Photography Workflow Using The iPad Pro M1

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I had first published this guide in early 2019 in an effort to simplify my post-process photography workflow using the 2018 iPad. After decades of desktop and laptop processing, I wondered if the iPad was a solution for me. 

Previous year articles from 2021 and 2019

Can the iPad replace the laptop for my photography post-process? 

So much has changed since then that I have continued the series and decided to write a new post about it. The evolution in gear, software, and process has been a fun process to look back on and wonder how we managed to get anything done at all. But where there is a will, there are many ways. I will cover what my photography workflow looks like, but ultimately, everyone needs to choose what’s right for them. Workflows are personal and modified as needed. This topic seems to be a crowd favorite because each year these posts receive a lot of traffic and attention (thank you!) 

A few months after that last post, I upgraded to the 12.9” Apple iPad M1 (5th Gen) and fine-tuned my workflow. Now, I also upgraded the laptop to the 2021 MacBook Pro M1, and it is no slouch. However, the photo workflow is different, limiting and feels almost antiquated. For now, the MacBook is a tool for me to curate my digital photo archives using AdobeLightroom and that’s it. Here are some of the ways an iPad is more beneficial to me: 

Multi-input workflow

Photography is a hands-on experience, and it is a joy to continue this on the iPad. Much like using your hands to develop your film negatives, so too are your fingers, the keyboard, and the Apple Pencil for finer control. Using a mouse to manipulate images is too impersonal for me now. 

Storage

Thanks to the iPad and cloud services, there is an easier, more secure way to store images you’ve taken. This allows me to focus more on what I want to do (photography), rather than moving files around. I have 2 TB of iCloud storage waiting to receive my image uploads from either my Nikon D90 camera or the iPhone. There is another 1 TB of storage in the Adobe cloud. Current images I am shooting are uploaded, stored and easily accessible on any of my devices. 

My data transfer and storage needs to be effortless, to the point I don’t have to think about it. I mentioned the MacBook and my archives previously- that’s the only time I want to think about storage. I do organize images on the hard drive and then migrate them into the Archives stored on the 10 TB external hard drive. 

Performance

The iPad has been granted a full-time job from me. It is the most powerful, fastest, and most interactive device I own. The ability to handle images in RAW format while asking for more work to do is remarkable to me. Battery life is spectacular, although it has a massive screen. Speaking of that massive screen, nothing makes me happier than reviewing my photos on such a beautiful screen. Much like the analog contact sheets, I can sort through quickly and determine which are the keepers and which get tossed into the digital bin. That M1 chip really knows how to process faster and distribute power evenly. 

Mobile

Sure, the 12.9” iPad is large, and the magic keyboard that it magnetically attaches to adds weight. But it is still smaller and lighter than lugging a laptop with all the dongles, charger and cables around. Something else I am enjoying is the 5G connectivity. The ability to travel, make images, load them up into the cloud instantly is nothing short of brilliant. Want to check the forecast for the next day’s shooting? Care to watch that video tutorial of local street photographers while you travel? Start post-processing your images and have them secured until you get back home? Publish your work while on the go? It is all possible with that iPad.

Hardware & Software

Below is what I minimally use to produce a maximum photography workflow. 

Apple 12.9” iPad Pro (5th gen) – My mobile photo lab.

Apple Pencil – Precision editing tool

CharJen Mini stick- A USB-C adapter with SD card port, charging port

Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro – All in one keyboard & cover 

Apple Photos – Store, review, edit. 

Adobe Lightroom – for photo post-processing, organization

iCloud – for backup and syncing across devices using Photos app

Adobe Creative Cloud – for backup and syncing across devices in Lightroom

Extra Tools In The Darkroom

Capture tools include Nikon D90, iPhone, iPad Pro and a collection of analog film cameras. Post-processing labs include Adobe Lightroom, Pixelmator Pro, VSCO and Hipstamatic. Portfolio and galleries that host the final images can be viewed here or on Flickr.

Conclusion

The iPad is a great workspace for editing your photos. It is my personal, mobile photo lab. I can process my images in bed or on a plane, or even in between photo shoots when I am out and about. This makes the iPad the perfect tool for my photography.

