There were a lot of spectacular entries we could choose from. And here are the winners:

Ruari at Hebridean Island Images with Isle of Rum, in the Hebrides, from Back of Keppoch for gold.

Dausberger with Fillenwarth South dock, Lake Okoboji for silver.

Cpt with K-Pax for bronze.

Check out all the Serenity entries and take a moment to enter the current contest, The HDR Effect.

We thank all the participants for sharing their inspiring work and hope you join the whole ACDSee team in saying congratulations to the winners!

As the storm raged, 30 foot waves slammed into the bowsprit. The bow cleavered the ocean like butter, rising to the challenge of the seas constant onslaught. The rise and fall of the hull being compensated for by our rhythmic flexing at the knees. Everyone bending and leaning in synchronicity like puppets, all the while maintaining a grasp on something solid. The ships undulations spanned 45 degrees leaning in both directions side to side. The ship questing consistent equilibrium as the bow rose and fell 30 to 40 feet. Digging deep into the oceans troughs. It was exhausting just trying to stand anywhere on the ships decks, never mind trying to get a few photos, all the while I was shielding my camera’s lens from the constant blasts of corrosive salty ocean air.

Protectively I had enclosed my Nikon D 300 and Nikon D 80 in ziplock bags with only the very end of my lens protruding from the zippered ends. Cutting a small hole in the plastic bag where the viewfinder was, taping it in place so that I would have a clear view to the subject matter at hand. The biggest problem was keeping my lens free of salt spray when the 40 to 50 knot winds consisted more of water then air. My lens cloth, never leaving my gloved hand wiping between every shot. I had to pick my shooting locations in such a way that they were in the lea of the wind, yet still offering good compositional possibilities. Often trying to hide behind some structure on deck, and still manifesting some kind of viable composition. A tough quest, the deck did not have that many places to hide behind. On top of all of this, I am dealing with all the other difficulties. Like footing and hand holds. I had never had to shoot in such trying circumstances. It is hard enough getting a good image in a conventional setting without having to cope with all of this abysmal weather and shaky footing. I did get a bit frustrated at times, but then my personality is such, that I just persevere until I get what I think is a good shot. I have learned to exact great patience from myself to get the photos that I want. Especially when there is a dramatic event transpiring before me. “The time is nigh, deal with it” rings in my head……

The storm continued for 4 days with large swells tossing the ship around for a few days afterwords. Just trying to get some sleep despite feeling off color was tough enough. My roommate was unceremoniously ejected from the lower bunk twice, maybe 3 times while attempting sleep. My position was more precarious. Sleeping on the top bunk with a wash basin protruding from the wall below me. I could not afford to be thrown from my bed or I would have been decapitated by the sinks edge on the way to the floor. Not the best situation to have to worry about as desperate sleeplessness was assailing my deprived brain. So, with a bit of ingenuity, I lashed the never to be used ironing board to the side of my bed, using various old wire coat hangers stolen from my closet. That seemed to do the trick, leaving one less thing to be fretting about for now. 

Once the storms swells receded there became an opportunity for all the new ships crew ( myself included ), to begin a modicum of training. This ship ran by muscle power to manage the sails. Good climbing skills were a necessary development. We needed to be able to climb in all of the varied weather conditions that we might encounter, particularly during the worst weather, that is good sailing. Many of the new crew were very worried about the “up and over” training (climbing to the first platform of the mast, about a 1/3 of the way up, or about 40 feet, then back down the other side). This training is a requirement before any of the ships crew were allowed to go aloft. Once they passed the test, they were allowed to partake in the setting or dousing of the sails. As a ex rock climber, I was very excited to go up as high as they would let me! I just love being in situations like this, were you can see forever, with every bit of exposure viscerally evident. This gives me the feeling of being alive. The feeling you have while in a situation like this, is that part of you becomes hyper aware of where you are, and what you are doing. You are truly in the present moment, with your pulse thumping in your neck and temples. There is no room for errors. Grievous consequences to be had for the lack of focus, and complete attention is to be maintained through out. This for me brings the feeling of life strongly to the present, like nothing else can do. With the wind in your face and the snap, snap, sound of the sails filling with air, there is this anthropomorphic sense of riding a huge dragon from a mouse like perspective, just holding on for dear life.

