I was going to save this one for next week but as I was reading I decided to pass it along today.
NAPP Executive Director and all-around great guy, Larry Becker (interviewed here), has recently joined the blogosphere with his new blog Phaim (fāme). In his own words:
Phaim is my strange play on a combination of a few words like photography, Photoshop, smartphones and the word “aim,” as in ‘what you aim for.’ Actually it’s about photographic goals, and the business of photography, freelance, and smartphones, but “phoals” or “phisness” just doesn’t sound as clever.
As I was browsing around his site my attention was caught by a recent post about Nikon SB-600 Speedlights. In it, Larry gives a great rundown of the pros and cons of the SB-600 as it compares with the newer models that have become a staple for the pros. I, myself, am fairly new when it comes to off-camera flash and picked up an SB-600 with the rewards points from my credit card and have been extremely pleased with the results.
And I agree with Larry that for the cost you probably can’t find a better flash unit, especially if you’re just starting out and want to learn the art of light.
The blog isn’t all about Photoshop and photography, though. Larry will also be dedicating posts to various gadgets and tech topics as well as some great stuff on small business marketing.
So, even if you’re not looking to add yet another blog to your list, check this one out!
Jun 11, 2009 | Categories: Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Larry Becker, NAPP, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Nikon, Nikon SB-600, Nikon Speedlight, Photography Blog, Photography Lighting, Photoshop, Photoshop Blog | Leave A Comment »
This month we welcome wedding photographer, lighting expert, trainer, blogger, and all-around great guy, David Ziser of Digital ProTalk. I first got in touch with David back when he was a newbie blogger in the summer of 2007 and he’s now logged well over 1650 posts in the midst of his regular schedule of shooting weddings, running his successful master class for photographers, traveling around the country to run photography workshops, and writing a new book.
I was lucky enough to sit down with David over the phone about a week ago to talk a little bit about where he comes from and where he’s headed.
Jason D. Moore Photography: First off, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today. Tell me a little bit about your background and how did you get into photography?
David Ziser: I never really went to school for photography. My dad always told me to get a “real” job, while he was alive. My background is actually in physics and engineering. I’ve got a degree in physics and I’ve got another degree in engineering. And I was actually trying to attempt a triple major back in my college days so I’m like 2 classes short of a computer science degree.
I worked my way through college as a photographer so I’ve actually been shooting weddings for 45 years.
I graduated college in 1971 and worked as an engineer for a couple of years. My friends started to get married and asked me to do their weddings ‘cause they knew that I’d been doing it since I was 15 years old. So it was actually in October of 1978, 31 years ago, when I opened my studio doors for business and I’ve been doing it ever since. And, as a matter of fact, I started winning different awards by around 1979-1980 and was asked to start lecturing by Art Leather, the album company, around 1982/83. Lisle Ramsey got word about what I was up to and put me on the international circuit around 1984 so I had already lectured in New Zealand only 5-6 years into my career and then again in Australia. And the rest is history.
I’m a guy who carefully avoided public speaking my entire high school and college career and now it’s about half of what I do for a living.
JDMP: How did you get started with Photoshop?
DZ: I’m not like some of these guys who jumped in with version two, I didn’t jump on board until around version 5.
I shot my first digital wedding at the end of 2000. I was an expert, I could just about use the dodge and burn tool and maybe the rubber stamp tool and that was about it! If I didn’t need it I never really tried it. Finally with Photoshop 7 I started getting more involved with it because by then we were into the whole digital swing of things.
Now I feel like I’m pretty good at it. I wouldn’t call myself a Julieanne Kost or a Scott Kelby or any of those guys but I know my way around a Layer Mask or two.
We probably do 80% of our image adjustments and enhancements in Lightroom and just go to Photoshop for the heavy lifting, do skin retouching and taking out big exit signs or something like that.
JDMP: How do you see the relationship between these tools and the execution of the artist’s vision?
DZ: The camera is a tool and the software is a tool. For Ansel Adams the developer and the developing time and exposure, those were his tools to get what he wanted, and burning and dodging and so forth. And aren’t we doing that with the software now? What’s cool with the software these days is our vision can change. I think the software can even modify your first impressions of what you wanted image to be.
Look at the painters from the traditional painters to the modern art painters. We can adjust any pixel the way we want it, and they adjusted any pigment on their canvas the way they wanted it. Who cares if it’s pixels or pigments we still have the control and the latitude and the creativity that we can bring to it with our knowledge of how our tools work, whether it be brushes and pigments and inks, on the painter’s side, or pixels in Photoshop and Lightroom on the digital photographer’s side.
Some photographers say, get it right in the camera, you don’t need Photoshop. My rule is, if it takes you longer to get it right in the camera than it does in Lightroom or Photoshop, than go to Lightroom or Photoshop. Take the darn picture and fix it in two minutes in Photoshop or Lightroom.
JDMP: What about those who think you need to have the latest and greatest camera?
DZ: I had this slide in my PowerPoint about a year ago, when Nikon was running the ads with Ashton Kutcher, and the question was, “Do you think the camera lets you take a better picture?” And it was something like 40% thought most of the time, and like 30% thought all the time. It was a goofy number like 79% of the people thought that the camera would help you take a better picture. I would agree to that, to some extent, that you can get the exposure down and everything else but A good picture is more than just a properly exposed photograph.
JDMP: How did you first get into blogging?
DZ: I’m a two-finger typist, by the way, so when I blog, I really invest myself into this thing!
Scott Kelby and I had been emailing while he was doing his Lightroom 1 tour and asked me how to tweak the lighting before he went up on stage. By the time I got to email him back I said, “Well why don’t you come up to help me with a wedding?” The timing worked out and it was July 27, 2007. We finished the wedding at about 1, we went back to my home and we sat up talking until about 3/3:30 in the morning about blogging because I was curious about trying it and what he said to me was, “You’ve got to feed the monster every day or it dies. And that was where we left it.” My wife and I took a trip to Paris and I started blogging the trip. It was called “David and LaDawn on the Road” and that was my first blog.
We came back and I started Digital ProTalk in mid-August. #1 I find the blog to be creative for me. It gets me thinking about what I do: photography and teaching. It’s leveraged how I teach because I put something on there every day. And another thing, and I’m not sure if others will say the same thing, I find it to be relaxing and rewarding when I wake up at 6 or 6:30.
I’ve done 1650 posts to date, and counting.
JDMP: You have a new tour just getting started. Tell me a little bit about your Digital WakeUp Call Tour.
DZ: I’m a photographer who has studied classical lighting and posing and this and that and everything else and I wasn’t seeing that a lot in many wedding photographs. So we went out in ’06 and we talked about composition and good lighting and also some software things and some business building things.
Everyone was telling me to do it again and ‘09 was the year to do it. So for the last 6 months we’ve been putting together the content of the tour and designing the presentation and we started right after Photoshop World.
It’s 4 hours long and we’re talking about lighting, lightning and even more lighting – how to get the best use out of your on-camera flash and how to use off-camera flash to really make your images sing. There’s way too much software and way too little time to learn it all so what I talk about are “Software Magic Bullets” – things that make your workflow really streamlined. And the last part of the program is about business building and what any photographer can do, from seasoned professionals to part-time photographers to emerging professional photographers, to build their business.
The tour has caught fire! We’re giving away ¼ million dollars in giveaways over the course of the tour. It’s generated a tone of interest and people are loving it. I’m really excited about it!
JDMP: What else do you have going on?
