July 31, 2025 • 18 mins
Unlock the power of mobile photo editing on your smartphone! We go beyond simple filters to explore cutting-edge AI photo editing tools that are changing the game.
Discover how apps like Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, and Affinity Photo bring professional-grade power to your fingertips. Learn about the convenience of mobile workflows for photographers and content creators.
But it's not all sunshine and perfect pixels! We dive into the controversy around cloud storage (Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Photos) and subscription models for your irreplaceable RAW files. What happens when your photos are in someone else's cloud?
The biggest game-changer? AI photo editing! We discuss tools like Google's Magic Editor and how they allow you to erase objects, reposition subjects, and even generate new elements. This blurs the lines between photography and digital art, raising critical questions about authenticity and ethics in AI imagery.
Join the conversation: How do you balance enhancement vs. fabrication with AI? What does photography mean to you in this new era?
Leave your thoughts in the comments and subscribe for more tech updates and reviews.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The best camera is the one you have with you.
You probably heard that quoteright From Chase Jarvis.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Classic.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
And it's just so true these days.
I mean, our phones arepractically glued to us, the
cameras are amazing and we'reall snapping pictures constantly
.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Every single day, yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
So today we're doing a deep dive into something
pretty much all of us do, maybewithout even thinking too hard
about it mobile photo editingRight, but even thinking too
hard about it.
Mobile photo editing Right, butwe're going way beyond just
slapping on a quick filter.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That's right.
Our mission today really is tounpack this whole powerful and
sometimes let's be honest kindof controversial world of
editing photos on your phone ortablet.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We'll look at how much control you actually have,
what this cutting edge AI can donow which is kind of wild and
maybe ask if the old rules ofphotography even matter when
tech moves this fast.
This deep dive.
It's really designed to giveyou the insights you need to
navigate all this change.
Make good choices about how youhandle your photos on the go.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, we're talking convenience versus control.
That's a big one.
The rise of AI, which is justexploding, and some genuinely
tinderboxes issues around whatactually happens to your photos
when they go up into the cloudit's a lot to think about.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It really is A fascinating set of choices.
Maybe frustrating sometimes,too, that everyone with a
smartphone camera faces now.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Okay, let's unpack this.
So let's start right there.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Why would anyone especially maybe someone who
takes photography kind ofseriously want to edit on their
phone or tablet?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Isn't the common wisdom?
Still like a big, powerfuldesktop computer?
Well, yeah, that's atraditional way, but convenience
is a massive driver here.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
OK.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
But it's more than just being lazy, you know, it's
that immediate gratification youget a great shot to share it.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Maybe just a preview on instagram, facebook, whatever
right now that immediacy thatspeed can be absolutely crucial
sometimes I can totally see thatlike imagine you're a
photojournalist or you'recovering a big event like the
pga championship they mentioned,or even just a local sports
game, getting those images outfast different it dramatically
(02:05):
boosts their impact, theirrelevance.
It's not just nice For somejobs, it's essential.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Exactly, and for a lot of us, honestly, it's just
that personal thing You're outshooting.
You want that quickconfirmation.
Did I get it?
Does it look okay?
Speaker 1 (02:19):
That feedback loop.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, that immediate feedback helps you adjust right
there in the moment.
And all of this kind of feedsinto what we call a mobile
workflow.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Okay, mobile workflow , so that's like processing
managing.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, managing your photos on the go, maybe even
backing them up from your memorycards right there in the field.
It's interesting because, likeone source said, it can be both
limiting and liberating Kind ofa paradox.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Okay.
So if you're going to do thisseriously, not just, you know,
filtering a selfie, whathardware do you actually need?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Good question.
First off, the device itself Aphone or tablet with decent
storage, think maybe 128 gigs ormore, like an iPhone 7 Plus or
an iPad Pro 9.7 inch.
Those were examples given.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Right Storage is key.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
High storage on the device is important for working
on stuff temporarily, but andthis is really important don't
rely on just your phone ortablet for permanent storage.
That's asking for trouble.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Definitely heard horror stories there.
So okay, raw files.
Those are the big high qualityones, right Unprocessed.
How do you get those onto yourphone?
It's not always straightforward.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
No, not always.
For a proper raw workflow youoften need a card reader,
Something like the Apple USB 3Lightning to SD card reader was
mentioned.
That gets those big filesacross.
Oh, okay, if you're just dealingwith JPEGs.
Sometimes the camera's ownWi-Fi connection can do the job
and his own Wi-Fi connection cando the job.
And then the apps what arepeople actually using?
(03:47):
Right?
The software?
