If you like outdoor photography, and you have an iPad, you must get the new iPad magazine, Extraordinary Vision. 
Extraordinary Vision describes itself as the first fully interactive outdoor photography magazine on the iPad. It’s also free (the app will make you subscribe after your first issue but the subscription is free). Extraordinary Vision focuses on photographic vision. There is a how-to element, but the magazine does not do reviews of gear or highly technical explanation. For the most part, it is “diversely talented photographers [who] openly share their insights and inspiration into what makes their images so powerful and evocative.” [From the editor's introduction.]
Extraordinary Vision consists mostly of articles written by professional outdoor and nature photographers, including a small “in-house” crew, as well as articles from contributors (which are actively solicited). The articles are well-written and the photography is fantastic.
True to it’s self-description, Extraordinary Vision is very interactive. Many articles include accompanying videos. A feature I especially like is that each article includes, besides the mandatory facebook and twitter links, links to the author’s website, to books and workshops the author has done, and in some cases a direct 
email to the author. The website links are handled by an in-app browser.
Many authors seem to have published books, e-books, and iPad apps, and Extraordinary Vision promotes those and includes links. Other than that, there is no advertising. This magazine is truly a labor of love, and it comes across, as the attention to detail, to high quality content and appearance, is evident.
Some of the interesting articles in the first three issues of the magazine have included an article on lighting (specifically looking at ten distinct kinds of 
lighting and how to shoot for each), and article on composing pictures around water, an article on how to build a photography business, a wonderful article on shooting with long exposures.
You can’t beat the price – Free. Extraordinary Vision is a terrific almost one-of-a-kind addition to the range of photography magazine for the iPad.
Unlike most photography magazines – but similar to a few good ones like the British Journal and Aperture – Photographer’s i is not devoted to pages and pages of gear reviews and ads or endless how-to’s. The tutorials are there, but they are sophisticated and helpful. More to the point, Photographer’s i is devoted to the photographer’s craft, the art of making pictures.
Intelligent Life is the truly exceptional magazine. It is published by The Economist in the UK. It’s much more than a photography magazine. Intelligent Life is an erudite, elegant, entertaining and attractively edited magazine about culture, letters, and the arts. And photography. The photography is excellent, and each issue includes photo essays. The magazine features a high degree of interactivity, but all the interactivity is thoughtful and well-executed.
This is a delightful magazine. I think of it as a UK version of the New Yorker, with lots of photography in color.
Google Shuts Down Snapseed Desktop
Buried among the commotion surrounding Google’s decision to close down Google Reader is the fact that Google is also discontinuing Snapseed for the desktop (Windows and Macintosh). I reviewed Snapseed for the iPad earlier this week. At present, the iPad version of Snapseed is still being sold, and previous owners of Snapseed desktop can continue to use it, but Snapseed for desktop will not be sold any longer. I think this is a loss.
Snapseed was developed by Nik which Google bought last year. I hope that Google does not discontinue or significantly change any of the other Nik modules and plug-ins. Nik’s tools are first rate photo processing tools. If Google were eventually to shut it all down, I’d wonder why Google bought Nik in the first place.
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Posted in Commentary, Media News
Tagged Google, iPad, iPad apps, Nik, photo editing, post processing, processing tools, Snapseed, software