“Her new book, Holy, published in 2020 by powerHouse Books, is a call to action. It proclaims the sacredness of women’s rights and their power to be masters of their own destiny.”

With black and white images, mounted with the text, you are brought into a more engaging relationship with her photographs, and of course her subjects
As tempted as I was to do an initial cursory flip through this book, as is the usual first blush approach, the written exposures drew me in, again and again.

Sitting down with the full volume, beautifully produced by Powerhouse books, was more than a viewing: it was an emotional experience.

The photographs she shares, are usually accompanied by handwritten text sharing her feelings of the moment, or as an observer of the scenario.
Known for her photojournalistic approach to domestic violence, she reveals hidden worlds that may shock you, not just for the raw insight, but the sheer intimacy of her work.

As with some that have gone before, who also were part of the situation, as well as documenting it, like Nan Goldin or Larry Clark, her vision is singular.
The well written text brings out the bloom of the stories, but never feel as an add-on, but as a deeper dive into the situation.

Here is an artist’s statement
“Welcome to the sanctuary for people who wish to help wipe out violence against women and children. This is collection of stories told to me throughout many years come from people who’ve been through it.
My photography has been used like work horses consistently bringing breaking news through global media outlets.
They’ve created an awareness of a social disease since the stone age. It’s a problem. These shared stories, video interviews and photographs are proof.”

Next up is a reprint of a classic Susan Meiselas book: Strippers.

In her study of the backrooms, backroads, and generally, life as you may have only heard about this classic book gets a 2-volume reprint with a second accompanying volume giving a more behind the scenes look at the shoots.
The original came with CD with audio interviews with the subjects, trying to further expand your intimate knowledge of the woman who danced.

Same format, slip cased.

And one of my new favorite books, Dining Alone, by Nancy Sherl

The title says it all, but if you have ever been single adult, the photographs’ you see will def resonate.
On many levels we either are or see people eating alone. What are their stories, or why are they rating by themselves

It’s not about someone feeling sad for them or thinking that the glorious notion of breaking bread with someone has been breached, but a beautiful construct of the simple act of solitary dining.
Beautiful produced, this is also available with an original signed print.

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my north star, the book that showed me what I wanted to do, the Family of Man

I will never forget fining this dog-eared paperback copy of this in our family bookshelves and knowing than I wanted to be a photographer
Illustrating the human condition, from birth to death, of the global community, showing the similarities between us all.

It may be the least expensive book on this list, but perhaps the one that should be in everyone’s library.

This was a banner year for photobooks, and way to many to list out, and this list should be a good range for gift giving!

With reprints of classics like Segregation Story, and Strippes, plus perennial faves like Family of Man, this list is at least a start!

As we begin the Holiday Guides this year, we’re starting Gear for the Traveling Creator

Yep, we are def full on the road again, prices are a bit higher this year, and you need this tech to get you through it all.
And, as this is a traditional gift giving time, consider these things to give to those on your list!

Plus check out the Cyber Monday deals!. Always gear and tech centric.

If you are flying, we’d like to recco the Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones

Paired with the AirFly Pro.

Forget fumbling with wires. Just pop the AirFly into the headphone jack, and you are free to move around!
Plus they make one for 2 users as the same time.
Do not recco airpods or other earbuds on a plane, because , sure enough, you will drop one, and scrambling around on plane floors looking, is well, just disgusting.

As you pack for your trip, one thing that is always in my bag is the Peak Design Tech Pouch:

I keep a bunch of cables, multi USB docs, SSD Drives, a mini Bluetooth speaker, chargers, and more.
And if you want to treat yourself in the hotel, bring a Roku Streaming Stick. with remote, to plug into the hotel TV.
https://support.roku.com/article/215058118. Bring your Roku account with you on the road!

It becomes a solid pack filled with what I need on a trip.
One other item I travel with are these Hydration packets. Easy to pack and do the trick. Whether it’s late nights, entertaining, or being entertained, these are always on hand.

No one likes to get to their seat on the plane only to realize there is no overhead storage left
Bummer.
And you don’t want your equipment flying the belly of the plane.

I use an SKB case with a ThinkTank designed gear backpack designed for the case.

You can either take out the backpack and out it under your seat, and let the hard case get checked, or if you are brave check the whole thing. Super solid case

For my carry-on as I have to have main gear with me, so no baggage delays on the other end
I have 2 go-tos

One is the Peak Design Everyday Messenger bag. Room for 2 bodies, 3 lenses, batts,etc, and a Laptop with charger

Shoulder bag with a handle. And the headphones.
Also can be slipped over a handle of your luggage.

My other choice is a bit Stealth: It’s an Oakley Icon 2.0 Backpack. 2 side pockets I slide lenses into, a Laptop pocket with an alt side zip for access.
A top pocket for sunglasses, gum, (be kind to travel neighbors) batts, media cards,biz cards. I still do use them as the photos in the are a keeper.

In the front zipped pocket, I can put another lens, and usually a smaller cam, like a Fuji 100v.
In the main bag area go the camera bodies, and sometimes a speedlight. And the headphones.
Been partial to the Profoto A1x these days.
I always carry a Playtypod in either bag as it’s one the best portable camera tripod/bases around. and add a tripod head for the most versatility

Simple, solid, and always a help.
And of course
Batteries for everything.

Are these carry on bags light? Nope, but you will have your gear with you when you get off the plane.

