Adobe Lightroom 4 Beta

27 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in News, Useful Links

≈ Leave a Comment

I started using Lightroom when its first version came out in beta in 2006, and it has been my main tool for organizing and processing my images ever since. Every new version provides a significant upgrade, with less need to drop out of Lightroom to Photoshop or other software packages to do something extra.

Adobe has now released a beta of the next version – Lightroom 4.   They provide a helpful set of videos with Julieanne Kost showing what’s new in this version.

I’m always most interested in what they do in the develop module,  so found this video of particular interest.  The 12 minute video covers:

  • The new 2012 process
  • The new develop module sliders for Highlights, Shadows, Whites and Blacks.  These are quite different to those used in Lightroom 3. By default they all start in the middle at zero; moving to the right brightens that part of the image, and to the left darkens it.
  • Automatic chromatic aberration correction
  • Local adjustments now include colour balance, so you can fix local colour casts
  • Local adjustments also include noise reduction, so you can fix brightened up shadow areas where local noise has appeared
  • Improvements to saving presets

You can get the Lightroom 4 beta from here if you want to have a play. Be aware that it is a 400 mbyte download, and as a beta you should just be exploring and not using it as the only means of managing your photos.  It’s free, but this Beta 1 will expire on 31 March.

Finally, here’s just one example what Lightroom 4 Beta can do.  This is part of a random image of mine with bad chromatic aberration (the green and purple fringing) that was very well corrected, automatically.

Part of an image with bad chromatic aberration

Image after automatic chromatic aberration correction by Lightroom 4 Beta

Image after automatic chromatic aberration correction by Lightroom 4 Beta

PSNZ’s Most Wanted – Your Images

27 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in PSNZ Notices

≈ Leave a Comment

It’s well worth checking out Tony Bridge’s website including his blog.

In a recent post Tony asked people to send in digital images that could be used  as test images for people who have applied to become PSNZ accredited judges.  He needs at least 100 of them. They need not be award-winners – a variety is what is needed. As Tony put it, “They do not have to be your finest work.”

Check out the post for more details, and please contribute some images if you can.

Exhibition – Wildlife Photographer of the Year

11 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Exhibitions

≈ 1 Comment

This exhibition is on until 29 February at the Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and History in Palmerston North.

Hugh Scott has been and reports:

It’s well worth a visit – some absolutely stunning images, in many cases with details of how they were taken. I visited it recently and was moved by their beauty and power and the skill of the photographers, some of whom had made their own equipment to make the shot possible. Give yourself a good hour to wander through it.

The cost is $7.50 for adults, $5.00 for pensioners and students.

There’s a gallery of small versions of some of the images in association with the UK Natural History Museum exhibition. Here’s just one that I’ve linked to.

Fellow Photographer’s Blog

11 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Useful Links

≈ Leave a Comment

Spoonbill in flight (c) Brian Harmer

Brian Harmer, a fellow photographer from the Hutt Camera Club, started up a new blog at the beginning of January where he posts daily thoughts and photographs.  Check it out - I recommend it.

This photograph is from Brian’s latest posting – an absolutely gorgeous shot of a white spoonbill in flight at the mouth of the Hutt River.

Photo Opportunity – Vintage Car Rally

10 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Photo Opportunity

≈ 1 Comment

Happy New Year all!

The Vintage Car Club of NZ is holding an international car rally in Wanganui next week.  Full details are here.  This is a big event, with some 680 entries.

There are likely to be photo opportunities as cars pass through the Kapiti Coast to and from the event. Steam Incorporated will also be running a steam train excursion to Wanganui on the Open Day – Sunday 22 January – so watch out for the train too.

At least two of our members are planning on driving up to Wanganui for the Open Day on 22 January to see and photograph the rally. If you are interested in going as well and making this into a club event, please contact Alan Thompson on (04) 904 7382.

Merry Christmas + 2012 Programme

21 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in Calendar

≈ Leave a Comment

The programme for 2012 has been uploaded to our Calendar of Events. Access it via that blog entry, or use the EVENTS Menu at the top of the web page.

You may need to click on “Look for more”, as our first meeting of the year is some weeks away, on Monday 13 February at the Otaihanga Boating Club. Keep clicking, or switch to month mode, and you can check out the whole year.

You can also download a pdf of the KCPS 2012 Outline Programme as presently planned, but bear in mind that the calendar will always have the most up-to-date details.

If you are feeling technically savvy, you can also subscribe to the calendar and have the events automagically appear and be updated on your iPhone or iPad or iPC.

Best wishes to all for a happy and safe Christmas with family and friends, and we look forward to many outstanding images in 2012.

Success at Dunedin Festival of Photography

19 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in News

≈ Leave a Comment

Congratulations to Carol Molineux, Ian Linning and Peter Beddek for their success in the 42nd Dunedin Festival of Photography.

Carol and Ian both gained honours in the Open Prints category – Carol for “Weathering the Storm”, and Ian for “Three Observers”.

Ian also had two other acceptances, and Peter had three images accepted.

Well done all three of you – this is a nice way to round out a year of excellent KCPS results in national competitions.

P.S. …. Snow

No you don’t have anything wrong with your monitor or your eyes. In tribute to Carol’s image, and this year’s extraordinary snow on the Kapiti Coast … and just because it’s Christmas … you may see some light snow falling on the KCPS website as well.

Updated Membership Page

06 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in Calendar, News

≈ Leave a Comment

The Membership Page on this site has been updated, because when we start up again next year after the summer break:

  1. Regular meetings will be on Mondays rather than Tuesdays
  2. The new venue will be the Otaihanga Boating Club
  3. The competition rules have changed, so that now for each of the four salons you can submit up to two digital images (up to 1600 by 1200 pixels), and up to two prints (either colour or monochrome).

Our KCPS committee will be meeting in a couple of weeks to work on the details of the programme for next year, which will then be added to the Events calendar.

Finally, of historical interest …. if you follow the Google Maps link (the address, 19 Makora Road) for the new venue from the Membership Page, then use Street View, you’ll see a view a bit like that below. Don’t worry, our new venue is quite a bit larger than this historical view of the Boating Club!