CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-24 04:09:59 (19 comments, 10 reshares, 275 +1s)

Rolling fields and rolling fog

Without a doubt, one of my favorite memories during my two weeks in Australia was walking around the premises of Curringa Farms in Hamilton, Tasmania shortly after sunrise. I can't recall walking around such a wonderfully moody area. Watching the fog cut around all of the beautiful gum trees was just magical.

Cross processing was achieved using Nik Color Efex 4.

2013-05-23 16:26:50 (17 comments, 9 reshares, 196 +1s)

The best is yet to come

When you take a moment to stop, clear your mind, and remember to see the forest for the trees, that is when the pieces will begin to fit together and you will start to understand it when I say that the best is truly yet to come.

2013-05-22 03:44:01 (16 comments, 13 reshares, 291 +1s)

Elegance in nature

This is a full-res jpeg - fortified with zoom-zoom nutrients

I was working from home today, trying to go toe to toe with this dumb cold that I got. I'm sure +Devin Sandoz had something to do with it but the forensic evidence is still at the CSI lab.

So, when downtime presented itself to me, it was off to the Lightroom catalogs I went. This gum tree is still one of my favorites. It was taken in the town of Hamilton, in Tasmania. I love how elegant a tree can actually look.

This image was stylized in Nik Color Efex 4 and finalized with LR 4.

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-22 03:22:33 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 28 +1s)

Oh man - cannot get enough of this soundtrack. This is the new hotness for photo editing.

2013-05-21 19:37:28 (13 comments, 8 reshares, 55 +1s)

Introducing Snapsation

Amongst the greatest human needs is the need to tell stories, to record memories, and to share our moments with the people who matter the most to us.

When you need an awesome dating profile picture, a business portrait, photos of your family reunion or milestone events. You need an amazing local photographer to help you to capture all of  life’s moments.

As a local business you want to show off how amazing your restaurant is, the decor in your Bed and Breakfast, to show off your beautiful store or great new products, to record your industry happenings and events.

Finding a photographer is intimidating. And harder than it should be.

Photographers need customers. No matter how experienced a photographer is, there never seems to be enough time to focus on getting new customers. And for the many passionate andta... more »

2013-05-21 17:02:40 (65 comments, 33 reshares, 317 +1s)

Soon

Man, it feels like forever since I've posted a stylized photo. I wanted to post one here to let everyone know that we're really close to restoring the photo sharing workflow allowing you to  add and share imagery from an existing album.

I really appreciate all of your patience and understanding here and I look forward to seeing all of the amazing work that you have to share with us here on Google+.

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-21 01:13:53 (17 comments, 10 reshares, 68 +1s)

6 Things to Love About The New Google+ Photos

There are a lot of features to discover in the new Google+!  Here are some of my favorite updates to Photos you might not have found yet.

1. Highlights view. The new photos landing page is called Highlights and it's your photo timeline -- showing you not only your best photos, but the best photos your friends have shared with you.

2. Trash view. Now when you delete photos, they go to the trash for 60 days. When you visit your trash, you can choose to restore photos (for those "oops" moments) or delete them permanently.

3. Photos search. When you do a search from the photos page, we'll search all your uploaded photos. It's pretty smart too -- we've brought all the awesomeness of Google search to your photo collection.

4. New organize mode. We have... more »

2013-05-20 16:52:34 (17 comments, 3 reshares, 47 +1s)

Here's why Vic couldn't sleep last night!  A fresh new Google+ Android build that incorporates all of last week's goodness... and more.   Enjoy.

#googleplusupdate

2013-05-20 04:02:50 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 22 +1s)

Take a closer look at what’s new with this special edition of the  +Google+ Photos Chat Series Hangout On Air. Joining us are Google+ Photos staff members, +Matt Steiner, +Denise Ho, +Aravind Krishnaswamy, and +Brian Matiash. We’ll share a bit of our vision for Google+ Photos, along with some of our favorite Auto Enhance and Auto Awesome images. We’ll also be answering YOUR questions! So ask away in the comments section of the Event, and we’ll get to as many as we can.

