Adobe Photoshop CS4: Overview
Posted on | December 31, 2008 | No Comments
It appears that Adobe products are getting better and better. CS3 brought us new features such as non-destructive smart filters, quick selection, 3D compositing, enhanced RAW image processing and HDR support.
The new Creative Suite is designed to meet different challenges such as effective collaborations between designers and developers, embracing new media, reinventing publishing and embracing the explosion of connected media. In fact Chad Seigel, Group Manager for Creative Suite said: “Adobe are trying to break barriers and integrate all products.”
Changes to Photoshop CS4 include an improved interface with the entire application enclosed in the frame which means dual monitor users can have more than one application running. The workspace switcher is for swapping between applications such as Camera RAW 5 and Bridge.
Other welcome enhancements include zoom ratio which is less likely to show jagged or pixelated lines and also possesses a flicker free zoom. Now you can rotate the canvas without jagged lines and the brush size can be previewed directly on the document. Now when the tool is placed over the image it can be moved in size and you can preview it before you use it.
Another tool that has been improved is the Dodge/Burn tool; when adjusting the shadows, midtones or highlights the tool no longer will impose on the other two. When adjusting the saturation on the sponge tool it will no longer move out of acceptable gamma.
Adjustment now has its own dedicated window that includes all the tools found in the area such as levels, curves, brightness/contrast and exposure. Another change is the preview window which is now in the tab instead of a new window that overlaps the image. Because of this change your picture can be viewed in its entirety and as an added bonus tools such as curves can be adjusted directly on the image for localized amendments.
The icons have been simplified for well-organized use; now you can see what you need to use much faster than before.
The mask panel allows you to choose an area which can be manipulated and even inverted which is good for selective color images.
The mask panel can allow you to select an area which can be manipulated and even inverted which is good for selective colour images.
A feature I really like is content aware cropping. The feature works by first masking the areas you wish to retain in the picture. The image can then be resized and the parts that are protected won’t be cropped into. The program will start to remove areas in between which is an amazing feature to see and use.
An improved blend layer mode has been added and is a useful tool for techniques such as focus stacking. The program will adjust the exposure and colour automatically so there’s no need to mess about first.
Please note that the images must be loaded in as layers and highlighted. Once you have done that click on Edit>Auto blend layers and the images will be composited together. Also note that you must be patient as the process can take some time.
This process can also be useful if you want to create HDR images if you prefer the ones without the ethereal effect that most systems produce.
Bryan Hughes, Photoshop Product Manager, is adamant that this isn’t a HDR tool though, as it doesn’t give a full high dynamic range in all areas so the familiar ethereal look of a HDR image is absent. He did add that if need be, it could be described as a clipped version of HDR.
Photoshop CS4 Extended features support for 3D. Two dimensional images can be changed to 3D by giving them x, y and z co-ordinates and these images can then be wrapped around imported 3D images. Photoshop CS4 works in conjunction with Google 3D warehouse where you can import thousands of 3D images. Merging a 2D image onto a 3D image is simple since the only command you need use is the Merge button. The 2D layer acquires all the 3D attributes such as decay detail, color and reflections. The 3D image can be manipulated as well and you can also enjoy features such as creating cut-outs, adding detail or changing colors to the interior of the cut-out.
As an added bonus, a feature has been added for help with people who are color blind. Colors in Photoshop CS4 can now be adjusted for true color blindness.
One thing missing is the quick tools from the image window bar. When you’ve opened an image, right clicking on the header bar will bring up five options of duplicate, image size, canvas size, file info for metadata and page set up. I often use these, especially file info, and to find it’s not there adds time to my workflow.
At the press release for Photoshop CS4 I was bursting with excitement when I saw the features it could do. The newest features such as the auto blend and content aware cropping feature are astounding. I also enjoy using the localized adjustments on Lightroom 2 so it’ll be really beneficial on Photoshop CS4.
Check out the upgrades box and see if you’ll use all those extra features. Add to that the efficient zooming and 89 percent less drag on the mouse making it move across the screen faster.
Bear in mind that the list is for the Extended version which supports the 3D applications. If you don’t need those then don’t bother with Extended but as far as I’m concerned this new version is the best one yet.