DZ: I’ve got my first book coming out this summer and I teach my Digital Master Class, a week-long class where photographers come in here for about 50 hours a week. I think we’re the best value class going. It’s photography for 2 days, software for about a day or so and then, of course, business building at a price that doesn’t break the bank.
JDMP: Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me! It’s been a real pleasure!
DZ: Thanks for your support and for linking over, and I really appreciate it! We’ll have to guest blog for each other sometime.
Photoshop Interviews is brought to you in part by Towner Jones Photography, LLC. Check out all of the great things Rob is doing over there!
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Apr 20, 2009 | Categories: Blogroll, Inspiration, Photography, Photoshop, Photoshop Interview | Tags: Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photoshop, Scott Kelby, Towner Jones Photography | Leave A Comment »
This week’s Workflow Friday comes from the other side of the world from my humble home here in the states. Scotty Graham lives in Indonesia and takes some tremendous shots from all over the world, both above and below the water. Today’s workflow contribution gets us beneath the surface of Scotty’s process and will surely offer some info and inspiration as you approach your own work.
Scotty, they’re all yours!
From Dive To Print
I am honored to be Jason’s guest blogger today on Workflow Friday. My name is Scotty Graham, and I am a professional photographer. Although a professional, I do not make my living taking photos, thankfully. I am a teacher, and my hope is that you can learn something new today.
I enjoy all forms of photography. However, my passion for the past 25 years has been underwater photography. My workflow is different with my underwater photography than it is for my work above ground. In fact, my workflow for my “land” photography is not much different than the other professionals that have shared their workflow on this blog. Today, let’s change the pace just a bit, and let me describe my typical workflow for an underwater photograph. Let me warn you, this is a lengthy post, but in reality, it only takes me a few minutes to actually edit my photographs. Learning short cuts in Photoshop, and using pre-recorded actions helps save heaps of time.
Before I start, I must thank Scott Kelby and his incredible staff at NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals). Virtually everything I know about Photoshop and Lightroom was learned from these incredible educators. If you are not a member of NAPP, sign up NOW….it will be the best 99 bucks you ever spent.
Ok, onto my workflow…using Scott Kelby’s style, I will go step by step…
Step 1: The first actual step is the preparation before the dive. Underwater, you cannot change lenses, and some camera functions cannot be changed either (depending on your housing). So, before I jump on the boat, I must decide if I am going to shoot wide-angle or macro or super macro. Each requires a different set-up with my equipment…ie, which ports to use, which strobes to use, which strobe arms to use, and which lens to install. My decision is really based on the amount of ambient light available at the time of my dive, the visibility, the tide, current, and the time of day. If it is a bright sunny day, I prefer to take wide-angle shots as there will be lots of ambient light that my camera can capture beyond the scope of my strobes. For the shot I am going to describe, I decided to go wide angle. It was early morning, the sky was blue with a bright sun, visibility was good, and we were going to a nice reef with many schooling fish with strong current. Strong current usually means lots of fish, but more challenging for the photographer.
Step 2: Set up your equipment, and check to be sure all camera settings are set beforehand, and that your camera and strobes are working. Check all dive equipment to be sure all is in good working order, and that your tank is full of air. Again, once underwater, if something is not working, you are stuck. Your SCUBA equipment should be in good working order, and your dive skills (especially buoyancy skills) should be top rate. Don’t take photographs underwater until you are an experienced diver or an accident is ready to happen.
My equipment for this shot: Nikon D300, Nexus housing, two Nikonos SB-105 strobes, Nexus dome port and Nikon 10.5 mm DX lens.
Step 3: Plan your dive with your buddy. Make sure he/she knows your plan for what you are going to shoot, and to be prepared to hang around while you take many shots of the same subject from many different angles. Diving with another photographer is usually better as other photographers understand that sometimes an entire dive is spent around one small area of the reef.
Step 4: Dive your plan. When I entered the water, I looked down and saw a gorgeous reef and schooling Yellowstriped Snappers. I instantly knew what I wanted. I wanted a photo of the Snappers swimming across the reef with a blue water background.
Step 5: Get the shot. This is the tough part. Fish are not cooperative models. They rarely swim where you want them, they are always moving, and they are shy and don’t like to get close to your camera. There is also current, surge, and other environmental hurdles trying to prevent your from taking a photo. The key is to stay relaxed, to be patient, and to be a “quiet” diver.
I was able to find a nice sandy spot on the bottom behind a reef that blocked the current. I set my aperture to f-11 (I had decent ambient light for a mid-range f-stop), and my strobes to maximum power. For wide angle underwater, you need to be within inches of your subject to be sure your subject is well lit, and doesn’t appear too small. I waited for the fish to circle the reef, and then slowly approached the reef trying not to disturb the fish. I also wanted the sun in the photo. While viewing my composition in the small viewfinder of my housing, I drift as close to the fish as I can, and fire. Of course, as soon as my strobes fire, the fish scatter…I go back to my spot in the sand, check my photo in my small screen for correct exposure, composition and focus.
Usually, something is off, so I keep repeating the above with different settings and perhaps from a different angle until I get a shot I am happy with. This is the beauty of digital photography. In the old days, I would shoot an entire roll of film on one spot bracketing every shot in hopes of getting one keeper. Digital saves heaps of time as I can just delete underwater if I missed the shot, and I don’t have to wait a week after my dive trip to see if I got the shot or not. What a great time to be an underwater photographer.
Step 6: After the dive, I remove my CF card and download my photos to my EPSON P-5000 (one of the best things I have ever bought). I soak my camera in fresh water (with the housing, of course), go to the nearest hammock, turn on my ipod, and check out the photos I just took looking for keepers. I never delete photos in the EPSON P-5000 unless they are total crap…sometimes a photo that looks like crap turns out to be a good photograph, so I usually keep everything until I see them on my big screen at home (I have a 24-inch iMac).
Step 7: The dive trip is over, and I am home. I hook my EPSON P-5000 to my computer, and download all the photos to a folder on my hard drive named after the dive trip and date…example, RajaAmpat_March2009. I then burn a back-up copy of the photos onto a DVD.
Step 8: I import the photos from this folder into Lightroom, assign key words to all the photos, and keep them in the original folder.
Step 9: I have two monitors, so I have set up Lightroom so that I can view each of my photos in my Apple 23-inch cinema display, and the rest of Lightroom on my 24-inch monitor of my i-Mac. My 23-inch monitor is profiled and calibrated using Spyder3 software (and hardware) for my EPSON 9880 printer, so any adjustments to my photo should be viewed on my calibrated monitor so that accurate prints can be made later.
I then browse through my images and flag the shots I like and delete the totally awful shots (believe me, there are tons of the latter).
Step 10: I then go to the shots that I have flagged as possible keepers, and start the editing process. I chose this photo to edit. All my photos are taken in RAW, and this particular shot is the best I got of the Snappers swimming over the reef. My settings are f-11 at 1/60 sec at ISO 200…10.5mm lens.
Step 11: Move to the develop module in Lightroom. This is where my workflow differs somewhat from my land shots. Color underwater is a mess. You lose color very quickly underwater. The color is lost in order of the spectrum of light…remember ROY G BIV? First, you lose your reds, oranges and yellows, then greens, then Blues, Indigo and violets. Get to a depth of just 10 meters and everything looks grey until you artificially add light, and then the color comes bursting at you. This is why it is imperative you shoot with strobes underwater. Even with strobes, my photo above looks washed out and drab. My goal in Lightroom is to bring back the color and make my image “pop”.
