So done with Shutterstock

 On June 1st, 2020, Shutterstock pretty much screwed over their contributors.  I used to make a minimum of $0.36 a download for any picture.  I used to make a minimum of $15-20 for a video download.  Now, it's $0.10 for a photo download and $0.34 a video download.  So basically getting screwed.  Under those new sales figures, I'd cash out maybe once every six months.  If I was lucky.  I disabled my portfolio immediately on June 1st.  Shutterstock basically became iStock which won the race to the bottom.  I even made a video which is published on YouTube.

If you are a contributor on Shutterstock, please consider disabling your portfolio until Shutterstock reverts its payment plan to contributors.  I had 15,600+ photos and 1,560 video clips.  6 years of hard work shooting, editing and uploading.  Shutterstock needs to understand that I do this as a passion. I love photography.  I love shooting video.  If Shutterstock doesn't change, I hope they go down in flames.  In the meantime, if you need photos, you can go to my Adobe stock portfolio.  If you need video, you can go to my Pond5 portfolio.

Why I love Sony mirrorless cameras

 

I've been shooting waterfalls the past couple of outings.  Ever since I got the 9 stop ND filter, I've been shooting long exposure waterfalls.  And I love it.  All my shots are taken during the day.  At least 6 second shots a ISO 50 and higher than f9.5.  Gotta love it.

Some weather rolling in

 

Shot these photos off of the balcony on the 9th floor of our building.  We were supposed to get heavy rain and tornadoes but not even a drop of rain.  The sky was rather interesting non the less.  Both shots were shot with the Sony a7RII handheld.  Both will be available for sale on my site soon.

Long Exposure photography with the GOBE 10 stop ND Filter

I really, really enjoy using this GOBE 10 Stop ND filter.  The above shots are ISO 50, f16, 13" shots of the 5 span bridge in Pakenham, ON and the waterfalls are located in Almonte, ON.  If you asked me to do this 15-20 years ago, I'd tell you it's impossible to shoot a 13" shot in the middle of the day.  But now with the 10 stop ND filter in front of the lens, anything is possible

I hope next year, my fiancee and I could go to Florida and see a SpaceX rocket launch and I could shoot the launch with the ND filter during the day.  This is one of the many reasons why I love photography.  I.T. can suck it.  LOL

Comet NEOWise

Got this photo last week off my 9th floor balcony looking northwards over Gatineau, Quebec.  Hopefully this Saturday it will be nice and clear so I can go out of town to get a better photo.  I want to go to Moosecreek and get better photos and videos of the comet.  The photos are available for sale on my own website.  It’s also available for sale on my Adobe stock portfolio.  Since this is my only form of income right now, please consider purchasing something from either site.  Thank you and I appreciate it.

Photography in the time of COVID-19

Photography, especially, landscape, nature, wildlife, astrophotography is probably the best type of photography to learn and do while social distancing in the time of COVID-19.  You are surrounded by nature socially distancing from everyone.  No one is around you.  You’re out in the fresh air.  It’s fantastic.  

These four photos were taken in Moosecreek, Ontario which is situated roughly halfway between Ottawa and Montreal.  The sky glow in the bottom picture is actually sky glow from Montreal which is about 45 minutes east of the location.  It’s almost like photographing the night sky in daylight which is not good.

The shots were taken with the Sony a7R Mark II with the Sony f3.5-6.3 24-240MM lens.  Pretty good ISO at 1600.  Hardly any noise.  All photos were edited on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro with the 12.9” screen and the 512GB hard drive.  All pictures were edited on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro in Affinity Photo. I am using the Apple Magic keyboard to type this and it’s actually an amazing typing experience this blog.  My configuration consists of the 2018 Apple iPad Pro 12.9” using the Magic Keyboard to type and the Magic Mouse as my primary pointing device.  I am using the USB-C card reader made by Apple to get all my photography.  I also have the second version of the Apple Pencil for very specific editing.

I’ve gone out twice to do astrophotography in the last 2 months which is twice more than I’ve done in the last several years.  It took me a while to find focus since I’ve never used this camera for astrophotography before but I think the pictures came out very well.

I think this summer, the fiancée and I will head up to the Algonquin Radio Telescope for night and do some photography from there.  I haven’t been there in a few years and I need to revisit the place with my new photography setup.  

