NoBs Digital Dogbowl
The NoBs Digital Dogbowl Newsletter:
Keeping you up to date and informed on the latest, coolest, and outrageous happenings inside the world of NoBS Photo Success.
Loaded with Free photography tips, Photoshop tutorials, photo reviews,
and other totally relevant essentials. Be sure to check out the whole thing!
Hungry for more? Visit our digital photography forum.
August 2009 Digital Dogbowl
You Still Have Time: Inferno Registration
Spots are still available for the 2009 NoBS Inferno for NoBS members. Not a member yet? What are ya waitin' for?? This is a can't-miss seminar featuring some of the best in our industry.
This year promises to be like no other. We are focusing on business building, marketing, cracking open new markets and creating images that soar above the competition.
LIVE, BREATHE, EAT, SLEEP PHOTOGRAPHY
No awards banquets, theme nights, conventions or mascots- just THREE DAYS OF THE HOTTEST PHOTOGRAPHIC, no-holds barred, knock 'em-down-grind-'em-out, 100% non-stop intense and hottest photographic education available anywhere today.
To register today go to: 2009 NoBS Inferno
NoBS Member/Photo of the Month: Laetitia Murray
Congratulations to this month's member of the month and winner of the photo of the month vote: Laetitia Murray!
Here's her story:
I am originally from France and was bathed into photography at an early age since it was my dad's passion. I spent countless hours in the dark room processing film. My brother is a photographer as well in Normandy, France. I met my husband and moved to the US and the passion really came back after giving birth to my first son, Lucas.
Come On Baby Light My Fire!
It seems NoBS members take fire pretty seriously. (Must be why the annual workshop is called the Inferno.) Well, we had several members post how to create fire in the studio. NoBS member and photoshop guru Shelley, put together a video to show how she and Steve put fires in their images of seniors. Don't worry, no hairs or other body parts were injured in these demonstrations. To view the exclusive NoBS members' only video tutorial, go here.
NoBS Webinar Madness Updates and Upcoming Events
August brought us webinars on SEO strategies from William Foster and on off camera lighting with James Hodgins. (Don't worry if you missed it. For Bill Foster's webinar, go here and for James' webinar click here. )
Can't get enough of NoBS webinars? September 14 will feature a webinar with Fundy SOS creator Andrew Funderburg. Among other things, you'll learn how to cut production time by 50-75%. Join us and also learn how to cut album design time by 50% with the Fundy SOS' suite of productivity tools.
To register for this webinar and read more go here .
On September 17, you'll be in for a real treat. The legendary Mama Shan will be doing her first NoBS webinar. To the seasoned Photoshop user or beginner in Photoshop, if you've never explored the use and possibilities of using the Vector tools and functions in Photoshop, then Mama Shan's Basic Vectors in Photoshop will open the door for you.
In Part 1, she will show a presentation of some of her Photoshop Vector work, give a brief history of the origin of Vectors, compare Vector and Raster elements, provide you with Exercise files and show you how to use them to begin your journey down the Vector Path.
To sign up for Mama Shan's webinar to here.
design|house Announces Exclusive Pre-Sale of d|h2 For NoBS
Well, just when you were getting your tootsies wet with design house volume 1, creator and NoBS moderator, Andy Armstrong, has announced a pre-sale on his soon-to-be released design house volume 2.
Just like dh1, design house vol. 2 is jam-packed with everything you need to get creative for your clients, and some brand new things you won't be able to get enough of. design house vol. 2 is a library of Adobe Photoshop actions, brushes, patterns, and custom shapes, as well as hi-res digital album backgrounds, wallpapers, textures, objects, frames, and digital mats. AND - new to this design house library are a set of Adobe Lightroom presets!
To get the exclusive pre-sale link, go to this NoBS page.
Are You A Cookie Cutter Photographer?
Recently, one of the wedding photography industry's brightest stars, NoBS member, Jaco, shared with the forum how he was accused by an anonymous poster on his own blog of being a cookie cutter photographer with no emotion. It was a rather negative and petty jab obviously done to upset him. However, is there some truth to that statement? Are we cookie cutter photographers? If we are smart, then the answer is yes. You need to have a series of regular/standard shots that are expected by clients (they did hire you for your style of work didn't they?) and are money makers for your studio. To read more, go here.
