Quick Hit Monday: All The Latest News; Lots Of Inspiration: and Photoshop Freebies!

Good Afternoon Everybody,

I'm back home today and sticking around for about 4 days before we head off to New Orleans for the big Imaging USA Convention on Friday.  It was kind of nice to come back to all the Christmas decorations still decorating our home. Heck, I even caught a whiff of the pine scent still lingering from the main Christmas tree.  Alas, the job of taking it all down begins today. 

As usual, it's a busy week.  I'm finishing up guest blog posts for Rick Sammon, B&H, Datacolor; working on my Digital Newsletter which goes out this week, and trying to keep DigitalProTalk on schedule.  AND, on top of all that, I'm continuing to push the word about our PhotoPro Expo happening in only 3 weeks!  WHEW!  Let's get right to todays news.

The Latest News From PhotoPro Expo!

One of the main events at PhotoPro Expo this year is the juried print competition [link] where you can win part of the $5,000 in prizes and trophies being awarded. Every year photographers will submit their favorite images to be judged by our esteemed panelists.  It is truly one of the best ways to improve your photography. I can remember my first print competition many years ago  – I selected my four favorite images, printed them up to 16x20 perfection, and submitted them to the jury panel. I was pretty disappointed when my highest scoring print only scored a 79, just to point shy of a 80 score blue ribbon print.

I continued submitting prints year after year in the early days of my profession and within four years was taking the top awards at the state and regional conventions. In fact, one of my images scored a perfect 100!  That was quite a thrill. It is an excellent way to compare your work to others in the photography profession. You can get all the details of this year's PhotoPro Expo Print Competition right here. 

Why Print Competition?

Anyway this year's PhotoPro Expo Print Competition is a wonderful opportunity for photographers to see how their images stand up against their peers. We all think we are so good until we see our work compared to other really great photographers. The excitement this year begins on February 2, the first day of our PhotoPro Expo. It's exciting to watch the prints being scored and hear the judges comments. It's easy for me to sit there for hours and just hang on every word.  I did an earlier blog post discussing what the judges are looking for in print competition [link].  If you are seriously considering entering the print competition, I suggest you give it a read right here.

Bet On The Print Scores & Win CASH!

At this year's PhotoPro Expo Print Competition we have a brand-new treat for all photographers who enjoy the judging process. This year we are hosting our Clubhouse Print Lounge where you'll be able to bet with the judges.  The photographer most closely guessing the judges’ scores has a chance to take home $50-$100 in the process. We have my good friend, Ralph Romaguera, flying all the way in from New Orleans to moderate the event. It should be a great time and a lot of fun.

Win The LexJet Award & $200 Gift Card!

Also this year we are offering a brand-new print award sponsored by LexJet. Any photographer submitting their entries on LexJet media will be eligible for the LexJet award which includes, not just a beautiful trophy, but also $200 in LexJet media. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for someone to take home a great prize. Lexjet has available an outstanding blog post on just what is involved to win the Lexjet award. You can find that link right here.

To be eligible to enter PhotoPro Expo Print Competition, you need to be a member of the PhotoPro Network. The cost to join is only $49 a year and there are a ton of membership benefits just for joining including being able to enter the PhotoPro Expo Print Competition. You can get all the details about PhotoPro Network VIP membership right here.

Seriously, Wedding Photography

Hey gang, I've got three great links for you today pertaining specifically to wedding photography. I found all three excellent reads. 

Denis Reggie: The State Of Wedding Photography 2012

The first is from a post [link] from my good friend Denis Reggie who photographs the top weddings in the country. Denis, like myself has seen wedding photography change dramatically over the many years we have both been in business. I've certainly blogged about the state of affairs here DigitalProTalk many times. Here is another great article on that topic right here from one of the industry leaders – highly recommended.

BTW, Denis will be offering complimentary portfolio reviews this Sunday afternoon at PPA ImagingUSA in New Orleans at 2:00 p.m. along with Joyce Tenneson. Please come by the Canon trade show booth with a selection of your images... laptop, iPad, or an album is fine. We hope to see you in New Orleans.

