This past weekend I was looking through some boxes filled with "stuff" - things I have acquired over the years, and kept for reasons I don't really know. One of the things that I uncovered was a promotional giveaway for an application called Aldus Persuasion. Remember that? Probably not. I was a presentation software introduced circa 1989 that was around until about 1997. At the time, it totally kicked PowerPoint's a$$, offering features that Microsoft took years to copy and include in PowerPoint. I remember many occasions when I was running a slide show and people would run up and ask how I did that, because clearly they were PowerPoint users and knew that what I showed them wasn't possible in their software.
Unfortunately, one of the things that lead to the demise of Persuasion was that it cost around $300, compared to the "you get it free in Microsoft Office" for PowerPoint. And since PowerPoint came "for free", no one went looking for other presentation software. So even though it was w-a-a-a-a-y better than PowerPoint, Persuasion eventually lost the battle, because of the cost and the lack of awareness of the product.
So why am I bring this up? Well, it occurred to me that there are probably other products - and people - out there that are great but we don't know about them. So if you use a plug-in or camera accessory that you think is fabulous, tell people about it. If you see amazing work from a designer or photographer that isn't "famous", give them some love on Twitter, blog about them, or leave a comment here.
I'd hate to think of other cool products or talented people that don't get their due recognition, just because no one has heard of them.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Finish the Sentence...with Lesa Snider
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Lesa Snider.
Lesa, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
Photoshop! Oh, besides that? I love my LowePro SlingShot 100AW bag. The small size prevents me from over-stuffing it and making it so heavy that it causes me to topple over in an elevator when the load gets unbalanced. (True story, though with a Brenthaven bag at a Macworld years ago. It was both embarrassing and hilarious.) There are also nooks and crannies where I can store all kinds of things, eliminating the need for a purse (crucial when traveling by plane).
I’ve learned the most from..
Being naturally curious about how things are done. Whether it's graphic design, Photoshop, or motorcycle riding, I've sought books, classes, or videos that teach me what I want to know. Learning new skills is a great way to engage your brain and meet new folks, plus it keeps boredom at bay for those who have the attention span of a gnat (me!). I've also heard that creating new neural pathways makes you live longer. Whee!
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
Barcelona, Spain because not only could I nibble on delicious tapas and sip amazing Malbec, I could shoot *real* Flamenco dancers every night (not to mention learn how to Flamenco myself!). There are also some great motorcycling roads over yonder.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
I love the fact that Photoshop
...CS4 lets you delete layers by pressing the Delete key.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
...CS4 won't let you delete channels by pressing the Delete key. Super arg.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I would have learned to race motorcycles earlier in life. I'd also worn more sunblock like Mama told me to, though at the time I was certain my freckles would grow together into the Best. Tan. Ever. :sigh:
In 10 years
I'll still be updating 'Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual' (or would that be CS11?), though I'll also be basking in the royalties of a wildly successful self-help book on the secret of happiness (no title hints here, lest it be snatched!). I'll also have a prize-winning career in fiction, writing torrid tales drawn from my own experiences, along with those I've observed or conjured. It'll drive a few folks crazy trying to figure out upon whom the characters are based ;)
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
To smile brightly and compliment others every chance you get; it makes the world a more pleasant place!
Your readers can find out more about me
By trotting on over to http://graphicreporter.com/
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Lesa Snider!!
Lesa is on a mission to teach the world to create--and use!--better graphics. She’s a stock photographer and chief evangelist for iStockphoto, and founder of the creative tutorial site GraphicReporter.com. Lesa is the author of Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual (Pogue Press/O'Reilly) along with many video training titles including From Photo to Graphic Art and Practical Photoshop Elements (KelbyTraining.com), and Graphic Secrets for Business Professionals (Lynda.com). She writes a regular column for Photoshop User and Elements Techniques magazines, and contributes frequently to CreativePro.com, Layers, and Macworld. Lesa is also a corporate trainer and teaches at many conferences including Photoshop World, Macworld Expo, the UCDA Design Conference, Graphics of the Americas, and the esteemed Santa Fe Workshops.
During free time, you'll find her carving the twisties on her sportbike or hanging with fellow Apple Mac enthusiasts. Lesa is a proud member of the BMWMOA, F800 Riders Club, DACS, NCMUG, Washington Appe Pi, and LiMac.
Lesa, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
Photoshop! Oh, besides that? I love my LowePro SlingShot 100AW bag. The small size prevents me from over-stuffing it and making it so heavy that it causes me to topple over in an elevator when the load gets unbalanced. (True story, though with a Brenthaven bag at a Macworld years ago. It was both embarrassing and hilarious.) There are also nooks and crannies where I can store all kinds of things, eliminating the need for a purse (crucial when traveling by plane).
I’ve learned the most from..
