A Quick Thank You... and an Exclusive Offer for Members

First things first, I want to thank all of you that took the time to explore my new website and share feedback or report issues: It is truly appreciated! If you haven't visited in the past couple of weeks, I've updated quite a bit of the design to make things a little easier to navigate, and to just make it look a little nicer in general. I hope you like the changes!

For all the new members that have signed up for the new Member Perks, another thank you is in order! Your support means the world to me, and I hope to deliver new perks and benefits in the near future.

Scratch that... how about now? Now through August 15th all site members will receive an exclusive coupon code for 25% off my personally made fine art prints!* To take advantage of this limited time offer, simply head to the Member Perks page and sign into your profile. The coupon code will be listed there; simply enter it at checkout to receive your discount (limited to one use per member).

Please Note - You must be a site member to access this exclusive offer. If you haven't signed up for a FREE membership yet, go here to learn more and create your account. Once that's done, you'll be able to log into the Member Perks section and retrieve the code!

* You can order as many prints as you like on a single order but the coupon code is limited to one use per customer. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Exciting News Regarding my Fine Art Prints

As mentioned in the June newsletter, I purchased a large format professional printer. I'm happy to say that, after a long backorder and a slight shipping hiccup, it finally arrived! I've been busy creating proof prints to find which paper works best for each of my images, and have worked to dial in the print-specific edits for each image, as well, to ensure each print lives up to my expectations (and yours).

Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, the paper I use for each print will be selected individually. I've decided to go with a reputable, local paper supplier: Red River Paper based in Dallas, Texas. Depending on the print, I may use their matte Palo Duro Etching 315 with its excellent color and contrast, and beautiful subtle texture (great for any image but especially woodlands); for more dynamic scenes such as night sky or grand vistas, I may opt for their Palo Duro Softgloss Rag with it's wonderful lustre finish to give the image a little extra pop. Others may call for their Palo Duro Smooth 310.

I personally make each print on my Canon imagePROGRAF professional printer which uses archival pigment inks. Using pigment ink and museum-quality fine art papers ensures prints will resist fading for decades to come. Each print will be signed and numbered, as well, and includes a slight border for easier mounting and framing.

With refining the website and diving into the world of print-making, I've had to put YouTube content on the back burner a bit... but I still managed to put together an overview of the new features included in the June Adobe Lightroom and Lightroom Classic updates. While I've mostly focused on Lightroom Classic with my prior videos as that is my preferred - and recommended - platform, I decided to start covering the Lightroom "cloud" version, as well, as Adobe slowly adds more functionality to it.

There were quite a few exciting updates added to both platforms; check out the video below:

And, if you missed it, be sure to check out my extremely popular How to Give a Speed Boost to Lightroom Classic video:

As always, if you enjoy the content I'm releasing on YouTube, please be sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications to follow along as I continue to release more videos going forward. It really does make a difference in helping me continue to grow the channel!

Important News Regarding my Preferred Backup Solution

If you've watched my video that covers my backup process, you already know that I highly recommend BackBlaze for an automated, cloud-based solution that is also easy on the wallet. They just announced a slight price increase that will go into effect August 16th for renewals and new purchases (very slight... $6/mo to $7/mo). That said, you can still lock in the current price if you sign up or extend your current term before the change goes into effect.

To do so, CLICK HERE. If you are new to BackBlaze, you can start out with a free trial, as well.*

* I am not sponsored by BackBlaze but I am an affiliate, and will earn a small commission for any purchases made via the link above. I only become an affiliate for services and brands I personally use, trust, and recommend. Purchasing goods and services through my affiliate links is a simple way to help support my photography.

Which to Choose: Lightroom or Lightroom Classic?

Thanks to a poor naming convention and a general lack of clarity from Adobe, there's a lot of confusion as to which version of Lightroom is the right one to choose. Is Lightroom Classic still supported? What's Lightroom CC? How can you sync files to the cloud and other devices? What's the deal with the subscription plans? Which version has which features? Which one should you use???

Ever since Adobe switched to the subscription-based model for Lightroom back in 2017, it seems there's been perpetual confusion for new - and even some veteran - users as to what the heck they're actually doing with the platform. Suddenly, in addition to doing away with the option to buy the software outright, there were also two entirely separate options: Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic CC. Depending upon which subscription plan you opted into, you may have access to both... or not. If you go to Adobe's web page for Lightroom, almost all the teasers they use to talk it up are centered around the non-Classic version; it's not until you compare the actual subscription plans that you see the first mention of Classic.

Continue reading...

Print of the Month: Dawn at Ladies View

In light of the fact that my printer finally arrived and I'm now offering signed and numbered fine art prints made by yours truly, I decided to stick with this image as my featured Print of the Month (what can I say? It's a personal favorite!).

Captured at Ladies View in Killarney, Ireland as I frantically tried to fend off swarms of midges as rain came and went, I glanced towards the north, away from the sunrise scene I was trying to capture, and discovered this striking rainbow rising from the valley floor as the sun bathed the distant hill. The two trees in the foreground provide some added interest but, still being in shadow, they don't detract from the beauty of the scene beyond.

Your fine art print of this image will be printed on Palo Duro Etching 315, a lightly textured matte photo paper that has wonderful color accuracy and contrast.

Don't forget to head to the Members Perks section - or sign up for your free membership - to receive your discount code for 25% a fine art print of this image!

Sadly, much of this area burned in a wildfire this past April, impacting thousands of acres within Killarney National Park. The fire is suspected to have been started accidentally. From what I was able to find online, this very scene may have burned; if not, the area immediately eastward that I was shooting for the actual sunrise definitely did. Yet another sobering reminder to adventure responsibly.

Click the button above for huge savings from my preferred online store for photography, video, and computer gear purchases.

You will also help me pursue my passion as I earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you - for each purchase made via this link. All proceeds directly support my photography.

Parting Words

Thank you again for your support, and your feedback around my new site! I truly appreciate it. It has been a very hectic year but I'm working hard to continue to provide you with educational and compelling videos (and blogs), and I'm excited to start making my own fine art prints. The experience of holding a print I made of one of my own images really makes me feel like I'm truly fulfilling the entire creative process. I hope you consider adding one to your personal collection!

Until next time, take care.

MR

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