Quick Hit Monday: More On LR3 Noise Reduction; New PS Actions; Seeing Differently; Recession Time Turn Around

Good Morning Everybody,

We arrived home safe and sound - and tired - Saturday after a full day, nearly 12 hours of traveling.  Clearing Customs in Houston was quite the experience.  I have never seen  the travelers lines so long!  It took over an hour for us to clear! 

I asked the customs agent about all the travelers.  He said that since the air corridors have opened back up over Europe, it's been that way and worst the last few days.  Hey, I bet our travel buddies from Europe didn't care how long the lines were. I'm sure they were just happy to be back home.

We traded in our Cabo sunshine for rainy day Cincy, but heck, even the rain looks good when you're back home;~)

Today we begin my Digital Master Class once again with a full rooster of attendees from around the USA. It will be a good week I'm sure. I'll try to get a Cabo pic or two up this week along with a few of my shots from the class.

Posting this week should be pretty much back to normal but no guarantees with the long  hours spent in class and the short time available for blogging. I've got some good things planned for the week so we should be pretty much OK.

That said, let's get on with quick Monday.  Here we go...

Lightroom 3 Noise Reduction, Up Close and Personal:

Last Tuesday I did a short tutorial touting the noise reduction characteristics of Adobe's Lightroom 3.  Here is the link to the video right here.   A few of you commented that it would be helpful to see some really close close-ups since the video didn't do the superior noise reduction capabilities of LR3 justice.  You wish is my command.  Check out the close up "befores  and afters" and be amazed!!!!

Oh, at 12,800 ISO by the way!

Great New Photoshop Actions

I've mentioned Craig Minielly and his wonderful sets of actions at DPT a few times.  Craig and I always visit when we see each other at the various conventions throughout the year.  Anyway, I just received a notice that he has introduced a brand new set of actions and they look great.  Check them out right here.

Craig's Actions have been voted as the Best Camera Processing Software by Professional Photographer Magazine - definitely worth the peek. 

Symmetry - A Different Way To See

Anyone following this blog knows I like posting more that just wedding images as evidenced in today's post. When I'm just out shooting for myself, I'm always looking for lines, shapes, and forms.  I like seeing how light bends and blends around curved surfaces.  It's just kind of fun for me to "look" at things that way.

Another favorite compositional technique I use is symmetrical composition.  Look again at today's image of the day to see symmetry in action.  Well, here is a link right here to a post over at Beyond Phototips which features 20 images based on symmetrical composition.

Got some great samples showing symmetries - throw them up on our DigitalProTalk Flickr site right here for us all to see. Just be sure to tag each image with the word "symmetry".  If we get enough images, I may just award a $25.00 B&H Gift certificate to my favorite image.  Tell you what - let' have some fun and let the challenge run for two weeks and see what might get posted.  Two weeks should give everyone plenty of time to find a favorite to shoot and post.

Recession Time - Something To Think About

Last week I mentioned that my buddy Skip Cohen and three others had started a new site called Ghostwrites where he and his co-partners will assist you in writing and design of your blog posts, newsletters, websites and more.

Anyway, Skip is a person of many talents, continues to author a fascinating blog called Marketing Essentials International.  It's purpose is to point it’s readers to more effective marketing and success.  A few weeks back he did a thought provoking piece about the recession and what photogs can do about it.  Here is the link right here.  Reading the article will really give you pause, evaluate your processes and systems to see if you are doing all you can do to beat this recession and stay successful. Worth the read.

_______________________________________________________

Hey gang, before I go, I want to send out a great big "Thank You" to Brian Auer over at Epic Edits for his rave review on my new photography book [link].  I regularly make the trip over to EpicEdits to see what's new - he always has some good information and a lot of great stuff going on. Thanks a bunch, Brian.

Well guys and girls, I've got to get scooting'.  Class starts in a few and I don't want to be late.  See everybody tomorrow for a very cool and super lighting tutorial.

See ya' then,  David