It’s my own fault that this year I didn’t manage to grab one single Autumn / Fall photograph; I’ve spent every opportunity photographing down on the coast here in Devon or over the border in Cornwall.
Until next year though (when I WILL get some Autumn / Fall photographs) here’s a couple of ways we can use Photoshop to fake it; the first using a single Adjustment Layer and the second using a new Neural Filter.
When you see the video, which one do yo think works / looks best?
Enjoy,
Glyn
Without doubt one of the most important pieces of kit I have is a U.P.S. (Uninterruptible Power Supply), which is basically a big battery that keeps my office / studio running when (not if) there’s a power cut, and protected when (not if) there’s a power surge.
In the past I’ve suffered because of power cuts on 2 occasions…
When living at our first home, the power, well, just cut off and this caused irreparable damage to the hard drive system that I had at the time and I consequently lost years of files.
When I was using a Windows based PC as my main computer and there was a power cut during an update being installed to the Operating System.
This resulted in a complete re-install.
So enough was enough; I needed a solution.
There’s a whole host of companies that make these UPS units; all with different power capabilities depending on your needs i.e. how many peripherals you have plugged in and need to keep powered up when there’s a power cut.
The one I currently have is the BX1400UI made by APC…
This particular unit has 6 available plug sockets; 3 of which are battery backup and surge protected and the remaining 3 are surge protected only.
The idea behind a UPS is simple; when mains power cuts out, the UPS kicks in immediately meaning your equipment keeps running until the mains power returns; this ultimately means your equipment is safe.
Of course with it being a battery it can only keep things running for a limited amount of time which in my case is roughly 20-25 minutes, by which time the power should be back up and running.
However, if it isn’t then there is built in software called Powershute which will take over and safely power down the system rather than letting it run until the battery power runs out.
A: Main Computer
B: 2nd Monitor / Screen (BenQ SW321C)
C: Synology NAS 4-Bay Backup
D: G Tech External Hard-drive
E: Broadband Router
Living in the middle of the countryside, momentary power cuts are a way of life so having a UPS is not only a life saver but essential.
When it does kick in, all you hear is a feint click as it engages, but there’s absolutely no interruption to your computer system whatsoever. A percentage indicator also appears in the information bar at the top of my screen saying how long at the current usage the battery can keep things running.
Having experienced the wrath of a power cut on a couple of occasions, I simply would not be without a U.P.S..
A U.P.S. not only protects your equipment, but also nowadays with doing more and more online presentations using video platforms such as Zoom, it means (if there’s a power cut midway through) I don’t just leave people wondering where the heck I went.
Instead, the unit makes me aware it’s kicked in and this is usually just for a second or 2, however if it’s going on longer than hoped, I can make people aware that I need to close things down.
Thankfully this hasn’t happened BUT it’s something we all need to be aware of if we do online meetings.
So if there was one piece of kit I would recommend you look at investing in for 2022 (if you haven’t already) it would be a U.P.S. ; the first time it kicks in and keeps you running is INCREDIBLY satisfying and reassuring.
You can check out the U.P.S. I have over on my Gear Page here (LINK)
Keep well,
Glyn
The December 2021 release of Lightroom Classic (version 11.1) provides support for new cameras, lenses, and bug fixes…
Most notably, Lightroom now supports Raw processing of files from the new Sony A7IV
CLICK HERE for the full list of newly supported lenses
CLICK HERE for a fun list and explanation of fixes to identified bugs and issues.
Just dropping in with a quick one to let you know of some discount codes and offers I know that are available from folks that I’ve been creating content for lately.
Cheers,
Glyn
This one is valid until 23rd December 2021 and relates to a 5% Discount off any BenQ Monitor in the SW range purchased through WeX when using the code BENQ5 on checkout:
In this weeks video on my YouTube Channel I go through how to get the very best prints when using Canon Printers, and at the end I mention some discount codes and offers that Permajet have put together…
This one gives 15% OFF any of the papers in the Permajet Range
DEWIS22
When purchasing the Canon Pro 300 from Permajet, if you add this code at check-out, a 10 Sheet Sample Pack of various Photo Paper in the Permajet range is added to the order free of charge:
Printing can be incredibly frustrating and costly if it doesn’t turn out right.
Despite following the advice of calibrating your screen and using paper profiles, the results just don’t look good and certainly don’t match what you see on the screen.
Good News though…it might not be down to something you’re doing wrong; it may actually be an issue somewhere with the software and / or the printer.
In this video, I show you how we can fix that if you’re using Lightroom as your printing software AND Canon Printers…in particular the newer models.
Enjoy,
Glyn
In this latest video (which is under 7 minutes long) on my YouTube Channel I go through a Super Fast technique for faking the look of detail, texture and sharpness in eyes.
Of course nothing beats getting it all ‘in camera’ but for whatever reason that just didn’t happen and the eyes are lacking punch, this works an absolute treat…
Following on from the recent (HUGE) update to both Lightroom and Camera Raw that was unveiled at Adobe Max, I’ve now written a FREE update to my latest book, The Photoshop Layers and Selections Workshop
The update covers all you need to know to get up and running with the new Selections and Masks functionality in Camera Raw (it’s the same in Lightroom) and is available as a PDF download in addition to the follow along images.
The update is available for FREE from the Publishers (Rocky Nook) website at the following link:
Enjoy,
Glyn
If only it was this easy in real life to get rid of sunburn!
Alas no…but here’s a super fast and easy technique for dealing with sunburnt skin in your pictures by making use of just one Hue & Saturation Adjustment Layer.
Hope you like it,
Glyn
Ok so yesterday I shared a new video on my YouTube Channel going through a recent-ish photo shoot I had with a female surfer.
In the video I go through a Behind the Scenes showing what went into making the picture whilst on location but then show how just one slider in Photoshop made the final picture, I believe, a winner.
As is always the case, it’s the small things that make the BIG difference in Photography and Retouching, and that’s exactly where the Neural Filters in Photoshop comes in when used sparingly.
You’ll see what I mean in the video but also, and I think importantly, why the filter had to be used in the first place.
Cheers,
Glyn
© Glyn Dewis 2025
