The most popular iPhone in history

I have gone to two Rogers stores and a few Best Buy stores and they cannot keep the new 2020 Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max with the 512GB internal storage on their shelves.  This phone cost $1949 before taxes here in Canada.  It is the most expensive phone you can get off the shelf in the Apple line.  I ordered mine from the Rogers online store this past weekend and it said it would take 3 to 4 weeks for the phone to be delivered.  Since I don’t have any patience to wait 3-4 weeks, I thought I’d go take a look around the various Rogers and Best Buy stores to see if I could get one earlier.  Even during the epidemic, you cannot get a $1949 iPhone.  So I guess I’m going to have to wait for a bit for the phone.

I’ve been looking at YouTube videos of folks walking around making videos with the HDR and Dolby video turned on and it looks simply fantastic.  Just amazing quality of video that you can get out of a phone.  I’ll be patiently waiting for the ProRaw update in iOS 14.3.  Than the phone will be a literal photo and video beast.

Photography, footage, vectors, music

If you need any photography, footage, music or vector art, please use the following link to buy whatever you need.  You can buy anyone’s photography, footage clips, music or vector art.  Not just mine.  Anyone’s.  Just use the following link: https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Josef+Pittner?rid=1070795&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ctrbreferral-link

Finally on Youtube

So I decided for a different format for my YouTube channel.  I hate being on camera so I will just combine all my photos and video clips and put them into a video.  I don't have any experience with film making so I will learn along the way.  I hope you join me https://bit.ly/2kGDsso.

I miss the Rockies

I miss the mountains.  I was in Calgary, Alberta back in 2017 for work for the National Energy Board.  Came back in July 2017 and since then I've had a need to go back.  I miss the mountains.  I miss the lakes.  I miss the rivers.  I miss the forests.  I miss the mountains.

Yes, I'd miss stuff in Ottawa.  Friends and stuff.  Going to Parc Omega occasionally.  I think I've only been there a few times this year.  It's basically gotten to the point where it's unphotographable with all the fencing and the new design of the park.

I need to be out west.  Like yesterday.

More Fireworks photography with the Sony RX100 Mark VI

Can’t wait till mid June

Mid June.  That is when I will start getting some nice pay cheques from work finally.  Till then, I’m still surviving on photography money. Patience is key here.  I want to go do a lot of photography on weekends this summer.  The weather has to co-operate as well.  We’ve only had three nice days in the last fifty two days.  It was either raining, snowing, high winds, cloudy in the last two months or so.

I am so ready for summer.  I’m planning on doing a lot of travel on weekends this summer.  Up to Algonquin Park, down to Sandbanks Provincial Park.  I want to go visit the radio observatory again up in Algonquin.  I want to do a lot this summer.  Thanks God, I got a really nice contract that pays well.  I’ll be able to pay off credit cards and finally enjoy life.  I think it will start the first weekend in June.  Till then, keep the head down and keep on working.

ON1 Photo Raw 19.5 is updated

Newly updated today.  Well, I updated ON1 Photo Raw 19.5 today.  They finally updated the profile for the Sony RX100 Mark VI thankfully.  It used to fringe on all four corners but that's been finally corrected.   With what's going on with Adobe, suing everyone, I am glad I don't subscribe  to Adobe CC anymore.  Affinity Photo and ON1 Photo Raw 19.5 is fantastic.  You should consider getting it if you're sick of paying a fee every month.

2018 Apple iPad Pro

I cannot be more happier than I am right now with the 2018 Apple iPad Pro.  I’ve been using it for almost three weeks now and I haven’t even thought of using my Windows 10 laptop or my Apple MacBook Pro.  The iPad Pro does everything I need from photo and video editing to writing my blog to any and all media consumption.

Even though it’s lacking external hard drive support, which I expect to come with iOS 13 or iOS 14, the iPad is magnificent.  The screen is a fingerprint magnet but I can clean it and once my Papermate comes in, in a few days that issue is to be resolved.  I don’t even miss my mouse as I either use my fingers or the Apple Pencil 2.  I use my fingers 99% of the time.  I bought the Apple keyboard folio and although it is not backlit and does not have any speciality keys like you get on a regular PC or laptop keyboard, I have not missed those keys whatsoever.

I have edited photos from my Sony RX100 Mark VI.  They get imported into Apple Photos and I can edit the photos in any application such as Affinity Photo, Snapseed or Pixelmator.  I use the Shutterstock app to upload said photos and I can even use Apple Safari if need be.  I haven’t shot any videos yet and I haven’t had an opportunity to edit short clips on the iPad yet.  This weekend, the girlfriend and I are headed to Niagara Falls, Ontario for a short trip away so I will be taking my Sony RX100 Mark VI with me to shoot photos and footage.  Editing video on the new iPad Pro should be interesting, if not new.  I will report on whatever happens when it happens.  

I may also start vlogging with the iPad Pro using the Camera App that comes with the iPad Pro.  I can attach my Yeti mic to the iPad and use it for audio recording.  I still hate appearing on camera as I do not feel comfortable on camera.  I really have to get over that

BME on Shutterstock

The month of January 2019 is not even over and it's by far the best month ever for me on Shutterstock.  Today I sold 3 pics for a whopping $1.08 and a video for a whopping $180US.  The video in question is of a male wood duck shot in 1080p/60fps.  You can view the clip here.  This sure makes up for the two lousy video clips I sold for $1.50 each.

Sales like this keep me motivated to stick with photography and using my camcorder to film our natural world that we live in.  A few years back I sold a video where I profited $120US and I thought that was amazing.  I've sold a few footage clips on sites like Pond5 and Videoblocks but they are very inconsistent.  I can sell 2-3 clips on the same day and then go months without selling anything.  But with Shutterstock, it's far more consistent. 

I've linked my portfolios so if you're interested, you can purchase some of my photography or footage.  If you're not a client yet, here's a link to become a Shutterstock customer.  This is a great way for you to help out a small time photographer.

Canon Vixia HF G40 camcorder

I never liked the form factor of a DSLR or a bridge camera to shoot video.  I've always like a real camcorder feel to shoot video.  I bought the Canon Vixia HF G40 about 2 years ago because it's a prosumer camcorder for a really good price.  I bought it for $1249 Canadian.  3 years ago I never shot video for my stock business.  I was actually at Parc Omega one day and I had my Canon EOS 6D and a Sigma f5-6.3 150-500MM lens attached.  The light that day was simply amazing.  I decided to shoot a video of a coyote on a hill thinking "Hey that would make a cool video."  Shot a 30 second clip and a few days later it sold on Shutterstock for $120US.  That got me hooked on shooting footage.  Currently I have 1495 footage clips on my Shutterstock portfolio.  I've shot video with my DSLR cameras like the Canon EOS 6D, a Canon Vixia HF R82, my Sony RX100 Mark II, IV and V.  I've shot with my Sony RX10 Mark II.  I've shot with a Sony FDR ax33 (4K) and a Sony FDR ax100/b (4K) camcorder and my Apple iPhone 8 Plus.  I also have a drone that I've shot video with (DJI Spark).  Out of all those cameras, I've always enjoyed the Canon Vixia HF G40.  I think the Canon lines of cameras and camcorders reproduce colour the best.

Yesterday I sold a 4k video for $1.80US which is insulting.  Today I sold a video for $17.29 which is still pretty low.  I wish Shutterstock would let us price our videos the way we want like Pond5.

I wish...

...Google Ad Sense was explained better as far as earnings go.  How you earn money?  How you earn more money?  Questions like that.