Well, once again the Kaleidoscope family is on the grow!  I’m so proud to introduce you all to Eloquence – a set of 42 colored textures based on 14 new designs plus black & white versions.  Eloquence was inspired by combining my love of all things photography with all things literature…I figure what better way to let your photos speak volumes than to enhance them with richness, depth, and color!  Like a great novel, Eloquence is multi-faceted: all of Eloquence’s textures were designed to work in various blending modes: Screen (for a light & lovely look), Overlay & Softlight (for richer/deeper looks) and like all of my textures, they work with all versions of Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements!  I’m told they also work with things like Gimp, and other photo-editing software products that allow you to utilize textures, but I only guarantee their compatibility with Photoshop.  To have a little look-see at everything Eloquence, take a moment to enjoy the b&a’s below,  then, watch the video demo here, which will not only show you Eloquence in action, but it will also give you some great tips and tricks for working with textures!

If you keep reading, you’ll learn that Kaleidoscope has a new cyber-storefront, where you can learn even more about Eloquence, or you can purchase below.  Everything is  40% off when using coupon code: may12.

What you need to know:

* Eloquence contains 42 versions of 14 .jpg textures, plus black & white versions.  Eloquence is compatible with all versions of Photoshop, including CS and Elements.  Each texture is approximately 300 dpi and approximately 8×10″.

* Eloquence is not a set of actions, filters, or presets so there is nothing to install when using Eloquence.   It does not work in ACR or Lightroom, it works with Photoshop CS and Photoshop Elements.  For a video demonstration, click here.

* Eloquence includes written directions, however, it is recommended that you watch the video tutorials on this site for additional tips, tricks, and editing suggestions in order to fully utilize all Kaleidoscope products.

* Per industry standards, once purchased, Eloquence is non-refundable, so please email with any questions prior to purchasing.  I can be reached at patti@pattibrownphotography.com and I return emails Monday-Thursday, excluding holidays.

The Eloquence Collection…………………………..$35      

In other HUGE news for those of you who love color & light, I’m pleased to announce the unveiling of the all-new Kaleidoscope Shoppe!  Yes, I heard you, I did.  Kaleidoscope’s old cyber-store front was getting a tad clunky and slow.  So, she got a much-needed facelift, and is looking (and working) better than ever!  Check out her new look here, and while you’re there, feel free to enjoy the video tutorials that so many are discovering they absolutely love!

To celebrate Kaleidoscope’s new look, and the launch of Eloquence, please enjoy 40% off anything in the Kaleidoscope Shoppe now through May 22nd  by using the code: may12 upon checkout.  As always, thanks so much for stopping by my little corner of the digital cyber-world.  I hope you enjoy Eloquence, along with all things Kaleidoscope, as much as I enjoy creating them.

Keep in mind, the 40% off discount is good on all things Kaleidoscope, now through the 22nd.

Happy Photoshopping! – PB

I have apparently lost my mind though when it comes to photoshopping.  I am just seriously, seriously just all over the map.  An advisor once told me to make sure that everything in a single post was finished the same.  Yeah, I just can’t do that.  Sorry, advisor.  Going rogue.

I’ve been getting requests about when I’m going to return to accepting commissioned work, and I finally have an answer for you!  In the fall.  It will only be for a couple of months, but since my son will be starting school full time, I’ll finally have the opportunity to do it properly.  For those of you who don’t know, I was running a clientele a few years ago while trying to take care of my son full time, and be a wife, and run Kaleidoscope, and my husband was also traveling constantly for work/finishing his Master’s degree.  Life got waaaayy too stressful, and I decided something had to give.  I didn’t want to put my son in daycare (he’s our only one – would have had more if we could have – but my body wouldn’t let me) and I have truly, truly cherished my decision to spend all the time with him that I’ve been able too.  However, I am looking forward to shooting again regularly because I’ve really missed it so much!  So, spread the word 757er’s!

Also, in Kaleidoscope news, look for some cool new stuff coming out soon!   The images above were just edited using my presets and a new set of textures I’m about to release.  Oh, yes…and mentoring.  I’m going to start  offering Photoshop mentoring as well.  Email me if you’re interested.  I’m developing the program right now, and hoping to have it finished within the next couple of weeks months.  Maybe sooner.   My heart has been headed in that direction for a while now, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the idea will lead.

