PhotowalksTV Podcast with Jefferson Graham: Recent Episodes
Jefferson Graham
The PhotowalksTV podcast with Jefferson Graham is the companion to the YouTube travel photography series, featuring the writer-photographer and former USA TODAY columnist.
jeffersongraham.substack.com
The audio companion to the Photowalks TV show offers tips on how to plan your Kentucky Bourbon Trail road trip before you head out on the most scenic drives in the USA. Watch the episode here: http://www.youtube.com/
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
In this companion to the Photowalks Evansville, Indiana episode, Jefferson Graham tells why to consider visiting the River City, the historic Hoosier town where he lived for the first 3 months of his life. On this episode, he goes Back Home Again to Indiana, and reports on how he found his old home town.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
In this companion to the Photowalks Juneau episode, Jefferson Graham tells why people should consider visiting the capital city, the gorgeous coastal city that gets more visitors than any other Alaskan city—but most only stay for five hours or so, because they’re on a cruise ship. Juneau is worth exploring for days, and Jeff points out some of his favorite spots in this episode.
Watch!
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
In this companion to the Photowalks Fairbanks episode, Jefferson Graham tells why people should consider visiting Fairbanks, Alaska, the gorgeous city with some of the longest days and coldest winters, and introduces listeners to several locals, including the manager at the Best Western Plus, a local Thai restaurant, a popular area comedian and a young college student who vows never to leave Fairbanks.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the Lyon, France episode, the most under-rated medieval city in France. What made it really hard for Jeff to record his standups while there? He reveals all.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the Manhattan Beach episode, the best little beach town in Southern California. What camera screwed up during the filming of this episode, and why does Jeff now advocate for filming as much as possible on just one camera?
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the “Walkies” awards episode for the best urban and rural walks in the USA. How does an episode like this get put together, and why does San Francisco top the chart?
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the America 250 Road Trip from Boston to Washington, DC, by way of Providence and Newport, RI, New Haven, New York and Philadelphia. Along the way, there’s the missing tripod, the cracked iPhone at the Rocky steps and a whole lot of planning that went into this episode!
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the California Route 66 edition of the show, and explains why the 315 mile California stretch is the most confusing of the entire 2,448 mile route.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham offers behind the scenes stories about the making of the Texas Route 66 edition of the show, with stops in tiny Shamrock for the U-Drop Inn Cafe, Amarillo and the Cadillac Ranch and Adrian and the Midpoint Cafe.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
On the latest audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, Jefferson Graham gives behind the scenes stories about the making of the Bakersfield, California editions of the show.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
The audio companion to the Detroit episode of Photowalks offers interviews with local tour guide Ron Watts, the queen of Coney Dogs, Grace Keros from American Coney Island, and a complete walking tour guide to navigating Detroit.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
The companion podcast to the Cincinnati Photowalks episode takes you through the ten best photo spots in town, what to do over a weekend, and introduces you to food tour guide Barb Cooper, photographer Dwayne Slavey, Camp Washington Chili’s Maria Papakirk and Mike Pardo from the Mariemont Inn.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
The audio companion to the latest PhotowalksTV episode from New Orleans features extended interviews with some of the folks we met in the Crescent City, including the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s Ronell Johnson, the street musicians Chris Henry and TyroneJohnson from the One-Way Brass Band, the tour guide Michelle Mashon from Bonmoment, Sean Smith, our Uber driver and local artist Grant Nelson.
ICYMI: here’s the link to watch the episode as well.
And you can read all about it here:
Huge thanks to brother Jez Graham for the song “Grandma’s Rag,” which we used in the podcast.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
Longtime readers of this newsletter know that I’m a timelapse video freak.
I love using my phone to create videos that see the world fly by at top speeds, with flowing clouds, having day turn night, shadows forming and disappearing, and of course, seeing people running around the world like speedy ants.
There’s rarely been an episode of PhotowalksTV that didn’t have a timelapse section to it, and most of the recent ones have been created with my go-to, favorite timelapse app, the free Blackmagic Camera app, which is available for both Apple and Android devices.
📣 So I’m thrilled to announce another great contest with our friends at Blackmagic: Timelapse Across America.
📷 And we’ve got four great potential prizes for you:
🍎 A $2,600 high-end Blackmagic 6K camera for when you want to bring your filmmaking to the next level, and three runner-ups:
🍎 A DaVinci Resolve speed editor for those of you who work with DaVinci Resolve software,
🍎🍎 And two 1 terabyte solid state drives for your backup.
🔥🔥🔥 All you have to do is make a simple timelapse video with the Blackmagic app and upload it to YouTube. When you submit, you’ll paste in the YouTube URL, and from there, Photowalkers will vote to select the winners. (Open to US residents only.)
✅ CONTEST LINK: https://photowalkstv.com/timelapse-across-america/
✅ As many of you know, the timelapse mode on the Apple Camera app is 100% automatic, only shoots in 1080p and is vastly inferior to what you get with the Blackmagic app. If you let the camera roll for 15 minutes, or one hour or even one full day, Apple’s auto tools will ensure that your video can never be longer than 30 seconds. You get full 4K and creative control with the Blackmagic app. The Android app isn’t as restrictive as Apple’s, but you get way more choices with Blackmagic.
✅ The Blackmagic app can go for days, or even weeks, and you get to decide how long the final product will be. (You know me: I really have let the camera run for days, most recently from the balcony of the fabulous San Diego Sheraton.)
In the video above, I announce the contest, and offer a full tutorial on how to use the Blackmagic app for timelapse videos.
✅ In a nutshell, here’s what you need to know:
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Open the app.
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Go to Settings.
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In Record, the first section, click the tab for Timelapse Recording.
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Choose your frame interval. Timelapse videos are a series of still photos, stitched together into a video. How often you take new photos determines how fast the world moves. The Apple native app tends to be about one frame every two seconds. If you want to move faster, try 1 frame every 10 seconds, or even 1 frame every minute. (In the video tutorial above, I show the difference between the intervals.)
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Go to Camera, compose your shot, click record, and have something to keep yourself busy. You’ll want to record for at least 15-30 minutes, if not longer.
🔥 Voting begins on April 4th, and the winners will be announced April 9th. Subject matter? Up to you. Length? Up to you. Just make a short awesome timelapse video. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Again, to submit
https://photowalkstv.com/timelapse-across-america/
Newsbytes
SIRI: Last week we spoke about how Apple was losing the AI wars to Amazon, Google and others and what issues it was having with creating an all-new, more responsive Siri digital assistant. This week, Apple responded by axing the Siri chief and assigning him to another division. Unfortunately, the replacement comes from another rare Apple dud, the $3,500 Vision Pro. No words.
NO PORTS: During the spring, rumors about what shape and size the next iPhones will be heat up, and this week was so exception: the latest—could there be a new iPhone in the fall without the USBC/Lightning charging port? I’ve seen several people mention online how they think this is a good idea. Who needs a charging port that seems to always get ruined by water and dust damage, when you can just use wireless charging via the magnetic MagSafe connector on the back? Fine, I’m with you there, but….I use so many accessories that connect to the port, like my beloved Rode microphones, and flash and solid state drives that connect directly into iPhone 15s and 16s. Well, there’s always AirDrop for transferring video and photo files—but what are we going to do about audio?
Your thoughts?
New Google budget priced Pixel 9A for $499. Every spring, Google releases a budget version of its latest flagship phone, and this year it’s the Pixel 9A, selling for a good $100 less than the recently released iPhone 16e. Tom’s Guide has a good write-up on the new features and camera improvements, which include better low-light performance, the addition of a Macro mode and support for astrophotography.
🤳 No Selfies in Ibiza! I always try to keep you up on the latest uproar over Selfies, and the latest comes from the good people of Ibiza, Spain, and their revolt against the Instagram class. Specially, tourists with iPhones not welcome! Thank you Petapixel for the report.
🍕 My longtime friend Sol Lipman bought a pizza shop in downtown Santa Cruz and lived to tell about it. Fascinating read!
Photowalks on Sunday
On Sunday’s edition of Photowalks on Scripps News, we visit the desert oasis of Palm Springs, USA. The show is available wherever you get your streaming: Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Pluto, Plex, LG, Samsung and Vizio TVs and more.
We just returned from a festive four days in one of the most unique cities in the world, New Orleans. I hope to have that episode ready for you next week, so stay tuned.
Meanwhile, wouldn’t this weekend be a great time to film a timelapse with your phone?
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
Visit the island community of Galveston, Texas, and meet local podcaster J.R. Shaw, “spice queen” Concetta Maceo and Kat Crain, the owner of the Galveston institution SkyKatz and Ruthtalksfood author Ruth Stroud who join Jeff to explain the appeal of the city with so much history and beauty, where time has seemingly stood still.
http://www.photowalkstv.com
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
In this episode, we put on our best Casey Kasem for a countdown of the 100 locations we’ve visited on PhotowalksTV through the years, from the Hollywood Walk of Fame to the California Gold Country.
Along the way, we’ve got some beaches, some France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Canada, a little Ohio, Florida and Georgia, and the entire West, from Washington to Montana, from Colorado to Utah and then some.
Have a listen as we offer tidbits about each visit.
And ICYMI, be sure to catch the video companion as well.
https://photowalkstv.com/100-photowalks/
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
When both Apple and the photo centric publication PetaPixel in the same week deem that Kino is the smartphone app of the year, I take notice.
Kino is an app for iPhone video shooters who want manual controls over what they see, and an alternative to the all-automatic sheen of making videos in the iPhone Camera app.
The cost is all of $9.99, and it’s a relative bargain.
What Apple said: “Kino shows users how cinematic life can be through its film-inspired filters and advanced controls.”
Petapixel: “Kino is just that one small extra step to mobile video capture that makes it a lot more approachable.”
Have you heard about iPhone video advancements in the 15 and 16 series that let you shoot video in the “ProRes,” and “Log” formats, for better control over your color and final filmic look to the project? The Kino app helps you make sense of all that and offers tools to make use of them in a way easier fashion than via the iPhone Camera app. On the iPhone Camera app, you have to take the time to process the images. Not so with Kino.
You also get the ability to shoot in manual focus and adjust the lighting with more refinement.
Kino comes from the folks at Lux, which also makes the Halide app, covered here a few months ago. It’s the still photo app for people who don’t like shooting everything in auto mode on the iPhone, and offers, like Kino, an unprocessed version of what you see in real life.
So let’s run down Kino.
In a welcome twist for an app developer, Lux actually begins the process with a manual telling you about all the features. But let’s admit it: no one wants to read. They just want to press buttons.
So let me tell you what they are.
