Nikon D300 Review - Nikon US is pleased to announce the D300
August 26, 2008
The opening words of the Nikon D300 press release and ever since then the awards just keep flooding in.
NeoCamera reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”Noise levels are very low until ISO 400 and moderately low but noticeable at ISO 800.
DigitalCameraReviews compares the Nikon D300 to the Canon’s latest line up and writes;”Compared to the D200 and D2X/Xs, the D300 offers better high ISO performance.
CNET reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”At their best, photos are sharp, with excellent exposures, accurate colors, and broad tonal ranges.
PhotographyBlog reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”From ISO 1600 on, there are visible artefacts, but even at ISO 3200 the results are much, much better than expected.
PCAdvisor reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”While pictures are stunning, there’s no getting away from the fact that while to a professional the Nikon D300 is a budget buy, to the average consumer it’s a wallet-battering investment.
LuminousLandscape compares the Nikon D300 to the Canon’s latest line up and writes;”The D300, though in many ways simply a logical progression from the D200, is a much better camera than its predecessor, and along with its superior sensor offers the pro and advanced amateur a set of features and functionality that is unmatched at the moment in Canon’s line up.
LaptopMag reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”Battery life was strong.
ImagingResource reviews the Nikon D300 and writes;”High ISO images were better than we’d expected, the D300 clearly has an edge on the D200 in terms of high-ISO performance (we’d estimate about a full f-stop’s worth of improvement), despite the new model’s smaller pixels.
Undoubtedly there be loads more to come.
Why Choose Frances Meyer Scrapbooking Supplies?
July 30, 2008
Any serious scrapper is probably familiar with Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies. From stickers to paper and embellishments, and everything else you need to create wonderful and memorable scrapbooks, you’re sure to find it in the Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies line of products. They’re fun, creative, and best of all they coordinate so you can make some really professional and beautiful scrapbook page layouts.
Scrapbookers love the wide range of stickers that the Frances Meyer line of products offers. They offer themes in their stickers that many other scrapbooking manufacturers don’t. Look over their line of products and you will see stickers for things like barnyard animals, fishing, kids at wedding, and even doctor’s visits.
You aren’t limited to scrapbooking just typical events like graduations, wedding or your baby’s birth. You can make page layouts of your favorite activities or events in your everyday life.
If you’re looking for a wide range of papers to use for your scrapbook albums so that you can create your own pages, Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies product line is also a safe bet that you’ll find just what you’re looking for. This line offers paper for each season, holiday, sport, vacation spot, and virtually any other theme you might want to scrapbook.
You can mix and match your papers easily since so many are designed to coordinate expertly. Also, there are many page templates available in the Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies line as well. If you’re a bit creatively challenged and need more direction and guidance with the creation of your pages, then these templates might be a better way to go for you.
Templates give you suggested ideas for where to place your journaling and pictures. It gives you ideas for layouts. Use the template as a starting blueprint, but don’t forget to add your own personal touch to the page.
France Meyer may have perfectly coordinated supplies and expert designed, they leave plenty of room for you to add you own unique ideas and apply your personal scrapbooking style. You want your scrapbooking pages to reflect your personality. They should be as unique as you are.
7 Principles to Choosing the Best Wedding Photographer
July 29, 2008
For most events in our lives, a cheap camera is sufficient to record what is important for posterity. But some things like weddings are, hopefully, once in a lifetime, and worth paying more to have it photographed right. So from the myriad of choices how should one go about selecting which photographer to hire? Here are seven principles that will aid in that choice.
1. Availability. A wealthy couple may want to hire the best New York photographer to capture their California wedding. But to most couples that isn’t an option. They want someone close enough so that transportation is not an issue. Also, considering that most weddings are on Saturday, you will want to know if your chosen day is open for them.
2. Skill. Photographing a wedding is much more than just setting up various shots and clicking. It will involve good equipment, good lighting, and expert skill. Of course the pictures will probably be digital. What pixel range will they use for the pictures? Generally the more pixels, the better the resolution but also the larger the file size. Then find out what the company’s reputation is? What do others say about their skill in taking wedding pictures? Are samples from other weddings available?
3. Personality. Imagine yourself working with them for several hours, planning your special day. Would they be good to work with? Do you think they would be pushy or would they try to work with your budget and wishes? Would they want to run the show or would they fit into your plans? Would they work well with any children in the wedding party?
