Make Money From Photos & Adsense.: May 2010

Sunday, 23 May 2010

Lucy Starkiller as a cheap alternative to LucisArts

One question I get asked often is how well Lucy Starkiller works in images with people. The answer is very well of course. For people pictures, I recommend making use of the fade step to reduce to default contrast levels and avoid halos. Click on any of these images for a larger version.

There are more samples of people pictures porcessed with Lucy Starkiller here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=29238724
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=28914780
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1006&message=28914899

I am a firm believer that if you can do something without a plug-in, you should. Plug-ins are notorious for being slow, poorly coded bloatware, and usually offer very poor value for the money. So with that in mind, I only use a plug-in when it absolutely cannot be done in Photoshop (or Paint Shop Pro) alone.

The great thing about Lucy Starkiller is that is is very inexpensive. I think it could easily sell for twice what it does, especially considering that it comes with version for both Photoshop *and* Paint Shop Pro. How many other PS actions have you found that offer support for Paint Shop Pro?

But it only costs $15.95! LucisArts costs $600 dollars, and you can't even try before you buy! Not only that but if you look around you can find discount codes that will save you even more. Try "ilovelucy2010" for starters, you'll get 25% off your order from The Limelight Shop. Here's a secret, it's good for 25% off your entire order, not just LSK, so stock up.

Here's another un-advertised bonus that I can tell you about. If you purchase Lucy Starkiller and then post a review on your website with some links back to the author's website, he'll refund half of your purchase price. It's at his discretion, so it has to be a real review, not just a few words you slap up, but still, it's a great offer.

If you wan't a fantastic, cheap, LucisArts alternative that work in Photosop and Paint Shop Pro, then look no further than Lucy Starkiller.

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Make Money From Photos by Jordan McClements is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Monday, 17 May 2010

Spider Holster Review (By Peter Thomas)

Review: Spider Holster

As a full time wedding photographer, I often come home from a 12hour day with an aching back and shoulders. Carrying two pro cameras around all day takes its toll. One product aimed at relieving this pressure is the Spider Holster system.

We reviewed the Spider Holster System which comes with the belt, holster, plate and pin. We also purchased a second plate and pin for a second camera, bringing the total to £125.

The Belt

At the core of the system is the belt. Through a number of fastenings, your camera is attached to your belt, rather like a gun (hence the ‘holster’ name). The belt itself is very solid. It is adjusted to the correct length using Velcro – this is a little inconvenient but once in the correct position you shouldn’t need to change it. However, it would have been nice to have a quick adjustment mechanism for minor adjustments. For example, I recently did an engagement shoot and the belt was very tight over my jeans ( I normally use it at wedding and wear a suit). That aside, the belt is comfortable and unobtrusive. The clasp on the belt is your standard affair – but has a third button to prevent accidental release.

The Holster

On one side of the belt is a material area which is where your camera will sit. This prevents the camera from rubbing against your clothes ( a good thing if you are wearing an expensive suit), but I did notice that the grippy material does sometimes flick a few switches on my lens without me knowing. The actual holster is fitted on the belt. It simply slips over the belt and is secured using a built-in elasticated band. It sits securely in place but I did notice the elasticated band coming loose a few times after getting in and out of the car. Having said that, under normal use there is no way our camera is going to fall off – its all pretty secure. More on the holster in a moment.

The Plate

The camera mount (or plate) is metal yet surprisingly light. The mount has several holes for a pin. Putting the pin in each hole will allow the camera torest at a different angle (the suggested pin hole is by far the most comfortable). The mount secures to the camera using your cameras tripod mount. Cleverly, it has a special allan key fitted for tightening. It all feels very secure and solid. You can then add your tripod mount to the bottom of the Spider mount. Be warned that the pin protrudes out of the bottom of the camera, so if your camera bag is tight it may no longer fit! It also stops the camera from standing upright on a flat surface.

Placing the camera in the holster is simply a matter of slipping the pin on the camera into the holster. There is a little bit of a technique to doing this quickly, but after a few goes it will be second nature. The holster has a switch on it – you can have it locked or un locked. Un-locked is much more convenient, but the locked position prevents accidental removal or someone stealing the camera.

You can in theory have two cameras on the one belt, but in practice I found one on the belt and one around my neck to be fine.

So how does it work in practice?

Firstly, it definitely helps my back! The weight is on my hips rather than my back which helps tremendously. Even when holding a Nikon D3, flash and 70-200mm lens the belt feels secure and the weight is well balanced.

One of the unexpected benefits of the system was the ability to free up my arms. For example, it frees me up to fix a brides dress or to use my light meter. It also allows me to get into unusual shooting angles without worrying about the camera over my shoulder.

The camera also sits at a nice position – so you can’t bang it off the floor when you kneel down. Even with a long lens and a flash, the camera sits at a good, comfortable angle within easy reach.

The only drawback is that you need to remember your camera is there. It’s easy to forget, and bash your camera against a wall when going through a door or tight space. Once you get used to it its fine – but my new Nikon D700 took a few hits at first!

Overall, the Spider Holster is an excellent product and should help anyone who uses their camera for prolonged lengths of time.

Peter Thomas Crymble is a full-time Wedding Photographer in Northern Ireland, www.peterthomasphotography.com

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Make Money From Photos by Jordan McClements is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.