Lightroom Work-flow Removing blemishes
January 22, 2010 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Featured, News and Events, Tutorials
Part 1 of 4 Lightroom Work-flow, how to remove blemishes. Part 2 will cover enhancing the eyes, Part 3 will soften the skin and the final segment will teach face sculpturing.
Model Acknowledgment
Dina Pezzimenti
Melbourne, Florida
Model Mayhem # 1040336
Photoshop World 2010: Vanelli’s Itinerary
January 11, 2010 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Featured, News and Events, Photoshop World
Photoshop World 2010
March 24–26, 2010
Orange County Convention CenterOrlando, Florida
I admit, I’m spoiled by getting to attend Photoshop World twice a year. But that still doesn’t make it easy to select my classes!
Tuesday, March 23rd
12:00p-09:00p NAPP Photo Safari with Moose Peterson & Joe McNally
Wednesday, March 24th
01:00p-06:00p Expo Open
08:00p-11:00p Photoshop World After-Hours Party – BB King
09:00a-10:15a Opening Ceremony & Keynote
10:45a-11:45a Painting With Photoshop with Bert Monroy
12:00p-01:00p Many Uses of a White Seamless Background with Zack Arias
06:15p-07:15p The Lazarus Effect: Raising the Dead Pixel with Vincent Versace
Thursday, March 25th
01:00p-05:00p Expo Open
07:15p-09:15p The Art of Digital Photography
10:00p-12:00a Midnight Madness hosted by Scott Kelby
08:15a-09:15a Lions, Tigers, and Bears Oh My with Fay Sirkis
09:30a-10:30a Seeing the Light with Jack Reznicki
10:45a-11:45a Designing With Type 2010 with Scott Kelby
12:00p-01:00p Photoshop Restoration with Matt Kloskowski
04:45p-05:45p Bringing Out the Big Guns with Joe McNally
Friday, March 26th
09:00a-01:00p Expo Open
11:00a-12:00p Practical B&W Conversion for the Common User with Vincent Versace
01:00p-02:00p The Perfect Panoramic With Photomerge with Jim DiVitale
02:15p-03:15p Fantastic Portraits: It’s All Smoke, Mirrors & Photoshop with Kevin Ames
03:45p-04:45p Conference Wrap-up & Giveaways
The Legal side of Photography
January 5, 2010 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Legal Tips
I’ve been researching the legal side of photography for the past few weeks. I know, as photographers this isn’t our favorite subject but it’s a duty we have to do to protect ourselves and our work. After watching Jack Reznicki and Ed Greenberg on Kelbytraining.com, I checked out their new web site, The Copyright Zone“. Their free advice and inside knowledge on legal matters makes it an instant bookmark!
Remember Benjamin Franklin old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”!
Click for Kids
January 4, 2010 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under News and Events, Photowalk
Exposure Photographic Art Studio is proud to host “Click for Kids” a FREE photography class for children and their parents. This community service event is designed to introduce children and their parents to the creative side of photography as they learn photography ethics.
Location:
Eau Gallie Library
Saturday, January 16, 2010 from 10:00 AM – 12:00
Requirements:
- children ages 8 to 16 (parents are encouraged to stay or join in)
- a digital camera (an SLR is recommended but not necessary)
- a positive attitude
Class Subject:
How to use ISO, shutter speed and aperture to create a proper exposure.
Class notes will be available soon at www.exposurepas.com/clickforkids
Photo Walk
December 31, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under News and Events, Photowalk
Join the Exposure Photographic Art Team on January 9th, 2010 for a free Photo Walk event along the beautiful ocean front area of Indialantic Beach, Florida. We will meet at 4:00 p.m. in the parking lot next to Bizarro’s Pizza on 4th Ave and walk down the beach and through some of the shopping areas along the way. Bring a few dollars in quarters as the parking area does have parking meters. Space is limited, so please sign up in advance.
Get your FREE Photo Walk Ticket by registering today at eventbrite.com.
January 9th, 2010
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Indialantic Beach, Florida
Model Release Form
December 29, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Legal Tips, News and Events
As we approach a new year, I scurried to complete my 2009 “Lessons to Learn” list. Today I watched world class photographer Jack Reznicki and New York-based Intellectual Property Attorney Ed Greenberg talk about the importance of Model Release forms on Kelby Training.com. The chemistry these two have keeps you entertained as they bust some of the myths photographers have about model release forms. Ed’s stories amplifies pitfalls from not having a signed release as Jack gives the photographer’s point of view. The online class also includes forms you can download.