And don’t forget - keep sharing your best #AutoAwesome  and #AutoEnhance  images with us. Add your favorites right here in the comments section, too! We’ll keep resharing our favorites every day.

2013-05-20 02:41:49 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 66 +1s)

The One Block Radius

I've been on the hunt for a smaller, mirrorless camera for a bit now. My two criteria are that it supports an interchangeable lens system and that it is full frame. Rather than wait another 6 months (totally guessing here) until Sony or Canon release a mirrorless body that meets both of these requirements, and coupled with +Trey Ratcliff's ever-convincing mind tricks, I decided to get a Sony NEX-6. To test its results, I forced myself to make a collection of images within a 1-block radius of where I currently live in Noe Valley, San Francisco. These are the results.

In short, I am absolutely smitten with the NEX-6. There are tons of tech reviews on this camera so I won't focus on megapixels or features. I will simply say that the camera is light, feels solid, and does an amazing job in deliverable high-IQ, even in low light situations. In short,... more »

2013-05-19 00:25:51 (10 comments, 3 reshares, 58 +1s)

Sushi preparations

Honestly, I am tripping hard over the fun, new ways to share experiences using #AutoAwesome . Here are the masters at work, preparing bite-sized morsels of yum at Saru Sushi Bar in Noe Valley, San Francisco. The Motion photos were animated from sequenced images taken with my new Sony NEX-6.

2013-05-18 15:58:26 (5 comments, 16 reshares, 188 +1s)

#throughglass

2013-05-18 05:25:11 (32 comments, 5 reshares, 142 +1s)

Moments in motion

So earlier today, I had an impulse buy moment after a spate of mirrorless camera research (I blame you wholeheartedly, +Trey Ratcliff). Ultimately, I ran to the Best Buy near the Google campus and bought a Sony NEX-6. The specs and reviews were all overly strong and I figure it'll make for a good stop-gap camera until Sony or Canon come out with a competitive full frame mirrorless.

But here's the thing. Despite my obvious bias, I am totally and wholeheartedly smitten with #AutoAwesome , especially the Motion photos that we create. And coupled with the fact that the  NEX-6 has wifi built in, my mind started wandering.

So, just about an hour ago, +Joe Azure, +Tressa Crozier, and I meandered on down to a local Noe Valley sushi place. I noticed the awning of La Boulange fluttering in the wind and knew that it'd make for an awesome Motion... more »

2013-05-18 01:09:39 (17 comments, 14 reshares, 101 +1s)

#autoawesome  

This is how awesome Google+ photos has become. I took the top three photos, and the "Auto Awesome" technology (http://goo.gl/JPf15) auto-magically created the panorama in the bottom.

Subtle things to note:
1. I took these photos without any panoramic intentions, hence the tops of the original photos are not aligned.
2. In my original album, the middle photo was actually taken last, so it wasn't an obvious chronological stitch, but the algorithms figured it out anyway.
3. +Jayna Patel, the leftmost girl in the third photo is smiling in the middle photo but not in the third; the panorama chose the smiling face.
4. My finger covered the top-right of the first photo which makes alignment even more difficult. No sweat!

2013-05-18 01:54:57 (12 comments, 1 reshares, 108 +1s)

No better way to wind down Google I/O than with friends

We had +Trey Ratcliff and +Curtis Simmons (who was taking this photo) visit us today. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and the conversations were spicy.

Thanks to everyone who have expressed happiness with all of the new features that we've built for you. Be sure to share your favorite #AutoAwesome  and #AutoEnhance  images. We are loving what we're seeing!

2013-05-17 18:03:00 (15 comments, 4 reshares, 54 +1s)

I guess there is no need for any more debates in Australia ;)

Once again, thanks to +Trey Ratcliff, +Thomas Hawk and the army of photographers who came out to join us for this monumental event. A special thanks to the venerable +Peter Adams for capturing this image.

http://recordsetter.com/world-record/photowalk/29481#contentsection

2013-05-17 15:31:16 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 16 +1s)

Take a closer look at what’s new with this special edition of the  +Google+ Photos Chat Series Hangout On Air. Joining us are Google+ Photos staff members, +Matt Steiner, +Denise Ho, +Aravind Krishnaswamy, and +Brian Matiash. We’ll share a bit of our vision for Google+ Photos, along with some of our favorite Auto Enhance and Auto Awesome images. We’ll also be answering YOUR questions! So ask away in the comments section of the Event, and we’ll get to as many as we can.

