Now We Know...What is Aperture 2...
The Workshop/seminar included the ff.:

A short briefing for the participants before the actual photography, importing the images after the shoot into Aperture 2 using MacBooks, introduction into the basics of Aperture 2 including the versatile interface, tools, tips, how to produce a short slide show with Aperture 2, the integration on a Mac using iLife & iWorks including a demo how to produce a short presentation with Keynote, brief description on Pages and a live/real time demo using the .Mac Web Gallery in Aperture 2, open discussions and photo critique...plus a lot more.

Cool shot by Group 1
Photo by John

Our first two sessions at the Power Mac Center are done, great attendance, great participants and some cool images processed in Aperture 2.
Shooting around Greenbelt and later processing the images in Aperture 2 an introduction into Aperture at the Power Mac Center, the first group from 1pm until 5 pm was lucky with the weather. However the second Group from 5 p.m. until 8 pm had to deal with tropical rain and darkness, a challenge which in my opinion was well executed.

The participants and classroom sessions, the training
facility at the Power Mac Center, Makati, Manila

I like to thank all participants from today, for a job, well done, special thanks to Melvin Tosino, Andrew and E.J. from the Power Mac Centers technical staff who assisted me during these long hours.
Thanks to Mark-Lee Deichmann for helping out and Hermes Singson for shooting behind the scenes, plus to all the staff and Management from
Think Big for a great job.
Next week we show you some more images (including who took them) from these two days with Aperture 2 and Photography at the Power Mac Center.

A well executed shot during the tropical
rain storm by Group 2

Discover Palau Micronesia on YouTube...this small slide show was produced using iLife and Aperture 2...amazingly it only took about half an hour in putting it together including the Music using GarageBand. PRODUCED for PALAU TOURS.COM
For more images on Palau go and visit the Photo Gallery @ http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

Tags:YouTube, Palau Micronesia, Video, iLife, GarageBand, iMovie, iPhoto, Palau Tours, Discover, Survivor Micronesia

Cool images by Luis Martin Harder…
“Unscripted”

All Photos above by Hermes Singson, by the way
Luis is the one in the dark maroon/blue shirt

Congratulation to Luis Martin Harder one of my students from the Cambodian GDPhotoWorkshop last year…he really went out his way and show cased his very first Exhibition on the 13th of May in Manila.
Since Cambodia he has done real well, more than 30 images from Cambodia and the Philippines are on display, very impressive work I might add and I am very proud of him.

A good and mixed crowed attended the opening night at the One Workshop Gallery including other familiar faces like good old Bebet Gaudinez (I am just waiting to see
his Exhibition) and Jasmine Manabat who also attended my PhotoWorkshop last year,
almost like a “little reunion”.

Photographers like Wig Tysman, Tilak Hettig, George Tapan and many other personalities including Henry Bateman Artist/Writer showed up to give Luis the credit he deserves, of course the host Photographer Master printer and Artist Ross Capilli and his wife made sure everybody had enough to drink and eat. Thanks Ross.

Congratulations again to Luis Harder for a great show and super cool images…
You might remember from one of my earlier blogs…he was the one who received the
Aperture software, (which was sponsored by the Power Mac Center in Makati) during our Cambodian GDPhotoWorkshop, see the image below in case you have forgotten.
Thanks for inviting me and being part of your show, keep up the good work Luis.
GD

The winning shot, by © Luis Harder, Cambodia 2007

Tags:Event, Manila, Exhibition, Power MAC Center, Photography, Cambodia, Student, Photo Workshop, Aperture 2

Tags:Palau Micronesia, Hot News, Explore Palau, Underwater Photography, Digital Photography, Aperture 2

WELCOME TO THE PEARLS OF THE PACIFIC
...one of Natures best kept secrets.



© Gunther Deichmann - special thanks to Palau Helicopters
and Matt the Pilot, view at the 70 islands.

Click on the Images and go to our completed
Photo Gallery on Palau
http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

The official launch of the PALAU TOURS Website…
some more fine tuning has to be done and a few glitches
have to be ironed out, however our Blog is out to keep
you posted and informed around the clock.

