In one of my recent tutorials I showed how to create a Grainy Xerox Grunge Effect in Photoshop, named after its similarity to old photocopied images. Download this FREE Smart PSD to easily recreate the effect with your own images by replacing the contents of the Smart Object. The artwork is given a high-contrast appearance […]

The post Free Xerox Grunge Smart PSD appeared first on Spoon Graphics.

View and Vote

View and Vote

View and Vote

Experiencing three or more concussions is linked with worsened brain function in later life, according to major new research. The study – the largest of its kind - also found having just one moderate-to-severe concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), can have a long-term impact on brain function, including memory.

In this case series of 152 contact sport athletes younger than 30 years at the time of death, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was found in 63 (41.4%), with nearly all having mild CTE (stages I and II). 

Let’s talk about WordPress meetups! On this episode of The WPCandy Roundtable Podcast, I asked four awesome WordPress meetup co-organizers to chat about what makes a quality meetup and how they do what they do. We also went over what they would recommend to new WordPress meetup organizers. Joining me on the podcast are Angie […]

The post WPCandy Roundtable #3: WordPress Meetup Discussion with 4 co-organizers appeared first on WPCandy.

Genetic tests showed that certain patients were predisposed to brain injuries if they took the drugs. That information remained secret.

The family of the Army reservist who committed the October 2023 massacre in Lewiston wants to bring awareness to traumatic brain injuries among military members.

The Department of Veterans Affairs remains convinced that psychedelic therapy can help treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder — and it’s going to try to prove it. That commitment comes despite the FDA’s August rejection of a drug company’s plan to offer a psychedelic regimen for PTSD.

The NHLPA will form an advisory committee to help hockey players better understand chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the damage that concussions can do to the brain. NHLPA president Marty Walsh said Friday night that the CTE committee was unanimously approved at a union board meeting this summer. The former Boston mayor made the announcement after receiving an award at the annual gala for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, which supports patients and families struggling with the symptoms of traumatic brain injuries.

A troubling report from the Pentagon earlier this year revealed that suicide is the leading cause of death for Army soldiers—a population that is nearly nine times as likely to die by suicide than in combat.  “Suicide in the military continues to be a public health crisis, despite decades of targeted interventions. The rates are persistently higher than in the general population,” says Jayna Moceri-Brooks, an assistant professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing who studies firearm injury prevention and suicide among service members and veterans.

How do you test the vision of someone with TBI who cannot communicate — talk or respond otherwise to questions?

Why use a camera anymore when you can just use your phone? Or why use your phone when you have that expensive camera. Emily from...

The post Why use a camera instead of your phone… Or the other way around appeared first on DIY Photography.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which has orbited Jupiter since 2016, recently captured striking new images of the gas giant during its 66th close flyby. This solar-powered...

The post Juno’s latest flyby photos reveal Jupiter like never before appeared first on DIY Photography.

No matter how good your technical equipment might be, it is almost impossible to avoid capturing unwanted in-/exhaling sounds and mouth noises during voice recordings. After some users asked for an automatic removal of such sounds to improve the audio quality, we got to work and are now proud to present a major upgrade to our Denoiser, including the automatic removal of mouth noises and a new “Remove Breathings” option!
Check out our Audio Examples and the Getting Started Guide below.

What is new?

• Remove Breathings: When the new “Remove Breathings” option is enabled, all the inhalation and exhalation sounds will be muted like all the other noises.
• Eliminate Mouth Noises and Eating Sounds: With our upgrade to the Denoiser, we have integrated the elimination of all types of mouth noises, such as smacking, chewing and clicking. These sounds are set to silence in your output file.

NOTE:
By default, mouth noises and breathing segments are muted but not cut. If you want to cut out all silent segments, just add the “Cut Silence” option for “Automatic Cutting” in the audio algorithms.

