I was recently asked to create a Powerpoint template for someone and soon realised that with a few Photoshop techniques creating, editing and creating individual assets was a breeze. To keep the whole thing as flexible as I could I used Artboards, Smart Objects and Create Assets. In this video I show you how to make three slide template, a main slide, a 'blank slide' and a slide for an image. Should you wish to create more then this technique allows you to do it in seconds. I hope you find it … [Read more...] about Create Keynote or Powerpoint Templates with Ease in Photoshop
Reviews
Gear Review: Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia Essentials Kit
The folks at B&H recently sent me a great filter kit to put through its paces. The Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia 100mm Signature Edition Pro Essentials Kit was a perfect companion on my recent trip to photograph the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas. I used it to shoot stills, HDR photos, and time-lapse sequences. While I shot on a Sony A7RII and a ZEISS Batis 2.8/18, the filter is designed to work with almost any kit. What's in the Box This kit is a B&H exclusive, and its very well thought out. Everything I needed, plus … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Formatt Hitech Firecrest Patrick Di Fruscia Essentials Kit
Platypod Ultra – The Best Alternative to a Tripod
Let’s get a few things out of the way before I get to the review. I’ve bought five Platypod Pros and three Platypod Max units for myself in the past. I’ve stashed a Platypod in every camera bag and even my car’s glovebox. I’ve loved the original Platypod Pro (review) and the Platypod Max (review). I can call the inventor and offer feedback. I appear on the Kickstarter page and offer a testimonial because I believe in the products so much. What is It? The Platypod Ultra is a tripod alternative. It combines with virtually … [Read more...] about Platypod Ultra – The Best Alternative to a Tripod
Gear Review: Vellos Ringbox Flash Adapter
I am slowly getting hooked on my new Vellos Ringbox Flash Adapter. Not only do I get beautiful on-location headshots and portraits with my flash when using the Ringbox, but it makes my life a lot easier, and I like things easy. I use to carry around a light stand and softbox when I knew I needed more than natural light. Not anymore--I just take the Ringbox. I am also looking forward to trying it out on my next trip. It is very light and will not take much room in my suitcase. What is a Ringbox Flash Adapter A Ringbox Flash Adapter is a … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Vellos Ringbox Flash Adapter
Using the Platypod Ultra from a Car, “The Sling Mount”
Given the opportunity to test out the new Platypod Ultra, I started with the same question I ask with all new gear, "Do I really need this?" After all, my camera bag is already large enough to qualify for its own zip code. Is this going to join the pile of photographic stuff I don’t often use? Or, will it become an indispensable part of my photographic armory. I admit, at first glance, my reaction was "What is it? Some type of fancy bottle opener?" This was quickly replaced with the realization, “I can use this to put cameras and flashes … [Read more...] about Using the Platypod Ultra from a Car, “The Sling Mount”
Never Forget Your Password Again
Trying to remember multiple passwords can become difficult. Now imagine teaching a room full of students and a validation screen appears asking for your Adobe Creative Suite username and password. In the past, I would panic trying to remember the information. Since I installed LastPass—a password manager—the information I needed was a just click away. There are several password management programs to choose from like Dashlane, RoboForm, KeePass and LastPass, to name just a few. Some are free, others you pay a small yearly fee. I personally use … [Read more...] about Never Forget Your Password Again
Gear Review: Udee Backpack–Surprisingly Good
