PictureCorrect.com: Urban Landscape Photo Editing with Topaz

Only hours left for Topaz Year-End Discounts – use coupon code TOPAZ2015

“With any form of photography, the photo captures a point in time; it is a record of what was there at that specific moment. However, to make a photo interesting to the audience it must be more than just a record.

Cities contain many buildings, good and bad architecture, shapes, patterns, people, and culture. Urban landscape is therefore a wide subject that can encompass the elements of both the physical and cultural aspects of a city.” — Adrian Pym

Urban Landscapes

During a recent visit to San Antonio, Texas, my goal ahead of time was to obtain a rooftop, urban landscape shot of the city. At the heart of downtown, this image of the well-known Alamo and partial SA skyline achieved this goal and was the chosen one to use in this tutorial:

Original Image

One of my favorite aspects of photography is the post-processing that follows in the ‘digital darkroom’. With the series of city images I took that day, a standard workflow was developed following the suggested Topaz workflow chart. The adjustments applied in guidance transformed my daytime cityscape images in a non-drastic way, making them stand out compared to the lack-luster originals.

Topaz Workflow Chart

With the above workflow in mind, I brought the below images into several plug-ins in this order: DeNoise -> Adjust -> Clarity -> Lens Effects -> Detail

Using the Alamo City skyline as an example, here is a general idea of the post-processing steps I followed:

Step 1: DeNoise

• Open the image in Photoshop (or other host program).
• Duplicate the photo (Ctrl/Cmd + J) and open it in Topaz DeNoise 5.
• Be sure you are viewing the image at 100% so that it appears the way it should when brought back into PS. This magnification will also help you see the noise in the original image as compared to the after.
• Apply one of the settings you find most suiting to your image. I applied the RAW-moderate preset.
• Press OK.

DeNoise

Step 2: Adjust

• Bring the image into Topaz Adjust 5.
• Apply the Brilliant Warm preset for a sunny day.
• Reduce or increase the transparency as desired.
• Press OK.

Step 3: Clarity

• Open the image in Topaz Clarity.
• Apply one of the presets found in the Architecture Collection. For this image I applied the Cityscape I preset.
• Optional: Mask out the sky using the ‘Edge Aware’ brush so that the Cityscape I preset is only applied to the city:

Cityscape I Preset

Mask Out the Sky

• Press OK to bring the image back into PS to apply the changes.
• Bring the same image back into Clarity and apply the Clouds II preset found in the Landscape Collection.
• Use the Edge Aware brush to mask out the architecture and foliage so that the effect is only applied to the sky:

Clouds II Preset

Masking Tips

• Increase your brush size and strength around the bulk of the image.
• Zoom in to construct fine tweaking around the edges of the skyline with a smaller brush.
• Use the space bar to toggle between the before/after to help see what needs to be hidden or revealed.

Step 4: Lens Effects

• Bring the image into Lens Effects.
• Zoom in to 100% to see the exact changes that will be applied.
• On the left side of the interface scroll to xF Add Sharpening and apply one of the Sharpening presets and press OK. I used Sharpening II:

Add Sharpening

Step 5: Detail

• Open the image in Topaz Detail 3.
• For this photo I reduced the saturation by -0.10 for a more natural feeling.
• Apply the Overall Detail Light preset and mask out the sky/trees so that detail is only brought out in the architecture.
• Press OK.

Overall Detail Light Preset

Back in PS, I made Selective Color Adjustments in the cyans, blues, and yellows to take effect on the sky and foliage:

Selective Color Adjustments

The Final Result

Final Image

Only Hours Left to Save on Topaz Software:

This year Topaz Labs, maker of these very popular photo editing plugins is ending the year by offering 35% off any of their products. Simply use the code TOPAZ2015 at checkout to get the discount on any Topaz products until Dec 31st, 2015 at midnight.

Deal found here: The Topaz Year-End Deal for Photographers

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PictureCorrect.com: Top Sports Photographer Attributes Success to Working Twice as Hard and Luck

Having over 200 of his photographs featured as Sports Illustrated, TIME, LIFE, and People magazine covers, including many shots considered to be some of the greatest sports photos of all time, one would expect Neil Leifer to have a certain air of confidence about him. Surely, the man behind the lens that captured Secretariat’s historic 1973 Triple Crown victory and Muhammad Ali in all of his glory would consider himself at least a highly-skilled photographer.

