Elusive Image Photography podcast for travel and nature photographers.
DJI has recently come out with the Mavic Mini 4 and will soon release a Mini 5, which means the older Mini 3 can often be a bargain! There is a difference, however, between the Mini 3 and the Mini 3 Pro. The Pro model has additional obstacle avoidance and has higher resolution still photo capture. It also has the ability to track a moving object and the Mini 3 does not. However, there is a 'hack' that will allow the Mini 3 to track a moving object - such as a walking person and Jim and Fred demonstrate how to make it happen!
We are always delighted to have Ron Wyatt on our podcast! Ron talks about his bucket list photo travels places and upcoming workshops. Ron is planning trips to Cuba, Indochina, Italy and lots more. To get more information on Ron's workshops and photography go to www.adventureswithron.com Check out The Fotobug on our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/thefotobug and don't forget to subscribe!
Ian Plant is a professional photographer and workshop leader who has just created a new photography course for astrophotography. This is the second time Ian has appeared on the Fotobug! Please go check out Ian's website at www.ianplant.com and www.Photomasters.com. Be sure to check out and subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/thefotobug!
Bryce Way recently contributed to a photo book about Los Angeles from Trope Publishing (www.trope.com) and the book with be available on all the major book sellers beginning November 2024. Bryce sat down with The Fotobug guys to talk about his photography and future travels. Don't forget to check out and subscribe to The Fotobug Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Jim and Fred recently took a road trip to visit several springs in central Florida near Gainsville and near Orlando. In this episode we explore O'Leno State Park where the Santa Fe rive vanishes into the ground to reappear 3 miles late in River Rise State Park. In addition, they visit Blue Springs State Park where Jim used to scuba dive back in the late 1960s and where Jacques Cousteau filmed one of his special on manatees. In fact, there were several manatees in the Blue Run!
Bal Bhatal is a London based photographer know for his amazing night street photography. Jim and Fred sit down with Bal (known as Mr Whisper) to talk about his photography and his new book "London After Dark". You can check out Bal's website at www.mrwhisperstudios.coml and be sure to check out his Instagram page MrWhisper M&M Photo Tours have offered to put together a discounted photo workshop with the Fotobug guys and have offered the following possible locations: Tanzania, Kenya, Indochina, Japan, and Italy. In order to help us choose which one, please visit The Fotobug Facebook page and respond to the poll - or send your choice to jim@thefotobug.com. You are under no obligation to sign up for the trip - just help us decide! Also - don't forget to check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/thefotobug.
The new GoPro Hero 12 has added a couple new features: 5.3k video, 1/4-20 tripod socket (finally!) and bluetooth audio! However, they have removed the GPS capability. Jim and Fred decided to check out the various audio capabilities including the in-camera microphone, the media-mod microphone, as well as the media-mod with external microphones and of course the new bluetooth audio with earbuds and a bluetooth mike. We suggest you listen to the audio with headphones to get a better sense of the quality of the various audio tests. Check out The Fotobug YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Fantasy of Flight is a classic aviation museum located in Polk City Florida, Near Lakeland They have dozens of vintage aircraft from WWII models to racing and aerobatic planes. Highly recommended if you are in the area! Keep in mind they are only open Friday through Sunday 11:00am to 3:00pm and we recommend checking their website https://www.fantasyofflight.com/collection/ to make sure they are open. Great place for some nice macros of airplane mechanics!
Join hosts Jim and Fred in this energetic episode of The FotoBug. They kick-off by announcing their move to YouTube, where they will share most of their video content, inviting new subscribers and expressing gratitude to existing ones. The transition allows for more interactive and engaging content. The focal point of this episode is the much-discussed solar eclipse. Not only do they discuss phenomenon's, but they also delve into the thrilling world of photography, tackling hot-button issues such as the flap involving UK-based Tempest Photography. Take an auditory trip with them as they relive their enthralling visit to the Circle B Bar Reserve, detailing their unique experiences, wildlife encounters, and unusual weather phenomena. Don't miss their exciting tale which serves as a crucial lesson for travelling photographers to always keep track of their gear. The spotlight then shines on the GearEye, an innovative device to help locate misplaced items. Originating as a Kickstarter project, they track its progression through hurdles and setbacks to become a functional and highly valuable tool. Detailed information about this product, including cost, discount, and packaging, is shared. Whether you are a frequent traveler, a photographer, or someone who treasures personal belongings, the GearEye provides peace of mind. Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Julia, the CEO of GearEye, in the coming weeks. Get ready to learn more about this invaluable device and be sure to leave your queries and remarks in anticipation of the forthcoming session.
