News

Sometimes all it takes to lift your photo from the ordinary to the extraordinary
is a striking edge or border. Would a soft-edged vignette or a unique pattern
border take your image to the next level of dramatic impact? While there are
myriad software programs and plug-ins designed to add special effect edges,
borders and frames, you probably already have quite an array of possibilities
built into your current image-editing software. To get you started, here are
some effects that I created with Adobe Photoshop. You can use Elements for these,
as well. Earlier versions of these as well as other image-editing programs offer
many of the same effects. Now let's give some photos a new leading edge...

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Wacom Technology is now including several additional software programs with
its 6x 8" Graphire Bluetooth wireless pen tablet. Priced at $249.99, the
device now ships with Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 and PC digital inking programs
for added versatility. When used in conjunction with the Wacom pen, Photoshop
Elements tools such as the Healing Brush allow users to selectively alter images
and precisely remove photographic flaws with greater ease and accuracy. Nineteen
pressure-sensitive tools deliver dynamic control of important tool attributes
such as size, opacity and color.

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Pelican Products, Inc. has unveiled the 1430 Top Loader, a rugged, weatherproof
case for photographers who want the ultimate protection for their valuable gear.
This new model offers nearly 1,100 cubic inches of usable storage space and
features a unique top-loading design. Optional features such as a shoulder strap,
lid organizer, "mobile office" file holder kit and padded dividers
for photography and computer equipment are also available. Other optional accessories
include Pick `N' Pluck™ foam, canoe attachment brackets and
TSA-Accepted PeliLocks.

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Think Tank Photo has introduced a backpack specifically configured to hold
large telephoto lenses, multiple SLR bodies and a laptop computer, and still
fit within a standard airline overhead storage compartment. The new Airport
Addicted pack is designed so that airport security staff can quickly inspect
all equipment in the bag without having to dig through multiple compartments.
It includes a removable 15-inch laptop, a seam-sealed removable rain cover,
and comfortable shoulder straps that tuck away for storage.

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Lensbabies has introduced a set of macro lenses for use with its popular selective-focus
SLR camera lenses, Lensbaby 2.0 and the Original Lensbaby. The macro set includes
one +4 and one +10 macro lens that can be mounted to the front of the Lensbaby
lens, enabling photographers to create very unusual close-up effects.

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Epson's new P-4000 Multimedia Storage Viewer combines an 80GB hard drive
for storing, sharing and viewing thousands of photos with a high-resolution 3.8"
LCD offering vivid color and superb image detail.



With its built-in memory card slots and high storage capacity, the new Epson unit
is an ideal companion for today's high-resolution digital SLRs.
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Sigma has introduced two digitally optimized teleconverters for use with their
telephoto and telephoto-zoom lenses. Both models utilize the latest multi-layer
lens coating and a new optical design to reduce flare and ghosting and maintain
optimum image quality.

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