In short:
- You ALWAYS need a model release form.
- Complete the form, leave no blanks.
- Laws change from state to state, know your state law.
- Have a witness sign (preferable someone with no vested interested)
- A new release needs to be signed for each shoot.
- Get a copy of the model’s driver’s licenses.
- Give a copy to the model
- Keep your signed copy FOREVER.
Poppa Vanelli’s Recipes
October 29, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Through My Lens
My father came to visit last month and he agreed to share a few recipes with me. I asked; actually begged him, if I could share these with a few close friends. He has no idea how many “close friends” I have. Enjoy!
Pasta Fazool
Serves 6-8 as main meal
16 oz Ditalini Pasta
2 can Canellini Beans (use the juice)
6-8 Garlic cloves (or 3-4 tspn. Minced)
2 Large onions (diced)
2 Large tomatoes (diced)
1 Tsp. Basil (fresh or dry)
1 Tsp. Oregano (fresh or dry)
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
· Lightly brown garlic cloves in Olive Oil, add onions and tomatoes, along with spices.
· Cook until a light sauce is made.
· Cook pasta, drain
· Save water if you desire it soupier
· Use a dash or two of crushed red hot pepper for added spice
· Sprinkle cheese
· Serve with Italian Bread
Chili
2 lbs. Italian sausage (mild or hot)
1 large Onion (chopped)
1 large Green pepper (diced)
1 28oz. Crushed tomatoes
2 cans Red kidney beans or hot chili beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
· Brown sausage
· Mix ingredients
· Simmer for 30 minutes (low heat)
· Add red hot sauce if you like spicer
Authentic White Clam Sauce
Serves 4 as main dish
2 cloves Garlic or 1 tsp. minced
2 Tbsp. Olive oil (Extra Virgin)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 (6.5 oz.)cans Snow’s minced or chopped clams, with liquid
1 Tbsp. Parsley, fresh (chopped)
1 Tbsp. Basil, fresh
¼ cup white wine (optional)
· In medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté garlic in oil and butter
· Add remaining ingredients and CLAM juice then bring to a boil
· Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes
· Serve over hot cooked pasta with grated Parmesan cheese
· Serve with Italian bread
· For variation add 1 can whole tomatoes drained and 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves before bringing sauce to a boil.
What’s the difference between Lightroom & Photoshop?
October 9, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under Featured, News and Events
Short answer: Lightroom is for photo editing and organizing your photographs. Photoshop is for image manipulation and a whole lot more!
Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems. It is the current market leader for commercial bitmap and image manipulation software, and is the flagship product of Adobe Systems. It has been described as “an industry standard for graphics professionals“. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a digital darkroom for photographers. It is a simpler program that enables photographers to enhance and organize their photographs. The learning curve isn’t as steep as learning Photoshop. So why did Abode create Adobe Photoshop Lightroom? Simply put, Adobe created this for photographers!
Lightroom makes it easy to organize and edit your photographs. If you purchased Lightroom just for this feature alone, you got your money’s worth. Gone are the shoe box days of storing your precious memories.What’s even better, you are able to store your photographs into collections. With a few clicks of the mouse, you are able to show your best photographs without having to sift through all of them. Most of the powerful “photo editing” features of Photoshop are included in Lightroom. You are able to make changes to an entire image (global change) or by using adjustment brushes you can narrow it down to a select change (local change). You can even create slide shows, web galleries and print from within Lightroom!
Photoshop is the industry standard for graphics professionals. It has even more powerful tools for “image manipulation” than Lightroom. But it does come at a cost. It’s a very complicated program to learn on your own. Mastering the program takes years and even then you will barely scratch the surface. Professional graphic artist have no choice but to learn Photoshop. Professional photographer should invest in classes and training.
One Key Difference (described by Alan Hess)
One key difference between Photoshop and Lightroom is that photoshop edits the image on the pixel level and Lightroom doesn’t. You don’t actually change the image in Lightroom, you just add a instructions on how the image should be adjusted when it is either opened in Photoshop or exported from lightroom. The changes don’t actually happen until the image is exported out of Lightroom. This makes all the changes editable and non destructive, where as in Photoshop, if you tweak a pixel, then save the file and come back to it later it can;t be undone in a non destructive way.
Here is a sample using Lightroom with Photoshop. The only difference, Photoshop enabled me to remove two people from the image! Can you find them?
