tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86615323604845882962024-03-05T06:50:35.233-08:00Greg Clure Photography BlogYour source for discovering the latest happenings at www.GregClurePhotography.com, discussions on select images, exhibitions and showings as well as education on photography techniques.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-14966366904838937672014-11-30T23:23:00.000-08:002014-12-01T11:49:31.656-08:00Pro-Tip #21: Winter Photography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgP5Yf2PzUINdUqNPVnVPoVv1U21LdLtSooZwGetdMGXbGsKhfmlJ5lzO44T9IeHq_m3mQVND_Z_TFLV_MVhGXTGJJOKK-M1xGZvvC__H_M7-yyGfeEVPWt_cEIGJcIlkyowSwwqdjL4/s1600/master_first_snow_white_mountains-eastern-sierras-735_HDR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzgP5Yf2PzUINdUqNPVnVPoVv1U21LdLtSooZwGetdMGXbGsKhfmlJ5lzO44T9IeHq_m3mQVND_Z_TFLV_MVhGXTGJJOKK-M1xGZvvC__H_M7-yyGfeEVPWt_cEIGJcIlkyowSwwqdjL4/s1600/master_first_snow_white_mountains-eastern-sierras-735_HDR.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Snow, White Mountains - © Greg Clure</td></tr>
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<br />
This year in my Pro-Tip section I am writing about ways to get creative so your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are expected to be taken in 2014. For many reasons, winter is a great time to get outdoors and capture some unique images. Here's what makes winter special and some tips to ensure your winter images come out perfect.<br />
<br />
For the following reasons winter is a great time for nature photography:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>The sun is at its lowest angle to the earth's surface which offers extended golden hour shooting time. Depending on your latitude the golden hour can be the golden two or three hours.</li>
<li>Clean and fresh, snow can cover up what might be a dull unflattering scene and turn it into a clean and fresh winter wonderland.</li>
<li>Fewer people and photographers are out and about when the weather outside is frightful. This means you'll have few if any unwanted people in your compositions and you'll likely be competing with fewer fellow photographers for the best vantage points.</li>
<li>Hi-key images, those scenes that predominately feature highlight tones, are a natural when everything is covered in white.</li>
<li>Lodging rates are generally lower in the winter season than the height of summer vacation rush when many locations see the majority of their visitors. Also booking a place can be much easier and last minute which can help time your visit right after a fresh dumping of new snow.</li>
</ol>
Here are a few tips to ensure you come home with great images:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Exposure will be your biggest challenge. Your camera's meter will want to under expose your wintery images and turn your white snow grey. So dial in a stop or two of overexposure to keep it looking white.</li>
<li>Camera batteries drain much faster in cold weather so keep them warm in your pocket until you have your camera set up and your composition framed. I've had batteries stop working on me when shooting in the cold only to warm them again in my pocket which brought them back to life and allowed more shots to be taken.</li>
<li>Moisture or lens fog can be an issue if you find yourself going in and out of the cold. Placing your lenses in Ziploc bags will prevent condensation in this scenario. </li>
<li>Carry an emergency kit in your car: food, water, blankets, etc. that you hope you won't need to use but could save your life if you do need to use it.</li>
<li>Dress in layers, in wool or synthetic materials, that will keep you warm and comfortable on your shoot. Being cold and miserable in not likely to be an enjoyable experience.</li>
<li>Always, always, always check the weather forecast for the dates of your travel.</li>
</ol>
Common sense precautions will help you enjoy the winter scenery and wildlife in a unique white setting. Expand your portfolio with winter scenes of new places or places you frequent.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-67516934811453437312014-11-28T09:58:00.003-08:002014-11-28T09:59:26.642-08:00OnOne Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-75718777485620218352014-09-19T16:06:00.002-07:002014-09-19T16:06:54.502-07:00Introducing Topaz Labs Impression<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b></b>Photos allow you to see. Art allows you to <i>feel</i>.</h2>
<br />
<br />
<section class="why" id="why"><div class="container">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1 text-center">
</div>
<div class="col-md-12 text-center">
<div class="definition">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="word">Impressionism</span> <span class="partofspeech">noun</span> · an artistic style that seeks to capture a feeling or experience rather than to achieve accurate depiction</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1 text-left">
<hr style="margin-top: 20px;" />
<span style="font-size: 16px;">The old masters like Monet, Van
Gogh, and Cezanne concerned themselves with feeling and emotion in their
art. Even though they were absolutely capable of faithfully reproducing
their subject like a photograph, they didn’t want to. No, they wanted
to show the subject like they <i>felt</i> it, not as it objectively
appeared. And that’s why it’s so easy to tell the difference between a
Monet, Van Gogh, and a Cezanne - because they made their paintings a
reflection of themselves.</span><br />
<div class="blockquote center" style="margin: 30px 0;">
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><i>"Real painters do not paint things as they are. They paint them as they feel."</i> — <span class="quote-name">Van Gogh</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 16px;"><b>Impression helps make your photos more expressive by authentically turning them into art, the way a real artist would.</b>
Rigidly realistic photos sometimes leave less room for emotion,
personal feeling, and story. Instead of just showing reality, take your
viewers on a story by using Impression to capture emotion and feeling
rather than details. This can make your work both more powerful and more
personal.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-22382681613089489262014-08-31T09:06:00.000-07:002014-09-01T15:43:57.574-07:00Pro-Tip #20: Waterfall Photography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg_Rp5jFhm2mQjorZsl4oMZ2SzEiLdam1AP3G3XZydvUIjMsYzx_5Io9YC9tPrQs5P9w_D2qpvnB18uzfK-H5YNMLtLptNFqq8Xuvs-KUdIwq8gcWmNhTTVnpXM5n5AkKTNuEuN-ykec/s1600/master_the_whole_enchilada_burney_falls+8-2014-625-Edit-763-Edit-778-Edit-779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg_Rp5jFhm2mQjorZsl4oMZ2SzEiLdam1AP3G3XZydvUIjMsYzx_5Io9YC9tPrQs5P9w_D2qpvnB18uzfK-H5YNMLtLptNFqq8Xuvs-KUdIwq8gcWmNhTTVnpXM5n5AkKTNuEuN-ykec/s1600/master_the_whole_enchilada_burney_falls+8-2014-625-Edit-763-Edit-778-Edit-779.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Whole Enchilada, Burney Falls -- © Greg Clure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This
year in my Pro-Tip Section I am writing about ways to get creative so
your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are
expected to be taken in 2014. Waterfalls do present themselves as a wonderful and challenging subject
matter to photographers. Firstly they’re beautiful places, secondly they
are often in tricky lighting situations and thirdly they’re a dynamic
subject as they’re moving (and of course movement means a challenge but
also a real opportunity for a more dynamic shot).<br />
<br />
Here are some tips to help you bring home some creative waterfall shots:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><u><b>Go during the best season</b></u> - Since waterfalls require
water, you'll want to go photograph them when it is plentiful. That typically means spring
or early summer when the flow is at its peak. Some waterfalls dry up
in drought years not to be seen again until the rains return. Spring
also has the add benefit of spring wildflowers for your foreground.
There is one exception to the springtime rule and that is waterfalls fed by
underground springs or other flows of water that do not run out. These give you the
best of every season from the wildflowers in the spring to lush greenery
of ferns and trees in the summer to the turning color of fall leaves in autumn and
right on into winter for ice cycles and frosty coatings. </li>
<li><u><b>Shoot in soft even light</b></u> - We often find waterfalls in deep canyons so taming the
dynamic range of your location should be top-of-mind. Step cliffs and
plunge pools surrounded by trees and heavy undergrowth will often be in
dark shadow while the open plunge pool, waterfall and sky above may be brightly light. That's why overcast days are the perfect choice in which to shoot waterfalls as they provide the soft even light needed to produce a dynamic range our cameras a capable of recording. Short of finding an overcast day to shoot on, like most things shot in nature, the early morning or late afternoon golden hour can help with high dynamic range issues or by this time of day your subject waterfall could be thrown into complete shadow which has all the benefits of soft even light.</li>
<li><u><b>Use a tripod for a more dynamic shot</b></u> - Anytime you’re presented with a moving subject a photographer really
has two options. Firstly they can freeze the motion by using a fast
shutter speed and secondly they can capture and enhance the motion by
using a longer shutter speed that blurs the moving element in the shot
(in this case – water). Most photographers take the second option and allow the water to blur. How much blur is up to you, but you don't want so much blur that it is void of detail so there is often a sweet spot that straddles the line between enough blur and freeze action. In all cases, the shutter speed required will be to slow for handle holding.</li>
<li><u><b>Choose the right shutter speed</b></u> - The right shutter speed is the one that looks best to you. But generally large fast moving volumes of water look good in the eighth to full second range while low volume flows that bounce off the rocks before reaching the plunge pool could require some much longer times. The great thing about digital cameras is they have a LCD screen which allows us to check our results and get into the approximate area (shutter speed-wise) where the water looks best.</li>
<li><u><b>Bracket your shutter speeds</b></u> - It can be hard to see the fine detail on your 3 inch LCD screen and what could look best on it may not look best on your 27" monitor at home. So give yourself some cushion and bracket by a couple of stops on each side of normal exposure with a few slower that optimal shots and a few faster than optimal shots. This will give you a choice back home to make rather than tiring to do it in the field on your LCD. You will also be able to use one of the faster shutter speed shots to freeze the movement of plants and tree leaves that surround the water and blend it together with one of the slower shutter speeds for which the water looks best giving you the best of both worlds.</li>
<li><u><b>Useful filters for waterfalls</b></u> - I always carry these three filters with me to every shoot as they can help you get close to the final shot in camera. a) Circular Polarizer, this filter will be useful in reducing glare from shiny wet surfaces, deepen color contrast and dropping your exposure a stop or two for longer shutter speeds. b) Neutral Density (ND) Filters - these are are used to lengthen your exposure times when your camera is already set at its lowest ISO and smallest aperture the ND filter will allow you to go slower. c) The Graduated ND filter, this filter is used to reduce the dynamic range of a scene, for those waterfall shots where you want to include a portion of the sky this filter will help knock down the bright sky to a more manageable range.</li>
