Merry Christmas!

Well, it's been an up and down year for the blog. I hope for better things to come in 2010, but until then - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tip Tuesday - Drag and Drop to the Center

OK - a peek in here long enough for my Tip Tuesday segment...

Holding the Shift key while dragging and dropping a layer between two documents will place the “dropped” layer into the center of the destination document. If there is a selection in the destination document, holding the Shift key while dragging and dropping an image will drop it into the center of the selection.

Quick Update

Incredibly busy week (with Travel) this week. My appearance here may be spotty, but I'll check in next week and tell you all that's gone on!

More to come soon!
Chris

Scavenger Hunt

Hey gang -

Short and sweet today as I have heard a rumor that a friend of mine, David Ziser, is in the great state of North Carolina today, and I'm going to go hunt him down!

Tell you all about it tomorrow!

More to come soon,
Chris

More Jayci

OnOne Software Releases Plug-In Suite 5

I'm a big fan of OnOne Software's Plug-In Suite, and yesterday they announced the release of version 5.

With support for Photoshop CS2, CS3 and CS4 the onOne Software Plug-in Suite 5 now includes the new onOne Panel which provides quick access to all products, Windows 64 bit support and the ability to access select plug-ins from within Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 and Apple Aperture 2.1. Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November.

Plug-in Suite 5 includes full versions of the following onOne Software products:

FocalPoint 2 - Like bringing the camera lens inside Photoshop, this new version of FocalPoint 2 gives photographers the best way to add the most realistic depth of field and selective focus control to any image after it is photographed. Photographers now have an incredible amount of flexibility and control over the look of the blur with FocalPoint 2's new blur algorithm, FocusBrush, Lens Presets and multiple FocusBug features.

PhotoTune 3 - Getting great color doesn't have to be so hard. This new version of PhotoTune 3 uses patented eye-fidelityTM technology, originally developed by and licensed from imsense to optimize the dynamic range, color and sharpness of images so that they look more true-to-life. The improved Wizard offers fast color and tone correction in as little as two steps while giving pro users direct access to advanced and innovative controls. SkinTune, which represents two years of research and analysis of thousands of skin tones, now offers one-click color correction of portraits and the option to correct just the skin in an image.

PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition - With PhotoFrame 4.5, you can add the perfect finishing touch to your images with over 100 exciting new professionally designed frames, backgrounds, textures and layouts including over a dozen from professional photographer Kersti Malvre. With one thousand design elements like film edges, borders, textures, backgrounds and adornments, PhotoFrame 4.5 Professional Edition even has complete layouts where users can simply drop an image in and they are done. It is the easiest and fastest way to add an authentic darkroom touch with a film edge or to create beautiful albums or scrapbook pages

PhotoTools 2.5 Professional Edition - PhotoTools 2.5 is the highly acclaimed Photoshop plug-in that allows photographers of all skill levels to maximize the full power of Photoshop with it's ability to preview and combine Photoshop Actions in a single, intuitive interface. Designed by photographers for photographers, PhotoTools 2.5 Professional now includes a new MaskingBug control based on the FocusBug control from the award-winning FocalPoint plug-in. The new MaskingBug allows photographers to create high-quality masks to selectively apply effects to images. With over 30 new creative effects, for a total effect library of 280, photographers can easily find, combine and save the results to create images that truly stand out.

Genuine Fractals 6 Professional Edition - The industry standard for enlarging photos, Genuine Fractals 6 enlarges images up to 1,000% while maintaining sharp edges and important image details. Genuine Fractals 6 now includes an automated gallery wrap feature and output options for tiling an enlarged photo. No other resizing plug-in is as widely used by more professionals than Genuine Fractals.

MaskPro 4 - For those times when you need to extract a subject from a photo, Mask Pro 4 uses a color-based method that allows users to easily remove unwanted backgrounds from your photos. Mask Pro's unique Color Decontamination technology allows users to get realistic results by maintaining transparency in hard to mask objects like hair, smoke and glass in a fraction of the time using traditional tools.

The new Plug-in Suite 5 will be available in November to new users for $599.95; purchased separately the products would normally cost $1,300. Existing users of Plug-in Suite version 1, 2, 3 or 4 can upgrade to the Plug-in Suite 5 for $199.95. Customers who own any one or more of the products in Plug-in 5 will be able to upgrade as well by visiting http://www.ononesoftware.com/upgrade/. For more information on the Plug-in Suite 5, please visit http://www.ononesoftware.com/.

