Podcasts about photoshop

Girl, I am so over these creepy AI “fitness” ads. Filters are bad enough but now we have actual robots preaching toxic diet culture BS! It's wild how far we've come from Photoshop and filters — now we're literally being sold body image standards that don't even exist.In this episode, I'm venting (because seriously, what is happening?!) but also unpacking what this means for those of us healing our relationship with our bodies. Because if you're already struggling to feel good in your skin, seeing these fake “fitfluencers” can seriously mess with your head.We'll talk about: 

EP166 Interview With Mark & Simon From Elinchrom UK I sit down with Mark Cheatham and Simon Burfoot from Elinchrom UK to talk about the two words that matter most when you work with light: accuracy and consistency. We dig into flash vs. continuous, shaping light (not just adding it), why reliable gear shortens your workflow, and Elinchrom's new LED 100 C—including evenly filling big softboxes and that handy internal battery. We also wander into AI: threats, tools, and why authenticity still carries the highest value.   Links: Elinchrom UK store/info: https://elinchrom.co.uk/ LED 100 C product page: https://elinchrom.co.uk/elinchrom-led-100-c Rotalux Deep Octa / strips: https://elinchrom.co.uk/elinchrom-rotalux-deep-octabox-100cm-softbox/ My workshop dates: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/workshops-and-mentoring/ Transcript: Paul: as quite a lot of, you know, I've had a love affair with Elinchrom Lighting for the past 20 something years. In fact, I'm sitting with one of the original secondhand lights I bought from the Flash Center 21 years ago in London. And on top of that, you couldn't ask for a nicer set of guys in the UK to deal with. So I'm sitting here about to talk to Simon and Mark from Elinchrom uk. I'm Paul and this is the Mastering Portrait Photography podcast. Paul: So before we get any further, tell me a little bit about who you are, each of you and the team from Elinchrom UK Mark: After you, Simon. Simon: Thank you very much, mark. Mark: That's fine. Simon: I'm, Simon Burfoot. I have, been in the industry now for longer than I care to think. 35 years almost to the, to the day. Always been in the industry even before I left school because my father was a photographer and a lighting tutor, working for various manufacturers I was always into photography, and when he started the whole lighting journey. I got on it with him, and was learning from a very young age. Did my first wedding at 16 years old. Had a Saturday job which turned into a full-time job in a retail camera shop. By the time I was 18, I was managing my own camera shop, in a little town in the Cotswolds called Cirencester. My dad always told me that to be a photographic rep in the industry, you needed to see it from all angles, to get the experience. So I ended up, working in retail, moving over to a framing company. Finishing off in a prolab, hand printing, wedding photographers pictures, processing E6 and C41, hand correcting big prints for framing for, for customers, which was really interesting and I really enjoyed it. And then ended up working for a company called Leeds Photo Visual, I was a Southwest sales guy for them. Then I moved to KJP before it became, what we know now as Wex, and got all of the customers back that I'd stolen for them for Leeds. And then really sort of started my career progressing through, and then started to work with Elinchrom, on the lighting side. Used Elinchrom way before I started working with them. I like you a bit of a love affair. I'd used lots of different lights and, just loved the quality of the light that the Elinchrom system produced. And that's down to a number of factors that I could bore you with, but it's the quality of the gear, the consistency in terms of color, and exposure. Shooting film was very important to have that consistency because we didn't have Photoshop to help us out afterwards. It was a learning journey, but I, I hit my goal after being a wedding photographer and a portrait photographer in my spare time, working towards getting out on the road, meeting people and being involved in the industry, which I love. And I think it's something that I'm scared of leaving 'cause I dunno anything else. It's a wonderful industry. It has its quirks, its, downfalls at points, but actually it's a really good group of people and everyone kind of, gets on and we all love working with each other. So we're friends rather than colleagues. Paul: I hesitate to ask, given the length of that answer, to cut Simon: You did ask. Mark: I know. Paul: a short story Mark: was wondering if I was gonna get a go. Paul: I was waiting to get to end into the podcast and I was about to sign off. Mark: So, hi Mark Cheatham, sales director for Elinchrom uk this is where it gets a little bit scary because me and Simon have probably known each other for 10 years, yet our journeys in the industry are remarkably similar. I went to college, did photography, left college, went to work at commercial photographers and hand printers. I was a hand printer, mainly black and white, anything from six by four to eight foot by four foot panels, which are horrible when you're deving in a dish. But we did it. Paul: To the generation now, deving in a dish doesn't mean anything. Simon: No, it doesn't. Mark: And, and when you're doing a eight foot by four foot print and you've got it, you're wearing most of the chemistry. You went home stinking every night. I was working in retail. As a Saturday lad and then got promoted from the Saturday lad to the manager and went to run a camera shop in a little town in the Lake District called Kendall. I stayed there for nine years. I left there, went on the road working for a brand called Olympus, where I did 10 years, I moved to Pentax, which became Rico Pentax. I did 10 years there. I've been in the industry all my life. Like Simon, I love the industry. I did go out the industry for 18 months where I went into the wonderful world of high end commercial vr, selling to blue light military, that sort of thing. And then came back. One of the, original members of Elinchrom uk. I don't do as much photography as Simon I take photos every day, probably too many looking at my Apple storage. I do shoot and I like shooting now and again, but I'm not a constant shooter like you guys i'm not a professional shooter, but when you spent 30 odd years in the industry, and part of that, I basically run the, the medium format business for Pentax. So 645D, 645Z. Yeah, it was a great time. I love the industry and, everything about it. So, yeah, that's it Paul: Obviously both of you at some point put your heads together and decided Elinchrom UK was the future. What triggered that and why do you think gimme your sales pitch for Elinchrom for a moment and then we can discuss the various merits. Simon: The sales pitch for Elinchrom is fairly straightforward. It's a nice, affordable system that does exactly what most photographers would like. We sell a lot of our modifiers, so soft boxes and things like that to other users, of Prophoto, Broncolor. Anybody else? Because actually the quality of the light that comes out the front of our diffusion material and our specular surfaces on the soft boxes is, is a lot, lot more superior than, than most. A lot more superior. A lot more Mark: A lot more superior. Paul: more superior. Simon: I'm trying to Paul: Superior. Simon: It's superior. And I think Paul, you'll agree, Paul: it's a lot more, Simon: You've used different manufacturers over the years and, I think the quality of light speaks for itself. As a photographer I want consistency. Beautiful light and the effects that the Elinchrom system gives me, I've tried other soft boxes. If you want a big contrasty, not so kind light, then use a cheaper soft box. If I've got a big tattoo guy full of piercings you're gonna put some contrasty light to create some ambience. Maybe the system for that isn't good enough, but for your standard portrait photographer in a studio, I don't think you can beat the light. Mark: I think the two key words for Elinchrom products are accuracy and consistency. And that's what, as a portrait photographer, you should be striving for, you don't want your equipment to lengthen your workflow or make your job harder in post-production. If you're using Elinchrom lights with Elinchrom soft boxes or Elinchrom modifiers, you know that you're gonna get accuracy and consistency. Which generally makes your job easier. Paul: I think there's a bit that neither of you, I don't think you've quite covered, and it's the bit of the puzzle that makes you want to use whatever is the tool of your trade. I mean, I worked with musicians, I grew up around orchestras. Watching people who utterly adore the instrument that's in their hand. It makes 'em wanna play it. If you own the instrument that you love to play, whether it's a drum kit a trumpet a violin or a piano, you will play it and get the very best out of your talent with it. It's just a joy to pick it up and use it for all the little tiny things I think it's the bit you've missed in your descriptions of it is the utter passion that people that use it have for it. Mark: I think one of the things I learned from my time in retail, which was obviously going back, a long way, even before digital cameras One of the things I learned from retail, I was in retail long before digital cameras, retail was a busier time. People would come and genuinely ask for advice. So yes, someone would come in and what's the best camera for this? Or what's the best camera for that? Honestly there is still no answer to that. All the kit was good then all the kit is good now. You might get four or five different SLRs out. And the one they'd pick at the end was the one that they felt most comfortable with and had the best connection with. When you are using something every day, every other day, however it might be, it becomes part of you. I'm a F1 fan, if you love the world of F1, you know that an F1 car, the driver doesn't sit in an F1 car, they become part of the F1 car. When you are using the same equipment day in, day out, you don't have to think about what button to press, what dial to to turn. You do it. And that, I think that's the difference between using something you genuinely love and get on with and using something because that's what you've got. And maybe that's a difference you genuinely love and get on with Elinchrom lights. So yes, they're given amazing output and I know there's, little things that you'd love to see improved on them, but that's not the light output. Paul: But the thing is, I mean, I've never, I've never heard the F1 analogy, but it's not a bad one. When you talk about these drivers and their cars and you are right, they're sort of symbiotic, so let's talk a little bit about why we use flash. So from the photographers listening who are just setting out, and that's an awful lot of our audience. I think broadly speaking, there are two roads or three roads, if you include available light if you're a portrait photographer. So there's available light. There's continuous light, and then there's strobes flash or whatever you wanna call it. Of course, there's, hybrid modeling and all sorts of things, but those are broadly the three ways that you're gonna light your scene or your subject. Why flash? What is it about that instantaneous pulse of light from a xenon tube that so appealing to photographers? Simon: I think there's a few reasons. The available light is lovely if you can control it, and by that I mean knowing how to use your camera, and control the ambient light. My experience of using available light, if you do it wrong, it can be quite flat and uninteresting. If you've got a bright, hot, sunny day, it can be harder to control than if it's a nice overcast day. But then the overcast day will provide you with some nice soft, flat lighting. Continuous light is obviously got its uses and there's a lot of people out there using it because what they see is what they get. The way I look at continuous light is you are adding to the ambient light, adding more daylight to the daylight you've already got, which isn't a problem, but you need to control that light onto the subject to make the subject look more interesting. So a no shadow, a chin shadow to show that that subject is three dimensional. There are very big limitations with LED because generally it's very unshapable. By that I mean the light is a very linear light. Light travels in straight lines anyway, but with a flash, we can shape the light, and that's why there's different shapes and sizes of modifiers, but it's very difficult to shape correctly -an LED array, the flash for me, gives me creativity. So with my flash, I get a sharper image to start with. I can put the shadows and the light exactly where I want and use the edge of a massive soft box, rather than the center if I'm using a flash gun or a constant light. It allows me to choose how much or how little contrast I put through that light, to create different dynamics in the image. It allows me to be more creative. I can kill the ambient light with flash rather than adding to it. I can change how much ambient I bring into my flash exposure. I've got a lot more control, and I'm not talking about TTL, I'm talking about full manual control of using the modifier, the flash, and me telling the camera what I want it to do, rather than the camera telling me what it thinks is right. Which generally 99% of the time is wrong. It's given me a beautiful, average exposure, but if I wanted to kill the sun behind the subject, well it's not gonna do that. It's gonna give me an average of everything. Whereas Flash will just give me that extra opportunity to be a lot more creative and have a lot more control over my picture. I've got quite a big saying in my workshops. I think a decent flash image is an image where it looks like flash wasn't used. As a flash photographer, Paul, I expect you probably agree with me, anyone can take a flash image. The control of light is important because anybody can light an image, but to light the subject within the image and control the environmental constraints, is the key to it and the most technical part of it. Mark: You've got to take your camera off P for professional to do that. You've got to turn it off p for professional and get it in manual mode. And that gives you the control Paul: Well, you say that, We have to at some point. Address the fact that AI is not just coming, it's sitting here in our studios all the time, and we are only a heartbeat away from P for professional, meaning AI analyzed and creating magic. I don't doubt for a minute. I mean, right now you're right, but not Mark: Well, at some point it will be integrated into the camera Paul: Of course it will. Mark: If you use an iPhone or any other phone, you know, we are using AI as phone photographers, your snapshots. You take your kids, your dogs, whatever they are highly modified images. Paul: Yeah. But in a lot of the modern cameras, there's AI behind the scenes, for instance, on the focusing Mark: Yeah. Paul: While we've, we are on that, we were on that thread. Let's put us back on that thread for a second. What's coming down the line with, all lighting and camera craft with ai. What are you guys seeing that maybe we're not Simon: in terms of flash technology or light technology? Paul: Alright. I mean, so I mean there's, I guess there's two angles, isn't there? What are the lights gonna do that use ai? What are the controllers gonna do, that uses ai, but more importantly, how will it hold its own in a world where I can hit a button and say, I want rebrand lighting on that face. I can do that today. Mark: Yeah. Simon: I'm not sure the lighting industry is anywhere near producing anything that is gonna give what a piece of software can give, because there's a lot more factors involved. There's what size light it is, what position that light is in, how high that light is, how low that light is. And I think the software we've all heard and played with Evoto we were talking about earlier, I was very skeptical and dubious about it to start with as everybody would be. I'm a Photoshop Lightroom user, have been for, many years. And I did some editing, in EEvoto with my five free credits to start with, three edits in, I bought some credits because I thought, actually this is very, very good. I'll never use it for lighting i'd like to think I can get that right myself. However, if somebody gives you a, a very flat image of a family outside and say, well, could you make this better for me? Well, guess what? I can do whatever you like to it. Is it gonna attack the photographer that's trying to earn a living? I think there's always a need for people to take real photographs and family photographs. I think as photographers, we need to embrace it as an aid to speed up our workflow. I don't think it will fully take over the art of photography because it's a different thing. It's not your work. It's a computer generated AI piece of work in my head. Therefore, who's responsible for that image? Who owns the copyright to that image? We deal with photographers all the time who literally point a camera, take a picture and spend three hours editing it and tell everyone that, look at this. The software's really good and it's made you look good. I think AI is capable of doing that to an extent. In five years time, we'll look back at Evoto today and what it's producing and we'll think cracky. That was awful. It's like when you watch a high definition movie from the late 1990s, you look at it and it was amazing at the time, but you look at it now and you think, crikey, look at the quality of it. I dunno if we're that far ahead where we won't get to that point. The quality is there. I mean, how much better can you go than 4K, eight K minus, all that kind of stuff. I'm unsure, but I don't think the AI side of it. Is applicable to flash at this moment in time? I don't know. Mark: I think you're right. To look at the whole, photography in general. If you are a social photographer, family photographer, whatever it might be, you are genuinely capturing that moment in time that can't be replaced. If you are a product photographer, that's a different matter. I think there's more of a threat. I think I might be right in saying. I was looking, I think I saw it on, LinkedIn. There is a fashion brand in the UK at the moment that their entire catalog of clothing has been shot without models. When you look at it on the website, there's models in it. They shoot the clothing on mannequins and then everything else is AI generated they've been developing their own AI platform now for a number of years. Does the person care Who's buying a dress for 30 quid? Probably not, but if you are photographing somebody's wedding, graduation, some, you know, a genuine moment in someone's life, I think it'd be really wrong to use any sort of AI other than a little bit of post-production, which we know is now quite standard for many people in the industry. Paul: Yeah, the curiosity for me is I suspect as an industry, Guess just released a full AI model advert in, Vogue. Declared as AI generated an ai agency created it. Everything about it is ai. There's no real photography involved except in the learning side of it. And that's a logical extension of the fact we've been Photoshopping to such a degree that the end product no longer related to the input. And we've been doing that 25 years. I started on Photoshop version one, whatever that was, 30 years More than 33. So we've kind of worked our way into a corner where the only way out of it is to continue. There's no backtracking now. Mark: Yeah. Paul: I think the damage to the industry though, or the worry for the industry, I think you're both right. I think if you can feel it, touch it, be there, there will always be that importance. In fact, the provenance of authenticity. Is the high value ticket item now, Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: because you, everything else is synthetic, you can trust nothing. We are literally probably months away from 90% of social media being generated by ai. AI is both the consumer and the generator of almost everything online Mark: Absolutely. Paul: Goodness knows where we go. You certainly can't trust anything you read. You can't trust anything you see, so authenticity, face-to-face will become, I think a high value item. Yeah. Mark: Yeah. Paul: I think one problem for us as an industry in terms of what the damage might be is that all those people that photograph nameless products or create books, you know, use photography and then compositing for, let's say a novel that's gone, stock libraries that's gone because they're faceless. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: there doesn't have to be authentic. A designer can type in half a dozen keywords. Into an AI engine and get what he needs. If he doesn't get what he needs, he does it again. All of those photographers who currently own Kit are gonna look around with what do we do now? And so for those of us who specialize in weddings and portraits and family events, our market stands every chance of being diluted, which has the knock on effect of all of us having to keep an eye on AI to stay ahead of all competitors, which has the next knock on effect, that we're all gonna lean into ai, which begs the question, what happens after Because that's what happened in the Photoshop world. You know, I'm kind of, I mean, genuinely cur, and this will be a running theme on the podcast forever, is kind of prodding it and taking barometer readings as to where are we going? Mark: Yeah. I mean, who's more at threat at the moment from this technology? Is it the photographer or is it the retouch? You know, we do forget that there are retouchers That is their, they're not photographers. Paul: I don't forget. They email me 3, 4, 5 times a day. Mark: a Simon: day, Mark: You know, a highly skilled retouch isn't cheap. They've honed their craft for many years using whatever software product they prefer to use. I think they're the ones at risk now more so than the photographer. And I think we sort of lose sight of that. Looking at it from a photographer's point of view, there is a whole industry behind photography that actually is being affected more so than you guys at the moment. