A Poll.

 Here's a poll. The poll question will be shown when you click on that 👈 link. If there's sufficient "yes" votes, I'll follow through with setting up a Zoom session. 

NOT(!) The Terrible Twos!!

Luminar Neo is two years old! And to celebrate, Skylum Software has given me (among a select bunch of  others.... though they're not as important) some very special promotional codes. Yeah baby! I previously posted this news only on my Facebook pages, and the promotion was scheduled to end yesterday morning (February 26). You can find the anniversary special prices at that FB link.

But great news for all you procrastinators out there... the anniversary sale has been extended to 7am EST, March 4. That's next Monday, folks. 

Time to jump on it. Use this link.  And here's where the good stuff happens. When you purchase any Luminar Neo option at the special 2 year anniversary prices, you can save an 20% at checkout when you copy and paste this code: AFF-iqi5 

It's time to up your editing game, while simplifying it at the same time. Take your photos from this-

Unedited, un-cropped image, taken through smudgy plexiglass.

,,,to this! (in a matter of minutes!

Lion through glass, El Paso Zoo  ©Daniel Gauss/Shot On Site

Need that link again? Just click the ad below👇

An Offer For Budding Landscape Photographers...

...and even for those who think they're accomplished. Like me.

Those rascals at Skylum Software have an offer for you, in the form of a comprehensive Countryside Landscape Kit for Luminar Neo, at a 35% discount. (Regular price $39). What's in it? Glad you asked.

• 5 presets/templates with a countryside aesthetic
• 5 of the same presets with added clouds (meh)
• 5 sky replacement images with different clouds and moods
• 5 LUTs (Lookup Tables) with different cinema-type color grading
  
• 5 bokeh and flare-type overlays
• 3 fog overlays
• 1 professional editing guide with instructions and tips for making images your own

Naturally, I received a sample copy to play with so's I can show you what can be done with these tools. The image below was created with a handful of the above features, and many, many of the native editing tools in Luminar Neo. (The original JPG image is at the bottom of the page)

Whitewater Creek at Catwalk, ©Daniel Gauss/Shot On Site

Of course you have to already own a Lifetime version, or an active subscription to Luminar Neo to take advantage of this offer, or for any of the other thousands of creative solutions available in the Luminar Neo Marketplace. 

And if you're not? Well have I got a deal for you! Through Valentine's Day (February 14) you can purchase any Luminar Lifetime of Subscription package for 30% off. Just use this here link.  

And to get the Countryside Landscape Kit at 35% off, use this here link! Yes, the links are different. (Also, you might try the coupon, PHOTODAN, at checkout and you may just get an additional 10% off, but I'm not making any promises about that).

And here's what I started with:

Notice the heavy black shadows in the lower left and upper right. If I recall, the lens hood was cockeyed and I didn't catch it for for several frames. Here was a case where one of the new generative AI tools came in handy: GenErase fixed it right up.

So you ready to buy ya some Luminar Neo or what? C'mon now...

Free Photo Editor! Free!*

*for 10 days, but hear me out...

Beginning tomorrow morning at 7AM EST, Luminar Neo will be available for a 10 day free trial. They're so convinced that you will absolutely fall in love with the new GenAI tools, that they're going to let you play around with them for 10 days at no cost to you. And if you love it, and decide to keep it, you'll automatically get 30% off at check-out as long as you use this link! (NOTE: Link will not be active until 7AM EST, on January 19, and expires on January 29 at 7AM EST)

You've seen, in previous posts, some of the things you can do with the GenAI tools. Here's my latest "fun" creation. (I thought Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge needed some T-Rexes)

Not your cup of tea? Never fear. As I've harped on and on here, Luminar Neo is a fully functioned, ridiculously intuitive, powerful editor! You just want to edit your photos and not conjure up critters from Jurassic Park, you can do that, too. See?