More to come soon,
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Magic Wand Tool

Okay - sorry about yesterday's missing post. I was on my way home from dropping off the kids and made a detour that changed my whole day. Luckily, it was a good detour as I netted a contract job - that started immediately! So that brings us to Tuesday - which is Tip Tuesday here on the blog. So here it goes...

To select similar colors throughout the image with the Magic Want tool (as opposed to being restricted to those similar pixels that are touching) uncheck the "Contiguous" option in the Options bar.

Also, while using the Magic Wand tool, tapping the return/enter key will automatically highlight the Tolerance option for the tool in the Options bar and allow you to enter a numeric value.

Both big time savers!

Since I'm missing that everyday post goal, I'm changing my sign off from "See you tomorrow," to...

More to come soon,
Chris

Jayci Smith - Senior

She's magnetic. As in, Jayci draws people into her sphere, and she's cute enough to placed--in miniature form--on your refrigerator.

I met Jayci online back this summer when she approached me to take her Senior pictures. At the time, I did not have the drape required by her school, and sadly, I lost the opportunity to photograph her.
Fast forward a few months. I needed fresh new shots< for my website and marketing promotion I was about to kick off, and I wanted to do something different. I was tired of the 'usual' head and shoulders Senior shot. So I called Jayci to see if she'd be interested in modeling for the shoot. I explained that I would be asking her for some weird locations and poses. She seemed excited and we agreed to meet one day when she was out of school.Jayci was AWESOME! Such a cool girl - very striking and had gorgeous eyes, and she could talk with her eyes as well as anyone I've ever met! Photographer's know just how cool this is, and men better watch out! If I asked for a smile, I got it (without the cheese you get from a fake smile), when I wanted serious, I got it. She was a true angel to photograph. We shot from 2:00pm until almost 7:00pm - and I put her in some strange locations including rusted and rickety stairways, back alleys, trash dumps, tobacco barns, laundromats, and even turn the water hose on her! She braved it all and we came away with some really cool shots.I loved the time I spent with Jayci, and I hope she'll call me again when she needs pictures taken.

See you Monday,
Chris

Lightroom 3

Big news today... Adobe has once again released a public beta of the new version of Lightroom. Lightroom 3 Beta was announced and is now available as a free download for anyone (not just existing Lightroom users). I'll give you some of the main points here but, honestly, Scott Kelby, RC Concepcion and Matt Kloskowski have each created various videos and articles over at NAPP's Lightroom 3 Beta Learning Center. Check it out!

The Main Stuff:
• The Beta is for everyone
• Big changes in the Import dialog
• Noise removal has changed quite a bit
• Slideshows can now be exported as videos (with music)
• Custom print templates in the Print module
• And finally!, we have watermarking!

So here's what you need to do:
1) Don't complain about the beta. Remember, its not finished yet. Its a beta.
2) Head over to NAPP's Lightroom 3 Beta Learning Center
3) Download the Lightroom 3 Beta from the Adobe Labs website

That's it for today, and sorry about missing the post yesterday - school emergency!

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Blend Modes

I've been all over playing with Blend Modes lately, so today's tip has to do with using Blend Modes.

All blend modes have their own keyboard shortcut. They all begin with Option (Mac)/ Alt (Win) + Shift + a letter - most often the letter is the first letter of the name, N = Normal, M = Multiple, O = Overlay etc.

If you want to quickly cycle through the painting tool’s blend modes, hold the Shift key and hit the “+” (plus) or “-” (minus) to move forward or backwards.

If you'd like to cycle like this thru the Layer Blend Modes, use the same shortcut - BUT - don't havea painting tool selected.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Where have I been?

A quick apology. After meaning to stick with the blog regularly - I didn't count on the entire family getting wiped out by the flu. Yes, for three weeks, me or a member of my family was wiped out with the flu - naturally, the blog took a back seat. I'm sorry for the void and am now back on track!

Coming up this week is a report on a trip with a friend, a photoshoot with a lovely young lady, tips, seminars, etc. Stay tuned!

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Mandatory Homework - Understanding Histograms

Sorry about the lack of blogging yesterday.... life happened. But I'm back today and I have a good one for both of you who read my blog!

Mandatory Reading, there will be a quiz later....