Alrighty, that’s a pretty jam-packed post!  More soon, and in the meantime, I hope you all are enjoying all of Spring’s gifts as much as we are!

xoxo – PB

I quickly realized how much of a lovely girl she is becoming, filled with a paradox of guarded feminine daintiness and intense enthusiasm for life.  She had no guards the last time I saw her.  She was pure child. However, the world is training her, and very slowly, she is being formed into a  young lady, who will soon be formed into a beautiful young woman.

I can envision her now: polished and poised to the tee.  ”To-do” list in one hand, college applications in the other. So that’s why, for a few minutes at least, it was nice to walk around with her barefoot, play with silly hats, and have her explain to me how God made the trees.

One day soon she will be hustling past those very same trees, accomplishing all that life has in store for her.

Parenthood is like that….isn’t it?  The passage of time….even with other people’s children…constantly surprises us, doesn’t it?  And for a moment, it takes our breath.

I’m reminded of a favorite quote by J.K. Rowling:  ”Time is making fools of us again”  and I realize, once again, why I love doing what I do.

I cannot stop time anymore than you can.  But I can do my best to record it.  And I know, all too soon, I’m going to be desperate to have it back.

And hopefully, someday, when life has her deeply entrenched on the paths that will lead her to all she is intended to achieve, these pictures will remind her of a peaceful hour spent barefoot in a park on a beautiful spring day.

And she’ll have it back again.

Until next time, happy Easter everyone!  Enjoy it. – PB

Well, if you’ve followed this blog for longer than 5 minutes, you know that I’ve been affiliated for a while now with a wonderful professional and a great photog-bud Erin, over at Texas Chicks Blogs & Pics.    I think we first “cyber-met” when she either purchased or won some of my products online a few years ago, and started using them in her tutorial blog posts.  Since then, she’s grown to be one of the online leaders when it comes to teaching Photoshop Elements, and she has helped thousands of readers develop their editing skills.

I like people like that.  Those types of folks are my typical cup of tea.

I think many of you actually know me through Erin, but if you don’t, and for all those Elements users out there, I wanted to make sure you were aware of what an awesome resource she is.  I also get a lot of emails from friends who are just wanting to learn basic ways to improve pictures they take of their kids, like the example below, and I always refer them to Erin.

Here’s why….

If you’re just getting into Photoshop, Elements is a great tool to start out with.  It’s what I started out with because a.) you can pick it up for about $80  (vs. it’s pricier cousin, Photoshop CS, which is going to run you upwards of $500)  b.) it’s user-friendly and c.) you can accomplish most of your basic editing needs with it.  If, after a year (or 6 months or 2 weeks, whatever your time frame is) you begin to find it limiting, you can upgrade to CS (like I did) and typically Adobe will give you a little discount.  Clear that with them, first though.

So, if you’re a hobbyist, shutter-bug mom, or general photo enthusiast, Photoshop Elements is your friend.  And so is Erin, because she will provide you with some awesome tutorials and will teach you how to uncover all sorts of tricks Elements can do.  If you stop by, tell her I said hello.  We like to be friendly like that.

Until next time, PB

Also, if anyone out there has any insight as to using the “focus then recompose” feature in Nikon, I’d be very appreciative.  No matter what I try, I can’t seem to get it to lock my focus on my subject.  I do miss that about Canon.  I am learning to manually switch focus points, but as you can see from the above images, I tend to forget.

As always, thanks for stopping by.  Have a great week everyone! – PB

Happy Valentines Day!  I hope you all are lovin’ it up with those you all love today!  This has been the sweetest Valentines day for us because our little boy is finally at that age where he really is so cute about it.  He’s in love with the girl next door (they are both 5, mind you, so we’re not too concerned yet…) and his teacher, and one of his instructors at Tae-Kwan-Do and a few others.  What can I say, he’s a regular Romeo. We’re enjoying it, and I made up this little shirt for him in the spirit of all things lovely, which he wanted to show off this morning.  But the first picture I took turned out like this:

In an effort to jazz it up a bit, I turned it into this at first:

But then, I decided I liked it better in this black & white version, which is now sitting in a frame in our entryway.

I cut a video showing you exactly how I did each, but wouldn’t you know it, something went wrong, and I just don’t have the time or patience to re-cut the whole thing this morning.  So here’s a quick recap of the post-processing.

First image:  Shot in RAW and applied my “Seashell” preset from my Storyteller’s collection to it.  Opened in Photoshop & applied a little Lens Blur around the edges.  Then I applied the texture “Balance” from the freebies found here and removed the texture off of my subject entirely.  Easy Peesy.

