Zoo Babies (Cute-n-clicky!)

As the photo editor for AOL CityGuide, I have the pleasure of editing original and fun images for the photo tours. The current Zoo Babies gallery is one I could not resist sharing with the world. These creatures are super adorable. 

Check out all the photos in the Zoo Babies photo gallery. 

Enjoy!  And if you've got some photos of your favorite zoo babies or animals, don't forget to share them.

-  Adrienne

 

Photo Tip: Holiday Card Recipe

Here is a quick and easy way to use some of your photos to make personalized Holiday cards.  Using your own images as templates will make your card unique and set it apart from the standard card designs offered my many online outlets.

 

In the tutorial below we show you how we made our holiday card in PhotoShop by using a Christmas tree image and a family photo.

 

Step 1:  Take a background photo

 

For the holiday cards you could shoot something festive and colorful.  It could be as simple as a Christmas tree image below.   We picked an image where the background was a bit out of focus as it helped bring the eye to the ornament in the foreground. 

 

 

Step 2:  Resize photo

 

Size your photo to match your output.  We sized ours at 6" x 4" with a 300dpi.

 

Step 3: Duplicate background layer

 

As we have mentioned in earlier tutorials, it's always best to work in a duplicate layer.  Create a duplicate layer by using Control "J" on a PC, or Apple "J" on a Mac. 

 

 

Step 4.  Elliptical Marquee

 

Next use the elliptical marquee tool, with the feather radius set to 10 and make a selection on the ornament.   Here is where you can find the elliptical marquee tool:

 

 

Make sure you are working on the duplicate layer.   Drag the selection to a size smaller than the ornament and if needed move and center the selection.   Note: this might take a few tries.  This is the area we chose to select with the elliptical marquee (seen here in close up):

 

 

Step 5:  Deleting the selection

 

Once you have your elliptical marquee in position, hit delete.  To make sure that the selection has been deleted you will have to turn off the background layer. You will now see the checkered pattern on the duplicate layer:

 

 

Deselect and rename the duplicate layer ‘ornament.'  (double click on the type in the layer drop down bar to rename)

 

Make sure you save you work.

 

Step 6:  Take a family photo

 

This could be close up of your child, a group shot of your children, an image of your pet or it could be your portrait - anything that strikes your fancy.

 

Step 7:  Resize family photo

 

Resize the family photo so the head size of the subject fits nicely in the ornament in the background photo.

 

Note - Make sure the dpi on the background image and the family photo are the same.

 

Step 8:  Move family photo

 

Using the move tool, move the family photo on top of the background photo.  You will now see the new layer in the layer palette:

 

 

Step 9:  Sandwich the family photo

 

In the layer palette, move the family photo so it is in between the background layer and the ornament layer.  Click andhold on the family picture layer, a hand shows up, move the layer down.  Label the layer ‘family.’ 

 

 

Using the move tool, adjust the family photo till the face appears in the ornament.

 

 

Step 10:  Playing with the opacity

 

If you want change the opacity, to let more of the ornament come through, while you are still on the family layer, move the opacity down to around 90%.   As you can see above we kept ours at 95%.

 

Step 11:  Write a message

 

Using the type tool write your message on the left side.  We chose a darker pink from the Christmas ornaments and used the Bookman Old Style font. 

 

 

Step 12: Printing

 

Your card is now ready to serve to family and friends.  Print it out yourself or send it to AOL Pictures to have prints made.

 

Give it a try and show us what you created with your photos.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

- Kathy

Camera Review: Nikon Coolpix S7c

A few months ago the AOL Photo Talk blog featured a brief introduction to Nikon’s new Wi-Fi enabled Point and Shoot camera, the Coolpix S7c. After purchasing Nikon’s new digital goody and experimenting with the possible features, I reached a satisfying conclusion—this camera is definitely worth the investment, despite some trivial issues with connectivity and ergonomics.

 

WIFI FEATURE: The initial setup of the wireless functionality was messy, resulting in some confusion concerning what networks I could access. The software that comes with the camera allows you to designate home networks, printing networks (yes, you can print from your camera with the proper setup) and "familiar" networks. All of this designation belies the reason why you initially considered the wireless: ease of transfer —  the ability to shoot images at a friends house and send them instantaneously to your buddies. According to the manual, that’s a no-no — you can only transmit from a T-Mobile hotspot or a previously defined network. I was miffed. But as it turns out, you can send photos on an open, unlocked network, as long as the camera is picking up the signal. Using a handy scroll wheel, you can type in email addresses on the camera and ship off the images in various sizes. Despite the confusing setup and fairly weak Wi-Fi locator, the concept and innovation is a plus. 7.5/10

QUALITY: With a 3-inch LCD showing off 7 megapixel images, photos look good both on and off the camera. Cool settings such as macro mode (close focus), sport time-lapse mode (a rapid flip book of 16 mini images placed into one photo frame), night mode (rear camera flash for swirling nighttime colors) and high ISO (non-blurry images in dark situations without flash) add to the diversity of effects to choose from. The video also has a surprisingly high quality level, and recording time depends on your memory card and not the camera's time capacity. The only quality issue I faced was an occasional issue with focus — while in the "Portrait" modes, my subjects faces were often soft. In low light situations, the auto-focus occasionally couldn't find a focal point immediately, making the spontaneity of shooting a lengthier process. 9/10

