If you want to create a logo for your company and you do not have any design knowledge, I have good news to give you since there are a large number of online tools with which you can make your logo for free. The vast majority of these tools are going to ask you to register to download the new Continue Reading
The post 10 Online Tools to Create a Free Logo appeared first on Photodoto.
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| The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the core item in the brand’s new travel line. |
The Internet has been abuzz with excitement over Peak Design’s new travel-oriented bag line which revolves around a 45L carry-on-sized backpack and set of organizational ‘Packing Tools’. The system is for those who love Peak Design gear and want to travel with their camera gear and personal items packed into just one bag.
The system is for traveling with camera gear and personal items packed into just one bag
The Kickstarter for said line of bags launched in July and crossed the finish line with over 10 times its initial goal raised. In more direct numbers, that’s 5.2 million dollars raised, with an initial goal of $ 500,000. Wow.
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The whole kit I tested: Travel Backpack 45L (right), Packing Cube (top-middle), Shoe Pouch (bottom-middle), Camera Cube (top-left), Tech Pouch (middle-left), Wash Pouch (bottom-left). |
For the sake of this review I’ll be looking at the Travel Backpack 45L, on page one. On page two I’ll look at the rest of the system, including the Tech Pouch, Wash Pouch, Shoe Pouch, Rain Fly, Packing Cube (small), and Camera Cube (medium). Combined these items add up to $ 545.
It’s important to note this bag and its accessories should be viewed almost as a gear carrying ecosystem, not unlike owning a Macbook, iPhone, AirPods, etc. These products are designed to be used together, but I believe its important to remind both myself and anyone else interested in these bags you certainly can choose to use other brands alongside the different pieces of the Peak Design (PD) ecosystem. I’ll go in depth with the main bag, then share my notes on the each of the smaller items, and lastly return to how all of these things fit together.
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The most important part of the Travel Line is the backpack itself. It’s big, sleek, and surprisingly boxy, though I’ll get to why that’s not such a bad thing later. As mentioned, this bag is oriented towards travelers, photographers, videographers and anyone in between. It blends some design principles of a traditional ‘backpacking’ bag with the sensibilities of a camera luggage bag, sans-wheels.
There aren’t a lot of direct competitors to the Travel Backpack, but two that comes to mind are Osprey’s Porter 46 Travel Pack and Mind Shift’s Firstlight 40L. These two bags represent the different focuses that Peak Design is trying to blend: a long distance travel backpack (Osprey) and a camera gear bag (Mind Shift).
The Porter is nearly identical in size, fits many of the same things and weighs only 1.5kg, or .5kg less than the Peak Design – it also costs $ 140, less than half of Peak Design’s $ 300 price tag. That being said, the Porter doesn’t have quite the gear readiness of Peak Design’s bag and is also missing the 900D bottom liner, though it does boast 420D weatherproof nylon, as opposed to PD’s 400D.
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| Peak Design’s Travel Backpack 45L packed with the Camera Cube (medium) |
Meanwhile, the Firstlight has 5L less carrying capacity and an interior depth of 18.5cm compared to PD’s 23cm at the low end. The Firstlight also costs $ 330, $ 30 more than Peak Design but the key difference here is that the Firstlight comes readily equipped with padded dividers in the main compartment of the bag – not the case with the PD option. With the Firstlight you lose some of the flexibility and travel-focus of Peak Design’s bag, but you actually end up spending less in the long run if what you’re looking for is a gear-focused bag.
This bag really surprised me out of the gate. Design-wise, it boasts a simple facade that has all kinds of pockets, straps, and secret stash areas. The boxiness of the bag seems like a departure from Peak Design’s more angular, triangle-based design you see in the Messenger and Everyday Backpack. This bag doesn’t ask for attention in its appearance.
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| The Travel Backpack has a simple design with little flashiness. |
In the Black version (tested here), everything blends together seamlessly. None of the straps, loops, or zippers call attention to themselves and everything has a James Bond-esque coolness to it. The Sage color also looks classy.
Nothing feels flimsy and all the zippers are smooth. Every strap feels like it belongs and helps the user carry the bag in whatever method is most convenient in the moment. I particularly appreciate the addition of the duffel-style strap in the center of the back panel. I’m a huge fan of Peak Design’s padded handles on both the tops and sides of their bags so to see another one in another place I didn’t realize I wanted it until I had it is a joy.
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| Back of the Travel Backpack 45L, note the duffel handle in the middle |
I think the area that Peak Design seems to excel the most is producing bags that feel sturdy and warrant the trust we give them with our gear. Another stellar addition here is the 900D weatherproof bottom liner, something you rarely even see in more outdoor-oriented bags.