I thought I could do it with just the 2018 Apple iPad Pro

So I thought I could just run the photography business with just an iPad Pro and the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  The iPad Pro is a great device as is the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I'm still using the Sony RX100 Mark VII as the main camera for now.  But the iPad Pro, not so much.  The only issue I'm running into is the space on the iPad Pro as I use the Apple Photos app to store all my photography shot with either the Apple iPhone Pro Max and the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I think for now I will be using the early 2013 Apple MacBook Pro as a sort of server to store my RAW photo files so I can edit them on the 2018 Apple iPad Pro.

I'm noticing that a lot of my photography now is getting rejected for noise issues.  I honestly love the Sony RX100 Mark VII but for low light situation, I find the Sony A7 II is really good.  That is why I bought it again.  I will use it for my landscape photography.

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

The future of photography

I have been pondering the future of photography over the past few days.  I started photography about 15 years ago as a hobby.  I bought a basic DSLR back in 2004.  I had no understating of ISO, aperture, shutter speed etcetera.  I learned over a few years about exposure and such.  I upgraded my equipment as well as I learned more.  I shot Canon from 2004 to about 2017 when I switched to Sony cameras.  In 2015 I started doing videos as well.  I shoot for micro stock.  Primarily landscape, wildlife and such.  No weddings, portraits, or family photography.  I really enjoy the solitude of being out in the mountains with just my Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I used to have full frame cameras such as the Canon EOS 6D and the Sony A7II.  Had pro lenses as well.  They cost a pretty penny.  Now I just use a point and shoot pocket camera.  I get the same, if not better photos out of the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I find that the experience and imagination of the photographer is more important than the equipment used.

The market is also changing.  The biggest change in the photography market I find happened in 2007 when Apple released the Apple iPhone.  That put a camera in everybody’s pocket.  The iPhone has come a long way and it completely changed the photography market.  Now anyone can be a photographer.  I’d say 98% of people can’t tell the difference between a printed photo that was shot on an iPhone 8+ or a Sony A7RIV.  In the end it’s the skill of the photographer using the equipment he/she has..

In May 2020, my contract with Freedom Mobile ends.  I want to get the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max.  I’d need at least the 256GB model.  I find the 64GB doesn’t allow that much storage for shooting 4K/60fps footage.  I want to try using just the iPhone and iPad Pro for all my photography and editing needs.  The iPad Pro is a media consumption device which doubles as a laptop replacement.  Now with IpadOS 13.2.2 released, I don’t need a physical laptop running whatever flavour of the day of O/S.

If you look at my Shutterstock portfolio, you can’t tell what camera was used to take any particular photo with a particular lens.  I have sold photos shot on the iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy s7 Edge, a Canon EOS 350D, Canon EOS 6D, Canon EOS T3i, Sony RX100 Mark IV, V, VI, VII and the Sony A7II.  I bet in that 3-5 years, DSLR’s are going to be relics of a bi gone era.  Everyone, and I mean everyone will be shooting on a smart phone.  You can see the stats now.  The big camera brands such as Canon, Nikon, Sony are seeing their camera sales falling.  There will always be a need for high definition, high mega pixel cameras for scientific research.  You can’t do astrophotography with a phone yet.  There are dedicated cameras for astrophotography.  There will a need for specialized cameras for looking at cells and microbes.  Phones won’t be able to do that yet.  Who knows what the future holds for these kinds of cameras.  100 years ago, we were learning to fly.  70 years ago, we put a man on the moon.  40 years ago, a home computer was non-existent.  20 years ago, the internet was coming into its own.  Who knows what technology is going to be invented in 20, 40, 70 or a 100 years ago.  In the Back to the Future movies we were supposed to have flying cars right now.  

Technology evolves.  Attitudes change.  Tech just gets better.  Some of it for the better and most of it for the worse as it changes society for the worse.  But that’s just my opinion.

Why the Sony RX100 Mark VII is the best camera (for me)

As a stock photographer, I carry my camera with me everywhere.  It’s either in my coat, jeans or shorts pocket when I’m out and about.  it’s just the perfect camera for me.  Some may say it’s just an overpriced point and shoot that’s a bit better than a phone camera.  I actually beg to differ.  Just because it’s got a one inch sensor with an attached 24-200MM lens, doesn’t mean it’s not a professional camera.  It is a professional camera because it’s with me every minute of the day.  I was going to buy the Sony A7RII with the 24-240MM lens.  But that combination would cost me about $4000.  And that combination would not be with me all the time just because of the size.  I carry the Sony RX100 Mark VII with me everywhere along with my 2018 Apple iPad Pro.

