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Hi {name},
Welcome to the Lenscraft in Focus newsletter for July 2022.
June was a packed month without much work as I needed to take three weeks off. Whilst I did manage some photography, I never quite found myself in the right location at the right time. Here’s a great example of a grey and wet day where the weather cleared at sunset. |
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The sunset was spectacular but all I could do was photograph one of the trees in the garden where I was staying. What’s pleasing about this shot though is how the Panasonic G9 has captured the scene, especially as it was handheld and without any filters. After processing the image with DxO PhotoLab, I’m extremely pleased by the image quality.
The other software I used for this image was the recently released Nik Collection 5. Although I was privileged to see a pre-release version of the software, a beta version wasn’t available in time to record my usual YouTube review. Instead, I’ve published a review of the updates to the Nik Collection 5 on the Lenscraft website which you might find helpful.
My recent images have also been raising questions about the watermarks I’ve added. I’ve been asked several times how I create them. If you’re also wondering, watch this video where I create and apply the watermark you see above. Although I’m using Affinity Photo to create the watermark, you can do something very similar in Photoshop.
I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and find some valuable information.
Robin |
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Missing Images Update
Last month I mentioned there wasn’t an update about the missing images problem. I did though try a different way of adding images to the newsletter. The result was many people who previously reported missing images contacted me to say their problem was fixed. In fact, I only received 2 emails saying there was still an issue.
This month I’m using the same approach in the hope that most people will be able to see the newsletter images. If you are still having problems viewing the images in this newsletter, please email me ([email protected]). Let me know what device you are using to read the email (Mac, Windows PC, iPad etc) and what software you are using. It will help me a lot with the investigation. Thank you. |
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Useful Tip
I was recently asked to share this advice. It started with a very good question about importing images to Lightroom but is relevant to everyone who photographs in the RAW format.
One option when importing images to Lightroom is to use “Copy as DNG”. This causes Lightroom to process the image into a new DNG file and the original RAW file is discarded. The problem this can cause is if you later want to use tools like DxO PureRAW or DeepPRIME in DxO PhotoLab. These need the original RAW file for maximum quality. Trying to work with the Lightroom generated DNG files doesn’t allow you to achieve the best results.
Even if you think you will never use tools like these, it’s still advisable not to delete your original RAW files. You never know what advances there will be in the future. Retaining your original RAW files keeps your editing options open. |
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New Lenscraft Content
Over the past month I’ve focused on publishing new tutorials and updating old ones. Here’s the list of what you can find on Lenscraft. |
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Nik Collection 5 Released – Here’s What’s New |
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On June 15th, 2022, DxO released the Nik Collection 5. In this article we look at what’s new in the Nik Collection 5, comparing it to the previous version 4… |
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How to Blur a Background in Lightroom |
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I’m sure that you’ve seen photos where the background is blurred, making the subject stand out from their surroundings. In this article explains a simple method you can use in… |
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How to Copy Smart Objects in Photoshop |
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This tutorial explains two ways to copy Smart Objects in Photoshop. One method maintains a link with the contents of the Smart Object and the other breaks it. If you’re… |
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What are Photoshop Smart Objects and How to Use Them? |
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In this tutorial, we explore the Photoshop Smart Object. You will learn what Smart Objects are as well as how to use them for photo editing in Photoshop. |
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Learn Affinity Photo Free Course
Here’s the updated list of the video lessons in my YouTube course about editing with Affinity Photo.
The lessons published to date are:
I hope that you’re enjoying these videos and finding them helpful. |
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From Around the Internet
A selection of interesting photography related resources from around the internet.
Hasselblad XPan and Alternatives |
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As someone who owns a Hasselblad XPan, I thought I would share this article. I can recall going through a similar process of searching for a perfect panoramic camera; even after I purchased my XPan. If you are also interested in panoramic film photography, you might find this short article has some interesting ideas.
https://fstoppers.com/film/searching-perfect-panoramic-camera-605565
Olympus XA |
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If you fancy shooting some film with an old pocket camera, you might like this article on the Olympus XA.
https://fstoppers.com/film/olympus-xa-retrospective-35mm-pocket-sized-perfection-605303
I bought my XA some years ago from my friend Steve O’Nions (Steve’s YouTube channel) when he was cutting back his kit. It’s a lovely little camera and a lot of fun to use. Don’t expect the same quality as the XPan mentioned above, but the images have a lovely retro feel to them.
Topaz DeNoise Sale & Discount
I received word from Topaz that they are running a 25% sale on their excellent DeNoise AI product. You can download a trial version on the Topaz website. If you were thinking of purchasing DeNoise AI, enter the code DENOISE15 for an additional 15% discount. I understand this offer expires on the 8th July 2022.
Lightroom & Camera RAW Updates
June saw a new release of Adobe Lightroom Classic and Camera RAW. This included some minor but useful changes to the Masks feature which was the subject of my most recent book. The changes don’t prevent you from using the books, but I will update both in the next couple of months. If you purchased your copy from my Lenscraft website, you will receive an email when the revised version is available for download. |
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Photographers You May Not Know – Isabella Tabacchi |
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Recently, I’ve featured several young photographers (compared to me) in this section and Isabella is another. I can’t be certain, but I think I met Isabella at a photography show a few years ago where she was on a stand for an equipment manufacturer. Although I no longer have her business card, I remember being impressed by her Dolomite images.
Isabella’s website features some wonderful landscape photography and is well worth a visit.
https://isabellatabacchi.com/galleries/ |
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Books & Course News
Latest book and course news.
The Easy Way to an Organised Photo Library
Progress with writing my latest book is going well. The first draft is now complete and I’m well underway with the first revision to that. My current best estimate for the launch date is some time in August. I will share an update in the next newsletter where I will firm up the release date and price information.
Until next month, stay safe and enjoy your photography.
Robin Whalley |
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Lenscraft Photography
Unit 8693, PO Box 4336, Manchester M61 0BW
Copyright: Robin Whalley 2020
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