Alan Kesselhaut

Topaz Labs "Star Effects" is a winner

2012-02-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I posted that Topaz Labs had announced their new Star Effects program. Well since then I have downloaded the trial version and within a few minutes of working with it, I bought it.

Not only is it easy to work with, but it's fun. There are so many effects and each one is fully customizable. Not only that but you can stack different effects on the same image. Very cool.

The image above was created in just a few minutes. Now, could I have done that in Photoshop? Yes, but why waste the time.

I strongly suggest that you give it a try. You can find it here http://www.topazlabs.com/stareffects/ and if you add the coupon code alan8686, you'll get a 10% discount.

One more thing. Make sure you check out their training videos and all their other products.

Kelby Training discount code

2012-02-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

Hi all. This is great. I can now offer a 10% discount for Kelby Training. You'll learn more than you thought possible and dramatically improve your photography skills, and it's guaranteed!
I'm from the school that says "gear is good, education is better". You should give it a try. Copy this discount code ANCJQ12 and paste it when prompted.

You'll love the courses. I have for years.

21 HDR Photography myths busted, from farbspiel

2012-02-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

Check out the latest post from farbspiel. You may not agree with them all, but they are thought provoking.

Also, don't forget to sign up for our workshop in Princeton on April 28, 2012. You can find all that information here. http://princetonphotoworkshop.wordpress.com/

An amazing response to the Princeton Photo Workshop

2012-02-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

We have had an outstanding response to our workshop announcement. It looks like it's going to be an amazing event. You can find all the information here http://princetonphotoworkshop.wordpress.com/.

Along with the speakers, we'll be giving away some NIK Software and a signed copy of
"RC" Concepcion's "The HDR Book" compliments of Peachpit press.

Announcing our new workshop...

2012-01-30T09:57:00.000-08:00

Our new workshop has just been announced. The date is April 28, 2012 and will be held in Princeton , New Jersey. Sponsored by NIK Software, this workshop will feature Jack Reznicki of Photoshop World and Kelby Training fame. A popular lecturer, Jack Reznicki is always very informative, insightful, entertainingly outspoken, and refreshingly candid. Jack will discuss in this far reaching session, his commercial and personal work and how they interact, in addition to key concepts and practical information related to lighting and composition.

In addition to my presentation of "An Introduction to HDR" that will include multiple software demonstrations, Steve Dreyer, an international workshop leader, will discuss how to improve photos by reducing digital noise, enhancing color and sharpness, and converting to black and white.
He'll use various software tools such as Lightroom, Photoshop and Nik software in his workflow

For more information and registration, go to princetonphotoworkshop.wordpress.com

Topaz announces "Topaz Star Effects"

2012-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

Today, Topaz Labs announces the release of their new "Star Effects" software. The following is from the website.
"This new plug-in gives photographers a more intuitive and simplified way to add creative star and lighting enhancements to images – for the perfect finishing touch! You can easily create a wide range of light enhancements from natural, realistic effects to more artistic, graphic effects."
Topaz is offering this program at a great introductory price of $19.99. I've added some of these effects using Photoshop. This should save lots of time with great results. Find more information here.

Adobe's official announcement about CS3 and CS4 upgrade

2012-01-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

Today, Adobe published its official upgrade announcement for CS3 and CS4. You can find it here.
It is worth a read and you can make your own determination as to its fairness. Personally, I think it works. Let me know what you think.

If you shoot HDR and this doesn't inspire you... nothing ever will

2012-01-18T12:02:00.001-08:00

Trey Ratcliff posted this on his facebook page today. It took my breath away. It needs no more introduction than that.

It's a MUST see.

Is the DSLR going the way of the Dinosaur?

2012-01-13T16:11:00.000-08:00

There is a wonderful discussion about this subject on You Tube featuring Zack Arias, Gordon Laing from Cameralabs.com , Frederick Van Johnson, Trey Ratcliff plus others. It's very interesting. I've been waiting for an announcement from Canon on the upgrade for the 7D, but now I don't know. Maybe I should wait to see how the mirrorless cameras evolve.
I'll keep you informed. You can find the discussion here.

Adobe CS Upgrade policy

2012-01-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

I just got this email from Adobe so I thought it best to pass it along ASAP. I guess I'm not the only one to write about it.

Hi Alan– Since you have written about the Adobe Creative Suite Upgrade Policy in the past we wanted to give you heads-up that we’ll be offering CS3 and CS4 users special introductory pricing on the upcoming new CS6 when it is released later this year. The special introductory offer will last through December 31, 2012. For more information about the Creative Suite Upgrade Offer, please see http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/faq/upgrade-policy.htmlhttp://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/faq/upgrade-policy.html

Lightroom 4 beta to be announced

2012-01-10T05:38:00.000-08:00

Today, Matt Kloskowski along with Tom Hogarty, will introduce the beta version of Lightroom 4. This can be found on KelbyTraining.com at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm live. They claim it will include these new features. We'll see.
   • Enhanced Video Options & Support
   • Soft Proofing Reinvented
   • Map Module for location management
   • Elegant Photo Book Creation
   • Simplified Basic Adjustments
   • Adobe Revel Expert Workflow
   • Powerful new Shadow & Highlight controls
   • And so much more!

The HDR workshop was great

2012-01-05T09:42:00.000-08:00

Click image to view larger - Gullfoss Waterfall Bridge - Iceland

We just finished the first of my 2 session HDR workshop in Princeton, New Jersey. I would like to thank all those who came. I also want to thank my friend Steve Dreyer for coming into town to assist. As an aside, see yesterdays post. Steve is doing a workshop in Lucerne, Switzerland in May. You should take a look at that. It will be great.

The workshop was intense but a really good time. Almost all of the photographers were at the same skill level making things a bit easier. As always, I started at the beginning, explaining the concepts of shooting, processing and post-processing photos for HDR. We had plenty of time for Q&A and hands-on processing.

I'm really looking forward to the next session.

Steve and I are planning another workshop in Princeton sometime in April. I'll keep you informed

Steve Dreyer to teach "Digital Workflow" workshop in Lucerne

2012-01-04T11:28:00.000-08:00

My very good friend, Steve Dreyer, will be teaching a "hands on" workshop in Lucerne, Switzerland May 12-13, 2012.

