Photoshop Insider

Wednesday News Stuff

By Scott on Wednesday, March 19th, 2008 at 6:02 am | updates.

Howdy folks—here’s what’s up:

Nikon has just recently launched a complete redesign of their Nikon USA web site, (shown above) and I have to say; it’s pretty stunning. They’ve done a very clever job of making “the image” the focus of the home page, and the site is packed with both beautiful photography, and loads of info on everything Nikon. Overall, I think the site redesign is a big improvement, and it’s much easier to get to the info you want quickly, and it just looks so much better (I can’t think of a better way to say it than that). Here’s the link (and make sure you click on the little floating EXIF and Info window on the top right. Very cleverly done).
Photoshop author and trainer Sean Duggan (co author of the book “The Creative Digital Darkroom” with Katrin Eismann) is teaching a number of short classes this April in Hawaii (poor guy) at the University of Hawaii. His classes are: (1) Selections & Masking in Photoshop CS, (2) Creative Collage with Photoshop CS3, and (3) Camera Raw Workflow. Click here for more info on those classes. After that, Sean is teaching a weekend class called “Photoshop for Photographers: The Basics” at Stephen Johnson’s Photography Studio in Pacifica, California, on May 3-4, 2008. Here’s the link to info on that weekend workshop.
This might be interesting; there’s a new utility called “Preview Extractor” that lets you extract the full-sized JPEG preview image from Raw photos taken with Nikon digital cameras. I haven’t tried it, and I haven’t heard much more than it’s available. Here’s the link, but if you’ve tried it, or know someone that has, let me know.
Photoshop Hall of Famer Eddie Tapp is our guest on this week’s episode of Photoshop User TV, and Eddie shows how to get a “Softar filter effect” for giving that soft glamorous look to your images in Photoshop. Here’s the link to the show (you can watch it right online). Also, don’t forget to set your Tivo to record Photoshop User TV on Fox Business Network–the show airs tonight at 1:30 am. Check our local cable listings (or DirectTV) for the channel in your area.
Lastly, in the latest issue of Shutterbug magazine, they had a link to the motorsports photography of Regis Lefebure. His stuff is just incredible, and if you want to start off your Wednesday right, take two minutes to enjoy some really amazing images. Here’s the link.

That’s it for today, gang. Remember, a strobe unfired, is a strobe without light. I have no idea what that means.

Comment form for this post

^#1

To ad to Scott’s post: the “Preview Extractor” is only for Windows machines, not available for Mac OS X.

Stephan on March 19th, 2008 at 7:00 am

^#2

To add to Scott’s post: the “Preview Extractor” is only for Windows machines, not available for Mac OS X.

^#3

oops, twice the same. sorry.

Stephan on March 19th, 2008 at 7:02 am

^#4

Morning Scott,
Nikon’s new site is super! it’s about time they changed it.
Thanks for lighting week and have a blast at the Photoshop World Conference.

James on March 19th, 2008 at 7:19 am

^#5

Hey Scott, just to follow up on Jame’s post, yes very informative lighting week. Great info & a great idea to help us lighting challenged folks. Counting down the days to PWC. With all that is going on that week (attending Laurie’s pre-con, parties etc.) I hope I can squeeze 9 holes in some where. You’re blog rocks & well appreciated!! See ya in Orlando!

-Bob from Beantown

Bob DeChiara on March 19th, 2008 at 8:05 am

^#6

Scott,

Just a note while I was perusing the latest issue of Photoshop User magazine. I noticed it was thicker than usual; then I counted the number of ad pages and this had increased from where it was a year ago. I really do not care how thick the magazine gets, however, I would certainly hope that content isn’t suffering for the fact that it seems the use of this magazine for ad profit appears to be increasing quite a bit.

Can you comment on this?