Audio Examples

1. Example: Breathing Removal

In our first audio example (Freak Show 136), a speaker breathes directly into the microphone, creating a Darth Vader-like effect. This heavy breathing is removed using the “Remove Breathings” algorithm and the Dynamic Denoiser:

2. Example: Mouth Noise and Eating Sounds Elimination

The following example is an excerpt from the Joe Rogan Experience #2054 where Elon Musk and Joe Rogan are eating pizza and talking about how terrible it is for the sound. Listen to how the chewing and smacking sounds are removed after processing with the new Dynamic Denoiser:

Getting Started Guide

For the Auphonic Web Service:

To remove breathing sounds in the Auphonic Web Service, simply create a production or preset as usual and check the “Remove Breathings” checkbox for “Noise Reduction” in the “Audio Algorithms” section.
“Remove Breathings” is only available for Speech Isolation and the Dynamic Denoiser, but NOT for the Static Denoiser.

For the removal of mouth noises, no special settings are required. Just enable the Speech Isolation or the Dynamic Denoise method for Noise Reduction.

For API Use:

To use “Remove Breathings” with the API, set the "denoisemethod" to dynamic or speech_isolation and the "debreath" flag to true, as in these two examples:

"algorithms": {
    "denoisemethod": dynamic, "denoiseamount": 100, "debreathamount": 100,
}

"algorithms": {
    "denoisemethod": speech_isolation, "denoiseamount": 12, "debreathamount": 100,
}

For more information about the API, please visit our API help page, where you will also find all other API Audio Algorithm Settings.

Conclusion

Breath and mouth noise removal is essential for podcasters, as it enhances audio clarity and ensures a more professional, polished presentation. By removing distracting sounds, you can maintain listener engagement and provide a seamless listening experience.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the new features!
If you have any feedback for us on how the breath and mouth noise elimination is working for you, please feel free to contact us via email or directly comment in our production interface!

Responding to your feedback, we are now proud to present new separate parameters for noise, reverb, and breath reduction to give you more flexible control for your individual, best output results.
Find all the new parameters below and listen to the Audio Examples to get a closer impression of the upgrade.

What's the update about?

Before

Previously, you could only set the Denoising Method and one reduction amount, that was used for all elements.
Depending on the selected method, you were already able to decide whether music, static, or changing noises should be removed, but there was no setting to keep the typewriter sound effects while removing the reverb, for example.

Now

With our latest upgrade, you can now set the reduction amounts separately for noise, reverb, and breathing sounds.
For example, you could completely remove the background noise while reducing the reverb just a little to enhance speech intelligibility but keep the atmosphere. Like we did in Audio Example 1.
Many of you have also asked about the possibility of slightly reducing breath sounds rather than eliminating them completely. In Audio Example 2 we demonstrate how you can prevent your audio from sounding strange and unnatural by reducing instead of eliminating all breathing sounds.

To all of you who are happy with the results and don't want anything to change, relax:
If you don't change the default settings, the noise reduction algorithms work exactly the same as before.

Note: As the 'Static Denoiser' removes only stationary noise, there are no 'Remove Reverb' and 'Remove Breathings' parameters available for this denoising method.

New Parameters

Screenshot of the new Noise Reduction Parameters in the production form.

In order to use the new noise reduction features, you may separately set the following parameters:

• Denoising Method: (unchanged) Select what kind of noise you want to remove.
  [Dynamic Denoiser (default), Speech Isolation, Static Denoiser]
  Note that the parameters 'Remove Reverb' and 'Remove Breathings' are NOT available for Static Denoiser!
• Remove Noise: Select the amount of noise you want to remove.
  [100 dB (default), Disable Denoise, 3 dB, 6 dB, ..., 100 dB (full)]
• Remove Reverb: Select the amount of reverb you want to remove.
  [100 dB (default), Disable Deverb, 3 dB, 6 dB, ..., 100 dB (full)]
• Remove Breathings: Select the amount of breathings you want to remove.
  [Off (default), 3 dB, 6 dB, ..., 100 dB (full)]

Feel free to experiment with all the options to find your preferred parameter settings! Editing and reprocessing existing productions does not cost any additional credits as long as you don't change the input file.

