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How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Grunge. It’s a great look for gritty, edgy, photos, and you couldn’t have it simpler than doing it in Luminar 2018. In this article, you’ll see how to examine Presets and use elements from those Presets to create your own custom Grunge look. Presets are fantastic, but the best way to improve your processing is through your own creative process. So let’s get started.

Grunge look.

Find the right image for a grunge look

Open the photo you want to process. I have a winter woods scene here. It’s already moody, and you’ll find that using a photo that will benefit from a grunge look is a good place to start. No point starting with happy sunny day shots as it really doesn’t fit the style.

Presets

As Luminar has a huge number of Presets, you should begin there. If you don’t see the Presets at the bottom, click the Presets panel icon, it’s the third one in from the right on the top toolbar. From the Categories, choose Dramatic. Two of these look appealing for a grunge look; Dramatic Grungy and Dramatic Look.

Dramatic Grungy opens a custom Workspace with three filters: Dramatic, Clarity and Structure.

You’ll notice that Dramatic Look also uses three Filters. Dramatic is there, but the others are Raw Develop and Vignette.

The Dramatic Filter is common to both presets, and there are other filters that are in one and not the other, so perhaps a good start is to combine the five filters from both presets into your own custom workspace.

Custom Workspace

You can reset the image by going to Filters panel, clicking on “Custom Workspace” and choosing “Clear Workspace”. This gives you a fresh start to create your own grunge workspace.

Click Add Filters. You can find some of the filters immediately. Raw Develop, Structure and Vignette are in the Essentials section, Clarity is in Issue Fixers and Dramatic is in Creative. If you don’t see a filter immediately, just type a few letters in the Search box at the top of Filters Catalog to restrict the view to match.

You’ve probably noticed that there’s a Clarity slider in Raw Develop, so you could choose to leave out the Clarity filter. But you might want even more Clarity and this allows you to double up the effect, and mask it to only apply to certain parts of the image.

Finally, add one more filter to this set; Cross Processing. This will allow you to color tone the final look.

Raw Develop

The Raw Develop filter is where you use Luminar’s processing to bring out the most from your Raw file. This Raw file (as per most) is a bit flat to start, so needs some tweaking. Reducing Highlights and increasing Shadows will open up the photo a bit more, while decreasing Blacks and increasing Whites will add to the contrast of your photo. At some point, you may want to decrease the saturation of the photo, but for now, use Raw Develop to get the most out of your photo.

The Photo is still a little cool toned so a bump in Temperature to 6000k will fix that and sit better with the tones in the photo.

You can leave Clarity at zero here and come back later if you want to add more.

Structure

What makes a photo grungy? Think of the things and feelings grunge evokes; dark, moody, edgy, and gritty. The Structure filter can definitely do the Edgy bit. Your Amount slider can go from really soft at -100, to really nasty at +100. 60 seems to look good for this photo.

Softness changes your internal contrast in the photo. A setting of 30 keeps the skin from getting too blown out. Of course, if you want more of the effect in the background you could erase the effect a little on the subject using the masking tools.

The final slider is Boost, which does indeed boost the effect. 60 looks great here. We’re already well on the way to making a grungy photo.

Vignette

Vignette darkens or lightens the corners of the photo via the Amount slider. To draw attention to the center of your photo, you should darken the edges. Your first step should do is click Place Center, then click on your subject. That will target the area for the middle of the vignette to keep lighter.

To see your Vignette edge easier, set the Feather to 0, with Amount turned way down.

Using Size and Place Center, get the best position and radius for your vignette. Use Roundness to get the best shape; to the left, it’s more rectangular, to the right it’s rounder.

Don’t worry if it looks too obvious, this is just for getting the placement and size right as it’s easier to see this way.

Finally, set the Feather to soften the edge of the vignette, and set Amount to the final darkness you want.

Edge vignette applied.

Clarity

Contrast darkens shadows and lightens highlights. Clarity tends to work away from these areas and work more in the mid tones. It’s a grit filter, so add your grit here. 100 is way too much, and 40 looks better here.

Dramatic

You’ve already gotten quite a bit of drama to the image, so only a hint of this contrast-based filter is needed. The Dramatic Filter is one to play with for this.

If you want to retain color, set Saturation up to full. Adding Contrast and Local Contrast will increase both the darker and lighter aspects of the photo, so Brightness is there to compensate for whichever is stronger. In this photo, you’ll find reducing it is necessary.