Step 12: I first look at the histogram and check for proper exposure. In this case, the photo is a bit underexposed but with some “spikes” on the extreme right. So, the first thing I do is slide the exposure slider to the right slightly, and then slide the recovery slider to the right to bring down those spikes and to gain back any detail lost from over-exposed parts of my photo (mainly the fish bellies in the top left)
Here is my original histogram…
Here is my new histogram…
Now my photo looks like this…not too different…
Step 13: Crop. I don’t like the light from my strobes showing in the top left of the photo and the right side of the photo. I will crop those areas out of the photo.
Step 14: Now for the color. This is the most difficult part of the process. Above ground, I usually make my photos warmer. Underwater, if you move the temp slider to a warmer temp, you will lose the nice blues in the water. On the other hand, if you cool the photo down to bring out the blue water, you lose the nice yellows in the fish. Since reds are the first colors that are lost underwater, I almost always need to move the tint slider to the right for more magenta. The trick is finding the right balance between the two sliders…and I usually do this by eye. I know what the scene is supposed to look like, so I just mess with the sliders until I get close to what I want. I also will use the eye-dropper and click on a neutral gray, and see what Lightroom gives me, and then tweak from there…I settled on these settings…
Step 15: Now go to the color palette and the Tone Curve. I go through each color and move the sliders to bring out each individual color, and then move to the Tone Curve to darken or lighten the highlights, lights, darks and shadows. The most important color to play with is the blue. Here I darkened the blues and added more saturation.
Step 16: Now I go to the other fun sliders…fill light, blacks, contrast, clarity and vibrance. I rarely touch the saturation slider…I just play with these to add contrast and to give the photo some punch. Here are my settings…
Step 17: The last thing I do in Lightroom is to darken the edges with a Lightroom preset that I got from Matt Kloskowski’s website…called Edge Darkening. After darkening the edges, I sometimes have to increase the exposure or fill light to balance.
Step 18: Time to move into Photoshop. Press Cmd + E, and my photo opens in Photoshop with the changes I made in Lightroom.
Step 19: I have some actions that I created that does some magic with colors…in this particular action, I have done the following with one click of the mouse…
A curves adjustment layer to brighten the scene…
A levels adjustment layer to intensify the contrast…
And a Hue and Saturation adjustment layer to boost the colors…
Here is my layers palette…I group all of these adjustments, and then lower the opacity of the group so that it is not over done…
Step 20: Now for some dodging and burning. I want to lighten some of the coral in the foreground, and the school of fish, and darken some of the coral in the background. I do this by creating two new curves adjustment layers with a mask. Once again, I have actions that create these two layers and masks with a single click of the mouse. One brightens the exposure, and the other darkens the exposure. I then paint in both masks where I want the photo brighter and where I want the photo darker. Here is my layers palette. Notice the white parts of my two masks….where I have painted white is where light has been painted or where darkness is painted…
Notice in the photo how the foreground is now brighter, and there is more depth to the school of fish making it appear almost 3-D. The image really pops now as well…
Step 21: My final step in Photoshop is sharpening. I have many sharpening techniques. One of my favorites is a third party filter called Lucis Art. It is like sharpening on steroids. I use the sculpture filter, and sometimes the wyeth filter. The wyeth filter has a tendency to make your photos have an HDR look to them… sometimes good, and sometimes not good. For underwater, I don’t really care for the HDR look, so I usually just use the sculpture filter from Lucis Art. Of course, Photoshop’s unsharp mask works really well too if you don’t have Lucis Art. Anyway, I flatten my image, then duplicate the layer (cmd+J on a mac), and apply the filter, and then reduce the opacity if the effect is too strong.
Step 22: I am finished editing, and am now ready to print or save to the web for my website. I save my changes in Photoshop, which then saves the changes to the copy of the photo in Lightroom. I then print from Lightroom to my EPSON 9880. Printing is an entirely different tutorial…but Lightroom does make it easy, and the nice thing about printing from Lightroom is that it has built-in output sharpening developed by Jeff Schewe and Bruce Fraser who are legends in fine art printing.
Here is the before image…
Here is the final image…
If you are interested in seeing more of Scotty’s work, check out his photo blog at
http://www.scottygraham.blogspot.com or his website http://www.scottygraham.com
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Apr 03, 2009 | Categories: Blogroll, Inspiration, Photography, Photoshop, Workflow | Tags: Digital Photography, Lightroom, NAPP, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photoshop, Photoshop Workflow, Scott Kelby | 4 Comments »
You heard it hear first! As of 12:30am today, Friends-of-the-Blog Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski are launching a new weekly show for Nikon DSLR shooters called Nikon D-Town.
Partnering with Nikon, the show airs online each Thursday, and you can watch the premiere episode now! Each episode is full of tips and techniques to help you get the most of your Nikon gear. And the comment lines are open so viewers can add their own comments, tips and ask questions that might get answered in an upcoming show.
I’ve already watched the first episode and I think it’s just great! Scott shows us how to set the white balance using “Live View,” Matt shows us how to do some local adjustments with Nikon Capture, we learn a little bit about di-GPS, and an alternative method for reviewing our shots in-camera.
As always, these guys have produced a fantastic resource for digital photographers – of the Nikon persuasion – so that we can have all the tools we need to learn and grow in our art.
Check out Nikon D-Town now!
I know you may have been expecting the long-overdue return of The P&P Weekly but I’m working on a little retooling project for it and it’s not quite ready yet. So be on the lookout for it next week. Promise!
Feb 26, 2009 | Categories: News, Photography | Tags: Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Scott Kelby | Leave A Comment »
This week we welcome another exceptional photographer to our Workflow Fridays series, Rob Jones. Rob and his wife Rose run Towner Jones Photography based in Gainesville, VA.
Thanks for sharing with us today, Rob!
First let me say, I feel quite humbled to be in the company of the talented folks that have contributed to this great blog. I also want to say “thanks” to Jason for allowing me to participate and thanks to all of you for sharing your time with me today.
When I first started preparing for my edition of “Workflow Fridays,” I was quite excited. I had, on my schedule, a perfect photo shoot lined up which I thought would provide some excellent shots to put through my workflow. The plan was to hike into Shenandoah National Park, here in Virginia, and capture images of the waterfalls in Whiteoak Canyon. However, when I got up the morning of the shoot, there was no hot water in the house. I did get to see a waterfall that day – unfortunately it was coming from the hot water heater in the basement. Oh the life of a great adventurer…
Why am I sharing this story with you, you might ask? I’m sharing it because, I did manage to find a “waterfall” picture in my collection to work over for you, but it’s a tad smaller than the eighty-six footer I had planned on shooting.
Just imagine the splendor of what could have been in your mind’s eye, and we’ll get started.
So here’s our “waterfall” shot. It was taken early in the morning, also in Shenandoah National Park, back in October. For those of you that are interested in the image specs, it was taken with my Nikon D90 using Nikon’s 18-200mm lens. The exposure is 6 seconds, at f/20 (ISO 100). (On a side note, the D90 has become a beloved addition to my gear for situations when carrying the D3 with its big, heavy glass just won’t do)
Now for all intents and purposes, I think this is a pretty decent shot – though a little underexposed. My goal, however, is to bring back the color, vibrance, and “pop” that the early morning sun cast on this little corner of the park.
For a little background, I’m a Lightroom convert. I used to post-process all of my images in Photoshop. Since Lightroom hit the scene, I’d estimate less than 10% actually make the trip out of Lightroom over to Adobe’s flagship application. For me, the decision is all about efficiency, and that’s the name of the game in Lightroom. The steps I’m about to outline, took me a little less than a minute from start to finish. The order of these steps sometimes varies, but these are the “basics” I do to almost all of my “keepers”.