He will provide participants with practical experience in the field and in processing their photographs. The workshop will include: 1) capturing photographs in and around beautiful Lucerne, Switzerland, and 2) learning and applying various specific workflows for processing photographs in the digital darkroom.

Steve is a great shooter and his work in the digital darkroom is outstanding. He makes learning fun and you'll come away with a strong foundation to make all your photos better.

You can find all the information here on the "Meet The Shooters" website and Steve Dreyer's website here.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T09:16:00.000-08:00

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I would like to wish all my followers a very Happy and Healthy New Year. I do have some photography related resolutions. In no order but I hope I can keep them.

Blog more
Shoot more
Take a workshop
Teach more HDR workshops
Go to Photoshop World in Washington

Wish me luck.

Happy Holidays to all

2011-12-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

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I've written about Farbspiel (plays with light) before. Klaus has a new site with an amazing amount of HDR information, all free. I highly recommend you taking a few minutes to visit, here.

HDR Workshop - Sold out

2011-12-07T10:33:00.001-08:00

Click on the image see view larger

Today photo is another from my Asbury Park, New Jersey photowalk

I'm pretty excited. Today I got the word that my HDR workshop, to be held in Princeton, sold out in just 2 days. WOW.

Craft & Vision releases a free ebook

2011-12-06T09:34:00.001-08:00

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Today's photo was shot in Asbury Park, New Jersey

Craft and Vision has released their latest ebook, CRAFT & VISION: 11 WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, a collection of articles from proven Craft & Vision authors on a variety of topics photographic. You can find it here. The download is quick, easy and FREE.

Craft and Vision was started a few years ago by photographer, author and workshop leader David duChemin. The entire series of ebooks are really well priced and contain great information. His blog, pixelatedimage is always a great read.

Should we laugh or cry?

2011-12-04T10:54:00.001-08:00

Take a look at this video. "how to lose $2400 in 24 seconds".
Let me know which one you did.
http://vimeo.com/32936783.

B&H has some great deals on Canon products

2011-12-02T08:56:00.001-08:00

I just received a notice that B&H is having a one day sale on some great Canon products. B&H is my favorite place to buy gear. I can tell you that they are reliable and offer great prices all the time. Check out these deals :
Lenses
Speed Lights
or click on their name under Resources to get you to their home page.
Have fun.

"HDR Spotting" is a great place to visit on the web

2011-11-30T05:25:00.001-08:00

HDR Spotting is sort of a social network for photographers to share their HDR images.
It's really amazing how the site has grown over the years. If you like HDR, you should take a look at the site. You can find it here. Yes, I do have a bunch of images posted. To post, you'll need a invite code. I've been a member since the beginning , so I have plenty to give out. Just email me at akesselhaut@hotmail.com and I'll send one along.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:17:00.001-08:00

Today is Thanksgiving in the US. I have much to be thankful for but my thoughts go out to those who have had a tough year. I can hope that the next will be better for all. Enjoy the day.

My "Really Right Stuff" 2012 catalog just arrived

2011-11-22T09:26:00.001-08:00

This year the quality of the catalog matches the fine quality of their products. I'm not a big gear head as you know. However, I must admit that a few years ago I bought a RRS BH-40 mid-size ballhead with a quick-release clamp. It has been great. I coupled the ball head with L-Plate that allows me to change from horizontal to vertical without having to recompose and it keeps the load centered. It was a financial commitment, but one that was well worth it. You can find Really Right Stuff here.

Adobe is out to screw Photoshop users...

2011-11-21T06:11:00.001-08:00

I read Scott Kelby's open letter to Adobe Systems today (Nov. 21, 2011) and I just want to say "thank you, Scott". Thank you for sticking up for all us Photoshop users.
It looks like Adobe has a new marketing plan that will screw it's long time users of Photoshop when their upgrade comes out early next year. If I understand it correctly, if you do not own CS5 or CS5.5 already you will have to repurchase the entire product for about $699.00 US if you want to upgrade. What??? Are they nuts. Talk about "Occupy Wall Street". Do they have their heads in the sand?
Please read the entire open letter on Scott Kelby's blog, here.

The "Lighting Effects" filter in Photoshop... you should give it a try

2011-11-18T07:36:00.001-08:00

I shot this Monk in Bhutan a few years ago. There was not a lot of time to do anything but capture the moment. My vision was a bit different than what I got. Vincent Versace, in his books Welcome to Oz and Welcome to Oz 2.0, teaches a great way to express your vision using light in Photoshop. To that end he teaches the use of the Lighting Effects filter. It's got to be one of the best yet under used filters in Photoshop.

You get to the filter by opening your photo in 8 bit. Command or control + J to make a duplicate layer. Right click on the duplicate layer and click "convert to smart object". (Converting to a smart object allows you to go back into the filter interface and make changes.) Click "filter" > Render > Lighting Effects. The interface sucks but if you play around with the menus and sliders a little, you'll get the hang of it. You can also find additional information if you type Lighting Effects Filter into Google.

All new Topaz Adjust 5 released

2011-11-17T06:21:00.001-08:00

Topaz has announced the release of it's all new Topaz Adjust 5. It features the same dynamic color, detail and exposure control plus they have added some new features. A simplified 1-click workflow, an intuitive 4-in1 brush used to dodge and burn among other improvements.
Topaz is offering this upgrade free to current users along with some other discounts on their complete collection.
You can find more information here.

HELP-PORTRAIT - It's time to give something back. . . .

2011-11-15T11:41:00.001-08:00

It's the holiday season and as photographers we have a great opportunity to give something back to those less fortunate then ourselves. The following is from the "help-portrait" website. I hope you click the link and take a look at the fantastic job they do and join up.

help-portrait.com

Founded by Celebrity Photographer Jeremy Cowart, Help-Portrait is a community of photographers coming together across the world to use their photography skills to give back to their local community.

In December, photographers around the world will be grabbing their cameras, finding people in need and taking their picture. When the prints are ready, the photographs get delivered.

Yep. It really is that easy.

This is about GIVING the pictures, not taking them. These portraits are not for your portfolio, website, or for sale. Money isn’t involved here. This holiday season, you have the chance to give a family something they may have never had before—a portrait together.