Being naturally curious about how things are done. Whether it's graphic design, Photoshop, or motorcycle riding, I've sought books, classes, or videos that teach me what I want to know. Learning new skills is a great way to engage your brain and meet new folks, plus it keeps boredom at bay for those who have the attention span of a gnat (me!). I've also heard that creating new neural pathways makes you live longer. Whee!
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
Barcelona, Spain because not only could I nibble on delicious tapas and sip amazing Malbec, I could shoot *real* Flamenco dancers every night (not to mention learn how to Flamenco myself!). There are also some great motorcycling roads over yonder.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
I love the fact that Photoshop
...CS4 lets you delete layers by pressing the Delete key.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
...CS4 won't let you delete channels by pressing the Delete key. Super arg.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I would have learned to race motorcycles earlier in life. I'd also worn more sunblock like Mama told me to, though at the time I was certain my freckles would grow together into the Best. Tan. Ever. :sigh:
In 10 years
I'll still be updating 'Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual' (or would that be CS11?), though I'll also be basking in the royalties of a wildly successful self-help book on the secret of happiness (no title hints here, lest it be snatched!). I'll also have a prize-winning career in fiction, writing torrid tales drawn from my own experiences, along with those I've observed or conjured. It'll drive a few folks crazy trying to figure out upon whom the characters are based ;)
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
To smile brightly and compliment others every chance you get; it makes the world a more pleasant place!
Your readers can find out more about me
By trotting on over to http://graphicreporter.com/
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Lesa Snider!!
Lesa is on a mission to teach the world to create--and use!--better graphics. She’s a stock photographer and chief evangelist for iStockphoto, and founder of the creative tutorial site GraphicReporter.com. Lesa is the author of Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual (Pogue Press/O'Reilly) along with many video training titles including From Photo to Graphic Art and Practical Photoshop Elements (KelbyTraining.com), and Graphic Secrets for Business Professionals (Lynda.com). She writes a regular column for Photoshop User and Elements Techniques magazines, and contributes frequently to CreativePro.com, Layers, and Macworld. Lesa is also a corporate trainer and teaches at many conferences including Photoshop World, Macworld Expo, the UCDA Design Conference, Graphics of the Americas, and the esteemed Santa Fe Workshops.During free time, you'll find her carving the twisties on her sportbike or hanging with fellow Apple Mac enthusiasts. Lesa is a proud member of the BMWMOA, F800 Riders Club, DACS, NCMUG, Washington Appe Pi, and LiMac.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Non-destructive or not?
In my seminars I generally teach methods that are very flexible, allowing you to change your mind and make adjustments even after the document has been saved. Many people refer to this as a "non-destructive" workflow. Over the last six months or so I've been hearing some discussion as to whether this is really "necessary" or not. In fact, going back to December, my pal Matt Kloskowski churned up the waters on this topic with his guest spot on Scott Kelby's blog. If you didn't read it then, it's worth a look.
Matt makes some great points, including saying things like (me paraphrasing here) "I've never had to go back and make changes to a document". At my most recent seminar, a few people questioned whether they should "always" use non-destructive methods. So here's my take on this topic.
Most of the time I use flexible, editable - non-destructive - methods such as adjustment layers, layer masks and smart objects for two basic reasons:
1. just in case
2. why not
Just in case:
Although I agree with Matt that I don't often have to make changes to an exiting document, sometimes I do. For example, I don't know about you but quite often my images look a little different when I print them, so having the opportunity to make some tweaks - very easily - just makes sense to me. Now and then I do work for clients (these days that means family and friends) and it's not unusual for them to ask me to "just change this one thing". Preserving layers (and pixels) though flexible methods gives me the ability to do this.
Why not:
Yes, this is one of my reasons too: why not use non-destructive methods? Generally speaking it doesn't take any longer to clone on a separate layer, scale a Smart Object, use adjustment layers versus the Image>Adjustment menu or a layer mask rather than erase. (Okay, in a few cases it might take a second or two longer, but not much). What's the downside of using a non-destructive workflow? You have more layers, your file size is a little bigger? So call me paranoid, but I'll happily live with a few extra layers......just in case.
Maybe this stems from something that happened to me years ago. I designed a magazine cover that was a collage of 20 or so photographs, so lots of layers and masks. Once the project as done, and after repeated promises from the client that they'd never use the cover again, I chose to flatten and save it so I had a copy. Well, six months later they called me to say that they had decided to reprint that issue (for the first time in their magazine's history) and "just" needed me to make a few changes. At the time I remember thinking, I wonder if I can say, "no I can't" but realized that wasn't going to work. So I had to rebuild the whole thing from scratch. (and they certainly weren't going to pay me to rebuild it - they were expecting a bill for an hour's worth of "tweaking")
So perhaps that's where my philosophy of "just in case" comes from. Still, it just makes sense to me.
