HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE

This was taken from Andy Long's website...
if you have an iPhone you can also download a free app to determine hyperfocal distance (Tom uses it)


PHOTO TIPS - HYPERFOCAL DISTANCE

Ever wondered how those images were made with something very close in the foreground in focus and the background in the distance in focus? There is a simple way of doing this if you know the setting on your camera and lens. This is what's referred to as hyperfocal distance, a fancy term that means the distance setting at any aperture that produces the greatest depth of field.

When the digital age came around and crop / magnification factors of camera bodies replace full frame sensors, anyone who previously had learned where to focus for a given lens and aperture combination had to start all over again to find the settings that now worked for getting the maximum amount of focal distance. The chart below takes into account a factor of 1.6. If you have a full-frame camera body, you will need to adjust this a little bith.

Digital Hyperfocal Chart - make a copy of this and carry it with you in the field.

Lens f/22 f/25 f/29 f/32
18mm 2.1' 1.8' 1.6' 1.4'
20mm 2.6' 2.3' 2' 1.8'
24mm 3.7' 3.3' 2.8' 2.6'
28mm 5.1' 4.5' 3.8' 3.5'
35mm 7.9' 4' 6' 5.4'
50mm 16.2 14.2' 12.3' 11.1'
70mm 31.7 27.9' 11.1' 21.8'


To use this chart, manually set the indicated distance in feet for the chosen f/stop and lens combination on the focus mark of the lens. Make sure the lens is set to manual and do not refocus after setting it. The depth of field will being at half the distance between the camera and the number of feet set on the lens. EXAMPLE - 28mm lens set at f/32 - the lens is set at 3.5 feet and everything from 1.75 feet to infinity will be sharp.


Another great took to use when setting up shots with the technique is the depth of field preview button that is on many of today's cameras. Some people have a hard time mastering how to use this great tool, but once you do it's quite helpful. I use it quite a bit for both hyperfocal as well as for macro work to see what all is in focus.

Remember that hyperfocal distance is just a reasonable estimate for actual photographic lenses. Focus a little beyond the hyperfocal distance and you'll know that everything from at least 1/2 the focus distance to infinity will be acceptably sharp in the photo.
Just make sure that the primary subject you want in focus in the foreground is not closer than half the distance for where the focus is set on the lens.

PDN PhotoPlus carpool

Hi Lisa:I am looking to join a carpool of people who may be going to the PDN PhotoPlus in New York on October 22-24, 2009 and share the travel costs.Do you think you can post on your blog a note for others who may be interested in doing the same with a way to contact each other.You may post my email. Thanks.Wayne Nolting w.nolting@cox.net

HUNT’S alliance with The Digital Photo Academy

thanks Gary (Prestash) for passing this along

Hello, Hunt's is excited about this new partnership, and thought you might like to take advantage of the included free NIK class being offered by The Digital Photo Academy.

We plan on scheduling more classes and events with them. I will keep you posted in plenty of time prior. Please pass this information along to all of your camera club friends.

Regards,
Gary Farber

Dear HUNTS PREFERRED CUSTOMER:

Recently HUNT’S management has formed an alliance with The Digital Photo Academy at www.digitalphotoacademy.com.

This means you will be periodically invited to attend free demonstrations, slide shows, model shoots, and other photo activities. These are given by the expert pro shooters who teach Digital Photo Academy classes 5 times per month in the Boston area; 12 times per year.

There will be a free Photoshop and NIK PLUG-IN Demo at our Melrose location this coming Sunday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Seating is limited; register at www.digitalphotoacademy.com today before it’s too late. Hunt’s customers can save up to 10% on all courses. Call toll free 1.877.372.2231. Keep on taking photos!


Reminder: This year’s dates for Hunt’s Annual Event are October 30, 31, and November 1. Prices during this weekend are valid at all Hunt’s stores. More info will be available to you as time draws near.

21 Impressive Bathroom Pictures

my favorite is "what the spider saw"

21 Impressive Bathroom Pictures

A bathroom, restroom, goldfish graveyard, or whatever you call it can be a great place for a photograph, clean or dirty.

Here are a few unique photos that may spark your creativeness for your next photo session.

21 Impressive Bathroom Pictures

BIRD DESTINATION HELP

BIRD DESTINATION HELP

Whether you're traveling to another state or to a neighboring county, bird photographers looking for a great spot to go in a new location have a way of finding out what's going on where you're going. In addition to contacting the local Audubon Society group for info, there is a website with a list of birders who are willing to pass on info about what's there at that time of year as well ashot spots as to where to go look. Some are even willing to meet up with you and show you around the place. The web site www.birdingpal.org has volunteer and professional contacts throughout the United States and about 130 other countries willing to pass on their local knowledge. Go to the web site, click on North America on the map and then click on the state you want info on. A list comes up with people sort by city they live in and an e-mail link to contact them.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park 16th Annual Photo Contest.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park was pleased to host its 16th Annual Photo Contest.

For the fourth year in a row, the winning photos will be displayed in a calendar that will be for sale in our gift shop and will also be available to purchase on our website. One of the goals of this project is to educate and bring awareness to wading bird conservation. Therefore, a portion of the proceeds of each calendar will go to a wading bird conservation fund.Entries were received from all over the United States, parts of Canada and the UK.

Greg Lepera was this year's judge. You will soon be able to find Greg's bio on our website, www.alligatorfarm.us. With well over 100 photographers that entered almost 600 photos, you can imagine the challenge that Greg faced! Winning photographs will be on display at the Alligator Farm as well as our website very soon!
Best in ShowJulie Bender $500.00

Eleven additional photos will also be displayed in the calendar,and were taken by the following photographers: Adams Serra, Linda Holloway, Shawn Marques, Betsy Kellenberger, Michael Cenci, Olis Garber (2 photos), Lola Lawrence, Michael Maxwell, Paula Griffin (2 photos)

Photographers mentioned above will receive $200 (per photo)

Thank you to all the photographers for all of their wonderful pictures, and as always, we look forward to next year's entries!

The winning photos are available to view in our lobby at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and on our website:
http://www.alligatorfarm.us/photography.html

Daily Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point Park

September 1 to November 30, 2009
Daily Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point Park
Date: Tuesday September 1, 2009 Time: 7:00 am - 7:00 am
Notes: Daily Hawk Watch at Lighthouse Point Park

Lighthouse Point on New Haven Harbor is one of the premiere locations in southern New England for observing migrating hawks, eagles, and falcons, as well as a wide variety of songbirds. The watch starts daily at 7:00 AM and continues as long as the hawks keep flying. Stop by anytime.
Coordinator—Steve Mayo: 203.393.0694, smayo@sikorsky.com

Connecticut State of the Birds 2009

Our new "Connecticut State of the Birds 2009" report focuses on how best to protect endangered species, using a “Biological Conservation Unit” approach to conservation and land acquisition. It also identifies CAS's “Top 20 Conservation Priority” birds as the best "indicator species" of quality habitat. Click here to read the report.

Gary W. Stanley and Lindsay Adler seminars

Two great seminars with Gary W. Stanley on Sunday, October 25th.

Morning Session: "Fine Tune Your Photography"

Afternoon Session: "Adobe Photoshop: Image Preparation - The Key to Success"Details!

Two exciting Workshops with Lindsay Adler.

Saturday Evening, November 14th: "Studio Lighting Basics"

Sunday, November 15th: "Using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom"Details!

Longwood Gardens and Hagley Museum

Longwood Gardens and Hagley Museum
Next Safari: 11/13/2009All Day
Join WPS for two-day photographic exploration of beautiful Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA and picturesque Hagley Museum in nearby Delaware. Participate in an immersive photography and learning experience framed by beautiful holiday displays. WPS Instructor Bob Blanken.

