Photoshop Insider

Hi everybody—here’s the latest:

• I’m working on my 2nd annual “Scott’s Gonzo Holiday Gadget Guide” for the magazine, and for an online version as well, and I’ve gotten a lot of great gear and gadget ideas from readers in the past, so if you know of a really cool product, accessory, plug-in, etc. that I should know about, just post a comment here on the blog, or send me an email at skelby@photoshopuser.com
• Just a quick note: Amazon.com is now showing that my “Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers” is in stock, so now both B&N and Amazon show the book ready to ship. I’m also starting to get emails from readers who have received the book already, so I’m glad to see it’s getting in the pipeline.
• If you’re looking for a really cool shooting opportunity, Moose Peterson’s Digital Landscape Workshop Series (DLWS) has a workshop coming up on the Great Lakes and Michigan Shoreline on Sept. 16-19, 2007. The DLWS crew (which includes instructors Laurie Excell and Joe McNally) have scoped out some incredible shooting locations that may provide some of their best shoots of the year. I think this is one of the workshops that people are going to be talking about for a while, so if you’re looking for something new and fresh, snag one of the few available spots over at DigitalLandscape.org
• If you’re signed up for Photoshop World, make absolutely certain you enter the Photoshop Guru Awards competition–sponsored by our friends at CDW (which is only open to people who attend Photoshop World). If you win the Guru Award in any of the categories, you win a 500GB “The Book” hard drive from Western Digital, and if you win “Best of Show” you win a Nikon D80 Kit (with a 28-135mm zoom lens). If you win the “Vincent Versace Award for Excellence in Digital Photography” you win an Epson 3800 Stylus Pro printer (for printing up to 17″x22″ prints), and OnOne’s Software’s Photoshop Plug-in Suite, and a signed original print from Mr. Versace himself. For details, visit PhotoshopWorld.com
• On this week’s episode of Photoshop User TV, my buddy Matt Kloskowski has a great tutorial on how to create an action that creates multiple Black & White conversions of any color photo, so you can just sit back and pick the version that looks best to you. It’s very cool, and you can watch it right here online by clicking here.

Well, that’s it for today. Have a great day and we’ll see you all tomorrow!

Howdy folks! Let’s get to it:

• Let’s start this Tuesday off right with some inspiration–I came across the photography of Erik Almas, and I was just blown away. His portrait work has a surreal feel to it that is just so captivating, and his landscapes, and well…everything he does is just amazing. Click here to visit his site, and start your Tuesday off right (hey, that rhymes). Note: He has several galleries and one of them is called Nudes. Now, I didn’t click that particular link, but I’m assuming that the Nudes gallery will have photos of people without their clothes on (it’s just a hunch). So, if nudity offends you—-don’t click that link (I hate to have to give that warning, but believe me—I have to give that warning!).
• Dave Cross (who is, hands-down one of the finest Photoshop teachers on the planet) is leading a Photoshop and Photography workshop on October 17-21, 2007 up to one of the most beautiful landscape shooting locations in North America—as he, and the wonderful Neil and Susan Silverman, take 20 very lucky people up to Acadia National Park, in Bar Harbour, Maine.This workshop is produced by the GAPW (Great American Photo Workshops—the same folks behind my upcoming Glacier National Park workshop, and Matt’s recent Banff workshop). It’s just an amazing place to be shooting alongside Dave and the Silverman’s (they are amazing photographers and absolutely charming people to boot), and when the good light is gone you’ll be in the classroom learning Photoshop from one of the very best there is. There are only a few spots left, so sign up today over at GAPhotoworks.com.
• PanosFX has made some great free Photoshop actions (yes, free!) available once again, and this time the actions make a photo-realistic watch, (and the action has some cool options, too), and best of all–did I mention—they’re free!!! Check it out over at PanosFX.com. Kudos to Panos Efstathiadis over in Greece, for making these available.
• I saw a mention of my “Digital Photography Book” snuck into a post called “Ramblings, Links, and Surprise” over at Adobe’s Genesis Project blog (click here to check it out–and the Genesis Project blog itself).
• If you use Adobe’s Creative Suite, make sure you head over to Layers Magazine (the how-to magazine for everything Adobe), and get on the list to get a free “tip of the day” delivered to your inbox. Very cool stuff on everything from Photoshop to Illustrator to InDesign to Dreamweaver, Flash, the Bridge, and more. Here’s the link to the site (the sign-up field is on the left–about half way down the home page).
• Back in April of this year we moved this blog over to Wordpress (which I love), but before that my blog was over at Blogger.com (which is a great place to start blogging–and its free). Anyway, the reason I mention this is—if you want to see archived posts from this, my “Photoshop Insider” blog, prior to April of 2007, then click this link to visit the old site, and you’ll see archive links (along the right side) that go back to June of 2005, when this blog first started.

