The Future of Photography

Just when you thought the world was relatively predictable (not), a new voice joins the podcast. Also, a product launch caught our eye. Dotphoton is a genuinely lossless raw file compression technology. You can compress your media files by up to 80% (apparently) with no loss of fidelity. So, what does this mean for the future of photography?

Chris just got the new Oculus Quest, a standalone VR headset that lets you experience virtual worlds without a cable tethering you to the PC. How will this headset influence the future of virtual content in relation to photography? Chris and Ade discuss the National Geographic Explorer VR experience that has a photography component built in.

Law and law enforcement evolve over time. In the UK, a new policing policy asks victims of crime to share their digital information - including all private photos. This is a deep and complex subject and we have tried to explore it in a sensitive and thought provoking way.

On this episode we present five ways of using cameras: To save money (by using $10 cameras instead of $10,000 lidar), as an invisible camera (by hiding cameras behind smartphone screens), not using cameras at all (by creating entire people out of thin air), to fight the Notre Dame fire (by flying thermal cameras with off-the-shelf drones) and to take pictures from 45km/28mi away (by using cutting photo technology and computation to make the impossible possible).

We hear a lot about "colour science" nowadays, often in an attempt to differentiate between products. But what does it actually mean? Perhaps more importantly, what difference does it make to us as image makers? How can we punch through the marketing noise and use it to our benefit? Chris and Ade indulge in some myth-busting this week building on recent published articles and videos. Also, we are still searching for a new TFOP team member. If you are interested, get in touch!

From the predominantly computer rendered still images of the IKEA Catalog to moving images like the 2010 animated short "The Third and the Seventh" artificial imagery is getting more and more photorealistic. On the right hardware, the latest Unreal Engine now can do those photorealistic renderings in real-time on demand. Videos: Quixel demo. Characters demo.

What to do when the world suddenly springs on you a vertical TV and doubles the price of your favourite tools? (Although that might be "just a test".) The best response is a rant. And then maybe move on to other things like new tools and, even better, focus on the art people can create. Also, we are still searching for a new TFOP team member. If you are interested, get in touch!

You've definitely seen the black hole photo by now but did you know they had to use a camera the size of the planet to get it? Here's some more information. The techniques used remind us of what smart phones are working on incorporating. Including AI-based image completion, similar to what we think the Huawei P30 Pro does. Want to become a host on The Future of Photography? We're looking for a new voice!

What's in Ade's pockets? A full environmental portrait kit, that's what - and not because he has a coat with enormous pockets. Even better than that, he bought a new camera and a new light! Would you like to join the TFOP team as third host? Check out our web page that explains how you could be the new voice of TFOP!

Making cameras lighter is a function of several things, including new and lighter materials for what makes them heavy. Lenses are high on this list and this week Chris and Adrian take a look at Aluminium Oxynitride, also known as ALON™ or transparent aluminium. With its higher refractive index and its mechanical strength, is it on the way to replace traditional glass with a thinner and lighter scratch-proof alternative? According to a rumor from 2018, at least Zeiss might be looking into it.