Welcome to the December 2010 issue of DPTips Central newsletter!

We hope we find you well, enjoying the winter time and getting ready for the upcoming holiday season. We had some snow fall in London recently which presented some rare picture opportunities...

Snowman in Hyde Park, London UK

Trafalgar Square, London UK

Homeless in Trafalgar Square, London UK

Naval College, Greenwich, London UK

Hyde Park, London UK

Have you braved the weather and taken advantage of the lovely winter lighting ? If so , we cannot wait for you to share your images with us in our Winter Spirit Photo contest ...

Unfortunately, the initial joy of having snow in London quickly wore off with us when the inevitable travel misery began and disturbed our travel plans for spending Christmas in Italy.

In the meantime, we were busy revamping the DPTips Central look to a brand new 3-column format, offering an easy of navigation and accessibility to resources.

Talking about resources, there was an important update to the digital photography software section . If you have missed it through our RSS feed , check it out as it expands on the available choices for digital photographers of image-editing solutions, FTP transfer softwares, reverse image searching applications and much more...

Photography Gadgets and Fun Stuff

Over a year ago we did a take on iPhone apps for photographers that stood out for us. This year, we revisit the theme by looking at our favourite iPad apps for photographers.

1. Portfolio for iPad

There are tons of imaging portfolio apps for iPad and choosing the one that best works for you is often a matter of taste. In our opinion, the simple and yet elegant Portfolio for iPad ($14.99) app is just the one. The app focuses on your images and how best to show them off. It is a fully customizable and can be designed to match your own photography brand. It also makes getting your photos onto the app a snap thanks to its integration with Dropbox.

2. MediaPad Pro

If you've got one of those fancy new HD-DSLRs and you like to shoot and show off your videos on your new iPad, then MediaPad Pro for iPad ($14.99) app is for you. Even though its interface is very simple, this is a powerful software that will deftly handle all your photos, videos, and audio clips so you can share them with clients or just display them to fellow photographers.

3. Movie*Slate (Clapperboard & Shot Log)

This app which turns your iPad into a digital movie clapboard. Movie*Slate ($19.99) isn't just a novelty to use on your next family film though, it's been developed by video pros to use as as a digital slate, shot log, and virtual notebook to tally info about scenes as you shoot. You can also set timecode with Movie*Slate so all your footage is in sync. And the app is customizable, letting you pick from a crop of clapper stick color options, slate backgrounds, fonts, and timecode color to fit you style.

4. TouchUp for iPad

With TouchUp ($2.99), editing effects are brushed on or off with a slide of your finger on the image on your iPad. Some basic edit options include B&W, contrast, brightness, temperature, tint, and hue shift. Add-on packs of effects include more advanced tweaking such as Dodge & Burn. Nearly unlimited layers of effects can be added to your photos so this isn't an app that gets old quick.

5. Perfectly Clear for iPad

Perfectly Clear is the perfect app for making quick yet tasteful automated edits on your photos on the fly. It peels off your original photo to reveal a bright, color corrected, crisp photo with details you didn’t see in your original. Perfectly Clear also provides the ability to fine tune the automatic corrections with easy to use sliders and presets. The app also has skin tone correction that takes out excessive reds, noise removal, and a histogram to help you analyze your shots. Basically it's one-stop photoshopping for the iPad.

Photography Industry News

PhotoShelter Introduces a New Printing Service

PhotoShelter, the provider of online services and websites for photographers, has introduced a new printing service that will allow photographers to select a local lab to sell prints and products via their PhotoShelter websites. Currently, 27 labs have signed up and are now part of the Print Vendor Network, including One Vision Imaging in the UK. PhotoShelter's members can also ask their favoured print vendors to join the programme, which, PhotoShelter claims, will help "photographers honour longstanding personal vendor relationships while handling sales online." For more details visit, www.photoshelter.com

iStockphoto to Launches Editorial Collection

iStockphoto has announced that in the new year it will be launching a new editorial collection to serve the image needs of news organisations. The editorial images submitted to the news collection won't be subject to the same guidelines as iStockphoto's main collection but will provide contributors with an additional revenue stream. For more details visit, www.istockphoto.com

Photography Competitions and Exhibitions

Amnesty International Media Awards are back

Human rights charity Amnesty International is now accepting submissions for its UK Media Awards. Running for more than 20 years, the awards have given recognition to excellence in human rights reporting and journalism. There are ten categories available for submissions that cover newspaper, radio, TV and digital journalism. Photographers can enter the photojournalism category. The final date for submissions is 01 March 2011 and must be submitted online at www.amnesty.org.uk/awards.

Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards 2011

The Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards 2011 is inviting photographers and journalists throughout the world to enter images taken between January 2009 and December 2010. The overall winner, which will be announced in March 2011, will receive a $10,000 cash prize (YEN 1,000,000), while the first runner-up will get the equivalent of $3000. The third prize is made up of $1000 cash prize and a compact camera. Entries must be sent by 15 January 2011 with a completed entry For more information and to enter, visit www.daysjapan.net.

Photography Suppliers - Latest News

If you are looking into buying some new equipment, check out Jessops online shop :

Here are the current special offers at Adobe's store:

Save 30% on Lightroom
Save £13 on Photoshop Elements
Free shipping on offers over £350
Save up to 80% on Adobe Student Editions

ACDSee current special offers:
Save 10% on ACDsee Pro 3 - order today!
Save 30% ACDSee Photo Manager - the all in one scrapbook software!
Save 30% on Canvas 11- Your integrated solution for technical illustrations and graphics.

The Apple Online Store

has a fantastic range of EXCLUSIVE offers including: Free laser engraving, Signature Gift wrap, exclusive iPod (PRODUCT) RED, Mac customization, Free Shipping on all orders over £76 and cross border gifting! Buy a printer with a new Mac and save £60

The has a fantastic range of EXCLUSIVE offers running right now. Check them out !

Dabs.com also offer some great bargains as well as a free shipping on orders over £99.99. Check their store below:

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Thanks for your support and it just remains for us to wish you the happiest of Christmases and a prosperous New Year!

Irina & Gianfranco
-- DPTips-Central.com