I've Been Shooting More Recently

Hello. Hope all of you are doing well. I've had a little more time to shoot and be more deliberate about what I shoot. Here's something I shot several hours ago, actually. I wanted to create more images that could not only be used as prints, but also as jigsaw puzzles.

So do you like dogs? Like jigsaw puzzles? Grab one of these jigsaw puzzles I’ve created. Recently, I've had some landscape photography ideas I wanted to capture, but the weather and lighting hasn't cooperated with me here. I'll get more images published soon.

I’m also going to spend more time focusing on my stock photography and stock video content via Adobe Stock*. I don’t make a ton of money off of it, but I used to make enough to buy “steak” each month from stock content sales as long as I was putting up enough content based on trends I saw. Anyway, check out my dog Biscuit in the photo below. If you click on it, it will take you to the order page to get it as a puzzle or a print. THANKS for the support. Have a great, peaceful holiday season.

PS: Did y’all listen to my old (personal) podcast? Check it out here.

Image: Ant Pruitt - all rights reserved

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

No Time Like the Present

So I’ve been doing my best to lay low over the last week or so. I can’t say I’ve been successful at that. I found myself thinking about work and what’s next more than I expected. Wasn’t stressing, but wasn’t relaxing either.

image created with AI using Adobe Firefly *

Last night I was sitting with my thoughts in the middle of the night. Unable to sleep because I’d been sick the last two days. I’m better-ish now, but anyway, I had some more thoughts on what’s next. So, here goes:

• continue my job search in the creative space, but I’ve also considered local junior colleges to see if I could possibly teach

• Queen Pruitt was talking about a script idea that popped into her head a lil’ while back. I loved it. I didn’t think much more about it until last night. I’m going to make time to turn that script idea into a book. I want to author a book. I’m not saying it will be a good book, but I want to get that challenge conquered. Self publishing it and so forth. I’ll start dedicating time to that process the week of Christmas if not sooner.

• Considering re-opening my podcast feed. This has been closed since 2019 as I personally couldn’t dedicate proper time to because I was already working hard on my other podcast duties at TWiT. I’m CONSIDERING re-opening the feed. No promises. Podcasting is hard work and I’m not keen on putting so much work into something that doesn’t even pay my water bill each month. If I do re-open it, it will be a leisure project. It will still be themed around “everyday people,” but I will change the format to be more of leisure project for me. Granted, if I get legit interest in it, I’ll ramp up my efforts and monetize. But from my experience, “legit interest” isn’t just people on social media saying “you should podcast more, Ant.” Legit interest is when there are TONS of downloads or when people put their money into the cause as a supporter or sponsor of the project. It’s so easy to do a podcast. That’s why there are so many of them out there. And because there’s so many of them out there, some good ones get overlooked and/or cancelled. Yes, speaking from experience. I know I had two great photography-related shows, yet they didn’t get the listenership some bullshit gossip podcast by a celebrity would get. Same goes for newsletters. But then again, I’m not sure, if I have anything to offer via a newsletter.

Anyway, that’s where I am at the moment. Thank you all for the continued support, encouragement, beer purchases and print purchases. Now time to go chill out a little more as I get pass this stupid C-word virus. Fortunately, I feel fine enough to be able to open up this browser and type into it. Be well and stay tuned.

PS: If you’re still doing your holiday shopping, please feel free to use my Amazon* storefront for your holiday shopping. Just click here* and shop like you normally would. It won’t cost you anymore than what you already pay, but it does give me a few cents commission on your purchases. I appreciate the support.

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

Onward

Jumping right into it. Some people know what happened this week at TWiT. I’m not sure what I want to do, but I do have some ideas. Couple of ideas in my head:

• Call in some favors with people in know in the creative space

• Go to pilot school

• Go back to being independent and/or revive my YouTube channel (probably won’t)

• Go back to podcasting on my own (probably won’t, but it’s out there)

• Go wash dishes again, like I did when I first moved here.

image generated with Adobe Firefly AI

My priority remains getting my last child graduated from high school and into college in addition to making sure the rest of my family is squared away and taken care of. Thanks for all the messages and kind words. I can’t reply to all of the messages, but I do see them. Thank you. In the meantime, go do something good for yourself and something good for someone else.

If you want to help me out, do your holiday shopping via my Amazon link here*. Or, check out the holiday shoe sale from Atoms here *. I’m an affiliate Amazon, Atoms and other people, but that’s another story. Far as Atoms, they hold a special place in my heart since they actually paid my son and not just give him free shoes.

