The Digital Photo Guy

SCORE!

Yesterday, I scored BIG TIME for my readers and webinar students. I went to many of the booths in the Expo and shook them down for prizes for Rob Sheppard’s webinar on Nov 14. At Nik Software, I got a promise of 15% off coupons. I still have to make arrangements with Nik after PSW so it’s not yet active. Then, I got a SUPER deal from the guys who market Topaz Labs software. They will extend the show price of $129 for the entire Topaz Suite ($339 value) to all my students. I also got a coupon good for a free copy (not trial) of any of their programs to give away during the webinar. It takes a lot to impress me with software but I can honestly say the Topaz stuff blew my socks off. It did things that my engineering, technical mind said couldn’t be done. I’ll have a complte writeup on some of their modules over the next few weeks.

Finally, under the heading of “It Don’t Get No Gooder’n This”, I scored a FREE (as in gratis, zero, zip, nada, nothing, no cost) Black Rapid camera strap. You, in the back, STOP yawning! You think camera straps are boring? Well, citizen, take a look at their site. Photos can’t do justice to how easy it is to carry AND deploy your camera using a Black Rapid system. I will give a FREE Black Rapid RS-4 to one lucky winner at Rob’s webinar.

The prize list keeps getting longer and the $49.95 Early Bird Special days keep getting shorter. Remember, the Early Bird Special pricing for Rob’s webinar ends sometime tomorrow, Sunday or Monday depending on when I have time to update the website.

Classes on tap for today include Location Lighting with Joe McNally, The Eyes are the Windows to the Soul with Fay Sirkis, ABCs of Digital Portraiture with Helene Glassman, Seeing the Light with Jack Reznicki, Light, Gesture and Color with Jay Maisel, One light for Real People with Jack Reznicki. Talk about an All-Star line-up. There are other classes in the Expo area but I’ll be busy shaking down more vendors. I’ll also be snagging PSW Workbooks (800 pages of Photoshop tips) and anything else that isn’t nailed down.

Photoshop World 2009, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV – Thursday, Oct 1, 2009

I’m posting this from my RV (named Arbey) in the south parking lot of Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas waiting for the first classes to start at 10:45AM. John Loiacono, SVP/GM, Adobe Creative Solutions Business Unit gave a keynote starting at 9AM but I was still drinking coffee. Besides, I’ve heard approximately 2 bazillion keynotes in my life and they all sound exactly the same – “Shish, boom, bam! Rah, rah, ree, kick’em in the knee! Rah, rah, rass, kick’em in the other knee!”

The classes I’ve selected today are Fixing Common Image Problems with Dave Cross, Mastering the New Adjustments and Masks Panel with Ben Willmore, Retouching Faces Step-by-Step and Digital Photographer’s Notebook with Kevin Ames, Lighting, Lenses, & Composition with David Ziser and Creative Lighting for the Digital Photographer with John Williamston. As you can see, these are some of the top pros in the field today so I’m anxious to get started.

Photoshop Elements webinar – What’s Included

Rob sent me an e-mail that gives a hint of what’s included in the webinar on Nov 14. First and foremost, many new PS (Photoshop) and PSE (Photoshop Elements) users don’t realize that PS was never intended to be a photography tool. PS was, and still is, designed for graphic artists. PSE was completely made over with PSE3 to be a photographer’s tool. Even the dark interface that some users complain about is meant to complement photos. PSE, combined with a few popular plug-ins (add-ons, like a 3rd party stereo system for your car) can do as much as PS but at a much lower cost and learning curve.

Rob has more points that I’ll elaborate over the next few days. In the meantime, because I don’t have time to change the pricing, the Early Bird Special price of $49.95 will be extended until this weekend. After that, the price goes to $59.95. Also, Early Birds get a choice of 3 different Early Bird gifts. If all that’s not enough to entice you, I’ll snag an extra copy of the Photoshop World Workbook as a drawing prize for the webinar. Click here to register now. We accept MasterCard, VISA, American Express and PayPal, all secured through PayPal at no cost to you.

Palomar College – Fall Schedule

Like the rest of the world, Palomar College is feeling the effects of the economy. This fall, they are offering the Digital SLR for New dSLR Owners webinar at a reduced price of just US$69 (Sep 15 & 17) (Nov 3 & 5). This is a live class that takes place on your PC/Mac. All you need is high-speed Internet. You can even include your whole family for the cost of one registration (limited to 1 camera model per registration).

Students DO NOT need to be in San Diego to attend webinars. I have taught students from around the world using webcast. The only requirement is that you have high-speed Internet and understand English.

The next Photoshop Elements Step-by-Step for Digital Photographers class starts Sep 9 and runs through Oct 14. It is 1 hour per week for 6 weeks. In that time, you will learn to use the most useful tools and techniques to enhance and edit your digital photos. Click here for more details and special Economic Stimulus pricing.