History Of Engagement Rings With 40 Wedding Ring Photography Ideas

This second link discusses the history of wedding rings.  As a wedding photographer, I've always been this interested in wedding customs not only in the United States but also around the world. I encourage you to give this quite interesting article a read right here.

In addition to picking up a little bit of history on weddings, the article also includes 40 very creative wedding ring ideas that you just may want to incorporate in your next wedding shoot. Some of these images are off-the-wall, some are quite beautiful,  but they all get the creative juices flowing  when looking for new ideas on how to photograph the wedding bands.

Winter Wedding Light Painting
I found the image below and this third link really interesting. Years ago I was photographing a Fourth of July wedding and the bride and groom asked me to find a way to use sparklers in one of my wedding photographs that illustrated the Fourth of July holiday. I set the camera on a tripod and held the shutter open while they traced the heart through the air with the burning sparklers. As they touched the sparklers together at the bottom of the “heart” I fired my off-camera flash, had them kiss, and got a great image.

The photographer featured in this post, Danny Turcotte Jr., used something completely different – steel wool. Yes, that's what I said steel wool. I didn't even know that you could set fire to a piece of steel wool but apparently you can. Anyway he came up with this great wedding photograph – why not give a read right here on exactly how he did it.

So What Have You Done Lately – A Little Inspiration 

One of the highlights of my week is to peruse Zite on my iPad and find interesting sources of photographic inspiration and then share that information with you, our DigitalProTalk readers. This week I have three great links that I think you'll really, really enjoy. 

Top 20 Young Photographers 2012

The first features the top 20 young photographers of 2012.  Check out the link right here to see what some of these new top guns, like 21 year old Faye Thompson above are accomplishing photographically. As I look through the list, and yes, you will recognize a few of the names, it sure puts me in awe of the talent these young photographers exude.

As you review this list of wonderfully talented photographers, I also want to point out that PhotoPro Expo’s very own Lindsay Adler is featured in this list. Yes, Lindsay is one of the speakers presenting at our PhotoPro Expo in just three weeks. Her fashion work is truly amazing. She has an eye for color and composition that rivals the best of the best. I sure hope you can check out her program here at PhotoPro Expo in three weeks.

44 Beautiful Eyes Photography

I also enjoyed looking through the images of this link. You know, a person's eyes other Windows on the world. How we photograph a person's eyes is important in capturing the essence of our portrait subject.  Each of these images [link], captures something truly special in each one of the subjects featured in this post.

10 Beautiful Landscape Photos From Chip Phillips

And finally, some of the most inspirational links that I find feature landscape photography. There's a lot of great landscape photographers but the images featured in this post are just absolutely amazing. I always enjoy making landscape photographs myself as we tour around the country and the world. I just wish that when I press the button that occasionally what I capture is something similar to these incredibly beautiful images featured in this post today.

Photoshop Freebies

I got some great Photoshop freebies for you today. Just consider it is my New Year's gift to all of our DigitalProTalk readers.  All kidding aside, I think there's some great resources  that we can all use on or 2012 projects. Enjoy!

• 30 Free Photoshop Actions Which Never Fails To Amaze: [link]
• 25 Useful Dirt Texture Collection: [link]
• 80 All-You-Need Photoshop Brushes: [link]

Thanks to H.W Capps, one of our DPT readers, for sharing the link with me to share with you.

One For The Road; 20 Mile High Flying, and Dropping iPads

I don't know about you but I'm just not a huge fan of watching lots of YouTube videos. But, every now and then one comes along that captures my attention.

iPad Survives 100,000+ Foot Fall From Space

This YouTube video posted by Mashable [link] shows how they used a weather balloon to carry an iPad about 20 miles in the air just at the edge of space then pop the balloon and let the iPad drop 20 miles back to earth.

It's a fascinating video because they filmed both the accent and the much more rapid descent of the iPad. Their entire balloon apparatus also included  GPS devices that they could use to track where the iPad finally landed.