Our mission? Our mission at Help-Portrait is simply to equip and mobilize you, the photography community. We want to make sure you have all the information that you need to successful participate in Help-Portrait on 10 December 2011. We want to help you find other people in your area that are wanting to be part of Help-Portrait or have already begun to plan the event. We want you to have the opportunity to give.

Color, Light and Gesture. Thank you Jay Maisel

2011-11-12T10:58:00.001-08:00

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This is a great tip from a wonderful New York photographer. It may sound a bit weird but when I'm walking around New York, or for that matter any city, I keep saying these words over and over in my head. No kidding. I have to tell you that it works for me. Try it the next time your doing a photo walk. I bet you start to see more opportunities to get a great photo.

You can see some of Jay's work here.

Trey Ratcliff talks philosophy at Google

2011-11-10T11:56:00.001-08:00

As you know, I'm a big Trey fan. On Nov. 10 he gave another talk at the Google headquarters
titled "Artist and the Internet. Trey gives some interesting tips about being found on the web along with his philosophy about art and photography. I think you'll find it very interesting. You can find the talk here. You can also find his blog here.

A Lesser Photographer - A Manifesto

2011-11-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

Today I listened to an episode of "Tips from the Top Floor". (tfttf523)
Chris Marquardt interviewed C.J. Chilvers about an ebook he published for photographers call the Lesser Photographers Manifesto. Chilvers offers some very interesting incites into what should be really important to the photography. You can find it here. You may not agree with everything they discuss, but it's worth a listen and a read. I think you'll like them both.

Topaz Adjust update coming very soon

2011-11-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Topaz Labs has just sent me information about their up-coming release of Topaz Adjust V5.

Here are some of the features it will contain:

Auto-create layers. Create a new layer when saved
Apply button. Stack multiple effects during the same workflow
My Collections. Save pre-sets
Local adjustments. Intuitive selective adjustment brush
Histogram
Curve tool
Finishing touches tab. Features options for diffusion, grain and borders among others.

The official review date is tentatively scheduled for Nov.15. I'll let you know if they hit the date. The upgrade will be free for those who own the program now. You can get a 10% discount by using the code "alan8686". I think you should give it a try.

Don't be affraid to move the "Black" slider in ACR

2011-11-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick tip. The next time you have a photo in "Adobe Camera Raw", move the black slider to the right and see what it does to the image. Don't be afraid to move it to an extreme position and them move it back until you like the look. Give it a try.

"Occupy Wall Street" Needs You...

2011-11-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

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We were in New York City last week and made our way down to the financial district to see what was going on in Liberty Square. Occupy Wall Street was in full swing with music, signs and a lot of people telling their stories. The area is clean and seems to be will organized but they need our help. Winter is coming and they need supplies. You can find all the information here. Scroll down to the Oct. 31 post.

We took some supplies and gave them to the folks manning the supply area. They were friendly and very thankful for the donation. Whether you support their efforts or not, they are Americans trying to make their point in a nonviolence way. It's their right.

Power back on after 3 days

2011-11-01T05:48:00.000-07:00

Another freak storm on the East Coast. And there are those out there who still don't believe in "Weather Weirding" as Tom Friedman calls it. I hope they wake up before it's too late.

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Yesterday was Halloween. I hope you all had you fill of sweets and captured some great images.

Check out 500px

2011-10-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

They say that they have the the most beautiful photos on the web. I don't know about that, but I can say that there are some really great ones. You should take a look. They will inspire you to either trash your camera or go out and take better pictures. My vote is to keep shooting and improve your craft. You can find it here.

Photos from Scott Kelby's photo-walk are on-line

2011-10-24T05:53:00.000-07:00

This is a must. Take a look at the photos from the Worldwide Photo Walk that Scott has put up on his blog. He announced the winners on Friday, but today he put up some of his personal favorites. WOW! You can see them here.

Color Efex Pro 4 is out

2011-10-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

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I've mentioned many times before that Color Efex Pro 3, from NIK software, rocks. Everyone of my photos is touched by one or more of the filters inside it. Tonal Contrast is a favorite. Now NIK has introduced Color Efex Pro 4. The changes and additions are extraordinary. If you don't believe me, go to their site and take one of their free webinars. You'll be blown away. Here's the link. You can also get a 15% discount, if you decide to buy it, by adding the code AKESS.

Canon introduces the new EOS-1D X

2011-10-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Canon released their new EOS-1D X. The specs sound great but at an estimated $6,800 I won't be ordering one any time soon. I'm really not a gear head. I still have my Canon 50 D that has served me well for the type of photography I do. To be honest, I'll probably take a very hard look at the replacement for the 7D whenever that comes out. Take a look at the Canon press release here.

Trey Ratcliff talks about how he gets photos without people in them

2011-10-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

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In his video, Trey shows one of the techniques he uses when there are lots of people and he doesn't want them to appear in the photo. I've tried something similar and it really works. Take a look at the video here. You may find an increase in "Noise" with these long exposures. You'll have to deal with that in post.

In the photo above, I actually wanted the people. I think it adds to the excitement of the location.

I've decided to add back in as many photos as can

2011-10-17T12:52:00.000-07:00

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I don't know how long this will take, but I'll do my best. I have them all in one file but it will still take some time. The photo posted today was taken in Berlin,Germany at the Sony Center. What a great place for a beer and photo ops.

I'm getting there

2011-10-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

I think I now know what happened with the blog. When I signed on to Google + I had to do something with Picasa. That may have thrown the whole thing off. I haven't decided if I'll go back and try to insert all the photos again. What a pain. I'll let you know.

I don't know what's going on

2011-10-14T09:50:00.001-07:00

Click on the image to enlarge

Something has gone terribly wrong with my blog. I have been trying to get it back on track but no luck so far. I'll keep working on it now that I'm back from Germany and Belgium.

I'll get to post some photos soon and some other interesting things that are going on.

Ibarionex Perello interviews Scott Kelby

2011-08-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ibarionex Perello, the host of "The Candid Frame", interviews Scott Kelby on his latest show. I have heard many interviews Scott has given. This is the best ever. Ibarionex ask very thoughtful questions and Scott gives some very thoughtful and informative answers. You can fine it here.

