January 2010 Photo Contest Reminder
That’s right, we are now in the final days of the January 2010 Photo Contest. It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2010 is almost over already and with it comes the end of our latest monthly photo contest.
So, They Think I Can Teach Photoshop!
That’s right! I received official word that I was selected as one of the Honorable Mention winners in the NAPP So, You Think You Can Teach Photoshop?! contest! And I would I like to take this opportunity to thank the judges for this honor and opportunity.
Though it would’ve been awesome to claim the top slot and have the opportunity to teach a live session at Photoshop World in March as well as on their podcasts, I am truly humbled that I am ranked along with some other very talented Photoshop instructors. (more…)
November Photo Contest Reminder
That’s right! We’re already over halfway through the month and the November Photo Contest only has a couple of weeks left!
Regulars will know that there is usually no theme for my monthly photo contests but this month I thought it would be fun to see what you could do with your camera phones (thanks to a suggestion from my friend, Illustrator Eric Maruscak). You can process the photos as much as you like, as always, but it should originate from a phone. (more…)
We’re Almost There!
Welcome to post #999!
That’s right, tomorrow will mark my 1,000th post and the conclusion of the BIG Photo Contest that’s been running to help celebrate that milestone.
Last night I had the great pleasure to finally meet my long-time friend and fellow photoblogger Rob Jones of Towner Jones Photography in person. He’s been in Syracuse this week for his day job and swung down to our house for a visit. It was fun getting to know in-person someone I’ve exchanged so many emails with over the past couple of years, now. I’ve always had a great deal of respect for Rob and what he’s been doing over on his blog and have really enjoyed seeing the growth he’s experienced, especially the past few months with the success of the Photowalk shirts.
As he and I had suspected prior to our meeting, we’re very much on the same wavelength both with our blogs and our goals and visions for the future and it’s refreshing to know someone who shares those dreams. One of the things that really drives us both and is starting to manifest itself in interesting and exciting ways is the philosophy of giving back. While that means supporting causes and efforts that are meaningful, it also means paying forward the generosity that we’ve been shown by others within this great Photoshop & Photography Community. We kept coming back to that idea time and again as the foundation of why we do what we do and lays the groundwork for our future endeavors.
It was a fun evening with some great stories and I’m really excited about what we’ve been able to forge. So, thanks Rob for coming by and I look forward to doing it again!
Final Day for the BIG Photo Contest
That’s right! It’s your last chance to enter your photos into the BIG Photo Contest! We have finally reached the end of the contest and it will soon be my difficult task to review your images and select the best collection of photos to win the $1000 prize package (from our exceedingly generous sponsors) to celebrate my 1,000th post!
Today is also the close of the July Photo Contest with the winner taking home a 16×24 Gallery Wrap from our friends over at Mpix.
So, if you haven’t done it yet, please send in your photos and keep your fingers crossed! The winners will be announced in the next week.
Good Luck!
Photoshop Interview: Jason D. Moore
For this edition of the Photoshop Interviews series we have quite the interviewee, if I do say so myself. Friend-of-the-Blog Andy Smith of Visual Realia posed a few really interesting questions of me this time around and I appreciate the time and thought he put in. So, here we go!
Andy Smith: Is there a processing technique, camera feature or other photography related item that you don’t get why others are so interested in?
Jason D. Moore: There are a couple of things that pop into my head right off the bat. The Lens Baby. I’ve used one briefly from BorrowLenses.com and have seen a number of shots that others have taken but I’ve never really seen what the big deal was. I can see the draw, and I appreciate and respect the drive and desire to get it right in-camera – even, and especially, when it comes to special effects – but I also think that you can get the same results in post and have more control to get the results you want.
The other thing is certain examples of HDR. Not all HDR, mind you. I really like most HDR images, it’s just when people process the images so much that they look cartoony or like alien worlds that I start to lose interest. You know when you see a gymnist going through their routine and it looks effortless? If you see the effort, the art of it would get lost. And that’s kind of how I feel about HDR. Once you get to that almost over-processed look, I think the art of it gets lost for me.
AS: Looking at your own portfolio, what category(s) of photographs don’t you seem to take very often?
JDM: I’ve got a number of city shots, nature, landscapes, still-lives, etc. but I’d have to say that I don’t shoot a lot of portraits.
AS: Why do you think that is?
JDM: I’m not sure. I really wish I could do more portraits, more photography as a whole, actually. I suppose I don’t do a lot of portrait photography because I know I’m not very good at it. I just wish I had the time to practice.
AS: If time, location and money (if necessary) were not a factor, what would you like to do more of, in terms of photography?
JDM: If money weren’t an issue, I’d do it full time. I would love to have more time to practice and hone my style. I’d like to be able to set up a real studio with proper lighting equipment and a dedicated system for editing, video recording, storage, and backups. I’d also like to get to the point where I could do some writing, more video tutorials, and lead seminars and workshops so I could share my knowledge and skills so others can develop theirs further.
Thanks Andy!
Havana, Cuba and Meeting with Fidel
I never got around to writing anything about my time in Havana. It was right at the end of the trip and we were all pretty world-weary from so much non-stop travel. We were able to visit Cuba because we were entered from Brazil and not directly rom the US and were were also an educational – not tourist – organization that was hosted by the University of Havana.
I spent one of my days touring some of the old forts and lighthouses along Havana’s coast. I was a bit surprised at how similar they were to other fortifications I had toured in the US. As I had throughout the trip, I enjoyed the history of it all – particularly the former headquarters of the revolution – but by that point, I was a little tired of seeing so much history. I was ready to be home.
One evening, we were invited to spend the evening – all 600+ of us – with Fidel Castro. For nearly 4 hours el Presidente droned on about nothing at all. When he opened it up for questions, he was asked about the state of healthcare in Cuba, the assassination plans on both sides during the Kennedy years. He went on and on about progress and partnership without really saying much of anything. The high points of the evening came right at the end when one of the more courageous asked Fidel for a hug – which he got – and another asked him to autograph his passport. To which Fidel relpied, ”I’ll do it but I’m not sure if you’ll be allowed back in to your country!” You can’t say the man doesn’t have a sense of humor.
After the audience with Castro, we were invited to an all-night party on him. From what I heard it was quite a good time. I’m not the party type and I was running pretty tired so I took the motor coach back to the ship. I also felt the injustice of such a lavish event being held when the Cuban people went without so much. Just imagine how that money would’ve been better spent to make some real difference.