Well, that’s it so far for a Tuesday. Have a great one everybody, and we’ll catch you tomorrow!

In my spare time (insert chuckle here) I play keyboards for “Big Electric Cat” (NAPP’s own “house band” named after Adobe’s internal code-name for Photoshop 4.0) and we’ll be making a special concert appearance at the Photoshop World Vegas party (held at the ESPN Zone Restaurant & Bar in the New York New York Hotel & Casino).

We also played at Boston Photoshop World this past spring (see photo above, taken by David Ziser, which shows lead singer Kalebra, along with bass player [and Photoshop genius] Felix Nelson–click on it for a larger view), where we played songs from Evanescence, No Doubt, and Mother’s Finest, (among others), but this time we have a different set list, with some fun 80s and 90s dance hits (like Janet Jackson and Cameo), plus some Heart, and a very cool remake of Elvis’ “Burin’ Love.” If you got a ticket to the party (it’s already sold out), we’ll see you there!

Note: In an effort to ensure that I get no sleep whatsoever, besides my gig with “Big Electric Cat,” I’m also the drummer for “Phoenix” (a reincarnation of my first rock band from high school, with the orignial memebers of the band; our lead singer was Angie Aparo, who wrote the song “Cry” for Faith Hill and has been opening for her on the road). We’re playing a gig this October here in Florida (we spent all day yesterday rehearsing in Orlando), but now I’m back to work on all things Photoshop.

So, scoll down for the rest of today’s news.

It’s Monday, and that means…it’s Monday!

• There’s an interesting article over at one of my favorite blogs; The Online Photographer, and it’s about “Photoshop Excess (the overuse of Photoshop,) and not only is it cleverly written, it makes some very good points. Check it out here.
• If you’d like to start your day being blown away, take a moment and visit the site of German design firm Zerone CGI. Their specialty is creating 3D versions of cars (using 3D Software) and integrating them with a photographic background, and they are so brilliant at it that you’ve just got to see it. Their home page graphic shows the process with an animation which starts with just the background photo, then you see a wireframe, then a rough model, then the finished car with detail (see a capture from their site above). Just amazing!Next, when you’re on their site click on the link (up top) for Galerie (the site is in German, but if you don’t speak German don’t sweat it—you’re just looking at the photos), and check out the samples of their work. Hard to believe they’re not real photos. Here’s the link (this is an absolute must-see).
• I just learned that Realtors are using my book, “The Digital Photography Book” for improving the photos they take of homes. It’s an interesting article/review over at the Real Estate Blog Lab.
• Make sure you check out this week’s episode of Photoshop User TV (which should post later this afternoon), which is the first episode actually shot in our new in-house studio (finally!), and we have new graphics, and a new theme song (both courtesy of our bad-a#$ editor and general boy wonder Jason Scrivner), and it’s the unveiling of our official new name (as Photoshop User TV, named after the magazine), logo, and look. Thanks for everybody’s patience (watching us tape episodes in “on location” studios which included the back of Corey’s Mini Cooper, a golf course, Dave Cross’ pool, and a host of other weird temporary locations).
• The BlogCritic.com just posted not just a review of Photoshop User magazine (although that’s primarily what it focuses on), but a review of NAPP as a whole, and I have to say it’s a very thorough look at the whole picture from top to bottom. Check it out right here.
• Just a quick reminder; if you’re selling any used camera gear, do what I do; contact “TheEquipmentLady.com” and let her do it all for you. The site is run by Laurie Excell, (who’s teaching a pre-conference workshop for beginning digital photographers at this year’s Photoshop World Conference), and Laurie does just a great job (at both selling your gear, and teaching!). Check it out right here.
• Hi Mike. Hi Don. Hey Jeff; see you next week!

Well, that’s it for today. Hope you have a great Monday, and we’ll see you tomorrow!

I just got an email from a reader who noted that Barnes & Noble.com has my “Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers” in stock and ready to ship. Here’s the link!