Scotte Bourne Has a FREE ebook

2011-08-10T13:04:00.001-07:00

Scott Bourne has written 9 essays over the years. His hope was to give photographers the motivation they need to succeed in photography. They're a worth while read. You can find the ebook here.

Do you like street photography?

2011-08-03T12:18:00.001-07:00

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I love spending time in cities doing street photography. I've enjoyed and learned much watching the 2 videos Scott Kelby made with Jay Maisel. They can be found at Kelby Training.

Now here is a free, yes free, 96 page ebook written by Thomas Leuthard that will blow you away. It's an "Everything you wanted to know" book. Not only that, but his photos are fantastic. You can find it here.

Scott Kelby's 4th Annual International Photo Walk

2011-08-01T08:01:00.001-07:00

It's official. His 4th Annual International Photo Walk will be held this year on Oct. 1 and Oct 2. He changed the date to a bit further in the year because of the heat during the summer. Good move. Last year, in New York City, the temperature was almost 100 degrees. Bad news.
Scott has also given the leaders their choice of days. Sat. or Sun. Another good move.
I won't be able to go this year. I'll be in Berlin visiting my son. Maybe I'll look for one there.

David duChemin On TWIP

2011-07-31T09:04:00.001-07:00

As you may know, David had a terrible accident while in Italy teaching a workshop. In the latest episode of "This Week In Photo", he talks with TWIP host Frederick Van Johnson about the accidence and much more. It's worth a listen. You can find it here.

Joe McNally's "Faces of Ground Zero"

2011-07-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

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For those of you living in the New York area, Joe McNally's renowned "Faces of Ground Zero, Portraits of the Heroes of September 11, 2001" will be on display at the Time Warner Building in New York City from Aug. 24 to Sept. 12. I saw the original exhibit after 911 at Grand Central Station then and plan to visit it as soon as it goes on display now. It's a must see. You can find more information here.

Into the clouds

2011-07-24T09:36:00.001-07:00

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In my last post I told you about the hike down the mountain in Iceland. This is where it all started. We tuned left and down we went. All 2000+ ft. (about 610 meters) No fun.

Iceland, it was wonderful

2011-07-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

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Iceland is absolutely a wonderful place to visit. Everywhere you look is an opportunity for a photo and I came back with plenty. I carried my tripod on every hike we took, even the one that had us climb 2000' in little more that an hour. We were with about 50 other people from this tiny fishing village at the very top of Iceland. Most of the hike was at a very steep angle, on shale. Not only that but a cloud bank moved in and we could see very little until we got to the top. I'll post a picture of that soon.
Getting down was an adventure in itself. We couldn't see more than a few feet in front of us. My wife was a little behind me, stepped on a loose rock and fell, tumbling down until a snow field stopped her. She was shaken and with some help of others we got her down. The next few hours were spent in the local hospital. Bumps, bruises and a ruptured tendon in one finger. It could have been a lot worse.

Both of the above photos were taken after mid-night. Cool.

mtc

Off to Iceland today

2011-06-29T08:53:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to go to Iceland for a very long time. My wife and I am leaving today. It's going to be great even though the weather report for the next 10 days doesn't look good.

Our plans are to rent a car in Reykjavik and travel the west coast and then up north. To save time, we'll fly back to Reykjavik for some site seeing there. I'll have a full report when we get back.

I'm traveling light on camera gear because we plan to do a lot of hiking even if it rains. Yes, I will carry my tripod and a rain jacket for my camera.

Check out the "HDR Cookbook"

2011-06-28T05:34:00.000-07:00

I found this site a while back. Klaus Herrmann (alias Farbspiel) not only does beautiful work but he also shares his entire workflow. He shows before and after pix and goes into great detail as to how he got the finished picture. He has also posted some videos. Very cool stuff. You should check it out, here.

RC's new "The HDR Book"

2011-06-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading "RC" Concepcion's (one of the Photoshop guys) new "The HDR Book" and I have to say it's great. The book is like holding a workshop in your hands. For the beginner, it takes you through all the steps required to produce wonderful images. For someone more experience with HDR, there are more than enough exciting tips to make your images even better.

Put it on your list to read.

Standin' on the Corner

2011-04-05T12:33:00.001-07:00

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Whoever thought that I would be Standin' on the Corner in Winslow, Az. I must have been a site to see out there in the cold with all my camera gear. The song Take It Easy, written by Jackson Browne and Glen Frey, was made famous by the Eagles. It has put Widslow on the map. There's not much to the town other than this corner and the La Posada Hotel. The hotel , the last great railroad hotel, has been completely renovated and has a world class restaurant. We had a great time singing and clicking.

The presentation to the Sedona Camera Club went really well. I guess there were about 40 to 50 members in the room. After the presentation there was time for questions and I think some who haven't shot and processed hdr before are going to give it a try. Cool!!!

Off to Sedona, Arizona

2011-03-23T04:18:00.000-07:00

Today we're leaving to fly to Sedona. I have been invited by my friend to give a lecture at his camera club. The subject is "An Introduction to HDR". From what he tells me, a good part of the members have never heard of hdr or think it's the work of the devil and has no place in photography. It should be interesting. Wish me luck.

John Paul Caponigro has written a wonderful article

2011-03-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

John Paul is one of my favorite photographers and teachers. Over the years I have learned much from his wonderful style of teaching and his deep incites into the "Why" of photography. This time I think he has outdone himself with a wonderful article posted on Scott Kelby's Guest Wednesday blog post. You can find it here. His thesis is Personal Projects. It's clear message will push you into planning yours.

I have had a few ideas for personal projects that have not yet taking shape. This article will help in moving those along. I'll keep you informed as they do.

To our followers in Japan

2011-03-12T09:06:00.001-08:00

I have seen the devastating videos and find it hard to comprehend the tragedy. I know that all that can be done is being done to help in the recovery efforts. I wish you well.

Trey Ratcliff's 9 HDR tips, a must read

2011-03-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

A friend asked if he would contribute to her blog. He wrote these nine tips for HDR but they are tips for photography and photographers in general. There are some very interesting thoughts in this short piece. It may shake up some of your own thinking. Let me know what you think. You can find it here.

