Category Archives: Black and White
I have finished an eBook of images from Charleston using the Topaz Labs software. I am using it as a promotional giveaway to help promote Topaz software and my workshops and would be grateful if you share it with your friends.
To download “A Photographer’s View of Charleston” click on the link below
A Photographers View of Charleston
Charleston is an American treasure, rich in our early history. This beautiful city shows visitors what southern charm and grace were like in the colonies. When you photograph the streets around Battery Park, you capture images of homes and churches that were built before the signing on the Declaration of Independence. Stroll through my collection of favorite images in this eBook.
Topaz Labs software plug-ins for Photoshop and Lightroom were used to give my images the finishing touches that make them sing and make you will feel like you are there.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs, Tuscany photo workshop | posted in 2012 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Contest winners, Ashley River, Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Bonaventure Cemetery, Boneyard, Botany Bay, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Crape Myrtle, Cypress Trees, Depth of field, Dogwood Tree, Edisto Beach, Foley Beach Pier, Live Oak, Magnolia Plantation, Paul Christopher James, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Sheldon Church ruins, Slave Cabins, Spanish Moss, Topaz BW effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Clean 3, Topaz Labs, Topaz Simplify, topaz simplify, Wild Rose, Windows, Wisteria, Wrought Iron
On cold winter nights like this I find my thoughts wandering to the warm shooting locations that I have planned for this spring. In late March and early April Charleston emerges from its winter sleep and explodes in vibrant color. Hope you are able to join me Charleston for early an early spring location shoot in some of Americas best gardens.
Southern Charm – Charleston Spring
In lightroom 5.7 I used the Develop module to for a few basic adjustments and then exported Southern Charm into Topaz Clarity to make this image pop.
Southern Charm – Charleston Spring – Raw adj. in lightroom
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Ashley River, Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Bonaventure Cemetery, Boneyard, Botany Bay, Bridge of Angles, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Crape Myrtle, Cypress Trees, Depth of field, Dogwood Tree, Edisto Beach, Fall Smoky Mountain photo workshop, Foley Beach Pier, Italian Photographic Workshop, Live Oak, Magnolia Plantation, Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Sheldon Church ruins, Slave Cabins, Slot Canyon Workshops, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Spanish Moss, Topaz BW effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Carnival - Photographic Workshop Tour, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Wild Rose, Windows
This morning Charlie W and I worked on a early morning reflection image he captured during last spring’s workshop in Charleston. Charlie’s composition and exposure were great and we only needed to spend a few minutes working in Lightroom 5.7 to make the image sing.
Live Oaks Charleston processed in Lightroom
On this cold winter night I am looking forward to capturing images and working with clients in late March and early April when Charleston’s spring colors explode.
Live Oaks Charleston unprocessed
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Labs | posted in 2012 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Contest winners, Adobe CS6, Ann Arbor Art Fair, Ashley River, Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Bonaventure Cemetery, Boneyard, Botany Bay, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston South Carolina, Crape Myrtle, Fall Smoky Mountain photo workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Magnolia Plantation, Magnolia Plantation, Michigan photographic workshops, Nik software, Paul Christopher James, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Sheldon Church ruins, Slave Cabins, Slot Canyon Workshops, Smoky Mountains National Park, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Spanish Moss, Topaz BW effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify, Wild Rose, Windows, Wisteria
The churches in and around Charlestons are some of the oldest in our country and the photographic opportunities are amazing. I found the ruins of this old church during my last visit to Charleston and am looking forward to spend more time photographing the grounds during next springs photographic location workshop.
Sheldon Church processed using Nik HDR efex pro 2
To process this image I used the Deep 1 preset in Nik software HDR Efex Pro 2
Sheldon Church processed using Nik HDR efex pro 2
All images need a little post processing. If an image is exposed properly it can be turned into a great image you can hang on your wall in a few minutes. This is the unprocessed raw CR2 file that took me 10 minutes to process.