This bag is simply called Udee, and the simplicity carries through the entire design and delivers a fine bag that will be very good for many photographers. It Looks Good The outer appearance of the Udee is pretty good. It's minimal and the fabric is very nice. Everyone who sees it asks me if it's a Peak Design bag: it has a similar kind of fabric and the slim design is reminiscent. The bottom of the bag is a little blunt, but overall it's a good looking bag. The gray fabric is highlighted with the orange grab handle and one orange … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Udee Backpack–Surprisingly Good
Perfectly Clear Complete Version 3.0 – A Quick Look
As anyone who is remotely paying attention here at Photofocus already knows, Perfectly Clear is a sponsor of this site (this means they pay dollars so we can pay our authors and web bills). But long before they came on board to help us reach the photography audience, Photofocus Publisher Rich Harrington and I were using the software to perfect our images. It’s come a long way since those days, and it has made that journey in no small part because our team here at Photofocus (particularly Rich) have decided to chip in and work with the … [Read more...] about Perfectly Clear Complete Version 3.0 – A Quick Look
Two Skillshare Classes That Share a New Perspective on Wildlife Photography
As a wildlife photographer I am always interested in hearing what other photographers in my genre think of best practices. That’s why I jumped at the chance when the folks at Skillshare reached out to me and asked if I’d review a few of their classes. Skillshare is an online learning community with 15,000 classes. They have classes on everything from photography to design, to tech, crafts, film, and even writing. If you want to learn it, they probably have a class on it. Best part is they operate on an all-you-can-eat subscription model that … [Read more...] about Two Skillshare Classes That Share a New Perspective on Wildlife Photography
Fujifilm X100F – Star of the Street
The Camera that's Just Enough for Most Everything I had the great fortune to beta test the newest iteration of Fujifilm's X100, the X100F — the little camera that could! This camera occupies an odd niche in that its a fixed lens mirrorless, that is much more than just a point-and-shoot, but not an interchangeable-lens "system," with a cool, retro "old school" vibe reminiscent of the Leica rangefinders. The new X100F is pretty much the same size as the original, with the same 23mm ƒ2 lens. Most of the changes are under the … [Read more...] about Fujifilm X100F – Star of the Street
eBook Review: Get to Work – Dedpxl Business Primer
Photographer Zack Arias, recently released a new ebook entitled, Get to Work. You might've heard Zack and Marco talking about it on the podcast (a great interview by itself). As a photographer knee deep in business development, I thought I’d check it out. While I’ve been operating as a full-time photographer the last couple years, I’ve recently relocated my business to a new state. So the great thing is that I get a fresh start, but the tough part is that I have to start from scratch. Having read some of Zack’s previous books, I knew this one … [Read more...] about eBook Review: Get to Work – Dedpxl Business Primer
Electronic Model Release Form
Digital model or property release forms make it easy for photographers to always have a release handy. Here’s how to setup a custom release form using an inexpensive application called Easy Release. Designed for both Android and iOS devices. Easy Release is designed for both Android and iOS devices. I have it installed on my iPad and Android phone. I prefer to use the larger iPad than my smaller Android phone. I keep it on my phone just in case I don’t have my iPad handy. As of this article date, Easy Release isn’t available for Windows … [Read more...] about Electronic Model Release Form
Finally! A Monitor that Displays Colors Correctly!
My colleagues at Photofocus have heard me and seen me say some very choice words during a time, not so long ago, when I had a monitor that wouldn't or couldn't calibrate! At first, I couldn't tell if it was the calibration tool I was using, or the monitor itself! Monitor Calibration Now color calibration is super important-- it makes it simple for you to edit your images on your machine and basically have it be seen on other color calibrated devices they way that you intended it to. There's a standard called sRGB that was developed to help a … [Read more...] about Finally! A Monitor that Displays Colors Correctly!