It was amazing to me that after rising nearly 20 miles into the air and then dropping 20 miles back to earth, that the iPad landed only about 70 feet from where they had released it.  To have such little drift over that 40 mile iPad journey the wind sure must've been nearly non-excitant.  Anyway, like I said, I don't watch many YouTube videos but the scientific aspects of this one  piqued my curiosity, hope you enjoy it too.

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Hey gang that's it for me today. I have Tom Nickell, CEO of Delux Gear, stopping by for a visit. Delux Gear is a brand-new company and is producing some very fascinating photography gear for the wedding and portrait photographer.  I can't wait to see what Tom has to show. I'll fill you in on our visit in tomorrow's post.

Have a great rest of the day and I'll see everybody tomorrow for a brand-new episode of Technique Tuesday: 5 Fabulous, Fantastic, Fun Ways To Super Cool Backgrounds.

See you then, David

Wednesday: F-Stops? No, Not For Me!

Good Afternoon Everybody,

Ralph, Kent, and I were sitting around recently reminiscing some of the great experiences we have had teaching at the numerous photography schools around the country.  All three of us have been in this profession for quite a while and have heard just about everything. 

F-Stops? No, Not For Me!

Ralph's story was the best though.  He was telling of a time last year while teaching at Texas School - LaDawn and I were teaching there at the same time and BTW we’ll all be there next year too.  Ralph enjoys teaching the beginning portrait class because, as we all agreed, of lot of new shooters are perfectly clueless, when it comes to knowing anything about the CRAFT of photography. 

Ralph's story says it all.  He was approached by a student who asked him to review a few of the student's portrait images. Ralph tells how he looked them over and saw the the F-stop the student used was far to small and put everything into sharp focus.  Ralph suggested the student use a larger F-Stop to get the benefit of selective focus for his subject.

The student was taken back and looked completely confused by the remark.  Ralph quickly noticed the reaction so he asked straightforwardly, Well, what F-Stop did you use when you made these images?". The student quickly answered, thinking he was above it all, "F-Stops?  I don't even use f-Stops!". His answer says it all.

I’m not trying to get up on my soap box here, well, maybe a little, but that type of attitude is more prevalent with today's new digital photographers. In years past when one used film one really needed to know and understand the workings of their cameras. Digital has made it easy to capture acceptable images. Many ways this is a good thing and in many ways it is not.

We also looked up to, respected, and admired our instructors.  There was a lot less "know it all" attitude floating around back then compared with today, I think.

Don't get me wrong, I’m VERY honored that my DigitalProTalk readers take the time to read my posts.  I'm thrilled when I see young photographers like Jody and Zak Gray, Blair Phillips, and so many other  new young guns, who expend the necessary ongoing effort to attend seminars and conventions, read books to improve their photography, sales, and business building skills.  Those guys got it right and I am one of their biggest fans. 

It’s too bad a few others think it is OK to express themselves by breaking the rules, and just doing their own thing.  Hey, I'm OK with breaking the rules too, but you know what, you've got to know the rules before you break them otherwise you are just taking a shot in the dark, hoping for the best, and may even get lucky now and then.

Now for a little confession

Early on, I was one of those "know it all's". Thankfully I got over it early in my career and became an earnest student of the photographic masters in the field.  In fact I still am attending as many seminars as I can each year.  I hoped I've learned a little over the years which I'm trying to pass on to you here at DigitalProTalk.

I did a post a number of months ago entitled: "Are You A Good Student Or A Bad Student?"  It speaks to my coming of age as a student in those early years.  You may enjoy the read again right here.

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Hey gang, that's it for me today. The sunshine and Cabo breezes are calling so I'm on my way.  Plan to stop by again tomorrow for a very fascinating Business Day Thursday: Time To Cut Your Prices In Half.  Hope to see you then.