The only design flaw that really stands out to me is the hip straps’ locking mechanism feels particularly unfamiliar. I like that Peak Design chooses to use hard metal joiners, like for the sternum strap, but for me I would’ve been perfectly happy with a hard plastic buckle.
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| Hip Strap | Sternum Strap |
I actually found this bag to be much more comfortable on my shoulders than my backpacking bag from REI. The hip straps aren’t quite as load-bearing, though I still find they take some of the weight off my shoulders and I think part of this is to do with the fact that a) I’m skinny, and b) the metal hook used to secure the hip straps doesn’t have quite the same tension as a buckle.
That said, the magnetic latches that allow you to store the hip straps in the back panel are super helpful for keeping things streamlined without a bunch of straps flapping in the wind when you’re moving around. And yes, this bag weighs more than others, I didn’t find it to be excessively heavy but ultimately that’s going to depend on how you pack it.
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| Strap storage, brought to you by: magnets! |
I first used this bag (along with the medium sized camera cube) like a gear suitcase traveling from Seattle to Portland to shoot a wedding and found it more than adequate for moving my equipment in a safe, comfortable manner.
I later used it without the camera cube as my main pack to travel around Europe for a few weeks and it was also pretty great. I opted to keep all my clothes and miscellaneous belongings in the main backpack and then carried Peak Design’s 10L Sling separately to keep my camera, extra lenses, journal, Kindle, etc. protected. Although it’s not really possible with the 10L Sling, Peak Design’s 5L sling can fit inside the Travel Backpack no problem, though you won’t have the same side panel access you could have with the camera cubes.
There are a lot of features packed into this bag and they take time to learn
The compression down to 30L is nice for those who want to use it, but I found the bag still felt too large for use as a ‘day pack’, even compressed down. The compression is achieved by folding two buttons on the top of the bag back onto their button counterparts, making the bag more angled down its face. There are a lot of features packed into this bag and honestly one of the biggest hindrances of enjoying them is they take time to learn. I’d highly recommend anyone interested in using using this pack for extended travel consider taking it out on a short weekend excursion first to learn some of the ins and outs. I didn’t initially realize that the front zipper panel with 4 zipper pockets could actually be rolled up and stowed for a more simple 1 compartment approach (see below).
My biggest usage gripe with the bag (which also extends to Peak Design’s Everyday Backpack) is that the side pockets really don’t expand much and can only fit some pretty small things. My 32oz Nalgene bottle for example, had to be attached on one of the gear loops because it didn’t fit in the side pockets. My guess is that this tightness is based around keeping things like tripods snug against the side of the bag. On the other hand one thing I like most about this bag is it stands upright on its own, unlike some of Peak Design’s other packs.
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| The pocketed divider can be stowed to create one big main pocket with immediate front access. |
Overall, I really enjoy using this bag and think I’ll be relying on it more to come in the future. The build quality is stellar, it’s stylish but subdued and it offers a lot of possibilities in terms of approaching how you carry all your stuff with you.
On it’s own this backpack offers a really awesome option for traveling light. It can fit enough to live out of, but doesn’t make you feel like a turtle. The sturdy design of the bag gives buyers a chance to manipulate the space within it as effectively as possible, unlike other backpacking bags that require you to stuff things in from the top down.
Head to page 2 for a breakdown of the rest of Peak Design’s Packing Tools and our overall conclusion.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Photo: Jye B
As humans, we relate to and love to capture photos of other people. Be it family, friends, strangers in street photography or professionally in a portrait studio.
Model/Actor: Patrick Walsh, Jr.
However, we don’t always have time to sit in front of a computer at home or in an office to edit our work. With the fantastic creation of Adobe Creative Cloud, you can now sync your Lightroom library to all your devices. You can create and edit images directly on your mobile phone or edit images created in any fashion, including in a studio. You can edit them in Lightroom Mobile on the go via laptop, tablet or smartphone.
While editing portraits, Lightroom Mobile, like its desktop counterpart, has many tools available to help take a snapshot of a great portrait. While it is helpful to explore every tool in the toolbox, here are ten key tools for editing portraits using Adobe Lightroom Mobile.
Whether it’s midday outdoors and your image is a little overexposed or its a bit overcast and your image is a little underexposed, the exposure tool in the Lightroom Mobile app is a quick fix to brighten or darken a photo to your liking arbitrarily. In the image below, the mirror image of my subject was a little bit dark, so I bumped up the exposure just a little. Doing so lightened some of the shadows in the subjects sunglasses so that you could see his eyes better. It also helped to show more detail in the black coat.
In this case, bumping up the exposure helped bring out details.
Adding contrast to an image creates more emphasis between light and dark colors in an image. However, sometimes contrast needs to be subtracted because too much can make similar tones can blend and lose definition. In the image below, I lowered the contrast to enhance the detail in my subject’s coat. Adding exposure in the first step brightened the subject as well as the mirror image. Although, it brightened the subject a little too much. I also dropped the highlights to put less focus on the brightest parts of the subject’s face.
Taking away contrast can show more detail. Taking away highlights can lessen the glare.
You can utilize the ‘Shadows’ tool when sculpting to a face or body is required, or you can remove them to show more detail. In the image below, while I did bump up the exposure a little bit, I also took away shadow to show more of my subject’s eyes through the sunglasses. You can now see the irises and catchlights in the eyes. It has also lightened some of the lines on the face too.
Removing shadow can sometimes reveal more detail.
One of the most amazing Lightroom Mobile tools recently introduced is the ‘Healing’ tool. This tool allows you to correct things on portraits such as blemishes. In the image below, I tried to preserve the model’s natural moles and birthmarks while only removing unwanted blemishes using the Healing brush.
Before and after images using the Healing Brush in Lightroom Mobile.
Sometimes you may capture an image where the white balance is a bit off. It could be too warm or too cold. The ‘Temperature’ slider under the ‘Color’ tab for ‘White Balance’ allows you to cool or warm an image. The below-left image was too cold, and the skin appeared gray. So, I boosted the warmth using the Color Temperature slider from 4400K to 4768K, giving a more natural color to the skin.
You can cool or warm an image using the ‘Temperature’ slider for ‘White Balance’ under the ‘Color’ tab.
The ‘Clarity’ tool has a very magical effect when it comes to editing portraits – especially of women. If you have a portrait with harsh shine on the skin or the pores are extremely visible, softening the ‘Clarity’ helps to blur out some of those imperfections subtly. It can make skin appear smoother, as in the image below.
Softening Clarity can subtly blur out some imperfections and make skin appear smoother.
In portraiture, a sharp image is key. An essential portrait element to be sharp is the eyes, or at least the eye closest to the camera. Sometimes you may need to sharpen your image in Lightroom Mobile to achieve this.
Sometimes sharpening is necessary to get key features, like the eyes, crisper.
After sharpening, zoom in to check for unwanted noise in your image. If there is unwanted noise, Lightroom Mobile has an entire ‘Noise Reduction’ section under the ‘Effects’ tab that you can use to minimize noise in your portraits. The Noise Reduction tool is also helpful in smoothing out any highlighted rough skin.
The Noise Reduction tab helps get rid of noise and smooth out the rough skin under highlights.
The ‘Presets’ tab is a fun tab. There are several sub-menus under Presets with a variety of readymade one-click settings you can quickly apply to your portraits. As examples, I chose two from the ‘Creative’ sub-menu under Presets to apply to the original image below-left.
Left to right: Original image, Soft Mist, Aged Photo.
The last tool you may find you need while editing on-the-go is the ‘Crop’ tool. Sometimes we have too much in an image, whether by accident or on purpose, knowing we can edit it later. Lightroom Mobile allows you to select the area of an image you wish to keep. Using your fingers, you can drag the borders to where you want them placed, as per the image below.
Using Lightroom Mobile, drag borders with your fingers and click the checkmark to finished when cropping images.
Lightroom Mobile grants photographers many tools to edit on-the-go. You can take a regular capture and make it an extraordinary image. Take a few images, use the various tools of Lightroom Mobile, and learn how they can be adjusted more toward your vision. You’ll find the convenience of Lightroom Mobile second-to-none, with results being similar to those of a desktop computer.
Have you used Adobe Lightroom Mobile? What are your experiences with it? Let us know in the comments below.
The post 10 Key Tools for Editing Portraits Using Adobe Lightroom Mobile appeared first on Digital Photography School.
The mirrorless camera wars are heating up with the announcements of the Nikon Z7, Canon EOS R, and Panasonic full-frame. If you’re entering the world of mirrorless with the idea of making videos, you’ll need to consider a host of accessories to add to your camera kit. Here are some essential videography tools to add to your kit to help you make stellar videos on your mirrorless camera.
The Fujifilm X-H1 (left) and Sony A7rIII.
This article won’t deep dive into recommended cameras and lenses for filmmaking, since there’s a wide range of options out there. These days, you can even use a smartphone to shoot quality video. Also, the exact video specs needed will vary from person to person. But generally speaking, you’ll want to consider cameras that have these features:
Currently, the most popular mirrorless cameras for video are the Panasonic GH-5, Fujifilm X-H1, Sony A7sII, and A7III. The new Nikon Z6 and Z7 also look like promising full-frame mirrorless video camera alternatives.
As for ideal filmmaking lenses, this is also a highly debatable topic. However, it’s best to use lenses that have some form of stabilization. The exact terminology depends on the lens brand, but examples include Sony’s Optical Steady Shot (OSS), Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR), and Canon’s Image Stabilization (IS). Also, size matters when it comes to filmmaking lenses, so smaller tends to be better, especially if you plan on doing a lot of run-and-gun shooting. Personally, I’m able to pull off a majority of my video shoots with the Sony 24-70mm f/4, a moderately fast mid-range zoom with OSS that doesn’t break the bank.
This Sony lens has OSS (Optical SteadyShot) which gives it optical image stabilization.
Compared to still photos, it is significantly harder to remove dirt and dust spots from videos in post-production. As a result, it’s essential to carry a camera and lens cleaning kit when shooting video. At the very least, have a lens cloth and rocket blower with you.
Recording video takes much more power from your camera, so you’ll want to carry multiple batteries with you. Or consider investing in a battery grip to enhance your camera’s video recording life. Some cameras such as the Fujifilm X-H1 even offer more features (an extra audio socket) when using the optional vertical battery grip. If your camera has the ability to charge via USB (ie. Sony cameras), carry an external battery pack such as the Anker PowerCore 10000.
While mirrorless cameras have decent built-in microphones, it’s always best to bring your own sound equipment to capture the best audio. Shotgun microphones such as the Rode VideoMicro are the most straightforward option. This ultra-compact mic is powered by your camera battery, so all you need is the included microphone, windscreen, and connection cable. Simply plug them in, and you’re ready to go! If your camera has an audio jack, also consider using headphones to monitor the audio while you’re shooting.
As you advance in video making, you may also need to add the following sound equipment to your gear kit:
Fujifilm X-T3 with the Rode VideoMicro microphone and windscreen.
It used to be essential to use a stabilizer of some sort when shooting videos with older camera models. Thankfully, most mirrorless cameras are shipping with some form of in-camera stability. Some cameras (Fujifilm X-H1, Sony a7III) have in-body stabilization (IBIS), and many camera brands offer stabilized lenses. When using a camera with IBIS and/or stabilized lenses, you may be able to get away with shooting video without any extra stabilization. However, if your camera doesn’t have IBIS or you need absolutely smooth footage, you may want to invest in a couple of stabilization accessories.
The cheapest and most straightforward option is to use a tripod or monopod with a video head. This is great if you plan on remaining relatively still while shooting video. However, if you plan on walking or moving while capturing footage, a gimbal is an essential tool. The Zhiyun Crane V2 is a great option, as is the DJI Ronin S. Gimbals can be fussy and difficult to set up. If you’re on the market for a gimbal, be sure to do your research to understand how gimbals work and make sure it’s a good choice for you.
Fujifilm X-T3 mounted on the Zhiyun Crane V2 gimbal.
Modern mirrorless cameras are currently letting you record up to 4K video resolution. This is fantastic for getting crisp, details footage, but it can put a strain on your wallet. If you choose to shoot video in 4K, you’ll need memory cards with a fast enough write speed to ensure smooth video recording without dropped frames.
Additionally, it’s best to invest in large capacity memory cards since video takes up a lot of space. Personally, I never shoot with an SD card with less than 64GB, ultimately preferring 125 GB when possible.
Speaking of storage, fast hard drives are also essential to edit and store your video footage. You’ll run out of external hard drive space quickly as you shoot video (especially in 4K resolution). Thus, it’s a good idea to stock up on the largest capacity hard drives you can find. Per the 3-2-1 backup strategy, it’s best to have 2 but ideally 3 copies of your data, so multiple hard drives are always a good idea.
Thankfully, hard drives have dropped in price and are relatively inexpensive. I use these Samsung SSD hard drives for editing on the go. I also carry a couple of Lacie Rugged hard drives as secondary and tertiary backups. When editing at home, I back everything up on Western Digital MyBook desktop external hard drives.
High-megapixel cameras come at a price as they eat up storage on your memory cards and hard drives.
The professionals’ choices for video editing are Adobe Premiere, Final Cut X or Avid Media Composer. However, another option worth investigating is DaVinci Resolve. There’s a free version of Resolve that offers enough tools to pull off a majority of the video editing techniques you’ll need, and the paid version unlocks even more features. Like Final Cut, Resolve is a one-time fee, unlike Adobe’s monthly or annual subscription model. Video editing software can be expensive, but it’s absolutely worth the investment for serious filmmaking.
If this sounds like a lot of gear to invest in for making videos, don’t be overwhelmed! The good news is that modern mirrorless cameras make it easy to start making videos without too many extra gadgets. All of these accessories can definitely be acquired over time as your interest in video grows.
Do you have any other tools to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
The post Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School.
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A year ago, Nik Bhatt, founder of Gentlemen Coders and a former lead developer for Apple’s Aperture and iPhoto team, released RAW Power, an iOS-based Raw photo editor. Today, a year after its initial launch, RAW Power 2.0 has been released and with it comes updated adjustment tools, batch editing, and more.