My suggestion
If you make your living as a professional graphic artist, you need the complete Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium edition. The Design Premium package comes with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop Extended, Illustrator, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Acrobat Pro with additional tools and services. Most, if not all companies, already have a site licenses for these products. If you are starting out on your own, the initial investment has a retail price of about $1799.00. It may seem like a lot, but starting your own business is never cheap.
If you make your living as a professional photographer, start out with Lightroom and grow into Photoshop. You’ll know when you are ready to incorporate Photoshop into your work flow. Lightroom retails for about $299.00 US and$99.00 US upgrade.
Amateur Photographers should start out with Lightroom. If you are not doing any image manipulation (example: look at a Harry Potter movie poster) then you will probably never need Photoshop.
Student Edition products are available for purchase by higher education students only. A higher education student is defined as a full- or part-time student enrolled at an accredited public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study. Student Edition retail price is about $399.00 for the Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium edition.
If you are a kid or you don’t make money from your photography, check out Photoshop.com. Photoshop.com is a complete solution for managing, editing, storing, and sharing your photos online, with tutorials, inspiration, and more.
Classes and Training
Photoshop has grown so much over the years and has developed into an overwhelming program for beginners. I remember working with version 2.0. I must have called Adobe Tech Support three times a day. Finally one patient technician told me that their support system is for when the program didn’t work and not for learning how to do something. I asked how I was supposed to learn this stuff. He turned me on to KW Media. KW stood for… Kelby and Workman. I wish I knew the name of that technician. I’d bring flowers to the insane asylum I probably sent him to. The moral of this story is save an Adobe technician and seek training!
The best online resource for learning Abode products is Kelby Training. Scott Kelby is a best selling author and his team has an amazing way to disseminate information. If you prefer a live seminar, they offer one day classes too. These seminars are lecture based. An instructor takes you through lessons as a group and you follow along with the class book that is yours to keep.
There are also many private and semi private classes available all over. Exposure Photographic Art Studio; that’s us, teaches hands on classes for Photography, Photoshop, Lightroom and Wordpress. Our main target audience is beginners, novice and intermediate level students. If you want to take your photography or Photoshop / Lightroom skills to a new level, attend a Photoshop World Conference!
If you have time and money, train with some of the best photographers and photo editors of our era. Never in the history of photography has so many Masters of Photography taught to the general public. Take advantage of their knowledge, skills and willingness to share. Most of these classes are nestled in majestic environments. Attending some of these week long classes will have you walking away with beautiful photographs and a major understanding of photography!
My Wish List of 12 Photography Classes and Workshops
- Kevin Ames
- John Paul Caponigro
- Jack Davis
- Jim DiVitale
- Laurie Excell
- Mike Kubeisy
- Jay Maisel
- Joe McNally
- Moose Peterson
- Jack Reznicki
- Vincent Versace
- David Ziser
Scott Kelby
Editor, Photoshop User magazine
Conference Technical Chair
Scott is editor and publisher of Photoshop User magazine and Layers magazine (the how-to magazine for everything Adobe). … read more »
Scott is a photographer, designer, and an award-winning author of more than 40 books, including Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers, The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers, The 7-Point System, The Photoshop Channels Book, Photoshop Classic Effects, and The Digital Photography Book.
Since 2004, Scott has been awarded the distinction of being the world’s #1 best-selling author of all computer and technology books, across all categories. His books have been translated into dozens of different languages, including Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Polish, Taiwanese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish, and Portuguese, among others, and he is a recipient of the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award.
In addition, Scott is training director for Kelby Training and technical chair for the Photoshop World Conference & Expo. He’s featured in a series of Adobe Photoshop training DVDs and has been training Adobe Photoshop users since 1993. For more information on Scott, visit scottkelby.com.
Kevin Ames
Photographer, educator, and author
Kevin Ames is a well-known commercial digital photographer who has written several Photoshop and photography books, including The Digital Photographers Notebook, Photoshop CS2: The Art of Photographing Women, and Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop CS2 for Dummies. His company, Ames Photographic Illustration, has done work for Honda, AT&T, and Westin Hotels. He also writes the “Digital Photographer’s Notebook” column for Photoshop User magazine, and is a Photoshop World Dream Team instructor.
Scott Diussa
Photographer, teacher, writer
Scott Diussa is a photographer, teacher, musician, traveler and part-time writer. Scott is a graduate of the Southeast Center for Photographic Studies at Daytona Beach College in Florida. … read more »
Scott has taught thousands of eager photographers throughout the United States on how to get the most of their Nikon equipment. His personal favorite areas of photography today are concert, aviation and travel photography. To see Scott’s images and read about where his travels take him visit his Blog at www.scottdiussa.com. For more information about Nikon Professional Services go to www.nikonpro.com.
