Photofocus

All posts tagged Photofocus

A Complete HDR Workflow

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 18, 2013
Posted in: HDR, Screencast, Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Subtle_HDR

I’ve put together a complete lesson on creating High Dynamic Range panoramic photos.  This video tutorial walks you through a few different tools to try out.

I’ll show you how to:

  • Organize multiple HDR photos
  • Use Photoshop’s built-in toolset
  • Use Adobe Camera Raw to pre-process raw files before the merge
  • Align images and reduce noise and ghosting
  • Create a batch process with Photomatix
  • Enhance images with tone maps and fusion
  • Browse preset looks to find a good starting point
  • Choose the right bit depth
  • Repair white balance issues
  • Stitch the panoramic photo with Photomerge
  • Enhance with a Curves adjustment
  • Crop to a finished size
  • Fill in gaps in the photo

This is of course just one way to complete this task.  Feel free to combine my techniques with your own approaches.

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Adobe Creative Cloud Available for Download

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 18, 2013
Posted in: News. Tagged: , , .

Screen Shot 2013-06-17 at 11.35.14 PM

For those of you waiting…  the new Adobe Creative Cloud apps are ready for download.  This includes Photoshop CC, Camera Raw 8, and the released earlier Lightroom 5.  If you’ve never downloaded an app from the Creative Cloud, visit creative.adobe.com to get the Adobe Application Manager.

  1. Launch the Adobe Application Manager. Check your Applications folder or use the Start menu.
  2. Sign in with your Creative Cloud username and password.
  3. Click Install next to the name of any app you want to install and use.

You can get a 30 day trial here  – https://creative.adobe.com/plans

 

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Choosing the Right White Balance Preset

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 17, 2013
Posted in: Technique & Tutorials. Tagged: , , , .

The White Balance setting on your camera is one of the most important choices to make. This control can be used to neutralize any color cast in an image and to set the overall color (or tone) for the scene. White is most often used as a reference point because it is the perfect blend of all the color channels.

While many are perfectly content to shoot in an Auto White Balance setting… this can lead to extra work in post.  Changes in lighting conditions (such as clouds passing overhead) can create variations in skin tones or subjects that just end up being frustrating. Ideally, strongly consider setting your white balance correctly before shooting in a location.  If shooting raw, you have greater flexibility to compensate in post.

White_Balance

The presets for your camera may vary slightly depending on the model and manufacturer. However, they’re usually easy to understand when you think about them. Typically, the presets are named for the type of lighting they are designed to work best with.

  • Daylight or Direct Sunlight. This option works best for general shooting under daylight conditions where the sun is readily visible.
  • Shade. This option is used when shooting in sunlight and your subjects are in the shade. It tends to make the image more orange to compensate for the bluish tones of the shaded areas.
  • Cloudy. This setting is similar to daylight but compensates for the sky having some cloud cover (which cools down the color temperature). Many prefer this setting because it is a little warmer.
  • Tungsten or Incandescent. This white balance setting is designed for shooting indoors with standard lightbulb illumination.
  • Fluorescent. This setting works best when shooting under standard fluorescent tube lights. However, some lights are daylight balanced, which would require you to switch to the daylight setting.
  • Flash. This option is designed to be color balanced for your camera’s flash. You won’t use this option when shooting video because you can’t use a flash.

Be sure to experiment with your settings as well as apply your own judgement to get the best results.

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Photofocus Podcast with Special Guest Bert Monroy

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 15, 2013
Posted in: Audio Podcast. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE: The Photofocus Podcast Feed HAS CHANGED!

Here is the new feed: feed://feeds.feedburner.com/photofocuspodcast
Get the show here  or get it on iTunes

PLEASE BE PATIENT – OUR SERVERS SEE LARGE LOADS ON PUBLISHING DAYS. THE DOWNLOADS MAY GO SLOWLY BUT THEY WILL FINISH.

Join Rich and Scott as they discuss the impact of small format cameras.  Learn how micro four-thirds and mirrorless cameras have changed both their shooting styles.  Plus how have the GoPro and BlackMagic Cinema cameras worked their way into their cameras bags.