Do I ever pull out the Eraser and delete some pixels? Sure, now and then. But most of the time it's a Layer Mask.
As an aside, it appears the Adobe is gently nudging us in the direction of non-destructive methods in Photoshop CS4 with the changes to Adjustments layers (must more visible than before), the Masks panel and ongoing tweaks to Smart Filters and Smart Objects.
Needless to say, it comes down to personal choose. But do me one small favor: before you flatten, merge down, erase, etc, consider the words "just in case" .
Matt makes some great points, including saying things like (me paraphrasing here) "I've never had to go back and make changes to a document". At my most recent seminar, a few people questioned whether they should "always" use non-destructive methods. So here's my take on this topic.
Most of the time I use flexible, editable - non-destructive - methods such as adjustment layers, layer masks and smart objects for two basic reasons:
1. just in case
2. why not
Just in case:
Although I agree with Matt that I don't often have to make changes to an exiting document, sometimes I do. For example, I don't know about you but quite often my images look a little different when I print them, so having the opportunity to make some tweaks - very easily - just makes sense to me. Now and then I do work for clients (these days that means family and friends) and it's not unusual for them to ask me to "just change this one thing". Preserving layers (and pixels) though flexible methods gives me the ability to do this.
Why not:
Yes, this is one of my reasons too: why not use non-destructive methods? Generally speaking it doesn't take any longer to clone on a separate layer, scale a Smart Object, use adjustment layers versus the Image>Adjustment menu or a layer mask rather than erase. (Okay, in a few cases it might take a second or two longer, but not much). What's the downside of using a non-destructive workflow? You have more layers, your file size is a little bigger? So call me paranoid, but I'll happily live with a few extra layers......just in case.
Maybe this stems from something that happened to me years ago. I designed a magazine cover that was a collage of 20 or so photographs, so lots of layers and masks. Once the project as done, and after repeated promises from the client that they'd never use the cover again, I chose to flatten and save it so I had a copy. Well, six months later they called me to say that they had decided to reprint that issue (for the first time in their magazine's history) and "just" needed me to make a few changes. At the time I remember thinking, I wonder if I can say, "no I can't" but realized that wasn't going to work. So I had to rebuild the whole thing from scratch. (and they certainly weren't going to pay me to rebuild it - they were expecting a bill for an hour's worth of "tweaking")
So perhaps that's where my philosophy of "just in case" comes from. Still, it just makes sense to me.
Do I ever pull out the Eraser and delete some pixels? Sure, now and then. But most of the time it's a Layer Mask.
As an aside, it appears the Adobe is gently nudging us in the direction of non-destructive methods in Photoshop CS4 with the changes to Adjustments layers (must more visible than before), the Masks panel and ongoing tweaks to Smart Filters and Smart Objects.
Needless to say, it comes down to personal choose. But do me one small favor: before you flatten, merge down, erase, etc, consider the words "just in case" .
Friday, June 19, 2009
Finish the Sentence...with Peter Bauer
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Peter Bauer.
Pete, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
my monopod. Combined with a couple of big, industrial-strength strips of Velcro, it's as steady as a tripod and can be used in much tighter spaces. Strap it to a fence post or a stop sign, use it in a museum or a church, voila! a stable shooting platform that's easy to carry and requires just inches of floor space.
I’ve learned the most from..
the membership of NAPP. As the Help Desk director for NAPP, I've answered questions from people all over the world, working with Photoshop in a variety of ways to do some pretty incredible things. From the police forensic photographers to the astronomers, from the portrait studios to the research labs, from the photojournalists to the reconstructive surgeons, there's a huge spectrum of Photoshop users with questions about "how" and "why" and even "when." And Jeanne and Rob and I get to help them find the answers that work best for them. It's those questions that help me explore the deepest, darkest corners of this magnificent jungle we call "Photoshop."
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the archives of the Vatican because there's more to life than photography and Photoshop. Those archives contain documents and artwork spanning thousands of years, with information that brings history to life. Not only grand secrets, but also the minutia of daily life over that past centuries, the details of lives and events long past, could be explored. And those explorations can help put into perspective not only the present, but the future. By studying our past, we better prepare ourselves for what is to come.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
a set of Actions I recorded for my own use years ago. Because of my work with the Help Desk, where most NAPP members don't have all of the plug-ins available to me, my daily work is pretty much Photoshop-native. My writing and production work is streamlined by my Actions, which not only save me time, they ensure accuracy. When I'm producing my own art, however, I also enjoy working with a variety of plug-ins from Nik Multimedia and OnOne Software and, of course, Genuine Fractals.