Step 1: Correct White Balance
I’ve read a great deal of discussion regarding “correct” vs. “incorrect” white balance. For those of you that read my blog, you’ve heard me say that I believe “correct” is always in the eyes of the photographer. For me, finding the right color temperature involves using the WB tool in Lightroom to sample a number of target grays and finding the one that, I feel, reflects the mood that I’m trying to convey in the photograph. In this particular picture, I wanted a little more warmth than what the camera captured, which I found in the gray at the center of the rock in the upper left corner.
Step 2: Exposure Adjustment
As I mentioned earlier, I felt that this image was a little underexposed from what I remembered, so I bumped up the overall exposure about three-quarters of a stop.
Step 3: Tone Curve – Contrast Adjustment
In Lightroom, the Tone Curve sliders give quick and easy access to adjusting ranges of tones. At this point, I wanted to bring the water from the waterfall and the rock on the bottom of the stream up a little relative to the shadows and mossy undersides of the rocks, so I bumped up the “Highlights” and “Lights” a bit. I didn’t, however, want to dramatically change the overall relative contrast too much, so I brought the low-to-mid range “Darks” up a hair as well.
Step 4: More Exposure “Tweaking”
I often do a little dance back and forth between steps 3 and 4 to get the proper balance of exposure and contrast. Here in step four, using Lightroom’s “Fill Light” and “Blacks” sliders bring out a little more of the detail (particularly in the moss) that I didn’t achieve using the Tone Curve adjustments.
Step 5: Adding Pop
Consider this step optional, and let me take a slight mental detour. Lightroom offers three “Presence” sliders, which we all know and love… Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation. These guys have the power to dramatically affect a photos representation of “reality” – and I, for one, am NOT ashamed to use them. In this step, I’ve added some “pop” to the image by bumping up Clarity and Vibrance. Generally speaking, I use these two to add a little flavor, and Saturation to mellow things down if I go overboard.
Step 6: Fine Tuning Color
Some of my favorite tools in Lightroom are the Detailed Color Adjustment sliders. Here I’ve continued to “tweak” the image to achieve the vibrancy of colors I remembered from that morning. My other favorite use for these sliders is eliminating color cast that I’ve introduced by pushing other adjustments in Lightroom.
Step 7: Finishing Touches
The finishing touches most common for all of my work are Sharpening and Vignetting. Zooming in on the moss, I applied an appropriate boost of sharpening to bring out edge detail while minimizing edge artifacts. When it comes to vignetting, I want to personally thank the folks at Adobe that added “Post-Crop” vignetting in Lightroom 2. I’ve used a slight post-crop vignette to bring the viewers focus in on the waterfall at the center of the scene.
And last but not least… the final shot.
I’ll note that I’ve left off a number of the other cool things (Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filters, etc.) that Lightroom makes available. Though I love them, I’ve personally found that the amount of time I spend “messing with” my photos goes up exponentially if I’m not careful to use them sparingly. As a result, I follow the basic process I’ve outlined here for most of my pictures, and save the more advanced tools for the shots I want to give some extra attention.
One closing thought about developing your own workflow. Make sure that the end of your workflow involves sharing your photos with others. It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or a pro, sharing your photos with others will provide healthy criticism and (if you choose your audience well) positive affirmation – both of which will help you continue to grow as a photographer. And with that, thank you, sincerely, for the opportunity to share my work with you.
All the best, Rob
Thanks Rob! Check out more from Rob by visiting his blog today!
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Feb 20, 2009 | Categories: Inspiration, Photography, Workflow | Tags: Adobe, Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photoshop, Photoshop Workflow, Rob Jones, Towner Jones Photography | 1 Comment »
Shot at the Tower of London, May 20, 2008 with my Nikon D200 using my 18.0-50.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 34mm. Shot at ISO 400 at 1/125sec at f/5.6 with a -1/3 EV exposure bias.
Just some basic adjustments in LR only. I’ve always liked rustic, old, or antique subjects and it was just a pleasure to get the chance to shoot in London. There were so many opportunities and I don’t feel like I took advantage of enough of them. On our last day there, Kim and I headed over to the Tower of London to catch a glimpse of the Crown Jewels and the torture chamber and just some of the wonderful Old World architecture.
For this shot, I liked the simplicity of the scene. A window, a wall, and some vines. The window is really the main subject so I lined up the center vertical along the left-hand third. It was a great coincidence that the vines seemed to point to the window, drawing the viewer’s eyes into the window. Also, as the wall on the bottom left recedes, it also guides the viewer’s gaze to the window.
Nov 10, 2008 | Categories: Personal, Photography | Tags: Nikon | 1 Comment »
In response to a couple of comments and questions about yesterday’s image of “Penny Rock” at Salt Springs State Park in Northeastern PA, I thought I would give you a little info about the shot including what settings I used and how I processed it.
First, a little background. A VERY little. I admit I didn’t pay too much attention to the signs at the park that talked about this rock. Apparently hikers passing by place pennies in the softer areas between layers of rock and over time the weight of the rock seals the coins in. I’m not sure if the weight of the stone or weather or human activity – or some combination – makes the pennies bend. I gather that inserting a penny brings good luck while removing one means bad luck – so watch your step and stay away from the edge of the trails on your way up the trail!
The shot from yesterday was taken with my Nikon D200 on a tripod using a Sigma 56.0-200.0mm f/4.0-5.6 lens with a focal length of 56mm. I shot in RAW at 1/45 sec at f/4.0 at ISO 200 with an exposure bias of -1 EV (I forgot to turn off bracketing from a previous series I shot for HDR purposes).
Using Lightroom 1.4.1 – I know, I’m behind in upgrading – I made some basic adjustments in white balace to warm it up, exposure to reverse the effects of the -1 EV, clarity to add some presence, and tonal adjustments to add some extra contrast. I increased the saturation of the orange, yellow and green areas while decreasing the reds to get the colors just right. I then added some sharpening and a significant amount of vignetting - one of my favorite effects.
There’s nothing special about the framing or composition. Sometimes you approach a shot with the rule of thirds in mind or working the angles and use of positive and negative space to get everything just right. I find that about half the time I think about those things and the other half I just plop the camera on the tripod, frame up something that looks good to me and fire away. I don’t know if you get to the point where you’re not always conscious of what you’re doing or if you just get lucky but I just like how this one looked. It’s not a by the book type of shot, but I think it works.
One of the things I’m going to try to do more of, thanks to some comments coming out of the survey, is to post more info about the thoughts and process behind my shots as I share them. It not only will, hopefully, give you some insights, but it will be an excersise for me as I develop my own work. Thanks for the comments!
Nov 07, 2008 | Categories: Personal, Photography | Tags: Lightroom, Nikon | 1 Comment »
Welcome to week #94 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
Click here to become a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. A great resource for training, tips, and connecting with other creatives.
And as always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Oct 01, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Adobe, Canon Blogger, Kelby Training, Lightroom, NAPP, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Photoshop CS4, Photowalk, Towner Jones Photography, What the Duck | 1 Comment »
Welcome to week #93 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
As I wrote last week, we’ve scheduled our next Binghamton-area photowalk for Saturday October 18th. Full details can be found by visiting the photowalk page above.
Click here to become a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. A great resource for training, tips, and connecting with other creatives.
And as always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Sep 22, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Adobe, Canon Blogger, Lightroom, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Photowalk, Scott Kelby, Towner Jones Photography, What the Duck | Leave A Comment »
Welcome to week #92 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
I hope to get “The Weekly” back to its regular Monday schedule once I get used to mine. We’ve welcomed a few new members since last time – profiled over the past few posts – so I hope you will take a minute and visit their blogs and see their great work.