Listen to the results:

1. Reverb reduction with full noise elimination

For the first audio example by conduitministries.com we set the 'Remove Noise' amount to 100 dB (full) and varied the 'Remove Reverb' amount starting from 0 dB (Off) to 12 dB (medium) and to 100 dB (full). Listen to how first the noise is gone and then step by step the reverb is lower:

2. Breathing sound reduction

In the breathing reduction audio example by LibriVox.org we used the 'Remove Breathing' amounts increasing from the original audio with 0 dB (Off) to 12 dB (medium) and to 100 dB (full) reduction.
In the result files you can hear, that the 100 dB (full) elimination leads to weird, unnatural-sounding pauses, that can be prevented by just reducing the breathing sounds:

Try it now on auphonic.com!

Feedback

We hope you like our upgraded version of the Noise Reduction Algorithms with new parameters for more control.
If you have more feature requests or feedback for us, please let us know! You can also leave a comment in the feedback section on the status page of your specific production. We're looking forward to hearing from you!

The new Auphonic team accounts streamline billing for companies, teams, or groups and are available to business users. A team account's owner can invite team members and admins, all of whom share the team account's credits for their productions.

The team account feature only impacts billing. Team members cannot access each other’s productions, presets, etc.
If you're interested in switching to a team account, please contact us!

What are Auphonic Teams?

A team consists of an Owner with Members and optional Admins. The Owner and Admins can add and remove team members as well as change their roles in the team. Every added account can use Auphonic as usual, but only the account Owner's credits are used for billing productions.

This simplifies the invoicing process for teams using multiple Auphonic accounts.
One Owner provides the credits, and all of the team can use them.

Overview of the team accounts section in the account settings.

Inviting Users

After gaining access to the team account feature, you can invite new team members via the team account section on the account settings page. Invited team members can be:

• Existing Auphonic users
• New users who do not yet have an account

Managing Team Account Members

The team account Owner and Admins can remove members and change roles within the team.

Editing roles

Roles and Permissions

Within the team, there are three roles: Owner, Admin and Member. Each role has specific permissions:

All roles and permissions.

Billing

The Owner of the team account is responsible for purchasing credits. Productions made by team members will use the team account's credits. As a team account member, you will see the team account owner's credit balance instead of your own.

If you wish to access your personal credits, you can leave the team at any time.

Conclusion

With the introduction of team accounts, we provide a solution to simplify the production process for teams. One account is responsible for providing the credits and all team members can use them collectively!

Contact us if you are a business user and interested in using our new feature.

Feedback

We are always happy to receive feedback on our features!
If you have thoughts, ideas or recommendations, drop us a line using our contact form or email us directly.

We're looking forward to hearing from you!

Bokeh. Have you heard this term used in conversations while looking at a photo, listened while someone proclaimed that the bokeh in a photo was good or bad, but you’ve been too embarrassed to ask just what it is? Its something every photographer should understand because it affects your image. And whether you know it or not, you’ve probably evaluated the bokeh in your own photos.

Well hide your shame no longer. After reading this article, you will be able to hold your head high and raise your nose as you talk about the bokeh in your next photo.

Table Of Contents:

• What is Bokeh?
• Camera Lens Factors
• Camera Type Factors
• Interplay Between Lens and Camera
• Examples of Bokeh
• Common Mistakes When Trying to Achieve Good Bokeh
• Causes of Bad Bokeh in a Lens
• Fixing Bad Bokeh
• Using Bad Bokeh Creatively
• I’m on a budget. Can I still achieve good bokeh with cheaper lenses?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from interviewing hundreds of high-performers and change-makers on the Chase Jarvis LIVE show, it’s that the most successful entrepreneurs and creators share a unique trait: they view challenges not as barriers but as incredible opportunities for growth and innovation. Unlike many of us who might view problems as burdensome obstacles, they tend to see them as opportunities to learn, to grow, to improve, and to adapt in ways that leave them better positioned than they were before. This perspective isn’t just about maintaining a positive attitude—it’s about harnessing the power of each setback to propel oneself forward.  Why Problems Are Your Launchpad for Innovation Problems are inevitable, no matter what we do in life, but as creators and entrepreneurs we can get more than our fair share. It’s par for the course when it comes to breaking new ground and pushing boundaries. But here’s the kicker: when you start to view these problems as crucial growth opportunities, they suddenly become less daunting – more like puzzles waiting to be solved rather than monsters lurking in the dark. This mindset not only reduces the stress associated with challenges but also opens up your creative process...

