Category Archives: Photoshop

Camera Specs that may no longer Matter

05.06.24

With the recent improvements in software, notably from Adobe and Topaz, there are a few camera specifications that may no longer merit too much concern. Those two specifications are sensor resolution and high ISO noise. It feels strange to write that last sentence as I have been chasing the best cameras and sensors for decades...

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The Annular Eclipse of 2023

11.13.23

In early September this year, Jeff Provenzano contacted me about doing a project in tandem with the annular eclipse, which was taking place on October 14, 2023. Jeff is one of the world’s most elite sky divers and also a member of the Red Bull Air Force–a team of elite sky divers, BASE jumpers, and...

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A Professional Photographer’s workflow (7th Edition)

04.30.20

I am happy to announce that I have updated my highly regarded e-book, A Professional Photographer’s Workflow: Using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, for Lightroom Classic CC (2020) and Photoshop CC. This book is a 565-page digital workflow workshop in book form. This new edition was sorely needed as the last version was nearly five years...

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CreativeLIVE: The Professional Photographer’s Digital Workflow

04.02.18

I am very happy to announce that I will be back at CreativeLIVE in the Seattle studio on April 16th and 17th teaching an in-depth two-day class on digital workflow. The class, entitled The Professional Photographer’s Digital Workflow, will cover everything from image capture to the final print. This is not just a class on how...

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A Professional Photographer’s Workflow: Using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop

09.09.15

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER’S WORKFLOW: USING ADOBE LIGHTROOM AND PHOTOSHOP I am happy to announce that I have updated my highly regarded e-book, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom: A Professional Photographer’s Workflow, which is now renamed A Professional Photographer’s Workflow: Using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, for Lightroom CC (2015) and Photoshop CC. This book...

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Big Prints and the Nikon D800

02.03.14

I just finished up a big fine art print job for a local client here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This order included both Limited Edition and Open Edition prints, which were printed at 16×24 inches all the way up to 40×60 inches. In the process of printing the larger prints, I was blown away...

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Mark VanderkamFebruary 3, 2014 - 7:26 pm
Michael, thank you so much for sharing your experience. I bought a d800e and am planning to get a 44 inch printer and will probably go with the Epson 9880. One question is, the RAW file from the camera is 7360 pixels wide. If I divide that by 60 inches, I get 122 pixels per inch. How do you manage to get 180 pixels per inch?

And thanks for the info on paper selection and comparing PS and LR! I look forward to getting into my own learning curve!
Patricia KissingerFebruary 4, 2014 - 10:00 am
So far, I haven’t had the need to print anything that large, but I am so glad to hear the good news about the quality! I am still a beginner with the D800, but really am enjoying it. (I went from the D7000 to the D800.)

Even though I know the basic elements to sharp photos, I was wondering if you could offer any other advice to ensure the sharpest photo possible.

Thank you!

Patricia
Michael ClarkFebruary 4, 2014 - 10:06 am
Mark – To get to 180 pip, I upres the image in Photoshop using Bicubic Smoother (Enlargement). This up samples the image to 60 inches. And that is why I say in the post that I only had to upres the image 147%. I use 180 pixels because the Epson printers produce the best possible image quality at 360 ppi or 180 ppi.The difference between these two resolutions is extremely small and you would need a loupe to really see it. I don’t print at resolutions lower than 180 ppi. Hope this answers the question.
Michael ClarkFebruary 4, 2014 - 10:08 am
Patricia – To get the sharpest photos possible with the D800, concentrate on holding the camera steady or use a tripod. Also, crank the ISO up and use higher than normal shutter speeds to assure crisper images. There is a whole lot that goes into this and I teach a workshop on getting the best image quality out of the D800 so you might look into that if you really want to squeak out all that the D800 has to offer. Here is a link to that workshop:

http://www.santafeworkshops.com/photography-workshops/workshop/1269
Patricia KissingerFebruary 4, 2014 - 11:49 am
Thank you, Michael. I’ll take a look.
Yoram PeresJuly 1, 2016 - 3:00 am
Hi Michel, firt, thanks a lot for this. It might help me a lot! I know this post was written about 3 years ago, but, if you are still online here, I would like to ask if you have any idea about comparing an enlargment from a 6×6 scanned film image, lets say, from an Hasselblad to the Nikon 800D? I will need about 40×40′ prints. Thanks.
Michael ClarkJuly 1, 2016 - 8:12 am
Yoram – Glad to hear that was useful. as for the prints from he D800 vs. the Hasselblad that will depend mostly on your film scanner. The D800 will look incredible if you use good camera technique and the image is sharp. The Hasselblad film scan will look great as well but will have a lot more grain since at that size you will see the film grain and it will depend on what type of film it was shot on and how much post-processing was done to the film scan afterwards as to how these will compare. No way to tell until you make two prints and see for yourself really. My guess is the D800 will look cleaner and possibly sharper as film was never really tack sharp (if you scan it as a high enough resolution you will find this out).

Pictureline.com: Workflow Fridays

12.03.13

For the last few months, I have been providing Pictureline.com with in-depth Workflow Friday blog posts on the topic of digital workflow. In case you haven’t heard of Pictureline, they are a high-end camera store and rental house based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Each Friday, they feature a new blog post on a digital...

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