I love the fact that Photoshop
enables me to isolated and work with specific groups of pixel, chosen by location in an image or by color throughout an image. By creating selections and masks, I can work with each element within an image to finesse that part of the image to meet my artistic vision. For example, in my award-winning glacier photo "A Contrast of Matters," the land mass to the right and the glacier to the left required different amounts of sharpening in order to create the proper visual balance between the elements. By duplicating the original image layer and using layer masks, I was able to reach my artistic goal using Photoshop in a way that would be virtually impossible with a program that doesn't support selections and masks.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
um, sorry, Dave and readers, I can't think of anything about Photoshop that I "hate." I'm not being a homer, it's just that "hate" is such a strong word. There are some things I'd like to see different in Photoshop, such as being able to re-name or annotate the names of steps in an Action and Smart Filters applied to a Smart Object, but "hate" is too strong a word for me to use with computer software.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I would resist the temptation. The past 10 years have been incredibly good to me and I wouldn't want to take the chance of screwing up something tht would make today any less beautiful than it is.
In 10 years
hopefully I'll be getting ready to write Photoshop CS10 for Dummies and will be unpacking from an 11th teaching assignment at the Texas School of Professional Photography.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
to always remember that experience is not what we have done in our lives, experience is what we have learned from what we have done in our lives.
Your readers can find out more about me
at IndyPixels.com (when I finally finish the re-build).
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Peter Bauer!!
Pete Bauer is an award-winning photographer and the author or co-author of a dozen major titles on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and digital photography. His newest Photoshop book is an update to the must-have Photoshop for Dummies. As the Help Desk Director for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), he personally answers thousands of e-mail questions annually about Photoshop, photography, and computer graphics. In his role as NAPP Help Desk Director, Pete has contributed to and assisted on such projects as feature film special effects, major book and magazine publications, award-winning Web sites, and fine-art exhibitions. Pete received the NAPP Pioneer of Photoshop award in September 2005, and is a seven-time Photoshop Hall of Fame nominee. An Adobe Certified Expert (ACE), he is a regular contributor to Photoshop User and Layers magazines, hosts video training titles for Lynda.com, and produces on-line tutorials for both InformIt.com and PlanetPhotoshop.com. He has taught computer graphics at the university level and serves as a computer graphics efficiency consultant for a select corporate clientele. Pete appears regularly as a member of the Photoshop World Instructor Dream Team and has been a featured speaker at Professional Photographers' and Photoshop conventions in both the US and Canada. Pete and his wife, Prof. Mary Ellen O’Connell of the Notre Dame Law School, live along the St. Joseph River in South Bend, Indiana.
Pete, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
my monopod. Combined with a couple of big, industrial-strength strips of Velcro, it's as steady as a tripod and can be used in much tighter spaces. Strap it to a fence post or a stop sign, use it in a museum or a church, voila! a stable shooting platform that's easy to carry and requires just inches of floor space.
I’ve learned the most from..
the membership of NAPP. As the Help Desk director for NAPP, I've answered questions from people all over the world, working with Photoshop in a variety of ways to do some pretty incredible things. From the police forensic photographers to the astronomers, from the portrait studios to the research labs, from the photojournalists to the reconstructive surgeons, there's a huge spectrum of Photoshop users with questions about "how" and "why" and even "when." And Jeanne and Rob and I get to help them find the answers that work best for them. It's those questions that help me explore the deepest, darkest corners of this magnificent jungle we call "Photoshop."
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the archives of the Vatican because there's more to life than photography and Photoshop. Those archives contain documents and artwork spanning thousands of years, with information that brings history to life. Not only grand secrets, but also the minutia of daily life over that past centuries, the details of lives and events long past, could be explored. And those explorations can help put into perspective not only the present, but the future. By studying our past, we better prepare ourselves for what is to come.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
a set of Actions I recorded for my own use years ago. Because of my work with the Help Desk, where most NAPP members don't have all of the plug-ins available to me, my daily work is pretty much Photoshop-native. My writing and production work is streamlined by my Actions, which not only save me time, they ensure accuracy. When I'm producing my own art, however, I also enjoy working with a variety of plug-ins from Nik Multimedia and OnOne Software and, of course, Genuine Fractals.
I love the fact that Photoshop
enables me to isolated and work with specific groups of pixel, chosen by location in an image or by color throughout an image. By creating selections and masks, I can work with each element within an image to finesse that part of the image to meet my artistic vision. For example, in my award-winning glacier photo "A Contrast of Matters," the land mass to the right and the glacier to the left required different amounts of sharpening in order to create the proper visual balance between the elements. By duplicating the original image layer and using layer masks, I was able to reach my artistic goal using Photoshop in a way that would be virtually impossible with a program that doesn't support selections and masks.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
um, sorry, Dave and readers, I can't think of anything about Photoshop that I "hate." I'm not being a homer, it's just that "hate" is such a strong word. There are some things I'd like to see different in Photoshop, such as being able to re-name or annotate the names of steps in an Action and Smart Filters applied to a Smart Object, but "hate" is too strong a word for me to use with computer software.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I would resist the temptation. The past 10 years have been incredibly good to me and I wouldn't want to take the chance of screwing up something tht would make today any less beautiful than it is.
