1 - Complete list of contents of the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD:
1 - 28 main steps and over 100 sub-steps organized in PDF menus --

Click here to open the complete table of contents

2 - 80 Tutorial Movies -- Over 9 hours of Movie tutorials -- in both regular movie format and iPod movie format

3 - 25 tutorial Audio Files -- Over 2.5 hours of Audio Recordings, The audio and video files on the USB or DVD can be played on any device

4 - 15 PDF tutorials
5 - 26 Example Photographs with layers featuring images used to demonstrate specific steps on the USB or DVD
6 - 28 Quickstep Files (see description below)
7 - The Photoshop CS2 actions set used by Alain every day
8 -The 4 Monitor Calibration files created and used by Alain
9 - Alain's  Print Labels Template
10 - Set of 18 correction curves each one designed to perform a specific image adjustment
11 - A Master Curves file featuring each of the 18 correction curves applied to a single image
12 - Updates posted to a private link on this website accessible only to USB or DVD owners. The USB or DVD updates will always feature my latest workflow choices in order to keep you on the cutting edge of digital technology
13 - The Master File of the companion print "Canyons of the San Juan 3"

2 - In addition, you also receive with the USB or DVD:
A 5x7 Master Companion Print of one of the images I work on in the USB or DVD: Canyons of the San Juan 3. This photograph is printed to my exacting standards using the exact steps, printers, software and paper described on the USB or DVD. You also receive the Master file for the Master Companion Print. This companion print allows you to compare my results to yours and evaluate your work and your system precisely. The value of this Master companion print with the master file is $150. It is not sold separately.

A 9 hours audio recording of the Printing Mastery Seminar. This recording features each session of the 2009 Seminar, for a total of 9 hours of live audio recordings. It is the closest thing to actually attending the Seminar without being physically there. The Printing Mastery Seminar Audio CD alone is worth the price of this entire package. This Audio CD is not sold separately.

3 - Description of The Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD
The Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD teaches you the exact 28 steps – and over 80 sub-steps- that I follow to create my own fine art photographs, starting with a Raw file or an original scan, and going all the way to a mounted, matted and professionally-presented piece. 

The USB or DVD covers everything that I do after the original photograph is taken. It starts with a description of my approach to color -- with a detailed account of my view of color theory presented in 7 audio files-- continues with color management, then with scanning and raw conversion, then the multitude of controls that are applied in Photoshop, to finishing touches such as noise removal, continues by looking a print curating, then looks at dry mounting and finally concludes with matting, presentation and protection of the final prints.

I call this process Alain's 28 steps process because it consists of a total of 28 very careful chosen main steps. Each of these 28 main steps is divided into sub-steps, each of the 28 steps having from 2 to 10 or more sub steps. The total number of steps and substeps is about 200. Not each of these steps and substeps is used on every image. However, all of them are used by me regularly. Mastery, a concept which is explained in detail on the USB or DVD, is what enables you to know when to use each specific step or substep. Once you master this concept, something which is achieved through studying the materials on the USB or DVD, you will be able to approach each image so as to create the finest print from it, then finishing this print to world-class standards and finally displaying it and protecting it in a professional manner.

The steps outlined on the Mastery USB or DVD are taught in my Expressive Print Seminar and during the Digital Summit. However, during the seminar we do not look at print finishing, curating, dry mounting, matting, protection and presentation. Therefore, the USB or DVD has actually more information and goes further into the process than the Expressive Print and the Summit seminars.

Furthermore, the USB or DVD is something you can watch and study over and over again, without the need to take any notes whatsoever. The seminars on the the other hand requires you take notes and be physically present.

4 - Short History of how the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD came to be
The idea for the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD came about when I thought it was important to create a comprehensive description of how I create my images after I take the original photograph in the field. At first, I envisioned a fairly simple presentation, and I estimated the completion time to a month or so.

As I started work on the project I quickly realized that I had under-estimated the actual scope of this project and the exact difficulty of the task I had assigned to myself. At first I estimated that I went through about 4 to 7 separate steps to go from a raw file or scan to a finished print. As I worked on documenting what I do, this number started growing higher and higher. I realized I had to include my theoretical approach to color for example, because color is at the center of what I do, and this whether I work in color or in black and white (why color & black and white are directly related is explained on the USB or DVD in the Color Theory step).

