The search for Quality images with Barry Beckham

Barry Beckham took to digital photography in the early days when it was still considered a black art by many. He saw the potential of digital photography and the improvements it would bring and began using Photoshop back in the days when it was version 3. Barry has gone on to produce tutorials for many of the UK photography magazines as well as authoring a book for Photoshop Elements.

However, his main passion is creating high quality images using Photoshop and he has become quite an expert in the practical use of this software. He is now producing videos exclusively for ePhotozine.tv using Photoshop and PicturesToExe audio visual software.

Barry is also well know in audio visual circles for his stunning AV shows, many of which can be downloaded from his web site. Barry has lectured all around the UK where his practical skills are constantly in demand.

Is there anything we can do to ensure we always come home from a day’s shooting with the best exposure and image possible?

Well, yes there is - there is quite a bit we can do actually.

First we can use the Auto Bracketed exposure option that most cameras give us to make sure we do capture the best exposure possible. We can shoot in Raw mode and process the images with 16 bit colour. We add do that using Smart Objects in Camera Raw and then layers and layer masks.

Every exposure we make, unless we are very lucky to have perfect lighting conditions will be a compromise. One part of the image will need more exposure than another. Often, we cannot achieve that at the taking stage no matter what we do or what our skill level is.

Smart objects allow us a convenient way to deal with those issues in Adobe Camera Raw.

If we combine bracketed exposures, Raw shooting, 16 bit processing, Smart Objects, layers and layer masks. We have an unbeatable combination giving us control unheard of only a few years ago.