Click here to become a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
And as always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Sep 10, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Adobe, Canon Blogger, Larry Becker, Lightroom, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Photowalk, Towner Jones Photography, What the Duck | 1 Comment »
Welcome to week #83 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
Thank you to everyone who offered well-wishes with the news of my impending transitions. I appreciate all of your support and I look forward to this next chapter.
I’ve been a member of the National Association of Photoshop Proffesionals since 2005 and have found it to be a great source of education and inspiration. I know many of you may also be members but for those of you who aren’t I highly recommend it. It’s only $99/year and you can save at least that much with the many discounts offered with your membership. I mention this, first and foremost, because I’m a believer in what they are doing over there and have benefited so much from their services. Secondly, NAPP has just instituted a referral program and I would like to invite you to become a member. I’d be recommending this to you anyway and if you were planning on joining anyway why not do it here. Think about it.
As always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Jul 02, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Adobe, Canon Blogger, Lightroom, NAPP, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photography Tutorial, Photoshop, Photowalk, Scott Kelby, Towner Jones Photography, What the Duck | 2 Comments »
Christopher Lane of Written By The Light
My late father was a professional photographer and I worked at his studio for several years. I am now an attorney, but am looking to transition to photography when I retire.
Why do you blog?
I love to write and I love photography. I want to learn and teach, discover and relate.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
The Online Photographer.
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
Life-long on and off.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Pentax K20D (lightweight) and Nikon D3 (heavyweight)
Mac or PC?
Both, but mainly Mac
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
My 20” iMac. Great for editing.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
Nothing, really.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Shoot, shoot, shoot. Keep a camera at all times and shoot.
What inspires you to create?
The beauty around me.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Enjoy yourself.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
New Mexico
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Music, photography.
What talent would you most like to have?
Play a musical instrument.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Boo
What is your least favorite word? Nipple
What turns you on? Women
What turns you off? Women
What sound or noise do you love? Rock and roll
What sound or noise do you hate? Fingers on a chalkboard
What is your favorite curse word? Shit
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Acting
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Skydiving
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Pleased to meet you at last.
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Jun 25, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop | Leave A Comment »
Welcome to week #82 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
As always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Jun 24, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Adobe, Canon Blogger, Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photo Contest, Photography, Photography Blog, Photography Tip, Photoshop, Photowalk, Towner Jones Photography, What the Duck | 1 Comment »
Rob Jones of Towner Jones Photography
Rob Jones and his wife, Rose Jones, own Towner Jones Photography, based out of Gainesville, VA.
Why do you blog?
I blog to help myself grow as a photographer, to become part of a larger community of photographers by sharing techniques and ideas, and as a way to reach my clients.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Photoshop Insider (www.scottkelby.com)
Lightroom Killer Tips (www.lightroomkillertips.com)
PhotoWalkPro (www.revellphotography.com/blog)
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I’ve been using Photoshop since version 3.0, and I’ve been a photographer since the mid-90’s when I got my first camera. When digital photography came on the scene the computer nerd and the artist in me both had an outlet – and I haven’t looked back since.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
I currently shoot a Nikon D200.
Mac or PC?
PC. Yes, I’m a hold out for the PC, but I’m certainly not against the Mac. I have a background in computer engineering, so PCs have been close to my heart for quite some time.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
My Dell 3007WFP-HC 30-inch monitor is one of my favorite toys. It has stunning color and sharpness, and you can’t beat having 30-inches of real estate.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
Any of Nikon’s long reaching, fast glass… including but not limited to, Nikon’s 400mm f/2.8, 200mm f/2.0, 600mm f/4
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Don’t be afraid to make lots of mistakes. If you’re shooting digital, learning to take better pictures is FREE! No book, seminar, class, video, whatever can replace practice on your camera.
What inspires you to create?
It all depends on the moment. Often it’s people (particularly friends and family), but many times it’s seeing something amazing done by another photographer.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
God has a wonderful plan for us, trusting in that fact, and not allowing the setbacks we face in life to steal our joy is the secret to real happiness.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
I’d love to live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina – for now, I’ll vacation there any chance I get.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My favorite “spare time” activity is spending time with my wife and daughter. When it comes to hobbies, apart from photography and messing around on the computer, I love to play saxophone and piano. If I’m not doing any of these things you’ll find me hiking, camping, or canoeing.
What talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to be more athletic – I enjoy playing pretty much every sport – but I’ve never been coordinated enough to really hold my own.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Sure
What is your least favorite word? Cornucopia (it just irritates me)
What turns you on? My wife, and (though my wife would have liked me to stop with my first answer) the smell of new electronics or photo equipment.
What turns you off? People who are inconsiderate, selfish, or rude.
What sound or noise do you love? My daughter laughing, well played saxophone, the ocean
What sound or noise do you hate? My daughter crying, when it’s caused by pain. (If you don’t have kids, this is a much different cry than that of a temper tantrum… this one tears a daddy’s heart in two)
What is your favorite curse word? It’s not exactly a curse word, but lately I find myself using “douche” as a way to describe someone who’s irritating me.
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d love the opportunity to be a professional musician.
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Any job where I’d have to see people suffering on a regular basis. My heart hurts for people, and I don’t think I could handle it in large doses.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Well done, good and faithful servant. I love you and welcome home.
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Jun 20, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Digital Photography, Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photo Equipment, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Photowalk, Rob Jones, Towner Jones Photography | 1 Comment »
Scotty Graham of IndoGrahams
I would like to say that my full time job is a photographer, but have never been brave enough to depend totally on my photography skills for a living. As a compromise, I teach. I teach Photography and Mathematics at the Jakarta International School, and have been working in Indonesia for the past 12 years.
Before becoming a teacher, I was a helicopter pilot and a SCUBA instructor. In short, I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.
Why do you blog?
I started blogging to communicate with my family in the states. I found blogging more entertaining than writing letters or emails, and my family appreciated the visual news that a blog can offer. Since I have always posted a photo with each blog entry, I started concentrating on the photography instead of the news. My blog evolved into a photo blog instead of a news blog. Since I had more and more visitors from around the world reading my blog, I felt strange reporting on personal news, so I decided to totally transform my blog into a photo blog…I still run a “family blog”, but it is for invited readers only (my family). I blog because it is a great way to get exposure for my photography and a great way to exchange ideas and concepts with other photographers around the world.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Scott Kelby’s Photoshop Insider (http://www.scottkelby.com)
By far my favorite blog. Scott is president of NAPP, and there is always great information for Photoshop users and photographers.
Rob Galbraith’s Digital Photography Insights (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/index.asp)
Some of the most up-to-date news on the digital photography industry.
Strobist (http://strobist.blogspot.com/)
Lighting is everything in Photography. This blog offers great tutorials and information on lighting.
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I have been a photographer as long as I can remember. I started taking photos when I was 10 years old when my grandmother bought me a Pentax K1000 for my birthday.
I have been using Photoshop since version 5 came out in the late (or was it mid) 90’s. I became a member of NAPP in 2003, and started teaching Photoshop at that time.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
I shoot all Nikon Equipment. For my underwater work (my passion), I shoot with my trusty D70 with a Nexus housing. For all other work, I use Nikon’s D300.
Mac or PC?
