Klass Photography Article Archive
Using the Shadows and Highlights Tool
The Shadows and Highlights tool in Photoshop is great for bringing life to images whose tone is difficult to correct with conventional color correction tools like levels or curves. This special tool targets the bright and dark areas of your image separately, allowing you to bring detail back into these spaces. It is a quick and easy way of dealing with the often high-contrast lighting of sunrises and sunsets.
Understanding Your Hand Held Flash
In this first part of the upcoming series on better understanding the flash, we begin with the basics. This article gives a well grounded description of how the modern flash "thinks", and how to program it to achieve both full and fill flash. Examples of images using fill flash are shown, and the article aims to give readers a good understanding of the basics of flash use. Next month, we'll look into some more advanced techniques like shutter drag and creative manual flash use for low-light scenes.
Photo Destination: Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park can best be characterized as a land of extremes. It is the largest national park south of Alaska, and at over 3 million acres in size, offers a lot for photographers. From the amazing Badwater Ultra-Marathons to patterns in the Sand Dunes and the great salt flats, this park is one of our hidden gems. Come and explore this unique and beautiful park.
Print Your Own Holiday Cards
Create your own holiday cards with this video and printed article outline all of the steps involved. This is a great project if you send cards during the holiday season, or if you want a special gift to give others. Using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Bridge, I explore techniques for arranging both images and text to create your custom card.
Photo Destination: Columbia River Gorge
Located in northern Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is one of our countries best spots for waterfall photography. Opportunities range from roadside falls tumbling hundreds of feet to secluded cascades deep in the lush forests. This article explores some of my favorite locations in this amazing area. Tips include what time of year to visit, where to explore, and how to make the most of your time in the area.
Gearing up for Winter Photography
Winter can be one of the most challenging seasons to be outside with a camera. It can also be one of the most rewarding. Being well prepared goes a long way to making it an enjoyable and rewarding experience. This article explores some of the new gear that enhance your experience this season. Learn to enjoy and make the most out of winter photography.
Focus on Creativity: Exploring Color
Color is one of the most powerful elements of design. It influences the way the eye travels through an image, creates dramatic impact, and contributes to the mood of the scene. This article explores some of the formal aspects of color, and how its use can improve your image. It explores primary colors, complimentary colors, and how warm and cool colors influence our perception. Example images demonstrate the ideas presented.
Photo Location: Harriman State Park, New York
Harriman State Park is located within an hours drive of New York City, and contains some of the best natural scenery in Southern New York. Photographic opportunities are abundant throughout the seasons. The park offers lakes, streams, winding trails, and wildflowers along with a wide range of recreational activities. This article delves into some of my favorite trails and locations in this vast park.
Camera Raw Technique: Using the Adjustment Brush
The adjustment brush is one off the most exciting new tools in Adobe's Camera Raw and Lightroom. It allows photographers to non-destructively adjust sections of an image. The controls are simple and intuitive. This article covers both the basic and advanced functionality of this tool with a look at how it can dramatically affect the finished image.
Photo Destination: Fall in the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Park covers approximately 8 million acres of public and private land in Northern New York state. During late September these pristine hardwood forests turn brilliant yellows and reds with the changing on the leaves. This article takes you to some of the unique and interesting places I traveled in my hunt for great autumn locations.