That time of year is here again to start thinking about your Christmas shopping. No matter if you are looking
for yourself or someone else who is interested in photography and digital imaging, the “toys” for all of
those good little boys and girls are better than ever. There will be a whole lot of smiles on Christmas morning
when they open some of these goodies I have to show you here.
Workstation Goodies
Software plug-ins are not the only way to improve your workflow. Just the way you work and the comfort you
have doing it can mean a lot, and all of that can come down to how you set up your workstation and do the
work.
One of the best computer items I have ever used is the WACOM Pen Tablet, and it has come a long way since
I first used one 4 or 5 years ago. Not only because they have a lot more features, but also because those
tools are easier to use and do a lot more, with features that you wouldn’t have thought possible back then.
Wacom tablets come in several sizes, from 4x5 all the way up to a 9x12 inch tablet for just about any use
and need. These are the working area sizes, not the overall size, which is larger. I am using the Intuos3 6x8
tablet that is just over 10x13 total inches, and fits perfectly at the corner of my desk.
The features are what will really grab you and make you want one for your workstation also. At the top on
each side is a small button area that can be customized for different needs, and one of the neatest features
is a “slide” panel next to those. With this neat little item all you have to do is slide your finger up or
down on the panel and it becomes a scroll tool. Yes, you can scroll up and down just by sliding your finger
over it. “So Cool!”
The tablet can be customized in many ways using the set up program for such needs as, the pressure of the
pen, where the harder you press the thicker the line becomes or the denser the color. Total control over
how your hand transfers the work onto the screen. Make a mistake and you even have an eraser on the other
end of the pen to just rub it away. Even if you can’t “draw” (like me) this tablet is a must have for any
and all retouching work you have to do, and as easily as if you had a retouching brush in your hand. Anyone
doing hand-coloring will find it indispensable.
The WACOM Pen Tablets retail from $219 for the 4x5 up to $449.95 for the 9x12 tablet. Larger “Cintiq” tablets
are also available if you have an extra $3,000 to spend. All WACOM tablets and other goodies can be seen
at
www.wacom.com
Do yourself a big favor and check them out!
Kensington Technology also makes some other items that have made my workstation a pleasure to use again.
One is their Expert Mouse Trackball that I could not do without, and won’t. Use one and you will never want
to even see another regular mouse again. This model has four buttons that can be customized with their own
keystrokes, plus you can set it up so that by pressing two buttons at the same time you get yet another keystroke
command. With just one click right there at my fingertips I have mine set up to, Click, Save, Undo, Select
All, and the Double Click, Find and Copy, all without having to find a menu window and command.
This model also comes with a scroll ring. The circle ring around the ball spins to allow you to scroll up
and down, also right at your fingertips. Try that with your regular mouse! The unit even comes with a wrist
rest pad to make using it more comfortable. The Expert Mouse Trackball is made by Kensington Tech. and retails
for just $99.99 so check it out at
www.kensington.com
.
Another Kensington item I now use and should have gotten “YEARS” ago is one of their under-desk keyboard
trays. I have the Underdesk Adjustable Keyboard Platform, model 60067, which has an adjustable platform,
slides in and out, and swings sideways so that I can get it totally out of my way. I used to just keep my
keyboard right on the desk top, and almost always in my way, but by getting one of these platforms that mount
under the desktop I have opened a whole section of my desk to do other work on when needed. I was even able
to mount the base on an old metal desktop for which it was not designed, but was easily adapted. Another
great feature is that this model only sells for $89.99, and it’s more than worth every penny.
Plug-in goodies that will soup up your images
For about a decade there was only one (un-named) group of Photoshop plug-in filters that everyone talked
about, and just about everyone used. No more! Now the big kid on the block is the set of “nik Color Efex
Pro 2” filters which come in four separate sets for your needs and price range. For years I have been hoping
for a few effects that before now could only be found by adding lens filters to your camera, but now I have
them in this new Pro 2 set. The one that every Photoshop user will use is the “Polarization” filter to improve
those shots that just have a real weak sky area.
Pro 2 contains two different sets, one a “Traditional” set that contains 37 separate filters, including,
Polarizer, Vignette, Graduated ND, 6 Graduated colors, and 2 Infrared filters for both b&w and color. The
other is a “Stylizing” set that has 38 filters, including one more Infrared filter for a thermal camera effect,
two Cross-Process effects, Pop Art, and many more.
These filters are all very easy to use with a large preview window and tool settings that show you the effect,
as it will be applied. This is by far the largest and best put together set of plug-in filters that I have
seen to date.