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The tools shown on the main page are basic: Auto focus vs. manual, the choice of lenses (.5 ultra-wide, wide and telephoto, if you have them on your iPhone) the format you want to shoot in (LOG vs. regular processed video) and the welcome sight of audio meters, to let you know that you indeed have audio.
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Two other buttons send you to color grade options. Similar to Styles, Apple’s tools to apply different color looks to your photos, before or after the fact, these different kind of film looks are offered, and can be applied to the video before you start shooting. In tech terms, they’re called LUTs, and by having them right there in the app, it makes the editing process a whole lot easier, as they can be added before or after you shoot.
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A second arrow on the main page brings up more choices: White Balance lets you adjust the color, and you can also increase the stabilization, use the level tool to make sure your horizon is in check and flip the camera around to selfie mode.
Finally, there’s Settings, where you have the ability to apply more color grades (many are available for sale on the internet) and change the quality of your recording.
The big deal about the app is shooting in LOG (unprocessed video) and getting to apply the different filmic choices (called LUTs) directly to the video. The look is a little less sharpened and glossy, and more reminiscent of what things looked like in the film days.
Let’s be honest though. Most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a graded video and out of the camera automatic on the iPhone. I can, however, and I think it looks great. Since you read this newsletter, I’m guessing you’ll be able to tell the difference too.
My go-to video app is still Blackmagic Camera, which offers many of the same features, for free, plus the ability to record great timelapse videos, in a slightly more complicated fashion, but it’s really easy to recommend Kino. The app is for anyone who wants to improve the look of their videos and see what all the fuss is about from the filmmaking community for getting higher grade iPhone videos. For $9.99, you can’t go wrong.
You’ll need an iPhone 15 or 16 to get the most of the app. Kino is only available for iPhones. Sorry Android fans.
A Watch App too
In Petapixel’s best of article, it also signaled out a $6.99 Apple Watch app that should appeal to photographers, called Lumy. This app gives you information about sunrises and sunsets, when to expect Golden and Blue hour and more. “It works alongside Apple’s various Watch faces and is the perfect companion for outdoor photographers,” Petapixel said. I don’t have an Apple Watch (my old one won’t connect, and I don’t like wearing watches anyway,) but this sounds like great info I’d love to have on my wrist.
Other award winners
Petapixel named the iPhone 16 Pro the phone of the year, the new Mac Mini the computer of the year, and Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve editing software the desktop software of the year.
DaVinci is software that’s free, unlike $299 for Apple’s Final Cut Pro or a hefty monthly subscription (starts at $20.99) for Adobe Premiere, and is beloved by editors for color grading tools. Plus—ahem, it’s free. PetaPixel says it’s “powerful and fast, but also feature-rich.”
Of the iPhone, PetaPixel called it “the uncontested champ of content creation. No other smartphone comes close to the iPhone for making high-quality videos.” It signaled the phone out for the new Camera Control feature, which sounded great to me when it first came out, because it’s a one-click button to open the camera faster, but in reality, I haven’t used it since. It’s too cumbersome, and I find it easier to just open the camera the only way. Videos look great though!
Phone update
Last week I told you to be very wary of the “free” phone offers from the big 3 wireless companies, which, in a nutshell, will upgrade you to a higher rate program that you don’t need, give you an entry level phone with little storage on it and extend your contract another year to pay for the “free” device.
They also make you pay a hefty sales tax on the purchase price of the phone. Get a new iPhone 16 Pro for free? In California, add $100 tax and the $50 or so “activation” fee.
My mom Judy would like you to know that you can skip all those games by picking up a decent used model. She likes Androids, especially cheap old ones, and paid $175 for a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (the current models are S25) for $175. That’s a little more than the tax/fees for the “free” device without having to pay for a higher rate contract or extend the terms.
She says:
“Had Samsung, so wanted same to be familiar with the workings. Not concerned about photo capabilities. Do take pictures. Mostly to upload to Etsy or eBay for items I'm selling. The cost, including tax, and new case, was less than tax on "free" phone. I’m very happy with decision not to get "free" phone.”
At $175, even if it was only one year of use, that’s great.
(To answer the question you’re thinking: I bought her a new phone earlier this year, but it was too small—she didn’t like it, and had me return it.)
YouTube TV Stinks!
Actually, I think the streaming alternative to cable TV is as good as it gets, with a easy to follow interface and the ability to record TV shows and watch them later. But the pricing is just out of whack. It was just a few years I covered the introductory press conference when it started with a $35 monthly rate. By 2024, it had climbed to $72.99 monthly, and this week YouTube announced a hefty $10 monthly price increase, to $82.99 monthly. The culprit? Higher programming costs.
To which I say: I left cable because I didn’t like paying over $100 a month to watch TV and get all these channels I never look at.
Fireworks
Last weekend the city of Manhattan Beach, where I live, kicked off the holidays, as it always does, with a big fireworks display, and as always, I was there to document it with a video. What was different this year though was that I made it a group project. A bunch of us camera enthusiasts got together at a local party, and then dispersed, to get different points of view of the rockets blasting. Having a New Year’s party this year around a fireworks display? You might try this method—as it makes for a more interesting video. The video clips were all shot on iPhones.
Thanks as always for taking the time to read, watch and listen! I’m off to the next big Photowalks shoot next week, back to San Francisco, so here’s hoping for lots of dry days!
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
I’ve got two new New Mexico episodes of Photowalks all cued up for you.
We leave Santa Fe for a drive north to tiny Abiquiu, pop. 200, where the beloved artist Georgia O’Keeffe had her home, in both town and the nearby Ghost Ranch. What’s a visit there like? Let me show you.
From Abiquiu, we continue further north, to perhaps my favorite spot in the Land of Enchantment, Taos, home to the oldest living continuous community in the United States, the Taos Pueblo, a thriving artist community and some of the best desert landscape you’ll see anywhere.
This is a return visit to Taos—the last time I did an episode there two years ago the Pueblo was closed, and I hadn’t yet met Ruthann McCarthy, Sol Lothe or Alberto Real from the amazing Camino Real Imports shop.
Ruthann is the friendly woman in the cowgirl hat who runs the Legacy Cafe in the town Plaza—her family has been in the Plaza for over 100 years and no one knows Taos like she does. Sol is the character who takes people up, up and away in his Rio Grande Balloons. He was nice enough to invite me up there for a ride in his beautiful balloon, and do a great interview from the skies. Alberto’s family runs this electric curio shop, with seemingly over 1 million items—everything from sun art, hanging ristras and pottery, to lots and lots of skulls.
These episodes were filmed primarily on the iPhone 16 Pro and 15 Pro Max models, with some key balloon shots on the Insta360 X4 and driving shots on the GoPro Hero 12.
And ICYMI: Santa Fe
Northern New Mexico, as you can see in the videos, is extra magical in late October, with beautiful fall colors, so mark your calendars for next year.
I hope to be back in the spring, with visits to Las Cruces, Roswell, White Sands and more, so stay tuned.
Thanks as always for watching, reading and listening.
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
This is the time of year when many blogs and tech news sites start hunting for supposed “deals” and offer “tips” on what to buy for the big Black Friday sales holiday.
What they’re really doing is fishing for affiliate link commissions.
The “deals” are always subjective, however, it is true that every retailer you know and love will have products discounted. Whether you really want them or not is another story.
The discounts are only worth it if it’s something you’re actually looking for. I, for instance, want to buy a new computer, and I know that Apple traditionally only offers (teeny) discounts for Black Friday. So I’m in. I’ll wait and shop, and walk out with a new Mac Mini that may cost less during the sale. Or may not.
I do get questions all the time about the mobile gear I use to produce to make a travel series, so since we’re in buying season, I’m going to run down the list—most of what I use is already on sale, with decent savings that might interest you.
Do know that like other newsletters, we too get a commission for affiliate links, but the purpose of this piece isn’t to sell, but to enlighten. (The mini commissions do help keep the lights on and pay for those grilled cheese sandwiches!)
Photowalks Gear
What does it take to produce a travel series on mobile phones, mostly all shot by me? Read on:
Phones: I bring the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max as my main cameras on the road, along with a Samsung Galaxy S23. I couldn’t be happier with the quality, except when sunspots put weird marks in the image.
A big question this year was on how big an upgrade the iPhone 16 is from the 15 series. Very minimal. The 16 phones have a “Camera Control” button on the side that brings up the camera and settings in what was billed as a quicker response, but in fact it’s awkward and dialing in the settings is no easier. Plus, the 16 phones have artificial intelligence features that mostly do things that don’t greatly improve our lives, like summarizing e-mails and a new, not more responsive Siti. More new features are coming in 2025, so stay tuned, but I’m guessing the iPhone 17 will be more of a substantial upgrade. (The best AI feature is a iOS18 freebie that works on older phones too—the ability to instantly transcribe any recording made in the Voice Memos app.)
Rode Wireless Go II Microphones: These little portable mics changed my life, making it much easier to get good audio out in the field, and mic up interview subjects. That said, there is a competing product that many of my fellow YouTubers swear by and it’s the DJI Mic II, a product I’ve thought about switching to, because it’s truly wireless. With my mic, I plug the receiver into the USB-C port via a cable on the iPhone and it connects to the transmitter that is on my lapel. The DJI unit just slips directly into the USB-C port, however, sans wires. Rode just came out with a copy of the DJI Mic called the Wireless Micro, with a pair selling for $149.99. I’d love a pair of those on Black Friday sales! (But how many Mics do I need? I already have four pairs of Rode mics!)
Peak Design Travel Tripod. Ever notice how on Photowalks, I address the camera, without having my arm extended in one of those “I’m holding the iPhone at arm’s length” shots?
I pull that off by placing the phone atop my trusty tripod, which beyond my “stand-ups” is also vital for timelapses and interviews.
I’ve been carrying around heavy tripods for years, but it wasn’t until I started toting the lighter Peak Design travel tripod that I actually enjoyed carrying the thing. It’s pricey, but a hefty Black Friday sale brings the price down to $300 from $379. It’s light, it’s sturdy, it opens and closes quickly and fits into a suitcase. The runner-up is Neewer’s Litetrip LT32, which set out to clone the Peak Design tripod, but with cheaper materials. It too fits into a suitcase, takes a little longer to unfold, but is on sale for just under $170, down from $230.
Cages. I house the iPhone 15 Pro Max in a Neewer filmmaking cage. I also use the $40 Small Rig Cage as well. (I paid $40 and it’s on sale for $25.) The reason for the cage? It has slots to plug in the mic and light (LED by Aperture, $72, normally $99) and can connect to a tripod or Selfie Stick/mini tripod (Insta360, $21) without the need for an additional smartphone tripod mount. I don’t use gimbals, the product sold to help you supposedly steady your video shots. I’m not a fan—they take too long to set up, and the difference in quality is so minimal it’s not worth the effort. I feel I can get video pans that are just as smooth with a Cage atop the selfie stick.
