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Review: Create Your Own Photo Book by Petra Vogt

July 2, 2012 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Several times I've thought about making a photo book. Since I've been in numerous countries across the world in the last fifteen years and assembled several terrabytes—well, many more than several—of saved images it seems like I would be a prime candidate to produce more than one photo book. But the moment never seemed to be right, and I couldn't bring myself to do the research into the procedures and techniques of producing a good book. I'd see the ads for companies that made books and even … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Photography, Reviews, Workflow Tagged With: photobook, Rocky Nook

Review: Adobe Photoshop CS6

June 11, 2012 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Adobe Photoshop CS6 is here. I'd been working with the Beta version of Adobe Photoshop CS6 since it came out as I prepared a tutorial version with which to teach workshops, and I was excited when I received a review copy of Photoshop CS6. I'd prepared a tutorial version of an App for the Apple Store on the CS5 Photoshop and its had a good run and has been well received. I was looking forward to getting a CS6 version ready to coincide with the launch of Photoshop CS6, but I got a little behind … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Photography, Photoshop, Reviews Tagged With: Adaptive Wide Angle, Adobe Photoshop CS6, Background Save, camera Raw, Field Blur, Iris Blur, Tilt-Shift Blur

Review: The Art of Photographic Lighting By Eib Eibelshaeuser

December 6, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Rocky Nook - The Art of Photogrpahic Lighting

Rocky Nook Press recently sent me a review copy of Eib Eibelshaeuser's new book, The Art of Photographic Lighting. It took me a little longer to write this review than it normally does for two reasons: I kept re-reading paragraphs that seemed particularly significant, and I found myself taking notes. Both of these slowed me down as I am usually a fast reader. I think I was expecting a book with drawings of how to arrange lights, but instead I found that it was much more involved than that. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Photography, Reviews, Workflow Tagged With: color theory, Directional lighting, Eib Eibelshaeuser, Light Theory, Lighting, Lighting Encyclopedia, O'Reilly, Rocky Nook, visual perception

(Review) ASKetch for the iPad

October 24, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

OK, I'm still playing with my iPad and loving it, and I found another software App that is a lot of fun. ASKetch by Andrew Kern is supposed to work with finger motions and strokes alone, and not be used with a stylus or pen tool. I'll tell you what it is supposed to do (and it does it very well). Let's look at ASKetch as Mr. Kern meant it to be. First, I'll quote: ASKetch is a simple black & white procedural sketching program for drawing with your fingers. It is designed from the ground … [Read more...]

Filed Under: apps, Digital Lifestyles, Gadgets, iOS SDK, iPad, Reviews, Workflow Tagged With: chiaroscuro, drawing, drawing on the ipad, drawing ont eh iphone, ios, ipad, iPhone, iPod touch, Sketch, stylus

(Review) Genius Scan: A Scanner App for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

September 21, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

OK, I admit from the start that I am in love with my iPad2; but it is the availability of Apps for it that make it such a part of my current life. I just encountered a new App that I think is going to be extremely useful in the future. It's an App called Genius Scan from Grizzly Labs that is intended for use on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. In short, it uses the back facing camera of the iPad (or iPhone or iPod Touch) to take an image that can be corrected and then mailed—that's in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: apps, Gadgets, iPad, Workflow Tagged With: ios, ipad, iPhone, iPod touch, receipts, scan, scanner, scanner app for ipad

For The iPad- Adobe Photoshop CS5: Tutorial for Beginners Available in the Apple Store

August 23, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

If you have noticed my free version of Adobe Photoshop CS4 Tutorial which has been available here for download at DigitalAppleJuice.com, I have to tell you that Apple has just accepted my Adobe Photoshop CS5—A Tutorial for Beginners as an App in the iPad section of the Apple App Store.Searching by my name from your iPad is the fastest way to find it, and it is available for $3.99 until the first week in October (October 9, to be exact) as a "Back to School Special." After that it returns to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: iPad, Photoshop, Software Tagged With: app, ipad, photoshop, training, tutorial