Kodak Ektar

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With 35mm film costs rising like everything else, I thought I’d try the new Kodak Ektar H35- a new half frame camera. Instead of the standard 36 exposures I can get 72 out of one roll of film. Cannot wait to go out and shoot, then develop this test roll.

Not A Quitter

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Leaving behind something that worked for awhile to pursue something different takes courage. It isn’t quitting. It is a pivot to something more beneficial.

I have been an active user of the internet since 1995 and have left massive breadcrumbs to trace back to me this entire time. But what if I wanted to start over? How would I go about doing that?

If I decide to had to do it all over again, I’d absolutely be more self-restrictive and private. Can we make use of the online world and remain a casual observer? No idea, but I’m taking a few steps to do just that. I purchased a new web domain and email address that does not have my name attached to it. Nice and generic. I switched my Apple ID to this new email address as phase one. After that, and over time, I will slowly start redirecting all of my online transactions to this new address.

But it doesn’t stop there. With the help of Apple’s Cloud+ services, I am even more private and secure. I already use “Hide My Email”, a tool that generates a generic email address that can be stopped/started at any time I choose. So if I am forced to sign up for something, they don’t see my personal email address. They see the generic one that gets routed to my personal.  Example:

Hide My Email

Fake email is generated, now I can use Apple’s Password generator tool. Not only does it create a multi 256-bit miltary encrypted password, it will remember and auto-fill for me everytime I log in.

Apple PassKey Generator 

I just started my fifth decade recently and realized I may have more years behind me than ahead of me. Do I need or want to continue to maintain a public presence? I am leaning toward no. Is this an identity or maybe mid-life crisis? Nah.

I don’t need or seek approval from anyone online. I also don’t feel a need to share with anyone online. I’ll journal my thoughts onto my private database and store my photography inside the gallery on my SSD.

Things Can Only Get Better?

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Websites and social media platforms are getting aggressive in the monetizing of their services because- who knew that providing a platform for free is not sustainable? No one wants online advertising either and we all live with it because these web developers have to have money to buy shoes too, right?

The truth is, the WWW will never get better. It’s too far gone to think we’ll get it back. The netizens have lost the war to the platforms. I am very close to tucking my head into my shell and shut down all interest in the whole thing. I’ll use my current tech toys for more creative and less consuming matters. After the tech toys have outlived their usefulness?  Analog everything. That’s how fed up I am.

I don’t know what’s going to come out of those moments but I do know there will be bright spots out there. It’ll be more difficult to find underneath the search engine optimized BS, the invasive advertising and the algorithmic feeds forced on us. But they are out there.

For now, we still have the capability to set up our own homestead on the WWW, do our own thing and choose to connect with whoever you want.  The orginal web 1.0 tools are still around because they are the foundation of the internet- and still the best. E-mail, text, RSS, blogs, forums, etc. You are in control. Stop sharecropping on social media to make them rich and start building on your own land.

🎶
And do you feel scared, I do
And I won’t stop and falter
And if we threw it all away
Things can only get better -Howard Jones

Time Off

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It has been a little over a month since stepping away from my website- I needed the break. Before dusting off the HTML code though, I’ve had some time to reflect on a few things including my participation on the WWW. More on that later.

For now, I need to make opportunities to make the most of what little time I have when not working. I haven’t been on a road trip in a year (Memphis 07/22.) and once again, the urge to go rambling on has kicked in. Two years ago I was in Wichita (see above image)

Having come off a 4-day weekend of relaxation and recovery, it felt wasted. Therapuetic but wasted. The next opportunity will be better.

Digital Essentialism

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How is your digital life? Feeling overwhelmed by all the clutter in your inbox, hard drive and cloud service? I know I was.

Though I consider myself to be an essentialist, there does come a time when I get lazy and the discipline slides. Clutter, digital or otherwise, can get distracting over time. Now may be the perfect time to clean up your digital room, so to speak. If not daily, then weekly because a well-organized computer will yield positive results for your state of mind and your workflow productivity.

Here’s how to get started:

Backups

When was the last time you backed up your data? If you can’t remember, then it has been too long. I set a calendar reminder for once a week, then plug in the dedicated external hard drive, flip on Apple’s Time Machine and let it do its thing-creating and preserving a snapshot image of everything on the MacBook’s drive. Before all that, I suggest sorting through your Downloads folder and assign to a proper folder or delete. How are your other folders? Photos, Music, Videos, Documents all need to be sorted. Toss what you have been holding on to for some reason. After all that, then take out the Trash and delete everything in that folder.