The Palau Tours website is totally independent and
neutral, conceived more than 12 month ago with the
aim in providing YOU up to date information
on Palau and Micronesia. Information on the Environment,
Hotels, Resorts, Diving, Tours, Shopping and much more.
Soon we provide you with a complete list of Establishments,
Government Services and local Operators.



© Gunther Deichmann - Palau Pacific Resort,
PPR, Your place in Palau.
http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

At present we are going through our test phase and work
around the clock improving the site as we go…
The site will also be in different languages once the
English part is all finalized and has been approved by
the management.
Our aim is to show YOU Palau like you have never
seen it before, not only with stunning images but also
with good and informative text, so that when you
arrive in Palau you are all set to go, be it under or
above the waves.

We are AWARE of Palau’s fragile Environment and
support the Palau Conservation Society for it’s never
ending efforts in preserving Palau’s natural resources.

The Editor

Tags:Sam's Tours, Diving, Adventure, Discovery, Aperture, Survivor Series in Palau, Photography

You are cordially invited to attend our 6pm-7pm
FREE MAC Training for the month of May
at the Power Mac Training Center, Level 2 Greenbelt 3,
Ayala Center, Makati.


For all Mac and non Mac users...feel like switching? Why not!
Check out the Training Center at the Power Mac Center In Makati.
Recommended by Gunther Deichmann a certified Apple Trainer
for Aperture he is also on the Apple Aperture Advisory Board.
Visit his website @ http://www.deichmann-photo.com/home.html

Click on the image for your
Registration at the POWER MAC CENTER
MAC TOPICS:
May 6- Mac OS X.5 Leopard Basic
May 13- Mac OS X.5 Leopard Advanced
May 15-iWork (Pages & Keynote)
May 17-iLife '08 Basic (iPhoto, iMovie & GarageBand)
May 20- Automator & AppleScript
May 22 - Movie Editing Using Final Cut Pro
May 24- Troubleshooting Your Mac
May 27-TAB Animation for Kids
May 29-Switchers 101 (From PC to Mac)

Check out our Training Calendar website for more info & services.
One-on-One Tutorial/ Group Training/ Venue Rental)

http://www.powermaccenter.com/training.php

Tags:MAC,APPLE,TRAINING,Computer,Center,Philippines, Manila,

BOLLYWOOD...MUMBAI INDIA YOU SEE IT EVERYWHERE
the latest images from India are NOW on my
PHOTOSHELTER ARCHIVES


© Gunther Deichmann - BOLLYWOOD Posters along the road in
Mumbai India... click on the image for the latest photos on Mumbai India
in my PHOTOSHELTER ARCHIVE or click the link below the article.

If you travel to Mumbai India dont be surprised when you see or came across this amazing film industry, no matter where you go, posters and shooting along the road. In only 3 days I must have seen some 4 major productions along the way. Interesting or more fascinating? I guess it is AMAZING INDIA after all.

DID YOU KNOW
BOLLYWOOD is the name given to Mumbai-based Hindi language film industry. The name is a fusion of two words - Bombay and Hollywood. Bollywood is known across the world for the sheer volume of films it churns out each year. Virtually ruling the entertainment sector of India and great many parts of South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, Bollywood also commands a sizable chunk of Indian diaspora in the UK, Canada, Australia and the US.
For my images on Mumbai India go to my PHOTO SHELTER ARCHIVE @
http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann

© Gunther Deichmann - BOLLYWOOD MOVIE
production opposite the famous
TAJ Hotel In Mumbai India


© Gunther Deichmann - the famous Taj Hotel and
its amazing architecture in Mumbai for the latest images on
Mumbai India click on the image or visit my
PHOTOSHELTER COLLECTION @
http://www.photoshelter.com/c/gdeichmann

© Gunther Deichmann - aerial view near Lhasa Tibet, July 2006

A lot of us have been looking forward to this truly amazing Photo Workshop however this is beyond my control…my heart and soul goes out to the People of Tibet and I sincerely hope the situation can be resolved peace fully.
My wishes and thoughts go to my Guide and the many great Tibetan people I have met during my visit in 2006, the finishing chapter of my now published book “A Journey Through Color and Time.”
I am working on a new exotic location and post the dates and venue once it has been finalized.
For the latest images from Mumbai India and 48 hour updates please visit my Blog at: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

