Author: Bob Lin

相机基本常识

1. 曝光：曝光有自动曝光Full Auto mode( a green A or rectangle)和手动曝光 Full Manual mode (M)及其他，比如Program Auto (P), Aperture Priority (A or Av) and Shutter Priority (S or Tv).为什么要用手动（M）？举几个例子.

例一： 下雪拍人，相机会误读周围环境的亮度，人像主体会偏暗。建议用手动（M）过曝几档。

自动曝光，人脸偏暗。

两档过曝，面部有光。

例二： 虚化背景。拍人像时为了突出主题，虚化背景，我们会使用大光圈。

2. 直方图(Histogram)， 直方图是表示图像亮度分布的图，横轴代表亮度，从左往右是由黑到白，即由暗到亮，共分为256个亮度级别；纵轴则代表处于各个亮度级别的像素的数量。一般情况下，理想的直方图应该是一种山脉的形状。

3. 对焦 （Focus ）。对焦是指使用照相机时调整好焦点距离。 通常数码相机有多种对焦方式，分别是自动对焦、手动对焦和多重对焦方式。 自动对焦 的好处是直接、速度快、容易实现。我们大部分时间都是用自动对焦。什么情况下用手动对焦呢？比如拍微距； 在颜色是纯色的时候，由于没有较大的明暗反差和对比；低光时比如夜晚； 拍摄烟花 。

4. 焦距。 镜头焦距是指镜头光学主点到焦点的距离。镜头焦距的长短决定着拍摄的成像大小，视场角大小，景深大小和画面的透视强弱。人们常说的大三元就是三个不同焦段的镜头。 16-35MM多用于风光，也可拍人像；24-70MM人像风光均可；70-200MM主要用于拍动物，体育运动，舞蹈。

摄影常识

1. 突出主体。在拍摄之前，心里要像绘画前那样首先“立意”，考虑照片画面中，主要表现什么，被摄主体安排在什么地方。然后通过光线、色彩、线条、形态等造型手段，来达到突出主体的目的。

2． 视觉平衡。一幅构图达到视觉平衡的照片、能给人以稳定、协调的感觉。平衡有对称平衡及非对称平衡两种、非对称平衡的构图，往往比对称平衡的构图更富有动感。景物的大小、形状、重量和方向、以及M8色彩等都对视觉平衡有重要影响。

3． 虚实相映。虚实是指被摄主体与空间前、后景的清晰、模糊的程度。运用的手法不外乎藏虚露实、虚实相间、虚宾实主、以虚托实。其目的是为了突出主体，渲染气氛，增强空间纵深感。实，主要是表现被摄对象的主体；虚、主要是表现被摄对象的陪体，以衬托主体，它是构成画面意境的重要环节。

讲究节奏与旋律摄影构图，被摄对象以相同或近似的形式交替出现，有条理地重复，便形成节奏；节奏如果表现出线条、舒畅、和谐、起伏等动态变化，就成为旋律，从而使画面优美、抒情而流畅。节奏与旋律是深化主题的重要环节，它们包含在线条、色彩、光线的反差与色调中。

4． ​线条运用。线条是构图的骨架。任何形象化的作品，都离不开线条。通常起线条作用的有树、草、电线杆、河流、波浪等，不同的线条能给人以不同的视觉形象，如水平线能表示稳定和宁静，垂直线能表示庄重和力量，斜行线则具有生气，活力和动感，曲线和波浪线显得柔弱、悠闲，富有吸引力；浓线重，淡线轻，粗线强，细线弱，实线静，虚线动，构图时可灵活地加以运用。

实拍：工作照，护照像，人像。

要求：拍清晰，有眼神光。

设备：相机，三脚架，闪光灯。

Photoshop CC new version comes with dehaze feature. You can refer to this post: How to use Dehaze in Photoshop  

This is before

This is after

If you use old Photoshop or you want to control defog manually, you may have many other options.

1. Exposure levels correction. To do that, go to Image>Adjustment>Levels.

In the histogram, move the left slider in towards the end of the histogram until the object becomes more visible. You can do the same with the right slider.

2. Unsharp mask. To do that, go to Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask.

You may try a couple times starting Amount 10% and Radius 20 Pixel; then Amount 20% and Radius 40 Pixel; finally 20% and 80 Pixel.

3. Contrast. To do that, go to Image>Adjustments>Brightness/Contrast. Adjust the Contrast, for example 60.

4. Some people say we can try High Pass and Overlay. To do that, go to Filter>Other>High Pass.

In Layers, change Blending Mode from Normal to Overlay.

There are many options to merge one image into another image. Here are how to do it.

Open the source and destination images. Do one of the following:

• Drag and hold the layer from the Layers panel, move to the destination image and then release.

•Select the Move tool and move the source image to the destination image. 