Roll into summer with high-definition photography using our best tips and handy gadgets. Dive into this episode of The Fotobug, hosted by Jim and Fred, for a variety of amazing techniques to improve your photography and capture the best possible images. Listen and learn super strategies to keep your camera equipment protected, find the right ways to control lighting, and harness your smartphone for the perfect shot. Discover how a manual can unleash the latent potential of your camera or how the bad weather can create unique photo opportunities. Unearth inexpensive yet critical additions to your gear, like clips, and understand how to keep your lenses dust-free for pristine photos. Explore versatile gadgets for every situation, from Alpine Labs' Pulse for remote camera control to super adaptable Rogue's light modifiers for portrait photography. This episode brims with all things photography, from macro to plant photography. We've got you covered whether you are laying flat on the ground pursuing wildlife shots or dealing with an overcast day. Use our handy tips to chase those elusive images and make every shutter-click count. Enjoy the thrill of photography and never miss an opportunity to get your perfect shot. Don't forget to subscribe to The Fotobug's YouTube channel to get the latest news, reviews, and how-tos, and please share your favorite photography tips and tricks with us!
Jim is currently traveling in the UK and so Jim and Fred decided to pull out a video from the vault. This episode video is from 2017, a photo trek that Jim did in Colombia, South America. We hope you enjoy and in the meantime, please go out and subscribe to The Fotobug Youtube channel!
Welcome to The Fotobug, your podcast for photography news, reviews, interviews, and how-tos. In this episode, hosts Jim and Fred give a major announcement about the future of the podcast - a transition to YouTube! They've carried this podcast for over a decade, now they're diversifying the platform to reach a wider audience while continuing to provide top-notch photography content. Delivering the news, they discuss the surprising decline of Kodak, a once-thriving photography brand turned shocking cryptocurrency scheme participant. They also highlight Olympus OM-1's significant firmware update and the revealing of OpenAI's text-to-video AI tool, Sora. In a fascinating peek into the future of photography, they dive into the awe-inspiring work of photographer Nima and the undersea prowess of Alex Dawson, the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. Furthermore, the dynamic duo zooms in on a new player in the smartphone arena, the Energizer P28K, which promises a battery life lasting a week without charging. They then take a sober moment to discuss a tragic issue related to social media and photography associated with Instagram, highlighting the dark side of the online medium. The episode features a special segment showcasing Arsenal 2, a gadget designed to enhance your photography skills. The hosts perform a live test of the panorama feature of this tool after a specific request from the audience - proof that they indeed listen to their audience's feedback and suggestions! Join Jim and Fred as they light up your life with their deep passion for photography and share valuable insights in the world of images. The FotoBug promises informative, engaging, and inspiring content for novices and professionals alike.
Welcome to another exciting episode of the Fotobug podcast with your hosts, Jim and Fred. In this episode, they discuss the changes in the frequency of their podcast releases and the shifting focus towards their YouTube channel to better cater to the interests of their listeners and viewers. Moving onto news, they talk about the hot debate on AI image generators using copyrighted images under the guise of 'fair use' – a topic that raises concern in the photography community. They also discuss the ongoing Sony World Photography Awards of 2024 and the recent developments with a former podcast guest, Daniel Siddiqui, who has released a new immersive travel book series and is conducting a giveaway. Go to www.schifferbooks.com and use code Jammin for a 10% discount! For the main highlight of the episode, Jim reveals his travel footage from his 2022 trip to Madagascar with Oryx Photo Tours, led by Dale Morris. They take viewers along their journey through the capital of Madagascar, Antanarivo, and share their experiences with the unique culture, stunning landscapes, and diverse wildlife of the island, particularly focusing on lemurs, the iconic mammals of Madagascar. The hosts reiterate their commitment to delivering exciting content that caters to the desires of their viewers, encouraging everyone to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more immersive experiences. Listen in to this episode of the Fotobug Podcast for inspiration and stay updated on latest photography news, reviews, interviews, and tips.