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: Yeah, I think there's truth in that, but. It's not really important. Of course, it's really important to all of those people, but this is the digital revolution that we went through as film photographers, and probably what the Daguerreotype generators went through when Fox Tolbert invented the first transfer. Negative. You know, they are, there are always these epochs in our industry and it wipes out entire skillset. You know, I mean, when we went to digital before then, like you, I could dev in a tank. Yeah. You know, and really liked it. I like I see, I suspect I just like the solitude, Mark: the dark, Paul: red light in the dark Mark: yeah. Paul: Nobody will come in. Not now. Go away. Yeah. All that kind of stuff. But of course those skills have gone, has as, have access to the equipment. I think we're there again, this feels like to me a huge transition in the industry and for those who want to keep up, AI is the keeping up whether you like it or not. Mark: Yeah. And if you don't like it, we've seen it, we're in the middle of a massive resurgence in film photography, which is great for the industry, great for the retail industry, great for the film manufacturers, chemical manufacturers, everything. You know, simon, myself, you, you, we, we, our earliest photography, whether we were shooting with flash, natural light, we were film shooters and that planes back. And what digital did, from a camera point of view, is make it easier and more accessible for less skilled people. But it's true. You know, if you shot with a digital camera now that's got a dynamic range of 15 stops, you actually don't even need to have your exposure, that accurate Go and shoot with a slide film that's got dynamic range of less than one stop and see how good you are. It has made it easier. The technology, it will always make it. Easier, but it opens up new doors, it opens up new avenues to skilled people as well as unskilled people. If you want, I'm using the word unskilled again, I'm not being, a blanket phrase, but it's true. You can pick up a digital camera now and get results that same person shooting with a slide film 20 years ago would not get add software to that post-production, everything else. It's an industry that we've seen so many changes in over the 30 odd years that we've been in it, Simon: been Mark: continue Simon: at times. It exciting Mark: The dawn of digital photography to the masses. was amazing. I was working for Olympus at the time when digital really took off and for Olympus it was amazing. They made some amazing products. We did quite well out of it and people started enjoying photography that maybe hadn't enjoyed photography before. You know, people might laugh at, you know, you, you, you're at a wedding, you're shooting a really nice wedding pool and there's always a couple of guests there which have got equipment as good as yours. Better, better than yours. Yeah. Got Simon: jobs and they can afford it. Mark: They've got proper jobs. Their pitches aren't going to be as good as yours. They're the ones laughing at everyone shooting on their phone because they've spent six grand on their new. Camera. But if shooting on a phone gets people into photography and then next year they buy a camera and two years later they upgrade their camera and it gets them into the hobby of photography? That's great for everyone. Hobbyists are as essential, as professional photographers to the industry. In fact, to keep the manufacturers going, probably more so Simon: the hobbyists are a massive part. Even if they go out and spend six or seven or 8,000 pounds on a camera because they think it's gonna make them a better photographer. Who knows in two years time with the AI side, maybe it will. That old saying, Hey Mr, that's a nice camera. I bet it takes great pictures, may become true. We have people on the lighting courses, the workshops we run, the people I train and they're asking me, okay, what sessions are we gonna use? And I'm saying, okay, well we're gonna be a hundred ISO at 125th, F 5.6. Okay, well if I point my camera at the subject, it's telling me, yeah, but you need to put it onto manual. And you see the color drain out their faces. You've got a 6,000 pound camera and you've never taken it off 'P'. Mark: True story. Simon: And we see this all the time. It's like the whole TTL strobe manual flash system. The camera's telling you what it wants to show you, but that maybe is not what you want. There are people out there that will spend a fortune on equipment but actually you could take just as good a picture with a much smaller, cheaper device with an nice bit of glass on the front if you know what you're doing. And that goes back to what Mark was saying about shooting film and slide film and digital today. Paul: I, mean, you know, I don't want this to be an echo chamber, and so what I am really interested in though, is the way that AI will change what flash photography does. I'm curious as to where we are headed in that, specific vertical. How is AI going to help and influence our ability to create great lip photography using flash? Mark: I think, Paul: I love the fact the two guys side and looked at each other. Mark: I, Simon: it's a difficult question to answer. Mark: physical light, Simon: is a difficult question to answer because if you're Mark: talking about the physical delivery of light. Simon: Not gonna change. Mark: Now, The only thing I can even compare it to, if you think about how the light is delivered, is what's the nearest thing? What's gotta change? Modern headlamps on cars, going back to cars again, you know, a modern car are using these LED arrays and they will switch on and switch off different LEDs depending on the conditions in front of them. Anti dazzle, all this sort of stuff. You know, the modern expensive headlamp is an amazing technical piece of kit. It's not just one ball, but it's hundreds in some cases of little arrays. Will that come into flash? I don't know. Will you just be able to put a soft box in front of someone and it will shape the light in the future using a massive array. Right? I dunno it, Simon: there's been many companies tested these arrays, in terms of LED Flash, And I think to be honest, that's probably the nearest it's gonna get to an AI point of view is this LED Flash. Now there's an argument to say, what is flash if I walk into a living room and flick the light on, on off really quickly, is that a flash? Mark: No, that's a folock in Paul: me Mark: turn, big lights off. Paul: Yeah. Mark: So Simon: it, you, you might be able to get these arrays to flush on and off. But LED technology, in terms of how it works, it's quite slow. It's a diode, it takes a while for it to get to its correct brightness and it takes a while for it to turn off. To try and get an LED. To work as a flash. It, it's not an explosion in a gas field tube. It's a a, a lighter emitting diode that is, is coming on and turning off again. Will AI help that? Due to the nature of its design, I don't think it can. Mark: Me and s aren't invented an AI flash anytime soon by the looks of, we're Simon: it's very secret. Mark: We're just putting everyone off Paul, Simon: It's alright. Mark: just so they don't think Simon: Yeah, Mark: Oh, it's gonna be too much hard work and we'll sort it. Paul: It's definitely coming. I don't doubt for a minute that this is all coming because there's no one not looking at anything Simon: that makes perfect sense. Paul: Right now there's an explosion of invention because everybody's trying to find an angle on everything. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: The guys I feel the most for are the guys who spent millions, , on these big LED film backdrop walls. Simon: Yep. Mark: So you can Paul: a car onto a flight sim, rack, and then film the whole lot in front of an LED wall. Well, it was great. And there was a market for people filming those backdrops, and now of course that's all AI generated in the LED, but that's only today's technology. Tomorrow's is, you don't need the LED wall. That's here today. VEO3 and Flow already, I mean, I had to play with one the other day for one of our lighting diagrams and it animated the whole thing. Absolute genius. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: I still generated the original diagram. Mark: Yeah, Paul: Yeah, that's useful. There's some skill in there still for now, but, you gotta face the music that anything that isn't, I can touch it and prod it. AI's gonna do it. Mark: Absolutely. If you've ever seen the series Mandalorian go and watch the making of the Mandalorian and they are using those big LED walls, that is their backdrop. Yeah. And it's amazing how fast they shift from, you know, they can, they don't need to build a set. Yeah. They shift from scene to scene. Paul: Well, aI is now building the scenes. But tomorrow they won't need the LED wall. 'cause AI will put it in behind the actors. Mark: Yeah. Say after Paul: that you won't need the actors because they're being forced to sign away the rights so that AI can be used. And even those that are standing their ground and saying no, well, the actors saying Yes. Are the ones being hired. You know, in the end, AI is gonna touch all of it. And so I mean, it's things like, imagine walking into a studio. Let's ignore the LED thing for a minute, by the way, that's a temporary argument, Simon: I know you're talking about. Paul: about today's, Simon: You're about the. Mark: days Paul: LEDs, Simon: we're in, We're in very, very interesting times and. I'm excited for the future. I'm excited for the new generation of photographers that are coming in to see how they work with what happens. We've gone from fully analog to me selling IMACON drum scanners that were digitizing negatives and all the five four sheet almost a shoot of properties for an estate agent were all digitized on an hassle blood scanner. And then the digital camera comes out and you start using it. It was a Kodak camera, I think the first SLRI used, Paul: Yeah. Simon: and you get the results back and you think, oh my God, it looks like it's come out of a practica MTL five B. Mark: But Simon: then suddenly the technology just changes and changes and changes and suddenly it's running away with itself and where we are today. I mean, I, I didn't like digital to start with. It was too. It was too digital. It was too sharp. It didn't have the feel of film, but do you know what? We get used to it and the files that my digital mirrorless camera provide now and my Fuji GFX medium format are absolutely stunning. But the first thing I do is turn the sharpness down because they are generally over sharp. For a lovely, beautifully lit portrait or whatever that anybody takes, it just needs knocking back a bit. We were speaking about this earlier, I did some comparison edits from what I'd done manually in Photoshop to the Evoto. Do you know what the pre-selected edits are? Great. If you not the slider back from 10 to about six, you're there or thereabouts? More is not always good. Mark: I think when it comes to imagery in our daily lives, the one thing that drives what we expect to see is TV and most people's TVs, everything's turned up to a hundred. The color, the contrast, that was a bit of a shock originally from the film to digital, crossover. Everything went from being relatively natural to way over the top Just getting back to AI and how it's gonna affect people like you and people that we work with day to day. I don't think we should be worried about that. We should be worried about the images we see on the news, not what we're seeing, hanging on people's walls and how they're gonna be affected by ai. That generally does affect everyone's daily life. Paul: Yeah, Mark: Yeah. But what Paul: people now ask me, for instance, I've photographed a couple head shots yesterday, and the one person had not ironed her blouse. And her first question was, can we sort that out in post? So this is the knock on effect people are becoming aware of what's possible. What's that? Nothing. Know, and the, the smooth clothing button in Evoto will get me quite a long way down that road and saves somebody picking up an eye and randomly, it's not me, it's now actually more work for me 'cause I shouldn't have to do it. But, you know, this is my point about the knock on effect. Our worlds are different. So I didn't really intend this to be just a great sort of circular conversation about AI cars and, future technology. It was more, I dunno, we ended up down there anyway. Simon: We went down a rabbit hole. Mark: A Paul: rabbit hole. Yeah Mark: was quite an interesting one. Simon: And I'm sorry if you've wasted your entire journey to work and we Paul: Yeah. Simon: Alright. It wasn't intended to be like that. Paul: I think it's a debate that we need to be having and there needs to be more discussion about it. Certainly for anybody that has a voice in the industry and people are listening to it because right now it might be a toddler of a technology, but it's growing faster than people realize. There is now a point in the written word online where AI is generating more than real people are generating, and AI is learning that. So AI is reading its own output. That's now beginning to happen in imagery and film and music. Simon: Well, even in Google results, you type in anything to a Google search bar. When it comes back to the results, the first section at the top is the AI generated version. And you know what, it's generally Paul: Yep. Simon: good and Paul: turn off all the rest of it now. So it's only ai. Simon: Not quite brave enough for that yet. No, not me. Mark: In terms Paul: of SEO for instance, you now need to tune it for large language models. You need to be giving. Google the LLM information you want it to learn so that you become part of that section on a website. And it, you know, this is where we are and it's happening at such a speed, every day I am learning something new about something else that's arriving. And I think TV and film is probably slightly ahead of the photography industry Mark: Yeah. Paul: The pressures on the costs are so big, Simon: Yes. Paul: Whereas the cost differential, I'm predicting our costs will actually go up, not down. Whereas in TV and film, the cost will come down dramatically. Mark: Absolutely. Simon: They are a horrifically high level anyway. That's Paul: I'm not disputing that, but I watched a demo of some new stuff online recently and they had a talking head and they literally typed in relight that with a kiss light here, hairlight there, Rembrandt variation on the front. And they did it off a flat picture and they can move the lights around as if you are moving lights. Yes. And that's there today. So that's coming our way too. And I still think the people who understand how to see light will have an advantage because you'll know when you've typed these words in that you've got it about right. It doesn't change the fact that it's going to be increasingly synthetic. The moment in the middle of it is real. We may well be asked to relight things, re clothe things that's already happening. Simon: Yeah. Paul: We get, can you just fill in my hairline? That's a fairly common one. Just removing a mole. Or removing two inches round a waist. This, we've been doing that forever. Simon: Mm-hmm. Paul: And so now it'll be done with keyword generation rather than, photoshop necessarily. Simon: I think you'll always have the people that embrace this, we can't ignore it as you rightly say. It's not going away. It's gonna get bigger, it's gonna feature more in our lives. I think there's gonna be three sets of people. It's gonna be the people like us generally on a daily basis. We're photographers or we're artists. We enjoy what we do. I enjoy correctly lighting somebody with the correct modifier properties to match light quality to get the best look and feel and the ambience of that image. And I enjoy the process of putting that together and then seeing the end result afterwards. I suppose that makes me an artist in, in, in loose terms. I think, you know, as, as, as a photographer, we are artists. You've then got another generation that are finding shortcuts. They're doing some of the job with their camera. They're making their image from an AI point of view. Does that make up an artist? I suppose it still does because they're creating their own art, but they have no interest 'cause they have no enjoyment in making that picture as good as it can be before you even hit the shutter. And then I think you've got other people, and us to an extent where you do what you need to do, you enjoy the process, you look at the images, and then you just finely tune it with a bit of AI or Photoshop retouching so I think there are different sets of people that will use AI to their advantage or completely ignore it. Mark: Yeah. I think you're right. And I think it comes down, I'm going to use another analogy here, you, you know, let's say you enjoy cooking. If you enjoy cooking, you're creating something. What's the alternative? You get a microwave meal. Well, Paul Simon: and Sarah do. Mark: No. Paul: Sarah does. Simon: We can't afford waitress. Mark: You might spend months creating your perfect risotto. You've got it right. You love it. Everyone else loves it. You share it around all your friends. Brilliant. Or you go to Waitrose, you buy one, put it three minutes in the microwave and it's done. That's yer AI I Imagery, isn't it? It's a microwave meal. Paul: There's a lot of microwave meals out there. And not that many people cook their own stuff and certainly not as many as used to. And there's a lesson. Simon: Is, Mark: but also, Simon: things have become easier Mark: there Simon: you go. Mark: I think what we also forget in the photographic industry and take the industry as a whole, and this is something I've experienced in the, in the working for manufacturers in that photography itself is, is a, is a huge hobby. There's lots of hobbyist photographers, but there's actually more people that do photography as part of another hobby, birdwatching, aviation, all that sort of thing. Anything, you know, the photography isn't the hobby, it's the birds that are the hobby, but they take photographs of, it's the planes that are the hobby, but they take photographs. They're the ones that actually keep the industry going and then they expand into other industries. They come on one of our workshops. You know, that's something that we're still and Simon still Absolutely. And yourself, educating photographers to do it right, to practice using the gear the right way, but the theory of it and getting it right. If anything that brings more people into wanting to learn to cook better, Paul: you Mark: have more chefs rather than people using microwave meals. Education's just so important. And when it comes to lighting, I wasn't competent in using flash. I'm still not, but having sat through Simon's course and other people's courses now for hundreds of times, I can light a scene sometimes, people are still gonna be hungry for education. I think some wills, some won't. If you wanna go and get that microwave risotto go and microwave u risotto. But there's always gonna be people that wanna learn how to do it properly, wanna learn from scratch, wanna learn the art of it. Creators and in a creative industry, we've got to embrace those people and bring more people into it and ensure there's more people on that journey of learning and upskilling and trying to do it properly. Um, and yes, if they use whatever technology at whatever stage in their journey, if they're getting enjoyment from it, what's it matter? Paul: Excellent. Mark: What a fine Paul: concluding statement. If they got enjoyment outta it. Yeah. Whatever. Excellent. Thank you, Mark, for your summing up. Simon: In conclusion, Paul: did that just come out your nose? What on earth. Mark: What Paul: what you can't see, dear Listener is the fact that Mark just spat his water everywhere, laughing at Si. It's been an interesting podcast. Anyway, I'm gonna drag this back onto topic for fear of it dissolving into three blokes having a pint. Mark: I think we should go for one. Simon: I think, Paul: I think we should know as well. Having said that with this conversation, maybe not. I was gonna ask you a little bit about, 'cause we've talked about strobes and the beauty of strobes, but of course Elinchrom still is more than that, and you've just launched a new LED light, so I know you like Strobe Simon. Now talk about the continuous light that also Elinchrom is producing. Simon: We have launched the Elinchrom LED 100 C. Those familiar with our Elinchrom One and Three OCF camera Flash system. It's basically a smaller unit, but still uses the OCF adapter. Elinchrom have put a lot of time into this. They've been looking at LED technology for many years, and I've been to the factory in Switzerland and seen different LED arrays being tested. The problem we had with LEDs is every single LED was different and put out a different color temperature. We're now manufacturing LEDs in batches, where they can all be matched. They all come from the same serial number batch. And the different colors of LED as well, 15 years ago, blue LEDs weren't even possible. You couldn't make a blue LED every other color, but not blue for some unknown reason. They've got the colors right now, they've got full RGB spectrum, which is perfectly accurate a 95 or 97 CRI index light. It's a true hundred watts, of light as well. From tosin through to past daylight and fully controllable like the CRO flash system in very accurate nth degrees. The LED array in the front of the, the LEDA hundred is one of the first shapeable, fully shapeable, LED arrays that I've come across and I've looked at lots. By shapeable, I mean you put it into a soft box, of any size and it's not gonna give you a hotspot in the middle, or it's not gonna light the first 12 inches of the middle of the soft box and leave the rest dark. I remember when we got the first LD and Mark got it before me And he said, I've put it onto a 70 centimeter soft box. And he said, I've taken a picture to the front. Look at this. And it was perfectly even from edge to edge. When I got it, I stuck it onto a 1 3 5 centimeter soft box and did the same and was absolutely blown away by how even it was from edge to edge. When I got my light meter out, if you remember what one of those is, uh, it, uh, it gave me a third of a stop different from the center to the outside edge. Now for an LED, that's brilliant. I mean, that's decent for a flash, but for an LED it's generally unheard of. So you can make the LED as big as you like. It's got all the special effects that some of the cheaper Chinese ones have got because people use that kind of thing. Apparently I have no idea what for. But it sits on its own in a market where there are very cheap and cheerful LEDs, that kind of do a job. And very expensive high-end LEDs that do a completely different job for the photographer that's gone hybrid and does a bit of shooting, but does a bit of video work. So, going into a solicitor's or an accountant's office where they want head shots, but also want a bit of talking head video for the MD or the CEO explaining about his company on the website. It's perfect. You can up the ISO and use the modeling lamp in generally the threes, the fives, the ones that we've got, the LEDs are brilliant. But actually the LED 100 will give you all your modifier that you've taken with you, you can use those. It's very small and light, with its own built-in battery and it will give you a very nice low iso. Talking head interview with a lovely big light source. And I've proved the point of how well it works and how nice it is at the price point it sits in. But it is our first journey into it. There will be others come in and there'll be an app control for it. And I think from an LED point of view, you're gonna say, I would say this, but actually it's one of the nicer ones I've used. And when you get yours, you can tell people exactly the same. Paul: Trust me, I will. Simon: Yes. Mark: I think Paul: very excited about it. Mark: I think the beauty of it as well is it's got an inbuilt battery. It'll give you up to 45 minutes on a full charge. You can plug it in and run it off the mains directly through the USB socket as well. But it means it's a truly portable light source. 45 minutes at a hundred watt and it's rated at a hundred watt actual light output. It's seems far in excess of that. When you actually, Simon: we had a photographer the other day who used it and he's used to using sort of 3, 2 50, 300 watt LEDs and he said put them side by side at full power. They were virtually comparable. Paul: That is certainly true, or in my case by lots. Simon: I seem to be surrounded Paul: by Elinchrom kit, Which is all good. So for anybody who's interested in buying one of these things, where'd you get them? How much are they? Simon: The LED itself, the singlehead unit is 499 inc VAT. If you want one with a charger, which sounds ridiculous, but there's always people who say, well, I don't want the charger. You can have one with a charger for 50 quid extra. So 549. The twin kit is just less than a thousand quid with chargers. And it comes in a very nice portable carry bag to, to carry them around in. Um, and, uh, yeah, available from all good photographic retailers, and, Ellen crom.co uk. Paul: Very good. So just to remind you beautiful people listening to this podcast, we only ever feature people and products, at least like this one where I've said, put a sales pitch in because I use it. It's only ever been about what we use here at the studio. I hate the idea of just being a renta-voice. You it. Mark: bought it. Paul: Yeah. That's true. You guys sold it to me. Mark: Yeah, Simon: if I gave you anything you'd tell everyone it was great. So if you buy it, no, I've bought Paul: Yeah. And then became an ambassador for you. As with everything here, I put my money where my mouth is, we will use it. We do use it. I'm really interested in the little LED light because I could have done with that the other night. It would've been perfect for a very particular need. So yes, I can highly recommend Elinchrom Fives and Threes if you're on a different system. The Rotalux, system of modifier is the best on the planet. Quick to set up, quick to take down. More importantly, the light that comes off them is just beautiful, whether it's a Godox, whether it's on a ProPhoto, which it was for me, or whether if you've really got your common sense about you on the front of an Elinchrom. And on that happy note and back to where we started, which is about lighting, I'm gonna say thanks to the guys. They came to the studio to fix a problem but it's always lovely to have them as guests here. Thank you, mark. Thank you Simon. Most importantly, you Elinchrom for creating Kit is just an absolute joy to use. If you've enjoyed the podcast, please head over to all your other episodes. Please subscribe and whatever is your podcast, play of choice, whether it's iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or a other. After you head, if you head across to masteringportraitphotography.com the spiritual home of this, particular, podcast, I will put in the show notes all the little bits of detail and where to get these things. I'll get some links off the guys as to where to look for the kit. Thank you both. I dunno when I'll be seeing you again. I suspect it will be the Convention in January if I know the way these things go. Simon: We're not gonna get invited back, are we? Mark: Probably not. Enough. Paul: And I'm gonna get a mop and clean up that water. You've just sprayed all over the floor. What is going on? Simon: wish we'd video. That was a funny sun Mark: I just didn't expect it and never usually that sort of funny and quick, Simon: It's the funniest thing I've ever seen. Paul: On that happy note, whatever else is going on in your lives, be kind to yourself. Take care.

