Better Fuji Photos – Details, episodes & analysis

Better Fuji Photos Episode 42: 2023 Wrap and 2024 Thoughts

We made it a year! I honestly didn't think this podcast would make it a year, discouraged mainly by statistics of how many of them quickly die. But I was encouraged to continue by all of you!

How did 2023 go for everyone? Were you able to pursue the year-long challenge presented in Episode 1? I hope so, and I hope it made you a better photographer.

Going into 2024, this will no longer be a weekly podcast. I need to take a few things off my plate, so I'll only be able to keep this up every two or three weeks.

And that leaves me with a final thought going into the following year: what does photography mean to you? This was posed in another podcast a few years ago; I answered it in an article linked below and now here in this episode, and I'd be curious to hear your answer in the article comments.

Accompanying web article: ⁠https://jmpeltier.com/what-is-photography-all-about/

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠⁠

Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

Better Fuji Photos Episode 41: Tips for Using Fujifilm's Color Chrome Effect

Fujifilm's camera manuals leave much to be desired when discussing Color Chrome Effect and Color Chrome FX Blue. What exactly do they do? When would you use them? And how?

Color Chrome Effect settings (which may or may not be found on certain cameras) help you avoid oversaturating specific colors by decreasing the luminance of those colors, effectively giving you a wider range of tones in colors close to oversaturation. This can really help photographers photographing for in-camera JPEGs. They will not affect the RAW file.

When using these settings:

• Remember that they will respond differently to each film simulation
• A setting that looks good for one film simulation might look like garbage in another
• The Color Chrome FX Blue setting works great as an "artificial polarizer" to get the same effect with skies
• You can preview setting effects either from the Image Quality menu or programming them to the Q Menu (ep. 31)

Accompanying web article: ⁠https://jmpeltier.com/color-chrome-effect-color-chrome-fx-blue/

Perfect Fujifilm In-Camera JPGs course: ⁠https://photocourses.link/jpg⁠

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠

Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 32: A Photo Mechanic + Capture One Workflow

Photo Mechanic is a great editor, but you can't process RAW photos. Capture One is a superior RAW processor, but its editing functionality is nowhere near what Photo Mechanic can do. How can you easily combine Photo Mechanic and Capture One in a workflow to get the best of both programs? That's what we'll discuss in this podcast episode, with these steps:

1. Set up Photo Mechanic
2. Set up Capture One
3. Edit in Photo Mechanic
4. Put the selected photos in a Selects subfolder
5. Open photos in Capture One
6. Process RAW photos in Capture One
7. Export processed photos into Processed subfolder

Though it may seem like a few more steps than necessary, it's actually faster and more efficient than trying to do everything in Capture One (or Lightroom Classic) alone!

Accompanying web article: ⁠⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/photo-mechanic-capture-one-workflow/

The Photo Mechanic Guide course: ⁠https://photocourses.link/pm⁠

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠.

Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 31: Fujifilm's Q Button in Shooting Mode

That little Q Button on the back or top of your camera - a nuisance to many, a savior to others.

This episode will discuss what the Q Button is for, how to program it, and how to use it. We'll go over why to use it, picking how many slots to use, the background mode, and examples of programming for both JPG and RAW photographers.

Accompanying web article: ⁠https://www.jmpeltier.com/fujifilm-q-button-shooting-mode/

Perfect Fujifilm In-Camera JPGs course: https://photocourses.link/jpg

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠.

Use the code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 30: Editing to Improve your Photography

When chasing the perfect photograph, we often get bogged down in gear choices and post-processing techniques.

But when was the last time you paid attention to editing - the process of selecting which photos you want to share - as a means to improve your photography? Why are you selecting those photos, and how can you improve your photography in general as a result of those selections?

That's what we'll discuss here - how editing can improve your technical, creative, and storytelling skills.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Accompanying article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/editing-improves-your-photography/

After the Capture course: https://photocourses.link/ac

Better Photography Through Visual Storytelling course: https://photocourses.link/story

Use the coupon code "POD20" for 20% off all courses.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 29: Fine-Tuning Colors with White Balance Bracket

Continuing with our one-year Fujifilm challenge outlined in Episode 1, here we're going to discuss another tool available to us to get to that goal. And that's the White Balance Bracket drive mode, useful for when you might want to see some variations in the selected white balance.

There is no correlation between actual color temperature adjustments and the selected "strength," either +/- 1, 2, or 3. It's just going to be "a little," "more," and "a lot" of white balance variation. I would encourage you to experiment with it to see for yourself what the different settings do.

The setup varies between different camera models, so here's a quick summary:

Cameras with a Drive mode button on the back:

1. Press the Drive mode button on the back of the camera and select White Balance BKT.
2. Select the "strength" (+/- 1, 2, or 3)
3. Set the drive back to Still Image to exit the bracketing mode.

