Blog - Capture Life Through a Geek's Lens - Jeff Smallwood Photography

Creating Gritty Black and White Portraits

Jan 5, 2014

digital editing lightroom photography photoshop software technique

In the quest to improve my photography skills (does that ever end?), I've been looking at the work of others I admire. I've been looking at portraits in particular and one of the techniques I've been interested in learning is how to create gritty, dark, black and white portraits. I figured that before I try this with photos of anyone else, I better experiment on my own photo first. What follows is a detailed step-by-step on exactly how I created this self-portrait.

Apr 26, 2012

internet technique technology google software

Ever wondered how to make a bookmark automatically and permanently open in a new tab by default? By just clicking the link without any additional keystrokes, control-clicking or middle-mouse button clicking?

I'm all about efficiency when it comes to the browser. I've tried and migrated to just about all of them at one point or another, and the one that's stuck with me for the last couple years consistently is Google Chrome.

Apr 23, 2012

digital editing photography software technique

Just like life itself, macro photography teaches me that the deeper you look, the more you see. This month's Calvert Photography Club meeting included a presentation by Robert Tinari on close-up and macro photography. Although I've been dabbling in macro photography off and on for a few years, I learned some things and Robert presented some great images during his slideshow. Being inspired when you walk out of a room is a great feeling.

Creating the Droste Effect

Oct 27, 2011

digital editing photography photoshop software technique

Have you ever pointed a video camera at the monitor where the live image is being displayed. Have you ever pointed your webcam at your computer screen and witnessed the screen in a screen in a screen ad infinitum? I know I used to do that all the time as a kid, always with a twinge of guilt that somehow the infinity point might break the screen, but here's how to do it all digitally.

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