Cross Processing

While this was originally a way of changing colors by processing film in the wrong chemicals, Cross Processing is now more associated with color toning a photo. Luminar uses city names to define their various toning options.

You should try each one with the Amount slider up high to find one you like. After looking at all the cities, I came back to Tokyo, which I’d found pleasing immediately. Then you can dial the effect back using the Amount slider until you find the look you want.

Reprocess

The image is now suitably dark and gritty, but probably a little too dark. A quick trip back to Raw Develop to bump the Exposure slider will fix this.

Saving Presets or Workspaces

Now is the time to save what you’ve set up. If you like your work, you should consider creating either a Preset to repeat the exact look you have here or set up a Workspace to have all the filters open for you to begin working from scratch (or both).

To save your Preset, click Save Filters Preset at the very bottom right corner of the screen. A dialog appears allowing you to name and create your new preset. This will allow you to apply all the same filters and settings to any image with one click. Of course, you can always adjust any of them to suit the image or dial it back using the amount slider on the preset.

To save your new Workspace, go to the top of Filters, then click on Custom Workspace. From the drop-down menu and choose “Save as New Workspace”.

Name the Workspace and create it.

The new Workspace will now appear in the Workspaces list and will be selected (check mark next to it). Now it is available for you to use with any image. Clicking it will open those same five filters but not apply any of the settings.

Other options

Here is the before and after to show the full grunge effect.

Before.

Grunge look.

With the look solidified, you could potentially add a texture to add even more grit to your photo. So, check out how to do this in our article How to Apply Creativity to Your Images with Texture Overlays Using Luminar.

As you’ve seen, Luminar 2018 has great tools that you can use to achieve your processing goals quickly and repeatedly. Now, go out and grunge!

Disclaimer: Macphun, soon to be Skylum, is a dPS advertising partner.

The post How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018 by Sean McCormack appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

January 16, 2018

Leica announces APO-Summicron-SL 75mm and 90mm F2 lenses

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Leica has announced a pair of short telephoto lenses for its SL full-frame mirrorless camera. (They’ll also work on the company’s crop-sensor ILCs, such as the TL and CL, with a 1.5x crop.)

The APO-Summicron-SL 75mm and 90mm F2 ASPH lenses feature an apochromatic design to reduce chromatic aberration, a single aspherical element and minimum focusing distances of 0.5 and 0.6 meters, respectively. Both lenses have a maximum magnification of 0.2X and have a ‘Dual Synchro Drive’ focusing system which can traverse the entire focal range in 250ms, according to Leica.

The 75mm and 90mm lenses have the exact same dimensions (73 x 102mm) and filter diameter (67mm) and nearly the same weight (700 vs 720 grams). Both are sealed against dust and moisture.

The new APO-Summicron-SL lenses will ship in February. The 75mm model will retail for $ 4750 while the 90mm will set you back $ 5150.

Press Release

Leica Camera Unveils New Prime Lenses for the Leica SL-System

The new APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH and APO-Summicron SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH lenses embody superior performance and the finest engineering in compact designs

January 15, 2018 – Today, Leica Camera announces the first two editions of a new line of high-performance Summicron-SL lenses for the Leica SL-System; the APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH. and the APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH. that will be available in February for photographers across the country. Both lenses seamlessly work with the SL-System’s lightning-fast autofocus and, as with all SL-Lenses, have been designed and constructed in Germany with exceptional materials for a long work life, even withstanding the rigors of professional use while always providing superior image quality.

The focal lengths of these two SL-Lenses are ideal for all types of photography, and truly shine when used for portraiture. While the APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH., for example, captures exceptional natural portraits, the APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH. is a classic telephoto focal length for portraits with the often sought-after compression between the subject and background, ultimately creating the ideal aesthetic for exquisite pictures of people. Another great feature of these new lenses is their fast and silent autofocusing, meaning the photographer does not have to wait to take the perfect shot to quickly capture their subject’s best look, even for a moment.

Both the construction and design of the new, cutting-edge Summicron-SL line represent the continuing innovation in the development of lenses for the Leica SL-System. State-of-the-art, extremely precise manufacturing methods and measuring technologies were developed specifically for the production of these lenses. The results of these developments are reflected not only in the more compact dimensions and considerably lower weight of the lenses, allowing for greater portability, but also in their excellent imaging performance. As the Leica SL-System continues to evolve with new capabilities and lens options, the addition of these two primes further round out the Leica SL native lens selection, which now encompasses two zoom lenses and three prime lenses. Current Leica SL customers continue to receive new lens options at their disposal that can bolster their current capabilities, and new users have more selection than ever before.