In this episode of "Peek Behind the Shutter: Exploring Photography Trends & News with the Fotobug", hosts Jim and Fred delve into the latest updates in the sphere of photography. They discuss a wide range of topics from Apple's new spatial computer, Sony's upcoming shutter angle setting, to proposed legislation regarding child influencers. They also unpack details about Canon's highly anticipated flagship camera, shedding light on why it has the photography community buzzing. Join Jim and Fred on a memorable trip to Fort Myers. Relive their adventures as they recount the places of interest for photographers, from the crowded streets of Sanibel Island to the peaceful trails of Cypress Creek Preserve. Learn about the best times to observe wildlife and how to navigate increased traffic due to hurricane recovery efforts. They also discuss training pets to take selfies and the evolving trends in the world of photography. Delving into some serious topics, this episode also discusses the legal implications of child influencers and the proposed digital curfews. Get insight into the ongoing corporate rivalry as Canon readies to release its latest flagship camera. Whether you are an avid photographer or someone with an interest in the latest industry trends, this episode will keep you informed and entertained. Concluding with some fun places for wildlife sighting and owl-spotting, this episode encourages photographers to continue capturing unique images. 'The FotoBug' is a testament to the fact that for a photographer, any shutter time is always a great time. Check out the Six Mile Cypress Slough Friends group photo contest which ends every January 31st. For entries go to https://wwwsloughpreserve.org
A couple episodes back we Jim and Fred reviewed the Hover Air X1 and labeled as a 'selfie drone'. However, since Jim and Fred tend to discourage selfies they wondered if the Drone could be useful for an actual video for Vloggers or YouTubers. Check out this podcast to see how to do just that! The wireless microphones they are using is from Amazon - The PQRQP 2 Pack Wireless Lavalier Microphone for iPhone or iPad - there is likely a version available for Android as well! Amazon Microphone Link Be sure to subscribe now to the Fotobug Youtube Channel!
Mirrorless cameras are thinner than DSLRs due to the removal of the mirror mechanism. The thinner body means the existing DSLR lenses won't focus properly. The camera companies have changed the mount to ensure that the older lenses won't work - that is without an adapter. Canon currently charges $130 for their base adapter, but there are third party adapters which can save you some money and work fine as there are no optics, just a way to move the lens further from the sensor and couple them with the camera electronics! Fred reviews one from Meke!
Zhiyun is coming out with very interesting LED lights which can be used for still photography as well as video. One of their newest is the M20C which is an updated version of the M20. Jim and Fred check out the new light and the combo pack which includes barn doors, a mounting cage, a honeycomb filter and a diffusion filter, all which attach via magnets! The light is available from several sources including Amazon.
The Zero Zero Robotics little Hover Air X1 drone has been getting a lot of attention so The Fotobug guys decided to give it a look and see if it lives up to the hype. This little drone only weighs 125 grams and yet is full autonomous and can record video up to 2.7k at 30fps. If you would like to buy one of your own use the following link: PURCHASE X1 Also, Jim tested out the Supertone Clear audio plugin to reduce or eliminate background noise (formerly known as Goyo). You can obtain a trail version here: CLEAR PLUGIN
The Veikk 1200 graphics tablet is only $159 and comes with 2 pens, 28 extra nibs and features an HD full sRGB color screen to draw on. Just how good can it be? Well, the Fotobug guys decided to find out and were pleasantly surprised! This tablet's graphics are so good, it can be used as an extra laptop (even desktop) monitor.
Jim recently returned from two weeks in Alberta, Canada including Edmonton, Jasper, Lake Louise and Banff. This podcast is a highlight view of the trip including a gallery of some of the images Jim took on the trip.
The thirteenth annual Black Hills Photo Shootout just finished this past September (2023). Once again, Jim and Fred led workshops at this annual event. Jim's workshops included Wildlife of Custer Park, A River Runs Through It, Sunset at The Needles, and Cowboy/Cowgirl portraits after Dark. Fred conducted a single workshop on macro and flowers at a Custer State Park Lake as he was flying out the next day to Oregon to visit his sister. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Michael Sidofsky is a commercial and travel photographer from Toronto who has a very interesting style. Jim and Fred sit down to discuss his passion for photography and how he creates his interesting images. Michael is coming out with a book in October 2023 "Wonder around every Corner" which will be available in all the major book sellers. In addition we encourage you to check out Michael's website at www.mindzeyephotography.com.
The Handle is the latest accessory from Platypod. This $69 "mini" tripod can be used on a tripod and even has a 3/8" bolt at the top which you can put on a ball head. The base of The Handle is compatible with acrca plates. At the top of The Handle there is a ring of 1/4" screw holes to attach additional accessories!
Jim and Fred have previously reviewed the Arsenal 2 for timelapse and for focus stacking. But how well does the Arsenal work for it's primary purpose, automatically choosing camera settings and "Deep Color" processing? Well, the guys take it out to the beach for a sunset to see just how well it works.