The second half of the show will inspire you as we hear from Bert Monroy.  He is considered one of the preeminent pioneers of digital art. He builds his hyper-realistic digital paintings as a traditional artist would, adding color and texture, except he uses Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator as his media. Bert co-authored the first book on Photoshop. His film credits include work for Industrial Light & Magic, Pacific Data Images, and R/GA. Bert has taught the Adobe Photoshop Creativity Seminar Tour, and he is a popular speaker at many conferences worldwide. He is a member of the Photoshop World Dream Team and was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame in 2004.

Rich and Bert discuss:

  • Bert’s history with Photoshop
  • His process of creating light paintings
  • His experiences as an art director
  • The technology changes that he’s witnessed in the photo industry
  • How to evaluate a scene to achieve the best composition
  • Bert’s advice to photographers and designers of all levels
  • What the layers panel means to his work
  • How Bert keeps his images organized
  • How printing technology has changed
  • The process of creating the world’s largest digital image
  • How Bert finds inspiration
  • Where to find Bert’s classes

Download  — http://photofocuspodcast.libsyn.com/webpage

Hosted by Rich Harrington & Scott Bourne

Please post a review for the Podcast on iTunes — http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/photofocus/id512223214
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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

How to Remove Distortion From Wide Angle Photos

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 14, 2013
Posted in: Screencast. Tagged: , , , .

If you shoot architecture or panoramas, you’ll often shoot wide angle.  This can lead to an unwanted fisheye effect.  Whether you’re shooting one exposure or stitching several, fixing the problem is stone cold simple.  Learn how to use the Adaptive Wide Angle command in Photoshop to repair perspective issues in your photos. This is a fast and easy way to get better landscapes and architectural shots.

Give us 2 minutes and we’ll give you better looking photos.

NOTE: This screen cast teaches AN approach to solving problems using various Adobe products. No claim is made that this is the ONLY way or even the BEST way. We are merely trying to show A way to improve your photography.

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Want Total Control? Run Camera Raw as a Filter in Photoshop

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 11, 2013
Posted in: Screencast. Tagged: , , , , .

Ever wanted to use some of those great camera raw adjustments like Clarity or Post Crop Vignette on any image?  With Photoshop CC you can now use Adobe Camera Raw as a filter which opens new creative options. Give us :30 seconds to show you and we’ll unlock new control in your post workflow.

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.

Creating Dramatic Vignettes in Post

Posted by Richard Harrington on June 9, 2013
Posted in: Screencast. Tagged: , , , , .

Vignettes are a great way to control where a viewer focusses in your picture. Using Adobe Photoshop, it’s possible to create some truly impressive vignettes. With the Iris Blur effect you can create de-focussed edges as well as an alpha channel.  Toss on an exposure adjustment and a layer mask and you have the perfect vignette.

So let’s explore how to achieve this great look in less than :60 seconds.  I give you a rapid tutorial with zero fluff.

This technique is just one way to achieve this effect, give it a try and see if it suits your workflow. This will work with Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC.

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This Post Sponsored by:

lynda.com Learn photography anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace—from bite-sized tutorials to comprehensive courses. Try lynda.com free for 10 days by visiting lynda.com/ Photofocus.

Mosaic A complete solution for photographers using Lightroom who want to manage and share their photos. You can easily view images with their iOS app or web service. Plus your photos are backed up to the cloud with several plans to match your needs.

The HDR Learning Center Check out new ways to use High Dynamic Range photography to make compelling images. Free tutorials and posts to get results. Produced in partnership with HDR Soft.

500px Join the world’s premier photo community. 500px lets you discover, share, buy and sell inspiring photographs.

Gigapan.com. The revolutionary GigaPan EPIC robotic camera mount lets you capture and combine thousands of images into one incredible, interactive panorama. Save 10% with the code PHOTOFOCUS.

Drobo - Not only is Drobo 5D fast, but it’s easy-to-use, expandable, flexible, and protected.