•Choose Duplicate Layer from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu. Choose the destination document from the Document pop‑up menu, and click OK.

•Choose Select > All to select all the pixels on the layer, and choose Edit > Copy. Then choose Edit > Paste in the destination image. (This method copies only pixels, excluding layer properties such as blending mode.)

This is the result:

1. Open multiple images in Photoshop.
2. Add a new page with the size and resolution you want.
3. Move a first image into the new page.

4. Fill (Edit>Fill) the background to the rest of area.

5. Move the second images into the new page and select Lighten in Blending Mode under layer.

6. Continue to add images one by one and Lighten until you add all images. Note: you need to do Lighten one by one. In other words, you can’t add all images first and do the Lighten once.

7. Crop and edit it.

1. Login admin and click Envira Galley on the left.

2. Click the Add New button in the Envira Gallery.

3. Name Your Gallery, Everyday/Four seasons in our example and Upload Images. Then click Publish

4. Now, Envira Gallery shows the gallery (Everyday/Four Seasons) you just created.

5. Now, go to View Site with admin login. You should see this page. Click on Customize.

6. Click Menu Edit icon (next to Gallery).

7. Click on Edit Menu under top Menu, main.

8. Click Add Items.

9. Click Add.

10. Now, you should have the page (Everyday/Four Seasons) ready. You can also move the new page.

11. In the new page, you click Edit or on the top Edit Page.

12. With the page open, click Add Envira Gallery icon.

13. Type/copy the new page code or just clci narrow down key to select the new page.

14. Click Update to display all images we uploaded.

1. Environment : Window frost was more common in the past, when houses still had single-pane windows. The newer double-pane windows are much better insulators and thus not so cold on the inside surfaces.

2. The Gear: macro lenses, full-frame sensor/camera, lighting such as ring flash, tripod.

3. Camera settings: lower ISO 100 to 400, Set the shutter speed to the fastest flash sync speed you can use, for example 160/sec or 200/sec for Canon camera. Aperture F5.6 to F16.

3. The Gear: macro lenses, full-frame sensor/camera, lighting such as

1. The Gear: macro lenses, full-frame sensor/camera, lighting such as ring flash, black mitten, tripod.

2. Camera settings: lower ISO 100 to 400, Set the shutter speed to the fastest flash sync speed you can use, for example 160/sec or 200/sec for Canon camera. Aperture F5.6 to F16.

Q: By default, the Luminar 3 creates catalog folder under Pictures in Windows OS. Can I move it to a different location? If so how?

chicagotech.net: Yes, you can. here is how.

1. Exit Luminar

2. Cut and paste the catalog folder to move it to a new location.

3. Open Luminar and open the moved catalog (File>Catalog>Open…). Cataloged folders and adjusted photos show up just as before, no problems.

Q: Can I use Luminar 3 license code on other computers?

chicagotech.net: Yes, mixed-computer households can share the same product key for Mac and PC which can be activated on 5 devices.