ERGONOMICS: The camera has dozens of modes and options, making it adaptable to circumstance although sometimes hard to navigate. It helps to be familiar with Nikon to dexterously use this camera, but the ability to navigate through scroll menus is required. With two different main menus and modes to accompany every menu option, it may take a while to choose your ideal setting for an image. And if you happen to misstep and click on "Wi-Fi," be prepared to wait a bit while your camera attempts to pick up a signal. In this case, I would say more is more in an era where digital cameras can practically do laundry, but the organization of this fabulous functionality could use some rearranging. 6.5/10

 

Here are some examples of images taken with Coolpix S7c:

 

This image was taken in the sport time-lapse mode (a rapid flip book of 16 thumbnail images.)

 

 

Use of night mode (rearcamera flash for swirling nighttime colors.)

 

Check out these sites for more information on the Nikon Coolpix S7c: Nikon and DPReview.

 

Enjoy.  And don't forget to send us images you shoot with the Coolpix S7c.

 

- Rachel

Anonymous Pulitzer Prize Winner Revealed

This chilling photograph, taken in Iran in 1979, won the Pulitzer Prize that year.  This was the first and only time a Pulitzer Prize was given to an anonymous recipient: the photographer remained anonymous for 27-years, until now.

 

The photo was taken by Jahangir Razmi, a staff photographer for Ettela'at, one of the leading Iranian newspaper at the time.  The photo spread through the world's media like wildfire.   

 

Mr. Ramzi in a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal revealed that he had taken 26- frames during this mass execution of the Kurds.  Mr. Heydari, Ettela'at's photo editor, chose to run the one above - a moment when some of the squadrons had fired and some hadn't.  Some bodies had fallen.  And some stood upright, dignified, ready to take the bullet.

 

Twenty-seven years later, the photo is still overwhelming.  Still difficult to look at.  As are the other frames taken on that day, which can now be seen, for the first time ever, at The Wall Street Journal.  It's a long article, but worth the read as it takes you through the events on August 11, 1979, how Mr. Ramzi got the film to his editors, how he kept his secret for 27-years. 

 

- Monika

Did You See That?

For some reason, this was a potpourri week in sports photos - a lot of random sports outside the big three (basketball, football, baseball) with events happening all over the world, but nothing of a major, grand scale for an American audience.

There are some people around the office who grumble when "Did You See That?" goes on tangents like this - there's too much silly stuff, with people we've never heard of doing things we don't do - so why would anyone look at the gallery? More NFL, more NBA, et cetera.

Hey, one of the best picture editing mentors I ever had, had the simple philosophy of "surprise and delight, enlighten" when it came to photographs. Show people something they don't normally get to see.

I'm pretty sure this athlete is just another guy at a the world-class level, a German who skis, shoots, and pops a photo of his girlfriend on his rifle. But hey, I don't see that every day.... :-)

To see the rest of the images from this week in sports, go to AOL Sports: Did You See That?, and for more NFL photos, go to NFL - Week In Photos - AOL Sports.

- Mike Heffner

 

 

Pictures of the Week: Nov. 25 - Dec. 1

In this week's Pictures of the Week gallery, the photo of the young girls peeking from backstage during the dance phase of the traditional Miss Chiquitita pageant has an element that I just love in photography: the ability to capture and freeze the various emotions of different people reacting to the exact same event. It allows us to witness the variety of human emotions, and makes us curious about the thoughts of the people in the photo.

 

 

In this case, I wonder if the girls are looking on as competitors, or if they are they still innocent enough not to be concerned with who is "best," or if they are merely watching from backstage and marveling entertainment of it all.

 

Check out all of this week's pictures, and cast your vote for the best photo: Pictures of the Week.

 

-Lee

The Bridge

I know this may seem to be more about music, but I love all things creative with emphasis on photography. A photograph can capture a moment that might ordinarily pass us by -- whether a particular moment, or in this case a special event. 

 

 

Lionel Richie, former singer for the Commodores and very successful solo artist, paired with a new up-and-coming artist, Lyfe Jennings. The two were recently brought together for a new feature on AOL Black Voices called "The Bridge." Yep, you got it, a bridge between music generations. Each artist performs a couple of songs solo, then they get together for a nice duet at the end. 

 

I'm not as familiar with Lyfe Jennings' work, but the two of them did a nice duet on one of my favorite Commodore hits, "Easy."  Lionel seemed to really enjoy listening to Jennings sing ... although Jennings seemed a little apprehensive. While the video is playing you can take a look at the photo gallery for those moments that you may have missed or were not privy to during their performance (click on the "Come on in" link and then look for the "Photos" link below the text).

 

Enjoy The Bridge!

 

~ Mo