Quick Tip for Photographers - Batch Processing

Today's quick tip is just a quick video tutorial on how to batch process in Photoshop. Batch Processing is just a simple, easy, fast way to apply one action to a batch of images without having to pull them up one by one, saving you time. Forgive the stuttering, I always get so nervous making these videos and I am fighting sleep. Be sure to check back soon for my next tutorial video on Layer Masking and how to fine tune your actions/post processing. Let me know if you have any questions or if there are any requests for future quick tip videos. Thanks

D

Batch Processing in Adobe Photoshop from Dustin Izatt on Vimeo.

Time to music in iMovie 09 using Beat Markers

I finally got a killer new mac screen capture program that will allow me to start creating killer tutorial videos and tips for photographers. Here is my first attempt. It is a short tutorial teaching you guys how to use Beat Markers in iMovie 09 to quickly and easily place transitions for your photos so they flow with the music. It is very similar to David Jay's software Show It Web's custom timing option. This is by far THE best feature of iMovie 09 and without it, I would have no skills timing my photos with the music. I hope this helps you guys out. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email or post it here on the blog for others to see.

D

Using Beat Markers In iMovie 09 from Dustin Izatt on Vimeo.

The Race - D H Groberg

I apologize for the delay in blogging, I have been dealing with huge internet and networking problems the past week that have consumed all of my time and energy and I also shot back to back weddings on Friday and Saturday :) Anyways, while I am catching up on the editing, I wanted to share with you guys a poem that meant a lot to me in high school and helped me through many many hard times. It is a long poem but worth the read. I think I relate to this poem so well because I am guilty of taking the easy way out and have quit/given up many times when the going got rough and I know that by doing so I missed out on many great opportunities. Early on in my business I had a couple of rough patches and honestly wondered why I was still in business, I used to look at my work sometimes and cry because I never thought I was talented enough and wanted very badly to quit the business. Not that I am perfect now, I am far from, but I have the opinion that you truly can overcome anything if you just have a positive attitude and keep trying and keep pushing yourselves. Anyways, enough babbling, here is the poem by D H Groberg titled "The Race"



"Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell.

They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son,
and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they flew, like chariots of fire,
to win, to be the hero there, was each young boy’s desire.
One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd,
was running in the lead and thought “My dad will be so proud.”

But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought he’d win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everyplace,
and midst the laughter of the crowd he fell flat on his face.

As he fell, his hope fell too; he couldn’t win it now.
Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win that race!”

He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that’s all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn’t try to race.”
But through the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face
with a steady look that said again, “Get up and win that race!”

So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
“If I’m to gain those yards,” he thought, “I’ve got to run real fast!”
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight, then ten...
but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat! He lay there silently. A tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense running anymore! Three strikes I’m out! Why try?
I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought. “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.

“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “you haven’t lost at all,
for all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
Get up!” the echo urged him on, “Get up and take your place!
You were not meant for failure here! Get up and win that race!”

So, up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit,
and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.

Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place,
head high and proud and happy -- no falling, no disgrace.

But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, in last place,
the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he’d won the race, to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”
And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.

For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.
And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face,
another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race!”

Dustin Izatt Wedding Photography Workshop Uno

So I hosted my first ever workshop last Thursday and I had such a wicked sweet time. We started out at 10 AM and went all night long. One of my future wedding couples Whitney and Dan were so kind to come and model for our live shoot. Special thanks to Chad from Albums Unlimited who flew out from California to talk about their albums and give the students some killer discounts. If you have a chance, check out my students websites and leave them some blog love, they have some mad skills.


Erin Fonnesbeck
Jen Korth
Adam Packard
Veronica Bastian
Kara Laws
Mandi Nuttal

Also big thanks to all my sponsors who hooked the students up with killer prizes, discounts, and who make the killer products that I use daily.


Albums Unlimited
Bludomain
DearSillyLady.com
Fotofusion
Instaproofs
Master Lab
Metal Mural
Moo.com
Pixel 2 Canvas
Totally Rad Actions

Workshop Announcement

Holy Moly Smokie Bear, has it really been 11 days since I have blogged. I have been so busy putting together a surprise that I have neglected updating the blog. Well, now that things are now all official, I thought I'd let you guys in on what I've been up to and what's been keeping me away. I receive so many emails from photographers seeking help or advice on many subjects relating to photography and how I am able to produce such beautiful images. So I have spent the past week rounding up sponsors and writing down on paper all of the mistakes and successes I've had over the past 4 years of being a photographer and am happy to be putting on 4 workshops this year.

