Digital Focus
August 24th, 2004
proudly presented by
PC World
Technology Advice You Can Trust
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/1/0/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Photography expert Dave Johnson's tips will enhance your digital
camera, printer, and image editing expertise with recommendations on
digital challenges from shooting techniques to digital publishing,
answers to reader questions, and a photo contest.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|Digital Focus Sponsor|=-=-=
XEROX
A winner in the printing triathlon, brilliant color that won't quit.
Enter to win an $11,000 Business Upgrade Package (USD) or a Xerox
Phaser(R) 6250 Color Laser Printer.
Visit this link to enter:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722421/0/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
August 24th, 2004
In This Issue:
- Feature Story: Hand-Color Your Photos
- Dave's Favorites: Get Perfect Color Balance With ExpoDisc
- Q&A: Should I Use the RAW Format?
- Contest: Submit Your Best Photo, Become Famous, and Win a Prize
- Newsletter Trivia: Reading Back Issues, Helping Friends Subscribe
* Feature: Hand-Color Your Photos *
While some people complain about the potential for trickery in modern
digital photos, the reality is that film photographers have played
fast and loose with reality for a century. Hand-coloring, for
instance, is a classic way to embellish a real photo by painting
directly onto the print.
We can do pretty much the same thing in the digital world, and there's
no need to wash the stench of paint thinner out of our clothes
afterwards.
Restoring What Could Have Been
Take this photo, for instance. It's a medieval helmet that I snapped
at a recent Renaissance festival:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722422/0/
What caught my eye was the star pattern etched into the side. It
seemed to me that in the age of jousts, this helmet was probably
painted--and I was curious to see what it would look like if the star
were filled in with a splash of color. I noticed that the helmet was
already splattered with paint, so I decided to work with that color.
Create a Layer
Save the picture to your hard drive and open it in an image editor.
For this example, I'll use Jasc's Paint Shop Pro 8.
The first order of business is to add a layer on top of the image.
We'll do our work in the top layer so nothing that we do will affect
the picture itself until we save the file--it's a great safety net.
Choose Layers, New Raster Layer from the menu, and click OK in the New
Raster Layer dialog box to create the layer.
Pick Your Color
Next, we need to decide what color to paint with. I thought that the
color of the star should look similar to the paint splatters already
on the helmet. To get that color, click the Dropper Tool in the
toolbar on the left side of the screen (it lives in the sixth cubby
from the top, along with the Color Replacer tool). Then hold the
Dropper over one of the pinkish splatters and click to select that
color for painting. Note that there's variation in the spatters, so
you'll have some choice in color tone. You can preview the color in
the Foreground Color box to the right of the dropper.
Paint the Star
We're almost ready to paint, but we should create a selection around
the star first. The best tool for this particular job is the Freehand
selection tool, set to Point to Point mode. Select the Freehand tool
(in the fifth cubby from the top with the Magic Wand) and choose Point
to Point from the Selection Type menu in the tool palette at the top
of the screen.
Select View, Zoom to zoom in so the star fills most of the screen.
Then carefully click one of the star points. Click your way around the
star to select its outline until you get back to your starting point.
Double-click to complete the selection.
Finally, click the Paint Brush tool (in the seventh cubby from the top
with the Airbrush and the Warp Brush). In the tool palette at the top
of the screen, set the size of the brush fairly high--say, 40
pixels--and set the opacity to about 40 percent. Paint inside the star
without lifting your finger off the mouse button. You should see the
star fill in with color. Since you created a selection, you needn't
worry about straying outside the lines.