Insta360 X4 camera. For those times in your life when you want to get a shot of you walking down the street, and there’s no one around to film you. Or, you want a shot of a bunch of you waving from a hot air balloon in the sky, or from the top of a lighthouse. The Insta360 cameras have two lenses, on the front and back, giving you a complete wide-screen view. The shots are wild and you can do some crazy things with the camera. I wouldn’t do a travel video without it, but only when used sparingly. The camera sells for $500, but is now on sale for around $425. (The X4 is the new edition, released in 2024 with higher resolution than the previous model, and yes, the shots really look better on the X4.)
GoPro Hero 12. I didn’t upgrade to the new GoPro Hero 13 this year, a model that primarily offered new lens attachments and a better battery. I still use the Hero 12 in pretty much every video I do, for awesome driving shots. The 12 is on sale, $100 less than last year, for $299 while the Hero 13 is also discounted and only $40 more. If you’re new to GoPro or need an upgrade, I’d get the new one.
DJI Mini 4 Pro. What is a travel video without a sweeping drone shot? For that, we turn to the Mini 4, the smallest full-featured drone DJI makes for $999. (Amazon has a $40 Black Friday discount on it.) You recall that last December, the ocean ate my drone when I got too close for one more shot, and there went my old Mavic Air 2S. The Mini comes with its own controller for flying that doesn’t require being connected to the phone, which I like.
And while we’re on the subject of drones, I wrote a few weeks ago about DJI’s latest Neo, a drone that flies by itself, without needing a controller, and I said it would be one of the biggest hits of the season, as it sells for just $200. I stand by that, but that doesn’t mean it’s good. I bought and returned the drone when I discovered it’s just a toy and doesn’t fly very high.
Power: When I’m out in the field on a shoot, the iPhone starts running low on juice by 11 a.m., which is why I never travel without several power banks (and multiple phones.) I like this MagGo from Anker, which has a nice discount of $53, down from $90.
Mac Mini/MacBook: I edit every episode of Photowalks on a 16 inch MacBook Pro from 2021, but the computer is showing its age by slowing down. I plan on augmenting it with a second computer, the new Mac Mini with M4 Pro chips, which has more power than the iMac. (The Mini has the new M4 Pro chip and 12 core CPU and 16 core GPU, vs. 10 core CPU and the regular M4 chip on iMac.) The Mini starts at $599, but a souped up version on Amazon is $1369. down from $1399. However, the unit I want, with all the extras, will sell for just under $2,100, so let’s see if I can’t get a better price from Apple on Black Friday.
External solid state drives
If you buy one thing on this list, make it the Samsung T7 Shield SSD drive. In the digital age, we’re constantly running out of room, and way too many of us don’t take the time to backup our photos physically, beyond limited online. The T7 drives are small, quiet (no moving parts) work wonderfully, and offer more room than ever. This same drive sold for $400 a year ago and is now on sale for $263 for a 4 terabyte model.
Kondor Blue Hub
On these pages some time ago I expressed a desire to buy a hub that would connect the power bank, a solid state drive and a microphone and lights to the iPhone. These little hubs are hard to find, but Kondor Blue’s $90 hub, long in the works, finally started shipping. The USB-C Media Hub is truly just that: a piece of hardware with slots to connect the other devices. The issue is figuring out how to connect it to an iPhone, and how to connect the other devices as well while you’re running and gunning. (Kondor Blue has NO documentation available and its customer service is woefully un-responsive.) In a nutshell, it needs several adapters to connect it and devices to the iPhone. Because of the limitations, I’ve hardly used it. Watch the video below to see how ridiculous it looks.
Hobolite Mini LED. I bring this battery powered light with me out in the field for some extra help on night shots and love it. It’s not overly bright, but it is brighter than my small LED. The price is $250 and I haven’t seen it on sale.
Cables
We spoke a few weeks ago about the issue of charging devices in hotel rooms, mostly with too few slots in the room for AC, and outdated charging devices that won’t connect to current gear. All the usual suspects have Black Friday discounts, so if you’re always struggling, now would be a good time to pick up multiple prong outlets and charging bricks from Anker, Neewer and the like.
Greg mentioned buying a three-pronged charging cable—currently on sale for $10. Mike told me about this Anker outlet extender, which looks like the perfect accessory for all of our bags. I’m seeing two outlets and 3 openings for USB-C devices, the cable that works with most modern devices. It’s selling for $11, down from $19.
Don’t forget you’ll also need the right cables, depending upon which device you have—i.e., an older iPhone with Lightning (USB-C to Lightning) or USB-C to USB-C if you have a Galaxy, Pixel or iPhone 15 or 16. I recommend buying extras and leaving them in your suitcase, to be dedicated for travel.
Have fun shopping everyone!
In other news
—Dish Network and DirecTV aren’t merging afterall. DirecTV said it couldn’t make the financials work. And like that, Dish’s SlingTV announced it was raising prices, due to the never-ending price hikes from programmers.
—What do MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, E! and Oxygen have in common? They’ve all been dumped by owner Comcast, shifted into a new division for ailing and non growing cable channels. How MSNBC and CNBC will continue to interact with current sibling NBC News is a big question for the future.
—The Department of Justice wants Google to shed its Chrome browser, thinking that Google uses it to coerce more people into using their search engine. Google does a lot of sneaky things, but I don’t use Google Search because somebody made me. It gets better results than Microsoft’s Bing. Period. Take away Chrome, and we’ll still use Google, unless Chat GPT gets so good in the next year that we turn there instead. What do you think readers?
Thanks as always for taking the time to read, watch and listen. What one device or accessory do you hope to pick up? Let me know in the comments.
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.jeffersongraham.com/subscribe
I’ve been on the road now since 10/21, with a brief pit stop at home, and this I can tell you: hotels need to charge up.
Through stays in Santa Fe, Taos, Flagstaff, Palm Desert, San Francisco and the California Gold Country hamlets of Murphy, Plymouth, Placerville and now, as I write this, Chico, we’ve seen cardless entrances to the room via a text message code, we’ve been welcomed with a personal greeting on the big screen TV, been e-mailed after our stay with online survey requests, but none of these are Guest First issues. What needs to be seriously addressed: charging contemporary devices.
Figure the average traveler has at least two phones to contend with, a Watch or two, a laptop and maybe an iPad, and you see the problem. I happen to be a techhead who travels with extension cords, power strips and every conceivable cable you can dream of to charge multiple phones, microphones, GoPros, Insta360 cameras and two laptops (@ruthtalksfood is along for the ride, as always) but I know I’m an outlier.
Still, we all start with the same issue: where to find available outlets for charging up. (Even with extension cords, you have to find a place to plug in!)
That’s always a challenge in an older B&B, but understandable. These places weren’t built in a time when people like us traveled for overnight stays and power outlets were hidden behind giant poster beds and built-in bookshelves.
Many lodging facilities have tried to upgrade their charging options, thankfully, with devices like the CubieMini which worked great in 2020. Many of the hotels and even the B&Bs have even installed lamps and radio with have built-in USB-A ports, to make it easier for us. And that’s great.
But the times, they have changed!
Who uses USB-A anymore?
Very few of us. All these hotel improvements are actually a good five years behind the times. Now it’s all about USB-C, as the industry has settled on one universal connecting cable for seemingly everything.
If I’m talking geektalk, know this: the old USB-A cable was the one with the thick silver tip and pin connectors on the bottom side. USB-C is the more streamlined, thinner cable, and both sides fit into your device port. Pretty much every device sold today uses USB-C for charging.
I use USB-C to connect my iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S23, GoPro Hero 12, Insta360 X4, Rode Wireless Go microphones, iPad, AirPods, DJI Mini 4 Pro drone and Samsung T7 solid state drives. When I livestream, I plug a USB-C cable into my Sony EV-Z10 camera and then directly into one of my MacBook Pro slots (I have 3.) I also connect an iPhone, via USB-C to the Mac, so I can show the iPhone screen during the show.
So in other words, hotels aren’t helping us with all those USB-A slots. They’re irrelevant.
May I suggest some simple room upgrades:
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Companies like Anker, Belkin and Neewer make multiple charging solutions for consumers. Why not think Guest First and install one of these devices in each room? The $39.99 Anker Charging Station has four available USB-C slots, plus, if you’ve got an old iPhone, there are 2 USB-A slots as well, plus 3 AC outlets.
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I know many hotels, but not all, like to have alarm clocks in the room, and I’ve scoured Amazon looking for one with multiple USB-C ports. I’ve only found devices with one. Not much help. But it’s a start! (This Sharp radio has both a USB-C and A port.)
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How about wireless charging solutions? Many products use the Qi wireless system to power up, and Apple has the MagSafe solution. A plugged in MagSafe adapter would be fantastic.
If you have an old iPhone like the X or 11, you have a cable with a USB-A on one side, and the old Lightning on the other side. Apple stopped selling iPhones with Lightning with 2023’s 15 series, while many older iPads, AirPods and Watches still have it.
Meanwhile, with holiday travel coming up, it’s doubtful all the hotel chains will have read this edition and decidedto quickly upgrade. So here’s my tips on what not to leave home without.
—If you have an old iPhone, buy one of these $10 USB-A to Lightning cables and throw it in your suitcase.
—If you have a modern iPhone, Galaxy or any other device, pick up a USB-A to USB-C cable. This is the one that will fit in the hotel chargers. Anker sells a two-pack for $9.
—For the utmost in versatility,, how about a multi-use cable, which plugs into the hotel USB-A port, but has extensions for both Lightning and USB-C. I found one on Amazon for just $6.
Or, just buy a few USB-C to A adapters to put over your existing cables. They sell for under $10.
As noted, I have a seperate cable bag that I bring along on road trips. For plane rides, I have a few dedicated cables that live in my suitcase, and they plug into multiple outlet chargers like this one from Anker which sells for $17.
Have I missed your favorite cable solution? Let me hear from you in the comments.
In other news:
Freevee no more
First it was IMDB TV, Amazon’s home for ad-supported TV and movies. Then, the company decided a name change was in order, and altered it to the silly sounding Freevee in April 2022. Now, Freevee is history. The programming will be woven into the existing Amazon Prime Video offerings, Amazon says, although I’m skeptical that the huge library of old stuff will make it in. The reason for the change: Amazon started putting adds in its Prime offerings, so there was no need to have two ad-supported channels.
New Final Cut Pro 11
In 2011, Apple introduced Final Cut Pro X, a new imagining of video editing software that looked like iMovie, but was way more full-featured. Many editors complained that it was dumbed down, but I loved it. It changed my life, offering a faster, easier to use program that I have used every day since. (And I’m not kidding.)