There's a whole bunch.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile is kindof the big one for many pros
doing mobile stuff, but you'vealso got really powerful options
like Snapseed, which is superpopular.
Affinity Photo, especially onthe iPad, is a beast Right, and
honestly, even the built-inphotos app on iOS since iOS 10,
apparently has gottensurprisingly good, even with raw
files for basic edits.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Okay, now let's wade into maybe the first big
controversial area, thatTinderbox topic.
You mentioned Adobe, lightroom.
Ah, yes, adobe For years.
Lightroom was it right?
Right, the standard, but theyreally stirred things up
recently.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Well, they absolutely did big time standard, but they
really stirred things uprecently.
Well, they absolutely did Bigtime.
They basically shifted focushard towards what they call the
all new Lightroom CC, which isessentially Lightroom mobile but
running on your desktop too, OK, so the mobile version kind of
took over.
Pretty much Now.
Lightroom Classic CC, the oneeveryone was used to.
It still exists for now, butthe general feeling is it's kind
(04:43):
of temporary.
You know that eventuallythey'll phase it out and push
everyone onto this new cloudbased system.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And that's where the controversy kicks in, right.
This idea of storing youroriginal massive raw files up in
Adobe's cloud.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Exactly, that's the core of it.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What are the supposed benefits and what are people
really worried about?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Well, adobe pushes the seamless integration angle
Edit on your phone, pick it upon your tablet, finish on your
desktop, all syncedautomatically.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Sounds great right, sounds convenient, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
But the real world problems are pretty significant
for a lot of photographers.
First, raw files are huge.
The example given was 450 shotsfor a time lapse that could be
nearly 40 gigabytes.
Wow, given was 450 shots for atime lapse that could be nearly
40 gigabytes.
Wow, and the irony is thiscloud thing that promises
freedom often ties you to yourslowest link, your home internet
(05:30):
upload speed ah, yeah,uploading takes forever one
source tested it 30 raw filestook half an hour to upload.
On a typical connection that's.
That's not exactly seamlessconvenience for large shoots.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
No.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Plus and this is crucial Adobe doesn't give you
unlimited cloud storage.
Once you get into terabytes ofphotos, which serious
photographers do, it startsgetting very expensive very
quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
And this isn't just hypothetical worry, right,
people have actually run intoproblems.
There was that user story, billAlbert.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Right.
That was a really concerningexample.
He reported losing three daysworth of raw images.
He ended up only with DNG filesafter using a specific
Lightroom CC Plus classicworkflow while traveling.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Ouch.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, Now the specifics of how that happened
in his workflow might be complex, but the outcome was losing
original raws.
And that just throws up thishuge question for you, the user
what's the actual cost of thisconvenience, especially when the
system is maybe still kind ofworking out kinks?
We're talking aboutirreplaceable photos here.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That really hits home .
It becomes a trust issue,doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Absolutely.
You're trusting your originalsto a system you don't fully
control.
That's maybe still evolving.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And it's not just the cloud storage, is it the whole
business model shiftSubscriptions.
People aren't thrilled aboutthat either.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
No, definitely not.
Moving away from perpetuallicenses, where you bought the
software once and owned it, tomandatory subscriptions has
rubbed a lot of users the wrongway.
They feel kind of locked inpaying forever.
And you know what?
This has opened up a huge doorfor competitors, companies like
Skylum with their Luminarsoftware and Sariv with Affinity
Photo.
They're jumping right into thatgap.
(07:08):
How?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
so.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They're offering powerful editing software with
perpetual licenses.
Buy it once, keep it.
It's a direct appeal tophotographers who are fed up
with Adobe's subscription model.
They're actively trying to grabthose users.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Makes sense.
So okay, let's say you dodecide to go with Adobe's cloud
system.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
How does the file management actually work?
Where do your photos physicallylive?
Okay, so you import photos ontoyour phone or tablet.
They go into your device'sphoto library first, then you
import them into LightroomMobile.
When you connect to theinternet, lightroom Mobile
uploads the full raw files toAdobe's cloud.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Okay, so they're synced up there.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Right and once they're confirmed, synced to the
cloud, you can delete them fromyour phone or tablet to save
space.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Ah, but that sounds scary.
Deleting the only local copy.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
That's exactly it.
That's the scary part for many.
You're putting all your trustin the cloud copy.
Now there is a cleverworkaround mentioned for people
still using Lightroom Classic.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Oh yeah, what's that?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Once the raw files sync down from the cloud into
your Lightroom Classic catalogon your computer, you can then
move those Raws to your localhard drive.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And then you can tell Lightroom to delete them from
the cloud storage to free upthat expensive Adobe Cloud Space
.
