Digital Skills - A Necessity for Success in the Arts

[Harriete E Berman]

Digital skills with your camera and a working knowledge of Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) is a "no excuses" necessity for today's artists and makers. 

Quality photographic images are a must for every artist and maker. There is a lot of information  to help you on the Internet. At the same time, the Internet offers tremendous opportunity for visibility. It seems to me there is no room for excuses either way.

Even if you have your work professionally photographed, there are always occasions when shooting your own photos is still a necessity.

For example, the recent article in American Craft came about (at least in part) because I photographed my work while fabrication was in progress.  

 

 

Every year, I spend a week to 10 days at the end of the year, learning new digital skills and working on my web site.

I practice new skills in Photoshop, Dreamweaver and SEO using Lynda.com.

You can try Lynda.com video tutorials with a 7 day free trial.

Another web site with lots of free online digital tutorials is CambridgeColor.com.
You will find links to information about:

• How Your Camera Works
• Qualities of Digital Photos
• Camera Types & Accessories
• Digital Camera Sensor Cleaning: Tools & Techniques
• How to Make Archival Digital Photo Backups
• How to Protect Online Photos: Copying, Watermarks & Copyrights;
• Image Resizing
• Sharpening & Detail
•   and a ton more......

ASK Harriete  has  four tutorials to improve your photography by my photographer Philip Cohen.

• Eliminate Glare in Photographic Images with Digital Magic A Photographic Tutorial by Philip Cohen

• Brush Out Glare in Photoshop to Improve Photographic Images by Philip Cohen This post describes how to use the Mask and Brush tools in Photoshop with step by step instructions.
  
  Learning how to use a Mask is a super trick and important digital skill. Before learning about Masks, I used the Eraser tool. Now I realize that the Eraser tool is very primitive, less exact and fraught with problems.

• Lighting Shiny Surfaces for Quality Photographic Images” by Philip Cohen

• Photographing Your Artwork? Bounce Cards Add Light and Fill in Deep Shadows

Contact: Philip Cohen to inquire about quality photographic images for your art or craft.

 

Stay tuned to ASK Harriete... as I start my annual digital learning marathon for the next two weeks, I will offer quick tips that readers of ASK Harriete can use to improve their images and web site.

Start the new year with renewed visibility. 

Harriete

 

 

Key to images below:

Image in American Craft article by Philip Cohen. This two page spread is in the Decemeber /January 2012 issue on the newsstands now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Glass Plate by Malcolm Nicoll
Tutorial image by Philip Cohen

 

 

 

 

 
Photo by Philip Cohen for tutorial on ASK Harriete.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Assiyah, Yetzirah, Beriyah
©       2011        Harriete Estel Berman
Photo Credit: Philip Cohen