RAW Power for Mac 2.0 operates as both a standalone app, as well as an extension for Apple Photos. The updated version brings new adjustment tools including chromatic aberration correction, perspective correction, a black and white mode, a vignette tool, and a new enhance module.
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Batch processing has also been adding. Now, users can apply filters and adjustments in bulk and copy edits from one photo to another. A new custom naming tool has been added for better organization upon exporting photos.
RAW Power for Mac 2.0 has also received a few UI tweaks. It now includes a full file browser, multiple window and tab support, a thumbnail grid view, Quick Look support, improved metadata information, and a new dark look to go along with maxO Mojave’s Dark Mode.
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RAW Power for Mac 2.0 works with macOS High Sierra and Mojave. It retails for $ 29.99 as a one-time purchase, but Gentleman Coders is currently offering it for $ 26.99 throughout the month of November. Version 2.0 is a free update for existing RAW Power for Mac 1.0 users.
RAW Power for iOS 2.0 claims to be ‘the first app to combine Raw image editing with seamless iOS and iCloud library integration.’ Like its macOS counterpart, this update brings along the same new adjustment tools (some of which are hidden behind a $ 1.99 in-app purchase) including chromatic aberration correction, perspective correction, a black and white mode, a vignette tool, and a new enhance module. Gentleman Coders says these adjustments are 100 percent compatible with the macOS version and will sync through iCloud Photo Library if you have it enabled.
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Batch processing is also present in the iOS version. Users can now ‘apply presets, paste adjustments, revert to original, and generate JPEG previews for [Raw photos] for multiple images at a time.’ The UI has also been updated across the board, including a customizable adjustment panel and a new option to share and export directly to the Photos app in various formats.
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RAW Power for iOS 2.0 is available for $ 2.99 in the iOS App Store with two optional in-app purchases for $ 1.99: Advanced Adjustment Pack 1 and 2. Advanced Adjustment Pack 1 includes Depth Effect, Curves, and white balance adjustments. Advanced Adjustment Pack 2, a new pack for version 2.0 of the app, includes chromatic aberration, vignette, perspective, and black and white adjustments.
RAW Power for iOS 2.0 supports iOS 11 and 12 and ‘does not support iPhone 5s, 6, or 6 Plus, or iPad mini 3 or earlier.’
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Programmer Ivan Kutskir of the Czech Republic has created an online-based Photoshop clone called Photopea. The web app was created solely by Kutskir in his free time during college, according to a Reddit AMA the developer held on Wednesday. Photopea features a Photoshop-like interface and is supported by advertisements.
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The Photoshop clone offers a wide variety of image editing tools, including advanced features like spot healing, a clone stamp healing brush, and a patch tool. The software supports layers, masks, smart objects, layer styles, filters, vector shapes and masks, and more. A full rundown of Photopea’s tools is available on the app’s website, as well as tutorials for select basic activities.
Photopea took more than 7,000 hours of work, according to Kutskir’s Reddit post. The web app had 1.5 million visitors in October and offers a premium subscription for customers who want to support the product. Free usage includes PSD importing and exporting, as well as access to the editing tools. The premium version includes those features, eliminates the advertisements, and helps support the developer.
A single-user premium subscription is $ 9/month or $ 20 for 90 days. The developer also offers team and distributor options. Photopea joins other free photo editing programs, including the web app Pixlr Editor and desktop application GIMP.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Peak Design has announced a fresh travel-oriented product line that centers around a 45L carry on-sized Travel Backpack that can be yours for a reduced price through Kickstarter (starting today). Also in the line is a set of set of ‘Packing Tools’ to help keep your gear and personal items organized on the go.
The 45L Travel Backpack has all the bells and whistles of a high-end pack: a weatherproof nylon canvas shell, a rugged bottom liner, a luggage pass-through, full rear and side access, a laptop compartment, luggage handles and tons of organization pockets. It can also be expanded or contracted to fit 35L or 45L worth of stuff.
The 45L Travel Backpack officially hits stores this holiday season for $ 299.95 and will be available in either black or sage
The Packing Tools bring a nice level of versatility and modularity to the 45L Travel Backpack (though could easily be used in any pack). They come in a variety of forms including general packing ‘Cubes’ – useful for items like clothing (available in two sizes) – and ‘Camera Cubes’ for your precious gear (available in three sizes). There are also packing tools specifically for tech odds and ends, toiletries and shoes.
The 45L Travel Backpack is projected to officially hit stores this holiday season for $ 299.95 and will be available in either black or sage. The Packing Tools range in price from $ 24.95 – $ 89.95 and will also be available for the holidays.
Look for a full review of the 45L Travel Backpack on DPReview soon. In the meantime, read our review of the Peak Design Capture Clip V3.