You still keep access to themeverywhere via what are called
smart previews in your syncedcollections.
Those are smaller, editableproxy files that don't eat up
your cloud quota.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So you get local backup and save cloud space.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Exactly.
It allows for something closerto that true 3-2-1 backup rule.
You know, three copies, twomedia types, one off site with
less effort, at least until youhit those smart preview limits
or whatever.
It's a workaround, but it showsthe hoops people jump through.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Wow Okay, from file management headaches to cloud
worries, it's clear convenienceisn't always simple.
But what if convenience broughtsomething else entirely,
something revolutionary, maybeeven reality bending?
Let's talk AI.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Ah, the AI revolution .
Speaker 1 (09:08):
yeah, we saw Android 16 boosting its camera and media
stuff, including AI-poweredphoto editing suggestions
popping up right in GooglePhotos.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And this is where things get really interesting,
especially with phones like theGoogle Pixel 9 Pro.
Okay, really interesting,especially with phones like the
Google Pixel 9 Pro.
Okay, the word is.
The real leap with the Pixel 9Pro isn't so much the camera
hardware itself that'sapparently pretty similar to the
last one, right, it's all aboutthe powerful new generative AI
tools they've added to somethingcalled the Magic Editor.
This isn't just a little tweak,it's a whole different ballgame
(09:39):
.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Okay, so generative AI that sounds significant.
Are there different kinds of AItools we're talking about here?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Yeah, broadly two types.
First, you've got the stuffthat happens right there on your
device.
Uses machine learning.
No internet needed.
Things like action, blur, longexposure effects, even that neat
add me feature where it usesaugmented reality to pop you
into a photo you just took ofyour friends Practical
enhancements basically.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Okay, useful tricks.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Right.
But then you have thecloud-based generative AI.
This needs an internetconnection, needs your photos
backed up to the cloud, usuallyGoogle Photos, and this is where
the magic editor does its mostdramatic stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And this is the stuff that people say is maybe beyond
photography.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
That's the phrase.
Yeah, because its capabilitiesare just well staggering.
It can erase really complexthings from the foreground
seamlessly.
It can move your main subjectaround in the picture, yet like
slide them over.
Yeah, and here's the kicker itcan generate objects out of thin
air.
Add an like slide them over.
Yeah, and here's the kicker itcan generate objects out of thin
air.
Add an airplane to an empty sky.
Put chairs in a field of tallgrass where there were none.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Whoa.
Okay, that is different.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It signals this fundamental shift right from
just capturing what was there toactively curating or even
creating a scene.
It's less a scene.
It's less the best camera isthe one you have with you and
more the best editor can inventwhatever wasn't there.
And apparently it's much fasteron the Pixel 9 than the Pixel 8
, which just encourages plentyof experimentation.
So it really forces you, thelistener, to ask when does it
(11:09):
stop being photography and startbeing digital art, more of
something else?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Those lines are getting incredibly blurry and
that brings up a tricky pointfor, just you know, regular
users trying to figure thisstuff out.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Actually getting to use these tools.
It sounds a bit confusing.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It really can be.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Like the Pixel 9 Pro, comes with a year of free
Google Gemini Live, but thenit's a subscription and while
the photo AI stuff on the Pixelisn't yet subscription locked,
it feels like a sign Maybe.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It certainly points that way, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
And then there's conflicting info about the
Google Photos AI tools foreveryone else.
One source says they're nowavailable to all Google Photos
users, no subscription required,but then another review
mentions needing a Google Onesubscription for unlimited saves
for the AI-based Magic Editorfeatures.
Right, so what's the deal Ifyou're just using Google Photos
on your phone?
Do you have to pay for thismagic or not?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, it's confusing, isn't it?
It shows how fast thesecompanies are changing their
offers and tiers.
The latest understanding seemsto be there's likely a free tier
that gives you some accessmaybe a limited number of saves
per month for the reallyadvanced regenerative stuff,
okay, but for unlimited use ofthose powerful magic editor
features, it looks like yougenerally do need a paid Google
(12:24):
One subscription.
Now that seems to be thedirection.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
So check the fine print basically.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Absolutely Always check the current Google policy,
but the takeaway is don'texpect all the AI magic to be
free forever.
Google Photos does offer tips,though, like layering AI with
normal edits using the rightselection tool tap brush circle
and tweaking the strength slider.
That helps you control theresults a bit more.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Okay.
So, like it or not, ai isdefinitely here to stay in
photography.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Oh, absolutely.
It's a massive trend and itsvalue to you, the user, will be
directly related to yourtolerance of generative AI
technology.