However, Neil Leifer’s video interview with the Baltimore Sun at the opening of his massive 54-picture exhibit at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards, highlights Leifer’s humility and work ethic more than his skill with a camera:

Leifer discovered his love for photography when he was 12 or 13, and he took his first iconic photograph at the 1958 NFL Championship game between the Giants and the Colts. He got in for free after volunteering to push a war veteran in a wheelchair into the stadium and then waited around the end-zone for the perfect moment while the security guards corralled drunken fans.

When Alan Ameche of the Baltimore Colts scored the game-winning touchdown, Leifer was ready.

Through that experience and many others like it during his 50-year career, Leifer learned the difference between a really good sports photographer and “just the average shooter.”

“You have to be very lucky… and when you’re in the right seat and in the right place at the right time, a really good photographer doesn’t miss,” Leifer said. “I guess if you wanted to summarize why I’ve been successful, I haven’t missed a lot when I’ve been lucky.”

In a Huffington Post Sports interview, Leifer called sports photography—and particularly photography of highly-active sports like football and basketball—“a game of chess,” a strategic balancing act between finding the right spot with the most potential for a good shot and anticipating what might happen beforehand so that when the moment comes, the photographer is ready.

“I don’t think I’m particularly gifted,” Leifer said. “I think I had to work twice as hard.”

Now Leifer works as a full-time filmmaker, producer and director.

As a staff photographer for Sports Illustrated, Leifer photographed 16 Olympic Games, the first 12 Super Bowls, more than a dozen Kentucky Derbies, 4 FIFA World Cups, and a myriad of World Series games and iconic boxing title fights. He spent the last 12 years of his professional photography career working for TIME magazine, where he hoped to make a name for himself as a photojournalist by shooting “everything from the Pope to Charles Manson” (HuffPost Sports).

“I got pigeonholed very early as a sports photographer… but I wish I had just been known as a great photojournalist that could do anything,” Leifer said.

Go to full article: Top Sports Photographer Attributes Success to Working Twice as Hard and Luck

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PictureCorrect.com: How to Take Fireworks Photos

Fireworks are the visual rulers of the nighttime universe. No matter how many times we see and experience their bombastic splendor, we always return to see what new designs will be exploded into the darkened sky.

Photo captured by Torrey (Click image to see more from Torrey.)

Watching fireworks is easy. Taking fantastic fireworks photos is not. Although photographing these light shows is more challenging than capturing a daylight portrait of Uncle Ben, it is not impossible. By following these four fireworks guidelines, you will take years off your learning curve and come away with fantastic fireworks photos.

There are four main categories of guidelines to understand in order to take fireworks photos that aren’t all black or out of focus:

1. Equipment

In addition to the standard equipment list, including batteries, memory cards, camera bag, etc., here is a shortened list of critical fireworks-specific equipment to bring along:

• Tripod — Realize that unless you use a tripod, you will most likely NOT like your fireworks photos.
• External shutter release (a.k.a. a “cable release”)
• Tiny flashlight so you won’t be fumbling around in the dark trying to move camera controls
• Chair that is easy to get in and out of

For best results, your camera should be able to focus manually, and you should be able to set desired shutter speeds of up to 15 seconds, or bulb. If you have never taken a picture with your camera other than in the automatic setting, it’s time to review your owner’s manual and determine your camera’s maximum shutter speed.

2. Location

Choosing the optimal location is a little bit harder than deciding how you can squeeze into a piece of 2 foot x 3-foot real estate on the lawn.

“Indianapolis Fireworks” captured by Brandon Louden (Click image to see more from Louden.)

• Look for the optimum vantage point. Avoid sitting in an area with obstructions, such as streetlights, overhead wires, or trees.
• Decide if you want to capture additional elements (such as reflections off bodies of water or landmarks), and if so, position yourself accordingly.
• Allow enough scouting time. If you are going to be taking fireworks photos, it is worth your time to spend 30 minutes before the show begins to pick out the best location.

3. Camera Controls and Settings

Unlike taking pictures in the daytime, there is a little bit more setup involved with nighttime photography. For starters, change the ISO setting to 200 or 400. You want your camera to be more sensitive to light but not so sensitive that it will create digital noise.

Change the focusing mode on your camera to manual and focus your camera to infinity.

