|
Welcome to the 44th issue of the Digital Darkroom
Hi
What an exciting month at BetterPhoto! We have some wonderful 4-week PhotoCourses™ coming up in December. Looking ahead, our best winter school ever kicks off January 3rd. And, as always, we have some outstanding Photoshop classes... If you haven't already, check out ProCritiques, in which you can upload up to 8 photos and get a critique by one of our professional instructors... And if you haven't dipped into the Resources area of BetterPhoto recently (click the tab at the top right of any BP page), you're in for a treat! Lots of new articles, plus information on the BetterPhoto Radio show in which listeners can call in with questions... In this issue, don't miss instructor Jim Zuckerman's excellent article and another fine collect of photo discussions.
To read the online version of the Digital Darkroom at our Web site, visit http://www.betterphoto.com/digitalpics/
Have a great month!
Jim Miotke
http://www.betterphoto.com/MG.asp?ID=124
In This Issue: Thursday, November 16, 2006
 Flower Art 9/5/06 Digital Darkroom Effects created with PS CS using the plugin Fantastic Machine's Paint Engine. Layers and texture also used. © Sharon D Nikon D70 Digital ... |
Featured Article: Creating a Fine Art Fantasy in Photoshop ... by Jim Zuckerman
BetterPhoto instructor Jim Zuckerman shares tips on how to use some of the enhancement capabilities in Photoshop in order to turn a photo into more of a fine art fantasy. Jim, by the way, teaches many excellent online courses here at BetterPhoto, including Creative Techniques in Photoshop and Advanced Creative Techniques in Photoshop.
Read more...
 In the Rain Rainy shoot - this image taken between portraits. Fill flash set at 1/2 power. Converted to BW in PSE4 Entered 10/23/06 |  In the Rain (Color) |
| Each month, the best Before and After will be featured in the Digital Darkroom. To participate, upload a Before (original) picture then start a discussion on it (using the Discuss This Photo link under the picture). After telling us how you did created the effect, select "1" or "2" from the Upload Image pull-down menu, and submit an optional intermediate image and a final (After) photo. Aim to educate and inspire by sharing a concise, detailed explanation of your technique. Enjoy! |
Digital Photographic: Gallery-Quality Prints From Your Digital Photos
 With the recent advances in digital cameras, wide format inkjet printers, sophisticated inksets, and archival fine art papers specially enhanced for inkjet printers, fine art digital photography has arrived! We can now produce gallery-quality, sellable prints in the 16" x 20" range from any good 6 to 8 megapixel camera, and 24" to 36" prints from 12-13 megapixel cameras such as the Nikon D2X or Canon EOS 5D. Learn more... |
Lensbabies - Selective Focus SLR Lenses!
 Lensbabies – the unique, fun, useful, and affordable tool for creative photography. The award-winning Lensbabies are selective focus SLR camera lenses that bring one area of your photo into sharp focus, with that "sweet spot" surrounded by graduated blur. You can move the sweet spot anywhere in the photo by bending the lens. Available now from specialty stores, 877-536-7222, or Lensbabies.com. Learn more... |
New Photo Discussions
New Photo Discussion 1: A Good Wine
- Brian Lobdell See Brian's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Beautiful composition! Sherry, what combinations of filters did you use? - Ron Jones See Ron's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Beautiful still life and effects, Sherry! - Jessica Jenney See Jessica's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Thank you, Ron and Jesica. This image already had a textured background. First thing I did was 'paint' the picture with the smudge tool. I believe it was one of the watercolor brushes. Then I applied a small amount of watercolor (Filter>artistic>watercolor). After that, I applied some poster edges (filter>artistic>poster edges). I then duplicated the layer and added paint daubs to the new layer (filter>artistic>paint daubs) and made it a bit blurry. I chaged the layer mode to overlay. I flattened the image and used the eraser tool with jacked edges to make the border. - Sherry K. Adkins See Sherry's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
New Photo Discussion 2: Great Jacket... Great Kid!
- Jo Ann Lewis Response 1:This was created by adding two separate layers in photoshop. The jacket was selected and put on one layer ... the young man and the tree were desaturated to black and white ... and his eyes were tinted blue. I see by your pictures that you take some great action pictures. I love the water ones. Thanks, Connie - Connie Clare See Connie's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
New Photo Discussion 3: Rolled Gold
- Stacee R. Webster Response 1:Hi Stacee! Thanks for your interest in this image. I'm not sure I can remember every step, but basically here is the process I used (hopefully you use Photoshop... I use PS elements 2.0): The original macro was a red rose. I played around with smart blur and hue, and then applied a plug-in filter that gives unusual color applications and a soft "glow". This filter is called "bad dream" and is a free plug-in you can download from this link: http.//www.xero-graphics.co.uk/set3/baddream.htm This gave me a pink+purple looking rose, which I changed to the gold using the hue adjustment. The final effect came from using the "backlight" adjustment - found under "enhance/adjust lighting". (I might have added a touch of posterize filtering, but I'm not sure.) I hope this gives you some ideas... I use the bad dream filter a lot, but it doesn't work on everything, and you need to play with it to find the right effects. (You can use the "random" button over and over to let the filter show you different combinations.) I try to document my steps, but sometimes I get way down the road without stopping to record it all. Thanks again, and good luck! | |
New Photo Discussion 4: Soft Shadows
- Margie Hurwich See Margie's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit margiehurwichphotography.com - Margie's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 1:This is stunning in the depth of colors, Melissa. Well done! - Doug Newman See Doug's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit DougNewmanPhotography.com - Doug's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 2:BEAUTIFUL image, Melissa :o)!! I really like the colors here and the shadows look really cool! - Crystal M. Gove See Crystal's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Beautiful!!! With apologies to Mr. Orton, I think we can call this the Melissa G. technique -- !? Flipping the image was a stroke of genius! WONDERFUL result! I do think we'll be seeing this again. - Nadya Johnson See Nadya's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
New Photo Discussion 5: Homecoming Celebration
- Barbara Waldoch See Barbara's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Irwin, Great color, detail, textures, lighting and DOF. - Janine Russell See Janine's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Thank you, Janine and Barbara. I was thrilled by the intimacy of the close-up. I grow numerous plants, so I always have something interesting to shoot. I guess I am addicted because this shot was taken at about 5:00 a.m. in the flower district of NYC by someone too excited to sleep. I am glad you enjoyed. Irwin - Irwin Lightstone Visit radiantimagesphotography.net - Irwin's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
New Photo Discussion 6: Winter Afternoon
- Linda Spatuzzi Response 1:Excellent work, Ron. - Ronald Balthazor See Ronald's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit balthazorphotography.com - Ronald's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 2:Thanks, everyone! Linda, this started as an image of a single tree taken in early spring. I selected, darkened it and then duplicated it four times. I then put each one on its own layer, made each one smaller and decreased the opacity to make them appear as if they were fading into the distance. I then used the dodge tool to lighten an area to give the impression of the sun shining through. I then created the foreground and background. Ron - Ron Jones See Ron's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Really impressive, Ron. Thanks for the explanation: I learned a lot from it. - Steve M. Harrington See Steve's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
New Photo Discussion 7: Oliver Cabin in Cades Cove
- Joannie M. Bertucci See Joannie's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Love the effects!!! Very nice image, Paula! - Colette M. Metcalf See Colette's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Thank you, Colette and Joannie. Sure, Joannie...,this is nothing more than poster edges in Photoshop. Lately, it's my favorite effect. - Paula Showen See Paula's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion | |
The Next Step: Where to Go From Here