Tags: Adobe Photoshop CS4 > content aware cropping > dual monitor users > flicker free zoom
Photoshop Elements for Photography Enthusiasts
Posted on | December 27, 2008 | No Comments
Photoshop Elements computer software is perfect for altering and applying special effects to your digital images as well as helping you prepare your photographs for the web. If you wish to resize your images, add filters and styles, Adobe Photoshop Elements is the software for you.
Adobe has created many different forms of Photoshop, but the for the amateur photographer or the professional who is new to digital photography Elements 2 is very easy to understand and comes with a low price tag and a host of creative tools that help with image manipulation.
If you wish to retouch your image Elements has a huge variety of brush sizes available in Photoshop. Images can be altered by painting with the brushes over the area you want to change. Red eye can be removed in less than two minutes. If you have photos that have poor quality there is a sharp tool to sharpen certain areas of an image. You can even remove unwanted background items from an image.
There are 15 types of file format that you can save your images to, giving you the possibility of creating images for a large amount of different projects. This includes images for the web, for slide shows, and for many different forms of printing.
Elements can also create images specifically for the web. Preparing your images for your website is simple and easy with Photoshop Elements. It also helps you to resize and compress images that are being attached to an e-mail.
Creating a web gallery can be a lot of work but Photoshop can open a group of images, resize them, create a thumbnail gallery and create all the navigation HTML buttons for your site. It will create a folder for your web files and save it on your computer.
Photoshop Elements also contains a slide show, which is a very easy way of showcasing your images. Slideshow presentations are saved in PDF format making them easy to e-mail or download. To view a slideshow you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.
Also included in Photoshop is a video frame capture tool. This allows you to capture any frame from a video and save it as a stand-alone image. Images created for frame capture can be edited the same as any standard image.
If you need to work on the color in your image Photoshop has a wide range of tools that will help. You can also turn your color images into black and white shots in less than five minutes. You can also work with filters to images to warm colors up or create different tones.
The most important feature of Photoshop is the Toolbox. The Toolbox contains all the editing tools that you need in order to burn, dodge, clone, blur, sharpen or smudge an image. This box also contains handy tools to crop and zoom in on an image.
There are many artists world wide who make a living by retouching images with advanced image software. Learning how to use Photoshop correctly will be a massive boast to your digital photography, and if you are a keen photographer it should become part of your digital darkroom.
Tags: create a thumbnail gallery > digital darkroom > image manipulation. > photoshop elements > resize and compress images
Restoring Old Photos Using Photoshop Elements
Posted on | December 23, 2008 | No Comments
Of you are like me you have photographs in albums or frames that have been damaged by the sun or general wear and tear. Thanks to technology available through the computer and photo editing software, including Adobe Photoshop Elements, we can easily restore these cherished photographs.
An easy to learn program is Photoshop Elements. This program contains options that can help restore your old photographs. One of these elements is the Dust and Scratch Filter which can be used to remove the marks, scratches and blots on your old photos. The Dust and Scratch Filter can be found on the Menu Bar and then clicking on the Filter Tab. A drop down menu will list your choices at which point you can choose the Noise tab and click on the Dust and Scratches.
After selecting the Dust and Scratches menu, a pop up window will open with two control sliders. The first slider option is called the Radius and the other one is called the Threshold. You may also have another window open if the preview box is checked. Radius and threshold are the main options that are used in restoring the picture.
You can try to adjust the Radius slider which may remove the scratches. Please be aware that overdoing it may make the edges blurred as well. If blurring happens you can adjust the Threshold slider. This should allow the details to return and make the picture clearer with the scratches disappearing. You should be careful not to set the sliders too far or you will only create blotches on the picture.
To get rid of any marks on the photograph you will want to highlight only the part of the photo where the scratches are located, not the entire photograph. To highlight these areas you can use the Lasso tool.
Once you have fixed the areas you may want to use the feather tool to feather the edges of the selected area so that the fixed selection will not be obvious on the picture. To use the feather tool you click the Feather option and choose the Scratch and Dust Filter again. You might want to do the radius and threshold adjustment process again to get the correct texture and make sure all the scratches and marks are removed.
