Mojica Photography blogs about DSI

They don't make cameras like they used to--literally! Digital photography can be both a blessing and a curse. While amenities such as printing images on a printer instead of a dark room and Photoshop instead of an airbrush can cut down on costs for prints and photo restoration or manipulation, the quality of a true black and white picture has all but faded away like antiquity--until now. Digital Silver Imaging has brought back one of the keystones of traditional photography, the silver gelatin print! Silver gelatin is superior in every way to run-of-the-mill digital prints. It is the material that is warranted when you have a true piece of art. Like Durer making wood-cuts of his creations, DSI uses a medium that stands the test of time. Too many beautiful images are spoiled by sunlight and exposure to humidity. The problem is, if you have a beautiful picture, you want to display so it can be enjoyed. When you chose DSI for your black and white prints, you get the best of both worlds: the longevity of silver gelatin and the definition, clarity, and emotion of black and white. We recommend Digital Silver Imaging prints for your most cherished images. You may have save your wedding cake in the freezer or store your wedding dress in the closet, but your wedding pictures should be out in the open. DSI prints let you keep your pictures out in the open without having to worry or fuss over having reprints or restorations done. And the clarity of silver gelatin is unparalleled!

Joshua & Loraine McCall from Mojica Photography
www.mojicaphotography.com

Adobe Lightroom Workflow for Photographers with John Flaherty 11/21/09

Get that inspiration back!

“Great Art is 90% inspiration and only 10% technique” Is this old adage still true?

Photography has become a maze of steps and computer programs, actions, presets, and filters.  Many photographers have lost their inspiration because of the confusing process they must undertake from capture, develop, and printing their images.  A solid foundation for image processing WILL expand your creativity.  John Flaherty has taught many photographers how to be comfortable with this process to allow their creativity to flow.  Learn how to use Lightroom, LabPrints, and Photoshop to streamline your workflow and focus on creative imagery.  John will also demonstrate the integration of Nik Silver Efex Pro B&W plugin for Lightroom and Photoshop.

The final part of this workshop will show how to use LapPrints to upload your files to Digital Silver Imaging for true B&W prints from you digital files.

This workshop is intended for beginning to intermediate level or for more advanced users who are looking to further their knowledge of Adobe Lighroom.

Date: Saturday November 21st

Time: 10:00AM - 2:30PM (1/2 hour lunch break from 12-12:30)
Place:

Lens Pro to Go Studios

152 Commonwealth Ave
Unit M-1
Concord, MA 01742

Price is $60 per person.

Please click here to register and make payment arrangements.

DSI & Nik Software to present at B&H Photo Nov 2nd

Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your photographs. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool.

Featuring Nik Software’s patented U Point® technology to selectively control the tonality and contrast of the image, Silver Efex Pro includes advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, over 20 one-click preset styles, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine that help produce the highest quality black and white images possible from your color images while providing more freedom to experiment.

Janice Wendt from Nik Software and Eric Luden from Digital Silver Imaging will be at the B&H Event Space on Monday Nov 2nd from 3-5PM to present and in depth demonstration on the black & white workflow using Silver Efex Pro and how to get true silver prints from your new black & white digital files from DSI.

For more details, and to register if you're in the area, please click here.

Infrared Conversions - 715nm versus 830nm

Clients are asking us about our new Infrared conversion services and how we differ from other companies that are offering the conversions, or "do-it-yourself" kits.  DSI has partnered with Precision Camera Repair to provide this service at very competitive rates.  We offer two IR filters, 665nm and 715nm.  So, I asked Mark Soares, Professional Services Technical Representative from Precision Camera to explain this more clearly for our clients:

"The filter we use still allows a small amount of visible light to penetrate through the filter and expose the image. What this does is create an image that it ~95% IR and ~5% visible spectrum. Although this may seem like a disservice when you talk about shooting specifically in IR, we find that using the 715nm filter allows for better tonal range in the highlight areas (where there is a lot of IR, with all the foliage, etc), whereas the B&W filter the competition use is much higher contrast(and as such has less tonal range). The filter they call B&W is an ~830nm filter, which means that the exposed image is 100% IR and no visible light. The truth is that the difference between both is a matter of contrast in the image (which is a result of IR levels in the image). The 830nm will be more contrasty than the 715nm, however, with minimal post processing the 715nm can have the same contrasty B&W look as the 830nm with the added benefit of a better tonal range. What this means is that the 715nm overall ends up being a more versatile conversion capable of producing results as dramatic as the 830nm, and with more tonal range (not to mention it allows you to do low saturation color IR work, which is also nice.)"

For more details and info about our IR Conversions, please check our website for more details and information.

DSI Announces Agreement with Nik Software

Photo Plus Booth 863 – Eric Luden, owner of Digital Silver Imaging, was a user of Nik software before he became a reseller.  “Nik’s Dfine 2.0, Sharpener Pro 3.0 and Silver Efex Pro saved us many hours of Photoshop time and helped us produce some of the finest B&W images we’ve printed”, says Luden.  “Our relationship just continued to grow from there, and we became an authorized dealer of Nik software.  We’ll have co-operative displays at Photo Plus and will launch a joint webinar and field training seminars after the show.”