It's powerful, it's challengingnorms and it's a choice you
have to make about how you wantto create and edit your images.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Okay, so we've talked AI magic and controversy.
Let's switch gears a bit backto something more fundamental, a
choice photographers have hadfor way longer shooting in RAW.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yes, RAW versus JPEG the age-old debate.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
For anyone not deep into photography, can you just
quickly explain what a RAW fileactually is?
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Sure, think of a RAW file as, like the digital
negative from your camera sensor, it's the RAW, unprocessed data
.
It contains way moreinformation, more potential,
than a standard JPEG file.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Okay, more data means more editing flexibility.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Exactly.
You get all the ingredientsbefore the camera's automatic
chef start cooking things,applying sharpening, saturation,
contrast.
That's why RAW files often lookkind of flat or boring and
unsaturated straight out of thecamera.
The processing hasn't happenedyet.
You get to do it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
And can you actually shoot RAW on most phones now, or
is it still a special feature?
Speaker 2 (13:57):
It's getting more common.
On Google pixels there'susually a RAW plus JPEG control
setting you can turn on.
Samsung Galaxy phones oftenhave a RAW copies toggle hidden
in their pro camera mode.
For other Android phones, ifthe main camera app doesn't
support it, you might need athird-party app, like ProCam X
was mentioned, to capture RAW.
So, yeah, you usually have toactively choose to shoot RAW.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Okay, so you've got your RAW files on your phone.
What's it actually like editingthem on a mobile device?
Is it a decent experiencecompared to desktop?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
You know it's surprisingly capable these days
Apps like Lightroom, mobileSnapseed, even Pixlr they handle
RAW files pretty well.
When you open a RAW file in oneof these apps, you're
essentially taking controlbefore all that automatic phone
processing kicks in.
You get sliders for things likeexposure, contrast, highlights,
shadows, white balance, tempand tint saturation.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So real detail control.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, plus effects like clarity, dehaze, adding
vignettes and even noisereduction adding vignettes and
even noise reduction you reallycan dig in and fine-tune the
image, pull details out ofshadows or recover highlights in
a way that's just impossiblewith a compressed JPEG.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Okay, but here's the big question then, especially
for you know, the average person, the hobbyist maybe Is all that
extra effort shooting RAW,importing RAW, carefully editing
RAW, is it actually worth it?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Ah, the million dollar question.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Because one source made a really interesting point.
Often, after all that manualwork on a RAW file, the final
image looks strikingly similarto the JPEG the phone produced
automatically in the first place.
That can absolutely happen,yeah, so it really makes you
wonder.
For most people taking photoswith their phones even people
who care about good photos doyou really need to bother with
(15:41):
RAW, especially when the phone'sautomatic processing is already
so good?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
It's a totally valid question and, honestly, for many
, maybe even most, users, theanswer might be no.
The automatic processing onmodern smartphones is incredibly
sophisticated.
It's designed to give you apunchy pleasing image instantly.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Right, good enough is often pretty great.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Exactly.
And there's another layer here,a kind of background worry for
some, especially Android users.
It's this Google graveyardthing.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
I've heard about that .
What's the connection here?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Well, people on Reddit brought it up in relation
to Snapseed.
Google bought Snapseed yearsago.
It's a fantastic, powerfuleditor.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah, it's great and free.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Right, completely free with no upsells, which is
amazing.
But Google has a history ofbuying apps, kind of stopping
active development or majorupdates, and then eventually
either killing them off or justrolling some features into their
main products, like GooglePhotos.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Okay, I see.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
So users get nervous about investing time learning
and building a workflow aroundan app like Snapseed, even for
raw editing, If they worryGoogle might just abandon it
down the line.
It creates uncertainty.
Snapseed is still very popular,but its future for updates
isn't guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That definitely has another wrinkle to the.
Is it worth it calculationTrust in the tools themselves?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Workflow stability matters.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Okay, wow, we've covered a lot of ground here.
We've gone from the simpleconvenience of editing on your
phone.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Yeah, that liberation .
Speaker 1 (17:08):
To navigating the stormy seas of Adobe's cloud and
subscriptions.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Definitely some rough waters there.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Debated what even counts as photography anymore
with generative AI.
That's a big one.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And kind of questioned if going full raw on
mobile is always the best use oftime for you, the end user.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It really highlights how much incredible power you
have right there in your pocketnow, yeah, but also the critical
choices, the tradeoffs thatcome bundled with that power.
You know choosing your workflow, deciding where your photos
live, figuring out your comfortlevel with AI.
These aren't small decisions.