Learn more about:
Choosing Backgrounds
Using Depth of Field
Mastering Exposure
Fill light with Reflectors
Garden Environment Posing
Macro Photography
Night Time Photography
Utilizing Ring Lights
Creating Separation
White Balance ChoicesDay OneLongwood Gardens is the country's premier horticultural showplace including glass-enclosed gardens covering over 200,000 square feet of luscious flowers, trees, and floral displays located only 20 minutes west of Wilmington, DE. Renowned for its flower displays, Longwood offers the opportunity for macro photography as well as large scenes. Participants will depart the beautiful and historic Hotel Du Pont for Longwood Gardens at 8:15 am. Class begins in Longwood's main Conservatory Hall promptly at 9am. Lunch will be provided in the Longwood Gardens Terrace Restaurant. Class departs for hotel at 6:30 pm.The evening is open for dinner on your own with class participants. Optional: meeting with the instructor to review the day's accomplishments over dinner.The next morning, after checking out, the class drives to the Hagley Museum and Library.Nestled along the picturesque Brandywine River, Hagley is the original Du Pont Gunpowder factory. Numerous buildings and structures provide a photographer with postcard perfect scenes as the river literally winds its way downstream. A luscious array of trees, shrubs and flowers are there for the taking...photographically, of course!Lunch will be provided at the Hagley Belin House restaurant. Following lunch, the class will complete with a review and discussion.Robert N. 'Bob' Blanken, CPP, Cr. Photog. is a Faculty member of both the Washington Photo Safari and the Panasonic Digital Photography Academy. He also leads local classes for the Professional Photographers of America. Bob is past president of The Professional Photographers Society of Greater Washington and the Maryland Professional Photographers Association. He is the 2006 and 2002 (ISES) Capital Award Winner for Best Social Photographer and the 2003 ISES Capital Award Winner for Best Corporate Photographer. Bob has been nominated 19 times as Best Photographer by the Greater Washington Chapter of the International Special Events Society and three times by the International Society.
Arrangements have been made to stay at the Hotel DuPont for $139 per night plus tax. This is a special rate to enable WPS participants to stay at this extraordinary hotel. Use this code when registering: BLANKEN11609.Meet with Bob in the lobby of the Hotel DuPont at 7:30pm on Friday night.The Hotel Dupont11th & Market Streets, Wilmington Delaware 19801 800-441-9019 T. 302-594 3100
Fee: $345 Fee includes all entrance fees and lunches. We will car pool to Longwood.
Go to Registration

Saint Matthew's Cathedral

Saint Matthew's Cathedral
Next Safari: 08/30/20092:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Dedicated in 1913, the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle (which honors the patron saint of civil servants) plays a major role in the Catholic life of the nation's capital. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Washington, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass here in 1979, and President John F. Kennedy's funeral was celebrated here on November 25, 1963. Designed by New York architect C. Grant La Farge, the Cathedral has been cited as having "one of the most beautiful church interiors of modern times." Its walls are laden with shimmering mosaics suggestive of those found on in the renowned churches of Ravenna, Italy.

With special permission from the Cathedral Staff, Washington Photo Safari is pleased to offer a new exclusive photo Safari that takes you inside the spectacular St.Matthew's Cathedral, teaching you how to photograph church interiors without flash, capturing the architectural beauty of a Cathedral laid out in the form of a 155' x 136' Latin cross, with the interior rising 190', and how to photograph its stained glass windows.

A sturdy tripod is essential, along with familiarity on how to set a digital camera white balance to "tungsten" or "incandescent", or the use of an 80A tungsten filter for film cameras. Your instruction fee includes a $10 donation to the Cathedral.
Meet inside Cathedral entrance at 1725 Rhode island Avenue NW.
Fee: $69 per person.
Go to Registration

Swallow Spectacular Returns

Swallow Spectacular Returns
September 2,6,9,13,16,20,25,27 & 30

Here in the lower Connecticut River Valley, we are lucky enough to be able to witness two spectacular avian happenings. The first of the year is the amazing concentration of eagles that join us to winter. The other highlight of the birding year on the river is the Tree Swallow concentrations that can be found each September and October. This has become known as the Swallow Spectacular.

During fall migration, thousands of swallows congregate on the lower Connecticut River and at sunset settle in on a giant communal roost. The birds come from as far away as 35 miles and converge at dusk, often creating a “ballet” or “funnel” of birds before they settle down to roost.

The renowned ornithologist and artist Roger Tory Peterson wrote, “I have seen a million flamingos on the lakes of East Africa and as many seabirds on the cliffs of the Alaska Pribilofs, but for sheer drama, the tornadoes of Tree Swallows eclipsed any other avian spectacle I have ever seen.” Each year the trips sell out faster and faster as the word of this awe inspiring display of nature gets out to people. Trips are often concluded with rousing applause from the many satisfied travelers. Join Connecticut Audubon Society naturalists and cruise from Eagle’s Landing State Park in Haddam to see this spectacular display. Bring a picnic supper and your favorite beverage to enjoy your trip. If you only take one trip with Connecticut Audubon Society EcoTravel this fall, make sure it is this one!

Spaces sell out quickly and it is not too soon to reserve now by calling 1-800-996-8747 or 1-860-767-0660 or emailing pwood@ctaudubon.org. Fee is $35 per person.

Bald Eagles, Snow Geese and Wolves in one weekend!

Bald Eagles, Snow Geese and Wolves
All Day Date: 11/13/2009 - 11/15/2009

One weekend, three species, three states. Come join wildlife photographer and instructor Sean Quintilian on a weekend of intense wildlife photography.

We will start on Friday evening with 2-3 hour of instruction. On Saturday morning we will drive together to Bombay Hook NWR, near Dover DE., to photograph the fall snow geese migration, where we will have opportunities to photograph snow geese by the thousands.

After a late breakfast we will head to Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in MD, home to the best bald eagle photography in the eastern U.S.. There we will photograph eagles in flight as they fish and interact. Last November Conowingo hosted over 200 eagles. Saturday eve we will enjoy dinner together and show off shots from the day.

Sunday morning we'll be at it again as we head to the Wolf Sanctuary of PA, near Lititz PA. There we will spend the morning photographing the 25+ wolves that Speedwell calls home. Special attention will be spent on using flash to help isolate wildlife subjects.

Through out the weekend the instructor will be spending time with each student, focusing on capturing birds in flight, exposure modes for wildlife, flash use for wildlife and composition. A long telephoto lens will be essential for this workshop, a minimum of 400mm, contact the instructor for rental recommendations if needed.

Bring your laptop and plenty of memory (you can expect to shoot over 1000 images). Transportation will be provided for Saturday and Sunday. We will meet Friday eve and both Saturday and Sunday morning at: 2408 Creswell Rd, Bel Air MD 21015. Plenty of lodging is available in nearby Aberdeen MD, zip code 21009 and 21001.

This workshop will be limited to 8 participants. We will start Friday at 7:30pm and end Sunday at 2pm. E-mail Sean Quintilian for equipment recommendations and help with lodging.Fee:$395, includes transportation on Saturday and Sunday as well as a $50 fee paid to the Wolf Sanctuary of PA. Go to registration

HDR

HDR For the Love of Light: Vision From Nine photographers.
by Jim Austin M.A.

PART 1: What is HDR photography? Fire in the Cave: Why High Dynamic Range? How do I Make an HDR Image?

PART 2: Is there art in HDR? A Current Debate: Is HDR true? The Debate Continued: Is HDR real? What Makes HDR artistic? A Linked Glossary and References.

PART 3 : Beauty of B&W High Dynamic Range Photography

This three-part article examines work by nine photographers using high dynamic range HDR photography. First, the remarkable abilities of HDR software to capture light is explored. The unique construction of HDR photographs is briefly explained. Using the work of talented photographers as examples, artistic qualities of the images are considered.

In Part 2, we consider a debate about the varieties of HDR photography and their expression of what is true or natural. A key idea is explored: What is it that makes HDR artistic? The answer leads us to qualities of the photographer. A linked glossary is included to provide web searches and definitions of HDR concepts. Part 3 of the article explores HDR Photography in Black & White.