First Impressions and Hands-On with Lumix GH5
Lumix's new GH5 is the most talked-about new camera this season, and for good reason. It's a complete redesign of the popular GH4 and it offers loads of new features. Since I'm an ambassador for Lumix, I've had some time with a pre-production unit and I'd like to share with you some first impressions. Now, I'm an ambassador but not an employee of Lumix. They are not paying for this article, and I am not representing their views in any way. I'll tell you my honest impressions. (Spoilers: it's awesome). Excellent for Photographers and … [Read more...] about First Impressions and Hands-On with Lumix GH5
Caffeine – One of my Favorite Apps for Mac
I frequently find myself walking away from my iMac when batch exporting images from Lightroom or rendering video. Before walking away, I want to make sure the computer doesn't go to sleep and stop exporting/rendering my files. I'm not a big fan of wasting time and nothing is worse than setting 10 videos to render and coming back in the morning to see that only 2 videos were successfully exported, while the rest are still processing. It's easy enough to go into the Apple menu on the top left, choose System Preferences, then choose Energy … [Read more...] about Caffeine – One of my Favorite Apps for Mac
Book Review: The Moment It Clicks, by Joe McNally (Must Read)
The Moment It Clicks is not a new book, but I just read it again for the third time and realized that some of you may not have read it yet. And we need to fix that. This book is ideal for photographers of all skill levels. It teaches the beginner, inspires the amateur and reminisces with the seasoned pro. Every turn of the page is filled with a large photograph from McNally's career and is accompanied by a story and tips for making that kind of picture happen. You won't find too many camera settings, but you will find principles that will … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Moment It Clicks, by Joe McNally (Must Read)
Moshi’s Arcus Backpack First Look
Another day, another camera bag. Today I take a look at the Moshi Arcus Backpack. It’s not just a camera bag and it’s unlikely most photographers have heard of this bag. The usual suspects like ThinkTank, Tarmac, etc. make great bags but more and more often upstart adventure bag makers are intruding on the photo space. Enter the Arcus. This bag is different in one important respect. It’s SUPER light weight compared to most of the bags I test. It’s versatile, and can be used just as easily to carry clothes for a weekend trip as it can for … [Read more...] about Moshi’s Arcus Backpack First Look
Update On The Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II Micro Four Thirds Camera
NOTE: All photos in this post are Copyright Scott Bourne 2017, All Rights Reserved and all were made with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II camera. On December 19, 2016 I wrote my first look at the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II M43 camera. Now it’s been a month and I’ve had lots more time shooting with it and want to update my original thoughts as well as provide some real-world sample images I’ve made from the camera. Autofocus Let me start by talking a little bit more on the new autofocus on the Olympus MK II. Birds in flight will … [Read more...] about Update On The Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II Micro Four Thirds Camera
Book Review: The Photographer’s Eye
The Photographer’s Eye, by John Szarkowski, was one of two books Ansel Adams suggested I read before attending his workshop in Yosemite Valley, many years ago when I was a young and inexperienced photographer. The book is a classic. Published in 1966 and based on a 1964 “landmark” exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art, it is filled with black and white images photographed over the span of nearly a century and a quarter by both recognized masters and unknown photographers. Many of you are probably asking who is John Szarkowski and why this … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Photographer’s Eye
Olympus M. Zukio Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro Lens First Look
The Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro lens has an equivalent focal length (EFL) of 14-28mm and is part of the Olympus Pro line. While I usually don’t prefer zooms I have decided that this one is a great compromise when I want to go super wide, but still be able to shoot a more normal wide angle like 28mm. It’s a solid lens made of metal, with a rubber seal around the mount. Attached to a weatherproof body (like the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II) it is weather tight. It has super fast autofocus on the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 MK II … [Read more...] about Olympus M. Zukio Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro Lens First Look
Lexar Professional 128 GB 2000x SDHC™/SDXC™ UHS-II Mini Review
Okay we admit that throughout the years we have been a bit ambivalent about memory cards. We buy them, we use them and we don’t think much about them. All the major card makers do a good job these days. But all of them also eventually fail. When they fail we're unhappy and may grouse about it for a while but at the end of the day everything man-made will fail. Generally, we have no specific evidence (after buying and testing more than 100 different sizes, types and brands of memory card) that any of the major brands are more or less prone to … [Read more...] about Lexar Professional 128 GB 2000x SDHC™/SDXC™ UHS-II Mini Review
How Much Speed Does a Photographer Need