If you are a photographer struggling with workflow and spending all of your hours chained to the computer, or wanting to step up your game, then head over to my workshop website for more information. Now that that is out of the way, I can start catching up on some really awesome shoots that I have done the past couple of weeks. Here is just a single image teaser, so check back soon :P Until Next Time......


D

NEW ONLINE STORE LAUNCHED

Hello all my photographer friends. Just thought I would pass along the news that I just launched my very own online store for wedding album templates and photoshop actions. Offering Album Templates for Photoshop, Fotofusion, and InDesign, as well as a set of artistic photoshop actions. Visit the link below to check out all of the templates and actions.


Album Templates and Photoshop Actions for Photographers

Coming soon, I also plan to offer album design services, so if you are a photographer looking to outsource your album design for a very affordable cost, hit me up for more info.

Photography Tip #3 - Purchasing Camera Gear

Just wanted to make a quick post for all my photographer friends out there. Today, I wanted to talk to you guys about purchasing camera gear and give you a few pointers. First of all, before you buy any gear from any online retailer or vendor from one of your photography magazines, GO TO THIS SITE AND RESEARCH THEIR NAME....

RESELLERRATINGS.com

If you find a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is. A lot of sleazy companies out there will advertise a hot item (say for instance a 5d camera) at a very low price and you think you may have found the deal of the century, but in reality, the scenario will play out like this....

You find a 5d listed at Joe Schmoe Photo for $999 body only and you know it normally retails for $2000 brand new, so you jump on their website and place your order. You will then receive an email confirming your order and asking you to call in to verify. You will be greeted by a sales person who then begins to tell you that the body that you purchased is a plastic body and for a certain fee you can be upgraded to the stronger body, then he will tell you the battery that comes with the camera only lasts 1 hour and they can sell you an extended battery for only $250, and then try to sell you a charger for $200 that comes in the box anyways. They are very rude and dishonest and if you decline all of the upsells, all of a sudden the camera is on backorder and will be shipped in 4-6 weeks, etc.

It's usually the same scam, and it really irks me that businesses like this are allowed to treat consumers in such a poor manner and scam people with bait and switch tactics. So please, research any company on resellerratings.com before purchasing any gear.

The ONLY places that shop at and I HIGHLY recommend purchasing gear from would be the following places.

Pictureline.com
B&H Photo
Adorama

Now go buy yourself some killer gear from a reputable dealer and don't be scammed by any of those scumbag companies. :)

Photography Tip #2 - Reflectors

Today's mini tip is the use of a reflector. If possible, even on overcast days such as seen in the pictures below, using a reflector can greatly improve the quality of your pictures without the use of flash. I prefer using reflectors over fill flash because you can see exactly how the shadows fall and how the light will fill in without having to use the flash and readjust your power til it's right. This is the reflector that I use. Westcott Reflector and for only $50, it will improve your available light photos a ton.

The following shots are straight out of camera and scaled down for the web.

Available light on an overcast day with no reflector. It looks ok, but as you can see there are dark shadows around the eyes and lips, and the overall color is a little flat.


Holding the reflector even on an overcast day really improves the quality of the image with little effort. By simply reflecting a little bit of light on Madison, it fills in those nasty shadows around the eyes and lips and makes the colors just a little less flat and vibrant.



So there you have it folks. Keep sending in your questions and stay tuned for the next photography tip - ways to get vibrant colors in photoshop and with the use of photoshop actions.

D

Tips for photographers

Hello all of my fellow photographers. Some of you may notice that I just added a sixth category on the blog entitled Tips for Photographers. Every so often, I get emails from fans and photographers just getting started about how I do this, or how I do that, and I figured it would be a good idea to start posting periodic tips and advice so that everyone can share in the knowledge. So I'll try to post a new tip once per week. If you have any questions or need advice, shoot me an email and I will post up the answers here on the blog for all to see, don't worry, I will not copy and paste your name, so don't feel silly, no question is too dumb.

I thought today, I would teach a little bit about playing with curves to add depth to your pictures. When I first started shooting I always wondered why my pictures looked so blah and so flat until my good friend taught me how to play with the curves. To access the curves box, In photoshop - pc users hit control+M, mac users hit command+M. Then follow my instructions below. As you can see, the original shot looks good, but adding that small little S curve just makes it just a little bit better and the curve adds a little pop and depth.

So that's all I got for now, shoot me an email with your questions and check back often to see if your question gets posted :) Until next time....

D

Original shot straight from the camera.


Adding an S curve by clicking the in the very middle of the line to set the midpoint, then going to the right and clicking slightly above the line and going to the left of the middle and clicking slightly below the line.


The same image after the S curve was applied.