If you didn’t receive yesterdays copy of the Photo Couch newsletter which included the PPS/Seim Effects Christmas gift pack, I figured I would post it here along with a big Merry Christmas to all you readers. It’s been great having you part of the community in 2009.
PPS has teamed up with Seim Effects again this year for our annual gift pack. This years download has a nice selection fresh photo editing goodness including some Lightroom presets and photo textures. The best part is their free. Hop over to the Seim Effects download page below to get your copy, then share the joy. Also check out the deals page for some the promo codes and specials we’ve worked out over the past year.
Here’s to a great new year. Lets keep out businesses, creativity and kindness alive and well in 2010. Merry Christmas and see you on the forums… Gav
Learning is NOT about your equipment. It’s about you.
by Gavin Seim: There must be a romantic draw to film because some still love it. That’s OK with me, even though I can’t totally relate. When I started in photography I was using film and the day I went digital I never went back. That was the days when film may have actually been better. As a teenager I remember eagerly reading things like “digital will be as good as film once we hit eight megapixels.” Then it happened and they still didn’t acknowledge it. Now with digital we can shoot at huge resolutions and get ISO over 100,000 for less money than using film. Sure it’s grainy, but show me a film that will shoot ISO 100,000.
Some photographers STILL tell newbies to learn film first. All the while I’m thinking. “Stop wasting their time and money. Do we learn to ride a hoarse so we can drive a car? Their both transportation.” Fans of learning on film say it makes you think more about the shot since you have less of them. I say if you want less shots get a 1 gig card, or better yet a 256 meg. With today’s cameras that will make you think twice before you shoot because you’ll fill it up in no time.
Some of you may remember in the film days we heard things like “digital is great for learning because you can see immediate results and respond accordingly.” I concur. But now that digital is the norm people say “it’s better to learn on film because you cannot see the results. It’s teaches you discipline.” Huh? Something not making sense here. All the essentials like shutter, fstop, composition, focus and the rest can be learned just as well on digital and for less money.
If you still like film that’s OK. I know people get hooked on things and retro can be cool. But can you actually give us a real factual argument that film is better? I’m not talking about a romantic feelings towards film, I’m talking about some proof. With digital. I can shoot faster, longer, with less light and less resulting grain, then manage and edit the resulting images faster and spend less money doing it. What does film give me.
Bottom line. If you find film interesting and useful then go for it as long as you can still find it. Personally I would suggest learning digital first and then trying film if you like. Otherwise you’ll spend a lot of money on so so images that you could be putting into better lenses, education and more. In the end I think we all need to remember that it’s not about the gear we use. It’s not Mac or PC, Canon or Nikon, film or digital. Being a great photographer is about taking the time to learn and master your passion. If you want to make it as a professional it’s that too, but even more it’s about learning to sell and market your image to the paying customer.
Then again, I am just a young punk and I’m not afraid to change my mind. For curiosity sake I’ll add a poll below to how many of you are actually using film.
Merry Christmas. It’s time to take a look at some cool gadgets and get optimistic and practical about profit in 2010. Don’t miss the last half of the show when we get down to serious business.
How often do you go into a gallery and see a masterpiece that’s not signed?
How often does the same piece have a HUGE ugly watermark across the front?
by Gavin Seim Updated 11/12: If your name is not on your work, you’re missing out. But it needs to be done well. The truth is, selling images is not about just having passion, it’s about business. Is your work just piece of paper, or is it a piece if art? I think many people who don’t brand their images do so because they lack branding experience, or don’t consider their images of high enough value to hang equally next to other art. Some on the other hand some take image marking too far, ruining their presentation by going overkill with watermarks. Petapixel did a fun satirical article on this recently.
Today we’ll look at nearly every angle. From web images to print – First lets remember that classy branding on an image generally adds value. How often do you buy a book without the authors name on the front? Even the cars we buy have logos on them. If you bought a Ferrari would you want it without the emblem? I think not. Why then should the art we make be unmarked! Are there exceptions? Sure, but not many. For example a commercial client may require unbranded images, but they should also expect to pay a premium for that right. Artists have been branding their work for centuries and so should you.
This night HDR of the Seattle skyline shows an example of how I mark images for gallery and print exhibitions while keeping them classy. I hand sign my best pieces, as we’ll talk about below. Take the time to work on a good signature. While this is very subdued, people do look at signatures and names. It keeps it classy yet keeps the brand strong.
I’ve been a fan of OnOne products for awhile now. I did the review on V4 some time back and it nailed a 7/10. Plugin suite is a nice collection of tools in a single package. V5 is now available for order and the folks at OnOne have hooked readers up with a sweet deal. I’ll be getting hands on for a closer look at whats new in version 5 soon, but for now here’s some details.
The sale is for $200 off the complete suite. That’s over 30% off, making it $399. It ends Dec 5th 2009 however. Here’s the direct link, or you can just use coupon code PPS200 at checkout.
If you found this post after the sale ends you can still use code PRPHTPC for 15% off. You can also check for other specials over the the PPS Deals page. Have fun… Gav
Resize images using Genuine Fractals 6.
Remove unwanted backgrounds with Mask Pro 4.
Color correct photos with PhotoTune 3.
Put the focus where you want with FocalPoint 2.
Get the professional look with PhotoTools 2.5.
Add the perfect finishing touch with PhotoFrame 4.5.
