There are few places on the planet that are near the fun of the original Disneyland, The Walt Disney World, and all the other Disney Properties.

My only request would be that Disney would set aside a few days per year where no one under 40 is allowed in.

Heck, they could be all-nighters … I really wouldn’t care. Let the older kids run from ride-to-ride without worrying about tripping over the younger kids.

That would be a true dose of reality … then we’d need to come back to this *other* world, until next year.

• Sooo, this post may seem oddly out-of-place … maybe yes?

The *real* reason it is here is to show a somewhat different example of illustration and image enhancement — clicking to see the large view shows the details.

UPDATED: 2011 APR 18

SYNOPSIS — Two-dimensional artists, such as those who paint with oils, acrylics, water colors and other media, are increasingly discovering the need to digitize their work, either for archives, or for reproduction.

For many, it’s daunting, and for many more, they don’t know it’s daunting.

As a photographer with skills in both areas, I am sharing a very general and basic overview of what’s needed, both in equipment and skill. This is meant to give you a foundation and help you head in the right direction for you. Considering that, it is still a fairly long article.

THE PROCESS OVERVIEW

There are two distinct tasks to obtaining a high-quality digital replica of your two-dimensional medium.

Continue reading »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – If a woman wants to drive the men wild, she might want to dress in red.

Men rated a woman shown in photographs as more sexually attractive if she was wearing red clothing or if she was shown in an image framed by a red border rather than some other color, U.S. researchers said Tuesday.
The study led by psychology professor Andrew Elliot of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, seemed to confirm red as the color of romance — as so many Valentine’s Day card makers and lipstick sellers have believed for years.

Although this “red alert” may be a product of human society associating red with love for eons, it also may arise from more primitive biological roots, Elliot said.

Noting the genetic similarity of humans to higher primates, he said scientists have shown that certain male primates are especially attracted to females of their species displaying red. For example, female baboons and chimpanzees show red coloring when nearing ovulation, sending a sexual signal that the males apparently find irresistible. Continue reading »

Other than the description in the subject line, I can think of no other reason for this post.

Sorry if this caused you to miss your bus.

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Ever been someplace, probably a place very old, and suddenly feel as if someone is standing just behind you? You turn, but see nothing. Chills race down your back.

Or, in another situation, you do see something. Something that shouldn’t be there. But before you can get past the surprise, and attempt a better look, it moves from sight. You begin to consider your 100-yard dash experience.

Few people ever want to admit to it. Have you?

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I was recently called on by a high-end furniture dealer in Los Angeles who was in dire need of getting some photos fixed fast.

At the last minute, the images they received for their brochure were anything but professional quality, and were virtually unusable … except for one thing: they had to use them. All the images were fixed and the brochure went to press the following week. This is just one example of the desk set photos I fixed for that project.

For additional samples of photo manipulation, please visit my Retouching Gallery.