I have always been a Mac guy….truly the greatest computer for a Photographer.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
It would have to be a three-way tie….my Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 lens, my 24-inch iMac, and my Nexus underwater housing.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
An EPSON 9880 wide-format printer.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Carry your camera with you at all times, and shoot till you drop. Read as much as you can, and look at photographs from other photographers every day. Learn from the professionals and develop your own style.
What inspires you to create?
There is no feeling like the one you get after capturing a moment in time perfectly in your camera then sharing that moment with others. It is what inspires me to do it again and again.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Spend time each day doing what you love the most, and take care of your friends and family.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
Kauai, Hawaii…..my favorite place on earth.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Scuba diving, golf, and playing with Lightroom/Photoshop
What talent would you most like to have?
Golf
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Jun 11, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Digital Photography, Lightroom, NAPP, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Scott Kelby | 3 Comments »
Troy Mullens of Ramblings Around Texas
I am a retired Scientist and Engineer. Specialties included a multitude of scientific disciplines. My current interest is Nature and Scenic Photography, which has been a hobby for almost 50 years. I have been doing scientific programming and working with computers since 1962. My first personal computer was an IBM PC Jr. (Peanut). I have been using Photoshop since it first came out. Part of my science duties was to be in charge of a photo processing lab for a large chemical and materials company. This included lab photos, plant photography, scientific and technical photography and processing.
Why do you blog?
I have only been blogging for a little less than 4 months. I am still finding my way. It’s not as hard to lay out as a 300 page technical report but does need to reach a more diverse and interesting audience. I blog because I have something to say. Eventually I hope to have a readership such that I will be able to pass on experiences and techniques that will benefit the blogging community (especially in photographic terms). Currently I am using a shotgun approach to see how many people I can reach, before settling down to a particular style and subject matter.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
This one. It has a diverse link stream.
North American Nature Photography Association and
Nature Writers of Texas
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
Photoshop – since Day 1
Photography – 50 years
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Lots of Nikons
Mac or PC?
PC
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
Scanner – For converting tens of thousands of old slides and prints to digital.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
I don’t need anything, but if you insist, everyone needs a new camera.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Shoot everything and lots of it. Be critical. Shoot stuff that you don’t like, to be able to understand other photographers viewpoints.
What inspires you to create?
I don’t know. It comes from within.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Appreciate and listen to others. My Grandfather told me to listen to others so that I would know what I know plus what they know and I would be twice as smart.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
I’m a 4th generation Texan, but if I did have to move, I would probably choose Australia or the Northwestern US.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Study Nature.
Photography.
I read everything.
What talent would you most like to have?
Get by on less than 5 hours per night of sleep.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Adventure
What is your least favorite word? Boredom
What turns you on? Travel and photography
What turns you off? Stalled traffic
What sound or noise do you love? The call of a Canyon Wren
What sound or noise do you hate? Automobiles
What is your favorite curse word? Damn
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Astronaut
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Politics
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? You did a great job appreciating and taking care of my creation, and taking care of your family.
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Jun 10, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop | 6 Comments »
Welcome to week #79 of The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll’s P&P Weekly!
As always, take a moment to grab one of the chicklet links to show your support for this blog and, for blogroll members, be sure to pick up your P&P Blogroll Member badge link.
Finally, here are some of my favorites from what’s been happening in The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll:
Please be sure to visit the great blogs of our other members found in the sidebar. And if you would like to be considered for The Photoshop & Photography Blogroll, email Jason.
Jun 03, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Canon Blogger, Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Photowalk, What the Duck | Leave A Comment »
Post #675!!!
Jennifer Weaver (soon to be Jennifer Rinaldi) of Jen Weaver Photography
Hello all! I’m Jen Weaver and I’ve been an avid photographer since I was about 7 years old. I work full time in Human Resources in the pharmaceutical industry but I recently started doing portrait photography work on the side.
I caught the “photography bug” from my Dad and that passion for photography carried me through my childhood, into high school (as the newspaper and yearbook photographer & editor) and into college.
Fast forward to the present…at the beginning of 2007 I made it a focus to concentrate on my photography passion and the love and my knowledge has grown tremendously.
I LOVE HDR and I know lug my tripod everywhere “just in case” I want to take multiple exposures!
I also enjoy anything creative…drawing, painting, graphic design, jewelry making (just wish I had more time in the world for all of my hobbies!!).
Why do you blog?I love being able to share my work and have the opportunity to apply details around who, what, where, when and how about my photography with my readers. Anytime I see something others my benefit I like to share those details as well.
It’s a creative outlet for me and I can’t seem to go to sleep at night without a blog post! I also use it a journal to track where I’ve been and how I’m progressing with my work.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?http://julielawsonphotography.blogspot.com/
http://oneshotbeyond.blogspot.com/
http://mpalmerphotography.blogspot.com/
(and Jason D. Moore Photography which should go without saying!)
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
Photoshop: Since around 1996-1997 when I was back in college
Photographer: Since around the age of 7 when I got my first “110” camera – which I still have!
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Nikon D80 Affectionately referred to as “The Gun”
Mac or PC?
PC now and Mac back in the “graphic design studies” days
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
I’d have to say my Wacom Bamboo tablet – what a handy little tool for working in Photoshop! I highly recommend one.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
The Sigma 10mm wide angle lens or an upgrade to the Nikon D300
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Practice, practice & more practice. Google anything and everything you want to learn and try everything at least once just to see if you like it!
What inspires you to create?
Ever since I got deeply immersed in photography last year everything around me seems to inspire me now. From a “great cloud day” to the pen sitting on my desk. I’m seeing the beauty in everything in a new way that I’ve never noticed before and I want to find the best way to capture & preserve it through photography.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
My good friend Heather from http://oneshotbeyond.blogspot.com/ shared this quote with me during a tough time for me and it’s advice I would give others on life:
“When you have come to the edge of all the light you have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown…Believe that one of two things will happen to you…Either there will be something solid for you to stand on or you will be taught how to fly.”
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
Somewhere in Europe…The United Kingdom or Italy
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Hmmm….besides taking photos?? In my spare time I like to take impromptu road trips, spend time with family & friends, go to the beach, travel, listen to music, dance, go to comedy shows, decorate, read or relax with a good movie.
What talent would you most like to have?
To be able to sing.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Random
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on? When everything just comes together as I’ve planned!
What turns you off? Slackers
What sound or noise do you love? A good song blasting in the car
What sound or noise do you hate? Busy signals
What is your favorite curse word? Oh…I don’t think a nice gal like me would should drop that bomb here! LOL!
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Graphic Design (where I should have been all along!)
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Hard labor in the summer heat
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? By the time that happens I’d like to hear that I’ve done everything I’ve always wanted in my life and that I should be proud of that!
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
May 28, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop | 3 Comments »
Charles Sessoms of In Sync But Unslated
I am a visual artist who works in several mediums including film and still photography. I have produced television programs for WETA TV in Washington DC, WNET TV in NYC, the Children’s Television Workshop in NYC and Nickelodeon. My feature length documentary, To Do No Harm was an official entry at the Provincetown International Film Festival in 2003. Social Justice, Human Rights, Freedom of Expression and Love are the cornerstones of my work
Why do you blog?
I started the blog as a sort of online journal that I could share with others. I think that people who have known me in a peripheral sort of way are beginning to get to know we me more deeply through my photos or at least I hope that’s true.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
New York Photography – Dave Beckerman
That’s really about it at the moment
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I have been taking still images seriously enough to call myself a photographer for about three years and seriously using Photoshop for about the same amount of time.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Leica M6
Nikon D200
Hexar 35mm AF
Mac or PC?
