December 16, 2011

Get Gavin Seim's complete LR Essentials video workshop for just $10.

Updated 01/30/12. The free promo ended Jan 29, 2012. But you can still get the workshop at a special discount.

With the introduction of my new LR Ninja video training workshops comes LR training for all levels, Ninja training, if you will. One of the best parts is that you can get LR Essentials, the entire first workshop for just $10. Even if you already use LR, you’ll want this first workshop because there’s something for everyone. Here’s how it works….

How it to get a LR Ninja video workshop for ONLY $10…

The best thing for Seim Effects users can do to help out is to spread the word. That’s why we’re rewarding you for it. All you have to do to get the workshop for only $10.00 is share the Seim Effects Facebook or G+ page on your profile, spreading the word so other people can check out Seim Effects for themselves.

Facebook: Just visit the Seim Effects page. On the bottom left, look for the share text. Click it and share the SE page on your personal profile, an active photo related group, or page. If you like, you to can add a few comments to the share, or just post it. As long as it’s on your wall, you’re golden.

Google+: If you prefer to hang on G+, that’s cool too. Just visit the SE page on G+ and click the “Share This Page” button on the upper left. Share the page with your friends on your personal profile, just like you would on FB.

Getting your discount download: You must share one or both of the pages listed above on your wall. Once you’ve shared, just send Gavin an email, effects@seimstudios.com. A screenshot of the share is nice, but we’re pretty easy going, so if you say you shared it and where, we’ll take your word for it. Just let Gavin know which page you shared, and he will follow up personally by sending you a coupon to get the first LR Ninja WORKSHOP. That generally happens within 24hours (usually much faster).

A couple guidelines:

You must share the corresponding Seim Effects page on your Facebook or Google+ personal profile, active photo related group, or page. You do not have to share on all, but if you want to say thanks by sharing in more than one place, we appreciate it. Also, while we appreciate you posting links directly to the website, this is to help spread the word on the social networks. You must share either the SE Facebook page or the SE Goggle+ page.

You cannot post the share and then delete it.  This promotion is for the first workshop in the series and is not transferable. Even if you’re already using LR, there’s something in there for you. You cannot exchange the first workshop for one of the others. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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“What happened to the free download?”

If you’re looking for the freebie download, that was a temporary promotion. You can follow the above instruction and get the workshop for only $10… Gav

 

 

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December 16, 2011

12/15/11: Seim Effects Announces Gavin’s Seim’s, Lightroom® Ninja Workshop Series.

A fresh new Lightroom® workshop series from workflow expert Gavin Seim. Lightroom® training where you pick your workshop, pick your topics, and pick your time.

Soap Lake, WA, (December 17, 2011) – Seim Effects Photo Tools announces the availability of the new Lightroom Ninja downloadable video workshops for Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® at an introductory discounted price.

Lightroom is a system for creativity, quality, and efficiency. Each Lightroom Ninja video workshop takes users step-by-step through live screen recorded chapters, looking at each level of using Lightroom’s features with Gavin Seim, award winning photographer, writer, and designer of Seim Effects photo tools. Learn Lightroom step-by-step when and where you want.

Each workshop is fully downloadable in 720HD, making review and learning easy for all levels of Lightroom users. Three workshops are currently available: “LR Essentials,” “Everyday LR,” and “The LR Pro.” Three more workshops on advanced topics are planned for release in 2012. Each workshop is divided into topic chapters for a total of approximately 90 minutes. Workshops are being released at an introductory price of just $25.00 each. The first workshop in the series is also available for no cost to users that share about Seim Effects on their Facebook or Google+ pages. Details here.

Visit the Lightroom Ninja product page for more information.

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August 25, 2011

I have something new for you all that I’m really excited about. HDR and dynamic range is something I became passionate about years back. Since then it’s become more than a “look”. It’s become a way for me to better understand and manage light on every level. I think understanding dynamic range is an everyday essential for the serious photographer. It goes deep.

