How to test your camera lenses.
Testing your camera lenses doesn't have to be rocket science! The first thing I do when I get a new wide angle lens is test it out. Before I run off and try to take some epic shots with it, I need to know all about it. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Does it...
Selective Color in Photoshop
Two Alternatives to Selective Color The Selective Color technique is something we all try at some point in our photography endeavors. The classic act of taking a color image, making it Black and White, but letting a single accent color of the subject matter show...
Matte Effect in Photoshop
The Cinematic Matte Effect in Photoshop Have you ever seen a portrait that immediately evokes a mood in you? Maybe it feels nostalgic or warm, but you can't quite put your finger on why it feels that way. It is probably because the artist used a Cinematic...
Advanced Blending with Photoshop, ON1 Photo RAW, and Affinity Photo
Blend If Has Brothers! I have done a ton of tutorials showcasing one of Photoshop's most powerful features, Blend If. However, I am often asked, "Blake I see you using Photoshop for Advanced Blending with Blend If, but can I do this in ____________ program?" It is a...
Solid Color Grading
Color Grading Never Looked So Easy! One of our primary jobs as photographers is to evoke emotion in our viewer when they look at our images. Sometimes the subject matter speaks for itself and does most of the work, but there are other instances where the...
How to Use the Oil Paint Filter in Photoshop
The Oil Paint Filter can be Great with some tweaking. As a former painter, I wanted the Oil Paint Filter in Photoshop to be incredible. As it stands, by itself, it is less than desirable. It looks like someone just threw a filter on a photo and called it a day....
Luminosity Masks versus Blend If
The pixel bending fight of the year! I get this question all the time, "Blake, what is the difference between using Blend If and Luminosity Masking?" It is a great question, and my answer usually goes something like this: Luminosity Masking and Blend If are, by their...
Actions in Photoshop
Flashback Friday! Actions in Photoshop https://youtu.be/bIvL8hB8ibY Sometimes you just have to go back to the first tutorial you ever created and laugh. The audio was horrible, the content was sparse, and the personality was completely missing. It is amazing how...
How to Use Color Range in Photoshop
Custom Luminosity Masks with Color Range in Photoshop Luminosity Masks are all the rage these days it seems and rightfully so, they are extremely powerful. A Luminosity Mask is nothing more than a selection of the luminance range in your image. Think of it like...
ON1 Live Event
The ON1 Photo Raw Live Event I had a blast on Monday Afternoon in Portland, Oregon. I participated in the Live Event for the ON1 Photo Raw launch. It was a blast! I was surrounded by some fun individuals who made me feel at home and filled the day with...
