Linux - Zorin OS
Derek Smith • 27 December 2020
Linux
I’ve been using Linux on computers on, and off since 2002, admittedly more off, than on, as generally I prefer to use Apple Mac OS, or Windows 10.
Linux is “open source”, free to use, and will often work well on far older computers that are usually operating Windows Vista, XP, or even Windows 7, the drivers are often not available for these computers to upgrade to Windows 10, preferring for the consumer to purchase a new computer instead.
My first experience with Linux began in 2002 with the purchase of a digital camera, installing the camera drivers onto the Windows 98 SE computer was simple enough, but when the camera was connected the computer froze completely. I installed Red Hat Linux alongside the Windows installation, and the camera photos downloaded to the Red Hat Linux without any issues.
In the past I’ve tended to use a version of Linux, (SuSe, Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora) on various low specification computers with varying degrees of success, Linux is constantly evolving and improving, and often installs onto a new computer within 30 minutes, and that is the complete operating system and all the included software. I tend to test the suitability of a particular Linux distribution by running a YouTube video, this will test the internet connection, the graphics card, and the sound card.
Recently I purchased a Lenovo S130 laptop, with a 32Gb flash drive, a 11.5” screen, and Windows 10 preinstalled, initially the laptop ran very well, and I was able to run the Firefox browser, Affinity, and the FastStone image viewer, overtime though with every Windows 10 update, the laptop has becoming so short on memory to the point that the laptop was unable to update any more, even with all of the software uninstalled.
After reading several favourable reviews of the Linux Zorin Lite OS, I’ve installed Zorin onto the laptop, over writing the Window installation, the Linux operating system is far faster on the laptop and only consumes 10Gb of disc space.
The Achilles heel of any Linux operating system is that it is unable to run proprietary software, so no Microsoft Office, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Serif Affinity, or Luminar photo editing suites. On a positive note alternative software coded specifically for Linux is plentiful, and free to use, the Firefox internet browser works very well, I use the Mozilla Firefox sync option and all of my passwords, and bookmarks synchronise across my Mac Mini, Windows 10, and now Zorin OS. OpenOffice / LibreOffice is a viable replacement for the Microsoft Office suite. As an email client Thunderbird, and Evolution work well, but I’m using Mailspring which I quite like. I downloaded the Ubuntu / .deb version of Zoom, from the Zoom website, and that works without any glitches.
Now this is where things get interesting for photographers requiring to import, and edit photos in Linux. An application called Shotwell is normally installed with Zorin OS, and the application is reasonable, importing, and filing the images, as well as providing basic editing functions. However, when editing of RAW images is required The Gimp, RawTherapee, and Darktable are perfectly functional. For my purposes Darktable is perhaps the best option, offering non-destructive editing, several masking options, and a method of organising workflow. The RAW image is imported into the lighttable view, and editing is undertaken in the darkroom view using a base tone curve, a “filmic” tone curve is also available to boost the mid tones which I’m keen to try.
The Darktable application is free to use, and is also available to download for Windows, and Mac OS, learning to use the software is aided by a useful manual, and YouTube videos, perhaps try Darktable on your computer, remember it’s free to download, and use, and if enough members like the editing suite perhaps I could run a Zoom tuition session.
So, with Zorin OS Linux I’ve been able to make an inexpensive Lenovo notebook usable again, it may also bring an otherwise redundant computer that you own back to life again.
It may seem an unusual topic to have a blog about the Linux computer operating system on a photography blog page, but as our computers have now become our digital darkrooms for photographers all will become clear as you read on.
I’ve been using Linux on computers on, and off since 2002, admittedly more off, than on, as generally I prefer to use Apple Mac OS, or Windows 10.
Linux is “open source”, free to use, and will often work well on far older computers that are usually operating Windows Vista, XP, or even Windows 7, the drivers are often not available for these computers to upgrade to Windows 10, preferring for the consumer to purchase a new computer instead.
My first experience with Linux began in 2002 with the purchase of a digital camera, installing the camera drivers onto the Windows 98 SE computer was simple enough, but when the camera was connected the computer froze completely. I installed Red Hat Linux alongside the Windows installation, and the camera photos downloaded to the Red Hat Linux without any issues.
In the past I’ve tended to use a version of Linux, (SuSe, Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora) on various low specification computers with varying degrees of success, Linux is constantly evolving and improving, and often installs onto a new computer within 30 minutes, and that is the complete operating system and all the included software. I tend to test the suitability of a particular Linux distribution by running a YouTube video, this will test the internet connection, the graphics card, and the sound card.