Corey Barker
Education and Curriculum Developer for NAPP
Corey is the newest education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. He is a graduate of the Ringling School of Art & Design … read more »
Russell Brown
Sr. Creative Director at Adobe Systems Incorporated
Russell Brown is an Emmy Award-winning instructor, and senior creative director at Adobe Systems Incorporated. He facilitates the exchange between digital designers and software developers that is … read more »
He is also the creator of “The Russell Brown Show” at www.tv.adobe.com. Always delighting in testing the creative limits of his tools, Russell is the prolific creator of an entertaining collection of Photoshop tips and tricks. His double treat of great information presented in a bold, zany style has won him a regular following among beginning, intermediate, and advanced users alike.
John Paul Caponigro
Author, Fine Artist and Contributing Columnist
John Paul Caponigro, author of Adobe Photoshop Master Class, is an internationally renowned fine artist. He is a contributing editor for Camera Arts and View Camera, and … read more »
Rafael Concepcion
Education and Curriculum Developer for NAPP
Rafael Concepcion (RC) is an education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and the co-host of Layers TV – The How To Podcast For … read more »
Dave Cross
Author and Trainer
Dave Cross is Senior Developer, Education and Curriculum for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and is involved in all aspects of the training that is provided to NAPP members, … read more »
Prior to joining NAPP, Dave lived in Canada and trained thousands of users across North America. Dave co-authored Illustrator CS2 Killer Tips and is the author of the Photoshop CS2 Help Desk Book and Photoshop Finishing Touches. Dave writes for Photoshop User magazine, teaches at the Photoshop World Conference & Expo and is the Lead Instructor for the Photoshop Seminar Tour. He is also featured on a series of DVDs and is one of the “Photoshop Guys” on Adobe Photoshop TV.
Jack Davis
Author, Photoshop WOW! Book and Designer/Illustrator/Photographer
A Photoshop Hall of Famer, Jack is co-author of the award-winning Photoshop Wow! Books and How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography books, … read more »
Jim DiVitale
Digital Photographer and Instructor
Jim DiVitale has been an Atlanta commercial advertising photographer and instructor for over 28 years, specializing in digital photography and computer photo illustration. … read more »
Going completely digital capture in 1992, his award winning digital photography has been featured in Graphis Photo, Print, Archive Magazine, Create Magazine, Creativity, Rangefinder, Professional Photographer, Photo Electronic Imaging, Digital Output Magazine, Digital Imaging, Photo District News, and After Capture Magazine. His clients include Mizuno USA, William Carter Co, Toshiba, TEC America, Kenneth Cole, Bellsouth, BP Amoco, COX Media, Genuine Parts Company, Solvay Advanced Polymers, Witness Systems, JP Morgan Financial, Coca-Cola USA, and Scientific Atlanta. View Jim’s portfolio and blog at: www.DiVitalePhotography.com.
Katrin Eismann
Artist, author, educator
Katrin Eismann is 1/3 artist, 1/3 author, and 1/3 educator. She received her BFA degree in Photographic Illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology and her MFA degree in Design from the School of Visual Arts … read more »
Laurie Excell
Photographer and NAPP Photo Gear Desk
Laurie spent the first 25 years of her career in photographic sales helping pros and hobbyists alike decide which photographic equipment best suited their needs. … read more »
As if that’s not enough, Laurie also leads wildlife photography safaris in North America and is an instructor with the Digital Landscape Workshop Series, Photoshop World, and Cruising Through Life training extravaganzas. She also runs a business called Equipment Lady, where she sells photographic equipment on consignment for other photographers when they upgrade their equipment. Oh, and in all of her spare time, she’s the Photo Equipment Advice Desk Guru for our very own National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
Helene Glassman
Photographer
Helene Glassman is an award-winning photographer/businesswoman in Santa Barbara, California. She has been awarded the Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees … read more »
Joe Glyda
Digital Imaging and Technology Manager
Joe Glyda was a Digital Imaging Advisor for Kraft Foods in Glenview, Illinois for over 25 years. He initiated their digital capabilities back in 1993, and now the Creative Services Photography Studio completes … read more »
Rod Harlan
Director of the Digital Video Professionals Association
Rod Harlan is the president of DriveDV, Inc., a full service multimedia firm, live event producer, and episodic web television development studio. He is the founder and director of education for the … read more »
Richard Harrington
Editor and Motion Graphic Artist
Richard Harrington is a certified Project Management Professional, Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and After Effects, and Apple Certified Trainer in Final Cut Pro. Additionally, he has completed … read more »
Lesa Snider
Trainer, Writer & Chief Evangelist for iStockphoto.com
As the founder of the free creative tutorial web site, GraphicReporter.com, and chief evangelist for iStockphoto.com, Lesa is on a mission to teach the world to create better graphics … read more »
Matt Kloskowski
Author and Educator
Matt Kloskowski is the Education and Curriculum Developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. He has authored and co-authored five books on Photoshop and Illustrator … read more »
Julieanne Kost
Graphics Evangelist, Adobe Systems
Joining Adobe in 1992, Julieanne has learned her craft through hands-on experience and now serves as the Senior Digital Imaging Evangelist. Spanning digital imaging and illustration, her role includes customer education, product development, and market research. … read more »
Julieanne is also the author behind Window Seat – The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking, the founder of jkost.com and the creator of the Adobe Photoshop CS training DVDs published by Software Cinema.
