Welcome to the 46th issue of the Digital Darkroom

Hi

What an exciting month at BetterPhoto! Our Winter online photography school is just getting under way. Sign up now, and we'll send you the first lesson pronto and you'll still have plenty of time to do the first assignment. We have classes covering all sorts of subjects, including an exciting lineup of Photoshop courses. ... Also, consider our new ClassTracks™ program, in which you can master photography over the course of one full year. ... If you haven't already, be sure to read some of instructor Jim Zuckerman's excellent BetterBlogs, many of which cover Photoshop techniques. ... Also, instructor Robin Nichols shares tips in his new article: Making a 3D Shadow. ... Looking Ahead: The 3rd Annual BetterPhoto Photography Weekend will take place September 29th & 30th, 2007, in Chicago! We'll post more info soon. Meantime, check out the Forum thread on the Summit.

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: Monday, January 08, 2007

• Featured Photo: Gliding
• Featured Article: Making a 3D Shadow ... by Robin Nichols
• Digital Before and After
• New Photo Discussion 1: Original
• New Photo Discussion 2: Giraffe Branches
• New Photo Discussion 3: Tea for Two
• New Photo Discussion 4: Fresh Fruit
• New Photo Discussion 5: Chick
• New Photo Discussion 6: One that didn't get away!
• New Photo Discussion 7: Mamaw's Tea Party
• New Photo Discussion 8: Diving Ducks
• The Next Step: Where to Go From Here

Featured Photo: Gliding

Gliding Sandhill crane gliding past fall tamarisk (salt cedar) Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Background blurred in Photoshop using motion blur (see discussion for details) © Pamela L. Keil Canon EOS 20D Digi...

Featured Article: Making a 3D Shadow ... by Robin Nichols
In his new article, instructor Robin Nichols describes a really simple way to create a three-dimensional 'lift off the page' effect using Elements Shear filter in combination with the Gaussian Blur filter. Robin, by the way, teaches Adobe Photoshop Elements and Advanced Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Read more...
 

Digital Before and After

Fresh Paint I used the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to ramp up the color on the house and painted everything back to its normal colors (using a black brush on the mask)and then did a second pass to do the shutters and house trim. I sure wish it was this easy to really paint a house!

Original before the fresh paint

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Classes Have Started, But You Can Still Join the Fun!

