Smoke Photography Photoshop Tutorial

Posted on 21 October 2019 by admin

Although you may have learned to capture smoke photography, it often doesn’t really come to life until you make a few finishing touches in post-processing. Depending upon what type of look you are going for will determine the exact editing options you should use. While these helpful options are far from the only options available for smoke photography, here are a few of the basics.

Before you begin, you should always make a duplicate layer of your image. This helps when you make any mistakes or change your mind about what you want completed, by allowing you to go back to the original. Layer duplication can be completed in one of two ways:

  1. Either right click on the designated layer and select Duplicate Layer, or
  2. Click on the Menu Bar and select Layer > Duplicate Layer.

Note: Please keep in mind, with many of the below techniques you also have the option to use dodge and burn techniques to highlight specific areas within your photo. What you will want to do will all depend on what you are trying to achieve.

How to Create a White Background

Whether you prefer to edit with a white background or want to use white for a stark contrast, this easy technique can be completed in just a few clicks of a button.

Once your image is open. Use the Menu Bar and select Filter > Adjustments > Invert.

red smoke

photo by butch

Note: This will change the entire image. In a typical black background setting, the background will switch to white, and the smoke will appear black unless you have changed the color settings.

How to Make Your Smoke Appear Brighter

When working to brighten your smoke, you should constantly keep an eye on your background. This will prevent you from lightening it so much the black disappears, or to prevent white specks from appearing.

  1. Open your Histogram by using the Menu Bar to select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels
  2. Using your Histogram, move the white arrow to the left until you reach the desired effect.
dark background smoke

photo by Sean Naber

How to Add Color to Your Smoke

There are two common color options when working with smoke: either using a specific color or using a gradient. To add a specific color, you will need to:

  1. Use the Menu Bar to select Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation.
  2. You can use the Hue slider to the left of right to change the color. (You may need to click the Colorize box.)
  3. Use the Saturation slider to increase or decrease the intensity of your colors. Typically the higher the Saturation level, the more intense the coloring will be.
green smoke

photo by Bastiaan

How to Add a Gradient to Your Smoke

The fun part of working with gradients is the ability to customize it to fit your exact needs. It can be used for a specific area of smoke or for the entire image. It’s all up to you.

  1. Select Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient from your Menu Bar. Once the dialog box opens you can adjust the gradient to use specific: colors, angles, styles, and more.
  2. To add it to your smoke, find the drop down menu in the Layers palette. The default setting on this menu is typically Normal. Scroll down and click Color (located in the section with Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity).
  3. If for any reasons you want to change any options on the gradient, double-click the Gradient Fill within the Layers palette and make any necessary corrections.
smoke photography gradient

photo by kennysarmy

Like any other form of photography, it can take time to capture and edit an image that truly speaks to you. However, with a few basics techniques; you can take an image from bland to radiant or to create something truly spectacular. Most importantly, be creative and experiment with your images. Don’t settle for something just because it looks good to others; work hard and produce something you are truly proud of. No matter what your overall goal is, the workflow process is still the same; and the more you practice, the easier it will be.

smoke on white backdrop

photo by Nick Olejniczak

Are you working with smoke photography? Post your favorite editing tips or a link to your favorite results in the comments below.

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RucPac Solo Camera Strap – $24.99 Shipped (Reg. $49.99)

Posted on 21 October 2019 by admin
B&H has the RucPac Solo Camera Strap available for $ 24.99 with free shipping. Regularly $ 49.99.
 
Product Highlights
 

  • Holds DSLR/Mirrorless Camera with Lens
  • Sling Strap Design
  • Pad with Accessory Zip Pocket
  • Metal Triangle Connector

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10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

Posted on 21 October 2019 by admin

The post 10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

Learning photography well requires a lot of study and practice. Figuring out what the dials and buttons on your camera do takes time and focus. Choosing what to photograph and how you want it to look is challenging for many photographers.

Once you’ve taken some photos, another challenge to face is how to get them looking their best. This is where you need to learn a whole new set of computer skills. The more particular you are about the way your photos end up, the better post processor you need to become.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

Adobe makes two of the most popular photography post-processing programs. Lightroom and Photoshop have been industry standards for many years. As the software develops, it becomes more and more complex. There are many built-in tools to make the user experience more fun. But to make use of them you will need to study and practice.

Photoshop CC Shortcuts

Making the most of your keyboard is about the best way to ensure not only greater speed, but more enjoyment when using Photoshop. The software has many cool shortcut keys that speed up your workflow. They also help you maintain unbroken concentration when you are working on a photograph.

With so many shortcuts, it’s not practical to sit down and learn them all at once. Looking at them in the software does little to inspire. This is why I’ve come up with a list of ten Photoshop CC shortcuts that I think you will find helpful.

From time to time, I make a point of learning a few more. I’ll search for five to ten shortcuts and make a list. I place this next to my computer monitor and refer to it when Photoshopping.

If you’re not used to using keyboard shortcuts with Photoshop, they might seem a bit fiddly at first. Like learning to touch type, the more you practice, the easier it becomes, and the less you have to think about where you are putting your fingers. Learning to use shortcut keys in Photoshop is a similar experience, but you can easily break it down and learn a few at a time.

1. Clone Stamp Tweaks

The clone stamp is one of the most used tools in Photoshop. It’s powerful and flexible to do everything from removing small blemishes to recreating whole portions of a composition. Here’s a couple of keyboard shortcuts that make it even more useful.