In 10 years
hopefully I'll be getting ready to write Photoshop CS10 for Dummies and will be unpacking from an 11th teaching assignment at the Texas School of Professional Photography.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
to always remember that experience is not what we have done in our lives, experience is what we have learned from what we have done in our lives.
Your readers can find out more about me
at IndyPixels.com (when I finally finish the re-build).
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Peter Bauer!!
Pete Bauer is an award-winning photographer and the author or co-author of a dozen major titles on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and digital photography. His newest Photoshop book is an update to the must-have Photoshop for Dummies. As the Help Desk Director for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), he personally answers thousands of e-mail questions annually about Photoshop, photography, and computer graphics. In his role as NAPP Help Desk Director, Pete has contributed to and assisted on such projects as feature film special effects, major book and magazine publications, award-winning Web sites, and fine-art exhibitions. Pete received the NAPP Pioneer of Photoshop award in September 2005, and is a seven-time Photoshop Hall of Fame nominee. An Adobe Certified Expert (ACE), he is a regular contributor to Photoshop User and Layers magazines, hosts video training titles for Lynda.com, and produces on-line tutorials for both InformIt.com and PlanetPhotoshop.com. He has taught computer graphics at the university level and serves as a computer graphics efficiency consultant for a select corporate clientele. Pete appears regularly as a member of the Photoshop World Instructor Dream Team and has been a featured speaker at Professional Photographers' and Photoshop conventions in both the US and Canada. Pete and his wife, Prof. Mary Ellen O’Connell of the Notre Dame Law School, live along the St. Joseph River in South Bend, Indiana.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Carter
Okay, so by the time this post is published I'll be in Seattle doing some teaching - very hush hush (not really, I just always wanted to say that). So until I get another chance to post something, here's a couple of pics from a newborn shoot I did this past weekend for my friends.
Timing is everyting - he was quite unhappy at this point, but I hapened to capture a moment when he looked like he was smiling.
I love the wrinkles around a baby's wrist and arms!
Timing is everyting - he was quite unhappy at this point, but I hapened to capture a moment when he looked like he was smiling.
I love the wrinkles around a baby's wrist and arms!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Finish the Sentence...with Rich Harrington
[never mind the music, cue the video intro]
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Rich Harrington.
Rich, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
my geotagging receiver. I love to be able to look up photos after the shoot because I have a terrible memory for names. I can now go back after the shoot and reconnect and reconstruct the story behind my pictures. I really like to be able to place my photos into context and connect memories, images, and history together. There's lots of brands out there, but jump on this train as it is such great data to have. I've been using the Blue2Can from Red Hen Systems, it works great.
I’ve learned the most from..
my wife. Together we've worked through a lot of things and grown a lot from a couple of kids in college. I've learned to be a better parent, I've learned how to put someone else first, and I've learned that life isn't always buttons and filters and sliders. It may sound sappy, but it's nice to have perspective, great kids, and someone to share life's joys and sorrows. If you've got someone, hold on and make it work.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the Turks & Caicos Islands because they are beutiful with great scuba diving and beaches. They are one of the most "untouched" islands, in that they are not completely overrun with tourism. It's a great place to shoot photos (both above and under water). If you like warm weather, beautiful beaches, and great sights, these are some of the best islands you'll find. Personal recommendation, stop at a local grocery store, load up on fresh fruit and Junkanoo Cruzan rum... a daquiri (or three) a day really makes it easier to get into island time and the feel of the sea breeeze.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
I've been using nIk Silver Efex alot on my photos for Black and White Conversion. I find it a very intuitive and rewarding filter that lets me get back to enjoying black and white. I use it both in Photoshop and Aperture, and I think they really nailed the controls. I like to save my own presets as starting points and just love how easy it is to bring out details for dramatic skies.
I love the fact that Photoshop
is so flexible and realtively easy to use. It encourages people to try new things and explore their images. Photoshop is very rewarding to many users who jump right in.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
is not approached with a more formal manner of study by many users. I've had the joy of teaching Photoshop at university level. It's really amazing what happens when user's take the time to build up their knowledge from a strong foundation. So many people blow past the fundamentals of layers, compositing, and channels... then struggle with the application. While it looks easy as times, digging deep into the foundation of digital imaging really pays off. I have my own strong opinions of what the "essentials" are, but it comes from years in a classroom. I tried to capture that college experience into my book, Understanding Adobe Photoshop and bring it to life in the free weekly podcast of the same name.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I'd buy a heck of a lot of Appe and Adobe stock, file a few patents for the iPhone, and become self-employed about 3 years earlier. I'd also make more time for friends, music, and laughter.