Recently I purchased a Lenovo S130 laptop, with a 32Gb flash drive, a 11.5” screen, and Windows 10 preinstalled, initially the laptop ran very well, and I was able to run the Firefox browser, Affinity, and the FastStone image viewer, overtime though with every Windows 10 update, the laptop has becoming so short on memory to the point that the laptop was unable to update any more, even with all of the software uninstalled.
After reading several favourable reviews of the Linux Zorin Lite OS, I’ve installed Zorin onto the laptop, over writing the Window installation, the Linux operating system is far faster on the laptop and only consumes 10Gb of disc space.
The Achilles heel of any Linux operating system is that it is unable to run proprietary software, so no Microsoft Office, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, Serif Affinity, or Luminar photo editing suites. On a positive note alternative software coded specifically for Linux is plentiful, and free to use, the Firefox internet browser works very well, I use the Mozilla Firefox sync option and all of my passwords, and bookmarks synchronise across my Mac Mini, Windows 10, and now Zorin OS. OpenOffice / LibreOffice is a viable replacement for the Microsoft Office suite. As an email client Thunderbird, and Evolution work well, but I’m using Mailspring which I quite like. I downloaded the Ubuntu / .deb version of Zoom, from the Zoom website, and that works without any glitches.
Now this is where things get interesting for photographers requiring to import, and edit photos in Linux. An application called Shotwell is normally installed with Zorin OS, and the application is reasonable, importing, and filing the images, as well as providing basic editing functions. However, when editing of RAW images is required The Gimp, RawTherapee, and Darktable are perfectly functional. For my purposes Darktable is perhaps the best option, offering non-destructive editing, several masking options, and a method of organising workflow. The RAW image is imported into the lighttable view, and editing is undertaken in the darkroom view using a base tone curve, a “filmic” tone curve is also available to boost the mid tones which I’m keen to try.
The Darktable application is free to use, and is also available to download for Windows, and Mac OS, learning to use the software is aided by a useful manual, and YouTube videos, perhaps try Darktable on your computer, remember it’s free to download, and use, and if enough members like the editing suite perhaps I could run a Zoom tuition session.
So, with Zorin OS Linux I’ve been able to make an inexpensive Lenovo notebook usable again, it may also bring an otherwise redundant computer that you own back to life again.
Zorin OS Desktop
Photo By: Derek Smith
Lighttable View
Photo By: Derek Smith
Darktable Edit Mode
Photo By: Derek Smith
Bokeh Test Shot
Photo By: Derek Smith
Louth Photographic Society
For club interaction, we are invited to these NELPS photo shoots. So lets start this club interaction, NELPS are now on there summer break, but it does not stop there. The NELPS club president has put together some outdoor photo shoots:- Lincoln 5th Aug meet at the Cathedral 11am Not forgetting the photo exhibition by Lincoln Camera Club in the Usher Gallery! Chambers Farm Wood & Butterfly Farm 12th Aug meet at 10am. Peoples Park Grimsby 19th Aug meet at 10am. Trolley Bus Museum Sandtoft 26th Aug meet at 10am Cadwell Park 10th Aug motorbikes, 24th Aug cars and both are track days so free to get in.
Sutton & Trusthorpe Camera Club have their annual Exhibition at the Meridale Hall, Sutton on Sea, on 29th / 30th August. Drink and a Home-made cake only £3!
I’ve lost my photographic “mojo”, that desire to go out and take impactful photographs. That creative spark has gone, vanished, will it ever return? Writers talk of a “writers block”, when they just sit in front of a blank page, and can’t think of anything else to write, I’m the same, still out with my camera, but just not creating anything meaningful. Some of this I suppose is due to the fact that I’ve almost stopped my genre of model photography, we had the Studio evening, and other than that I’ve only had 2 model shoots this year. So what is my photography genre now? I know that I’m not a bird photographer, I haven’t got the patience to sit in a bird hide for hours with a long lens, waiting for the right bird shot to appear. Landscape, possibly, but I look at the work of some of our members, and YouTube videos, and don’t know whether I can achieve as good a standard in my work? I do enjoy macro photography, but again do my photos reach a good standard? One way forward is to look at our Societies annual project, this year it’s “water” one photo a month depicting water. Then of course there are the planned photo competitions for the rest of the year, those subjects could inspire me to go out and take some images. Anyway, that’s me, enjoy the rest of the summer, and if any of our members could share a photo, with a line or two of text I will be very happy to post on this blog.