Use Alt+Shift+arrows (Opt+Shift+arrows on Mac) to offset the selection area.

Alt+Shift+<> (Opt+Shift+<> on Mac) rotates the selection

Using [] scales the source.

These shortcuts only work when you have a North American keyboard selected in your operating system.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

2. Last-Used Filter

When you’re processing batches of images, you’ll often want to repeatedly use the same filter. To apply the previously used filter, use Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac). Reapply the last filter used, but display dialog box to alter settings use Ctrl–Alt–F (Cmd+Opt+F on Mac)

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

3. Lock Transparent Pixels

In Photoshop, using the / key locks transparent pixels. This is helpful when painting or compositing. Working on a layer with transparent pixels, you will avoid affecting them using the keyboard shortcut.

10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

4. Color Fills

Use Shift+Alt+Backspace (Shift+Opt+Backspace on Mac). This fills opaque pixels on a layer with the foreground color. Shift+Ctrl+Backspace (Shift+Cmd+Backspace on Mac) fills with the background color.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

5. Marquee Tool Tweak

Drawing a marquee by default happens from the edge. To draw a marquee selection from center Alt+drag (Opt+drag on Mac)selection.

10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

6. Selection Help

To bring back a selection you deselected, use Ctrl+Shift+D (Cmd+Shift+D on Mac). This will restore the last active selection. It is super helpful if you deselect and then notice something else you need to alter.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

7. Layer Mask Speed

Ctrl+\ (Cmd+\ on Mac) switches between Layer and Layer Mask Ctrl+2 (Cmd+2 on Mac) to switch back. This is a pure workflow time saver. It allows you to keep your mouse active on the image rather than dragging it back and forth to the layers panel.

10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

8. Brush Tool Cursor

With the Brush Tool selected hitting the Caps Lock shows only the cross-hair cursor. This allows you to position your cursor more precisely. It’s also a good shortcut to know how to undo. If you’ve inadvertently turned caps lock on while using the Brush Tool, you may wonder why you can only see a crosshair. Hit the caps lock again, and your normal cursor will reappear.

photoshop-cc-shortcuts-list

9. Revert to Last Saved

F12 reverts the file to the last saved instance of it. This is a quick and easy way to review changes you are making to an image.

10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

10. Screen Space Savers

F keys to show/Hide panels. Memorizing these keyboard shortcuts will give you so much more screen space to use. If you are confined to a single monitor, making use of these shortcuts can change the way you use Photoshop.

F5 – Show/Hide Brushes panel

F6 – Show/Hide Color panel

F7 – Show/Hide Layers panel

F8 – Show/Hide Info panel

Alt–F9 – Show/Hide Actions panel

10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts

Conclusion

I suggest you use this list as a starting point. Not all these shortcuts will be helpful for everyone. Think about the actions you use repetitively when using Photoshop and search to discover if there are keyboard shortcuts to make your life simpler.

Making a note and keeping it near your computer will help you commit these shortcuts to memory. Once you have them, do some more research and make another list of shortcuts you’d like to learn. Making a concerted effort and being consistent with using these shortcuts, you will learn them quickly.

There are over 500 keyboard shortcuts for Photoshop. Master these, and then you can also customize your own.

If you’ve got a few favorite shortcuts you think others may not be aware of, please share them in the comments below.

 

The post 10 of the Most Useful Photoshop CC Shortcuts appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


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Google to stop iPhone users from getting free original quality Photos backup

Posted on 21 October 2019 by admin

With the launch of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, fans were somewhat disappointed to hear they’d lose the long-standing offer of unlimited, free, original quality uploads to Google Photos – an offer that had been present across all three of the previous Pixel phone generations.

To add insult to injury, a Redditor (/u/stephenvsawyer) revealed that iPhone users do currently get unlimited Photos storage, but as Android Police discovered, this is about to change. 

Free ride

While it's free for Google Photos users to have as many 'high quality' images as they want, if you don't pay for a premium account, any image stored in 'original quality' counts towards the account's total maximum 15GB storage limit, which also includes other services such as Drive, Docs and more.

Since iOS 11, iPhones have been using the HEIC file format to take photos and store them locally on the device. One of the main benefits of such a format is that it compresses the image more than the JPEG format does and thus takes up less storage space.

Because the premium subscription for Google Photos measures its ‘original quality’ uploads by its file size, users uploading anything in the HEIC format would technically still fall under the limit (16MB), while also being able to store and retain the photo’s original resolution.

Bug fix?

Android Police reached out to Google about this quirk, and the software giant responded by stating that it was aware of the workaround and would be fixing the ‘bug’.

No details were revealed on how Google intended to ‘fix’ this issue, however. Some such possibilities include lowering the file size threshold for HEIC images to be considered ‘original quality, compressing them into even smaller HEIC files, or forcibly converting them to JPEG images once uploaded.

None of these options are overly ideal for the consumer, but Google will need to do something so as not to disadvantage its own customers while giving users of competing products a free ride. We’ll keep you updated on how Google decides to best resolve this issue.


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Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime Video: which is better for online streaming?

Posted on 20 October 2019 by admin

Disney Plus, the long-awaited online streaming service from Disney, is launching on November 12, 2019, in the US and Canada, with a follow-up launch in New Zealand and Australia on November 19 – and a Disney Plus UK launch date hopefully not far behind. This means there isn’t long to go before you need to decide whether you should ditch your other online streaming subscriptions or add another to your monthly outgoings. 