"Mushroom Tree", Bosque del Apache NWR ©Daniel Gauss/Shot On Site

So try it out. Your images will have never looked so good. If you take advantage of this 10 day offer, and have questions, don't hesitate to contact me: dan@shotonsite.us, or use FB messenger at Facebook.com/shotonsite.

I'll try and be the best coach I can be!

Tired Of Giving Jeff Bezos All Your Money? Read On...

You may have seen mention here in the past of Readers Cove Used Books & Gallery, our used book store in Deming, New Mexico,,, one of the 7 best bookstores in New Mexico! And yes, we sell the crap out of used books, which are one of the greatest deals in the modern world.

But let's say you're looking for a new book. You either hop in the car and drive 5 miles (or in our case 50) to the new book store, or you get online and order it from A-----. 

What if I told you there was a third option? And that third option would help (in a very financial way) your favorite local book shop (that being Readers Cove, of course!). 

Well, here's the deal: we've partnered with Bookshop.org, and rather than me just repeating the info in the image below, just read on:

When you're in the market for a new book just use this link, or even easier, just scan the QR code above, and you'll be taken to our "storefront", place your order, and we'll get a nice little piece of the retail pie. 

Everybody wins, and you'll even save a buck or two! I did a little comparison shopping the other day for prices on the newest releases. It seems the mega-behemoth mail order retailer you all know and hate sells new releases at cover price, while Bookshop.org discounts $1-$2. Check 'em out!

Tis The Season...

 

Expand More Than Your Waistline This Holiday Season!

The third generative AI tool for Luminar Neo, GenExpand, released just a few hours ago. It is available for all subscribers (and Lifetime owners who have purchased the Creative Journey Pass) as update 1.17.0.  If you don't have the CJP, or worse yet, you haven't purchased Luminar Neo at all (!), there will be good news at the end of this post!

So, what does GenExpand do. Let's look at a very simple example. Here's a picture I took a few years ago in Silver City. We were just wandering town "walking and shooting" as the saying goes. I wasn't spending a lot of time worrying about the "rule of thirds" and other compositional dogma.. so, when I checked it out later, I put it in the discard category.

Now, with GenExpand available, I took a look at it with "new eyes". I wanted some more space at the top of the image, and I definitely wanted the whole bumper in the shot, too. Into Luminar Neo the image went:

To expand the image, simply "grab" the edge you want expand, (below) and uh, expand it. They recommend working one edge at a time.  I was just looking for a complete bumper, but you can request anything in the expanded area: Like maybe, "hit and run victim face-down under vehicle bumper" ? Hey, you do you. 

As with the previous generative tools, an internet connection is required. So after you select your expanded area, and hit "Expand", you'll have to wait a few (or several) minutes until your result comes back. Like it? Hit "Save". Not what you were looking for? Hit "Expand" again. I was extremely happy the first time, and was particularly impressed that it included the rust and corrosion from the original, and the reflection of the pavement! So, I hit "Save", and completed the rest of my editing until I had an image ready for Instagram (or printing... or whatever). And there it is: 👇

Silver City Dodge-em Cars ©Daniel Gauss/Shot On Site

I've grabbed a couple, more extensive examples from the Skylum marketing Dropbox, which will give you a better idea of what GenExpand is capable of. And I'll continue to play with it and when I get something super-duper, you'll be the first to see it!

So, basically, the folks at Skylum are feeling in a holiday giving mood, and they've brought back the Black Friday/Cyber Week promotion for another 10 days, beginning tomorrow, December 15 at 7:00AM EST and ending December 26, 7:00AM EST.  Try it risk free... click this link!

New Users will get:

• 12 Months Pro Subscription + Holiday Assets Collection    $49 ($479 value)
• 24 Months Pro Subscription + Holiday Assets Collection    $119 ($659 value)
• Lifetime w/Extensions &CJP + Holiday Assets Collection   $149 ($998 value   

And, as always, save an additional 10%  with coupon code PHOTODAN at checkout.