Read the article and see the images here: http://www.apogeephoto.com/feb2007/jaustin22007_1.shtml

PRIVATE TUTORING IN NATURE AND ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Washington Photo Safari is now pleased to offer PRIVATE TUTORING IN NATURE AND ANIMAL PHOTOGRAPHY by nature specialist Sean Quintilian.

For $340, Sean will meet you on weekend dates at the Washington National Zoo located in upper northwest DC, and give you four hours of one-on-one instruction on animal portraiture and flash techniques how to photograph animals in the wild or in captivity. This rate can include 2 people for the $340. You meet Sean at the National Zoo entrance at 7 am. This session will concentrate on animal portraits and nice tight shots of the animals of the National Zoo. Focus will be on how to get good shots that don’t look like zoo pictures. Students will learn how to shoot using fill-flash and wide aperture to help the enclosures disappear in the pictures. Focus will be on the big cats, the wonderful waterfowl exhibit as well as other animals in more open natural enclosures. A telephoto lens of 300mm or longer will be needed.

Sean is aso available to do private tutoring on bald eagle photography (November-January) at a location north of Baltimore, also four hours for $340, up to 2 people. This one on one session will focus on capturing majestic Bald Eagles in flight! Instruction will focus on techniques for panning and large lens photography. Sean is an expert on the Natural History of the Bald Eagles of the Lower Susquehanna River and will share his favorite spots, techniques and teach you about the eagles. A telephoto lens of 300 or longer will be needed

For private tutoring in rattlesnakes (June-August) black bear (June-October), or white tail deer photography (June-December) , the cost is $680 for 8 hours, up to 2 people may attend. Meet at the Matthews Arm Campground Ampitheater, in Shennandoah National Park. 7:00 am. This session will allow participants a chance to photograph wild Timber Rattlesnakes from a safe working distance with complete safety considerations. Whitetail fawns will be photographed with all respect to proper distance as to not to disturb the mother fawn relationship. There is also always the chance of a Black Bear sighting. Students will be taught good flash technique for wildlife as well as how to determine a good working distance for shooting wildlife. Sean Quintilian will also teach on the natural history of the wildlife. As with all wildlife sessions there are no guarantees of sightings, Sean is very familiar with these species and their habits as well as where to find them but wild animals are unpredictable.

Waterfowl photography (ducks, geese, swans) can be done November through March, $680 for 8 hours Locations will vary with each session based current sightings and season, but may include: Bombayhook NWR, Eastern Neck NWR, Blackwater NWR, Middle Creek WMA, the Wildfowl trust of North America.6:00 am meeting time at location or earlier to carpool. November though mid-March.

The Chesapeake Bay region is host to an abundance of waterfowl species each winter. Focus will be on shooting the birds in flight and all the environments they feed and roost in. These sessions will require the use of a super telephoto lens for best results 400mm or longer, or 300 2.8 and converters. Techniques for shooting with big glass will be a main focus. Photographer Sean Quintilian got his to 20 years ago photographing waterfowl on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and is very familiar with the area as well as the habits and natural history of waterfowl.
For private tutoring in elk photography in Pennsylvania (September-January), the cost is $900 for 2 days excursion, plus your travel expenses, good for 1-2 people, each additional person is $200.

Wildlife photographer Sean Quintilian has traveled over much of North America in search of outstanding wildlife and nature photographs. His body of work includes images from 14 U.S. National Parks and dozens of National Wildlife Refuges, with over 100 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles recorded. Sean has spent over 600 days on location over the past 17 years including 20 weeks in Yellowstone National Park alone and he has led two of our safaris to Yellowstone. His work has appeared in publications, exhibits and a CD jacket, and his fine art prints have graced the walls of many offices and homes.
Go to Registration

Tamron Learning Center's "Road Series '09" is coming to Colchester CT

Tamron's "Road Series '09"
We're excited to announce that the Tamron Learning Center's "Road Series '09" is coming to Colchester! Published and award-winning photographer Ed Heaton will be at our store on October 3rd to for a 3-hour photography seminar.
Seminar Details ......Ed Heaton ......Register Now......Lens Rebates......Visit Tamron

Backyard Photography Challenge

Straight from digital photography school...

Backyard Photography Challenge

Yesterday we posted an article about Backyard photography - today I’d like to issue a challenge - get into your backyard and see what shots you can come up with - and then share your best shot or two with us in comments below.

I know some of you don’t technically have ‘backyards’ - but feel free to photograph whatever is the closest thing to a yard for you (a balcony for instance) - be creative. You don’t just have to take a picture of your yard - focus in on something (or someone) in it. I’m expecting to see macro work, wildlife, pets, portraits and much much more!

Once you’ve gotten out there and taken some shots - pick your favorite one or two, upload them to our favorite photosharing site (like Flickr) and share a link to your shots in the comments section below.

Please only link to pictures you’ve taken for this challenge and not previous ones - that way we’re seeing your most recent work.

Also - we’d love it if you’d link to this post from your photosharing page to let your friends know what you’re doing - that’ll spread news of our little challenge and make it all the more fun!
I can’t see what everyone comes up with!

Understanding Unsharp Mask

Understanding Unsharp Mask

Sharpening is a critical part of a digital workflow aimed at producing the highest quality images possible. Having a good understanding of the use of Photoshop’s Unsharp Mask filter for sharpening your images will enable you to produce the best results possible.

SHARPENING FUNDAMENTALSThe most important thing to know about sharpening is that it doesn’t improve focus. If an image is out of focus, applying some sharpening to it can help improve the overall appearance, but it won’t make it a sharp image. If the image wasn’t sharp to begin with, the final print won’t be sharp. The sharpening tools available with image editing software don’t replace good photographic technique. You need to start with images that are in sharp focus.

Sharpening should be applied as the last step for your image before printing. That means not sharpening until all adjustments have been made to your image. To achieve optimal results, it is also best to sharpen your image after you have sized it for printing. My preference is to apply sharpening as part of the final printing workflow, after the master image has been saved and I’m preparing the file for printing. This sharpened print image may or may not be saved depending on how frequently I think I may print the image.

While sharpening can be a critical step in compensating for the loss of sharpness that occurs in the process of scanning film, recording a digital capture, or printing, it is important to know when sharpening is not only unnecessary, but potentially degrading to the quality of your image. If you don’t need to enhance detail in an image, and you want to be sure to avoid enhancing any grain or noise in the image, sharpening may best be avoided. For example, I have seen many photographs of sunsets where nothing has a crisp sharpness, and sharpening would only serve to enhance grain in the sky and potentially degrade the subtle gradations of tone and color. In such images, it is often wise to avoid sharpening. Just because sharpening is part of your normal workflow doesn’t mean it needs to be applied to every image.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.naturescapes.net/docs/index.php/category-image-editing/106-understanding-unsharp-mask

Win a $100 Gift Certificate!

Win a $100 Gift Certificate! Post an image to the OPG flickr group to be eligible.

On September 1st we will randomly pick a photo from the OPG Flickr Group and award that lucky photographer a $100 gift certificate redeemable at the OPG store.
Enter as many images as you like, up to 2 a day!

David Middleton seminar Charter Oak

Charter Oak Photographic Society, Inc. presents
DAVID MIDDLETON
Getting the MOST from your photography
November 14, 2009 , 9:00—4:00
East Hartford Community Cultural Center in East Hartford, CT

For more information please contact info@charteroakphoto.com.
And be sure to check out our website at www.charteroakphoto.com!

Hi Folks,

Camera Clubs will be starting up for the season very soon. Please announce the Charter Oak Seminar featuring David Middleton to your Clubs. The date of the all day seminar is November 14, 2009 at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center in East Hartford, CT.

A flyer is attached. If you can make a few copies for your Club all the better. We appreciate your help in getting the word out.

The sponsors for the all day event are Nikon, LowePro and Hunt's Photo and Video. Hunt's will be on site and there will be door prizes.

Thanks for your help, and we hope to see you there.