We’ve already put Netflix head-to-head with the new streaming platform in our Disney Plus vs Netflix guide. But where does Amazon stand in the best online streaming services rankings when the question is Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime Video?

We’ve collected together everything you need to know about Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video, to help you decide which one is right for you – considering what each service offers, how they work and, most importantly, the content they have to offer.

Before you decide, remember that finding the right streaming service for you will be personal, and depend on which TV shows you can’t live without, your budget and whether you can afford to add another subscription alongside your current streaming plans.

Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime: basic overview

The Disney Plus holding screen shows off the different properties that’ll be available with a subscription.

Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video are both online streaming services that offer a wide range of TV shows, movies, cartoons and documentaries. You can stream content, as well as watch it later on a mobile device with offline viewing, which is handy if you’re travelling without an internet connection.

Disney Plus is yet to launch and when it does it’ll have a number of big-name properties under its belt, including Star Wars TV shows, Marvel flicks and every Disney movie you loved as a kid available to stream.

On the other hand, Amazon’s TV streaming service has been around for over a decade and is already one of the top streaming platforms globally – even if it’s lagging behind Netflix. It offers a huge library of content, both new and old, as well as its own original TV series. What’s more, Amazon Video also allows you to pay to rent or buy movies and TV shows that aren’t part of the streaming subscription. 

It’s worth mentioning that there are also a few other players in the online streaming rankings these days, including Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go.

Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime: price and availability

Disney Plus launches on November 12, 2019 in the US. No official details have been revealed about wider launch dates, but we can expect global rollout soon – probably in the new year now. 

When it launches, Disney Plus will offer subscriptions for $ 6.99 (around £5.50) a month or $ 69.99 (around £55.50) a year. That subscription allows you to stream content to four devices at the same time, with a total of 10 mobile or tablet devices for a single account – and no constraints on how much you stream.

Unlike Netflix, there are no tiered pricing plans with Disney Plus. US viewers, however, can buy a bundle package that includes ESPN+ and Hulu – all for $ 12.99 a month.

An single Amazon Prime membership seems much more expensive at $ 12.99 per month or $ 119 per year if you choose to pay annually. With this, you’re able to stream content to two devices at once with different formats (like HD) available. 

But when it comes to Amazon Prime Video, remember that you’ll also have an Amazon Prime membership. This will give you access to all things Prime Video and the Amazon Music streaming service – as well as same-day or one-day shipping, photo storage, access to exclusive deals and more. 

Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime: features and interface

Here’s one of the early released screenshots of the Disney Plus homepage.

Because Disney Plus hasn’t launched yet, we haven’t had a chance to play with the user interface or features. However, thanks to some initial screenshots of the Disney Plus dashboard, we can see that it’ll look similar to the layout of Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. 

There’s a ‘Recommended For You’ stream and another called ‘Continue Watching’, as well as five buttons across the top of the screen for the different channels on offer on Disney Plus, including Star Wars, National Geographic and Marvel. 

Amazon Prime Video has much the same format, recommending content based on your viewing habits and collecting titles together in different genres. Sometimes it’s not as easy as it should be to find recently-released content, but everything about Amazon Prime Video is intuitive enough.

Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime: content

There’ll be a lot of content available on Disney Plus at launch, but will it be able to compete with the sheer amount of what’s on Amazon Prime Video? 

On Disney Plus we can expect many movies, cartoons and TV shows you already know and love. This is going to include all your favorite Disney movies, both old and new, every episode of The Simpsons and every Pixar movie. As well as a big bank of older content, there’s also going to be a large choice of upcoming TV shows and movies courtesy of Disney’s big-budget properties, including Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar.

One of the most highly-anticipated new TV shows is The Mandalorian, the first live-action TV show set in the Star Wars universe. There are also lots of new Marvel live-action TV shows in development, including WandaVision (about the Scarlet Witch and Vision), Hawkeye, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

A still from upcoming Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian.

Disney also owns National Geographic, which means it’ll be a great place to visit for new documentaries about the natural world, providing a big mix of content whatever mood you’re in.

Even if Netflix tends to dominate discussions of the best and biggest TV streaming services, Amazon Prime Video has long had an advantage in the sheer number of titles available – at last count having four times as many movies as Netflix. Of course, that doesn’t mean all of it is worth watching – there are lots of mediocre choices to weed through (which is why we’ve put together lists of the best Amazon Prime movies and best Amazon TV series too). But if you’re after quantity above all else, Amazon Prime Video wins over the rest and has some of the best legacy content ever made, including Lost, Parks and Recreation and The X-Files.

Just because there’s a lot of content available doesn’t mean Amazon isn’t great at investing in new content too. It’s created some fantastic TV shows over the years, including Transparent, The Tick, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Boys, and Carnival Row, and it’ll also be producing the next season of hit science-fiction show The Expanse – and procured the rights to create a massive TV adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.

It’s also home to a lot of shows it didn’t create but has exclusive licenses to stream in many regions, including Mr Robot and the upcoming Star Trek: Picard series.

A still from the new Picard series that’ll be streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

What’s interesting content-wise is that Disney has joined forces with Amazon, which will be streaming some Disney Plus content in regions where it hasn’t launched yet. According to reports, this deal is only in place in Latin America, but it could roll out to other countries soon.