They really shape your picturesand how your digital memories
(17:47):
get handled.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So maybe a final thought for everyone listening
as you take your next picturewith your phone, just consider
this In a world where AI canconjure up a perfect sunset or
make an annoying tourist vanishwith a tap, how important is it
to you that your final imagereflects only what your camera
actually saw, or are you readyto embrace the magic, whether it
feels real or completelyartificial?
The best camera is the one you have with you.
You probably heard that quoteright From Chase Jarvis.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Classic.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
And it's just so true these days.
I mean, our phones arepractically glued to us, the
cameras are amazing and we'reall snapping pictures constantly
.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Every single day, yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
So today we're doing a deep dive into something
pretty much all of us do, maybewithout even thinking too hard
about it mobile photo editingRight, but even thinking too
hard about it.
Mobile photo editing Right, butwe're going way beyond just
slapping on a quick filter.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That's right.
Our mission today really is tounpack this whole powerful and
sometimes let's be honest kindof controversial world of
editing photos on your phone ortablet.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We'll look at how much control you actually have,
what this cutting edge AI can donow which is kind of wild and
maybe ask if the old rules ofphotography even matter when
tech moves this fast.
This deep dive.
It's really designed to giveyou the insights you need to
navigate all this change.
Make good choices about how youhandle your photos on the go.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah, we're talking convenience versus control.
That's a big one.
The rise of AI, which is justexploding, and some genuinely
tinderboxes issues around whatactually happens to your photos
when they go up into the cloudit's a lot to think about.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
It really is A fascinating set of choices.
Maybe frustrating sometimes,too, that everyone with a
smartphone camera faces now.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Okay, let's unpack this.
So let's start right there.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Why would anyone especially maybe someone who
takes photography kind ofseriously want to edit on their
phone or tablet?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Isn't the common wisdom?
Still like a big, powerfuldesktop computer?
Well, yeah, that's atraditional way, but convenience
is a massive driver here.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
OK.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
But it's more than just being lazy, you know, it's
that immediate gratification youget a great shot to share it.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Maybe just a preview on instagram, facebook, whatever
right now that immediacy thatspeed can be absolutely crucial
sometimes I can totally see thatlike imagine you're a
photojournalist or you'recovering a big event like the
pga championship they mentioned,or even just a local sports
game, getting those images outfast different it dramatically
(02:05):
boosts their impact, theirrelevance.
It's not just nice For somejobs, it's essential.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Exactly, and for a lot of us, honestly, it's just
that personal thing You're outshooting.
You want that quickconfirmation.
Did I get it?
Does it look okay?
Speaker 1 (02:19):
That feedback loop.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah, that immediate feedback helps you adjust right
there in the moment.
And all of this kind of feedsinto what we call a mobile
workflow.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Okay, mobile workflow , so that's like processing
managing.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, managing your photos on the go, maybe even
backing them up from your memorycards right there in the field.
It's interesting because, likeone source said, it can be both
limiting and liberating Kind ofa paradox.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Okay.
So if you're going to do thisseriously, not just, you know,
filtering a selfie, whathardware do you actually need?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Good question.
First off, the device itself Aphone or tablet with decent
storage, think maybe 128 gigs ormore, like an iPhone 7 Plus or
an iPad Pro 9.7 inch.
Those were examples given.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Right Storage is key.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
High storage on the device is important for working
on stuff temporarily, but andthis is really important don't
rely on just your phone ortablet for permanent storage.
That's asking for trouble.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Definitely heard horror stories there.
So okay, raw files.
Those are the big high qualityones, right Unprocessed.
How do you get those onto yourphone?
It's not always straightforward.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
No, not always.
For a proper raw workflow youoften need a card reader,
Something like the Apple USB 3Lightning to SD card reader was
mentioned.
That gets those big filesacross.
Oh, okay, if you're just dealingwith JPEGs.
Sometimes the camera's ownWi-Fi connection can do the job
and his own Wi-Fi connection cando the job.
And then the apps what arepeople actually using?
(03:47):
Right?
The software?
There's a whole bunch.
Adobe Lightroom Mobile is kindof the big one for many pros
doing mobile stuff, but you'vealso got really powerful options
like Snapseed, which is superpopular.
Affinity Photo, especially onthe iPad, is a beast Right, and
honestly, even the built-inphotos app on iOS since iOS 10,
apparently has gottensurprisingly good, even with raw
files for basic edits.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Okay, now let's wade into maybe the first big
controversial area, thatTinderbox topic.
You mentioned Adobe, lightroom.
Ah, yes, adobe For years.
Lightroom was it right?