Far as TWiT. I’m rooting for ‘em and forever grateful. I learned a lot from them and I know they learned a lot from me and my family. I love them. In the meantime, be an Oak tree.

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

My Thoughts On Child Internet Access

Image generated with AI in Adobe Firefly*

I recently had the opportunity to host Security Now with Steve Gibson. He received a listener email which was about managing internet access for children as a parent. Mr. Gibson had his thoughts, I had my thoughts. Check it out below.

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

OPINION: The Black Friday and Cyber Monday Fallacy

I shared my opinions on the recent “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday” madness on the show this week. I’m just not buying it. Even though Adobe Analytics has data showing that consumers are clearly onboard and buying more and more this year. Granted, it’s not a “door-buster” deal, I did find this camera deal* to be notable. I really enjoy being a part of our show and chatting each with with Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis and Paris Martineau.

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

Thumbnail image created with generative AI via Adobe Firefly*

Bittersweet and Grateful

It’s official. Now both of my boys’ high school football careers are over. It’s weird saying that. Weird because that means a lot of years have passed. My youngest #hardhead, #JacobPruitt, finished in the second round of the playoffs with a loss to good team here in the area. The 14-7 loss was a heart-breaker, but still a proud moment for all of use as fans of the team, coaches and sons.

Images: Ant Pruitt all rights reserved

Great game, terrible weather

It was a ridiculous night of rainy weather. As a player, rain is fine. As a fan, parent or weird father that sits on the sidelines with camera gear, it can be a little rough. I wish I was able to shoot video of the game, but I couldn’t risk my camera getting wet as it’s not weather sealed like my stills camera. Anyway, I’m very proud of my boys and grateful the both of them were able to finish their high school careers on the Rancho Cotate football team. Lots of life lessons learned being on that squad. I have always felt strongly about the game of football. Yes, it’s a controversial game, but most of the things in life are controversial apparently. Anyway, the game (and coaches) helped me as a kid and teenager. I had hoped my children would be interested in it. Fortunately, they were.

Next, my son is to continue the preparation for college and the final season of high school track and field. Another great sport with life lessons built into it.

One more thing. . . .

Before I end this, a quick shout-out to Peak Design*. I have been using their gear to transport and support my camera gear for years. The travel backpack is unbelievable* and kept s all of my gear dry time during the torrential rains at the football game. I highly recommend it for portability and for protecting your gear from the elements.

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

Ya EARNED It

I wanna take a moment to say congratulations and thank you to my Momz. She has completed an over 30-year career working for a local television station (WAXA, WMYA, WLOS) in the upstate and foothills of the Carolinas. She started out in an entry-level role and straight up earned her way to bigger and better roles, then retiring at the top of the game. My family, my sister and I are extremely proud of her and are grateful for her inspiration. You have no idea what she did/does for us a mother. Nor do you have any idea what she did/does for my other relatives as a reluctant leader. Congratulations, Ma. Ya EARNED it. We love you.

Adobe Video Fall Updates 2023: Premiere Pro, After Effects, FrameIO

During IBC, Adobe has announced more updates to its professional video creation products in Creative Cloud*. Adobe has been on a tear with updates around its video editing software Premiere Pro as well as its compositing package, After Effects. Some previous updates include changes to the interface, new features and of course the growing AI integration.

Premiere Pro Updates

A few months back, Adobe allowed editors to speed up the rough cut workflow with its text-based editing tool. I can speak first hand that this tool has been a bit of a game changer for creating social media/promotional content at the speed of typing on a keyboard. But Adobe isn’t stopping here.

Improved Text-based editing

Adobe has allowed even more speed when removing pauses in dialogue. Instead of going line by line to find the pauses, now an editor can select all the text and Premiere Pro will highlight the pauses for removal.

Image: Adobe - Premiere Pro text-based editing interface

Enhanced dialogue

Previously, enhanced audio tools were only available in the Adobe Podcast service as a beta online. This has now been implemented into Premiere Pro with additional controls to really fine tune how much better crappy audio is cleaned up.

Color grading enhancements

The Lumetri color panel has included some bug fixes for the QuickTime gamma issue as well as better LUT management, metadata and timecode burn-in, Blackmagic RAW installer guidance and performance boost. I admit that I still enjoy Davinci Resolve more for creative color grading, but Lumetri is getting closer and closer to Resolve on that front.

After Effects Updates

Adobe continues to make After Effects a true 3D workspace for video compositing. Substance 3D has also provided some free 3D assets that can help get a creator started with beautiful, 3D motion graphics. No Substance subscription required.

Roto Brush AI improvement

The new Roto Brush is in public beta and it has continued to get better with not only the selection process, but the motion tracking has improved because of AI Sensei. This is the tool used to separate a subject in a video file for compositing.

