How to View Image Metadata with ExifTool on Mac
Displaying all the metadata of an image is ExifTool’s bread and butter operation, and yet it’s also where ExifTool really shines. Here are several ways to use it.
How to Install ExifTool on Mac
ExifTool is the gold standard for viewing and workign with image metadata. Here’s how to install it on Mac.
How to Create a Drop Folder on Mac to Automatically Convert HEIC to JPG
Combining Mac Folder Actions and ImageMagick, you can create a drop folder to automatically convert any images dropped into it from HEIC to JPG.
How to Navigate to Specific Folders in Terminal on Mac
Many of the guides I’ve posted here for working with images from command line tools assume you’ve navigated to the folder holding the images. Here’s how to do that.
How to Convert JPG to AVIF Format in ImageMagick on Mac
ImageMagick is a very useful suite of tools for working with image files. While its command-line interface can be a bit intimidating at first, there are some real benefits to using it as part of a photography workflow.
Here’s how to use it to convert images to AVIF for use on websites.
How to Install ImageMagick on Mac
ImageMagick can be a very powerful and efficient tool in a photography workflow. And while it might seem intimidating to use command-line tools through Terminal at first, it really is pretty straightforward.
It doesn’t come pre-installed on Mac. Here’s a guide to installing it using the wonderfully helpful Homebrew package manager.
How to Use ImageMagick to Convert Images to WebP on Mac
If you have to convert a bunch of images to WebP or set up automatic conversion on your Mac, ImageMagick is a great option. Here’s how to set it up for batch conversion to WebP or watched folders for automatic converting.
How to Strip Metadata from Images Using ImageMagick on Mac
If you want to remove any identifying metadata information from your photos before posting them online, ImageMagick offers a quick and easy way to do it. It’s especially good when paired with macOS Folder Actions to do it automatically when you drop photos into a designated folder.
How to Use macOS SIPS to Batch & Automatically Convert HEIC Files to JPG
While there are many ways to convert HEIC to JPG, the SIPS tool that’s built into macOS offers some useful benefits when it comes to batch processing and automatically converting from watched folders.
How to Use macOS SIPS to Batch Resize Images
There are many ways to resize images. On Mac, SIPS is an especially good option for working with large batches of images. It’s a free command-line tool that’s baked into macOS.
How to Restore Your Custom Recipes When Upgrading from Google’s version of Nik Collection to DxO Nik Collection
When you upgrade from Google’s version of Nik Collection to DxO’s new version, it doesn’t bring your old custom recipes along. Here’s where I found them and restored them on Mac.
How to Resize Wordpress Thumbnails
If you change your Wordpress theme or even just tweak the layout of your existing theme, you might need to change the size of your thumbnails. Here’s how to do it.
How to Open Nikon Z8 RAW Files on Mac
If you find you can’t open NEF files from your Nikon Z8 on your Mac, here are three solutions, including two that are free.
How to Batch Convert JPG to AVIF Format with BatchPhoto
There aren’t many user-friendly options for converting JPG images to AVIF yet. But BatchPhoto can do it. Here’s a guide.
How To Switch Back to Old Facebook from New Facebook in a Web Browser
Not everyone is a fan of of Facebook.com’s newer look. If you’re looking to go back to Old Facebook, your options are now limited because Facebook has removed the options to roll it back. But there are some partial workarounds that might help.
How to Merge MP3 and Other Sound Files on Mac
If you need to stitch together multiple mp3 files and merge them into a single file, here are two good options and step-by-step guides on how to do it.
How to Quickly Rotate Images with a Mac Quick Action
Here’s a quick guide to creating an Automator service (quick action) so that you can quickly rotate images with a simple right-click.
Darktable: An Impressive & Free Lightroom Alternative
Darktable is a free and open-source RAW image editor and manager that’s a viable Lightroom alternative. Here’s my take after using it for a while.
How to Insert Multiple Images at Once in WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor
The image block in the WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor doesn’t support adding multiple images at once. But there’s a useful workaround.
An Image Resizer for All Your Social Media Channels. And It’s Free!
Biteable’s free image resizer generates perfectly sized images for all your social media channels with one click.
How to Use JPEGmini Pro to Convert HEIC to JPG
A new feature of JPEGmini Pro adds conversion of HEIC image files to JPG.
How to Create a DNS TXT Record on Cloudflare
This is something I have to do regularly, often for setting up photography services and image archives with custom domains, for example. So I thought it might be useful to put together a quick guide.
If a site or service has asked you to set up a TXT DNS record, it’s usually to prove that you own the domain (or at least have authority to update the DNS records). It’s a quick and simple process—here’s how to do it on Cloudflare.
Grids – An Instagram Desktop App for Mac Test & Review
Grids is a third-party Instagram desktop app for Mac that offers a great way to view Instagram feeds as well as tools to upload photos and videos to Instagram directly from your Mac. Here’s how it works.
How to Post on Instagram from Mac
If you’d rather post on Instagram from your Mac than from your phone, here are the best options, including free and paid Mac apps and using a Mac’s web browser.
