Better Fuji Photos

Better Fuji Photos Episode 22: Choosing the Right SD Card

How do you pick the right SD card? There are so many different letters and numbers on them that understanding their capabilities - and how that relates to your photography/videography - can be incredibly confusing.

In this episode we'll cover:

*Please note that the storage requirements for HD & 4K video cited in this episode are the bare minimum, for minimum bitrates & high compression. Higher bitrates and lower compression will require significantly higher storage.

Accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/choosing-a-memory-card/

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 21: Troubleshooting Fujifilm Grayed-Out Menu Settings

One of the frustrating things about Fujifilm cameras is that when you see a menu item grayed out and inaccessible, there's no indication as to why it's inaccessible. No tips on the screen, and the manual doesn't offer a lot of help in many situations. This leaves you wondering, "how do I get to this setting?"

We'll look at some examples of grayed-out settings in this episode and what the possible reasons are. But more importantly, we'll discuss a method you can use every time you see an inaccessible setting. A series of questions you can ask and how to find some clues to solve it.

Missing a shot because you can't change the appropriate menu item is maddening. Learn how to put a stop to that!

Accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/troubleshooting-grayed-out-settings-fujifilm-cameras/

Fujifilm Camera Tutorial Courses: https://photocourses.link/cameras. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 20: Photographing People in Public (Case Study)

If any stranger has ever been in your camera viewfinder, I'm sure these thoughts have crossed your mind at some point: Can I photograph this person? What can I do with the photograph afterward? Is it legal? Is it ethical?

We will answer those questions in this episode via a case study, a photograph submitted by one of our listeners.

It's a photograph of a child crouched on a public street in France, focusing on something in the cracks of some paver stones. We're looking at the top of the child's head, with one side of the face marginally visible. Was it okay to capture this photograph, without permission from the parents? Is it alright to sell this photograph? Do they need to be compensated for sales?

Let's first get to the meat of the issue: the legality and ethics of photographing strangers in public. It's easiest if we break this into several steps:

The legal questions will vary by country, as each country puts different weights on the right of expression (photography) versus the right to privacy in public, though in most cases, the right to expression wins.

The ethics question is best answered using the Golden Rule: would you want to be photographed in that situation?

How do these apply to the photograph in question?

Read the article/see the photo here: https://www.jmpeltier.com/photographing-people-in-public-legal-ethical-considerations/

Interview with Valerie Jardin - Ethics in Street Photography: https://www.jmpeltier.com/ethics-in-street-photography-valerie-jardin/

Country-specific consent requirements table: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Country_specific_consent_requirements

Learn more about considerations of photographing people in public in the Better Photography Through Visual Storytelling course, with model release downloads: https://photocourses.link/story.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 19: How Accurate are Fujifilm Film Simulations?

Some time ago, I went down some rabbit hole on the Internet and came across an argument about the "accuracy" of Fujifilm film simulations compared to the analog equivalents. How close are PROVIA, ASTIA, VELVIA, etc to the real deal?

But does it really matter? Film is all about which subject you're photographing, which light you're in, and how you want the photograph to look. Film simulations are a digital equivalent of the same concept - they're not meant to be a 100% replica of the chemical-based film. But with that said, they're still pretty darn close!

Objective comparisons are nearly impossible anyways, based on variations in both darkroom and RAW processing techniques.

Just get out there and photograph!

Learn more about Fujifilm's film simulations in this free film simulation course: ⁠https://photocourses.link/filmsims⁠

Accompanying web article: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/how-accurate-are-fuji-film-simulations/

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 18: Five Apps to Improve your Landscape & Travel Photography

As much as I hate to say that I love smartphone apps to help my photography, I'm going to have to get used to it. Smartphone apps can really help with photography planning, creation, and post-production. Here are five landscape & travel photography apps that you should really check out if you're not already familiar with them.

The five photography apps that I absolutely love:

Links mentioned in this episode:

Online Photography Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/learn⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Article - The Five Best Apps for Travel & Landscape Photographers: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/five-essential-outdoor-photo-apps/

Article - PhotoPills vs The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE): https://www.jmpeltier.com/photopills-vs-tpe/

Article - Planning a Photography Project with Gaia GPS: https://www.jmpeltier.com/photography-project-planning-gaiagps/⁠⁠

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 17: Focus Tips - Zone Focus

Autofocus isn't working. You don't want to bring the camera up to your face to focus manually. You can still get sharp photos just by estimating!

That's called the "Zone Focus" technique and that's what we'll cover in this episode: using the zone focus technique in Fujifilm cameras.

We cover:

This isn't a technique that you can use all the time, but in situations where it works, it can certainly help you get great, sharp photos!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Fujifilm Camera Fundamentals Course: ⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fcf⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: https://photocourses.link/fujimembers. 20% off the first three months with "POD20".

Article: Zone Focusing with Fujifilm Cameras: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/zone-focus-fujifilm-depth-of-field-scale/⁠

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 16: A Better Way to Edit your Photos

When you're in Lightroom or Photo Mechanic or any other program that allows you to "rate" your photos, as you select which ones you want to process, are you choosing between 1-5 stars for each image, or something like that?

That's what I used to do. It's wildly inefficient and inconsistent.

I'm now on a binary system, and I would encourage you to try it out if you haven't already.

This episode will introduce you to that binary system, which has improved my portfolio and photography overall.

Links mentioned in this episode:

After the Capture post-production course: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/ac

Better Photography Through Visual Storytelling course: https://photocourses.link/story

The Photo Mechanic Guide: https://photocourses.link/pm

The Lightroom Guide: https://photocourses.link/lr

Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 15: The Benefits of Kelvin White Balance

Do your photos look "too yellow" or "too blue"? Do you want them to look yellow or blue? Is Auto White Balance not working, or giving you inconsistent colors?

Here are some reasons to explore the Kelvin White Balance feature in our Fujifilm cameras to address all of these things and more. It's another tool for your toolbox that you should be familiar with, as it can really benefit your photography. Especially if you're chasing those perfect in-camera JPEGs.

Yes, you can do all of this in your RAW processor of choice, but taking a few extra seconds to do it in the camera will help you remember what you wanted those colors to look like.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Fujifilm Camera Fundamentals Course: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fcf⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Kelvin Color Temperature Download (and article): https://www.jmpeltier.com/kelvin-white-balance-in-camera/

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 14: Don't Get Caught Using Auto-Review!

How do you like that auto-review feature (called Image Display in Fujifilm cameras)? You know, that feature that shows you the last image you took automatically after every photo. It's nice to be able to check your last photo, right?

But how many special moments have you missed because you've been conditioned by this feature to check every photo? I know I've missed countless photos over the years because I was distracted by this feature. And I was reminded of this again during a lesson last week.

Here are my thoughts on that auto-review feature, and why we should all just turn it off.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 13: All About Fujifilm's Shutter Types

We (myself included) often leave the camera on one shutter type and never think about it again. But that's likely not the best strategy as it can have serious implications for our photography.

We'll cover the (up to six) different options in the Shutter Type menu in this episode and their advantages and disadvantages.

To summarize:

Take advantage of your shortcuts, like My Menu, the Q Menu, or custom controls to quickly access the Shutter Type menu.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Disadvantages of Electronic Shutter Silent Shooting: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/disadvantages-silent-electronic-shutter/⁠

What is Electronic Front Curtain Shutter?: https://www.jmpeltier.com/electronic-front-curtain-shutter/

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: https://photocourses.link/fujimembers. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at [email protected].

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip