Category Archives: Topaz Clarity
Summer in Provence is a time when the region’s fields are bursting with colour and fragrance, when their perfumed lavender and dazzling sunflowers are in full bloom.
Sunflowers in Provence
The iconic symbol of Provence, violet-coloured lavender and brilliant yellow sunflower fields are usually in flower from the end of June to mid August. The peak time being in early July when we will be there capturing its beauty!
Provence Photographic Workshop Tour
July 2-6, 2017 $950.00/ Limited to 8 Students
Sunflowers in Provence
Both of these images were Focus stacked (also known as focal plane merging focus blending) a digital image processing technique which combines multiple images taken at different focal distances and give the blended image a greater depth of field (DOF) than any of the individual images.
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Leave a comment | tags: Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Provence, Provence Photo Workshop, Sunflowers, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Focus Stack, France, Lightroom, Paul Christopher James, Paul Christopher James, Photoshop, Provence Photo Workshop, Selective focus, Sunflowers, Topaz Clarity, Topaz labs
Composition is what makes an image great. How everything is placed in an image depends on where you place your camera.
“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”
Ansel Adams
Reclaimed by the Sea – Boneyard Beach on Botany Bay Plantation
The images of the trees reclaimed by the surf that we will capture during next spring’s Charleston workshop at the Boneyard Beach on Botany Bay Plantation will be amazing. There is no shell collecting on the beach which makes this pristine beach one-of-a-kind!
In the darkroom when we needed to bring out shadow areas we would make a variety of wands to dodge the shadow areas. When we needed to bring down the highlights we would expose the sky a second and sometimes a third time while fanning and feathering the edge between the sky and ground with cardboard sheets to give detail to the overexposed areas.
To bring the shadows out and the highlights down I blending 3 HDR files in Lightroom which brought detail into the shadows and highlights. To make the image pop I used Clarity my favorite Topaz software plugin.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Boneyard, Botany Bay, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Edisto Island, Lightroom, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Topaz Clarity, Topaz DeNoise 6, Topaz Labs
Charleston is always a great place to capture images and soak up some of our country’s history.
Charleston’s Gas Lights brought into sharp focus by focus stacking two images
I have photographed the gas light in Charleston before, but this spring everything lined up and I produced a new favorite. It doesn’t matter how long you have been shooting, sometime a small change happens and you see things a little differently. That little difference gives you the image you have been wanting to capture. I have a favorite shooting spot a few steps away that I like to take clients to, and while I was there I finally saw this composition. The clients that I travel with often give me input which alters my perception of the environment and locations where I am shooting. The more I listen the better my images and composition have become.
Chuck and his wife Jenny joined me for the Spring 2016 Charleston workshop and they spent time looking at some of the local artist at the market and the gas light paintings and photographs of Charleston. Their enthusiasm for the wonderful gaslights brought my attention back to this composition.
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Charleston Doorways, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Charleston South Carolina, Flower Boxes, Focus Stack, Gas Lights, Photographic Workshops, Photoshop CS6, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs
“Leaving on a Jet Plane” always runs in my mind the morning of a trip. This time I am on the way to our great southwest where I well to be spending time with good friends and family while capturing great images.
The Great White Throne – Zion National Park
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Leave a comment | tags: Paul Christopher James, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs | posted in Adobe CS6, Paul Christopher James, Southwest Photo Workshop, The Great White Throne, Topaz Clarity
Northern Michigan’s birch trees are fantastic anytime of the year but in the fall they explode in color. The white bark contrasted by the reds and yellows are beautiful to see and make wonderful images.
Northern Michigan birch tree
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
$20 off Topaz B&W Effects allows for stunning black and white conversion and contains unique features like authentic grain and darkroom inspired effects. The discount will reducing the price to $39.99 for the month of March. The coupon code is: MARBW click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Digital Photographic Workshop, Michigan Photo Workshops, Paul Christopher James, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Topaz Labs | posted in Barns, Birch trees, Fall Colors, Lightroom 5.7, Michigan Photo Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Topaz Clarity
Most photographers, I find are young at heart but need a little coaxing. I would like to think that I would go out and lay on the ground looking up at the sky through the trees on a beautiful fall day, but it only seems to happen when I am out capturing images. On nice days at home, when I am not preparing for an art fair, I am out mowing the lawn and gardening a little which is probably true for most of us. Luckily I am out shooting more than ever and the garden is a little more natural.