In this forward-thinking episode of Rethink Real Estate, host Ben Brady, CEO of Harcourts Auctions, is joined by Chris Cochran, Director of Marketing at Harcourts Auctions, to unpack Google Gemini's latest AI release — the bizarrely named yet incredibly powerful “Nano Banana” update — and why it's a game-changer for real estate marketing and content creation.From creating hyper-realistic agent headshots to instantly restaging homes, Nano Banana brings Photoshop-level image control to anyone who can type a simple prompt. Chris breaks down how agents can leverage Gemini's new likeness recognition and inpainting tools to produce professional-grade flyers, team photos, and listing visuals without a designer. Meanwhile, Ben explores how these tools might reshape listing presentations, branding, and the creative arms race in real estate.Together, they dig into the competition heating up between Google, OpenAI, and Adobe — and how these tools are redefining what it means to market property. Whether you're tech-curious or AI-skeptical, this episode will leave you rethinking how fast the real estate industry is evolving and how to stay one step ahead.Timestamps & Key Topics:[00:00:00] – Welcome to Rethink Real Estate[00:00:36] – What on earth is Google's “Nano Banana” update?[00:01:18] – The AI image revolution: realistic headshots and likeness accuracy[00:03:22] – Gemini vs. Photoshop: how Google is closing the gap[00:05:18] – Real estate flyers, prompts, and social media automation[00:06:11] – Can AI clean up old headshots and generate team photos?[00:07:01] – The power (and limits) of restaging interiors and exteriors[00:08:01] – Turning blank rooms into design-ready showpieces[00:10:02] – Elon Musk, Grok, and the broader AI ecosystem[00:11:30] – How agents can blend creativity with accountability[00:12:00] – Real-world real estate use cases for Gemini AI[00:15:39] – How AI helps agents visualize and communicate value[00:16:18] – Final thoughts: exploring Gemini's full potential

A reporter asked Trump if he'd pardon Ghislaine Maxwell now that the Supreme Court killed her last appeal, and he immediately went into his usual “Who? Never heard of her” routine like he was auditioning for Men in Black. It was pure comedy—he acted like Ghislaine was some random lady who wandered into his photos by accident, not someone who used to orbit the same high-society circles as him and Epstein. The man delivered his line so confidently you'd think he really believed it: “I don't know her, but I hear she's doing well.” Yeah, sure, Don—she's “doing well” in prison. Real cozy setup between chow line and lockdown. The guy could be caught holding a selfie stick with her and still swear it's Photoshop and “fake news.”Trump's selective amnesia is practically a stage show at this point. Every time one of his old pals gets indicted, he suddenly turns into a witness protection participant. “Never met them, don't know them, wish them well.” It's become a brand. The funniest part is how he says it with total confidence, like he's daring the world to remember what he's pretending to forget. When asked about a pardon, you could see the wheels spin—“What's in it for me?”—but in true Trump fashion, he skipped the answer and rewrote history instead. Because in his world, he doesn't need to pardon anyone; he just deletes them from existence. One minute you're clinking glasses at Mar-a-Lago, the next you're “Ghislaine who?”to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:

A reporter asked Trump if he'd pardon Ghislaine Maxwell now that the Supreme Court killed her last appeal, and he immediately went into his usual “Who? Never heard of her” routine like he was auditioning for Men in Black. It was pure comedy—he acted like Ghislaine was some random lady who wandered into his photos by accident, not someone who used to orbit the same high-society circles as him and Epstein. The man delivered his line so confidently you'd think he really believed it: “I don't know her, but I hear she's doing well.” Yeah, sure, Don—she's “doing well” in prison. Real cozy setup between chow line and lockdown. The guy could be caught holding a selfie stick with her and still swear it's Photoshop and “fake news.”Trump's selective amnesia is practically a stage show at this point. Every time one of his old pals gets indicted, he suddenly turns into a witness protection participant. “Never met them, don't know them, wish them well.” It's become a brand. The funniest part is how he says it with total confidence, like he's daring the world to remember what he's pretending to forget. When asked about a pardon, you could see the wheels spin—“What's in it for me?”—but in true Trump fashion, he skipped the answer and rewrote history instead. Because in his world, he doesn't need to pardon anyone; he just deletes them from existence. One minute you're clinking glasses at Mar-a-Lago, the next you're “Ghislaine who?”to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

October 6, 2025: Cole Deike

More resources? ----------------------- Watch Full Episodes in my YouTube channel! https://youtube.com/@drtjahn ---------------------- Get Your Free Copy of my book, "Podiatry Profits Book: Crafting A Seven-Figure Lifestyle Practice" to grow your podiatry practice. You just cover the shipping: https://www.podiatryprofitsbook.com ---------------------- Do you want to build your dream private practice without the hassles of insurance networks? Then schedule a FREE 45-min Strategy Session with me. We will dive to look at your current practice and I will provide you with a crystal game plan for you: https://drtjahn.com/the-profit-accelerator-session/ ---------------------- I've created this EXCLUSIVE Private Facebook Group community of like-minded podiatrists who are coming together to build their DREAM PRIVATE PRACTICE, and FREE to join!! https://www.facebook.com/groups/podiatryprofits

Inside SheClicks: Building a Global Photo Community — In this Camera Shake Podcast interview, photographer, journalist and SheClicks founder Angela Nicholson shares how community can transform your photography. We dive into the origin and growth of SheClicks, why representation matters for women in photography, and how inclusive spaces accelerate learning, confidence and creative growth. Angela also breaks down her gear testing process from 20+ years in photography journalism, what to look for when choosing a camera or lens, and how usability affects real-world shooting. We talk Squeezy Media, balancing entrepreneurship with community building, and the creative side of Angela's work (landscapes, wildlife, dogs), including her post-processing approach.