Second image:  Applied “Black & White Crafted” from Storyteller’s in ACR, opened in Photoshop and then applied the same texture I used in the first image, and removed it from my subject.  Applying a colored texture to a Black & White image – especially a subtle texture like “Balance” – is a great way to add a little definition and interest to your black & whites while still retaining it’s overall Black & White feel.

Important note:  You don’t necessarily have to use my products to create these looks but if you choose to, please note that the Storyteller’s presets are for RAW shooters only.  If you don’t know whether or not you are a RAW shooter, chances are you aren’t one yet. 

***Quickie Meatless Update***

You all crack me up.  I think I received about 10 emails regarding my last post – Meatless Mania! – and one comment.  I typically get more comments and fewer emails.  And the funniest thing is that you all were asking me (in your emails) to keep you updated, so here goes.  Yes, I’m still “meatless” but I did try to eat seafood this weekend and became ridiculously sick.  Yes, I’m still losing weight.  Yes, my energy levels are still crazy high.  No, I did not realize I was joining yet another “Dark Side” (man, I’ve gotten pretty dark this year….) and, once again, there is absolutely no political motive whatsoever behind my meatlessness.  It’s purely for health reasons, and for me at least….it’s been SOOOO amazing.   I will do another, more extensive update about it soon but honestly, I could write a book on the subject, which clearly you all may not want to read.  Or maybe you would want to, but only in a secret, quiet and non-public type of forum.  Smiles.

Alrighty gang, I’ve got a very excited little boy to pick up from his Valentine’s day party at school and I’ve got to figure out how to get the mass amounts of sugar out of his teeth before his dental appointment this afternoon.

Hope you all have a super-happy hearts day!  XOXO – PB

Well, this is going to be a totally random post, but I think some of you are going to enjoy it anyhow.  About a month ago, I stopped eating meat.  Not for any type of religious or political reason, just as an attempt to be healthier, and for whatever reason I started posting about it on my personal Facebook page.  Turns out, there’s quite a little bit of interest in this subject, so I thought I’d share with you all how things are going.  Especially, since things have become sort of amazing.

To sum it up, here’s a quick synopsis of the last month for me.  It all started around January 10th or so….

Watched Forks over Knives on Netflix.   Pondered my energy levels since having Lyme.  Decided they weren’t where I wanted them to be.  Was inspired to try the whole plant-based-eating thing for a week to see how it went.  Made it about 24 hours before giving in to some yogurt.  Decided to add a little dairy & eggs. After about 48 hours, I began to feel amazing.  Like Super Woman amazing.  My strength, stamina, endurance, mental clarity, and energy level all went shooting through the roof.  Began to wonder if I had accidentally ingested some sort of drug or something (I mean, I’ve never gotten into that whole scene, but from what I’ve seen on TV, people pay a lot of money on the street for this type of high….I’m just sayin’…) because I had so much energy.  Started working out again.  Got on the scale and had lost 5 pounds in a week. Was sleeping better.  Work started to take me half the amount of time it used to.  So, with all this extra energy I decided to redecorate the house (still working on it, but all I can say is being a mom, running a business, volunteering at my kids school, making time for girls nights/date nights/family dinners/play dates/etc. and still finding time to sew curtains and pillows from fabric store remnants takes some energy, gang) and clean out all of my closets and my car and my oven, and well….you get the idea.   It’s as if I cannot find enough things to do.  Started to wonder again if I was somehow ingesting something illegal.  I mean this just does not happen…right?  Skin started to get all glowey.  More workouts.  More work being accomplished in half the amount of time. More decorating, etc. etc.

Basically, if you haven’t figured it out yet, life has gotten sweeter.  I have about 10 times the amount of energy to do all the things I love, and even some of the things I don’t love, than I have ever had before.  I can’t predict the future, but for now, I don’t think I’m going back.  Getting skinnier while eating delicious food while having enough energy to feel like I can move mountains is addictive.  And it’s an addiction I can live with.  Quite happily, as a matter of fact.

Alrighty, I could share about a million little recipes and food tips for anyone thinking of trying this type of thing, even on a limited or part-time basis, but I can’t possibly accomplish all of that in one post.  So, I’m going to just address a few of the questions people have been asking me the most.

Question #1:  How do you get your protein?

