Blancer.com Tutorials and projects

Take a look through this Tutorial and create an entertaining falling platforms game using Flash and ActionScript 3.0. Don’t hit the purple platforms or move outside of the screen, or you’ll lose a life!

Brief Overview

Using the Flash drawing tools we’ll create a good looking graphic interface that will be powered by several ActionScript 3 classes.

The user will be able to move a character across the stage and the platforms, you can modify the parameters in the class to customize the game.

Tutorial Author: Carlos Yanez

Simon Plant takes us on location to Shapwick Heath on the wetlands of Somerset in England and films his shooting process, then takes us into his editing process.

Trying to shoot something that does not fit your vision then hoping Photoshop will come to the rescue will not produce fulfilling imagery. To prove this point, Simon Plant takes us on location to Shapwick Heath on the wetlands of Somerset in England.

Here we explore several promising locations where Simon attempts to capture images that keep with his personal vision/style. He discusses what he’s trying to get from the shots and explains why some don’t work for him although he tries to produce them anyway.

Back in the studio we are shown some of the images Simon captured, and we are shown the finished files before being taken step-by-step through the retouching of one of the images. Simon shows how the various adjustments can help accentuate what you have captured with the camera.

The United States of America’s National Parks are a treasure of historic, geologic and geographic beauty. Stretching from shore to shore and into the Pacific and Arctic oceans, the park system has been established to preserve and make available the uniqueness contained therein to citizens and visitors alike. Presented in this Premium tutorial are some tips on getting the most from your visit to the National Parks system followed by some advice specific to a few of the more popular parks. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find:

Camp If You Can

Once inside the park of your choice, it is best to find a campsite within easy access to your desired photographic objective. In some parks, such as Bryce Canyon, the campground is right across the road from phenomenal sunrise vistas. In other parks, some driving or hiking will be required.

Copyright Peter West Carey

Take The Maps

Copyright Peter West Carey
When paying to enter a National Park, grab the maps. They are typically handed over when passing through a toll booth and are also available at visitor centers or often at trailheads. Most maps are quite good. While they may not be the best for taking a backcountry hike, they will quickly orient visitors to key features, facilities and landmarks.

Get Up Early

This is a tried and true method of capturing great light whether in a National Park or walking your streets at home. You’ve heard it here before and you’ll hear it again; the “golden hour” during (and just after) sunrise, as well as before sunset, offers stunning light in the US National Parks. Raising early will also help you avoid the crowds (although you will likely find other photographers at the popular hotspots like Tunnel View in Yosemite with the classic setting seen in the famous Ansel Adams photo) and get a prime parking spot, which can be a hassle in the middle of the day or for evening shots.

Yellowstone

Being America’s oldest national park, Yellowstone tends to be a pilgrimage for many photographers. It contains a wide variety of subject matter; from wildlife (elk, moose, wolf, bear, bison, birds of prey, etc…) to waterfalls, geysers and multicolored paint pots. It also looks gorgeous when covered in snow.

Classic shots like the Old Faithful geyser and Yellowstone Falls require a bit of planning to get the lighting right. A number of the paint pots and pools can be shot close to midday, especially if there are broken clouds to add shadows to the landscape. Image like these can be produced easier by using a polarizing filter.

In summer, expect travel times to increase from what you might assume. Road will often become blocked with people pulling over to photograph or observe wildlife. Patience is indeed needed in this well-loved park. Winter travel can offer a bit more freedom, but then road closures due to weather need to be kept in mind. Fall is a great time to visit as the crowds have abated and the tricky weather can often deliver some dramatic results.

Copyright Peter West Carey

Copyright Kim Rossi

And much, much more. With more tips and photos from Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Arches, Crater Lake and Haleakala

If you’ve ever wondered how to capture beautiful silhouette images or you’re hoping to sharpen your skills in this area, this tutorial will provide a comprehensive look at shooting and processing silhouettes.

One of the simplest ways to photograph the beautiful colors of a sunrise or sunset is to capture a silhouette. It’s a great way to emphasize the shape and outline of a subject while including some brilliant colors in the background.

This tutorial will guide you through the process of photographing silhouettes. It will discuss what equipment you need, what settings to use on your camera, how to find the right aperture and shutter speed, what makes a good subject, and how to process your images in Photoshop.

Using the right equipment

Before you get into photographing silhouettes, it’s important to get the right equipment. This tutorial provides a list of the basics, and explanations about why each item is important.

• Digital SLR
• Tripod (and head)
• Telephoto lens (300mm or longer)
• And more!

Setting up your camera

You’ll find a guide for settings you should consider using when photographing silhouettes and reasons why to use them. From file and ISO settings to way to stablize your camera, they’re all covered here.

Finding a Good Subject

Learn about two basic types of silhouettes, and which subjects work best for each technique.

Have you ever since those gorgeous nature documentaries with stunning time-lapse sequenence and wonder how they were made? The answer may surprise. The equipment isn’t much different than that digital SLR you have in your camera bag.

Learn what is a timelapse video?

“Time-lapse photography is a cinematography technique whereby each film frame is captured at a rate much slower than it will be played back. When replayed at normal speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing. Time-lapse photography can be considered to be the opposite of high speed photography.”