Canon Raw CR2 file
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in 2012 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Contest winners, Adobe CS6, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Bonaventure Cemetery, Boneyard, Botany Bay, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Crape Myrtle, Cypress Trees, Depth of field, Dogwood Tree, Edisto Beach, Foley Beach Pier, Italian Photographic Workshop, Live Oak, Magnolia Plantation, Michigan photographic workshops, Nik software, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Seagulls, Sheldon Church ruins, Slave Cabins, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Spanish Moss, Topaz BW effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify, Wild Rose, Windows, Wisteria
After leaving the Charleston workshop Elizabeth spent some time in Savanna honing the skills that she had learned during the workshop to capture this image at the Bonaventure Cemetery. She used Topaz B&W effects 2 to turn this image into a black and white and then used the masking in the software to bring back the color into the Azalea bushes.
Bonaventure Cemetery
It is great to see clients taking their photography to the next level and creating wonderful works of art.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz BW Effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Bonaventure Cemetery, Bonaventure Cemetery, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Live Oak, Savannah, Savannah Georgia, Spanish Moss, Topaz BW effects 2, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify
One of the best parts about teaching is seeing the enthusiasm the students have especially when they are capturing great images. This images from the morning shoot at the Audubon Swamp during the Charleston workshop was captured by Elizabeth. Still morning reflections have always been one of my favorites and it was fun to see everyone capturing great images.
Swamp Tree-Charleston
From April 10-30, Topaz is running a 50% promotion on Topaz Detail:
coupon code “aprdetail”
It can be hard to make tack-sharp images that “pop”.
Topaz Detail makes it easy
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Leave a comment | posted in Ashley River, Audubon Swamp, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Cypress Trees, Depth of field, Dogwood Tree, Nik software, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify
Pick your location for sunset. When you are composing your images walk around and enjoy the area where you are capturing images. Check out the angles and enjoy each location and plan out where you will want to be at sunset. There were compositions I wanted to capture in the gardens close to the Ashley River and had noticed Wild Roses in bloom along the water’s edge that I wanted to capture at sunset.
Sunset on the Ashley River
This hedge of Wild Roses went on for over 50 yards and it was easy to find a section for the foreground that flowed nicely. Often the best light of sunsets only lasts 10 to 15 minutes when the setting sun lights up the clouds.
Sunset on the Ashley River, Unprocessed
To process this image I used the white picker in CS6 camera raw and then use Topaz Clarity to enhance the Colors and Contrast.
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1 Comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Smokey Mountain Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity | posted in Adobe CS6, Ashley River, Battery Park, Black and White, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Crape Myrtle, Cypress Trees, Dogwood Tree, Live Oak, Magnolia Plantation, Photographic Workshops, Topaz Clarity, Wild Rose
The Charleston workshop starts tomorrow and the dogwoods are blooming which makes it great for photography. This composition with new blooms and Spanish moss framing these old graves brought out deep feeling of peace when I was photographing this morning.
Charlestons Past
I used Topaz BW Effects 2 to process this image.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity | posted in Black and White, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston South Carolina, Dogwood Tree, Live Oak, Spanish Moss
Charleston is one of my favorite places to teach and from late March through early April is a great time to catch the spring bloom. On the way in to Charleston last night I was able to check out a new location that friend suggested I photograph. The old Sheldon Church framed by live oaks and Spanish Moss has a haunting feel. I have been capturing images in Charleston for 20 years and there is always something new to photograph.
Sheldon Church, Charleston
After capturing this image I used Photoshop to Clone and Heal the ramp and a few other distracting objects before turning it into a black and white in Topaz BW Effects 2 to create the shadows, highlights and great textures.
Sheldon Church-Raw Image
The raw unprocessed image give me a nice starting point.
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3 Comments | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity | posted in 2012 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Contest winners, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Graveyards, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston South Carolina, Crape Myrtle, Depth of field, Nik software, Topaz Clarity
Charleston if full of wonderful wrought iron gates and textured walls from america’s early history. These gates and walls invite you to spend time photographing them.
After capturing this image I used Topaz BW Effects 2 to create the shadows, highlights and great textures in this Black and White image.
Gated Charleston
This raw unprocessed image is a nice image until you see it along side the processed black and white.
Charleston Doors
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity | posted in 2012 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Photo Contest winners, Azaleas, Battery Park, Black and White, Capturing Highlights and Shadows, Charleston, Charleston Churches, Charleston Doorways, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Crape Myrtle, Cypress Trees, Depth of field, Nik software, Slave Cabins, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Simplify