Buddha bless.
GD

© Gunther Deichmann - Mumbai India April 2008
for more on my recent travels click the image above or this link.
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

New plug-ins from Nic software for Aperture 2.1 next month...and how they can be useful for our underwater photographers in the feature...Apple made it possible with the release of Aperture 2.1

The interesting part for all these new plug- ins will be for our underwater photographers in due time...some of whom still using Photoshop to tweak some colors which can be difficult for underwater landscapes. Remember when I set up the Digital Photo Center for Sam's Tours in Palau, (check the previous blogs for details) I have heard only yesterday that everything is running very smooth.
The Wi-Fi connections we installed running cool, not to mention the iMac upgrades and training of the staff on Leopard and Aperture, I guess all of this would not have been possible without the investment from Sam Scott and the incredible input and advise from Dermot Keane the GM at Sam's Tours.

_________________________________________

Sam's Tours has just been featured recently in the Scuba Diving Magazine online Bottoms Time, see the screenshot below.

Click on the image and go direct to
the Digital Photo Center

Press release from the Scuba Diving magazine:
ALL - NEW DIGITAL PHOTO CENTER AT SAM'S TOURS IN PALAU

Sam's Tours' all new Digital Photo Center is fully equipped to cater to digital photographers of all interest levels, from those with handy point-and-shoot cameras to the most demanding digital photographers shooting in RAW format. Their six top-of-the-line Apple iMac workstations are loaded with terabytes and terabytes of storage, archiving and secure data backup systems, lots of RAM, and completely optimized for digital imaging with Apple Aperture 2 image management software, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Bridge, Toast, and topped off with DSL Wi-Fi internet access. No other photo center in Palau comes near!

Plus, you can rent new Canon SD850 Digital Cameras and Canon ZR830 Digital Minicams with underwater housings. Other camera-friendly improvements include an expanded "dry zone" for Camera Preparation and Charging and a new Camera Drying Station complete with towels and compressed air for post-rinsing camera care.

________________________________________

What has all of this to do with the new plug-ins? Actually a lot...more capabilities on one system soon...I guess to go with the iMacs and Aperture at Sam's Tours was the right decision, check it out the next time you in Palau and dont forget your Camera for these incredible shots above and below the waves.
GD

Nic software has just announced the availability of one of the first Plug -ins for Aperture 2.1 in May 2008. For those of you who are interested in all these new plug ins stay tuned as soon more become available I be announcing them.
Exciting times ahead for some of you, soon you be able to stay even longer in Aperture 2.1 without switching back and forth or open Photoshop.
Click on the images below for a direct link to Nic software and a detail description of their products.
GD

Available in May, 2008, Viveza will also be compatible with Apple Aperture 2 to enable direct on-image editing, with the most powerful and precise tool available to selectively control light and color in photographic images. For the first time, corrections and enhancements can be made quickly and easily without the need to create complicated selections or layer masks, providing selective editing control within Aperture.

Aperture World Tour 2008
Countries and Dates

Singapore March 12 - Hong Kong March 20 - Taiwan March 27 -
India (Mumbai) April 1



Join the Tour

Beginning in February, Apple takes Aperture 2 on tour around the world. Join us and enjoy a close look at the next generation of Apple’s powerful photo editing and management software.

With its simplified user interface, Aperture 2 is easy enough for any photographer to pick up and use. Intuitive and accessible, it brings a variety of new interface features that members of Apple’s pro photo marketing team will demonstrate, including:

* A new All-in-one Inspector
* Viewer Only mode
* Quick Preview mode
* Project skimming in All Projects view

This free, two-hour seminar explores all of the top features in Aperture 2, our invited professional photographer’s workflow and an introduction of Canon’s latest camera.