• Set up and level the tripod.
• Attach the remote shutter release to the camera and use that to fire the shutter.
• Adjust the shutter speed. If you have a bulb setting, this is the time to use it.
• If you don’t have a bulb setting, use a mid-range aperture such as f/5.6, and set the shutter speed to at least 1 to 2 seconds.

4. Photographing Fireworks

Obviously, this is what it all comes down to. It doesn’t matter that you’re perfectly prepared with the perfect equipment if you don’t take any pictures. Your camera is on its tripod and the shutter release cable is attached. What’s next?

“Untitled” captured by Mark Pinto (Click image to see more from Pinto.)

• Verify that the manual focus is set to infinity.
• Point your camera toward the area of sky where you believe the fireworks will be exploding. (Don’t be too disappointed if you need to reposition the target area; most do at first.)
• Your shutter speed is on bulb or set for AT LEAST 1 to 2 seconds. When do you fire the shutter? Unlike daylight photography, firing the shutter BEFORE the fireworks go off is a good idea.
• Nobody can tell you when to fire the shutter because it is based on what type of fireworks photograph you want to capture. With that said, here are four possible indicators of when you might want to trip the shutter:

• When you hear the next rocket being launched
• When the launch trail becomes visible
• Just BEFORE the rocket explodes, or
• Just AFTER the rocket explodes

About the Author:
Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created best-family-photography-tips.com to help the digital photography users create better photographs.

For Further Training, eBook Deal Ending Soon:

The New Year’s fireworks shows are quickly approaching! Fireworks photography is indeed one of the most daunting types of photography with the low light conditions and unpredictability. This popular 50 page tutorial eBook explains the process from start to finish, everything from gear and camera settings to composition and post-processing to achieve great results with fireworks of any kind. We were able to arrange a 28% discount until New Year’s Day ($10 marked down from $14).

Found here: The How to Photograph Fireworks eBook

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PictureCorrect.com: National Geographic’s Photos of the Year 2015

The end of the year is a period of reflection, when you sum it all up and see the year’s highlights. I don’t know about you, but I’m always excited to see the “best of” the year, and National Geographic’s photos are some of the best roundups. If you want to see what the year looked like for NG, check out their “Pictures of 2015”:

As you would expect, all of these shots have a different take on nature. What I find most astounding is the fact that none of the photos overuse post-processing; they look quite natural and make you appreciate the photographers’ true talent. Through positioning alone, they managed to capture perfect shots.

I’m partial to the penguin in the first photo, even though the “fish tornado” takes my breath away. Which of these is your favorite photo?

Go to full article: National Geographic’s Photos of the Year 2015

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PictureCorrect.com: Interesting Photo of the Day: Abraham Lake Winterscape

In the stunning photograph below, photographer Chip Phillips has captured the beauty of a wintry Lake Abraham in Alberta, Canada. The perfectly composed image is just a sampling of Phillips’ portfolio, the contents of which quickly reveal Phillips’ distinct eye for natural beauty and an immense understanding of landscape photography:

Unique ice patterns at sunrise over Abraham Lake in the Kootenay Plains, Alberta. (Via photo.net)

With the geometric patterns of the icy lake adding interest to the image, and the colorfully interesting clouds acting as leading lines, alluring the viewers eye to the mountain in the background, “Abraham Lake Winterscape” is a truly enchanting capture.

Go to full article: Interesting Photo of the Day: Abraham Lake Winterscape

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PictureCorrect.com: 6 Tips on How to Capture Great Fireworks Photos

Final reminder: only 1 day left in the deal on The Fireworks Photography eBook

1. Use a Slow Shutter Speed

When you photograph fireworks, it is very important that you set your camera to a slow shutter speed. This includes a shutter speed that is anywhere between 1 second and 30 seconds or longer, about ISO 100. The shutter speed that is suitable varies depending on the amount of ambient light as well as the amount of fireworks in the sky.

Why use relatively long exposures to photography fireworks? This is simply because long exposures can capture the burst of fireworks, producing moving streaks against the dark sky. Using long exposures will indeed produce stunning effects.

“Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks 2011” captured by Joyce A

Since slow shutter speeds are necessary, you will also have to ensure good camera support. This will make sure that the pictures taken will turn out looking steady and clear.

2. Ensure Camera Stability

No doubt, one of the best ways to ensure camera stability is to use a tripod. Nonetheless, if you do not have a tripod, you can opt to brace yourself against a building or maybe a tree. Otherwise, you can have your camera placed on sturdy surface. You can also use your camera’s shutter release cable or self-timer function. Using either of these options will release the shutter without any camera shake.