<li><u><b>Shoot the details</b></u> -In addition to the grand scenic overview shot we must all capture don't forget to shoot the details. Isolate a portion of the falls or smaller tributary next to the main falls. Do some close up work on interesting sections of the falls and shoot many different preservatives if possible, high overviews from above, mid-way down the falls and at plunge pool level, each will provide a different look and feel to the same subject. You should also work your way around the falls shooting from both left and right sides as well as some choice spots in between.</li>
<li><u><b>Cover your lens when not shooting</b></u> - The larger the the waterfall the more problem you'll have with mist and wind as these gushers tend to create their own micro climate and can kick-up bands of heavy mist and wind in certain areas around the plunge pool so always cover the lens when you are not shooting and have a micro-fiber lens cloth handy to remove any droplets of water that do find there way onto the surface of your lens. You might also bring a jacket for yourself, even on a hot summer's day the temperatures next to waterfall can be 20 degrees cooler and down right chilli if you find yourself in the spray of the water and wind vortex as the sun drops below the ridge-line.</li>
<li><u><b>Correct your white balance</b></u> - More often than not the water in the waterfall will pick-up a blue cast from the blue sky overhead. Hopefully you are shooting RAW and will be able to naturalize the white water in your waterfall to be white, not blue. There are many tools to help you accomplish this but the one I like to use is the white-balance eye-dropper tool found in most all editors that will remove the color cast with the single click of the mouse.</li>
</ol>
Use these tips the next time you find yourself in front of one of nature's most beautiful arrangements of falling water. I shot a lot of waterfalls, and water in general is a favorite subject I often find myself capturing, you'll find a lot of examples at <a href="http://www.gregclurephotography.com/">www.GregClurePhotography.com</a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzdRUDX2VZP8UJ-KE8Pyglabis84vVzkA2KNipxuSJguJxvvCQ1Wmyf1ZOnS5T9shT140zDkuCR7jbofvtjndabvff8707JrMCc1JwifaYSkJFNISzYdD7z7rbJvn8yBiSFiQMO2X8Ko/s1600/master_burney_falls_+detail_+8-2014-227-Edit-774-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzdRUDX2VZP8UJ-KE8Pyglabis84vVzkA2KNipxuSJguJxvvCQ1Wmyf1ZOnS5T9shT140zDkuCR7jbofvtjndabvff8707JrMCc1JwifaYSkJFNISzYdD7z7rbJvn8yBiSFiQMO2X8Ko/s1600/master_burney_falls_+detail_+8-2014-227-Edit-774-2.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burney Falls Detail -- © Greg Clure<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
</ol>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-50444719251237935022014-08-10T13:09:00.001-07:002014-08-10T13:13:48.719-07:00Topaz Adjust 50% Off, July 13-31!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-63448417795630087602014-07-31T22:56:00.000-07:002014-09-01T13:26:23.504-07:00Pro-Tip #19: Creating Beautiful Sun Stars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTecUrf2hk_t9ZNaoXU6wF7ToJaTXhtz_gk7qAyxEB6m66SDg51-WrXbmVBWqeFftNDngyTI-_pWbMsAjPArUZL2XttgM4tqhTFJAY3KaoH6e2qTiHqyiz5QkW-QUiE0NJzxhyhKv6AE/s1600/master_toroweap_sunset_0853_4_5_6_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjTecUrf2hk_t9ZNaoXU6wF7ToJaTXhtz_gk7qAyxEB6m66SDg51-WrXbmVBWqeFftNDngyTI-_pWbMsAjPArUZL2XttgM4tqhTFJAY3KaoH6e2qTiHqyiz5QkW-QUiE0NJzxhyhKv6AE/s1600/master_toroweap_sunset_0853_4_5_6_7.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toroweap Sunset, North Rim Grand Canyon | © Greg Clure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This
year in my Pro-Tip section I am writing about ways to get creative so
your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are
expected to be taken in 2014. Most photographers avoid shooting directly
into the sun as it creates unwanted flare and the harsh contrast
doesn't often lead to a pleasing image. The following tips should help
you control flare the next time you find yourself looking to create that perfect sun star. But before we get to the tips it might be helpful to understand what's happening in the lens that creates the sun star or burst.<br />
<br />
All but the simplest cameras contain lenses which are actually comprised
of several "lens elements." Lens flare is caused by non-image forming light
which does not pass (refract) directly along its intended path, but
instead <i>reflects</i> internally on lens elements any number of times (back and forth) before finally reaching the digital sensor. Although flare is technically caused by internal reflections, this often
requires very intense light sources in order to become significant
(relative to refracted light). Flare-inducing light sources may include
the sun, artificial lighting and even a full moon. Even if the photo
itself contains no intense light sources, stray light may still enter
the lens if it hits the front element. Ordinarily light which is outside
the angle of view does not contribute to the final image, but if this
light reflects it may travel an unintended path and reach the sensor. The star burst is caused by light passing through the aperture and being defracted (or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens; and the less curved they are the crisper the star effect.<br />
<br />
Now that we know the science, here are some tips to help you create the perfect sun star:<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Use a Small Aperture</b> - While bigger apertures may flare the light the curve of the blades is more pronounced due to the larger opening causing a reduction in the crispness of the flare. Since small apertures have very short and straight edges they create sharper looking star bursts.</li>
<li><b>Find a Hard Edge Obstruction</b> - Although you can get a nice star when shooting the the sun high in the sky, I find I get the best results when I obscure the majority of the direct light behind a hard edge object within my composition and only use the smallest slivers of light. This helps reduce the unwanted bad flare and leaves just the good flare, that is; the points of the star. </li>
<li><b>Use a Bright Light Source and Dark Surround</b> - Bright unfiltered light works best in creating sharp star bursts. If your light source is filtered by clouds, fog or haze the sun star that forms, if any, will tend to be muddy and lack clarity. Also, you need a dark area surrounding your bright light on which to view the flared light. A good example is the Toroweap Sunset image above, the flared light is readily visible against the dark canyon walls but not so much against the bright sky.</li>
<li><b>Use Live View and Depth of Field Preview</b> - Once I have a well composed image, I like to view the sun star on the Live View screen. Additionally, if you are a Canon user than you can also use your depth of field preview button to stop down the lens to your intended aperture. At this point you can see the effect of a what a slight shift in camera position will have on the size and shape of your sun star. You can see the effects of changing your aperture setting has on the star. You will be able to tune in the best looking flare for your composition.</li>
<li><b>Different Lenses Create Different Results</b> - High quality glass makes a difference here, generally speaking, the better the glass the more likely you will get sharper more clear sun stars. This is one area where gear really does make a difference so use your best lens.</li>
<li><b>Eliminate Unwanted Flare</b> - It can be a good idea to take an exposure with the sun completely blocked to be blended later in post production with your best star burst frame allowing you to eliminate the sometimes unwanted and unavoidable bad flare components that you can sometimes get when shooting directly into the sun. You can do this by taking a shot before or after the sun pops into view or use your thumb or fingers to obscure the sun. All flare, including your star, will be be eliminated from from this frame. This will save you a lot of time and frustration in cloning and healing the bad flare out in post production.</li>
<li><b>If All Else Fails, Use Topaz Star Effects</b> - While it should be easy to get the star burst of your dreams with the tips above, sometime you may need to help things along. Topaz Labs make a plug-in call Star Effects and it can be a lifesaver in adding a star effect to any light source or perfecting or tweaking the one you did capture. Receive a 15% discount on any Topaz product by visiting my <a href="http://www.gregclurephotography.com/topaz-labs" target="_blank">Topaz Labs discount page</a>.</li>
</ol>
Keep these tips in mind the next time you are out shooting any bright light sources, like the sun, and you'll find creating beautiful sun stars to be a snap. <br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>1) Small Apertures</b>
– generally speaking, you’ll have to use a small aperture, something
like f16 or f22 to make fully-formed crisp sun stars. Wider apertures
like f2.8 or f5.6 simply don’t cut it on most lenses. The starburst is
caused by light passing through a small aperture and being diffracted
(or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens. The more blades
and the less curved they are the better the star. Not all lenses are
created equally, see #5 below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>2) Hard Edge Obstruction</b>
– Although you can make a nice star when shooting the sun high in the
sky, I generally find I get the best results (i.e. small size with
minimal flare) when I play peek-a-boo with the light source. To do this
I’ll position the camera so the sun (or other light source) is mostly
obscured by some compositional element in my frame – something like a
clean horizon, edge of a tree, rock outcrop or building. I find that
harder and/or smoother edges yield the best results. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>3) High Fidelity Light</b> –
In addition to obscuring the light source, I find it’s best to use what I
call high-fidelity light, namely light that is pure and clean. When
the light is being filtered through high clouds, atmospheric haze or fog
the resulting sunstars tend to be muddy and lack clarity. I also like
low-angle, warm light around sunrise and sunset for my sunstars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>4) Use Live View to Preview</b>
– Once I’ve settled on my composition and am ready to shoot I like to
use Live View in conjunction with the depth of field preview button
(sorry Nikon people) to preview how my sunstar will look as well as get a
sense for how much flare is being produced. You may be surprised to
see how much a little shift in camera position (up/down, left/right) can
change the size and shape of your sunstar, as well as how much
resulting flare you’ve got in the frame. You can also use this method
when choosing your aperture as you’ll see exactly what the sunstar will
look like. You may not need to stop all the way down to f22 to get the
desired effect.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>5) Not all Lenses are Equal</b>
– Unfortunately this is one area where the gear really does make the
difference. Not all lenses make sunstars or handle flare equally.
Generally speaking, the higher quality “pro” level glass make better,
more defined sunstars than “consumer” level lenses. And even some pro
level lenses simply make better sunstars than others. For example, it’s
widely known that the Canon EF 16-35 f2.8L II makes one of the best
sunstars around, significantly better even than its own predecessor.
