Now We Know...What is Aperture 2...
The Workshop/seminar included the ff.:

A short briefing for the participants before the actual photography, importing the images after the shoot into Aperture 2 using MacBooks, introduction into the basics of Aperture 2 including the versatile interface, tools, tips, how to produce a short slide show with Aperture 2, the integration on a Mac using iLife & iWorks including a demo how to produce a short presentation with Keynote, brief description on Pages and a live/real time demo using the .Mac Web Gallery in Aperture 2, open discussions and photo critique...plus a lot more.

Cool shot by Group 1
Photo by John

Our first two sessions at the Power Mac Center are done, great attendance, great participants and some cool images processed in Aperture 2.
Shooting around Greenbelt and later processing the images in Aperture 2 an introduction into Aperture at the Power Mac Center, the first group from 1pm until 5 pm was lucky with the weather. However the second Group from 5 p.m. until 8 pm had to deal with tropical rain and darkness, a challenge which in my opinion was well executed.

The participants and classroom sessions, the training
facility at the Power Mac Center, Makati, Manila

I like to thank all participants from today, for a job, well done, special thanks to Melvin Tosino, Andrew and E.J. from the Power Mac Centers technical staff who assisted me during these long hours.
Thanks to Mark-Lee Deichmann for helping out and Hermes Singson for shooting behind the scenes, plus to all the staff and Management from
Think Big for a great job.
Next week we show you some more images (including who took them) from these two days with Aperture 2 and Photography at the Power Mac Center.

A well executed shot during the tropical
rain storm by Group 2

Discover Palau Micronesia on YouTube...this small slide show was produced using iLife and Aperture 2...amazingly it only took about half an hour in putting it together including the Music using GarageBand. PRODUCED for PALAU TOURS.COM
For more images on Palau go and visit the Photo Gallery @ http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

Tags:YouTube, Palau Micronesia, Video, iLife, GarageBand, iMovie, iPhoto, Palau Tours, Discover, Survivor Micronesia

WELCOME TO THE PEARLS OF THE PACIFIC
...one of Natures best kept secrets.



© Gunther Deichmann - special thanks to Palau Helicopters
and Matt the Pilot, view at the 70 islands.

Click on the Images and go to our completed
Photo Gallery on Palau
http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

The official launch of the PALAU TOURS Website…
some more fine tuning has to be done and a few glitches
have to be ironed out, however our Blog is out to keep
you posted and informed around the clock.

The Palau Tours website is totally independent and
neutral, conceived more than 12 month ago with the
aim in providing YOU up to date information
on Palau and Micronesia. Information on the Environment,
Hotels, Resorts, Diving, Tours, Shopping and much more.
Soon we provide you with a complete list of Establishments,
Government Services and local Operators.



© Gunther Deichmann - Palau Pacific Resort,
PPR, Your place in Palau.
http://www.palautours.com/gallery.html

At present we are going through our test phase and work
around the clock improving the site as we go…
The site will also be in different languages once the
English part is all finalized and has been approved by
the management.
Our aim is to show YOU Palau like you have never
seen it before, not only with stunning images but also
with good and informative text, so that when you
arrive in Palau you are all set to go, be it under or
above the waves.

We are AWARE of Palau’s fragile Environment and
support the Palau Conservation Society for it’s never
ending efforts in preserving Palau’s natural resources.

The Editor

Tags:Sam's Tours, Diving, Adventure, Discovery, Aperture, Survivor Series in Palau, Photography

© Gunther Deichmann - Mumbai India April 2008
for more on my recent travels click the image above or this link.
http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html

New plug-ins from Nic software for Aperture 2.1 next month...and how they can be useful for our underwater photographers in the feature...Apple made it possible with the release of Aperture 2.1

The interesting part for all these new plug- ins will be for our underwater photographers in due time...some of whom still using Photoshop to tweak some colors which can be difficult for underwater landscapes. Remember when I set up the Digital Photo Center for Sam's Tours in Palau, (check the previous blogs for details) I have heard only yesterday that everything is running very smooth.
The Wi-Fi connections we installed running cool, not to mention the iMac upgrades and training of the staff on Leopard and Aperture, I guess all of this would not have been possible without the investment from Sam Scott and the incredible input and advise from Dermot Keane the GM at Sam's Tours.

