Do you ever wonder what’s
going on with your laptop battery? Does it seem
like it just doesn’t power your MacBook Pro
as long as it used to?
Check outcoconutBatterywhich shows you
the current maximum capacity of a battery in
relation to the original capacity your battery
had as it left the factory. You can also find
out how many battery-loadcycles (how often did
you fully load your battery). This information
is useful because you can tell when a battery
is going bad (and if you aren't being a good
laptop owner). Plus it will tell you how old
the computer is, which is useful for birthday
parties and whining about needing a new
machine. You can get coconutBattery for free
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If all this talk aboutbattery
maintenancehas you confused,
visitthis pagefor some useful
tips. While its an Apple page, the same advice
holds true for Windows laptops with Lithium
Ion batteries.
This article
was originally written for inclusion in the first
edition of Photoshop for Video. I present it here
as I think the information is important (despite
the publisher cutting
it).
by Dave A. Anselmi
You all know the
feeling—that annoying “nag” in
your wrists, that stinging or
“tingling” feeling down your
forearms, perhaps that aching pain in your
shoulders and neck. At first it was a minor
annoyance… and now, sometimes you find
yourself “rushing” your edits, or
perhaps even not editing at all, because of the
pain.
You’re not alone. As more and more people
become “knowledge workers”, doctors
and therapists are seeing more and more cases of
Computer-Related Repetitive Stress Injuries
(RSI), or colloquially, “Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome” (CTS). And Non-Linear Editors are
especially susceptible, what with their long
hours sitting in the dark, ‘hunched’
over a keyboard, moving the mouse back and
forth.Read
More...
Here I’ve gone and given
you all sorts of things to try with your
computer. I would feel guilty if I didn’t
bring up ergonomics. The goal behind ergonomics
is to design the work to best fit the worker.
Highly repetitive tasks are prone cause physical
problems. The goal is to prevent back injuries,
carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and other
musculoskeletal disorders.
How serious is the problem? Very. According to
the U.S. department of Labor, approximately
one-third of all occupational injuries are
directly tied to over-exertion and repetitive
motion. These injuriescost employers over $20
billionin worker compensation each
year.
Group and
Ungroup– Similar to using a
track matte. Apply a layer to its downstairs
neighbor, but only in areas where there is
opacity. This is often used to constrain a fill
layer to a lower text layer for a Paste Into
effect. It is also used internally by many layer
styles to create proper clipping for bevel
effects.
Group:Cmd+G (Ctrl+G)
Ungroup:Cmd+Shift+G
(Ctrl+Shift+G)
Arrange
Layers– You can move layers
around from the keyboard.
Bring to
FrontCmd +
Shift + [ (Ctrl + Shift + [)
Bring
ForwardCmd
+ [ (Ctrl + [)
Send
BackwardCmd
+ ] (Ctrl + ])
Send to
BackCmd +
Shift + ] (Ctrl + Shift + ])
Align Linked
and Distribute Linked– Because your eyes
aren’t that good. Link the layers together
and access these controls from the menu (or use
the Move tool and Options bar for a graphical
interface). Want something centered on the
screen? Link to the background layer and
highlight it. The highlighted layer is the basis
for all centering and distribution.
I often find
when I am browsing the Net to select text and
drag it to the Desktop. I often use these
clippings as a way to gather a few notes. The
only problem with this system is that you
can’t modify the clipping. If you open the
clipping in the Finder you can read it, copy the
text to your clipboard, but that’s about
it. But don’t worry, there’s a great
piece of freeware to make tweaks.
Everyday Software has released ClipEdit so you
can modify both text and image clippings. The
program is free and very useful if you collect
bits of knowledge/trivia. For best results try
the following.
1. Right-click (Control-click) on a clipping file
and choose Get Info.
2. Change the Open with: drop down menu to
ClipEdit
3. Click Change All…
ClipEdit is now set as the default editor for all
clippings… much more useful and all
it’ll cost you is a visit toEveryday
Software.
Adjustments
> Black and White –A poweful new command
in the Adjustments category that creates
believable black and white conversions. With CS3
Extended, you can run it on footage too.
Adjustments
> Shadow/Highlight –This powerful command
makes fixing dark shadows and overblown
highlights a snap. Be sure to check the More
Options box for extra power.
Adjustments > Invert –Useful for
swapping transparent areas on a mask or channel.
Calculations –This is truly a
powerful way to create an alpha channel.
Variables
– These allow you to
define variables in a template, then quickly
input new data to create additional graphics.
Step
Forward and Step Backward –Multiple
undos.
Fade– Not happy with
the results of a filter or an adjustment? Choose
this immediately after running the filter. By the
way, did I mention this adds blending modes to
all filters? Your filter collection just grew
2100%. Try it now! Give your filters new life!
Remember: you must choose this immediately after
running a filter. This is quite possibly
Photoshop’s most underused feature.
(Shift+Cmd+F/Shift+Ctrl+F)
Copy Merged –Copy multiple layers
into one layer on your clipboard. Why flatten
unnecessarily? (Shift+Cmd+C/Shift+Ctrl+C)
Check Spelling & Find and Replace Text
–Because spelling
errors are generally nonbillable.
Free Transform –This tool does it all.
Access every layer transformation by
Ctrl+clicking (right-clicking) while in free
transform mode. Cut downs on image degradation by
applying all your sizing, warping, and
perspective changes at once. Cmd+T (Ctrl+T)
Purge –Free up space by
deleting undos, clipboards, history! This will
enable you to save and close when you get the
dreaded “Scratch Disks Are Full”
message.