Best, Audrey

Acclaimed photographer David Middleton will teach a day-long seminar on November 14, 2009 at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center in East Hartford, CT. A nature photographer with more than 20 years experience, Middleton is a passionate teacher who will lead a workshop to improve photographers’ technical and conceptual skills. He’ll explain his process of thinking about what he’s going to shoot, and then working the subject. An inveterate storyteller, iddleton incorporates anecdotes with teaching points so you will walk away entertained and inspired. Topics include 􀃎 Shooting Locally & Regionally 􀃎 Now I Know Better 􀃎 Pretty Pictures
􀃎 Workflow – pre-capture to finished product 􀃎 Getting Seen

A Contributing Editor for Outdoor Photographer Magazine, Middleton has written ten books including The Nature of Vermont, Photographer’s Guides to Vermont, the Maine Coast and the Oregon Coast; Ancient Forests, The New Key to Ecuador and the Galapagos, Prayers through the Seasons, American Vision, and The Nature of America. He’s also lead tours and workshops for Maine Photographic Workshops, Rocky Mountain School of Photography, The Great American Photography Weekend, and Santa Fe Workshops, among others. Proud sponsors of this event include Nikon, LowePro and Hunt’s Photo. Hunt’s will be on site to sell photographic products and equipment, and there will be door prizes. Registration will be from 8:00 until 9:00, and special student pricing is $25.00 on that day.

For more information please contact info@charteroakphoto.com.
And be sure to check out our website at www.charteroakphoto.com!


REGISTRATION FORM
Please complete and send to Ms. Gretchen Hein, 44 Broadview Street, Bristol, CT 06010-5106, along with your check for the full amount made payable to Charter Oak Photographic Society, Inc. Earlybird registration by 10/31/09 takes an additional $5.00 off of the workshop fee. Non-members get $5.00 credit towards membership if application is made on or before the day of the seminar.
No. _____ Charter Oak Member(s) at $45.00 per person $ _______
No. _____ Non-member(s) at $50.00 per person $ _______
Total amount of check enclosed $ _______
Name(s) and Address(es) of Seminar attendees:

Changing Earth: Photographers’ Call to Action

Blue Earth and The Ansel Adams Gallery have teamed up to bring the work of eight fine art landscape photographers to the Mumm Napa Gallery in Rutherford, California, for an exhibition entitled “Changing Earth: Photographers’ Call to Action”. The exhibition opens on 19 September 2009 and will be displayed for six months. The works depict endangered cultures, threatened environments and topics of social concern. Their subjects include the Amazon, Colorado River Delta, wildlife corridors, the effect of climate change on local people, wildlife rescue, Siberia defrosted, animals in captivity and Earth as inspiration.

http://www.photographyblog.com/news/changing_earth_photographers_call_to_action/

Advanced Photoshop Tutorial Series: Burning and Dodging

Advanced Photoshop Tutorial Series: Burning and Dodging

Jay Kinghorn continues his series of Advanced Photoshop Tutorials. This month, he breaks down Burning and Dodging, a basic yet detailed skill for any photographer. These techniques presented in the tutorial should help you become more comfortable with the burning and dodging. Download the example image and follow along.
Read the Photoshop Image Burning and Dodging Tutorial.

Hot Air Balloon Glows & Backgrounds

with the Plainville Balloon Festival this weekend and the Adirondack Ballon festival just a few weeks away I thought that this would be helpful!

Learning Photography Never Ends: Hot Air Balloon Glows & Backgrounds - Learn how to capture the colorful glows of hot air balloons at night.

Digital Days photo workshop

20% off register with PPFALL09

Welcome to Digital Days!
Digital Days is a photo workshop series that travels around the country to 18 cities per year, unraveling the mysteries of digital technology and photography. Digital photography is growing in popularity and advanced photo equipment is becoming accessible to all of us — and with that comes a whole new world of things to learn and master. After attending one of our workshops you will come out with the knowledge, tools and confidence to take better pictures and make digital photography work for you. Our curriculum is geared for people of varying beginner skill-levels and with all kinds of equipment — and we hope to see you there.

Upcoming Workshops
Chicago, IL Sept 12 & 13
Baltimore, MD Sept 26 & 27
New York, NY Oct 3 & 4
Salt Lake City, UT Oct 10 & 11
Portland, OR Oct 17 & 18
Dallas, TX Nov 7 & 8
Albuquerque, NM Nov 14 & 15
San Diego, CA Nov 21 & 22
Orlando, FL Dec 5 & 6

Pricing Saturday$69 Sunday$99 Both days$139

Depth of Field from Tom Hallstein

From http://www.outsight.com/hyperfocal.html#dof

Have a Digital Camera? Before using the basic calculators on this page or the Chart Makers for a digital camera, you must determine your digital camera's Lens Multiplier Factor (LMF) which is simple to do.

Hyperfocal Calculator Use this calculator to find the maximum focus range, or hyperfocal, for any aperture and lens focal length combination. I carry a list of hyperfocal settings for commonly used f-stops and focal lengths for my zoom lenses that don't have depth of field guidemarks.

Hyperfocal Distance Chart Maker - A Premium Service Quickly customize, create, and print charts of hyperfocal distances for any ten apertures and ten lens focal lengths. Select distance units in feet or meters. Choose from seven film formats or use the LMF for your digital camera. The Chart Maker instantly creates concise, easy to read tables with this valuable information. Just print them and you're done! Details

Focus Limits Calculator Doing critical close up work? Selective focus? Here's a handy tool. Enter either the aperture and focus distance to determine near and far focus limits, OR enter near field and far field limits to determine f-stop and focus setting... if it's possible!

Focus Limits Chart Maker - A Premium Service Quickly customize, create, and print easy-to-read charts showing near and far focus limits for single focal length at any ten apertures and ten focus distances. Select distance units in feet, inches, meters, or centimeters. Choose from seven film formats or enter the LMF for your digital camera. Shows hyperfocal distances too. Essential information for your camera bag. Details

Depth of Field? Here's a quick explanation if you don't know what this is.

The Equations For the mathematically inclined...

How to Look 10 Pounds Thinner in Photos

I saw this link on Scott Kelby's Blog

How to Look 10 Pounds Thinner in Photos
http://beauty.about.com/od/hairstylephotogalleries/qt/photopose.htm

Also this one How to Look Thinner: http://www.inch-aweigh.com/lookthinner.html

new Mark Bowie book The Adirondacks: In Celebration of the Seasons

MARK BOWIE ~ OUTDOOR IMAGES

The Adirondacks: In Celebration of the Seasons

I'm pleased to announce the release of my new book, The Adirondacks: In Celebration of the Seasons. Signed, personalized copies are available for immediate delivery.

7.5 x 7", 144p.Hardcover - $19.95 ea.

Shipping - $3.50 for the 1st book, $0.50 each for additional copies

NY and MA residents please add local sales tax (doesn't apply to shipping fee).

To order, please mail a check to: Mark Bowie 61 Howe Rd. Pittsfield, MA 01201 or call me at (413) 442-9125.

If you'll be giving a book as a gift, please indicate how you'd like it personalized.

Also... I'm now scheduling public presentations of my new multimedia program, The Adirondacks: In Celebration of the Seasons. Please visit www.markbowie.com, for locations and dates. Best wishes, Mark

FREE Photoshop Elements Basics

Bridgeport Adult Education has opened up Hazel's "Photoshop Elements Basics" class to non-Bridgeport residents -- and it will still be FREE!

It is a six-week class, meeting Thursdays 6:30-8:35 at Central High School on the nights of 9/10, 9/17, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22.

Enrollees must use the enrollment form and return it to Hazel for processing at:
Hazel Meredith, 375 N. Abram St., Stratford, CT 06614

The class will be for true beginners - covering adjustments, cropping, color correcting, layers, and more. If students have a laptop with any version of Elements they are welcome to bring it to the class, however, a laptop is not required to take the class.

Any questions, Hazel can be reached at 203-375-1039 evenings.