Kelby TV Introduces a new show, "The Grid" is on the air

2011-03-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Scott's newest show made it's debut on Kelby TV. "The Grid" is a new weekly talk show hosted by Scott and Matt Kloskowski about Photoshop, Photography and everything else in between. It airs every Monday at 12:30 pm EDT and will feature a different guest each week. You can watch the first show here. I think you'll like it.

Catching up and a NIK announcement

2011-03-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

I apologize that I haven't posted in a while, but I'm back now and plan to post on some kind of regular schedule. No excuses to offer other than sometimes life goes by too fast.
On a much more important note, NIK software has announced the shipping of their updated SilverEfexPro2. If you have never used Silver Efex Pro for your black and white images, you don't know what your missing. Now they have added some additional very cool features that give you more control.
I know I have mentioned this before, maybe many time, but you should take a look at Trey Ratcliff's blog. If your in to HDR, StuckInCustoms is absolutly the best place to find information on how to use the HDR process correctly.

Thomas Hawk - WOW!!!!

2011-01-21T09:29:00.000-08:00

A self proclaimed photography factory, this guy does outstanding work. I heard the interview he gave on TWIP, he is dynamic. You should read some of his comments here and you should definitely listen to the TWIP interview, here.

Silver Efex Pro 2 announced by NIK Software

2011-01-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

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Today NIK Software announced Silver Efex Pro 2. If you are into Black and White photography and have never use Silver Efex Pro, you're really missing something. It helps to produce outstanding B&W images using their patented "U" point technology. So simple and intuitive that it gives you the feeling of working in a darkroom (for those of us old enough to remember those days). You can find more information here, and don't forget to use the discount code they supplied for my readers. You can find it under Discounts to your right.

Welcome to OZ 2.0 - Vincent Versace's new book

2011-01-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

"Welcome to Oz 2.0" is a must read for those who want to take their processing to a higher level. "Welcome to Oz 2.0" is not just a quick update to his original book "Welcome to Oz". This is a completely re-written text moving way beyond the first book. In 3 of the chapters he uses some of the same images as in the first but his workflow has expanded. He explains in great detail the path to a great print starting with the concepts of pre-emptive photoshop and image harvesting. For those of us interested in HDR photography, Vincent expands the whole concept to what he calls ExDR. This expands dynamic range to include time, blur, color etc. For me, one of the most fascinating sections in each chapter is his use of the lighting effects filter in photoshop. (Filters>Render>Lighting Effects).

100 pages longer than the first volume, the book also includes over $230. worth of NIK and onOne software, free.

You can find here.

Merry Christmas to all. . . .

2010-12-22T16:25:00.000-08:00

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I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope that all your dreams come true.

A Plea for HDR

2010-12-17T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is an article I ran across on Facebook. I don't know Alexandre Buisse, and until now I have not seen his work, but he does some wonderful stuff. If your shooting and processing HDR or even considering doing some, I strongly suggest that you read his article.

I have just finished Joe McNally's new book "Life Guide to Digital Photography: Everything You Need to Shoot Like A Pro". I can tell you, it's amazing. There are gems on every page. You can order it from Amazon.

The "Candid Frame" Podcast

2010-12-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

Ibarionex Perello, photographer, teacher, writer and host of this very informative podcast that is nothing short of habit forming. His interviews with the likes of Joe McNally, Jay Maisel, David (the Strobist) Hobby just to name a few are insightful and educational. I download them for free to my itouch but you can also listen to them online. I'm sure you'll find them a very valuable resource.

Trey Ratcliff has a new downloadable version of his HDR Tutorial DVD set. . .

2010-12-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

The Stuck In Customs crew has come out with a downloadable version of their very informative and successful HDR Tutorial. There are now 3 versions, Basic, Premium and now the downloadable. I can tell you that there is a ton of great information in the Premium set. From what I see on their site, this is a scaled down version. Even so, at the new price point of $99 I feel that their is still a great deal to be learned. Check it out here.

Topaz Labs Releases ReMask 3

2010-12-13T09:40:00.001-08:00

Topaz Labs has announce the release of Topaz ReMask 3 upgrade. ReMask 3 introduces improves masking technology that further simplifies and expedites the creation of complex masks and cutouts. The update is available as a free download to current ReMask users and they are offering quite a nice discount for first time buyers until Jan. 1, 2011. Check it out here.

Thank you Lowepro

2010-11-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

I use a Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW Backpack. I can't say enough good things about it. It holds all the gear I need when out shooting and is comfortable to wear. I always carry a tripod with me for the HDR shots so the tripod mount is great and easy to access.

The last time we were in New York City I'm sorry to say that the zipper broke. OK, what to do. I contacted Lowepro through their website offering to mail the pack back to them for repair. Within an hour or so I got an email asking for some additional information. After a very short while another email came telling me that the would replace my slingpack at no cost and that I would have it in a few days. It just arrived. How great is that.

Offering a great product and with service like that, Lowepro has a customer for life. I'll pass this information on to my photography club. We have over 200 members.

Photomatix Discount code

2010-11-13T11:44:00.001-08:00

Best if viewed larger - click image

Today's image is a single Raw frame HDR taken in New York City and processed in Photomatix. The reflection is of the new "World Trade Center" construction site. I wouldn't dare try to set up a tripod in that part of the city.

I'm very happy to announce that I can now offer you a 15% discount when you buy Photomatix. Just enter the coupon code "alan8686" when you check out. You should check out their website for more information, here.

New York is always interesting

2010-11-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

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New York at night always offers great opportunities for HDR images. This is one I took from my hotel room over looking the construction site of the new Freedom Tower at Ground Zero.

There are a lot of mixed feeling but I'm glad that the politicking has stopped and building has started.

Topaz Labs Discount Available Here

2010-11-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

If you have never tried the Topaz Labs line of software your really missing out on a treat. The software features a set of powerful and advanced tools each offering a solution to some of the most common and challenging post processing tasks. The bundle lineup offers tools and features for creating pseudo HDR effects, adjusting color, exposure and detail and much, much more...

You can find all the information you need here. And if you use the code alan8686 you'll get 10% off their already very reasonable price.

Did you vote?