My favorite vantage point was hanging around on the mast rigging near “the trees”. “The trees” being the second platform on the mast 2/3rds of the way up. The height at that point would be be close to 90 feet or 30 meters , with the total mast height being around 140 feet tall. From this vantage point I could see many of the crew working the sails below. The sea roiling by at a rapid pace, another 15 meters below them. What an exhilarating vantage point to have!

To learn more about Pro 3, click here.

Here’s a typical scenario: When you arrive at your location, you discover the reception will be held in a small room with awful lighting. However, there is one large window to help bring in light. It’s almost three in the afternoon and the rain won’t stop, so shooting outside is not an option. Gather as many chairs as needed to accommodate your wedding party and position them about five to eight feet from the window facing the window. Stand back and see how the window light is hitting the chairs and look for “fall off.” Set your flash and reflectors to bounce light back into your set, keeping in mind you will have two rows so f-11 is possible with enough light. Place one large long reflector flat on the ground in front of your subject. You can purchase a professionally made reflector or just make one by using simple items such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard or white foam core. Just be sure that whatever you use will reliably reflect light back towards a subject. Also, I use what I call a “Mini Me” or “mini Slave Wide” by Morris. I have used several of these little remote lights at a time to not only to reflect light but push light to accent areas of a subject or brighten up a corner.

The reflector helps fill-in light under eyes and chins. Take a test shot with your on camera flash bouncing off the ceiling (remember this is a small room so bounce will work). Eyeball your shot and make obvious adjustments then shoot again while looking for fairly even lighting on the chairs.

When your party arrives place them with the biggest people in back with “bookends” on each side. Little ones go on ground level while the bride and groom with family elders and first generation get to sit on the chairs. Place some of the flowers on ground level leaving the bride with hers in hand. WARNING never only do one pose no matter what. You want your client to be able to choose. Next shot: move bride and groom behind the chairs and make a little opening in the chairs so they stand out in the middle. Be sure to shoot at least three to five shots of each post to help the blinkers. If you choose to shoot in RAW your edit options increase in case of an emergency, especially if you need to adjust tonality with high-contrast shots (such as a white dress and a black tuxedo). No worries though, you can always use the ACDC batch converter and save the RAW backup.

Remember to stay cool, have fun, and be in charge because you are the who needs to direct everyone to keep the flow going.

The ship was rolling beyond the point of where it was capable of recovering…….. or so were the thoughts screaming in my brain!!! Waves swept the decks every few minutes with surprising ease, eliminating all in its path. One poor soul got a complete soaker for having the temerity to boldly venture forth, attempting to cross the ships “waist deck” , but with incredibly poor timing. Fortunately, he only got wet, and not injured from first sliding and then slamming into the bulwarks on the far side of the wet slimy deck. We were deep into one of those early Spring storms, common here on the east coast of the USA. A good time to be sailing, or just getting sick, with many of us just trying to sleep through it all somehow. Everybody had their own way of dealing with the excessive rocking and rolling..never mind the ups and downs to top it all off. This is the worst sort of carnival ride ever, and it never seemed to end! My romantic notions of sailing across the Atlantic were dashed right from the start. This was sea fairing reality!

It is April, 2009, I had just received an acceptance letter from the US Coast Guard inviting me to partake on a portion of their annual voyage to somewhere on the Atlantic ocean and beyond. Disembarking first from their home harbour in New London, CT, USA and then sailing via the USCG Barque Eagle to Rota Spain. This leg was slated to take place over a period of 3 weeks. The USCG Barque Eagle is a 300′ square rigged tall ship that is used as a training vessel for Cadets. As it ventures to various parts of the world, picking up and dropping off various cadres of Sea cadets along the way, it is run and operated by the permanent staff members of the US Coast guard. These sailors get to see much of the world via the old world method of sailing on a tall ship. Running a ship of this size is a huge job requiring around 65 full time staff members. A large portion of them being women. They treat all the staff with equal opportunity. All of the staff having a equal chance to experience the full spectrum of many of the various jobs. Ranging from mucking around in the oily engine room to climbing to the tallest royal yard arms. I was dually impressed by the work that they all put forth every day, 7 days a week. This was not a job, more like a life style. A lifestyle that quickly weeds out those that were not interested in the daily needs and demands of a large sailing vessel.

Upon first arriving at port that night prior to the day we were scheduled to disembark , there was a eerie mystic ever present. The ship sat there impressively, glowing vaguely while bathed in a orange hued curtain of light, emanating from the wharf side halogen lights. Less strongly were more yellowish halogens perched on top of each of the three masts. Making for oddly eerie rope shadows, 140 feet below on the main deck. As we ascended the gangway on too the main deck of the ship, it seemed oddly quite, devoid of humanity, almost as if we were boarding the carcass of a live but sleeping whale soon to awaken.

