Photo Ring

Reducing the grain that is found in photographic film has been a problem since the creation of film as we know it.

What is film grain you ask? To be technical, film grain is caused by the silver halide crystals in light-sensitive photographic emulsions. The faster the film, the larger the grain size. The larger the grain size the more evident the film grain becomes. Larger grains, or silver halide crystals, give film a greater sensitivity to light. That is why faster films have more grain.

Digital GEM is a technology that was developed by a company called Applied Science Fiction. The GEM acronym actually stands for Grain Equalization & Management. What DIGITAL GEM does is that it analyzes a film’s grain pattern, extracts all data that is related to image quality, color and sharpness, and removes the grain from the scanned image. This results in dramatically improved images. This is essentially the equivalent of noise reduction in digital images.

So, who should use this technology? It is my opinion that this technology should always be used when any type of film image is to be scanned into a digital format. When applied, this technology can greatly improve the overall quality of an image by reducing or, in some cases, removing the unwanted grain altogether. Using this technology in conjunction with other technologies and photo correction techniques your photographs can have the wow factor that you have always dreamed about.

Even in the world of digital photography these days, most photographers are using some sort of noise reduction technology to clean up there digital images. As part of my regular workflow I use Noise Ninja which is an excellent product that can be used as a Photoshop plugin. It can be run in automatic, which is great for running batch files, or in manual mode.

As part of my regular workflow when scanning in my personal images I always use Digital ICE and Digital GEM with a setting of 3 or 4 out of 5. These settings appear to give the optimum results for reducing film grain on images.

Unlike Digital ICE, Digital GEM appears to work very well on Black and White film as well as Kodachrome films. Digital ICE cannot be used on Black and White film, unless it was developed in color, and has reduced impact on Kodachrome films.

Digital GEM is considered to be part of the Digital ICE4 group of technologies. Also included in this group are Digital ICE, which is used to remove surface defects, Digital ROC, which is used to restore and correct color, and Digital SHO, which is used to optimize exposure and contrast. There are several scanners on the market today that use this technology today. These would include the Nikon Coolscan 5000 and 9000 series film scanners that we use as well as the Epson 4990 flatbed scanner that we use for scanning photographs and large format positives and negatives.

About the Author:

Stephen Cornfield is a photographer who has several years experience photographing weddings, sporting and informal events. His company, Photo Field Imaging, www.photofieldimaging.com, also provides photo editing, restoration and scanning services for all types of photographs, film and slides.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Digital GEM: Going Against The Film Grain

Which is better, InDesign or Quark XPress?

I’m trying to decide which to buy.

Quark XPress 8 is now out and incorporates some of the InDesign features that people like. One expert review I read said it is now competitive with InDesign.

Some people didn’t like InDesign because it operated more like PageMaker with many of the benefits of Quark XPress.

I’m used to Quark XPress but had to use InDesign recently. I did OK, but there were some features in Quark that I like better. I’m looking forward to getting QX8 when I have the money to upgrade.

Let’s face it, women struggle with self-esteem issues. This is especially true as we age, have our children, see our bodies change, and our relationships grow comfortable.  The young girl we once were who spent her paychecks at the mall, had hours to primp before a date, and felt “hot” can almost seem like someone else.  With the sexy shoes set aside for flip flops, yoga pants in lieu of tight jeans, and a schedule full of play-dates it’s easy to forget she’s still inside.  Over time and with an increasing emphasis on other people and different things, many women stop feeling like they’re sexy.  However, sometimes all that they need is a good reminder. One of the best, most tangible ways of showing them not only is that girl still there but age and experience has made her sexier and better than ever, is through the beauty of boudoir photography.

Boudoir photography offers an artistic and tangible way that women can see for themselves that they are still sensual and gorgeous.  When a woman is confronted with her own image where she can see herself looking undeniably beautiful it can be a tremendous boost to her self-confidence and reawaken her sexuality.  These pictures are taken by knowing professionals, who use lighting to highlight and flatter the very best of a women’s beauty.  Often times, women posing for boudoir photography have had a make-up artist and hair stylist help them prepare for their pictures, which both enhances their beauty and is a fun, feminine pampering experience.  Cherly K., a woman from Cincinnati, OH who went to a boudoir photography session with friends commented, “I think what you’re doing for women is absolutely fabulous.  The four of us came out of there feeling like a million bucks.  We all shared our pictures you sent yesterday and kept telling each other how amazing we all are!  Thank you for that!  It’s nice to feel pretty and to be reminded that you still have it!” There does not leave much room for self-doubt, when a women looks at an actual picture where even she has to admit, she looks incredible.  Heather Walker is the principal photographer and owner of Columbus Boudoir Photography (www.columbusboudoir.com), a fully-scale studio located in Powell, OH which attracts women throughout the Columbus metropolitan area and the state of Ohio.  She is also renowned for her national boudoir photography and has seen the reaction of countless women to their pictures. Heather says, “I love to see the woman’s face when we show her the final images! Her expression is priceless. I say to her yes…that is YOU!  You look amazing.” 

Boudoir photography shouldn’t be considered a one-time event.  What woman doesn’t want (or need) continual reinforcement that’s she looks great?  Taking such beautiful pictures can be a very personal and powerful way to document a woman’s sexuality and an exciting way to keep things sexy and fresh for her partner. At a professional studio, the process of taking the pictures itself can be surprisingly fun for women. Studios such as Columbus Boudoir Photography ensure that a woman feels completely comfortable in the environment and discuss ahead of time the type of concerns she may have with her appearance.  The photographer emphasizes the very best of each woman’s body and creates a look and feel to the photographs that reflect her taste and desires.  Some women enjoy portraying timeless and tasteful turn of the century courtesans, others like a saucy 1950’s pin-up, while many choose to channel their inner lingerie model, or simply pose in their boyfriend’s football jersey.  As women’s tastes and interests change, so can her pictures.  A college girl may enjoy a different feel to her pictures than would a young mother or a mature woman. The beauty of boudoir photography is that it can reflect many stages of the sensual female experience. Boudoir photography isn’t just for a one-time benefit to the bedroom but enables a woman to feel good forever and is truly a beautiful testament to her timeless sexuality.

About the Author:

By Cathy Predmore
Columbus, Ohio

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Boudoir Photography – A Way to Capture Timeless Sexuality through Beautiful Pictures

What is the best photo editing software ? Is there one more advanced then photoshop or paintshop ? PEASE HELP?

I hear photoshop is the best but I am sure there is something way more advanced than that How is windows paint shop XP

3D:

TrueSpace: http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSpace/ts75/brochure/intro.asp?Cate=BIntro (3D authoring package)
PhotoSynth: http://photosynth.net/about.aspx (Photosynth allows you to take a bunch of photos of the same scene or object and automagically stitch them all together into one big interactive 3D viewing experience that you can share with anyone on the web)
How to Create Your Own Virtual 3D Model: http://www.ehow.com/how_4812641_own-virtual-d-model.html

Ron