4. Price. Of course, money must be a consideration. Weddings are expensive enough, the average U.S. wedding now at more than $20,000. You want your special day recorded but you don’t want to go broke doing it. Are the options you want available with this photographer within your budget?
5. Service. How soon will others be able to see the pictures? How soon will you receive the ordered prints? If enlargements were ordered, when would they be available? Since digital is instant, is the option of displaying ceremony pictures during the reception available?
6. Options. A wide variety of options should be available. For example, if you so desire, is the photographer available during the rehearsal? Are they willing and available when you want the main photographic event to take place? Are they OK letting relatives take their own pictures while they are setting up shots? What creative suggestions do they offer? Can others print pictures off their website?
7. Integrity. What is their reputation about keeping their promises and delivering what they say? Will they be in place when needed and stay as long as you expect? Will all the parts of the package you chose be delivered as you expect?
A wedding is too important to rely on an amateur to do an adequate job. Consider these points as you plan your special day and, chances are, you won’t be disappointed with the result.
Graduation Scrapbook: Ideas for High School Graduation Memories
July 29, 2008
Does it seem like only yesterday that your child started kindergarten? Now he’s graduating from high school and will soon start college in the fall. It’s important to document your child’s high school years in a special graduation scrapbook.
Even though you have a school scrapbooking oben for your child, you’ll still want a high school graduation scrapbook album. High school memories can fill an entire album. You can choose a small album, but remember if you want to accommodate senior portraits, you’ll want a larger scrapbook.
Senior pictures deserve a special place in any graduation album. Your student’s senior pictures are usually dominate the summer before his senior year. Choose your favorite pose and use that for the title page of your scrapbook album.
There’s so much to include in a graduation scrapbook. Reserve one copy of your child’s graduation announcement and showcase it on a page. Following that page, include cards and letters from family and friends, especially ones with graduation advice. You might even include a letter from you with a personal message to the graduate. Write your hopes and dreams for their future along with advice you wish you would have been given on graduation day.
Is your child receiving an honor or award at the graduation ceremony? Design a page layout to highlight this accomplishment. After the ceremony is over, make a copy to include in the album.
If your child is giving a speech at the graduation ceremony, take some photographs of the graduate preparing and practicing the speech. Preserve his notes including any drafts and use them on a scrapbook page.
Did your local newspaper cover the graduation ceremony? Make copies of these articles for the scrapbook. Newspaper fades quickly. So you want to make photocopies. If you placed in a congratulations announcement in the paper, include this as well.
There are so many photo opportunities during a graduation ceremony. Make a list of photos you want to take before the ceremony. Don’t forget to include pictures of your child with his family, friends and teachers.
Include high school mementoes in the scrapbook album. One page layout should show the graduation ceremony program. Scrapbook two copies on the page showing both the cover and the inside as much as possible.
Don’t forget high school mementos, such as, the program from the graduation ceremony. Save at least two copies to use on a graduation scrapbook page Ser you can show both the cover and the inside of the program.
Take lots of candid shots during graduation parties. You may not be attending some of these parties. So be sure to send along a camera with your graduate and plan to exchange photos with his friends, too. You’ll have a lot more photos to choose from if you share them.
You should definitely include a copy of your child’s final report card or transcript. A nice complement to the scrapbooking page would be a copy of the college acceptance letter he received from the college he plans to attend.
The final closing page to the graduation scrapbook could be a photograph of him leaving for college. You might also choose to include a picture of his first day of kindergarten alongside a graduation picture.
It’s easy to create a graduation scrapbook. It will soon become a family heirloom. Keep it simple, and remember the most important thing is to document your graduate’s special day.
5 Money Making Tips with Adobe Photoshop
July 29, 2008
While Adobe Photoshop is worth it, this popular program comes with quite a price! I’ve put together 5 ways that you can generate money through Photoshop or Photoshop Elements as a business venture, for extra spending money or even to repay yourself for the program.
1) Photo Restoration Service - Everyone has a collection of those old family photographs that have taken a beating at the hands of time. Old or damaged photos can be made new again using the Healing Brush, Spot Healing Brush and Patch tools.