Additionally, these lenses feature a new, faster autofocus system, as well as a considerably shorter close focusing limit for tight portraits of their subjects. The autofocus drive of all Summicron-SL lenses employs extremely powerful and robust stepping motors with DSD® (Dual Syncro Drive™). Thanks to this advanced focusing drive, the entire focusing range can be fully travelled in only around 250 milliseconds, providing photographers the confidence that they will always be able to instantaneously capture their subjects in crystal-clear sharp focus.

As both Summicron-SL primes deliver extremely high imaging performance at their largest f/2 aperture, the lenses are also ideal for photography in low-light or difficult lighting conditions. The Leica promise of ‘maximum aperture is a usable aperture’ also applies to the new SL-Lenses. Users can rest assured that their lens is capable of creating a tack-sharp photograph in any situation. Meticulous attention was paid to the prevention of stray light and reflections in the construction of the APO-Summicron-SL lenses. Together with optimizing the optical and mechanical design, the application of high-quality coatings to each lens surface reduces unavoidable reflections to an absolute minimum. Thus, photographers get a lens that always creates images with beautifully strong contrast, where other lenses may suffer from distracting flares and ghosting effects that detract from the photo.

All glass elements in any optical imaging system, including camera lenses, can sometimes refract certain colors of light at different lengths. Thus, not all rays of light from a multi-colored subject are always focused at the same point – the result of this imperfection is chromatic aberration, also known as color fringing. In order to reduce chromatic aberration to a hardly perceptible minimum, both new Summicron-SL lenses are Apochromatic, or in short, APO, corrected, allowing photographers to capture photos in high contrast situations without a distracting purple or green outline along backlit subjects. Further supporting this optical achievement, most of the eleven elements of the optical system, one of which is aspherical, feature anomalous partial dispersion and are manufactured from sensitive and specially formulated, high-quality glass. Without all of these state-of-the-art lens corrections, images could suffer from fringing, flares, ghosting or distortion. These incredibly well-corrected glass optics are what make a Leica lens special and so crystal clear.

The APO-Summicron-SL 75 mm f/2 ASPH. and the APO-Summicron-SL 90 mm f/2 ASPH. will be available in February. Both can be purchased at Leica Stores, Boutiques and Dealers. In the second half of 2018, the SL-System will even further increase its prime lens arsenal with the launch of a Summicron-SL 35 mm f/2 ASPH. and APO-Summicron-SL 50 mm f/2 ASPH.

Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm/90mm F2 ASPH lens specifications

	Leica APO-Summicron-SL 75mm F2 ASPH	Leica APO-Summicron-SL 90mm F2 ASPH
Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	35mm FF
Focal length	75 mm	90 mm
Image stabilization	No
Lens mount	Leica SL
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F2
Minimum aperture	F22
Aperture ring	No
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	11
Groups	9
Special elements / coatings	1 aspherical
Focus
Minimum focus	0.50 m (19.69″)	0.60 m (23.62″)
Maximum magnification	0.2×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Focus method	Internal
Distance scale	No
DoF scale	No
Physical
Weight	720 g (1.59 lb)	700 g (1.54 lb)
Diameter	73 mm (2.87″)
Length	102 mm (4.02″)
Sealing	Yes
Colour	Black
Filter thread	67 mm
Tripod collar	No

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 16, 2018

The Google Arts & Culture app can find your fine art doppelganger

Google’s Arts & Culture app was first launched in 2016, offering “virtual access” to some of the most famous art collections in the world, and many stories about arts and culture from around the world. The latest update of the app, however, makes use of Google’s extensive knowledge of machine-learning-based facial recognition, and the front camera of your smartphone, to find your fine art doppelganger… just ’cause.

The new feature lets you record a selfie and receive a list of portrait artworks your self-portrait resembles. While the user interface is extremely simple, Google is using highly sophisticated facial recognition algorithms to compare your facial characteristics to the portraits among the 70,000+ works of art in its Google Art Project database.

To try it out, download and install the app and scroll down to the “is your portrait in a museum?” icon on the front screen. From there, you simply capture an image of your face, and the system will analyze which which work of art you most resemble.

