Adobe Magazine and Other PDF Magazines

A new issue of Adobe Magazine is available for free download, so go download today if you do not have it and after you register you can also download back issues, and the best thing is you will be notified by email of upcoming issues.

Also for those of you still looking to satisfy you itch for even more rree .pdf magazines head on over to PDF-MAGS.COM. There you will find lots of great inspiration and tips about numerous subjects from photography, design, and illustration to fashion, podcasting and skateboarding.

Editing your photos can be like a Picnik

In the flickr group Photomanipulation I read a post of a new website called Picnik that allows you to edit your photos online. Right now the site is still in Beta and free for now. After beta they will be offering a free service with more basic functions, and a premium version as well.

This service is great for one of those relatives or friends who do not have programs like Photoshop. The site is quick and easy to use and has a lot of great features:

• Edit and save your photos directly from your flickr account
• Edit images from any website like your Myspace page or blog, your computer or your webcam
• Save images to your computer, flickr account or flickr slideshow
• Send the completed images by email, or emailing them to your website(if your site allows this) or even print your photos from Picnik
• Undo and reset features
• Lots of editing tools like Autofix, Rotate, Crop, Resize, Exposure, Colors, Sharpen and Redeye
• Creative Tools like B&W, Sepia, Boost, Matte, Vignette, and Soften
• They are still working on more features as well

They also have a forum on the site and blog where you can find out more information or ask questions, and sample images you can try it out on. So check it out.

DIY: Free Lens Hoods

After reading many on-line reviews, specifications and asking others how they liked theirs on various forums or flickr you finally broke down and scraped up some cash to buy yourself a sweet new piece of glass. But to your dismay the lens did not come with a lens hood, and you know your couch isn't holding out on you since you pillaged it for cash for the lens. So what do you do? Well you head on over to http://www.lenshoods.co.uk/ and download a lens hood for your lens, and make it yourself. Then using a printer, some scissors and tape.....then wallah you have a lens hood.

The photo above is my attempt on making a petal hood for my Canon Kit Lens. I even opted to upgrade it with a rubber-band to hold it securely. Also in the photo laying next to my camera is the Canon OEM round hood.

I occasionally just use my hand to block out the suns beams but I guess the cool kids are not doing that these days. Anyway check out the site they have lens hoods for most popular Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina lenses. They even have a custom hood maker that says it is for registered users but I couldn't find a link to sign up for it, but it could be because it is a new feature.

Early Spring Predicted

Official News from Gobbler's Knob, Punxsutawney, PA Punxsutawney Phil has made his prediction, today on February 2nd, 2007. For video and more information of the event visit http://groundhog.visitpa.com/.

The following was quoted from: http://www.punxsutawneyphil.com
"Phil's official forecast as read 2/2/07 at 7:28 a.m. at Gobbler's Knob:

El Nino has caused high winds, heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures in the west.
Here in the East with much mild winter weather we have been blessed.

Global warming has caused a great debate.
This mild winter makes it seem just great.

On this Groundhog Day we think of one thing.
Will we have winter or will we have spring?

On Gobbler's Knob I see no shadow today.
I predict that early spring is on the way."

Adobe Lightroom Released

Well Adobe Lightroom has finally been released and is out of Beta at the street price of $299 but it is being offered at a special introductory price of $199. For two bills that is not too bad although I am sure they are already working on a newer version as we speak.

Also you can visit Adobe's Lightroom Design Center or NAPP's Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Learning Center for more information and tutorials.

On a side note it seems Adobe is really going to be using those new icons but have no fear you can always customize your icons to something more recognizable than that of a periodic table. Of course I will let you have your own opinion on these oddities. Personally I think it is to get designers talking and a lot buzz and debate, and yes I am aware I am furthering this conspiracy by bloging about this but well it is a good story that many opinionated designers and photographers do talk about.

Other musing links about Adobe icons:
• Adobe CS3 Icon 3D Carousel
• An old story on the last two suites icons

Adobe Lightroom Video Tutorials

Well the first time I downloaded a Beta version of Adobe's Lightroom I wasn't all that impressed. Before I was using RawShooter Essentials 2006 which is a free download and is no longer supported since Adobe bought them out. Also I used Canon's DPP (Digital Photo Profesional) which is OK but not as advanced. I think I was a little intimidated by Adobes pretty GUI, and really could not use it to its potential, that and the first Beta was pretty slow. Like all new software it takes a little bit of time to get used to, but when you do get familar with it hold on to your seat.

Another Beta version later, I can not go without it. Once I viewed a few video tutorials from Adobe and Adobe Lightroom Killer Tips, I started poking around more in Lightroom more, and the more I played with it the more I enjoyed working with it.

So the purpose of this article is to give everyone a few great links to good video tutorials on Lightroom so you can unlock the powerful features and learn to process your RAW files using it.

Lightroom Video Tutorials:

• Adobe's Lightroom Videos
• Adobe Lightroom Killer Tips
• NAPP's Adobe Lightroom Learning Center
• Raw Work Flow

My first HDR Image

Ford Trucks Sign
Originally uploaded by EntityDesigns.

Today was my first try at making an HDR(High Dynamic Range) image. Using Photomatix and photoshop.

To start I took three bracketed exposures(handheld) with my Canon Rebel XT(350D) of a Ford Trucks sign. When doing HDR images it is really suggested that you use a tripod and do not hand hold your camera but in this case it worked.

Ok now that ou have your three or more you need to read a couple of tutorials to fully understand the process. So here are a few good tutorials to learn from:

How to create 'High Dynamic Range' images using Photomatix
Merge to HDR in Photoshop CS2
HDR: High Dynamic Range Photography
How to creat Professional HDR images

First I tried it in Photoshop a week ago but the image aligning feature didn't really work so I aborted it and today I used Photomatix instead to merge the three RAW files. After that was done I opened up the .hdr file in photoshop and adjusted the tonemapping. Next I converted to 8bit and slightly adjusted the curves. There a lots of flickr groups out there already that focus on HDR images, to visit these click on the image and see what pools my image was posted in, or search flickr's pools for HDR.

Introduction

Abstract Concept V
Originally uploaded by EntityDesigns.

Welcome to my blog. Not another blog you may be telling yourself. Well this blog is going to be covering all different aspects of photography. I am basically going to be sharing my personal experiences, and interests as well as things I have learned along the way. I read a lot of other photography blogs that seem to just specialize in one part of photography.

About myself: I have worked for the last ten years as a full-time Advertising & Marketing Director for the last ten years. Basically I design ads, flyers, other collateral, and websites. I also do freelance web design in my spare time. I currently live on a suburb (if you can call it that) of Los Angeles County in Norwalk, California and I grew up in neighboring Bellflower, California most of my life.