1. J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida: On the Gulf Coast of Florida, 20 miles southwest of Fort Myers • Best time to visit: December through April • Birds: Mangrove Cuckoo, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, White Ibis, plus ducks in winter, and songbirds in spring The refuge’s mudflats, mangrove forests, and freshwater habitats attract some 300 bird species, including Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish Egrets, Wood Storks, and White Ibises. Wildlife Drive, a five-mile, one-way road, is a major attraction, especially to birders who aren’t able to walk long distances.
2. Everglades National Park, Florida: The southern tip of Florida • Best time to visit: December through April • Birds: Limpkin, Snail Kite, Short-tailed Hawk, Mangrove Cuckoo, Greater Flamingo.
3. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico: Between the Chupadera and Magdalena Mountains, three miles south of San Antonio, New Mexico • Best time to visit: December through March • Birds: Lesser Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Sandhill Crane, Gambel’s Quail. nearby airport: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ).
4. Jersey Cape, New Jersey: Throughout the year, hundreds of species of birds pass the Shore as they migrate; others nest and breed along the beaches, marshes and protected lands along the cape.
5. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah: In fall and winter, the fish-filled Bear River draws Bald Eagles to the refuge, located roughly 70 miles north of Salt Lake City. Then make your way to the auto route, a 12-mile loop with plenty of places to pull over and snap some photos.
6. Conowingo Dam, Maryland: Located an easy day trip from nearby metros like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, convenience is one reason Maryland’s Conowingo Dam is considered the best place on the East Coast to photograph Bald Eagles. Shooting there is pretty simple—just find a spot along the fence that lines the Susquehanna River. Ease of access is nice, but the real draw? Eagles galore—300 or more on a typical day in winter.
7. LeClaire, Iowa: Just upstream from the Quad Cities area, and about a three-hour drive from Chicago, LeClaire is home to Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi River, where a Nature Conservancy preserve protects a favorite winter roosting site for Bald Eagles.
8. Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri: A 400-eagle winter day is not out of the question at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri, an Important Bird Area formerly known as Squaw Creek. Eagles hunting geese make for some dramatic shots, especially if you can get the bluffs in the background, and there are plenty of prime places to set up, including a 12.5-mile auto loop and several viewing platforms. If you can still feel your fingers and toes, stick around for a sunset mirrored in the wetlands of the Missouri River floodplain.
9. Skagit River, Washington: Spawning salmon make easy meals for Bald Eagles. That’s why Block loves to catch a ride in Rockport, Washington with Skagit River Guide Service, which caters to camera-wielding eagle nuts. (They even run an annual eagle photo contest.) December trips book fast, and for good reason. You might see 200 or more Bald Eagles feasting on chum salmon or roosting riverside during a three-hour float
10. Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River, Florida 352-563-2088) From October through April, many bald eagles winter and nest on the banks of the Chassahowitzka River. In fact, frequently, visitors will be greeted by a pair of bald eagles in a tree at the refuge entrance. Visitors can take pontoon boat tours, rent canoes or bring their own boats and take to the river to get great views of adult and juvenile birds flying over the river hunting for fish.
11. DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri Valley, Iowa 712/642-4121) This refuge has become an important wintering area for up to 120 bald eagles. Visitors can see numerous bald eagles in the trees or once DeSoto Lake is frozen, sitting on the ice, taking advantage of a plethora of fish and snow geese. In addition, thousands of artifacts can be viewed at the visitors center from the1968 excavation of the steamboat Bertrand, which sank in 1865. The 200,000 artifacts provide one of the most significant assemblages of Civil War era artifacts in the Missouri River region. The DeSoto Visitor Center exhibits much of the collection and contains interpretive displays on the historical development of the Missouri River Basin, the ecological impacts of that development, and the natural history of the area and its wildlife.
12. Patuxent Research Refuge (Laurel, Maryland, 301/497-5761) is the nation’s only refuge established to support wildlife research. The 12,750-acre refuge, which supports a wide diversity of wildlife, is managed to protect native and migratory bird species. A nesting pair of bald eagles has used the North Tract Refuge since 1989. Visitors will find 20 miles of roads and trails for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding on the North Tract, where there are also wildlife viewing areas.
13. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Cambridge, Maryland 410/228-2692)Eagles are here in droves from the fall through the summer, taking advantage of the mix of marsh, forested uplands and some farm fields. The refuge annually winters over 200 bald eagles, and supports the largest nesting population of bald eagles north of Florida on the Atlantic Coast. The Nanticoke River, in the heart of the refuge’s Nanticoke Division, has been designated a Maryland Wild and Scenic River.
14. Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (Zimmerman, Minnesota 612/389-3323)is a particularly good spot for eagle viewing; an extensive network of shallow lakes that freeze and grow short of oxygen in the winter mean a seasonal fish kill that provides easy feeding in the spring, when groups of eagles descend to eat their fill. Hundreds of eagles are drawn to the refuge and while their numbers are especially strong in the spring, some eagles are there almost 11 months of the year.
15. Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge (Union City, Tennessee 901/538-2481) hosts between 150 and 200 bald eagles from December through mid-January and sometimes, through February, as the birds take advantage of the thousands of ducks and geese wintering on the 15,000-acre Reelfoot Lake. While the refuge itself is closed in the winter to give waterfowl a chance to rest, two refuge observation decks remain open throughout the year and accommodate a high rate of visitors who are attracted by the yearly eagle influx.
16. North Platte National Wildlife Refuge (Scottsbluff, Nebraska 308/635-7851) Bald eagles have successfully nested on the refuge each year since 1992. The 1992 nest was the 2nd successful “Nebraska” nest in over 100 years. This refuge was created as a sanctuary for migrating birds. In December the refuge is open to the public for Bald Eagle Viewing Days. Spotting scopes are set up along the lake for visitors to view the dozen or so bald eagles that are taking advantage of the masses of migrating birds.
17. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (Soldotna, AK 907/262-7021)With a statewide population of between 50,000 and 70,000 bald eagles, much of Alaska is eagle country. In fact, you’re likely to see these majestic birds anywhere in the coastal southcentral or southeastern portions of the state, including downtown Anchorage! For a special eagle-viewing experience, however, try floating through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in June or early July when the mighty king salmon return to their birth waters to spawn. You’ll see hunting birds hovering high overhead, and both mature and immature eagles perched in trees lining the banks above this world class fishery. The waters of the Kenai river are beautiful, turned emerald green by their cargo of glacial silt, and while you enjoy your eagle-watching adventure you’ll also have a good chance of hooking into one of the river’s legendary kings, the largest of which approach 100 pounds.