I’ve had other Canon L series lenses that cover the same range of focal
lengths but don’t make very appealing sunstars. Not that this is the
sole reason to purchase a particular lens – but it may be a significant
consideration for some.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bonus</b> – As a final tip, I
recommend shooting an exposure with the light source completely blocked
in order to get a frame with little to no flare. You can do this by
shooting a frame before the sun pops out or right after it disappears
from view, or perhaps even by blocking it with your thumb or hand. You
can then use this frame to blend out offensive flare using layers and
masks in Photoshop. This can save you a lot of time cloning and healing
in post.</div>
- See more at: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#sthash.Qc024uhJ.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>) Small Apertures</b>
– generally speaking, you’ll have to use a small aperture, something
like f16 or f22 to make fully-formed crisp sun stars. Wider apertures
like f2.8 or f5.6 simply don’t cut it on most lenses. The starburst is
caused by light passing through a small aperture and being diffracted
(or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens. The more blades
and the less curved they are the better the star. Not all lenses are
created equally, see #5 below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>2) Hard Edge Obstruction</b>
– Although you can make a nice star when shooting the sun high in the
sky, I generally find I get the best results (i.e. small size with
minimal flare) when I play peek-a-boo with the light source. To do this
I’ll position the camera so the sun (or other light source) is mostly
obscured by some compositional element in my frame – something like a
clean horizon, edge of a tree, rock outcrop or building. I find that
harder and/or smoother edges yield the best results. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>3) High Fidelity Light</b> –
In addition to obscuring the light source, I find it’s best to use what I
call high-fidelity light, namely light that is pure and clean. When
the light is being filtered through high clouds, atmospheric haze or fog
the resulting sunstars tend to be muddy and lack clarity. I also like
low-angle, warm light around sunrise and sunset for my sunstars.</div>
- See more at: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#sthash.Qc024uhJ.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
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<span class="day">3</span>
Apr<br />
<b>2014</b>
</div>
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<span class="authorPhoto"><img alt="" class="avatar avatar-48 photo" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/0f1cbeabfe52bf7c32d0bdd226e3eaf1?s=48&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D48&r=G" height="48" width="48" /></span> By <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/author/kbudliger/" rel="author" title="Posts by Kurt Budliger">Kurt Budliger</a> <br />
Posted in: <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/arizona/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Arizona">Arizona</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/composition-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Composition">Composition</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/creativity/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Creativity">Creativity</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/inspiration/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Inspiration">Inspiration</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/kofa-mountains/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Kofa Mountains">Kofa Mountains</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/landscape-photography-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Landscape Photography">Landscape Photography</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/light/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Light">Light</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/tech-tips/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Tech Tips">Tech Tips</a> <img src="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/wp-content/themes/wpanniversary/images/xico_comments.png.pagespeed.ic.LiQjP2wP63.png" /><a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#comments" title="Comment on 5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars">13 Comments</a>
</div>
</div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/">5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars</a></h1>
<div class="blogPostContent">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Okay,
I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for elegantly crisp sunstars. I may go so
far as to say that I’m addicted to them; not in a shady, I’ll break into
your house for prescription meds kind of way, but more like if it’s
readily available I’m happy to </span>imbibe<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> sort
of way. I especially like using them in my landscapes to create an
additional element of interest, particularly when the cloud gods are
punishing me for previous transgressions and there’s nothing but blue
sky overhead. However, like all things fun and sinful, too much of a
good thing is still too much (except of course tequila, just ask George)
so you should be careful not to overdo them or use them in excess for
fear your portfolio will start to look a little gimmicky.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Before
I risk offending anyone else with my slightly off-color attempts at
humor, here are my 5 tips for creating killer sunstars in your images.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>1) Small Apertures</b>
– generally speaking, you’ll have to use a small aperture, something
like f16 or f22 to make fully-formed crisp sun stars. Wider apertures
like f2.8 or f5.6 simply don’t cut it on most lenses. The starburst is
caused by light passing through a small aperture and being diffracted
(or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens. The more blades
and the less curved they are the better the star. Not all lenses are
created equally, see #5 below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>2) Hard Edge Obstruction</b>
– Although you can make a nice star when shooting the sun high in the
sky, I generally find I get the best results (i.e. small size with
minimal flare) when I play peek-a-boo with the light source. To do this
I’ll position the camera so the sun (or other light source) is mostly
obscured by some compositional element in my frame – something like a
clean horizon, edge of a tree, rock outcrop or building. I find that
harder and/or smoother edges yield the best results. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>3) High Fidelity Light</b> –
In addition to obscuring the light source, I find it’s best to use what I
call high-fidelity light, namely light that is pure and clean. When
the light is being filtered through high clouds, atmospheric haze or fog
the resulting sunstars tend to be muddy and lack clarity. I also like
low-angle, warm light around sunrise and sunset for my sunstars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>4) Use Live View to Preview</b>
– Once I’ve settled on my composition and am ready to shoot I like to
use Live View in conjunction with the depth of field preview button
(sorry Nikon people) to preview how my sunstar will look as well as get a
sense for how much flare is being produced. You may be surprised to
see how much a little shift in camera position (up/down, left/right) can
change the size and shape of your sunstar, as well as how much
resulting flare you’ve got in the frame. You can also use this method
when choosing your aperture as you’ll see exactly what the sunstar will
look like. You may not need to stop all the way down to f22 to get the
desired effect.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>5) Not all Lenses are Equal</b>
– Unfortunately this is one area where the gear really does make the
difference. Not all lenses make sunstars or handle flare equally.
Generally speaking, the higher quality “pro” level glass make better,
more defined sunstars than “consumer” level lenses. And even some pro
level lenses simply make better sunstars than others. For example, it’s
widely known that the Canon EF 16-35 f2.8L II makes one of the best
sunstars around, significantly better even than its own predecessor.
I’ve had other Canon L series lenses that cover the same range of focal
lengths but don’t make very appealing sunstars. Not that this is the
sole reason to purchase a particular lens – but it may be a significant
consideration for some.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bonus</b> – As a final tip, I
recommend shooting an exposure with the light source completely blocked
in order to get a frame with little to no flare. You can do this by
shooting a frame before the sun pops out or right after it disappears
from view, or perhaps even by blocking it with your thumb or hand. You
can then use this frame to blend out offensive flare using layers and
masks in Photoshop. This can save you a lot of time cloning and healing
in post.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
- See more at: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#sthash.Qc024uhJ.dpuf</div>
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<div class="date">
<span class="day">3</span>
Apr<br />
<b>2014</b>
</div>
<div class="metaRight">
<span class="authorPhoto"><img alt="" class="avatar avatar-48 photo" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/0f1cbeabfe52bf7c32d0bdd226e3eaf1?s=48&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D48&r=G" height="48" width="48" /></span> By <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/author/kbudliger/" rel="author" title="Posts by Kurt Budliger">Kurt Budliger</a> <br />
Posted in: <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/arizona/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Arizona">Arizona</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/composition-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Composition">Composition</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/creativity/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Creativity">Creativity</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/inspiration/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Inspiration">Inspiration</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/kofa-mountains/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Kofa Mountains">Kofa Mountains</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/landscape-photography-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Landscape Photography">Landscape Photography</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/light/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Light">Light</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/tech-tips/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Tech Tips">Tech Tips</a> <img src="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/wp-content/themes/wpanniversary/images/xico_comments.png.pagespeed.ic.LiQjP2wP63.png" /><a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#comments" title="Comment on 5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars">13 Comments</a>
</div>
</div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/">5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars</a></h1>
<div class="blogPostContent">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Okay,
I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for elegantly crisp sunstars. I may go so
far as to say that I’m addicted to them; not in a shady, I’ll break into
your house for prescription meds kind of way, but more like if it’s
readily available I’m happy to </span>imbibe<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> sort
of way. I especially like using them in my landscapes to create an
additional element of interest, particularly when the cloud gods are
punishing me for previous transgressions and there’s nothing but blue
sky overhead. However, like all things fun and sinful, too much of a
good thing is still too much (except of course tequila, just ask George)
so you should be careful not to overdo them or use them in excess for
fear your portfolio will start to look a little gimmicky.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Before
I risk offending anyone else with my slightly off-color attempts at
humor, here are my 5 tips for creating killer sunstars in your images.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>1) Small Apertures</b>
– generally speaking, you’ll have to use a small aperture, something
like f16 or f22 to make fully-formed crisp sun stars. Wider apertures
like f2.8 or f5.6 simply don’t cut it on most lenses. The starburst is
caused by light passing through a small aperture and being diffracted
(or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens. The more blades
and the less curved they are the better the star. Not all lenses are
created equally, see #5 below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>2) Hard Edge Obstruction</b>
– Although you can make a nice star when shooting the sun high in the
sky, I generally find I get the best results (i.e. small size with
minimal flare) when I play peek-a-boo with the light source. To do this
I’ll position the camera so the sun (or other light source) is mostly
obscured by some compositional element in my frame – something like a
clean horizon, edge of a tree, rock outcrop or building. I find that
harder and/or smoother edges yield the best results. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>3) High Fidelity Light</b> –
In addition to obscuring the light source, I find it’s best to use what I
call high-fidelity light, namely light that is pure and clean. When
the light is being filtered through high clouds, atmospheric haze or fog
the resulting sunstars tend to be muddy and lack clarity. I also like
low-angle, warm light around sunrise and sunset for my sunstars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>4) Use Live View to Preview</b>
– Once I’ve settled on my composition and am ready to shoot I like to
use Live View in conjunction with the depth of field preview button
(sorry Nikon people) to preview how my sunstar will look as well as get a
sense for how much flare is being produced. You may be surprised to
see how much a little shift in camera position (up/down, left/right) can
change the size and shape of your sunstar, as well as how much
resulting flare you’ve got in the frame. You can also use this method
when choosing your aperture as you’ll see exactly what the sunstar will
look like. You may not need to stop all the way down to f22 to get the
desired effect.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>5) Not all Lenses are Equal</b>
– Unfortunately this is one area where the gear really does make the
difference. Not all lenses make sunstars or handle flare equally.
Generally speaking, the higher quality “pro” level glass make better,
more defined sunstars than “consumer” level lenses. And even some pro
level lenses simply make better sunstars than others. For example, it’s
widely known that the Canon EF 16-35 f2.8L II makes one of the best
sunstars around, significantly better even than its own predecessor.
I’ve had other Canon L series lenses that cover the same range of focal
lengths but don’t make very appealing sunstars. Not that this is the
sole reason to purchase a particular lens – but it may be a significant
consideration for some.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bonus</b> – As a final tip, I
recommend shooting an exposure with the light source completely blocked
in order to get a frame with little to no flare. You can do this by
shooting a frame before the sun pops out or right after it disappears
from view, or perhaps even by blocking it with your thumb or hand. You
can then use this frame to blend out offensive flare using layers and
masks in Photoshop. This can save you a lot of time cloning and healing
in post.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
- See more at: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#sthash.Qc024uhJ.dpuf</div>
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<span class="day">3</span>
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<b>2014</b>
</div>
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<span class="authorPhoto"><img alt="" class="avatar avatar-48 photo" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/0f1cbeabfe52bf7c32d0bdd226e3eaf1?s=48&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D48&r=G" height="48" width="48" /></span> By <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/author/kbudliger/" rel="author" title="Posts by Kurt Budliger">Kurt Budliger</a> <br />
Posted in: <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/arizona/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Arizona">Arizona</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/composition-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Composition">Composition</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/creativity/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Creativity">Creativity</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/inspiration/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Inspiration">Inspiration</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/kofa-mountains/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Kofa Mountains">Kofa Mountains</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/landscape-photography-2/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Landscape Photography">Landscape Photography</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/light/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Light">Light</a>, <a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/category/tech-tips/" rel="category tag" title="View all posts in Tech Tips">Tech Tips</a> <img src="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/wp-content/themes/wpanniversary/images/xico_comments.png.pagespeed.ic.LiQjP2wP63.png" /><a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#comments" title="Comment on 5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars">13 Comments</a>
</div>
</div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/">5 Secrets to Killer Sunstars</a></h1>
<div class="blogPostContent">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Okay,
I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for elegantly crisp sunstars. I may go so
far as to say that I’m addicted to them; not in a shady, I’ll break into
your house for prescription meds kind of way, but more like if it’s
readily available I’m happy to </span>imbibe<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> sort
of way. I especially like using them in my landscapes to create an
additional element of interest, particularly when the cloud gods are
punishing me for previous transgressions and there’s nothing but blue
sky overhead. However, like all things fun and sinful, too much of a
good thing is still too much (except of course tequila, just ask George)
so you should be careful not to overdo them or use them in excess for
fear your portfolio will start to look a little gimmicky.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Before
I risk offending anyone else with my slightly off-color attempts at
humor, here are my 5 tips for creating killer sunstars in your images.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>1) Small Apertures</b>
– generally speaking, you’ll have to use a small aperture, something
like f16 or f22 to make fully-formed crisp sun stars. Wider apertures
like f2.8 or f5.6 simply don’t cut it on most lenses. The starburst is
caused by light passing through a small aperture and being diffracted
(or spread out) across the aperture blades in the lens. The more blades
and the less curved they are the better the star. Not all lenses are
created equally, see #5 below.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><b>2) Hard Edge Obstruction</b>
– Although you can make a nice star when shooting the sun high in the
sky, I generally find I get the best results (i.e. small size with
minimal flare) when I play peek-a-boo with the light source. To do this
I’ll position the camera so the sun (or other light source) is mostly
obscured by some compositional element in my frame – something like a
clean horizon, edge of a tree, rock outcrop or building. I find that
harder and/or smoother edges yield the best results. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>3) High Fidelity Light</b> –
In addition to obscuring the light source, I find it’s best to use what I
call high-fidelity light, namely light that is pure and clean. When
the light is being filtered through high clouds, atmospheric haze or fog
the resulting sunstars tend to be muddy and lack clarity. I also like
low-angle, warm light around sunrise and sunset for my sunstars.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>4) Use Live View to Preview</b>
– Once I’ve settled on my composition and am ready to shoot I like to
use Live View in conjunction with the depth of field preview button
(sorry Nikon people) to preview how my sunstar will look as well as get a
sense for how much flare is being produced. You may be surprised to
see how much a little shift in camera position (up/down, left/right) can
change the size and shape of your sunstar, as well as how much
resulting flare you’ve got in the frame. You can also use this method
when choosing your aperture as you’ll see exactly what the sunstar will
look like. You may not need to stop all the way down to f22 to get the
desired effect.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>5) Not all Lenses are Equal</b>
– Unfortunately this is one area where the gear really does make the
difference. Not all lenses make sunstars or handle flare equally.