Answer #1: Turns out, protein is in quite a bit of things besides meat & dairy.  I do have to be careful to make sure I get enough complete proteins each day, but sofar it has been very easy.  In fact, I’m probably getting more protein now than I did when I was eating meat because I watch it so carefully.  It also turns out that there is a ton of protein in things like whole wheat bread and pasta, which I didn’t realize.

Question #2: How does Ray (my husband) feel about this?  What is he eating and/or are you cooking separate meals for him and your son?

Answer #2: He’s thrilled.  My husband is the healthiest, most disciplined person I know.  He’s completed at least 6 or 7 (I actually lost count…it could be like 10 but he’s not handy for me to ask right this moment…) full marathons, probably about 30 or so half-marathons, numerous tri-athalons, and an Iron-Man Half all in the last 6 years.  His diet (during the week – we both splurge a bit on the weekends) is amazing, and he looks incredible.  His nickname was “Captain America” until that movie came out, which threw the whole thing off.  He still eats meat, mainly at lunch & when we go out to eat, but he is enjoying what I’m coming up with at home.  If he feels he needs a little extra meat, he just throws tuna or something on whatever I make.  So, it works for us.  My son has always been a picky eater, but he has enjoyed eating so many more fruits & veggies lately.  We are still feeding him meat, mainly because we’ve had some issues getting enough calories in him in the past.  When he’s an adult, he can make his own decisions about whether or not he wants to continue eating meat, but for now, we still give it to him.  And dairy too.

Question #3:  Are’nt you hungry all the time?

Answer #3:  No, never.  Which is weird for me because I am a flat-out-hungry girl….always have been.  I absolutely love food, I love to cook, I love to bake and I love to eat.  However, since I’m avoiding processed foods, eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains my blood sugar levels remain regulated, so I’m just not hungry like I used to be.  The first week, when I was eating mostly just fruits/veggies, I had to actually make sure I was getting at least 1,500 or so calories a day so my body didn’t go into starvation mode.  And I crave fruit/veggies all the time now.  It’s so weird.  My taste buds have changed for the better.  Forks over Knives said that would happen, and it has.

Question #4:  Where are you finding your recipes?

Answer #4:  I love to cook, so most of it I’m just making up as I go along.  Salads are so easy, because you just need a fat and a vinegar/acid to dress almost any salad with, and since I put Avocado in a lot of my salads, the fat part is covered.  Then I just throw on a little fresh lemon juice, and when it hits the avocado, it makes it’s own dressing. It’s awesome (Kale is great like this, btw) and with just a touch of salt and fresh ground pepper, you’re good to go.  I also have found a ton of recipes to try on places like Pinterest and Google.  I’m also very lucky because one of my best friends, who happens to live across the street, is a Vegetarian, so she’s been a great resource.

Question#5:  Do you consider yourself a Vegetarian?

Answer #5:  No, not at all.  I can’t say that I’ll never go back to eating meat, so I don’t want to put myself in that category.   Most vegetarians are very, very disciplined and have heartfelt (wonderful!) reasons for not eating meat (like animal rights or preserving the environment) and honestly, the reasons I’m doing it are more selfish.  I’m doing it for health reasons.  However, I will say that it is going to take a lot to get me to eat meat again.  I just feel like I’m one of those people who is extremely sensitive to the toxins/antibodies/etc. found in so much American meat these days.  I would consider eating it if I knew where the meat had come from, and if it was from a humanely raised animal who had a respectful end of life experience, and if it wasn’t full of hormones and antibodies.  I also may indulge in fish now and then….we live on the Chesapeake Bay for goodness sakes…it’s almost impossible not to.

Question #6:  Are you some sort of Hippie, now?

Answer #6:  Okay, so I just made that one up.  But it’s for all of my friends & family in Texas who think I’ve let go of a few of my fundamentally Texas-ish views and ways since relocating to the ominous East Coast, and who don’t understand why I may never be biting into barbecued brisket again.  I am purely, purely doing this for health reasons (for now at least) and because I don’t want to put antibodies/hormones/toxins into my body unless I absolutely have to.  After going though Lyme last year, my energy levels just weren’t the same.  However, now they are higher than ever.  I’m addicted.  We’ll see how it goes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little spiel, and I’d be curious to see if anyone out there has experienced similar results when they stopped eating meat/started eating more of a plant-based diet.  I’ll share some recipes/other stuff in a later post.  But, 1400+ words about why I’m not eating meat is probably more than enough for now.

Until next time, PB

PS: If you haven’t figured it out by now, this post does not contain any Photoshop tips, tricks, or tutorials.  Sorry!  Stay tuned.