Jay Maisel
Photographer
Photographer Jay Maisel’s career spans 40 years. His name has become synonymous with vibrant color photography that uses light and gesture to create countless unforgettable images for advertising, editorial, and corporate communications … read more »
Dan Margulis
Author, Prepress Manager, and Color Authority
Dan Margulis is internationally regarded as the leading authority on color correction. He is the author of Professional Photoshop, which, since its first edition in 1994, has become the unofficial bible of the prepress and printing industries … read more »
Deke McClelland
Author and Trainer
Formerly an art director at one of the first service bureaus in the U.S., Deke McClelland is a best-selling author on the subjects of computer graphics, digital imaging, and electronic design. Since the publication of his first book in 1987 … read more »
Joe McNally
Photographer
Joe McNally is an internationally cclaimed American photographer and long-time photojournalist. From 1994 until 1998, he was LIFE magazine’s staff photographer, the first one in 23 years. His most well known series is the “Faces of Ground Zero — Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th,” … read more »
Some of McNally’s other renowned photographic series include, “The Future of Flying,” a cover and 32-page story, commemorating the centennial observance of the Wright Brothers’ flight and the future of aviation, which appeared in National Geographic magazine, December 2003. Joe is a 25-year contributor to National Geographic, and this story was the first all-digital shoot for the magazine. This issue was a National Magazine Award Finalist, and the magazine’s best-selling issue ever.
In 2005, Joe shot a photo diary of the New York City Opera’s historic first tour to Japan as part of the World Expo 2005. Joe’s work has won numerous awards, and appeared in a variety of publications including New York Times magazine, National Geographic, Newsweek, ESPN Magazine, Men’s Journal, LIFE, and Fast Company.
McNally’s advertising, marketing and promotional work includes Nikon, Sony, Land’s End, MetLife, Bogen, Haggin Marketing, Lifetime, AGA Marketing, Kelby Media Group, Wildlife Conservation Society, American Ballet Theatre, Coleman, and FedEx, to name a few.
Bert Monroy
Author and Contributing Columnist
Bert Monroy is considered one of the pioneers of digital art. His work has been seen in many magazines and scores of books. … read more »
He co-authored The Official Adobe Photoshop Handbook, the first book on Photoshop plus many other books since. His latest books, Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy: Digital Painting has gotten critical acclaim around the world. Bert writes a column for Photoshop User and Layers magazines.
Bert serves a client list that includes Apple Computer, Adobe Systems, AT&T, American Express, Pixar Animation, Disney Animation and Lockheed/Martin. Bert has also worked in the motion picture industry for Industrial Light and Magic, Pacific Data Images, and R/Greenberg.
In 2004, Bert was inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame.
Chris Orwig
Pro photographer, Interactive Designer, Author
Chris Orwig is a pro photographer, interactive designer, author and on the faculty of the renowned Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. Moreover, he brings unique perspective, creativity, authenticity and passion to all that he does … read more »
Chris traces his creative roots to growing up in Northern California where his backyard opened up to rolling hills, oak trees and creeks. Chris grew up in a home that was designed/built by his father and filled with art created by his mother. From the get go this environment nurtured in him an insatiable desire for discovery, a knack for creativity and a desire to live a full and meaningful life!
Chris’ work is widely sought after and can be seen in various national publications. He enjoys a diverse and varied client base having worked with companies like Disney, Adobe, Nissan and others. Chris is extremely proud to partner with Adobe, Epson, Wacom, Nik Multimedia, onOne Software and Really Right Stuff. More importantly, Chris approaches design and photography as a way to get more out of life. As he explains, “I subscribe to Marc Riboud’s perspective that ‘Photography is savoring life at one hundredth of a second.’ When I create a photograph or a design piece I strive to create visual poetry. Poets are able to say in 10 words what novelists say in 10,000. Ultimately, after reading a poem, we simply do not have more information we have more experience. In the same way, I aim to distill idea, concept, vision, experience and emotion into poetic, provoking, intriguing and beautiful imagery.”
For more information visit chrisorwig.com
Moose Peterson
Wildlife Photographer, Author, and Educator
A Nikon Legend Behind the Lens, Lexar Elite Photographer, recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, Research Associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program, published in over 130 magazines worldwide, author of 23 books, and … read more »
Jack Reznicki
Commercial Photographer and Author
Jack Reznicki is a commercial photographer specializing in people and children based in New York City. His creative problem solving has helped promote products and services for many companies such as Tylenol, The Wall Street Journal, Hyatt, … read more »
Jack is the author of several books on commercial photography including “Studio and Commercial Photography- A Kodak Pro Workshop” book.
For over 4 years, Jack’s insights to professional photography could be found in Petersen’s Photographic magazine with his popular “Pro Vision” column. His writings have also appeared in other photography magazines.
Believing that photographers should be pro-active in the photo community, Jack is currently the Chairman of the Board and former President of Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Previously, Jack has served as President of the New York Chapter of Advertising Photographers of America (APA), sat on the Joint Ethics Committee in New York, and served as Board Member of ASMP/NY.
Along with many other awards, Jack was very proud to receive the IPC (International Photographic Council) Leadership medal for “Excellence in Studio Photography” at the United Nations. Jack was appointed a guest professor at Shandong University of Art and Design in Jinan. Jack is also a Mo-Tse Grand Master Photographer in China and proud to be named a Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography.
He is one of the original “Canon Explorers of Light” an “Epson Stylus Pros” and host of the Epson Print Academy’s Track One, and a Sandisk “Photo Master”. Jack has also does Beta testing and consulting with Canon, Epson, Mamiya, Microsoft, X-Rite, Leaf digital backs, and Adobe.
Andrew Rodney
Author and Trainer
Andrew is owner of The Digital Dog, a digital imaging training and consulting business located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Andrew Rodney, aka the Digital Dog, has successfully provided services and training … read more »
Andrew has been a Beta for Adobe Photoshop since version 2.5 and is currently an Alpha tester for Adobe Systems. Andrew is one of the principle partners of Pixel Genius LLC, a company that has created such products as PhotoKit and PhotoKit-Sharpener. Andrew was named a “Top 40 Photoshop Expert” by Wacom Technologies. In 2007, Andrew was inducted into the NAPP Photoshop Hall of Fame. Andrew’s web site can be found at www.digitaldog.net.
Jeff Schewe
Advertising Photographer and Consultant
Jeff Schewe is the co-author of Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS3 published by Adobe Press/Peachpit and a member of the NAPP Photoshop Hall of Fame. … read more »
Fay Sirkis
Portrait Artist, Photographer, and Instructor
Fay Sirkis is an internationally recognized portrait artist, photographer, and instructor. She speaks at training conferences and events throughout the US and Europe. … read more »
Fay’s studio is in New York and she is a contemporary digital artist with a background in traditional fine art. Fay attended the Pratt School of Professional Studies in New York City where she became certified in Graphic and Web Design. Fay also attended Rockhurst College CE in New York City where she earned her certification in printing and pre-press.
Fay has been honored by Canon as a “Canon Print Master” and her paintings are featured in numerous Canon marketing campaigns. Fay currently trains for Canon at conferences and trade-shows throughout the US.
Fay is a Painter Master, Beta tester, and on the Advisory Committee for Corel Painter. She was instrumental in the launching of Painter IX and X. Her work is featured in Corel’s Painter Masters Art Gallery, as well as their numerous ad campaigns.
Fay is a member of the Photoshop World Conference & Expo “Dream Team” of instructors, produced by the National Association of Photoshop Professional’s. Her tutorial on “Photo Painting” with Photoshop and Corel Painter was the featured article at Photoshop World Boston in 2007, and in Photoshop User Magazine. She is best known for her simplistic way of teaching, making the learning curve in the digital world easy to master.
Her commissioned portraits and paintings are held in private collections internationally, and also exhibited in museums and art galleries. Fay is the founder of “Fays Art Studio,” a high-end commission portrait painting studio, as well as a digital art training and consulting firm based in New York.