Right, the standard, but theyreally stirred things up
recently.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Well, they absolutely did big time standard, but they
really stirred things uprecently.
Well, they absolutely did Bigtime.
They basically shifted focushard towards what they call the
all new Lightroom CC, which isessentially Lightroom mobile but
running on your desktop too, OK, so the mobile version kind of
took over.
Pretty much Now.
Lightroom Classic CC, the oneeveryone was used to.
It still exists for now, butthe general feeling is it's kind
(04:43):
of temporary.
You know that eventuallythey'll phase it out and push
everyone onto this new cloudbased system.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And that's where the controversy kicks in, right.
This idea of storing youroriginal massive raw files up in
Adobe's cloud.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Exactly, that's the core of it.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
What are the supposed benefits and what are people
really worried about?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Well, adobe pushes the seamless integration angle
Edit on your phone, pick it upon your tablet, finish on your
desktop, all syncedautomatically.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Sounds great right, sounds convenient, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
But the real world problems are pretty significant
for a lot of photographers.
First, raw files are huge.
The example given was 450 shotsfor a time lapse that could be
nearly 40 gigabytes.
Wow, given was 450 shots for atime lapse that could be nearly
40 gigabytes.
Wow, and the irony is thiscloud thing that promises
freedom often ties you to yourslowest link, your home internet
(05:30):
upload speed ah, yeah,uploading takes forever one
source tested it 30 raw filestook half an hour to upload.
On a typical connection that's.
That's not exactly seamlessconvenience for large shoots.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
No.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Plus and this is crucial Adobe doesn't give you
unlimited cloud storage.
Once you get into terabytes ofphotos, which serious
photographers do, it startsgetting very expensive very
quickly.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
And this isn't just hypothetical worry, right,
people have actually run intoproblems.
There was that user story, billAlbert.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Right.
That was a really concerningexample.
He reported losing three daysworth of raw images.
He ended up only with DNG filesafter using a specific
Lightroom CC Plus classicworkflow while traveling.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Ouch.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, Now the specifics of how that happened
in his workflow might be complex, but the outcome was losing
original raws.
And that just throws up thishuge question for you, the user
what's the actual cost of thisconvenience, especially when the
system is maybe still kind ofworking out kinks?
We're talking aboutirreplaceable photos here.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
That really hits home .
It becomes a trust issue,doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Absolutely.
You're trusting your originalsto a system you don't fully
control.
That's maybe still evolving.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
And it's not just the cloud storage, is it the whole
business model shiftSubscriptions.
People aren't thrilled aboutthat either.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
No, definitely not.
Moving away from perpetuallicenses, where you bought the
software once and owned it, tomandatory subscriptions has
rubbed a lot of users the wrongway.
They feel kind of locked inpaying forever.
And you know what?
This has opened up a huge doorfor competitors, companies like
Skylum with their Luminarsoftware and Sariv with Affinity
Photo.
They're jumping right into thatgap.
(07:08):
How?
Speaker 1 (07:08):
so.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
They're offering powerful editing software with
perpetual licenses.
Buy it once, keep it.
It's a direct appeal tophotographers who are fed up
with Adobe's subscription model.
They're actively trying to grabthose users.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Makes sense.
So okay, let's say you dodecide to go with Adobe's cloud
system.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
How does the file management actually work?
Where do your photos physicallylive?
Okay, so you import photos ontoyour phone or tablet.
They go into your device'sphoto library first, then you
import them into LightroomMobile.
When you connect to theinternet, lightroom Mobile
uploads the full raw files toAdobe's cloud.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Okay, so they're synced up there.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Right and once they're confirmed, synced to the
cloud, you can delete them fromyour phone or tablet to save
space.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Ah, but that sounds scary.
Deleting the only local copy.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
That's exactly it.
That's the scary part for many.
You're putting all your trustin the cloud copy.
Now there is a cleverworkaround mentioned for people
still using Lightroom Classic.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Oh yeah, what's that?
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Once the raw files sync down from the cloud into
your Lightroom Classic catalogon your computer, you can then
move those Raws to your localhard drive.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And then you can tell Lightroom to delete them from
the cloud storage to free upthat expensive Adobe Cloud Space
.
You still keep access to themeverywhere via what are called
smart previews in your syncedcollections.
Those are smaller, editableproxy files that don't eat up
your cloud quota.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So you get local backup and save cloud space.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Exactly.
It allows for something closerto that true 3-2-1 backup rule.
You know, three copies, twomedia types, one off site with
less effort, at least until youhit those smart preview limits
or whatever.
It's a workaround, but it showsthe hoops people jump through.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Wow Okay, from file management headaches to cloud
worries, it's clear convenienceisn't always simple.