Adios, David     

Quick Hit Monday: All Photography Links - All Day

Good Morning Everybody,

I can't believe this is our 6th day here in the land of sun and fun - time just flies by when you don't have much to do ;~)  Ha - it's back to work today.  More finishing touches on PhotoPro Expo 2012 brochure, getting ready for Hot Shots Print Competition and webcast this Thursday, and getting started on my program outlines/articles (due in two weeks) for Photoshop World coming up In Washington DC next March 26, 2012.

Yep, it's still kind of busy - even in Cabo. Nevertheless I've still got a few good links for you to check out today on Quick Hit Monday.  Here we go.

Monday Morning's Best Photography Links Of Interest:

The Diplomatic Photograph Of The Century! [link]

How do you photograph 100 Heads Of State, all who speak a different language and get them to stand in the right position, and all smile at the same time?  That was the challenge for my good friend, Terry Deglau, who was working at Eastman Kodak at the time.

CNN interviewed Terry about the experience and the challenges he faced to capture this most important photograph.  I've heard parts of the story over the years but seeing Terry's interview really brought those many challenges into view.  It was an amazing photographic feat.  Check out Terry's interview right here.

Prime Lenses: Pros and Cons: [link]

Hey folks, check out this well written post over at Picture Correct before you purchase your next lens.  It's a very informative read for all photographers.

Introduction To Night Photography: [link]

I always enjoy a little night photography.  I rely on my camera and my intuition to get my best images.

If you're looking for a place to begin, check out this article right here.  It's a good read.

Photojournalists Becoming A Thing Of The Past?  [link]

Yes, this is one of those very scary stories and points up just how quickly the photographic landscape is changing for so many photographers and videographers.  Give it a read right here.  It's important we constantly strive to be creative and never rest on out laurels.

Photographer Shoot-off: Lara Jade VS Joey L.: [link]

Those of you that have ever followed the Strobist know that Joey L. is an accomplished, world class photographer in spite of his very young age.  Lara Jade is also a fantastic fashion photographer.  This post at Joey's site is a great de-construct of the thought processes both photographers went through to get their respective final images.  I love these kinds of posts that invite the reader into the mind of creative people.

Iceland Time-lapse Photography: [link]

This beautiful short time-lapse film right here was captured during the Icelandic Midnight Sun in June of 2011 and has become a recent viral video garnering over a million views in the last few months.  A hope this will provide to you a little Monday morning Inspiration for your soul.

Video of Wave Destroying Canon 5D Mark II at (Where Else?) Cannon Beach: [link]

OK, I'm going out on a limb on this post.  If you get queasy watching a $2,500 camera getting trashed, please do not hit this link!  Oh, alright - everything turns out fine anyway so go ahead and hit the link above.  Filmmaker Kurtis Hough was shooting the Pacific Ocean with his Canon 5D Mark II at (irony of ironies) Cannon Beach in Oregon when a wave took down his entire rig. You won't believe this story and video.
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Hey gang, that's it for me today.  Our friends Ralph and Cindy Romaguera arrived yesterday and we're all hanging today just chillin' in the Cabo breezes.  Hope things are as sunny in your part of the world ;~)

Have a great rest of the day and I'll see you tomorrow,  David

Quick Hit Monday: Inspirational Wedding Images; Fabulous New Photographers; Photoshop Freebies and More!

Good Morning Everybody,

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We spent most of the weekend completing post production on a 600 image five volume wedding album order for one of my top, not to mention favorite, clients at my studio.

We’ll be putting the finishing touches on it today, doing our final inspection, and then shipping it off to Zookbinders so we can  have it back in time for the holidays. It was a BIG push but, I have to tell you these albums look beautiful thanks to LaDawn’s great design work and Jennifer’s fabulous image enhancement!

Wireless Keyboards - My 1 Star Review

I made my weekly trek to Sam's Club yesterday – I simply love looking through the latest hot deals on all the geek gear. I stumbled upon what looked like something that would be just perfect for newly installed computers – a Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse combination – the Wireless Wave Combo MK550.

