Photographic compositing has been with us since the dawn of photography. The merging of two or more separate images into one is seen as a way of extending our creativity. In the digital age, of course, this has become a whole lot easier with the use of Photoshop’s layers and blend modes. Today we are going to look at five of the best blend modes for a photographer, but before we start we should briefly look at what a blend mode is.
Many of us will go about our photography without ever looking at those magical graphs called histograms, yet by doing so, we are severely restricting our ability to get the perfect exposure. Histograms are perhaps the most powerful, and often overlooked tool in the photographer’s skill-set. By understanding what they are telling us and reacting to that information, we can dramatically increase the quality of our exposures.
It was the first and for a long time, arguably the best image image management program available but last week Apple announced that development of Aperture will come to a halt. For many Mac based professionals, this is a huge blow. Apple’s replacement app, Photos is still an unknown quantity. Today we are going to take a look at the past, present and future of Apple’s Aperture.
While digital photography has revolutionized the way we take photos by leveling the field for everyone to get decent images, that very revolution has brought with it some frustrating and indeed disturbing new trends. Perhaps the worst of all, is the desire by some people to photograph everything, all of the time. Today we are going to have a look at why you should shoot less, and how that might improve your photography.
Landscape photographers are perhaps amongst the superstars of the photographic world. Their images draw you in, detail the beauty of the natural world and inspire you to take similar shots. However, if like me, you have found it less than simple to get great landscapes here are some techniques that you need to hone in order to make your shots stand out from the crowd.
Let’s face it, photography can be quite a serious business at times. Whether you are working out a hyper focal distance or arranging studio lights to avoid reflections in glass, photography requires concentration and patience. Sometimes, though, we tend to forget our roots, the reason we started taking pictures which for many of us was to have fun. Today we are going to look at some ideas to reinvigorate your photography.
Time waits for no man, and the same could be said of photographic technology. The moment you have bought your new pride and joy, it is supplemented by a newer, better model. Buying photographic equipment can be daunting, addictive and of course costly, especially in an age when products change seemingly on a monthly basis. So how can we make the right decisions on our purchases?
I was brought up in the days of film, the days of one hour mini lab printing on the high street of every small town, a time when having a physical print or slide sent shiver of satisfaction down your spine. But don’t get me wrong. I think digital is, quite frankly, superb. The problem is that in today’s instant, digital world, we tend to look at our images on a computer monitor or an iPad. This post will convince you to print your photos.
Like HDR, sepia or selective color, creating panoramas is one of those trends that seems to get in and out of fashion. They are better suited to print rather than the computer monitor but one thing that does remain is their ability to impress and engage the viewer, especially when printed big. Today we are going to show you how to stitch together panoramas using Photoshop.
Many of us, when we commence our journey into photography, pay scant regard to the technical side of image making. Chief among those is the exposure triangle, the invisible but vital bond between shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Each of the trinity have unique capabilities to change the way your image looks and today we will take a look at what the shutter speed does to your shots.