In 10 years
I look forward to
Teaching my son how to drive a car.
Seeing my daughter's love of music develop.
Taking many family vacations.
Celebrating 20 years of marriage.
Laughing with family.
Making new friends and keeping old ones.
Continuing to help people to learn to enjoy their digital life while helping them get faster and more efficient so they can enjoy their real life more often.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
Don't go to bed angry. Try to work out the issue, you'll sleep better, you'll feel better, and the next day will be a new day instead of an old argument.
Your readers can find out more about me
www.RasterVector.com
www.PhotoshopForVideo.com
www.twitter.com/rhedpixel
www.rhedpixel.com
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Rich Harrington!!
A certified instructor for Adobe, Apple, and Avid, Rich is a practiced expert in motion graphic design and digital video. Starting his career out in the world of broadcast journalism, Rich has always had great interest in visual communications. His producing skills were also recognized by AV Video Multimedia Producer Magazine who named him as one of the Top Producers of 2004.
Rich is a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals Instructor Dream Team, and a popular speaker on the digital video circuit. He has chaired conferences since 2003 for the National Association of Broadcasters.
Rich is an internationally published author. His book, Photoshop for Video, was the first of its kind to focus on Photoshop’s application in the world of video. He is also a contributing author for Apple’s Aperture, iLife ’09 and iWork ’09, After Effects for Flash | Flash for After Effects, Video:Made on a MAc, and Producing Video Podcasts.
A Master's Degree in Project Management fills out Rich’s broad spectrum of experience. Rich enjoys traveling and digital photography, as well as teaching his kids the joys of science fiction and comic books.
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Rich Harrington.
Rich, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
my geotagging receiver. I love to be able to look up photos after the shoot because I have a terrible memory for names. I can now go back after the shoot and reconnect and reconstruct the story behind my pictures. I really like to be able to place my photos into context and connect memories, images, and history together. There's lots of brands out there, but jump on this train as it is such great data to have. I've been using the Blue2Can from Red Hen Systems, it works great.
I’ve learned the most from..
my wife. Together we've worked through a lot of things and grown a lot from a couple of kids in college. I've learned to be a better parent, I've learned how to put someone else first, and I've learned that life isn't always buttons and filters and sliders. It may sound sappy, but it's nice to have perspective, great kids, and someone to share life's joys and sorrows. If you've got someone, hold on and make it work.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the Turks & Caicos Islands because they are beutiful with great scuba diving and beaches. They are one of the most "untouched" islands, in that they are not completely overrun with tourism. It's a great place to shoot photos (both above and under water). If you like warm weather, beautiful beaches, and great sights, these are some of the best islands you'll find. Personal recommendation, stop at a local grocery store, load up on fresh fruit and Junkanoo Cruzan rum... a daquiri (or three) a day really makes it easier to get into island time and the feel of the sea breeeze.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
I've been using nIk Silver Efex alot on my photos for Black and White Conversion. I find it a very intuitive and rewarding filter that lets me get back to enjoying black and white. I use it both in Photoshop and Aperture, and I think they really nailed the controls. I like to save my own presets as starting points and just love how easy it is to bring out details for dramatic skies.
I love the fact that Photoshop
is so flexible and realtively easy to use. It encourages people to try new things and explore their images. Photoshop is very rewarding to many users who jump right in.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
is not approached with a more formal manner of study by many users. I've had the joy of teaching Photoshop at university level. It's really amazing what happens when user's take the time to build up their knowledge from a strong foundation. So many people blow past the fundamentals of layers, compositing, and channels... then struggle with the application. While it looks easy as times, digging deep into the foundation of digital imaging really pays off. I have my own strong opinions of what the "essentials" are, but it comes from years in a classroom. I tried to capture that college experience into my book, Understanding Adobe Photoshop and bring it to life in the free weekly podcast of the same name.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
I'd buy a heck of a lot of Appe and Adobe stock, file a few patents for the iPhone, and become self-employed about 3 years earlier. I'd also make more time for friends, music, and laughter.
In 10 years
I look forward to
Teaching my son how to drive a car.
Seeing my daughter's love of music develop.
Taking many family vacations.
Celebrating 20 years of marriage.
Laughing with family.
Making new friends and keeping old ones.
Continuing to help people to learn to enjoy their digital life while helping them get faster and more efficient so they can enjoy their real life more often.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
Don't go to bed angry. Try to work out the issue, you'll sleep better, you'll feel better, and the next day will be a new day instead of an old argument.
Your readers can find out more about me
www.RasterVector.com
www.PhotoshopForVideo.com
www.twitter.com/rhedpixel
www.rhedpixel.com
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Rich Harrington!!
