Where everyone learns Photoshop - National Association of Photoshop Professionals


--------------------Welcome!---------------------------------------Welcome!-------------------

I enjoy photography, and it doesn't matter what I am taking a photo of. Nature, wildlife, people, urban scenes, whatever, it's all fun! I also enjoy working in Photoshop. Most of the time my appetite for photography can't be satisfied!

Anyway, thanks for checking out my profile and looking through my photos! Who knows, you might even find something useful here! (A quick photoshop color correcting tutorial can be found at the bottom of this page. Enjoy!)

Molas Sunset

I sincerely enjoy answering questions about my photos and some of the techniques that I use. Whether the questions are about lenses, cameras, shooting techniques, post processing, or anything else I am happy to share any information that I might have. By all means, feel free to contact me with any questions, or critique!!

As a reminder, all of my work is copyright ©Tommy Simms All Rights Reserved. If you are interested in using any of my work, please feel free to contact me.

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SOME OF MY EQUIPMENT:

Canon 7D body
Canon 20D body
Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L IS
Canon 16-35 f/2.8 L II EF USM
Canon 75-300 III EF USM
Canon Extender EF 1.4x II
Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 XR-Di LD

Canon Speedlite 580EXII (flash)
Cowboy Studio 3000 Watt 3 light video softbox's
Cowboy Studio M9113 Backdrop
Gary Fong Lightspere II C4 Cloud w/ Inv Dome

Bogen/Manfrotto 055MF4 Magfiber Tripod
Bogen/Manfrotto 322RC2 Head
Hoya / Canon Filters (UV, Warm, Polarizer)
Canon i9900 Printer
Canon Inks and Photo Paper
Spyder2 monitor calibration by ColorVision
1 23" LCD (AcerH233H)

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MY PROCESSING:

My current post-processing (digital darkroom) work is done using Adobe Photoshop CS5.

--Photoshop CS3 books I own and refer to frequently:

*The Photoshop CS3 Book For Digital Photographers - Scott Kelby ISBN: 0-321-50191-8
Scott Kelby's 7-Point System for Adobe Photoshop - Scott Kelby ISBN: 0-321-50192-6

--Photoshop CS2 books I own and refer to frequently:

Photoshop Channels Book - Scott Kelby ISBN: 0-321-26906-3
The Photoshop CS2 Speed Clinic - Matt Kloskowski ISBN: 0321441656
*The Photoshop CS2 Book For Digital Photographers - Scott Kelby ISBN: 0-321-33062-5
Photoshop CS2 Killer Tips - Scott Kelby ISBN 0-321-33063-3
Photoshop World Workbook (Las Vegas 2007) National Association of Photoshop Professionals

--Photoshop DVD's:

Photoshop CS3 Camera Raw Workflow Essentials - Matt Kloskowski
Photoshop CS2 for beginners - Dave Cross

--Photography/Photoshop related seminars I have attended:

MAXIMUM Photoshop Tour - Dave Cross
Photoshop CS3 Power Tour - Dave Cross
Photoshop CS2 Power Tour - Dave Cross
Master Photoshop CS2 Tour - Deke McClelland
Photoshop CS2 For Photographers - Ben Wilmore

* If you purchase only one book for either CS2 or CS3, choose one of THESE books!!
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Some of my most popular photos can be viewed by clicking on the image below.
Malaysian Blue Clipper

For a quick view of my portfolio click HERE. (Anything from Aviation to Wildlife!)

To view a slide show of my latest uploads click HERE. (Opens in separate window.)

Some of my favorite photos to shoot are Aviation. They can be viewed by clicking on the image below.
Texan

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Thanks for taking the time to view, comment and "favorite" my photos!

Regards,
Tommy Simms

Proud member of NAPP - National Association Of Photoshop Professionals.

Where everyone learns Photoshop - National Association of Photoshop Professionals

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Some of my work can be purchased at: Buy my art at ImageKind.com.


---------------------How about a Quick Photoshop Tutorial?----------------

I picked up this trick at one of the Photoshop seminars that I attended and it works ALMOST every time for finding the Neutral Gray area in any photo. Knowing where the Neutral Gray area of the photo is (without guessing or using a Gray Card) can be invaluable when color correcting a photo.

