For my students who need to practice the Pen Tool, Adobe’s created an adorable online game to practice it’s usage. The pen tool is important in Adobe Illustrator (of course), but also in Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, InDesign, Animate… there’s a version of it in almost every Adobe App!
Check out the game here: https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/illustrator/how-to/pen-tool-game.html
Aurora HDR is not just a tool for merging bracketed images, it also provides numerous tools and countless options to create perfect HDR photos for every taste – from one-click presets and advanced tone-mapping, to layers, noise reduction and powerful luminosity masking controls.
Aurora HDR 2018 will be availabe for pre-order on September 12, and released on September 28.
Pre-Order Bonuses:
* Lens Correction and Transform tools, as well as image flip and rotate will be available in the Mac version at launch, and arrive in the PC version with the first free update in the beginning of October. Other tools and features that are currently available for Mac only would be added to PC version by the end of the year.
As all of my clients and students know, I’m a stickler for telling everyone to BACKUP their data – regularly – automatically, and in multiple places. Personally, I use 2 local backups (one is a clone of my data and a separate for my hard drive – AND I use MacOS’s Time Machine). But I also keep an offsite secure backup in the cloud. I live in earthquake country – and nothing would stink worse than if my hardware was all broken and my data irretrievable (of course, there’s always DriveSavers, but despite my discount, it’s quite expensive). Also, if you guys ever DO need a discount from DriveSavers, please use Discount code DS16297.
For my offsite backup, I’ve been using Backblaze for YEARS. Their uploads are unobtrusive, their security is raged as VERY GOOD, and their prices are extremely reasonable. They’ve also recently increased the speed of their ability to download files, and added the ability to choose specific files (instead of folders) to restore when necessary.
Many of my clients have been using Crashplan’s Home backup option. Well… they’ve stopped taking new subscriptions, and they’re shutting down the Home version of their options as of October, 2018.
Backblaze is VERY interested in picking up this business – and since I do appreciate their service – AND their support when I needed it, I’m writing this post to recommend them. Take a look at their options. AND, if you do like their offerings, and use my referral link, we both get a free month of service!
Referral link: https://secure.backblaze.com/r/01c089
As I said, your data is irreplaceable. Have you noticed that when you create something, and work on it until it’s right, that you can never really duplicate it again, if you need to? It’s never quite the same? Backup is the only option, and as for Cloud Backup, I recommend BackBlaze!
It’s a day to celebrate the beautiful art of Photography, and to honor it, MacPhun has written an fascinating article named 20 Photography Facts
Remember, MacPhun has a few GREAT apps for editing your photos after you’ve shot them.
MacPhun Luminar Neptune – a powerful image editor – always available for Mac, and now in Public Beta for Windows – and
MacPhun Aurora HDR 2018 – entering pre-order on 9/12/17, and being released on 9/28/17 – both Mac and a new Windows version
Go out, Get Photos, Make Your Memories!!!
ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 is the lightning fast photo organizer, raw processor, layered photo editor and effects app all-in-one. Unlike the current class of raw processors requiring cataloging, bouncing between apps for editing, and a subscription ecosystem, ON1 Photo RAW 2017 features a new, modern raw processing engine, tuned for today’s sensors and graphics chips. Combined with our current set of tools, the next generation of ON1 Photo 10.5, will continue to work where you want, as a standalone app, a plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® & Lightroom®, or a host app for other editing apps.
This is the fifth maintenance release for ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5. It addresses several issues that where discovered after the 2017.5 release. It is recommended for all users. Here are some of the biggest improvements and fixes:
To Download a FREE 30 DAY DEMO of this software, please click HERE.
If you already own On1 Photo RAW, take a look at these beautiful Lightroom presets.
Pricing as low as:
You Get:
ON1, Inc. announced ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5, the latest update to their all-in-one photo organizer, editor, raw processor and effects app for macOS® and Microsoft® Windows®. Version 2017.5 adds powerful new features optimized for performance and ease of use.
ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 Enhancements Include:
Price and Availability
ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 is available today with an introductory price of $99.99, regularly $119.99. Previous owners of ON1 Photo (or Perfect Photo Suite) can upgrade for just $79.99, regularly $99.99. For a limited time, ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 is bundled with some excellent training materials. Four ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 Master Courses by industry leading educator Matt Kloskowski and Director of Product Dan Harlacher are free with purchase. Also included is activation via user account for up to five computers. A full-functioning 30-day free trial is also available for download from the ON1 website.
About ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5
ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 also supports the key online storage services, including Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft’s OneDrive. ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 works on both macOS and Microsoft Windows. Version 2017.5 also supports Adobe® Photoshop® CC or CS6, Lightroom® CC/6, 5, Photoshop Elements® 15, 14 and 13.
ON1 Isn’t Done Yet
There are still more free updates coming to ON1 Photo RAW 2017.5 this summer. Prioritizing user feedback is a top priority for the company. ON1 President Craig Keudell states, “We can’t be successful unless we listen to the photography community. Our main goal and something people rarely see from other companies, is the transparency with the way we develop our products. Several features and improvements in this release are the result of feedback from the ON1 community.” Today, ON1 users can go to the ON1 Photo Project and submit ideas and feature requests. Every submission is reviewed and the more votes each idea or submission gets, the higher the likelihood it will get added into development of the app.
About ON1
ON1 was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. It is a privately held company consisting of a team of professional photographers, photography enthusiasts and software experts who share a passion for photography.
For over ten years, ON1 has delivered upon the ON1 promise of saving photographers time and frustration editing their photos so they can spend more time behind the camera. The ON1 promise includes the belief customers should have complete control of their photography software. From the feature set, training topics important to them, the workflow they choose (plug-in or standalone app), the preferred computing platform or cloud service, or even how they purchase their software (subscription or a perpetual license). With ON1, the customer is in complete control of their photography experience today, tomorrow and well into the future.
InDesignSecrets.com has shared a link to a script that FINALLY allows us to rotate selected characters INSIDE a text box in InDesign. The text remains editable and the effect can be applied to individual letters, selected character, and/or dingbats. So VERY handy!!!
https://indesignsecrets.com/free-script-to-rotate-selected-characters.php
The NIK Photoshop plugin collection’s been a staple in my system for many years. It’s sharpening algorithm, it’s controls have always had a strong place along with all my other plugins, and I’ve made great use of it throughout the years.
A few years ago, Google bought it, and made it FREE! That was great, and they even updated the software a few times. But, on the Mac, they stopped updating past OSX 10.10 Yosemite, on Windows, they stopped updating past Windows 8, and for Photoshop, their last compatible version is with Photoshop 2015.
THANKS GOOGLE, for buying something, ensuring it’s not profitable for you, and leaving us in the lurch…
OR DID THEY? Thank goodness for One1. They’re releasing the version Photo Raw 2017.5 in just a few days. MacPhun is not only excellent on the Mac, but they’re finishing up their first BETA of their Luminar and Aurora HDR software for Windows machine. Both of these have options very much like those offered in NIK, and they’re committed to continuing their development for years to come!
By the way – my FAVORITE software for Up-Rezzing images (when necessary) used to be Genuine Fractals – which is now On1 Perfect Resize – part of their Photo Raw software!
To check these apps out – take a look here:
On1 Photo RAW – and check out their On1 software, and On1PLUS – an amazing and unique training center for the use of On1 software
MacPhun Software – and check out their current deal with Plotagraph Pro! Don’t forget to use coupon code SGANS_DISC on checkout, if you choose to buy the software.
I’m finally about to upgrade to Sierra… Bye Bye, NIK….
Firstly – I need you all to know – MacPhun has their apps for Windows machine in BETA – you will soon be able to get all these cool features I’ve been touting on Windows!
But, I’m really writing to let you know that the Aurora HDR and Plotagraph Offer has been extended until Sunday – June 4th!
Plotagraph Pro allows you to animate PART of an image and create video or animated gifs to use. Check out my first attempts at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_7zXumUEow
https://youtu.be/V4suaTH-noo
This offer is available for as low as $89 (a $186 value) if you use coupon code SGANS_DISC at checkout.
