Jon Sienkiewicz Blog

Whether the holidays bring out your “Humbug!” or your “Ho, ho, ho!” there’s one thing you must admit: it’s the most colorful season of the year. And all of those colorful lights are just begging to be zoomed, blurred and pleasantly smeared. Here are two common techniques that are easy to try.

Need to shoot a camera for eBay, Thingamajig for your employer’s website or pastry for the bake sale? You can get slick, professional-looking results with minimal headache and a very tiny investment using mostly recycled stuff. 

I’m a walking battery holder. My iPhone, MacBook Air and Fujifilm X-T1 all contain lithium-based batteries. And I have spares. My Maglite and Casio travel alarm have alkaline cells inside. And my Tag watch has a—well, I know. It has a battery, but I have no idea what kind. Oh—and there’s a lithium DL 2025 in my car key. Add my tonnage to the other 415 similarly equipped passengers on a typical 747 and that adds up to big a pile of volatile chemicals. Little wonder that the FAA and other government agencies are rightfully concerned. 

Deleted images do not “go away.” Formatting a memory card does not “erase” the images. Never sell or loan a memory card unless you’re willing to share every image that’s ever been on it.

She’s beautiful on the outside, but it’s what you can’t see on the inside that makes this number so special. 

Flatbed scanners are great for copying documents and creating high resolution image files from printed pictures. Every serious photographer should own a flatbed. However, there are times when a digital camera trumps a scanner at its own game. “When?” you ask. Read on!

Last month readers enjoyed our Easy Photo Tip that explained how to zoom during exposure to create an exciting special effect. But a few readers had trouble mastering the technique. Here’s a way to achieve nearly the same results using Photoshop Elements 12.