Hey, everybody—it's Monday, September 29, and this is your Monday Motivation Podcast by FWACATA.What's up, heathens? You sweaty, creative masses of chaos? Yeah, that thing that happened—wild, right? I mean, I don't know what happened, because I pre-recorded this. But thanks to the internet's nonstop firehose of madness, I'm sure something insane just went down. So now it sounds like I know what's happening. See how that works? “Dude, did you SEE that shit?” Boom. Timeless.Anyway. Welcome back to the other Monday Motivation—the one where we drag your creative bird out of bed, slap it around a little, pour some coffee on it, and shove it back into the ring.Today's episode? Creative Reboots.Restarting stalled projects with fresh energy.Here's a confession: I have drawers—literal drawers—of half-finished comics, folders of “someday novels,” Google Docs of script fragments, and sketchbooks that look like serial killer ransom notes. Every time I open them, these projects look up at me like, “Bro, remember us? You abandoned us like a Tamagotchi in '98.”We all have them. Projects that start hot—burning like first love—and then three weeks later you're wondering: Why the hell did I think a 400-page Gundam-meets-Full-Metal-Jacket-meets-Mad-Max comic was a good idea? (Spoiler: it wasn't. But I still tried.)Creative projects are like relationships. They start steamy. You doodle hearts around their name. Then reality shows up like a chaperone at prom, and you're sitting in the corner with your unfinished script, not even getting to second base.So what do you do? How do you reboot?Look at your project like it's someone else's. Pretend you found it in a thrift store. What's cool about it? What sucks? Sometimes distance gives you fresh eyes. Go get a coffee. Go stare at a wall. Hell, go smoke a cigarette if that's still your thing. Come back. You'll see it differently.Maybe the project stalled not because it sucks—but because you made it too damn big. Instead of a 400-page epic, make it a 12-page comic. Instead of a novel, a short story. Instead of a film, a TikTok. Give yourself permission to shrink it. Small wins build momentum.If you're stuck, switch the medium. Writing on a laptop? Try pen and paper. Painting with acrylics? Try markers, charcoal, Photoshop—hell, carve it into a potato if you have to. Creativity thrives on novelty. Sometimes the project isn't stuck—you are.Ask yourself: Why did I start this? Was it the story? The character? The mood? Go back to the original spark. I make soundtracks for my projects—yeah, actual playlists. When I hear certain songs, I remember what I wanted the story to feel like, and suddenly, boom—the fire's back.A reboot doesn't mean you finish it tomorrow. It means breathing life back into it. One sketch. One page. One note. That's CPR for your project.Look—unfinished doesn't mean failed. It just means paused. You can hit “play” again anytime. And if it really is dead? That's okay too. Bury it, honor it, and move on. Not every sketch becomes a masterpiece. But every sketch leads somewhere.So this week: dust off one stalled project. Give it a reboot. Look at it with new eyes. Shrink it down. Switch your tools. Reconnect with your why. Do something. Anything. And maybe, just maybe, that creative corpse gets back up and dances.That's it for today's Monday Motivation. If you're digging this podcast, support me on Patreon at patreon.com/fwacata—get behind-the-scenes chaos, comics, art, and maybe the occasional zombie project resurrection.And hey—the Kickstarter for issue 3 of FWACATA is live. Go check it out. Support if you can, or at least spread the word. Even a repost works wonders. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ThisisJuan/fwacata-3-comics-to-the-face?ref=9gnlxmAlright weirdos—reboot, restart, and as always… be good.1. Step Back.2. Scale It Down.3. Change the Tools.4. Reconnect with the “Why.”5. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection.

Hi Everyone! I interviewed Erin Richardson, Illustrator. Here is more about Erin:As a lifelong artist, I've always been drawn to storytelling through illustration. Growing up, I spent countless hours lost in books, captivated by the details in the artwork and eager to create my own. My vivid childhood imagination still inspires me today—whether it's the cozy world of my beloved dollhouse or the magic of turning a simple idea into something tangible.My dream project is to build a 3D set to illustrate the story of a spunky girl navigating her emotions in a miniature world within her dollhouse. It's a tale of self-discovery, unlikely friendships, and realizing you don't have to shrink to escape.I'm inspired by all things that matter to kids—emotions, relationships, and the beauty found in small, everyday moments. My artistic influences include Jessie Wilcox Smith, Norman Rockwell, David Hohn, Arthur Rackham, Chris Van Allsburg. I loved the classics from storytellers C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, and Judy Blume. If there's an element of fantasy, magic, or adventure, I'm all in!Beyond illustration, I'm passionate about color, texture, and atmosphere, blending vintage aesthetics with modern storytelling. I've painted Trompe L'Oeil murals, designed hand-painted furniture, and created custom cards and advertising. Lately, I've been exploring 3D set design, finding joy in building miniature furniture and discovering new textures.  Studying the papercrafting and 3D world building from Samantha Cotterill, Nancy So Miller and Cybele Young, I am fascinated with the interaction between cut paper and the way a shadow falls from a structure in dimensional set.  If I am not illustrating, I can be found hiking the Rocky Mountains, trying a new recipe, or spending time with family and friends. Most of my illustrations are digital, using Photoshop and my Cintiq, yet I love traditional media like watercolor, gouache, ink, and cut paper.  I believe pictures open doors where words sometimes can't, offering kids a window into new worlds and deeper emotions.This year, my goals are to write and illustrate my own manuscript, expand my website with a store and blog, and continue honing my skills through SVS Learn. I'm excited about school visits and hope to inspire kids to believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to. Awards: Top 12 Critique Arena, 2022 SVS LearnWinner of the Rocky Mountain Chapter SCBWI Annual Calendar Contest, 2023Illustrator of the Month, September 2024 SCBWI Books:Oliver's Shadow, Brinkley Press, written by Martin Knight-Yeager.  When Oliver discovers his shadow disappears as soon as the light goes out, he decides his shadow must be afraid of the dark. Joined by favorite bear, Watson, they set out to find his shadow. This heartwarming tale of Oliver's misguided first impression about his shadow's disappearance leads them both to explore the unknown. Yet, it also allows the reader to explore a bit more about the fears we all face. As Oliver decides his shadow must be fearful of the dark, he also shares his concerns about being alone.   I'm Making a Wish, Tootsie and Teed, written by Linda Teed. One little girl's travels in her grandfather's car evoke an overflow of emotions that remain deeply woven in her heart. Years later, she recalls those early days as she makes new memories with her husband, children, and grandchildren. I'm Making a Wish is a tribute to all those that enjoy the simplicity of time spent together and the memories that are created for a lifetime.In development:  A Magic Stick Box, by author Michael Kujawa.  Release date TBD 2025Erin Richardson Designswww.erinrichardsondesigns.comIG: @erinrichardsondesigns21Thanks for listening!

Alibaba unveils Wan 2.5, an AI model competing with Veo 3 that generates video with integrated audio and speech in a single output. In this week's AI Roundup, Joey and Addy analyze the flurry of new AI models and tools transforming media production, including Qwen-Image-Edit-2509, Google's Mixboard, Topaz's new upscaling models, Nano Banana's integration with Photoshop, and more.--The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are the personal views of the hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their respective employers or organizations. This show is independently produced by VP Land without the use of any outside company resources, confidential information, or affiliations.

In this episode, Conor and Bryce chat with Sean Parent about AI and Cursor!Link to Episode 253 on WebsiteDiscuss this episode, leave a comment, or ask a question (on GitHub)SocialsADSP: The Podcast: TwitterConor Hoekstra: Twitter | BlueSky | MastodonBryce Adelstein Lelbach: TwitterAbout the Guest:Sean Parent is a senior principal scientist and software architect managing Adobe's Software Technology Lab. Sean first joined Adobe in 1993 working on Photoshop and is one of the creators of Photoshop Mobile, Lightroom Mobile, and Lightroom Web. In 2009 Sean spent a year at Google working on Chrome OS before returning to Adobe. From 1988 through 1993 Sean worked at Apple, where he was part of the system software team that developed the technologies allowing Apple's successful transition to PowerPC.Show NotesDate Recorded: 2025-08-21Date Released: 2025-09-26C++ Under the SeaBetter codeAdobe ASL Adam & Eve ArchitectureAdobe Software Technology LabASL LibrariesRust Programming LanguageIntro Song InfoMiss You by Sarah Jansen https://soundcloud.com/sarahjansenmusicCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-miss-youMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/iYYxnasvfx8

Nathan Snell is a founder, executive, and three-time entrepreneur best known for co-founding nCino, the global leader in cloud banking, and now Raleon, an AI retention platform for DTC brands. With 15+ years in fintech, marketing technology, and AI, Nathan has built products that don't just scale companies, they transform entire markets, including a 10-figure exit.With Raleon, Nathan is reimagining retention for Ecommerce. Instead of bloated teams or endless manual work, Raleon acts like a teammate, helping DTC brands and agencies handle retention 50% faster while driving more revenue. From campaign planning to segmentation, it automates the tactical grind so marketers can focus on strategy and growth.Nathan's story blends technical expertise with market-shaping vision. From scaling nCino into a public company, to investing as an active angel, to now tackling one of Ecommerce's biggest pain points, retention, he's seen how AI can accelerate results but still requires human pilots to go beyond “average” output.Whether you're building a lean DTC team, rethinking retention marketing, or trying to cut through the hype of AI, Nathan offers a grounded look at how to combine automation, brand taste, and strategy to drive the next era of Ecommerce growth.In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:22] Intro[00:46] Building expertise in workflow automation[01:46] Experimenting with LLMs in workflows[03:18] Comparing AI models for DTC marketing[04:01] Starting email AI with copywriting[05:08] Fine-tuning prompts for better outputs[06:40] Elevating outputs with better context setting[08:08] Analyzing past campaigns to guide outputs[09:50] Stay updated with new episodes[10:02] Automating segmentation and copy at once[11:57] Recognizing AI delivers average by default[13:38] Editing outputs instead of chasing perfect prompts[15:20] Connecting Klaviyo and Shopify for campaigns[17:41] Automating learning cycles across campaigns[19:14] Guiding systems instead of replacing teamsResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on YoutubeAutomate DTC retention marketing with AI raleon.io/Follow Nathan Snell linkedin.com/in/nathansnellIf you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

In this episode of Camera Shake Podcast, we sit down with Rick Sammon—often called the Godfather of Photography—to unpack a lifetime of image-making. From his early underwater adventures to wildlife, travel, and people photography, Rick shares practical lessons that will elevate your work today. We dig into composition, light, timing, and the mindset shifts that help you create rather than just take pictures. You'll hear field-tested tips for bird and wildlife photography, how to connect with people on the road, and where iPhone photography fits into a pro's toolkit. We also discuss staying inspired, building a sustainable photography career, and adapting to new tech (yes, even AI) without losing your voice.

Most Graphic Designers think success comes from creating the perfect logo, expensive gear, or waiting to be discovered. Wrong.The real killers of Graphic Design careers are perfectionism, overthinking, and flexing for likes instead of creating real value. With over 5 million subscribers and 1,000+ Photoshop tutorials, Unmesh Dinda, the face of Piximperfect, proves that consistency and process beat “perfect” every single time.This week on The Angry Designer, we dig into how Unmesh built one of the biggest design education platforms on the planet without chasing trends or showing off. This is the straight truth Graphic Designers need if they actually want to grow a career that lasts.In this episode, you'll discover:- Why chasing perfection keeps designers broke and invisible- How teaching and sharing process creates authority and opportunity- The real limits of AI in Photoshop and why human designers still winThis isn't fluff. It's the reality check you need if you're tired of waiting for perfect and ready to start building a Graphic Design career that actually matters.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast

Gäst idag är Björn Ottosson som jobbar som programmeringslärare på The Game Assembly. Björn har varit länge i branschen och bland annat jobbat tio år med DICE spelmotor Frostbite. I avsnittet gör vi ett djupdyk i hur det är att lära ut spelutveckling och spelprogrammering. På The Game Assembly har de byggt en egen spelmotor som är till för att man ska lära sig - en “mopedmotor” för dataspelsutveckling som är enklare att förstå än komplexa motorer som Unreal och Unity. Vi diskuterar också vanliga utmaningar för nya elever inom spelprogrammering, vikten av att börja enkelt och inte överkomplicera system för tidigt, och skillnaden mellan yrkeshögskoleutbildningar och traditionella civilingenjörsutbildningar. Björn berättar även om sitt färgsystem OK-lab som nu används i CSS, Photoshop och Unity, samt sitt pågående spelprojekt Island Architect - ett kreativt byggspel inspirerat av europeisk kustarkitektur. Trevlig lyssning! Har du tankar om Spelskaparna, känner dig sugen på att delta i ett avsnitt eller kanske vill visa upp ett spel som du jobbar på - kom in på Spelskaparnas discord. Där har mysig stämning skapats och ett gäng utvecklare chattar om stort och smått. Hyser du starka aversioner mot Discord går det även bra att höra av sig på info@spelskaparna.se, @ollandin eller @saikyun. Länkar The Game Assembly Frostbite Engine DirectX 11 OK-lab färgmodell Island Architect Townscaper Tiny Glade Kiki's Delivery Service FMOD Wwise Audio Production Academy W3C - World Wide Web Consortium Chris Lilley