Generally speaking, the higher quality “pro” level glass make better,
more defined sunstars than “consumer” level lenses. And even some pro
level lenses simply make better sunstars than others. For example, it’s
widely known that the Canon EF 16-35 f2.8L II makes one of the best
sunstars around, significantly better even than its own predecessor.
I’ve had other Canon L series lenses that cover the same range of focal
lengths but don’t make very appealing sunstars. Not that this is the
sole reason to purchase a particular lens – but it may be a significant
consideration for some.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Bonus</b> – As a final tip, I
recommend shooting an exposure with the light source completely blocked
in order to get a frame with little to no flare. You can do this by
shooting a frame before the sun pops out or right after it disappears
from view, or perhaps even by blocking it with your thumb or hand. You
can then use this frame to blend out offensive flare using layers and
masks in Photoshop. This can save you a lot of time cloning and healing
in post.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
- See more at: http://www.ianplant.com/blog/2014/04/03/5-secrets-to-killer-sunstars/#sthash.Qc024uhJ.dpuf</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-34807708462067252612014-07-14T20:12:00.002-07:002014-07-15T08:13:52.051-07:00Topaz ReMask Now 50% Off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-73833157229031339732014-06-30T10:51:00.001-07:002014-06-30T10:51:58.705-07:00Pro-Tip #18: Selecting a Photo Workshop<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnfPQUYfubi7VPiXnZpWbXk8y00krbrtEes8Arbh8fi4uDka8eUu_ZkVa2zk9R-x0i9HZkKgkasIf6jGzjyQ52PeDl16aIaBbN7P7fHXFz1kMAUvtt8lClfX8v-DmCXT4KfI3o4f5hI/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow_el_matador_day2-1047-Edit-313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnfPQUYfubi7VPiXnZpWbXk8y00krbrtEes8Arbh8fi4uDka8eUu_ZkVa2zk9R-x0i9HZkKgkasIf6jGzjyQ52PeDl16aIaBbN7P7fHXFz1kMAUvtt8lClfX8v-DmCXT4KfI3o4f5hI/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow_el_matador_day2-1047-Edit-313.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santa Monica Mountains High Tide & Sea Stacks Workshop, © Greg Clure</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just because a photographer can take awesome photos does not mean he/she will be an awesome instructor. What the photos do tell you is the kinds of subjects you'll be shooting and the style in which they are captured. So if you like the style and subject matter of a particular workshop photographer than you will likely be happy with your workshop leader. Hopefully, this leader has had some formal photography education in the past and is not one of the many self-taught gurus just gunning for your wallet. Easy enough to check into, if this information is not already prominent on their website, then simply ask them about their credentials. Those with formal photography educations are more likely to be more knowledgeable instructors and can draw upon that knowledge at any moment during your workshop to solve issues that are sure to come up during most any photo shoot.<br />
<br />
Consider the workshop format, typically there are three major types here, 1) Image capture centric, 2) Post-processing centric, and; 3) A combination of both. If you have assessed your own objectives for taking a workshop than this is generally a straight forward decision. If you are traveling to a far away location than most likely a image capture centric workshop is best because you could likely find a local post-processing workshop near your home, or purchase classes from one of the many on-line education services such as CreativeLive, KelbyOne, or Lynda.com. Why travel to a far away exotic location to sit in a classroom? Combination workshops are also a good local option if you are looking for help from capture to print, but again; why travel to an exotic location to spend time in a classroom, find one locally and save some money.<br />
<br />
How much physical effort will be required? Some workshop may require considerable hiking to shoot locations while others may only require short walks from the parking lot. If you do take a workshop that requires hiking than you should find out the distances involved and determine if that is something you are capable of doing or at least do a little training at home prior to the workshop so you are in-shape for the workshop hikes. You'll enjoy the hikes a lot more if you're prepared and in shape and not struggling to keep up with the pace of the group. Another consideration is the shoot schedule, shooting from before sunrise to well after sunset requires a different physical stamina than one that may fore-go a sunrise shoot or have scheduled breaks.<br />
<br />
While every workshop will be different, even those lead by the same instructor, you should expect to learn a few things you didn't know before the workshop even if your objective is just to be in a location at the right time and place, with the right light to increase your odds of capturing stunning images. While no instructor can control the quality of light provided by mother nature, he/she should know the best times and locations for the area to increase your odds of success. The best workshops time their arrival at the most opportune part of the calendar to coincide with the show mother nature is putting on, for example; spring wildflowers or fall color. Stay away for ill-timed workshops, for example; a desert workshop in August, the 100+ degree temperatures will not make for an ideal environment for you or your subject matter. Another example may be a summer workshop in Yosemite, while it may seem an ideal time, this is the time of the year the park receives the bulk of its 6 million annual visitors not to mention many of the waterfalls could have low water flow or even be dried up.<br />
<br />
Workshop vary in length and cost and if you are wondering if the $4000 invested in a 10-day sojourn through the American Southwest or $5000 trip to Iceland or $8000 African Safari will be worth the investment you should probably take a shorter trip with the same instructor/workshop company. Chances are if you receive good value for your dollar on a short workshop you'll likely receive a similar value for the longer trips they offer. Some large tour outfitters who employ many workshop leaders may make this impossible, so you are likely better off sticking to a smaller operator with just a one or two workshop leaders. Does the price include lodging, transportation and meals? Most will not include transportation/airfare to and from the workshop location, some or all meals and any souvenirs or incidentals along the way. Don't forget to include those costs into your value assessment. If the workshop includes lodging, is the style of accommodations they've chosen up to your standards. In my experience, lodging tastes and budget vary widely, while some prefer to camp in their RVs others want 5-star accommodations or something in between. It may be convenient to have the workshop company select your accommodations but the trade-off may be a room that does not meet your budget and/or expectation. If that's the case, choose a workshop where you are not obligated to a particular facility but can choose from a number of nearby accommodations.<br />
<br />
Finally, does the planned itinerary have a high shoot to travel time ratio. After all, you are there to capture amazing images and the bulk of your time should be spent shooting pictures not traveling vast distances. Look for workshops specializing in areas where travel from one shoot location to next is minimal, you also may not want to get up at 3AM to be at your sunrise shoot because of the travel time required or get back after midnight from your sunset shoot leaving you less than a full nights rest. While it is nice to know where you'll be going and what you'll be shooting from day to day you should not be locked-in to a set itinerary, your workshop itinerary should be flexible enough to be rearranged by your instructor to best take advantage of the light and prevailing weather conditions. Like the rule of thirds, its a good guideline to follow but strict adherence may not always produce the best composition. You need to recognize when to break this rule to get a better image just like any workshop leader needs to know the better location to take you for the prevailing conditions even if it means not following the itinerary.<br />
<br />
The common goal of any workshop attendee is to come home with stunning images, that's a given, but understanding why you got them could be more valuable and can be applied to future outings when there is no instructor. Transferring your workshop leanings to future shoots will be the proof of the value of the photography eduction you received at your workshop. You can direct a persons camera to the perfect composition and have them snap the shutter or you can teach the person what makes up a well composed image so they can find a beautiful photo where ever they may be shooting. Hopefully, you are a better photographer after the workshop and can see the results in your images taken well after the workshop has ended.<br />
<br />
I offer a limited number of workshops in the Southern California area and I have recently announced my 2015 workshops dates, get all the details by clicking <a href="http://www.gregclurephotography.com/california-photo-tours" target="_blank">HERE!</a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-10862608036667633752014-06-18T19:51:00.000-07:002014-06-20T14:40:54.561-07:00OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 Special Offer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-16020116238007595662014-05-30T21:08:00.000-07:002014-06-01T22:27:50.863-07:00Pro-Tip #17: Luminosity Masks via Easy Panel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tpey9lusjXnEXIVC9fsDOaVILVhaGBLYoteGYL9qsMLaolMgY5uK_60-Q3wB65FEotJalaJ_5__fggEWdedNmaZt-pYvfw0DpDFUTXZV04hKLSG5wVUpu8SZU-BcwjgvwBgE3C7Q0U0/s1600/master_rainbow_sky_bryce-724_25_26_27_28_29_30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tpey9lusjXnEXIVC9fsDOaVILVhaGBLYoteGYL9qsMLaolMgY5uK_60-Q3wB65FEotJalaJ_5__fggEWdedNmaZt-pYvfw0DpDFUTXZV04hKLSG5wVUpu8SZU-BcwjgvwBgE3C7Q0U0/s1600/master_rainbow_sky_bryce-724_25_26_27_28_29_30.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow Sky, Created Using Luminosity Masks - © Greg Clure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This
year in my Pro-Tip section I am writing about ways to get creative so
your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are
expected to be taken in 2014. Luminosity masks are one such tool you can
use in your post-processing workflow to gain greater control over the
tones in any image. So, what are luminosity masks? Luminosity masks are nothing more than selections based on the brightness values of the image. These masks provide a convenient way to select a specific tone or range of tones in an image which can then be manipulated as you see fit. They are useful when global adjustment can't get the job done or when you want to blend different exposures together in order to achieve a more realistic result than HDR programs are capable of achieving. Making your own luminosity masks can be tedious and time consuming and is why I use the Easy Panel. The Easy Panel is a free online tool that when installed to your Photoshop CS program will create 18 luminosity masks with the click of a single button as well as other cool features. It doesn't get much easier than that! You can read all about the Easy Panel and download a free copy of this tool at <a href="http://www.shutterevolve.com/easy-panel-photoshop/" target="_blank">www.shutterevolve.com/easy-panel-photoshop/ </a>and start your journey to more sophisticated image editing and move your photo processing results up to the next level.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-17448815337680963112014-05-14T14:51:00.003-07:002014-06-09T22:48:09.550-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: white;"><b>Quickly create a unique look with hundreds of photo effects<br />
and filters in the new Perfect Effects 8.5.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><b>Remove distractions in seconds with brush strokes.</b></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="margin: 5px 0 0 0;">
<span style="color: white;"><b>Combine multiple images and create multi-layered .psd files in Perfect Layers.</b></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="margin: 5px 0 0 0;">
<span style="color: white;"><b>Adjust color, contrast, and white balance quickly with Perfect Enhance 8.5.</b></span></div>
</td>
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<span style="color: white;"><b>Remove backgrounds in minutes using simple tools in Perfect Mask.</b></span></div>
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<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1399958148255_12872" style="margin: 0px 0 0 0;">
<span style="color: white;"><b>Correct skin color and fix portraits in Perfect Portrait.</b></span></div>
</td>
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<br />
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<span style="color: white;"><b>Create high-quality enlargements from low-resolution images, <br />
and crop and resize in one simple step in Perfect Resize.</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-42940952067417088422014-05-13T10:25:00.001-07:002014-05-13T10:25:41.298-07:00OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 Now Available<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.onOnesoftware.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=397_0_1_308" href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=397_0_1_308" target="_blank"><img alt="" data-cke-saved-src="http://www.onOnesoftware.com/affiliates/banners/ON1h_ID_(RGB).jpg" height="51" src="http://www.onOnesoftware.com/affiliates/banners/ON1h_ID_%28RGB%29.jpg" style="border: 0px none; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a><br />
****PRESS RELEASE****<br class="" /><br class="" /><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 Now Available - Photo Editor for Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Apple Aperture, and standalone use.<br class="" /><br class="" />Update
adds super-fast photo browsing, more file-management options, and
improvements to the Perfect Eraser and Masking Bug tools!</strong></span><br />
<br class="" />Portland,
OR - May 13, 2014 - onOne Software, Inc®., the leading developer of
innovative digital photography solutions, today announced that Perfect
Photo Suite 8.5 is now available, a new version of its full-featured
photo editor, which works as a plug-in with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe
Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Aperture, as well as a standalone app.