The post How to Find Opportunity in Everything first appeared on Chase Jarvis.

The post How to Find Opportunity in Everything appeared first on Chase Jarvis.

In this episode, Finnian Kelly shares insights from his new book Intentionality: A Groundbreaking Guide to Breath Consciousness and Radical Self Transformation. Finnian debunks the myth that “people don’t change” and explores the power of instantaneous transformation with vivid examples from his life. We go into the significance of self-trust, childhood experiences, and overcoming fear through intentional breathwork. Finnian shares personal stories of financial loss, identity crises, and the profound effects of breathwork on managing fear and enhancing creativity. Some highlights we explore: Energy interventions like breathwork, cold exposure, and sensory deprivation. The importance of creating space for creativity and high performance. The role of childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior. Techniques to leverage energy over time for productivity. And more! Enjoy! FOLLOW FINNIAN KELLY: instagram | facebook | twitter | website Listen to the Podcast Subscribe

The post You’re Underestimating the Power of Breath first appeared on Chase Jarvis.

The post You’re Underestimating the Power of Breath appeared first on Chase Jarvis.

Learn 6 unconventional strategies to break out of the herd, embrace bold risks, and reignite your creativity for real growth.

The post 6 Unexpected Ways to Break Free from the Herd first appeared on Chase Jarvis.

The post 6 Unexpected Ways to Break Free from the Herd appeared first on Chase Jarvis.

If you’re ready to break free from fear and unlock your creative potential, you’re in the right place. Recently, I hosted an epic 5.5-hour live event that brought together some of the brightest minds in creativity, innovation, and personal growth. If you couldn’t join us live, don’t worry—you can still catch the entire event right here. Inside the 5.5 Hour Experience One of the core themes of the event was how fear often holds us back. We explored the idea that “avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.” In other words, playing it safe might just be the riskiest thing we do. I dove deep into how we can stop letting fear dictate our decisions and shared strategies to help you push past that resistance to achieve your best work. But it didn’t stop there. We were also joined by a series of amazing guests including Gary Vaynerchuck, Austin Kleon, Jasmine Star, Adrian Grenier, IN-Q, Stephan Moccio…and Seth Godin joined us LIVE to kick it all off. Seth, a multiple-time bestselling author and marketing genius, launched us into an incredible conversation about creativity, risk-taking, and finding meaning in our work. As Seth shared, embracing uncertainty...

The post Rewatch the 5.5 Hour Never Play It Safe Book Launch Event first appeared on Chase Jarvis.

The post Rewatch the 5.5 Hour Never Play It Safe Book Launch Event appeared first on Chase Jarvis.

The eyeo festival and the community around it has a very special place in my heart. When Dave Schroeder announced the team was editing a book to celebrate the fifth anniversary, my immediate thought was to use this opportunity to follow up on an old idea, which I had been kicking around for a while […]

WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg has sent the WP community into a frenzy with his latest antics. So what happened? In a surprise to just about everyone, Matt publicly targeted WPEngine, the largest hosting company in the WordPress ecosystem, by claiming [1] they are not contributing back to WordPress in a satisfactory manner and [2] demanding a $32-million […]

One of the questions we are asked regularly when a client has a visa refused is – What are my chances of success if I appeal? Statistics would seem to indicate that the Department of Home Affairs (DoHA) often takes an unreasonable approach to their decision making. In the AAT Migration and Refugee Division caseload report […]

The post How to review a migration decision in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) appeared first on Australian Visa Experts.

