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Greetings,
I know we're all seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Winter is still here but there are signs of spring everywhere. Well, I'm assuming everywhere since I'm mainly staying in our yard these days. But spring is coming to our yard. And I can prove it: I've actually need to mow the lawn! And Tracy's flowering plants are beginning to poke their heads out of the dirt.
And hopefully, we're seeing the beginning of the end of Covid too.
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New PC!
I mentioned in my last newsletter about ordering a new PC from Puget Systems. Well, it has arrived. Two weeks ago, in fact. It’s fast and reliable and very cool looking (the pictures are of my PC just before they shipped it to me). And it runs those great Topaz AI plugins a whole lot faster than my old machine.
What I really enjoyed about the process was watching the progress on the Puget Systems site. They kept me up to date on my PC's gestation, even including thermal imaging, which reminded me of seeing ultrasound pictures of my son when he was on the way.
After getting it all hooked up, I spent the better part of a week installing programs and moving data. Admittedly, much of that was due to having to wrestle Microsoft Outlook into submission (remedying problems of my own doing). But all is good now.
If you're thinking about ordering from them, let me know and I'll tell you how you can get free ground shipping. (I don't get anything from this, just so you know)
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Covid updates
Well things are looking a lot more promising now than they were just a couple of months ago. And while, as of this writing, I’ve not gotten a vaccine, the chance of getting one by early summer is looking good. And I’ve heard from several people across the country who are planning on coming to one of my workshops that they have received their shots. So yay!
During all of my workshops and tours we will be following CDC and local guidelines, so be sure to bring masks and hand sanitizer, just in case.
I hope things keep going well and that Canada (and specifically the Northwest Territories) opens its border in plenty of time for aurora season this fall.
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A good year to visit the Palouse
Last year’s Palouse trip was remarkable in that there was more canola than I’ve ever seen before. Talking to some farmers, I found out that while other markets were having problems, there was an increased demand for canola. And that demand is supposed to extend into this year’s plantings as well. So this year in the Palouse should be another remarkable one. You should visit this spring and early summer if you can.
Every spring the Palouse is different, and the same. Same in that certain barns or buildings are usually always where they should be, certain vistas don't change too much, and sunrise is always diabolically early.
But it's always different too. Crops get rotated, the weather is always a factor, and every year I seem to find someplace or something new to photograph. The roads are myriad and the possibilities endless.
My 2021 Palouse workshop is scheduled for June 15-20 and there’s still plenty of room! Check it out here.
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May workshops
As mentioned above, things are starting to look up. I’m planning on going ahead with my two workshops in May: Olympic National Park and Bandon on the Oregon Coast.
In Olympic we’ll be based out of Forks and we’ll be visiting waterfalls, rainforests, beaches and Lake Crescent. The trail to Sol Duc Falls is one of my favorites and if the conditions in the morning are right, a special treat just might appear at the falls.
 Bandon Beach has what is arguably the most photogenic set of sea stacks on the Oregon Coast. But there’s more to the Bandon area. Nearby Shore Acres State Park boasts a formal English garden and formidable seaside cliffs and crashing waves. There are three lighthouses in the area, one right in Bandon another at Cape Blanco to the south and another at Cape Arago to the north. And we’ll spend some time at Charleston Harbor, hopefully with some fog.
Visit my Workshops site for more on these and other workshops and tours. There is still room available in all of them, though the July Olympic workshop and the two aurora tours I'm co-leading with John Barclay are all close to being full.
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Smart Objects
Ever use Smart Objects in Photoshop? I have to admit I’ve not used them much nor have I given them all that much thought. But they are a powerful tool. For example, if I open an image in Photoshop that needs noise reduction help (such as high ISO night photography) I can duplicate the image layer, turn that layer into a smart object, and then apply Topaz DeNoise AI as a filter. It then becomes a smart filter and I can re-open Denoise AI in the smart object rather than having to start with a new version of the image.
But Smart Objects can do a whole lot more and Sean Bagshaw just released a new course on using Smart Objects. As with all his courses, the information and presentation are fantastic. Check it out on his site.
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That’s all for now. I hope everyone is safe and healthy. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to getting my vaccine. I keep checking on Washington state’s Phase Finder site to see if I’m eligible yet. But apparently, I’m still too young and healthy, not to mention good looking and talented, to be eligible.
I’m not entirely sure if those last two are actually part of the qualification criteria. Just assuming.
Have some cookies.
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