Master of Light Challenge and my Blog have new homes

The Master of Light Challenge is now back with a new home at www.masterthelight.com where you will find challenge 5 and info on additional prizes.

My blog has also moved to a new home at www.panascape.wordpress.com

Master of Light Re-launch


I had a total disaster this weekend while we were trying to put the final touches on the newsletter when the maintenance crew cut the power to the building for the whole weekend instead of the limited period they had promised us.

I have been trying since early this morning to finish but practically says I will probably only finish late tonight or early tomorrow so in the mean time I have posted some content to wet your appetite.

This is the cover of the newsletter along with some of what you can expect to find in it.

There is also a tip for those using Wacom tablets that I will share with you in the interim.

Anyone who has taken the time to learn how to use a tablet will tell you that this is something that any photographer doing any sort of serious retouching cannot do without.
With a tablet you have a degree of precision that you cannot achieve with a mouse plus you have the added benefit of pressure sensitive support. The problem is that tablets tend to take up a lot of space on your desk leaving little or no space for a keyboard. The solution to this is easy. There are no a variety of flexible keyboards around in a variety of forms and the smallest of these can easily be located at the top edge of the tablet.


What I have done with mine is to build up a small cardboard section the same height as my tablet and place the keyboard so that its overlapping onto the tablet and supported by the cardboard which is taped to the bottom of the tablet.





My only question is why didn’t Wacom think of this?

Master of Light

Hi all contrary to the post on Pix’s website, Master of Light is alive and well, we were just forced to make some very sudden and drastic changes which were a result of Pix’s sudden decision to pull of the challenge.

We were not prepared to just end the challenge and are committed to seeing it through to completion but this mean that running the challenge has fallen wholly on my shoulders and seeing it’s not a paid job, I have had to juggle it amongst my daily workload which has been a bigger challenge than I anticipated and for this I apologise.

We have a firm date of 22 Feb for the re-launch of the challenge newsletter which will go out to all those who have entered in the past plus various mailing lists. If you want to be added to the mailing list, email me on mol@panascape.co.za and I will add you to the challenge main mailing list.

Regards

Robert

SkinFix version 1.2

My Skinfix version 1.2 is availible here till I iron the last bugs out in version 2.

http://rapidshare.com/files/323623587/Skin_Fix.zip

This includes a PS action with a new thrid step.

Master Of Light Monthly Newsletter

As many of you know, the Master of Light challenges have been running for a while now and were nearing an end which made us sit back and think “What Now, Do we just let it all end with the final challenge?” The solution we came up with is to keep Master Of Light running beyond the final challenge in the form of a newsletters that we will be launching in the next few days.

So keep an eye out for the newsletter which will be announced here and on the PixMag Social website pixmag.ning.com

Master of light is alive and well

Hi All

I am sure that many of you are worried about what’s happening with the Master of Light Challenge and I just wanted to let you know that it is still alive and well, just with a few changes. We are working flat out to bring it to you in its exciting new format so check back here on Monday for a big surprise.

Regards

Robert

More Brain = Better Light Workshop

Those of you who have been waiting expectantly will be glad to hear that I have decided to start running my lighting workshop which I have entitled “More Brain = Better Light”

So what does the workshop cover and why “More Brain = Better Light”?

The secret to lighting a great photograph isn’t how much your gear costs but rather having the ability and confidence to plan how you want the shot lit and then use what you have at hand to make it happen. Too often I hear someone say “I can’t take a photograph like that because I don’t have the right gear” which is unfortunate because all the gear in the world won’t make you light any better than someone who really understands what they are doing.

So More Brain = Better Light really is a day spent teaching you to think about lighting in a new way where gear is the final part that makes it happen not the part the decides the shoot.

I am not going to promise you that you will become a master photographer in a day, but I am going to give you a good solid base that you can confidently build on which will help you accelerate your journey to becoming the photographer you want to be.

The day will consist of two sessions, a morning session covering the basics of lighting and equipment (including using sppedlights) and an afternoon session covering lighting setups and hands on shooting.

Morning Session 8:30am - 1pm
• Basics of light, lighting and exposure
• Understanding how you camera sees light
• Controlling light
• Lighting equipment and how to use it
• The elements that make a great shoot

1 hr Lunch Break – Food and refreshments provided

Afternoon session 2pm – 5:30pm
• Exploring 4 different and versatile lighting setups
• Attendees get to shoot live models using the setups and their own cameras.

The course fee includes:
• Attendance for the day
• Lunch and refreshments
• Course notes

Two models and a Makeup artist will be present.
* Attendees need to bring their own cameras and memory cards.


For more information on what the course covers as well as cost, dates and bookings please email me on betterlight(at)panascape.co.za

Challenge 3 draws to a close

o we are nearing the end of the third master of light challenge and although the entries are flowing in, I would still really be happy to see more of you getting involved in these challenges as I don't believe there is a single photographer, hobbyist or pro, who won’t gain from doing each and every challenge.

This challenge is essentially a simple light painting exercise and there is a good article on light painting in the current issue of PixMAG and a wealth of information on the subject is just a Google search away.

3 days to go till submissions close for the April Challenge

So with 3 days to go till the end of the April challenge, entries are trickling in. There have been some interesting submissions so far but on the most part, people seem to be missing the big point of the Challenge which is that just because it has to be lit with candles doesn’t mean it has to be a candle light shot.

Light is light and with DSLR’s being able to adjust white balance settings you can do whatever you want with whatever light source you use. AS you move through the various challenges, it’s important to realise that it’s all about understating light and being able to light with anything and overcome any challenges that a light source may present.

Pix Magazine Master of Light Challenge

Starting in the next few days, I will be posting regular updates reading the Pix Magazine Master of Light Challenge as well as tips trick and hints on performing the tasks so keep checking for updates.

Robert

Skin Fix v3

Exciting news for those who have been using my “Quick Skin Fix ver2”.

I have converted the version 2 tutorial, to a series of Photoshop actions and am currently busy with a version 3 which will comprise of the basics plus some additional actions that include skin fix and tone restoration.

I will post the link to this action here, once it has been fully tested and documented.

My Beauty and Glamour Portfolio

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.