Perez Studios

I did a trial of Alien Skin’s software called Bokeh for Adobe Photoshop.  I compared Bokeh and Focal Point from OnOne Software and I believe that Focal Point is just too much easier than Bokeh. 

I thought that Bokeh would be easier because of Alien Skin’s other software products but  I found out I was wrong.  Maybe I need more training on the program but I found its whole navigation and customizing layers and using the effects more difficult compared to the Focal Point’s easy bar that lets you adjust the settings for each effect. 

Bokeh does have one plus probably and that is that it probably doesnt require a specific video card where I had to purchase a new one for OnOne’s Focal Point. 

If anyone has any details to share or experiences about either one of the programs I would love to hear about them.

Recently, I began a trial on using OnOne’s Plug-In Suite for Adobe Photoshop and I must say that I was very impressed.  It makes things so much easier with all of the built-in effects and snap-ins.  It has the ability to enlarge photos, make photos pop and so much more.

I love the PhotoTools plug-in because of all of the cool stuff that it allows you to do with just the click of a button.  It asks you for some options but it shows you instantly right there what the before photo looked like and what the after will look like. 

I am seriously considering purchasing this program because it gives photographers a lot of power without having to know all of this computer, art and Photoshop tricks.  It takes all of the features and gives them to the ordinary person. 

If you want more information make sure you check out the OnOne Software web site.  If you are using OnOne and want to share your experience with it then please feel free to.  If you are using another plug-in that is similar then share the name of the program and I will do a trial and let others know my opinion on it.  I am trying to compare the OnOne plug-in to Bokeh’s plug-in.  I will keep you all posted.

Recently, I upgraded my computer to Vista Ultimate.  I must say that it has been a very cool move.  I first backed up my entire system before I did anything using a program called Storage Craft which I must say works great. 

Once I had the backup I was ready to make the move.  The look and feel of Vista is pleasing to the eyes.  It does some wear and tear to the memory though.  I have about 2Gigs of Ram in my machine and am already looking at upgrading it to 4 because of the amount that Vista sucks up. 

Vista has some really cool features for photographers.  One is the Windows Photo Gallery.  Viewing pictures in Vista does seem a bit prettier on the eyes.  It somehow gives the photos a look to them.  The built in slide show feature that is similar to the one in Windows XP is a lot easier to view. 

I did however encounter some issues with some hardware and software.  I came across an issue with Adobe Encore 1.5 so now I am forced to upgrade to a newer version.  I also came across an issue with my Epson R1800  Photo printer.  It turns out that the FireWire port on the back of the printer is not compatible with Vista but the USB port worked just fine.  I also came across an issue with my Creative Sound card but I am working on resolving that issue with Creative. 

If you have any experiences with Vista that you would like to share with the rest of us please feel free to do so.  I am sure there are others out there that are kind of hesitant about making the move but it is something that has to happen.  Windows 7 is supposed to be coming out soon and I am sure we will feel the same about that one like we did about Vista.

I mentioned in my last post about how I worked with Jonathan Alpeyrie to get some of his photos from China posted on my blog site.  I had a mishap with my previous blog when it crashed.  I was able to re-create the post for him. 

Jonathan, if you are not familiar with him, is a War Photographer.  His work is known for getting into really tight places and getting those shots that others are afraid to.  This photo above is from China of some Migrant workers that are working hard to build the Olympic stadium or coliseum.  To view some more of his work go to the site on Flickr and see the shots.  

Jonathan, if you are out there sorry it took so long to get these back up and running.  I would love to hear from you again and see what you have been up to.

Recently, I was talking with a teacher at the Dos Palos High School about photography.  She commented about a photographer that has just opened up her own studio in town.  I thought that was great that there are students out there that are given this talent of capturing special moments with their camera. 

Amy Miller is the name of the photographer and Amy if you are out there please feel free to signup and share some of your work and experience.  I always love to hear and see what other photographers are up to.  I know she just finished opening up her business and would love to help you out in any way possible. 

If there are any other photographers that are out there that would love to share their experiences and wisdom with the rest of us then please feel free to do so.  I am always looking for ideas to share on the site so if you have some then please feel free to share them.  I recall doing an article about the war photographer Jonathan Alpeyrie who has done a lot of work in some of the scariest places.  He actually contacted me and had me do a post of some of his work from China.  I lost that post when my blog site crashed.  I hope to get it back up soon.

If you are interested in getting wedding photos, senior portraits and more and you are in Amy’s area or want her to come to yours then contact her about an appointment. 

Amy let me know if it is okay to share your studio information on this site.  I wouldn’t want to do it without your consent.

I got a message yesterday from this vendor in my email and I thought it was cool.  Now you have all heard about the metallic prints but the new thing is aluminum prints.  I thought it was amazing so I signed up to get a free sample of the quality.  We will see what it looks like when it arrives. 

The cost is a little expensive but then again it is on aluminum which does take a lot to process.  I wonder how long the ink will last on the finish.  I have seen a few old Pepsi cans out there that have seemed to lose their quality but the same goes for ink on paper. 

To go and get your information on the product click here.  If you have experienced this already and would love to share your feedback then feel free to.

This is a photo I took while visiting Central America with my church.  We were in Honduras just outside of San Pedro Sulas.  We were visiting the family of the pastor that we were staying with there.  The father-in-law of the pastor climbed up this huge coconut tree and knocked down a couple of coconuts for us to enjoy.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Manuel Perez