The Fine Photograph

I am back from Indiana where I gave a seminar on Photography, Lightroom and Photoshop. Many thanks to a great group of people at the Goshen Photography Guild for their support for the program which sold out the available seats. The venue was great and the experience was wonderful and fun.

The day after the seminar a group of us went after images at Michigan City along the lake with the Chicago skyline visible (slightly) in the distance. Some were hoping for a sunset with the skyline, but cool air and wind were there instead.

IMAGE SHARPENING

As is typical when giving a seminar, you never know how the questions and overall flow will go until it happens. I wanted to include a section on image sharpening which time did not allow. So, I want to direct people to my Learning Page for more information and in particular the two articles, Smart Sharpen , and the High Pass Filter for sharpening images. There are, of course, many other ways to sharpen images, but these two are both powerful, versatile, and the most used.

The two gulls in the photograph above were surprisingly cooperative considering the exposure time for the image was 20 seconds. This was done with the aid of a neutral density filter that allows the moving water and clouds to appear as smooth tones rather than fine detail, while stationary content is registered in a normal manner. Great fun.

Photoshop Seminar April 29, 2017

A reminder that next Saturday, April 29th, 2017 is the Photoshop Seminar at the Hershey Public Library, in Hershey, PA. Doors open at 9:30. The seminar is three hours and will cover a number of Photoshop techniques for enhancing images including blend modes, selection techniques, and creating and modifying masks.

The library asks that you sign up and pay in advance. The fee is $45. Hope to see you there.

The abstract image above has been selected for inclusion in the online gallery of images by the Cultural Center of Cape Cod. It was selected from 711 entries from the US and Canada. I am delighted to be included.

Information on Photoshop techniques are always available on my Learning page at my website.

Much Ado

There are many things happening in April. Here are some reminders.

Saturday, April 1st, 2017 – Harrisburg Camera Club, Light and Creativity Workshop at Central Penn College in Enola. Information Here

Saturday, April 1st through 3rd – PPA of PA Convention at the Comfort Suites Hotel in Carlisle.Information Here

Doshi Exhibit at Susquehanna Art Museum – running currently and extended through  Sunday, May 21, 2017 with free “Third in the Burg” admission for the reception on Friday, April 21st from 6-9pm..

Sunday April 23, 2017 – Outdoor Lighting Workshop – Master Photographers Terry Blain and Bryson Leidich will offer tips on posing and off camera flash techniques at Terry’s studio in Carlisle, PA. Information is on my web page for the workshop.

Saturday, April 29th, 2017 – Photoshop Seminar – I will be teaching Photoshop image editing techniques at a workshop in the Hershey Library. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.

Learning Lightroom

Lightroom is an image management tool (database) and a file processor. This means it can manage your images for you allowing more efficient filing and retrieval of images as well as defining the parameters to use to process raw and other files for export either into an editor like Photoshop or a final file for printing or sharing. By defining parameters I mean that Lightroom writes data to a file that tells the processor what to do to that file on export. It does not directly modify the file – it creates instructions on how to modify the file. That is the database part, along with remembering where files are located.

Think of Lightroom as a library card catalog. The card catalog does not contain the books, but references to where the books can be found. Lightroom references where your files can be found on a hard drive. The Lightroom catalog is metadata; information about other data, which is your image file. Initially, the information is location of the file, resolution, color space, copyright, keywords, etc. As you process an image, more data is written to the catalog as instructions on how to process your image. I suggest you also set preferences to export settings to an XMP sidecar file. This copies the processing, ratings and other information to a file that accompanies the raw file in your hard drive and gives you an additional measure of backup, and the ability to open the file with modifications intact in Bridge or ACR.

If you modify a file outside of Lightroom the XMP file for that file will contain the changes, but Lightroom will not automatically update the database to reflect those changes. An icon will appear in LR (up arrow with lines at top right) indicating that the XMP file has changed. Click on the icon and you will be asked whether to import the modifications from the XMP file or not.