Send us a textGet insight into what other sellers are actually watching the most when it comes to growing on Amazon. These topics cover product listings, SEO, seller setup, A+ content, storefronts, and conversion rates. All original videos featured in this list are linked below so you can watch them in full for more details.Struggling to move your brand forward? Book a call and see what's really working for sellers like you: https://bit.ly/43N1bZDTop 10. How to Design Enhanced Brand Content A+ for Amazon Seller Central with Photoshop & Keyword Research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m45Cn7s2BZ0Top 9. Amazon Seller Identity Verification - Now with Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOQALWbVh_ETop 8. How to Rank #1 on Amazon with SEO (No PPC required): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYbA6U65cUc&t=29sTop 7. Amazon Brand Registry in 2022 - How to Get Brand Registry on Amazon [Full Guide of Benefits]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxxKUFjibywTop 6. How to Change Your Amazon Seller Central Seller Name - YES You Can Change Your Seller Central Name!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh8a3NHlxLoTop 5. Amazon PPC [Master Class] - ACOS Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gudIjpDMLtoTop 4. I Dry Fasted for 3 Days - How it Helps Me Become a Better Leader: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSEtlM6RXB0Top 3. Amazon - How to Build Enhanced Content using Brand Registry on Amazon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wzxxUdu5sgTop 2. How to Grow Amazon FBA Sales: Traffic & Conversion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VNxWOThrUc&t=10sTop 1. How to Create an Amazon Store Brand Storefront: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BBiOaMehpc&t=22s-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stay ahead of platform shifts, download the PPC guide sellers are using to adapt fast: https://bit.ly/4lF0OYXSelling across programs? The SEO toolkit helps you get found where it matters most: https://bit.ly/457zjSlDon't wait for customer drop-offs, download the Crisis Kit and protect your listings now: https://bit.ly/4maWHn0Stop chasing retail gimmicks, get serious about DTC and grow a brand you control: https://bit.ly/4kOz6rrTimestamps00:17 - #10: Designing A+ Content from Scratch00:41 - #9: New Seller Identity Verification Changes01:19 - #8: Steps to Rank #1 on Amazon01:56 - #7: Full Walkthrough of Brand Registry02:33 - #6: How to Change Seller Central Name03:14 - #5: Honest Amazon PPC Masterclass03:38 - #4: 74-Hour Fast & Seller Health Tips04:17 - #3: Beginner Enhanced Content Tips04:51 - #2: 2 Simple Ways to Grow Sales05:19 - #1: How to Use Amazon Storefronts-------------------------------------------------Follow us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguySubscribe to the My Amazon Guy podcast: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwSupport the show

In this episode, Jacob sits down with Joshua Meier, co-founder of Chai Discovery and former Chief AI Officer at Absci, to explore the breakthrough moment happening in AI drug discovery. They discuss how the field has evolved through three distinct waves, with the current generation of companies finally achieving success rates that seemed impossible just years ago.  The conversation covers everything from moving drug discovery out of the lab and into computers, to why AI models think differently than human chemists, to the strategic decisions around open sourcing foundational models while keeping design capabilities proprietary. It's an in-depth look at how AI is fundamentally changing pharmaceutical innovation and what it means for the future of medicine. Check out the full Chai-2 Zero-Shot Antibody report linked here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.05.663018v1.full.pdf (0:00) Intro(1:25) The Evolution of AI in Drug Discovery(5:14) Current State and Future of AI in Biotech(10:08) Challenges and Modalities in Therapeutics(14:44) Data Generation and Model Training(22:52) Open Source and Model Development at Chai(29:52) Open Source Models and Their Impact(34:36) How Should Chai-2 Be Used?(38:53) The Future of AI in Pharma and Biotech(42:46) Key Milestones and Metrics in AI-Driven Drug Discovery(47:20) Critiques and Hesitation(54:01) Quickfire Out-Of-Pocket: https://www.outofpocket.health/

In this week's episode, we take a look at the "personal curriculum" social media trend and look at how it can be useful for writers. This coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Cloak of Dragons, Book #1 in the Cloak Mage series, (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) at my Payhip store: FALLMAGIC50 The coupon code is valid through September 29, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook this fall, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 269 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is September 19th, 2025, and today I am looking at the idea of a personal curriculum for writers. We also have Coupon of the Week and a progress update on my current writing projects. So let's start things off with Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 50% off the audiobook of Cloak of Dragons, Book Number One in the Cloak Mage series (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy), at my Payhip store. And that coupon code is FALLMAGIC50. And as always, the coupon code and the links to my Payhip store will be available in the show notes of this episode. This coupon code will be valid through September the 29th, 2025. So if you need a new audiobook to listen to as we head into fall, we have got you covered. And now for an update on my current writing projects. I'm pleased to report that Blade of Flames is finished and by the time this episode goes live on what should be the 22nd, it should be available at all ebook stores. Initial impressions have been positive so far, so I hope you'll check that out and enjoy it. Now that Blade of Flames is finished and out in the world, my next main project will be Cloak of Worlds. After a year, I am finally getting back to Cloak Mage. I am now 21,000 words into it, and I'm hoping it will be out in October, though it might slip to November because I think this one might be a bit on the longer side. My secondary project is now Blade of Shadows, which is the second book in the Blades of Ruin series and the direct sequel to Blade of Flames. I'm a thousand words into that. In audiobook news, Shield of Power is still in processing and quality assurance at most of the audiobook stores. It is now available at, I think Google Play, Kobo, my own Payhip store, and a few others, but it's still not up on Audible, Apple, or Amazon yet, though hopefully that should be fixed soon. Recording on Ghost in the Siege is finished and we're just waiting on files so we can proof-listen to them. So some new audiobooks will be available before too much longer. So that's where I'm at with my current writing projects. 00:02:18 Personal Curriculum for Writers So let's move on to our main topic this week, the personal curriculum trend for writers. What is a personal curriculum? The trend of creating a personal curriculum has been going around social media for the past month or two. Basically, a personal curriculum uses a structure of an imaginary class to reframe your personal and professional development goals. It can be as simple as creating a set of reading to do in a month or as complex as creating a major project that will take many steps and months to complete. How does this work? Instead of having an undefined goal of wanting to learn how to learn more about how to market your books, you make yourself a course called Marketing Literature with Social Media, with a list of related books, videos, and tasks divided into blocks of time, just like the class would have things that are connected in each session. The key to the personal curriculum trend is having weekly goals and projects just like homework (and of course keeping up with it). Some people create monthly personal curriculum while others keep the more academic framework of quarters, terms, or semesters. Some people create multiple classes, while others focus on one at a time. The amount of detail in the curriculum's development ranges from scrawling a plan on a sheet of notebook paper to creating intricate Notion boards that are essentially a prettier version of an online course system used at universities. The personal curriculum trend is fueled by many things, including nostalgia for the structure of school and its relatively clear paths to success, the desire to spend less time doom scrolling on social media, and the desire to make goal setting more whimsical. Having clear and specific deadlines for completing tasks is one of the most important parts of goal setting, and that is at the center of the trend of creating personal curriculums. Most people spend 14 to 19 years in school (depending on the individual), so it's a structure that's familiar. It also takes an overwhelming and broad goal, such as learning about marketing and gives it focus by defining what is actually being learned and determining how to apply that to real tasks in a manageable way. It transforms the nebulous goal of learning something specific and also gives a clearer path on how to apply the learning into action. By design, it also emphasizes goals that can be done in weeks instead of years, which makes starting much less intimidating. Many people also need some outside accountability in order to work well, and this is a way of creating it for yourself. Being able to give yourself an “A” if you're completing your homework each week is a simple and free motivator for many. Since this is mostly a writing podcast, I want to discuss how the personal curriculum trend can be applied to writing goals and professional development for writers. To that end, I will share five ways that I think the trend can help you grow as a writer and make more specific and actionable goals. #1: Defining your priorities. There are endless things to learn both in life and as a writer, especially in the world of self-publishing. Therefore, it can be tempting to chase after every trend or every new thing that's working for other people. The problem with that is that it's impossible to do that in any meaningful or focused way. It's better to pick a focus for every month or every few months and gain as much proficiency as you can instead of dabbling at things without taking the time to understand them well and then bemoaning that they don't work. A month or a fake semester is still a narrow enough timeframe to pivot if you want to change your goals, instead of being locked into yearly goals. For example, I set specific goals for getting books out, and then each month is pretty well defined into writing, editing, cover design, layout, publishing, and marketing tasks for me based on each book. Other things I want to try, such as creating videos, doesn't fit within those specific goals because they're not the priority. Other things that are lesser priorities (like trying new effects in Photoshop for my book covers and ad images) are things that I know I can work on after finishing the primary goals I've set for myself each week. #2: Trying something new. The structure of a personal curriculum makes trying something new feel less intimidating. For example, “making my own book cover” is something of a massive and undefined goal. You know that's important and you want to do it, but you can never seem to get past watching a TikTok video or two on Photoshop when they come into your feed. By creating a course for yourself on learning how to use Photoshop and the best techniques for creating book covers and giving yourself homework of different things from your readings or viewings to try out, you give the goal a specific plan and tie what you're learning into actual tasks that will help you move forward and then make your learning stick by applying it in the right way. For example, what I did for myself to learn Photoshop well enough to do a book cover was during early COVID in 2020, I bought a couple of courses on it and took the courses. Now, I suppose that's something of more of an actual structured curriculum since someone set up that course, but you could do it for yourself with the same thing by getting The Beginner's Guide to Photoshop or (the some unfortunately titled) The Complete Idiot's Guide to Photoshop from your library, reading that, and then watching a few longer focused YouTube videos on the process of creating a book cover. And then that would give you enough to go on in terms of starting your own personal curriculum and then developing your own book covers. #3: Managing your time. With endless distractions, it's too easy to look at a week or even a month and wonder where the time went with little to show for it. In contrast, the school environment has a rigid time structure, even at the university level. There is never a question of where the time went there. Work must be done at a specific time, and you have to show up multiple times a week to learn more and prove you understand what you've learned already. People often struggle without that structure after graduation, especially people who thrived in the school environment. But there's no harm in recreating it for yourself, especially if you are one of those people who thrived in the academic world. For example, if you want to do research on a specific time period for your next book, creating a course defines what that means. Instead of endless scrolling and watching videos online, you define what the scope of needed research is before you begin, so you're spending your time more efficiently. If you pick out the books, videos, and what you specifically need to research for the plot in advance and give yourself a set amount of time to learn the material, you're spending your time more wisely and freeing up time for other tasks. For example, in my most recent book, Blade of Flames, part of one of the subplots is inspired by a period in English history called The Anarchy, which was the civil war in the early 12th century between Empress Maude and King Stephen for the throne of England. Now, I knew a fair bit about this period already because of other reading I've done, but if I wanted to learn more about it, the best way to do it would be to read a few books and some of the more accessible books by popular historians. Like for example, maybe the best way to learn enough about The Anarchy to base a book on it would be read some of the books by Dan Jones, who has written many excellent popular history books about the medieval and early modern English time period. #4: Professional development. Most professions have professional development where you have to keep your skills updated, whether you're a teacher who has to get re-certified, a doctor who has to learn new procedures, a system admin who has to learn the latest bugs Microsoft has baked into their software, and so forth. Writing is no different (especially if you're a self-published writer) because there's so many side skills like layout and web design and so forth that it's kind of helpful to keep up on. It's hard to carve time out for professional development because as a writer, it's time away from the task that actually gets you paid, which is writing new stuff. Learning or trying new things becomes something that either feels insurmountable or happens in a haphazard way that doesn't actually move things forward for you. A personal curriculum gives you the permission to carve out time to learn new things. It's easy to hyperfocus on writing and feel like anything else is less productive, but there are many parts to being a writer, especially for the self-published, so it's important to give yourself a structured way to explore new software, marketing strategies, and social media channels as they emerge. For example, to use something of a negative example, I rather notoriously have a very low opinion of the AI tools currently flooding the market like ChatGPT and Midjourney. That wasn't an opinion I arrived at haphazardly. I did thoroughly investigate each of these tools. I tried Adobe Firefly, I tried Midjourney, I tried Microsoft's ones, Bing Chat and Bing Image Create. I tried ChatGPT, I tried one other, I can't think of off the top of my head, and I just did not come away impressed with these tools or the capabilities. So I suppose that was a negative example of something I'm talking about, whereas a positive example would be in 2018, I started using a Mac program called Vellum to format my paper books. It was a lot easier and more useful than the method that I'd been using previously, and I was so impressed with that that I eventually switched over into using Vellum for my ebook formatting as well, and learned how to do that as well, and I've been using it ever since. So that'd be a positive example of professional development. #5: Holding Yourself Accountable. One of the most difficult things about writing is that it lacks the structure of a traditional job or school environment. For that reason, many high achievers tend to struggle with starting or completing tasks when they leave school. Creating specific goals and making a clear timeframe for completing them helps with that tendency. For that reason, some personal curriculum devotees will even assign class times on a certain day of the week or a certain time of the night to make sure they're on track with their goals or homework for the week. National Novel Writing Month has kind of crashed and burned from its scandals over the past year, but the principle of accountability in giving yourself a set period of time to do something is helpful there. In the same way, your homework for each day for writing could be a set number of words or a certain percentage of progress in editing. Did you spend that day looking at social media instead of getting words done? There is a grade for that and it's not a good one. “A” students complete their work and turn it in, and that's the core of writing, putting down words consistently and publishing them. Now, I suppose you could think that the personal curriculum thing seems like a silly social media trend, but for some people, especially people who really thrived in and enjoyed the academic environment in school, it might work in a way that average yearly goals do not. Studies show time and time again that the happiest adults are those with defined priorities who make time to learn new things and enjoy hobbies. A personal curriculum provides a way to emphasize those important things in your life in a more whimsical way than say, the various yearly evaluation goals of the corporate world. For writers, it can be a much-needed way to add structure to an unstructured work environment and make sure that they're spending their time in the best way possible. And it all boils down to essentially one of the oldest dictums: know thyself. If this kind of thing would not be helpful for you, then there's no point in pursuing it. But if you know yourself and know that you have the kind of personality and mental inclination that would respond well to structure like this (even if it's structure you're creating for yourself), then a personal curriculum might be a good idea to pursue. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. I reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.