I can do all sorts of photography with the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  I can do portraiture, street, landscape and wildlife photography.  I can shoot during the day and at night as seen with the above photograph of the fireworks.  This was a 3.2” photograph at f9 and ISO 100.  No noise.  No shake since I had the camera on a tripod shooting with an intervalometer.  I can attach all the adapters I need to.  It is essentially the perfect camera for me.

I am a stock photographer

No weddings. No portraits.  No family shots.  Only landscapes of nature and wildlife.  With my Sony RX100 Mark VII and my 2018 Apple iPad Pro.  No huge cameras.  No heavy laptops.  If I need to get closer to something, I walk towards it.  If I need to be farther away from subject, I walk away from it.  Easy as that.  I enjoy my independence.  I would rather be in my car with my camera driving to somewhere new.  Photograph something new.  Experience something new.

I honestly don’t need the latest and greatest anymore.  I am truly happy with what I have.  I have the best camera.  I have the best computer.  Why?  They are always with me.  I have decided to just do photography and shoot footage with the Sony RX100 Mark VII.  High quality photography and high quality 1080p video.  4K files are way too big and take too much time to process.  The 2018 Apple iPad Pro just flies through 1080p footage.  I keep learning about the iPadOS everyday.  Learn something new with it.

April 2020, I have decided to move to Calgary and be near the mountains.  I want to pay off my debt and just live simply.  That is my goal.

Adobe stock first sale

I’ve been on Adobe Stock for a week now.  I have 800+ photos on the site.  Today I sold my first photo on the site.  It’s a shot from Monument Valley which I visited about 3 years ago.  You can click the following link to see the photo and I hope you view some other photos I have for sale.  The photo is ok I guess.  Not my best work but I like it.  My plan is to add about 100-150 photos/clips a day to my Adobe portfolio.  Hopefully in a month or so, I’ll have 3-4000 photos available for sale on Adobe.  I have 15,000+ photos and 1,500+ footage clips on Shutterstock.  I hope Shutterstock lets me download my footage clips since I lost them all when my hard drive got corrupt when I moved last year.

I really fell in love with the southwest American landscape when I was there back in 2016.  I am going to move to Calgary in April of next year to be closer to the national parks in Canada and the United States.  I love photographing the landscape of the parks.  It is truly beautiful out there.  I think I won’t need a tent or anything.  Just sleep in the back of my vehicle.  The problem I’ll have is finding a toilet.  I’ll just have to watch what I eat so I don’t need to visit Mother Nature as often.

Free Adobe Photoshop CC and Lightroom Classic CC

As of today, I had 372 photos and videos accepted on my Adobe Stock portfolio.  As per the Adobe site, once you reach 300 photos or videos accepted, you get either the photographer or the all in package for free for a year.  You'll receive a code within 6-8 weeks to redeem this offer.  Typically I wouldn't install any Adobe stuff on my computer or at least I wouldn't pay a subscription for software.  Now that I get it for free for a year, it's not that bad.  Once the year is up though, I will of course cancel the subscription and only use Pixelmator and Affinity Photo to edit my photography.  I'm actually using that right now and submitting it to Adobe Stock.

New portfolio

Got a new place where you can buy my photography.  I've submitted my photography and footage to Adobe Stock.  I only started submitting in the last week or so.  The portfolio is small but it is growing.   So please have patience.  You can click here to see the portfolio.  It's limited right now but I'm adding photography and footage on a daily basis.  Once it gets approved, it'll be on there.  Usually takes a day or so to get approved once I submit it.

I want to give my customers choices for where to shop for my photography.  Adobe Stock is another good, quality choice.

I am back

Well, after a few years of being permanently banned on a particular micro stock agency, I decided to try and upload some of my photography.  I added about 10 photos and 9 of the 10 were approved.  So I started adding more.  And more.  And more.  Apparently a few years back I was spamming their agency with the same photos.  Apparently I was spamming all the agencies but I was only banned from this one.  

Well, after a few years, I guess I am able to upload again.  Which is fantastic. I sold quite a few photos and clips on there.  Hopefully I can replicate the success on this site again.  I hope I sell as many photos as I do on Shutterstock on this site.  The more photo and footage sales, the better.  I just want to buy a better drone for my Ariel photography.