Photoshop Insider

There have been a number of questions posted on the blog this week, and I thought I’d over a few of them here today. Here we go:

• Q. Why did you use HSC [High Speed Crop] for more reach, rather than cropping later in Lightroom or Photoshop? Is it just the desire to get it right in camera and save time later, or is there more too it than that?
  A. I really like to compose in camera, rather than later in Photoshop or Lightroom, so it is that desire to get it right in the camera. I know—it’s a sickness.
• Q. Recently you shot the college football game and used a 1.4 teleconverter with your Nikon camera and lens. Could you give more insight into how it worked for you and any drawbacks that there with it? My local camera store strongly discourages using one.
  A. The only downside to the 1.4 teleconverter is that you lose 1-stop of light (so an f/2.8 becomes an f/4). As long as you use a decent teleconverter (I bought a Nikon brand converter), it works just great. As for why your local camera store strongly discouraged it—-I have no idea. Well, I have some idea.
• Q. I am surprised you didn’t rent the 200-400mm f/4 or the 500mm f/4 from LensProtogo.com for the big game! NAPP members get a 10% discount on rentals.
  A. I ran out of time. I only found out I was going to shoot the game the day before, so I didn’t have time to get it overnighted. This cost me a bundle, because this week I went ahead and bought the 200-400 f/4 from B&H Photo because I’ve got a NFL shoot coming up next week and figured I should finally go ahead and make the plunge. Ouch!!!! That one hurt. My kid’s won’t get to go to college now, but by golly I’ll have a swell lens.
• Q. Nice shots, and as has been mentioned… great hat!
  A. You can buy that classic black Zildjian ballcap direct from Zildjian for $13. Here’s the link.
• Q. I was wondering… could you recommend a tripod head that lets you switch from horizontal to vertical FAST in a situation like this [shooting sports]? (more…)

I am so thrilled to announce that my good friend RC Concepcion (co-host of Layers TV, and NAPP’s resident “Photoshop and the Web” guru), and his lovely wife Jenn (also known as “J-Bonn”) had a new arrival at 2:30 am Thursday morning; a wonderful, adorable, newborn baby girl—”Sabine Annabel Concepcion.”

She was 7 lbs., 12 oz. and 21″ long.

I’m so excited for RC and Jenn, and send them warm wishes on being blessed with a little “Photoshop Angel.”

…my good friend and the guy who inspired my whole “World Wide Photo Walk” project, Jeff Revell of PhotoWalkPro.com

You’ve heard me talk about Jeff here on the blog numerous times (he came along on my trip to Dubai, and then I tagged along on his trip to Arizona last year, and we’ve been shooting and hanging out for years now). He’s a terrific photographer, a great teacher, and I think with the World Wide photo walk announced this week, it’s a perfect opportunity to have him as my Special Guest Blogger.

Check in tomorrow to see what Jeff has in store for us.

…one of my very favorite people in the whole world. He’s the co-author of two of my books, he’s the host of “The Creative Suite Podcast“, his official title at Adobe is Director, Creative Pro Technical Sales, North America, he’s a photographer, designer, Photoshop World Instructor, he’s produces the popular “Terry’s Tech Blog,” and he’s one of the greatest, most genuine, most gracious, and most humble guys you’ll ever meet…Terry White.

Make sure you check back tomorrow to catch Terry’s post, which I am told may include a video as well (ya know those tech guys—never satisfied with just words and pictures alone).

I found this very cute post over at Alan Hess’ Weblog, and it’s one of those “You Know You’re a [fill in the blank]” type of things you see on the Web, but this one really hits home. You’ll be reading it, and nodding your head the whole time. Check it out by clicking here.

Adobe has added an online Lightroom Support Center on the Adobe.com site (click here for a direct link), where you can get troubleshooting help, with a searchable database, and lots of answers to frequently asked questions.

It’s 6:24 am, and I’m in Chicago (Ted flight; row 6, seat C) heading home (it’s my third flight today, after a red-eye home from San Francisco). I’ll have a full Yosemite recap later once I have a cup of my wife’s incredible coffee, and give my little baby girl a big, big, hug!

If you watch Photoshop TV, they’ve by now you’re very familiar with Dave Cross’s tradition of wearing a “Canada-shirt’ of some kind on every single show. In fact, it’s a different Canada shirt nearly every single episode, which means Dave must spend a significant amount of his discretionary time searching for new and different Canada shirts, and in fact Dave himself points to this is the reason why he hasn’t had the time to get his Masters degree (kidding). Anyway, Dave is auctioning (via eBay) some of these “worn once on TV” shirts (which come witha signed copy of Dave’s latest book), with the proceeds going to a wondeful cause; St. Judes Children’s Hospital. So, if you’d like to feel closer to Dave than you already do now (if that’s even possible), then get the full details by clicking here.