Good Morning All Last week we had a very good evening at Kirkby Gravel Pits, it was a warm sunny evening and there was wildlife about to photograph. There were Dragonflies about, but all flying, but we did manage to photograph some Damselflies and grasshoppers etc. We then called at the local pub in Kirkby on Bain for refreshments. There were only 7 of us, if you have other ideas for outings please let me know and I will look into them for next year. Derek has also done a blog on the evening. Louth did make it through to the LPA Battle finals coming fifth overall, the final is on the 18 th October at Nettleham village hall. That was the last event before the summer break, so we now have a break before returning in September. I won't be doing any newsletters unless there is something to report. If you do anything interesting over the break you can always send Derek a blog for our website. There are things you can do over the break, the monthly project of water, preparing for the PDI competition in September, with the categories of "Objects in the Air" and "Open". In September our first meeting back will have members speaking on the topic "15 minutes on what you have done over the summer", you may want to prepare something for this. Have a good summer, Graham
Lincoln Camera Club are holding an exhibition at the Usher Gallery, Lincoln. Commencing July 30th to November 1st.
This was our last outing before the summer break, on this occasion several of us met up at Kirkby Gravel Pits nature reserve for an evening of photography. The evening weather was perfect for photography, and we ambled around the reserve stopping to take some macro photography where opportunities arose. We did see a couple of butterflies, and I managed to take this image of a red admiral. As we walked along the paths, several grasshoppers could be glimpsed in the dry grass, they are very difficult to photograph as they are tiny, and agile, but I captured this one while I was laying down in the grass, at eye level, a lot of patience is needed to capture a quality image. In the brambles damselflies could be seen, one took off straight into a spiders web, luckily Graham was able to release it. On the water a heron, and egret could be observed across the water. It was an excellent evening of photography, as well as a social meetup, these outings are ideal for newcomers to photography to learn camera skills.
Good Morning All Last Wednesday while most of us were watching the football Derek took our LPA Battle prints to Axeholme for the final round, as in Derek's report on the blog we finished 2 nd and should have accumulated enough points to make the final, though not yet confirmed. Congratulations go to Dave Turner and David Whitehouse for the two highest scoring prints over the three rounds. Thank you Derek for taking our prints and missing the football. This week, Wednesday 22nd July, will be our last meeting before the summer break, and it is an outing to Kirkby Gravel Pits near Woodhall Spa. the directions are on the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's website. It is usually a good place to photograph Dragonflies and birds (but you know our luck) anyway I hope to see quite a few of you there on Wednesday meeting at 6.30pm, you can go earlier of course and meet up with the rest of the members when we get there. The Willow Emerald Damselflies were there last time and are quite rare. Regards Graham
The LPA Battles competition was held last night at Axholme Camera Club, in Haxey Church Hall. I attended as the Louth Photographic Society representative, bringing the Battles prints with me. It was a closely fought contest with some excellent prints from Axholme, Barton, and ourselves. The judge for the evening was Steve Dormer, from Doncaster, and he was very relaxed in his judging of the prints, providing excellent critique on each print. At break time, Steve had held back a total of 13 prints for further assessment and award of higher points, Axholme, and Louth had 5 each prints held back, with Barton 3 prints. The attached photo shows all the held back prints on the print stand. At the end of the evening Axholme took 1 st place with, 266 points, Louth came 2 nd with 258 points, and Barton 3 rd with 251 points. As the prints were taken off the stand, one print remained, it was a Louth print titled “Sleeping” by David Whitehouse, this print was awarded 20 points, and the judge Steve was very taken with the image, well done David.
Good Morning All Last week members walked along the Swaby valley, we have done the walk before, but it is now very grown up with nettles, grass and brambles. Not put off Chris led us through the valley to Swaby, there were six of us plus three more who caught us up in Swaby. The butterflies we saw as I am finding out this year just don't want to settle but we did manage some photographs before returning and going for a drink in the Massingberd Arms. This week there is an LPA Battle at Axholme on Wednesday starting at 7.30, if anyone would like to attend, please email me for details or look on Axholme's website. We are not having a meeting in Louth this week, probably as well the way the football went last night and with the next match on Wednesday evening. Regards Graham
Last night our members enjoyed a visit to the Swaby valley nature reserve. We crossed over two fields from South Thoresby, then followed the course of the Swaby Beck chalk stream through the valley, the public footpath was bounded by dense vegetation that hindered our progress at times. There was plenty to see around the reserve, myriad butterflies flitted around in a very lively manner, making for difficult photography, I spotted several small grasshoppers, and soldier beetles in the long grass, I tried to photograph a ladybird, but it was gone by the time I focussed on the creature. It was a very enjoyable evening, with good friendly company, and our camera skills were needed for the macro photography, these are a few of my photos from the evening.