It's the age old question since we've started to shoot digital. How can I make my workflow faster? More efficient? Or more importantly, how can I get more free time and peace of mind? Well, here's where I hopefully can help out a little. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the DROBO 5D with a couple of Seagate 2TB SATA HDD's to do some long term testing for my photo and video production workflow...and the short answer to the question? As much as we can get our hands on! The Nitty Gritty / Tech Details The Drobo 5D is a USB3 and Dual … [Read more...] about How Much Speed Does a Photographer Need
First Look – OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II – Micro Four Thirds Camera
(Micro Four Thirds Just Took A Big Step Up) DISCLAIMER: Crop factor and the associated focal length multiplier only affects field of view. I prefer to reference this as effective focal length but others use FOV. Feel free to use whichever term you like. --------------------------------------------- I love small, lightweight, inexpensive, powerful cameras. I became interested in the M43 format in the Summer of 2009 when these cameras first started shipping. By 2010 I had purchased my own Micro Four Thirds system and over the ensuing … [Read more...] about First Look – OM-D: Olympus E-M1 Mark II – Micro Four Thirds Camera
Drobo Mini – Long Term Review
Back in 2014 I first reviewed the Drobo Mini and now I’d like to write an update that discusses the unit from a more long-term view. As a refresher - the Mini holds up to four 2.5" SATA I/II/II drives and one mSATA SSD. This is in effect a fusion drive (similar to the technology used in iMacs from Apple.) The connectivity on the Mini is provided using both Thunderbolt and USB 3.0. The BeyondRAID technology allows for redundancy, meaning if you have one drive go bad, you can replace it and the unit will self-heal with no data loss. … [Read more...] about Drobo Mini – Long Term Review
Mini Review: Tonality (Spoilers: It Makes Great Black and Whites)
So many of us started photography with black and white processing and the love of monochrome has stuck with us. Adams and Weston still haunt my dreams with black skies over Yosemite and pleated peppers. Digital black and white photography is even better because we have more control, far more options, and our fingers don't smell like Rodinol. There are several terrific ways to make your pictures black and white, but the most powerful and my personal favorite is by using Macphun's Tonality. Tonality has an intuitive interface, presets that make … [Read more...] about Mini Review: Tonality (Spoilers: It Makes Great Black and Whites)
Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 First Look
It’s no secret that bird, wildlife, and sports shooters need big glass. It’s also no secret that big glass can cost an arm and a leg. If there’s anyplace in the world that third-party lenses are important it’s in the big glass arena. Tamron have been producing affordable, quality lenses for a long time and I’ve used both Tamron and Sigma third-party lenses (in addition to the big Canon glass) either as back up or supplement. I've even used these third-party lenses as primaries because they are often nearly as good (or in some ways better) … [Read more...] about Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 First Look
JPEGmini – Secret Weapon of The Photographer on the Move!
Pretty much everyone reading this is all too familiar with JPEG's and the creation of large, small, printable, social media sized, etc images for clients. If you're like me and tend to shoot a fair number of weddings and events with LARGE, (sometimes obscenely so), catalogs of images, the delivery of these files to your clients can often be an absolute nightmare. Sharing online takes forever to upload and download....sometimes they want them on a Hard Drive or Thumb Drives and you just can't fit everything. Compile that with YOUR personal … [Read more...] about JPEGmini – Secret Weapon of The Photographer on the Move!
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 For Photographers
It’s been a pretty great December. I received an early Christmas gift of an iPad Air. I have owned iPads before and found them very useful for a couple of things such as watching a movie on an airplane, listening to music when I am traveling, or using it as a teleprompter and also as a photo portfolio or presentation device. It works extremely well for all those uses. But what if you want more? The iPad has been something I’ve always considered to be great at helping me consume media, but not so great at something I'd use to … [Read more...] about The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 For Photographers
Location Photography: On Assignment with Joe McNally
ThinkTAPLearn has released a new training title with Joe McNally—Location Photography: On Assignment with Joe McNally. You’ll have a chance to watch over Joe’s shoulder as he works his magic on the set of a dance shoot. An industry legend, McNally began as a photojournalist and has worked for publications like Life and National Geographic. Joe continues to work on assignment today, producing amazing images and inspiring photographers. Watching him work is a treat. Who’s this course for? To get the most from this course, you’ll want to have … [Read more...] about Location Photography: On Assignment with Joe McNally
Microsoft Surface Studio From A Photographer’s POV – First Look
A friend of mine took the plunge and pre-ordered, sight unseen, a fully loaded Microsoft Surface Studio with an Intel Core i7 chip, 2TB storage, 32GB RAM and 4GB GPU. The price for this beauty? A whopping $4199! But hey they throw in the puck thing! (That is if you order before December 1.) As a photographer I was immediately intrigued by the new all-in-one, so when my friend offered me the chance to come play with his Surface Studio I jumped at the chance. I was immediately impressed. It is every bit as beautiful as it appears online. … [Read more...] about Microsoft Surface Studio From A Photographer’s POV – First Look
