Edwards FreeLance Photography

NIK Software Free Webinars

Nik Software Fall 2009 Webinar schedule. These seven hour-long educational webinars, which continue through mid-December, cover a range of photography topics including portrait, sports/action, wildlife, landscapes, weddings, commercial and Capture NX2 while offering basic information, insights and tips on using all Nik Software’s award-winning image enhancing plug-in products. Additionally, the webinars enable attendees to pose questions to the live educators.

“These free online webinars are designed to show how each Nik Software plug-in product can be used to enhance any photographer’s work within all types of photography while dramatically reducing editing time and complexity,” said Tony Corbell, Nik Software’s senior manager for product education and planning. “Education is so important to today’s busy digital photographer and Nik Software is committed to empowering everyone to get the most out of their photographs with our products.”

To register for any of the webinars, please visit: http://www.niksoftware.com/webinar

November 12, 2009 — 10:00am PST
Critters and Creatures
Nik Software’s own Laurie Shupp, an accomplished wildlife and nature photographer, teaches techniques specific to photographing wildlife. Attendees will see her beautiful wildlife work as she leads them through a series of enhancements including optimizing skies and backgrounds, highlighting animal fur, and minimizing distractions while maximizing primary subjects.

November 19, 2009 — 10:00am PST
Enhancing the Landscape Image
Photographers can follow along during the webinar as techniques designed to improve outdoor landscape images are illustrated in detail using numerous Nik Software products. Though particular styles and techniques differ from photographer to photographer, Nik Software products work together to capably handle all corrections and enhancements that combine to improve the overall photograph.

December 1, 2009 — 10:00am PST
Wedding Photography Techniques featuring Lightroom
Working specifically inside the host application of Adobe Lightroom®, this webinar focuses on how Nik Software products can enhance wedding photography by optimizing colors, creatively converting images to black-and-white and more. Attendees will learn tricks for batch processing and editing hundreds or even thousands of images.

December 10, 2009 — 10:00am PST
The Power of Capture NX2
Working primarily with RAW Nikon NEF files, the Nik Software team will again showcase the incredible power and ease of use of Capture NX2. This software features innovative U Point® technology for precise selective editing along with numerous other editing capabilities simply not found in other software. The intuitive nature of Capture NX2 helps photographers of all levels master editing techniques in days, not weeks, months or even years.

December 15, 2009 — 10:00am PST
Editing the Commercial Image
This webinar is devoted to commercial photography and the special needs this style of photography requires to satisfy demanding clients. Color correction, retouching and other techniques will be showcased on beautiful photography examples from some of the industry’s leading photographers.

Toshiba announces new CMOS

TOKYO, Japan., October 27, 2009 - Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced the launch of a new CMOS image sensor that will bring 14.6 million pixels to digital still cameras and to mobile phones supporting video imaging. The sensor, the latest addition to Toshiba’s “Dynastron™” line-up, is also the company’s first to integrate the enhanced sensitivity offered by back-side illumination technology (BSI). Sampling of the new sensor will begin in December and mass production will follow from the third quarter of 2010 (July--September). BSI brings new levels of responsiveness to CMOS imaging. Lenses are deployed on the rear of the sensor on the silicon substrate, not on the front, where wiring limits light absorption. This positioning boosts light sensitivity and absorption by 40% compared to existing Toshiba products, and allows formation of finer image pixels. Toshiba has made full use of the advantages of BSI to realize image pixels with a pitch of 1.4 microns, and to pack 14.6 million of them into a 1/2.3-inch sensor that meets the high level imaging and processing requirement, and that will also bring a new level of image quality to mobile phones. Toshiba will use the new sensor to promote its full-scale entry to digital camera market, and will continue to develop BSI products as a mainstream technology. The new sensor will be mass produced at Toshiba’s Oita Operations, on industry leading 300mm wafer lines deploying 65nm process technology. Initial production will be at a volume of 500,000 sensors a month. CMOS image sensors are a focus product of Toshiba’s System LSI business. Until now, their main application has been in mobile phones, where Toshiba could leverage its high density integration and low power consumption technologies. With the introduction of BSI CMOS sensors, Toshiba will reinforce the sensor business by expanding application to include digital cameras.