2010-11-02T06:14:00.001-07:00

We were in New York City for a few days last week. One of the more fun things we did was go to a satellite location for the "Restore Sanity" rally in Washington. I agree with the concept. No matter what side your on, the conversation should remain civil with facts that are true.

Please get out today and VOTE.

Joe McNally has a new book

2010-10-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

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Joe McNally, winner of the Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Magazine Photographers, has released his new book. "The LIFE Guide to Digital Photography" offers personal tips from his 30 year career. Joe was LIFE Magazine's last staff photographer and the author of two previous best selling photography books. I have ordered mine from Amazon and very much look forward to reading it.

HDR Efex Pro is now available

2010-10-08T05:15:00.001-07:00

Today NIK Software announced the release of their new HDR Efex Pro processing software.
Here is their site, take a look. They are pricing the package out at $159.95 but I found a 15% discount offer on Rick Sammon's blog. You can find that here. When you get to the page just scroll down to get the discount code. NAPP members can get a 20% discount. Just go to the NAPP site and click discounts.

Nik also offers a free 15 day trial and an unconditional 30 day money back guarantee.

I'm going to download the 15 day trial just to see if it's what they say it is. I do love the "U" point technology they offer with their other software packages, so this may be a real winner. I'll let you know.

Photomatix and NIK Announcements

2010-10-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

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This image was taken in an art gallery in Portland, Maine. I couldn't resist the temptation of asking the artist if it would be OK. He was very appreciative and let me take this and a few others. I must send him a print of this one.

Photomatix has a release a free upgrade of it's hdr processing software package. It pretty much looks and works the same way with a few additions that I found helpful.

Selective de-ghosting tool. This is very cool.

Better noise reduction.

Ability to tone map a single image in 8 bit.

Some presets. Not so cool. Well maybe they give you a place to start but I would rather do my own.

The new de-ghosting is a bit confusing at first but once found it works great. There are a few videos on the web. You can find a really good one here

I have heard that HDR Efex Pro will be available from NIK very soon. I plan to download the trial version to see if it's all they say it is. I'll let you know what I think.

Discount codes from Trey Ratcliff

2010-09-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

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We just got back from Portland, Maine. What a great place to visit. I highly recommend it if your ever up that way. The above picture was taken just as we left a restaurant. As you can see it's right on the water. The picture is of the ferry pier. It's a 3 image HDR shot at +2 0 -2 and processed with Photomatix and Color Efex Pro 3. Of course there's some photoshop in it also.

I told you a few weeks ago that Trey has come out with a DVD course. Well today I received word that I can offer a discount code for both editions. The codes are good for 10% off the Basic Edition and 20% off the Premium Edition. Just go to this website and enter the code for the edition you want.

I have the premium edition and it's more than worth the investment if you're really into HDR and Trey's style of shooting and processing. Take a look. You wont be sorry.

Basic Edition - 55BASICDVD

Premium Edition - 66PREMIUMDVD

Jay Maisel and me

2010-09-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

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Well, that's a small exaggeration. A few months ago I wrote a blog about a course I took on Kelby Training, "A Day With Jay Maisel". Scott Kelby and Jay did a photo walk on the streets of New York. It's great. This past Friday my wife and I where going to spend the day in the city. The plan was to take the train into New York, the subway uptown and spend some time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I always have a camera with me and I knew I would have opportunities to take some picture. New York is a shooting gallery. Maybe a bad choice of words but you know what I mean. As Jay says, "If you miss the first 100 shots there are 1,000 more coming your way in a few minutes."

I thought that before going I would take the time to watch the course again. It's amazing how much information Jay imparts. Every word is a gem. Even Kelby is wide eyed.

This is a must see for anyone who walks around with a camera. His 3 word mantra "light, color, gesture". Words to think about when taking pictures.

Just back from Keuka Lake, New York

2010-09-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

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It's been a very good summer. Lots of travel. This trip was to one of the finger lakes in Upstate New York. Our good friends live there for the summer. We hiked, drank and laughed ourselves silly. Roger and I did a lot of shooting. Great fun. I took the above picture after dinner as the sun was just setting. If you look at it larger, just under the tree limb, you can see Mars. I hope you like it.

I see while I was away that NIK announced a shipping date for HDR Efex Pro. I did take one of their free webinar, hosted by Rick Sammon. I think it has real possibilities but I'll reserve comment until I try the demo version. I hear that Photomatix has a 4.0 version in bata testing. I'll have to look into that also.

"Starburst" photography exhibit

2010-08-24T12:32:00.001-07:00

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Starburst: Color Photography in America 1970-1980 has opened at the Princeton University Museum of Art. I guess I should tell you that I live in Princeton. Our photography club had a private tour of the exhibit a few days ago.

It is magnificent. In a review of the exhibit appearing in the New York Times I read the following, " Black and white are the colors of photography". So said Robert Frank. Another quote from Ansel Adams declared "If you can't make it good, make it red."

In the 1970's, color photography became the new frontier. The likes of Barbara Kasten, John Divola, Joel Sternfeld are among the 18 photographers offering their wonderful images.

Is HDR our new frontier? I think it is. Of course there are those who would argue this. I also think there is room for all disciplines. I love black and white, I love color and I love HDR. There are well known photographers who are even taking HDR to a much higher level. Vincent Versace calls his concept "images harvesting". He expands not only exposure but color, focus and even time. A much larger idea then just hdr.

Things are moving very fast. It's important to keep up.

NIK Radio - it's a must

2010-08-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

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First a word about the attached pictures. The picture above was taken a few weeks ago while out in Santa Fe, New Mexico. That's right, Santa Fe. The first Sat. we were there we went to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. A great place to shoot.

Here are 2 others. The vendors all dressed in their traditional cloths and the craft quality was spectacular. I did buy my wife a beautiful bracelet from Laos that I could not resist. She loved it. There was a craft person from Bhutan, a country we visited a few years ago. In the "Small World" category, his good friend was our guide.

Now on to NIK radio. If your into NIK software, and you should be, this is a must listen every week. Yes there is a lot of information about their products but the interviews are packed with tons of information. Last weeks interview with Vincent Versace has some great philosophical insights into photography and photo processing. I invite you to listen and enjoy.

I couldn't resist. Here's a picture from Bhutan.