That means that if you’re not in the US, an Amazon Prime subscription could bring you all the benefits of Amazon as well as some of the top new shows from Disney Plus.

Takeaway

It’s difficult to weigh up the pros and cons of Disney Plus in advance of its official launch but it certainly seems like a contender and might be worth switching your Amazon Prime and Netflix subscription for.

However, finding the right streaming service for you all depends on what content you like to watch. So, when it comes to Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime, you’ll have to ask yourself whether there’s any content on Disney Plus that you can’t live without – e.g. Star Wars or Marvel movies. Or, whether there’s Amazon Prime content that’ll keep you coming back again and again, like Mr Robot and The Expanse.

There’s no doubt about it: Disney Plus is going to have a lot of fantastic new content and old favorite legacy content that’ll be hard to beat. However, Amazon has an extensive back catalogue of movies and TV shows too, as well as a solid track record of award-winning originals. Amazon Prime is also a no-brainer if you enjoy any of the other Prime member benefits on Amazon, like super-fast deliveries on products. 

So there is no winner in the Disney Plus vs Amazon Prime head-to-head – just two great streaming services with different types of content on offer. 


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How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images

Posted on 20 October 2019 by admin

The post How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

epic-wild-landscapes-photography

Wild Landscapes can be described as “unspoiled areas of land including hills, mountains, and rivers where wild animals, trees, and plants live or grow in natural surroundings and are not looked after by people.”

Venturing into the wild with your camera can be a great adventure that provides a unique opportunity and rewarding exploration to photograph untouched and pristine landscapes. Embarking on such a trip requires careful planning before you go.

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-01

Sinai Mountains, Egypt

The first thing you will need to do is choose a wild landscape location to visit. How to go about finding these places is simply a matter of looking for potential destinations. Certain areas around the world are famous for their wild landscapes and rugged beauty including the majestic mountains of Scotland, the highlands of Iceland, the Grand Canyon in the USA, the Canadian Rockies, the deserts of Namibia, Patagonia in South America and many more.

Closer to home, you can find wild landscapes within national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and amongst local nature.

Two UK-based photographers worth following who like to photograph wild landscapes include, Thomas Heaton and Alex Nail. Both produce great visuals of wild landscapes, outdoor photography and nature, and are very inspiring.

Once you have found a suitable location, there are several things to consider before going out to photograph wild landscapes.

Go prepared

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-02

Brecon Beacons, England

When going on a shoot, make a packing list and be prepared from wearing the right gear to having plenty of food and drink supplies to keep your energy levels up.

Take the right clothing

The clothing you take will determine how comfortable you will be. For example, appropriate rain gear is essential if this is the forecast. In sunny weather, you may be uncomfortable in too much clothing, and in colder weather, you will be chilly if you don’t wear enough layers. So you will need to wear appropriate clothing.

Footwear

Choose the appropriate footwear for the terrain you will be walking on. A sturdy pair of waterproof walking boots with good grips on the souls are essential for long walks over rough grounds with rain forecast.

Supplies

Supplies of food and water are important to keep you fuelled and hydrated. Take more than you estimate for your journey in case of any difficulties, such as burning more calories than expected on a long hike to your destination.

Consider wild camping

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-03

Torres del Paine, Chile

Consider taking a lightweight tent and camping out overnight somewhere to photograph an epic scene of the wilderness. There are advantages to wild camping beside a great view. They include being able to capture the sunset and sunrise, and not having to walk to the destination twice.

The right camera gear

Travel light, especially if you are going to stay out overnight somewhere. Cut back on the camera equipment you take as much as you can. Make room to carry other essentials such as food and drink supplies. Only take the lenses you think you will need, such as a wide-angle lens.

Other equipment

Be sure to take a map with you as a precaution. Also, take a fully-charged phone with a GPS app or an ordinance survey map for directions.

Let people know where you are going

It may seem obvious, but it is essential to tell people where you are heading, and for how long, as a safety precaution. This helps in the unlikely event that you experience any unforeseen circumstances. This could include bad weather (for example, thick fog on a mountain top) or sustaining an injury where you are unable to return at the anticipated time.

You will feel more comfortable in the knowledge that someone knows where you are if you require assistance.

Time your visit

Wild Landscapes 04

The Rockies, Canada

When shooting a wild landscape, it is important to consider the weather conditions.

Time your visit to go and shoot when the weather is good or dramatic. It depends on the kind of image you want to achieve.

There is no such thing as ‘bad weather’ for photography, as in different conditions, you’ll gain different results. For example, a wild stormy sky is great for a powerful and energetic image. Calm and still conditions can give you a minimalist outcome. Each has its own appeal.

You can even shoot landscape images in the midday sun if you prefer to visit during the day.

Choose a viewpoint and composition

When it comes to photographing an epic wild landscape, you will want to choose a viewpoint and composition that captures the location well. Seek out strong compositions that show the majesty of the place, such as a striking mountain range or some intriguing details.

Tripod

It is worth setting your camera on a tripod, especially to help shoot in low light or blustery weather where the conditions can adversely affect the outcome of your images. This will assist in providing more stability and essentially sharper pictures.