Key features Optical format: 1/ 2.3 inch Number of pixels: 14.6 mega pixels Size of pixels: 1.4 micro meter Frame rate: 60 frame per sec. (Supports 1080p, 720p) Note: Dynastron is a trademark of Toshiba Corporation

*About TAEC and Toshiba Corp. Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, distributions and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, discrete devices, displays, advanced materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, digital multimedia and imaging products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's leading cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics and more. Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's third largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2008 WW Semiconductor Market Share Report, April 2009). For additional company and product information, please visit http://www.toshiba.com/taec/.

Information in this press release, including product pricing and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current and believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice. Technical and application information contained here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product specifications. In developing designs, please ensure that Toshiba products are used within specified operating ranges as set forth in the most recent Toshiba product specifications and the information set forth in Toshiba's "Handling Guide for Semiconductor Devices," or "Toshiba Semiconductor Reliability Handbook." This information is available at http://www.chips.toshiba.com, or from your TAEC representative.

ASSP 09 582

The Smoky Mountain Pilgrimage

Every year around this time, people from around the region flock to the Smoky Mountains. Here are just a few images of the seasonal changes occurring this year in the Smoky Mountains.

Smoky Mountains - Images by Murray Edwards

Covering These Troubled Times

The following event came together rather late to promote attendance so I'm asking for your help to get the word out.

Please help spread the word about the November 4 program, Covering These Troubled Times: What Journalists Should Know about Trauma. The details are below.  Students and members are free, but friends of the panelists and the Dart Center will have free admission by sending an RSVP to Elaine Hudson at info@atlpressclub.org and mention my name.

If you have a distribution list to other journalists, students, or journalism organizations, please forward this along to your contacts.

Thanks!
Dorie Griggs

From:
http://www.atlantapressclub.org/events/event.php?id=209

Covering These Troubled Times: What Journalists Should Know about Trauma

Mike Walter spent his career chasing big stories, but on one September morning, the biggest story of his career was about to chase him down. He watched as a jet came raining down from the sky. It pierced the Pentagon, and for a time, shattered his emotional well-being. The award winning documentary Breaking News, Breaking Down, is a revealing look at how journalists continually go after breaking news, from 9-11 to Katrina, never imagining how it can break them down. In this landmark film, for the first time ever, a journalist turns the camera on himself and his profession, to candidly talk about how trauma impacted his life and the lives of others. It's a long overdue look at a problem that has been largely ignored for years, until now. In the end you'll watch journalists turn tragedy and trauma into triumph.

A panel discussion on the challenges facing journalists who cover traumatic events moderated by Atlanta Press Club member and consultant Dorie Griggs will follow the screening.

Panelists:
Moni Basu, writer/editor at CNN Wire and Dart Center Fellow

Mark Biello, Senior photojournalist at CNN

John McCusker, photojournalist with the New Orleans Times-Picayne, is featured in Breaking News, Breaking Down

Mike Walter, former WUSA-TV news anchor and creator of Breaking News, Breaking Down

WHEN
Wednesday, November 4
6 - 6:30pm reception
6:30-7pm Screening: Breaking News, Breaking Down
7- 8:30pm Panel discussion

WHERE
The Commerce Club, 18th Floor
34 Broad Street Atlanta, GA 30303 Valet parking is available for $6 and is not included in the ticket prices. For directions, please visit www.thecommerceclub.org/location.html.

Because of limited parking at TCC, please consider using MARTA, whose Five Points station is across the street, or parking in nearby decks on Marietta Street.

R.S.V.P.
This program is open to the public. APC members and students receive complimentary admission to the event. Please R.S.V.P. so we know how many people to expect. Nonmembers may purchase tickets for $10. Tickets may be purchased by clicking the link below or by calling 404-57-PRESS. Payment must accompany reservations, and there is a 48-hour cancellation policy

The 2009 Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride

They started rolling in on Friday morning. There are doctors, lawyers, business folk's, husbands and wives, people from every walk of life. Chattanooga is abuzz, since 1994 every 3^rd Saturday in September, thousands of avid motorcycle enthusiast have come together to make the ride from Chattanooga Tennessee tracing the path taken by the Cherokee Indians resulting from the 1830 Indian Removal Act.

Though the forecast for rain may have reduced the number of attendees at this year's event, spirits were high. During the early morning of the 19^th, diehard bikers from across the country began to line up two abreast at the corner of Broad and 20th and meandered nearly back to the riverfront park. On this day, it doesn't matter what you ride, be it a Harley or Honda. All that matters today is that everyone is here to honor the Native Americans that were forced from their homes and marched to Oklahoma.