The supply chain attacks on npm continue and this week, Crowdstrike's npm packages fell victim to the “Shai-Hulud” worm. To mitigate the potential of downloading these malicious packages, consider pinning specific package versions in JS projects and using 2FA to publish new package versions to npm.Also this week, WebAssembly Specification (Wasm) released v3.0. This version dramatically expands the memory Wasm apps can use, supports multiple memory usage, and now allows garbage collection.It's been a while since we last covered LLM options for folks who want to run their own models locally or in the browser, so Jack gives a quick rundown of some of the best options out today. There's WebLLM from MLC, MediaPipe from Google, and ONNX from Microsoft, and although none are easily interchangeable with another, if cost, privacy, or working offline are concerns of your LLM-enabled app, these may be good options to explore.Chapter Markers:00:58 - npm supply chain attack16:28 - Wasm 3.023:34 - LLM options in the browser34:41 - Jack's experience at CascadiaJS and a discussion on the value of in-person conferences in 202541:54 - GitHub's new MCP registry43:26 - Microsoft Paint is getting project files46:54 - What's making us happyLinks:Paige - “Shai-Hulud” supply chain attack on npm continues against Crowdstrike npm packages and pnpm 10.16 minimumReleaseAge settingJack - LLM options in the browser: WebLLM, MediaPipe, ONNXTJ - Wasm 3.0GitHub's new MCP registryMicrosoft Paint is getting its own Photoshop-like project filesPaige - Great British Bake Off season 16 is back!Jack - YoyosTJ - phishyurl.comThanks as always to our sponsor, the Blue Collar Coder channel on YouTube. You can join us in our Discord channel, explore our website and reach us via email, or talk to us on X, Bluesky, or YouTube.Front-end Fire websiteBlue Collar Coder on YouTubeBlue Collar Coder on DiscordReach out via emailTweet at us on X @front_end_fireFollow us on Bluesky @front-end-fire.comSubscribe to our YouTube channel @Front-EndFirePodcast

In this episode, Conor and Bryce chat with Sean Parent about Rust and AI!Link to Episode 252 on WebsiteDiscuss this episode, leave a comment, or ask a question (on GitHub)SocialsADSP: The Podcast: TwitterConor Hoekstra: Twitter | BlueSky | MastodonBryce Adelstein Lelbach: TwitterAbout the Guest:Sean Parent is a senior principal scientist and software architect managing Adobe's Software Technology Lab. Sean first joined Adobe in 1993 working on Photoshop and is one of the creators of Photoshop Mobile, Lightroom Mobile, and Lightroom Web. In 2009 Sean spent a year at Google working on Chrome OS before returning to Adobe. From 1988 through 1993 Sean worked at Apple, where he was part of the system software team that developed the technologies allowing Apple's successful transition to PowerPC.Show NotesDate Recorded: 2025-08-21Date Released: 2025-09-19C++ Under the SeaBetter codeAdobe ASL Adam & Eve ArchitectureAdobe Software Technology LabASL LibrariesRust Programming LanguageIntro Song InfoMiss You by Sarah Jansen https://soundcloud.com/sarahjansenmusicCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-miss-youMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/iYYxnasvfx8

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:45:00 GMT http://relay.fm/material/534 http://relay.fm/material/534 Andy Ihnatko and Florence Ion Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows _and_ Photoshop. Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows _and_ Photoshop. clean 5173 Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows and Photoshop. This episode of Material is sponsored by: Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting. Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code material50off Links and Show Notes: Announcing Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) Reddit Seeks to Strike Next AI Content Pact With Google, OpenAI Google's experimental Windows app is better than Microsoft's built-in search Search Labs Nano Banana is coming to Adobe Photoshop

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:45:00 GMT http://relay.fm/material/534 http://relay.fm/material/534 Google Inserting Itself 534 Andy Ihnatko and Florence Ion Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows _and_ Photoshop. Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows _and_ Photoshop. clean 5173 Google has just empowered bots to spend your money, and Reddit is seeking more intimacy. Plus, how Google is inserting itself into Windows and Photoshop. This episode of Material is sponsored by: Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting. Factor: Healthy, fully-prepared food delivered to your door. Use code material50off Links and Show Notes: Announcing Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) Reddit Seeks to Strike Next AI Content Pact With Google, OpenAI Google's experimental Windows app is better than Microsoft's built-in search Search Labs Nano Banana is coming to Adobe Photoshop Support

Improve your sleep today! Head to https://evening.ver.so/toe to get 15% off your first order of Verso's Nightcap Elixir. As a listener of TOE you can get a special 20% off discount to The Economist and all it has to offer! Visit https://www.economist.com/toe Live from MIT Media Lab's Augmentation Lab Summit, I speak with Andres Gomez-Emilsson of the Qualia Research Institute about modeling consciousness and rendering it. You haven't seen psychedelic visuals /experiences explained like this before. We separate qualia from sensory input and map the “geometry” of experience through color—synesthesia, pure hues, after-images, and “is your blue my blue?” Andres demos QRI's GPU tool, a Photoshop for psychedelia built on coupled oscillators and feedback. It recreates LSD/psilocybin's fractal tapestries, DMT's entity-like mirror tunnels, global synchrony, and “white-out.” We cover “psychedelic thermodynamics,” neural annealing and valence flips, and pseudo-time—loops and timeless stretches. The episode makes a case for real-time, in-state phenomenology over questionnaires. This was specifically structured to be informative to both those who have never experienced psychedelics and those who are, let's say, well acquainted. Thank you to Dunya Baradari, Addy Cha, and Andres, of course. Join My New Substack (Personal Writings): https://curtjaimungal.substack.com Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b9... SUPPORT: Become a YouTube Member (Early Access Videos):    / @theoriesofeverything   Support me on Patreon:   / curtjaimungal   Support me on Crypto: https://commerce.coinbase.com/checkou... Support me on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_... Twitter:   / toewithcurt   Discord Invite:   / discord   SOCIALS: Guests do not pay to appear. Theories of Everything receives revenue solely from viewer donations, platform ads, and clearly labelled sponsors; no guest or associated entity has ever given compensation, directly or through intermediaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The main video for this post is a tutorial showing how to process images of the recent total lunar eclipse, and two other related videos. Visit https://mbp.ac/848 to view the videos and see links.

The main video for this post is a tutorial showing how to process images of the recent total lunar eclipse, and two other related videos. Visit https://mbp.ac/848 to view the videos and see links.

Bellio's New Hairsytyle makes noise all-over Instagram!

In this episode, Conor and Bryce interview Sean Parent about his upcoming keynote at C++ Under the Sea!Link to Episode 251 on WebsiteDiscuss this episode, leave a comment, or ask a question (on GitHub)SocialsADSP: The Podcast: TwitterConor Hoekstra: Twitter | BlueSky | MastodonBryce Adelstein Lelbach: TwitterAbout the Guest:Sean Parent is a senior principal scientist and software architect managing Adobe's Software Technology Lab. Sean first joined Adobe in 1993 working on Photoshop and is one of the creators of Photoshop Mobile, Lightroom Mobile, and Lightroom Web. In 2009 Sean spent a year at Google working on Chrome OS before returning to Adobe. From 1988 through 1993 Sean worked at Apple, where he was part of the system software team that developed the technologies allowing Apple's successful transition to PowerPC.Show NotesDate Recorded: 2025-08-21Date Released: 2025-09-12C++ Under the SeaAre We There Yet? - The Future of C++ Software Development - Sean Parent - C++Now 2025A Possible Future of Software Development - Sean Parent - Google Tech Talk 2008Sean Parent Zurich C++ Meetupcareers.adobe.comIntro Song InfoMiss You by Sarah Jansen https://soundcloud.com/sarahjansenmusicCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-miss-youMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/iYYxnasvfx8

“If you look very intensely and slowly things will happen that you never dreamed of before.” This Aaron Siskind quote neatly sums up the deeply contemplative discussion we had with landscape photographers John Paul Caponigro and Joel Simpson in this week's podcast. Siskind's name is mentioned several times in our chat—as are many other 20th century photography legends—making this show both an exploration of photo history and an exercise in a holistic way to envision and record the world around us. Our focus on landscape quickly diverges from realistic depictions in favor of terrain that celebrates abstraction and metaphor. Follow along as we unpack the unwieldy term Pareiolia—the tendency to see familiar things in otherwise random patterns—and discover unique pathways to relate to the natural world. As John Paul Caponigro aptly points out, “I think of every exposure that I make as having a conversation with the subject and myself. I think of every move that I make in Photoshop as having a conversation with the image that started one way and is developing in another. And I ask, you know, what does the image want?”   Guests: John Paul Caponigro & Joel Simpson   Episode Timeline: 3:30: Joel Simpson describes his early landscapes as a way to re-experience being elsewhere. 9:24: Pareidolia: what it means and its relationship to Joel's photographs. 13:24: John Paul's relationship to the term pareidolia: a way to find patterns and make sense out of chaos. 19:12: The influence of Gestalt psychology when interpreting abstract patterns and photographing the bare bones of the earth. 24:55: Differences between making pictures with the aid of pre-visualization vs going in empty and refining ones' vision in post using digital tools. Plus insights about getting beyond the imitation phase to find a path to originality in your work. 35:58: How do you know when your unique vision from the pictures you make are ready to be released into the world? 42:12: Episode Break 43:24: John Paul's approach to post-processing—using the tools as a laboratory to make multiple iterations. 47:00: Joel describes the discoveries he made when finessing photos of a wonderous landscape from Zhangjiajie, China. 50:21: How does AI factor into crafting an authentic vision, plus the mind as the original AI. 1:03:18: Using photography to tap into things that haven't yet been discovered and elicit a sense of wonder from viewers' responses. 1:06:50: Joel and John Paul talk about the places that inspire their respective photographic projects.   Guest Bios: John Paul Caponigro is a digital media pioneer, combining his painting background with a variety of photographic processes using the latest in digital technology. His work is about the perception of nature and the nature of perception. Widely respected as an authority on creativity, photography, and fine art printing, John Paul's images and writings are widely published in periodicals and books, and he's been a contributing editor to a variety of magazines and websites. He's also author of the video training series R/Evolution and the book “Adobe Photoshop Master Class,” now in its second edition. As a highly sought-after speaker and educator, John Paul has presented lectures and workshops around the globe. His art has been exhibited internationally, and his prints are housed in numerous public and private collections. Select clients include Adobe, Apple, Canon, Kodak, and Sony, and he is a member of the Photoshop Hall of Fame, Epson's Stylus Pros, and X-Rite's Coloratti.   Joel Simpson began making pictures as a teen in the 1960s, turning pro in 2002. Since that time, he's had more than 50 exhibitions in the US and abroad. His work has also been widely published and received numerous awards, including a Nautilus Gold Award for Art and Photography for his 2019 book Earthforms: Intimate Portraits of our Planet. His new book, Faces in the Rocks: Beyond Landscape to Psycho-Geological Photography, organizes his discoveries about the aesthetics of abstract and figurative forms in the earth, concluding with a tongue-in-cheek collection of imagined extra-terrestrial landscapes and future cityscapes. In addition to his career in photography, Simpson holds a PhD in comparative literature, and spent 22 years as a professional jazz pianist. He lives in Union, New Jersey.   Stay Connected: John Paul Caponigro Website Instagram Facebook YouTube 1980's Guardian advertisement “Multiple Points of View”   Joel Simpson Website Instagram YouTube   Credits: Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

It's another mixed bag of business topics on this week's episode of the pod: X's Head of Product shares the suspiciously simple playbook to getting rich on the platform, Google's “Photoshop Killer” is officially on the loose, emerging thoughts on pivoting away from the Philippines for outsourcing remote talent, luxury lifestyle for a fraction of the cost in Thailand, and more. Quick reminder that we'll be in Bangkok next month with Dynamite Circle for a week of sheer business nerdery. Details in the links below! LINKS Hang out with us at DCBKK in Bangkok this October (https://dynamitecircle.com/dcbkk) Connect with 7+ figure founders and join us in NYC this December (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) X's Head of Product shares how to get rich on X in 6 months (https://x.com/nikitabier/status/1963498520805007470) Google's “Photoshop killer” Nano Banana (https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/) Nick Huber's thoughts on outsourcing to the Philippines in 2025 (https://x.com/sweatystartup/status/1963588036102348943) Dan's next read (https://www.amazon.com/100M-Money-Models-Make-Acquisition-com-ebook/dp/B0FMXTZ4MH) This week's sponsor: https://spp.co “Your billing, onboarding & projects in one client portal” (https://spp.co/) 22 FREE business resources for location-independent entrepreneurs (https://tropicalmba.com/resources) CHAPTERS Audio: (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:29) How to Get Rich on X in 6 Months (00:04:51) How to Stay Consistent with Content (00:10:14) Google's “Photoshop Killer”: Nano Banana (00:13:58) PH No Longer a Hotspot for Remote Recruiting?
 (00:18:29) Sponsor Shout-out: SPP.co
 (00:19:47) Luxury Location-Independent Lifestyle in Thailand
 (00:27:22) Hits of the Week: Hormozi, Feldman, DCBKK CONNECT: Dan@tropicalmba.com Ian@tropicalmba.com Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella. PLAYLIST: Why $120K From Your Biz Beats $150K at a Job (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/balancing-wealth-freedom-mindset) The Content Flywheel Behind a 7-Figure Education Business ft. Timothy Moser (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/content-flywheel-behind-7-figure-business) Health Advice That Goes Against Everything You Know ft. Jay Feldman (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/health-advice-against-everything-you-know) The Freedom Line, 7+ Figure Founders, and Extended DCBKK Recap (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/dcbkk-recap-2023)

Step inside the retouching revolution with Hollywood movie poster finisher and Photoshop educator Lisa Carney. In this in-depth conversation, we explore how retouching is being transformed by AI, mobile workflows, and the demand for faster, smarter delivery — without sacrificing creativity or taste.Lisa reveals how she builds production-ready files that can handle endless revisions, prepares composites for print, and integrates Lightroom Mobile and Photoshop on iPad into her professional pipeline.If you're into photography, videography, or the business of images, this episode is full of practical advice. Whether you're an amateur photographer, a working pro, or building a creative business, this is your backstage pass to the cutting edge of retouching.