3D Workflow

Now the tools are all available within an After Effects composition as Adobe has optimized the 3D rendering engine. One can only assume this includes the Apple Silicon architecture. No more round-tripping from After Effects to other 3D applications. Lighting and texture assets are all in one place.

Image: Adobe - After Effects 3D tools

FrameIO Updates

FrameIO is a great tool for sharing assets of a creative project with your team members or clients. Now there’s more flexibility in how files can be shared as a comparison view for your team or client reviews. This is going to be key considering how often generative AI images are created with different iterations. Adobe has also updated workflow with its Camera-to-Cloud (C2C) interface by adding more compatible devices:

• Atomos Ninja

• Atomos Ninja Ultra

• Accsoon Seemo

• Accsoon Seemo Pro

• Fujifilm GFX 100ii

The Accsoon annoucement is huge considering the entry price of Accsoon gear.

More information on the Fall 2023 Adobe Video updates can be found here on the Adobe blog. These updates are now available in public beta for you to try out, but the official updates will hit the apps later this fall. . .usually around October and Adobe Max. Get your hands on the Creative Cloud suite if you’ve not gotten into the Adobe products just yet by going here* for a free trial .

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

Holiday Deals on Sony Alpha Cameras

Sony has announced so deals on a couple of its Alpha series cameras as we close in on the end of the holiday shopping season. Sony has done a great job in the mirrorless camera space offering devices suited for most anyone be it a newbie photographer, intermediate or pro. Here are a few discounts on some of its cameras that I think you’ll find helpful for the photographer and content creator just getting started or looking to upgrade to a full-frame sensor. These deals are valid from December 19 through December 25. Sony has also welcomed me into its affiliate program. I appreciate this and their support. So links below are all affiliate links which will earn me a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Sony ZV-1

The ZV-1* is is a compact point-and-shoot system with some really impressive specs. I’ve tested this camera before and found it to be ideal for vloggers. I’m not much of a vlogger, so it didn’t fit my style, but the specs on this are great for vloggers. The body is compact and the system UI is great for navigating through settings. 20-megapixels for still images and 4K video resolution as well as slow motion shooting is on the spec list. Nice camera for $650*.

Sony A7C

Moving into the full-frame side of things, the A7C* is a HIGHLY CAPABLE camera. I tested this one as well. I thought it could potentially cannibalize some of Sony’s other cameras because of what it offered. The tiny form factor is the key here. You’re getting a 24-megapixel sensor and 4K recording as well as Slog3 and S-Cinetone for video creators that love artistic colorgrading. Heck of a deal on this camera for $1800* down from $2000.

Sony has even more deals listed for its cameras over on the website. Just click here* to check them out. Some savings up to $600. Let me know what you find and end up purchasing.

Image: Sony A6400

*Affiliate link used. Affiliate links allow me to earn a small commission as a content creator if you purchase items using the affiliate link. Thank you for your support.

Filmic Pro Updated to V7

I’ve been a fan of the offerings from the squad a Filmic for quite a while. I remember firing up the Filmic Pro app on my OG Pixel smartphone to take advantage of the phones (for that time) superior video capture capabilities. Plus, the app also integrated smoothly with my smartphone gimbal. It has been a great way to film content via the smartphone with pro-sumer grade tools. Today Filmic Pro v7 has been released.

Image: Filmic Pro V7 false color and cinematic tools

Tools Video Creators Need

I got my hands on the beta version for Android some time back and was quite impressed with the app, even though I did have a few crashes here and there. But then again, it was beta software so perfect performance shouldn’t have been expected. The public release is great and is packed with tools video creators need to get the most out of their trusty iPhone or Android phone’s camera.

Image: Filmic Pro resolutions and frame rate

With the updated re-design, you get a more intuitive interface allowing creators to easily access the app tools to manage video capture and exposure such as shutter speed, ISO, false color and focus peaking. This is based on what Filmic calls “QAM” which is short for Quick Action Modal.

The app leverages the power of today’s top smartphone cameras allowing for capture of ProRes up to 4444 quality, support for 10-bit SDR, clean HDMI-out for use as a webcam in your broadcast or streaming set, image stabilization and more

You can find out more about the new version of Filmic Pro via this great video the team put together. The app is now subscription based app now due to the team recently being acquired by Bending Spoons. If you’re an old-timer Filmic person like me, you get the annual subscription at a discounted rate of $40 instead of $50. But, you are also offered a free trial. Get the app in the App Store or on Google Play if your Android phone is supported.