Photo tip: It's the Contrast!
Scott Kelby has a secret tool for editing photos
If you missed our livestream the other day with Photoshop/iPhone Photography guru Scott Kelby, there was a magic moment when he explained the little secret for why his photos may look better than yours.
In a word. Contrast.
When editing a photo—he uses the Apple Photos and the Lightroom Mobile apps, he boosts the contrast slider all the way up, and the now the colors pop.
Listen to him explain his technique in the video below.
Scott’s company KelbyOne is staging Monday’s online iPhone Photography Conference (more on that in a minute) but let fill you in on another dirty secret: You don’t need to own a new iPhone to make your photos pop like Kelby’s.
A Pixel or Galaxy phone will also do fine—it’s in the editing where many photos really take shape. You can use Google Photos on Android phones to edit, or a third-party app like Lightroom Mobile, which is free (before the add-ons). Both of these apps work on Apple devices as well, along with the default Apple Photos app.
If you’re new to photo editing, try this out.
Open a photo in the Apple Photos app.
Click the three gears (fourth image from the left) and now a bunch of sliders present themselves.
The Magic Wand is the first one which automatically adjusts lighting for you.
To go further, continue with Exposure, Brilliance, Highlights, Shadows and now Contrast.
Push the Contrast slider all the way to the end and see if that doesn’t improve your shot. You can also try adding to it with some of the other sliders.
My formula mix is Magic Wand, a little Exposure and then Black Point, which is two down from Contrast. Whatever works for you, right?
On the Google Photos app. (Click Edit (second from left) go to Tools (bottom right) Lighting and select Contrast.
The conference features Kelby, yours truly and many other great photographers offering their tips on how to get great photos with your phone, including Rick Sammon, Glyn Dewis, Lisa Carney, Terry White and Erik Kuna. I hope you’ll check us out. Early bird pricing link is here.
By the way, if you missed the livestream, I’ve got the complete show here.
What about the Neo?
Apple introduced a slew of products this week, but let’s face it, all anyone wants to talk about is that $599 new computer from the premium brand that has never priced anything this low before.
The MacBook Neo is the slower, less versatile entry level computer that parents can snag for $499 with their kids education discount. The cheapest computer Apple sold previously was $999.
So what’s the catch?
The machine runs on a slower processing chip, the A18, which was used on older iPhones, has less storage than step-up computers, less RAM (8 GB) and no “backlight” on the keyboard.
But if I’m a parent and looking for the lowest priced computer for my kid, I’m gravitating to this baby.
The Neo competes with Google’s Chromebook line, which are also cheap, and less versatile and entry-level Windows netbooks.
Beyond the Neo, which goes on sale Wednesday, Apple also introduced the successor to last year’s iPhone 16e, the 17e, with more storage and MagSafe for magnetic charging. It also sells for $599. (It’s a non-started for me and I’d argue anyone reading this newsletter, due to an inferior camera than you would get on the iPhone 17 or Pro models.
The MacBook Air has been upgraded with a faster chip and more storage, along with a heftier entry-level price, at $1,099.
The MacBook Pro, which I use to edit every episode of Photowalks, also gets a more powerful M5 power chip (I’m drooling) and a $200 price increase. The model I want clocks in at $2,899, but if you want to have fun and max it out, you’re looking at $3,699.
Or 5 MacBookNeos and then some!
Another Stolen Camera Bag to the tune of $12,000
I couldn’t help but notice this article in PetaPixel about yet another photographer losing $12,500 worth of camera gear, this time at a New York bar. But I’m sorry, it’s hard to feel bad for him.
Here’s the key line from the story: “As Elfstrom and his friend were sitting close to the bar, he temporarily left to wash his hands.”
And you know what happened next.
Kids, let this be yet another lesson to you. When you’re at Starbuck’s and they call your name for the order, don’t leave the laptop sitting at your table. When you’re at the airport, make sure you’re sitting with your luggage. And when you go to a bar in New York of all places, don’t leave a camera bag with $12,500 behind when you go into the other room to wash your hands.
Good news for the photographer: his friends set up a GoFundMe page for him to help recoup his losses, and he’s already crossed the $11,000 mark.
What’s in a Name?
While I present Photowalks as a solo production, in truth it’s a team of people who help me get the show made every week. Without you Sean Fujiwara, Jez Graham, Paul Ellis and Ruth Stroud, I’d be putting in even more hours.
I realized the other day that it was time to grow up and have one of those vanity cards at the end of the episode, announcing the name of my production company. But what name should that be? Samantha Brown has Samantha Brown Media. There’s Rick Steve’s Europe and Phil Rosenthal’s Lucky Bastard Productions.
I had fun on Facebook this week asking my friends to weigh in—would love to hear your input as well. Should it be:
Grilled Cheese Productions
Handheld Media
Jefferson Graham Productions
Photowalks Productions
Backroads Entertainment
What say you? Just drop me a line and let me know.
Meanwhile, on Photowalks Sunday, we’re headed to the exciting city of Las Vegas, where tourism has fallen due to ever rising costs. So I’m showing you the best of the City’s free attractions. The show debuts Sunday at 10 a.m. ET on Scripps News.
Thanks as always for taking the time to watch, read and listen. If you enjoyed today’s edition, please share with a friend. See you at the iPhone conference next week!
Jeff