What if the secret to success isn't having all the answers, but embracing the unknown? In this episode of The Overlap Podcast, hosts Sid Sexton and Keith Glines dive deep into what it really means to learn as you go in business, fitness, and life. From messy starts and stubborn pivots to the surprising lessons of parenting and jiu-jitsu, they reveal why staying open-minded and humble might be the most valuable skill an entrepreneur can develop. You'll hear candid stories about running companies without perfect plans, pivoting when things don't work, and keeping momentum even when failure feels relentless. This is a raw, practical look at how growth often comes from trial, error, and the courage to keep going. What You Will Learn Why entrepreneurs must get comfortable with ambiguity and limited information. The fine line between stubbornness and knowing when to pivot. How parenting and jiu-jitsu mirror the challenges of business ownership. Practical strategies for controlling negative self-talk. Why humility and openness to younger voices can fuel long-term success. Key Topics Discussed The role of mental health in an entrepreneur's ability to pivot. Why making money quickly is usually a myth in business. The danger of ignoring market signals (Henry Ford's “buggy whip” lesson). How new creative tools like Canva are replacing old standards like Photoshop. What parenting teaches us about learning on the fly. How resilience in jiu-jitsu reflects resilience in entrepreneurship. Memorable Quotes “If you're going to be an entrepreneur, you have to be okay operating with limited information.” – Sid “Competition—whether in business or jiu-jitsu—is mostly mindset. If you just keep showing up, eventually you get there.” – Keith “It takes humility to know you don't know everything—and that you can learn from everyone.” – Sid Sponsor Spotlight Content Fresh – Growing The Overlap Podcast's social reach by 2,235%. Ready to scale your brand? Visit Content Fresh. Barranco & Associates – More than tax prep, Johnny Barranco helps align your finances with your future. Connect at Barranco & Associates. C2 Wealth Strategies – Build long-term financial freedom with Wes Cody's team. Start today at C2 Wealth. Roadmap for Growth – Scale your service business with proven systems from Chris Francis & Rick Miller. Learn more at TreeBusiness.com. Transcript Excerpts [00:06:35] Keith: “Being an entrepreneur really is learning as you go. Most of us didn't follow a perfect plan—we just had to figure it out along the way.” [00:23:06] Sid: “When my oldest came out of the hospital, the fear hit me. Parenting teaches you to learn as you go better than anything else.” [00:34:40] Sid: “Keith just kept coming back to jiu-jitsu tournaments. That persistence—showing up even when you lose—is the same persistence you need in business.” Conclusion Learning as you go isn't a fallback—it's the way forward. Whether in business, parenting, or the gym, success comes from being open, adaptable, and willing to keep moving through uncertainty. Try applying just one “learn as you go” mindset shift this week—and share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs encouragement.

The Midjourney Fast Hours crew hits episode 50…and immediately forgets to throw a party. Instead, Drew and Rory stumble into a killer trick inside the brand-new Style Explorer (yes, that hidden Smart Search → Styles move), while guest Allar Haltsonen cheerfully roasts their “we'll plan it later” energy and shows how RAW can completely flip a style's look. They blitz through v7.1 notes, v8 teasers, and real-world Midjourney Video settings (SD vs HD, Loop vs Motion) before going full Nano Banana: Freepik in-app inpainting, aspect-ratio hiccups, and a slick Photoshop plug-in workflow. If you care about consistent aesthetics, faster iteration, and finding SREF styles without burning credits, this one's pure potassium.Search hooks & keywords: Midjourney Style Explorer, SREF / SREF style codes, Smart Search trick, RAW parameter, v7.1, v8, Midjourney Video settings, Loop vs Motion, SD vs HD, OREF, Nano Banana, Freepik inpainting, Photoshop plug-in, fashion swaps, cinematic angles, moodboards, style weight, stylize.---⏱️ Midjourney Fast Hour00:00 — Episode 50?! housekeeping + cold open00:06 — The “like & subscribe” bit (tell your mom, dog, everyone)01:19 — What's new + Allar intro; Office Hours headlines01:49 — Style Explorer lands (why it matters for credits)02:30 — How it works: SRF codes, Explore tab, filters (Top/Hot/Day)05:07 — The pain of saving/organizing favorite SRFs06:07 — “Did they rotate styles?” + early content observations07:13 — Preview layout (character / environment / object)08:11 — Surprise: RAW massively changes some styles10:38 — The curly-brace RAW syntax gotcha during live tests14:36 — Smart Search → Styles hack (the hidden gem)18:34 — Image as SREF, weighting, and moodboard workflows23:40 — Office Hours: v7.1, OREF improvements, draft mode, v8 path25:48 — v8 is the big model rev; video waits until v8 ships26:49 — Midjourney Video: manual vs auto; motion vs loop30:23 — SD vs HD trade-offs (costs, quality)33:04 — When to upscale before animating (text handling quirks)35:29 — Profiles, friend rooms, global rooms, prompt battles37:26 — Discord nostalgia: forgetting “/imagine” (oops)38:22 — Nano Banana deep dive: why it's workflow-changing40:40 — Where to run it: Freepik, KREA, Google AI Studio, Higgsfield41:01 — Aspect-ratio hiccups & hacks in Freepik44:15 — In-app inpainting & reference characters in Freepik45:00 — Nano Banana Photoshop plug-in (enable & flow)48:25 — Pro tip: consistency over heavy retouching50:54 — World-building workflows: zooms, angles, new actions53:20 — Consistency challenges: missing doors, mismatched details56:00 — Adding characters & branded clothing to complex scenes58:20 — Character sheets + compositing tricks for consistency01:00:09 — Compositing disruption: Photoshop harmonize & Nano01:02:12 — Time-lapse edits (dust, rust, lighting changes)01:04:39 — True world-building: multiple lives & story arcs01:06:28 — Keep/change prompt trick for Nano Banana01:07:09 — Pushing realism: Nano Banana vs raw Midjourney01:08:42 — New media: character-as-influencer storytelling01:10:20 — Rosebud & branching narrative experiments01:11:46 — Simulation talk: where storytelling is heading01:12:45 — Wrap-up

Braga, King, and Ski talk: :15: Oregon's perfect win over Montana State, the elite WR play, no block no rock, defensive speed, Benson standing out, insane RB depth, hiding dicks in Photoshop. 32:55: Oklahoma State trivia, wild AFC West takes. 49:03: B1G betting lines. 1:08:47: Top 3 cowboys.

Send us a textAI isn't just about writing better emails anymore—it's about creating visuals that sell. In this episode, Jeremy introduces Nano Banana, Google's new AI image-generation tool, and breaks down exactly how sports teams can use it to move more merchandise, sell more tickets, and close bigger sponsorships. If you've ever wished you could create pro-level visuals in minutes instead of weeks, this episode shows you how.See all of the mock-ups and designs Jeremy made here: Episode 130Key Topics CoveredWhat Nano Banana is and why it's like “Canva on steroids”How to use AI visuals to test merchandise concepts and launch pre-order campaigns risk-freeQuick-win strategies to boost ticket sales with AI-generated graphics and personalized fan contentBounce-back offers: using visuals to re-engage fans right after gamesSponsorship mock-ups that turn “maybe” into “heck yes” during pitchesTime-saving workflows for marketing teams without huge budgets or staffThe three-step approach to testing Nano Banana in your operation (pick one bucket, run a 30-day test, track results)Why early adopters of AI visuals will outpace their competitionTimestamps(00:00) Intro: The revenue power of AI visuals(01:06) What is Nano Banana?(03:26) Three big reasons it matters: time, money, and new possibilities(03:54) Revenue bucket #1: Merchandise mockups & pre-order testing(05:39) Revenue bucket #2: Ticket sales promotions, bounce-back offers, and personalization(10:15) Revenue bucket #3: Sponsorship mockups, player content, and mascot marketing(12:37) Why better visuals sell better(14:59) Where to start: a simple 4-step process(17:21) Main takeawaysMain TakeawaysNano Banana isn't a gimmick—it's a real revenue driver for sports teams.Start small with merchandise mockups for quick wins.Expand into ticket sales and sponsorships once you see results.Early adopters who build repeatable AI workflows will win big.Call to Action Share this episode with a colleague stuck in Photoshop or Canva who needs faster, smarter ways to create visuals. Want help mapping AI into your team's revenue strategy? DM Jeremy or schedule a call at SportsMarketingMachine.comLinks mentioned: Google GeminiEpisode: 122 - 9 ways to use ChatGPT to help you sell more ticketsEpisode 117 - Good Deal or Bad Strategy? The Right Way to Use Loss LeadersEpisode 115  - “We Miss You”: The Email That Brings Fans BackEpisode 103 - Personalize It - Why it Works (Part 1)Episode 101 - 6 Fan Experience Lessons Learned from Going to Disneyland.Sports Marketing Machine on LinkedInSports Marketing Machine on InstagramBook a call with Jeremy from Sports Marketing Machine

In this episode, Conor and Bryce interview Sean Parent about his thoughts on AI, its impact on the software industry and society, and more!Link to Episode 250 on WebsiteDiscuss this episode, leave a comment, or ask a question (on GitHub)SocialsADSP: The Podcast: TwitterConor Hoekstra: Twitter | BlueSky | MastodonBryce Adelstein Lelbach: TwitterAbout the Guest:Sean Parent is a senior principal scientist and software architect managing Adobe's Software Technology Lab. Sean first joined Adobe in 1993 working on Photoshop and is one of the creators of Photoshop Mobile, Lightroom Mobile, and Lightroom Web. In 2009 Sean spent a year at Google working on Chrome OS before returning to Adobe. From 1988 through 1993 Sean worked at Apple, where he was part of the system software team that developed the technologies allowing Apple's successful transition to PowerPC.Show NotesDate Recorded: 2025-08-21Date Released: 2025-09-05Snowcrash by Neal StephensonTech LayoffslumeWall-EAltered CarbonTerminatorIntro Song InfoMiss You by Sarah Jansen https://soundcloud.com/sarahjansenmusicCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-miss-youMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/iYYxnasvfx8

Episode 153: Is the 'Nanobanana' the End of Photoshop?This week, we're diving into the good, the bad, and the slightly uncanny with Google's new Gemini Flash 2.5 image editor, a.k.a. the "Nanobanana." This groundbreaking tool uses simple text prompts to make complex image edits, but is it a genuine replacement for traditional software like Photoshop? We'll break down the pros and cons, including its impressive speed and character consistency, as well as its surprising flaws and heavy censorship.In this episode, we're covering:The rise of a new AI image editor that promises to simplify complex tasks and boost creative productivity.The massive capital being invested in AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic and what it means for the future of the industry.A look at the surprising link between AI adoption and a 13% decline in jobs for young adults.A "great take" on how people who can think without AI may gain a huge advantage over those who become entirely dependent on it.Why some employers are going back to paper resumes to prevent AI, and what that says about authenticity in the age of automation.@shakoistsLog

Hey friends, Chase here. I'm writing this from the beach, staring at the ocean, and I've got one big reminder for you today: You are your future. Sure, AI is everywhere. New tools pop up daily. You've probably seen the tweets: “Anyone can type a prompt and become a world-class designer, writer, photographer.” Sounds nice. But let's be real—that's not how this works. You make the work. Not the tools. AI is powerful. No doubt. But it's still just a tool. A $10,000 camera won't make you Ansel Adams. And a shiny new AI app won't magically give you taste, vision, or experience. Those come from the reps—from showing up, failing, refining, and creating again. So if you've spent years honing your craft, here's the truth: You're at an advantage. Your taste, scars, and hard-won skills can't be downloaded. And no AI prompt can replicate them. Here's what we get into: Why your creative vision is the differentiator that separates pros from amateurs How fluency in your craft helps you direct tools (instead of guessing with them) Why every new tool—from Photoshop to AI—is just another layer on the same creative job How to flip the “AI makes me obsolete” narrative into fuel for your next chapter Why your fundamentals—taste, style, voice—matter more now than ever The big idea? The tool is the least important part of the work. You don't need to become a “prompt engineer.” You just need to keep showing up as the creative badass you already are—one who adapts, experiments, and leads with vision. Keep pushing, keep experimenting, and above all—make work only you can make.

Google officially released Gemini 2.5 this week, with possibly the best AI name yet, Nano Banana. Many are saying this is now the top dog for image generation and spells the end for Photoshop. At the other end of the spectrum, Taco Bell is rethinking its AI ordering in the drive-thru. Plus, we get you caught up on the rest of the week's tech news. All so you can get out there and tech better. Watch on YouTube! - Notnerd.com and Notpicks.com INTRO (00:00) Mr. Beast Team Water (03:15) Apple Event - September 9th, 2025 (05:35) MAIN TOPIC: Nano Banana (06:30) Google improves Gemini AI image editing with “nano banana” model 10 crazy Nano Banana AI image use cases that will blow your mind Google's official Nano Banana prompt guide Image editing in Gemini just got a major upgrade DAVE'S PRO-TIP OF THE WEEK:  Use built-in translation app as a foreign dictionary (13:55) JUST THE HEADLINES: (18:00) Florida deploys robot rabbits to control invasive Burmese python population Scientists unlock secret to thick, stable beer foams Rare snail has a 1-in-40,000 chance of finding a mate. New Zealand begins the search Your Word documents will be saved to the cloud automatically on Windows going forward World's first 1-step method by US-China team turns plastic into fuel at 95% efficiency Humans inhale as much as 68,000 microplastic particles daily, study finds Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce's engagement announcement breaks Instagram record TAKES: Taco Bell rethinks future of voice AI at the drive-thru (22:10) Nothing busted using professional photos as Phone 3 samples (24:10) Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features (27:55) TransUnion says hackers stole 4.4 million customers' personal information (31:10) BONUS ODD TAKE: Snapshots of Kids Bike Jumping in the 1970s (33:35) PICKS OF THE WEEK:  Dave:  DuoLingo - freemium (37:20) Nate: 2 Pack Anker USB C Charger with Foldable Plug, 20W USB C Charger Block for iPhone 16/15 and More Series, Galaxy, Pixel, iPad (Cable Not Included) (45:00) RAMAZON PURCHASE OF THE WEEK (49:40)

Is this the beginning of the end for Photoshop, stock photography, and traditional ad shoots?In this episode of Leveraging AI,  Isar Meitis dives headfirst into the wildly capable new Gemini 2.5 Flash image generation tool, also called “Nano Banana.” Here's the twist: It's not just about creating images. It's about building scalable, repeatable, hyper-custom content pipelines that save weeks of work and thousands in budget with zero design skills required.In this session, you'll discover:What exactly is Gemini 2.5 Flash (Nano Banana) and how it differs from ChatGPT or MidjourneyHow to create realistic, brand-consistent images from nothing more than a sketch and a sentenceWhy image consistency, layering, and template reusability are a game-changer for marketing teamsHow to transform product shots, team headshots, and social ad campaigns in minutesThe “dangerously easy” way anyone can now create deepfakes and why that's a double-edged swordReal-world, business-relevant use cases: from eCommerce to real estate, design, ad testing, and product mockupsHow to scale image creation with workflows using tools like Weavy and upscaling solutionsWhy this is the beginning of a major disruption in content production and how you can stay aheadWhat's still missing: resolution limits, lack of layers, and where AI tooling must evolve nextAbout Leveraging AI The Ultimate AI Course for Business People: https://multiplai.ai/ai-course/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Multiplai_AI/ Connect with Isar Meitis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isarmeitis/ Join our Live Sessions, AI Hangouts and newsletter: https://services.multiplai.ai/events If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Entérate de lo que está cambiando el podcasting y el marketing digital:-Joe Budden lleva su pódcast a Patreon. -El audio y el podcasting brillan en Londres.-El fenómeno del true crime conquista audiencias globales.-Google desafía el dominio de Photoshop con su nuevo editor de IA.Patrocinios ¿Estás pensando en anunciar tu negocio, producto o pódcast en México? En RSS.com y RSS.media tenemos la solución. Contamos con un amplio catálogo de pódcast para conectar tu mensaje con millones de oyentes en México y LATAM. Escríbenos a ventas@rss.com y haz crecer tu idea con nosotros.Entérate, en solo cinco minutos, sobre las noticias, herramientas, tips y recursos que te ayudarán a crear un pódcast genial y exitoso. Subscríbete a la “newsletter“ de Via Podcast.

