ON-LINE PHOTO INSTRUCTION-- with detailed critiques of your work
My new 4-week courses begin again at Betterphoto.com on October 12. New 4-week and 8-week courses begin again on Wednesday, November 9.
To improve your compositional skills, for example, click HERE to check out the outline of the Developing Your Creative Artistic Vision course to see if you feel this subject matter is exactly what you need.
I have a new photoshop course called Photoshop: Thinking Outside the Box.
You can click HERE to see the outline of this unique course that will introduce some intriguing techniques that you've probably not tried before -- like 3D, making a sketch, and more. It is very different from my other Photoshop courses, and it's a lot of fun.
Do you want to make money in photography? Want to feel more confident in using natural light outdoors? Interested in learning more about Photoshop (like putting fireworks in the sky or removing lens flare). Are you insecure about your exposure skills?
The way the courses work is this. Every Wednesday you receive a lesson that consists of text and photos, explaining various principles in photography, marketing your work, digital manipulation, or whatever subject you are studying. At the end of each lesson there is an assignment, and you have plenty of time to take pictures and upload them for my critique. You can use photos you did specifically for the assignment or images that you have taken previously.
On-line photo courses are like virtual classrooms but not in real time. Other students can see your pictures, read my critiques, and comment on your work. Similarly, you can comment on the pictures of other students. It is a unique and wonderful learning experience.
One of the great things about these on-line courses is that students participate from all over the world. In a single lesson's uploads, you may see pictures from Bryce Canyon or Brazil, or from Singapore or South Carolina. It's a very stimulating environment, and it will help you become the photographer or digital artist that you would like to be.
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Techniques for Shooting Autumn Landscapes  October in many parts of the U.S. and the world means it's time again to shoot autumn color. For me, this never gets old because the stunning combination of red, orange, yellow, and green is like eye candy, and it's hard not to be awed by the beauty. I would like to offer some shooting strategies so you can capture the changing of the leaves with artistry and visual impact. Shooting in a forest is not the easiest thing to do because a mass of trees is what I call a 'compositional mess'. Finding the right combination of factors that go into making a successful picture takes time, patience, and a knowledge of what to look for. 1. Shoot in diffused light. Contrary to what many amateur photographers believe, autumn foliage, like flowers, is best photographed when the sky is overcast. This actually simulates a giant softbox, and studio photographers know that this kind of soft lighting is flattering to pretty much any subject. With colorful leaves, diffused light means a minimum of contrast, no black shadows or harsh highlights, and the color actually looks rich and beautiful. Can you shoot autumn foliage with direct sunlight and a blue sky? Sure, and you may very well like the results. But in my opinion, the images look almost garish. All the shadows will be black, and the image won't have that ethereal and magical quality that only comes from soft light. 2. Look for ponds, lakes, and rivers. This opening in the forest allows you to see a line of color without being in the middle of it. Some of the best compositions you'll find are when you can shoot across a small body of water. If the temperature dropped the night before, there is often low lying fog or even frost that combines with the color for outstanding images. 
3. Look for hillsides at a very steep angle like in the photo below. That means you can fill the frame with amazing color, and if you use a telephoto lens (which most likely you will have to do), there won't be a depth of field issue because the back of the camera (i.e. the plane of the digital sensor) will be fairly parallel with the slope of the hill. 
4. Don't forget the details. Closeups of leaves make wonderful macro shots. Sometimes I will gather several perfect leaves of various colors and make arrangements with them on the ground, but in many instances colorful leaves look great just the way they fell. If you find a nice patch of moss, a perfectly formed fern, or a beautiful rock surface, a red maple leaf looks great against those backgrounds.  5. Look up. Use a wide angle lens to shoot upward at the canopy of color. Sometimes the forest is too dense to do this, but other times you can get a clear view. The perspective and the color make a striking image. Just watch out for underexposure because the bright sky in the background will adversely influence the meter. You will have to use the exposure compensation feature to overexpose what the meter dictates by at least one full f/stop and probably more, depending on the sky condition.
6. Think outside the box. I took the picture below when it was raining. I was actually frustrated that the rain was coming down so hard that I couldn't shoot. I pulled my car up to a stand of trees and turned the windshield wipers off, and I realized the water running down the glass was like a special effect in Photoshop. I turned the engine off and took pictures through the watery diffusion, and although my exposures were 1/15th of a second due to the dark conditions, the abstraction of the color wasn't affected by the slow shutter. I sat in the driver's seat and obviously couldn't use a tripod, but I really like the watercolor-like image.  My next photo tour to New England will be from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7, 2012. Drop me a note if you are interested in photographing this beautiful part of the U.S.
