Vox’s posts tagged digital photography

Layer Masks in Photoshop Elements

nobody@vox.com(Natator) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:37:32 +0000

As promised, here is the second part of the video tutorial on layer masks.

Photoshop Elements does not include the layer mask functionality, in its native form at least. However, it does include adjustment layers, and these little beauties have their own layer masks. In this video I show you a rather clever trick whereby you can hijack this mask and use it as you would a normal layer mask.

Best of all … it’s really easy to use.

If you are not already used to the concept of layer masks then please ensure you view the video tutorial prior to this one as that will give you the grounding you need to make sense of the one shown here.

Simon
http://darksideofthelens.com

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Layer Masks - Part 1

nobody@vox.com(Natator) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:36:50 +0000

As I mentioned in my last video, I see layers as being about the most powerful tool there is in Photoshop, Elements, and all the good photo editing packages.

Within the topic of layers there are two specific areas that I would define as being the most powerful aspects of layers. These are layer masks and Adjustment layers. In this video, and the next, I will address the former of these, the wonderful layer mask.

As you may have discovered by now, layer masks are not available in Elements in their native form. I will therefore be using Photoshop CS3 to demonstrate the use of layers. However, fear not, as there is a way you can “cheat” in Elements and work with layer masks the same way you would in Photoshop CS3 … but that is something I will address in the next video.

Even though you may not be using Photoshop do watch this video as it explains the principles involved, which you will need an understanding of to then apply them in Elements.

I will try and get the second half of this video up within the next day, so I don’t leave anyone hanging for too long.

Simon
http://darksideofthelens.com

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Lomo it

nobody@vox.com(Potty Mouth) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:26:48 +0000

I love lomography but also love digital photography. I have been toying with Photoshop to create the lomo look from a digital photo. Here are my first 2 attempts.

and here are their originals:

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

blast from the past

nobody@vox.com(ernestedisonhayes) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:58:02 +0000

Hayes Studio & Camera began in southern California in the late 1950's on S. Western Avenue in the heart of Gardena. It was a small camera shop and studio that attracted lots of charming clients. Owner Kenneth Edison Hayes shot mostly with medium format Hasselblads and 35mm Nikons, and produced prints that captured the allure of his era. The latest in photo equipment was his passion. Can you imagine how cool that stuff was back then? German optics and American ingenuity combined to solidify a unique art form. And well, technique and process in the studio and darkroom was also his passion. In fact, Ken Hayes developed several photographic and darkroom processes aimed at producing better quality prints and streamlining his workflow. One of them included a refreshing system used to recycle chemical developers in print making; an idea that the Eastman Kodak company caught on to. And today, photography still is an art form that drives state of the art technology. Come to think of it, photography virtually transformed the 20th Century in many ways. And now, the 21st Century is on fire with the advent of digital imaging, photography continues to impact industry and brighten people's lives. Hayes Photography is still dedicated to harnessing these developments to produce great image quality. Our digital workflow is state of the art. From calibrated monitors to color matching to RAW processing and digital editing, we know how to make an image. What Ken Hayes was known for, however, remains our primary objective; and that's to enhance our clients' image through the art of photography.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

DIGITALFEST 2008 hosted by pictureline, inc.

nobody@vox.com(ernestedisonhayes) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:16:03 +0000

The Future of Imaging. September 18th & 19th, 2008. Sign up to attend at www.digitalfest.com. Come to the 8th annual DIGITAL FEST 2008: Utah's largest gathering of digital photographic equipment, information and experts, hosted by pictureline inc. Retail store located at 305 West 700 South on September 18th & 19th, 2008. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Seminar, Tradeshow, and Sam Abell Seminar. See website to sign up and for detailed information.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Robert-Goldwater-Library: Goldwater Library débuts photo sharing group

nobody@vox.com(SerenityLife) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:38:17 +0000

Robert-Goldwater-Library: Goldwater Library débuts photo sharing group

http://newsgrist.typepad.com/robertgo...