I also realized I needed to include a section on color management, because many students make costly errors in setting up their color management system and in managing color throughout the 28 steps process. However, I did not want this step to be purely theoretical because experience has shown me that a theoretical approach to color management is not the best way to learn. So I had to find a practical, hands on way to teach color management on the USB or DVD. The solution I found is to simply show you step by step how I manage color on my system and show you the exact hardware, software and settings that I use every day.

I then saw that there were countless operations I performed in Photoshop. Exactly how many, and exactly which operations, I wasn't sure because I had been doing my Photoshop work intuitively and never sat down to make a final list of everything that I did. Furthermore, what I did varies according to the image I am working on. I found numerous sub-steps that I use only for specific images. I found others that I use on every image. All in all, I also had to sort out redundant steps, that is different ways to do the same thing. In sorting these out I decided to keep only the most effective way. At equal quality results, I also decided to keep the approach that took the least amount of time. I did not see the point of complicating things unnecessarily if results are indistinguishable. In the end, the work I do in Photoshop accounts for 18 of the 28 steps and for 61 sub-steps.

The research necessary to finalize the steps and sub-steps I perform in Photoshop took me over 9 months. The reason for what may seem to be an overly long time is that I had to sort through hundreds of files each describing a particular way to conduct each step, each operation. Someone once said that there are 20 different ways to do anything in Photoshop. Truer words were never spoken. The problem is that nobody needs to know all 20 different ways. What you need is to know the way that works best. On this USB or DVD I show you the way that works best for me, the way I selected after many years of practice, trial and error and experience.

I also realized that a fine art print is not complete when it comes out of the printer. In order to be displayed this print has to be curated (what curating consists of is explained in the USB or DVD because it is one of the 28 steps), dry mounted, matted, mounted and finally displayed and protected. Without each of these steps all you have is an image on paper, not a print ready to be displayed and not a print that you can safeguard for generations to come. I therefore added a section for each of these steps, describing the entire process I go through with each print after they come out of the printer and until they are safely stored in my collection or exhibited in galleries.

5 - Quicksteps
I decided to include many unique files on the USB or DVD, files that are not available anywhere else. These files include a concept I developed and created that I call Quickstep Files. Quickstep Files are printable documents that describe each step I go through step by step, in a simple and precise manner. Quickstep files are comparable to notes you would take while watching the tutorial movies (there are 80 tutorial movies on the USB or DVD) or listen to the tutorial audio files (over 20 audio files are on the USB or DVD) or read one of the PDF tutorials (over 15 PDF tutorials are on the USB or DVD). However, these notes have already been taken for you, and all you need to do is follow them to complete each step on your own. You can even print them if you like and place them in a binder or use them as you study and practice the 28 steps. There are 28 Quicksteps on the USB or DVD, one for each Step.

There are also Example Photographs, with layers, of many of the images I used to demonstrate each step in movies on the USB or DVD. To make things more interesting, I used many different images to demonstrate each step. I decided to include as many of the Example Photographs as possible so you could study them on your own, at your leisure, and see exactly what I did to the file.

The actions I use in Photoshop every day are also included on the USB or DVD. All you need to do is load them in Photoshop. A Quickstep describing exactly how to do this, step by step, is provided.

A list of all the software, hardware and supplies I use is provided, together with links to each manufacturer's website. This link is a treasure trove of information, one that would take you a long time to assemble. As it is, you do not need to do anything except click on the links to see exactly what I use and where I get it from.

6 - USB or DVD Updates
Updates of the 28 steps and 80 sub-steps will be posted to a private area of my website. USB or DVD owners will receive a link to this area each time an update is posted. Updates will usually follow software and hardware updates. These updates consist of tutorial movies and PDFs demonstrating how I use these latest versions, what are their advantages, how it fits in my workflow, and so on.

Photoshop CS6 and CC and Lightroom 5 Updates
Updates to Adobe Photoshop CS6 and CC and Lightroom 5 are available in the Update area. These updates covers the new features of CS5, and Lightroom 3. I focus on how I am using these new features in my workflow. My approach to image enhancement has changed while going from Photoshop CS5 to CS6, CC and Lightroom 5. There are also several great new features in CS6 and CC and Lightroom 5 and in this update I cover all of the new features.