An accomplished Portrait Artist, Photographer, and Instructor, Fay Sirkis provides her students with simple recipe’s to transform photos into beautiful paintings! Learn how to paint like a Master with Fay Sirkis as she shares the secrets and techniques behind her signature style of “Photo Painting”.
To see more of Fay’s work, please visit www.faysartstudio.com.
Alan Hess
Concert photographer, writer, instructor
Alan Hess is a San Diego-based commercial photographer specializing in concert and live-event photography. … read more »
He has photographed hundreds of concerts three songs at a time. From small club shows to big arenas, Alan enjoys the fast pace of shooting on the fly, the rush of the house lights going down, and the drive to capture the “show” in the images of first three songs.
Some of the Bands/Musicians that Alan has photographed include: Billy Idol, Bob Weir and RatDog, Bruce Hornsby, Citizen Cope, The Dead, Death Cab for Cutie, Derek Trucks Band, The Grateful Dead, Jackie Greene, John Legend, Mickey Hart Band, Robin Williams, Shepard Fairey, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steel Pulse, Widespread Panic, and Willie Nelson.
Alan’s work has been published online and in print in the following outlets: Associatedcontent.com, Bruuce.com, Dead.net, Glidemagazine.com, Jambands.com, Jambase.com, MarkKaran.com, MiaBrazilia.com, Poughkeepsie Journal, Mill Valley Herald, Otherones.net, Pauserecord.com, Philzone.com, Ranch & Coast Magazine, Rat-dog.com, Ratdog.org, Relix Magazine and Vintage Guitar Magazine. His images have been used for various CDs and other promotional work.
Alan is currently the house photographer for a large concert venue in southern California and when he isn’t out shooting concerts, he is writing photography books.
He has written two books on Sony DSLR cameras, the “Sony Alpha A700 Digital Field Guide,” and the “Sony Alpha A200 Digital Field Guide,” and is currently working on the “Exposure Digital Field Guide,” all for Wiley Publishing. Alan has contributed to Photoshop User magazine and is a key contributor to the Lexar.com website.
Alan teaches Lightroom and Bridge workflow at Essy’s Studio in San Diego, and writes a regular blog at www.alanhessphotography.com.
Eddie Tapp
Photographer, Lecturer, Consultant, and Author
Eddie Tapp is an award-winning photographer, lecturer, consultant, and author on digital imaging issues. With over 25 years of experience in computer technology, Eddie has been actively involved in educating and consulting corporations, studios and agencies … read more »
Eddie is Director of the Institute of Visual Arts in Maui, Hawaii, an Explorer of Light and Print Master with Canon USA, and is on the Photoshop “Dream Team” with National Association of Photoshop Professional where he was recently inducted into the “Photoshop Hall of Fame”. He served 6 years as the Chairman of the Committee on Digital and Advanced Imaging for the Professional Photographers of America, where he holds the Master of Photography, Master of Electronic Imaging, and Photographic Craftsman degrees, Approved Photographic Instructor and is a Certified Professional Photographer. He also served as Commercial Council representative to PPA for the Georgia PPA. His articles have appeared in the Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, Shutterbug, Photo Electronic Imaging, and Southern Exposure & Digital Capture. He also has served on the Adobe Photoshop beta team.
Corporate clients include Epson, Eastman Kodak, Foveon, Polaroid, and Apple Computer, as well as many other international corporations and government agencies. He has also served as print judge at many professional photographic competitions and is a Nationally Qualified Juror for the Professional Photographers of America association in Electronic Imaging.
Eddie hails from Atlanta, Georgia and has been accused of using his southern charm to put his students at ease. His teaching philosophy is simple: solve people’s problems by giving them straightforward answers in clear language. Visit www.eddietapp.com
Vincent Versace
Photographer, Trainer, and Contributing Columnist
Vincent Versace is a recipient of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award in Media Arts & Entertainment and the Shellenberg fine art award, a six-time nominee to the Photoshop Hall of Fame … read more »
Terry White
Technical Resources Manager, Adobe Systems, Inc.
Terry White- Director, North America Creative Pro Technical Sales for Adobe Systems, Inc. Terry has been with Adobe for over a decade and has extensive knowledge of Adobe’s Creative Professional product line. … read more »
In his current position, he leads a team of Solution Engineers and Product Specialists that focus on Professional Publishing, Web Authoring and Digital Video/Audio. Terry is an Adobe Certified Expert and Creative Suite Master. He has been active in the industry for over 20 years and is the founder and president of MacGroup-Detroit - Michigan’s largest Macintosh users group and is a columnist for Layers magazine and X-Ology Magazine. Terry is the host of the top ranked Adobe Creative Suite Video Podcast. He is also the author of Secrets of the Adobe Bridge and co-author of The iPhone Book and InDesign CS/CS2 Killer Tips. Terry is a key presenter at major industry shows around the world.