Agenda

* Discover Aperture 2 - by Sam Leung
* Using Aperture on Assignment - by Gunther Deichmann
* Canon Digital Imaging Solution - by Canon

For more details and venues click on the image above or this link: http://www.apple.co.in/aperture/tour/

Aperture 2 soon at the Sepang Malaysia 2008 Grand Prix Formula 1 Race race track… It was here where Alonso and Hamilton finish 1 and 2 positions. ...A double win for McLaren team in their recent F1 race in Sepang in 2007.
Good luck to Marlon Stockinger in 2008 for his first major race the
Formula BMW Pacific

http://www.marlonstockinger.com/index.html

A test drive for the weekend…my advice…make time for this super cool addition play and explore the Web Gallery in Aperture 2.
I have provided some insight and samples below... go and take your test drive and download your trial copy @ http://www.apple.com/aperture/trial/

As promised here is my follow up with these Philippine stock images for a German Publisher…I have provided some tips how to make things so much faster using the Web Gallery within Aperture 2, but before I go into all the details let me say this…fantastic integration and so efficient having this ability is just so amazing.

I am not bragging… maybe just a bit… (justified) I am just so impressed… like in evolution the missing link came with Aperture 1.0 but with Aperture 2 we started to walk upright…but to be honest, I am actually running.
Sounds like I am back in to my fossils…discovery of man… Aperture 2... find out all the tips and details plus a lot more at:

http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

© Tony Wu - Australian sea lion, before correction

© Tony Wu - Australian sea lion, after correction in Aperture 2
Applied correction
Exposure -.50
Recovery +.40
Black point decrease from 3.00 to 1.00
Shadows 12.7

I also mention to him during our skype call the new All Projects button, ha, ha… he tried it out while we where still online, he just couldn’t wait... after I had explained the function and how to use it, all I can hear was… Wow… wow… that is really awesome… if I had know this last night I could have saved my self a lot of time looking for some images during a small presentation.

There you have it straight from Japan, from one of the very best underwater photographer in Asia and beyond.

Check out some of Tony’s underwater images @ http://www.tonywublog.com/

I said all along from fossils to BMW, Ferrari’s and marine life, Aperture 2 can handle all of it and a lot more… I guess this is another vote for Aperture 2 and this time from Japan.
Thanks Tony, for sharing this with us.
GD

© Gunther Deichmann - the Palau
Rock islands after sunset

The Reflection of Excellence continues...

Great NEWS! Soon to arrive...Aperture 2 at Sam's Tours Palau Micronesia...stay tuned for more updates from Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center.
Surviving for our underwater photographers has just become a lot easier in Palau, Aperture 2 is on it's way ready for you to use.
Sam's Tours Digital Photo Center is the only one of it's kind in Palau, Micronesia and in the Pacific, check out my previous blogs or go direct to Sam's Tours DPC site
click this link Sam's Tours DPC.
Watch out for Monday the 3rd of March...a truly amazing story, images and another very cool tip on Aperture 2, but now I take the weekend off,
For all the latest Blogs and News go to: http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html
Cheers until Monday
GD

Let's go and check under the
hood of Aperture 2...



© Gunther Deichmann - Marlon's BMW being checked
by a mechanic in between laps, Sepang Malaysia
Click on the image above and visit Marlon's website @
http://www.marlonstockinger.com/index.html

Yes, I did some real timing today, like on the Race track every second counts, but sometimes even race cars loose control if you a good driver or not… you hit the gravel, your secure area.

I also took the last corner too fast today (or maybe I am not used to the new speed of Aperture 2) yes, I did loose control and imported by mistake the same CF Card twice, but then I thought, hey, there is this NEW command where you can tick this box and avoid duplicates on import. I had to investigate this one, and went straight for another lap…

After I had imported all my images I tried to cheat by importing the same images again, I clicked on the folder with the import panel open, and guess what? It was empty since I had activated the “Do not import duplicates “check box, thanks to the Apple engineers, a fantastic new feature, just awesome.
Note: this happen today, a real life mistake!

You find this box on the upper right on the import panel,
you check Do not import duplicates... it is that easy.

90% of my photography is in the field, importing from my CF Cards or external hard drives in the Hotel Room or even in a Tent during my trip through Tibet in 2006, and sometimes I get my Cards mixed up, but now having the ability to avoid duplicates “Do not import duplicates” is very smart and a great time saver.

No more duplicates... a real time saver,
not to mention the storage space you save.

As mention in my earlier Blog, Aperture 2 arrived perfect on time for my shoot in Sepang Malaysia for the Formula BMW Pacific practice trials, but soon I am back in Cambodia, Bali and Palau, creating images most people know me for. If I mix up my CF Cards again I just don’t worry anymore, given me more time to create images and extra time for serious editing on the road, thanks to the Aperture team.