Peter Dazeley is a fine arts and commercial photographer based in London. He is about to come out with a new book in October 2023 called Monochrome. Peter discusses his new book with Jim and Fred as well as AI and even smart phone photography. Monochrome will be available in all the major book sellers. Please check out Peter's website at https://www.peterdazeley.com/.
Chip Weiner is an interesting Tampa based photographer who has appeared on The Fotobug podcast in the past when he worked for Creative Loafing. Chip is now involved in a number of photography projects such as documenting changes in Tampa compared to images shot in the late 1800s to early 1900s. He is also quite a food photographer and and portrait photographer.
Back in 2019, Jim was all prepared to go to Japan with Discovery Photo Tours and just a week before the trip was to take place, Japan shut down due to Covid and the trip was cancelled. Discovery returned all the money collected and the owner, Ken Kaminesky moved back to Canada. Back in late 2022, the Discovery website went live again and Jim was ready to sign up for two more tours, but unfortunately rising costs will like make the trips too expensive. Jim invited Ken to talk about the photo travel business and other photo topics! Hopefully he may be able to arrange trips in the near future, so please keep an eye on his website - www.discoveryphototours.com!
Jim recently returned from two weeks in Newfoundland. Newfoundland is a great place for photography and wildlife and is easy to get to! The Newfoundland people are friendly and full of charm and Jim can highly recommend adding it to your bucket list. If you would like to see more, please go to the Fotobug YouTube channel www.youtube.com/thefotobug and while there, please hit that 'subscribe' button!
Heipi just completed a Kickstarter project for their new lightweight travel tripod and the Fotobug guys have got their hands on one! Jim takes the new tripod out for a spin and reports on any positives and/or negatives. The new travel tripod can now be pre-ordered from Heipi with a $40 discount at https://heipivision.com/ and should be available by August 2023.
Jim just returned from a photographic workshop in Borneo. Within two days he had already photographed the Borneo Big 5! The Big 5 are the orangutan, pygmy elephant, crocodile, hornbill, and the sun bear. Jim shares an overview of the trip and more video will be posted to The Fotobug Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug. Please subscribe!!
Jim and Fred recently visited southeast Florida for wildlife photography and their final destination was Green Cay (Boynton Beach) and Okeeheelee (in West Palm Beach). Green Cay is only a couple miles from Wakodahatchee and features a 1 1/2 mile boardwalk through the wetlands. Although not as big a rookery as Wakodahatchee, it is still a great nature spot and definitely worth a visit!
Jim and Fred recently traveled to southeast Florida and one of their favorite photo spots is Wakodahatchee. Wakodahatchee is a reclaimed water area that has been turned into a nature park. There is a 3/4 mile boardwalk surrounded by an amazing rookery with hundreds of nesting wood storks, great blue herons, great egrets, tri-colored herons and more! Yes, there are also alligators. Highly recommended and completely free! Wakodahatchee is located in Delray Beach.
Jim and Fred recently returned from south east Florida and their first stop was Jupiter Florida. If you plan to come to Florida and find yourself on the southeast coast, their are some great wildlife photo spots in and around Jupiter. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate with The Fotobug guys, but they pushed on and still managed to get some shutter time! The photo spots Jim and Fred visited are Cypress Creek Natural Area, Loxahatchee Battlefield and the Jupiter Lighthouse.
Steve Rolfe is a UK based photographer who recently published a book, Small World which is now available on Amazon and in bookstores. Steve uses tiny HO miniature figures to created fanciful and amusing miniature scenes to photograph. To learn more about Steve and his photography, please visit Steve's website at https://www.steverolfephotography.co.uk .
Sometimes the best image is actually contained with the full image you captured. In this case in order to get a decent size print, or sometimes, just a good size to post and share, you need to enlarge the crop. Jim and Fred compare three popular programs for their AI enlarging capability including On1, Topaz and Luminar Neo. Be sure to check out more great reviews and tips on The Fotobug Youtube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug.
The Fotobug guys are happy to welcome back Ron Wyatt! Ron is always a delightful and informative guest and we know you will enjoy hearing Ron's latest adventures. Ron has some amazing upcoming photo trips and to learn more, check out Ron's website at http://www.ronwyattphotos.com/ .
New AI plugins in popular photo editing software are making amazing progress toward fixing and enhancing images. In this episode, Jim and Fred check out to see how three popular programs are able to 'fix' out of focus images. They do a side by side comparison of Topaz, ON1 and Luminar Neo.