Understanding Histograms

I'll be on an all day shoot tomorrow, so I'll see you on Monday!
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Finding the Center of Your Picture

Here's one that used to stump me all the time. How do you find the center of an image? When I discovered the method it was too easy!

Simply, set the rulers to percentage.

Setting the rulers to percentage can also be helpful when recording action that will be run on files of different sizes where you might want an effect to be applied to a certain percentage of an area.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Mean Sisters

I kept telling the older one she better watch out. One day the younger child would get her revenge. Alas....


See you tomorrow,
Chris

Foto Friday

1/200 sec at f/3.2 ISO 320 190mm (70-200mm f/2.8) Canon 40D Natural Light

Have a great weekend everyone. I'll see you Monday,
Chris

Lightroom 2.5 and Camera Raw 5.5 released

Camera Raw 5.5 has been released, along with Lightroom 2.5. This release is basically a camera update, along with one announced bug fix.

Camera additions are:

Nikon D300s

Nikon D3000

Olympus E-P1

Panasonic DMC-FZ35

Panasonic DMC-GF1

Release Notes:
Camera Raw 5.5 and Lightroom 2.5 include a correction to the demosaic algorithms for Bayer sensor cameras with unequal green response. Olympus, Panasonic and Sony are among the more popular camera manufacturers affected by this change. But the demosaic correction provides only a subtle visual improvement to the processing of those raw files.

AND FINALLY!!! (Thank you thank you thank you!) Lightroom 2.5 corrects for the following problem in Lightroom 2.4. Lightroom 2.4 on Windows continued to display the import dialog when a memory card was detected regardless of the preference setting "Show import dialog when a memory card is detected."

Download:

Lightroom 2.5: Macintosh | Windows

Adobe Camera Raw 5.5: Macintosh | Windows

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Guessing Game

(Thankfully) I was very busy today, but I'm rushing to make my Wednesday post in time! Judging from the clock, I have 35 minutes to spare! LOL

Anyway, I thought we'd play a neat game. It's simple - where did I take the picture above?!?

Hmmmmm.......

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Zoom Zoom Zoom (in CS4)

In Photoshop CS4 you can use a new shortcut Cmd/Ctrl - 1 to set the zoom level to 100% (also known as Actual Pixels). This makes Photoshop CS4 work like the other Creative Suite Applications such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Flash. Or, you can double click on the Zoom tool to display the image at 100%. In addition, the old standby’s will still work - Cmd/Ctrl - Option/Alt - 0 (zero), Cmd/Ctrl - 0 (zero) will "Fit To Screen", Cmd/Ctrl -“+” (plus) will zoom in, Cmd/Ctrl - “-” (minus) will zoom out.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Check This Out: TweetDeck

Short and quick today. If you're into Twitter and Facebook (and MySpace), you're going to love what I discovered today. It's called TweetDeck.

TweetDeck is your personal browser for staying in touch with what’s happening now, connecting you with your contacts across Twitter, Facebook and more.

TweetDeck shows you everything you want to see at once, so you can stay organized and up to date.

I like it!

See you tomorrow,
Chris

How Will You Remember 9-11 Today?

This post is coming out of left field for most of you that know me, but I wanted to do something different today since it's 9-11. Something that might matter.

Then I got this email:

Dear Chris,

I think that this is probably the most difficult introduction that I’ve ever written. I have so much to say, yet I can’t seem to begin.

So, I’ll begin this way. Heroes walk among us every day. Some you’ll readily recognize: those in the Armed Forces (or who have served), firefighters, police officers. However, there are also heroes who make a profound and lasting difference, but do so quietly. These are the invisible heroes, and they are everywhere—especially in the photographic industry.

Bravery comes in many forms. I’m in constant awe of not only those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others, but also those who willingly open their hearts to others, even when the circumstances cause their own hearts to break while they are helping.

In the midst of mourning, a group of heroes emerges to give families lasting images of their children who will never grow older. They are the photographers who volunteer for the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation. This week’s Vital Signs shares information about what they do—and how you can get involved.

These photographers are my heroes.

Now, I had heard of the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Foundation before and even thought about joining, but today it just seemed right...

Have a great weekend everyone.

See you on Monday,
Chris

25 Cool Digital Photography Tutorials, Techniques and Effects

Had a completely different idea for a post today, but got really busy (more soon) and lost track of time. So, I decided to share a group of cool tutorials I found recently.