Light

Wild Landscapes 05

Sossusvlei, Namibia

When photographing wild landscapes, consider the light to create great images. You can photograph spectacular scenes by using light creatively. Capture sidelight (when the sun lights the landscape from the side, often creating interesting shadows and textures), backlight (shooting in the direction of the sun where your subject can be silhouetted or have bright edges) or front light (where the sun is coming from behind you and straight onto your subject). You can also include the sun in your shot to make images with different tones and brightness.

Conclusion

Photographing wild landscapes can be a great adventure and an opportunity to explore pristine and untouched landscapes. You can find wild landscapes within national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and amongst local nature. Remember to consider clothing, footwear, food and water, camera equipment and a map and be sure to let people know where you are going. Choose an interesting viewpoint, use a tripod and be creative with light. Share your pictures of Wild Landscapes with us below.

The post How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.


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Japan vs South Africa live stream: how to watch today’s Rugby World Cup 2019 quarter-final from anywhere

Posted on 20 October 2019 by admin

Japan have reached the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history off the back of four wins and some superb performances. Today's game provides another test of their underdog status, but they can draw strength from their famous 32-34 win over South Africa in the 2015 RWC. You can watch the action as it happens with our Japan vs South Africa live stream guide.

South Africa come into today's match as the highest scoring team of the 2019 Rugby World Cup having thrashed Canada in their final Pool match, but today's game provides much sterner opposition. 

Japan's path to the knockout stages has been full of battling performances, and one wonders how much their resilient defending in the closing stages of their crucial last match agains Scotland will have taken out of them. Easily one of the best teams to watch in the tournament so far, if the hosts can get beyond their fatigue and harness their noise home support, they could well pull off another shock.

While confidence will up among the ranks of the Springboks, the team has a number of major injury doubts with scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe and Francois Louw all doubtful, with coach Rassie Erasmus placing Ruan Pienaar on standby.

You can watch all the action from pretty much anywhere on Earth by following our Rugby World Cup Japan vs South Africa live stream guide below.

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your country

If you're abroad this weekend and try to watch your domestic Rugby World Cup coverage, you'll be metaphorically rucked off the ball due to geo-blocking. That stops you watching your home feed online wile in a foreign country.

That's where the use of a VPN comes in, as it helps you tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world without resorting to some dodgy feed on Reddit. And best of all, it's really easy to do (or read on for details on how to stream coverage from South Africa, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA).

Live stream the Springboks match in South Africa

How to stream Japan vs South Africa live in the UK 

How to watch a live of Japan vs South Africa in Australia

How to watch Japan vs South Africa live in New Zealand

How to live stream Japan vs South Africa in the US

  • Hulu with Live TV $ 40 per month – Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • FuboTV $ 35 for the first month – FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $ 45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
  • DirecTV Now $ 50 per month – DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $ 5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
  • YouTubeTV $ 40 per month – YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.

Divider

Live stream Rugby World Cup 2019 match in Canada


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Japan vs South Africa live stream: how to watch today’s Rugby World Cup 2019 quarter-final from anywhere

Posted on 20 October 2019 by admin

Japan have reached the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history off the back of four wins and some superb performances. Today's game provides another test of their underdog status, but they can draw strength from their famous 32-34 win over South Africa in the 2015 RWC. You can watch the action as it happens with our Japan vs South Africa live stream guide.

South Africa come into today's match as the highest scoring team of the 2019 Rugby World Cup having thrashed Canada in their final Pool match, but today's game provides much sterner opposition. 

Japan's path to the knockout stages has been full of battling performances, and one wonders how much their resilient defending in the closing stages of their crucial last match agains Scotland will have taken out of them. Easily one of the best teams to watch in the tournament so far, if the hosts can get beyond their fatigue and harness their noise home support, they could well pull off another shock.

While confidence will up among the ranks of the Springboks, the team has a number of major injury doubts with scrum-half Herschel Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe and Francois Louw all doubtful, with coach Rassie Erasmus placing Ruan Pienaar on standby.

You can watch all the action from pretty much anywhere on Earth by following our Rugby World Cup Japan vs South Africa live stream guide below.

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your country

If you're abroad this weekend and try to watch your domestic Rugby World Cup coverage, you'll be metaphorically rucked off the ball due to geo-blocking. That stops you watching your home feed online wile in a foreign country.

That's where the use of a VPN comes in, as it helps you tune into those fixtures no matter where you are in the world without resorting to some dodgy feed on Reddit. And best of all, it's really easy to do (or read on for details on how to stream coverage from South Africa, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the USA).

Live stream the Springboks match in South Africa

How to stream Japan vs South Africa live in the UK 

How to watch a live of Japan vs South Africa in Australia

How to watch Japan vs South Africa live in New Zealand

How to live stream Japan vs South Africa in the US

  • Hulu with Live TV $ 40 per month – Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • FuboTV $ 35 for the first month – FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $ 45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
  • DirecTV Now $ 50 per month – DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $ 5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
  • YouTubeTV $ 40 per month – YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.

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Live stream Rugby World Cup 2019 match in Canada


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Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 ATX PRO FX Lens for Canon – $499.00 Shipped (Reg. $629.00)

Posted on 20 October 2019 by admin
Adorama has the Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 ATX PRO FX Lens for Canon available for $ 499.00 with free expedited shipping. Regularly $ 629.00.

