Protect Your Images - Free Image Search Engine Software Plugin TinEye

Always wanted to find out who's using your photos? Knowing there's so many ways people can infringe on your imagery by for example: erasing traceable file info data and watermarks, this Beta (and Free) browser plugin for Internet Explorer and FireFox is supposed to do the trick. I honestly haven't had much time to try it out yet so I'd love to hear some comments back from you if you decide to try it. Here's the Link:

TinEye Image Search Engine browser plugin

It's supposed to work by matching up your image and they claim you get exact matches, even if the "perp" only uses a cropped portion of your image.

Can't wait to try it and get some feedback from you!

i2align - i2K Quickage Panorama Montage Software - Thirty Day Free Trial

I was asked to conduct a review by i2K on their new i2K Quickage Panorama Montage stand alone software package. The timing was perfect because I had recently taken a panoramic, montage, photo stiching course at HCP – Houston Center For Photography using Photoshop CS4 so this was a perfect time for me to check out this software. At the time I was taking the course, I did not have the nice gitzo pano head I currently own so a few of the folders of images would simply not line up in Photoshop CS4, no matter which options or techniques I used. Using i2K’s Pro version, I was able to assemble these same problematic images into a panoramic image with a few simple clicks. See Below:

The interface is simple and easy to use, including the Pro version. I was able to use as many as 20 images to create one pano image. The software automatically creates the panos in TIFF format at 72 dpi but the sizes are so large you can change the dimensions and resolution without much destruction using Photoshop or image enlargement software.

You can get the 30 day Free Trial here: I2Kalign Photographic Panorama Montage Free 30 day Trial The i2K Quickage Pro is $99. 95 and the abbreviated less expensive version, i2K Quickage Express is merely $49.99. The express version maxes out at merging four images where the Pro version allows for unlimited number of images. Here’s the Comparison Chart: i2K Panorama Montage Versions Comparison Chart

HIWI Ike book contributor... Hurricane Ike

This is the image I submitted as a contributor to HIWI IKE (Houston It's Worth It) book about what we as the gulf coast went through last year with Hurricane IKE. HIWI IKE is not a "downer", It shows our spirit, neighbors helping neighbors and clever ideas people came up with to make it through. Where I was located at the time, I was on the outskirts of town so it took eighteen days to get back onto the electrical grid. I have an entire body of work of all the snapped trees as they formed geometric shapes... Marilyn Davenport Photography TWISTED

The Curator of Photography is Clint Wilour, Curator of Photography and Art at the Galveston Arts Center which the interior received substantial damage. Galveston Arts Center in exile and under repair Part of the proceeds from the book go/went to rebuilding the center.

Here's a link to The Houston Chronicle's Fine Art section about it:Houston Chronicle Fine Arts: HIWI IKE book

The HIWI editor also chose my Hurricane Play list which they said they may play at book signing parties. I attended the book launch party where the images where projected onto a large wall, there are numerous book signings around town also.

Here's the link to the book just freshly listed on Amazon.com : HIWI Ike

For Locals: HIWI:Ike is now available at: River Oaks, Menil Books, Domy, Brazos, Events, Kaboom, Jubilee, Bliss, Picnic, Agora. More coming soon.

My point is that It's always good if you can provide something written to go with your photos. Contributing to a book is a great opportunity for emerging mid career and established photographers. Giving back through your art is important.

Entering Contests and Competitions

Contests and competitions with cash prizes are great but maybe have more entrants. I enter some to gain exposure to publishers, art directors, curators, and gallery owners I would normally not get exposure to. Tis rare to find one that does not charge entry fees any more. I feel you should match what kind of photography you create to the type of competition you should enter. This one had international jurors from France, Italy and the Curator of Photography for the Library of Congress and and the International Photo Editor for Time Magazine. This is also a way to have your CV "branch out" of your local region, sometimes without the hassles of having to ship your work.

The Difference Between PPI vs. DPI

Infinity in Fog Marilyn Davenport Photography copyright 2009

DPI = Dots per Inch. This has to do with your printer and how many dots you want to use to print something out, depending on how detailed you want it, along with how much ink you want to use. Less expensive printers have a lower maximum output of DPI than more expensive specialized printers.

The term we should be using is:
PPI (Pixels Per Inch) is the pixels per inch in a given image. Then it gets more complicated by the resolution you choose or your camera has. I found this very good chart that shows up to 16 megapixel cameras at various resolutions (too bad mine is 21) and it also includes 35mm film. There's also a chart on what's the maximum size photo one should make to get the maximum quality photo. Some will disagree with that section because of sensor size or if they know how to upsize an image without going too far.

Here's the link to the chart: PPI Chart

Free Photoshop Plugin Filters

This image is archived to the permanent collection at the Dishman Art Museum.

I love to play around with my images by trying out different third party photoshop compatible plug ins from time to time. (Actually the photo posted uses only a frame plug in but I felt it was an appropriate to give the idea and there are some free filters that sort of emulate the same look.

You can find all the links free plug in filters to the right under Links to Cool Stuff...

Photoshop 11.0.1 CS4 Update That Fixes Crashes and Slowdowns

I don't know about you folks, but I had a lot of crashes until I did the following update. It's a lot better now.

The latest Photoshop update according to Adobe updates the following issues:

Adobe Photoshop CS4 11.0.1 update - multiple languages
February 24, 2009
The Adobe® Photoshop® CS4 11.0.1 update addresses a number of issues discovered after Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop CS4 Extended (11.0) software were released.The most significant fixes in the Photoshop CS4 11.0.1 update include the following:

A number of issues that could cause slow performance have been addressed.
Pen barrel rotation with Wacom tablets now works correctly.
Photoshop now correctly recognizes 3D textures edited by a plug-in.
The quality of the results of Auto-Blend Layers (Stack Images) has been improved.
A problem that could result in a crash when pasting formatted text has been fixed.
A crash that could result from a corrupt font no longer occurs.

Here's the link to the updates and downloads page:

Adobe Downloads and Updates

JPG Magazine Relaunches!

Yes, it's true! They don't have a new office or all the positions filled yet but it's supposed to happen. Read the JPG Magazine's Blog

The Photographic Dictionary

A is for Apple, right?

Check out this fun and clever version of a dictionary The Photographic Dictionary

Make Your Own Creepy Portraits

This is one of my pooches, which I thought was appropriate because there are 500 Scottish Terriers in the movie. Maybe his ears are down because he doesn't like buttons on his eyes!

There's a cool (time sensitive) tool for making fun portraits using your photos : Button Eye Portrait Maker on Coraline movie website Just be aware that if you chose to do it, they can use your photos. Now that the movie has been out for a while, I did update the link but when you go to the page you must now press the Enter tab at the top of their page.