Paintings made easy in Photoshop

I learned a little while ago you can use Photoshop to create some spectacular painting effects. If you use the texture tool and applying a burlap map and layer the craquelure and a glass effect you can have some pretty cool results. I also added pixel bender oil painting effect to this image also. 

Caesars July 4th, 2013

My wife and I managed a trip to Las Vegas on July 4th. After standing in front of Caesars Palace for 4 hours I managed to capture what I couldn't the previous 2 years. This image is a composite of 5 images using HDR photographic techniques. The exposure of Caesars with the lights was captured before the fireworks display. Four other images added to complete this awesome display of pyrotechnics.

California Adventure

I stumbled across this image I took a few years back on my first Nikon D100 digital camera. Amazing how things change over the years including California Adventure at Disneyland. You will never see this perspective at the park again.

The Photo Argus

Found a great website that has all sorts of photographic information. It's called The Photo Argus. Check it out and see if this jars a few creative ideas.

http://www.thephotoargus.com/

Donna Meade Photography

Donna Meade Photography shared this on facebook and I thought I would pass it along. If you would like to brush up on your Photoshop and Lightroom techniques or learn some new ones she recommends it highly.
Thanks Donna! http://www.donnameadephotography.com/

http://www.beyondlayers.net/registrationoptions/

68 Degrees

You've probably wondered why a blog titled "68 Degrees". As a photographer from a very young age nearly 4 decades ago I learned very quickly that this temperature would resonate through most of my photographic career. Countless hours spent in a darkroom developing black and white film at - you guessed it "68 Degrees". If your new to photography or been around awhile you know that digital photography is here to stay and the "old ways" of manipulating your images through chemical degrees or waving your hands in front of the enlarging lens to burn or dodge an image is all but a fading memory. Most if not all of us have replaced our film cameras for digital monsters which can outperform, expose endlessly, and create beautiful works of art at little to no effort when combined with programs like Photoshop and Lightroom. On the other hand I can't stop thinking of my time spent manipulating images the old fashioned way, smelling and putting my hands into a cold mixture code named Dektol which was about to reveal a new masterpiece in 90 seconds. So in honor of my roots and where it all began I've started this blog to post a little photographic information, share whats on my mind and above all have a little fun.