Expert? Maybe... maybe not.

Many of you know that I've been tossing an idea around in my mind for the past few months. That idea? Teaching people, primarily amateur digital photographers, how to use Adobe Photoshop. Now I know there are hundreds - if not thousands - of websites out there that people can visit to get tips & tricks... I know, because I scour a bunch of them pretty regularly. But there aren't too many opportunities for people to get focused classroom time with a certified expert in Photoshop - someone to help them really get their minds around the tools available to them in Photoshop. So, that's where I come in.

But am I an expert? Ah, not yet, says Adobe... I'll be taking the Adobe Certified Expert exam in Photoshop CS3 early in October - then I can say I'm an expert. So I've been studying for the exam and I have to tell you a little secret...

Here it is.


I don't like studying anymore than I did when I was in school.


There, I said it.

So even though I'm having flashbacks of all-nighters powered by caffeine and the foolishness of youth, I'm going to keep studying and getting ready for the ACE exam. Stay tuned for the results... and what happens next!

Photography is a team sport

If you follow this blog at all, you know that I led a Photowalk of 50 people through downtown Laguna Beach last Saturday. I was a little anxious about 'leading' an event like this - after all, it's not as though I'm a famous (or even superior) photographer... many of the people joining me have been shooting for much longer than I have and I was humbled by the quality of their work.

Ah, but that puts too much emphasis on the "leading" of the walk. Really, all that means is that I helped coordinate the event and make sure that everything went smoothly. What made the walk a success was not leadership, but the people who joined us on the walk. Every one of them was friendly, helpful, willing to share tips and critiques... they made the event the success that it was.

I wanted to remind my readers (all three of you) that if you want to become a better photographer, get out there and shoot with other photographers whenever possible! It doesn't matter if you've been shooting for 20 years and one of the people in your group picked up their first camera last week - you will still learn something from them! (Granted, they'll learn far more from you than vice-versa, but that's okay, too.) Let them review your work and comment on it; you'll understand more about how people view your work.

The following photos were the top three (as judged by me) from our Photowalk.

©2008 Eddie Perlas

This was just such a whimsical shot - a fisheye lens, close to the ground for a unique perspective (dog's eye, perhaps) and an entertaining subject. By converting to black & white, the photographer eliminated or minimized much of what would have likely been a distracting background.

©2008 Leilani Smith

This photographer captured a wonderful moment here on the Laguna Beach boardwalk. It was a challenge for me to select this one, because the photographer had many images that were worthy - but this one spoke to me. The location is well-established by the background, the lines of the boardwalk draw the viewer's eye in, and the little girl is a fabulous subject with a great expression.

©2008 Paul Davey

Finally, the winning photo was this charming close-up, capturing the beach feel of the area while maintaining an intimacy with the subject matter. Excellent composition, colors and depth of field made this an outstanding photograph.

Of course, I suspect that my readers (all three of you, once again) might want to see some of my own work from the day. Here's what I've got for you - click on the images to see the full-sized version:


I'll admit I had to do some Photoshop work to really make this fly, but I really enjoyed this shot.


This abstract of the boardwalk is another example of the rule-of-thirds (see one of my earliest posts) at work. The biggest thing about this image, though, is the texture - to really appreciate it, be sure to click on the photo to see the full-sized version.


I really wanted to 'abstract' the subject a bit, while still keeping it grounded enough to recognize clearly. The reflections of the people walking, and the tiny bit of wave in the upper-left corner may not follow standard rules of composition, but this is an example where breaking the rules works better.

I'll be the first to admit that much of what made my photos work was the time I took in Photoshop to enhance the images. Next time, I'll take you through a step-by-step walkthrough of how I made one of these photos.

Until then, keep shooting!