Happy Thanksgiving

I took this picture a few years ago when some wild turkeys came running through our backyard. This guy was particularly beautiful, and I think he knew it.

I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I know that I have a lot to be thankful for.

Photoshop User TV is back on the air

After a long wait, about 2 months, "Photoshop User TV" is back on the air. For those of you who don't know what that is, I'll explain. The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) produces a web based TV style show every week. Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski and Dave Cross are the Photoshop Guys and your hosts. The revised show features a new set in addition to a new format. It's faster pace is packed with non-stop tips and tutorial and seems to work better. It is a great effort for the first show and I think it will get better as they settle into the new format.

In other news, Topaz has introduce ReMask 2. The original ReMask worked great but the interface was clumsy. That has all changed and I'm very happy with the new version. There is a special deal until Dec. 10, 2009. $30 off the $69.99 price with the code "magicbrush". Well worth it.

Lots going on. . .

The posted picture is of Cathedral Rock in Sedona Az. I think it's the most photographed place in the whole Southwest. We hiked to the top of a nearby ridge to get this angle. The clouds really helped that day.

On to other things. On our trip out West I read David duChemin's book"Within The Frame" again. I can't recommend it enough. It's not a "How to" book it's a "Why" book. Well, he has just come out with a new book called "Visionmongers, making a life and living in photography". I'll let you know how I like it after I read it. He is a great writer.

Trey Ratcliff is having a book signing in New York on Dec. 14. I'm really looking forward to meeting him. His HDR images and tutorials have been an inspiration to me. "A World in HDR" will be out soon, so look for it if your interested in HDR.

In this months "Photoshop user Magazine" Scott Kelby has his 4th Annual GONZO HOLIDAY GEAR GUIDE. It's really cool if your looking for a holiday gift idea for the shooter in your life.

Have a good rest of the day. More pictures and news tomorrow.

Sedona is the best

We just spent a week in Sedona with friends and had a great time. Roger is a really good shooter and as you can imagine we spent a lot of time talking about photography and clicking our Canon cameras. The posted shot is of a small tool shed near Cathedral Rock. I'll try to post a picture of that tomorrow and I'm sure you'll recognize it.

Trey Ratcliff has been a real inspiration to me and I'm sure to many people interested in HDR photography. His work is just outstanding and his blog is well worth following if you have any interest in HDR. Along with showing a new picture every day he has some great tutorials. I have been hoping for him to write a book and now he has. Trey has a special offer for "A WORLD IN HDR" on his blog that includes a signed print. What a great deal. I highly recommend you check it out.

Rick Sammon on Kelby Training

I subscribe to Kelby Training and I have taken many of their classes. Rick Sammon has a wonderful class called Exploring Digital Photography. This past week-end I watched it for the second time. It never gets old. Here you'll find many important tips for photographers of all levels along with the little details that make for better pictures. I'm sure I'll take the time to view it again in the future.

Unlock the background layer in the Layers Pallet

OK, so this will be short. Click on the Lock symbol and drag it down to the recyle icon at the bottom of the layers pallet. Done. I said it was going to be short.

A great place to learn hdr photography

I have written before about one of my all time favorite hdr shooters, Trey Ratcliff. Well he and a good friend have started this great new site called hdr spotting. If you have any interest in hdr photography it's the place to go. You can see what others are doing with their images. By studying the pictures submitted I get a better idea of what to look for in my own work. Some of mine have been accepted for display. It's a great incentive to do better work. Have a great week-end

A real time saver in the digital darkroom

This is one of my favorite keyboard shortcuts. I use it all the time when working on a large file with lots of layers. An example would be when I'm doing a website using SiteGrinder or creating a montage.
Here it is. Click on the "Move" tool (Ctrl V). Now hold down the Ctrl key and just click on any part of the image whose layer you want to find. That layer will become active in the Layers Pallet. Cool, yes. Try it, you'll love it.

David duChemin's new e book is out. "Drawing The Eye"

A few days ago I mentioned that David duChemin had a series of e books and that a third was going to be released soon. Well today is the day. Find it here. "Drawing The Eye" is a wonderful discussion about what draws the eye allowing the photographer to intentionally direct the viewers eye. "Understanding what draws the eye is key to creating compelling images to which we want others to feel drawn, images that tell the stories we want to with the best chance of communicating the things we want told."

I downloaded it today. It's a quick and very informative read. I know you'll like it.