Andrew Macpherson

When I went to Scott Kelby’s excellent Photoshop for Digital Photographers course last year, one of his stories was of spending a day photographing a Bride, and only realising later when he sat down to edit the photographs that she had a considerable mark on her shoulder.

On Friday I was photographing a client, and feeling fairly on top of getting a reasonable Head and Shoulders portrait, even down to making sure I had whites showing either side of their irises, and not just having a black spot in the corner of the eye. (continue reading…)

Sometimes one gets so used to doing things one way, one forgets the old methods.  For instance I’m so used to using the crop tool in photoshop, that I had forgotten that Image > crop will crop round whatever is selected.  A cool tip reminded me of that by selecting 2 separated items, and then cropping, the image was left with those at the edges.

Saved a lot of messing about getting the edges aligned

It’s strange how few calendar templates there are out there for d-i-y calendars.  It was particularly nice to find Jeffrey Friedl’s Calendar Builder a photoshop javascript which builds the month tables for you, and does a nice job of putting a photo in for one to print oneself. (continue reading…)

No; not a golf course.

Scott Kelby’s tour “Photoshop for Digital Photographers” was in London yesterday, and it was a marathon production for Scott, who not only presented all day, but stayed in place during the breaks to answer everyone’s questions.  He also announced that as he had no flight to catch last night, so he was staying put to make sure that no-one went home with unanswered questions.  What a guy! (continue reading…)

Well not really, but opening packages feels somewhat like that.  The day started well with UPS arriving with a small box containing my f1.4 50mm lens back from repair.   The focusing USM, and it’s controller had both had to be replaced.  One doesn’t think one will miss it — but having to fall back to an f2.8 zoom you realise why the initial expenditure on the fast lens was worthwhile.

Then the postman came.  I have been looking forward to getting Scott Kelby’s CS5 for digital photographers, and here it is — in time to read before Scott’s seminar in Islington.

Now what am I going to play with first

On Saturday July 24^th I’ll be leading the Bishop’s Stortford photowalk, part of the worldwide photowalk. I’m expecting it to be great fun, and a great chance for us all to show off how fine Bishop’s Stortford is.

Scott Kelby, prolific author, is offering a prize of one of his recent books on Lightroom 3 or Photoshop CS5 for the best local photograph, and we also hope to offer the author a fairly large print of their winning photograph locally.  The local winner also gets entered into the worldwide contest for a $1000 photo equipment worldwide first prize (and lots of runner up prizes too…).

The prize is great, but the main aim of the day is to get local photographers together to share their enjoyment and enthusiasm, maybe offer mutual help and encouragement…  All levels of photography experience are welcome, all equipment from camera phones through point-and-shoot cameras, DSLRs to stand cameras with sheet film backs will take pictures — bring what you’re happy with.  Any one of these might take a great photograph, guided by your imagination and eye as the photographer.

I look forward to seeing you on the day!