Forms should be returned to Hazel at 375 N. Abram St., Stratford, CT 06614 or e-mailed to RACEnFISH@aol.com by 9/3.

Sunday -- auto and airplane show in New Milford

thanks Rick!

Hi Lisa, Here are some items for your blog. Rick

Nik Software 20% off all except Dfine & Sharperner (since they’re already on sale). 10% off upgrades. Also, buy a product and get Color Efex Std. free. Use discount code web136.

Nikon has a new P+S with a built-in video projector. S1000pj: 12.1MP, 5x optical zoom (28-140mm equiv.), ISO 800-6400, 4 movie modes w/sound, optical & electronic VR, D lighting, 16 scene modes, 36MB internal plus SD card slot, wireless remote, projector stand, face detection. Projector: VGA resolution, 5-40” wide projected size, throw distance up to 2 meters, 10 lumens, 1’ battery life. Available mid-September. 485 Euros.

On Sunday 8/23/09 (rain date 8/30), there will be an auto and airplane show in New Milford, CT.
There will be million dollar Ferraris, muscle cars, classic cars, and vintage airplanes. Planes will be taking off, landing, and performing acrobatic stunts.
There will be food and music.
Photography welcome.
$7 adult – all gate proceeds benefit an academy for intellectually disabled children.

Candlelight Farms Airport
5 Green Pond Rd.
New Milford, CT
203-330-9604
www.blackhorsegarage.com

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to the Zoo,

THE JACK IS BACK! Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to the Zoo, October 8 - November 1

This fall, the one-of-a-kind Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular returns to Roger Williams Park Zoo!
Come feast your eyes on a truly breathtaking display - thousands of illuminated pumpkins set on a charming New England wetland trail. Marvel at the hundreds of intricately carved pumpkins included in the display, depicting a variety of people, places and stories with painstaking detail and amazing artistry, all complimented with special lighting and musical themes.

This unique, family friendly evening event has been commended by the U.S. Library of Congress as a national “local legacy, ” was hailed by USA Today as “extraordinary, ” and also has been featured by The Early Show, the Associated Press and CNN.

It takes a team of professional pumpkin carvers six weeks to bring the trail to life. But you've got less than four weeks to experience it, so don't miss out - it will truly be a Spectacular sight to see!

> get a sneak-peek now, plus info on hours, admission prices & a discount for Zoo members!

Tip of the Day: Photographing Car Light Trails

From popular photography

Tip of the Day: Photographing Car Light Trails

• When choosing your location, consider the different effects that color will have on your shot-- cars coming toward you will produce white light trails, cars moving away will give you red light trails.

• Plan your exposure time so that passing cars have enough time to pass completely through your frame.

• Experiment with exposure times. Longer exposures will allow for more trails but they'll look more faded.

For more tips, check out Photographing Car Light Trails.

Photo by yeraze at flickr.com.

For Daily Tips, check out PopPhoto Flash

Please send your own tip to editor@popphoto.com.

covered bridges in Vermont

thanks Jim for passing this along!

Here is a good site to find out where to go for covered bridges in Vermont
http://www.coveredb ridgesite. com/vt/vt_ county.html

Fantastic HDR Pictures

Tom and I had a lot of fun taking a LOT of HDR photos in the Adirondacks on vacation. I came across this article along with links to photos and other HDR resources...

35 Fantastic HDR Pictures

Applied carefully, High Dynamic Range-technique (HDR) can create incredibly beautiful pictures which blur our sense of the difference between reality and illusion. In graphics HDR imaging is a set of techniques that allow a far greater dynamic range of exposures than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to the deepest shadows. This is usually achieved by modifying photos with image processing software for tone-mapping. And the results can be really incredible; in fact, many artists and designers come up with some pretty fancy results.

This post covers 35 extremely beautiful and perfectly executed HDR-pictures. Some of them might look surreal, too colorful, even magic or fake, but they are not — keep in mind that they’ve all been developed out of usual photos, and not a single image is an illustration.

you can explore further works of the designers and photographers we’ve featured below by browsing through their sets on Flickr; all screenshots are clickable and lead to the pages from which they’ve been taken;

New York City in HDR
20 Beautiful HDR Pictures
HDRCreme.comA growing collection of HDR-photos.
HDR Tutorial Round-Up
Flickr: The Biggest Building in HDR
HDR Japan
HDR Video Tutorial
High Dynamic Range Workshop
HDR Flickr Pools: *atrium09 Flickr Set,The HDR No Holds Barred Pool,Best Of HDR Pictures Pool,The Pure HDR Pool, The Biggest Building in HDR Pool, Quality HDR Pool, Stuckincostoms’ HDR Setse.

Architectural Photography: Concepts & Strategies

Architectural Photography: Concepts & Strategies
By George Fellner, AIA

A Presentation Sponsored by the Connecticut Valley Camera Club

Deep River Library Monday, August 31, 7:00pm

This program will cover the essentials of architectural photography in terms of concepts and strategies. The subject matter will cover equipment, camera settings, goals, building/site context, lighting, composition, people, culture, perspective, architectural elements and details, among other topics, as they relate to both interior and exterior architectural photography. In addition, playful juxtapositions will be presented, revealing the potential for creative images. Furthermore, the multiple and integrated use of architectural photography for the design process and architectural practice as a whole will be illustrated with actual projects. This program is for anyone who is interested in the built environment and in photographing the rich diversity that is inherent in architecture. As both an architect and a photographer, George Fellner will provide his unique perspective on architectural photography, review strategies, and share his personal experiences.

George Fellner received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech and his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Florida. As principal of Fellner Associates Architects, he continues to utilize his design sensitivities for creative photography. He is the program director of the Connecticut Valley Camera Club and the co-chairman of the Committee on the Environment for the American Institute of Architects, CT Chapter. Fellner regularly gives presentations on architecture, sustainable design, and the environment, as well as photography. His images have appeared in travel guides, national journals, newspapers, business publications, and the recent book Green Homes: Dwellings for the 21st Century, as well as in numerous juried exhibitions. In addition, his photographs of Imaginary Realms, surrealistic macro images of minerals and crystals, have been featured in exhibitions at the EO Art Lab Gallery in Chester, CT.

Art in Nature

Art in Nature
Deadline September 15, 2009

Theme: Art in Nature can be seen from the subatomic to the cosmic. It can be raw, powerful, serene, destructive, fertile and delicate. This exhibition will illustrate all aspects of nature.
Eligibility: The exhibition is open to photographers world wide, both amateur and professional. The Center for Fine Art Photography invites photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate in its exhibitions. Experimental and mixed techniques are welcome.

Juror: Kathy Moran is National Geographic magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects. A twenty-seven year veteran of the Society, Moran has produced projects about terrestrial and underwater ecosystems for the magazine since 1990. At last count she had edited over 135 articles for the magazine. Recent highlights include editing a special edition of National Geographic magazine “100 Best Wildlife Photographs”. She was also project manager for the NGS/Wildlife Conservation Society’s award winning collaboration of photographer Nick Nichols and Dr. Michael Fay’s trek across Central Africa. The resulting articles were the impetus for the creation of Gabon’s National Park system. She was named “Picture Editor of the Year” for her winning portfolio in the 2006 Pictures of the Year competition. Moran believes that every story and every photographer need to be edited individually. There is no formula that can be applied.
Exhibition and Awards:With selection for this exhibition, artists and their work will be seen by an international audience of collectors, curators, art consultants and others who appreciate the fine art of photography.