Save As... –Choose from 20+
formats (more through special plugins). Photoshop
is the ultimate graphic converter. Shift+Cmd+S
(Shift+Ctrl+S)
Save for Web & Devices –It
doesn’t get any more intuitive. Choose the
two-up window, resize and compress your image for
the web or e-mail. Now you can safely send the
client an approval copy without having to worry
about messing up your original.
Shift+Option+Cmd+S (Shift+Alt+Ctrl+S)
Place –Can’t open it?
Try placing it. This is how you can bring in EPS,
AI, or PDF files. It allows you to position and
scale an image (via a bounding box). When you
click OK, Photoshop will add it at the proper
size, position, and resolution (plus newer
versions of Photoshop will insert it as a useful
Smart Object).
Automate Submenu –These are some of the
most useful tools for preparing client comps.
Whether for print, web, or e-mail, the Automate
options take boring tasks and make them quick and
easy. Think of this menu as Photoshop’s
batch rendering option. (Think of batch rendering
as the only chance you may get for caffeine,
nicotine, or vending machine—the vices for
a media pro.)
So, making a book using
iPhoto is still the best. I sat down and was
going to use Aperture, but it didn't have
the theme I wanted (although both use the
same engine and printer service). If you've
never made a book, the process is a snap.
1. Select the photos you want in the browser
(pick more than you think you'll need)
2. Click the Book icon in the Toolbar
3. Flip from page to page (choosing layout
options from the Toolbar)
4. Drag photos in and scale and position using
intuitive controls.
Mini books start at $4 and larger books range
between $20 -$30 depending on soft or hard
covers. It really makes a nice keepsake for
friends or even a new way to build a portfolio.
But what about 'proofing?' Well you can share the
book before you print it.
1. In iPhoto, choose File > Print.
2. In the Print Window, choose Save as PDF.
3. Pick a destination, then name the file and
click OK.
4. Send the PDF to those who need to review it.
The mini books make great leave behinds for
clients or potential employers.
Billed
as "functional neckwear,"XUBÁZ™ [pronounced
SHOE:BÁZ] offers an alternative to a jacket.
The scarf-like accessory with six pockets and
two straps to keep it in place. This thing
looks seriously great for field shoots and
photography where I need a place to keep some
gear on a warm day. While the company promises
to "add style to my wardrobe" (do I need it?)
I'd just be happy to have more pockets and
less sweat.
• Two upper pockets secured with flaps and
snaps.
• Two “nested” pockets within
the upper pockets.
• Two lower pockets with a zipper.
Looking to
expand your typographical toolbox? Then be sure
to visit Dinc Type at the unique URLwww.GirlsWhoWearGlasses.com.The
site is sassy and filled with great fonts. The
unique thing is that while fonts are free, the
selection frequently changes and fonts appear
then disappear. Its like an incredible import
shop where everything’s free, but the
inventory keeps changing. Bookmark and keep
checking back as their fonts are absolutely
fantastic.
Got to love the Internet.
The fine folks over at St. Andrew’s
University have released the Perception
Laboratory's Face Transformer. It allows you
to change the age, race or sex of a facial
image. You first have to upload an image,
and then you can experiment.
Give it a
try.
I
saw this mentioned over atScott Kelby's
blog. If you need
hi-res textures, for free, then be sure to
check out theTexture King
website. There's more than
250 images to choose from including glass,
fabric, rust, metal, and wood. The images are
totally free to use in any project and its a
great site to check out.
This is a
book that I’ve wanted to write for a LONG
time.
Video Made on a Mac: Production and
Postproduction Using Apple Final Cut Studio and
Adobe Creative Suite
Richard Harrington I have just
returned my final comments for the new book Video
Made on a Mac. We are now compressing the 5.5
hours of HD video lessons that come with this
book. This book is SO awesome... (I am not
objective, but its the best book I've ever
written). If you work with Final Cut Studio
and/or Adobe Creative Suite... You need this
book. We have filled it to the brim with time
saving workflow and practical advice. Here’s the official
blurb – You can order it
hereon Amazon (it’ll
ship in a few weeks).
On a Mac, the sky's the limit for creating
professional video. With all the tools available
though, it can be a daunting task to decide which
ones offer the best solutions for combined
efficiency and high-level results. How can you
effectively communicate your vision to clients
and crew? How should you calibrate your camera
for multi-camera and green screen shoots? Is it
better to do your keying in After Effects,
Motion, or Final Cut? How should you set up your
edit suite for efficiency and accuracy? How do
you manage large amounts of media and a multitude
of formats for multiple software applications?
In Video Made on a Mac, you'll learn the answers
and much more. Chock-full of practical advice and
step-by-step instructions, each chapter provides
insight on the critical components of production
and postproduction that can make all the
difference when you're up against a tight budget
and schedule. The accompanying DVD supplies you
with project files and high-definition footage so
you can follow along with the examples, as well
as 50 training videos. Whether you're an advanced
Mac user or just beginning to incorporate Adobe
Creative Suite into your Final Cut Studio
workflow, you'll learn to apply best-practice
techniques to all your video projects.
I am officially on Twitter...you can followif you'd like:
1. Random thoughts. 2. Cool links from Smart
Friends 3. Breaking News. If my babbling
doesn't bore you...http://twitter.com/rhedpixel
Many of you will
notice that I amfarbetter at posting
to myFacebook fan pageand toTwitterthan I am to my blogs. This
is due in large part to the fact that I
can’t blog via my iPhone (but can easily
post to Twitter and Facebook). So if you
can’t beat em...join em.
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