If you lift your finger off the mouse button and then click and paint
again, you'll darken the layer of paint you've set down. The more
times you click, the darker the paint gets. I applied two coats of
paint to get this picture:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722423/0/
One final touch: let's add a small dab of paint in each of the little
dimples at the points of the star. To do that, choose Selections,
Select None from the menu and reduce the size of the brush to about 20
pixels. Carefully click in the center of each dimple just once to
leave the impression of faded paint. This is what I ended up with:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722424/0/
* Dave's Favorites: Get Perfect Color Balance With ExpoDisc *
Light is colorful stuff. Every kind of light source has its own color
bias; candlelight, sunrise, sunset, mid-day sun, and incandescent and
florescent lights all give off their own unique hues. Your digital
camera's white balance control is designed to work with these
variations. The camera tries to measure the color of ambient light and
then adjust for it, so the whites in your pictures come out white, the
blacks are black, and all the colors in between come out the way your
eyes usually see them.
The problem is that your camera's automatic white balance control is
wrong more often than it's right, which accounts for the reddish or
bluish tone in your pictures. One workaround is to carry a "white
card" with your camera and use it to set the white balance each time
before you shoot--but doing that's a real pain. I've found a much more
convenient solution, and it's called ExpoDisc.
The ExpoDisc is like a cap that snaps onto the front of your camera
lens. It has a perfectly calibrated white card built right in. So snap
the ExpoDisc onto your camera, press the white balance adjustment
button, and you're done. Throw the ExpoDisc back in your camera bag or
pocket, and shoot away. You only need to readjust with ExpoDisc when
the lighting conditions change--such as if you go from outdoors to
indoors.
If the color accuracy of your camera bugs you and you've been looking
for a fast, easy way to correct the white balance, ExpoDisc is it.
I've been extremely impressed with the results. The downside? ExpoDisc
is a professional photo accessory, and it's priced accordingly.
Depending upon the diameter of your camera lens, expect to pay from
$80 to $160 for an ExpoDisc. For more information or to buy one, visit
the ExpoDisc site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722425/0/
* Q&A: Should I Use the RAW Format? *
I am having trouble finding information on the RAW format. What is it?
What does it do? I ask because my Canon digital camera offers me the
option of using the RAW format, but I don't know why I might want to
use it. Can you shed some light on this subject?
--Eric Downer, Kennard, Nebraska
The RAW format is not very common among photo enthusiasts, Eric, which
is why you won't find much information about it.
When you shoot in JPEG or TIFF, your digital camera does a handful of
things to your pictures before they're saved, such as mapping the
picture into a color space to make it viewable on your computer and
"correcting" the colors with white balance.
When you use the RAW format, though, your camera saves the picture
before any of that processing is done. As you can probably guess, it
appeals to professional photographers and photo purists who want to
get their pictures before anything happens to "taint" the original
exposure.
But for us mere mortals, the RAW format has serious limitations. RAW
images are usually pretty large: They are comparable in size to TIFFs,
and take up the space of a dozen JPEGs. And since they're in an
unusual format, they can't be viewed or edited without special
software, which is usually provided on a CD with the camera itself.
Then there's the blessing or the curse, depending upon how you look at
it: Since RAW pictures haven't been processed in the camera, you'll
need to manually apply basic transformations like white balance
adjustment to each and every image.
So is RAW worth it? Some pros think so. But personally, I usually save
my pictures as high-quality JPEGs.
* Hot Pic of the Week *
Get published, get famous! Each week, we select our favorite
reader-submitted photo based on creativity, originality, and
technique. Every month, the best of the weekly winners gets a prize
valued at between $10 and $100.
A gentle reminder, folks: We disqualify some really wonderful pictures
every week because the submissions don't follow the rules. Be sure to
include everything we ask for in your e-mail message, including a
description of your picture and your complete contact information, or
your entry is wasted!
Here's how to enter: Send us your photograph in JPEG format at a
resolution no higher than 640 by 480 pixels. Our e-mail address is:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Entries at higher resolutions will be immediately disqualified. If
necessary, use an image editing program to reduce the file size of
your image before e-mailing it to us. Include the title of your photo
along with a short description and how you photographed it. Don't
forget to send your name, e-mail address, and postal address. Before
entering, please read the full description of the contest rules and
regs at:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/95/0/
This Week's Hot Pic: "Paris," by Alan Gordon, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Alan took this picture while in Paris on a recent trip. He says that
he captured the shot from Pont Alexander III using his travel camera,
a Casio QV-R51. Alan adds: "I played a few tricks with color in Paint
Shop Pro 8 to highlight the bridge sculpture."