2. Become a Photograph Doctor. Whether it’s “red eye”, “pet eye”, poor exposure, or “finger over the lens syndrome” Photoshop can transform a ruined image into a pristine one. You can also use Photoshop to make a colour photograph look like a black and white one, or colour tint a black and white one to make it colour. Not everyone is a good photographer, so you need never be short of “patients”.
3. Design Greetings Cards. With the photo enhancement and graphic design qualities of Photoshop, designing greetings cards has never been easier. You can enhance photos, make them into drawings or paintings, combine photos for humorous cards, the possibilities are endless. Birthday cards, get well soon cards, condolence cards, Christmas cards or cards for other holidays like Mothers’ Day, the list goes on and on. You can easily find card blanks and envelopes from specialist suppliers.
4. Design T-shirts. Photoshop can make that idea for a great t-shirt a reality. You can purchase transfers from stationery shops or craft stores and plain cotton t-shirts can be found through low cost suppliers.
5. Web Design. Whether it’s a full website, or just a few buttons or banners, web design is a skill that’s in demand right now. You could take commissions, or design some generic “boilerplate” designs that people can download from a website and customise themselves.
Of course, you may need to get some extra equipment — like a colour printer, scanner, and digital camera — but you can usually pick this type of equipment up inexpensively on eBay or other websites. A DVD of royalty free images is also a must — although check the terms and conditions to make sure you’re allowed to sell products derived from them.
Getting the word out is better than any written advertisement. Ask friends, family, co-workers and other contacts if they or anyone else they know are in need of your services. You can even provide a portfolio review for retailers and offer them commissions on any work they send your direction.
Text Shaping in Photoshop
July 29, 2008
Flexibility is abundant in the Photoshop CS2 Program. With the wide range of features this program has to offer, it can rise to meet any demand you could give it. Not only can Photoshop CS2 offer great effects for your images, you can also transform text from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Photoshop’s Warp Text tool allows you to wrap or bend text around an object in your image to make attention-grabbing, personalized banners or headlines. You can also warp text in both horizontal and/or vertical directions to give your text an individual look and feel. Photoshop has many means by which to manipulate text, but this will provide a starting point that will especially come in handy if you have not had the chance to use these text features before.
First, open an image to which you want to add text. Choose the horizontal text tool from the toolbar and click the image near to where you want to position your text. Type in the text you would like to add. You can also add the more traditional style enhancements such as bold, italics or underline to your text while in text mode.
When you are done adding your text, select and right-click this text to open the contextual menu. To open the Warp Text dialogue box, choose Warp Text. From this box, you can choose from a selection of pre-defined text warps using the Style pull-down menu. Select the warp that best fits the effect you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re undecided on the kind of warp you want, try some out to see what effect they have on your image text.
Beneath the Style pull-down, you’ll find several sliders that will enable you to fine-tune the warp effects. You can adjust the text bend, and the horizontal and vertical distortion. If you don’t want to use the sliders, you can also enter a percentage value for these three properties. When you have achieved the proper effect, click OK. The Warp Text effect will be applied to your image
Crop For Perfect Composition
July 29, 2008
Composition is key in the making of a great photo. While many elements go into a photograph, composition can either invite the viewer into the image or keep the image one dimensional and without feeling. How all of the elements in a picture interact with each other through their placement develops the story and message the photograph is wanting to relate to the viewer.
Good composition is really what sets apart really good photographers from mediocre ones. Now while there are many aspects of good composition, framing or cropping of an image is an important part.
Photoshop makes it easy to improve the composition of a photograph if you become familiar with the cropping tool. You can quickly and easily cut out parts of the photo that you don’t want or that distract from the main subject. Photoshop makes cropping as precise as you need it to be by allowing you to measure areas to be cut.
A major benefit that comes with cropping with Photoshop’s cropping tool is that rethinking your photograph is never a problem. If you aren’t satisfies with your end result, simply start over from the beginning. The possibilities are endless to what you can accomplish.
The following are some tips for better cropping.
Rule of Thirds:
One example of the differences between the professional and the novice photographer is in the placement of the subject within the image. The professional seldom centers the subject in the picture, while the amateur almost always does. Place the subject off center for a much more professional and eye-catching result. Imagine lines dividing your image into thirds and crop your picture accordingly so that the subject lies in one of the outer thirds. Make a copy of the original photograph in a separate folder for reference, and then try out cropping your subject using the rule of thirds.
