The Digital Photo Guy

By Popular Demand

Subscribers come and go on my site all the time. Many don’t give a reason for unsubscribing, some lose interest in photography, others are satisfied with their current skills and some have progressed beyond the beginner level material on this site. Last week, I had a first. A person unsubscribed because, “Too many under-dressed female models…” Well, today’s post is dedicated to that former subscriber.

Next week, I’m shooting Tina and several other pin-up models for the launch of their 2012 calendar for Cuties for a Cause. This year’s cause is the San Diego Animal Support Foundation, a private, volunteer organization dedicated to improving the welfare of animals. So, if you’re an animal lover, buy a calendar to support their cause. And, if you’re offended by pin-up models, this is not the site for you. (I feel so much better now. )

Restore Old Photos – 30 Minute Webinar, Wed Sep 14

If you have old, ratty, torn photos with dog-eared corners, creases, coffee/water stains and “goop” of unknown origins, you’ll want to register for this 30-Minute Webinar. In 30 minutes, you’ll get a quick overview of restoration techniques to make your photos useable.

Combined with tips and techniques learned in other 30-Minute Webinars such as levels adjustment, color balance and layers, you’ll be able to confidently fix badly damaged photos. As always, 30-Minute Webinars are on Wednesday evenings at 7PM Pacific Time and, currently, just $3. Later this year, prices will increase to $5 per 30-Minute Webinar or $50 for a dozen.

Lightroom Tips – 30 Minute Webinar, (TBA)

If you’re new to Lightroom and want to get started on the right foot, this is the 30-Minute Webinar for you. Because LR is totally different from Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, it takes a few moments to figure out where to start. Heck, if you just climbed onto the bandwagon without really knowing about LR, you might not even know what LR does. Don’t laugh, many people buy LR simply because “it’s on sale at a killer price!”

In this webinar, we’ll cover what LR does and demo some basic tips for making the best use of LR’s powers. As always, 30-Minute Webinars are on Wednesday evenings at 7PM Pacific Time and, currently, just $3. Later this year, prices will increase to $5 per 30-Minute Webinar or $50 for a dozen.

Gloria Hopkins Composition Webinar Video Available

Click THIS link to register to view the video recording. Registration is $19.95. If you bought Gloria’s book, Natural Design, after April 20, 2011, send me an e-mail with your name, e-mail address and date of purchase. You will receive a $5 (25%) discount code.

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum - April 30

On Saturday, 4/30 from 9AM to around noon, I’ll be at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, CA to photograph big, old, rusty, broken railroad engines, cars and equipment. Here’s more info.

HDR Tools, Tips and Techniques Webinar, May 7

On Saturday, May 7 from 9AM until noon, learn about the latest in HDR from a National Geographic photographer. Click HERE to register. For more details, click HERE.

Bighorn Sheep Scouting Trip, May 20

On Friday, May 20, I’ll be in the Palm Springs/Morongo Valley area to search for a herd of wild bighorn sheep. I only recently heard about this herd so I can’t guarantee I’ll find anything. I don’t know of any accommodations or services nearby, I’ll be in my RV. To join me, click HERE to send me an e-mail.

Palomar College Summer Classes Posted

Digital SLR for New dSLR Owners, June 14 & 15
Photoshop Elements for Digital Photographers, July 12 & 14
Hands-On Photoshoot at Kit Carson Park, August 6

Photoshop Elements in Six Weeks, May 11

Learn Photoshop Elements in six weeks, just one hour each Wednesday.

Eastern Sierras, October 2011

In either the second or third week of October 2011, I’ll be in the Eastern Sierras to photograph Mono Lake and Ancient Bristlecone Pines National Forest. If it snows, I may change the schedule to include Bodie, a magical place in the snow. If you’d like to join me, reserve the middle weeks of October. I’ll be in my RV so if I can tell you about campgrounds and BLM land where you can car/tent camp. If you need a hotel, you’ll have to make your own plans. To join me, click HERE to send me an e-mail.

$2 Webinar Series

If 20 or more people express interest, I’ll schedule a $2 webinar on just about any dSLR photography-related subject. The first two covered Buying a dSLR and dSLR Exposure Basics. Post your requests/comments here and we’ll see which subjects have legs.

Death of an R1800

My Epson R1800 has been a real love-hate affair. When it’s working, I love the rich, vibrant colors on Calumet Brilliant Luster paper. When it clogs, which is frequently, I hate the stupid printer and the idiot who designed it. I’ve had this printer for over five years and I’ve produced wonderful prints which have hung in galleries and sold enough to pay for itself. But, factor in the emotional toll of not knowing when it will throw another clogging tantrum and I’m ready to chuck it off the roof. Well, it saved me the hassle by finally dying last week.
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I stopped by Fry’s Electronics to look at an R1900. As I hemmed and hawed about an R1900 and the dinky 11ml (milliliter) ink cartridges (see comparison to left,) it struck me that an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 with 80ml cartridges dropped my ink costs down to 75¢ per ml versus $1.27 for the R1900, a 40% savings. That pushed me over the edge. Before my wife could say, “What the *$%+!” I threw down the plastic and walked out with a $1295 printer. My rationale was as follows: More

Persistence Pays Off

Butch has taken a bunch of classes with me over the past year. Like many people, he just wanted photos of his grandkids and dog, nothing too strenuous or complex, or so he thought. He bought a Nikon D90, an assortment of lenses and jumped into the deep end. In the beginning, his effors were so painful, I didn’t have the heart to tell him what I really thought.

One thing about Butch is that he’s persistent. He never took offense when, after realizing he had a skin like a rhino, I started critiquing his photos as I would any student. I could essentially tell him his latest attempt sucked as long as I also added why it sucked so badly. He took all my critiques in stride.

Last week, he sent me a photo that knocked my socks off. It’s not perfect but it was head-and-shoulders above anything he had previously sent me. The one thing that really made this photo “pop” was his use of fill flash. Notice how the sun was almost directly overhead. Without fill, the sax player’s eyes would have been lost in the shadow cast by his eye brow. With fill, he has that ever important catchlight to highlight the intensity in his eyes. Combined with the puffed cheeks and furrowed forehead, this is a “decisive moment” in this guy’s day. He’s in the groove and Butch captured that moment.

There are four little things I’d edit in this photo. See if you can spot the four issues and leave a comment below. Otherwise, this is a major milestone for Butch and I applaud his persistence. More

If It’s Not Composed, It’s Just a Snapshot

In the 2 weeks since I posted the announcement about Gloria Hopkins’ composition webinar, dozens of readers have clicked the link to Gloria’s site and read her article about turning a so-so photo into impactful art. This tells me many of you recognize the value of composition.

In the composite to the left, can you explain which is better and why? If you’re serious about photography, you need a grasp of what makes a photo compelling, impactful and/or aesthetically pleasing. The keys to excellence in photography are control, technique and composition. Here’s an article by Gloria that demonstrates her ability to organize, simplify and reduce complex concepts down to easy-to-grasp, mental maps that you can readily follow.

How many times have you wished you could ask an author what he or she meant by a certain phrase or passage? Hear Gloria explain compositional maps in her webinar. Webinars are like regular classrooms including questions, comments and answers on-the-fly. Don’t understand something? Just ask and Gloria will answer your specific question. It’s as if you’re in the room with Gloria.
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