Version 8.5 includes speed and productivity enhancements to the Perfect
Photo Suite’s Browse module, improved performance with the Perfect
Eraser tool, and enhanced masking support in Perfect Effects and Perfect
Layers. In addition, RAW file support is now included with the Standard
Edition in version 8.5.<br class="" /><br class="" />Perfect
Photo Suite 8.5 is available today as a free update to all owners of
Perfect Photo Suite 8. It supports Photoshop CC, CS6, and CS5; Lightroom
5 and 4; Photoshop Elements 12, 11 and 10; and Apple Aperture 3.<br class="" /><br class="" />onOne’s
Perfect Photo Suite includes eight powerful, integrated applications,
each one targeted to a specific photo-processing task:<br class="" /><br class="" />* Perfect Effects. The richest and most versatile photo-stylization tool available on the<br class="" />market today. It includes an extensive library of one-click presets, fully customizable<br class="" />and adjustable effects and powerful masking tools, all of which help make your photos !pop.<br class="" />*
Perfect Enhance. Offers essential tools for basic enhancements,
including brightness, contrast, sharpening and color cast removal.
Enhance also has retouching features like the Perfect Eraser and a Clone
tool, which makes it easy to remove objects, fix dust spots and repair
flaws in a photo.<br class="" /><br class="" />* Perfect
B&W. Create stunning photos that recreate the timeless look created
by the masters of black and white photography. Perfect B&W adds
dramatic and elegant looks to photos, letting you easily create the many
moods black and white<br class="" />! photography can evoke, resulting in beautiful, one-of-a-kind photos.!<br class="" />*
Perfect Portrait. Offers simple, yet powerful, portrait retouching,
with automated feature detection and enhancement tools to smooth skin,
remove blemishes, brighten eyes and teeth, and correct skin color. Fast
processing speeds also allow photographers to retouch images quickly for
simply stunning portraits.<br class="" /><br class="" />*
Perfect Mask. Creates high-quality masks quickly and easily with
automated functionality and powerful tools that make selecting subjects
and isolating<br class="" />!backgrounds for removal extraordinarily accurate.<br class="" /><br class="" />*
Perfect Layers. Gives photographers the ability to combine images and
extend their photo-editing options in a layered file workflow without
Photoshop. Photographers can create and edit multi-layered files with
Perfect Layers directly from Lightroom, Aperture or when using the
Perfect Photo Suite as a standalone application. Also included are
blending modes, textures, borders, PNG file support, and the powerful<br class="" />edge-detecting Perfect Brush.<br class="" /><br class="" />*
Perfect Resize. Still the industry standard for photo enlargement. It
is renowned across the photographic and printing industries for its
ability to increase image size well over 1000% without the loss of
sharpness or detail that is normally expected. Proven Genuine Fractals
technology has been applied to algorithms that optimize the clarity and
detail of different photo types, including mobile snapshots.<br class="" /><br class="" />*
Perfect Browse. Quickly get to the photos you want to edit wherever
they're stored— whether they're on your computer, network, or on a
cloud-based storage service. Now includes one of the fastest previews
available for browsing photos. Also great for viewing photos
side-by-side in a thumbnail grid or in a larger, more detailed view
along with important metadata and navigate through them with intuitive
keyboard<br class="" />shortcuts.<br class="" /><br class="" />In
addition, all Perfect Photo Suite 8 customers are automatically
enrolled in the onOne Loyalty Rewards program. Each month customers
receive free product add-ons such as presets, textures, backgrounds,
ebooks, and other creative assets to help expand their photo editing
arsenal and get the most from onOne products.<br class="" /><br class="" />Availability and Pricing
<br class="" />Perfect
Photo Suite 8.5 is now available. Existing owners of Perfect Photo
Suite 8 are eligible for a free update. New users may purchase the
Premium Edition for $179.95 or the Lightroom & Aperture Edition for
only $99.95. The Standard Edition, a standalone application, is
available for $79.95. Owners of earlier versions of the Perfect Photo
Suite can upgrade to the Premium Edition for $99.95 or the Lightroom
& Aperture Edition for $79.95.<br class="" /><br class="" />For more information on Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 release, please visit <a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.onOnesoftware.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=397" href="http://www.ononesoftware.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=397">www.ononesoftware.com</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-17060879825580438382014-04-11T10:54:00.001-07:002014-04-11T10:54:30.820-07:00Topaz Labs Detail SALE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Flawless detail and perfect photo sharpening with Topaz Detail detail enhancement software</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="span6 offset1" id="splash-left">
<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/610-0-1-4.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="600" src="http://www2.topazlabs.com/aff/banners/Detail-Animated-Banner.gif" style="border: 0px none;" width="160" /></a>Create tack-sharp and highly detailed photos by enhancing natural sharpness and taking full control over image detail.Topaz Detail helps photographers get tack-sharp images that "pop". Here are the main benefits of using it:<br /><br />• Better control over image detail. Detail uses size-based processing that lets you independently adjust small, medium, and large details.<br />• More natural images. The technology in Detail substantially reduces the halos and artifacts you get from over-sharpening. <br />• More volume and three-dimensionality. Detail can enhance larger image features to increase the perceived "depth" of your photo.<br /><br />Topaz Detail puts unique detailing capabilities right at your fingertips. Built with one-of-a-kind technology, this plug-in is invaluable for photographers who want precise and intricate detailing abilities that will help achieve high-quality enhancements. Detail breaks down an image into three levels of internal detail separation and three levels of tone separation. What makes it stand apart from other similar tools is the flexibility and control that allows you to selectively enhance or remove detail throughout your image without the side effects of halos or artifacts. You can see some examples on the product page: <a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/idevaffiliate.php?id=610&url=http://www.topazlabs.com/detail">http://www.topazlabs.com/detail</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-42438657642733283112014-03-28T10:07:00.000-07:002014-04-02T09:39:03.914-07:00Pro-Tip #16: Get Creative with Magic Lantern<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This
year in my Pro-Tip section I am writing about ways to get creative so
your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are
expected to be taken in 2014. Magic Lantern (ML) is one of those tools to
help accomplish that goal. Magic Lantern (ML) is a FREE software add-on that
runs from the SD/CF card
and adds a host of new features to Canon EOS cameras that weren't
included from the factory by Canon. Developed by independent film makers in their spare time ML augments the factory settings and features with a plethora of new features including: <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Audio: disable AGC, audio meters, manual audio controls, selectable input source (internal, internal+external, external stereo, balanced), audio monitoring via A/V cable.</li>
<li>Exposure helpers: zebras, false color, histogram, waveform, spot meter, vector scope.</li>
<li>Focus tools: focus peaking, zoom while recording, trap focus, rack focus, follow focus, focus stacking.</li>
<li>Movie helpers: Bit rate control, movie logging (Exif-like metadata), auto-restart after buffer overflow or 4 GB limit, HDR video, advanced FPS control.</li>
<li>LiveView adjustments: contrast, saturation, display gain for using LiveView in darkness. Cropmark images: user-editable overlays to assist framing and composition.</li>
<li>Fine control for ISO, Shutter, Kelvin white balance and other image settings.</li>
<li>Bracketing: advanced exposure bracketing, focus stacking.</li>
<li>Remote release with LCD face sensor and audio trigger, without extra hardware.</li>
<li>Timelapse: intervalometer (for photos and movies), bulb ramping (manual and automatic), recording at very low FPS (down to 0.2 FPS), silent pictures without shutter actuation.</li>
<li>Astro- and night photography: bulb timer for very long exposures (up to 8h).</li>
<li>Info displays: focus and DOF info, CMOS temperature, shutter count, clock.</li>
<li>For strobists: flash exposure compensation, range up to -10 to +3 EV (depends on the camera).</li>
<li>Power saving: Turn off display or reduce backlight in LiveView during idle times.</li>
<li>Handy features: Quick zoom in PLAY mode, key shortcuts for commonly-used features, customizable menus.</li>
<li>And much more!</li>
</ul>
Some of the features I use regularly are:<br />
<br />
<b>Auto Exposure Bracketing</b> - I particularly like the added control when shooting Auto Exposure Brackets with ML managing the shoot sequence you can take up to 9 shots with +/- 0.5 to 5 EVs between exposures with a single press of the shutter button. Additionally, ML will add a 2 second timer delay to the start of the sequence and lock the mirror up to reduce sources of vibration.<br />
<br />
<b>Intervalometer</b> - Having a built-in intervalmeter is great for taking timelapse sequences where you can set the start delay, duration between shots and stop after X number of pictures. It also works in Movie Mode and allows you to set the duration of the movie clip.<br />
<br />
<b>Stack Focus</b> - This selection will shoot a series of photographs with varying focus points. It is used in macro photography to assemble sharper final images by merging photos where each has a different focus point. I use it on landscape images where I am extremely close to my foreground and I want it to be in sharp focus as well as the distant background elements.<br />
<br />
<b>Motion Detection Triggers</b> - Trigger modes to choose from: Exposure Change: it only reacts to brightness changes. Detects large moving subjects which cause significant change in exposure or Frame Difference: it computes the difference between the last two frames A and B (luma channel only); this detects smaller movements which do not change exposure. Detection time is somewhere between 200 and 300 ms. Great for wildlife camera traps, lightening shoots, or taking images of the family pet when you are away.<br />
<br />
I could go on but it would be better if you download ML and read the 56 page user manual which covers all the upgrades you will get for FREE. You can download this program at <a href="http://www.magiclantern.fm/">www.magiclantern.fm</a> The added features that ML brings to your disposal will provide you with many new ways to step up your photographic game and get those shots other photographers would never think about due to the limitations of their factory equipment.<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-65575874605684580582014-03-11T17:01:00.002-07:002014-03-11T17:01:22.289-07:00$50 Off OnOne Perfect Suite 8<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-72986999860258357142014-02-25T14:16:00.000-08:002014-02-25T14:16:30.070-08:00Pro-Tip #15: Get Creative: Finding Interesting Sky<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXjS4TZJOGqD53q2NzX01mY2ARXPwOgnBt9bxflpaEETLeWmNZ6_prgHzX8Bpi7uTHilHITnSr_Ls1OYV3Cg_kqFDPcyMcEEOxQkSs-TJTPU8puT0f0O85JDObW3Czsy4UisWHdz1Mw0/s1600/master_rolling_sand_dunes_death_valley_526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXjS4TZJOGqD53q2NzX01mY2ARXPwOgnBt9bxflpaEETLeWmNZ6_prgHzX8Bpi7uTHilHITnSr_Ls1OYV3Cg_kqFDPcyMcEEOxQkSs-TJTPU8puT0f0O85JDObW3Czsy4UisWHdz1Mw0/s1600/master_rolling_sand_dunes_death_valley_526.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolling Sand Dunes © Greg Clure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This