Looking at some of the results on Twitter and other social media, it is fair to say that the feature generally does a pretty decent job in matching selfie subject and piece of art; however, among the examples we have posted below, you’ll also see the occasional slip-up.

Unfortunately, it appears that if you are, like myself, living outside the US, you are currently out of luck as the new feature has not been rolled out globally yet. Hopefully this will happen soon though. If you are based in the US, you can find Google Arts & Culture on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Hey good morning everyone, this Google Arts and Culture app is scary. pic.twitter.com/yt2kSYMWyM

— Ding Dong Daddi (@sixthsentz) January 13, 2018

This is addictive. Google Arts and Culture app will tell you which museum painting looks most like you. Please call me Manuel from now on. pic.twitter.com/8LKG8bRkO2

— David Wade (@davidwade) January 14, 2018

Torn between which one I think is better likeness with the Google Arts and Culture app. pic.twitter.com/uSw8RmOip8

— Felicia Day (@feliciaday) January 13, 2018

Honestly fuuuuuuuck google arts and culture pic.twitter.com/8W4gLO48PJ

— Linz (@LinzElah) January 14, 2018

Just got owned by Google Arts and Culture app. pic.twitter.com/RTQCPQ3AR1

— Adam The Greatest C.P.A. Morris (@aimorris) January 13, 2018

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 16, 2018
How To Get Bitcoins Without Mining

Why am I talking about Bitcoin here? Because everyone is? Not exactly. For one, you can now exchange bitcoin into dollars and that can buy some nice photo gear. If only there was a way to get bitcoin without spending thousands of dollars building a rig that sounds like an airport runway in your basement and destroys your electric bill. Continue Reading

The post How To Get Bitcoins Without Mining appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

January 16, 2018
Condé Nast has cut ties with Mario Testino and Bruce Weber amid sexual misconduct allegations
Left: Mario Testino by Walterlan Papetti, CC-BY-SA-4.0

Right: Bruce Weber by Christopher Macsurak, CC-BY-2.0

A shocking report published by the New York Times this past Saturday shares a slew of sexual misconduct allegations against iconic fashion photographers Bruce Weber and Mario Testino. The allegations, which both photographers categorically deny, have already convinced Condé Nast to sever ties with Testino and Weber “for the foreseeable future”, and come just as the publisher is finalizing a new Code of Conduct.

Allegations Against Two Fashion Industry Giants

The Times article quotes former assistants and current and former male models who shared sometimes graphic harassment and molestation stories of their photo shoots with Testino and Weber. In light of these allegations, Condé Nast has promised not to commission any new work from either Weber or Testino. The official statement by both Anna Wintour, artistic director of Condé Nast and editor of Vogue, and Bob Sauerberg, CEO of Condé Nast, reads:

We are deeply disturbed by these accusations and take this very seriously. In light of these allegations, we will not be commissioning any new work with Bruce Weber and Mario Testino for the foreseeable future.

Both Weber and Testino vehemently deny the accusations. Weber told the Times in a statement that he is, “completely shocked and saddened by the outrageous claims being made against me, which I absolutely deny,” while Testino’s lawyers “objected to the allegations and called the credibility of the men who said they were harassed into question,” according to the Times.

A New Code of Conduct at Condé Nast

In addition to cutting ties with the two fashion photographers, Condé Nast also announced a new code of conduct today. The code, which the publisher began working on after cutting ties with photographer Terry Richardson—is meant to protect models from sexual harassment and workplace abuse, and will go into effect at the end of the month.

Bob Sauerberg, CEO of Condé Nast, revealed a few of the new “guidelines for vendors” who plan to work with the publisher in the future:
1. All models appearing in fashion shoots must be at least 18 years old. The only exceptions that will be made are for subjects appearing as themselves as part of a profile or news story, who will be required to have a chaperone with them on set at all times.
2. Alcohol is no longer allowed on Condé Nast sets. Recreational drugs are also not allowed.
3. Photographers are no longer permitted to use a Condé Nast set for any work that is not commissioned or approved by Condé Nast.
4. Any shoot involving nudity, sheer clothing, lingerie, swimwear, simulated drug or alcohol use, or sexually suggestive poses must be approved in advance by the subject.
Sauerberg expects to release the full code of conduct by the end of the month, at which point he hopes “our colleagues and partners will adopt these or similar recommendations so that each of us involved in the creative process does our part to help ensure a safe and respectful work environment.”

