Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Digital Darkroom #101 - Value Course on Composition! Fix Depth of Field! Night Photo Tip! Courses with Video! Discussions!

The Digital Darkroom - Free Monthly Newsletter for Digital Photographers

Welcome to the 101st issue of the Digital Darkroom

Hi

Give your photography an instant artistic boost!! Creative Photo Composition is BetterPhoto's latest Value Course - self-guided, Internet-based, and designed for beginners and hobbyists. The response to this exciting new educational product has been phenomenal, and it's no wonder! This self-paced Value Course consists of a 74-page ebook tutorial, clear and easy instructional videos by Jim Miotke, and a private forum. But that's not all. This week only, you'll receive downloadable bonus items AND save $20!! But you must hurry, since the price will go up after this Friday! See the course details here...

In this issue of Digital Darkroom, don't miss the Jim Zuckerman's Featured Article ("Fixing Depth of Field - with Photoshop") and Deb Sandidge's Featured Blog ("Night Photography Tips and Techniques"), along with a rundown of our three excellent courses that combine interactivity and video.

That's it for now. Have fun with your photography!

Kerry Drager
Newsletter Editor

To read the online version of the Digital Darkroom at our Web site, visit http://www.betterphoto.com/digitalpics/

In This Issue: Wednesday, September 28, 2011


 

Featured Photo: Blue Canoe

Blue Canoe
Blue Canoe
Jekyll Island, Tamron 10-24 mm lens, Photomatix processing, 5 exposures.

© Jimmy Day

Nikon D300s Digita...

 

Featured Article: Fixing Depth of Field - with Photoshop
Too often, says BetterPhoto instructor Jim Zuckerman, the laws of optics conspire against us photographers, and to get what we want artistically, we have to outsmart these annoying limitations. This is where Photoshop comes in ... check out Jim Z's Photoshop article...
 

Digital Before and After

Moonlight at Arches
Moonlight at Arches
8/30/11, DD. Tree taken from Arches, with added and blended layers of clouds and the moon, which is really the sun on a foggy day.
Arches Tree
Arches Tree



© Carol L. Fowler


Read the photo discussion...

 
Each month, the best Before and After will be featured in the Digital Darkroom.

To participate, upload a Before (original) picture then start a discussion on it (using the Discuss This Photo link under the picture). After telling us how you did created the effect, select "1" or "2" from the Upload Image pull-down menu, and submit an optional intermediate image and a final (After) photo. Aim to educate and inspire by sharing a concise, detailed explanation of your technique. Enjoy!


 

Featured Blog: Night Photography Tips and Techniques

 
Read - and see - how BetterPhoto instructor Deborah Sandidge has processed a Florence night scene for a unique and eye-grabbing look.   Read the blog here...

 

3 Great Digital Darkroom Courses - All Interactive with Video!

 
At BetterPhoto, we have three terrific courses that are fully interactive with video lessons:   Check out BetterPhoto's other Photoshop courses...

 

Learn to Say 'Yes' to Your Creative Dreams!

 
Learn to Say 'Yes' to Your Creative Dreams!We've heard from so many people who couldn't make the last Creative Confidence Webinar Weekend. So we're doing it again! Sign up now and mark your calendar for October 22-23, 2011. This online event is for people who:
  • Want to turn their passion into a business;
  • Are ready to take their current business to the next level;
  • Need help attracting more viewers, visitors and interested people;
  • Want to discover the one thing necessary to do to become better.
Sign up for this creativity webinar today!   Learn more about the creativity webinar...

 

New Photo Discussions

New Photo Discussion 1: Threadleaf Japanese Maple Tree - Spring Afternoon

Threadleaf Japanese Maple Tree - Spring Afternoon
Threadleaf Japanese Maple Tree - Spring Afternoon
I took 5 exposures & merged them in Photomatix to create an HDR image. All had f/16, 19 mm, iso 100. I then used Topaz Adjust (mild detail) to bring out some of the detail.

© Josh A. Friedman

joshfriedmanphoto.com
Canon EOS 7D Digit...
I don't much care for HDR images but this one floored me. Outstanding Josh!
- Allen O. Howard

See Allen's Basic BetterPholio™

Visit gypsyparentsphotography.com - Allen's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Response 1:Hi Allen. Thanks very much for the nice feedback. I used the HDR program (photomatix) to create a wider range of tones & colors. I really wasn't going for the "grunge" look that is often associated with HDR.

Thanks again.

Josh
- Josh A. Friedman

Visit joshfriedmanphoto.com - Josh's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Response 2:An interesting target and I think there is just enough HDR to bring out the detail. Well done, Josh!
- Dave Montero

See Dave's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 3:Hi Dave. Thanks for looking and the kind feedback. In addition to the Photomatix merging of the 5 original images, the Topaz Adjust (mild detail) helped to bring out more detail than would have otherwise been visible.

Thanks again.