Learn about the equipment

• Any camera, SLR , compact or even webcam
• Digital Intervalometer
• Large memory card. (4GB+ recommended)
• Tripod (For still shots – Its a must)
• Software for Moviemaking

Learn about time-lapse styles

Before we start shooting we need to decide if we would like a still or panning shot. In simple terms, if the camera will move or stay still. In my example I kept my camera locked onto a tripod shooting the same position.

Still shots are the easiest, simply place your camera on your tripod, set up your intervalometer and then walk away and then return later once it has finished. Whereas panning shots involve a little more work.

Learn to merge your shots and create your movie.

• Picasa 3 (Free from google – windows or mac)
• Quicktime Pro ($40 – windows or mac)
• Compressor ($999 with Final Cut Suite – mac only)
• Photoshop – Optional

If you’re looking at photographic lighting equipment and wondering why it’s so expensive, well it’s time to learn about an alternative. In this video tutorial, we’ll cover how to make your own spotlight for your studio.

As photographers we crave light. How many other artists talk about controlling light? How many other people in the world make such an absurd statement? But it’s our mission, especially in the studio. But in order to control your lighting well, it seems like you have to spend a ton money. Well, there’s another way.

In this video, you’ll learn about all needed materials needed to make your own spotlights. From drilling holes for bulb, assembling clamp stands and wiring everything together.

Simon Plant discusses how to embrace high contrast lighting situations rather than attempting to overcome them, and the idea that no light is bad light.

Many tutorials deal with extending the tonal ranges of cameras using reflectors, fill flash and HDR -exposure blending software. They discuss shooting at dawn or dusk and avoiding harsh light. In this video tutorial, Simon discusses his view that no light is bad light and shows how to embrace harsh summer light and the contrast that is often inherit in it.

Shooting in the hard midday light of Summer is not often advised or used for location photography without supplementary lighting or other photographic tricks. Simon shows how with a bit of care we can use the excessive contrast often found in these conditions to produce dynamic images. He discusses exposure and why it’s important to still try to get the best exposure capture possible even though we are expecting and allowing shadows to go dark.

In part 1 of this tutorial, we’ll go with Simon to the coast where he shoots several locations, then in Photoshop, he’ll discuss how he selects his shortlist of images and why each image is chosen. He’ll also cover some post-processing.

Many tutorials deal with extending the tonal ranges of cameras using reflectors, fill flash and HDR -exposure blending software. They discuss shooting at dawn or dusk and avoiding harsh light. In this video tutorial, Simon discusses his view that no light is bad light and shows how to embrace harsh summer light and the contrast that is often inherit in it.

Shooting in the hard midday light of Summer is not often advised or used for location photography without supplementary lighting or other photographic tricks. Simon shows how with a bit of care we can use the excessive contrast often found in these conditions to produce dynamic images. He discusses exposure and why it’s important to still try to get the best exposure capture possible even though we are expecting and allowing shadows to go dark.

In Part 2, we fine tune our second image. After tackling a less than straight horizon, Simon then discusses the main focal point in the image. He makes several adjustments to help strengthen this and add further add impact. Along the way Simon offers several tips and techniques, plus a warning about posterization.

“Small Town, USA ” is a moniker often used when debating politics and finances. It’s supposed to be an idyllic setting meant to conjure how people live outside of the city. Statistically speaking, few of us live in a small town, be it in the U.S. or any other country. That makes it an excellent challenge to capture photographically.

This guide will list some of the key aspects to consider while photographing a small town. It is not intended to be limited to the U.S. as there are small towns all over the world. The goal when trying to photograph an entire town is to tell the story of the place. To do this well, you will need your senses to be open, not just the shutter on your camera.

People

People make a place and it’s important to include both near and far shots in your documenting of the small town. Taking people photos is not high on the list of most traveler’s favorite types of photography and a big reason is the need to ask permission. While technically not required (in the USA you can take photos of recognizable people on public property as long as you are not doing so in a commercial sense), this is your chance to get to know the town better.

Copyright Peter West Carey
What can you do to break out of the “don’t ask” mold? Get to know people with your camera down first. People are easier to approach when a camera is not in their face or they are expecting a photo. Be honest and open. Tell your new friends where you came from and why you’re here. Ask many questions. People love to talk about where they live especially when the audience is accepting.

Main Street

Small towns have either grown up around a Main Street and expand or sometimes have contracted back down to the Main Street. Either way, it is the heart of the town. It may be a long promenade or a short, one block wonder. Your job is to find the life on this street and convey the feeling you get when standing there. Your viewers back home won’t have the benefit of the sounds, smells and feel of the street and it’s your job to bring that out in your photos.

Copyright Baker County Tourism
Is the Main Street new or old? Has it been worn to a fine patina or is there a shine to the buildings? Is it full of life or something like a ghost town? Take some time to walk the town without your camera at the ready. Talk to the locals and try to find some history worth noting. That drab building on the corner might not catch your photographic eye until you find out it was the home of a famous person.

Copyright Peter West Carey

Commonalities

Commonalities are often overlooked for photography when traveling. By commonalities I mean what about your hometown can you find in this small town you are visiting? What brings the two together, even if in small bits.

Copyright Nick Wiesner
Most often these commonalities are mundane and overlooked, especially if you are accustomed to finding them in your everyday life. Photograph them in this new context, often surrounded by new and different objects. Objects and subjects that fall into this group can be mailboxes, a movie theater or even seeing advertisements for your favorite brand of makeup. Hairstyles and modes of dressing can also be more common than you might realize.