3. Do Not Use Flash

Don’t use flash when photographing fireworks. Flash will not help capture fireworks at a distance. Nonetheless, flash does help light up subjects in the foreground. A perfect example of this is when photographers shoot portraits with fireworks as the background; they will often use flash to illuminate their model.

“Kyle & Laura” captured by Charles Siritho

4. Set Your Camera and Lens to Manual Mode

Fireworks photography is definitely a genre for which you will have to be brave and enter into the world of manual settings. Both your lens focus and exposure mode must be set to manual. On your lens, adjust the focus ring so that it is set to infinity focus. The symbol for infinity is similar to the number eight, except that it is turned sideways.

5. Experiment With Exposure

As mentioned earlier, you should experiment with long shutter speeds. There really isn’t any perfect shutter speed. All you need to do is to try different shutter speeds and get the sort of fireworks photography you are after.

Another thing you should do is to dial in a relatively small aperture. Anywhere between f/8 and f/16 will be good. Doing this will prevent the scene from being overexposed during the long exposures.

6. Try Using One Long BULB Exposure

“Magic Kingdom – Happy Fourth of July” captured by
Jeff Krause

With one long BULB exposure, you can combine a few fireworks together into one picture when you hold the shutter open for half a minute or longer. Adjust your camera settings so that it is set to manual mode, and set the shutter speed to BULB. Check your camera manual for instructions.

As long as the shutter release is depressed, the shutter will stay open. This will allow you to photograph a few bursts of fireworks in one picture, rather than just one burst of fireworks.

While you’re at this, remember to block off the lens and sensor in between the bursts of fireworks by using a piece of paper or cloth in front of the lens. Doing this allows you to refrain from facing problems such as skies looking muddy grey in pictures.

About the Author:
This article was written by Michelle Lee Fui Jinn, tipsforphotographers dot com. It takes time to practice and improve your photography skills.

For Further Training, Deal Ending Soon:

The New Year’s fireworks shows are quickly approaching! Fireworks photography is indeed one of the most daunting types of photography with the low light conditions and unpredictability. This popular 50 page tutorial eBook explains the process from start to finish, everything from gear and camera settings to composition and post-processing to achieve great results with fireworks of any kind. We were able to arrange a 28% discount until New Year’s Day ($10 marked down from $14).

Found here: The How to Photograph Fireworks eBook

Go to full article: 6 Tips on How to Capture Great Fireworks Photos

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PictureCorrect.com: Improve Your Portraits With This Simple Shoulder Trick

A lot of us don’t like the way we look in photos. Despite what it says about our collective self-esteem (not to mention an oversaturation of perfect body types and societal pressure to look a certain way), we are always striving to look better, healthier, and thinner in photos. That’s where Peter Hurley speaks right to the heart of the issue. In this video, he offers a great tip that’s sure to make your portrait subjects look slimmer:

You may remember Hurley from two other videos we’ve shared—about accentuating your jawline and “squinching.” Both those videos, along with his touching and humorous TED Talk, have become something of a revelation for anyone hoping to look better in photos.

Now he’s back, this time moving down from the face and dealing with shoulders. This trick? Pretend like you’re holding a six-foot sub.

As Hurley notes, a lot of people will instinctively put their hands on their hips. Even if you’re shooting them from the shoulders-up, they’ll look wider than necessary, like this:

So as a portrait photographer, you might ask them to drop their arms. They’ll look better already, and you can see the bulk of the shoulder drop:

But the real trick to losing that extra inch is to have them extend their arms out. As Hurley puts it, “act like you’re holding a sub—a submarine sandwich.” The difference is subtle but effective:

By forcing the arms out and keeping the elbows in, your subject will push his or her shoulders naturally inward and hide the bulk of their triceps.

They’ll look a bit goofy, but it works.

If it’s too weird to hold this pose in public, don’t worry; you can simply twist your arms outward to achieve the same effect without raising them. This trick also works on selfies, too—just hold the camera in one hand and gently turn your other arm outward to slim it down.

The beauty of Hurley’s tips is that they don’t change our body types at all, relying on Photoshop or any other post-production to make us look better. Instead, they’re small adjustments that bring out the most attractive side of anyone. Any portrait photographers who heed this advice are bound to put their subjects’ minds more at ease.

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