TWiP #306 – Cloudy Skies for Photographers
Hosts: Frederick Van Johnson, Doug Kaye and Dave Dugdale
Episode Overview
This week on TWiP – after 3 tries – we're diving into several great stories including:
- Adobe Shifts into the Cloud
- Adobe Reveals New Hardware in the Works: the Mighty Pen & the Napoleon Ruler
- An interview with Manuello Paganelli
- Plus Listener Q&A and our Picks of the Week
Doug Kaye and Dave Dugdale join Frederick to discuss these topics and more this week on TWiP.
1. Adobe Shifts into the Cloud (6:30)
2. New Hardware from Adobe – the Mighty Pen & the Napoleon Ruler (16:30)
Doug: Billingham Hadley Pro bag
Dave: This is Water. Back in 2005, David Foster Wallace gave a commencement address, and a company called ‘The Glossary' put together an awesome video around his speech. It's this odd fusion of two stories, both told really well that left me very inspired creatively. So, if you do video like I do and need some creative inspiration, watch this nine minute video.
Frederick: Barton 1972
- Zenfolio Zoom Tour 2013 – Coming to a city near you!
- TWiP Meet-ups are back!
- Dave Dugdale's Youtube Channel
- You CAN get Photoshop CC for only $9.99/month! You must have CS3 or later. Click on this link. Just above the Join button, select “Requires CS3+ Purchase”.
- Doug Kaye's hardware and software reviews
- The Grid's discussion about Adobe's recent news
- Olympus OM-D EM5 – Frederick newest gear!
- KEH.com – for buying and selling used gear
- Win a Canon 6D from Dave Dugdale!
- Manuello Paganelli's Brooks Institute Workshop – Beginner Lighting with Strobes
An Interview with Manuello Paganelli
This week, Frederick chats with Manuello Paganelli about Manu's inspirations, his “cold call” to Ansel Adams and why he shoots exclusively film. Enjoy the conversation.
To learn more about Manuello and to check out his stunning photography, visit his website at www.ManuelloPaganelli.com.
Natural Landscapes Photo Contest
We at TWiP HQ are wondering just how much talent we have in the TWiP audience. So, we're throwing down the gauntlet. Here's the deal, submit your best LANDSCAPE or NATURE photograph to us before May 31st and you might win…
Grand Jury Prize – One 20×24 iAcrylic heirloom print: 3/4 inch thick industrial acrylic surface, stainless backed. Plus you will be have the opportunity to be a TWiP Co-Host and discuss your image LIVE (in a Google Hangout) with the other photographers on the panel.
People's Choice Prize – One 20×24 iAcrylic heirloom print: 3/4 inch thick industrial acrylic surface, stainless backed. Plus you will be have the opportunity to be a TWiP Co-Host and discuss your image LIVE (in a Google Hangout) with the other photographers on the panel.
Please Support our Sponsors:
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Connect with Our Hosts & Guests:
Doug Kaye: Website or Twitter or Google+
Dave Dugdale: Website, Twitter, Google+
Frederick Van Johnson: www.mediabytes.com or www.twitter.com/frederickvan or Google+
Credits:
Pre-production by: Patrick Reed
Post production by: Suzanne Llewellyn & Vince Bauer
Bandwidth provided by: Cachefly
Intro Music by: Scott Cannizzaro
Image Credits: Shutterstock
Although I found the discussion on the creative cloud interesting, I think the most significant issue was missed by TWIP. The real question is does the average, hobbyist photographer need a $700 piece of software (Photoshop)?
From a business perspective it seems clear what Adobe is
doing: Lightroom is for photographers and Photoshop is for a vast array of
other creative professionals that make money with Adobe’s products (digital
artists, graphic designers, web designers, etc). Photoshop simply has too many
features for the average hobbyist to actual find useful. If I was a professional photographer (or other creative professional) and I needed Photoshop to do my work, I would simply adjust my cost of doing business and adjust my prices accordingly.
My argument is that most hobbyist photographers don’t need Photoshop for their photography. Lightroom/Aperture will do the trick 90% of the time and Photoshop Elements will easily fill in that last 10%. One could also argue that third party solutions/plug-ins (i.e. GIMP, Pixelmator, OnOne’s Perfect Photo Suite, etc.) can fill that last 10% as well. This conversation needs to be more about needs and capabilities vice costs.
This is a move Adobe is making because they were unable to provide meaningful upgrades that compelled users to upgrade to every new version. What is shocking to me is instead of creating a new source of revenue by adding a subscription model they are just taking a chance that a subscription only model will have a larger revenue than having a perpetual and subscription model. The mixed license model is what most software makers have or are moving to. Not going subscription only. Really just a desperation move since their cash cow Flash is losing out to HTML 5 video.
What makes Adobe’s move shocking is that in 2012 their subscription licensing only accounted for 15% of their total revenue according to Adobe’s 10-K SEC filings.
I think Adobe will only bring back perpetual licenses or lowers the price is if the subscription model fails to increase revenue. But we won’t know this until Jun or July of 2014 when the low introductory pricing ends and they find out how many customers stop paying when the price goes up to the normal month to month price.
Microsoft lowered the price of Office Pro for one computer with a perpetual license and also has a subscription for 5 devices with 20GB cloud storage and 60min of Skype min a month. This just for $9.99 a month or $99 a year. A way much better price for a Software suite than Adobe’s price just one application $19.99.This could be a good time for a company with deep pockets like Google/Nik or a small company like OnOne with the backing of lets say Microsoft to develop a true alternative to Photoshop and pick up the customers that Adobe is willing to cut off.
I will be using Photoshop CS6 for now and not moving to the subscription model. I am also looking into PhaseOne’s Capture One Pro 7 as an alternative to Lightroom just in case Adobe moves that to a subscription only products at too high a monthly price.
really enjoyed the interview with manuel
I think bandwidth is a serious issue in the Adobe cloud discussion. Most people, I think, are still waiting for the big internet “pipes” to reach them. Most still have issues getting a decent “stream” downloading. With uploads speeds being a fraction of download speeds and cameras creating larger files in jpg (forget about RAW), I’m not sure the working on NEX-7 files in the cloud is going to be a welcommed experience.
The only real bandwidth you need is to download the program. Once it is installed on your machine you use it locally. You don’t even have to upload the pictures you want to work on. You can if you want to use the storage they offer, but you don’t have to.
Hi
As an alternative Corel makes a decent software. If this goes ahead I may take a more serious look at it.
To be blunt Adobe is not doing cloud software but cloud licensing or as some would call it cloud extortion. I believe the person in charge of this Adobe program is a Mr Alphonse Gabriel “Al” Capone. 😉
There is no benefit off of this current model for consumer. Yes for the 1st year they have made pill a little less painful but in a year you are looking at a pretty expensive proposition.
$50 dollars a month which equals to $600 per year. On top of this, you can’t lease on a monthly basis but have to purchase yearly leasing options. So what you are looking at a large financial hit every year.
To say there are other options is not completely true. If you are talking about any type of professional or commercial use Adobe Photo shop is industry standard. So if are deal with printers, publications or even video companies you need photoshop.
I don’t fault Adobe for wanting to make money but don’t lie and say you are doing it for the consumer. We aint that stupid. It would be nice if a company like Apple would make product to rival Photoshop, but I am not holding my breath.