Some more good NEWS, for our underwater photographers…Aperture 2 has now a retouching tool, but more on that in my next blog…the only thing I give away today, if you need to remove some back scatter in your underwater images, the horror in underwater photography …yes, it can be done…! I guess we go diving on our next Blog.
One software is a lot better than two, no need for Photoshop cloning.

There is one more new option I like to introduce to you today... check out the NEW overlay option "Highlight Hot and Cold Pixel" I have tried this already...again a super NEW addition to Aperture 2, I provide some real life samples in the days to come.

Click on the image above and visit the NEW Aperture 2 website @
http://www.apple.com/aperture/

OK. that’s it for today, but sooooooo much more in the coming days and weeks,
you just have to stay tuned or subscribe to my Blog.
GD

For more images by Gunther Deichmann please visit his website @
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/

____________________________________

From left to right: Rhea Richardson newly trained and now in charge of operation,
Arnold Munoz, Sam Scott, Dermot Keane and Gunther Deichmann the first day of operation.
All Photos: Hermes Singson

Now back to Sam's Tours:
When we arrived we had to unpack, install and fine tune all the six iMac's including the installation of the additional RAM, oh boy... we though all of it had been done prior shipment but to our surprise well... we had to do it.
Installation of the RAM was easy and went through without a glitch, then we upgraded all the iMac's to Leopard since the operating system was all on Tiger, now that was fine too, however we encountered some real problems in upgrading all six(6) iMac's due to the internet connection, that took us about 3 days to finish.
Then we setup all the external hard drives for a perfect back-up system, not to forgot upgrading Aperture to 1.5.6 which was a little cumbersome, the latest update does not work via the 'Software Update', due to a glitch, we had to get it direct from the Aperture site, and after hours of downloading we were finally up and running.
Sam's Tours made available two staff for the training, Rhea a Filipina and Alex a Polish divemaster are now running the Digital Photo Center, after receiving a crash course on the operating system we went straight to Aperture for the remaining days.
The system at Sam's Tours was set up in such a way that customers can give the Compact Flash (CF) cards after the dive to the DPC and the staff will import the images direct into the database of Aperture.

Setting up time- left : GM Dermot Keane, Sam Scott and Arnold Munoz,
right: Gunther Deichmann and Sam Scott
All photos Hermes Singson, thanks Hermes

Since most of the diver photographers come to Palau for about a week or two, the images are uploaded every day and by the end of the week the staff will prepare a CD/DVD for them to take home.
But now comes the good part, if for what ever reason the customer looses his or her CD/DVD up on returning home, they only have to send an email and request a copy.
This is where Aperture comes in very handy, all images are stored as a project (the project name in this case is the name of the Customer/Diver) as reference files and further backed up again to another drive which is independent.
Customer files are usually kept for about 60 to 90 days, but upon request special arrangements can be made for longer storage, in the DPC two iMac's are set aside for photographer who like to use Aperture themselves, a similar back up and storage system is in place.
All six (6) iMac's are connected in the same network via the Airport Extreme Base Station for file sharing, perfect for photo workshops, we put a lot of emphasis on the back up system, so no matter what happens to your great underwater shots they'll be safe even after you leave Palau.

Aperture installed including your own back up X2
All Photos Hermes Singson, thanks Hermes.

All iMac's are wi-fi connected and have dedicated access to the internet, thanks to Arnold our I.T. guy making the DPC a virtual internet Cafe as well, a Video station is soon to be implemented as well, separate printing via an Epson printer is also available plus external CD/DVD burner with labeling ability.
But there is a lot more... small Canon digital cameras with underwater housings are for rent and some new video cam's are available also, there you have it, diving with Sam's Tours has just gotten a lot better, thanks to the new Digital Photo Center, now you can leave your laptop at home, you are in good hands at Sam's Tours.
To round it up, this is the most complex and efficient Digital Photo Center in Palau, Micronesia, the Pacific and I believe a first in the diving industry, in this part of the world.
Stay tuned for this real great news and info, you won't believe the one from Chuuk Micronesia, the things I came across during my travels....
the title will be "The forgotten ones"
GD

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