Cloud

Just as the computer gets cleaned up, so too your Cloud backups. My Cloud mimics the desktop with everything in place. Run Time Machine again and ensure good backups.

Software

If you have dozens of software programs and apps, it is time to have a think about what you are actually using. If you haven’t used a program in say six months, then uninstall and free up space on your machine. It will thank you for it. Do you really need four calendar apps, two music players, three browsers and who else knows what? Pick the right tool for the job and stick with it. Uninstall the rest.

Desktop

A cluttered desktop can be overwhelming and distract from your focus and productivity. A messy computer desktop is akin to a messy physical desk. Nobody wants to see that. Sort that clutter into their respective folders, empty your Trash can folder and enjoy the serenity. ADD DESKTOP SCREENSHOT

Web Browser

Now, wait just a damn minute, Chris. This is sacred. If I don’t have multiple tabs open or bookmarked, I run the risk of losing and forgetting them. I might even return to them…someday. That mentality is an old way of thinking that needs to be corrected. You won’t go back to them. You don’t need it. One of these days, your browser’s memory will slow to a crawl, and you’ll be forced to reboot the thing and potentially lose all those open tabs you’ve been saving.

Inbox and RSS feeds

If you cringe every time you access your email inbox, then you are doing it wrong. Email should be assigned from an inbox to a folder, replied to or deleted. Don’t forget to take the trash out again when done. If the mail is piled up, and you are overwhelmed, most email applications have a search feature.

RSS feed readers are a remarkable resource to stay current on the websites and blogs you enjoy. Shameless plug inserted here- https://chrisdenbow.website/feed But how does your “Unread” count look? Either read the article or save it to the “Read It Later” folder. Everything else can be deleted. The same can be said for podcast episodes!

One Password To Rule Them All

I dislike passwords, and captchas and just about every modern day credential grabber. Who can keep track of them all? I used to and failed. Then I tried a third-party password manager. I only needed one password to log in to that, and every time I needed to sign in elsewhere, that application would pop up and log in for me. That was fun until their data center was hacked and everyone’s passwords were in the open. I currently use Apple’s Password manager. I’m already signed in to an Apple account, so I don’t have to remember a password there. Any website I visit, the Password app is ready to log me in, or help me create a new username/password. Once credentialed, Passwords will retain the info and be ready to use again. All it requires is my Face ID or Touch ID.

The Takeaway

Our digital usage over multiple devices can overwhelm us, and we open ourselves up to clutter. Who has the time to organize when we just want to scroll a feed or watch a video? I find that currently we need to be more mindful. Digital simplicity, essentialism, and minimalism is more important than before.

Until Next Time…

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After twenty-two years of owning and maintaining a website presence it is time to hang it up for now. There are a multitude of reasons behind this decision but I’ll keep most of them to myself. And yet after all this time it feels like I owe people an explanation for decades worth of loyalty.

Reasons:

As a friend once so eloquently put it: “I want to de-bullshit my life.”

It is costly to self-host your own website.

The articles have been stale because the day job does not allow time to create what I want.

Do I need to display a personal website on the WWW?

Why am I doing this?

Who the heck out there can remain interested in this site when I am not interested?

Alternative:

Grey Matter- it is my second brain. A digital garden where I have imported all my website articles, journals and notes into one massive database.

An article inside my database from six months ago about this goodbye process.

I have all those files backed up in plain text format so they are platform agnostic and portable with minimal file space used. These files are also linked and back linked together so if I performed a search on “Nikon” for example, then every article, note or mention will pop up and show me how my thoughts on the matter are connected.

When I now have the urge to write something for myself, I’ll place it in the “Journal” section and not the “Website” section. I was also paying an annual subscription service to the brilliant Day One journal app but now it is redundant in favor of my personal database.

Next Steps:

Now I am questioning the entire presence on the WWW and my software subscriptions. Regarding my photography website the same reasons apply as the blog:

“I want to de-bullshit my life.”
It is costly to self-host your own photography website.
The images have been stale because the day job does not allow time to create what I want.
Do I need to display a personal photography website on the WWW?
Why am I doing this?
Who the heck out there can remain interested in this site when I am not interested?