Canon, Nikon, and Sony News, Deals and What’s New at The-Digital-Picture.com

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Five Tips For Great Sunset Photos

Posted on 19 October 2019 by admin

Sunsets and sunrises are inspirational subjects for any photographer. In fact, a good sunset photo is often the reason people become interested in nature photography. You don’t need to have a great camera or professional training; almost anyone with a camera can take great sunset photos.

The great news is that good sunset photos are surprisingly easy to take. In my gallery, I don’t actually display many sunset photographs. You see, they are hard to sell, because almost everybody has a few great sunsets they have photographed themselves. Rather than buy mine, they are more likely to grab their camera and show me the picture they took the night before!

photography skills for shooting sunsets

Photo by Aikawa Ke.

As a result, I am often asked to evaluate sunset photos by amateur photographers (occupational hazard for a nature photographer!), and I have learned to quickly identify where most people go wrong. It is not hard to expose a sunset photo; in many cases you can leave your camera on auto and it will do the work for you. The trouble people have is in making an interesting composition. It is not good enough just to photograph a good sky. The real challenge lies in turning a spectacular sky into a compelling photograph.

Here are my five tips for taking great sunset (and sunrise) photos.

Sunset Photography Tip #1: Prediction

Learn to predict a good sunset before it happens. Have you ever seen a perfect sky, only to realize you didn’t have your camera handy? In the five minutes it takes to get your camera and set up for the photo, the moment has passed. As brilliant as a sunset can be, the effect may last for only a few minutes, so you need to be able to choose your location, set up your camera, and be waiting for the show to start.

tips for the best sunset photography

Photo by Matej Duzel; ISO 200, 1/2500-second exposure.

Sunset Photography Tip #2: Patience

Be patient to get the best colours. The few minutes as the sun is crossing the horizon can be spectacular, but that’s not the whole story of a sunset. As the sinking sun lights the clouds from below, often the richest colours appear up to half an hour later. By this time it will be getting quite dark, so be prepared with your tripod. You may be shooting exposures of half a second or more to bring out the best in your sunset photograph.

Sunset Photography Tip #3: Foreground

Find a good foreground subject. This may be the most important tip of all. Time after time when people show me their sunset photos, and all I can think is, “Great sky…pity you didn’t make a better photo out of it.” We have all seen and photographed spectacular skies, so that alone is not enough to create your work of art. Try to identify some object that stands well above the horizon (trees, windmills, buildings, power-lines) and has a shape that will create a good silhouette. It doesn’t have to fill up your picture. In fact, it may only take up a small area–that will only make the sky seem even more impressive. The important thing is to give your picture a focal point, so that your viewer has something more interesting to look at than just a great sky.

Think back to tip #1. To get a great photo you need to be prepared in advance, so scout your location for a good foreground well before the razzle-dazzle gets underway.

Sunset Photography Tip #4: Color

Fill your photo with colour. You have probably heard of the rule of thirds in landscape photography. In simple terms, this rule suggests your horizon should be a third of the way from the top, or from the bottom, of your photo to create a balanced composition. The trouble is, when you are photographing into the sunset, everything in the foreground will be in silhouette. This means if you follow the rule of thirds, a big part of your composition will be totally black. This is one situation where you can ignore the rule of thirds. By allowing your sky to dominate the composition, you fill your picture with colour and draw even more attention to the richness of the sunset.

how to capture amazing sunset photos

Photo by Joel Olives; ISO 100, f/13.0.

Sunset Photography Tip #5: Water

If you’re near water, use it to enhance the effect. People often see a sunset at the beach or by a river and stand a long way back to get their shot. This approach fails to take advantage of the reflections on the water, so instead of a rich foreground there will be too much empty black space.

Get right down to the water’s edge or to the wet sand on the beach. By capturing the reflections, your foreground will echo the colour of the sky. Not only will your photo be more colourful, but you will start to spot opportunities for much more interesting compositions.

So there you have my simple tips on sunset photography. Notice that I have concentrated on creativity, not technology. As I said at the beginning, exposing a good sunset photo is not difficult; the challenge is to make your photo stand out from the rest. Like all good nature photography, your sensitivity to nature is far more important than technical expertise. Allow nature to inspire you, think creatively, and great results are sure to follow. Good luck!

About the Author:
Andrew Goodall writes for http://www.naturesimage.com.au and is a nature photographer based in Australia. He manages a gallery in Montville full of landscape photography from throughout Australia.

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Rugby World Cup 2019 live stream: how to watch quarter-finals free online and from anywhere

Posted on 19 October 2019 by admin

The pool stages are done at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and we now know who the last eight teams are. In fact, make that six, after New Zealand and England secured safe passage from the quarter-finals. So far the tournament has certainly lived up to the hype and you can watch all the action, no matter where you are, by following our Rugby World Cup live stream guide below.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of pundits (and bookies) still have New Zealand as favourites, with South Africa and England behind. But we've already witnessed more than our fair share of memorable moments. The brilliant hosts Japan shocking Ireland and Scotland, Wales overpowering Australia and that intense match up between New Zealand and South Africa being just some of the awesome highlights.

The balance of power in the rugby world has shifted towards the northern hemisphere in recent years, with Wales and England both having been in and around the world number one ranking position. Can one of them take the Web Ellis Cup in 2019 for the first time in 16 years?

If you want to know where you'll be able to watch every single match, we'll tell you exactly where you can catch it online with a Rugby World Cup live stream and the broadcasters that are showing it absolutely FREE. No matter where on Earth you are, we'll make sure you know where to catch the coverage.

