Pixel Training

Adobe Camera Raw 8.4 Release Candidate Available

Adobe has posted new Release Candidate version of Adobe Camera Raw 8.4 for both Photoshop CS6 & Photoshop CC versions.

Included in this release candidate is support for new cameras including Canon 1200D (T5), Fujifilm X-T1, Nikon D4S, and Phase One IQ250 to name a few. This is actually exciting news since they are releasing support for cameras that hasn't even hit the market yet. In the past, new camera owners were quite often out of luck for months if you wanted to use the new Raw file formats from these cameras with Camera Raw or Lightroom. If you wonder what that subscription money is doing for you, this is a good case in point. Well done Adobe.

Also new in the release candidate is a new collection of lens profiles including the iPhone 5c, FujiFilm x100s, Nikon & Canon lenses and  a bunch for the Sony Alpha. Again, good news they are getting caught up quick on some of these newly released cameras.

There's a couple of new features too. A new side-by-side comparison of before and after versions of your processed photo. Pete Eye correction has also been added and new function in the Radial Filter as well as better controls for the local adjustment sliders.

One other interesting feature is the added Camera Profiles for the Fujifilm x series cameras. If you're a Fuji camera user like I am (x100), I'm sure your well aware of the great JPEG processing you have available from your Fuji camera profiles. Well now you can use those same type profiles with your Raw files too. This must mean Fuji cameras are definitely making a come back and getting more popular than ever.

They are also signalling the future with the dropping of support for Photoshop CS6 for a few operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OSX 10.6.

Release candidates are well tested beta versions that Adobe would like input from a larger community on its performance. Any feedback should be made on the Adobe feedback portal.

Big Announcement

I'm excited to tell you about a new project I've been working on with my good friend Justin over at Hossedia.com. We have created something entirely new where you get to ride along with us as we teach you the process for creating great looking photos in Moab. Consider it a virtual workshop, call it a learning tool for photography, and you can even call it a behind the scenes look as to how we process photos in Lightroom. What I like to call it is and adventure in photography where you get to hang with us as we plan, compose, process and review our photos we take in the iconic Moab, Utah.

 

Be sure to head over to The Photo Frontier to learn more and sign up to be notified when it releases in a few weeks. You'll also get a discount to save money on thevideo as well as other great offers when the store launches.

Leave No Trace

Photo courtesy of Matt Buker

This past weekend a visitor in Goblin Valley State Park near Green River, Utah decided a 170 million old rock was unsafe and had to be toppled over to protect other visitors from harm. By damaging the rocks this man was trying to protect us from the very nature of this park's main features. Was this right or was he acting in a altruistic manner?

 

As a photographer who visits State and National Parks all the time I am very aware of what damage can be done in these fragile areas. I was discussing this story with a good friend of mine, Matt Buker, who spends a lot of time in this very park camping, hiking , and photographing and had some very good thoughts about the situation. The following is his response:

“My son and I present The Desert to the second graders at his school every year. One thing we do is try to let them know that our wild places, our mountains, our canyons, our oceans, lakes, rivers and our sky are all precious. Some perhaps more then others, but all worth the fight.

Most important are the ones we all agree to call our Parks, Seashores or Monuments are especially important. They mark something greater, something bigger, something deeper or higher, but something we all as Americans and the world agree is worth protecting.

Taking, destroying, undermining or just not standing up for any of these places is a shot to the heart of each and every one of us and our future wanderers. Whether you go to these places or just know they are there, these are OUR walking museums, which we hold dear and have made the commitment to protect.

After seeing this CNN video, I believe we all could use a simple reminder. We could all agree, the men in this video obviously made a mistake. All we can do now is hope they find some time and a place to consider what they have done beyond being defensive about why. I myself hope they find it within themselves to change. And then, I also hope they can help spread the word to others.

It's important, maybe one of the most important things of all to me, is for everyone to understand the little things we do to these unique places add up. Maybe not within days, or years or centuries, but once destroyed will be forever destroyed. You can't tape together 10 million years natures artistry.

I know we are all better then our worst days and we all can become better people; however, our wild places don't have that ability. Their best days are behind them, so it is up to us to work together to help protect them.

Goblin Valley holds a very dear place in the hearts of my son and I. Over the years, we have been lucky to have shared this magical place many of our family and the friends. And while this event is upsetting, we'll go back, and we won't hold any grudges.

Let's work together to keep these kinds of things from happening to the places you love. Wherever in the world they may be.

I'd be happy if you shared this to help us spread the word.”

Maybe we can learn from both of these men and remember these areas of preserved nature are a privilege to visit and should be treated as such. Remember when you are out taking photos or just visiting to “Leave no Trace”.