I own both but I primarily use my Mac
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
My Epson 2400 printer
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
A Hasselblad medium format kit
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Shoot a lot so you can fail often and succeed sooner
What inspires you to create?
A ridiculous need for results
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
I have none to offer
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
Amsterdam
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Go to the movies
What talent would you most like to have?
Seeing clearly
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Delicious
What is your least favorite word? Impossible
What turns you on? Sexy women
What turns you off? Bigots and other over the top judgmental people
What sound or noise do you love? Humming
What sound or noise do you hate? Yelling
What is your favorite curse word? F**k
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? High School Teacher
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Short Order Cook
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? What took you so long?
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
May 08, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop | Leave A Comment »
Heather McCullah of One Shot Beyond Photography
Hi, I’m Heather McCullah. I am a self-made photographer residing in beautiful southern California. I enjoy portrait photography above all, but will photograph just about anything I find on the other side of my lens. I love meeting new and fun people, visiting different places and being a loyal friend.
Why do you blog?
To enable clients, family and friends to get to know me and the style of photography I enjoy and to share knowledge with other aspiring photographers.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Jason Moore’s is a given right?! ?
http://www.salleephotography.com/
http://jenweaverphotography.blogspot.com/
http://www.flashflavor.com/
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I’ve been learning and using Photoshop for about a year now. I have been a photographer for at least 20 years as a hobbyist and about a year as a professional.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Nikon’s at the moment, but will be adding a Canon to my collection in the future and will continue to use both types.
Mac or PC?
A desktop PC now, Mac laptop in the near future. I have used Mac’s before.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
Has to be Photoshop & other digital editing tools.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
Pocket wizards or a light meter.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Be yourself, shoot what you love and be open to sharing your knowledge with others.
What inspires you to create?
Everything around me!
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Life is ever changing, grow with those changes-don’t fight them or dwell on them.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
By water-a lake preferably.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Read, listen to music, walk my dog, write, poetry, visit friends and photograph people!
What talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to be able to draw by hand what I create in my mind.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Really (I say it too much)
What is your least favorite word? Can’t think of one
What turns you on? Any perfect moment
What turns you off? Obnoxious people
What sound or noise do you love? A waterfall or rain falling
What sound or noise do you hate? Screeching
What is your favorite curse word? Shoot!
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Marketing or a Gourmet Chef
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Being a Soldier-too scary!
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? “Hi there beautiful”
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
May 07, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop | 1 Comment »
Marcus Taylor of Invisible Green
My name is Marcus Taylor. I am married, have an 18 month old son, and a daughter due in June. I’m a web developer for Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia and also on the development team for PixelPost (the open source photoblogging application).
Why do you blog?
It started out as an ego thing for me, just to show off my photos, but then I started seeing some really great photos and blogging became a motivator. I’ve set a goal to post a new shot every day. Having this goal always at the back of my mind means that I shoot more often than I did when I didn’t have the goal, and I try to make some photos that I will be proud to have the world looking at.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
I limited these to photography related blogs, since there’s no way I could pick three from the 100+ blogs I’m subscribed to: The Radiant Vista’s Daily Critique, Scott Kelby’s Photoshop Insider, and Digital Photography School.
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when I made the transition from, snap shooter to photographer, but I really started to get serious about three or four years ago. I didn’t start using Photoshop for anything other than cropping and resizing until CS was released.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Nikon D70 and D40. I’m not really a Nikon evangelist, I just happened to feel more comfortable with the controls on the Nikons, when I upgraded for a Nikon P&S.
Mac or PC?
In the past I preferred PCs, because I could upgrade them in pieces. I would essentially have a new system every 18-24 months. Lately, though I spend a lot less time tinkering with my computer and more time actually using it. I’m happy enough with Windows XP, but I absolutely hate Vista. When it comes time to upgrade again, I will probably switch to Mac.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
The server that hosts my website and provides redundant backups of all my photos.
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
Nikon D3
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
It seems a bit odd me giving advice to novices, when I consider myself one. One of the things that I’m learning though, is that rules about exposure and composition are important reference guides. However, nobody discovered anything new by following somebody else’s path, so don’t get stuck trying to follow them.
What inspires you to create?
I’ve never really considered motivation. I’ve always just done it. If I had to say one specific thing related to photography I would have to say beauty. I want to be able to capture the beauty I see in the world, and to share what I’ve seen with others. This doesn’t necessarily apply to my other creative endeavors though.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Do, or do not. There is no try. – Yoda
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
In the mountains of Colorado or Vermont.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Hike, camp, nap, build web sites.
What talent would you most like to have?
Teleportation
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? Wanderlust
What is your least favorite word? Impossible
What turns you on? Water (ocean waves, waterfalls, etc.)
What turns you off? Ignorance
What sound or noise do you love? My son’s laugh.
What sound or noise do you hate? People eating with their mouths open
What is your favorite curse word? fuck, for sheer versatility
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Philanthropy
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Anything involving sanitation
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? Nicely done!
Note: If you there is someone you would like to see as a part of the P&P Blogger Profile series, please email Jason with their blog’s URL. Also, be sure to check out the P&P Weekly every Monday for news about this site and a roundup of what other Photoshop & Photography Blogroll members are posting.
Apr 09, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Digital Photography, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Blog, Photoshop, Scott Kelby | 1 Comment »
Scott Eccleston of Weekly Photography Tips
I am my children’s father.
Why do you blog?
Too often I would talk with my photography friends about something cool I had found on the internet and they had no idea what I was talking about, so I started blogging in an effort to share the cool, interesting, and informative things I stumble across while surfing.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Scott Kelby – he covers so many things (photographically) of interest.
STROBIST & Lighting Essentials as the most important thing is lighting (to control/manipulate it) and these folks cover it the best.
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
5 Years
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
I shoot with a Nikon D300
Mac or PC?
PC
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
Lightroom, I LOVE Lightroom!
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
A Wacom Cintiq 21UX, makes my nipples hard just thinking about it.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Find a camera club, it’s a great place to learn and network.
What inspires you to create?
The ability to speak without words, to tell a story with my images.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Love your family.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
The only other place I have family, North Carolina.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I run a small non-profit that does food rescue – I collect/deliver the donated food to food pantries here in southern Maine.
What talent would you most like to have?
To play an instrument, any instrument.
From Inside the Actor’s Studio:
What is your favorite word? ”Dad”
What is your least favorite word? Sub-prime
What turns you on? My beautiful wife
What turns you off? Selfish people
What sound or noise do you love? Hearing my children practicing their instruments
What sound or noise do you hate? Someone crying
What is your favorite curse word? The one you will here right after I pound my thumb with a hammer: “Son-of-a-bitch!”
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? I want Scott Kelby’s Job
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Police officer, I have great respect and admiration for them, but they are (generally) treated sooooo poorly by the public
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates? “Come on in”
Feb 14, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll, Interviews, Photography, Photoshop | Tags: Lightroom, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photography Tip, Photoshop, Scott Kelby | Leave A Comment »
From Inside the Actor’s Studio:
What turns you on?/What turns you off?
This question can, and is, interpreted in many different ways. It is one of those questions that is broad enough that it can encompass what turns you on/off creatively, physically, in life, you name it. So, in case you ever wanted to know – and even if you didn’t, cause you’re getting it anyway – here’s what turns us on and off.