_________________________________________

Sam's Tours has just been featured recently in the Scuba Diving Magazine online Bottoms Time, see the screenshot below.

Click on the image and go direct to
the Digital Photo Center

Press release from the Scuba Diving magazine:
ALL - NEW DIGITAL PHOTO CENTER AT SAM'S TOURS IN PALAU

Sam's Tours' all new Digital Photo Center is fully equipped to cater to digital photographers of all interest levels, from those with handy point-and-shoot cameras to the most demanding digital photographers shooting in RAW format. Their six top-of-the-line Apple iMac workstations are loaded with terabytes and terabytes of storage, archiving and secure data backup systems, lots of RAM, and completely optimized for digital imaging with Apple Aperture 2 image management software, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Bridge, Toast, and topped off with DSL Wi-Fi internet access. No other photo center in Palau comes near!

Plus, you can rent new Canon SD850 Digital Cameras and Canon ZR830 Digital Minicams with underwater housings. Other camera-friendly improvements include an expanded "dry zone" for Camera Preparation and Charging and a new Camera Drying Station complete with towels and compressed air for post-rinsing camera care.

________________________________________

What has all of this to do with the new plug-ins? Actually a lot...more capabilities on one system soon...I guess to go with the iMacs and Aperture at Sam's Tours was the right decision, check it out the next time you in Palau and dont forget your Camera for these incredible shots above and below the waves.
GD

Nic software has just announced the availability of one of the first Plug -ins for Aperture 2.1 in May 2008. For those of you who are interested in all these new plug ins stay tuned as soon more become available I be announcing them.
Exciting times ahead for some of you, soon you be able to stay even longer in Aperture 2.1 without switching back and forth or open Photoshop.
Click on the images below for a direct link to Nic software and a detail description of their products.
GD

Available in May, 2008, Viveza will also be compatible with Apple Aperture 2 to enable direct on-image editing, with the most powerful and precise tool available to selectively control light and color in photographic images. For the first time, corrections and enhancements can be made quickly and easily without the need to create complicated selections or layer masks, providing selective editing control within Aperture.

Aperture World Tour 2008
Countries and Dates

Singapore March 12 - Hong Kong March 20 - Taiwan March 27 -
India (Mumbai) April 1



Join the Tour

Beginning in February, Apple takes Aperture 2 on tour around the world. Join us and enjoy a close look at the next generation of Apple’s powerful photo editing and management software.

With its simplified user interface, Aperture 2 is easy enough for any photographer to pick up and use. Intuitive and accessible, it brings a variety of new interface features that members of Apple’s pro photo marketing team will demonstrate, including:

* A new All-in-one Inspector
* Viewer Only mode
* Quick Preview mode
* Project skimming in All Projects view

This free, two-hour seminar explores all of the top features in Aperture 2, our invited professional photographer’s workflow and an introduction of Canon’s latest camera.

Agenda

* Discover Aperture 2 - by Sam Leung
* Using Aperture on Assignment - by Gunther Deichmann
* Canon Digital Imaging Solution - by Canon

For more details and venues click on the image above or this link: http://www.apple.co.in/aperture/tour/

Aperture 2 soon at the Sepang Malaysia 2008 Grand Prix Formula 1 Race race track… It was here where Alonso and Hamilton finish 1 and 2 positions. ...A double win for McLaren team in their recent F1 race in Sepang in 2007.
Good luck to Marlon Stockinger in 2008 for his first major race the
Formula BMW Pacific

http://www.marlonstockinger.com/index.html

A test drive for the weekend…my advice…make time for this super cool addition play and explore the Web Gallery in Aperture 2.
I have provided some insight and samples below... go and take your test drive and download your trial copy @ http://www.apple.com/aperture/trial/

As promised here is my follow up with these Philippine stock images for a German Publisher…I have provided some tips how to make things so much faster using the Web Gallery within Aperture 2, but before I go into all the details let me say this…fantastic integration and so efficient having this ability is just so amazing.

I am not bragging… maybe just a bit… (justified) I am just so impressed… like in evolution the missing link came with Aperture 1.0 but with Aperture 2 we started to walk upright…but to be honest, I am actually running.
Sounds like I am back in to my fossils…discovery of man… Aperture 2... find out all the tips and details plus a lot more at:

http://www.deichmann-photo.com/blog.html