Dave Cross' ALMOST Never Miss Finding Neutral Gray Trick

Here is how it is done:

1) Create a new adjustment layer (Bottom Right of Layers Panel, second icon from right):
Create New Layer

2) Fill that Layer with 50% Gray (Edit>Fill or Shift>F5):
Edit Fill 50% Gray

3) Change the Blend Mode to Difference (Top Left of the Layers Panel - dropdown menu):
Blend Mode Difference

4) Create a Threshold Adjustment Layer (back to the Bottom of the Layers Panel - 4th icon from right - choose Threshold:
Create Threshold Adjustment Layer

5) Move the slider (at the bottom of the Threshold dialoge box) all the way to left (turns photo white) and then move slowly to the right until black specs just appear in your photo (try using the arrow keys on keyboard). Your cursor will turn into an eyedropper - click on one of the black specs. This will leave a "target" on your photo (don't worry, it's not permanent). This is the Neutral Gray Pixel in your photo.
Threshold Adjustment

6) Now, on the Layers Panel, Shift-Click on the two layers that you created (the one you filled with 50% Gray and the Threshold Layer) and drag them into the trash can at the bottom right of the Layers Panel. Your photo returns to normal except for the "target" that you added in step 5 using the eydropper.
Drag Layers To Trash

7) Now create a Curves Adjustment Layer (Bottom of Layers Panel 4th icon from right and choose "Curves" - 5th item from top.
Create Curves Adjustment Layer

8) Now click on the center eydropper and click on the "target" on your image.
Curves Dialogue

9) Click OK and you are finished! This process should remove any color cast in your image. It doesn't always work but it works often enough to try it on any image that looks like it could use some color correction. Oh, after doing it a few times it gets quicker and easier!

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Photoshop tips, tricks, and tutorials can now be found on my personal website HERE.

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Please note: Through the use of an extremely reliable web crawling application, I have recently discovered some of my photos being used commercially on the web by several different sites without my permission. As a result I have restricted the downloading of my photos to "friends and family".

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Tommy Simms' favorite photos from other Flickr members (867)

  • Storm Result by Ken Blackwell
  • TIGER 2: Ferocious by has20birds
  • Mt. Rainier's Summit by Melenie_S
  • free by Johannes Reinhart
  • The Gift of Wakan-Tanka by Franks Photos
  • Monsul Dune / Duna de Monsul (Cabo de Gata Natural Park, Almería) by dleiva
  • From the Past ~ by **Mary**
  • Hey shut up and listen...did you hear me when I flew past your head and made you scream? Me thinks not! by tammyjq41
  • The Sidewalk - Inman Park by VietVet'67
  • The Széchenyi Chain Bridge ~ by **Mary**
  • Eastern Screech Owl - Grey Morph by VA Wild Rose
  • Lil' Pumpkin by Ekler
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Contacts (701)

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Testimonials (5)

  • view profile

    Michelle in NY says:

    "If you want to see an outstanding collection of photographs, Tommy Simm's stream is the place to go. It doesn't matter what you are interested in, there is something for everyone to enjoy and learn from - from birds to planes to flowers to landscapes, you will find it all here. Not only does Tommy make outstanding photos, he's willing to share what he knows so others can learn from him - that, to me, says a lot - it's a pleasure to have him as a contact and I look forward to every single image he posts on flickr."

    13th January, 2009

  • view profile

    BamaWester says:

    "Tommy is one of the finest nature photographers on Flickr....or anywhere for that matter. I came across his work shortly after joining Flickr and have thoroughly enjoyed watching the steady stream of beautiful photos he regularly posts.

    As someone who loves photography, I can appreciate those that do it well....and Tommy does and then some. I am regularly inspired by his work and I highly recommend spending time looking through his sets and earlier shots. There's a lot there you'll miss if you don't.

    Keep up the good work."

    7th February, 2007

  • view profile

    Mary and her camera says:

    "Tommy Simms' photostream was one of the first that I happened across when I discovered Flick'r, and I was completely amazed at the quality and vibrance that his photos contained. I have to laugh now when I remember seeing the "Pro" after his name and thinking, "Oh, NO WONDER he is so good!"

    His photos have continued to captivate me, and his body of work is one that I hold up as a measure of the kind of excellence that I hope to one day achieve.

    Bravo, Tommy!"

    12th November, 2006

  • view profile

    **Mary** says:

    "Well, let's see. I have never met Tommy personally, only through his photos. I can honestly say, I know I'd like to meet him in this life. I really would.
    When I see his photos, I get excited about life and have a good feeling about what I see in his many diverse photos. He is able to capture what is important to us us human beings on this earth.
    He shows us so many things - from the delicate beauty of a butterfly to the powerful beauty of a jet.
    I'm thrilled to be a contact of his and he of mine. I look forward to his comments and appreciate them.
    AND I think I can lay claim to this fact...he is now into photographing flowers. He is so talented, he has mastered that subject as well.
    Thanks Tommy for first being a great person and secondly a great photographer. I really mean that.

    Perhaps someday we'll have the great opportunity to meet in this life.
    I believe anything's possible.
    Take care my friend."

    23rd July, 2006

  • view profile

    MatthewPHX says:

    "Tommy Simms takes awesome photos! All you have to do is look through his photo stream and you can see how talented he is. He truly has an eye for beauty and detail."

    2nd April, 2006

Name:
Tommy Simms
Joined:
October 2005
Currently:
Near Atlanta, Georgia, USA
I am:
Male and Taken