Lancaster Wedding Portrait Photographer Miville Photography » Tip of the week

Is PDN Misleading People?

Michael Miville — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:26:22 +0000

So, after some basic review of this iPro Lens System by Schneider, it seems as though Schneider has built a lens case that incorporates lenses over your iPhone 4/4S lens to give you a wider field of view. However, it seems like in this PDN article they are making it sound as though the iPhone lens is poor and that this case/lens will make everything better. Looks like the case/lens does an average to good job of creating a wider field of view in your photos, with multiple pieces of glass in these tiny lenses that include anti-glare coatings on them. However, here’s the problem. If you amplify bad music, you just get louder bad music. Photography is kinda the same. If PDN is calling the iPhone 4/4S lens bad, then all this Schneider lens is going to do is amplify that. Also, putting more glass in front of your camera’s sensor isn’t always good. In fact, most of the time it makes things worse by creating artifacts and lowering the contrast in your photos. I think PDN, who is very well respected, should read their articles a little closer before posting them. Schneider may make some nice lenses, and may have been able to do some cool things with optics over the iPhone lens, however, PDN should not be trying to sell Schneider cases/lenses by downplaying the lens on the iPhone.

If you plan to purchase this for yourself or as a gift, at this crazy hi price, just know that it won’t make your photos better. If you have a good eye for photography, and you understand lighting, you are a step ahead of the game and it could be a fun little addition to your iPhone. But it’s the people who just glance at the PDN article thinking that this lens will make their photography better, that I worry about. I hope this helps anyone who was looking at this item.

Schneider iPro Lens System

iPro Lens System on B&H

I know, I’m a tease!

Michael Miville — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:00:22 +0000

Wanna learn more about this?

Stay tuned for upcoming details.

Tutorial – Watermarking in Adobe Lightroom 3

Michael Miville — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:44:07 +0000

This week I take the watermark we made last week in Adobe Photoshop and use it in Adobe Lightroom 3 with the new watermarking feature. It’s great to be able to post your watermark on vertical and horizontal images. Watermarking is great for people to start becoming familiar with your brand and also to keep people from stealing your photos online.

Lightroom 3 Watermarking Tutorial from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

Watermarking your images

Michael Miville — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:30:39 +0000

Today, using Adobe Photoshop CS5, I show how to create a watermark PNG file with a few effects. Watermarking your images for online posting is a great idea to protect from theft and to give a brand to your photography. That way people will start to recognize your photography style even without the logo. I give a bunch of tips, key commands and ways to make a transparent logo. I use the PNG format to be able to make use of the transparent version of the file that I’d like to add onto my photos for watermarking on the web. Enjoy.

Creating a Watermark in Photoshop CS5 from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

Photoshop Tutorial – Black and White Conversion

Michael Miville — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:52:29 +0000

Today we use a few Adobe Photoshop techniques to go from a blah color image to an awesome Black and White conversion. There are several tips explained to get the most out of your image and to get some great depth in your converted black and white. Don’t just get stuck using the Grayscale conversion, it gives you no control over your image. I outline several ways to convert and even an extra tip at the end about using one technique to do a black and white with a pop of color. Enjoy and I hope you’ll leave some feedback. Cheers!

Go from this BLAH color image

To this powerful Black and White image

Adobe Photoshop B&W Conversions from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

Sharpen those photos

Michael Miville — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:13:13 +0000

Today’s Photoshop tutorial will explain a couple of techniques to sharpen your images and mask them into specific areas such as the eyes and hair of your portrait. The photo is a of my beautiful wife that I took down on the beach in Cape May, NJ. Showing 2 ways to sharpen the eyes and other details of your photos.

Before with no sharpening

Photoshop Sharpening from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

After sharpening eyes and hair

Photoshop Tutorial – Eyes Wide Shut

Michael Miville — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:33:56 +0000

Today’s tutorial, using Photoshop CS5, works on taking a photo with eyes closed and a similar photo of the same person with the eyes open to open the eyes in the first photo. This tutorial was done in Photoshop CS5 but can be done in almost every version of Photoshop. Below you’ll see the two photos used to create the final photo. Then watch the video tutorial as I walk you through this technique.

Before Photo 1: Eyes closed

Before Photo 2

Photoshop Tutorial – Eye Opening from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

After: Eyes Open

Photoshop Selection and Curves Adjustment

Michael Miville — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:21:11 +0000

This week I use Photoshop to make a detailed selection in this tutorial. Using the selection I make a Curves adjustment layer on my photo of the waterfall at Palouse Falls, WA. It’s a subtle transformation but it makes for a much more interesting sky. The tutorial a little long this week, but enjoy and let me know what you think.

If you have any suggestions for photoshop or photography related tutorials that you’d like to see, please feel free to email me mivillephoto@yahoo.com or leave a comment below.

Before

Photoshop Tutorial Video

Photoshop Sky Darkening Tutorial from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

After

Lightroom Tutorial: Adjustment Gradient

Michael Miville — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:22:41 +0000

Today is a Lightroom tutorial on using a adjustment gradient in your photography. Using an adjustment gradient is pretty similar to using an adjustment brush in Lightroom. You can change the exposure, saturation, clarity, sharpness all to create some fun effects. This tutorial shows how to use the adjustment gradient to put more focus onto your subject. It’s a quick one today, so sit back and enjoy the video.

Before

Lightroom Adjustment Gradient Tutorial from Michael Miville on Vimeo.

After

Tutorial Time – Before and After

Michael Miville — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:42:37 +0000

Today’s photography tutorial is the before and after of a wedding photo I took recently of a bride and groom. In the video I explain how I go through a portrait in Lightroom and then into Photoshop to do a few more touch ups, then back to Lightroom to finish it up. Hopefully this helps you out with some workflow ideas and please leave some comments if you like this type of tutorial and if you have any suggestions on things you’d like to see in future tutorials. Enjoy.

Before

Before and After in Lightroom and Photoshop from Michael Miville on Vimeo.