The list of cool digital photography techniques and tutorials is endless, you can even find 10 completely different methods to achieve the same effect. Which is the best? It really depends on the photographer and there level of expertise. Which ever effect you use, your images are going to look cool and unique.

Check them out here.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Fall Foliage Photography

So I'm sitting here working on my Fall Foliage Fotos special for the website and it hit me...

...THIS is today's blog post!

Autumn is right around the corner, bringing with it a seasonal change that inspires photographers across the nation: Fall foliage. There’s no question that autumn’s dramatic landscapes are stunning to behold; the real challenge is how to preserve the impact in a still photograph that captures the unique quality of this season. Here are a few tips that may help:

Closer is Better!

The temptation of wide shots, of entire forests or mountainsides may be hard to resist. However, variety is important. Shoot the panoramic landscapes, but also remember that beauty can be found in the details.

Out-of-focus backgrounds are a photographic effect you can heighten, or reduce, by controlling your aperture: Wider apertures (that is, lower f-numbers, such as f/4, f/2.8, etc.) will result in a shallower range of focus, and soft backgrounds. Smaller apertures, such as f/11, f/16, or f/22 will increase the range of focus, resulting in sharper backgrounds. Either effect may work; you just need to make the creative choice depending on what, and how much of the background you want to see in the image.

Think!

Instead of pointing and shooting, think about ways to artfully compose your shots for greater impact. Many beginners only pay attention to their main subject in the frame, and capture it in obvious ways (such as centered in the frame, or right in the foreground). Instead, take the time to consider the background, and experiment with more dynamic ways to make your main subject stand out:

• Try not to shoot everything from eye-level.
• Remember the Rule of Thirds.
  
• Look for patterns or repetition in the frame, such as reflections or groups of similar objects, which creates a pleasing effect in the composition.
• Remember that contrast can help colors to ‘pop’ – for example, the warm tones of autumn leaves will be enhanced with the subtle inclusion of something cool (blue, or blue-green) in the frame. For example, a vivid sliver of sky, or a blue-painted automobile or house strategically placed in the foreground.
• Don’t forget the power of wide-angle lenses. A standard zoom lens, such as an 18-55mm lens (or 28-90mm lens on a film camera) can produce some spectacular results – especially if you move in close at its widest setting and focus upon one object in the foreground. A low-hanging branch with leaves can suddenly become a broad burst of color and detail, if you move in and focus upon the nearest leaf.
• Shoot some back-lit pictures, with the sun coming toward the camera and shining through leaves. Back-lighting can really increase the rich color of fall foliage. Watch for glare or lens flare, however. Sometimes, moving the camera just a bit can cause other leaves to block the sun, shading the lens and reducing or eliminating lens flare.

Try to Use Natural Light

If possible, make a point of shooting during the ‘magic’, or golden, hours. This occurs generally during the first half-hour right after the sun rises in the morning, and the last half hour just before the sun sets at the end of the day. During these fleeting periods, the quality of light is ideal for autumn landscape photography:

• The sunlight is naturally warm, rich, and golden-hued - further enhancing the colorful leaves.


• The angle of the sunlight is lower and more directional. You can create enhanced textures and shapes if you shoot with it as side-light, or increased depth if used as a backlight.


• The quality of magic-hour sunlight is more diffuse, with a pleasing contrast that is less likely to overexpose in the highlights, or underexpose in the shadows.

However, if the weather is not cooperating (magic hour light is most pronounced on days with clear, sunny forecasts) – don’t get discouraged. Fall showers can inspire beautiful photo opportunities, as well: Fall colors can look even more saturated during or right after a rainstorm, and moody skies can offer that perfect contrast to a fiery-hued tree. Or, get out your macro lens and look for details such as raindrops clinging to the leaves.

Summary

Autum photos are a big hit - everyone likes them. Take advantage of this short time period: Go out with your camera and shoot! Remember to look for different ways to shoot familiar subjects, whether it's up-close, down low, with filters, after dawn, or during a storm -- and you will find it pay off in many wonderful, dynamic shots that capture the spirit of the season.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Adding Canvas Using the Crop Tool

OK, so I forgot Monday was a holiday and I chose to spend it with family - hope you will forgive me! But, now we're on to Tuesday which means Tip Tuesday!