- “The sensation of taste. Especially amazing, new tastes./Right-wing radio” – Doug Stremel
- “Any spectacular natural location with a good sunrise or sunset./Conformity and the business as usual lifestyle.” – Stephen Waterfall
- “Creativity/Envy” – Mike Palmer
- “Seeing someone being the best they can be./Seeing a person’s God-given gifts being wasted.” – David Ziser
- “Competence (and back rubs)/Vanity” – Jennifer Farley
- “Curves/Moody” – Derrick Story
- “Intelligent People/Racism” – Terry White
- “Possibility/Pomposity” – John Nack
- “Working with a new electronic gadget/Gadgets that don’t work.” – Andy Biggs
- “Life” – Chris Orwig
- “People who go above and beyond to make things work…/People who don’t even try…” – Tom Moore
- “Planning a photo excursion. My trip to Cambodia last year was unbelievable./People that whine.” – Jeff Revell
- “Intelligence/Bigotry” – Justin Seeley
- “A very talented chick./When girls type “lolz” on messenger chats. Laugh out loud… zebra? What the hell?” – Joey Lawrence
- “A bold and sharp appearance/A soft and faded appearance” – Lynda Walldez
- “Travel/Constricted Thinking” – David Hobby
- “See answer to “What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?” above. (Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8)/Smoking” – Matt Kloskowski
- “My Wife/Quark Express” – Mike McHugh
- “My Wife/Inconsiderate People” – Clayton Spangler
- “Roads/Arrogance” – Amy Archer
- “Anything that is challenging and difficult to do./Dishonesty” – Mike Holley
- “Being surrounded by creative people/People who couldn’t care less” – Dave Cross
- “Airports. There’s something really sexy about women on the go./Antiseptic smells” – Eduardo Angel & Timothy Campbell
- “Creating/Closed Mindedness” – Jim Larimer
- “Curves/The smell of onions” – Martin Andreasen
- “A cold beer on a warm veranda overlooking something scenic./Anger” – Michael Snell
- “My Wife/Lie and Masquerade from people.” - Richard Vanek
- “Fixing or tweaking something that I think is broken./Things that are broken (I’m not talking about appliances—I’m talking about processes, or businesses, or Web sites, etc.)” – Scott Kelby
- “Creativity/People with closed minds” – Bruce L. Snell
- “Kindness/Blind Obedience” – Paul Politis
- “Exuberant people./Apathetic people.” – Kathleen Connally
- “My Wife/Email Forwards” – Aaron Johnson
- “Outercourse/Closed minded people who won’t shut up. I wouldn’t mind talking with them if they were at all open to changing their opinions. But it becomes a complete monologue instead of a dialog when all they do is spout their opinions without any interest in understanding the views of the person they are speaking with.” – Ben Willmore
- “Sexy Women/Too many commercials during baseball games. Too damned many.” – Dave Beckerman
- “A pleasant smile./Acceptance of mediocrity.” – Andy Smith
- “Being with people who think creatively./Closed-Mindedness” – Jason D. Moore
Click here to view a complete list of profiles.
Feb 06, 2008 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: Jeff Revell, Nikon, Photo, Scott Kelby | Leave A Comment »
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
With time still left to order gifts for that special photographer or Photoshop user, here’s a list of ideas from profiled members of the blogroll… I’m not hinting at anything, just reporting on what they had to say – *wink-wink*
- “A Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L lens.” – Kathleen Connally
- “17-inch Intel Core Duo MacBook Pro.” – Aaron Johnson
- “A 600mm lens hooked to a cropped frame sensor SLR with a 1.4x extender on a Wimberley head and a massive tripod. I just finished spending a week shooting at Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico and I sure would have liked to have a longer lens.” – Ben Willmore
- “I’d love to get a larger (wider) printer, but I can’t find a place to put it.” – Dave Beckerman
- “A top-notch telephoto lens.” – Andy Smith
- “SB-800 Speedlight” - Jason D. Moore
- “When I got back into photography, I struggled with the Nikon vs. Canon issue. I chose Nikon, but I’ve had Canon envy since. I love my Nikons, but I would like a camera that performs better in low-light, high ISO situations. Hopefully the new D3 and D300 will solve that.” – Doug Stremel
- “That changes pretty frequently but for now I’d like to experiment with IR photography which would require the purchase of an inexpensive SLR body and paying to get it converted to a dedicated IR camera.” – Stephen Waterfall
- “D300, but that will be soon remedied. Bigger printer would be nice also– Epson 3800.” – Michael Palmer
- “The radio transmitter for the Canon 40D – it’s a great teaching aid – it really ramps up the learning curve for seminar attendees. I’m also looking at the fisheye lens for my Canon 5D.” – David Ziser
- “Lots of really long lenses” – Jennifer Farley
- “I would absolutely love to have the new Canon 1Ds Mark III, but I don’t see one in my near future. Anyone out there have a spare body they can lend me?” – Derrick Story
- “Nikon Zoom Telephoto AF VR Zoom Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8D G-AFS ED-IF Autofocus Lens (Vibration Reduction) – Black” – Terry White
- “Well, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is a real beauty. I think the 5D would be great for indoor low-light shooting, and the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens would be a step forward there as well. I’d also like to start experimenting with polarizers and graduated neutral density filters.” – John Nack
- “Medium format digital. I love landscapes with oodles of detail, and the latest round of medium format digital backs would look great in my bag.” – Andy Biggs
- “Equipment is cool but I’d rather be like Picasso… “If they took away my paints I’d use pastels. If they took away my pastels I’d use crayons. If they took away my crayons I’d use pencils. If they stripped me naked and threw me in prison I’d spit on my finger and paint on the walls.”” – Chris Orwig
- “A set of four Pocket Wizard Multi Max’s.” – Tom Moore
- “I would love, love, love to have an Epson 3800 printer.” – Jeff Revell
- “A Fully-loaded MacPro” – Justin Seeley
- “A tilt shift lense. I made one out of an old film lense, a body cap and some duct tape though. It works pretty well but I doubt it will survive the wear-and-tear I put my equipment through. That includes hopping fences, strolling through politically unstable countries and that urge I get to always light stuff on fire in the background of commercial work.” – Joey Lawrence
- “A telephoto lens.” – Lynda Walldez
- “Nothing, really. I have a core bag of glass and small flashes that I have shot with for a long time. No reason to change, other than to upgrade bodies.” – David Hobby
- “It’s a lens. The Nikon AF-S 400mm f/2.8. Wow… what I would give for that thing. I’ll post my B&H wish list should anyone like to purchase it for me : )” – Matt Kloskowski
- “Macro Lens.” - Mike McHugh
- “One of those cool softboxes they use to light up car shots with – about as big as a garage and they cost twice as much! Of course then I’d have to have a studio big enough to hang it…” – Clayton Spangler
- “17? MacBook Pro” – Amy Archer
- “A Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens… and a Holga.” – Mike Holley
- “A great big studio soft box or beauty dish. Or a ring flash. Or a macro lens….” – Dave Cross
- “A smoke machine.” – Eduardo Angel and Timothy Campbell
- “An upgraded camera and a wide format printer” – Jim Larimer
- “A sub-compact Mac laptop for on the road… but, sadly, they don’t make one. Until then, maybe an Epson P-5000? Or two.” – Michael Snell
- “Currently I really need new computer ” – Richard Vanek
- “I would love a Nikon 200mm F/2 lens. It’s glorious!!!!!” – Scott Kelby
- “Canon EF 200mm f1.8″ – Bruce L. Snell
- “I’d love to have a 16 megapixel camera, but I also want to keep my house. ” – Paul Politis
Click here to view a complete list of profiles.
Dec 14, 2007 | Categories: Blogroll | Tags: Jeff Revell, Nikon, Photo, Photography, Photoshop, Scott Kelby | Leave A Comment »