These updates are available by download from the USB or DVD owners updates area. The link to the updates area is emailed to you after you place your order.

7 - How the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD differs from my other CDs & USB or DVDs
My previous Tutorial CDs and USB or DVDs –the Marketing , Portfolio, Composition etc. CDs --are not designed to replace attending a workshop.  Rather, they are designed to accompany attending a workshop.  In many ways they are designed to be used in addition to participation to the workshop, or as preparation to the workshop, or as additional work that can be completed after the workshop. 

In short, my other CDs and USB or DVDs are designed to complement my workshops and not to be a replacement to a workshop.  The Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD is my first USB or DVD tutorial which is designed to replace attending a workshop (this is why “Workshop” is part of the USB or DVD title).  To achieve this goal all the materials that are taught during the Printing Seminar are included on the USB or DVD.  Furthermore, the USB or DVD is organized along the same outline as the seminar, and features tutorial movies or audio recording or PDF presentations that duplicate the presentations I give during the seminar.

This is also why the USB or DVD features 80 movies, 25 audio files.  My only CD that features movies –the Composition CD—has 2 movies.  The Briot’s View CD, which is my only CD featuring audio recordings, has 8 audio files.  The Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD goes much much further by including a huge amount of audio and Video files. 

My goal was to provide an amount of Video, Audio and PDF tutorials equivalent to the presentation time offered during the Expressive Print Seminar.

8 - Pricing
I priced the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD at the same price at one of my Seminars, either the Digital Summit or the Expressive Print Seminar because the contents of the USB or DVD are similar to what I teach during the Seminars. The USB or DVD is therefore an alternate way to study what I teach during the printing Seminars and the price reflects that. However, there are several benefits to studying with the USB or DVD compared to studying during the Seminar, and that is :

A-there are no travel cost involved (the USB or DVD is even shipped to you at no extra cost, no matter where you live in the world)

B- You can watch each presentation over and over again instead of just once

C-You do not need to take notes. Quickstep files with step by step instructions of each procedure are provided on the CD. You can even print these Quickstep files for reference. These Quickstep files are available exclusively on this USB or DVD.

D-Numerous study and practice files are included on the USB or DVD such:
--- - Monitor calibration files
--- - Example Photographs with layers featuring images used to demonstrate specific steps in the tutorial videos
--- - The Master file of the companion print "Canyons of the San Juan 3"
--- - An original print of the Canyons of the San Juan 3 master file so you can compare an actual final print to the monitor image
--- - The Photoshop Actions used I use daily in my own work (an actual CS2 .atn file)
--- - A detailed list of all the software, hardware and supplies used together with links to each manufacturer's website. This represents a huge amount of research that you will not need to do. Simply click on each link to access each website and order what you need. These links are the links to the exact manufacturers and suppliers that Alain's uses for his own work.
--- - PDF files of each PDF presentation
--- - Movie files of each movie tutorial
----- MP3 Files of each audio presentation - listen to them in your car, on your ipod, anywhere.
----- Access to the Updates area

9 - NEW - USB Flash card delivery option (instead of CD /USB or DVD)
If you do not have a CD/USB or DVD reader in your computer, we can ship the Personal Vision Mastery Workshop and the Summit Presentations on a USB Flash Card instead of on CD and USB or DVD. If you want to take advantage of this option, simply place your order using the link above, then email us at alain@beautiful-landscape.com to let us know that you want your order delivered on a USB Flash Card rather than on CD and USB or DVD. The cost is the same.

10 - NEW - pay in 3 equal instalments
We offer the option of paying for your Master Class in 3 equal installments instead of all at once. The three installments will be placed on your credit card a month apart. The first installment will be applied the day you place your order., the second one a month later and the third two months later. To take advantage of this option simply email alain@beautiful-landscape.com or call us with your credit card, phone number and shipping information. There is no extra cost for this option and your order will ship immediately.

11 - Place your order for the Printing Mastery Workshop on USB or DVD: