PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FROM THE TOP FLOOR

Chris dives into a legal battle as music photographer Alec Byrne sues Getty Images, explores a nifty DIY Game Boy Mini Camera, unravels how AI reconstructs 3D scenes from eye reflections, geeks out on physical camera simulations in Blender, marvels at a super-sensitive camera changing art conservation, ponders National Geographic’s layoffs, and discovers a trendy … Continue reading "935 Spy Stuff"

In this episode, Chris explores a unique twist on street photography, discusses the challenges of auto white balance in wildfire conditions. He also delves into the world of AI with Uncrop and a quick GAN. There’s news from Nikon, a treat for Lego and Ansel Adams fans, a look at the viral AI-“Camera” Paragraphica, and … Continue reading "934 Facial Fakes, Fiery Frames"

Presenting jam-packed newsreel, a new book, French influencer law, semantic segmentation in real-time, dpreview’s archive, a new film by Fuji, the Mickey-Mouse-Leica and DALL-E coming to a browser near you. Special guest Allan Attridge of Two Hosers fame (he now also builds furniture on YouTube) and Chris talk about life, creating youtube videos and growing … Continue reading "933 Hawk Birdhouse and the Mickey Mouse Camera"

Yes, they have been tricking you. Millions of albums sold that were produced with cheap plastic gear. Inconceivable! Also on today’s show: a few words on dpreview’s demise (and resurrection), some thoughts (and a request for feedback) on guilt, fear and frustrations in photography. Plus thoughts on CJ Chilvers’ latest post about the gear race … Continue reading "932 You’ve Been Tricked!"

A special episode with a special guest. Don Komarechka is back on the show. He and Chris discuss HP and their DRM, Samsung and their moon cheat and a German lawsuit involving a photo wallpaper. It’s also the week of the GPT-4 release and the two prove that they are geeks beyond photography. Topics: [OTHER] … Continue reading "931 The Moon Cheat"

It’s been too long! In today’s episode Chris brings you a fresh mixture of photo topics that go deep into the changes that we photographers face, as well as a discussion on what determines the value of a photograph. Turns out there are a lot of answers. Topics: [WORKSHOPS] Eastern European Electric Photo Road Trip … Continue reading "930 The Sky Mystery"

Today we’ll touch on the Adobe content analytics issue, a bit of Flickr pro drama, big movies shot on film and a really interesting firmware from Canon. Topics: [WORKSHOPS] Almost Full: Eastern European Photo Roadtrip : The September Eastern European tour is filling up. The Sep 2-11 leg has one spot left, the Sep 14-23 … Continue reading "929 No Drama in Photo Land"

TFOP 245 discusses a new camera purchase and a conversation about historical photos and gold-plating photography on glass || Neurapix is a German startup that has developed AI-based software that can learn from previously edited images and apply the same edits to new photos at a fast rate || Two lawsuits against AI || xkcd … Continue reading "928 One Minute Six Hundred Pics"

Today we’ll look at social media, massive full-resolution space imagery, weird lenses and the cautionary tale of big corporations vacuuming up massive amounts of imagery and what we can do about that (or if we even should). Also Steve has a fun film question: how to distinguish exposed (but not developed) film? Topics: [OTHER] Reminder: … Continue reading "927 Resolution: 14k"

On this episode: JUST RELEASED: the third edition of The Film Photography Handbook. JUST RELAUNCHED: chrismarquardt.com (now offers information about my services in training, consulting, production, and photography as well as some references to past work). COMING UP: The 10-day Eastern Europe photo road trip in Sep 2023 for amateur and professional photographers to visit … Continue reading "926 Digitizing 88-Year-Old Photos, AI Protests, Relaunches"

Oh look, it’s a new episode! Reframing shots in 3D, a relaunched website, listener feedback, a look at NeRFs (no, not the toy guns) and the importance of the real world experience. Topics: [NEWS] Relaunched chrismarquardt.com : Chris has been working on a new website design to better showcase his various skills, experiences and showcase … Continue reading "925 Where Pilsener Is From"