Review: Marketing Fine Art Photography By Alain Briot

July 25, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Rocky Nook Press Press sent me a review copy of Alain Briot’s new book, Marketing Fine Art Photography, and I was delighted for two reasons. First, Rocky Nook’s volumes are beautifully bound and printed on acid-free paper and are a delight to hold and work from because they stay flat and open as you read or work from them. The second reason is that Alain Briot is a learned and articulate photographer and writer who shares his expertise in a relaxed and candid manner as though his reader is a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Digital Lifestyles, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: advertising, art of photography, briot, fine art photography, landscape photography, luminous landscape, marketing, marketing photography, photography as art, photography sales, travel photography

iPad2 Review: OK, I MUST BE A FANBOY

March 30, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

On March 11, the first day iPad 2's were available for order, at 5 A.M. I got up to go to the bathroom (something common when you are 73 years old), and on a whim sat down at the computer and ordered an iPad. White, 64GB wifi only, with a spare power supply, a Camera Connection package, VGA and Digital AV Adapters, and a red leather cover. I had intended to make this order eventually, and the computer seemed to call to me as I returned from the bathroom. It was a good thing too, as within 24 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Digital Lifestyles, iPad, Workflow Tagged With: apple, computers, ios, ios 4.3, Ios4.3, ipad, ipad 2, ipad 2 review, tablet

Review: Disc Cover by BeLight Software

February 18, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Even though CD's are becoming less used, DVDs for data storage are still going strong, and personal projects such as iMovie and iPhoto still have a strong usage of labeling for stored material. Disc Cover 3 is a delightful software that allows you to print DVD labels and covers and case booklets for music, archives, and anything you are saving to disc. Jewel case inserts can be made easily and cleanly from a tremendous number of pre-designed templates with layouts and art importable from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reviews, Software Tagged With: belight software, disc cover, dvd, label, labeling dvd, review

Dr. Roach’s Guide to Photoshop CS4 For Beginners: Preferences

February 9, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

There are still a lot of people using Photoshop CS4 even though Photoshop CS5 has been out for some time. In the spirit of sharing, this series of downloadable lecture notes for CS4 is placed online for those who may need some help with the basics of the program. Much of the basics remain unchanged in CS5 and I believe that the original tutorial will prove useful for many of the steps of the revised Photoshop CS5, but there are minor differences sometimes. Originally, these notes were part of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Photoshop, Tutorials Tagged With: cs4, photoshop, tutorial

Review: THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY: An Approach to Personal Expression

January 31, 2011 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

I always enjoy receiving a review copy of any book from Rocky Nook Press because I know two things about it in advance: (1) the book itself will be printed on Acid-Free paper, and will still show its illustrations with brilliance and clarity for years to come, and (2) the book will be bound in such a manner that it will behave itself and lie open beside my computer without the necessity of putting weights on each side of the open volume in order to make it lie down quietly and allow me to enjoy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Photography, Reviews Tagged With: architectural photography, art photography, black and white photography, Books, Bruce Barnbaum, landscape photography, Photography, Rocky Nook, slot canyon photography, The Art Of Photography

Review- Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook

September 27, 2010 by Dr. Michael N. Roach

Amazon.com_ Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3_ A Photographer_s Handbook (9781933952673)_ Stephen Laskevitch_ Books

I recently received a review copy of Rocky Nook's Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer's Handbook by Stephen Laskevitch. I always enjoy receiving a book from Rocky Nook to review because they print their books on acid-free paper and the reproduction quality is as outstanding as the content. As a workshop teacher I am always interested in another teacher's approach and quite admire the methodical, logical, and easily-understood approach that Stephen Laskevitch uses in Photoshop CS5 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Books, Reviews, Workflow Tagged With: adobe photoshop, Books, CS5, image processing, Lightroom, Photography, Rocky Nook