All these years later, Apple now has an update, with Final Cut Pro 11. The key features include the ability to add captions to your project automatically, and use AI masking to remove backgrounds from the video and isolate the person, like we can do on the iPhone.
The cost is $299, but existing users get the upgrade for free.
You Never Know Who You’ll Meet in Placerville
There is a fabulous restaurant on Main Street in Placerville, right next to the Hangman’s Tree, (not kidding) named Franny’s Farm Table. Erica Cookson is the owner, and as I uttered one word to her, she recognized my voice, even though we had never met. It’s a fun story, and she tells it in the video below, which is directed to our friend Mark Thompson, who hosts a popular show on YouTube.
I’ll have more to show and tell you about the Gold Rush Country of California in the coming weeks with a new full-length Photowalks episode. So stay tuned!
Thanks as always for reading, watching and listening.
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
This week Apple introduced several of it’s new “Apple Intelligence” A.I. features that were touted in June, but finally made it to phones at the tail end of October.
The most interesting, and the one that will take AI photo edits mainstream to the masses is “Clean up,” the ability to erase people and distracting objects from your photos, just like you would do with a pencil and paper.
However, it’s only available to people who have updated their iOS 18 iPhone software and have the iPhone 15 Pro or 16 series phones. So even if you don’t have one of these phones, odds are that if you’re an iPhone user, you will be upgrading at some point and getting this feature and more in the coming years.
Similar tools have been available from Adobe, but at a monthly subscription cost that starts at $9.99 for Photoshop, or Google, via Android phones and the Google Photos app, which has had a confusing rollout. Plus, the Google tools aren’t as easy to use and as effective.
I’ve been vocal in my distaste for AI tools from Google that put things easily into photos that were never there in the first place. You could argue that the photo above where I ditched the volleyball net breaks the rule of bending reality into something that’s not photography, and you’d be right. But I’ve been removing distractions like power lines and garbage cans from photos for years, just as so many other photographers have.
But it used to be a time-consuming task, one made way easier by Adobe’s upgrade of “Generative Fill” in Photoshop in 2023. And now, thanks to Apple, it’s even simpler, more effective and available to the masses for free.
Reader beware: Sometimes you can get rid of the person in the shot, but not their pesky shadow!
How Apple Intelligence Clean Up works
Take the photo, open it up in Apple Photos on your phone, (late models iPad with the A17 chip, and M1 Macs with Sequoia installed) and click Edit. There you will see a new tab added to select the Clean Up feature. Put your finger over the objects you want to get rid of, and watch them disappear.
If you don’t get it right, try again until you do. Most times it works really well—but when I tried to get rid of a post-Halloween skeleton sitting on a beach chair, all those bones were too much for the A.I.
I didn’t undertake a complete Photoshop vs. Apple Intelligence test, but Petapixel, the online website that covers photography did, and the results favored the new player.
For Android fans, if you haven’t already, check out the Magic Eraser in Google Photos. When I said the rollout was confusing, here’s why. First it was only available for Android users, then it was brought to the iPhone as well, but only if you subscribed to Google One, Google’s backup subscription program. However, in April, 2024 it opened it up to everyone.
The process is similar: open photo, select tools, look for Magic Eraser and then erase the person or object with your finger.
Have fun playing around and let me know your thoughts.
New Macs
Apple also introduced several new, more powerful Mac computers this week. The headline was that they were equipped with “Apple Intelligence” those silly e-mail summaries, professional writing cleanup and more chatty and smarter (supposedly) Siri.
Forget about it! What I’m interested is the extra power! The revamped Mac Mini and new iMacs come with the M4 processing chip, which is a big boost from the M1 on the MacBook Pro I bought in 2021 for $2,000. The Mini even has a M4 Pro chip, which is said to be even faster.
I use my laptop even more than the phone, a good 10 hours daily, every day of the week, mostly processing photos and editing videos—as well as writing. And it’s showing signs of age.
So I’ll be buying a new one—interesting that the tiny Mini, which appears to be about half the size of the previous model is more powerful than the giant iMac with a 24 inch screen, so it looks like that will be the purchase for me, boosted with 1 Terabyte of storage. Plus a trackpad, keyboard and monitor.
ICYMI, here are the specs:
Apple’s new iMac starts at $1,299, but clocks in at $2,149 once I add the upgrades of extra RAM and storage, plus a Trackpad.
The Mini, which again has the M4 Pro chip, which Apple says is faster than the regular M4 chip, starts at $999 for this edition and creeps up to $1,600 with my extra storage, trackpad and keyboard add-ons. I also will need a monitor, which I haven’t bought in years, but per Best Buy is in the $100 to $200 range.
I’ll let you know how it goes. Readers, which, if any, excites you?
ChatGPT Search vs. Google.
This week, ChatGPT evolved again by offering a chatty A.I. search function that’s surprisingly competitive with Google. I did several tests, and most of what I saw was pretty great. But it’s not a Google killer, as I saw suggested by Tom’s Guide. Not by a mile.
For instance, let’s start with the link I just placed above. I typed “ChatGPT search vs. Google Tom’s Guide” into both, and only Google could provide the link.
I asked both what time Photowalks will air on Scripps News Saturday and both got it right, (thank you) at 8 p.m. ET. But only Google could tell me which episode is scheduled (Oregon Coast.)
When is that new Tom Hanks movie opening? (It already did, ChatGPT told me. Google didn’t seem to know.)
Is it playing near me? Here only Google could provide the actual theaters. ChatGPT gave me links to national movie chains and told me to look it up myself.
For tips on when to visit Death Valley, California, and where to stay, ChatGPT had lots of good info, vs. Google which offered sponsored links. However, Google’s Gemini, its ChatGPT AI competitor, stepped up, and offered relevant, non-sponsored links, with prices. But we know it won’t remain that way, as Google will need to monetize Gemini.
To try the search, you need to either pay for a ChatGPT subscription or add ChatGPT as a Chrome extension. Once you do that, ChatGPT replaces Google as your default search engine. That was good for a lark on a Friday afternoon, but trust me, I don’t think you’ll last a few hours with it, now. The chat is great, but the links we’re looking for are hard to come by. By the time I finish this sentence, I’m going to delete it.
Your thoughts?
Thank you Sam!
New paid sub Sam signed up this week, with a really nice note.
Readers: feel free to tell me what you’d like to see more and less of in the coming year. I have more photo, tech and travel tips, personal stories and on the road adventures in the works! In tomorrow’s edition, I’ll tell you all about exploring Big Sur, possibly the greatest road trip ever, despite the mudslides and road closures.
Thanks as always for taking the time to watch, read and listen!
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
This week we’re back on the road, from Los Angeles to Santa Fe and then back again, barreling down route 40 and the sideroads of Route 66, through Barstow, Seligman, Kingman and Flagstaff and many others.
As always, I love pulling over and photographing the things that jump out at me. Like the old, once thriving motel that hopes to attract folks with several enticing features.
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How does a round bed sound to you?
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And if that’s not good enough, free HBO and a color TV by RCA? (I hope it’s a Colortrak!)
RCA stopped making TVs in 1986, after the company was sold to General Electric. So this sign has been hanging in Barstow since the 1980s, if not earlier.
Passing through Las Vegas, in the bedroom community of Henderson (now the second largest city in Nevada) we had dinner at my favorite restaurant in the world, Juan’s Flaming Fajitas and Cantina, known for their one of a kind fajitas. See the above video for a full 25 second flame show. And they taste great too.
We stopped at the Hoover Dam, which finished construction in 1935 and is still one of the modern marvels of the world. It’s in a unique spot, where you park in Nevada, and walk across the water to Arizona. Even though there are two clocks showing different times, Arizona is the one that doesn’t change. It doesn’t observe Daylight Standard Time, except in the Navajo Nation.
The Trump Zoltar (yes, there are many large Trump signs, on the side of the road) was spotted at the “Last Stop” gas station somewhere between Hoover Dam and Kingman, and guess what—it wasn’t the last stop.
Thanks as always for following the journey!
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
(This newsletter is sponsored by me, alerting you about the three mobile photography video courses I have available: beginning iPhone, iPhone 16 and Google Pixel. http://www.jeffersongraham.com/courses)
You gotta love a photography application that calls itself the “Anti-AI” app.
Halide has my name written all over it.
The app has actually been around for several years, since 2017, but recently added a new feature called “Process Zero,” which lets us photograph things the way we actually see them, as opposed to how we’d like to remember the world. That means no fake blue skies, no artificially enhanced colors, no over-sharpened images.
The app, which costs $19.99 yearly or $2.99 monthly, produces “zero computational photography to produce natural, film-like photos,” Halide says. Yay! (Sorry Galaxy and Pixel fans—Halide is only available for the iPhone and iPad.)
Top, iPhone 16 Pro Apple fake blue sky, over sharpened. The bottom shot, again on the iPhone 16 Pro, is with the Halide app. All the photos shown here are unedited.
My beef on the AI revolution is that it’s great for looking up things, transcribing interviews, getting cars to drive automatically and for photo editing—but not for photo taking.
I’ve written about how Google has taken a step towards ruining photography as we know it with the new Pixel 9 series of photos that offers features to add people to the photo, and do things that just aren’t there.
Google’s “Add Me,” lets you take a photo of say, the two of you, and add a third person to the image after the fact, while the really controversial one is called Remagine, which turns ordinary photos into unlabeled generative AI artwork. Yuck.
Apple has made a big deal of new AI features coming to the iPhone, but luckily they don’t include altering major reality as part of the deal.
However, what Apple, Samsung and Google have done is to take a basic camera and turn it into something that never produces an image that’s out of focus, rarely too dark or light, with computational skills. The phone cameras take 9 images every time you click the shutter and merges them into one master photo with few flaws.
As the Verge noted in an iPhone review about Halide: “If you’re one of the many people who think that iPhone photos look overprocessed lately, then this is the feature for you.”
The New Yorker, of all places, did a feature on Halide this week that you should check out. When’s the last time the New Yorker did a piece on an app? Just wondering.
“Process Zero has made me enjoy taking photos with my phone again, because I don’t feel like I’m constantly fighting against algorithmic editing that I can’t control or predict,” writes the author Kyle Chayka in the New Yorker.
Halide notes that turning off the auto features has tradeoffs. It admits that it can’t handle low light well and cannot access some features of the iPhone, notably the 2x zoom feature that crops a portion of the 48 megapixel sensor to “zoom” in and get closer.
Top, iPhone, with enhanced orange and flag, bottom shot is with Halide.
