Photography in the time of COVID-19

Photography, especially, landscape, nature, wildlife, astrophotography is probably the best type of photography to learn and do while social distancing in the time of COVID-19.  You are surrounded by nature socially distancing from everyone.  No one is around you.  You’re out in the fresh air.  It’s fantastic.  

These four photos were taken in Moosecreek, Ontario which is situated roughly halfway between Ottawa and Montreal.  The sky glow in the bottom picture is actually sky glow from Montreal which is about 45 minutes east of the location.  It’s almost like photographing the night sky in daylight which is not good.

The shots were taken with the Sony a7R Mark II with the Sony f3.5-6.3 24-240MM lens.  Pretty good ISO at 1600.  Hardly any noise.  All photos were edited on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro with the 12.9” screen and the 512GB hard drive.  All pictures were edited on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro in Affinity Photo. I am using the Apple Magic keyboard to type this and it’s actually an amazing typing experience this blog.  My configuration consists of the 2018 Apple iPad Pro 12.9” using the Magic Keyboard to type and the Magic Mouse as my primary pointing device.  I am using the USB-C card reader made by Apple to get all my photography.  I also have the second version of the Apple Pencil for very specific editing.

I’ve gone out twice to do astrophotography in the last 2 months which is twice more than I’ve done in the last several years.  It took me a while to find focus since I’ve never used this camera for astrophotography before but I think the pictures came out very well.

I think this summer, the fiancée and I will head up to the Algonquin Radio Telescope for night and do some photography from there.  I haven’t been there in a few years and I need to revisit the place with my new photography setup.  

Photography, footage, vectors, music

If you need any photography, footage, music or vector art, please use the following link to buy whatever you need.  You can buy anyone’s photography, footage clips, music or vector art.  Not just mine.  Anyone’s.  Just use the following link: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Josef+Pittner?rid=1070795&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ctrbreferral-link

Finally on Youtube

So I decided for a different format for my YouTube channel.  I hate being on camera so I will just combine all my photos and video clips and put them into a video.  I don't have any experience with film making so I will learn along the way.  I hope you join me https://bit.ly/2kGDsso.

Adobe is funny

Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen Adobe advertise a lot on YouTube and other photography sites.  I haven't seen Adobe advertise their Lightroom and Photoshop subscription packages for a few years.  Not since I left a couple of years ago.  I just couldn't justify the $13 and change a month just for Lightroom and Photoshop.  I did the majority of my edits in Lightroom CC now Lightroom CC Classic.  I went into photoshop maybe 5-6 times for every 100 edits.  Even if.  I purchased ON1 Photo Camera Raw 18.5 about 2 years ago for around $90 or so.  I get free upgrades and I actually own the license to the software now.

If I wanted to edit footage on my laptop, I would have to spend about $60 a month on Adobe's subscription model.  For the edits I do, Wondershare's Filmora 9 was perfect for me.  I just colour correct, sometime straighten my footage and remove the noise if there is any.  I paid about $180 for ON1 Photo Raw and Filmora 9.  I get free updates and I own the software for a one time payment.  Now that I edit mostly on my 2018 Apple iPad Pro, I use various software that cost me in total, less than $40 combined.  I get free updates and upgrades, if any cost less than $5.  Why spend $60+ a month for Adobe's product?

Subscription services like Adobe's are great for the company and investors.  For folks like me who shoot semi-professorially,  it's not worth it.  If I was working for a company with staff on board and the company could write it off, fine.  Just as long as someone else pays for it.

I try and get everything right in camera so I don't have to use software to edit the kaka out of everything.  That has always and always will be my philosophy.