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
January 16, 2018
Canon launches refillable ink printers in the UK
Canon has announced that it will introduce a series of printers that are fitted with ink tanks designed so that users can refill the inks themselves. In move that might be interpreted as an “if you can’t beat them, join them” attitude, the company will release four models in the new Pixma G range, each of which has four built-in tanks for black, cyan, magenta and yellow ink.

The company will also sell bottles of ink so that users can refill the printers without having to buy individual cartridges—they will also, in theory, save money.

The new printers will be filled via 70ml bottles of colored dye ink which cost £10, and a 135ml bottle of black pigment ink that will cost £13. This makes the colored ink 13p per ml and the black 9.5p per ml compared with the 200p per ml that UK consumers pay for ink for the Pixma MG series, and 106p paid for 1ml of ink that’s used in the Pixma Pro range.

It’s worth noting, however, that Canon hasn’t made any print-life claims with these inks, and the printers are being marketed as general-purpose photo-capable machines rather than photo-specialist printers, so perhaps we shouldn’t expect the same quality.

The Pixma G series consists of four models that range from basic printer to a multi-functional four-in-one (print, copy, scan and fax) with the second two models offering Wi-Fi connectivity and printing from a smartphone app.

For more information, visit the Canon website.

Pricing and Availability
- The PIXMA G1510: Available from March 2018 with a SRP of £180/€200
- The PIXMA G2510: Available from March 2018 with a SRP of £200/€230
- The PIXMA G3510: Available from March 2018 with a SRP of £250/€280
- The PIXMA G4510: Available from March 2018 with a SRP of £300/€350
Press Release:
Canon launches refillable ink tank printer range in the UK

Canon announces the anticipated launch of its new collection of refillable ink tank printers. The high yield, easy to use and compact PIXMA G Series printers are designed for those seeking high volume, low cost per page, productive printers for home, home office and small office environments.

The new PIXMA G series collection includes:
- PIXMA G1510, a printer designed for high volume printing at low cost per page
- PIXMA G2510, a high yield multi-function printer with added user benefits of copying and scanning
- PIXMA G3510, a high yield multi-function 3-in-1 printer with Wi-Fi connectivity that supports smartphone and tablet print, copy and scanning via the Canon PRINT app
- PIXMA G4510, a compact 4-in-1 printer with 20 sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and wireless connectivity to smart devices with a high page yield resulting in a low cost per page
Boost Productivity:

Created for home, home offices and small office environments, the PIXMA G Series has been designed to boost productivity. Keeping running costs down and delivering more prints, the PIXMA G Series offers convenience and efficiency to suit all printing requirements.

Key Features:
- The strong focus across the range is the high page yield allowing users print up to 6,000 pages from the black ink or 7,000 pages from a set of colour inks[1] meaning you can print for longer without changing inks and ensuring very low cost per page
- Auto Power ON/OFF setting[2] helps to save energy when the printer is not in use
- High quality prints with genuine pigment black ink ensuring sharp and crisp text & dye colour inks for vibrant images; all the models within this series can produce borderless photos up to A4
Design & Technology

The new PIXMA G Series printers have been built with productivity and design at its forefront; with front facing ink tanks that make it easy to determine remaining ink levels, well designed ink bottles minimising potential spills or leaks and quick installation process due to the inherent technology of the printer.

Easy to set up and simple to use, the PIXMA G series models ensure better prints on plain paper for high quality prints every business will be proud of. PIXMA G2510 and PIXMA G3510 also feature a new 1.2” mono segment LCD screen while PIXMA G4510 retains the 2 line segment mono LCD. The handy screens make it easy to copy, check Wi-Fi connectivity and troubleshoot so your time is better spent on work.

With the FINE print head system the new printers are made to be durable and produce high volume printing meaning you can rely on the PIXMA G Series when printing weighty documents for that all important meeting. The air-tight ink tube technology for smooth printing ensuring every print is as good as the one before.

Connectivity

PIXMA G4510 and PIXMA G3510 both feature Wi-Fi technology, allowing users to print wirelessly via a laptop/PC or smart device. Use the Canon PRINT app[3] for printing, scanning and copying purposes, as well as printer maintenance. You can access PIXMA Cloud Link via the Canon PRINT app so you can print photos and documents remotely from cloud services such as Facebook, GoogleDrive, Dropbox, Instagram and more.

Both models are compatible with Mopria on Android so you can print without needing to download additional apps. PIXMA G4510 is compatible with Apple AirPrint which allows compatible iOS devices to print directly too.