To finish the restoration process and make the photograph appear professional I recommend you crop the image to remove any rips or torn edges. You can also use the canvas to equally crop the image.
You can also add drama to your picture by adding a drop shadow. Drop shadows make the photo appear as if it has been lifted off the page. You can remove color from the photo using tools Shift+Ctrl+U. Once it is black and white you can then add color by putting a little amount of Sepia. This is done on the Hue or Saturation tab. The contrast may be adjusted using the Levels option.
This is only one very easy way to remove blotches and marks on an old picture. It is also a good way to make the picture look new but still appear classical. It will be a pleasant and easy way to display pictures kept on old albums and cabinets for a long time.
Tags: photo editing software > photoshop elements > remove blotches > Restoring Old Photos > Scratch Filter
Taking Photos of Water
Posted on | December 22, 2008 | No Comments
Water is a wonderful subject to photograph. Some people may think it is boring, but think again. Water is actually a very versatile subject. Here are some tips and suggestions for creating awesome water photos.
1. Get to the ocean. For oceans in particular, sunrises and sunsets are wonderful backgrounds for ocean photographs. Check out the colors that reflect on the water. Also, you can get a full moon’s reflection.
2. If you want to photograph moving water, such as waterfalls or rivers, you can either use a fast or slow shutter speed depending on the effect you want. The faster the shutter speed, the less time light is exposed to the film. A slow shutter speed means that the film is being exposed to light for a longer amount of time. For a smooth, blurred effect, use a slow shutter speed, and a fast shutter speed to freeze the water in motion.
3. Find reflections. What does the world look like in a puddle? Use reflections to create abstract images. Make sure you use at least an F11 stop to get the most detail (in focus).
4. Photograph underwater! You probably don’t have an underwater camera, so buy a disposable one for fun! Don’t forget to take it on your next vacation to the beach so you can photograph the fish.
5. Clouds, rainbows, snow, and mist are water too! When photographing snow, you will want to overexpose the image by one stop. Say you are at F8, you will want to shoot at F5.6.
6. Experiment with a polarizing filter. When photographing water, they actually eliminate the reflection, making it more transparent. Shooting from above (i.e. on a bridge) will eliminate the most reflection.
The options for photographing water are endless. Look online for inspiring photos, and just get out there and experiment.
Tags: moving water > ocean photographs > underwater camera > water > water photos > waves
Explanation of the Canon EOS Flash Photography
Posted on | December 19, 2008 | No Comments
Many Canon EOS camera users often end up confused when they try to use the available modes on the camera without understanding how they function. The reason is that the AV (aperture Priority) mode, TV (Shutter Priority) mode, P (Program) mode and M (Manual) mode handle the metering operation differently. This is especially obvious when you are photographing under condition of low ambient light conditions. Here in this guide, we will give you a breakdown of how the various modes function so that you will know how they work under differing conditions. The FP mode is also assumed not to be turn on in this guide.
The Program (P) Mode:
Under the P mode, when the ambient light is low, the camera will be set to a high shutter speed to enable you to use the camera without a tripod stand. This is to enable you to avoid “motion blur” even though you are holding the camera with your hand. The P mode will work when the ambient light is low or high. When the ambient light is high, the camera makes the assumption that you will flash fill the foreground. Thus the flash will be low powered. If the ambient light is low, the camera will under the P mode will set the flash and the shutter speed appropriately to give the best possible result. Having said so, pictures taken under this condition will normally have a dark background.
The TV (Shutter Priority) Mode
Under this mode the camera will let you decide the shutter speed. It will instead choose an aperture priority to suit the shutter speed to ensure that the exposure level for the background is correct. The duration of the flash pulse will be determined by flash metering. In short, the camera always operates in fill flash mode under the TV mode as opposed to P mode. The Canon EOS system will also warn you if the background is too dim. This will be shown when the maximum aperture value of the camera lens starts to flash in the viewfinder. When this occurs, you should slow down the shutter speed. You will also require a tripod if you wish to avoid motion blur.