And don’t forget - keep sharing your best #AutoAwesome  and #AutoEnhance  images with us. We’ll keep resharing our favorites every day.

2013-05-17 06:17:11 (18 comments, 8 reshares, 155 +1s)

Atmospheric

After an excellent Day 2 comes to a close for Google I/O, I was so fortunate to wind it down at the Glass party with the always lovely +Sarah Price +Lisa Donchak and +Natalie Villalobos

A particular thanks to +Keith Achorn +Curtis Simmons and +Trey Ratcliff for some ever-fun chats, too.

And now I leave you with some atmospheric Motion captured a few minutes ago, courtesy of #AutoAwesome.

2013-05-16 20:01:28 (18 comments, 8 reshares, 67 +1s)

Here's a pro tip for the all new Hangouts Chrome App

If you're like me, you find your Mac OS desktop filled with hangouts going on with family, friends, colleagues, and the occasional random person. In those cases when you want to hide every Hangout window simultaneously, just hold the Shift key while clicking on the minimize button in the header bar. Doing so will hide every Hangout window. Boom. Face = melted.

#HangoutsRock  

2013-05-16 17:28:20 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 57 +1s)

New eBook: The Inspired Photographer

http://store.nicolesy.com/products/ebook-inspired-photographer

I just released my brand new eBook a few hours ago ... yippee! I'm super excited for this one, I hope you'll take a look.

It's my 7th published book, but my first-ever self-publish. I put a lot of hard work into it, from writing to design, and I think it turned out beautifully (of course, I am a little biased). :)

And, for a limited time, use the discount code INSPIRATION for 20% off this eBook! Discount code expires on May 23, 2013 at midnight (PST)

2013-05-16 15:42:03 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 56 +1s)

Steve Aoki spins some sick beats

Here's a quick Nexus 4 shot of Steve Aoki dropping tune bombs all over the Google I/O after party. You don't even want to see what the pre- #AutoEnhance  image looks like. Trust me.

#googleio13  

2013-05-16 05:41:35 (22 comments, 6 reshares, 224 +1s)

Let's toast the tireless and ingenious efforts of our Google+ Engineers!

They build it. We enjoy it.

Rock on, +Dave Cohen

#AutoAwesome

2013-05-15 23:13:57 (23 comments, 12 reshares, 27 +1s)

*Welcome to #AutoEnhance  & #AutoAwesome *

Earlier today at Google I/O, +Vic Gundotra announced #AutoEnhance  and #AutoAwesome  - two new features to help make sharing your photos more fun and more creative. To help you become more familiar with these tools, here’s a brief Q&A along with some sample images to enjoy. 

Can you give me some more details on how Google+ will enhance my  photos?
Sure! Auto Enhance analyzes your photos as you upload them, then optimizes brightness, contrast, details, noise, focus, and many other factors in order to help them really shine. Just click on the Enhanced hover button on newly uploaded photos to see the results. You can also manually turn on Auto Enhance on older images by clicking on ‘More’ and select ‘Auto Enhance’.

Will the Auto Enhanced version overwrite my original photos?
No.We will never o... more »

2013-05-15 21:54:30 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 50 +1s)

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. 
- Alan Cohen

Be courageous my friends! Don't whine, embrace the change.

#GooglePlusUpdate

2013-05-15 18:40:47 (35 comments, 31 reshares, 211 +1s)

Moments in Motion #AutoAwesome  

As part of our testing of the newly announced Auto Awesome for +Google+ Photos, a bunch of us have been creating a fleet of Motion photos. I created this one of the Bay Bridge the other week with +Joe Azure. As you can see, there is something so special about bringing a touch of motion to a beautiful scene.