I’ve included here many examples of Apple vs. Halide, so you can see for yourself. You may prefer the Apple approach, which has its place—in many of these shots, the extra color is nice to have, but as a rule, I’d rather have the option to add those looks myself in editing afterwards, and have a cleaner image to play with.
Top: Apple Photos shot, bottom via the Halide app. You can see how the colors are actually crisper in the Halide photo, minus the fake darkened sky.
If you have the new iPhone 16, you might have heard about the “Camera Control” button on the side of the phone which lets you click to open the camera, without having to use FaceID. The button can be programmed to make Halide the default camera.
Meanwhile, let me tell you more about the Halide app. It’s incredibly simple.
At the top of the screen you click the drop-down menu to select “Process Zero” or “Apple Processed” photos. Another tool lets you select Auto or Manual exposure, which you can tweak by pressing down on the screen and making the image lighter or darker.
At the bottom of the app, you choose which lens you want to use, .5, 1x or 5x, the ability to use the Portrait Mode to blur the background and selfie mode. Hidden after a swipe is the flash, timer, white balance and settings, where you can choose to photograph in the traditional JPG, the HEIC smaller file, or larger RAW.
Again, you may prefer the auto features, and that’s fine, but if you want to go back to the days where a photo was a photo, without enhancement that can’t be tweaked, you should check out Halide.
Newsbytes
Instafamous: If you want to be seen on Instagram, but don’t feel like making a highly produced short Reels video, Instagram announced this week that Carousels and photos with music now can show up in the Reels tab too, which it favors over basic photo posts. Get busy creators!
Amazon Stinks: When the company announced that it was adding adverts to its Prime Video offerings, unless we paid a fee, it said it would offer limited ads and not be obnoxious. Well, that didn’t last very long. This week Amazon said it will start increasing the ad load in the coming year. Surprise, surprise!
Speaking of AI editing: Software giant Adobe announced several new photo editing tools at its MAX conference in Miami, including the ability generate seconds of video footage from a text prompt in its Premiere Pro video editing program, and new tools for Lightroom Mobile. Here you can automatically apply effects for retouching backgrounds, teeth, eyes, skin, and more.
Let’s go to Japan!
On tonight’s episode of Photowalks on Scripps, we visit the Kansai region of Japan, including stops to Japan’s “Kitchen” of Osaka, the street food capital of the country, and the lively port city of Kobe. The show airs at 8 p.m. ET on Scripps News.
Mobile Photography on Flipboard
I have a long-standing relationship with the digital social magazine Flipboard, one of the great apps for getting a curated look at things of interest. I’m currently the photographer in residence there for the fall—and the great Mia Q just posted a nice interview with me on Flipboard that you might enjoy!
Record Store Days
I got such great response to last Sunday’s bonus edition, talking about my days working as a clerk at a used record store in Berkeley at age 20, and all the important life lessons I learned at that time. But I broke the format of this newsletter, with nothing about tech, travel or photography in the story. Should I continue with my tale, I asked readers.
“I’m loving learning the back story,” commented Josh.
“I love reading about your adventures,” said Brian.
“More, more, more Jeff” requested Jolene.
Thank you! So by popular demand, I have part 3 of my personal history all cued up and ready for you in tomorrow’s edition. Thanks so much for the interest!
And as always, thanks again for taking the time to read, watch and listen!
Jeff
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
I picked up DJI’s new $200 Neo drone this week, and parents, you heard it here first, this is the holiday gift for kids and young-at-heart parents. Nothing else comes close.
DJI is the longtime leader in making “flying cameras,” of all sizes and price points. I bought my latest, the DJI Mini 4 Pro for $1,000 last year after the ocean ate my Mavic Air 2S.
When I saw the specs for this new one, I had to add it to the collection.
Just $200 for a drone? One that flies in the air and records 4K content?
Yes, indeedy. The trick is that unlike other drones, which require being connected to a controller with joysticks to operate it, the Neo takes off all by itself, based on six pre-programmed modes of operation.
The big calling card is the “Follow” mode, which takes after you as you walk down the street, go running, perhaps cycling, skating, you name it.
Here’s how it works:
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Turn on the drone and connect it to the smartphone app.
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Choose one of the six flying modes. (They include the Follow Mode and short flights through the air called Rocket, Dronie and Circle.)
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Hold the drone in front of your face in your hand, wait for the countdown and then the drone takes off and goes into the air. When you’re ready for it to come back down, hold up your palm so the camera sees it, and it lands in your hand. (Watch the video above and see for yourself.)
Quibbis:
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It can be hard to connect the drone to the app, and have it be recognized. Expect to try it a few times.
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Because you’re not able to truly control the drone manually, it is likely to crash. Yup, I’ve already crashed twice, but because it’s covered with propeller guards, you’re better protected than with the bigger, adult drones.
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You won’t be to soar down the coast, or go up in the air hundreds of feet like other drones, due to the automatic program modes of the system.
But then again, it’s only $200. For $289, there’s a “combo” package, with two extra batteries, and that’s highly recommended as these batteries only last about 18 minutes or so.
(Buyer beware: the sample footage shown on the DJI site is something to aspire to, with extra gear and accessories that don’t come with the Neo package most of us will be buying.)
A word from our sponsor
Want to level up your phone photography skills? I’ve got three video courses available for you online: beginner iPhone photography, all about the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro and the Google Pixel. Check them out at http://www.jeffersongraham.com/courses
Elon’s Robots
I’m no fan of Elon Musk and his disinformation machine that used to be Twitter, but I’ve got to admit, his Thursday evening event was pretty spectacular, even if it was fantasyland.
He introduced a new self-driving car, a $30,000 two-seater Robotaxi that he claims would wheel people around town by an incredibly optimistic 2027—just like Waymo and Cruise cars have been doing in small tests for the last few years, to limited success. (Good luck cutting through government red tape for approvals on this one in 2 and a half years.)
But from what I could see on the livestream presentation, the audience really ate up his army of human like Optimus robots which walked around and handed out swag to attendees.
Musk said he was using the same technology from Tesla cars to build the robots, which he predicted would cost $20,000 to $30,000 to purchase and could do all sorts of things. Try babysitting, dog walking, clean the house and just be a companion. “It will be the biggest product ever, of any kind,” he boasted.
Maybe. But not so fast. I’ve been around, and I have seen so many robot announcements, it’s hard to keep up. They make good copy, but rarely succeed.
Amazon introduced a consumer robot named Astro in 2021 “by invitation only,” and even though I applied, I still haven’t been accepted 3 years later. It could have something to do with the fact that the product wasn’t ready for prime time and still isn’t.
Musk has a habit of announcing things that get delayed or not happen at all. In 2016, he predicted at an industry conference that trips for humans to Mars would be provided by his company, beginning in 2024—for arrival in 2025, "if things go according to plan.”
They didn’t.
Musk said the Robotaxis will go into production by 2026, or possibly 2027. Great idea. I hope self-driving cars do become a reality. One day. My guess is it’s 30, 40 years away, if not more.
Care to chime in?
TikTok clock
The U.S. Congress voted to ban the uber-popular Chinese owned TikTok app from the U.S. and president Joe Biden signed the bill into law, giving it a deadline of January 19 to shut down. My pal Jim Louderback created a countdown clock website showing we have less than 99 days before TikTik goes away.
I know you are all skeptical readers—who believes we’ll be living without TikTok by January 20th, on inauguration day? Sorry, this thing is just too popular to go away. A deal will be made, of some kind.
Sizzling
My mom asked me the other night: “What’s a sizzle reel?”
Well, per ChatGPT, it’s a “short, compelling video that showcases highlights of a project, concept, or talent.”
She asked because I had just finished my latest "reel,” a two-minute best of Photowalks, meant to showcase what the series is all about, what you’ll see on it, illustrated with 72 photos and videos in 120 seconds.
We visit the world’s most photographable places, go on a virtual photowalk and I offer tips on how to get pro-level vacation photos on each episode. That’s the gist.
I had great assistance finishing the reel by the one and only Sean Fujiwara and longtime family friend Peter Hammersly, who I can’t thank enough. If you have two extra minutes, please take a look and let me know what you think. I’m really proud of this one.
Tonight on Scripps News,the second of the six-episode PhotowalksTV run airs at 8 p.m. ET, as we visit the exotic island of Sicily. If you can, please check it out.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
Jeff explains why the new AI photo tools in Google’s Pixel 9 series are so dangerous and need to be labeled.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
I’ve got the first of many promised courses available for paid subscribers, with a deep dive about the camera and photo features of the under-rated Google Pixel phone.
The Google Pixel has many critics saying that it has the best camera of any smartphone, which may or may not be true.
But I can tell you this: Google has the lowest priced full-featured phone from a major competitor, at $499, several hundred dollars less than entry level phones from Apple and Samsung. And the Pixel has many cool features for photography that are different from the pack, yet, instructions for how to use them are scant.
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Have an out of focus photo you’d like to fix? No problem. Let’s unblur it.
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Arte there too many weird expressions and closed eyes in your group shots? Google has a fix for it.
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Hate having to reach over and snap the shutter when posing for a selfie? The Pixel will take the photo automatically, setting the timer after just as long as you show your hand.
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Love making videos, but don’t like how jerky your panning of the scene is? Good news–Google will make the shot smoother.
And on and on.
In this course, I’ll walk you through the maze of menus on the Pixel, showing you the best settings for photos and video, and tour the camera and video modes, so you’ll get a better idea about what you’ve got to work with.
Everything is broken up into short lessons, so watch at your own pace. There are no tests or quizzes, but if you have questions, you can always e-mail me: photowalkstv@gmail.com
Substack paid subscribers can also access the chat service and get right to me.
There will be more courses in the coming weeks about the camera features of the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone, so stay tuned. Also, I’d love to hear from you—are there other photography related courses you’d be interested in as part of your paid subscription?
CLICK BELOW FOR THE COURSE
🗞️ 💥 NEWS!
People ask me all the time about what apps I use to snap photos on the phone, and I usually disappoint them when I tell them it’s the native photo apps on iPhone, Galaxy and Pixel. But for video, it’s a different story. On Thursday’s Live Show at 5 p.m. PT on YouTube, I’ll be discussing how you can use third-party apps to get way better results for your videos. I have also some big NEWS to reveal on the show, so be sure to tune in and hear all about it.
See you there?
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
This week, Jeff tells you all about why Park City, Utah is such a cool place to visit and photograph, on the PhotowalksTV companion podcast.
Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/photowalkstv
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter - Tech & Travel at www.photowalkstv.com/subscribe
Jeff offers tips on what to see , do and photograph when visiting the Heber Valley in Utah, which is near Park City, Salt Lake City and Provo. Be sure to watch the companion video on YouTube:
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter at jeffersongraham.substack.com/subscribe
Juliana and Martin Gomez, who just celebrated their 10th anniversary on YouTube, have a fantastic travel channel called Tourist to Local.