Cameras with a mode dial that has BKT on it:

1. Go to the Shooting Setting menu > Drive Setting > BKT Setting > White Balance BKT to set the "strength" (+/- 1, 2, or 3).
2. To select this as the active bracketing mode, go to the Shooting Setting menu > Drive Setting > BKT Setting > BKT Select and select White Balance BKT.
3. Set your drive dial to BKT to enter the bracketing mode. 
4. Set the drive dial back to S to exit the bracketing mode.

Accompanying web article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/fujifilm-white-balance-bracket/

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 28: Finding Photography Success without Instagram

Go to any "Starting your photography business" checklist and you'll see "create an Instagram page" on there, with a long list of "rules" for posting to Instagram. It works, and some people really have fun with it, and find success doing so. But it's not for everyone.

So is it possible to find photography success without Instagram, or any social media at all?

I for one wish I could enjoy the process. But I frankly don't, and that's okay. And guess what? I'm a full-time photographer without ever having a single dime come from using Instagram.

There are so many other (and arguably better) ways of finding success as a photographer without Instagram.

• Take control of your publishing with a portfolio site and email list.
• Pitch your work to editors and publishers.
• Get on "call for submissions" lists.
• Network with others.
• Encourage word-of-mouth marketing.
• Join a professional organization.

These are just some things that we discuss in this podcast episode.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Fujifilm Photography Membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off your first three months.

Article - Do You Need Instagram to Succeed as a Photographer?: https://www.jmpeltier.com/successful-photographer-without-instagram/

After the Capture post-processing course: https://photocourses.link/ac⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 27: How to "Simplify" Your Fujifilm Camera

Do you ever get distracted by all of the fancy features in your camera that you get overwhelmed or, worse yet, miss an important moment?

Do you ever wish you could just have a "bare bones" camera at times? Set your exposure & focus, wait for the right moment, then press the shutter button?

This episode, answering a reader question, discusses why & how to disable your camera controls so that you can just get back to the basics. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focus - that's really all you need, right?

In order to do this, we will go over:

• Reprogramming your command dials
• Disabling your touchscreen
• Reprogramming/disabling your buttons & controls
• Programming & using the Lock feature

This can be a fun exercise when you just want to casually go out and photograph! It's akin to doing very basic drills that a musician or athlete might do - and a good idea for photographers also!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Fujifilm Camera Tutorial Courses: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/cameras⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 26: Stuck In a Rut? Give Yourself an Assignment!

We all experience "photographer's block" or get in a rut where we just don't have any interest or desire to get out with our camera. And that's a shame! One way to fix this is to give ourselves photography assignments.

We look at a few ideas for photography assignments in this episode, as well as how to brainstorm your own photography assignments.

Some ideas include:

• Using a fixed focal length
• Limit your number of exposures
• Record JPEG only
• Focus on a specific subject

To brainstorm your own ideas, use "idea mapping" or "clustering," writing down a broad topic and below that, write down related sub-topics. Keep going until you have a robust list.

Next time you're in a rut and don't know what to photograph, go to the list and give yourself an assignment!

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip

Better Fuji Photos Episode 25: Dealing with High-Contrast Scenes in Fujifilm Cameras

When the scene you're photographing has a lot of contrast - the entire range of tones from really dark shadows to really bright highlights - there are two standard ways of dealing with it: 1) Accept it, or 2) create an exposure bracket and blend an HDR image.

What if you don't want that much contrast, but blending an HDR is out of the question?

This episode will cover ways of dealing with high-contrast scenes in Fujifilm cameras for both RAW and JPEG photographers.

For RAW photographers:

• Ensure you're using the "flat" display option without your image quality settings (Natural Live View On or Preview Pic Effect Off)
• Expose to the right utilizing the large histogram and Live View Highlight Alert

For JPEG photographers:

• Use a film simulation without too much contrast
• Utilize the Dynamic Range setting
• Adjust your Highlight & Shadow tone curve
• There's also an in-camera HDR option, if nothing is moving in your frame

Links mentioned in this episode:

Corresponding High-Contrast Photography article: https://www.jmpeltier.com/dealing-with-high-contrast-scenes-fujifilm/

Article - Fujifilm Dynamic Range Settings: https://www.jmpeltier.com/fujifilm-dynamic-range-settings/

Fujifilm Photographer Membership: ⁠⁠https://photocourses.link/fujimembers⁠⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Fujifilm Camera Tutorial Courses: ⁠https://photocourses.link/cameras⁠. Use the code "POD20" for 20% off.

Learn Fujifilm Film Simulations Course: https://photocourses.link/filmsims.

Please subscribe, rate, and review wherever you prefer to listen to your podcasts so we can keep this show going.

If you ever have any questions that you’d like to have answered in an episode, please send me an email at mail@jmpeltier.com.

End music: Dylan Sitts - Tahoe Trip