Who Are You? We Forgot.

Ahh so this is the blog, would you be prepared to answer questions on Thornberry on why this blog has been so rubbish the last few months. Tape starts rolling......

So Thornberry where you been?

around!

Around, eh? Where?

Everywhere, you see i have been doing some other stuff.

What other than running Splitting Pixels to you full capacity!?, Remember you are under blogger oath.

Okay, Okay, I'm easily broken. Something had to give, I lost my job and worked damned hard, harder than you can ever imagine to get a new one. Something had to give.....the forum and the blog was that option.

So why now choose to comeback?

Because life is back at a good place and I have started putting my time back i am passionate about.

So why so passionate?

Because this forum was really my brainchild, although it is now shared with others.

Surely it must be more than that.

This forum was created because the forum i was with i believed stopped creative juices flowing and I was steamrollered into buying the owners products.

I got tired of it and thought i could do better.

How?

One we don't push products on our members, everyone shares information freely.

We have created sections for more members to join, we have both a digital art section and a photography section including people giving each other advice etc.

We are now sponsored by NAPP, Susi Lawson and Doug Boutwell and What the Duck with more to come. People are believing in us. I think other people should do, by giving us a look.

You will hear more about our sponsors soon.

So are you planning to do this blog more often.

I hope so, I intend to. I won't make any more promises, so i don't have to go through this intregation again!

But aren't you questioning yourself, talking to yourself is a sign of madness you know!?

I know but the flying pigs are great.

So what in the future for Splitting Pixels.

Becoming bigger and better, helping more people, sharing more information, hoping people walk away knowing a little more about photography and photoshop.

Will we do this again?

Soon!

Tape stops!

by Thornberry

Adobe CS4 - Stonehenge, I'm just learning CS3!

Well Adobe didn't hang about, already starting on CS4 - hopefully this is a long process, rather than a short one, give us all a chance to learn CS3.

More details can be found below:

http://www.nirmaltv.com/2008/03/05/adobe-photoshop-cs4-stonehenge-leaked/

by Thornberry

Featured Forum Member - Vern H aka nonrev

Vern H aka nonrev in forum tongue is one of our photographers of the forum, The two pictures below are ones that i really like, and hope that you do too.

Two very different photos.

Vern has kindly given a background below the pics. Thanks Vern.








I am 64 years old. I do not plan on retirement for another 6 years. I have my own business as a manufacturers representative in the plastic industry.

I was born and raised in Barrington, RI. In 1963 I went into the U.S. Air Force, where I served for 11 and ½ years. My tour of duty took me to England, Germany and Italy. My first tour was at RAF Chicksands in Bedfordshire om 1964. Whilst there I dated a little German girl. In 1965 I was transferred to Germany where I met and dated a little English girl who eventually became my wife.

In 1968 I was assigned to San Vito Air Station Italy. After 30 months of duty there I was transferred back to RAF Chicksands. I stayed there until 1974 at which time I took a overseas discharged and stayed in England working for Emgas in Northampton.

My interest in photography began in 1964 when I went to RAF Chicksands. I bought a Kodak Instamatic. Just taking the normal tourist pictures. During the early 70's I bought my first SLR. It was a Petri. I had four lenses, 28mm, 55mm, 135mm and a 400mm. That is when I started to develop an interest in photography.

Around 1973 my wife got in touch with her cousin, Pat Dalton. Pat was well into photography and introduced me to developing my own film and pictures, BW. My interest really deepened at that time. My wife bought me a small Russian enlarger, trays, the whole darkroom setup and I was off and running.

We returned to the US in 1979 and I continued to take and develop my own work. I finally bought my first Nikon at that time. Well as the family grew I had to back off doing a lot of photography. I did just the odd motocross pictures and family vacations.

About five or six years ago I purchased my first digital camera. I used it for a company I owned. Shortly there after I bought my Nikon D70 and have been shooting digital ever since then. I gave my film camera to my oldest grand daughter, who is now majoring in photography at a college in Wisconsin.

Although I love shooting RAW, manual, I do long for the film days. Maybe some day digital will equal film but at the moment it has a way to go. However, with the price of BW film I will stay with digital. My love is also with Black and White.

Regards,

Vern H.

Race for First Place - JohnW already there?

Amazing things, blogs, they stay open until you enter your next information without deleting everything and having to start again. - A game catch up below. JohnW has run into a lead that isn't reachable but we will do the main congrats after Week 52, but JohnW hasnt had it all his own way over the past 6 weeks.

Now over 110 members this all builds up for next years competition.....Maybe it will be even tougher.

All Videos are below:

Game 48 - Winner: Pavel



Game 47 - Winner: JohnW



Game 46 - Winner: Ronnie



Game 45 - Winner: Pavel



Game 44 - Winner: Rebecca

A Little Praise Goes a Long Way

Just a quick thankyou to Scott Deardorff for giving Splitting Pixels a mention during the opening class of his new smudging workshop at www.digitalartacademy.com.

Maybe proof that we are all doing something right in our fledgling forum. For those who do not know Scott please take a look at http://www.pbase.com/sdfp and be prepared to be inspired. Scott thankyou for the plug its greatly appreciated as we strive to attract new members.


Many Thanks


by Neal

Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Books Volume 1 and 2 Review

I thought i would post a review regarding Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Book Volume 2 but i feel it should be done as a package as i think they go hand in hand.

For someone who literally picked a camera magazine, then bought some more, then bought a camera because he wanted to create images that told a story, that people would look at and say they would hang it on their wall, these books go somewhere to helping you do that.

If you want a technical book that helps you learn the complete works on how your camera works, then maybe this isn't the books for you.

I wanted a book that taught me how to shoot, to help me improve upon my passion and i do feel these books do exactly that. However if you are a beginner like me then you need Vol 1 before Vol 2 because i think the 1st volume is the foundation course where as Vol 2 takes it up a notch through to a more advanced part.

I did read a review where they didn't like Scott Kelby's layout of books, i actually like it, and he doesn't treat you like an idiot, it is simple and clear to the point with a bit of humour carrying through the book.

Vol 1 is sort of my little bible, Scott takes you from complete scratch through different sorts of photography, Wedding, Portrait, Landscape and Sports for example, breaking them down into small sections. You do not have to follow the whole book either, just pick out the bits relevant to you. I really love it, he also doesn't neglect the people who might not be able to afford the the Flash Unit, he caters for everyone and gives people a chance to be a photographer.

Vol 2 picks up where 1 left off, although he moves slightly into more the conditions surrounding the condition of the shot along with more tips.

All in all two excellent books and they are small enough to carry in your camera bag too.

by Thornberry

From the Galleries - Rebecca O'Quin

Smudging, What's that? I hear you cry.

Well this may give you an idea, now i haven't even tried it yet, but when you see what i am about to show you, well lets just show the pictures then you decide.





Amazed yet, no! then sign up to the forum, head to Image Galleries, then click on Rebecca's Gallery, not only is she an artist, she is a photographer, and both brilliant ways and probably one of the most honest people to match, how far she takes her talent will not surprise anyone, just as long as she remembers us humble forumers LOL