PAGB News No 16

Hi All

Welcome to Issue 16 of e-news.
Click here for a PDF version {Warning 1.5Mb size file!}
or see this normal web page text only HERE

I have now received 127 replies to my questionnaire and I thank you for
taking the time.

I will respond to your suggestions soon.

In the meantime can I mention again that I am very happy to publicise events and exhibitions and anything else which is of interest beyond your own Federation and can I remind PAGB EC members that I can notify anything you think is of interest.

Rod Whelans
PLEASE note that this Newsletter contains the latest PAGB recommended specification for Digitally Projected Images. This supercedes the earlier article based on the Ordinance Survey Camera Club specfication. So now we have a new projector it is worth while reading and taking note. Peter

Resizing Images for Projection

There is an article in the May issue if the SPF Newsletter that deals with this topic. It should help to remove some confusion. if any, for you. It was written for Ordinance Survey club members originally.
See it HERE

Bits and Bytes

There is a link to a spreadsheet that resides in Google Docs [aka the Cloud] that shows the meanings of most of the manifestations of bits and bytes such as Megabyte. This is in very simple terms but almost everyone will find something they did know before.
LINK

Epson Print Academy

For your information there are classes in Digital Imaging in all its forms from Epson. Details can be seen
Epson%20Print%20Academy%20Seminars-%20Special%20Offer%20for%20Camera%20Club%20Members.eml

Photoshop Print Size

Have ever noticed that when you click on the Print Size button when
you have the Zoom tool selected that if you measure the screen the
dimensions are wrong?
Well I find this irritating sometimes. It would be nice to get this
correct. Recently on Ben Willmore's site I found out to put right
this Photoshop error. See the related part of his site on
http://www.digitalmastery.com/content/blogcategory/28/70/

First understand that Photoshop assumes that your monitor screen has a
resolution of 72ppi. Well this was the case years ago but now screens
are almost never like this. I found mine to be 91.64ppi for instance.

So how do we correct this?
1. Start by making a new file from File > New. Set the Width and
Height to say 7 inches each and the resolution to 72ppi. Other
settings do not matter. Click OK.

2. Now go to View > Actual Pixels.

3. Now hold up a ruler across the width of the screen and check what
it measures. Say 6.2 inches i.e. wrong.

4. Adjust the percentage setting shown in the lower left so that the
ruler reads correctly. To adjust the percentage just click on it and
type in a new number. Press Shift + Return or Enter. This allows the
percentage to stay highlighted to enable you to change it quickly and
easily.

5. Once you have done this use the percentage and multiply by 72. When
I did this on my screen I got 127%. When multiplied by 72 I got the
answer of 91.64 [i.e. 1.27x72].

6. Now so that all our photos show correctly open up the Units and
Rulers found under Edit > Preferences > Units and Rulers.

7. Set the Screen Resolution to the calculated number [91.64 for me]
and click OK.

8. Now measure the 7 inch square. Is it right? It is possible it
could still be wrong by a large amount. Now try select the Zoom Tool
and from the Options bar click on the Print Size button. Does this
make it correct? It should be right now. Any slight error could be
because of the difficulty of measuring with a ruler on a curved screen
and the thickness of the glass. But it will be much better than before.

9. There is a point to note that Photoshop has another error in that
the View > Print Size gives a different size to the Print Size button
for the Zoom Tool. This has been corrected in CS3 more or less. But
in general the Zoom Tool Print Size is the one to use for most
versions of Photoshop.

Peter Read

The Herd on the Beach

This image can be seen via the Gallery page and it is quite amazing. When you get there you will find that to see the page is pretty obvious. You can zoom in to an incredible degree.
Can you find the green bottle?

See from HERE

If you wish to show your images in this way just send me a disc.
This image is 17MB!
Peter
Since adding this I have added several more. I hope you like them.

Photoshop and Print Size

Have ever noticed that when you click on the Print Size button when you have the Zoom tool selected that if you measure the screen the dimensions are wrong?
Well I find this irritating sometimes. It would be nice to get this correct. Recently on Ben Willmore's site I found out to put right this Photoshop error.