The complete Pro 2 edition contains 75 photo filters for $299.95, and a workshop type Rick Sammons set has
12 filters for just $79.95, with two other sets at $99.95 and $159.95 each all for Mac and Windows version.
This great product is a creation of nik multimedia, Inc. and can be checked out at
www.nikmultimedia.com
. There is also a 5th edition that is available exclusively from Nikon and their authorized dealers for use
with Nikon Capture 4.
Another plug-in that many photographers will like is the Knoll Light Factory 2, which simulates reflected
lighting on, or behind, an image’s subject. By on or behind I mean, you can place a bright spotlight behind
text in a promo piece, or a glow in a character’s eye, as was done by this plug-in to the “Terminator’s” eye.
You can even simulate a sunset in one of your images that you just missed. This super little program that
works right in Photoshop, is for both Mac and Windows, and is made by Red Giant Software, and the retail
prices start at $129.00-US. Check it out at
www.redgiantsoftware.com
.
Most photographers who work in digital imaging find times when they’d like to take something out of one
image and use it in another, but selecting a subject and getting it right is no easy task. There are ways
to do it and KnockOut 2 from Corel is one of the best. This program allows you to select precise shapes and
forms, and not miss half of what’s there. Even the fine details are preserved to copy out, or to use the
selection to crop out the unwanted background and save the selection alone. The manual cover shown here will
give you a very good idea of just how much detail you can work with, when it can pick out a tropical fish
to paste into another image. Believe it or not, you can even select smoke with it. This Photoshop plug-in
will save you MANY hours of work, and probably half of your nerves. KnockOut 2 is made for both Mac and Windows
by Corel and retails for $99.99-US. It can be checked out at
www.corel.com
.
Another great photo effect program that I found to be a lot better than expected is PhotoFrame, by onOne
Software that allows you to interactively design border and edge effects right in Photoshop. If you are in
a hurry you can use one of the 2,000-plus professionally designed frames that come with it. If you don’t
really like any of those you can even combine any number of those frames until you get something that you
do like, and all frames are viewable in real-time previews.
Many images are greatly improved with the addition of simple or fancy frames around them, and now you can
create your own designed ones to fit each and every kind of picture you have. If you also design your own
promotional pieces, these frames will add an even more attention getting look on those. PhotoFrames is a
creation of onOne Software and retails for $149.95 for the full version, or for $49.95 for the upgrade. Mac
OS X/Windows XP compatible. Check it out at
www.ononesoftware.com
.
Training & Lesson Items
Once you buy a software program, then you actually have to learn how to use it. There are many books and
other training items on the market, and some are good, and other good-for-nothing. For Adobe users there
is one company that makes Total Training Tutorials on DVDs for all of the Adobe products, including Photoshop
CS2, GoLive CS2, InDesign CS2, Illustrator CS2, and Creative Suite 2. Lessons vary in length and price depending
on the program, but all are more than worth the price. Each lesson covers the full programs and you can start
and stop, go back and re-view, and take as many breaks as you want to, and start over from where you left
off at any time.
The lessons are personal and easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions on every tool and command, and
come with all the files you need, plus some even have extra bonus lessons, and are for both Mac and PC users.
The Photoshop set comes on 3 DVDs with more than 21 hours of lessons and cost $300, InDesign has 2 DVDs with
16 hours of lessons for $250, and GoLive has 1 DVD with 7 hours on it for $150. All other sets can be checked
out at
www.totaltraining.com
.
If you are interested in, or new to digital photography, there is another DVD set that is a full training
course to learn what all you will need to know to make the best images with your digital camera. It is, “A
guide to: Digital Imaging” from alienideas. This DVD course is for both Mac and PC users, and has 90 minutes
of video lessons from the basics to advanced pro techniques. It is a full reference book on a disk. Check
it out more and the price at
www.alienideas.com
.
One or more of these great items will make you, or someone special, very happy and grateful this holiday
season.
Have A Happy One!
About the Author
Paul W. Faust is a self-taught Photographer, Writer, Digital Imaging, Photo Restoration, and Photo Stock
Service professional.
His work has been published in American Photographer, Camera 35, Camera and Darkroom, Popular Photography,
Photographic, Photographers Forum, www.apogeephoto.com and here at TPN. Past assignments have included many
cover images, full-page spreads, and also shooting stills for both Hollywood movie sets, and for star hopefuls
including Bo Derick, Heather Locklear, and Pricilla Barns, among others. Paul's images have also been used
by; NikonNet, Bogen Photo Imaging, East Tennessee Film Commission, and The Knoxville Zoo, to name a few,
including their web sites.
Paul can be reached at
pwf_iol@yahoo.com