AV (Aperture Priority) Mode
Under this mode, you will be able to fix the depth of field by setting the lens aperture. The camera then decides the appropriate shutter speed to expose the background to the right level. The flash pulse duration will be determined by the metering system of the flash. However note that, if the shutter speed is set really low, you will need a tripod to avoid motion blur. As in TV mode, the camera will work in flash fill mode as well. The only exceptions to this are the Canon EOS 10/10s and Canon Elan II/ EOS 50 models. These cameras have a custom function which allows you lock the shutter speed to the X-sync speed.
M (Manual) Mode
With the M mode, you will choose both the aperture and shutter speed of the camera. You will also decide the exposure level of the camera. With the flash metering system, the camera will determine the correct flash pulse to illuminate the foreground.
The Canon’s Camera guide about Pixels.
Posted on | December 18, 2008 | No Comments
Buying a new Canon camera can be very confusing as there are so many terms that sound like a foreign language. In order to be able to make a good choice in your purchase of a Canon digital camera, you will need to know the meaning of some basic terms pixels, white balance, dpi and ppi. All these terms will in some ways affect the quality of the image that a Canon Digital camera will produce. In this guide, we will explain about what a pixel means and how it will determine the quality of the image.
The word pixel is the acronym for PICTURE ELEMENT. All Canon Digital cameras capture pictures in pixel format which is in essence small squares. Although digital images looks smooth like a photograph, it is actually made up of tiny squares patched together like mosaic tiles. Each pixel recognized by 3 numbers which represent the blue, red and green color channels. These numbers can range from 0 to 255. For example, you can represent a pixel using the number 30 in the red channel, 200 in the green channel and 75 in the blue channel. With these combinations, you can have possibly 16 million colors. It is with these numbers that allows a computer can recognize and display a pixel color and hue.
The use of pixel count is not only confined to digital imaging. All camera manufacturers nowadays also categorized their camera quality also according to the pixel count their camera can take. Depending on the type and model of the camera in question, most canon digital camera can take between 5 to 10 megapixels pictures. A megapixel is equivalent to a million pixels. What this mean is that a 5 megapixel camera can take an image with 5 million pixels in it. In terms of image printing quality, the more pixels a digital image has, the sharper the printed version of the image is.
When considering pixel counts as an indicator of picture quality, you also have to see the differences between “Effective Pixels” and “Total Pixels”. When we talk about “Total Pixels”, every pixel in an image is counted But in the final image, not all pixels are counted. The pixels at the edge of an image are normally disregarded. The term “Effective Pixels” is used to describe the remaining pixels after all the edge pixels are discounted.
With a 5 megapixels Canon Digital Camera, you will achieve excellent picture quality prints of 5″ X 7″ prints. 8″ X 10″ prints will be off decent quality. However, if you are going to print more of 8″X 10″ size images; it is recommended that you purchase a 8 to 10 megapixels Canon Digital Camera.
Tags: Camera guide > canon > canon camera > digital images > digital imaging > Effective Pixels > pixel format > Total Pixels
Six Tips To Enhance The Quality Of Your Flower Photos
Posted on | December 14, 2008 | No Comments
When taking photos of flowers, you want them to look their best. And since you like sunny days it is easy to get the idea that those sunny days also provide the best conditions for making pictures of your flowers and garden.
However, people who think that they need that sunlight to take a good picture are sadly mistaken. When it comes to taking photos of flowers in a garden, an overcast day may actually work better.
And there is more to it, too - here are six tips you can use to make pictures like the professionals:
Use a piece of cardboard to create a shadow: Hold the cardboard to shade the background. This will help to make the background darker and thereby less distracting.
Want more light on that special flower? Then take some object with a reflective surface like a mirror, and use that to shine extra light on your subject. The pro’s use this method all the time.
Another thing you can do if you do not want to wait for the clouds is to make your own. Use a sheet of semi-opaque plastic, or a piece of white cloth. Secure this to a coat hanger made of wire. (The hanger should be formed into the shape of a square to make it serve better as support.) Then take this object and place it above the flower so that it provides some shade from the sunlight.
Using the sun as a back lightning for flower photos can prove to be quite interesting. In order to get the best effect, you can try placing the sun right behind the flower. This is not an easy task, but once you get the hang of it, then you can use it to your advantage. Some types of flowers will look semi-transparent when lit from behind.
Around noontime, the sun is at its peak and actually producing the most dull type of light for picture-making. Try taking out your camera at dawn… or near sunset. You will be amazed at the difference.