Happy Friday everybody. Here’s the end-of-the-week news:

• I just got my copy of the new book “What The Duck: Rule of Nerds” (from Aaron Johnson) and it’s just great! I’m such a huge fan of the “What the Duck” photo-centric comic strip (shown above—click for a larger view) and Aaron did just a great job putting this book together (you will absolutely laugh your butt off!). “Rule of Nerds” has to be on your Holiday gift list this year! Check it out at whattheduck.net. Congratulations to Aaron on putting an entire year of What the Duck into this hilarious book!!!
• Catch Larry Becker (NAPP’s Executive Director) in an online interview posted over at TechTalkRadio where they talk about the upcoming Photoshop World, about NAPP in general, and all sorts of cool stuff. You can listen online right here.
• There’s also an interesting video interview over at PhotoInduced.com with UK-based Creative Director Richard Myers, who talks about advertising, photography, and Photoshop in the world of marketing. Definitely worth checking out (click here).
• Today’s the last day to save $100 on early bird registration for Photoshop World. Hey, I’m just sayin’.
• Mike Wong (over at OnOne software) has a Photography/Photoshop blog I really like called “One OnOne” and if you haven’t checked it out, it’s worth adding to your list for sure (but it’s not easy to find it by going to OnOne’s regular Web site, so I put the link here: Check it out.
• If you watch Photoshop User TV, you’ve see our buddy RC on the show, and now he has his own daily blog over at LayersMagazine.com (the online site of Layers Magazine, the “How to” magazine for everything Adobe). He covers tips, techniques, he does video tutorials, and news about all the different Adobe apps (besides Photoshop, he’s an expert on Dreamweaver, Flash, and well…just about everything Adobe makes). Check RC out over at LayersMagazine.com
• You’re not going to believe this (because I don’t believe this), but we are actually scheduled to shoot our first episode of Photoshop User TV in our new in-house studio today (noticed how I said “we’re scheduled”–just in case something doesn’t work. But if it does work, you’ll see the new look and feel on Monday. Late Monday for sure, but Monday. OK, if not Monday, certainly by Tuesday, right?).

That’s it for this Friday. Hope you have a great day, a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday!

Hi everybody. Here’s the latest:

• Every once in a while you come across a workshop that you’re just dying to attend, and for me, this is the one, as the world renowned Santa Fe Workshops heads down to the small historic Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende (see the shot above, by Raul Touzon) for a series of one-week photography workshops exploring personal vision, figure study, documentary story telling, travel photography, and portraiture.These workshops are lead by a who’s who of the world’s finest photography instructors and I want to go so badly that it’s killing me (so far my schedule won’t allow it, but if I can break away—-I’m going!). What an amazing opportunity! The details are right here!
• I just found out about FStop magazine yesterday (thanks Moose!) which is an online mag that is just dripping with cool. If you’ve got a minute, and you’d like some insights into some really wild/cool/deep/hip photography, click here and see for yourself.
• We’ve added a new city to my Lightroom Tour, and I’ll be coming to Washington, DC on Monday, September 10th, 2007 for a full day of Lightroom 1.1. training. If you want to snag a seat now, click here.
• Brilliant Photoshop and Painter Artist Faye Sirkis is going to be teaching a “Paint Like A Master Workshop!” workshop this summer at the Long Island Photo Workshops (click for details). (Note: Fay has a fantastic “Paint Like a Master” DVD out: click here for info on it, and if you’re going to Photoshop World, don’t miss seeing Fay live—she’s just amazing!)
• [Lame segue alert:] Speaking of Photoshop World, if you’re a photographer and you’re going to be at the conference, I want to let you know that we have a special “Photography Inspiration” track that isn’t about Photoshop; it’s about the creativity of the photography itself, with sessions from legends like Jay Maisel, Joe McNally, and Rick Sammon) among others. Also, don’t forget: tomorrow is the last day to save $100 with early registration if you haven’t signed up yet. Click here for details.
• I continue to be impressed with the folks over at LightroomGalleries.com, who are doing just an amazing job in creating wonderful, downloadable Flash-based galleries for Lightroom. Very cool stuff—click here to give them a visit.
• If you have a couple of minutes, check out this week’s episode of Terry White’s wonderful “Adobe Creative Suite Podcast,” where he shares some cool CS3 portrait retouching techniques. Click here to go there.

That’s it for today, folks. Have a good one!

We’re on a record-breaking pace for registrations this year, and I think one reason is CS3 (of course) and some of the cool new things we’ve added around it this year in Vegas, including:

• A new special interest track on Photoshop CS3’s Extended features, including classes on Extended features for the technical, scientific and manufacturing fields.
• There’s a new “Adobe Web Tools” track, with special sessions on Dreamweaver, creating Online Portfolios, and using Photoshop CS3 with Flash (among others).
• The Motion Graphics track incorporates the new video features in Photoshop CS3, along with the latest techniques for Adobe After Effects, and how to use Photoshop with digital video.
• If you arrive early for the conference, you can catch a very cool special bonus session called “Capture & Creativity: A Tribute to Monte Zucker” which shows techniques for how far you can take your digital portraits using Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter, and special printing techniques. This takes place on Wednesday evening (the day before the official conference kick-off) and it’s totally free to all registered attendees.
• Adobe is sponsoring a special “Birds of a Feather” session for engineers, architects, and manufacturing professionals to see the newest features of Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop Extended developed just for those who use Photoshop for industrial design, visualization, image analysis, and communication. It’s free, but you have to sign up in advance (click here to sign up).
• Don’t forget; this Friday is the deadline to register for Photoshop World and still save $100 with the early registration discount.
• One last thing: Where will you be when Deke McCelland, John Paul Caponigro, Russell Brown, Dave Cross, Ben Willmore, Jim DiVitale, George Lepp, Jay Maisel, Dan Margulis, Matt Kloskowski, Bert Monroy, Jack Resnicki, Moose Peterson, Joe McNally, Jeff Schewe, Eddie Tapp, Vincent Versace, Terry White, David Ziser, myself, and some of the world’s most talented and gifted instructors take the stage to share their latest time-saving, job-saving, creativity enhancing, mind-blowing Photoshop techniques? I hope you’ll be right there with me, in Las Vegas, learning from the very best teachers in the business.

Sign up at PhotoshopWorld.com today (or at the very least, before Friday)!

Now, scroll down one more post for My Wednesday News Update!

Here’s what’s up:

• Harris Fogel interviews Adobe’s own Julieanne Kost about Adobe Lightroom, the Lightroom workflow, and much more. You can listen to the interview online at this site (just press the little play button).
• There are only a couple of spots left for Moose Peterson’s new “Wildlife Photographer’s Base Camp” workshop (logo above). It’s a unique opportunity to learn directly from the of the world’s most highly acclaimed wildlife photographers, in some really amazing locales (click here for more details).Note: There are just two spots left for their Montana workshop, and only four left for their Florida workshop (remember how I mentioned a couple of weeks back about Moose’s Digital Landscape Workshop Series [DLWS] coming up in Cape Cod this September, and how they always sell out in advance? Well, that Cape Cod workshop is already sold out. So, if you want to be a part of his Wildlife Base Camp, you’d better act fast!).
• Renowned Wedding Photographer David Ziser just released his monthly newsletter, and you can read it online right here (note: he’s got some nice tips, business advice, and some helpful video tutorials in this issue!).
• My Lightroom Tour is coming to Chicago at the end of this month (on the 30th), and if you haven’t signed up yet—it’s not too late (my past tours have sold out in advance, so don’t wait until the last minute—it might be too late!). Click here for details or to register (NAPP members save $20.00 off the $99 registration).
• A big congrats to our friends over at the “Digital Photography Show” as they’ve been nominated for two Podcast Awards (In both the Cultural Arts category and the People’s Choice category). They’ve got a really great thing going, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to their show, then click right here and give it a listen!
• I got my hands on a copy of my new book “The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers” yesterday, and I’m really excited about all the new things I was able to add to the book (not just new CS3 features, but loads of new stuff I’ve learned since the CS2 version of the book came out back in 2005).Now, you’re probably wondering how I added all this cool new stuff without the book becoming some huge 900 page behemoth? I did it by giving people who buy the book access to four bonus chapters they can download that didn’t make the printed edition of the book, yet are totally updated for Photoshop CS3.So, although the CS3 version of my book is a bit longer than previous editions, it’s not crazy big, and best of all; you get more content than ever! Order your copy now at Barnes & Noble.com or Amazon.com, or in bookstores any day now.
• Want some Wednesday photography inspiration? Check out NAPP member Glyn Dewis (who’s not only a frequent poster here on the blog–he’s a wonderful photographer as well. See for yourself, and start your day off right!).

That’s it for today, so get back to showin’ those pixels who’s boss!