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New version of Mimi Uploader with batch alt-text generation is out 🎉

This version introduces a new feature to generate alt text for all images in a batch in one go.

You can find this setting in the context menu for each row (shown with ‘…’ on the row) in Recent Uploads. This streamlines the upload workflow significantly. You can see it in action in a previous post. It is still recommended that you review the generated text.

Thanks to folks who discussed and encouraged this feature!

And as always, thank you for your support! 😊

Get it from the App Store!

P.S. Please note that this feature, like all the generative features, are for “Supporter” subscribers only due to the costs associated with generation.

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A sunset casts a warm, golden light on a tree, set against a cloudy sky. A small section of a house roof is visible brightly yellow below the trees.

Morning light on a dead tree. Portland, Oregon. 4th October, 2024.

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A greenhouse filled with an array of plants. A person wearing a hat is visible among the plants, suggesting they are working or maintaining the garden. The greenhouse is constructed with a metal frame and has a transparent roof allowing natural light to penetrate.

Nursery. Portland, Oregon. 31st August, 2024.

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A sunset behind a chain-link fence, with silhouettes of trees and buildings in the background. The sky displays a gradient from orange near the horizon to dark gray clouds above. In the foreground, a person is visible walking near the fence.

A utility pole silhouetted against a dark, cloudy sky with multiple power lines extending in various directions.

Silhouette of a large tree against a backdrop of a dramatic, cloudy sky at dusk. The sky features dark clouds with hints of orange and yellow from the setting sun. Power lines are faintly visible, crossing horizontally through the frame.

A dimly lit street scene during evening or early night shows power lines crisscrossing the sky. In the foreground, tree silhouettes are visible. In the background, there’s a neon sign depicting a figure with a crown.

Post-storm sunset. Portland, Oregon. 25th September, 2024.

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Portland, Oregon. 23rd September, 2024.

A silhouetted utility pole with power lines and a street light against a vibrant sunset sky. Trees and foliage appear in the foreground. The sky transitions from blue to pink and orange hues.

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Close-up of a sunflower with vibrant orange and yellow petals. A bee covered in pollen is visible on the lower left part of the flower head.

Spotted on a neighborhood walk. 12th September, 2024.

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A textured brown faux leather wallet featuring a gold colored clasp sits on a wooden table. Placed on top of the wallet is a vintage black and white photograph of a man with a mustache, dressed in a collared shirt and jacket.

Twenty-five years in the US today.

I still have some of the items I brought with me, including this travel wallet with this photo of my late grandfather.

I continue to travel with these.

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A horizontal diptych: On the left side, there is an abundant growth of delicate white Baby’s Breath flowers surrounding a single pink rose. On the right side, there are large, green squash plant leaves with a large yellow-orange squash blossom.

Flora at home. 11th July, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160 (Expired)

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Please join me in supporting the non-profit Blue Sky Gallery. Blue Sky is a unique and wonderful place. They are solely focused on photography and the put on great exhibits every month. They have done this for a long time! And now they need our help, so please donate if you can 🙏

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A light blue house with white trim features a small porch with brown stairs and a black railing. A barbecue grill is situated to the left of the porch. A beige cat wearing a turquoise harness walks near the stairs.

Fifteen months after starting a project and realizing it was too much for me, I finally hired someone to do it. Our backyard access is a lot better now!

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A horizontal diptych: The left image shows a large, historic mansion with a red roof partially obscured by trees under a clear sky. The right image captures a cityscape at sunrise, with a distant mountain peak visible on the horizon.

Sunrise at Pittock Mansion. 10th July, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Kodak Portra 160 (Expired)

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A new Mimi Uploader beta is out; Generate alt texts for all photos in a batch!

This was something I’d considered but dismissed as I was working on the earlier versions of this feature. However a recent discussion has changed my mind.

Sometimes the stars align and eager feedback from 90% of users (i.e. 4 people) comes at just the right time when I have availability, and also the architecture of the app supports adding it quickly, so I built it!

A new beta with this feature is out now. Please try it and let me know what you think 😊

(Link to the video embedded above).

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Black and white photo of daisies in a garden. The flowers are illuminated by sunlight, with some tall and upright while others are bending towards the ground. The background includes foliage in partial shadow.

Portland, Oregon. 4th July, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Fujifilm Acros 100 (Expired)

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A distorted reflection of a street scene on a shiny, red metallic surface, adorned with rivets, creating a wavy and abstract visual effect.

Four orange pumpkins with bumpy textures, striped delicata squash, two red tomatoes, and several other fruits on a white wooden table outdoors.