PIXMA G4510 and PIXMA G3510 allow users to simultaneously handle both conventional Wi-Fi connection via a router and without access to a Wi-Fi router using Wireless Direct or Access Point Mode[4], making connecting a smart device to the printer simple.

Photo Printing

Users can now print borderless 4 x 6” photos in just 60 seconds and select from a range of templates with My Image Garden. Use the software to get creative with your photos and print various projects using your own images.

The rear paper feeding system capable of holding up to 100 sheets of plain paper enables a smooth paper pass for a wide range of media support including glossy photo paper Square Media (5×5”).

Get Creative

Enjoy a range of creative platforms to do more with your printer:
- PosterArtist Lite[5] programme lets users create and print eye-catching posters and brochures for all business purposes.
- Experiment with Canon’s Message In Print[6] app by sending invisible messages to friends and family when printing photos with PIXMA G3510 and PIXMA G4510. Add animations, URLs or text to the photo for the recipient to decode when using the Message In Print app
- Organise photos, create collages or gift personalised calendars and cards to loved ones, with online platform My Image Garden – compatible with all printers in the PIXMA G Series with applications such photo layout print and Full HD Movie Print
- Print arts and crafts from Canon’s Creative Park free online web platform, allowing users to print a range of crafts from 3D models, greeting cards, frames, masks and more
Convenient Copying

Make copies of hard documents at the touch of a button. Simply take a photo of any document with the Smartphone Capture and Copy function on the Canon PRINT app and convert it to a PDF to save, share or print; ideal for remote working.

Make copies of double sided ID cards with PIXMA G4510 for trips abroad or personal verification. The easy to use feature enables you to scan the front and back sides to print on one page.

Handy Design

Built for the home and office environment, the compact PIXMA G Series is designed to save space while optimising both print quality and quantity. The front-facing ink tanks make it easy for you to monitor your ink levels so you’re always prepared for your printing demands.

Make copies[7] at the touch of a button when you choose either PIXMA G2510 or PIXMA G3510 with built-in 1.2” LCD screen. With PIXMA G4510 users will also benefit from a two-line LCD screen to assist with initial setup, Wi-Fi status and troubleshooting.

The new PIXMA G Series range offers small businesses and home offices cost-effective printing solutions; increasing productivity and easing flexible working. The new printers guarantee long-lasting, durable prints, whether it’s vivid photos or documents for a professional-looking finish.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
January 16, 2018
CVS bans photo manipulation on its beauty images, will hold other brands to same standard

Photo: CVS Health

Earlier today, CVS announced that it would ban ‘materially altered’ imagery on its store-brand beauty products, and begin marking imagery on all of the beauty products the store carries as ‘Digitally Altered’ if it doesn’t match the new policy by 2020. Given the influence CVS wields—it is the US’s largest drug store chain—major beauty brands such as L’Oreal, Maybelline, and others are expected to follow suit.

The announcement is branded as a “commitment to create new standards for post-production alterations of beauty imagery,” and includes the introduction of the so-called CVS Beauty Mark: a watermark that will appear on all beauty imagery in the store that has not been materially altered. And, just in case you’re not sure what CVS means by ‘materially altered,’ the company explains:

For this initiative, materially altered is defined as changing or enhancing a person’s shape, size, proportion, skin or eye color, wrinkles or any other individual characteristics.

The move, says Helena Foulkes, President of CVS Pharmacy and Executive VP of CVS Health, is a recognition of the company’s responsibility as one of the largest beauty retailers in the United States:

The connection between the propagation of unrealistic body images and negative health effects, especially in girls and young women, has been established. As a purpose-led company, we strive to do our best to assure all of the messages we are sending to our customers reflect our purpose of helping people on their path to better health.

The CVS Beauty Mark will begin appearing on CVS-produced beauty imagery in 2018, but the goal is to have all of the photographs in the beauty sections of CVS stores up to transparency standards by the end of 2020. At that point, any altered beauty image that appears in CVS “stores, marketing materials, websites, apps or social media” will be clearly labeled as such.

To learn more about this initiative, head over to the CVS Beauty Mark website. And if you plan to shoot campaign images for … well … almost any beauty brand from this point forward, you might want to keep these standards in mind. Chances are good that product is carried in a CVS store.

