The Digital Basics File

More than 2500 sold!

If you cannot confidently transform this:

 
 
 
into this:
 
  
 
then you need to  order the Digital Basics File. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:  crop, clone, Levels adjustment, Hue/Saturation adjustment, and Shadow/Highlight  adjustment.  If I learned to do it, anybody can!

 For those who want to learn this stuff quickly, the first thing I tell them is to go home, purchase and download Arthur's Digital Basics File, and sit down at the computer and work up 25 images following the workflow as outlined in the document. For most it is a matter of repeating the process enough times to become familiar with their software and ask questions beyond that of basic usage. As far as I know Arthur Morris is the only one that has condensed the optimization process into an easy to read and understand process and is willing to share it with everyone for a reasonable price.

Paul Denman, award winning photographer.   

 

DIGITAL BASICS FILE/FREE UPDATES INCLUDED

 
On one hand, the Digital Basics File has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.  With the next sale, we will reach the 1,000-sold mark!  On the other hand, it is surprising that we have not sold ten times as many.  Why?  First off, we have received nothing but positive feedback.  The DBF was created so that folks with no digital experience can be optimizing their images exactly as I do within minutes; just print the file, open an image in Photoshop, and follow the script.  It's that simple. My approach to Photoshop is a direct one: because I have so many images to process, my choice is to make the images look as good as possible in the shortest amount of time and the DBF teaches you to do just that.  The thing that amazes me is that when we conduct our IPT Photoshop sessions, I find that most photographers, including many experienced ones, basically have no clue as to get the most out of Photoshop.  When I ask, "Do you have our Digital Basics File?" the answer is always, "No."  It makes you think: these folks have spent huge sums of money on equipment and joined an IPT, yet they have not spent the additional $20 that would greatly improve the quality of their processed images and reduce the time that it takes for them to optimize an image.  (Most of my family jewels are optimized in three to five minutes...)
 
When I began updating the file I was amazed to note the significant changes that I have made in my workflow and see how many new, simple tricks I had added to my repertoire.  In the update I revised the order of my workflow, shared with you a fast easy way to use curves to add snap to your images, especially those made on cloudy or overcast days,  written an all-new section: "Digital Eye Doctor," and re-written several sections to include new and additional information. 
 
On Tuesday, all 999 folks who have already purchased our Digital Basics File will receive their free updates.  (Thanks again to each of you for your order!)  You can purchase your copy of the DBF for $20 by visiting: http://www.birdsasart.com/digitalbasics.htm and then clicking on the Paypal link.  Alternatively, you can use your credit card by calling us at 863-692-0906.  Be sure to have your e-mail address handy.

 

 
If you cannot transform this:
 
 
into this:
 
 
in short order, then you need our Digital Basics File.
 
DIGITAL EYE DOCTOR 
 
Here is an short excerpt from the updated Digital Basics File:
 

When using flash to photograph birds, the eyes are often rendered quite funky…  Red-eye and steel eye (an odd-looking silvery crescent on the eye) were common when using flash with film, but with digital (which is more sensitive to flash than film was), the effects are both wider ranging and even more detrimental to the image. When examining a flashed bird’s eye at high magnification, unnatural highlights and lightened and artificially colored (usually purplish) pupils are often revealed.  Most folks simply ignore these problems but the fix takes only minutes...

 

Here is what you can learn to do with the techniques that you will learn in the Digital basics File:

 

The image above represents the converted Raw file.

This is a close-up of the face from the image above. 

This is a close-up of the eye.

This is a close-up of the eye after a visit from the Digital Eye Doctor. Various techniques were used to restore the eye.

This is a close-up of the head after the eye had been repaired.

And this is the optimized image after Cloning and Levels, Hue Saturation, and Selective Color Adjustments.

..... 

The techniques that I use to repair flash-damaged eyes are detailed in the "Digital Eye Doctor" section of the Digital Basics File update.  Also included in this section are detailed instructions on selectively sharpening the eye or eyes of a bird.