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup from outside your country

You don't have to miss a single minute of the 2019 Rugby World Cup – even if you're abroad and discover that your home broadcaster's online coverage is geo-blocked (we hate it when that happens).

If that happens to you and you're desperate to watch your domestic coverage – whether that be in the UK or Australia (where it's free), New Zealand or the US (where it isn't) or anywhere else in the world – there's still a way to get it that doesn't involve putting your security at risk with some dodgy, illegal stream from Reddit. You can simply use a VPN to login back to your country that is broadcasting the actions, and it's really easy to do:

2019 Rugby World Cup remaining fixtures

All times in local Japan time and BST

Sunday, October 20 – Quarter-finals

Wales vs France at Oita Stadium – 4.15pm JST, 8.15am BST

Japan vs South Africa at Tokyo Stadium – 7.45pm JST, 11.45am BST

Saturday, October 26 – Semi-finals

England vs New Zealand at International Stadium Yokohama – 5pm JST, 9am BST

Sunday, October 27 – Semi-finals

TBC vs TBC at International Stadium Yokohama – 6pm JST, 10am BST

Saturday, October 26 – Bronze final

TBC vs TBC at Oita Stadium – 6pm JST, 10am BST

Sunday, October 27 – FINAL

TBC vs TBC at International Stadium Yokohama – 6pm JST, 10am BST

How to stream Rugby World Cup 2019 live in the UK for FREE

Live stream the Rugby World Cup in Australia for FREE

How to watch the Rugby World Cup 2019 in New Zealand FREE

Live stream the Rugby World Cup 2019 in South Africa

How to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup: US live stream 

  • Hulu with Live TV $ 40 per month – Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.
  • FuboTV $ 35 for the first month – FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $ 45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN.
  • DirecTV Now $ 50 per month – DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $ 5 extra you can add the NFL Network.
  • YouTubeTV $ 40 per month – YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN.

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Live stream Rugby World Cup 2019 matches in Canada

What is the format of the 2019 Rugby World Cup?

The Rugby World Cup is a twenty-team tournament. Each country begins in one of four pools that each contain five teams. Each team plays one match against each of the other teams in the same pool.

The teams finishing in the top two of each pool advance to the quarter-finals from where the tournament goes into a familiar knockout format.

Who are the favourites for the Rugby World Cup?

While Ireland go into the tournament as the world’s no.1 ranked team, three-time World Cup winners New Zealand are the clear favourites with Betfair.com to once again lift the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan.

What team won the 2015 Rugby World Cup?

The All Blacks won their second World Cup on the spin back in 2015 in emphatic style with a 34-17 victory over Australia at Twickenham.

What teams are competing in this year's Rugby World Cup?

Argentina
Mario Ledesma's side have a decent record to uphold, having advanced to the Rugby World Cup knockout stage four times and finished fourth in 2015. They come into the tournament however on a a losing streak of four defeats on the trot, but those did come at the hands of New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

Australia
The second-most successful nation in World Cup history alongside South Africa. All the morale of their emphatic 47-26 win against New Zealand in Perth last month has dissipated somewhat after they were crushed 36-0 by the All Blacks in the return fixture in Auckland the following week. 

Canada
An ever-present nation at the World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987, they've only ever progressed beyond the opening round on one occasion. Currently ranked 22 in the world, the Canucks will be targeting a win as minimum against minnows Namibia in Pool B and build from there. 

England
While they may be one of the favourites, England coach Eddie Jones will be anxious to see his side start their campaign on the front foot and quickly eradicate the ghosts of the last World Cup which saw them make an embarrassing pool stage exit while tournament hosts. They come into this year's World Cup on a high following a 57-15 victory over Ireland at Twickenham in the run-up, but question marks persist over the squad's apparent lack of experience. 

Fiji
Traditionally one of the more entertaining teams at the World Cup, despite their much heralded flair, the Flying Fijians have failed to make it out of the pool stage in the preceding last two tournaments. Drawn alongside Australia and Wales this time out, the odds of it being third time lucky for coach John McKee's side this time out aren't high.

France
Three-time runners-up France head to Japan ranked 8th in the world. The emergence of young stars like Antoine Dupont and Demba Bambawill will provide plenty of optimism, but Pool C is arguably the toughest group of the tournament and  Les Bleus will do well to make it through to the next phase.

Georgia
Having reached the last four successive World Cups, the Lelos have steadily improved over the years and will fancy their chances of making their chances of making their way out of the pool phase for the first time. The return of all-time leading try-scorer Mamuka Gorgodze to the fold will come as a welcome boost to morale. 

Ireland
The Irish started the year as strong favourites to win their first World Cup following their Grand Slam winning 2018 Six Nations campaign and an impressive win over the All Blacks. Hopes for Japan, however, have since been tempered, with their humbling against England at Twickenham last month setting alarm bells ringing. Two warm-up wins since against fancied Wales will have regalvanised Joe Schmidt's side, and the starting line-up should be further boosted by the return from injury of Johnny Sexton.

Italy
The Azzurri are putting their faith in youth, with 23 members of their squad having never appeared before at rugby's main event. One of the few old-head's is skipper Sergio Parisse, who will be appearing in a record-equaling fifth World Cup.

Japan
The hosts came agonisingly close to making it past the group stage for the first time back in 2015, missing out despite winning five times. Progressing to the last-eight will be a prerequisite this time out for the team playing on home turf. 