A quick check of the reviews online and I saw it had a gazillion five star reviews. After having the thing installed for about 30 minutes on my new computer this morning, it's back to Sam's Club for my refund.

I've always enjoyed using wireless devices on the computer but this keyboard/mouse combination, although looked very promising in the beginning, was driving me crazy with it’s relatively sluggish response after about 30 minutes of usage. I quickly reinstalled my old Dell keyboard and my cheap, $18 Logitech wireless mouse and I was off and running once again.

White Lights and Tears Galore!

You know it's getting close to the holidays when you head up to the attic and pull out about 50 boxes of Christmas decorations. Yes, that what was on our agenda too for this weekend. We're into the Christmas season in a big way with LaDawn decorating eight trees, that’s just in-doors, around our home/studio. 

She begins with a large tree in the family room, slips in an old VHS tape of the Bing Crosby/Danny Kaye classic White Christmas into the VCR tape player (yes, we still have one hooked up to the TV).  Then she begins stringing lights and hanging the ornaments as she tearfully watches the movie and decorates the Christmas tree. It's an annual event for her that she claims brings back many special memories. I never know if she’s going to run out of lights or tissues first ;~)

Anyway, we’ve got a short posting week so let’s get right on with today's post.  Here we go…

Monday Morning's Photography & Inspiration Section:

I've got a lot of things to cover in our Photography and Inspiration section today. These links cover all ranges of photography from portrait photography, wedding photography, scenics, landscapes, and fine art. Feel free to dig into any of them as I'm sure you'll enjoy the surfing.

How Does Help-Portrait Help? [link]

In about 10 days we travel to Cabo San Lucas with our very good friends Kent and Sarah Smith. Joining us this year will be my good friend Ralph Romaguera and his wife Cindy. In addition to getting together with good friends,  enjoying the glorious weather, and  the wonderful flavors, we are also joining Jeremy Cowart with his Help-Portrait project again this year taking place December 10, 2011.

Last year we worked in the most impoverished sections of the city and produce some wonderful images for the families that came by that day. This year were planning for a much bigger crowd but with six of us shooting we’re looking forward to a very rewarding afternoon.

Many people are unaware of the Help-Portrait project. Let me point you towards this link right here which will give you the whole back story. Once again I'm putting out my call to all readers of DigitalProTalk.com to join us December 10 for the worldwide Help-Portrait project. You can get all the information on how to get involved right here.

Wedding Portraits After the Reception – A New Trend? Check Out This Great Wedding Photography [link]

Okay, this is the first time I've heard about doing wedding photographs after the wedding reception. Rocky Gunn, many years ago suggested capturing beautiful pictorial images, that he was famously known for, the day after the wedding or even after the couple returned from their honeymoon. I’ve taken that same approach for these many years and have some great results to show for our efforts. That said, you have to check out the work of Christina Craft, a very talented photographer from Victoria BC, Canada.

Christina is my new favorite wedding photographer. I was drawn to her work after reading this article right here about how she does many of her wedding photographs after the wedding reception is complete. No longer constrained with wedding day time tables, she's able to create some very exciting wedding images for her clients. She has a couple hundred images on her site and just about every one of them is a joy to view. Anyway, check out her site right here.  I'll think you'll really enjoy Christina’s inspiration.

Suggestions When choosing Your Wedding Photography Studios – More Nice Wedding Photography [link]

I also stumbled upon some great wedding photography. The link, right here, will lead you to a story about how to choose your wedding photography studio. The story is more about choosing the studio whose work is featured in the article.

I've got no problem with that because I think their work is very different, innovative, and exciting to see. Anyway, if you want to get another good, healthy dose of inspirational wedding images then check out the link right here.

Creative photography by Sarah Yun – Outstanding Imagery! [link]

Next, you have to check out this simply outstanding work of 29-year-old photographer Sarah Yun. She's only been pursuing her dream of photography for three years but after seeing her work you would think that she has been at it her entire life.