How to Add Social Media Links to YouTube Banner
You can add links on top of your YouTube banner. And you can also use them to add social media icons that link to your accounts. Here’s how to do it.
NextoDI NPS-10 Portable Backup Device Test & Review
The NextoDI NPS-10 is a small, self-contained device for backing up photos and videos from memory cards while you’re traveling or on a location shoot. Here’s my review.
Does EXIF Metadata in Images Affect Google Search Rankings?
Does including image metadata affect search rankings for your overall site or image search? Maybe.
How to Display EXIF Metadata in Wordpress’s Media Library
Here’s a quick snippet that displays some key EXIF metadata fields for images in Wordpress’s Media Library.
Allowed Referrers For Sharing Social Media Shared Link Images When Using Hotlink Protection
If you’re using hotlink protection but want to make exceptions to allow social media services to pull images for shared links, here’s the list of allowed referrers I’ve been using.
How to Disable Yoast SEO Premium’s Automatic Redirects
Here’s the snippet that disables the automatic capturing of redirects in Yoast SEO Premium.
How to Create a Mac Quick Action to Convert HEIC to JPG
Here’s a quick guide to creating an Automator service (quick action) so that you can convert HEIC image files to JPG with a right click.
How to Convert JPG to WebP with XnConvert
If you’re looking to manually create WebP versions from JPGs (or any other image file formats, for that matter), XnConvert is free, multiplatform, and is especially good at handling large batches of images.
Compressing RAW files with Rawsie | Hands-on Review
There are only a few options for compressing RAW image files. Rawsie is a new app that uses sophisticated algorithms to drastically reduce the size of those thousands of RAW files taking up space on your hard drives.
How to Recover Photos & Videos from a Memory Card with Disk Drill
Here’s a rundown of how to use Disk Drill to scan and recover photos and videos that have been accidentally deleted from your memory card.
Facebook Profile Picture Size Guide
Everything you need to know about Facebook profile pictures to make your account stand out.
How to Capture Still Images from Video on Mac
Discover three simple and free methods for capturing a still image from a video on your Mac.
How to Make Custom YouTube Thumbnails with Canva
An appealing YouTube thumbnail is essential for drawing viewers to your video content. It’s your first chance to grab a viewer’s attention, and if done right, it can significantly increase your channel’s engagement.
YouTube Thumbnail Size Guide
Make your YouTube videos stand out with this guide to the ideal YouTube thumbnail size, the best file formats to upload, and more. Get tips on how to enable and use custom thumbnail images to give your videos the attention they deserve.
The RAVPower FileHub is Like a Digital Swiss Army Knife for Traveling
The RAVPower FileHub is like a digital Swiss Army Knife, solving several connection and networking issues that you commonly run into when travelling.
How to Use Instagram Location Search & How to Find an Instagram Location ID
Instagram has some useful built-in location features, but there are some quirks to how to use them and how they reliable are. Here’s a rundown.
Xcellon DRD-401 Four-Bay SATA HDD RAID Enclosure | Review
I’ve been testing out the Xcellon DRD-401 Four-Bay hard drive enclosure as a large local storage for backing up photos. Here’s my hands-on review.
How to Post on Instagram from PC or Mac
Instagram is designed for mobile devices. But that doesn’t work for everyone. So here are some options for posting to Instagram from your computer without using the mobile app.
How to Change Wordpress’s Default JPG Compression
By default, Wordpress compresses the versions of images it creates at a JPG quality setting of 82 percent. Here’s how you can change it.
How to Archive Photos in Instagram
Discover how to effectively utilize the Instagram Archive feature to manage and curate your Instagram content without losing cherished memories.
How to Post to Instagram with a Web Browser by Spoofing the User Agent
Here’s a method for posting to Instagram from a desktop or laptop that doesn’t involve any third-party apps or installing plugins. It uses a feature built into several modern web browsers.
How to Post Panoramas on Instagram
There’s a new and better way to share panoramas on Instagram. Here’s how to do it and some ways to prep the tiled images.
Instagram Now Lets You Share Up To 10 Photos or Videos at Once
Instagram has added a new feature that lets you share up to 10 photos or videos in one post. Here’s how it works.
How to Customize the Thumbnails for Shared Links in Facebook
Facebook has a new feature that gives you more control over the image thumbnails for shared links. Here’s how it works.
How to Escape Shortcodes in When Posting Code Snippets in Wordpress
If you’re trying to post example shortcodes in your post but finding that the shortcode is getting processed, here’s how to escape it and present the shortcode as plain text.
Facebook Image Size Guide 2023
Have you ever tried using photos and images on your Facebook page? It can be frustrating. So here’s an up-to-date guide explaining what’s what, what’s where, and how big.
How to Share 360° Photos
So you’ve shot some cool new 360 degree photos. How do you share them so other people can see them? Here are some places to start.