Crop to Traditional Print Sizes
Standard photo sizes such as 4×6 are easier to frame, so make sure to check the sizing when cropping a photo. Should your image not conform to standard dimensions, simply cut off or add back a little of your photo to meet these sizes. Without this, a photo lab may crop off more than you would want or in the wrong area of the photo to make them print the right size.
Framing an image through your camera can take backseat thanks to the cropping tool available in Photoshop. Any adjustments and editing can be made sitting at your computer. Another nice feature of Photoshop cropping is that no matter the Photoshop Elements version or the Photoshop CS version, the basic steps remain the same.
The Photoshop Digital Imaging Editing Software
July 29, 2008
It is easy to see why Photoshop is considered to be the premier image-editing software available today. The Photoshop program contains exceptionally sophisticated effects that in the past would have taken a great deal of time and effort to achieve and condenses the steps to reach these effects to only a few simple clicks.
Although it is expensive, today it is considered an essential program for anyone working with graphics, whether it’s in print, on the web, or even in television and movies.
This has led to a huge number of cheaper competitors (who have been largely ignored), as well as rampant piracy of Photoshop itself. To counter this, a cheaper, simpler version of Photoshop called Photoshop Elements is now available, which is especially good for beginners.
From where did Photoshop make its meteoric rise? The program was first developed in 1987 and was released on the market in 1990. Adobe has made sure to stay on top of advances since especially in relation to hardware power and has revamped Photoshop accordingly. Even now, to get the most out of the Photoshop program, you should invest in as much RAM as possible for your computer.
Adobe’s hard work has not been the only factor in Photoshop being where it is today. The program’s plugin design has allowed there to be are all types of plugins existing for more complex work, as well as some plugins that in reality cost more and do more than the program itself.
In this manner, Photoshop is frequently used in the same aspect as Windows as a springboard. It would be a tremendous endeavor to get these plugins to run with any other software, making competitors essentially ineffective to those using a plugin.
Today, you can get Photoshop for Windows and Mac OS (both OS 9 and OS X). If you want to use it on Linux, however, you will have to use Crossover Office, Codeweavers’ program that allows some Windows software to run on Linux, but it will be quite slow.
When you want to learn photoshop who do you turn to?
July 29, 2008
With the spot healing tool, you simply click on or drag across the flaw you want to remove and it disappears. The retouched area is blended into the surroundings seamlessly - most of the time anyway. It takes a little practice getting a feel for how brush size and healing work together, but most of the time it does an impressive job.
To begin, open your Photoshop program, then hold down Ctrl-Alt-Shift in Windows or Command-Option-Shift for Mac OS. This restores the default preferences. Click on “Yes,” which resets, and then close the screen. Open an image file inside Photoshop, then make a duplicate layer to work on. This is one of the best habits you can develop for working with Photoshop; once you’re used to editing only on a copy of the original, you will see that it’s easy and worth it.
Strike a balance The Gradient Editor automatically places a midpoint between each colour stop to create a smooth linear blend between colours. You can tweak the effect of this blend by moving the midpoint to offset the mix between the colours. Using this technique you can create tight, dramatic blends between colours instead of gradual ones. The opacity stops run along the top of the preview bar. A black opacity stop indicates 100% solid, a white opacity stop indicates that that part of the gradient is 100% transparent and grey stops indicate values in between.
Image Adjustments: No doubt you’ll need to tweak things such as levels and colour values on occasion. These shortcuts will take you to the heart of the Image > Adjustments menu - Adjust Levels…….[Ctrl]+[L] - Auto Levels………[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[L] - Auto Contrast…….[Alt]+[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[L] - Auto Color……….[Shift]+[ Ctrl]+[B] - Curves …………..[Ctrl]+[M] - Color Balance…….[Ctrl]+[B] - Hue/Saturation……[Ctrl]+[U] - Desaturate……….[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[U] - Invert…………..[Ctrl]+[I] File Management: Browse, open, close and save your files for a variety of formats, all at the touch of a key or three - New File………….[Ctrl]+[N] - Open File…………[Ctrl]+[O] - Open File Browser….[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[O] - Save……………..[Ctrl]+[S] - Close…………….[Ctrl]+[W] - Save As…………..[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[S] - Save for Web………[Alt]+[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[S] - Undo last action…..[Ctrl]+[Z] - Step Forward………[Shift]+[Control]+[Z] - Step Backward……..[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[Z] - Page Setup………..[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[P] - Print…………….[Alt]+[Ctrl]+[P] - Print with Preview…[Ctrl]+[P] - Print One Copy…….[Alt]+[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[P] - Jump to ImageReady…[Shift]+[Ctrl]+[M]
If you drag the “black” slider to the right, the darkest colors disappear and the image below appears. Dragging the underneath layer’s black slider will bring out the darkest colors from the bottom image. To merge your blended layers when you’re finished, so that any further styling will be applied equally, click Layer in your top menu, then either Merge Down, Merge Group, Merge Visible or Flatten Image. If you’re the kind of person who loves to learn and master a subject of interest, try out all the various permutations available in your Layer Style box’s Advanced Blending palette, under “knockout.” Right away, you’ll see how useful the three options in the Knockout menu itself can be: None, Shallow or Deep.