Press Release
San Francisco, CA (July 23, 2018) – Peak Design, the leader in crowdfunding and best-in-class carry solutions, is proud to unveil the first products in their Travel Line: the Travel Backpack 45L and complete system of Packing Tools. With a focus on versatility, organization, and access, the Travel Line aims to satisfy a simple design directive: no two trips are the same, so the best luggage should adapt to them all.
Peak Design was founded during a trip and has grown into a team of prolific travelers who understand life on the road. The Travel Line combines Peak Design’s travel experience with their expertise, innovation, and design philosophies honed through their massively successful photography and everyday bag lines.
The hero of the Travel Line is the Travel Backpack 45L, a carry-on-sized backpack that boasts a collection of best-in- class travel functionality. In addition to full rear access for easy packing, the bag features dual side access, top access to laptop/tablet, and a dedicated front-access organization panel for smaller items. Beefy shoulder and waist straps stowe instantly beneath a magnetically sealed back pad. Expansion zips allow the bag to grow to 45L check-in size, while an innovative compression snap system shrinks the bag down to a 35L daypack. Thoughtful details include 360-degree grab handles, a duffle/luggage carry handle, theft-deterrent zips, hidden passport pockets, a soft- lined sunglasses pocket and tuck-away external carry compression straps. The Travel Backpack comes with a weatherproof 400D nylon canvas shell made from 100% recycled plastics and available in black or sage colorways.
Peak Design Founder and CEO, Peter Dering, rarely stays in any one place longer than two weeks: “From day one, travel has been a primary inspiration to us as photographers, designers, and adventurers. Living on the road is part of our DNA as a brand, and we couldn’t be more excited to have built a set of travel gear that truly adapts to the endless variety of trips we take.”
Accompanying the Travel Backpack is a feature-rich system of Packing Tools that provide endlessly customizable organization and protection of clothes, shoes, toiletries, tech items and photo/video gear. Designed to fit perfectly in Peak Design travel bags, each cube or pouch offers easy access, thoughtful organization, durable materials and a consistent aesthetic cleanliness.
Each Packing Tool was designed from the onset as a standalone product, intended to push their respective category forward with unique patterns, features and innovation. Art Viger, Lead Designer at Peak Design, commented on the system: “When you travel, the things you carry become your home on the road. Each and every one of the pouches and cubes are designed to work as a fluid ecosystem that can be easily re-configured for any type of trip.”
The new Travel Backpack (MSRP: $ 299.95) and Packing Cubes, will be available on Kickstarter (peakdesign.com/ks) for a pre-sale discount beginning July 23, 2018. The system will then be available for purchase online at peakdesign.com and through major retailers in time for the 2018 holiday season.
Since 2010, Peak Design has been building innovative carry solutions with a simple overarching design directive: make the best things. The idea for our first product was born on a motorcycle trip through Southeast Asia and has since expanded to include a cross-functional ecosystem of bags, pouches, slings, straps, and clips. We’ve won applause along the way, but we’re most proud of the fact that we’re 100% crowdfunded and 100% employee-owned. We’ve raised $ 15.6 Million through 8 Kickstarter campaigns, allowing Peak Design to stay investor-free and focused on the things that matter most: designing great products, fostering happy employees, and taking care of our customers and the natural environment. Learn more at peakdesign.com.
MSRP: $ 299.95
Available on Kickstarter for a Limited Time: $ 235
Packing Cubes (MSRP: Sm – $ 29.95, Md – $ 39.95) – Compressible, easy to access, and dividable, Peak Design Packing Cubes are available in 2 sizes. A tear-away main zip lets you access contents instantly, and an internal divider allows separation of clean and dirty clothes. An expansion/compression zip doubles available space or compresses clothes so you can fit more in your bag.
Wash Pouch (MSRP: $ 59.95) – Dedicated, easy-to-clean pockets for toothbrush and razor. Hangs or sits upright on sink for easy access in tight spaces. Unique folding pocket layout keeps toiletries neatly organized and easy to find.
Tech Pouch (MSRP: $ 59.95) – Designed to store small items like cables, cards, batteries, and travel essentials, Tech Pouch’s unique origami-style pockets create enormous spatial efficiency. Pack more into a smaller space, yet keep all items organized and easy to find.
Camera Cubes (MSRP: Sm – $ 49.95, Md – $ 69.95, Lg – $ 89.95) – Camera Cubes provide protection, organization, and instant access to camera, video, and drone gear. Securely mount Camera Cubes inside the Travel Backpack and access your gear via the rear or side zips. Tuck-away lids let you access camera gear from outside of the bag via a single zip, while a system of intelligently designed dividers allows for endless organization and customization.
Shoe Pouch (MSRP: $ 24.95) – An ultralight, durable, weatherproof pouch for shoes or additional clothing storage.
