Quick Digital Imaging Tip 20/101: Get It All in Focus

This is tip #20 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip: For maximum depth-of-field, use a wide-angle lens, set a small aperture and focus 1/3 into the scene.

Here I use my Canon 5D Mark II and 17-40mm lens @ 22mm. My aperture was f/20.

This is an HDR image from Buddha Park in Vientiane, Laos.

HDR rocks in situations where the contrast range of the scene is just too great to be captured by a digital camera.

I used Nik's HDR Efex Pro to create this image. It's a brand new HDR plug-in. Photomatix is a way-cool HDR program, too.

For discounts and info on both HDR Efex Pro and Photomatix, click here.

Explore the light,

Rick

Quick Digital Imaging Tip 19/101: Sharpen Selectively and Sharpen Last

This is tip #19 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip (still from Laos): Sharpen Selectively and Sharpen as a Final Step

One of the cool features in Adobe Photoshop CS5 is Convert for Smart Filters. Using this feature, you can apply a filter as you would use an adjustment and an adjustment layer – painting in and out an effect.

This picture started out as three RAW files. First, I used Nik's HDR Efex Pro to create an HDR image. Then I applied the Spicify effect in Topaz Adjust. As a final step, I sharpened everything in the scene except the soft and beautiful water.

Also, if you sharpen earlier in the image-processing process, and then adjust the contrast, for example, you have an chance of over-sharpening an image.

Explore the light,

Rick

P.S. For info on HDR Efex Pro (and a discount) and Topaz, click here.

Quick Digital Imaging Tip 18/101: Fade a Filter

This is tip #18 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip (still from Laos): Fade a filter.

After you apply a filter in Photoshop, you can fade it by going to Edit >Fade Filter immediately after you apply the filter.

In Photoshop Elements, you can also fade a filter:

– Dupe the Layer

– Apply the filter to the top Layer

– Reduce the Opacity of the top Layer.

Here I applied the Spicify effect in Topaz Adjust – one of my favorite plug-ins. After applying the filter, I faded it just a bit for a custom effect.

Learn more about Topaz Adjust here.

Save a bundle on Topaz plug-ins by ordering a bundle.

Explore the light,

Rick

Quick Digital Imaging Tip 17/101: Shoot Vertical Panos, Too

This is tip #17 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip (from Laos): Shoot vertical panos, too.

The world (and fun) of panos is not limited to horizontal images. Remember that you can shoot vertical panos, too. This idea comes in handy when you don't have a lens that's wide enough to capture the entire scene.

I created this pano using Photoshop's Photomerge.

Explore the light,

Rick

Quick Digital Imaging Tip 16/101: Add a Sense of Motion to Your Still Images

This is tip #16 of 101 digital imaging tips I plan to post here over the next few months. Stay tuned.

Today's tip (from Laos): Add a sense of motion to your still images.

Experiment with different slow shutter speeds to blur the movement in a scene in which the subjects are moving. You have probably seen this effect in National Geographic magazine.

I took the opening photograph for this post at 1/30th of a second. It has a much greater sense of motion than the above photograph.

Use your camera's LCD monitor to check the areas of the scene you want blurred . . . and sharp.

Also keep this in mind: the closer you are to the subject, the more it will be blurred.

I took this photograph with my Canon EOS 7D and what is becoming one of my favorite city-shooting lenses, the Canon 14mm lens.

Explore the light,

Rick

P.S. If you travel with an iPhone, check out my 24/7 Photo Buffet app. Tons of travel photo tips.