Goldwater Library Accessible only from networked terminals within The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hazen Center The Lita Annenberg + Joseph H. Hazen Center For Electronic Resources located in the Thomas J. Watson Library. Accessible only from networked terminals within The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Intranet - Main Menu Accessible only from networked terminals within The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Send to a friend

A little inspiration

nobody@vox.com(De) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:04:06 +0000

I've been in a bit of a creative rut lately, I think it is because my new job is so physically draining. I love the freedom of being a "starving artist" but it is exhausting right now. So I have been pondering how to get out of my creative rut and I think I have figured it out. When we get in a rut whether creatively or in life in general we tend to not see the trees for the forest. In other words it is usually those things that are either around us everyday that we are not seeing or paying attention to or a passion that is near and dear in our heart that we are neglecting. I went shopping with my youngest daughter yesterday and it spurred my creativity, she is so into bright colorful and beautiful clothes and jewelry! As she and I walked around the stores and she found wonderful things to try on I found my creativity and my artistic eye being renewed. So if you are in a rut take a moment to see if you are paying attention to those little things that bring you inspiration! Have a wonderfully creative day.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Brain Freeze

nobody@vox.com(Will's Wonderland) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:05:50 +0000

As I spoke about in a previous blog, I have recently “purchased,” using credit and not real money, a Nikon D80 camera. I love it, and have been out trying to learn the ins and outs as best I can. Today, around lunch, I finally decided to read the manual from cover to cover and then use a few online tutorials to help me gain more knowledge and tricks for my camera. I planned on doing that and then taking what I learned and applying it during a few hours of shooting around town. That WAS the plan. Here is how it actually played out…

1:00 PM – After lunch I grabbed the manual that came with the camera and began on page 1.

3:00 PM – Turned to page two and continued reading reading.

3:30 PM – Took a break to use the restroom and get water.

5:00 PM – Completed page five and decided the headache was too strong to continue without some medicine.

5:01 PM – Took some Advil and went back to work reading.

7:00 PM – Decided that I was a complete moron, and had wasted enough time and went to grab a bite to eat.

Needless to say, my day did not go as planned, and in my frustration I realized something very important about myself. I don’t know the meaning of the word “can’t.”

I hate having to admit, even to myself, that I cannot accomplish a goal I set out to accomplish. Sure I will eventually learn what I need to learn and master the art of photography with the D80, but that is not how I wanted the process to go. I wanted to master it today, and go practice what I learned. In this small defeat, I was forced to see that I could not do what I had intended and it stung. I am sure this wasn’t the first time and it most likely won’t be the last, but admitting that I failed goes against my nature. I can barely think of a time when I completely gave up, and I am glad, because I really do not like the feeling I got from it. The good news is, tomorrow is another day and I will continue on working and reading, hopefully with more success than I had today, and eventually post pictures that I took showing off all that I have learned. Tonight though I go to bed disappointed about the day’s events, but excited about the future.

“When you set out to accomplish a goal, see it through to the end, even if the end is further away than you first expected it to be.”

+ WAC +

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Take Psychedelic Pictures with Your iPhone - lifehacker.com

nobody@vox.com(Atlanta iPhone Blog) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:11:27 +0000

Take Psychedelic Pictures with Your iPhone

Wired's How-To Wiki demonstrates how to exploit the iPhone's unusual shutter to take distorted photographs. The trick? Just twist your camera as you're taking a picture.

The reason? The iPhone uses a CMOS sensor, which more or less "wipes" the shutter across the sensor like a scanner rather than the circular aperture of a traditional camera. The iPhone's CMOS scanner seems to be a bit slower than, say, the CMOS sensor on your Canon camera. Therefore, as the camera is recording the image, any changes over that small but significant amount of time are recorded.

Taking a psychedelic photo is actually just as easy as it sounds (works better in bright sunlight), but read on for a quick video demonstration.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

20 Digital Photography Tips for the Beginner...

nobody@vox.com(creativespotlite) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:23:03 +0000

Many beginners find digital photography rather challenging and rightly so. Today, more and more digital cameras are being created and it seems like the more digital cameras they make, the more difficult they become to use.

I own a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I purchased this digital camera about a year ago and I still haven’t utilized all of the awesome little features this camera has to offer. Now you may not want or even need a camera with tons of features. It really depends on the type of pictures you plan on taking.

Regardless of the camera you own or are planning to own, you should have a well rounded knowledge of digital photography. I hope the following tips will prove to be useful in your quest for taking better photographs...

Click here to read the rest of this post on digital photography tips....

Read and post comments | Send to a friend