The next Wild Animal Park “Hands On” Photoshoot is Sep 19 from 9AM to 1PM. In this very popular workshop, you put into practice the basics you learned in the Digital SLR for New dSLR Owners webinar. In this workshop, I guide you along every step of the way and show you how to apply all the controls and adjustments on your dSLR. Click here for more details and special Economic Stimulus pricing.

Monday Morning Tip

Today’s MMT is a companion to the Developing Good dSLR Habits that I published several weeks ago. I wrote this because many people just don’t seem to ”get it” when it comes to the process of creating a photograph. While I’m glad that over 500 people have downloaded the dSLR Cheat Sheet, it’s not a step-by-step recipe. A large dollop of intelligent thought needs to be added to the Cheat Sheet to make it work.

Back in the ’60s, low cost 35mm cameras were everywhere. The death of photography was predicted by many well known and highly respected writers. Well, we managed to survive that onslaught but we’re now in the midst of a second, even more pernicious technological advance, the digital SLR. Anyone with $500 can now call themselves a photographer. I see people who can barely spell “dSLR” proclaiming themselves ready for NatGeo.

There’s nothing wrong with ambition but it has to be backed up with a modicum of talent and skills. The very first skill is knowing how to control your camera. Have you ever known a skilled contractor who didn’t know how to use his/her tools? How about a skilled cook who can’t control the oven? Photography is no different. You must know how to control your camera before anything else. A close second is learning how to use your PC/Mac including PS/PSE.

Use today’s MMT as a guideline to making better photos, use it in conjuction with the dSLR Cheat Sheet. Photography is a thinking person’s pastime, if you simply want to press a button and record an event, stick with a P&S camera. (End of Rant! LOL)

Quick Tip

Many of you are going to roll your eyes and mutter, “What dummy doesn’t know this!” but, trust me, there are many new dSLR owners (my target audience) who don’t know the viewfinder (VF) can be focused with the diopter adjustment. The diopter adjustment is usually a tiny dial or lever next to the VF.

Canon Diopter Adjustment

Simply turn the dial while peering through the VF to adjust it to your eyesight. Most dSLRs have a wide range of diopter adjustment to accommodate most people but, if you’re blind as a bat, you can also find extra adjustment lenses for most dSLRs. 

San Diego Zoo Photoshoot

On Sunday, August 16, I’m going back to the San Diego Zoo to photograph things that I noticed this past week. I hadn’t been to the zoo in several years and saw many new exhibits that I’d like to photograph now that I have an idea of the conditions. This WILL NOT be a walk through the zoo. I plan to spend 2-3 hours making specific images that I have in mind.

If you’d like to join me, send me an e-mail or leave a comment here. This is not a class but simply an opportunity to practice photography at the zoo.

I Need Victims Models

If you are interested in modeling for my Portrait portfolio, please contact me. I am looking for male and female models of all shapes, sizes, color and age except infants (less than 5 years old). You will receive your choice of 1 each 13×19 poster or a package of 1 each 8×10 plus 2 each 5×7 plus 4 each 4×6 prints. You will be needed for about 2 hours.

I also need some old photos in need of restoration for a new class I’m developing on Photoshop/PSE Restoration techniques.

For both models and restoration, you will need to sign a model release. Thanks.

Advertising

For the past 5 years, I’ve resisted the urge to advertise on my site because I didn’t want readers to think my recommendations were influenced by advertisers.

It’s come to the point where this site needs to pay for itself. In the near future, you will probably start seeing Google adsense words on this site. I know it’s an annoyance to many people but there’s simply no getting around it. Please click on the ads (you don’t have to buy anything) to help me keep this site running. To avoid advertisments, sign up for a class or two.

A special thanks to the hundreds of people who have taken classes with me in the past.

Seems my best MMT topics come from readers’ questions. Last week’s MMT about creating a “poor man’s macro lens” created more questions. The most popular question was about the macro focusing rail I mentioned at the end of the article.

Today’s MMT covers macro focusing rails and how to use them. While they look deceptively simple, knowing how to use them ahead of time will make life a lot easier.  As always, the full MMT is located here. If you need a password, register for my MMTs to receive one via e-mail.

About 60 MMTs have now been uploaded as well as about 11 videos. Once all previous MMTs and videos are uploaded, I’ll be able to concentrate on producing more new material. In the meantime, keep sending those questions because they’re the best source of ideas for me.

On my way to Bosque del Apache, NM, I stopped by JTNP to check wildflower conditions. At the southern end, most of the vegetation is nicely turning green with spots of early bloomers such as this bladderpod.

On the way home, I came across  I-8 along the southern route through Tucson. That route was already in full bloom with lots of brittle bush, sand verbena, Arizona poppy and others that I couldn’t identify at 65MPH.

Some recent reports say Anza-Borrego State Park has already started peak bloom and anyone waiting much longer may miss it. Bottom line, it looks like Joshua Tree NP around the middle of March will be perfect for that area.

If you can’t go to Anza-Borrego, consider my JTNP Spring Desert Wildflower Photoshoot on March 21 or 22.