For me, her images just seemed to jump off the page. The way she brings the elements of her images together results in some of the most creative and exciting photography I've seen anywhere. Take a minute or two and check out Sarah's work right here.

Adventure Without Risk! Some Adventurous Moments By Nat-Geo [link]

Okay, how about one more healthy dose of inspiration for you this morning.  You've got to take a moment and check out these unbelievable sports images available at National Geographic.

I, for one, can't believe real people really do many of the things portrayed in these images. I think when you see the images right here you'll agree with me that these activities are not for the faint of heart, or the sane.

LIFE's 20 Worst Covers [link]

I just spent some time pointing you to some of the coolest photography I've seen in the last week on the web. Somehow or another I stumbled onto the link right here that led me to Life Magazine's 20 worst covers. That isn't to say that the photographers who made the images were not great photographers. In fact, the image I featured below, was taken by none other than Mr. Ansel Adams.

It turns out that Ansel worked for a number years as a commercial photographer. He, like the rest of us, had to pay the bills too. But, thankfully for us, he was able to quit his day job and pursue the imagery that excited him most.

By the way, just so you don't feel too bad after you've reviewed the 20 worst covers in this link.  Be sure to check out Life Magazine’s best covers right here. It's always a joy, for better or worse, to look back over these historic collection of images for their storytelling value.

27 Gorgeous Photos of Trees from This Fall [link]

How about one more link to raise your spirits as we near the end of the fall season. Check out these 27 gorgeous photographs of trees right here. Fall is in the air and just about every one of these images captures the season perfectly.

Now A Little Geek Technique

Al Capone’s Cell – HDR Collaboration [link]

At first glance I thought this post was just another HDR photography post. Maybe I was just reading the text a bit too quickly but upon further review it turns out that there is a ton of information on image processing and postproduction in this article. 

Scott Frederick uploaded nine images taken of the famous mobster, Al Capone’s jail cell. This article right here is an in-depth look on how 8 photographers interpreted that scene. No brand of software is left untouched – from Photoshop, Photomatix, NIK’s Color Effects 4, and more – to achieve the various results all the photographers have showcased in this article.

I really enjoyed getting the insights from how the other photographers interpreted the scene and I also appreciate their tips on the techniques that they used. Give it a Monday morning read right here – you'll enjoy it.

This Week's Photoshop Freebies

Top 10 Best Free Fonts of 2011 [link]

This week's Photoshop freebies include a font set and an action set. I have to admit, that I never felt any particular urge to like one font over another. But, these 10 free fonts are elegant in their simplicity and design. Check them out right here. I'm planning on downloading the sets myself.

Attractive Photoshop Actions for Image Enhancement [link]

There are about a gazillion free Photoshop actions available and every now and then a new and exciting technique will pop up. Check out this link right here and see if you don't find a gem or two for yourself.

One For The Road: One More Link You Can Use

10 Free Video Apps [link]

Okay, this is showing a little bit of my geek side but when you check out these 10 free video apps right here, I think you will find one or two that just might work for you. I will admit that this is one of those rainy day posts.  You know, it's raining and you can’t go out and play.  But don’t worry.  This link set will encourage you to have a little computer fun until the weather clears. Hey, looks like it's raining outside right now. Guess I'll check out these links one more time ;~)

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Hey gang, that's it for me today. I've got dozens of empty Christmas decorations boxes that I promised LaDawn  I would help her replace in the attic. Plus a few photography projects that need finishing touches before Thanksgiving .

How about I plan to see everybody tomorrow, same time, same place for a brand-new Technique Tuesday. Tomorrow's topic will discuss how to get beautiful portrait results out of your shoe mount flash. I hope you'll join me.

Have a great rest of the day everybody, I'll see you tomorrow.

– David

DigitalProTalk.com: 3,000th Post Today!

Good Morning Everybody,

And welcome to my 3000th post at DigitalProTalk.com. Yes, it's true, today DigitalProTalk.com is 3000 posts old. That's quite a milestone and I have all of you, my loyal DigitalProTalk.com readers, to thank for giving me the incentive to post 5 days a week for these last 4 1/2 years.

