Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
The liquify filter in Photoshop is often demonized as the tool for making unrealistic body alterations in advertising images. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. In the above video, Jeff Rojas walks us through the basics of using the liquify filter and what the various tools inside the filter do to an image. He also makes a case for editing subtle changes with an eye toward natural body proportions.
[via ISO 1200]
So you’ve got a fancy DSLR or mirrorless camera but it stays on full auto (aka the little green camera) or P on the mode dial (maybe because that lets you choose when to turn on the flash).
You stick with these modes because the camera makes most of the decisions for you and all you really have to think about is where to point the camera.
Neither of those modes are necessarily bad to use – especially if you are getting the photos you want. However, there are other things on the camera’s mode dial that allow you to be more creative.
And maybe you aren’t getting the shots you want but you don’t necessarily know how to turn the photo that is in your mind into reality. Maybe you just want to understand more about how your camera works.
Whatever the case, understanding the effect and usefulness of operating in the Aperture Priority mode is a worthwhile endeavor for any budding photographer. [Read more…]
Want that great seamless white background appearance in a large space?
This video from Karl Taylor shows the behind the scenes construction of his infinity cove inside his studio. There is a ton of work that goes into the construction. The results, however, are fantastic.
This video from the Slow Mo Guys shows us a great look at the shutter movement inside the Canon 7D at a range of shutter speeds, all the way up to 1/8000s.
It is a view we don’t ever really get to see even if we do understand the process of how a focal plane shutter works. Thanks to a Phantom camera that shoots HD video at 10,000fps, we get to see up close and in detail the mirror and shutter operation.
As you are watching, note the vibration of mirror on its impact and consider how that will affect image quality as much slower shutter speeds.
This week, February 23-28, 2015, is Photoshop Week and CreativeLive will broadcast 49 FREE seminars for Photoshop and Lightroom from some of the top experts, including Julieanne Kost, Matt Kloskowski, Ben Willmore, and Julia Kuzmenko McKim, among others.
Anyone can watch these classes for free on CreativeLive’s website during the live broadcast. Individual classes will also be available for later on-demand access for $19 each or you can get all 49 for $299.
More details and course schedule available here on CreativeLive.
In his latest video, Karl Taylor and Adobe’s Richard Curtis look at the power of integration between Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop using smart objects and linked camera raw settings.
Curtis covers some pretty cool landscape editing approaches. The tutorial clocks in at 27 minutes but is worth the watch if you have not explored the relationship of Smart Objects in Photoshop and Lightroom.
Anyone who has gone to the beach with the family understands the pressure on the photographer in the family to capture the perfect portrait on the beach.
It’s not like there aren’t enough things to worry about between hitting the lighting at the right time, to timing your shot in between random beach walkers to keeping sand out of your camera bag. On top of normal photographer thoughts, there is the challenge of working with your own kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews who don’t see you as a photographer but as dad/mom/grandpa/grandma/uncle/aunt with a dorky habit of carrying a camera. [Read more…]
In this video from Cal Thomson, he shows you how to create a hyperlaspe using a DSLR and tripod. The hyperlapse effect was recently made popular as an application from Instagram. The mobile Hyperlapse app takes care of the image stabilization automatically.
In order to stabilize a hyperlapse you have created from your DSLR, however, you have to perform stabilization in post production using tools like warp stabilizer in After Effects, which Thomson covers in the above video.
Gavin Hoey for Adorama has a great little video on eliminating reflections on glasses when shooting portraits. It’s all in the light position and Gavin breaks down the simple process and then shows you how to add in new reflections for creative effect.
Check it out in the video below. [Read more…]
The C-stand is a mainstay of photo and film sets. They are incredibly useful for a variety of different purposes, including as a stand for light modifiers and a plain old light stand. In the above video, Shane Hurlbut gives a useful introduction to the C-stand and how you should be using it.
[via Hurlblog]