The gear I pack are my personal choices based on what I will be shooting. Interviews, portraits, event, etc.. It all changes what get’s packed.

When you get where you’re going you’ll want to keep everything charged of course.
Currently I’m using the Anker 747 block to charge any USB-C gear, plus an extra USB -A port.

Lost of power, as you can use one port to charge a laptop. Super fast

Then in the room my fave option for charging my phone, watch, and airpods, is the Mophie 3-in-1 travel charger with Mag-Safe

I’ve tried other travel options, but on the road, the last thing I want to wake up to is a dead, or near dead, phone.

A little more expensive but peace of mind is worth every penny.
BTW, magsafe helps keep the phone on the charger!

One other thing that always goes with me, are some Baggu bags. They fold up to nothing, and whether you are getting some dinner or snacks, or even picking up some tech samples to check out, these are the bags to get.

Hold a lot, are very strong, and super lightweight.

One product I wrote about earlier this year could be a sleep aid. The Morphee

Not drugs, but an analog style digital device that packs alot of tech into its beautiful wood body that has a plethora of audio options to lull you to sleep.
What I like about it is, it works great, is a separation of gear at night, tactile
No kidding.

Should you pack a water bottle? Yes.
Should it be a S’well? Maybe. They do have some weight, but will keep your drinks hot or cold. Like the coffee you grab from the hotel before going out.

Last but not least, are tracking devices for your bags. There are 2 current industry leaders: Apple AirTag and Tile.
I’ve used both, and it does give me a sense of security. They are in my carry-on, checked bag, and of course, my gear bag.

That are some of the basics I find are great to pack, and great to gift!

Sure, there have been some great deals on photo software this holiday shopping season.
The DAM (digital Asset management) software I depend on, though, is Adobe CC Lightroom Classic.

For many reasons.

Not only can I locate files going back almost 20 years on my many HDs,RAID Arrays, etc., currently over 350K images, but I can do an edit with post-production adjustments in the same program.
My workflow is to cull photos using Photo Mechanic, then import the selected images into LR, and add keywords for searches.

I always under expose slightly to maintain highlights, depending on the situation.
It used to be my Wacom tablet skills would be put to the test, trying to isolate areas before going in to touch up some areas.
Adobe has solved this with a smart mask upgrade to Lightroom! And they did it twice this year.
Let’s look at an original file, extreme as it is, to see how it started, and how it ended up, before I take you through the process:

First of all you get some very sophisticated controls:

Then you pick the starting mask tool, and dig in. Start with the subject, and you can see the overlay if you want:

Next up is the background. As you can see in this image, the main subject got the overlay, and the surrounding people and scenarios became included in the background mask ( I did open up the sky to se how it would look, before going back to a richer sky):

And just wanted to give a light hit to sky, before going back to all and adjust various masks:

I do go back and check each mask to make sure there is a balance, and any adjustments make visual sense.
What I used to do with a Wacom and a pen, now happens with smart mask.

Now what I have shown you with an image of mine, just scratches the surface.

You can also pick which people are the going to be the subject of your masking efforts. LR will identify the subjects:

And the you can go in and pick out what features you may want to adjust. Teeth in this case, as you can see by the red overlay:

You can , of course, go in  and fine tune any part of the mask you are not satisfied with. Eyebrows??

With a  brush, radiant tool, color range, luminance range, and more.

What Adobe has done is give you the smart masking and adjustments tools and have sped up the process, and have made it incredibly accurate.

Truth be told, I check out masks on almost all of my final images. Whether I hit it hard, just a light tap, or leave the image as it is, this tool has made my editing life soooo much easier.

And it was free with Creative Cloud subscription, or any configuration you may use to get your lightroom app.

It also works with the IOS version!

I would highly recommend you explore this feature, and if you don’t use Lightroom, try a free try and take it for a spin.

I know how adopting a new DAM is a very big call. Just a suggestion to explore your options if you are ready to make a switch.

Some Cyber Monday deals  right here.

Tis the season to go to a lot of tech events, where I try to suss out products that may be useful to you in your creator life.
So it was a huge surprise, when at the last tech event, I saw something off my beaten track.

Now I was also out there and on-line this weekend with you all getting media cards, ssd drives, and a new camera body(more on that to come).
And this was something that is also on sale this weekend. Not camera or video based, but…..

As a parent, or relative, you always think about the amount of time a child spend in front of a screen.
Inevitable, but, you still want to entertain them.
I ran across this product call Tonies, that is unique, expandable, and best part: no screens
Ok, OK, what the heck is it?

Check this vid:

Basically, it is a box, with a speaker. What else?
You can place a character from their collection on top of the box, and it will read a story.
And they have a ton of choices~
The child just has to tilt either side to move forward or repeat the story and adjust the volume.
You can also custom record a story.
Maybe when you have a date night with your spouse, you have read a story to your child, and it plays through the box.
OR it’s a relative, and you want to share the special connection of reading to them
Super easy to set up

By the way, parents can set limits on volumes via the app.
It does also have a headphone jack.

Oh, it has a rechargeable battery that will last about 7 hours fully charged
It’s lightweight, heavily padded, so easy for a child to carry

I was so impressed by this product, and the concept of no screens entertainment, I had to share.

One thing you should note that there is an age warning as the figures may not be right for a toddler.
They do have an age requirement of 3+ because of that, unless under adult supervision.

So this one is for the kids, Like I said, tis the season.

Back to gear in the next post, including a review of 2 cameras, and why I picked only one!