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SELF-CRITIQUEI took the photo below at the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland, UK, on the recent photo tour I conducted in September. Last year when I visited this beautiful and unique rock formation I mistakenly left the image stabilization feature turned on when I was using a tripod, thus none of my pictures were sharp. I was furious with myself for forgetting to turn it off, so I was happy to get some nice shots this time despite the lack of a sunset.
I like this image a lot. First, I used a 14mm ultra wide angle to create this dynamic perspective. That made all the difference. The foreground is disproportionately large relative to the background, and I achieved that look by placing the camera very close to the foreground stones. I'd say it was about three feet away. Second, I purposely did not use a polarizing filter to eliminate the reflection of the moody sky on the rocks. I think that adds to the picture. Third, I used daylight white balance (as I do for all my outdoor shooting), purposely not switching to cloudy WB. Had I used the latter, the picture would be less blue and, to be honest, the color would be more accurate. However, I like the blue tones in this image.
 Finally, notice there is complete depth of field. I feel this is essential in all landscape work virtually without exception. I didn't use f/11 or f/16 to get a decent amount of depth of field. I used f/32. I know this isn't the sharpest lens aperture (f/5.6 and f/8 are the sharpest), but only with f/32 will you get maximum depth of field (notwithstanding using multiple shots and assembling the results with programs like Helicon Focus or Zerene Stacker).
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Changing Specific Colors
 
You can change a narrow band of color in an image using Image > adjustments > hue/saturation in Photoshop (or Elements) as you can see in the above image of a covered bridge in Vermont. In the dialog box, there is a submenu (blue arrow) and here you can select one of six individual colors: red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and magenta. 
At the bottom of the dialog box, when one of the individual colors is chosen, there are four sliders that allow you to narrow or expand the range of colors in that group. For example, if I want to change the color of green leaves to red, I would include not only the green tones but also some of the yellow because there is a lot of yellow in the green that makes up the chlorophyll in the leaves. Once the sliders are set, it's a simple matter of moving the hue slider to change the color. This is a powerful technique, and it can be applied to many types of situations. The image below taken in Stowe, Vermont is another example. The autumn colors were not very impressive this year, so I used this technique to add red to some of the trees. 
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Perspective consideration when compositing images
Combining images together in Photoshop or Elements requires two important considerations. First, the lighting has to match. You can't combine subjects taken in midday sunlight with a background photographed at sunset, for example. It will never look right.
Second, the perspective has to be similar. If you cut and paste a subject shot with a telephoto lens with an environment taken with a wide angle, again it just won't look right (possibly with a few exceptions). The photo below is a good example of where I matched perspectives.
I shot the group of costumed carnival participants in Venice, Italy, below, with a 14mm ultra wide angle. Therefore, in order to place this group into another environment, a similar perspective needed to be used. The floor of St. Patricks cathedral in Dublin is beautiful, and I thought this would make a wonderful setting for the composite. I shot the floor with the same lens and from the same angle as I photographed the costumed models.
Interestingly, the wall in the background (which was combined with the floor in Photoshop) was taken with a medium telephoto lens which is why the vertical columns are, in fact, vertical. It's noteworthy, then, that it's the foreground that needs to be taken with the same kind of lens and perspective, and the background can be anything that looks good to your eye. Had I used a wide angle lens on the background wall, it would look skewed inward and I didn't want that type of look.
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New eBook -- Flash Made Easy
Now available!
I wrote this ebook to help you get over the fear of using flash. This is all about using a portable flash like the Canon 580EX II or the Nikon SB-900. I don't address popup flashes because if you want to take creative control over your flash photography, you must be able to have options ... such as taking the flash off the camera and using it to the side of the subject. In this ebook, I start at the beginning and explain basic flash terminology, the pros and cons of on-camera versus off-camera flash, flash exposure, diffusion techniques, using flash with closeups, and creative experiments you can do with flash. After reading this ebook, flash will no longer be a mystery to you. You will actually like working with a flash, and you'll be amazed by the pictures you'll be able to take with the knowledge gained from reading this ebook. Click HERE to visit the promo page on my website where you can see some sample pages. eBooks are great because they are much less expensive than conventional books, and you can carry them with you on an iPad, iPhone, or laptop. And trees don't have to be cut down to make the paper for the books. The colors in the images are dazzling, too -- much more so than in a conventional print book because the photographs seen on a computer or iPad are illuminated from behind. What a great time it is to be a photographer! Below are some photos that demonstrate various points made in the text.  
eBook on Nik Software
In my second ebook that has become very popular, I demonstrate unique and creative ways to enhance and embellish your images using many of my favorite Nik Software filters. These filters expand your creativity in every direction, and I use them all the time. When you combine Photoshop techniques with the various Nik filters, you can produce some astonishing images. Techniques using Silver Efex Pro 2.0, Color Efex Pro 3.0, Viveza 2, and HDR Efex Pro are included in this book. Think of this as an idea book to get your creative juices flowing. It is now available on my website -- click HERE for a direct link. Below are a few images using techniques I discuss in the book. If you order any of the Nik filters, use the discount code JZUCKERMAN and you'll save 15%. 