The photo world is filled with remarkable young and up-and-coming talents. They often don't get the visibility they deserve, so we created Next Frame—a new monthly series aiming to shine a light their way. These bite-sized episodes are equally inspired by the guests we speak with and the invaluable contributions of local creative arts programs that have played a key role in their development. We're launching this series with photographer, filmmaker, and boxing & music aficionado Josh Nass, an alumnus of Baltimore's Wide Angle Youth Media programs. From nailing his Photoshop skills while still in middle school to trading in his boxing gloves for a camera during college and beyond, Josh regales us with practical tips about both the successes and challenges all young creatives must face as they transition from trading pictures for access to molding media skills into a profitable career. Looking back on his early days chasing both music and fashion scenes, Josh notes, “Your main role as a photographer—especially with talent and famous people—you know, I thought I was just making them look cool, but I'm making them money. I'm marketing them for their next tour, for their current tour. Looking back, I've learned a thing or two about how to get users' attention online.” Guest: Josh Nass   Episode Timeline: 2:04: Baltimore/DC-based photographer Josh Nass talks about first picking up a camera to fill his time after hanging up his boxing gloves. 3:40: Leveraging social media to get on stage and photograph his favorite Caribbean singer, then trading free pictures for ongoing access. 7:25: Navigating one's comfort level as an up-and-coming photographer, plus making a distinction between comfort with gear and social ease with subjects and clients. 9:08: Making pictures of cool moments, creative editing decisions to draw out the cool factor, and being first to deliver the files are all key to Josh's success. 14:02: Street hustling at New York Fashion Week to gain access to photograph top artists and celebrities, and the tough lessons Josh learned in the process. 19:06: Josh's connection to Baltimore's Wide Angle Youth Media and the formative role their programs have played in his early photography success. 22:50: Being referred by Wide Angle for a Comcast commercial, and the backstory to what transpired behind-the-scenes.  29:49: Josh weighs future career options and whether he'll choose to pursue photography full time.  35:40: Essential advice for emerging photographers: Prioritize building your skills and don't overvalue your work early on. Plus, a look at Josh's first big paid gig for a Keke Palmer concert and marketing campaign.    Guest Bio: Josh Nass is a Baltimore/DC-based freelance photographer and a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he's pursuing a bachelor's degree in information science. As a high school graduate of The Baltimore School for the Arts and a participant Baltimore's Wide Angle Youth Media non-profit, he's honed his subject-based style to give each of his shoots, whether its celebrities, musicians, athletes, or models, a unique “wow” factor.   Stay Connected: Website Instagram Facebook Wide Angle Youth / Comcast Video   Host: Derek Fahsbender Senior Creative Producer: Jill Waterman Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

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Nano Banana is no longer a mystery.Google officially released Gemini 2.5 Flash Image on Tuesday (AKA Nano Banana), revealing it was the company behind the buzzy AI image model that had the internet talking. But... what does it actually do? And how can you put it to work for you? Find out in our newish weekly segment, AI at Work on Wednesdays.Newsletter: Sign up for our free daily newsletterMore on this Episode: Episode PageJoin the discussion: Thoughts on this? Join the convo and connect with other AI leaders on LinkedIn.Upcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTopics Covered in This Episode:Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (Nano Banana) RevealBenchmark Scores: Gemini 2.5 Flash Image vs. CompetitionMultimodal Model Capabilities ExplainedCharacter Consistency in AI Image GenerationAdvanced Image Editing: Removal and Object ControlIntegration with Google AI Studio and APIReal-World Business Use Cases for Gemini 2.5Live Demos: Headshots, Mockups, and InfographicsGemini 2.5 Flash Image Pricing and LimitsIterative Prompting for AI Image CreationTimestamps:00:00 "AI Highlights: Google's Gemini 2.5"06:17 "Nano Banana AI Features"09:58 "Revolutionizing Photo Editing Tools"12:31 "Nano Banana: Effortless Video Updating"14:39 "Impressions on Nano Banana"19:24 AI Growth Strategies Unlocked20:58 Turning Selfie into Professional Headshot24:48 AI-Enhanced Headshots and Team Photos29:51 "3D AI Logo Mockups"32:22 Improved Logo Design Review35:41 Photoshop Shortcut Critique38:50 Deconstructive Design with Logos44:01 "Transform Diagrams Into Presentations"46:12 "Refining AI for Jaw-Dropping Results"Keywords:Gemini 2.5, Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, Nano Banana, Google AI, Google DeepMind, AI image generation, multimodal model, AI photo editing, image manipulation, text-to-image model, image editing AI, large language model, character consistency, AI headshot generator, real estate image editing, product mockup generator, smart image blending, style transfer AI, Google AI Studio, LM Arena, Elo score, AI watermarks, synthID fingerprint, Photoshop alternative, AI-powered design, generative AI, API integration, Adobe integration, AI for business, visual content creation, creative AI tools, professional image editing, iterative prompting, interior design AI, infographic generator, training material visuals, A/B test variations, marketing asset creation, production scaling, image benchmark, AI output watermark, cost-effective AI images, scalable AI infrastructure, prompt-based editing, natural language image editing, OpenAI GPT-4o image, benchmarking leader, visSend Everyday AI and Jordan a text message. (We can't reply back unless you leave contact info) Ready for ROI on GenAI? Go to youreverydayai.com/partner

This is a preview of a premium episode on Design Better. Head to our Substack to get access to the full episode: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/elizabeth-lin Have you played around with Cursor? If not, it's time. Designers with no coding skills are passing Cursor Figma files and getting working apps out the other side. And if you have no design, you can just prompt this AI powered development environment to get a solid prototype of your idea. Elizabeth Lin, founder of Design is a Party, recognizes that Cursor is going to expand the capabilities of designers. She's built a course that introduces designers to Cursor and challenges you to build while you design. We talk with Elizabeth about how she's using AI tools like Cursor to help designers prototype faster than ever before, why she thinks now might be the perfect time to try something new in your career, and what's missing from traditional design education. Elizabeth also shares what she's learned about "vibe coding," why debugging is the hardest skill for new students to master, and how she's building a business around the idea that learning should feel more like a party than work. By the way, you may have heard that we just launched the Design Better Toolkit, a collection of resources we love and use regularly. The Toolkit gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. One of Elizabeth's courses, Prototyping with Cursor, just happens to be a part of this bundle. You'll get $100 off her course, as well as a $500 credit towards Airtable, discounts on Read.ai, Perplexity, Miro, and other tools, and discounts on other courses from platforms like ShiftNudge. To get access you'll need to be a Design Better Premium member at the annual subscription level. Visit dbtr.co/toolkit to learn more. Bio Elizabeth is a design educator with 10 years of experience whose love for design began in the early internet days of Neopets, creating playful graphics and websites with tools like MS Paint. She went on to study computer science at UC Berkeley, where she discovered a community of design enthusiasts and began teaching her first course on Illustrator and Photoshop as a sophomore. That experience sparked a lasting passion for teaching, which she continued to pursue through workshops and courses during her time at Berkeley. After graduating, Elizabeth worked as a product designer at education-focused companies like Khan Academy and Primer, designing tools for teachers and students while expanding her perspective on learning. In 2023, she founded Design is a Party, an alternative design school that reflects her playful yet rigorous approach to teaching. Since then, she has launched a two-course series on visual design, developed portfolio-building resources, and led workshops to help the next generation of designers grow their craft.

If you've been holding back from starting an Etsy shop because you “aren't creative” — I'm about to blow that excuse right out of the water. I hear this all the time: “Jacqueline, I can't draw… I'm not artsy… I wouldn't even know where to start designing a product.” And honestly? I get it. I can't paint a realistic flower to save my life, and my hand lettering looks like a toddler's grocery list. But here's the thing — running a profitable Etsy shop is not about artistic talent. It's about understanding what sells, solving a need, and using tools that make the “design” part simple and beginner-friendly. By the end of this episode, you're going to see why creativity is not a requirement… and how you can make profitable products without ever opening Photoshop or sketching a single thing. Oh, and I'll share my favorite beginner-friendly design hack that saves me hours — and might just have you saying, “Wait… I can totally do this.” xo, Jacqueline   | LEARN FROM ME | Etsy Profits PRO - Course + Coaching Program www.jacqueline-butler.com/etsyprofitspro  Canva Crash Course www.jacqueline-butler.com/canva    | OTHER STEPS | Join My Email List & Get a FREEBIE! www.jacqueline-butler.com/freeguide  FREE 5-Step Starter Guide: www.jacqueline-butler.com/starterguide  FREE Facebook Community: www.jacqueline-butler.com/freegroup  Website: www.jacqueline-butler.com  Get In Touch: jb@jacqueline-butler.com  Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacquelinebutler.co | MY FAVE RESEARCH TOOLS | eRank https://erank.com?fpr=jackie31  Insight Factory https://insightfactory.app/  Alura https://www.alura.io/?via=jacqueline

What actually goes into one photo? In this episode, we're breaking down an image from start to finish — camera settings, composition, lighting choices, editing in Lightroom Classic and Photoshop — the whole shebang! If you've ever looked at a photo and wondered how it all came together, this episode will walk you through the full process.

I spent eight months building the "perfect" business. Perfect logo, perfect colors, perfect fonts, perfect website, perfect brand. I had 50+ logo variations saved in Photoshop and spent hours on Pinterest creating mood boards for my brand aesthetic.Meanwhile, my mentor kept saying "Fail fast and fail forward, Kathryn. Just launch the offer." But I didn't listen. The safe place for me was staying in creative mode—playing with designs, tweaking copy, perfecting everything behind the scenes where no one could reject me.Then I sat in a room full of successful online coaches sharing their launch stories, and I realized the truth: I'd spent eight months avoiding the one thing that would actually tell me if I had a business—putting my offer in front of real people who could say yes or no to it.This episode is about that expensive mistake that almost every high-achieving entrepreneur makes. We perfect everything except the thing that matters most: validating whether people actually want what we're selling.BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL DISCOVER:Why focusing on branding, websites, and "looking professional" before validating your offer turns your business into an expensive hobby (and the backwards approach that's keeping you stuck in the building phase).The exact moment I realized I was doing everything wrong—and the conversation that finally made me launch my first beta program with 4 people (even though it wasn't "perfect").How to identify when you're hiding in the "safe" creative tasks versus doing the scary work that actually moves the needle (plus the specific activities that create real revenue vs. the ones that just make you feel busy).The brick-and-mortar business analogy that will completely shift how you think about building your online business—and why you'd never open a physical store the way most people build their online offers.And while you're here, follow us on Instagram @creativelyowned for more daily inspiration on effortlessly attracting the most aligned clients without spending hours marketing your business or chasing clients. Also, make sure to tag me in your stories @creativelyowned.Selling the Invisible: Exactly how to articulate the value of your cosmic genius even if your message transcends the typical “10k months” & “Make 6-figures” types of promises. Free on-demand training >>> https://www.creativelyowned.co/watchnow To find out how to own your unique edge, amplify who you truly are (& get paid for it), take your business to cosmic proportions, and have fun doing it, grab it here!! https://www.creativelyowned.com/quizOffer Architect: TURN YOUR ‘INVISIBLE' WISDOM INTO A COMPELLING OFFER THAT WILL SELL WITH A SINGLE EMAIL. >>>https://creativelyowned.com/offer-architectJoin the waitlist for the Selling the Invisible AI-Powered Conversion Copywriting System and be the first in line when the doors open again! >>>https://www.creativelyowned.co/waitlist

¡Toca la pantalla en todo momento! ¡Photoshop en vivo! Familia, esta semana el señor Victorino decidió unirse a los Mach0rros para cortar puentes con varias figuras públicas y dejársela caer a un paL de podcasteros. La gobernadora celebra su cumpleaños al son de Baby Rasta y Gringo, El Líder y Marcos andan escolta'os con Cristo bendiciendo a todo Pe Erre, mientras que Yovín invita a un grupo de retarda'os para una gira en La Fortaleza. Además, Victorino nos cuenta todos los secretos de la casita de Bad Bunny, y lo que sintió cuando Janthony le cobró $10,000 por entrar a la residencia. Esto es La Hora Mach0rra, el único podcast que no se deja sobar. Recuerda: si te ofendes, eso no es problema de nosotros. #LaHoraMachorra   BOLETOS PAL SHOW DE OSCAR EN FLORIDA: https://boletos.prticket.com/events/en/oscarjadeenflorida   NOS VAMOS LIVE EN OCTUBRE! CONSIGUE TUS BOLETOS: https://boletos.prticket.com/events/en/lahoramachorra   LA MEJOR TIENDA DE ROPA: (TODA MODA en CAGUAS): https://www.instagram.com/todamoda/   USA EL CÓDIGO "MACHORRA15" PARA UN 15% DE DESCUENTO EN: https://www.manscaped.com/   EL MEJOR PATREON DE PUERTO RICO: https://www.patreon.com/lahoramachorra   PARA ARBOLITOS CUSTOM DE NAVIDAD Y OTRAS ARTESANÍAS: https://www.instagram.com/pr_artisans/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lahoramachorra/ CANAL DE CLIPS: https://www.youtube.com/c/lahoramachorraclips LA MARCA DE ROPA DE VALI: https://www.resistancecompany.com/   Hosts: Alexis 'Macetaminofén' Zárraga, José Valiente & Oscar Navarro === REDES === Maceta https://www.facebook.com/TioMacetaminofen https://twitter.com/Macetaminofen https://www.instagram.com/macetaminofen/ Valiente https://www.youtube.com/user/valiente101 https://twitter.com/JoseValiente https://www.instagram.com/josevalientepr/ Oscar https://linktr.ee/oscarnavarropr