Rain Fly (MSRP: $ 29.95) – Provides complete waterproof protection to an already weatherproof bag. Rain Fly is made of durable, ultralight 200D rip-stop nylon, adjusts via cinch cord for snug form-fit, and stuffs into a convenient storage pocket.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
In this third installment of articles on ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018, we look at some of the Cool Tools – either new features or ones that are particularly useful. Read my first two articles here:
Newly implemented in the latest release of the software, Actions are a range of predefined edits that you can apply to your image to achieve a specific look or effect. To assist you with this, there is an Actions Browser that lets you see the effect applied in advance, which is extremely useful.
Image with the Actions Browser open.
There are 16 different categories covering color, black and white, workflow, editing, special effects, portrait and landscape options, and more. Once you decide on the desired Action, click PLAY and it is applied.
Example of a Split-tone Action.
A black and white conversion Action applied.
To apply an Action, you need to open your image in Edit mode. On the top menu bar, look for Tools > Browse Actions.
Liquify is often used in fashion and portrait editing to change the shape of people or parts of their bodies. It is a new feature in this release of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018. This tool needs to be applied with a large soft brush and a delicate touch or it can look overly obvious.
I found the Liquify tool very easy to use. It worked quickly (i.e. there was no lag on processing the change) and had a gentler effect than I was expecting.
This is the before image for comparison.
Showing where the effect had been applied.
Image after Liquify applied to the arch and bowl of the spoon, and the dark side of the main blueberry.
Liquify is a function in Edit mode, so you need to open your image up in there. On the top menu bar, select Filter > Geometry > Liquify.
There are four different Liquify modes:
Once Liquify mode is active, check that your brush is the correct size and softness (a larger and softer brush is recommended) and very gently click and nudge the area you want to adjust a tiny amount. It is much easier to do lots of little adjustments as you can undo one if you go too far.
Also be mindful that when you use Liquify it moves all the pixels within the brush, so if you have any lines or other elements, they can be affected too. This can make it obvious that you have used Liquify, so be careful about the backgrounds and surrounding elements in the area you’re using it.
This is a function used a lot in portrait and fashion photography – anywhere there is a lot of skin visible, especially faces and close-ups. Frequency separation allows you to smooth out blemishes and imperfections, to even out the skin tones, and provide a polished outcome in the image.
While it can be done manually, it is time-consuming to set up. Now with a few clicks, the software does all the layers for you, making it easy to apply the effect where necessary. I don’t photograph people or close up portraits so have never had the need to use this functionality, but for those who want to access this advanced technique, ACDSee has included it.
Open your image in Edit mode and in the Layers pane, duplicate the layer. Frequency Separation is a destructive edit, so it is recommended that you work on a duplicated layer to maintain image integrity.
Select the top layer (the duplicate), then right-click and select Frequency Separation from the drop-down box. It will then create two layers – one will be grey and have (HF) in the layer description. The other one will be in color, but will be all blurry and have (LF) in the layer description.
On the LF layer, use a brush to work on any skin imperfections. On the HF layer, use the Repair tool to clone clear skin over top of the blemish areas.
The Pixel Targeting tool allows you to select specific areas in your image based on a combination of tone and color selection. It works in conjunction with an adjustment layer.
In Edit mode, open up your image and select an adjustment layer (any of them seem to be fine). Here I am using a shot of some bright red raspberries and a Vibrance adjustment layer.
Right-click on the top layer and select Pixel Targeting and a panel will open up. The top sliders allow you to select the tones and the bottom sliders allow you to select the colors.
Adjust the tone and the color sliders to suit. It creates a mask of the subject that you want to adjust.
Save a preset for future use (use the Save option at the top of the screen) and click OK. The mask you have just created in the Pixel Targeting window is now applied to your adjustment layer, and it will only apply the adjustment to the light areas of the mask.
Here I have turned the raspberries blue simply by adjusting the Hue sliders in the Vibrance layer.
While learning how to use ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018, there were several things about it that I found particularly useful. These are either the small things that don’t get used a lot but work really well when you do need to use them, or something that makes it much easier to do a really common task.
These are things I appreciate, especially when something you do a lot is made easier, or offers a clever alternative.
At the bottom of the Layers pane are a whole lot of quick access icons for different layer features. The one circled here is the “Add a File as a Layer” option.
I do a couple of specific tasks that require the addition of outside images as extra layers, such as adding texture overlays and compositing.
There are lots of other instances when this could be useful – focus stacking, blending panorama or astrophotography images, time-lapse stacking, and so on.
This is a particularly common function and the way Photoshop does it is really NOT user-friendly. I have always gotten around it by using a second monitor and dragging my image in that way.
But if you are working on a laptop or only have one layer, that isn’t an option, so this feature becomes worth knowing about.