Nowadays every camera has a zoom lens. Use that zoom function to make your flowers stand out better, by “zooming in”. This tends to give you less problems with distracting stuff in the background, since it enlarges your subject relative to what is further away.
All these methods are stuff the pro’s use all the time, and some of the reasons their results look so fantastic. You too can make photos like that if you learn their secrets.
Tags: back lightning > flower photography > good picture > overcast day > shine extra light
Create fabulous artwork from your photographs
Posted on | December 13, 2008 | No Comments
Transform your favourite photographs into a gorgeous work of art through canvas printing. Printing photos on canvas allows photographers to display their works in a digital, high-resolution large-scale format that is not only beautiful and stylish to look at but also practical, as canvas prints are much durable than regularly-printed photos.
Canvas prints are becoming popular within the interior design community, as canvas-printed photographs produce the same elegant look than an expensive commissioned painting. The technology and latest equipments today assures that these quality prints can look as breath-taking as any other artworks.
So what kind of photos can be printed?
Your best friend’s birthday party, that cherished photo of your wedding day, snapshots of the family vacation, a portrait of your child, even of your pet, just about any photo you like. Original, old, new, or digital photos can be blown up to large-format prints and edited to your taste. Graphic specialists can turn your photos to make it look like “genuine” art by tinting it to a specific colour, setting it in a dramatic black and white finish for a classy look, or rendering it to have the well-liked pop art look.
Canvas prints are not only perfect for home or office designs, but even as perfect gifts as well. Your loved ones will be pleased to receive photos that remind them of the enjoyable times they had with you.Here are some hints in choosing which is the best photo to put in canvas.
High-resolution photos. To achieve quality prints, you need a photo that is clean, sharp and has high-resolution. Out of focus images cannot be re-focused.
Orientation/Shape. Decide the print orientation, either landscape (horizontal orientation) or portrait (vertical orientation) or shape you want your print to have.
Location of the subject. Preferably, the subject should be in the centre of the photo so that when the print out is wrapped around the canvas, the main subject would not be cut off.
Size. Print companies offer vast range of canvas sizes, but many accepts non-standard sizes as well. The larger the canvas print is, the more detailed the image becomes. The size also depends on the level of resolution. The better the resolution your photo has, the bigger the size you can print it with.The rest of the works are done by the print companies, including cropping and sizing into the canvas, and optional graphic editing in which your photos are “magically” transformed into splendid artworks.
Keep your canvas prints looking shiny and brand new by following these tips: Avoid getting the prints wet; the canvas is water-resistant, not waterproof. Water-resistant means water slides easily on the surface, but the material may still absorb the moisture. Avoid using acidic materials; acids can leave your canvas yellow and ruin your prints. Don’t place your prints under direct sunlight; sunlight will make your prints age faster and cause it to fade. Use brush or soft cloth to remove dust and lint in your canvas.
Tags: artwork > canvas printing > Graphic specialists > interior design > office designs > Photography > photos on canvas > pop art > quality prints > work of art
The World of John Gutmann
Posted on | December 11, 2008 | No Comments
Photography is one of the most appreciated creative fields. It opens your heart and soul through the mind’s eye as you view images from nearby to places far away. You can travel without ever leaving your home by viewing the works of many groundbreaking photographers. John Gutmann is one such photographer.
John Gutmann was born in Breslau, Germany in 1905. He originally studied art under the Master Expressionist Otto Mueller. He loved what he could produce through his paintings and by 1927, he was exhibiting his work at Schlesischer Kunsterbund and the Museum der Bildenden Kuntse in Breslau. John Gutmann traveled Europe after receiving is MA degree in 1928. He had a very promising career as an artists and professor until, in 1933, Hitler invaded Germany. Being the son of a well-off Jewish family, John Guttman’s world began crashing around him. He decided to migrate to the United States and a friend of his suggested heading to San Francisco. Prior to his departure, Gutmann purchased a camera, self-taught the medium by reading the owner’s manual and began work as a photojournalist. He signed on with Presse-Foto in Berlin with the idea of shooting images in America to be sent back home to Germany.