I will be presenting a 3 hour seminar on Lightroom next Saturday, March 11, 2017 at the Hershey Library starting at 9:30 a.m. You will need to sign up through the library. Sign up for the seminar at the Hershey Library. The cost is $45.

I will be presenting a Photoshop seminar at the Hershey Library on April 29th (same time, same channel). Hope to see you.

Lightroom Seminar

Bryson Leidich will present a three hour Lightroom seminar on Saturday March 11th at the Hershey Library.

The seminar in will run from 9:30 to about 1:00. Lightroom setup and preferences will be addressed as well as best practices for image storage and retrieval. Primary attention will be directed to workflow and especially to processing of raw files. Interaction with Photoshop or Elements will also be addressed.

The seminar will be good for beginning users and users with experience as well. Refining your image processing capabilities never ends, as well as learning what can and cannot be done with Lightroom.

Bring your laptop if you wish to follow along with the demonstration, but it not required. Bring a memory card with

a problem file you need help with. Bryson will analyze as many files as possible to help understand shooting and processing practices.

Fee for the seminar is $45. Sign up for the seminar at the Hershey Library.

Photography Workshop: Platinum/Palladium Printing Process

A one day workshop on Platinum/Palladium printing will be held at the Studio Art Building of the University of Delware on Saturday, November 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

During this one-day, hands-on workshop we will begin with a discussion of the platinum/palladium printing process used in the creation of photographic images included in The Ese’Eja People of the Amazon: Connected by a Thread exhibition in the West Gallery of Old College. Participants will learn how to properly select and edit an image using Photoshop, and create and output a digital inkjet negative. Participants will then be guided through the art of the platinum/palladium printing process from applying the emulsion by hand to exposing and developing their first prints. Led by UD Art & Design Professor Jon Cox and Andrew Bale, Lecturer in Art and Art History, Dickinson College. Intended for a maximum of 10 participants.

Registration required: joncox@udel.edu. Cost $250 – Lunch and all platinum palladium materials are included. 50% deposit required to secure a place in the workshop.
Saturday, November 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Studio Art Building, University of Delaware

The full information on the Esa’Eja people project and exhibition is here

Andy tells me that most similar programs are three day projects at a cost of about $1500. That makes this a much more affordable introduction to the process for someone who is interested in exploring the concept. A basic knowledge of the processes and procedures will be the reward as well as at least two prints for your portfolio.

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I will be judging the photography competition at the West Shore Camera Club on Monday, September 19th. A link to the club website is on my Learning page

Create your own seminar

It is often difficult to know what topics interest people at any point in time. At the same time I am often asked when my next seminar will be. Seminars take effort to create, often considerably more time than the seminar itself. Specialty seminars can be especially time consuming making sure that appropriate sample material is produced.

I have created an alternative concept. I will let you create the seminar. I have an entry on my website learning page that will allow you and your friends to decide what seminar I teach. Some suggestions are listed, but topics related to photography and Photoshop/Elements are all options.

In Lightroom, Photoshop and Elements I can work with your images rather than my own, bringing the learning closer to your needs. Most students are amazed at how some basic and pretty simple techniques can substantially improve their output.

Some people can learn on-line from tutorials about certain techniques, but I have found that most people do not know what processes, tools and techniques they can use to begin with. This is where I can be particularly helpful.

Individual and group seminars can be created and made to suit your schedule. As an example I am offering any local camera club a seminar in Lightroom basic raw image processing and integrating Lightroom with Photoshop or Elements using club member images at no charge. Clubs outside of the Harrisburg/Hershey area are welcome to take advantage of the offer as well. Please contact me to make arrangements.

Cameras only produce source material; the image maker is responsible for creating the final result. There are many photographers out there who see interesting images but don’t know how to take their captures to the next step. Plugins and actions are not how you get where you want to be.