It’s really simple. Click on the Add a File as a Layer icon and a dialog box opens up asking you to select the location of the image you want to add. Even better, you can switch your view to Thumbnail and see examples of the images so you can select the right one.
Click on the desired file and select Open. The file will then open up as a new layer. It will probably need to be resized and the program has that mode already activated for you as well. Drag the yellow handles to the right size, select Commit, and you are done!
Sometimes you might have a mark, a blemish, or a stray hair or twig in the way on your shot, and you don’t notice until you see it on the big screen when you are editing. Technology has improved so much these days that software can often take care of those issues for you, but it can still be a less than polished outcome.
When editing my blueberry shots, I was dismayed to find that I hadn’t noticed my main berry had a scratch down the front of it. Great chance to give the Heal tool inside ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate a go.
I was quite impressed with how well it works. Just right-click on a good area and then paint over the blemish area. I find doing lots of small selections gives a more natural effect usually, but ACDSee did a really good job.
After the Heal tool was applied.
Before Heal tool applied – you can clearly see the big scratch on the front of the berry.
Before writing these articles, I had never used ACDSee software at all. My background was with PaintShop Pro, Photoshop, and Lightroom. Learning about the full range and capabilities of this ACDSee program has been interesting. There are some really exciting new features and useful tools included, particularly in Edit mode.
Overall I have been impressed at the depth and capability of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate. For a beginner wanting a one-stop-shop program at a cost-effective price (and no subscription model), it has a lot of benefits.
For anyone looking to get started in managing their photo files, processing RAW images, and more in-depth editing, this is a good place to start. If you’re looking for a non-subscription option, it is worth considering as well.
Disclaimer: ACDSee is a dPS advertising partner.
The post Some Cool Tools For Editing Your Photos Inside ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018 appeared first on Digital Photography School.
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Tether Tools, a manufacturer of wired and wireless equipment for camera tethering, has introduced its line of TetherPro USB-C cables for photographers shooting tethered with cameras or computers that feature a USB-C connection.
With faster data-transfer rates and the ability to insert connectors in any direction, USB-C is a great improvement over previous versions of the USB-standard. However, the variety of existing cables and connectors means that photographers using USB-C cameras or laptops often have to revert to using adapters, hubs or dongles to connect devices.
The TetherPro line has been designed to eliminate the need for all those adapter solutions. It features 12 cables, all available in either black or orange and purely intended for data transfer—meaning they are not suitable for powering USB-C devices. Tether Tools says its cables are constructed to the highest possible USB specifications, allowing for fast and reliable data transfer.
“Our goal is to provide photographers with the optimal cable to meet their unique needs for tethered photography, without the use of dongles, whether they have a USB-C port on their camera, computer, or both,” said Josh Simons, Tether Tools CEO. “We’ve worked diligently to optimize the performance and are excited to bring TetherPro USB-C cables to the market after extensive development and testing.”
The line includes USB-C to USB-C versions and USB-C to USB-A cables for those using USB-C Cameras, such as the Hasselblad H6 or X series, Panasonic GH5 or Sony a7R III. There are also TetherPro USB-C cables for photographers using USB-C computers with USB 2.0 or 3.0 cameras. And if you’d like a longer cable, the 15-foot USB-C to USB-A adapter might be worth a closer look.
All of the cables all retail for between $ 25 and $ 57 depending on configuration and length. For more information or specific pricing, visit the Tether Tools website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Tether Tools CEO Josh Simons has preemptively apologized for the company’s use of an image without the permission of the photographer who took it. In a letter published on December 14, Simons explained that an image used as a placeholder in concept mockups for the company’s redesigned website accidentally went live on the final site.
Explaining the process that led to this image’s accidental use, Simmons wrote in his letter:
One concept used behind-the-scenes candid images of photographers using Tether Tools’ gear. Behind the Scene Instagram images, similar to what you would see here @tethertools were added For Placement Only (FPO) during the design phase, to show an example of the type of photos that could be rotating regularly on an embedded Instagram API feed. This API mock-up, which included a customer’s Instagram BTS photo, was placed near the footer of one page in the proposed layout.
Over the course of time, through various layouts and edits the design was approved but embedding the Instagram API on this page was overlooked by the web design team. At launch the new website had close to 1,400 pages and finalizing this element on this page was missed. The use of the image was accidental and simply an oversight. The photo was never used in any other way, not in advertising campaigns or print materials, nor to promote any specific product.
Simons says Tether Tools was alerted to the image’s presence by a third-party, and that the company has since removed the image and contacted the photographer. The photographer, who is said to be a Tether Tools customer, has been compensated for the image’s use and was given an apology for the mistake.
In a statement to Fstoppers, Tether Tools said, “Both parties are satisfied and most of all we are gratified by the nature in which everything was handled.”
Via: Fstoppers
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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