As he arrived in San Francisco, John Gutmann was struck with awe at the many diverse scenes that layout, a story in waiting, in front of him. Coming from a country that was being torn apart in war and his own kind being carted off to concentration camps, he was amazed by the people from different backgrounds living side by side with each other. He brought the experience of his keen foreign eye into play and photographed life as it happened. Images from the 30s through the 50s brought us the every man as Americans enjoyed life as best they could through the depression and World War. Cars, signs, clothing and street life told the story of time. Gutmann captured the essence of any given moment, cropping the images for maximum effect. He didn’t really give up his art, either, he was on display staring in 1934, and by the following year, he began teaching part time art at San Francisco State College.
From the late 30s into the 60s, John Gutmann’s work was published in major magazines such as “Saturday Evening Post”, “Life” and “Time”. All applauded his works. In the 40s, he was a staff photographer for “The Dispatch” at Camp Roberts, California as he served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps using still and motion pictures. He went on to serve in Asia on the Psychological Warfare Team. By 1946 he was back home in San Francisco and began teaching photography at the University. His audience was captured by the sheer simplistic power of his images. He was “seeing American through an outsider’s eyes - the automobiles, the speed, the freedom, the graffiti,” John explained the 80s, “[recorded] the almost bizarre, exotic qualities of the country.” This is how he was given his groundbreaking reputation.
Gutmann enjoyed a dual career as a world traveler and professor. He caught the laughs, the cries, the downtrodden, and the elite. His mind’s eye found beauty in garages, concerts, festivals, and the common passers-by. John Gutmann’s photographs were published many times over as we became entangled in his web of images and life. He passed away in 1998 with his estate being handled by the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Modern Photography: Man Ray
Posted on | December 11, 2008 | No Comments
Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadephia, 1890) was an American artist whose work spanned most of the twentieth century. Although perhaps best known for his avant-garde black and white photography, he was active in many visual arts, including sculpture, performance art, and especially painting. Like many avant-garde artists, he received little recognition or appreciation for his work at the time, but they have been slowly growing in popularity since.
Upon moving to New York in 1912 and becoming involved with its lively art community, Man Ray’s work began to focus on showing movement despite the inherently static nature of a painting. For example, his 1916 painting “The Rope Dancer Accompanies Herself with Shadows”, great care was paid to the repetitive positions of the dancer’s skirts. As Man Ray continued to explore experimental art, he gradually moved away from painting. At first he merely experimented with different materials-for example, his 1919 painting “Aerograph” was done with airbrush on glass-he eventually left the canvas altogether and moved into experimental art in the sculpture and photography mediums.
Man Ray soon took to “found” or “readymade” sculpture-objects chosen by the artist and displayed, with very little modification, as a sculpture. Other sculptures stressed form over subject, such as his sculpture “Enigma of Isidore Ducasse”, in which cloth is draped around an unknown object and tied with rope. In 1920, he assisted fellow avant-garde artist Marcel Duchamp designing and building one of the first pieces of kinetic art in which glass plates were rotated by a motor. In the same year, Man Ray, Duchamp, and Katherine Dreier opened the Socit Anonyme, effectively the first museum of modern art in the United States.
Man Ray experimented with photography as a means of bypassing the static nature of painting. After moving to the artistic community of Montparnasse in Paris, France, Man Ray spent the next twenty years redefining the art of photography. Man Ray juxtaposed objects, subjects, backgrounds, and lighting in his photographs to alter the meaning and message it would at first glance appear to be sending to society. The Surrealist artist Mret Oppenheim posed for Man Ray in 1934 for a famous series of photographs, in which she stood nude next to a printing press. Later, Ray revisited and reinvented the photographic technique of “solarization”. He developed new techniques of using photograms, which he named after himself, calling them “rayographs”. During his life, he also directed several short avant-garde experimental films.
As per his wish, Man Ray died in Paris in 1976, and was buried in the Montparnasse cemetery. His tombstone bears the inscription “Unconcerned, but not indifferent”. In 1999, ARTnews magazine rated him among the 25 most influential artists during the 20th century due to his exploration, expansion, and blending of the artistic disciplines of painting, sculpture, and black and white photography.
Tags: avant-garde > black and white > Man Ray > modern photography > photography mediums > visual arts