Instructor Richard Harrington explains how to make contact sheets in Photoshop so you can easily view multiple images.

Instructor Richard Harrington shows you how to batch process a whole folder of images by using actions & droplets.

Instructor Richard Harrington shares some techniques on how to age a photograph in Photoshop.

Instructor Richard Harrington shares some techniques on how to age a photograph in Photoshop.

There’s been a lot of ho-hum reviews on the Apple TV… too much of this, not enough of that… but these have all been focussed on the consumer space and the living room.  What I’m here to tell you is why video pros should care about the Apple TV (and why we swear by it in my shop).  Here are a few reasons we use Apple TV at my shop, RHED Pixel.

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In the category of so new the paint is still drying.... I present to you the Aperture 2: Quick Tip podcast. You can find the first two episodes online now (as well as embedded here for streaming).

To see the show online and subscribe in a web browser:
HD Web – http://www.podango.com/podcast/3044/Aperture_2_Quick_Tip__HD
HD iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371228
iPod Web – http://www.podango.com/podcast/3043/Aperture_Quick_Tips__iPod
iPod iTunes – http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=282371245

“Looking to learn all about Aperture 2, Apple's powerful image-editing and organization software? Whether you are new to Aperture or an experienced pro, there's a lot to learn. Aperture 2 is a major update, adding over 100 new features as well as support for a wide- range of digital SLR cameras. This podcast is based on the best selling book, Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 and features co- author RIchard Harrington. Join us each week for a concise, but detailed look at the useful tools and workflows used by imaging professionals. Aperture 2's new features are completely covered, including a new RAW-image processing engine, a streamlined interface, powerful new adjustment tools, and added integration with Mac OS X and other Apple products for instant web publishing and one-click portfolio syncing. You'll learn time- saving techniques for sorting, ranking, and organizing images, effective methods for correcting and enhancing images, plus efficient ways to display images for client review, apply metadata, update your online portfolio automatically, and much more. Real-world exercises feature professional photography from a variety of genres, including photo-journalism, sports, wedding, commercial, and portraiture. To learn more on the software, be sure to check out the Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 book.”

One of my favorite sites that I like to check out on a regular basis is Photoshop Disasters. The site is a freakshow gallery of Photoshop gone wrong. The site is driven by user submission and acts as both entertainment and education. There mission:

“Have you seen a truly awful piece of Photoshop work? Clumsy manipulation, senseless comping, lazy cloning and thoughtless retouching are our bread and butter. And yes, deep down, we love Photoshop.”

Be sure to check the site out, it’ll make you look at things a little differently.

In case you’ve neverr had a chance to go, here’s a quick look at all things Photoshop World. The event is a ton of fun and a chance to get some of the best instruction available.

Instructor Richard Harrington explains how to use the color detail in an image to quickly make a great alpha channel.

I often find I have too much information to remember (and for some reason people expect me to be able to spout pixel aspect ratio numbers like a multiplication table). Fortunately the fine folks over at Digital Rebellion has solved this (and for free). They offer several video widgets that do important math, these run on a web browser or iPhone (and a couple can run offline as well).


Video Footage Calculator – Calculates how much storage you'll need for your footage type and duration.
Web – iPhone version – Offline version

Film Rate Calculator – Determines how much film you need for a particular scenario.
Web – iPhone version – Offline version

Aspect Ratio Calculator – Determines the aspect ratio for different footage formats.
Web – iPhone version

Depth of Field Calculator – Calculates depth of field for many camera sensors.
Web – iPhone version

Pixel Aspect Ratio Calculator – Determines relationship of Pixels for many digital formats.
Web – iPhone version

Lens Angle Calculator – Helps calculate the lens angle for a given sensor size and focal length.
Web – iPhone version

Power Load Calculator – Calculates the load on a circuit to see if it is excessive. You can also calculate the minimum circuit breaker size for the given load.
Web – iPhone version

These tools are cool, free, and useful.... three points that make them a must have for my iPhone.

Looking for a useful application to tell you more about your video files? Mac users should check out the free (and still in pre-release) Video Spec software tool. The tool is a little rough around the edges (it has one major bug which is the aspect ratio of DV and HDV is not reported accurately) but it is still truly useful.

• The latest version has been tested on Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard.
• It is compatible with PowerPC and Intel Mac (Universal Binary).
• This version is localized in english and french.

For the second year in a row, I'll be coming back to Europe to offer training. I'll be speaking at the NAB European Post-Production Conference on a variety of topics.

Sunday 26 October 2008

• Producing Video Podcasts: Key Lessons Learned

Monday 27 October 2008

• Creating a Graphic Identity for Your New Media Projects
• Compressing Audio and Video for Web Delivery
• Getting it Live: Multicam Techniques

Tuesday 28 October 2008

• A Sense of Perspective with Vanishing Point
• Seeing a New Light: Final Cut Pro Color Correction

Wednesday 29 October 2008

• Creating Graphics for Avid Editing Systems
• Get the Most from After Effects CS3

If you're based in Europe, I hope you can come by.