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Photoshop Express Quicktip 5 – Adding fill light

Originally uploaded by floyduk

I’ve been out of the real world for the last 2 weeks, on a Firebrand training course in Oxfordshire trying to earn my MCTS accreditation for my day job. It was very very intense, save to say that I’ve shot absolutely no images for nearly 2 weeks now – that’s not good!
I’ve barely even managed to check my mail never mind keep on top of the plethora of feeds I subscribe too.
Anyway, just a quickie tonight to point out this useful series of tutorials that John Arnold of PhotoWalkThrough.com is running on Photoshop Express. I’ve not had time to look at the product yet, but John’s tutorials are very good, and well worth checking out if you’re using it.

For more details on the updates, visit Lightroom Journal http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2008/04/lightroom_141_and_camera_raw_4.html

Or download the updates here;
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/?ogn=EN_US-gntray_dl_updates

Though as I write, the site appears to be down for “essential maintenance” or possibly overloaded???

Originally uploaded by jacobsdad

3 more shots from the Roma game to add to the Football Fans project. This was shot just after the referee had awarded Roma a very dubious penatly. Fortunately De Rossi completely sky’d it!

I have printed the majority of these myself in the darkroom, but I thought I would have a go at scanning the negs and getting them printed digitally too. (There are a few I have had problems with in the darkroom due to the low light they were shot in, and lack of contrast in the neg). I collected the prints yesterday and am rather disappointed with the results to be quite honest. Some are better than others even though I followed exactly the same procedure for each shot. Some are rather pixelated and the final quality is nowhere near as good as those I printed myself.

Since my last post on this subject, I have done a not insignifcant amount of reading on how to scan B&W using ICE and dodge and burn (not using the standard PS tools as these are too intense) and so I am now torn as to how exactly to complete this assignment. I am out of the office all next week on a course and the deadline is rapidly approaching…..

The local council (Trafford) initally approved the plans, much to everyone’s disgust. A residents’ response committee was formed and a decision to appeal against the plans taken, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s office informed.

Long story short. After a great deal of time and effort (and money) a decision was eventually reached. The announcement was due in mid February, and as this deadline slipped by and nothing was heard, we all assumed the worst. That was until last night. And the appeal has been dismissed, so the plans have been rejected. HALLELUJAH!

So now CityBranch have loads of empty units and less rent coming in – serves them right the money grabbing *#!?’{}***!

Many many thanks go to Tony Woolf, Rev Rob Hinton and the rest of the committee that worked tirelessly in proving that there is at least some small semblance of common sense left in this world.

Read more here: www.hbrr.co.uk

Bolton 6

Originally uploaded by jacobsdad

Well I’m pretty close to finishing the Football Fans Project I’ve been working on for the last few months. I need a few more crowd shots, which I hope to get tonight at the Roma game. I’m still undecided on the exact title. “15 Minutes” has been suggested a few times, as the project is primarily concerned with the pie and a pint routine at half time (though at Old Trafford, its now a hotdog and a lukewarm plastic bottle of Budweiser – ugh!).

For the intro page I wanted a good football orientated quote. I’ve searched for quite some time for this, and also asked several fans about what football means to them. But the most appropriate quote I can find, and for me pretty much sums football up, is Fergie’s quote after winning the European Cup in Barca in ’99. So I’m thinking it will be quite simple and read something like this:

“Football. Bloody Hell!

Sir Alex Ferguson, Barcelona, May 1999

‘Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn’t always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Elastoplast to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;

I Know My Rights,
I Want It Now,
It’s Not My Fault, and
I’m A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.’
And a little extra……………………
Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 600 employees and has the following statistics?

29 have been accused of spouse abuse, 7 have been arrested for fraud, 19 have been accused of writing bad cheques, 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses, 3 have done time for assault, 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit, 4 have been arrested on drug-related charges, 8 have been arrested for shoplifting, 21 are currently defendants in lawsuits, 84 have been arrested for drink driving in the last year.

Which organization is this?

It’s the 635 members of the House of Commons, the same group that cranks out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

I’ve enclosed 2 further images of it. The first has the top removed and one of the reels next to a standard 120 reel, which as you can see is quite a bit bigger.

In the second image I have sat it next to my ‘blad, just so you can get an idea of just how dainty this little fella is.

If anyone has any further information they could impart I would be very appreciative. I am quite a collector of tat, and would like to add this to my collection, but if I can’t get any film for it, then I may have to say thanks, but no thanks.