Updated 12/16/03 I have now completed the second draft of the Digital Basics file (11,405 words) that will become a chapter in "The Art of Bird Photography II."  New topics covered include Understanding Histograms (if you own a digital camera and do not know how to read a histogram and adjust your exposure to create the ideal histogram, you are missing out on digital's greatest plus...  Many of the digital photographers that I run into on IPTs have no clue as to interpret a histogram, at least until they leave!), expanded rewritten sections on Breezebrowser and Converting Raw Images,   A Quickie Levels/Color Balance Trick (from Lewis Kemper as relayed by Ellen Anon), and detailed instructions on how to use Actions and Batch Processing to save hours and hours of work.  (Heck, before I learned to use Batch Processing it took me 80 hours to prepare my first Digital Slide program.  Now I can do the whole thing in less than an hour thanks to Actions and Batches.

Digital Basics File

 

I learned the basics of digital by helping a friend who had just bought a Canon EOS D-60.  Even with this "head-start," I can remember being terribly frustrated by having to learn simple tasks like downloading and converting images, managing files, and optimizing images in Photoshop.  Along the way, I learned by asking those more knowledgeable than I: Tim Grey, Juan Pons, Gregory Georges, Matt Haggadorn, and E.J. Peiker among others.   

 
We are now offering a PDF file of the Digital Basics chapter for $20 (on-line delivery via e-mail only).  
 

I should have mentioned that I know of no other source where the info needed to get started in digital photography is presented so simply and clearly--and in one place to boot!  (I've always said that teaching long division to fourth graders who are three years behind helps one to realize the importance of explaining things clearly in step-by-step fashion.) 

 

At present, the Digital Basics file covers the following topics:
 
The advantages of digital photography, compact flash cards and re-formatting, downloading images to your laptop, file management (including creating folders and sub-folders and, the filing systems that we use here at BIRDS AS ART), viewing and editing images in Breezebrowser (two methods for editing quickly), the digital workflow including opening Breezebrowser images automatically in Photoshop, converting images from raw to tiff in Breezebrowser, cropping and cloning, Levels and Hue/Saturation adjustments in layers, correcting a colorcast, saving images, sharpening images, saving for web use, and sizing horizontal and vertical images in one step.
 
In addition, free updated PDF files will be sent as the chapter is further developed.  To order your copy, send a check (made out to "Arthur Morris") or, better yet, send us a Paypal (click here:

 ) for $20 and specify "Digital Basics PDF."  BAA now accepts credit card orders by phone: 863-692-0906. 9am to 3pm is best. MasterCard and Visa only. Be sure to tell us your email address : ) when you order by phone.You must include an e-mail address if paying by check.  For those just getting started in digital photography this chapter will save you months of struggling; it will be the best $20 that you ever spent.   

Please note, this is a large file. Some email services (such as aol, hotmail and yahoo) may not accept such large files. In addition some folks have their computers or e-mail systems set up  to block attachments (usually unknowingly).    When you place your order, we will--almost always within two days (but usually much sooner than that) send you the Digital Basics PDF File as an attachment.  If you do not receive it within three days, let us know and we will send you another version which will include an MS Word file as an attachment plus the text and photos copied (cut and pasted) into the body of the e-mail.  If you do not receive that in three days, let us know and we will send you only the text and photos copied into the body of the e-mail.

Overseas folks are best off using the birdsasart@att.net e-mail address as many attempting to e-mail us at the verizon.net address from Europe and Asia have encountered problems.

Thanks to all who have ordered so far.    Below are some of the comments that we have received.
 
From Joyce Egyes:
 
Although many have tried to explain the histogram to me, not one has explained it in writing with such clarity and detail as you have, and your examples made things even easier to understand!  
 
From Kurt Nelson:
 
I have finished reading the first draft of the Digital Basics PDF that will become part of your new book.  It is quickly becoming an important resource for me.
 
From Ken Maher:
 
I am most grateful for the Photoshop instructions, as I have never had time to work through the more cumbersome instructions or tutorials I have seen.  Your instructions are easy to read and follow and are exactly what I need!  
 
From Alfred Forns:
 
Just got your digital primer and it is GREAT.   It is a must for a anyone starting out  and even for more experienced Photoshop users.
 
From John Sturtevant:
 
First, I have done a lot of photoshop in the last two or three years, but still
found the PDF to contain new information that I can immediately put to good
use.  Well worth the $20.00.