Since starting this blog around September of 2007 DigitalProTalk.com now averages about 350,000 page views a month with its 3.3 million readers coming from 205 countries worldwide!  The countries leading in readership are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, Spain, and Italy in that order.

Again, when I look at the analytics it just boggles my mind. I'm both humbled and grateful with the readers who have shared time with me at DigitalProTalk.com.

Let me give you more a few more statistics that DigitalProTalk.com has logged. The average daily postings totaling over 1500 words each day brings the total words that I blogged to just a little over 1.6 million. That many words would fill 2 copies of the Bible, both Old and New Testament or 3 copies of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel, War and Peace

There have been over 200 video tutorials posted on everything from lighting, photography, light room, Photoshop, and business building tips.

To give you a little hint on how to find all of them just enter Technique Tuesday in the search box in the top left corner of this blog.

Among these 3000 posts are over 200 Business Day Thursday posts. These posts are always targeted to photographers, from aspiring professional to seasoned pro, and focus on success tips that can help you continue to grow your business.

There have also been over 1000 “image of the day” posts. It is sometimes challenging to find an image five days a week. With each image I attempt to post the back story, what I was thinking as I was making that image, the technical details involved, and any pertinent lighting details as well. Nearly all the images have been posted with the pertinent excerpt data as well.

The easy way to explore the over 1000 images is to just search © David A. Ziser and just about all of them should pop since I include this copyright information with each photograph.

Other ways to search content on my blog is by exploring the topics listing in the right-hand column. You may have to scroll down just a bit to see them.

One thing I like about my blog is that there is no easy way to find any specific point of information. It is very much akin to my CD and DVD collection. Those collections to are neither organized or alphabetical which makes it a nice surprise when I find a CD or DVD selection that really intrigues me. I guess a different way of saying this is that, even for the occasional reader,  DigitalProTalk.com is full of surprises.

Another way to enjoy DigitalProTalk.com is to just browse through the post titles also included in the right column of the blog. Just pick any year, and then any month and then read through the titles. I'm sure you'll find something there that you like.

I've been thinking about changing DigitalProTalk.com header to read more simply:

DigitalProTalk – Stop on by, you'll always learn something here.

I think that says it all.  So in closing, let me say once again THANK YOU!! to all of my DigitalProTalk.com readers. Thank you to LaDawn for allowing me to continue to take the time to post/research daily. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'll keep writing if you'll keep reading;~)

I'll see you again bright and early on Monday morning, all the pixels willing. Have a great weekend everybody.

– David

Quick Hit Monday: Model Shoot-Out Coming!; Cool Photography; & Photoshop Goodies, Tutorials, and Freebies

Good Morning Everybody,

Ever have one of those days where you just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I hate to say it, but my entire weekend felt that way ;~) The BIG project for me is to push out the marketing for our upcoming PhotoPro Expo 2012 by the end of this week. 

Let me share with you one of our convention highlights.  It is like way cool.  If you've attended Photoshop World over the last few years, you've experienced the model shoot-out.  It is really fun.  Four bays completely propped and jammed packed with Westcott lighting and great looking exotic models.  Check out the video below to see what I mean - like I said, WAY COOL!. 

Anyway, my good friends at Westcott have agreed to do the same thing for our PhotoPro Expo 2012 convention!  I can't wait.  And, hey gang, that's just for starters.  I'll keep you posted as all the plans to come together. Remember, use promo code PPEDAZ12 to save $100 off registration.

On To Quick Hit Monday:

For today's Quick Hit Monday post I've gathered some very interesting and informative links for you.  I hope you enjoy them.. Let's get right to it.  Here we go...

On Photography:

I didn't find much on wedding photography this past week but did discover some great links with some terrific photography.