Thanks,
Pat in Houston

pat flanakin on March 19th, 2008 at 9:00 am

^#7

I just got your book Photoshop CS3 for Digital Photographers. On page 7 it shows the option box “When a camera is connected, launch Adobe Photo Downloader”. I have PS CS3 with version 2.1.1.9 of Bridge and don’t have this check box showing. What gives? I’d like to have the Bridge Downloader auto-launch to save me a few steps. I also have Elements version 6 on my computer and it has the auto-launch feature checkbox. Should I uninstall Elements 6 (maybe a program conflict?). Help please. Thanks. Steve Crist

Steve Crist on March 19th, 2008 at 10:14 am

^#8

Has anyone used the preview extractor? It appears to support one of the two cameras I have D70(s), but does it support the D300? I shoot exclusively in RAW, and have to use Lightroom in order to get quick JPEGS - not normally a huge deal. Would love feedback from anyone using this program.

Robert Mann on March 19th, 2008 at 10:20 am

^#9

Robert,

I have used it with my D200 and it is pretty handy. I think it is fine with all newer NEF files. It just doesnt support anything before the D70 like the D100. It doesnt alter the original NEF at all so its safe to try.

Frank

Frank Weichmann on March 19th, 2008 at 10:30 am

^#10

Regarding the Preview Extractor program, you can already do this with iView Media Pro, albeit a with a little more complication . Just create a catalog (make sure that the drives that the files from the catalog are available for iView to access) and then create a web gallery.

iView uses the embedded JPG in the RAW file to create the gallery. Just navigate to the large JPG file sub-folder in the folder created for the web page.

Rodney Mickle on March 19th, 2008 at 11:57 am

^#11

Dear Scott,
When is your new book with Matt on Elemrnts 6 coming out. I have Photoshop, but I really want this book because I bought Elements 6 also.

I have CS2 and I bought the 7 steps book, but when I make a digital negitive in lightroom it is not opening in CS2. Why?

I bought the new nike software for 199.00 when I was going to buy CS3 upgrade. I still do not see why I should use it if I have the new 3 filters.

I have a D50 Nikon why is D60 better. Deb

Deborah McNamara on March 19th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

^#12

Hi Scott,

The portfolio of Regis is really amazing. Makes you think that he has some really good lenses or he defies living Thanks for sharing.

Question for the Nikon 800 that you talk about from your previous post. Where can we find it?

Cheers,
Gilles

Gilles on March 19th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

^#13

I got one better than this..Go see. ITs about attitude

http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/view/image/118031

Affectionately Photoshopuser
Ken

KenL on March 19th, 2008 at 6:02 pm

^#14

Hi Pat:
Thanks so much for voicing your concern about the content pages slipping vs. paid ad pages. This is something we keep a very close eye on, for just the reasons you mentioned in your comment.

You will be happy to know that the number of content pages from last year has grown significantly (it doesn’t do any good to count the ad pages, if you don’t count the contents pages, which is what we both care about most).

For example:

• The April/May 2007 issue had 67 pages of content
• The April/May 2008 issue has 93 pages of content

That’s a content increase of 39% year-over-year.

But beyond that; having a healthy magazine with robust paid advertising is actually very important for our members. Here’s why: When we launched NAPP 10 years ago, Photoshop User was only published four times a year. The first issue was only 36 pages, and NAPP membership was $99.

Today, 10 years later, it’s published 8 times a year, it’s over 100+ pages, but your NAPP membership is still only $99. I can’t think of many things that cost the same today as they did back in the 1990s, and part of the reason is that we sell advertising in Photoshop User.

Paper costs have risen nearly 40% in just the past two years, and postal rates costs have gone up considerably as well, but we still haven’t raised membership dues, and each year we add more content, more values to the web site, more discounts, and plain more of everything without raising the membership dues a penny. It’s not easy to do, but we’re really committed to making NAPP, and Photoshop User, the best value in Photoshop Training, Education, and News in the world.

Pat, thanks for your concern (for keeping us honest), and for being a NAPP member. It means more to us that you might think.

All my best,

-Scott Kelby
Editor and Publisher