New Photo Discussions

New Photo Discussion 1: Original Original © Richard Lynch From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Workflow Leveraging Layers: Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool 4-Week Short Course: Photoshop 101: The Photoshop Essentials Primer Sigma SD10 Digita... I think I wasn't being agressive enough at a recent trip to the Butterfly Conservatory at Niagara Falls Canada. I took this photo using techniques I teach in my classes and updated... Comments? - Richard Lynch See Richard Lynch's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Richard Lynch's Web Site - www.hiddenelements.com/ Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Richard Lynch: From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Workflow Leveraging Layers: Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool 4-Week Short Course: Photoshop 101: The Photoshop Essentials Primer Response 1:Hi Richard, It's remarkable the way you have seperated the butterfly from the background, which is vibrant and causes it to stand out even further. The depth of field is extremely shallow. I think I understand how you would do that to the background, but did you modify the foreground sharpness as well? BTW, I'm part way through Hidden Power... and thoroughly enjoying it. The curves tool alone is worth the price of admission! I'm using your book as an elbow rest right now. It's excellent for that too. :) Steve - Steve M. Harrington See Steve's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:The DOF is part and parcel of the lens I was experimenting with. I usually bring a more standard lens. The Helios 40-2 has extremely short DOF, especially at wider apertures...I've even played with it on extension tubes where it ends up having almost no DOF at all (depending on how many tubes). Much of the lack of sharpness was, in other words, planned -- or perhaps it is better to say expected. I did not modify the foreground sharpness in the wings, but I did make some adjustment (both to sharpen and blur) in other areas. I have quite a few of those books and can use them as stools as well ;-) - Richard Lynch See Richard Lynch's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit Richard Lynch's Web Site - www.hiddenelements.com/ Take an Online PhotoCourse™ with Richard Lynch: From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Workflow Leveraging Layers: Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool 4-Week Short Course: Photoshop 101: The Photoshop Essentials Primer Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 2: Giraffe Branches Giraffe Branches Abstract treatment of branches with snow on them, using PaintShop Pro. I created a layer of the original image, applied the hot wax coating effect, and merged it with the original image. © Cary Rogers Sony Cyber-shot DS... Turned out great, Cary ... cool abstract! - Brinn MacDougall See Brinn's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Thanks, Brinn! We've had a couple of bad blizzards in the past 2 weeks, and it's snowing again right now. I'd much rather be out at the lake shooting flowers, birds, or sunsets - but "when God gives you lemons, you make lemonade." ;-) Thanks again for your comment. - Cary Rogers Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 3: Tea for Two Tea for Two Two of my Christmas teapots ready to party! Applied Impressionist and Poster Edge filters and sharpened. © Agnes M. Fegan Canon EOS 20D Digi... Super idea! so creative Agnes! - Gail Vitikacs See Gail's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Very nice work, Agnes. Jim - Jim Huffield See Jim's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Very nice image and effects, Agnes! - Colette M. Metcalf See Colette's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Great still life perspective, Agnes. - Paul Michko See Paul's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 4:Great use of effects... A very creative, artist and beautiful Still Life, Agnes!!! VERY Well Done! Cheers, Glenn. - Glenn Urquhart See Glenn's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 5:Wonderful set-up and great close-up composition with terrific colors and design, Agnes!! - Melissa Gurdus See Melissa's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit gurdusphoto.com - Melissa's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 4: Fresh Fruit Fresh Fruit ~Original Settings were ISO 200, 1/200, F6.7. Then I altered it with several layers with a watercolor setting in pc program. © Penny L. Haviland pennyhavilandphotography.... Minolta Maxxum 7D ... Excellent comp and use of effects! Jeff - Jeff W. Robinson See Jeff's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Very striking with outstanding use of color and effects, Penny! - Nadya Johnson See Nadya's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Thanks, you guys! - Penny L. Haviland See Penny's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit pennyhavilandphotography.com - Penny's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 3:Penny, this is so very pretty. - Arlene Krassner See Arlene's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 4:Nice capture, Penny. Love the effect. - Kay E. Mahoney See Kay's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 5:Penny, excellent colors, composition, lighting and effects. - Janine Russell See Janine's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 5: Chick chick © Rachel Scott-Renouf Nikon Coolpix 8700... Wow great image. I love the reflection and your editing work!!! - Donna Dunbar See Donna 's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:I would love to learn this! So cute. - Mary sydlewski See Mary's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:thanks Donna and Mary, All you need is photoshop elements and flaming pear flood filter - oh yes, and the zig zag filter in elements. ;o( - Rachel Scott-Renouf See Rachel's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Awwww... great use of the flood! - Alisha May Furbish See Alisha May's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 6: One that didn't get away! One that didn't get away! Applied buZZ filter © Dee Langevin Panasonic Lumix FZ... Wonderful, Dee! Love the buzz filter ... it's just perfect! And, great colors and composition! - Terri Beloit See Terri's Premium BetterPholio™ Visit terribeloitphotography.com - Terri's Deluxe BetterPholio™ Response 1:I agree, very nice capture, Dee. - Brinn MacDougall See Brinn's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Thanks Terri & Brinn! I watched this fisherman for over an hour before he finally got this fish. - Dee Langevin Response 3:Excellent composition and lovely effect created. Well done, Dee. - Tarun Bose Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 7: Mamaw's Tea Party Mamaw's Tea Party This was a fun project created in PS Elements3 using several different layers. © Dee A. Crider Canon EOS Digital ... Awesome image, Dee! - Dan E See Dan's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:Fantastic work. Love the way you put it together. Bet Mamaw loved it. You should have it blown up really big and have it hanging on the wall. - Kay E. Mahoney See Kay's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:Dee, I would love to learn how to do this! Amazing! - Mary sydlewski See Mary's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Thank you, Dan, Mary & Kay, each of you for your comments! These are my three grandkids and I am Mamaw. My sister gave me the tea set to have for them when they visit and they love it! How did I do this? I took a photo of just the tea set which was taken on top of my stove to create the black background. Pictures of the kids were taken while they were visiting and actually having a tea party. Then each pose of the kids was cut and pasted on to the original and then the images shrunk down to size. I then went around the edges with the smudge tool to blend. There you have it. - Dee A. Crider See Dee's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

New Photo Discussion 8: Diving Ducks Diving Ducks Water, in every way, is very inspiring for me. F/5,6 - 1/500 sec. - Iso 100 - RAW Three photos: BG: Photo of clouds added “flood filter”. FG: Photo of a rubber duck; action: Rubrik’s Cube by PanosFX. Copied twice, flood filter on each cube. Photo of a gull added flood filter as reflection on the water © Evy Johansen Canon EOS Digital ... Wow Evy what a wonderful creative image, beautiful work! - Lynne Morris See Lynne's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 1:This is a real digital masterpiece, Evy! Very well done! - Paul E. Earl See Paul's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 2:A wonderful creation Evy, love it (ac) - Ray & Audrey Clarke See Ray & Audrey's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 3:Fantastic creative work, beautiful composition, Evy!!! Very Well Done! Cheers, Glenn. - Glenn Urquhart See Glenn's Premium BetterPholio™ Response 4:Evy you are an inspiration, I have not played with my flood filter in a while. All your great work is inspiring me to get my mind to work to bring out the filter. - Manuel Barrera See Manuel's Premium BetterPholio™ Read this discussion online Respond to this discussion

The Next Step: Where to Go From Here

• Browse more photo discussions at BetterPhoto.com
• Start your own discussion on any photo in the Galleries
• Read archived issues of the Digital Darkroom