Today's in-class practice

Part 1: Gradient Filter

1. Click here and drag to desktop.

2. Edit in Camera Raw - click over to Gradient Tool - fourth from last at the top tool bar. Use the settings seen here.

3. It should look like something like this when done. Upload to Flickr.

Part 2: Skin softening

1. Drag this image to your desktop.

2. Click over to the adjustment brush tool at the top.

3. Look at the settings in this one and "paint" her skin. Be sure to avoid her eyes and hair. If you need to remove where you have painted, click on the "Erase" option on the left near the top of the sliders.

4. To remove the red (it just shows you where you have painted) un-click the "Show Mask" button as seen here.

5. Make sure everything is 0 except clarity and sharpening, as shown in the last two examples. Upload to Flickr.


After you're done you can edit your contrast and painting with light assignments and meet with Andy for your one-on-one look at your photos.

Reminder...!

Quiz on Chapters 4 & 5 on Tuesday! Questions will be getting tougher!

Adobe Bridge

If you click on the video and go to YouTube, you can find links to the follow-up segments on the right hand side. It would be worth going through if you want to see a little more on what Bridge does.

Camera Raw tips

Hi folks,
In Wisconsin but thinking about class -- I've started working on a little Camera Raw cheat sheet with some helpful links inside.

Part of the purpose of the in-class lab on Tuesday was to get you to start thinking about when a photo starts to look "good" to you. Working on your "eye" if you will. We'll continue to work on this as we go along.

I know some students like a simple equation on how to "fix" a particular image, but truth be told there is no secret formula. What you can be on the lookout for is:
• Is any part of my image over-exposed?
• Do the colors look right?
• Are the blacks strong enough, or just a dark gray?
• Is my image "sharp" enough?
• Is my horizon line straight?
• Do I have enough contrast?
• Are my colors the right amount of saturation?
• Is my image cropped strongly, taking out anything that might weaken the composition?

These are just a few questions that will go into the final product of any image, and the right answer can vary from photo to photo. I'll continue to show you the tools to fix your photos, but some of it will be up to you to work on your "eye."

I haven't read through this whole article yet but it looks like it has some good tips for shooting in bright sunlight (some of it helps if you have lots of gear!).

...and as usual,

Please bring your camera tomorrow! We'll do something hands-on!

Reminder

Reminder that we'll have a short quiz over Chapter 3 tomorrow!

The painting with light practice shots are up on Flickr!

Very cool night sky time-laps with a Canon 60D and T2i.

Lecture 2 Slides

Here's the link! Remember we DO have class this coming Tuesday!

Assignment in lieu of class June 9

Here's a link to the out of class assignment that will make up for no class on June 9th. We'll do a demo in class so you get an idea how it is done.

Lecture Slides

Lecture #1 Slides found here!

I removed some of the photos to make sure it fit on Google Docs.