Nikon and I have been getting to know one another lately.  It’s been going well.  In this post you heard me tell all about why I switched to the dark side.   Since taking the plunge,  I’ve been practicing, practicing, practicing and I can report that the differences you’ve heard about Nikon & Canon are absolutely true.  I was emailing with a couple photog friends about this the other day, and we’ve all come to the same general conclusions.  Here they are:

1.) Canon’s colors are much more saturated SOOC.  But that’s an easy fix, so it doesn’t bother me at all.  It’s actually sort of cool because I found it harder to get light & vintage-ey looks out of my Canon than I do out of my Nikon.  But, with a little Photoshop work (very little) I can match the color saturation from my Nikon to that of my Canon work pretty easily.

2.) Verdict is still out on overall “sharpness” but the AF is completely different.  I was always a “focus then re-compose” shooter rather than a “utilize the AF points” shooter, and I’m finding this challenging with my Nikon.  However, since there are a zillion or so razor sharp AF points on my Nikon, it’s no biggie.  I just switched how I shoot.

3.) It is incredibly easy to blow out images in Nikon.  Nikon just flat out lets in more light, which I am loving, but it’s true about blow-outs. You’ll hear a lot online about the ISO capabilities, and I’m at the point where I no longer think it’s about the ISO capabilities, but it seems that Nikon & Canon’s ISO’s are just fundamentally different somehow, which changes the overall Camera’s capabilities.   I’m not nearly TWACish enough to be able to tell you how, though.  They are, truly, two different animals.

4.) As a designer, this has been incredibly enlightening.  Literally.  I’m finding that all of my textures, presets, actions, etc. are showing up much lighter and brighter on images that I shot in Nikon vs. images that I shot in Canon.  This is beginning to explain a lot about the mixed reviews you hear online regarding different actions & presets. And it’s  another reason to focus as much as possible on getting your image correct in-camera.

5.) From a students perspective, I’m starting to think that it may be fundamentally essential for workshop instructors to spend some time shooting both.  In fact, SO much makes sense to me now based on both my personal workshop experiences and those that I’ve discussed with my friends – mainly how two different people can have two such different experiences – and I think a lot of it comes down to whether or not the instructor shoots Nikon or Canon.  If I ever decide to teach someday, I am incredibly thankful that I will have shot with Nikon (my Nikon experience will have been extensive at that point….if it ever happens) and Canon.  The differences are huge, and I just don’t see how you can teach photography effectively to an audience of mixed-shooters if you haven’t shot at least a little bit with each.

Alrighty, I told you all I would keep you up to date, so there you have it.  Now, here’s a few practice images on what was, I think, my second non-familyish shoot since the big switch.

This little girl belongs to an artsy Mom-friend of mine who is always up for anything.  Even dragging her daughter out into 40ish degree windy weather.  She was a trooper. I grew up in Texas.  I was stinkin’ cold.  Therefore, I forgot to close my aperture a bit (1.4 caused a few eyes to be out of focus) and I didn’t even bother changing my AF point because my fingers were numb to the bone.  Did I mention we were by the water?  Even colder.  I’m setting up a studio in my garage.  It has been decided.

I really loved how the colors turned out in this one.  I didn’t touch her skin.  I ran her through Lightroom, sharpened her eyes a tad, ran my “Angel Glow” action and multiplied the edges a tad.  Took 5 minutes.

Here I was just playing around with black & white conversion, contrast, and a “High Pass” technique.  Nothing fancy.  Again with the AF spot I was too cold & lazy to change….

The PP on this was incredibly easy.  I ran “Angel Glow”  (Erin shows you how to achieve “Angel Glow” for Elements users here) and sharpened her eyes a tad. Painted on a little blur here and there.  One of these days I’ll do a tutorial on blur for you all, but not today.  I’ve got a work-out to get in, a play-date to prepare for and a house to tidy up.   So for now, gang, it’s back to my day job.

Until next time….

xoxo – PB

WARNING!!  IF YOU DO NOT POSSESS A SENSE OF HUMOR OR THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF, PLEASE DO NOT READ!  THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY IS NOT FOR  YOU!!  YOU WILL FEEL THE NEED TO WASTE PRECIOUS TIME AUTHORING AN EMAIL DETAILING YOUR EXTREME UNHAPPINESS WITH THE GREAT OFFENSES YOU HAVE ENDURED AT THE ‘JUST FOR FUN’ OPINIONS EXPRESSED BELOW!!! ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU ARE JUST NOT MUCH FUN, PLEASE MOVE ON!!  