Now it's your turn to share your favorite #AutoAwesome  as we begin rolling out the new Google+!

2013-05-15 18:33:59 (6 comments, 5 reshares, 41 +1s)

We just introduced the new Google+! Enjoy the details below.
#googlepluslove

2013-05-15 17:44:36 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 27 +1s)

Google+ Strong - Welcome to the next generation of sharing

+Vic Gundotra and +Matt Waddell are on stage now, bringing to you all of the amazing new products that our talented team of engineers, product managers, and designers have built for you. Check it out now!

It's SOOOOO nice for everyone to see the new Google+ stream that I've been fortunate enough to use for the past few months.

https://developers.google.com/events/io/

#io2013   #googleplusupdate   #googleio2013  

2013-05-15 14:52:30 (22 comments, 20 reshares, 282 +1s)

We have arrived

Oh man. In just over an hour, the #googleio13  keynote will kick off and the results of so many hours put in my so many amazing Googlers will be announced. I am so excited to see what all of you think. Keep your eyes peeled for when +Vic Gundotra takes the stage! Happy Google IO Day, everyone!

Stylization comes courtesy of Nik Color Efex Pro 4 by Google. ;)

2013-05-14 05:30:37 (15 comments, 20 reshares, 69 +1s)

Reason #3,459,023 why I love working for Google

Because we have developers who just blew my mind. Just go to Google Images and do a search for 'Atari Breakout'

Well played, Google. Literally.

2013-05-13 20:26:01 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 18 +1s)

15 GB now shared between Drive, Gmail, and Google+ Photos

Today we’re improving the way you use storage in +Google Drive, +Gmail, and +Google+ Photos. Instead of having 10 GB for Gmail and another 5 GB for Drive and Google+ Photos, you’ll now get 15 GB of unified storage for free to use as you like between Drive, Gmail, and Google+ Photos. 

Head over to our blog to read more: http://goo.gl/UfvmD

2013-05-15 14:31:40 (17 comments, 4 reshares, 115 +1s)

Solo tú y solamente tú

I'm finding myself more and more leaning towards appreciating simpler compositions and processing methods with my photography. It reminds me to appreciate a quality that I'm really trying to instill in myself - mindfulness.

I just wish others would take that into account before they flame on in posts, posturing and stoking flames with no good reason other than to seemingly make themselves feel better about being heard in their own vacuums.

If you want to learn more about mindfulness and how to generally be happier, I definitely urge you to check out Chade-Meng Tan's book, 'Search Inside Yourself'. I'm about halfway through and still have mountains to learn but it's about taking those baby steps, right? :)
... more »

2013-05-15 14:26:23 (8 comments, 4 reshares, 104 +1s)

Playa Angels

I wish I remember the specific reason as to why I asked +Amy Heiden to join me in making Playa Angels at the Racetrack in Death Valley NP. I do remember having a wonderful evening with her, +Brian Bonham and +Ricardo Lagos. I'm hoping for more trips with them in the coming months.

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-15 14:22:59 (13 comments, 7 reshares, 159 +1s)

The Path to I/O

It's Saturday and the +Google+ Photos Team is all here, cranking out some amazing and beautiful lines of code. All I have to say is that I CANNOT wait for you to see what these geniuses of bits and bytes are prepping for all of you.

This is a seven exposure HDR image tone-mapped using HDR Efex Pro 2, part of the Nik Collection by Google. Stylization was achieved in Lightroom 4.

#GooglePlusPhotos   #GoogleIO  

2013-05-11 20:51:41 (12 comments, 8 reshares, 46 +1s)

If you're going to watch one video today...

...watch this fantastic presentation by legendary portrait photographer, Platon on the power through portrait. Thank you, +WIRED, for putting this together!

http://fora.tv/2013/05/07/Photographer_Platon_Reveals_Power_Through_Portrait

2013-05-11 02:42:15 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 63 +1s)

A photography legend visits us at Google!

Earlier today, we had the distinct pleasure of meeting one of the most versatile and talented photographers living today, Mr. +Art Wolfe, who swung by Google HQ for the day. In addition to sharing stories and laughs over lunch, Art also treated a packed room full of Googlers to an inspirational and thought-provoking presentation on seeking out photography.