year in my Pro-Tip section I am writing about ways to get creative so
your images will standout from the other 880 billion photos that are
expected to be taken in 2014. An easy way to turn an ordinary image into
an extraordinary image that stands out from others taken in the same
location is by finding some interesting sky. Finding and including interesting sky in your image can often move your image up to the next level, so I have assembled some tips and tools to help you in
this endeavor.<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><b>Timing</b> - Time your visit to when a storm is rolling through your chosen location. Often, right before or right after a storm rolls through you will find your best opportunity for capturing dramatic skies. While this is the best way to ensure you have an interesting sky to work with it may not always be that practical. This works if you live nearby the scene you are shooting and can be on-site in short order, but does not work if you are traveling a long way from home. If far from home, time your visit to a part of the calendar year where storms are more common and more frequent which increases your odds of being on site for dramatic skies.</li>
<li><b>Weather Apps</b> - These days you can get great information on advancing storms on your smart phone. Apps like AccuWeather or WeatherBug offer tons of weather information in the palm of your hand and can help decide where and what you should be shooting over the next few days. I especially like the radar maps which show advancing cloud cover. Check the weather regularly and adjust your shooting schedule accordingly.</li>
<li><b>Compose with the Sky in Mind</b> - The rule of thirds will have you put your horizon line one-third up from the bottom or down from the top. If you have a dramatic sky than the upper two-thirds or even more can be dedicated to the sky. This puts importance on the sky as your center of interest and is effective in telling your story of the drama in the sky.</li>
<li><b>Use Filters </b>- Polarisers are great for darkening up the blue in the sky and adding extra contrast pop to the clouds in the sky. You might also need to use a graduated neutral density filter to bring down the brightness of your sky should the the dynamic range be to great for a single exposure. If your clouds are moving, you might consider using a streight netural density filter to lentghen your shutter speed and accentuate the clouds streaking across the sky as discused in Pro-Tip #14.</li>
<li><b>Clear Blue Sky Strategy</b> - Sometime Mother Nature is just not going to cooperate with your need for clouds and provides clear blue skies. If you do need to include the clear blue sky in your composition you should work to minimize it as much as possible. Another strategy would be to switch gears and exclude the sky altogether from your compositions. Look for more intimate scenes or macros in areas of full shade to avoid the typical harshness that comes along with clear blue skies. You can also go out at sunrise or sunset where you can get some color (other than blue) from the low angle sunlight for your cloudless grand scenic shots. </li>
<li><b>Dress for the Conditions</b> - Dress in layers that you can adjust to
the changing weather conditions. You are out in unstable weather so you
need to be prepared for anything that might come your way. It can be
clear, warm and sunny and turn cool, dark and rainy in a matter of minutes
when a cold front rolls through. Protect yourself and your gear with
the appropriate covers should you get caught out in the storm. If you do
get caught in the storm, seek shelter as soon as possible and be ready
to return to your shoot location when things begin to clear.</li>
</ol>
Hopefully, you can use some or all of these tips to increase your odds in finding and capturing more interesting skies on your next photo outing. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-8104963654341111552014-02-16T09:07:00.003-08:002014-02-16T09:07:23.959-08:00Simply Amazing! Try it for Free!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">50% Off Until 2/28, NOW $19.99</span></b></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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Regular price $39.99</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/idevaffiliate.php?id=610&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftopazlabs.com%2Fsimplify"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img alt="banner" border="no" class="" height="245" src="http://topazlabs.s3.amazonaws.com/mailings/02-14-14/images/banner.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="400" /></span></b></span></a></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
The Topaz Simplify plug-in allows you to create stunning art from
photos by transforming regular digital images into beautiful
works-of-art. With Simplify, you can achieve a variety of creative art
effects including: watercolors, textured oil paintings, cartoon-like
images, abstracts, charcoal drawings, line art, and photo-realistic
paintings - giving your photography a true creative edge.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
The unique <span class="xtrig">size-based technology</span> in
Topaz Simplify processes your photo in the same way a true artist would:
it eliminates detail-clutter and leaves behind only the essence and
natural structure of the photo. By selectively removing unnecessary
image clutter, Simplify helps you create a bold and powerful piece of
art in just a few clicks.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-61054299348378540092014-02-13T11:25:00.000-08:002014-02-13T16:02:05.807-08:00Topaz Labs Simplify - 50% Off Sale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
</h1>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">50% Off Until 2/28, NOW $19.99</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
w/ discount code "febsimplify"</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Regular price $39.99</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/610-0-1-38.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/banners/simplify4.jpg" height="250" style="border: 0px none;" width="250" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Digital Art and Painting</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Topaz Simplify plug-in allows you to create stunning art from
photos by transforming regular digital images into beautiful
works-of-art. With Simplify, you can achieve a variety of creative art
effects including: watercolors, textured oil paintings, cartoon-like
images, abstracts, charcoal drawings, line art, and photo-realistic
paintings - giving your photography a true creative edge.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The unique <span class="xtrig">size-based technology</span> in
Topaz Simplify processes your photo in the same way a true artist would:
it eliminates detail-clutter and leaves behind only the essence and
natural structure of the photo. By selectively removing unnecessary
image clutter, Simplify helps you create a bold and powerful piece of
art in just a few clicks.<br />
<br />
Here's an example using one of the available pre-sets, just with one click of the mouse, I went from a detailed photograph to a less detailed more painterly watercolor look. The possibilities are endless as there are tens of thousands of variations possible.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzD4fkSKZKvLT9MxwKzhj8g-8OQPPmgd7pQXLVHJaPDXv0MV1AymOYWydwxRPd1iZzF0Ox9XLlhovUP0xYx-RqaoB2YtSdoAewjk6TRNtFy4OmKq0aKc8-aNCK2UkjWUhZ7i4-goog5E/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow_el_matador_day2-1047-Edit-313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzD4fkSKZKvLT9MxwKzhj8g-8OQPPmgd7pQXLVHJaPDXv0MV1AymOYWydwxRPd1iZzF0Ox9XLlhovUP0xYx-RqaoB2YtSdoAewjk6TRNtFy4OmKq0aKc8-aNCK2UkjWUhZ7i4-goog5E/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow_el_matador_day2-1047-Edit-313.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-AIsa4I4QtdGRwodaU9YQQC_ieLyDzVYEM7E0YZUFtijtgRmDct1nmflJ6cmzvhRMAoSV-HLhjT4qvyXBM3DrvOoKwo_LTdsF0wXVMwx7srV4av2Je7yHZmsFr-jWpjNVMtekmpl5TA/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow__Simplify_Watercolor-el_matador_day2-1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-AIsa4I4QtdGRwodaU9YQQC_ieLyDzVYEM7E0YZUFtijtgRmDct1nmflJ6cmzvhRMAoSV-HLhjT4qvyXBM3DrvOoKwo_LTdsF0wXVMwx7srV4av2Je7yHZmsFr-jWpjNVMtekmpl5TA/s1600/master_risiing_tidal_flow__Simplify_Watercolor-el_matador_day2-1047.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topaz Simplify Watercolor Pre-set Applied</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">As with any Topaz
product you can try it before you buy it, download a free 30 day trial
version to see if Topaz Simplify is right for you. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Better yet, if you are new to Topaz,
this product is included in their Complete Collection where you get
all 14 Topaz products at a super discount, use my <span style="color: orange;"><b>discount code, gclure</b></span> and save an additional 15% off the Complete Collection.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/610-0-1-69.html" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/banners/Topaz%20Complete%20Collection%20Banner%20250x250.jpg" height="250" style="border: 0px none;" width="250" /></a> </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-50710945078573838302014-01-31T20:38:00.001-08:002014-02-01T09:13:59.857-08:00Pro-Tip #14: Get Creative: Long Exposure Photography<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn34tpkWEIWOwKu1CxwhtQ2HOMFAbhqZ1LoF4hw-8uCMCbY0BfyNsvUeDMiWdufzGQqOiLjkpzywt-ciXGe1muScD8qjS5E9Ih0Pb_5MT9MxCIkvWx6TR5fo3RhpUlSQsofiNV1wKpFHg/s1600/master_golden_arch_sunset_el_matador_day2-1021-Edit-312-Edit-325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn34tpkWEIWOwKu1CxwhtQ2HOMFAbhqZ1LoF4hw-8uCMCbY0BfyNsvUeDMiWdufzGQqOiLjkpzywt-ciXGe1muScD8qjS5E9Ih0Pb_5MT9MxCIkvWx6TR5fo3RhpUlSQsofiNV1wKpFHg/s1600/master_golden_arch_sunset_el_matador_day2-1021-Edit-312-Edit-325.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Arch Sunset - f/13@30 sec., 9 stop ND filter</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> Last
month's Pro-Tip was about getting creative so your images will standout
from the other 880 billion photos that are expected to be taken in
2014. An easy way to turn an ordinary image into an extraordinary image
that standout from others taken in the same location is with long
exposure photography. So what is it and how would it make my photos
stand out?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> A long exposure can be thought of as any shutter speed where the photographer cannot hand hold the camera without getting unwanted blur due to camera shake. These are typically shutter speeds longer than 1/30th or 1/15th of a second. The aim of long exposure photography is to introduce some creative blur as a result of a moving subject. Moving water is a classic subject of this technique as are star trails and traffic head and tail lights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> A couple of pieces equipment will be need to help you capture long exposures; 1) A camera support, typically a tripod, will be needed because hand holding your camera will not be possible, and; 2) A neutral density (ND) filter will be useful in photographing brighter scenes and allow you a choice of longer shutter speeds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> What camera settings should I use for the best blur? Well, this is where taste and personal choice come into the creative process. Blur will be affected by three major factors, 1) Speed of your moving subject, 2) The distance between your lens and moving subject, and; 3) Shutter speed. Because you are looking for long exposures you will typically be setting your ISO to its lowest setting and your aperture will typically be closed down to its smallest setting which will give you the slowest possible shutter speed for your lighting condition. If you are unable to get a slow enough shutter speed you can add a ND filter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> Personally, I like to try various shutter speeds as each will give a different look and feel to the moving subject and it is hard to tell which you might like best by looking at the back of your camera. The above image was a 30 second exposure but I took others from 0.3 seconds to 20 seconds and liked the results of several others in addition to this one. You can see the others in my on-line gallery at <a href="http://www.gregclurephotography.com/santa-monica-mountians">Greg Clure Photography</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif;"> My intent is not to provide you with everything there is to know about long exposure photography, as books have been written on the topic, but rather to get you to think about using it as a means of getting a different result and ultimately a better result than the standard fast shutter speed snap shots that will be taken by others. Be creative with slow shutter speeds and capture some unique and more interesting images. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-10815947302886209932013-12-31T21:50:00.000-08:002013-12-31T21:50:33.674-08:00Pro-Tip #13: Get Creative<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I recently read an article on the web projecting the number of photos to