At 8:00 AM, Mayor Ron Littlefield and candidate for Governor Zach Wamp gave the command, and in seconds the roar of engines began to echo throughout the downtown area and the caravan began to pull out. For the next twenty minutes, riders rolled by the waving spectators turned right on Broad and headed toward Monteagle Tennessee.

The ride headed north passing through neighborhoods and small communities, all along the way well-wishers also fighting the rain, stood with umbrellas in hand - waved, held signs and cheered the riders on their journey that would take them some 200 miles across the Tennessee Mountains to Florence Alabama.

The Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride - Images by Murray Edwards

Approaching Fayetteville Tennessee the rain began to subside and the sun began to shine, the temperature started to rise and the rain gear came off. The hour long stop in Fayetteville provided a fuel stop for both riders and motorcycles. Around 1:00 PM the riders climbed back aboard the motorcycles, turned west onto to highway 64 and headed toward Florence Alabama.

All along the final leg, the Tennessee law enforcement officers cleared the way for the procession. As the motorcade crossed over the Alabama state line, the Alabama Highway patrol took the reins and escorted the columns into Florence.

After arrival into Florence, the final destination for the majority of these riders, they headed to McFarland Park where they dismounted, shook off the mud and joined in the celebration.

Not All Stock Photography is Created Equal

These days everyone seems to using micro-stock agencies for their image requirements. I can't say that I really blame them, you've got millions of images to choose and the cost is basically non-existent. If you are content reviewing image after image of people smiling, keyboards, signs and the untold selections of illustrations and graphics then I suppose you are looking in the right spot.

But let's not forget about the professional photographers that spend their time and effort to produce a different type of stock photography, images that a cover a specific subject matter or geographic region. Photographers, that have spent years, working to hone their skills and perfect their style. Those that are up at the crack of dawn to catch the light, those that take chances going places, covering situations that the average person cares not to tread. Not someone who at the spur of the moment decides, I'm going to go out and take some snapshots and call it stock photography.

For the most part, you won't find those types of stock images on these micro-stock sites. You've got to do a little research to find the professionals that spend their days, doing nothing but creating high quality stock photography. Ones that aren't just posed models smiling happily into the camera lens. And yes, you will pay a little more than a dollar or two – But you get what you pay for!

So before you head off to one of those many sites that are well known for stock images, visit a site like PhotoShelter. Here you'll find many independent professionals that also offer Royalty Free and Rights Managed images available for your use; many also offer specialty products that can't be found on micro-sites and for the most part at very affordable prices.

 

 

 

 

Roadside Memorials – Honoring a Lost Loved One

This might be a rather unusual topic to discuss, however, for some reason I've found myself a little fascinated by these memorials to a lost loved one. While traveling back from a recent road trip, I passed by, what might be considered a shrine of sorts. Along with the standard cross, marking the spot of this tragic accident, were bouquets of flowers, tee-shirts hanging from limbs of trees and a couple gallons of water. Not real sure what the water was for, if anyone that reads this post knows the significance of this, please leave a comment. 

After paying my respects to this person I've never met, I headed back to my truck to continue my ride home. During the remainder of my 3 hour trip, I started to wonder, do these places of remembrance bring some form of closure to family members and friends? What if you lived near where this unfortunate event occurred, wouldn't passing this reminder on a continuous basis just re-hash already painful memories?

My guess was a little of both until I got a chance to speak with a couple of folks who had lost a family member and were kind enough to discuss the matter. About once a month, this son and daughter stop by and pick up trash and trim the weeds away from their father's accident site. Why? According to both, it makes them feel closer to their dad. In their words "This is where his spirit left". What about the grave site? They said that they visited there also, mainly on his birthday or father's day, but by passing this memorial nearly every day they can say "Hi dad, we miss you". So, in their own way, as many I suspect, are trying to say to the rest of us passersby, slow down and pay a little respect.

Unfortunately, it seems as though not everyone feels the same way, there have been several occasions where this site along as many others, I discovered, have been vandalized. This is shameful, you might not agree with placing markers or think that they are a distraction, but destroying a place of homage just isn't right and anyone doing so should be completely ashamed of themselves.