Alrighty then, now that I have that base covered, we can proceed.  I challenge you all to notice a few of the other personalities that abound within our most interesting of industries.  I’ve even given them little acronyms for your reading pleasure, and if you make it  to the end, you can find my own WACky personal personality mix detailed.

The E.W.A.C. (Established With A Camera)

The EWAC has been in the business a long time, and he is quick to let you know about it.  EWAC’s are a wealth of both knowledge and judgement, almost always own traditional studios, and typically don’t have Facebook pages because they are still skeptical about the whole Facebook thing taking off.  The EWAC  is either a long-standing member or plays a leadership role in every lettered photography organization in the world.  He typically is amused by the MWAC, but doesn’t feel threatened by her, mainly because he knows he is on a higher rung of a much more established food chain.   EWAC’s love admiration, and have worked hard to deserve it.  To identify the local EWAC in your town, find the most exclusive high school, and determine who has had the contract forever on their senior pictures.  Chances are, it’s an EWAC.  What makes EWAC’s awesome:  They are an absolute wealth of knowledge, and they did it the hard way.  They are typically wonderful and professional businesspeople as well.  What they could stand to learn:  Much of their style is dated.  By taking just a few stylistic cues from younger, fresher photographers, they could reach a broader/changing crowd.  Often though, they are too set in their ways to even consider such a notion.  How to spot an EWAC?  They will “test” you by talking about things like “ASA” (instead of ISO) and various film types almost immediately, right after they invite you to come down to their studio.

The T.W.A.C. (Techie With a Camera)

The TWAC was probably at his professional peak within the tech industry during the late 90′s or early 2000′s.  He worked for either an up-and-coming dot.com or as a computer programmer before he got into photography, and is very, very gear oriented.  He’s been in the business for around 10 years.  The TWAC absolutely loves photography boards, but only the ones that the MWAC’s don’t hang out on, and he is completely obsessed with flash.  The TWAC is often easily frustrated by his lack of creative insight, and often “doesn’t get” what makes a photo aesthicically appealing to someone, when it is clearly technically inaccurate to him. There is nobody the TWAC hates more than the MWAC, basically, because he feels she has stolen a lot of his thunder over the last ten years or so, even with her criminally blown highlights.   TWAC’s will talk to you forever about their gear, and are more impressed (naturally) with the technological aspects of their equipment than it’s artistic limits and abilities.  TWAC’s absolutely love things like backgrounds, green screens, Image Stabilization, and wireless triggers.   They never shot in film, and are, of course, very very interested in technical accuracies within a photo.  The carnal sin of the TWAC is displaying a photo with blown highlights, and he will immediately lose respect for anyone who does.  The TWAC also typically hates brightened skin.  What makes a TWAC awesome:  He is ridiculously brilliant in a very particular way, and he is obsessed with accuracy.  One could argue that he is responsible for keeping a generation of photographers honest about what makes an accurately exposed photo accurately exposed.   What TWAC’s could stand to learn:  Art is subjective, and photography is art, and art is risky.  Taking a few creative risks, even at the possibility of blowing a highlight or two, will help him to grow & become more artistic.   How to spot a TWAC?  He will try to bait you into a conversation to determine whether you know the difference between a 32 bit version of Photoshop and a 64 bit version of photoshop, right after he asks about whether or not you got the lens with Image Stabilization.  TWAC’s also love to debate the technological differences between Canon & Nikon, and are often very into photographing cars.

The C.W.A.C. (Creative With A Camera)