First understand that Photoshop assumes that your monitor screen has a resolution of 72ppi. Well this was the case years ago but now screens are almost never like this. I found mine to be 91.64ppi for instance.

So how do we correct this?

1. Start by making a new file from File > New. Set the Width and Height to say 7 inches each and the resolution to 72ppi. Other settings do not matter. Click OK.

2. Now go to View > Actual Pixels.

3. Now hold up a ruler across the width of the screen and check what it measures. Say 6.2 inches i.e. wrong.

4. Adjust the percentage setting shown in the lower left so that the ruler reads correctly. To adjust the percentage just click on it and type in a new number. Press Shift + Return or Enter. This allows the percentage to stay highlighted to enable you to change it quickly and easily.

5. Once you have done this use the percentage and multiply by 72. When I did this on my screen I got 127%. When multiplied by 72 I got the answer of 91.64 [i.e. 1.27x72].

6. Now so that all our photos show correctly open up the Units and Rulers found under Edit > Preferences > Units and Rulers.

7. Set the Screen Resolution to the calculated number [91.64 for me] and click OK.

8. Now measure the 7 inch square. Is it right? It is possible it could still be wrong by a large amount. Now try select the Zoom Tool and from the Options bar click on the Print Size button. Does this make it correct? It should be right now. Any slight error could be because of the difficulty of measuring with a ruler on a curved screen and the thickness of the glass. But it will be much better than before.

9. There is a point to note that Photoshop has another error in that the View > Print Size gives a different size to the Print Size button for the Zoom Tool. This has been corrected in CS3 more or less. But in general the Zoom Tool Print Size is the one to use for most versions of Photoshop.

Peter Read

Link

Digital Imaging Course

The Aims of the Course

So you want to know how to produce a satisfactory print from your film or digital camera?

The course is aimed primarily for people who want guidance in the control of digital images from the very start. Maybe you have just acquired a digital camera and wish to get successful results from it. Or perhaps you have lots of old prints, negatives or slides and want to know the right way to deal with these in the new world of Digital Imaging. The course will also be useful to people who have been conventional photographers and want to move into the digital domain.
We will not be showing you how to take photographs or how to use a camera be they of the digital or film variety.
This course will show you how to use the Lightroom (formerly a Darkroom!). We will explore how to load photographs into your computer and how to deal with them using Image Manipulating software. We shall be using the Adobe Photoshop Elements [2, 3, 4, 5 and/or 6] to co-ordinate the instructions. This is an interactive course in which you will use supplied images to learn various techniques as outlined in the units. You will then e-mail your results back to us for evaluation. Basic advice on equipment will be given.
The course will consist of an introductory unit and 8 units each covering various aspects of DI. They will be interdependent units so that what you learn in unit 1 will be needed for unit 8 for instance.
The Units
1. Getting Pictures into your computer.
How to save, size, sharpen and print your images. How to e-mail images.
2. The 4 C’s – Cropping, Cleaning, Cloning and Controlling your Image.
3. Essential Picture Correction – the use of Levels for Tonal and Colour Correction.
4. Further Colour Correction Ideas – the use of Colour Variations, Auto Colour Correction, Quick Fix and Hue & Saturation controls
5. Selections. The how and why.
6. Filters, Effects and Painting.
7. Why Layers and Blending Modes? Also putting Words onto your Picture.
8. Having Phun with Photos. Making Cards, Calendars and Montages.



To partake in this course you will need to have the following equipment;
1. A computer with Internet connection – obvious of course! Dial-Up or Broadband is OK. Your computer will need to have Windows 98/ 98SE or 2000 or XP or Vista or even a MAC. You should have a minimum of 16Mb of hard disk space. We think you will need a lot more than this however; say 1000 Mb or 1 Gb of memory.
2. A Printer – photo quality A4 minimum.
3. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6.
4. Possibly a Scanner. Probably Flatbed scanner is sufficient.
Please take some time to read advice on buying computers, peripherals and software on the LINK below.
By kind permission the U3A (University of the Third Age) has agreed to allow us to run this course. The course is based on one written by us for the U3A.
If you join our course we are sure that you will enjoy it and will learn a lot. It will be great fun too!
The modest charge to take part on this course will go into the Club funds.
Ask Peter Read for further details.

Link