DPS Lessons for the Real World

[LisaNewton]

As everyone is probably all to familiar with, there are many websites, blogs, online business', and other Internet sites, that profess to either "teach" us things we want to learn more about, or things that we want to learn how to do.

And just as frequently, we're usually not surprised in how often they don't live up to their promises and our expectations.

Well, I can best put it forth in its most simplest form:

DPS is probably the, or one of the best sites on the Internet to learn about digital photography, its features, its myriad of intracies, its educational stories, its member participation; in short everything that you would want from an advanced school of the arts.

Guess what--it's free and it's called Digital Photography School.

I'm a new digital photographer. I received my Nikon D40 last Christmas, and subsequently literally stumbled upon DPS.

Since then, I've never looked back, and am like a sponge about its content--by taking a learning-by-doing approach, and studying intently on their multitude of lessons, content, and all things photography.

I'm also learning about Photoshop. Although, I only have the first edition of Photoshop, it's still great.

After reading a DPS post, How to Replace a Sky in Photoshop, I decided to try it.

As a resident of Southern CA, our skies are sometimes a photographer's worst nightmare.

We often have too much sun which results in capturing the sky as close to or totally all white. Because I don't currently own a polarized filter (which solves some of the issues discussed), in the meantime, this lesson plan method for How to Replace a Sky in Photoshop, works great.

Here is my before picture:



And here is the after picture:



Which one looks better?

If you think the posts on DPS can't be used in "real" life, you'd be wrong. A thousand percent wrong!

Here's the "real" use of the picture, from my blog:

Ocean View Farms, a Community Garden and City Oasis

[Glayva]

Hi Lisa
Thanks for your lovely comments about DPS. I have been a photographer for too many years to remember and a pro for a few years also. I can truly say this IS the best site I have come across for anyone who wants to learn and improve their photographic skills. It's a very friendly site as well and I am so pleased that I found it too. With the thousands of people who look at this site every day you will quickly learn if you shots are good, bad or indifferent as well as many new techniques to help you improve. Long my you stay and enjoy!! Oh! big improvement with your picture. Very well done.