Josh
- Josh A. Friedman

Visit joshfriedmanphoto.com - Josh's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion

 
New Photo Discussion 2: 091711 Feel The Rush

091711 Feel The Rush
091711 Feel The Rush
Taken in the early morning light of 9-14-11, using a slow shutter speed to get the blurr I was looking for and then processed in Photomatrix using the grunge preset, then tweaking the saturation a bit.

© Bob J. Boehm

Nikon D7000 Digita...
Very cool. What is the grunge preset?
- Cynthia A. Gallo Callan

See Cynthia's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 1:Cynthia,
the Grunge Preset is one of the 7 tone mapping preset tabs in Photoshop. They give you a starting point where adjustments have been made to saturation, temperature, white & black tones, contrast, brightness, and tonal range compression. You can use these "presets" as your final teaks or adjust each one to your individual tastes. It really is a great program to play with HDR effects, I have the Photomatrix Pro bundle, cost was $119 when I bought it. Thanks for the comments.
- Bob J. Boehm

See Bob's Basic BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion
 
New Photo Discussion 3: 7 in-camera pictures

7 in camera pictures
7 in camera pictures

© Bruce Van Buskirk

Canon EOS 5D Mark ...
I really, really like this. How did you do it, if you don't mind my asking.
- David A. Smith

See David's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 1:Hi David,
I wanted to experiment with my camera, so I set it so it would not advance after a shot. I also, underexposed each picture by a trial end error method. I moved the camera just a little bit in C type pattern.
The easy way to do this is in photoshop. Duplicate the photo 7 times, move each picture just a little and adjust opacity for each frame. The background layer should be changed to normal layer or turned off.
HTH Bruce
- Bruce Van Buskirk

See Bruce's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 2:Wow, Bruce, this is beautiful!!!!!
Lovely work! The colours are fantastic- this image would look fabulous framed and hung (oh yeah, and enlarged!)
Nicely done, and thanks for telling us HOW!
SMilinG ChRIS
- Christine R. Lobsinger

See Christine's Basic BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion
 
New Photo Discussion 4: Storm at the Hacienda

Storm at the Hacienda
Storm at the Hacienda
Daytime exposure near San Simeon, Calif. Multiplied image, applied nighttime filtering, created rain and lightning stroke, replaced sky, dodged and burned, and other selective changes using PSE9.

Exposure time: 1/1000 F-stop: 4.0
ISO speed: 200


© Dale Hardin

Sony Cyber-shot DS...

Another great image for the DD :-)
- Kim Kovic

See Kim's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 1:Thank you Kim. One gets to learn Photoshop when the images didn't come out as expected during exposure. :o)
- Dale Hardin

See Dale's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 2:Very realistic lightening strike. A wonderful example of PS work. Congratulations!
- Michael J. Kelly

See Michael's Basic BetterPholio™

Visit michael-j-kelly-photography.com - Michael's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion
 
New Photo Discussion 5: Half and Half

Half and Half
Half and Half
Revisited some older images and decided to give this one a new look. Added two textures from Distressed Jewell called "A Bird in My Sky" and "Cotton and Sherbert".

This was taken on Memorial Day in 2009 at the Kings Park Bluffs. The foreground is the Nissequogue River and beyond the sand bar is the Long Island Sound.

© Agnes Fegan

emptynestphotography.com
Canon EOS 5D Mark ...

Neat stuff. Have spent some long hours on that sand fishing over the years. Happy Shooting.
- Jack Gaskin

See Jack's Basic BetterPholio™

Response 1:Agnes...I am just loving this beach series and your processing on all of them is fabulous!
- R. J. Laudenbacher

See R. J.'s Basic BetterPholio™

Response 2:A winner in my humble opinion, Agnes. I like the perspective here. Looks as if I am in the water looking at the beach. Most shots are from the beach looking at water. WTG
- Ron McEwan

See Ron's Basic BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion
 
New Photo Discussion 6: Out of many, one...

Out of many, one...
Out of many, one...
French Kiss textures, Florabella Bouquet overlay

© Cindy Hamilton

cindyhamiltonphotography....
Nikon D3s Digital ...
Beautiful image, Cindy... love your treatment and effects!
- Carol Flisak

Visit carolflisakphoto.com - Carol's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Response 1:Excellent comp, capture and treatment Cindy!!
- Jeff W. Robinson

See Jeff 's Basic BetterPholio™

Visit robinsonphotoart.com - Jeff 's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Response 2:Thanks Carol and Jeff. I love the painterly look of filters and textures.

- Cindy Hamilton

See Cindy's Basic BetterPholio™

Visit cindyhamiltonphotography.com - Cindy's Deluxe BetterPholio™

Read this discussion online
Respond to this discussion
 

 

The Next Step: Where to Go From Here

Until next time, thanks for reading and keep having fun with photography!
Jim Miotke
BetterPhoto.com, Inc.

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