Juror’s Selection award: $300
Director's Selection award: $200
Gallery Visitor’s Choice Award: $100
Two Artists’ ShowCase Online subscriptions for one year: (preview at http://www.artists-showcase.org/)
All exhibitors are included in the Center's online gallery
Important Dates:
Entries due: September 15, 2009
Notice of acceptance: September 25, 2009
Exhibition dates: December 4, 2009 - January 9, 2010
Reception: December 4, 2009, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Entry Fee:
The entry fee for non-members is $35 USD for the first three images.
The entry fee for members of The Center for Fine Art Photography is $20.00 USD for 3 images.
Additional images may be submitted for $10 each. There is no limit to the number of images that may be submitted.
Download the full prospectus and instructions for submitting your work online in Adobe PDF Format (64 KB), click here.
Click here to submit online

The Night Shift -- Photographing Owls and Bats

The Night Shift -- Photographing Owls and Bats
"I consider myself lucky to be a morning person because as a nature photographer I have to get up early to photograph the birds, mammals and landscapes that I love and catch that early morning light to create a beautiful image. I remember working on my second book, "Birds of Prey in the American West," where I had to shoot raptors in the morning and owls at night. I put in long days and nights to capture some of the most difficult to photograph bird species and I had only one nesting season to finish the book. It took me about four days to get used to shooting at night because normally my body shuts down like a bird that goes to roost when the sun goes down; that adjustment was not an easy one. It's too bad I didn't have a Photo Trap back then to work on owls at night flying into their nest sites. It was always a surprise to see what kind of food they would bring in to feed their young."

Read the rest of the article here: http://www.naturescapes.net/docs/index.php/category-photographic-technique/41-photographic-tech%20nique/306-tom-vezo

Tom Vezo is a professional wildlife photographer and author based in Green Valley, Arizona. For more information go to www.tomvezo.com. For more information on the Photo Trap, go to www.Phototrap.com

inspirational gallery

I'd like to invite you to browse my new inspirational gallery. It's designed to infuse you with ideas for crafting images that make your heart go pitter-patter. http://www.msjphotography.com/index.php/gallery
Mark S. Johnson Photography web@msjphotography.com

Epson printer rebates

http://www.atlex.com/

Epson Stylus Pro 9900 44" $1000 Mail-in-Rebate
Rebate available August 15-October 31 2009 SP9900HDR
Additional $200 mail-in-rebate with media purchase through August 31

Epson Stylus Pro 7900 24" $700 Mail-in-Rebate
Rebate available August 15-October 31 2009
SP7900HDR
Additional $200 mail-in-rebate with media purchase through August 31

Epson Stylus Pro 4880 17" $500 Mail-in-Rebate
Rebate available August 15-October 31, 2009
SP4880K3 Standard Edition
SP4880EX Portrait Edition
SP4880CB Professional Edition

Epson Stylus Pro 3800 17"
$300 Mail-in-Rebate
Rebate available June 1-August 31, 2009
C635011UCM - Standard Model
C635011EXP - Portrait Edition
C635011PRO - Professional Edition

Additional Mail-in-Rebate for FREE Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper w/purchase of Stylus Pro 3800 through August 31, 2009

Epson Stylus Photo R2880 13"
$200 Mail-in-Rebate Rebate available August 1-September 30, 2009
R2880/C11CA16201

Epson Stylus Photo R1900 13"
$150 Mail-in-Rebate
Rebate available August 1-September 30, 2009
R1900/C11C698201

900 Photo Walks and over 32,600 walkers worldwide

2009 Award Winners have been Selected!

From 900 Photo Walks and over 32,600 walkers worldwide!

Scott Kelby said this about selecting the winning photos: "This was incredibly hard. Even harder than I thought." Click here to see all the winners.

Sixth Annual New Jersey Meadowlands Festival of Birding

Be a part of the nation's fastest growing outdoor pastime at the Sixth Annual New Jersey Meadowlands Festival of Birding! A true urban oasis, the NJ Meadowlands contain over 8,000 acres of valuable wetland habitat, is home to over 280 species of birds, and is a designated Important Bird & Birding Area.

The festival is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday September 12 & 13, 2009. September is a great time for birding in the Meadowlands: resident herons and egrets stalk the shallows while migrant ducks, shorebirds, and songbirds stop to feed and rest during their long journeys south. Overhead, we might view raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks, Ospreys, and Peregrine Falcons. Field trip destinations include Richard W. DeKorte Park, Harrier Meadow-normally closed to the public, Allendale Celery Farm, Liberty State Park, and Hackensack River excursions aboard a comfortable pontoon cruiser.

Black-crowned Night-Heron is a threatened species that nests and feeds in the NJ Meadowlands
This year's festival includes a full lineup of field trips on Saturday and Sunday and a keynote program by Dr. Robert DeCandido on his study of nocturnal bird migration from the top of the Empire State building. Knowledgeable and friendly tour leaders from the New Jersey Audubon Society are eager to share the joy of birding with you-novice and expert alike. Be sure to save time to visit the exhibits and the Nature Store. Above all, enjoy the birds!

For more information or to register go to http://www.hackensackriverkeeper.org and click on the New Jersey Meadowlands Festival of Birding. Or call 201-968-0808.

Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures

From kodak

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=317/10032&pq-locale=en_US

Do you wish you were a better photographer? All it takes is a little know-how and experience. Keep reading for some important picture-taking tips. Then grab your camera and start shooting your way to great pictures.

1. Look your subject in the eye
2. Use a plain background
3. Use flash outdoors
4. Move in close
5. Move it from the middle
6. Lock the focus
7. Know your flash's range
8. Watch the light
9. Take some vertical pictures
10. Be a picture director

50 Beautiful Examples Of Tilt-Shift Photography

50 Beautiful Examples Of Tilt-Shift Photography

Tilt-shift photography is a creative and unique type of photography in which the camera is manipulated so that a life-sized location or subject looks like a miniature-scale model. Below we present 50 beautiful examples of tilt-shift photography. All examples are linked to their sources. We strongly encourage you to explore other works of the photographers we’ve featured in this post.

To add good miniature effect to your photographs, shoot subjects from a high angle (especially from the air). It creates the illusion of looking down at a miniature model. A camera equipped with a tilt-shift lens, which simulates a shallow depth of field, is essentially all you need to start.

Fake model tutorial...
I’m Jeff Butterworth, the founder of Alien Skin Software. Mostly I’m a programmer, but occasionally I dabble in photography at the hobbyist level. Here you’ll see one of my favorite uses of Bokeh, our lens simulator and selective focus tool. We are going to make a picture of a real scene look like it is a miniature model, like a toy train set. Close up pictures of small objects usually have very shallow depth of field. That means that objects at a certain distance are in focus and things get blurry rapidly as you move closer or farther from that distance. In contrast, a photo of a far away subject is more likely to have everything in focus. If we use Bokeh to simulate that shallow depth of field, we can trick the viewer into thinking they are looking at something small. Before we get started, there are two more techniques you should remember. First, use a shot taken from high and far away, like from a tall building looking down on the rest of a city. A close up shot of one large subject is just not going to work. Second, boost the contrast and saturation to make everything look more like plastic toys.

You may also want to take a look at the following related posts:

Beautiful Examples Of High-Speed Photography

45 Beautiful Motion Blur Photos

Free Webinar Color Workflow in Photoshop CS4 & Lightroom 2

Take Control of Your Color — It's Easy!

Free Webinar Wed 8/26/09

Color Workflow in Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom 2

1PM EDT, 12PM CDT, 11AM MDT, 10AM PDT

Register Now

3PM EDT, 2PM CDT, 1PM MDT, 12PM PDT

Register Now

Hosted by X-Rite & MAC GroupPresented by Joe Brady

Understanding color workflow in Photoshop CS4 and Lightroom 2 will go a long way towards accurate and consistent print results. Join us as we clarify the confusing maze of color options in Photoshop and Lightroom. We'll discuss Color Spaces, Monitor Profiles, Printer Profiles and soft proofing in detail to insure that the image we get on print matches the image we edited on our monitor.

Starting with the monitor, we'll discuss what to look for when choosing a good image editing monitor and how and why to calibrate and profile. We'll talk about color spaces and the pros and cons of using sRGB vs. Adobe RGB vs. Prophoto RGB. Next on the menu will be color settings and preferences in each program followed by soft proofing and color adjustments in order to perfect our images before going to print.

