Photoshop Insider

Friday News Wrap-up

By Scott on Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 7:05 am | updates.

First, here’s a shot of my brother Jeff taken in Dubai (click for larger version). I don’t really have anything special to say about the processing (just Lightroom), or settings—I just love my brother, and wanted to share this photo of my lifelong best friend and mentor.

Now, here’s a quick look at what’s happening as we head into the weekend:

World Famous landscape photographer (and Photoshop World Instructor) Stephen Johnson, has two workshops coming up that sound really fascinating; the first is right around the corner, on May 3-5, 2008 as his “Landscapes of California” digital photography field workshop takes place in the beautiful Point Lobos, and Carmel, California area (here’s the link). Then, he’s taking the show on the road to Ireland’s Spectacular West Coast for 10 days (June 20-30,2008) for a workshop co-sponsored by the Maine Media Workshops (Here’s the link). If you’ve never taken a workshop from Stephen—he’s an amazing instructor, photographer, and person. Highly recommended.
I saw a review of my Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers over at a site in Sweden. Here’s the link.
Part 2 of Dan Margulis’ “5 Minutes to a Picture Postcard” online class from KelbyTraining.com just went live yesterday. Here’s the link with all the details (and you can watch a sample there as well). By the way; Dan did a “mini” version of this class at Photoshop World in Orlando, and it had everybody talking. Dan has, once again, pushed the envelope of what you can do color wise, and sharpening wise, in Photoshop.
Catch Photoshop User TV and Layers TV over at Adobe TV. While I was out in Dubai, Adobe released the very slick Adobe Media Player, along with Adobe TV (which plays in the media player), which a free online source for video tutorials on a wide range of Adobe products, and NAPP is honored to be a part of the launch with free episodes of Photoshop User TV and Layers TV included as part of their channel. Here’s the link with all the details.
David duChemin, over at the Pixelated Image, did a follow-up post to my “Always Shooting With The Wrong Lens” post that builds on what I was saying, and it’s definitely worth a read (here’s the link).
I had a number of comments and emails about the photo I posted of Jeff Revell shooting in the desert yesterday (the bottom shot in the group). I wish I could take the credit for performing some “Photoshop Magic” on it, but that’s pretty much the way it came out of the camera. I just used Lightroom’s White Balance slider to add more blue to the sky (yes, it was that bland of a cloudless sky, but if I had tilted the camera a little higher, you would have seen some pretty uninspiring cloudy skies, so I kept it low), and I sharpened it. Sorry there wasn’t more razzle dazzle to it.
One last thing: I’m so gratified to see how regulars of this blog are helping field questions posted here as comments. I actually do answer some of them privately (I do often email answers to the person who posted the question directly), but obviously there’s no way I can answer them all (or even most of them). So please consider this my humble thanks to those of you who help other folks out here. You’re doing a really nice thing, and my hats are off to you for helping them, and for helping me out, too.

That’s it for today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you back here next week! Take care—Scott.

Comment form for this post

^#1

Scott, it really moved me this morning when I saw the picture of your brother and you stated you just placed him there just because you wanted to share it. I think it is awesome that you consider him a lifelong friend and mentor. So many times, I guess because you are in the limelight so much I tend to dehumanize you to a certain degree. Seeing this page reminded me that you are just an average guy and success has not gone to your head! Thank you so much for just being YOU! You are awesome and I appreciate the fact that at times, you teach me cool tips AND life lessons.

John on April 18th, 2008 at 7:27 am

^#2

Hey Scott,
I also wanted to send a note of thanks. During the past 9-12 months I have really gotten into photography and post processing. Primarily due to you. Your delivery of the information, good humored personality and honesty has made the difference and gets me excited to learn and do even more. . We have never met but I think you are a “what you see is what you get” kind of guy. Which is a great thing in your case. I was scheduled to go on the DC photowalk last month, but the weather kept me away. If Jeff would have let the cat out of the bag about you and Matt, I would have suffered through it.:)
I have recently joined NAPP, and also a proud member of Kelby Training. I have such a long way to go but with the tools you provide, both technically and inspirationally, it is a joy taking the journey and a big part of my life. So wanted to thank you personally for all that you do for us and what it has meant in my life.
I hope to go to PS World in the fall and hopefully will get a chance to thank you in person.
I live in the DC area but a native Floridian and the biggest Buc fan on the planet. So our common interest go beyond photography.
Take care

Tom on April 18th, 2008 at 8:38 am

^#3

Hey Scott,

Love your blog!! I’m a member of the Kelby Training online, I was wondering if you can maybe get someone to make a course on flash photography, from the very beginning… I think it’s something everyone could use. There this great workshop (one light workshop) I’ve been trying to go to but they’re always sold out….

I was thinking if we can get someone to teach using a flash from the very basics and to more advance techniques that would be a huge hit…

Thanks for all your help! Dan

Dan on April 18th, 2008 at 11:00 am

^#4

Hey Scott,

Why don’t you and your brother get a room? Just kidding.
I love coming to your site everyday and I slam my fist into my screen on days when you doing update it. Thankfully I have only had to buy 7 or 8 new monitors.
Keep up the good work.
I would love to travel to a location like Dubai someday….