To view the photo, go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722426/0/
* Subscriptions and Comments *
If you know someone who'd like to subscribe to this newsletter, send
them to the Newsletter Subscriptions page:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/99/0/
We want your feedback! Send your comments, questions, and suggestions
about the newsletter itself to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
If you have a question that you'd like to see answered in the weekly
Q&A, send it to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
* See Dave Johnson's previous Digital Focus Features at:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/237289/0/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|advertisement|=-=-=-=
Sponsored Downloads:
* 1 Click Fix It - Cleans your registry easily and safely. *
With 1 Click Fix It for Windows you can safely clean and repair
Windows registry problems with one simple mouse click, thus keeping
your PC running faster, cleaner and error-free. With a few easy steps,
1 Click Fix It will scan your entire registry for any invalid entries
and will provide a list of the registry errors found. Choose to
selectively clean each item or automatically repair them all. Running
1 Click Fix It regularly will keep your registry clean and correct and
your PC will be optimized for superior performance! $5.00 discount off
purchase for PC World newsletters subscribers.
* More information:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722174/0/
* Secure IE: Browse Safer and Faster *
Stop Hackers in Their Tracks! Today, spyware and hacker attacks are as
common as viruses and are causing severe damage to consumers. Once on
your machine these intruders can gain access to your personal data,
such as your credit card information, passwords and financial
information. Secure IE protects your computer at the main point of
external contact--your Web browser--and tightly restricts what Web
sites can and cannot do to you. It stops spyware at the point of
entry, blocks hackers from entering your PC and seals potential
security leaks.
* More information:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722175/0/
Check other exclusive discount software offers for PC World
newsletters subscribers:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/237749/0/
=====================================================================
Top News From PC World
* Microsoft Sends Digital Business Cards
New InterConnect 2004 software automatically updates contact info.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722410/0/
* Transmeta Plans for the LongRun
Four years later, chip maker still struggles to compete with AMD and
Intel.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722411/0/
* Check out all of today's news...
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/54/0/
=====================================================================
Editors' Picks
Free Utilities: Shrink DVDs, Boost Windows Media Player
Improve Windows Media Player, convert WMA files and rip MP3s with
latest release of iTunes.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722412/0/
GDivX Zenith Player v1.1
Video skipping on Windows Media Player? Try this alternative, which
supports multiple formats.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/238773/0/
DVD Shrink v3.1.7
Make a back up of your DVD disks, saving the output to your hard
drive.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/238772/0/
Mp3Trim v1.90a
Shave the dead space from your MP3s to leave more room for the music.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722413/0/
iTunes for Windows v4.6
Apple's media player is a joy to use even if you never buy a 99-cent
song.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722414/0/
Quintessential Player v4.5.1
Player offers extensive features in a simple design, and lets you rip
files from your CD.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722415/0/
For a full list of this week's Editors' Picks, go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722412/0/
=====================================================================
* Reviews *
* Epson's Hands-Free Scanner
New flatbed is a great choice for home shutterbugs with an undigitized
film archive.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722416/0/
Check the latest prices on Scanners:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/829/0/
* New Nero Does Photos
Image editing application is best for newbies.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722417/0/
Check the latest prices on Utilities:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722246/0/
* IBM ThinkVision L170m
IBM's first speaker-equipped LCD monitor skimps on more-important
features.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/722418/0/
Check the latest prices on Flat Panels/LCD:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/85/0/
See all Reviews:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/86/0/
=====================================================================
* PC World Magazine: Get 15 free Power Guides instantly plus Bonus
CD-ROM! Get 2 trial issues of PC World--the world's leading monthly
computer publication. Plus, you'll get PC World's 15 Power Guides and
Bonus CD-ROM free when you enter your trial subscription! Order now
to receive this exclusive Power Guide Collection from our
award-winning editors. Here's what you'll get--Upgrading Your PC,
Multimedia/Gaming, PC Hardware, A Trouble-Free PC, Windows XP, The
Internet, Using Windows and more! Don't delay. Order today.
