Epic Edits

A bit late this week with the links, but we were having a few things worked on with the server so I figured I would take a break until everything went back to normal. Here are your selections of the week:

• Tips for Better Self Portraits
  Nathan’s Favorite New Flavor
  Self portraits are tough — I’ve tried my fair share of them! Here are some tips to improve your skills in this area.
• 10 Excellent Open Source and Free Alternatives to Photoshop
  Six Revisions
  There are a number of open source (and completely free) programs out there that do much of what Photoshop can. In this collection, you will find 10 excellent examples of open source and free alternatives to Adobe Photoshop.
• Digital Black and White Photos
  Photodoto
  Here are a few good tips for creating black & white photos from your digital captures.
• Capturing Urban Decay
  Photocritic
  Getting good photos of urban decay is not necessarily hard; it is more a matter of patience and understanding of the subject. So what is it that can help you become a better urban landscape photographer? Here are 10 tips for great urban photos.
• Watermarks: Evolution of a Watermark
  JMG-Galleries
  In this article, Jim shows us the evolution of his watermark and reveals the reasoning behind each one. Very interesting for those considering the addition of a watermark to their photos.
• 10 Easy Steps To Advanced Photography Skills
  Smashing Magazine
  By Trey Ratcliff (aka Stuck in Customs), one of the most famous and renowned HDR photographers on Flickr. In his article Trey describes some professional insights and useful photography tips that he collected over the years of his career.
• Catacombs of Paris – The Real French Underground
  Zoriah.net
  I’ve heard of these catacombs under Paris, but I’ve never seen them like this. Zoriah takes to the caverns with some local cataphiles and shows us a different side of these historic entities.
• D3A – The Best Photography Contest Ever
  DIYPhotography.net
  Wow! DIYPhotography.net is 3 years old! To celebrate, Udi has lined up some great prizes for the readers — and all you have to do is submit photos to his Flickr pool to be eligible for the contest.
• Lessons I Didn’t Learn in Photo School
  Photoshop Insider
  Here are some really great lessons for photographers — definitely not anything you’ll find in a textbook.
• 100 amazing iPhone photos
  Photocritic
  Camera phones can be pretty fun to use — especially high-end phones like the iPhone. Here is a huge collection of great photos taken with the iPhone.
• How To Photograph Rock Concerts – The Basics
  digital Photography School
  Interestingly, I found this article the day after I shot my first concert. I can definitely say that the tips are helpful for those of us with less experience in the subject.
• Filters in the Digital Age
  PhotoNetCast
  Lens filters can be difficult to comprehend in the digital age — so we chat about the different options and uses for the various filters available.
• Pulled over by Los Angeles Port Police
  All Narfed Up
  My pal Bryan Villarin is quickly becoming the next Thomas Hawk when it comes to photography related run-ins with the authorities. His latest story involves being pulled over while shooting photos from a freakin’ boat!