The CWAC (Pronounced: “Quack”) is completely obsessed with the artistic elements of a photograph, and significantly less interested in things like technical accuracy.  She values a photograph based on how it makes her “feel” and although she probably won’t say it out loud, considers herself “above” most stylistically traditional forms of composition.  She is slightly detached from the realities of the business (pesky things like bookkeeping and networking) and is much more likely to let “karma” do her marketing for her.  The CWAC often produces very unique images, and her style is continuously changing.   She naturally has a very artistic eye, and doesn’t have to work very hard to create an amazing capture.  She “just sees” things that others don’t, and defines herself by her “gift.”  The CWAC is either tremendously successful or makes about $700 a year off of her photography….there is very little in-between.  She typically has about 20,000 followers on Pinterest, and Although indifferent about it, she is  popular among the MWAC crowd (in fact, many CWACs are former MWAC’s but they refuse to realize it.)  Even the EWAC’s can see her potential, yet everyone agrees that she could benefit from a bit more organization and discipline.  The CWAC is often a trendsetter without trying to be, and gets along quite well with the TWAC crowd.  In fact, highly scientific research has proven that many a successful marriage has formed by partnering the fascinating CWAC with the disciplined TWAC.  When combined, they can make an unstoppable team. The CWAC can be very emotional, sometimes to her detriment, and she values creativity above all else in the photography world.  She does not value things like photography contests, and instead, considers “inspiring others” to be the ultimate prize.  What makes a CWAC awesome?  In case you haven’t figured it out by now, she is incredibly creative, unique, artistic, and is often setting new trends in the photography world.  What a CWAC could stand to learn:  If she could ever learn to acknowledge rules as having value, learning a few of the time-honored laws of the photography and business world could actually improve her work.  She has also got to get organized, or at least hire a bookkeeper and an accountant, or else she could find her sweet-little-self in big trouble with the IRS. How to spot a CWAC: Look to Pinterest, Facebook & the blogosphere.  One thing CWAC’s almost all have in common is that they are cyber-comment generating machines and typically have about 20,000 followers on Pinterest.

The M.W.A.C. (Mom With A Camera)

She is, by far, the most hated individual among a huge portion of the photography world, but she absolutely has no idea why, and quite frankly, she is too busy to care.  She has a blog to update daily with lengthy accountings of what her “Elf on the Shelf” has been up to, she has workshops to teach, and she has camera strap covers to order.  She is typically out to cause no harm, but to the TWAC, she is “destroying the industry” by undercutting the competition and providing (gasp!) devilish digital files to her clientele.  The EWAC doesn’t take her very seriously, and the CWAC is typically indifferent.  The MWAC can be found in all socio-economic levels, and she posts about 7-10 shoots a month on her blog of actual clients, alongside at least 17 posts per month which exclusively feature her own children, each with fluffy descriptions about childhood and love.  The MWAC is often very talented, but doesn’t take things like technical accuracy too seriously, and is a little too quick to define her “own style” in terms like “happy, love-filled, fun, and natural.”  MWACs multiply faster than wet Gremlins, and although they may not be loved by all, there is no doubt that many of their accomplishments (like supporting their household when Dad gets laid off, or funding their child’s college account) are admirably driven by their love of family.  What makes an MWAC awesome:  She is, without a doubt, ambitious and highly competitive among her MWAC counterparts.   She also takes time-management to a whole new level.  While most of her friends are hanging out on Facebook or in Starbucks all day, she heads to a shoot after carpool then comes home to prepare a blog post right before she prepares dinner.  Love her or hate her, she values family above all else, and she is primarily driven by a strong desire to take care of those she loves.  Not exactly a bad attribute in a person.   What an MWAC could stand to learn: Technical accuracy does matter, and it’s something to continually strive for.  Maintaining a fair, but competitive pricing structure for your level of experience and local market is crucial, and intentionally undercutting the establishment is never cool. Don’t print your images at a place like Walmart or Costco, and dissuade your clients from doing it either….there is something just sort of cheap about that.  But I don’t really need to tell you that.   There have been literally volumes of cyber spiel’s, most of which are a little over-dramatic,  written about the wrongs and evils of the MWAC.  How to spot an MWAC: Look for the “About Me” section of her blog.  After an extensive cyber-soliliquy detailing her journey from becoming a mother to starting a business, it will no doubt contain the phrase “I have always had a passion for photography.”

The P.W.A.C.  (Photoshopper with a Camera)

