Thanks! ❤️
I have a bunch on Instagram, username StaneeRae.

I’ve been playing with Wombo Dream AI for a few months. It’s a flat-rate subscription. To generate images, you can use the mobile app, or the Discord command line prompt. It’s fun. And challenging, to perfect your keywords in order to get something unusual.

Sign up for JixiPix emails, as they have sales at various times. One is over Black Friday - Cyber Monday. Sale prices are usually 40% or 45% off.

But last year, their 12 Days of Christmas event had the best deals. Each day, one app was featured at a discount. The Desktop daily apps were 45-60% off.
iPad apps were just $5 each (reg. $20), whereas they were $11 or $12 each over Black Friday.

I just got an email from Mediachance:
—————
Speaking of Ai, If you've noticed a strangely increasing flood of gorgeous fantasy images from all corners of the internet in recent months as if everyone suddenly became a massive artistic talent, there are two possibilities here.

You either don't know what things such as Dall-E, Midjourney or Stable Diffusion are, or you've already read/watched a million articles about them (and probably tried them yourself).

In a nutshell, you type text and the AI generates an image for you.
While it may have appeared to be just a curiosity a year ago, I argue that is no longer the case.
…
But, here is a segue toAi Photo and Art Enhancer (and probably DAP 7 as well).

Whatever you think of these new image-generating tools, Ai Photo & Art Enhancer is a fantastic way to enlarge such images. I've tried it. It works.
——————-

There is another plugin called Elements XXL. It’s more expensive, but appears to add functionality within existing PS Elements menus for a seamless experience.
https://thepluginsite.com/products/elementsxxl/index.htm

Ask to see an album or proof book that shows a single wedding, start to finish. A website often shows their Greatest Hits (photos from multiple weddings).
Also ask if they carry professional liability insurance. Most venues in my area require proof (certificate) from the photographer’s insurance company.

Got an email today from the makers of Dynamic Auto Painter (DAP), and remembered this thread. They have a new product (for Windows) that can sharpen, enlarge and emphasize details. There’s a free trial you can download. Introductory price is $28.

Do a search for:
MediaChance Ai Photo & Art Enhancer

It seems strange that Topaz discontinued all their artistic effects. I’ve heard more people are switching to JixiPix software. Their Pro products seem to be both stand alone & plug-in. They’re running a 12 Days of Christmas sale, with a different product each day. Today (Dec. 15) it’s JixiPix Impresso Pro for $24.99, which is 50% off. Available for Mac/Win. Probably a reasonable substitute for Topaz Impressions.
https://jixipix.com/artista-impresso-pro/details.html

I follow some graphic design groups on Facebook. One person posted this:
——-
This isn't a resource - it's a warning. I'm beta-testing Win 11. With the upgrade, custom fonts DO NOT WORK RIGHT. Font alternates don't work at all - you get the wrong character, wrong sizes, or nothing at all.

The problem occurs both in Photoshop and other programs.

Beware before you upgrade - if you've got a lot of expensive fonts, unless it's fixed before release, you'll potentially be losing the functionality you paid for. I *HAVE* reported it through the feedback system, but don't know how much of a priority it will be.

I saved the email DXO sent, when I requested the free download in June 2020. These were the links. Text on the top part of the page looks garbled, but a box popped up asking if I wanted to download the .exe or .dmg file.

Mac - https://nikcollection.dxo.com/gift-confirmation/?software=dnc-0&os=mac&entry=2000621308

Win - https://nikcollection.dxo.com/gift-confirmation/?software=dnc-0&os=win&entry=2000621308

DesignCuts has some free Affinity webinars coming up.
https://www.crowdcast.io/designcuts

Not sure if it’s the same, but these companies carry archival products.
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/
https://printfile.com/

Aurora forecast shows good possibilities tonight (December 10, 2020) just after dark.
https://cdn.softservenews.com/free-member/aurora-borealis-forecast-3-day.html

Found the coupon deal mentioned in the original post, by scrolling down the Facebook page for Gem-Zoom. It’s over a year old, but still appears to work.

Go to this link and use coupon code GZU18 at checkout for $15 off. Net cost is $65. Free shipping within the Continental USA.

https://septools.com/product/gem-zoom-u-macro-10x-photography-for-gemstones-diamond-and-jewelry/

Here are ones that portrait/wedding photographers have used:

https://theportraitmasters.com/

https://www.royaltyfree.com/

https://www.triplescoopmusic.com/how-music-licensing-works/all