Nathan on April 18th, 2008 at 11:05 am

^#5

I need to second Dan’s comments. I hate to gush, but thanks are due. I’m a budding photographer, and you have been my primary instructor. Through your printed books, Photoshop User TV, and this blog, I have already significantly improved my images over the last year. I was one of those amateur photographers with a sweet camera….putting the horizon right in the middle of the frame! I’ve come a long way since then thanks to you! Not only are your photos inspirational and your instruction easy to follow, you have lead me to other sources of wonderful information (ex: Strobbist). You inspired me to dust off my old Canon AE-1 (hand-me-down), prompted my decision to purchase a D200 last year, and continue to guide me toward being a better photographer. (I have spent more money that I should have purchasing these new toys – a side-effect of Photoshop User TV – but I can justify every penny!) While my renewed interest in photography was initially a creative outlet for stress (I am a full-time graduate student and maintain a full-time professional job – both in business, not photography ), I’m learning so much so quickly and am so focused and inspired, what was supposed to be a procrastination may be a new career path! I’ve been silently absorbing everything you’ve put out there for over a year now, so…I know it’s long overdue …thank you.

Stacy on April 18th, 2008 at 11:45 am

^#6

Hey Scott,

First off all the books you publish are amazing. It has helped me twice as much as half the professors I had in college. Second off, I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I’ve come across a photographer, Todd Johnson(tjweddings.com), and I’ve been grinding at photoshop for awhile now trying to figure out how he gets those ethereal looking pictures. Its almost ir photography with color. They are amazing! I was wondering if you had any thoughts/tips/tricks. If you do please please share them. Thanks! Keep on cranking out the great books! P.S. The Lastolite Kit……..Greatest kit put together for on location!

Mike on April 18th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

^#7

Scott You’re just Crazy busy. One thing In wounder if about all this traveling. workshops, etc. To us who stay around home it sounds super cool, but as someone who does it constantly I wounder if you get tired of it at times.

Gavin

Seim Effects on April 18th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

^#8

As always Scott, Awesome photos from your trip. I just watched a documentary for the Burj a couple of days before seeing your photos. It would have been great to see in that special, you truly captured its beauty. I included the link to your site on my KOLD TV 13 Column and we just posted a video interview with Ben talking about NAPP at my site, hopefully you will get a chance to check it out and not slap me upside the head in Vegas for the comment of your face on the sphinx.

Thanks again for inspiring, entertaining and driving us all to be better photographers and to grasp the power of photoshop.

Andy Taylor

Andy Taylor on April 18th, 2008 at 2:53 pm

^#9

Scott,

As with many of these posts, this is a general thank you for all the work you put into training others. Your writing is top notch, and your understanding of what makes a good topic is extremely helpful. It also helps that your photography is incredible, and your results with Photoshop and Lightroom are incredible. More than anything, however, is how “human” everything is presented. It’s very comforting when I see your original photos compared to the doctored ones. Knowing that an exceptional photographer sometimes gets the same results as I do in the camera, gives me the push I need to invest more time in digital development.

Again, thanks for all the hard work. Your crew is the standard for online training and resources, and it’s the first place I point someone who’s looking at growing in photography or Photoshop. Now, stop meddling in the Middle East and hit up Milwaukee sometime!

Josh

Joshua Houk on April 18th, 2008 at 3:36 pm

^#10

Hi Scott.

Greetings froms sunny(??) Ireland and welcome back!

I have been follwing your blog for a few months now and I also joined Kelby Online training. I have learned SOOOOO MUCH from both. Thanks!

This is my first post. I would like to start my own blog but I am put off by the thoughs of the time it might take exporting/downsizing my photos to upload to the blog. I am using (err, learing) Lightroom and CS3 for my workflow with the 7 point suystem and all that.

How do you do it? What is the easisest/quiest way to send a photo to your blog without having to spend 15 minutes doing it?? Can you recommend a way/package?

Right kids! I’m comming!!!………

Dermot

Belfast. Northern Ireland.

Dermot on April 20th, 2008 at 7:44 am

^#11

Hi Dermot:
I wrote an action that resizes whatever image I have open in Photoshop in two sizes (it makes two documents): One large size (10″ wide), and a smaller one that’s 440 pixels wide (which is the right size to fill a column for the Word Press template I use).

It also converts the color profile of both files to sRGB, which is what it needs to be to display properly on the Web.

That way, all I have to do is click the action, rename the files, and post ‘em.

Hope that helps, and best wishes on the new blog. Be sure to send me a link when it goes live.

-Scott

Scott on April 20th, 2008 at 9:49 am

^#12

Hi Scott,
just wanted to say thanks really. Fantastic work, loving everything that you do. Im fairly new to the game but since buying myself a 350D, i never want to put the camera down and the thing that got me started was a point and shoot and your Digital Photography books.

I love the format of the books, its what ive been looking for in a book. Easy reading and something that instantly helps with my results. Ive just brought the sequal as well, and just wanted to say thanks really.

Regards

Andrew

Andrew on April 20th, 2008 at 12:46 pm

^#13

Scott,

As an advanced amateur doing prep work to set up my digital work flow, I loved your Adobe Lightroom book. Perfect in content, tone, and hints.

Now looking for the same level of newbie book for PS Elements 6 for the Mac and saw on Amazon you got dinged for no info on layers, no info on Bridge and no Mac specificity. Is an update in the works that will cover the above?

Ken Woodrow on April 20th, 2008 at 7:55 pm

^#14

Hi Scott,

I’m sorry and thank you. I say this because of your “One last thing” comment above. Right after you released your 7 step book there was a question asking where someone could download the images used in the book. I answered the question with a link, and it along with the original question was removed from your comment page very quickly. So, I’m sorry for answering that question too precisely, and thank you for letting us help you help us.

You and all of your colleagues at NAPP Rock!!!

Mike

Mike on April 20th, 2008 at 9:20 pm