They have traveled to 27 countries over this time, (including most recently Argentina, Italy and Mexico) and joined Jeff to talk about their travel photography tips and tricks for shooting all over the world, and travel in general.
Check out their recent episodes from Argentina on YouTube, and listen to our chat!
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter at jeffersongraham.substack.com/subscribe
Juliana and Martin Gomez, who just celebrated their 10th anniversary on YouTube, have a fantastic travel channel called Tourist to Local.
They have traveled to 27 countries over this time, (including most recently Argentina, Italy and Mexico) and joined Jeff to talk about their travel photography tips and tricks for shooting all over the world, and travel in general.
Check out their recent episodes from Argentina on YouTube, and listen to their chat!
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter at jeffersongraham.substack.com/subscribe
Eclipse selfies, analog locks, Siri photo tip, how to get Peacock free and YouTube thumbnail fun.
Get full access to Jefferson Graham's PhotowalksTV newsletter at jeffersongraham.substack.com/subscribe
Join us on a road trip up and down 363 miles of the rugged, rocky Oregon Coast, from the top of the state near Astoria down to the state line, near Brookings, with stoops in Cannon Beach, Newport and Bandon, in search of the best photo spots.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Post-pandemic Travel season is now officially here again, and to celebrate, Jefferson Graham offers his top 10 ways to get dramatically improved travel photos on your iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel or camera.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
The Highway 1 series continues on the audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series, exploring the idyllic coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Jefferson Graham explains why Carmel is so special, and points out five key photo highlights.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
There are many stops to the awesome Big Sur drive, but four key ones for photos. Jefferson Graham points them out in this audio companion to the PhotowalksTV episode; Ragged Point, Pfeiffer Beach, Nepenthe and Bixby Bridge.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
In the audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series on YouTube, Jefferson Graham offers his top reasons to get off Highway 1 and explore the tiny coastal town of Cambria on the central California coast. He also talks with Lorienne Schwenk of the Cambria Chamber. http://www.youtube.com/photowalksTV
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Jefferson Graham explains why pulling off Highway 1 on the Central California coast for a visit to tiny Cayucos is worth your time for great photos: historic western-styled downtown, beach with dramatic rocky scenery and those amazing butter cookies.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
The little town with the giant rock on the central California coast is the focus of the latest PhotowalksTV companion podcast, with Jefferson Graham and Charlotte “Ginger” DiNunzio talkin’ Morro Bay. http://www.youtube.com/photowalksTV
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Jefferson Graham tells why San Luis Osbipo is such a cool spot for photos. Guests include local photographer Renoda Campbell and KEVC’s Andy Morris. Watch the PhotowalksTV episode on YouTube.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Why Pismo Beach is one of the great California beach towns, thanks to the Dunes, caves, rock formations and amazing sunsets. Jefferson Graham tells all, in this companion to the PhotowalksTV Pismo Beach episode from #Highway1. Includes chats with photographer Amy Joseph and Cindy Parkhurst, the co-owner of Old West Cinnamon Rolls.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Apple reportedly is looking to a new way of selling iPhones in the fall, as a lease, like new cars, but bundled with other subscription services. Jefferson Graham explains why he’s all for it on the podcast edition of the PhotowalksTV newsletter.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Apple, Amazon, Google, SmugMug or Microsoft? With thousands of photos and videos snapped daily, you will be paying for online photo backup. Where to spend your dollars? Jefferson Graham runs down the options.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Apple will delete your photos from iCloud if you kill them off your iPhone, unless you turn to workarounds outlined here by Jefferson Graham. Other backup solutions? He’s got some ideas. http://jeffersongraham.substack.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
When we shoot thousands of photos yearly, finding them on our devices can be tough. Jefferson Graham offers tips on how to locate them by taking a few minutes and tagging them on Apple’s iPhone Photos app and Google Photos.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Santa Fe based photographer Nevada Wier talks the art of travel photography, the secrets to great portraits, infrared photography and her love of San Miguel del Allende in Mexico on this PhotowalksTV podcast. From the New Mexico Photowalks series.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Jefferson Graham talks the best photo spots in New Mexico capital city Santa Fe, where to stay and eat on your next visit to “The City Different.”
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
The photographer’s paradise of Arizona Route 66 is explored in the latest podcast episode, which winds through Flagstaff, Oatman, Williams, Lupton, Holbrook, Winslow and Seligman.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
One of the most beautiful cities of the world has became a haven for thieves to steal expensive cameras. On today’s PhotowalksTV podcast episode, we point out some of the most common areas for thieves to haunt, and suggest alternatives. http://www.photowalkstv.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Talkin’ turkeys on the KNX Los Angeles “What the Tech” segment with hosts Mike Simpson and Karen Adams.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Charlotte "Ginger" DiNunzio has spent years photographing people with red hair, ("Gingers") from all walks of life, just in daily life. As she puts it, "we may be teased, victimized, bullied or adored, and we all come out shining and glorious."
Her new book "Ginger Snaps" is a celebration of red hair with portraits taken in her native England. Now based on the Central California Coast, as the chief photographer for Sandprints Photos, Ginger is no longer taunted by people for her hair color. But as she says in our podcast interview, the early experience instilled her the desire to document as many redheads as she could find in her native England and celebrate them.
Have a listen to the interview, and if you haven’t caught it yet, catch our recent Photowalks TV episode from Manhattan Beach, featuring Ginger joining forces with yours truly to photograph the Pier and more.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Photographer Jason Butler, the co-owner of the DeZion Gallery in Springdale, Utah, is my guest for the Photowalks podcast, the companion to the Photowalks TV series.
Butler specializes in fine art landscape photos of the American West, most notably, Zion National Park, and nearby Bryce, Grand Canyon and Death Valley N.P. as well.
In our conversation, Butler talks about living and working in tiny Springdale, the town outside Zion, how he orchestrated some of his best photographs of the Narrows, Angel’s Landing and other Zion icons and how he finds inspiration to keep photographing the same locations, year after year.
See Butler’s work at the Argoshots.com website, or visit the DeZion Gallery the next time you’re in Springdale.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
In the podcast companion to the Las Vegas Photowalk episode, Jefferson Graham chats with Vegas photographer Homer Liwag, the co-director of David Copperfield's stage production. They discuss Liwag's favorite photo spots in Las Vegas, his love of the Arts District and Red Rock Canyon, and his early years in magic.
Check out Homer’s website, YouTube channel, his Instagram and of course our Las Vegas Photowalk!
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Kevin Cody, the longtime publisher of the “Easy Reader,” newspaper, which has been chronicling the “Beach Cities” of Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach for over 50 years, sits down with Photowalks host Jefferson Graham to talk life at the beach.
More specifically, Cody chats about the differences between the three cities on this audio companion to the PhotowalksTV series on YouTube. Watch the Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach Photowalk episodes at http://www.youtube.com/photowalkstv
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Listen now (55 min) | Meet Shannon, Karin, Brittany and Howard from our visit to Savannah, Georgia
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Facebook just announced a marketing alliance with sunglass manufacturer to sell “smart” sunglasses that can also take photos and videos, and play music and podcasts. After the flops by Amazon, Google and Snapchat, is the world ready now for smart sunglasses? Jefferson Graham weighs in.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
The great wildlife and nature photographer Juan A. Pons sits down with me to talk about the joy of photographing Maine, the granite state in which he calls home.
While Juan’s speciality is photographing Yellowstone National Park in the winter, he also has beautiful images of Acadia National Park in Maine. In this latest edition of the Photowalk Talks podcast, Juan joins me to talk about some of his favorite photo spots in the park and photographing those iconic Maine lighthouses.
Listen to our conversation with Juan about Yellowstone here: https://jeffersongraham.substack.com/p/photowalk-talks-yosemite
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Mark Comon from Torrance based Paul’s Photo and the Creative Photo Academy joins Jefferson Graham to talk the art of photographing downtown Los Angeles for a Photowalks Talks edition.
Hollywood and Beverly Hills may get the lion’s share of tourists, but when it comes to photo spots, the downtown area of Los Angeles (DTLA) is a photographer’s paradise, with Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dodger Stadium, the Bradbury Building, Los Angeles City Hall and Union Station among the standouts.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Photographer Anthony Quintano joins forces with Jefferson Graham to discuss the best photo spots on Hawaii’s most visited island, Oahu.
The Best Photowalk
Photowalks on Tubi
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Photographer Susan Portnoy, from the Insatiable Traveler blog, joins Jefferson Graham to talk the joy of photographing the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge Park.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Master wildlife photographer Scott Bourne talks the joys of photographing birds at New Mexico’s Bosque Del Apache refuge with Jefferson Graham.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Master photographer, Photoshop guru and educator Scott Kelby talks about the joys of photographing Manhattan with Jefferson Graham on this Photowalk Talks edition.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Chris Smith, the local Chicago area photographer and founder of the Out of Chicago conference, talks the joys of photographing the Windy City with Jefferson Graham.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Laguna Beach photographer Jan Schrieber joins Jefferson Graham to talk the joy of photographing Laguna Beach for this #Photowalk Talks edition. http://thebestphotowalk.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
The joys of photographing the oldest city in the United States, starting on the oldest street in America, Aviles Street!
Photographer Larry Becker joins Jefferson Graham for a Photowalks Talks edition, all about St. Augustine, Florida.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Master wildlife photographer Juan Pons joins me for a #Photowalk Talks podcast episode, as we chat about the joy of photographing Yellowstone National Park, primarily in the winter.
Juan, who leads photo workshops yearly to Yellowstone, says the park contains the largest concentration of free-roaming wildlife in the lower 48 states, with sixty-seven different mammals, including grizzly bears, black bears, gray wolves, wolverine, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, pronghorn, linx, elk, bison, moose, coyotes and foxes.
In other words, a photographer’s dream. Tune in to hear more!
Links: Juan’s website: http://www.juanpons.org
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Walking down the street just after the storm, I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
A double rainbow had formed over Manhattan Beach, where I live. I’ve seen rainbows in the sky before, but none this bright, nor of the double variety.
With nothing but my trusty iPhone 12 Pro Max by my side, I stepped off the Strand paved walkway and ran, as fast as I could down to the ocean waves. Because who knew just how long the rainbow would last?
I wanted to capture the whole thing with an object in-between, as that can really make the rainbow stand out. A shot over the ocean is cool. But why not the lifeguard tower? When’s the last time you saw a rainbow over one of the iconic L.A. symbols of beach life?
How I got what I think is one of my best shots ever I thought might be of interest to anyone, especially considering how I got there.