[Note: Adobe Reader version 5 or newer is required to view Power
Guides.]
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/237590/0/
Or Try PC World in Digital Format. Same Magazine, Now Digital!
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/216/0/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=|advertisement|=-=-=-=
Shop Now Online
*XEROX
Get productivity to burn, without burning a hole in your budget. Enter
to win a 50" HDTV or a Xerox Phaser(R) 8400 Color Printer.
Visit this link to enter:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/237406/0/
=====================================================================
* PC World Picks and Promotions *
* PCWorld.com's New Bargain Finder!
PCWorld.com has launched a new service that offers a daily list of hot
bargains on computer gear, gadgets and other cool stuff. Youll find
deals that combine coupons, rebates, discounts and free shipping.
There are closeouts, price reductions and special offers, all in an
easy-to-scan format. Our deal spotters have a special knack for
finding the products you may want to own at pretty unbelievable
prices. A fresh list of deals is posted every day. Some of these deals
only last a day or two so be sure to come by often; you never know
what youre going to find there.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/516495/0/
* PCWorld.com has added a new Weblog
Get the hottest skinny on new products and trends from the PC World
staff editors' weblog, Today @ PCWorld. You'll be the first to know
about exciting new technologies straight from our experts, including
on-the-spot, daily reports from trade shows and vendor demonstrations.
Don't miss out. Visit Today @ PCWorld every day.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/538354/0/
And remember Editor-in-Chief Harry McCracken's daily Techlog.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/238476/0/
* Find Hot Spots
Use this free PCWorld.com service to locate Wi-Fi hot spots around the
corner or across the globe. Search by address, browse a map, check
pricing, search the U.S. by Zip Code and more.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/2628/0/
* Digital Photography and Image Editing Tips
The award-winning editors at PC World have combined their vast digital
photography expertise and packed it onto one Super CD. We also have
included three top rated *fully licensede*, fully functional image
editing software applications: FlipAlbum 5.0 Standard, PhotoMeister
2.0, and ACD FotoAngelo 1.0. *Plus*, you'll get an additional 26
image editing related shareware applications to sample at your
leisure!
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/2518/0/
=====================================================================
* Newsletter Subscriber Services *
If you cannot "click" on the links in this newsletter, please try
copying the complete URL and pasting it into your browser's address
field.
--To unsubscribe from this or all newsletters, to sign up for new
newsletters or to change your newsletters format from text-only to
HTML, please go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/19/0/
--To change the e-mail address to which we send your PC World e-mail
newsletters, please visit our change of address form at:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/20/0/
--PC World will occasionally send e-mail announcements of special
deals, new products, and other third party product and service offers
to newsletter subscribers and PCWorld.com Registered Members who have
asked to receive them. To update your preferences and be excluded from
these mailings, please go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/21/0/
--For a list of all these subscriber services online, please go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/22/0/
--PCWorld.com Privacy Policy:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/146/0/
If you have questions or comments regarding PC World e-mail newsletter
subscriptions, please contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Interested in PC World RSS feeds? Please go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/201756/21421679/66/0/
PCWorld.com newsletters may contain links to sites on the Internet
which are owned and operated by third parties. PC World
Communications, Inc., is not responsible for the availability of, or
the content located on or through, any such third-party site.
2004 PC World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
permission of PC World Communications, Inc., is prohibited. PC World
is a registered trademark of International Data Group, Inc. All other
trademarks used on PC World and PCWorld.com are the property of their
respective owners. PC World Communications, Inc., 501 2nd St., San
Francisco, CA 94107.
---
You are currently subscribed to digital_focus_text as: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
$9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/BCfwlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kumpulan/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