Our Friend The Alt Key by Bill Guy
When you start with Photoshop you learn by clicking on tools and using them. Need another tool just go to the tool bar and click on it. Simple but what a lot people don’t know is that with many of the tools if you hold down the Alt (Ok you Mac users the Option) key you can get more from the tool. For example if you are using the Clone tool you know to hold down the Alt key to take a sample but did you know that when you are using the Quick Selection tool and it is in the plus or add to selection mode and you hold down the Alt key you are now in the subtraction mode. This works also with the Marquee tool for add or subtracting from the selection.
The Alt key also works with many of the sliders. If you are making an adjustment with Levels and want to know when you are clipping your highlights just hold down the Alt key while moving the highlight point (that little white triangle under the histogram on the right). The image will go white and when you start to move it to the left the highlights that are being clipped (blown out) start to show up. The same will happen if you hold down the Alt key with the Black point (the black triangle on the left side under the histogram). The image will go black and start to change when you move it the right.
This also works in Camera RAW ACR for Sharpening. Holding down the Alt Key while moving the sliders will show you Masking and Detail in the overlay mode.
So if you are bored and want to see what might happen if you hold down the Alt key try it with tools and sliders. Many times you might be surprised.
Are You Stealing Images At A Workshop?
This was a hotly debated topic on the forum not long ago. If you have ever been to a workshop, you are probably one of dozens of people shooting images. But, is it ethical for you to use the images after the fact to promote your business? After all, more than likely someone else set up the shot for you. The big question and determining factor in whether an image should be used is if you are able to reproduce the shot on your own with the same results. To read more on this riveting topic, go to this link.
Rob and James would like your input on who deserves the NoBS Achievement Award of 2009. If you have someone in mind, please e-mail them at interpolatethis@nobsphotosuccess.com and tell them why you think your nominee should win. The winner will be announced at Inferno.
If you are a Mac user and have had difficulty viewing the webinar or other videos on NoBS, worry no more. NoBS moderator Mike Long has graciously provided a link for Mac users to download free software to overcome this issue. This software will actually help you view most anything. To grab that link, go here and read Mike's response.
NoBS member, Photosensitive (aka Denise Rehse-Watson), recently posted about a document which could prove helpful to any photographer who has been told by security they are not allowed to photograph in a public space. To get the link and print this document, go here.
NoBS member Derek has kindly put together another video review for NoBS members. This month he reviews the Lens Align Pro Plus - Long Lens Kit. To see the video go to this NoBS link .
New Forum: The Comic Relief Room
NoBS has a new place for you to hang out and have a good chuckle. If you've had a bad day, the kids are screaming, you just finished up with a bridezilla, and you need a good laugh, this is the room. NoBS members are welcome to post here but user beware, inappropriate content will be removed immediately.
To see what all the who-ha is about go here.
If you want to make the most of your d|h backgrounds (or any other background for that matter) then look no further than the d|h learning center. Here's a video tutorial NoBS member, moderator, and d|h creator Andy Armstrong put together to show you just how simple it is. How To Use Backgrounds
Here's a new video download from Rob demonstrating how he did the workflow on his senior images which you may have seen on the forum. To view the video go here.
Longtime NoBS member, MissJ50, recently shared a link to download a favorite free software with her fellow NoBSers. The software, V6 Portrait Professional, will only work on the Windows platform. To get the download link start here.
Here's a new studio tour with some friends of Rob and James, Kevin and Anna of Kevanna Fine Photograpy in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. To watch the video click here.
For those of you unfamiliar with Clem, he is a NoBS member who is generous to a fault with his time. But, what was not known until now is how much of a pain in the butt he really can be. Not long ago, Clem was asked to assist James Hodgins at a wedding. Well, James and his wife, Joce, captured on video some downright shocking and childish behavior from Clem. Think twice before including this man on a job.
Disclaimer: This video was posted in The Comic Relief Room. Needless to say, Clem is a very good sport.