On a secondary note, 22 states across the country have some type of law that regulates roadside memorials from how long the memorial can remain in place to what type of memorial is allowed, example being, Montana and California allow memorials but only if alcohol was involved to being completely prohibited by Maryland and Utah. Presently, the Federal Government has no regulations in place.

 

 

Will Crocket Training Class

If you reside in the Tampa area, this should be a good class to attend.

Light, Camera, Profits with WILL CROCKETT

Join us on our special summer "mini tour" for a brand new seminar - LIGHT, CAMERA, PROFITS.   It's our absolute latest info on how to shoot smarter instead of harder with photographer, author, ShootSmarter.com chief tech writer, and photo consultant to the US Military: Will Crockett.

"This years special summer seminar is designed to show you the power of the technology available to you in the photo tools you already have as well as the best of the new tools available to create files that need the least amount of post-production to make GORGEOUS prints. We'll also cover the "smart picks" in on-camera as well as off-camera flash, our new list of recommended studio lighting, and a boatload of techniques to grow as a photographer and business-owner instead of sweating over a hot computer screen fixing files." - Will Crockett

Those of you who have seen Will's programs before know he pulls no punches, is great at separating his opinion from fact, and can easily shoot a client assignment in JPEG or RAW that needs zero adjustments to make a smokin' print! Will travels to 4 cities this summer with his own personal lighting, shooting, computer and even wide format printing gear to show you exactly how to become a more efficient, confident, and profitable photographer.  Using both studio lighting and on-the-go lighting, Will is the leading expert in solving the mysteries of making better on-camera and off-camera flash photos and has plenty of new tips never presented before (wait until you see his new fill-flash techniques!)
This new program moves you up a pay grade to reveal as many answers and shortcuts as possible to increase your profits while decreasing your time and frustration. Will's style of premium quality imaging with unusual ease in producing the final file or print in the least amount of time is why he has been chosen over all others as the "trainer" for the staff of photographers inside the Pentagon. 

Here's what you can expect at this Sunday afternoon program
• In-camera tools and tips for setting the best capture possible.
• NEW fill-flash techniques that ROCK.
• Will's TOP FIVE money makers - tools that work for you everyday.
• Event coverage with one flash and two.
• Your best wireless triggering options for TTL and non-TTL lighting.
• File storage, painless backup solutions both offline and online.
• Will's latest picks for best on-camera and off-camera flash.
• Premium studio strobes... worth the bux?  Why or why not?
• Our new ShootSmarter "Top THREE" monobloc / compact strobes.
• B&W quality simplified and "profitized"
• A "real time" photo session using some amazing time-savers.

For more information go to : Where's Will Crocket

Working with Models

A good video from You Tube discussing working with Models

Sweetwater Creek State Park – Georgia

Looking for somewhere to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon with the family or friends? If you live in Atlanta or surrounding area, take a short ride to Sweetwater Creek, a little piece of wilderness just few minutes from the hustle and bustle from downtown Atlanta. Spend the day relaxing along the banks of the George Sparks Reservoir or if you are feeling a little more adventurous put on your hiking shoes and explore the numerous trails that meander throughout the park.

The four trails of Sweetwater Creek State Park are well maintained, and vary from smooth and easy, to rugged and technical.

Take a stroll down the historic or red trail to the remains of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company. The trail runs along Sweetwater Creek to the ruins, which consist of the three-story walls of the mill building which was destroyed during the Civil War.

The blue non-game wildlife trail follows the bluff above the river and meets the historic trail and the new white non-game wildlife trail at the falls. The white trail completes a loop that runs 6 miles and may test your endurance. The recently added yellow trail crosses Sweetwater Creek and follows the river south before looping deep into the watershed.

If you enjoy climbing around on rocks, then you will feel like a kid again.  The creek bed is full of opportunities to climb, jump over and wade in the water that flows through the park. Stop along the way to the falls, take a seat and cool off in one of the small pools that form along the clusters of rock formations.

Got a kayak or canoe? The reservoir provides calm smooth waters to paddle or do some fishing. Stop by the interpretive center for supplies, maps or bait.

So plan on getting away next weekend, head west on I-20 towards Birmingham – take exit 44 and follow the signs. There is a $3 dollar per vehicle parking fee, but that’s a small price to pay to for an enjoyable day