1. Photography Tips From Damian McGillicuddy: A very detailed de-construction of a great fashion shoot. [link]

2. Robert Seale Featured in Digital SLR Magazine:  Some very cool sports photography. [link]

3. 40 Realistic Examples of Levitation Photography: Hey, just for fun - makes me wonder how they were done ;~) [link]

4. The Ten Most Expensive Photographs: After last week's post on the most expensive photograph ever sold, I thought you may be interested in the rest of the Top 10 list of expensive images. [link]

Gadgets – Gear On The Cheap:

Super Cheap DSLR Remotes:  Photographers are three things and the first of those is CHEAP - me included.  That's why I liked this link to cheap DSLR remotes.  Uhmmm, remote cameras in front of church during weddings? [link]

Photoshop Lessons, Goodies & Freebies:

This is my favorite section to collect and pull together each week.  I can't believe all the good information available on line.  Check out these links - a treasure trove of Photoshop resources!

Cool Tutorials:

1 . 5 Incredible Methods to Enhance Your Designs with Light: A wonderful set of lighting tutorials to get great lighting on your Photoshop project. [link]

2. How to play Photoshop Actions on Multiple Images with Batch Editing: I needed to see this again.  It's one of those things you don't do every day.  So seeing the process once again was a good refresher.[link]

3. 30 Worth Learning Text Effect Tutorials in Photoshop: I'm not a big TEXT guy, but the processes described in these tutorials are fascinating to see. [link]

4. 25+ Water Effect Photoshop Tutorials and Brushes: I wish I had known about these techniques for some of my past projects. [link]

5. 30 Rare Outstanding Collections of Photoshop Tutorials: Some of these tutorials are really "off the wall" but following and understanding them will really broaden your knowledge of Photoshop. [link]

Some Great Freebies:

1. 30 Free Vector Graphics for Your Daily Needs:  A great set of useful Photoshop freebies. [link]

2. Free Tile-able and Seamless Pattern Sets:  More FREE stuff. [link]

3. 450+ Free Unique Photoshop Brushes:  I'm such a BRUSH junkie. [link]

4. Free Graphic Design Software Reviews and An Amazing Showcase:  OK, GIMP has been receiving a lot of play lately.  But now it also has a working version of "Content Aware Fill".  GIMP is FREE - Amazing!!! [link]

Wrapping With A Little Inspiration:

Stunning Photo Manipulations Inspired by Nature: I'm always amazed at what the digital artists can pull off in Photoshop. [link]

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Hey gang, that's it for me today.  I've got to get back to my real job.  I hope you'll join me tomorrow for another episode of Technique Tuesday.   

Hope to see tomorrow, David

Short And Sweet Friday

Good Afternoon Everybody,

Hey gang, I’m keeping it short and sweet today. I’ve got a friend visiting in just a bit and I’m looking for a little time off before I have to go back to work.  Just a few quick notes first though.

Approaching My 3,000 Post Here At DigitalProTalk!

I can't believe it, I just checked how many posts I made here at DigitalProTalk and was surprised to se I’m quickly approaching my 3000th post! Actually, the 3000th post should hit next Friday about this time. I'll have more information next week on that for you then.

Brand New Technique Tuesdays In The Works

I'm also working on a couple of brand-new Technique Tuesday's that are a bit more involved than usual. I’ll be spending time over the weekend getting them organized and and taped. Once again they’re on lighting so I think you’ll really enjoy them.

How Much For That Picture In The Window?

So today I post my Image of the Day and I think it's looking pretty good, right?  But, then I come across this post about how the photograph below recently sold at auction for $4.3 million!  I’m blown away!

The photograph named “Rhein II” was auctioned off for the mind boggling price of $4.3 million. This price makes it the most expensive photograph ever sold.  Here is the link to the story right here.

I think I just may send off a few my Sedona images and just see how I fare at the next photo auction ;~)  Like they say, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Hey gang message for me today my friend should be showing up shortly went to grab a quick lunch. How about I see everybody same time same place bright early Monday morning for the 2991st post here digital pro-talk.

Have a great weekend everybody I'll see you on the flipside all the pixels willing.  – David