An abstract reflection and some produce of home garden. August, 2024.

Halide Process Zero + some Apple Photos adjustment.

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Rejection of Computational Photography as the Sole Creative Path Forward for iPhone Photography

Over the last week I’ve explored Halide app’s new Process Zero (PZ) feature.

For the first couple of days I misunderstood what the PZ image was and how to get it. I even tooted a comparison of a RAW image processed by me along with an “Apple Processed” image, both captured in Halide. Apparently I wasn’t the only one confused, as per the discussions in the official subreddit.

I thought that the PZ adjustments were in the RAW file but they are actually only in the HEIC / JPG file, that is “developed”, and essentially redeveloped every time one makes adjustments in the app’s Image Lab interface.

Once I had this clarity I tried it in various scenarios, and finally appreciated the result instead of just the theory and examples presented in the announcement.

So far my favorite PZ images have been a couple of black and white photos I shared in this post a few days ago.

A black-and-white photograph of a room with a tufted ottoman in the foreground. A cat is lying and sleeping on top of the ottoman, partially illuminated by sunlight. Behind the ottoman is a wooden bookshelf filled with books and board games.

I also shared the one above on Glass and had a small conversation with Tom that started to crystallize my thoughts on it:

It’s a nice option to have in the toolkit but of limited use for someone like me. If I was a phone-only photographer I might be more excited. Also, I like the lack of computational photography but I have no nostalgia for older digital cameras.

Grain, in film, was a limitation that became an aesthetic, and in the digital age, an emulation. It appears that digital noise is going down the same road for some photographers and is part of their nostalgia for older digital cameras. The interest in that aesthetic is also a rejection of computational photography (with its artificial look) as the sole creative path forward for photographers on the iPhone.

While a photographer’s admonishment of computational photography is usually commentary, Halide’s admonishment comes in the form of Process Zero. It is a breath of fresh air in the current environment of computational photography. It embraces constraints, which is a powerful force for creativity.

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A black-and-white photograph of a room with a tufted ottoman in the foreground. A cat is lying and sleeping on top of the ottoman, partially illuminated by sunlight. Behind the ottoman is a wooden bookshelf filled with books and board games.

A black and white photo of a room with a modern table lamp on the left, a vinyl cover on the wall above a white textured cabinet, and a vinyl record player and small diffuser on top of the cabinet. Sunlight casts shadows on the wall.

Evening at home. 18th August, 2024.

Halide Process Zero (and Image Lab) + Desaturated. No other adjustments.

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A serene black-and-white image depicts a person walking with a dog along a calm reservoir surrounded by tall coniferous trees casting long shadows on the water.

Mt. Tabor Park, Portland, Oregon. 8th July, 2024.

📷 Hasselblad 500C/M
🎞️ Fujifilm Acros 100 (Expired)

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Cyclists are participating in the Providence Bridge Pedal event. They are riding along a closed-off city street under a large banner that reads “Providence Bridge Pedal: You Belong at Providence.” Event staff and spectators line the route.

Cyclists ride on a bridge under a partially cloudy blue sky. The bridge has traffic barriers and structures typical of an urban setting, with a distinctive arched, white bridge seen in the background. Buildings, including a notable orange and gray one, are visible near the bridge.

A large group of cyclists riding on a highway, with a cityscape and green hills in the background. There are also scattered walkers and a few other types of vehicles. The sky is cloudy with some patches of blue.

Biking workout summary with a duration of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 12 seconds, starting at 7:31 AM. Distance covered is 22.35 miles (35.97 km). The user burned 781 active calories.

Another great bridge pedal ride today! We look forward to it every year.

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New version of Mimi Uploader with a redesigned upload flow is out 🎉

This version introduces a modernized, intuitive, and faster upload flow which takes you from uploads to recent uploads with zero taps!

The new flow unifies the uploads screen and the recent uploads screen into the main app screen. This provides immediate access to your uploads right after uploading for so you can move on to exporting or adding alt text right away!

I’m loving this new design very much and I hope you like it too.

This has probably been the longest beta cycle for any release as I ironed out the design and updated other parts of the app to match. So, thank you for your patience.

And as always, thank you for your support! 😊

Get it from the App Store!

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A mural on the side of a building depicting a person wearing a hat and looking at the viewer while holding a vintage camera. The background features a grayscale cityscape with vehicles, while the person is partially colored with vibrant, multi-colored stripes.

Stumbled upon this lovely mural of Vivian Maier while riding in a car a few days ago.

📍 Chicago, Illinois. 7th August, 2024.