Finally, we'll explore printer profiles. We'll discuss factory-supplied vs. custom profiles and how to include them in our workflow so that the print we get is accurate and consistent with the images on our monitor.

Introducing TUTfactory

Introducing TUTfactory

TUTfactory is the newest website which I have just launched and like PSDlearning, it aims to fulfill all your Photoshop tutorial needs. TUTfactory is a continuously updated website which displays all the newest and best Photoshop tutorials in one simple location, allowing you to find them, view them and rate them.
TUTfactory

TUTfactory will be updated at least once a day with the best Photoshop tutorials and resources from all around the net. I will also publish a few original tutorials as well as resources like brush packs and textures and also the odd competition.

TUTfactory lets you submit links to your own tutorials which would generate lots of traffic to your site. If you own a tutorial blog or write tutorials then make sure you leave a comment with your website address and I will automatically add your tutorials to the site. So go check it out!

THE WORKSHOP Burning in Brazil

Location: Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
THE PHOTOEVENTURE LLC™Louis Gabriel and Mark WangerinSeptember 24 – 27, 2009
REGISTER »

Experience the splendor and magic of Brazil on our first of many Photoeventures to come, beginning in beautiful Salvador da Bahia with photographers Louis Gabriel and Mark Wangerin.
Salvador is known as “The land of happiness,” so this promises to be an exciting eventure that will never be forgotten. Not only is this workshop valuable for its exotic location and beautiful subjects but you will truly come away from the experience with a wealth of knowledge on how to improve your image-creating skills, including lighting, posing, camera technique and post-production, not to mention learning a few non-technical tricks that Mark and Louis are known to employ.

The Brazil affair will take place over a four-day period, leaving time for mentoring, one-on-one Q&A and also plenty of time with some amazing modeling talent. This is a reveal-all workshop, nothing will be held back. If you attend only one workshop this year, make it this one!
Our eventure begins with our arrival at Salvador’s airport. From there, attendees will be transported to a privately owned apartment located in Barra, one of Salvador’s popular beach districts.

Complete Schedule
WORKSHOPS AND CLINICS FOR THE SERIOUS PHOTOGRAPHER

Welcome to THE PHOTOEVENTURE LLC,™ a new workshop series presented by photographers Mark Wangerin and Louis Gabriel. Our goals are simple:

• TO PROVIDE ATTENDEES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. Unlike similar workshops, students who attend our events will not only be mentored by two professional, seasoned published photographers; they will also have the unique and exciting opportunity of actually working with top industry, agency-represented, seasoned published models.

• TO HOLD NOTHING BACK. We are here to teach, and teach everything we know. While some instructors may worry about “giving away” their secrets to their students, we on the other hand want to ensure that all attendees come away with the knowledge and information that is needed in helping them to improve their creative and technical skills.

• TO BUST THE MYTHS BEHIND WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO SHOOT LIKE A PRO. Attendees will be amazed to discover how simple it can be to create stunning and memorable images that sell, and how it is not necessary to have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on photographic equipment (or hire an army of assistants) to be able to shoot like a pro.

• TO BE THE BEST. We aim to provide photographers with the most valuable, informative and exciting photography events in the market. By combining in-depth classroom lectures with professional, on-location mentoring (plus the chance for attendees to work with some of the industry’s top models in some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic destinations), we are confident that THE PHOTOEVENTURE LLC™ workshop series are destined to become the preferred choice for serious photographers who wish to take their skills to the next level.
THE PHOTOEVENTURE LLC.™ We’re taking out the mystery in taking great photographs.

Black & White Inkjet Printing & Papers

Black & White Inkjet Printing & Papers

The latest special web feature from Red River Paper helps you learn more about black and white printing. We've gathered information from around the web on conversion techniques, printers, and of course the best Red River Paper for Black & White printing.

You can even download the Black & White Printing Primer in PDF format.

Start at the Black & White home page here.

The toolbox in Photoshop

The toolbox in Photoshop is split up into 4 unique categories so that finding the right tool is never a hassle.

Those categories are:
Selection, Crop & Slice Tools
Retouch & Paint Tools
Drawing & Type Tools (Vector Tools)
Annotations & Measurement Tools

In addition to these 4 sections a few other components make up the toolbox, most notably, the Foreground and Background colors.

Now that you see how the tools are all organized, let’s take a look at some of the most vital tools Photoshop has to offer. This is really just a cursory glance of the toolbox, as we’d be crazy to go into detail for EVERY SINGLE tool Photoshop has to offer in a single lesson, but you ought to now have an understanding what some of the tools are capable of. We’ll go over how to use many of these tools in later lessons.

Read the rest here: http://www.tutorial9.net/photoshop/photoshops-basic-tools/

How To Find and Photograph The Photo-Scenics In Vermont.”

Please let your camera club members know that my Vermont Photo-Scenic Guide Handbook, “How To Find and Photograph The Photo-Scenics In Vermont.” Is available for immediate delivery for the Fall Foliage Season in Vermont. This guidebook was written in response to the inquires of many, many photographers who went to Vermont but could not find the famous scenes as they are hidden away, off the main highways, in the back roads of Vermont. I have received many letters from all over the world by amateur and professional photographers, who purchased my guidebook, thanking me for making it easy for them to find these picturesque Vermont scenes.

There is information on over 20 famous photo scenes you have seen on calendars, greeting cards and in camera club competitions, with a description of each scene complete with detailed road directions, turn by turn, to the 1/10th of a mile. It tells you the best time of year and the best time of day to shoot the scenes and it plans your photo day to save time and gasoline. Best of all it has the famous “Tripod Hole” bird’s eye view diagrams for each scene to show you exactly where to place your camera for the best composition.

If you want to read more about the photo guide book, go to my website at:

http://vermontphotoguide.20fr.com/catalog.html

This Handbook will pay for itself on the first day of shooting and the price is only $16.95 each, postage paid and shipped by First Class Mail for faster delivery. They can pay with PAYPAL or send me their check. If they want to pay with Paypal, my I.D. is:- arnkap@comcast.net

If they would rather pay with their personal check, make it out to Arnold Kaplan, and send it to 236 Nottingham Drive, Centerville, MA 02632.

Remember: This Handbook Plans the Photographic Day To Have You At The Right Photo-Scenic At The Right Time Of Day For The Best Lighting Conditions.

Below you will find an Attachment to click on for a copy of a flyer of this handbook for you to print it out for your camera club bulletin board or as a flyer. Thank you for your cooperation.

Arnold John Kaplan, APSA-AFIAP

Pro-Sharpening Actions For Photoshop

Pro-Sharpening Actions For Photoshop

This $18 Photoshop Action collection is well-suited for sharpening portraits, landscapes, midtone enhancement (perfect for B&W), and more.

PhotographyBB has released a collection of seven sharpening actions for Photoshop, the Pro-Sharpening Action Pack.

Do you find that your image sharpening lacks pro quality? Have you considered purchasing a separate sharpening software or plugiin? We've put together an Action pack that includes seven sharpening techniques to give your photography a professional and finished look -- and all they require is Photoshop.

With this Action, you'll be able to:* Professionally sharpen photos without halos or noise* Sharpen your high-res images to perfection.* Sharpen in one click, or have full control with 2 versions of each sharpening technique.

Included in this Action Pack:

* A simple one-click version of each sharpening Action

* A fully controllable version of the Actions to allow you to adjust settings to your liking; creating limitless possibilities with how you use the Action!

* Seven sharpening Actions for portraits, landscapes, midtone enhancement (perfect for B&W), and more.

* A quick PDF guide on how to use Actions, and a Tips & Tricks guide for use with this Action.

* FREE UPGRADES: As a customer, your purchase entitles you to free upgrades of this Action as new versions are released.

The Pro-Sharpening Action Pack costs $18 and is compatible with Photoshop CS2 through CS4.

Photographing Beautiful Spaces

Photographing Beautiful Spaces
Compliments to Trish Mayo, whose photo of The New American Wing we selected to feature in this edition of Met News.