Topics: [COOL] Register Now: Eastern European Photo Road Trip : The 10-day Eastern European Photo Road Trip from Berlin via Dresden/Prague/Vienna/Budapest to Transylvania is now officially open for registration! The dates are: Tour 1 (Berlin to Transylvania) Sep 2-11 2023 and Tour 2 (Transylvania to Berlin) Sep 14-23 2023. If you’re interested, send Chris a … Continue reading "924 You’re Hoarding It Wrong"

(Photo by Jon Tyson) This is an important episode. Probably more important than other episodes. And more urgent too. Why? You need to prepare yourself for a dramatically and very quickly changing creative landscape. And Chris is here to help you with the first steps. Topics: [NEWS] Affinity 2 Is Here : Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher 2 … Continue reading "923 THE TIME IS NOW"

Convenience always wins. That’s why the iPhone camera app is by far the most used one. Not because it’s the best but because it’s the quickest to reach from the iOS lock screen. Not any longer. Chris presents a method to launch ANY camera app to the lock screen with a single tap. Glorious! Also: … Continue reading "922 Free Camera Choice"

Chris’ main workstation is still out, but a replacement is getting closer, in form of a fan-less compact laptop that will outperform the previous iMac Pro by a decent margin. This is mainly possible thanks to your support! Topics: [PHOTO] Flat Lenses Are Here : Flat lenses are finally becoming a reality. Just not in … Continue reading "921 Video Editing Game Changer"

Chris brings you a bit of a different episode today because his main production machine has just died. Want to support? Go to tfttf.com/support Topics: [OTHER] Pellworm : We spent a week on Pellworm, a 37 square kilometer island located in the Wadden Sea. We’ve taken pictures too. [COOL] Lost Places – Horror-Hospital … AI … Continue reading "920 Death of a Workhorse"

Chris invites you into the world of building new neural pathways by talking about one of the biggest learning experiences he had in a long time. Also: how about using video tools to inspire some new photo editing tools? Topics: [AI, PHOTO] Greg Rutkowski : Fantasy artist Greg Rutkowski is not happy. His name shows … Continue reading "919 And I Froze"

Chris is catching up on the latest developments in the world of camera makers (Nikon goes 3D printing?!), new papers (awesome noise reduction), a train set with 10 miles of tracks (and photography thereof) and of one big question to Getty: is it really just about copyright questions? Really? Topics: [PHOTO, NEWS] Nikon vor 620 … Continue reading "918 Getty Bans AI"

A look at exponential growth (it’s the smartphones), an update about the state of satellite streak mitigation to keep the astro photographers happy, two history lessons (hello Lytro, hello Magnum) and a ground-breaking photo of a planet. Topics: [PHOTO] Have the Smartphones Won? : Here’s an interesting animation that shows various cameras since the 1950s … Continue reading "917 Are Starlink the Good Ones?"

Image style transfer, 12k motion picture scan, a different kind of photo bomb, the moon photo conspiracy and of course the new iPhone 14 with its new 48MP camera. Topics: [AI, PHOTO] Stable Diffusion: image2image : Stable Diffusion has just added Image 2 Image functionality to their web interface. So you can drop in a … Continue reading "916 12K to the Moon"

We’re at the verge of a truly fundamental shift in creativity. AI is seeping into a lot of visual fields, including visual medicine. Also Sigma’s good old Foveon sensor is seeing some new life and we’ll have a look back at the birth of a truly remarkable instant camera, the Polaroid SX-70. Topics: [NEWS, PHOTO] … Continue reading "915 A Cambrian Explosion"

Chris is back from the Eastern Europe Photo Road Trip Scouting Tour (EEPRTST 😄) and if you haven’t watched his vlog about the tour, what are you waiting for? Today’s episode includes the re-issue of 1 Hour 1000 Pics – Supercharge your Lightroom Workflow, some deep philosophical (and very meta) questions about deep fakes, a … Continue reading "914 The Willingness to Lie"

As Chris is on his way to Transylvania (you can follow him on his vlog), he talks about face fixers, an amazing photo and headline combo, re-dubbing movies and if your job as a photographer is safe from our new A.I. overlords. (Episode artwork: DALL-E 2) Topics: [NEWS] Scouting Eastern Europe : As you hear … Continue reading "913 Epic Episcope"

