Understanding ‘raw’ vs ‘jpg’ files for photos

I finally appreciate why my camera gives you the option to save photographs in the .raw file format as well as .jpg. I’ve had the camera set to save both versions for some time now, but never had the software to view the raw versions.

There’s lots of info out there I’m sure about raw vs jpg, but here’s my summary: the raw file is the facts (good or bad) about what the camera saw, whilst the jpg is a presentable version you can show your mum. The photo loses a lot of information when it is processed to jpg – a jpg is 2-3MB whilst a raw file is 10MB+.

To illustrate, here’s are a jpg and raw of the same photo from the Conchords gig this week:

The jpg (left) and raw (right) capture the same scene but the colours are a lot different.

Here they are in close up:

Close-up of the jpg (left) and raw (right). Brett on the right was wearing a blue shirt not green!

I was surprised to see that there could be such a difference, and I’m glad I had the raw version. The honest, actual light is a much better photo the way I remember it.

If you’ve got any other tips for using raw, let me know. I’ve just started using Aperture on the Mac and I’m keen to learn more.

Testing Everpress for blogging

Glastonbury 2010: Bands I’m lookIing forward to

The line-up got released yesterday so here are my early picks:

Grizzly Bear
Flaming Lips
LCD Soundsystem
MGMT
Dizzee Rascal
Vampire Weekend
Stevie Wonder
The National
Devendra Banhart
Gomez

Twitter lists are smarter than I thought

Lists know who they are following enough to filter @replies depending on whether both people are on the list. That’s quite smart, and unexpected.

Here’s on with my @replies to @Erica_Jane_MP included, followed by a list that only I’m on (ie not Erica) with those filtered out. Smart.

How web services help me budget

A quick cross post to highlight a recent post – about how I built a personal finances system using web services and free software – at my internet banking site.

Money management is an area I neglected until I was in my mid-twenties. I can’t recommend it enough, and happy to talk about it to anyone who’s trying to sort their own finances out.

What excites me about the iPad

I watched Gdgt’s live blogging of the iPad launch yesterday. I’m really pleased the tablet’s finally made it into reality, after reading rumours for years (might even spur me into adapt my apple tablet domain for the iPad).

As an Apple user for 2 years now, I’m looking forward to playing around with the iPad. From the launch blogging and photos, here are the things that were most interesting to me:

- It’s small: I can feasibly imagine carrying this around everyday. I use a Samsung NC10 netbook and don’t think twice about sticking it in my bag. The iPad could be even better as it’s thinner, and seems keenly priced.
- Large touchscreen: the iPhone interface works really well so I’m sure the iPad will too. I’d actually like to see some apps that allow you to use it as a mobile notebook, with character recognition for words and a blank jotter for doodles. I use notebooks heavily in meetings and would much prefer this information to be digital. This would need some sort of pen accessory, but it could work really well for artists too. I use Brushes on the iPhone and can see that working really well on an iPad. (Edit – just read Evernote’s blog post about the iPad – that’s a service perfect for this type of device).
- Apple processor: Steve said that they would be using a custom chip in the device. It’s really interesting to see how far through the production chain Apple are going.

Looking forward to first reviews from friends and contacts once they have one in their life.

My first post with the new iPhone Wordpress app

One of the things I’ve really wanted to see the Wordpress app handle well is the image gallery.

The photos below come from my phone, so judge for yourself whether it works or not

Last minute Glastonbury essentials

Some have already set off for Glastonbury by Wednesday, but if you’re like me and going Thursday there is still time to grab your festival essentials.

If this is your first festival, there may be some things you find useful on here.

First, some personal favourites:

• Bin bags
• Bulk pack of wetwipes
• Painkillers
• Wellies
• String and gaffer tape
• Cheap or old clothes, obviously
• Waterproof coat
• Batteries for whatever things you are taking, and a charger if you have the patience to queue
• Snacks, even if you plan to buy most of your food whilst there

…some other tips from around the web…

• Wine boxes – lighter than bottles and more efficient to packing
• Dialyte powder (designed for replenshing salts after stomach upsets and great for hangovers)
• A chair – a stool or a big folding chair. Something to sit on at the end of the day

…and from comments…

• Anti-bacterial hand wash (Sooz)
• Sunglasses! (Sooz)

Leave a comment if I’ve missed anything.

A definition of satisfying work

A short post to share a quote that is currently my desktop background:

[Three things] – autonomy, complexity, and connection between effort and reward – are, most people agree, the three qualities work has to have if it is to be satisfying.
Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers

Is your work always satisfying?

If not, make a step tomorrow to make it better.

If yes, congratulations. Be sure to keep it that way.

Twitter ‘RA’ – Reply All – emerges after changes to replies

This week Twitter updated their system so that we don’t see replies by people (ie messages beginning with @username) unless we’re also following the recipient of the message.

To counteract these new ‘hidden’ replies, some Twitter users are beginning to pre-fix their messages with “RA”, to escape the filter. The RA phrase stands for ‘Reply All’, and it’s a variant on the popular RT (Re-Tweet) prefix that is used when messages are forwarded.

Here’s an example of a RA (Reply All) message from one of my connections:

“RA @philsheard where from? (RA = Reply All)“

In case you haven’t heard about these changes here is a some background: Ev Williams, one of Twitter’s founders, explained that it’s so you won’t hear the answer to a question you didn’t hear. It’s a streamlining of the experience which many will appreciate but that others will miss as it allowed additional ways to discover new people to follow. There is follow-up comment on the Twitter blogposts We Learned A Lot and The Replies Kerfuffle.

Do you think that RA is a good idea to deliberately spread messages, or would you prefer not to hear them at all?