Press Release

CVS Pharmacy Makes Commitment to Create New Standards for Post-Production Alterations of Beauty Imagery

WOONSOCKET, R.I. | January 15, 2018 – CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), today announced a commitment to create new standards for post-production alterations of beauty imagery it creates for stores, websites, social media and any marketing materials. As part of this initiative, transparency for beauty imagery that has been materially altered will be required by the end of 2020.

The company also announced that it will introduce the “CVS Beauty Mark,” a watermark that will be used to highlight imagery that has not been materially altered. For this initiative, materially altered is defined as changing or enhancing a person’s shape, size, proportion, skin or eye color, wrinkles or any other individual characteristics. CVS Pharmacy will be working together with key brand partners and industry experts to develop specific guidelines in an effort to ensure consistency and transparency.

“As a woman, mother and president of a retail business whose customers predominantly are women, I realize we have a responsibility to think about the messages we send to the customers we reach each day,” said Helena Foulkes, President of CVS Pharmacy and Executive Vice President, CVS Health. “The connection between the propagation of unrealistic body images and negative health effects, especially in girls and young women, has been established. As a purpose-led company, we strive to do our best to assure all of the messages we are sending to our customers reflect our purpose of helping people on their path to better health.”

This new initiative is being introduced in an effort to lead positive change around transparency in beauty as well as to allow customers to differentiate between authentic and materially altered imagery. The CVS Beauty Mark will start to appear on CVS Pharmacy-produced beauty imagery in 2018 with the goal of all images in the beauty sections of CVS Pharmacy stores reflecting transparency by the end of 2020.

“We’ve reached out to many of our beauty brand partners, many of whom are already thinking about this important issue, to work together to ensure that the beauty aisle is a place that represents and celebrates the authenticity and diversity of the communities we serve,” Foulkes added. “We’ve been inspired by their willingness to partner with us to redefine industry standards around this important issue for the well-being of all of our customers.”

“Girls Inc. applauds CVS Pharmacy’s leadership commitment to showcase and celebrate beauty in all of its forms. As the national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, Girls Inc. is honored to be a partner in CVS Pharmacy’s movement to counter limiting stereotypes too often faced by girls and women. Allowing diversity and natural beauty to shine will have an immensely positive impact on girls and women everywhere.” said Judy Vredenburgh, Girls Inc. President & CEO.

CVS Health has previously made significant changes in its retail stores with the health of its customers in mind, such as ending the sale of tobacco products, delivering healthier food options throughout CVS Pharmacy stores and committing to remove certain chemicals of concern from all store brand beauty and personal care items by 2019.

To learn more about CVS Pharmacy’s new beauty imagery initiative, visit www.cvshealth.com/BeautyMark.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 16, 2018
18 useful Lightroom shortcuts for beginners
Adventure and lifestyle photographer Lucy Martin put together this useful little video that goes over her favorite Lightroom shortcuts. There are 18 in all, and while they’re all probably a little basic for the power users out there—L = lights out, X = reject, etc.—the beginners reading this will definitely pick up a few new shortcuts to add to their repertoire.

We’ve listed all 18 below, just like Martin did in the video’s description, but check out the video to see all of the min action:
- G – Go to Grid (Library Mode)
- E – Enter Loupe View
- L – Lights Out
- P – Pick/Flag Photo
- X – Reject Photo
- CAPS LOCK – Auto Next Photo
- CMD + DELETE – Delete all Rejects
- D – Go to Develop Module
- \ – Before & After Shortcut Key Lightroom
- Y – Before & After Side-by-Side
- V – Black& White
- R – Resize & Rotate (Crop)
- Q – Spot Removal Tool
- H – Hide Adjustment Pins
- CMD + Z – Undo Last Action
- CMD + C – Copy Develop Settings
- CMD + P – Paste Develop Settings
- CMD + / – Show All Shortcuts
If you have any favorites you want to add to this list, drop them in the comments. And if you found the video helpful, you can check out more from Martin on her YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
January 16, 2018
How to Photograph the Sheer Beauty of Soap Bubbles

Most of us are fascinated by soap bubbles and love playing with them since childhood. Watching bubbles float in the air and burst is a pleasure every child and even adults enjoy. Soap bubbles have an exciting range of color and textures. When light shines onto a bubble it displays vivid color that changes swiftly. Even though we see them on regular basis, we never actually observe them so closely to enjoy the thrilling beauty they hold within.

