I’m really pleased you’ve enjoyed your weekend! It sounds like the kind of fun-filled weekend I would like to have in the not too distant future of course!

After reading your ‘Scott’s School Of Hard Knocks’ stories, I’ve got something I’d like to share with you, that I REALLY wished I’d checked and that is I didn’t check my ISO, BEFORE shooting, because I took some really good photos at a Victorian Fun-Fair event, plus one of the seaside in Llandudno, North Wales. We just had a Pubic Holiday (May Day Bank holiday Monday here in the UK), which was the reason I went there.

Anyway I found that some of the ‘Good’ shots, were shot at ISO 500!!, on a very sunny day I might add, and I was wondering why I’d blown out those highlights, until I checked the ISO setting. I DID have my ‘Full-Screen’ Clipping Warning turned on at least!

I have managed to bring back some of the highlight detail in the shots, using Camera Raw I’m pleased to say however

I have posted a some of my best photos from the trip on my NAPP Member’s Portfolio, so you can take a look if you’d like. There’s some shots I took of some very old Steam Engines, marching Brass bands, Vintage cars and people dressed up in the old Victorian fashions. It was a fun day out!

I hope you enjoy them, and feel free to check out my other images and post a comment if you would like as well.

Take care!

Thanks for signing my book too… Ken from Oregon.

Thank you so much for a wonderful class this morning. I was in the 10 AM session. Maybe next time, they’ll have one of those 80 inch LCD screens installed front and center to replace the not-so-nice (see: crappy) projector.

I just want to start out by thanking you for your hard work and time. You are the best way to keep my mind open and my skills sharp. There was a time where I didn’t touch design for about a month. I forgot so many things. I couldn’t image how much worse it would have been without reading tips and other things like that. I continually try to read as much as I can and a lot of it is yours or recommended by you. Whenever I meet someone in the industry I direct them to you. It may not because they lack of skill but there is nothing like reading other peoples experiences and passions. So again, thank you.

I started out when I was about 14 with just photoshop. I actually had a picture of mine with heavy noise. I asked a friend if there was a way to fix it and he showed me photoshop. I opened the program for the first time and closed it in about 15 seconds. I was so overwhelmed I didn’t know what to do. I ended up sending the picture to him to fix. A week later I opened it up and started messing with filters and other things. My friend that was going to the Art Institute in PA pointed me to tutorials which I read nonstop. When I was almost 16 years old my church hired me part time at minimum wage to do graphic design and a little video on the side. This is really when I started to crank up my skills and I moved from tutorials to studying other professionals work and marketing. I worked with the Canon XL2 with video and the whole creative suite(the first one that is). I learned a lot about videography/photography with the XL2. Some things like basic lighting and shot composition(rule of thirds haha). Now I have some small contacts and I do work on my own as well as with the church. I work with a local printer and some other professionals in the industry.

I’m actually teaching people that have been in the business for 20 years new techniques. My most common one is that yes, photoshop can export vector text through a PDF haha. When I first met with my printer I told them I used photoshop for a small project. Basically Indesign would have taken up more time, thats how small. They gave me a little lecture on how you can’ use PS because its not vector, blah, blah. I really surprised myself when I went over there and showed them that it could be done. It’s amazing that people still coming out of school don’t know that.

I started watching photoshop TV and from there I have been reading your blog. I have learned a lot of things from you, matt, dave, and many others that can only be taught with experience and not with the photoshop help screen. I have had 3 to 4 projects that(thats a big percentage for me) require photography. If my small little point and shoot Canon Powershot A610 could handle it, I would shoot it. I actually produced some cool shots with house lights and that small little camera. However the lens was so incredibly soft that I knew I had to go bigger.

You, Scott, have really inspired me in the photography area. About a 2 months ago I bought a Rebel XT. It isn’t amazing but I don’t have a lot of money and it will do. I have shot well over 1500 pictures and very few are well…decent. Often times I find that one little thing ruins it. I was at a park here in Ohio with some friends that I was shooting. We were walking by train tracks and we heard the horn! We waited for about 15 mintues and I already had everything planned out. My friends knew which way the train was going to come from because they knew the place well. I got my self a good angle and waited. I snapped the shots but sadly there was a sign, and two people that destroyed the shot. Not only that but the surrounding area, I think, was very busy. Soooo I cloned out what I could haha. But things like that usually make my photos a disappointment. Equipment issues like a bad tripod(not sturdy), bad light, and that kind of thing are a big problem too. Just sticking around Ohio has also been restricting too as you may know. I just did a little shoot with my brother. I had him hold a match and it was pitch black. When he lit match I had to snap the picture fast. However, I had to go at about a 3″ shutter(if I can remember right) and my tripod wasn’t up to the job. I couldn’t time the rebel because I had to get the shot fast before the match burned his fingers haha.

Right now I have a list of about 30 books I want to read haha. They aren’t at libraries and books prices add up fast. So I will just wait in excitement and buy slowly haha. About 6 to 8 months ago I bought Photoshop Restoration & Retouching by Katrin Eismann and it was such a great retouching book and I love it. Right now I am reading “What is Packaging” by Giles Calver. It’s really giving me the understand of some history in the packaging market and I would even recommend it to business people who don’t understand how important good design is. I think next on the list is the 7 point system written by you.

Now I’m 18 years old and still doing most of my designing and shooting for my church. I’m still trying to get more clients but most just don’t seem to understand the value of good design and marketing. I just don’t know how to get myself out there without having a lot of money to get started or having my age effect me. I just had to tell you what an impact you have made on me. I have such a passion for design and photography I just can’t believe it. I really want to thank you and many others for your help and inspiration. Please, keep it up.

By the way, sorry for the long comment…I couldn’t find any other way to contact you haha.

Tyler

What are the chances of Lou Manna doing some food photography classes on kelbytraining .com? I would love to learn about food photography. The shots look great!!

Now… to get some good shots of some luscious seafood!

It’s been few days without a post from you so I was kind of expecting something big and interesting and it’s exactly as i thought. Now I can’t wait to read all the posts to come.

Since I’m not from US, I don’t get to attend any of those workshops, feels really bad. Is there anyway to get those workshop videos or anything such?

Have a great day Scott.