photos by richard

The Adobe Photoshop program has so many uses, it is nearly impossible to pick favorites. Everyone who uses the program has their own favorite set of uses, because everyone that uses a photo editing program has their own objectives for using it.

Photoshop was first developed as software to design and edit images that were to be printed. It allows users to edit images several times over and save them repeatedly without losing any quality, so they were of a high enough standard to print. This use is still probably the most common, although recently, the Adobe Photoshop brand has branched out to include more applications that allow users to edit film and create professional quality DVDs.

The number one use of Photoshop is editing photos. Everyone has heard people claim that the reason celebrities always look so fabulous is because magazines make liberal use of Photoshop editing! But Photoshop is not just for airbrushing. It has a wide variety of uses in editing photographs, from fixing flaws, like red eyes or blurs, to cropping and refocusing photos. It is possible to crop something from one photo and add it to another, or use the color tools in Photoshop to brighten up a dull picture. Photoshop has revolutionized photography for professionals and amateurs alike; many photographers can hardly remember life without it.
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Do you know where your camera's manual is? Have you read (studied) the whole thing?

All cameras come with an owner's manual, but most of us do not take the time to read it. Even I learned this the hard way when I took a refresher course at the local college. The instructor asked us to use a certain feature and I did not know how to do it! Like most, once I got past the basic operations, I got anxious to go out and try the camera.

Maybe you find all the new terms confusing or there seems like too much information to digest. This is understandable, but by not reading the entire manual, you limit yourself, and many cool features of your camera are never used. Hopefully you will find the following suggestions helpful in getting the most from your digital camera.
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The modern day digital camera can drain a battery quickly. After the cost of the camera, this could well be your biggest expense, but there are some things you can do to increase the length of time your batteries stay charged.

1. The LCD screen uses the most power. It is possible to turn this feature off unless you really feel the need for it. Using the camera’s viewfinder will conserve power.
2. Next is the built-in flash. Whenever you can, use natural lighting to take your photos and turn off the flash. This will help save your battery for times when you absolutely need the flash.
3. A third drain on your battery is constantly using your zoom. It takes more power zooming in and out than it does keeping your zoom at a steady place. Try to find a setting you like and stick with it as much as possible.
4. Make sure Power Saving mode is on, or simply switch off your camera when you're not using it.
5. In cold weather, keep your camera and batteries warm in your jacket until you are ready to use them. The cold drains batteries very quickly.
6. When not using the camera, store batteries in a cool, dry location away from sunlight and other heat sources.
7. Avoid unnecessary playback of your already taken images. Try to decide when you take the picture if it is a “keeper” or needs to be deleted and then refrain from reviewing until the pictures are downloaded to your computer.

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I was cleaning up my apartment and came across a business card that had this written on the back of it.

Guidelines

1. know your subject
2. draw attention to the subject
3. simplify

I'll come back to these another day and add some "meat" to each point. In the meantime, think about those 3 short guidelines.

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As a photographer, one of your best friends and worst enemies will be the weather. It is impossible to always have ideal conditions for shooting your subject matter, but it is possible to take what you get and make the most out of it. Whether your day is sunny, overcast, or rainy, you can create beautiful shots of the landscape.

There are two hours in the day known affectionately by photographers as the golden hours. These two hours occur right after sunrise and right before sunset and are generally longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. Why are these two hours generally the best for effective shots? Well, during the early morning and late afternoon, the sun is positioned for dramatic lighting, but will not create harsh shadows or blazes of light, especially when shooting with people.
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