Trey Ratcliff to release 6 hour HDR instructional DVD

2010-08-11T03:39:00.000-07:00

I just received an email from Trey telling me that his 6 hour HDR instructional DVD is finished and will be announced to the public tomorrow. You can find the information here on Thursday and it will be available for sale on Friday.

From what I understand there will be 2 versions, a Basic package and a Premium package. I have been looking forward to this for a while. It's going to be interesting to see his workflow and any tricks he uses to get those great lighting details and textures. I'll let you know what I think after I get mine.

My top 3 HDR Spotting images

2010-08-09T13:08:00.001-07:00

I think you know that I upload photographs to HDR Spotting. I checked the stats this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see the number of views for 3 of my pictures. If you're into HDR, this is a great site to see what other photographers are doing. Both the good and the bad. Over time I have communicated with some of them and we have shared processing ideas. It's a great way to learn and improve your skills. Take a look here. If you're interested in posting images, you'll need a code. I have 3 to give out . Contact me and I'll send one along.

Back from Long Island and The Cape plus a Lens Flare tip.

2010-08-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

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We're back. The art sale in East Hampton was fun. The 2 pictures that I was sure would sell did not, but 2 others did. I'm happy about that. My friend Steve sold all 5 of his. They were wonderful images. You can see his work here.

I must admit that I didn't do much shooting in either place. It just didn't work out. I'm a little disappointed with that. I did get a few good pictures that I'll post later this week.

Getting a good lens flare "in camera".
Matt Kloskowski showed this tip on a recent episode of "D town". His turned out a lot better than mine but I know what went wrong so I thought I would share it. When shooting into the sun and you want a sun flare, close you lens down to f16 or smaller. I shot mine at f22 and it's a bit much. Next time I'll shoot a range of f stops to get the right effect. Matt did say that every lens is a little different and you need to experiment. I remembered that today. I'll remember it next time.

We're going on the road again

2010-07-29T09:55:00.001-07:00

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We're hitting the road again. This time it's out to East Hampton, New York. Each year there is a "Cloths Line" art show to benefit the local cultural theater. I have 5 pieces to exhibit. I'll let you know if any sell. It's all for a good cause. Then we're going on to Cape Cod to see some friends. The Cape is always fun with lots of opportunities to take pictures. The main image of this blog was shot out there last year.

Above are 2 additional pictures from New Mexico. The sunsets out there are just wonderful. The second image is of the Miracle Staircase in Santa Fe. You can read more about it here. I have others that I'll post later.

In some other news, Kelby training keeps churning out their classes. You can find them here. Believe me when I say that it's a great value.

Have a wonderful week and I'll post again when I get back.

NIK free daily webinars are great

2010-07-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

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By now you know that everyone of my pictures is touched by at least one, if not more, of the pieces of software produced by NIK. Their line of products include Viveza 2, Color Efex Pro 3.0, Silver Efex Pro, Dfine 2.0 and Sharpener pro 3.0. The company offers 3 free daily webinars 6 days a week. I sat in on 2 of them last week and learned some wonderful tips. If your a user of any of their plug-ins or are thinking of buying them, I strongly suggest at least a visit to their site or take one of the webinars.

The Photo Walk in Chinatown was great fun

2010-07-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

It was hot. 97 degrees hot with very high humidity. I would guess that less than half the people showed up. They may have been the smart ones. Steve and I walked the parks and streets at a snails pace and drank plenty of water. We took lots of pictures but I must admit the heat got to me. I'm feeling it today. Was it worth it? Sure.

I shot in AV mode at a very high ISO. For the most part things worked well.

The streets were alive with people and there was a great energy. Tourists were everywhere carrying every kind of photo gear imaginable. Our group carried mainly Canon cameras and lenses. Nikon was also well represented.

Have a great week and I'll try to post other images from the photo walk and my New Mexico trip in the coming days.

Back home and ready for the NYC photo walk

2010-07-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hi all. We had a great time in New Mexico. Good hikes, good company, good food and lots of pictures.
The Santa Fe Plaza at night comes alive with street musicians. All kinds of music. From Country to Bluegrass to Classical. Great fun.
I did take my camera gear with me all the time, and yes, I did carry my tripod on every hike. I'll post some of the pictures in the days to come. I hope you like them.
Tomorrow is the 3rd Annual Kelby International PhotoWalk. My good buddy Steve and I are doing the one in New York City Chinatown area. Of course it will be in the high 90's and high humidity. Oh my. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Have a great week-end.

We're going on a field trip

2010-07-07T14:35:00.001-07:00

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Well, this past week-end was a computer nightmare. My MSN account was hacked and my entire email list was sent a message from me saying that I was mugged in the UK and lost my passport, money etc. etc."SEND MONEY". That's not the worst of it. My password, second email address and secret question answer were also changed. Your right. I was locked out of everything. What a mess. One would think that MSN would have a simple way of repairing this since it was probably their computers that were hacked in the first place. But NO! They leave you out on a Lonely Island. (Lonely Island, that's the title of my son's new CD)

I digress. I finally found some computer type on Google who had the same issue earlier in the year. He found a secrete website at MSN. I'm not sure that it's secrete but they sure make it hard to find. You go in and fill out a questionnaire about personal things that only you would know, and press send. Out it goes and a few seconds later receive back an email saying that they, Microsoft I think, will review the answers and respond within 24 hours if they accept your request. Admittedly it was a holiday weed-end so about 40 hours later I was blessed with a positive response and I thought that my world was OK again. Wrong.

I was able to reset a password and get back to my now EMPTY files. I could go on but you get the drift. It will take a while to figure this all out and rebuild my computer life.

I know that there are much larger issues out in the world to be solved so I'll move on.

We're off on a hiking trip to New Mexico at the end of the week. I am taking my photo gear and hope to come back with a few images worth sharing.

To those of you who did offer help me and send money, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Have a safe holiday

2010-07-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

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It's July 4th week-end here in the USA. The weather should be great for all outdoor activities and of course watching firework. In Princeton they were held last night, July 1st for some unknown reason. There was a large crowd and we all had a wonderful time.