It truly was a memorable day!

#GooglePlusPhotosGuest  

2013-05-15 13:58:50 (16 comments, 13 reshares, 247 +1s)

Welcome to The Rock to be said in your best Sean Connery voice

This was actually the very first time that I'd seen Alcatraz and while it was from a distance, I couldn't help but imagine all the crazy stories those walls could tell. A big thanks to +Joe Azure for bringing me here.

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-15 13:58:43 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 185 +1s)

Pending

I've gotta say - I was supremely impressed with how steady this boat was considering the long exposure although I almost prefer the slight shake that it has due to the breeze.

Ok. I'm done for the day. Time to go home. :)

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-15 13:49:16 (28 comments, 11 reshares, 236 +1s)

I/O Cometh

Peep the Bay Bridge in full-res JPEG goodness, baby

Oh man, it felt good to take an hour for myself to edit a few new images. For the past few week and all the way on through next week, we've been in a symphonic state of awesome at Google preparing some very cool things for I/O next week.

I have to admit, though, that I am looking forward to having a few more hours for myself to go out and create some images of my new home and spend more time with family and friends. All in good time, as they say. I took this shot a few days ago with Golden Gate Whisperer, +Joe Azure, from Treasure Island. We couldn't have asked for nicer conditions.

#GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-08 19:18:07 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 38 +1s)

Join us May 9th for a LIVE G+ Hangout to launch the second episode of our Life in Focus Mini Series featuring +Brian Matiash. Stick around after the premier for a Q&A session with Brian, fellow f-stop staff pro +Colby Brown, series cinematographer Cameron Sylvester, and product development director Ian Millar.

2013-05-07 19:56:50 (6 comments, 5 reshares, 33 +1s)

Some highly-requested improvements to Hangouts On Air

Have you ever missed the beginning of a live Hangout On Air and wanted to rewind? How about viewing and sharing your recording right after your broadcast, versus waiting for "processing…"? Today we're launching these, and two other features, to improve your Hangouts On Air experience: 

- Rewind live broadcasts. Regardless when you start watching, you can always go back to the beginning.

- Access recordings immediately after your broadcast. Once you're no longer On Air, your recording will be waiting for you on YouTube.

- Watch higher quality Hangouts On Air on the go. If you're tuning in from your mobile device, you'll notice better-looking video.

- Start live broadcasts without having to refresh. When you visit a page with a Hangout OnAi... more »

2013-05-15 13:34:03 (12 comments, 15 reshares, 253 +1s)

Full tilt

It's hard to describe the level of energy at Google in preparation for next week's I/O Conference. Trust me, you're going to want to pay very close attention to what we've got in store for you. For starters, last night +Trey Ratcliff and +Thomas Hawk announced our epic Google+ San Francisco I/O Photowalk. There will be tons of surprises there along with one lucky attendee having the chance to win their very own Google Glass. If you'd like to RSVP to the event, just click on the link below and I hope to see you there!

https://plus.google.com/events/cm6l1qj16ktg9f8sv69ep7b2rhk

2013-05-15 13:18:07 (21 comments, 2 reshares, 178 +1s)

I love you, Mom

#HeresToTheMoms  

I know, I know. We don't need a holiday to signal the celebration of moms out there but I do love the sort of wonderful nostalgia, imagery, and stories that spring from this sort of an event. This image of my mom, Ann, was taken in June 1976 - two years before I was born. The vintage nature of the shot is so wonderful that, beyond scanning it in, I couldn't bring myself to make a single adjustment to it. I want to share it as it was exposed.

My mom is an amazing woman. She is, for all intents and purposes, the Terminator of moms... except instead of being a hunting machine on a nonstop mission to kill John Connor, she is warm, loving, and patient person on a nonstop mission to take care of her family. And like John Connor, my mom has had to deal with a lot of carnage - namely, me and my sister, +greta matiash. :)
more »

2013-05-15 13:14:27 (8 comments, 11 reshares, 188 +1s)

The city by the bay

Damn it. Now I have Journey in my head.