be taken in 2014, and the numbers are so large its hard to wrap your
mind around them. It is projected the world will take 880 billion photos in 2014. The world has definitely embraced the digital image revolution and most of us always have a camera with us these days. We are also sharing many of those photos on-line, Facebook gets 208,300 photo uploaded to it every minute and Instagram receives 27,800 per minute. In a seemingly infinite supply of images how do you make yours standout in the over crowded cyberspace?<br />
<br />
Creativity is the answer. The vast majority of the 880 billion image to be taken in 2014 will likely be done by raising the camera to eye level set on auto and pressing the button. No thought, no creativity, no one will notice them. If you want to get your images to standout from the crowd than you need a more creative approach. The following fixes are simple and easy to do but you just have to think about them before you press the button. I put these creative fixes into four major catagories:<br />
<br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Camera Position - After you snap that eye level shot ask your self if a higher or lower camera position might improve your photo. Perhaps you can move left or right for a better composition. This is the simplest of actions to do and can take a very unnoticeable image to one that gets noticed because its different than all the rest.</li>
<li>Angle of View - Is the scene before you best shot with a wider than normal view or perhaps a narrower angle of view. You don't have a zoom lens, zoom with you feet. Most any camera can take a panorama these days for an ultra-wide angle of view. Wide angles are great for showing the grand scenic view and allows you to include a close foreground through distant background and introduce some depth into your images. While a telephoto excels at isolating your subject and compressing distances.</li>
<li>Exposure Settings - I am not talking about getting the correct exposure--that's a given, but adjusting your shutter and aperture creatively to enhance your image. Will the subject before you benefit from a fast or slow shutter? Do you need to isolate your subject with a narrow depth of field or do you need to maximize what's sharp from near to far. </li>
<li>Timing - Are you at your location at the optimal time? This may be out of your control but I am talking about what is going on with the light and weather. Can you come back at sunrise or sunset? Perhaps a night time shot that includes the moon or the Milky Way would likely be less common than the standard day time shot. Do you have clear blue skies, then come back when some clouds are out--clouds make most any shot better with their presence.</li>
</ol>
There are many other ways to get creative but these are the simplest and easiest to implement and only require a little bit of quick thought before pressing the button. Anyone can do them but most will not. So when you do them, your photos will standout that much more the eye level no thought photos making up the majority of the 880 billion photos competing for attention. <br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-28807775891952974512013-12-10T16:24:00.001-08:002013-12-10T17:28:09.139-08:00Topaz Star Effects on SALE for $14.99<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/610-17-1-82.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br /><img alt="" src="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/banners/336x280-button-animated.gif" style="border: 0px;" /></a></div>
<br />
Turn an ordinary sunset into an extraordinary sunset with Topaz Star Effects. Apply brilliant light rays, add dazzling sun flares, and create the best star and lighting effects you've ever seen. Make your photos exceptional with Topaz Star Effects.</div>
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
I like the sun star effect, as you can tell if you have ever browsed through my on-line portfolio at <a href="http://www.gregclurephotography.com/">www.gregclurephotography.com</a>, which is basically a form of lens flair that looks good versus the kind of flare that can ruin an image. Creating this effect in camera is often difficult and sometimes impossible depending on the ambient light conditions and requires a lot of trial and error to get just the perfect amount of flair. Topaz Star Effects takes all the guess work out of creating the perfect sun star effect in your images with precise and intuitive controls. You choose the number of star points you want, the length of each flair, the color scheme, the amount of aura desired....I think you get the picture! But don't take my word for it, download a free 15-day trial version and try it out on a few of your own images.<br />
<br />
Get everything you need to craft beautiful star and light effects in your photos:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Select stunning effects you won't find anywhere else</li>
<li>Auto-detect light sources to accurately apply in a single click</li>
<li>Customize and tweak your effect until it looks perfect</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on">
Not every photo needs or looks good with light effects, but the ones that do simply look phenomenal. Use Star Effects to easily apply these to your own images, and get 50% off with the coupon code "decstar" until the end of the year! Regular price is $29.99, SALE price is just $14.99.</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-58217805359315522502013-12-01T15:01:00.000-08:002013-12-01T15:06:02.291-08:00Pro-Tip #12: Shoot in RAW<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On my photo workshops I conduct regularly, I always run into someone not shooting in RAW. Typically, they’ve recently stepped-up to a DSLR from a point-and-shoot camera that did not have this file format or they don’t understand the benefits even though they have heard over and over that you should be shooting in RAW. But do you know why it’s so important? And what it really means for your images? Let’s sort it out!<br /><br />First off, what is RAW? RAW is a file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo. When shooting in a format like JPEG image information is compressed and lost. Because no information is compressed with RAW you’re able to produce higher quality images, as well as correct problem images that would be unrecoverable if shot in the JPEG format.<br /><br />And happily many cameras these days shoot RAW, including some point and shoots! So even if you’re using a little camera, you might still be able to take advantage of the RAW file format (just check your camera manual to see!).<br /><br />So, the benefits. Let’s look at the big ones…<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.
Get the Highest Level of Quality</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is one of the biggest benefits.
<b>When you shoot in RAW you record <i>all</i> of the data from the sensor.</b>
This gives the highest quality files. And when it comes to your awesome images,
you want high quality.Look at it this way: all cameras<i>
technically</i> shoot RAW. Yes, it’s true.The difference when you shoot in JPEG
format is that the camera does it’s own processing to convert the RAW
information into a JPEG.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, your camera is nowhere near
as smart as your brain, nor is it as powerful as your computer. When you shoot RAW,
you’re able to do that processing yourself. You can make the decisions on how
the image should look, and produce way better results.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2.
Record Greater Levels of Brightness</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Levels of brightness are the number
of steps from black to white in an image. The more you have, the smoother the
transitions of tones. Smooth is good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JPEG records 256 levels of
brightness, and RAW records between 4,096 to 16,384 levels!</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> This is described with the term “bit”. JPEG captures in
8bit, and RAW is either 12bit or 14bit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The effect this has on your images
is huge. Those additional steps of brightness let you make more adjustments (exposure,
black levels, mid-tones, recovery, contrast, brightness) to your image without
a significant reduction of quality, because there’s more levels to
work with!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s also easier to avoid or correct
posterization in your images when you shoot in RAW. Posterization is the banding
that you often see in bright skies, which <i>really</i> doesn’t look good
in prints!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.
Easily Correct Dramatically Over/Under Exposed Images</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obviously you want to get the best
exposure in camera, but sometimes things move fast (especially with wildlife!)
and you wind up with a dramatically over or under exposed image.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With RAW you have additional
information in the file, so it’s much easier to correct the image without a
drastic reduction in quality.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> You
can also recover more blown highlights and clipped shadows. Good stuff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.
Easily Adjust White Balance</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you shoot JPEG the white
balance is applied to the image. You can’t just easily choose another
option. With RAW the white balance is still recorded, but because you have
way more data, it’s easy to adjust.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Great white balance and color are
essential to an awesome image, and shooting RAW lets you make the adjustments
easier and faster, with better results.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.
Get Better Detail</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you shoot RAW you have access
to sharpening and noise algorithms in a program like Lightroom that are way
more powerful than those found in your camera.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Plus, these sharpening and noise
algorithms are always improving, so in the future you’ll be able to re-visit
your RAW files and take advantage of these improvements.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6.
Enjoy Non-Destructive Editing</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When you make adjustments to a RAW
file, you’re not actually doing anything to the original data.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> What you’re doing is creating a set of instructions for how
the JPEG or TIFF (another file format) version should be saved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The awesomness of this is that you
never ever have to worry about ruining an image, accidentally saving over, or
being unable to go back and make changes. You can always reset your
adjustments, and start over again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">JPEG files lose quality every time
you open them, make adjustments, and save again. True story. It’s what is known
as a “lossy” file format. So if you’re making edits to JPEGs you always have to
be duplicating the image and saving out a new version if you don’t want to lose
file quality. Hassle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7.