But what if convenience broughtsomething else entirely,
something revolutionary, maybeeven reality bending?
Let's talk AI.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Ah, the AI revolution .
Speaker 1 (09:08):
yeah, we saw Android 16 boosting its camera and media
stuff, including AI-poweredphoto editing suggestions
popping up right in GooglePhotos.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And this is where things get really interesting,
especially with phones like theGoogle Pixel 9 Pro.
Okay, really interesting,especially with phones like the
Google Pixel 9 Pro.
Okay, the word is.
The real leap with the Pixel 9Pro isn't so much the camera
hardware itself that'sapparently pretty similar to the
last one, right, it's all aboutthe powerful new generative AI
tools they've added to somethingcalled the Magic Editor.
This isn't just a little tweak,it's a whole different ballgame
(09:39):
.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Okay, so generative AI that sounds significant.
Are there different kinds of AItools we're talking about here?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Yeah, broadly two types.
First, you've got the stuffthat happens right there on your
device.
Uses machine learning.
No internet needed.
Things like action, blur, longexposure effects, even that neat
add me feature where it usesaugmented reality to pop you
into a photo you just took ofyour friends Practical
enhancements basically.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Okay, useful tricks.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Right.
But then you have thecloud-based generative AI.
This needs an internetconnection, needs your photos
backed up to the cloud, usuallyGoogle Photos, and this is where
the magic editor does its mostdramatic stuff.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
And this is the stuff that people say is maybe beyond
photography.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
That's the phrase.
Yeah, because its capabilitiesare just well staggering.
It can erase really complexthings from the foreground
seamlessly.
It can move your main subjectaround in the picture, yet like
slide them over.
Yeah, and here's the kicker itcan generate objects out of thin
air.
Add an like slide them over.
Yeah, and here's the kicker itcan generate objects out of thin
air.
Add an airplane to an empty sky.
Put chairs in a field of tallgrass where there were none.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Whoa.
Okay, that is different.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
It signals this fundamental shift right from
just capturing what was there toactively curating or even
creating a scene.
It's less a scene.
It's less the best camera isthe one you have with you and
more the best editor can inventwhatever wasn't there.
And apparently it's much fasteron the Pixel 9 than the Pixel 8
, which just encourages plentyof experimentation.
So it really forces you, thelistener, to ask when does it
(11:09):
stop being photography and startbeing digital art, more of
something else?
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Those lines are getting incredibly blurry and
that brings up a tricky pointfor, just you know, regular
users trying to figure thisstuff out.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Actually getting to use these tools.
It sounds a bit confusing.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
It really can be.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Like the Pixel 9 Pro, comes with a year of free
Google Gemini Live, but thenit's a subscription and while
the photo AI stuff on the Pixelisn't yet subscription locked,
it feels like a sign Maybe.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It certainly points that way, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
And then there's conflicting info about the
Google Photos AI tools foreveryone else.
One source says they're nowavailable to all Google Photos
users, no subscription required,but then another review
mentions needing a Google Onesubscription for unlimited saves
for the AI-based Magic Editorfeatures.
Right, so what's the deal Ifyou're just using Google Photos
on your phone?
Do you have to pay for thismagic or not?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
Yeah, it's confusing, isn't it?
It shows how fast thesecompanies are changing their
offers and tiers.
The latest understanding seemsto be there's likely a free tier
that gives you some accessmaybe a limited number of saves
per month for the reallyadvanced regenerative stuff,
okay, but for unlimited use ofthose powerful magic editor
features, it looks like yougenerally do need a paid Google
(12:24):
One subscription.
Now that seems to be thedirection.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
So check the fine print basically.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Absolutely Always check the current Google policy,
but the takeaway is don'texpect all the AI magic to be
free forever.
Google Photos does offer tips,though, like layering AI with
normal edits using the rightselection tool tap brush circle
and tweaking the strength slider.
That helps you control theresults a bit more.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Okay.
So, like it or not, ai isdefinitely here to stay in
photography.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Oh, absolutely.
It's a massive trend and itsvalue to you, the user, will be
directly related to yourtolerance of generative AI
technology.
It's powerful, it's challengingnorms and it's a choice you
have to make about how you wantto create and edit your images.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
Okay, so we've talked AI magic and controversy.
Let's switch gears a bit backto something more fundamental, a
choice photographers have hadfor way longer shooting in RAW.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yes, RAW versus JPEG the age-old debate.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
For anyone not deep into photography, can you just
quickly explain what a RAW fileactually is?