Focus stacking is the procedure of taking a number of photos from a fixed position and adjusting the focus between each frame, then using software to combine the focused portions of each image into a finished image. Skylum's Luminar Neo now has a module available that will take the image sequence and combine them into a finished image with a deeper range of focus! Simply import the images into Neo, then drag them over and drop them onto the module! Fred and Jim check out the new module.
Fred and Jim headed up to north central Florida near Gainesville to Payne's Prairie. In addition to alligators, deer, eagles, and sandhill cranes, Payne's Prairie is the only park in Florida with wild bison in addition to wild horses! There are several hiking trails so watch the podcast to see where to go in the park for the best chance of spotting wonderful wildlife!
Out of The Fotobug vault! Back in 2017, Jim conducted a lightpainting workshop at the Black Hills Photo Shootout at the Western Heritage Center in Spearfish, South Dakota. This is an important technique for capturing parts of large objects, such as the one room schoolhouse, and then assembling the layers in Photoshop. Be sure to subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Jim and Fred set out to do a complete review of the new Arsenal 2, but despite their best efforts, they weren't able to get it to work. The reason was due to the fact neither one bothered to watch the instructional videos and read the manuals! Big mistake! So, this is a first look at the Arsenal 2 and a full review will be presented in the near future - stay tuned!! In the news we mentioned the DIY LED light for smart phones and the link for the instructions is https://hackaday.com/2023/01/01/ledcard-the-pocketable-ring-light/ Be sure to check out and subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Jim recently returned from Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico, but located just two hours from Bosque is White Sands National Park. Jim was there in 2016 and decided to pull the episode out of the vault to share it once again. Happy New Year everyone and please resolve to subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Jim recently traveled to New Mexico to attend a workshop with Rick Sammon and Ian Plant at Bosque Del Apache. This location is highly recommended for anyone who loves to photograph birds. Thousands and thousands of snow geese and sandhill cranes gather in the ponds around Bosque and Bernardo Wildlife area. Birds tend to gather at dusk and then 'blast off' at sunrise for the most amazing site you have ever seen!
Jim's four year old HP ZBook overheated (and was turned off at the time!) and had to be sent off to see if it could be repaired. in the meantime, he researched for a new laptop and was impressed with the Asus Zenbook Pro Duo, So he bought the 15" model and reviews it here! For more - check out and subscribe to The Fotobug Youtube channel! www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Back in September, Jim joined RIck Sammon on the Sea Spirit to east Greenland. In this episode, he talks about the trip and presents some of the images he captured. In Greenland, he also visited the most remote village on earth! Please take time to subscribe to our YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/thefotobug.
Dale Morris is a photographer based in South Africa and leads photo tours with Oryx Photo Tours (www.oryxphoto.com). Jim recently traveled with Dale for three weeks in Madagascar. At the end of the tour, he and Dale sat down to discuss Dale's background in primate research as well as upcoming photo tours. For upcoming videos and information on the Madagascar tour, be sure to subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/thefotobug).
Mirrorless camera sensors are just as prone to attracting dust as DSLR cameras. Justin Edelman, a professional filmmaker, demonstrates the technique to safely clean the sensor on a mirrorless camera. This technique will work on all mirrorless camera regardless of manufacturer.
Jim recently returned from a trip to Iceland and Greenland. In this episode of The Fotobug he presents a highlights video of the trip which includes waterfalls, grass turf homes, the Katla Ice cave, the Secret Lagoon, Northern lights and more! We hope you enjoy the virtual trip!
Jim recently joined RIck Sammon and a group from Photo Therapy on Facebook to Greenland and Iceland. While on the ship, Jim sat down with RIck to talk about photography and some of his latest books. There will be more coming soon from Iceland and Greenland, so stay tuned and please subscribe to The Fotobug YouTube channel for even more on photography! http://www.youtube.com/thefotobug
Jim is currently traveling to Iceland and Greenland, so we decided to pull this video from our vault which was taped 11 years ago. Clyde Butcher is one of America's finest photographers and we had to privilege to get a private tour of his Venice, Florida darkroom as he explained how he creates his massive black and white prints. Don't forget - still time to register for the Black Hills Photo Shootout in South Dakota - last weekend in September! https://blackhillsphotoshootout.com/
The final destination Jim made in his recent trip to the northeast United States was Lake Placid, New York and the Adirondacks. One amazing water fall is a commercial property called High Falls Gorge and Jim indicates it was worth the price of admission. He also stopped and photographed John Brown's farm, the famous abolitionist. Don't forget - still time to register for the Black Hills Photo Shootout in South Dakota - last weekend in September! https://blackhillsphotoshootout.com/
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