Ben Willmore
Author, and Instructor
Ben Willmore is author of the award-winning, best-selling book, Adobe Photoshop Studio Techniques and co-author of another bestseller, How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography … read more »

David Ziser
Photographer, Lecturer, and Trainer
David Ziser, an internationally-renowned wedding photographer, has shared his knowledge with tens of thousand’s of photographers in five languages and in 14 countries worldwide. Studio Photography acclaimed … read more »
Silver Efex Pro: a different approach
October 9, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under News and Events
I attended Vincent Versace’s class on “Practical B&W Conversion for the Common User” at Photoshop World 2009 Vegas. I’ve said it a thousand times, Versace is a GENIUS! I’ve been using Silver Efex Pro, a Photoshop plug-in from NIK Software, for years. It’s main use was to give me that perfect black and white. At the seminar, Versace showed us a totally different use for it, to enhance COLOR. Yes, a black and white plug-in for color. The simple trick; after converting your image using Silver Efex change the layer blend mode to Luminosity. If you don’t have Silver Efex Pro, you can still get better color by using Adobe’s built in Black and White adjustment layer. Although you don’t have as many creative options, it does a pretty good job. This simple tip casually said by a modern day Art Master has given me another tool in my creative arsenal.
I spent less than 5 minutes on this sample. I’ve included the original, (right out of the camera no adjustments), cropped and the Silver Efex versus Adobe’s Black and White adjustment layer.
Photoshopo World 2009 Vegas: Pre-con
October 1, 2009 by Robert Louis Vanelli
Filed under News and Events, Photoshop World
I always love this day! Class doesn’t start until 12:00 p.m. so there is plenty of time to chat with old friends and make new ones. I took the NAPP Photo Safari with Moose Peterson and Joe McNally. When I attended the March Photoshop World 2009 in Boston, I shadowed Moose so this safari I made it a point to shadow McNally. Before we went into the field to shoot, the two spoke to the class and answered questions. I finally have a better understanding on how to make the remote flash dance gracefully with the camera. I”m going to break from the story and add my notes for you, then I will continue it below.
Think in terms of global and local change. When you make a global change, you effect both the camera and the flash. When you make a local change, it effects the camera or flash separately. The example I’m giving is aperture priority mode using f/8 with an off camera SB 800 flash set to remote and TTL (through the lens). The camera sees the scene and exposes it correctly with the proper shutter speed. It then sends a signal to the flash and tells it how much light it needs. This is seamless and yields great results using an auto mode.When you want to be creative this is where we make the camera dance with the flash. Dialing the camera with a -2 EV (exposure value) will trick the camera into underexposing the scene by adjusting the camera and flash equally. The dance begins when you adjust the TTL flash by adding a +1. Now you made a local change to the flash that will effect the power of it. A great example is found in Joe’s new book, “The Hot Shoe Diaries“. Look for cowboy Chris standing in front of a barn.
We then boarded two buses and headed to our ghost town. The bus ride is always informative. I had the pleasure of sitting with Drew Gurian, Joe McNally’s assistant. Drew’s knowledge on lighting and skills as a shooter are amazing. Joe answered people’s questions and gave advice on how to capture the ghost town. When we arrived, we were set free to shoot on our own for a few hours. Joe and Moose were always in range to answer any questions. As an added bonus, Laurie Excell and Sharon Peterson were also on hand to answer questions. I was extremely impressed with their wealth of knowledge. They definitely have emerged from the legendary shadow that Moose cast. Before the class split into two groups, Adorama’s very own Jeffrey Snyder captivated the crowd as he gave pointers on how to shoot a moving subject with flash. I’ve known of Jeffrey as the Pro Service Account Executive for Adorama, but I had no idea he was a great shooter. He was motivating and inspirational as he pumped up the crowd. Then Joe and Moose took their group and gave a lesson on flash photography. When we finished, we boarded the buses again and headed home. It was great hearing fellow participants share their adventure!
We arrived back around 8:00 p.m., just in time to attend the Tweeter meet up at the House of Blues. At first, Larson thought there was going to be dead silence as tweeters sat and text each other instead of speaking. Just kidding! It was great putting faces to people that you have only met through text.