People have been asking for a recorded segment on HDR for years now. I’ve finally got a collection finished. And it’s more than basic HDR. Enter, HDR Magic. Over 2 hours of fully downloadable HD videos where I show you how I make HDR images and manage dynamic range. Their divided into sections, looking at every aspect, from bold HDR to gentle dynamic pushing and pulling. And going forward I plan to refine the set even further and send out free updates.

Head over to the HDR page for all the details and and the first video. It’s time to see light in a new light. I think you’ll enjoy them… Gav

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July 22, 2011

Gavin's new video training collection on cloning and retouching.

This has been a long time coming and I’m really excited about it. Every time I made a video, taught a webinar, or planned a lesson. Somewhere in the back of my mind it was planning for video collections. People kept asking for them and I kept wanting to do them, but it was always daunting. I needed a plan and I needed to buckle down and make it happen.

Well it finally has and it’s in the form of my new Digital Darkroom training videos. Each video collection will o in depth on it’s topic, sharing ideas and techniques to really master it. No holds barred training that’s organized and concise. Kicking it all off is the Cloning Magic video workshop. A deep look at mastering the cloning and retouching tools that will change the way you edit and take your work to new levels. Check out the introduction and a free chapter from the complete new series right here. Enjoy… Gav

 

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June 11, 2011

I’m going to talk about cloning today. On photo’s that is. I don’t know much about the other kind. Cloning, patching, retouching. Whatever you call it, it’s all about making an image as perfect as it can be. Really it’s been around since long before computers. I’ve seen an airbrush artist do the same thing we do with cloning, but directly on a print with paint. It’s amazing. But thankfully we don’t have to do that.

Thing is you can do almost anything with cloning. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy and it doesn’t mean you should. I’m a big fan of getting it right in camera, and sometimes it’s best just to leave things alone. But often the goal is a perfect image and there’s some things you simply can’t, or didn’t change in camera.

I have a new online workshop that focuses on how to make perfect clones and retouches and I thought it would be a great time to share some of my favorite tips on how to do it better. If you want more, check out my Cloning Magic Video Workshop.

Mouse for before/After. I could not move the clutter in the field and time was fleeting. In post I thought of leaving it, but then though how much cleaner it could be and what a good exercise in challenging clones it would preset... Gav
  • 1. Visualize.
    Look at your image on the screen and consider and what you need from it. Then analyze closer for similar areas and information you can copy from.
  • 2. Make a layer.
    Never clone on your base layer, but a copy of it. This way you can mask in and out if your clone gets messy on and edge of you change your mind.
  • 3. Zoom Both Ways.
    Don’t be afraid to get in very close and make sure it’s right. Then for a broader scope, zoom out and make the image small on the screen. This is a secret to checking for halos or bad edges that can easily be missed when zoomed in. The mark of good clone is that it’s invisible to large printing and scrutiny.
  • 4. Change brush size.
    A soft large brush is usually where I start. Too small or too hard a brush can leave lines when you zoom out. That said don’t be afraid to change your brush size, not only to avoid pattens of sameness, but also to better work details. Large and small. Work it all.
  • 5. Try different tools. A regular clone brush is a good start. Even a Lightroom or Aperture clone can work well for basics. But no one tool does it all. Sometimes spot healing gives a more natural look. Sometimes the Patch tool nails it. Content aware fill and healing can also be perfect. Sometimes you need to manually brush color. If one does not satisfy you, try another. Good cloning is a process and sometimes it takes them all.
  • 6. The Final Cleaning. The best clones are usually refined. Do your main retouching, then come back and look again. Use the tools (sometimes at lesser opacity) to blend in areas, reducing blotchiness and repetitive objects. For example, you may have a clone with little rocks that match from somewhere else. To avoid repetitive problems, you can clone in a smaller patch erasing only one pebble of rock from the spot, breaking the repetition. Also watch for halo’s on edges and missed areas. again. It’s so easy to miss when you’ve been looking at a print for an hour.

That’s all for today. Have fun… Gav

Mouse for before/After. This was more of a screw up. An older portrait, the client came back and wanted a wall portrait made. I had neglected to remove the crud from the dock and it did not seem to be adding. I did a lot of detailed retouching to remove the crud and make the image shine for it's 30 inch canvas... Gav

Check out Gavin’s video workshop…

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