Hi ,

I was reading a book about art this morning and came across this quote. I think it perfectly addresses the "creative paralysis" that so easily befalls us, and the idea that we're often looking for direction about the best ways to do things, whether we're unsure about a specific technique, or because we don't want to go against what the pros, or the people on social media tell us. 

"Our worldview is what makes decisions so hard. Since ancient times, our way of seeing the world has been marked by polarities We think in terms of light and dark, good or evil, heaven or hell. And under the assumption that every coin has two sides, we unknowingly develop the idea that anything but the "right" decision is "wrong."

-Felix Scheinberger

What Felix is trying to say here, is that there is no right or wrong in photography, or in any kind of creative endeavor. Every design decision you make contains countless possibilities and subtleties, and each of those decisions is but a mere step on your own personal journey, not to perfection, but to increased proficiency and confidence. That's the most we can ask for. 

Every picture you take is a learning process that informs and adds a little bit to your skills and knowledge about your craft. And of course, the mere fact of being creative is good for the brain, the souls, and our mental health, whether we produce a masterpiece or not. 

As I've often said, the process of creativity is what matters, because it means you will have spent time engaged in an activity that you love, and learning something along the way. What's more valuable than that in life?

Here's Your Exclusive DxO Labs Discount Code

Last week I told you about DxO Labs software, and that my photo editing program of choice for the past five years has been DxO PhotoLab. 

I like its combination of powerful processing tools, ease of use, excellent de-noisisng technology, built-in lens correction profiles, and a straightforward Photo Library feature that doesn't require the often-complicated step of having to import your images a catalog, and re-sync whenever you make changes. It's a simple file browser, but with broad metadata tools for keywording, tagging, rating, sorting, and searching your images. 

I also promised that I'd give you an exclusive discount code so that you can save some money if you were interested in purchasing PhotoLab 8 or the NIK 7 COLLECTION suite of creative plugins for Lightroom and Photoshop. 

Both programs have a 30-day free trial period, so I encourage you to give either one (or both) a try to see if they're right for you. 

And if you do decide to purchase PhotoLab 8 or the NIK 7 COLLECTION, use code DanBailey15 to save 15% on any DxO software.

Note: PhotoLab 8 comes in two versions, Elite and Essential, and you can see the feature comparison chart on the bottom of this page. 

Click here to purhcase the Elite Version of PhotoLab 8

Click here to purchase the Essential Version of PhotoLab 8

Click here to purchase the NIK 7 COLLECTION

PhotoLab 8 Examples

As I touched on in my previous email, I use PhotoLab 8 to process my Fujifilm RAW files, and also to tweak my Fuji JPEGs, so that they stand out even more brilliantly. Sometimes it's as simple as using DxO's "Clear View Plus" tool to reduce haze, increase vibrancy just a tad and boosting contrast. 

Here are some New Zealand before and after photos to show you what I mean. These first three images are from our very first full day of the trip, while driving north through the seaside town of Kaikōura.
 

In this first example I did a simple crop and then used the Clear View Plus tool to boost the contrast, which adds some richness to the waves and makes the bird stand out a bit more. 

I did the same thing in the next two examples below: Reduce haze and boost contrast with the Clear View Plus tool. They're subtle changes, but they really increase the life and overall impact of the final image, while still preserving the colors of the film simulation I used when I captured the scene with my X-T5.

I went considerably further with these next two images of the Richardson Mountains outside of Queenstown. Both are RAW files shot with the X-T5. On the first one, I began by applying the ACROS+R film preset that's included in the PhotoLab 8 Color/BW rendering tool palette. (Selecting the type: Digital Film gives you the option to use DxO's versions of the Fuji film simulations, which are quite good! 

Then, I made a few adjustments on the Smart Lighting tool palette, which is basically your exposure control. I went -6 on the Blacks to lighten the shadows a bit. -100 on the Highlights to preserve all of the detail in the brightest clouds, +39 on the Midtones to bring out the detail in the middle hillsides, and +8 on the shadows to add slightly more rich contrast to overall image. 

I love how this final image came out; I think preserves and accentuates the original drama of the scene, especially knowing that, the day before, we had found ourselves right in the middle of that huge Tasman Sea storm which was hammering the West Coast with so much wind and moisture!

In this last image, I went with similar approach: Apply DxO's ACROS+R digital film preset, and adjust the Smart Lighting controls -59 on the Highlights to preserve all that detail in the sky and the rain clouds, and +31 on the Midtones to preserve the detail in the foreground mountains, while still keeping them dark enough to maximize the overall drama of the images. 

I didn't spend a lot of time processing any of these shots; I just went in and made whatever changes that gave me results that inspired and excited me in the moment. However, those quick small changes made a huge difference, which is one of the reasons I like PhotoLab 8 so much. Plus the built-in Photo Library and no subscription. 👍

Are they the "right" edits? I don't know... see Felix's quote in the very beginning of this email for the answer to that question. 😀

That's all for now. I hope you found this helpful; let me know if you have any questions about DxO software, or about these image examples.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your week and have fun being creative!