They are stunning, amusing and mesmerizing but extremely short-lived. Soap bubbles usually last only for a few seconds and then burst either on their own or upon contact with another object. So how can you capture these beautiful soap bubbles and keep it forever? Let’s find out.

What gear do you need?

First, we’ll talk about the camera gear you need for photographing soap bubbles. These photos can be taken with any DSLR or even compact camera if it is capable of firing an external flash. And for the lens, it’s better to use a macro lens but if you don’t have one, any lens will work fine.

Get or make a large light source

The most important aspect of soap bubble photography is the light source rather than a camera. It requires a large light source. If you have a studio light with a large softbox or beauty dish that will work great. But if you don’t have one, it doesn’t mean that you can’t take this type of photo. It can be done by using off-camera flash with a DIY softbox too.

For a DIY softbox, make a frame of two by two feet by using wood or iron wire and wrap it in white cotton cloth or butter paper. This frame, combined with an off-camera flash, will give the same impact as studio flash with a softbox.

And if you don’t have an external flash, you may place this frame near the window (or hang a white bed sheet over a window) and use sunlight as your light source. The possibilities are endless, you just need to use your imagination.

Steady the camera

You will also need a tripod so you can fix your camera on it and free your hands to blow bubbles. If you have a shutter release cable (remote trigger) it would be great to use that as well.

Other supplies

Other than this, get a piece of black cloth or black paper to use as a backdrop. You’ll also need soap solution to blow bubbles. You can buy it from local stores or make it at home by adding two tablespoons of liquid soap and one tablespoon of glycerine in half cup of water and leave it overnight.

Workflow

Okay, now we have everything, let’s start shooting. First, switch-on your music system and start playing your favorite album. It’s not necessary but it’s always good to listen to music while you shoot.

Now pour soap solution into a small bowl and place it on a table. Put a black cloth or black paper behind the bowl and set up your light source. Your light should be very near to the bubble (just 2-3 inches). If you want your bubbles to look like a floating planet, place the light source right above the bubble otherwise place it at 45 degrees downward.

Set your camera on the tripod and attach the shutter release cable. Set a narrow aperture between f/11-f/16, so you can get deep depth of field and get the entire bubble in focus. Focus manually and change other settings like shutter speed and ISO according to the light. Now use a straw to blow bubbles and start clicking.

Problems and Solutions

Once you blow the bubble, you’ll notice that it doesn’t have the swirls of colors which you were expecting. Wait a few seconds, and the colors will begin emerging, which is your cue to start clicking pictures.

Also, keep a close watch on the surface of the bubble. If it starts looking transparent, it means that the bubble is about to burst. To increase its lifespan, use a straw and blow on the bubble slightly. This will also add some unique texture to it.

If you are using homemade soap solution which you made using the formula I talked about earlier, soap bubbles will have a longer life but if you are using other soap solution, bubbles will burst in very short time. If that’s happening, adding a few drop of glycerine will increase its lifespan.

I also discovered that the temperature and the humidity of room play an important role in increasing the life of a soap bubble. If the temperature of the room is hot or atmosphere too dry, the bubbles would burst very quickly. This happens because soap bubbles have a layer of water between two thin layers of soap and when the water evaporates, it bursts. This is why it has a shorter lifespan in hot and dry environments.

So, by adding glycerine and lowering the temperature of the room, you can increase the lifespan of the bubble up to five minutes. Soap bubbles show a whole range of colors and textures from their formation until they burst. Every second you’ll find different colors and patterns and you can get lots of different shots with just one bubble.

Post-processing

If everything has been set up properly, there is no need for heavy post-processing. Just level adjustments, some cleaning, cropping and sharpening would be enough and your image end up looking like scenes from the movie Interstellar.

At last, keep trying until you get the desired results and share your photos in the comments below.

The post How to Photograph the Sheer Beauty of Soap Bubbles by Ramakant Sharda appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

January 16, 2018
On Assignment with Kylie Mazon and the Canon EOS M6

The M6 is a lightweight and compact mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, which features a 24MP APS-C format sensor, tilting touch-sensitive rear screen and Canon’s innovative Dual Pixel autofocus system, for fast and reliable AF in both stills and movie modes.

Recently, we spent a day in Los Angeles with the M6, in the company of photographer, cook and food blogger Kylie Mazon. Join us and see how Kylie approaches the challenge of shooting lifestyle and promotional images for a downtown hotel with the Canon EOS M6.

This is sponsored content, supported by Canon. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 15, 2018