A few days ago I posted my favorite settings for shooting fireworks. If you scroll down you should find them.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Trey Ratcliff releases his new eBook

2010-06-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Trey, I hope you don't mind that I reproduced part of your new eBook on this site. I know all rights are reserved but I thought it important to let people, who don't follow your site "Stuck in Customs", that this is now available.

You can tell by the title what it's about. Trey uses his own early photographs as examples and explains the mistakes and corrections. Great stuff. I've got my copy and I have to say that I wish I had the these answers years ago. I've made all these mistakes and a whole bunch more.

For just $9.97, it will save you lots of time and frustration.

Another "juried" show acceptance

2010-06-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

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I'm really excited about this one. I submitted 5 images to the "Gallery 14" juried exhibition and "the Glass Blower" was chosen. I've always like this image. It was shot just outside of Santa Fe a while back.

It's a single image HDR processed in Photomatix and Color Efex Pro 3. I hope you like it.

Also, I just got a Logan Simplex Plus #760 mat cutter. I took a few practice tries but I have it down now and can cut a great looking mat in about 5 minutes. I would highly recommend it.

International HDR Day

2010-06-21T03:28:00.000-07:00

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Rick Sammon and Trey Ratcliff, two of my favorite shooters and teachers, have announced that this coming Saturday, June 26, will be designated International HDR Day. Why not. There are so many wacky "Days". You can find the information here.

I love fireworks

2010-06-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

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My wife and I love fireworks. This is one of the images from our trip to New Hope last Friday night. The sky was clear and it wasn't too hot. Just perfect.

For those interested here are my settings for this shot:

Use a tripod
Manual mode
Set on Bulb mode
ISO-200
f-8
Set lens to infinity

I used a cable release so I could watch and shoot at the same time

Click when you see the rocket start up and hold for one or two bursts

Not every shot will be a keeper but you'll get a few great ones.

I have also tried the following:

Auto focus - off
Image stabilizer - off
Use a tripod
Shutter speed - 3 seconds
f-11
ISO - 200
Lens set to infinity

Do some quick test shots and make adjustments if necessary. Let me see some of you images.

Always carry your camera

2010-06-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

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I carry my camera with me as much as I can. This past Friday we drove to New Hope, PA for dinner. It's a fun town. Lots of energy and there are fireworks over the river later in the evening. I'll post one of those pictures soon.

After dinner I went exploring on my own for a few minutes and ran into this old barn and this old engine. Man, am I glad I had my camera. I hope you like the image. Let me know what you think.

Why can't we all just get along?

2010-06-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

For the last 2 days Scott Kelby has had some pretty cool post about the "HDR wars". His June 14 and June 15 posts continue the discussion from both sides of the isle. You can find the posts here.

Let me know what you think. By this time you all know where I stand.

NIK Announces HDR software

2010-06-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

You can say what you want about HDR but all the big names are getting into the software market. I hear that there is an upgrade coming for Photomatix. Adobe Photoshop has added a new and more powerful HDR Pro module to CS5. And now NIK has announced that they will be shipping a new HDR software package at the end of the summer.

Yesterday I attended a "sneak peek" webinar presented by NIK on their new package. I must say that it looked very interesting. I liked the fact that it will have many presets that will give a good starting point to processing. Their "U-point" technology is in there also and that will add some exciting local control to the processing.

I'm looking forward to the introduction.

Lightoom 3 is now shipping

2010-06-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Adobe has announced that Lightroom 3 is now shipping. You can find the information here.

I have use Lightroom from the first release and it's hard to imagine working without it. At the very least, it keeps me organized. But it's so much more than that. The non-distructive editing tools are fabulous and from what I've seen, the new version is even better. My personal favorite is the printing module. You have to try it to believe it. You can download a trial from their site.

At the same time NAPP has announce their Lightroom 3 Learning Center. If you plan on buying Lightroom 3 or just want to see what's new, this is a great site. You can find it here. If your a NAPP member there is a discount code for you to use.

Nik Radio is on the air

2010-06-08T07:16:00.000-07:00

I use almost all of the Nik products and just love what they do for my processing.

I'll discuss that in a minute, but first I have to tell you that I download Nik Radio and listen to it every week. The program "delivers a variety of educational programming created to inspire digital photographers of all levels." You can find it on itunes, free. You can't beat that.

The filters in Color Efex Pro 3.0 are great. I use at least 2 or 3 of them on every image and more when I'm experimenting. Tonal contrast touches them all. Vivesa 2 allows me to point, click and slide to make adjustments without the need to make complicated selections. Silver Efex Pro creates professional black and white images using presets and sliders. Sharpener Pro 3.0 uses the same u-point technology as all the other programs to take the guess work out of sharpening individual areas.

U-point technology is great. All it means is that "you point", click and drag to make local adjustments. I suggest that you check out the different products and download the free trials. Let me know what you think.

Single image hdr

2010-06-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

before

after

I know that you can process a single raw image in photomatix as well as in CS5 with some good success. I've been trying a new technique and getting, what I think, is much better results. It's simple but requires a few more steps in the beginning.

Shoot raw

Open the Raw image in photoshop. I don't think the version matters.

Save this first image as a tiff. That's your mid-range exposed image

Open an Exposure layer in the layers pallet

Change the Exposure to +2 and save this as a TIFF. Make sure that you give it a meaningful name. "+2" will work

Now change the Exposure to -2 and save as a TIFF. Give this image a meaningful name also.

Do the same thing with -1 and +1.

You now have a single image with 5 different exposures all saved as TIFF files.

Open photomatix and process as you normally would.

Let me know how this works for you.

No Photo Thursday

2010-06-03T14:48:00.001-07:00

So I get a call today from a very dear friend and good shooter. He shall go nameless so he remains my very dear friend. He's on a circuitous road trip down in the southern states of our beautiful country. He gives himself and assignment for the day. OK, it's his time to go out and shoot some of the most wonderful waterfalls around. Being a retired rocket scientist he does all the research. Locations, recommended gear, settings etc. Loads up every piece of equipment he has. Drives for however long. Here is where I don't have all the details, because I was laughing so hard. I think they hiked to the falls. Goes to set up for the great American shot. OK, wait for it. He brought all his gear but one thing, the camera. We both were hysterical. I hope I never do that. He'll never let me live it down. Oh and by the way, I won't let him either.
What a great life.