Photo Finishing or Editing - Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, and Creative Cloud

I you want to know more about Lightroom, or the Adobe Creative Cloud in general, just go tohttp://www.adobe.com,  ask me, OR post in the Facebook help group below. :-)

Don't disregard the Creative Cloud too fast, being a monthly subscription.  Find out what all it offers first.  If you are a serious photographer, you may be interested.  The photographer's bundle ($10.00 per month) includes Lightroom, FULL Photoshop (not Elements), a means to set up a couple of your personal web sites, and MUCH more.  Oh, by the way, you automatically get ALL upgrades, including major releases, at no additional charge.

There is a free 30-day trial, but ask me about FREE formal instruction first.  A lot there, and the 30 days goes fast.  Playing around with it, won't do it or you justice in 30 days.

For those of you who need Lightroom support, this Facebook group is probably the best and quickest means of technical support I've seen.  You'll most likely get an answer almost immediately.

Lightroom Help Group


As usual, any questions, just fire away.
Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips.

Photography Gear - Polarizing Filters

Think of polarized sunglasses.  That's what a polarizing filter is for your camera.

I use mine all the time, especially for enhancing skies and removing glare off surfaces like water, glass or metal.

A video is worth a thousand words, so check this out:
Why are Polarising filters (Polarizing filters) so important? 

As usual, any questions, just fire away.

Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips.

What is this Adobe Creative Cloud Thing?

Most folks think the Creative Cloud is just paying monthly for say Photoshop and/or Lightroom.  Creative Cloud is WAAAAAY more than that.  How about:

• Sharing photos without worrying about e-mail handling file sizes.
• Your own website to present your work, no extra charge.
• EASILY get advice from around the world on your photos, while you are working on it.
• Or better, let other Creative Cloud users EASILY adjust your photo for you. 

To see what the Creative Cloud is all about, start by watching these videos.
Creative Cloud

As usual, any questions, just fire away.

Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips. 

Photography Gear - Should I get a dSLR Camera

dSLR stands for digital single lens reflex, if you are curious. :-)

These tend to be those big, expensive looking cameras.  Do you want or need one, maybe, maybe not.  It depends on what you want to accomplish.

Having said that, here's an AWESOME video covering this topic.  The presenter is not trying to convince you to get a dSLR, rather explain the difference between a dSLR and a point-and-shoot.  I put camera phones in the point-and-shoot category as well.

Click to view the video:
When are you Ready for a dSLR?

On a related note, I would also look at my previous post:
Which Camera Should I Buy?

As usual, any questions, just fire away.

Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips.

Quick Tips for Anyone with a Camera - Composition

Want a great tip for better photos from ANY camera?

One word, composition.  Learning some simple composition techniques may not be as daunting a task as you think.  There are plenty of free resources to get you a great start.  This is just one, from YouTube:

Free Photography Training Videos
Click on the above link, then just click on Creative, then Composition and Beginner to get started.
Oh, might as well look around, while you are there. :-)

Just as a side note.
I'm reading a new e-book on advanced composition.  Very cool.  Learning things I've never heard of before, and I thought I'd seen it all.  Anyway, if interested, contact me.

As usual, any questions, just fire away.

Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips.

Quick Tips for Anyone with a Camera - Blown-Out Mid-Day Photos

I'm sure everyone has had crappy mid-day photos.  The photo is washed out, bright areas blown-out, people or objects too dark.  One VERY simple solution may help i  the future.

Get out of the sun.
Get in the shade.  Wait for a cloud to cover the sun.  Shoot early morning or late afternoon.

Sure, there are more advanced techniques for dealing with this, like lens filters or HDR, but just getting out of the direct sun will work wonders, trust me.

As usual, any questions, just fire away.

Click on the blog title (Brett's Photography Tidbits) at the top to see all my tips.

Quick Tips for Anyone with a Camera - My Camera Won't Shoot

Ever get frustrated because your camera won't take a picture?  Your camera probably isn't broken, it just can't lock in the focus.  There are typically two reasons for this.

• You are too close.
• Not enough contrast around the subject, light and dark areas. 

On the first one, every camera has a minimum distance it can focus at.  In other words you can only get so close.  Try a few of things:

• Take a few steps back and try the shot, then gradually work your way in.
• Zoom out.  The more you zoom in, the farther away you have to be.
• If you need to get VERY close, try zooming out all the way and set macro mode.

As usual, any questions, fire away.