Once I have exported my articles from the website and import them into my database, I’ll shutter the website. I am still keeping the ChrisDenbow.com domain name and e-mail server of course. That is my digital real estate and no one else owns it. The same thing goes for PhotoDenbow.com. At some point in the future I am sure I’ll bring the website back online.

I am back in minimal essential mode to de-bullshit my life and maybe, just maybe, start to enjoy it again.

Thank you.

Chris Denbow
Saturday May 27, 2023 @ 10:30p
36.8.921, -95.58.145

On Friendship

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Like the Greek philosopher Aristotle says about friendship:

1. There is the one friend who you can hang out with.

2. The one you call friend because you want that person to do something for you.    

3. The friend who helps you become the best you can be.

Number 3 is the friend we need the most.

Sparring Partners

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Most of us need fewer friends and more intellectual sparring partners. Friends can be easy to come by.

Intellectual sparring partners are harder to find. They will call you on your BS, question your assumptions, and push you to think bigger.

Find your intellectual sparring partner and hold on to them.

Like & Subscribe

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As a follow up to my post last year on the state of my digital subscriptions, it’s time to review and re-think what I am paying for. I am always looking for the best software for my workflow so I am constantly tweaking. Now, a lot of this is me wanting to test the new, shiny toys out there. Some of it is the developers changing something or raising prices. Either way, it’s time to review.

Must Have

Apple One- Apple bundles six software services into one monthly price. Most of these services are used heavily while the others are meh, but saves money. Another benefit: I can share this subscription to 5 family members or friends. I have one spot left hint, hint.

Apple One Services

Adobe Lightroom – So essential to my photography workflow that I just can’t quit it even after several cancellations. A week later I resubscribe. Nothing can replace it for me just yet. I wish I could just use Apple Photos and be done with it but then Adobe includes website hosting for my portfolios. Smart move, Adobe.    

Adobe Lightroom interface

VSCO- Visual Supply Company for social photography networking. They also have amazing film emulations. The write-up is here.

Flickr- The grandaddy of photo hosts. This is where I send my processed images to stay in the cloud since 2005. The social aspect is still one of the best communities after all this time.

Feedbin- Why go to a website to catch up on news when you can have it come to you? One of the best RSS feed readers out there.

Day One – A long-time user of this brilliant journaling app. I canceled this last year, but then renewed it out of a desire to digitally journal instead of pen and paper.

Formula 1- Annual subscription to view 24 races from around the world. Worth it.

F1 racing at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi

MLS Season Pass- free subscription to major league soccer courtesy of T-Mobile & Apple.

MLB Season Pass- free subscription to major league baseball courtesy of T-Mobile & Apple.

Netflix- free subscription courtesy of T-Mobile.

Changed

Ghost- After 15 years of self-hosting my website with WordPress, I decided to host with the Ghost. So far so good but how the hell does the comment/feedback section work? I miss out on members posting because of a lack of notifications.

Unsubscribed

WordPress- If you change your focus from personal blogging to business website hosting, well, expect me to change and look elsewhere.

Disney+ – Now that I’m all caught up on the Star Wars Mandalorian series, it’ll be a long time before Disney cranks out anything new.

This saga continues to thrill me since 1977

Mylio- A brilliant photo archive organizational tool but once everything was organized, was it worth $10 monthly? Nope.

Readwise- I love the premise of this software. It can sync everything you highlight on your Amazon Kindle or a web article. It will also sync your notes. But, I wasn’t using it enough to justify the $10/mo price and went back to using GoodLinks instead.

Conclusion

I want to be mindful of the money going out the door and receiving value for it so I think a periodic evaluation is worth it. Not to mention I like to look back on those previous posts throughout the years to see what sticks and “what was I thinking?” Take this example of software I no longer use from 2012:  https://cdcomarchives.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/top-10-android-apps/

8 Exposures

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I was cleaning out some boxes in my storage area and came across a Polaroid camera and an unopened 2-pack box of Polaroid instant film. Better use it before I toss it and so I did another photo walk today. Only used 1 box so only 8 more frames after that and I am done with Polaroid. $17 or $2 each for shitty-quality is a deal breaker for me. I’ll stick to my Fuji instant square film for better results. Anyway, I’ve updated the instant film album on my photo website if you want to take a look at these and more.

The camera and the film