To use the Crop tool to add canvas to your image, drag out a crop and release the mouse. Then, drag the crop handles outside of the image area and apply the crop. The area outside of the image will be added to the canvas. To keep the same aspect ratio, add in the shift key as you drag a corner. To add area to all four sides, hold the ALT key, to add the same amount all around the image while keeping the aspect ration, add in the SHIFT and ALT keys!

Note: to add transparency around the image (instead of filling the added space with the background color) convert the Background into a layer by selecting Layer > New > Layer From Background (or by double clicking on the word Background in the Layers panel).

See you tomorrow,
Chris

My Favorite Things...

First let me apologize for the lack of post yesterday - and yes, I'm depressed about the outcome, but mercifully, most games will be on Saturday when I don't blog anyway....

So on to My Favorite Things...

No not in life silly, it's the favorite things that help me do whatever it is that I do here. (In no particular order)

Adobe Photoshop
I fell out of love with photography in college because I couldn't afford the film and processing. I fell back in love with it when I mastered Photoshop 5.5 (thanks to Scott Kelby - see below). I've been in love with both (photography and photoshop - not Scott, because that would just be weird) ever since.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
What Photoshop did to rekindle my passion for photography, Lightroom came along and stole! I now do 85% of my image processing in Lightroom, and most images never see Photoshop. Now Photoshop still has a loving place in my heart and I still use it daily, but the routine processing I do on my images is all done in Lightroom now.

And I've noticed this strange phenomenon, if you tell someone you ran an image through Photoshop to clean it up - they immediately assume you "created" and "fabricated" your way into a nice image. For whatever reason, if people see a nice image now they assume it was "Photoshopped." I hear things like, "You must have Photoshopped that picture," or "wow that's beautiful, did you use Photoshop?" But tell them you processed that image in Lightroom without going into Photoshop at all, and they stare in disbelief and say things like, "That's a really nice image," or "You're a really good photographer." It really cracks me up.

Canon "L" series Glass
Particularly the 85mm, the 70-200mm, the 16-35mm, and the 24-70mm - L-O-V-E them!

PocketWizards
They're more expensive than other options, but world-class leaders in my book. Would buy them everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

Scott Kelby
Wow. How do you sum up what this man has done for my career and abilities. I'm an Adobe Certified Instructor, Photographer, NAPP member, pretty decent Photoshop'er, blogger, Photowalker, trainer, and even help orphans in Kenya - all directly because of this man. He's a legend, a master, and from all accounts of speaking with his friends - a darn nice guy to boot, and one day I sincerely hope to call him "friend" as well.

David Hobby
No one has done more for lighting in photography than Mr. Hobby. An inspiration on so many levels.

and finally, NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals)
I'm a fiercely loyal member - recommend them to all my students, take my students to every workshop that comes near us, and strongly encourage everyone I know in the biz to join. Most do - have you?!?

Mpix
You guys and gals have heard me rave about them before. Still can't recommend them enough!

I'll see you on Monday,
Chris

Gone Fishin'

I am, ummmm, otherwise occupied today!

See you tomorrow,
Chris

P.S. Go Pack!

9 Seconds to Better Photoshop

Dave Cross posted a neat article the other day that really caught my attention. It's something that I stress to my students all the time, and rarely practice myself. It's the idea to experiment so that you can learn. As he says, "Easy to say, but with our busy schedules, often very difficult to do."

Here's more:

Generally, I think we're creatures of habit: we do things a certain way in Photoshop because that's the way we were shown at some point, or perhaps figured out for ourselves. So here's where the 9 second idea comes in. If you always use the Gaussian Blur Filter, try that Filter, then Undo and try a different blur filter, just for comparison. You may end up going back to Gaussian Blur, but by trying that quick experiment you see the effects of another filter - even if it's to store that idea away for another project. Each time you do another 9 second experiment you pick up another idea. Try this with Filters, blend modes, adjustment layers, selection tools...

I'm suggesting experimenting for 9 seconds here and there, while you still get the job done.

So what you waiting for?!?

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Tip Tuesday - Making Copies of Layers in Photoshop

I'm initiating a new spot here on the blog - Tip Tuesday - where each Tuesday I will post a neat tip in my favorite software to help you!

Today's tip: Making Copies of Layers in Photoshop

Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) -drag a layer in the images area with the Move tool creates a copy of a layer. You can also Option (Mac) / Alt (Win) -drag in the Layers panel to duplicate a layer - select the layer(s) and drag until yo see a heavy black line between the layers and release.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

Introducing the Strobist Gel Packs

OK, I don't have permission to repost the article here, but there's a line in the post that says "I want to see them succeed and I hope you'll support them, too" - that sums up exactly how I feel, so I'm redirecting today's post over to David Hobby.

