I want to thank all the members from the last posting of a coloring that asked me to keep posting my work coloring B&W and photos . I know a lot of members look at my work , but very few comment . So I never knew what most members thought , did they like , don't like what I was doing to B&W photos . The work I do isn't very good , etc. , and they would like to see me stop posting ....

If your one of the members that like my work and want to see more , here are two more photos I finished since the last posting the other day .


The coloring of Gina . I left the backgrd black and white . I darkened the backgrd and gave it some blurring because I feel it makes her pop out more ( almost more 3D like) Where I found the b&w photo of her were some photos of her in color showing many different hair colors and skin tones . So I picked the colors you see here on her for this coloring .I used 8 different colors to get the skin tone

The young girl child . I like to color photos of children too because they can tell a story with their photos too . This photo , the girl's look makes me want to know what she is thinking right then , and the fact I wanted to see what she may look like in color . I did some searching to see what the skin tone I wanted to use for her for the lighting that was used . I found many with this skin tone , so I used many colors to come up with this skin tone .

When doing my skin tones .I use many different selections under the Mode for the paint brush , different amounts of Opacity , Hardness , Flow , and Colors . Sometimes use Contrast/Brightness , Dodge/Burn . Never exactly the same for each photo ...

I use two Benq Monitors ( $700 ea ) that have a chip in them and calibrate with their program to 100% sRGB correct plus many other color choices if I wish to use them .They are what I judge my colors with to my liking and what I see in real life . Just encase you may be wondering what kind of monitors I use . Photoshop is my main program , but I have many more I sometimes use when adding colors .

Since so many more members commented on the last photo after I said I may not post any more photos . Saying they love looking at my work and please don't stop . I wanted to show my gratitude .
So I decided to offer my skills to add color to a few photos of your choice that you may want to see in color . If you decide you have one that has pretty good quality and would like to see if I would be willing to add color to it . I only ask that you list any colors you would like to see used . For example , hair color , light or dark etc. It doesn't have to be of people . And if chosen , I will work on it until you are satisfied with all the colors if I can or if you just want me to choose the colors is find with me

Once again , thank you all that take the time out of your busy day to look at my work . Tommy

For you pros, or anyone with an opinion.

Occasionally, I get a client that wants me to post all of the outtakes (bad pictures) on their Zenfolio site so they can see them and judge for themselves whether or not to keep them.

This happened with the last wedding. I told them that I usually don't show those because it ruins the overall impression of the gallery and sometimes people even get angry when I show them because they feel like they got bad pictures.

The groom said he had several apps that could correct the photos. I told him that is uncool and that if there is something that needed work I would have retouched them and posted them.

We went back and forth like this for awhile until I just gave in and posted the outtakes because I felt like it was going to get me a bad review if I didn't. He was like, "We paid for pictures that we're not getting."

I've had this problem off and on for years. What is your opinion? I'm thinking about putting it in my contract that the outtakes will not be available for viewing, downloading or printing.

All of us old-timers remember listening to Superman on the radio back in the day. Some of us even saw the movie which showed where Superman came from and the family that raised him on Earth. The Starling in the attached image is scrunched up in a muscular ball ready to spring off of the hanging bird feeder with enough forward momentum to take off mid-air. While composing and editing the image, I asked myself if negative space ahead of the Starling was appropriate in that would be where he would take off. Would the photographers interested in composition on UHH care to share their thoughts regarding whether the negative space in my creation is appropriate or could be better?

Although I have been an Affinity Photo user for 2+ years I can't give a good answer to your question as my sources of information are limited to the Affinity Photo Workbook produrce by Serif, and the Affinity Forum. Your question might be a good one to post on the Forum (https://forum.affinity.serif.com/). The Workbook is certainly loaded with information but is in part organized in a projects mode, where an author goes through certain processes used in a given project, and I find that less useful than simple, how to do it, instruction. The Workbook is also very expensice, $50 list price, on sale at times for $40 or $35. Despite not liking it's style I have learned a lot from the Workbook. I find it odd that the companies user guide costs as much as the software. Serif may have a return policy on the Workbook if the buyer doesn't like it but I am not certain on that.

The Serif personnel who produced the software do monitor the Forum so answers can come from both them and users. I have consistenly gotten good answers to posts there.

I simply haven't used any of the other user guides, etc. so I'm sorry I can't be helpful regarding those sources of intruction and information. I hope the information I was able to post above is of some help.

Why is it that photographers are obsessed with obtaining so many lenses? I only have 3 lenses that serve me well. I have owned them now for about 8-10 years during which I have bought 4 new bodies. My lenses are the Canon 10-22mm efs, the 24-105mm L EF, and the 100-300mm EF. During the time i have owned these lenses I have owned the Canon XT, the 60d, 70d and now the 90d bodies. But I have never had a desire to buy new lenses. Why would I? My 24-105 is my general purpose lens. I use it for 75% or more of my shots. The 10-22 is for when I have to go wide and the 100-300 is for sports, wildlife and general telephoto needs. I cannot imagine needing anything else other than maybe a 50mm prime with a large aperture. I don’t have a camera bag big enough for anymore lenses.

How many lenses do you own?