A certified instructor for Adobe, Apple, and Avid, Rich is a practiced expert in motion graphic design and digital video. Starting his career out in the world of broadcast journalism, Rich has always had great interest in visual communications. His producing skills were also recognized by AV Video Multimedia Producer Magazine who named him as one of the Top Producers of 2004.Rich is a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals Instructor Dream Team, and a popular speaker on the digital video circuit. He has chaired conferences since 2003 for the National Association of Broadcasters.
Rich is an internationally published author. His book, Photoshop for Video, was the first of its kind to focus on Photoshop’s application in the world of video. He is also a contributing author for Apple’s Aperture, iLife ’09 and iWork ’09, After Effects for Flash | Flash for After Effects, Video:Made on a MAc, and Producing Video Podcasts.
A Master's Degree in Project Management fills out Rich’s broad spectrum of experience. Rich enjoys traveling and digital photography, as well as teaching his kids the joys of science fiction and comic books.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Finish the Sentence...with Martin Evening
[this week we feature the international edition of our show]
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Martin Evening.
Martin, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
is the tethered cable that allows me to connect the camera to the computer. It's such a simple thing to pick I know. At first I was reluctant to shoot tethered, but it has made such a difference to the speed at which I can now shoot in the studio and approve shots on the monitor
I’ve learned the most from..
Jeff Schewe. Jeff was one of the first Photoshop gurus I got to meet in person when I started traveling over to the US to do seminars and we have become good buddies ever since.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the Democratic Republic of Congo because my father spent his early adult life out there and helped build a large church right in the heart of the then Belgian Congo. Ever since the sixties there has been a lot of unrest in the Congo and it is still not really safe for Westerners to travel there. I'm not keen to put myself in danger, but I would one day like to visit the Congolese villages where he lived and worked.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
the TurningGate.net Web Gallery styles designed for the Lightroom Web module. Matthew Campagna has created a whole bunch of Gallery styles for Lightroom and I use these all the time. The photo pages on my photography website were all created directly out of Lightroom using one of Matthew's Galleries.
I love the fact that Photoshop
has made such a huge difference to the way I shoot and finish off my photographs.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
doesn't always integrate so well with the Lightroom way of doing things and vice versa. Often this is down to legacy code that can't be changed so easily in Photoshop and it's unfair to criticise, but it would be nice if both products shared similar protocols.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
there would be no Camera Raw, no healing brush, no Lightroom! How on earth would I survive?
In 10 years
I'll be living in our dream house in the British countryside, growing our own produce and being driven spare by our teenage daughter who'll probably be wanting us to move back to busy London.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
lways keep an open mind. With Photoshop I have had to continually reevaluate how I work with the program, been willing to adopt new approaches to certain Photoshop tasks and throw out the old favorite techniques. Technology is constantly evolving and we must be prepared to evolve too.
Your readers can find out more about me
at www.martinevening.com and www.photoshopforphotographers.com
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Martin Evening!!
Martin Evening is a London-based advertising and fashion photographer and noted expert in both photography and digital imaging. Martin is the author of the best-selling book The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers (Adobe Press, 2008). In addition, he wrote the book Adobe Photoshop CS4 For Photographers (Focal Press, 2008) and Adobe Photoshop CS4 For Photographers: The Ultimate Workshop, which was co-written with Jeff Schewe (Focal Press, 20089). Martin is sought after for speaking and lecturing, including in the U.S., including Photoshop World. Martin also works with the Photoshop and Lightroom engineering teams, consulting on new feature development and alpha and beta testing. He is also one of the founding members of PixelGenius, a software design company producing automated production and creative plug-ins for Photoshop.
"It's time once again to ask a well-known photographer, instructor or otherwise interesting person the same 10 questions and ask them to Finish the Sentence! This week the sentences are finished by.... Martin Evening.
Martin, please Finish the Sentence..."
My favorite photography accessory (lights, modifier, bag, tripod) is
is the tethered cable that allows me to connect the camera to the computer. It's such a simple thing to pick I know. At first I was reluctant to shoot tethered, but it has made such a difference to the speed at which I can now shoot in the studio and approve shots on the monitor
I’ve learned the most from..
Jeff Schewe. Jeff was one of the first Photoshop gurus I got to meet in person when I started traveling over to the US to do seminars and we have become good buddies ever since.
If I could go anywhere in the world it would be_____ because….
the Democratic Republic of Congo because my father spent his early adult life out there and helped build a large church right in the heart of the then Belgian Congo. Ever since the sixties there has been a lot of unrest in the Congo and it is still not really safe for Westerners to travel there. I'm not keen to put myself in danger, but I would one day like to visit the Congolese villages where he lived and worked.