______________________________________________________

Oh, and sorry about Friday's post. Today is my daughter's birthday (hence the brevity), and we celebrated on Sat. Thus there was just way too much work to be done on Friday. I never even made it down to my computer.

See you tomorrow,
Chris

This one's for my photography friends...

I will be participating in Help – Portrait in our area this December, and I’ll give you more details as things move ahead, but I think this is just a fantastic way for us all to give back to those less fortunate this Holiday Season. This kind of stuff is really what it’s all about, so I hope you’ll visit www.help-portrait.com and get involved.

See you tomorrow!
Chris

On the path to EnLIGHTenment

So I'm on this kick lately to better balance flash with ambient lighting, and I found an excellent sight for this kind of thing. Honestly, I found it awhile back and read it religiously, but until recently, read is all I did. Now I'm going back and trying this stuff, and man is it fun! I'm hooked!

This site is called Strobist.com and it's run by David Hobby - an ex-newspaper photojournalist for the Baltimore Sun. David has a very easy going and witty style that makes you feel so welcome and willing to participate. His sight does a great job of explaining and teaching the concept, and then he actually gives assignments to reinforce what he's saying. He's even set up a Flickr.com group to post your shots and share with others. Imagine the feedback you get from over a hundred thousand viewers!

David's about my age, which helps me feel like I'm learning from a friend. I purchased his instructional DVD set and I'm devouring it like crazy (the above photograph was inspired one of the tutorials on the DVD's), and as I mentioned I've gone back through his site and cataloged all the teachings and assignments from his Lighting 101 and 102 series as well as his Boot Camp I and II series. It's just really well done stuff. The Strobist is a very well thought out, very well done blog. The photo world is a better place because of David Hobby, and I don't think it would it be far off to say that he is among the most influential photographers today!

Well done David!

See you tomorrow!
Chris

Matt: Senior

Some people have it all... and that makes me happy. Let me introduce to you Matt. Is it just me or does he have a Lance Armstrong look going on?!? Anyway, Matt's a bonafide stud! Good looking, extremely nice mannered, star athlete, and oh! did I mention - he was MY ring-bearer 14 years ago!?!


It was my extreme pleasure to shoot Matt's senior pictures a few months ago. Matt was GREAT to work with - had three outfit changes and a positive attitude. We shot in four or five locations around Tarboro, and I couldn't ask for a better subject! Most senior boys want this over with as soon as possible, and I'm sure Matt did too, but I never got that from his expression and demeanor. Wherever I asked Matt to go all I got was "yes sir."


Matt was also a photographer's dream in that he didn't want the traditional portrait. Matt wanted a collage of all his pictures in a giant 20x30 Standout print. (We photogs love getting to try out new stuff!) Stand Outs are like really thick posters - a print mounted on 1.5 inches of Gatorfoam (Styrofoam) that is super light and easy to hang! And it turned out GREAT!

Matt - thanks for the privilege to shoot your senior pictures! I'll shoot you anytime!

See you tomorrow!
Chris

Welcome to a Blog Re-vamped!

WELCOME TO A BLOG RE-VAMPED!

I started this blog awhile back and had great intentions, but life got in the way. But in an effort to put my best foot forward, I'm rededicating this blog and my efforts to it! I promise to make some kind of effort here Monday thru Friday from here on out. I'm also going to try and post an new image here as often as possible in an effort to keep me practicing! Something I recommend for all of you btw - no matter your craft - you should be practicing daily!

Anyway, what can you expect from this blog? Well, updates from Chris Barnes Photography, news, anecdotes, teachings, specials and mindless ramblings from time to time.

If you're new to the blog - welcome! If you've stuck with me all along - God Bless you and welcome back!

See you tomorrow!
Chris

Great news! Scott Kelby's 2nd Annual World Wide Photowalk will take place on Saturday July 18th in hundreds of cities around the world! Last year over 8,000 people took part in more than 230 cities, and there will likely be even more this year.

Check the website for details and to find a city near you - and don't worry if your city doesn't appear: these are just the cities that have been confirmed so far. Many more to come.