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eBook on Macro Photography
My first ebook was published last January. The subject is macro photography, and it opens the door for you to this unique and exciting aspect of photography. Macro is an intriguing blend of technical know-how and artistry, and it's one of my favorite aspects of picture taking. In addition to explaining the pros and cons of equipment options, depth of field issues, and the artistry of macro work, I also give you a lot of ideas of what you can shoot. This is among the most exciting aspects of photography, and if you haven't seriously delved into it yet, you owe it to yourself to explore the creative possibilities of filling the frame with small subjects. You never know where it will lead you.
To purchase the macro ebook, click HERE and scroll down the page.
 
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PHOTOSHOP WORKSHOP in my
HOME Sat. & Sun., November 26, 27, 2011
Photoshop is a photographer's best friend, and the creative possibilities are absolutely endless. In a personal and 'homey' environment (I have a very cool classroom setup in my home), I start at the beginning -- assuming you know nothing -- but I quickly get into layers, cutting and pasting, plug-ins, using 'grunge' textures, modifying lighting, and a lot more. I promise to fill your head with so many cool techniques that you won't believe what you'll be able to do.
The photo above was taken in Delhi, India. I placed the sun (taken with a long lens) precisely behind the center of the mosque. I spend a lot of time in the workshop explaining how to do this so the composite looks believable.
Photoshop instructors approach teaching this program from different points of view. My approach is to be as expansive in my thinking as possible in creating unique, artistic, and compelling images. In addition to showing you how to use the various tools, pull down menus, layers, and so on, I spend a lot of time giving you creative ideas that will inspire you to produce amazing images with the pictures you've already taken.
A lot of people, once they learn what the tools and commands do, still need help in deciding what images to work with, what composites look good, and how to be artistic within Photoshop. This is one of the main things I address in this workshop.
I live in the Nashville, Tennessee area, and if you fly into the airport (BNA) I will pick you up. If you drive, I'll give you my address and you can find it on Mapquest. For the $450 fee, I include one dinner in my home (prepared by my wife who is an amazing cook and hostess) and two lunches, plus shuttling you back and forth from my home to your nearby hotel.
Contact me if you would like to participate in the workshop and I will tell you how to sign up (photos@jimzuckerman.com).
I will do my best to inspire you with all the great things Photoshop can do. All you need is a laptop. If you don't have one, I have two laptops (they are Macs) I can loan out.
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LISTING OF PHOTO TOURS/WORKSHOPS FOR 2012
The entire emphasis on my photography tours is on getting great pictures of great subjects. You will expend a lot of energy in that pursuit, and you may be tired when you get home, but you'll take the best pictures of your life. My motto is "you can rest from your vacation when you get home!"
Most of these trips require a lot of walking (with some exceptions), and often there are steps to negotiate in archeological ruins, hotels, temples and churches, or in the case of Venice, Italy, there are many bridges over the canals that can only be traversed by climbing stone steps. If you have problems regarding your hip, knee, or feet, keep this mind when deciding on a photo tour. If you are in doubt of your physical abilities, contact me about a particular trip and ask what the challenges may be.
I invite you to check out the Student Showcase on my website that features pictures that were taken by people participating in my photo tours and workshops. They are inspiring to say the least. Click HERE to see them.
WINTER WILDLIFE SHOOT, Jan. 6 - 8, 2012
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It's a special experience being up close and personal with wolves, mountain lions, bobcats, lynx, arctic fox, and other North American wildlife, and to be able to take great shots of them in a natural environment is truly exciting. I am conducting a workshop in Minnesota to photograph these animals in their full winter coats, and the pictures you'll get are guaranteed to be fantastic. Even though this is a captive shoot, the enclosures in which the animals are placed are large and they look entirely natural as you can see from the photos below. Click HERE for more information and to see more images.