It was a joy to look through all of the photos—please keep adding them to our Flickr Group Pool with the tag "american_wing."

In order to submit photos to our pool, you must first join the group.

For more information, see our guide for getting started with Flickr and the Museum's photography policy.

Though it is a stunning space, The New American Wing is not the only place you can take photos in the Museum. Participants in our It's Time We Met photography contest ventured throughout the Main Building and The Cloisters Museum and Gardens in search of the perfect shot.

Flickr + Lightroom = Flickroom

Flickr + Lightroom = Flickroom http://www.flickroom.org/beta/

For image-obsessed creatives, Flickr has no parallel. No matter what you're interested in, it's pretty much guaranteed to be on Flickr.

But Flickr's interface doesn't live up to the images it displays. The fact that you can see only two images at a time while browsing a photostream is one example. And sometimes the white background is distracting.

A new free app called Flickroom wants to give you a better experience. It's a rich Internet application; that is, it lives in the spaces between desktop applications and standard Web sites. But the technology behind it isn't important -- what's cool is that it gives you a better way to keep tabs on Flickr. Flickroom's buttons let you upload images, see comments on your photostream, add notes and comments, mark favorites, tweet about images, and more.

http://www.flickroom.org/beta/

Official Photodex Guide to ProShow

Official Photodex Guide to ProShow -- Just Released and Updated for Version 4
Want to learn how to create polished multimedia productions that sizzle? Order a copy of the Official Photodex Guide to ProShow 4, updated to provide coverage of all the amazing new features of ProShow Gold and Producer 4.

Teaches with New ProShow 4 InterfaceThe Photodex Guide to ProShow teaches using the new ProShow 4 interface so you can easily follow along with all the same great tutorials!

Covers New ProShow 4 FeaturesAuthor Jim Karney guides you through new features like Slide Styles, YouTube HD, new audio tools and more with easy to understand examples and tutorials. Get your copy today!

Sample Chapters OnlineDownload sample chapters and the table of contents to get a closer look inside this book. Available in PDF format.

Top Five Sunset Tips

http://www.creativepro.com/article/photo-how-gifts-sky

Top five sunset shooting tips -- and they work just as well with point-and-shoot cameras as they do with SLRs.

* Don't forget to turn your back on the sun. The glorious light that is filling the sky has a great effect on the landscape behind you, too. Be sure to turn around and look.

* Be a storm chaser! The best sunrises and sunsets follow rain and thunderstorms, so take a chance and drive to the beach at the end of a stormy day. You may just get lucky.

* Don't automatically put the sun itself in the center of the frame; very often you can enhance the image design by putting it to the extreme left or right, or high or low in the frame.

* Mix up your shots with verticals and horizontals.

* Be sure to wait for the "afterglow" that comes after the sun has slipped below the horizon. So often I see other photographers packing up before the real show has begun.

You can shoot heavenly sunrises and sunsets anywhere. Written by Jeff Wignall. Read the whole article here: http://www.creativepro.com/article/photo-how-gifts-sky

PSA Journal has 4 photographers from Connecticut

thanks Jim!

The new member section in the August issue of the PSA Journal has 4 photographers from Connecticut. I have attached the file in case you want to put something in your newsletter.

The images in the journal were chosen from all of the New England submittals. The makers should feel proud of their very fine work.

Regards,Jim Dionne, MNEC

Nik Software 15% Instant Discount

Nik Software 15% Instant Discount - Exclusive 15% Coupon

Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an instant 15% discount on any Nik Software product.

This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.Color Efex Pro 3.052 photographic filters with over 250 effects for professional quality images. Completely Original. Completely Indispensable.

Nik Software Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters are the leading photographic filters for digital photography. The award-winning Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters are widely used by many of today's professional photographers around the world to save time and get professional level results. Whether you choose the Complete Edition, Select Edition, or Standard Edition, you’ll get traditional and stylizing filters that offer virtually endless possibilities to enhance and transform images quickly and easily.Patented U Point technology provides the ultimate control to selectively apply enhancements without the need for any complicated masks, layers or selections. Control color, light and tonality in your images and create unique enhancements with professional results. With 52 filters and over 250 effects found in Color Efex Pro 3.0, you can perform high quality retouching, color correction, and endless creative enhancements to your photographs. Download a free Trial version.

Viveza

The most powerful tool to selectively control color and light in photographic images without the need for complicated selections or layer masks.Two of the most important factors in creating great photography are color and light. Mastering the art of selectively correcting or enhancing each of these is now possible for every photographer without the need for complicated masks or selections, or expert-level knowledge of Photoshop. Integrating award-winning U Point technology, Viveza is the most powerful and precise tool available to control light and color in photographic images.U Point powered Color Control Points, placed directly on colors or objects in an image (such as sky, skin, grass, etc.), reveal easy-to-use controls that photographers can use to quickly adjust brightness, contrast or color in a fraction of the time needed by other tools. With Viveza you’ll spend more time shooting photographs and save hours of image editing. Download a free Trial version.

Silver Efex Pro

Complete power and control to create professional quality black and white images in one convenient tool.Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your photographs. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool.Featuring Nik Software’s patented U Point technology to selectively control the tonality and contrast of the image, Silver Efex Pro includes advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, a variable toning selector for adding traditional toning techniques, over 20 one-click preset styles, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine that help produce the highest quality black and white images possible from your color images while providing more freedom to experiment. Download a free Trial version to use Silver Efex Pro.

Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - NIKPSS - during the checkout process at Nik Software for an instant 15% discount. This exclusive discount coupon code can be applied to all the latest Nik Software Photoshop plugins, including Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Viveza, Sharpener Pro, and Dfine.

Photoshop Masking Plugin Fluid Mask 3

Photoshop Masking Plugin Fluid Mask 3 - Price Drop And Exclusive $20 Instant Discount - Now Only $129

The 4 1/2 out of 5 star review of Fluid Mask 3 at MacWorld begins by saying that this "Photoshop plug-in takes the pain out of extracting backgrounds," and goes on to recommend the latest version, stating that "Fluid Mask 3.0.2 is a very effective tool for separating objects from their backgrounds. It offers a variety of useful features for tackling almost any difficult image, from wispy hair to complex foliage. Online video tutorials and live training sessions help ease the learning curve."Our friends at Vertus, the makers of Fluid Mask 3 Photoshop Plugin, have set up a special exclusive discount for PhotoshopSupport.com. Buy now for only $129.

Just follow this discount link and instantly get $20 off your purchase of Fluid Mask 3.

Fluid Mask 3 is designed for photographers, image editors, graphic designers and all those who take digital image editing seriously. In a streamlined interface and workflow, Fluid Mask 3 instantly shows key edges in the image and provides comprehensive easy to use tools that work with difficult-to-see edges and tricky areas like trees & lattices. Fluid Mask will also preserve all-important edge information for a professional quality cut out. Simply follow this discount link and pay only $129 for Fluid Mask 3.

onOne Software 20% Instant Discount Coupon

Exclusive onOne Software 20% Instant Discount Coupon

Enter our exclusive discount coupon code - PSSPPT06 - during the checkout process at onOne Software for an instant 20% discount on any onOne product.

This includes Genuine Fractals and their amazing Photoshop Plug-In Suite.onOne Software's Plug-In Suite combines full versions of six essential software tools — Genuine Fractals Print Pro, PhotoTools Pro, PhotoFrame Pro, Mask Pro, PhotoTune and FocalPoint — an affordable combination that includes everything a photographer needs to make their images look their best.Why do you need plugins? Photoshop is an amazing image editing application that has forever changed graphic design and digital photographic editing, but like any tool, if you don't have time to fully learn it, you can't get the most out of it.

Plugins for Photoshop allow you to either do something that you cannot do with the features included in Photoshop or they allow you to do something easier, faster or better than you could do in Photoshop without the plug-in. Whether it is color correction, resizing, masking or creating an effect, you can find a Photoshop plug-in that can help you be more efficient with your time.