What do locksmiths have to do with photography? How about expoplanets? Find out on today’s episode. (Episode artwork: DALL-E 2) Topics: [TOOL] SD Recovery : An amazing look at the technology that is used in data recovery to read a broken SD card. [SPACE, PHOTO] Finding Exo Planets : Finding exoplanets has everything to do … Continue reading "912 The Locksmith’s Paradox"

The James Web Telescope is arguably the best camera.. not on the planet though. Chris looks at zoomable content, at being there and how that’s different from the limited senses that we can capture with our photography. Also: another quick look at DALL-E and what it has to do with pizza. Topics: [PHOTO, SPACE] IR: … Continue reading "911 All Things Interesting In Photography"

Let’s talk about photo road trips, dongles, an exercise in spotting humanity, smartphones closing in on us, astrophotography and big satellite constellations. Plus: Where is TFTTF really located on the spectrum of photography podcasts? Topics: [OTHER] Welcome to Dongle Town : Chris has figured out an interesting way to vlog from his car with a … Continue reading "910 Welcome to Dongle Town"

Chris has now received the magical tool to generate photography out of thin air. But OpenAi’s DALL-E 2 is turning out to be quite a learning curve that is very different from actual photography. Topics: [PHOTO, AI] I’m a Generator : I finally got access to DALL-E 2, OpenAi’s image generator. And boy is it … Continue reading "909 Generator Chris"

AI is going to enrich our lives and at the same time it’ll pull the rug out from under some people’s legs. Let’s explore things. Feedback? Reach Chris at [email protected], or follow @tfttfphoto on Twitter for show announcements. Topics: [PHOTO, AI] AI in Photography : What will the AI revolution do to your photography? Will … Continue reading "908 AI in Photography"

Hi, it’s Chris. Remember me? Photography Tips from the Top Floor is back and better than ever. I’ll still talk photography, but the show will also branch out into other topics here and there, where I discuss things from my other podcasts The Future of Photography and Happy Shooting as well as my German production … Continue reading "907 Peek-A-Boo"

Chris takes worldwide pinhole day as an excuse to talk a bit about the oldest photography technique. The discussion with director, writer and photographer Jeremiah Chechik takes the two into the depths of the latest tech in Hollywood: virtual production. Links: Watch this on YouTube Jeremiah Chechik – Homepage Worldwide Pinhole Day Download the MP3 … Continue reading "906 Virtual Production"

Today: Starlink, Apple’s new webcams and Don Komarechka. Enjoy! Links: Watch the interview from this episode on video SPONSOR: eneloop pro – get your rechargeable eneloop pros here (Germany) and here (UK) Use code TFTTF to get $5 off of Don Komarechka’s Macro Photography Book Apple’s 95 patents World Pinhole Day Download the MP3 for … Continue reading "905 Starlink"

Chris talks about a profound realization he had a few years ago. It’s about the way we learn and why we might benefit from a bit of Dunning Kruger Syndrome in the process. Guest on today’s show: Allan Attridge. We talk about our own obsolescence. A fun topic for a weekend for shure 🙂 Watch … Continue reading "904 Evacuated (Are we obsolete?)"

The Invisible Camera is now 10 years old. Chris and Allan discuss how things were behind the scenes at the time and what came of it. If you don’t know what The Invisible Camera is then please pause the podcast and watch the original video first, link below. SPONSOR: eneloop pro Links: SPONSOR: eneloop pro … Continue reading "903 Ten Years Invisible"

Chris talks about wearing multiple hats, he’s bringing back the MIP, a project that was 10 years in the making, and he talks with his guest Don Komarechka about image theft and about Don’s latest book on macro photography. Check out Don’s Macro Photography book Links: Video: Discussion with don Komarechka Don Komarechka’s homepage Support … Continue reading "902 Wild Service Tree"

Chris and Jon discuss the latest in 360 degree video, exemplified by Jon’s latest video series VIRTUAL 360 Everest Trek Links: Watch this episode on video VIRTUAL 360 Everest Trek Podcast: The Future of Photography Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email Support the show on Patreon or via SEPA