Let me start out by saying that the PWAC is in no way overly concerned with actual photography.  In fact, having a perfectly exposed image straight out of camera would be a bit disappointing to your typical PWAC, because there would be nothing to fix.  PWAC’s are truly amazing creatures who have created their own micro-industry within the photography world which is entirely devoted to post processing.  PWAC’s are typically quite talented in Photoshop and have truly taken post processing – which was once a basic finishing step within the photography world –  and turned it into an upwardly progressing artform in which there is absolutely no room for an image, regardless of a how perfect it’s histogram is, that is straight out of camera .  PWAC’s are best known for creating things like actions, textures, and overlays, and can turn out a Photoshop tutorial and publish it to youtube in less time than it takes you to take down your flash stand.  PWAC’s are equally loved and hated within the industry….many EWAC’s feel they are breeding a generation of fake photographers by providing photo fixes instead of actual photography instruction.  Many Techies feel the looks they create are over-processed and incorrect, yet, by the very nature of the TWAC, most can’t help but be impressed and a bit fascinated by these Photoshop guru’s talents, especially since so much of their work is done within a computer.   What makes a PWAC awesome:  She can take that run down, poorly exposed image you took last week of your dog and turn it into a piece of art suitable for framing using only her computer and her WACOM tablet.  What a PWAC could stand to learn: Photoshop is amazing, but amazing photoshopping skills can never make up for the fundamental rules of photography, and combining the two – great photography & great photoshopping – is something she could stand to spend a little more time doing. How to spot a PWAC: she loves Before & After images almost more than she loves life itself, and fills her blog to the brim with them.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my little editorial bit regarding the various forms of complete WACks who lurk behind a camera these days.  One final thought, in the spirit of being able to happily poke fun at myself, and encouraging others to find the joy in doing the same, I whole heartedly admit that, with the exception of the EWAC,  I am an absolute composite of all the WAC’s listed above, with an approximate breakdown of: 20% MWAC, 30% Complete CWAC, 40% PWAC, and about 10% TWAC, but  the last oe is only out of necessity.  Technology has never been my thing.  The point is, I’m okay with my mix, and you should be too, with whatever WACkiness you call yours.   In the end, it doesn’t really matter exactly who you are in the Photography world, or how you got here.  There isn’t an ideal prototype for “Photographer” just like there isn’t an ideal prototype for any profession in existence.  We are all individual mixes of personality, experience, vision, and fault, and we  can all stand to learn from and be inspired by each other, regardless of personality type.

Until next time, happy photoshopping.  Or picture taking.  Or whatever it is that you do that makes the world lovelier.

XOXO – PB

First of all, let me start by wishing each of you a late Happy New Year!  I hope you all enjoyed the holidays as much as we did.  My big resolution for 2012 is going to be to blog more.  I have such awesome readers so I’m declaring (isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with a resolution?) to blog at least once a week, and I want you all to hold me to it!  To kick the new year off with a bang, I thought I’d share a mega-video tutorial.  I mean, this one has TWO parts.  Wow.  Bigtime.

As always, I have to do my little OCD disclosure prior to releasing any footage into the universe that contains my voice, so here we go:

1.) In the ACR part (first video)  I say that “I always shoot in Auto.”  Please do not send me emails about that.  I do not shoot in Auto, P, AV, or utilize any form of green boxes in any way.  If you do, that’s fine, I’m cool with that.  But I don’t. I shoot in Manual. I meant to say “I  always shoot Auto White Balance” and if you’ve got a problem with the White Balance thing, well then I guess you can go ahead and send me an email about it.

2.)  I know I sort of jump around on both of these videos, but I also think they provide some solid photoshop tips & tricks, or I wouldn’t have created them.  So don’t laugh at them.  Plus, you shouldn’t laugh at people who divulge free Photoshop info.  You should only leave them sweet comments below letting them know how helpful they have been to you.  Hint, hint.

Alrighty, here we go.

Here is the Before image.

Here is the after.

And below are the 2 videos that show you exactly what I did.   The first one shows the slight ACR tweaks I made, and I gotta be honest, it’s not my finest blog-video-graphic production. But if you’re new to ACR (or even Lightroom) you may find it helpful.   The second one is much more Photoshoppy.  It starts in Photoshop CS5 where we left off in the first video (the very average ACR one) and walks you through everything I do, step by step by step by step. The links below will take you straight to the videos.

THIS IS VIDEO #1.  SKIP THIS IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE MY VERY BASIC ACR TECHNIQUES.

THIS IS VIDEO #2.  IT WAS RECORDED IN PHOTOSHOP CS5, BUT YOU COULD PROBABLY APPLY THE METHODS TO ELEMENTS AS WELL.

Video number 2  also focuses a lot on skin, and answers the specifics about how I get that “glowey skin” look in some of my images.

While we’re at it, here’s another little tweak I did.  The only thing I changed is the background texture utilizing the methods outlined near the end of Video #2. I just lowered the lightness a bit, and got a completely different look.  Textures are so awesome, and the crazy way I photoshop always allows me to make lots of little tweaks until I achieve just the look I want.  (Note: the image below isn’t featured in the video.  But I just told you exactly what I did, so you should be able to figure it out easy peasily.)

Alrighty gang, look for a few more fun posts coming soon.  Until then, happy photoshopping!

XOXO-PB