My most-used Photoshop add-on, plugin, action set (etc) is
the TurningGate.net Web Gallery styles designed for the Lightroom Web module. Matthew Campagna has created a whole bunch of Gallery styles for Lightroom and I use these all the time. The photo pages on my photography website were all created directly out of Lightroom using one of Matthew's Galleries.
I love the fact that Photoshop
has made such a huge difference to the way I shoot and finish off my photographs.
I hate the fact that Photoshop
doesn't always integrate so well with the Lightroom way of doing things and vice versa. Often this is down to legacy code that can't be changed so easily in Photoshop and it's unfair to criticise, but it would be nice if both products shared similar protocols.
If I could turn back the clock 10 years
there would be no Camera Raw, no healing brush, no Lightroom! How on earth would I survive?
In 10 years
I'll be living in our dream house in the British countryside, growing our own produce and being driven spare by our teenage daughter who'll probably be wanting us to move back to busy London.
If I could give one piece of advice it would be
lways keep an open mind. With Photoshop I have had to continually reevaluate how I work with the program, been willing to adopt new approaches to certain Photoshop tasks and throw out the old favorite techniques. Technology is constantly evolving and we must be prepared to evolve too.
Your readers can find out more about me
at www.martinevening.com and www.photoshopforphotographers.com
Ladies & Gentlemen, let's hear it for Martin Evening!!
Martin Evening is a London-based advertising and fashion photographer and noted expert in both photography and digital imaging. Martin is the author of the best-selling book The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers (Adobe Press, 2008). In addition, he wrote the book Adobe Photoshop CS4 For Photographers (Focal Press, 2008) and Adobe Photoshop CS4 For Photographers: The Ultimate Workshop, which was co-written with Jeff Schewe (Focal Press, 20089). Martin is sought after for speaking and lecturing, including in the U.S., including Photoshop World. Martin also works with the Photoshop and Lightroom engineering teams, consulting on new feature development and alpha and beta testing. He is also one of the founding members of PixelGenius, a software design company producing automated production and creative plug-ins for Photoshop.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Embarrassing photo time (sort of)
Over on his blog, Scott Kelby has been posting "embarrassing" photos from his past. Here's my variation on that theme: an embarrassing lack of photo. The following scan is from my yearbook.
In our yearbook, if there wasn't a photo for someone, they'd use a standard silhouette (see A). For some reason my photo didn't make it into the book, which was bad enough since I did have one taken. But to add insult to injury, the silhouette beside my name was of a girl! (B) Could it be any worse for a high school grad? jeez.
....It is good to see that my fav quote is still valid all these years later ;)
In our yearbook, if there wasn't a photo for someone, they'd use a standard silhouette (see A). For some reason my photo didn't make it into the book, which was bad enough since I did have one taken. But to add insult to injury, the silhouette beside my name was of a girl! (B) Could it be any worse for a high school grad? jeez.
....It is good to see that my fav quote is still valid all these years later ;)
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
On ink
Last night I needed to print an 8 x 10 on my wonderful Epson R1800 printer, but the ink light was flashing at me. Opening up the lid, I see the Cyan light is solid red, which apparently means that it's completely dry. Of course I try a print anyways only to confirm that there's little to no cyan ink (when the sky has no color at all).
So I head to a large office retailer than I know has a wall full of ink. As I scan the wall looking for the cyan for my printer (ink #T504022 or something like that) I see rows of ink by starting number: 20, 30, 40, 60.... but no 50s. A helpful store employee sees me searching and comes and asks if he can help me find a particular ink, so I tell him what I'm looking for. He gives me the "you have THAT printer" face and says, "Oh that ink is a special order, I can have it for you by Thursday"
Then it hits me. How many people walk into a store to buy ink because they think, "Hmmm, I might be running out soon"? No, we come in deparate need because we need to make a print and some of our ink has run out. Right?
So this is just my little rant to remind all of us with ink jet printers - particular one of those printers that apparently aren't standard - to go buy some ink, just in case you run out at an inopportune time.
I feel better now, except for the fact that I still need Cyan ink.
So I head to a large office retailer than I know has a wall full of ink. As I scan the wall looking for the cyan for my printer (ink #T504022 or something like that) I see rows of ink by starting number: 20, 30, 40, 60.... but no 50s. A helpful store employee sees me searching and comes and asks if he can help me find a particular ink, so I tell him what I'm looking for. He gives me the "you have THAT printer" face and says, "Oh that ink is a special order, I can have it for you by Thursday"
Then it hits me. How many people walk into a store to buy ink because they think, "Hmmm, I might be running out soon"? No, we come in deparate need because we need to make a print and some of our ink has run out. Right?
So this is just my little rant to remind all of us with ink jet printers - particular one of those printers that apparently aren't standard - to go buy some ink, just in case you run out at an inopportune time.
I feel better now, except for the fact that I still need Cyan ink.
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