There was a constant hum from the generators working hard at maintaining the ever present electrical needs of many of the wide banks of instruments that are never turned off. There, standing on deck staring far above us loomed huge steel yard arms weighing many tons, anchored by a plethora of what looked like tangled ropes turn buckles and what i later learned were to be called “baggy winkles”.

Baggy winkles look like dried seaweed draped over parts of the supporting mast cables. Their job is to minimize the wear and tear to any of the sails that end up rubbing on these cable during sailing operations while under way. They created a organic look, particularly in the dark of night, moving slightly in the light breeze coming off of the bay. Like the hair of a horses mane, while cantering about the fields.

Finding someone in charge was a challenge with a few new crew mates milling about knowing as little as I, and not being of much help. I guess most of the crew were making the best use of their time while on shore leave. Leaving just a few crew mates on the evening watch attending to the new crew mates coming aboard at various times over the night. Finally I was directed to my berth below by the chief navigator. Typically it was a bunk bed situation, with my roommate already arranged below leaving me the top bunk. It was a bit of a tight squeeze getting up there. And once lying down on my back, the steel beams above me were only inches from my face. As this reality drove home, I contemplated the thought that I had better not awaken with a start. Thereby sitting up quickly, only to impact my foggy brain with the solid steely reality, that yes, I am on a sailing ship with little room to spare. Niceties be damned! Seeing that there weren’t any old rusty blood stains from previous crew members misdreams, did little to reassure me that I wasn’t going to be the first to leave my unique mark emblazoned above me.

• “Quick Look” integration
• Dual monitor support
• Mouse wheel support
• External application support
• Improved Status Bar
• Manual file list refresh
• Folders Pane Scanner Progress

Beta 1.1 also includes workflow improvements. Beta testers provided feedback on their preferences for moving through the application, including moving from Manage to View mode and back, and showing images in full screen. Beta 1.1 includes new options that allow you to choose how you prefer to navigate through the application.

As part of the beta program, participants have provided issues they encountered along the way. This has resulted in the following fixes included in Beta 1.1:

• Fixed! - Image dimensions for auto-rotated images
• Fixed! - Folder tree updating
• Fixed! - GPS Latitude and GPS Longitude display

Visit the Pro for Mac homepage to read more and download it today.

The winners of the Pro Photo Contest, In the Studio, are:

Mskalny with Mark Skalny Photography for gold.

awrightlpc with Goslings in the studio for silver.

samn with Through the Ages for bronze.

Check out all the In the Studio entries and take a moment to enter the current contest, Serenity.
We thank all the participants for sharing their inspiring work and hope you join the whole ACDSee team in saying congratulations to the winners!

This update to Canvas 11, for English only, includes the following fixes:

• Canvas 11.1 provides a better overall stability.
• Canvas 11.1 provides a better overall support of importing and exporting BMP, GIF, JPG, PCX, PCD (import only), PNG, and TIF files.
• CALS format (*.cal and *.cal.mil) import is now supported.
• CALS export is now supported.
• CGM file of larger file size is better supported.
• GIF Animated import is now supported.
• Saving/Exporting ICO file (32 x 32 pixels) is supported.
• Import and export of Geo images such as Geo TIF is improved.
• Canvas 11.1 respects DPI setting of BMP, JPG, PCX, PNG, TIF import.
• TGA import and export supports alpha channel mask.
• PNG import and export supports alpha channel mask.
• JPG and TIF supports CMYK Color for import and export.
• 16 bits per channel Grayscale, RGB and CMYK TIF is supported for import and export.
• 16 bits per channel RGB and Grayscale PNG is supported for import.
• Paint Shop Pro files (*.pspimage and *.pspbrush) are now supported for import.
• More camera RAW file formats and DSLR camera models are supported for import: Sony RAW ARW, Panasonic RAW RW2, Mamiya RAW MEF.
• Printing enhancements for 64-bit OS (XP & Vista).
• Option added for exporting PostScript text as béziers.
• The Canvas Scripting Engine was updated to fix a crash when working with sequences.
• Scientific Imaging Filters were updated with improvements made to the Image Math calculations. Calculations can now be performed on multiple images.

To download the update, please visit http://www.acdsee.com/support/updates/