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Sure, think of a RAW file as, like the digital
negative from your camera sensor, it's the RAW, unprocessed data
.
It contains way moreinformation, more potential,
than a standard JPEG file.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Okay, more data means more editing flexibility.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Exactly.
You get all the ingredientsbefore the camera's automatic
chef start cooking things,applying sharpening, saturation,
contrast.
That's why RAW files often lookkind of flat or boring and
unsaturated straight out of thecamera.
The processing hasn't happenedyet.
You get to do it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
And can you actually shoot RAW on most phones now, or
is it still a special feature?
Speaker 2 (13:57):
It's getting more common.
On Google pixels there'susually a RAW plus JPEG control
setting you can turn on.
Samsung Galaxy phones oftenhave a RAW copies toggle hidden
in their pro camera mode.
For other Android phones, ifthe main camera app doesn't
support it, you might need athird-party app, like ProCam X
was mentioned, to capture RAW.
So, yeah, you usually have toactively choose to shoot RAW.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Okay, so you've got your RAW files on your phone.
What's it actually like editingthem on a mobile device?
Is it a decent experiencecompared to desktop?
Speaker 2 (14:26):
You know it's surprisingly capable these days
Apps like Lightroom, mobileSnapseed, even Pixlr they handle
RAW files pretty well.
When you open a RAW file in oneof these apps, you're
essentially taking controlbefore all that automatic phone
processing kicks in.
You get sliders for things likeexposure, contrast, highlights,
shadows, white balance, tempand tint saturation.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So real detail control.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Yeah, plus effects like clarity, dehaze, adding
vignettes and even noisereduction adding vignettes and
even noise reduction you reallycan dig in and fine-tune the
image, pull details out ofshadows or recover highlights in
a way that's just impossiblewith a compressed JPEG.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Okay, but here's the big question then, especially
for you know, the average person, the hobbyist maybe Is all that
extra effort shooting RAW,importing RAW, carefully editing
RAW, is it actually worth it?
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Ah, the million dollar question.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Because one source made a really interesting point.
Often, after all that manualwork on a RAW file, the final
image looks strikingly similarto the JPEG the phone produced
automatically in the first place.
That can absolutely happen,yeah, so it really makes you
wonder.
For most people taking photoswith their phones even people
who care about good photos doyou really need to bother with
(15:41):
RAW, especially when the phone'sautomatic processing is already
so good?
Speaker 2 (15:46):
It's a totally valid question and, honestly, for many
, maybe even most, users, theanswer might be no.
The automatic processing onmodern smartphones is incredibly
sophisticated.
It's designed to give you apunchy pleasing image instantly.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Right, good enough is often pretty great.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Exactly.
And there's another layer here,a kind of background worry for
some, especially Android users.
It's this Google graveyardthing.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
I've heard about that .
What's the connection here?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Well, people on Reddit brought it up in relation
to Snapseed.
Google bought Snapseed yearsago.
It's a fantastic, powerfuleditor.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah, it's great and free.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Right, completely free with no upsells, which is
amazing.
But Google has a history ofbuying apps, kind of stopping
active development or majorupdates, and then eventually
either killing them off or justrolling some features into their
main products, like GooglePhotos.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Okay, I see.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
So users get nervous about investing time learning
and building a workflow aroundan app like Snapseed, even for
raw editing, If they worryGoogle might just abandon it
down the line.
It creates uncertainty.
Snapseed is still very popular,but its future for updates
isn't guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
That definitely has another wrinkle to the.
Is it worth it calculationTrust in the tools themselves?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Workflow stability matters.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Okay, wow, we've covered a lot of ground here.
We've gone from the simpleconvenience of editing on your
phone.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Yeah, that liberation .
Speaker 1 (17:08):
To navigating the stormy seas of Adobe's cloud and
subscriptions.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Definitely some rough waters there.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Debated what even counts as photography anymore
with generative AI.
That's a big one.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
And kind of questioned if going full raw on
mobile is always the best use oftime for you, the end user.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
It really highlights how much incredible power you
have right there in your pocketnow, yeah, but also the critical
choices, the tradeoffs thatcome bundled with that power.
You know choosing your workflow, deciding where your photos
live, figuring out your comfortlevel with AI.
These aren't small decisions.
They really shape your picturesand how your digital memories
(17:47):
get handled.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
So maybe a final thought for everyone listening
as you take your next picturewith your phone, just consider
this In a world where AI canconjure up a perfect sunset or
make an annoying tourist vanishwith a tap, how important is it
to you that your final imagereflects only what your camera
actually saw, or are you readyto embrace the magic, whether it
feels real or completelyartificial?
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