Namibia
The rank outsiders have consistently qualified for the World Cup since 1999, but have never have never won a single match once at the tournament, racking up an unwanted 0-19 win-loss record in the process. Their recent 20-0 loss to Russia indicates that getting off the mark in Japan looks unlikely.

New Zealand
Despite having lost their seemingly perpetual place as the world's no.1 team recently (a spot they had held for a decade), New Zealand haven't lost their standing as the most fancied team to win the 2019 World Cup. A mixed showing during the recent Rugby Championship won't have a put off pundits from backing Steve Hansen's men to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time in a row.

Russia
While they may have made it to the Japan thanks to the disqualification of Spain and Belgium for fielding ineligible players, Russia won't be going in to the tournament to make up the numbers. They face the hosts in the 2019 World Cup's opening match and came close to beating Japan back in November last year.

Samoa
Consistent qualifiers for the World Cup, Somoa will be looking to go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time. To pull off that feat they'll need to improve on their recent form which has seen them lose to both the USA and Tonga during last month's Pacific Nations Cup.

Scotland
With the likes of flyhalf Finn Russell and fullback Stuart HoggIn in their roster, the Scots aren't lacking top drawer talent. What they do a have a deficit in is consistency – as exemplified by their two contradictory performances against France last month.

South Africa
Versatility could be the key attribute for two-time champions South Africa this time out. Packed with explosive pace from the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi, the Springboks also have a kicking game that is the envy of most rivals. In Rassie Erasmus they also have the best named coach in the tournament. 

Tonga
With a squad littered with talented players plying their trade in New Zealand, Australia, England and France, coach Toutai Kefu will be out to finally get his side into the knockout stages for the first time. Having notched up creditable eight wins in their last 21 Test matches, its a goal that looks eminently achievable.

Uruguay
A kind draw with winnable opening matches against Fiji and Georgia gives the South American side a fighting chance of making through to the last eight for the first time. 

USA 
Ranked 13th in the world, there were mixed fortunes for the USA in the recent Pacific Nations Cup which saw them stutter to a win against Samoa, thrash Canada, but get thumped against Japan. They've never won more than one game at a World Cup, but will likely rectify that during this year's competition.

Wales
The loss to injury of Gareth Anscombe and Taulupe Faletau would be huge blow for most teams, but luckily for coach Warren Gatland, Wales has plenty of strength in depth among the ranks. More concerning will be a dip in form in the run up to Japan which has seen them lose to England and Ireland, a contrast to the 14-game winning streak Wales enjoyed at the start of the year.


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The Google Pixel 4 Will Feature Two Cameras Plus Enhanced Night Sight

Posted on 19 October 2019 by admin

The post The Google Pixel 4 Will Feature Two Cameras Plus Enhanced Night Sight appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

 

The Google Pixel 4 Will Feature Two Cameras Plus Enhanced Night Sight

Earlier this week Google announced the long-awaited Pixel 4, which promises to take smartphone photography to a whole new level.

This comes in the wake of Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro announcement last month, which saw the debut of a triple-camera setup and features such as Night Mode.

In other words, the Pixel 4 is a competitor in an intense fight to create the best cameras, the best lenses, and the best camera software.

So what does the Google Pixel 4 offer?

Let’s take a closer look:

First, the Google Pixel 4 features a dual-camera setup, offering the usual wide-angle lens alongside a new 2X telephoto option. This isn’t unique (Apple has regularly included “telephoto” lenses going all the way back to the iPhone 7 Plus), but it is a nice addition for those who need a bit more reach. You can use the 2X lens for tighter portraits, and it’s also useful for street photography, where you often need to photograph subjects from a distance.

Interestingly, Google has decided to keep the wide-angle camera at 12 megapixels, but has packed in a 16-megapixel sensor for the telephoto camera. While plenty of photographers will be excited by this jump in resolution, it remains to be seen whether such tiny pixels will result in significant noise.

The dual-camera setup should also improve Google’s Portrait Mode, and Google has promised more natural background blur and very precise edges (e.g., when dealing with hair). Truthfully, I’m skeptical. I’ve yet to see a Portrait mode photo that looks perfect on any smartphone camera. But I’ll wait until I see the results from the Pixel 4 before judging.

One cool new feature that will debut in the Pixel 4 is Live HDR. When you go to capture an HDR photo, you’ll be able to see a live HDR preview on your smartphone screen; this should give you a sense of what you can expect from the HDR+ effect.

Finally, if you enjoy doing astrophotography, you’re in luck: The Pixel 4 offers an improved Night Sight mode, in which you can take stunning photos of the night sky. It works by taking a series of long exposures, before blending them together to create a beautiful final photo. Note that you’ll need a tripod or other method of stabilization to get sharp astrophotography shots.

Overall, the Google Pixel 4 offers some impressive new features, even if none of them feel totally groundbreaking. Up until now, the Pixel lineup has dominated regarding low-light shooting, and the enhanced Night Sight suggests that Google plans to keep running with this success.

The Google Pixel 4 is currently available for preorder starting at $ 799 USD and will hit the shelves on October 24.

You can check out this first look video from cnet to get more of an idea of the Google Pixel 4.

Are you interested in the Google Pixel 4? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Google Pixel 4 Will Feature Two Cameras Plus Enhanced Night Sight appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.


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