Organizing Photos into Wordpress Media Library Folders
If you have a lot of photos in your Wordpress Media Library and are looking for a better way to organize them, the WP Media Folder plugin provides a way to create virtual collections without messing up your underlying filesystem.
How to Embed an Animated GIF in WordPress
If your animated GIFs aren’t animated when you embed them in a Wordpress post, there’s a simple fix.
Finding and Cleaning Unused Images in the Wordpress Media Library
This plugin does two things: scans your Wordpress media library for unused images and scans your uploads folder for images that aren’t in the media library.
NextoDI NVS2801 Portable Memory Card Backup Device Review
The new NextoDI NVS2801 memory card backup device will especially be of interest to photographers shooting with CFAST 2.0 or XQD memory cards.
JPEGmini Pro Review
JPEGmini Pro promises that their proprietary algorithm can dramatically reduce the size of JPGs with no discernible loss in quality. So I put their secret sauce to the test.
How to Upload 360° Videos from a Ricoh Theta S to Youtube
Youtube is one of the few big players that support 360° video so far. Here’s how to upload and share the video footage you’ve shot with a Ricoh Theta S on the service.
How to Share 360° Videos from a Ricoh Theta S on Facebook
So far there are only a few options for sharing the 360° videos you’ve shot with your Ricoh Theta S. Here’s how to upload and share them with Facebook.
Review of the ColorSpace UDMA3 Portable Memory Card Backup Device
My hands-on review of the new ColorSpace UDMA3 portable memory card backup device.
Review of the RocketStor Thunderbolt Dual-Bay Hard Drive Dock
For years, there have been hard drive docks that allow you to connect naked hard drives using USB. Now, there’s a new dock with a Thunderbolt interface that claims to offer double the speed. However, it may not be suitable for everyone.
WP Smush Pro Image Optimizer for Wordpress
WP Smush Pro builds on the oldest of the cloud image optimization services. Here’s how the reborn version stacks up.
Is there any benefit to using WebP images on my website?
WebP is an emerging image format that is designed to create images that are visually indistinguishable from JPGs (or PNGs) but with much smaller file sizes. That in turn makes for a faster website.
Digital Foci Picture Porter Advanced – Hands-on Review
The Digital Foci Picture Porter Advanced is feature-packed. Here’s how it stacks up in real-world use for backing up photos without a computer while traveling.
YouTube Banner Size Guide
If you’re looking to use your photos or graphics for your YouTube banner, this is the optimal image size to use. Plus, I’ll share some tips on creating an eye-catching and effective channel banner.
Making Photos on a Wordpress Site Sharp on Retina Displays
If you want your photos to look their best on new high pixel density Retina displays, here’s a Wordpress plugin to help.
WD MyPassport Wireless Review
The WD MyPassport Wireless is a portable hard drive that can be used to stream media to mobile devices like iPhones and iPads. But it’s also a cost-effective option for backing up your photos while traveling.
HyperDrive ColorSpace UDMA2 Memory Card Backup Device Test & Review
Memory card backup devices combine a battery-powered hard drive with a memory card reader so you can back up your photos and videos without a computer. Here’s my hands-on review of the ColorSpace UDMA2.
NextoDI ND2901 Portable Memory Card Backup Device
A hands-on review of the NextoDI ND2901 portable memory card backup device for backing up photos and videos from memory cards to a hard drive without using a computer.
Instagram Photo Size Guide
If you’re posting images to Instagram, whether from a phone or computer, here’s my unofficial guide to photo and picture sizes for Instagram posts.
Guide to Cropping Thumbnails in Wordpress
Thumbnails come in handy in all sorts of places in Wordpress. Here’s a guide to the various ways to crop an image within Wordpress.
Resizing Oversized Photos in Wordpress
If you find your Wordpress site is getting overweight with oversized original photos, the Imsanity plugin can trim them down to more sensible sizes.
EWWW Image Optimizer Cloud Review
If you use a lot of images on your WordPress site and are serious about speeding it up, image optimization is a great place to start and can give some really impressive gains for very little work or expense.
Dropbox Photo Sharing – A How-To Guide
Dropbox is primarily designed for backing up and syncing files. But it’s also a very handy way to share photos quickly and easily.
Cloud Storage for Photographers
Storing and backing up photos isn’t the most exciting part of photography, but it is crucial. And a cloud-based solution is now a good option. But not every cloud storage service is a good fit. Here’s a roundup of some of the best cloud storage for photographers.
How to Put Your Image ALT Tags to Work in Wordpress
Most of the time, you’ll never see your image ALT tags. But they matter.
Optimizing Images for the Web with ImageOptim
If you’re posting images on the web there are very good reasons to keep the files as small as possible. ImageOptim makes images smaller without sacrificing quality.
How to Get Sharp(er) Facebook Cover Photos Tests
Getting fuzzy images, text, or logos on your Facebook images? Facebook has closed some of the old loopholes, but here’s a tip worth trying.
How to Make a Facebook Cover Photo Collage with Lightroom
A step-by-step guide for making a custom collage for your Facebook Cover Photo with Lightroom Classic