I started with part of the rainbow over the tower. Good, but we can do better. So I started moving back, and back and back, trying to capture the whole thing.
Stepping back helped, but I still couldn’t get the whole rainbow in there.
So I switched to the ultra-wide angle lens on the iPhone, which could have worked, had I cropped the shot considerably.
Then I tried to get the rainbow over the ocean, just for the heck of it. Eh?
A seagull over the rainbow is nice, but I still didn’t have the whole thing. So now I decided to try for panorama mode. This is when you take ultra-wide photos, two feet planted firmly on the ground, and shift your body to get in the whole scene, while keeping the camera level. Because otherwise, you’ll see some crazy horizon lines. The key to a good pano for me is to make it a small pano. Not an ultra-wide shot like you would see in an old John Ford movie, but one that uses the advantages of extending your initial shot by just a hair or two.
The pano worked pretty well and luckily, I didn’t get any weird horizon lines.
So now I added the extra touch, some edits using my free go-to mobile app, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. I could achieve something similar by clicking the Edit button in Apple’s Photo program, but it wouldn’t be as great as Adobe. Because Lightroom has the “Dehaze” filter, my favorite go-to tool.
In the screenshots below, you can see exactly what the Dehaze filter does. It darkens the sky, which for this photo, was priceless, as it made the rainbow pop out just a little more.
I obviously cropped out my shadow as well.
So that’s how I got the double rainbow to pop over the lifeguard tower. Who knows if we’ll ever see something like that again. But words to the wise: the next time there’s a big rainstorm and it breaks, run out the door as fast as you can, because you never know what might be awaiting you. Amazing reflections in puddles, cloud formations to die for, or even a double rainbow.
And I even found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. My shot!
In other news:
You’ve got to love Bob Beverly. The owner of the iconic Shellback Tavern in Manhattan Beach tells me about the sacrifices he made to keep his workers employed during the pandemic. Like selling a vacation house, two cars and a motorcycle. Watch as he tells me his story.
Coming next:
As promised, my in-depth review of the new Apple Mac Mini will be posted here in Saturday’s edition. How does it compare to the new MacBooks beyond being $500 cheaper? I’ve got some thoughts.
Thanks for taking the time to read, watch and listen. Did you enjoy this post? If so, click reply and let me know!
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Photographer Rick Sammon, the co-author of the “Route 66 Photo Road Trip,” book, talks about the joy of photographing Santa Fe, New Mexico and environs on this “Photowalking” podcast with Jefferson Graham.
Listen for Rick’s tips on getting great shots of the Plaza in Santa Fe, Loretto Chapel, San Miguel Mission and more.
Loretto Chapel by Rick Sammon
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Master Indianapolis photographer Scott Crone sits down with Jefferson Graham with tips on the best places in the Hoosier city for Instagram-worthy, postcard perfect shots.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Sharon Biddinger, the chief photographer and owner of Simply Design Studios, joins Jefferson Graham to talk about Photowalking Newport, Oregon in this podcast.
They talk about the charm of the coastal Oregon fishing village for photographers, and how, when and where to photograph the top spots in town, including the Devil’s Punchbowl, the Yaquina Bay Bridge and Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
From the Photowalks series.
http://www.thebestphotowalk.com
http://www.jeffersongraham.net
http://www.simplydesignstudios.com
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
CES 2021 got under way Monday with the usual collection of oddities that sound really cool, until you start asking the hard questions.
Like that new box from Yale to keep porch pirates away. The packages are dropped off, and the box then locks up. Great. But what happens after UPS has left and the box is locked. How does FedEx get the package in there? And what’s to prevent a porch pirate from just picking up the box and walking away with it? And wait a minute, $250? Really? I wouldn’t spend $50 for it.
Sony has what looks to be an amazing new and really huge drone, so big it can carry a high-resolution full-frame Sony camera. Wow. Count me in. But how much does the Airpeak cost? (No word, but it’s expected to be skyhigh.) And how are you going to focus the lens from down on the ground? Details!
CES, of course, is the former Consumer Electronics Show, which had been known as the world’s largest trade show, attracting 175,000 people jammed into the Las Vegas Convention Center.
This year, due to the pandemic, CES was forced to go virtual. The good news for the Consumer Technology Association, which stages CES, is that so many companies are used to announcing their new lineups at CES in January, and they still wanted to participate, even in a virtual format.
The dirty little secret about CES is that there’s so many products announced, but most of them either never see the light of day, or turn into mass market hits.
But they’re fun to check out.
Chinese based TCL and South Korea’s LG introduced a new type of smartphone. The “Rollable,” models will expand, from small to large. These are similar to what we’ve seen in the fold models from Samsung and Microsoft, which, when unfolded, become really big.
And they are hugely expensive and have been rejected by most consumers, due to the cost.
At least we know the rollable phone looks really cool. I’ll give it that.
Then there were the usual really beautiful and expensive TVs. Samsung displayed one 110 inch set that CNET says will cost around…ahem, $150,000.
But if money is no object, you gotta love what the folks at Kohler showed off. The Wisconsin firm, which specializes in bath fixtures, showcased (on video) a new “Stillness Bath” tub that comes adorned with lights, fog and aromas to, as Kohler put it, “create an immersive journey of the senses designed to relax the mind, soothe the body, and renew the spirit.”
It starts at $6,200, but fully loaded, can top $16,000.
Speaking of the bathroom, I virtually visited with the folks at Toto, the Japanese company that dominates that portion of the home in Asia. It introduced a prototype for a new “Wellness,” toilet that promises to check you out every time nature calls.
This is how Toto puts it.
“Each time the individual sits on the WELLNESS TOILET, it scans their body and its key outputs, then provides recommendations to improve their wellness.”
In other words, the toilet inspects No. 1 and No. 2, and makes recommendations based on what it reads on a companion smartphone app.
But before you run out to buy, a cord of caution. Toto doesn’t expect to the Wellness loo on sale for at least a few years.
And that’s all folks. Until next time.
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Jefferson Graham previews the 2021 CES show, which has shifted to a virtual format. Sony, Samsung and LG will still show off new products, but in slickly produced videos. No show and tell, but then again, no massive crowds either.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
No, Donald Trump hasn’t been muzzled, even with a Twitter ban. Get real.
Yes Twitter, where Trump boasts of nearly 90 million followers, did bar him from continuing to use its platform. Finally. Social media critics who have been up in arms about Trump’s use of Twitter to bully, vent and incite violence were thrilled. Count me in that camp.
But trust me, this week’s Facebook Trump ban is a way bigger deal.
The Social Network, after years of critics demanding that it put a curb on what Trump could say on Facebook, finally said the Jan. 6 “insurrection” was too much, and that it wouldn’t allow Trump to continue using its platform, (Facebook or company owned Instagram) at least through the inauguration.
Yes, Trump will forever be associated with his tweets, where he opined, whined and fired people in 256 characters. But let’s remember folks: Facebook is used by over 2 billion people. Twitter’s audience is just over 166 million daily users, a fraction of what Facebook sees.
You’ve probably read that Trump’s Twitter base is huge, like at 88 million, which is almost as large as the entire population of Iran, or a third larger than the population of France. Trump 90 million on a network with 166 million users. You buying this?
No, 90 million people do not see Trump’s tweets, any more than the nearly 25,000 people who follow me see my latest posts. Some do. If they happen to be tuned into Twitter at the time, or go to the bother of putting me in a Twitter list and checking it every day.
Trump’s worldwide audience consists of fans, media, world leaders and tons and tons of bots. I bet a good half of his following don’t even exist. When Trump tweeted, he did get the word out, surely. But that’s because all those media accounts were tuned in to read them and re-post as soon as they came in.
As I write this, there is a movement to impeach Trump, to basically silence him and try to make him go away. Several TV commentators said taking away his Twitter is a huge step towards shutting him up.
There’s always another Twitter account, another social media platform to go to.
Until they all pull the plug.
What’s really at play here is an effort, which you’ll either agree with or not, of social media, in concert, seizing the moment they’ve been waiting for to get rid of the Trump headache.
Remember when Alex Jones and his InfoWars was big? Then he got banned by basically everybody, and he lost his voice.
Trump has been welcomed to move his account to Parler, a social network for conservatives that unfortunately has been hit with misinformation and conspiracy theories.
I don’t think Parler is long for this world. Google announced Friday that it was removing Parler from the Google Play store, where Android phone users (Samsung, LG, Pixel) go to download apps. Google said the ban was due to the lack of moderation policies “and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence.”
Apple said it was looking at doing the same for the iTunes store. No Google, no Apple, no Parler app. No mobile phone use. Period.
Shopify, a website that helps companies sell merchandise online, announced that it was discontinuing its association with some pro-Trump clients. Amazon-owned Twitch also ditched Trump, saying he was using the network favored by gamers to incite violence. Snapchat locked Trump’s account. And there will be more.
But social media still has a ways to go. Trump’s YouTube channel features a highlighted video of him complaining that he indeed won the 2020 election, which is not the case, and YouTube is happy to leave it up. It has over 5.7 million views. (YouTube—what are you waiting for?)
Trump liked Twitter because it was an un-filtered way to get out his message. There are other ways. My advice, should he be asking—how about a nice newsletter? It’s one to one, from me to your inbox.
And no filters.
It will take time to build an audience, but Donnie, you’ve got nothing but time shortly, right?
Tweet of the week
This is how I spent my first post-USA TODAY Act III week. And it was glorious.
Meet the parents
Here’s one more clip from Michelle’s USA TODAY exit interview with me, where she surprised me by asking about the influence of my parents. What an amazing gift! I got to tell their story, again (always happy to oblige) and illustrate it with photos and clips from the archives.
Did you know that my mom created the sweater for Freddy Kruger? Or that they used to call my pop “Yosemite Jerry?” I’ve got more, directly below. Please click the link and take a look.
And for next time
I’ll be back at you Monday with a preview of the CES, the yearly electronics show in Las Vegas that this year has gone virtual. How’s that going to work? I’ll tell you all shortly.
P.S.: I’ve been writing a Saturday column for more years than I can remember, most recently for USA TODAY. And I see no reason to stop now!
Thanks for reading, watching and listening! If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please click the HEART button or click reply and let me know. Have a great weekend!
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
As I begin my final week at USA TODAY Monday, after 36 years of service, naturally, many people have asked me the question.
What does it feel like to be hanging up your hat after so many years?
In a word: weird. Kind of hard to believe.
I’m really excited about the next chapter, and bigger focus on video, photography and blogging, but at the same time, it’s not like I hate the day job. I’m not singing “Take this job and shove it.”