To capture this image, my camera mounted on the tripod, lying flat on my back, I composed the image of the treetops and the sky. Nature in all its glory! The raw image was nice and just needed to brighten the shadows and darkened the highlights in Lightroom. Then I used Topaz Clarity to enhance the color while popping the highlights and shadows.
Northern Michigan’s Poplars processed with Lightroom and Topaz Clarity
This unprocessed image would work but has less detail. Topaz Clarity brought out the details in the leaves and clouds.
Northern Michigan’s Poplars unprocessed
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
$20 off Topaz B&W Effects allows for stunning black and white conversion and contains unique features like authentic grain and darkroom inspired effects. The discount will reducing the price to $39.99 for the month of March. The coupon code is: MARBW click here
To Save 15% on any of the Topaz product Click Here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Digital Photographic Workshop, Michigan Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Topaz Clarity | posted in Fall Colors, Lake Michigan Lighthouse photo workshop, Michigan Photographic Workshop, Photographic Workshops, Poplars, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Clarity
Spending a day photographing the rivers in the Smoky Mountains is a great way to study movement while capturing great images. Every few feet you will find different patterns in the swirls and flow of the river. By working with different shutter speeds you will find what work best for you.
Rivers Flow
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
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Topaz ReStyle is $20 off its original price of $59.99 (reducing the price to $39.99) coupon code ‘FEBRESTYLE’ click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Charleston Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Michigan Photographic Workshop, Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Time exposures, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour
My friends at Topaz labs added one of my images of the Venice lagoon in their Clarity Gallery
Santa Maria della Salute on the Lagoon
http://gallery.topazlabs.com/Photography/Topaz-Clarity/i-3Xc24mB/A
It is always fun having your images spotlighted.
April 28 through May 2 I will be teaching in Venice and revisiting some of my favorite locations with clients. I still have 2 spots open for the adventurous photographer.
For a list of upcoming Workshops click here
To Save 15% on any of the Topaz product Click Here
Topaz ReStyle is $20 off its original price of $59.99 (reducing the price to $39.99) coupon code ‘FEBRESTYLE’ click here
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Michigan Photo Workshops, Rome photo workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Michigan photographic workshops, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Smokey Mountain Photo Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Clarity, Topaz Labs, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour
Every Spring I teach a workshop in the Smoky Mountains to capture images of the park coming out of its winter sleep.
It is always enjoyable seeing images that clients capture during the workshops.
Bob thanks for sending over some of the images that you and Linda shot.
Looking forward to this spring’s workshop and will enjoy seeing the images you capture!
Flour ground in a Smoky Mountain Grist Mill
Spring Dogwoods in Sparks Lane
Spring Dogwoods at rustic cabin Smoky Mountains
Bonsai Dogwood Smoky Mountains
Last Light – Rustic cabins Smoky Mountains
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Spring Photo workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop, Venice Photo Workshop | posted in Antelope Canyon, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Michigan photographic workshops, Nik Software, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, Rome Photgraphic Workshop, Slot Canyon Photo Workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Italy Photographic Workshop, Zion National Park
The streams and waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains are great to photograph any time of year but when the Mountains are in their fall colors it is magical.
Fall in the Smoky Mountains
When working along the rivers I usually want to create a fluid movement and sharp focus through the image. When the light is a little brighter light a Neutral Density filter will give me a longer exposure. In low light conditions I can usually create this effect with a 3 or 4 second exposure without having to use the Neutral Density filters.
Man and Nature
For me watching the clients capturing images and having fun is the best part of teaching at any of the location. When capturing images whether you shooting a candid portrait or landscape timing is everything. You can see the enthusiasm in Steve’s face for the image he has just taken.
Having fun along the River
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Leave a comment | tags: Charleston Photographic Workshop, Italian Photographic Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Rome photo workshop, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photo Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscany photo workshop | posted in Adobe CS6, Cades Cove, Charleston Photographic Workshop, Fall Colors, Fall Smoky Mountain photo workshop, Greenbrier, Gregg Cabin, Gregg-Cable house, Lake Michigan Lighthouse photo workshop, Little River Road, Michigan Photo Workshop, Paul Christopher James, Photographic Workshops, River time exposure, Rome Photo Workshop, Slot Canyon Workshops, Smoky Mountain Photo Workshop, Southwest Photographic Workshop Tour, Spring Smoky Mountain Workshop, Topaz Clarity, Tuscan Photo Workkshop, Venice Photographic Workshop Tour
Photographic Workshops 