Like Adobe Remix, the hosted Photoshop service is set to be free and marketed as an entry-level version of Adobe’s more sophisticated image-editing tools, including Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. Chizen envisions revenue from the Photoshop service coming from online advertising. “That is new (for Adobe). It’s something we are sensitive to because we are watching folks like Google do it in different categories, and we want to make sure that we are there before they are, in areas of our franchises,” Chizen said. Chizen described the introduction of Adobe Remix and the forthcoming hosted Photoshop as part of a larger move toward integrating hosted services into the company’s product mix.
Your “Color Balance” and “Channel Mixer” are also valuable tools for transforming colors in an image. Find them both by clicking Image, then Adjustments. Inside your Photoshop Tool Box are all the icons you need to polish up an image to perfection. (If you don’t see your Tool Box, click “Window” and select “Tools.”) Almost every tool provides other hidden options, which become visible upon right-clicking. If you hover over the tool icons a message appears describing their function. Midway down on the right-hand column is the Dodge-Burn-Sponge tool. Try opening the “Sponge” function (you will probably have to right-click to find it). Under your top menu, you’ll see the sponge icon appear, with various options. Click on the pull-down Mode menu and choose “Saturate.
15 Tips to Chase Away Scrapbooking Burnout
July 29, 2008
It happens to every scrapbooker. No matter how long you’ve been scrapbooking, you’re going to face scrapbooking burnout at some time. There can be so many reasons for it. Maybe you just can’t decide what papers to use or which embellishments. Here are a few tips to help you overcome your scrapbooking burnout.
1. Learning a new scrapbooking technique can cure your burnout. Just try a new technique on one page layout today.
3. Is your photograph backlog keeping you from starting to scrapbook? Just choose a single photograph to be your focal point on a page layout. Just starting can get rid of scrapbookers’ burnout.
3. Give yourself permission to throw out poor quality photographs. Your backlog will start to shrink and just looking through your photos may inspire you.
4. Start organizing your supplies. Just seeing all the cool materials you have to work with may spark your creativity.
5. Your scrapbooking magazines are a great resource of inspiration. Read one today for review of the latest products and ideas for page layouts.
6. Sign up for a scrapbooking class. The excitement of a class is a terrific boost to motivate you to get more pages done.
7. Plan a scrapbooking crop for your friends. If you don’t want to plan one yourself, attend a crop at your local scrapbooking store.
8. Go shopping! Browse through your local scrapbooking store or craft store and get inspired by all the new products available.
9. Don’t think you have to be perfect. Scrapbooking doesn’t have to be complicated. Allow yourself to make mistakes and make simple pages. Not every page needs to be a work of art.
10. Sell or give away some of your scrapbooking supplies. Scaling down can help you overcome supply overload. Sometimes too many choices can keep you from taking action.
11. Try it page by page. Don’t set a goal of creating a scrapbooking album a night.
12. Sign up for a scrapbooking challenge. You can find these online in scrapbooking community message boards. Joining the competition and excitement will start your scrapbooking creativity going again.
13. Try digital scrapbooking. Learning how to creative scrapbook albums on your computer can be inspiring.
14. Read online scrapbooking message boards and peek in their members’ galleries. Just reading about the excitement of other scrapbookers may jump start your own creativity.
15. Show off your scrapbooks. When was the last time you pulled out your scrapbooks when family comes to visit or let your children read through your albums? When you see all the pages you have designed, you just may be motivated to create some more.
Just a few of these tips will chase your scrapbooking burnout away.