Get Better Prints</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Because of the finer gradation of
tones and colors you’ll get better prints from RAW files</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. Even though more and more people are shooting digital,
great prints are as important as ever (maybe even more so, due to their
relative rarity!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8.
Select Color Space on Output</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Color space is a bit of a complex
topic, but here’s a quick tip. With RAW you can choose from any color space
when you are exporting it out, so you can adjust depending on
the situation!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Is the image going on to the web?
Then output in the sRGB color space to ensure maximum compatibility among
web browsers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are the files heading to a client?
Save it in the common Adobe RGB (1998) color space.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Do you want the widest color space
possible? Use ProPhoto RGB.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Basically there are different color
spaces that work best for different situations, and when you shoot RAW you can
export a single image in multiple spaces! Sweet!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9.
Have an Efficient Workflow</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s easier to work through large
batches of images when you’re using a workflow centric program like Lightroom
or Aperture.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> They’re designed to easily process
groups of RAW images. Photoshop is not meant for that kind of thing, it’s built
to handle one image at a time. In order to take full advantage of
all the benefits of Lightroom and Aperture you should be shooting RAW!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10.
It’s the Pro Option</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Professionals should be providing
their clients with the highest quality possible. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Issues like banding and blown highlights are big deals when
you’re offering your clients printed products. Achieving proper color balance,
and choosing the right color space for the situation are critical as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By shooting RAW you take control,
and are able to manage these problems to create the best results possible. Now that some point and shoots are
capable of shooting RAW, most everyone can take advantage of this pro level
option, and get better files and prints! Good deal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Downsides
and Solutions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now, there are always pros and cons
to every option, and RAW does have a few downsides. We’ll chat about those, as
well as some potential solutions!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Need
To Be Processed</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A common argument against shooting RAW
is that because the files need to be processed, it takes more time to shoot RAW
than JPEG. If you don’t do any processing to your JPEGs that might
be true.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However, most photographers do some
level of processing to their JPEGs so already the argument is
getting flimsy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then, when you add in the fact that
adjustments like white balancing, and recovering highlights and shadows are way
faster with RAW files, and it actually begins to look like processing RAW can
be faster than JPEG!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then, with RAW, you can easily
export to JPEG, as well as convert to various sizes (like web res) at the same
time. If you really wanted you could even shoot RAW + JPEG simultaneously!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RAW gives you way more options, and
can be processed just as fast, if not faster, than JPEG.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Takes
Up More Space</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since RAW files have more
uncompressed information they can be 2-3 times larger than JPEG files. This is
definitely a concern for many shooters, especially those who create a lot
of images.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But over the past few years, the cost
of hard drives has really dropped, and they’re incredibly affordable!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let’s consider a 1TB
hard drive.</span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A 1TB drive costs about $55</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If a large JPEG file is about 8MB, you’ll fit 125,000
images on the drive, at $0.00044/image</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If a RAW file is about 30MB, you’ll fit 33,333 images
on the drive, at $0.00165/image</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Obviously you can store fewer RAW
files, but the number of images that you can cheaply store is so large for both
formats that it’s not really an issue! It’s also probably a good idea to not
place so many images on a single hard drive. Don’t put all your photographic
eggs in one basket!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Memory cards are the same deal.
They’re constantly dropping in price. Remember when a 2GB card was over $200??
Nowadays you can hardly even buy one that small, and 16GB is as cheap as
$15. Madness!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes, RAW files are bigger and take
up more space. But that’s because they’re of higher quality. Go with high
quality for the extra $0.00121/image.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Slows
The Camera Down</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RAW files are larger than JPEGs, so
they’ll fill up the buffer of your camera faster. The camera will still shoot
the same frames per second, regardless of whether it is RAW or JPEG, but you
may have to wait for the camera to write to the memory card if the buffer
fills up.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If shooting fast sequences if
critical for you, and you want to shoot RAW, you can purchase faster memory
cards, or a more expensive camera with a larger buffer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
A Proprietary Format</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">RAW files are often recorded in a
proprietary format, which means that the camera manufacturers haven’t
officially disclosed how the raw data can be converted. Companies like Adobe
either need to license software to decode the RAW files or reverse engineer how
the files should be converted. (For Canon cameras the RAW format looks like .CR2
and for Nikon it’s .NEF).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The problem here is that you can’t
be certain that in 5, 10 or 20 years you’ll be able to easily open that RAW
file if you don’t have the proper software to decode it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A open source RAW format has been
developed in order to overcome this obstacle. It was developed by Adobe and is
known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Negative_%28file_format%29"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">DNG</span></a>
(Digital Negative). Using a program like Lightroom, you can convert your
proprietary RAW files into the open source DNG format. It’s an extra step, but
it will ensure your files are readable far into the future!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Already the Leica M9 shoots in the DNG
format, so look for more camera manufacturers to support this open source
format in the future!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Wrap
It UP!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hopefully this look at RAW and it’s
benefits has cleared things up a bit! Suggestions that RAW takes too long, or
is too much work, don’t really hold water anymore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">These days, it’s super duper easy
(and fast!) to process RAW files, and <b>you’ll be able to get the absolute
best quality out of those images that you put so much time, effort and
love into!</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661532360484588296.post-35541813840271982092013-11-25T10:51:00.000-08:002013-11-25T14:11:44.738-08:00Topaz Complete Photography Collection SPECIAL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Black Friday, Cyber Monday Special </span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Lowest Price of the Year!</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Regularly $379.99 <span style="color: red;"> </span></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">SALE $199.99, use code "blackfriday2013"</span></span></h2>
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<a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/610-0-1-69.html" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.topazlabs.com/aff/banners/Topaz%20Complete%20Collection%20Banner%20250x250.jpg" style="border: 0px currentColor;" width="250" /></a></h3>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Topaz
Labs plug-ins</b> are among the hottest Photoshop add-ons and best overall
deal right now, for the following reasons: 64-bit-compatible, low prices, unique
and useful effects and very active participation by the developers in the user
community. The developers are constantly updating and improving the products,
and upgrades are free for existing customers!<br /><br />You can save a large amount
of money by opting for the <b>Topaz Complete Collection</b> at
$199.99, normally $379.99, a </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$570 SAVING, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over buying these 14
plug-ins/apps individually. This is THE BEST PLUG-IN DEAL in the industry,
considering the wide range of image effects and enhancements they make
possible.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You get all 14 plug-in packages for one amazing low price! Here's what's included:</span></span><br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Topaz ReStyle</b> is the newest addition to the Topaz line-up. There are plenty of tools that help you achieve a specific look in your
photos. But Topaz ReStyle is different – it gets you results that you
wouldn't have thought of otherwise. So next time you're staring at an
image after making some minor adjustments and it's just <i>not quite there</i>, try using ReStyle to jump-start your creativity.</span></span></div>
<br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Topaz Clarity</b> lets you spend more time shooting and less
time post-processing by applying one of over 100 presets. These one-click
effects were specially developed and fine-tuned for specific types of photos.
Instantly add extra depth to your architecture images, wedding photos and
everything in between.</span></span><br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span class="ds1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Topaz B&W Effects</b> takes you beyond
traditional black and white conversion methods by integrating unique features
like a 5-in-1 selective adjustment brush, adaptive exposure, quad toning,
historical processing collections, creative effects and more.<br /><br /><b>Topaz Adjust</b> is the easiest way to make your
photos pop. Perhaps the most popular plug-in in the industry right now, Adjust
optimizes image exposure, color, and detail strength for stunning image results.
Quality exposure adjustment in Photoshop is cumbersome and sometimes
frustrating. Adjust makes this process simple, fun, and highly rewarding. Other
developers charge up to and over $595 for this type of plug-in, and they offer
far less functionality!<br /><br /><b>Topaz
ReMask</b> is the fastest way to mask and extract your images. ReMask
harnesses the latest in image extraction technology to make masking intuitive
and powerful. Unlike Photoshop's sometimes clumsy and hard to use extraction
tools, ReMask makes photo extraction and masking easy and sizzling
fast.<br /><br /><b>Topaz Detail</b> gives full
control and precision over all aspects of detail manipulation without creating
any edge artifacts or halos. Unlike Photoshop's detail enhancement techniques,
Detail effectively accentuates three levels of detail without the slightest
trace of artifacts or haloing.<br /><br /><b>Topaz
Simplify</b> provides creative simplification, art effects, and line
accentuation for easy one-of-a-kind art. In contrast to built-in artistic
filters in Photoshop, which are limited to certain specific effects, Simplify
creates a wide range of stunning artistic effects in a simple, intuitive, but
powerful interface.<br /><br /><b>Topaz
DeNoise</b> offers a complete noise reduction solution that removes far
more noise and preserves far more detail than other solutions. Noise reduction
is one of our core competencies, and DeNoise displays that brilliantly. Use
state-of-the-art noise reduction abilities to make your formerly noisy photos
clean, clear, and crisp.<br /><br /><b>Topaz
Clean</b> provides unique smoothing and edge stylizing capabilities not
found anywhere else. It can quickly add interesting flair to photos and can be
used to both smooth out detail and stylize edges. Use Clean for exceptional
results on portraits, weddings, and other people photos.<br /><br /><b>Topaz DeJPEG</b> drastically improves the quality of
web images and other compressed photos. Although Photoshop includes a simple
JPEG fixer, it doesn't preserve as much quality as possible. DeJPEG makes sure
that any compressed image looks as good as it possibly can.<br /><br /><b>Topaz InFocus</b> is the comprehensive solution for
your sharpening and deblurring needs. Infocus recovers lost detail, refines with
micro-contrast enhancement and restores clarity to blurry images. Unlike unsharp
masking, InFocus sharpens without distracting high-contrast
edges.<br /><br /><b>Topaz Lens Effects</b>
simulates realistic lens, filter and specialty camera effects.<br /><br /><b>Topaz Star Effects</b> creates unique star and
lighting effects by manipulating and enhancing the appearance of various light
sources found within your image. With a variety of fully-customizable effect
options for modifying light sources, you can easily add a creative or dramatic
flare to lights or reflective surfaces to focus more attention on those
point.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span class="ds1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><b>Topaz photoFXlab</b> With instant access to all
of the Topaz plug-ins, photoFXlab easily connects you to all of your Topaz
effects in a searchable library. Featuring a layered workflow with masking
capabilities, selective enhancement brushes with edge-aware technology and a fun
new way to InstaTone your images, photoFXlab"! is the new way to experience
Topaz.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="ds1" style="font-size: small;"><span class="ds1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tray Radcliff of Stuck in Customs, says these plug-ins are the secret sauce that makes his images pop and saves him loads of time in post production. Join the pros with professional creative results when you start creating and stop processing by employing these cutting edge plug-ins. What are you waiting for, give yourself the gift of time by using these plug-ins for creating results you never knew were possible. </span></span></span><span class="ds1"><span class="ds1"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598672614204344834noreply@blogger.com2