In each city the Photowalk leader will pick a favorite photo and that person will win a copy of Scott's brand new book, The Digital Photography Book, Volume 3. Then Scott will choose an overall winner and that person will win some amazing prizes, including a copy of the Adobe Creative Suite, a Wacom tablet and 2 passes to Photoshop World! There's no entrey fee - just find a city and sign up.

You can sign up for my walk HERE.

Great Shots II - Mastering Light Class

Hey guys,

Just a quick reminder that this Saturday 8am-6pm is Part II of the Great Shots Workshops - all about Mastering Light!

It will be a great class with tons of info. Bring your camera and flash equipment (if you have) and don't worry about anything. We'll be discussing things to purchase if you don't have anything and you can use my equipment this weekend. Trust me, I can show you cheap options as well as the bank breakers!

We'll have a live model to shoot in the afternoon session and it will be INDOORS! Yippee! Hope you'll join us for what's shaping up to be an awesome class!

Hope to see you there!

Photoshop World - Reason #4 To Go!

The Expo

OK, I've listed several reason so far, and if all those classes, parties and events weren't reason enough, Photoshop World also hosts a three-day Expo jam-packed with all the gadgets, goodies, eye-candy, and bonus classes/workshops from all the coolest Photoshop and photography-related industries!

Plus, the Expo floor is the place to be for all the action! You never know who you'll run into there... Aside from rubbing elbows with your instructors, you just may wind up on a roving episode of PhotoshopUserTV or find yourself in one of our awesome closing ceremony videos.

Where can you get a first look at tomorrow's, mind-blowing Photoshop technology? At the Photoshop World Expo!

Browse the latest hardware, software, cameras, printers, and more from the biggest names in the business for three innovation-filled days. The Expo Exhibit Hall is where you'll get face-to-face with the industry's leading developers to check out all of the latest plug-ins, digital cameras, scanners, printers, peripherals, imaging software, hardware, storage devices, and transport cases.

Along with all the gadgets, goodies, and eye-candy, there are also bonus classes and workshops held in the Tech Expo theatres that add a fantastic educational bonus to your Expo experience!

Also, while you're at the Expo, make sure you stop by the Official Photoshop World/Peachpit Bookstore to purchase the hottest books and DVDs at an incredible discount, as well as limited edition themed Photoshop World gear. And don't forget to stop by Help Desk Live to get answers to your Photoshop puzzles.

Photoshop World - Reason #5 To Go!

Pre-Con Workshops

Honestly, of all the reasons, THIS is the main reason I want to go to Photoshop World.

To go out and shoot with Moose Peterson and Joe McNally on in studio with Eddie Tapp and Jack Reznicki? - shut up I'm there! I've already done the wedding shoot with David Ziser and it's awesome! The Peterson-McNally Photo Safari is always booked - but one day!

For those of you interested in in-depth training, the day before the conference is completely dedicated to the "pre-con workshops." In addition to the always-popular wedding photo shoot, live studios, and NAPP Photo Safari mentioned above, this year they plan to offer five brand new pre-cons that include a hands-on, "real world HDR" session with Matt Kloskowski, a live fashion shoot with Kevin Ames, and a skill-building class, perfect for beginners, on Photoshop selections and masking with Dave Cross.

In addition, all pre-con attendees receive a pre-con workbook containing all available instructor notes (at print time) for every class! Pre-conference workshops are a great way to kick-start your Photoshop World experience. These special workshops are only open to registered attendees of Photoshop World and require a separate fee at registration.

Photoshop World - Reason #6 To Go!

Midnight Madness

We're not talking about some over-rated glorified basketball practice, nor an 80's album by Night Ranger here! No, we're talking about the legendary after hours party at Photoshop World, where the only thing promised is that you will NOT learn anything about Photoshop! There are always many fabulous prizes to win, as long as you don't mind getting singled out a little. Bring your coffee mug and your sense of humor!

But you have to move fast. Tickets for Midnight Madness are available at Photoshop World on a first-come, first-served basis. However, these tickets go FAST and people have been known to camp out for them.

This night of no-holds-barred Photoshop mayhem is definitely the hottest ticket at the conference - delivering non-stop music, madness, contests, and partying is hosted by the conference ringmaster himself, Scott Kelby.

The only way you go is to A) Attend Photoshop World and B) be lucky enough to secure one of the 200 tickets to be given away. So, get in line outside of Hall C because starting at 7:30 am they’ll be handing out tickets.