Adobe Compromises User's Security

Today at midnight, Adobe informed its users their sensitive information may have been hacked from its website. Hackers may have accessed your Adobe ID, password, and credit card information. (See Adobe's website fro more information) Some of it was encrypted. Adobe recommends you change your password and ID if you used the same one on any other website. Adobe also deeply regrets any inconvenience this may cause you.

This is an unfortunate incident that may affect us all and it may not be the last.

Moab Worksop Discount - Save $100

This October 18th-20th we’ll be hosting another workshop in Moab, Utah where you can learn the basics of Lightroom and also develop your photographic eye in one of the most amazing places on the planet. Hosted by Efrain Cruz and myself, you will get personalized instruction with your gear, review of your photographs you take over the weekend and inside tips to using Lightroom to devel0p your photos. Attendees have a blast during the workshop and you will make new friends during your adventure.

Sign up now and use the discount code PTMOAB13 for this Fall's workshop when you use the Google checkout or you can call Efrain directly to sign up. Don't miss an opportunity to visit to some of the most photographed places in the world. You can also check out this video if you want to see some of the amazing spots in Moab we'll be visiting. Hope to see you there.

  

New Release Candidates posted for Lightroom 5.2 & Camera Raw 8.2

Adobe has posted new Release Candidate version of Lightroom 5.2 and Adobe Camera Raw 8.2 for both Photoshop CS6 & Photoshop CC versions.

Included in this release candidates are new camera support including the Phase One IQ260 and Canon EOS 70D, new lens profiles including those for the GoPro 3 camera. New features include a Smoothness adjustment slider to the Detail Panel to reduce low-frequency color mottling artifacts. Refinements to the Spot Healing tool and Local Adjustment Brush. Camer RAw get a couple of more additions including interactive Hisotgram like Lightroom, separate Auto Temperature and Auto Tint controls, and workflow presets are now available and can be selected on context-clicking the workflow link. You can read more about the big fixes and features for Lightroom or Camera Raw.

Release candidates are well tested beta versions that Adobe would like input from a larger community on its performance. Any feedback should be made on the Adobe feedback portal.

The Missing Output Module in Bridge CC

Did anyone notice the Output module missing in the new Bridge CC? If you have been a long time user of Adobe Bridge you probably have found one of the most useful tools there, the Adobe Output Module (AOM). With AOM you could create web galleries and one of my favorite functions, the PDF contact sheet. Using AOM to create PDF contact sheets was so helpful that when Adobe dropped it from the new Creative Cloud version of Bridge many were up in arms. Productivity went down as we all tried to figure out a new workflow to recreate the contact sheet and some long time users were sad to see us going back to the old script version of creating PDF contact sheets in Photoshop.

Well, the Arab Spring has arrived at Adobe and they have heard the users cry for bringing back the AOM. Adobe has kindly created a new module that can be installed to the new Bridge CC. Yes, they had to re-write the module again for the new version of Bridge which is why it was not there to begin with. So thank you Adobe for listening to some of us long time users and spending the time to give us back the freedom to create PDFs in Bridge.

you can download the install for the module here on Adobe's website and if you would like to know more how to use it check out my tutorial on How to create a PDF contact sheet.

Adobe Releases New Creative Cloud Apps

Adobe has finally realeased the much anticipated new suite of CC apps in the Creative Cloud. Included is the all new Photoshop CC which has some new improvements under the hood and some new filters and features peppered throughout the program.

All are available for immediate download including Lightroom 5. If you are a Camera Raw user you will have all the same new features found in Lightroom 5 including the Radial adjustment and new Spot Healing brush.

Adobe Releases Photoshop Lightroom 5

Today Adobe released the Creative Cloud version of its new Lightroom 5. The boxed or download version will be available supposedly on June 13.

Some of the new features in Lightroom 5 are sure to impress. The new Upright will automatically adjust perspective for your photos and a new Aspect slider allows you to adjust the stretching of teh corrected photo for a more natural look. A new Advanced Healing Brush is also new which takes the healing brush to a new level in Lightroom allowing you to correct more than just a spot compared to previous versions. The Radial Gradient is anew addition to the local adjustments and is a fantastic way  to add subtle changes to a general area or to create customized vignettes to your photos. With the addition of Smart Previews, which allows you to adjust photos not connected to your computer and the changes to the Book & Slide modules, this upgrade is adding up to a nice upgrade for Lightroom users.

Look for more updates and in-depth looks in to the new features of Lightroom 5 here on the PixelTraining blog.

Photoshop CS6 Perpetual License Updates Now Available

Adobe just released an update to the Perpetual License version of Photoshop (that's the standard box or download version, not Creative Cloud subscriptions) to 13.0.5 for Macintosh and 13.0.1.2 for Windows. The update for Creative Cloud members will be released with the new CC version on June 17th.

To get the update, open Photoshop and go to the Help menu and choose Updates. You can read about the updates here. This will probably be the last update for CS6 as the new CC version will be released in a couple of weeks.