This year I worked on Christmas Day, the day after, and even Sunday. And I’ll be working on New Year’s Day, which I believe will then be my swan song. I like to put in the hours, even after I quit. (To accept the generous buyout of payment through September not to work for Gannett.)
Oh yes. How do I feel? It will be very odd to hand the computer back and adjust to my new name. (Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY has to be retired.) Most of my career I’ve worked from home, so it’s not like it will be an adjustment not to drive to the office. But I know things are going to be very different.
How often are my PR friends going to be “circling back,” and “bubbling this up to the top of your inbox,” post January 4?
Will I still get fodder to make fun of from my e-mail?
Doubtful, but I’ll live.
Still, I’m thrilled I made the decision to exit now, and can’t wait to get started. Meanwhile, to celebrate, my pal Rich DeMuro recently went down memory lane with me for 20 years of tech highlights on my Talking Tech podcast. My USA TODAY editor Michelle Maltais took a deep dive with me on the early, mostly pre-tech years for a 45 minute video I’m still editing. Another friend, Jan Schrieber, interviewed me about growing up, and how I got into journalism in a very non-traditional manner. (Video coming soon.) And I’ll be on Christine Blackburn’s Storyworthy podcast this week talking about it.
Meanwhile, I compiled a really nice 8 minute highlight reel of the Talking Tech years. (Please click the link above!) My feeling in watching it: I can’t believe what USA TODAY let Sean Fujiwara and I get away with!
This weeks sunsets
You think, the sunset streak of amazing colors has got to come to an end — but it hasn’t. Christmas week was one stunning sunset after the next. New Year’s, what do you have for us?
This week’s writings
This week I wrote about what it’s like to create a website or blog with Wix, and how it compares to WordPress and Squarespace.
Just got a smart speaker for the holidays? Now what? I have a few ideas.
The company that calls itself Zazzle creates on-demand products like T-shirts, mugs and the like. This year, thanks to COVID, it was all about puzzles.
Finally, I found another excuse to bring Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles to USA TODAY with my take on the Year in food. Thanks as always, Alex Canter, for the opportunity to chat, and thanks for all those great black and white cookies through the years.
Tweet of the week
Our cat Jinx always gets anxious when it’s dinner time and Ruth hasn’t joined us yet.
How deep is your love
My latest guitar tune, inspired by watching that great new Bee Gees documentary on HBO Max.
I’m polishing my Auld Lange Syne as we head into this New Year. Are you with me in saying so long to the dreaded 2020? Here’s hoping all our favorite restaurants somehow survive to the spring and become bigger, healthier and more prosperous than ever. That we all escape the COVID and all the people thrown out of work get re-hired at bigger salaries.
What’s your wish for 2020? Remember, just click that reply button to let me know what’s on your mind, tell all your friends to subscribe and let me hear from you on Twitter, Instagram or YouTube, where I’m @jeffersongraham.
Happy new year everyone!
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
(Today’s edition comes with an audio edition! Listen to today’s nine-minute story by clicking the play tab above.)
A quick diversion from photography and my recent dive into family history today to take a minute and marvel at a news bite from this week. (There is a photo angle, but you’ll need to read all the way through to get there. Bear with me!)
Newsflash! Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, the two longtime Hollywood trade publications, are now corporate siblings.
Wow! This is like Coke swallowing Pepsi. Or Toyota bringing Nissan into the fold. Hard to believe. The company that owns Variety snapped up THR as well. Read on and you’ll see why I think this is such a huge deal.
As you may or may not know, at an earlier time in my life, I was a THR reporter, at a time when Variety was king and THR was a very weak, No. 2. Competition was fierce, unlike anything I ever experienced anywhere else, at any other time.
Like heart-thumping, every morning intense.
Each night I would go to sleep, hoping I wouldn’t be scooped in the morning. I’d wake up, and that’s all I could still think about, with a pit in my stomach, on the drive into Hollywood.
I’d arrive to the offices on Sunset Blvd., in-between Hollywood High and the Corners of the World building, breathing heavily, and immediately grabbing what was awaiting me, on my desk. The latest issue of Daily Variety, already marked up in red pencil. The stories that were on my beat were highlighted, and the subtext was simple: why didn’t you have this too?
Because Variety and THR were so competitive, the Variety reporters told their sources that if they “gave” their story to us, they wouldn’t be noted in the Show-Biz Bible. And Variety played really hard. Sometimes, they gave an inch, and agreed to note the story. It would appear on the next to last page, as a two-to-four paragraph short.
It was that rough.
Variety, of course had the storied history that created such pieces of slang as the words “Boffo,” (for great) “Biopic,” (biography) and “Nix” (for reject.) The famous headline “Sticks Nix Hick Pix,” was immortalized in the George M. Cohan biopic, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” THR had the Rambling Reporter (and the late Robert Osborne before he became….that Robert Osborne.)
A Variety front page article, a mention in Army Archerd’s column, those were the places Hollywood power wanted to be. THR was an afterthought, but one they indeed wanted as well.
The two Trade papers had small circulations of around 15,000 each. But talk about influencers! Every subscriber was the ultimate influencer, from studio chiefs, to network heads, show buyers and schedulers, producers and other industry “pros” who wanted to be in the know.
My phone rang every morning between 9 a.m. and 9:15 with an intensity I never would see anywhere else in my career. Ever. The feedback was amazing and instantaneous, and the screaming was at high-level decibels.
My job was to get an exclusive. Or at least the same story, day and date.
My competitor was a crusty reporter, now deceased, named Morrie Gelman. He was a veteran with the best Rolodex in town, or so it seemed to me. I was young and learned on the job, by going to lunch with sources every day, and attending every industry function there was.
I didn’t care about anyone else than Morrie. If the LA Times got a scoop, it was irrelevant. If Time or Newsweek wrote about something, it was old news. Variety was all that mattered to me.
THR was founded in 1930 by Billy Wilkerson, a one-time owner of the Ciro’s nightclub on the Sunset Strip as his answer to Variety, which had begun in 1905 as a New York based weekly chronicler of vaudeville and theater. The L.A. version, “Daily” Variety, started up in 1933.
The trades were mostly about casting news, executive appointments, labor updates and “slate” stories. Like that Paramount was set to produce 8 new films in the coming year. It would go on to name them, and the attached producers and talent. But it was the exec appointments that were the lifeblood, because it told our subscribers who was in, and who was out. In other words, whom could they call on?
My beat was home video and pay TV, two areas that were brand new, at a time when new channels like MTV and Disney Channel were launching. HBO was becoming a force in Hollywood, and the studios hated them back then. I reported that, and HBO despised me.
I went out to lunch every day, pulling up to the valet in my white, beaten up and really dirty Mazda that was covered head to toe with bumper stickers. I arrived to fancy places like the Polo Lounge, Brown Derby, Jimmy’s, the Palm and other long gone industry hang-outs because that’s where the people I interviewed wanted to meet. Even with the THR/Variety rivalry, plenty of people were happy to talk to me. I just couldn’t reach the top caliber as often as Variety did.
Meanwhile, things were pretty crazy in the newsroom. Gina, Rena and Tina were three of the reporters, and every time one of their names was called out, they all turned and said, “Yes?”
One of the sales associates, Pat, was all over the newsroom, daily, urging us to cozy up to her advertisers and write glowing pieces about them. Especially during AFM time. AFM was the American Film Market, and it was a venue where cheap independent movies were brokered in suites at a Sunset Strip hotel. Producers got attention for their shlocky titles by buying full page ads in THR.
Menahem Golan and his Cannon Films was our benefactor. I didn’t write about movies. But I wrote about Menahem. It was mandatory. He was a big advertiser. He paid our salaries. (Some of his films included titles like “Hospital Massacre” and “Enter the Ninja,” along with some “Death Wish” sequels and a Sylvester Stallone vehicle about arm wrestling called “Over the Top.”
My first editor was fired after the publisher’s daughter requested to have her boyfriend installed as editor instead. They married a year later, and when they returned from the honeymoon, the publisher fired her new son-in-law.
No reason given.
I left soon after.
In recent times, THR engineered what seemed to be an amazing comeback, investing millions, switching from daily publication to online focus and producing a once a week glossy magazine that was like Vanity Fair with more of an industry bent.
Variety, meanwhile, lost its muscle and took a backseat to the two hot online “trades” of the internet era, Deadline and TheWrap. Meanwhile, all that money THR spent on expansion wasn’t paying off. The company had some big layoffs earlier this year, and now, it’s part of the Penske Media Group. Which also owns Deadline and Billboard too. The only independent left is TheWrap.
It’s all so sad. But at least the THR reporters don’t have to endure having their rivals stories circled anymore.
P.S. And speaking of the photo angle
In keeping with the Photowalk theme of this newsletter, where are my great photos of the newsroom?
I can only find one roll of Black & White Tri-X that was snapped during this time period, on a contact sheet. First of all, shame on me, for not being more proactive.
But look at how far we’ve come folks! Back then, you had a choice of pro-level 35mm cameras, which were hard to operate for most people. “Disposable” cardboard cameras began appearing in the 1980s, but they were only used for special occasions and places with great light.
So for everyday life, most of us never bothered. Compare that to now, where everyone you know has a camera in their pocket, and you can ask anyone to grab a shot of you with no issues.
And the smartphone cameras are so good, they can shoot in pretty much any kind of light.
Still, I would have loved to illustrate this post with historical images from the newsroom. For those of you reading, who may be in this position in a few years, some friendly words of advice. Take more photos, and back them up!
Song of the Week
Who’s a fan of “Dream a Little Dream of Me?” It’s one of my favorites to play on the guitar. Any requests for next time?
Today’s morning beach photo
Until next time, thanks as always for going down memory lane with me. If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please let me know with a heart or a reply.
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com
Directly above, my conversation with Hamish McKenzie, the COO of Substack, this wonderful newsletter platform. As you know, I discovered Substack through an article in the NYTimes this week, signed up, checked it out, and have been testing it this week.
Jeff being Jeff, I naturally invited Hamish from Substack the next morning to join me for a #Talking Tech extended interview, asking all the questions I’m sure you have all had about how to use this platform, and why it got started in the first place.
Then below, that Santa Barbara #Photowalk I’ve been telling you about all week. From the hip waterfront to funky State Street to my favorites, the really old Spanish style buildings that make the best photoshoot backdrops ever.
That’s it for today—let me know what you think of the Santa Barbara #Photowalk please. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
If you’d like to see more from Santa Barbara….my gallery of images:
https://www.jeffersongraham.net/Jefferson-Graham-Portfolio/Travel-Photography/Santa-Barbara
And my timelapse from Stearns Wharf and the Court House.
I’m off to Apple this morning and back at you soon.
Jeff
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeffersongraham.substack.com