SPAIN & PORTUGAL, April 5 - 15, 2012
I choose a different itinerary almost every year in Europe because there is so much to photograph there. In 2012, I've chosen Spain and Portugal. Spectacular castles, beautiful cathedrals, ultra modern architecture, fascinating history, and warm and friendly people make this destination a great photographic experience. We shoot twilight in the evening, we take advantage of sunrise and sunsets, and as always I find the best vantage points and I choose subjects that will, well, knock your socks off! For more information, click HERE. 
FROG & REPTILE SHOOT, Feb. 4, 5, 2012
Join me for a fun-filled and unique weekend photographing poison dart frogs (they are not poisonous in captivity because their diet is different than in their natural habitat), exotic reptiles, and a few other unique creatures. Your friends might think you are crazy, but when they see your awesome pictures they'll change their tune. The location is St. Louis, Missouri, and you are guaranteed visually arresting images. This workshop is really all about macro photography, and the subjects you will be shooting (over 50 species) will keep you excited and engaged for the entire weekend. Everyone who has taken this workshop over the past 4 years has loved the experience. To have close encounters with these rare and engaging animals is fascinating, and to return home with award winning photographs is tremendously gratifying. The plants I buy for backgrounds add color and pizazz to the images and make the shots look like they were taken in the tropics. For more information, click HERE.
PHOTO TOUR TO BURMA, late 2012. Dates to be announced in next newsletter.
ICELAND, May 3 - 13, 2012
What a contrast Iceland is between fire and ice! Glaciers, volcanoes, geysers ... the landscape photography here is spectacular because the geological events that formed Iceland were cataclysmic. You will see breathtaking waterfalls, lots of blue ice formations in the form of glaciers and ice floes, truly wild landscapes, and of course the stunning Icelandic ponies. There are also beautiful churches and architectural details to be photographed, too. Click here for the itinerary and pricing: Iceland
INDONESIA PHOTO Tour, June 29 to July 15, 2012
The photo tour I led in July to Indonesia was extremely successful. The pictures my group and I took were incredible, and everyone was overwhelmed how kind and friendly the Indonesians are. The trip includes several days on Bali because there is so much to shoot there, and then we visit some fantastic sites on the island of Java including the outrageous fashion festival in Jember. This photography tour is not to be missed if you love color, beautiful faces, ancient ruins, graceful dancers, and exotic cultures.
My wife is from Indonesia, and she acts as the interpreter and chief negotiator when you buy souvenirs. Trust me on this: Her negotiating skills are brutal! She'll get you the best price on anything you want to buy. When vendors are faced with my wife, they always turn to me for help!
We stay in four and five star hotels where available, and during the Jember Fashion Carnival we have 'all access' VIP credentials to go anywhere and photograph anything. It's very special, and you'll love the experience.
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HUMMINGBIRDS in COSTA RICA, March 13 - 19 2012  It is impossible not to be captivated by hummingbirds, and to be able to photograph them with tack sharp clarity -- to freeze their wings -- is something very special for nature photographers and especially for those of you who love photographing birds. With four strategically placed flash units (I supply all the flash units, light stands, etc.), it's possible to get frame-filling shots of these brilliantly colored birds, and in Costa Rica the variety of species is what you'd expect from a tropical environment.
My friend and superb nature photographer and instructor, Adam Jones, co-leads this trip with me, and between us you have many decades of experience. This is a technically challenging photo set up, but in the end it's the easiest bird photography you'll ever do. You sit in a chair (with drink in hand if you like), and when the birds drink nectar from the flowers we position in front of complimentary backgrounds, you fire away and a certain percentage of the shots are guaranteed to be stunning award-winning images that will make you proud. 
On this trip, we also have a fantastic reptile shoot where you can get up close and personal with native Costa Rican species of snakes, frogs, basilisks, etc. This is a highlight of the trip. There are also superb opportunities to photograph many other species of birds, tropical flowers, insects, and some unique jungle mammals. For more information, click HERE. |
For a listing of other photo tours and workshops I'm leading,
please click here.
Drop me a note for any additional information you may want
at photos@jimzuckerman.com
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SAVE MONEY WHEN YOU BUY PHOTOSHOP
If you don't own the full, extended version of Photoshop and you want to save money when you buy it, go to academicsuperstore.com. The 'educational' version, which is the same as the full priced version but much less money, can be purchased for $199. All you need to do to qualify for this discount is to email them a copy of a student's report card from school. Any student (their last name can be different from yours), any grade (including elementary school). If you are a teacher, you automatically qualify for this discount. You will save HUNDREDS of dollars. |
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http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs031/1101654139463/archive/1102299763866.html
For AOL users have difficulty at times seeing the pictures in my newsletters, this feature is especially helpful.
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