Blackchurch Rock, North Devon - One Year Ago

Can't believe it's a year now since I took this picture of Blackchurch Rock near Bude, North Devon, which means it's just over a year ago that I started getting out and trying landscape photography.

Needless to say I've literally fallen in love with it; out in the fresh air, exploring and as a bonus being able to capture it in my camera. As is the case with landscape / seascape, not every trip ends up with an image...but who cares?!? I just love the experience of it all and making some great, like minded friends along the way.

Not often I'm on the receiving end of the camera when out and about but when Heathcliff O’Malley suggests taking your portrait, it's a done deal. One of my faves that I can look at and instantly recall being there.

Great times and very excited about experiences the coming weeks, months and years will bring. Especially looking forward to heading back to Blackchurch Rock and seeing how I'll approach it, one year further on into my Landscape Photography Journey...

💥 POWERFUL Blending and Compositing function in Photoshop that you MIGHT have missed! 😲

With so many updates, it's very easy to miss stuff in Photoshop such as this incredibly POWERFUL and USEFUL function for blending layers together, changing composition and compositing.

Auto Blend Layers … do you really know how good it is?

🎤 VERY IMPRESSED! The (less than) £100 RØDE VideoMic GO II sounds AMAZING 👏

In this video I go through a Practical 'Hands On' with the new RØDE VideoMic GO II Microphone that costs less than £100 BUT produces audio quality to match much more expensive microphones on the market AND it can be used on other devices.

In a world where day to day living is getting more and more expensive this microphone is definitely something to consider.

*NOTE: RØDE did send me the VideoMic Go II but have not paid me to create, or influenced this video. Opinions in this video are entirely my own 👍

Saddened that World War 2 Veteran Harry Billinge MBE has died

Not much I can add other than, yet again we have lost another of the Greatest Generation, Harry Billinge MBE aged 96 years.

I had the pleasure of meeting, photographing and knowing Harry thanks to my 39-45 Portraits Project.

A slight of a man with the heart of a lion and what was clearly a life mission to ensure that those he served with during World War 2 were never forgotten, in the fund raising he did for the Normandy Memorial.

R.I.P.

Using my Drone to take Photographs of Sunrise at Lyme Regis in Dorset

Over the moon with all the results from taking photographs with my drone (DJI Air 2S) at Lyme Regis, Dorset. The light was incredible and the conditions couldn't have been better!

Being a morning person, setting an alarm for 4am and heading out, definitely has its advantages…

Lyme Regis is a place that's quite special to Anne and me. So many great memories of times when we first starting holidaying in Devon and visiting River Cottage and would always pop down the road and over the border to Dorset to get a 'fix' of sea air and our tradition of a bag of chips on the beach...no matter the weather.

As a Portrait Photographer, I've always found it fascinating how moving around your subject, once you have placed the light, can give so many different looks...from the same set up.

The same can definitely be said for landscape / seascape as this photograph I took of Lyme Regis in Dorset yesterday with my drone was taken moments after the first one I posted ... the same height but with a shift to the right, further back and changing the angle of the camera.

This panorama of Lyme Regis, Dorset consists of 24 photographs taken with my drone and then blended together in Photoshop…

Completely BLOWN AWAY with the quality of the file; so bloomin' happy

Couldn’t resist some top down shots too…

I remember a few years ago, Joe McNally relaying a story of a portrait assignment that he went on and once finished and kit packed away, upon leaving, the owner's cat appeared and jumped up onto his owner's shoulder; Joe quickly grabbed a few frames with his camera that he'd kept to hand and THAT was the picture that ended up being used.

Not quite the same, but this picture from yesterday made me think of Joe's story. Once I'd landed the drone on some Beach Hut Decking having taken the pictures I wanted, I then started to pack away and just happened to glance at the screen on the remote controller and saw this…

Roll on the next flight!

Photoshop Virtual Summit 4 - FREE PASS

Chuffed to bits to be one of the 20 Instructors at the next FREE Photoshop Virtual Summit which runs from 2nd May - 6th May 2022.

The past online events have been a huge success and in so many cases a great distraction and learning experience during the past couple of years because of you know what.

As with the previous summits there’s a line up of 20 Instructors which translates to 40 Photoshop Classes and over 30 hours of content.

Also (like before) there’s a FREE PASS available and an Early Bird Price (until 2nd May) of $99 (£75 approx) for the VIP PASS

I don’t know how Dave and Marlene Cross puts this together but 'hats off’ to them; especially as for the next few weeks I know they’ll be flat out making sure this event runs as smoothly as the previous ones.

I'M ADDICTED!!! 📷 Long Exposures by the Sea (HOW TO) BASIC to BEAUTIFUL 😍

It's incredible how using a long exposure can completely transform the look and feel of a location.

In this video I take you through the Photography showing how a 30 second long exposure can smooth out waves to create a glass like surface, to the retouching in both Lightroom and Photoshop, also showing how to make selections and cuts with one slider.

Enjoy,
Glyn

💥 THIS will give your pictures DRAMA and IMPACT: Fake Long Exposure Effect in Photoshop

I love how using a long exposure to create much more drama and impact in pictures. But what if we didn't use a long exposure when we took the photograph?

Here's a super easy and effective technique I use to recreate the long exposure look...and it works an absolute treat!

💥 DO THIS in Lightroom to make your PORTRAITS POP and come to life

Ever since I shared a video showing my 20/10 technique in Photoshop for making Portraits POP, I’ve received a constant flow of questions asking if there was a way to get the same result just using Photoshop.

Well … I had a play and this is what I came up with, and to be honest … I think I prefer it now :)

During the intro I also explain about those 4 layers you will have seen in the original video as I’ve had quite a few questions about them asking if they’re part of the technique

Hope you like it,
Glyn

TRY THESE 5 TIPS for BETTER and CLEANER Selections using Photoshop (video)

Selections can be REALLY difficult. Even when using the dedicated Selection Tools in Photoshop we can still see traces of the original background around our cut out. In this video I show 5 of my FAVOURITE TIPS and TECHNIQUES for cleaning selections up and making them look their BEST!