Watch this episode on YouTube UFOs (as the knitting community calls their UnFinished Objects) are projects that you put on hold. And hopefully dig out later, so you have something to go to when the big pandemic hits. Or any other reason you might need some distraction. Chris explains why creating UFOs isn’t a bad … Continue reading "900 UFOs Are Key"

In this episode Chris looks at creativity, how it often depends on the right puzzle pieces to come together at the right time, and how a little bit (or a lot) of pressure can bring this all together and allow you to make it into something entirely new. Like the new interactive teaching platform that … Continue reading "899 The Future of Photography Education"

video version The world is a crazy place right now.. and I’ve been struggling whether I should say something here, whether I should use this podcast as a platform, because this is a show about photography. But right now, it’s about human beings and about how we treat each other, this is about things being … Continue reading "898b A Few Words, 05-JUN-2020"

Check out Chris’ new video series Pick One Photo that feature Filmmaker Jon Miller, photographer Ibarionex Perello, photographer and thrower of axes Sean Galbraith, photographer and podcast co-hosts Adrian Stock and Eimear King, illustrator and animator Andres Fernandez Cordon and Hollywood director and photographer Jeremiah Chechik. Links: Pick One Photo – stories behind the photos … Continue reading "898 Pick One Photo"

Chris looks at the impact of this BLEEPING virus .. on the photo industry, on this show and on my own business and of course on YOUR photography, … and he suggests some solutions to soften the blow. Please help me find answers to these questions: What do YOU do in terms of photography to … Continue reading "897 Stuck at Home"

Chris talks about the Siberia photo tour in February and how to shoot ice. While Chris was in Russia, the coronavirus and the news about it have almost exploded and it is having a big impact on the travel industry and on photo travel. Chris takes you through his thoughts on the matter and how … Continue reading "896 Travel & Corona"

In today’s TFTTF Slice, Chris runs you through his daily routine while on a workshop. Chris also interviews his tour guide and some of the attendees of the Lake Baikal trip. You’re listening to a slice of Photography Tips from the Top Floor. The shownotes are at https://tfttf.com/ Links: Chris’s photos from Lake Baikal on … Continue reading "895 Voices (Slice)"

Chris and the group are making their way across Lake Baikal, the world’s largest lake by volume. It holds 20% of the planet’s liquid fresh water and is up to 1 mile deep. It’s also frozen in winter. You’re listening to a slice of Photography Tips from the Top Floor. The shownotes are at https://tfttf.com/ … Continue reading "894 On the Lake (Slice)"

Chris takes a break from packing for his trip to share some additional details of the Moscow Extension of the Lake Baikal workshop. And then adds a little sound-seeing from the Moscow subway. Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email Support the show on Patreon or via SEPA

This episode is all about challenging yourself to new heights… of course with a challenge or two. Also Alex wants to know what’s up with those terms and conditions where some photo businesses seem to make you sign away the rights to your photos. Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email … Continue reading "892 To New Heights"

Chris gets a voicemail from a listener (Brenie) discussing the new show format. And Mark helps Chris encourage more engagement for the alphabet photo challenges. Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email Support the show on Patreon or via SEPA

I am testing this new format for when I travel. So here are, as a test, my ramblings from the Viewfinder Villa kitchen table. Links: Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email

This episode comes at the end of a well-needed break. Actually a break that I didn’t even know I needed. But here we are. Back in the saddle with restored energy and ready to shake things up again. This episode is about 5 minutes that could change your photography forever. And trains. Stream trains. Photo … Continue reading "889 It Only Takes 5 Minutes"

It’s the last episode for the year 2019… and we’ll talk about what I do around the holidays. This episode is also about giving your photos titles. Why should you give your photos titles and how to title your pictures? Photo by Kyle Glenn Download the MP3 for this episode Receive TFTTF updates via email

You’re an amazing community. And a big welcome to the new patrons who have decided to support an independent creator. I’m humbled by your support. Let me say a quick thank you to the new patrons: Sid, Jeffrey, Gerald, Wayne, Jacob, CArol, Colin, Chris, Robert, Filip, Roger, Robert-Francois, David, Terry, Earl, Hank, Manuel, Dain and … Continue reading "887 Heartwarming"