At least I have +Joe Azure to sing to on this ridic Treasure Island sunset.

Nexus 4 image with ProHDR and some Retrolux lovin' courtesy of Snapseed.

2013-05-04 17:48:55 (14 comments, 15 reshares, 388 +1s)

Tension

This was not the final image that I had in mind to post here. In the true final version, the pylon found towards the center right of the frame and the little bit of land mass in the upper left corner of the frame would have been cloned out. It's not that they're out of focus or a dust spot or anything like that.

Rather, they introduce a term called 'tension'. We've talking about tension on our +Google+ Photos Chat Series HOAs. A lot of times, tension in an image is invoked when an object is dangerously close to the edge of the frame. In other words, there is a visual unease with the lack of 'breathing room' between the object and the edge of the frame. It isn't something that would necessarily be too detracting from the image but it could cause subliminal consternation with the viewer and my core philosophy is that if there is anything... more »

2013-05-04 16:29:38 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 41 +1s)

Change is good.  http://goo.gl/J8AaQ

2013-05-15 11:21:22 (9 comments, 6 reshares, 201 +1s)

Rowena Sunset

You can be damn sure that I'm making the most of my super brief visit to Oregon. +Nicole S. Young +Brian Bonham and I took a really impromptu drive way out beyond Hood River to shoot some beautiful wildflowers at Rowena. We were probably two or so weeks late for the absolute peak bloom but I am confident that each of us are walking away with some real keepers.

This is a Nexus 4 image taken with ProHDR and edited with the ever-loving and giving Snapseed.

2013-05-15 11:18:28 (10 comments, 14 reshares, 171 +1s)

Birds on a wire

Oh man, do I miss clouds. For the month or so that I've been in California, I really don't remember seeing much in the clouds department. Lots of gorgeous weather. Lots of flat blue skies. But no clouds.

In Brooklyn, however, there are lots of clouds. I decided to go for more of a graphic approach here - again, influenced by some of Frank Miller's illustrations. Editing was courtesy of Silver Efex Pro 2 by +Nik Photography.

#GooglePlusPhotos   #blog  

2013-05-15 11:18:14 (14 comments, 6 reshares, 218 +1s)

I've got San Francisco on my mind

I just landed in PDX a few hours ago and am so happy to see my people, human and furry. And while I have truly fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest, I am looking forward to finding some semblance of normalcy in the Bay Area.

I took this profile shot of the Golden Gate Bridge a few hours after my first fateful visit to the Google campus with +Chris Chabot (I promise we'll get dinner asap), +Joe Ercoli, and The Burro, +Ricardo Lagos.

#GooglePlusPhotos   #blog  

2013-05-03 02:19:46 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 48 +1s)

This is Why I Love +Google+

Just a quick photo of me, +Brian Matiash and some of our very good friends before we went out shooting in the CRG early last month.

+Brian Bonham (center) is one of our PDX buddies who we'll have to say good-bye to ... and +Joe Dolister & +Karen Hutton are two great friends who we'll be much closer to when we move down to California next month.

Even though we're saying "goodbye", it won't be so bad. We all met each other through +Google+, and through the awesomeness of Hangouts we'll all be able to keep in touch. Yay Google! :)

2013-05-02 15:31:00 (9 comments, 6 reshares, 83 +1s)

Welcome to the new Google+ Photos page!

The photo community here on Google+ keeps inspiring us every day. Your passion for sharing beautiful photography drives us to keep thinking of new ways to make your images shine. This doesn’t just mean building new features you can use to share and discuss those important photos in your life -- we also want to help this vibrant community of Google+ photographers grow. 

So, say hello to the new Google+ Photos page! Here’s what you can expect:

You’ll get inspired. We’ll share beautiful and thought-provoking photographs, and shine a spotlight on the photographers who created them. 

You’ll meet great new people. Through Google+ Photographer Spotlights, the Google+ Photos Chat Series, and good-natured conversations within the community, you’ll be able to connect with people around the world wholove photos a... more »