The Digital Photo Guy

FREE Samsung CLP510 Color Laser Printer

This 6 year-old Samsung color laser printer is free to the first person who arranges pick up in North San Diego County (near Welk Resort.) I doubt it can punch out 1000 page jobs like I used to abuse it with but it’s still good for small (1-100 page) jobs. It worked fine when I tested it this morning.

It has a built-in duplexer and comes with extra toner for those with the skills to disassemble a toner cartridge and solder a small circuit board.

It weighs 70 pounds so I will not ship it nor will I deliver it. I will help you load it into your vehicle. I will not expend time on questions about condition or operation. You either want it or it will be posted on Freecycle by the end of the month. It would be perfect for a small office with occasional color laser printing needs. Contact me to arrange pickup.

FREE Epson R1800 Printer with Bulk Ink Feed System

This is a 5 year old Epson R1800 with an InkJetFly bulk feeder filled with MIS Associates ink. She’s a crotchety gal but still prints great glossy 13×19 if you know how to clean/clear IJP head clogs. It’s been sitting around for a month so it will probably need a thorough cleaning before it can print. It also prints on CD/DVD.

The duct tape on the front is because the plastic latches holding the front panel are worn, allowing the panel to fall open.

This weighs about 30 pounds. It cannot be shipped and I will not deliver it. I will help you load it into your vehicle. I will not expend time on questions about condition or operation. You either want it or it will be posted on Freecycle by the end of the month. This is definitely a tinkerer’s special. Contact me to arrange pickup.

$3 Webinar – Overview of Photo Editing Programs

Do you use Photoshop CS5 or Photoshop Elements 9 or Lightroom 3? Perhaps you use a combination of two or more programs. Do you know the differences among the three and which is best for your needs?

On Sunday, June 26 (this coming Sunday) at 6PM Pacific Time, in a short 30 minute webinar, I’ll explain how the programs differ and what’s best for beginner, intermediate and advanced digital photographers. Click this LINK to register.

Sensor Cleaning Video Posted

This is a 30 minute video of a recent dSLR Sensor Cleaning Webinar. To view, click the PayPal link below and use either a credit card or your PayPal account. You will receive a link to the video once I’m notified by PayPal.

Cleaning a dSLR sensor is much easier if you’ve seen it done. If you want, you can watch the video as often as you want until you feel comfortable that you know what you’re doing.

The Power of Selections

Selection Tools are among the most powerful in the Photoshop (PS) and Photoshop Elements (PSE) toolboxes. Selections enable the user to isolate an area to limit changes and edits. The first thing most new users think of is cutting a person or object out of a photo and moving it to another photo.

There are several selection tools in PSE and most have various options. This Video Monday Morning Tip (VMMT) gives you a glimpse at the Quick Selection Brush used in conjuction with the Elliptical Marquee Tool to select an object.

[swfobj src=”http://www.thedigitalphotoguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Selection_Tools1.swf” allowfullscreen=”true”]This video requires Adobe Flash. Download a free copy at www.adobe.com.

Escondido Street Fair Photos

I spent a few hours at the Escondido Street Fair on Sunday, May 15. The food was terrible but the ligt was wonderfl. It was overcast and drizzly, perfect conditions for beautiful light. Many amateurs are afraid to take their gear out in wet conditions but newer digital SLRs are pretty robust. For Canon shooters, the 7D has weather seals that offer a modicum of protection. That doesn’t mean one can take it snorkeling but a little drizzle certainly won’t hurt it. (This is not a guarantee on my part, any experimentation is at you own risk.) Having said that, I’ve had all my Canon dSLRs out in some pretty severe weather from rain and snow in the Pyrenees to the Eastern Sierras. I’ve photographed sports in a steady rain with nothing more than a plastic trash bag over the body.

FREE Photoshop Elements Webinar

On Wednesday, May 18 at 7PM Pacific Time, the first 10 people to register will be able to join my Photoshop Elements in 6 Weeks class for a sample session. The webinar is 1 hour and this session covers Selection Tools. Non-paying attendees will not be able to ask questions or interject comments and will not have access to the recorded video afterwards.

To register, send me an e-mail and I’ll send you the log-in information. Registration is open until Tuesday midnight or when all 10 seats are filled.

Learning Lightroom 3.0

With the release of Lightroom 3.0, there’s been a lot of interest LR training. Recently, I received an e-mail from Adobe with a list of LR classes and workshops. From the list, I checked out the website of George Jardine, a Denver photographer/LR instructor and I was blown away!

George offers 3 video tutorials (over 16 hours) covering LR Library, LR Develop and Adobe Camera RAW (ACR.) These are not cheesy, jerky, blurry homemade videos but full up professional productions of LR and ACR tips and techniques for every level of LR, PSCS or PSE user. Best of all, George offers a “bundle” deal. The LR Library and Develop tutorials are $24.95 each and the ACR tutorial is $34.95. However, if you buy both LR videos for $$49.90, George gives you the ACR tutorial for FREE! It don’t get no better’n that!

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to immediately recognize George as a “Conscious-Competent” among Photoshop trainers. George is not just very knowledgeable but he knows how to transfer that knowledge to others in a clear, succinct manner without the over-hyped, self-promotion of many Photoshop trainers.

George gives you the tools so you can make better decisions about your adjustments. Unlike many so called “gurus,” George recognizes there are no quick & easy formulas for excellence, each of us needs to make our own decisions about our photography. George gives us the tools for making those decisions. Lest I sound like George’s #1 Fanboi, I’ve never met George and I get nothing by promoting his video tutorials. I just want my readers to get the maximum “bang for their buck” when seeking training.

Here are some photos that have nothing to do with LR training but how can I possibly post a photography blog without a few photos?

More BW Candidates

Over the weekend, I was at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo, CA on my annual trip to see what has changed out there. Usually, the answer is – “Nothing ever changes in Campo.” This time, there were big changes that surprised me. The museum has been cleaning up the depot area (visitors center) and, in general, spiffing up. This is good for the museum but detracted from the gritty, “boneyard” look of the past.

Nevertheless, I had several photos in mind for a BW conversion so I pressed on in my quest. The photo above was something I had seen last year and thought about for a year before trying it again. Even then, the original was far from perfect. It wasn’t even acceptable SOOC (straight out of camera.)

The initial BW conversion was done with a Lightroom preset (Blue-Hi Contrast.) I was never a fan of presets in the early days of the digital darkroom but I’m now liking the subtlety of the newer presets.

The lower left corner under the square beam was blown out white. I cloned part of the upper right corner and and patched it over the blown area. It came out fairly well if I say so myself. Let me know what you think.

Photoshop Elements $3 Webinar

On Wednesday, May 4, I’ll present a new $3 Webinar Series. This time, I’ll cover Basic Workflow in Photoshop Elements. A basic workflow is something every serious digital photographer should know. This is the process of turning good photos into great photos. In a basic workflow, the photo is cropped to focus the viewer’s eye, levels and color balance are corrected to add “POP” and sharpening is applied to create intensity.

To participate, please register at the Photography Webinars and Photoshoots Meetup Group site.

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.