Luden is scheduled to present on the software, particularly Silver Efex Pro, at an upcoming B&H Photo event scheduled for Monday, November 2.  Per Luden, “The Silver Efex Pro is a remarkably complete package for those working in black and white.  The software gives the user total control of tonality and contrast.  The software emulates most of the common B&W film types, allowing the user to choose grain, color sensitivity and tone curves as needed.  In addition, Silver Efex Pro gives additional brush and filter tools when used on conjunction with Adobe Photoshop.  It really is a package that can be used by professionals and hobbyists alike.”

To promote the software at Photo Plus, Digital Silver Imaging is offering special show pricing on Nik Software purchased at the their booth during the show.  Details on the offer, including an additional discount on printing services through DSI, can be found here.

In addition, DSI plans to raffle off two packages containing a Canon G series camera, converted by Precision Camera to shoot in infrared, plus a copy of Nik’s Silver Efex Pro.  One package will be raffled off on Thursday, October 22 and one on Friday, October 23.

Join our FREE Web Training session for Silver Efex Pro on Wednesday Oct 28th from 3-4PM Eastern Time.



Click here for free registration.

Free Web Training for Nik Silver Efex Pro B&W Software

Join Victor Ha of Nik Software and Digital Silver Imaging for an in depth training on the award winning Nik Silver Efex Pro. Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your digital files. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool. We will demonstrate how to work with your digital files from RAW to print in an easy to follow online training.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28th 12:00 - 1:00PM Pacific Time

Webinar Details

• Working with Silver Efex Pro (SEP) as a smart object
• SEP workspace and preferences
• SEP Presets
• Work with Tonality controls
• U Point Powered Control Points
• Film Types with state-of-the-art grain engine
• Saving files for printing
  

Click Here for FREE Registration

Off the Wall Opening Celebration

Magnifique!

It's a unique event which brings a Boston Globe international war correspondent, a visiting Neiman Fellow and member of Vii - together with Marilyn Riseman, the doyenne of style -  to celebrate fashion! The packed opening of Off the Wall brought 200 plus photographers, designers, academics, stylists, journalists and revelers out to view the work of 11 area shooters to the Griffin Museum @ Digital Silver Imaging. Ennis, Team and other agencies who represent the talent behind the photographs joined their freelance artists in celebrating their work.

Accolades are still pouring in: "Paris in Belmont". "Never saw such glamour in Boston".  "The opening was lovely, I think the show was so smart and exquisite". "I have been out all fashion week and never saw such a diverse crowd"."How did you get all these people here?". An outdoor tent and self-portrait gallery managed the overflow crowd and added to the festive vibe.

While heavy on the female, the show covers subjects ranging in age from 6 - 81 including Savannah youth in their Sunday best, abstract close-ups of accessories, witty and sublime takes on the act we all do everyday - dress. A unifying factor is the handsome custom framing provided by Kathy Skarvan of Ava Art. A guest described the beauty of the frames as "standing on their own without taking anything away from the image." It is a masterful balance to strike.

A poster asking "Are you ready for your close-up?" , led guests to a studio set up for their own shoot. Individuals, couples, families and groups captured themselves in all manner of fun.  The photographers in the show suffered through being on the other side of the camera for a group portrait. We edited 250 raw files and posted the results in the OTW Studio Gallery.

It is a stellar show pulled together in a short amount of time. Thanks to the confidence of Paula Tognarelli, The Director of the Griffin Museum, and the inclusiveness of Jay Calderin, The Founder of Fashion Week, we were able to create a "perfect storm" of interest and excitement. I had the challenging task of deciding what to eliminate. It was a pleasure reuniting with colleagues I have worked alongside at various times over the past 15 years and to meet the new breed of talent lending their eye to the art of fashion photography.

Wanting to preserve this special collection of photos, we created a custom book bound in platinum Japanese silk. The show is up until November 1st. All images are for sale and the book can be ordered.

DSI and Nik Software to present at B&H Photo 11/2/09

Complete Control for Professional Quality

Black and White with Nik Software and Digital Silver Imaging

November 2^nd 2009 3-5 PM at B&H Photo Event Space

Silver Efex Pro from Nik Software is the most powerful tool for creating professional quality black and white images from your photographs. For the first time, all the advanced power and control required for professional results have been brought together in one convenient tool.

Featuring Nik Software’s patented U Point® technology to selectively control the tonality and contrast of the image, Silver Efex Pro includes advanced imaging algorithms to protect against unwanted artifacts, a comprehensive collection of emulated black and white film types, a variable toning selector for adding traditional toning techniques, over 20 one-click preset styles, and a state-of-the-art grain reproduction engine that help produce the highest quality black and white images possible from your color images while providing more freedom to experiment.

Janice Wendt from Nik Software will demonstrate how to best work with your files, from RAW capture to output using the award winning Nik Software tools. You will learn how to easily work with your files to create stunning black and white images. Techniques that will be taught in this lecture will remove the need for tedious selections and endless numbers of steps. Janice will teach how to get the most out of your workflow, optimizing raw images, noise reduction techniques, global adjustments vs. targeted adjustments, selective enhancements, bringing out detail, applying traditional techniques, black and white images from color capture and creating a style with your retouching.

Eric Luden, Owner of Digital Silver Imaging, will discuss more about output and their unique black & white printing methods. DSI incorporates cutting edge laser printing technology from Durst with true gelatin silver papers from Ilford Photo to produce stunning black & white prints. DSI was an early adopter of Silver Efex Pro and has been recommending the software to their clients for the past 15 months. “Silver Efex Pro takes the mystery out of the black & white digital workflow and allows the photographer total control, without all the headaches.”