On Wednesday 12 June 2024, the Minister for Home Affairs the Hon. Clare O’Neil MP announced changes that will stop certain visa holders being able to make further visa applications onshore. These changes will come into effect on 1 July 2024. The focus of these changes rests on student and other temporary visa holders. As […]

The post Minister for Home Affairs announces changes to onshore visa applications to stop ‘visa hopping’ appeared first on Australian Visa Experts.

Le court métrage “Moonlight Mojave” est un sublime timelapse pris dans le parc national de Joshua Tree, dans un paysage nocturne. Un ciel étoilé hypnotique se déploie au dessus du désert que la lune et les étoiles illuminent comme si c’était le jour. Le film fait partie du projet Skyglow, qui veut sensibiliser au problème […]

Le film Dune de Denis Villeneuve a remporté six statuettes le 24 mars à 94e cérémonie des Oscars. Un franc succès pour ce film monumental avec Timothée Chalamet et Zendaya à l’affiche. Adaptation du roman fleuve de Franck Herbert de 1965, le film de science-fiction remporte les prix du Meilleur montage, Meilleure musique originale, Meilleur son, […]

Today, I am happy to announce version 6.0 of the Hybrid Core development framework. It has been a long time … Continue reading Hybrid Core 6.0 Now Live, ThemeHybrid.com Community Relaunch →

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The background plays a significant role in making a design pop. As a designer, changing the background color is something you'll probably do frequently when working in Adobe Illustrator. There are several ways to change the background color in Adobe Illustrator. In this tutorial, we'll learn how to change the background color in Illustrator quickly...

The post How to Change the Background Color in Adobe Illustrator appeared first on Bittbox.

Yahoo has announced a new upcoming Marketplace for licensing images on Flickr. Short on details for now, but certainly full of potential.

Grab your free copy of DxO FilmPack 3 until August 15, 2014.

Find the best WordPress ecommerce plugins. Compare top options: Are they worth the cost? Proven tools for a profitable online store.

What makes consumers choose one company over another? Identify your unique value proposition to make more sales at higher prices. Examples & tips.

In late November, I embarked on an 8-day trip from Colorado to Florida and back. The primary goal was to bring home a rowing shell and, of course, capture as many pictures and video clips as possible. I drove my […]

The Technical Image Press Association, otherwise known as TIPA, has just released its list of...

The post No longer an Underdog, Sony cameras and lenses win multiple categories at TIPA 2022 World Awards appeared first on Alphatracks.

Understanding Flange Focal Distance. What is Flange Focal Distance? The simple textbook answer is FFD...

The post Understanding Flange Focal Distance and Lens Adapters appeared first on Alphatracks.

This post: Link Roundup #001 was first published on Beyond Photo Tips by BPT Staff

Welcome to Beyond Photo Tips’ very first photography link roundup. In this brand new series of weekly posts, we are going to bring you, a glimpse of everything that we found interesting in the week gone by. This last week has been especially busy, with a number of cameras being announced by some of the […]

This post: Link Roundup #001 was first published on Beyond Photo Tips

As a special bonus, we have unlocked the first of two bonus episodes this month on the RIP a Livecast Patreon page, where we go through our thoughts on all […]

If you want your design studio to succeed in a crowded market, it has to run smoothly and effectively.

Awalnya permainan slot ini hanya dapat dimainkan di gedung casino saja. Media yang digunakan dalam permainan ini adalah mesin slot. Nantinya, pemain harus datang terlebih dahulu ke casino untuk mainkan mesin slot. Pemain juga harus antri untuk mainkan mesin slot ini, karena dulu hanya ada beberapa mesin slot saja sedangkan penggemar dari slot nya itu […]

Saat ini beragam tipe mesin slot online mudah anda akses di banyak bandar dan situs taruhan berkualitas. Anda harus tahu bahwa proses memilih mesin ini memiliki pengaruh besar pada peluang dan hasil taruhan. Memilih tipe mesin yang punya peluang menang besar adalah salah satu bentuk kemampuan yang harus anda miliki jika ingin sekses dalam bermain. […]